Month: October 2005

TURKEY NOT FIT FOR MEMBERSHIP
By Matthew Nickson

Daily Texan, TX
Oct 10 2005

Last Monday at a ministerial conference in Luxembourg, the foreign
ministers of the European Union agreed to begin membership talks with
Turkey. The decision to open “adhesion negotiations” – taken after
overcoming an Austrian counter-proposal for a “privileged partnership”
– is a blow to the democratic goals of a unified Europe.

Since joining the European Economic Community as an associate member
in 1963, Turkey has consistently professed its reformist credentials,
eager to counter the world community’s outdated image of a thinly
veiled military dictatorship. But time and again – despite progress
in certain areas outlined in the 1993 Copenhagen Criteria for EU
expansion – the Turkish government has shown it is either unwilling
or unable to fully democratize and modernize. In its own country,
Turkey continues to systematically restrict freedom of expression and
oppress its minority Kurdish population. Abroad, Turkey maintains an
ever belligerent posture toward its neighbors, particularly Armenia
and Cyprus.

The latest example of Turkish repression came last Friday, when
a Turkish administrative court convicted an Armenian journalist,
Hrant Dink, of insulting the “Turkish identity” by writing about
the Armenian genocide. During World War I, the Ottoman Army and
its guerilla auxiliaries massacred more than one million Armenians
who refused to convert from Christianity to Islam. To this day, the
Turkish government illegalizes practically any admission of Turkish
guilt and threatens or imprisons individuals who speak out.

Nationalist officials trivialize the massacres as tragic but
inevitable consequences of war, or dismiss the Armenians as pro-Russian
traitors. Although Armenia is a small, underdeveloped country, Turkey
continues to blockade it by land, cutting off road and rail traffic.

Ironically – and in a sign of the Turkish court system’s perversity
– Dink was tried and convicted for writing that Armenians should
rid themselves of anti-Turkish anger. The court implied from his
admonition that Dink – who received a suspended six month sentence –
was somehow deriding the Turkish blood.

The fact is, unlike many former European colonizers, Turkey has
made few if any efforts to atone for its imperialist past. The Turks
have been unable, notwithstanding decades of co-membership in NATO,
to arrive at a truly permanent peace with Greece. As late as 1996,
the two countries nearly fought a war over the Imia islands in the
Aegean Sea. Furthermore, the Turkish government adamantly refuses to
recognize the independence of the Greek portion of Cyprus and the
sovereignty of the government in Nicosia. Although Turkey signed
a July 29 protocol extending its customs union with the European
Union to the 10 members admitted in 2004 – among them the Republic
of Cyprus – Turkey obstinately refuses to open its ports and airports
to Cypriot commerce.

Turkey also has a bad track record with its Middle Eastern neighbors.

The country has consistently been accused by Syria and Iraq of
siphoning an inordinate amount of water from the Euphrates River,
which Turkey has diverted for a massive – and environmentally risky
– development project involving the construction of 22 dams and 19
power plants.

The Southeast Anatolia Development Project has been touted as an
economic boon for Turkey’s minority Kurdish population. Yet Turkey
has engaged in a long-standing policy of political and cultural
warfare against the Kurds who live in southeastern Turkey, near the
Iraqi border by imprisoning Kurdish political figures and limiting
classroom instruction in Kurdish. As recently as the early 1990s,
Turkey conducted a Central American-style scorched earth campaign
against Kurdish villages suspected of harboring separatist guerillas,
killing as many as 30,000 people.

All the foregoing is not to deny that Turkey has enacted reforms
in its quest for EU membership. The country has abolished the death
penalty and retreated from its once total censure of Kurdish culture.

In the economic realm, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has
repealed subsidies favoring the textile industry. If admitted to the
EU, Turkey holds out the promise of revitalizing laggard European
economies with its growing consumer market, cheap labor (an augury
of massive emigration) and increased trade.

But Turkey’s reforms are too little, and Turkish society has evolved
insufficiently since 1963. Treacherous fault lines still haunt the
political landscape, with Islamic fundamentalists on one extreme and
a military clique on the other, ever ready to intervene to defend
the ideological vision of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

The bottom line is that Turkey absolutely does not deserve an EU seat
alongside progressive, democratic nations like France, Great Britain,
Germany and Spain.

Nickson is a third year law student and executive editor of The Texas
International Law Journal.

SERGEY KHACHATRYAN

Andante
Oct 10 2005

Sibelius, Khachaturian, violin concertos

Sergey Khachatryan was born in Yerevan, the Armenian capital, in
1985. He comes from a family of musicians. From childhood onwards,
he benefited from broad cultural horizons that favoured the musical
career of which he dreamt. He began the violin at the age of five.

The following year, he began his studies at the Sayat Nova Conservatory
in Yerevan, continuing them in Germany when his family settled
there. The exceptional qualities of this young virtuoso were revealed
at a

concert with the Orchestra of the Hessen State Theatre, Wiesbaden;
he was then nine years old. From then on, foreign trips and prizes
followed at regular intervals, with many concerts, all over Europe
– Germany, Switzerland, Finland, Portugal, Spain, Italy, France –
as well as in the USA, South America, Russia and Armenia.

The coming seasons are rich in exciting projects: with the Philharmonia
Orchestra, with the BBC Philharmonic conducted by Neeme Jarvi, with
the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam, the Tokyo Philharmonic
Orchestra under Vladimir Fedoseyev. then partner Anne-Sophie Mutter
in Bach’s Double Concerto with the London Philharmonic.

When one asks Sergey Khachatryan which violinists he admires most,
he unhesitatingly speaks of the supreme genius of the Soviet school.

Above all, he evokes the magnetic tutelary figure of David Oistrakh.

Sergey Khachatryan’s first recording, released in EMI’s ‘Debut’
series in 2002, allowed us to meet a violinist blessed with a glowing
sonority and with musical intelligence rare in so young a musician.

Now he has recorded for Naïve two concertos that figure among the
jewels of the violin repertoire.

;iProductID=511

–Boundary_(ID_Sa8MVMfa6Ar2LSIQauoOrw)–

NOBEL COMMITTEE SPLIT BECAUSE OF PAMUK

Turkish Press
Oct 10 2005

HURRIYET- It has been claimed that the Nobel committee was divided
into two because of Orhan Pamuk and couldn’t give the Nobel Literature
Prize.

The British Observer newspaper claimed that the committee which awards
the Nobel Prize for literature has delayed their decision for at
least a week amid reports of a split over honoring the controversial
Orhan Pamuk.

For the first time in at least 10 years, the literature prize was
announced neither in the run-up to, nor in the same week as the four
other main Nobel awards – medicine, physics, chemistry and peace. The
literature award is now due to be announced on Oct, 13, Thursday.

The newspaper claimed that as Pamuk has been a political figure
recently, the prize that can be given in literature to Pamuk could
be overshadowed by political debate.

GUL: PAMUK WILL WIN THE LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST HIM

ZAMAN – Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said that author Orhan
Pamuk will win the lawsuit which was filed against him due to his
statements regarding so-called Armenian genocide.

Gul said that earlier, similar lawsuits were opened in Turkey,
but courts decided that everybody has the right to express his/her
opinion. Gul noted that he did not have any doubt that the court’s
decision will be in favor of Pamuk.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THE PRESIDENT OF LATVIA IN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

National Assembly of RA, Armenia
Oct 10 2005

On October 8 Vaira Vike-Freiberg, President of the Republic of Latvia
was hosted in the Nat ional Assembly. The problems of the development
of the Armenian-Latvian relations were in the center of discussions
with NA President Artur Baghdasaryan, representatives of the standing
committees of the National Assembly, factions and grouping. Welcoming
the high-ranking guest, NA President Artur Baghdasaryan highlighted
the experience of Latvia on the road of European Integration,
strengthening of inter-parliamentary cooperation (during the
visit of the President of the Republic of Latvia a memorandum of
inter-parliamentary cooperation was signed) and regional ties with
the establishment of direct ties between the marzes and cities. The
sides also elaborated on the trade-economic and scientific-cultural
ties, discussed the possibility of the establishment of a direct
flight between two countries, which can become an impetus for the
development of trade-economic ties.

Vaira Vike-Freiberg, President of the Republic of Latvia highlighted
the success of the constitutional reforms in Armenia, noting that the
parliaments are always basic pillars of democracy, and the cooperation
of the legislative bodies of two countries has an important role in
the inter-state relations. He expressed confidence to continue the
cooperation in all directions with Armenia.

Hrair karapetyan, Secretary of ARF faction, expressed gratitude for
adopting the bill on recognition of the Armenian Genocide in the
first reading in the Parliament of Latvia. In response Mrs. Freiberg
mentioned that during her visit to Turkey she elaborated on the
necessity of recognizing the Armenian Genocide during the meeting
with the President and Prime Minister of Turkey, highlighting not
to have dark pages in the history of the country before joining the
European family.

During the meeting other issues were also discussed.

ATAMYAN WINS ARMENIAN REP ELECTION

Financial Mirror, Cyprus

Oct 10 2005

Vahakn Atamyan has won the by-elections for the Armenian Representative
at the Cypriot House of Representatives.

Atamyan received a total of 769 votes or 52.03%. In Nicosia, he
received 224 votes at the first polling station and 272 at the second,
in Limassol 113 votes and in Larnaca 160 votes.

Candidate Antranig Ashdjian received a total of 649 votes or 43.91%.

In Nicosia, he received 198 votes at the first polling station and
222 at the second, in Limassol 89 votes and in Larnaca 140 votes.

Furthermore, candidate Parsegh Zartarian received a total of 60 votes
or 4.06%. In Nicosia, he received 26 votes at the first polling station
and 15 at the second, in Limassol 13 votes and in Larnaca 6 votes.

Atamyan will succeed Bedros Kalaydjian, who passed away on the 1st
of September at the age of 71.

ITALIAN GEORGIAN ECONOMIC PROGRAM LEADS TO CONCRETE SUCCESS
By Anna Arzanova

The Messenger, Georgia
Oct 10 2005

Italian and American business organizations are optimistic about new
partnerships in Georgia.

With the success of the second Georgian-Italian business forum last
week behind them, the forces behind the Italian-Georgian Economic
Partnership Program (IGEPP) are geared to generate even more business
and business partnerships for entrepreneurs in both countries.

On Thursday, October 6, the Italian Embassy in Georgia and the American
Chamber of Commerce held a joint press conference to announce that
the IGEPP has successfully ended the first stage of the project and
is pleased with its progress to date.

The Italian Ambassador to Georgia, Fabrizio Romano, said that the IGEPP
project was the driving force behind the Georgian-Italian forum that
was held on October 4. “This project was one of the initiatives of
the Italian government that had a very important function: to learn
the prospects of development possibilities,” said Romano.

The aim of this project was to reveal which enterprises in Georgia,
with their activities and current structure, are more compatible with
Italian enterprises, as well as to promote industrial cooperation
and trade between Georgia and Italy as part of a larger vision that
identifies Georgia’s strategic location between businesses in the
Caucasus and Central Asia.

IGEPP, which will be technically completed in July 2006, is promoted
by the Union of Industrialists of the Province Caserta, in partnership
with its member company EXEN S.p.A., the American Chamber of Commerce
in Georgia and the Georgian Businessmen Federation.

As a result of the information gathered so far, they have identified
and prepared profiles of over 100 Georgian companies all over Georgia.

Filippo Tiburtini, the senior expert of this project, said that the
most concrete and important result of this project to date is the
database of enterprises that “we created ourselves.” According to him,
about 150 of the enterprises were discovered, most of which represent
different spheres of business.

“This is strategic information to learn what opportunities [are
available] and directions for possible cooperation with Italian
companies. This gives us a serious [foundation] to move to another
stage and take other serious steps forward,” said Tiburtini.

He noted that within the framework of this project, the second stage is
also very important, since a group of Italian businessmen will arrive
in Georgia in the mid October. “These events, particularly the stages
of the projects, are being developed very specifically. The second
important event will be a visit of the Georgian industrialists to Italy
in November who will become acquainted with how the industrial system
in Italy is working. This is a rather progressive project,” he added.

Within the project, several Georgian professionals from partner
organizations have been trained to identify and promote cooperation
between Italian and Georgian businesses. To better facilitate
communication between the two countries, the project’s working group
has recently held information seminars in Tbilisi-as well as in
regions of Georgia, including Gori, Kakheti and Kutaisi. The group
also plans to travel to Adjara in the near future.

Technical Manager of the project Antonio Limatola thinks that this
initiative will bring positive results and develop well. “I think
that I also will start activity in this region. I am going to supply
Caserta Industrialist Union, mayor of the town and the head of the
region with all the necessary information so they can be initiators
for the development of this project,” he stated.

According to Amy Denman, the Executive Director of the American
Chamber of Commerce in Georgia, the first stage of the IGEPP was
very successful. “Probably three of our members have begun to
create partnerships with Italian companies. I think often many of
these forums are a lot of talk. This forum-and building up to this
forum-was interesting because I have seen concrete partnerships
formed,” she stated.

According to her, even if one partnership is formed, the project
will be successful, and she is sure that there will be more than one
partnership in Georgia. “Measured in terms of new business, it is a
big success,” Denman noted.

She added that while the actual impact of the program on Georgia’s
economy will depend on investors in Georgia, she believes there is
the potential that it will be good for the business community. “I
do want to say that any time we see potential manufacturing direct
investment we are very happy. If anyone does want to come to Georgia
for manufacturing purposes we consider this as a very big success,”
Denman stated on October 6.

The IGEPP plans to expand to Armenia and Azerbaijan in order to
familiarize local entrepreneurs with the project mission and goals.

They plan to hold a seminar in the capital cities of each republic
before taking the project to Italy where it will be completed in May
2006. The IGEPP was launched in November 2004.

GEORGIA’S NEW FOREIGN POLICY SEEKS FRIENDS FROM THE WEST AND THE NORTH

The Messenger, Georgia
Oct 10 2005

Recently Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili spoke to the
Parliamentary Committees of Foreign Affairs and European Integration
about Georgia’s position in the international community and the
nation’s foreign policy priorities. While the current government can
be applauded for its active steps to join Western alliances, much
remains to be done. The current foreign policy from Tbilisi seems
to be defined by its approach to the three traditional superpowers:
Europe, the United States, and Russia.

Despite reforms and other projects, Georgian integration into the EU
is still many years away from being seriously considered. According
Zourabichvili, the EU is partly to blame for the current stagnation
surrounding Georgia’s integration into the EU.

The foreign minister rebuked the European Union for its inattentiveness
in regard to Georgia; specifically she was displeased that the EU
has twice postponed the arrival of its official delegation to the
Caucasus. According to her, Georgia is being punished along with
Azerbaijan after Azerbaijan’s violation of an international agreement
regarding Cyprus.

“We have officially declared our protest concerning this issue. This
is not what the member countries had agreed upon. Work on plans for
cooperation was to have been individual and not regional. We don’t
want the region to be split up, but at the same time we believe
that the action plans must be based on each individual country’s
priorities. Every country has a unique set of problems, so it is
not acceptable to hold joint talks,” Minister Zourabichvili stated,
accoding to the newspaper Rezonansi.

It is hard to say what influence the Georgian protest will have on
the EU or whether it will change the alliance’s regional approach.

Meanwhile, Washington has stepped into the role of Georgia’s closest
strategic partner.

The nature of Georgian-American relations has changed dramatically
since the Rose Revolution. Before, Washington looked upon Georgia as
a country of geopolitical significance and acted accordingly. Its
efforts to support the country’s independence were often a direct
result of efforts to maintain stability for the transport of energy
resources. After the revolution, Georgia became an active partner
of the United States; a key expression of this partnership was the
visit of the American president this May.

While Tbilisi seems to have good relations with both Europe and the
United States, Georgia continues to have problems with its policy
toward Russia. After the Rose Revolution, the Georgian government
proposed to Russia that the countries start relations from a ‘clean
slate’ and forget old grudges. But unfortunately, Russia was not so
quick to ‘forgive and forget.’ However, there have been some positive
developments. After years of seemingly futile negotiations, this May
an agreement was finally reached on the withdrawal of Russia’s two
remaining military bases in that country.

The most painful issue today in Georgian-Russian relations remains
Moscow’s continued support for the separatist regimes in Tskhinvali and
Sokhumi and their policy of ‘creeping annexation’ in regard to these
two Georgian regions. President Mikheil Saakashvili drew attention
to the issue in his address before the UN General Assembly and the
Georgian Parliament adopted a resolution establishing deadlines
for the peacekeepers in the conflict regions to either change their
pro-separatist attitude or lose their mandate.

The main target of Georgia’s foreign policy is the resolution of the
conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. According to Zourabichvili,
by the end of 2005 the government will have a concrete plan of steps
to be taken for the peaceful resolution of the conflicts and in 2006
significant progress is to be anticipated in this regard.

Despite its troubled relationship with Moscow, the government
is in no hurry to leave the Commonwealth of Independent States
(CIS), although certain steps have been taken to prepare for this
possibility. Recently, Georgian embassies abroad were charged with
presenting their views ‘on Georgia’s economic interests in the CIS’
to the foreign minister.

Georgia’s relations with its other neighbors, meanwhile, are going
relatively well. Strong strategic partnerships have been forged with
the Ukraine, Turkey and Azerbaijan and, despite having very different
foreign policy priorities, relations with Armenia are also developing.

It is clear that the current administration makes its foreign policy a
matter of priority. While the successful steps toward Western alliances
like NATO and EU membership are praiseworthy, Tbilisi must concentrate
on finding peaceful solutions to its on going power struggle with
Moscow-and the separatist leaders hiding behind the Kremlin’s support.

THE ECONOMIST: ARMENIA ARMENIANS SUPPORT TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP

Journal of Turkish Weekly
Oct 10 2005

LONDON and ANKARA (JTW) – British weekly the Economist reported
that the Armenians in Armenia support Turkey’s European Union
(EU) membership while the overseas Armenians strongly oppose such
a development.

Arsen Ghazaryan, who co-chairs association of Turkish and Armenian
businessmen, told the weekly that Armenian economy is frustrated
because of the economic isolation. A Young Armenian woman told the
Economist “It’s easy to be principled in the diaspora. They don’t
have to live between Turkey and Azerbaijan”.

Dr. Nilgun Gulcan who defends that there are enormous differences
between Armenia Armenians and the Diaspora Armenians is not optimistic:
“The Economist reports just a little part of the true story. Turkey’s
membership will change a lot the region and the Armenians will
enjoy. However Armenian Government has not realized this simple
fact. Yerevan still tries to undermine Turkish interests in the
European Union. They did anything possible to prevent Turkey’s EU
membership” she added.

According to Dr. Nilgun Gulcan the Armenian Government is under the
control of the Diaspora extremists:

“The Diaspora ultra-nationalists shifted the political tendencies
in Armenia. They made a secret coup against the Ter Petrosyan
Administration, because Petrosyan knew that Armenia could not survive
without regional co-operation. The first President understood that
relying the foreign countries and the Diaspora harmed Armenia and
Armenians. The Tashnaks and the other extremists made co-operation
with the Russian deep state and they changed the president. Now the
ultra-hawk Kocharian is president and he is also a Diaspora Armenian.

He commanded the occupying Karabakh Armenian forces. The extremists
know that any solution would end their economic and political
interests. If there is no Turkish-Armenian problem, how they can
collect donation from the Armenians in California? If there is no
Armenian issue, how the Armenian politicians in France can get vote
from the Armenian voters? Many Armenians owe their famous and economic
wealth to the Armenian Problem. I mean they abuse the past for their
own personal and group interests. As a matter of fact that they do
not respect their ancestors’ tragedy.”

Dr. Sedat Laciner, director of ISRO, argued that both countries have
potential to become great allies:

“Armenia needs Turkey. There are more than 100 million Turks around
Armenia and Turkish Government is now really sincere in solving the
problems with Armenia. The border between Armenia and Turkey should
be opened and the business should be improved. Now the trade volume
between two countries is around 200 million dollars though the gate
is closed. Turkey will not open the border till Armenia withdraws
its forces from occupied territories and Yerevan recognise Turkey’s
national borders. However Armenia should understand that Armenia
could not survive by fighting Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia.

Irredentism will mostly damage Armenian interests. The extremist
Armenian nationalism just focuses on territory. The focus should
be shifted into the human factors. If your people are poor and not
integrated with the rest of the world, territory causes problem,
not wealth and power. Any compromise from irredentist demands will
make Armenia wealthier and more integrated with Europe. And Turkey
will be the most helpful country in this process”.

Armenians argue that the 1915 Relocation campaign was genocide,
though the Ottoman Empire never accepted the allegation. The Ottoman
State had declared that there was a riot and most of the Armenians
died due to the bad weather conditions, famine and war circumstances.

Turkey similarly has not accepted the Armenians claims. More than
520.000 Turkish people were massacred by the Armenian armed groups
during the First World War, and Turkish historians urge the Armenians
to recognize all these killings as massacre.

LATVIA IS INTERESTED IN DIRECT FLIGHTS BETWEEN RIGA AND YEREVAN

Regnum, Russia
Oct 10 2005

There are many perspectives in financial cooperation between Armenia
and Latvia, we only need to concretize them and make first steps
towards the realization, President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan said
on a business forum of the two countries.

As a REGNUM correspondent reports, according to Kocharyan, to develop
partnership between the two countries, at first a solid legal and
negotiation system should be established. “The second principal
element is the predictability of both countries. There is no such
problem currently. After obtaining independence, Armenia has been
heading towards serious economical growth. Third, we need a healthy
competition. And the last factor is safety. Many crimes such as racket
have been successfully exterminated,” said president of Armenia. The
main problems, according to him, are lack of information and
contacts. However, the new EU policy “Extended Europe: New Neighbors”
will provide both countries with needed partnership possibilities.

In her turn, Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga informed,
that during her visit to Armenia, many documents important for
future negotiations have been signed. “We’re impressed by Armenia’s
economic growth and hope that it will continue for the good of both
our countries”, said Vaira Vike-Freiberga.

During the forum, Latvian finance minister Krisjanis Karins noted,
that the Latvian side was interested in direct flights between Riga
and Yerevan. In his turn, Kocharyan said that this could be one of the
components of business and tourism development. The only discussable
question now is the visa question. The Latvian side hopes that it
could be settled by establishing an Armenian embassy in Latvia that
will happen in the near future.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CHURCH LEADER SAYS U.S. CRUCIAL TO PEACE IN THE MIDEAST
By Alex Dobuzinskis, Staff Writer

Los Angeles Daily News, CA
Oct 10 2005

The United States has a big role to play in establishing peace in
the Middle East, where Christians are awaiting peace as eagerly as
are Jews and Muslims, an Armenian church pontiff said Sunday during
his visit to Southern California.

His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, is based
in Antelias, Lebanon, and speaks Armenian, English, Arabic and French.

More than 500,000 Armenians live outside Armenia in the Middle East
in such countries as Iran, Lebanon, Syria and Israel, along with
other Christians.

“You can imagine that the peace process … for us (is) something of
profound importance,” Aram said. “This is the only way to bring the
region out of what I would say is its centuries-old conflict.”

Aram is on an official visit to California on the 10th anniversary of
his ascension to the head of the Lebanon-based branch of the Armenian
Apostolic Church.

This week he will visit the Armenian-American community in Fresno,
then come back to Los Angeles on Friday to meet with Mayor Antonio
Villaraigosa.

Aram said the United States has a role to play in promoting peace in
the Middle East, and he said conflicts in the Middle East are more
than just political.

“I think we should go beyond politics in the strict sense of the word,”
Aram said. “The question is how we can we live together.”

Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky, president of the Board of Rabbis of Southern
California, has a different view. A political solution to the conflict
must come before religion can play a positive role.

“It’s the folks with the weapons and the oil who are calling the shots,
not the people inside the house of worship,” he said.

Dr. Maher Hathout, spokesman for the Islamic Center of Southern
California, said Christians living in the Middle East have an important
role to play, especially in Israel.

“By virtue of their message and their long history of good relations
with Muslims and the fact that (orthodox Christians) and the Muslims
and Jews were victims of the Crusade(s), will give them that historical
role to act as mediators for peace,” he said.