RAILA: ODM TO SPILL MORE BEANS ON THE ARMENIANS
Daily Nation, Kenya
March 15 2006
Lang’ata MP Raila Odinga yesterday evening recorded another statement
with police over his claim that the two Armenians currently in the
country are mercenaries.
And he declared that the Orange Democratic Movement would today tell
Kenyans more about the Armenians’ activities and their link to the
Government.
The former Roads minister, who first raised the issue of the
foreigners, said he had gone to give more “urgent information” to an
investigating officer on behalf of the movement.
And he accused the Government of helping the foreigners to concoct
untruths that they had bribed him.
The MP said: “This (lie) is something being concocted by themselves
and the Government.”
In another development, sources said that following Mwingi North MP
Kalonzo Musyoka’s questioning yesterday, police had been asked to go
“slow” on the matter.
The instructions were given as Mr Odinga went to the Kilimani police
station to give what he called “additional, crucial and urgent”
information about the alleged mercenaries.
Mr Odinga was accompanied by his lawyer, Mr Kenneth Marende, who is
also the MP for Emuhaya, during the two and half hours he spent with
the police.
With him were MPs Orwa Ojodeh, Reuben Ndolo and William Omondi.
Mr Odinga, who walked out of the CID office at 7.30pm, said: “We felt
the information that we have is crucially urgent and needed immediate
attention.” He said he had decided to give the police additional
information which, he noted, he had received in the last few days.
Sources said the Liberal Democratic Party leader gave the officers
information on vehicles the Armenian brothers – Artur Sargsyan and
Artur Margaryan – were using and the link they had with powerful
people in the Kibaki Government.
He was also said to have clarified some issues in his first statement.
The Lang’ata MP said that the fact that the foreigners could “concoct
untruths” about him showed that they were up to no good.
“The fact that these characters can concoct statements shows how
dangerous they are,” he said.
“I do not know these characters.”
He maintained that he did not know the two foreigners and dismissed
as rubbish the claim that they had given him Sh108 million in Kenya
and an additional Sh100,000 in Dubai.
Mr Sargsyan and Mr Margaryan have denied being mercenaries, saying
that they are businessmen who are being framed by Mr Odinga so that
he may not pay back the money.
Mr Odinga said he would take legal action against Environment minister
Kivutha Kibwana over his remarks over his link with mercenaries.
He said Prof Kibwana had shown that he (Kibwana) was “an apologist
of one of the most heinous governments” the country had ever had.
After a government of national unity meeting on Tuesday, Prof Kibwana
accused Mr Odinga of acting with impunity by saying that he knew the
presence of mercenaries in the country.
Prof Kibwana questioned how Mr Odinga knew the whereabouts of the
two foreigners if he did not have an intelligence network of his own.

US URGES AZERBAIJAN TO REFRAIN FROM WAR
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
March 15 2006
Baku, March 14, AssA-Irada
The United States has said the parties to Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh
conflict should stick to a negotiated settlement, despite the
fruitless outcome of talks between the Azeri and Armenian leaders,
which was followed by Azerbaijan’s threats to launch war to solve
the long-standing dispute.
The resumption of military action will not solve the problem even
in 20 years, said the US co-chair of the mediating OSCE Minsk Group,
Steven Mann, who visited Baku, along with the US Department of State
Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Daniel Fried,
to discuss the Garabagh problem with the top Azerbaijani leadership.
Addressing a news conference upon the results of the visit, Mann
said that although the presidential talks in Rambouillet, France
in February yielded no results, the peace process continues and the
sides are seeking to continue the talks.
“There are issues of concern for both parties that are reflected in
their positions. But the resumption of hostilities would be a tragedy
for both countries. No war will lead to a solution either now or in
20 years.”
The mediator also said that for the conflict to be solved, each side
should be ready to “answer important questions”.
“At the same time, in considering the military option, Azerbaijan
should take into account other factors, such as the importance of
energy projects that will bring profits to the country,” Mann said.
The co-chair continued that both the US government and the
international community supports a settlement strictly through peace
talks. “America is cooperating with Azerbaijan and Armenia and deems
both as friendly nations.”
Asked why the U.S. has not duly assessed Armenia as aggressor,
Mann said such terse questions are frequently asked by Azerbaijanis
as well as representatives of the Armenian Diaspora in the United
States. “But we do not intend to take any sides on these issues and
urge the parties to give preference to peace talks,” Mann said.
Touching on Armenian president Robert Kocharian’s recent statement
that his country may recognize independence of the self-proclaimed
Upper Garabagh republic, the mediator said he is not in favor of
such speculations at the current stage in the negotiations, as such
statements “do nothing to facilitate solving the problem”.
Assistant Secretary Daniel Fried said that during the Baku meetings,
Azerbaijan decisively defended its national interests with regard
to the conflict resolution. “However, our discussions proceeded in
a serious and constructive manner,” he said.
Fried has met with President Ilham Aliyev, Foreign Minister Elmar
Mammadyarov as well as opposition representatives.
“The conclusion we came to is that Azerbaijani representatives have
put forth a strong and resolute stance on the issue,” the Assistant
Secretary said. He reiterated that both parties to the conflict are
interested in solving the protracted dispute.
“We have concluded that Azerbaijanis want to return to their
homeland. We therefore believe that this must happen soon, as a war
would prove disastrous for everyone,” Fried said.
The American official, who is expected to visit Armenia next, said he
would hold intense talks on the Garabagh conflict with its officials
as well. He declined to cite any details, but said he would lay out
certain initiatives.
The news conference was also attended by the US ambassador in Baku
Reno Harnish.

ARMENIAN CONVERSEBANK TO PROLONG TERMS OF MORTGAGE CREDITS
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
March 14 2006
YEREVAN, March 14. /ARKA/. The Armenian “Conversebank” has announced
the prolongation of terms of mortgage credits up to 10 years.
Formerly the bank issued mortgage credits for a period of up to
seven years. However, the annual interest rate on credits has not
been changed, 13%. The prepayment ranges from 30 to 40 per cent of
the cost of real estate depending on its location in Yerevan.
The “Conversebank” CJSC was incorporated on December 20, 1993. By
December 31, 2005, the bank’s assets had amounted to AMD 41.7bln, total
capital AMD 9bln, net profit AMD 1.7bln, and balance profit AMD 4.3bln.
The crediting of economy makes AMD 16.2bln, the share of consumer
credits being AMD 3.8bln.

ARMENIAN CB PERMITS COMMERCIAL BANKS TO TAKE PART IN INTERNATIONAL PAYMENT AND ACCOUNT SYSTEM WESTERN UNION
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
March 14 2006
YEREVAN, March 14. /ARKA/. The Council of the Central Bank of Armenia
permitted Armenian commercial banks to take part in the international
payment system Western Union. The CBA Press Service reported that
this decision was made at the sitting of the CBA Council presided
by the CBA Chairman Tigran Sargsyan. Permission was granted to 14
commercial banks of Armenia.
In February 2006, the CBA Council made a decision to refuse the right
of participation in Western Union money transfer system to commercial
banks due to discrepancies in the WU regulation, revealed during the
examination of commercial banks’ applications, submitted to the CBA.
The CBA Board’s decision is to take effect from March 15, 2006.
Banks were granted the opportunity to submit new applications
for participation in the WU payment system in conformity with the
contractual amendments. The WU system started cooperating with Armenian
banks on a probation basis in 1995. The system has officially been
working in Armenia since 1996.
During the period under review 14 Armenian banks joined the WU
system. In 2005 money transfers effected by Armenian banks by means
of the system amounted to AMD 44.4bln. In 2005 the share of the WU
system in the total amount of money transfers was 16.04% and 19.85%
of their number. ($1 – AMD 452.94).

DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF THE UNION OF GEORGIAN ARMENIANS DENIES EXISTENCE OF THE DANGER OF AN ETHNIC CONFLICT IN THE TSALKA DISTRICT
Source: Svobodny Gruzia (Tbilisi), March 10, 2006, EV
Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
March 15, 2006 Wednesday
Van Baiburt, Deputy Chairman of the Union of Georgian Armenians,
lawmaker, and Vrastan newspaper editor-in-chief, denies existence of
the danger of ethnic clashes in the Tsalka district. “I do not expect
ethnic clashes in the Tsalka district of Georgia that may follow the
March 9 incident, when Gevork Gevorkjan, 24, was murdered and Karen
Balojan wounded,” Baiburt told journalists at the Georgian parliament
on March 10.
The incident in the district center of Tsalka in East Georgia was
reported by the Press Service of the Interior Ministry on March 10.
What information is available indicates that the incident took place
in a restaurant in central Tsalka the previous day. Officers of the
territorial office of the Interior Ministry of the Kvemo Kartli region
detained five suspects. Investigation is under way. Some Georgian TV
channels report that it was a clash between Gevorkjan and Balojan on
the one hand and several Georgians of Svan origin on the other. All
participants of the incidents were drunk.
Conflicts between the indigenous Armenians and the Georgian settlers
(mostly victims of various natural disasters moved to the district)
flare up in Tsalka every now and then. In the latest period of tension
in spring 2004, the Interior Ministry deployed its special forces
in the district and set up checkpoints in Georgian and Armenian
villages. Law enforcement agencies refer conflicts to mundane issues.

