Author: Torgomian Varazdat

Armenia sees no need for EU mediation in Karabakh settlement

Interfax
May 27 2004

Yerevan. (Interfax) – Armenia does not think it is necessary for
the European Union to act as mediator in the settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian
told reporters on Wednesday.

He said talks on Nagorno-Karabakh are being held in the framework of
the OSCE Minsk group which fully suits the Armenian side.

“The European Union has always promoted the efforts of the Minsk
Group and I hope it will continue to do so. But there is currently
no need to involve the EU in the negotiations as a mediator,” he said.

Oskanian also denied reports of new proposals on Karabakh from
Minsk group co-chairmen. “New ideas should not be confused with new
proposals,” he said.

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Michael Goldfarb
212-514-8040 x12

FORMER SOVIET COUNTRIES LAGGING BEHIND IN DEMOCRACY

New Freedom House Study Reveals Growing Democracy Gap in Europe
Russia Displays Further Setbacks

NEW YORK, May 24, 2004 – Europe is facing a widening and worrisome democracy
gap, according to a major new report released by Freedom House today.

The study, Nations in Transit 2004, shows that the enlargement of the
European Union on May 1 formalized a new divide between the stable,
democratic nations of Central Europe and the Baltics and the weaker
post-Communist states that continue to lag behind in key areas of democratic
development.

The study is available online at:

Country-by-country summaries are available at:
ummary2004.pdf

“The findings of this year’s Nations in Transit study make clear that much
remains to be done to extend the benefits of liberal democracy and free
markets to the majority of post-Communist countries in Europe and Eurasia,”
said Freedom House Executive Director Jennifer Windsor

“Western leaders must renew efforts to support political and economic reform
in the post-Communist countries. At the same time, they must press
slow-to-reform governments harder for tangible improvements in securing
basic rights, promoting free and independent media, supporting the rule of
law, and introducing effective and transparent governance,” she said.

The study also showed worrisome setbacks in Russia, which continues to
backslide in key areas of democratic practice. According to Nations in
Transit 2004, President Putin’s policies “have sought to centralize power,
leaving little room for a vibrant civil society, independent media, or
political opposition… While Russia has emphasized the importance it places
on maintaining strong ties to the West, it is headed in an increasingly
authoritarian direction.”

In Nations in Transit 2004, the eight new EU members from Central and
Eastern Europe held their position as the highest ranking countries in the
study, showing the strongest overall performance in the six key areas of
democratization tracked: electoral process; civil society; independent
media; governance; corruption; and constitutional, legislative, and judicial
framework.

Freedom House found that the non-Baltic post-Soviet states have regressed
over the life of the study. Russia has registered the most significant
decline in scores since last year, with Azerbaijan, Moldova, and Ukraine
also showing significant downturns. Continued poor performance was
documented throughout the Central Asian countries, which include some key
U.S. allies. “While there were some bright spots in the past year-especially
in Georgia-the longer-term outlook for democracy in the non-Baltic former
Soviet states remains bleak,” said Nations in Transit editor Amanda
Schnetzer.

Nations in Transit covers two countries, Armenia and Georgia, that have been
selected for enhanced U.S. foreign assistance as part of the Millennium
Challenge Account (MCA), for which over $1 billion in foreign aid funding
under the program has been allocated. Their selection was based on a number
of criteria set out by the Bush Administration, including commitments by
those nations’ governments to “ruling justly.” Nations in Transit 2004
suggests some cause for concern regarding Armenia’s democratic trajectory,
particularly in the areas of free and fair elections, independent media, and
human rights. Georgia’s performance since the “Rose revolution” of last
November suggests more promise in this regard.

NATIONS IN TRANSIT 2004: THE RATINGS

The Nations in Transit survey, produced annually, provides comprehensive
analysis of transitions in 27 post-Communist countries (plus Kosovo) by
tracking progress and setbacks in electoral processes; civil society;
independent media; governance; corruption; and constitutional, legislative
and judicial frameworks. It also provides a unique set of comparative
ratings based on a scale of 1 to 7, with 1 representing the highest level of
democratic development, and 7 the lowest. The 2004 study covers the period
January 1 through December 31, 2003

The eight countries joining the European Union on May 1 remained the
highest-ranking countries in the study. The majority of ratings improvements
documented in Nations in Transit 2004 were confined to countries in the
Balkans. (Serbia, Montenegro, and Kosovo were rated separately this year for
the first time and are not included in the ratings summaries. However,
historical ratings for Yugoslavia are included in the appendix). The
majority of setbacks in ratings were experienced in the non-Baltic countries
of the former Soviet Union.

