Armenia says terrorists in N Ossetia challenged civilised world
By Tigran Liloyan

ITAR-TASS News Agency
September 1, 2004 Wednesday 2:21 PM Eastern Time

YEREVAN, September 1 — The news of the hostage-taking crisis in North
Ossetia raised feelings of indignation in Armenia, its President
Robert Kocharyan said in a message to Russian President Vladimir
Putin on Wednesday.

“By taking children hostage the terrorists challenged the whole
civilised world,” he said.

“At this hard time, the people of Armenia share the anguish and anxiety
of Russians. We strongly condemn any manifestation of terrorism and
express our support to the people and leadership of Russia in their
resolute fight against this evil,” the president said.

REFERENCE: TERRORIST ATTACKS IN MOSCOW IN 1999-2004

RIA Novosti
September 01, 2004

1999:
In the evening of August 31, an explosion went off in the Okhotny
Ryad shopping centre on Manezhnaya Square near the Kremlin. Forty-one
people were wounded (one woman later died in hospital).

In the early hours of September 9, an explosion ripped through a
nine-storey apartment house in Guryanova Street, causing the central
part of the building to tumble. Ninety-two people died, 264 were
wounded, including 86 children. The neighbouring houses were damaged
too.

Early on September 13, a blast razed an eight-storey apartment house
in Kashirskoye Shosse (highway). As many as 124 people were killed,
including 13 children, and nine people were wounded. The neighbouring
buildings were hit too.

2000:
In the evening of August 8, an explosion went off in the underpass on
Pushkinskaya Square, central Moscow. Seven people died instantly, 100
people were wounded (five of them died later in hospital).

2001:
In the evening of February 5, an explosive device placed under a
stone bench was activated at the Belorusskaya metro station (the
ring). Ten people were wounded, the bench was completely destroyed,
and the interior of the station was slightly damaged.

2002:
In the evening of October 23, a terrorist detachment headed by Movsar
Barayev took hostage all the spectators and actors, over 800 people,
including 80 foreigners, during the Nord Ost performance in the
Dubrovka theatre centre. The terrorists demanded that federal troops
be withdrawn from the Chechen republic. On October 26, a special
operation to liberate the hostages left all the terrorists – 32 men
and 18 women – dead. Besides, 128 hostages died, including eight
people from CIS and non-CIS countries.

2003:
In the afternoon of July 5, two suicide bombers activated explosive
devices strapped to their belts during he Krylya rock festival in the
Tushino aerodrome, in the immediate vicinity to it, though only one
of them exploded fully. Besides the terrorists,11 people died,
including one child. At least 35 people were wounded (three of them
died later in hospital). Over 60 people asked for medical treatment.

Late on July 9, security guards detained a woman who had an explosive
device in her bag in the Imbir cafe, 1st Tverskaya-Yamskaya Street.
During the bomb disposal, an FSB officer was killed by a blast. The
woman, Zarema Muzhikhoyeva, a Chechen native, was later sentenced to
20 years in prison by the Moscow City Court.

In the morning of December 9, a female suicide bomber exploded
herself near the National hotel in Okhotny Ryad Street (close to the
Kremlin). Besides the terrorist, five people were killed, 13 wounded,
including a Chinese citizen.

2004:
In the morning of February 6, a suicide bomber activated an explosive
device strapped to his belt in a train going from the Avtozavodskaya
to the Paveletskaya underground stations. The train was 300 metres
short of Paveletskaya. Thirty-nine people died on the spot, including
Armenian and Moldovan citizens, and about 140 people were wounded.

On March 15, on the 23rd km of the Krym highway in the Moscow region,
staffers of the Moscow Mainline Electricity Transmission Grids
discovered three damaged masts of the LEP-500 (electricity
transmission lines). The damage was caused by an explosion. Besides,
they found an explosive devices consisting of three cartridges for a
grenade launcher on one of the masts, and another two explosive
devices and a piece of fabric resembling the flag of the Chechen
republic of Ichkeria.

ST PETERSBURG: HARES AND ‘CHIZHIKS’
By Philip Marriott The Moscow News

Moscow News (Russia)
September 1, 2004

Spending a few days in St. Petersburg can present you with a
difficult choice as far as sightseeing goes; there is just too much
to see and wonder at that it’s hard to know where to start. Anything
located in the centre will shake Moscow out of the hair, certainly
looking at the architecture or other visual attractions. And then of
course further afield are Peterhof, or Repino.

Take one of the canal trips through the city centre and you will
learn why Petersburg has been described in the past as a floating
city between two worlds. Without a doubt this is the best way to see
the city as you pass by former palaces of the tsarist elite,
barracks, and gardens like the Letny Sad or Summer Garden containing
antique sculptured figures from classical mythology along with
allegorical figures of such notions as wisdom, truth etc. The Summer
Garden is right next to Marsovo Polye or Mars Field with its monument
to the Unknown Soldier. The boat takes you across the Neva to show
you the battleship Aurora and Petropavlovskaya Krepost – Peter’s
castle, the original core of St. Petersburg. Some things you won’t be
able to see from the boat however are the beautiful Armenian and
Catholic churches on Nevsky Prospekt (Nevsky Avenue). The Armenian
with one of the latest additions to the town, a fountain in the form
of a tree bearing pomegranates, the Catholic one under renovation and
with a very informative display about the history of the church
itself and some of the horrors it and its congregation have gone
through.

Recent additions to the monuments in the city include two charming
bronze sculptures, one of which is the Hare atop a wooden pillar just
under one of the bridges leading to Zayachy Ostrov (Hare Island). You
can also see living compatriots nearby in the zoo – a good option if
you are with kids. The other monument on a small scale is the Chizhik
or bird sculpture on the wall of the Fontanka canal and opposite the
famous house of the same name – a former palace of Sheremetyev and
later where Anna Akhmatova lived and received her famous visitor
Isaiah Berlin. The bird commemorates the fact that former students of
the law school nearby were called Chizhik-Pizhiks because the colors
of their uniform were the same as the bird. A rhyme grew up on the
theme of the students secretly going to a notorious nearby drinking
place. ‘Chizhik-Pizhik, gdye ty byl: where have you been? Drinking
vodka by the Fontanka. I had one, I had a few and now…I’m drunk!’
It gets lost in translation!MN

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
September 1, 2004, Wednesday

SMOULDERING CONFLICTS FLARE UP

SOURCE: Nezavisimoe Voennoe Obozrenie, No 32, August 27 – September
2, 2004, p. 2

by Igor Plugatarev

THERE IS MORE THAN ONE HOT SPOT IN THE CAUCASUS NOWADAYS

President of Russia Vladimir Putin on a “working vocation” in Sochi
made an unplanned trip to Chechnya on the morning of August 22. The
official excuse – the desire to lay a wreath to the tomb of the late
President Akhmad Kadyrov. In the meantime, some analysts saw in the
trip another motive – one analogous to why Putin visited the Caucasus
after the Ingushetian raid on June 22.

Ingushetian scenario in the Chechen manner

On the night of August 22, several mobile groups of Chechen gunmen
attacked some polling stations, police stations, military
commandant’s offices, and checkpoints in Grozny. Clashes were
reported in the environs of Minutka Square and in the Oktyabrsky and
Staropromyslovsky districts. The Regional Operational Headquarters
claims that the federal forces thwarted Aslan Maskhadov’s and Shamil
Basayev’s attempt to destabilize the situation in the republic.
Objective information indicates that it is wishful thinking on the
military’s part.

Statements of the Regional Operational Headquarters aired by Major
General Ilya Shabalkin bear a strong resemblance to the confused
statements of security structures in Ingushetia after June 22. Take
the phrase that “Gunmen were quite weak and did not plan to overrun
any objects” alone. Society regularly hears the assurances that
gunmen “lack the strength”, that they number “500 men at best” in
Chechnya, that they are out of Basayev’s and Maskhadov’s control and
“splinter groups are aimlessly roaming the mountains.” Add roughly
how many activists of illegal armed formations were killed and taken
prisoner by the federal forces, and you will find this figure “500
men at best” multiplied several times. It’s no wonder Shabalkin
offers neither a rough estimate of the gangs participating in the
raid last Sunday, nor their numerical strength. There were at least
200 gunmen involved in the Ingushetian raid in June. Witnesses say
that the ones attacking Grozny did not number any less.

Right after the battles in Grozny, Shabalkin said that “the
possibility of repetition of August 22 is practically impossible”:
gunmen are being hunted down. Many of them already arrested, and
their “attempt to make a lot of noise in Gudermes with a really small
force and this to make a resonance” failed. But serious fighting was
reported again on August 24. Not only in Grozny, but in the nearby
settlements as well. Once again, the policemen and noncombatants
(potential voters) were killed.

It seems that Chechen ringleaders succeeded in pulling off what the
federal forces call “a lot of noise”. As Shabalkin put it, if the
criminals “intended to draw foreign sponsors’ attention”, they
apparently succeeded. There is a lot of noise nowadays, a week before
the election. Even the West took note: the German media, for example,
extensively commented on the events beginning with Putin’s visit to
Chechnya. From this point of view, gunmen pulled off the scenario
they had already succeeded with in Ingushetia on June 22 when they
attacked Nazran, Karabulak, and Ordzhonikidzevskaya. The massacres
there resulted in the deaths of 98 (including 67 servicemen of the
army, Interior Ministry, Federal Security Service, and Border
Service, and the rest were civilians).

Tbilisi’s war cry

Tension on the Georgian-Ossetian border deteriorates while the
hostilities in Chechnya continue.

Moscow responds to Tbilisi’s aggressive statements aggressively too –
with maneuvers.

First and foremost, the matter concerns maneuvers of the 58th Army
with headquarters in Vladikavkaz. It is quartered in North Ossetia,
right near the Georgian borders. Its 429th (Mozdok, North Ossetia)
and 135th (Prokhladny in Kabardino-Balkaria) regiments moved to the
Sernovodsk testing site – the exercise area – on August 23. (By the
day the Djava heights near Tskhinvali were cleared by the Georgians).
That same day, Georgian Defense Minister Georgy Baramidze said that
“these maneuvers on a full scale are an expression of a
non-constructive position on Russia’s part” and that “situation being
what it is, their organization in the vicinity of the conflict area
generates tension.” It goes without saying that the Defense Ministry
of Russia immediately replied that the exercise had been planned last
year and that what Georgia perceived as a “full scale exercise” was
but “ordinary routine” for Russia. In the meantime, this “routine”
exercise was commanded by Lieutenant General Viktor Sobolev, 58th
Army Commander (which is strange because routine exercises are
usually run by division COs). It involved over 2,000 servicemen and
almost 100 armored vehicles, and drilled mobilizational and combat
readiness and combat missions. It is also interesting that this
numerical strength and fire power is an approximate equivalent of
what Tbilisi concentrated on the South Ossetian borders – between
2,000 and 3,000 servicemen, 30 tanks, and other armored vehicles.

The Caucasus Military District began flexing its muscles
simultaneously – reservists totaling 5,000 to 6,000 reservists were
called in.

Moreover, it so happened that Russian peacekeepers – in Georgia
itself, right on the border of the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict – ran
an exercise at the same time. This exercise too was run by a
lieutenant general, peacekeeping force commander Alexander Yevteev.
The units drilled increase of combat readiness, deployment in the
zone of responsibility, and prevention of armed clashes. All of what
General Svyatoslav Nabzdorov in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict area
is doing in real life, his colleague Yevteev drilled. After South
Ossetia, Georgia is unlikely to try Revolution of the Roses in
Abkhazia, but better safe than sorry. Needless to say, this exercise
was “planned” too.

Add here the Russian-Armenian exercise near Yerevan. It was even more
serious. It involved two regiments (one of them Armenian and the
other a regiment of the 102nd Russian Base) and aviation (MIG-29
fighters and SU-25 ground strafers).

Finding itself in a ring of exercises, Tbilisi sobered up. Hotheads
like Interior Minister Irakly Okruashvili (the man Nabzdorov
regularly condemns for escalation of the conflict) calmed down some.
Okruashvili said, however, that should anything happened, Georgian
troops would be in Tskhinvali within 15 minutes and that “we will
respond with three shots to every one fired at us.” Experts ascribe
it to emotions rather than a true evaluation of his own capacities.
Debates are still under way over who the Georgians fought but it is
clear at this point that Tskhinvali defeated Tbilisi at 1 to 2 ratio.
(Sources in the Interior Ministry of Georgia reported that 20
servicemen and policemen were killed and 54 wounded, while South
Ossetian losses are estimated at about a dozen men.) Ossetians still
know how to fight – ever since the war on Zviad Gamsakhurdia’s army.

In short, there are lots of potential hot spots in the Caucasus.

Associated Press Worldstream
September 1, 2004 Wednesday 12:51 PM Eastern Time

National rankings of economic security

Countries ranked according the International Labor Organization’s
Economic Security Index, which combines seven different measures of
individual economic security, with the highest score being 1.000.

1. Sweden 0.977
2. Finland 0.947
3. Norway 0.926
4. Denmark 0.910
5. Netherlands 0.865
6. Belgium 0.829
7. France 0.829
8. Luxembourg 0.813
9. Germany 0.793
10. Canada 0.785
11. Ireland 0.782
12. Austria 0.782
13. Spain 0.756
14. Portugal 0.738
15. United Kingdom 0.736
16. Switzerland 0.727
17. Australia 0.724
18. Japan 0.718
19. Israel 0.695
20. Italy 0.681
21. Hungary 0.635
22. Slovakia 0.626
23. Czech Republic 0.622
24. New Zealand 0.614
25. United States 0.612
26. Greece 0.592
27. Latvia 0.587
28. Bulgaria 0.582
29. Barbados 0.574
30. Lithuania 0.556
31. Croatia 0.546
32. South Korea 0.545
33. Mauritius 0.536
34. Estonia 0.525
35. Ukraine 0.524
36. Costa Rica 0.521
37. Argentina 0.521
38. South Africa 0.519
39. Brazil 0.517
40. Panama 0.515
41. Russia 0.503
42. Belarus 0.499
43. Moldova 0.495
44. Romania 0.456
45. Philippines 0.455
46. Chile 0.447
47. Azerbaijan 0.425
48. Mexico 0.418
49. Tunisia 0.412
50. Algeria 0.409
51. Tajikistan 0.404
52. Ecuador 0.395
53. Venezuela 0.393
54. Lebanon 0.390
55. Georgia 0.389
56. Turkey 0.381
57. Kyrgyzstan 0.380
58. China 0.356
59. Egypt 0.339
60. Albania 0.339
61. Peru 0.339
62. Sri Lanka 0.330
63. Kazakhstan 0.320
64. Uzbekistan 0.312
65. Thailand 0.287
66. Armenia 0.285
67. Honduras 0.276
68. Burkina Faso 0.266
69. Colombia 0.258
70. Nigeria 0.254
71. Zimbabwe 0.254
72. Madagascar 0.249
73. Ivory Coast 0.247
74. India 0.246
75. Morocco 0.237
76. Turkmenistan 0.230
77. Indonesia 0.228
78. Ghana 0.227
79. Congo 0.226
80. Senegal 0.223
81. Benin 0.215
82. Congo 0.148
83. Ethiopia 0.142
84. Pakistan 0.136
85. Mauritania 0.128
86. Burundi 0.098
87. Rwanda 0.073
88. Bangladesh 0.070
89. Sierra Leone 0.060
90. Nepal 0.051

