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06/21/2005
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1) Debate Arises Between Armenian, Azeri Delegations at IUSY Meeting
2) Turkey Working to Release Scholar Arrested for Stealing Historic Armenian
Books
3) President Kocharian on His Way to CSTO Collective Security Council Meeting
4) Gasparian Explains Rules of Negotiating to Azeris
1) Debate Arises Between Armenian, Azeri Delegations at IUSY Meeting
ISTANBUL (ARF Youth Office)–A heated argument erupted between an Armenian and
Azeri delegate at the International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY) conference
in Istanbul, Turkey, which took place June 16-19. Among the many issues
addressed were the conditions and rights of minorities in various countries.
Referring to Armenians as one-time minorities in Azerbaijan until the
Karabagh
war, the Azeri delegate drew a quick response from the Armenian delegate,
Armenian Youth Federation’s representative Zinavor Meghryan, who pointed to
Mountainous Karabagh Republic’s (MKR) independent status, and explained the
long struggle towards independence.
He stressed Karabagh’s status as an independent state that sought liberation
through democratic means, but as a consequence of Azerbaijan’s aggression, was
compelled to defend itself.
The Azeri delegate shot back claiming that the Karabagh movement was
driven by
Armenia’s desire to occupy territory and that MKR is not officially recognized
by the international community.
Meghryan then suggested the Azeri review history to learn about how Karabagh
was historically forced to become part of Azerbaijan. The Armenians living in
Karabagh, he explained, were simply expressing their right to freedom and
self-determination, and could never be considered a part of Azerbaijan’s
minority.
As the debate intensified, the meeting’s president announced a coffee break,
and suggested the two continue their impassioned exchange during the next
day’s
session.
After the break, the Kurdish delegation from Turkey raised the issue of human
rights violations towards Kurds in Turkey. Once again, a heated discussion
ensued, this time between the Turks and the Kurds.
Finally, the meeting’s president IUSY General Secretary Enzo Amentolan,
attempted to end the back and forth banter with his own presentation, calling
for open discussion on the abuse of Kurdish rights and possible resolution
through dialogue. Yet another coffee break was announced.
The IUSY is a fraternal organization of the Socialist International. IUSY
membership includes 143 socialist, social-democratic, labor youth and student
unions from 100 countries.
The AYF is a full-fledged IUSY member. Additional information on IUSY and the
Black Sea Area Cooperation conference is available at
<;
2) Turkey Working to Release Scholar Arrested for Stealing Historic Armenian
Books
ANKARA (Combined Sources)–Turkey’s Foreign Affairs Ministry is working to
release a Turkish student who was arrested on June 17 on charges of attempting
to smuggle historic Armenian books out of the country. According to
Turkish-based newspaper Milliyet, Turkey is arranging for the release of
Yeftan
Turkyilmaz through its Embassy in Tbilisi, Georgia.
Turkyilmaz, who became last month the first Turkish historian who sought and
was given access to the Armenian National Archive, was arrested at Yerevan’s
Zvartnots Airport as he was about to board a plane bound for Istanbul.
According to the National Security Service (NSS), he carried undeclared
Armenian-language books about history, religion, and geography published from
the 17th to 19th centuries.
The security agency described them as “literature of high historical and
cultural value.” Under Armenian law, such items can not be taken out of the
country without permission from the Ministry of Culture.
Turkyilmaz, who spent more than one month in Armenia, was charged under an
article of the Armenian Criminal Code that carries heavy fines and up to five
years in prison.
A doctoral student at the Duke University in North Carolina, Turkyilmaz said
he is working with documents relating to activities of Turkish, Kurdish, and
Armenian nationalist parties during the final decades of the Ottoman Empire.
It is unclear how the scholar obtained the old books. He was said to be
experiencing financial difficulties and enjoyed discount fees for accessing
archival materials. National Archive director Amatuni Virabian, said he
believes Turkyilmaz did not deliberately break Armenian laws or regulations.
“He showed interest in books and I gave him a few [recently published]
books,”
Virabian said. “But I didn’t know that he bought old books. You can transport
anything except arms and drugs out of Turkey. I guess the guy thought things
are the same here.”
3) President Kocharian on His Way to CSTO Collective Security Council Meeting
MOSCOW (Combined Sources)–Heads of states of the Collective Security Treaty
Organization (CSTO) will be meeting in Moscow on June 23 to discuss priority
trends, international security and security cooperation with other
international organizations, and the abilities of the CSTO to rapidly react to
new challenges and threats.
The CSTO includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and
Tajikistan. The heads of member countries, including Armenian President Robert
Kocharian will also hold a plenary session with the foreign and defense
ministers and the state secretaries of the security councils.
The session will draft and sign a number of documents establishing the legal
basis political and military cooperation between member countries.
Also on the agenda is the adoption of the document, “Collective Rapid
Deployment Forces of the Central Asian Region,” which would create mechanisms
to coordinate CSTO activities in countering new challenges and threats.
4) Gasparian Explains Rules of Negotiating to Azeris
YEREVAN (Combined Sources)–Foreign Affairs Ministry Spokesman Hamlet
Gasparian
shot down claims that the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan
discussed
the opening of roads connecting crucial roads.
According to the Azeri Press, Armenian Foreign ministers Vartan Oskanian and
Azeri counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov discussed last Friday, the possible
opening
of roads connecting Nakhichevan with Azerbaijan through the Syunik region, and
the Lachin highway connecting Armenia with Karabagh.
Denying those reports, Gasparian explained what the negotiation process
entails. “When one side introduces or talks about a topic, any topic, that
does
not mean that it is automatically on the agenda, nor that there is even a
preliminary agreement on that topic.”
“Armenia’s position on these matters is very clear. The primary matter is the
status of Mountainous Karabagh Republic and until there is clarity and
agreement on that matter, it is premature to speak about any other issue,”
said
Gasparian.
Oskanian, meanwhile, described the talks mediated by US, Russian, and French
negotiators as “positive” and “constructive.” He told reporters “Common ground
is in sight.”
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