Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918 Fax: 818.246.7353
[email protected]
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PRESS RELEASE +++ PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Friday, September 17, 2004

Contact: Armen Carapetian 818.500.1918

NEAR EAST FOUNDATION TO RECEIVE PRESTIGIOUS ANCA-WR “FREEDOM AWARD” AT
ANNUAL BANQUET IN OCTOBER

Los Angeles, CA â^À^Ó On Thursday September 16, donors, supporters
and friends of the Armenian National Committee of America â^À^Ó
Western Region (ANCA-WR) gathered at the Cicada Restaurant in Downtown
Los Angeles for the ANCA-WRâ^À^Ùs traditional Banquet Kickoff
Party and to hear this yearâ^À^Ùs list of honorees. The Banquet
Kickoff Party has become an annual tradition and a prelude to
the organizationâ^À^Ùs gala event â^À^Ó the Annual Banquet,
which will take place on October 24, 2004 at the Ritz-Carlton
Huntington Hotel in Pasadena, California. ANCA-WR Chairman Raffi
Hamparian announced that this yearâ^À^Ùs recipient of the
organizationâ^À^Ùs most prestigious award, the ANCA-WR Freedom
Award is the Near East Foundation.

The Near East Foundation was the first nationwide, large scale,
international assistance organization in the United States, founded in
1915 to rescue desperate and dying refugees of the Armenian Genocide.
The private American philanthropic organization was founded in New
York City under the name of the Near East Relief. It was created
in response to Ambassador Henry Morgenthauâ^À^Ùs urgent cable
to the U.S. Secretary of State on September 3 stating that the
â^À^Ü destruction of the Armenian race in Turkey is progressing
rapidlyâ^À^Ý and urging that a committee be formed â^À^Üto
raise funds and provide means to save some of the Armenians.â^À^Ý
Within two weeks a group of civic, business, and religious leaders
had formed such a committee. What NEF did at the turn of the century
and how it was done affected the shape of Trumanâ^À^Ùs post-World
War II recovery programs, the United Nations Development Program and
the Kennedy administrationâ^À^Ùs founding of USAID.

â^À^ÜThe Near East Relief gave again and again to the Armenian
people, demonstrating unparalleled humanity and great sacrifice
to save those suffering. Generations of Armenians are alive today
because of the hard work that the Near East Foundation did to rescue
orphans and survivors,â^À^Ý stated Chairman Raffi Hamparian.

â^À^ÜThe Near East Foundation is humbled and greatly honored by
the recognition of the Armenian National Committee of Americaâ^À^Ùs
Western Region with its Freedom Award. There is no more meaningful
acknowledgment than that which comes from those to whom we are most
closely connected historically,â^À^Ý said NEF President Dr. Ryan
LaHurd upon receiving news of the award.

In addition to the Near East Foundation, the recipients of the
Man of the Year and the Legacy Awards were announced as well.
One of the stateâ^À^Ùs highest ranking Armenian-American State
legislators, Senator Charles Poochigian (R-Fresno) has been chosen
to receive the honor of Man of the Year. During his tenure in the
State Senate, Senator Poochigian has led the way on numerous pieces
of legislation that directly affect Armenian Americans living in
the State of California. Recently, Governor Schwarzenegger signed
into law a bill authored by Senator Poochigian, Senate Bill 1689,
which will exempt Armenian Genocide life insurance settlements from
state taxation related to income.

The ANCA-WR has also announced this yearâ^À^Ùs Legacy Award
recipient, Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-CA). Congresswoman Anna Eshoo
has been a leading advocate and supporter of the organizationâ^À^Ùs
newly launched ANCA Capital Gateway Program which mentors young
Armenians who want to work in government. The program provides recent
college graduates with housing and job bank resources to help place
individuals in positions on Capitol Hill and other government bodies
in the nationâ^À^Ùs capitol.

