Kyrgyz “crisis” delays war game – Russian military

Interfax news agency
28 Mar 05

Moscow, 28 March: The Rubezh-2005 command post exercise of the
Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) has been postponed, the
Russian Defence Ministry told Interfax today.

“In the light of the political crisis in Kyrgyzstan, a CSTO member,
the joint exercise Rubezh-2005 has been postponed. The members will
decide on a new date for the drill,” an official told Interfax.

The joint exercise had been planned for the period 1-6 April on the
territory of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

The members of the CSTO are Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan and Russia.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

A bang-up business: Robert Zildjian used an old formula to start a new
company

Financial Post – Canada
Mar 28, 2005

While some age-old family recipes call for a dash of basil or a pinch
of garlic, Robert Zildjian’s family blend is a secret combination of
copper and tin that has been used to make cymbals since 1623.

The name Zildjian has been synonymous with cymbal manufacturing since
17th-century Constantiople, when Sultan Osman II gave the name
(meaning “son of cymbal maker”) to an Armenian alchemist named Avedis.

Mr. Zildjian, 81, is the 13th generation of cymbal makers to inherit
Avedis’ coveted family recipe. He has also developed a few recipes of
his own, including one for a successful startup.

In 1981, Mr. Zildjian started Sabian Cymbals Ltd. in Meductic,
N.B. The founding of Sabian formalized a break from the centuries’ old
family business — Boston, Mass.-based Avedis Zildjian Co., where
Mr. Zildjian worked until 1979. A legal battle turned family feud saw
Mr. Zildjian split from the company. He took his recipe and his
business saavy to the sleepy eastern town of Meductic and has watched
Sabian grow ever since.

In little more than two decades, Sabian has become a major player in
the global cymbal market, quickly gulping up market share previously
held by its major rivals, Zildjian Co. and Paiste Co. — both more
than a century old.

Sabian has grown to a workforce of 130 employees worldwide and now
manufactures more than 900,000 cymbals a year — the most in the
industry, according to Mr. Zildjian.

About 97% of Sabian cymbals are exported outside Canada. Sabian was
responsible for 36% of total cymbal sales in the United States last
year and estimates it has captured about 35% of the European
market. It is also making inroads into the Middle East and Asia.

The Sabian logo adorns the cymbals of some of the biggest names in pop
music — from Neil Peart, drummer for Rush, to Chris Wilson of Good
Charlotte, Incubus’s Jose Pasillas, and Chad Smith of the Red Hot
Chili Peppers. It is remarkable growth for a company that had to
establish itself under the shadow of industry giants, but Mr. Zildjian
says the formula for success in the up-start market is pretty
straightforward.

“You have to have good people around you,” he says. “In small
business, you have to be tough, you have to have good financial
backing, and you have to have inspiration. But, in the end, it’s the
people around you that matter most.”

One of the people Mr. Zildjian credits with Sabian’s success is the
company’s president, Daniel Bar-ker. Mr. Barker joined Sabian as
vice-president in 1985, when it was still quite small. With his
extensive background in the music industry — including 12 years at
Zildjian Co. and a stint as an entrepreneur — Mr. Barker successfully
steered Sabian through the problems that are virtually universal for
entrepreneurs.

“Like any startup company, we had a great deal of difficulty at
first,” Mr. Barker says. “In the first few years, people didn’t come
running to the door. It wasn’t until 1987 that we started using black
ink. But by 1991, we were doing fairly well, and we’ve been growing
ever since.”

Sabian’s growth has been staggering by industry standards. For all but
two years since its inception, Sabian has experienced double-digit
increases and is rumoured to have grossed as much as $35-million last
year.

“We feel that, if we are number two in revenue (in the industry),
we’re so close to being number one we can taste it,” Mr. Barker says.

Success required one part financing and two parts persistence, he
says.

“Bob (Zildjian) and his family had a passion for this. They couldn’t
see failure. They were going to make this work one way or the
other. There was just no middle ground,” he says. “And to the family’s
credit, they put the money right back in the business to make it
grow. They did not take money out of the business. That helped finance
a lot internally. I can’t think of too many cases where I’ve ever seen
that.”

A solid relationship with the banks and other financiers is also
vital. “Many entrepreneurs go on a dream or have a good idea,”
Mr. Barker says. “They might get the startup money from investors or
by working with banks, but they don’t know how to turn that around —
they don’t know how to use it properly. Entrepreneurs who are looking
for fast growth need to establish good credit with the banks, get
their interest rates down, and then turn their money over and invest
in capital projects or inventory.”

A good relationship with the bank, he says, is based on a few simple
rules: Always pay your bills on time, and know where you are headed.

“A solid business plan is a key here, but a business plan has to be
followed up.”

Mr. Barker recommends entrepreneurs raise double the capital they
originally planned because unexpected expenses will always find their
way on to the balance sheet. And anyone not familiar with a balance
sheet should take some courses.

