Azerbaijan not planning to increase troop numbers in Iraq

AP Worldstream
Oct 26, 2004

Azerbaijan does not intend to increase the number of its troops
currently serving in Iraq as part of the U.S.-led coalition, Foreign
Minsiter Elmar Mammadyarov said Tuesday.

“We don’t have the technical abilities to expand the contingent,
that is people who have received the corresponding preparations,”
Mammadyarov told reporters in Baku.

Azerbaijan has 150 troops deployed in Iraq, where they are serving
mainly as sentries and on patrols. The Caucasus nation and former
Soviet republic is the only predominantly Muslim country that has
contributed troops to the U.S.-led coalition.

Azerbaijan, which also has 22 troops in Afghanstian, is seeking
U.S. support in modernizing its military and resolving a territorial
dispute with neighboring Armenia.

Bulgarian, Slovenian presidents hold news conference, view cooperation, EU

BTA web site, Sofia
26 Oct 04

Ljubljana, 26 October: Bulgaria should not wait for another country or
group of countries in joining the European Union, Slovenian President
Janez Drnovsek told a joint news conference with his Bulgarian
counterpart Georgi Purvanov after their meeting in the Brdo Castle,
near Ljubljana, on Tuesday [26 October].

Drnovsek said this taking a question on how Slovenia would help
Bulgaria along the road to the EU. Slovenia joined the EU on 1 May
this year. Purvanov opened a two-day official visit to Slovenia on
Tuesday. Slovenia believes that the process of Bulgaria’s accession
should continue as planned, within the set time frames, Drnovsek
said, adding that his country would defend this stand. The Slovenian
president said he expects Slovenia to become a member of the Schengen
Agreement by 2007 and to meet all Schengen standards as an external
border of the EU.

Taking a question, Purvanov said that on the whole Bulgaria had no
problems in closing the negotiation chapters with the exception of
the traditionally difficult ones on competition and agriculture. He
pointed out that Bulgaria still has to work on the reform of its
judiciary and administration and with its minorities.

At their one-to-one meeting the two presidents discussed the work of
the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), whose
rotating chairmanship-in-office Bulgaria currently holds. Slovenia
is expected to take over next year. Purvanov said that as holder of
the OSCE chairmanship-in-office Bulgaria prioritized on the fight
against terrorism and against the trafficking of arms and drugs and
other new challenges. The two presidents discussed the hotbeds of
potential tension Kosovo, Transdniestrian region, Georgia, Armenia
and Azerbaijan. These problems cannot be solved within the term of
one chairmanship, Purvanov said, adding that Bulgaria will assist
Slovenia in their solution as former chairman-in-office and member
of the Troika.

Purvanov made a high assessment of the results of political dialogue
between Bulgaria and Slovenia and pointed out that this dialogue
has a positive influence on economic relations. He explained that
this year two-way trade is expected to reach the record high 100m US
dollars. Last year saw a record in investment, Purvanov said. There
are untapped opportunities for bilateral cooperation in tourism,
transport, telecommunications, social security and in promoting direct
contacts between economic agents and the chambers of commerce of the
two countries. Bulgaria was one of the first countries to support
Slovenia’s initiative for a Slavic cultural forum, the Bulgarian
president said. Purvanov also stressed the good relations between
higher educational establishments of the two countries, above all
between Sofia University and Ljubljana University. He thanked for
the support of his idea for cultural corridors in Southeastern Europe.

The Bulgarian president also met with Slovenian parliament Speaker
France Cukjati who was elected to this post on 22 October. Purvanov
is the first foreign head of state whom the new Slovenian parliament
Speaker meets.

PRESS RELEASE

ARMENIAN PATRIARCHATE
JERUSALEM
Office of the Ecumenical and Foreign Relations
Contact person: Bishop Aris Shirvanian
Tel: 972-2-628-2331
Fax: 972-2-626-4861
E-mail: [email protected]

COMMUNIQUÉ

ORDINATIONS AT ST. JAMES CATHEDRAL

Last weekend were days of spiritual joy for St. James Brotherhood and the
Armenian Community of Jerusalem. On the occasion of the Feast of the Holy
Translators (by Julian Calendar) graduate students of the Armenian Seminary
and the Theological Faculty received the grace of ordination by the
Patriarch of our Holy See, His Beatitude Archbishop Torkom Manoogian, at
St. James Cathedral. The Presenter was the Grand Sacristan His Eminence
Archbishop Nourhan Manougian who along with Very Rev. Father Baret
Yeretzian, the Dean of the Seminary, and Rev. Fathers Theodoros Zakarian and
Pakrad Bourjekian led the ordinands to the ordaining Patriarch.

On Thursday, 21 October 2004, during the Evening Service, His Beatitude
bestowed stoles upon four seminarians of the Class IV, Nareg
Megerdichian, Bavel Garabedian, Sahag Hovagimian and Samuel Safarian. At the
same time he ordained subdeacons the stole-bearers of the Class I of the
Theological Faculty, Ardag Hagopian, Hovhannes Kevorkian, Bavel Tavtian, as
well as the stole-bearer of the St. Yeghia Church of Haifa, Avedis
Shahinian.

On Friday, 22 October, His Beatitude ordained the subdeacons Ardak
Hagopian, Hovhannes Kevorkian,, Pavel Tavtian and Avedis Shahinian as
deacons during the celebration of the Divine Liturgy.

In the afternoon, during the celebration of the Eve of the Feast of the Holy
Translators, the Service of the Call to Priesthood of Deacon Haroutiun
Yeghiayan, who graduated from the Theological Faculty, was conducted.

On Saturday, 23 October, on the Feast of the Holy Translators, His Beatitude
the Patriarch ordained Deacon Haroutiun Yeghiayan as celibate priest in a
moving ceremony during the celebration of the Divine Liturgy and re-named
him Father Haygazoun. Then in the same afternoon during the Evening Service
he donned the newly ordained priest the traditional hood(Veghar) , the
symbol of celibacy.

A formal dinner in honor of the newly ordained priest Father Haygazoun, the
deacons and the stole-bearers was served at the refectory of the Brotherhood
where His Beatitude and Members of the clergy made toasts and congratulated
them all.
Father Haygazoun will spend his traditional forty days of fasting period and
of preparation for his new spiritual career at our Convent of Nativity in
Bethlehem.

On this happy occasion we would like to announce that presently there are 43
students studying at our Seminary and the Theological Faculty, one of them
is a special student from the USA, another from Bulgaria and all the rest
are from Armenia. The Seminary consists of five classes and the Theological
Faculty of three classes.

The Dean announces that candidates who would like to study at our Seminary
and the Theological Faculty may submit their applications for the academic
year 2005-2006 during the current year. Applicants will be accepted from
Armenia and from different Armenian communities in the Diaspora. Applicants
should be 14 years of age and over. Special students may also be admitted.

For further information inquiries should be addressed to the Dean Very
Reverend Father Baret Yeretzian at the following address:

Armenian Seminary, P.O.Box 14001,
Old City Jerusalem 91141, Israel.
Tel: (972-2)628-2331.

Jerusalem, 25 October 2004 DIVAN OF THE ARMENIAN PATRIARCHATE

–Boundary_(ID_cofXCDJjtYjknRVtUNeN/Q)–

Bulgarian deputy premier, Azeri defence minister discuss relations, Iraq

BGNES web site
26 Oct 04

Sofia, 26 October: On 26 October Deputy Prime Minister Plamen Panayotov
received Col-Gen Safar Abiyev, defence minister of the Republic of
Azerbaijan, who is visiting Bulgaria in connection with the signing
of a cooperation plan for 2005 between the two defence ministries.

At the meeting, the sides stressed the positive development of
bilateral relations and pointed out that the cooperation between the
two defence ministry testifies to this, the Bulgarian deputy prime
minister’s office has announced. At the request of the Azerbaijani
side, Panayotov thoroughly described Bulgaria’s preparations for
joining NATO and the actual act of joining, as well as the talks on
Bulgaria’s forthcoming EU membership. On the basis of the Bulgarian
experience, the deputy prime minister pointed out that the goals of
integration into the EU and NATO could only be successfully implemented
if they were accompanied by policies consistent with the values and
criteria of democracy, law and order, observance of human rights,
creating possibilities for free entrepreneurship and a market economy
and maintaining peaceful relations with the neighbours.

Panayotov especially stressed the necessity of not only accepting the
EU and NATO standards, but also strictly applying them. He expressed
Bulgaria’s readiness to share its experience in this realm with
Azerbaijan.

A significant part of the talks was devoted to expanding economic
cooperation and trade between the two countries. The dynamic growth
of the two countries’ economies could serve as a foundation for this
cooperation. It was agreed to intensify business contacts between
the two countries with the goal of identifying the possibilities of
achieving a more adequate volume of bilateral trade.

The Azerbaijani side expressed support for Bulgaria’s striving
to implement the work on constructing a modern power generation
infrastructure, including implementing projects on transporting
oil and natural gas from the Caucasus region to Europe through
Bulgaria’s territory and utilizing the EU’s Transport Corridor
Europe-Caucasus-Asia and Inogate programmes.

The situation in Iraq, where both countries have contingents within
the stabilization force framework, was reviewed. At the request of
the Azerbaijani side, opinions were exchanged on relations between
Azerbaijan and Armenia. It was pointed out that with the cooperation
of the Bulgarian chairmanship-in-office of the OSCE in 2004 efforts
have been made within the framework of the negations to find a peaceful
solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The Bulgarian side again confirmed support for the OSCE’s Minsk Group
efforts and its cochairmen in this context.

Karabakh minister, US mediator discuss Karabakh in Washington

Mediamax news agency
26 Oct 04

Yerevan, 26 October: The foreign minister of the Nagornyy Karabakh
Republic (NKR), Ashot Gulyan, has met the US co-chairman of the OSCE
Minsk Group, Steven Mann, in Washington.

The NKR Foreign Ministry has reported that the meeting, which took
place on 25 October, discussed prospects for the Karabakh settlement
in the context of the latest developments.

The meeting focused on the factors hindering a peaceful settlement
to the problem. “In particular, they discussed Azerbaijan’s bellicose
statements, this country’s official propaganda inciting hatred towards
the Armenians,” the Foreign Ministry reported.

Ashot Gulyan noted the importance of using the potential of societies
involved in the conflict, which he said was not being used today due
to the non-constructive position of the Azerbaijani side.

In turn, Steven Mann stressed that the political will of the sides and
a favourable public opinion were a necessary condition for establishing
a lasting peace.

OUR FRIEND AHMAD NURIZADE

Azg/am
27 Oct 04

My good friend Ahmad Nurizade called me two days ago telling that
his newly translated book is already at the publishing house. In a
short while the Iranian readers will have the chance of reading in
Iranian the works of Armenian contemporary poets.

Today Iran is the only country most productively involved in
translation of Armenian literature. Ahmad Nurizade, admirer
of Armenian literature, organizes translation into Iranian and
publication of the books. He has issued 27 books so far most of
which are already sold. “Wonderful Power”, “How do you do man”,
(those two are translations of Galust Khanentsâ~@~Y poetry), one of
Hovhannes Tumanianâ~@~Ys anthologies, “Tsolak” (Asel Bakuntsâ~@~Y
“White Horse”), Nar-Dosâ~@~Y novel “Zazunya” (was published under the
title of “Amalia”), “100 Years of Armenian Poetry” anthology and many
others were translated by Nurizade. Then publication of “History and
Culture if Armenia” and an anthology including works of Vahagn Davtian,
Silva Kaputikian and contemporary poets followed.

This is really a tremendous job that Ahmad Nurizade has taken up and
we should be thankful to him. Armenian literary critics have highly
valued Nurizadeâ~@~Ys “100 Years of Armenian Poetry” and “History and
Culture of Armenia”. Valeri Brusovâ~@~Ys Russian anthology of Armenian
poetry was considered most unbeatable one for its translation till
lately. But Nurizadeâ~@~Ys anthology overcame Brusovâ~@~Ys not only
in quantity but also quality of translation. The volume presenting
Armenian culture and history provides encyclopedical information on
pre-Christian Armenia, peopleâ~@~Ys beliefs, culture and arts.

When Ahmad Nurizade was in Armenia recently, I saw more than 100
books with Armenian authorsâ~@~Y warm inscription at his hotel
room. Those were books published last year and not all of them are
of high value. But our friend Ahmad is able to distinguish works of
eternal value and translate them.

Each time in Armenia, Ahmad feels as though coming to a friendâ~@~Ys
home.

“I always mentioned in my interviews that I am coming to a friendâ~@~Ys
home, I am coming to a country that I love and people of which loves
me too”, he said once.

You are always welcomed in Armenia, our friend, because what you take
from here enriches not only you but also us.

By Sergey Galoyan

–Boundary_(ID_3Qng6xkUJgH2vwBOdnY4nw)–

ARMENIAN METALLURGY ON NEW LEVEL

Pres. Kocharian Stated

Azg/am
27 Oct 04

Number of enterprises operating in Armenia increased this year. The
Neolita stone-working factory and Energokomplex Ltd. and Armenian
Molybdenum Production Complex are among those new. Pres. Robert
Kocharian stated after visiting the Complex that it releases products
of high quality.

The Neolita stone-working factory operates due to Russian-Armenian
Yuri Sarkisianâ~@~Ys investment of $2 million and 100 thousand. Yuri
Sarkisian, shareholder of 75 per cent of shares of the factory, assured
that the production will increase in near future and they will begin
cutting onyx in Artsakh soon. The production of the factory is being
exported to Russia and USA. Sarkisian is going to open a furniture
store in Yerevan but the market needs to be inspected yet.

Yuri Sarkisian explains his desire to invest in the economy of Armenia
not only with the fact that he is Armenian and Armeniaâ~@~Ys liberal
tax laws but also Pres. Kocharianâ~@~Ys report on business given to
Armenian businessmen in St. Petersburg.

Speaking of the Energokomplex Ltd. and Armenian Molybdenum Production
Complex, Pres. Kocharian noted that the state has created good
environment for scientific progress and has removed all obstacles
on the way of producers. The factory has a wide range of production
and is engaged in carrying out orders (making anti-radiation locks)
of European Center of Atomic Research within the structure of MAGATE.

Head of the factory Karen Karapetian said that the factory produces
12 thousand tones of copper and they are going to double the
result. Products of the factory are exported to Japan, Germany,
Sweden, Italy and Austria.

Today the factory needs 100 employees. Robert Kocharian said that
the state is going to fully apply the scientific potential in order
to export products of high quality molybdenum.

By Nana Petrosian

–Boundary_(ID_5/onH5HZG7SHlMjJvKTM1w)–

ARMENIAN SPECIALIST OF OIL PRODUCING INDUSTRY IS HOPEFUL
By Hakob Tsulikian

Azg/am
27 Oct 04

Recently, Iran promised Armenia $30 million for the construction of
the Armenian part of Iranâ~@~SArmenia gas pipeline. Armen Sahakian,
specialist of Oil Producing Industry, from London, who had played a
decisive role in the elaboration of that program, expressed hope that
the construction of that gas pipeline can become a reality. According
to Armenian Mirror Spectator, he visited Armenia for many times, and
together with the specialist from RA Energy Ministry studied details of
the program. In 1997 he left for Iran and greatly contributed to the
negotiation process. “Taking into account its sources, Iran occupies
the second place in the world and the government is ready to implement
the program. The fact that the Iranian side financed the construction
of the Armenian part of the gas pipeline evidences it”, he said.

Armen Sahakian is the grandson of Avetik Sahakian, chairman of
the Parliament of the first Republic of Armenia (1918-1920). He
was born in Baghdad, where his father, Suren worked as a chemist at
Iraqi oil producing company. His grandfather, Avetik moved to Tabriz
after Armenia became a Soviet republic. Armen Sahakian studied at
Beirutâ~@~Ys American University, as well as at Munich and Michigan
Universities. Afterwards, winning the scholarship of the Iranian
National Oil Predicting Company, he finished Harvard University.

“Form the viewpoint of progress, Armenia is in more favorable position
than its neighbors, and I would like to contribute to the prosperity
and development of the country as much as I can,” Armen Sahakian
emphasized.

–Boundary_(ID_f8b7/9hFSKZ/2U6/czf+fA)–

ISSUES OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE AND ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS ACTIVELY DISCUSSED IN EUROPE
By Hakob Chakrian

What is EUâ~@~Ys Concern?

Azg/am
27 Oct 04

The European Commission issued a report suggesting the EU member state
leaders and governments to start accession talks with Turkey. All
the formulae unacceptable for Ankara and European statesâ~@~Y
preconceptions resulted in a debate long before December 17, EU summit
day that will set up the negotiation term.

The issues of Armenian Genocide acknowledgment as well as
Armenian-Turkish relations in general were not bypassed during these
debates neither in Europe nor in Turkey. Active involvement of NGOs
was very supportive in bringing issues up.

Eminent statesman Ilter Turkmen singled out Europeâ~@~Ys Friends
and Commission of Independent Turkey NGOs in an October 2 article of
Hyuriet. The former thinks that relations with neighboring Armenia
will be drawn forward if not now then at the accession stage, the
latter thinks that EU will suggest not only opening borders with
Armenia and putting right Armenia-Turkish relations but will also
exhort Turkey to recognize the tragic events of the past.

This is a hint about Armenian Genocide. Unlike the Commission of
Independent Turkey, the European-Armenians spoke out openly at their
first congress at the European Commission. They demanded EU member
states to include Armenian Genocide acknowledgment as a precondition
for Turkeyâ~@~Ys accession.

The EU December 17 summit will show if the European-Armenian
Federationâ~@~Ys demand was accepted or not. The fact is that the
discussions over Armenian Genocide acknowledgment and Armenia-Turkish
relations are not limited with the circle of European and Turkish
political fractions, Turkish NGOs and the European-Armenian Federation.

Scientific circles in their turn contribute to debates. The October 15
issue of Turkish Akos newspaper writes about a scientific conference
in Venice on October 28-30. Diaspora Armenians Levon Zekiyan, Ramon
Gevorgian, Iv Ternon, Turkish scientists Halil Terktay, Murad Belge,
Baskn Oran, Ferhat Qentel and Rag?p Zaraqolu, Tanem Akcam (USA) and
Ruben Safrastian from Armenia will take part at the conference called
“Armenian and Turks Throughout the History. Century-old Relations”.

Participation of Armenian Diaspora NGOs together with political circles
of Europe and Turkey at the Venice conference inspires hope that EU
will include the Armenian-Turkish relations in the precondition list
even though dropping out the Genocide acknowledgment.

EUâ~@~Ys New Neighborhood Initiative that took over the three South
Caucasian states on June 14 of the current year is also aimed at
that. But there is still an answered question: if the EU is concerned
with Armenian-Turkish relations why does Europe view this issue in
the context of the Armenian Genocide? By threatening Turkey with the
Genocide EU makes Turkey agree on improving relations with Armenia.

Therefore neither discussions over Armenian Genocide and
Armenian-Turkish relations nor the initiatives for those discussions
can be considered casual. It was in the interests of Europe that the
1st European-Armeniansâ~@~Y congress took place and that the Venice
scientific conference is to be held.

–Boundary_(ID_5w2z6JQuiovyrWNrkmKJXg)–

Political analysis and ideology

Editorial

Yerkir/am
October 22, 2004

Political, geopolitical and ideological considerations come to
dominate social sciences today. Should political analysis be based
on ideological considerations?

At first sight, it might seem that it should not because analysis
requires neutrality, objectivity and reasoning independent of
any ideological and especially party affiliation. However, such
objectivity very often serves as a cover for absence of political
will and a specific political line, and pure reasoning often hides
the absence of a political ideal and political idealism.

The mask of objectivity often hides individuals, organizations,
elites or systems deprived of any goals of their own. The powerful
states and the political research institutes at their service do
not shun subjectivity presenting their interests and their positions
as universal.

Meanwhile, the intellectual elites suffering from provincial
inferiority complex feel ashamed for the conservatism of their national
ideals and resort to â~@~ objectivismâ~@~] and determinism. In
reality, they find themselves servicing the interests of some powerful
actors.

Assessment and analysis of domestic and internal political processes
and realities is subconsciously ideologized in Armenia. However, this
ideologization is dangerous because it derives from the pro-Russian
or pro-Western position of certain individuals thus imitating the
assessment of political realities presented by Russian or Western
sources respectively. The analysis of domestic, regional or global
issues is thus based on concepts and scenarios developed by others.

You can research thousands of sources, be very well aware of various
facts. But if you do not have your own analytical mind, your own ideal
you will not be able to analyze the situation from a perspective that
specifically suits your interests. Before any analysis is possible in
Armenia, we first of all need to develop our own position on things
and situations to be analyzed; we have to develop the ability to have
our own perspective on different things.

This can happen if we have our own vision of the future, a vision that
will be Armenian and not Russian, European or American. The vision
of the future must be based not on objective calculations but on our
will to pursue the future we want to have. Facts are objective only
for those who lack will. The future must be shaped in a way favorable
for Armenia. Facts must be analyzed only from the perspective of
Armeniaâ~@~Ys interests.

Armeniaâ~@~Ys interests cannot be completely identical with the
interests of any strategic partners or allies. The ideological factor
must be analyzed consciously. Today, the ideological factor does exist,
but is either a product of subconscious imitation or is a conscious
service paid to some external forces.

–Boundary_(ID_UXN5A62ve3moD3WV9swF9w)–