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ASBAREZ Online [08-05-2004]

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  • ASBAREZ Online [08-05-2004]

    ASBAREZ ONLINE
    TOP STORIES
    08/05/2004
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    1) US to Urge Georgia-Russia Rapprochement During Saakashvili Visit
    2) Russian State Duma Adopts Anti-Georgian Statement
    3) Iranian President on Baku Visit
    4) Jordan's Prince Hassan Extends His Support to Catholicos Aram I

    1) US to Urge Georgia-Russia Rapprochement During Saakashvili Visit

    WASHINGTON (AFP)--US Secretary of State Colin Powell and other top US
    officials
    are to press Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili this week for an easing in
    Georgia-Russian tensions, now inflamed over two separatist regions in the
    former Soviet republic, the State Department said.
    Powell will raise the issues of Abkhazia and South Ossetia when he meets with
    Saakashvili on Thursday, spokesman Richard Boucher said. The president, who is
    on a private trip to the United States, will also see officials from the US
    National Security Council and the Pentagon.
    "The Georgians and the Russians have had meetings and discussions about it,
    and we have certainly encouraged them all to try to work this out and reach
    arrangements that avoid raising tensions and avoid potential clashes between
    them," Boucher told reporters.
    Boucher spoke as the two countries appeared on war footing after Russia
    hinted
    it could resort to military action in response to a Tbilisi threat to open
    fire
    on vessels that "illegally" entered the Black Sea waters of Abkhazia and a top
    Russian lawmaker said he was shot at by Georgian troops while visiting South
    Ossetia.
    Russia's defense minister said Georgia's leaders were turning into "pirates"
    while the foreign ministry in Moscow described Saakashvili's policies were
    "unprecedented" and warned of a looming war.
    The 36-year-old US-educated Saakashvili has vowed to reunify his fractured
    republic since toppling the old administration in a peaceful "rose revolution"
    last year and has taken a dim of view of Russian involvement in his
    impoverished nation.
    He is coming to the United States to attend the annual convention of the
    American Bar Association in the US state of Georgia during which he will be
    awarded the group's Central European and Eurasian Law Initiative Award for
    promoting the rule of law in his country.


    2) Russian State Duma Adopts Anti-Georgian Statement

    (Combined Sources)On August 5, the Russian State Duma unanimously adopted a
    special statement concerning "the deterioration of the situation in the
    Caucasus." The document reads, in particular, that there exists conditions of
    unending threats on the part of the Georgian leadership in regard to Russian
    citizens permanently residing in the territory of South Ossetia and Abkhazia
    and "there appear circumstances that infringe upon the Russian sovereignty."
    The Russian parliamentarians noted that the conflict in Georgia "is swiftly
    moving toward a large-scale military confrontation in the Caucasus."
    "Because of the Georgian leadership, the Russian Federation may be
    involved in
    it. In the event of the development of a military conflict, thousands of
    Russian citizens residing in the Caucasian region's republic might be
    involved," reads the document.
    The State Duma called upon the President and Government of Russia to help
    normalize the situation in areas of South Ossetia and Abkhazia and guarantee
    the security of Russian citizens living the regions.
    In responding to the Duma's statement, the Georgian Foreign Ministry noted
    that the Russian parliamentarians used "unacceptable terminology" and
    misrepresented facts. Responding to an August 4 threat issued by the Russian
    side concerning the use of water routes off the coast of Georgia, which stated
    that "any attempts to harm, or moreover, threaten the lives of Russian
    citizens
    would be duly repelled," the Georgian Foreign Ministry said that Abkhazia and
    its territorial waters enter the jurisdiction of Georgia, giving Georgia full
    right to establish control over the territories.


    3) Iranian President on Baku Visit

    (BBC)--Iran's President Mohammad Khatami has arrived in Azerbaijan's capital,
    Baku, for a two-day visit with Azeri counterpart Ilham Aliyev.
    The two will hold talks on Tehran-Baku relations, as well as cooperation at
    the regional and international levels, and are expected to sign a string of
    bilateral agreements aimed at bolstering economic, educational, and cultural
    co-operation between the two states.
    This is President Khatami's first ever visit to Azerbaijan, Iran's crucial
    strategic neighbor.
    The most important issues on the agenda will be regional security and
    disputed
    territorial rights over the oil-rich landlocked Caspian Sea.
    Although Azerbaijan and Iran's shared border runs across important oil
    reserves, the two countries share more than just a frontier.
    Nearly 20% of Iran's population are ethnic Azeris and Shia Islam is the
    dominant religion in both countries. Nevertheless, past relations have been
    frosty.
    Tehran has expressed concern over Baku's pro-Western stance, with Azerbaijan
    America's ally in the "war on terror" and Washington backing the Baku-Ceyhan
    pipeline project in the region.
    For its part, Baku is worried about the possible spread of Islamic
    fundamentalism in Azerbaijan.
    Thus, few expect President Khatami's visit to bring major changes, although
    analysts say any co-operation with Iran is important for the security of this
    extremely fragile region.
    The two presidents are expected to issue separate joint statements on
    political issues and that of the Caspian Sea at the end of their meeting to be
    held later on in the day.


    4) Jordan's Prince Hassan Extends His Support to Catholicos Aram I

    (Combined Sources)--On Tuesday, August 3, His Highness Prince Hassan Bin Talal
    of Jordan--uncle of King Abdullah and brother of the deceased King
    Hussein--extended his condolences and support to His Holiness Aram I,
    Catholicos of all Armenians of Cilicia, on the eve of the brutal church
    bombings that rocked Iraq over the weekend.
    In his letter, Prince Hassan noted, "The destruction of God's homes disturbed
    us all. The mischievous acts targeted not only Iraq, but also every single one
    of us. May God grant peace unto the souls of the innocent victims and
    immediate
    physical and spiritual recovery to the injured."
    Prince Hassan also stated that he stood in solidarity with the Catholicos's
    persistent efforts to build understanding amongst the Christian and Muslim
    peoples through peaceful and productive dialogue.
    Prince Hassan, who paid a visit to Aram Catholicos only two weeks ago, is
    scheduled to lecture on Christian-Muslim relations at the Antelias Seminar
    sometime during the upcoming weeks.


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