JAVAKHETI CITIZEN’S FORUM FOUNDED WITH ECMI
The Messenger, Georgia
Aug 30 2005
Under the auspices of the European Center for Minority Issues (ECMI),
local leaders of the largely ethic-Armenian region of Javakheti created
a Javakheti Citizen’s Forum on August 23. “The establishment of the
Javakheti Citizen’s Forum is a major step forward for advancing civil
society in Javakheti,” ECMI’s Regional Representative for the Caucasus
based in Tbilisi Tom Trier said in a press release. “The Forum
will play a major role in enhancing the links between the region’s
population and the authorities.” ECMI is one of Europe’s leading expert
institutions in the field of interethnic relations. With a conflict
prevention focus, ECMI aims to defuse inter-ethnic tension and promote
regional integration of the isolated Javakheti region (Akhalkalaki and
Ninotsminda rayons) On August 23, the Javakheti Citizen’s Forum held
its inaugural meeting with the participation of over 150 people from
the region and elected an organizational committee. The next day, the
committee elected 17 board members and established six working groups
on gender, youth issues, human and minority rights, economic issues,
language, education and culture, and territorial reform. According to
ECMI all of Javakheti’s ethnic groups-Armenians, Georgian, Greeks,
Russian Dukhobors-and different religious confessions-Apostolic
and Catholic Armenians-were present at the inaugural meeting.
“Javakheti remains an isolated region of Georgia,” Tom Trier said,
“but the Forum will provide new opportunities for enhancing a process
of consultation between government and civil society in the region.
It is important that concerns of Javakheti’s population are heard and
taken into account when the government devises new policies affecting
the region.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

GEORGIAN CITIZEN DETAINED AT AZERBAIJANI BORDER
Baku Today, Azerbaijan
Aug 30 2005
The Shamkir group of the State Border Service (SBS) of Azerbaijan
detained a Georgian citizen Kurami Georgievitsch Ahvediani.
Amount of 9,000 Armenian drams and a piece of paper with the telephone
numbers of Ruslan Bashirli, Osman Alimuradov and Seid Nuriyev, as
well as the Internet site and e-mail addresses of the “Yeni Fikir”
youth organization were found on Ahvediani.
According to news reports, after meeting with Bashirli and Alimuradov
on July 28-29, 2005 in Tbilisi he headed to Armenia on commercial
purposes. Upon returning to Tbilisi he found out that, he is wanted
by the Georgian prosecutor’s office and the special services. For
making the things clear he decided to go to Azerbaijan for meeting
with Bashirli. To this end he crossed the state border of Azerbaijan
illegally.
On the fact of the illegal border crossing on August 27, 2005 the
criminal case according to the Article 318.1 was brought against Merabi
Vahtangovitch Djibutia. By the decision of the Sabayil district court
he was taken into custody. The investigation is going on.

RUSSIAN-ARMENIAN MANEUVERS TO BE HELD IN ARMENIA IN SEPTEMBER
RIA Novosti, Russia
Aug 30 2005
EREVAN, August 30 (RIA Novosti, Gamlet Matevosyan) – Armenia will
host the final stage of the 10th annual Russian-Armenian tactical
exercises on September 13, a spokesman said Tuesday.
Colonel Seiran Shakhsuvaryan, the press secretary to the Armenian
defense minister, said a reinforced mechanized infantry regiment
would represent Armenia, and Russia would field servicemen from the
102nd military base, which is deployed in Armenia.
“The aim of the exercises is to practice defense interaction,” the
spokesman said.
Russian-Armenian military exercises were last held at an Armenian
testing range on August 26-27, 2004.
The 102nd Russian military base operates within the framework of the
Commonwealth of Independent States’ joint air defense system. It was
set up on the basis of the South Caucasus Military District forces
near the city of Gyumri in the northwest of the country in 1995. The
base is subordinate to the Group of Russian Forces in the South
Caucasus. Equipped with S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems and MiG-29
Fulcrum jet fighters, about 5,000 servicemen are stationed at the base.

REPORTS ON ALLEGED ARMENIAN CAPITAL IN KAZAKH BANK DISMISSED
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Aug 30 2005
Baku, August 29, AssA-Irada
The National Bank of Azerbaijan (NBA) has dismissed recent media
reports suggesting that Armenian capital is involved in the shares
of Kazakhstan’s major bank TuranAlem, which is planning to open a
representation in Azerbaijan. The NBA said that it has not registered
the Kazakh bank and TuranAlem simply applied over opening an office
in Baku. Unlike affiliates and subsidiary banks, representations
do not carry out banking transactions and simply represent banks.
TuranAlem has submitted all the information on its structure and
shareholders. Its capital is not owned by Mobilex Energy Ltd or any
other shareholder of Armenian affiliation, the same source said. Among
the bank’s shareholders are such influential financial institutions
as EBRD and International Finance Corporation (IFC), it said. The NBA
also indicated that just like all financial institutions, a part of
TuranAlem shares are sold and purchased in local and foreign stock
markets and 12% of its shares are invested in US. According to the
reports currently available, there is no Armenian capital among
the shares sold in the markets. TuranAlem has purchased a share in
the charter capital of Mezhinvestbank, a commercial bank operating
in Armenia. Another shareholder of the bank is Mobilex Energy Ltd
headed by an ethnically-Armenian person. The company has no bearing
on TuranAlem bank’s shares and its management, the NBA source said.*

Christian schools sue UC system
Coalition claims admissions officials discriminate against religious courses
By Michelle Maitre, STAFF WRITER
Tri-Valley Herald, CA
Daily Review Online, CA
The Argus, CA
Aug 30 2005
A coalition of Christian schools has filed a federal lawsuit accusing
University of California admissions officials of discrimination for
refusing to accept certain high school courses taught from a religious
viewpoint. The suit, filed Aug. 25 in Los Angeles district court by
the Association of Christian Schools International and Calvary Chapel
Christian School in Murrieta, also says UC’s policies violate rights
of free speech and religion.
The suit says some courses containing Christian views aren’t accepted
as part of UC’s “a through g” requirements, which outlinethe courses
students must take to qualify for admission.
The suit says UC doesnt recognize certain classes, including those that
challenge evolutionary theory or others with titles such as Special
Providence: Christianity & the American Republic and Christianity and
Morality in American Literature, yet allows courses in subjects such
as Armenian Studies, Latin American Literature and more.
Of all the various viewpoints that are permitted, as they should
be, thats (Christian) the one theyve chosen to single out and treat
differently and very unfavorably, said Wendell Bird, an Atlanta-based
attorney for the schools association, which represents more than 800
religious schools in California.
Plaintiffs in the suit include six students in grades 10 through 12
at the Murrieta school who say they will be ineligible for UC because
their course work wont be accepted. The suit seeks an injunction
against UCs practices.
UC spokeswoman Ravi Poorsina said officials hadnt seen the suit and
couldnt address its specifics. Still, she said, the university has a
responsibility to set course requirements that will prepare students
for UC course work. UC serves 208,000 students at 10 campuses,
including Berkeley.
Its not intended to single out any one group or type of school or
religious belief, Poorsina said.
UC reviews numerous proposals each year from public and private
high schools seeking to add new courses, she said, and ultimately
approves about 85 percent, adding that others may be approved after
additional work.
There are many courses that have religious undertones or represent the
religious side of things that are approved, Poorsina said. I dont know
about these specific courses (in the lawsuit), but its not cut and dry.
Robert John Russell, professor of theology and science at the Graduate
Theological Union in Berkeley, said universities are within their
rights to set standards for the course work theyll accept.
Religious belief can cloud the debate, but the ultimate decision
comes down to whether a student has received quality instruction,
Russell said. A student who received poor instruction in biology –
say with old textbooks – would not meet the same standards as a
student who received rigorous instruction.
Russell argues that creationism is a theological debate, rather than
scientific instruction.
Its almost ludicrous anyone would even take this seriously, Russell
said. It seems absurd that a student who had poor
biology would meet the same standards as a student with good biology.
..This has nothing to do with First Amendment rights. .
Bird said UCs policies are interfering with schools and parents rights
to teach according to their beliefs. The policy has implications for
curricula at other private schools, he said.
Something that discriminates against or penalizes one religious faith
is so easily extended to penalize others, said Bird, who said students
from Christian schools typically outperform their peers from public
schools. In our view, were fighting for their right as much as the
right of our Christian schools.

CICEK UNMOVED ON ARMENIAN CONFERENCE – PART II
Kemal Balcý
The New Anatolian / Ankara
New Anatolian, Turkey
Aug 30 2005
Cicek: My opinion hasn’t changed about the Armenian conference.
Justice Ministry’s Cicek calls on nationalists to protest against
the conference.
Claiming that irresponsible broadcasts and reports by the media have
provoked social tension based on ethnic discrimination, Cicek said
that the govt has remained silent to prevent such incidents and to
keep them out of the public eye
Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said that he hasn’t changed his mind
about the Armenian Conference, postponed in April and now scheduled
for next month bringing the issue to for once more. Cicek remarked
that such a tendentious and a narrow-scoped conference couldn’t be of
a scientific approach. The minister is imploring those who deny the
“genocide” to protest against the conference, as well as political
parties and associations with “nationalism” in their names. He also
wants scientists and intellectuals to follow suit. Defending the idea
that irresponsible broadcasts and reports by the media have provoked
social tension over Turkish-Kurdish discrimination, Cicek clarified
why the government has remained silent on these events saying that it’s
an attempt to prevent such incidents and to keep them off the agenda.
The justice minister spoke to TNA:
TNA: You protested against the Armenian conference by saying that
it’s tendentious and succeeded in postponing it. However now the
conference will be held at the personal request of the premier. What
do you think about what’s happened?
CICEK: No, no. I don’t ever get involved in disputes with the prime
minister. I’m a man of my word. That conference wasn’t aiming
to search for the truth. Now we’ll have another opportunity to
see whether it’s tendentious or whether it encompasses different
opinions. When the conference was again brought to public attention,
I phoned many people. For instance, I called Yusuf Halacoglu (head of
the Turkish Historical Society, TTK) and he said that he hadn’t been
invited. What’s this conference supposed to be then? Is a gathering
of those who share the same idea or a search for truth? This is what
I think.
TNA: The government seems to be indulging in a bit of opportunism.
It’s trying to use the conference as a platform that could reshape
Turkey’s image before Oct. 3.
CICEK: No, no. I’m just giving my opinion and I’ll go on talking. The
“genocide” claims will be irresponsibly imposed on this country and
in return no one will have a say. I wonder for how long the public
will go on like this without saying anything. If there are people
who are offended by the so-called Armenian genocide, then they should
say so. I don’t think that people have voiced their opinions enough.
TNA: You’re calling on the public to protest against the conference.
However, isn’t there a chance that you’ll provoke them?
CICEK: All of my statements are made within the legal framework.
Everyone should get up and say out loud what they think in a civilized
manner. It’s not enough for just one person to voice an opinion on
everyone’s behalf. People should voice their opinions within legal
boundaries. I mean, the public shouldn’t wait for the justice minister
to lash out.
TNA: Have you ever discussed this issue with Foreign Minister and
Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul?
CICEK: No, he issued his own statement. He said that he would attend
the conference if its participation were widened. What he means by
‘widened participation’ doesn’t concern the number of those there but
rather the variety of participants’ opinions. Let’s see whether or
not different opinions will be represented at the conference. Until
now though there’s been no indication of this. Why would this be Cemil
Cicek’s issue? There are hundreds of historians and academics in this
country. Everyone should voice their opinions, without affronting
others or proposing illegal activities, to show their sensitivity to
the issue. There are parties and associations which have “nationalist”
phrases in their names and people who have adopted nationalistic
views. They shouldn’t take this lying down.
TNA: What do you expect from Oct. 3?
CICEK: We’re waiting for the talks to be set out. It’s expected to be
a very tough period. If those against Turkey’s full European Union
membership come to power then things will be harder than before.
However we’ve been given a promise by the EU. They go back on their
word. We believe that the accession talks will start.
TNA: If the negotiations don’t start, does Turkey have any other
options than the EU?
CICEK: We haven’t come to that point yet so it’s inappropriate to
comment on it. Otherwise we would be opening the way for those who
are anti-Turkey. We’ve kept our promises. If they don’t keep theirs
then how can they talk about modern values?
TNA: As discussed at the last National Security Council (MGK) meeting,
are you worried about potential threats to our neighbors Iran and
Iraq in the short term?
CICEK: Every development in Iraq already concerns Turkey. Developments
in Iran not only concern Turkey but the whole world, such as the use
of atomic energy. Our desire is to establish peace through meetings
without causing tension. I think this is what globalization means. Even
when you don’t have any effect on or have contribution to make to
an issue, the consequences could also affect you. For instance, if
you’ve predicted that a barrel of petrol will cost a maximum of $40
while drawing up the budget, but it shoots up to $70 a barrel, you
could be negatively affected by the increase in price, especially as
Turkey is a petrol importer. They’re our neighbors and developments,
whether good or bad, affect us too. We always hope for the best.
TNA: There’s been serious public tension recently. Does it concern you?
CICEK: Even if there is a problem, if you exaggerate it, the problem
will become grow out of proportion. The media has real responsibility
on this issue. If you repeat reports of an event 50 times, exaggerating
them, then people may be provoked. I’m not accusing the media but
they have a big role in raising or lowering tension. If events are
reported on without being exaggerated, then they’ll remain local and
the problem can be solved by the security forces. The same scenes of
incidents are broadcast at least 50 times a day on TV programs. There
are some programs that behave irresponsibly. Of course, we [political
figures] have also made some irresponsible statements.
TNA: Don’t you think that the government is partly responsible for
some of this? The government gives the impression that it’s out of
touch with the public and appears to underestimate incidents based
on ethnic discrimination which are spreading regionally.
CICEK: No, this isn’t true. How can you conclude that we haven’t
noticed? Asking questions is easy but the answers aren’t always
that easy. You can’t drive me into a corner with your questions! A
statement such as that, claiming we didn’t take heed of incidents,
is all wrong. If you place too much focus on an issue, then you’re
leaving the door wide open for an issue to be overexposed. Medical
experts once warned me, while I was preparing an anti-drug campaign,
that if the publicity was overdone then it could backfire and have a
reverse effect. If we discuss this issue too much then we could well
increase the number of such incidents.
–Boundary_(ID_30CYIPqygssSFVJoPCxAew)–

Meetings in Washington and New York
National Assembly of RA (press release), Armenia
Aug 30 2005
RA NA President Artur Baghdasaryan will be in USA on an official
visit from August 31 till September 9 to participate at the World
Summit of the parliaments’ presidents and meet representatives of
USA legislative and executive authorities.
The sponsor of the Washington visit is USA State Secretariat. During
the visit numerous meetings on USA Congress, State Secretariat and
White House are envisaged. At the Center for Strategic International
Studies Artur Baghdasaryan will meet with American experts.
In Washington meetings with US Congress President, Dobriansky, D.Fried
US Deputy Assistants Secretary of State, Director of Europe and Asia
Office, Director of Democratic Programs, G. Fox, Director, Office
of Caucasus and Central Asian Affairs, heads and representatives of
US Republican and Democratic parties , congressmen and senators will
be held.
In New York NA President Artur Baghdasaryan will take part at the
World Summit of Parliament Presidents, official meetings with the
Parliament Presidents and representatives of international structures
are also envisaged.
During the visit other meetings will also take place, including the
Armenian community, talks with American media are envisaged.

DEPUTIES TO DISCUSS WITHDRAWAL OF RUSSIAN BASES FROM GEORGIA
RIA Novosti, Russia
Aug 30 2005
MOSCOW, August 30 (RIA Novosti, Andrei Malyshkin) – Several committees
of the lower chamber of the Russian parliament, the State Duma, are
planning to hold a meeting in September to discuss the withdrawal
of Russian military bases from Georgia, a Russian parliamentarian
said Tuesday.
Gennady Gudkov, member of the State Duma committee on security, said,
“The deputies want to know why Russia started the withdrawal in such
a hurry before any official agreements had been ratified.”
“Our leaders…first agreed on the withdrawal of bases from Batumi
and Akhalkalaki and only later started figuring out how to do it,”
he said. “As a result, people are suffering.”
According to Gudkov, “the withdrawal has started, but nothing has been
done to accommodate the troops returning to Russia.” At present, about
500 personnel discharged from the military before the withdrawal need
housing. After the withdrawal, that number will increase to at least
2,000. It is still not clear who is going to provide this housing
and how, he added.
Gudkov also said Georgia was more interested in “making noise” around
the issue rather than in the withdrawal itself.
“Georgia will delay the withdrawal process for as long as possible
because that meets its interests,” the deputy said. “First, Georgia
has proved its ability to dictate its terms to Russia. Secondly,
Georgia can always use the withdrawal as leverage… Thirdly, it is
simply another way to link the bases issue with internal problems
in Georgia, when Georgian authorities blame the poor socio-economic
situation in the country on the presence of Russian bases.”
He said Georgian authorities had promised to provide local residents
with new jobs after the withdrawal of the Russian base from Alkhalaki,
although the promises were still “hanging in the air.”
The parliamentarian also mentioned difficulties with the transportation
of heavy military equipment during the withdrawal from Alkhalaki. “Only
five out of 16 bridges on the way from Alkhalaki to Batumi can support
tanks, the rest have to be fortified,” he said. “Nevertheless,
Georgia has not even started the repairs.”
According to Gudkov, officials from the foreign ministry, defense
ministry, and finance ministry will be invited to attend the
joint meeting of the State Duma security, defense, and CIS affairs
committees. During the meeting, the deputies “will attempt to find
out how officials are planning to finance the withdrawal and decide
the fate of the returning troops.”
According to a joint statement released by the Russian and Georgian
foreign ministries on May 30, the withdrawal of Russian military bases
from Georgia must be completed in 2008. The majority of the weaponry
from the bases will be returned to Russia, and the remaining armaments
will be transferred to a Russian military base in Gyumri in Armenia.

AZERBAIJAN STUDYING KAZAN MEETING RESULTS – FOREIGN MINISTER
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Aug 30 2005
Baku, August 29, AssA-Irada
Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov says Azerbaijan is analyzing the
results of the meeting of Azeri and Armenian presidents in Kazan,
Russia held on Saturday. He positively assessed the outcome of the
meeting but did not indicate when the talks will yield results.
“I can’t say that there is a precise agreement. I cannot answer this
question as long as the negotiations continue.”
The Minister said that clarifying the details of the talks is also
difficult at this point. “Since the negotiations are held in a complex
manner, speaking of this is meaningless.”
Mammadyarov noted that Azerbaijan is interested in continuing the
talks. “But laying out a concrete position is premature. We should
analyze the results of the Kazan meeting first. We should think and
adjust Armenia’s proposals to Azerbaijan’s stance.”
Touching on the timeframe for the next meeting, the Minister said
the sides agreed to consider it after analyzing the results of the
Kazan meeting. The sides will hold consultations with the mediating
OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs on the matter, he added.*
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ALIYEV-KOCHARIAN MEETING WAS DOOMED TO FAILURE – ARMENIAN ANALYST
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Aug 30 2005
Baku, August 29, AssA-Irada
The meeting of the Azeri and Armenian presidents Ilham Aliyev
and Robert Kocharian held last Saturday was ‘doomed to failure’, a
well-known Armenian political analyst said. “The meeting, held within
the CIS summit in Kazan, Russia certainly means some progress. But
both Aliyev and Kocharian understood well that it would be extremely
difficult to agree upon anything on the eve of the parliament
election in Azerbaijan”, Andranik Migranian told Russian media.
“The pre-election situation has heated up in Azerbaijan so much that
any talk of compromises is harshly disapproved there. The meeting
was therefore doomed to fail beforehand.” Asked what Azerbaijan and
Armenia should do to achieve success in the conflict settlement,
Migranian said that ‘the conflicting sides themselves cannot do
anything on their own’. “In this case, the decision may be imposed by
the international community or the status quo in the current situation
will remain. This may continue until one of the sides decides that
it is strong enough to solve the problem through military action.”
The analyst said that certain progress in the conflict resolution
could be achieved if superpowers ‘imposed a compromise solution on
the conflicting sides’. “Without this decision, it is difficult for
the authorities of Azerbaijan and Armenia to explain to their own
electorate why they would accept such unfavorable concessions.”
Asked if Russia may step up its mediating role in the conflict
settlement, Migranian said this country is involved in the process
anyway. “However, Russia’s current potential does not allow doing
more that it is doing now.” “Russia has limited financial, economic
and military-political potential, not to mention the fact that it has
almost lost its influence in Georgia and Azerbaijan…Many do not see
Russia as a country that has a key to the resolution of the Garabagh
problem any more. Azerbaijan binds greater hopes for Washington or
Brussels rather than Moscow in this respect.” The analyst said that
the increase of Azerbaijan’s military spending stated by President
Ilham Aliyev earlier is a ‘move aimed at pressuring Armenia’.
Migranian did not rule out that the Azeri government is ‘tempted to
make a decision to fight back’. “When they build up certain military
potential, they may resort to fighting back”, he said.*