Azeri national security chief talks about “Armenian terrorism” at forum
Zerkalo, Baku
20 Oct 04
Text of unattributed report by Azerbaijani newspaper Zerkalo on 20
October headlined “Threats posed by Armenian terrorism” and sub-headed
“This is what Azerbaijani National Security Minister Eldar Mahmudov
spoke about at an international summit”
An Azerbaijani delegation led by National Security Minister Eldar
Mahmudov has attended the world summit to combat organized crime held
in Monaco on 13-16 October.
The press service of the National Security Ministry has told Zerkalo
that the summit, attended by representatives of some 60 countries and
influential international organizations, discussed the fight against
transnational crime, including international terrorism, drug
trafficking, money laundering, etc.
In his remarks at a special session of the summit on combating
international terrorism, the Azerbaijani national security minister
focused on threats posed by Armenia’s armed separatism and terrorism,
and the aggressor’s use of the occupied Azerbaijani territories for
these purposes.
Mahmudov spoke about the antiterror measures being taken in Azerbaijan
at the state level. The minister also pointed to the need for stepping
up international cooperation in this sphere.
On the sidelines of the summit, the Azerbaijani national security
minister held a number of bilateral meetings which focused on
prospects for further cooperation.

Armenian president appoints new “economic competition” boss
A1+ web site
19 Oct 04
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan yesterday signed a decree
terminating early the powers of Feliks Pirumyan, chairman of the
Armenian state commission for the protection of economic competition,
at his own request.
Under another presidential decree, Ashot Shahnazaryan was appointed as
chairman of the Armenian state commission for the protection of
economic competition, for a five-year term.

Foreign minister says China ready to invest in Armenian economy
A1+ web site
19 Oct 04
Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan today received Chinese
Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing. Markaryan highly evaluated China’s
contribution to maintenance of stability and peace. He expressed his
hope that China’s position on the Karabakh issue will further remain
impartial and unbiased.
The meeting said that close political cooperation between Armenia and
China is based on mutual understanding and equality. Markaryan also
expressed his satisfaction with the fact that close cooperation has
been established between the ruling party of China and the Republican
Party of Armenia, which he leads.
Markaryan and Li Zhaoxing noted the necessity of boosting
Armenian-Chinese trade and economic relations. Noting the significant
growth in trade between the two countries in the first quarter of the
year, the Chinese foreign minister expressed his country’s readiness
to invest in Armenia’s infrastructure.

Armenians concerned about officers rotation at Russian military base in
Georgia
Azg web site, Yerevan
19 Oct 04
The 62nd Russian military base in Javakhk [Georgia’s predominantly
Armenian-populated Samtskhe-Javakheti Region] is of great economic and
psychological importance to the local ethnic Armenians, as well as
their security.
At the OSCE Istanbul summit in 1999, Moscow consented to resume talks
on withdrawal of Russian military bases from Georgia. These are the
62nd and 12th military bases stationed in Akhalkalaki and Batumi.
Georgia believes that three years are enough to pull out the troops,
but Moscow claims it needs 11 years.
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili went to Moscow, as he said, “to
make friends with [Russian President] Vladimir Putin”. Though the
Georgian president did not mention the military bases in Akhalkalaki
and Batumi at the Moscow meeting, the sides seem to be hardly getting
along.
On the other hand, Russia has been recently “getting rid” of local
Armenians at the 62nd military base in Akhalkalaki. About 500 ethnic
Armenian officers from Javakhk, who served in this military base and
who are Russian citizens, have been transferred to other Russian
military bases. They have been replaced by officers from North
Caucasus republics and other regions of Russia.
[Passage omitted: reactions to the replacement of officers]
Why is Russia changing the ethnic composition of the 62nd military
base? Official Russian sources note that the transfer of 500 ethnic
Armenian officers to other Russian military bases and their
replacement with non-Armenian officers are simply planned
rotation. One can believe or doubt the truthfulness of this
statement. But it is obvious that by transferring 500 Armenian
officers from Javakhk, Russia has made its “contribution” to the
“cleansing” of Javakhk of Armenians. It is beyond reasonable doubt
that the majority of the officers and their families will never return
to their homeland.
And most importantly, great significance has been attached to the
“Armenian factor” for 200 years in the issue of protecting the Russian
empire. However, at the most responsible moments of defeats, Russians
betrayed Armenians leaving them one-to-one against the Turkish
yataghan [a Turkish sword with a curved single-edged blade].
In all probability, Russians will leave Akhalkalaki. However,
consequences of this are more important for us than their
departure. It is important not to fall into the Russian
whirlpool. Otherwise, the Javakhk Armenians and Armenian-Georgian
relations will be threatened.

