Author: Kharatian Ani

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Center for National and International Studies
75 Yerznkian Street
Yerevan 375033, Armenia
Tel: (+374 – 1) 52.87.80 or 27.48.18
Fax: (+374 – 1) 52.48.46
E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]
Website:

ACNIS
Summary Report of Expert Opinion Polls
May 2004

“My View of Armenia’s Future”

In April-May 2004, the Armenian Center for National and International
Studies (ACNIS) conducted its first two focus-group surveys on
“My View of Armenia’s Future” and “Armenia’s Foreign Policy,
Orientation, and Attitude toward Power Centers of the World.” Fifty
experts participated in the survey, 30% of whom work at state-run and
70% in non-governmental institutions. 72% of them are male and 28%
female. 18% are 20-30 years old, 40% 31-40, 32% 41-50, 6% 51-60, and
4% 61-70 years of age. Among them 98% had received higher education,
2% incomplete higher education. 2% of the respondent specialists were
full professors, 32% were candidates of science, 60% had a Master’s
degree, while 6% had earned only a Bachelor’s degree.

Within the framework of the expert poll entitled “My View of Armenia’s
Future,” 16% are satisfied with current realities and ongoing policies,
while 10% are reconciled to them but not satisfied, and 70% reject
them; 4% consider themselves indifferent. 14% think they are able
to change everything, 80% are able to change something or other,
whereas 6% believe they are unable to change anything.

50% of the respondents deem themselves to be well informed, politically
active and influential, 46% are well informed but do not struggle
for the realization of their own opinions; only 4% view themselves as
passive. As for social changes, 80% of the polled specialists are for
systemic reforms in state and society, while 20% are for changing
at least what is practicable. On Armenia’s economic system, 16%
assess it as extremely negative, 54% as negative, and 30% as positive
with certain reservations. 100% have a positive attitude only to the
concepts of profit and competition. Meanwhile, 30% carry a positive
and 70% a negative attitude toward the ideas of super-profit and
privilege. The categories of fair competition, equal participation,
and liberalism are viewed as positive by 96% and negative by 4%
of them. 16% consider monopolies as positive, 84% as negative. 90%
are for employee participation in the management of organizations
and enterprises, as well as for trade unions, while 10% are against
them. 14% are for and 86% against the command system of management.

Generally, capitalism is viewed as positive by 72% of experts and
negative by 28%, while socialism as positive by 70% and negative by
30%. 4% identify themselves as left-leaning, 30% as center-left, 30%
as right-leaning, 30% as center-right, and 6% on the extreme right. 60%
are of the opinion that the development of Armenia is possible in
a liberal democracy, just as 20% prefer social democracy and 20%
national democracy.

The respondent experts also express their opinion about different
problems facing Armenia. 18% think that the most urgent issue for
Armenia in the near future is regional cooperation and the same
number prioritize the deepening of democracy, 16% believe it to be
regulation of the Karabagh conflict, 10% a reassessment of Armenia’s
foreign policy, 10% establishment of law and order, 8% a strengthening
of the army and maintenance of stability in the country. 6% find the
struggle against corruption and 4% job creation to be imperative. As
for the most vital issue for Armenia in the long run (10 years), 18%
think it is democratization of political life and the same number the
formation of a national security system, 12% activation of societal
consciousness, and 4% the Karabagh question. 20% consider economic
development of the country and elevation of living standards as the
most important issues, while the highest index, 28%, favors human
rights and freedoms.

As for the problems inherited from the near and far past, 52% consider
international recognition of the Armenian Genocide as feasible and 48%
improbable in the next 10 years; 6% view the return of historical
Armenian lands as possible and 94% impossible; 56% find resolution
of the Karabagh conflict as achievable and 44% not; 68% see ways to
prevent emigration and 32% do not; 52% consider poverty surmountable
and 48% do not. Only 6% of respondents believe in the success of the
campaign against corruption, while 94% do not.

12% regard the apathy and inconsistency of both government and society
as the main reason for the country’s problems, while 10% think it
is the incompetence of the authorities, 2% each the intervention of
international actors, Armenia’s lack of resources, and the absence of
a requisite political atmosphere. 6% find that problems are not solved
as it is already too late to solve them, and an equal number that civil
society institutions do not present problems to the authorities in a
timely and proper manner. Another 6% believe that public support of the
authorities is unsatisfactory or even absent, and finally a plurality
of 24% are convinced that the principal reason for these problems is
the absence of the necessary political will of the authorities.

24% of respondents fear the arbitrariness of the government, 18%
life’s uncertainty, 12% war with Turkey, 6% war with Azerbaijan,
6% further deepening of relations with Russia, 6% poverty, 6% loss
of relatives, 6% God, 4% violence, and 4% death. 2% choose “other”
and express concern about the need to defend the present authorities,
while 6% are afraid of nothing.

40% of the experts surveyed are of the opinion that Armenia’s dominant
potential is the human one, 18% pinpointing the people themselves as
the strongest resource; 16% select Armenia’s geographical position
and geopolitical importance, 14% the Diaspora, and 8% cultural
heritage. 4% believe that none of the above can be considered as
potential. Armenia’s economic capacity, its natural resources, and
attractiveness of the land and nature are not marked at all. After 10
years, 4% find that the territory of Armenia has expanded, and 8% that
its political and geopolitical rating has risen. 18% note an increase
in economic potential, 20% in human potential, 4% in cultural wealth,
38% in political maturity. 8% think that none of the cited resources
has grown.

As for the presentation and pursuit of the nation’s interests, only 14%
conclude Armenia to be completely free, 50% partially free, and 36%
not free. Simultaneously, 86% believe that Armenia does not define its
own national aspirations and moves forward spontaneously, while 14%
find its future imposed from outside.

According to the forecasts of 50%, Armenia will be a mediocre state
in 10 years, 46% think it will be weak, and only 4% expect it to be
a strong country. 80% note that today the prospect for Armenia to
be a sovereign, democratic, legal and social state is in danger,
and 20% do not think it is in jeopardy. Among the reasons for the
above-mentioned problem, 44% are of the opinion that today the country
lives exclusively in the past or at best in the present, but nobody
thinks about the future; 26% see that the future is not charted today;
18% cite the difficult challenges of the future, and 6% think that
the above mentioned ideals were threatened even in the past.

74% are convinced that Armenia will overcome all the difficulties of
the present time, while 26% are of the opposite opinion. 36% think that
most people in Armenia believe in the future of their country, but 64%
think they do not. 28% find that people explain the country’s problems
by reference to their tough fate and bad neighbors, and 24% refer to
pointless reliance on others. 20% are convinced that people consider
themselves unable to solve their own problems; 12% think that in this
case people view the world and their partners in it as dishonest and
solely driven by their own interests; 10% respond that people think
they are alone in the world and do not have any partners. Finally,
4% believe people blame themselves for overestimating their abilities.

“Armenia’s Foreign Policy, Orientation, and Attitude toward Power
Centers of the World”

Within the framework of the expert poll entitled “Armenia’s Foreign
Policy, Orientation, and Attitude toward Power Centers of the World,”
56% find Armenia’s most important obligation before the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe to be human rights protection,
including freedom of speech, conscience, assembly and press, while
34% think it is constitutional reforms and only 6% judicial-legal
reforms. The vast majority of respondents, 82%, evaluate the process
of carrying out these commitments as unsatisfactory. 50% are of
the opinion that the gradual fulfillment of these obligations has a
“partially positive” influence on the current state and demeanor of
society, 6% say “partially negative,” and 16% register no impact.

56% view the arbitrariness of the authorities as the most widespread
and flagrant violation of human rights in Armenia, while 34% consider
themselves to be deprived of the opportunity to live in dignity.

18% believe that the executive branch of government hampers the
development of society and thus improvement in living standards, 18%
blame overall unlawfulness, and 16% the delay in solving the Karabagh
conflict. It is noteworthy that only 12% find the major obstacle to
be corruption and 12% the country’s clans and oligarchs.

In response to a question about which state or international structure
restricts the republic’s independence and state-building, 56% note the
Russian Federation and 12% the Armenian government, with 6% each for
the United States and the Commonwealth of Independent States, while
interestingly 10% fault noone. As for the countries or international
bodies promoting the development and sovereignty of Armenia, 72%
cite the Council of Europe and the European Union taken together,
22% identify none, and 6% say the United States. No respondent
names Russia.

The survey includes a number of questions concerning Armenia’s security
system and its further viability. 66% opine that Armenia should join
NATO during the upcoming 10-12 years, 28% do not think so, and 6% find
it difficult to answer. As for the presence of the Russian military
base in Armenia as the main guarantee for national security, only 18%
of the specialists surveyed agree with this assertion, 76% do not,
and 6% do not answer at all.

72% are convinced that the changes in volume of the US government’s
financial or humanitarian assistance to Armenia do not affect the
well-being of their families in any way, 22% think they do, and 6%
do not make up their mind.

The final, and frequently contemplated, question on the improvement
of Armenian-Turkish relations and the opening of borders is viewed
as urgent by 50% of respondents and not urgent by 40%. 10% encounter
difficulty in responding.

¡2004, Armenian Center for National and International Studies

NON-RESIDENT AMBASSADORS RECEIVED BY FM, PRESIDENT

ArmenPress
May 27 2004

YEREVAN, MAY 27, ARMENPRESS: Non-resident ambassadors accredited in
Armenia, other high level diplomats held meetings today with Armenian
foreign minister Vartan Oskanian, minister of trade and economic
development Karen Chshmaritian and Head of Armenian Development Agency
V. Movsissian.

According to FM press services, the ambassadors came from about 40
countries of Europe, Asia, American, Africa, Middle East and CIS.

Armenian foreign minister outlined major policy trends of Armenia,
Armenia’s efforts to reduce tension in the region and establish
stability and cooperation. Exchanging ideas, Oskanian told about
Armenia’s security issues, energy resources and Nagorno Karabagh
conflict regulation prospects.

The guests conferred economic situation with minister of trade and
economic development K. Chshmaritian. They exchanged ideas about
present state of economy and prospects for development, the legislative
field stipulating foreign investment.

The aim of the meeting was to introduce non-resident ambassadors to the
present situation of Armenia, outline major external policy trends,
indicate economic prospects and developments as well as introduce to
historical cultural values of the country. Later the ambassadors were
also received by president Kocharian.

ARKA News Agency
May 26 2004

RA Prime Minister of Armenia Andranik Margaryan receive UNDP Special
Representative on the issues of Millennium Goals for Development

The Archbishop of Lyons, cardinal fillip barbare to arrive in Armenia

Agency of Stet Register of juridical persons of Armenia has a website

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RA PRIME MINISTER OF ARMENIA ANDRANIK MARGARYAN RECEIVE UNDP SPECIAL
REPRESENTATIVE ON THE ISSUES OF MILLENNIUM GOALS FOR DEVELOPMENT

YEREVAN, May, 27. /ARKA/. RA Prime Minister of Armenia Andranik
Margaryan receive UNDP Special Representative on the issues of
Millennium Goals for Development Yeji Osiatinski and the Resident
Representative of UNDP in Armenia Lise Grande. According to the RA
President’s Press Service Department, Margaryan noted that Armenia
attaches high importance to the implementation of the program.
According to him, they are concordant with the programs implemented
in the country that pursue ensuring stable development in the
country, in particular, with the strategic program for poverty
reduction in the country (SPPR). Margaryan also noted that he
considers the programs as interactive that combines social problems
solution with the main goals for human development. In regard with
this, he attached high importance to involving civil society into
development processes of the programs and their implementation.
Margaryan also stated that a new report of Armenia on Millennium
Goals for Development is being worked out. In his turn Osiatinski
noted the political will of Armenia in implementation of Millennium
Goals for Development program. He noted that it’s necessary to
implement also SPPR, as well as involve the civic society into the
processes. A.H –0–

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THE ARCHBISHOP OF LYONS, CARDINAL FILLIP BARBARE TO ARRIVE IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, May, 27. /ARKA/. The Archbishop of Lyons, cardinal Fillip
Barbare to arrive in Armenia by the invitation of Catholicos of All
Armenians Garegin the Second. According to the See of Holy
Etchmiadzin Press Service Department, in the course of five-day visit
the Cardinal to visit Armenian saint places such as Khor Virap, and
Surb Geghard, as well as Shirak eparchy of Armenian Apostolic Church.

