Azeri daily says stagnation in political life in wake of presidential polls
Zerkalo, Baku
26 Jun 04

Zerkalo daily has surveyed Azerbaijan’s political scene in the wake of
the latest presidential election last October. The following is the
text of A. Rasidoglu’s report by Azerbaijani newspaper Zerkalo on 26
June headlined “Stagnation. Effectively nothing happens in political
life of Azerbaijan”; subheadings as published:
Analysts describe the current political situation in the country as
stagnant. The point is that, after the latest presidential election
[15 October 2003], effectively all parties have suffered a fiasco to a
certain extent.
Paradoxical though this might sound, this applies to the ruling New
Azerbaijan Party as well, which, despite the fact that it was
precisely itscandidate who has won the election, has nonetheless
failed to obtain the coveted “pieces of the cake of power”.
New Azerbaijan Party
After the election, the New Azerbaijan Party continues to “cruise on
its own”, without opponents on either its right or left. And now the
ideologists of the party openly say that they will never leave the
corridors of power.
In addition, despite the fact that, according to its charter, the New
Azerbaijan Party is currently managed by First Deputy Chairman of the
party[and Azerbaijani President] Ilham Aliyev, in fact it is run by
Ali Ahmadov, executive secretary, who in principle does not hold any
administrative levers. Nonetheless, the party continues to hold its
dominating position in society.
However, whatever they might say both in and outside the country, the
New Azerbaijan Party is by far not the party which was headed by [the
late President] Heydar Aliyev any longer, because his death caused
thoughtless radicalisation of some senior party members, who demand
that government officials delegate the increasing share of their
authorities to party functionaries.
Essentially, the party functionaries who push the authorities toward
thoughtless radicalism cling to the totalitarian way of thinking, do
they not? This, in turn, leads to the demolition of the “temple of New
Azerbaijan members”, which Heydar Aliyev had built over 10 years.
And this is precisely when the first question arises: does Ilham
Aliyev need to strive for the consolidation of the party nomenclature?
The answer is unambiguous: he does, it is even necessary, as the point
is that New Azerbaijan’s nomenclature, certain of its
indispensability, might one day start to ignore orders of the new
president. And then it is all gone: this would certainly lead to
attempts to split power and leave Ilham Aliyev, who wants to make some
changes for the better, “overboard”. Obviously, functionaries from the
New Azerbaijan Party would have never dared to do this during the
Heydar Aliyevrule. This has become possible only now, for how else
should we qualify the newly chosen line of behaviour of some senior
New Azerbaijan officials who point out that they are untouchable?
Understanding this mood and undesirable processes, Heydar Aliyev would
say that he was the leader of not only the New Azerbaijan Party, but
also of all the nation.
It is most likely, however, that Aliyev Jr already understands how to
restrain the ambitions of his “loyal team-mates” who have become a
burden for him. And factors like the population being tired of the
rule of some of the senior members of the New Azerbaijan Party force
Ilham Aliyev to no longer resort to the services of such odious
persons.
But what political course can the new leader of the country uphold to
confront the functionaries’ scenario? And is the son capable of what
his father – a very skilled and, as universally admitted, very
exceptional and powerful politician – managed to accomplish?
Despite the extension of the tenure of all of “his father’s”
ministers, Ilham Aliyev has said on more than one occasion: “I would
like a new generation of property owners to emerge in our society. I
am certain that the people will then gain economic freedom. They will
no longer depend on officials, on so-called ‘big shots’. Then they
will make their decisions independently. The absence of economic
freedom of an individual means the absence of freedom of action- this
is my fundamental principle of freedom of an individual.”
In principle, this approach is a verdict for the senior members of the
New Azerbaijan Party and implies that the president himself has
consolidated his positions.
Musavat
Everyone thought that after the election, the engine of the opposition
camp- the Musavat Party – would muster its force and emerge from the
crisis. The court trial of the leadership of this party was supposed
to force Musavat into resorting to mass protest actions and other
radical moves. But for some reason, this party has failed to come to
its senses since the “16 October syndrome” [post-election riots] and
thereby loses its chance of self-resuscitation.
After the release from detention of its Deputy Chairman Rauf Arifoglu,
the head will find himself in quite a plight. Because Arifoglu is
perhaps the only politician in the country who strongly criticized his
chairman for his “failure to make Musavat the ruling party”. Moreover,
he formulated his statement roughly in the following way: “If I was
the head of Musavat, the party would be in power.” After this
statement, leaders of many parties started to think about their
political future. This statement stunned many people. The belief of
many leaders of opposition parties that the party was their property
was shaken. The realization of impossibility to privatize their
parties began to loom before their eyes. Maybe this is one of the
signs that the opposition comesof ageý [ellipses as given]
People’s Front of Azerbaijan Party
The People’s Front [of Azerbaijan Party, PFAP] is perhaps the only
leading party which entered the presidential race with the established
image of a serious organization which is ready to renounce its
personal ambitions to achieve a common goal. From the very outset and
to the end, the party supported the idea of a single candidate from
the opposition.
PFAP leader A. [Ali] Karimli’s ability to reach a compromise not only
saved him and his team – soon he might even be able to lay claims to
the Musavat and AMIP [Azarbaycan Milli Istiqlal Party] electorates.
By staging mass protest actions, the PFAP seized the initiative. But
the authorities had managed to create a team of “Trojan horses” around
it long before the presidential election, which greatly weakened its
positions.
Democratic Party of Azerbaijan
Virtually nothing remains of the former radicalism of this party after
the election. Perhaps the reason is that, by his thoughtless moves in
the run-up to the election, R. [Chairman Rasul] Quliyev brought the
party to the verge of disaster. The electorate of Democratic Party of
Azerbaijan leader Rasul Quliyev has finally realized, among other
things, that there is not even a single chance of former parliament
speaker returning to motherland.
AMIP
The leader of Milli Istiqlal [Etibar Mammadov] realizes very well that
while the authorities wield powerful resources, it is impossible to
combat them effectively. As a representative of one of the most
powerful electorates, “immigrants from Armenia”, he has set about
implementing the policy of fragmentation of the authorities’ public
support. He realizes that he is unable to stage mass protest actions
and does not believe in this method of struggle.

Azeri opposition leader complains to European envoy about rights situation
Turan news agency
30 Jun 04

Baku, 30 June: PACE Secretary-General Bruno Haller, who is paying an
official visit to Azerbaijan, held a meeting today with party leaders
represented in parliament.
The executive secretary of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party, Ali
Ahmadov, said that useful cooperation has been established between
Azerbaijan and the Council of Europe. He noted that all parties of
Azerbaijan are unanimous regarding the Karabakh settlement.
Haller voiced his hope that the work [former rapporteur of the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe for the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict and Secretary-General of the Council of
Europe] Terry Davis had started will be continued and a new rapporteur
for the Karabakh problem will submit to the Parliamentary Assembly a
report reflecting reality.
The leader of the People’s Front of Azerbaijan Party (Reformers), Ali
Karimli, said that the public had pinned great hopes on Azerbaijan’s
admission to the Council of Europe. We expected Strasbourg to render
assistance in solving its commitments. However, the public has been
disappointed with the Council of Europe as most of the 14 obligations,
which should have been fulfilled in 2002-2004, have not yet been
kept. The problem of political prisoners should have been resolved in
the first two years but three and a half years have elapsed and the
problem still exists. Moreover, seven opposition leaders have been
imprisoned. Rallies and pickets are banned in a Council of Europe
member state. Recommendations by the Venice Commission of the Council
of Europe on the development of election legislation have been
ignored. No fight against corruption is being carried out and the
implementation of the law on this issue has been postponed. Karimli
also complained that there are no independent courts in the country.
The Council of Europe is not taking any measures to exert pressure on
the Azerbaijani authorities to make them fulfil its commitments.
“We supposed that Azerbaijan would come closer to the Council of
Europe’s standards, however, this has not happened and, moreover, the
Council of Europe is getting adapted to Azerbaijani standards,”
Karimli said.

EU aid to South Caucasus depends on progress in conflicts settlement – envoy
Mediamax news agency
30 Jun 04

YEREVAN
“My visit to Stepanakert shows that the European Union has not
forgotten about Armenia, Azerbaijan and Nagornyy Karabakh and that the
settlement of the Karabakh conflict is important to us,” the special
representative of the EU for the South Caucasus, Heikki Talvitie, told
a briefing following his two-day visit to Nagornyy Karabakh, a
Mediamax correspondent has reported from Stepanakert .
Talvitie said that the EU is interested in stability in the region,
the establishment of an atmosphere of confidence and the
implementation of reconstruction programmes. This will very much
depend on the progress in the settlement of conflicts existing in the
region, he added.
“We first supposed to start implementing programmes at the final stage
of the settlement, but now we intend to render assistance to the
region as soon as certain progress is achieved in the peace process,”
Talvitie said.
He said that he last visited Nagornyy Karabakh 10 years ago, and
expressed his satisfaction with the fact that “thanks to your efforts,
you have achieved considerable changes in many spheres”. “This meets
the interests of the European Union and of the conflicting parties and
testifies to stability in the region,” he stressed.
Talvitie met NKR President Arkadiy Gukasyan, National Assembly
Chairman Oleg Yesayan and Prime Minister Anushavan Daniyelyan in
Stepanakert today.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Turkish FM to visit Lebanon
Talks to focus on NATO summit, Arab reforms
By Khalil Fleihan
Special to The Daily Star
Friday, July 02, 2004

BEIRUT: Turkish Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdullah
Gul starts an official visit to Lebanon on Friday during which he is
due to have political and economic talks with local officials.
Gul is also due to brief Lebanese leaders on the NATO summit held in
Istanbul earlier this week and the decisions made there that could
affect Arab states. Talks are also expected to focus on reforms Arab
states are to undertake, and the Istanbul initiative for security
cooperation with several Arab states.
An informed source said Gul’s visit is the first by a Turkish foreign
minister to Lebanon since 1983. He will be accompanied by two Turkish
MPs and a 45 member delegation, and is to arrive in Beirut in the
afternoon.
Lebanon supports a Turkish role in restoring order to Iraq and
rebuilding the country.
A source at the Foreign Ministry said Gul’s talks here would reflect
the extent of rapprochement between Turkey and Lebanon, specifically
with regard to Iraq and Palestine.
The rapprochement between the two countries was evident in talks
Foreign Minister Jean Obeid and Premier Rafik Hariri had in Turkey
during visits earlier this year, specifically regarding the issues of
the greater Middle East and Iraq and Palestine.
The source said Gul’s visit fell within the framework of Turkey’s
rapprochement with the Arabs, which began when Turkish Premier Recep
Tayyip Erdogan took office last year.
Erdogan has since declined several times to meet with his Israeli
counterpart, Ariel Sharon, due to the political disagreement between
the two countries.
The source said Turkey regards Lebanese diplomacy as efficient and
flexible. Turkey also wants to benefit from the Lebanese experience
of coexistence between various religious communities.
“Turkey says the Lebanese experience was an example to be followed, as
it is in line with international expectations for this part of the
world,” the source said, adding that a forum on Harmony Among
Civilizations will be held in Istanbul in October to pave the way for
dialogue between Europe and Islam.
This forum is on the agenda of the talks between Gul and Obeid in
Beirut.
Turkey has been hosting such forums since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks
to offset international tension and safeguard the existing good
relations between Europe and Islam.
The source said Turkey is keeping a close eye on political
developments in Iraq because they have a deep impact on Turkish
interests, especially regarding Iraqi Turkmen and Kurdish minorities.
Turkey wants to play an important part in the new, US-backed strategy
for the region, specifically with regard to the reforms sought by the
US from Arab and Islamic regimes.
Moreover, Turkey supports Lebanon’s claims regarding the “full
implementation of UN Resolution 425.” Turkey also supports Lebanon’s
call on Israel to withdraw from the Shebaa Farms.
But Turkey has reservations over the movements of the Secret Armenian
Army in Lebanon.

PRESS RELEASE
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-689-7810
Fax: 212-689-7168
e-mail: [email protected]
Website:
Contact: Iris Papazian
CROSSROADS E-NEWSLETTER: July 1, 2004
NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY
ON THE WEB PAGE
Press releases about the National Representative Assembly (NRA), which
took place in May in Philadelphia, are now posted on the Prelacy web site.
Also posted are the texts of the message delivered by the Prelate, His
Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, and the keynote address given by
Professor Vigen Guroian. A gallery of photographs by our talented and
dependable photographer, Bedo Der Bedrossian, is also on the web page. For a
direct link to the NRA page click here
ST. GREGORY OF DATEV INSTITUTE IN FULL SWING
AT ST. MARY OF PROVIDENCE CENTER IN PENNSYLVANIA
Seventy-seven Datevatzies (junior and senior high school students) from
various parts of the country are at Datev this week learning, playing, and
strengthening their bond with God.
We are receiving daily updates, including photographs and impressions of
Datevatzies, which we are posting on our web page immediately.
Yesterday, June 30, Archbishop Oshagan, accompanied by Judge Sarkis
Teshoian and Mrs. Ardemis Teshoian, visited the Datevatzies. Oshagan Srpazan
was very impressed with the general atmosphere and the quality of the
students attending. His Eminence said: The atmosphere was joyful and very
respectful. I told the students that they are part of our family and they
have the love of God and our Church in their hearts.
Judge Teshoian addressed the students telling them the importance of
being Armenian in our society and what it means to be an Armenian American.
Utilizing experiences from his own life, Judge Teshoian advised the students
to be good citizens and meet the challenges ahead. Don’t think that others
are better than you, or that you are better than others. He told them that
participation in both Armenian and American society is very important. He
also stressed the importance of education and the knowledge of other
languages, not just Armenian and English. In this age of globalization, he
said, the one who knows more will be hired and will advance up the ladder of
success. He told them: Remember that just as you get happy when you read
about a successful and famous Armenian, that someday an Armenian youngster
will read about you and your success and become very happy.
Daily updates, photographs and comments of Datevatzies are on the
Prelacy web page:
REGIONAL SEMINAR IN PENNSYLVANIA
About 25 people attended the first of three regional seminars for adults
sponsored by the Armenian Religious Education Council (AREC). The seminar
topic was Critical Issues of Life and Faith-an Armenian Orthodox
Perspective. The keynote speaker was Dr. Vigen Guroian, Professor of
Theology and Ethics at Loyola College in Baltimore, Maryland. Panelists
included V. Rev. Fr. Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer of the
Catholicosate of Cilicia, Dr. Carlo Bayrakdarian and Dr. Meline Karakashian.
The weekend began with Bible Studies on Friday evening followed by an
evening service. The discussion on Saturday centered on Christian ethics and
ethical issues that surround us in our daily lives and what the Bible tells
us on these subjects. Deacon Shant Kazanjian, Executive Director of AREC,
welcomed the group and set the stage for the day providing a framework for
learning, understanding, and sharing points of view. The weekend ended on
Sunday with Badarak and lunch.
To quote a participant (Alice Movsesian from New Jersey), The weekend
was fulfilling, nourishing, and enlightening. I would return next year and
encourage others to do the same.
The second of the three regional adult religious seminars will take
place in New England in October 2004, followed by a third in the Midwest. It
is planned that these seminars will be conducted on an annual basis.
Reported by Karen Jehanian
THREE PRELATES OF NORTH AMERICAN PRELACIES
MEET IN CALIFORNIA
The Western Prelacy hosted a meeting of the three prelates of North
America on June 23 and 24, in California. Participating were His Eminence
Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy; His Eminence
Archbishop Khajag Hagopian, Prelate of Canada; and His Eminence Archbishop
Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate of the Western Prelacy.
This meeting was an outgrowth of meetings that took place several months
ago with His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia,
members of the Central Executive Committee, and representatives of the three
prelacies.
Topics discussed included: Christian Education; preparation of deacons
and acolytes; programs for Bible study groups; youth groups; organization
and re-vitalization of parish activities; improving the work of the clergy;
the upcoming 75th anniversary of the Armenian Theological Seminary;
canonical issues; communications and publications; programs to help Armenia,
Artsakh and Javakh; ecumenical relations.
OFFICIALS FROM ARMENIA VISIT PRELATE
This morning, Thursday, July 1, His Excellency Armen Martiroyan, Armenia
‘s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Manouk Vardanyan,
Chairman of the State Committee of the Real Property Cadastre of the
Republic of Armenia, and Hayk Sahakian, chairman of the International
Committee of the same agency, paid a courtesy call to the Prelate,
Archbishop Oshagan. The Prelate and his guests discussed the current
situation in Armenia, as well as ways that the Diaspora can assist.
NINTH ANNIVERSARY OF ELECTION AND
CONSECRATION OF CATHOLICOS ARAM I
The ninth anniversary of the election and consecration of His Holiness
Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, was celebrated in all
churches under the jurisdiction of the Cilician See, including all parishes
of the Eastern Prelacy.
On this occasion the Catholicos said: The ninth anniversary celebration
is for me a prime occasion to give thanks to God for His gifts of life and
ministry which made me put the whole of my life and ability in service of
His Church. I have always perceived my ministry as one of mission and I will
continue in faithful obedience to the call of God to carry on my God-given
mission and renewed faith and strong commitment. The ninth anniversary
celebration is also an occasion for me to look back and realistically and
objectively identify the failures and successes of my ministry at home and
abroad, in my Church and in the ecumenical movement at large. Looking back
must help us to look ahead clearly and courageously. Our Church is faced
with tremendous challenges and concerns; we cannot simply avoid to be a
responsible Church which in the context of the present day world means to
take these issues very seriously. It means to be relevant and a credible
Church. This is how I see the future of our Church and the way we must
follow.
ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN WILL ATTEND
HOMENETMEN GAMES
Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan will attend the HMEM Eastern Region USA 14th
Inter-Chapter games this weekend. The games and related events will take
place in the greater Boston area.
ARMENIAN ROYAL FAMILY REMEMBERED THIS WEEK
This Saturday, July 3, the Armenian Church commemorates King Trdat,
Queen Ashkhen and Khosrovidoukht-all members of the royal family at the time
of Armenia’s official acceptance of Christianity as a state religion. It was
the King’s sister, Khosrovidoukht, who suggested that Gregory (who was
imprisoned by the king in a deep pit) could cure the king’s mysterious
madness. Gregory was released and brought to Vagharshapat where Trdat asked
for forgiveness. Gregory replied: I am a man like you, and I have a body
like yours. But do you recognize your creator, who made heaven and earth,
the sun and moon and stars, the sea and the dry land. He is able to heal
you.
THE FOURTH OF JULY
And of course, Sunday is the Fourth of July-Independence Day, the
birthday of the United States. The document that we know as the Declaration
of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776. Thomas Jefferson wrote the
first draft of the Declaration as a member of a committee that included John
Adams and Benjamin Franklin. The principles embodied in the Declaration have
resounded throughout the world in all the years since 1776. The words from
the Declaration have been recited wherever and whenever people have fought
against undemocratic regimes.
Some of us old-timers remember when all holidays were celebrated on
their rightful day. Many years ago, by an act of Congress, most holidays
were moved to the weekend to give American citizens the much-desired long
weekend. In the United States today only four of our major holidays are
still celebrated on their proper calendar days: Halloween, Christmas, New
Year’s and Independence Day. Any suggestion to change the July 4th date has
been met with outrage (thankfully!). The general feeling of the sanctity of
America’s Independence day was best expressed in a quotation from the
Virginia Gazette of July 18, 1777: Thus may the 4th of July, that glorious
and ever memorable day, be celebrated throughout America, by the sons of
freedom, from age to age till time shall be no more. Amen and Amen.
Happy Birthday, America.
Visit our website at

Azat Artsakh – Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR)
July 1, 2004
BILATERAL RELATIONSHIPS – EFFECTIVE AND NECESSARY
On June 24-26 the delegation of the foundation “Pan-Armenian
International Youth Center” consisting of four members visited
Stepanakert. the aim of the visit was to aid the regulation of the
priorities of the youth policies of Artsakh and mark the beginning of
the development in the result of the bilateral relationships. During
the three-day working visit the members of the delegation met with
the organizations engaged in the problems of youth and through
meetings and seminars tried to find out the mechanism of operation of
the youth organizations in Artsakh.
NVARD OHANJANIAN

Azat Artsakh – Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR)
July 1, 2004
FOR COOPERATION
By the invitation of State University of Vladimir, Russian
Federation, and the local Armenian community the delegation of
Artsakh State University headed by rector Hamlet Grigorian left for
Vladimir. The aim of the visit, as Hamlet Grigorian mentioned, is to
try to establish cooperation between the two universities and
exchange experience. “I think cooperation between the universities of
different countries and exchange of experience will only help to
raise the quality of education and develop,” said H. Grigorian.
LAURA GRIGORIAN

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
07/01/2004
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1. Talvitie Confirms Stepped-up European Involvement in Peace Process 2. Saddam Appears before Iraqi Tribunal 3. Increasing Investor Interest in Mountainous Karabagh 4. Armenian President Visits US Embassy 5. Much Awaited Navasartian Festivities Underway 1. Talvitie Confirms Stepped-up European Involvement in Peace Process YEREVAN (Armenpress/RFE/RL)--Armenia's inclusion in the European Union (EU) Wider Europe program, the country's relations with the EU and Turkey, as well as the Karabagh conflict were among the topics discussed by Armenia's foreign minister Vartan Oskanian and EU special representative for the South Caucasus Heikki Talvitie who arrived in Yerevan after a two-day visit to Mountainous Karabagh Republic. During a joint news conference with Oskanian, Talvitie, who is on a regional tour, reaffirmed the EU's intention to play a greater role in the international efforts to end the Karabagh conflict. He said he maintains regular contacts with the Minsk Group co-chairs. "I have the mandate to assist in this process," Talvitie said, adding that the EU is ready to support "confidence-building measures" between the parties. Oskanian confirmed that a team of international mediators will visit Armenia, Azerbaijan and MKR later this month, but will not submit a formal peace proposal to the conflicting parties. "Negotiations at the level of presidents and foreign ministers have not yet reached a point where the co-chairs have enough material to put something on paper," Oskanian said. "We are still not there and I don't expect that the co-chairs will bring anything written during their visit." On Tuesday, Talvitie paid his first-ever visit to Karabagh as the new representative in the region. In Stepanakert, he discussed prospects for conflict resolution with the MKR leadership. His delegation also met with Armenian President Kocharian who conveyed the EU representative's frequent visits to the region confirm the body's growing interest in the South Caucasus, particularly Armenia. Armenia's relations with the EU and Turkey, and the Karabagh conflict were discussed. 2. Saddam Appears before Iraqi Tribunal BAGHDAD (Reuters)--Downcast but defiant, Iraq's former dictator Saddam Hussein has appeared before an Iraqi judge, questioning his authority and saying the "real criminal" was US President George W. Bush. Hussein, led to the US-guarded courtroom in handcuffs and chains, was read seven charges on Thursday that may lead to formal indictment for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. "I am Saddam Hussein, president of Iraq," he repeated, before grilling the unnamed young judge about his authority. Video footage of the 67-year-old Hussein, his face worn and deeply lined with heavy bags under the eyes, was broadcast around the world soon after his 30-minute court appearance. He was wearing a dark grey pinstriped jacket and a white formal shirt, and had a trimmed, mostly grey beard. It was the first public view of Hussein since he appeared wildly unkempt in photographs and videotape shot after his capture in December. Hussein refused to recognize that he was guilty of a crime in invading Kuwait in 1990, jabbing his finger towards the judge and saying: "I'm surprised you're charging me with that as an Iraqi when everyone knows that Kuwait is part of Iraq." The judge told him these were legal procedures, but Saddam interrupted him: "Law, what law?" he asked. "You are putting Saddam on trial when the Kuwaitis said they could buy Iraqi women for 10 dinars on the street. The Iraqi soldiers went to defend the honor of Iraq, so what right do these dogs have?" he said, drawing a reprimand from the judge. "This is all a theater," Hussein said with a half-smile. "The real criminal is Bush." The White House, said Hussein, would face the justice he denied his people and brushed aside his assertion about Bush. Hussein arrived in a US helicopter at a military base and was then driven in an armored bus to the makeshift courtroom in one of his former palaces near Baghdad international airport. The arraignment was the first step towards a trial which could help Iraq come to terms with 35 years of Baath party brutality, though it may not start for many months. Apart from the 1990 invasion of Kuwait, the preliminary charges against Hussein referred to the suppression of Kurdish and Shi'ite revolts after the 1991 Gulf War, poison gas attacks and other massacres of Kurds, the killing of religious leaders in 1974 and the killing of political figures over three decades. Hearing the charge that he ordered the gassing of thousands of Kurds in an attack at Halabja in 1988, Hussein shrugged it off, saying he had heard of the incident through the media. Without a lawyer to represent him, Hussein refused to sign a statement acknowledging he had been charged and read his rights. One foreign lawyer hired by his wife to represent him said the absence of a defense attorney breached Hussein's rights. 3. Increasing Investor Interest in Mountainous Karabagh STEPANAKERT (Armenpress)--The Prime Minister of Mountainous Karabagh Republic Anushavan Danielian, told a European Union delegation that in spite of Azeri aggression and the ensuing war that caused widespread damage, the government of MKR has taken steps to recover the economy. He briefed the delegation, headed by EU special representative for the South Caucasus Heikki Talvitie, about MKR's privatization process, as well as implementation of economic reforms and investment projects. Speaking about MKR, he said that what used to be a "risky [investment] zone," now attracts an increasing number of foreign investors who have become more secure. They also discussed possible approaches to resolving the Karabagh conflict, the current pace of talks, as well as the importance of MKR's participation in negotiations. 4. Armenian President Visits US Embassy YEREVAN (Armenpress)--On the occasion of the July 4 Independence Day Holiday, Armenian President Robert Kocharian and First Lady Bella, visited the US Embassy in Yerevan to congratulate embassy personnel. Kocharian told the staff he is confident the two countries are on track in developing strong ties. 5. Much Awaited Navasartian Festivities Underway VAN NUYSThe much anticipated closing weekend celebrations of the 29th Homenetmen Navasartian Games began at Van Nuys Grant High School on Thursday, July 1. Musical guests Maxim Panosian, Arsham, Ara Shahbazian and Karnig Sarkisian were on hand to mark the opening night of the ceremonies. In attendance were Homenetmen chapter representatives from the Los Angeles, Colorado, Phoenix, San Francisco, Santa Clarita, Walnut Creek, Fresno and San Diego areas. Throughout the weekend, the festival's grounds at Grant High School (13000 Oxnard St., Valley Glen, CA, 91401) will be filled with exciting attractions, great food, arts and crafts--something for everyone--as well as booths from various Homenetmen chapters and popular local vendors from the Armenian-American community. After the elimination rounds, all final games and meets will be held on Sunday. The Navasartian games will conclude on Sunday. The closing ceremonies and parade of athletes will take place on Sunday, July 4 at 6:00 PM. For more information about the festivities, log on to 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.

Monterey Design Systems Hires 50th Employee in Armenia; Company
Recognized for Outstanding Contribution to Armenia’s High-tech
Industry
LOS ALTOS HILLS, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–07/01/2004–Monterey Design
Systems has just hired its 50th employee in Armenia, and for its
outstanding contribution to the growth of Armenia’s high-tech
industry, the company has received a special award from the Armenian
Chamber of Commerce. In a ceremony held yesterday in Silicon Valley,
Dr. Aram Vardanyan, chairman of the Armenian Chamber of Commerce,
presented the award to Dr. Jacques Benkoski, president and CEO of
Monterey.
“We are extremely pleased that Monterey Design Systems selected
Armenia for its R&D facility. We continue to be impressed by how fast
the company has grown their team over the last year,” said Aram
Vardanyan, who is also a member of the Armenia Academy of Science and
was the former General Director of the Semiconductors Plants in
Armenia.
Monterey has steadily increased its operation at its Arset R&D Center
in Yerevan, Armenia, recently passing the milestone of 50
employees. “Since Monterey began operations in Armenia, we’ve built an
excellent team based on very highly educated and qualified engineers
and with a close cooperation with Yerevan University,” said Hayk
Hovhannisyan, general manager of Monterey’s Arset operation. “We have
enjoyed tremendous success and growth, and it’s a pleasure to be
contributing to Monterey’s overall success in this way.”
Monterey’s Arset R&D facilities in Yerevan are based in the Viasphere
Technopark (), a well recognized commercial park,
housing over 300 professionals and several high technology companies
representing diverse disciplines including semiconductors,
semiconductor intellectual property, electronic design automation,
enterprise software, and network management.
About Monterey Design Systems
Based in Mountain View, Calif., and with offices in major electronics
markets worldwide, Monterey Design Systems Inc. provides software to
enable the design of today’s most complex systems on a chip
(SoCs). With Monterey’s physical design solutions, engineering teams
can improve the performance, shorten the time to market, and reduce
the cost of the products they design. Global electronics giants such
as ST Microelectronics, Toshiba, NEC, and Zoran have been taping out
chips using Monterey tools for more than four years. Monterey partners
with other leading EDA companies, such as Cadence (NYSE:_CDN_
(aol://4785:CDN/) ) and Synopsys (Nasdaq:_SNPS_ (aol://4785:SNPS/) ),
to ensure interoperability in all major design flows. To learn more,
visit
Monterey and Monterey Design Systems are registered trademarks or
trademarks of Monterey Design Systems. Viasphere and Viasphere
Technopark are registered trademarks or trademarks of Viasphere. All
other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
CONTACT:Monterey Design Systems Juli Rombuck, 650-237-2022
[email protected] or Cayenne Communication Michelle Clancy,
252-940-0981 [email protected]
SOURCE: Monterey Design Systems
07/01/2004 18:02 EASTERN

Associated Press
July 1 2004
Reports: Time Warner Enters MGM Bidding
Bidding War Said to Break Out for MGM, With Time Warner Offering $3B
in Cash, Stock for Studio
LOS ANGELES July 1, 2004 – A bidding war has broken out for
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., with Time Warner Inc. offering about $3
billion in cash and stock for the venerable Hollywood studio plus the
assumption of $2 billion in debt, according to newspaper reports.
The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal reported in Thursday
editions that Time Warner has made a preliminary offer for MGM that
rivals overtures from Sony Corp. The reports valued the deal at $13
cash per share for public shareholders, plus the assumption of nearly
$2 billion in MGM debt. Majority shareholder Kirk Kerkorian would get
$11.50 a share in Time Warner stock under the deal, The Times said.
A spokeswoman for MGM and a spokesman for Time Warner both declined
to comment.
The reports of the rival bid for MGM sent the company’s shares up 56
cents, or more than 4.6 percent, to close at $12.66 in heavy trading
Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange. Time Warner’s shares fell 17
cents to close at $17.41.
MGM chairman and chief executive Alex Yemenidjian alluded to a
bidding war during a presentation Tuesday to shareholders at the
Beverly Hills Hotel. “We have more strategic alternatives available
to us than we realized,” he told about 100 shareholders.
MGM, famous for “The Wizard of Oz” and the James Bond and the Pink
Panther series, has been in talks with Sony for months over a sale
for roughly the same price. MGM continued talks with Sony even after
a 15-day exclusive negotiation period expired in late May.
Under that proposed deal, Sony would contribute about $1.5 billion of
the $3 billion in cash needed to close the deal. The rest would come
from Sony’s financial partners, which include Texas Pacific Group and
Providence Equity Partners.
Sony has not been able to close the deal due to a snag with its
partners on financing terms. At issue is how soon the partners would
be bought out of their investment by Sony, sources familiar with the
talks have said.
Billionaire Kirk Kerkorian owns 74 percent of MGM, which is being
courted primarily because of its vast film library of more than 4,000
titles.
A bid from Time Warner could raise warnings flags with antitrust
regulators since the giant media company already owns Hollywood
powerhouse studio Warner Bros.
A strong bid from Time Warner would also mark a return to the
deal-making table for the media giant after several years’ absence.
Time Warner has spent the last few years repairing its balance sheet
and reorganizing its management and corporate structure following the
disastrous merger with America Online in 2001.
In recent months, the company has been carefully considering new
deals, including a possible offer for cable systems owned by
now-bankrupt Adelphia Communications Corp.
Time Warner remains hampered in its deal-making by a continuing
investigation into its accounting practices by the Securities and
Exchange Commission, placing limits on its ability to issue new
securities.