Author: Toneyan Mark

AZG Armenian Daily #101, 03/06/2005

Interview

CHAIRMAN OF WAC ARA ABRAHAMIAN SHARING WITH HIS THOUGHTS ON RUSSIA,
DEMOCRACY AND ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS

The interview we present below is composed of questions that the chairman of
World Armenian Congress Ara Abrahamian answered during a reception at
Russian consulate in Los Angeles on May 25. Most of 450 participants were
Armenians.

– What can you say about Khodorkovsky case?

– As you know, Khodorkovsky and his colleague were charged with fraud,
particularly tax-avoidance, with illegal appropriation of property and with
a number of other crimes. For me the vital point is whether the court was
just and whether Khodorkovsky was guilty of law violation. This is not the
only lawsuit of its kind. Lawsuits were once filed against Gusinsky and
Berezovsky. The important thing is that the authorities have understood that
the Khodorkovsky case has a negative impact on investments in Russia, and
President Putin took several steps to show that Russia’s line of protecting
private property and of market reforms is the same. For that purpose he
suggested a few changes that are called to restore the trust of overseas
investors in Russian authorities.

Putin repeatedly stated that the Khodorkovsky case will have no precedents,
that the right of private property will be respected and Russia has no
desire to turn off the road of market reforms.

– What’s the state of democracy in Russia?

– This issue is very much exposed to abuse. Many, especially liberals,
communists and national-bolsheviks find that the country is diving into
tyranny. Such moods are connected with the removal of direct elections of
governors and of the system of majority vote at the State Duma.

But the President opened the brackets in his letter. By taking away
governors’ elections, Putin offered a system that will at least make
regional authorities more democratic, insofar as representatives of parties
that won regional polls will be appointed governors and will form the
executive body. In fact, authorities turn to parliamentary system on
regional level.

Bitter tongues say that this is a preparation for the President to occupy
the post of prime minister after resignation. Regardless the purpose of
those changes, they evidence that the gap between people and authorities
getting narrower and that democracy is expanding. The parliament has got the
right of parliamentary examination — something we didn’t have in past. It
strengthens parliament’s positions against executive authorities and somehow
restores the levelers of control and counterweight in order to storm
bureaucracy and officialdom.

President Putin’s message was full of appeals for struggle against
bureaucracy, officialdom and squalor of tax collecting bodies. I think in
this regard, as Mark Twain would put it, rumors about democracy being killed
in Russia are obviously overstated.

– Will Fradkov’s government be sacked?

– This question is being widely discussed, in political circles as well.
Many see this government as not really productive. I think the last decision
up to the President. We may say that this government’s achievements are
extremely modest. But if the President does not dismiss the government now,
he will have to work with it till 2007 — year of election campaign to State
Duma.

Yet, I think that the President will sack this government but perhaps after
it carries out a number of non-democratic reforms in order to have prime
minister that will be his assignee.

– Will Putin remain in politics after 2008 and in what position?

– I myself would like to know the answer to this question. Putin is a rather
young and robust man with great experience of state governing and I have no
doubt that he will remain in Russian politics. Meanwhile, not in the role of
Gorbachev or Yeltsin but as a politician who will influence political
processes. Whether he will be a prime minister or a head of ruling party —
Putin and his team have to decide.

China’s experience shows that Den Syaopin, occupying no state position, was
one of the most influential figures of the country’s political life. So I
think that Putin will also remain as an influential figure in Russia’s
political system regardless the position he will occupy.

– What’s the condition of interethnic relations in Russia?

– Russia’s demography reveals negative dynamics for ethnic Russians as the
number of Muslims, refugees and immigrants increases.

There are problems in interethnic relations as we are trying to create a
democratic nation where each ethnic group, as our President says, will feel
well. Skinheads, chauvinistic and fascistic groups pose a serious threat.
There are also xenophobic moods towards natives of Caucasus and Jews.

But it should be noted that the central leadership is implementing rather
productive policy to eliminate those confrontations and conflicts. I
spearhead Armenians’ Union of Russia and the Board of Round Table. The last
organization includes in fact all heads of non-governmental and religious
organizations. We do everything possible to have constructive cooperation
with the authorities in order to suppress interethnic confrontations and
clashes.

to be continued

PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION COMING UP

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
01 June 05

The parliamentary election to be held on June 19 is truly in the
focus of attention of the society of Nagorno Karabakh. Because
of the disputed issue of Nagorno Karabakh the upcoming election
has acquired both home and foreign political importance. Like
in other democratic countries, in Nagorno Karabakh elections are
held by general, equal and secret ballot. Before 2004, the order
of holding elections was maintained by the law on NKR President,
the law on Election to NKR National Assembly, and the law on local
authorities. In December 2004 the Electoral Code of NKR was adopted,
which includes all the laws on election. The law on Election to NKR
National Assembly was first adopted in 1994. In 2000 the new law on
parliamentary elections was adopted, with improved basic principles
of the former law in accordance with the European and international
standards. The electoral code adopted in 2004 modified the electoral
legislation. According to Article 32 of the Electoral Code, before
the election central, district and local election committees are set
up. Before the enactment of the electoral code, according to Article 41
of the law on Election to NKR National Assembly, the Central Election
Committee consisted of 9 members of which three were appointed
by the head of state. One of the three members appointed by the
president was to be a representative of one of the political parties
of NKR. Three members appointed by the National Assembly were chosen
from among the political alliances and public movements represented
in the parliament, choosing only one representative from a political
party. The other three members of the committee were appointed by the
government. Besides, the Central Election Committee was set up for
five years, 69 days before the election. After the enactment of the
Electoral Code, the Central Election Committee is set up again for five
years but 40 days before the election. The president appoints three
members of the committee. One member is appointed by the political
parties and alliances which have political factions in the National
Assembly. If the number of the political parties and alliances
which have factions in the National Assembly is not above three,
each political party appoints two members of the Central Election
Committee. If the political party or the alliance having faction in the
National Assembly does not nominate a candidate before the last day of
constituting the Central Election Committee, the members are chosen
from among the members of other factions. At present two political
parties – the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) and
the Democratic Party of Artsakh (formerly Democratic Union Artsakh)
– have factions in the National Assembly. The Central Election
Committee of NKR consists of seven members, three appointed by the
president, and two by ARF and the Democratic Party each. The order of
constituting district committees has been changed as well. According
to Article 42 of the former law on Election to NKR National Assembly,
the district committees were set up by the regional administrations and
municipalities, the members were chosen from the staffs of businesses
and organizations, members of political parties and NGOs. According
to the new Electoral Code, district election committees are set up
in the same way as the Central Election Committee: three members are
appointed by the head of state, the political parties and alliances,
which have parliamentary factions, appoint one member each.

The next essential innovation is that for the first time the candidates
stand for parliament on party tickets as well. 22 candidates have been
nominated under the majority system, and 11 on party tickets. Before
all the 33 members of parliament were elected under the majority
system. The number of the seats in the National Assembly has been
considerably reduced since 1992. In the Supreme Soviet of first
convocation there were 81 members of parliament. At present there are
22 electoral districts in NKR (equal to the number of the candidates
standing for parliament under the majority system). Stepanakert
is divided into 8 electoral districts, the region of Martuni 4,
the region of Hadrut 3, Martakert 3, Askeran 2, the regions of
Shahumian and Kashatagh 1. There is more than one polling station in
each electoral district. The majority of polling stations are again
in Stepanakert. The number of polling stations in Stepanakert is
23. According to the Electoral Code, the number of voters registered at
one polling station should not be more than 2000. Thus, serious changes
have been made to the NKR electoral laws for the sake of transparency
of elections, the evidence to which is the changes in the order of
constituting election committees on all the levels. The new law does
not provide for any role of the local authorities and the government in
setting up committees. Today we may state that the election committees
are formed by elective institutions (president and parliament) and
not appointive bodies (ministers, regional administrations).

The changes which at first seem to have a formal character play
an essential political role. For example, they make it difficult,
if not impossible, to engage administrative resources to influence
polls. Changes in legislation, as well as fundamental changes
in the home policy of the republic, resulting from the powerful
democratic wave after the well-known events of 1999 – 2000, had a
direct influence on the society and turnout in elections. The period
preceding the upcoming election can be regarded as the most active
of all the previous elections in the history of NKR. Currently,
167 candidates run for the election, 115 under the majority system,
and 81 on party tickets. In the election in 2000 113 candidates were
registered, 88 are independent candidates and 25 were nominated by
political parties. In 1995 the total number of candidates was 81.

The number of candidates has increased 1.4 times since the previous
election to the National Assembly. 75.5 per cent of the members of
parliament of the present National Assembly will again stand for
parliament both under the majority system (49 per cent or 16) and
on party tickets. In the capital of NKR, Stepanakert, the number of
candidates from each electoral district is 10, in the regions the
number of candidates from each electoral district is 4 or 5. The
increase in the number of candidates once again confirms that there
is democratic environment in the home policy of NKR. 54 candidates
running for the election under the majority system (47 per cent)
represent different political parties. 61 candidates (53 per cent)
are independent candidates. The picture of nomination on party tickets
is the following: the political alliance Dashnaktsutyun – Union 88 –
18 candidates (6 were simultaneously nominated under the majority
system), Azat Hayrenik Party – 17 candidates (9), NKR Communist
Party – 10 candidates (4), Mer Tun’ Hayastan Party – 4 candidates
(3), Social Justice Party 4 candidates (1), Baroyakan Veratsnund –
3 candidates. The political parties also stand for parliament under
the majority system. The picture is the following: Dashnaktsutyun –
Movement 88 – 20 candidates, NKR Communist Party – 12, Democratic
Party of Artsakh – 10, Azat Hayrenik Party – 9, Mer Tun’ Hayastan
Party – 4, Social Justice Party – 1, Armenakan Party – 1.

To make forecasts on the staff of the future National Assembly would
mean contradicting to the law. Nevertheless, we would like to point
out that it would not be correct to think that the new parliament
will be formed of the members of a certain political party. As it was
mentioned above, the number of candidates, representing a political
party, nominated under the majority system constitutes 47 per cent
of all the candidates. The rest are independent candidates. Besides,
there are candidates on party tickets who are not members of any
political party.

The Democratic Party of Artsakh is the first by the number of
such candidates (6 candidates, constituting 24 per cent of all
the candidates). The political alliance Dashnaktsutyun – Movement
88 is in the second place with 3 candidates (16.6 per cent of
candidates). Naturally, independent members of parliament will also be
elected, which will influence the correlation of political forces in
the National Assembly, and the latter will influence the home policy
of the republic.

DAVIT BABAYAN.

01-06-2005

COOPERATION WITH NATO CONSTITUENT OF ARMENIA SECURITY

Pan Armenian News
02.06.2005 04:53

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Secretary of the National Security Council at
the Armenian President, Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan met with
US Senator Norm Coleman, reported Defense Ministry Press Secretary,
colonel Seyran Shahsuvaryan. In the course of the meeting S. Sargsyan
remarked that the US-Armenia relations develop pretty rapidly. Within
the context of military cooperation he noted that it started three
years ago and documents that form favorable conditions for promotion
of the relations were signed within that period. “I am sure that the
final returns of the assessment of the Armed Forces of Armenia will be
satisfying, as oral opinions are rather positive,” the Minister said.
Touching upon Armenia-NATO cooperation, he accentuated that the volume
of cooperation with the NATO has increased several times. Adding
that Armenia’s foreign policy agenda does not include accession to
the NATO, he said Armenia considers cooperation with the NATO and
the US a national security constituent. At the same time Armenia
develops cooperation with European countries, NATO member and
non-member states, has military cooperation with Russia and CSTO
countries. “The most important thing is that we have no differences
in this respect,” the Minister stated. In his turn N. Coleman noted,
“I know the level of the Armed Forces of Armenia is rather high and
we establish close ties both in the defense and other spheres.” In
his words, he had conversations with defense evaluation specialists,
who held a positive opinion of the Armenian Armed Forces. “I have
come intending to get to know what exactly is necessary for further
development of the US-Armenian relations,” Coleman said.

ARMENIAN OMBUDSPERSON: OFFICERS OF NATIONAL SECURITY SERVICE OF ARMENIA KEEP DISCREDITING THE STATE

Pan Armenian News
31.05.2005 08:02

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ At 10:30 a.m. today officers of the National Security
Service (NSS) of Armenia came to a limited company engaged in legal
counseling and introduced themselves as if they were officers of the
Ombudsperson’s staff, Armenian Ombudsperson Larisa Alaverdian stated
in the course of an on-line interview with OpenArmenia.com. Then,
in her words, by means illegal methods, including attempts to use
coercion, they tried to frighten the staff of the company with a
“document” not having legal force “to invite” the head and the staff
of the company to the NSS “for a conversation”. Getting a competent
and worthy response and not having managed to explain the attempt to
get information on the complaints of persons, who have addressed both
the company and the Ombudsperson, by deception and fraud in any way,
they insensibly disappeared. At that they did not take the statement
of the company head on the happening, though it was already sent
via mail, being addressed to the NSS head. “The fact evidences that
the information that was kept in the processor, withdrawn from the
Office of the Ombudsperson, was available to the NSS and is already
being used for pressure upon other subjects of the society, including
commercial ones,” she stated. “Thus, it is not ruled out that the
information will be used for pressure upon citizens also in the
future,” the Ombudsperson proved. As of the incident of withdrawal
of the processor, letters to the Armenian Prime Minister, President,
National Assembly Chairman are prepared: these describe and qualify
the occurrence and propose taking respective measures at the state
level to prevent similar incidents in the future. At that she noted
that such actions have a least negative impact upon the activities
of the human rights institution.

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
05/31/2005
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1) Thousands Dance to Mark Armenia’s Independence Holiday
2) Empty Polling Stations in Beirut~Rs Armenian Districts Reflect Dissent
3) ANCA & Africa Action Call on Bush Administration to Take Decisive
Action on Darfur Genocide
4) Russia Agrees to Close Military Bases in Georgia
5) Turkey Adopts Penal Code Reforms

1) Thousands Dance to Mark Armenia’s Independence Holiday

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)–Tens of thousands of people, among them President Robert
Kocharian, formed a human chain around Armenia’s highest mountain on Saturday
in a dance that celebrated the 87th anniversary of the restoration of Armenian
statehood.
The traditional Armenian circle dance took place along the 163-kilometer
perimeter of the sprawling Mount Aragats and was meant to symbolize “national
unity” on one of the country’s most important public holidays. Organizers
hailed it as a resounding success, saying that more than 160,000 people
participated in the unprecedented event.
“We will try to express the unity of our nation around Aragats,” Kocharian
said before he joined hands with fellow participants in the area about 60
kilometers north of Yerevan. “Thank you all for coming,” he added.
The dance began at 3 p.m. local time after a public “blessing” voiced by the
head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Karekin II, and lasted for 15 minutes,
with several Armenian fighter jets roaring overhead. Participants, each of
them
part of a group assigned to a particular section of the area, began
arriving at
the Aragats foot early in the morning.
The massive movement was overseen by the police that closed some of Armenia’s
key highways for regular traffic. Thousands of buses and minibuses were
diverted from their service routes in Yerevan and other parts of the
country to
transport people to the scene. The operation left public transportation in the
capital effectively paralyzed throughout the day.

2) Empty Polling Stations in Beirut~Rs Armenian Districts Reflect Dissent

BEIRUT (Combined Sources)–Heeding the Armenian Revolutionary Federation’s
(ARF) call to boycott the Beirut district elections, the majority of Armenians
stayed home in Sunday’s first stage of the staggered election to the
128-member
assembly.
In heavily Armenian populated areas such as Ashrafieh, the effects of the
boycott were apparent with only 17 percent voter turnout.
Overall low voter turnout–only 28 percent of 420,000 eligible voters casting
ballots, seemed to indicate that many people in Beirut stayed away because
Saad
Al Hariri’s victory seemed a foregone conclusion, with nine of the 19 seats
falling unopposed to his bloc even before the vote.
Hariri, the son and political heir of former slain Lebanese premier Rafik
Hariri, angered Armenians when he opted to exclude ARF candidates from his
electoral list for vacant Armenian seats in Beirut’s three constituencies.
Hariri instead proposed Armenians who do not have the backing of the majority
Armenian population, namely ARF supporters. The party called for the boycott,
saying that Hariri’s “list ignores those forces that hold actual political
weight in Beirut.”
Low voter turnout was also felt in Christian districts, in protest of the
electoral law which they claim does not allow for true representation.
Hani Hammud, editor-in-chief of the Hariri-owned Al Mustaqbal daily, said,
“Working toward national unity after the elections would be achieved with the
drafting of a new electoral law to replace the current one which was
drafted by
the [Lebanese] authorities and the services, under Syria’s tutelage.”
“The electoral law has rightfully frustrated many Lebanese, mainly the
Christians,” he acknowledged.
“The first mission of Saad Hariri and his allies [in the opposition] will be
to start dialogue for a new electoral law, following a compromise with all
parties,” Hammud said.
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, nevertheless, praised the “democratic
conduct” of the first round of voting.
“These elections constitute a major opportunity for the Lebanese people to
shape their own future, to strengthen their political institutions and to
restore their full sovereignty,” he said in a statement.
Results announced by Interior Minister Hassan Sabei showed Hariri, a Sunni
Muslim, won 39,500 of 42,000 votes cast in his constituency, the highest
number
in any of the 10 contested seats in the mainly Sunni Lebanese capital.
A pro-Syrian Shiite Hezbollah candidate on Hariri’s slate was the second
highest vote-getter with 32,000.
Beirut had a 34 percent turnout in 2000, when Hariri’s father, then
cooperating with Syria, also swept the board.
For the first time, foreign observers monitored the polls, with a team of
more
than 100 led by the European Union, who announced the first round of elections
were “open and transparent.”
Political analyst Ghassan Ezzeh said: “I do not think we can speak about free
and democratic elections because there was no real electoral battle.”
But he said that “even if the new parliament will not have real popular
representation, world powers [the [US and France] have already given it
legitimacy, and this is enough.”
As soon as Saad claimed victory late on Sunday, he called for national
reconciliation in a country still bearing the scars of the 15-year civil war
and extended an open hand to all factions who helped the campaign that led to
the Syrian pullout.

3) ANCA & Africa Action Call on Bush Administration to Take Decisive Action on
Darfur Genocide

Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) Draws Parallels between Darfur and Armenian
Genocides at White House Vigil

WASHINGTON, DC–Armenian Americans from the Greater Washington, DC area
joined
with local student leaders and community activists this week to protest the
ongoing Genocide in Darfur, Sudan. Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair
Frank
Pallone (D-NJ) was among speakers at the May 25 White House vigil,
organized by
the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
Rep. Pallone thanked attendees for calling attention to the situation in
Darfur, Sudan, and went on to draw parallels between the Armenian and Darfur
genocides. “It’s very reminiscent of what happened in the case of the Armenian
Genocide,” stated Rep. Pallone. “There were people that were speaking out that
were not listened to. In the case of the Turks, they were out there in the
fields, constantly killing people and moving people into the desert. While
there were those who were speaking out [about the Armenian Genocide], the
Western powers really weren’t doing anything about it. We don’t want to be in
that situation again here in the United States.”
Rep. Pallone praised the leadership of fellow New Jersey Senator Jon Corzine
(D-NJ) and Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ) in spearheading the Darfur Accountability
Act (S.495/H.R. 1424) in the Senate and House. The ANCA has joined with Africa
Action and other groups in nationwide ANCA WebFax campaigns calling for the
passage of the legislation. ANCA Government Affairs Director Kate Nahapetian
updated attendees about the status of each bill and called on activists to
urge
House International Relations Committee Chairman Henry Hyde (R-IL) to work for
final adoption of the measure.
During the vigil, representatives of the ANCA, Africa Action, the Armenian
Youth Federation, Genocide Education Project, and Armenian American activists
and supporters gave impassioned remarks about the importance of continued
activism to press for decisive action by the Bush Administration to end the
violence in Darfur. Among the speakers joining Rep. Pallone and Nahapetian
were
ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian; Communications Director Elizabeth
Chouldjian; Africa Action Executive Director Salih Booker, Director for Public
Education and Mobilization Marie Clarke Brill, and Program Associate Akenji
Ndumu; Genocide Education Project Education Director Sara Cohen; Armenian
American activist Sylvia Parsons; and AYF member Megan Young.
Hamparian expressed concern about the US Government’s inaction following a
September 2004, statement properly characterizing the killings and rapes in
Darfur as “genocide.” “By using the term genocide–and not acting on our legal
and moral obligations, our invocation of the term genocide is hollowed of
meaning. Our commitment to the Genocide Convention is undermined. Those whose
lives it was within our power to save are abandoned,” explained Hamparian.
Booker concurred and noted, “President Bush’s senior advisors have been
asked,
‘Is the President still engaged on the issue of genocide in Darfur?’ And the
Presidential aides, the White House aides have said: yes, the President
remains
engaged on the subject of genocide, but there are other more important matters
requiring his attention. We are here on the lawn of the White House to ask:
What is more important than stopping genocide?”
Booker thanked the ANCA for providing the leadership for the vigil, and for
providing leadership “not just today, not just over the weeks, not just being
an ally, but providing leadership in this country to get people to understand
what the crime of genocide is and why it’s unacceptable anywhere that it
occurs
on this earth.”
The ANCA has participated in previous Darfur vigils, protested outside the
Sudanese Embassy, spoken at genocide prevention conferences, and generated
support–both at the grassroots level and in Washington, DC–for Congressional
legislation aimed at ending the slaughter in the Darfur region.
Up to 400,000 people have already died and more than 2,000,000 dislocated in
Darfur over the past two years. Recent reports confirm that the situation on
the ground is deteriorating, and the humanitarian crisis is reaching desperate
proportions.
For more information about Darfur: To send a free ANCA
WebFax protesting the Darfur Genocide:

4) Russia Agrees to Close Military Bases in Georgia

–NATO, EU Hail Russian Pledge

MOSCOW (AFP/Reuters)–Moscow and Tbilisi have completed an agreement on the
pullout by the end of 2008 of Russia’s last two Soviet-era military bases in
Georgia, a deal that could allow the establishment of other foreign bases
there.
“The final pullout will be finished during 2008,” Russian Foreign Minister
Sergei Lavrov said after talks Monday in Moscow with his Georgian counterpart
Salome Zurabishvili.
“We have taken an important and constructive step. We have achieved our
goal,”
Zurabishvili told journalists.
The government in Tbilisi is left free to bring in US or other foreign
troops,
but Zurabishvili said her government had no intention of doing so.
The agreement marked a breakthrough after years of rancorous negotiations
over
the two bases, formerly part of Soviet defenses on the southwestern flank with
NATO, but more recently a bargaining chip in Moscow’s fight to retain
influence
in the Caucasus.
Georgia’s President Mikhail Saakashvili hailed the agreement as “historic.”
“This is a very important political event, it is a historic moment for our
country, as it puts an end to Russia’s 200-year military presence in Georgia,”
Saakashvili said late Monday following the signing of the deal in Moscow.
“We want friendly, neighborly relations, we will never create any problems
for
Russia,” the Georgian leader added.
Under the accord, the approximately 3,000 servicemen on the two bases–one in
Akhalkalak, near the Georgian-Armenian border, the other in Batumi, on the
Black Sea coast–are now on ‘withdrawal’ status.
It was unclear whether Georgia had made any major concessions in the deal,
but
a mention in the agreement of a possible joint “anti-terrorist” centre seemed
to leave the door open for some sort of Russian military presence in the
country.
Under the accord signed by both foreign ministers, withdrawal of heavy
weapons
will begin later this year, with September 1 the deadline for removing the
first hardware, including up to 20 tanks, the agreement said.
The last heavy weaponry must be gone from Akhalkalak by the end of next year,
and from all Russian installations by the end of 2007, with the final pullout
of the last men and materiel by the end of the following year.
The agreement also says that “part of the personnel and technical means and
infrastructure” from the Batumi base will be used to set up a Georgian-Russian
anti-terrorist center.
Russia’s refusal to make a speedy withdrawal from the two bases has
contributed to tense relations with its neighbor since the collapse of the
Soviet Union, especially since Georgia’s pro-Western president Mikhail
Saakashvili came to power in the “rose revolution” of November 2003.
Russia has hoped to stem an erosion of its influence in the Caucasus, where
the United States has become an increasingly important player.
Georgia has applied for membership in NATO and hosts a small contingent of US
military trainers.
NATO and the European Union welcomed Russia’s pledge to pull its troops.
“In taking steps to resolve this longstanding dispute, the two sides have
..advanced security in the Caucasus region,” NATO Secretary-General Jaap de.
Hoop Scheffer said.
De Hoop Scheffer also called in a statement for an early solution to a
separate dispute with Moldova over 1,200 Russian peacekeeping troops in the
Russian-speaking Dnestr region, which fought a brief war with newly
independent
Moldova in 1992.
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana also issued a statement welcoming the
Georgia accord.
Some diplomats have suggested the presence of Russian troops in Georgia is an
obstacle to Tbilisi’s ambition to join NATO, though the alliance insists there
is no formal link.
In another sign of a possible thaw in relations, Lavrov said there had also
been a decision to agree before the end of the year on delimitation of the
Georgian-Russian border, which runs along the Caucasus Mountains range.
“We will do everything” to contribute to peaceful resolutions of Georgia’s
separatist conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Lavrov added.
Moscow-backed separatist forces control both regions, which are on the
Georgian side of the rugged border.
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently cleared the way for an end to the
row over the bases, saying that Moscow could not drag its feet.
“Foreign bases of all countries in the world–if they are not occupying
troops–are there with the agreement of their partners. If there is no such
desire among our partners, then we have no choice. We have to take this step.
For better or worse, we are leaving there,” he said.
Georgia is impoverished and has a population of less than five million.
But it
has gained in strategic importance with the building of an oil export pipeline
that stretches from the Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean, with a section
passing through Georgia.
Its troubled border with Russia includes a section shared with Chechnya,
where tens of thousands of Russian troops are tied down in the second
guerrilla
war in a decade.

5) Turkey Adopts Penal Code Reforms

ISTANBUL (BBC News)–The Turkish parliament has approved changes to a new
penal
code–a key condition for the start of European Union membership talks. The
code will come into effect at the beginning of June.
The last-minute changes came after journalists said that some clauses were
highly restrictive of media freedom.
Turkey is due to start entry talks with the EU in October, but is not
expected
to be allowed to join the bloc for at least another nine years. Few pieces of
reform legislation have been as difficult to get through parliament as the new
penal code.
Late last year, Turkey’s entire EU membership project appeared to be under
threat when the government insisted on including a clause criminalizing
adultery in its reformed code.
After some heavy hints from Brussels, the clause was dropped.
A couple of months ago, just as the code was supposed to come into force,
journalists protested at clauses covering what could or could not be
published.
They said that some were as bad as those in the old code.
Some of those clauses have been changed, but there are still restrictions
that
will raise eyebrows in western Europe: criticizing some state institutions is
still a criminal offence, as is publishing material deemed “contrary to
fundamental national interests”–such as suggesting that the killings of
Armenians in World War I was a genocide.
But the code as a whole has been welcomed by EU officials and human rights
activists as a giant step forward for the Turkish penal system.

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V. OSKANIAN: REVOLUTION DOES NOT THREATEN ARMENIA

Pan Armenian News
30.05.2005 04:14

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “Armenia has in due time overcome the revolutionary
spirits and they do not threaten our republic any longer”, Armenian
Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian told journalists. In his words,
Armenia prefers stepwise evolutional development to sharp revolutionary
changes. The Minister also commented on Ukrainian Supreme Rada
statement on possibility of Armenia’s joining the GUAM. He noted that
the Armenian party has not received a proposal of the kind yet. “For
joining any organization it is essential first of all to believe in its
principles and goals. GUAM is still in the process of reconsidering
its goals and programs; there are too many uncertainties there”,
the Armenian FM noted, IA Regnum reports.

Al-Jazeera, Qatar
May 29 2005

Saad al-Hariri’s bloc sweeps Beirut

Candidates led by the son of slain ex-premier Rafik al-Hariri have
won all the seats in Beirut in Lebanon’s general election, a
government source said.

“The count is nearly over and it’s a landslide for Saad’s list,” said
the source, who asked not to be identified.

Saad al-Hariri’s anti-Syrian bloc had already won nine of the
capital’s 19 seats in the 128-member parliament before the vote
because they were not contested.

The source said candidates on Saad’s list had taken all 10 remaining
seats.

“This victory is for Rafik al-Hariri. Today Beirut showed its loyalty
to Rafik al-Hariri,” Saad, 35, told a jubilant crowd celebrating
outside his villa in the capital.

“Today is a victory for democracy…freedom and sovereignty,” he said
to chanting supporters.

Saad’s candidates have taken all
10 remaining Beirut seats

Turnout

Turnout in the first round of Lebanon’s election on Sunday stood at
28%, Aljazeera reported quoting preliminary official estimates at
close of polling.

Disclosing this information at a press conference in Beirut,
Lebanon’s Interior Minister Hasan al-Sabaa said “official results
would be announced midday on Monday”.

According to Sabaa, “no security incident that could have affected or
obstructed the electoral process took place” during the daylong
elections in the capital – the first in a four-stage poll.

“The Lebanese people voted in a democratic atmosphere and in full
freedom, without pressure,” Aljazeera quoted him as saying.

“We have received congratulations from international observers about
the exemplary process of the elections”.

Boycott urged

Over 400,000 men and women
above 21 were eligible to vote

Earlier, followers of Christian leader Michel Aoun, left off Saad’s
anti-Syrian ticket, urged people to shun the polls, handing out
orange stickers that said: “Boycott the appointments”.

The Armenian Tashnag party, disgruntled because the four seats
reserved for Beirut’s big Armenian community had gone unopposed to
Saad’s candidates, also demanded a boycott.

“No participation without proper representation for all in Beirut,”
said Tashnag leaflets in Arabic and Armenian.

The polls follow two political earthquakes in Lebanon – al-Hariri’s
killing in a bomb blast many Lebanese blamed on Damascus, and the end
of Syria’s 29-year troop presence.

Between those landmark events, flag-waving Christians and Muslims,
including many civil war foes, flooded the streets in protests
against Syria, which denied any hand in al-Hariri’s death.

New start

For some, Lebanon’s first elections in three decades without Syrian
troops offer a new start.

“I voted because I believe in change,” Basil Eid, 27. “We want
Lebanon free of any subordination. We have to rule ourselves by
ourselves.”

Late Rafik al-Hariri’s wife Nazik
cast her ballot in Sunday’s vote

For others, the euphoria of the anti-Syrian protests has given way
to dismay at politicians who have reverted to electoral horse-trading
and alliances that curtail voter choice.

“Why should I vote when the result is already decided?” said
Abdul-Rahman Itani, in his 40s, near the polling station where the
late al-Hariri’s wife Nazik cast her ballot.

Armed police and soldiers guarded polling stations in Beirut, where
more than 400,000 men and women aged over 21 are eligible to vote.
Official results will be declared on Monday.

Only a handful of pro-Syrian leftists and Muslim hardliners are
competing with Saad’s Future bloc in Beirut.

Solidarity eroded

The solidarity of the anti-Syrian alliance that blossomed after
al-Hariri’s death has eroded in the run-up to the election.

“Why should I vote when the result is already decided?”

Abdul-Rahman Itani,
Beirut resident

Saad’s alliance with Druze leader Walid Jumblatt and some Christian
foes of Syria is intact, but Aoun, a fierce opponent of Syria just
back from exile, was left out in the cold.

Yet the Saad-Jumblatt front has also made deals with the main
pro-Syrian Shia alliance.

Saad’s Beirut ticket includes a Hizb Allah candidate. The joint
Amal-Hizb Allah list in the south embraces Bahiya al-Hariri, the
slain leader’s sister.

Tight contests are expected in the north and centre of the country,
especially among Christian rivals.

Armenpress

GEORGIAN COMMANDERS PUNISHED FOR PANDERING BEATINGS OF ARMENIAN SOLDIERS

23.05.2005 05:31

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian soldiers who left the military unit in
Akhaltsikh early May were conveyed to the military unit quartered in Gori,
A-info agency reported. 14 Armenian soldiers fled from the 31-th Georgian
battalion on May 14. It turned out that on account of not knowing the
Georgian language the Akhalkalaki soldiers with the silent consent of the
commanders were beaten by Georgian brothers in arms every day. Thanks to the
interference of the Georgian National Defender, the Akhalkalaki authorities
and the parents of the soldiers the Georgian Defense Ministry dismissed
commander of the 3-rd brigade Nodar Inanidze and commander of the 31-th
battalion Zaza Dzkheidze, who insisted on being unaware of the beatings. The
Armenian soldiers were conveyed to the military unit of Gori.

Daily sees “great chance” for revolution in Azerbaijan

Zerkalo, Baku
20 May 05

The refusal by the Azerbaijani authorities to sanction a demonstration
by the opposition on 21 May is “the odd one out” in a series of recent
moves towards rapprochement between the two sides, the Azerbaijani
newspaper Zerkalo has said. It added that Azerbaijan, which is to
hold parliamentary elections later this year, had a “great chance”
of emulating Georgia, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan where revolutions had
taken place soon after presidential or parliamentary elections. The
paper said further that Azerbaijan was becoming not only a thorn in
the side of the USA over its recent military agreement with Iran, but
also in the side of Russia as any revolution in Azerbaijan and Belarus
would complete the circle of pro-Western republics around the European
part of Russia. The following is an excerpt from Q. Quluzada’s and
R. Mirqadirov’s report by Azerbaijani newspaper Zerkalo on 20 May
headlined “Troy will be no more”

On the evening of 17 May, the US president said he considered it
necessary to continue the change of regimes in post-Soviet republics.

[Passage omitted: details of President Bush’s address]

And finally Azerbaijan. On 21 May, the Azerbaijani opposition is going
to stage a demonstration. The authorities have not sanctioned the
protest action and warned that the protesters will be dispersed. This,
however, hasn’t made the opposition give up its plans. We are likely
to witness a tough, if not cruel, stand-off. And representatives
of the world’s leading media outlets are expected to converge on
Baku on 25 May to witness the launch of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil
pipeline. And they are likely to speak about our oil through the
prism of an aggressive pre-election struggle [in Azerbaijan].

If the rally is put down in the October 2003 [post-election clashes]
style, the world media will lead their news bulletins with images
of the “black gold” and “bloodshed” in Azerbaijan. To steer clear
of such a scenario, the Azerbaijani authorities, which never miss an
opportunity to say how insignificant the opposition is, should have
sanctioned the rally. Or, if they have already refused to do so,
they shouldn’t beat up protesters too much [when the rally goes ahead].

Obviously, the opposition will be glad to remind the West of itself and
show its strength. America does not create revolutionary movements,
but it can encourage serious and real processes. The latest moves
of the Azerbaijani authorities have shown that they are ready for
change. These include amnesty decrees, a presidential decree on
improving election practices and the start of a dialogue with the
opposition. But the refusal to sanction the rally is clearly the odd
one out.

Perhaps this is a manifestation of the much talked about struggle
between reformist and conservative forces in power. It is said
that the former want to play by new rules, while the latter prefer
to act the way they are used to. The country is in the run-up to
[parliamentary] elections [in November] and the fate of Azerbaijan,
and perhaps the next destination of US special purpose troops, will
depend on how flexible the Azerbaijani authorities are and if they
are ready for democratic and fair elections.

Azerbaijan has a great chance of joining Georgia, Ukraine and
Kyrgyzstan. There are several reasons for that.

First, our American friends usually act according to a certain
pattern. In such cases they don’t alter the scenarios which have been
successfully applied in other countries “coveting democracy”. Let’s
recall that all “velvet revolutions” in the said countries took place
hard on the heels of presidential or parliamentary elections. We
will have our parliamentary elections, too. Frankly speaking, it
would be correct to describe them as the “so-called parliamentary
elections”. We have to acknowledge that while one side is preparing
for a “velvet revolution”, the other is preparing to put it down.

Second, Zerkalo has already reported, quoting informed sources, that
our American friends are gradually losing faith in the ability of
the ruling elite to carry out the necessary reforms and adhere to a
clear-cut foreign political course. Washington was not particularly
impressed, to put it mildly, with some of Baku’s recent military and
diplomatic steps, especially the signing of a military cooperation
agreement with Iran. The USA considers Iran as one of the main sponsors
of international, especially Islamic, terrorism.

It is no secret that Washington intends to use Azerbaijani territory as
a foothold in case of strikes on Iran. And at this “opportune” moment
Azerbaijan goes ahead and signs the military treaty with Iran. The
USA doesn’t forgive such “follies”, not even to its strategic allies.

Third, it must be remembered that the possible “velvet resolutions” in
Belarus and Azerbaijan would complete the formation of a pro-Western
“democratic belt” around the European part of Russia. As a matter
of fact, Armenia will be left with no choice because under such
circumstances it will be practically impossible for Russia to keep its
completely isolated “outpost” in the South Caucasus alive. And then
it won’t be difficult for Washington to put Yerevan on the right path.

[Passage omitted: other details of the Bush address]

Fierce election battles shape up in the North, Metn, West Bekaa
By Nayla Assaf

Daily Star, Lebanon
May 21 2005

Daily Star staff
Saturday, May 21, 2005

On the campaign trail

BEIRUT: As election day draws closer, the electoral battle is
expected to be fierce in North Lebanon, the Metn and the Western
Bekaa. With the bloc of slain former Premier Rafik Hariri set to win
all the seats in the capital and the Hizbullah-Amal coalition those
of South Lebanon, there is unlikely to be much of an electoral battle
in Beirut and South Lebanon. The much anticipated battle has shifted
to other provinces.

In the Northern Metn District, which will witness parliamentary
elections with the rest of Mount Lebanon on July 12, electoral
alliances are still unclear. But the opposition is expected to
announce a joint list, grouping Michel Aoun’s Free Patriotic Movement
(FPM), Metn MP Nassib Lahoud’s Democratic Renewal Movement, the
Phalange rank and file movement loyal to former President Amin
Gemayel and the Lebanese Forces (LF).

However, an observer of the electoral scene in the Metn said: “the
prospect of an alliance is still dependent on alliances in other
areas. If the FPM allies with the Progressive Socialist Party and the
LF in the Baabda-Aley district, then its alliance with the rest of
the opposition will go smoothly in the Metn.”

The picture might be clearer by Sunday, when Metn MP Pierre Gemayel
is expected to announce his list at a rally in Bikfaya.

However, it remains unclear whether an opposition alliance in the
Metn will include former MP Gabriel Murr, who received the backing of
the opposition, united when he ran for the by-election in 2002.

Earlier squabbles among the opposition had triggered reports the FPM
might seek an alliance with Deputy Speaker Michel Murr, a close
Syrian loyalist.

But the FPM denied the reports, and Murr is more likely to unite with
the Tashnag Armenian party and the loyalist faction of the Phalange,
headed by former minister Karim Pakradouni.

But by all accounts, a deal between the FPM and PSP leader Walid
Jumblatt in Baabda-Aley will determine the alliances among the
opposition in the rest of the country.

In Second district in North Lebanon, which groups Tripoli, Minieh,
Zghorta, Batroun and Koura, the opposition is likely to face a new
potential alliance between former Premier Omar Karami and former
Interior Minister, Suleiman Franjieh.

But the opposition in the North, represented by such figures as
Batroun MP Boutros Harb, opposition figure Samir Franjieh, Zghorta MP
Nayla Mouawad, Koura MP Farid Makari, and Tripoli MP Samir Jisr, who
are close to Saad Hariri, is set to win more seats than the loyalist
list.

It is still not clear, however, if the FPM, which enjoys strong
support in the North, will be part of that coalition.

George Haddad of the FPM said: “The North will be part of a package
deal.

Either we will ally with the rest of the opposition in all the
country on the basis of a joint agenda to combat corruption, or we
simply will not.”

In the Western Bekaa, the battle is between traditional pro-Syrian
figures such as Elie Ferzli, Faysal Daoud and Abdel-Rahim Mrad and an
odd coalition bringing together the loyalist Amal Movement with
representatives of the opposition.