Month: June 2005

CHURCH AND SOCIETY COMMISSION TO MEET IN ARMENIA IN 2007
ARKA News Agency
June 27 2005
YEREVAN, June 27. /ARKA/. The Church and Society Commission of the
Conference of European Churches is to hold its meeting in Armenia
in 2007. The Department for Interchurch Relations, holy Echmiadzin,
reports that this decision was made at an enlarged meeting of the
Commission in Dublane, Scotland. The Commission considered the trend
to intensification of relations with the Armenian Apostolic Church,
its important role in the ecumenic movement and its activities in the
post-Communist society as guarantor of spiritual and human values.
P.T. -0–

Gul sends condolences to Taschji’s wife
Hurriyetim
27.06.2005
Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul sent
his condolences to Mary Tasschji – the wife of Edward Taschji, who died
on June 22 in New York. Taschji, an Armnenian, was responsible for
public affairs at the Federation of Turkish-American Association for
the the 20 years and was a well-known defender of the Turkish thesis
against allegations about the so-called Armenian genocide. In the
message Gul thanked Taschji for his relentless efforts and extensive
contribution in bringing about a better understanding between the
Turkish and Armenian people.
“The relentless efforts and extensive contribution of Mr. Taschji in
bringing about a better understanding between the Turkish and Armenian
peoples will always be remembered and appreciated,” said Gul.
Adding that, “His courage and dedication to this cause was an
inspiration for the Turkish Americans. His lifetime contribution to
the efforts of the associations founded by the Turkish-Americans as
well as for the enhancement of Turkish-American relations will also
be reminisced dearly.”

KOCHARIAN DISCUSSES INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY WITH SYNOPSIS PRESIDENT
Armenpress
YEREVAN, JUNE 27, ARMENPRESS: President Robert Kocharian received
today Aart de Geus, president and the chief executive officer of
the famous US-based Synopsis company. Kocharian’s press office said
the president welcomed Synopsis’ activity in Armenia expressing also
hopes that it would expand here.
“Armenia has chosen high technology as one of its major priorities
and keeps it under its constant attention,” he was quoted as
saying. Kocharian also noted that more information technology services
are becoming available in Armenia day after day, saying it has become
a serious business. He also said information technologies are being
introduced into various government agencies, which he described as
“an important move to ensure transparent governance.” Synopsis’
president was reported to speak about the company’s activity in
Armenia and its future plans.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
June 27, 2005, Monday
KARABAKH IS MAKING PREPARATIONS FOR A PEACEFUL LIFE
SOURCE: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, June 24, 2005, p. 5
by Sokhbet Mamedov
THE POSITIONS OF AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA IN TERRITORIAL DISPUTES ARE
CHANGING POSITIVELY
Armenia stated that it does not lay territorial claims to Azerbaijan.
Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov in Baku made this sensational
statement.
Araz Azimov commented on the results of negotiations between Foreign
Ministers Elmar Mamedyarov and Vardan Oskanyan in Paris last week and
announced some details of the negotiations. According to the deputy
minister, they discussed the prospects of peaceful settling of the
conflict. Azimov said that it concerned the fact that the situation
in Azerbaijan’s territory seized by Armenia improved after refugees
returned home. Araz Azimov noted, “This problem raises many other
issues, which need to be settled. Armenia must leave this territory –
this is a principal position. The main trouble is to prepare
mechanisms for ensuring a stable balance between Azerbaijanian and
Armenian communities in Nagorny Karabakh. We must establish peaceful
cooperation between them.”
Baku proposed to restore transport communications between Azerbaijan
and Armenia as the first move.
(…)
As far as security problems are concerned, the situation should be
controlled by international units, which must not consist of
representatives of the co-chairmen of the commission for settling the
conflict (Russia, France and the US).
To date four conceptions of deployment of peacekeeping forces have
been prepared. The choice of these concepts will depend on the
agreements reached by the parties. Peacekeepers’ participation may
vary from the presence of observers to full-scale operations aimed at
demilitarizing the region.
Armenian Foreign Minister, Vardan Oskaryan, appreciated the results
of negotiations with his Azerbaijanian counterpart. He stated after
his return to Yerevan that negotiations were constructive. The
Armenian minister noted, “It’s possible that we will reach an
agreement if we make concessions.”
Perhaps the Minsk OSCE group, which will hold consultations in Baku
and Yerevan on July 10-11, will try to convince the conflicting sides
to do this. The Armenian and Azerbaijanian foreign ministers plan to
hold another round of negotiations. In addition, the presidents of
the republic will hold a meeting in Kazan in August.
Azerbaijanian observers say that statements made by Araz Azimov
testify that negotiations regarding the conflict have become
constructive. Anyway, it seems that the conflicting sides have
already reached some agreements if they discuss restoration of
transport communications. However, it is hardly likely that Armenia
will leave Azerbaijan’s territory in the near future. As is known, a
parliamentary election will take place in Azerbaijan in November. It
is hardly likely that the government will announce all details of
negotiations on the eve of voting, especially if the republic plans
to make concessions.
In the meantime, Baku does not rely on Armenia’s statements that it
does not lay territorial claims to Azerbaijan. Azerbaijanian
political analyst Azer Ibadoglu said that it is a trick. He said that
Yerevan does not consider Nagorny Karabakh as Azerbaijan’s territory,
which is why he makes such statements.
Translated by Alexander Dubovoi

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
June 27, 2005, Monday
THE SIX PULLS IN THE DEFENSE BELT
SOURCE: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, 24.06.2005, p. 2
by Anastasia Kornya
“A most thorough discussion of the questions of military, technical
and political collaboration”, – by these words president Putin
characterized yesterday’s closed meeting in the Kremlin between the
presidents of the countries – members of the Organization of the Pact
on collective security (ODKB). The second day of their communication
the leaders of Armenia, Byelorussia, Kazakhstan, Kirghizia, Russia and
Tajikistan devoted to military questions. The agenda was most vital: as
far as the CIS countries, affected by the colored revolutions, refuse
military-political collaboration with Moscow, Russia has to reorganize
the security system in post-Soviet space. When the presidents entered
the assembly-hall where the members of the enlarged Council on the
collective security were awaiting them, Nursultan Nazarbaev began
the traditional account on the results of the Council’s work for
the last year. (…) He only stated that during the last year the
members of the military agreement reacted rather adequately to the
new challenges and threats. The main of them, in his opinion, was
“political extremism and its extreme manifestation – terrorism”.
Judging from Nazarbaev’s words, the military of the six states have
made the greatest progress in the struggle against the narcotic
menace from the outside. The earlier fixed plan of the measures is
being performed rather successfully. The annual operation “Kanal” is
rather effective only in the last year more than 5 tons of narcotics.
However, no one pretended that it is possible to cut off the narcotic
traffic from Afghanistan. That is why the sister nations rely on the
U.N.O.’s aid. They are calling for “earnest coordination of actions
on the post-conflict settlement in Afghanistan”. To all appearances,
there has been no “earnest coordination” up to the present moment. In
addition, there is an evident lack of “resolute measures aiming to
resist the narcotic menace coming from Afghanistan”.
Besides, yesterday there took place the rotation of Heads of the States
on the position of the Chairman of the Council. Vladimir Putin took
the “baton of the leader”. (…)
At the press-conference on the results, a reporter from Armenian
television tried to found out, if there appeared any principally
new priorities in the ODKB work. “The priorities remain the same,”
explained Armenia president Robert Kocharyan. They presuppose working
in the direction of the struggle against terrorism, narcotic traffic
and all that what is now called ‘the new challenges’, in general.”
“But we must concentrate on the development of the methods”, he
highlighted. “I’ve already said and can repeat once again”, Vladimir
Putin had to enumerate again the priorities, to which he related the
development of collective collaboration in the anti-aircraft defense
sphere, production of the special military equipment, staff training.
“It was also rather useful to view the possibility of ODKB employment
for peacemaking activity”, added the Russian president.
In the rosiest light the ODKB perspectives are viewed by the president
of Byelorussia, Alexander Lukashenko. First, he explained that it was
“the most effective system in the post-Soviet area”. Then he noted
that the Russia-Byelorussian trainings were still “more profound”.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Pendant la crise, la Turquie bosse fort; Europe
par Demetz Jean-Michel; Ortaq Nukte V.
L’Express
27 juin 2005
Loin de baisser les bras, a l’heure où la zizanie règne au sein de
l’Union, les dirigeants d’Ankara s’efforcent d’etre au rendez-vous de
l’adhesion
TEXTE-ARTICLE:
Depuis la terrasse du Besinci Kat, ce cafe branche de Taksim, la vue
s’etale, genereuse, sur le Bosphore aux eaux vives. En face, sur la
rive encore boisee commence l’Asie et, pour beaucoup d’Europeens –
Francais en tete – le problème. “Les non francais et neerlandais
ont confirme l’apprehension des Turcs, analyse l’universitaire
Cengiz Aktar. Nous sommes très favorables a l’adhesion de la
Turquie a l’Union europeenne, mais en meme temps nous doutons que
nous en ferons un jour partie.” Ce francophile qui travaille sur la
candidature d’Istanbul au titre de “capitale culturelle europeenne”
en 2010 ne cache pas sa lassitude, face a cet Occident complique.
“L’Europe ne peut pas etre une grande Suisse, en paix et prospère,
quand ses frontières brûlent, argumente-t-il. Une Turquie dans l’Union,
c’est l’espoir de la rue arabo-musulmane, qui voit dans ce voisinage
europeen un gage de stabilite et de prosperite. C’est a l’Europe,
pas a l’Amerique, de dessiner le Grand Moyen-Orient de demain!”
Mais l’Europe est-elle prete a relever un defi dont l’ampleur
l’effraie? En decembre 2004, les Vingt-Cinq avaient fixe au 3 octobre
l’ouverture des negociations en vue de l’adhesion d’Ankara. A
Bruxelles, pourtant, lors du sommet europeen des 16 et 17 juin,
Jacques Chirac et le president de la Commission europeenne,
Jose Manuel Barroso, ont affirme qu’il fallait reflechir sur les
frontières de l’Europe tout en tenant les engagements deja pris.
Comprenne qui pourra… Il est vrai que la candidature turque se
heurte a l’opposition d’une majorite de l’opinion dans cinq pays
(France, Allemagne, Pays-Bas, Autriche, Danemark). Surtout, les
victoires annoncees d’Angela Merkel, la candidate de la CDU allemande
a la chancellerie, cet automne, et de Nicolas Sarkozy a l’Elysee, en
2007, inquiètent: contrairement au duo Chirac-Schroder, favorable a
une pleine adhesion d’Ankara, les deux dirigeants ont claironne leur
preference pour un “partenariat privilegie” aux contours encore flous.
La position officielle du gouvernement turc, elle, ne varie pas. “Le
“partenariat privilegie” existe deja, resume Ahmet Sever, conseiller
du ministre des Affaires etrangères, Abdullah Gul. Le lancement des
negociations en vue de l’adhesion est irreversible, mais nous savons
que les discussions seront longues et difficiles. D’ici a dix ans,
toutefois, si la Turquie a persevere sur la voie des reformes,
la perception de notre pays aura change.” Le depute Salih Kapusuz
(AK Parti) rencherit: “La France a toujours eu des problèmes avec
l’elargissement, avec le Royaume-Uni d’abord, puis avec l’Espagne. A
la fin, l’Union a reussi son integration regionale mais, pour reussir
son integration globale, elle aura besoin de la Turquie.” Tout juste
nomme negociateur en chef pour le dossier d’adhesion, le ministre
de l’Economie, Ali Babacan, affiche un zèle reformiste impeccable:
“Nous allons passer tout notre système en revue de A a Z.” L’elite
politique veut encore croire qu’une democratisation des institutions
et une forte croissance de l’economie pourront rendre acceptable la
candidature turque a l’horizon 2015-2020. Le syndicat patronal turc ne
prevoit-il pas de 4,5 a 6% de croissance annuelle pour les dix a douze
ans a venir, avec une inflation maîtrisee a 5%? En 2004, d’ailleurs,
l’economie a fait un bond de 9,7% de croissance – mieux que la Chine!
Le train des reformes ne ralentit pas. Voila trois ans que Pinar
Ilkkaracan discutait, en amont, avec les deputes, pour preparer le
travail des commissions sur les droits de la femme. Le Code penal,
qui datait des annees 1920, etait inspire de celui de l’Italie
fasciste. Sous la pression des Europeens, un Code modernise a vu le
jour le 1er juin. “Le nouveau texte est une revolution pour la femme,
s’enthousiasme cette avocate du feminisme turc. Une reconnaissance
de l’autonomie du sujet.” Elle liste les avancees: le viol conjugal
est desormais criminalise (il ne l’est pas encore en Grèce); la
definition du viol et des abus sexuels est elargie – ce n’est plus
un crime contre la chastete mais contre le corps de l’individu. Toute
une terminologie sur l’honneur, la virginite, la honte a ete effacee.
Les circonstances attenuantes prevues pour les crimes d’honneur ont
disparu; des circonstances aggravantes ont ete introduites pour les
“crimes coutumiers”. “Tous les crimes sexuels etaient consideres
jusqu’alors comme des crimes contre la societe, poursuit-elle. Ils
sont desormais reconnus comme des crimes contre la personne. Le
vieux système patriarcal a vole en eclats.” Pinar Ilkkaracan n’a pas
tout obtenu. La loi ne punit pas les discriminations sur la base de
l’orientation sexuelle et l’avortement (legal en Turquie depuis 1972,
deux avant la France) n’est possible que pendant les dix premières
semaines de la grossesse (et pas douze comme en France depuis 1992
et comme les feministes turques le souhaiteraient). Surtout, beaucoup
dependra desormais de l’application du Code par les juges.
C’est la principale source d’inquietude des partisans de la reforme.
Comment changer vite les vieilles habitudes de la bureaucratie,
des policiers, des magistrats? Un immense travail de formation
reste a mener. Excusees, dans un premier temps, par le ministre de
la Justice, les brutalites policières contre une manifestation de
femmes, ce printemps, a Istanbul, ont choque. Comme l’oukase pris par
un sous-prefet de faire retirer des bibliothèques publiques de sa
juridiction les oeuvres du romancier Orhan Pamuk, coupable d’avoir
evoque le tabou des massacres d’Armeniens et de Kurdes de 1915. Des
universitaires, qui preparaient une conference sur la question du
“genocide armenien”, ont decide de la reporter a la suite de menaces
et de l’attaque d’un ministre (“Un coup de poignard”, a-t-il fulmine,
avant d’etre desavoue par le chef du gouvernement). “Tout cela est
regrettable, reconnaît Akif Gulle, vice-president du groupe des deputes
de l’AK Parti, la formation conservatrice musulmane au pouvoir. Mais ce
sont des accidents de la circulation. Aussi tristes qu’ils soient, ils
n’interrompent pas notre voyage sur la route des reformes.” La societe
civile manifeste un dynamisme qui contraste avec l’apathie des societes
balkaniques. A chaque incident, medias et organisations protestent et
obtiennent gain de cause. Le sous-prefet a fait l’objet d’une enquete
interne; des policiers ont ete suspendus; les universitaires ont
deja fixe une nouvelle date pour leur colloque. Reste que le Premier
ministre, le reformiste Recep Tayyip Erdogan, lui-meme, n’echappe pas
aux mauvaises manières. Il a poursuivi en justice et fait condamner
a une amende un caricaturiste coupable de l’avoir represente sous
les traits d’un chat empetre dans une pelote de laine… Y a-t-il un
chef de gouvernement en Europe qui oserait aujourd’hui poursuivre
un caricaturiste? La Turquie continue d’avoir un problème avec la
liberte de la presse. “Le nouveau Code penal maintient des peines
de prison pour les journalistes s’ils publient des insultes ou
des obscenites, denonce Ercan Ipekci, president du Syndicat des
journalistes turcs. Et des limitations de la liberte d’expression ont
ete introduites concernant la question armenienne ou le retrait des
soldats turcs de Chypre.” Qui plus est, un regime rigoureux de droit
au respect de la vie privee fait peser le risque d’une multiplication
des procès. “Dans le contexte d’une societe liberale, ces clauses
ne poseraient pas de problème, explique Deniz Vardar, professeur de
sciences politiques au departement francophone de l’universite de
Marmara. Dans un autre contexte, on est dans l’inconnu.”
Depuis 2002, ce pays a connu plus de reformes que dans les dix
annees precedentes. “Ce processus doit desormais continuer au rythme
des negociations sur l’adhesion”, soutient un diplomate europeen
conscient que tout ne peut pas etre fait tout de suite. Les services
de Bruxelles assurent, de leur côte, une part du travail legislatif
de conserve avec les deputes turcs. Avant l’echeance du 3 octobre,
le Parlement devra ainsi voter une loi complexe redigee avec les
experts bruxellois sur les fondations religieuses afin de donner plus
de droits aux minorites et ratifier l’extension du traite d’union
douanière a Chypre. “L’Europe doit continuer a aider les reformateurs,
conclut le diplomate. Il en va de notre interet.”
–Boundary_(ID_xJH2Wiftlnmhy1KFGIu8qg)–

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
27. Juni 2005
Sohn eines Schöngeistes;
Orhan Pamuk und die politische Korrektheit
von Wolfgang Günter Lerch
FRANKFURT, 26. Juni.
“Nobelpreis (Nobel ödülü) der Deutschen” an Orhan Pamuk. Unter dieser
wohl etwas ironisch zu interpretierenden Überschrift hat die
Europa-Ausgabe der türkischen Zeitung “Hürriyet” dieser Tage
berichtet, daß der international bekannte türkische Autor in diesem
Jahr den Friedenspreis des Börsenvereins des Deutschen Buchhandels
erhält. Er fügt sich damit in eine Reihe von noblen Preisträgern ein.
Die Zeitung erwähnt, daß sich Pamuk in der Kurden- und Armenierfrage
besonders engagiert habe. Das tut sie nicht ohne Grund, denn die
Ansichten Pamuks zu diesen Themen sind ihr fremd.
Tatsächlich hatte der Romancier im vergangenen Frühjahr ein
Kesseltreiben in der Türkei gegen seine Person hervorgerufen, als er
in einem Gespräch gesagt hatte, die Türken hätten 30 000 Kurden
getötet und eine Million Armenier umgebracht. “Und fast niemand traut
sich, das zu erwähnen. Also tue ich es.” Mit diesen Sätzen wandte er
sich gegen die in der Türkei übliche Apologetik, die Armeniermassaker
würden von westlichen Historikern verzerrt dargestellt, die
Ereignisse während des Ersten Weltkrieges bewußt zuungunsten der
Türken entstellt und Teile der Wahrheit, etwa die von Armeniern
geübte Gewalt und die Leiden der muslimischen Bevölkerung,
weggelassen. Nicht nur Zeitungen beschimpften ihn, der Autor bekam
auch Morddrohungen aus der Bevölkerung und wurde als
“Vaterlandsverräter” dargestellt. Eine Welle des Nationalismus wurde
in jenen Wochen beobachtet, nachdem die Türkei im vergangenen
Dezember die Zusage erhalten hatte, die Europäische Union werde am 3.
Oktober dieses Jahres Gespräche über einen Beitritt Ankaras als
Vollmitglied aufnehmen. In diese Stimmung paßte keine
“Nestbeschmutzung”, weder im Lager der EU-Befürworter noch in dem der
gestandenen Nationalisten.
Spätestens zu diesem Zeitpunkt war der Schriftsteller, Jahrgang 1952
und in Istanbul “als Sohn eines Schöngeistes”, wie er sagt, und Enkel
eines Unternehmers geboren, in die Riege jener politischen Autoren
seines Landes aufgestiegen, zu der er eigentlich nicht gehören will.
Pamuks sensible und komplexe Romane, von denen bisher fünf auf
deutsch erschienen sind, handeln von den Schwierigkeiten zwischen
westlicher und islamischer Welt sowie von den Identitätskonflikten in
der islamisch geprägten türkischen Gesellschaft selbst, die zwischen
Orient und Okzident, Modernismus und Nationalismus hin und her
gerissen ist. Natürlich sind das eminent politische Themenkomplexe,
doch lehnte Pamuk es immer ab, ein typisch politischer Autor zu sein,
wie das seit den Tagen der Tanzimat-Reformen (1839 bis 1877) mit
ihren bisweilen platt lehrhaften Tendenzen in der zweiten Hälfte des
19. Jahrhunderts und auch in der Atatürk-Ära häufig der Fall war. Er
steht auch keiner Partei nahe und trommelt für nichts und niemanden;
auch nicht für die EU-Vollmitgliedschaft der Türkei. In dieser
Angelegenheit hält sich der Schriftsteller eher zurück.
Im Gefängnis – wie die meisten bekannten Autoren seines Landes im 20.
Jahrhundert – war er noch nicht. Aber immer wieder hat sich Orhan
Pamuk zu Fragen der Politik geäußert. So war er der erste
Schriftsteller überhaupt, der gegen die 1989 in Iran von Ajatollah
Chomeini erlassene Todes-Fatwa gegen den britischen Schriftsteller
Salman Rushdie protestierte. Ebenso wandte er sich gegen die
Verfolgung Yasar Kemals, der 1997 ebenfalls den Friedenspreis in der
Paulskirche erhielt, durch die türkische Justiz oder des Satirikers
Aziz Nesin, dessen zehnten Todestages gegenwärtig in der Türkei wie
außerhalb gedacht wird. Nesin, der über hundert Romane hinterlassen
hat, wäre zwei Jahre vor seinem Tod beinahe von einer Gruppe
islamistischer Fanatiker, die in der ostanatolischen Stadt Sivas ein
Hotel, in dem linke Liedermacher und Dichter tagten, in Brand
gesteckt hatten, ermordet worden. Damals wurden 37 Menschen getötet.
Das zeigt, wie real Gefahren in manchen Gebieten der Türkei bisweilen
noch sein können.
Pamuk, alles andere als ein religiöser Eiferer, setzte sich außerdem
dafür ein, die Kopftuchfrage bei türkischen Studentinnen nicht
dogmatisch, sondern flexibel zu lösen. Nicht nur Lehrerinnen und
Professorinnen ist das Tragen des Kopftuches in Schule und
Universität von Staats wegen verboten, sondern auch den Studentinnen
auf dem Campus und natürlich bei den Prüfungen. In seinem letzten
Roman mit dem Titel “Kar” (Schnee), der im fernen Osten Anatoliens
spielt, gehören Selbstmorde von Kopftuchträgerinnen, die vor der Wahl
stehen, entweder das Tuch abzulegen oder ihre Karriere zu opfern, und
die diesen Konflikt durch Suizid “lösen”, zu den Themen der Handlung.
Pamuk plädiert bei Studentinnen im Zweifel für die persönliche
Freiheit. Förderung der Zivilgesellschaft und der Toleranz stehen im
Mittelpunkt seines Werks.
“Dieser Mensch ist so unfähig, daß es nicht einmal lohnt, ihn als
Feind zu betrachten”, hatte die “Hürriyet” erbost geschrieben, als
Pamuk seine Sätze über Armenier und Kurden gesagt hatte. In der
Türkei mögen manche nun glauben, Pamuk erhalte den Friedenspreis
zugesprochen, weil er zur Armenierfrage so steht wie der Deutsche
Bundestag. Dieser hatte am 16. Juni einstimmig eine Entschließung zu
den Armeniermassakern des Ersten Weltkrieges (einschließlich der
deutschen Mitschuld) herausgegeben, die vom türkischen Außenminister
Abdullah Gül umgehend als “verantwortungslos, bestürzend und
verletzend” zurückgewiesen worden war. Doch Orhan Pamuk, der in
vielen westlichen Ländern, Amerika eingeschlossen, viel bekannter ist
als in Deutschland, ist nach Meinung vieler international
renommierter Autoren längst nobelpreiswürdig.
Orhan PAMUK
–Boundary_(ID_a4LpAFm3HdBhofXBNr/mww)–

INSTITUTION OF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT TO BE FORMED IN ARMENIA
ARKA News Agency
June 27 2005
YEREVAN, June 27. /ARKA/. The institution of national correspondent
is to be formed in Armenia, ed Fridrich Butler, Regional Director in
Europe and Central Asia, International Labor Organization (ILO), stated
at his meeting with RA Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Aghvan
Vardanyan. He pointed out that the institution will be formed for the
purpose of more effective cooperation with ILO. He also pointed out
problems of revising legal acts, retraining specialists of the State
Labor Inspection, as well as problems of establishing an information
center of the Inspection and of further trilateral social cooperation.
Bulter re-affirmed the ILO’s readiness to facilitate the resolution of
problems raised by Minister Vardanyan. He pointed out that to expand
the program of retraining the ILO allocated necessary funds, which
will allow specialists to be trained in conformity with international
standards.
During his visit, Butler has held meetings with the heads of various
international structures working in Armenia, and Minister Vardanyan
informed his of the Ministry’s programs of cooperation with UNDP,
USAID, and WB, which will afford the opportunity to ensure continuous
implementation of social programs. P.T. -0–

International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights
“Human Rights in the OSCE Region:
Europe, Central Asia and North America, Report 2005
(Events of 2004)”
Severe Human Rights Problems Plague the OSCE Region
Vienna, 27 June 2005 — The International Helsinki Federation for
Human Rights (IHF) today presented its 2005 “Annual Report”
entitled Human Rights in the OSCE Region: Europe, Central Asia and
North America, Report 2005 (Events of 2004). The 510-page report
covers main human rights developments in 38 member states of the
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in the
calendar year 2004.
Of the 38 countries reviewed in the Report – 24 of which are
former socialist states, 13 established western democracies, and
Turkey – over 70% had problems with freedom of expression, free
media and access to information. The same proportion violated the
right to asylum or other rights of refugees and migrants, and in over
60% the judicial system fell short of international standards for
independence of the judiciary and the right to a fair trial. Reports
of police brutality or other police misconduct were received from
almost 80% of the countries under scrutiny, in at least 10 of which
part of such practices constituted torture. Conditions in prisons and
detention facilities – particularly overcrowding – give rise
to concern in 28 countries covered by the report.
Anti-terrorism measures curtailed many basic rights throughout the
region, and anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and other forms of
intolerance appeared to be on the rise. Intolerant and xenophobic
attitudes became more common in mainstream political discourse,
particularly during pre-election debates.
The IHF Report deals, inter alia, with the following issues:
Freedom of Expression and the Media:
Anti-Terrorism Measures:
Judiciary and the Right to a Fair Trial:
Torture, Ill-Treatment and Other Police Misconduct:
Minority Rights, Racism, Intolerance, and Xenophobia:
In addition to these issues, the Report covers, among other things,
the following topics: violations of international standards for free
and fair elections; right to peaceful assembly and freedom of
associations; freedom of religion and religious tolerance; violations
of humanitarian law and accountability; attacks on human rights
defenders; and the rights of asylum seekers.
The report and a 12-page summary are available from the IHF
Secretariat. The report is also posted at:
;d_id=4057 .
Issues Relating To Armenia
National Human Rights Protection and Human Rights Defenders:
While adequate human rights legislation and institutions were in
place in most OSCE countries in 2004, these formal protections were
often not implemented in practice. The problem was coupled with the
lack of independent courts to deal with alleged human rights
violations. In addition, in some countries, even human rights
ombudspersons did not genuinely seek to assist the victims of human
rights violations or to promote human rights (e.g. in Armenia,
Azerbaijan and Macedonia).
Free, Fair and Democratic Elections:
The 2003 presidential elections in Armenia and Azerbaijan, both of
which were characterized by numerous irregularities, had their
aftermath in 2004. The Armenian government failed to implement a
Constitutional Court ruling requiring a referendum on confidence in
the president and carried out large-scale persecution of political
opponents who demanded a referendum. In Azerbaijan, the impunity for
perpetrators of the 2003 election fraud inspired new violations
during the December 2004 municipal elections.
Freedom of Expression, Free Media and Information:
Openly expressed political opposition to government resulted in
prosecutions in numerous OSCE states in 2004, including Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. In
Georgia, the diversity of the media narrowed significantly soon after
President Shakaasvili took office as most formerly critical media
outlets became closely linked to the new government.
The free circulation of information was obstructed in indirect ways
in numerous countries, including Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Poland, Russia, Serbia and
Montenegro, Tajikistan, Turkey, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, etc.
In many countries, the government continued to exercise control over
national broadcast media despite steps taken to turn them into
publicly controlled media (e.g. in Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Italy, Moldova
Defamation suits against political opponents and critical journalists
and media outlets were common techniques to silence criticism.
Criminal defamation provision were still in force inter alia in
Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Croatia, Italy, Ireland,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Montenegro, Moldova, Romania.
Attempts to revel journalistic sources as well as limiting access to
information were common methods used by authorities against
investigative and critical journalism (e.g. in Albania, Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Belgium, Belarus, Moldova, Poland).
Peaceful Assembly and Freedom of Association:
The right to peaceful assembly was violated inter alia in Albania,
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Georgia, Hungary, Kyrgyzstan,
Poland, Russian Federation, Turkey, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.
In the aftermath of the 2003 election fraud, mass protests took place
in Armenia in April 2004. These protests were dispersed by the
police, who used excessive force, leaving hundreds of people injured.
The new law on assemblies that was adopted in the country during the
year did not follow the recommendations of the OSCE and the Council
of Europe Venice Commission, and remained overly restrictive.
Independence of the Judiciary and Right to a Fair Trial:
While most former socialist states have undergone a judicial reform,
the old legacy still persists in many countries, particularly in
the Central Asian OSCE states, as well as in Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Moldova, Russia and Ukraine. Of particular concern was the lack of
independence of the judiciary from the executive branch, political
parties and governmental authorities/presidency, corruption, and
poor professional training of judicial professionals (e.g in Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan,
and Uzbekistan
All the above-mentioned problems contributed to low public confidence
in courts. In Armenia, only 2% of people trusted courts. In the first
half of 2004, only one person standing trial was acquitted, a trend
following from previous years when the maximum number of acquittals
was ten per year (of a total number of about 5,500 cases).
Torture, Ill-Treatment and Police Misconduct:
Human rights defenders in Armenia estimated that 60% of all arrested
persons were ill-treated, with the absolute peak of abuse occurring
during the April mass demonstrations.

GEORGIAN OFFICERS SHOOT AN ARMENIAN
A1plus
| 12:35:33 | 27-06-2005 | Social |
On June 25 in the Tsalka region an emergency case took place. In the
Greek village Holeanq the soldiers of the Georgian Ministry of Internal
Affairs special detachment in Tsalka shot the 26-year-old Armenia
resident of the Armenian village Ghzlqilisa Vladimir Nazaretyan.
Together with his friends, Vladimir Nazaretyan passed in a car through
the village Holeanq, “A-Info” reports. The soldiers of the special
detachment stopped the car, asked the nationality of the passengers
and learning that they are Armenians forbade them to pass through
the village.
The Armenians ignored the illegal demand of the Georgian soldiers,
after which the soldiers shot the car and gravely injured
V. Nazaretyan. He was taken to Tbilisi; according to the doctors,
his life is in danger.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress