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11/02/2004
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Karabagh, Russia, Minsk Group Say UN Discussion of Conflict Bad Idea 2) South Caucasus Parliament Speakers Meeting in Paris 3) Burjanadze Holds Talks with Top Russians 4) Abkhazia Presidential Candidates in Moscow 5) Second Social Services Complex Opens in Armenia 6) Source Reveals Russian Minister Discussed Railway Link via Abkhazia 7) Turkish Conference on Minority Rights' Ends in Chaos 8) New Community Center Opens in Gyumri 1) Karabagh, Russia, Minsk Group Say UN Discussion of Conflict Bad Idea STEPANAKERT (Interfax/Itar-Tass)--The foreign ministries of both Mountainous Karabagh Republic and Russia, as well as the OSCE Minsk Group (the group spearheads the OSCE effort to find a political solution to this conflict), all spoke out against including the Karabagh conflict on the UN General Assembly's agenda. The move, initiated by Azerbaijan, was backed by the UN General Committee which voted to recommend the inclusion of the issue on the agenda of the assembly's ongoing session. "The Azeri-initiated UN discussions on the territories controlled by Mountainous Karabagh has yet again shown Azerbaijan's disinclination to settle the entire range of problems between Azerbaijan and Mountainous Karabagh," MKR Deputy Foreign Minister Masis Mailian told Interfax. Azerbaijan alleges that the territory is used for drug manufacturing and terrorist training. "This step by Baku is purely propagandistic in its nature, which in no way facilitates the creation of a favorable atmosphere--essential for reaching a comprehensive solution to the Karabagh problem," Mailian said. Karabagh has repeatedly invited Azeri authorities to start implementing confidence building measures between the conflicting parties so as to resume full-scale negotiations, which are "the most efficient method for settling the conflict," Mailian said. The Russian cochairman of the OSCE Minsk Yury Merzlyakov said the action could harm efforts to bring about a just and lasting settlement Interviewed by Azerbaijan's ATV television, Merzlyakov said the UN General Assembly's session is not the proper forum to discuss the matter. Merzlyakov iterated the Minsk Group's statement on the move, that says, "Today, when we are all waiting for the sides to resume talks, there was no necessity to raise the issue." In its statement released on Monday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said the suggestion to debate a Karabagh settlement at the UN General Assembly, parallel with OSCE efforts, "can hardly have a beneficial effect on the negotiating process." Russia, along with France and the US who represent the countries that make-up OCSE Minsk Group, abstained from the UN vote. "The group's format permits it to deal with any problems related to the conflict and to ensuring peace," the statement continued. 2) South Caucasus Parliament Speakers Meeting in Paris PARIS (Armenpress)--At the initiation of French Senate Chairman Christian Poncelet, a meeting of Armenian, Azeri, and Georgian parliamentary leaders will take place in Paris on November 4. Armenian National Assembly chairman Arthur Baghdasarian arrived in Paris on Monday for a four-day visit, while his Georgian and Azeri counterparts, Nino Burjanadze and Murtuz Aleskerov, are scheduled to arrive on November 3. According to the Armenian embassy in France, the meeting's agenda includes talks on developing tourism and preservation of cultural heritage. No reports were made about whether the Karabagh conflict will be discussed. The three parliament speakers and Poncelet will also meet with UNESCO's Director General. 3) Burjanadze Holds Talks with Top Russians MOSCOW (RBC/Civil Georgia)--The Chair of Georgian Parliament Nino Burjanadze, held separate meetings in Moscow on Monday with Secretary of the Russian Security Council Igor Ivanov and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Along with the bilateral ties, resolution of the South Ossetian and Abkhazian conflicts were discussed during talks between Burjanadze and Lavrov. In her talks with Ivanov, Burjanadze expressed readiness to develop "constructive dialogue" between the two countries, reported the Russian Foreign Ministry. "There are particular agreements; however, the difficulties in our relations still exist. I hope that further relations between our countries will proceed normally," Burjanadze told reporters, but stressed that double standards are applied to Georgia, in pointing to Russia's struggle with separatists in Chechnya and its backing of Abkhaz and South Ossetian authorities. 4) Abkhazia Presidential Candidates in Moscow MOSCOW (Itar-Tass)--Abkhazian presidential candidates Sergei Bagapsh and Raul Khadzhimba are in Moscow, a source in the Moscow representative office of Abkhazia told Itar-Tass on Tuesday. The source did not announce, however, which Russian leaders the two men are scheduled to meet. Khadzhimba, who was contacted by phone, denied any comment, saying he was too busy. The standoff between Khadzhimba and Bagapsh has sparked a political crisis in the self-proclaimed republic. The current situation erupted after the unresolved October 3 presidential elections. The atmosphere was further clouded after the Supreme Court passed down two conflicting decisions about the election results. The first validated the Central Election Commission's results, which named Bagapsh the winner, while the second--released several hours later--invalidated the entire election and called for new elections. A decree of incumbent President Vladislav Ardzinba followed, ordering new elections on the grounds that the "Supreme Court of the Republic of Abkhazia has not passed a decision at a time stipulated by the Constitution on complaints addressed to it and on defense of constitutional rights of citizens and prevention of threats to the constitutional order of Abkhazia." Bagapsh stated that he did not intend to obey Ardzinba's order. "At present, the sole legal document is the decision of the Supreme Court rendering the elections in Abkhazia to be valid, and I have been elected president of the republic," he said in an interview with Itar-Tass. Supporters of Khadzhimba blocked the entrance to Abkhazian parliament building on Monday, when he and Bagapsh arrived in Moscow. Khadzhimba's chief campaigner Vasily Avidzba said the protesters prevented parliamentarians from entering the building because they "were going to pass a resolution on annulment of the order of President Vladislav Ardzinba on the repeated elections of the head of the republic and declare a vote of no-confidence in the president." 5) Second Social Services Complex Opens in Armenia YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)--A new social service center opened in the Armenian city of Masis on November 2, to launch an experimental USAID program. The center, "One Stop Social Services," will house several local NGOs including, the Territorial Agency of Social Services, Territorial Center of Employment, Territorial Office of State Fund of Social Insurance, and the Commission of Medical-Social Expert Examination. Each NGO will take advantage of a networked computer system that will allow them to access larger databases. The technologically advanced system will centralize information and eliminate the need for multiple document submissions by those applying for services. Minister of Labor and Social Issues Aghvan Vardanian, announced that the specific database technology is being studied by Romanian, Albanian, and Georgian specialists, who are interested in introducing similar systems in their respective countries. At the opening of the center, US Ambassador to Armenia John Evans expressed hope that the new center would help alleviate the social and economic problems residents of Masis and its neighboring towns currently face. The town of Masis is currently home to 4,000 needy families, 1,500 unemployed, and 3,000 pensioners and disabled persons. "One Stop Social Services" is the second center of its kind in the republic. The first was established in the city of Vanadzor. 6) Source Reveals Russian Minister Discussed Railway Link via Abkhazia (RIA Novosti)--An unnamed source in the Georgian President's administration said that Russian Transport Minister Igor Levitin, who visited Tbilisi on November 1, agreed with Georgian officials over setting up joint government groups to work on "technical aspects" of restoring the railway link between Russia and Armenia via Georgia, which lies through breakaway Abkhazia. On September 10, the railway link between Moscow and the capital of Georgia's breakaway Abkhazia was re-opened, triggering protests from Tbilisi, which insists that the process should be accompanied by the return of Georgia's internally displaced persons to Abkhazia. Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania told reporters after his talks with Levitin that the issue of railway connection was discussed during the meeting, but added that "until the normalization of the situation in Abkhazia occurs, talks over railway restoration make no sense." Georgian Economy Minister Kakha Bendukidze, however, downplayed Russia's unilateral decision to reopen its rail link with Abkhazia. Minister Levitin said at a news briefing after his talks with Zhvania and Bendukidze on November 1 that the Georgian officials showed an "understanding" towards Russia's decision to reopen its railway link with Abkhazia. He added that reopening of the route "should not lead to a worsening of relations" between the two countries. Armenia also insists on the reopening of the railway link via Abkhazia, which will enable it to restore its railway connection with Russia. President Robert Kocharian pressed this issue during recent talks with the Georgian leadership during his visit to Tbilisi in late October. On March 7, 2003, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Georgia's ex-President Eduard Shevardnadze signed an agreement in Sochi that envisioned "synchronization" of the two processes--the return of the internally displaced persons to Abkhazia's westernmost Gali region and the resumption of the railway connection. The two presidents also agreed to set up two separate bilateral government commissions to work out these issues; however, the commissions failed to complete the task. 7) Turkish Conference on Minority Rights' Ends in Chaos ANKARA (AFX.COM)A debate over a report criticizing breaches of minority rights in aspiring European Union member Turkey collapsed when members of a government-sponsored human rights group, which authored the document, clashed in public. The incident is the latest in a series of rows within the Human Rights Advisory Boarda body attached to the office of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoganwhich highlighted widespread hostility in Turkey to advanced cultural freedoms for the country's Kurdish and non-Muslim communities. Nationalist members of the board, which is comprised of government officials, academics, and civic groups, sabotaged a news conference called to formally release the report, which makes some controversial recommendations to the government and excerpts of which were last week leaked to the media. Shortly after the head of the board, Ibrahim Kaboglu, began speaking, a nationalist unionist grabbed the papers from his hands and tore them to pieces, yelling: "This report is a fabrication and should be torn apart." Kaboglu was forced to leave the hall, stating: "We cannot even hold a news conference. This is the state of freedom of thought in Turkey." The EU, which Turkey is seeking to join, has long pressed Ankara to grant equal cultural freedoms to its sizable Kurdish minority as well as smaller, non-Muslim communities such as Greeks, Armenians, and Jews. 8) New Community Center Opens in Gyumri GYUMRI (Armenpress)--On November 2, a new three-building community center complex opened in Gyumri, financed by the Norwegian Refugee Council. Mission Armenia and Douleurs Sans Frontieres (DSF, Pain Without Borders) will be providing social services to the local population which include refugees, earthquake victims, and local residents. These services include various facilities for youth and elderly persons, including a soup kitchen, a clinic and trauma center, laundry services, library, conference room, counseling services, as well as a Kindergarten for around 20 children. The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is a non-governmental, humanitarian organization that has worked actively for more than 50 years to create a safer and more dignified life for refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), regardless of their race, religion, nationality, or political convictions. The NRC's mission is to work for the rights of refugees and IDPs, assisting with food, shelter, and education, and offering counseling on repatriation. In Armenia, NRC has invested more that $10 million in refugee-targeted projects since 1995, including not only housing construction, but also building schools, and drinking and irrigation water pipelines. So far, NRC has provided new homes for over 600 refugee families in Armenia. Mission Armenia was registered in 1993, though its founding members started their activities since 1988, assisting those who suffered from the devastating earthquake. The organization's mission is to increase the quality of life for the elderly, refugees, and other vulnerable groups through its model of community-based assistance. Currently about 6,500 single older persons and 10,000 refugees residing at 250 temporary shelters benefit from Mission Armenia's community-based socio-healthcare and community development programs. Douleurs Sans Frontieres has advanced the mission of helping those in pain since 1995. Based in Europe, DSF is a non-governmental organization that has brought educational and clinical pain treatment programs to developing countries. Since November 2001, DSF has provided medico-psychological assistance for mothers and children from Gyumri and some from Yerevan. All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2004 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets.

KARABAKH NOT TO TAKE PART IN MILITARY DRILLS OF UNRECOGNIZED REPUBLICS –
MINISTER
Mediamax news agency
2 Nov 04
YEREVAN
The foreign minister of the Nagornyy Karabakh Republic (NKR), Ashot
Gulyan, has denied that the NKR defence army’s subunits will take part
in the “command and staff exercises of unrecognized republics”.
“The NKR defence army does not have a task more important than the
protection of the security of the republic’s borders and people,
especially outside Nagornyy Karabakh,” Ashot Gulyan stressed.

`NAIRIT’ EMPLOYEES PROTESTING
A1+
02-11-2004
‘Nairit’ hasn’t run for 6 months. Factory was stopped in June for
re-equipment and re-functioning a few days later but it
didn’t. Theemployees of the factory anxious for the fate of it have
today held a protest action and demanded for their salaries of 2
recent months and the debt frozen.
‘Trade and Economic Development Minister Karen Chshmarityan announced
from Parliament rostrum that Kirov debt had been settled but we don’t
have money for bread. We haven’t been paid to the old debt. Moreover,
the new leadership doesn ‘t pay salary of 2 recent months’, factory
employee Alexan Margaryan said at the conversation with us.
He informed that the employees are resolute. `90% of the staff sitsat
home. We neither work, nor get money. Court refused to accept our
application reasoning the administration has settled the
issue. Salaries are frozen. Government doesn’t hear our voices. But we
will insist on our demand’,they say.
Mr. Margaryan is also anxious for the fate of the factory. He says
because of the debt of a few million drams electricity supply for the
factory had been ceased the day before since 11:00 AM whereas to
provide safety of chloroprene it is necessary to keep it cold for 24
hours.
‘1 million drams are spent daily to keep chlorine. The whole raw
materials may spoil because of cutting electricity supply once, not
even mentioning the ecological danger’, Margaryan says.
Fortunately, last midnight electricity supply was restored but for a
week only until the matter is somehow regulated.
Tomorrow `Nairit’ staff will march to Government building and then to
Presidential Residence demanding to solve `Nairit’ problems.

FOLLOWING EASTERN TIMOR EXAMPLE
A1+
02-11-2004
‘Referendums are preferred versions among those for conflict
settlements’, NKR FM Ashot Ghulyan has announced this in Stepanakert.
According to Ghulyan, he has concluded this after following the
settlement mechanisms for Eastern Timor, Eritrea and Kosovo conflicts.
Mr. Ghulyan has today summed up his visit to USA this October. He has
partaken in a conference in Michigan City, during which regional
issues were discussed. By the impression of Ghulyan, USA audience is
much informed about the Karabakhi conflict.

Assa Irada, Azerbaijan
Nov. 2, 2004
UN discussions on conflict not to promote settlement – Russian Foreign
Ministry

The initiative to consider the Upper Garabagh conflict at the United
Nations General Assembly session will not have a positive influence on
peace talks, Russian Foreign Ministry information and press department
officials said.
The statement comes after the proposal to include a provision on the
`Situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan’ into the meeting
agenda.
`Russia abstained from voting, along with the other OSCE Minsk Group
co-chairs. We believe that consideration of the issue at the UN General
Assembly session, along with the OSCE, is not likely to favorably
affect the negotiations process’, the same source said and added that
the results of the vote indicate that most of international community
adhere to the same position.*

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan
Nov. 2, 2004
RUSSIAN-AZERBAIJANI RELATIONS EXAMPLE FOR OTHER COUNTRIES
[November 02, 2004, 18:57:40]
As the member of Committee on security of the State Duma of the Russian
Federation Gennady Gudkov informed in his exclusive interview to
correspondent of AzerTAj, for today, Russia and Azerbaijan have
developed enough warm and good relations. As he said, this positive
example of interstate cooperation, especially in maintenance of the
common safety, highly is estimated both by authority, and the Russian
people. `To this example should follow and other countries’, G. Gudkov
has told.
Gennady Gudkov has especially noted progress in the Russian-Azerbaijan
relations in the field of combat against terrorism. ` We count
absolutely right the position held by Azerbaijan in this question, and
we hope for further understanding of our problems and cooperation in
this area’.
Concerning the situation on the Russian-Azerbaijan border, the Member
of Parliament has stated that all these problems have temporary
character, in due time they will be settled and stabilized.
The Russian Member of Parliament also has expressed his views
concerning settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorny Karabakh
conflict and the role of Russia in this process. In particular, he has
stated that Russia recognizes territorial integrity of all states which
were part of Soviet Union, and is interested in the prompt settlement
of the conflict by peace way.
`It is complicated question in the Trans-Caucasia, and Russia would
like to resolve it, we with deep regret note that such conflict takes
place. Russia, as one of co-chairmen of the Minsk Group of OSCE, makes
all efforts to find compromise in solution of this conflict. As soon as
between the sides the conciliatory suggestions will be found, the
conflict will be settled, it will sharply strengthen safety of all
region and it will enable Russia to carry out more active joint
military policy, military-technical cooperation and to strengthen
political stability of region’, he underlined.
`Certainly, we are for the quick resolution of territorial problems,
for recognition of firmness of borders. Russia has many times stated
that is ready to become the guarantor of invariance of borders. We very
much want that there were conciliatory suggestions that Azerbaijan and
Armenia have found mutual understanding, and Russia is ready to act as
the guarantor. I think, then nobody will have desire to try to change
something in the status-quo, Mr. Gudkov added.

Assa Irada, Azerbaijan
Nov. 2, 2004
Azerbaijan reluctant to establish military co-op with Greece?

Azerbaijan has not expressed yet its attitude towards the Greek Defense
Ministry’s proposal on military cooperation, Greek Ambassador to
Azerbaijan Mercurios Karafotias told journalists in reply to a question
when Azerbaijan and Greece may sign a document on military cooperation.
The ambassador said that Greece sent a draft agreement on military
collaboration to Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry in 1997 and 2000.
However, the Azerbaijani side has not responded to the proposal yet,
Karafotias said.
Georgia and Armenia have been cooperating with Greece in the military
field for many years.*

Assa Irada, Azerbaijan
Nov. 2, 2004
Base Metals, Garabagh Telecom major investors in Upper Garabagh

Base Metals and Garabagh Telecom companies are major investors in the
self-proclaimed Upper Garabagh Republic, the Armenian press reported
last week.
According to the report, Base Metals with 700 employees has been
developing copper and gold deposits in the region for many years. The
company, which exported the first consignment of copper and gold to
European markets in October, has invested $7 million in Upper Garabagh
over a year and a half and plans to invest a total of $20 million in
the region.
Base Metals has raised the salaries of its workers to $210-220.
According to the company director Artur Mkrtumian, the processed bars
of copper and gold are produced in Armenia and then exported to Europe.
Copper and gold deposits in Upper Garabagh are expected to be developed
within 20 years, he said.
Another major investor Garabagh Telecom has been providing
telecommunications, cellular and Internet services in the region since
February 2002. The company has invested $15 million and succeeded in
establishing a mobile communications system that currently covers 75%
of the Upper Garabagh territory.*

ArmenPress
Nov. 2, 2004
RUSSIAN MINSK GROUP COCHAIRMAN AGAINST PUTTING KARABAGH ISSUE ON UN
ASSEMBLY SESSION AGENDA
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 2, ARMENPRESS: The Russian cochairman of the OSCE
Minsk, Yury Merzlyakov, said the UN General Committee’s decision to
include an item on the situation in the occupied territories of
Azerbaijan on the UN General Assembly’s agenda could have negative
consequences, such as harming efforts to bring about a just and lasting
settlement.
Interviewed by Azerbaijan’s ATV television Merzlyakov said the UN
General Assembly’s session is not the proper forum to discuss the
matter.
Merzlyakov recalled the France’s representative speech, who spoke on
behalf of the Co-Chairmanship of the Minsk Group, which also includes
the Russian Federation and the United States, who spoke against the
decision.
“Today when we are all waiting for the sides to resume talks there
was no necessity to raise the issue,” he said, reiterating that placing
the issue on UN agenda would bring about more harms than help to make
progress.

ArmenPress
Nov. 2, 2004
ARMENIAN PUBLISHERS SHOWCASED THEIR BOOKS AT ISTANBUL FAIR
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 2, ARMENPRESS: For the first time Armenian
publishers showcased some 300 titles of their books at an international
book fair in the Turkish Istanbul from October 23 to October 30. Vahagn
Khachatrian, the chairman of the Armenian Publishers’ Association, told
Armenpress that some fifty Armenian publishers took their books,
ranging from Turkish-Armenian and vice versa conversation booklets,
dictionaries, works of Armenian classical and modern writers and also
textbooks and illustrated albums to Istanbul.
“We decided against taking historical novels to Turkey because of
our concerns that they may be perceived wrongly and cause problems,
taking instead only fiction, culture and art books,” he said, adding
also that their other concern was about whether Armenian publishers had
to participate in the book fair at all.
“But I have to admit that the Turkish society is taking great
interest in books and literature in general and our participation did
not go unnoticed by the Turkish readers and members of the local
Armenian community. Our participation was covered, apart from local
Armenian papers, also by influential Turkish newspapers Hurriyet and
others,” he said.
Khachatrian said the Turkish side promised to provide next year
Armenian publishers with 50 square meters of space instead of 12 meters
this year, free of charge. Turks also invited Armenian painters to
exhibit their works at the next fair at 100 square meters of space to
be given also free, not counting pledges to cover the traveling and
other expenses of the head of Armenian painters’ delegation.
Khachatrian drew parallels between book fairs in Istanbul, Berlin,
Frankfurt and the fair held in Yerevan saying publishers in these
countries enjoy the support and assistance of the govenrment, which is
not the case with Armenia.
He also said Armenian books may sell well only in Moscow, where
three is a strong Armenian community. “Out of 70,000 strong Armenian
community of Turkey few people can read in Armenian,” he said.
Armenian publishers were invited to participate in the fair by the
Association of Turkish Publishers and the fair’s management. Also local
community and Armenian-language newspapers assisted the delegation.