Author: Tvankchian Parkev

PRAVDA, Russia
March 27 2004

Russian Interior Ministry’s troops celebrate professional holiday

source RIA Novosti

On Saturday the Russian Interior Ministry’s troops celebrate their
professional holiday.

In 1811 Emperor Alexander I ordered to form interior guard
battalions. It was one of the most important links in the state
defense system.

The battalions were to help the authorities implement laws and
execute sentences, catch and eliminate robbers, break up prohibited
rallies, keep order at fairs, folk and church holidays, convoy
criminals and money and carry out rescue works in case of fires and
floods.

Interior guards fought in the 1812 patriotic war against Napoleon and
other famous campaigns.

After the 1917 revolution the guards were reorganized on the basis of
new principles. In 1919 the Council of Workers and Peasants’ Defense
unified all the auxiliary troops and formed the troops of the
Republic’s interior protection. These troops fought in the Civil War
(1918-1920), battles against Japanese intervenors in 1938 and 1939 on
Lake Khasan and the Khalkhin Gol River, and the Soviet-Finnish War
(1939-1940).

Units of the People’s Commissariat of Internal Affairs (NKVD) were
fighting in the Great Patriotic War, in particular, in border areas.
They defended Brest, Moscow, Leningrad, Kiev, Odessa, Voronezh,
Stalingrad, the North Caucasus and the Kursk Bulge. All in all, over
97,000 servicemen were killed and more than 100,000 were put forward
for state decoration.

In the recent years the Russian Interior Ministry’s troops have been
successfully fighting in hot spots: Nagorny Karabakh (an Armenian
enclave in Azerbaijan), Fergana (Uzbekistan), and in the North
Caucasian republics (North Ossetia, Ingushetia and Chechnya).

According to the Commander-in-Chief of the Interior Ministry Troops,
Army General Vyacheslav Tikhomirov, the efficiency of the united
group of forces in the North Caucasus has increased by 50-100% since
the control over the counter-terrorist operation was transferred to
the Interior Ministry. “The Interior Ministry’s troops carried out
about 4,000 special operations. The crime level in many regions
reduced by 14 percent,” he said.

Armenian leader may start war in Karabakh to remain in office – Azeri daily

Ekho, Baku
26 Mar 04

The military conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan may resume in
April. The command and staff exercises of the Armenian armed forces
which started this week “in order to get the army fully operational”,
may be the first step to increase tension.

“War is today the only option for [Armenian President] Robert
Kocharyan to somehow silence the opposition,” the chairman of the
Helsinki Association of Armenia, Mikayel Daniyelyan, has told Ekho
newspaper in an interview.

[Correspondent] Military exercises started in Armenia this week.

[Daniyelyan] Yes, we have begun military exercises. At this stage,
they have more to do with the promise of the opposition to carry out
serious actions of protest. Permanent actions of protest are expected
in mid-April with the sole objective – resignation of the
president. We will see what happens.

The authorities are seriously concerned. They have replaced the
prosecutor-general, dismissed several prosecutors and heads of police
departments in various districts of Yerevan. The authorities are in
need of more than ever control over the army, as there are fears that
not all the top brass will follow [defence minister and Kocharyan’s
political ally] Serzh Sarkisyan. The more people there are in the
army, the less of them can attend rallies. If Kocharyan sees that
nothing can be achieved through these harsh measures (arrests, so on),
then he will take this step (go to war – correspondent).

The opposition took a decisive step towards unity this week. Following
protracted negotiations, the Justice bloc and the National Unity Party
issued a statement which said, in particular, that the Justice bloc
and the National Unity Party are taking on responsibility to lead the
national movement to fulfill national demands: remove the illegitimate
regime, establish the constitutional order and legal authorities in
Armenia. To that end, the sides agreed to jointly organize a
nationwide demonstration of disobedience no later than by 13
April. The date of the demonstration will be announced on 5 April. The
Justice bloc and the National Unity Party will make a joint statement
on that day. “We re-confirm our determination to struggle till the
change of power in Armenia,” the statement read.

[Passage omitted: Citing a report in Russian newspaper]

Robert Kocharyan has more than enough grounds for concern. In order to
remain in office in such a situation, his only, and perhaps last,
resort is to increase tension on the frontline, Mikayel Daniyelyan
told Ekho.

Armenia will hardly be able to resume military operations without a
“cause”. Official Armenian newspaper started dreaming it up as long
as several weeks ago. Ekho reported earlier calls aired in Yerevan
that Karabakh separatists “retain their right to launch a preventive
attack” against Azerbaijan. The Armenian official press urges
“harsher” approach towards Azerbaijan.

[Passage omitted: David Shakhnazaryan’s reported views]

Meanwhile, as Ekho was told in the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry, the
situation in the occupied territories and in Armenia is being
carefully monitored, with information coming in from various
sources. “At present, there is no tension on the frontline,” the
ministry said. However, the Azerbaijani army is ready to respond to
provocation. “We have it all under control and our response will be
instantaneous,” the ministry said.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

“GENOCIDE, IMPUNITY AND JUSTICE”
AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IN ANTELIAS, LEBANON

(22-23 APRIL, 2004)

ANTELIAS, LEBANON – An International conference on Genocide, Impunity and
Justice which has been initiated by His Holiness Aram I and organized by the
Armenian Cathoilcosate of Cilicia, will take place in the Headquarters of
the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia, in Antelias, Lebanon.

The conference will focus on the question of impunity, which will be
analyzed from juridical, religious and political perspectives. The Armenian
Genocide, the first genocide of the 20th century (1915) and the Rwandan
Genocide, the last genocide of the 20th century (1994) will be presented as
two different cases of impunity. An international body of scholars,
politicians and academicians will take part in the conference. The
presidents of Lebanon and Rwanda will send their messages through their
personal representatives. His Holiness Aram I will give his message at the
opening session.

The question of impunity has become a critical issue on the agenda of the
world community. The conference will provide a framework for people coming
from different religions and backgrounds to discuss this question in a
spirit of creative dialogue.

In the following two weeks you will find on the website of the Catholicosate
the detailed program and schedule of the conference with
related information. We have limited space to accommodate those interested
in this conference. You may fill out the attached Application Form, or
contact us at [email protected] .

##

APPLICATION FORM:

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

The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.

HUNGARIAN LAWYER TO DEFEND AZERI OFFICER CHARGED WITH ARMENIAN’S MURDER

ANS TV, Baku
March 8, 2004

(Presenter) Lawyer Adil Ismayilov who will assist the defence of Ramil
Safarov (Azerbaijani officer facing charges of killing an Armenian
serviceman during NATO courses in Hungary) arrived in Baku today. He
met Safarov in a police department in Budapest. Ismayilov is now ANS
TV’s guest. Mr Ismayilov, who is the lawyer who will defend Safarov
and how do you assess him from a professional standpoint?

(Ismayilov, in studio) I want to take this opportunity to congratulate
all the Azerbaijani women on 8 March, on my behalf and on behalf of
Ramil Safarov. I especially want to congratulate his mother on
bringing up a courageous man like Safarov.

As for your question, I was in Budapest and a contract was signed
there with a lawyer. His name is (?Zalay Peter). I personally,
together with the lawyer, met Safarov. The lawyer was introduced to
Safarov and he agreed. From now on, the lawyer will be defending his
rights.

(Presenter) How experienced is the lawyer? Has he come across similar
cases? Is he experienced enough?

(Ismayilov) The lawyer was born in 1948 and is a police colonel. He
used to work as a police investigator. He became a lawyer several
years ago.

(Presenter) So are you satisfied with his level?

(Ismayilov) During this short period we had only two or three
meetings. It is impossible to say something definite, but at any rate,
I reckon that he has enough experience and knowledge.

(Presenter) You have met Azerbaijani Prosecutor-General (Zakir
Qaralov) and Defence Minister (Safar Abiyev). What are your
impressions?

(Ismayilov) Upon returning from Budapest, I met some state officials,
including Abiyev, Qaralov and his first deputy Ramiz Aliyev. During
those conversations I got the impression that the state is directly
interested in finding a positive solution to this issue. As far as I
know, this issue is being addressed at the highest level, at that of
the president.

(Passage omitted: Ismayilov refuses to detail the case before the
trial starts)

(Presenter) What is his condition?

(Ismayilov) He is very well, if one may say so. I visited him in
prison. His morale is high. I believe that this morale has to be
maintained at this high level. His condition must be regularly checked
and we need to regularly visit him. As far as I know, a delegation of
the Azerbaijani Prosecutor-General’s Office will visit him soon. Such
measures need to be taken.

(Passage omitted: Translator found for Safarov)

GOVERNMENT CHANGE “INEVITABLE” IN ARMENIA – EX-OFFICIAL

A1+ web site
March 5, 2004

A change of government is inevitable, the people’s hatred has matured,
Paruyr Ayrikyan, leader of the National Self-Determination
Association, said today. To secure the change of government, Paruyr
Ayrikyan considers the united action of forces in and out of
parliament as an important factor.

However, Ayrikyan fears that forces, which aim to reverse former
authorities and opportunities, may come to power.

As for the absence of a leader, Paruyr Ayrikyan suggested, if the
opposition does not come to power, that a two-year interim government
be selected to guarantee the conduct of fair elections provided it
itself cannot be elected.