REPRESENTATIVES OF ARMENIAN DELEGATION TO PACE TRY TO ENLIST SUPPORT
OF EUROPEAN COUNTERPARTS IN KARABAKH PROBLEM, CONTACTING WITH THEM
THROUGH E-MAIL, SHAVARSH KOCHARIAN STATES

YEREVAN, JANUARY 13. ARMINFO. Representatives of Armenian delegation
to Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe try to enlist the
support of their European counterparts when discussion of the draft
report of David Atkinson on Nagorny Karabakh in PACE by electronic
correspondence. Member of Armenian delegation to PACE, representative
of the opposition Justice bloc Shavarsh Kocharian stated talking to
ARMINFO.

“It is difficult to enlist the support of European parliament members
in the Karabakh problem sitting here in Armenia, that’s why the
members of the Armenian delegation are trying to use personal contacts
with representatives of European delegations, contacting with them
through e-mail”, Shavarsh Kocharian thinks. A certain work is carried
out with European colleagues during the sittings of the PACE
commissions as well. The deputy also assured that when discussion of
the draft report for Nagorny Karabakh in PACE the representatives of
the opposition and pro-power forces in the Armenian delegation will
come out with common positions. At the same time Shavarsh Kocharian
stressed that the draft report of David Atkinson regarding Nagorny
Karabakh is the failure of not the Armenian parliamentary delegation
to PACE, but the foreign policy of Armenia.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TurkishPress.com
Thursday, January 13, 2005

Erdogan And Putin Get Together With Turkish Businessmen
Anadolu Agency: 1/12/2005

MOSCOW (AA) – Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has stated that a
political will exists in Turkey and Russia to make mutual investments.
”Such investments could not have been imagined 10-15 years ago,” said
Erdogan.
In a meeting with Erdogan, President Putin remarked that Russia
supports the UN Secretary General Annan’s plan on Cyprus. ”We do not think
that the economic isolation of the Turkish Cypriots is fair,” told Putin.
Erdogan and Putin got together with Turkish businessmen in Moscow’s
President Hotel.
In a speech delivered at the meeting, President Putin stated that the
trade volume between Turkey and Russia will increase. ”Our trade volume
could easily reach 15 billion U.S. dollars and is expected to reach 25
billion U.S. dollars in 2007. Joint projects should also be encouraged,”
said Putin.
Putin stressed that the cooperation agreement he signed with the
Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer on December 6, 2004, makes an important
reference to the good relations between Turkey and Russia.
”We pay high attention to Turkey’s relations with the European Union.
Half of our trade volume is with the EU states. With Turkey’s integration
into the EU, we are eager to make our relations better,” expressed Putin.
”In this framework, many obstacles could be eliminated. Obstacles could be
removed with Russia’s entrance into the World Trade Organization. We are
pleased with Turkey’s positive approach in this regard.”

-INVITATION TO VICTORY CEREMONIES-

”We will soon celebrate the 60th anniversary of the victory against
fascism. We would be happy to see Erdogan at the celebrations on May 9.
Erdogan’s visit will be a turning point in our relations. The year 2005 also
marks the 85th anniversary of the foundation of Turkish-Russian relations,”
said Putin.
Speaking after President Putin, PM Erdogan expressed that the good
relations between Turkish and Russian businessmen will not only help the two
countries but the whole region. ”Turkey will strongly support Russian
membership to the World Trade Organization. This question will be discussed
in Davos on January 24, 2005,” told Erdogan.
Meanwhile, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Trade & Industry
Chamber Chairman Salih Tunar stated that, despite the Turkish Cypriots’
approval of the Annan Plan, the Turks still face blockade. ”We want the
isolation of Turkish Cypriots to end and wish to contribute to world
peace.”
Erdogan has reminded media members that a ”Russian Year” will be
celebrated in Turkey and a ”Turkish Year” will be celebrated in Russia in
the near future.
Putin added that he discussed the re-construction of Iraq with Erdogan.
”What is happening in Iraq is a matter of concern for the Russians. We will
work together with Turkey on Iraq and with the aim to solve (its)
problems,” remarked Putin.
According to Putin, Turkish and Russian delegations also discussed the
Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline, railways and means to make better use of the Black
Sea region.
In response to a Turkish journalist’s question on Cyprus, Putin
explained that Russia supports the Annan plan. ”We will vote in the
Security Council according to the document presented to the commission,”
told Putin.
Asked about what he thinks on the Karabagh issue, Putin said that
neighborly relations between Russia-Armenia, Turkey-Armenia and
Azerbaijan-Armenia should be developed. ”We are all aware about the
historical problems between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Russia will contribute
to the peace process,” he indicated.
Erdogan also expressed that Armenia must be positive in its approach to
find a solution. ”Turkey’s policy is based to find a lasting solution. If
Armenia claims that it does not recognize the Kars Agreement, this would be
a negative approach. The Ataturk Airport in Istanbul has been made available
for Armenian passenger flights. We do not want negative relations with any
of our neighbors, including Armenia. We will open our border with Armenia
for trade once we witness a positive approach from Armenia,” stressed
Erdogan.
(ES-ULG)

2005-01-11

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Relief Society of Western U.S.A. Inc.
Regional Executive
517 W. Glenoaks Blvd., Glendale, CA 91202-2812
Telephone: (818) 500-1343
Fax: (818) 242-3732
e-mail: [email protected]
Webpage:

ARS Campaigns for Tsunami Victims

In response to the devastating Tsunami in South-East Asia, the
Armenian Relief Society of Western USA (ARS-WR) calls on its
supportive communities to respond with generous hearts to a
special ARS Tsunami Fund.

“How can we as Armenians not remember the generosity of the world
community when the entire world opened their hearts and gave
tremendous support following the 1988 Spitak earthquake that took
the lives of thousands?” asked Ung. Angela Savoian, Chair, ARS-WR
Regional Executive. She added, “In turn, we must do our part in
helping the victims of this overwhelming disaster that has left
millions in parts of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand,
Malaysia and the Maldives in such dire straits.”

The ARS Central Executive, based in Boston, Massachusetts has
already made a contribution to the American Red Cross and
appealed to its entities in 24 countries to mobilize their
membership and communities to also provide assistance.

During the ARS-WR regional membership Christmas party on January
4, 2005, at the St. Mary Armenian Church Hall in Glendale, Ung.
Angela Savoian, Chair of the ARS-WR Regional Executive, announced
the start of the campaign for the tsunami victims to the ARS
membership for the first time. Following her announcement, the
members who gathered from chapters across the Southland from San
Diego to the San Fernando Valley, observed a moment of silence
for the 160,000 victims of the tragedy.

On January 15, 2005, the ARS-WR headquarters, at 517 W. Glenoaks,
Glendale, CA 91202-2812, will have volunteers ready to accept
monetary donations for the ARS Tsunami Fund, which are tax-
deductible. Local dignitaries and the press are invited to come
to the center at 3:00 pm. We urge donors to mail their donations,
or attend the day-long (10:00 am to 6:00 pm) fundraising campaign

ARSwestUSA.org

US U-19 National Team Coach Mark Krikorian Selected To Head Florida
State University Women’s Soccer

Mark Krikorian was named 2002 WUSA Coach of the Year with the
Philadelphia Charge.

*Jan. 12, 2005*

Tallahassee, FL – United States U-19 National Team head coach and 2002
WUSA Coach of the Year Mark Krikorian was announced as the new head
women’s soccer coach at Florida State today by Athletics Director Dave
Hart. Krikorian brings 14 years of head coaching experience to
Tallahassee at all levels of the game including college, pro and with
the US Olympic Development Program. He is just the third coach in the
history of the FSU soccer program.

“Having Mark Krikorian accept our offer to become the head coach of our
women’s soccer program is certainly cause for much excitement and
anticipation,” said Hart. “Mark brings a wealth of experience and
knowledge from his prior positions on the college, professional and
national team levels of competition. He is an accomplished teacher,
coach and recruiter who will build on the success which Patrick Baker
<;
generated during his outstanding tenure at Florida State. This search
produced some truly distinguished candidates, which speaks volumes about
our soccer program. We welcome Mark, Linda and their children into our
Seminole family.”

