Author: Karabekian Emil

World Azeris urge European body to impose sanctions on Armenia

Trend news agency
24 Jan 05

Baku, 24 January: The Azerbaijanis of the world demand that the
Council of Europe impose sanctions on Armenia and revoke the mandates
of the Armenian deputies of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe PACE , the Congress of the World Azerbaijanis says in a
statement forwarded to PACE and the parliaments of PACE member states,
Trend reports.

“If the Council of Europe is interested in establishing a lasting
peace in the region and preventing the threat posed to it, it has to
be objective in approaching the Nagornyy Karabakh issue and act in
line with the decisions it passed itself in the past,” the document
says.

To recap, PACE is expected to discuss rapporteur on Nagornyy Karabakh
David Atkinson’s report on 25 January.

“European parliamentarians have to realize that any decision by the
Council of Europe can change the situation in the conflict settlement
and give a political and practical assessment to the steps being taken
by Armenian separatists in violation of stability in the region,” the
statement says.

“We, the Azerbaijanis of the world, are aware of the role PACE can
play and appreciate it. We hope the European deputies can give an
objective assessment to the situation and support the prevention of
the Armenian aggression,” it says.

IranMania, Iran
Jan 24 2005

Iran-Armenia Labor ties reviewed

LONDON, Jan 24 (IranMania) – Labor and Social Affairs Minister Nasser
Khaleqi and his Armenian counterpart Aghvan Vardanian called for the
expansion of ties between the two countries in labor affairs, IRNA
reported.

Iran and Armenia have had cordial relations for many years and can
therefore increase cooperation in other areas as well.

Cooperation in employment and labor affairs, technical and vocational
training, research, and other industrial sectors can improve the
quality of goods in both nations.

Experts from the Labor Ministry are ready to hold discussions with
their Armenian counterparts, Khaleqi added.

For his part, Vardanian recalled that the two nations have had over
2,000 years of friendly relations.

He pointed out that Armenia’s labor laws have been rewritten in the
post-Soviet era and Yerevan is eager to cooperate with Iran on
employment and labor affairs.

“Tehran and Yerevan have good cooperation in energy and
transportation sector,” he added.

The two ministers also initialed a draft agreement which will be
further discussed in the coming days and if agreed, will be signed.
The two nations are also engaged in various joint industrial
projects.

LARISA ALAVERDIAN CALLS ON TO CONSIDER BAKU MASSACRES AS MASS
VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

YEREVAN, January 20 (Noyan Tapan). The statement of Elizabeth Jones,
Assistant US Secretary of State for Europe and Euroasia, and, in
particular, unfortunate formulation concerning Nagorno Karabakh is the
consequence of Armenia’s wrong policy. Armen Aghayan, Political
Secretary of “In Defence of Liberated Territories” public initiative,
Karabakh war participant, declared this during the January 20 press
conference dedicated to the 15th anniversary of Armenian massacres in
Baku. According to him, “first of all we are to blame because the
Karabakh issue is solved in Moscow or Washington.” Armenia should
oppose an exact national program on settlement of liberated
territories to the processes taking place at present in the issue of
Karabakh settlement, Aghayan considers. At the same time he admitted
that the authorities of the country implement such a program
partially. Larisa Alaverdian, RA Ombudsperson, also participated in
the press conference. She acquainted the participants of the press
conference with the statement of her Azeri colleague concerning the
events that occured in Baku 15 years ago. Larisa Alaverdian expressed
bewilderment in connection with the fact that Azerbaijan’s Ombudsman
calls on the international community to consider these events in the
political field and not in the field of violation of human
rights. “I’ll spare no efforts to remain in the field of human
rights. In January 1990 mass violations of human rights were committed
in Baku. And the UN Commission on Human Rights didn’t answer numerous
applications of Armenians who suffered from Baku violence,” RA
Ombudsperson declared. According to her, without strong pressure of
the public it’ll be impossible to achieve partial restoration of
rights of the people who suffered from Baku massacres.

Los Angeles Daily News
Jan 22 2005

Armenian groups split cash

Suit funds to be given

By Naush Boghossian , Staff Writer

Nine Armenian charitable organizations will receive $3 million over
the next two weeks as part of the $20 million settlement between
descendants of Armenians who perished in the 1915 genocide and the
New York Life Insurance Co.
The five organizations on the East Coast will each receive checks for
$333,333.33 during a ceremony Wednesday in New York with California
Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi.

A similar event is being organized in Los Angeles for the four other
organizations.

Officials of the Burbank-based Western Diocese of the Armenian Church
of North America said they have not yet received any official
notification, but will welcome the money when it does come. They plan
to use it for cultural and educational programs.

“It would be a great benefit to the diocese. All these organizations
are building and have the need for funds, and obviously that kind of
contribution to us is going to be very meaningful,’ said Armen
Hampar, member of the diocesan council. “We’re looking forward to it
and it will certainly enable the diocese to pursue new programs and
enhance the ones that are now in effect.’

The Armenian Education Foundation, based in Glendale, is also slated
to receive a check, and an official for the organization said the
board will decide how to spend the money once they receive it.

The nine organizations, including New York’s Armenian General
Benevolent Union and New Jersey’s Armenian Missionary Association of
America Inc., were chosen because they were instrumental in helping
Armenians fleeing from the Turkish Ottoman Empire to the United
States during the genocide of 1915, at which time an estimated 1.5
million Armenians were massacred.

“As the grandson of two genocide survivors, I’m particularly pleased
to be handing money to these organizations, because these kinds of
organizations helped my grandparents when they first arrived here,’
said Brian Kabateck, one of the attorneys in the class-action
lawsuit.

A class of 13 plaintiffs filed suit in November 1999 asking that New
York Life divulge the names of Armenians who purchased life insurance
policies in the Ottoman Empire and to properly compensate the
beneficiaries of those policies.

Many of the thousands who purchased insurance policies were massacred
during the genocide and rightful policy heirs were unable to obtain
the insurance proceeds or were not aware they were entitled to
insurance benefits.

The long-running suit was settled for $20 million in January 2004,
including $6 million for attorneys’ fees and administrative expenses
and $11 million for the heirs of about 2,400 policyholders.

Now, potential heirs of policyholders have until March 15 to file a
claim for a portion of the settlement.

If not filed by the deadline, their rights will be waived.

“A very important part of the settlement is providing compensation to
the individual families that have been pursuing justice for their
ancestors for all these years,’ said Paul Krekorian, who was
appointed by Garamendi to the settlement fund board.

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Jan 20 2005

Pressure group concerned over OSCE fact-finding mission

The Garabagh Liberation Organization (GLO) issued a statement on
Wednesday voicing concerns over some facts related to the expected
visit by the OSCE fact-finding mission to the occupied Azerbaijani
land. It says that the mission does not include any representatives
of Azerbaijan and will conduct monitoring only in the areas outside
Upper Garabagh’s administrative borders, and not all the occupied
territories.
The OSCE chairman’s special envoy Anjei Kaspshik stated earlier that
the mission may enter the occupied territories through Armenia.
GLO said that this make-up of the OSCE fact-finding mission and
Kaspshik’s irresponsible utterances once again show the pro-Armenian
position of international entities.
`This once again shows that Azerbaijan should reject the false
mediation of international organizations and talks on all levels, and
liberate lands from Armenian occupation through military action.’
The decision to set up the fact-finding mission was made only after
Azerbaijan put the issue of Armenians’ settlement in the occupied
land on the agenda of the UN General Assembly session.*

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Jan 19 2004

European Ombudsmen to be informed about evidence on January slaughter

Ombudsperson Elmira Suleymanova says that she intends to inform
European Ombudsmen about the realities of Azerbaijan’s January 20
tragedy in a meeting to be held in Vienna, Austria on Friday.
Suleymanova said that she will provide the meeting participants with
evidence on the January massacre, Khojaly genocide and Armenia’s
policy of aggression against Azerbaijan. The Ombudsman intends to
have the evidence included in the website of the European Ombudsmen.
During her visit, Suleymanova is expected to attend an event
dedicated to the January tragedy to be attended by Azerbaijanis
living in Austria.*

Caucaz.com, Georgia
Jan 18 2005

US-Armenia Relations : The Challenges of Cooperation [GEOPOLITICS]

By Annie JAFALIAN in Paris
On 18/01/2005

In a press release dated December 23, 2004, the news agency
ArmenPress announced that the construction work for the new US
embassy in Armenia will be completed by the end of March 2005. Built
on a nine-hectare site, this embassy will be the largest US
diplomatic mission in the world. For many observers, this project,
which was concluded in August 2001 and budgeted at$80 million, would
be a demonstration of Washington’s growing interest in Armenia.

Although Armenia is geographically isolated, economically weak and
sparsely populated, American leaders are considering it as an
important country for the United States. Since 1992, Washington has
been pursuing two strategic objectives in its relations with Armenia.
The first one has been to promote the settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: the US administration is acting as a
mediator in the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group. The United States
is notably interested in strengthening security around the
neighboring oil pipeline stretching from Azerbaijan to Turkey. Its
second objective has consisted in tying Armenia to the Euro-Atlantic
structures, and in encouraging its rapprochement with Turkey. One of
the major stakes of the Turkish-Armenian rapprochement has been the
opening of the economic borders between the two countries. Indeed,
Washington wants to promote the development of a regional East-West
axis so as to diversify those countries’ relations with other states
than Russia and to limit Iran’s role in the region.

Given the US interest, Armenia has, under the leadership Foreign
Affairs’ Minister, Vartan Oskanian, adopted a foreign policy based on
the concept of « complementarity ». As a matter of fact, the country
has developed its links with the regional powers along a North-South
axis. As a member of the CIS Collective Security Treaty Organization,
Armenia has perceived Russia as its major strategic partner, the
guarantor of its security. As for Iran, it is providing Armenia –
with its only connection with the rest of the world outside Georgia.
But Yerevan has also strengthened its relations with Washington.
Since 1992, the Armenian government has received $1.4 billion from
the US government. More recently, military cooperation between
Armenia and the United States has increased, notably for the fight
against terrorism. In other respects, Armenia has joined NATO’s
Partnership for Peace. However, contrary to its Georgian and
Azerbaijani neighbors, it has officially declared that it was not
willing to integrate the Atlantic alliance. Besides, Yerevan has
taken a different stance to Washington’s regarding the Iraq crisis.
Indeed, its position was closer to Moscow’s oneand partly motivated
by security concerns for the Armenian community in Iraq.

The Need for A New Balance

During the year 2004, it seems that Armenia, which has developed
asymmetric cooperation with the US, Russia and Iran, has been under
indirect pressure from Washington. In February 2004, the Bush
Administration submitted to the Congress a budget request for
-foreign assistance programs that would have broken the military
parity between Armenia and Azerbaijan.For the fiscal year 2005, it
requested to allocate $ 8.7 million military aid to Azerbaijan, and
$2.7 million to Armenia. The US Administration has emphasized that it
was determined to prioritize cooperation with Baku in order to fight
against terrorism, promote peacekeeping operations and secure oil
flows. In April 2004, it also named ambassador Steven Mann to be the
special negotiator for Nagorno-Karabakh and Eurasian conflicts. As
such, it showed its intention of reactivating the mediation process,
paralyzed by the inertia of both sides.

Consequently, Armenia has strived to set new strategic balances in
its foreign relations. At several occasions in the year 2004, it has
demonstrated its commitment to taking part, like Georgia and
Azerbaijan, in the operations supported by NATO. In February 2004, a
platoon of 34 Armenian soldiers was deployed in Kosovo and joined the
multinational brigade East led by American general Tod Carmony.
Moreover, in September, President Kocharian officially offered to
send 46 Armenian medical doctors, drivers and engineers to Iraq, in
the framework of the Polish-led Center-South multinational division.
According to the Armenian Defense Minister , Serge Sargsian, this
decision, which was highly debated throughout the nation, was aimed
at breaking Armenia’s regional isolation. Probably because of these
measures and the reactions of the Armenian diaspora living in
Washington, the American Congress eventually passed a budget that
restored military parity between Yerevan and Baku.In FY 2005, it will
allocate an equal $5 million foreign military aid to Armenia and
Azerbaijan.

Coordinating the different partnerships

Contrary to the strategic objectives prioritized by the United
States, Armenia has also strengthened its partnership with Iran,
especially in the field of energy. According to the US Department of
State, Armenia was to satisfy its energy demand by opting for the
development of domestic sources such as the hydroelectric power or
the wind power. In May 2004, Yerevan preferred to finalize its
agreement with Tehran for the supply of Iranian gas to Armenia for a
period of 20 years. Toward that end, the Armenian government
officially started in November 2004 to build a gas pipeline that will
connect the two countries. This event was celebrated as an historical
day for the republic as it gives Armenia the tangible prospect of a
strengthened energy security . Owing to this agreement, Yerevan will
become able to import gas from another country than Russia. Thhis
deal will also alleviate the effects of the Nagorno-Karabkh war, and
particularly the economic blockade by Turkey and Azerbaijan.

In parallel to those decisions, the Russian-Armenian partnership,
contested in the economic sphere, was not criticized in the military
field. A part of the Armenian political elite and media, notably from
the opposition, deplored that the investments made by Russian
companies inside the republic were not high enough to bring about
economic development. Besides, the relations between Russia and
Armenia got deteriorated after the Beslan attack. When Vladimir Putin
decided in September 2004 to close the border between North Ossetia
and Georgia, he shut down the only road connecting Russia and
Armenia. As a consequence, Armenia has been getting deprived of
supply essential to the workings of its economy. On the other hand,
the military cooperation between Yerevan and Moscow has not been
questioned. On the contrary, it was asserted by the joint military
exercises organized in Armenia in August 2004.

Without any agreement on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Armenia does
not have much room for developing its foreign policy. In order to
ensure its security, the country has to deal with the USA, as well as
with Russia and Iran. For the Armenian government, the diplomatic
challenge will consist in finding ways to preserve Armenia’s
interests in the framework of evolving relations between Washington
on the one hand and Moscow, Tehran and Ankara on the other hand. As
for the US government, it will probably give increasing importance to
the Armenian domestic and foreign policies in order to lift the last
obstacles that stand in the way of realizing its strategic objectives
in the Caucasus.

Annie JAFALIAN is a Research Fellow at the Foundation for strategic
research (FRS, Paris).

ARMENIA DOESN’T INHABIT LIBERATED REGIONS, MOREOVER, IT COMPROMISES
IDEA OF INHABITING

Azg/arm
18 Jan 05

David Babayan, political analyst, thinks that inhabiting a number of
regions of strategic importance, situated in the security area of
strategic importance is the issue of Nagorno Karabakh’s and Armenia’s
existence and further safe development. “Qashatagh (Lachin) and
Qarvatchar (Qelbajar) regions are of great importance in the
abovementioned context. The first is the circle connecting Armenia and
Nagorno Karabakh, while the second is the water resources=80=99 donor
of the two Armenian states,” he said.

The OSCE mission will carry out a monitoring in the territories under
the control of Karabakh forces by the end of January, to find out
whether Armenia conducts a policy of utilizing and inhabiting in these
regions. Daily Azg decided to spend a couple of days in Qarvatchar and
Qashatagh regions of security zone where the European observers are
expected to arrive.

The statements of official Yerevan and Stepanakert, saying that no
state policy of inhabiting the regions of security zone is conducted,
unfortunately, correspond to the reality. We don’t want to represent
any data, butwe should draw attention to the following reality: the 25
percent of the population left Qashatagh region in the course of the
last few years. In fact, official Yerevan doesn’t inhabit or utilize
the security zone, moreover, it compromises the idea of inhabiting by
its actions.

Can we call the phenomenon that some of the Armenian families who fled
from Baku, Sumgait and North Artsakh and are homeless and doomed to
hunger have to begin a new life in Qarvatchar and Qashatagh an act of
inhabiting? Yes, in some cases, the state can allocate them a credit
for purchasing a cow. But, failing to live in the new conditions, the
father of the family has to slaughter the cow or cell it or move to
Armenia again.

The very Baku is conducting a state policy of inhabiting, while
Yerevan and Stepanakert have many things to learn from the Azeris. In
2001, Heydar Aliyev allocated $18 million and inhabited Shahumian and
Upper Shen with 1400 families in quite a short period. Heydar Aliyev,
personally, participated in the official ceremony of inhabiting 1000
Azeri families in these two Armenian villages. Afterwards, these
villages were called Ashaghe Aghjakend and Yukhare Aghjakend.

Armen Aghayan, political secretary of the “Defense of Liberated
Territories” pubic initiative, believes that the liberated territories
should have been inhabited on the very first day of liberation and one
should have began doing that from the front of Nagorno Karabakh,
instead of Lachin corridor. “Unfortunately the statements saying that
Armenia doesn’t conduct state policy of inhabiting are true. Armenia
almost did nothing to contribute to inhabitingthe territories,”
Aghayan said.

Gegham Baghdasarian, editor-in-chief of Stepanakert based Demo
newspaper, believes that the state should do everything to secure all
the conditions for the life of its citizens. “It seems that everybody
forgot that we, the Armenians, have numerous refugees who face
numerous problems. I am for inhabiting the liberated territories from
this very viewpoint and not for the formula of=80=98 inhabiting for
the sake of inhabitation’,” Baghdasarian said.

On the other hand, Baghdasarian believes that the issue concerns the
negotiation process of Nagorno Karabakh settlement. “One should master
all the details of the negotiation process to give a definite answer
to the issue whether the liberated territories should be inhabited or
not,” he said.

Miasnik Malkhasian, deputy-chairman of the Union of Volunteer
Land-Keepers, stated that these territories were liberated to secure
the safety of Karabakh. He thinks that as the negotiation process
between Armenia and Azerbaijan is still on, one can speak of it, when
the details of the negotiations are known. “Anyway, Lachin and Shushi
can’t be an object for discussion. As for the other territories, the
sides should negotiate for them. Otherwise, it won=80=99t be clear
what the sides are negotiating about,” he said.

Maxim Mirzoyan, member of the Armenian Revolutionary Party of
Dashnaktsutyun of Nagorno Karabakh, reminds that the Armenians lost
180 thousand homes in Azerbaijan. He says that the liberated
territories should be inhabited by those Armenians who lost their
homes still in Soviet Azerbaijan and their number is 400
thousand. “Every compromise during the talks should be put on the
scales of safety”, Mirzoyan said.

Murad Petrosian, editor-in-chief of Inch Anel? Russian-language
newspaper, says that it would be better to conquer Masis (Ararat) back
but asks if we are able to do that. “The inhabitation of Lachin and
Qelbajar is considered legal. Vazgen Sargsian and Samvel Babayan
better understood our strength, and they thought that the 2 regions
should be populated”, Petrosian said adding thatthe world community
will stand against Armenia if the latter refuses to return some
territories.

Davit Babayan notes that the greatest rivers of Karabakh, Tartar and
Khachen, start in Qarvatchar. The reservoir of Sarsang is on the
Tartar river. Two other rivers, Arpa and Vorotan, that play an
important role in providing Armenia with water and in keeping the lake
of Sevan alive, also originate in Qarvatchar.

“All these aspects need to be considered in the settlement process. In
this context, it is absolutely inadmissible to change today’s status
of Qashatagh and especially Qarvatchar. Otherwise, Nagorno Karabakh
and Armenia will become vulnerable for hydroterrorism”, Babayan said.

By Tatoul Hakobian in Qarvatchar-Qashatagh-Stepanakert

Slovenia must learn about “so far neglected” regions as OSCE chair – paper

STA news agency
14 Jan 05

Ljubljana, 14 January: A paper suggests on Friday [14 January] that
Slovenia’s stint at the helm of the OSCE could boil down to “listening
missions”. Some of the country’s priorities indicate, however, that
its main guideline will not be silence, nodding, consensus seeking and
running the organization.

Dnevnik says that the relations between the USA and Russia are at a
freezing point after the “para-war” between the East and the West in
Ukraine’s presidential election, at least about who is to control the
region between Armenia and Kazakhstan.

The paper claims that Slovenia as the OSCE chair will not be able to
make an end to the superpowers flexing their muscles over which should
have a sway over the increasingly important geostrategical
regions. The solution lies in the Kremlin and the White House.

Slovenia has shown more decisiveness in the Kosovo issue. This zeal is
encouraged by the geographical vicinity and the fact that until
recently, Slovenia and Kosovo made part of a common state.

Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel therefore spoke with ease about Kosovo
as he met foreign reporters after outlining the priorities of
Slovenia’s presidency before the Permanent Council on Thursday.

But Dnevnik notes that the FM was at a loss when asked about the
chances for a reconciliation between Tbilisi and the breakaway
republic of Abkhazia after the presidential election re-run there. He
broke the embarrassing silence with an excuse, saying he had not
managed to study the election and that he was therefore not the right
person to answer the question.

What appeared to be an insignificant incident demonstrates the
broadness of the OSCE activity. More importantly, its shows the
chairman-in-office must have certain knowledge about a number of hot
spots, not just about the “Balkan hobby”, Dnevnik highlights.

“If Slovenia does not want the organization to be worse off as it
hands it over to Belgium in a year, its entire diplomatic network will
have to considerably improve its knowledge about the regions it has so
far neglected”.

Land mines kill 10 in Karabakh in 2004 – TV

Artsakh State TV, Stepanakert
11 Jan 05

[Presenter over video of sappers defusing mines] Land mines still
remain a big problem in Nagornyy Karabakh.

The NKR [Nagornyy Karabakh Republic] state department for emergency
situations reports that 24 land mine explosions were registered in the
NKR last year. Forty-four people suffered from mines, of whom 10 died
and 31 were seriously injured. Explosions of antitank mines
constituted the majority of cases.

The situation has deteriorated since people do not take the problem
serious. The latest explosion was registered on 9 January 2005 in
Mardakert [Agdara] District when a T-75 tractor blew up when carrying
out agricultural activities. One person died.