Author: Nahapetian Lilit

ARKA News Agency
Feb 24 2005

RAO `UES Russia’ is satisfied with cooperation with Armenia in the
area of energy development

Armenian Defence Minister: Cooperation with Armenia is part of
country’s security

Armenian President holds working meeting with Governor of Gegharkunik
Marz

Romualds Razusk appointed on the position of NATO Communication
Officer to South Caucasus

RA President and NATO Secretary General Special Representative
discuss perspectives of Armenia-NATO relations development

It is time for NATO to condemn murder of the Armenian officer in
Hungary – Robert Simmons

Charity concert to raise funds for Armenian children’s treatment held
in Washington

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RAO `UES RUSSIA’ IS SATISFIED WITH COOPERATION WITH ARMENIA IN THE
AREA OF ENERGY DEVELOPMENT

MOSCOW, February 23. /ARKA/. RAO `UES Russia’ is satisfied with
cooperation with Armenia in the area of energy development, as stated
Anatoli Chubays, the Chairman of the Board of RAO `UES Russia’, told
ARKA. `We quite positively evaluate what has been done so far’, he
said. According to Chubays, quite different development stage is
meant here, that is not just electric connection and supplies of
electric power, purchase and sale, but `investments, modernization of
the existing facilities and our management’. `We are oriented on
maximal openness with our partners in respect of potential projects’,
he said. Chubays also noted that RAO `UES Russia’ has no goal in
itself `to fill up the whole region with electric power produced by
the company’. `We move towards you and you-towards us. Both are done
when it’s mutually advantageous. It’s sensible and right’, he said.
In Armenia RAO `UES Russia’ monitors financial inflows of Armenian
Atomic Power Plant and owns Sevan-Hrazdan Hydroelectric Power Plant
(HPP) and Hrazdan Heat Power Plant (HPP).
The financial inflows of APP in September 2003 were transmitted into
trusty management of Russian Inter RAO UES, daughter enterprise of
RAO UES Russia (60% of shares) and Rosenergatom (40%) for 5 years.
International Energetic Corporation CJSC was founded in May, 2003 by
RAO UES Russia for exploitation of Sevan-Hrazdan CJSC passed to
Russia to compensate part of debt for supply of nuclear fuel for
Armenian Atomic Power Plant. Hrazdan HPP was passed to Russia to
partially redeem the state debt of Armenia to Russia. The station was
estimated at $ 31 mnl. It will be managed by an operator appointed by
Russian side. The operator will be determined from the mid of March
2005. A.H. -0 –

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ARMENIAN DEFENCE MINISTER: COOPERATION WITH ARMENIA IS PART OF
COUNTRY’S SECURITY

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 24. /ARKA/. Serge Sargsian, Secretary of Security
at Armenian President and Defence Minister, met NATO Secretary
General’s Special Representative for Caucasus and Central Asia Robert
Simmons Thursday in Yerevan. According to Defence Ministry’s source,
Serge Sargsian said he attached great importance to cooperation with
NATO and considered it part of Armenia’s security and stressed the
NATO attached importance to relationship with Yerevan. In his words,
Armenia will keep moving in the decided way increasingly deepening
its relations with the Alliance. `Within its capacity, Armenia will
try to ensure its participation in NATO programs, Moreover, if we
have no unsolved conflict, we would have room for wider participation
in them’, Sargsian said.
Simmons, in turn, said a group of consultants would arrive in Armenia
in a month, which would assist Armenia in working-out defence
programs. Speaking about Karabakh conflict settlement, he noted that
the conflict was hobbling the development of the region’s countries.
` I think bilateral acoord will be reached on this issue’, the NATO
official said. M.V. -0–

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ARMENIAN PRESIDENT HOLDS WORKING MEETING WITH GOVERNOR OF GEGHARKUNIK
MARZ

YEREVAN, February 24. /ARKA/. Armenian President Robert Kocharian
held a working meeting with Governor of Gegharkunik marz Stepan
Barseghyan. As Armenian President’s Press Service told ARKA, during
the meeting the officials discussed the results of the activities
performed in the marz in 2004. It was mentioned that that entries to
the budget of the marz grew compared to the previous year by AMD 130
mln the growth of potato and wheat made 40% and livestock – 60%. The
most important precondition for of the development of the agriculture
of Gegharkunik was nonrefundable transfer to the farmers 600 hectares
of land that enabled employing over 400 people in agricultural
sector.
During the meeting the officials also discussed the issues related to
Lake Sevan ecology, particularly the fish reserves and water
reservoir problems. (1$- AMD 471.76). T.M.–0–

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ROMUALDS RAZUSK APPOINTED ON THE POSITION OF NATO COMMUNICATION
OFFICER TO SOUTH CAUCASUS

YEREVAN, February 24. /ARKA/. RA Deputy Foreign Minister Tatoul
Margarian received NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative
for Caucasus and Central Asia Robert Simmons. During the meeting
Simmons represented newly appointed NATO Communication Officer to
South Caucasus Romualds Razusk. The parties discussed issues related
to activity of Razusk and some organizational issues and discussed
priority directions for cooperation of Armenia and NATO in the
context of individual program of partnership. L.D. –0–

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RA PRESIDENT AND NATO SECRETARY GENERAL SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE
DISCUSS PERSPECTIVES OF ARMENIA-NATO RELATIONS DEVELOPMENT

YEREVAN, February 24. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharian and NATO
Secretary General Special Representative to Central Asia and South
Caucasus Robert Simmons discussed perspectives of Armenia-NATO
relations development, president’s press office told ARKA. The
parties discussed process of Armenia-NATO cooperation and development
perspectives, mentioned regions issues and the process of Karabakh
settlement. Simmons represented the President the process of NATO
cooperation with CIS and other countries. L.D. –0–

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

IT IS TIME FOR NATO TO CONDEMN MURDER OF THE ARMENIAN OFFICER IN
HUNGARY – ROBERT SIMMONS

YEREVAN, February 24. /ARKA/. It is time for NATO to condemn the
murder of the Armenian officer in Hungary, as NATO Secretary
General’s Special Representative for Caucasus and Central Asia Robert
Simmons stated on press conference in Yerevan. At that he mentioned
that it is not good to return to the horrible events of the past.
`NATO is strongly sorry for the murder of the Armenian officer in
Hungary, however this is not far the relations that we would like to
have between the stated, as it is now we need to be targeted at
future and not the past’, Simmons. At that he stressed that NATO did
not leave this fact without attention. `We expressed our regret, but
it is time to move ahead and to cast the sight at god relations that
we formed at the moment and the programs that we are planning to
implement’, Simmons said.
To remind on February, 2004 early in the morning at 5:30 lieutenant
of the Armed Forces of Armenia Gurgen Margaryan, hearer of English
courses, organized by University of National Defense of Hungary
within frames of NATO partnership for Peace was brutally killed with
axe while sleeping by Azerbaijani officer Ramil Safarov participating
the same courses.
The first hearing of Ramil Safarov’s criminal case was held on
November 23, 2004 in Budapest court on criminal affairs under
chairmanship of judge Andras Vaskuti. The next hearing was held on
February 8 in Budapest where the court heard Ramail Safarov’s new
evidences and the results and of investigation of the charged of the
mental health test. T.M. -0–

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CHARITY CONCERT TO RAISE FUNDS FOR ARMENIAN CHILDREN’S TREATMENT HELD
IN WASHINGTON

YEREVAN, February 24. /ARKA/. A charity concert to raise funds for
the treatment of Armenian children from vulnerable families was held
in Washington, DC, USA. The concert was organized by the Yerevan
office of the Global Fund for Transplantation of Organs to Children.
The Press and Information Department, RA Foreign Office, reports that
the action was held under the auspices of the RA Embassy in the USA.
The Fund invited the prize-winners of numerous musical festivals –
the trio of the State Philharmonic Society of Armenia Lilit Zakharyan
(violin), Vahan Grigoryan (violoncello), and Shushan Hakobyan
(piano).
The concert was held at the concert hall of the Austrian Embassy in
Washington. Attending the concert were Fund President and
Vice-President Mark Croker and Valery McKefry, representatives of the
US administration, WB, and Armenian community in Washington, public
figures and workers of culture.

ANY COMPROMISES BY ARMENIAN SIDE IN KARABAKH PROBLEM SHOULD CONSIDER
SECURITY OF ARMENIAN AND KARABAKH PEOPLES

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 22. ARMINFO. Any compromises by the Armenian side in
the Karabakh peace process should come from the logic of guaranteeing
the security of the Armenian and Karabakh peoples, Armenia’s PM
Andranik Margaryan says in an interview to Haykakan Zhamanak.

These compromises may envisage return of some controlled districts or
certain change of borders but the Armenian and Karabakh people should
first get guarantees of their security, says Margaryan.

rds_guide/bureau_of_naval_personnel_rg024.html

Na tional Archives of the United States

Records of the Bureau of Naval Personnel
(RECORD GROUP 24)
1798-1991
(bulk 1798-1956)

24.10 MOTION PICTURES (GENERAL)
1917-27

World War I naval operations and activities, including anti- submarine
patrols, minelaying, convoy and escort duty, submarine maneuvers, and
training; ship launching and maintenance; torpedo production and firing;
Liberty Loan promotions and patriotic celebrations; Armistice celebrations;
captured German equipment; U.S. and foreign political and military leaders;
foreign naval vessels; President Woodrow Wilson’s second inauguration; the
airship Los Angeles (ZRS-3) over New York; and lighter-than-air craft
rescuing fishermen, 1917-18 (44 reels). Naval activities after World War I,
including aerial mapping techniques, rescue of Armenian refugees from
Turkey, evacuation of personnel from grounded and burning ships, escort
duty, and training, 1918-27 (57 reels).

Azeri aide justifies Christian minority’s protest at “fake” Armenian inscription

ANS TV, Baku
17 Feb 05

[Presenter] The Baku government has confirmed that there is an influx
of people from various parts of Russia. To recap, reports regularly
emerge of people from Russia, particularly Dagestan, applying
for residence in Azerbaijan’s northern districts. Hidayat Orucov,
[Azerbaijani] state adviser for ethnic affairs, has commented on this
and other issues in an interview.

He also was calm while commenting on the views of the Udi community,
residing in the village of Nij in Qabala District [northern
Azerbaijan], on the Armenian inscriptions on Udi monuments.

[Correspondent over video of Orucov speaking in his office, a church]
Relevant state agencies are investigating whether registration in the
northern districts is taking place within the legal framework, Orucov
told journalists while commenting on reports in several media outlets
that Russia seeks to shift the demographic situation in the northern
districts of Azerbaijan. The state adviser said that should the reports
on illegal registration be confirmed, specific measures will be taken.

Incidentally, those who seek residence in Azerbaijan cite stability
in the country as the main argument for their wish. Orucov shares
this view.

[Orucov] The social and economic situation in Azerbaijan is better than
that in many regions of Russia. This has a certain impact. Therefore,
[people from] various parts of Russia try to work in Azerbaijan,
settle here, if temporarily. There are some people who will try,
if conditions allow, seeking Azerbaijani citizenship.

[Correspondent] Sounds exactly like the logic of those who go from
Azerbaijan to Russia to earn money.

The Udi community in the village of Nij in Qabala District protests
at the efforts of the Norwegian Humanitarian Enterprise, which is
funding the restoration of the village’s church, to preserve the
Armenian inscriptions in it. The protest has even led to a letter of
the village’s residents to the Norwegian embassy in Baku.

Orucov said that historically Armenians did not live there, and
the fact that several Armenian families moved to the districts in
Soviet times does not prove that Armenians have historical roots in
the village.

[Orucov] There is no need for a foreign humanitarian organization or
a foreign ambassador to intervene in this issue because this is the
memory of the people. The Udis and the Udi intellectuals, those people
who stage these protests, they undoubtedly sense and know their history
better than I do, and better than international organizations do.

[Correspondent] Hence, the demographic situation, one of the
most sensitive issues for statehood, is under complete control, in
Orucov’s view, and this control is based on the principle of equality
of peoples.

“YEREVAN AND STEPANAKERT DON’T CONDUCT POLICY OF INHABITING OCCUPIED
TERRITORIES”

Azg/arm
17 Feb 05

French Co-Chair Tells About His Impressions

Bernard Fassie, French co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, expressed
opinion that Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh do not conduct policy of
inhabiting the territories under their control. Bernard Fassie who
visited the territories under the control of NKR forces said this in
the interview to the Liberty Radio Station.

“Notwithstanding the common opinion, most likely, there is
no elaborated and large-scale program of inhabiting these
territories. Lachin is the only exception, as we can say that
inhabiting is supported and sponsored here. As for the six other
regions, we had the impression that 80-90 percent of the people
that settled down here moved to these territories at their own will,
being assisted by the local NGOs or the Armenian Diaspora. There is
no large-scale participation of Stepanakert and Yerevan”, Mediamax
cited the words of Fassie.

In 1992-93, repulsing the attack of the large scale Azeri
aggression, Karabakh armed forces managed not only to liberate half
of Karabakhâ~@~Ys area occupied by the Azeri forces, but also set
up control over Lachin, Kelbajar, Aghdam (about 70%), Ghubatlu and
Zangelan regions that formerly belonged to Soviet Azerbaijan. The
monitoring mission that included the representatives of Germany,
Finland, Sweden and Italy passed the first week of February in the
abovementioned 7 regions.

Official Baku states that the Armenian side conducts policy of
inhabiting and utilizing. Elmar Mamediarov, Azeri foreign minister,
said earlier that 23 thousand Armenians have settled down in these
regions. Araz Azimov, Azeri deputy foreign minister, informed “Day”
Azeri online edition that “some inaccuracy may be in the represented
data but this doesnâ~@~Yt change the general results. There are facts,
that illegal inhabitation carried out.”

Bernard Fassie stated in the interview to the Liberty that mostly
the Armenian refugees that left Azerbaijan in the first months of the
conflict settled down there. Supposedly, the French co-chairs means
the Armenians that fled from Shahumian and Getashen regions, the North
of Martaket, as well as Baku, Sumgait and other regions of Azerbaijan.

According to Fassie, the second group includes people that suffered
from the earthquake in 1988. “The third and the smallest group includes
people that left Armenia for the economic reasons,” he said. Fassie
added that there are people who are engaged in cattle breeding and come
to these regions for more beneficial climatic conditions in winter.

Fassie said that the refugees do not receive any aid from Stepanakert
or Yerevan. The settlements including some families are isolated from
each other for having no roads and other communication means. Fassie
added that no organized activities are initiated for restoring the
structures ruined in the war, except for Lachin.

“There is no electricity in many regions and people live in poverty
there. I wouldnâ~@~Yt say that these people live. They are surviving
beneath the walls under the roofs covered with holes,” Fassie said.

David Babayan, political expert from Stepanakert, spent the whole week
with the Minsk group co-chairs and the monitoring mission. “The French
co-chair gives the general picture of the situation in the liberated
territories and emphasizes that the statements made by official Baku,
saying that these territories are being inhabited on state level,
do not correspond with the truth,” Babayan said in the interview to
daily Azg.

Babayan noticed “some points in the report of Fassie that were hard to
understand”. “For example, he states that the mission was possible only
as a result of hot negotiations between Baku and Yerevan. Certainly,
such negotiations were held. But the activities of the mission would
be impossible, if official Stepanakert were against that. We donâ~@~Yt
know why, but the French diplomat doesnâ~@~Y t say anything about
that,” he said.

Vahram Atanesian, chairman of the Committee of External Relations
at NKR National Assembly, believes that Fassie remained loyal to
political conjuncture. “If the countries in chair at Minsk group
do not recognize the independence of NKR at present, Fassie made
statements in this way. But it doesnâ~@~Yt change anything. Anyway,
the monitoring mission worked in the territories under Karabakh
forcesâ~@~Y control and accumulated facts with the consent and the
assistance of NKR authorities,” Atanesian said.

As for Lachin, Atanesian said that Fassie tried to separate it from
the rest of the regions. “I have the impression that the mediators are
apt to observing Lachin as an area of vital link between Armenia and
Nagorno Karabakh and this regions should be observed out of all that
context that can be outlined as a result of the recent activities of
OSCE,” he said.

It’s worth mentioning that the OSCE monitoring mission will prepare a
report on the results of its visit to the abovementioned regions in the
course of the coming weeks and submit it to the Minsk group co-chairs.

By Tatoul Hakobian

–Boundary_(ID_9Yyml6vC6dFDPSRZX0hdcA)–

Crime down in breakaway Karabakh in 2004

Artsakh Public TV, Stepanakert
8 Feb 05

[Presenter over video of meeting] The board of the NKR [Nagornyy
Karabakh Republic] police held a meeting on 8 February. The NKR
president, Arkadiy Gukasyan, and a delegation of the police of the
Republic of Armenia led by Lt-Gen Hayk Arutyunyan also attended
the meeting.

The meeting was dedicated to the results of 2004. The deputy head of
the NKR police, Maj-Gen Arshavir Garamyan, presented a report on the
results of the police’s work in 2004. According to his information,
in 2004 the total number of crimes committed in the NKR was 518,
while 605 crimes were committed in 2003. The number of crimes went
down in all regions of the NKR, except Hadrut District. The number
of thefts and car accidents increased, while the number of criminal
offences decreased.

The NKR president, Arkadiy Gukasyan, delivered a speech. In his speech,
President Gukasyan, in particular, said:

[Gukasyan] People’s trust in the authorities to a great extent depends
on the effective work of the police, because the police are in the
first line of contact with the public. People should perceive every
single policeman as a defender of their rights. However, sometimes
citizens have to be protected from police.

The presidential administration responded to some cases and you know
that some of them have been punished. We will continue to thoroughly
follow the work of the police.

I think that there are serious drawbacks in the registration of
crimes. I have a feeling that the police register the crimes that
are very likely to be solved. This is why I am not satisfied with
the solving of crimes. We have to pay special attention to preventive
activities. In this context, the police should build ties with schools
and the mass media, because some tendencies are alarming. Special
stress has to be put on the personnel policy. We need reforms.
You have to think first and foremost about the country’s interests. I
am very much satisfied with the level of cooperation between the NKR
and Armenian police.

BBC News
Last Updated: Monday, 7 February, 2005, 05:49 GMT

European press review

Monday’s European papers’ ‘dish of the day’ is undoubtedly Rice. Condoleezza
that is.

Several German dailies criticise an opposition leader for blaming the rise
of the far right on the government.

And a Spanish daily would like to see the IRA change bullets into ballots.

Rice with French fries, sauerkraut and caviar

France’s Liberation looks forward to the arrival in Paris on Tuesday of US
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, ahead of President Bush’s coming visit.

Ms Rice, the paper says, “will stamp the seal” on the US “wish to turn over
a new leaf”.

Paris, it adds, “has for the past few months held out its hand to a
Washington which has been slow to grasp it”.

But now “is a good time”, the paper believes, “because the new Bush
administration wants to succeed where the old one failed”, and “break out of
its international isolation”.

“Still,” the paper concludes with more than a hint of irony, “Miss Rice is
coming to Paris with her smile, a veritable dove of peace from the home of
the brave – and besides there never was any war.”

Switzerland’s Le Temps points out that this is the same Condoleezza Rice
who, as the paper puts it, “chose to ignore the Germans” and “promised to
punish the French” as the president’s national security adviser during Mr
Bush’s first term, is now “wafting through Old Europe like a breeze with
invitations to join the US-British coalition”.

Germany’s Die Welt notes that the secretary of state has had “almost nothing
but praise for Old Europe” since she began her current tour of European
capitals and the Middle East.

“Clearly,” it believes, “her boss in the White House is preparing to mend
and reactivate the transatlantic alliance, especially with Germany and
France.”

Austria’s Die Presse praises her “wise move” in starting her approach to
Europe with what it calls “verbal disarmament”.

Moscow’s Kommersant hits a disgruntled note.

The secretary of state’s “lightning visit”, it says, “means that the
decisive word on the eve of the Palestinian-Israeli talks belongs, as ever,
to Washington, while Moscow’s positions have not been consolidated at all”.

“This means that America’s role will remain unchanged”, the paper warns,
“and the influence of the other members of the (Middle East) quartet – the
EU, the UN and Russia – will be reduced to zero.”

Blaming Gerhard

In Germany, in an interview with the Sunday paper Welt AM Sonntag, Bavaria’s
regional Prime Minister Edmund Stoiber said the rise of unemployment under
Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has provided a “breeding ground” for extremism.

Mr Stoiber, who is also the leader of the opposition Christian Social Union,
CSU, went on to call unemployment “the main reason for the resurgence” of
the far-right National Democratic Party, NPD.

The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung believes the remarks are misguided.

It acknowledges that mass unemployment can lead to radicalisation on the
Left as well as the Right, and that the NPD recently scored an “electoral
success” in the eastern state of Saxony.

“But CSU chairman Stoiber is playing a dangerous game,” it says, “in
retrospectively making an irrational electoral decision look rational by
presenting it as a natural consequence of the government’s policies.”

“In this way the voters who went astray will certainly not be tempted back
to the path of democracy,” the paper warns.

The Berliner Zeitung agrees.

The Frankfurter Rundschau is particularly scathing in its verdict.

“So Schroeder is to blame for the Nazis,” the paper says. It goes on to
point out that the man it terms “the Bavarian”, is “the first to come up
with such nonsense”.

Edmund Stoiber has demonstrated, it adds, “that his aversion to Schroeder
makes him lose all political decency”.

Little Turkish delight left

With France’s ruling UMP party at odds with its most prominent member –
President Jacques Chirac – on the prospect of Turkey’s full EU membership,
Paris’s Le Monde ponders one of the contentious issues raised during a visit
to Turkey by a delegation led by the president of the French parliament,
Jean-Louis Debre.

The paper quotes Mr Debre as telling Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
that “Turkey’s attitude to the Armenian genocide” of 1915 “poses a real
problem for France”.

To which Mr Erdogan replied, it notes, that he was “disappointed” with
Paris’s position” and “did not know that 400,000 (dead) Armenians could
decide the referendum” Paris intends to hold on Ankara’s membership bid.

“Despite this lively exchange,” the paper adds, “Mr Debre believes he ‘may
have done some useful work’ on the Armenian question, since the Turkish
authorities say they are willing to ‘consider’ a proposal to give access to
its archives to an international commission of historians”.

IRA

Writing from the only western European country sharing with the UK the
problem of violent separatism, Spain’s El Pais thinks it “unlikely” that the
IRA will return to what the paper calls “sectarian violence” even though it
has withdrawn from the Northern Ireland peace process.

“Experience teaches us”, it says, “that the recycling of the professionals
of the gun and the dynamite” is “a complex and drawn out process”.

“The disarming of the sectarian group,” it argues, “would lay down the
foundations for the demilitarisation of Northern Ireland and signal the
start of a normality desired by all but a handful of people.”

The European press review is compiled by BBC Monitoring from internet
editions of the main European newspapers and some early printed editions.

Analysts, Politicians Comment on Georgian Politics after Zhvania’s Death

Civil Georgia (Tbilisi)
2005-02-03

Observers say that the death of Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania, who was
one of the major architects of the country’s policy, will trigger shifts
in the Georgian political life. Below are some comments by analysts and
politicians, who spoke to Civil Georgia about the possible political
consequences.

Ghia Nodia, political analyst

I do not think that this fact will change the political course in its
entirity, however we should anticipate speficic reshuffles in the
executive, in the government and the Parliament, where the members of
Zhvania’s team have suddenly become an informal grouping [with no
official backing].

The most critical element is in Zhvania’s absence, as he somehow
balanced the [political] situation [in the government]. Two informal
groups were distinguishable in the present authorities – radicals and
moderates; this had a balancing effect on the decisions made by the
authorities and, in my opinion, represented a strength rather than a
weakness, especially against the current political background wherein
there is no influential opposition in the country. Unfortunately, this
balance will [now] be weakened.

Any changes in the authorities will be natural, since the change of any
leader, and it is beyond any doubt that Zhvania was a political leader,
entails staff changes.

Probably, his successor is among the present ministers; however he will
not be as strong a figure as Zhvania was.

Davit Usupashvili, legal expert and a leading civil society activist

Even if Zhvania had stepped down at his own with, this would have
triggered great changes in the internal political life of Georgia; now,
after his death, changes are unavoidable.

Zhvania’s death is one of the worst-case scenarios that might have
happened for the country. This further complicates the situation,
especially as the country has entered the stage of dynamic processes,
with many initiatives [proposed] and numerous problems.

The government and its fate are constitutionally bound to the Prime
Minister. I do not think that the death of Zurab Zhvania, who was
agreeably not an ordinary played in Georgian politics, will trigger any
fundamental changes. However, it is quite clear that specific [personnel
and political] changes will still take place.

The Saakashvili-Zhvania tandem worked well in the executive authorities.
This [format of relationship] is reflected in the [current]
constitutional model as well. From this point of view, selecting a new
person [to fit this constitutional] model will not be so easy.

The President has seven days to select a new Prime Minister. Lets’ wait
for his choice.

As for the political spectrum, the members of the so-called Zhvania’s
political team will have to become the members of the National Movement,
not only formally [as many did previously] but also de facto. I doubt
that any member of his [Zhvania’s] team would manage to replace him [as
a leader of the political faction].

Ia Antadze, political analyst

It is very difficult to make any forecasts currently, but I can say that
politics will probably become more concentrated.

The government’s positions and decisions were more balanced [with
Zhvania], since disputes used to take place in the decision making
process between the radical and moderate parts of the authorities.

The future would allow us to see better the role which Zurab Zhvania had
in Georgia’s political life. It will be also reflected in how
Saakashvili manages to make balanced decisions.

MP Davit Berdzenishvili, opposition Republican Party

The strange and sudden death of this political figurehead of our
generation triggers feelings that even the government members are not
protected from [accidents]. I don’t think that this accident will change
our government’s general political course drastically. I also don’t
think it will trigger serious internal problems for Georgia.

But I am sure this fact will create lots of problems for Saakashvili’s
administration, at least initially.

MP Pikria Chikhradze, the New Rights-Industrialist opposition coalition

The death of Zurab Zhvania, which is personally very painful for me, as
well as the blast in Gori [on February 1, which killed three and injured
27 people], creates a sense of instability in the country.

It is most likely that Zurab Zhvania’s death will have a serious impact
on the country’s political life. Zhvania was a person who was in charge
of the political life [of the country] for a long time; he was an
extremely influential figure. Roots of his influence were spread
throughout the government, media and non-governmental sector as well.

Everybody had a feeling that Zhvania’s personality had a stabilizing and
balancing role in the government and when the government lacks this kind
of force, this will have an impact on entire country.

His death has already triggered changes, because this was followed by
the automatic resignation of the entire cabinet.

I think those persons in the cabinet which were regarded as his [Zurab
Zhvania] closest allies will be replaced [by others] soon. But I don’t
think that that staff changes will follow among the lower level officials.

As for Zhvania’s replacement at the Prime Minister’s position, I don’t
have any information about this from sources close to the government, as
I am in the opposition; I only know what the Georgian media speculates
about. And these speculations mainly concern Irakli Okruashvili [the
Defense Minister].

I think it will be better if a person with less political ambition
becomes the new Prime Minister.

ArmenPress
Feb 3 2005

US STATE DEPARTMENT PRAISES ARMENIA FOR LEADING ROLE IN POLITICAL AND
ECONOMIC REFORM IN EURASIA

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 3, ARMENPRESS: A US State Department fact sheet
on U.S. Assistance to Armenia in Fiscal Year 2004 termed the country
as one of the leading performers in Eurasia in economic and political
reform, a weighty factor that has made Armenia eligible, together
with the neighboring Georgia, for receiving grants from the
Millennium Challenge Account.
“While economic growth has been strong, it has yet to provide
significant benefit to the vast majority of the population. As such,
U.S. assistance focuses on the growing small- and medium-scale
enterprise sector. Our democracy, economic, and law enforcement
programs will help to strengthen the democratic structures and
foundations in Armenia, as well as support regional stability and
security,” according to the fact sheet.
The US government assistance in 2004 for Armenia was $89.7. Some
$13 million were allocated for Democracy Programs, $50.2 million for
Social Security and Economic Reform, $15.4 million for Law
Enforcement, $6.3 million as Humanitarian Assistance and $4.8 million
for Cross Sectoral Initiatives.

Azeri official rules out territorial compromise with Armenia

MPA news agency, Baku
2 Feb 05

BAKU

Certain changes are observed in the process of settling the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister
Araz Azimov has told MPA.

He said Azerbaijan continues to adhere to a negotiated settlement to
the problem, to the restoration of contacts between Karabakh’s
Armenian and Azerbaijani communities and between Baku and
Yerevan. However, territorial compromises are ruled out. In other
words, it is impossible to resolve the problem by these kinds of
concessions.

As a member of European organizations, Azerbaijan has acquired some
European experience, Azimov said. At issue is not the transfer of
lands from one state to another, but their integration. Those
observing the situation in the region have to pay attention to two
factors. Several suggestions of Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili
towards resolving the conflict with South Ossetia were voiced at a
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe [PACE] session and
some of them could facilitate solution to the Karabakh problem. The
latest PACE resolution pertaining to the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict,
Azimov said, attests to the fact that this European organization is
moving in the right direction.

“A solution to the Karabakh conflict represents special importance for
the region’s integration into Europe,” the Azerbaijani diplomat said.