“I am thrilled to join the Florida State family and am looking forward
to working with such an outstanding group of student-athletes,” said
Krikorian. “I am excited to work with an athletic department that is so
committed to excellence.”

Krikorian comes to Florida State fresh off leading the United States
U-19 National Team to the bronze medal while winning the FIFA Fair Play
Award at the 2004 U-19 Women’s World Cup. Prior to that he spent 2003 as
a scout for the US Women’s National Team preparing reports on opponents
in both the CONCACAF Qualifications and the Women’s World Cup.

As the head coach of the Philadelphia Charge from 2000-2003, Krikorian
had another opportunity to coach the top players in the world and he
once again proved he could take talent and guide it to great heights. He
coached the Charge to two playoff berths in his three seasons and was
named the league’s coach of the year in 2002. Krikorian drafted and
coached 10 WUSA All-Stars and coached an all-star team during his tenure
with the league.

“I feel fortunate that I have had so many opportunities and experiences
in both the WUSA and with the US National Team program,” said Krikorian.
“I feel that those experiences will be a huge benefit to us (FSU) as we
continue to improve upon the outstanding foundation that Patrick (Baker)
and his staff have established.”

Krikorian has achieved an equal measure of success on the college level.
He coached the University of Hartford for five seasons from 1996-2000
leading the squad to an Elite Eight and two Sweet Sixteen appearances
during his four consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament. He recruited
five National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)
All-Americans, three academic All-Americans and his squads received the
NSCAA Team Academic Award on four occasions. Overall, Krikorian’s teams
averaged 15 wins per season as he posted a 75-30-3 overall record while
winning three conference championships. Three of his squads finished the
year ranked in the NSCAA’s top 15. He coached two of his players to
conference player of the year awards and three to conference rookie of
the year honors.

Before taking over the Hartford program, Krikorian was the head coach at
Franklin Pierce College in Rindge, NH for six seasons from 1990-1996
where his teams won two National Championships, both during undefeated
seasons, and appeared in two other final fours. His squads had a
remarkable 39-game winning streak and his 1995 National Championship
team was 20-0. Krikorian’s teams compiled a 93-19-2 record in seven
seasons. He recruited three National Players of the Year, eight
All-Americans, five academic All-Americans and four national scoring
champions. His team at Franklin Pierce also garnered the NSCAA Team
Academic Award.

“Academics have always been very important to me wherever I coached and
few schools combine the athletic and academic opportunities that FSU
provides its student-athletes,” said Krikorian. “The average SAT score
of an FSU student is 1200 and when you couple that with what the
athletic department has to offer, FSU becomes a very attractive school
to potential recruits.”

On top of his coach of the year honor from the WUSA, Krikorian was named
the NSCAA’s Northeast Division I Coach of the Year in 1997, the NSCAA
Division II National Coach of the Year in 1992 and 1995, the NSCAA
Division II Northeast Region Coach of the Year in 1992 and 1995 and was
a two-time New England Collegiate Conference Coach of the Year in 1994
and 1995. In 1990 and 1993 he was named the Division II New England
Coach of the Year as well.

Krikorian was a standout player at St. Anselm College in Manchester, NH
from 1981-1983. He was a two-time captain and team MVP. In 1983 he was a
New England Indoor Soccer League (NEISL) All-Star and a first team
All-New England selection.

“This is a very exciting time for our team and this program,” said team
captain Kelly Rowland
<;.
“A lot of the unknowns we were going through are behind us and it is
good to have a coach in place. The administration did a great job and we
are excited to meet coach Krikorian. I watched him coach the Charge
growing up in Philadelphia so it is especially exciting for me. We are
all very happy with the decision and look forward to getting started.”

Krikorian graduated with a degree in history from St. Anselm College and
he earned his master’s degree in education from Keene (NH) State College
in 1994. Krikorian also served as an assistant men’s coach at the
University of Maine at Farmington and was a Social Studies teacher at
Mt. Abram High School in Maine and Raymond High School in New Hampshire.
He is married to the former Linda Mastrogiovanni. They have two children
Alexandra (4) and Michael (2).

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Jan 12 2005

FORTHCOMING VISIT OF AZERBAIJAN PRESIDENT TO PAKISTAN WILL ALLOW
RELATIONS BETWEEN OUR COUNTRIES TO ENTER A NEW STAGE
[January 12, 2005, 21:55:32]

On January 11, the deputy foreign minister of the Azerbaijan Republic
Khalaf Khalafov has met the secretary on foreign affairs of the
Islamic Republic of Pakistan Riaz Kokar.

As was informed to AzerTAj from the press canter of the Foreign
Ministry, Khalaf Khalafov, having noted the high level of relations
between Azerbaijan and Pakistan, ascertained that last year’s visit
of the President of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf to Azerbaijan has
stimulated development of links between our countries. The deputy
minister also has especially emphasized that the arrangement achieved
during this visit between our countries and the signed documents
create favorable environment for development of the
Azerbaijan-Pakistan relations at a strategic level. Mr. Khalafov also
has noted importance of carrying out of dialogues at all levels,
including between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of two countries,
for realization of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Pakistan in
political, economic, humanitarian spheres, in the field of safety,
within the framework of the international organizations.

Mr. Riaz Kokar, having noted that he shares views on development of
mutual relations, has emphasized, that Pakistan highly estimates
communications with Azerbaijan. Having ascertained, that for
realization of cooperation between our countries in all areas there
are ample opportunities, he has expressed confidence that the visit
of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev planned for this year to
Pakistan would stimulate further development of these relations.

Mr. Riaz Kokar, having noted, that his country highly estimates
cooperation with Azerbaijan within the framework of the international
organizations, has expressed hope for continuation of this
cooperation. Having touched the question of carrying out of reforms
in the United Nations Organization, the visitor has emphasized that
Pakistan supports carrying out of the given reforms only on the basis
of democratic principles and the consensus of states – members of the
Organization.

Having stated that the United Nations till now cannot achieve
execution of 4 Resolutions of the Security Council of the United
Nations providing unconditional clearing by aggressive Armenia of the
Azerbaijan lands which it already more than ten years hold under
occupation, Mr. Khalafov has noted that reforms in the said structure
are directed on strengthening of the organization and increase of
efficiency of its activity that represents great value. The deputy
foreign minister has told: `The said reforms should be carried out
with observance of the principle of validity, sovereign equality and
regional representation of the countries, to serve interests of all
states, and the main thing, – to the prime targets of the United
Nations directed on maintenance of peace and safety all over the
world’.

During the meeting, the sides also have touched other questions
representing mutual interest.

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Jan 12 2005

BUSINESSMEN OF SAUDI ARABIA INTERESTED IN ECONOMY OF AZERBAIJAN
[January 12, 2005, 21:59:52]

As was informed to AzerTAj from embassy of Azerbaijan in the Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia, ambassador Elman Arasly has met Emir of province
Gasim of the Kingdom Faisal ibn Abdel Aziz al-Saud.

At the meeting, the Ambassador in detail informed emir Feisal on the
Republic, and also connections between Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia,
has declared, that the leadership of the country is going to expand
these links.

Emir Faisal has told about the successes achieved in the province
Gasim recently, has emphasized, that the management of Saudi Arabia
is interested in development of connections with Azerbaijan. During
conversation the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict has been mentioned, once
again marked, that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia supports fair position
of Azerbaijan in settlement of problem. Highly have been appreciated
the efforts made by Azerbaijan on peace settlement of the conflict.

Ambassador E. Arasly has expressed to Emir Faisal gratitude for the
care shown about Azerbaijan doctors working in the province.

The Ambassador has visited Commercial and Industrial Chamb

Radio Free Europe, Czech Republic
Jan 12 2005

Nagorno-Karabakh: No Breakthrough Reported In Talks Between
Armenians, Azerbaijanis

By Jean-Christophe Peuch

Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian met yesterday in Prague
with his Azerbaijani counterpart to discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. Officially, the discussions achieved no breakthroughs, but
both men agreed to meet again in the near future. In an interview
with RFE/RL’s Armenian Service, Oskanian said a lot remains to be
done before both sides can agree on the basic principles of a peace
settlement.

Prague, 12 January 2005 (RFE/RL) — The foreign ministers of Armenia
and Azerbaijan met for three hours in Prague in a bid to move the
Nagorno-Karabakh peace process forward.

The discussions took place behind closed doors. Both ministers also
met separately with representatives of the Minsk Group of nations —
France, Russia, and the United States — mandated by the Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to mediate in the
conflict. OSCE Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk also attended the
talks.The main result achieved this week in Prague is that both
ministers agreed to meet again in the coming weeks.

The Karabakh conflict dates back to 1988, when the predominantly
Armenian enclave seceded from Soviet Azerbaijan. The move triggered a
six-year war that claimed thousands of lives and drove an estimated
800,000 Azerbaijanis from their homes.

Both sides signed a cease-fire agreement in 1994 but remain
technically at war.

As a prerequisite to any peace deal, Azerbaijan demands that Armenian
troops withdraw from the adjacent territories they have been
occupying since 1993, thus paving the way for the return of displaced
populations. Only once this is achieved, Baku says, can the status of
Karabakh be discussed.

Addressing reporters on the sidelines of yesterday’s Prague meeting,
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov reiterated that his
country will not compromise on the issue: “Our main objective is to
achieve a result. Such a result must be that Armenian forces withdraw
from the occupied territories and that refugees return home. This is
our fundamental approach. What we are discussing here is how to
possibly achieve that result.”

Yesterday’s meeting was the fifth held by Mammadyarov and Oskanian in
the Czech capital in the framework of what is known as the “Prague
process.”

As in previous cases, neither envoy divulged details of the
discussions.

Azerbaijan’s pro-government “525-ci Qazet” newspaper said today that
the main result achieved this week in Prague is that both ministers
agreed to meet again in the coming weeks.

More optimistically, Azerbaijan’s “Zerkalo” (Mirror), a
Russian-language daily, reports both sides agreed on the fundamental
principles of a peace settlement and are now ready to examine
“concrete issues and details.”

But in an interview with RFE/RL’s Armenian Service yesterday,
Oskanian said the basic principles of a peace agreement remain to be
worked out: “I wish I could say that there is a full agreement on the
principles. But we are still not there. There is a general framework
of issues [to be discussed] but, as this [last] meeting showed, they
need to be further consolidated.”

Citing recent remarks attributed to Yuri Merzlyakov, Russia’s envoy
to the Minsk Group, Azerbaijani and Armenian media have been
speculating that Armenia might soon drop its demands for a so-called
“package” solution to the conflict — that is, stop insisting that
the liberation of Azerbaijani territories and the political status of
Karabakh be negotiated simultaneously.

Oskanian flatly denied those claims yesterday. However, he said the
peace process has become so intricate that, in his view, there is no
longer a clear distinction between Armenia’s “package” and
Azerbaijan’s “step-by-step” approach: “The ‘Prague process’ is fairly
difficult and complex, and it will remain such at further meetings.
On the whole, I consider the overall mood and atmosphere [of the
talks] as positive. It is still too early to disclose any details.
But once we achieve concrete results on specific issues, we will
release them gradually.”

The Baku-based Turan news agency yesterday quoted Azerbaijani Foreign
Ministry spokesman Metin Mirza as saying the Minsk Group had
discussed with both envoys the possibility of sending a fact-finding
mission to Karabakh and Azerbaijan’s Armenian-held territories.

In the meantime, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
will discuss a draft resolution on the Karabakh conflict later this
month (25 January).

In it, the Strasbourg-based assembly urges country members Armenia
and Azerbaijan to foster political reconciliation. It also calls on
Yerevan to comply with past UN resolutions calling for the liberation
of all occupied territories of Azerbaijan and reaffirms the right of
displaced populations to return to their homes “safely and with
dignity.”

Al-Jazeera, Qatar
Jan 12 2005

Armenian ‘genocide’: Probe sought

As Armenians prepare to mark the 90th anniversary of what they
believe was a genocide of their people by Ottoman Turkish forces, a
leading Turkish historian has called for a multi-national inquiry
into what happened.

Armenia says 1.5 million of its people died between 1915 and 1923 on
Ottoman territory in a systematic genocide and says the decision to
carry it out was taken by the political party then in power in
Istanbul, popularly known as the Young Turks.

Turkey denies genocide, saying the Armenians were victims of a
partisan war during World War One which also claimed many Muslim
Turkish lives. Turkey accuses Armenians of carrying out massacres
while siding with invading Russian troops.

“I think we historians, Turkish, American, French, British and
Armenian, must come together and form a commission to investigate
this issue objectively,” Yusuf Halacoglu, head of the Turkish
Historical Society, told Reuters on Wednesday.

EU issue

Halacoglu, who endorses the mainstream Turkish view of the events and
rejects the genocide claims, said setting scholars to work together
was all the more important for his country because the genocide issue
threatened to complicate Turkey’s entry talks with the European
Union.

The genocide issue might
complicate Turkey’s EU entry

The European Parliament and France, home to Europe’s largest Amenian
community, have both urged Turkey to recognise the killings of
Armenians between 1915 and 1923 as genocide.

Armenians this year mark the 90th anniversary of the events on April
24 and Turkey is to start EU entry talks on 3 October

Halacoglu said the commission would ideally work under the auspices
of the United Nations or another international body to help ensure
impartiality and to encourage all states concerned to open up their
archives to the panel.

He was due to discuss his research on the period on Wednesday with
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and said he hoped for official Turkish
backing for a commission.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Rabble.ca, Canada
Jan 12 2005

Ukraine: Regime change, Canada style

Yushchenko is `less bad than the other guy,’ as my translator assured me.

by John Lewis

When Victor Yushchenko accepts the presidency of Ukraine later this
month, he’ll have Paul Martin, among others, to thank.

The Prime Minister sent 500 election observers to Ukraine in December
to witness the re-run of what appeared to be a stolen presidential
election by an ex-communist party apparatchik. I was one of the
observers.

Western leaders, including Martin, coveted victory by a more westward
leaning candidate than the autocratic Victor Yanikovich, Yushchenko’s
rival. In response, Canada sent its largest delegation ever to a
foreign election, helping Victor Yushchenko win the second round. As
in life, however, `democracy’ is never so simple.

Martin has his own concerns. Canada has over one million people of
Ukrainian ancestry living within its borders. Most of these people
live in the West – in places like Edmonton – and the Liberal party is
vulnerable there. Ukrainian Canadians overwhelmingly favour
Yushchenko. Some of them were part of our delegation. When Canadian
domestic politics lined up so perfectly with international ones, the
decision for the Prime Minister to send observers was easy.

The neighbours

The same day as elections were held in Ukraine, the people in
Uzbekistan, a former Soviet state 3,000 kilometers, or 1,875 miles,
east of Kiev, elected a new Parliament. Only 21 international
observers were watching those elections because there wasn’t much
interest and there wasn’t much to see.

A victory for the pro-government party was a foregone conclusion
because there were no opposition candidates. The President has
stifled institutions that underpin a free and fair electoral process
– political parties, media freedom, an open atmosphere for civil
society organizations and freedom of assembly.

Azerbaijan’s fraudulent presidential elections last year led to
terrible political violence, for which the government has imprisoned
many opposition leaders. I was in Baku for these elections and
witnessed public demonstrations in Azerbaijan by people trying to
express themselves just as people had done in Kiev. A protester was
beaten to death by police a few metres from my hotel.

In Armenia in the spring the government used a variety of arbitrary
measures to prevent massive rallies protesting falsified elections
the previous year. Two months ago the government of Kazakhstan rigged
the parliamentary vote, resulting in only one opposition party member
gaining a seat in the lower house of legislature. A couple of weeks
ago not a single opposition candidate was elected in Belarus’s
parliamentary vote, as polling day fraud kept the opposition out.

Throughout the region, governments control television and try to
intimidate independent print media through defamation suits and
outright bullying. Human rights defenders are unlawfully jailed by
the authorities and subject to violent assaults by unknown attackers.

Russia, for its part, regularly cracks down on civil society.
President Vladimir Putin’s government has seized control over what
had been a diverse, if not exactly free, broadcast media and began
using it to promote pro-government political candidates and vilify
the opposition.

Will Ukraine change?

But in Ukraine the West has a leader that will change all that. At
least, we think.

Like Yanikovich, however, Yushchenko has his own spotty record as
Prime Minister of Ukraine for us to examine.

Under Yushchenko both pensions and wages fell in real terms for
retired people and workers respectively. Yanikovich witnessed them
rise. And under Yushchenko many services were privatized, including
several state energy systems, and the results were disastrous, with
rising costs and diminishing supplies. The situation for both workers
and the elderly was made worse under Yushchenko. So, why is he so
popular?

His `reformism,’ or his liberalizing attitude toward state
enterprises, makes Yushchenko attractive to western leaders,
including Paul Martin. Like President Bush, Prime Minister Martin is
a passionate free marketeer, trusting in the market to lift all
boats, and averse to state control. (Remember he headed the UN’s team
for private sector-led poverty reduction).

While in Ukraine, for example, the Canadian delegation was promised a
party at the Embassy in recognition of our service as volunteers. The
party never materialized, at least for those of us without business
interests and contacts in the country. Not quite the `crusade for
democracy’ that former Prime Minister (and leader of the Canadian
delegation) John Turner had promised in Ottawa.

Some of the U.S. delegates, for their part, members of the
International Republican Institute (IRI), an organization funded by
the Republican Party, held firm to the mantra that they were in
Ukraine not simply to ensure free and fair elections but also to
develop `free enterprise.’ While I appreciate the IRI’s candidness,
Ukrainians can expect American-style HMOs to replace the public
health system before too long.

Elections like this breed cynicism in the observer, but even an
economist friend who worked in the Finance Ministry under Yushchenko
believes that Ukraine will continue to suffer, even with the change
in election results. Yushchenko, he believes, will not improve the
conditions for the poor, the elderly or the working class.

But Yushchenko is popular with Ukrainians.

There’s no mistaking young people’s genuine affection for the man
heading the `Orange Revolution’ in Ukraine. He’s handsome (when his
body is not excreting poison), clever, and has a model American wife
and a foxy advisor, Yulia Tymoshenko.

Whether for these reasons or not, Yushchenko is `less bad than the
other guy,’ as my translator assured me. Like my economist friend,
the translator is at least happy to be finally rid of the old regime.

Ukrainians understand, I think, what they’re getting with the arrival
of democracy. For the West and for Ukrainians alike, it seems, the
election came down to this: support the lesser of two evils, support
for regime `upgrade,’ if you like.

Canada’s Paul Martin and the amused 500 helped make it happen.

But the PM still owes me a party.

John Lewis is Program Coordinator, International Human Rights, with
KAIROS.
From: Baghdasarian

Hurriyet, Turkey
Jan 12 2005

ERDOGAN, PUTIN CELEBRATE BOOMING ECONOMIC TIES

Visiting Prime Minister Recep Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir
Putin yesterday celebrated booming trade relations between their two
countries during talks in Moscow focusing on new energy and military
agreements. “I agree with the forecast that bilateral trade volume
could reach $15 billion in 2005 and $25 billion in 2007,” Putin told
a press conference with Erdogan. “Our most optimistic forecasts about
economic cooperation have come true.’ Accompanied by a delegation of
600 businessmen, Erdogan was paying a return visit to Moscow after
Putin late last year became the first Russian leader to visit Turkey
in 32 years. Putin said that Russia would back efforts by UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan to find a solution to the Cyprus
problem. Stating that he would press the international community to
speed up its efforts to lift the international blockade on the
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), the Russian leader said,
“We do not think that the political isolation of Northern Cypriots is
fair.’ He said he had spoken to Annan yesterday morning about plans
for developing economic cooperation with the TRNC and lifting the
blockade. The Russian president also stressed that his country was
ready to help Turkey overcome its problems with Armenia, and lends
its full support to Turkey’s European Union membership bid. For his
part, Erdogan also said that they would discuss the expansion of
military-technological cooperation as Putin also confirmed that the
two countries had previous plans on the issue. He is expected to
attend a meeting of Russian and Turkish businessmen today and
inaugurate a Turkish Trade Center in central Moscow. Erdogan also
announced that he would pay a visit to Moscow on May 9 to mark the
anniversary of Russia’s fight against fascism in World War II, and
also the beginning of modern Turkish-Russian relations. /Hurriyet/