Author: Yeghisabet Arthur

Georgian parliament set to debate future of Russian bases
By MISHA DZHINDZHIKHASHVILI

AP Worldstream
Mar 09, 2005

Georgia’s parliamentary speaker on Wednesday urged lawmakers to
postpone discussing an ultimatum threatening to blockade Russia’s two
remaining military bases in the country, but legislators insisted on
debating the politically explosive issue.

The Soviet-era bases at Batumi and Akhalkalaki are the focus of
increasing tension between Western-leaning Georgia and its neighbor.
Russia has said it could take as much as a dozen years to close down
the bases, which Georgia says is unacceptable.

Speaker Nino Burdzhanadze said Russia had agreed to examine the issue
by May 1.

“We need to wait for results and then make a decision,” Burdzhanadze
said, calling on the legislature to return the draft legislation
proposing the blockade to the defense committee.

President Mikhail Saakashvili told reporters Tuesday that his
government’s position was unchanged: “The Russian bases must be
withdrawn from Georgia.”

But like Burdzhanadze, he expressed hope that Georgia and Russia
could reach an agreement within six weeks.

“In spite of the fact that my hopes have not been justified in the
past, maybe this time we will achieve progress in the negotiations
with Russia,” he said. “No one has the right to have their military
bases on our territory.”

The proposed legislation under discussion calls for Russia to set a
“reasonable period” for closing the bases by May 1.

Parliamentary defense committee chairman Givi Targamadze said that
if no agreement is reached, authorities should plan “to prevent any
movement on Georgian territory by Russian servicemen except for that
which is connected to withdrawal from the territory of our country.”

In spite of Georgian leaders’ strong stand on the bases, they are
worried about possible unrest among the population, especially the
Armenian-minority residents in the city of Akhalkalaki. Many of them
work at the Russian base and have sharply protested its possible
closure, which would lead to massive unemployment _ already a chronic
problem elsewhere in impoverished Georgia.

DECREE ON RECOVERY OF SAVINGS

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
06 March 05

In accordance with the decree on preliminary recovery of the savings
of the citizens of the Republic of Nagorni Karabakh issued by the
president of NKR Arkady Ghukassian on June 20, 1998 Arkady Ghukassian
signed a decree on the recovery of the lost savings devalued in 1993.
According to the decree, the government of the republic will begin
the recovery of the savings of persons born before 1944, as well as
the army servicemen killed at the defence of the Republic of Nagorni
Karabakh and the first degree disabled of the war. Recovery of lost
savings will be carried out on the sums provided by the State Budget
2005 of the Republic of Nagorni Karabakh.

AA.
06-03-2005

PRESS RELEASE
Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian School
1615 North Alexandria Avenus
Los Angeles, CA 90027
Contact: Nazaret Apanian
Tel: 323-668-2661
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

LOS ANGELES CITY MAYOR JAMES HAHN VISITS ROSE AND ALEX PILIBOS SCHOOL

LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles City Mayor James Hahn visited Rose & Alex
Pilibos Armenian School on March 3, 2005. Accompanying Mayor Hahn were
members of his staff as well as campaign managers. Mayor Hahn is running
for reelection as Los Angeles Mayor in the upcoming March 8 citywide
primary elections. Upon arriving at Pilibos Armenian School, Mayor Hahn
was greeted by Dr. Viken Yacoubian, Principal of the school and members
of the Administration. City Commissioners, Community activists, church
board members, as well as ANCA Regional Board representatives were also
at hand at greeting the Mayor. Paying a surprise visit, after Mayor
Hahn’s arrival, was Councilman Eric Garcetti. It is noteworthy that
Councilman Garcetti represents the Little Armenia District at the Los
Angeles City Hall. Meeting with the Mayor and Councilman Garcetti, Dr.
Yacoubian briefly introduced the Pilibos School and the growing
community. Touching upon the growth of the school since 1969, Dr.
Yacoubian highlighted major developments, including the recent addition
of the library and gymnasium, as well as the surge in the student body
population. Dr. Yacoubian further mentioned that graduates of Pilibos
Armenian School leave the school with a strong sense of their Armenian
identity, simultaneously having constructively integrated their American
identity into their sense of self.

