TPB CHAIRMAN SENDS LETTER TO MEMBERS OF US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Turkish Press
Sept 16 2005
ANKARA – Turkish Parliamentarians Union (TPB) Chairman Hasan Korkmazcan
sent a letter to members of U.S. House of Representatives, calling
them to act with commonsense and without prejudice regarding the
draft resolution on the so-called Armenian genocide, it was reported
on Friday.
The letter stressed that the provocation carried out by fanatic
organizations within the framework of biased, racist and unreal
allegations, would affect negatively friendly relations of Turkey
with its neighbors.
Korkmazcan indicated that reflecting historical incidents through a
biased point of view which is far from being scientific, and turning
them into campaigns targeting Turkey`s social values, was unfortunate.
Korkmazcan said, “it is an absolute necessity to remember (today)
terrorist groups of Armenian origin, claiming lives of many civilians
and leaving its mark on 70`s and 80`s.”
Committee on International Relations of the U.S. House of
Representatives Thursday passed two resolutions acknowledging the
so-called Armenian genocide, although the U.S. Department of State
sent the committee a letter opposing this move.

A FAMILIAR STRATEGEM
By Sami Kohen
Turkish Press
Sept 16 2005
MILLIYET- The Armenian lobby has been doing this for years. The
lobby and its supporters always wait for an opportunity to enact
a law justifying the claims on the so-called Armenian genocide in
the US Congress. First of all, it receives support and interest
with a bill it presents to the relevant committees of the House of
Representatives. However, when the bill is brought to the House floor,
the White House and various branches of the administration become
involved in the issue. Finally, the bill is never brought to the floor
or fails to get approval. Then a period of silence follows until the
lobby and its supporters find a new opportunity and go through the
same process.
The US House of Representatives International Relations Committee
this week considered a bill holding the Ottoman Empire responsible
for the Armenian genocide and requesting that the Turkish Republic
accept this crime. Actually, it seems unlikely that this bill will
be presented to the full House or even approved. However, even if the
bill is discussed by the committee and gets great support and interest,
this would be a success for the Armenian lobby. If Congress doesn’t
make such a final decision, it will be necessary to evaluate the
reasons for the Armenian lobby’s success on the US political platform.
Generally, people’s reasons for supporting the claims on the
so-called Armenian genocide in the US, as in other countries,
depends on Turkey’s incompetence in promotion — in conveying
its ideas and influencing public opinion — against the Armenian
diaspora’s advantage of propaganda and influence. It’s a shame that
for years we haven’t overcome this. Unfortunately, Turkey is still
ineffectual against the propaganda of counter-lobbies in the US. We
can’t say that the professional lobbyists working for Turkey are very
successful. Likewise, promotion isn’t the only way of getting results
in the US and the world generally. The political dimensions of this
question are very important. The Armenian lobby’s success in the
Congress is related with the atmosphere of the US public’s feelings
concerning Turkey, in Turkish-US relations, and among politicians
in Washington, and this atmosphere isn’t so bright. Actually, the
US Congress has never really gotten over Turkey’s rejection of the
deployment of US soldiers before the Iraq invasion in March 2003. As
for the political dimensions of the problem, Turkey has to establish
new strategies to counter claims on the so-called Armenian genocide.

US COMMITTEE APPROVES ARMENIAN RESOLUTIONS
Turkish Press
Sept 16 2005
Press Review
TURKIYE
The International Relations Committee of the US House of
Representatives yesterday passed two resolutions affirming the
so-called Armenian genocide allegations. The resolutions, which
are expected to reach the House floor, urge commemoration of the
anniversaries of the so-called genocide by the US and call on the
president to take into consideration the Armenian genocide allegations
in setting foreign policy. Supporting the resolutions, committee head
Rep. Henry Hyde stated that he didn’t believe that the resolutions
would harm relations with Turkey. /Turkiye/

RUSSIAN-ARMENIAN MILITARY EXERCISE ANACHRONISTIC
By Vladimir Socor
Eurasia Daily Monitor,
Jamestown Foundation
Sept 16 2005
On September 10-13, Russia and Armenia conducted a tactical
military exercise at the Marshal Bagramian training grounds, close
to the Armenian-Turkish border. President Robert Kocharian and other
Armenian officials attended the final, live-fire stage of the joint
exercise. Each side committed a motor-rifle regiment, artillery, and
tank company, for a total of 1,300 ground troops, to the four-day
exercise. In addition, four Su-25 and four MiG-24 planes from the
Armenian side, S-300 air defense systems, and four MiG-29 planes from
the Russian side, and combat helicopters from both sides took part.
Armenia’s Deputy Defense Minister, Lt.-General Mikael Grigorian, acted
as coordinator of the exercise in the presence of Maj.-General Andrei
Popov, commander of Russia’s Group of Forces in the Transcaucasus
(GRVZ), to which the Russian forces stationed in Armenia are
subordinated. The GRVZ command headquarters has yet to be moved out
of Tbilisi by Russia’s Defense Ministry, presumably to the Russian
base at Gyumri in Armenia. Russia stations an estimated 5,000 troops
of all types in Armenia, including 3,000 officially reported to be
based at Gyumri.
The exercise aimed to test the interoperability of Russian and
Armenian forces. It rehearsed a defensive battle against “aggressor
forces from the direction of Turkey” that attacked on the ground
and in the air, advancing into Armenia during the first stage of
the battle. In the follow-up stages, Russian and Armenian forces
counterattacked and destroyed the invader’s forward elements, then
encircled and attacked the main invasion grouping, forcing it to
surrender. This type of scenario is traditional at Armenian-Russian
annual tactical exercises, but it now seems out of step with the
bilateral rapprochement between Russia and Turkey on all levels,
including that of regional security. This year’s exercise scenario
added for the first time an “anti-terrorist operation” to suppress
a diversionary terror attack by the invading force.
Armenia’s Su-25 planes made their first public appearance in the
country on this occasion. Armenia took delivery of 10 planes of
that obsolescent type from Slovakia’s air force last year. They are
co-located with the Russian base in Gyumri.
Addressing all troops in Russian after the exercise, Kocharian
characterized Armenia-Russia relations overall as “brotherhood…thanks
to which the Russian military base exists and we conduct joint
exercises to ensure our countries’ security.” If viewed in those terms,
however, the exercise scenario of battling Turkey seems anachronistic
and unrealistic. For his part, Defense Minister Serge Sarkisian cited
Azerbaijan as a source of threats to Armenia’s security; he expressed
confidence in the Armenian army’s readiness to face that challenge.
While Yerevan portrayed the exercise accurately as a bilateral
event, Moscow billed it as an undertaking of the CIS Collective
Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). Russia’s Security Council
Secretary Nikolai Bordyuzha, also attending the event, listed the
Russia-Armenia “group of forces” as a CSTO component, together with
a Russia-Belarus group of forces and the Collective Rapid Deployment
Forces in Central Asia. However, those two “groups of forces” exist
only virtually, in Russian planning for wartime operations, and remain
at any time a matter of Russia’s bilateral relations with Armenia or
Belarus. Armenia’s participation in CSTO exercises remains confined
to the annual air defense practice.
Moscow traditionally relies on bilateral relations for alliance
management. However, Russia is interested in advertising the CSTO in
order to enhance Russia’s own status vis-a-vis NATO. Attending the
NATO-Russia meeting of Defense Ministers on September 13 in Berlin,
Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov cited the Russian-Armenian
exercise as part of ongoing CSTO activities. He sought to portray the
CSTO as an operational reality and urged NATO to establish cooperation
with this Russian-led organization. Armenia, however, is interested
in developing its own ties with NATO through an Individual Partnership
Action Plan.
