Kerry Better for Turkey
‘2-1’

Zaman
10.31.2004 Sunday

Although the views of the two candidates in the US preidential
elections are similar, there are critical differences on three
important issues for Turkey. Bush’s policies on Iraq and the European
Union (EU) and Kerry’s Armenian policy would be disadvantageous for
Turkey.

EU: Both Bush and Kerry give full support to Turkey’s membership to
EU. However, the support of the Kerry administration would be more
beneficial for Turkey as Bush has lost the support of most European
countries after the Iraqi war. Pressure from the Bush administration
on the EU would likely result in a negative outcome.

Iraq: Bush supports ‘general autonomy’ for the Kurds within a federal
structure in Iraq; also he does not actively push for the elimination
of the terrorist organization PKK. Kerry’s policy is not known;
however, it is noted that Kerry will not be as flexible as Bush about
the autonomy issue since he aims to have large international support
for Iraq. It is also indicated that the Kurds are concerned because of
the situation.

The Alleged Armenian Genocide: Kerry’s much publicized statement that
he would recognize the so-called Armenian genocide is confusing. It is
expected that Kerry would not risk losing a key NATO ally like Turkey,
over such claims.

World Bank official praises economic reforms in Armenia

Arminfo
29 Oct 04

YEREVAN

Armenia is one of the best users of World Bank loans in the world,
which are being allocated on the IDA (International Development
Association) conditions, the regional director of the World Bank,
Donna Dowsett-Coirolo, said at a press conference in Yerevan today.

She said that a group of World Bank experts had recently come to this
conclusion, evaluating the influence of the bank’s credit programmes
on the country’s economy in the last 10 years. She added that economic
reforms in Armenia are proceeding better than in neighbouring Georgia
and Azerbaijan, though high economic growth is recorded in all the
South Caucasus countries this year.

The regional director noted that the economic situation in Georgia
would improve after the tough measures to fight corruption carried out
by President Mikheil Saakashvili, and after the construction of the
pipelines [Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and Baku-Erzurum gas
pipeline] in Azerbaijan. At the same time, she believes that Armenia
should also take tough measures to fight corruption like Georgia,
though the situation is much better here.

Donna Dowsett-Coirolo noted that in the current year six credit
programmes worth 85m dollars had been submitted for approval to the
board of directors, which is the proof of active cooperation between
the World Bank and Armenia. Those are loans for the social, health
and education spheres, pension reforms, reforms in the state sector
and irrigation. The World Bank’s participation in the Armenian
government’s programme to alleviate poverty, which is worth 20m
dollars, will be considered by the board of directors in
November. Apart from this, a new credit programme to the tune of about
20m dollars for agriculture and another credit programme, worth the
same amount, to restore Yerevan’s water supply system are being
prepared. Both programmes are planned to be submitted for approval to
the World Bank board of directors next spring.

Commenting on the problem of repaying Armenia’s foreign debt, a bigger
portion of which are World Bank loans, the regional director said that
the country could guarantee its repayment, taking into consideration
the economic growth and existing potential to attract domestic and
foreign investment. Anyway, the issue of repaying Armenia’s foreign
debt does not cause concern compared to the situation in other
countries, she said.

To recap, 36 programmes of the World Bank worth a total of 820.8m
dollars have been implemented in Armenia since 1992.

Criticism does not mean hostility

Yerkir/arm
October 29, 2004

One might very often come across an opinion that those who criticize
American president George Bush’s foreign policies go against the
civilized and democratic world thus assisting the international
terrorism. Similar opinions are expressed by some of our political
leaders, analysts and media.

This sort of contemplations have resulted in another `brilliantâ=80=9D
observation suggesting that those who are against sending Armenian
troops to Iraq are against civilized and democratic values thus
supporting the international terrorism and adopting an anti-American
position.

The authors of these brilliant ideas tend to overlook one fact –
Bush’s foreign policy is criticized not only by the American
Democratic Party and its presidential candidate John Kerry but also
Bzezinsky, Soros, Kissinger, andmany other American analysts, research
centers and media. Finally, almost half of America’s population shares
this criticism of Bush’s foreign policies. Does this mean that they
are all against democracy? Do they all support international
terrorism? Can they all be considered anti-American?

Following this logic, France, Germany, Russia, Spain and other
countries can be added to the list of anti-democratic, anti-American
and pro-terrorist countries.

But let us come back to the Armenian political forces that are
intensively trying to reveal the anti-democratic and anti-American
forces in Armenia. They fail to understand that criticism does not
mean hostility.

The logic of these forces suggests that if you criticize the
government, then you are the government’s enemy. If you criticize the
opposition, then you are the opposition’s enemy. If you criticize the
media for ungrounded gossiping then you are the enemy of freedom of
speech.

This logic is the reason why the government and the opposition are not
working efficiently in our country and this is why freedom of speech
is very often equalized to merely flattering or freely swearing.

Not many people desert from military service

By Karine Mangasarian

Yerkir/arm
October 29, 2004

According to data provided by the Armenian Defense Ministry, only
about twenty people have chosen the option of alternative military
service duringthe last army call-up in Armenia. The government has
adopted decree N940 on â=80=9C Locations for alternative military
service and alternative service uniform’.

According to this decree, those who choose the alternative service
will serve in Syunik, Gegharkunik and Tavush regions working in
psychiatric hospitals, orphanages and clinics. National Assembly
vice-speaker Vahan Hovhannissian presented a draft law that proposes
several amendments to the law on alternative military service.

Before commenting on the amendments, Hovhannissian reminded that his
law had stirred wide public discussions and fears that it might
encourage desertion from the army and increase membership in various
religious organizations.` Judging from the applications we have
received so far, those fears were not justified.

Many National Assembly deputies including some members of the
opposition were suggesting that this law would result in mass
desertion from the army. However, it turned out that they were
underestimating the Armeniansâ=80=99 conscious attitude towards the
army. The twenty applications that we have received sofar are the best
proof for this point,’ Hovhannissian says.

However, time showed that the law needs some amendments. Hovhannissian
believes this is a result of lack of experience in drafting such
legislation. The amendments will specify the rights and obligations of
those choosing alternative service. The amendments will determine the
social security guarantees and the scope of responsibility in case of
violations.

Another issue to be addressed in the amendment is the examination of
the applications for alternative service. Initially it was planned
that each ofthe local army committees would examine the applications
for alternative service. However, it turned out that it would be
impossible to send corresponding experts to all of the local
committees.

The amendment proposes to create a special committee within the
central army committee that will examine the alternative service
applications. `There will be no problems in this respect especially
taking into account that there are not that many applications,’
Hovhannissian concluded.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

We need more determination

Interview by Karine Mangasarian

Yerkir/arm
October 29, 2004

The options for resolution of Nagorno-Karabagh conflict are regularly
discussed by the Armenian political circles. However, a certain
deficit of proposals exists among our political leaders and
analysts. What do our politicians think about the options of
resolution of Nagorno Karabagh conflict?

We asked some of our political leaders the following questions:

1. The status quo is preserved and the negotiations do not seem to
yield any tangible results. What should Armenia do in this context?

2. In case the negotiations result in a consensus and some of the
liberated territories are required in return for Karabagh’s
self-determination, what should Armenia’s response be to this
situation?

3. What if the negotiations end in a deadlock and peace is threatened?
If Azerbaijan starts a war what should Armenia do both at the external
front and in terms of its domestic policies?

We interviewed leader of Republican Party’s parliamentary faction
Galust Sahakian.

1. There can be different ways of resolution of Nagorno Karabagh
conflict. If all our political forces show determination and offer one
solution, then it will be favorable for Armenia. The option we support
is a package solution with a stress on Karabagh’s status. This will
contribute to the speedy resolution of the conflict and establishment
of favorable economic environment in the Caucasus.

After the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline is put into exploitation,
Azerbaijan will have significant profits. In this context ensuring
economic equilibrium and security in the region will be connected with
the settlement of the Karabagh conflict, and this will be favorable
for Armenia. We prioritize the determination of our domestic political
forces regarding the Karabagh conflict.

Some political forces completely ignore the Karabagh issue, others
support a stage-by-stage approach as opposed to the package option,
which we cannot accept. This is why I believe our internal unanimity
and determination are so important. Karabagh has never been a part of
Azerbaijan and can never become one.

2. We cannot accept this option and this is why we stress the
importance of Karabagh’s status. The rest of the issues can be settled
through open negotiations. Whenever we speak about mutual concessions,
especially when we speak about them domestically, any such statements
create certain opinions with the international community.

And these opinions hold that concessions can be made connected with
the liberated territories or better say the territories that ensure
Nagorno Karabagh’s security. Well, this might be an option, but I
think concessions can only be made once Karabagh’s status is
specified. We can negotiate on issues like economic relations between
Armenia and Azerbaijan, clarification of customs regimes, use of
roads, etc. But Karabagh’s status is a non-negotiable issue.

As to the question that Armenia must necessarily give up some
territories, first of all, no such proposals have ever been made. This
is an option supported by some forces in Azerbaijan and this is what
confuses some of our political forces. I think the continuous
circulation of this idea in Armenia is very dangerous.

3. There are no reasons for starting another war now because the
Karabagh conflict cannot be solved militarily. No wars can solve
conflicts: in any case, the warring sides end up sitting at the
negotiation table.

War can have unpredictable consequences. It will be disastrous for the
entire Caucasus region. Moreover, none of the states interested in the
Caucasus will accept the option of war. It’s just a theoretical
contemplation. Asto the militaristic statements periodically made by
Azerbaijan, that’s merely Aliyev’s attempt to consolidate his power
domestically.

4. Only determination can contribute to achieving a solution of the
Karabagh conflict that will be favorable for us. De facto, the
Karabagh conflict has been resolved. All we need now is
determination. Some political forces in Armenia do have that
determination. I think the most important thing is that people have
the necessary determination. As to the economic development of the
country, we are experiencing steady economic growth.

By the way, even if Azerbaijan’s budget is larger, I think we, withour
small budget but given the mentality of our people will be in a more
favorable economic situation than Azerbaijan. The international
community, including the European Union, is increasingly concerned
with ensuring economic balance throughout the world. This concern will
contribute to a favorable solution for Nagorno Karabagh conflict.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Once again about Balakian’s The Black Dog of Fate

By Hovhannes Yeranian

Yerkir/arm
October 29, 2004

This is the forth article Yerkir publishes about Peter Balakian’s
wonderful novel. However, it is impossible to capture the literary and
aesthetic value of the book even through a series of articles. What we
are most concerned with in this article is the starting point of the
novel.

Balakian’s book on the Armenian Genocide, which is the best piece on
genocide I have ever read, is based on his childhood memories. The
strangest and the most important thing to note here is that during his
childhood the author knew nothing about the greatest tragedy of his
nation. His family escaping from the Genocide settled in USA and did
their best to protect the child from any knowledge of the terrible
tragedy so that it would not poison his life.

I was born and grew up in the former region of Masis which was
populated with Azeri Turks. There was a small river that divided our
village. It was the border river of our childhood, our Araks beyond
which the Turks lived. I spent my childhood fighting them. We used to
cross the river, defeat the Turk boys on the other side and set up our
flag with red pioneer neckties.

At night the Turk boys used to destroy our flags and tear our
neckties, so the next day our fights would start anew. That was when I
understood that we needed border guards to guard at night what we had
conquered during the day.

Of course, sometimes we had to escape, sometimes we lost our
fights. The enemy outnumbered us as it has always happened throughout
centuries. Some of my friends were injured in those fights. But it
wasn’t these losses that mattered. What mattered was the losses that
were growing in our hearts.

Balakian spent his childhood playing baseball and listening to
rockâ=80=99n’roll. How could such a childhood inspire the best book
on the Armenian Genocide? At first sight there seems to be a mystery
here. There was a family secret, the buried pain that was destined to
cause a revolution in the poet’s worldview.

His childhood was not humiliated by the pain of incurable wound as was
my childhood. This is why the best film and the best book on the
greatest painof our nation were created on the other side of the
ocean. These are the night guards of our daytime victories.

These examples suggest a very important conclusion – we have to be
very careful when we inevitably introduce our children for the first
time to thetragedy of our nation.

This is a very difficult task because none of the answers I suggest to
my son’ s question why they managed to do this with our nation seem to
be convincing and logical to him. Peter Balakian came to ease this
task for us. You can give The Black Dog of Fate to your children to
read without worrying about the answers you might have to find once he
reads it.

ARF’s Supreme Convention to suggest answers to all questions

Yerkir/arm
October 29, 2004

By Karine Mangassarian

The Supreme Convention of Armenian Revolutionary Federation’s Armenia
organization opens today. The Supreme Convention is a good occasion
for theparty to look back at what its has done.

Levon Mkrtchian, member of ARF’s Supreme Body and leader of National
Assembly’s ARF faction says the Convention will address the questions
of party building, relations with coalition partners and other
political parties. Issues connected with the upcoming elections as
well as the country’s foreign policy will also be discussed at the
Convention. `ARF’s General Convention has addressed the possible
developments for Armenia given the rapidly changing political
situation in the region.

The General Convention has made several strategic statements that are
crucial for ARF in Armenia’, Mkrtchian said adding that several
interestingproposals have been received from party structures in the
regions of Armenia that will be included in the discussion at the
Supreme Convention.

These proposals deal with different spheres. The Convention is
important because it will be held before the local government
elections in 2005, as well as the next parliamentary and presidential
elections.

Mkrtchian said the Supreme Convention will develop a special scenario
of developments that will later be implemented by the ARF Supreme
Body.

Answering the question whether it is not too early to speak about the
next elections, Mkrtchian noted that the Convention does not aim at
making any detailed prognoses regarding this issue. `The Convention
will discuss the party’s position regarding the political situation in
the country, the coalition, the internal political stability in
Armenia as well as foreign policy issues.

We have repeatedly stated that the party’s main goal is the
preservation of stability in the country and maintenance of the
national polices adopted since 1998. This is our strategic goal and
all our discussions and statements will be centered around it,’
Mkrtchian stated.

Any convention or press conference held by ARF stirs wide public
discussion, particularly around the issue of whether or not the party
will remain in the coalition.

Commenting on this, Mkrtchian reminded that the coalition unites
different political forces and that it does not mean a political
bloc. `The coalition includes different political parties that have
different approaches to many issues. They have serious ideological
differences. The coalition simply unites political forces that have
committed themselves to certain obligations by signing the coalition
memorandum.

The level of fulfillment of those obligations will show whether or not
our participation in the coalition is justified,’ Mkrtchian stated
adding that if people see that the obligations envisaged in the
memorandum are not fulfilled they will make the corresponding
decision. As to the practical implementation of the memorandum,
Mkrtchian believes that certain accomplishments have been made.

Commenting on democratization in Armenia, struggle against corruption
and other related issues, Mkrtchian stated that this sphere is
improving very slowly. `We still have a lot to do in this respect,’
Mkrtchian concluded.

NKR FOREIGN MINISTER IN USA

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
29 Oct 04

On October 23 NKR foreign minister Ashot Ghulian delivered a speech at
the conference `Armenia and the South Caucasus and Challenges to
Foreign Policy’ organized by the University of Michigan in the town
Ann Arbor. One of the topics of the conference was the problem of
Nagorni Karabakh and prospects of settlement. At the conference were
present former mediators in talks for the settlement of the Karabakh
conflict and representatives of the conflict sides. In his report the
foreign minister of NKR presented the prehistory of the Karabakh
conflict, the official position of the NKR authorities in the
settlement ofthe conflict, as well as touched upon the problems of
security of Nagorni Karabakh and regional security pointing out the
necessity of interest of all the peoples involved in conflicts for
maintaining lasting peace and security inthe region. After the address
the foreign minister of NKR answered the questions of the participants.

On October 25 the minister arrived in Washington and at the NKR
legation he met with the American co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group
Stephen Mann. They discussed questions referring to the prospects of
regulation of the Karabakh conflict in the context of the latest
developments. During the talk the factors were mentioned which hinder
the settlement, in particular,the militarist statements regularly
published by Azerbaijan which arouse hostile moods in the conflict
parties. The foreign minister also emphasized the significance of the
potential of the societies involved in the conflict, which
unfortunately is not used because of the non-constructive position of
Azerbaijan. In his turn the American co-chairman pointed out the role
of the political will of the authorities of confronting sides, as well
as the favourable public opinion in maintaining peace. In the evening
of the same day the foreign minister of NKR left for Chicago.

AA.
29-10-2004

ISOLATION HOSPITAL REOPENED

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
29 Oct 04

This medical institution built in 1996 was aimed to serve as a
department of the children’s isolation hospital. However, taking into
account thenecessity of more compact activity in struggle against
infectious diseases, the government decided on reforming the building
into republic isolation hospital.

Nevertheless, the hospital could not provide complete medical service
because of the conditions of the building and lack of equipment. Owing
to the direct participation of the president of NKR Arkady Ghukassian,
certain benefactors agreed to provide means for repairing the building
and buying equipment. The program was implemented owing to the
assistance of American benefactors Caroline and George Manougian and
Albert Ara Manougian and his friends. At the opening ceremony NKR
president Arkady Ghukassian donated furniture and medical equipment to
the hospital. At the end of the ceremony the president spoke about the
problems of the health sector. – We face a lot of problems in the
health sector and whatever we do is not enough. You know that
presently the town polyclinic is being built, serious works have been
done in the direction of building the new republic hospital, recently
the women’s clinic was opened and now the isolation hospital. I think
that in this sphere we were so much behind that we need very fast
rates to fill the gaps caused by the war. We must do everything so
that the people of Karabakh do not have to leave for Armenia or Russia
for medical treatment. Therefore we must provide all the necessary
conditions to provide professional medical care here. Unfortunately,
there are cases when a person has to make additional payments for
treatment. This is also a problem, and in a short period of time we
must do our best to relieve the burden of the people who go to
hospital. Here there are serious problems with the responsibilityof
the health ministry and medical establishments and personnel. The
president also emphasized an important fact: for the repairs of this
hospital part ofthe expenses was covered by local businessman Samvel
Hakobian. Evaluating this step as a positive tendency, the president
of NKR is hopeful that this benevolent action of the local businessman
will be an example for the others. Besides, for the first time the
local benefactor joins to the material aid from the Diaspora which
gives more confidence to Armenians of the Diaspora in their benevolent
undertakings.

AA.
29-10-2004

Armenian media bodies condemn beating of journalist

Arminfo
29 Oct 04

YEREVAN

The Armenian committee to protect freedom of speech, the Yerevan Press
Club and the union of Armenian journalists have condemned the beating
up of Vardevan Grigoryan, editor-in-chief of Aragats Ashkhar
newspaper.

According to a statement forwarded to Arminfo, the organizations are
demanding that the law-enforcement agencies conduct an impartial
investigation into the incident and bring the culprits to book. The
statement notes that ”this is already the second incident of this
kind in October involving representatives of the regional media, while
the atmosphere of impunity generates new crimes that also affect
Armenian regions”.

We should recall that the head of the fire department, Gagik
Barsegyan, and his deputy Nraz Aloyan violently beat up Grigoryan in
the village of Tsakhkaovit of Aragatsont Region on 27 October for
publishing an article entitled “Poor firemen, they have nothing”,
which criticized the firemen for their actions during a fire at a
villager’s home. Incidentally, this is not the only attack on the
editor of the regional newspaper because a similar incident happened
five years ago when an administrative punishment was meted out to the
culprit.