UEFA.com
July 13 2004
Champions League starts here
It seems like only yesterday that FC Porto were celebrating being
crowned champions of Europe after a memorable 3-0 victory against AS
Monaco FC in Gelsenkirchen. However, time waits for no football team
and so it is that the opening three of a total of 205 matches which
will eventually determine the winners of the 2004/05 UEFA Champions
League take place tonight.
Dream alive
Barring a miracle, none of the six teams in first qualifying round
first-leg action today will be contesting the final on 25 May 2005 in
Istanbul’s Atatürk Olympic stadium. However, the road to every final
has to start somewhere and the champions of Malta, Lithuania, F.Y.R.
Macedonia, Armenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Azerbaijan will all enter
the competition dreaming of the potential pairings with European big
guns that advancement to the second, or even third, qualifying rounds
might bring.
Two debutants
Two clubs will be making their debuts in European football’s premier
club competition tonight – Bosnia-Herzegovina’s surprise champions NK
Široki Brijeg and FK Pobeda of F.Y.R. Macedonia. Široki play host to
PFC Neftchi at the Pecara stadium with coach Ivo Ištuk worried that
the Azerbaijani side’s superior experience in Europe may prove
crucial. “Neftchi are, in our view, slight favourites because they
have an experienced team,” he said.
Uphill struggle
However, Neftchi’s squad has been weakened since they lifted the
Azeri title, with international defender Samir Abbasov and midfield
player Agil Mamedov leaving the club. And with captain Gurban
Gurbanov suspended for the first leg, they could face an uphill
struggle.
CSKA reward
The reward for the winners of this tie will be a second qualifying
round match against PFC CSKA Moskva, who showed they were vulnerable
to an upset by losing to FK Vardar 3-2 on aggregate at the same stage
of last season’s competition.
Vardar example
Tonight’s other Champions League debutants, Pobeda, will be looking
to emulate the example set by Vardar, the club they deposed as
Macedonian champions last season. However their opponents, Armenian
title-holders FC Pyunik, will be no pushovers.
Pyunik push
Pyunik are already well on the way to a fourth successive domestic
title after 13 games of the 2004 campaign. Furthermore, in their two
previous appearances in this competition, the Armenians have
successfully negotiated the first qualifying round by beating first
KR Reykjavík and then Tampere United. Although they have yet to
progress beyond the second qualifying round they will fancy their
chances of booking a tie in the next round against FC Shakhtar
Donetsk.
Third tie
In the third of tonight’s ties, Sliema Wanderers FC of Malta take on
FBK Kaunas of Lithuania, with a contest against Swedish title-holders
Djurgårdens IF awaiting the victors. Both Sliema and Kaunas reached
the second qualifying round last season.
Good heart
Sliema will be without key midfield player Joe Brincat, who is
suspended, but Maltese Footballer of the Year Stefan Giglio and
captain Noel Turner have overcome recent injuries and coach Edward
Aquilina is cautiously optimistic of a positive result on the home
turf of the National Stadium in Ta’ Qali.
‘Give our all’
“The fact that we know so little about the Lithuanian champions
worries me,” he told uefa.com. “But I still believe that if we give
our all, as we have always done, we can repeat last year’s exploits
and go through to face Djurgården.”

The Age
July 14 2004
Drug cloud over male lifter
By Roy Masters
The Australian Olympic Committee believes Australia’s sole male
weightlifter nominated for the Athens Olympics, Sergo Chakhoyen, went
into hiding for three-and-a-half months before finally being
drug-tested in Armenia last Thursday.
Acknowledging difficulties in obtaining details of Chakhoyen’s
overseas address, AOC president John Coates said: “Clearly, there
were some issues concerning the provision of his whereabouts
information and we should wait for the results of these tests.”
The AOC has deferred an announcement on Chakhoyen’s selection in the
team for the Games until the tests results are known.
The Australian Sports Drug Agency has told the AOC it had asked the
Austrian agency that tested Chakhoyen to expedite the analysis at a
Vienna laboratory, with the test results expected late this week.
Chakhoyen, who represented Armenia at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, is
rated No. 1 in the 85-kilogram class and won a gold medal at last
year’s world weightlifting championships in Vancouver, Canada.
He has been an Australian resident since 1997 but returned to
Armenia before Christmas, after briefly stopping in Melbourne to
celebrate his world championship gold medal in the snatch and bronze
medals in the clean and jerk and total.
The AOC sought information on his location following a directive from
the World Anti-Doping Agency that all potential athletes for the
Athens Olympics declare their whereabouts and be tested from March
31.
When the Australian Weightlifting Federation advised the AOC on June
23 that Chakhoyen would be unavailable for competition at the
national championships in Melbourne from June 26 for “personal family
reasons”, the search for Chakhoyen intensified.
The AOC sent a letter to the president of the Australian
Weightlifting Federation, Sam Coffa, on June 24 requesting
information on Chakhoyen’s whereabouts and it took another two weeks
to locate the 34-year-old.
Chakhoyen tested positive at the Goodwill Games in Brisbane in
September 2001 and completed his mandatory two-year suspension last
year.
His Vancouver success was the second time Chakhoyen has been world
champion.
He won his weight category while representing Armenia at the 1994
world championships in Turkey.
Chakhoyen finished fifth at the Sydney Olympics representing
Australia.
Coates reflected concerns over Chakhoyen in a letter to the chief
executive of ASDA, John Mendoza, last Friday.
Coates referred to “recent ASDA concerns regarding the whereabouts
information supplied in respect of weightlifter Sergo Chakhoyen who
was eventually tested in Armenia overnight”.
Chakhoyen has been tested only once in 12 months, before last
Thursday’s test in Armenia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan
July 13 2004
H.E. JACQUES CHIRAK PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF FRANCE
[July 13, 2004, 18:28:55]
Dear Mr. President,
My dear friend, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to You and the
people of France on the occasion of the national holiday of France –
Day of Capture of Bastilia.
We attach great importance to development of the friendly and
cooperation relations between Azerbaijan and France. I am convinced
that we shall continue our mutual efforts to expand bilateral
relations in all fields.
I am hopeful towards the role of France as OSCE Minsk Group co-chair
in settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorny Karabakh conflict –
the most painful problem of our people. I hope, You, Mr. President,
will further make every possible effort in the peacemaking process to
reach real conclusion.
On this landmark day, I once again extend You my best, wish robust
health, success in Your work, the friendly people of France –
tranquility and welfare. With deep friendly feelings,
Ilham Aliyev,
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan
Baku, 5 July 2004

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan
July 13 2004
AZERBAIJANI PUPILS IN AMERICA
[July 13, 2004, 20:54:05]
Press conference has taken place in the International Press Center
with participation of 55 pupils who have come back after end of
training in the USA in 2003/2004 educational year within the
framework of the Program of Exchange of Future Leaders of the Freedom
Support Act (FLEX).
As correspondent of AzerTAj reports, opening the conference, director
of the American International Council of Education (ÀÑÑÅLS) on the
country Jeremy Tash has told about essence of the carried out
program, has congratulated the pupils who rounded education, and also
sent in the USA in the next educational year, has wished them
successes. He has told: `Financed by the US State Department the
program FLEX functions more than 10 years and for this time more than
450 pupils from Azerbaijan within one year were trained in high
schools of the United State, having placed in the American families,
directly got acquainted with culture, traditions, customs of this
people. It is pleasant, that as against the last years in the
competition of this year, which has been lead among 9-10-11 grades of
Azerbaijan, schools, have taken part more than 2 thousand pupils.
Congratulating pupils, Minister of Education Misir Mardanov has told:
`Realization of this program is a part of the American – Azerbaijan
cooperation. It is very glad and proud of that we have youth of so
high intellectual level. They have adequately presented the country
in such state as the USA, and have come back with the big successes.’
The Minister also has recommended to the pupils sent in the USA in
the next educational year, to take with them materials, cassettes
about our Republic, its history, geography, culture, customs,
traditions, about our hardest problem – the Armenia-Azerbaijan,
Nagorny Karabakh conflict and more than one million refugees and
IDPs, and bring all this to the notice of public the USA which is not
having wide information on Azerbaijan.
The pupils have told about the impressions during their training in
America, residing at the American families, the won successes, about
similarity and the distinctive sides of education systems of two
countries.
At the meeting, there was the representative of US embassy in our
country on public relations Nile ÌcGertty.

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan
July 13 2004
Czobánki puts Honvéd in control
Budapest Honvéd FC will take a precious lead back to Hungary after a
late header from Ádám Czobánki gave them a 1-0 victory at FC MIKA
tonight.

Favourites to progress
With the referee preparing to blow the final whistle at the
Republican stadium in Yerevan, Czobánki connected with a Lázló Bojtor
cross in the second minute of added time to ensure an away win.
Honvéd will now feel they have every chance of progressing from the
first qualifying round when they stage the second leg in Budapest in
a fortnight.
Chances spurned
MIKA had started brightly, with Artyom Adamyan wasting the most
dangerous chance for the Armenian home side midway through the first
half. David Grigoryan also looked threatening on a couple of
occasions but it was the visitors who created the most clear-cut
opening, as striker Attila Dobos hit the crossbar.
Three changes
The visitors found their feet in the second half, and they were
rewarded for making three late substitutions in the closing stages.
Honvéd were pushing for a goal and they got the breakthrough when
Bojtor burst clear on the wing and provided fellow replacement
Czobánki with the chance to score.
Cup disappointment
The victory will have done much to cheer Honvéd, who reached the
Hungarian Cup final before losing 3-1 to champions Ferencvárosi TC in
May. The winners of this UEFA Cup tie will enter the second
qualifying round, which is due to be played over two legs next month.
From: Baghdasarian

Radio Netherlands Wereldomroep
July 13 2004
The UN´s genocide watchdog
By our Internet Desk, 13 July 2004

Juan Mendez – the new advisor on genocide to UN Secretary-General
Kofi Annan
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, has
announced the appointment of the first special UN advisor on the
prevention of genocide. The man chosen for the job is Juan Mendez
(59), an Argentinian human rights lawyer and one-time political
prisoner under the military regime that ruled his native country in
the 1970s.
With the failure in mind of the United Nations and the international
community as a whole to tackle the genocide in Rwanda in the 1990s,
the creation of this special position at the world body appears to be
a positive move towards preventing such humanitarian disasters from
occurring on the same scale in the future. But how much influence
will the new advisor have at the United Nations, and will he really
be able to get things moving before the threat of genocide becomes a
reality?
In the following interview, Radio Netherlands speaks to Roberta
Cohen, an analyst with the Brookings Institute in the United States,
and asks her about the significance of the newly created post, and Mr
Mendez’s ability to act to thwart potential genocide.
“In think it’s very important that there was such an appointment. The
UN failed very, very dramatically – and everybody recognises that –
in responding to the genocide that took place in Rwanda. And everyone
has said “never again”, that the international community has to have
some sort of response when situations like that occur. And you see
that, right now, happening in Darfur in the Sudan, where acts of
genocide are taking place, and again the Security Council has been
very weak in its response.”
Juan Mendez is president of the International Centre for Transitional
Justice; a body which furnishes legal assistance to nations emerging
from conflict.
In the 1970s he spent two periods in jail as a political prisoner of
Argentina’s then military regime, and was subjected to torture.
During this period, Amnesty International made him one of its
“Prisoners of Conscience”; putting pressure on the authorities in
Buenos Aires to set him free.
Finally released in 1977, he went into exile, where he continued his
human rights activities. He later headed the Latin America division
of the Human Rights Watch organisation, going on later to become its
general counsel. He has also worked for other NGOs as well as
teaching law, concentrating on the human rights aspect of this field.

RN: “Is this just a spokesperson or is this somebody who could say to
the Security Council that intervention is now needed to prevent
genocide?”
“I don’t think the person could […] require the Security Council to
act, but certainly the person – through the Secretary-General – could
propose that the Security Council act in a certain way, or if actual
troops or military action were needed, could then call for troops and
funds in order to do this. But hopefully a strong Security Council
resolution, sanctions, international political pressure, would be
sufficient, and this person could certainly put pressure – via the
Secretary-General – on the Security Council to act.”
RN: “This is something which, after the Rwanda genocide, Kofi Annan,
the Secretary-General of the United Nations, was very, very serious
about it not happening again. But, as you say, as we see in Darfur,
it is happening again.”

Genocide in history: the bodies of murdered Armenians, killed in the
period 1915-1918. The systematic slaughter of Armenians under
Turkey´s then Ottoman rulers is still not recognised by all sides as
an event of genocide.

“It is happening again, and you again see the international community
now desires to do something. The humanitarian part of the UN is very
much in gear, there is pressure on the Sudan, but you find that the
Sudanese have been able to resist and that governments in the
Security Council have not wanted to take strong measures. So, I would
like to see what will happen with the appointment of Juan Mendez, and
whether there will be more pressure on the Security Council to enact
sanctions, not only against the militias in the Sudan – the Janjaweed
– but against the Sudanese government.”
RN: “We’ve heard from Mr Annan that he plans to draw up a plan of
action to prevent genocide in the future. Is this something that can
be written down on paper given that there is so much political
manoeuvring involved in this?”
“You are right, I don’t think that you can just put this down on
paper. But I think there are quite a number of societies where one
can find indicators […] of potential killings and genocide in such a
society because there isn’t sufficient protection for a particular
racial or minority group because the political situation is
developing in such a way that one can almost sense that a group is in
particular danger. Usually situations unravel, and once they unravel
and there are suddenly tens of thousands of killings then everyone
looks.”

Armenian speaker hails outgoing US envoy’s role in cooperation
Arminfo
13 Jul 04

YEREVAN
The speaker of the Armenian parliament, Artur Bagdasaryan, today met
the US ambassador to Armenia, John Ordway, in connection with the
expiry of his diplomatic mission in Armenia.
Bagdasaryan praised Ordway’s contribution to deepening Armenian-US
cooperation, the press service of the National Assembly told our
agency.
In turn, the ambassador highly praised the process of democratization
in Armenia. Ordway said that his successor would continue the policy
of deepening Armenian-American cooperation.

Armenian leader, CIS secretary discuss upcoming summit
Mediamax news agency
13 Jul 04

YEREVAN
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan today received CIS Executive
Secretary Vladimir Rushaylo who has arrived in Yerevan on a working
visit.
Vladimir Rushaylo discussed with Robert Kocharyan issues on the agenda
of the session of the council of CIS leaders which will be held in
Astana in September, the press service of the Armenian president told
Mediamax news agency.
The Armenian president and CIS executive secretary also exchanged
views on reforms in the executive committee and in other structures of
the Commonwealth.

Armenian paper displeased Russian-owned plants still not operating
Haykakan Zhamanak, Yerevan
13 Jul 04 p 2

Text of Hayk Gevorkyan’s report by Armenian newspaper Haykakan
Zhamanak on 13 July headlined “We are not demanding, we are simply
asking”
“By taking over these enterprises, Russia hopes that the industrial
capacities and the scientific and technical potential of these
enterprises will operate in full. They will operate within the
framework of programmes that exist in Russia: electronic industry, the
development of the production of armament systems, etc,” the former
prime minister of Russia, Mikhail Kasyanov, made this statement in
Yerevan in November 2002, when he was signing the so-called “property
for debt” agreement together with Armenian Prime Minister Andranik
Markaryan. According to this agreement, five Armenian enterprises
became the Russian government’s property, for which the latter
“forgave” 98m dollars of Armenia’s debt to Russia. Kasyanov’s hopes
did not come true. Nothing has changed in the life of the biggest
enterprises which were handed over to Russia: the Razdan power plant
and Mars. The Razdan power plant is operating as before, Mars is
almost non-operating (it operates even less than before).
In the remaining scientific-research institutes, the volume of orders
from customers has grown slightly, but nobody dares to say that this
growth is due to the fact that the institutes were handed over to
Russia. That is, the orders would have probably grown even if they had
not been handed over to Russia. In a word, the economic results, which
were spoken about so much while handing over the enterprises to
Russia, have not been achieved. They said that as a result of the
property for debt agreement, Russian investments will flow into
Armenia, new technologies will be brought, new jobs will be created,
etc.
Within the framework of Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan’s
visit to Russia, the further fate of the Armenian enterprises that
have become Russian property will be discussed. “We shall try to
clarify the schedule and the approaches of the Russian party. This
concerns mainly Mars,” Andranik Markaryan told journalists at
Zvartnots airport before his departure to Moscow. His careful answers
are not accidental. From a legal point of view, the Russians did not
undertake to put other enterprises into operation or provide them with
equipment. On the contrary, they were given numerous privileges. For
instance, the Razdan power plant received a tax privilege of more than
6m dollars that it could not even dream of when it was Armenia’s
property.
In a word, we have nothing to demand from the Russians. “We are not
demanding, we are simply asking,” Trade and Economic Development
Minister Karen Chshmarityan said. There are also problems concerning
the fifth block of the Razdan power plant. The point is that within
the framework of the property for debt agreement, the fifth block was
put to a so-called “option”, i.e., the Armenian party promised not to
sell it to a third party until the end of the current year and gave
the Russians a privileged right to buy it. Our delegation will try to
clarify in Moscow if the Russians will buy the fifth block or we can
sell it to somebody else.
On the whole, we have the impression that we, as well as the Russians,
are searching for excuses to explain why nothing has changed in the
enterprises that were handed over to Russia within the framework of
the property for debt agreement. Elections were being held in Russia,
a government was being formed, etc. [Russian MP] Nikolay Ryzhkov
expressed his displeasure in Yerevan that the enterprises belong to
Russia, but the Armenian laws are operating there, as if in Russia the
French laws are operating in enterprises that belong to France. It is
evident that it is only a justification so as to deny in some way that
the property for debt agreement was only a political decision which
helps Russia ensure its presence in the region, and the Armenian
authorities support this by all means. And in this case, we can only
ask and never demand.

Armenian Court of Appeal upholds verdict of lower instance court
Arminfo
12 Jul 04
YEREVAN
The Armenian Court of Appeal on criminal and military cases refused to
satisfy a complaint by Artak Gabrielyan, who is being accused of calls
for forced change of the constitutional order. The court also decided
to add to Gabrielyan’s punishment term the 56 days that he spent in
the National Security Ministry’s investigation isolation cell.
Let us say that the first instance court in the Nor-Nork community
found Artak Gabrielyan guilty under Article 301 of the criminal code
of the Armenian Republic. He was given a one year suspended sentence
for making calls to forced change of the constitutional order in
Armenia. The Court of Appeal found arguments of the prosecutor
convincing and the fault of the accused was proven.
“This is purely a political process. In my case, the authorities
staged a demonstrative process in order to frighten the Armenian
people and to prevent them from manifesting their massive
dissatisfaction with the anti-people line of the country’s
leadership. I have not committed a crime and I am planning to obtain a
verdict of not guilty,” Artak Gabrielyan told our correspondent.
He is planning to appeal to the Armenian Court of Appeals, he said.