FM OSKANYAN: AZERBAIJAN WON’T INTIMIDATE ARMENIA WITH ITS MILITARY MIGHT
Source: TURAN news agency (Baku), March 11, 2006
Translated by A. Ignatkin
Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
March 15, 2006 Wednesday
Shant TV-channel (Yerevan) quoted Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan
Oskanjan as saying that Azerbaijan is not going to risk a war with
Armenia. Azerbaijan will not intimidate Armenia with its military
might, and neither is it ready for a war, Oskanjan said.
As far as Oskanjan is concerned, Azerbaijan’s losses in another war
will be even greater than in the former conflict. Moreover, Baku
will not go against the international community that objects to the
use of military strength. Neither will the West permit Azerbaijan
to endanger the billions worth of investments in this country,
Oskanjan said. Speaking of the deterioration of the situation on the
Azerbaijani-Armenian front, the minister expressed the hope that it
did not have anything to do with political processes. The call from
chairmen to prepare the peoples of Armenia and Azerbaijan for peace
is addressed to Baku, Oskanjan said.
Armenian diplomat is convinced that President Ilham Aliyev’s
belligerent rhetoric creates an atmosphere that does not facilitate
conflict settlement. Unless the situation ameliorated, Armenia will
change its tactic and put Azerbaijan on the defensive. “We cannot
wait for Azerbaijan to boost its military might and attack Armenia,”
Oskanjan said. “We may take certain measures in the matter of our
own defense that Azerbaijan is certain not to find to its liking.”
Commenting on the outcome of the meeting in France, Oskanjan said
that Armenia does not consider the process a failure. The issue on
the agenda was fairly difficult and there can be no progress without
readiness for compromises on the part of Azerbaijan, Oskanjan said.
The minister added as well that Azerbaijan should forget about the
principle of territorial integrity. As far as Oskanjan is concerned,
the negotiations are centered around Nagorno-Karabakh’s right for
self-determination and Baku should reconcile itself to it.
Oskanjan is convinced that Armenia has done its part by way of
compromises and concessions. The diplomat did not elaborate. “What we
have already agreed with is the final line Armenia will never retreat
beyond,” Oskanjan said.

ANATOLIA FACTS
Malay Mail, Malaysia
March 14, 2006 Tuesday
ANATOLIA (Turkish: Anadolu) is a region of Southwest Asia which
corresponds today to the Asian portion of Turkey, as opposed to the
European portion, Rumelia.
It means ‘rising of the sun’ or ‘East’.
The Turkish word Anadolu derives from the original Greek version.
It is also often called by its Latin name – Asia Minor.
Because of its strategic location at the intersection of Asia and
Europe, Anatolia has been a cradle for several civilizations since
prehistoric ages.
Major civilizations and peoples that have settled in or conquered
Anatolia include the Colchians, Hattians, Luwians, Hittites,
Phrygians, Cimmerians, Lydians, Persians, Celts, Tabals, Meshechs,
Greeks, Pelasgians, Armenians, Romans, Goths, Kurds, Byzantines,
Seljuk Turks, and Ottomans.
These peoples belonged to many varied ethnic and linguistic traditions.
Through recorded history, Anatolians have spoken both Indo-European and
Semitic languages, as well as many languages of uncertain affiliation.
Today the inhabitants of Anatolia are mostly native speakers of the
Turkish language, which was introduced with the conquest of Anatolia by
Turkic peoples and the rise of the Seljuk Empire in the 11th century.
However, Anatolia remained multi-ethnic until the early 20th century.
The Turks in Thrace were forced to leave their homes and settle in
Anatolia during the Balkan Wars.
The last population exchange, as result of the Treaty of Lausanne,
between Turkey and Greece eliminated the majority of Turks in Greece
and Greeks in Turkey.
A significant Kurdish ethnic and linguistic minority exists in the
south eastern regions, while Armenians, whose numbers were greatly
reduced during the Armenian Genocide, have a waning presence in the
northeast and in cities.

