PRESS RELEASE
June 24, 2004
Embassy of the Republic of Armenia
2225 R Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20008
Tel: 202-319-1976, x. 348; Fax: 202-319-2982
Email: [email protected]; Web:
Scholarships Available to Diaspora Armenians to Attend Armenian Universities
The Government of Armenia has established 75 full scholarships to allow
Diaspora Armenians to study in the Armenian public universities and colleges
in the academic year 2004/2005. 70 scholarships will be provided to
applicants interested in pursuing undergraduate studies, and 5 scholarships,
for graduate studies.
Applications for scholarship and enrollment will be considered by a special
commission of the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science. Priority is
given to applicants pursuing studies in Teacher’s Training, Armenian
Studies, and Fine Arts.
In addition to tuition-free positions, Diaspora Armenian applicants will
also have an opportunity to apply for and be enrolled in public universities
on paid basis, following the procedure outlined above.
The deadline for submitting applications is August 20, 2004. The application
forms, list of universities and departments are available upon request from
the Embassy of Armenia, via email: [email protected] or telephone:
202-319-1976, ext. 348.

Northern Avenue Legal Analysis
Arman Zrvandyan 2004
24.06.2004
CSI .csi.am
In 2001 the Government of RA planned to construct Northern Avenue in
Yerevan. For the realisation of this project the Government of the RA made
several decisions approving the area of real assests (sites, houses and
construction) located within the planned area of Northern Avenue in Yerevan
and amortisied for the state needs, as well facilitated establishment of «
Northern Avenue and the Cascade » projects realisation office » governmental
non-profitable organisation wich has been charged for the activities related
to the construction of the Northern Avenue and the Cascade. Morover, in
accordance to the Government decisions N 950 of 05.10.2001 and N 1169-N
14.08.2002 N the organisation was also charged for the whole portfolio in
determination, following it currency adjustment offer and further purchase
of the confiscated sites and real estate in the area of Northern Avenue
It is noteworthy that before the confiscation of individual’s property for
the state needs, the latter should observe particular preconditions
envisaged by the Constitution of the RA, aacting laws and ratified
international agreements; and their ignorance makes the process of the
amortization of the real estate of individualsillegal.
Thus, Article N28 of the Constitution of the RA on confiscation of the
individual’s property either for the state or public needs defines the
following:
“.Confiscation of property for the needs of society and the state may occur
only in exceptional cases with prior full compensation on the basis of the
law. ”
This impleis that before confiscating the property for the needs of the
society and statethe authorities of the RA must observe the following
preconditions in accordance with the Constitution of the RA :
1. Confiscation of the property should serve for the satisfaction of the
needs of the society and the state;
2. Confiscation of property for the needs of society and the state may occur
only in exceptional cases;
3. Confiscation of property should be realized solely on the basis of the
law;
4. The authorities are obliged to provide prior full compensation.
Have the authorities of the RA satisfied the above-mentioned requirements
envisaged in the Constitution and International agreements? In order to give
a proper answer to the question it is necessary to understand how the
authorities should have provided the very guaranties.
The precise answer was given by the Constitutional Court of the RA in its
Decision N SDO-92 (SD) of February 27, 1998, that, while clarifying points
of the above stated article 28 of the Constitution of the RA, declared such
a legal position in which the property of an individual can be confiscated
in accordance to the provisions of the Second part of the Article N28 of the
Constitution of the Republic of Armenia and in case of his disagreement, the
state can terminate the enjoyment of the rights to the property by means of
Accepting Law on that particular property that will substantiate its
explicit importance and significance and define distinctly that the
confiscated property will be used for the needs of the state and the
society. Moreover, the Constitutional Court states that the Government of
the Republic of Armenia cannot establish such procedures of confiscation of
property for the needs of the state and society that will automatically
authorise it with the right for confiscating this type of property.
