OFFICE OF THE NAGORNO KARABAKH REPUBLIC IN THE USA Artsakh Newsletter VOLUME 6, No. 1 September 2003 - January 2004 NKR PRESIDENT VISITS ARMENIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES, RAISES FUNDS FOR STRATEGIC NORTH-SOUTH HIGHWAY President Arkady Ghoukasian visited Arme- INSIDE THIS ISSUE: nian communities in the United States twice last year, October 23-November 3 and Novem- President of Meets ber 25-29. The purpose of the visits was to Newly-Elected Azeri President…. 2 promote the efforts of the Armenia Fund in Situation on the Line of Contact… 3 raising funds for two critically important pro- jects in Nagorno Karabakh: the new state-of- Foreign Ministry Refutes ’s the-art Polyclinic and Diagnostic Center in Ste- False Allegations………….…….. 3 panakert and the strategic North-South High- 2003 Economic Data…………… 3 way. The construction of the $2 million Poly- NKR Foreign Ministry Releases clinic has already begun and during the visit Informational CD-ROM…………. 4 the remaining $400,000 were raised at an October 24 event in New York City. The Poly-

clinic will include a Diagnostic Center to han- EXCLUSIVE OFFER TO OUR READERS At the State House reception honoring President Ghoukasian dle advanced medical testing and analyses and the First Lady in San Francisco. (From left to right: DONATE $100 TO THE NKR Assistant Speaker pro Tempore, Assemblyman Leland Yee, for the entire hospital complex. The North- OFFICE AND RECEIVE President Arkady Ghoukasian, Yee’s assistant Sevag South “backbone” Highway is 105 miles long

“Welcome to Nagorno Karabakh“ Sarkissian and the First Lady Inna Ghoukasian.) and when finished will link over one hundred informational CD-ROM towns and villages in the five provinces of Na- gorno Karabakh with its capital Stepanakert. The project has a critical strategic and economic SEE LAST PAGE FOR DETAILS importance for Artsakh and Armenia. The overall cost of the project is $25 million. Nearly half

CD-ROM IS PRODUCED BY THE NKR of the highway has already been completed. FOREIGN MINISTRY AND PUBLISHED BY (Continued on page 2) THE NKR OFFICE IN THE USA

PLEASE, MAIL YOUR CHECKS PAYABLE TO THE “NKR OFFICE” NAGORNO KARABAKH CELEBRATES INDEPENDENCE DAY WITH A NOTE: “CD-ROM REQUEST” TO September 2nd marked the 12th anniversary of Nagorno Kara- THE ADDRESS BELOW bakh’s independence. In a speech, celebrating the occasion, Presi- dent Arkady Ghoukasian said that improving the living conditions of the people, especially in the villages, remains his government’s top The ARTSAKH NEWSLETTER is priority. In order to achieve this goal, Ghoukasian said, the govern- a publication of the ment is encouraging investments in the agricultural sphere, providing NKR Office in the USA, incentives to local farmers to expand their businesses, and exploring the official representation of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in the ways to export their production abroad. The President noted Na- United States gorno Karabakh’s significant economic growth of the past several years and said ’s hopes to suffocate Nagorno Karabakh NKR OFFICE IN THE USA economically have failed. He underscored his government’s policy to 122 C St., NW Suite 360 Washington, DC 20001 continue strengthening the armed forces, as they remain the only tan- Tel: (202) 347-5166 gible security guarantee. “No one can take away from us our hard- Fax: (202) 347-5168 fought freedom and independence!” Ghoukasian said. E-mail: [email protected] U.S. Congressmen Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R- NKR Defense Army Honor Guard Web: www.nkrusa.org MI), the two Co-chairmen of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian

THIS MATERIAL IS DISTRIBUTED BY Issues, sent a congratulatory letter to the people of Artsakh. “On this September 2, we salute THE OFFICE OF THE NAGORNO KARA- BAKH REPUBLIC IN THE USA ON BE- your formidable spirit and congratulate you on this Independence Day. With [the] historic Decla- HALF OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE ration [of Independence], the courageous people of Artsakh expressed their determination to live NAGORNO KARABAKH REPUBLIC. THE OFFICE IS REGISTERED WITH THE U.S. in freedom and be masters of their own destiny. Nagorno Karabakh has proved to be a serious GOVERNMENT UNDER THE FOREIGN and reliable partner of the international community. Your contribution to peace and stability in AGENT REGISTRATION ACT. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS the strategic South Caucasus region is critical and deeply appreciated. Once again, we assure AVAILABLE AT THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, you of our strong commitment to Nagorno Karabakh’s security and development,” the letter said WASHINGTON, D.C. in part. The Co-Chairmen also praised Nagorno Karabakh’s leadership for its determination and efforts in strengthening the country’s democratic institutions and market economy. Artsakh Newsletter VOLUME 6, No. 1 Page 2 NKR PRESIDENT’S VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES

(Continued from page 1) Stepanakert’s Ghoukasian also met with the leaders of major Armenian- position on re- American organizations, the Armenian Church, and prominent fig- solving the Na- ures in the Armenian communities of New York, Philadelphia, gorno Karabakh Fresno, Sacramento, San Francisco and Los Angeles. He also met conflict. He also with the leadership of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation met with experts (Dashnaktsutyun), Ramkavar Azatakan and Social Democratic at the New Hunchakian parties. The President briefed the Armenian commu- York-based nity on the political and economic situation in Nagorno Karabakh, Council on For- highlighting the successes of the recent years in bringing much- eign Relations. needed foreign investments to Artsakh. Ghoukasian also ad- During At the Armenian Assembly’s Annual Gala in Palm Springs, dressed the participants of the Armenian Assembly of America’s CA. (Left to right: Consul General of Armenia in Los Angeles the All-Armenia Gala in Palm Springs, CA thanking the organization for advanc- Gagik Kirakossian, his wife Marina Susanian, First Lady Inna Hayastan Fund’s ing the interests of Armenia and Artsakh in the United States. Ghoukasian, President Arkady Ghoukasian, NKR Deputy Thanksgiving During the visits, President Ghoukasian met with U.S. Con- Representative Sarkis Kotanjian and Executive Director of All- Day Telethon Armenia “Hayastan” Fund Naira Melkumian.) gressmen Frank Pallone (D-NJ) in New York, George Radanovich held November (R-CA) and Devin Nunes (R-CA) in Fresno, thanking them for the U. 27, a record-breaking $6.1 million was raised from Armenians S. Congress’ continued funding of humanitarian programs in Na- around the world, with the bulk of the funds going to the comple- gorno Karabakh, which contribute greatly to its post-war recon- tion of the North-South Highway. Among the top contributors this struction. Ghoukasian visited the California State Assembly, year were Mrs. Louise Manoogian Simone and Mr. Albert Boya- meeting with Speakers’ Chief of Staff, as Speaker Herb Wesson jian, who donated $1 million each, Mr. Gerard Cafesjian, who was traveling at the time. In San Francisco, California Assistant gave $500,000 and Russian businessman Ara Abrahamian, who Speaker pro Tempore, Assemblyman Leland Yee accompanied brought in $200,000 on behalf of the -based Armenian Ghoukasian to the Mount Davidson Cross, where they laid a World Congress. This year, Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh wreath in memory of the one and a half million innocent Armeni- contributed a record figure of $720,000, which is an significant ans, who perished in the Armenian Genocide. amount given their economic hardship. The Armenians of Euro- Ghoukasian held editorial board meetings with the Los Ange- pean countries contributed some $900,000. In order to complete les Times and the Boston Globe newspapers, briefing foreign edi- the highway an additional $7 million is needed. tors on recent developments in the South Caucasus and presenting

