ASBAREZ ONLINE [09-28-2004]

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09/28/2004
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) The New Turkish Penal Code to Criminalize Recognition of Armenian Genocide 2) Armenian Caucus Puts Spot Light on Azeri Rhetoric 3) French Foreign Minister Adds Weight to Turkey Referendum Recall 4) No Deals Announced after Fresh Turkish-Armenian Talks 5) Novelist Paulo Coelho to Visit Armenia 1) The New Turkish Penal Code to Criminalize Recognition of Armenian Genocide European Armenian Federation calls on European Commission to end silence BRUSSELS--Following recent attempts to criminalize adultery in the country, the Turkish government bowed to European Union demands last Sunday and passed the country's penal code, without the law on adultery; it did, however, manage to place several articles in its provisional penal code that threaten freedom of speech. For example, Article 306 of the new Code would punish up to 15 years individual Turkish citizens or groups "Acting against the fundamental national interests for directly or indirectly receiving benefits from foreign persons or institutions." According to the Explanatory Note of this article, written by the Parliamentary Committee of Justice, a citizen who demands the withdrawal of Turkish soldiers from Cyprus or declares that the Armenian genocide actually took place during the First World War, can be pursued by virtue of this article. In its condemnation of the article, the European Armenian Federation writes, "This provision threatens authors with jail sentences over statements that are construed by government officials to undermine Turkish "national interests." Examples of so-called offensive statements listed in the provisional law include, "The Turkish Army must withdraw from Cyprus," and "Armenians endured a genocide during the Ottoman era." Some parliamentarians introduced an amendment, which would mandate sanctions against authors and individuals, if determined that their statements are motivated by "material interests." The provision gives no legal justification for the law, the Federation explained, which remains fundamentally incompatible with the European values of free expression. The European Commission scarcely reacted when the Turkish Ministry of Education brought genocide denial into the classroom, by institutionalizing it in the curriculum. A coalition of European NGOs expressed its concern about the denialist curriculum and called for the suspension of EC grants to the Turkish educational system. The European Parliament also expressed its concern in the Oostlander report on the Turkish application for EU membership. "Today, far from repenting for the Genocide, Turkey now wants to include denial of this crime in its penal code. Clearly, the indifference of the European Commission is partially responsible for the hardening of the Turkish position on this issue," said the Chairperson of the European Armenian Federation Hilda Tchoboian. "Prime Minister Erdogan's about-face on the adultery issue will simply be a media ploy if Europe does not demand that Ankara grant full freedom of speech to its citizens. We call on political parties, governments, and human rights organizations to urge the European Commission to call for justice for the Armenian Genocide. It is unthinkable that the Commission would not consider Turkey's denialist position a key obstacle to the initiation of preliminary talks," added Tchoboian. "Whether they are in favor of a European Turkey, or whether they are against its accession, the Union's democrats cannot tolerate these attacks on the freedom of press and thought that have free reign in Turkey. It is time for the European Union to call on Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide," concluded Federation's chairperson. 2) Armenian Caucus Puts Spot Light on Azeri Rhetoric -- Co-Chairmen Urge 141 Members of Caucus to Voice their Concerns in a letter to President Bush WASHINGTON, DC (ANCA)--Congressmen Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and Frank Pallone (D-NJ) this week called on their colleagues in the Armenian Caucus to ask President Bush to publicly condemn Azerbaijan's war rhetoric and other increasingly bellicose remarks against the Republic of Armenia and Mountainous Karabagh. In a "Dear Colleague" letter circulated this week, the Caucus Co-chairs documented a series of violent threats on the part of senior Azerbaijan leaders. Citing the dangers of remaining silent in the face of such angry rhetoric, they urged their House colleagues to "join us in signing the attached letter to the President urging him and the Administration to condemn these remarks and call upon the government of Azerbaijan to desist in making any further threats against Armenia and Karabagh." The letter to President Bush stresses that, "efforts to reinforce stability and reduce the risk of conflict are in the best interests of the United States and the region." 3) French Foreign Minister Adds Weight to Turkey Referendum Recall PARIS (EUobserver.com)--French foreign minister Michel Barnier has added his weight to calls for a referendum on Turkey's entry into the EU. Speaking on September 27, Barnier said, "When it comes to such an important decision, in my personal opinion, it should be put... to a referendum when the time comes." This follows similar calls from French finance minister Nicolas Sarkozy--seen as a challenger to Jacques Chirac for the presidency--who told LCI television on Sunday that Turkey will not join the European Union for at least 15 years and could only do so once France had held a referendum on the issue. Barnier recalled a precedent, saying, "we did it for the UK," regarding a referendum on the entry of the UK, Ireland, and Denmark in 1972, where France voted to allow these three countries to join the bloc by a two-thirds majority. But polls show that similar support is not forthcoming for Turkey's admission. A survey in Le Figaro showed that just over 36% French people are in favor of Turkey joining the EU but over 56% are against. Despite this, 63% say they would be prepared to accept Turkey as a member if it makes the necessary efforts. UP TO YOU The Commission has declared that the organization of a referendum on Ankara's EU membership is a matter for member states. Commission spokesman Reijo Kemppinen said, "If a member state wants to organize a referendum, on whatever subject, this is up to its own discretion. We have no comment on it." The Brussels executive will release its report--widely expected to be positive--on October 6. Member States will then decide definitively in December whether to open negotiations. 4) No Deals Announced after Fresh Turkish-Armenian Talks YEREVAN (RFE-RL)--The foreign ministers of Armenia and Turkey announced no further progress towards the normalization of relations between the two neighboring states following fresh talks in New York late on Monday. A brief statement by the Armenian Foreign Ministry said Vartan Oskanian and his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul, "explored bilateral issues as well as regional concerns" during the meeting held on the sidelines of the ongoing session of the UN General Assembly. There was no word on whether any agreements were reached by them. Oskanian's spokesman, Hamlet Gasparian, said that the two men again discussed a possible reopening of the Turkish-Armenian border which Ankara has kept closed since 1993 out of solidarity with Azerbaijan. "The issue of opening borders is always discussed at meetings with Gul," he said. Gasparian did not give any details of that discussion, referring all inquiries to Oskanian. He also confirmed that the unresolved Mountainous Karabagh conflict was on the agenda of the talks. It was the fourth meeting between the two foreign ministers since June 2003. Oskanian declared after the previous talks held in Istanbul in June that Turkey is "sincere" in its desire to normalize ties with Armenia. The Karabagh conflict has until now been the key obstacle to improved Turkish-Armenian relations, with successive Turkish governments refusing to reopen the border before its resolution. One of Oskanian's deputies, Ruben Shugarian, said earlier this month that Karabagh is no longer the main Turkish precondition for the lifting of Armenia's blockade. While in New York, Oskanian also met with US Undersecretary of State Mark Grossman and Steven Mann, Washington's top Karabagh negotiator. The meetings followed the launch of what appears to be a new Karabagh peace initiative by the US, Russian, and French mediators. 5) Novelist Paulo Coelho to Visit Armenia YEREVAN--At the invitation of the Hamazkayin cultural organization, influential novelist Paulo Coelho will visit Armenia on October 4. Coelho will be accompanied by Brazilian journalist Ruth De Aquino and Aztag Daily Newspaper editor Khatchig Mouradian. During his visit, the world-renowned novelist will lecture at the Yerevan State University, meet with Armenian writers and artists, and participate in the October 6 Hamazkayin-organized ceremony, which will mark the publication of the first Armenian-language translation of "The Alchemist." In an October 2003 interview with Coelho, Aztag's Mouradian asked the author if he loses "faith in mankind when you come face to face with the facts of such atrocities [as the Jewish Holocaust and Armenian genocide]?" to which he responded: "Three days before receiving this interview, I was talking to my driver in Paris, who happens to be Armenian, that I wish to go and visit his country. I am fully aware of the genocide, of the Armenian diaspora, and I want to know--and to share--the situation of Armenia now. He is sending me what he considers to be the best books on Armenia, and as soon as I finish, I will probably go with him to his town. As for the faith on humankind, I am part of it, and if I lose faith in myself, I am not worth living. Therefore, instead of blaming an abstraction, I should accept my responsibility, and fight to change what can be changed." All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2004 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets.