Author: Torosian Aram

Deutsche Presse-Agentur
April 29, 2004, Thursday

Muted celebration as Cyprus joins E.U.

Nicosia

Despite a programme of events that should last 48 hours, weekend
accession celebrations in Cyprus are expected to be a muted affair as
a divided island joins the European Union on Saturday.

The main party will be held at Eleftheria Square, barely 400 metres
from the dividing Green Line that would have been abolished if the
Greek Cypriots had not rejected the United Nations peace plan in a
referendum vote last Saturday.

Had they accepted the reunification plan, as did a majority of the
Turkish Cypriots living in the north, then Nicosia would have rid
itself of the reputation as the last divided capital of the world.

Instead, some 20,000 are expected to gather in the large square where
only a week ago two major campaigns were held in favour of and
rejecting unification.

The crowd is still expected to include a large number of Turkish
Cypriots, but they seem to have lost faith in the Greek Cypriots.

Musical concerts and shows including Greek, Turkish, Armenian,
Maronite and Asian dances will demonstrate the multicultural web of
island society, culminating with a performance by Cypriot-born Anna
Vishy on Friday night.

The midnight fireworks that will be clearly seen from both parts of
the divided city, will be preceded by an expectedly sombre speech by
President Tasos Papadopoulos, who twice urged his people to reject
the U.N. backed unification plan in televised addresses a fortnight
ago. dpa mdp jm

Azat Artsakh – Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR)
May 1, 2004

MISTAKES ARE CORRECTED DURING DECADES

This person who had direct contribution to the success in the sphere
of agriculture of the region is more than anyone interested in the
current problems of agriculture. Having retired already he,
nevertheless, attentively follows the development of this sphere.
According to the evaluation of the specialist, in the post-war decade
the biggest mistake in this sphere was rapid dissolution of the
collective farms. “This process caused terrible disorder,” mentioned
Edward Gasparian with pain, “we forgot about seed-farming, shift of
crops, breeding of new varieties, storing. We reached a point when
grass was brought from Armenia, whereas we cannot use effectively the
fertile areas in our country. There is no market at all. The retailers
are dominating. The collective farmers received nothing of the
collective farms which they created for decades. The agricultural
machines were dispersed thus dealing a serious blow to agriculture.
Today we need to obtain new machines of low power, as Armenia does.”
Listening to my observation that there is, nevertheless, certain
progress in the sphere in the last years to which statistical data
testify, Ed. Gasparian cheered up, “Yes, I am acquainted with those
data, they are on my desk. These are good rates. Let us try, however,
to see the reality in these numbers. Let us confess that the greater
part of farmers did not profit from the process, the success of good
harvest of grain was achieved by mainly big landowners. The ordinary
farmer sweats blood and earns the daily bread, today a little less,
tomorrow a little more. He has owned the land for so many years. Did
he get over poverty? Statistics shows that in the years 2002-2003 a
good harvest of grain was gathered, about 82-85 thousand tons. Today
Karabakh has 145 thousand inhabitants. For this number of people 30-40
thousand is enough. The rest of the harvest can be used for
development of cattle breeding, can’t it? In other words, use
effectively what is considered property of the owners working
separately from one another. It is difficult but possible. It is
possible, for example order the mill to make big purchases in order
later not to buy the wheat at higher prices and raise the price for
bread. Once when we wanted to open food fabrication factories, the
government of Azerbaijan obstructed us in any possible way. When we
extended a project of building something in the Autonomous Region of
Nagorni Karabakh, it was implemented but in some region of Azerbaijan
adjacent to NKAR. The same was with the construction of an irrigation
system. The consequences of this policy was that Karabakh, rich in
rivers, suffered from drought, whereas Azerbaijani regions flourished
from abundance of water. Yes, we live in capitalism but who said that
there cannot be planning in market relationships. Such examples are
many in the practice of capitalism. We must plan at least the prior
branches for development of agriculture. We must not wait until it
will come some rich person’s mind to build an irrigation canal in some
village of Karabakh or something like this. We will have to wait long
in this case but time does not wait. The government must undertake the
building of irrigation canals and factories of food fabrication. Yes,
to plan, to work out a program for a certain period, and let it be
slow but day by day, year by year build especially an irrigation
system and food fabrication factories. You may not render better help
to the farmer. In parallel to this, one of the urgent problems, the
outflow of the youth from the village will be solved. As an
experienced specialist I may announce with all responsibility: if we
do not solve the problem of employment of village youth, tomorrow it
will be late. Several years I taught at Artsakh State University and I
know that in the department of agriculture the number of students was
usually few. Isn’t there a need for specialists of agriculture in our
agrarian country? Those who have chosen this specialty do not study
well, and a bad student will not become a good specialist. Here,
however, there occurs another problem; even the bad specialist cannot
find a job in the villages of the agrarian country. I want to recall
the situation of the times of Russian tsarism, our parents will
testify that then there was a specialist in each village who was
occupied with breeding good tribes of cattle. Why is it impossible to
keep at least one specialist at the expense of the regional
administrations? It is necessary to plan the number of
specialists. Moreover, I have to say, these specialists should be
trained at least in Armenia (which has comparatively developed
agriculture and has qualified specialists) or at best in Europe. This
can be done on the means of the numerous benefactors who willingly
lend us a hand of assistance. It is necessary to plan storage of
grain, development of viticulture and orcharding. Yes, in the current
state of agriculture it is necessary to resort to planning to a
certain extent. We have already mentioned that the worst mistake of
the past decade was elimination of collective farms which resulted in
the collapse of the former system, the loss of the wealth accumulated
during decades, a crisis occurred overcoming of which will take a long
time. It is known that without interference the mistakes made in
agriculture are corrected during decades. But it is possible to
interfere and try to correct them in a short period of time.”

SUSANNA BALAYAN.

Democracy – beyond the market

Throughout the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, Richard Swift finds a
new breed of activists are struggling for sustainable democracy.

Eleanora Manandyan – social justice worker

Eleanora explains how her agency for helping poor youth in Armenia got its
name quite simply. ‘We face a severe psychological problem here in Armenia.
Everyone will tell you they have no hope, no belief in the future. “New
Armenia” gives the idea of hope.’

The agency does casework with young people but its ambitions go well beyond
that of a Westernstyle social agency, fundamentally challenging the corrupt
political oligarchy that runs her country.

As a former student activist herself, Eleanora is enthusiastic about
building a network of pupil councils throughout Armenian high schools to
empower youth. She talks despairingly of the aid money that disappears into
a black hole. ‘Money for schools is stolen. Electricity privatization money
disappears. Enough money is given to fund 20 HIV education centres, [but
only] 2 get funded. And if anyone gets close to this problem they disappear.
‘ She quotes a police inspector who told her in confidence: ‘It is possible
to solve all Armenia’s problems in 24 hours – put all these oligarchs in
prison and put their money back into the state budget.’

Eleanora doesn’t let her frustration overwhelm her. ‘We must create new
hope. Our only hope is to work with children.’

—

CHECHENS TO SUPPORT AZERIS IN CASE OF KARABAKH WAR, RIGHTS ACTIVIST SAYS

Yeni Musavat, Baku
25 Apr 04

Text of R. Kazimli report by Azerbaijani newspaper Yeni Musavat on 25
April headlined “Any method can be used to liberate Karabakh” and
subheaded “Mayrbek Taramov reckons that any action taken against an
aggressor does not run counter to international norms”

We have reported that 22 Azerbaijanis were arrested (in August 2003)
for wishing to fight on the side of Chechens. Those people were led by
Rovsan Badalov and wanted to wage a guerrilla warfare in Karabakh.

One may wonder as to why they were arrested. Azerbaijan’s lands have
long been occupied by the Armenians and the authorities always talk a
lot about liberating them. Perhaps guerrilla warfare is now considered
illegal by international law?

We decided to go to Chechens who are fighting a bloody war for their
rights with this question. The director of the Chechen Rights Centre
and independent journalist, Mayrbek Taramov, said that the entire
world has come to accept that the war in Chechnya as the national
liberation movement of the Chechens.

“All the events unfolding in Chechnya, the assassination of (former
Chechen president) Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev and Russia’s persecution of
Chechens shows that Russia resorts to terrorist methods. Therefore,
the entire world has to help Chechnya. As for the imprisonment of the
Azerbaijanis, there is no evidence to support their arrest. It is said
that they wanted to fight for the Chechens. At the time one judge
told me, avoiding eye contact, that he understood everything but could
not do otherwise. We have to admit that a person cannot be convicted
of plans to do something. Regrettably, this kind of thing is possible
only in Azerbaijan.”

Taramov recalled that Chechen leaders, for instance Shamil Basayev,
used to say that they were ready to assist Azerbaijan in re-taking
Karabakh. The Chechens are ready to keep their word, Taramov
said. “The Chechens have once proven that and they are ready to help
the Azerbaijani people for a second or third time. The Chechen
mojahedin consider this their holy duty.”

What is Taramov’s stance on the decision of an Azerbaijani citizen to
start a guerrilla war in Karabakh? It is a fact that Azerbaijan’s
lands have been occupied, Taramov said. “Neither international
organizations, nor the UN charter rules out any of the possible
methods of countering aggression. My subjective standpoint is that the
OSCE Minsk Group and other international organizations are interested
in maintaining the status quo. Had they wanted to, they would have
resolved the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict long ago. It is Azerbaijan and
its people who are suffering and nobody will deem it abnormal if any
measures are taken to free Karabakh. By waging a guerrilla warfare in
your own territory, you will not be violating any international
norms.”

So, we see that representatives of the Chechen nation fighting against
the Russian empire are on the side of the patriotic Azerbaijanis. We
can conclude from their comments that we should no longer postpone the
time when we open fire at the Armenians. In other words, instead of
putting in prisons those who want to fight a guerrilla war against the
invaders, we should create opportunities and conditions for them to
realize their intentions.

Eurasianet Organization
April 23 2004

AZERBAIJAN AND TURKEY COORDINATE NAGORNO-KARABAKH NEGOTIATING
POSITION
Mevlut Katik: 4/23/04

Turkish and Azerbaijani officials have defused a simmering bilateral
dispute concerning the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, jointly endorsing a
“gradual approach” on a negotiated settlement of the conflict between
Azerbaijan and Armenia. The announcement came amid new international
efforts to jump-start the peace process.

Turkey and Azerbaijan have long had a special relationship, and
Ankara has been Baku’s staunchest supporter in the effort to reach a
political settlement to the Karabakh conflict. [For additional
information see the Eurasia Insight archive]. But in early 2004,
bilateral ties became strained after Ankara indicated that it might
re-open the Turkish-Armenian border to trade. Azerbaijani officials
reacted furiously to the Turkish suggestion, warning that it might
withdraw from the peace process if Ankara went through with the move.
[For additional information see the Eurasia Insight archive].

The recent visit by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to Turkey
appears to have restored a sense of equilibrium in relations. A joint
statement issued April 14 by Aliyev and Turkish President Ahmet
Necdet Sezer emphasized bilateral unity concerning the Karabakh peace
process. It reiterated a call for the “withdrawal of Armenia from
Azerbaijani occupied territories,” adding that a Karabakh settlement
would have to based on “respect for territorial integrity and
borders.”

Addressing the Turkish Parliament, Aliyev expressed a desire to
strengthen Azerbaijani-Turkish ties. “We believe that our countries
will continue to support each other in the future,” adding that “our
power depends on our unity.” Aliyev staked out a hard-line stance on
the Karabakh question, saying Azerbaijan would not accept any peace
deal that left the territory outside of Baku’s jurisdiction.
“Karabakh belongs to Azerbaijan and will belong to us in the future,”
he said. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive].

Karabakh peace talks have been stalled for years. [For background see
the Eurasia Insight archive]. The United States recently attempted to
build fresh momentum for negotiations by appointing Steven Mann as
the new US co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, which oversees the peace
process. Mann, the former US envoy to the Caspian for energy-related
issues, replaced Rudolf Perina.

Azerbaijani media praised Mann’s appointment. The appointment “shows
that the United States will soon invest more effort to resolve” the
Karabakh issue, political analyst Khaladdin Ibrahimli wrote in the
Azerbaijani newspaper Azadliq. Armenian leaders also cautiously
welcomed the appointment.

Mann participated in a “fact-finding meeting” on April 16 in Prague
between Azerbaijan’s new foreign minister, Elmar Mammadyarov, and his
Armenian counterpart Vardan Oskanian. Both foreign ministers
confirmed that no new proposals were presented during the meeting.
Oskanian indicated that his next meeting with Mammadyarov had been
tentatively scheduled for mid May.

Editor’s Note: Mevlut Katik is a London-based correspondent and
analyst. He is a former BBC correspondent and also worked for The
Economist group.

Winnipeg Sun, Canada
April 22 2004

News Briefs column

By SUN NEWS SERVICES

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE NOTED

OTTAWA — Canada became one of the few countries to formally
recognize the genocide of Armenian Turks during the First World War
in a strongly worded motion adopted 153-68 in the House of Commons
yesterday.

Government members were discouraged from voting for the motion, which
is sure to anger a Turkish government that has never recognized the
massacre of 1.5 million Armenians starting in 1915.

Following a charged debate at their weekly closed-door caucus
meeting, Liberal backbenchers voted massively in favour while the
party’s cabinet contingent rejected the Bloc Quebecois motion.

NKR Deputy FM Warns Foreign Agencies Against “Inadequate” Reports

Mediamax news agency
21 Apr 04

YEREVAN

The deputy foreign minister of the Nagornyy Karabakh Republic [NKR],
Masis Mailyan, has expressed satisfaction with the fact that the
recently-published 2003 international narcotics strategy report by the
US Department of State does not any longer contain information
promoted by Azerbaijan concerning the cultivation and spread of
narcotics in Nagornyy Karabakh and its subject territories.

In an interview with Mediamax, Mailyan said that this became possible
due to the openness of the Karabakh authorities that have repeatedly
addressed appropriate international structures, particularly the OSCE
and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, as well as
the US Department of State with an appeal to set up an independent
monitoring group which will be sent to Nagornyy Karabakh to study the
situation on the ground and establish objective facts.

Mailyan recalled that “in order to hamper the sending of such an
international mission to Nagornyy Karabakh the Azerbaijani side has
been putting forward unacceptable conditions during several years,
thus misleading the international community”.

The NKR deputy foreign minister expressed the hope that from now on
the US Department of State as well as international structures will
refuse using inadequate information in their reports. “We are sure
that the activities of the group of independent experts will allow to
put an end to the farfetched accusations on the part of Azerbaijan and
will prevent further misinformation of the international community,”
Mailyan said.

April 9, 2004, Friday

MOVIES, PERFORMING ARTS/WEEKEND DESK

OPERA REVIEW; One Company With a Test for Two Houses
By BERNARD HOLLAND

TORONTO, April 5 — An opera company argues its legitimacy in at least
two ways. One is a new theater, or at least a drastic betterment of
the one it already has. The other is its own production of Wagner’s
”Ring des Nibelungen”

The Canadian Opera is doing both, offering ”Die Walküre,”
”Siegfried” and ”Götterdämmerung” one by one at the Hummingbird
Center over the coming seasons and joining them to ”Das Rheingold”
in the soon-to-be Four Seasons Center for three full ”Ring” cycles
in 2006-7.

For performers, producers and audiences alike, Wagner submits opera
houses to major tests of endurance, resources and a sheer structural
tolerance for great weights both physical and mental. Voices with
gargantuan durability, directors and set designers with new light on
Wagner’s sordid epic, time and money to put them together — all must
be found.

Drawing audiences is less of a problem. Like Deadheads toward the
Grateful Dead, opera fans will certainly swarm to Toronto. Dazed by
the beauties of the ”Ring,” tolerant of its longueurs and awkward
dramatic pauses and bristling with new cosmic interpretations of their
own, ”Ring” Trekkies will embark on a week of opera hovering
somewhere between survival trip and religious retreat. The Toronto
”Ring,” which opened with ”Die Walküre” on Sunday, splits its
personalities, with Michael Levine creating the overall production but
different directors doing each opera, here Atom Egoyan, known
principally for film work.

In Mr. Levine’s vision of 21st-century disorder, Siegmund, Sieglinde
and Hunding live rough on a construction site; overhead are spider
webs of girders and catwalks. Current-event updates of Wagner’s
primeval forests and their inhabitants defy consistent
metaphor. Weaponry is a stumbling block: Glocks and Uzis for spears
and swords do not fit the texts. Suspension of disbelief must work
that much harder.

Clothes are consistent only for their dirtiness, both men and women
with ankle-length coats and dresses of not-too-distant date. No amount
of recostuming or choreography will ever persuade the modern eye to
accept Wagner’s Valkyries with a completely straight face, but here
their dress is elegant, long, low-cut and black and comes as close to
Amazonian sex appeal as we are likely to get.

Thank the conductor Richard Bradshaw for the earnestness and energy of
the Toronto cast. As Siegmund, Clifton Forbis sings with strength and
presence. So does Adrianne Pieczonka, although Mr. Egoyan would have
done well to tone down her overwrought staggers, crawls, eye-rolling
and arm-waving. (The immobility of Wagner’s narrative style cannot be
offset, only embraced. The action is in the music.)

Frances Ginzer’s Brünnhilde was a picture of dignity, so too Judit
Nemeth’s Fricka. Despite the sometimes painful wear in his singing
voice, Peteris Eglitis’s Wotan was not unconvincing. Pavlo Hunka was
Hunding.

One heard no important voices but a lot of important singing. ”Die
Walküre” needs a special kind of advocacy: one that asks us to
indulge its excesses and yet feel grateful for its great surges of
power.

The orchestra sounded excellent. From prime seats in the orchestra
section, the Hummingbird Center sounds like a hall that does not need
to be replaced. Woodwinds and lower strings leap out of the pit;
voices are clear and present.

The sound in other parts of the hall is less democratic, I am told. A
few blocks away, groundbreaking for the new opera house begins next
week.

Published: 04 – 09 – 2004 , Late Edition – Final , Section E , Column
1 , Page 3

Armenian police acted within law at opposition rally, official says

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
13 Apr 04

The Armenian police acted within the law when they used force against
an opposition rally in central Yerevan in the night of 12 April,
police chief Ararat Makhtesyan has said in an interview with Armenian
Public TV. Makhtesyan named the organizers of the rally and said that
the police had missed the opportunity to arrest them on the
spot. Commenting on police violence against reporters, Makhtesyan said
that it had been difficult to identify them in the chaos. Ho wever,
opposition leaders said that the sharp objects which the police said
the protesters had used to attack policemen had appeared in the
streets later and that the police used this to accuse the opposition
of plotting a coup. The following is the text of the report by
Armenian Public TV on 13 April; subheadings inserted editorially:

[Presenter] The first deputy chief of the Armenian Police, Maj-Gen
Ararat Makhtesyan, is a guest in our studio. We shall try to clarify
some details of yesterday’s events [dispersal of an opposition rally
on Yerevan’s Freedom Square].

Police acted within law

Good evening. The police’s statement said that they had used physical
force and special measures. Could you please explain how this physical
force was used and what special measures they were?

[Ararat Makhtesyan, captioned] The use of physical force and special
measures is approved by the 2001 law on the Armenian Police. It
stipulates in which cases the police has the right to use force. These
are preventing crime, arresting criminals and in case of special
events when the police has the right to use special measures. I would
like to mention these means which are available at the police munition
depot. These are tear gas, water cannons, rubber truncheons and so on.

[Presenter] Are they not hazardous to health?

[Ararat Makhtesyan] No, they are not. These means are accepted by
international norms, and using them we can stop and prevent crime
whithout harming people.

[Presenter] Mr Makhtesyan, it was reported that some participants in
the rally, among them Shavarsh Kocharyan [member of the Justice
faction] who had a rifle, were taken to police. Was the rifle legal or
illegal, is he free or was he detained?

[Ararat Makhtesyan] Firts, I must say that this was not Shavarsh
Kocharyan’s rifle. But details are being clarifed. Second, I would
like to say that nobody, even the police, have the right to take part
in peaceful rallies, marches and demonstrations with rifles. Even a
member of the National Assembly [Shavarsh Kocharyan], who knows
provisions of the law, took part in the rally with a rifle.

[Presenter] Did you know that he had a rifle or did you reveal this
after his arrest?

[Ararat Makhtesyan] We revealed that after his arrest.

[Presenter] Thank you. We have to make a short break in our interview.

Opposition leaders deny police statement

Opposition leaders gave a different assessments of the last night’s
events. The leader of the Justice bloc, Stepan Demirchyan, noted
today that the police statement which said that the rally-goers were
behaving aggressively was a lie. The leader of the National Democratic
Union, Vazgen Manukyan, said that the opposition would continue its
struggle and discuss future steps.

[Correspondent, over video of press conference] Today, Messrs Stepan
Demirchyan and Vazgen Manukyan held a press conference at the
headquarters of the Armenian People’s Party and gave their assessments
of the events which took place yesterday [12 April] on Bagramyan
Avenue. They confirmed that the police had used violence against
peaceful protesters.

[Stepan Demirchyan, captioned] The police have issued a statement
saying that the opposition was behaving aggressively, that they had
sharp objects, etc. But all these are lies. The protesters were
peaceful. Eye-witnesses saw that they were dancing and singing. We
have evidence that sharp objects appeared in the streets and on the
pavements later, after the outrageous events. The police took photos
of this and attempted to accuse the opposition of plotting a coup.

[Correspondent, over video of riots] These clips show that wood and
glass were in the protesters’ hands and that they used them during the
rally, they did not emerge after the rally, as Mr Demirchyan said.

Vazgen Manukyan also described how police behaved in similar
situations in the civilized world. Manukyan compared these events with
the 1996 events.

[Vazgen Manukyan, captioned] People attacked the National Assembly in
1996. There was shooting, people were injured. This time round, it
was a peaceful demonstration. People were singing and dancing and
waiting. There was no shooting, I did not hear shooting.

[Correspondent, over video of press conference] What will be next
steps? Opposition leaders will discuss future steps. It is supposed
that everything will change, particularly the methods of their
struggle. [Leader of the National Unity Party] Artashes Gegamyan was
expected to attend today’s press conference. But he did not turn
up. Other leaders of the opposition did not know where he was.

Tatevik Nalbandyan, Aylur.

Journalists injured

[Presenter] Mr Makhtesyan, let us continue our interview. Some
participants in the rally escaped. What measures are the police taking
to find them?

[Ararat Makhtesyan] Active organizers of the rally escaped. The police
had missed the opportunity to arrest them on the spot. These are
Artashes Gegamyan, Albert Bazeyan [chairman of the political council
of the Anrapetutyun Party], Aram Sarkisyan [ex-prime minister and
leader of the Anrapetutyun Party] and MP Smbat Ayvazyan. The
opposition leaders said that they had been peaceful, dancing and
singing, but they must know that by their actions they disrupted order
in the city. We have received many telephone calls from residents who
live in those areas, who complained about the disturbances. When they
threw stones and sharp objects, the police fulfilled its tasks in
accordance with the law.

[Presenter] Journalists were also injured during this rally, as if it
had been a sad tradition to beat journalists in Armenia. How come that
media representatives were also injured?

[Ararat Makhtesyan] The police warned the protesters that if they did
not disperse, the police would take appropriate measures.

[Presenter] But journalists had photo and video cameras and were
fulfilling their professional duty.

[Ararat Makhtesyan] It was not written on their foreheads that they
were journalists. It was difficult to identify them in that chaos. We
had no intention to use force against media representatives.

[Presenter] What scenario are the police preparing regarding the
future development of the events?

[Ararat Makhtesyan] I would like to say the following: it would be
correct for our opposition to act in accordance with civilized rules
and norms and not to violate laws. If they do violate these rules,
they will receive an appropriate response from the police.

[Presenter] Thank you.

Itar-Tass Russia and CIS news summary for Saturday, Sunday: 2

April 12, 2004 Monday 1:47 AM Eastern Time

TBILISI – Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania and Secretary of the
Georgian Security Council Vano Merabishili will come to Batumi on
Tuesday, April 13, for “a new round of negotiations on the settlement
of relations between the central and republican authorities,”
Adzharian leader Aslan Abashidze said on the republican television on
Sunday.

He said they would discuss the implementation of agreements reached at
his meeting with Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili in Batumi on
March 18.

The sides will consider a draft law on the division of powers between
Tbilisi and Batumi, which has been urged by the Georgian central
authorities, the Adzharian administration and the Council of Europe.

BATUMI – The Russian base in Batumi, Adzharia, will remain neutral if
tension in the relations between the Georgian central authorities and
the autonomous republic escalates. “The Russian servicemen in Georgia
were and will be neutral. They will not interfere in internal affairs
of this nation,” sources in the Batumi base told Itar-Tass on Sunday.

“The base in Adzharia tightened security as soon as the confrontation
between Batumi and Tbilisi had begun,” the sources said. “Protection
of the base infrastructure was reinforced, and the security of
checkpoints was tightened. The base has self-defense plans in case of
the worst developments.”

Russia has two military bases in Georgia, one in Batumi and another in
Akhalkalaki, near the Georgian-Turkish border.

KIEV – Ukraine’s nuclear power plants have cut their output due to the
excess of electricity in the country because of warm weather.

The situation forced the management of the Zaporozhye nuclear power
plant to stop reactor No. 4 for planned repairs last night ahead of
schedule.

In addition, reactor No. 1 at the Rovno atomic power station was
deenergised for repairs on Saturday. Repairs on both reactors will be
completed in the second half of May.

KRASNOYARSK – The head of Russia’s Federal Atomic Energy Agency,
Alexander Rumyantsev, said he was “very optimistic” about reforms in
the industry.

He believes that the reforms “will make it possible to concentrate on
the resolution of problems facing our industry in regions”.

In his words, the Agency’s central staff will be cut from 623 to 500
people and his three deputies will be named on Monday.

Rumyantsev also called for “continuity in forging an open and
constructive dialogue with environmental organisations, including
radical ones.”

YEREVAN – The Armenian opposition threatened on Saturday to fight till
President Robert Kocharyan resigned.

The head of the Republic party and parliament member Albert Bazeyan
said at an opposition rally on Saturday, “Armenian authorities
outlawed themselves by refusing to hold a referendum on the
president’s credibility.”

The head of the opposition Justice faction in the parliament, Stepan
Demirchyan, held authorities responsible for the consequences of the
opposition’s actions.

“The regime is doomed and no steps will save it,” he warned.

BAKU – The Azerbaijan leadership does not examine the question on
pulling out Azerbaijan peacekeepers from Iraq or slashing their
numerical strength, Azerbaijan Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov said
in an exclusive interview with Tass on Sunday.

There are now in Iraq 150 Azeri servicemen who perform their mission
in the country’s south as part of the international coalition
force. Mamedyarov emphasized that Azerbaijan joined the anti-terrorist
coalition, mindful of the fact what threat terror represents for the
world.

DONETSK – The first unit of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant was
disconnected from the power network last night for planned
repairs. The repairs will last for more than two months, sources in
the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant’s information center told
Itar-Tass.

The fourth unit of the nuclear power plant was disconnected from the
power network a day before. It will be idle till May 15.

At present four of six VVER-1000 units of the Zaporozhye nuclear power
plant are functioning and their total produce is 3,535 megawatt.

Only 9 of 13 units of Ukrainian nuclear power plants are currently at
work. Their output has been limited since March 20 because of the
overproduction of electricity.