PRESS RELEASE
U.C. Berkeley Armenian Studies Program
Contact: Prof. Stephan H. Astourian
Tel: (510) 643-8872
Email: [email protected]
*AMBASSADOR JOHN EVANS TO SPEAK AT U.C. BERKELEY, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 19.*
UC Berkeley—The Honorable John M. Evans, U.S. Ambassador to the Republic
of Armenia, will speak in the Toll Room of the Alumni House at U.C.
Berkeley on Saturday, February 19, 2005, from 2:30 to 4 p.m. Ambassador
Evans was confirmed by the Senate on June 25, 2004 and was sworn in as
the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia on August 11, 2004. He presented his
credentials to President Kocharian on September 4, 2004
This event is organized by Professor Stephan Astourian, Executive
Director of the Armenian Studies Program at UC Berkeley. Ambassador
Evans will give a speech entitled “Report from Armenia: 2004-2005,”
present a video about the work of the Embassy and of the United States
Agency for International Development (USAID) in Armenia, and engage in
an open conversation with the faculty, students, and community members
attending this forum.
A native of Williamsburg, Virginia, Mr. Evans studied Russian history at
Yale (B.A., 1970) and Columbia, where he began a Ph.D. before joining
the Foreign Service. In the first part of his career, he served in
Tehran (1972-74), in Prague (1975-78), in the Executive Secretariat and
Office of the Secretary of State (1978-80), in Moscow (1981-83), at the
U.S. Mission to NATO (1983-86), and as Deputy Director of the Soviet
Desk (1986-89). His role in coordinating the American response to the
Armenian earthquake of 1988 earned him a medal and statement of
appreciation from the Armenian government of that time.
Mr. Evans also served as Deputy Chief of Mission in Prague (1991-94),
and as Consul General in St. Petersburg (1994-97). He was then chosen to
lead the OSCE Mission to Moldova, an international mediation and
peace-keeping effort (1997-99). On his return to Washington in 1999, Mr.
Evans assumed the direction of the State Department’s Office of Analysis
for Russia and Eurasia, winning a Meritorious Honor Award and the CIA
Director’s Exceptional Performance Award. From May 2002 until his
appointment to Yerevan, he directed the Office of Russian Affairs at the
State Department.
Ambassador Evans will be accompanied by Mrs. Donna Evans, former
President of the World Affairs Council of Washington D.C.; Mr. Robin
Phillips, Mission Director in Armenia for USAID; and Mr. Aaron
Sherinian, the Embassy’s Political Officer and Assistance Coordinator in
Yerevan
The best public parking for this event is the Martin Luther King, Jr.
Student Union Garage located on Bancroft Way (left turn from Telegraph
Avenue). More information about all available parking lots can be found
at
For traveling directions to the campus, please go to the following URL:
A large campus map is available at
. The Alumni House is in
the D3 square.
–Boundary_(ID_uQilASddDUNX4qf0dosVJw)–

OSCE concerned about truce violations on Karabakh front line – Azeri agency
Assa-Irada
18 Feb 05
Baku, 17 February: Co-chairs of the Minsk Group (MG) have requested
the OSCE chairman-in-office that the special OSCE mission prepare
a report on the situation on the front line, a source from the
Tbilisi-based office of the OSCE chairman’s special envoy, Andrzej
Kasprzyk, has said.
The MG co-chairs have expressed their concerns over the frequent
cease-fire breaches on the front line over the last few days. “The
situation is clear. The cease-fire has been violated and this should
stop soon. The countries co-chairing the MG are concerned over the
cease-fire breaches, which question the OSCE mediation mission,”
the same source said.
Armenian military units have breached the cease-fire several times
over the last few days, killing and wounding Azerbaijani soldiers
and civilians.

Azeri Defence Ministry confirms three soldiers captured by Armenians
ANS TV, Baku
17 Feb 05
Today beginning from 1330 to 1400 [0930-1000 gmt], the Armenian
troops in the occupied village of Sixlar of Agdam District fired on
the Azerbaijani positions in the village of Orta Qislaq using machine
guns and assault rifles, the Karabakh bureau of ANS TV reports.
The same source reports that the names of the three Azerbaijani
soldiers who lost their way and crossed to the Armenian side, have
become known. They are Tagiyev Hikmat Adam oglu, 21, from Imisli
District; Abdullayev Xayal Idris oglu, 19, from Ganca; and Basirov
Sultan Xaqani oglu, 20, from Samkir District.
The incident occurred in the village of Hasanqala of Tartar District
and the press service of the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry confirmed
this report.

Azeri security minister visits Pakistan, discusses antiterror fight
Turan news agency
17 Feb 05
Baku, 17 February: Azerbaijani Minister of National Security Eldar
Mahmudov visited Pakistan on 11-14 February at the invitation of the
director-general of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence Agency,
Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani. During the visit, Mahmudov had a meeting with
Kiyani, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Ehsanul
Haq, Interior Minister Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao and other officials,
the public relations centre of the Ministry of National Security has
told Turan news agency.
During the negotiations, the sides discussed problems of regional
and international security, cooperation in the sphere of fighting
terrorism, illegal drug trafficking, illegal migration and other
types of transnational crime.
Mahmudov pointed out that the Armenian-occupied territories of
Azerbaijan are being used for transnational criminal activities.
In turn, the Pakistani side said that Islamabad condemns Armenia’s
aggression against Azerbaijan and stressed the need to settle the
conflict in line with international law.

Few signs of hardline agenda after Russian church’s TV station takeover
Channel 3 TV, Moscow
16 Feb 05
A Moscow Region television report has found little evidence of
conservative changes at a small TV station in the Urals recently
bought by the Russian Orthodox Church. Channel 3 TV, whose views
often coincide with the church’s, said Moscow media analysts were
wrong to assume that secular journalists would fail to work with the
new proprietor and that Islam and non-Orthodox Christian faiths would
not be represented in programmes. The following are excerpts from
“Reportazh” programme by Moscow Region Channel 3 TV on 16 February;
subheadings inserted editorially:
[Presenter] The creation of Russia’s first Orthodox Christian
television channel in the Urals has given rise to a lot of rumours and
controversy in Moscow. Human rights activists in Moscow believe that
in this way the Orthodoxy is encroaching on secular life. Furthermore,
an Orthodox television might infringe on the rights of Muslims who
live in the Urals. It was reported in the press that all the former
staff of the Soyuz TV company were dismissed. Journalists are shocked;
they are complaining about the Orthodox Church and protesting. What
is really happening around the Orthodox television channel? Aleksandr
Yegortsev reports.
Church builds multiplatform media empire
[Newsreader presenting the programme] Hello and welcome to the
latest issue of “Eparchy [diocese]: Events of the Week”. I’m Anton
Pepelyayev. In the next 30 minutes –
[Correspondent – interrupting recording] Russia’s first Orthodox
television channel has begun to broadcast in the Urals this year. It
has taken the Yekaterinburg eparchy almost 10 years to get a television
station of its own.
[Dmitriy Baybakov, head of the Yekaterinburg eparchy’s information
and publishing department, captioned] It all started with a parochial
Orthodox newspaper, a church newspaper on two small sheets. Now it
is a church weekly. Several more newspapers have been added to it,
as well as a children’s magazine, a web site and a news agency. We
have a printing works and a 24-hour radio.
[Passage omitted]
[Correspondent] The town of Pervouralsk lies 40 km away from
Yekaterinburg. There, in a hotel building, the limited liability
company Soyuz Television Company is based. The previous owners met
the eparchy halfway and sold the station to the Orthodox Church for
a comparatively low price.
[Passage omitted: journalists say station’s original name was retained
after change of ownership]
Rights activists were wrong
[Correspondent] The rumour that the Yekaterinburg eparchy had purchased
a TV company reached Moscow. That was just the sort of thing that
bored human rights activists in Moscow had been waiting for. Without
getting to know what’s what, news agencies rushed to stir up a scandal.
[Baybakov] Some sort of Council of Europe experts held news conferences
in Moscow to say this was a very dangerous precedent for Russia.
[Correspondent] Instantly, serious accusations were levelled against
the Yekaterinburg eparchy. One accusation was that the eparchy had
broken the law. The statute of the Russian Orthodox Church does not
have a clause to allow it to engage in television-related activities.
[Baybakov] Pardon me, but the statute of the Russian Orthodox Church
does not mention even things such as using telephones or computers.
[Correspondent] Accusation No 2: the creation of an Orthodox TV
channel is inappropriate towards Muslims. A lot of ethnic Tatars live
in the Urals.
[Baybakov] The Muslim programme will remain on the channel. In
principle, we would be very willing to have ethnic diasporas on the
channel, so there are programmes about national cultures – Armenian,
Belarusian, Ukrainian, Tatar, Russian – all cultures.
[Correspondent] Finally, the third accusation, the most damaging one
in the eyes of Moscow human rights activists, was that after buying the
Pervouralsk TV station, the Yekaterinburg eparchy dismissed the entire
staff. The journalists are shocked and angry and they are protesting.
[Vladimir Antipin, director of Soyuz television company, captioned]
None of the staff were dismissed. Not a single member of staff
resigned. It’s all how it used to be. I still have a staff of 23
people and, for that matter, five extra people have been taken on.
[Olga Litvinova, correspondent, captioned] We work in the same way
as we used to work. All the staff are where they were. And there have
been no restrictions.
News agenda
[Correspondent] At present, Russia’s first Orthodox TV station is
made up of two teams, who have yet to become friends. But already,
secular journalists and eparchy journalists are working for the same
projects. [Passage omitted] Orthodox programmes are still made for
Soyuz by the eparchy’s own studio. [Passage omitted]
Eparchy news bulletins are broadcast every day. [Passage omitted]
One day in the life of an Orthodox film crew. It’s difficult for
people who film to be filmed. Important visitors are flying in late in
the evening for the Yekaterinburg eparchy’s anniversary: Metropolitan
Kliment, the manager of Moscow Patriarchy’s property, and other senior
clerics. For Soyuz, this is the top story of the day. [Passage omitted]
Late at night, the Moscow delegation comes to the Yekaterinburg
eparchy’s Orthodox TV studio. The Moscow visitors goes straight on
the air on the Orthodox radio station.
At midnight, the camera man watches the footage. Spiritual shots on
a spiritual channel have to be bright.
Women journalists banned from wearing trousers
For newsreaders and correspondents, the channel’s peculiarity entails
other rules. No clinging garments and no make-up.
[Baybakov] Many just began to wear beautiful women’s clothing and
it is all fine and very stylish. I go round paying them compliments,
although perhaps this is not very appropriate for me.
[Correspondent] The journalists have compromised. If anyone ever
smokes on Orthodox TV, they do so only in the corridor. Skirts are
worn on top of jeans as working clothes.
[Antipin] To be honest, I have two male staff journalists and the rest
are girls. If she has to go to a freezing settlement, what goddamn
skirt, if you pardon the expression, is she going to wear there? It’s
more convenient to wear trousers. Well, the boss is the boss, so they
put on aprons on top when they come back. What else would they do?
[Baybakov] If you go about it gently, the understanding that the
Orthodox approach is the right one will gradually come.
[Correspondent] Only six months ago, the management of the small
Urals-based Soyuz TV channel could not imagine it becoming known
nationwide. The debate that has unfolded over the idea of Orthodox
television has made provincial news programme makers the main story
from the Urals. Today, the neighbouring regions are speaking about
Soyuz’s experience. Talks about possible rebroadcast are already
under way.

Russian foreign minister says he hoped to visit Georgian PM’s grave
RTR Russia TV, Moscow
17 Feb 05
[Presenter] Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who is on a visit
to Armenia, today reacted to criticism which the Georgian leadership
had levelled against him on the eve of his trip to Georgia.
Tbilisi expressed dissatisfaction over Moscow’s refusal to include
in the agenda a visit to a memorial to Georgian soldiers, killed in
battles for the country’s territorial integrity.
Here is what Sergey Lavrov said on this score.
[Lavrov] The memorial to those fallen in the course of the wars
in Abkhazia and Ossetia, I mean a visit to it would, undoubtedly,
require complex political commentaries. We grieve for all the victims
of these wars, on both sides. I would particularly like to note
that my plans, my personal plans, included a visit to the grave of
[the recently-assassinated Georgian Prime Minister] Zurab Zhvania,
to pay homage to his memory, to lay flowers on his grave. He is a man
who has done a very great deal in order for the Abkhazian and South
Ossetian conflicts to be settled exclusively by peaceful means.

Armenian president, Russian foreign minister discuss ties
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
17 Feb 05
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan today received Russian Foreign Minister
Sergey Lavrov, who is on an official visit in Yerevan. At the meeting, Lavrov
passed on greetings from the Russian president to the Armenian leader, adding
that the Russian president is expected to visit Armenia in the near future.
During this visit, Putin will launch the Year of Russia in Armenia.
President Kocharyan expressed his satisfaction with the level of relations
between the two countries. Lavrov also hailed the comprehensive development of
ties between the countries under the leadership of Kocharyan and Putin. The
meeting also discussed the work of intergovernmental commissions.
Lavrov said that Russia is set to carry out measures to put into operation
the enterprises under Russian management in Armenia. As for regional
cooperation, the sides discussed the expansion of communications and opportunities for
the intensification of economic ties.
The sides noted that the expansion of economic cooperation will also be
conducive to the resolution of regional conflicts. The meeting discussed the
current stage and prospects of negotiations on the Karabakh settlement.
The sides also discussed issues of bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

Armenian, Russian foreign minister discuss cooperation
Noyan Tapan news agency
17 Feb 05
Yerevan, 17 February: Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan on
17 February received Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov who is
paying an official visit to Armenia.
The meeting began with a private conversation and continued in an
expanded format.
Vardan Oskanyan welcomed the high-ranking guest, who is paying his
first official visit, and noted the importance of strategic cooperation
based on mutual interests.
Lavrov also expressed his satisfaction with the level of cooperation
and the positive dynamics of the development of interstate relations,
which will be reflected in the year of Russia in Armenia in 2005. The
beginning of this year, which includes various trade, economic,
cultural, scientific, educational, youth, sports and tourist events,
will be announced in mid-March.
Pointing out that the two countries’ opinions regarding international
and regional processes mainly coincide, the sides expressed their
readiness to make efforts directed at creating an atmosphere of
confidence and establishing cooperation in the South Caucasus. In this
connection, the sides discussed the current course of the settlement
of the Nagornyy Karabakh problem. Lavrov expressed the hope that
the Prague process will allow the conflicting sides to find common
ways to settle the conflict as soon as possible, confirming Russia’s
commitment to guarantee any agreement.
Then the sides spoke in detail about the current issues on the agenda
of Armenian-Russian relations, the press service of the Armenian
Foreign Ministry told Noyan Tapan news agency. Drawing special
attention to the economic sphere, the sides noted the effective
activities of the Armenian-Russian intergovernment commission and the
Armenian-Russian business association. It was also pointed out that
cooperation in this sphere could be promoted by direct links between
regions of Armenia and the Russian Federation, which have become even
more intensive of late.
Touching on the growth in the volume of trade and on the expanding
of Armenian-Russian relations, they pointed out the importance of the
South Caucasus countries and Russia conducting a single policy directed
at restoring communications in the region, which will also further the
settlement of the existing conflicts. The sides noted certain progress
in this sphere and a number of issues that still have to be resolved.
In connection with the year of Russia in Armenia, the sides also
touched on the humanitarian sphere, cultural exchanges and the
encouragement of teaching Russian and Armenian in both countries. From
this point of view, they noted the importance of long-standing
friendship between the peoples, which nourish Armenian-Russian ties.
The foreign ministers discussed problems of Armenian citizens living in
Russia, their status and working quotas in Armenian-populated areas,
as well as a number of specific issues related to the improvement of
the work of diplomatic and consular services in both countries.
Then the sides discussed issues of cooperation in international and
regional structures. They exchanged views on the process of reforms in
regional structures of the CIS and reached agreement on coordinating
opinions by the forthcoming CIS summit in August this year. The
talk was about a number of programmes and initiatives within the
framework of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization. The
foreign ministers also touched on issues of reforming the UN.
[Passage omitted: Lavrov is also planning to meet other Armenian
officials]

Russian, Armenian foreign ministers discuss regional transport projects
Mediamax news agency
17 Feb 05
Yerevan, 17 February: Russia will take into account to the maximum the
interests of Armenia in the implementation of regional transport projects and will
not take steps detrimental to it, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said
at a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan in Yerevan today.
The head of the Russian Foreign Ministry said this commenting on the concern
expressed by Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan over plans to construct the
Qazvin – Rasht [Iran] – Astara [Azerbaijan] railway link bypassing Armenian
territory within the framework of the North-South international transport corridor
project.
[Passage omitted: background]
The Russian foreign minister said today that he would inform Russian
Transport Minister Igor Levitin and the president of the Russian Railways company,
Gennadiy Fadeyev, about the Armenian prime minister’s concern.
The meeting also discussed the launch of the Kavkaz-Poti ferry link. Armenian
Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan said that Armenia attaches great importance
to this transport link since it will help Armenia considerably expand trade
with Russia.
Markaryan and Lavrov also discussed prospects for the reopening of the Abkhaz
section of the Georgian railways.

Russian minister, Armenian premier discuss regional transport projects
Mediamax news agency
17 Feb 05
Yerevan, 17 February: Russia will take into account to the maximum the
interests of Armenia in the implementation of regional transport projects and will
not take steps detrimental to it, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said
at a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan in Yerevan today.
The head of the Russian Foreign Ministry said this commenting on the concern
expressed by Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan over plans to construct the
Qazvin – Rasht [Iran] – Astara [Azerbaijan] railway link bypassing Armenian
territory within the framework of the North-South international transport corridor
project.
[Passage omitted: background]
The Russian foreign minister said today that he would inform Russian
Transport Minister Igor Levitin and the president of the Russian Railways company,
Gennadiy Fadeyev, about the Armenian prime minister’s concern.
The meeting also discussed the launch of the Kavkaz-Poti ferry link. Armenian
Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan said that Armenia attaches great importance
to this transport link since it will help Armenia considerably expand trade
with Russia.
Markaryan and Lavrov also discussed prospects for the reopening of the Abkhaz
section of the Georgian railways.