“It’s not enough to have a passion for it. Not everyone who goes into
business has that MBA background and sometimes some of the simplest
things — such as the tax implications — could be fundamental in a
startup.”

Finally, Mr. Barker warns prospective entrepreneurs not to get swept
away in small, inital successes.

“People figure if they invent the next best mouse trap, everything’s
golden,” he says. “So they get investors involved and raise a bunch of
capital and then go out and buy a $1,000 copying machine when a $250
one would suffice. It’s almost an ego thing — they just don’t make
the proper investments. With every purchase you should be asking
yourself, how will this help me grow?”

Turkish press 28 Mar 05

BBC Monitoring Service – United Kingdom
Mar 28, 2005

The following is a selection of quotes from editorials and
commentaries published in 28 March editions of Turkish newspapers
available to BBC Monitoring

EU

Hurriyet [centre-right, largest circulation] “The policies of those
who have working to pressure Turkey into signing the [Customs Union]
protocol [effectively recognizing the Republic of Cyprus] now seem to
have gone wrong… Brussels, which wants the Customs Union Agreement
extended to cover the new members of the EU, including the Greek
Cypriot administration, is facing a signing crisis… In order for the
protocol to come into law, Turkey and the EU will have to sign it at
the same time. This signing procedure, which European officials want
to happen as soon as possible, is very difficult and complex in terms
of their [the EU’s] own procedure.” (Commentary Ferai Tinc)

Radikal [centre-left] “In every country that has moved towards the EU,
supporters of the status quo try to activate such nationalist
sensitivity [as seen recently in Turkey over the flag-trampling
incident]. However this must not stop the caravan reaching its
destination. In this respect, Turkey has come to a critical
stage. What I have often tried to say in this column is that the
government too has allowed itself to be dragged into this rising
nationalism only a couple of days after 17 December [when the EU gave
Turkey a date for starting entry talks]. (Commentary by H. Bulent
Kahraman)

Cumhuriyet [secular, Kemalist] “Behind people’s embracing the Turkish
flag after the Mersin events [where a couple of young Kurds tried to
trample on the Turkish flag], there is an uprising against being
oppressed, against what have happened in northern Iraq, Cyprus. My man
does not want to be economically and politically oppressed; this is
the message he sends by embracing the flag. He shows his flag against
the insistence of the USA and the EU. He says that he opposes
imperialism to the last drop of his blood. Everybody must read this
well.” (Commentary by Erol Manisali)

Yeni Safak [liberal, pro-Islamic] “First of all, one must certainly
say that the government cannot abandon the EU goal. There is not and
cannot be any such option. The EU does not mean everything to Turkey
but we are well aware how this goal’s being weakened even a little bit
would cause Turkey to become introverted and encourage the oppressive
tendencies. The tension we have seen recently must be a lesson. The
nationalist wave, which is rising through rehearsed events and
preparing for further events, makes it necessary to embrace this goal
much more strongly.” (Commentary by Yasin Dogan)

Armenian genocide issue

Hurriyet “The reason we have not been able to refute the Armenian
slanders [about alleged genocide against Armenians in the Ottoman
Empire] is obvious. It is because we do not know what happened in
1915-16. Since we do not know, we cannot tell the world the
realities. More sadly, we do not have a strong belief that we are in
the right, that we did not carry out the genocide that the Armenians
claim. As with almost every subject, we prefer the ease and laziness
of staying uninterested in engaging in a struggle.” (Commentary by
Tufan Turenc)

Kyrgyzstan

Milliyet [centrist] “Change in Central Asia is both inevitable and
very risky! Chaos bearing the signs of a nomadic past, radical
[social] explosions and ethnic conflict are possible. Change must
succeed by being very well directed.” (Commentary by Taha Akyol)

“It has not yet become clear how the power struggle in Kyrgyzstan will
turn out but already the question ‘Whose turn is it next?’ has come
onto the agenda. However, the real big question is what kind of a
future is waiting for [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin, who has
been watching these events in Russia’s backyard with a horror mixed
with helplessness.” (Commentary by Osman Ulagay)

Zaman [moderate, pro-Islamic] “Even if his intention is not sincere,
the words of [former Kyrgyz leader Askar] Akayev are true: Kyrgyzstan
was not ready for this. With a people who have not adopted the basic
theories of democracy, the institutions of democracy cannot be
invigorated. The reality that the peoples have shown the will to
topple current oppressive and degenerate regimes does not mean that
they want democracy and they will claim democracy. The common feature
of Iraq, Lebanon and Kyrgyzstan is the handicaps in participatory
democracy in these countries. Because of their demographic divisions,
these countries have to be ruled by either dictatorships or
coalitions.” (Commentary by Kerim Balci)

Baku Today, Azerbaijan

Turkey to disclose Ottoman Empire archives

AssA-Irada 28/03/2005 12:43

Turkey will uncover archive documents of the Ottoman Empire on March 28,
head of the Turkish Senior Department on State Archives Yusuf Sarinay has
said.

The archive materials include official documents of the `Yildiz Sarayi’ (the
assembly of Ottoman sultans), as well as those of State Council, Interior
and Foreign Ministries.

The opening of over a million archive documents will clarify many historical
events, including the claims on the false `Armenian genocide’. The materials
will be available for employees of history institutes, analytical centers
and scientists. Appeals from foreign citizens willing to use the archive
materials will be answered within a day.

The Messenger

Monday, March 28, 2005, #055 (0829)

Energy crisis worsens

Country plunged into darkness as gas and electricity switched off to most
regions
By Christina Tashkevich

Georgia has been paralyzed by another energy crisis over the last few days:
the country’s regions have been virtually without electricity for several
days, and in Tbilisi too there have been severe curtailments.

Furthermore, while half of Tbilisi was last week in darkness because of the
failure of the electricity system, several regions also had their gas supply
disconnected because of ongoing rehabilitation work on gas pipelines being
carried out by Tbilgazi.

Officials say the crisis is a result of several factors. Prime Minister
Zurab Noghaideli noted that problems with electricity supply are largely the
result of damage caused by an avalanche two weeks ago to both Russian and
Georgian sections of the Kavkasioni high transmission line providing Georgia
with Russian electricity.

On Saturday Noghaideli went to Kodori Gorge to see the damaged Georgian
section of the line.

“Because of the accident affecting Kavkasioni the water resources in
Georgian hydroelectric stations, including Enguri, were exhausted,” Minister
of Energy Nika Gilauri said on Friday, adding that the cold weather had also
contributed to the crisis.

Answering public protests that what electricity there was had been unfairly
distributed, Gilauri said “there was such a deficit in the system over the
last few days that there was no schedule at all.” He promised that
electricity resources would be “optimally distributed” even to the regions
from now on.

Minister Gilauri thinks that such a crisis was inevitable. “The whole system
has depended on imports for years, and not on local sources,” he said.

Gilauri reported that the situation was improving, however. On Thursday the
Salkhino transmission line was put into operation, he said, providing the
system with an additional 300 megawatt. In addition the third power unit at
Tbilsresi was switched on after rehabilitation following a fire in January.

“But, of course, it’s not enough to fully overcome energy crisis,” Gilauri
said.

On Friday Telasi announced that Vake, Saburtalo, Vera and Dighomi districts
have no problems in electricity supply because according to the existing
supply scheme those districts get direct supplies from Armenia through the
Alaverdi line.

Gilauri thinks that another line of electricity imports from Azerbaijan
could be opened, although he added that this would mean overcoming some
technical difficulties.

“We will make a final decision on the Enguri rehabilitation issue soon,” the
minister added, saying that in the meantime the government would work
according to a plan to provide Georgia with a 24-hour electricity supply
from October 2006.

Several Georgian MPs linked the crisis to the issue of the Russian military
bases in Georgia, although Prime Minister Noghaideli dismissed this, saying
“this should not be linked with the withdrawal of Russian bases from
Georgia.”

The PM noted that reconnecting Kavkasioni so as to permit renewed imports
from Russia was of vital importance, particularly given government plans to
disconnect Enguri hydroelectric power station for rehabilitation from the
beginning of April.

“It’s very important to us to resume imports from Russia at the level we
need while Enguri is being rehabilitated,” he said, adding that the
rehabilitation of Enguri would help prevent similar crises in the future.

The electricity crisis coincided with Tbilgazi’s rehabilitation work in
several Tbilisi districts, which meant gas supply was switched off.
Noghaideli said the government must find the reasons for the coincidence.

General Director of Tbilgazi David Morchiladze explained on Friday that “the
technical state of the pipeline system is bad and we are doing minimal
rehabilitation work to make it more safe.”

Morchiladze thinks the government must work out an energy security program
must to avoid another potential crisis next winter.

The crisis is set to continue: while the citizens of Tbilisi suburbs closed
roads and even the railway on Friday in protest, Gilauri predicted that
“this situation will last for approximately one week.”

Saakashvili calls for patience, better government

On Saturday, President Mikheil Saakashvili issued a statement regarding the
energy crisis in the country in which he said that “the crisis will continue
till new energy plants start operating,” adding that “construction of new
plants is being launched and one of them will start operating by the end of
this year.”

The President accused some officials of making the situation worse by not
paying “proper attention towards the population.”

He complained, for example, that the government “learned about a 10 day gap
in water supply in Mtatsminda-Krtsanisi and Ponichala districts only after
the population had blocked the traffic.”

“The gamgebeli (district governor) didn’t even meet the people and never got
interested in their problems. He should quit … Every governor who ignores
people will be strictly punished,” Saakashvili stressed.

The president said that Minister of Energy Gilauri is working to resolve the
energy crisis, but “won’t be able to build in only a few months what was
being ruined during the past 14 years.”

“The only solution is to produce our own electricity, as we all have seen
what it is to be depended on Russia,” he added.

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
March 28 2005

SPEECH OF PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN, CHAIRMAN OF YENI
AZERBAIJAN PARTY ILHAM ALIYEV AT III CONGRESS OF THE PARTY
[March 26, 2005, 22:50:52]

Dear Ladies and gentlemen!

Dear Congress participants!

I would like to extend to all of you my cordial greetings and best
wishes for your good health and every success. I am grateful to you
for the kind words about me. The III Congress of the Yeni Azerbaijan
Party is a very important event in socio-political life of our
country. I believe its resolutions will play a key role in further
democratic development of Azerbaijan.

The Yeni Azerbaijan Party was founded under severe conditions in
1992. Initiated by our national leader Heydar Aliyev, the Yeni
Azerbaijan Party was founded as an opposition party. Unlike some
members of the today~Rs opposition, however, the Yeni Azerbaijan Party
has never been in opposition to Azerbaijan~Rs statehood or national
interests. Not only we but also the whole Azerbaijani people used to
be in opposition to the country~Rs leadership of that as their
destructive policy had led to anarchy, chaos and total crisis. They
had brought the country to the brink of a precipice. The processes
taking place in the country at that time questioned the very future
of Azerbaijan; the country was on the verge of separation. It was
wisdom of the Azerbaijani people and national leader Heydar Aliyev~Rs
political experience, knowledge and courage that allowed our country
to get out of that critical situation, saved the country from all
existing threats.

Our country started to advance with confidence, and having
strengthened its political and economic potential for a short period
of time, has turned into a leading state in the region.

If our people~Rs national leader Heydar Aliyev had not come to power
in that hard moment, now it~Rs hard to imagine what kind of troubles
Azerbaijan would face with then.

With our national leader Heydar Aliyev~Rs coming to power in
Azerbaijan, a new era of development has begun in our country. The
first years of this era were also very difficult: stability was not
established in full measure, and consequences of the civil war were
not eliminated in the country. Population~Rs welfare was getting worse
form year to year; the country~Rs economy was in breaking point. And
again, it was efforts by Heydar Aliyev, his far-seeing policy that
allowed the country to eliminate negative factors and take the path
of progress. Irrespective of political system, Heydar Aliyev had
always been a leader of the Azerbaijani people, in the true sense of
the word. His activities while running the country in 1970-1982 were
aimed at meeting the interests of the Azerbaijani people. It was a
result of his services that large amount of funds were brought to
Azerbaijan from the center: new plants and factories were built.
Today, these plants and factories provide considerable support to
Azerbaijan~Rs economic and industrial potential. If the large
industrial infrastructure were not created then in Azerbaijan,
especially in oil sector, the country~Rs economic potential would not
be so huge today. As a result of the work done, Azerbaijan is now
enhancing its political and economic potential. The work done in the
country from 1993 to 2003 has turned Azerbaijan into a truly
independent state. Independence is not just a state~Rs attribute.
There are some countries, which have all state~Rs attributes, and have
joined the international community just formally. Their policy,
however, is far from being really independent. One of our nation~Rs
wealth is that today, Azerbaijan and its leadership is pursuing
completely independent policy. This policy is serving only national
interests of the Azerbaijani people.

The implementation of the Heydar Aliyev~Rs oil strategy has led to
attraction of billions of dollars of foreign investments in
Azerbaijan. I repeat, if the Contract of the Century were not signed
in 1994, the subsequent infrastructure projects were not realized and
the construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline were not
started, the today~Rs economic development in Azerbaijan would be out
of question.

The signing of the Contract of the Century triggered the development
of a number if sectors in Azerbaijan. This contract gave a powerful
impetus to overall economic growth in the country.

Today, Azerbaijan~Rs currency reserves make up 2 billion dollars. This
is the wealth we use to protect national interests of the Azerbaijani
people and make our state more powerful.

Huge work has been done towards army building, as well. The today~Rs
Azerbaijani army is capable of solving any task if needed. We are
taking necessary measures to reinforce our army, and will do so in
the future.

Azerbaijan has managed to break the information blockade. Azerbaijan
has joined the international family, and managed to take its worthy
place in the international arena. Today, Azerbaijan holds strong
positions in the region, and is able to impact on the processes
taking place in the region. I think we use effectively these
possibilities, enhancing Azerbaijan~Rs international prestige day by
day. I believe our international activities, foreign policy play an
important role in protection of our national interests.

I have to say that 2003 was a decisive year in the modern history of
Azerbaijan. The health problems our national leader Heydar Aliyev
experienced did not allow him to join the presidential elections.
Supported by the people of Azerbaijan and the Yeni Azerbaijan Party,
I was nominated for the election. And you all are aware of my
pre-election campaign statements. I said then, and I want to repeat
it now, that Azerbaijan must follow the Heydar Aliyev~Rs path, the
only one that can lead us to success.

