NATO chief hopes officer’s killing not to threaten cooperation with Armenia

Mediamax news agency
10 Mar 04

YEREVAN

NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer has sent a letter to
Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan in connection with the
killing of Armenian Lt Gurgen Markaryan by an Azerbaijani serviceman
in Budapest on 19 February.

The press service of the Armenian Foreign Ministry quotes the NATO
secretary-general as saying in the letter that he was “deeply shocked
by the brutal killing of the Armenian officer” and asked to pass his
sympathy to his family, Mediamax reports.

“As you know, relevant Hungarian agencies are conducting a detailed
investigation into the incident and I am convinced that they will do
their best to find out all the circumstances of the killing and to
make sure that justice is administered. I myself will follow the
course of the investigation and the subsequent trial,” Jaap de Hoop
Scheffer said.

The NATO secretary-general expressed the hope that this crime would
not pose a threat to the development of cooperation between Armenia
and the alliance and said that NATO appreciated Armenia’s contribution
to the Partnership for Peace programme. Jaap de Hoop Scheffer added
that the further expansion of regional cooperation in the South
Caucasus is one of the key components of the programme.

On 23 February, the Armenian ambassador to NATO, Vigen Chitechyan,
forwarded Vardan Oskanyan’s letter to Jaap de Hoop Scheffer. The
Armenian foreign minister says in the letter that the Azerbaijani
officer’s action “was somewhat expected because it was a logical
consequence of bellicose statements by the previous and new
Azerbaijani authorities”.

[Passage omitted: Known details of the Budapest incident]

Georgian president arrives in Armenia “with love”

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
12 Mar 04

[Presenter over video of meeting] Georgian President Mikheil
Saakashvili has arrived in Armenia on an official visit for the first
time. Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan, the chairman of the
standing parliamentary commission for foreign relations, Armen
Rustamyan, and other officials met Saakashvili at the airport. Foreign
Minister Vardan Oskanyan said that our neighbour Georgia is one of the
regional countries with which we have no problems. The Georgian
president stressed the importance of relations with our country. He
noted that Armenia has a sufficiently kind and wise president who can
give serious advice during discussion of serious problems.

[Mikheil Saakashvili at airport, voice-over in Armenian] I do not
think of this as an official visit. I came to Armenia with love. Our
countries are historical neighbours. We cannot exist and develop
separately. Armenia and Georgia must act and cooperate jointly.

[Vardan Oskanyan] Following Mr Saakashvili’s recent visit to France,
where he made some proposals to start cooperation on integration
between the three countries in the Caucasus – I think that this is an
interesting proposal. But Azerbaijan has always hindered this. He also
visited Baku. We are very interested in Azerbaijan’s position
regarding this proposal.

The second interesting proposal made by Mr Saakashvili was to approach
settling conflicts through economic cooperation. He is preparing to
present such proposals to Abkhazia. We hope that it will be catching
for Azerbaijan too. We must settle conflicts by creating the most
favourable atmosphere through economic cooperation and cooperation in
other spheres. These two main issues are on the agenda. I hope that
there will be interesting talks between the two presidents.

Georgian leader links opening of Moscow-Yerevan railway to return of Abkhaz
refugees

Imedi TV, Tbilisi
12 Mar 04

[Presenter] The restoration of the Abkhaz section of the railway
connecting Russia with Armenia is the main issue for the official
Yerevan. Not a single train has arrived in Yerevan from Moscow since
the Abkhaz war.

Today Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said that the railway
link would be restored if refugees [from Abkhazia] returned to their
homes and political issues were resolved. Saakashvili intends to use
Armenia’s good relations with Russia in settling Georgian-Russian
relations. The president has already met his Armenian colleague
[President Robert Kocharyan]. Now he is at Echmiadzin where he is
meeting Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II.

[Saakashvili, video starts in mid-sentence] – especially in
[Abkhazia’s] Gali District, connected with the creation of security
guarantees for people who return [to their home], as well as with
general economic restoration in the whole region. Naturally, all of
this will facilitate economic development, including the restoration
of the transport infrastructure.

We are working within a trilateral commission, with Russia and
Abkhazia’s de-facto authorities. We think that Russia could play a
constructive role in this issue. There is the Geneva process, as well
as the group of the UN secretary-general’s friends in Georgia. They
are addressing [inaudible] issues there.

I think that now the Georgian side is ready to pursue a peaceful
course in a much stronger manner. After the [presidential] election in
Russia – we have already found a common language with Russia – I think
that Russia will spend more time on this issue. As regards the Abkhaz
authorities, there too a change of leadership is planned this year. I
think that with the change of leadership, problems will start to be
resolved within a much shorter time.

In principle, we realize the importance of this railway for
Armenia. It is important for Georgia as well. Of course, it is linked
to the general security climate and the peaceful resolution of the
problem. All of this cannot be resolved by a one-sided approach. This
issue has several aspects. Of course, we are ready – I repeat once
again – to make bold decision in the interests of the entire region.

[Kocharyan] I will simply add the following. You know that this
situation has been continuing for a long time. In such situations,
normally, people get used to the status quo. Changing the situation
requires, of course, political efforts and will on the part of all
participating sides.

Submitted by Janoyan Ana

Armenian opposition demands government’s resignation in regional rally

Arminfo
10 Mar 04

YEREVAN

Representatives of the opposition’s Justice bloc today staged a rally
in the town of Alaverdi, Lori Region.

It must be remembered that unlike the previous events arranged by the
opposition bloc in the regions of the republic, the turnout at today’s
rally was poor. In his speech, the head of the newly-formed
headquarters to save the fatherland under the Justice bloc, MP Viktor
Dallakyan, said that the illegitimate authorities were relying on
criminal local administration whose staunchest supporter is the
governor of Lori Region, Genrik Kochinyan. “Therefore, we warn all the
local underlings that they will soon end up behind bars, and we
promise this to them,” Dallakyan said.

The rally spoke about extremely low pensions and allowances, high
water prices and the political coalition’s promises to return
citizens’ savings accounts. The leader of the Union of Constitutional
Law and a member of the Justice bloc, MP Grant Khachatryan, said that
the coalition was not able to adopt any law of vital importance to the
people. All the problems facing Armenia will be resolved only after
the government is changed, and this process has already started, the
members of the Justice bloc think.

The resignation of the current administration is a requirement of the
day, the leader of the Justice bloc, Stepan Demirchyan, said.

The members of the Justice bloc promised to inform the public about
their next measures “to topple the authorities”.

President warns Russian troops against interference in Georgian affairs

Imedi TV, Tbilisi
12 Mar 04

[Presenter] It was reported in Ajaria this morning that the centre was
planning to deploy the Commando Battalion in Batumi [Ajarian capital]
to establish control there.

The Ajarian interior minister [Jemal Gogitidze] said in a telephone
conversation with us that official Batumi had received this
information a long time ago. He said that Ajarian law enforcers had
been mobilized in this connection. Also, today Jemal Gogitidze denied
the information that a 60-strong group from the Netkachovi [as heard]
unit had abandoned [Ajarian leader] Aslan Abashidze.

Before flying to Yerevan, President [Mikheil] Saakashvili said once
again that the attention to Ajaria would not be lessened.

Saakashvili commented on today’s reports that the transfer of Russian
servicemen to Ajaria was continuing. It has been reported that 79 new
recruits were transferred to Batumi from the Armenian town of Gyumri
this morning. The servicemen were brought there by a special
train. The Russian side has been carrying out a rotation of its
servicemen at the military base in Ajaria for a month.

[Saakashvili, speaking to journalists at Tbilisi airport. Video starts
in mid-sentence] – they want to divert attention from Ajaria.

We will respond to the extremists in Tbilisi and we will detain those
who violate human rights in Batumi as well. Their hope that we will
give up Ajaria are in vain. This will not happen.

[Russian] bases is a separate issue. I constantly raise the issue of
bases at all levels. However, whatever forces they bring in, or take
out, let nobody have a hope that those forces will intervene in
Georgia’s domestic affairs. And may God forbid anyone to intervene [in
Georgia’s domestic affairs] without the Russian president’s
knowledge. They will receive such an answer that they will never be
able to stand on their feet again. We are no longer the Georgia of
1992. I do not advise [changes tack] – I am ready to stand in front of
any tank for Georgia.

Azeri official plays down Armenian leader’s Karabakh remarks

Azad Azarbaycan TV, Baku
12 Mar 04

[Presenter] Baku believes that Armenian President Robert Kocharyan’s
statement that Nagornyy Karabakh can never become part of Azerbaijan
again is intended to cast a shadow on our country.

Saying this, the head of the Presidential Executive Staff, Ramiz
Mehdiyev, added that Kocharyan’s mythical remarks that if Nagornyy
Karabakh is returned to Azerbaijan, hundreds of thousands of axes
would be hanging over the Karabakh Armenians show that he is not
faring well in his country.