(Interfax, Regnum, Arminfo, Armenian Public Television, September
12-14; Air Force Monthly, August 2005)
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

COUNCIL OF EUROPE NOT TO ASSIST IN HOLDING VOTE AT KARABAKH CONSTITUENCY
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Sept 16 2005
The Council of Europe will not assist in the organization of voting
at the Khankandi district constituency in Nagorny Karabakh, which
allows ethnic Armenian citizens of Azerbaijan to vote in the November
parliament elections.
Azerbaijan’s central election commission (CEC) earlier requested CE
to assist in preparation of voter lists and other technical matters
related to the constituency, head of the CE office in Azerbaijan Mats
Lindberg said.
Lindberg told reporters on Thursday that the organization will not
be able to provide assistance, as the CEC appealed to the CE ‘at
the last moment’ and there is not enough time for this. However,
the Council of Europe office in Baku will try to provide a precise
response to the commission’s appeal, he added.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

COMMITTEE: ARMENIANS ENDURED GENOCIDE
By Lisa Friedman, WASHINGTON BUREAU
The Argus, CA
Sept 16 2005
State Department, House speaker fear resolution could hurt
U.S.-Turkish relations
WASHINGTON – In a momentous victory for California’s sizable Armenian
communities, the House International Relations Committee voted
overwhelmingly Thursday to declare the massacre of Armenians in the
Ottoman Empire a genocide.
In a surprise move, Rep. Tom Lantos, D-San Mateo, declared that after
years of opposing the genocide resolution, he now would support it.
The only Holocaust survivor in Congress and the founder of the
Congressional Human Rights Caucus, Lantos had long cited Washington’s
close relationship with Ankara as a key reason for objecting to
the resolution.
The separate resolutions by Reps. Adam Schiff, D-Pasadena, and George
Radanovich, R-Fresno, still must pass several hurdles. The State
Department and House Speaker Dennis Hastert fiercely oppose recognition
of the Armenian genocide, arguing its passage will rupture U.S.-Turkish
relations. Both are expected to try to block a full House vote.
Nevertheless, Armenians on Thursday said by voting 35-11 for Schiff’s
bill and 40-7 for Radanovich’s, the panel sent a strong message that
Congress should not equivocate when it comes to recognizing crimes
against humanity.
“If the United States does not step up and acknowledge this history
and show moral backbone and clarity on these sorts of issues, people
are going to be disappointed in us. We believe in this country because
it does the right thing,” said Armen Carapetian, spokesman for the
Armenian National Committee of America.
The panel voted after more than three hours of tense debate, in
which lawmakers invoked the Holocaust, slavery, Darfur and the fate
of American Indians.
Every Californian on the panel voted in favor of the resolutions.
In 2000, when the issue came before the same committee, Lantos told
his colleagues, “There is a long list of reasons why our NATO ally,
at this point, should not be humiliated.”
On Thursday, Lantos said that while he was “profoundly moved and
anguished by the Armenian people’s horrendous suffering” he remained
unconvinced that the massacres they endured technically constitute
genocide.
Instead, he cited Turkey’s unwillingness to allow U.S. troops to
use its territory to launch an invasion into northern Iraq as well
as the country’s growing closeness with Syria even in the wake of
former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri’s assassination.
“Turkey ignored our interests,” Lantos said. “Our allies must
understand that if they expect the U.S. to support matters of great
interest to them, we expect them to support the things that are
important to the United States.”
Armenians estimate more than 1.5 million died and hundreds of thousands
of others displaced in a planned genocide campaign between 1915 and
1923. Turkey maintains there was no systematic extermination plan,
that only about 300,000 Armenians were killed, and that Armenians
also killed thousands of Turks in the tumultuous last years of the
Ottoman Empire.

REAL REASON BEHIND TERROR DISREGARDED
Zaman, Turkey
Sept 16 2005
[The Muslim World Interview with Gulen]
Question: Can terrorism be considered a way of struggle for freedom?
