ArmenPress
March 29 2005

RUSSIA WANTS TO TAKE ON LEASE KARS-GYUMRI RAILWAY

YEREVAN, MARCH 29, ARMENPRESS: Russian transport minister Igor
Levitin who is also a cochairman of the Russian-Armenian
intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation, said last
Saturday that Russia intends to take on lease a railway that connects
the Turkish city of Kars with Armenian Gyumri. Used intensively
during the Soviet times it stopped working after Turkey imposed a
blockade on Armenia.
Levitin attributed Russia’s intention to resume the operation of
the railway to the political aspect of the issue, saying its
resumption would be several times cheaper than Turkish-Georgian plans
to build a new railway from Kars to Georgian Akhalkalaki.
Levitin said talks with the Turkish side are continuing. He said
the railway would boost freight flow and would also create hundreds
of new jobs.

ArmenPress
March 29 2005

FIRST NATIONAL GUIDELINE FOR MANAGEMENT OF STD PRESENTED

YEREVAN MARCH ARMENPRESS: The first national guideline for
management of patients with venereal diseases was presented today. It
is intended not only for a narrow circle of specialists but also for
doctors engaged in delivering primary health services, especially for
so-called family doctors and the personnel of rural medical posts.
Armenian Health Ministry is planning a vast range of three-day
trainings courses across the country in April-May to help local
medical personnel apply the guideline correctly. Some 400 doctors
delivering primary health services are supposed to be involved. The
health minister has already signed a special order that details the
process of the guideline’s introduction.
According to Health Ministry figures, around 29,000 instances of
venereal diseases were reported last year. Some 75 percent of people
are believed to be aware about their disease, but only 65 percent
seek qualified medical assistance, 50 percent of people are diagnosed
and 35 percent are treated. Doctors explain that the low percentage
of people who seek medical assistance is due not only to the lack of
their sanitary and hygienic knowledge, but also due to covert
development of the illness.
People infected with various venereal diseases are exposed to a
much more greater risk to be infected with HIV. Venereal diseases are
spread mainly among prostitutes and homosexuals. The latter are said
to be few and only 4-5 homosexuals apply annually to doctors.
The guideline contains an array of directions for doctors in
remote areas, where diagnosing is a problem, about how to identify
and treat such people.
The guideline is a collaborative product of the USAID that funded
its publication, Armenian Health Ministry and the Academy of
Educational Development (AED).
According to Armenian deputy health minister Tatul Hakobian, the
Ministry faces serious problems in identifying, preventing and
treating sexually transmitted diseases (STD). He said it is an area
that is not prone to coordination, as late diagnosis is fraught with
serious complications.
He commended the USAID and AED for this very important initiative.
Deputy Director of USAID Armenia Karl Fikenscher said they were
happy to contribute to the development, publication and introduction
of the guideline. He described the book as “the most modern
guideline,” meant not only for patients but also for their partners.

ArmenPress
March 28 2005

VIC DARCHINYAN RETAINS FLYWEIGHT TITLE

YEREVAN, MARCH 28, ARMENPRESS: Australia’s Vic Darchinyan wore his
opponent down Sunday and eventually broke his heart as he retained
his International Boxing Federation flyweight title with an
eighth-round stoppage of South African Mzukisi Fikali at the Sydney
Olympic Park Sport Center, ABC reported.
Armenian-born Darchinyan, who was making his first defense of the
title he won last December, was leading by one point on two of the
judges’ cards and by three on the third at the time of the stoppage.
Fikali retired himself just over half a minute out from the end of
the eighth round after soaking up some vicious blows in the preceding
couple of minutes. It was unbeaten Darchinyan’s 23rd straight win.

SwissInfo, Svizzera
Martedì 29 marzo 2005

Svizzera-Turchia: iniziata visita della Calmy-Rey

BERNA – La consigliera federale Micheline Calmy-Rey è giunta oggi ad
Ankara per una visita ufficiale di lavoro di tre giorni in Turchia.
Nel primo pomeriggio ha incontrato il presidente Ahmet Necdet Sezer e
depositato una corona di fiori al mausoleo di Atatürk.

La responsabile del Dipartimento federale degli affari esteri (DFAE)
è stata accolta al suo arrivo all’aeroporto di Ankara da Naci Acinki,
direttore degli affari europei presso il ministero degli esteri. Ha
poi raggiunto il palazzo presidenziale per una visita di cortesia di
un quarto d’ora a Sezer.

In seguito la consigliera federale si è recata al mausoleo di Mustafa
Kemal Atatürk, il fondatore della Turchia moderna e laica, e vi ha
posato una corona di fiori rossi e bianchi. Vestita tutta di nero, la
Calmy-Rey ha osservato un minuto di silenzio prima di firmare il
libro d’oro. In esso ha “salutato le spoglia di questo grande uomo
che era Atatürk”. “Ha fondato la Turchia moderna”, vi ha ancora
scritto, augurando “a questo paese pace e prosperità”.

Nel tardo pomeriggio la responsabile del DFAE è stata ricevuta dal
vicepremier e ministro degli affari esteri Abdullah Gül. Era previsto
un “ampio giro d’orizzonte” sulle relazioni bilaterali tra la
Svizzera e la Turchia, comprese quelle economiche, ma anche su
argomenti quali i diritti umani e le minoranze, ha dichiarato il
consigliere diplomatico della Calmy-Rey Roberto Balzaretti.

Altri temi in programma erano la crisi in Iraq e il conflitto
israelo-palestinese nonché la possibile adesione della Turchia
all’Unione europea e le prospettive del paese nell’Ue. In caso di
adesione, la Turchia potrebbe essere sottoposta a deroghe e regole
eccezionali permanenti, ha rilevato la responsabile del DFAE in
un’intervista pubblicata oggi sul giornale turco “Türkiye”. Un
modello di partecipazione “parziale o limitato” all’Ue potrebbe
interessare la Svizzera, ha aggiunto.

Nel colloquio con Gül, la ministra degli esteri elvetica potrebbe
anche aver affrontato la questione del genocidio armeno. Delicato per
il governo turco, il tema aveva già condotto nel 2003 a dissapori
diplomatici tra Berna e Ankara. Una visita della Calmy-Rey era stata
annullata nel settembre di quell’anno dopo che il Gran Consiglio
vodese aveva riconosciuto quale genocidio gli eventi del 1915 e pochi
mesi dopo il Consiglio nazionale aveva espresso lo stesso parere.
L’ultima visita ufficiale di lavoro tra la Svizzera e la Turchia a
livello di ministri degli affari esteri si era svolta nel 2001.

Domani la consigliera federale visiterà la regione sudorientale del
paese, dove sono previsti incontri con esponenti dell’amministrazione
centrale e locale e con rappresentanti di diverse organizzazioni non
governative nella città curda di Diyarbakir. In serata la Calmy-Rey
continuerà il suo viaggio alla volta di Istanbul, dove giovedì terrà
alla Camera svizzera di commercio una conferenza sul tema della
posizione della Svizzera in Europa e delle relazioni bilaterali con
Ankara.

Stando al “Turkish Daily News”, la visita della ministra degli esteri
elvetica dovrebbe aiutare a “riparare” le “relazioni danneggiate” tra
i due paesi. Il quotidiano turco di lingua inglese ha inoltre
sottolineato nella sua edizione odierna che Ankara avrebbe chiesto
alla Svizzera di riconoscere quale gruppo terroristico il Partito dei
lavoratori del Kurdistan (PKK).

Il giornale di sinistra “Cumhuriyet” ha dal canto suo rilevato che il
“raffreddamento” delle relazioni bilaterali era stato superato con la
visita del primo ministro turco Recep Tayyip Erdogan al Forum
economico mondiale (WEF) di Davos in gennaio. Allora egli aveva
“approvato” la visita della Calmy-Rey nel suo paese.

NOTA: bsi012 è stata aggiornata. Eventuale aggiornamento entro le
21.30.

SwissInfo, Svizzera
Martedì 29 marzo 2005

Svizzera-Turchia: missione delicata

La ministra degli esteri elvetica, Micheline Calmy-Rey, rende visita
alla Turchia. Il viaggio era in programma già tempo fa, ma Ankara lo
aveva fatto cancellare.

Nell’autunno del 2003, la Turchia aveva revocato l’invito alla
ministra elvetica, dopo che un parlamento cantonale aveva
riconosciuto il genocidio degli armeni.

La consigliera federale Micheline Calmy-Rey sarà in visita ufficiale
in Turchia da martedì 29 a giovedì 31 marzo. Ad Ankara, la
responsabile del Dipartimento federale degli affari esteri (DFAE)
sarà accolta dal vicepremier e ministro degli affari esteri Abdullah
Gül. Il programma prevede anche una visita di cortesia ad Ahmet
Necdet Sezer, presidente della Repubblica turca.

Colloqui di lavoro

L’ultima visita ufficiale di lavoro tra la Svizzera e la Turchia a
livello di ministri degli affari esteri si è svolta nel 2001. I
colloqui ufficiali con Gül saranno incentrati sulle relazioni
bilaterali tra la Svizzera e la Turchia.

Stando al consigliere diplomatico di Micheline Calmy-Rey, Roberto
Balzaretti, all’ordine del giorno ci sono argomenti quali i diritti
umani, le minoranze, le relazioni economiche.

Mercoledì, la consigliera federale sarà a Dyarbakir, una cittadina
curda situata nel sudest della Turchia. Sono previsti incontri con i
rappresentanti delle amministrazioni locali e con diverse
organizzazioni non governative. Giovedì, infine, Micheline Calmy-Rey
pronuncerà un discorso presso la Camera di commercio elvetica a
Istanbul.

Il difficile confronto sul genocidio

Non si sa ancora se durante la visita in Turchia, la ministra degli
esteri elvetica affronterà il tema del massacro degli armeni avvenuto
nel 1915. Il consigliere diplomatico di Micheline Calmy-Rey ritiene
che sarà difficile evitare di parlare di un argomento come questo,
che ha creato tensione tra i due paesi. Un precedente viaggio della
consigliera federale nel 2003 era stato annullato a causa del
riconoscimento da parte del parlamento del canton Vaud del genocidio
armeno da parte dell’Impero Ottomano.

La liberale Françoise Saudan, membro della commissione di politica
estera del Consiglio degli stati, invita ad essere prudenti quando si
affronta questo tema con i Turchi. A suo avviso, il genocidio rimarrà
un problema latente fintanto che la Turchia non farà luce sul suo
passato, un po’ come ha fatto la Svizzera riguardo ai fondi ebraici
in giacenza. Ad ogni modo, la Saudan si dice a disagio quando la
Svizzera vuole impartire lezioni all’estero.

Per il momento, la Turchia non accetta che si parli di genocidio per
i fatti avvenuti tra il 1915 e il 1918. Per questo era calato il gelo
sulle relazioni diplomatiche tra i due paesi, quando in Svizzera si
era cominciato a chiedere da più parti (parlamento del canton Vaud,
Consiglio nazionale, parlamento della città di Ginevra) di
riconoscere ufficialmente il «genocidio» degli armeni invece di
parlare solo di «massacri».

La visita di questi giorni dovrebbe aiutare a superare il momento di
crisi. Un primo passo era già stato fatto ad inizio 2004, quando in
occasione del Forum economico mondiale di Davos, l’allora presidente
della Confederazione Joseph Deiss era riuscito a far incontrare
Micheline Calmy-Rey con il primo ministro turco Erdogan.

swissinfo e agenzie

ArmenPress
March 29 2005

AZERI PARLIAMENT SPEAKER SAYS KOCHARIAN-ALIYEV MEETING SCHEDULED IN
MOSCOW

BAKU, MARCH 29, ARMENPRESS: Azerbaijani parliament speaker Murtuz
Aleskerov denied today a report by a Russian newspaper Kommersant,
which said Armenian and Azeri presidents were not likely to meet in
Moscow on the sidelines of events dedicated to the 60-th anniversary
of the end of World War II.
Aleskerov said today Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents Robert
Kocharian and Ilham Aliyev are scheduled to meet in Moscow on May 9.

Aravot, 29 March 2005

AS SOON IT IS SETTLED AS BETTER

Samvel Babayan about Karabakh conflict

Q: You were taking part actively in the process of changes of the
authorities in 1998 the official reasons of which were discrepancies
round Karabakh conflict. The settlement of the Karabakh conflict was
delayed for 7 years as a result. Will we win or loose during those 7 years?

A: I’m not introduced to today’s negotiation activities, I don’t know
what issues are being discussed now, so I can’t say what we have reached
to. As regards to the changes of the authorities in ’98 then there was a
principle problem- the status of Karabakh and its neighbor territories-
I have the same opinion; Neither Karabakh nor certain territories can be
the part of Azerbaijan.

Q: But what territories can be the part of Azerbaijan?

A: It isn’t right to declare beforehand what we’ll give and what we’ll
take when the issue still must be negotiated. There must be a situation,
which must provide the security of the Karabakh population.

Q: Do you see the opportunity of settlement of Karabakh issue?

A: I don’t see in the present stage. There is such an economical and
political situation both in Armenia and Azerbaijan that the authorities
of those countries can’t make concessions.

Q: Must this conflict be settled or we must keep this situation 50 or
100 years more?

A: I consider that it must be settled and as soon as better for us and
for South Caucasus in general. For this region to develop economically
the military tension must be weakened and the Karabakh conflict must be
settled. If these three states intend to be integrated in the European
Union first they must solve all such kind of problems, then integrate
economically and politically with each other. Having such prospects we
must settle the Karabakh conflict. But to settle not to the prejudice of
any party. First of all the independence and security of the people of
Nagorno-Karabakh is important for us.

Q: Almost everyday the Azerbaijani side threatens to solve the issue by
military way. Do you consider those declarations serious?

A: I think Azerbaijanis preparing to take steps for military activities.
It tries to improve its military positions and save up artillery and
other ammunitions. That means it makes some preparations in case of
failure of the negotiations. And they form such a background in the
world that the concession is impossible that the Armenians want more
than it is possible to give and they have right to attack in favor
territorial integrity.

It is another question whether Azerbaijan is ready for the war. Maybe it
only seems to them. And the problem of Armenia and Karabakh is to have
such an army and economy to prevent the enemy of taking such steps.
Because if the war begins, new victims, invalids and distractions are it
isn’t important who will win. It must be so powerful to prevent the war.

Aram Abrahamian

—

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN SEISMOLOGISTS RECORD STRONG QUAKE ON SUMATRA

YEREVAN, MARCH 29. ARMINFO. The National Service of Seismic Protection
of Armenia recorded a 8.7-point earthquake on Sumatra (Indonesia)
Monday 9:18 pm (local time).

7 consecutive 11-12-point strong quakes shook the epicenter 200 km
west of Sumatra. Some 2,000 people are reported to have died with much
more wounded. The quake was so strong that it was felt as far as
Malaysia. The quake has spurred a tree meter tsunami that has come
down on Simelue island today.

This is one of the 10 strongest quakes to have shocked Indonesia since
1990. For three months already seismologists have been reporting
unprecedented volcanic activity in the country with every next tremor
exceeding the previous in magnitude.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

GENOCIDE OF ARMENIANS BY OTTOMAN TURKEY IN 1915 IS A BARBAROUS CRIME
AND DISPLAY OF RELIGIOUS FANATICISM OF TURKS: SHEIK OF ARAB TRIBE

YEREVAN, MARCH 29. ARMINFO. Genocide of Armenians by Ottoman Turkey in
1915 is a barbarous crime and display of religious fanaticism of
Turks, Sheik of the second branch of the Bagara tribe Nauaf Al Bashir
who arrived in Yerevan as part of the delegation of influential sheiks
of 12 tribes of North-Eastern regions of Syria says in his interview
to the Armenian TV Channel “Armenia.”

Sheik states that the delegation arrived to commemorate the victims of
the inhuman crime – Genocide. He says that leaders of Ashiret tribes
enjoying a great influence in Arab world, provided shelter to
Armenians who escaped from the Genocide. The successors of these
Armenians live with Arab people and enjoy equal rights. The sheik says
that Jordan Monarch sent a manifest to the two most influential Arab
emirs in 1917 asking for shelter to the Armenians and to display of a
well-disposed attitude to them, as “Armenians are religious and God
obedient people.” Since then, relations of Arabs and Armenians have
become warmer and Armenians were not forced to change their religion
when marrying Arabs. Tomorrow the delegation with meet with Armenian
Agricultural Minister David Lokyan. They also will meet with His
Holiness Garegin II Catholicos of All Armenians and will visit
Gyumri. The guests will leave for Syria on April 3.

The Australian
March 29 2005

UN withdraws legal funds for oil-deal chief
David Nason, New York correspondent
March 30, 2005

THE UN has reversed its decision to pay the legal fees of former
oil-for-food chief Benon Sevan, saying it would be inappropriate to
reimburse the Armenian diplomat given the allegations of serious
misconduct against him over the scandal-ridden, multi-billion-dollar
program.

UN spokesman Fred Eckhard announced the turnaround as 59 former
American diplomats signed a letter urging the US Senate to reject
George W.Bush’s controversial nomination of John Bolton as the
nation’s next UN ambassador.

Writing to Senate foreign relations committee chairman Richard Lugar,
the ex-diplomats said the UN-bashing Mr Bolton could not be an
“effective promoter” of US interests at the world body and accused
him of undermining US efforts to improve national security through
arms control.

The bipartisan signatories included Arthur Hartman, who served the
Nixon, Carter and Reagan administrations; James Leonard, who was
deputy UN ambassador during the Ford and Carter presidencies; and
Princeton Lyman, who served the Reagan, Bush Sr and Clinton
administrations.

But the letter was overshadowed by the UN’s decision to withdraw all
legal funding for Mr Sevan, who has been accused of using his
position as head of the $67billion oil-for-food program to improperly
lobby for lucrative oil contracts on behalf of an associate.

The allegations were made on February 3 in an interim report of the
Paul Volcker-led inquiry into allegations of widespread corruption in
oil-for-food, a program that operated from 1996 to 2003 and allowed
Saddam Hussein’s Iraq to sell oil under UN supervision in exchange
for humanitarian goods.

At the time Mr Volcker, a former chairman of the US Federal Reserve,
said investigations would continue into Mr Sevan’s personal finances.

These are believed to include at least four expensive properties he
owns in New York city and upstate New York, along with some large
cash payments that Mr Sevan claims were gifts from an aunt in Cyprus,
who died after falling down a lift shaft before she could be
questioned.

Just last week Mr Eckhard said Mr Sevan’s legal fees up to February 3
would be reimbursed using funds from the $US1billion ($1.3billion)
management fee the UN took for running the program.

But it caused an outcry, with critics pointing out Mr Sevan’s legal
bills were being paid with funds from the same UN program he was
accused of rorting.

So yesterday Mr Eckhard, citing advice from the UN legal department,
did a turnaround.

It means Mr Sevan will receive no UN assistance except in the event
he is cleared of the allegations against him.

Mr Volcker was overnight due to release his second interim report
into oil-for-food, looking at the involvement of UN Secretary-General
Kofi Annan and his son Kojo with a Swiss company contracted by the UN
to monitor humanitarian aid arriving in Iraq.

Mr Sevan could not be reached for comment last night. Mr Bolton, who
by convention is unable to speak until his UN nomination is endorsed
by the US Senate, did not return emails.