Cyprus official in Armenia against Turkey’s growing role in South Caucasus
Mediamax news agency
19 Oct 04
YEREVAN
The president of the House of Representatives of Cyprus, Dhimitrios
Khristofias, said in Yerevan today that ”the settlement of the
Karabakh conflict by taking into account the interests of the people
Nagornyy Karabakh will stop the growth of Turkey’s influence on the
region”.
Replying to a question from a Mediamax correspondent, Dhimitrios
Khristofias said that ”the conflict should be resolved peacefully by
taking into account the interests of Armenia and other countries of
the region”.
Dhimitrios Khristofias noted that Cyprus is interested in establishing
good relations with all South Caucasus countries, and particularly,
with Azerbaijan.

Vatican, Chief Rabbinate slam assault on Armenian Patriarch
20/10/2004 13:08

By Amiram Barkat, Haaretz Correspondent

The Holy See and the Chief Rabbinate of Israel this week issued a
joint condemnation of an assault on the Armenian Patriarch of
Jerusalem, when he was spat at by a yeshiva student in the Old City.
In a joint statement released Tuesday in Rome, the Vatican and the
Chief Rabbinate called on ?religious authorities to publicly protest
when actions of disrespect towards religious persons, symbols and Holy
Sites are committed.
The statement gave as an example ?the desecration of cemeteries and
the recent assault on the Armenian Patriarch.?
The statement also calls on ?all relevant authorities? to respect the
?sacred character of Jerusalem and to prevent overt and immodest
actions which offend the sensibilities of religious communities that
reside in Jerusalem and hold her dear.?
The common declaration came at the conclusion of a three-day meeting
of Catholic and Jewish officials in Grottaferrata, south of Rome,
constituting the 4th ?dialogue session? since June 2002 between the
Holy See and the Chief Rabbinate.
The discussions this time were focused on Judeo-Christian beliefs
regarding social justice and ethical behavior. Previous sessions have
concentrated on the dignity of Man, the value of human life and the
family, and the importance of Scripture for contemporary society.
The Vatican delegation to the meetings this week was headed by
Cardinal Jorge Meija, the former Vatican archivist. The Israeli
delegation was lead by Sh?ar Yishuv Cohen, the chief rabbi of Haifa,
and its members included Rabbi David Rosen, from the American Jewish
Committee, and chief rabbis of several other Israeli cities.
To mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of a Vatican
commission for the relations with Judaism by Pope Paul the 6th , the
head of the commission, Cardinal Walter Kasper, and Cardinal Meija
will visit Rome Synagogue for the Shabbat services.
Also this week, Cardinal Kasper and Riccardo di Segni, the chief rabbi
of Rome, will open a seminar at one of the Vatican universities, which
will focus on Jewish-Catholic relations of the past few decades.

Armenian passenger bus still trapped on South Ossetia border – agency
Mediamax news agency
19 Oct 04
YEREVAN
The Armenian embassy in Georgia is taking all the necessary steps to
rescue Armenians trapped at the Ergneti checkpoint on the Georgia –
South Ossetia border, the Foreign Ministry press service told our
agency today.
Armenian ambassador to Georgia Georgiy Khosroyev is keeping in touch
with representatives of the Georgian authorities, the ministry
said. The embassy’s staff and representatives of the Georgian eparchy
of the Armenian church went to the Ergneti village today to help
Armenian citizens.
Owing to the efforts of the Armenian embassy in Georgia, three
children and a woman have already been taken to Yerevan from Ergneti,
the Foreign Ministry press service said.
The embassy’s representatives are also taking measures to ensure the
security of Armenian citizens.
[The Georgian border authorities detained a Yerevan-bound Armenian
passenger bus at the Ergneti checkpoint on 8 October.]

Azeri opposition party pickets US embassy over Armenian MPs’ visit to Baku
ANS TV, Baku
19 Oct 04

[Presenter] An anti-Armenian protest action has been staged in
Baku. The United People’s Front of Azerbaijan Party [UPFAP] staged the
action protesting against a visit by Armenian MPs to Baku for the
Rose-Roth seminar of NATO’s Parliamentary Assembly. The protest action
was held outside the US embassy in Baku.
[Correspondent, over video of the action] The UPFAP continues its
protest actions against the [planned] involvement of Armenian MPs in
the 58th Rose-Roth seminar of NATO’s Parliamentary Assembly due in
Baku. Members of the party picketed the US embassy in Baku today.
The protesters demanded that an end be put to pressure on Azerbaijan
to ensure the participation of the Armenian MPs in the Rose-Roth
seminar and to unfair attitudes towards the Azerbaijani people. They
demanded that pressure be put not on Azerbaijan which was subjected to
aggression but on aggressor Armenia instead.
To recap, the UPFAP sent a letter to the Baku mayor’s office to get
permission to hold a series of protest actions. However, the mayor’s
office did not authorize the actions. The party members are set to
continue their pickets. Another picket protesting against the visit
by Armenian MPs to Baku will be held outside the Azerbaijani Foreign
Ministry on 26 October. Moreover, the party members will stage pickets
outside embassies of numerous NATO member countries.
[Passage omitted: reported details]
[Video showed protesters chanting Karabakh outside the embassy, police
officers dispersing the picket]
Ceyhun Asgarov, Emil Babaxanov, ANS.

RUSSIAN AIR UNIT IN TAJIKISTAN SAID TO COMPRISE 20 AIRCRAFT
Interfax-AVN military news agency web site
20 Oct 04
MOSCOW
The Russian air force unit to be stationed in Tajikistan will include
up to 20 warplanes and helicopters, the Russian Defence Ministry told
Interfax-Military News Agency on Wednesday (20 October).
“Russian attack planes and fighters, and also fire-support helicopter
gunships Mi-24 Hind and Mi-8 Hip should be deployed at the Ayni
airfield 20 km from Dushanbe in 2005,” the Interfax-AVN source said.
The deployment of the Russian air unit at the Ayni airfield is
stipulated by agreements on setting up a Russian military base in
Tajikistan that were recently signed between Moscow and Dushanbe, he
said.
Russian Defence Minister Sergey Ivanov told reporters on Monday (18
October) that the Russian base “will definitely have an aviation
component”, which will include fighters.
Russia already maintains two air bases outside its territory, the
source said. “A Russian air team comprising up to 20 MiG-29 Fulcrum
fighters and Mi-8 helicopters is stationed at the Erebuni airfield in
Armenia. A Russian air base comprising up to 20 aircraft too, namely
Su-24 Fencer frontline bombers, Su-25 attack planes, Su-27 Flanker
fighters, L-29 planes, and Mi-8 helicopters, is deployed at the Kant
airfield in Kyrgyzstan,” he noted.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN DRIVERS ATTACKED AND BEATEN ON NORT OSSETIA-GEORGIA BORDER
A1+
20-10-2004
The authorities of Georgian town of Tskhinvali helped Armenian
citizens, who found themselves trapped on the North Ossetia-Georgia
border.
The thing is that a huge number of vehicles accumulated on the road,
as they were barred from crossing the border. The town residents give
Armenians shelter, Regnum news agency says.
The agency also reports a group of masked gunmen attacked drivers and
beat them. Khachatur, one of the drivers, say Georgian journalists
asked them to give an interview and say something against
Ossetians. The journalists promised that, in that case, Georgian
authorities would let them continue their way. The drivers rejected
the offer.