What is the Islamic alternative to terrorism and struggle?
As I said in an interview with Nuriye Akman for Daily Zaman, today,
at best we can say is that Islam is not known at all. Muslims should
say, “In true Islam, terror does not exist.” No person should kill
another human being. No one can touch an innocent person, even in time
of war. No one can give a fatwa (a legal pronouncement) commending
this matter. No one should be a suicide bomber. No one can rush into
crowds with bombs tied to his or her body. Regardless of the religion
of these crowds, this is not religiously permissible.
Even in the event of war – during which it is difficult to maintain
balances – this is not permitted in Islam. Islam states; “Do not
touch children or people who worship in churches.” This has not
only been said once, but has been repeated over and over throughout
history. What Our Master Prophet Muhammad said, what Abu Bakr said, and
what ‘Umar said is the same as what, at later dates, Salahaddin Ayyûbi,
Alparslan, and Kilicarslan also said. Later on, Sultan Mehmet II,
the Conqueror, also said the same. Thus, the city of Constantinople,
in which a disorderly hullabaloo reigned, became Istanbul. In this
city the Greeks did not harm the Armenians, nor did the Armenians
harm the Greeks. Nor did the Muslims harm any other people. A short
time after the conquest of Constantinople, the people of the city
voluntarily hung a huge portrait of the Conqueror on the wall in the
place of that of the Patriarch. It is amazing that such behavior
was displayed at that time. Then, history relates that the Sultan
summoned the Patriarch and gave him the key to the city. Even today,
Islam is not understood properly. Islam has always respected different
ideas and this must be understood for it to be appreciated properly.
I regret to say that in the countries Muslims live, some religious
leaders and immature Muslims have no other weapon on hand than their
fundamentalist interpretation of Islam; they use this to engage people
in struggles that serve their own purposes. In fact, Islam is a true
faith, and it should be lived truly. On the way to attaining faith
one can never use untrue methods. In Islam, just as a goal must be
legitimate, so must be all the means employed to reach that goal.
>>From this perspective, one cannot achieve Heaven by murdering
another person. A Muslim cannot say, “I will kill a person and then
go to Heaven.” God’s approval cannot be won by killing people. One of
the most important goals for a Muslim is to win the pleasure of God,
another is making the name of Almighty God known to the universe.
Dissatisfied youth has lost its spirituality. Some people take
advantage of such people, giving them a couple of dollars, or turning
them into robots. They have drugged them. This has become a topic on
the agenda these days that can be read about in the popular press.
These young people were abused to an extent that they could be
manipulated. They have been used as murderers on the pretext of some
crazy ideals or goals and they have been made to kill people. Some
evil-minded people have wanted to achieve certain goals by exploiting
these young people. Yes, killing a human is a truly awful thing. The
Qur’an says that killing one person is the same as killing all
people. Ibn ‘Abbas said that a murderer will stay in Hell for
eternity. This is the same punishment that is assigned to deniers of
God. This means that a murderer is subjected to the same punishment
as a disbeliever. If this is a fundamental principle of religion,
then it should be taught in education.
An individual who accepts Islam from the heart will never knowingly
take part in terrorism. The acts of terrorism associated with Islam
may have been perpetrated by some Muslims who had not internalized
the depth of Islam. Terrorism, as the name itself indicates, is a
complicated issue. Analyzing terrorism is not something that is easy
to do. Despite this, because it is so ugly in its nature and because
many Muslims are charged with it, terrorism must be addressed with a
great deal of consideration. Administrators and intelligence agents
have to try to find the originators and the motivating factors of
terrorist activities. This will help develop international strategies
to stop it. Otherwise, as a result of false analysis and some
possible intelligentsia’s services, the issue may be so complicated
that some civilizations, nations and civic organizations will be
always under threat. After September 11th, the issue has developed
in this direction. The fear of terrorism has become paranoia in
our society. At an increasing tempo, general feelings and fears of
society were exploited. Terrorist organizations were used by some as
instruments of terror to reach their goals through terrorist activities
against innocent society. To my understanding, true Muslims will never
involve themselves in such vulgar and cheap activities, even if they
are behind in science and technology. The real factors behind terrorism
are worldly advantages and self-interests. These factors have been
the main reasons behind “the great games” on earth. While the main
reasons are ignored, all fingers pointed to Islam. On the other hand,
there are many conflicting interests in the Islamic regions, as well as
many competing and clashing groups. Problems such as anti-democratic
practices and human rights violations have resulted in the foundation
of various disaffected and disenfranchised groups. Being ignorant
and inexperienced, many of these groups can easily be manipulated and
used by some. Some, manipulating these groups, have worked to reach
their goals step by step. Moreover, there are multi-national covert or
open organizations who have based all of their efforts on destruction
and the creation of fear in society. To extend the borders of their
activities, they agitate the unhappy segments of society by stirring
up trouble and fomenting violence. Even though, through painstaking
and intelligent effort, the superficial reasons for terrorism may be
eliminated, without the above-mentioned considerations, it would be
impossible to end terrorism once and for all. This cursed behavior
will emerge under another name.
–Boundary_(ID_bMlW7Zqk+fP9AG+f6o/QHg)–

HOUSE APPROVES GENOCIDE MEASURES
By Michael Doyle, Mcclatchy News Service
Tri-Valley Herald,
Sept 16 2005
Federal panel goes on record affirming the Ottoman Empire’s killing
of countless Armenians
WASHINGTON – History returned with a vengeance Thursday as a House
committee approved the latest versions of an Armenian genocide
resolution.
With San Joaquin Valley lawmakers and residents looking on
approvingly, the House International Relations Committee approved
the two politically charged Armenian measures by wide margins. It’s
the first time in five years the panel has taken up the resolutions
that incite international controversy.
“I think it’s great,” said Mariposa Republican George Radanovich,
lead author of one of the two Armenian genocide measures. “This is
a good message to send to Turkey.”
But with the Bush administration strongly opposed, and the government
of Turkey lumbering out its big lobbying guns, the Armenian genocide
resolutions still face an uncertain future.
“These resolutions could undermine efforts to rebuild a partnership
between the United States and Turkey in pursuit of America’s broad
national security interests,” Assistant Secretary of State Matthew
Reynolds cautioned in a letter Thursday.
The White House and congressional Republican leaderscan still quash
the Armenian genocide measures in several ways. House Speaker Dennis
Hastert can simply refuse to let them reach the House floor, as he
did in October 2000 to block an earlier Radanovich effort.
Conceivably, Republican leaders could also bring them up under a
procedure that would require a two-thirds vote to pass.
“As it stands now, it’s tough,” Radanovich conceded.
Both resolutions would put the House of Representatives on record
as affirming that the Ottoman Empire engaged in attempted genocide
between 1915 and 1923. Countless Armenians died; Turkish officials now
estimate hundreds of thousands perished in a wider war, while Armenians
contend as many as 1.5 million were killed in a targeted campaign.
Approved by a 40-7 margin, Radanovich’s resolution spells out in 11
pages the evidence demonstrating why the 1915-23 catastrophe deserves
the name genocide. This characterization is the fundamental purpose of
the resolution, which would not have the force of law even if passed
by the House.
The committee also approved by a 35-11 margin a related resolution
authored by Pasadena Democrat Adam Schiff, which also goes on to urge
the Turkish government to acknowledge that a genocide occurred.
“This is a step toward righting an historical injustice,” Schiff said.
Turkish officials and their allies retort that history is ambiguous,
with Turkish Ambassador Faruk Logoglu urging lawmakers in a letter
Thursday to “not let our as-yet unreconciled views of a specific
era dictate our present or our future.” The Turkish government has
proposed that a joint study commission with historians from both
countries examine the evidence.
“I’m afraid the resolution will perpetuate a standoff,” Florida
Democrat Robert Wexler said. “It is time for all parties to place a
greater emphasis on bringing Armenian and Turkish groups together.”
More bluntly, Indiana Republican Dan Burton questioned why Congress was
“rehashing this over and over and over again.” Burton has been one of
the most adamant opponents of the Armenian genocide resolution in its
past iterations, and he spent part of his time Thursday recounting
Armenia’s own alleged depredations during its war with Azerbaijan.
Schiff and Radanovich both represent districts with sizable Armenian
American populations, where politically active constituents have long
pressed the genocide resolutions. Merced Democrat Dennis Cardoza,
a member of the International Relations Committee, also supported the
resolutions that were a deeply personal issue for some in the packed
hearing room.
Part-time Fresno resident Paul Jamushian, for one, described himself as
a “genocide son.” His mother was slashed and left for dead at age 4,
he said, while his father was smuggled to safety dressed as a little
girl. Now retired, and alternating his time between Washington and
Fresno, Jamushian listened avidly to the debate that started midmorning
and carried on into the afternoon.
Sitting not too far way was the physically imposing former chairman
of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, Bob Livingston. Now
a lobbyist, Livingston represents Turkey under a contract originally
pegged at $1.8 million. Scooping up the whole scene were multiple
reporters from Turkish media outlets.
“The reason we have yet to succeed is simple,” Schiff said. “The
government of Turkey has spent millions of dollars and countless
efforts (to oppose the bill.)”

SHARJAH RULER TO VISIT GERMANY, ARMENIA
WAM, Emirates News Agency, UAE
Sept 16 2005
Munich, 16 Sept. 05 (WAM) – H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al
Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah will start tomorrow
an official visit to Germany, to be followed by a visit to Armenia.
During his visit, Sheikh Sultan will inaugurate the Islamic Forum
building in Germany.
During his visit to Armenia, he will be received by President Robert
Kocharian and Andranik Markarian, Armenian Prime Minister.
Sheikh Sultan is accompanied by a high level delegation.

SPEECH OF ALIYEV RE ARMY BUILDING IN AZERBAIJAN
AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Sept 16 2005
This meeting is dealing with the process of army building in
Azerbaijan. Today we are going to exchange views on the work done in
this sphere, tasks we have to solve and steps we have to take. In
all, the process of building disciplined army in Azerbaijan is
progressing rapidly and quite successfully. This process assumed a
system character after national leader of our people Heydar Aliyev
returned to power. Azerbaijan is living in a state of war, and our
lands are under occupation. This requires particular attention, and
as a Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the, I am engaged in these issues
every day as they are the most important to us. Azerbaijan should
restore its territorial integrity. We are exerting our efforts to
resolve the conflict peacefully, through negotiations. As you know,
however, no result has been achieved for many years of negotiations.
In all, finding fair solution to the conflict is possible, and I
am sure will do achieve this. The international law norms are on
Azerbaijan ‘s side, Nagorno-Karabakh is an integral part of Azerbaijan,
and our territorial integrity is recognized and supported by the
global community. The historical justice is on our side also.
It is no secret, the Armenians appeared in Nagorno-Karabakh in 1828,
and I remember a monument to 150th anniversary of the Armenian’s
settling here was erected in 1978. True, the Armenian separatists
destroyed the monument after they occupied the region, but this is
history, and everybody knows that. In other words, Nagorno-Karabakh
is an integral part of Azerbaijan from both legal and historical
standpoints.
Over the last years, Azerbaijan has achieved economic superiority
as well. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, economic situation
was the same in both countries. Azerbaijan, however, has made a great
progress. There was a drastic growth in the state budget in 2004-2005,
and Azerbaijan’s superiority will even increase considering the
country’s promising prospects.
