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02/10/2005
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Armenian Businessman Denies Turkish Newspaper Report 2) Famous Turkish Author Urges Recognition of Turkish Atrocities 3) Turkey Ignores Armenian Calls for Joint Renovation of Historical Monuments 4) Absenteeism in Armenian Parliament 1) Armenian Businessman Denies Turkish Newspaper Report YEREVAN (Armenpress)--Arsen Ghazarian, the chairman of the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen, denied reports by the Turkish newspaper Zaman that he, along with the head of the Youth Party of Armenia Sarkis Asatrian, met on Wednesday with Ankara Trade Chamber president Sinan Aygun in Ankara. According to Zaman, Aygun told the two Armenians that turning incidents of the past into a blood feud brings no benefit. "Now, Turkey is a democratic country and we have forgotten these incidents,'' he was quoted as saying. But Ghazarian, on Thursday, adamantly denied that a delegation visited Turkey, much less met with Aygun. "The report in Zaman is another concoction of the Turkish press and it is not the first instance when I have to deny its reports. This proves, once again, that one should not take seriously what Turkish newspapers write," he said. Zaman, meanwhile, quoted Asatryan as saying that Armenians do not want anybody to intervene in Turkey-Armenia relations: "Third countries like the United States, France, Azerbaijan, Uruguay, and China should not intervene in relations between Turkey and Armenia." 2) Famous Turkish Author Urges Recognition of Turkish Atrocities ISTANBUL (Combined Sources)--In Turkey's Hurriyet newspaper, renowned Turkish author Orhan Pamuk discussed the necessity to speak truthfully of the massacre of one million Armenians and 30,000 Kurds. "This topic should stop being taboo," Pamuk stressed. He said that though many avoid discussion of the topic, he is ready to speak. "State leaders consider that there is no need to address it, as there is a problem in relations with Armenia… I am not interested in the issue of state relations with Armenia. Many people were annihilated here," he said. In his latest book, Snow, Pamuk deals with the theme of clashes between civilizations and the role of Islam. A young Turk named Kerim Alakusoglu returns to Istanbul for his mother's funeral. In a dangerous political atmosphere, the truth concerning Kerim and the snow-covered old world city of Kars is revealed. Pamuk, one of Turkey's leading novelists, began to write regularly in 1974. Five of his books have been published in English: Beyaz Kale (The White Castle, 1991), Kara Kitap (The Black Book, 1995), Yeni Hayat (New Life, 1997), My Name Is Red (2001), and Snow (2004). His work has been translated into more than twenty languages. Though Pamuk's views have been condemned by various circles in Turkey, Turkish historian Hilal Berktay, praised Pamuk as an honest and decent intellectual for having the courage to address an issue many avoid. Berktay recalls similar criticism when he expressed his views on the Armenian genocide, in 2001. "I think that we must get rid of the taboos that surround the events of 1915," Berktay had written in the French weekly L'Express, adding, "For decades Turkish public opinion has been lulled to sleep by the same lullaby. And yet there are tons of documents proving the sad reality." "As more and more honest and sincere historians and public intellectuals of integrity keep speaking up, this dam will be breached, this dam of silence will be breached...this will be a fundamental dimension of internal democratization of Turkish society," Berktay said. 3) Turkey Ignores Armenian Calls for Joint Renovation of Historical Monuments YEREVAN (Armenpress)--Armenia's Culture Ministry revealed on Wednesday that Turkey has not responded to Armenian initiatives to create a cultural corridor between the medieval Armenian city of Ani (now in Eastern Turkey, close to the Armenian border) and Armenia. Although the idea was put forth in 2001 by various international organizations, including UNESCO, only a verbal agreement has been reached so far. Ani, the ancient, walled capital of the kings from the Bagradit dynasty who ruled Armenia from the 9-11 centuries AD, was in its heyday a millennium ago and a rival to Constantinople, Baghdad, and Cairo. Despite earthquakes and Mongol raids, much of Ani's immense, fortified walls, as well as the city's citadel, caravansary, cathedral, and six churches still stand well preserved, their stone facades a testament to a well-developed level of craftsmanship. Today, Ani is a ghost town, deserted except for the presence of Turkish border guards and the occasional tourists. "Making Ani a cultural center remains a focus of Armenia's foreign policy, as Armenia is firmly committed to improved relations with Turkey; cultural dialogue is one of ways to do this," deputy minister of culture Gagik Gurjian said. The ministry has forwarded to Turkey's cultural ministry, proposals on joint Armenian-American excavations in Akhtamar and Van, and a draft for continuing research; however, both proposals have remained unanswered. According to Gurjian, Turkey has appealed to the European Parliament to provide funding for the restoration of several monuments in Eastern Anatolia, including the ancient Armenian cities of Van and Igdir. If funding is approved, the Armenian ministry would attempt to include Armenian monuments in these regions involved in the project. 4) Absenteeism in Armenian Parliament YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--Widespread absenteeism among fellow lawmakers nearly disrupted the start of the National Assembly's spring session on Wednesday. The 131-member assembly was forced to delay a planned debate by two hours after failing to make a quorum in the morning. It was also largely deserted on Tuesday, even though its electronic voting system indicated the presence of more than 66 deputies. Deputy parliament speaker Vahan Hovhannisian said, "Many deputies have had their sense of responsibility weakened or simply lack it. They just don't come to work." The spring session began on Monday in the absence of parliament speaker Artur Baghdasarian and several other deputies of the Orinats Yerkir Party, who are currently accompanying Baghdasarian on an official visit to several Gulf Arab states and will not be back until Friday. Also contributing to poor attendance is the continuing boycott of parliament sessions by 23 deputies representing the National Assembly's two opposition factions. The Artarutyun bloc and the National Unity Party (AMK) had earlier indicated that they will end the year-long boycott if President Robert Kocharian and his loyal parliament majority accept their proposals on constitutional reform. The presidential camp effectively rejected those conditions last week. "The Artarutyun alliance, therefore, finds its participation in parliament sessions pointless," a spokeswoman for the bloc said. Hovannisian, meanwhile, called for tougher sanctions against absenteeism. The parliament's existing regulations already stipulate that a deputy who fails to take part in most parliament votes during a semi-annual session can be stripped of their mandate. The provision could have been applied to the boycotting parliamentarians; however, the majority has so far avoided enforcing it. 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) 2005 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. --Boundary_(ID_e8477wF7mUdCxUAIGdlscA)--