â^À^ÜEveryone is excited about this yearâ^À^Ùs banquet and
all the honorees. Our committee has worked very hard to make
this a fantastic event worthy of the ANCA name.â^À^Ý commented
Banquet Committee Chairwoman Aida Dimejian. â^À^ÜWe are honoring
two great Armenian-American public officials and have another
rising star, Councilman Frank Zerunyan, serving as the Master of
Ceremonies.â^À^Ý

Banquet annually draws over 750 individuals, including a long list of
dignitaries. The event is attended by prominent Members of Congress,
State Legislators, and a vast number of Armenian American political
activists. The ANCA-WR Annual Banquet is the largest event of its
kind that brings Armenian Americans together with a large number of
federal, state and local public officials.

For more information on this yearâ^À^Ùs Annual Banquet, or to
reserve a table, call the ANCA-WR offices at (818) 500 â^À^Ó 1918.

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest
and most influential Armenian American grassroots political
organization. Working coordination with a network of offices,
chapters, and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated
organizations around the world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns
of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.

NUMBER OF ASYLUM SEEKERS FALLS AGAIN, IN AUGUST THREE HUNDRED

Czech News Agency
September 16, 2004

PRAGUE, Sept 16 (CTK) – Number of persons who seek asylum in the Czech
Republic has fallen to 301 in August, which is this year’s monthly
minimum, according to the latest data of the Interior Ministry’s
asylum and migration department.

Only 261 adults and 40 children applied for asylum in August, compared
to 354 persons in July. As for this year, the highest number of asylum
applications (988) was presented in March.

This tendency has been confirmed by the office of the United Nations
High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). According to the UNHCR report,
the number of applicants so far this year has been the lowest in the
last 17 years.

This is connected with the return of refugees to Afghanistan, Iraq
and Kosovo and stricter laws in European Union member states, the
report says.

The Czech Republic’s accession to the EU in May has been the main
factor behind the lower number of asylum applications, Jana Pintova
from the ministry’s asylum and migration department said.

Most of the asylum applications were filed in August by refugees from
Ukraine (106), China (57) and Russia (27).

>>From January to August, 4,123 applications were filed, most of them
(1,350 or 34 percent of the total number) by Russians, followed by
1,133 Ukrainians, 266 Vietnamese and 215 Chinese.

The number of applicants was the highest in 1990, when 18,094
foreigners sought asylum in the Czech Republic. Last year the number
was 11,400, this being the second highest. On the other hand, the
least applications (841) were presented in 1992.

This year, the applications were handed most frequently in the
refugee centre Vysni Lhoty, north Moravia, which has registered 193
applications, including 101 by Ukrainian citizens.

The Czech authorities granted asylum to 2,520 applications from July
1900 to August 2004. Most of the affirmative answers were given to
citizens of Romania (474), Afghanistan (296) and Russia (200).

>>From January to August, 95 refugees were granted asylum, including
29 Russians and 21 Belarussians. In 2003, 208 refugees were granted
asylum. The highest number of applications was approved in 1991,
when 776 people were granted asylum.

>>From July 1990 to August 2004, the Czech Republic granted Czech
citizenship to 533 refugees. Most often, citizenship was granted to
refugees from Armenia (87), Vietnam (85), Romania (79), and Ukraine
(29).

On the other hand, asylum was withdrawn from some 200 foreigners,
160 of them from Romania and 20 from Bulgaria.

Baku wants close integration with European institutions – premier
By Sevindzh Abdullayeva, Viktor Shulman

ITAR-TASS News Agency
September 17, 2004 Friday 12:21 PM Eastern Time

BAKU, September 17 — Baku wants close integration with European
institutions, Azerbaijani Prime Minister Artur Rasi-zade said at a
Friday meeting with European Commission President Romano Prodi.

Azerbaijan is the only South Caucasian country, which has repaid $57
million in EU loans in full, he said.

The European Union is implementing over 25 joint projects in
Azerbaijan, primarily in the sphere of transport, telecommunications,
energy and foods.

Azerbaijan’s affiliation to the EU Neighbors programs began a new
phase in the integration of the Transcaucasian republic with the
European political and economic space, Prodi said.