Mehdiyev also stressed that while the Armenian president is saying
that there is no political crisis in Armenia, his attempts to foment
tensions around the Nagornyy Karabakh issue testify to the opposite
and show that there is a deep political crisis in Armenia.

The head of the Presidential Executive Staff also pointed to the fact
that 30,000 Armenians still live in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan, he said,
is demonstrating to the whole world that the Armenians can live in
peace among the Azerbaijanis and there is no threat to their
lives. This is the result of the security guarantees that we have been
providing for the Armenians for years.

At the same time, Mehdiyev said that Armenia cannot conceal its
aggressive anti-Azerbaijani policy, as a result of which there are no
Azerbaijanis on Armenian territory. He added that the Azerbaijanis
were driven out of Armenia even more cruelly than with axes. Today
Armenian snipers are targeting peaceful Azerbaijanis. But they can
only do that in borderline areas.

Georgia, Armenian presidents pledge close cooperation

AP Worldstream
Mar 12, 2004

Leaders of Caucasus neighbors Georgia and Armenia pledged close
cooperation Friday as Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili met his
Armenian counterpart for the first time.

Armenian President Robert Kocharian said the two agreed at the talks
to meet often, both formally and informally.

Saaskashvili, who won elections in January to replace former President
Eduard Shevardnadze after leading protests to oust him from power,
praised Kocharian as an “ideal partner” for Georgia.

The Georgian leader said Armenia could also help Georgia to normalize
its relations with Russia, which have been complicated by the
continued presence of Russian troops and Moscow’s support of
separatist regions. On Friday, Russia’s Foreign Ministry harshly
warned Georgia against trying to rein in the independent-minded region
of Adzharia, whose leader has maintained close ties with Russia.

Kocharian expressed support for new railroad lines to be built from
Russia through the Georgia’s separatist Abkhazia region, which would
also link Armenia to Russia.

Georgian leader hopes Armenia to help normalize ties with Russia

Mediamax news agency
12 Mar 04

YEREVAN

The presidents of Armenia and Georgia, Robert Kocharyan and Mikheil
Saakashvili, focused on issues of improving Georgian-Russian relations
during their talks in Yerevan today, Georgian President Mikheil
Saakashvili told a briefing in Yerevan today, Mediamax news agency
reports.

He said that he was decisive to normalize his country’s relations with
Russia, which “had considerably worsened under the previous Georgian
president”, according to Saakashvili.

Saakashvili said that many countries which maintain good relations
with Russia could contribute to the process of normalizing
Georgian-Russian relations. In particular, Saakashvili said that he
discussed this issue with French President Jacques Chirac several days
ago.

“However, we believe that Armenia, which maintains special relations
with Russia, could play a special role in normalizing Georgian-Russian
ties,” Saakashvili said.

Baku Today, Azerbaijan
March 12 2004

Azeri, Armenian foreign ministers might meet in Slovakia

Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers are likely to meet in
Bratislava to confer Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over
Nagorno-Karabakh, Trend News Agency said.

12/03/2004 20:24
Baku Today

Azeri minister Vilayat Guliyev and Armenian minister Vardan Oskanyan
will be attending international conference for wider Europe on March
18-19 in Slovakia.

They will accompany their country presidents during the conference.

OSCE Minsk group’s cochairmen are also expected to attend the
conference according to the agency.

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
March 12 2004

CHESS TOURNAMENT IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH TO HAVE NO INTERNATIONAL STATUS
[March 12, 2004, 18:28:38]

Chess tournament taking place in Nagorno-Karabakh will have no
international status, president of chess federation of Azerbaijan
Aynur Sofiyeva told a press conference at the Ministry of Youth,
Sports and Tourism. In response to her protest-letter FIDE president
Kirsan Ilumjinov assured that FIDE would make all necessary actions
towards the tournament.

Following Kirsan Ilumjinov’s official address to the Armenian Chess
Federation on cancellation of the tournament in Khankendi, Armenian
Chess Academy and separatist leadership of so-called `Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic’ took the initiative to arrange the tournament. Aynur
Sofiyeva said that the Chess Federation of Azerbaijan sent letters to
the Federations of those countries whose players participate in the
tournament. Chess Federation of Georgia let its Azerbaijani
counterparts know that Georgian chess player will not be included into
the national team.

To make things clear, a sitting of the FIDE Council attended by
Kirsan Ilumjinov will be held in Baku in late March.

Although Armenian chess federation isolates itself from the
tournament, it is known that it had sent a congratulation letter to
the tournament participants, Aynur Sofiyeva added in conclusion.