Armenian president, CIS official discuss implementing agreements
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan, in Armenian
27 Sep 05
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan met the chairman of the CIS
Executive Committee, Vladimir Rushaylo, today.
The sides discussed the process of implementing agreements reached
during the CIS summit in Kazan recently. Kocharyan and Rushaylo
exchanged views on organizational problems concerning the activity of
the CIS Executive Committee.
[Video showed the meeting]

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
September 27, 2005 Tuesday
Rushailo to discuss CIS issues with Armenia leadership
By Tigran Liloyan
YEREVAN
Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Commonwealth of
Independent States (CIS) Vladimir Rushailo will discuss with the
Armenian leadership urgent issues of the CIS.
Rushailo is arriving in Yerevan on Tuesday on a three-day working
visit, the press service of the Armenian Foreign Ministry told
Itar-Tass.
Rushailo will have talks with Armenian President Robert Kocharyan and
other representatives of the country’s leadership.
On Thursday he will take part in the opening of a regular meeting of
the Council of Interior Ministers of the CIS member states.

Mediamax news agency, Yerevan, in Russian
27 Sep 05
Armenian president cautiously optimistic about Karabakh settlement
Yerevan, 27 September: Armenian President Robert Kocharyan today
spoke about “some hopes” for the settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict.
Robert Kocharyan said this in reply to the question from a Finnish
journalist at a joint briefing with Finnish President Tarja Halonen.
The Armenian president said that “the negotiations process is rather
active at the moment”. Robert Kocharyan noted that the talks on the
peaceful settlement of the conflict have been held since 1994 and, in
fact, have never stopped.
“It is another question that sometimes we was very close to the
settlement of the problem,” the Armenian president noted.
Robert Kocharyan announced that Yerevan attached major importance to
the efforts of international organizations aimed at settling the
Nagornyy Karabakh conflict. He, however, stressed that assistance of
international organizations would become more important after signing
a peace agreement when they would assume the role of guarantors in
implementing the agreements between the sides.

Associated Press
Sept 28 2005
Turkish premier rejects EU call for Ankara to recognize Armenian
killings as genocide
AP Worldstream; Sep 28, 2005

Turkey’s prime minister on Wednesday rejected a European Parliament
resolution calling on Ankara to recognize the mass killings of
Armenians around the time of World War I as genocide.
“That resolution is not binding. It does not matter whether they took
such a decision or not. We will continue on our way,” private
CNN-Turk television quoted Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan as
saying during a visit to Abu Dhabi. Turkey is scheduled to open
accession talks with the EU on Monday.
The EU lawmakers said in their resolution that recognition of the
1915-1923 killings as genocide should be a prerequisite for Turkey to
join the European Union.
Armenians say that 1.5 million Armenians were killed by Ottoman Turks
around the time of World War I, which Armenians and several nations
around the world recognize as the first genocide of the 20th century.
Turkey denies that the massacres were genocide, saying the death toll
is inflated and Armenians were killed in civil unrest as the Ottoman
Empire collapsed.
Speaking to Turkish reporters in Abu Dhabi, Erdogan also reiterated
his view that the EU has to admit Turkey or risk being branded a
“Christian Club.”
“The EU … has to prove that it is not a Christian Club. To say ‘the
EU is not a Christian Club’ won’t save it from becoming a Christian
Club,” Erdogan said.
“What will the EU achieve by admitting Turkey? It will become a
bridge between the 1.5-billion strong Muslim world and the EU. It
will start an alliance of civilizations,” he added.

Turkish right-wing group denies alliance with Labour Party over
Armenian issue
Anatolia news agency, Ankara, in Turkish
25 Sep 05
Ankara, 25 September: In a statement, the Idealist Hearths Education
and Culture Foundation General Headquarters has announced that the
reports to the effect that the idealists cooperated with the members
of Labour Party during the protest demonstrations that were held
against the “Armenian Conference” do not reflect reality in one way
or another. The statement stressed that it is impossible for the
idealist movement to establish alliances with groups that are in no
way related to its ideology just for the sake of spreading its views.
Explaining that masses with all kinds of views gathered in front of
the university in order to protest against the conference, but that
efforts were made to give the impression that the idealists and the
members of the Labour Party have formed “an ultranationalist
alliance,” the statement said: “The reports to the effect that the
idealists cooperated with the members of the Labour Party during the
protest demonstrations against the Armenian Conference do not reflect
reality in one way or another.”

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
September 28, 2005 Wednesday
Defendant wounds plaintiff, lawyer in Moscow court
MOSCOW
A defendant in a Moscow magistrate’s court fired with an assault
rifle at the plaintiff and his lawyer, seriously wounding both, city
police told Itar-Tass.
The incident occurred in Domodedovskaya Street about noon on
Wednesday. “During a court hearing, the defendant took out a
Kalashnikov rifle and fired several shots at the plaintiff and his
lawyer. The men were hospitalized with serious wounds,” a
law-enforcement official said.
The attacker, an ethnic Armenian, was detained and brought to a
police station.
A group of investigators are working at the scene of shooting. They
are questioning court personnel about how the man brought the weapon
into the building unnoticed.

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
September 28, 2005 Wednesday
Police investigating Moscow court shooting
MOSCOW
Moscow police are investigating the shooting incident in a city
magistrate’s court, when a defendant fired a submachine gun at the
plaintiff and his lawyer, wounding both.
Police overpowered and detained the attacker, a 39-year-old ethnic
Armenian, immediately after the incident, which occurred in
Domodedovskaya Street about noon on Wednesday.
He is likely to undergo a psychiatric test. “The man must have been
displeased with the court hearing and sought revenge in this manner,”
a law-enforcement officer told Itar-Tass.
“During the court hearing, the defendant took out a submachine gun
and fired several shots at the plaintiff and his lawyer, wounding one
to the stomach and the other to the arm,” the official said.
Both victims were hospitalized. Their condition is now satisfactory,
according to medics.
Police said they had seized a home-made submachine-gun from the
Armenian.

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
September 28, 2005 Wednesday
CIS police to discuss fight against corruption, illegal migration
By Svetlana Alikina, Tigran Liloyan
YEREVAN
The council of CIS police chiefs will meet in Yerevan on Thursday to
discuss the fight against corruption and illegal migration, Russian
Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev told reporters upon his arrival
in the Armenian capital.
Nurgaliyev, who heads the Russian delegation, said the participants
would discuss the implementation of the joint plan to combat
terrorism, and the use of an inter-state information databank.
“We’ll also consider the results of work to study the contractual and
legal and organizational basis of cooperation, and amendments to the
regulations on a uniform procedure of international search for wanted
persons,” Nurgaliyev said.
He underlined that the Council is “one of the most effective
executive CIS bodies, and that is participants are making a real
practical contribution to the fight against international crime and
terrorism.”
The Russian minister expressed the hope that the results of the
upcoming meeting would enable CIS law-enforcement bodies to open a
new page in improving the effectiveness of cooperation, especially in
its practical aspect.

Sun Star Newspaper, AK
Sept 28 2005
What’s on your evacuation checklist?

