TROUPE OF SUNDUKIAN THEATER COMES BACK FROM U.S. WITH NINE VALUABLE DIPLOMAS
OF GRATITUDE

YEREVAN, November 19 (Noyan Tapan). From October 23 to November 7,
the National Academic Theater after Sundukian was on a jubilee tour in
the US in connection with the 80th anniversary of its foundation. The
Sundukian troupe performed Levon Shant’s “Old Gods” and American
playwright Ray Coon’s “Night Feast” plays at the famous “Alex” and
“Academy-Police” auditoriums of Los Angeles.

Vahe Shahverdian, Artistic Director and head producer of the theater,
said during a press conference that the tour was a great success, and
nine valuable diplomas of gratitude, including the diplomas given by
the US Senate, the Governor of California, the municipal authorities
of Los Angeles to the troupe are the evidence of this fact. “Old Gods”
received an especially enthusiastic welcome, that’s why Levon Shant’s
this work was performed instead of two announced performances of
“Night Feast”.

V. Shahverdian noticed that the tour was finished with the jubilee
celebration held at “Academy-Police” on October 29. Representatives
of foreign embassies, two members of the Armenian higher orders of
clergy, the RA Minister of Culture and Youth Affairs, the American
high-ranking officials, Armenian philanthropists from the Diaspora
were also present there. It was also noticed that the tour was widely
covered by the Diasporan and American press.

According to V. Shahverdian, the tour was held at the private
invitation of the Armenian- American Cultural and Musical-Theatrical
Union, but then it turned to an arrangement of state level due to
its quality and good organization. The organizers also invited the
troupe of the theater to give performances in th e US next year.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN PROPOSAL TO BE SUMITTED TO MILLENNIUM CHALLENGES PROGRAM SHOULD
PROMOTE ECONOMIC GROWTH OF COUNTRY

YEREVAN, November 19 (Noyan Tapan). The cost of the program, which will
be included in the Armenian proposal to be submitted for financing
within the framework of the US Millennium Challenges program, is not
specified yet.

The RA Minister of Finance and Economy Vardan Khachatrian stated at
the November 19 press conference that the government is developing a
proposal that will most promote the economic growth and include only
one program. The minister noted that during the Armenian delegation’s
visit to the US in late October the proposal of 0 million was presented
only to “negotiate and discuss it.” It included 6 programs and was
envisaged for 3 years, while it was required to present a program
envisaged for 2 years.

It is noteworthy that the RA government plans to present its proposal
to the Millennium Challenges corporation in the coming months. It is
envisaged to be related to rural infrastructures.

To recap, the budget of the Millennium Challenges corporation is 2-3
billion dollars, and the number of candidate countries is 17.

INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT DEDICATED TO TIGRAN PETROSIAN’S 75TH ANNIVERSARY
STARTS IN YEREVAN ON NOVEMBER 19

YEREVAN, November 19 (Noyan Tapan). The opening of the international
Tournament dedicated to the 75th anniversary of world nine-time
champion Tigran Petrosian started in Yerevan on November 19. A group
of participants of tbe tournament and organizers headed by RA Minister
of Defense Serge Sargsian laid flowers to the monument to T. Petriosian
situated near the Armenian Central Chess-Players House.

During the solemn opening of the tournament Serge Sargsian hailed all
the participants of the tournament and wished them every success. He
also conveyed the greetings and good wishes of RA Prime Minister
Andranik Margarian.

Then referee of international category Armen Nikoghosian, the head
referee of the tournament, informed participants about the order of
tournament and held the draw. Ukrainian grand master Vasili Ivanchuk,
the 2004 World Olympiad and European champion, who has the highest
rating, “selected” the image of a black horse. It means that he and
other chess-players with odd numbers will play with black figures in
D 1.

D 1 was held the same day. About 140 chess-players from different
countries participate in the international tournament dedicated to
the memorable tournament of the world nine-time champion. About 30
participants of the touranment are grand masters, there are also many
international masters. The winner and other prize holders will become
known on November 27.

ARMENIAN NATIONAL-CULTURAL AUTONOMY ESTABLISHED IN KALININGRAD OBLAST

KALININGRAD, November 17 (Noyan Tapan). The first constituent
conference of the Armenian Diaspora of the Kaliningrad oblast was
held in Kaliningrad on November 10. The Armenian Diaspora sent 150
delegates, who are outstanding figures of the spheres of science,
education, medicine, industry, business, culture and art, to the
conference.

The Armenian regional national-cultural autonomy of the Kaliningrad
oblast was established on the basis of the Russian law “On National and
Cultural Autonomy”. The new organization united three regional public
organizations and two local national-cultural autonomies. Governing
bodies, i.e. the Autonomy Council, the Auditing Commission, the
Council on Education and Youth Affairs, the Board of Trustees, the
Artistic Council, have been formed. Felix Gevorgian, the Chairman
of the “Armenian Scientific-Informational and Cultural Center” pubic
organization was elected Chairman of the Autonomy.

Consul General of Armenia to St. Petersburg Ruben Hakobian, as well as
German Ananiants, a representative of the Union of Armenians of Russia,
and Oleg Panasenko, a representative of the regional administration,
participated in the work of the conference.

The directorate consisting of professional builders has been formed
with the purpose of the construction of the Armenian Church. The
first stage of the construction of the Armenian Church is scheduled
for spring 2005. The project of the work of the autonomy for 2005
is approved.

Two Armenian Sunday schools, the “Armenia” ensemble of folk dances,
the “Nairi” regional newspaper, a youth organization, an informational
center, a chess club after Tigran Petrosian, a a computer graphic
studio successfully operate in the Armenian Diaspora of the Kaliningrad
oblast today.

5,200 STUDENTS STUDY IN NAGORNO KARABAKH

STEPANAKERT, November 17 (Noyan Tapan). A solemn arrangement was
held on the occasion of the International Youth Day in Stepanakert on
November 17. The NKR Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport awarded
the best students of higher schools of the republic with diplomas and
souvenirs. Universal tree planting was organized by the students in
the capital of the republic.

According to the NKR Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport, one
state, seven private higher schools and five technical secondary
schools operate in Nagorno Karabakh today. A total of 5,200 students
study there, 3,600 of them study at the Artsakh State University.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TEN-YEAR PROGRAM ON JAVAKHK REGION DEVELOPMENT TO BE ELABORATED

AKHALKALAKI, November 19 (Noyan Tapan). The Plenipotentiary of the
Georgian President to Samtskhe-Javakheti Nikoloz Nikolozishvili is
going to elaborate the 10-year program on the development of the
region. According to the A-Info Agency, he said about it during
a meeting with the heads of the region, charging them to present
ten-year programs on development for each district.

N. Nikolozishvili hopes that the organizations-donors will play an
important role in the matter of the implementation of the program. He
emphasized that if earlier the organizations-donors worked immediately
with the local sacrebulos, now they cooperate with the government.

Armenian security service arrests school bomb hoaxer

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
20 Nov 04

[Presenter over video of Chekhov School] The criminal who made a
hoax phone call about an explosion at the Chekhov School has been
arrested. Criminal responsibility and imprisonment are envisaged for
such an act.

An anonymous phone call was made to the headmistress of Yerevan’s
Chekhov School No 55 on 19 November at around 1000 [0600 gmt] to say
that an act of terrorism was expected.

As a result of operational measures undertaken by the Armenian
National Security Service the caller has been found and subjected to
legal investigation. He is a Yerevan citizen, born in 1961, with a
previous conviction, Armen Serezha Nadzharyan. He is deputy chairman
of the Hope public organization.

It was revealed that Nadzharyan made the phone call to the school
from a phone box on Mashtots Street on 19 November at 0947 [0547 gmt]
and spoke about an alleged terrorist act.

Criminal proceedings into the case have started. Nadzharyan has been
arrested. An investigation is now under way.

The National Security Service appealed to citizens to refrain from
such actions, which inflict moral and material damage on society, and
recalled that criminal responsibility and imprisonment are envisaged
for such acts.