Besides, four UN SC resolutions demanding unconditional release of
the occupied territories from Armenian armed forces is in force.
Recently, the issue has been included once again in the UN GA agenda.
This is our great diplomatic success. Upon our request, the
Organization of Cooperation and Security in Europe immediately
engaged in the issue sent a fact-finding mission to the region. The
mission’s final report confirms illegal settling of thousands
of ethnic Armenians in the occupied territories. This indicates
Armenian utterly ignores the demands of the international community,
and the international law norms. In January this year, the Council
of Europe adopted unambiguous and very fair resolution on the
problem. It is to the effect that Armenian unleashed an aggression
against Azerbaijan, occupied its territories and carried out ethnic
cleansing resulted in over million of Azerbaijanis becoming refugee
and internally displaced. The Organization of Islamic Conference
renders had always supported Azerbaijan’s position. Members of GUAM,
the organization playing an important role in regional politics –
I am sure this role will increase – also unambiguously called for
respect to territorial integrity of countries. In other words, all
the international organizations overtly expressed their positions on
the problem. Of course, we will try the issue remain in the agenda,
but we have to confess the proposals and resources of the international
organizations concerning the problem are being exhausted.
The OSCE Minsk group has recently intensified its activity. We can
see their visits to the region and negotiations, new approaches –
this is a positive fact. I also believe the continuation of the
Prague process is also very positive one. I hope the Prague process
will go on. Both countries, Armenian and Azerbaijan are involved in
this process. As I repeatedly noted, the Prague process implies a
step-by-step solution. However, solution to the problem has not been
found. What should Azerbaijan resort to in this case? Azerbaijan has
been pursuing its peacekeeping policy for years, but the problem is
not settled. That is why the question of reinforcing of our military
potential is quite natural. First Azerbaijan is a country in a state
of war. Our lands are under occupation. This is our #1 problem, and our
#1 task is to strengthen our country’s military potential. On the other
hand, our economic potential is strengthened due to successful economic
reforms being implemented in Azerbaijan. Our budget is rapidly growing
and expected to exceed $3 bln 500 mln next year. This entails increase
in military spending: $175 mln in 2004, $300 mln in 2005 and $600 mln
in 2006, and this is not the limit. As you know, I have set the task:
our military budget should reach the whole budget of Armenia, or even
exceed it. We will do achieve it. It concerns Armenia and several
international organizations. There are many things that troubling us
also, including Russia’s moving its bases from Georgia to Armenia, and
military exercises in Armenia. That is why we will take adequate steps.
I would like to touch on one more issue. The world Armenian lobby,
its patrons and politicians from several countries are acting to prove
that democratic development and protection of human rights allegedly
takes place in Nagorno-Karabakh, not in Azerbaijan.
Firstly, Azerbaijan is a country with intensively developing
democracy. Everybody recognizes that, secondly, the Nagorno-Karabakh
regime is an illegal structure. It is not recognized by anyone. The
hypocrite politicians ignore that it is the area of cultivation and
illegal trafficking of drugs, deployment of terrorist organizations
and violation of human rights. We cannot put up with this erroneous,
dangerous and unjust thesis.
Recently Armenian officials made statements against the realization of
a new project in the region, the construction of a railway to connect
Azerbaijan and Turkey through Georgia. They stated Azerbaijan did
not have a moral right to fund the Kars-Tbilisi0-Baku railway.
Very funny statement. Firstly, it is our own business, secondly,
it is a n international regional project now involving Georgia and
Turkey, and later the Central Asian countries. We will do that,
and no Armenian lobby will be able to prevent us from that.
We do have a moral right to liberate our lands from the occupation
forces, and we will do so. We are pursuing an independent policy. We
rest on the good will of the Azerbaijani people. We will do strengthen
our both economic and military potential, our army and patriotic
spirit within society, and we finally achieve our goal.