Author: Nahapetian Boris

Baku Today, Azerbaijan
July 23 2004

Cease-fire Breached Again, Defense Ministry Says

Armenian troops breached the 1994 cease-fire agreement by firing at
Azerbaijan’s army positions along the north section of the frontline
on July 21, press office of the Ministry of Defense said.

According to the press office, Armenian troops located in Berkaber
village of this country’s Icevan District shot at the Azeri positions
in Qizilhacili village of the northwestern Qazakh District for about
an hour.

Azerbaijani troops retaliated Armenians and there are no casualties
on the Azeri side, the press office added.

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07/20/2004
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1. Turkish EU Entry Poses Nagging Problem for Chirac
2. State Department Says Schiff Amendment Should Not Become Law
3. NATO Exercises in Baltic Sates   
4. Georgia Threatens to Drop South Ossetia Peace Deal
5. NEWS BRIEFS

1. Turkish EU Entry Poses Nagging Problem for Chirac

PARIS (FT/Reuters)–The three-day visit of Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan to Paris has drawn attention to an unusual alignment of the planets in
the French political environment.
Jacques Chirac, the French president and an outspoken advocate of Turkish
membership of the EU, is out of sync not just with a majority of voters, but
with much of the country’s political establishment, including his own
center-right UMP party.
After a working lunch on Tuesday with Erdogan, the Elysée said Chirac had
reiterated his position that Turkish entry into the EU was “desirable.” The
president has warned that the road to membership may be 10-15 years long, but
has made little attempt to mask what he declares to be his “conviction about
Turkey’s European vocation” in domestic self-interest.
“It is an extremely unusual position for President Chirac to find himself in
and is seriously explosive,” said Eddy Fougier, a research fellow at the
French
Institute for International Relations.
“The last few elections have shown that French voters are already angry that
their concerns are not being taken into account. If the government presses
ahead with Turkish membership, it could be very problematic.”
The only parties offering qualified support to Turkey are the Socialists and
the Greens.
The opposition Socialists support Turkish membership in principle, but party
chief François Hollande has linked the start of entry talks to Ankara’s
recognition of the 1915 genocide of Armenians by Ottoman forces.
France is home to a significant Armenian population. Pro-Armenian groups were
to demonstrate in Paris later on Tuesday against Erdogan’s three-day visit.
It is on the right of the spectrum that Turkish membership poses the greatest
concern. The UMP governing majority in April came out categorically against
starting negotiations, with Alain Juppé, Chirac’s closest ally and outgoing
chairman, warning that Turkish membership would “fundamentally change the
nature of the EU.”
For the moment the differences between the president and his party are being
brushed aside, with Juppé simply saying: “Lui, c’est lui. Moi, c’est moi,” (He
has his opinions, I have mine), but that defense may be hard to sustain.
The real test of Chirac’s convictions, however, will come in December when EU
leaders decide whether to open membership talks with Ankara, a candidate since
1999.
The timing could not be more awkward for the French government. Turkey is
likely to loom large over the newly pledged referendum on the European
constitution, slated to be held late next year. The last 20 polls in France,
the EU country most hostile to enlargement, show around 60 per cent
consistently opposing Turkish membership. “People are extremely interested in
the question and know what they think,” Fougier said.
“They worry about Islam and fear immigration. They have not warmed to
enlargement since May 1 and show every sign of rejecting Turkey too.”
One senior UK diplomat says he has little doubt that President Chirac will
stick to his support for Turkish membership. “France will not block the
opening
of membership negotiations with Turkey when the council meets in December, but
will probably want to delay starting talks until after it has held its
referendum on the constitution in the second half of next year,” he said.

2. State Department Says Schiff Amendment Should Not Become Law

WASHINGTON, DC (Combined Sources)–US State Department Spokesman Richard
Boucher announced last week that the US Administration “strongly opposes” the
Schiff Amendment which passed the House last Thursday, and was added to the
fiscal year 2005 foreign aid bill that later passed by a vote of 365 to 41.
Rep. Adam Schiff’s amendment would deny Turkey the use of US foreign aid money
to lobby against the Armenian genocide resolution.
“It should not become law,” the State Department statement said, describing
the
amendment as detrimental to “reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia in
pursuit of regional peace and economic cooperation,” goals it referred to as
being pursued by Turkey and Armenia “through direct meetings.”
“Turkey, our key NATO ally, and Armenia, our close friend, are partners in the
Global War on Terror and in advancing democracy, prosperity and stability in
the Caucasus. Our goal is to bolster cooperation between these two countries
rather than to separate them.”
The statement welcomed House Leadership’s (Speaker Hastert, Majority Leader
DeLay and Majority Whip Blunt) strong opposition to the amendment and their
commitment to crushing it in conference.
“We welcome the Leadership’s recognition of the important relationship with
our
reliable ally and friend Turkey and of the need for continued close economic
and security relations between our countries,” the statement says in closing.
In their statement issued immediately after the passage of the Schiff
Amendment, the House Leadership announced they would not schedule the Genocide
Resolution (HR 193) during the remainder of this Congress. “Our relationship
with Turkey is too important to us to allow it to be in any way damaged by a
poorly crafted and ultimately meaningless amendment.”
The foreign aid bill discuss its version of bill, Senate version compared to
House version,
In the upcoming weeks the Senate will begin consideration of its version of
the
2005 foreign aid bill; following its adoption on the Senate floor, House and
Senate appropriators will convene a conference to iron out differences between
the House and Senate versions of the bill.

3. NATO Exercises in Baltic Sates   

(Big News Network.com)–NATO has launched massive exercises with former Soviet
republics in the Baltic states.
The joint international military exercises called Rescuer/Medcuer-2004, have
begun in Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, under the NATO Partnership for Peace
Program.
Forces from the former Soviet republics of Armenia, Georgia, Ukraine, Estonia,
Latvia and Lithuania are participating in the exercises, along with troops
from
the former Soviet satellite nations of
Bulgaria, Poland, Croatia and Romania alongside US forces, reported the
Ukrainian Defense Ministry press service.
The servicemen will train on cleaning up the aftermath of natural disasters,
and preventing terrorist acts in the Baltic states, according to Interfax.
They
are also developing cooperation between military and civilian agencies in the
prevention of human and natural disasters.
The drill script includes providing medical and humanitarian aid to large
groups of people, deploying a peacekeeping force, and setting up sea-based and
coastal hospitals.
Divers will train on exposing terrorist groups and de-mining sea areas and
hydro-technical facilities.
The exercises will conclude on July 30.

4. Georgia Threatens to Drop South Ossetia Peace Deal

TBILISI (Reuters)–Georgia’s President Mikhail Saakashvili threatened on
Tuesday to abandon a deal that has kept the peace for a decade in one of two
Georgian regions lost to separatists.
Leaders in South Ossetia, immediately responded by saying such a move could
lead to a new war.
Saakashvili questioned a 1992 accord that sent peacekeepers to South Ossetia,
where tension has risen between Georgian authorities and separatist leaders
who
want to join Russia. Georgia and Russia accuse each other of undermining the
deal.
The president criticized provisions of the agreement, signed by his
predecessor
Eduard Shevardnadze, banning the Georgian flag from areas patrolled by
peacekeepers.
“I heard recently, and one of the Russian peacekeepers confirmed this, that in
the center of Kartli (in South Ossetia) raising the Georgian flag is
considered
illegal,” Saakashvili said.
“If the previous Georgian authorities, representatives of Shevardnadze’s
regime, signed such agreements then we intend to withdraw from them and
denounce these documents.”
Since leading a bloodless revolution to oust Shevardnadze and winning election
in January, Saakashvili has made restoring central authority over all Georgian
territory a policy priority.
The president was speaking on Tuesday to the newly elected local assembly in
Ajaria, a Georgian region on the Black Sea where he forced local leader
Abashidze from office in May.
Saakashvili hopes to capitalize on that to bring mountainous South Ossetia and
Abkhazia, another Black Sea region, back under central control.
But that is proving more difficult as, unlike Ajaria, both areas have formally
declared independence and are populated mostly by non-Georgians.
Eduard Kokoity, the leader of unrecognized South Ossetia, said Saakashvili’s
comments “could lead to a new war.
“It is thanks to this very agreement that conflict was halted in 1992,” he
told
Russia’s Itar-Tass news agency.
Russia counseled caution.
“All these years, the agreements reached around the Georgian-Ossetian conflict
have upheld stability,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko said in
Moscow.
“There are no other mechanisms. Clearly, it would be improper to abandon
them.”

The 1992 agreement set up a peacekeeping force with troops from Russia,
Georgia
and South Ossetia itself.
But the accord has looked shaky in recent weeks, as Georgia has accused
Russian
peacekeepers of siding with separatists and trying to arm them, while Moscow
has accused Georgia of trying to trigger a military confrontation in South
Ossetia.
Representatives of the three sides met in Moscow last week for talks, which
ended with little progress.
This week, Saakashvili briefly visited by night, a region adjoining South
Ossetia– a move criticized by Russia as unhelpful in trying to firm up
peace.
Earlier this month, he told military graduates that Georgia wanted peace, but
in the event of outside aggression, “we will meet it with aggression. Great
battles await Georgia.”

5. NEWS BRIEFS

Putin Calls on Security Council to Save CIS From Collapse

MOSCOW (RFE-RL)During a July 19 Security Council session devoted to Russia’s
policy on the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Russian president
Vladimir Putin stated, “we are faced with an alternative: either we achieve a
qualitative strengthening of the CISor this structure will be washed away from
the geopolitical space,” ITAR-TASS reported.
“We should not let that happen, and Russia’s role in boosting the influence
and
the authority of the CIS is very great,” Putin said. He added that Russia
faces
the challenge posed by increasing “political and economic competition within
the CIS space.”
Putin described the work of the Russian diplomatic corps and economic missions
working in the CIS as inefficient and inadequate. He called for Russia to
develop a coordinated and consistent policy on the CIS, adding that the
Foreign
Ministry should actively work to protect the rights of ethnic Russians living
in the CIS.
Security Council Secretary Igor Ivanov announced after the meeting that the
council decided at the session to set up a special committee to boost
cooperation among the CIS states. The council also directed the Foreign
Ministry to set up Russian information and cultural centers in CIS states.

Karabagh Hands Over Azeri Prisoner

STEPANAKERT (ARMENPRESS)Authorities of the Mountainous Karabagh Republic said
Monday that they have handed over an Azeri soldier that had been detained when
he crossed a cease-fire line last month. The hand-over of the 19-year-old
serviceman, detained on June 30, took place after consultations with
representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Yerevan Mayor Favor Appointment of Future Mayors

YEREVAN (ARMENPRESS)Current Yerevan mayor Yervand Zakharian stated that he is
in favor of converting the mayoral post from an elected position to an
appointed post. He believes that such a move would be appropriate, because one
third of the country’s population lives within the city. Zakharian noted that
one of the disadvantages of having an elected mayor is the disagreements that
may rise between state authorities and the city head.

Georgian Foreign Minister to Visit Armenia

YEREVAN (ARMENPRESS)Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zurabishvili will pay an
official visit to Armenia for the first time on July 21-22. According to
Foreign Ministry Press Services, she will have meetings with president
Kocharian, National Assembly speaker Arthur Baghdasarian, Prime Minister
Andranik Margarian and Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian. During her trip, the
foreign minister will visit the Armenian Genocide monument, Etchmiadzin and
Sergey Parajanov museum.

Kotayk Head Commends President for Vacationing Habits

YEREVAN (ARMENPRESS) Kotayk Provincial Governor, Kovalenko Shahgeldian, told a
news conference on Tuesday that he commends president Kocharian for spending
both his summer and winter vacations within the province, rather than
traveling
abroad. The president spends his summer vacations at Lake Sevan and the winter
holidays in the resort town of Dzaghgadzor.
The governor added that the visits have positive impacts on provincial
authorities “as we have to work more accurately, and, in addition, I am given
an opportunity to discuss some pressing problems with the president in an
unofficial atmosphere.”
Citing president Kocharian, the governor said that the anticipated funds from
the Lincy Foundation will be used to improve the infrastructure of the region
and promote cultural activity amongst its residents. Shahgeldian also noted
that significant changes will be made to the region’s athletic facilities.

Kocharian and Ryazanov Discuss Pipeline to Iran

YEREVAN (ARMENPRESS)Armenian President Robert Kocharian and deputy chairman of
the board of the Russian company Gazprom, Alexander Ryazanov, discussed the
construction of a gas pipeline from Iran to Armenia in Yerevan on July 19. The
sides also evaluated the work of ArmRosgazprom. 45 percent of the company is
controlled by Gazprom.

Shooter Norayr Bakhtamian Set 6 Records in Belarus

YEREVAN (ARMENPRESS)Norayr Bakhtamian was among rifle shooters from 5
countries
participating in an open competition in Belarus. He set 2 records in the host
country. Garnering 575 points in the 50m competitions, Bakhtamian also
surpassed the record of Gyumri’s Yuri Sahakian, by three points. Overjoyed
with
his performance, Bakhtamian’s coach said that he is confident that the shooter
will make a similar showing during the upcoming Olympics.

Thailand Parliamentary Delegation to Visit Armenia

YEREVAN (ARMENPRESS)A Thailand-Armenia parliamentary friendship group, headed
by Senator Sanit Kulcharoen, will pay a visit to Armenia on July 21. According
to Parliament Press Services, the delegation will meet Armenian National
Assembly chairman Arthur Baghdasarian, Armenia-Thailand parliamentary
friendship group members, Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian, Minister of Trade
and Economic Development Karen Chshmaritian and Yerevan Mayor Yervand
Zakharian. The trip will end on July 27.

Lake Sevan is 1897 Meters above Sea Level

GAVAR (ARMENPRESS)According to Sevan Observatory sources, Lake Sevan is
currently situated 1897.95 meters above the sea level. Last year, the level
was
half a meter lower. The observatory also reported that 35 million cubic meters
of water from Sevan was used for irrigation purposes between June 24 and July
20.

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ARKA News Agency
July 20 2004

RA President and Ambassador of Finland discuss opportunities of
expanding of Armenian-Finnish relations

RA Prime Minister receives German Ambassador to RA on the occasion of
completion of his diplomatic mission

Newly Appointed Ambassador of Philippines to Armenia hands
credentials to RA President

A delegation of the Representatives house of Thailand Parliament to
arrive in Armenia on July 21-27

*********************************************************************

RA PRESIDENT AND AMBASSADOR OF FINLAND DISCUSS OPPORTUNITIES OF
EXPANDING OF ARMENIAN-FINNISH RELATIONS

YEREVAN, July 20. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharian and the
Ambassador of Finland to Armenia Timo Lahelma discussed opportunities
of expanding of Armenian-Finnish relations, President’s press office
told ARKA. Kocharian noted the importance of creation of
corresponding legal-agreement field for activation of business links
between the countries. Press release noted that Lahelma finishes his
diplomatic mission in Armenia. L.D. –0–

*********************************************************************

RA PRIME MINISTER RECEIVES GERMAN AMBASSADOR TO RA ON THE OCCASION OF
COMPLETION OF HIS DIPLOMATIC MISSION

YEREVAN, July 20. /ARKA/. RA Prime Minister Andranik Margarian
received German Ambassador to RA Hans Wolf Bartels on the occasion of
completion of his diplomatic mission, RA Government press office told
ARKA. During the meeting Margarian highly estimated the activity of
Bartels in Armenia and his contribution in development of
Armenian-German political and economic relations. He noted the
necessity of future deepening of cooperation between Armenia and
Germany.
Bartels in his turn noted with satisfaction fruitful visit of
Margarian in Germany for participation in Armenian-Germany conference
on economic cooperation in June 2004 and expressed hope that it will
become an additional stimulus in development of economic links
between the countries. L.D. –0–

*********************************************************************

NEWLY APPOINTED AMBASSADOR OF PHILIPPINES TO ARMENIA HANDS
CREDENTIALS TO RA PRESIDENT

YEREVAN, July 20. /ARKA/. Newly Appointed Ambassador of Philippines
to Armenia Ernesto Villiarica Lliamas (residence in Moscow) handed
credentials to RA President Robert Kocharian, President’s press
office told ARKA. During the meeting the parties discussed
perspectives of development of bilateral cooperation. At this they
noted that cooperation between the countries has big potential, which
is not used effectively yet. The parties expressed readiness to take
necessary steps for realization of mutually beneficial programs in
the sphere of economy. L.D. –0–

*********************************************************************

A DELEGATION OF THE REPRESENTATIVES HOUSE OF THAILAND PARLIAMENT TO
ARRIVE IN ARMENIA ON JULY 21-27

YEREVAN, July 20. /ARKA/. A delegation of friendship group of
Thailand-Armenia House of Representatives of the Parliament of
Thailand will visit Armenia on July 21-27 headed by the Senator Sanit
Kulcharoen. As ARKA was informed in the RA NA Public Relations
Department, the representatives of the delegation will meet the RA NA
Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan, the members of Armenia-Thailand
Parliamentary Friendship Group of RA NA, the RA Ministers of Foreign
Affairs, and Trade and Economic Development Vartan Oskanian and Karen
Chshmarityan, and the Mayor of Yerevan Yervand Zakharyan.
As it is mentioned in the press release, on July 22 in
Tsitsernakaberd the delegation from Thailand will place wreaths on
the memorial of victims of the Armenian Genocide of 1915. A.A.-0 –

Albany Business Review, NY
July 15 2004

Priest fined on IRS charge for Troy church embezzlement

The former pastor who embezzled from a Troy church was fined $20,000
and sentenced to six months home detention after pleading guilty to a
federal income tax charge.

The Rev. Megerdich Megerdichian, 48, now of Cranston, R.I.,
previously repaid the Troy Holy Cross Armenian Apostolic Church the
thousands of dollars in church funds he converted to his own use
between 1995 and 1997. He left the church in 1998.

Megerdichian paid the federal Internal Revenue Service $10,293 in
back taxes and penalties. He also was sentenced to three years
probation after entering a guilty plea before U.S. District Judge
Lawrence Kahn in Albany. Steven Tyrrell, assistant U.S. attorney,
prosecuted the case.

Cihan News
July 14 2004

Mutafyan Visits Kadir Topbas

ISTANBUL (CIHAN) – Turkish Armenian Patriarch Mesrob Mutafyan visited
the mayor of the metropolitan municipality of Istanbul, Kadir Topbas.
In the meeting which lasted for half an hour, Mutafyan presented
Topbas with a book about the cultural development of Istanbul.

The Patriarch declared that the largest minority in Turkey is the
Armenian community. Mutafyan stated: “The Armenian community has been
a part of Istanbul since the 4th century. It has contributed to the
culture, social life and art of Istanbul.” Topbas thanked the
patriarch by presenting him with a ceramic plate.

ARKA News Agency
July 14 2004

There can be any new variants of Karabakh conflict settlement – Yuri
Merzlyakov

RA Regular Representative to CE appointed the Chairman of group of
reporters on education, culture, sport, youth and ecology affairs of
CE Ministers Committee

New Iranian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Armenia
gives credentials to RA President

RA NA Speaker receives the German Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary to Armenia on the occasion of the completion of his
diplomatic mission

NKR President meets with OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen

RA President and his spouse visit French Embassy in Yerevan on
occasion of National Day of France

*********************************************************************

THERE CAN BE ANY NEW VARIANTS OF KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT – YURI
MERZLYAKOV

YEREVAN, July 14. /ARKA/. There can be any new variants of Karabakh
conflict settlement, OSCE MG Co-Chairman Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia)
stated today in Yerevan. According to him, negotiations are held for
a long time and during this period all possible approaches and
variants were considered and `today all of them can be counted on the
fingers of one hand’. `Everything proceeds just as earlier, but today
we have new situation, new conditions’, Merzlyakov said. He also said
that negotiations have confidential character and represent
consultations that develop the agenda.
At this Maerzlyakov aid that during negotiations the parties did not
discuss withdrawal of Armenian forces from concrete Azeri territories
as it is represented by Azeri mass media. L.D. –0–

*********************************************************************

RA REGULAR REPRESENTATIVE TO CE APPOINTED THE CHAIRMAN OF GROUP OF
REPORTERS ON EDUCATION, CULTURE, SPORT, YOUTH AND ECOLOGY AFFAIRS OF
CE MINISTERS COMMITTEE

YEREVAN, July 14. /ARKA/. On July 13, CE Ministers Committee
appointed RA Regular Representative to CE Christian Ter-Stepanian the
chairman of group of reporters on education, culture, sport, youth
and ecology affairs of CE Ministers Committee, RA MFA told ARKA.
Armenian representative will replace representative of France on this
position. Activities dedicated to 50th anniversary of European
culture convention will start since December 2004 and will last
throughout 2005. Besides, 2005 is declared a European Year of
Citizenship by Means of Education. RA MFA statement says that new
appointment is also important because it took place several months
ahead of scheduled 3rd summit of CE States’ heads on May 2005.
CE Ministers Committee acts through several reporters and working
groups. L.D. –0–

*********************************************************************

NEW IRANIAN AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY AND PLENIPOTENTIARY TO ARMENIA
GIVES CREDENTIALS TO RA PRESIDENT

YEREVAN, July 14. /ARKA/. New Iranian Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary to Armenia Ali Resa Hakikyan gave credentials to RA
President Robert Kocharian in Yerevan. According to RA President’s
Press Service Department, the Ambassador said that the official
Teheran highly appreciates the attention of the President to Armenia
and the development of bilateral relations between Iran and Armenia.
Kocharian congratulated the Ambassador on his appointment. The
President appreciated the present level of Armenian-Iran relations
and was for their continuation. According to Kocharian, together with
active political contacts Armenian-Iran economic co-operation
acquired new quality, including the development of infrastructures.
There are some important programs on the stage of realization, as
President said.
The parties noted that the coming official visit of the President of
Iran Mohammad Khatami to Armenia will become a serious impulse for
the further strengthening of bilateral relations. Also the last
events in the region were discussed and the issues of Karabakh
conflict settlement. The parties estimated Armenian-Iran relations as
an important factor to ensure peace in the region. A.H. -0–

*********************************************************************

RA NA SPEAKER RECEIVES THE GERMAN AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY AND
PLENIPOTENTIARY TO ARMENIA ON THE OCCASION OF THE COMPLETION OF HIS
DIPLOMATIC MISSION

YEREVAN, July 14. /ARKA/. RA NA Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan received
German Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Armenia
Hans-Wulf Bartels on the occasion of the completion of his diplomatic
mission. According to RA NA Press Service and Public Relations
Department, Bahgdasaryan wished Hans-Wulf Bartels luck in his new
work, noting the great input of the Ambassador in the development of
the German Armenian relations. Bartels by attaching inportance to the
economic development of Armenia noted that Germany is ready to
continue to support development programs in Armenia. He spoke about
the achievement of the country in the policy of Euro integration, and
emphasized the importance of peaceful settlement of the conflict and
development of democracy in Armenia. Bartels assured that the new
Ambassador will contribute to the development of intergovernmental
and interparliamentary relations as well. A.H. – 0–

*********************************************************************

NKR PRESIDENT MEETS WITH OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRMEN

YEREVAN, July 14. /ARKA/. NKR President Arkadi Ghukasyan met with the
Chairmen of OSCE Minks Group on Nagorno Karabakh which arrived in
Nagrono Karabakh on the eve. As NKR President Information Department
told ARKA, during the meeting with yuri Mrzlyakov (Russia), Steven
Mann (USA) and Henry Jacolin (USA) Ghukasyan confirmed the position
of Officail Stepanakert around the main principles of the settlement
of the Nagornio Karabakh conflict, mentioning once more that without
participation of Karabakh side on parity level the final settlement
of the conflict is practically impossible. As it is mentioned in the
press release, the most of the negotiations was held behind the
closed doors.
The Co-Chairmen also met with the representatives of NGOs of Nagorno
Karabakh. Today Yuri Merzlyakov, Steven Mann and Henry Jacolin left
Stepenakert. T.M. -0–

*********************************************************************

RA PRESIDENT AND HIS SPOUSE VISIT FRENCH EMBASSY IN YEREVAN ON
OCCASION OF NATIONAL DAY OF FRANCE

YEREVAN, 14 July. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharian and his
spouse visited the French Embassy in RA on occasion of the National
holiday of France – the storming of the Bastille. As RA President
Press Service told ARKA, Kocharian congratulated the employees of the
Embassy and expressed a confidence that the friendly relations
between two countries will continue developing successfully. T.M.
-0–

Byron festival finale

Hucknall Today
16 July 2004

HAILED as a symbol of faith and hope, an Armenian stone cross has been
put up on an outside wall of Hucknall Parish Church tower.

The cross, known as a khachkar, was dedicated on Sunday as a climax to
the seventh International Byron Festival.

It marks a friendship agreement between Hucknall’s Holgate
Comprehensive School and the Lord Byron School in Armenia.

The ceremony ensured that the ten-day festiival finished on a high
note after a series of disappointments.

No fewer than six of the 33 scheduled events proved non-starters for
various reasons.

Co-organiser Maureen Crisp said it was a big setback that those
festival mainstays, actor Ian Frost and playwright Bill Studdiford,
could not take part this year because Bill suffered a freak accident.

“But the second weekend of the festival, which involved Armenian
visitors, was an important feature and I am pleased that it went
extremely well,” said Maureen.

The khachkar was formerly in the quadrangle at Holgate School but was
broken into two by vandals.

The ceremony was in memory of former Hucknall rector Canon Fred Green,
who wanted the act of damage to be seen as a strengthening of faith.

Special guests at the service included the Armenian Ambassador to
Britain, Dr Vahe Gabrielian, and the High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire,
Henry Machin.

The khachkar was given to Holgate as a symbol of gratitude for the
support Britain gave to Armenia after a devastating earthquake in
1988, particularly the building of the Lord Byron School in Gumryi.

It was vandalised four years ago – possibly by football hooligans who
might have mistaken Armenia for Albania at the time of the Euro 2000
tournament.

But it has now been replaced at Holgate by another khachkar made by
the same stonemason in Armenia.

Holgate deputy head teacher Tina Brace said Armenia had a tragic past
and, in the last two decades, it had been ravaged by the earthquake,
war and economic collapse.

“But these setbacks have not crushed the spirit of the people, who
remain determined to overcome their difficulties,” she added.

Lillit Hovsepian, who was formerly a schoolteacher in Gumryi and now
lives in Moscow, also spoke at the service.

Tears filled her eyes as she recalled the death and devastation
wrought by the earthquake.

Before the Lord Byron School was built, pupils were having to be
taught in a tent with just a stove to keep them warm in freezing
winter weather.

The new school is so popular that, although it was built to cater for
400 pupils, it is teaching 1,400 children in three shifts from 8.30 am
to 6.30 pm from Mondays to Saturdays.

it was a “wonderful occasion” when Margaret Thatcher visited Armenia
to open the new school, said Lillit. She added: “The link with Holgate
has made us realise we are not alone in the world.”

During the service, which was conducted by rector the Rev Linda
Church, Shakeh Avanessian danced a Gumryi prayer and Haikuhy
Harutyunyan, of the Lord Byron School, sang the Lord’s Prayer in
Armenian.

The Holgate wind ensemble also took part and there were readings from
Newstead Abbey Byron Society chairman Ken Purslow and society member
PamelaLewis.

Wreaths were laid at Byron’s tomb by the Armenian Ambassador, the High
Sheriff, Shakeh, Haikuhy, Notts County Council chairman Coun Nellie
Smedley(Lab), Ashfield District Council chairman Coun May Barsby
(Lab),representatives of Holgate and Lord Byron schools, and Maureen
Crisp on behalf of the International Byron Society. There was also a
candle-lighting ceremony.

New name for community centre

HUCKNALL Community Centre – described as “the heartbeat of the town”
for nearly a century – has been given a new name.

A ceremony to rename the Ogle Street building as the Lovelace Centre
was the final event of the 2004 International Byron Festival.

The new name commemorates Byron’s daughter, Ada Lovelace, who was a
gifted mathematician and is regarded as ‘the mother of computers’.

The ceremony was to have been performed by former Labour leader and
ardent Byronist Michael Foot.

He could not be present because of an eye infection but sent his best
wishes for the continued success of the centre.

Deputising for him at the ceremony, Newstead Abbey Byron Society
chairman Ken Purslow paid a tribute to the foresight and courage of
those who had built the Godber Memorial Hall, as the centre was
originally known.

The hall was constructed by Thomas Fish and Son, of Nottingham, and
opened on November 16 1907 by the Duke and Duchess of Portland.

It was the brainchild of Canon John Hankin Godber, who sadly died
without seeing his dream realised.

Among rules drawn up by the management committee of the time were that
there should be no gambling, foul language, drunkenness, shouting or
noise of any kind on the staircases. The name of any offender was to
be fixed to a noticeboard.

A youth who threw stones at the front of the hall during the building
work received “the punishment he deserved” from his father.

Mr Purslow said the Byron Festival was a fine example of the key role
which the centre played in the life of Hucknall.

He went on: :”Byron and Ada are both powerful marketing names in their
own right. Hucknall is their spiritual home and it is right that we
should record and acknowledge their achievements.

“Every child, adolescent and adult is aware that we live in an age of
high tech and computers.

“The name of Ada is synonymous with these and the centre’s new name
has been chosen to reflect the times.”

La Nouvelle République du Centre Ouest
13 juillet 2004

Les Arméniens sont arrivés

Annie Dabin, présidente des RIFE, était aux abois. Prête même,
dimanche soir, de même que Léopold Moreau, à lancer la gendarmerie
sur la piste des enfants d’Arménie.

Ils sont enfin arrivés dimanche soir, après neuf jours et huit nuits
d’autocar, et un voyage qu’ils ne seront pas près d’oublier.

Pour pouvoir quitter leur pays, ils ont dû trouver un bus georgien,
ainsi qu’un chauffeur également géorgien. Dans l’impossibilité de
traverser la Turquie, ils ont effectué un interminable détour par
l’Ukraine, la Moldavie, la Roumanie, l’Allemagne, après avoir été
retardés, le premier jour, par un éboulement de pierres sur la route.
Bref, ils auront tout subi, une semaine dans leur car, mais ils sont
enfin là. Et c’est l’essentiel.

Armenian speaker hails outgoing US envoy’s role in cooperation

Arminfo
13 Jul 04

YEREVAN

The speaker of the Armenian parliament, Artur Bagdasaryan, today met
the US ambassador to Armenia, John Ordway, in connection with the
expiry of his diplomatic mission in Armenia.

Bagdasaryan praised Ordway’s contribution to deepening Armenian-US
cooperation, the press service of the National Assembly told our
agency.

In turn, the ambassador highly praised the process of democratization
in Armenia. Ordway said that his successor would continue the policy
of deepening Armenian-American cooperation.

El Pais
July 12, 2004

Los conflictos eternos de Georgia

PILAR BONET

Tbilisi

“En Armenia, todos tienen un tio que les manda dinero desde el
extranjero; en Azerbaiyan tienen petroleo, mientras que en Georgia
teniamos una depresion por la perdida de nuestro territorio hasta que
llego Mijail Saakashvili y nos infundio confianza en la
reunificacion”. Merab, uno de los muchos seguidores del presidente
georgiano, caracteriza asi el estado de animo de su pais en relacion
a los vecinos del Caucaso y a las regiones secesionistas de Osetia
del Sur y Abjazia, practicamente independientes desde que rechazaron
las incursiones armadas dirigidas contra ellas desde Tbilisi, en
1991-1992 y en 1992-1993, respectivamente. Miles de muertos y un
exodo de centenares de miles de personas fueron el precio de una
situacion que ha permanecido enquistada desde entonces.

Osetia del Sur, rodeada de montanas en la legendaria Ruta Militar del
Caucaso, y Abjazia, en el litoral del mar Negro, tienen sus Gobiernos
y sus Parlamentos no reconocidos en el mundo, pero no hubieran podido
sobrevivir sin Moscu, que actua como garante de su seguridad y que ha
repartido pasaportes entre la mayoria de sus habitantes. Osetia del
Sur pretende tener 90.000 ciudadanos, y Abjazia, cerca de 300.000,
pero las cifras son confusas. Muchos han emigrado a Rusia en busca de
mejores perspectivas y las autoridades de Osetia del Sur y Abjazia
tratan de demostrar que la mayoria de los georgianos que huyeron han
regresado a sus hogares de antes de la guerra. Sin embargo, los
desplazados georgianos (sobre todo los procedentes de Abjazia) se
hacinan aun, esperando el regreso, en hoteles destartalados de
Tbilisi y en multiples residencias improvisadas y dispersas por
Georgia.

Osetia del Sur limita con Osetia del Norte, que es parte de la
Federacion Rusa, y los secesionistas quisieran fundirse con sus
hermanos septentrionales “como se han unido los dos Vietnams o las
dos Alemanias”, en palabras de una portavoz local, y convertirse asi
en parte de Rusia. No es tan facil. Moscu reconoce la integridad
territorial de Georgia y es ademas garante de la estabilidad en
Osetia del Sur a tenor de un acuerdo tripartito de 1992. Desde
entonces, tres batallones pacificadores (uno ruso, otro osetio y otro
georgiano a razon de 500 hombres por cada parte) y una mision de la
OSCE han velado por el alto el fuego.

Durante mas de una decada, la supervivencia en el enclave
secesionista ha dependido del trafico de mercancias por una frontera
controlada por los rusos y los osetios, pero no por los georgianos.
Desde Rusia entraban en la region camiones de cereales, abonos,
viveres y gasolina, que se vendian (sin pagar impuestos a Tbilisi) en
el concurrido mercado de Ergeneti (al sur de Tsjinvali, la capital de
Osetia), o seguian camino hacia otros destinos en Georgia.

En primavera, Saakashvili instalo puestos contra el contrabando en la
zona controlada por los pacificadores georgianos y, desde entonces,
el mercado de Ergeneti es un desolado paisaje desierto jalonado por
los depositos de “petroleo de Rusia”, de todas las formas y tamanos.
Durante nuestra visita, unos campesinos (osetios y georgianos)
liquidaban sus existencias de azucar y abonos, mientras mas de una
veintena de camiones rusos hacian cola para pagar las tasas de la
aduana georgiana en Gori (la patria chica de Stalin).

Tsjinvali conserva las huellas del asedio georgiano en sus casas
destruidas y melladas. Sin embargo, una de sus principales calles
lleva el nombre de Stalin y la biblioteca municipal, que no recibe
libros desde los noventa, tiene las obras completas de este politico,
que los osetios consideran como un paisano aunque nacio fuera de su
demarcacion. En el mercado, mujeres que en otra epoca fueron
contables, profesoras y funcionarias venden hoy hortalizas y juran
que se resistiran a la cruzada unificadora de Tbilisi. “Si no fuera
por los rusos, nuestros ancianos se hubieran muerto de hambre”,
exclama Evelina. Por tener la ciudadania rusa, los jubilados de
Osetia (como los de Abjazia) cobran las pensiones rusas. La minima,
de unos 20 euros, esta muy por encima de las maximas georgianas, de
nueve euros, y de los sueldos medios, de cerca de siete euros, de la
republica secesionista. El rublo ruso, y no el lari georgiano, es la
moneda de curso tanto en Osetia del Sur como en Abjazia.

En Abjazia, el trauma de la guerra es mas profundo que en Osetia. Si
entre Tbilisi y Tsjinvali se puede viajar con el unico requisito de
identificarse en los puestos de control georgianos y osetios, de
Tbilisi a Sujumi, la capital de Abjazia, solo es posible desplazarse
con ayuda de la ONU, que tiene observadores militares alli, o de las
tropas de pacificacion rusas, que actuan en nombre de la CEI y que
vigilan la linea del alto el fuego establecida en 1994 a lo largo del
rio Enguri.

Con sus bellisimas playas y sus exuberantes paisajes, Abjazia fue una
zona de vacaciones privilegiada en epoca sovietica. Hoy, los turistas
rusos desafian la propaganda georgiana, que trata de asustar a los
potenciales veraneantes con cronicas de asaltos y bandidos, fenomenos
que por otra parte se dan tambien en el territorio controlado por los
georgianos. Por 20 euros por persona a pension completa, en algunas
playas, como la de Pitsunda, es posible olvidar que esta region fue
escenario de una sangrienta guerra. En Sujumi, en cambio, hay
demasiadas evocaciones de la muerte, como la sede del Parlamento,
parecida al palacio presidencial de Dudayev en Grozni, hoy demolido,
o las lapidas de los caidos en combate. Entre los voluntarios de los
pueblos montaneses del Caucaso que socorrieron a los abjazos habia
chechenos, como Shamil Basayev, que se caso con una abjaza y que
despues llegaria a ser un lider guerrillero en su propia republica.

Los rusos compran casas en Abjazia con muy pocas garantias, porque la
legislacion local no contempla la propiedad privada de la tierra y el
futuro es incierto. Algunas instituciones rusas, como el Ministerio
de Defensa o el de Energia Atomica, conservan aun residencias de
vacaciones en la costa abjaza, pero, aparentemente, invierten poco en
renovarlas y el paisaje de edificios bombardeados y venidos a menos
resulta fantasmagorico. Como en Osetia, los georgianos quisieran
controlar la frontera con Rusia y acusan de contrabando a las tropas
rusas. “De momento se trata de viveres, combustibles o cigarrillos,
pero no de armas o narcoticos. El incidente mas embarazoso fue la
captura de un barco turco con un cargamento de pasaportes abjazos”,
afirma un funcionario internacional.

El presidente Saakashvili estrecha el cerco a Osetia del Sur y
Abjazia, pero tambien trata de seducirlas, enviandoles abonos y
pagando pensiones a quienes las acepten. Mas alla de lo publico, hay
indicios de que partisanos y agentes secretos georgianos se infiltran
en los dos territorios, utilizando para ello a la poblacion georgiana
local. Los dirigentes de Osetia del Sur aseguran que unos 2.500
georgianos armados han penetrado en sus dominios mientras colegas
rusos dicen haber visto a decenas de georgianos armados no
pertenecientes a las tropas pacificadoras.

En el valle de Gali, en Abjazia, los georgianos han repartido abono
con ayuda de una estructura clandestina, pese a la oposicion de las
autoridades abjazas, segun aseguran medios proximos a las patrullas
de la ONU, que vigilan la zona, aunque no la controlan en su
totalidad. No todos los que van armados sirven causas politicas. Hay
tambien bandidos de todas las nacionalidades. Uno de ellos,
georgiano, mato recientemente al jefe de policia abjaza de Gali. Tras
cualquier incidente, los justos pueden pagar por los pecadores. Las
techumbres del pueblo de Majudzhe, poblado por georgianos, fueron
quemadas despues de que un coche abjazo estallara sobre una mina
cerca de alli.

Saakashvili goza de simpatias en Occidente y sabe presentar su caso
bajo la optica de la lucha de la pequena Georgia contra la gran
Rusia. Osetios y abjazos, que se habian relajado con los anos,
desconfian profundamente de los georgianos y estan alarmados por los
vientos que soplan desde Tbilisi. La clase politica georgiana, con
pocas excepciones, entiende mal lo que quiere decir autonomia, como
lo demuestra el reciente estatuto aprobado para la republica de
Adzharia, segun el cual los dirigentes locales son propuestos por el
presidente georgiano, quien puede disolver el Parlamento y el
Gobierno de la region. Los nuevos lideres georgianos abren los brazos
a abjazos y osetios, pero los independentistas no se sienten parte
del pueblo georgiano y los georgianos no entienden por que su amor no
es correspondido. Hay algunas excepciones, como David Berdzenishvili,
jefe del partido republicano, que se ha pasado a la oposicion a
Saakashvili tras haber formado parte de su mismo bloque politico.
Berdzenishvili conoce la experiencia espanola y entiende lo que
significa el federalismo asimetrico, pero ese no parece ser el caso
del presidente, que ha jurado reunificar las tierras de Georgia sobre
la tumba de un rey medieval, David el Constructor (1089-1125), y que
ha sustituido la bandera de la republica menchevique independiente
(1918-1921), restablecida al desintegrarse la URSS, por otra que fue
usada para ir a las Cruzadas. Rusia es clave para una solucion
pacifica del problema, pero no todo depende de ella, porque abjazos y
osetios tienen sus propias ideas y hay quien piensa que la causa de
estos pequenos pueblos todavia puede encontrar partidarios dispuestos
a luchar entre los orgullosos guerreros del Caucaso y entre los
cosacos que la pasada primavera hicieron una demostrativa incursion
relampago en Abjazia.