Category: News

ITAR-TASS, Russia
March 12 2004
Ilkham Aliev sure that his policy serves people’s interests
BAKU, March 12 (Itar-Tass) – Azerbaijani President Ilkham Aliev
assessed the first four months of his presidency on Thursday. In his
speech at a board meeting of the New Azerbaijan ruling party, of
which he is a vice-chairman, Aliev said that his policy in recent
months had served the interests of the Azerbaijani people and had
enlisted popular support.
The Azerbaijani president stressed that his policy was a logical
continuation of a course that had been chosen by his father Geidar
Aliev. Azerbaijan doesn’t have an alternative to this course, he
added.
Aliev said that Azerbaijan’s leadership had directed its activities
at developing the country’s economy, social problems and the
strengthening of Azerbaijan’s positions in the world community.
Ilkham Aliev also noted that the course pursued by the new
Azerbaijani leadership had enlisted international support.
Defining the guidelines for a long-term perspective, the Azerbaijani
president stressed the need to step up efforts to settle the Karabakh
conflict. He urged Azerbaijan’s diplomats to focus efforts on
eliminating double standards with regards to the Karabakh problem
among international organizations and international public. `This
process is already under way and is gaining good results,’ Ilkham
Aliev went on to say. He said that economic development was another
vital area for activities. `The chief economic goals in the next five
years include the doubling of the GDP, the solution of social
problems and the creation of 600,000 new jobs,’ Ilkham Aliev
stressed.
The Azerbaijani president said that he would continue relying on the
New Azerbaijan party that has always supported him. `I cannot imagine
my political activities without this party,’ Ilkham Aliev said. He
has headed the New Azerbaijan party since his father’s death.
Ilkham Aliev stressed the importance of preparing the country for
parliamentary elections slated to be held in Azerbaijan in the autumn
of 2005.
`We should think who is going to represent our party at these
elections,’ the president stressed.

A1 Plus | 20:18:23 | 12-03-2004 | Politics |
VICTOR DALLAKYAN: PEOPLE WILL DECIDE WHOM TO ELECT
“Justice” alliance activist Victor Dallakyan says there is no problem of
common opposition leader able to succeed current president Robert Kocharyan.
In his opinion, this is an artificially-imposed problem.
“We have common goal of ousting Kocharyan. When he is ousted from power any
citizen or any politician eligible to be elected under Constitution can run
for presidency. People will decide for whom to cast their votes”, he says.
Answering the question our correspondent put to him about is he sure that
after Kocharyan’s resignation National Assembly Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan,
who under the Constitution becomes acting president until new elections,
will ensure transparency during election process, Dallakyan said: “I think
he ought to respect and abide the law”.
—

Libération
vendredi 12 mars 2004
La campagne en TER
Pâté, vin rouge et racisme sur le Marseille-Vintimille
Par Michel HENRY
Ils voyagent dans le TER, c’est la région qui les transporte.
Voteront-ils pour autant aux régionales ?
arseille, 8 h 35, hier. Cinq gaillards, dans un compartiment du TER
pour Vintimille, en Italie. Ils sont au pâté-vin rouge. Les élections
? «Je m’en cague», répond Michel, retraité SNCF, 59 ans. «Gouvernés
par des cons, d’autres cons viendront à leur place», rigole l’autre
Michel, retraité du bâtiment, 66 ans. De droite, mais ne lui parlez
pas du gouvernement : «Ils partent en brioche. Ils font tous des
conneries. Regarde l’autre, à la Santé, il laisse mourir 15 000 vieux
!» Marcel, dit Celou, retraité SNCF, 70 ans : «Chirac, il est passé
avec même pas 30 % et il fait le cake ! D’abord, il devrait être en
prison !»
Celou tape sur «les Arabes» : «Ah, les Arabes en France, ils sont pas
malheureux.» Les autres s’esclaffent : «Et les Arméniens non plus…»
Celou l’Arménien rectifie : lui est «immigré français». Et il veut
voter FN : «On me dit : “Mais toi qui es né en Arménie, Le Pen, il va
te renvoyer là-bas !” Mais non, c’est pas possible, ça serait la
révolution. Quoi, on ne doit pas le prendre parce qu’il est contre
les juifs ? Mais moi aussi, ils m’emmerdent : on ne parle que d’eux à
la télé !»
Le quatrième de la bande, c’est Hicham, 26 ans, agent de sécurité.
Les autres : «Là, on a un immigré, mais un sérieux. Un adopté.»
Hicham est le futur gendre de Jacques, 62 ans, livreur de boissons,
qui, assis à côté, débouche les côtes-du-rhône. Hicham à Jacques :
«Tu vas voter ?» Jacques : «Ouais, pour Le Pen.» Son gendre :
«Arrête, dis pas ça, je te sors.» Hicham, lui, trouve que «Sarko fait
du bon boulot». Il voterait bien Mitterrand, mais Mitterrand est
mort, et lui, marocain, ne peut pas voter.
Le club des cinq va à Vintimille. «Comme tout bon Français. Acheter
du tabac et des alcools. C’est moins cher. Enfin Hicham, lui, il
prend du Coca.» Celou insiste : «Il faut essayer Le Pen, pour voir ce
qu’il est capable de faire. Parce que Sarko, il fera tous les beaux
discours qu’il veut, les jeunes continueront à brûler des voitures.»
Hicham, ça commence à le gonfler, ces histoires sur «les Arabes» :
«Ouais, et moi j’ai brûlé cinq feux, j’ai pas le permis, et ma
voiture est volée. Hein, c’est ça ?» «Bon, t’énerves pas…» Enfin,
pour Hicham, «les Arabes qui foutent la merde, c’est ceux qui sont
nés ici, les faux immigrés». Solution : «Y a qu’à les renvoyer
là-bas. Quand ils auront tapé la gamelle de l’autre côté, ils
comprendront. Moi je suis un vrai immigré, né là-bas. Mon père a
passé toute sa vie, dos cassé, entre les vignes, et maintenant il
touche 500 euros de retraite. Vous trouvez ça normal ?» Celou
compatit : «Du moment que t’es immigré, tu souffres toujours. Et de
toute façon, celui qui trinque, c’est l’ouvrier.» Jacques, pour se
marrer : «Faut que Jospin revienne.» Tous se poilent : «Arrête tes
conneries…»

Murky tale of a mercenary adventure
Speculation grows as Equatorial Guinea claims plot to kill president was
foiled
David Pallister
Saturday March 13, 2004
The Guardian
The light was beginning to fade over Harare international airport last
Sunday when the 40-year-old white Boeing 727 with a US registration
number landed and taxied to the cargo area. With its cabin lights
dimmed, the pilot indicated he wanted to refuel before flying on. He
declared a crew of three and four cargo handlers. The Zimbabwean
authorities were suspicious, not least because their intelligence told
them that some interesting characters were to meet the flight. The
South Africans, too, appeared to know what was afoot. Within hours an
extraordinary story unfolded to mirror the intrigue of Frederick
Forsyth’s Dogs of War, in which a multinational company hires a bunch
of mercenaries to overthrow an African dictator – based on a 1973 coup
attempt in Equatorial Guinea.
This was not just a case of life imitating art; it seemed as if
history was repeating itself. Could the dogs of war that plagued the
African continent a generation ago be back? The Zimbabweans found 64
men on the plane – 20 South Africans, 18 Namibians, 23 Angolans, two
Congolese (from the Democratic Republic of Congo) and one Zimbabwean
with a South African passport – as well as “military material”. This
turned out to be camouflage uniforms, sleeping bags, compasses and
wire cutters.
Notorious
Some of the men were said to have been former members of the notorious
32 Commando of the South African defence force, a clandestine unit of
the apartheid regime who went on to join the equally controversial
private military company Executive Outcomes, which carried out
military operations for the governments of Sierra Leone and Angola in
the 1990s. It was formally disbanded in 1999, largely in response to
South Africa’s Foreign Military Assistance Act, which outlaws
mercenary activities.
As speculation about mercenary adventurers grew, Zimbabwe also
announced that it had arrested a former British SAS soldier, Simon
Mann, who had arrived at the airport to meet the plane. He had helped
to establish EO and its British associate, Sandline International –
the military company that helped Sierra Leone beat the rebel group
RUF.
Mr Mann, ministers said, had been in Harare in February with a South
African called Nick du Toit, apparently seeking to buy arms. The
pilots were identified as Niel Steyl, a South African commercial
pilot, and Hendrik Hamman, a Namibian. Both had in the past worked for
Executive Outcomes.
As the revelations accelerated, the plot spiralled into the
surreal. On Tuesday the information minister of Equatorial Guinea,
Agustin Nze Nfumu, dramatically announced that 15 men – from South
Africa, Armenia, Kazakhstan and Germany – had been arrested for
“plotting to kill the president”, Teodoro Obiang, and that their
ringleader had confessed.
He said one of the men had claimed the group was acting on behalf of
Ely Calil, a Lebanese businessman close to Severo Moto,
self-proclaimed president of a so-called Equatorial Guinean
government-in-exile in Spain, who had tried to mount a coup in 1997.
Mr Calil, who has British and Senegalese citizenship, lives in a
high-gated mansion in one of the more exclusive areas of Chelsea, west
London. He is an adviser to the Senegalese president and reportedly
carries a diplomatic passport.
Two years ago he was arrested in Paris and interrogated by the
magistrate investigating the Elf oil scandal about his role in
handling commissions for the late Nigerian strongman Sani Abacha.
Mr Calil declined to be interviewed by the Guardian. But he told the
London-based newsletter, Africa Confidential, that he had no
connection to the coup plot. However, he agreed that he was a friend
of the opposition leader and had given him “modest” financial support.
Mr Moto has also vigorously denied the allegation, accusing Mr Obiang
of being “an authentic cannibal”. He told Spanish radio: “Obiang wants
me to go back to Guinea and eat my testicles. That’s clear.”
As the allegations swirled, the company that owns the plane, Logo
Logistics, was desperately trying to put its side of the story. An
Englishman, Charles Burrow, a senior executive, told the Guardian that
the men had been travelling to the DRC to guard several mineral
concessions. They had stopped off in Harare to buy some “ancilliary
mining-related equipment”. Zimbabwe, he said,was “one of the cheapest
places on the planet”.
The plane’s flight plan did show that it was heading to Bujumbura in
Burundi on Congo’s eastern border. Mr Burrows explained that Logo had
been set up three years ago, registered in the British Virgin Islands
and administered from Guernsey. He himself was based in Dubai. He
conceded that Mr Mann was an executive of the company.
“My first priority is the safety of these men,” he said. As for the
coup allegations: “I haven’t the foggiest idea what they’re talking
about.”
Death penalty
Events then took a dramatic turn. On Wednesday evening, as the
Zimbabweans said the arrested men could face the death penalty and
accused the secret services of Britain, the US and Spain of being
behind the plot, Equatorial Guinea television broadcast an interview
with Mr Du Toit.
Translated from his English into Spanish, he said: “It wasn’t a
question of taking the life of the head of state but of spiriting him
away, taking him to Spain and forcing him into exile and then of
immediately installing the government-in-exile of Severo Moto. The
group was supposed to start by identifying strategic targets such as
the presidency, the military barracks, police posts and the residences
of government members.
“Then it was supposed to have vehicles at Malabo airport to transport
other mercenaries who were due to arrive from South Africa. But at the
last minute I got a call to say that the other group of mercenaries
had been arrested in South Africa as they were preparing to leave the
country.”
Contacted again by the Guardian, Mr Burrows acknowledged that Mr Du
Toit worked for Logo. “We have five people in the country working on
three contracts for the government,” he said. He also acknowledged
that he knew Mr Calil, but denied having any commercial relationship
with him.
Back in Harare the allegations were becoming firmer. Zimbabwe’s home
affairs minister, Kembo Mohadi, told a news conference that the heads
of the police and army in Equatorial Guinea had gone along with the
plot against the government. “The western intelligence services
persuaded Equatorial Guinea’s service chiefs not to put up any
resistance, but to cooperate with the coup plotters,” he said.
He claimed that the leader of the group, Mr Mann, had allegedly been
promised cash payment of £1m and oil mining rights and that Mr Moto
had hired them. And in an aside which will delight 007 fans, he said
one of the conspirators who had carried out surveillance in the Guinea
capital of Malabo was called “Bonds”.
Then came the bombshell. Mr Mohadi claimed that, in what appears to
have been a Zimbabwean sting, Colonel Tshinga Dube, director of
Zimbabwe Defence Industries, had accepted $180,000 (£100,000) from
Mr Mann for a consignment of AK-47s, mortars and 30,000 rounds of
ammunition. A more murky interpretation, however, was provided by the
Afrikaans daily, Beeld, which reported that Col Dube had been
“enraged” that the aircraft was impounded and the transaction
scuttled.
Whatever the truth of that, it now seems clear that both South African
and Zimbabwean intelligence had wind of a suspicious operation, which
explains why President Obiang praised Thabo Mkbeki in his television
address.
“We spoke with the South African president, who warned us that a group
of mercenaries was heading towards Equatorial Guinea,” he said.
Yesterday Mr Mohadi said the 67 men would be charged with
destabilising a sovereign state.
Indiscreet
The Guardian understands that some of the alleged plotters had been
remarkably indiscreet about their plans. Rumours of a coup have been
rife in Malabo for weeks, according to several sources familiar with
the territory. So the questions remain: Why Equatorial Guinea? Why
now? And in whose interests?
The answers can be summed up in one word: oil. Until 1995 Equatorial
Guinea, a former Spanish colony, was an impoverished backwater with a
population of less than half a million. After independence in 1968, it
was ruled by Mr Obiang’s uncle, Francisco Macias Nguema, who acquired
as vicious a reputation as any of the other murderous African
dictators.
In 1975, over Christmas, he ordered his militia to kill 150 political
prisoners in Malabo stadium as loudspeakers played Those Were the
Days, My Friend. During his reign of terror a third of the population
fled.
Mr Obiang seized power from his uncle in 1979 and, although he
introduced a consitutional democracy, elections have been widely
regarded as fraudulent and opponents often end up in jail.
The discovery of oil in the mid-1990s transformed the country’s
finances, and provided the president and his family with funds to
acquire multimillion dollar properties in the US. With American oil
companies in the lead, production last year at 350,000 barrels a day
made Equatorial Guinea the third largest producer in sub-Saharan
Africa.

ARMENIAN LEADER SAYS KARABAKH NEVER TO BE PART OF AZERBAIJAN
Public Television of Armenia
Yerevan
10 Mar 04
(Correspondent) President Robert Kocharyan has held a meeting with
students at Yerevan State University. The meeting lasted for two
hours. The president told the students about the work done in the year
after his re-election. (Robert Kocharyan, captioned) It’s been a year
since my re-election. I would like to tell you about what has been
done over the past year and what we are going to do in the future. We
finished last year with good indexes, the 13.9-per-cent economic
growth, the 18-per-cent growth of industry and the 40-per-cent capital
construction growth. These are the best indexes after independence and
among the CIS countries. The budget last year was fulfilled by 100 per
cent. The government paid off all its internal and foreign debts on
time. We carried out reforms in all the spheres.
The main aim for the future is to improve our lives and the welfare of
citizens. This is what I am aiming to achieve. Our economic growth
must be channelled into the resolution of this task.
If you followed our policies closely, you might have noticed that
during the last six years I visited many factories, plants and
launched many enterprises, small and medium-businesses. Many people,
especially from the opposition, did not like that. But as a result
30,000 to 40,000 jobs are being created annually. Businessmen see this
as a sign of special attention on the part of the government. It has
yielded positive results.
(Passage omitted: The president talks about tourism, new jobs, living
conditions of people, construction of highways, water and heating
systems, schools, reforms in the education, social spheres and
agricultural spheres).
I have dedicated the last 15 years of my life to the Karabakh issue
and I don’t understand it when politicians who have nothing to do with
Karabakh as it is now speak about it. We will resolve the Karabakh
problem. (Applause).
(Correspondent) The president drew attention to the Azerbaijani
position regarding the murder of an Armenian officer in Hungary.
(Robert Kocharyan) There are cruel people in any country. When a
murderer is presented as a hero and parliament tries to find excuses
for him at the state level, this is a disgrace for every country and
society. This fact once again proves that Karabakh can never be part
of Azerbaijan as long as Armenians live in Karabakh and hundreds of
axes are hanging over their heads.
(Arminfo news agency quoted Kocharyan as telling students on 10 March
that he wants “to settle the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict
peacefully”. “Those who took part in the hostilities, remember the
role I played at the time, therefore I can say today that I know my
place and role perfectly well if the hostilities were to resume,” the
Armenian president noted.)

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
Armenian version:
HIS HOLINESS ARAM I MEETS THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF LEBANON
ANTELIAS, LEBANON – 12 March 2004 – His Holiness Aram I Catholicos of the
Great House of Cilicia, met the President of the Republic of Lebanon His
Excellency General Emile Lahoud, at the presidential palace. His Holiness
was accompanied by the Primate of Lebanon His Eminence Kegham Khatcherian.
The discussion between the president and His Holiness touched issues related
to the Armenian Community of Lebanon, the current situation in the country,
and the visitation programs of His Holiness in the coming weeks.
##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.
*********
View printable picture here:

Armenian opposition calls for new president
Haykakan Zhamanak, Yerevan
13 Mar 04
“The time will soon come when all of us will turn to the people and
stay [in street demonstrations] until the administration leaves,” the
leader of the Anrapetutyun [Republic] Party, Albert Bazeyan, said
yesterday during a meeting in the cultural centre for the deaf,
organized by the intelligentsia. By the way, in saying “all of us”
Bazeyan meant two opposition political forces: the Justice bloc and
the National Unity Party. But it is worth noting that this time, as
well as well-known opposition members, there were also some
politicians, who may not be considered unreservedly members of the
opposition. Specifically, the leader of the Christian Democratic
Union, Khosrov Arutyunyan, the president of the ALM TV channel, Tigran
Karapetyan (as a leader of the People’s Party) and the former deputy
of the National Assembly, Ovanes Ovanesyan, who recently set up his
Liberal Progressive Party, took part in the meeting. Anyway, according
to Bazeyan, the sooner there is a change of power in our republic, the
better for the country. He is also sure that, if there is a nationwide
powerful wave, today’s administrative group will have no option but to
leave.
But what are they going to do, if they manage to get [Armenian
President] Robert Kocharyan’s resignation? Bazeyan replied: “We shall
form an alternative power centre: all of us should take one
responsibility – to organize democratic, free and fair elections in
Armenia.” He said that the political forces in the [governing]
coalition will also be invited to be involved “in the alternative
power centre”. Bazeyan said that the president of the country should
be a man elected by the republic and it is not ruled out that the
opposition will put forward several candidates for president in
extraordinary presidential elections.
[Passage omitted: musician Ogan Duryan says in his speech that the
people do not like Robert Kocharyan]
All the opposition politicians emphasized in their speeches that
Armenia needs a change of power and in this way should create the
opportunity for the formation of legitimate authorities, really
elected by the people. Only Tigran Karapetyan had a different view:
“Really, there is a crisis in the country. I think that if the
authorities do not do anything, then one should not continue to live
in this way, and they should give up their place to those who will be
soft-hearted.”

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
Armenian version:
“THE CHRISTIAN IDENTITY OF JERUSALEM MUST BE PRESERVED”
DECLARED HIS HOLINESS ARAM I
ANTELIAS, LEBANON – After an intensive discussion with His Beatitude
Patriarch Sabbah, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem at the Armenian
Catholicosate of Cilicia in Antelias, Lebanon, His Holiness Catholicos Aram
I made the following statement to the press:
“We follow closely and with profound concern the prevailing situation in the
occupied Palestinian territories as well as in Jerusalem. Unfortunately the
ongoing violence, destruction and killing keep the prospect of permanent
peace with justice far away. His Beatitude shared with us the tremendous
difficulties and daily problems facing the Palestinian population. He also
expressed his deep concern regarding the diminishing Christian presence in
Jerusalem.
In fact, for centuries the churches have had an organized and impact making
presence in Jerusalem. Therefore, one cannot remain indifferent vis-à-vis
the actual situation in Jerusalem where the numerical size of Christian
communities has been significantly reduced, many Christians are leaving
Jerusalem and the activities of Christian churches are becoming increasingly
confined to certain areas of Christian life. These developments are due to
the intolerant and oppressive policy of Israel. We never accept that the
Christian identity of the Holy City be eligibly ignored and systematically
changed. We never accept that the Christian presence and witness become more
and more weakened in the birthplace of Christianity. We never accept the
policy of the Government of Israel aimed at the total judaization of
Jerusalem.
Where are our western Christian brothers and sisters in view of this dangero
us developments taking place in Jerusalem? In fact, Jerusalem cannot be
simply considered a place where a western Christian finds the remnants of
Christian history. The Christian communities have been integral part of the
history of Jerusalem. They are living and witnessing realities in the Holy
City and they should remain so. Therefore it is expected from the Churches
outside the Middle East to express their solidarity and their attachment to
Jerusalem more tangibly and actively by exerting pressure on their
respective governments to stop the judaization of Jerusalem. We firmly
believe in co-existence of religions. This is integral to the history of the
Middle East. Jerusalem has been a model of co-existence and it should remain
so. I believe that the World Council of Churches, the Vatican and the Middle
East Council of Churches will continue to assist the churches of Jerusalem
more efficiently as they face new challenges and tremendous difficulties”.
##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Ecumenical
activities of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.
****************
View printable picture here:

PRESS RELEASE
Executive Board, Hayastan All Armenian Fund
Contact: Arman Saghatelyan, Head of Public Relations Department
Government Building #3
Yerevan, Armenia 375010
Phone: +374 1-52-0940, +374 1-52-6474
Fax: +374 1-52-3795
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
March 13.03.2004.
HAYASTAN ALL ARMENIAN FUND INAUGURATED A RESIDENTIAL HOUSE IN THE EARTHQUAKE
ZONE
Today the ceremony of inauguration of newly constructed residential
building took place in Spitak town of Armenia in the presence of
Marzpet of Lori Marz, Mr. H. Kochinyan, Mayor of Spitak,
Mr. V. Asatryan and Hayastan All Armenian Fund Executive Director,
Mrs. N. Melkoumian.
The building #4 of the Spitak ” Erankiuni ” (Triangle) district is the
sixth one out of twelve buildings planned for construction by Hayastan
All Armenian Fund within its global programme of earthquake zone
rehabilitation.
The ” Erankiuni ” (Triangle) district construction project was
initiated by the Fund in 1999 and aimed at providing permanent shelter
to 78 families left homeless as a result of 1988 Spitak Earthquake. 30
families have already received the apartments since the beginning of
the project, and 6 more households will be sheltered by the newly
constructed house.
The construction was funded by the Great Britain Armenian Community in
person of benefactor Pargev Kassardjian – Sis. The donor has
contributed 132 thousands US dollars for the building construction.
Since the beginning of its operations in the earthquake zone Hayastan
All Armenian Fund has either built or renovated 95 residential
buildings and houses in the earthquake zone for more than 1,000
families, built 35 educational and cultural facilities, as well as
health institutions.
Currently the construction works are continued at the “Erankiuni”. Two
more buildings are soon to open their doors to the beneficiaries of
the project.

US court frees Armenian MP
Arminfo, Yerevan
12 Mar 04
A US court has released Armenian MP Tatul Manaseryan, clearing him of
all charges. Manaseryan was detained in the USA on 15 January over a
child custody dispute with his former wife.