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06/29/2005
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Lennmarker Report on OSCE Parliamentary Agenda 2) EU Commission Seeks Membership for Turkey 3) Oskanian Keynote Speaker at Haigazian University~Rs 50th Anniversary 4) President Kocharian Meets with Armenia-2020 Program Board Members 5) Spiritual Leader of German Churches Expresses Support for Armenian Genocide Recognition 1) Lennmarker Report on OSCE Parliamentary Agenda Armenian delegation head calls rapportuer~Rs assessments ~Qaccurate, balanced, and healthy.~R COPENHAGEN (Combined Sources)--The OSCE~Rs (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) rapporteur on Mountainous Karabagh is expected to present his report on the Karabagh conflict to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly meeting in Washington, DC, July 1-5. Rapporteur Goren Lennmarker~Rs report proposes that Mountainous Karabagh become a part of Armenia. Nearly three-hundred parliamentarians from the OSCE~Rs fifty-five participating States are expected to debate the issue. The head of Armenia's delegation to OSCE Vahan Hovhannissian stressed that although certain points concerning refugees and seizure of territories have been transferred from previous reports, he called Lennmarker's report, "accurate, balanced, and healthy." Hovhannisian, who is also the Deputy Chairman of the Armenian National Assembly and a member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation~Rs Bureau, will be in Washington for the session. Hovhannisian commended the report on two grounds. He first noted that it provides a fresh perspective, unlike previous reports. "Lennmarker presents MKR's stance on the issue--meaning, he views the conflict not as one between Armenia and Azerbaijan. He accepts MKR as a side to the conflict, and seeks Karabagh's viewpoint and expectations on a resolution." Hovhannisian said Lennmarker's suggestion to join MKR to Armenia is the second vital difference. Hovhannisian also commended Lennmarker's insistence that the fundamental cause of the conflict is MKR's status. "He clearly grasps the fact that Azerbaijan's arguments concerning refugees and seizure of territories are secondary." Lennmarker, nevertheless, opposes both recognition of Mountainous Karabagh Republic and questions its return to Azeri rule, assessing the latter as an "unbearable burden on Azerbaijan." Lennmarker argues that the international community is not ready to accept the possible independence of the many small ethnic populations throughout the South Caucusus, fearing the emergence of secessionist movements throughout the region. Addressing the concerns of the conflicting sides, Lennmarker says that for Armenia, the issue is one of national security, explaining that being subjected to Ottoman, Russian, and Soviet rule has greatly affected its national psyche about security and defenselessness. He says that the fundamental problem for Azerbaijan is the feeling of injustice--that the majority of the country is "occupied," and there exist one million refugees. Lennmarker proposes the formation of a joint commission on truth and reconciliation in order to come up with solutions that satisfy both sides. His report clearly calls for the opening of all borders, as well as third party intervention from countries to ensure the security of both sides, a high-level of democracy, the freedom of movement of citizens, as well as economic integration. Hovhannisian revealed that in opposition to Lennmarker's report, the Azeri delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly has submitted an ~Sineffective~T supplemental resolution that will be reviewed at the upcoming session. The resolution can be placed on agenda only with the approval of the Standing Committee, and the General Committee, which is composed of delegation heads. 2) EU Commission Seeks Membership for Turkey BRUSSELS (Reuters)--The EU's executive Commission reaffirmed on Wednesday that it aims to bring Turkey into the 25-nation bloc, but not before 2014, adopting a draft mandate to start negotiations despite fierce internal and public debate. "The negotiations will be based on Turkey's own merits and the pace will depend on Turkey's progress in meeting the requirements for membership," said a draft negotiating mandate adopted on Wednesday as the basis for accession talks. "The shared objective of the negotiations is accession." The negotiations are scheduled to start on October 3, as agreed last December by EU leaders, provided the bloc's 25 foreign ministers unanimously approve the mandate by then. The document states that negotiations for Turkish European Union membership can only be concluded from 2014, after the bloc's next long-term budget which runs from 2007 to 2013. Growing public skepticism about Turkey's bid, especially in western Europe, was reflected in a tough political debate inside the 25-member EU executive on the terms and timing of the "negotiating framework". EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn was more than two hours late for a news conference to announce that the Commission had adopted the mandate and told reporters: "We had a lengthy, argumentative and also very political debate. Some Commissioners had argued the mandate should contain wording allowing for Turkey to be granted only a "privileged partnership" with the EU rather then membership, he said, although in the end no such language was included. "STICK TO OUR WORD" Commission sources said Luxembourg's commissioner, Viviane Reding, had led a small group arguing against full membership and had questioned the need to adopt a mandate now. She was backed to a lesser extent by Charlie McCreevy of Ireland, Benita Ferrero-Waldner of Austria and Jan Figel of Slovakia, the sources said. But Rehn prevailed, noting that EU leaders had reaffirmed unanimously their commitment to accession talks at a summit just two weeks ago, after the French and Dutch referendums rejecting the EU constitution, in which hostility to Turkish membership was a factor. "The European Union has made commitments to Turkey...We stick to our word," he said. "Europe needs a stable democratic and prosperous Turkey. It is in our own strategic interests." However, he said he fully expected an impassioned public debate about Turkey in which the issue of full membership versus "privileged partnership" would be aired for years to come. The Commission called on EU governments to launch a debate on Turkey's relationship with Europe. A growing number of centre-right leaders in western Europe, including the likely next German chancellor, Angela Merkel, and a top presidential contender in France, Nicolas Sarkozy, oppose Turkish entry and favor the "privileged partnership" option. But Britain, which takes over the EU's rotating presidency on Friday for six months and will chair the start of accession talks, is a staunch advocate of Turkish membership. Commissioner Peter Mandelson led the pro-Turkey camp in the Commission debate, the sources said. Rehn called the negotiating framework "rigorous," and highlighted its demands that Turkey develops better relations with its neighbors--notably Cyprus, divided since 1974 into Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities, and Armenia, with which it has no diplomatic relations and a sealed border. He said Turkey had been working constructively to improve ties with Cyprus, although more needed to be done with the eventual aim of reunifying the island. "So far we have not succeeded. I don't take any sides on this issue, I work for a solution," he said, adding that he would emphasize Cyprus in the Commission's next regular report on Turkey's progress to membership, due on November 9. 3) Oskanian Keynote Speaker at Haigazian University~Rs 50th Anniversary YEREVAN (Armenpress)--Foreign minister Vartan Oskanian will serve as keynote speaker for the celebrations dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the Beirut-based Armenian Haigazian University. During his three-day visit, Oskanian will meet with Lebanon~Rs top government officials, as well as with family members of the late former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Oskanian is also scheduled to meet with Catholicos Aram I, Haigazian University faculty, and members of the local Armenian community. Haigazian University was established in 1955 as a liberal arts institution of higher learning using English as the language of instruction. It offers the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts degrees. All three are recognized by the Lebanese government and the Association of International Colleges and Universities. Supported by the Armenian Evangelical community, Haigazian University strives to offer quality education at a fair and affordable cost. The University also prepares educated, professional citizens with a sense of social responsibility and leadership skills that empower them to rise to the challenges of the future. 4) President Kocharian Meets with Armenia-2020 Program Board Members YEREVAN (Armenpress)--President Robert Kocharian met on Tuesday with Armenia 2020 Project Coordination Board members Nubar Afeyan and Ruben Vardanian to discuss the project's main objectives, as well as the results of recent activities. Armenia 2020 is a scenario-building initiative that focuses on the identification of alternative development models for the Republic of Armenia until the year 2020 and the elaboration of development scenarios for the country. The Board Members presented Kocharian with various development schemes already underway in the fields of health, jewelry, and diamond-cutting. To sum up the results of three years~R activities and to define possible ways for further development, the Board members informed the President of Armenia 2020~Rs fourth gathering with over 300 participants. The two-day conference in Yerevan, September 19-20, will be attended by a number Armenian officials, public activists, political, business, cultural leaders and intellectuals concerned with the role they can play in building a prosperous future for their homeland. The first day of the conference will be a working session with a limited number of participants. Participants will hold roundtable discussions on the results of key sphere studies, as well as to define the next steps for the Project. The second day of the conference will summarize the results of the previous day~Rs discussions. Armenia 2020~Rs goals are to contribute to Armenia's future strategic assumptions, development formulating through collaborative discussion teams; create a wider shared view of future possibilities, through public deliberation on potential long-term development models for Armenia; and create robust decisions in the face of uncertainty. 5) Spiritual Leader of German Churches Expresses Support for Armenian Genocide Recognition ANTELIAS (Armenpress)--In a letter to His Holiness Aram I, the spiritual leader of the German Protestant Church, Bishop Wolfgang Huber affirmed his full support for the recognition of the Armenian genocide and has promised to exert efforts in this direction. Bishop Huber informed the Catholicos about the work carried out by the German Churches for the recognition of the Armenian genocide, ensuring him that the churches he presides over will pursue their efforts. ~SMost recently the German Parliament accepted a common statement on the issue. It does not fulfill all expectations but can be seen as a step in the right direction~EI tell you this in order to assure you, that EKD and myself will try to do what we can to intensify the process of recognition of the Armenian Genocide and to encourage a process of reconciliation between the Armenian and the Turkish people,~T he said. Bishop Huber is a personal friend of His Holiness Aram I. The Catholicos had written to him a month ago, requesting his support in the efforts for the recognition of the Armenian genocide by Germany. The German Bundestag adopted a resolution lately condemning the Armenian atrocities and apologizing for the role played by Germany in them. 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