ARMENIAN FM MEETS OSCE ENVOY
ArmenPress
June 4 2004
YEREVAN, JUNE 4, ARMENPRESS: Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs
Vartan Oskanian received today OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Chairman’s
special representative on the Nagorno Karabagh conflict, Goran
Lenmarker. This is the second visit by Lenmarker, who is a member of
the Swedish parliament, to Armenia,
Lenmarker was quoted by the ministry’s press office as saying that
this time he intends to pay a fact-finding visit to Nagorno Karabagh.
He noted also that the OSCE parliamentary Assembly together with
other European organizations is able to build a favorable climate
around the conflict’s regulation.
Oskanian in turn introduced OSCE PACE Chairman’s Special Representative
to the current status and dynamics of the Nagorno Karabagh conflict
settlement. The parties exchanged views on the prospects of the
settlement process in view of the recent developments.
Oskanian underscored the enlargement of European’s organizations’
involvement in the regional issues, underlying the practical
importance of TRACECA and INOGATE projects for the region’s further
integration with Europe. Opportunities for normalization of Armenia
– Turkey relations were also mentioned. At the end of the meeting,
the parties reiterated the important role of the OSCE in ensuring and
furthering regional security and cooperation and expressed willingness
to continue the current dialogue and exchange of ideas.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

VENTURING INVESTMENT FUND TO BE CREATED
ArmenPress
June 4 2004
YEREVAN, JUNE 4, ARMENPRESS: The Union of Armenian Banks is planning
to found this year a venturing investment fund that is expected
to give an opportunity for financing discoveries and inventions
of applied importance. Mikael Hovsepian, the leading expert of the
Union, told Armenpress that the fund will be dealing with collection,
classification, analyzing and estimating the innovations to offer them
to business people by packages, who in case of agreeing to provide
funds, will also obtain ownership rights.
He said the idea of offering inventions by packages is aimed at
reducing the risk the businessmen may face. He added that this will
be the first such fund in Armenia and is supposed to boost economy
development and increase the quality of Armenian goods exported to
other countries.
He said a range of tax privileges will be foreseen for those
businessmen who will agree to fund these new ideas. Hovsepian said
the fund will be established before September.

UKRAINE IS FOR RESTORATION OF AZERBAIJAN’S TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY
ArmenPress
June 4 2004
KIEV, JUNE 4, ARMENPRESS: The president of Ukraine, Leonid Kuchma,
endorsed Thursday Azerbaijan’s efforts to restore its territorial
integrity and bring Nagorno Karabagh back as soon as possible. At
a joint news conference in Kiev after concluding talks with the
visiting president of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, Kuchma said there
were no disagreements in how his government and Azerbaijan evaluate
the situation in the South Caucasus.
“A spade should be called spade. It is a huge tragedy when 750,000
Azeris are forced out of their homes,” he said, adding that Ukraine
has always supported the principle of Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity. Kuchma went on to argue that the OSCE Minsk group should
step up its work to help find a peaceful solution to the dispute.
Thanking Kuchma for his support, Aliyev said: “The truth is that
20 percent of Azerbaijan’s territory is under Armenian occupation.
Unfortunately, some circles in different countries either do not wish
to notice this truth or wish to render it to oblivion.” He said the
conflict must be resolved based on international laws.

KOCHARIAN RECEIVES CANDLE PROJECT SCIENTISTS
ArmenPress
June 4 2004
YEREVAN, JUNE 4, ARMENPRESS: Armenian president Robert Kocharian
received today a team of Armenian scientists, who are involved in
CANDLE (Center for the Advancement of Natural Discoveries using Light
Emission) – a new synchrotron light source project in Armenia, to be
based on a 3 GeV synchrotron light source that will provide a unique
opportunity for the scientific research using a wide spectrum range
photon beams with high flux and brilliance. CANDLE expected to be in
operation in year 2007.
Kocharian’s press office said possibilities of the project
implementation were discussed. The growing interest of different
states, international organizations and academic community in the
project was stated.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN DELEGATION VISITED THE PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT
Macedonian Press Agency
June 5 2004
The excellent friendly relations between Greece and Armenia as well
as the cooperation between the Greek Parliament and the Armenian
community living in Greece was confirmed by Greek Parliament President
Mrs. Anna Psarouda-Benaki and the National Council of Greek Armenians
delegation. The delegation visited Mrs. Psarouda-Benaki together with
the Metropolite of the Orthodox Armenians in Greece.
The Greek Parliament President stressed that the Armenians living in
Greece constitute a dynamic and active community that contributes
greatly and creatively to the Greek society. She also referred to
the Greek-Armenian Friendship Group formed in Parliam ent to be
activated shortly.
The President of the National Council of Greek Armenians expressed
feelings of gratitude to the Greek Parliament for the recognition
of the Armenian Genocide and expressed the Armenian community’s wish
for a visit to Armenia by the Greek Parliament Presi dent.

“‘Armenian criteria’ from France”
Cyprus Press & Information Office – Turkish Cypriot press review
June 4 2004
Under the above title Turkish daily MILLIYET newspaper (04.06.04)
reports that François Hollande, chairman of the French Socialist Party,
has said that the European Union should give Turkey a date for the
beginning of its accession negotiations, only in case it officially
recognizes the Armenian genocide.
Mr Hollande met yesterday at his party headquarters with the chairman
of the Armenian Tasnak Party, Murat Papazyan. The two leaders noted
that Turkey in addition to the Copenhagen Criteria must apply the 18
June 1987 decision of the European Parliament before getting a date.
They reminded that the above-mentioned decision provided for Turkey
to officially recognize the Armenian genocide, withdraw its occupation
troops from Cyprus and respect the human rights of the minorities.

FRENCH SOCIALIST LEADER URGES TURKEY TO RECOGNIZE SO- CALLED ARMENIAN
GENOCIDE FOR EU MEMBERSHIP
Milliyet, Turkey
June 4 2004
French Socialist Party (SP) leader Francois Hollande yesterday said
that the European Union giving a date to Turkey to begin its accession
talks should be contingent on Ankara recognizing the so-called Armenian
genocide. In a joint press conference with Murat Papazyan, the European
head of Armenia’s Tashnak Party, Hollande said that in addition to the
Copenhagen criteria, Turkey should heed a 1987 European Parliament
1987 resolution calling for recognition of the so-called genocide,
withdrawal of Turkish troops from Cyprus and respect for human and
minority rights. /Milliyet/

Seminar on Imam Khomeini’s Thoughts Held in Armenia
Tehran Times
June 5 2004
MOSCOW (IRNA) — A one-day seminar entitled ‘The late Imam Khomeini’s
Thoughts and Views’ was held in Armenian capital Yerevan on Thursday
attended by Armenian scholars and politicians.
During the meet, organized by Iranology Department of Yerevan
University and Iran’s cultural advisor to Armenia, speakers highlighted
the role the late Imam Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic revolution,
played in the regional and international developments, particularly
in social and cultural areas.
Iran’s outgoing Ambassador to Armenia Mohammad Farhad Koleini and
some Armenian outstanding scholars in their lectures expounded on
various aspects of Imam Khomeini’s personality.

The Observer / Guradian (UK)
June 6 2004
Ask the experts
Our Lonely Planet experts, Tom Hall and Fiona Christie, answer your
travel queries
[parts omitted]
I plan an autumn trip to Armenia, and want to go by train from there
to see England play Azerbaijan in a World Cup qualifier in Baku in
October. But I’m told I will have to travel via Tbilisi in Georgia
as the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan is closed due to a
territorial dispute.
As the situation between the two countries is tense, is there a
problem visiting Azerbaijan with an Armenian visa and entry stamp in
my passport?
Geir Engene, by email
Though you should clarify this with the Azeri Embassy (020 7938 3412)
closer to the time, the only visa stamp which will prevent your entry
into Azerbaijan is that of the breakaway enclave of Nagorno Karabakh,
which you’re highly unlikely to visit anyway.
Otherwise, you shouldn’t have any problems travelling from Armenia
to Azerbaijan via Georgia.
Of the three Caucasus countries, Armenia is the safest and easiest
to visit.
Lake Sevan and the Dilijan forests are wonderful natural sights,
but it’s the history of ancient monasteries at Tatev and Sanahin and
the hundreds of stone monoliths at Zorats Karer that really make the
trip special.
British Mediterranean flies from London direct to Yerevan. Flights
cost from £460, including taxes. Book through British Airways (0870
850 9850; ).
It’s also possible to fly from Cologne to Tbilisi in Georgia with the
German budget airline Germania Express (00 49 805 737 100; )
for £253 return including taxes.
The rival German Wings () flies from London to
Cologne for as little as £4, so this could prove the cheapest route
for you.

United Press International
June 6 2004
D-Day: A close-run thing
By Martin Walker
UPI Editor
Published 6/4/2004 5:41 PM
WASHINGTON, June 4 (UPI) — Sixty years on from that grim day in June,
time enough has passed to take the shock from the news that German
Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder will attend the D-Day commemoration
ceremonies. And by saying that he is one of that very large number of
Germans today who say that D-Day also marked the beginning of their
liberation from Adolf Hitler’s Nazi regime, Schroeder has added grace
to his presence.
It is also right that Russia’s Vladimir Putin will attend. They may
have been Soviets back then, but until D-Day, the Red Army took the
brunt of the war and the mass of casualties, and they tore the heart
out of Hitler’s Wehrmacht. They were comrades-in-arms, and with the
Cold War more than 10 years over, it is right that the Russians now
take their place on the Normandy beaches.
Perhaps Vladimir Kuchma of Ukraine should also be there. When the
British and Canadian troops stormed ashore at Gold and Juno beaches,
they encountered whole battalions of Ukrainian, Cossack and Tartar
troops in the 709th Division, recruited by the defecting Soviet Gen.
Andrei Vlasov from German prisoner-of-war camps. And after the
devastation of their country by the great famine that came with
Stalin’s collective farms, who can blame them?
Perhaps the Koreans might be there too, and the Georgians and
Armenians. Korean troops who had somehow been dragooned into the
Red Army, captured and then put into Wehrmacht uniform, were among
the prisoners the Americans took on the first day ashore. There
were Georgian and Armenian, not to mention Latvian, Lithuanian and
Estonian troops, all wearing the field gray of the Wehrmacht, having
laid aside the khaki and the red star of the Red Army.
Wars are like that, hauling in whole continents and peoples, and
subsuming millions of personal dramas and improbable fates into the
vast anonymity of armies. And there were Indian and South African and
Rhodesian and Australian and Polish and Czech troops and airmen and
sailors in the British forces, while the American melting pot meant
that the GIs probably comprised the most polyglot and cosmopolitan
force of all.
But the presence of all these lesser-known players in the great assault
on Hitler’s fortress Europe should serve to remind us of something
important. There were very few of Hitler’s best troops guarding the
Normandy beaches. There were whole units of the German army known as
“ulcer battalions” from the special diet required by these second-line
troops, and one of them was in the 243rd Division among the forces
guarding Omaha beach. But Allied intelligence had failed to record
the presence of one front-line German division at Omaha, the 352nd,
reinforced by elements of the 3rd Sturm-Flak Korps with 37mm and 88mm
anti-aircraft guns.
Hitler’s reserve of five panzer divisions, the armored fist of the
Wehrmacht, were concentrated nearly 200 miles north of Normandy in
the Pas de Calais, just across the most direct invasion route from
England. Hitler was convinced the main attack would come there, and
even after the D-Day landing he believed the Normandy invasion was
but a ruse.
Well, there was a ruse, but it was not Normandy. Called Operation
Fortitude, it was the presence of a handful of signalers with their
radio transmitters in southeast England, keeping up the constant
flow of radio traffic that signaled the presence of a vast force,
the nonexistent 7th Army Group. The trick — and it worked — was to
convince Hitler and his High Command that the aggressive American
General George Patton was preparing to invade near Calais. So that
was where the bulk of the German tanks and the best troops — 19
divisions in all — were kept fruitlessly waiting.
Only one panzer division, the 21st, stationed around Caen, was sent
into action against the beaches on the morning of D-Day. Two more,
the Panzer Lehr and the even bigger 12th SS Panzer (SS divisions
were almost twice as large and better equipped than standard Panzer
divisions), were ordered to mount a counterattack at 4 a.m. on D-Day
by Field-Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt, but Hitler’s HQ refused to confirm
the order while the Führer was sleeping. By the time they got underway
in the early afternoon, the overcast skies of the morning had given
way to clear weather and the British and U.S. fighter-bombers exacted
a high toll for all German road movements.
One other unit should have arrived to counterattack the Normandy
beachhead by June 10. This was the SS Das Reich Panzer division,
which had been refitting and resting near Toulouse in Southern France
after being nearly destroyed in the battle of Kursk on the Eastern
front the previous summer. Rested and reinforced, at full strength
and equipped with Panther and Tiger tanks, it was probably the most
powerful single armored unit in Western Europe.
Allied planners estimated it would take four days for Das Reich to
reach Normandy. But thanks to air attacks on bridges and railroads
and to some heroic actions by the French resistance in the Perigord
and Limousin regions, blowing bridges and mounting doomed but valiant
ambushes, and provoking the Germans into turning aside to commit
hideous atrocities against civilians, it took three weeks for the
division to come into action against the beachhead. (At the village
of Oradour-sur-Glane, over 400 civilians, mainly women and children,
were locked inside a church that was then set on fire by SS Das
Reich; this was supposedly a reprisal for the killing of a German
officer.) The official historian of Britain’s Special Operations
Executive, M.R.D. Foot, concluded that the delays in Das Reich reaching
Normandy may have saved the invasion.
D-Day, despite the ruse of Operation Fortitude, despite allied air
power and command of the sea, and despite the bravery of allied troops
(and the French Resistance), was a close-run thing. Had Hitler not
been fooled, and had the panzer divisions been in the right place,
the allies might well have been thrown back into the sea. Even when
established ashore, it took the allies almost six weeks to break out of
the beachhead and into France, so resourceful was the German defense.
By the time the allies finally broke out from Normandy in later July,
the cream of the German army in France and all available panzer
divisions had finally been committed to the battle. Their defeat was
total. The American breakout threatened to cut off the entire army,
as the British and Canadians and Polish troops advanced from Caen to
join up with the American pincer at Falaise. As the Germans fought
desperately to prevent the jaws from closing, the Falaise gap was
turned into a giant killing ground for the German troops trying to
escape encirclement.
Among those fleeing were the remnant of SS Das Reich. They had begun
on June 6 with 23,000 troops and nearly 500 armored vehicles. But
only 240 men and three tanks got out of the Falaise gap.