by Journalism 202: News Reporting Students

If forced to evacuate, Aurora Suchland would reach for her creepy
crawler and other non-human members of her household. “I’d bring my
pets–a tarantula, guinea pigs and dogs,” the 20-year-old biology
major said.
Francine Davis didn’t mention any big spiders, but in a disaster
she’d make a point of saving family pets first. “My husband is
self-sufficient,” explained Davis, a 35-year-old fiscal officer for
the School of Management.
Mindful of the chaos and anguish accompanying Hurricane Katrina and
more recently Hurricane Rita, journalism students fanned out from the
Bunnell Building last week and collected evacuation priorities from
about 30 members of this campus community. The non-scientific survey
consisted of a single question: “If an earthquake or other natural
disaster forced you to flee the house, what would you bring?”
Biochemistry student Jeff Gimbel knows where his priorities lie. “I’d
take my pet dog Schooner.” After a pause he added, “I guess my
fiancð’Kari would be good, too.”
Philosophy student Cody Dout, 24, boiled his evacuation kit down to a
pair of essentials. “Toilet paper and macaroni,” Dout said. “You have
to eat and wipe your ass.”
Biology major Mikey Turner, 25, had a short list. “I would take my
cat, my family,” he said, “and, damn, yeah, that’s it.”
“My dog,” said Carolin Remmen, 27, who works for the Literacy
Council. “Cash. My ID, definitely. Just the bare necessities,” she
said, then added: “My dog above all.”
As emergency officials learned in New Orleans, the logistics of
saving pets complicates evacuation plans for many.
Theater major Fiona Lundquist, 20, figures to save her photos and
animals, though she recognizes that hauling out her menagerie may
pose a challenge. “We’re pretty disorganized so we’d probably shove
them in a couple of carriers and hope they don’t fight!” said
Lundquist, who owns one rabbit, a pair of cats, three lovebirds and
three rats.
Amber Steinfort simply wouldn’t leave because of pets. “I’d be like
the holdouts in Louisiana,” she said. “They’d have to force me out at
gunpoint.”
Saving families, both formal and informal, emerged as another chief
concern.
Will Rhodes, 27, a graduate student in environmental engineering,
didn’t think twice about who he’d rescue. “My daughter,” he said.
Friends come first for Lyle Croft, a senior studying biology. “I
would bring my housemates,” Croft said, “because I wouldn’t want them
to die.
“Then I would take my TV,” he added with a grin. “It’s pretty
important to my life.”
Hank Wichmann, 66, would save family, cash and transportation. “My
wife, kids, dogs, money, and car and,” the accounting professor said,
“my airboat if I had the time.”
Escaping with photos and personal mementos also ranks high.
Assuming his family– and that includes their golden retriever– was
taken care of, Ethan Aronson would reach for the hard drive with all
of his digital photos. “My wife made quilts for our two children when
they were born,” added Aronson, who was on campus registering for an
emergency medic recertification course. “I’d grab them too.”
Hard to replace personal papers and practical items topped the list
given by UAF graphic designer Lisa Penalver, 45. “I would take
important documents, family pictures, my kids, computer (CD)
back-ups, laptops, changes of clothes, food, money,” she said.
Earlina Bowden, director of the campus equal opportunity office, said
she would take practical essentials.
“I would take important papers in a portable safe,” the 54-year-old
Bowden said, “irreplaceable items that can be loaded into a trailer
or camper, survival gear, extra water,clothes.”
Computer technician Bob Callahan, 59, weighed the choices
methodically. “The big question is: A. Do you have a vehicle? Or, B.
Do you have to carry these things on your back?
“Important records,” he eventually concluded. “Wills, insurance
papers, passports, birth certificates”
Nick Crook, 18, is visiting family before heading off to the Air
Force. He would save them before reaching for personal necessities,
including clothing, survival needs. “Probably my cell phone,” he
added.
Music major Uyoyou Ogbe, 25, would consider both practicality and
luxury. “I’d take pictures of my family, my CDs, several changes of
clothes, my address book, documents, lotion and stuff, money, oh,”
she said, “and food.”
“I would bring my favorite books,” said Josh Mesch, a 29-year-old
mining engineering student, citing past experience hastily leaving
home.
Commercial fisherman Frank Edwards, 20, would bring spiritual tools.
“My bible and pictures,” he said, “because they would help me move on
and preserve memories.”
As might be expected in Interior Alaska, many respondents gave weight
to practical considerations.
“Food, water cell phone, gun, sleeping bags, dry clothing, and plenty
of tarps,” said Bruce Johnson, a Duckering project researcher. “I
think you could survive anything.”
Mike Matsakyan, an economics student from Armenia, would pack solely
what he needs. “I would take food, as much as I could carry,” the he
said, “then maybe clothes to stay warm”.
“I would bring food, clothes, first-aid kit,” said Derrick Blackburn,
25, whose sister attends UAF. “Probably lose everything else. Oh,” he
added, “and soap!”
One campus visitor figures to literally pack out his residence. “I
live in a yurt,” said Aaron Engers, 21. The Mongolian shelter is
portable, he explained, and fits inside his Subaru. “I’d just fold it
up and put it in there.”
Twenty-year-old student Carlos Elizondo would preserve his favorite
diversion. “I’d grab my X-box,” he said, referring to the popular
video game system. “To take my mind off the disaster.”
Forced to flee, wildlife biology student Andrew Wu, 24, plans to
travel light and fast. “Just get out and get on with life,” he said.
“You can replace everything.”
Student reporters contributing to this story: Dan Carlson, Amy
Chausse, Michael Dzursin, Lacie Grosvold, Eric Haberin, Ashley
Hudson, Theresa Jacobo, Amy Knight, Rosie Milligan, Aaron Schuldiner.
Kala Shaver, Sarah Sperry, Megan Sullivan, John Wagner, Matt Walker
and Amber Wilson.

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
September 27, 2005 Tuesday
Russian military base adds to Armenian security – president
By Tigran Liloyan
YEREVAN
The Russian military base in Armenia adds to the Armenian national
security, President Robert Kocharyan told a joint press briefing with
Finnish leader Tarja Halonen on Tuesday. Halonen is paying an
official visit to Armenia.
There have been sporadic press reports, which claimed that the
Russian military base was allegedly thrust upon Yerevan, Kocharyan
said. “This is absolutely wrong. The base was deployed in Armenia on
the basis of a bilateral agreement, and it meets our interests,” he
said.
“We live in an intricate region, and the Russian military base is a
component of our security,” he said. Any enlargement of the base is
not discussed, he said.
The 102nd military base of the Russian Defense Ministry with the
strength of 5,000 men was deployed in Armenia in conformity with
several bilateral treaties. Local residents have nothing against the
base, which is the successor to the Leninakan motorized infantry
division of the South Caucasian military district. The main component
of the base is situated in Gyumri, former Leninakan, and subordinated
to the Russian forces in the South Caucasus.