Largest Declines in Russia

Russia experienced ratings declines in the greatest number of categories (5
out of 6), followed by Azerbaijan, Moldova, and Ukraine (4 out of 6 each).
The overall backward movement exhibited among the non-Baltic former Soviet
states in key areas of democratic reform suggests a growing resistance or
unwillingness of government leaders to push forward with positive changes.
Russia, in particular, has failed to lead by example in the region, where
its influence remains pervasive.

Electoral process.
(+) Three countries experienced ratings improvements for electoral process:
Bosnia, Bulgaria, and Estonia.
(-) Six countries experienced declines in electoral process: Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, and Ukraine.

Civil society.
(+) Seven countries showed gains for civil society: Albania, Bosnia,
Bulgaria, Georgia, Macedonia, Romania, and Slovakia.
(-) Five countries experienced setbacks for civil society: Azerbaijan,
Belarus, Moldova, Russia, and Ukraine.

Independent media.
(+) Three countries experienced improvements for independent media: Albania,
Estonia, and Latvia.
(-) Seven countries showed declines in independent media: Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Russia, and Slovakia.

Governance.
(+) Four countries showed progress in their ratings for governance: Bosnia,
Macedonia, Slovenia, and Tajikistan.
(-) Five countries showed regression in their ratings for governance:
Georgia, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, and Turkmenistan.

Constitutional, legislative, and judicial framework.
(+) Four countries had ratings improvements in this category: Bosnia,
Bulgaria, Latvia, and Macedonia.
(-) Four countries experienced setbacks in their ratings for this category:
Azerbaijan, Croatia, Russia, and Ukraine.

Corruption.
(+) Only two countries showed improvements in their ratings for corruption:
Bosnia and Macedonia.
(-) Five countries showed regression in their ratings for corruption:
Albania, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan.

The full Nations in Transit report is available online at:

Indusmin Acquires Exploration Rights to Block 1 and 2 In Armenia

Business Wire
May 25, 2004

VANCOUVER, British Colombia–(BUSINESS WIRE)–May 25, 2004–Indusmin
Energy Corp. (TSX VENTURE:IDM) (Berlin Wkn:469065) is pleased to
announce that the company has acquired exclusive exploratory rights
on the Blocks 1 and 2 in the Republic of Armenia from the Armenian
American Exploration Inc. (‘AAEC’), of Solana Beach, California, for
a non disclosed override over twenty years term on any oil or gas
discovery made. Indusmin recently applied to the Armenian Ministry
of Energy for a five year extension to the license.

AAEC, a private company, was solely owned by Allen Paulson from
California, now deceased (July 2000); it is now owned by his son,
Michael Paulson. AAEC originally commenced operations in the spring
of 1997, acquiring 200 kilometres of seismic data during 1997-8 and
drilling one well, Azat-1, to 3,524 meters by July 1998. Oil traces
were encountered at about 3,212-5 meters. Allen Paulson was previously
Chairman Emeritus of Gulfstream Aerospace, a successful business man
in California and owner of world famous horse “CIGAR” .

Block 2, which covers the south western part of Armenia, including most
of the Armavir, Aragatsotn, Ararat and Kotaik regions, as well as the
capital city of Yerevan, contains the most prospective areas for both
oil and gas in the country. To the south west of the city of Armavir,
thirty kilometres due west of Yerevan, is an area where a number of
gas prospects occur. Two wells, Oktemberyan-13E and Oktemberyan-7P,
drilled in the 1960’s, tested gas at rates of 19,000 m3/day and
900m3/day respectively; many other boreholes have gas and oil shows.

“The agreement originally signed between AAEC and the Armenian
Ministry of Energy is a Production Sharing Agreement with advantageous
terms. Because of AAEC’s high start up costs, much of which are
eligible for cost recovery, Indusmin will be entitled to 80-85% of the
output of any initial discovery, dependent upon reserve size. Several
prospects with reserve sizes ranging between 15 and 40 bcf, supported
by both seismic and surface geochemical data, have already been
identified in the Armavir area, west of Yerevan. To the east, two oil
prospects — Shorakhpur and Nubarashen — have recoverable reserves
of about twenty million barrels each,” Tim Papworth, advisor to AAEC,
previously General Manager.

Further to the news releases of January 13 and 20, 2004, the Company
announces that it has closed its private placement of 1,183,463
units at a price of $0.19 per unit. Each unit consists of one common
share and one non-transferable share purchase warrant, each warrant
entitling the holder to purchase an additional common share for a
period of two years at a price of $0.25 per share.

The Company paid finders’ fees to David McNamara of 37,500 common
shares and Peter Sugden of 6,250 common shares, at a deemed price of
$0.19 per share in accordance with the policies of the TSX Venture
Exchange.

The shares, shares issued on the exercise of any warrants and shares
issued to the finders are subject to hold periods that will expire
on August 3, 2004.

Further to the news release of February 29, 2004, the Company announces
that it has closed a private placement of 1,719,000 units at $0.30 per
unit. Each unit consists of one common share and one non-transferable
share purchase warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase an
additional common share of the Company at a price of $0.30 per share
in the first year of the term of the warrant and at a price of $0.40
per share in the second year of the term of the warrant.

Union Securities Ltd. acted as agent on a portion of the placement
and received $20,160 as broker fee, $5,000 and 10,000 common shares of
the Company at a deemed price of $0.30 per share as a processing fee
and a share purchase warrant entitling it to purchase up to 100,800
common shares of the Company at a price of $0.30 per share in the
first year and $0.40 per share in the second year.

–30–MRO/se* CONTACT: Indusmin Energy Corp. Carlos Munoz, 604-960
9930 Fax: 604-608-4733 or

The Company also issued 38,500 common shares to Canaccord Capital
Corporation, 16,000 common shares to Derek Ivany and 33,000 common
shares to David McNamara, all at a deemed price of $0.30 per share,
in payment of finders’ fees.

All securities issued under this placement are subject to hold periods
expiring on August 28, 2004.

The Company has also closed its shares for debt transaction announced
on January 13, 2004. A total of 1,094,735 common shares of the Company
were issued to creditors, at a deemed price of $0.19 per share,
for settlement of $208,000 in debt. The share issued under the debt
settlement are subject to hold periods expiring on August 6, 2004.

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
May 26 2004

INVESTING BY US COMPANIES IN NAGORNY KARABAKH CONTRADICTS LAWS OF
AZERBAIJAN
[May 26, 2004, 12:11:45]

As correspondent of AzerTAj informs, at session of Milli Majlis on 25
May, the deputies have protested against investing by some companies
of the United States in various spheres on the occupied territories
of Azerbaijan, in particular, in Nagorny Karabakh. In their opinion,
establishment by some companies of the United States, being the
co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group, cooperation with separatist
forces in Nagorny Karabakh, an uncontrollable zone, contradicts the
interests of Azerbaijan.

The deputies have suggested bringing the question for discussion in
Milli Majlis, making in this occasion warning to the US ambassador in
our country.

Chairman of Milli Majlis Murtuz Alaskarov has told, that similar
actions of the American companies do not express position of the
state of US. However, despite of it, it is necessary to consider the
said question seriously.

The head of parliament has stated that would address the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs with the request to clear the given question and to
inform the ambassador of the United States in our country, that
similar actions contradict the laws of Azerbaijan.

Getting the job done

Bangkok Post – Thailand;
May 24, 2004

CHIRATAS NIVATPUMIN — A squeak of protest emerges from the well-padded
chair as Bob Kevorkian settles back and lights a cigar.

“You know, I do miss the physical work from a project. It’s less
stressful. You’re done for the day, come home, take a bath, relax,
and it’s over,” he said with a shrug.

“Management is different. So I do miss it, but of course, I’m fatter
now.”

Yet the 61-year-old former construction labourer shows little sign
of slowing down, not with the Thai economy firmly on the upswing and
the property sector booming with activity.

A former managing director of Philipp Holzmann (Thailand), Mr Kevorkian
has worked on some of the most prominent construction projects in
town, including projects such as the Sukhothai and Peninsula hotels
and the ill-fated Hopewell train project.

The British-educated Armenian left Philipp Holzmann just before the
1997 crisis to start his own firm, K-Tech Construction. Needless to
say, the timing was not good.

“I started in February 1997, with just one room, a maid, a driver
and a secretary,” Mr Kevorkian recalled, noting that turnover for
the first year was a paltry 50 million baht.

Compare that with last year’s revenues of 2.6 billion baht, expected
to rise to 4.5 billion this year. The company now employs some 10,000
people, including contract workers, with a project record boasting
the 260,000-square-metre Central Rama II development, the 47-floor
Central World Tower project, seven Carrefour projects and the Royal
Phuket Marina and Spa development.

The company recently filed to list on the Stock Exchange of Thailand
with a proposed float of 7.2 million shares at five baht par value,
equal to 16% of its new capital.

K-Tech, with paid-up capital of 185 million baht, currently is 35%
owned by Mr Kevorkian. Other major shareholders include Suprangporn
Thumsujrit at 27% and the Thailand Equity Fund at 19%.

Funds raised from the initial public offering, expected to be held
within the next two months, will be used for working capital and
expansion, including diversification into public sector infrastructure
projects and development projects abroad.

“My basic philosophy is to believe in people. You must work with the
clients, give them what they want, on time, on budget and with the
right quality,” Mr Kevorkian said.

Finding the right balance for all three factors is a balancing act
for any contractor.

“The bricks, the concrete, the windows, they’re all the same. The
difference is in how well can you do it, how well can you control
the costs and manage time,” Mr Kevorkian said.

Logistics and planning, more so than engineering and technical
issues, are the key to completing any construction project on time
and on budget.

“The particular challenges of working in Thailand? You have working
hour restrictions, small sois, traffic,” Mr Kevorkian said.

“In most countries, you order the concrete for 10am delivery and it
comes at 10. In Bangkok, it could come at 1pm”

He paused. “Construction is a risk business. If you don’t want the
risk, you shouldn’t get involved. The more your experience, the better
your people are, the easier it is to manage the risks.”

Maintaining quality is key, Mr Kevorkian said. “You can be late,
you can be overbudget, but you need to deliver value,” he said.

“It’s like in a restaurant. A steak might cost just 100 baht, but if
it’s bad, you will leave feeling cheated. But a good steak, it can be
30 minutes late, it might cost 1,000 baht … but if it’s really good,
you will be happy.”

Mr Kevorkian noted that over 60% of K-Tech’s customers were repeat
customers such as Central, Golden Land, Carrefour and Ananda
Developments.

“I’ve worked in dozens of countries. It’s a great feeling to pass a
building and think to yourself, I was involved,” he said.

An acknowledged workaholic, Mr Kevorkian says he puts in 14 hours
of work a day, six days a week, meeting with clients, architects,
consultants and his project managers. And even after a full week,
he still takes time each Sunday to drive around to various K-Tech
construction sites to sneak a peek at where the project stands.

“My wife asks why I work so much. I like to say, in the office,
I’m king. At home, I’m only a husband,” he said with a grin.

“I don’t get stressed. It’s important to enjoy what you are doing. I’ll
be ready to retire once the excitement is gone. But for now, the
interest is still there.”

Azeri TV reminds BBC that deadline ends 1 June

ANS TV, Baku
24 May 04

[Presenter; Following a report about two Armenian defectors] Another
comedy is being played with our Azerbaijani colleagues who are working
under the management of an Armenian Mark Grigoryan. But we will talk
about this later.

[Correspondent] There is only one week left until 1 June. It is
this day when a deadline given by the ANS management to BBC World
[Service] is ending [ANS rebroadcasts BBC World Service programmes in
Baku]. As we have reported, ANS took this step as a protest against
BBC’s position on Azerbaijan, in particular, against this company’s
morning programmes. Finally, today we managed to learn the regional
executive editor of the Eurasia regional unit, Olexiy Solohubenko’s,
oral response to ANS’s letter of warning. We should say that Mr
Solohubenko expressed a tough reaction to ANS’s step.

[Olexiy Solohubenko in English over Azeri-voice over] I think it
is a very bad mistake on the part of ANS if it really goes to do
it. It is even a bigger mistake as it is made by ANS. This is very
bad for Azerbaijan. I am very much surprised that ANS is going to do
so without proving that BBC is wrong.

[Correspondent] It is interesting that Mr Solohubenko says that ANS is
doing so without proving BBC’s wrong steps. It is surprising because
several letters have been to the BBC management protesting against
BBC’s biased programmes broadcast in the mornings, particularly,
programmes by producer Mark Grigoryan in which he clearly attempts
to distort the existing realities around the Armenian-Azerbaijani
conflict. The letters have more than enough number of proofs and
evidence.

However, Solohubenko is determined to support their positions and
Mark Grigoryan. Incidentally, ANS’s another prediction turned out to
be correct. Mr Solohubenko skilfully used the fact that Azerbaijanis
work under the leadership of Mark Grigoryan.

[Solohubenko] The fact that Mark Grigoryan is an Armenian does
not mean that he is no good. He works with us in a team involving
11 Azerbaijanis. If you have any specific claims concerning Mark
Grigoryan, we are ready to consider them. But given that there is
no other claim apart from the one that he is an Armenian, this is
inadmissible.

[Correspondent] Going further with his explanations, Mr Solohubenko
started informing us on BBC’s international essence. He said that
there are Jews and Arabs and other Africans work there and they all
work there as part of BBC but not as ethnic groups or representatives
of their nations. But ANS CM is trying to highlight this point that
the status of a citizen of an aggressor country and of a citizen of
an occupied country cannot be equal. Their truths are also different.

We also talked about the Muslim-Christian side of the problem. Mr
Solohubenko taught a little lesson for us here as well.

[Olexiy Solohubenko] Muslims and Christians work together here. This
is why we cannot understand the problem you have raised. I regret that
this is happening in the Caucasus, in Azerbaijan which is tolerant
to free media. This is a bad mistake and it is very bad for Azerbaijan.

[Correspondent] There is only one week left until 1 June. Which means
that Mark Grigoryan has seven more days on the air. Sevda Hasanova,
ANS.

Azerbaijan refuses to attend CIS sitting in Armenia

Bilik Dunyasi news agency
21 May 04

Baku, 21 May: Azerbaijani representatives will not take part in a
sitting of the council of the heads of CIS Chambers of Commerce and
Industry which is due in Yerevan on 2 June. The leadership of the
Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce and Industry officially notified
the council of its decision not to take part in events held on the
territory of the enemy state, the chamber said.

[Passage omitted: Issues related to business information exchange
will be on the sitting’s agenda]

Gul In Moscow

There Have Been Worrying Developments In Palestine

Anadolu Agency
5/20/2004

MOSCOW – Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah
Gul has said there had recently been worrying developments in
Palestine, adding, “incidents there have been developing in a way
that worries whole world.”

Following his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in
Moscow where he had arrived under his meetings with the Middle East
Quartet (formed by European Union, United Nations, Russia and United
States) on the issue of Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)
Ministers Delegation’s Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Gul answered
Turkish reporters’ questions.

Noting that OIC’s meeting with Russia was occurring during an important
period, Gul said that important incidents had happened in Palestine
especially in last few weeks and in last few days.

“These are really worrying incidents and they have been developing in
a way that worries the whole region and the world. The latest policy
of Israel was condemned by the UN Security Council yesterday,” he said.

Stating that OIC wanted the problem to end peacefully, Gul said,
“as the Middle East Quartet said in its statements the day before,
both sides should act under framework of the road map. Israel should
stop use of force against civilians and innocent people, besides it the
policy of destroying homes should end. Any attempt that would split the
sides by building wall should be prevented and it should withdraw from
the territories it occupied under the UN Security Council resolutions.”

Noting that also Israel’s security and safety in the region should
be provided, Gul said, “these are important issues. I am here to talk
about these issues. With this respect I want to say that there will be
a session on Iraq issue in the Turkish parliament on next Tuesday. I
am thinking of directly bringing also the issues related to Palestine
and Middle East problem.”

Gul said that he had expressed his opinions about Cyprus to UN
Security Council permanent representative Russia and they had discussed
bilateral economic and political issues under his meetings in Moscow.

Stating that he had asked Lavrov to immediately lift economic embargo
on the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), immediately start
direct flights to the TRNC and remove obstacles that prevent vessels
carrying tourists and cargo from stopping by the TRNC, Gul said that
there would be concrete developments in line with the report that UN
Secretary General Kofi Annan would present to the UN Security Council.

Stating that Russia requested observer status in the OIC but there was
not such a status, Gul said that OIC’s regulations would be reviewed
at meeting in Istanbul and studies would start on granting Russia
such a status.

Replying to a question about Russia’s stance towards the Cyprus issue,
Gul said, “it is real that relations between Turkey and Russia have
been improving. Mr. President Putin proved it with multi-dimensional
partnership. Everything should enhance properly and appropriately to
this, of course.”

“While all relations are enhancing and getting deeper, common
opinions should emerge on regional issues and other problems and
Russia should review its policies, of course. Undoubtedly, these are
our expectations. However, we have to hold close consultations to
make these happen. We have to explain our issues in detail. We have
to clearly put forward our reasons. And it is what I am doing today,”
he said.

Stating that Lavrov had clearly told him that they supported lifting of
embargoes, establishment of commercial relations and lifting economic
isolation of the Turkish Cypriot side, which was the right thing,
Gul said, “they say that efforts could be exerted for a solution
in the future and everything should happen under the UN framework
and Annan’s plan should be taken as the basis. However, they say it
would be right to lift economic isolation. They clearly said that
they would not create any obstacle in front of Russian companies’
relations with the Turkish Cypriot side.”

Replying to a question, Gul said that opening of Turkish-Armenian
border could be possible only after Armenia withdrew from the
territories it occupied.

Asked about the Armenian President’s decision on not participating in
the NATO summit in Istanbul, Gul said, “it is a NATO meeting. Armenia
has a representation in Istanbul under the Black Sea Economic
Cooperation Organization. Should Armenia close it, too? I suppose
that it was a statement that targeted domestic politics.”

Asked whether Turkey had “plan B” in case the EU would not set a date
for opening of accession talks at its summit in December, Gul said,
“we don’t have such a plan. We all think of opening of negotiations
in December.”

“Besides, decision on opening of negotiations with Turkey was made
in 2002. At that summit, the decision was made and it was said that
negotiations with Turkey would immediately start in December of 2004
if it fulfilled political criteria,” Gul added.

Armenians direct water to flood Azeri frontline village – TV

ANS TV, Baku
17 May 04

[Presenter] The situation in the area of Agdam District of the
Armenian-Azerbaijani front is specially tense.

[Correspondent, over video of a board captioned as Xacincayi] Armenians
again stepped up their activities in the direction of Agdam on the
Armenian-Azerbaijani front on the night of 16-17 May. This time,
the enemy directed stream waters at the village of Tazakand in Agdam
District via a Friendship gas pipeline formerly laid in Yerevan. As
a result, houses of refugees settled in the area were flooded.

[Video shows a flooded house]

[Tahir Ibayev, refugee] This happened at about 0500 [0000 gmt] this
morning. The stream rushed into the house.

[Correspondent, over video] According to approximate calculations, the
gas pipeline is made up of pipes of about 730 millimetre in diameter
and one metre deep [underground]. According to local residents,
Armenians blew up the pipeline in 1994 and stopped exploiting
it. Specialists think that Armenians pump water from Xacincayi to
Tazakand through the pipeline and this is another provocation by
Armenia against the Azerbaijani people.

[Nizami Aliyev, deputy executive head of Agdam District, in his office]
[Sentence indistinct] Such a case has not occurred so far. For this
reason, we have not taken any preparatory measures beforehand to
prevent this.

[Correspondent, over video] The volume of water flowing through
the pipeline has reduced a little now and reached 2 cubic metres per
second. It is assumed that the enemy will suddenly increase the volume
of the pumped water at night. In this case, not only Tazakand, but
other villages nearby might be flooded. For this reason, the district
executive head is implementing urgent measures to avoid the imminent
disaster and change the course of water flowing through the pipeline.

Afat Telmanqizi, Sahin Rzayev, Zaur Naibov, ANS.

Azeri ANS TV blames BBC radio for making pro-Armenian reports

ANS TV, Baku
16 May 04

[Presenter] Here is the view of the Russian leading media outlets
on a possible war between Armenia and Azerbaijan. [Passage omitted:
quotes from Russian web sites and newspapers]

[Correspondent over video of Russian web sites] Izvestiya carries
reports saying that the military potential of the Karabakh Armenians
is higher than that of Azerbaijanis.

Strange as it may seem but Britain’s BBC radio also makes similar
reports reflecting the interests of the Armenians. The situation has
reached a point where Azerbaijan’s ruling party and the Milli Maclis
[parliament] administration have expressed their protest to the
BBC management.