Author: Tavakalian Edgar

Zob Keeper Terms Counterpart Mirzapour Goal a Fluke

Tehran Times
13 April 2004

ISFAHAN (IRNA) — Zob Ahan’s Armenian keeper Armenak Petrossian here
Sunday said the goal scored by national goalie of Fulad, Ebrahim
Mirzapur, was just a stroke of good luck.

Talking to IRNA, the in-form keeper added Mirzapur did not believe his
punt would find the net.

“The slippery field caused the ball to dodge me,” the mass-circulation
Persian-language sports daily Khabar-e Varzeshi quoted the Armenian as
saying in its Monday’s edition. Mirzapur kicked a dropped ball in the
51st minute past arrogant Petrossian, who declined to apologize and
said, “I would not like to apologize because I believe in my abilities
and saved my team in different occasions to compensate for my
blunder.”

The 1-0 home victory in Takhti stadium of Ahvaz, southern Iran, helped
Fulad lie in the third spot of Pro League on 43 points out of 24
games.

Zob Ahan, one of the two representatives of the country in the Asian
Champions League, is in the fourth place on 39 points.

Azeri media end protests against opening of Turkey’s border with Armenia

Azadliq, Baku
10 Apr 04

Azerbaijani journalists continued their campaign of protests against
the possible opening of the Turkish-Armenian border in Ankara
yesterday. Our correspondent Sahla Abusattar, who took part in the
campaign, reported that first the journalists visited the grave of
[founder of the Azerbaija ni Democratic Republic in 1918-20] Mahammad
Amin Rasulzada. Then they held a news conference for Turkish
colleagues at the journalists’ centre.

At a meeting with the ninth Turkish [former] president, Suleyman
Demirel, the journalists said that the Azerbaijani people are
concerned about the possible opening of the border. Demirel said in
turn that although such reports appear from time to time, Turkey will
never change its policy on Azerbaijan and the border will not be
opened until our country’s problem with Armenia is settled.

[Passage omitted: Demirel calls for dialogue between the Azerbaijani
opposition and authorities]

The journalists have finished their protest and left Ankara. They are
back in Azerbaijan today. [Passage omitted: the paper will publish
detailed reports on the journalists’ trip to Turkey]

Armenian opposition demands president’s resignation

By Tigran Liloyan

ITAR-TASS YEREVAN
April 10, 2004

The Armenian opposition demands resignation of incumbent President
Robert Kocharyan.

Albert Bazeyan, an opposition leader and chairman of the Republic
party, said the question of holding a referendum on no-confidence vote
for the Armenian president had nearly been exhausted. The ruling
pro-presidential coalition has refused to include the referendum issue
in the agenda of a regular three-day session of the Armenian
parliament.

“Robert Kocharyan should go. The sooner he does, the better,” Bazeyan
told a meeting in front of the Yerevan Opera House on
Saturday. Hundreds of demonstrators, including the participants in a
sit-in strike which the opposition is holding on the Opera’s steps,
listened to his speech.

Bazeyan said that the authorities had closed all entries to Yerevan in
order to prevent the influx of protesters from provinces. All trains
have been cancelled between Yerevan and Gyumri (former Leninakan).

Bazeyan warned that his party would order to organize solidarity
rallies in regions and would organize large columns of demonstrators
to help those who wish to join the rallies in Yerevan, if things
continue to develop according to the same scenario.

Published in Bakusun.az:8101
Azeri reporters march in Turkey
Zulfugar Agayev

A group of 18 Azerbaijani journalists marched from the Eastern Turkish
district of Igdir to the capital Ankara on 6-9 April, demanding the
U.S. and European Union to stop pressing Ankara to open its borders
with Armenia. (Photo courtesy of ANS)

BAKU – A group of Azerbaijani journalists began marching from an eastern
Turkish district on Tuesday towards the capital Ankara in protest against
what they called a possibility that the Turkish authorities might decide to
open their borders with Armenia.

The group of 18, organized and financed by ANS, a leading private
Azerbaijani TV company, started walking from Igdir, a district bordering
both Armenia and Azerbaijan, on their way to Ankara. The group is due to
arrive in the Turkish capital on Friday.

The journalists from Azerbaijan’s ANS, Space and ATV TV companies,
Russian-language daily newspapers Echo and Zerkalo and also Azeri-language
dailies – Yeni Musavat, Azadliq, Sharq and 525th newspaper wore red vests
with the slogan “Turk’s support for Turk” written on their backs.

“We have come here to let the people know about our position on opening the
borders,” Ganira Pashayeva, Deputy ANS Editor, told Baku Sun in a telephone
interview from Igdir.

Pashayeva said that the protestors, joined also by their Turkish
counterparts and local residents, closed off a road near the
Turkish-Armenian border Tuesday afternoon, chanting the slogans “no to
opening of the Turkish-Armenian borders,” and “A Turk must Support his
brethren Turk.”

Ankara has established diplomatic relations with all the former Soviet
republics, but Armenia, and has been keeping its borders with the small
South Caucasus country closed since it gained independence in 1991.

The Turkish government demands Armenia stop propagating the alleged genocide
of Armenians under the Ottoman Turkey in the early 20th century, give up
territorial claims against Turkey and withdraw from Azerbaijan’s occupied
territories in return for establishing a diplomatic relationship and opening
the borders.

Although there is no clear sign of Turkey’s backing down from the
stipulations, the border issue has been high on the agenda of several local
media outlets in Baku, especially that of ANS over the recent days.

The topic was even debated in Milli Majlis (parliament) on Tuesday. Although
the legislators turned down a suggestion to invite the Turkish ambassador to
Baku, Ahmet Unal Chevikoz, to the parliament and hear directly from him,
they voiced harsh words against the idea of opening Turkey’s gates to
Armenia.

“Only the doors of hell can be opened to the faces of Armenians,” said Mais
Safarli, an MP and head of the opposition Compatriot Pary.

Murtuz Aleskerov, the speaker of the parliament, said if Turkey were to
decide to open its doors to Armenia, “it would be a heavy blow to the whole
Turkish World.”

The Turkish ambassador Chevikoz responded to the speculations on Monday.
Speaking to ANS, Chevikoz promised that his country would stick to all of
its three stipulations, including the one that demands Armenia withdraw from
Azerbaijan’s occupied territories.

The ANS Deputy Editor Pashayeva related the concern of the Azerbaijani
public to Turkey’s coming under heavy pressure from the United States and
the European Union (EU) to open the borders.

Pashayeva also pointed to a statement Erdogan made while he was visiting the
United States late January of this year. According to

Turkish news reports, the premier said during his U.S. visit that his
government might decide to open borders “if the friendly initiatives of
Turkey were reciprocated.”

Erdogan said that the Turkish citizens living in regions neighboring Armenia
want to see the borders opened so that they could more easily trade with the
former Soviet republic.

Pashayeva stressed that the Azerbaijani public is “particularly troubled
that high-ranking Turkish officials have not responded to our increasing
concern lately.”

The President, Ilham Aliyev also stated late March that the brethren country
was being pressed to open its borders.

Aliyev called on the EU and the “influential nations” not to pressure
Ankara, warning that the opened Turkish-Armenian borders would make it
impossible to find a peaceful solution to the 16-year-long Nagorno
(Daghlig)-Karabakh conflict. The president said should the borders be
opened, Azerbaijan would lose an important lever to regain its occupied
territories peacefully. ANS’s Pashayeva noted that the local authorities in
Igdir also joined the rally they staged in the district center. The
authorities reportedly said they hadn’t heard of any designs of their
government to open the borders.

Pashayeva added that the Azeri journalists also met with representatives of
the Turkish business people in the bordering district. The business people
also expressed dissatisfaction over the establishment of any relations with
Armenia as long as the latter keeps occupying Azerbaijan’s territories,
Pashayeva added.

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
April 8, 2004 Thursday

Armenia is no Georgia, president tells opposition

YEREVAN

Armenian President Robert Kocharyan told the opposition it would not
succeed in importing the revolution scenario from neighboring Georgia
and he would remain in office.

The opposition plans to stage a rally Friday in Yerevan and demand
the president to step down.

“The situation in Armenia was influenced by the developments in
Georgia. The change of authority there incited hope in the Armenian
opposition. However they did not take into account that the countries
are different and the strength of authorities is different as well”,
Kocharyan said.

The opposition Justice bloc and the National Unity party said in a
statement their aim was to make the president resign. Opposition
leaders Stepan Demirchyan and Artashes Gegamyan urged to fulfill last
year recommendation of the Constitutional court to hold a referendum
on trust to authorities.

Demirchyan said the opposition will do its best so that the “process
is under control and peaceful”. He warned the authorities will be
responsible for any use of force.

Kocharyan responded by saying “Armenia has enough resources to curb
political extremism by lawful means”. He ordered police to be
“extremely reserved, to interfere only in extreme cases so that there
are no reasons to accuse authorities of brutality”, the president
said.

“The opposition should be cautious in its actions as they may
boomerang back”, he warned and called on his supporters to be
reserved and avoid provocations. Kocharyan said the reported beating
of some opposition leaders “can only be denounced”.

The Mayor’s office of Yerevan has not allowed to hold the opposition
rally and security in the capital has been enhanced.

“They will either have to resort to unlawfulness, and they know what
the response will be, or retreat, which will mean they will lose
face”, Kocharyan said branding the opposition as “aggressive
political minority”.

Armenian party congress elects leaders

Arminfo, Yerevan
3 Apr 04

AKHALKALAKI

The Javakhk Union public organization has held its second congress.
Arminfo news agency reports that the congress approved the charter and
programme of actions of the organization. The congress elected the
leadership of the organization. The congress elected Stepan Akopyan
chairman and (?Petya Stamboltsyan) his deputy.

Civil Georgia, UK
April 1 2004

Georgia Wants Armenia to Play Active Role in Railway Issue

/ Civil Georgia, Tbilisi /

Secretary of the Georgian National Security Council Vano
Merabishvili told reporters after talks with his visiting Armenian
counterpart Serge Sarkisian that Armenia should `more active role’ in
the issue of restoration of the railway link between Armenia and
Russia via Georgia.

`Restoration of the railway route between Armenia and Russia [via
Georgia’s breakaway Abkhazia] is in Georgia’s interests as well.
However, as you know it is related with the return of the Georgians
in Abkhazia,’ Vano Merabishvili said.

Armenian has been pressing Georgia to reopen the railway link with
Russia, which would give landlocked nation an easiest trade and
communication route with its strategic partner – Russia.

Georgia claims that the restoration of railway will be possible if
the Georgian internally displaced persons are able to return to
Abkhazia.

`Armenia should use its special relations with Russia and play more
active and positive role in resolving the problem,’ Vano Merabishvili
added.

`The issue of restoration of the Sochi-Tbilisi-Yerevan railway link
is of huge importance for Armenia. So, this issue will top the agenda
of talks,’ Serge Sarkisian said upon his arrival in Tbilisi on April
1.

Armenian Educational Foundation, Inc.
600 West Broadway, Suite 130, Glendale, Ca 91204
Phone (818) 242-4154
Fax (818) 242-4913

PRESS RELEASE
CONTACT: HASMIK KEYRIBARIAN MARCH 31, 2004
Phone (818) 242-4154

AEF ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR SCHOLARSHIPS

Glendale – The Armenian Educational Foundation (AEF) is pleased to
announce that it is accepting applications for Richard R. Tufenkian
Scholarship for the 2004 – 2005 academic year.

Richard R. Tufenkian Scholarship – established by Ralph and Savey
Tufenkian in memory of their son. Five $2,000 scholarships will be
awarded to Armenian undergraduate students at an accredited United
States colleges/universities. To qualify for this scholarship,
students must be an Armenian descent and havea minimum 3.0 GPA, show
financial need, and be actively involved in the Armenian community.

Students who meet the above criteria are invited to submit written
requests for applications to the AEF Scholarship Committee, 600 West
Broadway, Suite 130, Glendale, CA 91204. Written requests for
applications can also be made by FAX (818) 242-4913 or E-Mail
[email protected]. All completed scholarship application packages
must be postmarked no later than July 30, 2004.
Applications are also available on

AEF was established in 1950 to achieve the following objectives:
· To render financial assistance to Armenian educational institutions,
irrespective of their religious affiliation or denomination.
· To assist Armenian students in acquiring higher education.
· To establish and to aid in the establishment of Armenian educational
institutions and cultural centers.
· To establish and to aid in the establishment of Armenian courses of study
and research programs.

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
March 30, 2004 Tuesday 9:30 AM Eastern Time

Armenia, Iran to sign gas pipeline agt early April

By Tigran Liloyan

YEREVAN

The negotiations with Iran regarding the construction of a gas
pipeline to Armenia reached the final stage, Armenian Energy Minister
Armen Movsesyan said on Tuesday. The sides have already reached
accords on the main technical parameters of the pipeline.

Iranian oil and gas minister is expected to arrive in Yerevan in
early April to sign an agreement on building of a gas pipeline,
Movsesyan said.

According to the minister, the construction, due to begin later this
year, will last 20 months and to be completed in 2006. Either country
will be fully responsible for laying its stretch of the pipeline.
According to preliminary estimates, the Armenian section will cost
100 million U.S. dollars to lay, and the Iranian stretch, slightly
more.

According to the draft agreement, Iran will deliver gas to Armenia in
amounts sufficient only for the country’s domestic consumption,
Movsesyan said.

The question of extending the pipeline farther to carry Iranian gas
to Europe was not considered, contrary to allegations by some mass
media.

The gas pipeline from Iran will ensure continuous gas supply to
Armenia and enhance its energy security. So far Armenia has received
gas by the sole pipeline from Russia.

ARKA News Agency
March 25 2004

Turkey can become an important key-factor in economic and political
development in the region

Armenia considers Key-West and Paris agreements on Karabakh
settlement exhausted

President of Uzbekistan is not enough informed on negotiations on
Karabakh conflict – RA MFA

Armenia and Denmark plan to expand interparliamental links

RA Parliament Speaker receives Belarus Ambassador to Armenia

Armenia did not receive written notification on cancellation of RA
and AR Foreign Ministers’ meeting

CBA produces a 30-minute film telling about the key functions of the
bank

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

TURKEY CAN BECOME AN IMPORTANT KEY-FACTOR IN ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL
DEVELOPMENT IN THE REGION

YEREVAN, March 25./ARKA/ Turkey can become an important key-factor in
economic and political development in the region, says the statement
spread today by RA MFA press secretary Gamlet Gasparian. According to
the statement, opening of Armenia-Turkish border will not only assist
in development of regional cooperation, but also positively affect
Karabakh conflict settlement.
Azeri President Ilkham Aliev stated today that opening of
Armenian-Turkish border will make settlement of Karabakh conflict
impossible.
At the moment Foreign Ministries of Armenian and Turkey work on
establishment of dialogue considering restoration of bilateral
relations. L.D. –0–

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

ARMENIA CONSIDERS KEY-WEST AND PARIS AGREEMENTS ON KARABAKH
SETTLEMENT EXHAUSTED

YEREVAN, March 25./ARKA/ Armenia considers Key-West and Paris
agreements on Karabakh settlement exhausted, says the statement
spread today by RA MFA press secretary Gamlet Gasparian. According to
the statement, written document considering given agreements was not
prepared by Armenia, but by OSCE MG and `if Azeri party is interested
in their publication, let it turn to Minsk Group. The other thing is
if it does not want to consider work in conflict settlement and its
results for last years’.
Armenian administration called to Baku to observe agreements on
conflict settlement achieved by the presidents in Paris and Key-West.
Azeri president responded that there are no agreements between Baku
and Yerevan considering Karabakh conflict settlement. L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************

PRESIDENT OF UZBEKISTAN IS NOT ENOUGH INFORMED ON NEGOTIATIONS ON
KARABAKH CONFLICT – RA MFA

YEREVAN, March 25./ARKA/ Unfortunately, President of Uzbekistan Islam
Karimov is not enough informed on negotiations on Karabakh conflict,
says the statement spread today by RA MFA press secretary Gamlet
Gasparian. According to the statement, otherwise he would not make
such a disputable statements.
President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov considered package settlement
of Karabakh conflict unpromising variant. L.D. –0–

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

ARMENIA AND DENMARK PLAN TO EXPAND INTERPARLIAMENTAL LINKS

YEREVAN, March 25./ARKA/ Armenia and Denmark plan to expand
interparliamental links, RA NA told ARKA, this was stated by RA NA
Speaker Arthur Baghdasarian and newly appointed Ambassador of Denmark
to Armenia Christian Faber-Rod. The parties noted that RA NA already
has deputy group of friendship Armenia-Denmark.
Faber-Rod noted with satisfaction some positive changes in Armenia
and expressed readiness to assistance in cooperation of the two
countries in the spheres of politics, economy, culture and science.
L.D. –0 –

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

RA PARLIAMENT SPEAKER RECEIVES BELARUS AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA

YEREVAN, March 25./ARKA/ RA Parliament Speaker Arthur Baghdasarian
received Belarus Ambassador to Armenia Marina Dolgopolova, RA NA told
ARKA. According to Dolgopolova, the visit of Armenian Speaker in
Belarus was a serious stimuli in development of interstate relations.
She said that the parties conduct serious work in realization of
achieved agreements, particularly negotiations between Minsk Tractor
and Charentsavan Automotive Plants. Besides, she said that the
parties consider possibility of creation of JV on the base of
Vanadzor Electron Plant. She added that Delegation of RA National
Science Academy and RA Minister of Education in Belarus are also
planned in near future. L.D. –0–

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

ARMENIA DID NOT RECEIVE WRITTEN NOTIFICATION ON CANCELLATION OF RA
AND AR FOREIGN MINISTERS’ MEETING

YEREVAN, March 25./ARKA/ Armenia did not receive written notification
on cancellation of RA and AR foreign ministers’ meeting scheduled for
March 29-30 in Prague, RA MFA told ARKA. Armenia received official
written invitation on the meeting from OSCE MG co-chairmen.
According to RIA Novosti, OSCE MG Co-Chairman from Russia Yuri
Merzlyakov said that the meeting that had to take place in Prague
with mediation of OSCE MG co-chairmen is cancelled. L.D. –0 –

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

CBA PRODUCES A 30-MINUTE FILM TELLING ABOUT THE KEY FUNCTIONS OF THE
BANK

YEREVAN, March 25./ARKA/. The Armenian Central Bank (CBA) has
produced a 30-minute film telling about the key functions of the
bank. Zaruhi Barseghyan, the Head of CBA Press Service Department,
noted in her interview to ARKA that `the film aims at introducing the
activities of CBA to the various strata of society’. She stated that
the CBA is going to produce a cartoon about inflation.
The film is produced by Kaim company by request of CBA. A.H. -0–