Pravda, Russia
Sept 10 2005

At Moscow schools, Russian is taught as foreign language
09/10/2005 10:52

Moscow schools have to teach cultures of various nationalities of
former USSR as schools become poly-ethnic now
Fifty per cent of pupils in Moscow’s school 987 are not Russians. The
school administration even had to introduce lessons of Russian as a
foreign language. At that, the school was given the status of an
educational institution with a Russian ethnic component. Pupils of
the school learn about native Russian holidays, they are not
permitted to speak their native languages in intervals between
lessons otherwise the school will turn into Babylon. There are
children of 45 nationalities in the school; many nationalities are
absolutely unknown to us – tsakhurs and tabasarans for example. Among
the pupils, there are also one German, a Pole and a Yugoslav.

In the first days of school studies first-formers keep together with
their national groups, but then they easily communicate with other
children in the school. It is just in middle classes that ethnic
conflicts may arise between pupils at their parents’ suggestion. But
until this age children do not care to what nationality they belong.

In 1987, ZIL automobile maker built four many-stories hostels for its
workers. The enterprise welcomed non-residents of Moscow for work and
promised that in several years they will have individual apartments.
There were many Tatars and Mordvinians working at ZIL, and the people
brought quite enough children into the world with the hope to get
bigger apartments. So, by the year of 1992 the majority of pupils at
school 987 were children from the ZIL hostels. Today, the
automobile-maker cannot afford giving apartments to those families
living in the hostels. It was decided that hostel rooms would be
property of families living there.

The school administration says there are four strong diasporas in the
school: Azerbaijanians make up 11.09 per cent of the total number of
pupils, Armenians – 5.99 per cent, Ukrainians – 5.81 and Tatars –
3.35 per cent. Yeugeny Krasenets from the Economy and Sociology
Institute states the ratio is typical of Moscow in general. Ethnic
pupils of the school are children of those who migrated to Moscow
from former Soviet republics in search of job. From eight to ten
million of people have migrated from the CIS and Baltic republics to
Russia within 1996-2005, and 50 per cent of the migrants settled in
Moscow.

In 1994, 90.5 per cent of people living in Moscow were Russians, but
the showing dropped to 84.6 per cent in 2004. The number of migrants
from Caucasus and Ukraine has increased within the ten years.

There is a poly-ethnic center at the school that allows ethnic pupils
not only study the Russian language but also learn more about their
native cultures.

In present-day conditions migrants cannot assimilate in Moscow. The
head of the Education Department decreed that Moscow schools must
accept children of any nationality, non-residents and those who are
not officially registered in Moscow. Otherwise, schools may be blamed
for violation of the constitutional rights. In the nearest tow-threes
years the authorities plan to make migration temporary: guest workers
will have an opportunity to work in Moscow for several years or
months only and then will have to go back home.

The authorities suggest that favorable conditions must be created for
life of migrants in some regions of Russia somewhere away from
Moscow. But today Moscow is in great need for man power, and the need
is increasing every year. Demographers state that able-bodied
population of Russia will drop by 2 million people by 2015. And they
add that today migrant workers are the only method to compensate the
demographic recession. The birth rate in Moscow is the lowest in
Russia: 1.09 children fall on one female Muscovite over the
reproductive period of her life. At that, children of migrants living
in Moscow are also taken into consideration as well. The share of
non-residents makes up 13.5 per cent in the total Moscow birth rate.
Every seventh baby born in Moscow is delivered by a non-resident
female.

In the nearest time, in addition to migrants from Ukraine and
Caucasus Moscow will have to receive migrants from Asian republics.
Sociologists say that Central Asia may give Russia four million of
able-bodied migrants. When the resources of the Asian republics are
exhausted, Russia and Moscow first of all will have to welcome
migrants from China.

Moskovsky Komsomolets

FACTBOX-Main divisive issues before world U.N. summit

Sept. 11 (Reuters) – The largest gathering of world leaders in history
begins on Sept. 14 with 191 U.N. member nations still divided on the
issues. The summit is to map out new approaches to poverty, global
security and human rights in the 21st century.

— DEVELOPMENT – The draft document sets timetables to halve poverty
for the poorest of the poor, provide elementary education to all, cut
maternal deaths and halve the spread of AIDS by 2015, among
others. The United States objects to a provision urging nations to
meet the U.N. goal of giving 0.7 percent of a nation’s gross national
product in foreign aid.

— HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL – A smaller group of nations to sit year-round
on human rights to replace the current Human Rights Commission, a key
demand by Western nations. The new members would be elected by the
191-member General Assembly rather than regional groups. Human Rights
Watch and Amnesty International say opponents include Cuba, Russia,
Venezuela, Pakistan, Belarus, Vietnam and others.

— NON-PROLIFERATION – The draft says proliferation and risk that
terrorists might obtain unconventional weapons are the greatest
threats to peace. Washington and others want to remove references to
nuclear disarmament for big powers.

— TERRORISM – The draft says attacks on civilians and noncombatants
“cannot be justified.” Islamic nations want a mention of liberation
groups and the right to resist foreign occupation.

— PEACE-BUILDING COMMISSION – This is aimed at helping nations
emerging from conflict. Key Western nations want Security Council
control. Developing countries want the commission to report to the
General Assembly, where they have a majority, arguing they need a
voice in deciding priorities.

— RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT – The concept, promoted by Canada, other
Western nations and human rights groups, calls for various kinds of
intervention in case of genocide and war crimes. African nations such
as South Africa support the concept but other developing states say it
would provide an excuse for big powers to intervene.

— U.N. MANAGEMENT REFORM – Western nations, including the United
States, want to give the U.N. secretary-general more power to manage,
expand monitoring bodies and hire more independent auditors. Some
developing nations fear they will lose control in General Assembly,
which manages and budget and rules on U.N. posts.

(Writing by Evelyn Leopold, United Nations)

09/11/05 22:47 ET

Zaman, Turkey
Sept 9 2005

PKK: The Name of the Metal Storm in Turkish-US Relations

by Melih Can

Not a single day goes by that Turkey does not face a new PKK attack
or a mine explosion. And not a single day goes by that Turkey does
not enter into a polemic on ”terrorism” with countries it thinks
are friendly.

It is true that lately, Turkey’s agenda has almost gotten stuck on
terrorism and the fight against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party
(PKK), also in the context of terrorism. The problems in the fight
against terrorism and the PKK, which were the main topics Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US President George W. Bush
discussed during Erdogan’s visit to the United States, continue full
swing.

Under this framework, controversial statements made recently on the
PKK issue, especially by Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP)
leader, Massoud Barzani, who has been elected the president of the
northern Kurdish region, Bush congratulating [Jalal] Talabani and the
Iraqi Kurds on the “regional government,” and all the events that
surfaced afterwards, were obvious realities even though they seemed
to us like an April Fool’s Day joke made by our strategic partner.
New developments seemingly will occur in Turkish-American relations
both in the South and the East. And there are efforts to increase the
confusion in Turkish foreign policy day after day with the carrot and
stick policy. There are efforts to drag Turkey into a real paranoia
by putting it in a dilemma over “how much a friend and how much an
enemy?” On the other hand, some try to inculcate into us the “wait
and see policy.” But why? First of all, frankly speaking,
developments that are taking place in the south of Turkey, in the
north of Iraq and the US attitude towards the PKK continue to disturb
Turkey, and these constitute the biggest confidence problems in
relations. The recent events and counter statements that will
aggravate the issue do not elude attention, pieces come together and
become more meaningful.

Treating the terrorist as a militia

The BBC and Reuters referring to the PKK terrorist organization as
“militia” recently, was in fact not a chic attitude. As a matter of
fact, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European & Eurasian
Affairs Dan Fried said that the PKK, which is a terrorist
organization, is also America’s problem and implied that a
trans-border operation in northern Iraq by Turkey against PKK
terrorists could “bring the forces of both countries against each
other,” adding, “There are words Iraq will also say.’

Frankly speaking, we wonder whether these words will be in Arabic or
English? And we also know that the “dominant” one will do the
talking. In this context, when the fact that Barzani was elected the
president of the Kurdish region in the north and the attitude
displayed against the PKK by the US government are put together,
Turkey comes face to face with a terrible scenario. In particular,
the role given to Barzani and the Barzani tribe during this
transition period is very important. Even the personality of Massoud
Barzani automatically answers many questions. Contrary to Talabani,
Barzani is presented to us as more uncompromising, an inflexible man
who orchestrates chaos, a tribal leader who can start and continue a
bloody war over a so-called Kurdish state in the north.

Hence, the Barzani tribe is a right choice, especially at a time when
allegations about “their genes” and expectations about the
establishment of a so-called “Kurdish state” under the umbrella of
the Unites States and mentorship of the Israeli state are at the
peak. At this very point, as an interesting coincidence, the PKK
steps in and its place in this game can be better perceived.

The attitude of the regional countries, Turkey, Syria and Iran
against a Kurdish state is known. Some red lines – if they do not
change afterwards – have been formed on this subject. And despite
statements by these three countries that they would not allow the
establishment of such a state, the presence of Kurds in their
respective countries in various proportions is a reality. In other
words, if in case they object, these countries, in the first place,
may have to deal with the problems within their own borders. This is
called the PKK in Turkey. On the other hand, the uneasiness of US
administration over the warm cooperation that has been taking place
among the regional countries in recent years, and Washington’s
expectations in this context, are quite obvious. The latest events
have a potential of breaking Turkey’s resistance and creating
“doubts” and “problems” in its relations with the other countries in
the region. Even this joint attitude, that is not very well formed,
is enough to perturb the US. And the name given to it is the call for
democracy, reforms and integration with the world. In plain words,
its name is double-standards.

What should Turkey do?

While Turkey continues to be contented with “strategic relations,”
the US continues creating its own “strategic partners” in the region.
This name was Israel in the past but is now the so-called states of
“Kurdistan” and “Mountainous Karabakh.” Each of them is a piece of a
chain, stretching out from Khazar to the Red Sea. What would happen
if you want to interfere in these goings-on and terrorism being
nourished just beyond your borders? The answer is quite simple, you
would be invited to the “Metal Storm” with an implied threat by the
“mandated” country. The justification is handy: “Violating the
borders of a sovereign state.” Especially at a time when a
“pre-emptive strike” sword is hanging over your head. Turkey is being
dragged into a real deadend in its foreign politics. The reflections
of this deadend inevitably have also started to manifest themselves
in its domestic politics. As a matter of fact, True Path Party (DYP)
leader Mehmet Agar claimed that Turkey has lost its ability to carry
out a military operation beyond its borders during Justice and
Development Party (AKP) government. Agar claimed that Turkey has been
made to depend on foreign countries even in the fight against
terrorism, in addition to its economy and foreign policy. Similar
expressions are often used by Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader
Deniz Baykal as well as other politicians. In reply to all these
criticisms, Prime Minister Erdogan tries to display a determined
attitude and says, `We have to overcome the PKK problem. Consult or
not consult, we can use our right of hot pursuit.”

This situation created between the PKK and the AKP is certainly a
matter the present government does not approve of, either. However,
the fact that the AKP government has put Turkey into a reform and
restructuring process, especially into the process of full EU
membership, and it seems to be doing all these with the EU reccipe,
will certainly continue to make these allegations and accusations
remain on the agenda. Like every political party, the AKP government
as well would certainly like to be in Turkish political movement in
the process after this. Maybe because of this, in order to be able to
overcome its “obsession and blindness with the West” a little bit,
the AKP recently has started to turn its attention more to the “East”
and “South.” It would not be wrong to evaluate the recent visits in
this sense. Turkey has started to understand the necessity of
compensating for the disappointments it experienced in the West by
turning to the East just as the other Eastern states did. At least,
this is what our historical memory seemingly orders us to do. As a
matter of fact, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw did not utter
these words in vain, “Let’s not treat Turkey harshly, let’s be more
courageous, let’s put Turkey next to us instead of pushing it far
aside.” The British vigilance has said this so far and will also
continue to do so tomorrow. But what is important is our wakefulness
and vigilance.

The Kurdish factor, in the context of the PKK and Northern Iraq,
continues to create important curves and testing fields in
Turkish-American relations. In other words, the current attitude and
policy the US is pursuing in the region, within its intentions, is
far beyond being a turning point in relations between “two allied
countries,” but is galloping at full speed towards a breaking point.
“Turkey’s terrorism test” continues. Turkey is looking for an
attitude between “Metal Storm” and “being in bed with an elephant.’
In this case, Turkey will either find another course to flow into, or
renew its marriage or return to its roots. However, in any case, the
one who loses will be “the pawn” again!

You can listen to the program feature on the Turkish sensitivity towards
their history by Dorian Jones is “hidden”
in the BBC World Service Outlook program until Thursday on

(broadband connection needed)

Otherwise there follows the main points from this program
(some of the spellings of Turkish names may be suspect as it is taken
from an audio report)

Thousands of Armenian orphan children were “saved” and brought up as
Turkish Muslims during the Armenian Genocide (these specific words are
used in the broadcast).
Fethiye Cetin’s book (now in its fifth reprint) reveals her grandmother
was one such child prepared after extensive research into one of
Turkey’s darkest chapters.
Armenians are routinely described in Turkey as enemies and spies and the
genocide is “hidden” from the population.
Fethiye decided to write the book after feeling pain reading about
conflicting statistics on the number of deaths: each victim in her view
was an individual human tragedy.

Prof Selim Deringi mentioned that there were intractable problems, and
the wounds from the past have not healed.
The opposite views (genocide of civilians v 5th column collaborators
with enemy in wartime conditions) show that there is not a state of
dialogue.
A Turkish conference on the genocide (the professor was one of the
organisers) was deferred after “intense government pressure”.
European and other external pressure has resulted in the conference
being reorganised.

There is very strong opposition to any change to the official position
on this issue.
Shukri Elekdar believes that recognition of the genocide is a threat to
Turkey’s future, particularly as he sees it as part of a wider policy to
seize Turkish territory
(this is demonstrated by Armenians referring to Eastern Turkey as
Western Armenia.
All Turkish political parties are united behind the government on this
despite the Armenian benefit from the support received from the USA.

Nevertheless, more and more people are delving into Turkey’s past.
Berkiye Pars is editing her film on her grandparent’s adopted child.
She wants Turks to have a chance to learn about their own past.
Many families have Armenian or Greek members – but they keep this a
secret, even denounce it though their own neighbours know this.

Yshim Fsoghlu is preparing a new film (Waiting for Clouds) on the
expulsion of 1 million Greeks as part of the population exchange.
This is another taboo in Turkey’s many dark chapters in its past.
She too has been threatened with legal prosecution as has Orhan Pamuk
but feels that artists must challenge historical taboos.
People can be reactive with such material but they must think and feel

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Sept 9 2005

VARDAN OSKANYAN: ARMENIA SATISFIED WITH ITS DEVELOPMENT, BUT
CONSIDERS IT INSUFFICIENT

YEREVAN, September 9. /ARKA/. Armenia is satisfied with its
development, but also considers it insufficient, RA Foreign Minister
Vardan Oskanyan said at the presentation of the UNDP Human
Development Report for 2005. He said that “the situation in Armenia
is not bad at first glance”, especially comparing with neighbors. At
the same time he said that Armenia should not direct its attention to
the achievements of neighboring countries, but should lay emphasis on
its own indicators of development. “We still have much to do though
positive indicators have been registered. We should achieve more high
indicators of human development”, Oskanyan said.
He also said that the UNDP Human Development Report should become “a
guide for the RA Government”, which will allow not only to reveal
existing problems in Armenia, but will also become a basis for
socio-economic development. “I hope our Government will familiarize
with this report and will take it as the basis for its future
activities”, Oskanyan said.
Oskanyan positively evaluated Armenia’s indicators which according to
him “should not be underestimated”. “Armenia achieved very high
economic growth over the past five years, which however almost not
affected people’s life, and this growth should be transformed into
human development. It can be realized through poverty reduction and
future democratization”, Oskanyan said. He said that another
alternative is mobilization of the potential of Diaspora and
international donor organizations, particularly, national and
international resources to promote development in the regions. “The
problems of transition still affect Armenia’s population, and they
should be eliminated. The transparent system of governance is crucial
for this, and the international community can help a lot with this
issue. The assistance and partnership should be used to achieve
development”, Oskanyan said.
According to the UNDP Human Development Report, Armenia ranked 83rd
among 117 countries of the world. A.A. -0–

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Sept 9 2005

EVENTS DEDICATED TO UN 60TH ANNIVERSARY TO START IN ARMENIA ON
SEPTEMBER 17, 2005

YEREVAN, September 9. /ARKA/. The events dedicated to the 60th
anniversary of the UN will start in Armenia on September 17, 2005,
Resident Representative of the UNDP to Armenia, Ambassador Consuelo
Vidal told a press-conference in Yerevan. She reported that it is
expect to organize a concert in the Republic Square, as well as to
organize the chess tournament for children of 10-12 age group for the
UN Cup with the participation of grand master Smbat Lputyan in
Cascade territory on September 24, 2005. The events will last till
October 24, 2005, which is the UN Day. On this day an exhibition of
works of young photographers will be organized in Yerevan, as well as
a concert of classic music at the Aram Khachatryan Concert Hall.
She also reported that a new video clip was recorded with
participation of stars of Armenian pop music on a new song “We and
our history”. The music is by Anita Hakhverdyan, the words by Aram
Avagyan, and 26 singers, who are well-known in Armenia, sing this
song, namely Shushan Petrosyan, Hayko, Andre, Ani-Christi. Producer
of this clip is Hrach Keshishyan.
2005 is also the year of the 5th anniversary of the UN Millennium
Declaration, which was signed by 191 counties, including Armenia. The
countries committed to reach 8 MD Goals by 2015, particularly poverty
reduction, reduction of child mortality, environmental protection,
improvement of education. A.A. -0–

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Sept 9 2005

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT MEETS WITH PRESIDENT OF BAMO HOLDING COMPANY

YEREVAN, September 9. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharyan has held
a meeting with President of the BAMO holding company Murad Muradyan.
Under a contract with the Department for State Property Management,
BAMO has prucahsed the Yerevan Karen Demirchayn Sport-Concert
Complex. During the meeting, the Armenian President expressed
satisfaction with the transaction, and Murad Muradyan assured Robert
Kocharyan that BAMO will strictly observe the contact. The sdies also
pointed out that the implementation of an investment program will
open up new opportunities to Armenia’s sport and cultural spheres.
On August 25, 2005, the RA government made a decision alienating the
Yerevan Karen Demirchyan Sport-Concert Complex to the BAMO holding
company through direct sale for $5.7mln.
The BAMO holding company is one of the largest construction companies
in the CIS and comprises nine companies engaged on construction in
Russia, Armenia, and Germany. A total of 4,500 people are employed by
BAMO. The holding company launched its activities in Armenia in 2001
by constructing a wood-processing enterprise in Martuni, Gegharkuni
region, Armenia.
The Karen Demirchyan complex is the largest sport-concert complex in
Armenia (46,000sq meters). P.T. -0–
From: Baghdasarian

The Times, UK
Sept 9 2005

Joyous postscript to tales of goal famine and lost luggage
By David McVay

IT WAS rumours of a devastating flood that inspired Noah, so the
story goes, to build his Ark on top of Mount Ararat, which borders
Armenia and gazes down upon its capital, Yerevan. Below, in the
country’s national stadium one Saturday in late March two years ago,
the topic of conversation was also of a drought, a goal drought to be
precise. Rumours of it raining goals proved unfounded.
In the press box that day, the blood appeared to be draining from
Malcolm Brodie, the highly respected Irish journalist who has covered
Northern Ireland for more than half a century. The great man’s
thermals could not prevent the cold of an Armenian spring afternoon
creeping into every joint.

To suggest that this was one of the more enjoyable occasions for a
Northern Ireland correspondent might be a trifle misleading. But only
a trifle. Reporting on Northern Ireland requires a specialist
survival kit. A thick skin, for climate and criticism; fortitude and
a strong constitution for the compulsory drowning of sorrows in Irish
bars from Crete to Copenhagen; fake contact lenses with active
centres to conceal the glazed look that engulfs the senses during
extended periods of boredom, ie, 1,298 minutes without scoring a
goal, and, of course, an optimism that might attract a visit from the
men in white coats after four years without a victory in meaningful
competition.

In Yerevan in 2003, Sammy McIlroy’s European Championship venture had
already disintegrated when Artur Petrosyan scored a late winner to
claim a rare win for the home team. However, it is far better to lose
on a foreign field, bereft of a goal once more, than to surrender
meekly at Windsor Park.

One-nil to ten-man Canada; 2-0 to Greece and several nondescript
goalless draws with Ukraine, Cyprus and the Magaluf Waiters XI
gathering for an annual bash in Belfast.

While many have suffered for the cause, so have the players. When
McIlroy began the Euro 2004 campaign with a game away to Spain in
October 2002, the squad, the fans and the press corps went to
Valencia. Sadly, the training kit and some football boots headed for
Madrid. Then Barcelona, before being reunited with their owners two
days later.

Even a victory over Malta in October 2001, the last occasion that the
side had completed back-to-back wins was disrupted by turbulence,
literally, on the return trip.

So is it any wonder the green wig mops jigged and drank in the
streets of Belfast into the small hours on Wednesday night after
their team beat England at Windsor Park for the first time in 78
years? Can you blame the likes of David Healy, the match-winner, for
celebrating as if they had won the World Cup rather than secured
fourth place in group six? Or the journalists who have witnessed the
bad in Baku and the ugly in Ukraine for punching the air when Healy
scored? `As a practising Christian I believe in David and Goliath and
I was praying to God that that would happen and it did,’ Stuart
Elliott, the Hull City forward, said. The mouse roared indeed. The
three lions trembled.

Men’s News Daily, CA
Sept 11 2005
X-Sender: Asbed Bedrossian <[email protected]>
X-Listprocessor-Version: 8.1 — ListProcessor(tm) by CREN

Doing Away With The Poor

September 11, 2005

by Burt Prelutsky

It is alleged that when his ex-wife was asked to sum up William
Saroyan, famous for his heartwarming stories about Fresno’s Armenian
community, she replied, `Bill loved mankind, but he hated people.’
Knowing from firsthand experience how bitter ex-wives can be, I can’t
comment on the veracity of that rather pithy analysis, but I think
it’s a very appropriate comment when it comes to large numbers of
Democrats.

The specific group I have in mind includes several millionaire
members of the U.S. Senate, virtually every major figure in the
motion picture and popular music industries, and a slew of business
tycoons. The one thing all these muckety mucks have in common is they
only mingle with each other. They love mankind, but they hate poor
people. That’s why they live behind high walls and electric gates,
and travel everywhere in limos and private jets, generally
accompanied by extremely large men carrying extremely large guns.

When it comes to speaking at charity banquets and delivering
political speeches, the rich and famous will say all the usual
compassionate bilge about the poor and the downtrodden. But so far as
actually interacting with them, that’s strictly limited to the peons
who mop their floors, cook their food, mow their lawns, and look
after their kids. And, frankly, I don’t blame them. I mean, who the
heck really wants to hang around poor people? Besides not looking or
even smelling as good as rich people, they always want something. And
usually what they want more than anything is to be rich. That’s
exactly the sort of thing that makes wealthy people really nervous.
After all, it’s not their own kind who go around starting
revolutions, burgling their homes, kidnapping for ransom, or knocking
them on the head to steal their wallets.

So it is we have millionaires like Kennedy and Kerry, Edwards and
Feinstein, Boxer and Dean, trying to pass themselves off as
populists, yammering about raising taxes and soaking the rich, as if
they themselves were members in good standing of the lunch bucket
brigade. The odd thing is that so many poor people seem so willing to
go along with the gag. That can either be attributed to extremely
good manners or a naivete bordering on feeble-mindedness.

In any case, being neither rich nor poor myself, perhaps it’s no
surprise that, being in a position to view the problem objectively, I
have been able to come up with a surefire cure for poverty in
America.

I’m not sure if it’s this way in other parts of the country, but here
in Southern California, individuals and companies get to adopt a mile
or two of freeway. I’m not sure what their responsibility is,
inasmuch as the orange-vested clean up crews consist, so far as I can
tell, of bad drivers performing the community service portion of
their sentences, and not of Rosanne Barr or the gang at Morton’s
Mufflers. But I figure they must have kicked in a pretty penny in
order to get their names on those little highway signs. After all,
publicity doesn’t come cheap in this town.

Well, it struck me that if the well-to-do are willing to adopt a
stretch of the 405, why don’t they, instead, adopt the poor? Heck,
all by themselves, liberals like Ted Turner, Barbara Streisand and
George Soros, can afford to adopt every illegal alien coming across
the border. And what’s more, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream moguls Ben Cohen
and Jerry Greenfield can provide them with butter pecan and fudge
ripple until the cows come home.

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Sept 9 2005

Crisis Group proposes postponement of Garabagh status discussions

Baku, September 8, AssA-Irada

The International Crisis Group, an organization working to prevent
conflicts worldwide, has made proposals on the settlement of the
Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Upper Garabagh.
The ICG vice-president Alain Deletroz, in an exclusive interview with
Radio Liberty, said the status of the region is the `most problematic
issue in peace talks’, suggesting that discussions on the matter be
postponed for 10-15 years.
Deletroz called on both sides, in particular, Azerbaijan, to put an
end to belligerent statements. `On one hand, Upper Garabagh Armenians
are called Azerbaijani citizens, while on the other – enemies. This
may make the peace process impossible’, he said.
The ICG representative said that first of all, displaced persons
should return home and relations should be established between the
Azerbaijani and Armenian communities of Garabagh.
`This can be done through stationing military contingents of
countries trusted by Azerbaijan and Armenia in the conflict zone.’
Deletroz pledged to submit his proposals to the two countries’
officials.*