ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Nov 17 2004

Combating smoking should be strengthened gradually in Armenia

RA Minister of Defense and Indian Ambassador to Armenia discuss the
issues of cooperation in military sphere

A Campaign of protest by Armenian community to take place today in
front of the House of Parliament in Paris

USAID assigns $15 mln for the implementation of humanitarian projests
in NKR

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COMBATING SMOKING SHOULD BE STRENGTHENED GRADUALLY IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, November 17. /ARKA/. Combating smoking should be
strengthened gradually in Armenia, according to RA NA Speaker Arthur
Baghdasaryan during the Parliamentary hearings devoted to
anti-tobacco policy in the republic. According to him, the policy
pursued in the republic, in particular approval of the law on
limitation of sales and consumption of tobacco during the first
reading, is very important for future generations. He expressed hope
that till the end of 2004 the law will be adopted, which will limit
smoking in the objects for healthcare, culture and education. HE
added that in European countries and the USA the struggle is more
serious and `we also should gradually make serious steps’. He Speaker
stated that under the influence of anti-tobacco campaign he himself
quitted smoking and noted that `the struggle against smoking already
yields good results in the RA NA’.
The hearings were organized by RA AN Standing Committees on Science,
Education, Culture and Youth, and on Social Affairs Health Care and
Environment, as well as by the Council of Health Care headed by RA NA
Speaker and Youth Parliament. A.H. – 0–

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RA MINISTER OF DEFENSE AND INDIAN AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA DISCUSS THE
ISSUES OF COOPERATION IN MILITARY SPHERE

YEREVAN, November 17. /ARKA/. RA Minister of Defense Serge Sargsyan
and Indian Ambassador to Armenia Deepak Vohra discussed the issues of
cooperation in military sphere. According to Information and
Propaganda Department of RA Ministry of Defense, the parties
discussed issues included in to the memorandum on cooperation signed
between the Ministries of Defense of Armenia and India in 2003.
According to the memorandum, military-training centers of India are
ready to accept Armenian servicemen for them to take course for
rising the level of their skills. Vohra noted that India will accept
all suggestion from Armenia regarding the participation in training
courses. A.H. –0–

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CAMPAIGN OF PROTEST BY ARMENIAN COMMUNITY TO TAKE PLACE TODAY IN
FRONT OF THE HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT IN PARIS

YEREVAN, November 17. /ARKA/. A campaign of protest by Armenian
community will take place today in front of the House of Parliament
in Paris. The participants of the action demand that the issue of
membership of Turkey in EU be included into the agenda of the
Parliament. According to ARF Dashnaktsutyun Press Service Department,
the campaign will be held at the initiative of Hay Dat Commission of
ARF (D), Ramkavar Azatakan party with the support of Armenian
organizations of France.
At the Summit of Presidents of European states, which will take place
on December 17, the issue of Turkey’s membership in EU will be
discussed. The campaign aims to keep the President of France aware of
the will of French people, the majority of which are against the
membership of Turkey in EU. The participants of the campaign also
intend to demand that acknowledgement of the Armenian genocide by
Turkey be the main condition for its becoming a member in EU. Also,
several scores of French MPs will participate in the campaign.
On October 14, notwithstanding the demands of numerous parties, the
French Parliament will discuss the issue without voting. French
Government and French President in particular were against voting.
A.H. – 0 –

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USAID ASSIGNS $15 MLN FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF HUMANITARIAN PROJESTS
IN NKR

STEPANAKERT, November 17. /ARKA/. The Fund for Armenia Relief (FAR)
has started the implementation of a humanitarian project in NKR in
frames of USAID financing to the sum of $15 mln. According to Garnik
Nanagulyan, the Executive Director of FAR, the funds will be directed
at construction and rehabilitation of residential houses, first-aid
stations, water supply lines, agriculture. `Currently, projects in
Martakert, Askeran and Hadrut regions are simultaneously being
implemented. 52 residential houses were repaired in Askeran region,
53 are still being repaired. 310 houses will be constructed in
Martakert region, 150 of which will be pout into commission in March,
2005. The development projects are planned to be completed by 2007′,
he said.
Note, the Fund for Armenia Relief has been implementing construction,
agricultural and improvement projects in NKR since 2002. L.V.-0 –

ArmenPress
Nov 17 2004

FRENCH ARMENIANS TO DEMAND VOTE ON TURKEY’S EU ACCESSION

PARIS, NOVEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS: French-Armenians will hold a rally
Wednesday at the Palais Bourbon, home to the French National
Assembly, to demand that the country’s Parliament vote on Turkey’s
accession to the European Union. The rally has the support of the
French-Armenian Coordinating Council and is being organized by the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), the Armenian Democratic
League (Ramkavar party), and the Hay Dat (Armenian Cause) Committee
of France.
ARF press office said the National Assembly on October 14 had
discussed the issue of Turkish accession–but did not hold a vote,
despite the demand of a large number of political parties and
parliamentarians to do so. The French government, particularly
President Jacques Chirac, opposed such a vote, fearing that a
majority of the Assembly, including Chirac’s own party members, might
reject Turkish accession. That result would have undermined Chirac’s
authority and likely isolated France within Europe.
The French-Armenian rally on Wednesday is scheduled for exactly a
month before the European Union’s December 17 summit, which will set
the date on when the EU would begin formal accession talks with
Turkey. At the rally, scores of French parliamentarians are expected
to cast symbolic votes as a sign of protest against the denial of
their right to vote in the National Assembly regarding Turkish
accession. They will also demand that in the next month a formal vote
actually be held in the Assembly.
The vast majority of French voters are opposed to Turkey’s
accession to the European Union, and rally organizers hope to put
pressure on President Chirac to heed public opinion. They are also
seeking to make Turkey’s recognition of the Armenian genocide a
precondition for Turkish entry into the EU.

Aravot, Yerevan, in Armenian
17 Nov 04

Karabakh peace process “officially” dead, says Armenian paper

by Tigran Avetisyan’s “The process has died”

It can already be boldly stated that the Karabakh negotiating process
has “officially” failed. Actually the process failed long ago, but if
over recent years the parties to the conflict were trying to create
an illusion of dialogue, now mutual official statements talk about
the inexpedience of continuing the negotiations. Such statements by
different top officials in Baku are not new. But only yesterday did
the Armenian party officially announce the final failure of the
negotiations and Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan talk about
this failure. “If Baku continues asserting that the NKR Nagornyy
Karabakh Republic resolution should be adopted in the UN, and if this
resolution is, nevertheless, adopted, in that case the situation in
the negotiating process will radically change. Actually in that case
Azerbaijan should negotiate with Nagornyy Karabakh,” Vardan Oskanyan
said. In fact he officially announced the death of the negotiating
process, which is in deadlock.

Let us note that Oskanyan’s statement is not thunder in a cloudless
sky and has a “prehistory”. Two days ago at the press conference with
the Estonian president Armenian President Robert Kocharyan expressed
pessimism on the prospects for a settlement, complaining about the
incorrectness of the negotiating format (i.e. the absence of the
Karabakh party) and uncompromising position of Azerbaijan. It is
worth mentioning that this format did not seem wrong to Kocharyan
when, some years ago, he was accepting an award from Jacques Chirac’s
hand in Paris or was enjoying a walk on Key West beach. And if we add
to this Defence Minister Serzh Sarkisyan’s idea that he has already
lost “hope of achieving success” in the negotiations, it becomes
clear that Oskanyan’s statement was simply the final chord of the
political decision, according to which the failure of the
negotiations is officially announced.

It is absurd to think that, listening to Oskanyan, Baku will
immediately withdraw from the UN its application to discuss the
problem of the “occupied territories”. Moreover, recently Azerbaijan
has been more active on the conflict in other international instances
(for instance in the Hague court) and aspires to discuss the problem
in another format, which Azeri Foreign Minister Mammadyarov announced
recently. So what? War? Maybe not immediately and in a slightly
different form?

The New York Times
November 17, 2004 Wednesday
Late Edition – Final

Pomegranate as Fruit Of a Vintner’s Labor

By Florence Fabricant

Pomegranate wine from Armenia has plenty of peppery tartness and a
sweet fruitiness that enriches the naturally winy taste of
pomegranate. It would pair well with a Thanksgiving turkey, venison
or chocolate desserts, or make an alluring punch base. Some
bartenders mix it with sparkling wine, gin or tequila. Labeled simply
Pomegranate, it’s about $10 a bottle in the Wine Store at Whole
Foods; Grand Wine & Liquor, 3005 31st Avenue, Astoria, Queens; and
Heights Chateau, 123 Atlantic Avenue (Henry Street), Brooklyn
Heights.

AZG Armenian Daily, Armenia
Nov 17 2004

`NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT CAN HAVE NO MILITARY SETTLEMENT`

YEREVAN, 17.11.04. Ago Group Isn`t That Satisfied with Armenia`s
Implementation of Its Commitments

On November 15, Ago Group, Monitoring Commission of CE Ministers`
Board, met with RA President Robert Kocharian, Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanian, Chairman of National Assembly Artur Baghdasarian.
The commission is led by Roland Wegener, German ambassador to the
Council of Europe. The delegation includes CE ambassadors of Turkey,
Sweden and Switzerland.

In the course of the joint press conference with Vartan Oskanian,
touching upon the issue of Armenia`s commitments before the CE,
Wegener stated that `there is a progress, but we have noticed that
the most important issues, i.e. the constitutional reforms, the
electoral code, as well as the reforms in judicial sphere are yet to
be done.`

Two separate groups are carrying out the monitoring of Armenia`s
implementation of its commitments undertaken before the CE. These
groups are Ago group (led by Ago formerly) and PACE monitoring group
led by Yezhy Yaskernia.

Ago group also met with Tigran Torosian, head of RA delegation to
PACE, Deputy Chairman of RA National Assembly. The latter represented
the process of meeting the commitments before the CE and the schedule
of several laws` adoption. Torosian said that the Electoral Code was
adopted in the first reading, received the joint conclusion of Venice
Commission`s and OSCE experts. Almost all the 30 suggestions made in
that conclusion were adopted.

As for the constitutional reforms, Torosian said that three draft
laws are in circulation and sent to the Venice Commission experts for
expertise. Compared with the bill on constitutional reforms submitted
for referendum in 2003, the new bills will pass three readings in the
parliament. It is envisaged that the referendum for constitutional
reforms will be held in June of 2005.

Wegener said during the press conference that he discussed Nagorno
Karabakh issue with RA President and RA Foreign Minister, taking into
consideration Armenia`s and Azerbaijan`s promise to settle the
conflict in peaceful way as soon as they are CE members. Wegener
stated that he had the impression that the sides in conflict are for
peaceful solution.

`Karabakh conflict can have no military settlement`, Oskanian said.
As for the militant statements made by Baku, RA Foreign Minister said
that they might have merely a propaganda impact on the publicity.

Touching upon Baku`s efforts to include the issue of `Azerbaijan`s
Occupied Territories` into the agenda of the UN General Assembly, RA
Foreign Minister said that Azerbaijan has chosen the wrong path.
Azerbaijan made the wrong choice and will face the results of that,
Oskanian emphasized. In the end of the past week Oskanian
participated in the sitting of CSTO Ministers` Board. In his speech
he criticized Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzia, two members of the
organization that voted for Azerbaijan at the UN General Assembly.

Oskanian emphasized the importance of fact that OSCE Minsk group and
the EU member-countries voted against Azerbaijan`s initiative. As for
the countries that voted for Azerbaijan`s suggestion (43 of 191 UN
countries), according to Oskanian, these countries voted against the
peaceful settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

AZG Armenian Daily

Noyan Tapan, Armenia
Nov 17 2004

ARNOLD RUUTEL: `WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO ARMENIANS IN EARLY 20TH CENTURY
SHOULD BE CONDEMNED AND RECOGNIZED`

YEREVAN, 17.11.04. What had happened to the Armenians in 1915 should
be condemned and recognized. President of Estonia Arnold Ruutel, who
is in Armenia with an official visit said about it answering one of
the questions during the November 16 meeting with students and
teaching staff of the Yerevan State Univeristy.

The President of the country-member of the European Union mentioned
that Estonia hasn`t found its position yet in the issue of Turkey`s
membership in the European Union. But according to Ruutel, the
decision on Turkey`s joining the European Union should be made on the
basis of the Copenhagen principles.

Voice of America News
November 16, 2004

Armenian Minister Not Optimistic About Nagorno-Karabakh Dispute

VOA News

Armenia’s defense minister says neighboring Azerbaijan is not serious
about negotiating a settlement of the dispute over the
Nagorno-Karabakh territory.

In an interview with Reuters news agency published Tuesday, minister
Serzh Sarksyan said he is not very optimistic about the
Nagorno-Karabakh issue.

He accused Azeri President Ilham Aliyev of trying to put pressure on
Armenia through the United Nations.

Mr. Sarksyan said the issue can only be solved through compromise. He
said he sees no signs that point to a resumption of armed conflict
between the two countries.

Russia, the United States and France, among others, are trying to
mediate an agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia over
Nagorno-Karabakh. Ethnic Armenians from the mountainous enclave
control 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s territory seized during a war that
ended with a cease-fire agreement a decade ago.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Noyan Tapan, Armenia
Nov 17 2004

VARDAN OSKANIAN LEARNS WITH REGRET ABOUT COLIN POWELL`S RESIGNATION

YEREVAN, 17.11.04. `I learned with regret about the resignation of
Secretary of State Colin Powell. During 4 years of Mr Powell`s term
of office the Armenian-US relations have developed noticeably, the
agenda has become more diverse,` the RA Foreign Minister Vardan
Oskanian stated when asked by journalists to comment on the US
Secretary of State Colin Powell`s resignation.

According to the RA Foreign Minister, Secretary of State Powell
watched closely the developments in the South Caucasian region and
was interested in settling the existing conflicts and establishing
normal relations between the neighbors. Vardan Oskanian noted
Powell`s personal contribution to Armenia`s inclusion in the
Millennium Challenges Program.

Pointing out that he appreciates Colin Powell`s personal qualities,
diplomatic proficiency and wide knowledge which he had a chance to
observe during meetings with Powell, Minister Oskanian wished him a
personal success and health.

`I am sure that we will continue successful cooperation with the new
Secretary of State for further prosperity of our nations,` Vardan
Oskanian stated.

Noyan Tapan, Armenia
Nov 17 2004

VARDAN OSKANIAN: ARMENIA READY TO CONTINUE BILATERAL NEGOTIATIONS, IF
AZERBAIJAN DOES NOT ATTEMPT TO TRANSFER ISSUE TO OTHER INSTANCES

YEREVAN, 17.11.04. If Azerbaijan insists on the discussion of the
resolution on the Karabakh problem at the UN, Armenia can continue
negotiations only with the participation of Nagorno Karabakh. The RA
Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian made this statement at the November
16 meeting with journalists. The minister noted that Armenia is ready
to continue bilateral negotiations if Azebaijan does not attempt to
transfer the settlement of the problem to other instances not related
to the settlement of this problem. He also underlined that if
Azerbaijan takes such a step and refuses to continue negotiations
with the participation of Nagorno Karabakh, the negotiations may
reach deadlock.

Asked what activities the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs is carrying
out in the coutries members of the Islamic Conference that have voted
for holding discussion within the framework of the UN, Vardan
Oskanian said no resources are allocated by the state budget for such
PR, yet considerable work is being carried out. As for Pakistan and
Indonesia that play an important role in the Islamic Conference,
Armenia`s relations with these countries have developed in different
ways. Like Saudi Arabia, Pakistan has close relations with Azerbaijan
and Turkey and refuses to establish diplomatic relations with
Armenia. Armenia has normal diplomatic relations with Indonesia.

Vardan Oskanian also noted that he talked with the foreign ministers
of many countries that had voted in favor of Azerbaijan`s proposal
and these ministers told him they had voted not in essence but
following the principle that any UN member country can organize
discussions on an issue of concern in the UN.

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan (In Azeri)
Nov 17 2004

Thousands of Azeris plea with Hungarian court to have “fair” trial

BAKU

An appeal signed by over 100,000 people was sent to the Budapest city
court today. The signatures had been collected by the Committee to
Defend Ramil Safarov’s Rights on an initiative of the Karabakh
Liberation Organization [KLO].

Citing the appeal, the KLO said that the whole Azerbaijani people is
closely following the trial of Ramil Safarov, who is accused of
killing an Armenian officer. The appeal goes on to say that the
insulting and unethical behaviour of the [killed] Armenian officer
had made the Azerbaijani officer, whose family has been subjected to
the Armenian aggression, commit the crime while he was not aware of
his actions.

The appeal calls on to the Hungarian court to consider the case
objectively, conduct the investigation and the trial fairly and not
to allow the Armenian authorities and lobby to interfere in the
affair.

At the end, the appeal said: “Any fair ruling [by the court] could
help improve Azerbaijan’s relations with Hungary and restore trust.”