IN OCTOBER CITY COUNCIL OF EDINBURGH TO VIEW ISSUE OF RECOGNITION OF
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN OTTOMAN TURKEY
YEREVAN, AUGUST 18. ARMINFO. Mayor of Scotland’s capital Donald
Anderson plans to include the issue on the recognition of Armenian
Genocide in the agenda of the sittings of the city Council in Oct,
2005. “I got acquainted with the problem of the recognition of the
Genocide three years ago, when the Memory Day of victims of genocides
was commemorated, and Armenian Genocide of the beginning of the 20th
century was a part of that”, Anderson informed to radio Liberty. Then
a seminar was organized at the request oft he Armenian community
in Edinburgh, which covered the events of the beginning of the 20th
century in Ottoman Turkey. During the seminar the participants passe
a resolution to call on the authorities of Scotland to recognize
Armenian Genocide.
The Turkish embassy in Great Britain, as well as representatives of
the Turkish community in Edinburgh expressed their concern on the
occasion of the statements of the mayor of Edinburgh. In response
Donald Anderson said that he had examined the historical document,
which don’t leave a doubt that a Genocide was perpetrated against
the Armenian community in Ottoman Turkey. Besides, the mayor called
on Turkey to revise its position regarding this problem. The Turkish
side required to give it an opportunity to hold its seminar. “We gave
a consent for holding such a seminar, but in the nearest future the
city Council of Edinburgh will discuss this issue”.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PARTIES TO KARABAKH CONFLICT HAS GOOD OPPORTUNITIES FOR STABLE SETTLEMENT
YEREVAN, AUGUST 18. ARMINFO. During the 18 months following the start
of the Prague Process the Karabakh peace talks have substantially
deepened and there have been significant meetings between the Armenian
and Azeri FMs and presidents, OSCE Minsk Group US co-chair Stephen
Mann says in an interview to Hayastani Hanrapetoutyun newspaper.
The US approves of the process and during the period MG framework
discussions have grown into talks. No official agreement has however
been reached. There is mutual understanding, on some issues the parties
are near agreement. Of course nobody wants to break the confidentiality
of the process. But agreement is possible if the parties show political
will. This will allow them to split their differences, says Mann.
Asking the question if the MG is taking steps to involve Nagorny
Karabakh in the peace process Mann says that the talks are continued
in the Armenia-Azerbaijan format. The Karabakh conflict is a special
unique conflict. The international organizations can help, promote
the process but it is for the conflicting parties to find a solution.
On behalf of the US Mann says that they would very much like to see
the conflict resolved. In this situation the US is a good friend to
both countries.
Asked if the US support of Nagorny Karabakh is a display of special
attitude Mann says that one should not see much in this. The US is
providing Nagorny Karabakh with small humanitarian assistance with
no political implications.
Asked what can be more decisive in the process – oil or democracy –
Mann says that to resolve the conflict the parties will have to show
political will and commitment towards mutual concessions.
Asked how much the parties are ready for peace in terms of both
their publics and governments Mann says that the commitments of the
presidents is obvious.
Mann is convinced that Robert Kocharyan and Ilham Aliev sincerely
want peace. As to the peoples they obviously want all but war. The
history of the Caucasus is changing. And the last we will have to
see will hopefully be solutions presented to the public for approval.
Commenting on the question about the limits of possible concessions
by Armenia, Azerbaijan and Nagorny Karabakh Mann reminds that lots
of discussions are being held on this issue. There is a good chance
for each party to achieve most of its goals. Such talks are very hard
to hold but there are excellent prospects for further development. No
party to a negotiating process can get 100% of what it wants. But the
parties to the Karabakh peace process have good real opportunities
for paving a stable way to settlement provided they show strong
political will.
This is a hard task but the parties have done much in this direction,
The US is closely following the work carried out since the beginning
of the Prague Process. This period has laid the basis for the
current stage leading to the Kazan meeting of the Armenian and Azeri
presidents. The US is expecting the parties to use this opportunity
for further dialogue and talks.

ARMENIA TV AMD RADIO STATION “AR INTERCONTINENTAL” WIN CONTEST OF NCTR
YEREVAN, AUGUST 18. ARMINFO. In conformity with a decision of the
National Commission for Television and Radio (NCTR), today Armenia
TV and radio station “Ar Intercontinental” have received licenses at
a contest of NCTR announced on July 1 2005.
In particular, Armenia TV will further broadcast its programs on
the following decimeter channels in Armenian towns: 34th channel in
the territory of Vedi, 48th – Jermuk, 28th – Sevan, 26th – Gyumri,
27th – Hrazdan, 28th – Aparan, 45th – Ararat, 33rd – Vardenis, 25th –
Vanadzor, 21st – Stepanavan, 55th – Abovyan, 53rd – Noyemberyan, 25th –
Ijevan, 21st – Dilijan, 24th – Sisian, 35th – Goris, 25th – Kapan.
It should be noted that Armenia TV intends to purchase more powerful
satellite systems within the nearest future and to construct new
modern pavilions for live broadcasting and TV programs. The TV channel
fulfills its obligations on provision of 75% evening broadcasting
with native TV products and 50% own programs.
Meanwhile, radio station “Ar Intercontinental” will broadcast its
programs on the frequencies 105.2 mHz in the territory of Areg village,
104.6 mHz on the town of Vedi, 107.3 mhz in Yeghegnadzor, 106.8 mHz –
in Zovashen, 104.4 mHz in Fantan and 103.2 mHz in the territory of
Sevan Pass.

The Australian
August 20, 2005 Saturday Travel Edition
Mining Week
SOURCE: MATP
Compiled by Robin Bromby
[parts omitted]
Iberian Resources
ARMENIA is the latest addition to the growing list of foreign
countries being explored by Australian juniors. Iberian Resources
(IBR) has entered a joint venture with US-based Global Gold Corp to
acquire, finance and develop the Lichkvaz gold project, located in the
former Soviet republic near its border with Azerbaijan. Iberian said it
believed the project could quickly be brought into production. Based on
Soviet-era estimates, the project has a resource of up to four million
tonnes containing more than 650,000 ounces of gold and could have as
much as 4.5 million ounces of silver and 15,000 tonnes of copper. Much
work on underground and opencut access has already been done, and
there is a processing plant at the site. Iberian will have an 80 per
cent stake after paying $US3.04 million ($3.95 million). The Australian
partner will bear all costs up to the start of production. Gold mining
in this part of Armenia dates back to the sixth century BC.

Karabakh’s self-determination to be key issue in Kazan talks – Armenian minister
Arminfo
20 Aug 05
Yerevan, 20 August: Nagornyy Karabakh’s self-determination is the key
issue in the settlement of the Karabakh conflict. All the remaining
problems – the return of refugees, the elimination of consequences of
the conflict and territorial problems – are secondary issues which
will be resolved only after defining Nagornyy Karabakh’s status,
Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan said commenting on the
forthcoming meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents,
Robert Kocharyan and Ilham Aliyev, in Kazan [on 26 August].
Oskanyan said the package settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict
could be implemented stage by stage, however, even in this case, the
issue of Nagornyy Karabakh’s status should be resolved first. At the
same time, the Armenian foreign minister said none of the sides are
interested in dragging out the conflict. Having failed to achieve the
desired result in the talks, Azerbaijan, as a rule, either criticizes
the activity of the OSCE Minsk Group or presents its desires as
reality ahead of every stage of meetings, he said.
Commenting on the Azerbaijani leadership’s plans to increase military
budget with oil dollars, Oskanyan said: “Increasing the military budget
with oil dollars cannot bring the Azerbaijani side real dividends in
the Karabakh issue. Azerbaijan with its oil dollars cannot deceive or
frighten the Armenian side,” the minister said, noting that Armenia
can always stand up to Azerbaijan.
“In fact, Armenia’s advantage over Azerbaijan is not in its
military might but in the fairness of its position in the Karabakh
issue. The Armenians know that their position on Karabakh is just
and if hostilities resume, the Armenian people will fight for their
lands, unlike Azerbaijanis,” Oskanyan said. Moreover, he said Armenia
challenged Azerbaijan not in the military sphere but in the political
and economic spheres. Azerbaijan can compete with neither Armenia
nor Nagornyy Karabakh in the issue of implementation of political
and economic reforms, the minister said.
[Passage omitted: Oskanyan speaks about the self -determination status
of people in the world]

Al-Jazeerah.Info, GA (USA)
Aug 20 2005
When are foreign troops overstaying their welcome?
By Ben Tanosborn
Al-Jazeerah, August 20, 2005
Almost always, to be sure! Anytime~E anywhere!
First of all, nations, or at least the people that populate those
nations, never extend welcomes to foreign troops. Their leaders do.
And those leaders, more often than not, represent their own personal
interests, or those of the groups they front.
That thought applies to the supposedly ~Sfriendly~T military guests~E
but what about the others, the uninvited foreign troops? Call them by
whatever preferred name you wish: invaders, liberators, mercenaries,
occupiers~E
Unbidden guests are often welcomest, said Shakespeare, when they are
gone. That~Rs something most of us can assent to personally~E and we
suspect such dictum also applies in affairs-of-state.
After 9/11, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan could not very well deny
support to the US when asked. Even Russia had to look the other way
as the US mustered more than a casual presence in those nations~R
military bases, instead of just temporary access for the initial
campaign in Afghanistan. Needless to say, after combat is out of the
way, there is always the ~Sstability~T issue. And so, American troops
are likely to remain there for a while~E for it is in the nature of
foreign troops, by their presence, to create or aggravate
instability. It~Rs a safe bet to predict that stability will never be
reached in Afghanistan or in Iraq~E not while American troops are
stationed there.
There is little question that the current joint military exercises by
Russia and China, ~SPeace Mission 2005,~T are but a marketing
opportunity for Russia to show China its military wares, particularly
the Tu-95 strategic and the Tu-22M long-range bombers, both capable
of carrying nuclear-tipped cruise missiles. Both the Pentagon and the
State Department would be blind not to see a commonality of interests
by these two nations to keep Central Asia free from America
influence~E certainly free from American dominance. Unlikely
bedfellows can emerge to counter dominance by the only existing
military superpower. And the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is
just that start.
Recently, I was the subject of an interview by an Azerbaijani news
agency, chosen perhaps because of my writings on a geographical area
seldom touched by the press in the West, not since the cease of
hostilities in the 90~Rs between Armenians and Azeris on the issue of
Nagorno-Karabakh.
Half of the questions were de rigueur with an economic flavor-
dealing specifically with the ~Soil factor~T and the economic
development of Azerbaijan from the revenues to be obtained from the
BTC pipeline. The other half had as its theme how America~Rs
influence, or dominance, in the region would affect them
(Azerbaijanis).
Representative questions of the latter were:
How did I judge President Bush~Rs call for support of democratic
processes in Southern Caucasus and Central Asia during his speech in
Tbilisi, Georgia? Will US~R desire to see current post Soviet regimes
replaced by more democratic ones cause tension with Russia ~Swhich
supports present regimes~T? Would I consider the current regime in
Azerbaijan to be democratic? How realistic would be for Russia to
have a ~Svelvet revolution~T? Is Iran~Rs fate going to be like Iraq~Rs?
And, if so, Is the US likely to use Azerbaijan for any military
intervention in Iran?
American history evidences US~R propensity to exercise gunboat
diplomacy at requested or unbidden invitations, often involving
friendly dictators. [Their undemocratic ways somehow seemed less
repugnant when some American interests were to be well served by
their help.] But, although we associate that behavior with US
incursions in Latin America, we must not lose sight of the fact that
in this new century, and given the magna carta of neocon aspirations,
a new-age diplomacy must be installed~E one that operates in the
context that the United States is the one and only superpower. We are
way past the Monroe Doctrine, or the cold war with the Soviet Union.
An American mom, Cindy Sheehan, together with other moms throughout
the US, may be expressing their sentiments, asserting that the Bush
administration erred by invading Iraq, and insisting the US pulls its
troops out of that country; this, while leaders in Washington,
Republicans and Democrats, rationalize that since we are already
there, we must act as if a welcome mat had been extended for us. But
in truth, Americans will never get a true pulse of the situation
until they begin to comprehend and accept that moms come in a variety
of shades and nationalities, and that includes Iraqi moms.
American troops have overstayed their welcome in many locales around
the globe, specifically at this moment, in Iraq; unfortunately for
peace and reconciliation, Iraq continues to have a place of great
geopolitical significance in the neocon lexicon. It boils down to a
simple question: is ours a search for peace, or one of world
dominance? Answering that question will confront us with the truth,
and do away with the continuing political hypocrisy espoused by the
White House and~E yes, Congress!
Ben Tanosborn,
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Agency WPS
What the Papers Say. Part B (Russia)
August 19, 2005, Friday
KOCHARIAN DOUBLECROSSES RUSSIA
SOURCE: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, August 19, 2005, pp. 1, 4
by Anatoly Gordienko, Nelli Orlova
President Mikhail Saakashvili of Georgia is about to make a
brief visit to Armenia. Armenia is awaiting the president of its
neighbor-state. Presidential Press Secretary Viktor Sogomonjan says
that a meeting between the two heads of state is being planned,
but it will be “unofficial, a meeting of friends.”
There is nothing extraordinary in meetings between presidents of
neighboring countries – but official Moscow is somewhat wary about
Saakashvili’s potential friendship with Armenian President Robert
Kocharian. Russian experts widely comment on the “informal” nature of
presidents of Georgia and Armenia that became noticeably more frequent
after the Revolution of Roses in Tbilisi in 2003. There were at least
two or three such meetings in Tbilisi and one in Yerevan.
Sergei Markedonov, cirector of the Ethnic Relations Department at
the Political and Military Analysis Institute, doesn’t rule out
the possibility that Yerevan is seeking new bearing points in its
foreign policy, the bearing points that do not have anything to do
with Russia. “The danger exists that Armenia may turn to the West,”
Markedonov said. The political scientist even believes that Saakashvili
may be playing the role of an intermediary between the West and leaders
of Armenia. “Saakashvili himself said more than once that he wanted
more than just being president of Georgia,” Markedonov said. “That’s
why everything is possible… What concerns me is that Armenia has
been viewed until now as Russia’s mot reliable and actually only
strategic ally in the southern part of the Caucasus. A great deal
of Russian military hardware from the military bases in Georgia is
shipped to this country, upping its own defense potential, by the
way. Russia chalked off Armenia’s debts not long ago and set out
to reanimate Armenian energy sphere and other sectors of national
economy. Essentially, Yarevan’s rapprochement with the patently
hostile Georgia is a blow at Russian interests in the region.”
Alexei Makarkin, deputy director of the Political Techniques Center,
also mentioned the danger of Armenia’s potential turn to Georgia.
“Kocharian’s steps in this direction will seriously jeopardize
positions of Russia in the region,” Makarkin said. “Still, this is
not something we should really expect and fear. Kocharian is clearly
pro-Russian, and so is his government. It is the opposition in Armenia
that is pro-Western because official Moscow backed the president in the
past presidential election in Armenia.” Makarkin doesn’t deny at the
same time that Saakashvili’s frequent visits to Armenia aim to instill
and encourage pro-Western moods in this country. “The United States is
actively forcing its own ideology on the post-Soviet territory Russia
has always dominated. Saakashvili and President of Ukraine Viktor
Yushchenko are essentially conduits of this ideology. I suspect that
Saakashvili’s frequent meetings with Kocharian are an indication of
their mushrooming aspirations in the CIS. That their next meeting is
scheduled for before the CIS summit in Kazan is but a demonstration of
independence. That’s a way of showing that they are going to meet with
whoever they want and whenever they want regardless of the ineffective
Commonwealth whose potential is clearly exhausted,” Makarkin explained.
Official Yerevan did not take to these conclusions at all. “There are
no reasons to assume that the rapprochement with Tbilisi indicates
any changes in the attitude toward Russia,” Sogomonjan said. Press
secretary recalled traditions of the Georgian-Armenian friendship
and existence of a substantial Armenian diaspora in Georgia. “In
short, we have more in common than geography and geopolitics alone,”
Sogomonjan said.
Tbilisi is also discussing Saakashvili’s forthcoming visit to
Armenia. Any anti-Russian conspiracy between Georgia and Armenia
is vehemently denounced. “Rapprochement between Kocharian and
Saakashvili should not worry Russia at least for several reasons,”
says Ramaz Sakvarelidze, a prominent Georgian political scientist.
“First, there is no proof that Saakashvili will actually try to convert
Kocharian in Sevan, to tempt the president of Armenia into shifting
his and his foreign policy’s bearing points. A polar process cannot
be ruled out, right? So, we cannot rule out the possibility that
Russia’s interests in this part of the Caucasus will only benefit
from this meeting. After all, if countries of the Caucasus stop
playing chaotically and begin pursuing a coordinated policy, it
will ensure stability and protection of Russian interests on their
territories. Moreover, agendas of Georgian-Armenian summits do not
usually include any global matters. The president always concentrate
on the problems that worry Georgia and Armenia. Besides, meeting
like that may do something about the tangled Azerbaijani-Armenian
relations… I’m talking about Saakashvili’s services of a go-between.”
In the meantime, Yerevan is already taking steps that do conflict
with Russian interests. Not long ago, the Armenian Commission for
Public Services demanded from management of Armenian Power Lines
explanations with regard to the deal in which its shares had ended up
in the hands of RAO Unified Energy Systems. Shares of the Armenian
company were turned over to Interenergo B.V., a subsidiary of RAO
Unified Energy Systems, where RAO Unified Energy Systems itself had 60%
and Rosenergoatom 40%. It occurred to Yerevan all of a sudden that the
national legislation doesn’t permit any deals with shares of Armenian
Power Lines without the government’s dispensation. Moreover, Russia’s
ratio in the Armenian foreign trade (all of it passing through the
territory of Georgia) went down.
Translated by A. Ignatkin

Five Canadian clerics will visit Armenia
The Record (Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario)
August 20, 2005 Saturday Final Edition
TORONTO — Archbishop Andrew Hutchison, primate of the Anglican Church
of Canada, along with four other leading Canadian clerics, will visit
Armenia later this month at the invitation of His Holiness Karekin II,
supreme patriarch of all Armenians.
The Aug. 24-Sept. 1 visit to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin,
the centre of authority in the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church,
is being organized by the church’s Canadian diocese, according to
the church’s website
The group will be led by Bishop Bagrat Galstanian, primate of the
Canadian diocese. Other members include Archbishop Sotirios of the
Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Canada, Archbishop Brendan O’Brien of
the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops and Richard Schneider,
president of the Canadian Council of Churches.

Russia hosts CIS air-defence exercise
ITAR-TASS news agency
20 Aug 05
Moscow, 20 August: Combat Commonwealth 2005, a live-firing exercise
of the CIS combined air-defence system, begins on Monday 22 August
at the Ashuluk range in Astrakhan Region.
Combined-arms and other units of the air forces and air-defence troops
of Russia, Armenia, Belarus and Tajikistan will jointly practise
interoperability in a broad range of areas. Four types of aviation
will be involved – fighter, ground-attack, bomber and reconnaissance.
The deputy commander-in-chief of the Russian armed forces for the
CIS air-defence system, Lt-Gen Aytech Bizhev, outlined the exercise
scenario in an interview in today’s edition of the Krasnaya Zvezda
newspaper. In the 10 years since the combined air-defence system was
set up, he said, its members’ military authorities have restored the
information sharing on airspace violations that existed between them
prior to the collapse of the USSR. This exchange is now automated and
flows between the central command posts of the Belarusian, Kazakh,
Ukrainian and Tajik air forces and air defences.
In the scenario for the exercise, “bandit gangs” and “terrorist groups”
have become more active in the North Caucasus, and Armenia asks the
CIS for assistance. Russia, Belarus and Tajikistan then urgently
deploy forces to the region.
According to Gen Bizhev, the main feature of this exercise is that for
the first time a regional air-defence group will be set up from the
participants’ air-defence forces and assets. Command of the group
will be automated, with the four countries’ missile forces being
coordinated from a single command post.
The creation of regional interstate air-defence groups is one of the
main trends in the development of the combined CIS system. The plan is
to establish such groups in the future in the East European, Central
Asian and Caucasus regions. Russia and Belarus have already agreed
a package of documents on setting up a regional air-defence system.

Azeri leader says no need for authorities-opposition dialogue
ANS TV, Baku
19 Aug 05
[Presenter] President Ilham Aliyev has visited Ismayilli District
[central Azerbaijan]. [Indistinct sentence omitted]
[Aliyev] There have been no results [in the Nagornyy Karabakh
settlement] and we can see this. At the same time, there are hopes.
As long as we have hopes, we should continue the talks because as a
result of the work done, the international community has adopted an
unambiguous approach to the issue.
I believe that the achieved progress is important but does not
guarantee the signing of a peace agreement. The occupied territories
must be freed. Refugees and displaced people should return to their
native lands.
[Correspondent] President Ilham Aliyev said Azerbaijan’s military
potential is much higher than that of Armenia and that the Armenians
should understand the importance of acting in accordance with this
reality.
[Aliyev] We understand that the security of the Armenians of Nagornyy
Karabakh should be ensured and this is natural and normal. However,
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity is not a subject of negotiations and
can never be so. Separatism is unacceptable. No-one and no structure
can exist for a long time in an isolated form.
[Correspondent] The president highly valued the authorities-opposition
dialogue and commented on the [opposition] Azadliq electoral bloc’s
calls on Ilham Aliyev to participate in this dialogue.
[Aliyev] There has never been a dialogue between the authorities and
opposition since our independence and we have not had such a political
experience. This was a major shortcoming.
In general, there is no need for dialogue since the public have made a
clear-cut choice and support our policy. But dialogue between parties
is important, of course. Major disagreements usually take place
between parties. From this point of view, I believe, the current
format is appropriate. High-ranking officials and an MP from the
[ruling] New Azerbaijan Party have attended the dialogue and I think
this level is enough for the present time.
[Correspondent] Ilham Aliyev believes it is pointless for the president
to intervene and stop smear campaign in the media.
[Aliyev] How can I intervene in this process? We have freedom of the
press and freedom of expression. Newspapers write what they want and
you know that we are not going to influence any media outlet. This is
why these requests should be made to those media outlets that have
specific flaws. As the president, I am in favour of the free press
and at the same time, I believe that for the normal development of
our country, any political struggle should be fought in compliance
with ethical standards.
[Correspondent] Speaking about the list of candidates [to run in
November parliamentary election], Ilham Aliyev said it was satisfactory
and was drawn up under his personal supervision.
[Aliyev] As the [New Azerbaijan] party chairman, I played an important
role in drawing up this list and my opinion was reflected there. I
believe that those who have done a lot for the party and influential
public figures should definitely be included in the list. At the same
time, there should be refreshing changes, like those in society. There
are refreshing changes taking place in our party.
[Passage omitted: reported details]