SHAVARSH KOCHARYAN: CONCLUSION OF OSCE EXPERT GROUP ON STUDY OF
REGIONS UNDER CONTROL OF ARMENIAN PARTY WILL BE HARDLY FAVOURABLE FOR
ARMENIAN PARTY

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 1. ARMINFO. The conclusion of the OSCE expert group
on study of situation in the regions, being under control of the
Armenian party, will be hardly favourable for the Armenian party, PM
from the opposition bloc “Justice” Shavarsh Kocharyan expressed such
an opinion at the press-conference at “Pakagits” club, Monday.

According to him, it is wrong enough that Nagorny Karabakh turned out
in the situation of exculpatory party as a result of formation of that
group and its visit to these territories. “NKR authorities are forced
to make excuses to the international experts and to explain that a
special program on overpopulation of territories, being under control
of Armenian party, is not implementing, and only Armenian people who
were served by a miracle from slaughter in Baku, Sumgait and Kirovabad
are living in that territories at present”, S. Kocharyan noted.

To note, the OSCE expert group accompanied by co-chairmen of the OSCE
Minsk Group are implementing monitoring of regions, under control of
Armenian party. On completion of the mission, the experts should
present the conclusion on situation in these territories to both the
OSCE and the OSCE MG. -R-

ITALIAN BUSINESMEN INTERESTED IN LAUNCHING SHOES PRODUCTION IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, FERBUARY 1. ARMINFO. Italian businessmen are interested in
launching a production of shoes in Armenia.

Speaking at a press conference today, Head of the Industrial
Department of the Armenian Ministry for Trade and Economic Development
Meruzhan Hakobyan says that it has become known in the course of the
official visit of an Armenian delegation headed by President Robert
Kocharyan to Rome. According to Hakobyan, during meeting with
business-circles of Italy, several local businessmen even expressed
readiness to invest big funds in construction of a new shoes factory
in Armenia. Hakobyan proposed them investing their funds in the large
shoes factories in Armenia, which were idling for various reasons
(some 20 factories). He says that at present, mainly small shoes
productions operate in Armenia, meanwhile, in the Soviet times, 25
million pares of shoes were produced in the country, 23 million of
them were exported. Businessmen decided to think of the proposal and
visit Armenia within several months.

During a meeting at the Foreign Trade Center in Venice, Italians took
an interest in the prospects of production of office furniture in
Armenia, promising to supply components for it. He adds that the
Customs regime in Armenia is more favorable than in Russia. In this
connection, Armenia could become a bridge for supply of the local
products to Russia. Meanwhile, the most complicated of the transport
problems is activation of the train ferry between the ports Poti
(Georgia) and Caucasus (Russia,) he says.

According to Hakobyan, the commodity turnover of Armenia and Italy
totaled $68 million, including $28 million exports and $39 million
import of Armenian products.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

KARABAKH PEOPLE’S REVOLT PREVENTED ANOTHER GENOCIDE OF ARMENIAN
POPULATION

Azg/arm
2 Feb 05

The speech of Artashes Geghamian, chairman of the National Unity
Party, delivered at the PACE sitting on January 27 dealt with the
report of Mats Einarsson (United Left).

Mr. President and dear colleagues,

It is very symbolic that the discussion of creating a European center
for commemoration of the victims of ethnic cleansing is going on in
current year, the year that the Armenians commemorate the 90th
anniversary of Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey. The political and
intellectual elite of the Armenian nation, more than 600 people,
living in Constantinople was arrested on the night of April 24,
1915. That put the beginning to annihilation of 1.5 million Armenians
and their exodus throughout the world. That was the time when Bruno
Jasenski wrote one of the pages of his “Plot of the
Indifferent”. Europe kept silent. And that wasn’t an accident that
after a quarter of a century, in the August of 1939, Hitler stated in
his speech held for the commanders of his troops the following: “I
ordered my “Dead Heads” detachments to annihilate all the men, women
and children speaking Polish and having Polish origin. Only this will
help us conquer the vital territories we need. Who, after all, speaks
todayof the annihilation of the Armenians?” Later, the Jews shared the
tragic fate of the Polish people. Holocaust took place.

Ethnic cleanings were resumed in the late 80s and early 90s, when
hundreds, thousands of Armenians were massacred in Sumgait, Baku,
Kirovabad and Dashqes. Over 450 thousand of Armenians had to flee
from Soviet Azerbaijan. The Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh could
survive only after many people perishedas heroes in the war.

Unfortunately, two days ago, Mr. Mercan, our Turkish colleague, was
blaming in his speech the Karabakh people that they averted the danger
of being killed in the genocide. His draw to make parallels between
the Nagorno Karabakh issue and the cases of separatism in some of the
European countries are doomed to failure. These cases of separatism
are always strictly criticized by the majority of the population of
these very European countries.

In fact, Mr. Mercan called for the Belgians, the French, the English,
the Polish, the Russian and Italian to save themselves from
themselves. It is aluck that Canada isn’t represented in the CE,
otherwise the Turks would never forgive this country for the
opportunity it gave to the people of Quebec todecide their future fate
through a referendum. Mercan has preserved the traditionsof the
Byzantine notorious policy. It seems that the Ottomans have learned
some lessons after burning Constantinople and killing its residents in
1453. Let’s be just and say that they adopted not the best things from
the Byzantine civilization. We wonder why our Turkish colleague didn’t
mention the July events of 1974, when the Turkish troops invaded
Cyprus and occupied 40 percent of this independent state’s
territory. The 82 percent of Cyprus population are the Greeks. The
Armenians and the Maronits live there, too. He didn’t mention that
thousands of Cyprus Greeks were killed as a result of Turkey’s attack,
while over 200 thousand Christian residents of Cyprus had to leave
their homes and became refugees in their own country.

I came to remind the following verses from the Bible: “Why do you see
the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice log that is
in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own
eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your
brother’s eye”(Mathew, 7:3-4).

We should begin the establishment of the European center for the
victims of ethnic cleansings by restoring our own historic memory. In
“Mea Culpa” confession of 2000 Pope John Paul II asked forgiveness
from God and the Humanity for the activities the Catholic Church
carried out against the heretics and free-minded people, for the
intolerance, for the religious wars and the expeditions of the
crusaders, as well as the hostility and mistrust that many Christians
feel against the Jews.

I think that before establishing the European Center, the PACE should
make “Mea Culpa” statement-confession, as the political figures and
not the people are guilty for all the victims of ethnic cleansings in
Europe. While the people are waiting for the penance of the political
figures, of our penance.

By Artashes Geghamian, Strasburg, January 27, 2005

TV notes change of tack in PACE rapporteur’s stance on Karabakh

Arminfo, Yerevan
1 Feb 05

STEPANAKERT

The Nagornyy Karabakh Republic NKR Public TV and Radio Broadcasting
Company produced from its archives an interview with a member of the
British House of Commons, the chairman of the commission of the
non-member countries of the Council of Europe CE , David Atkinson,
(currently rapporteur on Nagornyy Karabakh), in the village of Kichan
of Mardakert of the NKR in October 1993.

In his 1993 speech David Atkinson noted, in particular, that he had
heard much about Nagornyy Karabakh, but he was here for the first
time, an Arminfo special correspondent reported from Stepanakert.
“What I have seen, David Atkinson said, is above my imagination. Here
is a real war which is taking away many lives on a daily basis. It is
obvious that Azerbaijan launched this war, Azerbaijan will not be a
member of the Council of Europe unless it is stopped”.

Speaking with admiration about churches in the town of Shushi ,
Atkinson noted that the Azerbaijani vandals desecrated the Christian
church Kazachetsots, turning it into an ammunition depot. “This fact
must be condemned and I shall certainly tell my colleagues about
this,” Atkinson noted.

“I think the people of Karabakh have the right to decide their own
destiny and future. Our organization and I shall personally do
everything so that the Karabakh Armenians live a free and full life on
their land,” David Atkinson noted in 1993. On becoming the PACE
rapporteur on Nagornyy Karabakh in 2004, he announced that the
principle of the right to self-determination is not applied to
Nagornyy Karabakh.

Opposition accuses Armenia of sidelining Karabakh from conflict settlement

Mediamax news agency
1 Feb 05

YEREVAN

“The Armenian authorities are using authoritarian methods in the
settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict,” said a statement read
out at the opening of a round table in Yerevan today.

The round table was arranged at the initiative of three opposition
politicians of Armenia – the chairman of the National Democratic Union
(NDU), Vazgen Manukyan; the leader of the Self-Determination
Association, Paruyr Ayrikyan; and the political secretary of the Union
of Socialists Forces and Intelligentsia, Ashot Manucharyan.

“Unsettled relations between the Armenian Republic and Artsakh
(Nagornyy Karabakh), as well as the unclear responsibility of the two
Armenian states for foreign and domestic policies, have not only
sidelined the Artsakh authorities and public but also made domestic
policies of Armenia and Artsakh exposed to mutual interference,” said
the statement read out by Ayrikyan.

The participants in the round table expressed their conviction that
the Armenian and Artsakh public should possess “mechanisms of stable
control over decision-making at government bodies”.

Turkey can support only Karabakh deal approved by Azerbaijan – envoy

Anatolia news agency, Ankara
1 Feb 05

BAKU

“Turkey wants good neighbourly relations with Armenia”, Turkey’s
Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Turan Morali, said on Tuesday 1 February .

Morali, who visited Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic, told a press
conference that problems between Turkey and Armenia stemmed from
policies of the current regime (in Armenia) and behaviour of the
Armenian diaspora, and said that good-neighbourly relations could be
established between two countries in case these problems were
solved. “If a friendship and good relationship is to be established,
this should include all the parties. And, this can be achieved by
finding a solution to the controversy between Azerbaijan and Armenia
(Nagornyy Karabakh region of Azerbaijan is under Armenian occupation)
in line with the international laws and in a way acceptable to
Azerbaijan,” said Morali. He noted that Turkey was ready to contribute
to efforts serving this goal.

Morali stressed that Turkey would only back a solution accepted by
Azerbaijan and said: “Turkey can’t accept anything other than this.”
“Establishing good relations with its neighbours, ending its
occupation of Azerbaijani territories and giving up its baseless
claims against Turkey would be in the best interests of Armenia”,
Morali stated.

Morali said that Turkey had always supported Nakhichevan’s efforts to
stand on its own feet, and wanted to further improve its relations
with Nakhichevan.

US ARMENIAN COMMUNITY TO HONOR EAST FOUNDATION AND CONSUL GENERALS
FROM CYPRUS, SYRIA, ETHIOPIA AND URUGUAY FOR THEIR EFFORTS IN
SUPPORTING SURVIVORS OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE.

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 1. ARMINFO. The Armenian Assembly of America, along
with the Armenian General Benevolent Union and the Western Diocese of
the Armenian Church, announced today that the President of the Near
East Foundation and the consul generals from Cyprus, Syria, Ethiopia
and Uruguay will be among those honored by the Armenian community for
their efforts in supporting the survivors of the Armenian Genocide.

The “International Relief, Refuge, and Recognition Tribute” will take
place on February 24 at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles,
California. The event will also recognize those nations, such as
Cyprus and Uruguay, which have officially acknowledged the Armenian
Genocide and serve as a prelude to a series of local, national and
international events that will commemorate and raise awareness of the
90th anniversary of the Genocide. “The governments of these four
countries have long-standing relationships with Armenia and its
people, with all serving as a safe haven for Armenians fleeing the
genocide,”

“Similarly, the Near East Relief is credited with saving hundreds of
thousands of Armenians and making possible productive futures for more
than 130,000 orphans.” Armenian survivors also turned to Syria, by far
the largest recipient of refugees of any Middle Eastern
country. Cyprus, Ethiopia and Uruguay also opened their doors and are
home to well-established Armenian communities.

>From 1919 until 1930, New York-based Near East Relief (now known as
the Near East Foundation) administered $117,000,000 to those in
need. Very early in the relief effort, attention focused on helping
rescued orphans to become self-supporting and contributing members of
the communities that had absorbed them.

PACE RESOLUTION ON NAGORNY KARABAKH REFLECTS PROCESSES INSIDE OSCE
MINSK GROUP: ARMENIAN OPPOSITION MP

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 1. ARMINFO. The PACE resolution on Nagorny Karabakh
is an unprecedented document in terms of Armenia’s having been
recognized as a direct party to the Karabakh conflict and an occupant,
says Shavarsh Kocharyan, Armenian delegate to PACE from the Justice
opposition bloc.

No international document except for the resolutions by the
Organization of the Islamic Conference has ever recognized Armenia as
a direct party to the Karabakh conflict. The appointment of a new PACE
rapporteur on Nagorny Karabakh will not change the situation. The new
rapporteur will follow the logic of the PACE resolution.

Shavarsh Kocharyan calls a lie the statements that the resolution will
not affect the OSCE MG peace process. On the contrary the resolution
reflects the processes inside the MG and this unfavorable atmosphere
is the result of Armenia’s ineffective foreign policy.

Shavarsh Kocharyan says that during the resolution discussion the
initiatives of the Azeri delegates were strongly supported by their
Turkish colleagues while the Armenian delegation could hardly expect
the same from any other foreign counterparts. Even Armenia’s
strategical partner Russia was not supportive. For example at PACE
the Russian delegates were first neutral but when it turned out that
the proposals of Armenian MPs were passing some of them began voting
in favor of Azerbaijan.

If Armenia wants European support it should effect democratic
reforms. No coincidence that before 1995 when Armenia held free and
democratic elections the international community sympathized with i
but the situation changed after the electoral fraud of 1996. Of course
Azerbaijan is not a democratic state either but in Azerbaijan there is
oil, says Shavarsh Kocharyan adding that Pres.Aliev is much liked in
the world and the international community is ready to support him
everywhere even in the Karabakh issue just to reinforce his positions
in Azerbaijan and to launch democratic reforms there.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

OSCE fact-finding mission visits Karabakh’s Kalbacar District – Armenian TV

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
1 Feb 05

The co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group [that mediates peace talks
between Azerbaijan and Armenia] and members of the OSCE fact-finding
mission have visited the center and several villages of Karvachar
District which is under the control of the Nagornyy Karabakh defence
army. The OSCE representatives met the district’s residents and
inquired about their previous place of residence.

The Russian co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group, Yuriy Merzlyakov,
said that their visit to the region was a bit unusual this time, and
naturally, it was different from previous visits. We have arrived here
to check cases of settlement of Armenians in the districts around
Nagornyy Karabakh, he said. The fact-finding mission has planned to
check one district a day. No-one can say what the reaction will
be. One can comment on this only after collecting information.

The head of the OSCE fact-finding mission, Emily Margarethe Haber,
added that they had gathered very interesting information about the
conflict. She said she was confident that this information would help
assess the situation correctly.

The deputy foreign minister of the Nagornyy Karabakh Republic, Masis
Mailyan, is accompanying the OSCE mission.

The members of the OSCE fact-finding mission visited Cabrayil and
Fuzuli districts earlier this morning.

New parties set up in Karabakh

Arminfo, Yerevan
1 Feb 05

STEPANAKERT

The process of creating parties has been speeded up and the domestic
political life in Nagornyy Karabakh has been revived since the law “On
parties” was adopted.

New parties – Our Home Armenia, Movement-88 and Free Motherland – have
joined the traditional Armenian parties in Nagornyy Karabakh, the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation – Dashnaktsutyun and Armenakan, an
Arminfo correspondent reported from Stepanakert. The Democratic
Artsakh [Karabakh] Union public and political movement has been
transformed into the Democratic Party of Artsakh.

The political field of the republic has become stronger since the
setting up of new parties, Karabakh observers believe.