INTERNATIONAL WORKING GROUP DISBANDED

Azat Artsakh – Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR)
15-03-2004

>From now on together with the state committee the Center of Civil
Undertakings will deal with the search for missing soldiers and
hostages, as well as work with their families in Karabakh. In the
current year the center organized computer courses for the children of
the missing soldiers and former hostages. The Karabakh
non-governmental organization Center of Civil Undertakings conducts
monitoring of prisons of the republic. According to the director of
the center Albert Voskanian, certain novelties were introduced in this
sphere of the republic. For example, according to the international
standards the wooden blinds of the windows of the dormitories of the
Department of Administration of Criminal Punishment (the former prison
of Shoushi) attached to the NKR Police were dismantled since February
1 of the current year. In autumn of 2003 the parliament of Karabakh
adopted the law about elimination of the capital punishment.
According to the DACP staff, at the beginning of the current year the
sentence of the last of the 15 convicts sentenced to capital
punishment was changed by 15 years imprisonment. According to
A. Voskanian, the Center of Civil Undertakings continues to support
the undertaking of passing the NKR prisons from the Police under the
authority of the Ministry of Justice.

NAIRA HAYRUMIAN.
15-03-2004

NATO-sponsored border security course held in Azerbaijan

Trend news agency
15 Mar 04

BAKU

Trend correspondent R. Abbasov: NATO participation in a settlement of
the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict is in the interests of Azerbaijan,
Maj-Gen Omer Bayrakli, the military attache of the Turkish embassy in
Azerbaijan, said at a ceremony to open “Border Security Control
Course” in Baku on 15 March. The course was organized by the Turkish
Defence Ministry.

Despite the fact that Azerbaijan officially made no appeal for NATO
membership, it is intensively developing its relations with the
North-Atlantic Alliance, he said. “Among the CIS states, Azerbaijan is
a country which closely cooperates with NATO. Ex-president Heydar
Aliyev repeatedly said that NATO should be involved in solving
conflicts in the Caucasus,” Bayrakli said.

The head of the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry department for
inspections, Mammad Beydullayev, said that the course is being held
from 15 to 19 March at the ministry’s training centre. Along with
military servicemen, representatives of the Foreign, National
Security, Interior Ministries, the State Customs Service and other
bodies will attend the course.

A lecturer and colonel of the Turkish army, Tuqay Bakkal, said that
the main goal of the course was to familiarize the Azerbaijani armed
forces with methods of preventing illegal border incursions, the
trafficking of drugs, weapons, human organs and so on. He noted that
the training was being conducted by the study centre of the
Partnership for Peace programme of the Turkish armed forces.

Up to now, 1,100 people have attended this course, including 320
Azerbaijani servicemen. Azerbaijan ranks second among 51 countries in
terms of the number of its participants. The course will also be held
in Ukraine, Romania, Albania, Macedonia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan and Moldova.

IF THERE WEREN’T FOR PETROSSIAN

Azat Artsakh – Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR)
15-03-2004

Young chess-player from Armenia, international master Tigran
Petrossian is also among the participants of the international chess
tournament devoted to the 75th anniversary of Tigran Petrossian, the
ninth champion of the world. The father of the young chess player was
a big fan of chess and deliberately named his son after Tigran
Petrossian so that he become a chess-player. Tigran has played chess
for 15 years, since he was five. Now he is a third year student at the
Yerevan Institute of Physical Training. “I have devoted my life to
chess and as I have already achieved certain success, the way I chose
has meaning,” says Tigran Petrossian. In reference to the tournament
the young chess-player says, “The participants are very strong, the
leading grand masters of the world are playing, almost all the grand
masters of Armenia are present. I cannot recall a similar tournament
in the past years in Armenia. The tournament is organized on a high
level. All of us realize that nowadays it is not easy to organize such
a tournament, especially if foreign chess-players are invited, which
also requires considerable financial means. I would like to mention
that the presence of the former champion of the world Boris Spassky is
a great honour for all of us.” Following all the games, we tried to
find out the reason why Tigran Petrossian lost in the second round. In
the game with the representative of Latvia grand master Yevgeny
Sveshnikov Tigran had a favourable position.In reference to this game
the young chess-player mentioned that he hurried with one move which
unfortunately resulted in losing the game. Unfortunately because
during the whole game he improved his position and besides Sveshnikov
had a problem with time. “I hope this defeat will not have a negative
effect on my further games. In such cases I try to get my mind off the
previous game otherwise I will not be able to continue the struggle.”

