Month: June 2005

AZG Armenian Daily #109, 15/06/2005
Armenia-Turkey
TURKISH PRESS RESPONDS TO ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER’S WASHINGTON VISIT
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was still in the United
States when Armenian foreign minister Vartan Oskanian departed from
Vienna to Washington for a working visit. Tough totally focused on
Erdogan-Bush meeting, Turkish newspapers viewed Armenian minister’s
visit as an important one too.
On June 9, defining Oskanian’s two-day visit as a surprise, Hurriyet
wrote that Armenian foreign minister singled out Armenian-Turkish
relations as primary issue during his meeting with Secretary of
State Condoleezza Rice and adviser on security affairs Steven
Headley. Hurriyet thinks that Oskanian hurried to Washington to
catch up with Erdogan thus making political analysts to comment on RA
foreign minister’s visit as Washington’s mediation in Kocharian-Erdogan
dialogue interrupted in Warsaw summit of the Council of Europe.
While the press release by RA Foreign Ministry was giving shallow
information about Oskanian-Rice meeting, Turkish papers pointed out
that the Armenian minister at the meeting with Rice emphasized the
need to increase pressure on Turkey.
On June 11, Turkish NTV responded to Oskanian’s press conference. “At
the meeting with US administration and Congress members Oskanian
though did not turn down Erdogan’s proposal of ‘joint commission’, he
put forward a number of preconditions. Oskanian said, ‘One of Turkish
universities prepared for a workshop ‘Armenians at the Ottoman Period’
but the government intervened. Is that possible to begin a dialogue
in such atmosphere? That is the first reason. Secondly, how long will
that commission function, 15 years?'”, NTV broadcasted.
According to NTV, hinting at Kars-Akhalkalak-Tbilisi-Baku railway,
Oskanian said, “Kars-Gyumri railway reaches Georgia already. Once
it operates, you can avoid expenses of at least $600 million. But we
will not turn to the states included in the project”.
The Turkish press in general was rather considerate towards RA foreign
minister’s visit, particularly his press conference. What stands behind
this is official Washington’s interest in seeing Armenian-Turkish
relations settled.
As it is Turkey that hinders settlement of relations — Turkish
prime minister offered first “to study the genocide issue and then to
establish intergovernmental relations” — then minister Oskanian’s
proposal at the meeting with Rice to exert more pressure on Turkey
appears rather logical.
Vartan Oskanian’s response to Erdogan’s proposal to create a
“joint group” is also reasonable. That is to say if Turkey does
not tolerate a workshop on Armenian issues, then it considers true
historians those who do not stick to the official thesis on Armenian
Genocide in Turkey. Therefore, a “joint group” will simply mean turning
Armenian historians into accomplices of Turkish negation or make them
continually discuss the issue without arriving at a conclusion.
Oskanian’s response to construction of Kars-Akhalkalak-Tbilisi-Baku
was more than logical. More importantly he displayed resolution not
to turn to any state involved in the project. This means if the US
is interested in operation of Kars-Gyumri railway, which will save
American budget $600 million, it should put pressure on Azerbaijan
and Georgia as well.
By Hakob Chakrian

AZG Armenian Daily #109, 15/06/2005
Armenian Genocide
NEW VIEW ON FACTS OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
At the initiative of “Havatk” NGO and Congress of European Armenians
“The Armenian Genocide. View from 21st Century” international
conference was held in Riga, Latvia. Various NGOs, famous political
and cultural figures, as well as clergymen participated in the
conference. The Armenian Genocide committed by the Ottoman Empire was
introduced by means of many documentary materials, including photos,
memoirs or the survivors. Spartak Ter-Avetisian, founder of Riga’s
St. Gregory the Illuminator church held the opening speech at the
conference. David Gaunt, Swedish historian, genocide researcher, and
Daniel Muller, German historian, documentary facts of the archives that
had been studied in the archives of Europe and Turkey. Daniel Muller
stated that the number of Armenians had been constantly decreasing
since 18th century in Nakhijevan and Karabakh. Professor Andris
Prieden, clergyman at Latvia’s Catholic Church, touched upon the
historic relations between the Armenian and the Catholic Churches and
represented the position of Vatican concerning the Armenian Genocide
adopted in 2000. The participants of the conference condemned the
policy of Turkey and called on the Armenian people never to stop
their struggle for the truth.
They showed “Where the Humanity Was Saved” documentary film shot by
the members of the international expedition that climbed the Mount
Ararat and set the Armenian flag and khachkar (cross stone) there.
By the sponsorship of the Armenian Congress of Europe “Armenian
Architectural Monuments in South Caucasus and Near East” exhibition
is being held in a number of cities.
By Ruzan Poghosian
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZG Armenian Daily #109, 15/06/2005
Cooperation
‘WE ARE NEIGHBORS THAT HAVE MANY THINGS IN COMMON’
Education Minister of Iran Visits Armenia
Iranian delegation head by education minister Morteza Haji arrived
in Yerevan on June 13 on a three-day visit. According to the visit
schedule the Iranian delegation will visit schools, universities and
will sign a memorandum on the last day of the stay. The memorandum
will probably specify the frames of cooperation in the sphere of
education, issues of representing the history of both states in history
text-books, retraining of teachers, organization of short-time classes
of Persian and a number of other issues.
Receiving the delegation, Armenian education minister Sergo Yeritsian
emphasized the importance of the meeting. The minister said that the
fact of having Iranian delegation with us on these days (when Iran
is getting ready for presidential elections) evidences that Iran
attaches great importance to relations with Armenia. Mr. Yeritsian
also expressed hope that the memorandum will help outline the future
steps of cooperation.
Iranian minister Morteza Haji assured that whoever elected Iranian
president, he will back this agreement. He believes that the talks
will be a success as we are neighbors that have many things in
common. Besides, “bilateral political and economic relations are in
the heyday and the educational and scientific relations are in the
stage of developing and hopefully they will progress”, Mr. Haji said.
By Gohar Gevorgian

WITHDRAWAL OF RUSSIAN ARMS FROM GEORGIA TO ARMENIA WILL NOT CHANGE REGIONAL BALANCE OF POWER
Pan Armenian News
14.06.2005 08:04
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that
the planned withdrawal of part of Russian arms from Georgia to Armenia
will not change the balance of power in Transcaucasia. “No change of
balance of power is foreseen,” Russian FM said Tuesday when answering
questions of journalists in Saint Petersburg. Mr. Lavrov reminded that
the Russian party has informed Azerbaijan that the planned withdrawal
of Russian arms to Armenia will not result in change of the balance
of power in the region, Interfax reported.

ZURICH AND ANKARA DISCUSS ARMENIAN ISSUE THAT HAS UPSET BILATERAL RELATIONS
Pan Armenian News
14.06.2005 07:34
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkish MPs met with Chairman of the Permanent
Council of Foreign Political Commission of Switzerland (APK) Peter
Briner in Bern, reported Blick online. In the course of the meeting the
Armenian issue, which lead to differences in Swiss-Turkish relations,
was discussed. The parties also discussed the criminal proceedings
against Turkish historian Yusuf Halacoglu. Professor of philology
Yusuf Halacoglu denied the fact of the Armenian Genocide in his report
in Winterthur Swiss city on 2 May, 2004. The Winterthur Office of
Public Prosecutor started investigation of the Halacoglu case on
suspicion of racism. The case is now investigated in Zurich. After
that a number of Turkish senior officials refused from meetings with
Swiss officials. Specifically, Turkish Minister of Trade Kursat
Tuzmen refused to meet with Minister of Economy Joseph Deiss in
Switzerland. As of the Armenian Genocide, tension appeared between
Switzerland and Turkey before due to the recognition of the Armenian
Genocide of 1915 by Switzerland. Today the Turkish delegation is
scheduled to meet with the Foreign Minister and Federal Councilor.

RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY: RUSSIA READY TO BE GUARANTOR OF KARABAKH SETTLEMENT
Pan Armenian News
14.06.2005 05:05
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russia is ready to play the role of a guarantor
of the Karabakh settlement, if Azerbaijan and Armenia arrive at a
compromise over the problem, Russian Foreign Ministry representative
Alexander Yakovenko stated. Russia will support the decision that fits
all parties to conflict, he underscored. Touching upon the bilateral
contacts of Moscow and Baku the diplomat remarked active growth of
commercial and economic relations. Thus, in his words, last year the
volume of commodity turnover between Russia and Azerbaijan increased
50%, as well as 40% within the initial 5 months this year, the Golos
Rossii reported.

EU SUMMIT WILL NOT DISCUSS TURKEY ACCESSION
Pan Armenian News
14.06.2005 04:48
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ For the first time within the past years the
European Union Summit opening Thursday will not discuss the question
of Turkey’s accession. EU representatives said today, this is due
to the failure of the reforms over the European Constitution in
France and the Netherlands. Today the EU FMs adopted a protocol on
inclusion of Turkey in the customs union along with the EU 10 new
members, including Cyprus. As soon as Ankara signs the document, all
conditions for starting talks over Turkey~Rs accession to the EU on
October 3 will be met, the Yerkir newspaper reported.

EU WILL FURTHER WORK FOR OPENING ARMENIAN-TURKISH BORDER
Pan Armenian News
14.06.2005 03:17
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Gegham Gharibjanyan
yesterday met with UK special envoy to South Caucasus Brian Fall
and head of the Foreign Office Department of Eastern countries of
the Simon Smith. British Ambassador to Armenia Thorda Abbott-Watt
was also present at the meeting, reported the Press Service of the
Armenian Foreign Ministry. In the course of the meeting G. Gharibjanyan
briefed B. Fall on the content of Armenia’s proposals within the EU
Wider Europe: New Neighbors Program. He also said that in a few days
Armenian FM V. Oskanian will officially hand the document to the EU
Council. In his turn B. Fall underscored that UK will assume the EU
Presidency starting on July 1 and he said he was sure his country will
further actively involve in implementation of economic and political
programs in the South Caucasus. Besides, the interlocutors discussed
UK’s possible assistance to the countries of the region working
out a program of actions within the Wider Europe: New Neighbors
program. The parties discussed the issue of the Armenian-Turkish
relations and the talks over Turkey’s accession to the EU, scheduled
this October. It was noted that the question of the soonest opening
of the Armenian-Turkish border is important to the EU, which will
continue actively working for the final solution of the problem.

ARMENIAN SPEAKER MET WITH IRANIAN MINISTER OF EDUCATION
Pan Armenian News
14.06.2005 08:40
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia
Artur Baghdassaryan received a delegation headed by Minister of
Education of Iran Morteza Haji. Armenian Minister of Education and
Science Sergo Yeritsyan was also present at the meeting, reported
the Press Service of the Armenian Parliament. In the course of the
meeting matters of education and scientific cooperation between
the two countries were discussed. The interlocutors mentioned the
importance of cooperation of scientific centers and higher education
institutions of the two countries. The fact that in compliance with the
agreement signed by the Ministries of Education of the two countries,
diplomas of all Iranian higher education institutions are recognized
in Armenia, while those of Armenia are recognized in Iran will also
promote it. The parties discussed the opportunity of organization of
a conference presenting programs for cooperation and establishment
of relations to leaderships of the higher education institutions of
the two countries. A. Baghdassaryan and M. Haji also touched upon
the question of intensification of parliamentary relations, noting
their meeting will form the basis for further efficient cooperation.

KATSU: WB HAS CERTAIN CONFIDENCE IN ARMENIA
Pan Armenian News
14.06.2005 08:19
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Minister of Territorial Administration Hovik
Abrahamyan met with World Bank Vice-President Shigeo Katsu in Yerevan,
reported the Press Service of the Armenian Government. In the course
of the meeting the parties discussed questions of implementation
and further development of WB programs in Armenia, specifically
water supply and irrigation system. Having presented the course
of the reforms Abrahamyan said he was satisfied with the efficient
implementation of these programs, emphasizing that the continuation of
implementation of WB programs in Armenia will have a positive impact
on maintenance of current economic growth indicators in Armenia. At
that he noted that there are certain problems available, which will
hopefully be solved along with the WB. Noting that the WB has certain
confidence in programs being implemented in Armenia, Shigeo Katsu noted
that the questions raised will soon be discussed and solved. Mr. Katsu
suggested discussing opportunities for realization of a new water
supply program. Hailing the establishment of cooperation between
Armenia and the Asian Development Bank, Katsu and WB Armenian Office
Roger Robinson being present at the meeting noted the importance
of implementation of programs with the assistance of international
structures, specifically the WB and the Asian Development Bank,
the Millenium Challenges Account.