Author: Nadirian Emma

Pan Armenian News

AZERI FM ON KARABAKH CONFLICT: KALASHNIKOV GUN DOES NOT HELP TO SOLVE
PROBLEMS, IT AGGRAVATES THEM

15.04.2005 04:21

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ `I hope that we have a chance to achieve progress in the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, because the Prague process has
justified itself’, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov told
Russian journalists. `The agreements we have already achieved allowed the
co-ordination of the negotiation format. That is why we expect Russia – our
friend, partner and co-chair in the settlement process along with the US and
France – to intensify its efforts for the conflict settlement. Today it
becomes clear that if we look back to the past it will be difficult to think
of the future. I suppose it is comprehended in Moscow, Baku and I hope in
Yerevan as well’, the Minister said. `The modern world has changed but we as
if continue perceiving it from the standpoint of Yalta of 1945. Now the
challenges to the international community are quite different. States, the
members of the international community should take into account the idea of
integration and the new code of interaction in the international
relationships. The Kalashnikov gun cannot help to solve problems; it only
aggravates them. The method of drawing the state borders with a red pencil
has remained in the past’, Elmar Mamedyarov added.

AZG Armenian Daily #067, 15/04/2005

Economy

PRIVATIZED RAILROAD?

Projects of Privatization Discussed in Government

127 international and local organizations carried out benevolent and
humanitarian programs in Armenia last year, Simon Ter-Simonian, president of
Commission for Benevolent Programs’ Coordination at the RA government,
informed yesterday. Speaking of the Commission’s report of 2004 activities,
he noted that 29 countries imported to Armenia goods for more than 18
billion AMD. The USA still occupies the first place as the biggest supplier
of humanitarian aid. In particular, the United Armenian Fund of America
organized 5 flights to Armenia conveying 170 tones of goods assessing $14
million.

Karine Kirakosian, head of the Department of State Property Management,
submitted a report on privatization of state property in 2001-2003 to the
government yesterday. 63 companies, Kirakosian says, were privatized in this
period, 48 of which were privatized being sold and 15 went through contest.
The state budget received 2.7 billion AMD and $45 million. The
Copper-Molybdenum Plant of Zangezur was privatized through a contest for
$132 million, and the state budget received $45 million. It is envisaged
that the plant will get investments of $150-200 million in near future.

Concerning the privatization of Armenian railways, Karine Kirakosian said
that the issue is being discussed from September of 2004 and a special
commission has been set for that purpose. It is possible that by the end of
the current year the commission will take a decision on conditions of the
railway’s privatization. It was noted that the railway is operating
profitably. Kirakosian also said that the privatization program of 2006-2007
is being prepared and they specify the components to be privatized.

By Ara Martirosian

Journal of Turkish weekly
April 14 2005

British Parliament urged to disown Blue Book

The New Anatolian
14 April 2005

Ankara – In a letter signed by Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan and
opposition leader Deniz Baykal, Turkish National Parliament asks the
British Parliament to declare ‘The Blue Book’ invalid as a historical
document.

The Turkish Parliament has prepared a letter to be sent to British
Parliament urging it to disown a World War I era document called “The
Treatment of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, 1915-1916,” more
commonly known as “The Blue Book.”

The letter was first signed by ruling Justice and Development (AK)
Party leader and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and main
opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal at
Parliament. The six-page letter was then openedfor signing by all
lawmakers in Parliament.

`Considering that Great Britain’s Parliament decided to publish
Arnold Toynbee’s work as a reference book in 1916, we kindly request
that the British Parliament shed light on a significant part of our
joint history by declaring The Blue Book invalid and unfounded as a
historical document,’ the letter says.

The letter stresses that the book was part of a campaign carried out
to urge the U.S. to join World War I. It emphasized that the Ministry
of Information (Wellington House) prepared two important reports
called `German brutality’ and `Turkish brutality’ as part of this
campaign. The letter refers to the late Foreign Minister Austin
Chamberlain, who said that the report about the Germans was just
unfounded war propaganda in a speech to the House of Lords in 1925.
It also says that Arnold Toynbee, one of the authors of the book,
admitted that the book was war propaganda.

Some 150 people told their stories in the book and the letter goes on
to say that 59 of them were later found out to have been
missionaries, 52 were Armenian activists while seven were Armenian
Tashnak rebels. The remaining 32 names cited in the book were
fictitious or the same people already mentioned in the book.

`The Blue Book was an extremely successful piece of propaganda by
Britain during the war but it’s not a trustworthy historical source
about the Ottoman Armenians revolt and the measures taken by the
Ottoman state against this revolt,’ the letter says. “The book
doesn’t mention the Armenian gangs which joined forces with the
Russians against the Ottoman armies; killing of Ottoman state
officials; cutting of communication lines; attempts to invade Ottoman
cities; massacre of Turks in Van; and exile of over 1 million Muslims
from their land by Russians and Armenians.”

Turkish Press
April 14 2005

Press Review

PARLIAMENT DEBATES ARMENIAN ALLEGATIONS

/Turkiye/.. Parliamentarians yesterday debated motions submitted by
both the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and main
opposition Republican People’s Party CHP) on the Armenian issue.
Addressing the General Assembly, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said
that this year there were a number of activities against Turkey to
mark the 90th anniversary of the so-called Armenian genocide. `This
organized campaign is based upon prejudice, falsehoods and
accusations,’ said Gul. He also warned countries who blame Turkey
that their stance would damage bilateral relations. Afterwards,
deputies agreed to join forces to pursue a more active policy on the
issue. In addition, it was decided to send a letter signed by all
deputies, including AKP leader and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan and CHP leader Deniz Baykal, to the British Parliament
concerning the Armenian allegations. /Turkiye/

Turkish association urges USA, EU to reject Armenian genocide claims

Anatolia news agency, Ankara
13 Apr 05

Van, 13 April: Ikram Kali, chairman of the Association of the Families
of Turkish Victims of Armenian Massacre During World War I, has sent
letters to the ambassadors of the United States and several European
nations stating that the allegations of Armenians about so-called
Armenian genocide are total fabrication.

“The Armenians are crushing the fundamental values of democracy,
namely speaking the truth. The pressure on the Turks, to accept claims
of a genocide, is unethical and immoral. What the Armenians and their
friends are doing is nothing but pure slander that can have
devastating legal results globally for them. The radical Armenian
circles are trying to carry their allegations to the parliaments of
the United States and European nations. By claiming that there was a
genocide, these Armenian circles are attempting to have economic and
political benefits,” told Kali.

Kali stressed that his association has sent letters to US President
George Bush, France, Sweden, Switzerland, Netherlands, Germany,
Denmark, Argentina, Canada, Poland, Slovakia and Austria.

The association’s letter read, “In the recent years, some States that
Turkey regards as allies have passed resolutions commenting on the
incidents that took place 90 years ago. By asserting that a genocide
took place on 24 April, the Turks globally are facing a pure slander
arising from Armenians and their friends. The decisions of ‘allies’
hurt Turks globally and are causing disappointment and anger in Turks’
minds and hearts. All resolutions supporting Armenian lies and
fabrications have political motives behind them”.

According to Ikram Kali, the attention given to the so-called Armenian
genocide should also be given to the Turkish victims of Armenian gangs
and organizations. “Residents of eastern Van city of Turkey who were
butchered by Armenians deserve global respect. The Turkish nation has
lost millions of its citizens while trying to protect its land and
soil. We are ready to make the same sacrifice at the right time at all
costs”.

Pan Armenian News

CULTURAL GENOCIDE PHOTO EXHIBITION OPENED IN YEREVAN

13.04.2005 03:05

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On the initiative of the YSU students’ council and the
youth wing of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun, a photo exhibition entitled Cultural
Genocide was opened. As member of the youth wing of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun
Tadevos Chartian said, cultural values of Western Armenia, which underwent
grave changes after numerous wars, are presented on the photos. The pictures
recount the destroyed temples, strongholds in the historical Armenian towns
of Van, Kars, Bagrevan and Mush. `Cultural Genocide is an extremely
dangerous phenomenon as it leads to the extinction of a whole history and
national culture. We, the young people of Armenia, should know and convey
the cultural values of the past from generation to generation’, Tadevos
Chartian noted. The photos have been presented by RAA, the organization for
studying the Armenian architecture. The exhibition will also be held in the
regions of Armenia and many of the Yerevan institutes of higher education.

Russian aluminium giant to upgrade Armenian foil plant

Mediamax
11 Apr 05

YEREVAN

With the aim of financing the upgrading of the Armenal foil plant, the
Rusal [Russian Aluminium] company has acquired an export credit of
46.6m euros from the German bank Bayerische Landesbank (BayernLB) with
guarantees from the German export credit agency Euler Hermes.

The loan, extended in two parts, will fully cover capital equipment
costs and service fees which are needed to implement the modernization
programme, the press service of Rusal told Mediamax today.

Rusal signed an agreement in October in 2004 with the German-based
Achenbach company to commence Armenal’s modernization, aimed at
creating a full cycle production system and extending the plant’s
product assortment. The cost of the modernization programme totals 70m
dollars.

The first stage of the modernization project is expected to be
completed in the autumn of 2005. As a result, the modernized plant’s
production capacity will reach 25,000 tonnes of foil annually.

Armenal has been founded in 2000 on the basis of the Kanaker foil
plant as a joint venture of Rusal and the Armenian government. The
plant belongs fully to Rusal beginning from January 2003.

US defence secretary meets Azeri ministers at Baku airport

Turan news agency
12 Apr 05

BAKU

US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld arrived in Baku from Baghdad at
around 1900 [1400 gmt] today. Rumsfeld is conducting talks with
Defence Minister Safar Abiyev and Prime Minister Artur Rasizada right
at the airport. The sides are discussing the further deepening of
bilateral military cooperation.

It is expected that after 2100 [1600 gmt], Rumsfeld will leave Baku
for Pakistan. The Pentagon chief may have a meeting in Islamabad with
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev who is paying an official visit to
Pakistan.

Azerbaijan News Service
April 11 2005

AZERBAIJAN AMONG COUNTRIES WHERE CONFLICT DETORIATION OBSERVED
2005-04-11 11:51

Due to tensed situation on front line caused by regular breach of
ceasefire by Armenian military forces, International Crisis Group
included Azerbaijan into the list of countries with detoriated
conflict situation. According to the information, the organization
that observes conflicts worldwide and conducts media monitoring
referred to mass media of Azerbaijan on information about cease-fire.
Pakistan, Lebanon and Taiwan were also included into the list of
countries where conflict detoriation was observed in March. The
experts underlinded existence of unstablie situation and probability
of future unrest in Qirgizistan. International Crisis Watch reports
serious changes did not take place in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan,
Kashmir, as well as in Kashmir.

Baku Today
April 12 2005

Azerbaijan among countries with tense conflicts, says report

12/04/2005 18:37

The International Crisis Group, engaged in observing conflicts and
conducting monitoring in the media around the world, has included
Azerbaijan in the list of countries with complicated conflicts due to
frequent ceasefire breaches by Armenia on the frontline over the past
few months.

The monthly report refers to Azerbaijan’s press reports on frequent
ceasefire violations.

Armenian military units breached ceasefire 48 times over the past
month, which is a record high since 1994 when an agreement on
ceasefire was signed.

Conflicts in Pakistan, Libya and Taiwan became complicated in March.
The situation in Kyrgyzstan is stabilizing, according to the
organization’s experts.
The report suggests that no major changes have taken place in Iraq,
Iran, Afghanistan, Kashmir and Kosovo.