ANAHIT DANIELIAN.
15-03-2004

Agence France Presse
March 15, 2004 Monday

EU offers Armenia 100 million euros to shut down nuclear plant

YEREVAN

The European Union renewed pleas to Armenia Monday to close a nuclear
power station in an earthquake-prone zone, saying it would provide
100 million euros (122 million dollars) in compensatory aid.

The Soviet-built Metzamor plant, 30 kilometres (18 miles) west of the
Armenian capital Yerevan, supplies 40 percent of the energy in the
former Soviet republic.

It was commissioned in 1980 but closed temporarily because of an
earthquake in 1988.

“Safety is very important to us,” said Torben Holtze, head of the
European Commission delegation here.

“The EU will give Armenia 100 million euros to create alternative
energy production when Armenia sets a date for the closure of the
power plant,” he told journalists.

But Armenian Finance Minister Vardan Khachatrian said his country
would need a billion dollars to compensate for losses if the nuclear
plant closes.

The question of closure was “a very painful question for us,” he
said. “We will not close the plant until we have alternative energy
sources.”

He said construction of a gas pipeline between Iran and Armenia set
to begin this year would speed moves towards alternative energy.

The nuclear plant was closed down temporarily in 1988 because of an
earthquake at Spitak, but resumed operating in 1995 in order to help
stave off a national energy crisis.

The EU signed an accord with Armenia on closing the plant this year
but Armenia has failed to meet this deadline.

Officials here say the plant is capable of operating until 2018.

Gaguik Markossian, the plant’s director, said in December that
international credits and aid had allowed Armenia to make many safety
improvements at the plant, which includes two 440-megawatt reactors,
only one of which is in operation.

With electricity supplies reduced to three or four hours a day and
industry in crisis, one of the reactors was restarted in 1995. Since
then about 35 million dollars (28 million euros) have been spent on
various safety improvements.

The Institute for Applied Ecology in Austria says the Armenian plant,
along with similar units in Bulgaria, is among the most dangerous in
Europe.

Edicom, Swiss
15 Mars 2004

Charles Aznavour fait son entrée à Grévin

PARIS (AP) – «Je m’voyais déjà en haut de l’affiche»: cette célèbre
ritournelle de Charles Aznavour a une fois de plus été plus vraie que
jamais lundi soir, où le chanteur, compositeur, acteur et scénariste
a intronisé son double de cire au Musée Grévin.
»Charles, je te dis merci pour tout ce que tu nous as apporté, mais
surtout pour tout ce que tu va nous apporter», a rappelé Eve
Ruggieri, membre de l’Académie Grévin, au nom de Bernard Pivot,
absent. Elle a rappelé la carrière aux débuts difficiles de Charles
Aznavour à qui Edith Piaf, rencontrée en 1946, conseilla de partir en
Amérique avant qu’il ne soit enfin reconnu en France.
Eve Ruggieri a aussi souligné l’action humanitaire continue de
Charles Aznavour pour son pays, notamment son rôle d’ambassadeur
permanent de l’Arménie en France. «Mon grand-père fut aussi le
cuisinier du gouverneur géorgien d’Arménie», a précisé Charles
Aznavour.
Mimie Mathy, dernière impétrante, a selon la coutume intronisé
Charles Aznavour en récitant sur scène une courte allocution qui
reprenait des vers écrits ou chantés par Charles Aznavour au cours de
sa carrière aux 750 chansons.
Charles Aznavour a alors découvert son double de cire revêtu d’un
complet gris, assis dans un siège de théâtre. «Il est beau, enfin
nous sommes beaux. Je me demande s’il sait chanter. Mais je le trouve
d’une tristesse, moi qui aime tellement rire», a-t-il plaisanté,
s’adressant au sculpteur, Eric de Saint Chaffrais.
»Il est peut-être triste, mais c’est l’émotion que nous avons voulu
reproduire», a expliqué le sculpteur sous une salve
d’applaudissements.
Son personnage figurera dans la scénographie du théâtre à
l’italienne, à deux pas de Gérard Depardieu, Alain Delon et Bernard
Kouchner.
Plus vert que jamais, Charles Aznavour a récemment a publié, en plus
de ses mémoires, «Le temps des avants» (Ed. Flammarion), et son
dernier album «Je voyage» (Capitol/Emi Music France) en décembre
dernier, sur lequel figure un duo -éponyme-, avec sa fille Katia.
Quoi de plus normal, «je suis né d’un père chanteur et d’une mère
actrice», aime-t-il rappeler, autant que ses origines arméniennes.
Côté télévision, Charles Aznavour a récemment tourné à Bucarest
(Hongrie) dans une adaptation pour France-2 de roman de Balzac «Le
Père Goriot» dont il tient le rôle titre. Le téléfilm est mis en
scène par Jean-Daniel Veraeghe et Aznavour y joue aux côtés de
Marushka Detmers et Tcheky Karyo.
Enfin, Charles Aznavour fera son grand retour en chansons au Palais
des Congrès à partir du 16 avril, là même où il fêtera ses 80 ans, le
22 mai, soit le soir de la dernière. Mais sans doute pas de la
dernière émotion. AP
rao/cre/JmC

PRESS RELEASE
Office of Sarkis Assadourian M.P.
120 Confederation
House of Commons, Ottawa, Canada
Contact: Daniel Kennedy
Tel: 613 995 4843

Press Release

For Immediate Release Ottawa March 15, 2004

M.P. Sarkis Assadourian Holds Fundraiser
For New Riding of Brampton Springdale

The Sarkis Assadourian Nomination Committee held a successful
fundraising event Sunday March 14th at the Minar Indian Restaurant,
Dixie Orenda Plaza for M.P. Sarkis Assadourian (Brampton Centre,
Lib.): Chairman of the Citizenship and Immigration Committee and
Candidate For Nomination in the new riding of Brampton Springdale.

Assadourian was welcomed by over 100 guests (at $150 per person) and
in turn welcomed special Guest at the event The Honourable Joe Volpe,
P.C., M.P. Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and
Political Minister for Ontario.

Following his introduction by Mrs. Tonk, the M.P. thanked the Minister
for visiting the new riding of Brampton-Springdale to meet with
Assadourian’s campaign team. Assadourian thanked the Minister for his
generous support of the Member’s candidacy and invited him to address
the guests.

The Minister spoke on the importance of human resources to the
development of the Canadian economy and stressed the need for a
re-thinking on the recognition of foreign professional credentials to
allow for skilled Immigrants to Canada to contribute fully to Canada’s
growth.

Minister Volpe congratulated Assadourian on his work over the past ten
years as a Member of Parliament and emphasized his successful career
being appointed as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of
Citizenship and Immigration and most recently being elected as Chair
of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration.

The Minister stressed the fact that Assadourian has focused his
energies on representing the needs of his constituents in Parliament
and has been an important and valued member of the Paul Martin
team. Volpe urged the volunteers to continue to work to ensure that a
Liberal majority government is achieved by building on the strength,
success and experience of the sitting Member.

Also present at the function were Wajid Khan, Liberal Candidate for
Streetsville-Mississauga, Navdeep Bains, Candidate for Nomination,
Brampton South Mississagua and Paul Dahliwal Candidate for Nomination,
Brant.

Commenting on the successful event Assadourian said:
“I am overwhelmed by the enormous support that I have received from
residents of Brampton- Springdale. I am confident that with continued
co-operation and the positive engagement of the citizens of Brampton-
Springdale that we will see that this new riding is firmly positioned
to be part of a new Liberal government under the leadership of Prime
Minister Paul Martin.”

The event was concluded by the uplifting remarks of Bob Mand thanking
the Minister for his kind words and expressing the desire of the
campaign team to see Minister Volpe return to Brampton -Springdale to
assist the team in building a winning campaign for the new riding.

-30-

For further information contact: Daniel Kennedy 613-995-4843

April 24 Observance in Detroit

By Mitch Kehetian
March 14, 2004

DETROIT – In observing the 89th anniversary of the Armenian genocide,
Detroit’s Armenian community will hear two powerful voices on Sunday,
April 25 that will address Turkey’s continuing denial of the 1915
genocide of 1.5 million Armenians. Speaking to the community about
the human carnage that struck the Armenian people on April 24, 1915
will be Ken Kachikian, chairman of the Armenian National Committee of
America, and Arman Kirakossian, the Armenian ambassador to the United
States.

This year’s observance of the 1915 genocide brings together a wide
range of civic, educational and patriotic Armenian organizations in
Greater Detroit, and to the coordinating committee’s leadership, the
scheduling of two motivating speakers to address the 89 years of
denial and injustice that still cloaks the Turkish-occupied lands of
historical Armenia.

In planning the 2 p.m. rally for justice at St. John’s Armenian Church
Cultural Hall in suburban Southfield, members of the Detroit United
Committee for the Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, have also
scheduled a book signing by Ambassador Kirakossian, a noted scholar
and author, at 6 p.m. at Borders Book Store in Birmingham, on Woodward
between 14 and 15 Mile roads. An afterglow will follow the
ambassador’s book signing at the Hagopian World of Rugs Showroom, at
850 S. Old Woodward, Birmingham, made available by Edgar Hagopian, a
recognized activist for the Armenian cause within the forum of the
American political scene in Michigan.

Edmond Azadian, speaking for the sponoring groups of the ambassador’s
book signing, said Kirakossian will discuss his recently completed
book “The Armenian Massacres, 1894-1896, U.S. Media Testimony.”
released in February by Wayne State University Press. Kirakossian’s
book chronicles America’s public outrage against the atrocities, and
the coining of that chilling nightmare as “The Armenian Question,” a
sinister Turkish plan that was the prelude to the Ottoman Turkish
government’s heinous plan of genocide it carried out against Armenians
in the districts of now depopulated western Armenia.

The book signing at the Borders Book Store, sponsored by Wayne State
University, the Armenian Democratic Liberal League and the Tekeyan
Cultural Association, is open to the Armenian community.

In a foreword by U.S. Senator Bob Dole, the distinguished American
statesman said Kirakossian’s book is a collection of articles that
compile a “chilling picture of a ruthless, inhumane campaign to
exterminate many thousands of Armenians and drive the remainder from
their ancestral lands,” while clearly defining it, and the subsequent
carnage of 1915 as “the Armenian genocide.”

Paul Kulhanjian, a retired Detroit public school principal, said
Kachikian will focus his message on the Armenian genocide, and its
contemporary relevance within the framework of national and
international implications..

“Detroit is honored to have two distinguished Armenian speakers
address our community on a day dedicated to mark 89 years of
injustice, and how we can effectively stake our claim for justice
before a court of world opinion,” said Kulhanjian, a spokesman for the
April 25 justice rally and the ambassador’s book signing in Detroit.

Agence France Presse
March 15, 2004 Monday

Mixed blessings for Iraqi Christians, a year after war against Saddam

by PATRICK KAMENKA AND JENNIE MATTHEW

BAGHDAD

Faced by rampant insecurity and indiscriminate bombings nearly a year
after the start of the 2003 war, Iraq’s depleted Christian community
is more frightened but less politically suffocated than under Saddam
Hussein.

Never in a position to threaten him, the Christian minority did not
suffer Saddam’s full brutality, but most of its members are overjoyed
to be rid of the hardships that marked his rule.

Christian villages were destroyed, churches were ransacked and
thousands emigrated, particularly after the regime closed bars, clubs
and off licences after the 1991 Gulf war to harness support from
conservative Muslims.

But, with Saddam in prison, none of them is rushing home.

“For sure, no one wants to come back,” says Shmaonel Tito Jajo, the
owner of an Assyrian social club in central Baghdad, whose three sons
live abroad.

“Before it was a dictatorship. Now it is lack of security, it’s the
same.”

For the Christians, like most Iraqis since the collapse of 30 years
of totalitarianism, the unchecked crime, shootings and bombings of
today are their primary fear and at the heart of any fleeting
nostalgia for the past.

“We have no security, no independence … (we have lost our)
government, stability, our president and our ministries,” said Father
Louis Shabi, parish priest of Baghdad’s St Joseph Chaldean Church.

The 2,500 families who worship at his church pray for peace, he said.

“Saddam’s government was for all Iraqi people. We had someone to talk
to,” about our difficulties, he added.

When asked whether life is better after Saddam than before, Catholic
Patriarch Emmanuelle-Karim Delly, says, “To be frank, no, not at the
moment.”

He added, “Christians are afraid to go out, as are Muslims. They are
more frightened than before, of car bombs, explosions. We didn’t have
this before.”

Off licences in Baghdad and the southern city of Basra have been
blown up, six or seven Christian social clubs in the capital remain
shut. Parties rarely linger after dusk.

Osama “bin Laden said he would target the Christians. Zarqawi the
Shiites and the Americans,” said Entranik Yagish Artim, 51, a guard
at the Lady of Flowers Armenian Catholic Church.

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who has a 10-million-dollar price on his head,
is the prime suspect behind bombings in the holy city of Najaf and at
the United Nations in Baghdad.

“So far, thank God, there is no problem between us and the Muslims.
We have lived together for two centuries as brothers,” said Delly.

“What concerns us is terrorism, we’re afraid of people coming from
outside our country to put benzine in our fire,” said Kaisir Odisha
Mikho, a manager in an upmarket hotel in Baghdad’s smart Karrada
district.

For some others, there is no question that they are better off now.

Despite working at the heavily fortified Assyrian Democratic Movement
headquarters, once owned by Saddam’s fedayeen, party official Boutros
Khamis Gilyana says that Christians at last can breathe.

Private schools in Baghdad will begin teaching in Assyrian next year
and he dismissed attacks on liquor shops in Basra as strikes on the
British forces, and customers, based there.

Assyrian parents are also free to name their children freely, after
being forced to used from a trimmed list by the Baathist regime.

But others are wary as followers of the revered Shiite leader, Grand
Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, flex their political muscle in the
countdown to self-rule before June 30.

Kurdish demands for federalism in the north are another concern.

“If there was no racism I would say I’m an Iraqi first. Right now
there is a kind of racism, Shiite, Sunni, Christian, Kurdish,” said
Jojo.

Some 750,000 Christians live in Iraq, most of them from the Chaldean
faith, Iraq’s largest Christian denomination, which comes under the
umbrella of the Roman Catholic Church.

Before UN sanctions were imposed after Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990,
two million Christians, about nine percent of the population, lived
in Iraq.

The Observer
March 14, 2004

Escape: CHESS

By Jon Speelman

The 21st Linares tournament finished last Friday March 5th, as many
readers will undoubtedly already know, in outright victory for
Vladimir Kramnik on 7/12.

I left you last week with Kramnik half a point ahead of Gary Kasparov
and Peter Leko and just the last round remaining. Kramnik agreed a
draw quite early as Black against Veselin Topalov in an unclear
position and Leko followed soon thereafter, making no serious effort
against Alexei Shirov. This left just Kasparov in play, Black against
Francisco Vallejo Pons and uncharacteristically for the man, though
all too consonant with his bad form in Linares, Kasparov got a very
dangerous looking attacking position but failed to convert. The final
outcome was that Kasparov and Leko were second equal on 6.5/12;
Teimour Radjabov and Topalov made 6/12 and Shirov and Vallejo were
last equal on 5.

Linares is always the showcase for the top players and it was
disappointing that just 9 of the 42 games ended decisively. Indeed,
the winner himself, Kramnik was the worst ‘offender’ with his games, I
believe, averaging just over 26 moves. However, he explained later
that in Wijk aan Zee, where he had a dreadful time, he had become
tired towards the end and therefore decided to conserve energy in
Linares; and his meta-strategy undoubtedly worked, albeit mainly
because of Kasparov’s lapses.

A profusion of draws is tough on both spectators and sponsors and it
has led to a chorus of disapproval and even calls for modifications in
the rules: I’ve seen respected sources suggesting either 3 points for
a win and 1 for a draw; or that draws by agreement be banned till move
50. But however high its profile Linares was a single tournament and I
feel that there has been something of an overreaction. Either
modification would lead to a seismic change in tournament practice
and, as in ‘real life’, panic legislation should be avoided at all
costs.

Four of the eight decisive games involved Radjabov and although he
made just 50 per cent he was to my mind the star of the
tournament. Seventeen just two days ago, he is young and strong. But
youth certainly doesn’t inoculate you against the potentially damaging
psychological effects of playing day in day out against the world’s
elite; and he showed terrific inner strength, not to mention chess
ability, to recover from a lousy start.

The only loser in the first six rounds (!), Radjabov reached the half
way mark on ‘minus two’ having been defeated by Leko and Shirov. In
the second half he rode his luck a little notably against Kasparov
(see below). But Radjabov kept going and clawed his way back to parity
with wins in his last two games against Vallejo and then Shirov.

Gary Kasparov (Black)

Teimour Radjabov (White to play

After a fairly drawish looking opening, Kasparov had outplayed
Radjabov who was now fighting a desperate rearguard action. Battle
continued:

51 b6 g3 52 b7 g2 53 b8Q If 53 Nxe2 Rxe2 Black is threatening to queen
with check which forces 54 Ra1 Rb2 55 Rg1 Rxb7 56 Rxg2 Rd7 cutting the
king off and winning

53. . .Rxb8 54 Nxe2 Rb2 55 Ng1 Rf2? Too elaborate. After the simple
55. . . Rb1 56 Nh3 g1Q+ 57 Nxg1 Rxg1 White can’t play 58 Kd4 because
of Rg4+. It’s far from obvious that, say, 58 Ra6+ doesn’t help. But
endgame databases confirm that Black wins by force; and since White
now draws rather easily it had to be tried perforce.

56 Ra6+ Kf5 57 Kd4 Rf1 58 Ke3! Clearly this is what Kasparov missed
when playing 55. . .Rf2?. Now if 58.Rxg1 Kf2 defends and Black has no
way to improve on this so the draw was agreed.

Alexei Shirov (Black)

Teimour Radjabov (White to play – diagram above right)

In a serious time scramble Shirov had jettisoned the exchange but
managed to activate his king. Luckily for Radjabov it was now move 41
and so he had time to collect his thoughts before playing

41 e5+! This is what White wants to play because if he can force the
exchange of rooks then that will hugely help his cause. However, it
required serious calculation in view of 41. . .Ke3 which loses but
only just: 42 exf6! Re2+ (if 42. . .Kxd4 43 f7 Re2+ 44 Kd1 Kd3 45 Ra1
Rd2+ 46 Ke1 Re2+ 47 Kf1 Kd4 48 Kg1!; or 42. . .Rxh2 43 Re4+ Kxf3 44
f7) 43 Kd1 Rf2 44 Re4+! (44 f7? loses for White to Be2+! 45 Kc2 Kxd4
46 f8Q Bxf3+ followed by a discovered check and . . .Rxf8) 44 Kxf3 (or
44. . .Kd3 45 Ra1) 45 Rc2! Rf1+ 46 Re1!.

42 Rd2! Rxd2 43 Kxd2 Although the passed a pawn is annoying, White now
has very good winning chances and I don’t see an obvious improvement
for Shirov in what follows:

43. . .Kf4 44 Rc3 a5 45 Ke1 a4 46 Kf2 Bd7 47 Rc4+ Kg5 48 Rd4 Be8 49
Rd5+ f5 50 Kg3 h4+ 51 Kf2 Bf7 52 Ra5 Bb3 53 Ke3 Bc2 54 h3

White would prefer not to fix a pawn on a white square but in this
case it helps to force the enemy king back.

54. . .Bb3 55 f4+ Kf6 56 Kd4 Bc2 57 Ra6+ Kg7 58 Ke5 Kf7 59 Ra7+ Kg6 60
Ke6 Bb3+ 61 Ke7 Kg7 62 Ra5 Bc2 63 Rc5 Be4 64 Rc1! Forcing the king to
the h file after which the rest is fairly straightforward.

64. . .Bd5 65 Rg1+ Kh6 66 Kf6 a3

67 Rg6+ Kh7 68 Rg7+ Kh6 69 Ra7 a2 70 Kxf5 Bc4 71 Kf6 Bb3 72 f5 Bc4 73
Ra4 Kh7 74 Kg5 Kg7 75 Ra7+ Bf7 76 f6+ Kg8 77 Kxh4 Be6 78 Kg3 and
Shirov resigned.

) 2004 Guardian Newspapers Limited

ARKA News Agency
March 15 2004

RA President Robert Kocharian congratulates RF President Vladimir
Putin with re-election

Boris Spasski: I did not expect such a negative reaction of Baku on
international tournament in Stepanakert

Delegation of Armenian Parliament to leave for Poland tomorrow

Karabakh NGO Center of Civil Initiatives continues monitoring of
penitentiary organizations

Three deputies of the Republica party not to participate in the RA NA
work

*********************************************************************

RA PRESIDENT ROBERT KOCHARIAN CONGRATULATES RF PRESIDENT VLADIMIR
PUTIN WITH RE-ELECTION

YEREVAN, March 15. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharian
congratulated RF President Vladimir Putin with re-election,
President’s press office told ARKA. The letter of Kocharian says:
`Sincerely congratulate Your with confident victory at the elections
of the President of Russia Federation. On March 14, Russia made its
choice towards stability, democracy and prosperity’. Kocharian said
that in Putin, Russia sees the leader who can bring the country to
sustainable development, defending national interests. According to
Kocharian, Armenia highly estimates big personal contribution of
Vladimir Putin in deepening of Russian-Armenian friendly relations.
Armenian President assured his Russian colleague in readiness of
Armenian authorities to continue efforts on improvement and expanding
of cooperation between Armenia and Russia. L.D. –0–

*********************************************************************

BORIS SPASSKI: I DID NOT EXPECT SUCH A NEGATIVE REACTION OF BAKU ON
INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT IN STEPANAKERT

STEPANAKERT, March 15. /ARKA/. `I did not expect such a negative
reaction of Baku on international chess tournament in Stepanakert’,
10th World Champion Boris Spasski told ARKA in Stepanakert.
Commenting the tournament Spasski said that the youth is very
talented and their game is of very high level.
Talking about perspectives of chess development in Nagorno Karabakh,
Boris Spasski noted very promising youth sector.
The idea of holding the International Chess Tournament in Nagorno
Karabakh occurred to the Armenian Chess Academy and the NKR
Government five months ago.
The International Chess Tournament is devoted to the 75th anniversary
since the birth of the 9th World Chess Champion Tigran Petrosyan.
Azeri MFA made a statement with discontent with conduction of
tournament in Nagorno Karabakh. L.D. -0 –

*********************************************************************

DELEGATION OF ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT TO LEAVE FOR POLAND TOMORROW

YEREVAN, March 15. /ARKA/. Delegation of Armenian Parliament, headed
with the Speaker Arthur Baghdasarian will leave for Poland tomorrow
on the invitation of Marshal of Poland Seym Marek Borovski, RA NA
told ARKA. During the visit, Armenian delegation will meet with the
President of Poland Alexander Kwasnevski, Marshal of Poland Seym
Marek Borovski, the chairmen of the commission on external relations
and European Commission of Seym Eji Yaskernia and Eji Chepulkovski,
Marshal of Senate Longin Pastushyak, Prime Minister Leshek Miller,
Foreign Minister Vlodzimej Chimoshevich. Besides, Armenian delegation
will meet with the head of Poland delegation to PACE, Deputy Director
ODIHR/OSCE and Rector of Chief Economic School of Warsaw. L.D. –0–

*********************************************************************

KARABAKH NGO CENTER OF CIVIL INITIATIVES CONTINUES MONITORING OF
PENITENTIARY ORGANIZATIONS

STEPANAKERT, March 15. /ARKA/. Karabakh NGO Center of Civil
Initiatives continues monitoring of penitentiary organizations,
Director of Organization Albert Voskanian told ARKA. According to
him, certain changes took place in the system this year. `First of
all, the name of Reformatory Establishment-1 (former Shushi prison)
has changed to Department of prosecution of criminal punishments of
NKR Police. Besides, all jalousies were removed from the windows of
hostels of the Department, which corresponds to international
standards’, he said.
NGO Center of Civil Initiatives was created in October 2002.
Organization deals also with search of missing and former prisoners
of war and hostages. L.D. –0–

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THREE DEPUTIES OF THE REPUBLICA PARTY NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE RA NA
WORK

YEREVAN, March 15. /ARKA/ Three deputies of the Republica party will
not participate in the RA NA work, according to the Chairman of the
Republica opposition party, the deputy of Justice bloc Albert
Bazeyan. He noted that he was speaking of himself, Aram Sargsyan, and
Smbat Aivazyan. `We will not participate in the Parliament’s work,
until the RA President retires and special elections be held’, he
said. According to the Chairman of Justice bloc, the present
Parliament cannot function normally and needs dismissing. `It’s to no
purpose to participate in the formal work of the Parliament, where
the majority of it votes by the President’s order’, Bazeyan thinks.
He noted that `mandates will be returned only in the case they can’t
be used for the further struggle’.
Justice and National Unity opposition Parliamentary factions
consisting of 23 deputies boycott the RA NA work because of the
refusal of the Parliamentary majority to include the bill on
amendments to be made in the law on referendum into the agenda. The
bill stipulates for conducting referendum of trust to the Government
of the country. A.H. –0–