Armenian, Azerbaijani presidents to meet in Astana
By Tigran Liloyan

ITAR-TASS News Agency
September 1, 2004 Wednesday

YEREVAN, September 1 — Armenian President Robert Kocharyan and
Azerbaijani President Ilkham Aliyev are likely to meet again at a
CIS summit in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanyan told television on Wednesday
that the fourth meeting with his Azerbaijani counterpart in Prague was
“the most important of all the previous ones” during which the sides
“took one more important step forward”.

“The purpose of these contacts is to lay the foundation for further
negotiations and meetings both between the ministers and presidents
of Armenia and Azerbaijan,” Oskanyan said.

He said the meeting in Prague was “on the whole positive”.

“If the sides continue in the same mode, eventually they will lay
the foundation for positive results in the future,” the minister said.

Putin says Turkey and Russia should cooperate in Caucasus, Central Asia
BY SUZAN FRASER; Associated Press Writer

Associated Press Worldstream
September 1, 2004 Wednesday

ANKARA, Turkey — Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview
broadcast Wednesday that Turkey and Russia should avoid competing for
influence in the Caucasus and Central Asia and increase cooperation,
especially regarding the soaring trade between the two countries.

Putin was speaking before a two-day visit to Turkey that starts
Thursday – a first by a Russian leader since the Soviet collapse.

Bilateral trade, currently standing at US$6.8 billion ([euro]5.6
billion), has increased sixfold since 1992, Putin said in an interview
broadcast on CNN-Turk television. The interview was conducted in the
Russian resort of Sochi on Monday.

Turkey and Russia have been rivals for centuries, competing for
influence in Central Asia, the Caucasus and the Balkans. That
competition increased after the fall of the Soviet Union and the
independence of Turkic states in Central Asia and the Caucasus.

But recently rivalries have subsided and the two countries have been
concentrating on trade.

Turkey and Russia “are moving toward cooperation and welfare…
Russian and Turkey are neighbors. We have common interests,” Putin
said in the interview. His remarks were broadcast dubbed in Turkish.
A Russian transcript was not immediately available.

“I certainly believe that today and in the future, we can cooperate
and reach wider targets,” he said, referring to past Turkish-Russian
projects, including a 446-kilometer (278-mile) natural gas pipeline
that runs beneath the Black Sea to Turkey.

“I believe that if we want to solve the problems along regional
interests, we have to especially avoid competition,” Putin told
CNN-Turk television.

“Both Russia and Turkey are two states that wish, more than anyone
else, for stability in the region and for the situation to return to
normal. We know the problems there better than anyone else,” he said.

Putin and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan are expected
to discuss trade but also contentious issues such as the Caucasus,
where Turkey is allied with Azerbaijan and Russia is friendly with
Azerbaijan’s rival, Armenia.

The conflict in Chechnya – also in the Caucasus – is on the agenda
too. Turks sympathize with their fellow Muslims in Chechnya, and
many Turks trace their ancestry to the Caucasus. Russia has called
on Turkey to crack down on Turkish charities that it claims have
provided support to Chechen rebels.

Russia provides some 60 percent of Turkey’s natural gas imports,
and Putin said his country was also considering selling oil to Turkey
and exporting fuel to other countries via Turkey.

Turkey is expected to stress during Putin’s visit that the narrow
Bosporus Strait dividing Istanbul cannot handle further Russian oil
exports. The Turks are expected to press for other ways of exporting
Russian oil, such as pipelines through Turkey.

Putin will be accompanied by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov
and Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov. Putin’s predecessor, Boris Yeltsin,
attended a regional security summit in Istanbul in 1999.

ARKA News Agency
Sept 1 2004

RA President congratulates NKR President with 13th anniversary of
independence

Vardan Oskanian: last meeting of AR and RA Foreign Ministers in
Prague was most important of the whole cycle of conducted
negotiations

All Armenian Fund Hayastan provides 117.6 million AMD worth relief to
children of perished azatamartiks and invalids of Armenia and Artsakh

RA MFA rebuts rumors on meeting of RA, AR and Turkish foreign
ministers’ meeting in New York on September 17

RA Prime Minister congratulates the president and people of NKR with
13th anniversary of independence

RA CB Council clarifies the situation concerning the accusations of
Levon Marcos, the ex-owner of Credit-Yerevan bank

2nd building of Russian-Armenian State (Slavonic) University is
opened

*********************************************************************

RA PRESIDENT CONGRATULATES NKR PRESIDENT WITH 13TH ANNIVERSARY OF
INDEPENDENCE

YEREVAN, September 1. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharian
congratulated NKR President Arkady Gukasian with 13th anniversary of
independence, RA President’s press office told ARKA. The letter says:
“In 13 years after proclamation of independence we confirm our
adherence to freedom of Artsakh, ideas of independence and democracy.
Last years showed that NKR choice was correct. Armenian authorities
still remain the adherents of peaceful and fair settlement of
Karabakh conflict”.
RA NA Speaker Arthur Baghdasarian in his turn also sent his greetings
to the President of NKR, NKR NA Speaker Oleg Yesayan and NKR Prime
Minister Anushavan Danielian.
On September 2, 1991 Declaration of proclamation of Nagorno Karabakh
Republic was approved. L.D. –0—

*********************************************************************

VARDAN OSKANIAN: LAST MEETING OF AR AND RA FOREIGN MINISTERS IN
PRAGUE WAS MOST IMPORTANT OF THE WHOLE CYCLE OF CONDUCTED
NEGOTIATIONS

YEREVAN, September 1. /ARKA/. Last meeting of AR and RA Foreign
Ministers in Prague was most important of the whole cycle of
conducted negotiations, RA MFA states with the reference to RA
Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian. Oskanian once again stressed that
the goal of the meeting of foreign ministers was creation of basis
for negotiations at the level of ministers and presidents. Giving
estimation to the negotiations Oskanian said that if the processes
develop in the same paces, in the end the parties will be able to
create the base that will open large opportunities for achievement of
positive results.
Minister also said that next meeting of RA and AR Presidents will
more than likely take place in Astana. L.D. –0—

*********************************************************************

ALL ARMENIAN FUND HAYASTAN PROVIDES 117.6 MILLION AMD WORTH RELIEF TO
CHILDREN OF PERISHED AZATAMARTIKS AND INVALIDS OF ARMENIA AND ARTSAKH

YEREVAN, September 1. /ARKA/. All Armenian Fund Hayastan provided
117.6 million AMD worth relief to children of perished Azatamartiks
and invalids of Armenia and Artsakh, the Fund told ARKA. The relief
if provided in the frames of realization of social program “To
children of perished Azatamartiks and invalids of Armenia and
Artsakh”.
Fund Hayastan realized one-time payment on debts at the line of
relief for 2002. In result, 5042 people received relief in amount of
24 thousand AMD. L.D. –0—

*********************************************************************

RA MFA REBUTS RUMORS ON MEETING OF RA, AR AND TURKISH FOREIGN
MINISTERS’ MEETING IN NEW YORK ON SEPTEMBER 17

YEREVAN, September 1. /ARKA/. RA MFA rebuts rumors on meeting of RA,
AR and Turkish foreign ministers’ meeting in New York on September
17, RA MFA Press Secretary Hamlet Gasparian told ARKA. On September
17, RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian will pay a visit in other
countries. According to Gasparian, Oskanian will be in New York on
September 29. L.D. –0—

*********************************************************************

RA PRIME MINISTER CONGRATULATES THE PRESIDENT AND PEOPLE OF NKR WITH
13TH ANNIVERSARY OF INDEPENDENCE

YEREVAN, September 1. /ARKA/. RA Prime Minister Andranik Margarian
congratulated the president and people of NKR with 13th anniversary
of independence, RA Government press office told ARKA. The letter
says: “13 years ago Armenians of Artsakh expressed joint will to
protect their right for creation of independent state and worthy life
at historical motherland. This will is uncompromising and victory in
Karabakh war testifies to that. NKR must stay attached to the
principle of peaceful settlement of Karabakh conflict. Artsakh people
must be confident that Armenian and all Armenianship will always
protect them”.
On September 2, NKR celebrates 13th anniversary of its independence.
L.D. –0—

*********************************************************************

RA CB COUNCIL CLARIFIES THE SITUATION CONCERNING THE ACCUSATIONS OF
LEVON MARCOS, THE EX-OWNER OF CREDIT-YEREVAN BANK

YEREVAN, September 1. /ARKA/. The RA CB Council clarified the
situation concerning the accusations of Levon Marcos, the ex-owner of
the bankrupt Credit-Yerevan, Head of Sretenka Russian Concern. The
statement of CBA Council published in local Haykakan Jamanak
newspaper says that L.Marcos obtained the shares of Credit-Yerevan
bank in June of 2001, i.e. long before the appointment of temporary
administration in the bank caused by abrupt deterioration of the
situation in the bank. According to CBA Council, L.Marcos followed
not the patriotic motive while purchasing Credit-Yerevan bank. He
made this step in order to obtain unlimited decision-making
opportunities to develop activities on international market and to
issue false bank guarantees for millions of US dollars on behalf of
Credit-Yerevan bank. The article states that the National Interpol
Bureau in Armenia possesses official documentation on various
countries (Andorra, in particular) related to the false guarantees
issued by Credit-Yerevan bank and signed by representatives of L.
Marcos. “As a result, Credit-Yerevan lost its correspondent accounts
in a number of foreign banks and our banking system faced a real
threat of losing the opportunity to carry out operations with top
banks of the world” says the article of CBA Council. Moreover, the
international organizations fighting against money laundering could
have formed a negative opinion about RA and give instructions to
cease any financial operations with Armenia, as well as close the
correspondent accounts in foreign banks.
Levon Marcos failed to meet his engagements to RA Central Bank. At
that, the article notes that Marcos did not consider it expedient to
conduct negotiations on professional level. He did not take into
account that he deals with state and state interests and not with
“separate clans”. ” The CBA will consecutively follow its policy on
introduction of rules of corporate management applied in
international practice, which require personal responsibility on the
part of every owner of the bank, not only moral, but financial as
well”, says the article.
To mention, Levon Marcos, the ex-owner of the bankrupt
Credit-Yerevan, Head of Sretenka Russian Concern published an open
letter in Haykakan Jamanak newspaper. According to it, Marcos accused
Tigran Sargsyan, the Head of RA Central Bank and Serge Sargsyan, RA
Defense Minister of his failure in Armenia. According to the
estimates of Marcos, the losses of both cheated citizens and foreign
investors of Credit-Yerevan bank make $50 mln in total, of which $33
mln are the assets of the bank and $17 mln. –investments made in the
bank. L.V.–0–

*********************************************************************

2ND BUILDING OF RUSSIAN-ARMENIAN STATE (SLAVONIC) UNIVERSITY IS
OPENED

YEREVAN, September 1. /ARKA/. The 2nd building of the Russian
–Armenian State (Slavonic) University (RAU) was opened after capital
repairs. According to Armen Darbinyan, Rector of RAU and ex-prime
minister of Armenia, the University has doubled its space and now the
free territory of the university equals to 20 thou m2. He mentioned
that the federal budget of RF allotted 40 mln rubles for the capital
repairs of the University. He also said that in future the RAU plans
to start the realization of its plans concerning the construction of
the large hall of the University, a sports complex and friendship
park.
The opening ceremony was attended by Anatoly Drjukov, the RF
Ambassador to Armenia, Sergo Yeritzyan, the RA Minister of Science
and Education, representatives of RAU teaching staff and students.
Russian Armenian (Slavonic) University opened in 1999 in frames of
intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in education sphere and
possesses the status of higher educational institutions of Russia and
Armenia. The first student admission was carried out in February of
1999. Today, the University has nine faculties — Economic, Law,
Applied mathematics and information, Political science, Journalism,
Social and cultural service and tourism, International relations,
State and municipal management and Medico-biologic. In 2002, post
graduate courses were introduced in the RAU. Rau has 20 Chairs,
preparatory courses and 16 scientific sub departments, including the
institute of Russian philology and Center of Russian-Armenian
cultural and literature initiatives after L.Lazarian. Currently,
more than 1,5 thou students study in RAU. L.V.–0—

*********************************************************************

Azg Armenian Daily
Sept 1 2004

ONE MORE MONTH OF UNCERTAINTY IN BLACK BEACH

ARMENIAN HOSTAGES FOR IRAQI REBELS?

FREE BOOKS IN “GEORGIAN” ACADEMIC YEAR

TURKEY TO ATTACH IMPORTANCE TO RUSSIAN PRESIDENT’S VISIT

*********************************************************************

ONE MORE MONTH OF UNCERTAINTY IN BLACK BEACH

Prisoners Being Tortured

The nineteen prisoners accused of a coup d’etat in Equatorial Guinea
are to wait for one more month for a sentence. Hamlet Gasparian,
press secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, informed Azg
Daily that the Armenian ambassador to Egypt Sergey Manasarian
together with Gevorg Petrosian of State Ceremony Department are in
Malabo and will return theses days.

“By now we can say that the trial was postponed for a month. Our
diplomats have met Guinean officials to ease their condition and to
secure them”, said Gasparian.

The six Armenian air crew were detained on 8 of March on charges of
attempting to overthrow president Teodoro Obiang Nguema have been
kept chained 24 hours a day in Malabo’s notorious Black Beach prison.
Our pilots have been working in Equatorial Guinea since January of
the current year. They do not plead guilty of the charges made.

During the August 30 court session the prosecutor suggested to
postpone the trail as the lawsuit has to do with a coup d’etat and
some materials needed to be closely examined. It came as a surprise a
week ago that former British PM Margaret Thatcher’s son Mark Thatcher
is accused of financing the coup. The “Iron Lady’s” son was arrested
in South African Republic but was released on bail of 300 thousand
dollars. He also pleads not guilty.

Yesterday the British Independent published an article titled “Dogs
of war?” where it informs about lawsuit process and some details
about the prisoners and the president Nguema. So, the newspaper
correspondent Raymond Whitaker writes: “Their wrists and feet
shackled, the accused half-crawled”. Mr. Mico, their defense lawyer,
said: “All the accused apart from Mr. du Toit have told me they were
tortured.”

“Prison in any country is far from being a paradise. We are extremely
worried about the future of our citizens and the conditions they’re
kept in interest us. It is already the second time that our diplomats
visit the captives. We also have turned to international
organizations such as the Red Cross and to some diplomats who had the
opportunity to visit them. None of Armernian prisoners ever said to
be tortured”, said Gasparian.

The citizen of South African Republic Nick du Toit has confessed that
he was offered a huge sum of money to head the coup. Seven of 19
prisoners are South African, 6 Armenians and 5 local. Aside from Nick
du Toit all other pledge not guilty.

On August 31 the president Nguema hold a press conference for foreign
journalists where he said: “Individuals without morals who attempted
a crime against our country which would have resulted in blood being
spilt”.

The Independent reminds that since Nguema deposed and executed his
despotic uncle in 1979, he has been accused of spilling plenty of
blood on his own account, and even of eating the testicles of his
murdered enemies to imbibe their masculinity.

Equatorial Guinea was once a Spanish colony and won its independence
only in 1968. Since then the country have been ruled by dictators.
The first one was Francisco Nguema the other one his nephew, the
current president. Two years ago 68 people were sentenced to 20 years
imprisonment for a coup against president. In 1998 15 people were
sentenced to death for separatism.

What are the steps that Armenia takes to release its citizens? Hamlet
Gasparian said that the Armenians have a defense lawyer and that
Armenia does everything possible for their release. The letters of
the president of Armenia and of the Supreme Patriarch of all
Armenians were handed to the government of Equatorial Guinea.

By Tatoul Hakobian

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ARMENIAN HOSTAGES FOR IRAQI REBELS?

Armenia Sends Doctors, Drivers and Deminers to Iraq

The Defense Ministry of Armenia is getting ready to support the Iraqi
people by sending Armenian doctors, drivers and deminers to Iraq.
Seyran Shahsuvarian, press secretary of the defense minister,
informed Azg Daily that the Armenian specialists will leave for Iraq
as soon as the National Assembly confirms this decision.

The official Yerevan didn’t join together with Russia, France,
Germany and several other countries to America’s anti-Iraqi campaign
to topple Saddam Hussein. But Armenia expressed its willingness to
help in rebuilding the ruined country.

At the press conference few months ago held together with Charles
Wald, deputy commander-in-chief for the European Command (EUCOM), the
head of the Supreme Headquarters of Armenia Mikael Haroutiunian said
that Armenia decided to send a military squad to Iraq. Haroutiunian
noted that there is an Armenian diaspora in Iraq, and Armenia does
everything to support in rebuilding the post-war country. But this
doesn’t mean that the “military squad will leave for Iraq tomorrow”.
The USA in its turn hopes that Armenia will join the multinational
forces as soon as possible.

The USA wants to lure as many countries as possible to its side for
justifying the Iraqi war. Of course, if so many countries were
involved in the war than it couldn’t be a blunder. The coalition
today consists of 32 countries, some of which, such as Spain and
Philippines, have already resigned in the face of rebels’ cruelties.
Such American allies as Canada, Turkey, Germany and France are not in
the anti-Iraqi campaign. The other 3 heavy-weighters not included in
the alliance are Russia, China and India.

The Defense Ministry of Armenia has already taken the decision of
sending Armenian specialists to Iraq. The government confirmed the
decisions some days ago. The parliament will go on for discussions in
autumn and “yes” or “no” will largely depend on the will of the
Armenian authorities. If official Yerevan is firm in its decision
then the Armenian specialists will for Iraq.

There are 20 thousand Armenians living in Iraq. The August 1
explosions at 5 Christian churches came to prove that the Christians
of Iraq as well as whole population of the country are not secured of
suicide-bombers. The Iraqi Armenians occasionally note that Armenia’s
participation as an American coalition member might bring them
troubles.

The Armenian government has missed a serious point: who is going to
guard our specialists in this country? We know from sad experience of
other countries that the Iraqi rebels do not consider if the
foreigner is a doctor or a soldier. The Armenian embassy in Baghdad
that is usually a safety guarantee for Armenians in Baghdad was
closed a day before the US bombs hit Baghdad.

Armenian’s participation in the reconstruction of Iraq must be
necessity from the political angel. But it must be noted that Iraq is
far from being reconstructed today, instead the multinational
coalition forces continue the occupation and destruction of the
country.

By Tatoul Hakobian

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FREE BOOKS IN “GEORGIAN” ACADEMIC YEAR

Yesterday was the first day of the new academic year in many
countries of the world, particularly, in the former Soviet republics.
In Georgia, the academic year is postponed till September 20. This is
the decision of the Georgian education Ministry.

Alexander Lomaya, Georgian Education Minister, explained this step by
the desire to give up the Soviet educational system and “pass to the
European one.”

Naturally, there are various opinions concerning this step. The
minister gave the following explanation to this decision: “Each
innovation is always accepted with an air of indignation. But in this
case we wanted to divide the physical and studying capacities of the
children equally in the year.”

For decades the academic year began in September 1. According to the
minister, Georgia finally decided that “they should take into account
the Georgian climate and the interests of the people that want to
prolong their vacation in September.” New Georgian Government also
explains the decision by the importance of the places for rest and
tourism. According to Regnum agency, the presidential program
envisages to deliver new bags and books to the first form
schoolchildren for free. While non-Georgian schools will be provided
manuals of Georgian language.

The Armenian and Azeri schools will receive manuals of Georgian
History and Geography in Armenian and Azerbaijanian. These schools
will also receive special manuals for Georgian language studies.

In previous years the abovementioned schools used to buy manuals from
Armenia and Azerbaijan.

By Aghavni Haroutiunian from Tbilisi

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TURKEY TO ATTACH IMPORTANCE TO RUSSIAN PRESIDENT’S VISIT

Perhaps Turkey Hopes for Reestablishing Its Authority in South
Caucasus

The month of September promises to be a diplomatically hot one in
Turkey. The main reason is the quantity of official visits that fall
on this month. Ankara is going to host the Russian president Vladimir
Putin on September 2 and Günter Verheugen, Member of the European
Commission, Enlargement, on September 5. The later will meet with the
Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan and Foreign Minister Gul on September
6, then will leave for the so-called capital of Northern Kurdistan
Diyarbakir, then Izmir and Istanbul.

It’s not excluded that Verheugen will visit the international fair,
which is going to be visited by Russian president. The president of
Iran Islamic Republic Mohammad Khatami is also reported to come by
the end of September.

Taking into consideration the fact that Turkey is striving for the
EU, and Verheugen’s mission in the EU, we can say that his visit is
of vital importance. We can assume that the Europeans will continue
manipulating on the Kurdish factor for enrolling Turkey in the EU.

Amidst all these, Turkey considers president Putin’s visit of a great
importance. Perhaps Ankara views Russian-Turkish relations as a means
to regaining its authority in the South Caucasus.

In the situation when Turkey can’t but explain its controversies with
the USA by its running for the EU, it becomes obvious that in case of
developed relations with Russia Turkey is granted more possibility to
maneuver between the USA and the EU. That will save Turkey from
Europe’s manipulations as regards entering the EU.

Concerning the regaining of lost positions in the South Caucasus, we
must say that Azg Daily has touched upon the issue in its previous
publications writing that the 9/11 enabled America to be militarily
present in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kirgizia and Georgia, thus Turkey
has lost its role of an American lever in the Middle East and the
South Caucasus.

But the American presence is not the only obstacle on the way of
Russian-Turkish relations and Turkish influence in the South
Caucasus. The American military presence is, perhaps, less important
than the silent agreement of Russia and America in the issue of
keeping the military balance in the South Caucasus.

Russian president’s visit hasn’t launched so far. Although Russia’s
support of Turkey cannot bring Turkey its lost authority in the South
Caucasus, its positive results may still create a favorable ground
for Iran Islamic Republic’s president’s visit to Ankara.

By Hakob Chakrian

TROIKA DISCUSSES BOOSTING ENERGY EXPORTS

Putinru.com, Russia, Russian Independent Internet Digest
Aug 31 2004

Vladimir Putin has given German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and
French President Jacques Chirac a sidelight on Russia’s plans for
the development of the national pipeline system.

The French and German leaders said that “the Russian government
is paving ground for boosting the export of energy resources by
encouraging the development of pipeline transport,” presidential aide
Sergei Prikhodko told journalists after the trilateral summit talks
in Sochi.

Chirac and Schroeder have been provided with information on the
construction of the Baltic pipeline system, development of the Northern
gas pipeline, Prikhodko said.

“It was important for the German and French leaders not just to
hear assurances from the Russian leadership but also to learn of its
concrete steps towards stepping up the production and export of energy
resources,” Prikhodko noted.

He explained that the energy theme emerged at the troika meeting
in discussing the Middle East and Iraq situation, which affects the
sustained and continuous shipments of oil to the world market.

“In this connection, the Russian president reminded his colleagues
that Russia has never violated its obligations in the supply of gas and
holds the same position in oil supplies,” the presidential aide said.

As regards international problems in discussion in Sochi, Prikhodko
said that, except Iraq and the Middle East, the three leaders spoke
of the Nagorny Karabakh settlement, the situation in Georgia and
Transdniestria.

The issue of the Russian-speaking population in Latvia and Estonia was
also raised at the talks, Prikhodko said. “It was not the Russian side
but our guests” that brought up the subject of observance of European
standards regarding the ethnic minorities in the Baltic countries.

After the talks with FRG Federal Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and
French President Jacques Chirac, Russian President Vladimir Putin
accompanied the high guests to the airport.

The French and German leaders have left home.