Author: Chavushian

SOURCE: Vremya Novostei, September 17, 2004, pp. 1 – 2
by Arkady Dubnov

Agency WPS
What the Papers Say. Part B (Russia)
September 17, 2004, Friday

ASTANA VERSES

The CIS heads of state summit in Astana that ended yesterday was a
momentous event. It was the last summit for some CIS presidents, and
the first for others. Replacing Leonid Kuchma of Ukraine, Vladimir
Putin was elected chairman of the “club of presidents.” This was
conclusive evidence that Kuchma will not run for re-election. In
fact, CIS leaders all but admitted that they would like to see Prime
Minister Viktor Yanukovich as the next president of Ukraine.

For President Mikhail Saakashvili of Georgia, this was the first
formal summit of the CIS.

In fact, the summit may mark a turning point in the history of the
CIS. President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan came up with a
concept for a drastic reorganization of the CIS – saying it is
“bogged down in bureaucracy” and “expensive even though there is
nothing to show for the spending.” Nazarbayev mentioned the
activities of the CIS Economic Court. It has considered only 62 cases
in its 10 years of existence, and issued four verdicts which “no one
actually noticed,” Nazarbayev said.

In short, Nazarbayev proposed abolishing this “pointless structure.”
Also earmarked for abolition are the council of defense ministers,
the headquarters for coordination of military cooperation, and the
international statistics committee. There is also a proposal to
reduce the staff of the CIS Executive Committee from 220 to 140
officials, the numbers of its chairmen to two, the numbers of
departments in it from nine to five, and to abolish some other CIS
bodies. Nazarbayev proposes ending the practice of appointing
“veterans and the elderly” to CIS structures. He argues that some
kind of G8 counterpart should be formed in the CIS, with an emphasis
on three spheres: security, economic cooperation, humanitarian
cooperation. It will require establishment of a CIS Security Council
comprising foreign ministers and heads of national security councils,
defense ministers and heads of secret services.

The final decision on reorganization of the CIS will be made at an
emergency summit within the next twelve months.

Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan met on September 15. Robert
Kocharjan and Ilham Aliyev spent four hours (!) talking things over.
Putin was present at the conversation at some point. When he left,
the meeting was attended by chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group (Russia,
the United States, and France). It seems that Yerevan and Baku
restored their dialogue.

The discussion of the Abkhazia issue by Putin and Saakashvili was
quite emotional. In fact, their polemics even continued into the
press conference after the meeting. Saakashvili expressed his
satisfaction with finding documents of the CIS summit confirming
adherence to the principles of the previous accords (Almaty in 1996
and Sochi in 2003) and went on criticizing Russia for what he called
collided with these provisions. The matter concerned restoration of
train runs between Sukhumi and Sochi. Putin replied that “commercial
relations do not conflict with decisions of CIS summits” – but
Saakashvili pressed on.

“Minister Fadeev’s presence in Sukhumi doesn’t align with Russia’s
position,” he said. “Besides, Russia can and should solve the problem
of the return of Georgian refugees to the Gal district of Abkhazia.”

“We have yet to discuss the matter with the president of Georgia,”
Putin frowned. “In fact, the refugees are already returning…”

Putin and Saakashvili had another meeting after that, one that lasted
20 minutes or so. No information on its results is available because
the presidents met privately. On the other hand, the fact of the
meeting itself is quite heartening. Prime ministers of Russia and
Georgia Mikhail Fradkov and Zurab Zhvania met as well.

An exchange of opinions on the Trans-Dniester conflict was also quite
sharp. “We do not understand the motives of the authorities of
Moldova when they turned down a chance to settle the conflict with
Trans-Dniester,” Kuchma said. “As for the economic blockade of the
region, it will certainly hurt its mostly Russian and Ukrainian
population.”

Saakashvili intervened again. “We support Moldova’s territorial
integrity,” he said. “All contacts with separatist regimes must be
made only with the permission from the authorities of the countries
where these regimes are located.”

The presidents of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan had an argument. Islam
Karimov of Uzbekistan was critical of Askar Akayev’s confidence that
terrorists can only be killed by means of supersonic fighter jets.

Only Aliyev didn’t say a word in front of TV cameras.

Translated by A. Ignatkin

PRESS RELEASE

Armenian National Committee
San Francisco – Bay Area
51 Commonwealth Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94118
Tel: (415) 387-3433
Fax: (415) 751-0617
[email protected]

Contact: Roxanne Makasdjian (415) 641-0525

Armenian-Americans Join “Sudan: Day of Conscience” in San Francisco

San Francisco, August 25, 2004 – Armenian-American community members
joined hands with others at San Francisco’s Civic Center to raise public
awareness about continuing massacres in Sudan. The event, called
“Sudan: Day of Conscience” was organized by the Save Darfur Coalition in
tandem with several other organizations, including the Bay Area Armenian
National Committee, the Interfaith Council, Human Rights Watch, the
Jewish Community Relations, and the United Muslims of America. Local
Armenian priests from the St. Gregory and St. John churches also
participated it the rally.

In light of the escalating violence and the looming threat of genocide
in Sudan, representatives spoke about the desperate need for united
action on all levels–regionally, statewide, nationwide, and globally.
Referring to the recent past, they illustrated the destructivenss of
international blindness to gross violations of human rights. It was
only ten years ago that the genocide in Rwanda took the lives of 800,000
victims as the world stood idly by despite the many warning signs of the
atrocities. In Sudan, government-backed Arab militias, known as the
Janjaweed, have been engaging in campaigns to displace and wipe out
entire communities of African tribal farmers. Witnesses report that
villages have been razed, women and girls are systematically raped and
branded, men and boys murdered, and food and water supplies specifically
targeted and destroyed. There have also been reports of government
aerial bombardments of explosives as well as barrels of nails, car
chassis and old appliances hurled from planes to crush people and
property. Over fifty thousand have died and over a million have been
driven from their homes. Only in the past few weeks have humanitarian
agencies had limited access to a portion of the affected region.

Representing the ANC, Haig Baghdassarian spoke to the several hundred
people gathered about the Armenian Genocide and traced the bloody
history of the 20th century, pointing to the genocides which followed
and condemning international reluctance to take action. “When will we
learn that we cannot tolerate this to happen time and time again?
Perhaps not until, we as Americans, can tell our Turkish allies, that
although we may be friends, we will not allow them to deny history and
escape with impunity for the murder of a nation. And perhaps, not
until, we as Americans can come to terms with our own bloody past – and
the destruction of the indigenous peoples of America.”

“But these noble goals may take years or even decades to achieve, and we
cannot stand by and watch yet another genocide occur, whether it’s in
central Europe or in the heart of Africa, or on the very periphery of
human civilization,” said Bagdassarian

Reverend Father Avedis Torossian, pastor of St. Gregory Armenian
Apostolic Church, and Reverend Father Sarkis Petoyan, pastor of St. John
Armenian Apostolic Church were also present to express their solidarity
with the “Sudan: Day of Conscience”. The peaceful collaboration of the
representatives of the Armenian community with those of the Jewish,
Cambodian, and Rwandan communities demonstrated how the one common
aspect of these groups’ histories can unite them in trying to prevent
genocide from becoming a dark chapter in the lives and history of
another people.

####

US embassy regrets Azeri decision to bar Armenians from NATO drills

Turan news agency
14 Sep 04

Baku, 14 September: In connection with NATO’s decision to cancel the
Cooperative Best Effort 2004 exercises in Baku, Turan news agency
has contacted the US embassy for comment.

A US embassy representative said that the Americans totally agree
with Brussels’s decision.

“We support the decision of the NATO leadership to cancel the
exercises within the Partnership for Peace programme scheduled for
13-25 September in Baku.

“This decision was taken following the Azerbaijani authorities’
refusal to issue visas to Armenian participants. It is crucial that
all member countries of NATO’s Partnership for Peace programme are
able to take part in the programme. Both Armenia and Azerbaijan are
members of this programme.

“We deeply regret that Baku decided not to issue visas to Armenian
participants. We do not think that this decision has anything to do
with Baku’s desire to cooperate with NATO and become closer to the
alliance,” the embassy’s representative said.

Police Breaks Up Radical Group’s Picket Outside Foreign Ministry

Baku today
14/09/2004 14:27

On Monday, the Karabagh Liberation Organization (KLO) picketed the
Foreign Ministry in protest against the planned visit by Armenian
officers to Baku.

The protesters showed placards â^À^ÜEither Karabagh or
death!â^À^Ý and â^À^ÜDown with Armenians!â^À^Ý.

The police break up the protest action and took some of the radical
group members, who attempted to march towards the Interior Ministry
along Husu Hajiyev Street, to the police precinct. The detainees were
released later. The KLO will hold another protest action outside
the Defense Ministry on Tuesday.

Azeri leader off to Tajikistan

MPA news agency
13 Sep 04

Baku, 13 September: Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev left for
Dushanbe today to attend a summit of the Economic Cooperation
Organization.

A source from the presidential administration has told MPA that issues
of developing economic, political and cultural relations between the
two countries will be discussed with Tajik President Emomali Rahmonov.

Tomorrow (14 September), President Aliyev will leave for Astana to take
part in a CIS summit. A trilateral meeting of the Azerbaijani, Russian
and Armenian presidents and a bilateral meeting of the Azerbaijani
and Armenian presidents attended by the co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk
Group are expected to take place in the capital of Kazakhstan.

On 22 September, the Azerbaijani leader will travel to New York to
attend a session of the UN General Assembly where he is also expected
to make a speech. The Azerbaijani president will be received by US
President George Bush and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Azerbaijan, Armenia To Have ‘Make-or-break’ Peace Talks

TurkishPress.com
Saturday, September 11, 2004

AFP: 9/11/2004

BARDA, Azerbaijan, Sept 11 (AFP) – Talks next week between the
leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan could make or break the fragile
peace process between the warring neighbours, Azeri President Ilham
Aliyev said Saturday.

Aliyev is due to meet face-to-face with his Armenian counterpart
Robert Kocharian on the sidelines of a summit of former Soviet
republics which begins on September 15 in Kazakhstan`s capital, Astana.

The Azeri president said the meeting could be a watershed after a
decade of unsuccessful negotiations which followed a war between
Azerbaijan and Armenia in the early 1990s over the enclave of
Nagorno-Karabakh.

“A lot depends on the meeting in Astana,” Aliyev said on a visit to
Barda, in north-western Azerbaijan.

“It could bring clarity to the question of where we are, whether we
are getting closer to an agreement or whether we are going in the
opposite direction.”

“Now there is a chance to determine the road map for achieving an
agreement. This is the main thing: real, fundamental negotiations
will start only after that.”

Aliyev added: “First of all we must agree on the principles. If we
achieve that, afterwards the detailed negotiations can get underway.”

Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a five-year war over
Nagorno-Karabakh. Some 35,000 people were killed and about one million
civilians were displaced by the fighting.

The conflict ended with Armenian forces in control of Nagorno-Karabakh,
which is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan`s territory.

Though a fragile ceasefire is in force, the two sides are still
officially in a state of war. Azerbaijan has threatened to renew
hostilities unless peace talks produce results soon.

Russia observes minute of silence, people queue to give blood

Channel One TV, Moscow
7 Sep 04

[Presenter Igor Vykhukholev] The whole world is sharing the pain and
bitterness felt by Russia over the inhuman terrorist act committed
in Beslan. Hundreds of thousands of people are bowing their heads to
observe a minute’s silence in memory of the children, their parents
and teachers, against whom the bandits took their barbaric revenge.

[Clock ticks through the minute of silence, video shows Russians around
lit candles, navy taking off their hats, women laying flowers, Russian
Muslims praying, the Russian flag at half mast over the government
building and the Kremlin]

In many places in Russia today, school started with a minute’s silence
in memory of the victims of Beslan.

Sailors of the Pacific Fleet who have returned to Vladivostok
after joint Russian-Japanese exercises remembered those killed in
Beslan. At these manoeuvres, they were developing scenarios for
fighting terrorists.

They dropped the usual festive arrival at port with the traditional
flowers and orchestra and instead the sailors took off their hats
and condolences were read out for the victims of Beslan.

[Viktor Fedorov, captioned as commander of the Pacific Fleet] This is
a most terrible tragedy. We are of course all grieving, the sailors
of the Pacific Fleet. As fathers we feel the pain. Children should
not die, that’s why we are here, the parents. It’s terrible.

[Presenter] A large group of doctors is going to Beslan today headed by
the [Russian] health minister. These are the best professors from the
leading clinics in the capital. They will examine the critical patients
and make a decision about whether they can be transported to Moscow.

As for what’s happening in Beslan, our correspondent Yevgeniy Maslov
has the details.

[Correspondent] The people of the town are holding an improvised
meeting right now in the centre of Beslan. People are arriving at the
central square in front of the house of culture. It is mainly those
who cannot find their close ones, either among the dead or among
the injured. They come carrying photographs and are proposing that
a single coordinating council be set up to gather all information
about the injured in the hospitals and they want a detailed list.

[Presenter] In Volgograd, people are rushing to help the victims. The
seriousness of the injuries means rehabilitation will take a long
time, and, as the doctors are saying, a constant supply of blood
will be needed. Long queues have formed at the city blood donor
centre. Several hundred residents of the town have given blood
today, among them people from the Ossetian, Dagestani and Armenian
communities. Tomorrow, a delegation representing the local ethnic
diasporas will set off for Beslan from Volgograd to support their
compatriots and give the money they have collected. [passage omitted]

We have just received the following footage from the Far East. Queues
have formed at the blood donor centres in Vladivostok. Students and
the town’s residents are rushing to the aid of those who suffered in
Beslan and who are now in hospital. The doctors are promising that
hospitals in the capital will have the blood by tomorrow.

Radio stations in Tajikistan are today starting each hour with “Russia,
we are with you”, and everyone is giving words of support. The day
started with a minute of silence in the schools where the children
of Russian servicemen study. And over 1,000 schoolchildren – from
the young ones to the older ones – at the school for the children of
border guards joined an antiterror rally today.

Prayers are under way in all the mosques of Tatarstan for the souls
of the hostages who were killed in Beslan. [passage omitted]

Sportsmen from the main clubs in Tatarstan have decided to offer
material assistance. All money from matches is to go to a special
support fund. [passage omitted]

Newsday, NY
Sept 6 2004

MARATHON MAN
Sarge deserves a salute
Sargsian, after two improbable wins, faces his good buddy Agassi

BY JEFF WILLIAMS
STAFF WRITER

For Sargis Sargsian, this is just too good. After a 2004 season
filled with poor play and plenty of frustration, he finds himself in
the fourth round of the U.S. Open. He finds himself playing in front
of his adopted American family. He finds himself about to play Andre
Agassi today.

“It’s crazy good, unbelievable good,” said the man called Sarge.

Just how crazy, just how unbelievable has Sarge’s Open been? His
five-set victory over Paul-Henri Mathieu on Saturday night in 4:44
followed a five-set victory over 10th-seeded Nicolas Massu in 5:09 on
Thursday night, the longest back-to-back matches any man has ever
played in the Open.

His appearance in the fourth round equals his best performance at a
major, at the 2003 Australian Open. But what is just too good is that
he now gets to play Agassi, his best friend in tennis, at Arthur Ashe
Stadium.

“This is very much a dream come true for me,” Sargsian said yesterday
as he sat in a quiet corner of the players lounge. “Would be dream
come true to beat him, too.”

Sargsian’s story is just too good. He’s a 31-year-old Armenian who
came from a poor family and harsh conditions in his homeland on a
trip to the United States with his national team in 1992. Debbie
Welch, a former top-flight player who was a peace worker in Armenia,
had seen him play and was instrumental in bringing the team over for
exhibition matches in the Northeast.

In trying to arrange for players to stay in the New Haven, Conn.,
area, Welch called names in the phone book that ended in “ian.” She
came across Vazrich and Catherine Mansourian.

“She asked us if we were tennis fans and would we be interested in
hosting some players,” Catherine Mansourian said yesterday from her
Orange, Conn., home. “I said, ‘Are you kidding? My father-in-law was
the national tennis champion of Iran.'”

So the Mansourians, who are Armenian, took in Sargsian and another
player, Tsolak Gevorkian. What started out as something less than a
week’s stay has turned into a 12-year relationship.

“It’s almost impossible to believe,” Catherine said. “But it’s been
an amazing journey.”

The long story short is this. The Mansourians put Gevorkian in high
school and tried to find a college scholarship for Sargsian.
Catherine Mansourian mailed out 24 letters to universities and
Sargsian landed a scholarship at Arizona State. After his junior year
he had back surgery, then came back to win the 1995 NCAA
championship.

That year he got a wild card into his first U.S. Open. After turning
professional, he met Brad Gilbert, then Agassi’s coach. Gilbert
arranged for Sargsian and Agassi, whose father is Armenian, to
practice together before a tournament in San Jose in 1996. They have
been fast friends since. Agassi owns a 6-0 career record against him.

“We talk every day during the [Open],” said Sargsian, who ia ranked
54th in the world and has one victory on the ATP tour. “He calls me
after the matches to congratulate me, to give me advice, to help me
out. He tells me about how to play certain players. He tells me how
to recover from long matches, tells me to take electrolytes. He is a
true friend. He gives from his heart. He means so much to me.”

Another significant presence in his life is his metzpop. That’s
Armenian for grandfather, and Sargsian considers Minas Mansourian,
Vazrich Mansourian’s 101-year-old father, to be his own grandfather.

The Mansourians, including Minas, have been to all of his Open
matches. “They have been so good to me, it is unbelievable story,”
Sargsian said.

It’s a story too good to end now.

Man accused of stalking ex-girlfriend with GPS

Police say woman discovered him under her car attempting to change cell phone battery
By Associated Press

Sunday, September 05, 2004 – GLENDALE — A 32-year-old man has been
charged with stalking for allegedly attaching a cell phone and global
positioning system to his ex-girlfriend’s car to track her whereabouts,
authorities said.

Ara Gabrielyan, of Glendale, was scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday
on one count of stalking and three counts of making criminal threats.

He was arrested last Sunday and held on $500,000 bail. He faces a
maximum sentence of six years in state prison.

Police said Gabrielyan, who ran a music and video shop, used the
satellite tracking system to follow the unidentified 35-year-old woman
and meet her unexpectedly at a book store, an airport, a cemetery
and dozens of other places after she ended their relationship.

“This is what I would consider stalking of the 21st century,” said
Lt. Jon Perkins of the Glendale Police Department.

The woman finally learned how he was following her when she discovered
him under her car attempting to change the cell phone’s battery,
police said.

Authorities say the phone contained a motion switch that turned
on whenever it moved and transmitted a signal each minute to a
satellite. Information was then sent to a Web site that allowed
Gabrielyan to monitor her location.

Police believe he placed the device on her car Aug. 16, and accuse
him of threatening to kill himself and his ex-girlfriend over a
six-month period.

An attorney for Gabrielyan could not immediately be reached for
comment Saturday morning.

A1 Plus | 19:29:52 | 03-09-2004 | Politics |

JUSTICE MINISTRY WILL ASSIST TO GET COMPENSATION

Through support of USA lawyers the Armenian Justice Ministry managed to
come to terms with USA Court over providing some additional mechanisms
regarding compensation of $ 11 million by “New York Life Insurance”
Company to the heirs of the persons who had insurance policies and
perished during the years of Armenian Genocide. Those mechanisms will
make the Agreement on sum payment approved by USA Court accessible to
the possible plaintiffs in Armenia and in the neighbouring countries.

Names and surnames of the persons possessing insurance policies in
“New York Life Insurance” are located in the following website

But since the Armenian names and surnames in the Internet site are
introduced in western Armenian version typed in Latin letters it
caused distortion. Justice Ministry invited a specialist in the
Armenian surnames to clarify them. By September 20, 2004, Justice
Ministry will publish the Armenian translation of names and surnames
of the persons having insurance policies in “New York Life Insurance”
as they are kept in the Company archives and the addresses of the
establishments where the possible complainants may get consulting.

Justice Ministry is ready to support the people whose insurance
policies weren’t inserted in the list produced by “New York Life
Insurance” and will take all the necessary steps to enrol those
policies in the Agreement, too.