Galicia’s Moment

The Wall Street Journal (Online)
December 2, 2004
Commentary

By Kamil Tchorek

LVIV, Ukraine — The statue of St. Yury depicts a towering rider lodging
his lance straight through the mouth of a huge snake. As fate would have
it, the monument sits opposite this western Ukrainian town’s police
headquarters, where crowds gathered to banish another scourge, Lviv’s
chief of police.

As the “people’s revolution” unfolded in Ukraine last week, Lviv’s
regional assembly was the first in the country to formally reject the
results of the fraudulent presidential election. The assembly also fired
the Kiev-appointed chiefs of police, customs and tax and elected its own
governor, Petro Oliynyk, an ally of the opposition leader and
presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko. “We will not sit down and play
chess with an opponent who wields a club,” said Mr. Oliynyk, rebuking
suggestions that Lviv’s unilateral dismissals and appointments are
unconstitutional.

Lviv has been waiting and preparing for years for this moment. As the
cradle of Ukrainian nationalism, its people have resisted oppressors,
both foreign and domestic, since the 14th century. When the candidate of
the disliked central government, Viktor Yanukovych, tried to steal the
election, Lviv decided to act, reforming the political system here
without waiting for a green light from Kiev. However this national
crisis ends, the region of western Ukraine, with Lviv at its center, has
already gone a long way toward shaping its destiny.

History and geography have given Lviv a unique, defiant character. With
800,000 people, Lviv is one of the most affluent and cosmopolitan cities
in the Ukraine, just 70 kilometers from the Polish border, the new
eastern boundary of the EU and NATO. Like all border towns, Lviv has
long been the site of both conflict and assimilation, a home to rebels,
misfits and pioneers alike.

In 1349, the then capital of the Kingdom of Galicia, Lviv was annexed by
the Polish king. For centuries under Polish rule, the city had a
thriving cosmopolitan community that included Poles, Ukrainians, Jews,
Armenians, Germans and Hungarians. “We are all Ukrainian,” said Witek
Zembowski, a resident of the Lviv suburbs. “But many of us have
grandparents who were not. We vote Yushchenko, and if we go to the
east….” he jokingly drew his finger across his neck as if it would be
severed by a knife.

With the first partition of Poland in 1772, Lviv came under
Austro-Hungarian rule. From then until 1918, Lviv was the capital of the
Hapsburg province of Galicia, joining a network of cities such as
Prague, Budapest, Vienna and for some time even Venice and Milan. Though
now cut off from a united Europe by the border lines drawn by the past
century of history, Lviv’s stunning combination of medieval and
Secessionist architecture puts its beauty on a par with every great
European city. Here, there’s no doubt in anyone’s mind that Ukraine
belongs in the West.

Its people have an unswerving faith in the West as its protector. “If
our country breaks up, there will be a national crisis,” said Viktor, a
taxi driver. “But Europe and America will help us. They will save our
currency. They will save our economy.”

Lviv’s elegant coffee houses and bars are now filled with groups of
friends excitedly talking about the success of their revolution.
Somewhere, on all of them, is a flash of “Yushchenko orange,” the color
adopted by the opposition campaign.

The most famous example of Galician resistance is the West Ukrainian
Republic, which had its capital in Lviv in 1918-23, until the region was
swallowed up by Poland. Its political successors formed the Organization
of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN), an armed struggle against successive
Polish, German and Soviet occupiers that fought well into the 1950s.
Speaking from Kiev, Vasyl Kuk, the 91-year-old veteran commander
-in-chief of the OUN said, “I spent years in a Soviet jail for fighting
communism. And I voted Yushchenko because I believe in democracy, not in
nationalism.”

After centuries of bitterness and conflict with Poland, and recent
memories of wartime atrocities, the Galician Ukrainians have remarkably
been able to make up with their western neighbors. Just over the EU
border, Polish companies and groups are supplying the city with buses
(now in short supply) for the convoys of activists that leave every day
to protest in Kiev.

The once-banned black-and-red flag, representing Ukrainian blood and
soil, of the nationalist rebels also occasionally flies alongside the
Solidarity flag in the sea of orange Yushchenko banners that now
dominate the constant winter carnival being celebrated in the streets of
Lviv. The flag is not flown in Lviv by armed partisans who aspire to
Galician secession, chanting anti-Semitic or anti-Russian songs, as Mr.
Yanokovych’s propagandists would have it. These are euphoric people with
a proud legacy. They have democracy in their hands, and the power to
keep hold of it.

The unilateral changes implemented in the past fortnight by leaders in
western Ukraine, such as the decision in Lviv to oust its centrally
appointed officials, raise concerns among the Russian-speakers in other
parts of the country. In Soviet times, as well as in the last 13 years
of independence, politicians in eastern region have exploited fears of
Ukrainian nationalism to win votes or scare electorates. The regional
governors who called for, then backed away from, a referendum on
autonomy for the east earlier this week were doing just that.

In reality, “Western Ukrainian nationalism” has evolved and matured into
the democratic assertiveness of the city of Lviv and its surrounding
region. This evolution has enabled the city to undergo a revolution that
has not needed to overthrow the ruling elite, but in which local leaders
are acting with the support of their people. In a city with St. Yury as
its patron saint, no one should expect anything less.

Mr. Tchorek is a journalist based in Warsaw.

URL for this article:
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AMIC’s NEWSLETTER, MONTREAL, CANADA
AMIC’s Info-Flash
2340 Chemin Lucerne, # 30
Ville Mont-Royal, Quebec
H3R 2J8,Canada
Tel : (514) 739 8950
Fax : (514) 738 2622
Web:
E-mail: [email protected]

November, 2004

1.Article 1 : ” The latest news from the 9th World Congress organizers”
2. Article 2: “Armenia’s health minister visit to Canada”
3.Article 3: “The Armenian American Health Professionals Organization’s
tenth Annual Gala Celebration”
4. Article 4 : “Report from a recent trip to Armenia/Karabagh”
5. Article 5 : “The Achievements Of Chronobiology And Chronomedicine (2002).
A publication by Professor Levon Aslanyan”
6. Article 6: ” Information on health-care reforms in Armenia?”
7. Article 7: “What is AMIC?”

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1. The latest news from the 9th World Congress organizers

“The Flyers are finally flying,”wrote Dr. Jerry Manoukian to AMIC in an
e-mail message sent on September 6. Every Armenian health professional
listed on AMIC’s main database (4600 names) must have received his or her
flyer.

Dr. Jerry Manoukian, president of the 9th Armenian Medical World Congress
organizing committee, also pointed out a problem that AMIC’s Executive
members and administrative director are well aware: the 4600 addresses need
constant updating, especially for those located in the United States of
America. The Info-Flash takes this opportunity to launch an urgent appeal:
please take less than a minute of your time to send to AMIC office
([email protected]) your latest e-mail and mailing addresses if and when you
change them; please pass the word to your colleagues who are not yet
registered on AMIC’s online and main databases.

Individuals who have not yet received their flyers, can also go to the
Congress’s website (listed above) and look for the latest news.
Any Armenian medical association not officially member of the AMIC’s
network, can contact AMIC office (by e-mail or by phone (514) 739 8950), and
send their members’ list and addresses and we’ll do our best to send them
quickly all the necessary information and documentation. The latest
association to have done so is the “Armenian American Pharmacists
Association of Massachusetts” that we officially welcome here.

Please pay attention to the following deadlines:
-Deadline for submissions of abstracts: January 31, 2005
-Deadline for especial registration fees: April 1, 2005
-Deadline for especial hotel rates: June 2005.

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2. Armenia’s health minister visit to Canada.

His Excellency, the Minister of Health of Armenia, Dr. Norayr Davidian was
in Canada from October 21 to October 31. He was in Montreal during the
weekend of October 23-24, and then went to Ottawa and Toronto.

He had meetings with AMIC’s and AMAQ’s Executive members on October 23 and
24. Current health problems in Armenia and the development of future areas
of collaboration were discussed. During the October 24 meeting, the minister
met also Dr. Odino Riendeau, a dentist from Quebec, member of the “Dentists
Without Borders” organization; encouraged by Dr. Lena Terjanian, Dr.
Riendeau visited Armenia last summer, and now intends to develop a DWB
program in Armenia.

************************************************************

3. “The Armenian American Health Professionals Organization’ s” tenth Annual
Gala Celebration.

On October 30, 2004, the AAHPO held its Annual Gala dinner, honoring the
cardiologist Dr. Haroutune Mekhjian and the philanthropist Mr. Kevork
Hovnanian, and celebrating the 10th anniversary of its foundation. (Please
read below the letter sent by the organizers).
A delegation from AMIC’s Executive, Drs. Jean Aralelian and Zareh Ouzounian,
inaugurating a decision taken by the Executive, to try to attend as many the
business meetings of its member associations in the USA as possible,
attended both the Gala dinner and the brunch on Sunday morning, October 31,
during which, a presentation was made about AMIC, outlining its history, its
objectives, its membership, and the coming Journal to be launched in 2005.

Dr. Ted Chaglassian, AAHPO’s Board President, and Mr. Khoren Nalbandian,
Board Vice President, gave the following information about the event in
their accompanying letter:

“The Armenian American Health Professional Organization is celebrating its
10th anniversary. As you are aware we are having a banquet to honor two
distinguished Armenian Americans – Mr. Kevork Hovnanian for his unrelenting
support of medical and humanitarian needs both in the United States and
Armenia, and Dr. Haroutune Mekhjian for lifelong excellence in the practice
of medicine and surgery and his pioneering contributions to cardiac surgery.

Since the inception of our organization in 1994, we have held a number of
health fairs, lectures, seminars and panel discussions. We have honored
several outstanding Armenians for their involvement in the medical and
humanitarian fields. We have also extended our support and participated in
the Armenian Medical congress.

Our plans for the immediate future include the participation and hosting of
the next World Armenian Medical International Congress. This occasion will
welcome skilled health professionals from all over the world to get together
and network.

Last but not least, we would like to establish a small Health Care Center
that will serve as a foundation for a future Armenian Medical Center.
To accomplish these projects your financial support and generosity is kindly
requested and always appreciated.”

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY AAHPO !
*************************************************************

4. Report from a recent trip to Armenia/Karabagh

Drs. Zareh Ouzounian and Avedis Bogosyan, from Toronto and members of AMIC’s
Executive, as well as other colleagues from the USA, made a trip to Armenia
and Karabagh from September 29 to October 16. We reproduce interesting
excerpts from the report sent by Dr. Ouzounian.

1- “The Women’s Health Clinic (funded by ACMAO) was officially opened on
October 9 in Stepanakert. The President of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabagh,
the First Lady (also Honorary Chairperson of our clinics), the Speaker of
the House, and many Ministers, officials, were present. The TV covered the
event. I need to mention here that since we came back, we are receiving
reports on the success of the clinic, which is seeing from 15 to 20 patients
a day already!

2- Because the clinics are growing in number, we had to register them under
one name for official registration, staff, etc.. After giving it long
thoughts, we decided to create a new umbrella NGO (Non governmental
Organization) to be also able to be tax-exempt. Because there are many
organizations and individuals involved in these clinics (Montreal, Toronto,
France, Lebanon, Boston..), we decided to call the new NGO “Hand in Hand”
(in Armenian” tzerk tzerki”). We are now officially registered in Karabagh
and hopefully we shall register the same in Armenia soon. We wrote the whole
constitution and bylaws and registered officially the whole thing in the
record time of two days!

3- The Martuni clinic’s construction is in full gear. It is coming very
nicely. We expect the construction to be completed sometime in mid-November.

4- The Martakert clinic’s construction raises some small concerns that we
are in the process of correcting at the present time. But overall it is
going well too.

5- Two meetings were held with the dentist for the mobile clinic, Dr. Vahag
Ghazarian. Some concerns about the establishment of the route for the mobile
must be resolved, such as logistics, where to sleep, which villages to
visit, how to coordinate, proximity and reachability of certain villages
etc,. Dr. Ghazarian is working on developing a realistic and feasible plan.

6- In May (5 and 6), 2005, a Conference will be organized on Preventive
Dentistry in Stepanakert. This conference will address not only dentists,
but also medical physicians, health administrators, school principals,
school nurses etc., in order to explain overall how preventive dentistry is
the way to go in terms of Public Health in the whole system. The second day
of the conference we will teach all the dentists how to actually perform the
hygiene and recall visits for all the children, establish protocols, prepare
Handouts..We already have the acceptance of five speakers from the
Diaspora as well as a hygienist from Los Angeles for the workshops.

7- Two meetings were held with the Armenian Dental Association, trying to
solve past differences and resume our cooperation in the future. The next
International Dental Congress will be held in Yerevan next October.
A.I.D.A.’s (Armenian International Dental Association) participation to the
Congress will be decided during its meeting of November 11-15 in Nassau.

8- We had two visits to the NIH (National Institute of Health). They now
have a clinic and are ready to conduct Continuing Education programs
including Hands-On courses. We will conduct such courses to benefit the
young generation of dentists who are engaged in the NIH in an 18 month GPR
(General Practice Residency) program. Speakers who would be able and willing
to provide such courses in this new setting, are greatly welcome
9- We visited the Hadrout and Shushi clinics. Small repairs have been
already completed in Hadrout, and the patient records are in very good shape

It was a satisfying trip. We have the feeling that we are getting more
organized and the scope of our projects is becoming really significant. Of
course, a fine-tuning will have to be made as we go along. We thank all the
participants for their continuous support to these nation-building projects.
Please do not hesitate to offer ideas and suggestions. We can use all the
help we can get.

Dr. Zareh Ouzounian.

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5. ” The Achievements Of Chronobiology And Chronomedicine” (2002). A
publication by Professor Nubar Levon Aslanyan.

During its meeting of August 28, AMIC’s Executive received Professor Nubar
Aslanyan, the director of the Biochemistry Laboratory at the Institute of
Cardiology of Armenia, and the Founding President of the Armenian Society
for Chronobiology, who was visiting Montreal. His Laboratory’s specialty is
the study of the “biological rhythms”; the world leader specialist in that
domain is Professor Franz Halberg, (Minnesota University), who first
contacted AMIC a few months ago (see the Info-Flash of June 2004), and
introduced us to the work and needs of Professor Aslanyan’s Laboratory.
Dr. Aslanyan offered AMIC one of its latest publication: “The Achievements
Of Chronobiology And Chronomedicine”, (2002, 285 pages) written in English
and Russian, and published in Yerevan.
In their foreword to the book, Professors Halberg and Cornelissen write that
N. Aslanyan “placed his country on the map of chronomics- the mapping of
time structures and chronomes.. He has joined the “BIOCOS” project, bringing
with him his rich expertise in chronomics, worldwide monitoring (notably of
blood pressure and heart rate) and physical environmental variables.. As we
have learned in the past half-century, what was interpreted as a set of
conditioned Pavlovian reflexes is in fact a partly genetically anchored
circadian system. With Nubar in the lead, chronomics provide us with the
possibility of counteracting the ills of the second childhood by developing
coutermeasures in the womb and at birth..” In the book, Dr. Aslanyan
develops a scientific “who’s who”, giving by continents and countries the
names of the scientists (70) engaged in chronomics. Past meetings held
around the world are listed and explained etc.
For those who, among our readers would like to help Dr. Aslanyan’s
Laboratory needs, please contact AMIC’s office ([email protected], phone (514)
739 8950). With very modest sums, precious equipment with special discount
prices could be purchased.

**********************************************************

6. Information on health-care reforms in Armenia

– The health care sector’s budget will rise dramatically in the coming
years: the 2004 year budget allocation was 25 billion drams; in 2005 it will
rise to 31.7 billion drams, in 2006 to 36.8 billion drams, and in 2007 to
50.1 billion drams, doubling the amount of money in three years.

– In 2003, the 34 health care centers of Yerevan were restructured into 10
units.

– The World Bank earmarked a loan of $ US 19.5 million; 7.5 million will be
used to train 950 family physicians, and create 20 polyclinics in the rural
regions of the country. The balance will serve to update medical equipment.

– The government of Armenia, with the material help ($ US 2.2 million) of
the German government initiated a “national campaign to eradicate
Tuberculosis” in Armenia.

– In 2004 an “open door days” policy was initiated with the participation of
the best specialists available: the March 29 to April 7 period was dedicated
to men’s health. From April 12 to April 17, the experience was extended
geographically to all the Marzes: 26 000 patients were examined. From May 12
to May 15, it was the turn of the (female) teachers of primary classes etc.

– In 2004, the minister of health toured regularly the different regions of
the country, not only to gather first-hand information about the needs of
the population, but also to deliver directly to them information about the
free health care services to which they are entitled..

**********************************************************

7. What is AMIC?

The Armenian Medical International Committee was created fourteen years ago.
It is an umbrella organization that unites Armenian medical associations
throughout the Diaspora, creating thus a large network through which
information and data are exchanged.
AMIC organizes Armenian Medical World Congresses. So far eight have been
held in different cities of the Diaspora. In 2003, “The First International
Medical Congress of Armenia”, organized by Armenia, was held in Yerevan from
July 1 to July 3.
The 9th AMIC Congress will be held in 2005 (from June 29 to July 3), in San
Francisco (USA). You can have the latest news by visiting the website

AMIC publishes since 1998 an online newsletter and sends it freely to all
Armenian Health Care professionals. If you are a health care professional
and are interested in receiving Info-Flash, please send us your e-mail
address ([email protected]). To all those who already receive the Info, please do
not forget to send us your new e-mail address when you change it.
For further information visit our website:

A useful information to remember: you can send freely from wherever you are
located, medical equipment/medicine through the services of the United
Armenian Fund; President Mr. Harout Sassounian ([email protected])

CENN – DECEMBER 1, 2004 DAILY DIGEST
Table of Contents:
1. Con-Tract of the Century
2. The Summit of the Ministers of Environment of Caspian and Black Sea
Regional States Commences in Istanbul
3. Exxon/Mobil Drilling Another Well
4. WB Finances Reconstruction of Irrigation System in Azerbaijan
5. No Emergencies Recorded for the Last Day Because of Snowfall in
Armenia
6. World Vision Renovates Four Health Posts in Lori Province
7. An International Workshop on Social Monitoring Opened in Yerevan
8. RA Parliament Passes the Draft Law on Higher and Post Graduate
Education
9. Yerevan Municipality Moves to New Building
10. Journalists Create “Caucasian Club”
11. Armenia To Start Building Iran Gas Pipeline
12. Armenian Rivers are Not As Polluted as Azerbaijan Alleges
13. African NGOs Boycott World Bank Meeting
14. 2nd International Congress and Innovation Fair

1. CON-TRACT OF THE CENTURY
Michael Gillard, 29 November 2004

Page: 1/7
A SpinWatch investigation

How BP tried to cover-up up its flawed operations in the Caspian that
could lead to an environmental disaster. The investigation also reveals
breaking news that the first bank consortium led by Italy’s largest
bank, Banca Intesa, has pulled out over concerns about safety flaws and
reputation risk.

The Con-tract of the Century

A special investigation for Spinwatch by Michael Gillard

The full text is available on the following address:
CON-TRACT OF THE CENTURY.doc

2. THE SUMMIT OF THE MINISTERS OF ENVIRONMENT OF CASPIAN AND BLACK SEA
REGIONAL STATES COMMENCES IN ISTANBUL

Source: State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, AzerTag,
November 25, 2004

The Summit of the Ministers of Environment of the states of the Caspian
and Black seas region, devoted to questions of ecology,` Caspian and
Black Sea Ecology 2004′ in which delegations from Turkey, Russia, Iran,
Romania, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Bulgaria, Azerbaijan and Georgia take
part, representatives of the international and regional oil-and-gas,
transport and tanker companies, a number NGOs, has started in Istanbul.

The employee of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources Rasim
Sattarzade represents Azerbaijan at the Summit.

As was informed to AzerTAj in the Ministry of Ecology and Natural
Resources, participants of Summit with a view of development of regional
interstate and industrial cooperation on preservation of the environment
will consider a number of questions influencing on ecological system of
region. Besides, during the meeting, discussed are expected questions of
development of ecologically safe methods and technologies of
investigation and oil recovery and gas and transportation of power
resources in the Caspian-Black Sea region.

According to Turkish mass media, one of the basic questions of the
Summit is discussion of the program of navigation in the Bosporus and
Dardanelle passages, carried out now by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and the ministry of environment and forestry of Turkey. The program
stipulates monitoring the problem of transport congestion, caused by
passage of tankers through the Bosporus and Dardanelle, and also
research of alternatives to working rules of transit of passages.

3. EXXON/MOBIL DRILLING ANOTHER WELL

Source: State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, AzerTag,
November 29, 2004

After drilling an exploratory hole in the Zafar-Mashal field,
Exxon/Mobile Company is going to start drilling the first test hole in
the Nakhchivan structure. The cost of drilling works in the Zafar-Mashal
field were the highest in the Caspian Sea. It cost $150 million.

To remind, the Company holds 8 percent stock at the ACG full-fledge
development project.

4. WB FINANCES RECONSTRUCTION OF IRRIGATION SYSTEM IN AZERBAIJAN

Source: State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, AzerTag,
November 29, 2004

World Bank finances $42-million `Rehabilitation & Completion of
Irrigation and Drainage Infrastructure’ project in Azerbaijan.

The project aims at prevention the decline in supplying water in Baku
City, eliminate further deterioration of the supply of irrigation water
to approximately 86,000 hectares along the Samur-Apsheron Canal; and
improve drainage and reduce water logging and salinity on approximately
36,500 ha along Main-Mugan Collector.

The project is implemented by the Melioration and Water Industry Agency
of the Agriculture Ministry of Azerbaijan.

5. NO EMERGENCIES RECORDED FOR THE LAST DAY BECAUSE OF SNOWFALL IN
ARMENIA

Source: ARKA, November 24, 2004

No emergencies were recorded for the last day because of snowfall in
Armenia, as Colonel Nikolay Grigoryan Head of Armenian Department of
Emergency Situations stated. In his words all roads are in working
conditions except the Selim pass and Bagratashen bridge. He mentioned
that due to icy roads a car accident was recorded in Vayots Dzor without
human casualties. There were breakdowns on electric lines in Aragatsotn
marz, while they were removed and the electricity was restored.

6. WORLD VISION RENOVATES FOUR HEALTH POSTS IN LORI PROVINCE

Source: ArmenPress, November 25, 2004

On Wednesday, November 24, World Vision Armenia celebrated the opening
of the renovated health posts in four rural communities in Lori Marz.
The ceremony took place at 12:00 PM at the health post in Norashen
village and was followed by a visit to Sarchapet, Artsni and Saratovka
communities where World Vision and Support to Communities (STC) has
completed the renovation of the local health posts.

Renovation of the health posts was done in the framework of the Support
to Mobile Medical Teams program, a five-year project funded by US Agency
for International Development and World Vision and targeting 57 rural
communities in Gegharkunik, Lori Tavush and Syunik marzes.

The program aims to provide medical services to the population of remote
communities (serving 32,000 people), increase access of vulnerable
children and their families to a healthy and balanced diet, conduct
health education and promotion among population, establish revolving
drug funds, conduct primary health care trainings and work closely with
policlinics, hospitals and health posts to increase levels of care.
World Vision Armenia works closely with its local partners including STC
and the Scientific Association of Medical Students of Armenia.

Since May 2004 over 12,600 people in 25 villages of Lori and Gegharkunik
regions have benefited from this program. Four Mobile Medical Teams
regularly visited remote communities, providing qualified health care
services to the residents.

As a part of the program activities focused on strengthening
community-based health structures in villages, World Vision Armenia
together with STC started the renovation of the health posts in 11
villages of Gegharkunik and 5 villages of Lori from which renovation of
four Lori health posts has been completed.

Next year the program will start to deliver primary health care to
vulnerable children and families in Syunik and Tavush regions.

“By the end of the program, villages will have benefited from five
years of MMT visits, and will also have primary health care structures
and community knowledge strengthened in a sustainable manner.” says
Julian Srodecki, WV Armenia Operations Director.

7. AN INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON SOCIAL MONITORING OPENED IN YEREVAN

Source: ARKA, November 24, 2004

Today, at the Yerevan Marriott Hotel, the Government of Armenia and
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) opened a three-day
international workshop on Strengthening the Capacity for Social
Monitoring in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS): Millennium
Development Goals (MDG) and Poverty Reduction Strategic Papers (PRSP).
Senior representatives of the Government of Armenia, UN Agencies and
offices in Slovakia, the United States of America, and Switzerland,
international and local organisations, Governors’ Offices, as well as
distinguished experts from Poland, Tanzania, Albania, Kazakhstan, and
other countries are participating in the workshop.

The main objective of the regional workshop is to share experiences on
social monitoring and identify the steps that are needed to establish
comprehensive national social monitoring systems. The workshop also aims
at strengthening the capacity of participants by: a) exchanging
experiences and discussing case studies in the field of social
monitoring, with a special focus on methodologies and indicators; b)
reviewing linkages between MDGs and PRSPs in the CIS; and c) discussing
mechanisms for building partnerships in social monitoring. UNDP office
to Armenia was founded to 1993. Total cost of UNDP programs in Armenia
makes $11 million.

8. RA PARLIAMENT PASSES THE DRAFT LAW ON HIGHER AND POST-GRADUATE
EDUCATION

Source: ARKA, November 25, 2004

The RA Parliament passed in the first reading the draft law On Higher
and Post-Graduate Professional Education. The law is called to regulate
the state policy in these areas, as well as the organizational-legal and
financial-economic issues. The law includes the protection of citizens’
right to obtain corresponding education, its availability, continuous
education, ensuring of competitiveness, transparency and publicity, as
well as recognition of diploma and qualification degrees of Armenian
higher and post-graduate education in European countries.

The draft law also sets the state standards and educational programs of
higher and post-graduate education, terms and forms of education,
qualification degrees, as well as the order of entering a higher
education and post-graduate institutions, as well as the order of their
registration and management.

The draft law provide for two-degree system of higher education
(Baccalaureate and Magistrate). Every higher educational institution
(public or private) will grant its own diploma. In addition, the best
students and needy students will be able to receive student
scholarships.

9. YEREVAN MUNICIPALITY MOVES TO NEW BUILDING

Source: ArmenPress, November 26, 2004

Armenian president Robert Kocharian praised today the companies that
have built the new building of the Yerevan municipality, saying after a
stroll that he was satisfied with both the quality of the work and the
speed with which it was accomplished.

Speaking to reporters, Kocharian said the municipality staff should work
now more effectively to tackle the citizens’ problems without red tape
and delays. “The idea of one window should be implemented in the
municipality that has to ensure uninterrupted function of all city
services,” the president said, adding that complains that the
municipality does not have good conditions for work will be unjustified.

The construction of the building was started yet in 1980 but was
suspended after 1991 and resumed only in 2003. The new municipality
building will also house the Yerevan History Museum.

The new five-storey building has a total of 13,500 square meters of
space. It cost is 3.1 billion drams.

10. JOURNALISTS CREATE “CAUCASIAN CLUB”

Source: ITAR-TASS News Agency, November 26, 2004

A new public organization of journalists – the Caucasian Club, has been
established on Friday under the auspices of the International Federation
of journalist unions and the Union of Russia journalists. The goal of
the new organization is to make a positive contribution to the coverage
of international problems and in the long run to the stabilization of
the situation in the Caucasus.

Journalists from Moscow, Chechnya, Dagestan, North Ossetia, the
Krasnodar territory, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia were among the first
to join the Caucasian Club, which is open to new members to join.

The main credo of the new Club is strict objectivity, impartial coverage
and delicacy when covering ethnic problems, Besides. The Caucasian Club
will discuss economic and social problems of the Caucasus, integration
of national Diasporas, problems of ethnic crime.

11. ARMENIA TO START BUILDING IRAN GAS PIPELINE

By Hrach Melkumian

Armenia will start on Tuesday the long-awaited work on a key section of
a strategic pipeline that will allow it to import Iranian natural gas in
two years from now, officials said on Monday.

Prime Minister Andranik Markarian, Energy Minister Armen Movsisian and
his Iranian counterpart will lead an official ceremony in Agarak, a
small town near the Iranian border, dedicated to the event. The
construction of the pipeline’s 100-kilometer stretch passing through
Iranian territory reportedly got underway last year.

`We are talking about the construction of the first 40-kilometer section
of the pipeline which, as you know, will be built with a $30 million
loan provided by the Iranian side,’ Lusine Harutiunian, the spokeswoman
for the Armenian Energy Ministry, told RFE/RL. `We plan to complete the
construction by January 1, 2007.’

The loan was formally extended during Iranian President
MohammadKhatami’s September visit to Armenia when the two neighboring
states signed a final agreement on the project after a decade of
negotiations. The deal was finalized during Iranian Oil and Gas Minister
Bizhan Zangane’s talks in Yerevan last May.

The Armenian government says the pipeline will bolster Armenia’s vital
relationship with the Islamic Republic and provide it with an
alternative source of natural gas which generates about 40 percent of
its energy. The economically struggling country presently imports the
fuel from Russia through an aging pipeline running across Georgia.

The 42-kilometer section of the new pipeline will run from the Iranian
border to the southeastern town of Kajaran through one of Armenia’s most
rocky terrains. A mountain pass near Kajaran is the highest in the
country.

Armenia is due to repay the Iranian loan with energy supplies. The two
governments already engage in a seasonal swap of electricity and plan to
boost it dramatically with a second high-voltage transmission line
linking their power grids. Harutiunian said Armenian and Iranian
officials will inaugurate the line at a separate ceremony on Tuesday.

12. ARMENIAN RIVERS ARE NOT AS POLLUTED AS AZERBAIJAN ALLEGES

Source: ArmenPress, November 29, 2004

Armen Saghatelian, the head of a center for ecological and noospheric
studies, an affiliation of the Armenian Academy of Sciences, denied
Azerbaijan’s allegations that rivers flowing in from Armenia are
polluted heavily with radioactive substances.

The center will accomplish next December a project for monitoring of the
South Caucasian rivers, assisted by NATO and OSCE Yerevan office.
Saghatelian said samples of water from 13 rivers running across Armenia
to Azerbaijan are taken once a month to check the volume of their
contamination. Similar work is done in Azerbaijan and Georgia and the
data is collected in one center.

He said NATO provides funds for purchase of necessary equipment while
the OSCE office helps to carry out field work.

He said NATO helps also to buy scale spectrometers to decide the volume
of radioactive substances in the rivers, which he said is important to
deny Azerbaijan’s accusations that Armenia pollutes the rivers with such
elements. The project has been carried out in the South Caucasian
republics since 2003 and its overall budget is 500,000 euros.

13. AFRICAN NGOS BOYCOTT WORLD BANK MEETING

PRESS RELEASE November 30, 2004

Source: [email protected], November 24,
2004

ACCRA, November 30, 2004 – Today, organisations from across the African
continent are boycotting a consultation meeting in Nairobi organized by
the International Finance Corporation (IFC) of the World Bank Group. The
organisations claim that the consultation is ill prepared, rushed and
untransparent, and will not provide a meaningful venue for input. Civil
society demanded more time, more outreach, more translation, more
information and more engagement, but did not get an adequate response.

The IFC is meeting in Nairobi today to discuss new social and
environmental standards. The institution is the private sector arm of
the World Bank Group, providing financial support for large
corporations, including AngloGold Ashanti in Ghana. Many of IFC’s
projects around the world have polluted rivers, displaced people,
increased corruption, abused human rights and contributed to climate
change. Benefits are rarely shared with the communities that are
affected.

African NGOs including Friends of the Earth, Third World Network and
CIVICUS claim in a statement that `the framework for the Bank’s
involvement in Africa’s extractives has been inadequate and unbalanced
to meet the developmental priorities and needs of the people and
communities.’

Under pressure of transnational corporations, the IFC plans to weaken
its standards, thereby endangering people and the environment even
further. Noble Wadzah of Friends of the Earth Ghana said: `IFC’s new
standards for social and environmental matters will not be binding upon
corporations. While the current policies are weak already, and
implementation is problematic, voluntary codes are unacceptable. It
would imply that foreign corporations can ruin our resources and
livelihoods as they please, while not being accountable. What do we
stand to gain? It is time that the World Bank Group reconsiders the way
it is doing business and starts to protect people instead of profit.’

The African statement follows boycotts of consultations of the IFC
review in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Manila (Philippines) and London
(United Kingdom). Later this week, groups will be protesting outside the
IFC consultation meeting in Paris, France.

For more information, contact:
Noble Wadzah, Friends of the Earth Ghana: 0233 51 23 12
Abdulai Darimani, Third World Network: 0233 50 36 69

Position Statement of African Civil Society Organisations for the IFC
Safeguard Policy
Review Consultation in Africa, November 29-30, 2004 is available on the
following address: Statement of
African Civil Society Organisations for the IFC Safeguard Policy.doc

===============================Tired of big money paving the planet?
Become an Active Bankwatcher!
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Petr Hlobil
ATTENTION: NEW ADDRESS

Petr Hlobil
Campaigns Coordinator
CEE Bankwatch Network
Jicinska 8, Praha 3, 130 00, Czech Republic
Tel.+fax: 420-2-7481 65 71 l. 18

14. 2ND INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS AND INNOVATION FAIR

“SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION”
19th – 20th September 2005, University of Geneva

For the more detailed information please visit:

—
*******************************************
CENN INFO
Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN)

Tel: ++995 32 92 39 46
Fax: ++995 32 92 39 47
E-mail: [email protected]
URL:

YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

NOVEMBER 26 – DECEMBER 2, 2004

HIGHLIGHTS:

SIXTH “PRESS CLUB” SHOW

“INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISTS” WIN THE CASE AGAINST THE YEREVAN MUNICIPALITY

VERSION OF “HAIKAKAN ZHAMANAK” CAR SELF-IGNITION WAS NOT CONFIRMED

SIXTH “PRESS CLUB” SHOW

On November 29 on the evening air of the Second Armenian TV Channel the
sixth “Press Club” show was issued. The cycle is organized by Yerevan Press
Club under “Strengthening Democracy in South Caucasus by Free Expression”
project, implemented jointly with “Article 19” international organization
with the support of Open Society Institute.

The heads of the leading media and journalistic associations of Armenia
discussed the issue of reliable information and trustworthiness of media.
The second topic was the Karabagh conflict, in particular, the events that
drew the greatest attention of the media during that past days: the draft
resolution introduced to the discussion of the UN General Assembly upon the
proposal of Azerbaijan “On the Situation on Occupied Territories of
Azerbaijan”, and the report on Mountainous Karabagh prepared by the reporter
of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe David Atkinson and
discussed at the PACE Politics Committee.

“INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISTS” WIN THE CASE AGAINST THE YEREVAN MUNICIPALITY

On December 1 the RA Court of Appeals secured the suit of “Investigative
Journalists” NGO versus the Yerevan municipality. The court obliged the
municipality to provide the resolutions passed by the city administration in
1997-2003 on construction of the green zone around the National Opera and
Ballet Theater, necessary for the journalistic investigation. The demand of
the plaintiff had previously been rejected by the courts of primary and
secondary jurisdiction, and in late October the RA Court of Cassation
redirected the case for the consideration of the Court of Appeals in a new
composition (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, October 29 – November 4, 2004).

VERSION OF “HAIKAKAN ZHAMANAK” CAR SELF-IGNITION WAS NOT CONFIRMED

On November 29 the State Fire Service of the RA Department of Emergencies
provided “Haikakan Zhamanak” daily with a final expert assessment of the
reasons why the car owned by the newspaper and used by the Chief Editor
Nikol Pashinian went on fire. As it has been reported, the fire occurred on
the evening of November 22 and by the preliminary assessment of the experts
was caused by a malfunction of the battery wires in the car. Meanwhile,
Nikol Pashinian qualified the incident as intentional, directed against him
personally and suggested that a well-known businessman and RA National
Assembly deputy Gagik Tsarukian was involved in it (see details in YPC
Weekly Newsletter, November 19-25, 2004).

On November 30 “Haikakan Zhamanak” published extracts from the expert
assessment above. According to the document, the experts had considered two
reasons for the ignition, an electrotechnical malfunction and outside
intervention, and arrived at the conclusion that “the probable reason for
the fire was the heat impact of an open fire source in presence of flammable
substances”. As to the earlier version of ignition due to battery wire
malfunction, in the opinion of experts, it is of little probability.

Thus, the supposition of self-ignition of the car is actually rejected. At
the same time, “Haikakan Zhamanak” believes there are certain deficiencies
in the assessment: the phrasings are obscure, the mechanism of the ignition
is not explained. For this reason the representative of the editorial office
refused to sign the document.

The assessment of the Fire Service is sent to an appropriate investigation
body which is now to decide whether criminal proceedings will be instituted.

When reprinting or using the information above, reference to the Yerevan
Press Club is required.

You are welcome to send any comment and feedback about the Newsletter to:
[email protected]

Subscription for the Newsletter is free. To subscribe or unsubscribe from
this mailing list, please send a message to: [email protected]

Editor of YPC Newsletter – Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
____________________________________________
Yerevan Press Club
9B, Ghazar Parpetsi str.
375007, Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+ 374 1) 53 00 67; 53 35 41; 53 76 62
Fax: (+374 1) 53 56 61
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site:

Armenia asks EU to discuss Turkey’s policies toward the ex-Soviet country

.c The Associated Press

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) – Armenia has asked European Union leaders to
discuss the policies of Turkey, its long-time foe, toward the former
Soviet republic at an upcoming EU summit, the foreign minister said.

Armenians accuse Turks of killing up to 1.5 million Armenians in
genocide between 1915 and 1923. Turkey claims the number of deaths is
inflated and says the victims were killed in civil unrest. The two
countries have no diplomatic relations.

Armenia and Turkey are also at odds over Nagorno-Karabakh, a region of
Turkish ally Azerbaijan that has been under ethnic Armenian control
since a war that ended in 1994 without a political settlement.

In a letter, Armenian President Robert Kocharian asked EU leaders to
discuss what Armenia sees as a Turkish economic blockade during their
Dec. 17 meeting, Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian said in a televised
interview late Wednesday. Turkey keeps its border with Armenia closed,
aggravating the impoverished country’s economic plight.

EU leaders are to vote at the forthcoming summit on whether to open
membership negotiations with Turkey.

12/02/04 11:39 EST

Troy Record, NY
Dec 2 2004

Internet abuzz about soulful soloist
By Don Wilcock,

There are a lot of young ladies who want to be the subject of
Granian’s next song. “That’s probably the most common thing I’ve had
said to me is, ‘I can’t imagine having a song like that written about
me.’ I hear that all the time.”

Granian appears Friday at Club Caroline in Saratoga at 11 p.m. He is
one of a new breed of singer/songwriter making a name for himself
with people who hear his music on the Internet, download it for
friends and generate a buzz by word of mouth.
One of the bands carrying his name was picked by Spin Magazine four
years ago as best unsigned talent. One of his albums, “My Voice,” was
the number-one seller on CDBaby.com for two weeks.
In total, he’s sold more than 25,000 albums without a label
affiliation. His latest release, “On My Own Two Feet,” features a
“band” of musicians who each dubbed their parts in one at a time.
And when he toured the album in Chicago, San Francisco and New York,
he hired a different set of musicians to back him for each gig.
No, Granian isn’t so much about a band sound as he is the personal,
intimate reflections in each song. And that’s what hooks the ladies.
All 10 songs on “On My Own Two Feet” appear to be a searching
retrospective of a failed relationship.
“Lots of time I’ll write stuff that isn’t even apparent between me
and the girlfriend I have at the time,” says the singer/songwriter
who will perform his material solo on acoustic guitar at Club
Caroline.
On the title cut he sings, “It’s such a simple thing to let yourself
go. The heartache that it brings by now I should know.”
“I’ve written a couple of songs about ex’s or girls that I didn’t
know I would write when I was with them or when I was talking to
them.
“Months later, you kind of look back on the situation and you’re
like, ‘Oh, wow. Let me dip into how I was really thinking at the
time,’ because in the moment, you’re lost in the moment. You don’t
really know what’s true.”
On “Uncovered,” he sings, “All the things I say that you never
understand. We got together anyway just not quite the way we’d
planned.”
It’s almost as if his songs are therapy to help him work out why it
didn’t work out.
“There’s definitely a couple of songs in there where a verse will
come out, and that will be all I will think about when I think back
on the specific situation.
“Then, when it goes down in the song, it’s so crystal clear, and it
definitely makes it easier to deal with at that point because it’s so
crystal clear that I’m sitting here writing this song.”
“Slowly pulling you in like she’s been sent from up above,” he sings
in “Contagious.” “She’s like a pill, you get your fill.”
You can almost imagine these women who hear his songs telling
themselves that they’re going to be different. They’re going to land
this sensitive lad with an ever-more-broken heart.
He characterizes these women by types. They are roughly divided into
two camps: those who come to his rock shows with “the band,” and
those who are into his acoustic performances.
“There isn’t a stereotype,” he says. “Not at all. But I think at the
end of the day, there’s the girl who’s the real music fan, and then
there’s the girl who is awestruck by the confidence and the demand on
attention you get when you’re with a full band doing a full rock
show.
“When I’m playing solo acoustic, I’m definitely more personal. More
of my personality comes out when I’m playing solo because I’m
cracking jokes and I’m laughing. I’m making people laugh.
“I say so many times I should be getting two pay checks, one for
comedy and one for music, because a lot of time I have people rolling
on the floor. They just can’t believe they’re laughing so hard and
they’re watching me play music.
“Then, when I’m playing the full rock show, I’m in rock-star mode,
and the antics are flowing, I’m on my knees, and I’m on the edge of
the stage, and I’m hamming it up.
“So the girls from the acoustic show are definitely more music fans.
They’re definitely fans of my music and fans of what I do. They are
totally intrigued by the fact I’m up there with just one guitar, and
I’m just pouring my heart out.
“Then, there are the other girls. I mean, they’re probably the more
superficial girls, which I get off with the full band and the
electric guitars and the bull horns waving in the air. Just from
jumping around, it’s a completely different show.”
Granian whose real name is Garen Gueyikian comes from a large,
extended Armenian family with 18 first cousins.
He says he’s “a girlfriend kind of guy,” but he also says he isn’t
going to work as hard as one has to work in a marriage if he’s not
sure it’s going to last forever.
“At the end of the day, I’m looking for a girl who’s really not so
much into my music but definitely more into my personality,” he says.
He once had a drummer who’d played with Dee Snider of Twisted Sister
fame, who gave him some sage advice on how a rock star should pick a
wife.
“He was about 35 years old at the time,” recalls Granian. “His advice
to me was if you’re looking to find a happy marriage and a good
woman, find one that that has no interest and doesn’t like your
music, ’cause she will not come to your shows and will not be
jealous.
“She will not ask too much of you. She will not involve herself in
that world. She knows that is a separate world.”
That Twisted Sister’s advice made sense to a young but not so naïve
Granian. “I’ve had girlfriends that would come talk to me after the
show, and they’d get like a sourpuss face.
“Instead of talking to my fans, I’ve got to deal with the fact that
my girlfriend is jealous in the corner, and my girlfriend is giving
me some sour face. I’m more worried about that than I am at the end
of the day talking to my fans and making new fans.”
My personal advice to Granian in Saratoga is not to show this article
to any female fans.

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan
Dec 2 2004

PARLIAMENTARIANS OF AZERBAIJAN PLEDGE TO EXPAND WITH THEIR ITALIAN
COLLEAGUE
[December 02, 2004, 20:37:47]

On 2 December, Vice Speaker of the Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan
Republic (Azerbaijan Parliament) Arif Rahimzade met the ambassador of
Italy to the country Ms. Margarita Costa. Discussed was the question
of development of the Italian-Azerbaijani cooperation. As the Vise
speaker underlined, there has been established the Italy-Azerbaijan
friendship group to expand inter-parliamentarian ties.

In the course of meeting, Mr. Rahimzade dwelling on the
Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorny Karabakh conflict, also assessed the
activity of Inter-Parliamentary Union in this field, and made
critical remarks that the mentioned organization should rightly and
openly demonstrate its position related to regional conflicts.

The sides had comprehensive exchange of views on activity of the
Inter-Parliamentary Union. Italy is keen in development of relations
with Azerbaijan, Ms. Margarita Costa said. She reminded recent
meeting of the foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Republic to Italy
stressing mutually beneficial cooperation between two countries. The
diplomat said the expected visit of Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev
to Italy would open a new page in bilateral relations.

Times of India
Dec 2 2004

‘Aunty Lobo’s wine’

IANS[ THURSDAY, DECEMBER 02, 2004 07:13:18 PM ]

PANAJI: India’s shrinking Anglo-Indian community and its members’
changing lifestyles in Kolkata are the subject of a film shot over
the past year that has just made it for its premier at the
International Film Festival of India (IFFI).

“Bow Barracks Forever”, a 118-minute English-language film is the
“story of survival of people in Kolkata and particularly of the
Anglo-Indian community”, says director Anjan Dutt.

Dutt — who combines roles of actor, singer, musician, songwriter and
filmmaker — has set his film in a century-old building that once
served as the barracks for the US army.

When it left after World War II, the building was handed over to
people connected with the Army, primarily Anglo-Indians as the mixed
offspring of British and Indian stock are referred to in this part of
the world.

“This was a community that gave Kolkata its police officers, its
musicians and its hockey players. Over time, the place has
disintegrated and it’s now seen as a dangerous area. It’s half
Chinese, very much Goan and a very strange place,” says Dutt.

Dutt says he was motivated by architect Manish Chakrabarty, who was
trying to convert Kolkata’s old buildings into heritage structures,
so that they could not be demolished for new skyscrapers that spell
big money in a bustling city.

“Calcutta Improvement Trust (CIT) has done nothing, and the (state)
government has been ambivalent. It’s a huge red building that reminds
you of Bow Street. It’s a huge place, where a large shopping complex
could come up. Everyone seems waiting for it to collapse,” said Dutt.

“All characters are based on real people. They live very violently.
Beat each other up violently. Make love violently. The (140 families)
staying in the area believe that something good will come of the
film,” said the director who has directed numerous telefilms for the
ETV Bangali channel.

“Kolkata has never been just a Hindu Bengali city. It is
multicultural, with an Armenian community, the Parsees, Chinese,
Anglo Indians, and the Muslims,” Dutt says.

Dutt said that funds apparently sought to be sent to restore Bow
Barracks, from an MP nominated to represent the Anglo-Indian
community, had got caught in the channels and were not used.

During the shooting, which began on Christmas eve 2003, the director
said he faced a problem with the local residents expecting to be paid
more for their participation.

“I think they had a point. They were misinformed about our film, but
to them making a cinema means making a lot of money,” said the
director, whose film features in the Indian Panorama section of this
year’s IFFI, currently on here.

Initially the film was to be called ‘Aunty Lobo’s Wine’, about the
middle-aged Anglo Indian Emily Lobo, who lives by baking cakes and
brewing red wine.

Dutt, when asked, stressed that attempts had been made to avoid
stereotyping of cultural minorities, as often done by Bollywood.

“Bollywood has done damage. Always, the Nepali comes across as a
joker, the Anglo-Indian is very brutal. It’s only Raj Kapoor whose
‘aunties’ (elderly Christian ladies) are very sweet and nice.
Otherwise it’s only north Indians, specially Punjabis, who seem to be
shown in good light,” he said.

Neel Dutt, who happens to be the director’s son and is music director
for this movie, said doing the film was a “very enjoyable process”.
This film’s cast includes noted actor Victor Banerjee, Lilette Dubey,
Clayton Rodgers and Neha Dubey.

“‘Bow Barracks Forever’ is a story of survival against all odds, a
story that mirrors the spirit of the old and undying city, Kolkata,”
says the director.

Jailed Armenian pilots may be extradited from Equatorial Guinea

Noyan Tapan news agency
2 Dec 04

YEREVAN

The Armenian authorities will continue providing every support to the
six Armenian pilots convicted of attempting to stage a coup d’etat in
Equatorial Guinea.

Ambassador Sergey Manaseryan, who has received the text of the
sentence handed down on 26 November, is expected to return to Yerevan
from Malabo today, the press secretary of the Armenian Foreign
Ministry, Gamlet Gasparyan, has told Noyan Tapan.

It must be remembered that the captain of the aircraft has been
sentenced to 24 years’ imprisonment, while other pilots to 14 years.

Speaking about further steps by the Armenian side, the press secretary
pointed to the importance of signing an agreement on extradition
between the two countries, adding that such a document is already
being prepared. Only after that, will it be possible to negotiate the
handover of the Armenian pilots. At the same time, the pilots’ lawyer
will continue taking steps to appeal against the sentence to the
Supreme Court of Equatorial Guinea.

Gasparyan said Armenia’s confidence of the pilots’ innocence is not
abstract, but based on specific facts. As for the sentence, the
Foreign Ministry spokesman said it was purely political given
Equatorial Guinea’s domestic problems.

Hurriyet, Turkey
Dec 2 2004

ANKARA SHOCKED BY SLOVAKIA’S `GENOCIDE’ RESOLUTION

Shocked on Tuesday by a surprise Slovakian Parliament resolution
urging recognition of the so-called Armenian genocide, the Foreign
Ministry demanded an explanation from Slovakia’s Embassy in Ankara.
Embassy officials replied that they were also shocked by the
development, adding that it is not a binding resolution. Foreign
Minister Abdullah Gul is expected to summon the Slovakian ambassador
for a more in-depth briefing after returning to Turkey from his
current visit to Slovenia. The decision is entirely ignorant of
history, charged Foreign Ministry officials. /Hurriyet/