Author: Vorskanian Yeghisabet

Fresno Bee (California)
April 26, 2004, Monday FINAL EDITION

‘Mannix’ star makes appearance, but barely

by Rick Bentley, The Fresno Bee

It’s a mystery only “Mannix” could unravel.

Carol Channing was to perform two benefit shows Sunday at the Tower
Theatre to raise money for the Armenian Home for the Aged. Fresno’s
Mike Connors, the actor who played television detective Mannix from
1967-1975, had been announced as a special guest at both shows.

Connors only made a brief appearance at the second performance.

“I want everyone to know what happened,” Connors says.

The actor explains he had been contacted in late 2003 as to being
part of the fund-raising event. He was asked to sing a number with
Channing.

“I agreed to do it. Then I didn’t hear anything for months. Finally I
heard they were selling tickets saying I was going to be part of the
show. When I was in Visalia recently, people kept telling me they
were excited I was going to do the show,” Connors says.

With the date rapidly approaching, Connors called Channing’s husband,
Harry Kullijian, who happens to be Channing’s manager. Connors wanted
to know which song he would be performing.

“He [Kullijian] told me that he and Carol were on the road with the
one-woman show and too busy to help me,” Connors says.

That’s when Connors decided that he would only show up to make a
token appearance for the evening show. He wasn’t even aware there was
a matinee planned until it was too late for him to make a change in
his schedule to travel to Fresno from his home in Encino.

Connors was worried that fans who purchased tickets because he was
involved would think he had backed out of the local show.

Moscow Times, Russia
April 26 2004

Armenians Remember 1915

Alexandra Kocho-Schellenberg / MT

Armenians lighting candles Saturday at a chapel at the Armenian
Cemetery.

YEREVAN, Armenia — Hundreds of thousands of Armenians, many of them
emigrants returning from abroad, converged Saturday on a hilltop
memorial in Yerevan to commemorate the 89th anniversary of mass
killings of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire.

The annual gathering at the vast Genocide Victims Memorial
overlooking the capital is a significant day in the country’s
emotional life, drawing huge crowds to lay flowers.

In Moscow, the Armenians lighted candles at churches and laid flowers
at the Armenian Cemetery.

Armenia accuses Turkey of the genocide of up to 1.5 million Armenians
between 1915 and 1919, when Armenia was under the Ottoman Empire.
Turkey rejects the claim and says Armenians were killed in civil
unrest during the collapse of the empire.

Although the deaths began before April 24, memorial services are held
on this date because it is the anniversary of the day in 1915 when
Turkish authorities executed a large group of Armenian intellectuals
and political leaders, accusing them of helping the invading Russian
Army during World War I.

Armenia has pushed for the United States and other nations to declare
the killings a genocide. Many countries, including Russia and France,
have officially recognized the event as genocide, along with some
U.S. states.

Canada’s Parliament last week backed a resolution recognizing the
deaths to be genocide, a move that was praised Saturday by Armenia’s
parliamentary speaker, Artur Bagdasaryan.

“Only through the condemnation of this kind of crime can its
occurrence be avoided,” he said.

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan
April 22 2004

ARMENIA-AZERBAIJAN, NAGORNY KARABAKH CONFLICT SHOULD BE SETTLED ON
THE BASE OF THE INTERNATIONAL LEGAL NORMS
PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN ILHAM ALIYEV RECEIVES THE US CO-CHAIR OF THE
OSCE MINSK GROUP
[April 22, 2004, 18:04:27]

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received U.S.
co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Mr. Steven Mann at the Presidential
Palace, April 22.

President Ilham Aliyev congratulated the diplomat on the new
appointment and wished him every success in this office. He noted as
well that Mr. Mann is well known in Azerbaijan as a direct
participator in the large-scale projects implemented in the country.
Your related activities were very positive and successful. I am well
aware of this personally as we were working together. The regionally
important Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan project is being successfully realized,
and I hope your activity in this new office will also be a success,
said the Head of State.

President Ilham Aliyev further stressed the large threat the
Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorny Karabakh poses to the
regional stability, and noted that Azerbaijan wants the problem to be
settled in the framework of the international legal norms as soon as
possible. `Nagorny Karabakh and 7 other regions of Azerbaijan has
been under occupation for many years; our fair demand is to put an
end to the occupation and restore our territorial integrity. I hope
the Minsk group will continue its activities as a result of which the
problem will be finally solved,’ Mr. Ilham Aliyev said.

Having expressed his satisfaction with this visit to Baku and the
opportunity to meet President Ilham Aliyev, Mr. Steven Mann reminded
on his participation in the ceremony of laying foundation of the
East-West energy corridor held in the Azerbaijan capital, and
emphasized that it is exactly the place, where all the rest of energy
projects start.

Touching upon the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Mr.
Steven Mann announced the new tasks set to him by the U.S. Government
that he was going to fulfill: to work with the conflicting parties
and achieve fair resolution of the problem.

In conclusion, Mr. Steven Mann thanked President of Azerbaijan Ilham
Aliyev for the warm meeting.

The meeting was attended by Chief of the Presidential
Administration’s Foreign Relations Department Mr. Novruz Mammadov and
U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mr. Reno Harnish.

Agence France Presse
April 21, 2004 Wednesday 8:06 AM Eastern Time

Armenia’s “rose revolution” fails to put down roots

by MARIAM HARUTUNIAN

YEREVAN

As opposition supporters in Armenia’s capital prepared late last week
for a rally calling for the resignation of President Robert
Kocharian, staff in a computer salesroom on the city’s Abovian Street
were too busy smoking cigarettes to pay much attention.

They said they had no intention of joining the protests. “They’ll
just get hit on the head by police and go home,” said Samvel, the
store manager, while he watched an opposition leader on the
television set in his office. “So what?”

This indifference from Armenia’s middle classes is one of the
reasons, analysts say, why Armenia is highly unlikely to emulate the
“rose revolution” in its neighbour Georgia which swept that country’s
unpopular rulers from power last year.

On the face of it, Armenia, a former Soviet republic of three million
people in the Caucasus mountains, has all the makings of a
Georgian-style revolution.

Like in Georgia, Armenia’s economy is still reeling from the collapse
of the Soviet Union. According to World Bank figures, 49 percent of
the population lives below the poverty line.

Like its neighbour, Armenia has a massive gulf between the rich and
poor — something many people blame on official corruption.

And as in Georgia, the government stands accused of rigging elections
to preserve its power. A presidential election last year which gave
Kocharian a second term in office was flawed, according to
international observers.

When a coalition of opposition parties began a campaign of mass
demonstrations this month, comparisons were quickly drawn with
Georgia’s revolution.

Some protesters even carried chrysanthemums, mimicking their Georgian
counterparts who demonstrated with rose stems in their hands.

Yet Armenia’s opposition campaign has failed to capture the popular
imagination. At the latest rally in the capital, Yerevan, last
Friday, the core of opposition support — mostly low-income,
middle-aged people with a preponderance of women — was out in force.

But the students and well-heeled members of the middle class who gave
Georgia’s revolution its unstoppable momentum stayed at home.

“I do not think that all these demonstrations can lead to a change in
power,” said analyst Gevorg Pogossian. “A large part of the
population … is continuing to behave like distant observers and not
active participants.”

Analysts point to several factors. The first is that unlike his
ousted Georgian counterpart, 50-year-old Kocharian has a tight grip
on the state machinery.

This means that though pensions and state sector wages are miserly,
they are at least paid on time. It also gives Kocharian the
confidence to use the police against protesters, as he did earlier
this month when water cannon and truncheons were used to disperse an
opposition rally.

Another factor, say analysts, is that Armenia’s opposition lacks a
charismatic figure like Georgia’s Mikhail Saakashvili, who led that
country’s protests and went on to become president.

“Our opposition is very weak and not very convincing,” said Rolan
Minassian, a 59-year-old scientist.

The opposition does not have the advantage its Georgian counterparts
had of regular access to the television airwaves. All of Armenia’s
television stations are loyal to the president.

Finally, though many Armenians grumble about low living standards
they blame not Kocharian, but a crippling economic blockade imposed
on the country by two of its neighbours, Turkey and Azerbaijan.

The blockade is linked to a row about pogroms against ethnic
Armenians in Ottoman Turkey at the start of the last century, and a
still-unresolved war with Azerbaijan over the disputed territory of
Nagorno-Karabakh.

For now at least, most ordinary people are fully behind Kocharian in
opposing any concessions which could see the blockade lifted.

“After upheavals like these, the collapse of the Soviet Union, the
Karabakh war, the blockade, no president could have put the country
and the people back on its feet,” said Sergei Arutyunian, a
74-year-old pensioner.

A1 Plus | 16:46:09 | 20-04-2004 | Politics |

“ARF WAS TO BE DISSOLVED 5 DAYS AGO”

“ARF” activity is illegal”, Ruben Torosyan, Chair of “Supreme Soviet” MP
Club announced at a press conference.

According to him, ARF was to be dissolved 5 days ago. It turns ARF wasn’t
registered and under the requests of the 33rd article of Armenian Law on
“Parties” was to self-destruct by April 15, 2004.

“Supreme Soviet” MP Club has brought a claim to Court demanding to recognize
the party activity as unlawful.

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

Armenian version:

A HIGH-RANKING DELEGATION FROM RWANDA WILL TAKE PART IN 24TH APRIL
COMMEMORATIONS IN ANTELIAS

Antelias, Lebanon – On the occasion of 24th April, the Armenian Martyrs’
Day, a series of commemorations and activities will take place in the Armenian
Catholicosate of Cilicia in Antelias, Lebanon. This year, in addition to
religious and political functions, an international conference on “Genocide,
Impunity and Justice” will take place in Antelias which is organized by the
Catholicosate of Cilica under the auspices of His Excellency General Emile
Lahoud, the President of the Republic of Lebanon. Several university
professors, lawyers and special guests will take part in this conference.

The representative of the president of Rwanda together with a high-ranking
delegation will also take part in this event. The representative of the
president of Rwanda will address the conference.

##

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.

Azat Artsakh – Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR)
April 19 2004

LAW AND ORDER IN THE POST-WAR COUNTRY

– How would you evaluate the work of the police in the past year? Has
the criminal situation changed in the country? – First of all it
should be mentioned that as a country which suffered war and a
post-war period the situation in our country is under considerably
strict control. In 2003 605 offences were registered by us, which is
less by 63 against 2002. These were revealed by 93.3 percent against
the 88.8 percent of 2002. As a rule they judge about the criminal
situation according to the offences. Thus, in 2003 the Criminal
Investigation Department revealed 387 crimes of which 92 were grave.
91 percent of the crimes were revealed. There were five cases of
murder, three were revealed, two cases were dismissed because of
absence of evidence of crime. – What were the circumstances of the
murders? – S. Harutiunian from Stepanakert with cruelty hit his wife
and son on the head with a hammer. Both died. The offender was
convicted and sent to mental house for obligatory psychiatric
treatment. In the village Charektar, region Shahumian the son
quarreled with his father and killed him, he was sentenced to 8.5
years of imprisonment. V. Harutiunian from the village Mirik,
Kashatagh region, deadly beat his wife out of jealousy. As to the
other two cases, inhabitant of the village Vank A. Hakobian got frozen
in the forest, and V. Ghahramanian from Kashatagh region drowned when
crossing the river Vorotan. In 2004 two murders were reported. In
Stepanakert school N 9 the teenager hit his friend with a knife (the
interrogation is not over), and the mother killed and buried her
newborn baby (the case was sent to the court). – What type of crimes
are frequent in Karabakh? – Mainly pilferage. Our services register
without exception all the crimes (up to theft of aluminum dishes,
wire). This is necessary for controlling the situation, discovering
the sources of crime. The motives of crime are mainly of social
nature. It is notable that the number of crimes committed at public
places, juvenile crime, crimes committed by the jobless and people not
attending any educational institution has reduced. This, on the one
hand, testifies to the effective work of our services, and on the
other hand, the gradual social and economic development of our
country. If a person works, his rest is organized normally, he will
not commit a crime. It is not accidental that during significant
competitions in Stepanakert (tournaments of billiards, chess) the
crime rate steeply dropped. On the whole, I evaluate the situation in
the republic as not alarming, and in comparison to the other former
hot spots where the rate of crime with use of guns is still very high,
the situation in our country is stable. – Is the process of
confiscation of weapon from the population going on? – Yes, you know
that the population mainly keeps trophy weapons. But these are
confiscated; many give their weapons voluntarily. This year the rate
of crimes committed with the use of gun dropped. Besides, there were
17 cases of confiscation of guns and ordnance, 74 guns were delivered
to the police voluntarily. – Azerbaijan accuses Karabakh of dealing in
drugs. Are there reasons for this? – This is complete absurd. There
is no dealing and cannot be. Twice a year we carry out the operation
`Poppy’ for discovering and destroying cultivatedand wild growing
cannabis. Last year 22 cases of drug use and storing were
revealed. Quite recently in the village Avetaranots, Askeran region a
group of cannabis dealers were discovered. Besides, we must confess
that fortunately drug addiction is not a disaster for Karabakh, as it
is in other countries. Very few use cannabis, and there are no cases
of use of heroin and cocaine. – Mr. Isagulov, European standards
require that the remand prison should be within the authority of the
Ministry of Defence and not the police. What is your attitude to this
idea? What is the situation of the remand prisons in the republic?
â=80` Conceptually I am for this, but I think that from the technical
aspect and the aspect of cadres the Ministry of Justice is not ready
to assume this authority. I think this process requires a gradual
solution. As to the situation in remand prisons, according to the
evaluations of the International Committee of the Red Cross (the
representatives of which regularly attend to the remand prisons of
Karabakh) the situation in Karabakh is incomparably better than in the
Caucasian region. – As we mentioned the region, could you speak about
the cooperation with the corresponding agencies of Armenia? – Our
cooperation with Armenia is on the highest level. During the last two
years numerous crimes were revealed and prevented as a result of joint
operation. A series of murders the point of which reached Karabakh was
revealed in one of the regions of Armenia. If you remember, due to the
Karabakh officials of the police the murder of the Armenian TV
journalist Tigran Naghdalian was revealed. Due to our efforts the
attempted explosion in the supermarket of the Malatia district in
Yerevan was prevented. The offender was caught on the way to the place
of crime when carrying the explosives. By the way, several of our
policemen were awarded by the government of Armenia for taking place
in the joint operations. Several newspapers accuse you of
participating in the recent events in Yerevan. They say you left for
Yerevan with your special forces and your Jeep was seen in front of
one of the hotels in Yerevan. – On April 4-5 I was in Yerevan and
stayed at that hotel. With some other officials we were invited to the
wedding of our deceased friend Leonid Petrossian. As to our
participation in the Yerevan events, these are false rumours. I state
officially that no worker of the NKR police (besides one or two who
were in Yerevan on business) was in Yerevan during the events in
Armenia. The force ministries of Karabakh were not and could not be
related to these events. I am sorry that certain politicians try to
tap a wedge between the two parts of the Armenian nation. – The work
of the police workers is greatly dependent on their social
condition. How many workers does the police have? – Today we have 691
workers. According to the European standards, as a ratio to the
population this is, of course, little but, I think, enough to keep the
situation under control. As to social security, in 2002 the government
passed a decree according to which the workers living on the salary of
police receive additional payment. We have set forth the bill of
increasing the salary of the rank and file staff of the police by 10
thousand drams. By the way, the salary of the officers in Karabakh is
higher than in Armenia. If the promotion is confirmed, the minimum
salary of the rank and file policemen will be 28-30 thousand drams. We
help those who need medical care as much as we can. We have a special
fund of which we provide means to the workers who apply for aid. – As
far as we know, the promotion of salaries in the republic from January
1 did not refer to the police, whereas, it had been stated that the
increase of salaries was part of the anti-corruption program. Is there
within the police a service for internal control? – Yes, the
inspection on staff operates in the structure of the police, which
deals with staff investigations. According to the results of these
investigations, in 2003 26 workers of the police were punished, 2
workers were dismissed from work. There were no cases of bribe
taking, and there were no complaints. And if this is the case, we
will not disguise anyone. – And the last question, does the state
provide enough financial means for maintaining public order? – Our
budget is not very big, nevertheless, the authorities pay adequate
attention to our ministry. I mean equipment, transport. At the end of
the previous year we received two `Niva’ cars for operational work,
and before that due to the Ministry of Home Affairs of Armenia we
received 3 cars of the same type. On the whole, despite certain
drawbacks I am satisfied with the work of all the subdivisions of the
sphere. Although, of course, there happen both cases of theft and even
murder, we must confess that we live in an incomparably calmer (than
it could have been after the war and destruction) country. And this is
mainly due to the peace-loving and law-abiding nature of the people of
Karabakh. And doubtlessly due to the fact that even during the
military actions the authorities did not let the situation go out of
control.

