US Dept of State
07 October 2004
Freedom of Thought, Religion in Trouble in Some OSCE States
Dorthy Taft addresses OSCE human rights meeting in Warsaw

Freedom of thought and religion are fundamental rights that are
“inconsistently applied, and often violated, by many states across the OSCE
[Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe] region,” said Dorthy
Taft, a member of the U.S. Delegation to the Human Dimension Implementation
Meeting in Warsaw, Poland, October 6.

Taft cited examples of problems and/or progress in a number of states,
including Turkey, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia,
Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Bulgaria, France and Germany.

Noting the success of the recent Brussels OSCE Conference on Racism,
Xenophobia and Discrimination, Taft said the United States would welcome the
convening of a Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting in Central Asia “to
discuss the nexus of protecting religious freedom while combating
terrorism.”

The October 4-15 meeting in Warsaw is being held to review the
implementation of OSCE commitments in the fields of human rights and
democracy — the ?~human dimension” — by participating states.
Following is the text of Taft’s prepared statement:

United States Mission to the OSCE
Warsaw, Poland
October 6, 2004

STATEMENT ON FREEDOM OF THOUGHT, CONSCIENCE, RELIGION OR BELIEF

As delivered by Dorthy Taft, Member, U.S. Delegation to the Human Dimension
Implementation Meeting

Mr. Chairman, the United States is deeply committed to guaranteeing the
freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief. We were pleased that the
Maastricht Ministerial built upon the considerable body of OSCE commitments
by recognizing the importance of facilitating individual and communal
religious freedom through “transparent and non-discriminatory laws,
regulations, practices and policies.” However, we note with concern that
this fundamental right is inconsistently applied, and often violated, by
many States across the OSCE region.

The U.S. regards as a success the Brussels OSCE Conference on Racism,
Xenophobia and Discrimination, which discussed facilitating freedom of
religion or belief through non-discriminatory laws, regulations, policies
and procedures. The conference also included a side event on promoting
tolerance toward Muslims. In order to learn more about the activities of the
OSCE/ODIHR Panel of Experts on Freedom of Religion of Belief, we hope that
government representatives and NGOs will attend the Panel’s side event after
this session. The United States would also welcome the convening of a
Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting in Central Asia to discuss the nexus
of protecting religious freedom while combating terrorism.

The United States applauds the efforts by Turkey to bring its legal system
into conformity with OSCE commitments. While reforms now allow non-Muslim
religious communities to build churches and buy property, authorities have
actively sought to close meetings outside “official” locations under the
pretext of zoning laws. We urge the Government of Turkey to explicitly allow
religious meetings in rented facilities or private homes. Turkey’s system of
regulating religious groups remains problematic, as the government’s strict
control of Islamic teaching and practice, its ban on headscarves in public
institutions, and its failure to reach an agreement on the re-opening of the
Halki Seminary all contravene Turkey’s OSCE commitments. We also urge Turkey
to adopt a new law allowing minority foundations to reclaim properties
expropriated by the state. We hope to see the government continue its good
work and to continue to open the religious liberty sphere in Turkey by
addressing these issues.

The United States remains greatly concerned by continuous violations of
religious liberty by the Government of Uzbekistan. Approximately 5,500
individuals remain jailed in Uzbekistan on charges of religious extremism,
despite repeated calls by the international community and NGOs for their
release. Even before the bombings this year, which the United States
unconditionally condemns, there have been reports of observant Muslims being
arrested on falsified evidence as alleged members of Hizb ut-Tahrir.
Limitations on religious freedom also include bans on proselytizing or
unauthorized teaching of religion and burdensome registration requirements
that prevent legitimate activity. The United States is also disappointed
that neither the Uzbeks nor the ODIHR has followed up on the July 2003 Panel
of Experts on Freedom of Religion or Belief’s recommendations concerning the
Uzbek religion law. Considering the recent bombings, we believe an
ODIHR-sponsored meeting to discuss implementing the recommendations is
needed now more than ever, for we fear the government’s policy is leading to
that which the Uzbek government is trying to avoid: support for violent
extremism.

In Turkmenistan, we note the relaxation of the registration process for
religious communities, the removal of criminal penalties for unregistered
religious groups, the recent registration of four religious groups, the
release of some conscientious objectors, and the significant reduction in
harassment of religious groups. The United States encourages Turkmen
authorities to register all applicant groups and to respect the rights of
all believers to profess and practice their faith. My delegation is
concerned by recent police raids of registered religious communities. We
urge the Government to communicate the new policies to all local security
officials to ensure that they are followed. Lastly, we reiterate Congress’
call for the unconditional release of the former Grand Mufti, Nasrullah ibn
Ibadullah, as well as Jehovah’s Witnesses Mansur Masharipov and Vepa
Tuvakov.

The situation for religious freedom in Azerbaijan has deteriorated since the
2003 HDIM. Not only have authorities forcibly seized the Juma Mosque, they
also imposed new leadership and prevented the peaceful community from
worshiping elsewhere. We urge the Azerbaijani Government to cease harassment
of mosque leaders and return full control of the mosque to the community. In
Georgia, we welcome the arrest of mob leaders who had instigated violence
against religious minorities; we urge the government to vigorously prosecute
all individuals involved in such assaults. We strongly encourage Tbilisi to
amend the civil code to ensure all religious groups can obtain legal entity
status and build new worship facilities. In Armenia, we welcome the new
alternative military service law that allows conscientious objectors to
fulfill their national service, but urge the government to fulfill its
pledge to release all remaining conscientious objectors. We also encourage
the government to permit Jehovah’s Witnesses to be recognized and registered
as a religious community.

Kazakhstan has earned a positive reputation on religious liberty and
tolerance. Nevertheless, the draft law and amendments on combating extremist
activity could be misused against unpopular religious groups. Current Kazakh
law allows for prosecuting criminal acts, so we see no need for these new
provisions. In fact, the United States recommends the removal of Article 375
of the Administrative Code, which requires the registration of religious
groups. Since its promulgation, we have received consistent reports of
unregistered groups being penalized for legitimate activities through civil
and criminal sanctions.

In Russia, the international community was disappointed by a court decision
banning the Jehovah’s Witnesses in Moscow. The United States is concerned
with the Moscow ban, as well as the implicit endorsement of intolerance it
sends to local officials elsewhere in Russia. Some religious faiths continue
to be harassed by local officials, without appropriate action by the federal
government to ensure the enjoyment of religious freedom as stipulated by
both OSCE standards and the Russian Constitution.

We also renew concern regarding Belarus, as the end of the registration
period under the problematic 2002 religion law ends in November. As a member
of OSCE, the government of Belarus is bound by an OSCE commitment to ensure
that groups may operate freely without registration, even though Belarus law
does not yet recognize this right.

The United States also notes disturbing developments in Bulgaria. The
problematic 2002 Law on Religions was used in July 2004 by Bulgarian
authorities to justify the seizure of properties used by the alternative
Bulgarian Orthodox synod. Unfortunately, the government abandoned neutrality
and wrongly attempted to grant discriminatory favor to the Synod of
Patriarch Maxim. Bulgarian authorities should immediately reinstate to the
alternative synod full control of the seized properties until the courts
settle the dispute.

Grave problems with freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief exist
in many OSCE participating States — but not only those countries located to
the “East of Vienna.” The United States wishes to highlight concerns about
the ban on religious apparel in French public schools. We believe the ban
violates OSCE commitments and is counterproductive, as it will only further
marginalize the very people the government wishes to integrate.

Additionally, efforts by several German Laender to prohibit the wearing of
the Muslim headscarves by teachers, is discriminatory. The ability to
express one’s religious beliefs through word or deed is a fundamental right
under OSCE commitments, and must be protected.

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: )

BULGARIAN LEADER HAILS AZERI-ARMENIAN DIALOGUE

Turan news agency
7 Oct 04

BAKU

Bulgaria will continue its activity towards resolving the Nagornyy
Karabakh conflict as the country chairing the OSCE, Bulgarian
President Georgi Purvanov said at a news conference in Baku today.

He added that he saw the role of his country in “stepping up measures
towards a negotiated solution to the conflict”.

Namely, he spoke out in favour of expanding “the parameters and
activity plan of the Minsk Group”. However, Purvanov failed to explain
in an understandable way what was hidden behind this verbiage.

At the same time, he welcomed the dialogue between the Azerbaijani and
Armenian presidents and foreign ministers.

BULGARIAN, AZERI LEADERS DISCUSS PIPELINES, ECONOMIC TIES, TERRORISM

BTA web site, Sofia
7 Oct 04

BAKU

Energy projects and transport infrastructure were among the highlights
of the Baku talks of President Georgi Purvanov Thursday (7
October). Purvanov started a two-day official visit here Thursday
morning, the second leg of a tour that also took him to Armenia.

Meeting with President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, Purvanov urged
Azerbaijan to consider other energy projects except
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) Pipeline, including
Burgas-Alexandrandroupolis and Burgas-Vlora pipelines, the Bulgarian
president told a news conference he gave jointly with his Azerbaijan
counterpart. I believe that in middle-term rather than in short-term
prospective Azerbaijan will eye positively these ideas, as Azerbaijan
has oil and gas, Europe needs these products and Bulgaria has an
important position as a transit point, Purvanov said.

The infrastructure development is the key to activating economic
relations. The infrastructure, both roads and pipelines, is the
greatest possible investment in both regions security. Purvanov said
that Bulgaria is interested and will be an active factor in the
development of both TRASEKA transport corridor and the energy
projects.

Earlier on Thursday, the official delegations of the two countries
held plenary talks. Bulgaria’s chairmanship of the Organization of
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) contributes much to solving
the Nagorni Karabakh conflict and we rely on your support in future as
well, Aliev said. He expressed conviction that Purvanov’s visit will
contribute to the deepening of the relations between the two
countries.

Purvanov said that it is very important to upgrade the statutory
framework between the two countries. He said he hopes that Azerbaijani
business will see in Bulgaria a door to the EU. Bulgaria as a NATO
member and a country, which will become an EU member very soon, may
interact well with Azerbaijan in the field of Euro-Atlantic
integration, the Bulgarian president said and added that the EU policy
to new neighbours should be full of real content and Bulgaria would be
an advocate for it. According to Purvanov, Bulgaria and Azerbaijan
being together in the fight against terrorism is an important factor
of the bilateral relations.

The two heads of state signed a joint statement for further
development of the friendly relations and cooperation. Other seven
bilateral documents were signed in their presence, including a mutual
protection of investments agreement, international combined cargo
transportation agreement, cooperation in health care and medical
science agreement and maritime navigation agreement. Later a protocol
of the second session of the joint intergovernmental
Bulgarian-Azerbaijani commission on trade, economic and scientific and
technological cooperation whose meeting took part in Baku, was
signed. An agreement for cooperation between the Bulgarian News Agency
BTA and the State Information Agency of Azerbaijan AzerTaj was signed
by both agencies’ general directors Maxim Minchev and Aslan Aslanov. A
declaration for twinning the towns of Gabrovo (central Bulgaria) and
Shaki was also signed.

PREMIER SAYS ARMENIA ABLE TO REPAY FOREIGN DEBT

Golos Armenii
7 Oct 04

Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan’s interview with Moscow’s
Noyev Kovcheg (Noah’s Ark) newspaper.

(Noah’s Ark correspondent) Dear Mr Prime Minister, you have been
occupying the post of prime minister for more than four years.

(Passage omitted: Markaryan says his position on Karabakh has not
changed; Markaryan on development of Megri Region, history of the
Armenian Apostolic Church)

During your tenure, Armenia’s state debt has reduced in relation to
the GDP. Will this tendency be maintained?

(Markaryan) The foreign debt totalled 39.3 per cent of the GDP by the
end of 2003. For comparison, in 2000 this figure was 45 per cent. If
the policy conducted today in the sphere of foreign debt settlement,
as well as today’s rates of GDP growth, export of goods and services
are maintained, Armenia’s state budget revenue will be enough to repay
its foreign debt. If this tendency is kept till 2007, the foreign debt
will amount to 30.7 per cent of the GDP.

(Passage omitted: Gini coefficient in Armenia)

(Correspondent) According to many experts, unfortunately, Armenia
remains to be a country with a high level of corruption and “shadow”
economy. According to the results of the previous year, Armenia
occupied one of the last places among the CIS countries in terms of
the share of taxes in the composition of the GDP. What specific
measures are being taken by the government to improve the situation?

(Markaryan) Today fighting corruption is the most important problem in
the world and in the countries with transition economies, in
particular.

(Passage omitted: according to Transparency International in 2003
Armenia occupied 78 place among 133 countries for the level of
corruption)

Understanding the danger of this phenomenon, the government in 2003
endorsed the Programme of the Anti-Corruption Strategy of the Republic
of Armenia and measures to fulfil it. As a result of the conducted
reforms, significant positive changes have taken place in the tax and
bank spheres, as well as in the sphere of state management. Certainly,
the process has not finished yet.

(Passage omitted: before the programme was endorsed more than 20
anti-corruption laws in different spheres had been adopted)

As for the low level of tax revenue in the GDP, this is conditioned by
the large number of fields that are provided with tax
incentives. Although in 2003 taxes and duties accounted for 14.5 per
cent of the revenue growth, compared to 2002 their share in the GDP
reduced by 0.6 per cent, which is mainly explained by the fact that
the number of fields provided with tax incentives in the GDP structure
increased sharply. This was in the first place conditioned by the
implementation of large credit and grant programmes.

I think it is necessary to note that the government is carrying out
consistent work to improve this figure, particularly by eliminating
subjective factors. Thus, the programme envisages increasing tax
revenue mainly by reducing the shadow economy without raising the rate
of the main taxes. Legislation also plays a significant role in
improving the tax policy. To that end, the government will soon draft
the Tax Code of the Republic of Armenia and submit it to the National
Assembly for endorsement. As a result of these measures, it is planned
to increase the share of tax revenue in the GDP by an average of
0.3-0.4 per cent annually.

(Passage omitted: minor details)

TURKEY BEGINS TALKS WITH EU

Europe Concerned in Keeping Turkey in its Orbit

Azg/am
7 Oct 04

On October 6 the European Commission, as it was expected, offered
starting EU accession talks with Turkey. 28 members of the commission
out of 30 voted for the beginning of the talks and only Fritz
Bolkestein, Holland, and Pascal Lamin, France, voted against. Ankara
is satisfied with the start of the talks in general but complains of
some points of the report and especially of the attached package of
regulations that is to be presented to the EU leaders.

Though the report points out that Turkey partly follows Copenhagen
political criteria, has reduced army’s role in the country, pays more
attention to the human rights, freedom of religion and the national
minorities, it still underscores the reforms are not practiced
properly.

The start of accession talks does not mean that Turkey is a EU member,
but Europe may stop the talks any time.

The Commission report includes the cases of the talks’ interruption:
“In case European Commission considers the process of reforms
endangered”. When the reform process can be â=80=98endangered’?
Gyunduz Aktan answers the question in October 7 issue of Radical. “In
case the role of the army is restored in the country, and Turkey takes
undesirable steps in foreign policy”, he writes. Aktan also points out
military actions against neighboring countries. “Armyâ=80=99s
restored” role means, allegedly, a military overthrow of the
government.

Ankara is displeased with the fact that the EU leaders have to decide
on the deadline of EU accession talks. Turkey is afraid that new
points may be included in the report.

The possibility of the “Recognition of the Republic of Cyprus”
suggested by Bolkestein and the “Armenian Genocide Recognition”
suggested by Lamin that were not included in the package attached to
the report, due to Gunter Verheugen’s (according to Turkish press),
Enlargement commissioner, efforts make Turkey worry. Meanwhile,
Patrick Devedjian, minister of industry of France, began talks with
members of the European Commission trying to convince them to include
the Turkey-Armenia border-gate opening as a precondition for
accession.

The suggestion EU states and government made Turkey by the report does
not oblige Turkey anything as the talks do not oblige Turkey’s
membership in the EU. Thus, it becomes clear that European
Commission’s purpose is to keep Turkey in the orbit of European
states, not making Turkey a EU member but keeping it beside.

By Hakob Chakrian

KEEPING PRESENT BALANCE IN SOUTH CAUCASUS IS VITAL

Azg/am
8 Oct 04

Ilham Aliyev, president of Azerbaijan, informed Reuters that the
unsolved Nagorno Karabakh issue endangers situation in the Caucasus,
and Azerbaijan will not wait too long for the conflict settlement with
Armenia, Armenpress news agency informs. It is clear that Azerbaijan
will take the path of war instead of waiting.

The oil factor stands behind the Azeri president’s brave
statements. Tofik Julfugarov, former foreign minister of Azerbaijan,
in his turn, informed Zerkalo newspaper that Armenia might use the US
elections to provoke a war. “In the present stage authorities has to
take concrete and wide-ranging steps to defend Azerbaijan”, Julfugarov
declared.

Meanwhile, PINK, an American analytical center, concludes: “The
present situation in Karabakh will persist even longer as Yerevan will
not accept any of the offered solutions”. Basing on this conclusion,
Turkish Eni Musafat newspaper claims that Azerbaijan will not be able
to return Karabakh during president Aliyev’s tenure.

Even if Azerbaijan saves up money on oil to arm the nation against
Armenians, it will not mean that they can use the weapons as they like
because all world powers specify the purpose of the sold arm. For
instance, while selling modern army helicopters to Turkey, the US
forbade them to use it against the PKK.

Thus, even if Azerbaijan manages to accumulate money and get armed,
then it will need a permission of higher instance. He will get the
permission only if the military balance between rival Russia and
America in the region is lost.

In the current circumstances, when Russia is saving strength for
regaining positions in the South Caucasus and the US is having
troubles in Afghanistan and Iraq, and facing presidential elections,
one can hardly believed that they will go for shaking military balance
in the region.

It is vital to preserve the present situation in Nagorno Karabakh in
order to keep the balance in the South Caucasus unshaken. From this
perspective, political developments in South Ossetia and the US’s and
Russia’s response to them are important. It is interesting that
the USA, who strongly opposed to Russia’ s tough position in case of
Ajaria, tolerated Russia’s even tougherposition in South
Ossetia. Thus, we may presume that the Russian-US tendencies of
peacekeeping in the South Caucasus will develop and Azeri’s threatsof
a new war will not hold water.

By Hakob Chakrian

AzerTag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
Oct 1 2004

SHEIKH UL-ISLAM’S VISIT TO GEORGIA
[October 01, 2004, 19:44:44]

Chairman of the Clerical Office of the Caucasian Muslims Sheikh
ul-Islam Hajji Allahshukur Pashazadeh who is staying now in Georgia
have visited the Heydar Aliyev Park in Tbilisi and laid a wreath at
Heydar Aliyev’s monument.

Then, the Sheikh visited the graves of political figures of
Azerbaijan and then met with local Muslims in Juma Mosque.

***

Sheikh ul-Islam Hajji Allahshukur Pashazadeh met with Catholikos of
Georgia Patriarch Ilia II.

Patriarch stressed the importance of Sheikh’s participation in the
international forum ‘Globalization and Dialogue between
Civilizations’ and rated the present visit as the manifestation of
historical ties between two states.

Patriarch touched upon issues of terrorism and globalization and
future goals to preserve ancient history of national
religious-cultural relations values of Azerbaijani and Georgian
peoples.

Sheikh ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazadeh conveyed President of
Azerbaijan Ilham Aihyev’s best wishes and expressed his concern over
religious terrorism. The Sheikh noted that Georgians show respect to
Azerbaijani people, nationwide leader Heydar Aliyev and expressed his
gratitude for invitation to participate in the international forum.

The religious leaders condemned terrorism, aggressive separatism and
extremism and stressed that these crimes aim at annihilating people.
The only way that leads Caucasus to happy future lies in the peace,
international and inter-religious cooperation, and protection of
territorial integrity. Only this may lead to fair resolution of
Nagorny Karabakh, Abkhaz and South-Ossetia conflicts.

In the course of the conversation, Sheikh ul-Islam brought the
problems of Azerbaijani residing in Georgia to Patriarch’s notice.

Chairman of the Clerical Office of Caucasian Muslims invited
Catholikos of Georgia to Azerbaijan.

U.N. Oil-for-Food Program Chief Got Lucrative Oil Rights, Iraq Says

The Wall Street Journal
6 October 2004
Page A1

By Steve Stecklow

A confidential Iraqi government report alleges that the head of the United
Nation’s oil-for-food program received rights from Saddam Hussein’s regime
to acquire 13.3 million barrels of oil over a five-year period. The rights
were valued at an estimated $1.2 million, according to the report.

The assertion that Benon Sevan received oil allocations from Mr. Hussein’s
government surfaced in January. That is when a “Mr. Sifan” appeared on a
long list of alleged oil-allocation recipients that was leaked to a Baghdad
newspaper. The list indicated the individual had received an allocation of
one million barrels.

But the lengthy Iraqi report, dated Feb. 19 and prepared by Iraq’s State
Oil Marketing Organization, or SOMO, goes much further, identifying “Mr.
Banun Sifan” as “the former director of the Iraq Program in the United
Nations” and providing far more detail about the alleged oil allocations.
The spelling discrepancy apparently is due to the way some names are
transliterated between Arabic into English.

Mr. Sevan ran the U.N. program, under which Iraq was allowed to sell oil
under U.N. auspices and use most of the revenue to purchase humanitarian
aid, from 1997 until it ended after the U.S. invasion last year. Under the
program, Iraq was given a lot of leeway in structuring oil sales, and Mr.
Hussein’s regime at times awarded oil allocations — the SOMO report terms
them “quotas” — to favored individuals, political parties and other
organizations. The allocations gave the holders the right to buy specific
quantities of Iraqi oil. Recipients were free to sell these rights to
oil traders.

The report estimates that “the financial profit earned” from Mr. Sevan’s
alleged allocations could have totaled $1.2 million. It offers no evidence
that Mr. Sevan received any money. But it says that more than half of the
oil allegedly allocated to Mr. Sevan was taken, all of it by a company
registered in Panama.

The SOMO report, which has been marked classified by the U.S. State
Department, was reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.

Mr. Sevan didn’t respond to a phone message and an e-mail seeking comment.
He previously denied any wrongdoing.

The new allegations about Mr. Sevan come amid multiple probes of alleged
corruption in the oil-for-food program and are perhaps the most serious
charges leveled to date. At least five U.S. House and Senate congressional
committees are investigating the program, as well as a U.S. federal
criminal probe. The Central Intelligence Agency is expected to release a
report today listing hundreds of individuals and companies that allegedly
received oil allocations from the Hussein regime.

Investigators already have identified numerous ways Mr. Hussein’s regime
manipulated the program, including receiving hundreds of millions of
dollars in cash kickbacks from oil sales and humanitarian contracts.
Investigators also are probing the U.N.’s monitoring of the program,
including the awarding of a lucrative inspection contract to a company that
employed the son of Secretary-General Kofi Annan. An internal U.N. review
of the awarding of that contract, which found no conflict of interest,
lasted less than a day.

A U.N. spokesman said that an independent panel appointed by the U.N. and
headed by Paul Volcker, former chairman of the Federal Reserve, has been
“tasked with looking into, among other issues, allegations that Benon Sevan
may have personally profited from oil purchases while he was running the
oil-for-food program. Mr. Sevan is fully cooperating with this ongoing
inquiry, and until it is completed, and made public, we will not comment
further.”

Mr. Sevan, who currently holds no official title, remains with the U.N. in
New York on a $1-a-year salary to provide information as needed to the
Volcker inquiry, according to the U.N. spokesman.

Shamkhi Faraj, an Iraqi oil official who wrote the SOMO report in his
former job as SOMO’s director-general, said he is “absolutely confident”
that the report’s findings are based on authentic oil records, though he
declined to comment specifically on Mr. Sevan. “There is no doubt about it
whatsoever,” said Mr. Faraj, who still works at Iraq’s oil ministry. “It is
records, it is actual transactions.”

SOMO, Iraq’s marketing arm, has been the international face of the Iraqi
oil industry for years, and has continued that role in the post-Saddam era.
The report was intended to offer concrete evidence on the former regime’s
alleged manipulation of the oil-for-food program. Investigators have been
relying on SOMO documents in their various probes.

The SOMO report lists nine separate oil allocations that it says Mr. Sevan
received between 1998 and 2003, totaling 13.3 million barrels. Of the nine,
the report says, five were executed, with a total of 7.291 million barrels
actually loaded onto ships.

All 7.291 million barrels were taken by a company called African Middle
East Petroleum Co., the report states. The owner of the company has been
identified in South African government documents as Fakhry Abdelnour, a
Geneva-based oil trader. Reached by telephone yesterday, Mr. Abdelnour
declined to comment.

The SOMO report’s introduction says that between July 1997 and February
2000, the Iraqi regime gave away oil allocations to scores of people,
including politically connected individuals and media figures, who
“cooperated with it in one way or another.” The introduction makes no
specific reference to Mr. Sevan. His name appears in a lengthy list of oil
contracts and in a section on “estimates of the financial profits earned by
the beneficiaries.” Each time Mr. Sevan’s name appears on the list of
contracts, the letters “UN,” in parentheses, appear next to it.

A longtime U.N. employee, Mr. Sevan, 66 years old and a native of Cyprus,
first joined the U.N. in its department of public information in 1965.
Among his many assignments, in 1988 he was posted in Afghanistan, where he
monitored the withdrawal of Soviet troops. He also has served as a special
envoy for issues related to missing persons in the Middle East.

The report states that Mr. Sevan allegedly received his first oil
allocation of 1.8 million barrels during the oil-for-food program’s fourth
phase, which lasted from May 30, 1998, to Nov. 25, 1998. According to the
report, African Middle East Petroleum used the allocation to take the oil,
as well as an extra 36,000 barrels.

Mr. Sevan allegedly provided the Iraqi regime with some kind of
introduction to African Middle East Petroleum, according to a letter that
was found in SOMO records, says one person who is familiar with the
document. The letter, dated Aug. 10, 1998, and addressed to Iraq’s then-oil
minister, states that African Middle East Petroleum had asked to buy Iraqi
oil and that “Mr. Muwafaq Ayoub of the Iraqi Mission in New York informed
us by telephone that the abovementioned company is the company that Mr.
Sevan cited to you during his last trip to Baghdad.”

SOMO records indicate that African Middle East Petroleum received the oil
from Mr. Sevan’s first alleged oil allocation in November 1998, according
to a person familiar with the documents. Mr. Ayoub, who now works in
Baghdad, declined to comment. The former Iraqi oil minister, General Amer
Mohammed Rasheed, was captured last year by coalition forces in Iraq.

Asset Allocation

Iraq oil allocations allegedly given to Benon Sevan, former head of the
United Nation’s Oil-for-Food Program, and amount loaded onto ships, or
lifted, by African Middle East Petroleum Co.

— BARRELS IN MILLIONS —

TIME PERIOD ALLOCATED LIFTED

May 30, ’98-Nov. 25, ’98 1.8 1.84
Nov. 26, ’98-May 24, ’99 1.0 none
May 25, ’99-Dec. 11, ’99 2.0 2.01
Dec. 12, ’99-June 8, ’00 1.5 1.49
June 9, ’00-Dec. 5, ’00 1.5 0.95
July 4, ’01-Nov. 30, ’01 1.0 1.00
Dec. 1, ’01-May 29, ’02 1.5 none
May 30, ’02-Dec. 4, ’02 1.5 none
Dec. 5, ’02-June 3, ’03 1.5 none
Total 13.3 7.29

Source: Iraqi State Oil Marketing Organization report

The Messenger
Oct 7, 2004

District head arrested for malfeasance
The gamgebeli of Ninotsminda in the Samtakhe-Javakheti region was arrested
on September 6 for abuse of his official duties. The main reason of the
arrest was the illegal building of a Ninotsminda electric transmission line
and also the illegal use of land in the region by the gamgebeli, Rafic
Arzumanian.
According to law enforcement, Arzumanian had two first vice-deputies, both
of whom had the same powers, which is a violation of the law.
Arzumanian’s lawyer Otar Kachkachishvili rejected the charges saying “he did
not make the decisions by himself and there was no violation of state
interests. He denies any connection to this.”

–Boundary_(ID_aUrV7CvJEXHfIWAEurLi9Q)
Content-typ e: message/rfc822

From: [email protected]
Subject: Gibrahayer 7 October, 2004

GIBRAHAYER
e-newsletter
[email protected]
snewsletter.com

TURKEY FORCED TO RECOGNISE THE REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS

Gibrahayer 7 October, 2004: Turkey has recognised the Republic of Cyprus by
complying to EU directives regarding customs union with all EU member states.
Until last week, Turkey had accepted customs union with nine of the ten new EU
members states, except Cyprus.
Government spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides hailed the decision and called
it a “diplomatic victory”. Turkish newspaper Hurriyet called the
decision “historic” while maintaining that Turkey’s special relationship with
the “TRNC” would continue.
Mehmet Ali Talat the so-called Prime Minister of the Turkish occupied
pseudo-state declared “bitter at this eventuality, which is a blow to the TRNC”.
Circles close to the government of Cyprus expressed the opini on that this
is merely the first of many moves Turkey will have to embark on, in trying to
align itself to EU norms. Foreign Minister George Iacovou in a televised
interview on CyBC said that Turkey will be invited to do much more than simply
hide behind the Turkish Cypriot YES vote of the Anan Plan.
Cyprus celebrated its 44th anniversary with a military parade on October 1
and after the rejection of the notorious Anan Plan by a 76% on April 24, it
hopes for a European solution to the Cyprus problem.

ARMENIAN ROCK BAND “SYSTEM OF A DOWN” HELPS RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT SUDAN
GENOCIDE
LOS ANGELES- System Of A Down is contributing to a new CD to raise relief funds
for the victims of the ongoing genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan. The CD,
Genocide in Sudan, hits stores on November 23, and features songs from System
Of A Down, Jill Scott, Jurassic 5, Yoko Ono, Danger Mouse, the Pretenders,
Angelique Kidjo, Thievery Corporation, and previously unreleased and rare
tracks from Tom Morello’s Nightwatchman Project.
All profits will go to the United Nations Refugee Agency and UNICEF to
help build awareness of the humanitarian crisis in Sudan.

BLACK ANGEL IN LONDON – YEREVAN – TBILISI

Black Angel, The Double Life of Arshile Gorky will be featured in the
Programme of High Fest, the Armenian Experimental Theatre Festival from 2 – 9th
October in theatres across Yerevan.
Arshile Gorky’s Centenary will be marked by his biographer Nouritza
Matossian’s internationally acclaimed solo performance in Yerevan’s Youth
Theatre 6th October 6pm. Black Angel has recently had a run off Broadway, New
York last December, then went to Oxford and Tehran, Isfahan and Shiraz.
Nouritza Matossian is to be awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the
Internatio nal Academy of Sciences and Society in Yerevan for her work. She
will give a lecture on Arshile Gorky and his Armenian Heritage (date to be
announced). She will continue to Tbilisi, Georgia to perform Black Angel at the
Atonely Theatre by special invitation on 20th October 8pm.

In Berlin
This week also sees the launch of a remarkable new book in
Germany “Portrat einer Hoffnung: Die Armenier” by Huberta von Voss (Verlag Hans
Schiler) “Portrait of a Hope: The Armenians”, 413 pages, with black and white
photos.
A colour portrait of Nouritza Matossian as Gorky’s mother Shushanig from
her performance Black Angel, A Double Life of Arshile Gorky is on the front
cover.
It is a collection of portraits of Armenian personalities such as Charles
Aznavour, Peter Balakian, Atom Egoyan and essays on history, art, music film,
politics, historic place s, written by a panel of authors such as Yehuda Bauer,
Vahakn Dadrian, Taner Akcam, edited by Huberta von Voss.
The book includes a portrait written by Huberta von Voss of Nouritza
Matossian entitled “Die Spurenleserin”, “The Tracker”, and a traveller’s
account in the past and present: “Endstation Wuste: Ruckkehr nach Deir-es-
Sor”, ”Destination Desert: Return to Deir Zor” by Matossian.

1st CONVENTION OF EUROPEAN ARMENIANS DRAWS NEAR
As the 21st century dawns, Armenia and the Armenians are confronted
with new expectations, new hopes but also with new dangers. A young republic
and an old nation, Armenia faces a changing international environment and
growing energetic and ecological challenges. What should be Armenias
strategies and what are its assets?
Can the European Diaspora help Armenia? And how? Or should the
European Diaspora give priority to its own development and durability by taking
on the challenges of language and culture preservation, the advent of
multicultural identities or the creation o f representative structures?
This first Convention of the European Armenians, which is open to all
associations, organizations and political, economical, cultural or religious
groups, will address these issues during numerous presentations spread out over
three sessions. Within the prestigious setting of the European parliament, the
European Armenians will be able, for the first time, to share their hopes and
concerns with the Unions political decision-makers.
The Convention begins its activities at the European Parliament in
Brussels on October 18, 2004. A delegation of Armenians from Cyprus is also
attending from ARS (HOM), Hamazkayin, Dashnaktsoutiun Committee of Cyprus, Mid
East – Near East Armenian Research and Ethnographic Center, The Armenian
National Committee of Cyprus, Artsaga ng Monthly and the AYF. His Grace
Archbishop Hergelian will also be attending.

MESSAGE OF PEACE FROM CATHOLICOS ARAM I
Gibrahayer:- 2001-2010 has been declared as “Decade to overcome violence” by
the World Council of Churches. On the ocassion of International Day of Prayer
for Peace Tuesday 21 September, Aram I Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic
Church See of Cilicia and WCC Central Committee moderator sends this message of
peace at the following link Aram I – High resolution

KIRK KERKORIAN SERVES UP WINNER OF A YEAR FOR BIG DEALS
By PAUL THARP
September 15, 2004 — At 87, wily investor Kirk Kerkorian still has his healthy
vigor and up to $20 billion to spread around.
His two mega-deals this year the sale of his fabled MGM studios for
$4.6 billion and the creation of a proposed $10 billion casino empire he
controls has nearly tripled his personal fortune in the most lucrative year
of his colorful life.
Kerkorian is celebrating his success by taking his tennis racquets in
hand this week to scramble against other players all over the age of 50 in
a remarkable tournament, the World Seniors Tennis Championship in
Philadelphia… more at

MY SON SHALL BE ARMENIAN
Directed by Hagop Goudsouzian
Between 1915 and 1923, one and a half million Armenians were massacred by the
Turkish Ottoman army. Since then, this people with a 3000-year history has
struggled against oblivion and for official recognition of what was the first
genocide of the 20th century. A reflection on Armenian identity, My Son Shall
Be Armenian follows filmmaker Hagop Goudsouzian and five Montrealers of
Armenian descent as they return to the land of the ir forebears in search of
survivors of the 1915 genocide. Goudsouzian weaves the moving accounts of these
centenarians and the touching, at times droll, reactions of the New World
travellers into a dignified and poignant film about the need to make peace with
the past in order to move into the future.
For more details you can go to :

”Armenia: The Dream of Complementarity and the Reality of Dependency”
;report_id=212&language_id=1
Arsen Stepanyan – Constituency Relations Specialist
Armenia Legislative Strengthening Program – 28 Zaroubyan Str., Yerevan, Armenia
Phone: 520505; 542608/09/10 – E-mail: [email protected]

NEWS IN BRIEF
“Africa” editor Ali Osman has revealed during an interview with a Turkish
Cypriot man that the invading Turkish army killed in cold blood 35 Greek
Cypriots on 23 July 1974 and that the same man is ready to give evidence in
front of a “court”. More than 1,600 Greek Cypriots are missing in action since
1974.
The Russian army says it has killed five Chechen rebels including a
Turkish “mercenary” during clashes in the south east of Grozny on Sunday. The
army intercepted a radio conversation in Turkish between the separatists before
the Russian forces ambushed them.
US Congressman Mr Frank Pallone, urged the US State Department to strongly
condemn the new penal code, adopted by Turkey. In a letter to the Secretary of
State Colin Powell, Mr Pallone said that Turkeys action represents a dramatic
display of the Turkish Governments campaign to deny Armenian genocide and
further inhibit a resolution to the Turkish occupation of Northern Cyprus.
Hundreds of Armenian youth gathered in Little Armenia Saturday for AYF’s 2nd
Annual Little Armenia Cleanup. Volunteers helped remove thousands of pounds of
trash from major streets in L.A. Organized by the AYF and co-sponsored by
Councilmember Eric Garcetti’s Office, the cleanup attracted volunteers from the
public at large and community organizations such as the AYF, Homenetmen Los
Angeles Chapter, and the ARF Badanegan Organization.

g i b r a h a y c a l e n d a r

Traditional KERMES at AYMA. Saturday October 9, 2004. Armenian food, live
music, dancing, fun and games for children. All inclusive 5.00 entrance for
adults. Children under 12, 3:00
AYMA Chicco Football practices have began and are taking place every Friday
from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. for children starting from the age of 7. Contact Krikor
Mahdessian on 99650897.
Melkonian Cyprus Alumni Banquet.Sunday, November 7, 2004 – 1pm “Christiana”
Reception Hall, Alambra. Guest of Honour: Jack R. Melkonian, grand-nephew of
Garabed Melkonian. CYP 15.00 adults / CYP 5.00 students and children. Prizes
included on entrance ticket and raffle tickets. Contact names for reservations
to be announced.
Directions to “Christiana” and convoys will be arranged. All are welcome.
Armenian Relief Society “Sosse” Chapter Fund Raising Tea for the ARS Armenia
Projects on Sunday 28 November, 2004 at The Holiday Inn Hotel at 4:00 p.m.
Handicraft, Lebanese coo kies and home made delicacies on sale. Proceeds to
the “Sosse” Kindergarten of Stepanakert – Republic of Karabagh.
Armenian Radio Hour on The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation can be heard via
real audio on . Broadcast times 17:00-18:00 local Cyprus time
(14:00-15:00 GMT) News bulletins at 17:15 local time on Sundays, Tuesdays,
Fridays. Armenian Cypriots can also tune in on the following radio frequencies
91.1 FM (Mount Olympus – for Nicosia listeners) 94.2 FM
(Paralimni/Protaras/Agia Napa) 92.4 FM (Larnaca) 96.5 FM (Paphos).
The Armenian Prelature announces that the next permit for the Armenian
Cemetery visitation at Ayios Dhometios on the Green line, is scheduled for
Sunday 10 October,2004
Every Wednesday from 7-8 p.m. (Cyprus time +2 GMT) on CyBC’s Trito, Puzant
Nadjarian presents the “History of the Blues” together with Robert Camassa. You
can also hear it on Real Audio from the Internet edition of CyBC on
. A repeat programme can also be heard seven hours later at
2:00 a.m. local time.
The Hairenik Association, Inc. launched its online Armenian Radio Station.You
can now listen to a variety of Armenian music online, 24 hours a day, combined
with news and other interesting information about the Armenian community in the
US, Armenia, Artsakh, Javakhk and the Armenian Diaspora.
To listen to the Hairenik Online Radio go to the RADIO button then click on
your player of choice.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress