Author: Khoyetsian Rose

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Feb 23 2005

CHAIR OF PARLIAMENTARY COMMISSION MEETS WITH NEWLY APPOINTED
AMBASSADOR OF MOROCCO
[February 23, 2005, 21:11:11]

Chair of the Milli Majlis Standing Commission on International and
Interparliamentary Relations Samad Seyidov met with newly appointed
Ambassador Plenipotentiary and Extraordinary of the Kingdom of
Morocco to Azerbaijan Abdullah Zagur, February 23.

Samad Seyidov informed the Ambassador about activities of the
Azerbaijani parliament, and the role legislative bodies play in
realization of democratic reforms in the country.

He also dwelt on the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over
Nagorno-Karabakh, its causes and bitter consequences, noting the
importance of international cooperation for fair resolution of the
problem.

Ambassador Abdullah Zagur, for his part, noted the Kingdom of Morocco
stands for peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem on the
base of the principle of territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

He added that his country welcomed both organization of reciprocal
visits of the two countries delegations, and commonness of their
positions on several issues while being debated at international
organizations.

The parties also exchanged views on the other issues of mutual
interest.

The Nikkei Weekly (Japan)
February 21, 2005 Monday

Armenia in line for green power plant

Shimizu Corp. intends to team up with Mitsui & Co. and Hokkaido
Electric Power Co. to start a greenhouse-gas emission rights business
in Armenia.

The major general contractor hopes the joint operation will be
approved as a clean-development-mechanism (CDM) business under the
terms of the Kyoto Protocol. The system allows companies to gain
greenhouse-gas emission rights in exchange for cooperating in efforts
to reduce emissions in developing countries.

If the project is approved, it will be the first CDM business in
Armenia. Shimizu expects to get the green light by the middle of the
year.

Under the plan, Shimizu will build a power generation plant in
Armenia to produce electricity from methane gas piped in from a waste
material disposal site. The company plans to spend about 800 million
yen on the project.

PRICES FOR BREAD WENT DOWN

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
19 Feb 05

The NKR National Statistics Service reported decrease of prices for
bread on the consumer market. According to the results of the
monitoring conducted on February 1 – 10, 2005 the price for 1 kg of
all kinds of white bread was 217 drams against 281 drams in September
2004. A kg of big matnakash bread cost196 drams against 289 drams in
September and the price for a kg of small matnakash bread was 224
drams against 283. The average price for one kg of flour of superior
quality and first class totaled 195 and 170 drams respectively andhad
not changed since the last monitoring, whereas the price for a kg of
bread decreased by 22.8 per cent. During the last ten days the average
price for a kg of loafs of bread of second class was 201 drams against
253, a kg of round bread cost 263 drams against 294 and lavash cost
539 drams against 567. The average price for one kg of bread was
reduced at the expense of profits of bread producers.

AA.
19-02-2005

PRICES FOR BREAD SLIDED

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
19 Feb 05

The NKR National Statistics Service reported a slide of prices
for bread on the consumer market. According to the results of the
monitoring conducted on February 1 â~@~S 10, 2005 the price for 1
kg of all kinds of white bread was 217 drams against 281 drams in
September 2004. A kg of big matnakash bread cost 196 drams against
289 drams in September and the price for a kg of small matnakash
bread was 224 drams against 283. The average price for one kg of
flour of superior quality and first class totaled 195 and 170 drams
respectively and had not changed since the last monitoring, whereas
the price for a kg of bread decreased by 22.8 per cent. During the last
ten days the average price for a kg of loafs of bread of second class
was 201 drams against 253, a kg of round bread cost 263 drams against
294 and lavash cost 539 drams against 567. The average price for one
kg of bread was reduced at the expense of profits of bread producers.

AA. 19-02-2005

–Boundary_(ID_lks4V7bY6nD/1y86WqoK6A)–

Muslims, Christians Unite in Tears at Hariri’s Gravesite

Lebanese Lobby, Lebanon
Feb 18 2005

Muslims recited the opening verse of the Koran and Christians drew
the sign of the cross as his daughter Hind, the youngest and only
girl of his children sat all day weeping with nuns lighting candles
around his grave.

Rafik Hariri has in dept brought the Lebanese from all sects together
in a spontaneous show of national unity never seen since the civil-war
guns fell silent 15 years ago.

The grave at the floodlit spacious courtyard of Al Amin Mosque in
downtown Beirut was full to the brim with grieving Lebanese flocking
as if in a pilgrimage to pay their last respects on his gravesite.

The ‘Hajj’ was kicked off by a nationally televised bow by France’s
President Chirac and his wife Bernadette on the mountain of roses
covering Hariri’s last resting place Wednesday night.

President Bush has vowed from the White House to bring enough pressure
to bear on the Assad regime to force Syria out of Lebanon, while all
through Thursday hundreds poured from all over Lebanon to stand by
the grave with tears welling down. Armenian boy scouts placed dozens
of floral wreaths as women sprayed the tomb with rose water.

Among ‘pilgrims’ was World Bank President James Wolfensohn who flew
in from Washington to offer condolences to the family of his long-time
friend. Also present was Turkey’s Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and his
wife as well as all opposition leaders on Lebanon’s political spectrum.

At Hariri’s Koreitem mansion a deluge of condolers continued for a
second straight day since his one million strong funeral Wednesday.

Lebanese Forces commander Samir Geagea’s wife, Strida, shook hands
with the ex-premier’s four sons offering her condolences. Other
opposition leaders like Walid Jumblat and Naila Mouawad, widow of
slain President Rene Mouawad, were standing on both sides of the
Hariri family in the condolence rituals.

JOINT CIS AIR-DEFENSE SYSTEM GOING STRONG

RIA Novosti, Russia
Feb 17 2005

MOSCOW, (RIA Novosti military commentator Viktor Litovkin)

The joint air-defense system is perhaps the only CIS military
organization that has not experienced any serious problems or
contradictions since it was established in 1995. “Due to a lack of
discipline among pilots, we register thousands of CIS air-traffic
violations, but CIS air space is violated very rarely,” General of
the Army Vladimir Mikhailov, the Russian Air Force commander, told
RIA Novosti at a press conference devoted to the tenth anniversary of
establishing the joint CIS air-defense system. The general also chairs
the coordinating committee for air-defense issues of the Council of
CIS Defense Ministers.

The CIS air-defense system was established on February 10, 1995,
and comprises ten countries: Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine.
Although Georgian, Uzbek and Turkmen commanders did not attend the
Moscow celebrations, the joint system’s heads had a great deal to
tell reporters.

“First of all, we have restored complete radar surveillance outside
Russia,” General Mikhailov’s deputy, Lieutenant General Aitech Bizhev
told RIA Novosti. “Now, we scan 800-1,500km of air space outside our
external perimeter. Potential violators know this and do not risk
violating our country’s sovereignty and that of other CIS countries.
The only time this has happened was last year, when an American
light plane became lost over Mongolia and entered Russian air space.
Fighters escorted it to Chita airport, where it made an emergency
landing.”

General Bizhev continued that the Council of CIS Heads of State had
allocated two billion rubles on joint financing for CIS air defense,
which meant forces received state-of-the-art combat hardware and
equipment, including radars, surface-to-air missiles and aircraft.
The forces wield Osa, Buk, S-75, S-125, S-200 and S-300 SAM complexes,
and modified versions. Their fighter units fly modified versions of
the MiG-23, MiG-29, MiG-31 and Sukhoi Su-27. Apart from radars, CIS
electronic units are equipped with radio-electronic warfare systems.

In all, the joint CIS air-defense system comprises 19 fighter
regiments (11 Russian and two Belarussian), 29 SAM regiments (11
Russian), and 22 radar units (nine Russian and two other Russian
radio-electronic warfare battalions). Moreover, Russian air-defense
units are stationed in Armenia (102nd base), Tajikistan (as part of the
201st mechanized-infantry division, which has now been converted into
a Russian military base) and at the Kant air-force base in Kyrgyzstan.

Nonetheless, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are
the only countries to implement fully automated combat-duty programs
between national command centers, but interaction remains to be
streamlined in other CIS countries. According to General Bizhev,
these countries can buy and install new automated control systems at
domestic Russian prices. The coordinating committee for air-defense
issues is now tackling these problems.

Russian and Belarussian units and weapons have now been placed on joint
combat duty owing to the committee’s efforts and after the Council
of CIS Heads of State issued the relevant decision. An agreement on
joint combat duty operations by Russian, Kazakh and Kyrgyz air-defense
units has been signed. Armenian, Belarussian, Kazakh, Kyrgyz and
Uzbek air-defense forces implement joint combat-duty programs. This
area of cooperation will continue to develop.

There are plans to set up regional air-defense systems in the
near future. In particular, the Russian-Belarussian air-defense
system will become the mainstay of the Eastern European theater
air-defense system. Russian and Kazakh forces will become the main
element of the Central Asian theater air-defense system. Meanwhile
Armenian air-defense units, the 3,624th Russian Air Force group,
a Russian SAM regiment featuring S-300V SAM complexes (partof the
102nd Russian military base in Gyumri) will be the Caucasian theater
air-defense system.

CIS air-defense units continue to streamline their interaction not
only during joint combat-duty programs and information exchanges about
national air-space situation reports and foreign air space. They also
do so during regular tactical exercises, headquarters exercises and
tactical war games with live ammunition. These exercises, codenamed
Boevoye Sodruzhestvo (Combat Cohesion), are regularly organized at
the Ashuluk firing range near Astrakhan. They involve virtually all
members of the air-defense system. Seventy SAM divisions, as well
as 60 fighter, bomber and ground-attack plane crews, have conducted
live target practice there since 1995. Dozens of electronic units
have facilitated their combat missions and missile launches.

The exercises will be expanded this year. Now, they will also be held
near Vorkuta above the Polar Circle, where combat hardware will be
tested in adverse conditions. Moreover, CIS units will train at the
Sary-Shagan firing range in Kazakhstan, where Russia’s S-300 Triumph
SAMs, developed by the Almaz-Antei concern, will be launched and
their maximum range evaluated. Ukrainian air-defense units will also
test-fire their missiles at Sary-Shagan, if Kiev and Astana sign the
appropriate agreement. The point is that S-200 system, with its long
range of 300km, cannot be tested in the Crimea, which is why Ukraine
is keen to attend the exercise in Kazakhstan.

Besides, the Sary-Shagan firing range, which was where Soviet
anti-aircraft weapons and ABM complexes (including those around Moscow)
were once tested, allows missiles to be launched against different
aerial targets, aircraft included, and the most difficult combat
environments simulated. It is unique in this respect.

Radio-electronic warfare systems will be used in April this year at
the test-firing exercises to create a difficult jamming environment.
SAM complexes will targetstrategic bombers, long-range cruise missiles
and unmanned air vehicles. Radio-electronic units will jam radars,
communications, reconnaissance and target-acquisition networks. Highly
effective, powerful and heterogeneous air-force units will “attack”
CIS air-defense units. So, how will the latter cope? General Bizhev
is highly optimistic: “I think we will prove the joint CIS air-defense
system’s reliability once again.”

ARMENIAN ARCHITECTS CONTRIBUTE THEIR MITE IN TURKEY’S BEAUTY

Azg/arm
18 Feb 05

Armenian Museum-Institute of Architecture has assembled huge material
on Armenian architects living and working in Diaspora that will
be compiled in 27 volumes. The first volume -“The Iranian-Armenian
Architects” â~@~S is ready.

The book of Ashot Grigorian, head of the museum, titled “Armenian
Architects of Constantinople” will be issued this year on occasion
of 90th anniversary of Armenian Genocide. “We thought that there
were not Armenian architects in Istanbul after 1915 before we
went on research. To our great surprise we found out that the
Armenians of Turkey kept on studying architecture abroad and built
many unique constrictions. Researches disclosed that the word
â~@~Xarchitectâ~@~Y came into use only after the WW II replacing
the word â~@~Xconstructorâ~@~Y. Interestingly most of them were
Armenians. We find a group of constructors beginning from 1900s and
professional architects appear thereafter. Besides architects and
town-planners there is also the profession of architect-decorator in
Istanbul. Most of the Armenians specialized in these 3 professions
have their own workshops and offices. Many of them are members of
Turkish Union of Architectures and even of various international
unions”, Grigorian says.

He tells that the architects from Palian dynasty were famous in
Constantinople in 19th century and they are considered founders of
Turkish architecture. Turks never denied this fact. Grigorianâ~@~Ys
book is introducing 100 Armenian architects from Constantinople and
presents the history of Armenian architecture in Turkey. The prologue
of the book will be translated in English and Turkish.

Ashot Grigorian says that it is hard to preserve Armenian
features in the works of Armenian Diaspora architects as they were
brought up in other culture and that differs them from architects
in Armenia. Works of the most of Diaspora architects, especially
buildings designed for Armenian community, bear features of Armenian
medieval architecture. Local and Diaspora architects are highly
valued for combining national characteristics with modern trends,
Grigorian thinks.

By Ruzan Poghosian

–Boundary_(ID_33dKoe7ZwPCVJuPrUtaBZg)–

Federal News Service, Inc.
FNS DAYBOOK
February 15, 2005 Tuesday

EVENT: DISCUSSION – THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY PAUL H. NITZE SCHOOL
OF ADVANCED INTERNATIONAL STUDIES (SAIS)

SUBJECT: The Johns Hopkins University Paul H. Nitze School of
Advanced International Studies (SAIS) holds a discussion,
“Post-Soviet Fatal Accidents, Assassinations and the Death of
Georgia’s Zurab Zhvania.”

LOCATION: SAIS, Rome Building, Auditorium, 1619 Massachusetts Avenue
NW, Washington, D.C. — February 15, 2005

PARTICIPANTS: Charles Fairbanks Jr., SAIS Central Asia-Caucasus
Institute; Peter Reddaway, George Washington University and Emil
Sanamyan of the Armenian Assembly of America

CONTACT: Members of the public should RSVP to 202-663-7721 or
[email protected]; Felisa Neuringer Klubes, 202-663-5626;
e-mail, [email protected]; or

Spat over plans for Russian visit to Georgia raises tension
By MISHA DZHINDZHIKHASHVILI

The Associated Press
02/16/05 16:24 EST

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) – Tension rose ahead of Russian Foreign Minister
Sergey Lavrov’s planned trip to Georgia, as officials in the ex-Soviet
republic assailed him for refusing to visit a monument to Georgians
who died in fighting against separatist regions that have close
Russian ties.

Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Georgy Gomiashvili said the ministry
called the Russian ambassador in to explain after Russian authorities
asked Georgia to change the program of Lavrov’s visit, saying he would
not visit the memorial to Georgians who died fighting separatists in
Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Lavrov is due to arrive Thursday. In meetings Friday, he is to
discuss military disputes, border demarcation, the prospects for
a broad treaty outlining relations between Russian and Georgia and
other issues in relations between the neighbors, which are marred by
persistent mutual recriminations.

Abkhazia and South Ossetia have run their own affairs since separatist
wars in the early 1990s, and the Georgian government views Georgians
killed in the fighting as heroes who died for the country’s territorial
integrity.

Russia has close ties with both separatist regions, and has granted
the majority of their citizens Russian citizenship in what Georgian
authorities say is part of a Russian strategy to keep Georgia
fragmented and unstable. Disputes over the breakaway regions are a
major source of tension between Russia and Georgia.

Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zurabishvili lashed out at Russia
at a news conference, saying that the refusal to visit the memorial
“adds to all the steps that throw many things between us into doubt.”

“We don’t know what Russia wants,” she said. “What does a country want
that comes to on a friendly visit and foes not have the elementary
maturity to bow its head before the fallen?” she said.

The chairman of Georgia’s parliamentary committee on foreign relations
called the refusal a “bad political sign” and likened it to a foreign
official visiting Russia and refusing to make the customary visit
to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier outside the Kremlin. “It would be
impossible to offend a country more,” he said.

Lavrov, in Armenia on Wednesday, said the dispute would not create
artificial barriers for progress in his talks in Georgia, the Interfax
news agency reported. He said that the suggestion that he visit the
memorial came at the last minute and that it would be ill-advised to
do so because of high emotions surrounding the issue.

Turkish Daily News
Feb 16 2005

PM should visit the ‘Turks’ exhibition

Mehmet Ali Birand:
Wednesday, February 16, 2005

When the Europeans think about Turks, the first things that springs
to their minds are images of mistreatment, torture, violation of
rights or domestic and foreign military interventions. Most of the
news they see coming out of Turkey is full of negative information.

In cultural terms, they see us as almost non-existent.

At a time when we face such a mammoth image problem, as luck would
have it, a world-renowned artistic institution, London’s Royal
Academy of Arts, is holding an extremely popular exhibition entitled:
“Turks.”

The exhibition is an account of our past.

It is a step-by-step journey across the milestones of Turkish
history, and it is currently amongst the most talked about cultural
events in Europe.

People have started to take an interest in Turkey and Turkish
culture as a result of our dealings with the E.U. combined with the
lure of the prestigious Royal Academy it has caused a wave of
interest.

The exhibition was due to have been opened by Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdoðan himself. The Turkish prime minister was supposed to
visit Britain for the day and the event would have been a significant
public relations victory for Turkey.

Some people in Ankara (I was told it was the Foreign Ministry, but
I don’t want to believe that) objected to this.

They told Erdoðan: “Sir, when you arrive, either the British prime
minister, or the foreign secretary at the very least, should be with
you during you visit the to the exhibition to demonstrate respect for
a visiting head-of-state. However, if they are not there, it would be
seen as most improper for you to visit the exhibition alone.”

Can you just imagine the mentality of such a recommendation? This
important exhibition is to be visited and our bureaucrats are only
thinking about official protocol rules. Instead of telling Erdoðan:
“You can meet the British prime minister or the foreign secretary
some other time, but this exhibition really can’t be missed,” they
prevented him from going at all. Meanwhile, the exhibition has turned
out to be a resounding success.

People are flocking from all over Europe to visit it. According to
figures given to me, around 10,000 people visit it a day. They plan
to take the exhibition to Paris and then New York afterwards.

Ankara just remains silent on the subject.

The Turkish Administration didn’t give a single cent to the
exhibition. Thank god the private sector was more mature and provided
funding to make sure it happened.

The exhibition will finish at the end of March.

What we would expect is Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan to make
the time to visit it before it closes. It would provide a tremendous
boost to promoting this country abroad. He should go to London on a
prearranged visit with every newspaper notified beforehand. It should
become a real occasion.

Just ignore the absence of Tony Blair.

Erdoðan must understand the boost to public awareness such a visit
would bring.

Why shouldn’t Pamuk say what he thinks?

Extreme nationalist media outlets have made novelist Orhan Pamuk
their new hate-figure.

He implied that Turks killed Armenians and Kurds and this has
caused a commotion.

Who is Pamuk?

He is an internationally renowned Turkish novelist. He was
celebrated in this country up until recently and is one of the first
individuals people remember when they talk about Turkey. He is not an
official state spokesman or a government representative. In other
words, his words carry no official weight. He is just talking about
his own opinions.

What the reason behind this attack?

Don’t people have the right to say what they think, no matter
whether they’re right or wrong? Will Turkey be sent to the
International Court, just because Orhan Pamuk made these allegations?
Will the United Nations use Pamuk as a witness and demand
compensation from Turkey?

No.

If you don’t agree with what Pamuk’ opinions, just say it. Why this
“lynching mentality?”

Gentlemen, this is the gap between us and the rest of the civilized
world (by which I mean the western world, especially the EU). We are
yet to fully embrace freedom of expression. We have adjusted most of
our laws in line with the Copenhagen criteria to be closer to Europe,
but now that I reflect on it, we as a people are still very far from
adopting an attitude compatible with theirs.

We need to get used to respecting differences of opinions, no
matter how irritating they are.

I don’t agree with what Pamuk said, but I defend his right to say
them.

What was done to him is a shame.

It is outdated.

–Boundary_(ID_J2mkWZ3QsQfr/FNWVmRt8Q)–