Author: Halajian Harout

Kevorkian suggests using death row inmates for medical research
/Wednesday, March 17, 2004/

ASSOCIATED PRESS

LAPEER — Imprisoned assisted suicide advocate Jack Kevorkian has asked
state legislators who advocate lifting Michigan’s 158-year ban on
capital punishment to permit the condemned to undergo medical
experimentation before death.

In a two-page “Open Letter to Michigan Legislators” written from his
prison cell, Kevorkian detailed his opposition to the death penalty, but
explained that the practice of lethal injection could provide scientific
benefits to researchers allowed to experiment with inmates immediately
before they die.

Kevorkian detailed a similar plan in a 1960 booklet he wrote, “Medical
Research and the Death Penalty.”

The 75-year-old retired pathologist is being held at the Thumb
Correctional Facility in Lapeer, while serving 10 to 25 years for
second-degree murder in the 1998 videotaped poisoning of Thomas Youk of
Oakland County’s Waterford Township. Youk had Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Kevorkian’s letter was faxed to state legislators this week, his lawyer,
Mayer Morganroth, told The Daily Oakland Press.

Oakland County Prosecutor David Gorcyca described Kevorkian’s proposal
as “ghoulish.”

“It’s mad, and it’s morbid,” Gorcyca said.

State Rep. Larry Julian, R-Lennon, who is sponsoring death penalty
legislation, said he did not expect Kevorkian’s suggestions to become a
part of any bill.

“I think it’s ridiculous,” Julian said. “I think people have the ability
now to donate their bodies to science. But that would be a slippery
slope for us.”

The state House was expected this week to take up the proposal to allow
capital punishment.

Kars Treaty on protecting Ajaria expired long ago – ambassador

Interfax News Agency
16.03.2004

Moscow. (Interfax, 15.03.2004) – Ajaria cannot count on protection from
Turkey under the Treaty of Kars, Georgian Ambassador to Russia
Konstantin Kemularia said at a Monday press conference at the Interfax
main office.

“It is senseless to make any comments on the treaty. Its validity
expired long ago. Things are completely different nowadays.
International relations are based on the realities of the 21st century.
Relations between Russia and Turkey, Georgia and Turkey, Georgia and
Russia have changed,” he said.

“Those who want to reanimate the past and pin hopes on problems in
international relations between our ancestors stand no chance,”
Kemularia said.

“Russia simply must protect Ajaria,” Ajarian leader Aslan Abashidze told
Interfax earlier. “There is the Treaty of Kars, which stipulates that
Turkey will protect the Ajarian autonomous republic. There is also the
Moscow Treaty, which entails the same commitments. Russia must [protect
Ajaria] under those treaties,” Abashidze said.

Daily Star, Lebanon
March 12 2004

Nejmeh defeats Homenmen in a tight game

Nejmeh soccer team player, Moussa Hjeij, lead his team to victory
over Homenmen after scoring 3 goals out of 4 in the semi-final game
held at Jounieh Municipal Stadium on Tuesday.

Nejmeh soccer team player, Moussa Hjeij, lead his team to victory
over Homenmen after scoring 3 goals out of 4 in the semi-final game
held at Jounieh Municipal Stadium on Tuesday.
Despite the early goal scored by Geafar in the 8th minute of first
half, Nejmeh managed to work its way to Homenmen goals, leveling the
score by Moussa Hjeij through a penalty kick, 35 minutes into the
game.

Nejmeh third goal followed two minutes later by Salah Haddad and was
objected by Homenmen technical team who said that Haddad was
sneaking.

The second half witnessed Nejmeh taking advantage of their experience
and raised the score to four goals by Hjeij through a pass from
Mcpherline in the 68th and 71st minutes before they suffer a setback
in their performance due to the changes implemented by Zizo when he
replaced Hussein Salim by Attawi who failed to push forward the game.

Associated Press Worldstream
March 15, 2004 Monday 5:42 AM Eastern Time

NATO-sponsored training program begins in Azerbaijan

BAKU, Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan’s land forces began a four-day NATO-sponsored training
exercise Monday on border control, defense officials said.

Turkey is leading the exercise as part of NATO’s Partnership for
Peace program, aimed at boosting ties between the military alliance
and states of the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.

Mammad Beydullayev of Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry said the program
would familiarize Azerbaijani military commanders with methods to
prevent border incursions, steps for fighting the trafficking of
drugs, illegal immigrants and weapons and ways to control the flow of
refugees and ensure security.

The Turkish Embassy in Azerbaijan said it was organizing the program
to help this ex-Soviet republic bring its military up to NATO
standards.

A similar training program was carried out last week in Georgia, and
plans are underway to bring the program to other nations.

Azerbaijan shares borders with Russia, Georgia, Armenia and Iran.