The National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia has never accepted any Law
on Confiscating the Property in the Area of the Northern Avenue as stated in
the Decision of the Constitutional Court of the RA. Furthermore, the
afore-mentioned decisions of the Government of the RA, that were taken as a
legal basis for the realisation of processes of confiscating the property in
this area, are mere Sub-Constitutional Acts and they can no way be addressed
and treated as “Laws”. Accordingly, the absence of the Law automatically
implies the disregard to the other constitutional requirements, as only in
the Law on the Confiscation of the confiscation-due Property in the area of
the Northern Avenue the Government of the RA could have proven the explicit
importance and significance and define distinctly that the confiscated
property will be used for the needs of the state and the society.
Thus, as the Constitutional norms are put into force immediately and
International Agreements of the RA are superior over the Laws that
contradict them, it goes naturally that the provisions of the latter should
be practised.
In these conditions the decision made by the executive branch of the RA
couldn’t have served as satisfactory legal basis for confiscations of the
individuals’ property.
Furthermore, the Article N1 of the Protocol N1 of the European Convention on
the “Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms” states the following
Every natural or legal person is entitled to the peaceful enjoyment of his
possessions. No one shall be deprived of his possessions except in the
public interest and subject to the conditions provided for by law and by the
general principles of international law.
So, as you can see, the European Convention also foresees restrictions in
the usage of own property, though, the same way as in the Constitution of
the RA, it allows confiscation in the manner of “except in the public
interest” and “subject to the conditions provided for by law” and not by a
Sub-Constitutional Act.
The European Court on Human Rights in its case of Zvolski and Zvolskaya
against Republic of Czech gave the following in its Verdict:
. Article N1 of the Protocol N1 of the Convention requires that any
interference into the right of enjoying possessions of the natural person by
the state authorities must be legal. Moreover, the predominance of the
Right, which is one of the fundamental principles of the democratic society,
is applicable to all the Articles of the Convention.
The law, which serves as a basis for the interference, should correspond to
the relevant provisions of the inter- state Legislation, including
Constitution of the High Agreeing Side (See, point 65 of December 11, 2002
in the Verdict of ECHR on case of Zvolski and Zvolska against Republic of
Czech)
Those preconditions for the deprivation of the property are included,
primarily, to establish control over restrictions towards individual’s
fundamental right of property by the Legislative body and prevent possible
abuse and violations committed in out of the control on behalf of the
Executives.
Summarising the above written, we can conclude that the Confiscation of the
property realised in frames of the project on the Construction of the
Northern Avenue in the RA was not “on the basis of Law” as the National
Assembly has not ever accepted the relevant Law, which is a direct breach of
both the Constitution of the RA and other laws as well as provisions
envisaged in the Article N1 of the Protocol N1 of the European Convention on
Human Rights.

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
06/24/2004
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1. ANCA Joins Coalition Campaign to Stop Genocide in Sudan 2. Berlin Leader Momper Addresses Turkey's Genocide Denial 3. Russian Mediator Confirms Work on New Karabagh Plan 4. Bomb Blasts across Turkey Days before NATO Summit 5. Armenia Reaffirms Plans to Join NATO Drills in Azerbaijan 1. ANCA Joins Coalition Campaign to Stop Genocide in Sudan WASHINGTON, DC (ANCA)--The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) participated in a press conference yesterday, organized by the Congressional Black Caucus and Africa Action, voicing its support for a nationwide, grassroots campaign to secure US intervention to stop the impending genocide in Sudan. Congressional Black Caucus members, including Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-MD), Representatives Donald Payne (D-NJ), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Diane Watson (D-CA), Maxine Waters (D-CA), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), and Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-IL) were joined by Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO), and Africa Action Executive Director Salih Booker in calling attention to the ongoing tragedy in Sudan, which has already claimed tens of thousands of lives in 2004. In response to a question by ANCA Government Affairs Director Abraham Niziblian about individual involvement in stopping the cycle of genocide in Sudan, Rep. Payne cited the example of he Armenian Genocide, noting, "if we had done something then [in 1915], we would not have had the 1930's genocide committed by the Nazis." Salih then stressed the importance of participating in a petition drive initiated by Africa Action on June 15, calling on Secretary of State Colin Powell to support an immediate intervention to stop the killing [in Sudan]." Over the past several weeks, the ANCA has called attention to the atrocities in Sudan through a series of letters to Congressional offices, urging them to take a stand to stop the cycle of genocide through support of Congressional initiatives regarding Sudan as well as for the Genocide Resolution (H.Res.193 / S.Res.164), which reaffirms US commitment to the principles of the Genocide Convention. In a June 17 memo to Congressional staff members, Niziblian stated, "As the descendants of survivors of the Armenian Genocide, Armenian Americans feel a special obligation to encourage our government to take the lead in preventing genocides, anywhere around the world. Please stand up against genocide in Sudan and do all that you can to ensure we, as a nation, meet our obligations under the Genocide Convention to prevent and punish all instances of genocide." Similarly on June 23, Niziblian asked Members of Congress to "work for the passage of the Genocide Resolution (H.Res.193 and S.Res.164) to reaffirm our collective commitment to the aims of the Genocide Convention." The Genocide Resolution was introduced in the Senate in June, 2003 by Senators John Ensign (R-NV) and Jon Corzine (D-NJ). Its companion House measure, H.Res.193, led by Representatives George Radanovich (R-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), was adopted unanimously by the House Judiciary Committee last May and has 111 cosponsors. The resolution cites the importance of remembering past crimes against humanity, including the Armenian Genocide, Holocaust, Cambodian and Rwandan genocides, in an effort to stop future atrocities. Support for the measure has been widespread, with a diverse coalition of over 100 ethnic, religious, civil and human rights organizations calling for its passage, including American Values, National Organization of Women, Sons of Italy, NAACP, Union of Orthodox Rabbis, and the National Council of La Raza. Africa Action has reported that, "In Darfur, the Sudanese government is destroying African Muslim communities who have challenged the authoritarian rule of the government. Government forces and Arab militias known as the janjaweed have burned and pillaged thousands of villages, poisoned water systems, and subjected the population to large-scale rape and other atrocities." On May 17, House Members overwhelmingly adopted H.Con.Res. 403, condemning the Sudanese Government for its attacks against innocent civilians in the impoverished Darfur region of western Sudan, by a margin of 360 to 1. Its companion resolution in the Senate, S.Con.Res. 99, was adopted unanimously on May 6. Rep. Payne announced that he would introduce additional legislation calling on the "UN Security Council to introduce a resolution authorizing intervention in Darfur" and "urging the US Administration to expose those responsible for the genocide." INDIVIDUALS CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE AFRICA ACTION PETITION DRIVE BY VISITING: 2. Berlin Leader Momper Addresses Turkey's Genocide Denial BERLIN (Armenpress)In a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margarian, the president of the Berlin House of Representatives Walter Momper, said on Thursday that Turkey has to follow European Union (EU) guidelines in aspiring to join the EU, and must review its policy on the recognition of the Armenian genocide. "Every intelligent man knows the reality of Armenian genocide," said Momper, clarifying that at least "Germans know of what went on in the Ottoman Empire in the beginning of the 20th century." Margarian urged Momper to consider taking up the issue of the Armenian genocide in Berlin's parliament so as to "serve as good example for others." He stressed that recognition and denouncement of the genocide would prevent repetition of such crimes. Margarian, along with a sizable Armenian delegation, arrived in Berlin on June 22 to conduct three day's of meetings with high-level officials in an effort to boost a wide variety of relations between the two countries. An Armenian-German Economic Forum took place on June 23 "to introduce Armenia as reliable partner" according to Armenia's ambassador to Germany Karine Ghazarian. "I am confident that this Conference will provide a good environment to achieve its main objective to deepen and further develop the economic cooperation between the Federal Republic of Germany and the Republic of Armenia and give a new incentive to enlargement and consolidation of the existing ties between the business communities of the two countries," Ghazarian stressed in opening the conference. The one-day forum was organized by the Armenian Embassy in Germany along with the German Economic Cooperation and Development Ministry, as well as by the Technical Cooperation Company, German Industry and Trade House, Restoration Foundation (KFW), Oriental Commission on German Industry, German Investments and Development Organization. 3. Russian Mediator Confirms Work on New Karabagh Plan MOSCOW (RFE/RL)A senior Russian diplomat confirmed on Thursday that he and the other international mediators are working on a new peace plan attempting to reconcile the opposing strategies of Armenia and Azerbaijan on ending the Mountainous Karabagh conflict. The Russian co-chair of the OSCE's Minsk Group Yuri Merzlyakov, said a synthesis of a "step-by-step" settlement of the conflict pushed by Azerbaijan and a single "package" accord demanded by the Armenian side, is the only realistic way of breaking the decade-long deadlock in the peace process. "The co-chairs are now trying to propose a variant of the settlement which would literally allow us to synthesize incompatible proposals, namely, those two approaches," Merzlyakov said. "In our view, this is possible to do if the parties display good will." The new "third-way" strategy of conflict resolution was apparently the main focus. Merzlyakov and the Minsk Group's French and US co-chairs also took part in it. Precisely what practical form that synthesis might take remains unclear. After his meeting in Prague on Monday with Azerbaijan's foreign minister, Armenian foreign minister Vartan Oskanian said that though the idea is realistic, the approach must somehow address the thorny issue of Karabagh's status. President Robert Kocharian made it clear on Wednesday, however, that Armenians will never agree to Karabagh's return to Azeri rule. "Karabagh has never been part of an independent Azerbaijan," Kocharian said, addressing the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. "Azerbaijan's territorial integrity therefore has nothing in common with Mountainous Karabagh Republic (MKR)." MKR's leadership and the Kocharian administration insist on a "package" settlement which was almost secured during a peace conference on the Florida Island of Key West in April 2001. According to the Armenian side, Azerbaijan's then President Heydar Aliyev backtracked on the deal which would have upheld Armenian control of Karabagh. It proposes settling key problems, including status, security guarantees, and troop withdrawal, with a single, comprehensive agreement. Oskanian and other Armenian officials said earlier this year that the only way to push the peace process forward is to revive those Key West agreements. The step-by-step solution that Azerbaijan advocates was strongly backed in late 1997 by Kocharian's predecessor Levon Ter Petrosian. It calls for Armenia to surrender specific buffer zones to Azerbaijan, in exchange of deployment of international peacekeepers in Mountainous Karabagh. 4. Bomb Blasts across Turkey Days before NATO Summit ISTANBUL (Reuters)A bomb blast has ripped through a city bus, killing four people in Istanbul, days before US President George W. Bush arrives in the country for a NATO summit, Turkish television says. It was the second bomb blast to rock a Turkish city on Thursday. The bus was passing in front of a hospital in a residential district of Istanbul, the country's largest city, when the blast occurred, CNN Turk said. Ambulances rushed to the scene. Seven people were hurt. Witness Mehmet Tatli told Reuters that he helped carry bodies of the dead and injured after the explosion and saw four bodies in total. Earlier on Thursday a small parcel bomb exploded outside the Hilton Hotel in the Turkish capital of Ankara, where Bush is due to stay on Saturday night before attending the summit in Istanbul. That blast wounded three people. The Turkish government, which hosts the NATO summit in Istanbul on June 28-29, earlier moved to reassure the public on security arrangements. "Turkey is a sufficiently strong and secure country. Such incidents happen everywhere, in London, in Paris, everywhere," Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul told reporters, adding that the Bush visit would go ahead as scheduled. Analysts said the blast renewed global security concerns, which since the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States have tended to damage the dollar. Bush is due to spend Saturday night at the Hilton in the southern part of Ankara where many embassies are located, before talks on Sunday with Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. 5. Armenia Reaffirms Plans to Join NATO Drills in Azerbaijan YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--Armenia reaffirmed on Thursday its plans to take part in the NATO-led military exercise in Azerbaijan this September, but appeared to have scaled back its participation, strongly opposed by many Azerbaijanis. Armenian military officials had earlier said that they would like to participate not only with staff officers, but also with a platoon of combat troops, saying they did not want to be reduced to mere "observers." But Deputy Defense Minister Artur Aghabekian told reporters that only five to seven officers will now participate in the "Cooperative Best Effort 2004" war games to be held within the framework of NATO's Partnership for Peace (PfP) program. "We have been assigned concrete roles [by the organizers] and we will take part in the exercise in accordance with them." Aghabekian clarified that Armenia has been given five slots in the NATO-led multinational force that will practice various peace-keeping tasks at an Azerbaijani military facility. Final preparations for the drills were discussed this week at a conference in Baku attended by military representatives from the participating nations, including two officials from the Armenian Defense Ministry. The conference was overshadowed by angry protests against their arrival in the Azerbaijani capital which were staged by a local pressure group favoring a hard line on Karabagh. 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.

The Herald, UK
June 24 2004
Olympics: Athens to Athens

DOUG GILLON
50 days to go
When the XXVIII Olympics of the modern era open on August 13, the
Games will truly be coming home. Athens was merely the place where
the Games restarted.
The ancient Olympics date back to 776BC and were held every four
years in southern Greece, in the valley of Olympia. Lighting a flame
on the altar of Zeus is the origin of the modern flame-lighting
ceremony.
The first Olympic champion recorded was a cook, Koroibos of Elis, who
won the stadion, a sprint of nearly 200 metres. It was the only
athletic event among religious ceremonies attended by crowds of
40,000.
Events were added regularly, and wars were suspended in a month-long
truce, or heiromenia, to allow competitors safe passage to the
celebrations.
Although there was no prize money (just an olive wreath), athletes
were supported in their training, and rewarded by their patrons, just
like professionals. There was evidence of doping, bribery, cheating,
and even boycotts.
Women were excluded on pain of death from the all-male contests, but
were permitted to own horses. The first female winner was Kyneska of
Sparta who won the tethrippon in 396 and 392 BC. Or rather her horses
did. She was not actually a competitor at all, but a horse breeder,
whose horses won the 12-lap, four-horse chariot race.
The Games were held for more than 1100 years, until abolished in
393AD by the Roman Emperor Theodosius, who considered them to be
pagan. The last recorded champion of the ancient era was a boxer,
Varasdates, Prince of Armenia, in 369AD.
50 days to go
When the XXVIII Olympics of the modern era open on August 13, the
Games will truly be coming home. Athens was merely the place where
the Games restarted.
The ancient Olympics date back to 776BC and were held every four
years in southern Greece, in the valley of Olympia. Lighting a flame
on the altar of Zeus is the origin of the modern flame-lighting
ceremony.
The first Olympic champion recorded was a cook, Koroibos of Elis, who
won the stadion, a sprint of nearly 200 metres. It was the only
athletic event among religious ceremonies attended by crowds of
40,000.
Events were added regularly, and wars were suspended in a month-long
truce, or heiromenia, to allow competitors safe passage to the
celebrations.
Although there was no prize money (just an olive wreath), athletes
were supported in their training, and rewarded by their patrons, just
like professionals. There was evidence of doping, bribery, cheating,
and even boycotts.
Women were excluded on pain of death from the all-male contests, but
were permitted to own horses. The first female winner was Kyneska of
Sparta who won the tethrippon in 396 and 392 BC. Or rather her horses
did. She was not actually a competitor at all, but a horse breeder,
whose horses won the 12-lap, four-horse chariot race.
