Armenian houses in Baku occupied by Azeris – Russian mediator

Arminfo
7 Feb 05

Yerevan, 7 February: The houses left behind in Baku by fleeing
Armenians are now occupied by Azerbaijanis who are not refugees at all,
the Russian co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group, Yuriy Merzlyakov,
has told Armenian Public TV.

Merzlyakov said he had seen this in Neftcilar Street in Baku.

The Russian mediator said the OSCE mission had been organized with
the mutual consent of the sides, adding that the authorities in the
Nagornyy Karabakh republic had created the necessary conditions for
the mission’s work.

The Russian and French co-chairmen also apologized to the Armenian
refugees for meeting them for the first time in so many years.

KARABAKH ITSELF MUST INITIATE OSCE MISSION’S VISIT TO
TERRITORIES UNDER AZERBAIJAN’S CONTROL: YURI MERZLYAKOV

STEPANAKERT, FEBRUARY 7. ARMINFO. Nagorny Karabakh must initiate the
proposal on the visit of the OSCE mission to the territories under
the control of Azerbaijan. Russian Cochairman of OSCE Minsk Group Yuri
Merzlyakov stated during his meeting with refugees from Azerbaijan in
Stepanakert. Answering the question of journalists why the monitoring
group does not check the state of affairs in the territories, being
a part of former Nagorno-Karabakh autonomous republic, the Russian
cochairman of OSCE MG noted that such an initiative must be made by
Nagorny Karabakh. Besides, if the side under whose control are nine
villages of former NKAR does not agree, then the group will not be
able to work. “We should not come here if the authorities of Nagorny
Karabakh did not agree”, Merzlyakov said. To remind, the monitoring
group of OSCE has completed his activities in Nagorny Karabakh and
it intends to leave for Armenia today.

A NEW STAGE, UNFAVORABLE FOR ARMENIA, HAS STARTED IN
SETTLEMENT OF KARABAKH PROBLEM, SAYS POLITICAL COUNCIL OF
“HANRAPETUTYUN” PARTY

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 7. ARMINFO. A new stage, unfavorable for the
Armenian party, has started in the process of settlement of the
Karabakh conflict, says the statement of the Political Council of
“Hanrapetutyun” party received by ARMINFO, Monday.

According to the statement, the new stage aims resolution of the
conflict through involvement of influential international organizations
and structures into the process. The UN, PACE have already been
involved into the process, the US Department of State has already
announced its official position on the Karabakh problem. At the
same time, inviolability of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan
is mentioned, there are even approaches ruling out the right of
Nagorny Karabakh for self-determination. The current realities are
connected with alleged “ethnic purges” carried out by Armenians. The
NKR authorities are called “criminalized” or “separatists,” Armenia
faces direct accusation of occupation of Azerbaijan’s territories. In
the light of the aforementioned, the failure of the Armenian foreign
policy and diplomacy is evident. The approaches of the Armenian party
are not understood and protected by international structures. The
assurance of the pro-governmental camp in Armenia that all the
aforementioned cannot have any serious consequences and that the
body engaged in settlement of the conflict is OSCE Minsk Group are
not serous. The OSCE MG operates in conformity with instructions of
the UN collecting facts on settlement of the seven territories under
control of NKR Armed Forces, the party says.

The authors of the statement say that as a result of the shortsighted
policy and irresponsibility of the authoritative international
organizations replacing each other form political and legal bases for
settlement of the conflict, which they will use to exert pressure on
the intractable conflicting parties to interfere into the process in
future. The Armenian people may face an alternative of the forced
agreement on settlement of the conflict or a beginning of war. The
present authorities, which maintenance of the existence and vanity is
characteristic to, are unable to correct the situation. They will try
to deceive the public, concealing their failure behind the patriotic
feelings of the people. Only democratic Armenia, a power enjoying
a full trust of the people, is able to restore the just peace, the
party says.

Dunya, Turkey
Feb 8 2005

Arýnc visits Azerbaijan
08/02/2005 13:50:39

Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc who is currently visiting Azerbaijan,
yesterday met with his Azeri counterpart Murtuz Aleskerov as well as
President Ilham Aliyev.
During their talks, Arinc lamented that 20% of Azeri territory is
under Armenian occupation. Noting how the United Nations had
officially called on Armenia to end this illegal land seizure, Arinc
said, “However, Armenian officials have stubbornly resisted these
calls.”

–Boundary_(ID_D48xocFxakoK1Z4X5FEbhQ)–

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FRENCH CHAIRMAN TO VEX TURKS

Azg/arm
9 Feb 05

A delegation headed by the chairman of the National Assembly of
France was paying an official visit to Turkey these days. Judging from
Turkish mass mediaâ~@~Ys avarice in providing information on issues
Jean-Luis Debret raised, one can conclude that they were extremely
vexing for Turkey.