PRESIDENT OF ARMENIA MEETS ILHAM ALIYEV, DISCUSSES KARABAKH The Presi- came close to reaching a peace deal, fol- of the Group, Yuri Merzlyakov traveled to dents of Ar- lowing the Key West, Florida talks in Stepanakert in September to clarify the menia and 2001, but Heydar Aliyev backed off at position of the Nagorno Karabakh side. Azerbaijan, the last minute citing domestic political Nagorno Karabakh officials stressed the Robert Ko- pressure, a move that, in effect, stalled the importance of resumption of negotiations, charian and peace process. with Stepanakert sitting at the table, Ilham Aliyev At a press conference following the alongside Yerevan and Baku. Merzlyakov met Decem- one-on-one meeting, Kocharian and Aliyev also traveled to Yerevan and Baku. On President of Armenia Robert Kocharian and Ilham Aliyev. ber 11 in summed up their encounter as an October 21, President Arkady Ghou- Geneva to “exchange of opinions” on how best to kasian met with the then OSCE Chairman- discuss the stalled Nagorno Karabakh proceed with the peace process mediated in-Office, the Minister of Foreign Affairs peace process. While there were no by the Organization for Security and Co- of the Netherlands, Jaap de Hoop Schef- breakthroughs, it was the two presidents’ operation in Europe’s (OSCE) Minsk fer in Yerevan, briefing him on the current first such meeting. The newly-elected Group. Reportedly, no peace plan was political situation in the region and offer- Azerbaijani President has cemented the discussed during the meeting. In his com- ing Stepanakert’s perspective on the ne- Aliyev clan’s hold on power in an election ments the Armenian Foreign Minister Var- gotiations process. While in Yerevan, that foreign observers called undemo- dan Oskanian called the meeting “useful” Ghoukasian also met with the European cratic. It was the first dynastic transfer of but said it had no concrete results. “We Union’s Special Representative for the power from father to son in the countries are still not sure whether Azerbaijan will South Caucasus Heikki Talvitie, who, a day of the former Soviet Union. Kocharian met continue the talks from the point where later at a press conference, called Ghou- with Aliyev’s late father, Heydar, more they stopped or would like to start every- kasian “a central figure in the region”. On than two dozen times, beginning 1999, in thing from scratch,” said Oskanian. November 8, Ghoukasian also met in Paris a process that brought the sides The meeting followed separate con- with the French Co-Chairman of the OSCE “significantly close to the final solution of sultations of the OSCE Minsk Group Co- Minsk Group, Henri Jacolin. the conflict” in the words of the American, Chairmen with the Presidents of Armenia, All three OSCE Minsk Group Co- French and Russian Co-Chairmen of the Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan. The Chairman visited the region in early De- OSCE Minsk Group. The two presidents recently appointed Russian Co-Chairman (Continued on page 3) Artsakh Newsletter VOLUME 6, No. 1 Page 3 PRESIDENT OF ARMENIA MEETS NEWLY-ELECTED ILHAM ALIYEV, DISCUSSES KARABAKH

