Category: News

06 May 2004
U.S. Names Countries Eligible for New Assistance Funds
Government corporation also plans to help other countries qualify
The recently created Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) of the U.S.
government has named 16 countries eligible to apply for development aid from
an innovative new program.
In a May 6 news release, the MCC said that its board of directors selected
the countries — Armenia, Benin, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Georgia, Ghana,
Honduras, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mali, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nicaragua,
Senegal, Sri Lanka and Vanuatu — based on their governance, social
investment and economic freedom.
The MCC said it also approved a program to help some other countries meet
eligibility requirements.
The Millennium Challenge Account program announced by President Bush in 2002
is designed to help poor countries spur the economic growth and attract the
investment necessary to further development. Congress has appropriated $1
billion for the MCC for this fiscal year.
Following is the text of the release:
(begin text)
Millennium Challenge Corporation
May 6, 2004
The Millennium Challenge Corporation Names
MCA Eligible Countries
Washington, DC — Today, the Board of Directors of the Millennium Challenge
Corporation (MCC) selected the 16 countries eligible to apply for Millennium
Challenge Account (MCA) assistance in FY04 [fiscal year 2004]. MCC, a newly
created government corporation designed to work with some of the poorest
countries in the world, is based on the principle that aid is most effective
when it reinforces sound political, economic, and social policies that
promote economic growth.
“This is a historic day for the Millennium Challenge Corporation,” said
Secretary of State, Colin L. Powell, Chair of the MCC Board. “The
President’s vision has come to pass, and today’s decision by the Board of
Directors is a major step in implementing the vision of the MCC.”
The selected countries include: Armenia, Benin, Bolivia, Cape Verde,
Georgia, Ghana, Honduras, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mali, Mongolia, Mozambique,
Nicaragua, Senegal, Sri Lanka and Vanuatu. In making its determinations, the
Board considered both the past and current policy performance of the
candidate countries in the areas of governing justly, investing in their own
people and promoting economic freedom. The Board also considered trends that
indicated policy improvement or slippage.
“Our mission — encouraging and rewarding good policies that produce
sustainable economic growth — holds profound implications for freedom and
security across the globe,” MCC CEO [chief executive officer] Paul
Applegarth said today. “Today’s decision demonstrates the clear commitment
of the U.S. to reducing poverty and human suffering.”
The Board also approved a “Threshold Country” program, which will be
directed toward a limited number of candidate countries that have not met
the requirements for MCA eligibility but demonstrate a significant
commitment to meeting the requirements for eligibility. The Threshold
Country program will provide an added incentive to countries that are
committed to reform, and will be used to assist such countries in making
further progress towards becoming eligible for MCA assistance in future
years. MCC expects to work closely with USAID [U.S. Agency for International
Development] in this effort.
The United States is committed to the MCC as an innovative approach to
delivering foreign aid. Congress has appropriated $1 billion for the MCC for
this fiscal year, and President Bush has requested $2.5 billion for FY05.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: )

Azat Artsakh – Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR)
May 5, 2004
SITUATION “NEITHER PEACE, NOR WAR”
On April 27-29 a seminar was held in Stepanakert on “Coverage of
problems of ethnic minorities in the mass media”. The seminar was
organized by the representatives of the London institute of variety of
mass media together with the press clubs of Yerevan and
Stepanakert. In the seminar participated the director of the institute
Militsa Pestic, the editor of the news bulletin of the press club of
Yerevan Elina Poghosbekian, reporter of the newspaper “Republic of
Armenia” Galust Nanian, reporter of the newspaper “Iravunq” Argine
Harutyunian, as well as 15 journalists representing the mass media of
Karabakh, and the chairman of Stepanakert Press Club Gegham
Baghdassarian. The seminar lasted for three days during which problems
of ethnic, religious and sexual minorities, as well as the disabled
and socially insecure classes of the society were
raised. Representatives of the above mentioned groups were also
invited to speak about their problems and express their own attitude
towards the mass media. In particular, the chairman of the Union of
Blind People S. Vardanian complained of lack of newspapers and books
for blinds and also of the fact that the only available mass medium
for blind people radio provides more information on international
events than the situation in Armenia and Karabakh. The chairman of the
Union of Russians and Russian Speaking Citizens of Karabakh Lyudmila
Petrossian expressed their wish to have the Russian version of the
news on Artsakh public television. During the seminar there was a
suggestion to teach the journalists to sell to the editor the article
or idea of interest for him. In the West this is a common practice. To
the seminar were invited the editor-in-chief of the newspaper “Azat
Artsakh” Marcel Petrossian and the director of the public TV and radio
company Garik Grigorian. The journalists managed to sell 6 of the
presented 8 articles to them. The journalists who participated in the
seminar expressed the opinion that such undertakings are necessary
because along with raising the level of professional qualification
these allow to view differently certain questions which may be
considered unimportant in everyday work.
EVIKA BABAYAN
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azat Artsakh – Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR)
May 5, 2004
GERMAN PRESS PUTS UNDER DOUBT
The supporters of Turkey’s membership to the European Union bring
honest but unconvincing arguments, says the German newspaper Leipziger
Volkszeitung. Turkey’s integration to the EU will indeed favour the
political stabilization of the country, but is this good, asks the
newspaper? In case of membership Turkey will become the first country
of the EU by the number of population. This means that at the EU
Ministerial Council Turkey will have considerable weight, and will be
represented in the Europarliament by the largest group of members of
parliament. The countries, which are for Turkey’s membership, will
hardly agree to such distribution of forces; this is the opinion of
the newspaper. Moreover, membership of new countries to the EU will
also mean expansion of the territory of the EU. In case of Turkey’s
membership the EU will have common border with Syria, Iraq, Iran,
Azerbaijan and Georgia, i.e. crisis regions, writes the German
newspaper. IN THE UPCOMING TEN YEARS EU MEMBERSHIP “DOES NOT THREATEN”
TURKEY, THINKS JACQUES CHIRAC. It will take at least ten years from
Turkey to become member of the EU. This was stated by the president of
France Jacques Chirac during the press conference devoted to the
questions of wider EU. He mentioned that the talks for the membership
of Turkey will last long, 10 years and more. According to the French
president, the necessary conditions for membership to the EU have not
been provided in Turkey yet, informed the agency “Interfax”.
PANARMENIAN

Russian air base in Armenia ready to open fire at NATO planes – TV report
Channel One TV, Moscow
4 May 04
Presenter Back in Soviet times airborne troops stationed in
Transcaucasia served as a reliable defence of the country’s southern
borders. In the mid-1990s Russia’s airspace in the area was left
without any defence. Armenia alone met Russia halfway and allowed for
the Russian Airborne Troops to remain on its territory.
Correspondent Aleksey Artemyev Fighters at the Russian air base
Erebuni have six minutes and not a second more to take off for a duty
flight and intercept a target that has illegally entered Armenia’s
airspace. The end of the runway and the border with the neighbouring
country are separated by a distance of 15 km. The neighbouring country
is Turkey, a NATO member state, with a great number of air bases
stationed on its territory, including those belonging to the USA.
Two years ago Russian pilots cut short an attempt by a high-speed spy
plane to enter Armenia’s airspace from Turkey. One should always be on
alert here. All interceptors on combat duty here are equipped with
four air-to-air missiles. The two bigger ones are located closer to
the fuselage and are capable of hitting a target within a distance of
up to 80 km. The two smaller ones are intended for close combat, they
are capable of hitting any target within 30 km. The equipment is
completely ready for combat.
NATO intelligence is monitoring the Russian air base in Armenia round
the clock. Two sites for direct tracking are situated on a slope of Mt
Ararat. The Turkish Air Force are trying to have every Russian pilot
under control.
Valeriy Ded, captioned as fighter pilot We do not normally meet them
in the air. At times we spot them on our radar screens, both on board
and on the ground. They know every pilot of ours, our voices, if not
our names.
Correspondent The Erebuni air base is part of the Russian air defence
complex situated in Armenia, the only one remaining in Transcaucasia,
protecting Russia’s southern borders. The main air defence forces are
located high up in the mountains, not far from Gyumri, formerly
Leninakan. There are four launch pads for air defence missile systems
Kub and S-300 there.
We were the only TV crew that was given a chance to film a Russian air
defence command post on alert duty.
Unidentified officer This facility allows us to see the sites where
the air defence batteries are stationed as well as the sectors they
are facing. We can give them the whereabouts of a target to hit.
Correspondent This radar station is able to operate within a radius of
300 km. The nearest NATO airfields in Turkey are situated at a
distance of about 200 km. In other words, the Russian command post is
able to spot any plane takeoff from any of the airfields.
Aleksey Gorskiy, captioned as commander of the combat command and
control division In May 2001 we began our test alert duty. We did not
have a right to open fire at trespassers. The Turks used to fly along
the border all the time. After the alert duty started in earnest in
October ?2001 , in other words when we were allowed to open fire, they
hardly ever appear here now.
Correspondent All the Russian air defence divisions stationed in
Armenia are working in close coordination with each other. In everyday
life pilots and anti-aircraft gunners are rivals. The air base is
proud of its unique barracks, containing fish water tanks,
mantelpieces and even a small zoo of their own. Meanwhile, the air
defence system command division claims that they have the best cook
and cuisine.
Passage to end omitted: interview with cook.

Senior politician hails Russia’s role in avoiding bloodshed in Ajaria
Radio Mayak, Moscow
6 May 04
Presenter Russian Federation Council speaker Sergey Mironov emphasized
in an interview with our radio station that Moscow had always
supported Georgia’s territorial integrity.
Mironov The political changes in Ajaria are an internal affair for
Georgia. Russia has always spoken out consistently, as a matter of
principle, in support of Georgia’s territorial integrity. I have to
say, with satisfaction, that it is in a large part thanks to Russia’s
efforts that bloodshed was avoided in Ajaria and that former Ajarian
leader Aslan Abashidze’s resignation took place peacefully. Talking
about Abashidze’s future, I think that it is now a personal matter for
him.
Most importantly, a powerful positive impulse has appeared in our
relations with Georgia. I hope that Georgia and our diplomats make
effective use of this impulse. Nevertheless, it is important to state
that the way in which Abashidze’s resignation happened in Ajaria is
not acceptable either in Abkhazia or in South Ossetia. All in all, I
have to say that the standoff between Georgia and Ajaria ended well
because there were no casualties. Now, against the background of these
events, with the Georgian foreign minister Salome Zourabichvili
visiting Russia, there is an opportunity to move forward in many
aspects of our agreements. I would like to repeat that the Federation
Council regards what has happened as a positive event.
Presenter Meanwhile, political experts do not rule out the possibility
of changes to Ajaria’s status as an autonomous region within
Georgia. Konstantin Zatulin, the director of the Institute of CIS
Countries, had this to say on the matter.
Zatulin Now, a major blow has been dealt to the self-government that
Ajaria enjoyed during the entire period of Abashidze’s rule. In the
immediate future all questions relating to the region’s development
will be resolved in the Georgian capital Tbilisi.
I think that the only rational step for Georgian President Mikheil
Saakashvili to take is to preserve Ajaria’s autonomy and so to avoid
any reproaches from the guarantor countries of the Moscow and Kars
treaties of 1921 – these were Soviet Russia and Turkey. In signing
these treaties, they guaranteed the existence of an autonomous
Ajaria. It was only for these reasons and under these conditions that
Turkey agreed to pull its troops out of Batumi, to be replaced by
Soviet troops.
Formally, Ajaria will remain autonomous, but it will have no real
autonomy from Tbilisi. I don’t know what this will lead to in the long
term, but one thing is clear: even now it could bring about an
explosion of enthusiasm and attempts to suppress all national
differences in other Georgian regions. This will not just be in
Abkhazia and South Ossetia, over which Tbilisi has lost all control,
but, for example, in Samtskhe-Javakheti Region, which is located next
to Ajaria and has a predominately Armenian population.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Split within Azeri ruling team over Cyprus – opposition paper
Azadliq, Baku
6 May 04
Text of unattributed report by Azerbaijani newspaper Azadliq on 6 May
headlined “We have became enemies with Turkey as well” and subheaded
“the Turkish press has named Azerbaijan an enemy state”
As was expected, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s Cyprus adventure
has caused, to put it mildly, the cooling in the relations between
Azerbaijan and Turkey. Of course, one cannot suppose that it will turn
from the problem of relations between the two countries’ authorities
to the problem of the relations between publics.
However, the worse thing is that the official relations established
with Turkey during the past 12 years of Azerbaijan’s independence have
been seriously stained. The worst thing is that this resulted from
clumsy diplomatic manoeuvres by the individual who claims the title of
Azerbaijani president.
On the other hand, it has become obvious that there is a split in the
political leadership of Azerbaijan, which is in a state of war with
Armenia . That is very dangerous. For example, Ilham Aliyev himself
can give clear comments neither on his statement in Turkey that “we
will recognize the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus”, nor on his
statement in Strasbourg that “we cannot recognize Cyprus”, or on
Azerbaijani MPs’ behaviour at the PACE Parliamentary Assembly of the
Council of Europe . Following this lack of position, various groups
inside the authorities voice different comments on the issue.
Circles linked to Ilham Aliyev regard the recent events from the point
of view of “Azerbaijan’s national interests”, whereas circles close to
chief of the presidential staff Ramiz Mehdiyev put them down as
irresponsibility. For example, the statement which the Foreign
Ministry issued yesterday presents the events within the framework of
the country’s “state interests”. At the same time, TV channels close
to Mehdiyev call these event a “disgrace” and drop a clear hint to the
opposite side that “diplomacy is a serious political business and
serious politicians should deal with it”.
The conflict inside the authorities resembles a brawl between mafia
groups. However, as these groups have seized the possibility of
deciding the country’s political fate, the Azerbaijani state is
receiving serious blows.
The Azerbaijani authorities are to blame for the fact that Turkey’s
main newspapers started publishing insulting articles about
Azerbaijan. How many times can it be recalled that when a national
leader visits a foreign country or addresses an audience, he should
not make statements just to please that country or audience. If we
look at all Ilham Aliyev’s foreign trips, it can be clearly seen that
he is busy making statements fitting the interests of audience he
addresses. We wonder, whether he will be able to accurately define
Armenia’s interests at a meeting with President Robert
Kocharyan?… ellipses as published
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN COALITION LEADER SLAMS OPPOSITION OVER ITS METHODS
Hayots Ashkarh, Yerevan
5 May 04 p3
Text of Vahan Vardanyan interview with chairman of the parliamentary
group Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) Galust Saakyan in which he
criticizes the opposition in the light of the Council of Europe
resolution on Armenian issues by the Armenian newspaper Hayots Ashkarh
on 5 May headlined “I consider that betrayal”
(Hayots Ashkarh correspondent) Mr Saakyan, do you expect any changes
in the working style of the opposition after the resolution published
by the Council of Europe?
(Galust Saakyan) At the moment no. Our opposition colleagues will have
a theme connected with the resolution for discussing it during ten
days. But I think they understood that the Council of Europe is not
the political bureau of the USSR or Lenin’s mausoleum, so that they
can come and conduct revisions after complaining about the
authorities.
In fact, they were given an answer to the problems that were being
speculated more than a year. First of all, it was fixed that a vote of
confidence was only a proposal but not a decision of the
Constitutional Court. At the same time it is obvious that European
structures accept the results of the presidential and parliamentary
elections and there is no problem to revise them. The call for
dialogue, fixed in the resolution, is not principally a new thing
either. We have been saying the same for a year, but unfortunately
there is still nobody to listen to us.
Let us see what final conclusion our opposition colleagues will make
after the CE resolution. Today there is still a tendency to say what
they were saying before. But it is really becoming boring for the
society. It is unacceptable that by their working style in some sense
they are opening a door for interference by foreign forces in the
domestic political life of the country. Naturally, this cannot but
cause a counteraction.
(Correspondent) You accuse the opposition of making our country
vulnerable to foreign forces? But in its turn the opposition denies
this, especially an accusation that during recent PACE session they
cooperated with the Turkish-Azerbaijani delegation.
(Saakyan) Nobody says that there are not people with fair intentions
within the opposition. We also do not say that they especially went
and made an arrangement with the Turks and Azeris. But during the
discussion of the Armenian issue, the Turkish and Azerbaijani
delegations demonstrated serious proactivity. And representatives of
our opposition were those who put this issue forward. The decision
was adopted with difference of only six votes, and it is principally
clear that the problem of putting on the agenda a matter on the Turks
and Azeris voting was a decisive one. If our opposition colleagues did
not put forward this problem, they could not make use of the
situation. I condemn this phenomenon. Not only specific persons but on
the whole opening of the door to foreign interference. I consider that
betrayal.
(Correspondent) By giving such an assessment does the coalition not
close an opportunity for dialogue? (Saakyan) No, it does not. We said
many times that we are ready to talk but without preconditions. By
means of their actions the opposition transferred the political
developments to the judicial field when implementing any action they
come across the law. I agree that we should start a reverse process:
to discuss political problems in the political field and find
decisions. But nevertheless the coalition is not the opposition’s
nurse, so they always call for agreement to their demands, always call
for a dialogue and they always refuse because of some reason. If they
are going to continue their actions with illegal manifestations, the
law should act here. By the way, it is also mentioned in the
resolution of the CE that the opposition must not demonstrate
violence, that is, it should act within the framework of the law. All
this is becoming silly. They organize rallies, then they tell the
people to go home and come at the decisive day. This is a working
style which will be exhausted sooner or later.

NEW PAPER ON KARABAKH PRINTED IN AZERBAIJAN
Assa-Irada, Baku
6 May 04
BAKU
The first issue of Qolos Karabaxa (Russian: Voice of Karabakh)
newspaper is out. The newspaper is founded by the Foundation for the
Protection of the Rights of Migrants, Refugees and Displaced Persons
in Azerbaijan.
The primary goal of the publication is to inform foreign embassies in
Baku and guests who arrive in the country for different reasons about
the fate of 1m people who were expelled from their native lands. Also
the background to the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagornyy Karabakh problem,
the aggressive nature of the Armenians, and their activities against
the Azerbaijani people over the idea of Greater Armenia.
Since the newspaper primarily targets foreign readers, it is published
in Russian and an English version is planned. It must also be noted
that in order to disseminate information more widely about the nature
and content of the conflict, newspaper stories will also be posted on
the foundation’s Internet site in the Azerbaijani, Russian and English
languages.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NO TRUCE VIOLATION OBSERVED ON ARMENIAN-AZERI CONTACT LINE BY OSCE MISSION
Mediamax news agency
6 May 04
YEREVAN
An OSCE mission held routine monitoring today on the contact line
between the armed forces of the Nagornyy Karabakh Republic (NKR) and
Azerbaijan in the village of Seysulan of NKR’s Mardakert District.
Mediamax news agency’s correspondent reported from Stepanakert
(Xankandi) that the monitoring was carried out within the schedule. No
incidents or truce violations were recorded.
The monitoring group from the position of the NKR defence army was led
by Andrzej Kasprzyk, personal representative of the OSCE
chairman-in-office.
Kasprzyk held meetings with the NKR foreign minister, Ashot Gulyan,
and the defence minister, Seyran Oganyan, in Stepanakert on 5
May. They discussed the situation on the contact line and the
prospects for a settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

BC-Voice of America TV calls Armenia
Magazine show, 30-minutes of p’gramming added
By Pamela McClintock
NEW YORK — Voice of America on Monday launched a daily
Armenian-language TV feed for Armenians in their own country and for
those dispersed across Europe and the Middle East.
VOA, which is partnering with Armenia TV, recently ended its
Armenian radio broadcasts, saying a TV feed would reach more people.
Armenia TV will air “Amerikai dzain herustahandes” (VOA TV
Magazine) during its weekday newscasts, as well as a 30-minute block
of VOA programming on Saturday.
VOA director David Jackson said the feed was especially important
as Armenia developed into a more “open and democratic civil society.”
VOA is the U.S. government’s chief propaganda arm overseas.
According to a recent survey, 97% of Armenians rely on television
for news. Armenia TV reaches 52% of viewers between the ages of 25
and 50.
It is also available via satellite in Western Europe and the
Middle East, including the U.K., France, Germany, Switzerland,
Holland, Bulgaria, Romania, Spain, Portugal, Cyprus, Greece,