PanArmenian News
March 17 2005

US SECRET SERVICE AGENT, EXPERT FOR DETECTING FAKE MONEY CONDUCTS
TRAINING IN ARMENIA

17.03.2005 02:36

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Agent of the US Secret Service, expert for
discovering fake money Kevin Boden conducts trainings in Armenia. As
reported by the US Embassy in Yerevan, Boden holds seminars for
officers of law-enforcement bodies, bank and business sector staff.
In the course of the trainings Boden introduces new technology for
detecting fake US dollars. The US Secret Service has provided Armenia
equipment for struggle against forgery. Specifically, Boden has
handed the National Security Service of Armenia a digital
camera-recorder and a high-powered microscope, and Interpol Yerevan
Office was presented with another two camera-recorders.

Agency WPS
What the Papers Say. Part B (Russia)
March 17, 2005, Thursday

HUGO CHAVEZ AND RED HEAT

SOURCE: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, March 17, 2005, pp. 1, 4

Andrei Terekhov, Vladimir Ivanov

The United States is once again claiming that Russian weapons may end
up in the wrong hands. General Ben Craddock has expressed concern
about Russian-Venezuelan cooperation in the military sphere, and
doubts that 100,000 Kalashnikov assault rifles and other weapons will
end up in the Venezuelan military. “If Venezuela is importing weapons
to defend its sovereignty and borders, it is of course free to do so,
like any other country. If it is exporting instability, then the
matter is different,” Craddock told the Armed Forces Committee of the
Senate last Tuesday. In fact, Craddock essentially repeated the
statement the US State Department released in February, the ones
purporting that weapons from Russia “may have a destabilizing effect”
on the situation in the region. Craddock made his statement several
days after the announcement that Moscow was selling 10 helicopters to
Venezuela. Venezuelan Defense Minister Jorje Louis Garcia Carneiro
and Sergei Chemezov of Rosoboroneksport signed the contract on March
10.

Washington has been raising the matter of Russia’s military
cooperation with Syria and Venezuela for months already. The
Americans are concerned that Russian weapons may end up in the hands
of Hezbollah via Syria or Colombian revolutionaries via Venezuela.
Moscow in its turn claims that it doesn’t plan to sell Iglas to Syria
and that the Strelets complexes whose sale to Damascus is being
discussed at this point pose no threat to Israel, Washington’s ally
in the region.

The same goes for Venezuela. Mikhail Troyansky of the Foreign
Ministry describes Washington’s concerns as “artificial and
groundless.” He said: “We explained our position clearly in the
February 11 memorandum. These suspicions apply to absolutely all
weapons sold in the international market.” Troyansky emphasizes that
Venezuela’s neighbors are not at all concerned about the prospect,
and that Russia is operating within the framework of the
international rules for arms exports. “The claims that the arms
deliveries will destabilize the situation are ridiculous, since
America is selling many more weapons to some of Venezuela’s
neighbors,” Troyansky said.

In the meantime, new operations of the so-called “Russian mafia” are
feeding Washington’s anxiety. Yesterday, the American media reported
arrests of 18 members of an international criminal group charged with
an attempt to smuggle $500,000 worth of military hardware into the
country. The detainees claim that the weapons they expected from
Russia allegedly included air defense systems, grenade launchers,
machine guns, and so on. NY DA David Kelly says that the United
States is working together with foreign governments to locate the
shipment. “It seems that we are dealing with people from Eastern
European military circles,” said Kelly.

Christian Spice of the South African Republic and Arthur Solomonjan
of Armenia are the main suspects in a case the FBI has been working
on since last March. According to Solomonjan, the weapons were
expected by ship from Russia (Chechnya). Spice claims that he has
contacts with the Russian mafia in New York. In fact, there are even
the reports that along with the conventional weapons the suspects
planned to import enriched uranium, allegedly for a dirty bomb. The
criminal network was exposed by the FBI that infiltrated it and whose
agent posed as the buyer.

Vitaly Shlykov formerly of the GRU (army intelligence) maintains that
control over Russian arms export is somewhat more effective nowadays
than it was in the 1990s. According to some estimates, more than $1
billion worth of weapons were illegitimately sold then. Shlykov says
that these weapons are usually sold again by the countries that buy
it from Russia openly and legitimately. Unlike America, Russia lacks
an effective mechanism of monitoring the routes the weapons it is
selling take. “This is the task that has to be handled by the Foreign
Ministry,” Shlykov explained. “Unfortunately, it doesn’t include a
special intelligence service keeping an eye on the sale of weapons to
the third countries. The US State Department has a service like
that.”

Emil Dabagjan of the Latin America Institute at the Russian Academy
of Sciences says that Washington is annoyed to see that Venezuela,
which used to buy only American weapons, is looking for alternative
suppliers. Dabagjan says that even president of Venezuela admits that
the United States itself would like to sell weapon to Caracas – but
at a higher price.

Translated by A. Ignatkin

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
March 17, 2005 Thursday 11:43 AM Eastern Time

JCC not focus on Joint Peacekeeping Force reduction – diplomat

By Maria Pshenichnikova
MOSCOW

Russian Ambassador at Large Valery Kenyaikin said the Joint Control
Commission had not discussed the reduction of Joint Peacekeeping
Force.

Summing up the results of the JCC session on Thursday, the Russian
diplomat said, “There was no talk about the reduction of Joint
Peacekeeping Force at the session of the Joint Control Commission.”

“The Joint Peacekeeping Force is a guarantor of peace and an
effective instrument within the JCC,” he stressed.

In his words, “the JCC session was held in a constructive atmosphere.
The sides are seeking to reach agreement on demilitarisation of the
conflict area. They agreed to take certain military-technical
measures till April 1 – reduce the military presence and eliminate
any posts.” “All this should help normalise the situation in the
conflict area,” Kenyaikin said.

Georgia confirmed that it was seeking to continue the negotiations
started on the initiative of South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity.
“Problems related to the organisation of the meeting will be solved
in a routine way,” the Russian diplomat said.

He did not rule out that the next JCC meeting might be held in
Vladikavkaz. “The exact date will be specified later,” Kenyaikin
added.

Georgian State Minister for Conflict Resolution Georgy Khaindrava
said Tbilisi is pleased with Russia’s role in settling conflicts in
Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

In his words, “the Joint Control Commission on the Settlement of the
Georgian-South Ossetian Conflict is working successfully.” “Russian
partners led by Valery Kenyakin are working constructively and often
finding solutions to problems. We can prove of Moscow’s good
attitude.”

At the same time, Khaindrava stressed, “The second stage – the
implementation of the agreements – will be more difficult. It is
important to find a solution to different problems related to
Georgian-Russian relations. Then all conflicts will be settled in
Georgia.”

Commenting on the withdrawal of Russia’s military bases from Batumi
and Akhalkalaki, Khaindrava said, “There will be no presence of third
countries in Georgia after the pullout of Russian troops.” “There are
prerequisites for solving this problem in the near future,” the
minister said. In his view, “the existence of Russia’s bases in
Georgia is not a serious factor for Tbilisi because this is a
mechanism of the 20th century and not the 21st century.”

To this end, Khaindrava said, “The Georgian side is not going to
deploy NATO or any other troops.” He recognised, “Many people took
part in the March 13 meeting in Akhalkalaki to protest against the
withdrawal Russian bases.” According to the minister, this region,
which is mostly populated by Armenians, “was ignored by authorities.
But there is no supernatural in this.” “It is wrong that a lot of
people worked at the bases. According to my information, about 300
people worked there,” Khaindrava explained.

In his view, the absence of control over the Roksky tunnel “led to
the tragedy in Beslan.” “There is no control over the movement of
military forces and hardware through the Roksky tunnel,” the Georgian
minister pointed out.

“We consider this problem both of Georgia and Russia. The events in
the North Caucasus and Beslan prove of this. The interests of
Georgia, Russia and the region will be infringed upon until the
states’ sovereignty is preserved,” Khaindrava emphasised.

Aberdeen Evening Express
March 16, 2005

Lights, Cameron, action!

Moreen Simpson

Big Brother winner Cameron Stout is set to turn into a flash
gangster. The former Orkney fish trader has agreed to take a role in
an all-action film based in Aberdeen.

He will take the part of a top businessman who runs an illegal street
racing business using high-performance cars like Ferraris and Aston
Martins.

The film, Night Driver, will also feature a replica of TV’s Knight
Rider car owned by Aberdonian David Skene.

The film’s writer, director and star is Aberdeen film-maker Ara
Paiaya, who made the Dubbed and Dangerous trilogy.

Ara has also worked with Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung.

Car-mad Cameron already owns a classic MG Midget and is hoping to
invest in a Porsche in the future.

He said today: “I’m absolutely over-the-moon about the chance of
doing this film. It sounds as if I’ll be a sort of high-class Bouley
Boy.

“I’m not yet sure exactly what I’ll have to do. I just know it will
be great fun.” Cameron, 34, also revealed this is not his first time
on the silver screen.

In 1988, he was an extra in Venus Peter – a film shot in Orkney about
a dying fishing community.

“Even though I was an extra, you couldn’t miss me,” he recalls.
“There was a long close-up of a very chunky 16-year-old.” Meanwhile,
27-year-old Ara – an Armenian brought up in Aberdeen – is delighted
the Big Brother star will take part in his film.

He said: “I knew Cameron was a mad keen driver and thought he’d be
ideal for this supporting role.” Filming has started and Ara hopes
everything will be in the can by autumn. But before he can complete
it, Ara needs to recruit 100 extras for a scene at the 80s Club
Tropicana in Chapel Street.

Cameron has rubbished rumours he is planning to stand for Parliament.

A newspaper claimed he had been approached by a Christian political
group to represent them at a constituency in the General Election.

He said today: “I have been contacted by two organisations including
Operation Christian Vote, but I have told them extremely clearly
there is absolutely no way I would consider standing for election. It
is just not my scene.”

[email protected]

PanArmenian News
March 17 2005

AZERI DEFENSE MINISTRY PRESS SECRETARY: `IF WE FEEL THERE IS NO HOPE,
WE WILL BEGIN WAR’

17.03.2005 06:07

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ `The land is just about to escape from under
Armenia’s feed,’ Head of the Press Service of the Defense Ministry of
Azerbaijan Ramiz Melikov told 525 Baku newspaper. In his opinion, the
correlation of the power at the international arena is changing in
the favor of Azerbaijan. At the same time he noted that the potential
of the talks is not used up yet. `If we feel there is not hope, we
will begin a war,’ R. Melikov promised. Having accused the Armenian
party in breaking the truce, the Press Secretary stated, `on the
whole the success of the Azeri diplomacy in the matter of solving the
Karabakh conflict makes Armenians angry and tense.’ As a result they
try to demonstrate power and thus influence the talks, R. Melikov
noted, reminding the PACE resolution adopted in January. `I think its
second cause is connected with approaching April, when Armenians will
mark the 90-th anniversary of the genocide.’ They get a psychosis
this time each year, `the Armenian disease,’ known from medicine and
inherent only in Armenians, exacerbates. Armenians want to
demonstrate their power to the Azeri people and state. However, it is
senseless,’ the Press Secretary stated. Referring to some military
experts, Ramiz Melikov added `the activation of Armenians at the
Aghdam and Terter directions is due to the front line lying close to
Stepanakert at these stretches.’ `They expect danger at those
segments and thus fire upon the positions of the Azeri army, try to
take control of the strategic heights,’ Melikov stated, adding `today
all crucial heights at the Aghdam and Terter directions are
unfortunately keeps by Armenians.’

PanArmenian News
March 17 2005

WHILE US RELATIONS WITH TURKEY KEEP EXACERBATING, THOSE WITH ARMENIA
STRENGTHEN

17.03.2005 05:35

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The US Congress has refused to provide $1 billion
to Turkey to eliminate the consequences of the hostilities at the
Turkish-Iraqi border, the Armenian Assembly of America reported. The
Bush Administration had proposed providing assistance to Turkey after
the beginning of the military operations in Iraq and it depended upon
Turkey’s cooperation with the US in the Iraqi issue. However, due
Turkey failing to meet the terms of the agreement, in compliance with
a request of the Bush Administration the US Congress declared the
proposal on providing aid to Turkey void. As noted by the AAA, «as
the US-Turkey relations keep exacerbating, the US relations with
Armenia strengthen.» The fact that George Bush considers Armenia «an
important US partner» in fighting terror evidences it.

PanArmenian News
March 17 2005

NKR DEFENSE MINISTRY PROVIDED EVIDENCE TO OSCE ON AZERI UNITS FIRING
UPON KARABAKH POSITIONS

17.03.2005 04:05

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The OSCE mission yesterday held an extra-planned
monitoring of the contact line between the Armed Forces of Nagorno
Karabakh and Azerbaijan in Martakert region. Incidents of March 7 and
9 took place right here through the Azeri party’s fault. These
entailed human causalities. In the course of the monitoring
representatives of the NKR Defense Ministry provided evidence to the
OSCE mission on Azeri units firing upon Karabakh positions, as well
as the results of the actions aimed at advancing Azeri positions at
the line of demarcation.

PanArmenian News
March 17 2005

NKR DEFENSE MINISTRY: AZERBAIJAN RESPONSIBLE FOR CASUALTIES AT
CONTACT LINE MARCH 7 AND 9

17.03.2005 03:13

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Nagorno Karabakh Republic Defense Ministry
flatly denied reports of Azeri media referring to the Defense
Ministry of Azerbaijan March 15 on alleged skirmish in Aghdam
direction. As NKR Defense Minister commented, an attempt to turn
everything on its head and accuse Nagorno Karabakh in breaking the
cease-fire regime is evident in the obvious disinformation, which
comes from the Azeri party. It is Azerbaijan who is responsible for
the incidents ac the contact line March 7 and 9, which resulted in
casualties, the NKR Defense Ministry noted. Simultaneously, when
commenting on Azeri Turan news agency today’s report on alleged
skirmish – again in the Aghdam direction, the source noted that no
breaks were registered at the time mentioned. As reported by Arminfo
news agency, commenting on a report of Day.az Azeri news agency on
alleged exchange of fire at the contact line of the Armenian and
Azeri Armed Forces in Ijevan (Armenia)-Gazakh (Azerbaijan) region
March 14, Press Secretary of the Armenian Defense Ministry, Colonel
Seyran Shahsuvarian called it false. In his words, it is uttermost
disinformation, at that not only regarding `the shots from the
Armenian side’, but also shots of the Azeri party. `There was no fire
even from their side. This report is recurrent provocation,’ the
Press Secretary noted, adding that there were not shots in the
mentioned region lately. In his words, the Azeri party tries to
remind about the stretch of the contact line between the Armed Forces
of Armenia and Azerbaijan when occasion offers and regularly makes
statements on alleged fire.

PanArmenian News
March 17 2005

ARMENIAN AND AZERI MPs TO MEET IN BRUSSELS MARCH 17-18

17.03.2005 03:08

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ March 17-18 Members of Parliaments of Armenia and
Azerbaijan will have a meeting in Brussels, in the course of which
the draft report drawn by OSCE Parliamentary Assembly rapporteur on
Nagorno Karabakh Goran Lenmarker will be discussed, Regnum news
agency reported. The Armenian party will be represented at the
meeting by Head of the OSCE PA delegation, Vice-Speaker Vahan
Hovhannisian and delegation member Samvel Nikoyan. Goran Lenmarker’s
report is expected to be presented in the course of the OSCE PA
summer session in Washington. In an earlier interview with Trend
Azeri agency Goran Lenmarker stated that `the OSCE PA report aims at
attraction of the attention of the international community.’ In his
opinion, the protraction of the solution of the problem `is due to
the international community not having sufficient information over
the conflict and low interest towards it.’ However, the rapporteur
supposed that the final settlement of the problem depends on the
parties themselves. `I hope for the discussion of the issue at the
OSCE PA to speed up the conflict solution.’ Simultaneously Lenmarker
noted that his mission does not lie in interfering with the OSCE
Minsk Group work. `Both in the PACE and the OSCE PA the report on
Karabakh will be of familiarization nature and it will note the
causes of the conflict, the current situation and prospects of its
settlement,’ he noted.

PanArmenian News
March 17 2005

HOLOCAUST MIGHT HAVE NOT TAKEN PLACE IF WORLD HAD UNITED AGAINST
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE, SAYS ADDRESS OF JEWISH COMMUNITY OF ARMENIA

17.03.2005 02:56

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Jewish community of Armenia urges Jewish
organizations of the world to express their civil position in the
issue of recognition of the Armenian Genocide. The address of the
Jewish community of Armenia to Jewish organizations of the world
accentuates that monstrous outrage of Ottoman Turkey against its
citizens annihilated 1.5 million Armenians. The fact fell into
oblivion for many decades and was not denounced by the humanity.
Holocaust might have not happened if the world in its time united
against this atrocity, as it is fighting against terror now. No
political or economic interests should hamper recognition of human
tragedies, the document says. According to the report, the issue of
recognition of the Armenian Genocide is by no means directed against
the Turkish people. Quite the contrary – it will raise the opinion of
the civilized world about them, as it was in the case of Germany,
which had recognized the fact of the Nazi state annihilating 6
million Jews. `On the eve of the Commemoration Day of the Genocide
victims we address those, who are not indifferent towards recognition
of the historical truth and ask to pay homage to the memory of those
victims,’ the address says.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress