Pravda.RU:World
13:09 2004-03-29

US Deputy Secretary of State gives Azerbaidjani troops in Iraq high marks

A morning meeting between Azerbaidjani President Ilham Aliev and US Deputy
Secretary of State Richard Armitage began with a one-on-one meeting, and was
later expanded to include other members of the respective sides. As reported
by the Azerbaidjani press office to a Rosbalt correspondent, during the
second round of talks, Ilham Aliev remarked on the accelerated evolution of
bilateral relations in all spheres.

According to Aliev, the United States is assisting Azerbaidjan in its
efforts to institute political and economic reforms. He also maintained that
the United States would offer similar assistance for the social and economic
development of the various regions of the country.

Aliev said that he hoped for the further bilateral cooperation of the two
countries in the military sphere. ‘Azerbaidjan belongs to the antiterrorism
coalition, and will continue to participate in the future,’ he said.

Addressing the conflict in Karabakh, Aliev noted that it would be resolved
with the participation of the OSCE, and in accordance with the territorial
integrity of Azerbaidjan.

Richard Armitage in turn gave high marks to the participation of
Azerbaidjani troops in the antiterrorism coalition. In his view,
Azerbaidjani soldiers are serving in an exemplary fashion in both Iraq and
Afghanistan. ‘We want a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Karabakh,’ he
said. ‘The Caucasus can become a good partner for the West in the future,
but in order for that to happen, peace has to be established in the region.’

It was notable that many journalists representing independent and opposition
media were not allowed to attend the meeting between Armitage and Aliev.

© RosBalt

RUSSIAN OLIGARCH’S DONATIONS AIM TO HELP GEORGIA FIGHT CORRUPTION

Moskovskiy Komsomolets, Moscow
29 Mar 04

It is wrong to accuse Russia’s oligarchs of being uncaring or
miserly. It emerged yesterday that Senator Andrey Vavilov, former
owner of the Severnaya Neft (Northern Oil) company, who has now
retired from business, is ready to make his own contribution to
combating corruption in Georgia.

Let us recall the famous US philanthropist George Soros’s announcement
that he would supplement the monthly salary of Georgian President
Mikheil Saakashvili by 2,000 dollars and his ministers’ salaries by
1,500 each dollars. The US billionaire wants in this way to make a
contribution to fighting the corruption that is eating away at
Georgia. The official salary of the neighbouring country’s top leaders
is absolute chicken feed. And therefore Soros’s offer should indeed
appreciably improve their financial position. The American’s logic is
that a Georgian president who receives 2,000 dollars per month simply
has no reason to steal. He is able to buy everything he needs himself.

The general consensus of opinion is that it was the Soros Foundation’s
money that paid for the “rose revolution” last fall. It seemed that,
after Tbilisi, the leading financial speculator had decided to turn
his attention to Yerevan. But it is now becoming clear that Georgia
continues to be the central focus of his concerns.

Andrey Vavilov informed your Moskovskiy Komsomolets correspondent
yesterday that, on hearing about the Soros initiative, he is also
unable to remain aloof. In his view it is not only the Americans that
should be fighting corruption and, to that end, paying the Georgian
leaders’ wages. Corruption in Georgia affects Russia even more
severely than the United States – we are neighbours, after
all. Vavilov has set his contribution at the following level: He is
prepared to supplement Mikheil Saakashvili’s pay by 600 dollars per
month and Georgian ministers’ pay by 300 dollars. Vavilov reckons they
will be happy in the knowledge that they are getting money not from a
single source – the Soros Foundation – but also from Russia. This
should increase the independence of Georgia’s top functionaries even
further.

Andrey Vavilov did not clear his personal initiative with Saakashvili
and his subordinates. But he hopes that they will accept it with
gratitude. He is also calling on other Russian businessmen to join him
in the fight against corruption in Georgia.

Edicom, France
Lundi, 29 Mars 2004

Cinéma: les sorties de la semaine

VODKA LEMON
Réalisateur: Hiner Saleem
Interprètes: Romik Avinian, Lala Sarkissian, Ivan Franek, Rouzanne
Hesropian
Nationalité: France
Durée: 1h28

Sept dollars par mois de retraite, une armoire, un vieux téléviseur
soviétique et un costume militaire pour tout capital. Hamo, bel homme
d’une soixantaine d’années vit seul dans un petit village kurde
d’Arménie avec l’un de ses fils et sa petite fille. Une lettre de son
deuxième fils arrive de France. La rumeur court le village:
l’enveloppe serait pleine de dollars Mais Hamo, lui, ne pense qu’à la
belle inconnue du cimetière…

Tageblatt, Zeitung fur Letzebuerg (Luxembourg)
Lundi, 29 Mars 2004

»Vodka lemon» : une comédie bien frappée

Le cinéaste kurde irakien Hiner Saleem signe avec »Vodka lemon» une
comédie noire et givrée, où l’humour surréaliste et grinçant se
teinte de tendresse et de poésie. Le film sort quelques jours après
le Nowrouz, le jour de l’an kurde.
»Vodka lemon», tourné dans des villages kurdes en Arménie, en kurde,
en russe et en arménien, a reçu le Prix Saint-Marc du meilleur film à
la dernière Mostra de Venise qu’il a dédié aux Kurdes et au
»Kurdistan, dont c’est l’année zéro». »Le 9 avril 2003, j’ai appris
la nouvelle que j’attendais depuis mon enfance, la chute de Saddam
Hussein», a déclaré le cinéaste, né en 1964 au Kurdistan irakien.

Le film s’ouvre sur une scène saisissante: un vieillard sur un lit
métallique glisse rapidement dans un paysage de neige. Lorsque cet
étrange traîneau s’arrête, le vieillard retire son dentier et se met
à jouer de la flûte. Ce sont les funérailles de l’épouse d’Hamo, un
beau sexagénaire à la chevelure blanche.

Avec une retraite de moins de dix dollars par mois, il vit avec l’un
de ses fils, sans emploi, et sa petite fille. L’autre fils vit à
Alfortville, un mot magique, synonyme d’Eldorado, dans ce minuscule
village kurde d’Arménie, privé de tout. Lorsqu’une lettre arrive de
France, tous espèrent que l’enveloppe est pleine d’argent.

Mais ce n’est pas le cas et certains regrettent le temps d’avant (de
l’Union soviétique) où »on n’avait pas la liberté mais on avait tout
le reste».

Hamo, lui, en est réduit à vendre son uniforme et son armoire, ce qui
donne lieu à des scènes surréalistes et picaresques avec les
pérégrinations du vieil homme trimballant l’encombrant objet dans un
désert blanc qui semble ne mener nulle part, où circule pourtant un
bus coloré, presque vide.

»Tombe la neige», la rengaine d’Adamo accompagne Hamo, qui croise
régulièrement dans le bus et au cimetière une belle veuve qui va
s’incliner devant la tombe de son défunt mari…

L’univers de »Vodka lemon», avec ses personnages attachants, son
mariage, ses musiciens et son banquet en plein air, rappelle un peu
celui de Kusturica. Le tragique y côtoie la gaieté et il ne faut
surtout pas penser aux lendemains.

»Je suis un homme pudique, dit Hiner Saleem. Même dans les moments
vraiment très difficiles, tragiques, il y a toujours un petit truc
qui nous fait éclater de rire.»

Le cinéaste a tourné dans des conditions très rudes, au pied de la
plus haute montagne d’Arménie, dans des villages isolés en hiver, par
-25 degrés. Il rêve de réaliser le prochain au Kurdistan. »Mais il
faut acheminer le matériel, par où passer? Qui va vouloir nous
assurer? Mais c’est sûr je ferai ce film. L’histoire se passe au
Kurdistan».

Réfugié politique dès l’âge de 17 ans, il a vécu dix ans à Paris où
il a réalisé »Vive la mariée… et la libération du Kurdistan», puis
»Passeur de rêves» dans les villages kurdes d’Arménie. »Avec ces
films, dit-il, je me réinventais un pays».

En même temps que »Vodka lemon», Hiner Saleem publie »Le fusil de mon
père», un récit (Editions du Seuil) où il raconte son enfance et
l’histoire des siens, depuis l’arrivée au pouvoir de Saddam Hussein
jusqu’au jour où il a dû fuir l’Irak.

Il aime citer cette phrase de son grand-père: »notre passé est
triste, notre présent est catastrophique, mais heureusement nous
n’avons pas d’avenir».

A1 Plus | 17:09:53 | 29-03-2004 | Politics |

BILL ON HOLDING RALLIES AND MEETINGS TO BE DISCUSSED

Parliament will discuss the bill on “Order for Holding Meetings, Rallies and
Marches”. Suggestions over making amendments to the Law on “Administrative
Law Transgression” are represented, too.

Parliament State and Legal Committee and the temporary Committee of
Integration with the European Structures introduced these bills.

Parliament has continued discussion of the Labor Code since morning. It is
planned to consider the suggestions over making changes to the law on
granting privileges of tax and social insurance payments to Agarak’ copper
and molybdenum enterprise and Kapan’ ore mining and processing enterprise.

—

A1 Plus | 17:28:08 | 29-03-2004 | Politics |

OSCE MISSION CONCLUSION ON THE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN GEORGIA

The 28 March parliamentary elections in Georgia demonstrated commendable
progress in relation to previous elections, concludes the International
Election Observation Mission in a statement of preliminary findings and
conclusions issued today.

The Georgian authorities have seized the opportunity in the last few months
to bring Georgia’s election process into closer alignment with European
standards for democratic elections, the Mission has found. However,
continued intimidation and physical abuse against opposition supporters and
journalists in Ajara, cast a shadow over the overall progress in the
election process, its statement adds.

It also makes clear that Georgia’s election process will only be fully
tested in a more competitive environment, once a genuine level of political
pluralism is re-established.

—

A1 Plus | 16:26:34 | 29-03-2004 | Politics | author: Diana Markosyan |

Stepan Demirchyan – IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO FIGHT AGAINST OWN PEOPLE

Q: Mr Demirchyan, just yesterday Artashes Geghamyan expressed disagreement
over the deadlines fixed by “Justice” Bloc. How did it turn possible to come
to terms within a day?.

A: I don’t find it expedient to talk about the process. The result is more
important that we have now – the statement was made.

Q: The English analysts stated that no Rose Revolution will take place since
the Opposition heads are busy with the leader issue and don’t unite. The
leader issue seems to be out of agenda now. Can one say that power change is
inevitable?

A: Power change and restoration of the constitutional order are public
demand. Realizing responsibility both “Justice” Bloc and “National Unity”
combine the efforts, and the process started long ago when the statement was
made in Parliament. Power change is a social demand and it will be carried
out no matter what various analysts say. As to leader issue, people are to
decide it as no one can become a leader by wish or artificially.

Q: Will the Opposition leaders appear separately or by one common candidate
during the elections after the power change?

A: Let’s not to outstrip the developments.

Q: At the interview with us Serj Sargssyan threatened Opposition with
extermination and to involve Army “to protect the social order”. What’s your
point of view over this?

A: Under the Constitution, the task of the Army is providing security to the
state and not protection of the social order. So, Army can’t interfere in
the home political events. Besides, I am sure neither the law-enforcement
bodies nor Army will ever step against people. But even if there are people
who can act so, they must realize that they will be called to account.

Q: How do you comment on urgent appointments and relieves by Robert
Kocharyan?

A: Authorities are getting prepared for the expected processes that way. But
it is senseless to await some results by just settling cadre problems.
Authorities must understand that it is impossible to fight against own
people.

—

A1 Plus | 20:19:34 | 29-03-2004 | Politics |

AUTHORITIES PROTECT THEMSELVES

In absence of Opposition MPs Parliament started discussion of the bill on
“Order for Holding Meetings, Rallies and Marches”. An attempt has been made
to put the law in force since 2001 but the MPs then failed approval of the
law. {BR}

As a result of rising rally moods in the republic Authorities again tried
and the same bill appeared in the Parliament agenda.

There is a standpoint that quick entering of the bill on the agenda is the
Authorities’ response to the held mass rallies.

Independent MP Manuk Gasparyan joins this position. He considers suspicious
the fact that the bill hasn’t been discussed in the temporary committees of
Parliament in due presence of MPs and that the bill has been entered in the
big agenda. It is much more suspicious that the bill appeared in the
three-day agenda.

“Government didn’t make an urgent decision. This was a planned step in
Government activity program. It was represented and is in circulation for a
long time”, Justice Minister David Harutyunyan, representing the bill in
Parliament, says.

The bill opponents say that the document considered in Parliament is rather
stricter than the one currently in force. In particular, the new bill
hampers the mechanism for getting permission to hold a march or a rally.

Besides, David Harutyunyan says, “naturally, norms, which are to meet the
constitutional demands are fixed, particularly, organizing such public
measures that are channeled to violent failure of the constitutional order,
stirring up national, racist, or religious hatred, propagandizing coercion
or war is forbidden”.

He also states that the bill makes a provision for a criminal liability for
an official who untimely forbids holding of a march or a meeting.

—

PRESS RELEASE

29th March 2004

American Chamber of Commerce (‘AmCham in Armenia’),
Room 313, Ararat Wing, Armenia Marriott Hotel,
1, Amiryan Street, Yerevan,
Republic of Armenia
Contact: Elen Ghazaryan, Executive Director
Telephone no.: 599187, fax no.: 599191
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

AmCham hosts Business Ethics Roundtable

Yerevan. A Roundtable, organized by the American Chamber of Commerce in
Armenia (`AmCham’), took place on March 23rd 2004 in the Queen Erato
Room of the Armenia Marriott Hotel.

The idea of organizing this roundtable was born at the Business Ethics
workshop held on July 30th, 2003, which was attended by many
participants from the private and public sectors and international
organizations. There was a very positive response from the participants
and as a result a working group was formed from those who were
interested in further actions directed towards this mission.

Thus, in order to continue the discussion and to determine the
possibilities of promoting Business Ethics principles in Armenia, AmCham
organised this Roundtable. It was run by Lusine Janoyan, Second
Vice-President of AmCham, who is a Business Ethics trainee and
participant in the program on Business Ethics and Good Governance,
organized by the US State Department of Commerce.

Lusine Janoyan welcomed the participants to the Round Table, inviting
them to work together, set up a committee and decide on future actions.
She asked participants to give their ideas on how to put Business Ethics
into practice. Following very active discussion, participants set up a
committee of four people, with Lusine Janoyan as chairperson, which
would develop and define future activities for the group.

Participants agreed on the following short and long term plans:

a. To develop a universal Code of Business Ethics.
b. To create a library dedicated to the subject.
c. To cooperate with professional associations and NGOs.
d. To organise Business Ethics lectures at universities and other
educational institutions.
e. To create an online website linked with AmCham.

Lusine closed the Round Table with a few words of thanks. The next
meeting of the working committee is scheduled for next week.

AmCham in Armenia is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving
the business environment. It has sponsored many conferences and
workshops, all of which have been successful and well attended.

For further information contact `[email protected]’ or visit our
web-site where more information about our activities will
be found, including information on Business Ethics.

March 30, 2004
CONTACT : Loucia Isaac Seropian
Phone: 961-1-353010 Ext.: 365
Email: [email protected]

Haigazian University-Public Relations Office
PO Box: 11-1748Beirut, Lebanon

USAID fund supports Haigazian University Library’s automation

Awkar, Beirut-Lebanon: Thursday, March 25, 2004 – An official delegation
representing Haigazian
University president, Rev. Dr. Paul Haidostian, attended a special ceremony
held in the US Embassy in Awkar, Lebanon, to receive a check of $50,000 from
USAID. Three other organizations also received special grants on that day.

US Ambassador Vincent Battle and USAID/Lebanon Mission Director, Mr. Raouf
Youssef presented the check to Mr. Yervant Bakikian, HU Financial
Comptroller. Present were the other two members of the Haigazian delegation,
Dean of Business & Economics Dr. Fadi Asrawi and HU Librarian Mrs. Zevart
Tanielian.

The USAID fund will support Haigazian University library’s automation, by
purchasing software and hardware equipment. The project will serve to have
the Haigazian’s resources online, and will benefit all students as well as
more than 80 faculty members.

Automating the Haigazian’s library will help promote research in all
fields, as well as facilitate the exchange of library resources between
Haigazian University and other American universities in Lebanon. The online
connection will also allow students to
use the Library of Congress and numerous U.S. institutions of higher
education.

The total automation cost is expected to reach $ 120, 000.

Public Relations Office
Haigazian University

Lebanon

Mailing Address:
Public Relations Office
P.O.Box 11-1748
Riad El Solh, Beirut 1107 2090
Rue Mexique, Kantari, Lebanon
Tel/Fax: 961 1- 349230/1, 961-1- 353010/1/2