Author: Hovhannisian John

Former FA Aide: Peace Talks Aren’t Worth Of 2 Kopeks

Baku Today
May 17 2004

While high-ranking officials in Baku still seem committed to ending
a decade-old occupation of Azerbaijan’s territories through peaceful
means, a prominent foreign policy expert says the peace process
is worth of nothing as long as there is no change in the region’s
geopolitical situation.

“The current negotiations are not worth of two kopeks,” says Vafa
Guluzade, a former presidential aide who now heads the Baku-based
Caspian Political Researches Foundation. The former diplomat points
to Russia as the country behind the aggression against Azerbaijan,
and contends that the key to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict lies not
in Yerevan, but in Moscow.

“Armenia is a puppet in the hands of Russians,” Guluzade says in an
interview with a correspondent of Baku Today, adding: “I myself have
repeatedly witnessed that Armenians don’t have their own position on
the Karabakh problem. Moscow dictates them on everything that relates
to the settlement of the conflict.”

Armenia occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, a mountainous region of Azerbaijan
that is home to about 100,000 ethnic-Armenians, and also seven Azeri
administrative districts surrounding it in 1991-94 war. Despite a
cease-fire agreement reached in May 1994, no final settlement has
been found to the conflict.

Guluzade said the recent happenings in Georgia’s defiant autonomous
region of Ajara showed that Moscow had no choice but to bow to heavy
pressures by Washington.

“Russia will withdraw from Armenia, too,” Guluzade said.

Those hoping for a peaceful resolution of the conflict were once
more disappointed when a meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign
ministers in Strasbourg on May 12-13 gave no result, with Aremnia’s
Vardan Oskanian deeming the idea to withdraw from Azerbaijan’s seven
occupied districts “absurd and meaningless.”

Meanwhile, President Ilham Aliyev sent one more warning against the
arch foe Armenia while on a visit to his home region of Nakhchivan
late last week.

“Azerbaijan’s army can resort to using force any time to free the
occupied territories. It is our natural right,” Aliyev stressed.

But the former foreign affairs aide Guluzde believes Azerbaijan has
to get ready for a political isolation, if it decides to take guns
to fight back the territories.

He says the isolation might come from Russia, as well as from the
United States and Europe.

“We also have to be three to five times stronger than the enemy is,
because we’ll suffer more human casualties if we begin to attack,”
Guluzade underlined.

Asked if another war could bring any positive results for Azerbaijan,
Guluzade said: “It may, but it must be based on a very well thought
over plan.”

Noyan Tapan
May 11 2004

Results of Tender of Video Film Scenarios organized by Pan-Armenian
International Youth Fund to be summed up in late May.

Thirty five individuals and organizations have introduced applications
for participation in tender of video film scenarios organized by
Pan-Armenian International Youth Fund. Astghik Avetisyan, the fund
press secretary informed that the tender results would be summed
up by the end of May. The authors of the best three scenarios will
receive prices.

It was also mentioned that the fund will support the production of
video tapes based on the chosen scenarios and broadcast them on some
Armenian TV Channels.

Azeri TV reports Armenian truce violation

ANS TV, Baku
13 May 04

At about 1500 [1000 gmt] today, the village of Qapanli of Tartar
District came under fire from the Armenian-occupied Agdara District’s
village of Seyid-Suvan. The gunfire from large-calibre machine guns
lasted for 10 minutes. The enemy was silenced with retaliatory fire.

Local residents reported no casualties during the incident.

Handing over “liberated lands” to Azeris senseless – Armenian foreign minister

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan,
13 May 04

The discussion of the handing over of the seven liberated territories
from the Armenian side to the Azerbaijani side is senseless. Armenian
Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan announced in an interview with the
Radio Liberty.

He said that no agenda for the meeting between the Armenian and
Azerbaijani foreign ministers has been confirmed. So, any issue can
be discussed.

Vardan Oskanyan did not clarify that the Azerbaijani side will try to
include in to the discussion the handing- over of the territories,
which was spoken about recently in Baku. Oskanyan also noted that
the Armenian side will also introduce some issues to the discussion.

The minister stressed that it is impossible to forget that the
Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents met recently, which they assessed
as positive. The presidents announced that they will instruct the
two countries’ foreign ministers also to cooperate in the same path
during the meeting.

Vardan Oskanyan expressed hope that the foreign ministers’ negotiations
will be continued. Vardan Oskanyan also stressed that Armenia is also
for the settlement, as soon as possible, of the Karabakh conflict. This
is one of the main issues of the Armenian diplomacy.

Words About War and Peace on Karabakh Anniversary

Moscow Times
May 13 2004

BAKU, Azerbaijan — On the 10th anniversary of the truce that ended
fighting Azeri-Armenian fighting over Nagorny Karabakh but left its
status in limbo, Azerbaijan’s president on Wednesday pledged support
for peaceful resolution of the dispute but raised the prospect of
military action.

Nagorny Karabakh, an ethnic Armenian enclave within Azerbaijan,
for the past decade has been under control of an internationally
unrecognized ethnic Armenian government backed by forces who also
occupy parts of Azerbaijan adjoining the enclave.

Because of the dispute over the enclave’s final status, the
Armenia-Azerbaijan border is closed. Failure to resolve the issue is
seen as having discouraged investment in both countries because of
concern that another war over the enclave could erupt.

Armenian and Azeri officials, including the country’s presidents, have
met repeatedly to discuss Nagorny Karabakh, but with little visible
progress despite a wave of sessions in 2001 that many observers
believed foreshadowed an imminent settlement.

Azeri President Ilham Aliyev underlined that Azerbaijan insists
Nagorny Karabakh remain part of that country and that a resumption
of fighting could not be excluded.

“We are supporters of a peaceful resolution of the conflict, but the
Azeri people will not submit to the loss of its territory. If talks
do not give results, we will free our land at any cost,” Aliyev said.
“Our army is capable of freeing occupied territory at any moment.”

Armenian President Robert Kocharyan, in a statement marking the
cease-fire’s 10th anniversary, said, “We will observe the principle
of a peaceful regulation of the Nagorny Karabakh conflict.”

Aliyev made his statements in a speech at a military institute in
Nakhichevan, an Azeri exclave separated from the rest of the country
by Armenian territory. “Azerbaijan is in a condition of war, our
territorial wholeness is violated and the army can undertake steps
to restore the wholeness,” he said.

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 60; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

May 12, 2004
___________________

ASSEMBLY BANQUET HONORS TWO

By Jake Goshert

Saturday night, May 1, 2004, a gala banquet capped off the successful
Diocesan Assembly, which was skillfully hosted by the St. Gregory the
Enlightener Church of White Plains, NY. Guests at the banquet enjoyed
the food and fellowship and were treated to a performance by the Shushi
Dance Ensemble of St. Vartan Cathedral — which was recently highlighted
in a photo in National Geographic magazine.

During the banquet the Diocese honored two men for efforts to continue
and foster the Armenian culture.

HONORING FRIENDS

Rabbi Arthur Schneier, founder and president of the Appeal of Conscience
Foundation — an international organization dedicated to freedom of
religion and human rights issues — was presented with the “Friend of
the Armenians” award. “The Armenian of the Year” award was presented to
Dr. Vartan Gregorian, president of the Carnegie Corporation and former
president of Brown University and the New York Library.

“Both of our honorees are men of deep faith, which has inspired them to
action,” said Archbishop Khajag Barsamian. “Neither has lost their faith
in the better angels of human nature. Their sense of hope has helped
them not only endure but excel in life.”

Both men came from humble backgrounds and overcame obstacles to rise to
prominence. Rabbi Schneier was a survivor of the Holocaust and Dr.
Gregorian came to America from Iran and built himself up through the
academic world.

“And both have dedicated their efforts to the greater good,” the Primate
said. “This weekend we talked about stewardship: the giving of your
time, talent, and treasure. Each of these men exemplifies that virtue at
the highest level.”

In his remarks, Dr. Gregorian urged the banquet guests to do what they
can to bolster the Republic of Armenia.

“We have to take care of not only our local communities, but also that
one land, small as it is, which has been entrusted to us,” he said.
“Armenia needs you and you need Armenia. We have to learn to become
great ancestors: not to live for the moment but live for the future.”

Rabbi Schneier spoke of his efforts to build interfaith bridges to face
international terrorism, which he called the great scourge of the
century.

“We value life. We believe in co-existence, in dialogue,” he said.
“We’re going to strengthen those leaders who believe in dialogue and
peaceful coexistence. And we hope by doing this we will send a message
and awaken a silent majority.”

— 5/12/04

E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable on the Eastern
Diocese’s website,

PHOTO CAPTION (1): Dr. Vartan Gregorian, who was honored as the
“Armenian of the Year” during the 2004 Diocesan Assembly, autographed
copies of his memoir, “The Road to Home”, and welcomed fans before the
banquet on Saturday, May 1, 2004.

PHOTO CAPTION (2): Archbishop Khajag Barsamian presents Rabbi Arthur
Schneier, founder and president of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation,
with the “Friend of the Armenians” award during the 2004 Diocesan
Assembly.

PHOTO CAPTION (3): Members of the Shushi Dance Ensemble perform during
the Diocesan Assembly’s closing banquet on Saturday, May 1, 2004, in
Rye, NY.

PHOTO CAPTION (4): Dancers with the Shushi Dance Ensemble prepare to
take the stage during the Diocesan Assembly banquet on Saturday, May 1,
2004, in Rye. NY.

# # #

Martin hand-picks another candidate
PM breaking promise for democratic reform, opposition MPs say

Anne Dawson
The Ottawa Citizen

Sunday, May 09, 2004
Page A5 – Morning Edition

Prime Minister Paul Martin ignored his own promise to make Parliament
more democratic yesterday by hand-picking yet another Liberal
candidate and doling out another patronage appointment.

In the past two days, he has used his power to appoint one candidate
in Ontario and another four in Alberta and British Columbia. He has
also given patronage appointments to two sitting MPs in exchange for
them stepping aside so he could designate his favourites in their
ridings.

The moves drew sharp criticism from opposition leaders, who accused
Mr. Martin of playing a game of “who you know” rather than allowing
grassroots democracy to take its course in the selection of political
candidates. They also said the actions would further alienate Western
Canadians already extremely dissatisfied with the workings of federal
politics.

Manitoba-born Ruby Dhalla, a Toronto chiropractor and a longtime
Liberal activist, was appointed to be the Liberal candidate in the
Brampton-Springdale riding. Liberal MP Sarkis Assadourian, who has
represented that riding since 1993, has been given the position of
special adviser on Near Eastern and South Caucasus Affairs to the
prime minister in exchange for giving up his riding.

“I am delighted to be able to turn to Sarkis Assadourian for expertise
when it comes to matters of trade and foreign relations with the Near
East,” said the prime minister in a press released issued yesterday.

Late Friday, Mr. Martin announced four other candidate
appointees. They include: B.C. party president Bill Cunningham, who
worked on Mr. Martin’s leadership campaign, in the Burnaby-Douglas
riding; lawyer Julia Turnbull, in Calgary South Centre; John Bethel,
who was Mr. Martin’s Alberta leadership campaign director, in Edmonton
East; and Dave Muti, who served as a Liberal riding president, in
Calgary North East.

He also gave Winnipeg MP John Harvard an appointment to be the new
lieutenant-governor of Manitoba in exchange for him stepping down so
Winnipeg Mayor Glen Murray could run in his
Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia riding.

Human Resources Minister Joe Volpe staunchly defended Mr. Martin’s
appointments on the grounds that the Liberal party permits such
appointments under its constitution.

But Conservative leader Stephen Harper said Mr. Martin has “tainted”
the Liberal candidates he has appointed with all the bad publicity the
announcements have garnered.

“This hardly seems like a way to fix the democratic deficit. It will
ultimately jeopardize the election chances of every single one of them
— especially in Western Canada where these issues of democratic
reform are most acute and the dissatisfaction with the existing system
is most severe,” Mr. Harper said yesterday.

NDP leader Jack Layton accused Mr. Martin of showing a blatant
disregard for the Chinese community by ousting Asian candidates in
B.C. that have already shown they can win elections

Mr. Layton said Mr. Martin has shown a “complete … lack of
understanding of western alienation” by playing a game of “who you
know” rather than allowing democracy to take its course.

“There seems to be no understanding in the prime minister’s mind of
the concept of grassroots. How are you going to get effective local
voices if you don’t allow local communities, through their local
ridings to pick their candidates?” said Mr. Layton.

A few weeks ago, Mr. Martin made another round of appointments in
B.C., including businessman David Emerson, former NDP premier Ujjal
Dosanjh, union leader Dave Haggard, native leader Miles Richardson and
community activist Shirley Chan.

© The Ottawa Citizen 2004

Baku Today, Azerbaijan
May 8 2004

Marchers Reach Frontline, Are Stopped By Azerbaijani Army

Nearly 220 marchers, 120 of the from the Karabakh Liberation
Organization (KLO) and 100 from local residents, have already reached
the frontline, a KLO official told the Baku Today in a telephone
interview from Susanli village of Aghdam District.
Kazim Salimi, deputy head of KLO, said after the police prevented
them from starting the march in Baku early the day, the KLO members
left the capital in cars and reached Barda District.
Then they marched to the frontline form Barda, but stopped there by
the Azerbaijani army and were not allowed to cross to the territories
occupied by Armenians, Salimi said.

`We are not going to resist our army,’ Salimi said, adding that the
marchers are going to dissemble after reading their statement.

Police cordoned off Martyrs’ Alley around 12 a.m. today and prevented
the KLO members to start the unauthorized march from Baku.

`This once again displays the attitude of the Azerbaijani authorities
to the Karabakh problem,’ the KLO leader Akif Naghi told reporters,
adding that those trying to prevent them from marching to their
occupied territories would feel sorry for their move in the future.

The KLO leader said the peace negotiations mediated by OSCE’s Minsk
group since 1992 are aimed at making the Azerbaijani people gradually
forget Nagorno-Karabakh.

He said Shusha and Karabakh mean `the fate’ of the Azerbaijani and
that without Karabakh no Azeri statehood could be imagined.

RIA Novosti, Russia
May 6 2004

NO SEPARATISM BEHIND ADZHAR CRISIS: GEORGIA’S FOREIGN MINISTER

MOSCOW, May 6 (RIA Novosti) – There was no separatist undercurrent to
the Adzhar crisis-it was a clash between democratic and
non-democratic forces, said Salome Zurabishvili, Georgia’s Foreign
Minister, as she was commenting stormy developments in the autonomy
to a Moscow news conference.

“Democracy has won with democratic methods,” she summed up the
situation.

Updated Georgia is recurring to peaceful democratic means to settle
its problems. The rulers of Abkhazia and South
Ossetia-self-proclaimed republics in Georgia – may find that of major
interest, she assumes.

Georgia is willing to re-appraise the Abkhaz situation with
settlement prospects, added the minister.

“Georgia’s new leaders are self-reliant. That does not mean that they
are aggressive. We are taking a more pragmatic view of things than
before,” she reassured.

Miss Zurabishvili thanked Georgia’s partners in Europe and the USA
for promoting Adzhar settlement: “They helped us to get a dialogue
going. When the dialogue exhausted its opportunities, and the
situation demanded democratic progress, our partners offered us
support.” A reporter asked her what was to become of Aslan Abashidze,
recent Adzhar president. He will not be harassed and persecuted,
reassured the minister. Same about his family. Georgia’s President
Mikhail Saakashvili has pledged it.

“Russia has shifted the burden on its own shoulders. Thank you,” said
Salome Zurabishvili.

“Georgia has not entitled us to chase him,” Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s
Foreign Minister, retorted to that.

Reconciliation is the core of current Georgian policies. It concerns
all-whether they cherish the memory of President Zurab Gamsakhurdia
or side with ex-President Aslan Abashidze, stressed Salome
Zurabishvili.

She highly appreciated Igor Ivanov’s visit to Batumi, Adzhar capital,
as extremely important and endowed with a symbolism. Igor Ivanov,
preceding Foreign Minister, is now Russia’s federal Security Council
Secretary.

“The Adzhar situation would have been settled in whatever case-the
people determined that it would be so. But Mr. Ivanov arrived in an
important symbolical move. Russia was proffering us a helping hand at
the last instant. Mutual confidence is being established, which is
necessary for our relations to take the right road. Now, we no longer
have any difficulties trying to understand each other.” Lengthy local
conflicts are spoking the wheels of Caucasian progress, the minister
went on.

“What we refer to as ‘frozen conflicts’ are actually freezing our
development-I mean Georgia, Abkhazia and the entire region. We must
realise the point, and Georgia has realised it.” The same pertains to
Karabakh, over which another two Transcaucasian countries-Armenia and
Azerbaijan-have been clashing for many years now.

The whole world is making progress. Whether the Caucasian nations are
to join it depends on the settlement of those and similar conflicts.

The Commonwealth of Independent States is among Georgia’s foreign
political priorities.

“The CIS is prominent in Georgian policies, with an emphasis on
Armenia, Ukraine and the post-Soviet Central Asia.” Georgia greatly
values its partnership with CIS countries, and will carry it on,
reassured the minister.

Her country is determined to combine its partnership with NATO with
Russo-Georgian cooperation. Georgia’s road to Europe, and to
partnership with NATO, does not rule out close neighbourly contacts
with Russia-the two trends can go together.

“The time of a choice from among the principal players is past. There
was a time when Georgia was gambling on antagonisms. It gained
nothing,” Salome Zurabishvili emphatically remarked.

BBC News
Last Updated: Tuesday, 13 April, 2004, 10:05 GMT 11:05 UK

Timeline: Armenia

A chronology of key events:
1915 – 1917 – Between 600,000 and 1.5 million Armenians are massacred or
deported from their homeland in Anatolia to present-day Syria. The Ottoman
government had suspected them of harbouring pro-Russian sympathies.

1916 – Armenia is conquered by tsarist Russia. Joins alliance with Georgia
and Azerbaijan. YEREVAN

Capital’s history stretches back more than 2,500 years
1920: Became capital of Armenian republic
Population: 1.2 million

1918 – Armenia becomes an independent republic.

1920 – Armenia is invaded by Turkey and Bolshevik Russia. An agreement with
the Bolsheviks leads to Armenia proclaiming itself a socialist republic.

1922 – Armenia is incorporated into the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics,
USSR.

1930s – Armenians suffer under Stalin’s purges, but the country also
experiences industrial development.

The modern period

1988 – Encouraged by the new policy of openness (“glasnost”), Armenians
begin to campaign for Nagorno-Karabakh, a region with a predominantly
Armenian population in the neighbouring Soviet republic of Azerbaijan, to be
united with Armenia.

1988 December – Earthquake in northern Armenia kills 25,000 and leaves
hundreds of thousands homeless. The relief effort is slow and chaotic.
Armenians say 1.5 million died in last years of Ottoman Empire

2001: Bitter history of Armenian genocide row
Correspondent: Armenians say US failed them

1989 – Conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh begins. It lasts intermittently for
five years. Many Azeri citizens are forced to flee their homes.

1990 – Armenian nationalists win parliamentary elections. Independence is
declared, but ignored by Moscow.

1991 September – A referendum sees 94% vote for secession from the Soviet
Union.

1991 October – Levon Ter-Petrossian elected president.

1991 December – Armenia joins the Commonwealth of Independent States, the
successor to the Soviet Union. Armenia recognised as independent by the US.

Internal unrest

1992 – Armenia joins the United Nations. A trade and energy embargo is
imposed by Azerbaijan. The conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh continues.

1994 – Demonstrations in Yerevan over shortages of food and energy. A
Russian-brokered ceasefire ends the Nagorno-Karabakh fighting. The region is
left a self-proclaimed republic, with ethnic Armenian forces in control of
Azerbaijani territory surrounding Karabakh. NAGORNO-KARABAKH

Feuding over enclave has claimed thousands of lives

2001: Age-old enmity in the Caucasus
2000: Tug-of-war for Nagorno-Karabakh

1995 – The government launches privatisation and price liberalisation
programme. Parliamentary elections return the ruling party. The powers of
the president are widened.

1996 – Ter-Petrossian is re-elected president. Tanks are deployed on the
streets of Yerevan to quell protests over alleged electoral fraud.

1998 – Ter-Petrossian resigns over opposition to his efforts to find a
compromise with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh. Nationalist Robert
Kocharyan is elected president.

1999 – Gunmen, led by a local journalist Nairi Hunanyan, open fire in the
Armenian parliament. The prime minister, parliamentary speaker and six other
officials are killed. The gunmen accuse the government of leading Armenia
into political and economic ruin. They say the desperate plight of the
people is the reason for the killings.

2000 – Prime Minister Andranik Markarian admits that – 12 years on – those
affected by the 1988 earthquake are still living in a disaster zone.

PARLIAMENT STORMED

Prime minister and speaker were amongst those killed by gunmen
1999: In pictures – Armenia’s grief
2003: Armenia parliament killers jailed

BBC’s Tigran Hizmalyan describes storming
2001 January – Becomes full member of Council of Europe.

France ignores Turkish objections and introduces a law stating that Ottoman
Turks committed genocide against Armenians in 1915.

Armenia celebrates the 1,700th anniversary of the adoption of Christianity.

2001 September – Vladimir Putin becomes first Russian president to visit
Armenia since independence.

Pope John Paul II pays his first visit; most Armenians pledge allegiance to
Armenian Apostolic Church which broke away from Vatican in sixth century.

Kocharyan re-elected

2003 March – President Robert Kocharyan wins further term in second round of
presidential elections. Election monitors complain of ballot-stuffing.

2003 May – European observers find parliamentary elections in which
pro-presidential candidates win majority of seats fall short of
international standards.

Referendum rejects constitutional amendments concerning role of parliament.

2003 August – Death penalty abolished; President Kocharyan commutes
sentences of 42 death row prisoners to life.

2003 December – Six sentenced to life imprisonment for their roles in 1999
parliament shootings in which prime minister, speaker and other officials
were killed.

2004 April – Thousands of opposition supporters march against president.