`ARTAVAZD’ THEATRE AWARDS

Azg/arm
30 March 05

The cultural and theatre elite of Armenia gathered in “Ararat”
factory, where “Artavazd” Theatre Annual Awards 2005 was held.

The ceremony began in the welcoming speech of RA President Robert
Kocharian that was read by Yervand Ghazanchian, Chairman of RA
Theatrical Union. Afterwards, he represented the jury members. He
said that this year there were many young artists among the
nominees. 11 awards were given during the ceremony, including three
“Artavazd” statues and 8 medals.

The first prize went to Varsik Grigorian for her devoted work at the
theatre. “Makbeth” staged at Hrachia Ghaplanian Drama Theatre won the
prize for the best performance of 2004-2005 theatrical
season. “Artavazd” was handed to Armen Khandikian, head of the
theatre.

The prize for “The Best Actor” went to Vladimir Msrian, while Anna
Elbakian received “Artavazd” for “The Best Actress.” Beate Ehlers, a
German actress,was given the same prize within the framework of the
international project organized by Hakob Ghazanchian.

Robert Elibekian was recognized the best art director for his work in
“Charents’ Reformatory” performance.

Ara Manucharian, a young director at “Goy” experimental theatre, won
the prize for the best debut for his performance entitled “My Death.”
While “Psychosis 4.48” performance staged at Sundukian Theatre was
recognized the best youth’s performance of the year.

Narine Malian, director at Malian theatre, was awarded a prize for
staging the play by Aghasi Ayvazyan. Ara Yernjakian received
“Artavazd” medal for establishing and preserving the Yerevan Chamber
Theatre.

Alexander Grigorian, head of the Yerevan Russian Theatre after
Stanislavsky, was also awarded a prize for “The Moon Beast”
performance dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide. The prize will be given to him in during the Yerevan
premiere of the performance on April 7.

By Gohar Gevorgian

Slovene OSCE chairman to visit Kyrgyzstan 31 March

STA news agency
29 Mar 05

Ljubljana, 29 March: The OSCE chairman, Slovenia’s Foreign Minister
Dimitrij Rupel, is due to visit Kyrgyzstan this Thursday [31 March] to
meet interim Prime Minister and acting President Kurmanbek Bakiyev,
interim Foreign Minister Roza Otunbayeva and interim Interior Minister
Feliks Kulov, the Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

Rupel is to visit the country in Central Asia whose president was
toppled by the opposition following a controversial general election,
before his planned tour of the Caucausus as part of which he is due to
visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan this week.

Rupel has been reiterating that the role of the OSCE is not to choose
a new government in Kyrgyzstan, but to facilitate dialogue that could
in time lead to new elections. The OSCE is also prepared to offer its
expertise and any assistance necessary to bring stability to the
country, Rupel has said.

Rupel’s personal representative for Central Asia, Slovenia’s Alojz
Peterle, has been in Kyrgyzstan to examine ways of cooperation between
the interim government and OSCE in restoring order and securing
democratic process in this Central Asian country.

IT’S HIGH TIME TO REPRESENT KARABAKH ISSUE TO THE WORLD AS GENOCIDE
CONSEQUENCE, OPPOSITION MP ASSURES

NOYAN TAPAN
MARCH 29, 2005

YEREVAN

We should spare no efforts to persuade the world that Karabakh is not
only a territorial or self-determination problem but a problem of
survival, struggle against realization of Genocide for Armenians,
Stepan Zakarian, a member of NA Ardarutiun (Justice) faction, declared
during the parliamentary hearings dedicated to the ways of Karabakh
settlement. The MP assured that much might have been done for Karabakh
settlement in Armenia, Karabakh and abroad, in the spheres of
propaganda and diplomacy since the establishment of the cease-fire.
Without going into the details of the shortcom ings the speaker
touched upon the problems to be solved for improving the situation.

According to Stepan Zakarian, the actions are to be carried out in two
directions, in the way of Armenia’s obvious democratization compared
with Azerbaijan and implementation of propaganda proper to the
perception of the civilized world. In his affirmation, we should speak
about the dangers threatening the Karabakh people unless it is able to
defend itself. According to Zakarian, the Armenian party doesn’t take
a sufficient advantage of Turkey’s numerous problems in connection
with EU integration, as well as the fact that the European countries’
position to Turkey isn’t unequivocal. Armenia doesn’t make sufficient
use of the issue of recognition of Armenian Genocide by the world,
either.

In the MP’s affirmation, now, on the eve of the Armenian Genocide’s
90th anniversary, it’s high time to represent the Karabakh issue to
the world as the consequence of the Genocide, to speak about the
identical policy carried on towards Armenia by Turkey and Azerbaijan,
to stress the circumstance that until these countries haven’t
recognized the fact of the Genocide Armenians can’t believe the
guarantees of security given by them. Zakarian also mentioned that the
announcement about the danger threatening the Armenians by Turkey will
show the West the presence of a Russian military contingent in
Armenia, in difference to other countries. According to the MP, we
should also carry on propaganda in Russia speaking about the fact that
many Chechen fighters and representatives of other nations
participated in the Karabakh war on the part of Azerbaijan.

According to the MP, the establishment of democracy isn’t immediately
connected with Karabakh issue but it is very important for gaining the
West’s sympathy. According to him, the holding of elections
corresponding to European standards, balancing of the power wings as a
result of constitutional reforms, in the conditions of presence of an
independent judicial system and mass media will immediately improve
the West’s attitude to Armenia. Stepan Zakarian said that the presence
of Karabakh factor makes a possible revolution in Armenia
dangerous. That’s why the People’s Party of Armenia always speaks
about establishment of the constitutional order by avoiding shocks.

Azerbaijan expects UN reaction to illegal settlement of Armenians – minister

Bilik Dunyasi news agency
29 Mar 05

BAKU

Azerbaijan believes that the UN General Assembly must express its
position on the report of the OSCE mission on the illegal settlement
of Armenians in the occupied Azerbaijani territories. “In any case,
the settlement of the occupied territories is illegal both in terms of
international law and as a general fact. The Armenians have never
lived in the occupied lands around Nagornyy Karabakh,” Azerbaijani
Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov told journalists.

The co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group also confirm Azerbaijan’s
official position. They agree that the issue should stay on the agenda
so that it can be revisited at some point because the illegal
settlement influences the settlement process.

The minister said that the UN General Assembly must express its
position on the mission’s report because the UN Security Council deals
with ongoing conflicts.

“Since our conflict is frozen, the General Assembly should make its
stand first,” Mammadyarov said. Azerbaijan submitted its version of
the draft resolution to this entity in October last year, but agreed
that the General Assembly should not put it to a vote because the OSCE
factfinding mission was expected to examine cases of illegal
settlement in the occupied lands.

Azerbaijan has already distributed the report of the mission within
the UN.

Gateway 2 Russia, Russia
March 29 2005

Russian minister says CIS countries themselves need to decide on
integration

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that the countries of
the post-Soviet space should decide on their desire for integration.
“We do not want to drag anyone into anything, we want to understand
their interests. If they are interested, let us work,” Lavrov said at
the presentation of the Russian Academy of Sciences’ International
Economic and Political Studies Institute’s Integration Problems
Centre in Moscow on Monday [28 March].
“I think we will be stronger if we are together,” Lavrov said. “But
we will be stronger not as a Russia that boasts its strength, but as
respected states with respect for each other,” Lavrov said.
“I would include GUUAM [Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan,
Moldova] in the essence of these processes,” he said. Lavrov said
that those who think integration will begin after all the minor
issues between CIS countries are resolved are wrong. “Integration
will begin only if each of us decides whether we need it,” Lavrov
said.
He said there is a mistaken opinion in CIS countries that only Russia
is interested in the integration process. “Maybe some aspects of
flirting with the West are connected to this,” Lavrov said.
He noted that when President Vladimir Putin recently called the CIS a
mechanism for “civilized divorce”, “he did not mean that this was its
only purpose and there were not any others”. “He was simply comparing
the reasons for setting up the CIS and the EU and a ‘civilized
divorce’ certainly does not rule out integration but makes it
possible to intensify it,” Lavrov said.
He said the countries of the post-Soviet space should “respect each
other and work on equitable terms and on conditions of market
relations”. “I think there will be mutual benefit,” Lavrov said.
Talking about Russian-Ukrainian relations, Lavrov noted that several
issues related to the Black Sea fleet’s stay in the Crimea remain,
regardless of the fact that a base agreement on this has been signed.
“There is a base agreement, but there is no definite agreement that
states we can replace our ships there,” Lavrov said.
Lavrov also noted that Moscow deems unilateral concessions by Russia
as unacceptable in the process of integration. “I think that
integration is not only in the interest of peoples but also of
states,” the minister said.
“Individually or by joining organizations that have been set up
before us we will not achieve a respected place in the new world,”
Lavrov thought.
In his view, the establishment of the Union State of Russia and
Belarus, the functioning of the EAEC [Eurasian Economic Community]
and the CSTO [Collective Security Treaty Organization comprising
Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and
Kyrgyzstan],”speaks of the necessity of integration”.

Interfax
March 29 2005

Karabakh talks hampered by Baku’s militant statements – Armenian
minister

YEREVAN. March 29 (Interfax) – Armenia and Azerbaijan have some
points in common in regards to the settlement of the conflict of
Nagorno-Karabakh, but the sides are far from hammering out a common
position for solving the problem, said Armenian Foreign Minister
Vardan Oskanian.

“There is the desire to settle the conflict on our part, but the
militant statements on the Azerbaijani side and, in particular,
[Azerbaijani President] Ilkham Aliyev’s recent remark to the effect
that he does not see any chance for a compromise in solving the
problem of Nagorno-Karabakh causes concern,” Oskanian told the press
at hearings on Nagorno-Karabakh at the Armenian parliament on
Tuesday.

Azeri TV reports Armenian truce violation, no casualties

ANS TV, Baku
29 Mar 05

Azerbaijani positions in Goranboy, Agdam, Fuzuli, Tartar Districts
came under fire from the Armenian armed forces on 29 March,
Azerbaijani ANS TV has quoted the Defence Ministry as saying.

It said that over the past 24 hours, the “Armenian army opened
intensive fire several times”, adding that no casualties are reported.

Armenian minister urges recognition of Karabakh’s right to self-determination

Arminfo
29 Mar 05

YEREVAN

Progress in the settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict will be
made when international documents confirm the right of
self-determination of the Nagornyy Karabakh people and Azerbaijan
recognizes it, Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan has told
journalists.

He said that it will be possible then to speak about a solution to the
consequences of the conflict. “What the Armenian side is demanding is
not maximalism. This is the minimum we can claim. We only want the
right of self-determination of the Nagornyy Karabakh people to be
recognized,” the Armenian foreign minister said.

As for the possibility that the Nagornyy Karabakh Republic [NKR] will
be included in the negotiating process, this can happen when the
presidents reach agreement on fundamental issues and only details need
to be discussed. “However, we are not at this stage yet,” the minister
added.

Commenting on Russian President Putin’s statement that Russia is ready
to help settle the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict, Oskanyan said: “I think
that this statement by the Russian president is a good wish. We also
want this, but the acceleration of the negotiating process should not
have an artificial nature. Such acceleration will lead to
complications.”

He said that Azerbaijan should stop making belligerent statements and
violating the cease-fire in order to ensure the effectiveness of the
negotiations. As for the OSCE mission’s report on the results of the
visit to the NKR-controlled territories, the minister thinks, if
Azerbaijan stops speculating with “the settlement of the
NKR-controlled territories” after the OSCE expert group’s report, this
will mean that Azerbaijan was worried and calmed down after the
report. If Azerbaijan continues speculating with this issue, this will
mean that Baku is pursuing political aims, the Armenian foreign
minister stressed.

Turkey to continue backing Azerbaijan on Karabakh issue – naval chief

Turan news agency
29 Mar 05

Baku, 29 March: The goal of Turkish Navy Commander Vice-Adm Ozden
Ornek’s visit to Baku is to discuss cooperation between the two
countries’ navies, the Turkish admiral said at a meeting with
Azerbaijani Defence Minister Safar Abiyev yesterday.

The Turkish admiral said that the two countries’ military should
cooperate to safeguard the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline.

For his part, Safar Abiyev noted that “some enemies” of Azerbaijan
might attempt to prevent the region’s oil and gas projects from being
implemented. With this regard, they are “dragging out” the settlement
of the Karabakh conflict. Turkey, which has the most powerful army in
NATO and in the region, should be actively involved in achieving
this. He expressed his confidence that Ankara will continue taking a
fair position and will not open its border with Armenia.

Ornek assured Abiyev that “despite pressure, Turkey will not open its
borders”.

ArmenPress
March 29 2005

JAPAN TO GIVE $150 MILLION CREDIT FOR UPGRADING THERMAL POWER PLANT
AND $2 MILLION HEALTH GRANT

YEREVAN, MARCH 29, ARMENPRESS: The government of Japan will issue
a $150 million privileged loan to the government of Armenia which it
wants to modernize the Yerevan Thermal Power Plant. The agreement to
this effect was signed today in Yerevan by Armenian energy minister
Armen Movsisian and Tetsuo Ito, a senior official of the Japanese
embassy in Armenia.
Speaking afterwards to reporters Tetsuo Ito said the credit will
help Armenia to enhance its energy generating facilities which in
turn will boost economic development.
He also said the agreement will promote further development of
Armenian-Japanese cooperation.
The government of Japan has pledged also a $2 aid to Armenian
health ministry to help it improve delivering of services to newly
born babies and their mothers. The agreement was signed today in
Yerevan by Armenian health minister Norayr Davidian and Tetsuto Ito.
Davidian said the Japanese grant will be instrumental in shifting
the attention from the capital city Yerevan to Armenian regions, to
supply new equipment to hospitals and clinics and improve the quality
of training programs designed for medical personnel.
He said this will be the third joint program implemented in
concert with Japan. The previous two programs, costing $8 million,
were used to establish a state-of- the- art diagnostic center at
Armenian Medical Center and upgrade hospitals in Abovyan and Yerevan.