TURKISH, FOREIGN ACADEMICS HOLD RARE TALKS ON ARMENIAN MASSACRES
Agence France Presse — English
March 15, 2006 Wednesday 4:54 PM GMT
Turkish academics who deny the massacres of Armenians during World
War I amounted to genocide offered a rare olive branch on Wednesday
by inviting foreign opponents to Istanbul to discuss the largely
taboo subject.
Only a dozen or so foreign academics attended the first day of the
conference at Istanbul’s state university, alongside around 60 Turkish
historians and officials who defend Ankara’s official position on
the 1915-17 killings.
But Ara Sarafian, a British historian of Armenian origin, said the
three-day event was “an important first step”, even if genuine dialogue
was conspicuous by its absence.
“We established that despite all our differences, which are extreme
on this subject, we’re able to come under the same roof and voice
our opinions. That’s a fundamental shift, rather than staying outside
and shouting at each other,” Sarafian told AFP.
Turkey categorically denies that Armenian subjects under its
predecessor, the Ottoman Empire, were victims of a genocide but
acknowledges that at least 300,000 Armenians and as many Turks died
in civil strife during the last years of the empire.
Armenians claim up to 1.5 million of their kin were slaughtered in
orchestrated killings.
The conference was only a timid step towards real debate and involved
hardly any of the Turkish intellectuals opposed to the official line
who took part in a ground-breaking conference on the massacres in
September 2005.
That meeting, which Turkish nationalists tried to have banned, was
an attempt not to determine whether the killings amounted to genocide
but rather to openly study and understand them.
But Turkey is under pressure to allow more freedom of speech to
achieve its cherished dream of joining the European Union.
And, in that sense, this week’s event was a watershed, according to
both Sarafian and Edhem Eldem, a Turkish academic who attended the
September forum.
For the first time, books presenting the Armenian view of the killings
were on display, alongside abundant literature upholding the official
Turkish view.
Despite the fact there had been “no real dialogue on the basis of
these papers”, the conference was an important opportunity to let
the Turkish authorities start a debate, Sarafian said.
“For me, it’s also an opportunity to show the books that we
published. It’s the first time these books appear in Turkey like this,”
he added.
Turkish academic Mehmet Saray used the conference to rebuff Armenian
“propaganda” about the massacres and blamed them on “the imperialist
Russian, French and British states, who wanted to carve up the Ottoman
empire and encouraged Armenian nationalism”.
But Yair Auron, an Israel researching the archives of the Jewish
community in Palestine under Ottoman rule, was permitted to openly
use the term “genocide” and appeal to Turks to question their past.
Every civil society has to deal with its past, including the black
pages of this past,” Auron said.
Eldem said many of the intellectuals who took part in the September
2005 conference had been loathe to attend this week’s meeting because
the organisers had not told them until Tuesday what its aims were.
“People were quite reticent to say yes. (They) didn’t want to be used
in the hands of the nationalist establishment,” he explained.
But he praised them for the initiative.
“The fact they invited people who don’t share their opinion is
important. They’ve realised they can’t play this game alone any more,”
Eldem said.

GENOCIDE OR NOT: TURKISH, FOREIGN ACADEMICS DEBATE WWI ARMENIAN MASSACRES
Agence France Presse — English
March 15, 2006 Wednesday 12:01 PM GMT
Some 70 Turkish and foreign academics gathered here on Wednesday for
a three-day conference to discuss whether the controversial massacres
of Armenians during World War I amounted to genocide or not.
In a rare move, the gathering, organised by the Istanbul state
university, offered the floor to academics of all convictions even
though it was largely dominated by historians and officials who defend
Turkey’s official position on the 1915-1917 killings.
Turkey categorically denies that Armenian subjects under its
predecessor, the Ottoman Empire, were victims of a genocide, but
acknowledges that at least 300,000 Armenians and as many Turks died
in civil strife during the last years of the empire.
Armenians claim up to 1.5 million of their kin were slaughtered in
orchestrated killings.
In the first session of the conference, Yair Auron, an Israeli
researcher of Jewish archives from Ottoman times, openly used the term
“genocide” and appealed on Turks to question their past.
“Every civil society has to deal with its past, including the black
pages of this past,” Auron said.
Books detailing the Armenian claims were also available at the entrance
to the conference hall in a rare move.
Turkey has only recently begun to openly discuss the taboo subject
of the Armenian massacres, which many countries have recognized
as genocide.
In September last year, a private Istanbul university hosted a
landmark conference organised by intellectuals disputing Ankara’s
official line on the mass killings, despite a court order to block it.

AZERBAIJAN READY FOR STABLE RELATIONS WITH ARMENIA – ALIYEV
Central Asia General Newswire
March 15, 2006 Wednesday 8:59 PM MSK
Yerevan’s pullout from occupied Azeri territories would help a return
to good neighborly relations with Armenia, Azeri President Ilham
Aliyev said.
“We don’t need anything extraordinary. We only want our land to be
freed from occupation and Armenian troops to leave, after which we
could live like good neighbors,” Aliyev told a Turkish delegation
attending the 2nd world congress of Azeris in Baku.
“If the Armenian leadership drops its claims against Turkey and
attempts to get the genocide of Armenians recognized, Armenian-Turkish
relations would return to normal, as well,” he said, “We live in this
region, we are neighbors and we are bound to live on together, but on
condition that separatism would be done away with, the aftermath of the
ethnic purges cleared, Azeri citizens would return to their historical
homeland and an end would be put to all territorial claims,” he said.