Armenian servicemen get visas for Baku-hosted NATO conference

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
16 Jun 04

The Armenian servicemen have already received entry visas to Azerbaijan
and will take part in the planning conference for the NATO Cooperative
Best Effort exercises. The press service of the Armenian Defence
Ministry informed “Aylur” that the Armenian servicemen will be in
Baku on 1 July.

To recap, to take part in the planning conference the Armenian
servicemen had to receive the entry visas no later than 7 June. Because
of the Azerbaijani side’s fault they [previously] failed to get visas.

Eurasianet Organization
June 17 2004

EU EXTENDS COOPERATION WITH GEORGIA, BUT EXPRESSES CAUTION ON
ACCESSION ISSUE
Almut Rochowanksi: 6/17/04

The European Union is seizing an opportunity, created by the Rose
Revolution in Georgia, to promote political and economic
stabilization programs in the Caucasus. On the eve of a June 17-18
summit in Brussels, the EU confirmed that Armenia, Azerbaijan and
Georgia would be included in its New Neighborhood Initiative. In
addition, an EU-hosted donor conference generated over $1 billion in
pledges – nearly double the anticipated amount — to promote reforms
in Georgia. Despite the strengthening cooperation, EU officials are
cautious about Georgia’s chances for eventual EU membership.

At the opening of the June 16 donors conference, EU External
Relations Commissioner Chris Patten said Georgia deserved generous
support “in order to encourage the recent success” of Georgian
President Mikheil Saakashvili’s reform drive. [For background see the
Eurasia Insight archive]. Prior to the gathering, Georgian officials
said they hoped to receive up to 485 million euros ($582 million).
The total amount of pledges – 850 million euros — far exceeded that
figure. The EU itself is allocating 125 million euros ($150 million).

“By pledging so much aid, they [donors] have made it clear that new
relations are starting with Georgia,” Georgian Prime Minister Zurab
Zhvania told the gathering. “This aid is unique not only because of
the sum involved, but also because the [aid] programs will be
prepared in much closer cooperation with Georgian authorities. This
almost never happened in the past.”

EU officials have stressed that the aid will be conditioned on the
continuation of Georgian reforms. Zhvania indicated that the Georgian
government’s determination to press ahead with economic and political
changes – in particular a far-reaching anti-corruption initiative –
was unwavering. “We want to become full-fledged members of the
European Union,” Zhvania said in comments broadcast by Imedi TV on
June 16.

The New Neighborhood Initiative should help Georgia become more
EU-compatible. The initiative, unveiled by EU enlargement
Commissioner Gùnther Verheugen in May, offers a blueprint for the
strengthening of economic and political ties between the EU and
neighboring states in southern and eastern Europe. During the
conceptual stage, EU officials did not envision the three South
Caucasus as falling under the initiative, but that thinking changed
following the dramatic turn of events in Georgia, touched off by the
Rose Revolution in November. [For background see the Eurasia Insight
archive]. The initiative awaits formal ratification during the EU
summit in Brussels.

According to Heather Grabbe of the Centre for European Reform, a
UK-based think tank, the rise of the Saakashvili administration to
power in Tbilisi was seen as a “fantastic opportunity” to extend the
New Neighborhood Initiative to the South Caucasus. Experts stress,
however, that the EU move in no way indicates that Georgia has been
put on a fast track towards membership. Georgia’s reform effort still
has a long way to go before the issue of EU accession can be
seriously discussed.

The recent overtures cannot entirely conceal potential bumps on
Georgia’s road towards European integration. From the EU’s
perspective, concerns linger about some aspects of the new Georgian
government’s foreign policy. Memories of the spat between Georgia and
the Council of Europe in May still linger in the minds of EU
decision-makers. During the dispute, Saakashvili assailed Council of
Europe Secretary-General Walter Schwimmer, calling him “a well-paid
bureaucrat.” [For additional information see the Eurasia Insight
archive].

Most Georgians proudly consider themselves Europeans by virtue of
their history and culture, and the post-Soviet period has seen a
revival of the notion of Georgia’s inherent Western orientation. Such
a mood is entrenched within the Saakashvili administration. The
Georgian president himself has repeatedly spoken about his European
identity, as well as his country’s right to eventually join the
European Union.

During a visit to Brussels in April, Saakashvili confidently stated –
to the surprise of his host, EU Commission President Romano Prodi –
that in the near-future Georgia would be ready for EU membership.
Such assertive rhetoric is likely to raise eyebrows in an EU that is
still uncomfortable with its newly enlarged self, and Georgia’s
enthusiastic push for full membership has been met with a decidedly
less eager response. Indeed, Verheugen, when introducing his New
Neighborhood Initiative, emphasized that “membership is not on our
agenda for these countries.” This view repeatedly confirmed by other
EU officials, as well as by member states.

Ioseb Nanobashvili, counselor of the mission of Georgia to the EU,
viewed Georgia’s inclusion in the New Neighborhood Initiative as
affirmation of his country’s integration plan, and an important step
towards full EU membership. Nanobashvili specifically pointed out
that the New Neighborhood Initiative does not preclude full
membership, and that the EU’s draft constitution explicitly permits
all European countries to apply. He expressed his hope that preparing
for EU membership would have the same positive effect on Georgia’s
reform process as it had on Central European states. Ultimately,
Georgia’s accession would help the EU complete its mission of
promoting European integration, Nanobashvili argued. “The founding
fathers of Europe would have thought so as well,” Nanobashvili added.

Editor’s Note: Almut Rochowanski is an expert on Georgian development
issues. She formerly worked for the UNDP in Georgia.

USA does not fund Armenian opposition – envoy

Mediamax news agency
17 Jun 04

Yerevan, 17 June: Neither the US administration, nor the embassy or
any US financial institution fund the opposition or the authorities
in Armenia, the US ambassador to Armenia, John Ordway, told a news
conference in Yerevan today, answering a question about possible US
funding for the Armenian opposition’s actions.

“We are interested in democratic development in Armenia, but
assistance either to the opposition or to the authorities is beyond
our jurisdiction,” the ambassador said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Caucasian leaders with Armenian background judged – paper

Iravunk web site, Yerevan
15 Jun 04

The scandal in the Georgian parliament last week connected with the
[ethnic] origin of Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania’s mother could be
carried over into the Azerbaijani Milli Majlis.

The fact that the Zugdidi MP Pipiya distrusts the head of the Georgian
government, because of his Armenian mother, could similarly be
applied to Azerbaijani politicians who might get the nationalistic
bug. Especially as they have their “own Zhvania”: Prime Minister
Artur Rasizade, whose mother is also Armenian.

Despite his ethnic “deficiency”, he has been holding the second post
in order of importance in the hierarchy, for the past eight years.

It is not accidental: Artur Tair ogli belongs to the ruling
Naxcivan-Aliyev clan, and is a nephew of the former deputy chairman
of council of ministers of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic,
Samil Rasizade.

During Soviet times the present prime minister headed a department
of the Central Committee of the Azerbaijani Communist Party and was
deputy chairman of the state planning committee of the republic. An
experienced leader, he, according to the witnesses, is successfully
combining his professional competency with an ability to perform a
balancing act in the corridors of power.

When it was necessary to vacate the chair of head of the government
for Ilham Aliyev, Rasizade did it without complaint. His sensible
obsequiousness was appreciated accordingly: once Aliyev-junior became
president he instructed his countryman [Artur Rasizade] to form the
cabinet of ministers for a third time. To deprive Artur Tair ogli of
this highest post is beyond the Azerbaijani MP Armenophob’s power.

But neither Rasizade nor his colleague Zhvania are immune to offensive
attacks in the parliament. Nevertheless crude xenophobia does not
change anything: today many Caucasus leaders have Armenian mothers:
apart from the aforementioned two prime ministers, there is also,
speaker of the Georgian parliament Nino Burjanadze, not to speak
of the leaders of Armenia and the Nagornyy Karabakh Republic [NKR],
not only their mothers are the Armenians. Only Mikheil Saakashvili
[Georgian president] does not acknowledge the ethnic background which
MP Pipiya dislikes.

Russian “Kultura” TV channel to be broadcast in Armenia

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
16 Jun 04

[Presenter] The Russian TV channel “Kultura” will be broadcast in
Armenia from September. The head of Russian State Radio and Television
Company Oleg Dobrodeyev, founder of “Kultura” TV, arrived in Armenia
to sign agreement. The Russian “Kultura” promises to show films on
Armenian culture when it is broadcast in Armenia.

[Correspondent over video of meeting] The Russian TV channel “Kultura”
will be soon broadcast in Armenia. This was successful due to the
efforts of the Armenian culture representatives. Armenian President
Robert Kocharyan said this during a meeting with the head of Russian
State Radio and Television Company Oleg Dobrodeyev. Oleg Dobrodeyev
thanked them for the support and attention.

[Oleg Dobrodeyev, captioned, in Russian with Armenian voice over] They
like this channel a lot in Russia. We are assessing your support and
assistance in the broadcast of “Kultura” in Armenia. Thank you. Because
without your assistance this project could not come to fruition.

[Correspondent] Kultura’s programmes would provide Armenians with an
opportunity to be closer to genuine cultural values.

Azeri army strengthening positions in besieged village – TV

Lider TV, Baku
17 Jun 04

Armenians have encircled the village of Mazam in Qazax District
[northwest Azerbaijan].

Reliable sources in Qazax District have told Lider TV that yesterday
the Armenian armed forces violated the cease-fire on the territory
of the district. Despite retaliatory fire, the Armenian armed forces
launched an offensive. They managed to block the roads leading to
the village.

This report has been confirmed by the head of the district executive
authorities, Asad Orucov. He said that there was an exchange of fire
outside the village of Mazam yesterday.

Qazax police chief Mohubbat Huseynov has told Lider TV that the
situation around the village remains tense. Representatives of the
National Security Ministry and the district executive authorities
are in the village now. The Azerbaijani army is strengthening its
positions, Mohubbat Huseynov said.

In the meantime, the Defence Ministry press service reports that
Armenian military units deployed 1,300m northeast of the village of
Berkaber in [Armenia’s] Idzhevan District fired from their positions
on occupied unnamed heights in Qazax District on the positions of
Azerbaijani troops deployed in the village of Qizil Hacili in Qazax
District on 16 June from 0910 to 0915 [0410-0415 gmt] and from 1955 to
2010 [1455-1510 gmt]. The enemy was silenced by retaliatory fire. There
were no casualties.

Regional anti-AIDS centre opens in Armenia

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
16 Jun 04

[Presenter] The rate of growth of AIDS in the Eastern Europe and
Central Asia is the highest in the world. The international anti-AIDS
organizations consider Armenia part of this region and urge it to
start new preventive measures. According to the latest information,
there are more than 1.5m HIV-positive people in the former Soviet
republics, a regional anti-AIDS centre in Yerevan has said.

[Correspondent] Among the regional countries there are 271 HIV-positive
registered people in Armenia, there are more than 500 in Georgia, but
no research has been done at all by Azerbaijan in this sphere. The
regional anti-AIDS centre will function in Yerevan. The UN resident
coordinator and UNDP resident representative, Renate Ehmer, said
that the establishment of the centre is a result of the Armenian
government’s consistent work.

[Renate Ehmer, captioned, in English with Armenian voice over]
This issue has been discussed for a long time in Geneva. Finally,
it was decided that the centre will be opened in Armenia. The
Armenian government was pro-active on this issue and called for the
establishment of the centre in Armenia.

[Correspondent] Armenia will receive 7m dollars to implement the
national anti-AIDS programme, of which 1m dollars has already been
allocated. Renate Ehmer noted that the centre’s main aim is to work
efficiently and make the best use of the allocated funds. Speaking
about the international recognition of Armenicum [anti-AIDS medicine]
Renate Ehmer said that this medicine should be used abroad.

Anna Vardanyan, “Aylur”.

Turkey prepares to open Armenian border – Azeri paper

Zerkalo, Baku
17 Jun 04

The Turkish government has decided to open the border with Armenia
under pressure from Washington and the EU, the Azerbaijani newspaper
Zerkalo has reported. This decision runs counter to Ankara’s previous
pledges not to open the border without Azerbaijan’s consent, it
said. Relations between the two countries’ leaders are insincere, the
paper said, which is proved by the fact that the Azerbaijani leader
did not pay his first official visit to Turkey, while the Turkish
prime minister chose to go abroad during President Ilham Aliyev’s
subsequent visit. Tension between the two countries started running
particularly high after the Council of Europe vote on Northern
Cyprus which was ignored by the Azerbaijani delegation. The move
was described in the Turkish media as a “stab in the back” from
Azerbaijan. The following is an excerpt from R. Mirqadirov report by
Azerbaijani newspaper Zerkalo on 17 June headlined “Turkey is opening
the border with Armenia” and subheaded “Duty comes before friendship”.
Subheadings have been inserted editorially:

The Turkish Foreign Ministry has issued an instruction to relevant
government bodies to start preparations for the opening of the Ak Yaka
checkpoint on the Turkish-Armenian border, which has been closed for
10 years, in order to ensure the transportation of cargo from third
countries to Armenia through Turkish territory.

MPA reports quoting the Turkish NTV channel that after the opening
of the border checkpoint, cargo will proceed from Europe to Armenia
directly through Turkish territory bypassing Iran and Georgia.

Decision taken under pressure

Explaining the reasons for the decision, NTV reports that Ankara,
despite Azerbaijan’s objections, has to look for an acceptable way
out of the current situation and is under significant pressure from
Washington and the EU.

It is worth noting that Ankara is taking the step in the run-up to a
NATO meeting in Istanbul which is to be attended by representatives
of Armenia. Therefore, diplomatic sources are declining to make any
comments on the situation.

The Turkish administration has repeatedly stated earlier that Ankara
will not open the border with Armenia without the consent of Baku.

In principle, nothing extraordinary is taking place. Ankara could
have been expected to take the step long ago. The point is that Turkey
has been speculating for quite some time that it is not establishing
normal relations with Armenia due to the ongoing occupation of 20
per cent of Azerbaijani territory, while Azerbaijan was actively
following the lead as long as this policy was meeting the interests
of both sides. However, every “hoax” ends sooner or later and the
moment of truth eventually arrives.

Fraternity mere delusion

Zerkalo has repeatedly written that there is no point in deluding
ourselves and Azerbaijani society in general with false hopes
as regards fraternal relations with Turkey, even as far as the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict is concerned. Because anyone even
with basic knowledge of politics could see that the tension in
Armenian-Turkish relations had very little, if anything at all,
to do with the occupation of Azerbaijani territories. First of all,
Armenian-Turkish relations have their own and no less serious problems,
including the issue of the so-called “Armenian genocide” and Armenia’s
territorial claims to Turkey. But it wasn’t these issues that got in
Ankara’s way either. After all, there are no less serious problems
in Turkish-Greek relations, which does not stop Turkey and Greece
being members of the same military and political alliance, NATO,
and maintaining normal diplomatic relations at the level of embassies.

Second, by speculating on Armenian-Azerbaijani relations for over
10 years, Turkey was actually strengthening its positions and clout
in our country, which was far more important for Turkey than the
improvement of relations with Armenia.

And third, at last, Ankara could use this factor as a means for putting
pressure on Yerevan to contain Armenia’s anti-Turkish campaign in the
international arena, particularly as Armenia was much less attractive
for Turkey than Azerbaijan and Georgia.

[Passage omitted: details of Turkey-EU relations]

Insincere relations

Azerbaijan started “recovering its sight” early this year when
certain media outlets, including Zerkalo, quoted diplomatic sources
as saying that an east European capital was hosting unofficial
negotiations on the opening of the Armenian-Turkish border. Again,
there was nothing horrible in such a course of developments. It was
only necessary to develop a common line of behaviour so that both
fraternal countries could derive maximum benefit from the situation.
However, the subsequent developments showed that there was no sincerity
in bilateral relations at all. In the first half of this year the
sides repeatedly “framed” each other.

And the point here is not in finding out who is right and who is
wrong. It is much more important that the leaders of the two countries
do not seem to get along with each other.

We all remember that [Azerbaijani President] Ilham Aliyev, contrary
to expectation and traditions, did not pay his first official visit
as president to Turkey. Also, on the eve of his visit, certainly
not without the blessing of the Baku officials, a team of leading
Azerbaijani journalists went to Turkey to organize a campaign against
the opening of the Turkish-Armenian border. It is beyond doubt that
Prime Minister Erdogan saw the action as an attempt to put pressure
on him. And it was not by chance that he chose to go to Japan during
Ilham Aliyev’s visit.

Cyprus vote: “A stab in the back”

Subsequent and no less dramatic events showed that the Azerbaijani side
was not quite prepared for such a turn in bilateral relations. The
April session of PACE [Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe] discussed a resolution which would enable deputies from the
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to be represented in sessions
of the Parliamentary Assembly independently. Naturally, the deputies
representing two Greek states, Armenia, Russia and Serbia did their
best to prevent the resolution from being adopted in the proposed form.
And they succeeded. However, during the discussions on the resolution,
the Azerbaijani delegation was absent.

On the following day, almost all leading newspapers of Turkey,
including those close to the government, published editorials
describing the step by our delegation as nothing other than a stab in
the back on the part of “fraternal Azerbaijan”. The newspapers quoted
Azerbaijani MPs as saying that they were busy meeting Ilham Aliyev
who had come to Strasbourg. The head of the Azerbaijani delegation
to PACE, Samad Seyidov, could not conceal his disappointment with
Turkish deputies whom he accused of “washing dirty linen in public”.

“We can discuss all disputable issues with Turkish deputies ourselves,
without involving the press,” he said then.

Only a few days later, did Seyidov “come round” and say that the
Azerbaijani MPs did not join the PACE vote on Northern Cyprus because
of the Nagornyy Karabakh issue. According to Seyidov, this could have
set a precedent for the “recognition of self-styled structures”. He
said that the recognition of Northern Cyprus could indeed set a
“dangerous precedent” in terms of the possible recognition of the
separatist regime in Karabakh. The head of the Azerbaijani delegation
probably had to tell the truth as it was getting obvious that a row
was inevitable otherwise.

Under these circumstances, the Turkish ambassador to Azerbaijan,
Ahmet Unal Cevikoz, tried to act as a mediator. He said that he did
not consider it appropriate to accuse the Azerbaijani MPs of failing
to take part in the Northern Cyprus vote. It is easy to understand
the Turkish envoy. Work has been done, hasn’t it? The Turkish side
has managed to trigger a public outrage both in Turkey and Azerbaijan,
and it was time to “wash hands”.

A little later the new Azerbaijani foreign minister said quite
logically that all countries, even the most friendly, may have
different interests, and that there are very serious problems in
Turkish-Armenian relations which have nothing to do with Azerbaijan.

All this testifies to the fact that Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan
and the Azerbaijani president are not quite “fraternal” to each
other. Neither of them misses a chance “to punch” the other, sometimes
quite painfully.

[Passage omitted: Minor details]

TWO ARMENIAN OFFICERS TO TRAVEL TO BAKU

ArmenPress
June 17 2004

YEREVAN, JUNE 17, ARMENPRESS: Two senior Armenian army officers will
travel to Azerbaijan’s capital of Baku on June 22 to participate in
a NATO sponsored conference to be held within the frameworks of its
Partnership for Peace program.

Colonel Murad Isakhanian and Aram Hovhanesian from defense ministry’s
department of foreign relations will go to the capital of Georgia,
Tbilisi, to try to get visas from Azerbaijan’s embassy there on
June 21.

Last January, Armenian officers were not allowed to attend a planning
conference for Best Cooperative Effort exercises. Azeri President
Ilham Aliyev has made a commitment to the U.S. not to hinder Armenia’s
participation in the upcoming NATO exercises in Azerbaijan. Also
this week, Azeri officials pledged to provide security to Armenian
participants.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

KARABAGH LEADER SAYS AZERI PRESIDENT NOT READY FOR CONFLICT SOLUTION

ArmenPress
June 17 2004

PARIS, JUNE 17, ARMENPRESS: President of Nagorno Karabagh Arkady
Ghukasian, who was visiting France last week to attend a series of
ceremonies there on the occasion of 10-th anniversary of establishment
of truce in Nagorno Karabagh, met with the French co-chairman of the
OSCE Minsk Group and French Armenian reporters.

According to Ghukasian, the Minsk Group co-chairmen are expected to
visit Armenia, Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabagh in June and may bring
new proposals with them. He also said that Azerbaijan does not want
to seat at the negotiation table with Nagorno Karabagh demanding that
prior to it all the occupied lands be returned, after which they will
‘think’ about the status of Nagorno Karabagh. “This is of course an
unacceptable position. French Minsk group co-chairman Mr. Jacolin is
very optimistic and thinks that there are possibilities that must be
used,” Ghukasian said.

In response to the question why Azerbaijan has taken such a tough
stance, Ghukasian said that Ilham Aliyev is absolutely not ready for
discussing Nagorno Karabagh issue, not only in terms of his readiness
for solution but just for discussion. “He is not ready to take any
risk and go for any compromise. It is strange for me to hear from
a president that Azerbaijan will not go for any compromise. This
is not something to be heard from a president. Presidents are to
be more flexible. He understands clearly that it is not possible to
give Karabagh back but still resists to go on talks. In this respect
Heydar Aliyev was more controlling the situation,” Ghukasian noted.

Speaking on a possible involvement of John Paul II in negotiation
processes, as was declared by Vatican ambassador in Azerbaijan and
Georgia, Ghukasian said that all wishes are welcomed but the conflict
is very complicated and professional approaches are needed. In this
case such professionalism can demonstrate the OSCE, Minsk group,
the Council of Europe and other international organizations. And the
most important is that the solution to the problems after all depends
on the conflicting sides.

“We have clear understanding of the limit of compromises. We are
realistic about where we go and what we want,” and because everything
is interrelated the bounds of our compromise will depend on the level
of compromise from Azerbaijan,” he said.