According to the press release, Barbare to meet students and pupils
of Vazgenyan ecclesiastical seminary in Sevan, as well as theology
department of Yerevan State University, French University of Armenia
and and in Gyumri. Besides, Barbare to place a wreath on the memorial
to the victims of the Armenian Genocide of 1915 in Ottoman Turkey and
visit Matenadaran, the institute of old manuscripts, as well as
theology community. A.H. –0–

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AGENCY OF STET REGISTER OF JURIDICAL PERSONS OF ARMENIA HAS A WEBSITE

YEREVAN, May, 27. /ARKA/. Presentation of internet website at
of the Agency of Stet Register of juridical
persons of the RA Ministry of Justice took place in Yerevan.
According to David Harutyunyan, the RA Minister of Justice, the
system of state registration was developed within 10 years and during
the last years steps were done to reduce the terms of registration
and make the process simpler. Harutyunyan reminded that in 2002 the
RA ministry of Justice and USAID signed a memorandum on mutual
understanding, according to which a new system on making automatic
state registration processes to developed and implemented. According
to him, the main part of the program is over. As a result of it, 130
thsd. enterprises, 8 territorial and 10 regional departments of state
register are connected through electronic network with the central
register and a common state registrations journal. Harutyunyan stated
that the system would allow joining the info received formal
departments of state register and make simpler the mechanisms of
registration and make the system transparent.
Also, Armenian versions of all legislative acts and English versions
f some of them are published on the internet website alongside with
other information. Reference book for state register data, published
on the site, contained info about the registration of 83473
individual entrepreneurs, 57313 trade and juridical persons, 7800
non-commercial juridical persons, 6765 separate offices, 242 unions
of juridical persons. A. H. –0–

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HAYRIKYAN SLAMS ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES

A1 Plus | 18:42:35 | 27-05-2004 | Politics |

On Thursday, Leader of Union for National Self-determination Paruyr
Hayrikyan, speaking at 24th conference criticized Armenia’s current
authorities saying international organizations had repeatedly pointed
their fingers at human rights violations in the republic. Council
of Europe has warned called it could call into question Armenia’s CE
membership, Hayrikyan reminded.

He said the Union-conducted public opinion survey showed widespread
disaffection for president Kocharyan and National Assembly. 72%
of respondents are unhappy about Kocharyan’s presidency and 79%
about the parliament majority.

By the end of the conference the Union adopted a resolution. “Current
illegitimate authorities have nothing in common with Armenia and
Armenian people. We called on European and International community
to make difference between Armenian people struggling against the
illegalities and the authorities while imposing sanctions on the
republic”, the resolution says.

GEORGIAN PRESIDENT SAYS STRONGER ECONOMY KEY TO REGAINING ABKHAZIA

Georgian State Television Channel 1, Tbilisi
25 May 04

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has said that “the path of
return to Abkhazia lies through the Georgian economy”. Speaking at a
news briefing in Tbilisi on the evening of 25 May, Saakashvili spoke
about the achievements of his government over the past few months and
said that he intended to increase the size of the Georgian armed forces
to 15,000-16,000 within the next two years. The president noted that
Georgia expected to receive gratis assistance of 1bn lari from the
United States over the next three years to rebuild the country’s key
infrastructure. He also touched on his warm relationship with Russian
President Vladimir Putin. The following is an excerpt from the news
briefing which was broadcast live by the Georgian State Television
on 25 May, with subheadings inserted editorially:

Georgia has achieved a lot since presidential election

(Saakashvili, addressing news briefing) Greetings to all of
you. Tomorrow Georgia will mark its main state holiday, 26 May, the
day of Georgia’s national independence. On such a day, heads of all
countries are supposed to sum up the period since the last celebration
and speak about certain directions (of future activities).

I will deliver a speech tomorrow at the Independence Day parade, and
I will speak about general direction of our country’s development. But
before that, together with our journalists, we will try to analyse what
has happened in Georgia during the past few months. I will briefly
touch on the main issues which we have managed to resolve during the
past four months since I started exercising presidential powers.

Georgia’s main achievement, which was watched with excitement
by the entire world, is that we have demonstrated the highest
level of culture, the highest level of statesmanlike and human
awareness. Nations that are wealthier and more developed than we are
have not reached this level. We have managed to change authorities
peacefully, twice, without bloodshed, without killing people,
without robberies and marauding. It was almost impossible because,
when this sort of change happens even in a very developed country,
it is usually accompanied by negative processes.

In these four months – five months, we have managed to hold
two elections at a level that no-one has ever held in the entire
post-Soviet area except for the Baltic republics. All international
organizations said that these two elections – presidential and
parliamentary elections – were European-level elections. (Passage
omitted)

During the same period, we have managed to give the Georgian army
a look that is now more like a real army. We will see this at
tomorrow’s parade. We have seen this during the past few months in
(the Ajarian capital) Batumi, where more than 2,000 soldiers have
been patrolling the streets of Batumi, for the last month, without any
serious violation of the law. Armies of much more developed countries
are not able to do this. Television reports are full of examples of
armies misusing their powers, but the Georgian army is able to behave
decently. This is very important. (Passage omitted)

We have also managed to change state symbols. (Points to the Georgian
flag) This is a very beautiful flag, maybe the most beautiful flag
in the world, you should agree with me, this is certainly so. The
Georgian people love it, and foreigners also like it very much. Our
anthem is a very beautiful anthem, maybe one of the best anthems in
Europe. As regards the state emblem, discussions still continue. It
will be demonstrated at tomorrow’s parade as a preliminary draft. Of
course, this emblem is based on our historical traditions, and the
parliament will approve it.

Finally, the main achievement of these months is that we have managed
to start
the process of Georgia’s unification. This has been achieved by
combined
efforts. This has been achieved by the fact that the state is stronger,
that there is a positive dynamic, that our armed forces are more like
real armed forces, that our intelligence and security services have
been working successfully. But the main agent, the main author of
this success, was our people.

The significance of this event is not limited to Georgia. No-one
expected that this kind of conflict in the post-Soviet area could
be resolved at all, let alone resolved peacefully. In spite of bad
forecasts, including forecasts made by Georgians (changes tack) –
I have read many dreadful scenarios. They were saying that the first
president (Gamsakhurdia) lost Tskhinvali (capital of breakaway South
Ossetia), the second president (Shevardnadze) lost Abkhazia, and this
one is losing Ajaria. But we have managed to prove to everyone that
we are different people, that we are different government. In this
respect, this event is of world-wide importance, and it was presented
as such by the world media.

This is an analysis of the past few months. I will now briefly touch
on our plans and then answer your questions.

Strong economy key to regaining Abkhazia

The first and most important issue is the economy. I want to say
that many people – when I am meeting (ethnic Georgian) refugees –
are asking now: when will we return to Abkhazia? When will you
return us to Abkhazia? The path of return to Abkhazia lies through
the Georgian economy. The Georgian economy is created not by the
Georgian government. We can help you, each of you, in creating the
economy. Let us create the economy all together. We will no longer
steal money from you, we will no longer rob you, we will no longer
obstruct you. On the contrary, we will assist you in every way. We
will not allow police to extort money from you, we will not allow
some bureaucrats to harass you, we will not allow anyone to stop you
at customs posts. We are doing our best to establish relations with
other countries and gain export markets. But everything else should
be done by you, our citizens, all together.

My ideology, my concept is that Georgia, the Georgian state should
be created by the Georgian people. This is the main thing. I will
never tell you that I will resolve all your problems, because this is
impossible. We can create a better tax system, a better framework,
but everything else should be done by us. The path of return to
Abkhazia lies through the economy and the revival of the economy.

USA to provide economic assistance

Also, our main task now is to develop infrastructure. We should
mobilize domestic resources. Also, from the United States of America
we are receiving (changes tack) – we have been included in the list
of 16 countries. There are more than 200 countries in the world, and
16 of them have been recognized as the most dynamically developing
countries, and we are one of them. So, we have a chance of receiving an
extra 1bn lari in aid gratis, over a three-year period. This is not
about debts or credits, this is the money simply given as a present.
We should spend this money on roads and power lines, we should spend
this money on things which constitute the country, which create its
main framework.

We also need to accomplish many other tasks. We need rapid reforms in
education, we need social reforms, including pension reform. No matter
how much the state increases salaries (changes tack) – they cannot be
increased significantly unless the pension system is changed. There
are a number of other issues about which I spoke at length at my
meeting with businessmen yesterday.

In short, I want to say one thing: For the first time in many years,
there is a positive dynamic in Georgia. Georgia begins to look like
a state. The people have a feeling of optimism, the people have a
feeling of positive movement. All of us, including our friends
abroad, now hope that Georgia can get back to its feet. Georgia
has strengthened its sovereignty. We now have borders, we are
controlling out territories, we have the most important attributes
of statehood. Now the main thing is not to stop and, gradually,
to turn all of this into benefits for each Georgian family and into
reunification of Georgia. This is our main task.

Now I will be pleased to answer your questions. Rustavi-2, then you,
and then you.

Georgian army to double in size within two years

(Reporter) Rustavi-2 TV company. Mr President, you have already said
that you are going to make a statement about Abkhazia tomorrow, on
26 May. What should we expect? Will you speak about some concrete
plan? Also, some 8,000 soldiers will take part in tomorrow’s
parade. (Passage omitted: words indistinct) Who is the addressee of
this parade?

(Saakashvili) The first thing which we want to demonstrate is that
the state is being created and that no-one can disregard us any
longer. We will demonstrate this equipment (changes tack) – when I
became the president, I was told that eight tanks were operational in
Georgia at that time, and even those eight tanks were not getting
fuel for years. There were two or three operational (military)
aircraft that were flying only when the airliner of my predecessor
(President Shevardnadze) took off from Tbilisi airport, but there
was no combat training. The Georgian army had seven helicopters.

Today we have about 100 pieces of heavy equipment, more than 20
military helicopters and seven aircraft which perform flights on a
permanent basis. We now have combat helicopters. By the end of this
year, we will have several more pieces of combat equipment of this
kind. The army started training, and the people who will take part
in the parade are well-trained people. (Passage omitted)

So, we are bringing these people out in order to demonstrate the
strength of our army. We need to double these forces. My task is to
double the armed forces within the next two years. Not on paper,
like it was in the past when those liars in the defence ministry
had 25,000-30,000 soldiers on their books while there were only
1,500 soldiers in reality. We will really have 15,000-16,000 very
well-trained soldiers who will constitute the best armed force in
the region. I will need two years for this.

Now, people are coming to us and asking: Give us salary of pension
arrears accumulated three or four years ago, the money which
Shevardnadze and his people have stolen. I, as the president, face
this choice: We should either spend all the money only on repayment of
social arrears (changes tack) – I understand this very well, poverty is
my main enemy, and I will do everything to eradicate poverty. However,
on the other hand, if we do this, we will never have an army. We need
the army as well as we need to assist people in need, and we also
need roads and electricity transmission lines. We need all of these.
Therefore, the army is one of the main priorities. (Passage omitted)

As regards Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region (South Ossetia),
our Ossetian fellow citizens and Abkhaz fellow citizens, we will of
course speak about this issue tomorrow. You will see this. However,
when we are asking – when will the refugees return to Abkhazia? –
this may happen tomorrow or this may happen in 20 years, depending
on how much effort we put into this. I think that this will happen
within the term of my presidency. This is the main goal of my life.
But I will not be able to achieve this unless everyone stands by
me. We should have debates, someone may dislike something I have done,
but we should stand shoulder-to-shoulder with respect to the main
issue. And this (return) will happen much earlier than everyone could
expect, earlier than foreigners and our citizens think. But I need
support of every Georgian and every citizen – Azerbaijani, Armenian,
Abkhaz and Ossetian citizen. We will achieve this by our rational
policy, and this will need a strong economy. This is the main thing.
(Passage omitted)

“A new kind of Russia’s policy”

(Unidentified reporter) (Passage omitted: words indistinct) The
prime minister (Zurab Zhvania) has said that the authorities have
already developed a draft granting unprecedented political autonomy
to Abkhazia.

(Saakashvili) We have never made it secret that we are ready for
federation-type relations, for an asymmetric federation. However, we
will not create a federation which will disintegrate Georgia. The
slogans that there should be this sort of relations in Ajaria
(changes tack) – you know that we are going to preserve autonomy there
(changes tack) – or that Georgia’s regionalization should reach the
point when the central authorities would have no levers left at all –
no-one should expect to see this while I am the president.

However, we are going to have talks. Well, if I tell you that there
were some negotiations in Russia (changes tack) – for the time being,
negotiations with Russia on this topic have been progressing with
difficulty. As regards Ajaria, Russia demonstrated its goodwill
and played a positive role, but I should tell you that there was no
(preliminary) agreement there. The scenario was ours, not some scenario
agreed in advance. Perhaps some people in some countries had different
plans, but the situation turned out not as they wanted. However,
in the end, Russia certainly played a significant and positive
role. They provided an aircraft to that man (deposed Ajarian leader
Aslan Abashidze), which was good, and they were judicious enough not
to allow their military base (in Ajaria) to interfere.

We want a kind of cooperation with Russia which, on the one hand, will
enable us to join our efforts in the fight against terrorism. I have
established very warm and normal relations with President Putin. The
basis of these relations is that he is not demanding from me something
I cannot give, he is delicate enough. I also understand that Russia
has its own interests, not only interests at our expense, these are
different things.

Negotiations in Moscow about restructuring (Georgia’s) debts to Russia
were quite difficult too. Fortunately, a compromise has been achieved
today. Initially, their conditions were the same as those accepted in
the past by Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, and other former Soviet republics. We
did not agree on these conditions of debt restructuring. We said
that they were not fair. So, after many weeks of negotiations,
(Finance Minister Zurab) Noghaideli yesterday and (Prime Minister
Zurab) Zhvania today finally confirmed that a compromise has been
reached. This is a new kind of Russia’s policy. Of course, we have a
long way to go, but Russia knows the main thing: that we will not give
up our state interests, but we will use maximally flexible approach
in order to create comfortable situation for Russia, so that Russia
faces no threats from the territory of Georgia. Russia should not
have a feeling that we are a hostile state. It is Russia’s right to
demand this. However, on the other hand, we should also feel that
things done by Russia in the past will never happen in Georgia again.

As regards agreements on Abkhazia, I think that, first of all,
this should be a subject of bilateral agreements between us and the
Abkhaz. After that, Russia can play a certain role. In this respect,
we have a lot of work to do. Generally, I think that the process is
developing positively. Let us see what happens. We have completely
different relations now, and let us hope that (changes tack) – a large
group of Russian businessmen will arrive here. It makes no difference
where capital comes from. The main thing is that our people should
be employed and our people should be rich. (Passage omitted)

Armenia rejects Azeri proposal to join NATO exercises as observer

Mediamax news agency
20 May 04

Yerevan, 20 May: The Azerbaijani side’s proposal to take part in the
Cooperative Best Effort-2004 exercises as an observer does not suit
Armenia, Armenian Defence Minister Serzh Sarkisyan said at a joint
briefing with his Russian counterpart in Yerevan today.

Asked by a Mediamax correspondent, Sarkisyan added that Armenia
had repeatedly expressed its readiness to send a unit for full
participation in these exercises to be held in Azerbaijan in autumn
within NATO’s Partnership for Peace Programme.

In turn, Russian Defence Minister Sergey Ivanov said that “this is the
first time that he has learnt about the Cooperative Best Effort-2004
exercises”. He added that “we take part in joint exercises with NATO
only if they are of practical benefit to us”.

The father land
by John Dugdale, Alex Clark and Sarah Dempster

Times (London)
May 16, 2004, Sunday

Rooted (Five, 12noon)

Zabel flies with her Armenian-born father to his native country,
first sightseeing in the capital, Yerevan, and then staying with
a family in a mountain village. She enjoys dancing at a welcoming
supper and making bread, but, as she learns about Armenian culture at
a Sunday school in London, there are few surprises. What does leave a
more powerful impression is the contrast between her own middle-class
comfort and the poverty she witnesses.

[parts omitted]

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
May 14 2004

FOREIGN MINISTER PARTICIPATES COE COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS 114TH
SESSION
[May 14, 2004, 16:16:38]

A delegation of Azerbaijan led by Minister of Foreign Affairs of
Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov took part in the 114th session of the
Council of Europe Committee of ministers held in Strasbourg on May
12-13.

Prior to the session, Minister E. Mammadyarov met with COE Secretary
General Walter Schwimmer. During the meeting, the Minister signed a
protocol on changes in anti-terror Convention of 1977, the parties
discussed fulfillment by Azerbaijan of its commitments to the Council
of Europe and continuation of CE’s assistance to the country in this
sphere. The Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan updated the COE Secretary
General in detail on the activity aimed at settlement of the
Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict.

The Minister further met with members of the Committee Minister’s Ago
monitoring group to discuss Azerbaijan’s fulfillment of the
commitments to COE, measures taken in country for implementing
democratic reforms, and perspectives of the Armenia-Azerbaijan
conflict resolution. Pointing to the positive results of Azerbaijan
President Ilham Aliyev’s visit to the Council of Europe, the Minister
emphasized the importance of Azerbaijan’s cooperation with the
organization.

In accordance with the session’s first day agenda, Minister of
Foreign Affairs Elmar Mammadyarov delivered a report on political
issues and reformation of the European Court on Human Rights. On the
point “current political issues”, he stressed the importance of the
Council of Europe in creation of the United Europe without
borderlines, expressed Azerbaijan’s position towards this process.

The Minister also touched upon the bitter consequences of the
Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict hampering development of South Caucasus
region, initiatives put forward by Azerbaijan for elimination of
these problems. He also drew the meeting participants attention to
the exceptional role of the European Human Rights Court in protection
of human rights and freedoms, and stated that Azerbaijani supports
the new 14th protocol of the European Human Rights Convention aimed
at reformation of the Court and improvement of its efficiency.

Later on the same day, Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenian
held meeting in presence of the OSCE Minsk group co-Chairs at the
office of he permanent representation of France to the Council of
Europe.

On the 13th of May, the 114th session of the Committee of Minister
continued its work. During the meeting presided by new Chairman of
the Committee Jan Petersen, Minister Elmar Mammadyarov supported the
idea of conducting 3rd Summit of the Council of Europe underlining
the importance if inclusion of topical issues, particularly that of
conflicts settlement, in its agenda. He noted that consequences of
the conflicts have a negative impact upon realization of the European
values in developing countries.

Speaking of the combat against terrorism, Mr. Mammadyarov stated that
he supports COE related efforts, particularly, preparation of the
general anti-terror convention, told of the terrorist acts committed
by Armenia against Azerbaijan and their bitter consequences, and
emphasized the need to intensify the combat against aggressive
separatism. The Minister, however, noted that Azerbaijan attaches
great importance to the values common to all mankind and dialogue
between cultures.

In conclusion of the session, the Foreign Ministers of the COE member
state adopted final official statement of the 114th session, and
Statement on advanced experience in the sphere of elections to the
effect that the unsolved conflicts pose threat to security,
territorial integrity and stability in the member countries, and pike
fear into their populations.

Another document adopted by the Ministers and concerning the results
of the Committee Minister’s Chairman says that the Committee welcomes
the three Azerbaijan President’s decrees on pardon, and supports
continuation of the way of national reconciliation and democratic
reforms.

It also welcomes the fact of continuation – parallel with the session
of – of the negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan under the
trusteeship of the OSCE Minsk Group, and reminds the commitments to
the Council of Europe assumed by both countries in entry.

On the same day, Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov met with PACE
rapporteur on Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict Terry Davis to exchange
views on the current situation.

Beside, COE Secretary General Walter Schwimmer held a meeting with
Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia to discuss the
fulfillment of obligations on the conflict’s resolution assumed by
the member states, and the relevant contribution of the Council of
Europe.

On the same day, Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia met in
presence of the Minsk group co-Chairs at the office of he permanent
representation of France to the Council of Europe.

Minister Elmar Mammadyarov had a separate meeting with the co-Chairs
as well.

Saturday, May 8, 2004
Armenian group releases latest Bedoukian ‘Studies’
World Coin News

The Armenian Numismatic Society has published the second volume of Dr. Paul
Z. Bedoukian’s Selected Numismatic Studies.

Bedoukian is considered the foremost authority in the study of Armenian
numismatics. His great knowledge of chemistry, metallurgy and Armenian
history has greatly added to the numismatic field.

The non-proft ANS was founded in 1971 and is the only Armenian numismatic
organization in existence. It publishes a number of books and journals of
Armenian ancient and medieval coins.

For more information on prices and ordering, write to: Armenian Numismatic
Society, Attn: Y.T. Nercessian, 8511 Beverly Park Place, Pico Rivera, CA
90660, or call (562) 695-0380.

Armenia/Azerbaijan/United Kingdom: BBC launches new Karabakh webpage

BBC World Service press release, London
7 May 04

BBC Russian service is launching a new web page to coincide with the
10th anniversary of the ceasefire in the Nagorny Karabakh conflict.

Going live on bbcrussian.com on Wednesday 12 May, the Karabakh Page
will publish news and views from Russian-speakers in Armenia,
Azerbaijan and across the world.

Visitors to bbcrussian.com who take interest in the Karabakh conflict
and whose lives have been affected by it will have the chance to take
part in weekly online discussions.

In addition, the Karabakh Page will publish photos and personal
stories.

There is also a special section for people seeking to re-establish
contacts with old friends and neighbours.

The Karabakh page is done in partnership with the British NGO
Conciliation Resources, as part of the Consortium Initiative – a new
British Government-funded programme which aims to improve the
prospects for a settlement of the Karabakh conflict.