ASBAREZ Online [09-19-2005]

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09/19/2005
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) EU Approves Turkey Declaration 2) Turk Politician Again Charged in Switzerland for Denying Armenian Genocide 3) Turkey Slights Passage of Armenian Genocide Resolutions 4) Baroness Caroline Cox Awarded 'Mkhitar Gosh' Medal 5) ARF at Women's Socialist International Conference 6) Computer Science and Information Technology Conference in Yerevan 1) EU Approves Turkey Declaration (Bloomberg)--European Union governments resolved differences over Turkey's refusal to recognize Cyprus, keeping alive plans to start Turkish membership talks on Oct. 3. Representatives from the EU's 25 nations approved a common response to Turkey's diplomatic boycott of Cyprus, which joined the bloc last year. The dispute distracted EU attention from a negotiating plan for Turkey that needs the backing of all member nations. The declaration urges Turkey to ensure free trade with Cyprus while moving toward normal political ties "as soon as possible," according to a copy released today in Brussels by the British government, current holder of the EU's rotating presidency. The bloc will review progress in 2006, the statement said. The Turkish government in July said its signature of a protocol extending a European trade accord to Cyprus didn't amount to recognizing the Mediterranean island, whose northern tier Turkey has occupied since 1974. Signing the protocol was a condition the EU set in December for starting decade-long membership talks. "Turkey must apply the protocol fully to all EU member states," the statement said. "Recognition of all member states is a necessary component of the accession process. Accordingly, the EU underlines the importance it attaches to the normalization of relations between Turkey and all EU member states, as soon as possible." Cyprus joined the EU without the Turkish-speaking north because voters in the Greek-speaking southern republic rejected a United Nations-backed unification plan. CYPRUS PROBLEM The declaration said EU member states support UN efforts to reach a "comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem" and will review this issue and Turkey's respect for the trade pact in 2006. Monday's accord follows four failed attempts this month to agree on the wording of the declaration. EU ministers are due to endorse it in routine procedure tomorrow, Jonathan Allen, a British government spokesman, said by telephone in Brussels. The dispute interfered with EU preparations for entry negotiations with Turkey. European governments still must approve a plan covering 35 areas from customs and public procurement to energy and fisheries where Turkey would have to meet the bloc's regulatory standards. Turkey, a nation of 72 million people, is counting on the accession talks to attract record foreign investment to its $300 billion economy. It would be one of the two most populous EU nations along with Germany, and become the bloc's first mainly Muslim member as well as widen the EU's borders to Iraq. This prospect has some politicians in nations including France and Germany urging nothing more than a "privileged partnership." The demand may complicate approval of the negotiating plan, which EU diplomats are due to discuss on Sept. 21. The European Commission, the EU's executive arm in Brussels, pressed last week for the start of membership talks with Turkey. Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said national governments would have dozens of veto chances later and entry negotiations would encourage a settlement of the Cyprus problem as well as economic reforms in Turkey. 2) Turk Politician Again Charged in Switzerland for Denying Armenian Genocide (AP)--Swiss authorities brought a third charge against a Turkish politician for breaking Switzerland's racial discrimination laws by denying that the killings of Armenians around the time of World War I was a genocide, police said Monday. Dogu Perincek, the leader of the Turkey's Workers' Party, made the remarks Sunday in a speech in central Switzerland, Bern cantonal police said in a statement. He already had been charged twice by Swiss authorities for two previous, similar incidents. Denying that the Holocaust or other cases of genocide took place is regarded as racial discrimination under Swiss law, and can be punished by up to three years in prison and an unspecified fine. "Based on the fact that, in the course of his address, Dogu Perincek denied the Armenian genocide and expressed prejudices against the western world, the Bern cantonal police have put down a complaint because of suspicion of racial discrimination," the police statement said. Perincek will be questioned Tuesday by police in neighboring Vaud canton, where he is already under investigation for similar remarks made in May, Bern police spokeswoman Anastasia Falkner said. Swiss authorities launched a second investigation into Perincek in July for making similar remarks in northern Switzerland, and Perincek was briefly detained after that speech. Turkey called the Swiss ambassador to the Foreign Ministry to protest Perincek's detention and investigation. Similar disputes have erupted in the past between Turkey and Switzerland. In June, a Turkish Cabinet minister postponed a visit to Switzerland to protest an investigation of a Turkish historian who denied in a separate speech that the killings were genocide. In July, Turkey canceled a proposed visit by Swiss Economics Minister Joseph Deiss because of "schedule clashes," Deiss's spokesman said. 3) Turkey Slights Passage of Armenian Genocide Resolutions Turkey's Foreign Ministry said Friday it "greeted with sadness" the passage by a US congressional committee of two resolutions that denounce the deaths of Armenians early last century as genocide, and hoped US legislators would not allow the resolutions out of committee. "In the period ahead, we believe that members of the US Congress will act with a responsibility befitting the Turkish-American relationship, and strongly hope that the resolutions will stay in the committee and not be carried to the floor," the statement said. Turkey's response came after September 15 when the House International Relations Committee voted in favor of two measures calling for proper US recognition of the Armenian Genocide and urging Turkey to end its decades long denial of this crime against humanity. HRes316, which was introduced by Representatives George Radanovich (R-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), calls upon the President to ensure US foreign policy reflects appropriate understanding of the Armenian Genocide, while HConRes195 calls on Turkey to abandon its ongoing campaign of Armenian Genocide denial and to work with Armenia to come to terms with its tragic history. Representative Knollenberg commented that "this legislation will show the world that America is not going to forget this horrible crime. The victims of the Genocide and their families deserve to have the crime recognized for the atrocity that it was. The committee's action today--and hopefully the approval of the full House soon--will help make sure that this terrible offense is never forgotten." 4) Baroness Caroline Cox Awarded 'Mkhitar Gosh' Medal YEREVAN (Arka)Armenian President Robert Kocharian awarded Baroness Caroline Cox his country's "Mkitar Gosh" Medal for her efforts in developing Armenian-British relations, and for her humanitarian undertakings, specifically her consistent work in Mountainous Karabagh Republic. Cox, who has served as the Deputy Speaker of House of Lords of British Parliament since 1985, has visited Karabagh 60 times since 1989. Her most recent visit just this month was a pilgrimage there with a delegation that included 20 representatives from various Christian organizations throughout Great Britain. Karabagh Parliament Speaker Ashot Ghulian recently praised Baroness Cox, saying that she "had always been with the people of Karabagh--during the hardest war, during heavy post-war years, and today." In a 1997 article in "Contemporary Review," Baroness Cox wrote: "The Armenians of Karabakh can never again submit to Azeri sovereignty, given all they have suffered at the hands of Azerbaijan. They will fight to the death to preserve their freedom and their historic land... One option is quite definitely not open; namely, any attempt to declare Nagorno Karabakh to be part of Azerbaijan. That would be to reward those who indulged in aggression and invasion of a neighboring independent state, as well as to cause gross violations of human rights in total defiance of treaty obligations .We should remember the statement made by President Elchibey in June 1992, when, after opening full hostilities against Karabakh, he said that if there were any Armenians left in Karabakh by October they could hang him in the central square of Baku. It is a pity they did not! No amount of oil-lubricated waffle or diplomatic flannel in the West can excuse this clear statement of intent by a head of state. It has the underlying unequivocal ring of statements made by Genghis Khan, and we all know what his intentions were." The Baroness is a consistent defender of human rights in the House of Lords, primarily involved in helping people in Myanmar, Sudan, Indonesia and Mountainous Karabagh Republic. 5) ARF at Women's Socialist International Conference LIMASSOL(CNA/Yerkir)--A regional conference "Women for Peace" was organized in Limassol, Cyprus on September 18 by the Women's Socialist International. Representatives from 25 Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and South Caucasus countries attend the conference. Armenia was represented by Armenian Revolutionary Federation member Maria Titizian. Prospects for a Cyprus settlement and the role of Cypriot women, the situation in the Middle East, and women's role in political, economic, and social development were discussed. Speaking at the conference, Pia Locateli, Women's Socialist International President and Member of the European Parliament (MEP) said the participation of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot women at the conference was a particularly important step. She noted the participation of women from Palestine and Israel at the conference Regarding the Cyprus problem, she said the the referendum on the Annan plan in April 2004 proved that people did not trust this plan for a Cyprus settlement. "People must feel safe and we must try to create the preconditions for this human security," she said. Keynote speakers included Marcia Alexaki, SIW Vice-President and member of the Movement of Social Democrats EDEK, and Mirjana Feric-Vac from Croatia, and Wafa Abed, president of the Union of Progressive Women in Lebanon. 6) Computer Science and Information Technology Conference in Yerevan YEREVAN (ARKA/CSIT)The fifth international computer sciences and information technology conference kicked off in Armenia on September 19. According to the Vice-President of Armenia's National Academy of Sciences (NAS), Yuri Shukuryan, the conference will promote the exchange of information and help establish contacts between scientists and information technology specialists. The first such conference in 1997, explained Shukuryan, helped Armenia to advance significantly in the IT sector, with the introduction of an experimental high productive system. "After the first conference we did a lot, and we learn from our colleagues, that include well-known scientists," he said. Participants this year include representatives from the Scientific and Research Institute of Informatics of Tuluza, Institute of High Productive Computing and Database of Saint Petersburg, Institute of System Programming and Computing Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ukrainian Institute of Cybernetics, Tehran University and of other scientific institutions participate in the conference. The conference is organized with the support of the International Scientific-Technical Center, National Fund of Sciences and Advanced Technologies, Incubator Enterprises Foundation, Arminco Company, Unicomp, Haylin, and others. Participants include over 35 specialists from 12 countries including the US, Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, France, India and Iran. This year's conference features 135 reports, including 40 from young Armenians. Theoretical research is based on what is currently being developed in Armenia, and serves as the basis for applied work: theory of algorithms, machines and mathematical logic, discrete math and theory of combinations, artificial intellect, recognition of samples and processing of images, theory of information and coding. Special attention is paid to the development of a high productive system for scientific calculations in Armenia, based on "Armclaster," a highly productive computing system developed by the International Scientific and Technical Center of IPIA, and its software development based on theoretical research and technology of parallel programming. 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. 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