Minneapolis Star Tribune , MN
April 29 2004
Movie spotlight: Borderlands festival explores the eastern
Mediterranean
The Minneapolis/St. Paul International Film Festival might be over,
but world cinema is still going on strong at the University of
Minnesota. This week’s Borderlands Festival showcases work by
directors of Turkish, Armenian and Greek descent. Its theme of
co-existence despite a thorny history is exemplified by its
best-known film, “Ararat,” starring Charles Aznavour and Arsinée
Khanjian (pictured), Atom Egoyan’s meditation on the Turkish
slaughter of Armenians in 1915. (7:45 p.m. Sat.) The mini-fest also
includes a documentary on the massacre and rare period footage. It
opens tonight with the Turkish film “Mrs. Salkim’s Diamonds” and a
lecture by its screenwriter, journalist Etyen Mahçupyan. (7 p.m.
today, Bell Auditorium, 17th & University Avs. SE., Mpls.
612-331-3134. See “Special screenings” below for a full list of
events.)

Radio Free Europe, Czech Republic
April 29 2004
Russia: IOM Expects Up To 10,000 Meskhetians To Apply For U.S.
Refugee Status
By Jean-Christophe Peuch

The United States says it is ready to extend refugee status to
thousands of Meskhetians from Russia’s Krasnodar region, an area that
human rights groups have long been denouncing as being a hotbed of
ethnic discrimination. Although they would rather remain in the
region or return to their historic homeland of Georgia, many
Meskhetians are likely to accept the offer for want of viable
alternatives.
Prague, 29 April 2004 (RFE/RL) — The International Organization for
Migration (IOM) has initiated a program designed to help Meskhetians
from Russia’s southern Krasnodar region migrate to the United States.
The program was officially launched on 16 February on behalf of the
U.S. government. Applications will be received by the IOM
headquarters in Moscow, which will in turn hand them over to the U.S.
Department of Homeland Security for clearance.
“We have — since the opening [of the program] on the 16th of
February — [received], I would say, upwards of 1,700 [family]
applications. Normally there [are] about three persons per
application, so it is more than 5,000 individuals who have applied so
far.”Selected applicants will then be allowed to enter American soil
under the U.S. Refugee Program, which grants asylum to individuals it
deems have been persecuted on account of race, religion, nationality,
or for political reasons.
Under U.S. rules, eligibility for refugee status is decided on a
case-by-case basis.
Upon arrival, immigrants will be assigned to private voluntary
agencies that will provide initial resettlement services, such as
housing, food, clothing, and other basic necessities.
The IOM will help arrange for the transportation of immigrants, who
in turn will be expected to repay the cost of their transfer.
Meskhetians will be eligible for permanent resident status one year
after their arrival and, after another four years, for American
citizenship.
Mark Getchell is the head of the IOM mission in Russia. He tells
RFE/RL many Krasnodar Meskhetians seem willing to apply for refugee
status in the United States.
“We have — since the opening [of the program] on the 16th of
February — [received], I would say, upwards of 1,700 [family]
applications. Normally there [are] about three persons per
application, so it is more than 5,000 individuals who have applied so
far,” Getchell says.
Getchell says the IOM expects up to 10,000 individuals to volunteer
for resettlement by the program’s mid-August application deadline —
which may be extended if deemed necessary.
Only those Meskhetians who have no legal status are eligible for the
refugee program. Unless they are married to an individual who has no
legal status, U.S. authorities will not consider the case of those
Meskhetians who enjoy civil rights under Russian laws.
Russian authorities claim they have granted citizenship to some 4,000
Meskhetians and are currently in the process of reviewing a few
hundred more cases.
“The problem of the Meskhetians is closed and no longer exists,” says
Deputy Interior Minister Alexander Chekalin, referring last January
to a newly effective law that reportedly makes it easier for former
Soviet citizens to obtain Russian citizenship.
Chekalin’s remarks are symptomatic of the attitude of many
post-Soviet governments towards Meskhetians.
Today’s Meskhetians — also known as Meskhis — are the survivors or
the descendants of a roughly 100,000-strong rural Muslim population
of southern Georgia that Soviet leader Josef Stalin ordered deported
on 15 November 1944.
Although Meskhetians themselves disagree on whether they descend from
ethnic Turks sent to Georgia under Ottoman rule or Islamicized
Georgians, they are generally described as “Turks” and perceived as
such in most of the former Soviet Union.
The Meskhetians have been uprooted twice over the past six decades.
In 1989, after bloody pogroms that claimed dozens of lives in Central
Asia’s Ferghana Valley, tens of thousands of Meskhetians were forced
to leave Uzbekistan and resettle in other areas, mainly in Azerbaijan
and Russia’s Krasnodar region.
Estimates put the number of Meskhetians living in CIS countries at
somewhere between 200,000 and 300,000.
Sixty years after their deportation, the Meskhetians are the only
ethnic group among World War II-era “punished peoples” — as the late
historian Alexander Nekrich once described them — that is still
awaiting an official pronouncement that their deportation for alleged
collaboration with German occupation forces was unjustified.
Under a commitment made upon its entry into the Council of Europe in
1999, Georgia is expected to provide a legal basis for the return of
Meskhetians with a view to organizing their collective repatriation.
Yet, very little has been done so far and the number of Meskhetians
who have returned individually to Georgia does not exceed a few
dozen.
Some 15,000 Meskhetians are believed to live in Russia’s Krasnodar
region.
Like other non-Slav refugees and displaced persons, most Krasnodar
Meskhetians have been denied civic rights and suffer from isolation
and xenophobic attitudes fueled by the local administration.
Krasnodar Governor Aleksander Tkachev maintains that his tough stance
on refugees and immigrants has the backing of Russian President
Vladimir Putin. Although the Kremlin denies the claim, rights groups
blame Putin for failing to publicly disavow Krasnodar authorities.
Marat Baratashvili is the chairman of the Tbilisi-based Union of
Georgian Repatriates, a nongovernmental group that advocates the
return of Meskhetians to their original homeland. Baratashvili,
himself an ethnic Meskhetian, tells our correspondent he has
reservations about the U.S. resettlement program.
“I view this program with circumspection,” he says. “In itself, this
idea is not bad. But it would have been better for the Meskhetians if
their rights in Russia had been respected and if their rights in
Georgia had been restored. In that case, the [U.S.] program would
have been a wonderful thing. But under the present conditions it has
nothing to do with respect of human rights. Apparently, it is a
political decision made by the United States and Russia. The aim is
to take this problematic issue away from the [Krasnodar] region and
make things easier for Georgia too.”
Two years ago, after dozens of Krasnodar Meskhetians went on a hunger
strike to protest discrimination from local authorities, Putin
pledged to set up a special commission to examine their claims.
But during a visit to the region in October 2003, the Russian
president did not signal any apparent willingness to address the
Meskhetian issue.
Talking before an assembly of Kuban Cossacks, Putin urged Georgian
authorities to take their responsibilities and provide for a quick
return of the Meskhetian population.
Yet, the Georgian leadership in turn gave no indication it would take
immediate action.
Then President Eduard Shevardnadze said Georgia could not face
another influx of migrants until it finds a solution to the many
problems posed by tens of thousands of displaced persons from the
separatist republic of Abkhazia.
Georgian authorities also say they fear Meskhetians might claim
ownership of lands and houses located in their home region of
Samtskhe-Javakheti and create problems with the local Armenian
population.
The new government that took over from the Shevardnadze
administration last November has carefully avoided raising the
Meskhetian issue.
In the words of Levan Berdzenishvili, a civil rights campaigner close
to Georgia’s current leaders, the Meskhetian problem is so
controversial that “any government that would try to solve it must be
ready to leave power.”
Georgia’s Prime news agency quoted Berdzenishvili as saying last
October, “This issue must be settled. However, no one would ever
forgive any government for trying to solve it.”
IOM mission head Getchell, however, believes the U.S. government
hopes that by taking a few thousands refugees it would help improve
the fate of the majority of the Meskhetian population.
“It is just hoped by the government of the U.S., I think, that taking
[an] initial group might relieve some of the pressure in the
[Krasnodar] region to the point where for local authorities — and
perhaps for Georgia — the numbers [of Meskhetians remaining in the
region] will be smaller and the solutions may be more easily
attainable,” Getchell said.
Most Krasnodar Meskhetians reportedly see the U.S. refugee program as
a painful opportunity to temporarily escape harassment from regional
authorities.
The Caucasian Knot information website quoted community leader Sarvar
Tedorov as saying (27 Feb), “Our people [have been uprooted twice] in
60 years and we do not want to [be uprooted] a third [time]. But if
the Russian government and the administration of the Krasnodar
[region] continue [with their policy toward the Meskhetians], we will
have to leave, no matter where, to the U.S. or elsewhere.”
Baratashvili believes most of his ethnic kin would prefer remaining
in the Krasnodar region with all rights due to Russian citizens, or
return to Georgia.
“My impression is that for them it is a temporary measure, a forced
step. They are like a penned flock of sheep, which see that a gate
has just opened in the fence. They rush toward that gate to escape
the custody they live under in Krasnodar. They have the choice
between dying there or going out toward freedom, even if this is a
relative freedom because they still cannot return to Georgia,”
Baratashvili says.
Getchell of the IOM confirms that during talks with Krasnodar
Meskhetians, he had the impression many saw the U.S. refugee program
as a last-resort solution.
Yet, unlike Baratashvili, he does not believe the resettlement
initiative is an attempt at postponing the settlement of the
Meskhetian issue.
“What the U.S. is hoping is that this resettlement option is going to
be part of a grander solution,” he says.

ArmenPress
April 29 2004
SOUTH CAUCASUS COUNTRIES EAGER TO BRING THEIR ECONOMICS UP TO EU
STANDARDS
WARSAW, APRIL 29, ARMENPRESS: At the lunch attended by the
presidents of Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia and moderated by
Christopher Hill, US ambassador to Poland on the sidelines of the
European Economic Forum in Poland, on April 28, all three republics
demonstrated an eagerness to bring their economies up to the
standards of the European Union. The main obstacle to regional
solidarity remains the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over
Nagorno Karabagh. Georgia’s president Mikhail Saakashvili
demonstrated more willingness to provide a common ground to work
around the limitations imposed by the dispute and to work towards a
negotiated settlement, while Robert Kocharian of Armenia noted that
it will be a long time before Georgia can think of actually joining
the European Union. “On the whole, whatever we do we do in terms of
harmonizing and conforming to European standards,” Kocharian said.
President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, noted that foreign
investment in Azerbaijan is now adding up to around $10 million a day
and is expected to reach $9 billion over the next few years. He said
that he is aware of the mistakes of other countries that have
squandered sudden oil wealth. “We look at the bad experiences, too,’
he said. Azerbaijan is at a crossroads,’ he added.
As for the dispute with Armenia over Nagorno Karabagh, Aliyev
remarked the Azeris believe that a settlement should be based on
international law. “We respect territorial integrity anywhere,”
Aliyev said, and :we expect that to be applied to us.”
Replying to Aliyev’s analysis, Kocharian pointed out that many
borders in Europe have been altered and some have disappeared with
changing circumstances. he added that in the former Soviet Union,
borders had occasionally been drafted intentionally to exacerbate
conflicts in order to enhance centralized authority.
“I understand the position of Azerbaijan,” Kocharian added. “What
we need is a peaceful, amicable divorce,” he said. Answering a
question from the law on regional economic integration, Aliyev
insisted that the war is too much of an obstacle. “You cannot imagine
two countries at war having economic cooperation,” he said.
Kocharian on the other hand, suggested that regional cooperation
might help create an environment for resolving other conflict.
Saakashvili stated that he does not believe a solution can be forced,
but that the way to proceed is to start negotiations at all levels.
“Both leaders are reasonable people,” he said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ArmenPress
April 29 2004
TURKEY NOT READY TO JOIN EU, FRANCES’ PRESIDENT SAYS
PARIS, APRIL 29, ARMENPRESS: French President Jacques Chirac said
Thursday that Turkey’s entry into the European Union, which is set to
expand to 25 members this week, is not “desirable” now but could be
in the future.
Chirac, speaking at his first full-fledged news conference in six
years, said Turkey had not yet met the conditions for entry into the
EU. He pointed to concern about issues ranging from human rights to
judicial reform. “The destiny of Turkey has always been deeply linked
to Europe,” Chirac said. “Turkey has made considerable efforts,” but
has a way to go, he said.
In response to a question whether Turkey’s formal recognition of
the Armenian genocide of 1915 would eliminate some of these
obstacles, Chirac said the question lies within Turkish-Armenian
relations. “I am deeply satisfied with ongoing positive changes in
Turkish-Armenian relations. It would be incorrect to judge about
future prospects of these relations in the light of the past,” he
said.
The European Parliament adopted a resolution in 1987 linking
Turkey’s membership with the EU to its official acknowledgment of the
1915 genocide.

ArmenPress
April 29 2004
PRO-GOVERNMENT FORCES COMMENT ON PACE RESOLUTION
YEREVAN, APRIL 29, ARMENPRESS: Members of the ruling coalition
responded today to a Wednesday PACE resolution, drawn up by a
committee monitoring Armenia’s compliance with its membership
commitments, which called on the Armenian government and the
opposition to resolve their bitter dispute through negotiation and
offered to mediate in such a dialogue.
Galust Sahakian, the head of the Republican party parliamentary
faction, lashed out at opposition members in the Armenian delegation
to PACE, arguing that they should not have pressed for a tougher
resolution, which was “playing into the hands of Armenia’s enemies.”
He also suggested refraining from making final conclusions and wait
until Armenian delegates came back home.
Sahakian, however, accused the opposition of being reluctant to
engage in dialogue and said that the ruling coalition has in store a
reserve option, which he said is to engage in dialogue with people.
He then labeled the opposition’s actions as illegal, running counter
to parliament’s regulations. “The opposition must not capitalize on
the heavy social conditions of people and dictate its orders to it.
The dialogue with authorities is now the sole way for it to save its
face,” he argued.
Hrayr Karapetian from the ARF said the resolution should not be
interpreted one-sidedly, singling out an extract which says that the
Armenian opposition `should refrain from attempts to use street
demonstrations to reverse the results of last year’s elections, which
have been, in spite of the irregularities, validated by relevant
national and international bodies.’ Karapetian too reiterated that
the dialogue remains the best way of resolving the confrontation.
Mher Shahgeldian from Orinats Yerkir said Armenia is on the track
of fully honoring its Council of Europe obligations. Gurgen Arsenian
from United Labor party said the resolution does not pose threats to
Armenia in terms of possible sanctions.
The PACE final resolution, adopted April 28 says that “The recent
events in Armenia resulted in a worsening of the situation with
regard to key concerns expressed by the Assembly in its January
report, and notably with regard to the continuation of administrative
detention and conditions of detention, human rights violations by
members of police and security forces, freedom of assembly, and
freedom of media. This situation cannot be allowed to continue. The
rapporteurs expect an immediate and significant change in the conduct
and legislative practice concerning the respect of Armenia’s
obligations and commitments. Failure to do so before the Assembly’s
June session could lead to sanctions.

Deutsche Presse-Agentur
April 29, 2004, Thursday
Muted celebration as Cyprus joins E.U.
Nicosia
Despite a programme of events that should last 48 hours, weekend
accession celebrations in Cyprus are expected to be a muted affair as
a divided island joins the European Union on Saturday.
The main party will be held at Eleftheria Square, barely 400 metres
from the dividing Green Line that would have been abolished if the
Greek Cypriots had not rejected the United Nations peace plan in a
referendum vote last Saturday.
Had they accepted the reunification plan, as did a majority of the
Turkish Cypriots living in the north, then Nicosia would have rid
itself of the reputation as the last divided capital of the world.
Instead, some 20,000 are expected to gather in the large square where
only a week ago two major campaigns were held in favour of and
rejecting unification.
The crowd is still expected to include a large number of Turkish
Cypriots, but they seem to have lost faith in the Greek Cypriots.
Musical concerts and shows including Greek, Turkish, Armenian,
Maronite and Asian dances will demonstrate the multicultural web of
island society, culminating with a performance by Cypriot-born Anna
Vishy on Friday night.
The midnight fireworks that will be clearly seen from both parts of
the divided city, will be preceded by an expectedly sombre speech by
President Tasos Papadopoulos, who twice urged his people to reject
the U.N. backed unification plan in televised addresses a fortnight
ago. dpa mdp jm

Associated Press Worldstream
April 28, 2004 Wednesday
Armenia deports U.S. citizen accused of plotting seizure of power
YEREVAN, Armenia
A U.S. citizen was deported Wednesday after being arrested on charges
of working toward the forceful seizure of power in Armenia, the U.S.
Embassy said.
Artur Vardanian was arrested in the Armenian capital on April 22. He
had dual Armenian and U.S. citizenship, but Armenian President Robert
Kocharian revoked Vardanian’s Armenian passport the day after his
arrest.
His lawyer, Ashot Sarkisian, said Vardanian was taken under police
guard to the airport early Wednesday and deported to the United
States. No more details about his destination were available.
“The criminal case against the defendant was closed in connection
with changed circumstances,” Sarkisian said.
Vardanian was an active supporter of Stepan Demirchian, Kocharian’s
main opponent in last year’s election.
Kocharian won a second term, but the election sparked mass protests,
including nearly daily demonstrations between the first round and the
runoff. Opposition groups alleged widespread violations in both
rounds of the vote, which was followed by a parliamentary ballot in
which the pro-government party won the most votes.
In recent weeks, a new series of protest rallies have been held,
raising political tension in this ex-Soviet republic. Some 7,000
people participated in Tuesday’s protest, calling for Kocharian’s
ouster.
Vardanian, a former resident of Yerevan, received U.S. citizenship
after marrying an American citizen in the 1990s. Armenian authorities
accused him of failing to surrender his Armenian passport and
repeatedly entering Armenia illegally. They say he was involved in
political activities there.
Authorities said that this time, Vardanian arrived at the beginning
of April and participated in unsanctioned opposition meetings.

Associated Press Worldstream
April 28, 2004 Wednesday
Armenia beats Turkmenistan 1-0 in a friendly
YEREVAN, Armenia
Ara Hakopian scored the only goal Wednesday as Armenia beat
Turkmenistan 1-0 in an international friendly.
The striker scored in the 67th minute off a cross from midfielder
Romik Khachatrian, who broke down the right flank and dribbled past
two defenders to send a cross into the box.
Armenia dominated the first half and but failed to make it through
the visitors’ tough defense. Hakopian hit the post twice within six
minutes early in the first half and Galust Petrosian wasted another
clear opportunity, firing over the crossbar from close range in the
19th.
Turkmenistan had only one attempt on goal five minutes before the
interval, but the visitors did manage several counterattacks despite
not finding the net.
The match was originally set for Aug. 20, 2003, but the Turkmen side
did not show up, instead sending a letter of apology to the Armenian
soccer federation.
Lineups:
Armenia: Roman Berezovski (Armen Ambartsumian, 46th); Yeghishe
Melikian, Aleksandr Tatevosian, Sargis Hovsepian, Harutyun Vardanian,
Romik Khachatrian, Artur Petrosian (Artavazd Karamian, 10th), Rafael
Nazarian, Albert Sargsian (Barsegh Kirakosian, 78th), Ara Hakopian
(Levon Pashaian, 72nd), Galust Petrosian.
Turkmenistan: Bayramniyaz Berdiev; Arsen Bagdasaryan, Kamil Mingazow,
Guwanch Rejepow, Alik Haydarov, Nazar Bayramov (Artem Nazarov, 85th),
Kurbangeldi Durdiyev (Vyacheslav Sudarev, 90th), Begenchmuhammed
Kuliyev, Rustam Saparov, Dayanchegylych Urazov (Yevgeny Zemskov,
78th), Vladimir Bayramov.

Associated Press Worldstream
April 28, 2004 Wednesday
Armenian parliament passes softened law regulating rallies
YEREVAN, Armenia
The Armenian parliament on Wednesday approved the final reading of a
proposed law on public gatherings that limits where they can be held
but that provides for penalizing officials if they block legitimate
rallies.
The measure comes as Armenia undergoes a wave of opposition protests
calling for the resignation of President Robert Kocharian.
It calls for rallies to be prohibited within 150 meters (about 500
feet) of places of strategic or state significance. That designation
could include the presidential palace, where police forcefully broke
up a large rally this month, injuring some demonstrators and
detaining more than 100.
However, the measure, if it is signed into law by the president, also
calls for says national and local officials can be subject to
criminal or administrative punishment if they illegally hinder the
organization of mass demonstrations.
Justice Minister David Arutyunian said the final version of the draft
law took into account most of the changes recommended by the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
Among the changes was elimination of a clause that would have
considered journalists and other non-participants in a rally legally
responsible in connection with a gathering’s actions.

ARKA News Agency
April 29 2004
7TH annual meeting of BSTDB to take place in Yerevan
OSCE calls to Armenian authorities to investigate recent cases of
violence
CJSC ISC-Star plans to create center of satellite television in
Armenia
*********************************************************************
7TH ANNUAL MEETING OF BSTDB TO TAKE PLACE IN YEREVAN
YEREVAN, April 29. /ARKA/. 7th annual meeting of Black Sea Trade and
Development Bank will take place in Yerevan, the President of BSTDB
Mustafa Gyurtin stated at the meeting with RA Minister of Finance and
Economy Vardan Khachatrian. Khachatrian in his turn sad that increase
of BSTDB role in the region only contributes to bilateral mutually
beneficial cooperation.
BSTDB is an international financial organization created in 1994 by
OBSEC members. BSTDB members are Greece, Russia, Turkey, Bulgaria,
Romania, Ukraine, Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Moldova.
L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
OSCE CALLS TO ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES TO INVESTIGATE RECENT CASES OF
VIOLENCE
YEREVAN, April 29. /ARKA/. OSCE calls to Armenian authorities to
investigate recent cases of violence, OSCE Yerevan Office press
release states. According to press release, OSCE Yerevan Office is
concerned with absence of progress in punishment of guilty and
atmosphere of intolerance in the republic. `It is necessary to
consider cases of use of violence and punish all guilty in the frames
of law’, the Head of OSCE Yerevan Office, the Ambassador Vladimir
Pryakhin stated in the letter to RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian.
In accordance to this, Pryakhin mentioned attack on RA NA Deputy
Viktor Dallakian, beating of the Chairman of Helsinki Association of
Armenia Mikael Danielian and Political Scientists Ashto Manucharian.
L.D. –0 –
*********************************************************************
CJSC ISC-STAR PLANS TO CREATE CENTER OF SATELLITE TELEVISION IN
ARMENIA
YEREVAN, April 29. /ARKA/. CJSC ISC-Star plans to create center of
satellite television in Armenia, the company told ARKA. The Center
will be called ZVEZDA-STV. It is planned that the Center will deal
with transmission of programs of Armenian TV companies outside of
Armenia – for Armenia Diaspora. Besides, the company plans to create
own TV programs as well. The company conducts works on creation of
own ZVEZDA-PRODUCTION producer center.
Armenian-Russian-American joint venture was registered in Armenia,
Sept 24, 2001. The founders of the ISC-Star, JV are both legal and
physical entities of some foreign countries, Russia including, and
residents of the Republic of Armenia. ISC-Star currently has over 100
IP-communication and paging communications units all over the world.
L.D. -0 –