KYRGYZ DEFENCE MINISTER TO ATTEND CIS MEETING IN ARMENIA 21 MAY

AKIpress news agency web site, Bishkek
20 May 04

Kyrgyz Defence Minister Esen Topoyev is to attend a regular session
of the CIS Council of Defence Ministers in the Armenian capital,
Yerevan, on 21 May, Kyrgyz news agency AKIpress reported on 20 May.

The CIS countries will be discussing more than 20 questions relating
to military and technical cooperation.

They will also be looking at the question of coordinating the positions
of CIS states on the problems of nuclear proliferation within the
context of preparations for an international conference in 2005 on
the implementation of the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear
Weapons, the agency added.

RUSSIA NOT TO PARTAKE IN NATO WARGAME IN AZERBAIJAN IN SEPTEMBER – SERGEI IVANOV

RIA Novosti, Russia
May 20 2004

YEREVAN, May 20 (RIA Novosti) – Russia will not take part in the
military exercise of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation within
the Partnership for Peace programme due to be held in Azerbaijan
in September, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov told the press
conference in Yerevan on Thursday.

“We participate in an exercise only when we see practical benefit
for us proceeding from the national interest, otherwise we are not
interested”, he said.

In turn, the Armenian head of the military establishment, Serj
Sargsian, said: “Armenia it ready to participate but only as a
full-fledged member”.

“What is proposed now – the observer status – is unacceptable”,
Sargsian said.

Sergei Ivanov sees no serious problems in Russian-Armenian relations,
which have been developing dynamically in recent time.

“There are not a single big problem existing in our mutual relations”,
he told journalists.

During the two-day visit, Sergei Ivanov is going to discuss with his
Armenian analogue interaction in the military field, regional security
and the situation in some flashpoints.

Russia has no plans for the build-up of the numerical strength of
the 102nd military base in Armenia, the Russian defence minister
said. It is not quantity but quality, the provision of arms, the
military hardware that matter, he said Serj Sargsian said that he
sees it as a rhetoric matter.

“The answer to this question is certainly ‘no'”, said the Armenian
foreign minister. “We have many times said that we view military
contacts with Russia as a component of our national security. This is
why the answer will be plain and clear – there will be no withdrawal
of the Russian base from Armenia”.

As regards the Russian bases in Georgia, there will be no haste with
their pullout from Georgia, the Russian foreign minister said.

He recalled that the relative talks with Georgia have of late slowed
down due to the objective reasons — the governments in both the
countries have changed. “The talks will be continued, and not only
on a timeframe for withdrawal but also on a status for the bases”,
Sergei Ivanov said.

He said that Armenia has bought two military transport planes Il-76
at the domestic Russian prices in line with the mechanism existing in
the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (its members are Belarus,
Russia, Kazakhstan, Kirghizia, Tajikistan, Armenia). “The two Il-76
planes, bought by Armenia from Russia according to the CSTO methods,
have today landed in Armenia”, Sergei Ivanov said.

The Russian defence minister voiced surprise over the information on
the possibility of the joint use by Russia and the United States of
the Gabaliski radar in Azerbaijan.

“However imaginative, I cannot think of it”, Sergei Ivanov joked. He
recalled that the Gabalinski radar is Russia’s military installation
working in the interest of the Russian Federation. The agreement on
its use has recently been concluded with Azerbaijan.

Asked by journalists about his approach to the GUUAM association
(Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Moldova), Sergei Ivanov
said that he “just does not have any”.

“It is, to put it mildly, premature to talk of its military-political
component”, Sergei Ivanov said.

CYPRUS SATISFIED WITH GREEK PREMIER’S MEETING WITH UN SECRETARY-GENERAL

Cyprus News Agency
20 May 04

Nicosia, 20 May: Nicosia is satisfied with the discussions Greek
Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis had with UN Secretary-General Kofi
Annan during their recent meeting in New York, according to Cyprus
Foreign Minister Yeoryios Iakovou.

Answering questions after today’s meeting with Armenian Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian, the minister also said that Annan’s report
on the latest developments Cyprus was expected by the end of the month.

He expressed the view that it would present an impartial outline of
the facts in relation to the UN-led talks, which concluded at the end
of March and led the people of Cyprus to separate referenda on a UN
proposal for a solution which was rejected by the Greek Cypriots and
approved by the Turkish Cypriots.

Iakovou said the government was informed about the Karamanlis-Annan
meeting by the republic’s permanent representative to the UN, who met
Greek Foreign Minister Petros Molyviatis, and by Greece’s Ambassador
in Nicosia Khristos Panagopoulos.

“It seems the meeting was constructive and productive”, he said,
noting that a large part of it was dedicated on Cyprus.

RUSSIA TO KEEP MILITARY BASE IN ARMENIA, DEFENCE MINISTERS CONFIRM

RIA news agency, Moscow
20 May 04

Yerevan, 20 May: Russia has no plans to increase the number of
servicemen at its 102nd military base in Armenia, Russian Defence
Minister Sergey Ivanov told journalists today.

“We have no plans to increase the number of Russians stationed at the
102nd Russian base. This is the best number. It is not quantity but
quality and provision of weapons and equipment that is important,”
the minister said.

“We are striving to ensure that the 102nd base is well equipped
militarily and that it carries out combat training on schedule. We
attribute priority importance to this,” Ivanov underlined.

Armenian Defence Minister Serzh Sarkisyan, for his part, declared
that the Russian base would not be withdrawn from Armenia. Asked
about the possibility of a withdrawal of the Russian military base
from Armenian territory, Sarkisyan told journalists that he regarded
this as a purely rhetorical question.

“This is a question to which we already know the answer – no,”
Sarkisyan said. “We have repeatedly said that we regard military
relations with Russia as an integral part of our national security. I
can therefore give you a precise and clear answer – there will be no
withdrawal of the Russian base from Armenia.”

RUSSIAN DEFENCE CHIEF RULES OUT “HASTY” WITHDRAWAL FROM GEORGIA

ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow,
20 May 04

Yerevan, 20 May: Russian Defence Minister Sergey Ivanov says that
there can be no question of a hasty withdrawal of Russian servicemen
from the military bases in Georgia.

“There can be no hasty withdrawal of Russian military bases from
Georgia. There can be no question of this. In this case, there will
be no repetition of what happened in the early 1990s when Russian
troops withdrew from Germany,” Ivanov said after meeting his Armenian
counterpart, Serzh Sarkisyan.

“For the withdrawal of the Russian military bases from Georgia,
time and large financial resources are needed so that the troops
that are being withdrawn can be relocated on Russian territory,”
Ivanov went on to say.

Ivanov said that recently the process of withdrawal of Russian military
bases from Georgia had “slowed somewhat for objective reasons due
to the change of governments in both Russia and Georgia”. “As soon
as the composition of the delegations has been changed, talks on
withdrawing the bases will be continued,” he said. “The talks will
turn on the time-frame for a withdrawal and, first and foremost,
on the status of the bases which form part of the group of Russian
troops in the Transcaucasus.”

RUSSIAN DEFENCE MINISTER UPBEAT ON TALKS WITH ARMENIAN COUNTERPART

ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow
20 May 04

Yerevan, 20 May: The Russian and Armenian defence ministers have at
their talks “taken yet another important step on the way towards
deepening the Russo-Armenian strategic partnership, the security
of our countries and the maintenance of peace and stability in the
Transcaucasus”, Russian Defence Minister Sergey Ivanov said today,
summing up the results of his meeting with his Armenian counterpart
Serzh Sarkisyan.

“We reviewed a broad range of issues relating to implementing
accords reached earlier on military and technical cooperation,
ensuring the operation of the Russian military base on the territory
of the Republic of Armenia and interaction in the sphere of military
construction and personnel training,” Ivanov explained. In addition,
he said, “we exchanged opinions on the development of the military
and political situation in the Transcaucasus region and clarified
positions on combating international terrorism”.

