Author: Tigranian Ani

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
July 27 2004

AZERBAIJAN PARLIAMENT KEEN IN DEVELOPMENT OF RELATIONS BETWEEN
OMBUDSMEN OF AZERBAIJAN AND UKRAINE
[July 27, 2004, 22:01:19]

Chairman of Milli Majlis of the Azerbaijan Republic Murtuz Alaskarov
on 27 July at the Heydar Aliyev Hall met the delegation led by the
human rights commissioner of the Ukraine Supreme Rada (Ombudsman)
Nina Karpachova.

Greeting the guests, Speaker Murtuz Alaskarov said that today the two
countries have close friendly links, AzerTAj correspondent reported.
The relations between the countries have reached strategic
partnership level thanks to the expedient policy pursued by the heads
of the countries. Many documents have been signed during the
reciprocal visits of heads of state and government, and now there is
a good environment for cooperation between the Ombudsman institutions
of the countries, the Speaker said. The commissioner on human rights
has done a lot in development of protection of the human rights and
democracy in the country and achieved certain accomplishments in
international cooperation.

Milli Majlis of the Azerbaijan Republic adheres development of
ombudsman ties between Azerbaijan and Ukraine and stands ready to
render any assistance in this field, Mr. Alaskarov said.

Then, Speaker of Azerbaijan Parliament highlighted the guest on
inter-parliamentary links, heavy sequences of the Armenia-Azerbaijan,
Nagorny Karabakh conflict, ousting of thousand sof people form their
homelands, the UN resolutions on settlement of the problem, on the
useless activity of the OSCE Minsk Group and Azerbaijan’s flair
position.

Speaker of Parliament expressed hope that this visit would promote
development of Ombudsman relations in the field of protection of
human rights and freedoms between the two countries.

Human rights commissioner of Ukraine’s Supreme Rada Nina Karpachova
thanked Mr. Alaskarov for warm reception and conveyed greetings of
the Chairman of Parliament of her country. The agreement on strategic
partnership let to expand links between the Ombudsman institutions of
the countries, she said. `We must take the maximum opportunity for
expansion our relations’.

Today, some five hundred thousands Azerbaijanis live in Ukraine and
their rights are protected. After singing of agreement on cooperation
between the human rights commissioners of two countries, these rights
will be ensured more reliably, Nina Karpachova underlined.

As for the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorny Karabakh conflict, Ukraine
adheres settlement of this conflict by peace way and in the frame of
international laws, she stressed. `The Ukraine’s Ombudsman will make
every effort to bring the item to the notice of world community’.

The parties had comprehensive exchange of views on a number of other
issues of mutual interest.

PanArmenian News
July 27 2004

BRITISH PHILANTHROPIC ORGANIZATION TO ASSIST NAGORNO KARABAKH PEOPLE

YEREVAN MAYOR TO PARTICIPATE IN INTERNATIONAL FORUM IN MOSCOW

BAKU WISHES TO KNOW WHICH QUESTION BESIDES TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY
SUBJECT TO COMPROMISE

BUILDING OF BAKU-TBILISI-CEYHAN OIL PIPELINE CEASED IN GEORGIA DUE TO
POSSIBLE ENVIRONMENTAL THREAT

AZERBAIJAN POPULAR FRONT PARTY WILL NOW PROTEST AGAINST ARMENIANS
PARTICIPATION IN NATO EXERCISES IN BAKU

ARMENIAN BUSINESSMAN COMMITTED SUICIDE IN PENZA RUSSIAN CITY

ARMENIA AND GEORGIA DID NOT COME TO TERMS OVER ELECTRICITY DEBTS AND
RAIL TARIFFS

MONUMENT BEING BUILT TO ARMENIANS, WHO FOUNDED BUDENNOVSK RUSSIAN
TOWN

FIRST ALL-ARMENIAN CULTURE FESTIVAL TO BE HELD IN ARMENIA AND NAGORNO
KARABAKH

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BRITISH PHILANTHROPIC ORGANIZATION TO ASSIST NAGORNO KARABAKH PEOPLE

27.07.2004 18:01

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On the initiative of Deputy Speaker of the House of
Lords of the British Parliament Caroline Cox HART philanthropic
organization is formed with offices in the UK and US. As reported by
C. Cox at a meeting with the Nagorno Karabakh President in
Stepanakert, the organization will deal with questions of providing
humanitarian aid to the population of various countries of the world,
including Nagorno Karabakh.

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YEREVAN MAYOR TO PARTICIPATE IN INTERNATIONAL FORUM IN MOSCOW

27.07.2004 17:45

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The third international forum of mayors of the
cities of the world will be held in Moscow September 15-18. In the
course of the conference three topics are expected to be discussed:
the role and the tasks for the cities of the world in XXI century,
interaction of the youth as a factor of strengthening pace and
confidence between residents of cities, sport as a means of
realization of diplomacy courses of cities. Mayors of over 100 cities
and leaders of a number of international organizations are invited to
participate in the conference. Yerevan Mayor Yervand Zakharian is
among them. As reported by the Press Service of the Yerevan
Administration, a forum on cooperation of the Black Sea basin
capitals, organized within the International Assembly of Towns will
be held in the Russian capital in September as well.

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BAKU WISHES TO KNOW WHICH QUESTION BESIDES TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY
SUBJECT TO COMPROMISE

27.07.2004 17:31

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The question of territorial integrity of Azerbaijan
is the most important one to us, Azeri Foreign Minister Elmar
Mamedyarov told journalists, Baku sources reported, when speaking of
the outcomes of his meeting with American Ambassador of OSCE Minsk
Group for Karabakh settlement Steven Mann. In his words, he has
suggested that the Co-Chairs specify which question, besides that
one, are subject to compromise. “Now we are waiting for them to
specify it, then we will decide which concessions we can make,”
Mamedyarov stated.

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BUILDING OF BAKU-TBILISI-CEYHAN OIL PIPELINE CEASED IN GEORGIA DUE TO
POSSIBLE ENVIRONMENTAL THREAT

27.07.2004 15:29

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ After the official statement of the Minister of
Ecology and Natural Resources of Georgia July 19 construction works
were ceased at the Georgian part of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil
pipeline next to Borjomi gorge. As reported by BP-Azerbaijan company,
the cessation of works is due to the Ministry intention to complete
the assessment of observation of security measures for BTC protection
in the territory of Georgia. According to the source, it can
influence the current schedule of works, however it will not tell on
the overall terms of the building and exploitation of the BTC. When
commenting on the official Tbilisi decision to temporarily stop the
building, the Georgian Embassy in Azerbaijan told Turan news agency
that “the decision in question is due to the concerns over the
environmental safety in the region.”

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AZERBAIJAN POPULAR FRONT PARTY WILL NOW PROTEST AGAINST ARMENIANS
PARTICIPATION IN NATO EXERCISES IN BAKU

27.07.2004 14:02

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Azerbaijan Popular Front Party plans to hold
protest actions in Baku. According to a press release, it has spread,
these are directed against participation of Armenian military in the
Cooperative Best Effort-2004 NATO exercises to be held in Baku. The
actions will be held in front of the buildings of a number of
diplomatic missions and state institutions. As reported by Echo Baku
newspaper, the Party has notified Baku Mayor Gajibala Abutalybov
about its intention to hold the actions. The pickets will be held
with slogans “We demand to respect Azeri people,” “Down with Armenian
occupiers”.

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ARMENIAN BUSINESSMAN COMMITTED SUICIDE IN PENZA RUSSIAN CITY

27.07.2004 13:58

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A citizen of Armenia has committed suicide in Penza
Russian city by jumping out of the window of his suite, situated on
the 5-th floor of Russia Hotel. As reported by Interfax news agency,
the tragedy occurred July 26 at about 9 a.m. Resulting from the fall
the man got numerous fractures and died in the ambulance car. The
37-year-old entrepreneur from Yerevan had lived in Russia Hotel for a
week. Criminal proceedings are instituted on the occasion of the
suicide, the causes are being investigated.

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ARMENIA AND GEORGIA DID NOT COME TO TERMS OVER ELECTRICITY DEBTS AND
RAIL TARIFFS

27.07.2004 13:54

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ At the sitting of the Armenian-Georgian
Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation Georgia and
Armenia did not succeed in coming to terms over the debts for
electric power and rail transportation tariffs. Specifically, as
reported by Novosti Russian news agency, questions referring to
Georgia’s debt engagements to Armenia remained unclear. Georgia did
not recognize its state debt of $6 million it had to pay within the
framework of an agreement between the Ministry of Energy and Fuel of
Georgia and Armenergo for the electric power supplied to Georgia in
2000. Tbilisi states it has paid off the debt to the Armenian party,
Yerevan assures no transfers were received from Georgia. To clear up
the situation the parties agreed to form special working groups, who
will study the issue in question in the course of a month. The
parties did not manage to close the bargain over reduced tariffs for
rail transport either. “A joint commission, will be formed to present
economic arguments for rail transport reduced tariffs,” Armenian Rail
Department head Ararat Khrimian told journalists. It should be
reminded that at present Armenia is granted 24% discount for oil
products transportation and 17% reduction for the rest of cargo
types.

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MONUMENT BEING BUILT TO ARMENIANS, WHO FOUNDED BUDENNOVSK RUSSIAN
TOWN

27.07.2004 14:56

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A monument to Armenian migrants, who founded
Budennovsk (Stavropol region of Russia), is being built in the town.
As reported by Regions.ru, the construction works are carried out
with the support of town entrepreneurs and the active participation
of the Armenian community. According to the source, in the middle of
the 18-th century having been provided with land by a decree of
Emperor Paul I, Armenians founded there the town of Surb Khach (Holy
Cross), later renamed Budennovsk. The monument is being erected in
the old part of Budennovsk, called Karabakhla, where the first
Armenians had settled. The opening of the monument is scheduled for
the 205-th anniversary of the town.

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FIRST ALL-ARMENIAN CULTURE FESTIVAL TO BE HELD IN ARMENIA AND NAGORNO
KARABAKH

27.07.2004 13:55

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ August 15-22 One Nation – One Culture First
All-Armenian Culture Festival will be held in Armenia and Nagorno
Karabakh. Over 1500 Armenian culture workers from Armenia, Nagorno
Karabakh, Russia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, France, Austria, UK, US,
Syria, Lebanon and Iran will participate in the festival. As stated
by Armenian Deputy Minister of Culture and Youth Affairs Karine
Khodikian, the goal of the festival is to strengthen the ties between
Armenia and the Diaspora, to present the common Armenian culture, to
create mechanisms for efficient cooperation. Achievements of figures
of Armenian art of dancing, dramatic, vocal, decorative arts and
crafts, as well as painters and elocutionists will be presented in
the course of the festival.

ARMENIAN-GEORGIAN COMMISSION ON ECONOMIC COOPERATION OPENS ITS THIRD
MEETING

TBILISI, July 26 (Noyan Tapan). Armenian Prime Minister Andranik
Margarian paid a two-day official visit to Tbilisi July 26. The
Armenian premier and the delegation headed by him attended the opening
ceremony of the third meeting of the Armenian-Georgian
Inter-Governmental Commission on Economic Cooperation on July 26. The
RA Government’s Press Office reports to NT, Georgian Prime Minister
Zourab Zhvania stressed the importance of organizing the meeting after
a certain break. The fact that the prime ministers of the two
countries are co-chairmen of the Commission, Mr. Zhvania stated,
testifies to the serious intentions of the sides to enlarge and
develop economic cooperation. “It is impossible to imagine Georgia’s
development without the development of Armenia.

Harmonic development of the closest neighbors, including Armenia, is
priority for Georgia,” Zourab Zhvania stated. RA Premier Andranik
Margarian also emphasized in his speech that the decision to increase
the level of the inter-governmental commission proves the two
countries are serous about improving trade and economic cooperation
which is a new stimulus for the full use of the potential observed in
the sphere. He stated part of the decision adopted at the Commission’s
previous meeting were not carried out, thus the relevant ministries
and departments of the two countries must take efforts to fill in this
gap. Stressing the importance of both bilateral and multilateral trade
and economic cooperation between Armenia and Georgia, he emphasized
that Armenia is really interested in the future development and
deepening of this cooperation in two directions: East-West and
North-South. The agenda of the meeting includes around a dozen issues
among them the approval of the order of the Commission’s activity, the
process of fulfillment of the decisions adopted at the previous
meeting’s, the current state cooperation and development prospects in
the sphere of legal-contractual base, as well as trade and economic,
transport, communication, and humanitarian spheres.

BOTANICAL RESEARCHES NEED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Azg/am
27 July 2004

Yerevan Botanical Garden is engaged in studying the Armenian flora, as
well as preserving and elaborating thousand of plant-sorts. At
present, the scientific researches are in a very bad state in the
botanical garden that has a history of 70 years. Lack of financial
assistance hinders the scientific researches.

The garden was greatly damaged during the early 90s, when many of the
rare and valuable plants died or were frozen because of the lack of
the materials needed. During the cold winters the garden was deprived
of many of the trees as most of the thick ones were just cut. At the
same time during the same years the construction of the ecological
center that is unique in the region was initiated in the garden. Many
rare species belonging to the Armenian naturewere gathered and
elaborated thanks to a number of devoted people. These speciesare
being preserved in the green house of the garden. The construction of
the green house began in the Soviet times, but during the years of
independencethe garden received no financial support and the
construction-works were stopped. But thanks to the efforts of a
number of scientific officers the giant greenhouse ‘s construction was
completed. Afterwards, 7 artificial landscapes peculiar to the
Armenian nature, i.e. prairie, highland prairie, arboretum, rocky,
desert and watery-mash. About 450 sorts of wild plants grow in this
micro-landscapes that secures constant blossoming of the
flora. Endemic species that are peculiar to only some of the Armenian
regions grow here. Many of such species are of the verge of being
annihilated as they are brutally picked up by some irresponsible
citizens and flower-sellers during their blooming period. Buttheir
samples are preserved and elaborated in the ecological center that has
popular scientific orientation. This is a unique ecological museum,
where one can get familiarized to the Armenian nature in an hour.

The center has many problems today, as it’s hard to have such a giant
greenhouse with no financial support. The scientists have many
programs andprojects that can’t be realized because of the lack of
financial sources. One can only hope that the time will come when the
Armenian budget will allocate financial sources for the botanical
researches.

By Ani Chetimian, student at Yerevan State Linguistic University after
Valery Brusov

ArmenPress
July 23 2004

I HATE DOGS

YEREVAN, JULY 23, ARMENPRESS: A documentary shot by Pea Holmquist,
an independent Sweden filmmaker and Suzanne Khardalin, a Lebanon-born
Armenian journalists, called I Hate Dogs is about the 1915 Armenian
Genocide, planned and carried out mercilessly by the government of
the Ottoman Turkey. The main character is a 98 year-old Armenian,
Garbis, a survivor of the genocide.
Garbis tells his devastating story-about how he survived the
genocide. He lost his entire family when he was only 9. One morning
the Turks seized his village; the men were separated from the women.
Garbis did not realize the gravity of the situation and took leave of
his mother- a last hug and a last kiss, as it was to be, from his
weeping mother.
Together with his father and several thousand other Armenians,
Garbis was forced to go on a death march, all the way to the Syrian
desert. He was in the company of his elder brother and a cousin but
en route both of them died of hunger and exhaustion and several days
after died his father. He was only nine years old and some people
helped him carry the body away and bury it.
Later in the evening Garbis wanted to see his father’s grave.
“Then I saw several stray dogs feeding on my father’s flesh. They
were tearing his thighs apart. I grabbed some stones and threw them
at the dogs to frighten them off, but the dogs had become wild-they
started growling and ran towards me. I was terrified, so I ran away.
That picture has haunted me all my life. I see the dogs, right in
front of me, just ten meters away.”
Garbis started his first business at the age of 15 in Mosul, Iraq,
then he moved to France where he settled down. His son Serge, has
taken up his business of a textile factory. “It took my dad 40 years
before he felt able to tell me the story. He just could not tell it
to me,” Serge, a very distinguished gentlemen, living in a
fashionable apartment in Paris, says.
Turkey has not recognized the genocide so far, but is eager to
join the EU. “I am planning to live at least 100 years. There are so
few of us left and for God’s sake, I am not ready to take my story
with me to the grave,” Garbis says.
Holmquist, a film school professor in documentaries and Suzanne
Khardalian, have shot other films about the Armenian genocide and
Armenians-Back to Ararat and Her Armenian Prince.

HEALTH MINISTRY TRYING TO STOP INFECTIOUS DISEASES FROM GETTING INTO ARMENIA

Arminfo
21 Jul 04

YEREVAN

Cases of malaria have lately been registered by the sanitary services
of Armenian districts bordering on Azerbaijan.

Artavazd Vanyan, chief of the state epidemiological and hygiene
inspectorate of the Armenian Health Ministry, told an Arminfo news
agency correspondent that flies from the neighbouring republic are
presumably spreading the disease, and epidemiologists are unable to
fight the natural migration of the insects.

At the same time, the inspectorate is developing an action plan which
will make it possible to control the epidemiological
situation. Sanitary and quarantine services will soon be set up at the
customs checkpoints on the border with Georgia and Iran, including at
the airports, to check the medical certificate of every citizen
entering and leaving Armenia in order to find out whether they carry
or not infectious diseases.

Armenian citizens who wish to leave the country must be vaccinated
against a number of diseases they might contract abroad.

These measures will be productive in preventing bird flu, malaria,
cholera and other diseases that have affected many countries of the
world from getting into Armenia, Vanyan said.

El Pais
July 21, 2004

Turquia logra el apoyo de Chirac para negociar su adhesion a la UE

J. P.

Paris

El presidente frances, Jacques Chirac, confirmo ayer su apoyo a la
adhesion de Turquia a la Union Europea “en cuanto sea posible”, para
lo cual aconsejo “continuar e intensificar la aplicacion de las
reformas democraticas y economicas”. Asi lo dijo un portavoz de
Chirac tras la entrevista mantenida por el jefe del Estado frances
con el primer ministro turco, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, quien se mostro
convencido de que Francia aportara “un gran apoyo” a su pais en el
Consejo Europeo del 17 de diciembre, en que esta previsto decidir si
deben abrirse las negociaciones para la entrada de Turquia en la UE.

Por razones de politica interna, Francia ha sido uno de los paises
mas reticentes a la candidatura turca. Hace meses, Chirac estimo
publicamente en una decena de anos el tiempo necesario para hacer
realidad esa adhesion. Ayer se ahorro la comparecencia conjunta con
Erdogan -habitual en otras muchas visitas oficiales- y dejo que este
diera cuenta a la prensa, en solitario, de lo hablado.

A la clase politica francesa le cuesta mucho aceptar la entrada en la
UE de un pais musulman con cerca de 70 millones de habitantes. El
propio partido que sostiene a Chirac, la Union por un Movimiento
Popular, reitero su postura contraria a esa adhesion durante la
reciente campana a las elecciones europeas. El otro gran partido de
centro-derecha, la Union por la Democracia Francesa, tampoco lo
acepta porque “una ampliacion perpetua (…) debilitara a Europa y le
impedira actuar”, insiste su presidente, Francois Bayrou.

La entrevista de Erdogan con el lider socialista, Francois Hollande,
prevista para hoy, se ha visto precedida de una declaracion de ese
partido a favor de la apertura de negociaciones con Ankara, a
condicion de que Turquia respete los derechos humanos y reconozca los
abusos contra la minoria armenia a comienzos del siglo XX en
Anatolia.

Los problemas politicos de Turquia contrastan con el empuje de las
autoridades francesas y del constructor aeronautico Airbus para
venderle aviones a la linea aerea turca Turkish Airlines, actualmente
en fase de privatizacion.

France hails Turkey reforms,says EU entry years away

By Elizabeth Pineau

PARIS, July 20 (Reuters) – France urged Turkey on Tuesday to push
ahead with economic and political reforms to bolster its bid for entry
to the European Union, but warned Ankara was still a long way from
securing full membership.

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan emerged upbeat from a “very
positive” working lunch with French President Jacques Chirac, who
supports Ankara’s EU entry bid despite the opposition of his governing
conservative party.

EU leaders will decide in December whether to open entry talks with
Ankara. Britain, Germany, Italy and Greece have pledged strong
support for Turkey’s EU bid, with France seen as the only large EU
state still expressing reservations.

Turkish financial markets are closely watching the run-up to December,
fearful that a ‘no’ could trigger a fresh economic crisis, unseat the
government and perhaps reverse some reforms.

Chirac’s spokeswoman told reporters the French head of state believed
Turkey’s entry into the 25-nation bloc was “desirable as soon as it
actually becomes possible.”

In June, Chirac said Turkey’s EU drive was “irreversible.”

“Turkey has made considerable progress. It should continue and
intensify the implementation of democratic and economic reforms,”
Chirac’s spokeswoman quoted him as telling Erdogan.

Diplomats expect negotiations to start in 2005 but say full membership
is a decade away. Foreign Minister Michel Barnier told Europe 1 radio
Turkey would not join the EU overnight.

“The road is still long, but it is on this path and has been making
progress for some time,” he said.

GREEN LIGHT FOR TALKS

Erdogan said all Ankara wanted for now was a favourable report from
the European Commission on the start of entry talks.

A green light from EU leaders at their end-of-year summit “will not
constitute a decision on Turkey’s joining the European Union, it will
simply be a decision to start entry negotiations with Turkey,” Erdogan
said after meeting Chirac.

Earlier, he told French business leaders Turkish membership would
benefit the Union. He said he was convinced France “will give us the
greatest support” at the EU’s December summit.

Erdogan is using his three-day visit to France to woo government and
political leaders and brief them on Turkey’s progress in bringing its
laws into line with EU rules.

France’s political class is deeply divided over admitting its NATO
ally to the European Union, critics citing Turkey’s poverty and human
rights record as barriers.

Alain Juppe, a close Chirac ally and former head of the conservative
UMP party, has said the entry of a Muslim nation of 70 million would
distort the 25-nation European Union.

The opposition Socialists support Turkish membership in principle, but
party chief Francois Hollande has linked the start of entry talks to
Ankara’s recognition of the 1915 killing of Armenians as genocide.

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.

Turkey’s ruling centre-right AKP party, which has its roots in
political Islam, has introduced a flurry of liberal political and
economic reforms ahead of December’s decision.

The Turkish government hopes to pass two major EU-linked laws — a
revised penal code bringing criminal law closer to EU norms and a law
easing limits on freedom of association — at a special session in
September.

07/20/04 12:18 ET

Azeri ex-state adviser calls for right definition of Karabakh conflict

ANS TV, Baku
18 Jul 04

[Presenter] The government is not defining correctly the term the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, and this might cause a problem for
Azerbaijan in the resolution of it, Vafa Quluzada, former foreign
policy adviser, has voiced concern in a statement.

Let us recall that Armenia’s aggression against Azerbaijan was
described as the Armenian-Azerbaijani [conflict] until 2002, however,
Karabakh’s name was also added to this about two years ago.

[Vafa Quluzada, voice] This is an absolutely wrong description and
therefore, we should revise our policy. We used the term conflict up
to now and we were wrong. We called it the
Azerbaijani-Armenian-Nagornyy Karabakh conflict and we were wrong
again. This is an aggression against the Azerbaijani lands by Armenia
with the help of Russia. When we call it the
Azerbaijan-Armenia-Nagornyy Karabakh conflict, this means that we are
secretly recognizing Nagornyy Karabakh.

You know, maybe the point at that time was to resolve the issue at the
expense of Nagornyy Karabakh. The use of such an expression at the
time was possible. However, [the former president of Azerbaijan]
Heydar Aliyev did not agree with this. Heydar Aliyev completely
rejected what had been done in Key West and opted for the principle of
complete liberation of the occupied Azerbaijani lands.

At present the Azerbaijani leadership should pay attention to the
terminology and avoid wrong terms. It should define this as Armenia’s
aggression against Azerbaijan, or an aggression against Azerbaijan by
Armenia with the help of Russia. Just look at [Georgian President]
Saakashvili who has charged Russia with aggression and occupation, and
he will be the victor. However, when we state that our lands are
disputed, we should then have lengthy talks with the aggressor, then
it turns out that we are fully in accord with the co-chairs [as
received].

Baku Today, Azerbaijan
July 16 2004

Russian Co-chair of Minsk Group Implies Nagorno-Karabakh is not Part
of Azerbaijan

The Russian co-chairman of the Minsk group of the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Yuri Merzlyakov, on
Thursday said `Armenian troops’ withdrawal from Nagorno-Karabakh
would not mean its pulling out from Azerbaijan.’

The statement, which Merzlyakov made upon arrival in the Azeri
capital along with the Minsk group’s French co-chair Anri Jackelon,
caused anger in Baku as it directly implied that the Russian diplomat
does not see Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan.

Merzlyakov said that Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan’s other seven
occupied districts `are quite different issues.’

He said the Minsk group’s co-chairs have some new ideas about
peaceful resolution of the 16-year-long conflict. However, he added
that they do not have `any new proposals in the form of a project.’

The OSCE’s Minsk group, set up in April 1992, has been unsuccessfully
mediating peace talks between Armenian and Azerbaijan. Currently, the
body is co-chaired also by Stephen Mann from the United States.