[Video shows Nadzharyan]

The intriguing `stone’
By Shukor Rahman

New Straits Times (Malaysia)
Nov 22, 2004

THE new Islamic Museum in Penang is now exhibiting a replica of the
Batu Bersurat or Terengganu Stone, which is the earliest known record
of Malay words in the Arabic script. SHUKOR RAHMAN writes.

A REPLICA of the famous Batu Bersurat or Terengganu Stone has finally
come to Penang. It is occupying pride of place in the lobby of the
new Islamic Museum at the Syed Alatas Mansion in Lebuh Armenian.

The real stone, a 90cm squared off chunk of grey gneissic granite
bearing Arabic inscriptions, is a tangible piece from Malaysia’s past,
and was discovered in Ulu Terengganu almost 120 years ago.

It is the earliest known record of Malay words in the Arabic script
and its secrets, dating over 600 years, still intrigue scholars.

Only experts can read the inscriptions, part of which have been
eroded by time. The flowing Arabic script carries the edicts of a
ruler whose identity is lost, perhaps forever.

Who was the enlightened sultan who published his laws in stone and
left to posterity proof of his devotion to the cause of Islam? The
patient scribe who toiled by the banks of the Sungai Tersat centuries
ago, chiselling imperishably on rock, would most likely have been an
unsung craftsman.

There are hardly any clues to help you pry its secrets. Perhaps the
best you can do is to travel through time to 14th-century Terengganu.

The place is near Kuala Brang, where three rivers meet.

Historians and scholars believe this was once a state capital.

The people of Kuala Brang probably did not know then that among their
contemporaries were Marco Polo and Kublai Khan. The great Khan, who
was lord of Tartary, had his court at Cambaluc, present-day Beijing.

Terengganu of the 14th century must have had a thriving Muslim
community that had accepted Islam as the official religion almost a
century before the Malacca Sultanate was established.

The Terengganu Stone is indeed proof as the opening sentence of the
inscription is an injunction to the ruling chiefs (Mandalikas) to
“expound and uphold the faith”.

The traditional route of Islam to Peninsular Malaysia is generally
believed to be from Arabia to India and Sumatra but there is evidence
that Islam reached China in the 8th century AD and spread to Cham,
Cambodia and Pattani.

For a new religion to be declared as the state religion, there must
be widespread acceptance by the local communities within the state.

We have to allow for at least three generations to pass from the
time the first converts embraced the new faith. If the date of the
Terengganu inscription is 1303 AD, then the evangelising traders
must have been on the east coast at least 100 years earlier, roughly
1200 AD.

This puts the advent of Islam in Peninsular Malaysia 200 years earlier
than the conversion of Parameswara, who founded the Malacca Sultanate
and took the name Sultan Iskandar Shah, and more than 70 years before
Marco Polo stopped at Perlak, Sumatra, and noted the existence of a
Muslim community there.

As for the Terengganu Stone, what is its origins? Unfortunately,
the top part, which could have been onethird of the whole, had broken
off when it was found.

It is nearly 1.2 metres wide at the top and tapers like a wedge. After
it was inscribed, it was most likely planted on the ground, probably
on the river bank near Kuala Brang. It was found 32km upriver from
Kuala Terengganu in 1887.

Annual monsoon floods that year had eroded part of the river bank. When
the waters receded, the mud-encrusted stone was deposited not far
from the village mosque.

Somebody carried it to the mosque where it served as a foot-rest for
worshippers until a prospector from Riau called at the mosque.

It was well past noon when Syed Hussin Ghulam Al-Bukhari, who was
in the district seeking precious minerals, went to the mosque for
prayers. As he was taking his ablutions, his fingers ran gingerly over
the surface of the unusual foot-rest and he felt the indentations,
with a regular and repetitive pattern.

He then asked his assistant Engku Pengiran Anum to scrub away some
of the mud concealing the lettering.

Realising he had made an exciting discovery, he asked the penghulu
and mosque bilal to carry the stone to his boat.

He then presented the stone to the Terengganu ruler, Sultan Zainal
Abidin III. But it was only several years later before the inscriptions
could be deciphered by scholars.

There is something strikingly familiar in the underlying message
of the Terengganu Stone – belief in God, respect the laws and be of
good behaviour and morality. It was a timeless code of conduct for
a medieval community, and which is today enshrined in the Rukunegara.

Foreign bases in Azerbaijan to damage regional security – analytical group

Zerkalo, Baku
20 Nov 04

The deployment of foreign military bases in Azerbaijan will have a
negative impact on the whole system of regional security, an Azeri
analytical group has said. Commenting in Azeri daily Zerkalo on
recent reports about the possible US military presence in the country,
the analytical group said that such a move would change the regional
balance in Azerbaijan’s favour, but this would be temporary and the
country would have to face “legal and illegal” protests from its
neighbours, Russia and Iran. The USA is trying to use Azerbaijan as
a bridgehead for invading Iran since it is impossible to do it from
Iraq and Afghanistan. In this connection, Azerbaijan should conduct
a well-balanced policy taking into account the interests of all the
regional powers and avoid deploying foreign troops on its territory,
the analytical group said in conclusion. The following is an excerpt
from the CGR analytical group’s report in Azerbaijani newspaper
Zerkalo on 20 November headlined “Azerbaijan is a bridgehead for a
US invasion of Iran” and subheaded “Or we should not hurry to deploy
American bases here”; subheadings inserted editorially:

Obvious contradiction

The problem of the possible deployment of US troops in Azerbaijan is
already not new and has become a subject of heightened interest from
time to time not only in the Azerbaijani, but also in the Western
press. For example, about a month ago the American news agency United
Press International (UPI) reported that American military bases might
be deployed in the “Armenian-occupied” Azerbaijani districts – Fuzuli,
Cabrayil and Zangilan.

Following these reports, the same Western press abounded with news
about possible US strikes on Iran. Of course, the mutual link between
these two actions does not cause any doubt, while opinions on whether
it is true or not differ. On the one hand, everybody remembers
statements by the deputy commander of the US troops in Europe, Air
Force Gen Charles Wald, who is well-known for his frequent visits to
Azerbaijan, that Washington has no intention of setting up a permanent
base in the South Caucasus. We should remind you that he said this
during his visit to Baku in July this year.

On the other hand, former State Secretary Colin Powell recently made
another interesting statement saying that the USA has no intention
of overthrowing the current regime in Iran. The contradiction between
influential media and statements by US officials is too obvious. The
following issue is also of interest: usually, information about alleged
plans to punish Iran is leaked in the West and then commented on at
the local level. Therefore, we can suppose that a certain process of
influencing public opinion is under way with all the consequences
that ensue. It is exactly this approach that makes it possible to
analyse the situation that has developed around Iran, the Middle East
and the South Caucasus as a whole.

Iran greatest threat to America

To say that the USA has certain plans with regard to Iran means to say
nothing. But these plans should be examined in the context of the new
Middle East doctrine put forward by the Bush administration by the end
of his first year in office and entitled the “Greater Middle East”
project, which has far-reaching consequences. This plan envisages
a complex programme of pacifying and democratizing the Middle East
by creating a system of financial and organizational mechanisms of
influencing the region – the “Greater Middle East” concept. The purpose
of the programme is to minimize all types of threats that currently
stem from the region, create prerequisites for long-term stabilization
on the basis of democratic choice and to observe the minimum set of
“rules of the game” in the domestic and international arena. It is
clear that Washington will not confine itself only to peaceful methods
to achieve these goals. Among other countries of the Middle East, it is
exactly Iran that poses the greatest threat to American interests in
the region. Iran is also the strongest state of the Middle East from
a military point of view, and even Israel, which has nuclear weapons,
is afraid of it. It is no secret that Tehran is trying to spread its
influence to the Muslim countries of the Middle East and, in some
way, is appropriating the role of a leader that unites the disunited
Muslim countries. Although the success of such a mission causes doubt.

Attack on Iran to cause deep crisis in Western economy

However, even such attempts by Tehran cause a sharply negative reaction
from the USA. For this reason, it is no surprise that Iran is turning
into the main object of attacks by Washington. To some extent, the
increasing confrontation between the USA and Iran is furthered by
Iran’s aspirations to influence the processes that are taking place
in Iraq, namely to bring pro-Iranian forces to power. Nevertheless,
we can presume that American wrath against Iran will not turn into
hostilities for the time being. First, oil prices are very high in
the world and will skyrocket even higher if the situation in Iran
destabilizes, as a result of which the Western economy will fall into
a deep crisis. Second, European Union countries, which have great
interests in Iran, unlike the USA, especially in the same fuel issue,
have shown a sharply negative reaction to all talk about it.

[Passage omitted: British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has said that
a war on Iran will claim hundreds of thousands of lives]

USA to use Azerbaijan as a bridgehead

The war on Iran is not linked only to diplomatic difficulties. It
does not stand up to criticism from a military-tactical point of view
either. Analysts think that, in theory, the USA might use Armenia,
Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Azerbaijan as a bridgehead for the
invasion. Armenia can be automatically taken off the list as it is an
ally of Iran and Russia. As for Syria, US relations with this country
are the subject of a separate article. In principle, nothing will stop
the USA from using Iraq and Afghanistan as a bridgehead. However,
neither Iraq nor Afghanistan are suitable for this purpose since
guerrilla warfare is going on in those countries. The only choice is
Azerbaijan whose territory the USA could see as a possible bridgehead
for an invasion of Iran. But to this end, it is necessary to deploy
the aforesaid bases, which even Russia does not have in Azerbaijan.

In the early 1990s, Azerbaijan managed to get Russian troops withdrawn
from its territory. We remember that as a far-sighted politician the
late [Azerbaijani President] Heydar Aliyev had stated that not only
Russia, but also any other foreign country will not have military
bases in Azerbaijan. Noting that Azerbaijan has sufficient forces of
its own, he even opposed the arrival of US special security forces
to guard the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline. Not by chance did the
Milli Maclis pass a law forbidding the deployment of foreign troops
on Azerbaijani territory. Azerbaijan’s position on this issue is
clear and understandable, although the USA is almost the only great
power that has interests nearly in all four corners of the world and
military cooperation with that country is of special importance to
Azerbaijan. It is also necessary to take into account the geopolitics
of the region. Our country is geographically situated in a region
where the interests of several centres of power, even non-regional
ones, are concentrated.

The East-West, North-South transport corridors, strategic pipelines and
abundant hydrocarbon resources are ideas that are linked to Azerbaijan
first of all. All this necessitates the conduct of a well-balanced
policy, taking into account the position of all the countries that
are interested in the region in order to preserve regional stability,
balance and ensure the country’s economic development.

Foreign troops in Azerbaijan to damage regional security

For this reason, any deployment of foreign military bases in
Azerbaijan will have a negative impact on the whole system of regional
security. Yes, such a political move would allow us to change the
regional balance in our favour, but this would be temporary and as a
result, Azerbaijan would have to face legal and illegal protests from
the rest of the centres of power. Of course, it would be extremely
foolish to discard neighbouring Russia and Iran.

Although our northern neighbour is lagging behind the USA in many
parameters, it does not necessarily mean that Moscow is going to
give up so easily its positions in the post-Soviet area. The fact
that Russia is giving open support to candidate Viktor Yanukovych in
the presidential elections in Ukraine, is planning to strengthen the
Russian bases in CIS countries, especially in Central Asia, with new
aircraft and other battle-worthy “hi-tech” units and is tiring its
neighbours out by closing the Russian border demonstrates once again
that Moscow has considerable military-political and economic resources
to influence the situation in the CIS region. An American-Russian
confrontation because of Azerbaijan also looks unrealistic. As Charles
Wald pointed out, Russia should not be worried about any redeployment
of US troops from western Europe. He said that the USA looks on Russia
as a “strategic ally, especially from a military point of view”.

For this reason, the deployment of some bases in Azerbaijan seems to
be a hopeless thing. It is not by chance that commenting on the fuss
about the deployment of foreign bases in Azerbaijan, Azerbaijani
Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov stated that our country is not
having consultations with anyone to allow its territory to be used
for attacking the Islamic Republic of Iran. So, information about
such US intentions allows the USA itself to learn in more detail the
international community’s reaction to its strategic intentions. But
this is not the end of it. The reports circulating around the world
about a war allegedly being prepared against Iran are an integral
part of America’s foreign policy tactics.

This is a sort of information pressure – a policy of verbal deterrence
against Iran in order to make it give up its political ambitions and
weapons of mass destruction. Is this policy effective? At least news
was recently circulated around the world that Iran has agreed to stop
enriching uranium, but as the head of the Iranian Supreme National
Security Council, [Hasan] Rowhani, pointed out, this is temporary
and pursues political aims. Isn’t this tactic part of a long-term
strategy of an armed conflict with Iran? There are no guarantees.
Therefore, Azerbaijan should stick to a well-balanced foreign policy
on the issue of military bases. There is no alternative to this,
and we should not hurry to deploy the bases here.

[Signed] The CGR analytical group.

Fitch upgrades Azerbaijan 

Interfax
22.11.2004

London. (Interfax) – Fitch Ratings, the international rating agency,
upgraded Azerbaijan’s Long-term foreign currency and local currency
ratings to ‘BB’ from ‘BB-‘ (BB minus), the agency said in a press
release.

The Short-term foreign currency rating is affirmed at ‘B’. Following
the upgrade, the Outlook for the Long-term ratings is now Stable.

The upgrade reflects a combination of macroeconomic stability and
low general government debt, together with the ongoing development
of the important oil and gas sector.

The high oil prices of the past two years have been relatively well
managed by the authorities, resulting in consolidated budget surpluses
and an accumulation of foreign reserves and assets in the State Oil
Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ).

Notwithstanding pressures to raise social expenditure, government
debt is forecast to remain equivalent to around 20% GDP for the next
two to three years. The majority of government debt is external,
and carries relatively low rates of interest and long maturities.

If official foreign exchange reserves and the external assets of
SOFAZ are taken into account, the general government is a net external
creditor to the tune of around 4% of GDP at end-2004.

Key oil and gas projects are proceeding as expected, pointing to
a sharp increase in output and export capacity as well as budget
revenues starting in 2006. This development is likely to increase
Azerbaijan’s dependence on the hydrocarbon sector, although rising
output will offer some insulation from price shocks.

While a large proportion of oil revenues have been placed with SOFAZ,
Fitch will continue to monitor oil wealth management closely. As oil
output rises, it will be increasingly important for the government
to adopt a long-term oil revenue management strategy to deal with
the windfalls that fall outside the State Fund.

This is of particular importance given the country’s limited economic
diversity and finite reserves of oil and gas, which could become
exhausted within 20 years.

Against a firm macroeconomic backdrop, structural reform has
effectively stalled. The privatization program remains subject to
delay and resistance, and the next stage of energy reform has been
slow in coming.

Meanwhile, efforts to diversify the economy have been weak. Although
the October presidential elections passed smoothly, Fitch believes
that the new regime will be subject to greater political risk than
the previous administration. While this is unlikely to lead to major
unrest, power vacuums or an escalation of tensions with Armenia, it
does suggest that the structural reform process will be more difficult.

As the country’s external balance sheet improves further and public
finances strengthen on the back of rising oil revenues, there could
be upward pressure on the rating, but the economy will, nonetheless,
remain highly exposed to sharp oil price fluctuations.

Continued prudent management of oil revenues through the State Oil
Fund is critical, as is the eventual adoption of a broader, more
comprehensive oil revenue management strategy. Structural reforms,
especially in the energy and financial sector will be lesser, albeit
important, considerations.

–Boundary_(ID_iFJD8tVB/kqfJJWPMttC0g)–