Month: September 2006

SERGE SARGSIAN MEETS WITH DEPUTY AMBASSADOR OF GREAT BRITAIN TO RA RICHARD HYDE

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 26 2006

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 26, NOYAN TAPAN. On the occasion of finishing
official obligations of Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Nunn, the
Military Attache’ of the United Kingdom, and introducing newly
appointed Military Attache’ Lieutenant Colonel Nicholas Ridout,
Serge Sargsian, the Secretary of the RA National Security Service
attached to President, Defence Minister received on September 26
Richard Hyde, the charge de affaires of the United Kingdom to the RA,
Deputy Ambassador. Colonel Seyran Shahsuvarian, the Press Department
Chief of the RA Defence Ministry, the Press Secretary of the Defence
Ministry informed Noyan Tapan about it.

Congratulating the newly appointed military attache’ on the occasion
of undertaking the post, the Minister thanked Lieutenant Colonel Nunn
for the done work, wished him success in the future activity.

At the meeting the sides facted that cooperation ties were strengthed
during the last 3.5 years in the military sphere, a progress was fixed.

Newly appointed attache Lieutenant Colonel Nicholas Ridout promised
to more deepen with his activity the cooperation level during his
officiating.

MR OLLI REHN MEMBER OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, RESPONSIBLE FOR ENLARGEMENT

European Union

Sept 26 2006

EU: "Reforms in Turkey – in the first place it is the interest of
the Turkish citizens" EP debate on Turkey (the Eurlings report)

Strasbourg, 26 September 2006
President, Honourable Members,

Let me first thank Mr Eurlings for his report which includes useful
elements for the assessment of Turkey’s progress towards accession. I
also thank the members of the AFET Committee for their contribution.

Turkey’s accession is a matter for constant debate. The momentum
for reform has slowed down in Turkey in the past year. I will come
back in a moment to the main reforms Turkey must address as a matter
of priority.

However, we should not lose sight of the progress accomplished in the
last decade, nor of our commitment towards Turkey. The goal of the
negotiations started on 3 October 2005 is full EU membership of Turkey,
and by its nature it is an open-ended process with no automatism.

This commitment stems from a solid understanding that integrating
Turkey to the EU is of mutual benefit. The EU needs, for its own
interest, a democratic, stable and increasingly prosperous Turkey.

Turkey’s strategic significance was once again illustrated by its
decision to take part in the UNIFIL mission in Lebanon.

Moreover, Turkey’s economic dynamism, its young population, and its
potential key role as an energy hub will benefit our future prosperity.

For these reasons, and because Turkey sufficiently respected the
political criteria, the European Council decided to open accession
negotiations a year ago. This decision was widely supported in this
Parliament. Progress in the negotiations, however, does not depend only
on progress in the technical talks, but first and foremost on the pace
of reforms on the ground related to the Copenhagen political criteria.

In the past twelve months, there has been a lack of progress in this
regard. The expectations have risen since Turkey became a negotiating
country on 3 October last year. It is therefore all the more important
that new initiatives are taken and that tangible progress is still
achieved before the Commission will present its report on 8 November.

Freedom of expression is a cornerstone of the reforms. Journalists,
authors, publishers and human-rights activists still face judiciary
proceedings for violations of article 301 of the penal code on the
vague grounds of "insulting Turkishness". In July, the final ruling
of the Court of Cassation in the case of Hrant Dink established
jurisprudence on the notorious article 301 that violates European
standards. Thus, despite the acquittal of novelist Elif Shafak last
week, the freedom of expression remains under threat. The judiciary
proceedings have a chilling effect and damage the important work
carried out by journalists, intellectuals and activists. I have
repeatedly expressed my concern of this, latest to Foreign Minister
Gul last week in New York. It is now high time that Turkey amends the
restrictive articles in the penal code and brings them into line with
the European Convention on Human Rights.

Freedom of expression is indeed a fundamental human right on which
any open society is based, and a foundation for modernisation, social
progress and solving conflicts between various social groups.

An open and constructive exchange of views is needed in Turkey,
including the most sensitive issues. This is necessary both for the
democratic process in Turkey and for facing tomorrow’s challenges,
as well as for Turkey’s reconciliation with its neighbours, including
Armenia. Reconciliation is a principle that is both the origin and
the outcome of the European integration project. I therefore urge
Turkey to continue to take concrete steps in this direction.

Freedom of religion is another area where tangible progress is
needed. The Law on Foundations, which is currently debated in the
Turkish Grand National Assembly, should address the shortcomings.

Restrictions applied to non-Muslim religious groups on property rights,
management of foundations and training of the clergy must be lifted.

There are also Muslim minorities that face discrimination. The Alevi, a
Muslim community of 15-20 million, face legal restrictions to establish
places of worship and receive no financial support from the state.

Turning to the Southeast, the spiral of violence undermines positive
developments witnessed since the emergency rule was lifted some years
ago. Terrorism is a common enemy: Turkey and the EU unequivocally
condemn the PKK, and I deeply deplore the loss of innocent lives in
the attacks that have taken place throughout the year.

However, a policy based merely on security considerations does not
suffice to address the problems of this region. The Southeast faces an
aggravated socio-economic situation, not only due to security threats,
but also due to high unemployment and poverty. Greater effort is also
needed to enhance cultural rights. We expect Turkey to soon adopt,
as it has previously announced, a comprehensive strategy targeting
all the needs of this region – economic, social and cultural needs.

Let me now turn to Turkey’s obligation to respect its commitments. We
expect Turkey to fully implement the Additional Protocol of the Ankara
Agreement, and adapt it to the accession of ten new Member States.

Turkey should remove obstacles to the free movement of goods, including
those on means of transport, which are in breach of the Association
Agreement. Hence, Turkey should open its ports to vessels under flag
of all Member States, including the Republic of Cyprus. As set out
in the Negotiating Framework, the progress in the negotiations also
depends on Turkey meeting its obligations. Let me once again reiterate
that Turkey’s obligations under the Ankara Protocol are not linked
to the ending of economic isolation of the Turkish Cypriot community.

The draft report rightly calls on the Council to make renewed efforts
to reach an agreement on the trade facilitation regulation concerning
the Northern part of Cyprus. The Commission fully supports the
efforts of the Finnish Presidency to overcome the stalemate on the
trade regulation, thus helping the Council and the EU member states
to live up to their commitments. It is also appropriate to underline
the continuation of the constructive commitment by Turkey in finding
a comprehensive settlement on the Cyprus question, acceptable to both
Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, based upon the principles the
EU was founded.

President, Honourable Members,

To conclude: it is our mutual interest that Turkey pursues its
democratic, societal and economic transformation with the goal of
joining the EU. If Turkey succeeds, with our consistent support, it
can become an ever sturdier bridge of civilisations, at a moment when
the relationship between Europe and Islam is the greatest challenge
of our time. Turkey is an important benchmark in this regard. It
matters for our own future.

While the Commission is prepared to support Turkey along the process,
it is ultimately up to Turkey to carry it forward. The extraordinary
parliamentary session convened last week (19 Sept) to accelerate
the adoption of the 9th reform package is a welcome step. Yet, a
more resolute reform process is needed for Turkey to progress on the
path to EU accession. In this process, we should remember that – as
Prime Minister Erdogan suggests – the Copenhagen political criteria
could actually be called the Ankara criteria, since they are there,
in the first place, for the sake of Turkish citizens, not merely to
please the EU.

SERGE SMESOV TO BE APPOINTED NEXT FRENCH AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA

Public Radio of Armenia
Sept 26 2006

Serge Smesov, Deputy Director of the Continental Europe Department
of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will be appointed the
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to Armenia.

Previously he worked as French ambassador to Kazakhstan, ArmInfo
learned from well-informed diplomatic sources. It should be noted
that the new Ambassador will be appointed after French Ambassador
Henri Cuni’s tenure in office comes to an end.

UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY SCHEDULED TO DISCUSS THE CONFLICTS ON GUAM TERRITORY ON NOVEMBER 6

Public Radio of Armenia
Sept 26 2006

Discussion of the conflicts over GUAM territory in the 61st session
of the UN General Assembly is scheduled November 6, "Trend" agency
was told at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan.

Preceding this the Council of Foreign Ministers of GUAM countries
will continue preparing for the discussions. This decision was taken
by Foreign Ministers of GUAM countries (Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan
and Moldova), who held their recurrent meeting in the framework of
their participation in the UN General Assembly session.

MAMMADYAROV: THERE ARE TWO COMPONENTS THE PARTIES CANNOT AGREE UPON

Public Radio of Armenia
Sept 26 2006

Speaking about the negotiation process over the settlement of the
Karabakh conflict at the 61st session of the UN General Assembly,
the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov declared that
"there areas still two components, which the parties cannot agree upon.

These include the final status of Nagorno Karabakh and withdrawal
of Armenian troops from the occupied territories." In his words,
"there is a common agreement, according to which the status should be
determined by participation of representatives of both Armenian and
Azerbaijani communities." "But for this the Armenian forces should
withdraw from current positions, and residents of the occupied
territories must return to safe lands," Mammadyarov added.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

500 OFFICIAL AND ABOUT 100 UNOFFICIAL EVENTS TO BE ORGANIZED ON OCCASION OF YEAR OF ARMENIA IN FRANCE

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 26 2006

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 26, NOYAN TAPAN. The starting point of Year of
Armenia in France will be the September 29 official visit of French
President Jacques Chirac to Armenia and opening of the Square of
France in Yerevan, in the place of crossing of Mashtots Avenue-Sayat
Nova-Baghramian streets. The next day, on September 30, a gala concert
will be held in Republic Square with participation of Charles Aznavour
and his friends with presence of the two countries’ Presidents. On this
occasion French variety stars, including Michel Legran, will arrive
in Armenia with legendary singer Charles Aznavour. Unprecedented
fireworks with the colors of the French flag will take place at the
end of the concert.

As Edvard Nalbandian, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
Armenia to France, informed journalists at the September 26 press
conference, in a symbolic way Year of Armenia in France started
on September 21, the day of the 15th anniversary of Armenia’s
independence. It will be concluded in the same symbolic way in France
on the country’s national holiday, on 2007 July 14. In 2007 a large
gala concert will be also held in France with performances of Moris
Ravel’s and Aram Khachatrian’s two great works, "Bolero" and "Dance
with Swords."

In E.Nalbandian’s words, besides cultural events, many economic
conferences and forums will be held in France on the occasion of Year
of Armenia. A conference dedicated to cooperation between Armenia
and France in the issue of government decentralization will be
held in October with participation of Chairmen of French Senate and
Armenian National Assembly and delegation led by RA Prime Minister:
23 Armenian and French regions cooperate currently in the format of
"sister cities" or "sister regions."

Conferences dedicated to trade-industrial, agricultural and high
technologies spheres will be held in December, February and March,
respectively.

In the words of Vigen Sargsian, Assistant to RA President, who was
present at the press conference, 500 official and about 100 unofficial
events will be held in France on the occasion of Year of Armenia. The
catalogue of events has been already published in France. Besides
state governmental commissions, Armenian communities of France will
also organize some events.

The President’s Assistant said that many exhibitions with display
of Armenian medieval cultural values, painting, photography will be
organized in 125 French cities. An exhibition under the title "Surb
Hayastan" (St Armenia) to be opened in the halls of Louvres museum is
the most characteristic of them. In addition to Etchmiadzin treasures,
Matenadaran collections, 40 Armenian khachkars (cross-stones)
will be also displayed at the exhibition. As V.Sargsian commented,
these are the khachkars that have been already displaced from their
proper environment.

During the year the Armenian Philharmonic and Chamber Orchestras
will perform on tours in different cities of France. Besides,
retrospective reviews of Armenian films, jazz and variety concerts
will be organized. The 3rd biggest collection of Armenian manuscripts
in the world kept at the French National Library will be organized
at the Library.

SAMVEL TER-SAHAKYAN THE CHAMPION OF EUROPE IN UNDER 14 COMPETITION

Public Radio of Armenia
Sept 26 2006

Armenian chess player Samvel Ter-Sahakyan achieved European
Champion’s title in the under 14 blitz chess competiion. Earlier
Samvel Ter-Sahakyan had achieved the same title in the blitz chess
tournament in Hertseg Novi city of Chernogoria.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

BLACKBERRY CONFESSIONS
by G.E. Mortimore, Alberni Valley Times

Alberni Valley Times (British Columbia)
September 26, 2006 Tuesday
Final Edition

Don’t try this at home. One day long ago, the grown-ups turned us kids
loose to pick blackberries. As they disappeared indoors to socialize
over glasses of home-made wine, I hatched a dumb idea.

"Let’s shock ’em by bringing in a giant blackberry, as big as an
apple," I suggested. "Get some paper and a jug of water, mush the
paper into one big blob, and stick bits of berries on it, so it’s
like a jumbo berry."

The other kids agreed, I don’t know why. The monster berry looked
convincing. We lodged it in one of the containers, covered it with
a layer of regular berries, and left the full baskets in the kitchen.

Then we went home, each family carrying a share of the harvest.

That was the last we heard. I think I see the reason for the silence.

The fake berry must have been in a basket that stayed with our hosts,
the owners of the blackberry thicket.

They had no children. There was nobody to prattle about this
badly-planned joke. Our concoction probably squashed down into a
pulpy mess. They dismissed it as an overripe harvesting failure,
and threw the slurry in the compost.

No adult knew about the plot, which was a real-life kid-conspiracy,
not a "conspiracy theory." So the truth never came out.

That tiny event still buzzes in my mind during blackberry season,
along with the memory of two different sense-inputs that gave me a
sentimental twinge when I made an August return visit to Vancouver
Island from a long residence in Toronto.

One sensory kick was the sight of the green mountain-shaded water
of Cameron Lake on the road to Port Alberni, a scene that has no
counterpart in Ontario.

The other was the lush flavour of blackberries. I never found
blackberries in Ontario either. It takes a warmer winter to sustain
rubus armeniacus, the broad-leaf kind that prevails in B.C.

Scientists who sort out Latin names have applied that label, because
the plant comes from Armenia. The ragged-leaf species, r. laciniatus,
grows in some places.

Blame for bringing Eurasian blackberries to western North America is
rightly or wrongly assigned to plant-breeding wizard Luther Burbank.

The designer of the disease-resistant Burbank potato had no sense of
unintended consequences.

He did not regard himself as a scientist. After he had invented a
new kind of vegetable, he always threw away his notes, leaving other
horticulturalists at a disadvantage.

However, I don’t worry about plant history in blackberry time, which
can continue through the first week of October in a year of dry sunny
air and damp soil.

St. Mary’s Anglican Church, in the rural Victoria suburb of Metchosin,
prolongs the season with its Blackberry Festival on September 30; but
compulsive calendar-watchers put blackberries out of mind on August 31.

All the more berries for us eccentrics who hate to let go of summer,
and continue with our picking under hardship conditions.

The hardship is real. There are no more sweet juicy fruit in plain
sight. You have to hunt among clusters of red berries that are never
going to ripen, and if you find a likely prospect, it has red grains
among the black.

Even in July and August, when normal people do their
blackberry-picking, the job calls for courage and careful observation.

The vine throws out fast-growing thorny claws to grab the picker
and draw blood as the price for the vitamins it pumps up from muck
or gravel.

Nothing seems to bother the blackberry bush – neither soil quality,
weather, nor the attacks of harvesters who carve paths with shears.

The blackberry plant flourishes, spreads and adapts. But it changes
gear for its own benefit, not for the convenience of humans.

Pickers must find bushes that have absorbed the correct amount of
moisture – not too much, which turns the fruit mouldy, and not too
little, which converts them into shrivelled blackberry prunes.

After crowds of pickers have stripped the bushes, a smart berry-gleaner
seeks out specimens hidden behind the most vicious thorn barriers.

I visited the Metchosin blackberry festival, and found myself sitting
at a table beside a woman who took a hostile view of such invasive
species as the blackberry and the Scotch broom.

I feel badly about the places where armeniacus has crowded out
its tasty cousins, the native trailing blackberry, salmonberry and
thimbleberry. I hold anti-invader views myself, but I am ready to yield
some virtue to the blackberry vine, which sends its roots as deeply
into my personal experience as it does into garden beds and drainpipes.

"Maybe the blackberry is partly a benign invader," I suggested,
making small talk with the judgemental woman. "Isn’t it a kind of
people’s food bank?"

No, the blackberry is absolutely not a benign invader, she retorted.

It is a tough, troublesome weed. Blackberry-bashing total war is the
only civilized response.

The conversation ended there, as my table companion ate the last
piece of her blackberry pie with cream.

OPPRESSING DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS

Zerkalo, Baku,
26 Sep 06 pp 1,2

Or another phase of Russian-US political intrigues

A regulatory legal base has been formed in Azerbaijan, real conditions
exist for the operation of opposition parties and civil society,
freedom of expression and the press has been ensured. There cannot be
any talk of oppressing democracy with these institutions in existence,
the head of the public and political department of the Azerbaijani
Presidential Executive Staff, Ali Hasanov, has told Turan news agency.

At the same time, he admitted that there were some problems in the
application of the laws. "But such occurrences are not a tendency,"
he noted.

Hasanov said that the authorities are ready to accept all the
proposals which contribute to democratic elections. He recalled that
the most disputed issue while adopting the Electoral Code was about
the organization of the electoral commissions.

[Passage omitted: Hasanov favours current make-up of the electoral
commissions]

"There are conditions to hold a democratic election in Azerbaijan. It
is possible to hold democratic, free and fair elections with the
existing Electoral Code," Hasanov said.

"Democracy is developing in Azerbaijan, the process of building
a law-based state is intensifying and everyone, including state
officials and journalists, must be able to act within the framework
of the law." [Passage omitted: comment on lawsuits against journalists]

Thus, the topic of democracy in Azerbaijan is again on the agenda.

But this time the war does not seem to be going on between democrats
and anti-democrats. Most probably, the interests of super powers
continue to clash in the region and this clash is embellished with
democratic shades. The recent developments illustrate that Russia’s
influence in Azerbaijan remains huge. Washington has not managed
to neutralize the pro-Russian forces in the Azerbaijani authorities
following the parliamentary election [in 2005].

It is interesting that Russian media are again circulating reports
alleging that the USA intends to oust undesirable officials in
Azerbaijan and Armenia. Russian analysts believe that the USA will try
to resurrect "constructive opposition" in Azerbaijan soon and help
it demand the resignation of undesirable officials (if US interests
are ignored).

However, the USA understands that deprived of financial resources and
the electorate, the opposition is incapable of offering resistance
to the authorities. According to some information, high-ranking US
diplomats are looking for politicians in [Azerbaijani President] Ilham
Aliyev’s entourage who are promising for Washington and capable of
guaranteeing an irreversible shift in Baku’s policy towards the West.

But Russia has already enough support among Azerbaijani MPs, something
that worries US policymakers. There is recently an open war in the
ruling circles between "Westerners" and pro-Russian politicians. The
pro-Western opposition, which is actually at death’s door, is still
performing the role of a passive observer.

Nevertheless, Western circles have again started to reinforce
recommendations in the area of fighting corruption. It involves
public associations, students and individual representatives of the
government in joint anti-corruption efforts in education, health,
judicial authorities and law-enforcement bodies. It also calls for
an increase in public control over the government’s anti-corruption
measures and cover cases of corruption in the media. All this heralds
a new stage of the struggle started by Washington emissaries.

RA FM: MILITARY WAY OF KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT IS TRIED AND FAILED

ARMINFO News Agency, Armenia
September 26, 2006 Tuesday

The Government of Azerbaijan has lost the moral right to advance
proposals regarding assurance of security and future of Karabakh, not
to mention the tutorship over the NKR people, RA FM Vardan Oskanyan
said during the UN General Assembly session.

"Azerbaijan did not behave responsibly or morally with the people
of Nagorno Karabakh, who it considered to be its own citizens. They
sanctioned massacres in urban areas, far from Nagorno Karabakh; they
bombed and displaced more than 300,000 Armenians; they unleashed the
military; and after they lost the war and accepted a ceasefire, they
proceeded to destroy all traces of Armenians on their territories. In
the most cynical expression of such irresponsibility, this last
December, a decade after the fighting had stopped, they completed the
final destruction and removal of thousands of massive hand-sculpted
cross-stones – medieval Armenian tombstones elaborately carved and
decorated. Such destruction, in an area with no Armenians, at a
distance from Nagorno Karabakh and any conflict areas, is a callous
demonstration that Azerbaijan’s attitude toward tolerance, human
values, cultural treasures, cooperation or even peace, has not changed.

One cannot blame us for thinking that Azerbaijan is not ready or
interested in a negotiated peace. Yet, having rejected the other two
compromise solutions that have been proposed over the last 8 years,
they do not want to be accused of rejecting the peace plan on the
table today. Therefore, they are using every means available –
from state violence to international maneuvers – to try to bring
the Armenians to do the rejecting. But Armenia is on record: we have
agreed to each of the basic principles in the document that’s on the
table today. Yet, in order to give this or any document a chance,
Azerbaijan can’t think, or pretend to think, that there is still
a military option. There isn’t. The military option is a tried and
failed option. Compromise and realism are the only real options. The
path that Nagorno Karabakh has chosen for itself over these two
decades is irreversible. It succeeded in ensuring its self- defense,
it proceeded to set up self-governance mechanisms, and it controls
its borders and its economy. Formalizing this process is a necessary
step toward stability in our region. Dismissing, as Azerbaijan does,
all that’s happened in the last 20 years and petulantly insisting that
things must return to the way they were, is not just unrealistic,
but disingenuous. Nagorno Karabakh is not a cause. It is a place,
an ancient place, a beautiful garden, with people who have earned the
right to live in peace and without fear. We ask for nothing more. We
expect nothing less", V. Oskanyan said.