After the brief meeting, Dr. Yacoubian led the Mayor and all guests to
the gymnasium. Students and faculty members enthusiastically welcomed
the Mayor. Mayor Hahn went out of his way to greet students at the
gymnasium. After the welcoming, Dr. Yacoubian introduced Mayor Hahn to
the students. Mayor Hahn thanked the students for their warm welcome. He
said, “Thank you Eagles, for the warm welcome. I am honored to be at
this fine school of yours”. He also congratulated the Boys Varsity
basketball team for advancing to the playoffs. Prior to answering
questions from students, the Mayor emphasized the importance of positive
community involvement. He mentioned that activism opens the doors of
opportunity and keeps individuals away from trouble.

After the town hall meeting with students and squeezing time in their
tight schedules, Mayor Hahn and Councilman Garcetti visited the 1st
grade class. The Mayor spoke about the city and his visit. He took the
time to answer questions from young Pilibos students, as well as
answered their “reading and spelling” questions.

Mayor Hahn and Councilman Garcetti also participated in the Student
Council’s “Cheese Beoreg” sale. President Ara Thomassian and Junior
Alice Sislian presented the guests with hot and delicious cheese
beoregs, compliments of the Student Council. The Mayor and his staff
enjoyed this Armenian treat.

The Pilibos School Administration would like to extend its sincere
gratitude to Mayor Hahn and Councilman Garcetti for taking their time in
visiting the school.

For pictures from the visit, please visit

Snoop & “Soul” to Be Locked Up

DeadBrain.com (Political Satire)
February 22 2005

By Mo Blacka

In a shrewd marketing move reminiscent of Disney’s animated classics,
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer has announced that Soul Plane is going to be
retired and put into the Lions Vault for the next 15 years.

Historically, The Walt Disney Company limited the distribution of
several of its time honored classics. Michael Eisner himself is on
record as saying, “Two reasons. It increases collectability and
improves profit margin by re-releasing old films into theaters every
20 years or so. It’s a win-win for the shareholder and movie viewing
consumer.”

Move over Disney, here comes MGM.

The impetus for this executive decision comes on the heels of the
Academy Awards recognition of both the film and Snoop Dogg’s riveting
performance on the big screen. An unnamed Academy source hinted that
screenwriters Bo Zenga and Chuck Wilson will receive a Lifetime
Achievement Award for their collaborative effort on the modern day air
travel epic.

Jessy Terrero, director of the film had mixed emotions. “I knew we had
something special on the set. I’m thrilled that I was able to work
with such consummate professionals as Snoop Dogg, Method, and Tom
Arnold. I just wish a Best Director nomination had come with it.”

MGM CEO Alex Yemenidjian could only be described as “giddy” at the
press conference confirming the news. “This is just what we need to
rebound from a few quarters that were below expectations financially.
We’ve decided to shorten the re-release span to 15 years to coincide
with the typical generational gap of our target audience.”

The Oscar presenter for the award is to be action star and thespian
Mr. Richard Roundtree. “I can dig it,” said Roundtree. Triple threat
actor/recording artist/playa Snoop Doggy Dogg (a.k.a. Calvin Broadus)
could not be reached for comment. His publicist said he was in talks
with rival Columbia Pictures regarding his own screenplay, based on
the 1980’s hit TV dance show Solid Gold. Possible titles? Vashizzle
Gold or Solid Golden Vashizzle.

Can you say blockbuster?

AzerNews
03/02/2005 11:40

PACE resolution sparks differing reactions

The approval of Atkinson’s report on Upper Garabagh by the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has drawn differing opinions from
the parties interested in settling the conflict. President

Ilham Aliyev gave a positive assessment of the PACE resolution on Upper
Garabagh, regarding it as a victory of Azerbaijan’s diplomacy. The
opposition also welcomed the document in general.
Yuri Merzlyakov, Russian co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group (MG), told Radio
Liberty that he disagrees with a provision of the resolution criticizing the
lack of activity on the part of the MG.
“They call on us to step up activity, although we are often more active than
the parties to the conflict. However, we are not responsible for resolving
the problem instead of the conflicting sides”.

The PACE resolution also says that if the OSCE MG-mediated talks are
unsuccessful, Azerbaijan and Armenia may take the matter to the
International Court of Justice. Merzlyakov pointed out that this action
would probably be avoided as both countries are aware that the issue may be
interpreted differently by the court. “Therefore, the conflict should be
resolved not through legal but political means,” he said.
The Russian co-chair continued that the problem will not be resolved this
year and only a certain amount of progress is likely to be achieved.
“The parties are interested in resolving the problem, but no agreements have
been reached thus far.”
Merzlyakov also expressed some unpalatable views for Azerbaijan. “I believe
that Upper Garabagh is a party to the conflict, as the ceasefire, concluded
by Azerbaijan and Armenia in 1994, along with the two countries, was signed
by the ‘defense minister’ of Upper Garabagh.”
The United States has also criticized the reproach voiced against the OSCE
MG co-chairs.
The US ambassador to Azerbaijan Reno Harnish said that the OSCE MG has
carried out extensive work this year.
“Several meetings were held between the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents,
as well as the two countries’ foreign ministers, illustrating the efficiency
of the OSCE MG activity”, he said.
Touching upon the passed PACE resolution on Garabagh, the ambassador
commented that in his opinion it is of a “declarative” nature.
In reply to a question as to whether the US will continue to provide aid to
Armenia, which was recognized as the aggressor by PACE, Harnish said that
Washington has always pursued a consistent policy.
“From this standpoint, the aid being provided is aimed at achieving peace in
the region.”
“We have not and will not recognize the self-proclaimed Upper Garabagh
republic. The US recognizes Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. We welcome
the attempts by the parties to settle the conflict in peace and are
witnessing progress in this area.”
The ambassador stated that Russia is playing both a negative and a positive
role with regards to the resolution of the Upper Garabagh conflict, along
with many other conflicts in the former Soviet Union. Russia’s role in the
Garabagh conflict is undeniable, he said. Harnish added that the conflict
settlement is not dependent only on the US and Russia.
“The Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents need to step up efforts in this
area”, he said.
The French co-chair of the OSCE MG, Bernard Fassier, said that the PACE
resolution on Garabagh states the stance of this organization, which is one
of the beacons of democracy in Europe. Fassier said that other international
organizations should state their position on the Garabagh conflict as well.
The co-chair added that statements implying that the OSCE Minsk Group is not
engaged in any serious work are erroneous.

Conflicting views
Political forces in Armenia have issued conflicting opinions on the issue.
The Armenian Foreign Ministry, via its spokesman, Hamlet Kasparian, said
that the PACE rapporteur David Atkinson’s report on the Garabagh conflict,
although it included some positive parts, was generally incomplete.
Kasparian said the PACE resolution covers the results of the conflict but
not the reasons behind it.
“Yerevan believes that changes were made to the resolution in a biased
manner. On the initiative of the Turkish representative at the PACE
Political Committee, one of Armenia’s proposals, which was earlier agreed
upon with Atkinson, was not approved. The resolution is not mandatory but
advisory and declarative,” Kasparian said. He said that peace talks will
continue within the OSCE Minsk Group and the positive and negative
provisions of the resolution are unlikely to affect the negotiating process.
Chairman of the Armenian parliament commission on foreign relations, Armen
Rustamian said the PACE resolution includes all the ‘dangerous’ provisions
that Azerbaijan can take advantage of in the future.
“The resolution contains such terms as ‘occupied territories’ and
‘separatists’, and Azerbaijan will certainly take the opportunity of using
them against Armenia.”
Rustamian expressed confidence that Azerbaijan will start imposing an
ultimatum not only on Armenia, but also on the international community soon,
as adopting the mentioned resolution gives Azerbaijan a legal right to
retrieve its territories.
Head of the Armenian delegation at PACE, Tigran Tarasian, stated that
Armenia is satisfied with the PACE resolution. He viewed favourably the fact
that certain parliamentary members brought up the issue of
self-determination of Upper Garabagh.
Nonetheless, Armenian opposition termed the document as an absolute
diplomatic defeat of Yerevan, and essentially as an ultimatum put forth to
Armenia by the international community.

PanArmenian News
Feb 28 2005

GERMAN CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC OPPOSITION PARTY SUBMITTED DRAFT
RESOLUTION ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE TO BUNDESTAG

28.02.2005 17:03

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ German Christian Democratic opposition party has
submitted a draft resolution on the Armenian Genocide to the
Bundestag. The document stresses the necessity of discussing Turkey’s
participation in the massacres of Armenians at the beginning of the
last century. The resolution says that Turkey denies having committed
the crime and Germany should urge her to confess perpetration of the
Armenian Genocide. Moreover the oppositionists insist that Germany
should do its best to make subject be freely discussed in Turkey.

The News International, Pakistan
Feb 26 2005

Anniversary of Khojali massacre

Azeri envoy lauds Pakistan stand on Nagorno-Karabakh

Rasheed Khalid

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan always supported Azerbaijan’s position on
Nagorno-Karabakh and did not establish diplomatic relations with
Armenia that forcibly occupied the Azeri territory in 1992, said Dr.
Eynulla Madatli, ambassador of Azerbaijan.

He was talking to `The News’ on the 13th anniversary of Khojali
massacre observed every year on February 26 to commemorate the
genocide in which Armenian forces backed by military hardware and
personnel from Russia killed innocent citizens of Khojali while
rendering hundreds wounded, homeless and orphaned.

About Islamabad-Baku relations, Dr. Madatli said that the two
countries signed a military and defence agreement in 2002. Referring
to the visit of Pakistani dignitaries to his country, he expected
further cementing of relations after the visit of Azerbaijan
President Ilham Aliyev. He said that the two countries were
cooperating in the fields of combating terrorism, smuggling and drug
trafficking.

Dr. Madatli said that a cultural troupe from his country also visited
Pakistan recently for raising funds for tsunami victims and held a
concert attended by President Pervez Musharraf, Prime Minister
Shaukat Aziz and others. He hoped that the two countries will
organise exchanges in the field of culture and education. He said
that the two countries were exploring possibilities of cooperation in
agriculture and IT.

OSCE.org
Feb 23 2005

OSCE Office signs memorandum with Armenian Defence Ministry on
elimination of rocket fuel component stocks

YEREVAN, 23 February 2005 – A memorandum of understanding on the
elimination of rocket fuel component stocks in Armenia was signed
yesterday in Yerevan by the Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan,
Ambassador Vladimir Pryakhin, and the Minister of Defence of Armenia
and Secretary of the National Security Council, Serzh Sargssian.

These rocket fuel components, known as melange, represent a
considerable environmental risk after prolonged storage, in addition
to the inherent security risk.

Following an official request from Armenia in April 2004 for
technical and financial support for the recycling of 872 tons of
melange, the Office arranged for international experts to advise on
the environmentally sound recycling of the chemicals.

The method of neutralizing the melange chosen by the OSCE will result
in the added positive by-product of a liquid fertilizer for use by
Armenia’s farmers.

“The Office will continue to support this important activity, which
aims to improve both the environment and the security of the Armenian
population,” said Ambassador Pryakhin at the signing ceremony. “It is
also an example of fruitful co-operation between the OSCE and the
Government of Armenia”.

Defence Minister Sargssian praised the active co-operation with the
OSCE Office and thanked the OSCE participating States for their
valuable technical support and financial contributions.

The project is financed by the Governments of the United States,
Germany, Finland, as well as Canada, which contributed through the
OSCE-UNDP-UNEP Environment and Security Initiative to the initial
stage of the project, successfully completed last year.

For further information, please contact:

Gohar Avagyan
OSCE Office in Yerevan
89 Teryan St.
375009, Yerevan
Armenia
Tel.: +374 1 54 10 62
+374 1 54 58 45
Fax: +374 1 54 10 61

AUTHORITIES OF NAGORNY KARABAKH HAVE CREATED ALL CONDITIONS FOR WORK
OF AZERBAIJANI JOURNALIST

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 23. ARMINFO. The authorities of Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic have created all the conditions without any limitation for
the activities of the Azerbaijani journalist Eynulla Fatullayev who
had visited NKR. Correspondent of the journal “Monitor” Eynulla
Fatullayev stated in the interview to Baku’s newspaper “Echo”, sharing
his impressions from his visit to Nagorny Karabakh and the territories
under Karabakh’s control.

According to him, the only ban was put in Aghdam district. “There the
authorities did not permit to photograph or to film anything”. The
journalist confessed that he was surprised with the development of
civil and democratic institutes in Karabakh. In this connection, he
cites NKR President Arkady Ghoukassian “the world will not forgive NKR
for authoritarian and anti-democratic regime and that’s why we are
doomed to development the civil institutes”. At the same time, the
Azerbaijani journalist confirmed the statement of the French
Cochairman of OSCE Minsk Group Bernar Fassier concerning the
settlement of Lachin.

Re-settlers – Armenians from iraq, Georgia, Uzbekistan and Lebanon
live there. There are too many people in Lachin district from Spitak,
who had lost their houses in Armenia as a result of the earthquake,
the journalist mentioned. According to him, active settlement of
Gubatli district is going on. The settlement of Aghdam is going on
less intensively. Besides, the authorities of Nagorny Karabakh have
created promotional conditions for local businessmen.

During the visit the journalist had also met with NKR President Arkady
Ghoukassian and Foreign Minister Arman Melikian. “They seem to be open
people”, Eynulla Fatullayev mentioned. “Talking to me Ghoukassian
mentioned that he does not call on the authorities of Azerbaijan with
them in Armenian, like Saakashvili, who spoke with Abkhazian and
Ossetins in their language. I seemed to me they are ready for a
dialogue”, the journalist mentioned. Referring to a high-ranking
representative of NKR, the journalist stated “today they do not
exclude the building of horizontal relations with official Baku within
framework of one state”. “At the moment it means the variant of
building a federative – confederative state. A year or two later this
readiness will pass, the authorities warn there”, the correspondent
added. According to him, now a generation is growing up in Karabakh
who has got used to the thought of that Karabakh is a separate
administrative subject, not being a part of Azerbaijan. “Several years
later this generation will come to politics, business, will take its
place in the Karabakh society. And then it will be much more difficult
to come to agreement with these people than with the present “ruling”
group”, the journalist mentioned.

Azeri community leader protests against “Armenian vandalism” in breakaway
area

ANS TV, Baku
21 Feb 05

[Presenter] The head of the Azerbaijani community in [Azerbaijan’s breakaway
region of] Nagornyy Karabakh, Nizami Bahmanov, has appealed to the co-chairmen
of the OSCE Minsk Group to protest against archaeological excavations on the
outskirts of [Azeri Nagornyy Karabakh town of] Susa, which has been occupied
by the Armenian armed forces and has become an uncontrolled area.

[Correspondent, over video of scenes in Susa] Baku appealed to several
international organizations over the illegal archaeological excavations by the
Armenians outside Susa. Culture Minister Polad Bulbuloglu has sent letters to
UNESCO, ICOMOS [the International Council on Monuments and Sites], ICROM [the
International Centre for Conservation of Cultural Property] and the culture
committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. He called for
repealing the decision by a public charity organization, called the Susa
foundation, to start the archaeological excavations in the area of a castle and of about
200 graves outside Susa dating back to the Bronze Age.

The Azerbaijani community of Nagornyy Karabakh has taken a similar step. The
head of the community, Nizami Bahmanov, appealed to UNESCO, the OSCE office in
Baku and the co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group today against the
archaeological excavations in Susa in defiance of international conventions.

[Bahmanov, head of Azerbaijani community of Nagornyy Karabakh, captioned,
shown speaking to ANS] The Armenians can never armenize that town by digging
there. It is impossible. This is another act of vandalism by the Armenians.

[Correspondent] The Armenians are looking for Armenian traces in Susa in
vain, because it has been Azerbaijani land since time immemorial. It is enough to
look at a map of the Caucasus dating back to 1801 and the maps of the first
independent state of Azerbaijan published in France. These maps illustrate that
the Azerbaijani khanates, Goyca [Krasnoselsk District] and Nagornyy Karabakh,
were part of Azerbaijan. Therefore, it is illogical for the Armenians to look
for the Armenian traces in Azerbaijan 204 years later and to exert efforts to
tout Susa as an ancient Armenian land. Now, the Armenians have started digging
in the castles and graves in Susa, which they have destroyed under the
pretext of archaeological excavations.

[Passage omitted: pictures of Azeri artefacts in Susa and their current
plight, Azeri busts destroyed, Armenian monuments erected in Susa]

Afat Telmanqizi, Sehrac Azadoglu for ANS