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09/08/2005
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Armenia Allocates Aid to US Hurricane Victims 2) European Parliament to Observe Trial of Pamuk 3) Aliyev Pledges to Double Azeri Military Budget in 2006 4) Georgian President Makes Fresh Promises to Javakhk 1) Armenia Allocates Aid to US Hurricane Victims YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--The Armenian government approved on Thursday $200,000 in assistance to victims of Hurricane Katrina, joining the long list of nations that have offered to alleviate the devastating consequences of the disaster that hit the south of the United States. Government spokeswoman Meri Harutiunian said the cabinet instructed Armenia's Foreign Ministry to transfer the modest sum to the US government. "The government inquired what that country needs and found it more expedient to assist them in cash," she told reporters after a weekly cabinet meeting. The move followed President Robert Kocharian's letter to President Bush expressing condolences to Washington and families of thousands of people that are feared dead in the US Gulf Coast. "On behalf of the Armenian people and myself, I express my sincere sympathy to you and the families and relatives of the victims of the disaster and wish them stamina and spiritual courage," stated the letter. As many as 95 countries around the world have offered to help about one million people in the states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama displaced by the August 29 storm and the ensuing floods. US officials say the offers total about $1 billion in cash and other assistance. 2) European Parliament to Observe Trial of Pamuk STRASBOURG (Combined Sources)--The European Parliament (EP) plans to form a special panel to monitor the upcoming trial of Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk. The proposal was made by MPs, who are members of the European wing of the Joint Parliamentary Commission, the consultative organ between the European Parliament and the Turkish parliament. The committee will observe Pamuk's trial, due to begin on December 16, and submit a report to the European Parliament. Pamuk has been charged with "publicly denigrating Turkish identity" in comments he made about the 1915 genocide of Armenians. "Thirty thousand Kurds and 1 million Armenians were killed in these lands and nobody but me dares to talk about it," he told a Swiss journalist in a interview. He faces up to three years in prison if convicted. Meanwhile, Germany's book trade, which is to hand its most prestigious annual award, the Peace Prize, to Pamuk next month, called on prosecutors in Istanbul to abandon charges against the author. Dieter Schormann, chairman of the Boersenverein, the group representing both publishers and booksellers in Germany, said, "We protest. We demand the Turkish state ceases proceedings against Orhan Pamuk. The freedom of the word is one of the fundamental values of a democratic society." The German Book Trade Peace Prize council also criticized the prosecution Friday. Pamuk is set to receive the prize of 25,000 euros on October 23 in a ceremony attended by German leaders. While Pamuk did not actually use the word genocide, his acknowledgment that 1 million Armenians were killed was enough to raise the ire of extreme nationalists in Turkey who called for his books to be banned. Pamuk's books include "My Name is Red" and "Snow". The latter was named in the New York Times Top 10 books for 2004. His books have been translated into 34 languages. 3) Aliyev Pledges to Double Azeri Military Budget in 2006 (AFP)--Azerbaijan will double military spending in 2006 to $600 million, President Ilham Aliyev said on Thursday. He also warned Armenia that Azerbaijan's armed forces were capable of re-taking Mountainous Karabagh by force. "The unconstructive position of Armenia makes it impossible to make progress with the talks. But, for the moment, we hope that a peaceful solution is possible," Aliyev said during a regional visit to Lenkaran, near the Iranian border. "At the same time, we are reinforcing our military potential. And if defense spending in 2004 was 270 million dollars; in 2005, 300 million; in 2006 it will equal 600 million dollars," he said. "The enemy must know that our army is always able to regain the territory by military force." 4) Georgian President Makes Fresh Promises to Javakhk YEREVAN (YERKIR)--Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili visited Georgia's Javakhk region on Wednesday to meet with the predominately ethnic Armenian population and administration, reported Regnum. He told reporters and residents that the government would ensure the employment of locals after the closure of the Russian military base there. Fearing further economic hardship in an already neglected and suffering region, the population of Javakhk has opposed the closure of the Russian base, which employs a majority of residents. The pull-out follows a May 30 agreement between Georgia and Russia to remove the base by 2008. Saakashvili emphasized that in an effort to help, his government would procure agricultural products from the region for the Georgian Army. He also noted that ten people from the area would be enrolled in the State Administration School, enabling them to return to the region and work for local government. 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.