As daily Azg informed yesterday, the French chairman touched a very
sensitive issue during his get-together with Turkish prime minister
â~@~S the Genocide issue. PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan responded that they
have left the issue to historians to discuss and added: “Unlike them,
we have opened our archives”. Arsen Avagian, envoy of Armenia at
Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, headquartered in
Istanbul told Turkish Hyuriet newspaper on February 7 that 3 separate
sources in Yerevan study the issue and emphasized: “Those archives
are open for all scientists of the world, including Turkish. But no
Turkish scientists has ever applied for researching them.”

The question is not the archives, certainly, but the French
chairmanâ~@~Ys unpleasant surprise and the indignation it stirred
up. Another Turkish newspaper, the pro-government Yeni Shafaq,
responded to Debretâ~@~Ys words on February 7 and partly cast light
on the event.

According to Yeni Shafaq, Jean-Luis Debret not only raised the issue
of Armenian Genocide but also demanded urgent solution considering
its recognition an actual issue. He incited the Turks to “win the
French electorsâ~@~Y sympathy” then promised that there will be no
other issue after the Genocide recognition.

It is interesting that Debret left unanswered a Turkish
journalistâ~@~Ys question that “PACE recognized Armenia as occupant
of Azeri territories. Whatâ~@~Ys your approach?”.

By Hakob Chakrian

–Boundary_(ID_4UlNZe9whdWNqdXBwGiPvA)–

ACCORDING TO ARABIAN HISTORIANS, ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IS BLACK PAGE OF XX CENTURY

Azg/arm
9 Feb 05

On the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide,
The Institute of Oriental Studies at RA National Academy of
Sciences published the book by professor Nikolai Hovhanissian. The
book is entitled “The Armenian Genocide Highlighted by the Arabian
Historians.” It is published by state assistance and by the decree
of the State Committee for the Arrangements Dedicated to the 90th
Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. The author dedicated his work
to the memory of all the victims of the Armenian Genocide in 1915, “to
all the young Armenian girls that couldnâ~@~Yt become brides and all
the young Armenian boys that didnâ~@~Yt become men,” as well as “to
all the generous Arabs that were kind enough to reach a helping hand
to the Armenians in the hard days of 1915 on their way to Golgotha.”

The book thoroughly represents the researches of the Arabian historians
on the reasons and the essence of the Armenian Genocide, as well as the
methods and mechanisms of its implementation. The author emphasized
the importance of the fact that the Arabian historians began using
the term “Armenocide” (elimination of the Armenians). They stated
that the Armenian Genocide was the dark page of the XX century. At
the same time, the Arabian historians say that the Ottoman Empire
is a country of massacres carried out not only against Armenians but
also against Arabs, Greeks, Assyrians, Slavonian nations, as well as
against other non-Turkish minor nations that lived there.

The author pays special attention to the facts of rendering help to
the Armenians by Arabs in the years of the Genocide.

By Ruzan Poghosian

–Boundary_(ID_R5zQznAgu6/v/PMBhEe4rw)–

OSCE CO-CHAIRS INTEND TO ATTACH THE UN SUPREME COMMISSAR ON CAUSE OF REFUGEES

Azg/arm
9 Feb 05

After the OSCE monitoring group accomplished its mission in Nagorno
Karabakh, Yuri Merzlyakov, an OSCE co-chair, stated at a Stepanakert
meeting with refugees from all over Karabakh: “The task of OSCE
co-chairs is to support the negotiation process. We cannot solve it
instead of the conflicting sides as every suggestion by the co-chairs
uncoordinated with the sides will be turned down by one of the side
as it was in the past. We do everything to bring positions closer and
to somehow break the silence to start the talks. For that reason it
is unbecoming to expect that the co-chairs will find a magic solution
mutually acceptable for both sides. There is no such solution as all
the variants have already been considered. What we can do now is to
pick up elements and adjust them in a way that will bring solution
to at least few aspects of the issue, if it is impossible to give a
final and overall solution to it. Solution that will grant the two
peoples if not to reconcile then to trust and not to see evil in each
otherâ~@~Ys steps the least”.

The issue of refugees was commented by Merzlyakov as integral part
of the conflictâ~@~Ys future settlement. He was suspicious over the
possibility of returning to the former settlements. “I cannot imagine a
situation if, say, Azeris call Armenians to return to Shahumian. Would
you go if they invite?”, he asked the audience.

“There must be proper conditions for people to return. It must be
certain where they are returning to. As far as there are no such
conditions, I think all the calls are simply a propaganda or a
self-deceit or they are lying to others”, the Russian co-chair stated.

The Minsk group co-chairs decided to turn to the UN Supreme Commissar
on Cause of Refugees as the issue is under his jurisdiction. “The
sides should apply to the Department of UN Supreme Commissar on
Cause of Refugees having agreed on the circle of issues and on the
conditions of support”, he said.

Bernard Fassie, the French co-chair, agreed with such a decision
noting that he still sees no solution the refugee issue.

