US CONGRESSMEN CONGRATULATE NAGORNO KARABAKH ON THE SEVENTEENTH ANNIVERSARY
OF THE NAGORNO KARABAKH FREEDOM MOVEMENT.

STEPANAKERT, FEBRUARY 18. ARMINFO. In connection with the 17th
anniversary of Nagorno Karabakh Freedom Movement, US Congressmen Joe
Knollenberg and Frank Palone Jr. sent a congratulation message to
the Naorny karabakh people and President of NKR Arkady Ghouakasian.

The Chief Information Department, NKR President, informs ARMINFO
that the message in particular says: Dear President Ghoukasian and
the people of Nagorno Karabakh: We congratulate the people of Nagorno
Karabakh on the seventeenth anniversary of the Nagorno Karabakh Freedom
Movement. As we all know, the Karabakh Movement was the first sustained
campaign for freedom in the former Soviet Union. On February 20,
1988 the people of Nagorno Karabakh officially petitioned the Soviet
government to correct the historical injustices of Soviet dictator
Joseph Stalin by reuniting the area with Armenia.

This peaceful and legal request was met with violent reactions from
the central Soviet and Azerbaijani leadership, which escalated into
full military aggression against Nagorno Karabakh. The people of
Nagorno Karabakh bravely defended their right to live in freedom on
their ancestral land. Today, Nagorno Karabakh continues to strengthen
its statehood with a democratically elected government, capable armed
forces and an independent foreign policy.

On this anniversary, we reiterate our unwavering support to Nagorno
Karabakh’s freedom, democracy and continued economic development.

Last year, the U.S. Congress appropriated another $3 million in
foreign assistance to Nagorno Karabakh to help you rebuild your land
and restore your lives, devastated by Azerbaijan’s war against your
freedom. We assure you that we will continue to do everything we can
to ensure that your interests are represented in Congress.

As always, we applaud your constructive approach and ongoing
contribution to peace and stability in the region. Our support for
your democracy and your quest to live free, under the government of
your own choosing, remains strong.

MANY FRENCH ARE SCEPTICAL ABOUT TURKEY’S EU BID ACCORDING TO A
POLL BY CSA PUBLISHED

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 18. ARMINFO. Influential Armenian lobby of France
is against Turkey’s accession to the European Union.

French journal Valeurs Actuelles reports, in December, the EU agreed
to begin accession talks with Turkey on Oct. 3, 2005. The EU with this
decision confirmed that Turkey has fulfilled all the requirements
for full-membership including democratization, human rights and
economy. Similarly the racist and anti-Muslim French groups claim
that Turkey is a Muslim country and there is no place in the EU for
the Muslims. Religionist groups in many European countries defend
that the EU is a civilazation project and Christianity is one of the
most important columns.

ANDRANIK MARGARIAN: WE HOPE THAT COURT OF BUDAPEST TO MAKE JUST
DECISION REGARDING CASE ON MURDER OF ARMENIAN OFFICER

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19. ARMINFO. “We hope that the court of Budapest
will pass a just verdict regarding the case on the murder of the
Armenian officer Gurgen Margarian”, Prime MInister of Armenia Andranik
Margarian stated.

To remind, on Feb 19, 2004 senior lieutenant of Armenian armed forces
Gurgen Margarian was killed by Azerbaijani officer Ramil Safarov. The
trial concerning this case is in process in the Budapest court/

The prime minister of Armenia expressed confidence that the results
of the expert examination will show that Ramil Safarov perpetrated
wilful homicide, coolly and in mentally sane state. All the attempts
of the Azerbaijani side to delay the trial and even to raise Safarov
to the second rank of hero in Azerbaijan will doom to failure,
he said. “Of course we cannot return the life to Gurgen Margarian,
but we must continue making every effort at all the levels to reach
rendering fair sentence”, Andranik Margarian said.

Armenian premier wants Hungary to pass fair sentence on Azeri officer

Arminfo
19 Feb 05

Yerevan, 19 February: “We hope that the Budapest city court will pass
a fair sentence on the murder of Armenian officer Gurgen Markaryan,”
Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan has said.

We should remind you that during an English language course under the
aegis of NATO in February 2004, the senior lieutenant of the Armenian
armed forces, Gurgen Markaryan, was hacked to death by Azerbaijani
officer Ramil Safarov on 19 February last year. The trial on this
case is being held at the Budapest court.

The Armenian prime minister today expressed his confidence that the
results of the forensic examination clearly show that Ramil Safarov
had committed the murder deliberately, in cold blood and in a mentally
healthy condition. All the attempts of the Azerbaijani side to spin
out the trial on various pretexts, transfer it into the political
sphere and declare Safarov a hero in Azerbaijan will fail, the prime
minister said.

“Of course, we cannot resuscitate Gurgen Markaryan, but we should
continue making every effort at all levels to achieve a fair sentence,”
Markaryan said.

ILHAM ALIYEV AND VLADIMIR PUTIN DISCUSSED MILITARY-TECHNICAL COOPERATION

MOSCOW, FEBRUARY 17. ARMINFO-TURAN. Working visit of Azeri President
Ilham Aliyev to Russia has concluded. It was devoted to opening of
the Year of Azerbaijan in Russia. Aliyev has held talks with Russian
President Vladimir Putin to discuss development of trade-economic
cooperation, measures to prevent international terrorism, perspectives
of the Karabakh conflict settlement and expanding of humanitarian
and cultural ties.

Russian president press office reports that “presidents have discussed
possibilities of military-technical cooperation between Russia and
Azerbaijan.”

The agreement on military-technical cooperation between Azerbaijan
and Russia was signed in Baku in February 2003 during an official
visit of Russian Defence Minister Sergey Ivanov to Azerbaijan.

During his official visit to Russia Ilham Aliyev has held an unplanned
meeting with Defence Minister to discuss military-technical issues.
Unofficial sources report that the Russian side is going to sell its
weapons to Azerbaijan.

The Karabakh conflict was another subject of negotiations. Russia, as
another OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen, offers parties to the conflict
to find agreement themselves and mediators could act as guarantors
of the agreement. At the ceremony of opening of Year of Azerbaijan
Putin said “Russia is going to assist to find a worthy settlement of
the Karabakh conflict and safeguard security in this region.”

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

rds_guide/bureau_of_naval_personnel_rg024.html

Na tional Archives of the United States

Records of the Bureau of Naval Personnel
(RECORD GROUP 24)
1798-1991
(bulk 1798-1956)

24.10 MOTION PICTURES (GENERAL)
1917-27

World War I naval operations and activities, including anti- submarine
patrols, minelaying, convoy and escort duty, submarine maneuvers, and
training; ship launching and maintenance; torpedo production and firing;
Liberty Loan promotions and patriotic celebrations; Armistice celebrations;
captured German equipment; U.S. and foreign political and military leaders;
foreign naval vessels; President Woodrow Wilson’s second inauguration; the
airship Los Angeles (ZRS-3) over New York; and lighter-than-air craft
rescuing fishermen, 1917-18 (44 reels). Naval activities after World War I,
including aerial mapping techniques, rescue of Armenian refugees from
Turkey, evacuation of personnel from grounded and burning ships, escort
duty, and training, 1918-27 (57 reels).

SOCIETY SHOULD ASSESS JUDICIAL SYSTEM

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
19 Feb 05

On February 15 the meeting of the board of the NKR Office of Public
Prosecutor took place, which discussed the results of work done
in 2004 and the statements of the qualification committee. At the
meeting were present NKR President A. Ghukassian, Public Prosecutor
M. Ghukassian, other representatives of the judicial system. The
meeting discussed the work of the police in the previous year, the
necessity and means of improving the effectiveness of the work of the
police. It was mentioned that in the previous year the office of the
public prosecutor conducted checking 115 times and revealed 403 cases
of infractions. According to the statement, the recorded infractions
are typical of almost all the regions with slight differences. Although
numbers are for the good work of the police, there are still unsolved
problems. The public prosecutors of the regions said, they do not
have necessary conditions for better work. For example, the regions of
Shahumian and Kashatagh do not have means of communication, telephone
and transport. Another important question is the problem of training
and qualifying specialists. In 2004 96 suits for protection of state
interests were filed with total claims of 61 million 787 thousand
drams, which were mainly satisfied by the court. The analysis of the
juvenile delinquency rates for 2003 and 2004 showed that in 2004
the rate of juvenile crime grew considerably. To compare, in 2003
17 adolescents committed 13 crimes, whereas in 2004 48 adolescents
committed 34 crimes. On the whole, 518 crimes were committed in NKR
in 2004 (decreasing by 87 against 2003, of these 391 are defined by
criminal law). The majority of delinquencies are connected with rental
of land, government loans. According to the statement of the public
prosecutor of the region of Martuni, the growth of the crime rate
is also determined by the social conditions of people. The majority
of people who committed theft are married men under 40 (who have
to supply their families). Promising to settle the problems which
directly depend on the government, the president of NKR mentioned the
importance of cooperation between the police, courts and the office
of the public prosecutor.

SRBUHI VANIAN.
19-02-2005

CHARITY

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
19 Feb 05

The public organization “Hanganak” was established in June, 2004
which differs from other organizations as it implements only charity
programs. According to the director of the program, gynecologist Gohar
Hovhanissian, the aim of the organization is to improve the life of
sole pensioners living in Stepanakert, including their health ane
providing them with necessary medicine. “Taking into account the fact
that pensioners in Karabakh are the most indigent class in Karabakh
and need aid, we decided with the founders to implement a social
and medical program,” said Gohar Hovhanissian. Presently “Hanganak”
provides aid to 150 pensioners living in Stepanakert. According to the
director of the program, the organization is presently going through an
important stage. The success of the program will determine whether the
organisation is accomplished. Much depends on the work of its members.

LAURA GRIGORIAN.
19-02-2005

Rights watchdog urges Baku to investigate death of opposition prisoner

Turan news agency, Baku
19 Feb 05

New York, 19 February: The Azerbaijani authorities have to conduct
a fair investigation into the death of prisoner Alqayit Maharramov,
20, who had been jailed for his involvement in the October 2003
developments [post-election riots], the international rights
organization Human Rights Watch has said.

Maharramov, who died in prison No 17, had been sentenced to three
years’ imprisonment. A total of 125 people have been sentenced for
protesting at falsifications in the [15 October 2003 presidential]
elections.

“This is the tragic end of the man and an unfavourable page in the
history of Azerbaijan,” Rachel Denber, acting executive director of
Human Rights Watch for Europe and Central Asia, said. “The Azerbaijani
authorities have to find out the causes [of Maharramov’s death]
and explain what happened to this young man,” she added.

[Passage omitted: reported details]

“Maharramov was one of the dozens of people convicted after October
2003 and his death reaffirms that the government should release or
reconsider the cases of those convicted in connection with those
developments,” Denber said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azeri police impound weapons from district residents

ANS Radio, Baku
19 Feb 05

The Agdam District Police Department has uncovered and seized three
Kalashnikov machine guns, eight rifles, 21 hand grenades and 3,200
cartridges from local residents.

The district police department reports that some of the weapons were
voluntarily handed over to the police after a propaganda campaign
and others were uncovered after anonymous phone calls.

The ammunition is said to have been acquired during the first
Karabakh war.