Month: October 2005

Mehr News Agency, Iran
Oct 9 2005

Shahin Farhat composes “Iran Symphony”

TEHRAN, Oct. 9 (Mehr News Agency) — Iranian composer Shahin Farhat
recently finished composing a work entitled “Iran Symphony” to prove
his patriotism once again. He had previously created “Iranian Lady
Symphony”, “Damavand Symphony”, and “Persian Gulf Symphony” in this
genre.

Shahin Farhat (photo: Mandegar
“I began writing the symphony last Noruz (Iranian New Year, which
begins on March 21). It abstractly demonstrates bittersweet events
our country has experienced over history,” Farhat told the Iranian
Students News Agency (ISNA) on Saturday.

“With a genuine Iranian theme, the symphony has been written in four
movements taking 40 minutes. The first and second movements have an
exciting and fast rhythm, the third movement is mellow, and the
ending reminds one of triumph and victory,” he explained.

“I have asked Ali Rahbari (Tehran Symphony Orchestra conductor) to
perform the symphony, and he has welcomed the idea,” Farhat said.

According to Farhat, the Iranian Academy of Arts will sponsor the
performance. He had previously said that he might be persuaded to
give it to the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra because of technical
limitations in Iran for the performance and recording of orchestral
and symphonic works.

Farhat’s Persian Gulf and Damavand symphonies were also to be
performed by Iranian conductor Loris Tjeknavorian and recorded in
Iran, but in the end they were performed and recorded by the Armenian
Philharmonic Orchestra.

Farhat expressed satisfaction with the Armenian orchestra’s
performance of the symphony.

Civil Georgia, Georgia
Oct 9 2005

Armenian Official Calls on Tbilisi for Cautious in Javakheti

Armenian President’s national security aide Garnik Isagulyan said
on October 8 that the Georgian authorities should show restraint
while dealing with the Samtskhe-Javakheti region in southern Georgia,
which is predominately populated by ethnic Armenians, Regnum news
agency reported.

`Georgian authorities should be extremely cautious and attentive in
their actions, because any minor provocation can turn into a large
scale clash,’ Garnik Isagulyan said at a news conference.

The aide to the Armenian President commented on the recent clash,
which occurred on October 5, when hundreds of local residents in
Akhalkalaki, a town in Samtskhe-Javakheti, rallied to protest against
the closure of trade facilities by in the town by the Financial
Police. Tensions flared up after police fired several shots into the
air to disperse the rally.

President Saakashvili said while commenting on the Akhalkalaki
incident, that `there is no serious problem and law-enforcers are
maintaining order in the region.’

`We are establishing control in this region [Samtskhe-Javakheti],
which was out of full control over previous years. Any attempts to
trigger disorders will be unsuccessful,’ Saakashvili told reporters
on October 6.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

The Guardian/Observer, UK
Oct 9 2005
X-Sender: Asbed Bedrossian <[email protected]>
X-Listprocessor-Version: 8.1 — ListProcessor(tm) by CREN

Nobel split delays book prize

Alex Duval Smith in Stockholm
Sunday October 9, 2005
The Observer

The secretive group of intellectuals who award the Nobel Prize for
literature have delayed their decision for at least a week amid
reports of a split over honouring the controversial Turkish author,
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.
Each marks the pinnacle of achievement in its field and is worth 10
million Swedish kronor (£730,000).

The suspected row over Pamuk – which is officially denied – comes
amid revelations about the secretive workings of the committee that,
since 1901, has chosen Nobel winners. The literature award is now due
to be announced on Thursday.

Pamuk’s latest novel, Snow, has been widely acclaimed for addressing
Turkey’s internal clash of cultures. His earlier work, My Name is
Red, established his literary prowess. But the author is
controversial for an assertion he made in a newspaper interview
earlier this year that the Turkish state was guilty of a 20th century
genocide against Armenians and Kurds. He faces trial for the comments
in his country on 16 December.

Observers of the Nobel process say that, given that the European
Union has decided to engage talks on Turkey’s entry without
condemning the Pamuk trial, some members of the Swedish Academy,
which chooses the literature laureate, feel politically exposed.

‘If the Pamuk row is real, the academy’s reluctance is not based on a
fear of being political, or controversial,’ said Svante Weyler of
Nordstedts publishers, ‘but on concern that literature must not be
overshadowed by politics.’

Others believe a split in the academy over Pamuk could be based on a
long-entrenched principle of avoiding fashions and fads. Pamuk is
widely acclaimed but, at the age of 53, is considered on the young
side. ‘The Nobel Prize must never go to the book of the season. It
exists to reward a life’s work,’ said poet and literary critic Eva
Ström.

The suspected row over Pamuk bears the hallmarks of the ‘Rushdie
affair’ – a conflict whose impact can still be felt in the Swedish
Academy today.

In February 1989, author and academy member Kerstin Ekman called on
her fellow elders to issue a statement condemning the fatwa against
Salman Rushdie. They refused, prompting Ekman and author Lars
Gyllensten to resign from the Nobel selection process.

The remaining 16 academy members are understood at this stage to have
reduced their choice to two candidates. The winner will be chosen by
majority vote.

Some observers have suggested the delay in announcing the 2005 prize
might not be related to Pamuk, and that academy members may be
grappling with a non-fiction candidate or an essayist.

Earlier this year, academy head and committee member Horace Engdahl
suggested it was time to ‘broaden’ the literature prize stating that
‘It is important that the prize develops as literature develops.’

His comments have been taken to mean that a journalist such as
Poland’s Ryszard Kapuscinski could be considered. In the same vein,
philosopher Bertrand Russell won it in 1950 and Winston Churchill was
given the literature prize three years later for his historical
writings. The favourite to win in Stockholm literary circles is
Syrian poet Ali Ahmad Said, also known as Adonis.

The Guardian/Observer, UK
Oct 9 2005

Turkey gags journalist over ‘insult’

Just as the EU opens talks with Turkey over its application to join
the European Union comes a reminder that the freedoms the British
press takes for granted are not always extended to its Turkish
equivalent.

Last Friday, a Turkish court gave an Armenian-Turkish journalist a
six-month suspended prison sentence for ‘insulting Turkish identity’
in an article he wrote.

The issue of freedom of speech has dogged every stage of Turkey’s
efforts to join the European Union. While the EU agreed this week to
start entry talks with Turkey, such court cases are likely to hinder
Ankara’s progress toward full membership.

The Istanbul court found Hrant Dink, the editor-in-chief of the
bilingual Turkish and Armenian weekly Agos newspaper, guilty of
‘insulting and weakening Turkish identity through the media’ in an
article he wrote last year.

‘Whether the sentence was for one day or six years, it doesn’t
matter. The important thing, and what saddens me, is that I was
sentenced. I did not commit this crime,’ Dink told Reuters.

The article he wrote called on the Armenian diaspora to reject the
anger they felt against Turkey. ‘Forget insulting the Turkish
identity, I said to Armenians “let go of your enmity toward Turks”,’
Dink said.

The journalist, who founded the Agos newspaper in 1996, said that he
would appeal against the court’s verdict and take the case to the
European Court of Human Rights if necessary.

‘If I don’t get a result, I will not stay with the people I have
supposedly insulted,’ he said. ‘I will leave the country.’

Business Online, UK
Oct 9 2005

France is the big obstacle to Turkey’s EU ambitions

By : Jonathan Gorvett in Istanbul October 09, 2005

WITH Turkey finally starting European Union (EU) accession talks 46
years after first applying, a 10-year road of tough negotiations and
difficult decisions lies ahead. And after all that, enlargement could
still be vetoed, especially by France, which changed its constitution
earlier this year to stipulate that a referendum must be held before
Turkey is allowed to join – a prospect facing opposition from
ordinary French voters.

The first new step is on 20 October, when EU chiefs will assess what
needs to be done before the real talks on membership can begin. Then
in November, the European Commission publishes its scorecard report
on Turkey’s progress in economic and political reforms – a document
likely to be critical of the country’s human and minority rights
record.

And after this, talks may begin, focusing on 35 subjects – known as
chapters – in which Turkey will have to show conformity with EU
standards. On each occasion, the approval of existing member states
will be needed before one can be closed and the next opened.

These chapters cover everything from foreign policy to intellectual
property rights, from environmental standards to trans-European
highways.

Many feel that Britain, which currently holds the EU presidency, will
also want to close at least one chapter before the end of this year,
establishing the accession process. Most likely then, the first
chapter chosen will be an easy one – such as science and research
rules.

A series of more irksome issues is likely to follow. Raymond James
Securities chief macroeconomist Ozgur Altug says: `Number one of
these will be Cyprus. When it comes to the chapter on the free
movement of goods and services, there could be serious problems here
for Turkey.’

The difficulty is that at this point Turkey will likely come up
against demands from Nicosia that it open its ports and airports to
Cypriot traffic.

Turkey is technically obliged to do so under the terms of the customs
union agreement it has with the EU. Yet Ankara has not recognised the
Greek Cypriot dominated government on the island since it invaded
back in 1974 and has so far refused to open its doors.

The second difficulty is likely to be farming. About 40% of Turkey’s
70m population works on the land, mainly in co-operatives and
individual holdings. Farmers have been used to receiving subsidies in
price supports from the state for decades, while many staple products
– such as tomatoes, sunflower and olive oil and oriental leaf tobacco
– are oversupplied by other EU countries. Other sectors remain
protected against imports, breaking EU trade policies.

Agricultural Minister Mahdi Eker said last week that he recognised
that `a difficult time lies ahead’ for farming, while placing his
faith in a new Agriculture Strategic Action plan, due to begin
implementation in January 2006. This will roll back price supports
and, advocates hope, boost competitiveness – yet it is also likely to
cause political and social discontent.

Then there is the environment. The chapter on this requires the
Turkish private sector to spend E35bn to meet EU environmental
standards, from health and safety at work to food hygiene standards.
Yet for the years 2005-07, the total financial assistance Turkey can
expect from the EU will be E350m a year.

Another area of concern though is minority rights. Turkey’s now-small
but once large ethnic Greek and Armenian populations have long
complained that much of their property has been taken from them over
the years by government. Sorting out restoration rights will be a
complex legal process; minority groups have already stated that they
do not see the latest government draft law on this issue in a
favourable light.

With support for EU accession in Turkey dwindling in recent months –
according to a recent newspaper poll to 57% – the government will
also have to watch its back, while its presents its front to
Brussels.

;StoryID’0D3980-6A53-4833-97CA-DE8E8BF92496&SectionIDº48E3D7-CCB9-4976-883F-EE19F9206FB3

Pravda, Russia
Oct 9 2005

EU enlargement chief meets with Orhan Pamuk

05:30 2005-10-09
The European Union enlargement chief met with Turkish writer Orhan
Pamuk at his home in Istanbul, where the two discussed freedom of
expression ahead of Pamuk’s December trial for allegedly insulting
the Turkish identity.

A Turkish prosecutor used a clause in the Turkish penal code to open
a case against Pamuk, one of Turkey’s most successful writers, for
remarks he made about the deaths of Kurds and Armenians in Turkey.
The clause has also been used in recent days to convict an
Armenian-Turkish journalist, raising concerns about Turkey’s
tolerance of free expression.

The EU has said it will be watching closely when Pamuk goes before a
judge on Dec. 16. EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, on the third
day of a visit to Turkey following the opening of the country’s EU
membership talks on Tuesday, met with Pamuk for around an hour and a
half on Saturday, NTV television reported.

Pamuk said he and Rehn did not discuss the case directly, but talked
about “human rights in Turkey in general,” the Anatolia news agency
reported. The 301st paragraph of the new Turkish penal code says “a
person who insults Turkishness, the Republic or the Turkish
parliament will be punished with imprisonment ranging from six months
to three years.”

Some prosecutors have liberally interpreted the code and used it to
try those who question Turkey’s treatment of minorities, particularly
Armenians and Kurds. On Friday, Turkey convicted Armenian-Turkish
journalist Hrant Dink under the same clause for an article he wrote
earlier this year in which he mentioned poison and Turkish blood in
the same sentence. The court said the article was “intended to be
insulting and offensive,” while Dink said his words were taken out of
context.

Dink, who has lived in Turkey all his life, received a six-month
suspended sentence. He said the conviction was an attempt to silence
him and held back tears as he said on Turkish television that he
would leave Turkey if he could not get his conviction overturned. A
case was opened against Pamuk after he told a Swiss newspaper in
February, “30,000 Kurds and 1 million Armenians were killed in these
lands and nobody but me dares to talk about it.”

He was referring to those killed during Turkey’s two-decade conflict
with Kurdish rebels and to Armenians killed by Ottoman Turks around
the time of World War I. Armenians and several country’s recognize
those killings as the first genocide of the 20th century, which
Turkey denies.

Rehn also brought a stack of Pamuk’s books for the author to sign,
and the two later went out for lunch together at an Istanbul
restaurant, Anatolia said. Pamuk’s books, which include the
internationally acclaimed “Snow” and “My Name is Red,” have been
translated into more than 20 languages. Pamuk has received numerous
international awards, AP reports.

Whittier Daily News, CA
San Gabriel Valley Tribune, CA
Oct 9 2005

Armenian pope pays visit to Montebello
By Bridget Schinnerer, Correspondent

MONTEBELLO – Area Armenians and local officials attended a prayer
service conducted by His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great
House of Cilicia, at the Armenian Martyrs Memorial Monument at
Bicknell Park.
The monument, which sits on a hill, was erected in 1968 and is
dedicated to the memory of Armenians who lost their lives at the
hands of the Ottoman Turkish Government from 1915 to 1921, a period
many call the Armenian genocide.

“This is a service that honors their memory and blesses their souls
so that they may rest in peace,” Armenian National Committee
spokesman Raffi Hamparian said.

Montebello is one of the many cities the pontiff will visit during
his month-long tour of North America. This is his second visit to
California in seven years.

Several hundred people attended Saturday’s event and eagerly
applauded when he spoke of the importance of the commemorative
monument.

“This memorial that stands at the heart of the state of California is
a reminder of the Armenian genocide that happened during World War
I,” the pontiff said. “I consider this living monument a challenge of
all people that we must join our forces for the promotion of human
values.”

Values, he said, that are not just Armenian values, but human ones.

The pontiff’s visit occurs at a time when the United States
government is considering two pieces of legislation that urge the
current Turkish government to recognize the role of its predecessors
in the mass killings and acknowledges the United States’ opposition
to recognizing it as a genocide.

The resolutions, supported by the House International Relations
Committee, await action by the House of Representatives.

Attendees at Saturday’s service said the pontiff’s message reinforced
their own beliefs.

“It is very important to recognize our genocide because if we don’t
recognize this one, we cannot prevent the next one,” Mourad
Iskadhian, 43, of Montebello said.

Angus Reid Global Scan, Canada
Oct 9 2005

Azerbaijan – CIS observers begin operations

Election Date: November 6, 2005

CREDIT: Flag courtesy of ITA’s Flags of All Countries used with
permission.

At stake: National Assembly

Background

(Angus Reid Global Scan) – Following the collapse of the Soviet
Union, lawmakers in Azerbaijan voted to restore the area’s
independence. Former Communist Party leader Ayaz Mutallibov became
president, while Haidar Aliyev – who had coordinated the operations of
the KGB in the region – took over as leader in the exclave of
Nakhichevan.

A war broke out in the early 1990s between Azerbaijan and Armenia
over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. The area is controlled by ethnic
Armenians – who consider it an independent republic – but is claimed by
Azerbaijan as part of its territory. The hostilities ended with an
unofficial truce negotiated by Russia in 1994.

Aliyev took over as Azerbaijan’s president in 1993. The election was
boycotted by Abulfaz Elchibey, who had substituted Mutallibov as head
of state. A year later, three members of a special police force were
arrested after two political assassinations. Aliyev said the incident
amounted to an attempted coup, and declared a state of emergency.

In 1994, a Western consortium signed a $7.4 billion U.S. contract to
develop Azerbaijan’s offshore oil and gas reserves. A pipeline that
carries oil all the way to the Turkish port of Ceyhan began operating
in May 2005.

In 1995, Aliyev’s New Azerbaijan Party (YAP) won a majority of the
seats in the country’s first-ever multi-party legislative ballot. The
contest failed to meet international standards, according to
international organizations. The 1998 presidential election and the
2001 legislative election would also be criticized as “irregular” by
observers.

In August 2002, voters supported a series of constitutional
amendments in a referendum, as Aliyev seemed poised to seek a new
term in office. The authoritarianism of the Aliyev regime was
condemned by human rights organizations, and the Council of Europe
chided Azerbaijan for holding political prisoners. Health problems
forced the 80-year-old president to eventually withdraw from the
contest.

In August 2003, the National Assembly appointed Aliyev’s son
Ilham – who had already been registered as a presidential candidate – as
the country’s prime minister. The younger Aliyev had served as the
vice-president of Azerbaijan’s state-run oil company, and was elected
as vice-president of the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly.

In October 2003, Ilham Aliyev was elected with 77.97 per cent of all
cast ballots. The election was once again criticized by international
monitors.

Click here for 2003 Azerbaijan Presidential Election Tracker

2005 National Assembly Election

The ballot to renew Azerbaijan’s legislative branch will take place
on Nov. 6. The election is regarded as a key test for the former
Soviet Republic, after fraud allegations led to power shifts in
Georgia, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan.

On May 11, Ilham Aliyev issued a decree which outlines a series of
measures meant to improve the democratic process. The policies
include raising “the professionalism and competence” of election
officials and conducting exit polls. No changes were implemented in
the provision that sets the structure of the election commission,
where the authorities hold a majority over the opposition.

On Jul. 5, the campaign period officially began. Each candidate must
submit the signatures of 450 supporters in order to become
registered.

On Jul. 13, Azerbaijani media outlets signed an ethics code, which
aims to promote constructive and independent news coverage during the
campaign.

On Jul. 15, former U.S. state secretary Madeleine Albright expressed
confidence in the democratic process, saying, “The election campaigns
have already started and I believe the decree signed by president
Ilham Aliyev will play a basic role for holding a free and fair
election.”

On Jul. 26, the U.S. announced plans to finance an exit poll, in
order to help Azerbaijan conduct a free and fair ballot.

On Sept. 5, exiled former president Ayaz Mutallibov was registered as
a candidate in the parliamentary ballot. Former National Assembly
speaker Rasul Guliyev will also be a contender. Prosecutors have said
that both politicians could be arrested if they return to Azerbaijan.

Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) chairman
Dmitrij Rupel expressed satisfaction with the process so far,
declaring, “The Azerbaijan authorities are taking steps to fulfil the
recommendations of international organizations and can resolve all
outstanding problems by November. Azerbaijan’s democratization is
ongoing.”

On Sept. 11, thousands of opposition supporters demanded a free and
fair ballot in Baku. The protesters wore orange-coloured clothing, a
reference to the successful campaign of Ukraine’s Viktor Yushchenko.

On Sept. 15, Islamic Party leader Hajiaga Nuriev was banned from
contention by the Central Election Commission (CEC). While Nuriev
sought to register as a contender for an opposition bloc, the CEC
claimed that his ties to the Islamic Party contravene regulations
that do not allow religious activists to run for public office.

On Sept. 23, the independent Prognoz centre announced that it would
hold an exit poll on the day of the legislative ballot.

In accordance with existing regulations, only parties or alliances
with at least 60 registered candidates can have free access to
state-run national television for promotion.

The governing New Azerbaijan Party (YAP) has included first lady
Mehriban Aliyeva in its list of contenders, along with Aydin
Mirzazade, Ahad Abiyev, Musa Musayev and Jalal Aliyev – the current
president’s uncle. Mirzazade said the slate of candidates “includes
former parliamentarians and new names as well as those who have great
merits within the party. If the list would include only nationally
known personalities, it would prevent regional party members from
getting a chance to become better known.”

The opposition Azadliq (Freedom) alliance encompasses the Azerbaijan
Popular Front Party (AKC), the Musavat (Equality) party and the
Azerbaijan Democratic Party (ADP). AKC deputy chairman Fuad
Mustafayev explained the rationale for the coalition, declaring, “The
long-awaited alliance is designed for long-term purposes. We had to
move from an autonomous existence to co-existence.”

The New Policy (YeS) bloc was formed in April, with Eldar Namazov as
its leader. The group presented its policy platform s titled “From
Authoritarianism to Democracy, From Corruption to a Legal State,”
which severely criticizes Aliyev’s regime. The YeS list includes
former president Ayaz Mutallibov.

On Oct. 6, observers from the Commonwealth of Independent States
(CIS) opened their mission headquarters in Baku. Azerbaijan’s first
deputy prime minister Abbas Abbasov said the CIS team “will be
monitoring the election campaign in all regions and cities.”

Political Players

President: Ilham Aliyev
Prime minister: Artur Rasi-Zade – YAP

The president is elected to a five-year term by popular vote.

Legislative Branch: The Milli Meclisi (National Assembly) has 125
members, 100 members elected to five-year terms in single-seat
constituencies, and 25 members elected by proportional
representation.

Results of Last Election:

President – Oct. 25, 2003
Vote%

Ilham Aliyev
(Nakhichevan)
77.97%

Isa Gambar
(Equality Party – Musavat)
11.91%

Lala-Sovket Hajiyeva
(National Unity)
3.22%

Etibar Mamedov
(Azerbaijan National Independence Party)
2.00%

Ilyas Ismailov
(Justice Party)
0.80%

Sabir Rustamkhanli
(Civil Solidarity Party)
0.76%

Gudrat Hasanguliyev
(Popular Front)
0.44%

Hafiz Hajiyev
(New Musavat Party)
0.32%

National Assembly – Nov. 5, 2000 and Jan. 7, 2001.
Vote%
Seats

New Azerbaijan Party (YAP)
62.3%
75

Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (AKC)
11.0%
6

Civil Solidarity Party (VBP)
6.4%
3

Azerbaijan Communist Party (AKP)
6.3%
2

Equality Party (Musavat)
4.9%
2

Azerbaijan National Independence Party (AMIP)
3.9%
2

Azerbaijan Liberal Party (ALP)
1.3%
—

Azerbaijan Democratic Party (ADP)
1.1%
—

Alliance Party for the Sake of Azerbaijan (ANAP)
1.0%
1

Social Prosperity Party (SPP)
—
1

Motherland Party (MP)
—
1

Ana Vatan (AV)
—
1

Yurddash Partiyasi (YP)
—
1

Non-partisans
—
29

Hindu, India
Oct 9 2005

European Union will “watch” the trial of Turkish writer

Pamuk facing charges for writing about the deaths of Kurds and
Armenians

ISTANBUL: The European Union enlargement chief met on Saturday
Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk at his home in Istanbul, where the two
discussed freedom of expression ahead of Mr. Pamuk’s December trial
for allegedly insulting the Turkish identity.

A Turkish prosecutor used a clause in the penal code to open a case
against Mr. Pamuk, one of Turkey’s most successful writers, for
remarks he made about the deaths of Kurds and Armenians in Turkey.

The clause has also been used in recent days to convict an
Armenian-Turkish journalist, raising concerns about Turkey’s
tolerance of free expression.

The E.U. has said it will be watching closely when Mr. Pamuk goes
before a judge on December 16.

Controversial code

European Union Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, on the third day
of a visit to Turkey following the opening of the country’s E.U.
membership talks on Tuesday, met Mr. Pamuk for around an hour and a
half, NTV television reported.

Mr. Pamuk said he and Mr. Rehn did not discuss the case directly, but
talked about “human rights in Turkey in general,” the Anatolia news
agency reported.

The 301st paragraph of the new penal code says “a person who insults
Turkishness, the Republic or the Turkish Parliament will be punished
with imprisonment ranging from six months to three years.”

Some prosecutors have liberally interpreted the code and used it to
try those who question Turkey’s treatment of minorities, particularly
Armenians and Kurds.

On Friday, Turkey convicted Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant Dink
under the same clause for an article he wrote earlier this year in
which he mentioned poison and Turkish blood in the same sentence.

The court said the article was “intended to be insulting and
offensive,” while Mr. Dink said his words were taken out of context.

Mr. Dink, who has lived in Turkey all his life, received a six-month
suspended sentence.

He said the conviction was an attempt to silence him and held back
tears as he said on Turkish television that he would leave Turkey if
he could not get his conviction overturned.

Genocide charge

A case was opened against Mr. Pamuk after he told a Swiss newspaper
in February, “30,000 Kurds and 1 million Armenians were killed in
these lands and nobody but me dares to talk about it.” He was
referring to those killed during Turkey’s two-decade conflict with
Kurdish rebels and to Armenians killed by Ottoman Turks around the
time of World War I.

Armenians and several countries recognise those killings as the first
genocide of the 20th century, which Turkey denies.

“My trial isn’t something that worries me, but Turkey’s democracy,
human rights and freedom of expression are important details for all
of us,” Anatolia quoted Mr. Pamuk as saying. –

Boston Herald, MA
Oct 9 2005

Turkey waiting for EU
By Boston Herald editorial staff
Sunday, October 9, 2005

Eighteen years after it applied for membership in the European Union,
Turkey and EU diplomats have begun formal negotiations on the
application. The talks may take 10 years, but it is important that
eventually Turkey be admitted.

The Muslim world is torn by a struggle between the peaceable
majority and intolerant fundamentalists who seek religious rule under
a new caliphate eventually embracing the whole world. Nothing would
go further to convince Muslims that they have nothing to fear and
everything to gain from modernity and the West in general, and
secular government in particular, than the recognition of Turkey as a
full member of Europe.

Turkey’s economy is oriented to the West, it has been a member
of NATO for more than a half-century, and its government has been
determinedly secular since 1925, even though it is now led by a party
that calls itself Islamic.

Turkey has jumped through hoop after hoop to prove to critics in
Europe that its values are acceptable. It abolished the death
penalty, legalized use of the Kurdish language and finally has begun
to examine whether the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Armenians
in 1915 and after was the genocide that the rest of the civilized
world considers it.

There are more hoops, such as the country’s refusal to recognize
Cyprus, on which it must relent if it wants to join the European
Union because Cyprus is now a member. But hoops are what negotiations
are about.

Europe’s fears are more of an obstacle to membership than
Turkey’s policies and values. Many workers in the original Common
Market member countries fear wage and other competition from the new
members to the East, and politicians often play to those fears. There
is a certain irony in this, for hundreds of thousands of German
workers are Turks recruited to make up labor shortages caused by
World War II.

Austria has been devious in trying to block negotiations by
tying them to the status of Croatia, which it is backing for
membership. The rest of Europe at least has recognized this is not
1683, and no conquering Turkish army is knocking at the gates of Vienna.