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SITUATION AT LISBON SUMMIT IN 1996, WHEN A DEFEATIST DOCUMENT ON
SETTLEMENT OF KARABAKH CONFLICT WAS FORCED UPON ARMENIA, MAY REPEAT
AT CE SUMMIT IN WARSAW: LEADER OF NDP

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 17. ARMINFO. If the international community
further considers Karabakh conflict as a territorial dispute between
Armenia and Azerbaijan, the situation at Lisbon Summit in 1996,
when a defeatist document on settlement of Karabakh conflict was
forced upon Armenia, may repeat at CE Summit in Warsaw fixed for May
2005. Leader of the opposition National Democratic Party Shavarsh
Kocharyan made this statement at a press conference at the Armenian
Parliament, Thursday.

He says that the present authorities of Armenia, who ousted Karabakh
from negotiation process, are responsible for transformation of
the Karabakh conflict into a territorial dispute between Armenia and
Azerbaijan in the eyes of the international community. If in 1991 after
the referendum of independence in Nagorny Karabakh Armenia recognized
the independence of NKR and demanded the international community to
do the same, now a considerable progress would have been reached in
this issue and there would be countries recognizing the sovereignty
of Nagorny Karabakh. He says that in 1991 several Latin-American
countries were ready to recognize the independence of Nagony Karabakh,
however the former ruling regime in Armenia “in the person of” the
Armenian National Movement categorically refused from such policy.
Unfortunately, the present authorities of Armenia did not do it either,
Savarsh Kocharyan says. In this connection, Shavarsh Kocharyan states
that Armenia must recognize the independence of Nagorny Karabakh only
after democratic elections are held in the country and a legitimate
power is formed.

Meanwhile, he says that the positions of the Armenian party in the
Karabakh problem are invulnerable from the legal point of view, and
the Karabakh conflict differs from the remaining regional conflicts
just with this. He notes that yet in 1991 Nagorny Karabakh held a
referendum of independence in conformity with international legal norms
and the USSR Law on the order of withdrawal of the Soviet Republics
from the USSR. As a result, two sovereign states, Nagorny Karabakh
Republic and Azerbaijani Republic, were formed in the territory of
the former Azerbaijani Soviet Socialist Republic. Shavarsh Kocharyan
says that if the Armenian party constantly attracted the attention
of international structures to the legal aspect of Karabakh conflict,
the Azerbaijani propaganda based on falsified facts, would fail. After
all when Azerbaijan says that allegedly armed groupings exists in
the territory of NKR, the Armenian party can bring real facts that
representatives of Taliban movement and other terrorist groupings
fought on the part Azerbaijan in the course of the liberation fight
for Nagorny Karabakh, Kocharyan says.

SERGEY LAVROV: SOON ARMENIA AS WELL WILL FEEL EFFICIENCY OF ACTION
OF RAILWAY FERRY CAUCASUS-POTI

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 17. ARMINFO. Soon Armenia as well will feel the
efficiency of action of railway ferry Caucasus-Poti. Minister of
Foreign Affairs of Russia Sergey Lavrov informed during the meeting
with Prime Minister of Armenia Andranik Margarian.

ARMINFO was informed in the press office of the Government, in
his turn, the Armenian premier stressed that Armenia highlights
the opening of the railway ferry Caucasus-Poti, which will given an
opportunity considerably to increase volumes of cargo transportation
between Armenia and Russia. Margarian also expressed satisfaction
in connection with Armenia’s joining to international transport
corridor “North-South”. During the meeting Lavrov mentioned that
Russia will consider the interests of Armenia in the sphere of
transport communication will not take steps which may cause a damage
to Armenia. Speaking about the regional problems Andranik Margarian
and Sergey Lavrov pointed out that the development of the economic
cooperation between the countries of the South Caucasian region
and settlement of ways of communication will promote strengthening
of confidence, as well as settlement of conflicts in the region,
including peaceful settlement of Karabakh conflict.

It should be noted that according to the data of the National
Statistical Service of the Republic of Armenia, goods turnover between
Armenia and Russia for 2004 totaled almost $266.2 mln, increasing by
12.9% as against 2003.

