Georgia’s ethnic Armenians appeal to president over surge in firewood price

A1+ web site
28 Sep 04

27 September: A surge in firewood and coal prices has
compelled residents of Javakhetia [Georgia’s Armenian-populated
Samtskhe-Javakheti Region] to appeal to [Georgian President Mikheil]
Saakashvili.

Over 2,000 residents of Ninotsminda and Akhalkalaki signed the appeal
to the president, requesting him to take urgent measures to regulate
prices of winter fuel.

As of today, A-Info reports, an average family needs 400 dollars to
buy firewood or 600 dollars to buy coal to heat the house.

Turkish F.M. Gul Holds A Press Conference On His Meetings In New York

Turkish Press.com
28 sept 04

NEW YORK – Turkish Foreign Minister & Deputy Prime Minister
Abdullah Gul said that UN Secretary General Kofi Annan told him
that “Turkey became a model for the world thanks to the reforms it
accomplished.” He stated that this transformation in Turkey gave a
positive signal to the world.

Gul, who attended the 59th session of the United Nations General
Assembly, held a press conference on Monday.

“I had meetings with foreign ministers of Iran, Sudan, Thailand,
China, Ukraine, Armenia and Pakistan and met UN Secretary General
today. A meeting of D-8 countries’ foreign ministers was also held. I
attended this meeting and took the floor. All those meetings were
very fruitful,” Gul said.

Stating that Annan and himself discussed Cyprus and Iraq, Gul said
that he told Annan that the number of Turkish citizens working for
the UN is very low.

Answering a question, Gul said that Greek Cypriot press reports
saying that Annan would undertake a new initiative on Cyprus were
not discussed during the meeting.

“On the contrary, I told him that we support his plan. Turkish
Cypriots voted in favor of it. Turkish Cypriots said (yes), while the
other side said (no). I told him ‘thus, Turkish Cypriot side should
be awarded now’, noting that we expect him to lead on this issue. He
said that he mentioned clearly those things in his report and he will
do what is necessary.”

-CHINA-

Gul said that Chinese Foreign Minister and himself discussed bilateral
relations in their meeting.

Stating that there was a great gap in trade between Turkey and China,
Gul said that trade volume between the two countries amounted to 2.6
billion U.S. dollars. He noted that China exports goods worth of 2
billion U.S. dollars while Turkey exports goods worth the remaining
600 million U.S. dollars.

“I said in the meeting that this gap should be closed. I also
said that China should give Turkish businessmen more opportunity,”
he noted.

“I also asked Chinese Foreign Minister that China should announce
Turkey as a destination for Chinese tourists. They said that they
will work on the matter,” he noted.

-IRAN-

Gul also had a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazzi.

“As you know, Iranian President Khatami postponed his visit to
Turkey. He phoned (Turkish) President and Prime Minister and said that
he wants to pay a visit to Turkey as soon as possible. We considered
this normal,” Gul said.

Stating that Iran’s nuclear studies were discussed in the meeting,
Gul said, “Kharrazzi informed me on the issue. He said that they were
carrying out those studies for peaceful aims. He also noted that they
support the idea to establish a nuclear-free zone in the Middle East.”

“I told him that their cooperation with International Atom Energy
Agency and (Iran’s) compliance with international agreements will be
good for them,” he noted.

Answering a question, Gul said that there was a good relationship
between Turkey and Iran.”

-SUDAN-

Informing reporters on his meeting with Sudanese Foreign Minister
Mustafa Othman Ismail, Gul said, “Darfur is one of the most important
matters on the international agenda. Thus, peaceful solution of this
problem is very important. Some tragedies of humanity have been
taking place there.”

Recalling that they sent an aid convoy to Darfur in recent weeks,
Gul said, “the minister thanked me. I told him that we will deal
with the issue. Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) should be
active on this issue. After Prof. Ekmelleddin Ihsanoglu undertakes
the office as secretary general of OIC, the organization will be more
active on this issue.”

-ARMENIA-

Gul said that Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian informed
him on the on-going talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia, stating,
“presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan met last month. He informed me
on this issue. Foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan met four
times in Prague. He also talked about results of those meetings. I
said that we will continue to play the role of catalyst between the
two countries.”

Commercial Bank of Greece to sell stakes in Armenian and Georgian units

AFX Europe (Focus)
Sep 28, 2004

ATHENS (AFX) – Commercial Bank of Greece (Emporiki Bank) announced
today it plans to sell the majority stakes it owns in the subsidiaries
in Emporiki Bank Armenia and Emporiki Bank-Georgia.

According to a source, Emporiki Bank has already found bidders.

Emporiki currently owns a 76.52 pct stake in Emporiki Bank Armenia
and a 75 pct stake in Emporiki Bank-Georgia.

Source: Euro2day NewsWire

[email protected]

Armenia unhappy about US plans to deploy military bases in Azerbaijan – paper

Aravot, Yerevan
28 Sep 04

entitled “USA reaches Azerbaijan” and subheaded “Another piece of
bad news for Armenia”

28 September: Azerbaijani sources have confirmed that Azerbaijani
Defence Minister Safar Abiyev and US Deputy Assistant Secretary for
European and Eurasian Affairs Steven Pifer on Tuesday [21 September]
discussed prospects of military cooperation, including the stationing
of US military bases in this country. This report has caused Armenia’s
concern.

The matter is that according to some reports, it is planned to station
US military bases on territories under the control of Armenian forces
in the so-called “occupied” districts of Cabrayil, Fuzuli and Zangilan
[southwest Azerbaijan], which, incidentally, border on Iran.

When reports about the return of “occupied” territories cropped up
again, the talk was precisely about those three districts, which,
undoubtedly, are of strategic importance both for the Nagornyy
Karabakh Republic and Armenia, and also in this case for the USA,
which is about to realize its far-reaching goals.

The secretary of the Justice bloc faction, Viktor Dallakyan, said that
there were two arguments in favour of deploying US military bases
on liberated territories. “First, the USA is interested in putting
into operation roads and the Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline. Second, the
US presence in these districts is important for the USA to establish
control over Iran and unleash actions at the right moment.”

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:

September 28, 2004
___________________

ACYOA CENTRAL COUNCIL WORKS ON IMPLEMENTING GOALS

You can’t move forward without a map. During their first meeting this
fall, the volunteer leaders of the Armenian Church Youth Organization of
America (ACYOA) sat down to look at their map and see how they can get
to where they want to go.

The ACYOA Central Council and its executive secretary gathered at the
St. Sahag and St. Mesrob Church in Wynnewood, PA, on Saturday, September
11, 2004, to plan ways to reach the organization’s goals for the coming
year, which were established during a July meeting in New York City.

PLANNING GROWTH

During the July meeting — with the input of Archbishop Khajag
Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern Diocese, and Dr. Sam Mikaelian,
executive director of the Diocesan Center– the ACYOA Central Council
compiled a list of goals for the group, divided into four categories for
the organization to address.

Each broader goal was given a time frame for completion, and each was
broken into smaller goals, to facilitate planning and execution.

According to the goals set by the Central Council by May 2005, ACYOA
will:

* Improve communications by increasing contacts between the Central
Council and the chapters and parishes;

* Strengthen existing programs by expanding and improving its highly
successful Armenia Service Program (ASP) trip to Armenia in 2005,
studying the possibility of establishing a second trip to Armenia, and
planning unique fall regional conferences to be held in each region;

* Work with local parishes and chapters to expand local chapters,
develop resources for local leaders, and establish or revitalize three
new chapters;

* Implement a new fundraising strategy by establishing a fundraising
committee and developing new fundraising methods.

CONNECTING PARISHES

One new project discussed during the September meeting is called “ACYOA
Fasts for Armenia.” This effort is meant to allow local ACYOA chapters
throughout the Diocese to participate in the same project on the same
day.

During “ACYOA Fasts for Armenia,” to be held on a day yet to be
determined, ACYOA members will come together and fast while
participating in Bible studies and other activities. The objective is
to increase hunger awareness and raise funds to benefit Armenia.

It is just one of the ways the Diocesan ACYOA leadership is working to
tie together young Armenians in parishes throughout the Diocese. They
will host a series of fall regional conferences this year, bringing
young Armenians together to discuss their faith. Topics of discussion
will include learning to live within God’s word, sexuality and spouses,
and programming ideas for local ACYOA leaders.

The first regional conference will be for Midwest regional parishes on
Saturday, October 23, 2004, at the St. John Church of Southfield, MI.
Mid-Atlantic parishes will meet at the St. Mary Church of Livingston,
NJ, on Saturday, November 6, 2004. The Holy Resurrection Church in New
Britain, CT, will host the New England parishes on Saturday, November
13, 2004. And on Saturday, January 15, 2005, Southern parishes will
gather at the St. Sarkis Church of Dallas, TX.

These day-long conferences are free and open to anyone between the ages
of 18 and 28. If you would like more information on any of the
conferences, e-mail ACYOA Executive Secretary Nancy Basmajian at
[email protected].

ACYOA members and young Armenains will also have the chance to get
together this fall in Boston, when the ACYOA chapter at the Holy Trinity
Church of Cambridge, MA, hosts the Archbishop’s Tournament.

Besides planning ACYOA programming, during their fall meeting the
Central Council members discussed other projects, including
participation in the upcoming meeting of the Standing Committee of
Oriental Orthodox Youth of America (SCOOYA) and sending representatives
to a Pan-American Youth Meeting to be held in October. That meeting
will bring together youth leaders from the Eastern Diocese, Western
Diocese, and Canadian Diocese to help increase communication and discuss
common challenges that face the youth of the Armenian Church.

After their business meeting, on Sunday, September 12, all seven ACYOA
Central Council members worshipped with the parishioners at the St.
Sahag and St. Mesrob Church, after which they joined the parish for its
annual parish picnic.

— 9/28/04

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

PHOTO CAPTION (1): Members of the Central Council of the Armenian
Church Youth Organization of America (ACYOA) gather in Wynnewood, PA,
for a planning meeting on September 11, 2004.

PHOTO CAPTION (2): During a recent meeting, the ACYOA Central Council
set goals and objectives for the coming year, which include supporting
local parishes in establishing ACYOA chapters and formulating a
fund-raising strategy.

PHOTO CAPTION (3): The St. Sahag and St. Mesrob Church of Wynnewood,
PA, welcomed the ACYOA Central Council members during its annual picnic
on September 12, 2004.

# # #

Georgian government abolishes Armenian history lessons at schools – agency

Noyan Tapan news agency, Yerevan
28 Sep 04

Akhalkalaki, 28 September: Under a decision of the Georgian Education
[and Science] Ministry, optional lessons have been removed from
the curriculum beginning this academic year. As A-Info news agency
reports, this has caused anxiety in the Javakhk schools [in Georgia’s
Armenian-populated Samtskhe-Javakheti Region].

The problem is that Armenian history lessons are not included in
the curriculum, and Armenian history is taught there as optional
lessons. In fact, since optional lessons have been abolished, Armenian
pupils have been deprived of an opportunity to learn the history of
their ancestors.

Ethnic Armenian appointed chief adviser of Georgian president

Noyan Tapan news agency, Yerevan
28 Sep 04

Akhalkalaki, 28 September: The former head of the Akhalkalaki District
executive authorities, [ethnic Armenian] Artyush Ambartsumyan, was
appointed the chief adviser of the Georgian presidential administration
on 23 September.

As A-Info news agency reports, Ambartsumyan will be in charge of
regional problems and ethnic issues.

Chinese leaders, Armenian president stress technological cooperation

Xinhua news agency
28 Sep 04

(New China News Agency)

Beijing, 28 September: Top Chinese leaders and visiting Armenian
President Robert Kocharyan agreed here Tuesday [28 September] that
the two sides should strengthen cooperation in economic, technological
and other areas.

Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National
People’s Congress, China’s top legislature, said China is ready to
work with Armenia to broaden their cooperation in legislature and
many other areas.

China’s top legislator described Armenia as a bridge linking Asia and
Europe, a country with a long history and rich cultural heritage. He
stressed that China attaches great importance to developing its
relations with Armenia.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said Armenia is an “important partner of
cooperation” and a “reliable friend” of China in the Caucusus region.

“China supports the efforts of the Armenian government to maintain
social stability and promote economic development,” Wen said. “China
is ready to have wide-ranging and in-depth cooperation with Armenia
on the basis of mutual trust, equality and mutual benefit.”

China-Armenia trade reached 4.75m US dollars in the first half of 2004,
up 88.7 per cent from the same period last year.

A bilateral scientific and technological cooperation commission has
selected 15 upcoming projects for cooperation. Wen said China hopes
the joint commission will help tap more potential for cooperation
and bring relations to a higher ground.

Kocharyan said both Armenia and China agree that each country has
the right to select its own approach to development and its own way
of life. He said Armenia is glad to see the cooperation between the
two sides and expects good results.

The Armenian president added that there are no political disputes
between Armenia and China. Armenia wishes to expand cooperation with
China in agriculture, mechanics, science and technology, traditional
Chinese medicine, education and service sectors.

Bulgarian, Azeri Speakers discuss boosting trade cooperation

BTA web site
28 Sep 04

Sofia, 28 September: A branch that would supply Bulgaria and other
European countries could be added to the currently constructed
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan export oil pipeline, the Speaker of the Azerbaijan
National Assembly Murtuz Aleskerov told journalists after his meeting
with National Assembly Chairman Ognyan Gerdzhikov.

Alekserov, who is currently on a four-day visit to Bulgaria,
underscored that the matter whether the pipeline from Azerbaijan to
Western Europe will pass through Bulgaria should be resolved on the
level of ministers of the two countries. The Speaker of the Azerbaijan
parliament noted that the ministers who accompany President Georgi
Purvanov on his forthcoming October visit to Azerbaijan will discuss
the problem.

Gerdzhikov announced that a desire to step up bilateral relations
had been declared at the meeting. We found that trade and economic
relations are at a low level, he said. In Gerdzhikov’s words, this
is unusual since Azerbaijan is a major producer of oil and gas,
while Bulgaria imports these commodities. Gerdzhikov also noted that
Bulgaria is also interested in enhancing transport cooperation on
both a bilateral basis and within the multilateral agreement on the
Europe-Caucasus-Asia (TRASECA) transport corridor. Both parties are
in favour of boosting relations in all fields, which is in the context
of our common European and Euro-Atlantic integration, he added.

Murtuz Aleskerov pointed out that an intergovernmental commission was
set up in 1995 with the aim of developing trade and economic relations
between the two countries but trade still hasn’t reached the necessary
level. He pointed out that political, cultural and technological
relations had also been discussed. “We came to the conclusion that
it is necessary to step up parliamentary exchange between the two
countries,” the Speaker of Azerbaijan National Assembly said. Alekserov
added that he had invited Ognyan Gerdzhikov to pay an official visit
to Azerbaijan. Alekserov also said the matter of Nagorny Karabakh had
been touched upon. We share the opinion that this problem should be
resolved on the basis of international law and taking into account
the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and Armenia, he added.

Later in the day the Azerbaijan National Assembly Speaker and
the delegation he heads were received by Prime Minister Simeon
Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. Talks centred on the development and deepening of
bilateral relations, with a stress on trade and economic cooperation,
the government press office said. The opinion that all aspects of
Bulgarian-Azeri relations should be boosted, as well as cooperation
on an international scale, was expressed during the meeting. Raising
parliamentary relations between the two countries up to the necessary
high level will contribute to this process, Alekserov pointed out.
From: Baghdasarian

Minister: Turkey seeks to strengthen cooperation in fight against crimes

Anatolia news agency, Ankara
28 Sep 04

Istanbul, 28 September: Turkish Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu
said that international community comprehended the importance of
fight against “transborder crimes”.

The conference “International Initiative Against Smuggling of Drugs
and Money Laundering”, organized by Turkish Police Department and
Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) of the United States, started today at
the Istanbul Hilton Hotel.

Making opening remarks of the conference, Minister Aksu said that
Turkey hosted a conference on fight against drug smuggling for the
second time in the last two months.

Stating that those who committed crimes beyond borders use high
technology, Aksu said that they noticed that crime organizations use
more sophisticated methods as technology progress. Aksu stressed that
Turkey has been exerting efforts to fight against drug smuggling for
years by using the most advanced technology.

Stating that Turkish government aimed to strengthen infrastructure
and institutionalize the fight against crimes, he noted that they
expected security forces to be more professional in fight against
drug trafficking. “Crime is a universal concept. It does not have
nationality, religion, race or border. Fight against drug smuggling
should also be universal. Success achieved in this area should be
perceived as a success of international community. Countries should
support each other,” he stressed.

Aksu said that Turkish government supported coordination between
Turkish security department and departments of other countries,
noting that they expected other countries to assume a similar approach.

Noting that Turkey’s International Academy against Drugs and Organized
Crime (TADOC) was established with the cooperation of the UN, Aksu
said that Turkey shared its information and experience in fight against
illicit drug trafficking and organized crimes with regional countries
through TADOC.

Aksu said that Turkish police confiscated 5 tons of heroin in 2003 and
6.8 tons of heroin in 2004, noting that the increase in the amount of
heroin seized by the police demonstrates efforts deployed by Turkish
security forces and high tech techniques used against drug smugglers.

Nearly 100 people from Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria,
Germany, Greece, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Romania,
Russia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Britain, the United
States and Uzbekistan are attending the conference.

Turkish Police Department Chief Gokhan Aydiner said that Turkey
was ready to undertake more initiative in fight against drug
smuggling. Indicating that “drug trafficking was a global problem
and fight against it should also be global”, Aydiner said that
“international cooperation meant that countries should exchange
intelligence with each other”. Aydiner said that “Turkey would be glad
to contribute to training and regional proactive fight against drug
smuggling”, adding that “it also wanted to undertake a more active
role on this issue”.

On the other hand, DEA Administrator Karen P. Tandy said that
“they cooperated with many countries in fight against drug
trafficking”. Stating that DEA had offices in 60 countries, Tandy
said that “they are happy because Turkey was a powerful partner in
fight against drug trafficking”.