Author: Vanyan Gary

Internews
May 4 2004

`Your Voice Will Not be Heard Without a Free Press’

Internews Armenia

Internews Armenia’s World Press Freedom Day PSA used sign language to
make a point about free press.
(May 4, 2004) Internews Armenia celebrated World Press Freedom Day
yesterday by producing and distributing a 50-second public service
announcement that ended with the message, `Your voice will not be
heard without a free press.’

The PSA starts with silence and a message in sign language, followed
by images and voices of screaming people. (See the full PSA)

On May 3, the PSA was shown repeatedly on about 25 TV stations
located all over Armenia. It was also shown about 60 times on the
Republic Square electronic video display and on a screen located on
the roof of a downtown trade center.

Internews Armenia is funded by grants from the United States Agency
for International Development.

ITAR-TASS, Russia
May 5 2004

Azeri presid notes positive changes in OSCE Minsk group work

BAKU, May 5 (Itar-Tass) – Azerbaijani president Ilkham Aliyev has
noted positive changes in the activities of the Minsk Group of the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) on Nagorno
Karabakh.

Aliyev told journalists on Wednesday, `the activity of the Minsk
Group has become noticeable, its co-chairmen are persistently seeking
solution to the problem.’

The Azerbaijani president believes the settlement process is underway
although not very actively.

President Aliyev expressed the hope that the negotiations on the
Karabakh conflict settlement with mediation of the OSCE Group,
co-chaired by Russia, France and the United States, will bring
concrete results.

`If we did not believe in that there would be no sense in conducting
talks,’ the head of Azerbaijan stressed.

He positively assessed meetings held between the Azerbaijani and
Armenian presidents in Geneva in December 2003 and in Warsaw in April
2004, as well as talks held at the level of the two states’ foreign
ministers.

The next meeting of the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia
with participation of co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group will be held
in Strasbourg on May 12.

On this day ten days ago the two sides reached an agreement on
ceasefire on the Karabakh conflict zone which is still being
observed.

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
April 28 2004

PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN ILHAM ALIYEV AND PRESIDENT OF ARMENIA ROBERT
KOCHARYAN MEET IN PRIVATE
[April 28, 2004, 22:56:36]

A one-on-one meeting between President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and
President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan was held at `Parkiva’ State
Residence in Warsaw on April 28, AzerTAj correspondent reports.

OSCE Minsk group U.S., French and Russian co-Chairs initially
attended the meeting. Later, the heads of state talked in private.

The 2-hour meeting was focused on ways of peaceful settlement of the
Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

After the meeting, the Presidents made statements for mass media.

STATEMENT OF AZERBAIJAN PRESIDENT ILHAM ALIYEV

The meeting was of constructive character. We last met in December.
It has been some time since then; there have been co-Chairs’ visits
and meetings with them, Foreign Ministers have recently met as well,
and today’s meeting is a continuation of the peace process. The
negotiations are continuing; there is a mutual aspiration for
constructive dialogue. The problems have been discussed. Azerbaijan
wants to settle this problem; Armenia’s wish to do so is also felt.
So, we can advance if there is mutual desire to find way of the
conflict’s resolution.

STATEMENT OF ARMENIAN PRESIDENT ROBERT KOCHARYAN

I share the opinion expressed by the Azerbaijan President. We have
agreed that meetings between ministers would be continued. The next
one will be held in May. We will try to promote their more active
involvement in the negotiation process. Of course, we will also use
the possibilities of multilateral meetings. We cannot boast of a
result, but I think the atmosphere of the talk was favorable.

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
04/29/2004
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://

1) PACE Tells Armenian Authorities, Opposition to End Disorder, Start Talking
2) Armenia’s President, Georgian Counterpart Meet in Warsaw
3) Russian Duma Concerned Over Ajaria, Burdzhnadze Hopeful of Situation
4) Nebraska, Tennessee, Louisiana Newest States, 36 in all, to Acknowledge
Armenian Genocide
5) Co-Chairman of Kerry Presidential Campaign Praises ANC for Genocide
Recognition Efforts

1) PACE Tells Armenian Authorities, Opposition to End Disorder, Start Talking

YEREVAN (Armenpress/RFE/RL)–The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe (PACE) late Wednesday called on the Armenian government and the
opposition to resolve their bitter dispute through negotiation, and offered to
mediate such a dialogue.
The resolution, drafted by a committee monitoring the 45 member states’
compliance with their commitments, calls for the scrapping of “unjustified
restrictions” on peaceful demonstrations. It states: “The opposition should
enjoy full freedom to conduct their political activities, which include the
right to peaceful demonstrations. The authorities should immediately abstain
from any interference and administrative and judicial harassment in this
regard. The fundamental freedoms of expression and assembly must be respected
and any restrictions must be in line with the European Convention on Human
Rights.”
It calls on the opposition to share in the responsibility of ensuring that
protests are not marred by violence, and advises the opposition to settle its
gripes legally. “The parliament should be the main forum for political
arguments. They should not try to circumvent the political institutions in the
country with a hope to reverse the results of last year’s elections which
were,
in spite of criticism, validated both at the domestic level and by the
international community.”
It also advises against “accepting artificial analogies between the
situations
in Georgia and in Armenia.”
The resolution asks that Armenia’s government submit, by June, a written
report to PACE detailing the steps it has taken in response to the
recommendations. “Their implementation will be assessed by the monitoring
committee’s two Armenia rapporteurs, Rene Andre of France and Jerzy Jaskiernia
of Poland.”
The resolution warns that if no progress is reported, PACE will “reconsider
the credentials of the Armenian delegation” at its autumn session next
September.
Presenting the document to the Strasbourg lawmakers, Jaskiernia made it clear
that while he strongly disapproves of the crackdown, he believes that the
Council of Europe should not question the legitimacy of last year’s Armenian
presidential and parliamentary elections because the fraud surrounding the
elections was “not so extensive that we could disqualify the result.” “The
election naturally delivered results, and now many people are satisfied, so
our
approach to Armenia should be objective and balanced,” he said.
The assembly also rejected a proposal to endorse the idea of the national
vote
of confidence in Kocharian, as demanded by the opposition.
“The Assembly calls upon the authorities and the opposition to refrain from
any action which may lead to further violence and to engage in a dialogue
without preconditions.”

2) Armenia’s President, Georgian Counterpart Meet in Warsaw

WARSAW (Armenpress)–Armenian president Robert Kocharian met with his Georgian
counterpart Mikhail Saakashvili on the sidelines of the European Economic
Forum
in Warsaw, Poland.
Respective domestic political situations and bilateral economic cooperation
was reviewed, and emphasis was placed on the upcoming May session of the
Armenian-Georgian inter-governmental commission agreed to during Saakashvili’s
March visit to Armenia. The two also discussed regional, economic, and other
developments.
Kocharian outlined the importance of the meeting with the Georgian president.
Emphasizing Armenia’s general economic growth, Saakashvili told reporters, “We
are interested in further development of Armenia’s economy,” and said he looks
forward to more intense communication with Armenia, as well as strong economic
cooperation.
“We always spoke of good relations, but they were on an emotional level; now
we are interesting in expanding them. Robert Kocharian treats these relations
very practically, and we need to take constructive steps to take them to a new
level,” Saakashvili stressed.
Asked about the Armenian opposition that claims to follow Saakashvili’s
example, Kocharian that none of the players–the president of Armenia, the
formerly president of Georgia, the Armenian opposition, nor the current
president of Georgia–can be compared.

3) Russian Duma Concerned Over Ajaria, Burdzhnadze Hopeful of Situation

TBILISI (Itar-Tass/Civil Georgia)–Russia’s State Duma expressed its “deep
concern” about the deterioration of ties between Georgia and its Autonomous
Republic of Ajaria.
In an appeal to their Georgian counterparts, members of Russia’s lower house
of parliament said that “there are all reasons to believe that Georgia is
planning to resort to force” to settle its dispute with Ajaria.
The Russian lawmakers also urged the Georgian parliament to do its utmost to
avert military confrontation with Ajaria.
Ajaria has mobilized its reservists amid fears that the Georgian government
might use a planned military exercise later this week to forcibly topple the
regional leadership. Tbilisi denies the accusations, saying it is committed to
finding a peaceful solution to its dispute with Ajaria.
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili, who has vowed to restore economic and
political control over Ajaria, yesterday threatened Abashidze with arrest
if he
refuses to comply with his orders.
Meanwhile, Georgian parliamentary speaker Nino Burdzhanadze believes that the
head of Georgia’s Ajarian autonomy Aslan Abashidze, “will take steps to
fulfill
the Georgian central authorities’ legitimate demands.”
“I believe Abashidze will exert efforts to disarm illegal paramilitary groups
operating in Ajaria and to meet all provisions of the Georgian Constitution,”
Burdzhanadze told journalists in Tbilisi on Thursday, confident that it will
contribute to the settlement of the conflict. “Tbilisi has no intention of
artificially aggravating the situation.”
“I believe Abashidze’s visit to Tbilisi will be the best way out,”
Burdzhanadze said.
The Ajarian leader has paid not a single visit to Tbilisi for the past twelve
years.
“That the leader of an autonomy has refused to come to the country’s capital
for so long is certainly abnormal,” Burdzhanadze said. “I believe this problem
will be resolved in the near future.”
Abashidze has avoided visiting Tbilisi since November 1991 for security
reasons.

4) Nebraska, Tennessee, Louisiana Newest States, 36 in all, to Acknowledge
Armenian Genocide

TOTAL NUMBER OF STATES THAT HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THE GENOCIDE REACHES 36

WASHINGTON, DC–Tennessee, Nebraska, and Louisiana have joined the fast
growing
number of states who have acknowledged the Armenian Genocide, reported the
Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). Democratic Governor Phil
Bredesen of Tennessee, Republican Governor Mike Johanns of Nebraska, and
Democratic Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco issued proclamations citing a
“Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide,” referring to the Ottoman
Turkish
campaign of eliminate the Armenian population from 1915-1923. The total number
of states in the US reaffirming the Armenian Genocide has now reached 36.
“The Nebraska, Tennessee, and Louisiana proclamations emphasize the ultimate
futility of Turkish efforts to distort the facts about the Genocide,”
commented
ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “Governors Johanns, Bredesen, and
Blanco should be commended for taking a stand against denial and Turkish
revisionism,” he added.
In the course of the last month, five new states have issued proclamations
for
the Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide. All of the proclamations mark April
23 or 24 as an official Day of Remembrance. The ANCA website
(<;) provides a diagram which displays all of
the states that have issued proclamations or passed legislations recognizing
the April 24 as a day of remembrance.
The proclamations follow a concerted grassroots education campaign by the ANC
Chapters across the country to increase awareness of the Armenian Genocide on
the state and local level. ANC Tennessee Chairman Dr. Shant Garabedian, worked
actively with the Tennessee Armenian community, circulating a petition to Gov.
Bredesen in support of the proclamation. Garabedian discussed the initiative
following Easter Church services in Nashville this month. Massachusetts State
Republican Committee man Bob Semonian spoke extensively to Governors Bredesen,
Johanns, and Blanco during the National Governors Association conference held
in Washington DC, last month. He has since worked with local ANC activists in
the effort to secure Armenian Genocide proclamations from a series of states
across the country.
Semonian, who resides in Watertown, MA, is running for delegate for the
Republican National Convention. Registered Republicans in the towns and cities
of Arlington, Belmont, Everett, Framingham, Lexington, Lincoln, Malden,
Medford, Melrose, Natick, Revere, Stoneham, Waltham, Watertown, Wayland,
Weston, Winchester, Winthrop, and Woburn can support his candidacy at the
Republican Caucus vote his Saturday, May 1, to be held beginning at 9:00 am at
295 Arsenal St., in Watertown, MA.

5) Co-Chairman of Kerry Presidential Campaign Praises ANC for Genocide
Recognition Efforts

LOS ANGELES–Antonio Villaraigosa, the national co-chairman of the John Kerry
Presidential Campaign, read Senator Kerry’s April 24th statement before
thousands of Armenian-Americans at an event sponsored by the Armenian National
Committee of America-Western Region (ANCA-WR). The gathering was held in the
shadow of the Armenian Genocide Monument in Montebello, California on April
24,
2004.
“The City of Los Angeles will never forget the Armenian Genocide and I, along
with the Armenian National Committee, will do whatever I can to honor the
memory of the 1.5 million martyrs,” said Councilmember Antonio Villaraigosa.
“In the ten years that I have served in public office, the Armenian National
Committee has consistently been the leading advocate of issues relating to the
Armenian-American community, and I have always valued the close
relationship we
share.”
“We thank Senator Kerry for his April 24th Armenian Genocide Statement, and
Councilman Villaraigosa for sharing this message with our community,” ANCA’s
Western Region Chairman Raffi Hamparian said. “Councilman Villaraigosa
understands our long struggle for justice.”
Villaraigosa also participated in an ANCA-sponsored Armenian Genocide program
held at Los Angeles City Hall on April 23. The Councilman spoke to
Armenian-American leaders at that solemn commemoration, then joined his
colleague and event sponsor Councilman Eric Garcetti in passing a resolution
affirming the historical facts of the Armenian Genocide, and emphasizing the
need to challenge those who deny crimes against humanity like the Armenian
Genocide.
Villaraigosa is the former Speaker of the California State Assembly and now
serves as a member of the Los Angeles City Council.

All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier
and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and
subscription requests.
(c) 2004 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved.

ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for
academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through
mass media outlets.

Baku Today, Azerbaijan
April 30 2004

Former FA Aide Warns Not To Recognize Turkish Cypriots

Baku Today 30/04/2004 12:38

Azerbaijan’s recognition of Turkish Republic of North Cyprus (TRNC)
would lead to its losing Nagorno-Karabakh, a former presidential aide
on foreign affairs, told the Baku Today on Thursday.

Vafa Guluzade, who now heads Caspian Political Researches Center,
said the statement President Ilham Aliyev made while in Turkey on
April 15 was an `emotional’ one.

President Aliyev promised that his country would recognize the
Turkish Cypriot side if the latter approves and Greeks reject UN
Secretary General Kofi Annan’s reunification plan. Aliyev said if the
latter happens, a new situation would emerge over the Cyprus problem.

But Guluzade believes that in no way should Azerbaijan go for
recognition of TRNC under the current circumstances.

Guluzade pointed out that although Armenia is occupying
Nagorno-Karabakh for more than past ten years, even Yerevan has not
recognized the self-proclaimed republic of Karabakh. He believes that
if Baku were to recognize TRNC now, Armenia would immediately
recognize Karabakh. Greece, Russia and even some countries that are
under Moscow’s influence would also follow.

`Azerbaijan’s recognition of Turkish Cypriots would mean that the
country itself signs down to give up Nagorno-Karabakh,’ Guluzade
stressed.

Final results of the referendum that was held on both sides of the
divided Mediterranean island said 76 percent of Greek Cypriots said
`no’ and 24 percent `yes’ to Annan’s plan. The Turkish Cypriot vote
was 65 percent `yes’ and 35 percent `no.’

The plan stipulated that should both sides failed to agree to
reunification, only Greek Cypriots would join the European Union on
May 1. All EU laws and benefits now will apply only to the Greek side
of the island.

The Greeks’ `no’ vote caused wide international criticism.

The UN Security Council expressed disappointment on Thursday that
Cypriots missed “an extraordinary and historic opportunity” to
reunify their divided island and reiterated its strong support for a
political settlement.

Council members said they respected the outcome of Saturday’s
referendums, which saw Turkish Cypriots approving a UN reunification
and Greek Cypriots
rejecting it.

U.S. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher `blasted’ Greek
Cypriot leaders while praising the Turkish Cypriots, according to the
Associated Press.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded the
island in the wake of an abortive coup by supporters of union with
Greece.

Azeri defence chief, Russian diplomats debate military, political situation

Lider TV, Baku
30 Apr 04

Azerbaijani Defence Minister Col-Gen Safar Abiyev has received the
Russian ambassador to Azerbaijan, Nikolay Ryabov, and the military
attache, Vladimir Lomakin.

Azerbaijan will soon appoint its military attache to Russia, the
minister said. The defence minister said that Azerbaijan was pinning
high hopes on Russia in the settlement of the [Karabakh] conflict.

The sides had also an exchange of opinions on the prospects of
development between Azerbaijan and Russia, the defence ministries of
the countries, including the military and political situation in the
South Caucasus.

Mehr News Agency, Iran
May 1 2004

Kamkars Returns After One-Week UK Concert Tour

TEHRAN, May 1 (MNA) — Iranian traditional music group Kamkars has
returned to Tehran after a one-week concert tour of Britain.

The group gave several performances honoring the Italian composer
Luciano Berio in Oxford, York, Manchester, Birmingham, and Nottingham,
accompanied by the London Sinfonietta Orchestra.

Omaggio was the first festival celebrating Berio’s work after the
composer’s unexpected death last spring. At the time, Berio had been
working on a piece combining elements of Sicilian folksongs and
Kurdish songs.

Organized by Gillian Moore, the manager of the London Sinfonietta
Orchestra, the festival also included performances by the renowned
Armenian duduk player Jevan Gesparian.

Berio is considered to be one of the 20th century’s leading
composers. He was a pioneer in the use of electronic and avant-garde
composition techniques. In terms of influence he is often placed in
the same league as Stravinsky. During his career he taught at
Tanglewood, Mills College, Harvard University, and Juilliard College.

Zaman, Turkey
May 1 2004

Turkey’s Foreign Aid Declines

Turkey provided US$145.7 million in official support to various
countries in 2003, down from US$157.7 million in 2002. The State
Institute of Statistics (DIE) conducted research to detail how Turkey
disbursed its foreign aid.

According to the research, the US$145.76 million in official support
could be further broken down into US$38.7 million in official aid,
US$40.2 million in official donations to foreign countries and US$66.8
million in payments to various international organizations in 2003.

While Turkish aid to Palestine dropped 23 times, from US$115,000 to
US$5,000 when compared to the previous year, support to Israel
increased 39 fold, from US$592 to US$19,500 in 2003.

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) also received less aid
from Turkey. The figure was US$1.9 million in 2003 while it was US$8.4
million in 2002.

In addition, contributions to some countries were totally cut
off. Armenia, Algeria, Ghana, Guinea are among those.

Habib Guler
Ankara

The Daily Star, Lebanon
May 3 2004

Cancer claims life of Armenian Orthodox archbishop

Archbishop Zareh Aznavorian of the Armenian Orthodox Church has died of
lung cancer, a church statement said Saturday. He was 57.
Aznavorian, chairman of the religious council and director of the
Christian Education Department of the Armenian Orthodox Church of
Cilicia, died Friday at the church’s seat in Antelias, north of Beirut,
the statement said.
The bishop, whose condition deteriorated in the past few days, had
received treatment in New York. Born in Beirut in 1947, Aznavorian
studied priesthood in the Antelias seminary and later in the Rome
Theological University. In the early 1980s, he was the Armenian
Orthodox Vicar of Cyprus based in Nicosia. In the past few years,
Aznavorian had been engaged in translating the Old and New Testament
from archaic Greek and Hebrew originals into modern Armenian.
He will be cremated in Antelias on Monday. –

Glendale News Press
LATImes.com
April 27 2004

Local shooting suspect returns to U.S.

After allegedly killing his nephew, man fled to Armenia but returned
voluntarily after Glendale Police tracked him down.

By Darleene Barrientos, News-Press

SOUTHEAST GLENDALE – A man suspected of shooting and killing his
18-year-old nephew will be charged in his death today after
voluntarily returning to the United States from Armenia.

Glendale Police detectives have searched for 33-year-old Gaik
Shakhmuradyan since his nephew Edvin Isagulyan was shot Oct. 20.
Officers found Isagulyan, 18, with a gunshot wound to his head near
512 S. Glendale Ave. Isagulyan died the next day.

Glendale Police investigators did not get any help from Isagulyan’s
family but learned that Shakhmuradyan reportedly had fled to Abovyan,
Armenia. Glendale Police Investigator Bob Breckenridge traveled to
Armenia to find him and talk to him, with the help of the United
States embassy and Armenian law-enforcement agencies.

During an interview with Breckenridge, Shakhmuradyan offered to
return to the United States and face the charges against him.

“He asked if I could help him come back,” Breckenridge said. “He said
he wanted to come back. I think he wanted to come back because of the
living conditions he was in, and I think it was time for him to face
the family.”

Shakhmuradyan flew back to the U.S. with Breckenridge on Thursday,
where he was taken into custody by the Immigration and Customs
Enforcement agency. He was then arrested and booked at the Glendale
Police Department, where he was being held Monday in lieu of more
than $2-million bail.

It is believed to be the first time someone has fled to Armenia and
returned to the U.S. voluntarily to face murder charges, police said.

“A person who knows that he has pending charges for murder has not
returned [before] to face the charges of their own volition,”
Glendale Police spokesman Sgt. Tom Lorenz said.

The shooting was sparked by an argument, but detectives are still
investigating the cause, Breckenridge said.