Any progress in Karabakh talks not in favour of Azerbaijan – opposition leader

Azadliq, Baku
4 Sep 04

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, who has met his
Armenian counterpart Vardan Oskanyan again in Prague, has said that
progress has been made in the settlement of the Karabakh conflict.

But Bahaddin Haziyev, deputy PFAP [Peoples Front of Azerbaijan Party
reformists’ wing] chairman, thinks that if the foreign ministers really
reached any agreement in Prague, this could be only to the detriment
of Azerbaijan’s interests. Because both countries’ positions on the
settlement of the conflict are clear and Armenian Defence Minister
Serzh Sarkisyan has recently reiterated that his country would in no
way relinquish its principles.

“Azerbaijan is ready to give the highest status to Karabakh within
its territory and secure the safety of its population. This is our
country’s principle in the conflict. But Armenia is trying to have a
Karabakh outside Azerbaijan’s b orders, make sure that Karabakh has
land borders with Armenia, and secure an international guarantee for
the safety of [Karabakh’s] Armenian community. So, it means that if
any progress was really made in Prague, one of the sides must have
given up. Armenia is saying that it has not. If the opposite side
has not given up its principles, then there can be no talk of any
progress in favour of Azerbaijan,” Haziyev said.

Haziyev added that if the alleged progress relates to Armenia’s
withdrawal from the districts around Karabakh, this does not mean that
a settlement to the conflict has been found. Armenia has repeatedly
hinted that it would pull out of the districts only in the event the
conflict is settled in accordance with its principles.

“Some people are saying that the talks are about cancellation of the
settlement process for an uncertain period in return for Armenia’s
withdrawal from the districts around Karabakh. We cannot say if it is
true or not. But ‘Nagornyy Karabakh’s chief of staff’ has recently said
that he is ready to withdraw his troops for the sake of the settlement
of the conflict. [Armenia’s] possible withdrawal from the surrounding
districts would not mean a settlement to the conflict. Armenia has
repeatedly stated that it would pull out of the districts if the
conflict is settled in accordance with its principles,” Haziyev said.

Armenian opposition activist released before end of his prison term

A1+ web site
6 Sep 04

6 September: Today a court of first instance in Kentron – Nork-Marash
[of Yerevan] ordered the release of Edgar Arakelyan, who was charged
with hitting a police officer with an empty plastic bottle on the
night of 13 April [2004]. He served one-third of his prison term.

Despite the fact that he hit the police officer while trying to
protect himself, the court sentenced Arakelyan, 24, to 18 months in
prison. Arakelyan served six months and six days in prison.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azeri parliamentary speaker is losing his power – daily

Baki Xabar, Baku
6 Sep 04

It is evident that the ruling team has completely cornered Azerbaijani
Speaker Murtuz Alasgarov. He will obviously have a problem getting
a deputy seat during the next parliamentary elections. As a result
of pressure exerted from everywhere, the speaker has been sidelined
from all processes within the government. Now it is only known that
Alasgarov is trying to maintain his post and get out of this situation.

It is now generally accepted that the speaker, who has the status of
the third most important official in the country, has been sidelined
from all processes. There are evidently problems between the different
branches of power. The “weak” are hit in the war for mutual reputation
[as published]. As a result, the staff led by a weak figure operate
just symbolically. In fact, the dynamics of the current process show
that the organization led by a weak figure is not a centre of power
in the government, as has been the case with Murtuz Alasgarov. His
tenure as speaker has shadowed the parliament’s activities and turned
it into a powerless one. This is just the result of the fact that the
speaker does not even attend the ceremonies of meeting and seeing off
the country’s president and does not accompany him on his visits to the
country’s districts and abroad. But being the speaker, he is expected
to attend these ceremonies. The fact that he is on the sidelines
from these events shows that he is among the “hit” people. Truly,
one might link the speaker’s isolation from the said ceremonies to
his physical condition. However, it seems to be implausible.

For this reason, one can assume that Alasgarov has already become
an undesirable figure in the government. He is even unaware of the
government’s Karabakh talks. This is not our assumption. Alasgarov
confirmed this in a statement he made a few days ago. Touching upon
the Karabakh discussions by the [Azerbaijani and Armenian] presidents
and foreign ministers, Alasgarov said that he had no information
about those. Saying so, the speaker confirmed that he has been
“hit”. [Passage omitted: repetition.]

The chairman of the Great Creation Party, Fazil Qazanfaroglu,
also verified this in an interview with our newspaper yesterday
[5 September]. He said that Azerbaijan had no supreme legislative
body. Therefore, the speaker’s unawareness of the Karabakh talks
should be regarded as natural.

“A parliament formed on the basis of a list [of people] drawn up in
the way the president wished cannot be regarded as a serious body,”
Qazanfaroglu said and added that Alasgarov was an unimportant figure
in the country’s authorities.

Fazil bay [form of address] also said that generally the people
leading various branches of power do not keep each other informed
because of intrigues among them. Everyone is trying to provide their
information mainly to the first person. Therefore, the head of one
body is unaware of another’s activities. Qazanfaroglu said that
Alasgarov’s unawareness was of this kind and the case will be the
same until the [current] administration methods and the team change.

Polish minister says Iraqi authorities want number of Polish troops maintained

Trybuna, Warsaw
3 Sep 04

Excerpt from an interview with Polish Defence Minister Jerzy
Szmajdzinski by Andrzej Rudnicki, entitled “Fitful sleep” published
by Polish newspaper Trybuna on 3 September

Rudnicki Do thoughts of Iraq cause you to lose any sleep?

Szmajdzinski Yes, all too often. I do not think that is a good sign.

Rudnicki One year has passed since the multinational division under
the Polish command took over the south-central sector of Iraq. Was
it worth going in there?

Szmajdzinski If we look at it in the broader perspective, I think
it was. The very difficult and risky decisions we made, counter to
what the general public said, only go to show that Poland sees its
security to be indivisible. Our involvement in missions of this sort
stems from the need to ensure international security. This stood true
50 years ago, and it stood true one year ago. Iraq is a safer place
without Saddam, but that does not mean the process that is currently
under way in that country is secure.

Rudnicki Still, the reasons for attacking Iraq have proved to be
very dubious.

Szmajdzinski The US and UK intelligence services made their
miscalculations. Saddam refused to implement more than a dozen UN
Security Council resolutions. Iraq refused to observe the principles
that we had all embraced within the UN charter. The Saddam regime
threatened the Iraqi people and the entire population of the Middle
East. On the whole, our arguments seem to stand strong.

Passage omitted .

Rudnicki You had no doubt that Polish troops were sacrificing their
lives for a just cause?

Szmajdzinski Our activity in Iraq was received with support and
gratitude. Throughout one year we implemented projects developing
the Iraqi infrastructure, health care system, and education worth a
total of 50m zlotys approx. 13.6m dollars . The international community
was split when the operation began. Today, however, it has no doubt
that the situation in Iraq must be stabilized. The process is under
way: there is a provisional Iraqi government in place and Iraq has
a president.

Prime Minister Marek Belka received a letter from his Iraqi counterpart
Iyad Allawi on Thursday 2 September . He has heard that we are
planning to reduce the number of our troops in his country. He is
asking us not to do it and prevent destabilization. President Ghazi
Mish’al Ajil al-Yawar is to visit Poland in the next few days. A
delegation of the Iraqi Defence Ministry has visited us recently,
declaring that the Iraqi authorities expect us to keep our troops
in their country and help them develop and equip their army. Despite
the risks we have taken and the lives we have lost, we are carrying
out our mission of returning Iraq back to the Iraqi people.

Rudnicki What has Poland gained after one year of involvement in
the operation?

Szmajdzinski I find it difficult to talk about this. The Polish
government did not set any conditions when it made its decision. We
are carrying out this mission to ensure security in that part of the
world in the belief that it contributes to Polish and international
security. People abroad are speaking about Poland more kindly and
warmly today, they speak of our involvement and credibility. At
least this is what I see in my international contacts. In my view,
this translates into a warmer climate surrounding Poland as a serious
participant in these events.

Rudnicki Talks on the fourth shift of the Polish contingent in Iraq
have begun at the Warsaw Citadel. Will our troops be reduced in line
with earlier announcements, or will the Polish authorities heed the
Iraqi pleas and change their stance?

Szmajdzinski Taking part in the conference are representatives of
states involved in our division and Armenia, a new partner that is to
send 50 servicemen to Iraq. No one, Poland included, will reduce their
contingents before the Iraqi elections scheduled for January. We have
also decided to hand over Babylon back to the Iraqis. The command of
the division will probably relocate to al-Kadisiyah Province. We will
pull out of Karbala. The division will be relocated to the Babil,
Wasit and al-Kadisiyah provinces.

Rudnicki Will there be fewer troops?

Szmajdzinski Maybe. We are not discussing the size of the new
contingent at this point. This depends on how the situation in Iraq
develops, how the political process proceeds, and how soon an Iraqi
army that can replace us is formed. I am a moderate optimist as far as
the next few months are concerned. Our UN mandate expires at the turn
of 2005 and 2006. This means our military mission will come to an end
then. Unless the Iraqi government wants us to leave earlier, that is.

Rudnicki Thank you for the interview.

SEPTEMBER 2, STEPANAKERT

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
6 Sept 04

On September 2 Nagorni Karabakh celebrated the Day of Republic. On this
occasion the official delegation of Armenia arrived in Stepanakert,
headed by the RA minister of defence Serge Sarghissian . In the
delegation were also included the minister of culture, the head of
the tax agency of Armenia, the mayor of Yerevan, other officials. By
the rooted tradition the celebration of the holiday starts with
commemoration of the people due to whom independence was achieved. At
12:00 the officials of Karabakh and the guests visited the memorial
complex in Stepanakert. The NKR youth organizations held a peaceful
march for the preservation of the achievements of the people, and
the greatest of these â^À^Ó the independence. After the ceremony
of laying flowers NKR president Arkady Ghukassian answered the
questions of journalists. He emphasized that independence is the
most important achievement of the people of Nagorni Karabakh, and it
cannot be viewed at as a temporary status. â^À^ÜWe gained the right
for independence through the bloodshed of war, victims and terrible
sufferings. We proved to the world that we are able to create a state
and live independent of Azerbaijan,â^À^Ý said Arkady Ghukassian. In
his turn the minister of defence of Armenia Serge Sarghissian noticed
that the opinion of the NKR president is very important but he is,
nevertheless, convinced that there will come a day when Karabakh will
deny its independence to become united with Armenia. This had been the
aim of the national movement and from this everything began. In the
evening of September 2 at the square of Renaissance in Stepanakert a
concert took place with the participation of Karabakh, Armenian and
Russian artists. The invitation of the Russian artists was financed
by our compatriots living in Moscow. On September 2 the minister of
defence of Armenia Serge Sarghissian, speaking about the prospects
of regulation of the Karabakh conflict, mentioned that the Armenian
party will not give up the three principles of regulation which have
been published already. â^À^ÜThese conditions have been known for
a long time now: the independent status of Nagorni Karabakh from
Azerbaijan, land border with Armenia and trustable guarantees for
the security of the population of Nagorni Karabakh. Armenia sees the
final settlement of the conflict only in the case of following these
three conditions,â^À^Ý said Serge Sarghissian.

NAIRA HAYRUMIAN. 06-09-2004

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

HOW MUCH IS VACCINATION?

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
6 Sept 04

Recently parents have come to the editorial office of AA and
informed that their children had not received certain vaccinations
for a period of time already. At the Childrenâ^À^Ùs Consultation
we were told that the reason is the lack of vaccines. In the past
year a small amount of vaccines against poliomyelitis, as well as
diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough was received in Karabakh.
Recognizing the importance of vaccination of children against the
mentioned diseases, we tried to find out why our children do not
receive them, how much vaccination costs, and who is to blame for
the situation. Fist we visited the Childrenâ^À^Ùs Consultation
of Stepanakert where we met with the parents of the children who
already had received vaccination. Part of the parents did not know
for certain when and what vaccinations their children had had, and
some of them mentioned with anxiety that their children had not been
vaccinated against the above mentioned diseases. They also mentioned
that their children were vaccinated against tuberculosis, hepatitis
and measles in time. The chief specialist of the NKR Ministry of
Health S. Hayrapetian said, â^À^ÜWe are seriously worried by the
current situation however the problem is the lack of vaccines in
Armenia as well.â^À^Ý At the Republic Center of Hygiene we talked to
the acting chief doctor O. Harutiunian. According to her, a national
program of immunization is implemented in the republic. Once in a
month and a half the group of doctors leaves for the regions for
vaccination. In Stepanakert two days per week vaccination is carried
out. But there is the lack of vaccines. The minister of health Zoya
Lazarian emphasized that this year the ministry faces the problem
of vaccines. So far Armenia has provided free vaccines to Karabakh,
which were received through the UNICEF programs. The amount of vaccines
provided to Armenia considerably reduced this year, whereas control
over their use became stricter. As to NKR, the fact that our country
is not recognized does not allow us to establish direct relationships
with international organizations. How much vaccines cost and whether
it is possible to buy them and not to wait for receiving them as
humanitarian aid, Zoya Lazarian answered that vaccines are, of course,
expensive but starting with this year we will have to but them. A
month ago the minister of health of Armenia arrived in Karabakh. They
studied the situation and reported that the vaccines were used in
Karabakh with minimum losses. They took the list of the children to
be vaccinated and promised to present the estimation of the amount
of the necessary vaccines and their total value in a week. On the
basis of this calculation the ministry will apply to the government
to provide means from the state budget 2005 for buying vaccines from
UNICEF though Armenia. The problem is that the calculations have
not been sent yet. We do not know yet how much vaccines we need and
nevertheless how much they cost. Are these too expensive for us
to ignore the health of our children? At the end we must add that
according to the minister the epidemical situation in the country
is more than quiet. There are separate cases of infectious diseases
but these are localized and necessary measures are taken. According
to the acting chief doctor of the Center of Hygiene O. Harutiunian,
despite the lack of vaccines the population has already acquired
collective immunity, therefore the risk of epidemics is not big. As
to the children that have not been vaccinated yet, there is still
the danger of getting infected.

NAIRA HAYRUMIAN.
06-09-2004

Traitor deprived of citizenship

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Sept 6 2004

Baku, September 3, AssA-Irada

Alikram Humbatov, who was released from life imprisonment by a
presidential decree on Friday, has been deprived of Azerbaijani
citizenship.

Humbatov, who was not military trained and managed to receive the
rank of colonel within a short period thanks to his foreign supporters
and former defense minister Rahim Gaziyev, is noted with his handing
over the positions of the Azerbaijani military units in Garabagh to
Armenians and committing crimes against local residents. Humbatov,
who was collaborating with special service bodies of foreign countries,
which were against Azerbaijan’s independence and, who declared himself
the president of the self-proclaimed “Talish Mughan Republic” in
the summer of 1993, was sentenced to life imprisonment after Heydar
Aliyev came to power. Gaziyev played “a great role” in carrying out
Humbatov’s separatist actions.*

Reuters
Sept 6 2004

Open-Agassi sets up Federer showdown at U.S. Open
Mon 6 September, 2004 22:03

NEW YORK, Sept 6 (Reuters) – Sixth seed Andre Agassi set up a
mouthwatering quarter-final showdown with world number one Roger
Federer following a 6-3 6-2 6-2 win over Armenia’s Sargis Sargsian
at the U.S. Open on Monday.

Sargsian survived two five-set battles to reach the fourth round but
Agassi, looking for his ninth grand slam title, was in a different
class as he raced to victory in just 90 minutes.

The 34-year-old American, champion in 1994 and 1999, was in ominous
form as he charged through the match. He won seven consecutive games
to take a 4-0 lead in the decider.

Sargsian, a close friend of Agassi, registered on the scoreboard
in the fifth game but the sixth seed clinched victory with a huge
forehand winner.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN, AZERI AND TURKISH FMs TO MEET IN NEW YORK

ArmenPress
Sept 6 2004

BAKU, SEPTEMBER 6, ARMENPRESS: Azerbaijani Azertag news agency said
Armenian, Turkish and Azeri foreign ministers will have a trilateral
meeting in New York later this month on the sidelines of the UN
General Assembly session that starts September 21.

The agency quoted Azeri foreign minister Elmar Mamedyarov as saying
that the meeting will focus on ways of resolving the Karabagh problem
and Turkey’s role in these efforts.

Meantime a spokesman for Armenian foreign ministry, Hamlet Gasparian,
told Armenpress that minister Vartan Oskanian is planning to travel
to New York on September 29 only.

PACE TO DISCUSS ARMENIA RELATED ISSUES

ArmenPress
Sept 6 2004

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 6, ARMENPRESS: The monitoring commission of the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) will hold
a session September 15 in Paris, to discuss, among other issues,
also a preliminary report on how Armenian authorities are meeting
requirements of two PACE resolutions 1351 and 1374.

Parliament member Armen Rustamian, who is also a member of the
Armenian delegation to PACE, said today the Armenian delegation will
propose that the final conclusion be presented next January as under
decision 1361 Armenia still has some time to meet all requirements
and recommendations of the PACE.

Another PACE commission on political affairs is also expected to
meet September 15 and is supposed to discuss a preliminary report by
a former PACE rapporteur on Nagorno Karabagh, Terry Davis. Rustamian
said today that the commission may decide to put the report on PACE’s
autumn session agenda if it finds it complete, but he added that a
new rapporteur must be appointed to replace Davis, elected Council
of Europe Secretary General.