Azeri Speaker, US military discuss OSCE Minsk Group activities so far
ANS TV, Baku
13 May 04
[Presenter] The hitherto activities of the OSCE Minsk Group, which
has accepted the mediating mission on the solution to the Nagornyy
Karabakh conflict, will be inspected. Inspectors from the USA have
already arrived in Baku.
[Correspondent, over video of the meeting between the US inspectors
and Azeri delegation] Representatives of the US National War College
said they had arrived in Baku to inspect the activities of the OSCE
Minsk Group which accepted the mediating mission on the resolution
of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict. Commander in the US Navy Forces,
Vincent McBeth, wanted Azerbaijani Speaker Murtuz Alasgarov to answer
this question.
[Macbett, speaking in English with Azeri voice-over] We want to
learn. A few years have elapsed. What has the OSCE Minsk Group done
for the resolution of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict and what impact
has it had?
[Correspondent, over video] Here is Azerbaijani Speaker Murtuz
Alasgarov’s response.
[Alasgarov] No progress is being noticed in the OSCE Minsk Group’s
activities. The Minsk Group was appointed to tackle the problem in
view of its essence and in line with internaltional legal norms. Why
was the Minsk Group organized if it stands on the sidelines in the
process and lays the blame on both sides?
[Correspondent] Alasgarov urged Washington to apply sanctions against
Armenia the aggressor and sent a message to international organizations
calling on them to abandon double standards. He addressed another
request to US President George Bush.
[Alasgarov] I am convinced that the US leadership, including incumbent
President Bush will once again review the situation and take a humane
step towards the full suspension of Section 907 [ to the Freedom
Support Act banning direct US government assistance to Azerbaijan]
[Correspondent] The military men, who came from the USA, promised to
deliver this request to the Bush administration.
Afat Telmanqizi, Azar Qarayev, ANS.

US CALLS ON AZERBAIJAN, ARMENIA TO TACKLE CONFLICT SETTLEMENT
AssA-Irada, Azerbaijan
May 13, 2004
National Security Adviser to the US President Condoleezza Rice
was quoted as saying on Thursday that the United States would like
the governments of Azerbaijan and Armenia to seriously tackle the
Upper Garabagh conflict. She said the “long-protracted” conflict is
negatively affecting both Azerbaijan and Armenia in terms of economic
and political development.
Shortly before her visit to Russia, Rice said she intends to discuss
with official Moscow prospects for the conflict settlement. “We
are working closely with Russia to resolve a number of conflict
situations. I think we all were somewhat disappointed with the fact
that this has not been done in Upper Garabagh”, she said.

DISCUSSION OF UPPER GARABAGH REPORT MIGHT BE DELAYED
AssA-Irada, Azerbaijan
May 13, 2004
An Azerbaijani member of the CE Parliamentary Assembly, MP Bakhtiyar
Aliyev was quoted as saying on Thursday that the Azerbaijani
representatives have recently met with nominees for the CE secretary
General position to become familiar with their program of activity.
“Along with our adherence to European principles, we will consider
Azerbaijan’s national interests”, he said. If the CE PA rapporteur on
Upper Garabagh Terry Davis is elected the CE Secretary General, the
discussions concerning the Upper Garabagh conflict may be postponed.
Aliyev explained the delaying discussion with the fact that CE has
recognized Armenian as an aggressor state and added that the Armenian
lobby aspires to put off such a discussion.
The appointment of the new CE Secretary General is expected in June.

AZERI, GEORGIAN, ARMENIAN SPEAKERS TO MEET IN STRASBOURG
AssA-Irada, Azerbaijan
May 13, 2004
Speakers of the Azerbaijani, Georgian and Armenian parliaments are
planned to meet in Strasbourg next week.
A source from the Milli Majlis (parliament) told AssA-Irada that the
trilateral meeting was scheduled to be arranged during the visit
of the Council of Europe member states’ speakers to Strasbourg on
May 17-19. A number of issues including that of the Upper Garabagh
conflict will be discussed during the meeting.

FM STRESSES CONFLICT AFTERMATH
AssA-Irada, Azerbaijan
May 13, 2004
Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov is visiting Strasbourg to attend the
114th session of the Council of Europe (CE) Ministerial Committee. In a
meeting with the CE Secretary General Walter Schwimmer on Wednesday,
Mammadyarov elaborated on the work underway towards solving the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Upper Garabagh.
The Foreign Ministry told AssA-Irada that in a meeting with the CE
Ministerial Committee’s Ago monitoring group, Mammadyarov spoke of
the efforts Azerbaijan has taken to fulfill its commitments to the
CE as well as of prospects for settling the Upper Garabagh conflict.
Addressing the session, Mammadyarov spoke of the outstanding political
issues and the reformation of the European Court for Human Rights
(ECHR). He said that the CE plays a crucial role in promoting the
undivided Europe and stated Azerbaijan’s position on the issue.
Mammadyarov noted that the Upper Garabagh conflict had caused serious
hurdles in the development of the South Caucasus region and emphasized
the initiatives taken by Azerbaijan to solve these problems. On the
first day of the session, a statement on long-term productivity of the
ECHR and the 14th protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights
were adopted. Later in the day, foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and
Armenia met at the CE Office in France. The meeting was also attended
by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs.

Ilkham Aliyev is determinate to return Karabakh
Bby Maksim Yusin
RusData Dialine – Russian Press Digest
May 14, 2004 Friday
SOURCE: Izvestia, No 83, p.1
Azeri president threatens Armenia with war
The Azerbaijan’s President Ilkham Aliyev speaking Wednesday at the
opening ceremony of a military garrison said that his country is
determinate to reclaim the province of Nagorny Karabakh, a disputed
territory now controlled by Armenia.
Aliyev said that “the Azeri people and its army can at any moment
take steps to restore the territorial integrity of the country.
International law gives us right to do it. Azerbaijan will strive to
resolve the conflict over Nagorny Karabakh through negotiations. But
if we see that any further dialogue brings no results, we will liberate
the occupied territories at all costs.”
The Azeri president made his harsh statement on May 12 – the tenth
anniversary of the ceasefire between Armenians and Azerbaijanis in
Nagorny Karabakh, therefore his words are to be taken most seriously.
Yet, Izvestia writes that neither Azerbaijan nor Armenia need a new
war, and the peace negotiations, however difficult they might be,
will probably continue.

Agency WPS
What the Papers Say. Part B (Russia)
May 14, 2004, Friday
KOCHARJAN HAS PROBLEMS
SOURCE: Vremya Novostei, May 14, 2004, p. 5
by Arkady Dubnov
President Robert Kocharjan of Armenia is visiting Moscow. Kocharjan
is the first Caucasus leader to meet with Vladimir Putin since his
inauguration. He will meet with Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister
Mikhail Fradkov today. Yesterday, he met with Alexei Miller, CEO of
Gazprom. The visitor also expects to meet with Igor Materov of ITERA.
The natural gas problem is no longer an economic issue for Armenia;
it is geopolitical. Yerevan wants gas from Moscow and also from Iran.
It even hopes to provide Iranian pipeline transit in future. Ukraine
also wants Iranian gas. All of these routes will bypass Russia, and
the Kremlin has some question for Armenia, known as one of Russia’s
most loyal allies in the CIS.
Putin and Kocharjan will also discuss the situation in the Caucasus.
This is the subject where the visitor will be asking questions
because the consequences of the Revolution of Roses in Georgia cannot
help worrying him.
Like Georgia not long ago, Armenia – that is, Kocharjan – has serious
problems with the opposition that demands the president’s
resignation. A large demonstration will take place in Yerevan today.
On April 13, the Armenian authorities dispersed a demonstration
staged by the opposition and the political crisis in this country
entered a new phase. On April 28, the Parliamentary Assembly of the
Council of Europe (PACE_ adopted a resolution giving Kocharjan three
months to release the opposition activists arrested on April 13. The
PACE will insist on economic sanctions against Yerevan otherwise. All
this explains why Robert Kocharjan needs Moscow’s support so badly.
To secure it, he may have to sacrifice something. According to our
sources, the matter may concern a controlling interest in
Armrosgazprom for Gazprom (these days, Gazprom controls a 45% stake,
ITERA 10%, and Armenia the remaining 45%; the subject may have been
discussed by Kocharjan in Moscow yesterday).
Presidents Putin and Kocharjan will discuss Nagorno-Karabakh as well.
No sensational developments are expected in this particular sphere.
Translated by A. Ignatkin

Mikhail Fradkov: Russia Interested in Development of Relations with Armenia
RIA OREANDA
Economic News
May 14, 2004 Friday
Moscow. Russia is interested in the development of the relations
with Armenia and is ready to consider all the issues of bilateral
cooperation. RF Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov made the respective
statement in the course of the meeting with Armenian President Robert
Kocharian.
Our relations are positively developing in all the directions but at
the same time we have topics to discuss with each other in order to
discover new efficient opportunities for cooperation, Mr. Fradkov
said. We are ready to consider the topics on the agenda that will
contribute to the extension of the Russian-Armenian relations, the
Prime Minister assured.
Robert Kocharian, in his turn, noted that the volume of cooperation
between the two countries is rather wide and we managed to considerably
develop it recently.

RIA OREANDA
Economic News
May 14, 2004 Friday
Vladimir Putin Met His Armenian Counterpart Friday
Moscow. Today the RF President, Vladimir Putin, held meeting with his
Armenian counterpart, Robert Kocharyan. The Head of the Russian state
expressed confidence that the summit talks would permit to
efficiently develop Russia-Armenia cooperation, the Kremlin
press-service informed. Apart from that, the Russian President
pointed out the fact that his meetings with Robert Kocharyan for
discussion of bilateral cooperation, coordination of activity in
post-Soviet territories and international arena were rather regular
and productive.

Deutsche Presse-Agentur
May 14, 2004, Friday
Singer Charles Aznavour awarded Legion of Honour
Paris
French President Jacques Chirac on Friday bestowed on popular singer
Charles Aznavour the rank of commander in the Legion of Honour.
Calling him “the most popular and probably the most admired French
singer in the world”, Chirac also paid homage to Aznavour’s
songwriting and to his charitable activities.
The Paris-born son of Armenian immigrants, Azanavour turns 80 on May
22. He has said he will use the receipts from three of his series of
concerts celebrating his eightieth birthday to benefit humanitarian
aid to Armenia. dpa sm jm