Presidents hail reopening of Larsi checkpoint
By Anna Arzanova

The Messenger, Georgia
25 Oct. 2004

Shortly after meeting at the Georgian-Armenian border crossing of
Sadakhlo on Friday, the presidents of Armenia and Georgia, turned their
attention to the Larsi crossing to Russia, where Russian officials had
just resumed traffic after a halt of over 7 weeks.

“This is fortuitous and a pleasant coincidence. I think that the fact
that this road will be opened, already points to the fact that the
tension in North Ossetia is being alleviated,” Armenian President
Robert Kocharian said at the briefing Friday afternoon.

Earlier in the day, the Georgian Border Service announced that it had
received appropriate letters from Russian colleagues indicating the
border would be returned to full operation.

Since September 1, as a result of the Beslan hostage siege, Russian
official have blocked traffic at the Larsi crossing.

On four brief occasions, traffic was allowed to cross. Meanwhile, the
Roki crossing going into South Ossetia was kept open, although Georgian
officials refused to allow cargo to enter on this route.

According to Kocharian, the blocking of the Larsi checkpoint was very
harmful for both Armenia and Georgia, and even Russia itself. Without
saying how much of an affect the closure had on Armenia, Kocharian said
the move brought nothing favorable for their countries.

Saakashvili, for his part said that the “recent lesson” at Larsi would
be taken to heart.

“We have to understand that in case such problems are created, all of
Georgia’s business entities and exporters must be ready to look for
other alternative consumer markets in order to avoid the impact of such
acts on Armenia and Georgia,” the Georgian president said, adding, they
all should “try to remain in the Russian market as well.”

The Larsi crossing is the only land-route to Russia controlled by
Georgian authorities. A similar crossing between Russia and Azerbaijan
was also closed after the Beslan siege. According to reports, Russian
officials allowed both crossings to reopen on Friday.

The Michigan Daily, MI
25 Oct. 2004

Experts discuss prospects for peace in former Soviet republics

Tofik Zulfugarov, Azerbaijani ambassador to the United States, speaks
before an assembly of diplomats during a conference on foreign policy
challenges in the southern Caucusus, held at the University’s Alumni
Center on Saturday. (PETER SCHOTTENFELS/Daily)

By Leah Gutman, Daily Staff Reporter

Too often, myths perpetuated about foreign conflict mediation have
actually delayed swift resolutions, Wesleyan University government
professor Arman Grigorian said.

More than 35 professors and diplomats of the United States and other
nations attended the four-day, University-hosted International Armenian
Conference over the weekend. They examined the political history of the
Southern Caucasus, as well as the current state of strife there, to
discuss new approaches for peace in the area.

The Southern Caucasus — a part of the former Soviet Union north of the
Middle East — consists of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.

On the conference’s third day, during a panel on conflict resolution in
the Southern Caucasus, Grigorian warned against resolutions to dilemmas
that require many intermediary parties.

An issue of much contention, Grigorian pointed toward American
involvement in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in Armenia as an example
of third-party mediation that has been largely unsuccessful.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict began in 1988 in a clash over Soviet
territory between Armenians and Azerbaijanis. By the fall of the Soviet
Union in 1991, full-blown war had erupted in the region. Bloodshed
eventually ceased in 1994, yet analysts say its consequences are
strongly felt between the two parties today and political settlements
have yet to be reached.

Some, like Grigorian, feel that U.S. mediation efforts in conflicts in
the Caucasus have only made matters worse. He said the United States
and Russia, two countries with different interests, have competed in
the Caucasus instead of trying to help the region.

“It’s easy to see me as favoring Russian mediation — perhaps because
I’m Armenian and Armenians tend to be pro-Russia — but I don’t care
which party (is given the upper hand) as long as they’re seriously
interested in finding a solution,” Grigorian said.

LSA senior Steve Jebinak, who attended the conference on Saturday and
is researching the region, expressed his interest in Armenian foreign
and state relations. “I’m investigating how regions that have broken
away (from their original country) do function as states, though
they’re not recognized diplomatically.” Armenia declared its
independence from the collapsing Soviet Union in 1991.

Tom de Waal, Caucasus editor and project coordinator of the Institute
for War and Peace Reporting, closed the panel by suggesting that the
weight of discontent among the people of the Southern Caucasus lies not
so much in the conflict itself, but in the way the conflict is
perceived.

“What’s in the mind is often the biggest obstacle to the resolution of
these conflicts,” Waal said. “The differences are not that great; it’s
the perceptions of conflicts which extenuates those differences.”

Waal said he hopes that in the coming years, Armenians, Azerbaijanis
and Georgians will come to regard their shared past as a source of
unity.

Turkish Press
25 Oct. 2004

The U.S. Elections And Turkey
BYEGM: 10/25/2004
BY YASEMIN CONGAR

MILLIYET- My personal views coincide with Turkey’s official preference,
a high-level Turkish bureaucrat told me during a recent chat. His words
implied that both he and Ankara want US President George W. Bush to win
the elections. Ankara of course cannot adopt an ‘official’ stance on
this issue. However, the observations of a high-level official familiar
with both countries are noteworthy.

I don’t think his stance coincides with the Turkish public’s
preferences. In fact, the majority of the world seems to favor Democrat
Senator John Kerry winning, along with our people. I don’t believe it
is mistaken to argue that there is a strong anti-Bush feeling behind
this wish, rather than a pro-Kerry stance. But how can we explain why
Ankara is close to the Bush administration while the Turkish nation
wants him to get his walking papers? I believe that there are three
main reasons: First of all, Ankara fears that a Kerry administration
might support the idea of partitioning Iraq. In addition, Kerry is
likely to back the Armenian lobbies, advocating that Turkey be punished
over the so-called Armenian genocide. Finally, bureaucrats see ties
between Ankara and Washington improving over Bush’s term, despite a
number of problems of late.

Personally, I do believe that a Kerry administration would see through
significant economic and social changes domestically and give
Washington a chance to repair its image internationally. However, no
matter who is elected, the next president will face a host of problems
concerning Iraq and terrorism. Both candidates have underlined that the
US mission in Iraq must be completed, clearly expressing that American
troops leaving the country immediately is a non-starter. However, Kerry
wants to transform the Iraqi issue into an international one by
organizing an international summit to discuss it as the world’s common
problem.

As a matter of fact, there are no major differences of opinion between
Bush and Kerry on the issues of Iraq’s territorial integrity. We know
that neither Bush nor Kerry favor the establishment of a Kurdish state
in the region. However, I know that some people from both US Republican
and Democratic circles believe that Iraq’s territorial integrity cannot
be protected and so a Kurdish state will be formed sooner or later.

Kerry and Bush have agreed that any possible Iraqi scenario should be
realized under conditions which would ease Turkey’s concerns on the
issue. Both Republicans and Democrats believe that Turkey cannot be
allowed to hold unilateral military operations in northern Iraq no
matter what happens there.

In brief, I believe that Washington will adopt a similar stance in the
future no matter who wins. Both candidates are expected to favor a
Turkey establishing close relations with the Baghdad administration or
any other possible federal formation in the north.

We’ll discuss other points later.

UNDP, ARMENIAN TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT MINISTRY LAUNCH UN REPORT ON THE
ROLE OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR PERISHED SOLDIERS FAMILIES

ArmenPress
25 Oct. 2004

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 25, ARMENPRESS: Today, at the Congress Hotel in
Yerevan Karen Chshmaritian, Minister of Trade and Economic Development
of Armenia, Kalman Mizsei, Assistant Secretary-General and UN
Development Program (UNDP) Assistant Administrator and Director of the
Regional Bureau for Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States
(CIS), and Arsen Ghazarian, President of the Union of Manufacturers and
Businessmen of Armenia, launched the Unleashing Entrepreneurship report
prepared by a blue-ribbon commission at the request of Mr. Kofi Annan,
the UN Secretary-General. This important global report focuses on the
role of the private sector in development and calls on governments,
international organizations and businesses to work together to
help the private sector reduce poverty. The authors of the report,
prominent scholars and former senior state and business leaders,
analyze the links between entrepreneurship and attainment of the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) agreed by world country leaders
in 2000. The main findings of the report are as follows: Domestic
private initiative and entrepreneurship have enormous potential but
are often trapped in disabling business environments.

To unleash the potential of the private sector, Governments need
to create enabling environments for competitive private sector
development by ensuring a strong rule of law and equal opportunities
for businesses.

Businesses can be major actors in the worldwide struggle to reduce
poverty and promote the environment by working through public-private
partnerships. The report is relevant for Armenia where the transition
from a planned state-owned economy to a market economy is progressing
rapidly. Today, 85 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is
produced by the private sector, and small and medium-sized enterprises
account for 35 percent of GDP. Despite significant economic successes,
however, the country still needs to ensure a more enabling environment
for the full unleashing of Armenia’s business potential. At the
ceremony, Mr. Mizsei noted: “UNDP is proud to present this report to
the major business leaders of Armenia. We strongly believe that through
pubic-private partnerships such the ones already initiated in your
country by our office in Yerevan and several major private companies,
we can achieve the Millennium Goals in Armenia and, importantly,
promote a better business environment in the country.” “Armenia’s
economic successes for the last years are noteworthy, but there is
still much to do in the country both in terms of reducing poverty as
well as upgrading business ethics and practices in line with the best
international standards,” Mr. Ghazarian pointed out. Mr. Kalman Mizsei
is on an official visit to Armenia from 23 to 26 October 2004. In
his current position, Mr. Mizsei oversees operations and programs of
UNDP field offices covering 30 countries in the region. Prior to his
current position, Mr. Mizsei has worked as a senior official in the
banking and financial sectors and as a senior advisor to governments
of the region on their economic transition and reform. He was born
in Budapest, Hungary. Mr. Mizsei holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the
Budapest University of Economics. He is fluent in Hungarian (native),
English, Polish and German, and speaks Russian.

ArmenPress
25 Oct. 2004

JAPANESE GOVERNMENT PLEDGES $925000 GRANT TO ARMENIAN AGRICULTURE

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 25, ARMENPRESS: Armenian finance and economy
minister Vartan Khachatrian and World Bank Resident Representative
Rodger Robinson have signed today an agreement under which the
government of Japan will provide Armenia with a $925,000 grant. A World
Bank affiliation, International Development Association (IDA)
administrates the Japanese grants.
Armenian finance and economy ministry said the main objective of the
grant is to facilitate preliminary work for development of rural
enterprises, as well as to help improve the skills of farmers and rural
entrepreneurs to enter markets, to promote private and government
investments in agriculture in order to increase possibilities for
creating new jobs.

ArmenPress
25 Oct. 2004

ARMENIAN MALE CHESS PLAYERS FIGHT FOR MEDALS

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 25, ARMENPRESS. After nine rounds at the 36-th
World Chess Olympiad in Spanish Calvia Armenian male chess team is
fourth. In the latest round our team played 2:2 with the leader of the
Olympiad Ukrainian team. Rafael Vahanian won the well-known Ruslan
Ponomariov, Smbat Lputian was defeated by Andrei Volokitin, while
Vladimir Hakobian and Gabriel Sarkisian ended in draw with Vasili
Ivanchuk and Alexander Morozevich.
Ukraine is leading with 27 scores, Russia comes second with 24,5
scores, USA is with 24 scores, and Armenia is forth with 23 scores.

Manila Bulletin, Philippines
25 Oct. 2004

Paragua raps junior champ
But RP takes 3-1 beating from Azerbaijan

By rey bancod

MALLORCA, Spain –International Master Mark Paragua came through with
his biggest win so far, accounting for the Philippines’ only point
against powerhouse Azerbaijan Sunday in the eighth round of the World
Chess Olympiad.

The 20-year-old former prodigy, whose grandmaster title remains
pending, trounced reigning 2003 world junior champion Shakh Mamedyarov
(2660) in 42 moves of a Benoni defense.

But the rest of his teammates floundered against a team aching to come
back from consecutive defeats to Ukraine, Spain A and the United
States.

Grandmaster Eugene Torre, playing his seventh consecutive match, bowed
to super GM Teimur Radjabov (2663) in 33 moves of a Pirc defense.

IM Jayson Gonzales, handling black, suffered his first defeat at the
hands of GM Gadir Guseinov in 36 moves of an Alekhine defense.

Rookie Darwin Laylo put to waste a gallant stand against GM Rauf
Mamedov, losing a Nimzo Indian duel in 43 moves.

The 1-3 defeat sent the Philippines reeling to a share of 27th place
with 20.5 points, 6.5 behind pacesetting Ukraine.

Ukraine was held to a 2-all draw by Armenia.

Defending champion Russia edged India, 2.5-1.5, to take solo second
place with 24.5 points, half-apoint ahead of thirdrunning United
States.

India remained the best-placed Asian team with 22.5 points followed by
China with 21.5 points.

Paragua shrugged off his disappointment over his failure to get his GM
title by buckling down to work against Mamedyarov with whom he has
played many blitz matches in the past.

Playing white off a sharp line of the Benoni, Paragua foiled a
queenside counter play by Mamedyarov and launched his own attack in the
kingside, beginning with a pawn advance on the 18th that won him a pawn
11 moves later.

On the 33rd move, Paragua forced Mamedyarov to ponder hard and deep
with a knight thrust, offering a pawn in the process.

“It was over by then. Kahit di niya kinain yung pawn, tapos na rin,”
said Paragua, whose European campaign is funded by Filway Marketing
president Hector Tagaysay.

Paragua sent his two rooks in the fray, one controlling the seventh
fray to force Mameyarov to concede.

With 5.5 points out of eight matches, Paragua improved his chances to
gain another GM norm.

Earlier, Paragua was informed by the titles and rating committee member
Casto Abundo that his application has not been acted upon following the
unexplained failure of the Alushta organizers to submit a report.

Abundo said Paragua would have to wait until January next year.

Nelson Mariano II had no such problem, having earned his GM title even
before the start of the World Chess Congress.

All’s not gloomy in the RP camp.

In a welcome development, Grandmaster Joey Antonio and the rest of his
teammates settled a misunderstanding over how players are fielded in
the tournament.

Antonio explained that contrary to perceptions, he is not imposing an
unreasonable demand that he plays white.

“I thought that we would be fielding the regular boards against
Azerbaijan, so I was expecting to play white,” said the 42-year-old
board two player.

In an hour-long bull session, Antonio poured out his emotion, taking
issue with Torre over the equal distribution of chess colors.

Antonio said he felt that distributing the chess colors equally is
affecting the team, an observation disputed by Torre.

“Some players are already complaining that they are playing black more
often than the others and not doing well. It is also important to keep
their morale high,” said Torre.

Antonio also cited his own sacrifices in his previous Olympic
appearances.

“I played black nine times in Thessaloniki, Greece in 1988, I did not
complain. In Armenia 1996, I played 12 consecutive games despite the
fact that I wasn’t feeling well,” recalled Antonio.

Antonio said he came here to help the team and not for his own personal
glory, citing an instance in 1988 where he could have earned a gold
medal in board four.

“I was 6 of 7 but I abandoned my ambition and continued to play,” said
Antonio who has so far scored 3.5 points in five rounds.

Torre said that everybody is making a big sacrifice for the team.

“I played 14 straight games in Thessaloniki and Armenia,” he said.

The meeting ended amicably with Antonio promising to give his best in
the last four rounds of the tournament.

To enable him to regain his bearing and prepare for the team’s final
push, Antonio was rested for Monday’s 10th round against 33rd-ranked
Estonia.

For the first time in the country’s Olympic participation, the
Philippines will play a round without its top two board players.

“Eugene (Torre) badly needs a rest so he would be fresh and ready for
the crucial rounds ahead,” said Estimo who said the final placing of
the team depends on the last three rounds of the tournament.

STATE OIL FUND REVENUES STEADILY RISE
[October 25, 2004, 21:09:20]

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
25 Oct. 2004

Revenues of the State Oil Fund of the Azerbaijan republic made AZM
819,8 bln, and expenditures – AZM 625,4 bln from January to September
2004. The Fund’s press service announced that for this period, the
revenues from oil contracts were AZM 819,8 bln, including AZM 677,8
bln from selling profitable oil, AZM 47,7 bln from transit payment
for transportation of oil along the territory of the Republic of
Azerbaijan through the Baku-Supsa export pipeline, AZM 7,9 bln from
bonus payments, and AZM 6,3 bln from per acre payments. Revenues from
foreign companies’ assets made up AZM 2,3 bln.

During the nine month of 2004, the Oil Fund Budget set aside AZM
15,7 bln to finance settling and improvement of social conditions
of refugee and IDP families ousted from native lands as a result of
the ethnic purge committed by Armenia, AZM 36,4 bln as share of the
Azerbaijan Republic in the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan main export pipeline
project, and AZM 488 bln were transferred to the State Budget.

Expenditures for the mentioned period constituted AZM 51,7 and those
connected with revaluation of currency assets – AZM 49,4 bln. The
State budget received AZM 33,6 bln. in tax revenues.

The Fund’s resources made up AZM 4 trillion 209 bln (approx US$ 857,7
mln) in 31 September 2004 against AZM 4 trillion 15 bln (approx US$
815 mln) in 1 January 2004.

/US $1 = AZM 4,903/

Conference of South Caucasian Media

CASCFEN, Baku
25 Oct. 2004

Published: 25.10.2004

Rustavi 2, Tbilisi, 25.10.2004 — Metekhi Sheraton is hosting the
two days conference of the South Caucasian Media, which has been
initiated by the OSCE mission representatives in Georgia.

Over 50 journalists from Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia are
participating in the conference dedicated to the discussion of
the issues on free media, slander and offense and the appropriate
legislative base in these countries.

The conference was opened by the representative of the OSCE mission to
Georgia Roy Reeve and the deputy foreign affairs minister of Georgia
Kote Kavtaradze.

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 60; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

October 25, 2004
___________________

IN MIDWEST, PRIMATE HIGHLIGHTS SUCCESSFUL MINISTRIES OF DIOCESE

By Jake Goshert

The programs and ministries provided by the Diocese of the Armenian
Church of America (Eastern) touch each Armenian differently.

For Mike Tootooian, a parishioner at the St. Gregory the Illuminator
Church of Chicago, IL, a Diocesan-sponsored pilgrimage in 2001 — “In
the Footsteps of St. Gregory the Illuminator” — brought on stronger
feelings for his heritage.

“That was an inspiring trip that got me back to my roots. I actually
now can see where my ancestors came from, where my grandparents were
born, the long road they traveled to get here to America,” said
Tootooian, a second-generation American. “It inspired me to become more
involved and know more about my past.”

With a deeper commitment to his culture, his faith, and his church,
Tootooian this year helped organize a reception at the Union League Club
in downtown Chicago on October 15, 2004, to kick-off the Archbishop’s
Annual Appeal 2004.

SHOWING SUCCESS

Though it is the main annual fund-raising effort of the Eastern Diocese,
the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal is about more than money. It’s primary
purpose is to expand the understanding of the role the Diocese has in
supporting the parishes and the Armenian-American community.

Through events, like the inaugural reception in Chicago, the Primate and
Diocesan leaders are meeting with faithful to speak about the successes
of the Diocese’s ministries and programs, and the efforts that
strengthen local parishes and individual families.

“It’s natural for people to be more attached to their own local church
as opposed to the bigger organization, because people have more
day-to-day contact with their own local church than with the Diocese,”
Tootooian said. “But it’s important to support both. You need the
umbrella organization. The Diocese has to make it clear just what they
can offer and what they can do to help you: to show they can offer
things that the local parishes can’t individually.”

Some of the successful Diocesan efforts funded through the Archbishop’s
Annual Appeal include:

* Spiritual growth among Armenians of all age-groups, exemplified by the
record number of seminarians studying at St. Nersess Seminary;

* An ever-growing college ministry program, which has reached out to
students from schools in New England, New York, and the Midwest, and is
reaching even further through it’s newly launched website,
;

* The growth of the Diocesan website, which is a tool used by Armenians
around the world to educate their children — and themselves — in the
faith and heritage of the Armenian Church;

* A focused effort to provide support and ideas to local parish leaders,
to help each parish become a vibrant anchor for the local Armenian
community;

* Providing expanded, multi-media resources specifically tailored for
local Armenian School and Sunday School teachers, to provide them with
better tools to teach our children.

“The Diocese is doing a lot to connect each and every Armenian family to
their faith and heritage,” said Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of
the Eastern Diocese. “Together our dedicated Diocese and active local
parishes are building a bright future for our beloved church. We want
everyone to know that our Diocese’s ministries and programs are here to
meet the challenges of today, and to provide the foundation for our
community’s tomorrow.”

YOU CAN HELP

The continued growth of the Armenian Church in America can only be
assured with the support of every Armenian family. From attending
services weekly, to serving as stewards and leaders of their parishes,
to supporting the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal, every Armenian has a role
to play.

Donations to the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal support the Diocese’s
efforts to provide parishes with tools and resources. While some people
are able to make large donations, most of the support for the
Archbishop’s Annual Appeal comes from everyday people giving what they
can to support things such as youth ministry programs, outreach to new
immigrant communities, and Christian and Armenian-language educational
programs for both children and adults.

“The Diocese does so much to keep the flames of our faith burning, from
helping educate our youngsters to providing leadership training to our
parishes,” said Oscar Tatosian, a member of the Diocesan Council and one
of the organizers of the Chicago reception. “It’s important that
everyone support these efforts to whatever level they can, by giving to
the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal.”

In the next few weeks, members of the Armenian-American community will
be receiving letters from the Primate highlighting the success of the
Diocese’s ministries and programs, and asking them to support the
Archbishop’s Annual Appeal 2004.

Receptions like the one in Chicago have also been set for Boston on
December 1, the New York City region on December 2, and New Jersey on
December 10. Receptions are in the planning stages for Detroit,
Philadelphia, and Florida.

For more information or to contribute today, contact the Diocese of the
Armenian Church of America (Eastern) by e-mailing
[email protected]; calling (212) 686-0710; or writing 630 Second
Ave., New York, NY, 10016.

Learn more about the Diocesan ministries and the Archbishop’s Annual
Appeal 2004 by going online to the Diocese’s website,

–10/25/04

E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable in the News
and Events section of the Eastern Diocese’s website,

PHOTO CAPTION (1): Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern
Diocese, with Diocesan Council member Oscar Tatosian and Fr. Aren
Jebejian, pastor of the St. Gregory the Illuminator Church of Chicago,
IL, during a reception in Chicago inaugurating the Archbishop’s Annual
Appeal 2004.

PHOTO CAPTION (2): The Primate gathers on Friday, October 15, 2004,
with leaders from the Chicago-area parishes at the Union League Club in
downtown Chicago to launch the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal 2004.

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