Anadolu Agency, Turkey
May 10 2004

Gonul: 135 Million Tons Of Oil Were Transported Through Turkish
Straits

BERLIN – Turkish National Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul has said,
”135 million tons of oil were transported through Turkish Straits
last year. This amount is expected to increase by nearly 50 percent
in 2010.”

Speaking at a panel discussion on ”Security in Black Sea Region”
under the 21st International Workshop on Global Security Conference
in German capital Berlin, Gonul highlighted important of the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline project, saying that the project
would enable them to transport 50 million tons of oil annually.

Expressing Turkey’s satisfaction with co-operation in efforts to
provide peace and stability in the Black Sea region despite ongoing
crises in Moldova, Georgia and Azerbaijan, Gonul said that trade in
the region had accelerated, stability had been provided and relations
between regional nations had been improved since 1992.

Stressing that Turkey attributed great importance to regional and
international co-operation and solidarity, Gonul recalled that Turkey
had been actively supporting the Balkan Stability Pact, Southeast
European Defense Ministers’ Initiative and the Black Sea Economic
Co-operation (BSEC).

Noting that Turkey had further improved its bilateral relations with
the regional countries after the Cold War era ended, Gonul said that
23 separate conventions and protocols were signed with the Black Sea
littoral countries to this end.

Recalling that co-operation agreements were signed with Russia and
Ukraine, Gonul noted, ”Turkey’s bilateral relations with Bulgaria,
Romania and Georgia have further improved following the Cold War era.
Another significant security dimension of the Black Sea stems from
its strategic position as a transit corridor for energy resources.
Besides Russian oil, Caspian oil has also been transported through
the Black Sea. Meanwhile, Turkey is seriously concerned over
increasing vessel traffic in the Black Sea and in the Turkish
Straits.”

Referring to political problems in the Black Sea region, Gonul said,
”Southern Caucasus has begun gaining more importance due to
transportation of oil, natural gas and foodstuff. Any instability in
the region would have negative impacts not only on the region, but on
the whole Europe and Atlantic.”

Listing autonomous Republic of Adzharia and the Upper Karabakh
disputes as the most important sources of instability in the region,
Gonul called on the regional countries to exert more efforts to
resolve these crises.

Gonul added, ”the Black Sea countries should also take some further
steps in fight against international terrorism, organized crimes and
weapons of mass destruction. I believe that improvement of bilateral
relations in the region would make a valuable contribution to efforts
to provide peace and stability in the region.”

Later, Gonul left Germany for Turkey.

Go Asia
May 10 2004

Don’t Go There…

Where to find travel warnings on the Internet

Don’t go there! (Or, at least, I wouldn’t go there.) But how do you
know where there is?

Well, there are a few good travel advisory sites online to help you
know in advance that maybe your trip to Tajikistan or Mindanao or
Papua New Guinea isn’t a good idea right now.

Travel Warnings online at the U.S. State Department’s web site is a
good starting point. They are listed individually by country and
there are also links to more basic consular information on particular
countries.

The sorts of things you find include a warning issued on July 3rd,
stating that the U.S. Embassy in Nepal “has received credible
information that Maoist activists have targeted casinos in Nepal for
attack within the next few days… The Embassy advises American
citizens in Nepal to exercise caution and avoid visiting casinos for
the next seven days until the Embassy can better judge the extent and
scope of the threat.” The warning doesn’t actually expire until
August 1st. Personally, I suspect there are more fulfilling things to
do in Nepal than play blackjack, anyway. If you have to play
blackjack and you don’t want to get blown up, go to Atlantic City…

Country Advice at the British government’s Foreign & Commonwealth
Office page has a list of countries it advises British citizens not
to travel in. At the moment they advise against travel to
Afghanistan, Burundi, the Central African Republic, Iraq, and
Tajikistan under any circumstance. They also have warnings about
particular regions of other countries:

If you are going to Azerbaijan, stay away from the Nagorno-Karabakh
region.
Travelers in Indonesia should stay out of Aceh and Maluku provinces.
Stay out of the northern and eastern portions of Sri Lanka.
There are 21 such warnings at the moment on the British site. The
site also allows you to get more detailed information on specific
countries.

While it doesn’t list warnings on the site’s front door, the
Australian Department of Foreign Affairs has consular information by
country and includes warnings on hte individual country page.

One of the better sites available is the Canadian government’s Travel
Information and Advisory Reports page. Click on their “beware” link
and you receive a list of advisories currently in effect — 42 at the
moment. Among them:

Canadians should not travel to Papua New Guinea until further notice.
Large-scale civil unrest has occurred in Port Moresby. There have
been clashes between students and the government. Rioting and looting
has broken out in several parts of the city. Deaths have been
reported. Unrest is expected to continue. Transportation has been
disrupted and businesses are subject to closures.
That warning was issued on June 29th. The Canadian site is also
available in French.

While all of these sites are helpful in assessing the wisdom of
travel to a particular destination, they deal almost entirely with
political issues and problems of civil unrest. If you want to know
about the dengue fever outbreak in Chiang Mai, Thailand, or recent
problem in Bangladesh with acute neurological syndrome, you’ll have
to go somewhere else to find that information.

Disease Outbreak News from the World Health Organization is probably
the best place for finding out about serious epidemics. Among their
most recent warnings is one about meningococcal disease associated
with travel to Saudi Arabia. (Meningococcal disease is an acute
bacterial disease characterized by sudden onset with fever, intense
headache, nausea and vomiting, stiff neck, and, frequently, a
petechial rash with pink macules. Fatality rates often exceeded 50%.)

Over the last year they have reported on:

Cholera in South Africa and Madagascar
Yellow Fever in Brazil
Plague in Zambia
Ebola virus in Uganda
Measles in Korea
Leptospirosis in France and Canada
Legionnaires’ disease in Australia
Polio in China

Azeri government powerless to Karabakh, Uzbek mobile phone agreement

Yeni Musavat, Baku
9 May 04

Text of information section report by Azerbaijani newspaper Yeni
Musavat on 9 May entitled “Ilham Aliyev’s Uzbekistan ‘successes'”,
and subheaded “Azerbaijan so far cannot manage to stop communication
between this country’s mobile companies and Karabakh’s occupying
regime”

The government of Azerbaijani cannot stop roaming communication
[agreements which allow mobile telephone users to use partner networks
abroad] between Uzbekistan-based Daewoo Unitel mobile company and the
Karabakh Telecom company owned by the Nagornyy Karabakh separatists.

Let us recall that the South Korean Daewoo Unitel joint stock
company and Uzbekistan’s Coscom and SP Uzdunrobita mobile companies
have established roaming communication with Karabakh Telecom since
2003. The Azerbaijani government has only reacted to this issue
recently, and Ekho newspaper reports that official Baku is trying
to stop communication between the Uzbek companies and the Karabakh
separatists through diplomatic channels.

The Azerbaijani ambassador to Uzbekistan, Aydin Azimbayov, has already
met the Daewoo Unitel management and sent official protest notes to
the Uzbek and South Korean governments. However, his efforts have
not yielded results.

The intriguing point is that Baku’s endeavours to stop communication
between the Uzbek and Karabakh companies is occurring after Ilham
Aliyev’s state visit to Uzbekistan and yielded no results. Despite
the fact that an agreement b etween Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan rules
out the usage of their territories against each other.

Official propaganda spoke in depth of a “successful outcome” of
Ilham Aliyev’s visit to Uzbekistan. Obviously, Aliyev’s visit was so
“successful” that after it, Baku’s calls to the Uzbek government to
stop mobile companies’ contacts with the Karabakh separatists are
paid no heed.

This is also an indication of Aliyev’s influence as the president. If
Ilham Aliyev had concluded successful political negotiations in
Uzbekistan, the Uzbek government would have demonstrated efforts to
improve ties and overcome lukewarm relations between the countries.

A1 Plus | 19:26:47 | 10-05-2004 | Social |

INTERNET SITE ON NAGORNO KARABAKH

BBC is setting an Internet site in connection with the 10th
anniversary of truce in Nagorno Karabakh. Beginning from May 12 news
and standpoints on NKR conflict will be published in this site. The
visitors of bbcrussian.com Internet site can partake in daily forums
introducing points of view on the conflict settlement.

British Conciliation Resources NGO occupied with regulation of
conflicts finances the site. The project is the part of Consortium
Initiative funded by British Government, aiming to improve the
potentialities for Karabakhi conflict settlement.

OFFICE OF THE NAGORNO KARABAKH REPUBLIC IN THE USA
122 C Street, NW, Suite 360, Washington, D.C. 20001
Tel: (202) 347-5166
Fax: (202) 347-5168
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site:

PRESS RELEASE
May 10, 2004

FIVE ARTSAKH CHILDREN RECEIVE ASSISTANCE FOR THEIR MEDICAL TREATMENT OUTSIDE
NAGORNO KARABAKH
John Kchikian of the Armenian Children’s Relief Fund awarded prestigious
Gratitude Medal

WASHINGTON, DC – The Office of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic announced today
that five more Artsakh children, whose medical conditions required
treatments outside the republic, received benevolent assistance. This direct
financial aid, made possible largely by a recent $10,000 grant from the
Cafesjian Family Foundation and provided through the Armenian Children’s
Relief Fund, will be used to organize and finance medical treatment of these
children outside Nagorno Karabakh.

A special committee has been created to oversee the proper distribution and
use of the humanitarian assistance. The Committee on Implementation of
Medical Assistance Projects (CIMAP) includes representatives of Ministries
of Health, Social Security and Foreign Affairs, a local non-governmental
organization, Motherhood, and a local liaison of the U.S.-based Americans
for Artsakh organization.

CIMAP received and reviewed applications for financial assistance and, after
scrupulous consideration, decided on the amount of financial aid to be
provided. It also outlined financial reporting guidelines for recipient
families. The five families agreed to use the funds exclusively for medical
treatment and associated expenses and to report to the committee on the
results.

The Armenian Children’s Relief Fund, under the leadership of its founder and
chairman John Kchikian, has provided over $300,000 in humanitarian
assistance for reconstruction of schools, repair of drinking water mains,
and as medical aid for dozens of veterans and children. In recognition of
Mr. Kchikian’s ongoing patriotic support of Artsakh, on April 7, 2004, the
Artsakh-based Motherhood organization awarded him with its prestigious
Gratitude Medal. Among past recipients of the award are NKR President Arkady
Ghoukasian, former Armenian Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsian, and Baroness
Caroline Cox.

Since 1998, the Cafesjian Family Foundation (CFF) has awarded more than $1.3
million in grant assistance to benefit Nagorno Karabakh, including the
sponsorship of major infrastructure projects such as the Goris-Stepanakert
and North-South highways. The grants also included some $80,000 for
reconstruction of a major school in Stepanakert and $50,000 for landmine
clearing efforts. Since 2001, the Foundation has sponsored the NKR Office,
Artsakh’s representation in the United States. In October 2003, President
Ghoukasian met with CFF President and CEO Gerard L. Cafesjian to thank him
again for his outstanding contribution to Artsakh’s overall success.

“Artsakh is very lucky to have committed Armenians like Mr. Cafesjian and
Mr. Kchikian on its side,” said Nagorno Karabakh Representative Vardan
Barseghian. “The needs are often greater than we can shoulder and we thank
those who understand the importance of continued assistance to Artsakh. Only
together can we achieve our common vision of a secure and prosperous
Homeland.”

The Office of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in the United States is based in
Washington, DC and works with the U.S. government, academia and the public
representing the official policies and interests of the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic.

* * *

This material is distributed by the Office of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic
in the USA on behalf of the Government of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic. The
NKR Office is registered with the U.S. Government under the Foreign Agent
Registration Act. Additional information is available at the Department of
Justice, Washington, D.C.

Authorities arrest several voters in Metn areas

Daily Star, Lebanon
May 3 2004

Several voters and representatives of opposition candidates on Sunday
were arrested and beaten up in Metn areas, which is considered former
Interior Minister Michel Murr’s turf.

Clashes and confrontations took place between the opposition
and the authoritries, especially in the municipalities of
Jdeideh-Boushrieh-Sadd, Zalka-Amarat Shalhoub, whereas other areas
did not even witness an electoral battle, such as Bourj Hammoud,
where the authority-supported list won uncontested.

A fight between Free Patriotic Movement representatives and some
delegates from Tashnak Party in Jdeideh-Boushrieh-Sadd municipality
resulted in four arrests of Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) supporters.
In addition, a confrontation between delegates from the opposition
list and others from the current municipal council which is backed
by the authorities took place in Zalka-Amarat Shalhoub municipality.
“A delegate from the Michel Assaf Murr (current mayor) took a list
from our delegate and ripped it up, and earlier this morning, voters
were banned from using the booth,” Faddy Massoud, an FPM member said.

However, Murr asserted that everything was under control, “there
is no need for further quarrel, voters will make their choice with
no pressure.”

Meanwhile, a heavy turn-out of naturalized citizens, who do not
live in Mount Lebanon, prompted feelings of anger among opposition
representatives. This group of voters who were granted citizenship
under a disputed law, came from the Bekaa and South areas.

One of the bus drivers said that lists were distributed to them before
they headed out.

“These people don’t even know how to read and write so they don’t even
know who they are voting for,” Eddie Jbeily, an FPM member monitoring
the course of elections at the Jdeideh municipality said.

In Antelias and Dbayyeh, elections took place quietly, and candidates
from both sides asserted on the democratic slant of the elections,
and that results will be decided by voters.

Libération , France
mardi 27 avril 2004

Franco-Arméniens, retour sur un leurre

Livre. L’auteur reconstitue, témoignages à l’appui, la saga de ces
exilés qui ont cru à la propagande soviétique.

Par Jacques AMALRIC

Arménie 1947 : les naufragés de la terre promise,
par Robert Arnoux, Edisud, 214 pp., 20 €.

Marseille de l’après-guerre n’a pas connu que l’Exodus. Il y a eu
aussi, à la fin de 1947, le Rossia et le Pobeda, deux paquebots
soviétiques chargés par Staline de rapatrier 7 000 Arméniens de la
diaspora vers leur «terre promise», l’Arménie soviétique.

Rescapés pour la plupart du génocide de 1915, ces Franco-Arméniens
avaient été victimes de la propagande soviétique et de leur nostalgie
; ils venaient tout autant de Marseille, de la banlieue parisienne,
que de Lyon, Valence ou Romans. Pour la plupart ouvriers, artisans ou
chefs de petite entreprise, ils avaient tout bradé, tout abandonné du
jour au lendemain sur la foi des promesses soviétiques relayées par
le Parti communiste et sa presse sans oublier le catholicos de
l’Eglise autocéphale arménienne qui n’était pas en situation de
refuser quoi que ce soit à Staline. C’est leur sombre saga que
reconstitue Robert Arnoux dans un récit précieux, illustré par les
témoignages des survivants de cette formidable escroquerie. Souvent
actifs dans la Résistance, proches du Parti communiste, bon nombre de
ces Arméniens retournent de bonne foi au pays mythique de leurs
ancêtres pour reconstruire leur «patrie historique». Encore mal
intégrés, victimes d’un racisme ordinaire, n’étant pas, bien souvent,
parvenus à obtenir la nationalité française, se souvenant du régime
humiliant que leur avait imposé Vichy, ils ne veulent pas entendre ou
comprendre les messages dissuasifs mais trop elliptiques, que leur
font parvenir les Arméniens tombés en 1936 dans un piège semblable
tendu par Staline.

Les enfants de cette génération de l’exil, qui n’ont connu que la
France, sont souvent moins enthousiastes à la perspective du départ.
Mais ils finissent par s’incliner devant la volonté du père ; et
lorsqu’ils se révoltent, les autorités françaises, qui ne veulent pas
irriter Moscou, ferment les yeux sur les pressions dont ils sont
victimes. Si la croisière jusqu’au port géorgien de Batoumi se fait
dans la ferveur, le désenchantement est vite au rendez-vous. Il
saisit les plus lucides dans le train qui les charrie de Batoumi à
Erevan. A la gare d’Erevan, ce sont les confidences chuchotées par
les naufragés de 1936 qui font tomber les écailles.

La suite n’est qu’une litanie de désillusions : les candidats au
retour sont vite dépouillés de leurs maigres biens, parqués dans des
logements de fortune, condamnés aux travaux les plus ingrats,
surveillés de près car ils font preuve de mauvais esprit, déportés à
l’occasion. C’est en 1956 que la France entendra de nouveau parler
d’eux, à l’occasion d’une visite de Christian Pineau, alors ministre
des Affaires étrangères, à Erevan. Ils sont plusieurs centaines à
attendre le ministre, à entonner la Marseillaise et à oser bousculer
le service d’ordre pour exposer leur drame et implorer leur
rapatriement. En vain, bien sûr, car les autorités soviétiques
peuvent encore compter sur la «compréhension» de Paris. Il en ira
pratiquement de même, deux ans plus tard, avec l’appel lancé au
général de Gaulle par plusieurs Français d’Erevan retenus contre leur
gré. Ce n’est qu’à partir de 1975 que s’amorceront les retours et le
mouvement s’accélérera dans les années 80.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PARLIAMENT SPEAKER MADE A STATEMENT

A1 Plus | 21:33:43 | 10-05-2004 | Politics |

Parliament Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan has today appeared with a
statement after the political consulting, which says: “After long
discussions in 2004 February-May the political consulting in Parliament
had the first positive result.

Representatives of “Republican Party of Armenia”, “Land of Law Party”,
ARF, “People’s Deputy” group, “United Labor Party”, “Justice” Bloc,
“National Unity” Party, came to an agreement over starting a political
dialogue and a proper agenda will be formed on May 13.

As a Parliament Speaker I do hope that all the political powers in
Parliament will do their best to establish a new political situation
in the country and settle the problems through the political dialogue”.

PRESS RELEASE

Armenian Medical Association
Republic of Armenia, Yerevan
Tumanyan 38st, ap9,
Contact: Varduhi Tevanyan,
Administrative Secretary
Tel: (3741)53-58-68,(3741)53-48-63
Fax: (3741)53-48-79
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

NEUROLOGY SEMINAR <ADVANCES IN STROKE MANAGEMENT>

The Armenian Medical Association together with Union of Neurologists of
Armenia, Armenian Medical Union of France and FARFAA Salzburg Medical
Seminars Program organized a Neurology Seminar on Advances in Stroke
Management. The seminar was organized with general sponsorship of
GlaxoSmithKline and sponsorship of Nycomed The seminar took place
on April 29-30 in Yerevan and on May 3 in Stepanakert. About 200
doctors (neurologists, cardiologists, reanimatologists, and vascular
surgeons) from different regions of Armenia, as well as from Artsakh,
participated in the seminar.

The co-chairmen of the symposium were the president of Union of
Neurologists of Armenia, head of Neurology Department of Yerevan
State Medical University prof. Vahagn Darbinyan and a prominent
angioneurologist, professor of Claude Bernard University of Lyon,
Norbert Nigoghossian. The seminar was also attended by Dr. Marine
Tanashyan, deputy director of Stroke Research Scientific Center of
Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Institute of Neurology.

At the seminar, various interesting presentations were made
on stroke epidemilogy (by Dr. L. Gimoyan), prevention (by
prof. N. Nigoghossian) and risk factors (by Dr. P. Zelveian), diagnosis
(by prof. N. Nigoghossian) and management (by prof. N. Nigoghossian,
Dr. M. Tanashyan, prof. V. Darbinyan), angioneurology service
organization in Armenia (by prof. G. Bakunts).

The goal of the seminar was to present to doctors of Armenia and
Artsakh the latest information and to organize discussion on the
topics mentioned, as well as to provide background for creating
a Stroke Working Group in Armenia to address the vital issues of
stroke prevention. All the participants had the opportunity to fill
in and present a Statement of Interest where they could express their
interest in being involved in the Working Group activities and specify
the stroke-related field they would be interested to work in.

On May 1 a meeting of Armenian Medical Association and Union of
Neurologists of Armenia was held, at which the questions concerning
the establishment and activities of the Stroke Working Group were
discussed. Creation and maintaining of Armenian Stroke Register was
defined the main priority of the Working Group. It was decided to
include neurologists and cardiologists, as well as Public Health
specialists, in the group.

On May 3, a one-day seminar took place in
Stepanakert. Prof. Nigoghossian visited the central hospital of
Stepanakert, as well as hospitals of Shushi and Goris. After the end
of the seminar, prof. Nigoghossian said he will provide Armenian
doctors with a report analyzing the situation of angioneurologic
service in Armenia, for better organization of the activities of
Stroke Working Group.

The seminar was positively evaluated by participants and organizing
committee, due to high level of presentations, interesting discussions
and established connections. We hope the work started will be
continuous in the future and bring good results in preventing the
highly mortal and debilitating disease.

Pyunik win Armenian Cup after penalty shoot-out

Reuters
Sunday May 9, 2004 8:26 PM

YEREVAN, May 9 (Reuters) – Pyunik Yerevan 0 – Banants Yerevan 0 –
result after extra time

Armenian Cup final
Pyunik won 6-5 on penalties
Attendance: 6,500

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress