Author: Badalian Vardan

24 mercenaries convicted in Equatorial Guinea plot

Japan Today
Nov 27 2004

Saturday, November 27, 2004 at 07:43 JST — MALABO, Equatorial Guinea –
A court in Equatorial Guinea convicted 24 accused European and African
mercenaries and opposition leaders on Friday and sentenced them to
prison for an alleged coup plot in the oil-rich nation, but it waived
the death penalty for two top figures.

The court’s rejection of death penalties requested by prosecutors
potentially strengthens Equatorial Guinea’s bid to extradite an alleged
financier of the plot: Mark Thatcher, son of the former British Prime
Minister Margaret Thatcher.

President Teodoro Obiang’s 25-year regime accuses Mark Thatcher
and other, mostly British, financiers of commissioning scores of
mercenaries in a takeover plot in the isolated West African nation
which is the continent’s third-largest oil producer.

The financial backers intended to install an opposition figure as a
puppet leader, Equatorial Guinea claims. The alleged plot was exposed
by South African intelligence services in March, days before it was
to have been carried out, leading to the arrests of roughly 90 alleged
mercenaries in Equatorial Guinea and Zimbabwe.

On Friday, 21 shackled, handcuffed defendants listened in a
chandelier-hung courtroom converted from a conference center as
Judge Salvador Ondo Nkumu read out verdicts and prison sentences,
without elaboration.

South African arms dealer Nick du Toit, accused by prosecutors of
leading an advance team for the coup plot, was sentenced to 34 years
in prison despite Attorney General Jose Olo Obono’s repeated demands
for the death penalty.

Du Toit, a stooped, graying, sadly smiling man who like all the
defendants had lost scores of pounds since arrest in March, had
provided the bulk of prosecutors’ case — testifying to meetings with
Thatcher and others around Africa, and alleging detailed plans to
move men and materiel into place.

But Du Toit repudiated his testimony last week, saying he agreed
to a fake confession to try to save himself and his co-defendants,
after one defendant was tortured to death in Malabo’s notorious Black
Beach prison shortly after his arrest in March.

Equatorial Guinea says the man, a German, died of malaria. Rights
groups cite witness accounts of wounds from torture.

Du Toit’s sentence effectively means life in Black Beach — a tiny
penitentiary built on the black volcanic rocks between Obiang’s
Spanish-colonial palace and the gray Atlantic.

The court also sentenced Severo Moto, the opposition figure who
the coup plotters allegedly intended to install as president, to 63
years. Moto was the only other defendant facing the death penalty. He
is living in exile and was sentenced in absentia.

Eight other opposition figures, also living in exile, were each
sentenced to 53 years.

Six other alleged South African mercenaries were sentenced to 17
years each; six Armenian pilots were sentenced to between 14- to 24
years each, and two Equatorial Guinea citizens were ordered jailed
for one to four months.

Obiang’s regime, with one of the world’s worst human rights records,
is accused by the International Bar Association and others of routine
torture and extensive interference in the justice system. Obiang,
speaking to reporters in August, stated the defendants’ conviction
as a given.

The decision to spare du Toit the death penalty was seen at least
in part as a message to South Africa, where Thatcher, a 51-year-old
businessman, is now facing separate prosecution in connection with
the alleged plot.

South Africa opposes capital punishment and was unlikely to send
Thatcher to Equatorial Guinea if he risked the death penalty. (Wire
reports)

–Boundary_(ID_BVJaF6utyTCc2Syshl4BGg)–

NATO Rose Roth seminar starts in Baku

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Nov 26 2004

The 58th Rose Roth seminar of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly started
in Baku on Thursday. The event is attended by the administration
of NATO PA and the Azerbaijani parliament, along with parliament
delegations from Turkey, Spain, Serbia and Montenegro, Russia, Great
Britain, Georgia, Austria, Hungary, France and Estonia and ambassadors
accredited in Azerbaijan.

Addressing the seminar, the Milli Majlis (parliament) speaker
Alasgarov spoke of the ongoing occupation of Azeri lands by Armenia,
the involvement of Azerbaijani military in peacekeeping efforts around
the world and other issues.

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly Secretary General Simon Lunn said the
idea of holding Rose Roth seminars was proposed for the first time
back in 1991 by members of US Congress. The key goal of such events
is first of all, to promote sustainable safety environment in regions
with complex political situation, he said.

Lunn said the seminar will be held in Armenia next year and that NATO
should not be deemed strictly as a military organization. A number
of countries aspire to join the alliance that would assist them in
resolving internal problems, he said.

Brenda Shaffer of the Caspian Studies Program at Harvard University
spoke about ways of expanding the opportunities for resolving
conflicts in the South Caucasus region. Russia’s role in this process
is important, she said.

“The Upper Garabagh conflict must be resolved for the sake of security
in South Caucasus. At times we refer to frozen conflicts. But there
is no such concept and it is possible to settle any conflict.”

The seminar is due to last till November 27.*

ARMENIAN MPs NOT TO TAKE PART IN NATO PA ROSE ROAD WORKSHOP IN BAKU

YEREVAN,. NOVEMBER 25. ARMINFO. The Armenian delegation will not
take part in the NATO PA Rose Road workshop in Baku as the workshop
organizers have failed to answer their question if they were ready
to ensure the Armenian MPs’ security in Baku, says MP Mher Shahgeldyan.

Shahgeldyan notes that the delegates were ready to go to Baku they
even booked tickets and hotel rooms.

The workshop is starting today. The radical activists of the Azeri
Organization for Karabakh’s Liberation have held an action of protest
against Armenia’s participation in the event. They flied lots of
black balloons to show their protest.

Orquesta Sinfónica de Guayaquil se presenta en Argentina

UPI LatAm
Noviembre 19, 2004

BUENOS AIRES, En el marco de su gira latinoamericana, este miércoles
24 de noviembre se presentará en el Teatro Colón de Buenos Aires la
Orquesta Sinfónica de Guayaquil.

En esta función extraordinaria en la Sala Principal del Teatro
Colón, la agrupación musical ecuatoriana que dirige el maestro David
Harutyunyan, ofrecerá un programa con obras de Rimsky- Kórsakov, Piotr
Illich Tchaikovsky, Aram Kachaturian y de compositores ecuatorianos.

El reconocido director y compositor armenio ha sido Director principal
de la Orquesta Novaya Música, Director Principal Artístico de la Gran
Orquesta Sinfónica del Conservatorio Estatal de Yerevan y Director
Principal invitado de la Orquesta Sinfónica Estatal de Georgia.

En la primera parte del concierto se podrá escuchar “Capricho español”,
de Nikolai Rimsky- Kórsakov y la Obertura fantasía “Romeo y Julieta”,
de Piotr Illich Tchaikovsky.

A continuación se presentará la Suite del ballet “Espartaco”, de Aram
Kachaturian, máximo representante de la música armenia.

La segunda parte estará dedicada a creaciones de compositores
ecuatorianos. En correspondencia con el objetivo fundacional de la
Orquesta de difundir la música ecuatoriana se ejecutará la Suite del
ballet “Aborigen”, de Luís Humberto Salgado. Esta obra muestra escenas
y rituales que aparecen con el encuentro de las culturas hispanas e
indígena y que son remarcadas por el empleo de danzas mestizas como
el Sanjuanito y el Aire Típico. Salgado seleccionó las dos primeras
partes de su pieza Aborigen y formó una suite orquestal.

Para finalizar el programa se ofrecerá el poema sinfónico Rumiñahui
de Álvaro Manzano, escrito en homenaje al héroe que defendió de la
invasión española el territorio de lo que ahora es el Ecuador. La obra
se basa en varios temas preincaicos, así como en ritmos autóctonos
ecuatorianos.

–Boundary_(ID_m3UGmjW8Kd9DCEeyCOMAsg)–

Glendale News Press
LATimes.com
Nov 24 2004

Clerk post up for grabs for first time in 75 years

Ardashes Kassakhian plans run for city clerk position in the first
open race for the job since 1929. Election is in April.

By Josh Kleinbaum, News-Press and Leader

GLENDALE CITY HALL — Glendale could have a competitive election in
April to determine the city’s chief election official for the first
time in more than 75 years. Now, that race has its first competitor.

Ardashes Kassakhian, executive director of the Armenian National
Committee’s Western Region, announced that he will run for City Clerk,
a position that will be vacated in April when Doris Twedt retires at
the end of her term.

“I’ve always had a passion for public service,” Kassakhian, 28, said.
“It’s a noble calling. If you really want to be an active citizen and
participant, you have to take on challenges and you have to address
them head on.”

Kassakhian should have some competition, although nobody else has
entered the race. Candidates do not have to file any paperwork to
run for City Clerk until January. The job’s salary alone — $105,000
per year, minimum — will likely draw out candidates to make the
race competitive.

The winner of the election will be the Glendale’s first city clerk
to initially take office by election since 1929, when G.E. Chapman
was elected to the post. Ever since, Glendale’s city clerk has been
a hand-me-down position, with clerks taking office as a mid-term
replacement appointed by the City Council instead of by election.

The council appointed John Walters in 1959 when Chapman died, and
Walters served until 1971. When he retired, the council appointed
Frank Usher. The cycle continued, with Merle Hagemeyer (appointed in
1976) followed by Aileen Boyle (appointed in 1989) followed by Twedt
(appointed in 2000). During those 75 years, no appointed city clerk
has lost a reelection bid.

By appointing mid-term replacements, the city has avoided politicizing
the position that oversees the city’s elections and record-keeping.

“There’s a good argument to be made that any political office
overseeing elections should be nonpartisan, and maybe should be
an appointed position rather than beholden to an electorate,” said
Tom Hogen-Esch, a political science professor at California State
University Northridge. “The best reason is that there is no appearance
of political motivation behind whatever decision is under scrutiny.”

As an officer for the Armenian National Committee, Kassakhian is
a community activist who has lobbied the federal government for
recognition of the Armenian genocide and urged Glendale’s Armenian
community to vote.

If elected, he said he would focus on increasing voter turnout and
advancing the technology inside the clerk’s office.

“He’s a very capable individual, and he knows very well what the
job entails and how to handle it,” said Councilman Rafi Manoukian,
who received support from the Armenian National Committee in his
reelection bid.

“Having come from a community activism background, that gives him
better insight into the operations of the city clerk.

“It is incumbent on all individuals who will participate in or be a
candidate for City Clerk to recognize the fact that, although it is
an elected position, it should not be a political thing.”

CIS, CSTO DEFENSE MINISTERS TO MEET IN MOSCOW

RIA Novosti, Russia
Nov 23 2004

YEREVAN, November 23 (RIA Novosti’s Gamlet Matevosyan) – A regular
session of the council of defense ministers of the Commonwealth of
Independent States (CIS) will be held in Moscow on November 25.

The concept of the CIS military cooperation and further prospects
of cooperation in this sphere, the formation of a common system of
disclosing radiation, chemical and bacteriological situations and the
abolition of some previous decisions of the council are on the agenda,
Colonel Seiran Shakhsuvaryan, press secretary of the Armenian Defense
Minister told RIA Novosti.

According to him, the introduction of amendments to the 1992 Tashkent
agreement on the rules of flights of warplanes of the CIS countries,
the 5th games of the CIS armed forces dedicated to the 60th anniversary
of the victory in the Great Patriotic War, interstate financial and
industrial activities and a number of personnel and organizational
issues will be considered, as well.

On November 25 Moscow will also host a regular session of defense
ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Mr.
Shakhsuvaryan added.

In his words, the military-political situation in the CSTO zone,
military-technical cooperation, the results of the first stage of the
Channel-2004 international anti-drug operation, training of military
personnel and the plan of the CSTO Joint Staff work for 2005 will be
on the agenda.

Moreover, the ministers will discuss the agreement on the conditions of
the CSTO Joint Staff staying on Russian territory and the organization
of its activities and will coordinate a number of documents aimed at
further development and effectiveness of the CSTO military constituent,
Mr. Shakhsuvaryan said.

The Collective Security Treaty Organization comprises Armenia, Belarus,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan.

Turkey’s blockade of Armenia now in EU’s hands, says Armenian president

Arminfo
22 Nov 04

Yerevan, 22 November: One of the obstacles to EU cooperation with the
South Caucasus countries is Turkey’s blockade of Armenia, Armenian
President Robert Kocharyan said at the Berlin Economic Forum on
19 November.

“It seems to us abnormal when a country starting negotiations
for EU accession is blockading a member-country of the European
New Neighbourhood programme,” the Armenian president noted, adding
that today there is a chance to settle the problem and it is in the
EU’s hands.

“In essence, the EU was established thanks to its founders’
pragmatism. All this started not with the parliamentary assembly and
ministerial councils, but with an understanding of the harmony of
interests and compatibility of the value system. I should like to see
the same in the member-countries of the European New Neighbourhood
programme,” the Armenian president concluded.

Land and Culture Organization
c/o Haig and Hilda Manjikian
1435 Old House Road
Pasadena, Ca 91107

Press Release:

Memorial Tribute For ARCHBISHOP MESROB ASHJIAN

Archbishop Surpazan Mesrob Ashjian was a scholar and author of our
past Armenian history. He was a leader in the activities of daily
life; religious, social, and cultural. He understood the importance
of investing in our youth for our future. He honored our past, lived
in the present and worked for the future. He was a man for all seasons

True friendship, like sound health, is seldom valued and appreciated
until it is lost. The Hamazkayin Western Regional and the Land
and Culture Organization (LCO) are honored to organize and pay
tribute to their friend on the occasion of the one year anniversary
of his death. This event is open to the public and held under the
joint Auspices of His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate,
Western Diocese and His Eminence Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian,
Prelate, Western Prelacy. The Master of Ceremonies for the evening is
Prof. Richard Hovannisian. The program will include guest speakers,
Mr. Kegham Kevonian, Land and Culture Organization, Paris, France and
Rita Vorperian, Ph.D. The program includes performances by Hamazkayin
“Kousan” Chorale, conducted Prof. Ara Manash and slide and video
presentations of Surpazan Ashjian’s life.

Please join us on Friday, December 10, 2004 at United Community Church,
333 Colorado Blvd., Glendale, CA at 8 PM, as we honor Surpazan’s
spiritual strength, humble presence and gentle humor with which he
blessed and touched us all.

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Nov 19 2004

Armenia-Azerbaijan Conflict Creates Obstacles for Economic
Development -President

President Ilham Aliyev, receiving a delegation led by Turkish State
Minister Gursad Tuzmen on Thursday, said he was satisfied with the
activity of the Azeri-Turkish inter-governmental commission.

Aliyev said that Azerbaijan attaches great importance to the existing
efficient cooperation between the two countries’ business people and
that meetings between Turkish and Azeri entrepreneurs positively
affect strengthening of economic ties.

The President also pointed out the existing economic potential for
expanding these relations, which are further promoted by the
friendship between the two states.

Touching upon the Upper Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno
Karabakh, Aliyev said the conflict is a serious obstacle for
Azerbaijan’s economic development.

`We demand the international community, in particular, the
organizations directly involved in the conflict resolution to
approach the issue fairly and put an end to double standards.’

STUDENT COUNCIL HEADS QUESTION SOCIAL SURVEY FINDINGS OF ARF ON
CORRUPTION AT HIGHER EDUCATIONAL ESTABLISHMENTS

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 19. ARMINFO. The social survey, conducted by the
Student Union after Nikol Aghbalian, a youth wing of Armenian
Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaksutiun), was held on a
non-professional level and does not reflect the real level of
corruption in higher educational establishments, the heads of student
councils of three major institutes of Armenia from Yerevan Medical
University, Institute of Physical Training and Agricultural Academy
stated today.

Armen Ashotian, assistant to the rector of Yerevan Medical University
names the surveys as a “political order” or “black PR.” Concurrently,
representatives of student councils do not exclude that corruption, in
fact, exists at Armenian higher educational establishments. “To engage
in a reasonably fight against corruption, professional sociologists
should have been invited,” the student council of Institute of
Physical Training Gagik Sarkissian said. Armen Ashotian even proposed
to donate half of the funds needed to conduct a professional study. He
said his institute is ready to provide several thousand dollars to
prove that Medical University is one of the most active opponents of
corruption. Ashotian refuted the findings of the survey which said
that the medical university is the most corrupt institution among
higher educational establishments in Armenia. They challenge “the good
name of the university where some 1000 foreign students study bringing
$6 mln in revenues to the republic,” he said.

To remind, Student Union after Nikol Aghbalian unveiled the findings
of a student opinion poll in higher educational establishments of
Armenia three days ago. The survey was conducted by the youth wing of
ARF (Dashnaksutiun) in September-October 2004 among 1100 student from
11 state higher educational establishments. Corruption is considered
ineratible by 72% of Yerevan State University students, 67% –
Institute of Physical Training, 64%-Yerevan Linguistics Institute
after Brusov, 65% – Agricultural Academy. The major reason of
corruption was named as low salaries of faculty (18%), avoiding
military service (17%) and sponsorship of corruption by upper
authorities of the higher educational establishments (16%).

The survey also unveiled other interesting findings. The most corrupt
are considered examinations for post-graduate studies (22%) and
entrance exams (21%). More effective ways for fighting corruption are
considered leadership of universities (22%), effective government
policy (20% and students themselves (17%). Students of Yerevan State
University also indicated the role of mass media (25%), youth
organizations (22%) and student council which the respondents
mentioned the least, only 10%.

The authors of the study also sent letters to the rectors of 11
institutes asking to tell how many cases of corruption were detected
in the course of 2000 to 2004. Only Yerevan Institute of Physical
Training responded saying that 5 faculty members were sacked for
corruption and another department head moved to an ordinary
faculty. The rectors of all other institutes answered that no cases of
corruption have been reported in their establishments during the last
4 years. -A-