AZERI PRESIDENT THANKS KAZAKHSTAN FOR CONSTANT SUPPORT IN KARABAKH ISSUE

YEREVAN, MARCH 1. ARMINFO. Azeri President Ilham Aliev has thanked
Kazakhstan for its constant support of “Azerbaijan’s fair position to
settle the Nagorny Karabakh conflict in compliance with the principles
of the international law,” reports 525th newspaper (Baku).

In a meeting with Kazakh Prosecutor General Rashid Tusupbekov Aliev
said that Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan have always supported each other
in all political processes inside and outside the region, under global
economic projects and on international issues.

Tusupbekov said that Kazakhstan gives high importance to its relations
with Azerbaijan. He said that social political stability in both
countries is an engine for their further economic development.

Karabakh denies Azeri agency’s postage stamp reports

Arminfo
1 Mar 05

YEREVAN

The press service of the NKR [Nagornyy Karabakh republic] has
described as yet another propaganda move the report of the Azerbaijani
news agency Azartac that the Universal Postal Union has allegedly
ruled that the stamps depicting a Karabakh horse produced by the
Karabakh are void.

The Artsakhpochta [Karabakh post] closed-type joint-stock company
recently issued three new postage stamps – the Artsakh golden horse
and two stamps based on the Holy Nativity scene, the press service of
the NKR government has told Arminfo.

The source added that the choice of the Artsakh golden horse stamp was
not accidental – last year Azerbaijan issued a stamp depicting the
famous Artsakh golden horse and called it an Azerbaijani golden
horse. The issuance of the stamp was an appropriate response to yet
another attack by the Azerbaijani side.

VLADIMIR RUSHAYLO: I THINK IT MY DUTY TO VISIT MEMORIAL FOR VICTIMS OF
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

YEREVAN, MARCH 3. ARMINFO. Today, Head of the CIS Executive
Committee, Executive Secretary Vladimir Rushaylo has visited the
memorial for the Victims of the Armenian Genocide in ottoman Turkey at
the beginning of the last century “Tsiternakaberd.” Vladimir Rushaylo
laid a wreath on the memorial and bowed to the perpetual fire, and
poured water on the tree planted earlier. “Each people has its sacred
places. This Memorial is a sacred place of the Armenian people and I
think it my duty to visit it when I am in Yerevan,” Rushaylo said. It
should be noted that it is Vladimir Rushaylo’s fifth visit to the
Memorial.

Armenian premier denies tension within ruling coalition

Noyan Tapan news agency
3 Mar 05

YEREVAN

There is no tension within the ruling coalition and there are no
reasons for its collapse, Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan
said at a meeting with journalists on 2 March. He said that none of
the provisions of the declaration signed by the coalition parties has
been breached so far. Therefore, one should not artificially create
an opinion that allegedly the situation in the coalition is very bad
and that it will collapse soon. The prime minister said it could take
each party only a few hours to find a reason to leave the coalition.

At the same time, no matter what minister’s portfolio the coalition
members hold, they are all responsible for the government’s activity,
Markaryan stressed.

Commenting on criticism of the executive authorities, the prime
minister said that the criticism applied to all the coalition parties
equally. Commenting on the statement of representatives of the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation – Dashnaktsutyun and the Orinats
Yerkir [Law-Governed Country] Party that the government has merged
with the criminal world, the primer minister said: “I would suggest
that both parties submit to me, as the head of the executive
authorities, the information they have, especially concerning the
merger within the ministries and departments they head.”

Andranik Markaryan expressed confidence that “there is no pressure on
the president from any foreign forces and this is not expected in the
near future” and therefore, it is not worth speaking about the
president’s possible resignation as a result of this pressure.

[Passage omitted: minor details]

Law restricting smoking comes into force in Armenia

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
2 Mar 05

The law restricting the sale, consumption and use of tobacco products
comes into force in Armenia 3 March.

The law prohibits the sale of tobacco products to those under the age
of 18. It also prohibits the sale and use of tobacco products at
cultural, educational and sports facilities, in public health
institutions and in public transport.

Smoking in restaurants and cafes is allowed only in special halls for
smokers. World Health Organization data indicates that Armenia has the
highest proportion of smokers of all the CIS states.

Some 2,000 people between the ages of 35 and 69 die every year in
Armenia from ailments caused by smoking. [Passage omitted: smokers
don’t like new law]

European official details Armenia’s action plan for New Neighbourhood
programme

Mediamax news agency
3 Mar 05

YEREVAN

The head of the economic, political and information department of the
European Commission delegation in Georgia and Armenia, Jacques
Vantomme, presented in Yerevan today the report on Armenia published
by the European Commission on 2 March.

Vantomme said that the European Commission has recommended that the
Council of the European Union initiate talks with Armenia on the
beginning of the work on the Individual Action Plan within the
framework of the EU’s New Neighbourhood policy.

Vantomme pointed out that the main provisions of the Individual Action
Plan include:

strengthening democratic institutions and reform of the election
legislation in accordance with the recommendations of the Council of
Europe and the OSCE, holding democratic elections, reform of the local
government system and of constitution in accordance with the Council
of Europe recommendations;

strengthening the protection of human right and fundamental freedoms;

improving the business climate and modernizing the public sector;

continuing efforts to fight corruption, reform of the tax and customs
administration and legislation, ensuring progress in poverty
reduction;

mothballing the Armenian nuclear power plant;

ensuring progress in the settlement of conflicts and enhanced regional
cooperation.

Vantomme confirmed today that the European Union is ready to allocate
100m euros to Armenia to provide it with alternative energy sources
after the nuclear power plant has been mothballed. Although the
European Union insists on closing down the nuclear power plant, no
specific date has been given, he added.

Commenting on the settlement of conflicts, Vantomme pointed out that
in the future the European Union will continue to render the necessary
assistance to the OSCE Minsk Group in the settlement of the Nagornyy
Karabakh conflict.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

[Congressional Record: March 2, 2005 (Extensions)]
[Page E328-E329]
The Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:cr02mr05-20]

TRIBUTE TO PEOPLE OF NAGORNO KARABAKH

______

HON. MARTIN T. MEEHAN

of massachusetts

in the house of representatives

Wednesday, March 2, 2005

Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the people of
Nagomo Karabakh, who recently celebrated the seventeenth anniversary of
their National Freedom Movement.
On February 20, 1988, the courageous people of Nagomo Karabakh
officially petitioned the Soviet government to reunite their homeland
with Armenia. They sought to correct the injustices of the brutal
Stalin regime, under which the ethnic Armenian population of Nagomo
Karabakh was involuntarily placed within the borders of Azerbaijan.
Despite the peaceful request by the Nagomo Karabakh Freedom Movement,
the central Soviet and Azerbaijani leadership responded with violence,
which escalalated to a brutal campaign against the people of Nagomo
Karabakh. These brave citizens refused to give up their right to live
in freedom on their ancestral land, fighting for the principles of
democracy and human rights upon which our own country was founded.
Today, the unwavering strength of the Freedom Movement can be seen in
the democratically-elected government of Nagomo Karabakh. As a member
of the Congressional Caucus on Armenia Issues, I congratulate the
people of Nagomo Karabakh for their steadfast commitment to promoting
freedom, democracy and economic development over the past seventeen
years.
It is my hope that the past efforts of Nagomo Karabakh to achieve a
peaceful secession from Azerbaijan will help bring a peaceful
resolution to the ongoing conflict with Azerbaijan.

RECONCILIATION MARCH IN TBILISI

Azg
4 March 05

A procession aimed at removing discords aroused in connection with
Armenian Surb Astvatsatsin church in Norashen was held in Tbilisi
yesterday.

Mari Mikoyan, head of Nor Serund NGO in Tbilisi, told daily Azg in a
telephoned interview that the NGO she spearheads and the National
Union of Georgia’s Youth Organizations organized a reconciliation
march to help Armenian and Georgian churches overcome problems they
face.

Few dozens of Armenians and Georgians started the march from St Zion
Georgian church, halted at Norashen Armenian church and then moved to
Surb Gevorg church where they were welcomed by the head of Georgia’s
Armenian diocese, bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanian and father Abgar.

“The slogan we, the Armenian and Georgian young people, have chosen is
this: â=80=98 We live in Georgia and have no discords'”, Mari Mikoyan
said addingthat both churches blessed the procession participants.

“We want to prove that Armenians and Georgians have no
disagreements. This action was meant to explain that the issue around
Norashen should be solvedby the two churches and we, the NGOs, are
only mediators and are wishing to see a peaceful settlement”, Mikoyan
said.

The church of Norashen first appeared in the limelight in 1989 when
Georgia’s chauvinistic leader, Zviad Gamsakhurdia, and Ilya II
Catholicos set a goal to take hold of the church together with other
Armenian, Russian and Greek churches. The church served as a library
during the soviet rule. The books were taken out in 1995 and Georgian
priest, Tariel, started “repair” and “georgization” of the church. The
Armenians of Georgia and the late head ofthe Armenian diocese, Gevorg
Seraydarian, expressed their resentment to ex-president Eduard
Shevardnadze, Tbilisi mayor Niko Kelishvili and Georgian Catholicos
Ilya II.

The official Yerevan also intervened. Armenian embassy to Georgia sent
a note to the Foreign Affairs Ministry. The ruckus over Norashen
church stopped for over 10 years as a result of various negotiations.

By Tatoul Hakobian

ERDOGAN SUGGESTED TO SETTLE GENOCIDE ISSUE

Azg
4 March 05

Deniz Bayqal, chairman of Democratic-Republican Party, drew the
attention of his party members to the activities connected with the
recognition of the Armenian Genocide that had been unfolded in foreign
parliaments for many years, in the course of the meeting at Turkish
National Assembly, on March 1.He emphasized the importance of that
issue.

Bayqal stated that he is going to meet Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish
prime minister, on the issue. “Bring any information on this issue you
have. We can’t let the world accuse us of that as a result of
propaganda. If we committed a crime, we will do what we should do. But
we can’t close our eyes onthose accusations. The history will show
that Turkey has no burden on him. I suggest the prime minister to work
together to throw off the sign of the criminal that is put on us by
denying the history,” he added.

Milliet informed about the suggestion made by Bayqal in its March 2
issue. At the same time, the newspaper mentioned that the suggestion
envisages to create a united committee of Armenian and Turkish
historians with the assistance of UNESCO to study the issue of the
Armenian Genocide.

By Hakob Chakrian

WOLFGANG BOSBACH: TURKEY CANNOT CONTUNUE TO DENY ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

YEREVAN, MARCH 3. ARMINFO. Turkey cannot continue to deny the fact of
Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey at the beginning of the 20th
century, Leader of the faction of Christian-Democratic and
Christian-Socialist unions of Germany’s Parliament Wolfgang Bosbach
stated at an action organized in Cologne by the Union of Turkish
Democrats on the topic of “How Will be Conducted Negotiations With
Turkey?”

According to the Turkish “Hurriyet” newspaper, the statement of the
German opposition leader caused discontent of Juneyd Zapsui, the
foreign affairs adviser of Turkish Prime-Minister. He said that Turkey
is ready to discuss these issues with Armenian representatives but not
Armenian Diaspora. The adviser also noted that there are other
problems to discuss and tried to divert the participants’ attention
from the theme of Genocide. In response of this statement Bosbach
perpexedly noted, “What issues Turkey may have concerning Armenia
besides the Genocide issue”.

He stressed that if Ankara wants to be a member of the European family
it must change its position in the Genocide issue. Zapsui stopped the
discussions and stated that if their ancestors were actually
barbarians there would be no Christian left in Eastern Europe.