Category: News

RIA OREANDA , Russia
Economic Press Review
May 7, 2004 Friday
Russia-Armenia Cooperation Issues Be Discussed in Samara
SAMARA
On May 14, 2004 the Federation Council of the RF Federal Assembly
and the National Assembly of Armenia will hold the international
conference Interregional Russia-Armenia Cooperation: State and
Prospects . It is expected that the following officials will
participate in the Conference: Sergey Mironov, the RF Federation
Council Chairman, Artur Baghdasaryan, Chairman of the National
Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, members of the RF Federation
Council, the RF State Duma and the National Assembly of Armenia. The
conference participants will consider process of implementation of
the long-term Program for economic cooperation between two states
till 2010 and touch upon the problems of coordination of legislation
of both countries. Notably, the choice of the Samara region for
conference holding is not random- at the present moment the Samara
region is in the lead among the Russian regions in the trade turnover
with Armenia and above all, almost 70 thousand Armenians live in
Samara and the Samara region.

Azat Artsakh – Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR)
May 7, 2004
ARTSAKH IN ARMENIAN PRESS
The publications on Artsakh in the press of Armenia of the current
week were more interesting and various than last week. Particularly,
at the beginning of the week the newspapers were full of analytical
articles and information on the Karabakh problem, and the publications
of Thursday mainly referred to the economy. The press of the week
closes with materials on the meeting of Aliev and Kocharian in Warsaw
on April 28. AGAIN WAR? The newspaper “Azg”, making a reference to the
agency “Turan” in the article headlined “No Compromises on
Azerbaijan’s Part” (27.04.04) informs that on Saturday the co-chairman
of the Minsk Group Steven Mann met in Baku with the defence minister
of Azerbaijan Safar Abiev and talked about the Karabakh problem.
Presenting the position of the USA in reference to Karabakh, Mann said
that the parties must make mutually acceptable compromises. However,
in answer Abiev said that Azerbaijan would make no concessions.
Moreover, Azerbaijan characterized Armenia as a country-aggressor and
added that it should be punished. Bringing the example of Yugoslavia
and Iraq, where the military interference was used, according to the
newspaper, Abiev asked why not to do the same with Armenia. And if add
the to this brazen question of the Azerbaijani defence minister the
statement of Aliev Jr. that he does not hurry in the question of
Karabakh, only one conclusion may be made that Azerbaijan is preparing
for a new war. A similar conclusion was made by the weekly newspaper
“Avangard” in the article “Probability of Both Positive and Negative
Turnarounds Increases” (28.04.04). Following attentively the policy of
the Azerbaijani authorities in reference to the settlement of the
problem the author of the article thinks that the situation got
complicated after the announcement of Aliev to start everything from
the zero point. “It seems more probable that the wish of Aliev to
start everything from the zero point is his own “genial” idea pursuing
one aim – to bury finally the principles of Key West unacceptable for
Azerbaijan, and on the other hand, to win time until the opening of
the Baku-Geihan pipeline allowing to improve greatly the financial and
economic situation of the country, arm and strengthen the army and
solve the Karabakh problem through war.” And as to the probability of
a positive turnaround, mentioning another announcement of Ilham Aliev
about his willingness to recognize the independence of the Turkish
Republic of North Cyprus, the author of the article mentions, “To
recognize the independence of the illegitimate state which was not
recognized by any country means directly accepting the right of the
nations for self-determination.” There is an impression that
Azerbaijan sacrifices its own interests for the interests of Turkey.
In the case of such developments “Azerbaijan will have to admit the
independence of NKR otherwise the approach of dual standards not only
will be striking but also will leave an obscure and absurd impression
on the international community,” writes the newspaper. “Anyway, in
unforeseeable, unexpected geopolitical developments the probability of
both positive and negative turnarounds increases which should oblige
the Armenian diplomacy to stay alert all the time to avoid dangerous
roundabouts in the question of settlement of the NK conflict and to
make utmost use of the favourable situations,” concludes the
author. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. The meeting of the NKR government on
April 27 discussed the implementation of the state budget of 2003 in
which reference “Addressing the meeting, prime minister Anoushavan
Danielian announced that the government had set an aim to maintain the
high rates of the economic development of the past years and provided
an abrupt growth of the economic development of the republic in 2003,”
informed the press service of the NKR government to the newspaper
“Republic of Armenia” (28.04.04). In the article headlined “Despite
Growth of Rates Difficulties are Ahead” the newspaper “Azg”
(29.04.04), touching upon the same topic, mentions, “2003 was a
turning point in the economic development of NKR. In particular, the
real growth of the GDP totaled 19.8 percent. Growth of rates was
reported also in the spheres of industry, agriculture and other. The
growth of the budget revenues was also unprecedented.” In this context
the active coefficient of the private sector was emphasized; if in
2000 the share of this sector in the industrial production was 25
percent, in three years it tripled. “With such growth rates in the
upcoming two years the minimum salary in NKR will double, and the
pensions will grow every year,” says the newspaper. “However, let no
one have the impression that we have overcome all the problems,” said
the prime minister of NKR according to the newspaper “Republic of
Armenia”, “on the contrary, I am sure that the main difficulties are
to follow. This is not a popular expression but the description of the
current economic situation of the country. And despite the high rates
of economic development in the past years the economic growth of the
country should be characterized as rehabilitative growth,” the
newspaper presents the opinion of the prime minister of
NKR. KOCHARIAN-ALIEV. As we have already mentioned, almost all the
newspapers of Armenia covered the meeting of Kocharian and
Aliev. Particularly the newspaper “Golos Armeni” (in Russian) touching
upon the dialogue that took place during the meeting of Kocharian and
Aliev in Warsaw in the article “Forgot About the 0?” (28.04.04),
mentions, “the newly elected president of Azerbaijan did not mention
about starting the negotiations from zero which Aliev insisted on in
some of his addresses.” The newspaper “Aravot” (30.04.04), presenting
the information provided by the radio station “Liberty” on the press
conference of the president of Azerbaijan after the PACE meeting on
April 29 (in which Armenian journalists also participated – C.M.),
touches upon the question asked by the reporter of the same radio
station “What do you mean when speaking about starting the
negotiations from zero?” to which Aliev answered that the presidents
of the Republic of Armenia and Azerbaijan did not achieve any
arrangements in reference to the peaceful settlement of the Karabakh
conflict, therefore from whatever point the parties start the
negotiations, it will be a zero point. According to the newspaper,
Aliev also added that the Armenian party distorts the facts announcing
that the RA president R. Kocharian and the former president of
Azerbaijan H. Aliev reached arrangements for the peaceful regulation
of the NK conflict. According to another publication of the same
newspaper, “In Warsaw R. Kocharian stated that the only way of the
settlement of the NK question is “peaceful and willing divorce”. In
his turn I. Aliev announced that he would not cooperate with Armenia
unless the problem of NK is solved.” EVALUATION. In his turn the RA
minister Vardan Oskanian evaluated the meeting of the presidents of
Armenia and Azerbaijan as quite effective. “We may state unambiguously
that the negotiation process is coming out of the deadlock,” mentioned
the foreign minister of RA in his interview to the newspaper “Republic
of Armenia”.
CHRISTINE MNATSAKANIAN

The International Herald Tribune
May 7, 2004 Friday
Membership could cost Turkey its soul ;Joining the EU
by Sedat Sami
CARBONDALE, Illinois
A former prime minister of Turkey, Mesut Yilmaz, declared in 1999
that “Turkey’s road to the European Union goes through Diyarbakir,” a
mostly Kurdish city in southeastern Turkey. He was alluding to
European Union demands that Turkey grant more autonomy to its Kurdish
citizens as the price of an eventual membership in the EU.
But a detour to Diyarbakir is not the only one that Turkey will be
forced to take to win EU membership. The danger is that the journey
will lead Turkey away from itself — making membership not worth the
price, which is national sovereignty.
The demands on Turkey are many. Last January, Romano Prodi, the
president of the EU Commission, intimated that the reunification of
Cyprus would enhance Turkey’s EU chances. With the Greek Cypriot
electorate rejecting a reunification plan put forward by Kofi Annan,
the UN secretary-general, it is now apparent that Turkey will
continue to be pressured to offer more concessions to the Greek
Republic of Cyprus to change its mind. In short, Turkey’s road to the
EU will have to pass through Nicosia, too.
In addition, the United States wants Turkey to open its border with
Armenia before the NATO summit meeting in Istanbul in June. Turkey
closed the border more than a decade ago, when a war erupted between
Armenia and Ankara’s ally, Azerbaijan. Given the brittle nature of
its economy and its dependence on the International Monetary Fund and
World Bank, Turkey seems to have little choice but contemplate yet
another detour to the EU, this time through Yerevan.
Finally, a failure to reach an agreement this year with Greece over
territorial rights in the Aegean would lead to the World Court, as
stipulated in the 1999 communique that officially named Turkey a
candidate country. Thus Turkey’s road to the EU may have to snake
through The Hague too.
These issues all generate strong feelings among the Turks. They want
Kurds treated as first-class citizens, for instance, but are deeply
suspicious of any suggestion of autonomy. A strong urge for a fair
and just partnership between the Greek and Turkish communities in
Cyprus is tempered by memories of the terrorism by the Greek
nationalist movement EOKA. And they fear that opening the Armenian
border would be a betrayal of the Azeris who have been driven from
their homes by Armenian troops.
With the EU planning to reconsider its status in December, Turkey is
now faced with a historic decision: What price should the nation pay
for just the promise of negotiations aimed at a future EU membership?
Unfortunately, a rational debate in Turkey about the pros and cons of
EU membership has been clouded by a fog of disinformation. Big
business conglomerates that control the news media are feverishly
pushing for membership, while only a small handful of nationalist and
leftist publications are daring to point out the problems with
accession. Meanwhile, Turkey’s Islamist regime seems to draw its
legitimacy more from the praises of EU leaders, obsessed with the
unification of Cyprus, or of the State Department, eager to assign to
Turkey a major role in its new Greater Middle East project, than from
the people.
Why are the government and business so intent on membership? The
answer lies in Turkey’s economic ills, including high unemployment
and a monumental trade deficit attributable in part to a
disadvantageous customs union with the EU. The underlying problem,
however, is an unholy alliance between a corrupt political elite that
has sought to hang on to power by hook or crook and an equally
corrupt business elite that has robbed Turkey with the connivance of
a meek, underpaid and sometimes crooked bureaucracy. To get itself
out of this economic mess, the regime is banking on the generosity of
a rather skeptical Europe.
But again, at what price? A country cannot be great without a strong
sense of itself. Taking refuge in the bosom of the EU will not save
Turkey unless it rediscovers its moral compass and refuses to
surrender abjectly on matters of national interest. Turkey’s road to
the EU may well be its road to perdition. ** Sedat Sami is a
professor emeritus of engineering at Southern Illinois University.

The International Herald Tribune
May 7, 2004 Friday
No political forces in Russia wish Armenia’s destabilisation
By Tigran Liloyan
YEREVAN
In the opinion of Ara Abramyan, President of the World Armenian
Congress and of the Union of the Armenians of Russia, “There are no
political forces in Russia that would wish destabilisation or
internal unrest” in Armenia. “Stabilisation in Armenia is the main
thing,” he has told Itar-Tass.
This prominent public figure and businessman has dismissed assertions
about an ostensible involvement of Russian businessmen of Armenian
descent in the developments in Armenia. He believes that “it is
superfluous to say in this respect that some big Russian
organisations allegedly finance the opposition in Armenia”.
Commenting on the internal political tension in the republic,
Abramyan pointed out that he takes “a negative view of the
developments in Armenia, since this also concerns the Armenians of
Russia and of the whole world”. He recalled that half a million
Armenian nationals live in Russia.
Abramyan is convinced that the authorities and the opposition must
settle the internal political situation in Armenia. “Only at the
negotiating table, not in the street or in foreign countries,”
appealing to international authorities.
As for the opposition’s demands for President Robert Kocharyan’s
resignation, Abramyan believes that “any such demands must be decided
upon exclusively within the legal, constitutional framework”.

Armenia/Azerbaijan/United Kingdom: BBC launches new Karabakh webpage
BBC World Service press release, London
7 May 04

BBC Russian service is launching a new web page to coincide with the
10th anniversary of the ceasefire in the Nagorny Karabakh conflict.
Going live on bbcrussian.com on Wednesday 12 May, the Karabakh Page
will publish news and views from Russian-speakers in Armenia,
Azerbaijan and across the world.
Visitors to bbcrussian.com who take interest in the Karabakh conflict
and whose lives have been affected by it will have the chance to take
part in weekly online discussions.
In addition, the Karabakh Page will publish photos and personal
stories.
There is also a special section for people seeking to re-establish
contacts with old friends and neighbours.
The Karabakh page is done in partnership with the British NGO
Conciliation Resources, as part of the Consortium Initiative – a new
British Government-funded programme which aims to improve the
prospects for a settlement of the Karabakh conflict.

ITAR-TASS
May 7, 2004 Friday
Tbilisi open to cooperation with all – foreign minister
MOSCOW
Georgia will no longer play on geo-strategic contradictions; it has
chosen a course towards partnership with everybody, Foreign Minister
Salome Zurabishvili stated.
“Our orientation is that we should move towards Europe, towards the
strengthening of friendship with the United States and integration
with NATO, with very close neighborhood with Russia,” Zurabishvili
told a news conference at the Itar-Tass agency on Thursday.
“Earlier, we had a choice between the main players, and Tbilisi
played on contradictions between them, but it gained nothing. Our
true way is cooperation with all. We want everybody to cooperate with
us,” she said.
The Georgian foreign minister noted a positive role of Russia in
settling the conflict in Adzharia. “The important role of Russia is
clearly visible in these events,” she said, “democracy in Georgia has
scored another victory peacefully, for a second time in the past six
months,” Zurabishvili said.
Igor Ivanov took part in this process in both cases, she added.
Ivanov, on the Russian president’s order, visited Georgia for
consultations over settling the crisis in Adzharia.
As the Russian foreign minister, he took part in a peaceful
settlement of the situation during the velvet revolution in Georgia
last year.
The Georgian foreign minister said she did not want “to draw a
parallel between problems of Adzharia and Abkhazia, but a peaceful
solution of the Adzharian problem has an important significance for
Abkhazians as well.”
Unlike Abkhazia, Adzharia had no conflict provoked by separatism, she
said, “it was a conflict between democracy and non-democracy.”
At the same time, Zurabishvili categorically denied the existence of
the so-called Adzharian scenario for Abkhazia. She expressed doubts
that “somebody in Abkhazia was planning to blow up bridges.”
“This is no approach to the solution of the problem,” she said.
Georgia received the support of all its partners in settling the
situation in Adzharia. “Adzharia was an enclave of the old era which
has no future either for us or our neighbors and partners,”
Zurabishvili said.
“Therefore the solution of this problem has an important significance
both for the Georgian people and our partners,” she underlined.
Answering a question, she said “terrorism is a global danger
threatening all states, especially small countries in strategic
regions, where it is difficult to control the movement of people. It
increases terrorists’ chances of hiding,” she said.
“In this context, there was a danger of Adzharia’s turning into the
so-called “black hole,” the foreign minister added.
“As regards the situation in the Pankisi Gorge, Georgia took dramatic
measures /in settling the situation/, while Americans provided
serious assistance to us. We took joint measures with Russia in
patrolling the state border; we believe this issue is among those
where cooperation is possible among all European countries and the
United States,” Zurabishvili said.
In her view, neither Russia nor Georgia are interested in delaying
the solution of the issue of the Russian bases in Georgia.
Georgia does not need these or other bases, she stressed noting that
it was one of the main issues at her talks with Russian Foreign
Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Tbilisi has a pragmatic approach to cooperation within the CIS
framework and interaction with the neighboring countries, the
Georgian official said when answering a question about the importance
of the Commonwealth of Independent States for it.
CIS members are very important, from Georgia’s immediate neighbors,
such as Armenia, Ukraine and Azerbaijan, to those of strategic
importance for Tbilisi.
Salome Zurabishvili flew to Moscow on Thursday and held talks with
her Russian colleague Sergei Lavrov. The main items on the agenda
were Russian-Georgian relations and the situation in Adzharia.
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili appointed Salome Zurabishvili
the foreign minister in March. A Frenchwoman of Georgian descent, she
was France’s ambassador to Georgia and has dual citizenship – French
and Georgian.
She was also France’s ambassador in Italy and worked at the United
Nations and NATO. Salome Zurabishvili is a fluent speaker of Russian.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARKA News Agency
May 7 2004
RA President appoints RA Ambassador to France pluralistically the
Ambassador to Andorra
On May 10 RA President to leave for Lebanon with working visit
Crusade of SEUA students to fortress of Karabakh city Shushi to start
on May 9
6 May
Lycos-Armenia company together with Enterprises Incubator Foundation
creates education centers in two Armenian institutes
*********************************************************************
RA PRESIDENT APPOINTS RA AMBASSADOR TO FRANCE PLURALISTICALLY THE
AMBASSADOR TO ANDORRA
YEREVAN, May, 7. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharian appointed RA
Ambassador to France Edward Nalbandian pluralistically the Ambassador
to Andorra (residence in Paris), President’s press office told ARKA.
L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
ON MAY 10 RA PRESIDENT TO LEAVE FOR LEBANON WITH WORKING VISIT
YEREVAN, May, 7. /ARKA/. On May 10 RA President Robert Kocharian will
leave for Lebanon with working visit. During the visit, Kocharian
will meet with the President of Lebanon Emil Lakhudo, Prime Minister
Rafik Khariri, Parliament Speaker Nahib Berri and Vice Premier Issam
Fares. The President will also meet with Catholicos of Great House of
Kilikia Aram I and representatives of Armenian community of Lebanon.
Kocharian will also visit culture and historic monuments of Lebanon.
Goods’ turnover between Armenia and Lebanon in 2003 made $900
thousand ($1 – 554.56 AMD). L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
CRUSADE OF SEUA STUDENTS TO FORTRESS OF KARABAKH CITY SHUSHI TO START
ON MAY 9
YEREVAN, May, 7. /ARKA/. Crusade of State Engineering University of
Armenia students to fortress of Karabakh city Shushi will start on
May 9. The procession will start from previous positions of NKR
capital – Stepanakert, just from the same place where on May 9, 1992
Karabakh forces conducted operation of liberation of Shushi.
Besides, the participants of the crusade will be baptized in Shushi
Church Surb Kazanchetsots and visit Common Grave in Stepanakert.
50 students will take part in the crusade. The activity is financed
by SEUA and All Armenian Youth Fund in support of RA Ministry of
Defense. L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
LYCOS-ARMENIA COMPANY TOGETHER WITH ENTERPRISES INCUBATOR FOUNDATION
CREATES EDUCATION CENTERS IN TWO ARMENIAN INSTITUTES
YEREVAN, May 7. /ARKA/. Lycos-Armenia company together with
Enterprises Incubator Foundation creates education centers in two
Armenian institutes, according to Hovhannes Avoyan, the Chairman of
the Union of IT Enterprises, the Executive Director of Lycos-Armenia.
As he said, such centers are created in Yerevan State University and
State Engineering University of Armenia, where 50 students specialise
in IT area and take a two-year training program. Avoyan noted that
the students are provided with good specialists, computers and
internet. According to him, there are three main problems when
training the specialists in IT area: first, the lack of good
specialists in this area; second, the need of changes of education
programs and teaching new subjects; third, the lack of modern
computers and Internet. He noted that the education centers created
in two Armenian institutes are to solve the above mentioned problems.
Avoyan noted that Armenia has a demand for specialists in
programming, and the Armenian Universities do not answer the demand
either by quantitative or qualitative indicators. He added that 4-5
Armeian companies are looking for highly qualified specialists in
programming. At that, Avoyan doesn’t think that there is a brain
drain of specialist from Armenia, noting that Lycos-Armenia lost only
1-2 specialists for 4-5 years. He emphasized that 60 specialists work
in the company today, and their number to be brought to 100 till the
end of the year. Avoyan added that programming area ensures the
highest salaries in Armenia, beginning from $500.A.H. – 0 –

USA reportedly for Armenia’s involvement in Azeri gas project after return of
land
Ekspress, Baku
7 May 04

The USA has a proposal to Armenia for an “energy corridor” model at
the Karabakh talks, the head of the centre for political innovations
and technology, Mubariz Ahmadoglu, told a news conference yesterday [6
May]. Yerevan equivocally takes Washington’s cautious position at the
peace talks.
“The US government openly backs Europe’s proposals on the use of
economic cooperation principles to settle the conflict. But Yerevan is
dissatisfied with Washington’s approach to this issue,” Ahmadoglu
said.
According to the new “model”, the USA will discuss the possibility of
Armenia’s involvement in the Baku-Erzurum [gas pipeline] project in
exchange for the return of Azerbaijan’s occupied lands.
[Passage omitted: Armenia’s involvement in Baku-Ceyhan pipeline was
discussed in 1994]
According to Ahmadoglu, it is not a coincidence that Steven Mann has
been appointed as US co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group. He said that
the new situation after this appointment was not to Armenia’s benefit.
“The Armenians view Steven Mann as an open danger for themselves
because the new co-chairman is aware of Yerevan’s behind-the-scene
games in the talks process,” Ahmadoglu said. He added that Steven Mann
was the author of “energy corridor” model.
But the Baku government is unaware of any model on various energy
corridors for the settlement of the Karabakh conflict. “Ideas of this
kind always appear and it is natural. But we have not got any official
information about this,” the Azerbaijani president’s special
representative on the Karabakh conflict and deputy foreign minister,
Araz Azimov, told the Ekspress newspaper.
According to Baku’s official position, cooperation with Armenia is
ruled out until the return of the lands. “We are ready to discuss any
models of the settlement within this condition, i.e. if our lands are
returned,” Azimov said.

Russian Duma official views Ajaria’s role in regional, religious context
Moskovskiy Komsomolets, Moscow
7 May 04
Commentary by Andrey Kokoshin, chairman of State Duma CIS Affairs
Committee, entitled “Another View” carried by Russian newspaper
Moskovskiy Komsomolets on 7 May
“It is essential to approach the situation in [Georgia’s] Ajaria in a
broader regional and global context.
“Our executive branch of power, the State Duma, always drew to the
attention of [the Georgian capital] Tbilisi that the problem should
not under any circumstances be resolved by the use of military
force. Partly because the Muslim factor plays an immense role there in
Ajaria.
“It borders on Turkey. Currently Turkey is officially a secular state
but recently the influence of radical Islamists has been growing
there. And if force had been used in this situation, the region could
have been badly destabilized and armed radical Islamists might have
appeared in Ajaria.
“Ajaria might have served as a flashpoint for the radicalisation of
Muslims all over Georgia and throughout the South Caucasus. This would
have become a big problem for Russia, our strategic ally Armenia,
fraternal Azerbaijan, and the whole world community.”

PRESS RELEASE
ASSEMBLYMAN STEVE SAMUELIAN’S OFFICE
State Capitol, Sacramento, CA 95814
Contact: Boghos Patatian
Tel: (559) 243.4192
(626) 818.9004 Cell

May 7, 2004
Genocide Victims Remembered in Ceremony
Sacramento–On Monday April 26 Assemblyman Samuelian helped organize a
special ceremony on the floor of the State Assembly to recognize the
victims of the 1915-1923 Armenian Genocide.
Assemblyman Samuelian spoke on the floor about his Assembly Concurrent
Resolution that he co-authored commemorating the victims of the
Armenian Genocide. Samuelian said, “Today we mark a tragic and
horrific period of history. The victims of the Armenian Genocide must
never be forgotten. I will continue to speak out strongly about this
Genocide in order that the world remembers these tragic events.”
Samuelian organized a delegation of Fresno Armenian-American leaders
to travel to Sacramento and recognized those individuals on the
Assembly floor after his comments.
The leaders attending the special ceremony were:
Dr. Janice Emerzian, Dean at Fresno City College
Les Emerzian, Community leader
Mary Mortanian, Author and daughter of Genocide victim
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