Emphasizing the neutral stance of Minsk group co-chairmanship, Yuri
Merzlyakov said that it is unfair to condemn them of not showing
sympathy to one of the sides and of hiding emotions. They are not
judges and cannot say who is right and who is wrong. The Russian
diplomat confessed that he has a great desire to quit the work after
each such meeting. “But the Bible verse saying â~@~XBlessed are the
peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of Godâ~@~Y holds me back
from a final decision” Merzlyakov said.

Speaking of the present stage of the talks, Merzlyakov said that the
most important is that there is a talk process and it continues. He
expressed hope the resuming Prague process will work out concrete
agreements on separate issues and they will be filed in one document.

By Kim Gabrielian

–Boundary_(ID_37NXR2DwydUOmSIpLuqYKQ)–

TURKEY APPEARS IN DEADLOCK

Azg/arm
9 Feb 05

They Want to Characterize Battle in Khojalu as Genocide

Bjulent Arinc, speaker of Turkish National Assembly, pays an
official visit to Baku. He met with Mortuz Aleskerov, Speaker of
Azeri Meli Mejlis, on February 7. The sides touched upon the issue
of â~@~Xthe massacresâ~@~Y carried out by the Armenians against
the Azeris. According to the February 8 issue of the Turkish Radical
newspaper, Aleskerov characterized the battle in Khojalu that took
place in 1992 as a genocide carried out by the Armenians and demanded
from Arinc that the Turkish National Assembly should take a relevant
decision.

According to Sabah, in response, Arinc assured that “the Turkish
parliamentarians will include the issue of the genocide in
the agenda in the course of February 26 sitting, on the day of
the massacre.” Meanwhile, the Azeri parliamentarians suggested
Arinc to establish “a museum of victims” combining the efforts of
Azerbaijan and Turkey. Arinc stated that Turkey will participate in
this initiative. He also condemned Armenia for occupying over 20%
of Azerbaijan.

Combining their efforts, Turkey and Azerbaijan try to hinder the
settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict and the recognition of the
Armenian Genocide. Even if Azerbaijan characterizes the battles
in Khojalu as â~@~Xgenocideâ~@~Y, it will not help to achieve
the desired results in the process of Nagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement. If Azerbaijan and Turkey try to set off the issue of
Khojalu battles against the recognition of the Armenian Genocide,
it will become clear for the international community that Turkey is
in deadlock.

Azerbaijan fails to convince even the Turkish-speaking states of
the Middle East that the battles in Khojalu were a genocide. But,
even if Turkey and Azerbaijan manage to convince them in this issue
they will not be able to deny that the recognition of the Armenian
Genocide by the international community is unavoidable. So, it will
become for the Turkish-speaking states also that Turkey is at a loss.

By Hakob Chakrian

–Boundary_(ID_gdi1rIvOG53fvDID5FolhA)–

Tajik, Russian top brass mull upcoming collective security drills

ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow
8 Feb 05

Dushanbe, 8 February: Tajik Defence Minister Sherali Khayrulloyev
and Commander of Volga-Urals Military District Vladimir Boldyrev
discussed today preparations for command and staff exercises within
the framework of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO)
[members are Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan
and Russia].

The Rubezh-2005 exercises of the CSTO’s rapid-deployment forces will
be held on Tajik territory in April 2005. Divisions of armed forces
of Russia, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan will participate in
the exercises, a source at the Tajik Defence Ministry’s press service
has told an ITAR-TASS correspondent.

The main aim of the upcoming exercises is “to drill interaction
and to enhance the readiness of the CSTO member states to counter
international terrorism and other threats,” the source stressed.

The two also discussed issues relating to the fitting out of the
Russian military base in Tajikistan, which is being set up on the
basis of the [Russian] 201st Motor-Rifle Division.

PanArmenian News
Feb 8 2005

BUSH ADMINISTRATION PROPOSED $55 MILLION AID TO ARMENIA IN FY 2006

08.02.2005 14:40

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian Assembly of America has welcomed the
positive components of the Bush Administration’s Armenia-related
foreign aid allocations of the just-released FY 2006 budget, and
especially the parity it established in security aid to Armenia and
Azerbaijan and the reference to humanitarian assistance to Nagorno
Karabakh. The draft bill provides for $5 million each to Armenia and
Azerbaijan in Foreign Military Financing and $750,000 each for
International Military Education and Training. At the same time the
Bush Administration asked for $55 million in economic assistance to
Armenia in FY 2006 – down from last fiscal year’s request of $62
million. Later the US Senate had approved “not less than” $75 million
in economic aid to Armenia. In the words of Assembly Board of
Directors Chairman Anthony Barsamian, the organization is determined
to advocate to Congress for increased funding. Details of the Bush
Administration’s FY 2006 Budget described Armenia as “one of the
leading performers in Eurasia in economic and political reform,” and
said it was for this reason that “Armenia was one of the two
countries in the region deemed eligible to receive grants from the
Millennium Challenge Account.”