Heydar Aliyev~Rs policy must be continued. This is a demand of the
present. This is the only policy that will make Azerbaijan stronger,
and serve the improvement of the Azerbaijani people~Rs living
standard. I am very glad that the people of Azerbaijan made a right
choice in 2003 voting for the Heydar Aliyev~Rs policy.

In 2003, the people of Azerbaijan experienced a great loss. We lost
our leader. That was a great shock and tragedy to all of us. At this
hard moment, however, the people of Azerbaijan came together and
demonstrated its will and devotion to the Heydar Aliyev~Rs policy, his
ideology and philosophy.

I also rest on the people~Rs support in my activities. I can feel this
support, and this support gives me strength. People~Rs trust, support
and appreciation are the most important factors for any leader. I
keep the promises I made during my pre-election campaign with respect
to domestic, foreign and economic policy, and all other spheres. Over
the past period, Azerbaijan has made considerable progress in all
fields. Our foreign policy is pursued within the framework of the
deliberate and purposeful conception. This conception has several
directions. One of them is establishment of sincere relations with
neighbors. Some results have been gained in this regard. Azerbaijan
has established very warm relations with his neighbors. Our neighbors
support territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, and approach the
Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh through the prism
of international legal norms only.

Azerbaijan is actively involved in regional cooperation, and there is
a graphic evidence of this: the largest regional Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan
oil pipeline project is being realized at the initiative and active
participation of Azerbaijan. Our policy towards integration into the
European and Euroatlantic structures are successfully continued. To
date, Azerbaijan has joined the European Union~Rs New Neighborhood
Policy, has been working in cooperation with NATO in the framework of
the Individual Partnership Plan of Actions. Azerbaijan~Rs position has
been strengthened in the United Nations, Council of Europe,
Organization of Islamic Conference and other international
organizations. The work done, and the adopted resolutions, in
particular, the political decisions concerning the Armenia-Azerbaijan
conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh demonstrate that our activities in
this direction were very successful.

All we have done within the country serve safeguarding of the
existing stability. Stability is the basic condition to any country
to ensure its progress. Where there is no stability, progress is out
of question. Where there is no stability, attraction of foreign
investments is impossible. Where there is no stability, distrust
arouses in people. That~Rs why our national leader stated more than
once – and we are devoted to this policy – that successful and
all-round development of Azerbaijan requires maintenance and
strengthening of stability. Those who want to break this stability
will meet with an adequate rebuff. Such attempts would take place
before. Such attempts took place following the presidential elections
in 2003, and they all were suppressed. I hope that was a good lesson
for the forces that had made these attempts. If they resort to that
again, they will get the same. We use words and politics in our
political struggle, not stones and sticks.

It is my regret that opposition does not accept our repeated calls
for a dialogue. Such proposals were advanced more than once both
before and after the elections. But what we could see was that those
in the opposition camp inclined to dialogue were expelled from the
parties. This shows clearly that these forces do not want to
dialogue. In this case, we have to consider other ways. Anyway, I
believe only civilized political relations can ensure normal and
democratic development in our country.

Azerbaijan continues to advance successfully. All the pre-election
promises are kept. We promised to continue economic reforms, and we
are doing so. On one hand structural reforms are being realized, on
the other hand, the adopted programs of socio-economic development of
regions are now being successfully implemented. We promised we would
create 600 thousand jobs, and the number of those already created
exceeded 170 thousand in just a year. We promised to help
entrepreneurs. The amount of funds set aside to assist business has
been doubled in the 2005 state budget. We promised an increase in our
budget. As a result of the, first of all, financial discipline, the
2005 budget has increased by some 25-30%.

Non-oil sector began to develop rapidly. Development of the non-oil
sector is a very important factor for our future activities. I am
very glad that the consolidating class of entrepreneurs in Azerbaijan
uses successfully all these opportunities.

Our links with youth have always been at a high level, I personally
have always communicated with youth, and now keep in touch. It gives
me pleasure that overwhelming majority of those joined our party
after the II Congress is youth. This is natural, because young people
are very well aware of the processes taking place within the country,
and around the world. They see that the today~Rs leadership of
Azerbaijan is pursuing its policy adequately to the processes taking
place in the world as this meets our national interests. Our national
interest is creation of democratic and civilized state in Azerbaijan.

We are a country rich in natural resources. We have huge potential,
human resources. But we also know that only a democratic society
enable every citizen to freely express his wish and realize its
potential. It is only democratic development that can lead the
country to progress. This is why all our steps are taken in this
direction. Both enhancing of our economic potential, very serious
measures in army building, maintenance and strengthening of political
stability in Azerbaijan and further democratization of our country
are priority directions of our policy.

Our country has great prospects. I don~Rt think Azerbaijan will face
serious problems in the future. All the problems will be solved
including social ones. We have doubled the minimum wage, and will
raise it in future. We will raise pensions. Population~Rs incomes rise
from year to year. The reforms implemented in the country create new
opportunities. The work to be carried out in agriculture will allow
to develop this sector; up-to-date equipment will be acquired.

Commissioning of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline will bring huge
funds to the country creating favorable conditions for development of
all sectors of the economy. This will increase social protection
possibilities, and improve living standard of our refugees and
internally displace persons, the most needy members of our society.
As you know, creation of a new infrastructure, construction of
settlements, schools and hospitals are in progress. In other word,
neither in the near nor in the distant future I can see the problems
Azerbaijan could have come across, as, I repeat, our present and
expected activities, the governmental programs will allow us to cope
with the tasks set.

The only and the most difficult problem is the Armenia-Azerbaijan
conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. We are striving for its settlement.
But, of course, this question does not depend on the wish of one
side. In this regard, we are doing everything in our power too. On
one hand, this is our purposeful foreign policy, one might say, a
quite serious offensive, international organizations~R more careful
approach to the issue, diplomatic efforts, on the other hand, army
building – it is no secret that the 2005 budget~Rs army expenditures
have increased by more than 30%, and will be increased more in
future, as well as Azerbaijan~Rs prestige in the region, realization
of the regional projects, construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil
pipeline, i.e. these factors give us considerable advantage. The
tendencies that can be observed now in the negotiation process are in
our favor. This is the reality. Just destructive position of Armenia
is what hampers the problem~Rs solution.

The international law norms are on our side. Economic potential is on
our side. Military potential is on our side. Justice is in on our
side. The people of Azerbaijan will never put up with the lost of
their lands. The people will liberate their native lands at all
costs. We want to solve the problem in peaceful way. We don~Rt want
war, we have great plans and good prospects. We want to be engaged in
constructive work and make further progress in our country. Everybody
realizes, however, that the uncertain situation cannot be endless.
The current talks are held within the framework of the Prague
process. On the whole, the Prague process has led to a new situation,
that means, as a matter of fact, a step-by-step resolution. So, we
hope a mutually acceptable solution meeting all the international law
norms will be found as a result of the Prague process. However, if
the negotiations are unsuccessful again, then further talks will be
senseless at all, because, as you know, they lasted over ten years.
All possible ways have already been discussed. In this case,
Azerbaijan will have to make serious changes in its strategic course,
and political approach to this problem.

Dear friends!

The year 2005 will be extremely important for our country. In all,
2005 began well: all our plans concerning economic development are
being realized. In 2005, Azerbaijan advances new international
initiatives. The country strengthens its bilateral relations with
various countries, enhances its regional cooperation. In 2005, the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline will be put into operation thus
completely changing the situation. On one hand, this will have a
strong impact on the regional processes; on the other hand, oil from
other countries will be delivered through this pipeline to the world
markets. Commissioning of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline will
enhance the role of Azerbaijan in the region, and allow us, in just
three years, to double, quadruple and even quintuple our export
potential. This of course will bring huge revenues to our country
that will serve improvement of the living standards of the
Azerbaijani people. The funds accumulated to date in the State Oil
Fund are managed transparently. The people are kept informed about
it, all data are made publicly available, and all the expenditures
are carried out through the centralized budget. All these issues are
debated in the parliament. I mean the people of Azerbaijan through
their representatives in the parliament are directly involved in
distribution of the Oil Fund~Rs revenues. This is very important as we
are talking about our common property. This is the property of the
Azerbaijani people that every citizen should take an advantage of. At
the same time, every citizen must have knowledge of what the
collected funds are spent on.

Parliamentary elections are expected in 2005. We attach a great
significance to these elections. We believe these elections will play
a key role in the further democratic development of Azerbaijan. I
make no doubt that the elections will be absolutely fair and
transparent, and that they will become a reflection of the
Azerbaijani people~Rs will and wishes.

The Yeni Azerbaijan Party also should prepare for the elections, and
we shall do it. Although we cannot see a rival in the today~Rs
political arena, we should confess that the opposition – maybe we
shouldn~Rt have talk about it now – is in a very sorry plight. The
barbarian actions they perpetrated after the presidential elections
have destroyed the ruins of their no longer existing foundations.
Today, the presence of the opposition in the Azerbaijan~Rs political
scene is not felt at all. They only tours abroad at the invitation of
certain international organizations, meet here with minor officials,
and come back to Azerbaijan inspired with promising plans and ideas.
But after a while, we all make sure it counts for nothing. In other
word, the Yeni Azerbaijan Party has no a rival. I am sorry about it.
I consider such a situation in our society as abnormal. We, the Yeni
Azerbaijan Party, are able to impact upon socio-political processes
taking place in the country. The people of Azerbaijan support our
policy. Our policy is a practical work, practical steps, and real
issues. We are far from populism, do not give interviews ten times
per day, but we are busy.

I stated before the elections that if elected I would worthily serve
my people. I am trying to do so, and will do my best for the people
of Azerbaijan to live better and better every day, for our country to
consolidate, enrich and turn into a powerful state.

Dear friends!

I am sure that staying devoted to the Heydar Aliyev~Rs political
course, we will worthily and attachedly serve our Homeland and
people.

Long live the Yeni Azerbaijan Party!

Long live the modern, independence Republic of Azerbaijan – the
creation of Heydar Aliyev!

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FORMER GOVERNOR GEORGE DEUKMEJIAN ENDORSES SENATOR CHUCK POOCHIGIAN
FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL IN 2006

LOS ANGELES, MARCH 24, NOYAN TAPAN. In a letter to California
voters, former Governor George Deukmejian has officially endorsed
Sen. Chuck Poochigian in his bid to be California’s next Attorney
General. “Chuck Poochigian, one of the most decent men I know, is
extraordinarily well qualified to become California’s next Attorney
General,” said Deukmejian, who served as California’s Attorney
General from 1979-1983. “His list of legislative accomplishments
in the area of crime prevention is long,” Deukmejian said. “Chuck
successfully passed laws to increase protections for victims of crime,
to increase DNA training which will lead to the prosecution of more
crimes, and to increase law enforcement in the rural communities of the
state.” Deukmejian also commended Poochigian’s ability to work with the
majority party. “Chuck Poochigian is so respected by all members of the
California Legislature that he is able to introduce strong legislation
across a broad range of issues and work it all the way into law,”
Deukmejian said. “As Governor and Attorney General, George Deukmejian
made public safety his number one priority,” Poochigian said. “Over
the years, his passion for protecting the safety of California’s
citizens, his commitment to public service, his intelligence and
his integrity have taught me a great deal about leadership. I am
very honored to have his endorsement.” Poochigian is serving in his
second term in the State Senate. He previously served four years in
the State Assembly. Poochigian worked for both Deukmejian and former
Gov. Pete Wilson, serving as Wilson’s Appointments Secretary.

National football team returns
By a staff reporter

Jordan Times
March 28 2005

AMMAN – The national football team returned home on Sunday after losing
2-1 in a friendly match against the Cypriot national team in Larnaca.

Team officials headed by coach Mahmoud Al Johary said they were
satisfied with the performance of the newcomers to the lineup,
although the team missed many scoring chances.

Cyprus scored in the 9th and 29th minutes, before Hassan Abdul Fattah
gave Jordan its sole goal in the 80th minute to make it 2-1.

The lineup for the Cyprus match missed star players from Faisali
(due to their participation in the Asian Champions Cup qualifiers) as
well as professional players Hassouneh Sheikh and Bashar Bani Yasin,
both playing in Bahrain.

Jordan will next play Iraq on June 9, the Armenian national team Aug.
17 in Amman and again in Yerevan, Armenia, on Oct. 6, and Qatar Nov.
16.

This week, Jordan’s FIFA world ranking dropped one place to 42nd
from the highest ever of 37th in August 2004, compared to 96th in
August 2002.

Jordan is still 5th among Arab countries in the rankings (behind Saudi
Arabia, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia) and 5th in Asia (behind Japan,
Iran, South Korea and Saudi Arabia).

Jordan’s ranking shot up around 100 spots in two years after reaching
the 2004 Asian Cup finals for the first time in the event’s 49-year
history and maintaining a good showing in the first leg of the 2006
World Cup qualifiers.

The national team was revamped at the beginning of the year following
Jordan’s elimination from the first round of the World Cup qualifiers
as well as the finals of the Asian Cup in 2004. Well-known faces were
replaced by players mostly under 25 years of age with the hope that
they would have the consistency and competitive form when Jordan next
plays in the Asian Cup qualifiers early next year.

The new lineup held Norway to a goalless draw in a friendly match in
Amman earlier this year.

Hoping for long-term results, players who were no longer performing as
expected, including veterans like team captain Abdullah Abu Zame’h,
Mouayyad Salim, Haitham Shboul, Rateb Awadat and Amer Deeb, have
been replaced by not so well-known faces that made their mark in the
Premier League Championship.

Johary said the new lineup intended to have a median age of 26 by
2007, adding that the list was by no means final and would continue
to be assessed prior to the Asian qualifiers in February 2006.

Turkish Daily News
March 28 2005

Domestic Newsline
Monday, March 28, 2005

Pamuk’s books burned in flag display demonstration

ANK ~V Turkish Daily News

Writer Orhan Pamuk’s books along with flags of the outlawed
Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK/Kongra-Gel) were burned during a flag
display demonstration on Sunday in Bilecik, 313 kilometers west of
Ankara, reported the Doðan News Agency.

The demonstration was prompted by an attempt to burn a Turkish flag
in the southern city of Mersin during Nevroz celebrations last week.

Ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Bilecik deputy Fahrettin
Poyraz and Republican People’s Party (CHP) Bilecik deputy Yaþar Tüzün
attended the demonstration.

The demonstrators carried banners condemning internationally
renowned writer Pamuk for claiming that large numbers of Armenians
and Kurds were killed in Turkey.

–Boundary_(ID_0nMKKn5h3OKiEZmS46FLhw)–

A ‘warehouse of evil’
By S. Rob Sobhani

Washington Times
March 28 2005

The recent arrest of 18 people planning to smuggle Soviet-made
grenade launchers, shoulder-fired missiles and other Russian military
weapons into the United States is a disturbing national-security
problem connecting unresolved conflicts in the former Soviet Union to
our homeland security.

According to various news reports, the participants in this
dangerous scheme included both Georgians and Armenians, citizens of
two former Soviet republics with continuous ethnic and territorial
conflicts. Georgia is embroiled in a conflict to protect its
territorial integrity from Russian-backed separatists in Abkhazia and
Ossetia. Armenia, on the other hand, is engaged in a 15-year conflict
with neighboring Azerbaijan over the territory of Nagorno-Karabagh.

While continued ethnic conflict in the territory of Georgia
should be of concern to Washington, the more important and worrisome
connection is the involvement of Armenians and that country’s
continued occupation of Azerbaijan. Left unchecked, the conflict
between Armenia and Azerbaijan presents an immediate danger to
America’s energy and homeland security.

Soviet dictator Josef Stalin decided to play the ethnic card to
consolidate power by pitting one group against the other and imposing
artificial boundaries within the Soviet empire. The lingering war
between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the territory of Nagorno-Karabagh
is a tragic result of this ethnic gerrymandering. In 1988, the
ArmeniansofNagorno-Karabagh declared their “independence” and
unification with Armenia. With substantial support from Russia,
Armenia started a full-fledged military campaign in 1991. The ensuing
war led to the occupation of 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s territory by
Armenia and forced about a million Azerbaijanis into the status of
refugee or internally displaced person.

Despite a Russian-brokered cease-fire in 1994, Moscow has
transferred $1 billion in illegal arms to its historic ally, Armenia,
between 1994 and 1997. And although the government of Armenia is
cooperating with U.S. law-enforcement agencies, it now appears that
some Armenians are turning their country into a “warehouse of evil”
and are trying to sell these Soviet missiles and other armaments to
Al Qaeda terrorists for use against the United States. The FBI has
expressed serious concern over shoulder-fired missiles that pose a
major security threat to American airlines.

Ironically, Congress has singled out Armenia for special favor
and Azerbaijan for special disfavor. Between 1992 and 2003, Armenia
received $1.336 billion in assistance from the U.S. government.
Azerbaijan, however, received only $335 million during this same
period. Despite its unjust treatment by the U.S. Congress, Azerbaijan
has remained a steadfast ally of the United States. When tragedy
struck America on Sept. 11, 2001, Azerbaijan offered immediate and
unconditional support.Today, its troops are working side-by-side with
U.S. forces in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq.

Furthermore, Azerbaijan has stood beside the United States on a
major foreign-policy priority of Washington — the uninterrupted
exploration, development and transportation of Caspian Sea oil to
international markets. The anchor of this policy has been the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline running from Baku, the capital of
Azerbaijan, to the Turkish port of Ceyhan on the Mediterranean. On
May 25, this historic pipeline will become operational. Crude oil
from the Caspian Sea — home to 10 percent of the world’s remaining
crude-oil reserves — will be on its way to the East Coast of the
United States.

Clearly, the resolution of this conflict must be of utmost
importance to President Bush, because it does indeed affect our
national security. According to the State Department’s 2005 fact
sheet, the United States does not recognize Nagorno-Karabagh as an
independent country. Washington supports the territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan.

With this in mind, the Bush administration should take a more
robust approach to a swift resolution of the Nagorno-Karabagh
conflict in a fair and balanced manner. The presidents of both
Azerbaijan and Armenia have expressed strong support for a peaceful
resolution of their conflict and Washington should seize on this
goodwill.
A summit at the White House hosted by President Bush could serve
as a catalyst to end this festering regional conflict with its direct
threat to American security. There is international consensus on the
broad outlines of a solution. Armenians must withdraw from all
occupied territories. Azerbaijan should regain full sovereignty over
Nagorno-Karabagh.
The rights of Armenians to live in peace within the territory of
Nagorno-Karabagh must be secured and guaranteed, as must the right of
Azerbaijanis to return to their ancient homeland if they so desire.
The introduction of NATO peacekeepers into the conflict zone would be
a first step towards a permanent solution, thus keeping the region
from manipulation by criminal elements whose goal is to harm America.

When Afghanistan became a “warehouse of evil” for criminals like
Osama bin Laden, Americans paid a heavy price on September 11. We
cannot afford another region of the world to fall prey to criminal
elements. The United States must act now before it is too late.

S. Rob Sobhani is president of Caspian Energy Consulting and a
member of the Committee on the Present Danger.