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09/07/2005
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) EU Envoys Wrangle over Response to Turkey on Cyprus 2) Vandals Target Istanbul Pogrom Photo Exhibit 3) A Day for Darfur: Stop the Genocide, Protect the People 4) Armenian Church Seeks to Sanctify Armenian Genocide Victims 5) Czech Republic beats Armenia in WC Qualifier 1) EU Envoys Wrangle over Response to Turkey on Cyprus BRUSSELS (Reuters)--European Union envoys quarreled on Wednesday over a response to Turkey's refusal to recognize Cyprus or admit Cypriot ships and aircraft, as a Europe-wide poll showed a drop in public support for Ankara's bid. The Cyprus issue is one of the final hurdles to Turkey opening membership talks with the 25-nation bloc on October 3. Countries such as France and Austria, facing strong public pressure to oppose Turkish entry, have rallied behind Nicosia. A pan-European opinion survey conducted in early June and released on Wednesday showed support for Turkish membership had fallen since last year in EU countries and Turkey itself. The study for the German Marshall Fund of the USA showed only 22 percent of voters in nine EU countries believed Turkey's entry would be a good thing, 29 percent said it would be a bad thing--up 9 percent--and 42 percent neither good nor bad. A draft declaration circulated by EU president Britain said Turkey must apply its customs union without discriminating among EU member states and Brussels would review Ankara's implementation of its obligations next year. Cyprus and its supporters were pressing for tougher wording making clear that, if Turkey did not end its blockade of Cypriot shipping and flights by the review date, the EU would suspend or restrict the accession talks, diplomats said. But the main dispute was over when and how the EU should expect Turkey to recognize Cyprus, with Nicosia pressing for it to be linked to the EU accession process rather than to UN efforts to seek a settlement to the division of the island. The draft statement omitted any wording on the issue as British diplomats held private meetings with the Cypriots and others to seek an acceptable formula. Diplomats said it was not clear whether a deal could be reached on Wednesday. Turkish leaders warned last week they would make no more concessions to secure the opening of talks, having met the two conditions EU leaders set last December by bringing key legal reforms into effect and signing a protocol extending their customs union to new EU member states, including Cyprus. Diplomats said the European Union would issue a unilateral declaration in response to Turkey's July 29 statement on Cyprus attached to its signature of the protocol. The EU must still agree unanimously on a negotiating mandate for the talks, giving Cyprus another chance to raise its demands and Turkey's critics an opportunity to insist the EU's ability to absorb such a big candidate country must be a key factor. 2) Vandals Target Istanbul Pogrom Photo Exhibit ISTANBUL (Combined Sources)--A photography exhibit marking the 50th anniversary of anti-Greek riots in Istanbul was taken down on Tuesday, after being vandalized. A group of men calling themselves the 'Alliance for Turkish Struggle' threw eggs and shouted insults the night before, protesting the 50th anniversary commemoration of the pogroms against Turkey's Greek community. The Istanbul Pogrom, also known as the Istanbul Riots, was directed at Istanbul's 80,000-strong Greek minority on September 6-7, 1955. It was orchestrated by the Demokrat Parti-government of Turkish Prime Minister Adnan Menderes. Over a period of nine hours, Istanbul's Greek community came under sustained assault at the hands of an overwhelming Turkish mob, the most significant portion of which was trucked into the city for the event. Between 13 and 16 Greeks and at least one Armenian (including two Orthodox clerics) died during or after the pogrom as a result of beatings and arson attacks. Thirty-two Greeks were severely wounded. In addition, dozens of Greek men and women were raped, and a number of men were forcibly circumcised by the mob. The physical and material damage was considerable and over 4,348 Greek-owned businesses, 110 hotels, 27 pharmacies, 23 schools, 21 factories, and 73 churches, and over a thousand Greek-owned homes were badly damaged or destroyed. Estimates on the economic cost of the damage vary from the 69.5 million Turkish lira quoted by the Turkish government, to the 150 million USD estimated by the World Council of Churches, and to the 500 million USD estimated by the Greek government. The disturbances accelerated a process of emigration that was to lead to the virtual extinction of the Greek minority in Turkey. Numbering 200,000 in 1924, in 2005 the Greek community of Istanbul is estimated to number a mere 1,500 persons. 3) A Day for Darfur: Stop the Genocide, Protect the People Help end the Cycle of Genocide that began in 1915 by calling for decisive US action to stop the genocide that is taking place today in the Darfur region of Sudan. When: 12:00 noon, September 8, 2005 Where: Lafayette Park, in front of the White House near the intersection of H & 16th Sts., NW, Washington DC The ANCA has joined with Africa Action, NAACP, National Council of Churches, American Jewish World Service, STAND, Sudan Peace Advocates, Evangelical Lutheran Church, Save Darfur, Sojourners, STAND, Sudan Peace Advocates, TransAfrica Forum, United Methodist Church, and many others in organizing this demonstration on the one year anniversary of the Administration's determination that the state-sponsored crimes in Darfur meet the legal definition of genocide. The purpose of this protest is to voice our disappointment over the lack of decisive U.S. action during the past twelve months and to call upon the President to take every step necessary to ensure an urgent multinational intervention to provide security to the people of Darfur. Questions: Call ANCA (202) 775-1918 or email anca@anca.org Call Africa Action (202) 546-7861 or visit <; 4) Armenian Church Seeks to Sanctify Armenian Genocide Victims ETCHMIADZIN (Armenpress)--The Armenian Church said it is reviewing canonizing the more than 1.5 millions Armenians who fell victims to a genocide carried out by Turkey at the turn of the twentieth century. A committee tasked with exploring the procedural process met for the first time September 3-6 in Etchmiadzin, Armenia. Their first working session will convene November 8-12, again in Etchmiadzin. 5) Czeck Republic beats Armenia in WC Qualifier OLOMOUC--Jan Polak scored twice to lead the Czech Republic to a 4-1 win over Armenia in their World Cup Group One qualifier. Polak shot the ball from 18 meters, taking a deflection off Armenia defender Sargis Hovsepyan before finding the net. Polak struck five minutes later when his 25-meter drive hit midfielder Choren Dochoyan before scoring. Aston Villa striker Milan Baros made it 3-0 when he swept home Jan Koller's rebound in the 58th minute before Polak notched his second with 14 minutes left. Arat Hakobian pulled a goal back for Armenia in the 85th minute. 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.