FOREIGN MINISTERS OF ARMENIA AND RUSSIA SATISFIED WITH RESULTS OF NEGOTIATIONS

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 17. ARMINFO. All the issues of Armenian-Russian
relations were discussed in the course of Russian Foreign Minister
Sergey Lavrov’s meetings with Armenian leadership. Armenian Foreign
Minister Vardan Oskanyan made this statement at a joint press
conference with his Russian colleague in Yerevan, Thursday.

The Armenian Foreign Minister divided the circle of discussed issues
into 4 parts: bilateral relations, economic, military cooperation,
culture. The second circle included in it regional issues, which are
of extreme importance taking into account the developments in the
neighboring states; and it supposes deepening of Armenian-Russian
cooperation. The third circle includes in it global issues, and the
minister mentioned the cooperation at international organizations in
it. In this connection, the minister mentioned the problem of reforms
at the UN and the OSCE. Russia and Armenia are included into these
processes and have common interests, which demands specification of
positions and development of cooperation. “And, finally the issue
of Nagorny Karabakh. I mainly informed the minister of the process’s
development, our positions. I discussed the possible scenarios and how
to do to achieve positive progress in the negotiations, especially,
taking into account the regular meeting of Armenian and Azerbaijani
foreign ministers on 2 March. We are satisfied with the results of
the visit and sure that it will become an additional impetus for
further development of relations,” Oskanyan said.

In his turn, Russian foreign minister said that the year was expected
to be rich for partner and ally relations of Armenia and Russia. In
his words, agreements adopted by the Intergovernmental Commission
for Economic Cooperation in December 2004 are to be discussed, that
is, expansion of trade, economic cooperation, including investment
projects. “There are agreements on military and technical cooperation
and we have agreed to intensify the consideration of all the issues
agreed on by the parties in order that our presidents are able to see
their fulfillment during the events dedicated to opening of Russian
Year in Armenia. Besides, the two presidents are expected to meet
in Moscow in the course of festivities on the occasion of the 60th
Anniversary of the Victory over Fascism, contacts of foreign ministers
and other officials are planned,” the minister said.

As to regional problems, the Russian party is interested in settlement
of conflicts within the nearest future and in establishment of
economic, energy, transport cooperation between all the states of the
region, the Russian minister said. He added that specific issues were
discussed. He said that in the issue of reforms at the UN and OSCE,
approaches of the two states practically coincided, like their close
positions in the reforms of CIS. “Of course, enough attention was
paid to settlement of Karabakh conflict. We count upon the so-called
Prague process of regular meetings of Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign
Ministers will allow achieving progress, OSCE MG co-chairs are ready
to contribute to this. And we shall do everything for the process
develops successfully and prepares ground for regular talk between
Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents,” the minister said. The agenda
is not in the stage of stagnation. There are no problems in the
Armenian-Russian relations, but they develop constantly demanding
constant attention. We agreed that the two foreign ministries will
control over the fulfillment process of the fundamental agreements
of the presidents, the Russian minister said.

Karabakh special services interrogating three Azeri POWs – Armenian report

Arminfo
17 Feb 05

Yerevan, 17 February: Servicemen of the defence territory No 5 of
Nagornyy Karabakh discovered and captured three Azerbaijani troops at
about 1720 [1320 gmt] on 15 February. The latter crossed the border,
informed sources told an Arminfo correspondent.

The Nagornyy Karabakh special services are currently interrogating
the POWs. They try to find out how the Azerbaijani troops entered
the territory of the Nagornyy Karabakh Republic, was this accidental
or on orders from the Azerbaijani side.

After these circumstances are clarified, the Azerbaijani POWs, to
all appearances, will be exchanged.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CARRIAGES ON BORDER WITH AZERBAIJAN STILL BLOCKED

TBILISI, FEBRUARY 18. ARMINFO-BLACK SEA PRESS. The Union of Producers,
Importers and Consumers of Oil Products of Georgia intends to make
an appeal to the State Chancellery addressed to President Mikheil
Saakashvili asking for a solution to the problem with blockade of
carriages on the Georgian-Azerbaijani boundary, Vano Mtvralashivili
says at a press conference.

He says that the problem originated in early November 2004 may be
solved only with support of the country’s president. He says that
316 carriages are blocked on the boundary at the station Meyuk-Kyasik
alone.

Mtvrashlashvili says that many companies applied to the Union for
assitance, including three Georgian companies, which yet in Oct-Nov
purchased in the Azerbaijani town of Sumgait products of the plants
“Azerkhim,” “Gun OIl” LTD, “Nero” LTD, Favorite LTD. He says that
these companies have letters proving that their cargoes were not for
Armenia as well as relevant references of the Georgian Customs Office,
however the carriages are delayed on the border for unknown reasons.

In his turn, Commercial Director of “Sakartvelos Rkinigza” Ramaz
Giorgadze says that the problem is being solved due to negotiations
of Georgian and Azerbaijani parties, and of 700 carriages not only
316 remain on the border. He says that the company did not suffer any
direct damage from the delay of the carriages. It has not received
the incomes from reception and departure of the carriages, but as
soon as the problem is solved, the Georgian party will receive the
expected sums.

It should be noted that in early Nov 2004 the Azerbaijani party started
detaining the carriages from Azerbaijan to Georgia in order that they
do not occur in Armenia.

PRESS RELEASE

U.C. Berkeley Armenian Studies Program
Contact: Prof. Stephan H. Astourian
Tel: (510) 643-8872
Email: [email protected]

*AMBASSADOR JOHN EVANS TO SPEAK AT U.C. BERKELEY, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 19.*

UC Berkeley—The Honorable John M. Evans, U.S. Ambassador to the Republic
of Armenia, will speak in the Toll Room of the Alumni House at U.C.
Berkeley on Saturday, February 19, 2005, from 2:30 to 4 p.m. Ambassador
Evans was confirmed by the Senate on June 25, 2004 and was sworn in as
the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia on August 11, 2004. He presented his
credentials to President Kocharian on September 4, 2004

This event is organized by Professor Stephan Astourian, Executive
Director of the Armenian Studies Program at UC Berkeley. Ambassador
Evans will give a speech entitled “Report from Armenia: 2004-2005,”
present a video about the work of the Embassy and of the United States
Agency for International Development (USAID) in Armenia, and engage in
an open conversation with the faculty, students, and community members
attending this forum.

A native of Williamsburg, Virginia, Mr. Evans studied Russian history at
Yale (B.A., 1970) and Columbia, where he began a Ph.D. before joining
the Foreign Service. In the first part of his career, he served in
Tehran (1972-74), in Prague (1975-78), in the Executive Secretariat and
Office of the Secretary of State (1978-80), in Moscow (1981-83), at the
U.S. Mission to NATO (1983-86), and as Deputy Director of the Soviet
Desk (1986-89). His role in coordinating the American response to the
Armenian earthquake of 1988 earned him a medal and statement of
appreciation from the Armenian government of that time.

Mr. Evans also served as Deputy Chief of Mission in Prague (1991-94),
and as Consul General in St. Petersburg (1994-97). He was then chosen to
lead the OSCE Mission to Moldova, an international mediation and
peace-keeping effort (1997-99). On his return to Washington in 1999, Mr.
Evans assumed the direction of the State Department’s Office of Analysis
for Russia and Eurasia, winning a Meritorious Honor Award and the CIA
Director’s Exceptional Performance Award. From May 2002 until his
appointment to Yerevan, he directed the Office of Russian Affairs at the
State Department.

Ambassador Evans will be accompanied by Mrs. Donna Evans, former
President of the World Affairs Council of Washington D.C.; Mr. Robin
Phillips, Mission Director in Armenia for USAID; and Mr. Aaron
Sherinian, the Embassy’s Political Officer and Assistance Coordinator in
Yerevan

The best public parking for this event is the Martin Luther King, Jr.
Student Union Garage located on Bancroft Way (left turn from Telegraph
Avenue). More information about all available parking lots can be found
at

For traveling directions to the campus, please go to the following URL:

A large campus map is available at
. The Alumni House is in
the D3 square.

–Boundary_(ID_uQilASddDUNX4qf0dosVJw)–

OSCE concerned about truce violations on Karabakh front line – Azeri agency

Assa-Irada
18 Feb 05

Baku, 17 February: Co-chairs of the Minsk Group (MG) have requested
the OSCE chairman-in-office that the special OSCE mission prepare
a report on the situation on the front line, a source from the
Tbilisi-based office of the OSCE chairman’s special envoy, Andrzej
Kasprzyk, has said.

The MG co-chairs have expressed their concerns over the frequent
cease-fire breaches on the front line over the last few days. “The
situation is clear. The cease-fire has been violated and this should
stop soon. The countries co-chairing the MG are concerned over the
cease-fire breaches, which question the OSCE mediation mission,”
the same source said.

Armenian military units have breached the cease-fire several times
over the last few days, killing and wounding Azerbaijani soldiers
and civilians.

Azeri Defence Ministry confirms three soldiers captured by Armenians

ANS TV, Baku
17 Feb 05

Today beginning from 1330 to 1400 [0930-1000 gmt], the Armenian
troops in the occupied village of Sixlar of Agdam District fired on
the Azerbaijani positions in the village of Orta Qislaq using machine
guns and assault rifles, the Karabakh bureau of ANS TV reports.

The same source reports that the names of the three Azerbaijani
soldiers who lost their way and crossed to the Armenian side, have
become known. They are Tagiyev Hikmat Adam oglu, 21, from Imisli
District; Abdullayev Xayal Idris oglu, 19, from Ganca; and Basirov
Sultan Xaqani oglu, 20, from Samkir District.

The incident occurred in the village of Hasanqala of Tartar District
and the press service of the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry confirmed
this report.

Azeri security minister visits Pakistan, discusses antiterror fight

Turan news agency
17 Feb 05

Baku, 17 February: Azerbaijani Minister of National Security Eldar
Mahmudov visited Pakistan on 11-14 February at the invitation of the
director-general of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence Agency,
Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani. During the visit, Mahmudov had a meeting with
Kiyani, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Ehsanul
Haq, Interior Minister Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao and other officials,
the public relations centre of the Ministry of National Security has
told Turan news agency.

During the negotiations, the sides discussed problems of regional
and international security, cooperation in the sphere of fighting
terrorism, illegal drug trafficking, illegal migration and other
types of transnational crime.

Mahmudov pointed out that the Armenian-occupied territories of
Azerbaijan are being used for transnational criminal activities.

In turn, the Pakistani side said that Islamabad condemns Armenia’s
aggression against Azerbaijan and stressed the need to settle the
conflict in line with international law.

Few signs of hardline agenda after Russian church’s TV station takeover

Channel 3 TV, Moscow
16 Feb 05

A Moscow Region television report has found little evidence of
conservative changes at a small TV station in the Urals recently
bought by the Russian Orthodox Church. Channel 3 TV, whose views
often coincide with the church’s, said Moscow media analysts were
wrong to assume that secular journalists would fail to work with the
new proprietor and that Islam and non-Orthodox Christian faiths would
not be represented in programmes. The following are excerpts from
“Reportazh” programme by Moscow Region Channel 3 TV on 16 February;
subheadings inserted editorially:

[Presenter] The creation of Russia’s first Orthodox Christian
television channel in the Urals has given rise to a lot of rumours and
controversy in Moscow. Human rights activists in Moscow believe that
in this way the Orthodoxy is encroaching on secular life. Furthermore,
an Orthodox television might infringe on the rights of Muslims who
live in the Urals. It was reported in the press that all the former
staff of the Soyuz TV company were dismissed. Journalists are shocked;
they are complaining about the Orthodox Church and protesting. What
is really happening around the Orthodox television channel? Aleksandr
Yegortsev reports.

Church builds multiplatform media empire

[Newsreader presenting the programme] Hello and welcome to the
latest issue of “Eparchy [diocese]: Events of the Week”. I’m Anton
Pepelyayev. In the next 30 minutes –

[Correspondent – interrupting recording] Russia’s first Orthodox
television channel has begun to broadcast in the Urals this year. It
has taken the Yekaterinburg eparchy almost 10 years to get a television
station of its own.

[Dmitriy Baybakov, head of the Yekaterinburg eparchy’s information
and publishing department, captioned] It all started with a parochial
Orthodox newspaper, a church newspaper on two small sheets. Now it
is a church weekly. Several more newspapers have been added to it,
as well as a children’s magazine, a web site and a news agency. We
have a printing works and a 24-hour radio.

[Passage omitted]

[Correspondent] The town of Pervouralsk lies 40 km away from
Yekaterinburg. There, in a hotel building, the limited liability
company Soyuz Television Company is based. The previous owners met
the eparchy halfway and sold the station to the Orthodox Church for
a comparatively low price.

[Passage omitted: journalists say station’s original name was retained
after change of ownership]

Rights activists were wrong

[Correspondent] The rumour that the Yekaterinburg eparchy had purchased
a TV company reached Moscow. That was just the sort of thing that
bored human rights activists in Moscow had been waiting for. Without
getting to know what’s what, news agencies rushed to stir up a scandal.

[Baybakov] Some sort of Council of Europe experts held news conferences
in Moscow to say this was a very dangerous precedent for Russia.

[Correspondent] Instantly, serious accusations were levelled against
the Yekaterinburg eparchy. One accusation was that the eparchy had
broken the law. The statute of the Russian Orthodox Church does not
have a clause to allow it to engage in television-related activities.

[Baybakov] Pardon me, but the statute of the Russian Orthodox Church
does not mention even things such as using telephones or computers.

[Correspondent] Accusation No 2: the creation of an Orthodox TV
channel is inappropriate towards Muslims. A lot of ethnic Tatars live
in the Urals.

[Baybakov] The Muslim programme will remain on the channel. In
principle, we would be very willing to have ethnic diasporas on the
channel, so there are programmes about national cultures – Armenian,
Belarusian, Ukrainian, Tatar, Russian – all cultures.

[Correspondent] Finally, the third accusation, the most damaging one
in the eyes of Moscow human rights activists, was that after buying the
Pervouralsk TV station, the Yekaterinburg eparchy dismissed the entire
staff. The journalists are shocked and angry and they are protesting.

[Vladimir Antipin, director of Soyuz television company, captioned]
None of the staff were dismissed. Not a single member of staff
resigned. It’s all how it used to be. I still have a staff of 23
people and, for that matter, five extra people have been taken on.

[Olga Litvinova, correspondent, captioned] We work in the same way
as we used to work. All the staff are where they were. And there have
been no restrictions.

News agenda

[Correspondent] At present, Russia’s first Orthodox TV station is
made up of two teams, who have yet to become friends. But already,
secular journalists and eparchy journalists are working for the same
projects. [Passage omitted] Orthodox programmes are still made for
Soyuz by the eparchy’s own studio. [Passage omitted]

Eparchy news bulletins are broadcast every day. [Passage omitted]

One day in the life of an Orthodox film crew. It’s difficult for
people who film to be filmed. Important visitors are flying in late in
the evening for the Yekaterinburg eparchy’s anniversary: Metropolitan
Kliment, the manager of Moscow Patriarchy’s property, and other senior
clerics. For Soyuz, this is the top story of the day. [Passage omitted]

Late at night, the Moscow delegation comes to the Yekaterinburg
eparchy’s Orthodox TV studio. The Moscow visitors goes straight on
the air on the Orthodox radio station.

At midnight, the camera man watches the footage. Spiritual shots on
a spiritual channel have to be bright.

Women journalists banned from wearing trousers

For newsreaders and correspondents, the channel’s peculiarity entails
other rules. No clinging garments and no make-up.

[Baybakov] Many just began to wear beautiful women’s clothing and
it is all fine and very stylish. I go round paying them compliments,
although perhaps this is not very appropriate for me.

[Correspondent] The journalists have compromised. If anyone ever
smokes on Orthodox TV, they do so only in the corridor. Skirts are
worn on top of jeans as working clothes.

[Antipin] To be honest, I have two male staff journalists and the rest
are girls. If she has to go to a freezing settlement, what goddamn
skirt, if you pardon the expression, is she going to wear there? It’s
more convenient to wear trousers. Well, the boss is the boss, so they
put on aprons on top when they come back. What else would they do?

[Baybakov] If you go about it gently, the understanding that the
Orthodox approach is the right one will gradually come.

[Correspondent] Only six months ago, the management of the small
Urals-based Soyuz TV channel could not imagine it becoming known
nationwide. The debate that has unfolded over the idea of Orthodox
television has made provincial news programme makers the main story
from the Urals. Today, the neighbouring regions are speaking about
Soyuz’s experience. Talks about possible rebroadcast are already
under way.