RUSSIA IS GUARANTOR OF REGIONAL STABILITY – TRANSDNESTR LEADER
RIA Novosti, Russia
Sept 14 2005
MOSCOW, September 14 (RIA Novosti) – The president of the
self-proclaimed, and largely ethnically Russian, Transdnestr republic
in Moldova said Wednesday that he sees Russia as the guarantor of
security and stability in the region.
“The support of countries-guarantors, Russia and Ukraine, is very
important for Transdnestr,” he said, speaking at a conference on
similar republics in the CIS in Moscow.
He praised Ukraine’s active role in the settlement of the Transdnestr
conflict and close support of the self-proclaimed republics of Abkhazia
and South Ossetia in Georgia and the Azeri-Armenian disputed Nagorny
Karabakh region in Azerbaijan.
“Without the recognition of these states, the political and legal
settlement of the conflict situation brought up by the collapse of
the Soviet Union is impossible,” Smirnov said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THE OSCE MG CO – CHAIRS ARE OPTIMISTIC
DeFacto Agency, Armenia
Sept 14 2005
In the course of the session of the PACE temporary commission on
Karabakh issue the OSCE MG Co – Chairs Yuri Merzlyakov and Bernard
Fassier stated an option that would enable to combine the principle
of territorial integrity with the right of the nations to self
determination was outlined in the Karabakh talks.
Head of RA delegation at the PACE, RA NA vice speaker Tigran Torosyan,
a member of the delegation, RA NA deputy Shavarsh Kocharyan and Head
of the RA MFA OSCE Department Varuzhan Nersisyan presented Armenia
at the session. Azeri Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov represented
Azeri party.
In the interview with Haykakan Jamanak newspaper correspondent
(13.09.05) Tigran Torosyan said the Armenian party had managed to
withstand the Azeri party’s attack.
By the way, the PACE former rapporteur on Nagorno Karabakh David
Atkinson said if Azerbaijan tried to unleash military operations
on Karabakh front it would be immediately expelled from the Council
of Europe.
Aravot newspaper (13.09.05) cites the comments made by a member of
the Armenian delegation at the PACE Shavarsh Kocharyan. In his words,
it was noted in the course of the session, “Karabakh conflict does not
find its solution, as each of the conflict sides insists on the one of
the settlement principles”. However, according to the parliamentarian,
the OSCE MG Co – Chairs were optimistic, as they considered an option
combining both principles. “Judging by their utterances, one could
think that speaking about the principle of territorial integrity they
mean the territories, which were not within the NK, but controlled
by Armenian forces. Speaking about another principle of settlement
and conduct of a referendum in NK they mention it should take place
after refugees have returned”, noted Shavarsh Kocharyan. In his words,
representatives of international structures noted the number of the
refugees that should return home would be verified very strictly.
“Armenian party was well prepared for the session”, said Shavarsh
Kocharyan.