NAIRA HAYRUMIAN

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
04/16/2004
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://

1) ANCA Shares Armenian American Disappointment Over Bush Administration
Record
with Congressional Leaders
2) ANC of Canada and Deputy Prime Minister Discuss Armenian Genocide Motion
3) Aliyev Says Russian Troops in Armenia a Danger to Region
4) Key Parliament Gunman Found Dead in Jail

1) ANCA Shares Armenian American Disappointment Over Bush Administration
Record
with Congressional Leaders

LETTERS TO SPEAKER HASTERT AND MAJORITY LEADER FRIST
OUTLINE SPECIFIC ARMENIAN AMERICAN POLICY CONCERNS

ANCA CHAIRMAN PRAISES REPUBLICAN FRIENDS OF ARMENIA IN CONGRESS

WASHINGTON, DC–In letters sent this week to Congressional leaders, the
Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) voiced the disappointment of the
Armenian American community over the Bush Administration’s record on Armenian
issues. In its correspondence, the ANCA called for renewed efforts by the
leadership of the legislative branch to urge the White House to adopt more
constructive policies on issues of special concern to Armenian American
voters.
Included with the letters, signed by ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian and sent to
Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist,
were
copies of the ANCA’s 2004 Armenian American Presidential Report Card, which
gave the President generally low marks on a range of fifteen different
Armenian
American issues. These issues were grouped into three general categories as
follows:

1) Unfulfilled commitments: Most notable among the unfulfilled commitments
were the President’s failure to honor his campaign pledge in February of 2000
to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide, and his decision this February to
abandon the 2001 White House agreement with both Congress and the Armenian
American community to maintain parity in military aid to Armenia and
Azerbaijan.

2) Opposition to community concerns: In terms of active opposition to
community concerns, we have seen the White House block Congressional
legislation concerning the Armenian Genocide, waive Section 907 of the Freedom
Support Act, propose reductions in US aid to Armenia, and mistakenly place
Armenia on a Department of Justice/INS terrorist watch list.
3) Failure to prioritize Armenian issues: The Administration has failed to
prioritize either US-Armenia ties or the White House’s relationship with the
Armenian American community. An example of the former is the failure of the
Administration to take meaningful proactive steps to foster increased
US-Armenia commercial relations, or even to press Congress to move quickly to
adopt Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status for Armenia. An
example of
the latter is that the President has not invited the collective leadership of
the Armenian American community to a meeting at the White House despite
repeated requests for such interaction.

Both the Senate and House letters included more than a dozen specific
recommendations by the ANCA about how the Congressional leadership could
encourage the White House to improve its standing among Armenian American
voters.
The ANCA letter also stressed that, while disappointed with the President’s
performance, the ANCA “highly values our many close friends in Congress and
throughout the country and wants to ensure that they can effectively reach out
to Armenian Americans this election season, confident in the knowledge that
their national leadership has been supportive of Armenian issues.”
Hachikian highlighted that Armenian Americans “have great respect for the
tremendous leadership of Congressman Joe Knollenberg as Co-Chairman of the
Armenian Caucus and appreciate his spearheading of the adoption of legislation
in the House granting Armenia Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status.
This important measure, which is awaiting Senate action, was provided crucial
Committee support by Chairman Bill Thomas of the Ways and Means Committee. Our
community deeply appreciates the efforts of Congressman George Radanovich in
introducing and advocating tirelessly on behalf of the Genocide Resolution,
and
those of Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner for moving this
important measure out of Committee. We admire the efforts of Congressman Mark
Kirk, who has worked with Congressman Knollenberg and Chairman Jim Kolbe of
the
Foreign Operations Subcommittee to address Armenian American concerns in the
foreign aid bill. Throughout the nation, Armenian Americans value their
friendships with Republican legislators, from David Dreier in California, Eric
Cantor in Virginia, Chris Smith in New Jersey, Mark Souder in Indiana, to New
York’s John Sweeney, who is of Armenian heritage, and many others.”
In the Senate, Hachikian made special mention of “Senators Mitch McConnell,
John Ensign, George Allen, Elizabeth Dole, and many others,” noting that the
ANCA wants to “ensure that they can effectively reach out to Armenian
Americans
this election season, confident in the knowledge that their national
leadership
has been supportive of Armenian issues.”
In a similar letter sent last week to the Chairman of the Bush-Cheney-04
campaign, Marc Racicot, the ANCA included a copy of its Bush Administrations’
Report Card and suggested “a number of steps that the Administration can take
to improve its standing among our nation’s one and a half million citizens of
Armenian heritage.” The letter went on to note that, “these issues are of
profound importance to our entire community–Republicans, Democrats, and
independents–all of whom, sadly, are united in the view that this
Administration, despite its early promise, has fallen far short of their
expectations.” Racicot, in addition to being the former Governor of Montana,
was the immediate past Chairman of the Republican National Committee.
For the full text of the ANCA 2004 Armenian American Presidential Report Card
visit:
<;pressregion=anca>http://www.
anca.org/anca/pressrel.asp?prid=540&pressregion=anca
For the National Organization for Republican Armenians perspective on the
Bush
Administration’s record visit:
<;
08.htm
The Armenian American Leadership Council’s (AADLC) review of the Bush
Administration can be found at:
<;
leases.asp?pr id=51
A review of Sen. John Kerry’s (D-MA) record on Armenian issues is located at:
<;

2) ANC of Canada and Deputy Prime Minister Discuss Armenian Genocide Motion

OTTAWA–Armenian National Committee of Canada Chairperson Dr. Jirayr
Basmadjian
and ARF of Canada Central Committee member Krikor Der Ghazarian met with
Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan on March 29. The meeting was
arranged through former Federal Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs Stephan
Dion.
The ANC representatives focused on the government’s position on M-380, a
Motion in the Canadian parliament acknowledging the Armenian Genocide and
condemning it as a crime against humanity.
They expressed the Armenian community’s deep disillusionment regarding the
Canadian government’s long-held negative position vis-à-vis official
recognition of the Armenian Genocide. They pointed out that in the past the
government had not merely adopted a negative stance, but also actively lobbied
against adoption of motions on the Armenian Genocide.
The Armenian representatives stated that Canada has fallen far behind the
countries on the list of those that have recognized the Genocide as historical
factdespite the fact that Canada is considered a foremost defender of human
rights.
Dr. Basmadjian reiterated the current understanding that at this stage, the
ministers constituting the government would be voting against the measure, but
that members of parliament (MPs) belonging to the governing party would be
allowed to vote according to their conscience. The ANC reps therefore
requested
that the government not apply indirect pressure against those MPs.
Dr. Basmadjian explained that all MPs from two of the opposition parties, and
the vast majority of MPs from the third opposition party, are expected to vote
in favor of the M-380. Therefore, he pointed out, the government party would
find itself in an untenable position if its majority were to vote against a
motion that is a matter of conscience and human rights.
After discussing various details, Deputy Prime Minister McLellan promised to
give serious consideration to the practical suggestions and proposals
presented
to her during the meeting.

3) Aliyev Says Russian Troops in Armenia a Danger to Region

ISTANBUL–The Turkish press reported on various statements made by Azeri
President Ilham Aliyev recently.
Aliyev, who is in Turkey on an official visit, referred to the Russian armed
forces deployed in Armenia, saying they pose a danger to the region.
He said that although the Russians no longer take sides, which signifies
progress, as they sided with Armenia previously, more action must be taken
because Armenia is an occupying power. “Russia must clearly recognize that
fact,” Aliyev said. “It is wrong to treat the occupier and victim equally.”
Aliyev asserted that Armenia behaves unilaterally and does not carry out the
recommendations of international organizations. He pointed to the continued
presence of Russian forces in Armenia, saying that they have been reinforced
with Russian troops from Georgia.
“In the other countries of the Caucasus, there are no Russian troops,” he
said. “There are none in Azerbaijan and never will be.”
Aliyev questioned who exactly the Russian forces in Armenia are confronting.
“There was a Cold War before, but there is no such thing now.”
According to Aliyev, the Russian troops are a threat not only against
Azerbaijan and Turkey but also Georgia. “In this matter, Iran stands by
Azerbaijan, but prefers not to get involved,” he said.
Aliyev expressed satisfaction that Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have agreed that
Armenia must withdraw from Karabagh. “Those two countries have strategic
importance, and through their initiative, a new process has begun, he said.

4) Key Parliament Gunman Found Dead in Jail

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)–One of the five gunmen who had gone on a killing spree in
Armenia’s parliament in October 1999 was found dead in his prison cell on
Friday.
Authorities said Vram Galstian, who was serving a life sentence along with
the
other attackers, committed suicide by hanging himself in Yerevan’s Nubarashen
high-security prison. Representatives of Red Cross and three human rights
organizations were invited to check the official cause of death.
“They opened the cell and we saw him hanging from a tightly knotted bed
sheet,” said Avetik Ishkhanian of the Armenian Helsinki Committee. “They did
not let us see if there are any traces of violence, saying that an
investigation is underway.”
A former villager from the central Gegharkunik province, Galstian was the
uncle of ringleader Nairi Hunanian and his brother Karen. The brothers were
convicted last December of assassinating Prime Minister Vazgen Sarkisian,
parliament speaker Karen Demirchian, and five other officials during the shock
raid on the National Assembly on October 27, 1999. Galstian was found
guilty of
shooting a lawmaker moments before the armed group burst into the main
parliament auditorium.
According to Samvel Hovannisian, head of a Justice Ministry department
running
Armenia’s prisons, Galstian was placed in solitary confinement at his request
“three or four days” before his death. “He said he could not live with the
other inmates in his previous cell.”
Hovannisian also said Galstian suffered from a mental illness and attempted
suicide on several occasions. “In the past, inmates sharing the cell with him
complained about his aggressive behavior,” said Hovannisian.
But Ishkhanian informed that a prison psychologist visited the convict as
recently as April 13 and found no signs of “disturbance.” Ishkhanian noted
that
he and the other human rights activist were not allowed to interview the
prisoners in Galstian’s former cell.

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Armenian president calls on opposition to return to “normal activity”

Mediamax news agency
14 Apr 04

YEREVAN

Armenian President Robert Kocharyan spoke about the necessity of a
political dialogue in Yerevan today, at the same time, highlighting
that he considered it unacceptable if readiness for such a dialogue
was of an ultimatum nature.

Robert Kocharyan said this at a meeting with heads of the United
Communist Party of Armenia today, Mediamax has learnt from the
presidential press service.

Commenting on the events of the recent days, the Armenian president
said that “forces advocating political extremism” were responsible for
them in the first place. Kocharyan believes that “the measures taken
were appropriate, and the police used means exclusively permitted by
the law”.

“Today the opposition has every opportunity to return to normal
activity. If this is not done, then the authorities have enough
potential to defend the people and prevent any manifestation of
lawlessness,” Armenian president said.

Armenians Hold Large Anti-Government March

VOA News
12 Apr 2004, 23:54 UTC

Opposition members protest holding Armenian flags in Yerevan, Monday,
April 12, 2004 Thousands of anti-government demonstrators marched in
downtown Yerevan Monday, demanding Armenian President Robert Kocharian
resign.Police kept the marchers away from the presidential palace.

Many of the demonstrators held signs calling Mr. Kocharian an
illegitimate president. They say he was re-elected in March, 2003 in a
rigged vote. They are also demanding the government allow a
no-confidence referendum on the Kocharian government.

International observers have said the presidential vote and a May,
2003 parliamentary vote fell short of international standards for a
fair election.

Armenian opposition leaders hope to launch a bloodless popular
uprising similar to the one in November in neighboring Georgia that
forced President Eduard Shevardnadze to resign.