Ivanov pointed out that the decisions adopted during the talks
“were the natural result of the sides’ mutual interest in developing
all-round military contacts”. “They are a logical continuation of the
intensive work which the presidents of our countries are conducting
in order to develop interstate relations,” Ivanov stressed.

The Russian defence minister arrived in Yerevan today for a two-day
visit. On 21 May he will chair a meeting of the CIS Council of Defence
Ministers. The participants will afterwards be received by Armenian
President Robert Kocharyan.

CYPRUS CAN BE “BRIDGE” BETWEEN EU AND NEIGHBOURS – SPEAKER

Cyprus News Agency
20 May 04

Nicosia, 20 May: Cyprus can act as the bridge between the European
Union and its neighbours, including the Republic of Armenia, agreed
both Cyprus House President Dhimitris Khristofias and Armenian Foreign
Affairs Minister Vardan Oskanyan.

Speaking after their meeting, Khristofias said they discussed the
latest developments in the Cyprus problem as well as prospects of
enhanced bilateral cooperation.

“Friendly relations, development of economic and cultural exchanges,
when accompanied by practical steps, become more solid. I wish to see
the soonest possible such results so as our cooperation and friendship
can be further strengthened,” said Khristofias.

He said Oskanyan conveyed to him a message from his Armenian
counterpart and said that he would visit Armenia soon.

Oskanyan thanked Khristofias for the meeting, saying it was short but
very constructive, during which they outlined their vision as to how
they saw the future of bilateral relations.

“In future, we will focus on economic cooperation. There are no
political differences between our two countries. Just the opposite,
I think we have a lot in common in our vision and approaches to the
resolution of conflicts and regional peace and stability so we will
continue to work together in international organizations to advance our
common causes and continue to provide support to each other”, he said.

He said he looked forward to the visit by the House president to
Armenia, noting that the president of the National Assembly had
already visited Cyprus.

Russia, Georgia, Iran benefit from Iran-Armenia gas pipeline – Armenian president

Mediamax news agency
21 May 04

Yerevan, 21 May: President Robert Kocharyan announced that “all will
benefit from the implementation of the project of the Iran-Armenia
gas pipeline, except those, who do not wish Armenia well”.

As Mediamax news agency reported, Robert Kocharyan said this on 20 May,
in an interview with Armenian Public TV.

The Armenian president recalled that the Iranian side has gas and it
[Iran] has shortages of electrical generating capacities. Robert
Kocharyan said that delivering gas to Armenia, Iran will receive
in exchange electric power, which it needs. He recalled that at the
present time there is surplus of electrical generating capacitiy. He
said that the thermal power stations are operating at 20-25 per cent
of capacity.

“As far as the Russian companies are a major part of our our energy
system, so they will also benefit. On the other hand, the volume of
delivery of Russian gas will not be cut – consumers are continuing
to use the Russian gas, as it is cheaper. Apart from this, the
capacity of the Iran-Armenia pipeline does not leave space for other
transactions. Russia, through its companies, will be secure in that
our energy system is seriously expanding. In case of an accident
with the pipelines we shall be always able to ensure a stable gas
supply to the country. This stability is profitable for Georgia too,
because in the winter months we are supplying it with electricity,”
Robert Kocharyan said.

BOOKS: Paperbacks – Gilgamesh By Joan London ATLANTIC pounds 7.99 (256pp)

The Independent – United Kingdom
May 21, 2004

Emma Hagestadt

Taking a baby on the Orient Express before the days of disposable
nappies is one of the many challenges faced by Edith, the heroine of
London’s spirited debut novel. Brought up on a rickety farmstead in
south-western Australia, Edith finds her life transformed by a visit
from her exotic cousin, Leopold, and his Armenian friend, Aram. By
the end of their stay Edith is pregnant. Ignoring warnings about the
outbreak of war, she sets off to Armenia. London peoples her European
checkpoints with black market racketeers and threadbare bohemians.
Sadly, Edith’s adventure is wrapped up a little too soon. EH

Azeri TV lashes out at BBC “promoting reconciliation” with Armenia

ANS TV, Baku
20 May 04

[Presenter] The behaviour of employees of the BBC World Service, who
visit Nagornyy Karabakh, which is an integral part of Azerbaijan,
without the knowledge of the Baku government, remains the subject
of a public investigation. We have decided to view this step by a
BBC employee, as well as the activities of the producer of the BBC
Russian service’s morning programmes, Mark Grigoryan, against the
background of the BBC’s general stance on the Karabakh conflict.

[Correspondent over video of archive footage captioned as Susa, 2001]
You see these pictures for the first time. This is Susa. Col Uzeyir
Cafarov, who retired now, went to Nagornyy Karabakh under the guise
of a reporter and took these pictures in 2001. Azerbaijani soldiers
who abandoned the town in 1992 can witness that although more than
10 years have passed, nothing has changed there. That is, Armenian
reports that Nagornyy Karabakh is being rapidly reconstructed and
that foreign investment is flowing into the area are a lie.

[Uzeyir Cafarov, captioned as military reporter, retired
lieutenant-colonel] If we take Susa itself, only the central part of
the town has been reconstructed to show visiting people that there
is life there. In Lacin, all the reports about the life style there
are almost not true.

[Correspondent over video of archive footage] However, the BBC reports
quite its opposite. BBC journalist Steven Eke, who prepared reports
by illegally entering our area, claims that Nagornyy Karabakh towns
have been reconstructed and that normal life is being lived there. In
his reports, he says that the town’s [Susa’s] central streets have
been rebuilt and that there are no signs of war.

But what is the real picture?

[Video shows archive footage of Susa]

[Uzeyir Cafarov] I absolutely disagree that they are living a full
life there. Many ordinary people we spoke to, for instance in Lacin,
said sincerely that they knew that the lands should be sooner or later
vacated. They are forced to live temporarily in Lacin, because the
necessary conditions were not created for them in Yerevan. In Susa,
people are engaged in small business. All of them are newcomers.

[Correspondent over video of BBC Russian Service web site] Let us
carefully look at the BBC’s special web site devoted to the 10th
anniversary of the Karabakh cease-fire:

– I am looking for my university friend and the person who is
spiritually close to me, Edik Ayrapetov. He comes from Baku, lived in
Razin. I want to thank all those who will help me. Valeriy Bayramov,
USA.

– Or my friend Stanislav Oganyan, we studied at an Azerbaijani
university, he used to work for the Literaturnaya Gazeta newspaper
in the early 1990s, later as far as I know for the Sovetskaya Rossiya
newspaper. I will be happy to find him. Kamal Aslanov, Canada.

On the web site’s Looking for Friends section, dozens of Azerbaijanis
are allegedly looking for their Armenian friends who used to live
in Baku and Azerbaijan. They do not stop there. The atmosphere in
Azerbaijan and Armenia in connection with the Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict is presented as follows – Moods in Azerbaijan: from
pseudo-patriotism to apathy. Moods in Armenia: without hatred,
but also without trust. These headlines show the BBC’s interests in
promoting reconciliation between the two countries and in Armenia
continuing to keep under control the occupied lands. The BBC and its
Armenian employees are carrying out propaganda to prevent resumption
of hostilities in the area and are trying to demonstrate to Azerbaijan
and Azerbaijanis that Azerbaijanis and Armenians can live together.

Our answer to Armenians who write so-called peace letters to
Azerbaijanis is ‘memory’.

[Video shows archive footage of mutilated bodies]

[Voice of journalist Cingiz Mustafayev, who was killed in Karabakh]
[words indistinct] They were scalped.

[Unidentified voice] They were scalped. Bastards, barbarians.

[Voice of Cingiz Mustafayev] They are bastards.

Zaur Hasanov, Zeynal Zeynalov, ANS