PROPOSALS MADE BY ICG AS REFLECTION OF STRUGGLE FOR S. CAUCASUS
Gayane Movsisyan
DeFacto Agency, Armenia
Sept 14 2005
Today representatives of the International Crisis Group made a number
of quite provocative statements on Nagorno Karabakh issue in Yerevan.
Thus, Allen Deletroz, Crisis Group’s Vice President for Europe suggests
that Armenia and Karabakh should “withdraw troops from the occupied
territories”. According to Allen Deletroz, the issue referring to
the status of Nagorno Karabakh is so difficult that is can hardly be
settled today.
Naturally, such statements have been repeatedly made by anonymous
high – ranking officials, however, no one has ever stated it openly.
Answering Armenian journalists’ questions Mr. Deletroz and Sabine
Freizer, Director of Crisis Group’s Caucasus Project, said while
preparing two reports on Nagorno Karabakh they had intentionally
avoided the historic aspects of the problems and conflict, which, in
their words, just hampered the search of the solution. Judging by their
utterances they do not consider the outcomes of the war unleashed by
Azerbaijan against Nagorno Karabakh in 1991 the realities of today. “It
will be difficult for the country that has occupied another state’s
territory to integrate with the international community”, said Allen
Deletroz. Answering De Facto question why the international community
could not recognize the outcomes of the national referendum conducted
in December1991 he said: “The issue should be solved by democratic
way. All the sides should agree with the process and its outcomes. The
sides’ stands on the issue referring to status are so far from one
another that it cannot be settled now.”
However, the scenario suggested by the International Crisis group and
voiced by anonymous sources can result not in peace and stability,
but new escalation of confrontation. Who can guarantee that after
Azeri refugees return Baku will agree to deal with the problem of
the status of Nagorno Karabakh? Who can guarantee that international
community or its representatives will not need to unleash military
confrontation to alter the present situation?
As a matter of fact, the International Crisis group suggests that
we should return to the situation of 1988. By the way, it is not
clear whether the matter concerns Azeris’ return to the territories
surrounding NKR only or including NKR. Karabakh people believe
withdrawal of troops from the security zone surrounding NKR is a
suicide. I wonder whether Mr. Deletroz would commit suicide if he
lived in Karabakh.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN DRAFTS IN US CONGRESS, EYES ON HASTERT
Zaman Online, Turkey
By Foreign News Desk
Published: Wednesday, September 14, 2005
zaman.com
Two drafts aiming at recognition of the so-called Armenian genocide
will be on the agenda of the US House of Representatives on Thursday.
Turks in America launched a message campaign over the draft expected
to be presented to the voting of the members after discussion in the
International Relations Committee.
Former National Security Adviser Ret. Gen. Brent Scowcroft called
the House Chair, Dennis Hastert, to “bring the drafts to the agenda.”
Scowcroft, also the chairman of the American Turkish Council, wrote a
letter to Hastert regarding that the drafts were against the interest
of the US as well, he warned that approval of the drafts would create
serious consequences.
Armenian President Robert Kocharian should response to the olive branch
offered by Turkish Prime Minster Recep Tayip Erdogan, said Scowcroft,
as he added that historians should find answers to such issues. Such
drafts encourage those who try to keep Turkey away from the West,
he added.
The House Chair, Hastert, has full authorization to bring the drafts
expected to be passed by International Relations Committee to the
general assembly.
Hastert previously prevented a similar draft from coming to
the agenda. However, the attitude that will be taken by the Bush
administration is also important at this point. The draft in question
is almost the same as the one presented five years ago.
With the intervention of the US President in term back then, Bill
Clinton, Hastert did not bring the draft to the general assembly at
the last moment.

International Crisis Group, Belgium
Sept 14 2005
NAGORNO-KARABAKH FROM THE GROUND
Tbilisi/Brussels, 14 September 2005: All sides in the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict need to prepare their people for peace much better if the
seeds of their high-level negotiations are to bear fruit.
Nagorno-Karabakh: Viewing the Conflict from the Ground,* the latest
report from the International Crisis Group, explores how the Armenians
and Azeris from Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts live
and how they view the resolution of the conflict.
Despite signs of progress at internationally mediated negotiations
(to be discussed in a subsequent report), rising military expenditures
and increasing ceasefire violations are ominous signs that time for
a peaceful settlement may be running out.
The brutal war over Nagorno-Karabakh killed some 18,500 people and
displaced over a million before settling into a shaky cease-fire in
1994. Eleven years on, life in Nagorno-Karabakh has regained some sense
of normality with a developing economy and elected institutions. Yet
nothing has been done to restore rights of war victims. The creation
of mono-ethnic institutions in Nagorno-Karabakh, the destruction of
Azeri property, and the privatisation of land and businesses pose
significant obstacles to Azeri return and reintegration.
Many displaced persons have become highly dependent on the Azerbaijani
state, with few opportunities to participate fully in political
life and determine their own future. Refusing to allow dialogue and
demonising Armenians through the state-sponsored media and schools,
Baku has hardened anti-Armenian feeling among average citizens. The
Azerbaijanis and Armenians are as separated as they have ever been.
“There is need to counter the hate propaganda and unlock the potential
for confidence building and dialogue between average Azeris and
Armenians”, says Sabine Freizer, Director of Crisis Group’s Caucasus
Project. “This has to happen before the memories of cohabitation fade
and the divide becomes unbridgeable”.
Neither community appears prepared to agree to the kind of settlement
being considered by the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers
in the negotiations sponsored by the Organisation for Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
“The vast majority of those affected by the conflict have been kept in
the dark about the details of the negotiations”, says Alain Deletroz,
Crisis Group’s Vice President for Europe. “But there is no way for
any peace process to succeed unless leaders from all sides start
actively selling the idea to their people”.
Contacts: Andrew Stroehlein (Brussels) +32 (0) 2 541 1635 Kimberly
Abbott (Washington) +1 202 785 1601 To contact Crisis Group media
please click here *Read the full Crisis Group report on our website:
;id=3652&m=1

MIDDLE EASTERN FLAVORS FROM THE HEART OF A CHEF
Carolyn Jung
San Jose Mercury News, CA
Sept 14 2005
Born in Israel to Armenian parents, Zov Karamardian’s greatest pleasure
when first settling in California in 1959 was watching Julia Child’s
cooking shows on TV.
She couldn’t get enough of them. And each day after school, she
would head to the kitchen to try out ingredients or techniques that
she’d seen.
It’s no wonder cooking became an integral part of her life. Since 1987,
she has been chef-owner of Zov’s Bistro in Orange County.
Drawing from the cuisine she has created there, Karamardian now has
published her own cookbook, “Zov: Recipes and Memories From the Heart”
(Zov’s Publishing, $35). The book includes more than 100 recipes,
reflecting her heritage and the 14 years she lived in Syria, Lebanon
and Iraq.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THE GREEK SUPPORT THE ARMENIANS
A1+
| 14:02:11 | 14-09-2005 | Politics |
The American Hellenic Institute (AHI), today, urged House International
Relations Committee Chairman Henry Hyde (R-IL) to work for committee
approval of Armenian Genocide legislation, set to be considered by
the panel on Thursday, September 15, reported the Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA).
In a September 13th letter to Chairman Hyde, AHI Executive Director
Nick Larigakis, explained that, “Americans of Hellenic origin, and I
believe most Americans, have long held that the U.S. Congress should
be on record as recognizing the Armenian Genocide, commemorating
this crime against all humanity, and applying its lessons to help
prevent future atrocities and genocides.” He went on to note that
“Sadly, due to the powerful pressure brought to bear by the Turkish
lobby’s threats and intimidation, legislation along these lines has
been blocked from passage.”
“We want to thank Nick Larigakis and all our friends at the American
Hellenic Institute for their steadfast support for U.S. recognition
of the Armenian Genocide,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram
Hamparian. “The assistance of our Greek American allies for this
legislation means a great deal to us – here in Washington, DC, and
in communities around the country.”

PETERSBURG TRADE CENTER IN YEREVAN
A1+
| 14:01:57 | 14-09-2005 | Official |
Today Robert Kocharyan has received the delegation of the Saint
Petersburg governor Valentina Matvienko which has arrived in Armenia
to participate in the events “Days of Saint Petersburg” organized
within the framework of the year of Russia in Armenia.
Mentioning that progress is obvious in Armenia, Valentina Matvienko
said that their aim is not to restore the previous links with Armenia
but also to outline new directions of cooperation which will be
reflected in the program of cooperation between Yerevan and Saint
Petersburg for the coming three years. According to Matvienko, the
parties can cooperate in the fields of education and science.
Mr. Kocharyan and Mrs. Matvienko found the exchange of information
between the sides extremely important. Valentina Matvienko informed
that they intend to open a Petersburg Trade Center in Yerevan.

“I FEEL LIKE IN MY HOME COUNTRY HERE”
A1+
| 13:50:26 | 14-09-2005 | Culture |
“When I was born, I had an Armenian foster-mother, so I feel in
Armenia like in my home country”, said Arnold Shvetzov, an American
actor and director during the press conference held in the US Embassy.
On the invitation of the Embassy the actor will take part in the
Shakespeare International Theatrical Festival of mono performances
which takes place in Yerevan on September 12-17. On September 14 Arnold
Shvetzov will represent the play “Clown for Fortinbras’s Retinue”.

GAS IN MOUSH
A1+
| 13:40:15 | 14-09-2005 | Regions |
“Hayrusgasard” has intended to finish the gasification of the Gyumri
Moush district till the end of the year. At preset the outdoor works
are being carried out.
According to the “Aqara” LTD which is realizing the works, during
gas consumption there will be problems in the district because of
the absence of the gas chimneys in the buildings.