ANKARA: Turkey Expects Bill Not To Be Brought To French NationalAsse

TURKEY EXPECTS BILL NOT TO BE BROUGHT TO FRENCH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY NEXT LEGISLATION TERM

Anatolian Times, Turkey
May 22 2006

ANKARA – Turkey expects that French draft law which proposes that “any
denial of Armenian genocide shall be considered a crime” will not be
brought again to French National Assembly during next legislation term
and hopes that its proposal on establishment of a joint commission
to investigate the incidents in 1915 will be supported.

Turkish Foreign Ministry released on Thursday a statement after French
National Assembly ended its session on the mentioned draft law without
bringing it to voting today.

The statement recalled that draft law caused several discussions
in France, noting that prominent French historians reacted to the
draft law in principle, so did French Foreign Minister (Philippe
Douste-Blazy) during discussions over the bill at French National
Assembly.

“Turkey expects that the international community including France will
support the proposal it made to Armenia last year regarding creation
of a joint commission comprised of Turkish and Armenian historians
to investigate historical facts regarding 1915 incidents in detail
and disclosure of the results of this research to the world public
opinion,” it added.

ANKARA: Kocak Submits Draft Resolution On Genocide Against AlgerianP

KOCAK SUBMITS DRAFT RESOLUTION ON GENOCIDE AGAINST ALGERIAN PEOPLE

Anatolian Times, Turkey
May 22 2006

ANKARA – Mahmut Kocak, a Justice & Development Party (AKP)
parliamentarian, has presented a draft law to Turkish Parliamentary
Speaker’s Office on Thursday on genocide against Algerian people.

The draft resolution proposes that the acts carried out by French
troops in Algeria shall be accepted as “genocide” and asks that May
8th shall be declared as “commemoration day of Algerian genocide”.

The draft law also proposes that any denial of “this genocide” shall
be considered as a crime.

The draft law describes the inhumane acts which France did in several
Algerian cities on May 8th, 1945 as “genocide”.

The draft resolution asks for punishment of individuals who reject
“genocide” in Algeria, with imprisonment terms and fine.

Kocak told a news conference that reciprocity principle was valid
in international relations, stating that the draft resolution was
prepared to “retaliate” French proposal.

He said Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika also had a request
in this direction.

Last week, Motherland Party (ANAVATAN) parliamentarian Ibrahim Ozdogan
prepared a draft law envisaging 3 years of imprisonment for individuals
who make claims of Armenian genocide.

The draft requests imprisonment terms up to three years for individuals
who allege (through article, picture, or cartoon) that Turks committed
genocide against Armenians.

French parliament ended Thursday’s session on a draft law which
proposes “any denial of Armenian genocide to be considered a crime”
without bringing it to voting.

French parliament sources said that a possible voting on the draft
law would not be held until new legislation term began in October.

Armenia: IPO Planned For ArmRosgazprom

ARMENIA: IPO PLANNED FOR ARMROSGAZPROM

Stratfor
May 22 2006

The Armenian-Russian energy company ArmRosgazprom is planning to hold
an initial public offering (IPO) in 2007-2008 in order to increase
resources for developing the company, ArmRosgazprom’s CEO Karen
Karapetian said May 22. ArmRosgazprom is owned 45 percent by the
Armenian government, 45 percent by Gazprom and 10 percent by Russian
private firm Itera. Karapetian said that Itera might sell its stake
in the company. Gazprom has stated that it is planning to increase
its shares in the company.

Turkey Can’t Bully History

TURKEY CAN’T BULLY HISTORY

The Chronicle Herald, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
May 22 2006

1.html

WHY would you resettle hundreds of thousands of people in a desert,
without providing for their basic needs – unless you meant to murder
them?

How could up to 1.5 million people of a single nationality – or even
500,000, if one accepts the current Turkish government’s figures – lose
their lives simply due to “civil unrest,” as Turkey now tries to claim?

The answer, as historians from countries around the world have
documented – with evidence that is simply overwhelming – is that the
Ottoman governments ruling Turkey during and just after the First
World War set out to exterminate Armenians as a people.

The Armenian genocide – or Armenian Holocaust, as it’s also known
– became an international scandal when news of massacres and mass
starvations of Christian Armenians inflicted by Muslim Turks in the
tottering, war-ravaged Ottoman Empire first hit Western newsstands in
1915. That Turkey continues to deny the magnitude of the slaughter,
or the full complicity of the country’s former governments in the
mass killings, remains a scandal today.

More than denial, in fact. For Turkey actively, and shamefully,
continues to attack anyone who speaks the truth about what happened
to the Armenians more than nine decades ago. After Canadian Prime
Minister Stephen Harper issued a statement last month commemorating
a sombre anniversary, the beginning of the genocide in 1915, Turkey
recalled its ambassador to this country for consultations, and warned
that Canadian-Turkish relations could be seriously damaged. It did
the same to France, where lawmakers are set to pass a law making it a
crime – punishable by five years in prison or a fine of 45,000 euros –
to deny the existence of the Armenian genocide, similar to a current
law on the books there referring to the Nazi Holocaust of about six
million Jews during the Second World War.

Turkey has criminally prosecuted its own countrymen for saying the
genocide ever happened.

The Turks, however, cannot bully history. Dozens of countries –
including Canada and France – have officially recognized the Armenian
genocide. Those responsible were indicted by the international
community for crimes at the end of the war. Many were tried in absentia
and found guilty.

And although it is not a formal requirement, several EU officials
have stated that Turkey’s pending membership in the European Union
may depend upon that country finally acknowledging what most of the
world already knows to be true – the Armenian genocide, at the hands of
the Turks. Turkey’s continued defiance of history, and world opinion,
is a road leading nowhere but upon itself.

Mr. Harper did the right thing in acknowledging what historians note
was the 20th century’s first holocaust. Turkey’s butchering of the
Armenians – whose pre-war population of some two million people
was reportedly reduced by three-quarters – eventually led to the
international community’s decision to set up an independent Armenia,
which, to this day, faces a completely closed border along its Turkish
frontier. If Turkey wishes to move ahead in its relations with other
countries, it should acknowledge what is one of the darkest stains
in its history.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/Editorial/50321

Vladimir Kazimirov: Back Discussions And Debates,Not Disgraceful Com

VLADIMIR KAZIMIROV: BACK DISCUSSIONS AND DEBATES, NOT DISGRACEFUL COMMENTS
Tatul Hakobyan

“Radiolur”
22.05.2006 17:25

May 20 the Pyotor Burdikin, Russian Charge d’Affair in Baku, was
called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan. Deputy
Foreign Minister Khalif Khalifov expressed his complaint over
“the latest intentional statements” of Vladimir Kazimirov, Former
Russian Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group on the Karabakh conflict,
Head of the Foreign Relations Department of the Presidents Office
Novruz Mamedov said at a briefing today. He called attention to ”
Kazmirov’s statements about the Presidnet of Azerbaijan, which are
far from being diplomatic.” Particularly, the question refers to
Kazimirov’s statement that Aliev’s “military rhetoric distorts the
moral foundations of the society, exerts pressure over the psychology
of the young generation.” “Such statements about the leader of a
country are not permissible and exceed the limit of diplomatic ethics,”
Mamedov complains.

As it is known, May 17-19 the former Russian Co-Chair of the OSCE
Minsk Group Valdimir Kazimirov was in Yerevan to participate in the
scientific conference on “The dialogue of Civilizations” organized
by the World Armenian Congress.

Commenting upon the response from Baku, Vladimir Kazimirov said in his
interview to “Radiolur” correspondent, “The question has two faces:
first, since 2000 I have been a resigned diplomat and whatever I
say, I express my personal opinion, which has nothing to do with the
opinion of official Moscow.

Secondly, the reporter of “Panarmenian” Agency was not recording
the interview, but was working with a pencil. When the material was
issued, I asked to withdraw it from the website since the reporter
had understood many things incorrectly.”

Kazimirov refused to comment on the complaints of Baku. “It is a
question, which does not concern me and should be addreesed to Baku. I
back discussions and debates and I oppose making disgraceful comments,
This is all I can say.”

NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative To Arrive In Armenia

NATO SECRETARY GENERAL’S SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE TO ARRIVE IN ARMENIA

ArmRadio.am
22.05.2006 11:05

NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for South Caucasus and
Central Asia Robert Simmons will arrive today in Armenia. During the
two-day visit he is scheduled to meet RA President, Prime minister,
NA Vice-Chairman Tigran Torosyan, Deputy Foreign Minister Arman
Kirakosyan and other officials.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Religious Leaders Of The Three South Caucasian Countries To Meet InM

RELIGIOUS LEADERS OF THE THREE SOUTH CAUCASIAN COUNTRIES TO MEET IN MOSCOW

ArmRadio.am
22.05.2006 11:30

July 4-5 the Catolicos of All Armenians Garegin II will participate
in the international conference of interreligious dialogue to be held
in Moscow under the auspice of the Patriarch of All Russians Aleksi II.

Press Service of the Mother Sea of Holy Ecmiadzin informs that
it is possible that the religious leaders of Armenia, Georgia and
Azerbaijan will be suggested to have a meeting. The Armenian side
is ready t discuss issues of peaceful coexistence in the region with
the religious leaders of other South Caucasian countries.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Weather In Sochi Allows Carrying Out The Search Works WithoutInterru

WEATHER IN SOCHI ALLOWS CARRYING OUT THE SEARCH WORKS WITHOUT INTERRUPTION

ArmRadio.am
22.05.2006 12:10

The weather at the site of search of the black boxes of the crashed
A-320 improved, and the works continue all day long, one of the
participants of the search works told RIA Novosti.

“If before we had to suspend the search works in the afternoon because
of strong wind, then now the weather allows to carry out the works
all day long,” the rescuer said.

He noted that the participants of the operation have been divided
into three groups, which will allow to carry out the deepwater works
without interruption.

Governmental Delegation Of Moscow To Arrive In Armenia On May 25

GOVERNMENTAL DELEGATION OF MOSCOW TO ARRIVE IN ARMENIA ON MAY 25

ArmRadio.am
22.05.2006 12:30

May 25 the governmental delegation of Moscow will arrive in Yerevan
to hold the second sitting of the Cooperation Commission of Moscow
and RA Government.

The Russian delegation is leaded by Head of Moscow Central
Administrative Unit, Co-Chair of the Commission Sergey Baydakov.

The sitting will take place at RA Government and will be presided
over by Sergey Baydakov and Armenian Co-Chair of the Commission,
Head of the Moscow Representation in Yerevan Makar Nahapetyan.

The process of accomplishment of the decisions taken during the
previous sitting will be discussed. Reference will be made to the
further steps and programs directed at the development of cooperation
between Moscow and RA Government.

In the framework of the three-day visit the Moscow delegation will
have meetings with RA Minister of Territorial Administration Hovik
Abrahamyan and the Mayor of Yerevan Yervand Zakharyan.

Armenian Sportsmen To Participate In World Youth Weight-LiftingChamp

ARMENIAN SPORTSMEN TO PARTICIPATE IN WORLD YOUTH WEIGHT-LIFTING CHAMPIONSHIP TO BE HELD IN CHINA

ArmRadio.am
22.05.2006 12:39

Two Armenian sportsmen – Araik Mirzoyan from Baghramyan and Aghvan
Melikyan from Gyumri will participate in the World Youth Weight-Lifting
Championship to be held May 25-June 2 in China. The trainer of the
team is Olympic Champion Ogsen Mirzoyan.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress