Author: Mamian George

Armenian, Egyptian ministers discuss cooperation

Arminfo, Yerevan
19 Jan 05

Text of report by Armenian news agency Arminfo

Yerevan, 19 January: Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan met
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Abu-al-Ghayt in Cairo yesterday [18
January].

The ministers expressed satisfaction with bilateral relations as well
as the high level of cooperation in international organizations, the
press service of the Armenian Foreign Ministry told Arminfo news
agency.

Vardan Oskanyan submitted to his counterpart Armenian President Robert
Kocharyan’s message to Egyptian President Husni Mubarak.

On the same day Oskanyan met the minister of international cooperation
and chairman of the Armenian-Egyptian intergovernment commission,
Fayizah Muhammad Abu-al-Naja.

During the meeting, the sides discussed the issues related to holding
the fourth session of the Armenian-Egyptian intergovernment commission
as well as prospects for expanding cooperation in various spheres.

Russian foreign minister on ties with USA, Iran, foreign affairs

ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow
19 Jan 05

Russian agencies accorded extensive coverage to Russian Foreign
Minister Sergey Lavrov’s news conference in Moscow today [19 January]
which dealt with numerous international issues of interest to Russia.

Commenting on US President George Bush’ statement that non-diplomatic
methods may be used to resolve Iran’s nuclear programme, Lavrov said:
“I do not think it useful to talk, even hypothetically, about a
situation that will arise if anyone decides to resort to other,
non-diplomatic methods of resolving this problem,” Russian Interfax
news agency said at 0928 gmt.

He said Russia’s construction of Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power station
was “absolutely transparent and fully under the IAEA control” and
added: “As far as Iran is concerned, I would like to stress, first and
foremost, that all the main participants in the talks and contacts
aimed at resolving Iran’s nuclear problem proceed from the methods of
settling it by political means and there is every opportunity to do
this,” ITAR-TASS news agency quoted him as saying at 1004 gmt.

Russia welcomes the efforts by Arab countries to combat terrorism,
ITAR-TASS said at 1046 gmt. It quoted Lavrov as saying that “Russia
possesses certain documents and accords with Arab countries concerning
the fight against terrorism. There is also a dialogue during which
problems of internal and external security are discussed. Russia
welcomes the steps which her partners are taking to ensure their
territories are not used for terrorist activities.” Lavrov condemned
what he called “double standards in the fight against terrorism”.

“Those who prepare and carry out acts of terrorism must be judged by
the same yardstick. We expect persons suspected of preparing and
carrying out terrorist acts to be extradited.” “Ideally, it would be
necessary to compile a list of persons involved in terrorism. Russia
has already submitted a proposal to this effect to the UN Security
Council,” TASS quoted Lavrov as saying.

Lavrov described Condoleezza Rice as a “serious politician”. “I know
Condoleezza Rice and I do not think that the US administration will
depart from a course formulated by the Russian and US presidents,
aimed at developing partner relations,” ITAR-TASS said at 1236 gmt.

Commenting on US Department of State’s reports on Russia, he said that
“evaluations in them do not always coincide with Russia’s position”.

“Russia’s internal policies develop on the basis of the
Constitution. When constructive criticism of us is voiced, we pay
attention. When it is directed towards returning us all to the times
of the Cold War, we can not agree with this. Some people have recently
been trying, through the media, to portray the developments in Russia
as a throw-back to totalitarianism. I do not think this is in good
faith. Most likely some people do not like the fact that Russia is
getting stronger and becoming more independent economically and
financially.”

Looking forward to the Russian-US summit in Bratislava on 24 February,
Lavrov described relations between Vladimir Putin and George Bush as
“friendly, mutually respectful and based on an equal dialogue”.

Russian RIA Novosti agency said at 0910 gmt that Lavrov praised the
role of the CIS in the life of its members. “All CIS member countries
regard the CIS as an important forum for defining the strategic
interests of our states.” Lavrov praised trade and economic relations
with the CIS and advocated a closer integration among its members.

ITAR-TASS at 0921 gmt quoted Lavrov as saying that CIS needed to get
rid of a number of “ineffective” bodies, without specifying them. It
was necessary to implement reforms in such a way as to “preserve the
CIS’ underpinning principles of voluntariness and gradual
integration”.

Speaking of the issue of Nagornyy Karabakh in the context of his
forthcoming visit to Armenia in February, ITAR-TASS at 1042 gmt quoted
Lavrov as saying that Russia “is interested in the sides [to the
conflict] arriving at mutually-acceptable solutions to settle the
Karabakh issue”. Speaking of resumption of rail traffic between Russia
and Armenia, Lavrov said: “We hope, in the context of a general
progress of our dialogue with Georgia, to resolve the problem of
resuming the rail traffic on the Sochi-Tbilisi route and this will
make it possible to remove Yerevan’s long-standing concerns.”

Russian RIA Novosti agency at 0926 gmt said Lavrov was planning to
visit Azerbaijan on 2 February to prepare for the Azerbaijani
president’s visit to Moscow. Lavrov did not “rule out” discussing the
Karabakh issue: “Over the past few months, following the meeting
between Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents in Astana and their
meeting with Putin, positive shifts have begun to make themselves
felt. I am saying this with cautious optimism,” the agency quoted
Lavrov as saying.

Speaking of relations with the Baltic states, Lavrov said: “We want
our relations with the Baltic states to be good-neighbourly and
mutually advantageous, based on universally-accepted norms and on the
obligations our countries have internationally. We are interested in
developing mutually advantageous cooperation and settling all
problems, including the signing of border treaties,” ITAR-TASS, 0953
gmt, quoted Lavrov as saying.

Turning to the issue of Kosovo, Lavrov was quoted by ITAR-TASS, 1047
gmt, as saying that “Undue haste in resolving the status of Kosovo may
lead to unpredictable consequences. Russia has repeatedly called for
the decisions concerning Kosovo to be implemented. The situation of
ethnic minorities in Kosovo is becoming worse. A dialogue with Kosovo
authorities, national minorities and Belgrade is needed. Russia
regards it as necessary to cooperate with the international tribunal,
but not everything should hinge on the arrest of this or that leader,”
TASS said, quoting Lavrov.

Lavrov said that Japanese foreign minister’s recent Moscow visit “has
been very useful”. ITAR-TASS at 0955 gmt quoted him as saying that the
date of Putin’s visit to Japan may be specified after the visit’s
agenda has been agreed. “We confirmed the necessity of developing
relations on the basis of the Russian-Japanese action plan adopted at
summit level. This document provides for broad cooperation in all
fields with a simultaneous tackling of problems connected with a peace
treaty. We have acquired a more realistic idea of going forward in
keeping with the plan that has been adopted,” the agency quoted Lavrov
as saying.

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Jan 18 2005

Armenia one of major spenders on military in CIS

Amidst the 7-9% increase of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in CIS
states in 2004, these countries’ military spending has increased 30%
on average.
Russian Marketing and Consulting news agency reports that the share
of 2005 designated military expenses of Armenia in the GDP grew 3.6%.

The same source said that the Upper Garabagh army is supported at
Armenia’s expense. This country’s military spending, including these
expenses, make up over 4% of the GDP, or $127 million. The figure
exceeds that of 2004 by 35%.
The news agency said that Azerbaijan has also earmarked more funds
for the military this year. Whereas the figure grew 12% and 20% in
2003 and 2004 respectively, the increase in 2005 made up 36%.
Azerbaijan allotted a total of $245 million from the state budget for
this year.
The same source said that Georgia increased its 2005 military
expenses 44% as compared to 2004. It said that the South Caucasus
countries are conducting new large-scale military exercises to
increase their defense capability. This implies that the Upper
Garabagh and Abkhazia conflicts may resume this year, the news agency
said.*

Armenian deputy agriculture minister loses post, agency says

Arminfo
15 Jan 05

YEREVAN

Under a decision of Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan, Ovsep
Kloyan has been relieved today of the post of deputy minister of
agriculture, the press service of the Armenian government has informed
Arminfo new agency.

[Passage omitted: biographical details]

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Jan 12 2005

BUSINESSMEN OF SAUDI ARABIA INTERESTED IN ECONOMY OF AZERBAIJAN
[January 12, 2005, 21:59:52]

As was informed to AzerTAj from embassy of Azerbaijan in the Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia, ambassador Elman Arasly has met Emir of province
Gasim of the Kingdom Faisal ibn Abdel Aziz al-Saud.

At the meeting, the Ambassador in detail informed emir Feisal on the
Republic, and also connections between Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia,
has declared, that the leadership of the country is going to expand
these links.

Emir Faisal has told about the successes achieved in the province
Gasim recently, has emphasized, that the management of Saudi Arabia
is interested in development of connections with Azerbaijan. During
conversation the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict has been mentioned, once
again marked, that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia supports fair position
of Azerbaijan in settlement of problem. Highly have been appreciated
the efforts made by Azerbaijan on peace settlement of the conflict.

Ambassador E. Arasly has expressed to Emir Faisal gratitude for the
care shown about Azerbaijan doctors working in the province.

The Ambassador has visited Commercial and Industrial Chamb

post-gazette.com

Eurasian threat / A distant region packs a dangerous potential

Monday, January 10, 2005

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Sixth in a series: A World in Focus

Defining Eurasia is no easy thing. It is the part of the world that lies
north of South Asia, east of Western Europe and west of East Asia. It
includes Russia and Iran as well as many smaller countries, some facing
complex issues. The countries have relatively little in common, and the
region does not approach problems as a region.

Russia is the giant, stretching from Western Europe to the Pacific Ocean. In
2004 it grew in strength economically, largely on the back of high prices in
the oil industry. Presidential elections gave President Vladimir V. Putin 72
percent of the vote, which he promptly used to increase his authority.
Problems for Russia came from Chechnya, where a recently elected president
was assassinated; anti-Russian Chechen militants also killed at least 335,
including many children, in a tragic incident at a school in Beslan.

Mr. Putin had his fur singed when the pro-Western candidate, Viktor
Yushchenko beat his favorite in the Ukrainian elections. Add that to the
European Union’s having tucked six former Soviet protectorates under its
wing in May, and 2004 became a not-so-great year for Russia and its leader.
Mr. Putin’s relationship with President Bush seems to be holding, but Russia
bears close watching.

It has scheduled joint military maneuvers with China for 2005, a new
development in their relations. To the degree that there is still a
three-cornered rivalry between the United States, Russia and China, Russia
may just have played its “China card.”

The drama with Iran in 2004 was over potential weapons applications of its
developing nuclear capacity. The Europeans are playing a constructive role
in seeking to bring Iran’s facilities under the supervision of the
International Atomic Energy Agency, to that body’s and America’s
satisfaction. In the meantime, Israel is threatening to attack Iran, as it
did Iraq in 1981, to erase or diminish the threat it perceives to itself
from Iran’s nuclear program. If it were to do so, it would set off the
mother of all wars in the region and there would be a high risk of the
United States being drawn into the conflict.

In the continuing push and pull between the conservative clerics and
cautiously-modernizing political elements in Iran, 2004 saw the
conservatives win parliamentary elections hands-down. Presidential elections
scheduled for June are likely to provide another setback for the reformers,
in spite of a general diminishing of conservative clerical influence in the
population as a whole.

Democracy is a delicate plant in much of Eurasia. In Georgia, disputed
results of presidential elections apparently marked by fraud were overturned
by demonstrators, putting a pro-Western president in office. Elections and a
referendum in Belarus were judged to fall far short of standards. Elections
held in Kazakhstan, single-party Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in 2004 were
not considered democratic either.

There will be more elections this year, in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan,
Azerbaijan and Moldova, all of which should be closely monitored by
international observers to try to make them as credible as possible.
Government control is either shaky or heavy-handed in all of these places,
making a credible electoral process difficult to achieve.

The United States has to be interested to a degree in all of these
countries, for different reasons. Some, such as Kazakhstan, have oil; some
border on Afghanistan; some present humanitarian issues. The Armenians and
Georgians have descendants in the United States, who lobby on their behalf.
Iran and Russia remain obvious concerns to Washington. What happens in
Eurasia may seem a faraway concern; it can’t be.

St. Louis Post Dispatch, MO
Jan 10 2005

Shamrig Marifian, 94; a survivor of genocide
By Kimberly Ratliff
Of the Post-Dispatch

Shamrig (Jamgochian) Marifian, a survivor of the Armenian genocide,
died Monday (Jan. 3, 2005) of natural causes at Memorial Hospital in
Belleville. She was 94.

Mrs. Marifian was born in Van, Armenia. At the age of 6, she and her
family had to flee because of the genocide conducted by the Turkish
government against the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire.

Mrs. Marifian and her two sisters survived the flight, but her
parents and two brothers died of starvation and illness.

Mrs. Marifian lived in orphanages before immigrating to the United
States in 1926.

Mrs. Marifian lived with cousins in the St. Louis area until she
married George Marifian, who was also from Van (now a part of
Turkey), in 1931. Over the years, she helped her husband, who owned
dry-cleaning establishments in East St. Louis and Belleville. When he
died in 1959, Mrs. Marifian and her son John continued to run the
business until it was sold in 1978.

In the mid-1950s, Mrs. Marifian was an active supporter in getting
the first Holy Shoghagat Armenian Church formed in East St. Louis.
The church has since moved to Swansea.

Among survivors are two sons, John Marifian of Downey, Calif., and
George E. Marifian of Belleville; two daughters, Amie Nersesian of
Belleville and Julia Matoesian of Edwardsville; 13 grandchildren; 12
great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

A funeral was Friday.

Memorials to Holy Virgin Mary and Shoghagat Armenian Church, 400
Huntwood Road, Swansea, Ill., 62226.

Jerusalem Post
January 9, 2005

News in Brief

Yeshiva students freed after priest attack

by Etgar Lefkovits, Janine Zacharia

Four yeshiva students who allegedly assaulted an Armenian Priest in
the Old City of Jerusalem were released on bail on Friday, police
said.

During a remand hearing at the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court, three of
the suspects were ordered to stay out of the Old City for 90 days.

Police said that they will issue indictments against all four
suspects, three of whom live outside the city. * Etgar Lefkovits

Protests allowed at civil servants’ homes

In a blow to police, the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court ruled Friday
that far-right activists may demonstrate outside the homes of
government workers under certain restrictions, police said.

The decision flies in the face of police requests to keep protesters
away from civil servants’ homes, in keeping with the instructions of
former attorney- general Elyakim Rubinstein.

In the ruling Friday, Judge Shimon Feinberg ordered two far-right
activists arrested Thursday during an illegal anti-disengagement
protest outside the Jerusalem home of the IDF chaplain released on
bail. * Etgar Lefkovits

Zoellick new deputy secretary of state

WASHINGTON – US President George W. Bush on Friday chose Robert
Zoellick, the US Trade Representative, to be deputy secretary of
state. Zoellick, who will replace Richard Armitage as the second
highest ranking US diplomat, will face Senate confirmation.

Zoellick, a long-time diplomat, has been for the past four years the
chief US official negotiating free trade agreements around the world,
including with Middle Eastern countries like Morocco. Zoellick’s
confirmation hearing should take place in the coming weeks.

National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, who Bush has nominated to
replace Colin Powell as Secretary of State, will face Senate
questioning on January 18.

Also on Friday, Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz, a leading
architect of the Iraq war, said he had been asked to remain in the
Bush administration. “I have been asked to stay and have accepted,”
Wolfowitz told Reuters through a spokesman. * Janine Zacharia

azcentral.com

Time traveler . . . business runners . . . capital idea

Jan. 8, 2005 12:00 AM

Capitalizing on a visit

Arizona will play a role in the spread of capitalism to former communist
lands when the state hosts two professors from Yerevan State Institute of
Economics in Armenia.

The instructors from the former Soviet territory will be here in late
February to learn about free markets and how economics is taught in Arizona.

“We have sent some of our teachers to Eastern Europe, including Lithuania,
Russia and the Czech Republic,” said Amy Willis, executive director of the
Arizona Council on Economic Education. “But this is the first time we’ve
hosted anyone.”

The council has planned a busy itinerary for the two professors, Tsinovar
Karapetyan and Arpenik Muradyan, who instruct other teachers about
economics. They will visit public schools, Arizona State University, the
state Department of Education, the state Capitol and Bank of America. They
also have voiced a special desire.

“They’ve requested to go to a mall,” Willis said.

Azeri parties ignore pressure group’s war plan – agency

MPA news agency
7 Jan 05

Baku, 7 January: “The political organizations have not responded to
the package of proposals by the Karabakh Liberation Organization (KLO)
to liberate the Azerbaijani territories from the Armenian occupation
militarily,” KLO chairman Akif Nagi has told MPA news agency.

“In most cases the political parties which received the package of
proposals did not pay attention to it. Some expressed their attitude
to the proposals through the media, diplomatically avoiding the main
issue,” Nagi said.

“The reason is that politicians, like the authorities, want the
international organizations to like them, which runs counter to
Azerbaijan’s national interests. Despite everything, the KLO plans to
present the package of proposals to the judgment of the public. Round
tables, conferences and other events have been scheduled,” Nagi said.