Author: Chakhmakhchian Vatche

SDU LEADER LOST HIS OFFICES AND BLAMED “EMPIRE OF EVIL”

YEREVAN, APRIL 12. ARMINFO. “As a result of authorities’ large-scale
attack upon Self-Determination Union (SDU) party, we have lost central
offices in Yerevan, Gyumri and Vanadzor”, says party’s leader Paruyr
Hayrikyan organizing today a procession to the building of former
editorial-office of “Ankakhutyun” (Independence) weekly today.

Hayrikyan says that “the authorities changed the office of the USSR
first independent printing body into a desert”. In his opinion,
“various agents and spies of foreign countries” wage a war against
SDU. He added that after Movses Gorgissyan’s death some of his party
associates “amicably deserted from SDU and appealed Armenia’s
republican party to the arena”. Hayrikyan tried to assured journalists
that “some of them have became SSC agents”.

To remind, SDU was deprived of the building of editorial-office of
“Ankakhutyun” weekly and some of party’s offices in 2003 for
non-payment of taxes.

Journal of Turkish Weekly
April 11 2005

Armenian Journalist Dink: Europe Abused Armenians and Still Abuse
Them

(FRANKFURT) Hrant Dink, editor of Agos, Armenian weekly said `Europe
had a crucial role in the 1915 tragedies and abused the Armenian
issue’. Dink further added that `Europe still uses the Armenians’.

Armenian journalist Hrant Dink argued the European politicians use
Armenians for their political interests. Dink gave a speech in
Frankfurt, Germany and accused the European politicians.

Dink also accused the German CDU’s Angela Merkel:
`I like to ask my friends in Armenian Diaspora. `Do you think Merkel
loves you very much? Or, the reason is the Diaspora’s pressures?
Neither love, nor the pressure. Merkel’s problem is different. Merkel
tries to prevent Turkey’s EU membership.’

Dink claimed the Armenian tragedies are still being used by the
European politicians.

Source: Hurriyet
11 April 2005

OSCE envoy urges Azeri, Armenian ministers to discuss truce violations

Azad Azarbaycan TV, Baku
9 Apr 05

[Presenter] The representative of the OSCE chairman-in-office,
Andrzej Kasprzyk, says that the [Azerbaijani and Armenian] foreign
ministers should discuss the truce violations during their planned
meeting in London.

The growing tensions on the front line compelled Kasprzyk to visit
Yerevan. He is now discussing ways of settling the conflict with
Armenian officials.

[Correspondent] The constant truce violations on the front line will be
discussed by the Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers in London,
Kasprzyk said. He negatively assessed the fact that Armenian troops
fire at residential buildings and civilians.

[Kasprzyk by phone, in Russian with Azeri voice-over] If this really
happens, my attitude is very negative. I am working on the basis of
the mandate issued by the conflicting sides and following instructions
from the OSCE chairman. I am trying to monitor the contact line to
report the seriousness of the situation. The situation on the front
line is tense and should be eased.

[Correspondent] Commenting on the need for more aides to help the OSCE
representative conduct the monitoring more effectively, Mr Kasprzyk
said this could be discussed if the conflicting sides agreed on it
and if the mission’s budget was increased.

Kasprzyk also touched on the capture of Azerbaijani POWs by Armenians.

[Passage omitted: Kasprzyk says the POWs will be released soon]

ROBERT KOCHARIAN AND GEDIMINAS KIRKILAS DISCUSS ARMENIAN-LITHUANIAN COOPERATION WITH RESPECT TO ARMED FORCES REFORMES

YEREVAN, APRIL 6, NOYAN TAPAN. The issue of the Armenian-Lithuanian
cooperation with respect to reforms in the armed forces was the key
subject of discussion at the April 6 meeting of RA President Robert
Kocharian with the Minister of National Defence of the Republic of
Lithuania Gediminas Kirkilas. The two sides appreciated the current
level of partnership formed between the defence ministries of the two
countries. According to the Presidential press service, the issue
of Armenia’s European integration was also touched upon. The sides
indicated that Lithuania’s experience of joining the European Union, as
well as its activities as EU member may prove quite useful for Armenia.

Russian TV shows top secret air force command post during exercises

RTR Russia TV, Moscow
5 Apr 05

[Presenter] Eight states, three Russian bases in the CIS and almost
60 aircraft are being used in the joint command-post exercise of the
CIS integrated air defence system. The peculiarity of the exercises is
flights in Belarusian airspace, for the first time ever. With unique
footage of secret Defence Ministry facilities, Dmitriy Petrov reports.

[Correspondent] Almost 60 aircraft – the participation of such a large
quantity of military hardware is one of the principal characteristics
of the training. The goal of the exercises is to check the combat
readiness of the air defence system and the administering of help to
aircraft in distress. Forces from the air defence systems of eight CIS
countries are taking part in the manoeuvres. And all information is
coming into here. The commander-in-chief of the air force, Vladimir
Mikhaylov, today is in Tajikistan, but he is always in communication.

The central command point of the air force controls everything
from this bunker which is located deep under ground. According to
the instructions for today’s exercises, Russian bombers from the
long-range aviation are playing the role of violators of CIS air space.

Journalists are given access to one of the Ministry of Defence’s most
secret facilities no more than once every six months. In answer to a
question about how deep under ground the bunker is, an officer answers
evasively: consider it more than 100 [as received]. Before starting,
the cameraman is told at length what can and cannot be filmed.

In the morning, two Tu-160 and Tu-95 strategic bombers and also
four Tu-22 long-range bombers take off from the Engels airdrome in
the direction of Belarus. Their fellow CIS members have the task of
intercepting the targets and forcing them to land.

[Boris Cheltsov, Chief-of-Staff of the Russian air force] The
performance grading intercept targets simulated by the long-range
aircraft have been intercepted by forces of the Russian strike
aviation. On entering the air space of the Republic of Belarus, the
strike aircraft of the Republic of Belarus will step into action and
operate. And interceptions were carried out in the territory of the
Armenian Republic.

[Correspondent] The work of the strike and the interceptor aircraft
in the skies above Belarus is coordinated by an A-50 long-range radar
surveillance and guidance aircraft. Another plane should have taken
off for Armenia but Georgia, as it did one year ago, did not allow
flights in its airspace. However, a job was found for it in the skies
above the North Caucasus. The A-50 oversaw control over the flights.

Today, the air forces of Central Asian member states have also been
deployed. Two Kazakh MiG-31 interceptors take off from Karaganda for
Perm. Another pair fly from Novosibirsk to Karaganda.

The military planned to use the Russian air base in Kant [Kyrgyzstan]
during the exercises, but the weather there today is unsuitable
for flying. Uzbek and Tajik anti-aircraft defence systems follow
the situation. Incidentally, the Russian strategic bombers today
landed outside Minsk for the first time in the history of a sovereign
Belarus. This year, the Russian air force will get another two Tu-160
aircraft.

[Video shows aircraft taking off and in flight; correspondent in
underground command bunker with screens and computers behind him; the
corridors of the bunker; graphics showing exercise manoeuvres, Cheltsov
speaking; A-50 in flight; an unidentified white aircraft – presumably
a Tu-160 Russian strategic bomber – taking-off and in flight]

Euro-reporters.com, Belgium

Turkey’s hot potatoes

Contributed by David Ferguson

Wednesday, 06 April 2005

Hot potatoes from across the Bosphorus.

“There is no doubt that the proper functioning of the customs union
with Turkey should prevail, as the promotion of free trade has always
been of paramount importance to the EU. It is also our duty to care
for and protect our consumers. We cannot jeopardise public health,”
said Member of the European Parliament, Ioannis Gklavakis. He wants the
European Commission to take immediate measures against imports to the
EU of Turkish potatoes. According to the Greek, a member of the EP’s
agriculture committee, the potatoes may contain high concentrations of
nitrates. Consumption of contaminated potatoes may even cause cancer.

The relevant data was submitted by Professor Sait Gezgin of Selçuk
University to a Committee of Inquiry in the Turkish Parliament. The
professor suggested the competent Turkish authorities may be failing
to undertake relevant controls and make appropriate recommendations
to farmers.

MEP Gklavakis: “Turkish potatoes are dangerous.”

According to Turkish media reports, local farmers use pure nitrogen in
the production of potatoes at a much higher quantity than stipulated
by the World Health Organization. The use of pure nitrogen in high
quantities entails higher concentrations of nitrates in potatoes. MEP
Gklavakis, a member of the right-of-centre European People’s Party
(EPP), says the Commission should meet its obligations in protecting
European consumers by undertaking laboratory controls of the imported
Turkish potatoes as well as by requesting further explanation from
Turkey.

Turkey’s latest application to join the EU dates back to 1987 and, if
all conditions are met, the country should begin accession negotiations
in October 2005. The country is under pressure to maintain progress
on press freedoms, human rights and economic reforms. Last month,
police violence against women protesters caused dismay and serious
doubts in Brussels over the pace of change in Turkey. This week, the
Turkish government announced a two or three month delay for reform
of the country’s 79-year-old penal code to meet the EU’s political
standards. One of the draft articles of the revised code still deems
an offense calling for Turkish withdrawal from Cyprus or talk of the
Armenian genocide.

–Boundary_(ID_InEe7Am2gusCSwF4d47tyQ)–

A delicious deal: Local chefs are kings of these cards
By Mark Benson / Daily News Correspondent

MetroWest Daily News, MA

Wednesday, April 6, 2005

Waltham’s Il Capriccio chef Richard Barron batters right-handed, sautees
right and dreams of becoming the general manager of the Boston Red Sox.

One city over, in Chestnut Hill, is another all-star chef, Jeffrey
Fournier with the Metropolitan Club, who specializes in making distinctive
and mouthwatering dishes with grape leaves and chipolte.

You can enjoy these fun food facts and more when you plunk down $4.95
to purchase a pack of Chef Cards, a new venture that combines culinary
excitement, charitable giving and America’s love of trading cards.

“It is an honor to be on a Chef Card with so many great chefs in the
MetroWest area,” said Steve Uliss, an Ashland resident who runs Firefly’s
Bar-B-Que restaurant in Framingham. “We’ve sold a bunch of them. About once
a week, a customer will ask me to sign a card.

“With the card, our customers get 10 percent off their purchase. The
fact that (some of the) proceeds from the sale of Chef Cards go to charity
is important to us at Firefly’s,” Uliss continued. “We want to show how much
we care about our customers and the community. We give out about 25 gift
certificates every week, to the Ashland Girl Scouts, to the Framingham
Soccer League.”

Uliss is one of 26 chefs featured in the Boston-area edition of Chef
Cards, invented a couple of years ago during a photo shoot for a cooking
event with Western Connecticut chefs.

“While taking the chef’s individual photos we joked how the shots, the
different poses, looked like photos you see on baseball cards,” said Linda
Pernice Kavanagh, collaborating with Ron Dubin of SR Media Group, the
company selling Chef Cards. “That’s when the lightening bolt struck —
baseball cards plus chefs equals Chef Cards!”

Like real baseball cards, the back of every Chef Card includes
biographical information and chef stats. Take Barron’s card for example.

Hometown: Natick.

Education: George Washington University and the Culinary Institute of
America.

Professional: 25 years.

Dream Job: General Manager of the Boston Red Sox.

Since Barron’s rookie year as a chef, he has delighted diners with his
mushroom appetizer, souffle di porcini and other Northern Italian cuisine
like his signature dish, osso busco and fettuccine.

As Fournier understands from his time in the big leagues and working
with other all-star chefs like Hans Rockenwagner in Los Angeles and Boston’s
Lydia Shire, chefs can combine old traditions of food and give them a modern
and sophisticated look.

“Growing up in a part-Armenian, part-French Canadian household, we had
great traditions. On Sundays in the summer, my grandmother and I would make
stuffed grape leaves with ground beef, rice and a tomato sauce,” Fournier
recalled.

“As a chef, my goal is to make things people want to eat,” said
Fournier, who is also an accomplished painter. “Creative food that you can
make a living on.”

At The Metropolitan Club, that includes a special grilled romaine salad
with a head split at the center, grilled with herb vinaigrette and served
with croutons made to order in a pan, white anchovies, chipolte peppers and
a Caesar dressing spicier than usual.

Uliss also speaks highly of chipolte, and the urge to create memorable
flavors for his customers.

“In Massachusetts you have some of the most educated diners you’ll find
anywhere in the world,” said Uliss, whose customers rave about his version
of St. Louis ribs in Memphis sauce, which can be the basis for a catered
meal.

“The Chef Cards help us, as chefs, become more human, more accessible
to people,” Fournier said. “Before, chefs didn’t get that kind of
recognition. We were like mad scientists behind the kitchen door.”

Fournier has found another way to connect with his diners and make them
happy. If you present your server at The Metropolitan Club your Jeffrey
Fournier Chef Card, you are entitled to a free Met Club dessert, like a
chocolate molten cake with a caramel center and a scoop of Met Club ice
cream dripping with caramel and brown sugar.

“Chef Cards are simply a fun marketing tool for the chefs and a great
product for ‘foodies,'” Kavanagh said. “You could say that the cards are
collectible, tradable, edible and soon to be valuable one day. Can you
imagine if you had a Chef Card of Julia Child from 30 years ago?!”

According to Kavanagh, a portion of the proceeds from the sale of Chef
Cards will be donated to Boston-based food banks and hunger relief
organizations.

( For more information about Chef Cards, please contact participating
restaurants or consult the Web site )

We Can’t Be Secure If We Are Lonely

Azg/arm
6 April 05

Our society has poor idea about the processes of Armenia’s integration
into Europe. These issues are being discussed only during seminars
and lectures financed by the international NGOs.

The Yerevan Press Club organized such a discussion on Armenia’s
integration into Europe last week. Various experts, journalists and
NGO representatives participated in that.

Europe’s wave becomes a dominating one in the region of the South
Caucasus. Certainly, initiating the policy of neighborhood, Europe
is first of all concerned in securing its own safety both from
the economic and the military-political aspects. Securing Europe’s
safety from this respect, Armenia and other states unite with the
same guarantees, accepting the values of the European civilization.

Particularly, in respect of Armenia, Europe tries hard to close the
Metsamor NPP, promising to allocate 100 million Euros for creating
alternative energy sources. The EU envisages to spend 7,2 billion
Euros on the programs that are to carry out with various states.

New Neighborhood program has nothing common with the membership to
Europe. So, that is no guarantee that Armenia or another country can
be an EU member state. This factor can be commented in the following
way, too. Europe wants to create a new buffer zone, particularly, in
the South Caucasus, to isolate Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan from
Europe, if needed.

By Karine Danielian

NKR WILL SEEK FOR RECOGNITION

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
05 April 05

At the hearings in the parliament of Armenia on the topic “The
Issue of Nagorno Karabakh: Ways of Resolution” which took place
on March 29 – 30 the NKR foreign minister Arman Melikian asserted
that the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh will consistently pursue
the international recognition of their independence. The minister
emphasized the faultless character of the legal foundation and
the procedure of declaration of the NKR independence underlying
the foreign political line of official Stepanakert. Arman Melikian
mentioned that the NKR government makes a distinction between the
problem of the international recognition of independence of NKR and
the problem of settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. “The
problem of settlement derives from the problem of elimination of
the consequences of the war instigated by Azerbaijan and cannot
be connected to the problem of international recognition of NKR in
any way. We lead the issue ourselves and we intend to bring it to
its logical end,” he said. According to the NKR foreign minister,
the Karabakh authorities make out in the international policies the
prerequisite necessary for the international recognition of NKR, and
in order to achieve this aim they seek to provide such precondition
in their own policies. Touching upon the peace process, Arman Melikian
singled out the facts that trouble Stepanakert. Nagorno Karabakh was,
as a matter of fact, left out of the talks from the beginning of
the Paris process when, they say, the sides were especially close
to reaching a compromise. However, Azerbaijan did not want to give
up anything, tried to present Armenia as an aggressor, and has been
keeping to this standpoint since then. “This circumstance worries
us, and we consider it necessary to overcome the consequences of the
Azerbaijani policies, which are getting more and more tangible,” said
A. Melikian. At the same time, he stated that he would not insist that
the process of international recognition of Nagorno Karabakh has been
developing in a negative direction. “There have been changes which
may later lead to the international recognition of NKR, and we seek
to expedite this process,” stressed A. Melikian. In this connection
he mentioned that during the March 29 meeting of the government a
package of bills directed at the regulation of the foreign policies
of the republic was discussed. The package included the bills on
joining the international conventions on diplomatic relationships
and consular relationships. The foreign minister stated that the fact
that an unrecognized state joins international conventions only seems
pointless, for the International Committee of the Red Cross presents
Nagorno Karabakh as a country which joined the Geneva Conventions at
the beginning of the 1990s. “We plan to take similar steps in reference
to a number of other serious international documents. This is one of
the essential features of our foreign policy,” stated the foreign
minister of NKR. He pointed out another important factor which was
neglected during the talks despite being essential. It is the problem
of the former Armenian citizens. Usually, when the problem of refugees
is concerned, mainly the Azerbaijanis who had moved from Armenia and
Nagorno Karabakh and partly the Armenians displaced from Shahumian,
Martakert and other Karabakh regions fully or partly occupied by
Azerbaijan are meant. “We tend to forget that a vast number of people
were left out of the process, whose interests are not defended at an
international level. The NKR authorities consider this their duty,”
pointed out the foreign minister of NKR. While trying to trace the
fates of those people the NKR government held a monitoring in one of
the regions of Russia where a large Armenian community lives. The
findings showed that since the onset of the Karabakh events about
45 thousand Armenians displaced from Azerbaijan found shelter
there. Almost half of them acquired citizenship of Russia. Only
1000 – 1500 people became citizens of Armenia. The rest do not have
citizenship yet. As A. Melikian noticed, this concerns only one of the
regions of Russia. He pointed out that the problem should be attended
to persistently, just like Azerbaijan does, duly presenting the problem
in the international organizations hoping for restitution of their
material and other losses. “The NKR bill on citizenship being drafted
currently is directed at the solution of this serious problem. The bill
is almost ready. It will be proposed for discussion in 10 – 15 days,”
said A. Melikian. The foreign minister of NKR regards the development
of democracy and democratic institutions as one of the priorities
in the NKR policies. He singled out the upcoming parliamentary
election as a test on the process. “We anticipate the involvement of
representatives of the political forces of Armenia in the elections
as observers. Observers will be invited from other countries as
well, however, Armenia’s attitude towards this event is utterly
important for us,” said Arman Melikian. The minister also mentioned
the importance of taking into account the international situation and
global developments. “It is not accidental that different international
organizations attentively follow developments around Nagorno Karabakh
and try to influence them in this or that way, generally with kind
intentions, although there is negative intervention as well,” said
A. Melikian. “However, there is another problem too. We must keep in
mind that we are not alone in the world and we must be able to act in
accordance with the international interests reflected in the serious
changes taking place in the world. This refers to the enlargement of
Europe, the circulation of the idea of a Great Near East, as well
as the developments in the regions situated far from us. And if we
are not able to combine local processes with international realities
of global character, we may face serious complications,” said the
foreign minister of NKR. Answering the questions of participants of
the hearing, Melikian mentioned that in NKR the idea of holding a
referendum in Nagorno Karabakh is evaluated as the recognition of the
deciding vote of its people for their self-determination. At the same
time the minister emphasized the necessity of deciding the exact place
where the referendum will be held and Azerbaijan’s willingness to admit
the results of the referendum. The precondition for the referendum can
be discussed only after the answers to these questions are given. In
reference to the current border of Nagorno Karabakh with Azerbaijan
Arman Melikian said the borderline passes along the front line between
the armed forces of NKR and Azerbaijan. The minister mentioned that
Shahumian, Shamkhor, Khanlar and other regions of Nagorno Karabakh
occupied by Azerbaijan are being intensively populated not only by
the refugees formerly settling the territories taken under Nagorno
Karabakh’s control but also other Azerbaijanis. At the same time, Arman
Melikian showed discontentment with the process of settlement of the
territories controlled by Nagorno Karabakh with Armenians. “Certain
mistakes have been made in the process,” said A. Melikian.

AA. 05-04-2005

Iraq parliament chaos exposes deep rifts amid new violence

[Eduard Ohanesian of Romania’s Libera Newspaper has been taken hostage
in Iraq]

Agence France Presse
31 March 2005

BAGHDAD – The breakdown of a key Iraqi parliament meeting has raised
fears of a delay in drawing up a permanent constitution because of the
failure of Kurds, Shiites and Sunnis to agree on a government.

But in a sign of growing tensions, the US State Department acknowledged
Wednesday that a US citizen had been taken hostage earlier this week in
Iraq along with three Romanian journalists.

As Iraqi political players squandered momentum generated by Iraq’s
January 30 elections, violence raged as six civilians, including an
elderly woman and a child, died in a firefight between rebels and US
soldiers in Mosul.

Iraq’s ethnic and religious groups were huddled in meetings as they
attempted to resuscitate a political process that has been dogged by
infighting two months after the country’s first free vote in 50 years.

Unable to decide on a cabinet or parliament speaker, questions abounded
whether the country’s volatile communal mix could write a permanent
legal charter by mid-August, the deadline set in the interim
constitution (TAL).

“There are certain groups that want to see the TAL as the basis of the
new constitution. If that is agreed upon it will make our job much
easier to finish it by August. But probably we’ll see some big
differences,” said Sunni MP Hajem al-Hassani.

He feared key national identity issues would rear their heads again over
the spring and summer.

“State and religion will definitely come up again, federalism will come
up again, some of the touchy issues will crop up. Personally I think
we’ll see an extension.”

The TAL calls for the permanent constitution to be completed by
mid-August and put to a national referendum in October, but allows an
extra half-year for drafting the document if the sides cannot reach
agreement.

Despite MPs’ eagerness to present a united face to the public, Tuesday’s
parliamentary session ended instead in catcalls and bitter divisions
over the failure to choose a parliament speaker.

As prominent figures including Prime Minister Iyad Allawi bolted from
the proceedings and the media was ejected, parliament adjourned the
session–only the second since the January 30 election–until Sunday.

The debacle brought to the surface the power struggle among the Shiites,
Kurds and Sunnis that has dragged on in closed-door negotiations since
the watershed election that saw millions vote despite security fears.

The failure of politicians to put aside their differences in the face of
a deadly insurgency and a war-shattered economy has stirred anger on the
streets and elicited warnings that parliament risks losing its legitimacy.

In Washington, the State Department declined to release any details on
the American held hostage. But according to Romanian media, he is an
Iraqi-American businessman, Mohammed Munaf, who financed the travel of
the Romanians and acted as their guide in Baghdad.

“We call for the immediate and safe release of all hostages in Iraq,
including the American citizen and the three Romanian journalists who
were taken on Monday,” Steven Pike, a State Department spokesman, told AFP.

Arabic satellite channel Al Jazeera showed the three Romanian
journalists in the company of another individual taken hostage by an
unidentified group in Iraq.

Two hooded men were seen pointing their weapons at the four visibly
frightened hostages, who were seated on the ground against the backdrop
of a floral carpet.

The tape was the first apparent confirmation that the three Romanians
were abducted, after the authorities in Bucharest initially declined to
confirm that they were victims of a kidnapping.

Marie-Jeanne Ion, 32, a reporter for Prima TV, her cameraman Sorin
Miscoci, 30, *and Eduard Ohanesian, 37, of the Romania Libera newspaper
were reported missing by the Romanian foreign ministry earlier this week.*

Meanwhile, 18 Iraqis were killed in violence across the country on
Wednesday, including six people who died during clashes between US
troops and insurgents in the northern city of Mosul, security and
medical sources said.

An Opel car chased by US military vehicles was headed toward a US-Iraqi
checkpoint in Mosul when a firefight broke out, said eyewitness Abdel
Rahman Jarallah.

Three men and women were also wounded during the fight, he said.

Ninety-minutes later, gunmen in the central al-Rifia district of Mosul
shot police Captain Ibrahim Amir outside his home and tossed a grenade
to finish him off.

In other violence around Iraq, nine people died Wednesday.