Armenia probes airport embezzlement case

Noyan Tapan news agency
10 Aug 04

YEREVAN

The Armenian Prosecutor-General’s Office is investigating a case of
embezzlement of approximately 1.5m US dollars from 1996 to 1999 at
Zvartnots international airport, Deputy Prosecutor-General Mnatsakan
Sarkisyan told a news conference on 10 August.

He confirmed that officials are being invited for questioning at the
Prosecutor-General’s Office in this regard. However, the deputy
prosecutor-general did not give any specific names and did not mention
if there were any defendants. He said that the objective was to
recover the damage inflicted.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ACCORDING TO MEMBER OF ARF EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, THE BELLICOSE STATEMENTS
OF AZERBAIJAN ARE MADE FOR INTERNAL APPLICATION

YEREVAN, August 11 (Noyan Tapan). Spartak Seiranian, a member of the
Executive Council of ARF Dashnaktsutyun, estimated the appeal of
Colonel Ramiz Melikov, Spokesman of the Ministry of Defense of
Azerbaijan, “to declare war on Armenia and to liberate Karabakh, as
Azerbaijan is much stronger today than it was 10 years ago” as a
statement made for internal application. In general, Spartak Seiranian
doesn’t see the threat of the resumtpion of war in the bellicose
statements sounded in the state and political circles of Azerbaijan
recently.

According to Spartak Seiranian, the Azeris hope to obtain arms,
develop its military potential and receive military domination over
Armenia “due to the virtual dollars of the Baku-Jeikhan oil pipeline,
which doesn’t operate still.”

But according to him, if the Azeris think that they have such military
force that can fight and win, one shouldn’t forget that the Armenian
warriors are also ready to die for their Homeland: “The Azeri warrior
isn’t ready to die for Karabakh, as he knows very well that Karabakh
isn’t his land, so he isn’t ready to die for the foreign land, on the
contrary, the Armenian fighter knows that he defends his Homeland,
that’s why he will go to all lengths.” The member of the Executive
Council of ARF Dashnaktsutyun explains the victory of the Armenian
troops in the Karabakh war with this circumstance, and he is sure that
if such situation forms in the future, the same pshycological
phenomenon will operate. As for the statement of Spokesman of the
Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan Ramiz Melikov that “today’s Armenia
has been formed on the historic lands of Azerbaijan and that there
will be no state named Armenia in the territory of the South Caucasus
in 25-30 years” member of the ARF Executive Council considered it as
an absurd, mentioning that this statement is calculated for the
illetarate people.

Azeri MP says Soros Foundation hinders major pipeline construction

Sarq, Baku
11 Aug 04

Excerpt from V. Allahverdiyeva report by Azerbaijani newspaper Sarq on
11 August headlined “Soros’ trace in problems around the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline” and subheaded “Zahid Qaralov: The Soros
Foundation wages expensive campaigns and involves people in
destructive activities”

It is difficult to say that all the problems aroused by the
construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline have been surmounted
because there are new reports about the local population preparing for
protests at the construction.

Most observers share the view that these problems do not emerge by
themselves, and that some people are purposefully creating them. Some
cite the Soros Foundation among them. The chairman of the Milli Maclis
Azerbaijan’s parliament commission on local government, MP Zahid
Qaralov, has recently unmasked the foundation. He said that there are
unhealthy intentions behind Soros’ activities. He sees Soros behind
problems around the pipeline’s construction. “I am absolutely certain
that the Soros Foundation too is involved in this. It wages expensive
campaigns and involves people in destructive activities. Under the
guise of charity, Soros has always obstructed what could benefit
relations of Azerbaijan with Iran, Russia, Georgia and Armenia. One
may ask – what is his interest in the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan? The
Foundation does not want the local population to live well. It wants
to turn the region into a cauldron. They were also involved in the
proliferation of separatism in the early 1990s. They were hiding then,
but now they have surfaced.”

Moreover, Armenian ideology, big empires and people who want a
shortage of oil in the world markets are interested in halting the
construction, Qaralov said. “Some say that it is Georgia’s ecology
minister and some say that it is the parliament’s speaker who is
obstructing this issue. But these are all only implementers. They
acknowledge the importance of the pipeline but they also want
environmental security, the pipes to be laid deeper under ground,
additional security measures to be taken, and more compensation to be
paid to locals. These are all small wishes but together with the big
ones they become decisive.”

Passage omitted: Repeating same ideas

World Bank lends over 6m dollars to Armenia for irrigation

Arminfo
10 Aug 04

YEREVAN

The Armenian government and World Bank today concluded a 6.75m-dollar
credit agreement for irrigation, Arminfo news agency has learnt from
the press service of the Ministry of Finance and Economy of Armenia.

These funds are to be spent on restoring 47 dikes, which are part of
the irrigation system, with the aim of ensuring their safe use, the
source reported. The programme is planned for four years. The first
credit programme of the World Bank to restore 20 dikes in the
irrigation system, worth 26.6m dollars, began in Armenia in 1999 and
will be finished in March 2005. Overall in Armenia there are 87 dikes,
of which 77 are situated in reservoirs used for irrigation, three in
drinking water reservoirs, six are used for hydro-electric
power-stations and one for restoration work.

The World Bank credit will be allocated on the preferential terms of
the International Development Association for 40 years, with an annual
interest rate of 0.75 per cent and a grace period for the first 10
years. Since 1992, 36 World Bank programmes have been implemented in
Armenia, worth 820.8m dollars

STATE REGISTER TO APPEAL TO COURT SOON WITH PURPOSE OF LIQUIDATION OF
NON-REGISTERED PARTIES

YEREVAN, August 11 (Noyan Tapan). The State Register will appeal to
the court soon with the purpose of the liquidation of the Armenian
parties non-registered after the approval of the new law “On Parties”
in November 2002. The total number of these parties makes 51. Edik
Margarian, Chief of the Department on Registration of Public
Organizations, Unions of Non-Commercial Juridical Persons and Mass
Media of the State Register Agency, told NT’s correspondent that these
parties didn’t submit applications on self-liquidation. He mentioned
that the documents necessary for the liquidation of 33 parties are
already ready, and it is also necessary to prepare the documents of 18
other parties. It should be mentioned that the “Gardmank” Party and
the Agrarian Party non-registered after the approval of the new law
have already wind up their activities. ARF Dashnaktsutyun, “Pedagogues
of Armenia”, the Nationalistic Party of Armenia, the “21st Century”
Democratic National Party and the “Victory and Democracy Unity” Party
have already submitted applications on self-liquidation, and they will
be also liquidated soon.

Azeri official downplays Karabakh polls, war games

Ekspress, Baku
10 Aug 04

Text of Alakbar Raufoglu report by Azerbaijani newspaper Ekspress on
10 August headlined “The Armenians are deceiving themselves”

“By conducting the so-called local government elections and military
exercises in Nagornyy Karabakh, the Armenian separatists are trying to
comfort themselves and this cannot affect the settlement process in
any way,” the head of the foreign relations department of the
Azerbaijani presidential administration, Novruz Mammadov, has told
Express.

“Azerbaijan’s economic and political potential is great and our army
is getting stronger. Concerned about that, the Armenians are trying to
present themselves as being powerful in order to find out what
Azerbaijan’s reaction will be. They organize such activities in order
to comfort themselves. But they are only deceiving themselves. In
other words, they are trying to say that we are there and this is what
we can do,” Mammadov said.

The official added that the OSCE and other prominent international
organizations have stated that they do not recognize the Karabakh
elections.

“Everyone knows that the separatists’ actions are illegal. As for the
military exercises, they don’t even have an army to conduct them. This
is all empty talk,” he said.

Meanwhile, a diplomatic source has told Express that more than 500
troops and retired officers from Armenia were involved in the
large-scale military exercises near Azerbaijan’s Agdam District. The
exercises are held mainly in the village of Xidirli and in Agdam
itself. The Armenians have established a firing range there and are
using anti-aircraft guns and armoured vehicles in the exercises.

ACCORDING TO SPOKESMAN OF RA MINISTRY OF DEFENSE, TO CONSIDER ARMENIA
AS THE TERRITORY OF HISTORIC AZERBAIJAN IS THE OPINION OF A MAN
UNCONVERSANT WITH HISTORY

YEREVAN, August 11 (Noyan Tapan). “It is certainly not harmful to
dream, and let the Spokesman of the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan
dream,” said Seiran Shahsuvarian, Spokesman of the RA Ministry of
Defense, during his meeting with journalists, answering the question
of journalists about the statement made by the Spokesman of the
Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan recently. To recap, Spokesman of the
Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan Ramiz Melikov said that “today’s
Armenia has been formed on the historic lands of Azerbaijan and
expressed an opinion that there will be no state named Armenia in the
territory of the South Caucasus during upcoming 25-30 years. “I am
deeply convinced that it is the opinion of a man unconversant with
history, literature, cartography, who announces publicly that these
are Azeri lands, rather than the opinion of the Minister of Defense of
Azerbaijan, the government and moreover the President of Azerbaijan.”
During a press briefing held in the village of Teg of the Goris region
Seiran Shahsuvarian added: “The Azeris didn’t have caves, rocks of
Goris, and I think they will never have them.” He also expressed an
opinion that the Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan “should think a
little of his Spokesman and come to conclusions.”

Anti-Armenian protesters on trial in Azerbaijan

Turan news agency
11 Aug 04

Baku, 11 August: The trial of Karabakh Liberation Organization (KLO)
activists, presided over by judge Famil Nasibov, started at Baku’s
Nasimi district court today.

In the dock is the chairman of the KLO, Akif Nagi, as well as Rovsan
Fatiyev, Ilkin Qurbanov, Mursal Hasanov, Manaf Karimov and Firudin
Mammadov. They were arrested for involvement in an unsanctioned
protest action on 22 June in connection with the visit of two Armenian
officers to Baku.

The charges were read out in court. In particular, the KLO activists
are charged under Articles 221 (hooliganism), 233 (breach of public
order) and 315.2 (putting up resistance to authorities).

The defendants themselves denied the charges, terming them
fabricated. Nagi said that the KLO activists had never broken the law,
since citizens have the right to freedom of assembly under Article 49
of the Constitution of the Azerbaijani Republic.

The defendants also denied the charge that they were attempting to
disrupt a NATO meeting. They underlined that they were simply
protesting against the visit to Baku of Armenian officers. According
to the defendants, the police were the first to use force against the
pickets and their reaction was a response.

The court upheld the defence’s petition to summon to appear in court
the deputy police chief of Baku’s Yasamal district, Cingiz Mammadov,
who personally beat the pickets.

SERGE SARGSIAN: THE ARMENIAN ARMY IS A GUARANTEE OF SECURITY OF THE
NKR POPULATION

YEREVAN, August 11 (Noyan Tapan). “The leadership of Armenia stated
many times that the Armenian Army is a guarantee of security of the
population of Nagorno Karabakh. Today we state the same, and I am sure
we will speak so always,” RA Minister Serge Sargsian, who was present
at the commanding and staff exercises of the NKR Defense Army, said
about it during the August 10 meeting with journalists. According to
him, it is well-known to everybody that Nagorno Karabakh can’t
independently provide security for the part of the Armenian population
living there. The RA Minister of Defense also said that he isn’t
absolutely agitated with the reaction of the international circles to
his presence at these exercises. According to him, the RA Minister of
Defense is present at the sector entrusted to the Defense Army not for
the first time.

Concern over Azeri foreign policy behind US defence chief’s unexpected visit

Zerkalo, Baku
11 Aug 04

Concern over Azerbaijan’s ties with Iran and Russia is the reason for
Donald Rumsfeld’s unscheduled visit to Baku, major Azerbaijani daily
Zerkalo has reported. Azerbaijan wants more support in resolution of
the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict and therefore seeks closer relations
not only with the USA and NATO, but also with Russia, Iran, Pakistan
and China, the paper said. The following is the text of A. Rasidoglu’s
report by Azerbaijani newspaper Zerkalo on 11 August headlined “The
USA is concerned over Azerbaijan’s foreign policy” and subheaded
“Today’s visit of the Pentagon head could be viewed in this context”;
subheadings inserted editorially:

US Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld will pay a one-day visit to
Baku today. The objectives and the schedule of the meeting has not
been reported yet. However, it is known that he will have talks with
Azerbaijan’s leaders – President Ilham Aliyev, Foreign Minister Elmar
Mammadyarov and Defence Minister Safar Abiyev. The sides will discuss
Azerbaijan’s participation in the counterterrorism coalition in Iraq,
as well as bilateral military cooperation.

An informed diplomatic source has told Turan news agency that the
visit was not scheduled and was caused by Washington’s concern over
the latest trends in Baku’s foreign policy. The White House does have
some causes for concern. It is enough to mention the visit of Iranian
President Mohammad Khatami to Azerbaijan and the visit’s possible
consequences. In particular, the USA is concerned about the prospects
of Baku and Tehran getting even closer.

Chinese general to visit Baku

Maj-Gen Qian Lihua, deputy director of the Foreign Affairs Office at
China’s National Defence Ministry, will visit Baku on 20-21 August,
Chinese ambassador to Azerbaijan Zhang Xiyun has reported. He said
that the delegation plans to meet Abiyev and will conduct talks on
various directions in bilateral military cooperation. The guests will
also visit military colleges in Baku and learn about the education
there. Dozens of officers from the Azerbaijani Armed Forces are
trained in China’s military academies every year.

Alarming prospects for Americans

It is also noteworthy that the chairman of Pakistan’s Joint Chiefs of
Staff Committee, Gen Muhammad Aziz Khan, is currently visiting
Azerbaijan. He has said that Islamabad will support Azerbaijan in the
Nagornyy Karabakh conflict. Moreover, there is talk now of a possible
coalition between Tehran, Baku, Islamabad, Beijing and Moscow.

It goes without saying that such a prospect alarms the Americans. The
strengthening of military ties between Baku and Moscow is another
factor causing irritation. Stronger Russian and Iranian clout in Baku
can cast doubt over the US military presence in Azerbaijan. This is an
extremely unfavorable prospect for the USA in the light of a possible
destabilization of the situation in Iran. Therefore, Rumsfeld will
try to obtain clear answers from the Azerbaijani leadership on these
issues.

No other choice for Azerbaijan

Former presidential aide on foreign policy Vafa Quluzada has said in
this regard that Azerbaijan simply has no other choice. Baku is forced
to move closer to Moscow and Tehran in the hope of resolving the
Karabakh problem. “If the USA continues to turn a blind eye to the
existing situation, it can lose Azerbaijan as a strategic partner,”
Quluzada said.

Lately, the Kremlin has been trying to influence the Baku government
with a view to changing its foreign policy course. In particular,
Russian politicians openly state that the pro-Western and pro-American
course chosen by Baku does not quite suit Moscow.

However, one should not forget that Azerbaijan has reached a new level
in its relations with NATO by agreeing on a programme of individual
cooperation with NATO. Azerbaijan has become a member of the European
Union’s Wider Europe – New Neighbourhood initiative. These aspects can
all but concern Moscow. In tandem with Iran, Russia would like to halt
the military, political and economic expansion of Western Europe and
the USA in Central Asia. The Kremlin still regards the incumbent
authorities in Georgia and Azerbaijan as anti-Russian. While Aliyev is
taking certain steps towards Russia, Georgian President Mikheil
Saakashvili’s actions are only causing further complications in
Moscow-Tbilisi relations.

Not enough support from America and NATO

However, the American policy of double standards vis-a-vis Azerbaijan
has shown that Washington’s main goal is not to help the Azerbaijani
nation to prosper, but to oust Russia from the Caucasus and build a
strategically important corridor between Central Asia, the Caucasus
and Europe.

Azerbaijan and Georgia hoped that by becoming NATO members they could
favourably resolve the problems in Abkhazia, South Ossetia and
Karabakh. However, it transpired in the wake of Kosovo that NATO
servicemen do not intend to fight in Abkhazia or Karabakh instead of
Georgians and Azerbaijanis, and that the White House will not put
pressure on Armenia regarding the Karabakh issue. Moreover, the USA
has proposed a plan to settle the conflict on terms which are
unacceptable to Baku.

Azerbaijan is tired of America’s statements that resumption of
military operations would be “pointless” (in private conversations
they are more specific and say that they will simply not allow us to
do that). However, when the Azerbaijani authorities take some steps
towards Russia and Iran, Washington gets irritated. One wants to ask
the question: “Did you not want this?”

Opposition as leverage

That the Azerbaijani leadership pays more attention to relations with
Russia and Iran, in the opinion of the Russian media, has to do with
the fact that Azerbaijani opposition politicians who are not
pro-Western feel comfortable in those countries. Therefore, Aliyev is
concerned that with support from Russia or Iran this opposition could
destabilize the situation in Azerbaijan. Still, Washington too, could
use the “opposition card” and wield it to put pressure on the Baku
government.