The Games were held for more than 1100 years, until abolished in
393AD by the Roman Emperor Theodosius, who considered them to be
pagan. The last recorded champion of the ancient era was a boxer,
Varasdates, Prince of Armenia, in 369AD.
50 days to go
When the XXVIII Olympics of the modern era open on August 13, the
Games will truly be coming home. Athens was merely the place where
the Games restarted.
The ancient Olympics date back to 776BC and were held every four
years in southern Greece, in the valley of Olympia. Lighting a flame
on the altar of Zeus is the origin of the modern flame-lighting
ceremony.
The first Olympic champion recorded was a cook, Koroibos of Elis, who
won the stadion, a sprint of nearly 200 metres. It was the only
athletic event among religious ceremonies attended by crowds of
40,000.
Events were added regularly, and wars were suspended in a month-long
truce, or heiromenia, to allow competitors safe passage to the
celebrations.
Although there was no prize money (just an olive wreath), athletes
were supported in their training, and rewarded by their patrons, just
like professionals. There was evidence of doping, bribery, cheating,
and even boycotts.
Women were excluded on pain of death from the all-male contests, but
were permitted to own horses. The first female winner was Kyneska of
Sparta who won the tethrippon in 396 and 392 BC. Or rather her horses
did. She was not actually a competitor at all, but a horse breeder,
whose horses won the 12-lap, four-horse chariot race.
The Games were held for more than 1100 years, until abolished in
393AD by the Roman Emperor Theodosius, who considered them to be
pagan. The last recorded champion of the ancient era was a boxer,
Varasdates, Prince of Armenia, in 369AD.

Calcutta Telegraph, India
June 24 2004
Indian challenge ends
Tripoli: Indian challenge ended at the world chess championship as GM
P. Harikrishna and IM Neelotpal Das bowed out in the second round.
Harikrishna went out after a valiant effort against European champion
and 2001 finalist Vassily Ivanchuk of the Ukraine in the second round
while Das lost in the first set of tie-beak rapid games against
Armenian Grandmaster Ashot Anastesian.
Das had earlier held his famous rival to a draw twice in the normal
time control in the two-game match, but failed to keep the momentum
ticking in the rapid chess.
India fielded five players in the championship but stalwarts Krishnan
Sasikiran, Dibyendu Barua and Surya Shekhar Ganguly crashed out in
the first round itself and with the ouster of Harikrishna and Das in
round two the team will return home early.
Top seed Grandmaster Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria proceeded to the
third round with back-to-back victories over compatriot Alexander
Delchev.

Baku Today, Azerbaijan
June 24 2004
Azeri Official Calls for More Tolerance
Baku Today 24/06/2004 11:16
An official from the president’s administration on Wednesday said
while he understands the feelings of ordinary Azerbaijanis protesting
against the arrival of two Armenian officers in Baku to attend a NATO
conference, he underlined that all protest actions have to be within
norms of law.
“It is very normal to protest anything that you don’t like. But it
doesn’t mean that you may break windows of a hotel or attack a
conference hall,” said Ali Hasanov, head of the social and political
department at the presidential apparatus.
Hasanov was referring to Tuesday’s protest action by the Karabakh
Liberation Organization (KLO) in front of Baku’s Europe hotel where a
planning conference for NATO’s `Cooperative Best Effort-2004′
military training was taking place. Several dozen members of the KLO
attempted to rally in front of the hotel to protest the Armenian
participants of the conference, Colonel Murad Isakhanyan and Senior
Lieutenant Aram Hovhanesian.
Although police prevented the protestors from assembling in front of
the hotel, a group of 15-20 young KLO members managed to broke into
the hotel, after which the work of the conference was stopped for
about ten minutes. During a squabble with police and guard of the
hotel, the protestors broke several windows of the building.
Hasanov noted that the people of Azerbaijan will not stand the
occupation of their historical lands. But he added: `The Azeri people
are very cultural, so we have to be more tolerant.”

Azer News, Azerbaijan
June 24 2004
Armenian officers’ visit to Baku sparks public outcry

The final conference of the “Cooperative Best Effort-04” training
opened in Baku on Tuesday within NATO’s Partnership for Peace
program. Representatives from ten NATO member states, eleven
Partnership for Peace program-participant states, NATO’s
Southern Europe and European Allied Forces Command, as well as from
the International Committee of the Red Cross and the US embassy in
Baku are attending the conference to last till Thursday. The
“Cooperative Best Effort-04” training will be held in Baku this
September. The participation of Armenian officers – Colonel Murad
Isakhanian and Senior Lieutenant Aram Hovanesian – in the event
sparked nationwide protest in the country.
Akif Naghi, chairman of the Garabagh Liberation Organization (GLO),
told a news conference last week that Armenian officers won’t be
allowed to attend a NATO conference even if they arrive in the Azeri
capital. According to Naghi, Armenia aims to cover up the occupation
of Azerbaijani lands by sending its officers to Baku. “Therefore, the
goal of the GLO is to prevent the realization of Armenia’s plans,”
said Naghi, underlining that a series of actions will be conducted in
this respect.
Public concern justified
Commenting on the differing attitudes of the public and the
organizers of the event towards the issue, Ali Hasanov, head of the
Socio-political Department of the President’s Palace, said that the
positions of both sides are understandable. Hasanov regarded the
negative attitude of the public towards the participation of the
officers of the occupying army in any event in Baku as normal. Noting
that the undertaking is organized not by Azerbaijan but NATO, Hasanov
stressed that such events may be organized not only in Azerbaijan but
also in other program participant states. However, the government
allowed the officers of aggressor Armenia to arrive in Baku on Monday
evening. On Tuesday morning, GLO members held a protest action to
condemn the Armenian officers’ participation in the NATO conference,
stating that “no business relations can be established with Armenia
unless the occupied lands of Azerbaijan are liberated”.
Protests
Members of the Garabagh Liberation Organization (GLO) picketed the
Europe Hotel on Tuesday protesting the participation of Armenian
officers at the conference being held in Baku within the NATO
‘Partnership for Peace’ program. The protesters tried to block
Tbilisi Avenue, disrupting traffic, and then clashed with police in
front of the hotel. Several GLO members succeeded in making their way
to the conference room. However, the conference continued
uninterrupted after police and hotel security officers disbursed the
picketers. Five demonstrators led by the GLO chairman Akif Naghi and
his deputy Barat Imani were detained and taken to the Nasimi District
police department. “The Armenian officers’ visit to Baku and the
Azerbaijani government’s position on the issue is unacceptable. The
authorities must primarily defend the interests of the state, prevent
officers of an aggressor country from coming to Baku and put forward
a firm position to international organizations on the issue”, the GLO
said in a statement. Also on Tuesday, members of another group, the
All-Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (APFPA), tried to hold a similar
action. In a Milli Majlis session on Tuesday, parliament members
expressed their indignation with the participation of Armenian
officers in the conference being held in Baku within NATO’s
Partnership for Peace program. MP Sabir Rustamkhanli regarded the
admittance of Armenian officers, guilty of shedding the blood of
innocent Azerbaijanis, to Baku as a disgrace. Rustamkhanli said NATO,
as an entity cooperating with Azerbaijan, should respect Azerbaijani
national moral values. Speaker Alasgarov said the Armenian officers
came to Baku secretly and will leave Azerbaijan after the first NATO
session.

Interfax
June 24 2004
Armenian soldier killed on Azerbaijani border – Armenia
Yerevan. (Interfax) – An Armenian soldier was killed on Armenia’s
border with Azerbaijan on Monday, the Armenian Defense Ministry said
on Wednesday.
Ministry spokesman Col. Seiran Shakhsuvarian told Interfax the
soldier had been killed by a sniper.
The incident occurred on a section of the border where there were
Armenian-Azerbaijani exchanges of fire early this month. Armenia says
Azerbaijani forces started the skirmishes.
Armenia and Azerbaijan have been embroiled in a conflict since the
early 1990s over the Azerbaijani Armenian-speaking enclave of
Nagorno- Karabakh.
There was a war in early stages of the conflict in which Azerbaijan
lost Nagorno-Karabakh and nearby districts, forcing about 1 million
Azerbaijanis to leave their homes.
The UN Security Council demanded the withdrawal of Armenian forces
from the occupied territory.
The United States, Russia and France co-head the Minsk Group of the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which
mediates efforts to settle the conflict.
OSCE officials have paid two visits to the Armenian-Azerbaijani
border this month.

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
June 24 2004
Iran recognizes Armenia as aggressor

Iranian Justice Minister Mahammad Ismayil Shushteri met with
Azerbaijani Parliament Speaker Murtuz Alasgarov on Thursday.
Along with bilateral cooperation, the conflict over Upper Garabagh
was discussed. Alasgarov said Iran has always supported Azerbaijan’s
position within international entities, including the Islamic
Conference Organization. He noted that although Azerbaijan supports a
peaceful settlement, it will liberate its occupied territories at all
costs. Shushteri said Iran considers Armenia an aggressor country and
that his country will do its best to achieve the settlement of the
conflict.
He stressed that his country is interested in resolving the conflict
and assured the Azerbaijani side that Iran’s position on the issue
will remain concrete and clear. Touching upon legal cooperation
between Azerbaijan and Iran, Shushteri said the two countries have
signed and ratified three relevant documents so far and emphasized
the need for even closer collaboration in this area.

Radio Free Europe, Czech Republic
June 24 2004
Bankrupt Armenian Carrier Unable To Clear Huge Debt
By Gevorg Stamboltsian 24/06/2004 16:19
The executive director of Armenian Airlines said on Wednesday that
the state-owned carrier which was declared bankrupted recently is
highly unlikely to fully repay its debts estimated to total $28
million.
In an interview with RFE/RL, Arsen Avetisian said the company would
be able to do so only if it was allowed to resume and operate a
single daily flight from Yerevan to Moscow for at least two
consecutive years.
`But given the existing agreement between [the private airline]
Armavia and the Armenian government, the likelihood of the
implementation of a financial adjustment plan drawn up by Armenian
Airlines is very small,’ he admitted.
Armavia, which is owned by Russia’s second-biggest Sibir airline, was
granted most of Armenian Airlines’ flight rights in the former Soviet
Union and Western Europe when it signed the agreement with the
government more one year ago. It has since replaced Armenian
Airlines, notorious for mismanagement and poor service, as the
country’s flagship carrier.
The Yerevan-Moscow flights reportedly generate 42 percent of
Armavia’s operating revenues. Sibir, which has already invested
heavily in its Armenian subsidiary’s fleet of mainly European-made
aircraft, is therefore unlikely to share the lucrative service with
anyone.
Meanwhile, Armenian Airlines creditors, most of them based outside
Armenia, are expected to gather in Yerevan next month to discuss its
future. According to Avetisian, they will likely decided to liquidate
the company. He said it can partly clear the debts with proceeds from
the planned sale of its property and equipment, including Soviet-era
commercial jets.
Armenian Airlines, profitable as recently as in 1997, began steadily
sliding into bankruptcy in 1998 and carried out its last flight in
December. Avetisian blamed the downfall on the Russian economic
crisis of 1998 and a series of subsequent restructurings which
deprived the company of some of its profit-making divisions. But some
independent aviation experts believe that the company fell victim to
government corruption, inefficiency and mismanagement.