Author: Mamian George

EXPO 2005 EXHIBITION PROMOTES MULTILATERAL COOPERATION: ARMENIAN
PREMIER

YEREVAN, June 7. /ARKA/. The international exhibition “EXPO 2005”
Nagoya, Japan, promotes cooperation between the participant-countries,
RA Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan stated during his visit to the
exhibition. He pointed out that the exhibition halls of the three
Transcaucasian countries are under one roof, which is a “positive
factor.” Margaryan took part in the ceremonial opening of the Armenian
exhibition hall. The same evening, a reception will be held in the
honor of the Armenian delegation, after which the delegation will
leave for Tokyo, where the Armenian Prime Minister is to hold
bilateral meetings with Japanese officials. P.T. -0–

A1plus

| 15:54:01 | 07-06-2005 | Social |

ARMENIAN PILOTS STILL IN PRISON

`The Armenian pilots are still in prison. The Guinean party promised to
convey them to the representative of the Armenian Foreign Ministry during
the day. The terms of their return and the route will be determined later’,
press secretary of the RA MFA Hamlet Gasparyan reported.

Last night representative of the RA Foreign Ministry Gevorg Poghosyan
departed for Malabo. This morning he met with the Prosecutor General of the
Equatorial Guinea as well as with the officials of the Ministries of Foreign
Affairs and Justice to discuss the issue.

Baltic News Service
June 6, 2005

LITHUANIAN MPS GOING TO SOUTH CAUCASUS TO SHARE EURO-ATLANTIC
INTEGRATION EXPERIENCE

VILNIUS, Jun 04

Lithuanian parliamentary delegation is going to South Caucasus to
share experience of euro-Atlantic integration.

Led by Parliamentary Speaker Arturas Paulauskas, the parliamentary
delegation during the week-long visit to Azerbaijan, Georgia and
Armenia will meet with top officials and politicians, students,
members of non-governmental organizations of these countries.

“The purpose of the visit is to introduce three South Caucasus
countries into the development, the achievements of our country, to
assist them in developing democracy, economy, to convey the
experience we have accumulated in the process of integrations into
the European Union and NATO, all the more as Georgia and Azerbaijan
have already declared quite explicitly their willingness to access
the EU and NATO and so our experience in this area is very important
to them,” Paulauskas told before the visit.

While Paulauskas is in South Caucasus, he will be substituted for by
one of the deputy parliamentary speakers, member of the Labor Party
faction Viktoras Muntianas.

2005 IS GOING TO BE A YEAR OF COMPETITION FOR RA BANKING SYSTEM, DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF CBA STATES

YEREVAN, JUNE 3, NOYAN TAPAN. 2005 is going to be a year of new
challanges, competition and new instruiments application for the RA
banking system. Deputy Chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia (CBA)
Artur Javadian stated this at the annual meeting of Armeconombank’s
shareholders on June 3. According to him, due to a decline in the
yield of government bonds, the banks will compete for customers
placing deposits and taking loans. CBA Deputy Chairman said that
this year the banks will also start introducing the principles of
corporate governance. According to A. Javadian, 2004 was also an
unprecedented year for the Armenian banks – the overall assets of the
system grew by 28.9% to 363 bln drams (about 827 mln USD). In the year
under review, the liabilities of the banking system increased by 29%,
while the time deposits of legal entities – by 50%. The overall profit
of the banks made 19.9 bln drams against 8.3 bln drams in the previous
year. During the year, a considerable increase in the crediting volumes
was registered – 37%. Most credits were provided to the food industry
and trade. The share of consumer credits was substantial as well.

OLIGARCHS DO NOT AVOID GIVING INFORMATION TO STATE COMMISSION ON ECONOMIC COMPETITION PROTECTION

YEREVAN, JUNE 3, NOYAN TAPAN. Deputy Chairman of the RA State Commision
on Economic Competition Protection Pavel Ghaltakhchian said at the June
2 conference “The Competition in Armenia. Expert Discussion” that one
of the main problems the Commission encounters is that the RA Law on
Economic Competition is not applied to the full. According to him, at
present this law is “a bit Western”, but it is possible to bring the
law into line with the national peculiarities by making amendments
in it. Deputy Chairman of the Commission noted that collecting
imformation about the actual volumes of markets continues to be a
difficult task for the Commission. According to him, small economic
entities are reluctant to provide information about certain types of
goods, whereas oligarchs do not create problems in this regard. Despite
this, P. Ghaltakhchian opposed the idea of introducing the practice
of “early morning checks” suggested by international experts, since
in Armenia there are corruption-related risks involved in this form
of gathering information which is quite widespread in European
countries. At the same time it was mentioned that the Commission
has no other mechanism of collecting evidence about anticompetition
agreements reached between economic entities. In connection with
the only case of this type – the fact of increasing microbus fares,
the Commission filed a lawsuit last year and lost it.

ARMENIAN SHASHLIK BESTOWED WITH TITLE OF RECOGNIZED ESTONIAN PRODUCT

Pan Armenian News
03.06.2005 04:48

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ May 25, during the testing initiated by the Estonian
Chamber of Agriculture and Commerce the expert committee announced
the list of 31 winners bestowed with the title of recognized Estonian
product. According to Armenian Portal in Estonia, in the nomination of
meat products Armenian shashlik was acknowledged the best product of
2005. Armenian shashlik appeared at the Estonian market in 2000. It
was produced by the Pilval meatpacking plant co-owned by Spartak
Hakobjanian, Armenian in origin. The plant that earlier output
grill-products set up a new line named Armenian Shashlik. To note,
the name is not accidental. Shashlik is prepared by Armenian method by
specialist Ara Karapetian, who arrived in Estonia from Armenia. With
the introduction of a new brand the amount of shashlik produced
by the plant has increased three times during the recent 3 years.
As result it won the title of the recognized Estonian product and at
the same time represents Armenia’s culture and originality to Estonia,
where the Armenian Diaspora is rather small in number.

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
06/02/2005
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://

1) Time Magazine European Subscribers Get Turkish Take on Armenian Issue
2) Influential Senator Praises Armenia Reforms
3) Russia Reassures Azerbaijan on Weapons Transfer to Armenia
4) Hai Tahd Council to Convene in Armenia
5) Dynamic Exhibit of Armin Wegner’s Works Kicks-off in Moscow

1) Time Magazine European Subscribers Get Turkish Take on Armenian Issue

ANKARA (Marmara)–According to the Turkish press, Time Magazine, one of the
leading US news magazines, has distributed a Turkish documentary CD on
Turkish-Armenian relations to its 494 thousand subscribers in Europe.
“The project’s target is not to respond to allegations of Armenians, but to
give appropriate information about both the history of Turkish-Armenian
relations and the Armenian issue. We aim to prevent distortion of historical
events,” the chairman of the Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ATO), Sinan Aygun,
told a news conference.
The documentary, titled “Blonde Bride,” is reportedly sponsored by the ATO.
According to Aygun, the 210 minute documentary has been prepared in Turkish,
Russian, English, German, French, Spanish, and Arabic. He also revealed that
the ATO has been working five months to pitch the “ad” to Time Magazine.
“This documentary CD is proof of Turkish pride, and we were able to secure
funding for the approximately 1 million dollar venture purely through
donations,” Aygun said.
ATO said that Time Magazine has an additional 116 thousand copies of the CD
for distribution.

2) Influential Senator Praises Armenia Reforms

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)–An influential US senator praised on Thursday political and
economic reforms carried out in Armenia but said more needs to be done to
democratize its political system.
Chuck Hagel, a Republican from Nebraska, visited Yerevan at the head of a US
government delegation of senior military officials.
“I have been very impressed with the democratic reforms that have taken place
in Armenia, the economic development, the rate of economic growth, the
prosperity that’s developing,” Hagel told a news conference after talks with
President Robert Kocharian and Defense Minister Serge Sarkisian. “I think it’s
very good news for Armenia and the region.”
Hagel, the second member of the Senate to visit Armenia this week, singled
out
the country’s robust economic growth. “I have seen and heard about the
significant progress made in Armenia since 1998,” he said. “It’s important for
Armenia to continue democratic reforms that always anchor democracy, enhance
freedom and therefore enhance growth and development.”
“That means fair, free and open elections,” he added.
Norm Coleman, another Republican senator, in Yerevan on Tuesday said that
Washington is trying to foster democratic elections in Armenia through an
“aggressive” support for economic reforms. He argued that economic development
will create a “better atmosphere for a free and democratic process.”
Hagel’s delegation arrived in Armenia from Azerbaijan as part of its tour of
Turkey, the South Caucasus and other regions which the senator said are
“critical” for the US It includes the deputy commander of the US troops in
Europe, General Charles Wald, and senior officials from the Pentagon and
Congress. Wald paid a separate visit to Yerevan last April.
Kocharian, according to his press service, discussed with the visiting US
officials ways of “expanding US-Armenian relations.” He was reported to have
welcomed their “dynamic development.”
The US delegation also visited the Yerevan headquarters of a special
peace-keeping battalion of the Armenian armed forces. Dozens of its servicemen
are currently involved in the US-led missions in Kosovo and Iraq.
Hagel, who sits on four Senate committees and chairs two of their
subcommittees, was also asked to comment on the transfer of Russian military
hardware from Georgia to Armenia which has prompted protests from Azerbaijan.
“This is an issue between the governments of Russia and Armenia,” he said. “I
have always believed that sovereign nations not only must act but will act in
their own self-interests.”
But Hagel went on to indicate that the US government, which pushed for the
closure of Russian military bases in Georgia, has serious misgivings about
continued Russian military presence in Armenia. “I think it has always been
the
policy of the United States–and I think it’s good policy–that military
presence of other nations in sovereign nations isn’t helpful in the regions of
the world that we are trying to bring peace and prosperity and settle very
serious conflicts like Nagorno-Karabakh,” he said.

3) Russia Reassures Azerbaijan on Weapons Transfer to Armenia

(AP)–A Russian diplomat sought to assuage Azerbaijani concerns about the
relocation of weapons from Georgia to Armenia, saying Thursday that the arms
and equipment would remain under Russian military control and would not
destabilize the region.
Azerbaijan has voiced fears about Russia’s plan to move weaponry from Georgia
to Armenia, which has been locked in a conflict with Azerbaijan over the
disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenia is a staunch ally of Russia.
Pyotr Burdykin, Russia’s acting ambassador to Azerbaijan said Thursday that
the weaponry was being relocated under pressure to speed up the Russian
military withdrawal from Georgia. “We initially talked about returning all
these weapons to
Russia in normal conditions, but Georgia and other nations have insisted on
speeding it up and applied very strong pressure,” Burdykin told reporters in
Baku.
Russia agreed to begin withdrawing from two Soviet-era bases in Georgia by
the
end of the year and complete the pullout over the course of 2008.
“This transfer isn’t directed against any third country, and it’s not
going to
affect the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement,” Burdykin said. “There is no sense in
blowing it out of proportion.”
But Tahir Tagizade, a spokesman for Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry, said
moving
the weapons to Armenia would compromise Russia’s role as one of the
international
mediators to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. “We will insist that Russia listen
to our concerns,” he said.
Mountainous Karabagh Republic’s (MKR) military on Thursday denied Azerbaijani
reports that an Azerbaijani soldier was killed Wednesday in a skirmish on the
border. Also, the head of the MKR election commission, Sergei Nasibian,
defended plans to hold parliamentary elections on June 19.
“Azerbaijani’s concerns that the parliamentary elections would be an obstacle
to peaceful settlement of the Mountainous Karabagh conflict are unfounded,”
Nasibian said.

4) Hai Tahd Council to Convene in Armenia

YEREVAN (Yerkir)The Armenian Revolutionary Federation’s (ARF) Hai Tahd
Council,
which is involved in promoting Armenian issues worldwide is scheduled to hold
its meeting in Yerevan, Armenia on June 3 and 4, reported the ARF Bureau’s
press service.
The meeting will bring together members of the ARF Bureau in charge of
related
activities, heads of the European and US Hai Tahd committees, directors of Hai
Tahd offices in Washington, DC, Brussels, Moscow, and Beirut, and the Yerevan
central office, as well as representatives of the ARF Supreme Body of Armenia,
and ARF Artsakh Central Committee.
The Council will discuss formulating strategy in the light of recent
international and regional developments, and will develop an action plan for
Hai Tahd offices worldwide.
Council representatives on Tuesday met with Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanian to review emerging issues.

5) Dynamic Exhibit of Armin Wegner’s Works Kicks-off in Moscow

MOSCOW (ANI/PanArmenian.net)–The exhibit “Armin Wegner and the Armenian
Genocide” opened in Moscow on Tuesday at the Russian Cultural Institution, in
commemoration of the 90th Anniversary of the Armenian genocide.
The exhibit is based on the book by Italian historian Giovanni Guaita, “A Cry
form Ararat: Armin Wegner and the Armenian Genocide,” which was recently
republished in Moscow.
Russian State Duma Deputies, prominent scholars, representatives of the
Serbian, Kurdish, Assyrian, and Tatar communities of Moscow were all on
hand at
the opening ceremony.
Senator Nikolay Ryzhkov noted the importance of denouncing the massive crime
that has been silenced by world powers, and urged non-Armenians to join the
fair struggle of the Armenian people.
International law specialist Professor Yuri Barsegov said recognition of the
Armenian genocide should be achieved via International Law, and must follow
with reparations.
A Cry form Ararat: Armin Wegner and the Armenian Genocide,” is Guaita’s third
work on Armenian issues.
He said that he undertook the project of presenting eyewitness Wegner’s rich
archive in order to remind humanity of history’s cruel pages. Guaita is now
working on his fourth project on Armenians.
The Russian-Armenian Cooperation Organization, which sponsored the exhibit,
said that the exhibition will travel to various Russian regions.
Armin T. Wegner, whose photographic collection documents conditions in
Armenian deportation camps in 1915-1916, was born in Germany in 1886. At the
outbreak of World War I, he enrolled as a volunteer nurse in Poland during the
winter of 1914-1915, and was decorated with the Iron Cross for assisting the
wounded under fire. In April 1915, following the military alliance of Germany
and Turkey, he was sent to the Middle East as a member of the German Sanitary
Corps. Between July and August, he used his leave to investigate the rumors
about the Armenian massacres that had reached him from several sources. In the
autumn of the same year, with the rank of second-lieutenant in the retinue of
Field Marshal Von der Goltz, commander of the 6th Ottoman army in Turkey, he
traveled through Asia Minor.
Eluding the strict orders of the Turkish and German authorities (intended to
prevent the spread of news, information, correspondence, visual evidence),
Wegner collected notes, annotations, documents, and letters and took hundreds
of photographs in the Armenian deportation camps. With the help of foreign
consulates and embassies of other countries, he was able to send some of this
material to Germany and the United States. His clandestine mail routes were
discovered and Wegner was arrested by the Germans at the request of the
Turkish
Command-and was put to serve in the cholera wards. Having fallen seriously
ill,
he left Baghdad for Constantinople in November 1916. Hidden in his belt were
his photographic plates and those of other German officers with images of the
Armenian Genocide to which he had been a witness. In December of the same year
he was recalled to Germany.
Wegner was deeply moved by the tragedy of the Armenian people to which he had
been eyewitness in Ottoman Turkey. Between 1918 and 1921, he became an active
member of pacifist and anti-military movements while dedicating his literary
and poetic output to the search for the truth about himself and his fellow
man.
On February 23, 1919, Wegner’s “Open Letter to President Wilson” appealing for
the creation of an independent Armenian state was published in Berliner
Tageblatt.
A man of conscience who protested his country’s responsibilities in the
Armenian Genocide, Wegner was also one of the earliest voices to protest
Hitler’s treatment of the Jews in Germany. He dedicated a great part of his
life to the fight for Armenian and Jewish human rights.
In 1968 he received an invitation to Armenia from the Catholicos of All
Armenians and was awarded with the Order of Saint Gregory the Illuminator.
Armin Wegner died in Rome at the age of 92 on May 17, 1978.

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Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
31. Mai 2005

Der Kampf um den Kaukasus;
Die Vereinigten Staaten und Iran sind die wichtigsten Konkurrenten

Rainer Hermann

TEHERAN, Ende Mai

Der Kreis um Iran schließt sich. Amerikanische Soldaten stehen in
Ländern sudlich des Persischen Golfs, vor allem in Kuweit und Qatar,
im Irak sind sie präsent und in Afghanistan. Unauffällig hatte
Teheran in diesen beiden Ländern die Vereinigten Staaten unterstutzt,
beim Sturz Saddam Husseins und der Taliban. Doch die Islamische
Republik hat es nicht verstanden, diese Hilfe in politisches Kapital
umzumunzen. Nun setzen sich die Vereinigten Staaten militärisch auch
nordlich Irans, in Aserbaidschan, fest, nachdem sie seit 2001
Einheiten in Usbekistan stationiert hatten.

Nicht gefallen kann Iran ferner, daß sich drei Staaten des
Sudkaukasus, neben Aserbaidschan auch Georgien und Armenien, auf den
Westen zubewegen. Wirtschaftlich binden sie die zwei Pipelines von
Baku in die Turkei – fur Ol an den Mittelmeerhafen Ceyhan und fur Gas
nach Erzurum – enger an den Westen. Politisch hat am auffälligsten
die Revolution in Georgien die Orientierung nach Westen verstärkt.
Spuren hinterlassen hat aber auch der Sog der Revolutionen in der
Ukraine und in Kirgistan.

Teheran sieht nicht tatenlos zu, wie ihm die Kontrolle uber sein
Hinterland entgleitet. Iran will sich daher als Transportkorridor
zwischen dem Indischen Ozean und dem Gebiet der ehemaligen
Sowjetunion unentbehrlich machen. Im April wurde das letzte Teilstuck
zwischen dem Hafen Bandar Abbas und der Grenze zu Turkmenistan
geschlossen. Nun gibt Teheran 600 Millionen Dollar aus, um die Trasse
von Bandar Abbas uber Ghazwin an die Grenze zu Aserbaidschan zu
vollenden. Sowohl in Sarakhs als auch in Astara wurde Iran Anschluß
an das fruhere sowjetische Eisenbahnnetz erhalten. Iran will damit
zum Seeweg vom Indischen Ozean durch den Suezkanal nach Osteuropa
eine preiswerte Transportalternative anbieten.

Der Einfluß Rußlands an seiner sudlichen Flanke geht zuruck. Weder in
Georgien noch in der Ukraine konnte es den Sturz loyaler Regime
verhindern. Moskau scheint nicht mehr stark genug, um seinen Einfluß
abzusichern. Die Turkei hatte vergeblich versucht, in das entstehende
Vakuum vorzustoßen. Je geringer die Ruckendeckung aus Washington
wurde, das die Turkei zu einer aktiven Politik im Kaukasus und in
Zentralasien ermuntert hatte, desto unbedeutender wurden deren
Moglichkeiten. Nur beim besonders eng verwandten Turkvolk der
Aserbaidschaner hat die Turkei bis heute einen politischen
Verbundeten. Nach dem Ausscheiden der Turkei bleiben damit Iran und
die Vereinigten Staaten, um im Kaukasus und in Zentralasien um
Einfluß zu wetteifern. Die Vereinigten Staaten setzen dabei auf ihre
militärische Macht. Am 12. April 2005 besuchte der amerikanische
Verteidigungsminister Rumsfeld Aserbaidschan und vereinbarte die
Stationierung amerikanischer Soldaten. 300 Soldaten sollen schon
eingetroffen sein. Sie bilden etwa die aserbaidschanische Kustenwacht
auf dem Kaspischen Meer aus, an das auch Iran grenzt. In den
kommenden Monaten will Washington Tausende Soldaten auf drei
Luftwaffenstutzpunkte entsenden, auch fur eine schnelle
Eingreiftruppe auf der Halbinsel Apscheron vor Baku und fur den
Betrieb von Radarstationen. Moskau sieht damit langfristig seine
lebenswichtige Radarstation in Qabala, im Herzen Aserbaidschans, in
Gefahr.

Washington setzt sich in Aserbaidschan aus drei Grunden fest: Die
Kaukasusrepublik verfugt uber bedeutende Olvorkommen, uber ihr
Territorium verlaufen wichtige Pipelines, und von hier aus konnen
Iran sowie der nordliche Teil des Nahen Ostens kontrolliert werden.
Mit einer engen Anbindung will Washington zudem verhindern, daß
Aserbaidschan einer Pipeline zum Transport iranischen Ols durch den
Kaukasus nach Europa zustimmt. Sollte sich der aserbaidschanische
Autokrat Alijew nicht den Wunschen fugen, droht ihm, daß die
Vereinigten Staaten – wie bereits in der Ukraine und in Georgien –
die Opposition unterstutzen konnten. Im November finden in
Aserbaidschan Parlamentswahlen statt. Der in Unruhe versetzte Alijew
war zumindest nicht bereit gewesen, im April Rumsfeld zu empfangen.

Wie Rußland ist auch Iran nicht an einer Ausweitung des
amerikanischen Einflusses gelegen. Auf eine gemeinsame Politik
konnten sich Teheran und Moskau bislang aber nicht verständigen.
Wegen Meinungsverschiedenheiten zum volkerrechtlichen Status des
Kaspischen Meeres hat Putin Iran noch immer nicht besucht.
Andererseits hält Rußland das iranische Ansinnen, die
Urananreicherung wiederaufzunehmen, fur “legitim” und sieht im
iranischen Atomprogramm keine Bedrohung fur die Sicherheit. Vor einem
Monat hat Rußland zudem angekundigt, noch in diesem Jahr nuklearen
Brennstoff fur das vor der Fertigstellung stehende iranische
Atomkraftwerk Bushir zu liefern.

Um sich gegen die Gefahr aus Aserbaidschan abzusichern, hat Iran nur
einen Monat nach Rumsfelds Besuch mit Baku einen Nichtangriffspakt
unterzeichnet. Dabei verpflichten sich beide Staaten, daß sie ihr
Territorium nicht einem Dritten fur einen Angriff auf den anderen
Vertragsstaat bereitstellen. Unklar ist, was Iran Aserbaidschan dafur
geboten hat. Denn in der Vergangenheit hatte sich Baku ungehalten
uber die iranische Neutralität im Konflikt mit Armenien zur
umstrittenen Enklave Nagornyj Karabach gezeigt, auch uber die engen
wirtschaftlichen Kontakte Irans mit Armenien.

Iran unterhält in Eriwan bereits eine große Handelskolonie. Nun will
Armenien iranisches Gas beziehen, um seine Abhängigkeit vom
russischen Gas abzubauen. Iran ist bereit, aus Armenien Elektrizität
zu beziehen. Auch in Georgien wittert Iran Chancen. Georgien will
zwar Rußland fernhalten, seine zunehmend nationalistischen Tone
finden in Washington offenbar aber nicht nur Gefallen. Auch in
Georgien bietet sich Iran an, russisches durch eigenes Gas zu
ersetzen und moglicherweise von dort sogar nach Europa zu
transportieren.

Damit kann Iran aber noch nicht die zusätzliche Bedrohung
neutralisieren, die nun vom Norden und dem Kaspischen Meer ausgeht.
Iran hat daher die Produktion seiner Unterseeboote forciert und
versucht, am Kaspischen Meer eine Militärpräsenz aufzubauen, bevor
die Amerikaner so weit sind. Sicherheitsgarantien sind daher nicht
zufällig die wichtigste Forderung Irans in den Atomgesprächen mit der
EU. Einen wichtigen Rustungslieferanten hatte Iran mit der Revolution
in der Ukraine verloren. Von dort hatte Iran zuletzt Trägerraketen
bezogen, die sich auch fur atomare Sprengkopfe eignen. Die Zahl der
zuverlässigen außenpolitischen Partner war mit dem Machtwechsel in
Kiew kleiner geworden. Sollte sich der Kaukasus unter dem Einfluß der
Vereinigten Staaten und der EU tatsächlich weiter nach Westen
orientieren, bliebe Iran zu einer Ostorientierung keine Alternative.
Dort gelingen der Teheraner Ol- und Gasdiplomatie auch Erfolge. Mit
Pakistan und Indien erzielte Iran zum Bau einer vier Milliarden
Dollar teuren Gaspipeline einen Durchbruch, und das energiehungrige
China will sich mit Energieverträgen, die auf 25 Jahre angelegt sind,
langfristig an Iran binden. China ist in nur wenigen Jahren zu einem
der wichtigsten Handelspartner Irans aufgestiegen und so ein neuer
Akteur in der Region geworden.

–Boundary_(ID_Ykn2dm6ToL1pb8Qp5XDByQ)–

Azerbaijan official on security of Karabagh residents

Baku Today
June 1 2005

The security of Azerbaijani and Armenian communities of Nagorno
Karabakj region will be provided on the ‘political level’, using
the role of the countries co-chairing the mediating OSCE Minsk
Group [Russia, United States and France], as well as international
organizations and political leaders, Deputy Foreign Minister Araz
Azimov said.

Speaking of the legal level of security, Azimov said that it may be
regulated by a separate document.

“This may be a resolution of the UN Security Council. This document
should indicate that the parties failing to honor their commitments
may face sanctions,” he told a news conference early this week.

The Deputy Foreign Minister said that peacekeeping forces should be
stationed in the conflict zone ‘to ensure security on a practical
level’ by assisting in guarding important sites, communications
and ensuring safety of the population. Shortly thereafter, joint
commissions comprising representatives of Azerbaijani and Armenian
communities will assume this task, Azimov added.

ARMIN WEGNER AND ARMENIAN GENOCIDE EXHIBITION OPENS IN MOSCOW

Pan Armenian News
31.05.2005 09:04

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armin Wegner and the Armenian Genocide exhibition,
organized by the Russian Cultural Fund, opens in Moscow Tuesday. The
exposition, dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide,
is based on the documentary materials of A Cry form Ararat: Armin
Wegner and the Armenian Genocide,” book by Giovanni Guaita. Three
out of twenty-five large exhibits, decorated uniquely, depict German
military officer Wegner, an eyewitness of the Genocide. Three others
present the chronology of the Armenian Genocide under Abdul Hamid,
Young Turks and Kemal. High-ranking Russian officials, public figures
and artists are expected to attend the opening ceremony. A concert
of Armenian classical and spiritual music is expected to be performed
by Moscow Chamber Choir, the Yerkir newspaper reported.