(Continued from page 2) thorities of Nagorno Karabakh, as it im- to liberate its territories at any time and cember, ar- pedes rapprochement among the parties with any means,” he declared on January riving in Ste- to the conflict. At the press conference 20th in Baku. The mediators and the U.S. panakert following the meeting, the Russian Co- administration have criticized similar state- December 7. Chairman stated that “Nagorno Kara- ments in the past. In a January 23 inter- They held a bakh is a side in the conflict and this can- view with Paris-based Figaro newspaper, meeting with not be denied.” Ghoukasian said that the Aliyev also said “Azerbaijan will never President mediators did not bring any new propos- agree to Nagorno Karabakh’s independ- Ghoukasian, als but rather some new ideas, which are ence or its unification with Armenia.” Re- Family photo of Ilham Aliyev Foreign Min- not yet thoroughly defined. action from Stepanakert was swift and with his late father, Heydar ister Ashot Aliyev made several statements in direct: “The people of Nagorno Karabakh Aliyev, from whom he inherited the post of the President of Ghoulian January characterizing the activity of the definitely do not see their future within Azerbaijan. and Defense OSCE Minsk Group as “unsuccessful” and Azerbaijan,” said Foreign Minister Ghou- Minister Sey- demanding that the mediators come up lian, adding that the independent status of ran Ohanian. “For us, the negotiation is with new peace proposals. At the same Nagorno Karabakh was lawfully affirmed not a goal by itself, but rather a means of time he indicated an apparent toughening during the December 1991 national refer- achieving a final settlement of the conflict, of Baku’s position, saying that he didn’t endum. “This should be the basis for de- in which Nagorno Karabakh is critically exclude waging a second war to take fining Nagorno Karabakh’s legal status in interested”, said Ghoukasian. He added Nagorno Karabakh under Azerbaijan’s any peace agreement,” concluded Ghou- that it was very important that Azerbaijan control. “We will not put up with the cur- lian. cease its smear campaign against the au- rent situation. Azerbaijan has a full right Two Azeri Citizens Cross the Line of Contact The situation on the Line of Contact has remained relatively granted free access to the detainees, who were later returned to calm during last five months with the exception of two incidents, the Azerbaijani side. in which two Azerbaijani citizens crossed the Line of Contact. Six OSCE monitoring visits took place during this period. One of them, Alsafa Abdulkerimov, a shepherd, apparently got Two of them occurred in Mardakert province (October 24 and lost near his village and ended up on Nagorno Karabakh’s terri- November 28), two near Agdam (September 11 and January 8) tory on September 13. Later, Asif Bayramov, an Azerbaijani and two more in Fizuli (November 11 and January 22). During army servicemen, deserted his military unit on September 26, the monitoring sessions the Azerbaijani side did not allow OSCE escaping what he described as “regular beatings” he received monitors to access its outposts on the frontline, breaking the pre- from his commanding officers, got lost in the fog and accidentally viously reached agreements. No cease-fire violations were re- crossed the frontline. The military patrol of the NKR Defense ported during the monitoring sessions. Representatives of the Army detained both Azeris. The Stepanakert missions of the In- NKR Ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs accompanied the ternational Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Organi- OSCE officials. zation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) were NKR FOREIGN MINISTRY: “AZERBAIJAN’S ALLEGATIONS UNFOUNDED” December 10, Stepanakert. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of “guaranteeing unfettered access to all territories under its control the Nagorno Karabakh Republic issued a statement reacting to a to investigate the matter” and reveal the false nature of Baku’s new wave in Azerbaijan’s smear campaign against Stepanakert. allegations. The statement underscored that the U.S. Depart- The statement refutes Azerbaijani senior officials’ allegations that ment’s 2003 Narcotics Control Strategy Report indicates that it is Nagorno Karabakh is an uncontrolled “gray zone” that hosts in- the territory of Azerbaijan that has become one of the major ternational terrorists and is involved in drug-trafficking. It said in routes of drug trafficking in the world. The MFA’s statement also part, “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that the authorities of mentions that beginning in early 1990s, Azerbaijan hosted a the Nagorno Karabakh Republic are responsible for the situation number of Muslim terrorist groups on its territory that provided in the NKR and the territories under its control. The Official support to Azerbaijan in its war against Nagorno Karabakh. Baku’s accusations are part of an elaborate campaign aimed to Indeed, in 1993, thousands of Islamic mujaheddin from Afghani- discredit Nagorno Karabakh and damage the country’s interna- stan and other countries fought alongside Azerbaijani conscripts tional image.” The Foreign Ministry repeated its appeal to the on the frontlines of Karabakh. Considerable evidence - identifi- United Nations, Council of Europe, the OSCE, and to the U.S. cation papers, letters and other documents confiscated from cap- State Department to send fact-finding missions to Karabakh tured or killed mujaheddin, substantiates the report. Nagorno Karabakh’s Industrial Output Grew 39% in 2003 According to the National Statistics Service, the industrial output of Nagorno Karabakh grew 39% in 2003, reaching $20.2 million. The processing industry share is 66%, while that of the newly established copper and gold mining business was 10% of the total industrial output. At the same time, the private sector produced 67% of all industrial output. Industrial growth was registered at 18% in Stepanakert, 22% in Askeran province, 21% in Hadrut province, 520% in Mardakert province, 260% in Martuni province and 40% in Shushi province. As a result, 352 new jobs were created in the industrial sector alone.