The European Commission President also met with Azerbaijani
Parliament Speaker Murtuz Aleskerov. He touched upon peace
settlement in Nagorno-Karabakh and expressed the hope that parties
to the conflict will not allow a third party to interfere with the
peacemaking process and resolve the problem unaided. He promised EU
comprehensive assistance to rehabilitation of Azerbaijan and Armenia
after the achievement of peace.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Europe ready to cooperate with Baku under New Neighbors initiative
By Sevindzh Abdullayeva, Viktor Shulman

ITAR-TASS News Agency
September 17, 2004 Friday

BAKU, September 17 — The affiliation of Azerbaijan to the New
Neighbors initiative of the European Union begins a new phase in the
Azerbaijani integration with the EU, European Commission President
Romano Prodi said at a Friday press conference in Baku.

He said it was the central item on his negotiations with Azerbaijani
officials, including President Ilham Aliyev.

Europe is ready for cooperation within the framework of the New
Neighbors policy, Prodi said. Everyone wants to see fruit and
benefits of expanded Europe, and Azerbaijan will get an access to
the 500-million European market through the New Neighbors initiative,
he said. The initiative will also promote broader cultural and public
relations between the EU and Azerbaijan, Prodi said.

He said the Baku meetings assured him that it was necessary to launch
the New Neighbors policy immediately. Cooperation priorities will
be defined at further negotiations between the European Union and
Azerbaijan. The New Neighbors initiative embraces Azerbaijan, Armenia
and Georgia, and all countries will enjoy the same approach. Yet
cooperation priorities will be different in each case, Prodi said.

The European Commission supports negotiations between presidents and
foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia on the Karabakh conflict
and hopes for settlement with the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group,
Prodi said. He said that the European Union will not interfere with the
dialog but it may assist the return of refugees and assistance to the
development of Azerbaijan and Armenia after the Karabakh settlement.

Baku wants close integration with European institutions, Azerbaijani
Prime Minister Artur Rasi-zade said at a Friday meeting with Prodi.

Azerbaijan is the only South Caucasian country, which has repaid $57
million in EU loans in full, he said.

The European Union is implementing over 25 joint projects in
Azerbaijan, primarily in the sphere of transport, telecommunications,
energy and foods.

SOURCE: Vremya Novostei, September 17, 2004, pp. 1 – 2
by Arkady Dubnov

Agency WPS
What the Papers Say. Part B (Russia)
September 17, 2004, Friday

ASTANA VERSES

The CIS heads of state summit in Astana that ended yesterday was a
momentous event. It was the last summit for some CIS presidents, and
the first for others. Replacing Leonid Kuchma of Ukraine, Vladimir
Putin was elected chairman of the “club of presidents.” This was
conclusive evidence that Kuchma will not run for re-election. In
fact, CIS leaders all but admitted that they would like to see Prime
Minister Viktor Yanukovich as the next president of Ukraine.

For President Mikhail Saakashvili of Georgia, this was the first
formal summit of the CIS.

In fact, the summit may mark a turning point in the history of the
CIS. President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan came up with a
concept for a drastic reorganization of the CIS – saying it is
“bogged down in bureaucracy” and “expensive even though there is
nothing to show for the spending.” Nazarbayev mentioned the
activities of the CIS Economic Court. It has considered only 62 cases
in its 10 years of existence, and issued four verdicts which “no one
actually noticed,” Nazarbayev said.

In short, Nazarbayev proposed abolishing this “pointless structure.”
Also earmarked for abolition are the council of defense ministers,
the headquarters for coordination of military cooperation, and the
international statistics committee. There is also a proposal to
reduce the staff of the CIS Executive Committee from 220 to 140
officials, the numbers of its chairmen to two, the numbers of
departments in it from nine to five, and to abolish some other CIS
bodies. Nazarbayev proposes ending the practice of appointing
“veterans and the elderly” to CIS structures. He argues that some
kind of G8 counterpart should be formed in the CIS, with an emphasis
on three spheres: security, economic cooperation, humanitarian
cooperation. It will require establishment of a CIS Security Council
comprising foreign ministers and heads of national security councils,
defense ministers and heads of secret services.

The final decision on reorganization of the CIS will be made at an
emergency summit within the next twelve months.

Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan met on September 15. Robert
Kocharjan and Ilham Aliyev spent four hours (!) talking things over.
Putin was present at the conversation at some point. When he left,
the meeting was attended by chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group (Russia,
the United States, and France). It seems that Yerevan and Baku
restored their dialogue.

The discussion of the Abkhazia issue by Putin and Saakashvili was
quite emotional. In fact, their polemics even continued into the
press conference after the meeting. Saakashvili expressed his
satisfaction with finding documents of the CIS summit confirming
adherence to the principles of the previous accords (Almaty in 1996
and Sochi in 2003) and went on criticizing Russia for what he called
collided with these provisions. The matter concerned restoration of
train runs between Sukhumi and Sochi. Putin replied that “commercial
relations do not conflict with decisions of CIS summits” – but
Saakashvili pressed on.

“Minister Fadeev’s presence in Sukhumi doesn’t align with Russia’s
position,” he said. “Besides, Russia can and should solve the problem
of the return of Georgian refugees to the Gal district of Abkhazia.”

“We have yet to discuss the matter with the president of Georgia,”
Putin frowned. “In fact, the refugees are already returning…”

Putin and Saakashvili had another meeting after that, one that lasted
20 minutes or so. No information on its results is available because
the presidents met privately. On the other hand, the fact of the
meeting itself is quite heartening. Prime ministers of Russia and
Georgia Mikhail Fradkov and Zurab Zhvania met as well.

An exchange of opinions on the Trans-Dniester conflict was also quite
sharp. “We do not understand the motives of the authorities of
Moldova when they turned down a chance to settle the conflict with
Trans-Dniester,” Kuchma said. “As for the economic blockade of the
region, it will certainly hurt its mostly Russian and Ukrainian
population.”

Saakashvili intervened again. “We support Moldova’s territorial
integrity,” he said. “All contacts with separatist regimes must be
made only with the permission from the authorities of the countries
where these regimes are located.”

The presidents of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan had an argument. Islam
Karimov of Uzbekistan was critical of Askar Akayev’s confidence that
terrorists can only be killed by means of supersonic fighter jets.

Only Aliyev didn’t say a word in front of TV cameras.

Translated by A. Ignatkin

NATO Cancels Its War Games in Azerbaijan

RIA OREANDA
Economic News
September 17, 2004 Friday

Baku. Appeared in Russian in Moscow’s ROSSIYSKAYA GAZETA. NATO has for
the first time in its history cancelled its military exercises slated
to begin on September 13 on the territory of Azerbaijan as part of the
Partnership for Peace Program. Notably, NATO was forced to do so not
because of some natural or man-caused calamities or refusal of one of
the parties to participate, but because the Azerbaijani authorities
refused to issue visas to the Armenian military. Exercises as part
of the program Cooperative Best Effort 2004 were formerly stages in
Armenia and Georgia, and were designed to practice the key aspects
of peacekeeping operations. In line with the unchangeable “principle
of parity” the exercises were to be held in Azerbaijan as well. The
principle of parity has been violated this time, forcing NATO to cancel
the exercises, read a NATO press release. The scandal the erupted
over these war games began long before their cancellation and lasted
for over nine months. Back in January Armenia’s representatives were
unable to attend a conference in Turkey that preceded the exercises
also for lack of visas. But Yerevan was determined not to give up,
making consistent efforts to participate in the maneuvers, albeit to
no avail.

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
September 17, 2004, Friday

NATO HAS STUMBLED OVER KARABAKH

SOURCE: Vremya Novostei, September 14, 2004, p. 5

by Shakhin Abbasov

A scandal has broken out in Azerbaijan. Cooperative Best Effort-2004,
which NATO and Azerbaijan planned to conduct within the framework of
the Partnership for Peace program, has been cancelled. The cause of
this decision will be announced a bit later. Meanwhile, it is
possible that this has happened because of Azerbaijan’s protest
against the participation of Armenian servicemen in the maneuvers.
Newspapers reported yesterday that Azerbaijan refused to issue visas
to Armenian servicemen.

Many observers state that this incident is “the first serious defeat
of President Ilkham Aliyev”. It should be noted that relations
between Azerbaijan and NATO may aggravate. Actions of protest against
the arrival of Armenian servicemen were held in Baku on September
11-12. The opposition launched a campaign in the media. The
parliament noted in its message to NATO that the arrival of Armenian
servicemen may aggravate the situation in the region and damage
negotiations over the Karabakh conflict.

The situation was as serious that President Ilkham Aliyev was forced
to address the nation on Saturday. He stated: “Armenian servicemen
were invited by NATO. Azerbaijan does not want to see these people on
its land. I don’t want to see Armenians in Azerbaijan.”

(…)

Political analyst Ali Abbasov said that “government controls
democratic processes in Azerbaijan, which is why all actions of
protest are sanctioned by government”. The political analyst said
that the government of Azerbaijan wants to show the international
community that Azerbaijan will not make concessions regarding the
Karabakh problem.

It should be noted that the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan plan
to meet at the CIS summit in Kazakhstan on September 15. By the way,
Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend this summit. The
newspaper reports that precisely Putin initiated the meeting of the
leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan.

ORIGINAL-LANGUAGE: RUSSIAN

EU’s Prodi visits Azerbaijan, calls for more democracy

Associated Press Worldstream
September 17, 2004 Friday

BAKU, Azerbaijan — European Commission President Romano Prodi on
Friday urged Azerbaijan to conduct democratic reforms that would give
more say to the opposition.

Speaking at a news conference after his talks with Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliev and other officials, Prodi said that they
discussed “the need for a vital democracy in the country.”

“Such a democracy requires a meaningful role for the opposition,”
Prodi said.

Prodi said that the EU has voiced its dissatisfaction with the latest
elections in Azerbaijan, as well as in two other ex-Soviet Caucasus
nations, Armenia and Georgia.

“It’s of vital importance that Azerbaijan makes clear reform steps
in the months ahead – reforms of democracy, human rights, the rule
of law, the market economy and conflict settlement,” Prodi said.

Aliev, the son of the late President Geidar Aliev, won last October’s
election by a wide margin, according to official results. Opposition
supporters and international observers said the election was marred
with fraud.

The vote sparked riots in which about 3,000 protesters tore through
the capital, Baku; one person died and dozens were injured. Hundreds
of people were detained, and more than 120 have been convicted.

Prodi said he also discussed prospects for a political settlement
of the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, an ethnic Armenian enclave
within Azerbaijan, which has been de-facto independent since its
Armenia-backed forces drove out Azerbaijan’s military in 1994.

After visiting Azerbaijan, Prodi is set to head to Georgia and then
Armenia. The three Caucasus nations have been included in the EU’s
Neighborhood Policy.

Nagorno-Karabakh president pardons convicts who tried to kill him

Associated Press Worldstream
September 17, 2004 Friday

YEREVAN, Armenia — The president of the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh
region on Friday pardoned a group of people convicted of trying to
kill him.

Among those pardoned by President Arkady Gukasian was Samvel Babaian,
the enclave’s former defense minister, whom a court named the
mastermind of the assassination attempt.

In March 2000, a group of assailants sprayed Gukasian’s car with
bullets, wounding him in both legs.

Gukasian on Friday pardoned 13 people and softened punishment for
another 22, but refused clemency to 16 other convicts.

Nagorno-Karabakh, a mostly ethnic Armenian enclave in Azerbaijan,
waged a 1988-1994 war against Azerbaijan in which its forces, backed
by Armenia, won control of almost 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory.

No political settlement has been reached in the conflict, and small
clashes have continued at a no man’s land around the enclave.

RIA OREANDA
Economic News
September 17, 2004 Friday

Company “Baltica” Bears Losses in Georgia

Saint Petersburg. Saint Petersburg. Events of the last two months
show tendency of changing foreign economic relations with Russia on
part of Georgia, notifies Russias brewing company “Baltica.”

The document informs that there has been developing conflict related
to Russian manufacturers on part of Georgia, including Russian beer
exporters. In particular, cargo with Balticas production addressed
to the distributor form “Royal Express Ltd” has been kept in Georgian
customs without any explanation.

According to preliminary assessment “Balticas” retained proceeds amount
to about $ 850 thousand. The company is unable to sell its product
on Georgian market. It cannot even use transit facilities in Georgia
due to which the company fails to export its production in Armenia.

Brewing Company “Baltica” intended to extend its export in Georgia.
At present its very doubtful that the plan on investment for 2005
amounting to $ 2 million will be concluded.