Month: October 2006

TURKISH FM TELLS MPS: FRENCH DECISION TO HARM POLITICAL TIES

Anatolia news agency, Ankara
16 Oct 2006

Ankara, 17 October: "The resolution adopted by the French parliament
(which criminalizes denial of the so-called Armenian genocide
allegations) will harm Turkish-French relations. These wounds will be
seen in our political and economic relations, and in area of security,"
said Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul.

Briefing the MPs at the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) on the
resolution, Gul said: "No one was assimilated in these lands which
were under our domination for 400-500 years. And, different religious
and ethnic groups have lived on these soils. If our ancestors had
assimilated others and had done what some countries which claim
themselves as modern and civilized are doing today, many languages
and cultures would not survive today."

They were incited

Gul stated that Turks and Armenians had lived in Anatolia in peace
for about a thousand years, and pointed out that some Armenians were
appointed to the highest ranks in the Ottoman Empire including the
ministries and consulates.

"However, problems began when some Armenian groups, affected by
ideologic movements, revolted and staged terrorist attacks to establish
independent Armenia. Unfortunately, people who lived together for
centuries were the victims of these incitements," he emphasized.

Noting that France had an important impact on occurrence of the
Armenian problem, Gul said that France deceived the Armenians during
the War of Independence by claiming that "an independent Armenia
would be established in Southeastern Anatolia Region".

Gul stated that the Armenian gangs massacred people in this region
till 1921 due to provocations of France.

"It is unacceptable to see that France is accusing the Turkish nation
of genocide instead of apologizing to Turkey for these massacres. If
Turkey has a mistake here, it is because it could not explain the
world that its own people were massacred," he emphasized.

Heaviest crime

Gul qualified genocide as the heaviest crime and stressed that this
accusation should be based on historical facts.

"Saying that a nation committed genocide is a serious accusation. A
genocide, which is not based on concrete legal and historical evidence,
is subjective. According to international law, only an authorized court
can decide that a genocide crime is committed. No one can say that a
genocide crime is committed unless there is such a court decision. The
Armenian genocide, about which there is not any international decision,
is only a baseless claim and a propaganda," Gul stated.

Gul noted that Turkey is doing everything in its power to prevent
this resolution from going into force. "There is another path and our
government will not refrain from testing it. We will do everything,
including every means provided by international laws," he said.

It harms EU values

Gul said that the 1915 incidents are freely discussed in Turkey,
and recalled that Turkey has opened all its archives to Turkish and
foreign researchers.

"When we are trying to ensure individual rights and freedoms as much
as we can and when we are facing some just or unjust criticisms due
to our shortcomings in freedom of expression, a country, the founder
of EU, is openly violating this principle and harming the values of
the EU. Contrary to what the French parliament is arguing, every view
about the tragic incidents that occurred in Anatolia during the World
War I can be freely expressed in Turkey, and this is free under the
laws," Gul pointed out.

France at historic intersection point

"Today, France is at a historic intersection point. It will either be
the France of Voltaire or Montesquieu or it will be the continuation
of a colonialist thought that prevails in different parts of the
world as a so-called civilization move," he said.

According to Gul, France has left its privileged place in Turkey
because of the decisions and moves of French politicians.

"We hope that France will take into consideration the reaction of
not only Turkey, but also the entire world and the EU," he noted.

"If this resolution is legalized despite all warnings and criticisms,
it will be a shame for France. France should stop this move and return
from this mistake for its own interests. Turkey will not lose anything
from this development, but it will be France who will lose.

>From now on, France will be recorded in the history as a country
that changes the EU and Copenhagen criteria. Therefore, I hope that
it will return from this mistake," added Gul.

AZERI PRESSURE GROUP PROTESTS AT FRENCH GENOCIDE BILL

ANS TV, Baku,
16 Oct 2006

A group of the Karabakh Liberation Organization [KLO] members have
attempted to stage a protest outside the French embassy against the
French parliament’s bill criminalizing the denial of the Armenian
genocide. One of the protesters threw eggs and tomatoes on the
embassy building.

The protesters could read out their resolution not far from the
embassy. The resolution was handed to the French embassy at the end
of the protest.

The French parliament has openly supported aggressor Armenia, taking
a disgraceful position on Azerbaijan, Turkey, the entire Islamic and
Turkic world, the protesters said in their resolution.

Therefore, the French parliament’s decision must be changed,
and political, economic and cultural relations with France must
be severed. France must be removed from the OSCE Minsk Group
chairmanship and no talks on Nagornyy Karabakh must be conducted on
French territory.

Eighteen people, who attempted to stage the protest, were arrested,
the KLO reported. [Baku’s] Sabayil district police department said
that all detainees had been set free after giving explanations.

[Video showed protest]

FRENCH BUSINESS CHIEF HITS OUT AT ‘GENOCIDE’ BILL

Agence France Presse — English
October 17, 2006 Tuesday

The head of the French employers’ federation hit out Tuesday at the
adoption of a French bill that would make it a crime to deny a Turkish
"genocide" of Armenians, saying lawmakers had acted irresponsibly.

"We consider that what was voted goes beyond what was appropriate on
such a serious subject. One cannot take this kind of measure without
thinking of the consequences," MEDEF chief Laurence Parisot told a
press conference.

The French lower house adoption of the bill — launched by MPs of the
opposition Socialist party but opposed by the centre-right government
— has sparked fury in Turkey and threatens to jeopardise billions
of dollars’ of French trade in the country.

"It is not up to business to write history, but neither is it up to
lawmakers to write it," Parisot said.

"It is easy to see that an overly sharp reaction from Turkish
authorities of economic officials can be very damaging for the health
of French companies," she said.

Calling the development "worrying", Parisot said she was due to meet
the head of the Turkish employers’ federation TUSIAD, Omer Sabanci,
later Tuesday in Brussels to discuss the situation.

The French bill, which still has to undergo a Senate vote and a second
lower assembly reading before becoming law, would make it a jailable
offence to deny that the massacres carried out under Ottoman rule
constituted genocide.

Armenians claim up to 1.5 million of their people were slaughtered,
but Turkey rejects the use of the term "genocide", saying some 300,000
Armenians died when the Ottoman Empire fell apart, but at least as
many Turks did too.

TURKISH PARLIAMENT CONDEMNS FRENCH GENOCIDE BILL

Deutsche Presse-Agentur
October 17, 2006 Tuesday 4:31 PM EST

DPA POLITICS Turkey Diplomacy France Turkish parliament condemns French
genocide bill Ankara The Turkish Parliament on Tuesday condemned a
bill passed last week by the lower house of the French Parliament that
would make it a crime to deny that massacres of Armenians during the

First World War constituted a genocide, the Anadolu news agency
reported.

In a statement supported by all parties, the parliament condemned
the move as a blow to freedom of speech and warned it would hurt
French-Turkish bilateral relations.

"By passing this bill the French parliament has clearly damaged
political, economic and military relations between Turkey and France,"
the statement said.

While Turkey admits that massacres took place, it vehemently denies
that the deaths of Armenians during the war were part of a planned
genocide.

French political observers believe the bill will fail to become law
thanks to a strong government majority in the French upper house.

The French government has come out against the bill.

No official sanctions have been announced by the Turkish Government
but public campaigns have already begun to call for a boycott of
French goods.

TURKISH PARLIAMENT SAYS ‘GENOCIDE’ BILL HITS TIES WITH FRANCE, ARMENIA

Agence France Presse — English
October 17, 2006 Tuesday 4:07 PM GMT

A French bill making it a crime to deny Ottoman Turks committed
genocide against Armenians will damage ties with France and hit
reconciliation efforts with neighbouring Armenia, the Turkish
parliament warned Tuesday.

The warning came in a joint declaration adopted by parliament after
a debate on the bill which foresees one year in jail for anyone who
denies that the World War I massacres amounted to genocide and was
voted by the lower house of the French parliament Thursday.

"The French National Assembly has not only inflicted great damage on
bilateral ties but has also dealt a blow to efforts for a normalisation
in our ties with Armenia," the declaration said.

It said the bill, which needs to be approved by the French senate
and president to become a law, would have serious repercussions
on political, economic and military ties with France and also on
Armenia itself.

"The hostile policies Armenia employs against… the Turkish
people… will cost it dearly," it said.

Ankara has declined to establish diplomatic ties with Yerevan over
its campaign for international recognition of the genocide.

In 1993, Turkey sealed its border with its eastern neighbor in a
gesture of solidarity with close ally Azerbaijan, which was then at war
with Armenia, dealing a heavy economic blow to the impoverished nation.

Diplomats from Turkey and Armenia have been holding exploratory talks
since last year in a bid to normalise ties, but there has so far been
no word on their progress.

Speaking in the general assembly before the adoption of the
declaration, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul also warned of a
deterioration in French-Turkish ties and said Ankara was considering
international legal means to combat the bill.

If the bill is adopted, "our ties will receive irreparable wounds in
politics, economics and security," Gul said, describing the draft as
a violation of freedom of expression, a basic tenet of the European
Union.

"The government will use all means provided by international law,
including resorting to judiciary means," Gul said.

Analysts have said Turkey could challenge the French bill at the
European Court of Human Rights after it has been adopted.

The bill is widely seen here as a punch below the belt by opponents
of Turkey’s European Union membership that will fan anti-Western
sentiment among Turks and make it harder for the government to push
ahead with painful EU-demanded reforms.

"France has made a definite decision to block Turkey’s full membership
in the European Union," said Sukru Elekdag, a senior MP from the
main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP). "France’s aim is to
frustrate Turkey, to force it to throw in the towel."

Ankara, facing mounting EU warnings to respect freedom of speech,
charges that the French move is an example of double standards,
arguing that the bill eventually could block free debate on a
historical subject.

Ankara had warned ahead of the vote that French companies would be
barred from major economic projects in Turkey, including a nuclear
power plant whose tender process is expected to soon begin, if the
bill was adopted.

Officials, however, have sought to calm widespread calls for a boycott
of French goods on the grounds that French companies based in Turkey
and employing Turks could be harmed.

The killings are one of the most controversial episodes in Turkish
history.

Armenians claim up to 1.5 million of their kin were slaughtered in
orchestrated killings between 1915 and 1917.

Turkey categorically rejects the genocide label, arguing that
300,000 Armenians and at least as many Turks died in civil strife
when Armenians rose for independence in eastern Anatolia and sided
with invading Russian troops as the Ottoman Empire was falling apart.

GENOCIDE ARMENIEN: LE PARLEMENT N’A PAS A ECRIRE L’HISTOIRE (PARISOT)

Agence France Presse
17 octobre 2006 mardi

La presidente du Medef, Laurence Parisot, a estime mardi qu’il
"n’appartient pas au legislateur d’ecrire l’Histoire" et que le vote
des deputes francais sur le genocide armenien "depasse ce qu’il est
normal de faire sur un sujet aussi grave".

"Il n’appartient pas aux entreprises d’ecrire l’Histoire, mais
il n’appartient pas non plus au legislateur d’ecrire l’Histoire",
a-t-elle declare lors de sa conference de presse mensuelle, jugeant
que "chacun doit rester a sa place".

"Nous considerons que ce qui a ete vote depasse ce qu’il est normal de
faire sur un sujet aussi grave. On ne peut pas prendre des mesures de
ce type sans se poser des questions sur les consequences", a-t-elle
poursuivi.

"Il est facile de comprendre qu’une reaction trop vive des autorites
ou des responsables economiques turcs peut etre très prejudiciable
pour la sante des entreprises francaises", a-t-elle dit, rappelant
que beaucoup d’entreprises francaises sont implantees en Turquie ou
exportent vers ce pays.

Estimant que "cette affaire est suffisamment inquietante", la
presidente du Medef a annonce qu’elle rencontrerait ce mardi a
Bruxelles le president du TUSIAD (patronat turc), Omer Sabanci,
en marge d’une reunion de l’Unice, le mouvement patronal europeen.

La Turquie s’est indignee du vote la semaine dernière par l’Assemblee
nationale d’une proposition de loi sanctionnant la negation du
"genocide armenien" de peines allant jusqu’a un an de prison et 45.000
euros (57.000 dollars) d’amende.

Le texte controverse doit encore etre soumis aux senateurs, puis aux
deputes en seconde lecture, avant d’etre definitivement adopte.

–Boundary_(ID_8YjBytUGXhoGMCGlaPzEtA)–

TURKS PROTEST AT FRENCH EMBASSY IN BUCHAREST OVER ‘GENOCIDE’ BILL

Agence France Presse — English
October 18, 2006 Wednesday 1:31 PM GMT

Some 30 Turkish residents in Romania demonstrated Wednesday outside
France’s embassy in Bucharest against a French bill making it a crime
to deny Ottoman Turks committed genocide against Armenians.

They held up banners in French saying that politicians should not
legislate on historical truth.

The Mediafax news agency said that some of the demonstrators left a
letter of protest at the embassy.

The bill, which needs to be approved by the French senate and president
to become a law, provides for a year in jail for anyone who denies
that the World War I massacres of Armenians amounted to genocide.

It was voted by the lower house of the French parliament Thursday.

Armenians claim up to 1.5 million of their kin were slaughtered in
orchestrated killings between 1915 and 1917.

Turkey categorically rejects the genocide label, arguing that
300,000 Armenians and at least as many Turks died in civil strife
when Armenians rose for independence in eastern Anatolia and sided
with invading Russian troops as the Ottoman Empire was falling apart.

Armenian Prelacy Eastern USA
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 689-7810
Fax: (212) 689-7168

Press Release
For Immediate Release ~ October 17, 2006 – (212) 689-7810

A gathering with His Holiness Aram I, December 1-3 in Dearborn, MI

New York, NY – Young adults ages 18-30 should mark their calendars
for Armenian Church 2006: Your Church. Your Future. Engage. – an
unprecedented gathering with His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the
Great House of Cilicia, scheduled to take place December 1-3 in
Dearborn, MI.

According to Program Committee co-chair Nayiri Baljian, the event is
intended to "provide an opportunity for American- and
Canadian-Armenians to learn about their heritage of faith and to
experience some of the best of what the Armenian Church has to
offer." A variety of media, including live speakers, film, music,
and liturgy will attempt to answer the questions: Where have we come
from? Where are we going? How far can we go?

Armenian Church 2006 will begin with an optional Hrashapar Service,
Friday, December 1, 7:00 pm at St. Sarkis Church in Dearborn, MI. The
main program will begin on Saturday, December 2 at 3:00 pm and
conclude on Sunday, December 3 at 2:00 pm. The two-day gathering
will also feature a dinner with Vehapar and a concert by renowned
Christian vocalist Salpi Keleshian. Anyone who is interested may
attend a Hrashapar service on Friday evening currently scheduled for
7:00 pm at St. Sarkis Armenian Church in Dearborn, MI.

Armenian Church 2006 will take place at the Hyatt Regency in
Detroit. Aram Hovagimian said on behalf of the Steering Committee,
"We encourage participants to sign up early and make their travel
arrangements soon." A special hotel rate of $99 per night has been
negotiated. A $40 registration fee will include dinner on Saturday
evening and lunch on Sunday afternoon. Further details about the
program as well as a registration form are available at

Armenian Church 2006 is being sponsored by the Prelacies of the
Eastern and Western United States and the Prelacy of Canada.

ZORYAN INSTITUTE OF CANADA, INC
255 Duncan Mill Rd., Suite 310
Toronto, ON, Canada M3B 3H9
Tel: 416-250-9807 Fax: 416-512-1736
E-mail: [email protected]

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: George Shirinian

DATE: October, 16 2006
Tel: 416-250-9807

The United Nations’ University for Peace Partners with Zoryan Institute
in Major International Conference

A major, international High Level Expert’s Forum, titled "Capacity
Building for Peace and Development: Roles of Diaspora," is taking place
in Toronto on October 19 and 20, 2006, sponsored by the University for
Peace, a United Nations-mandated agency, in partnership with the Zoryan
Institute. The Forum will assemble over 70 international experts and
leaders to reflect on the potential of diasporas to support, engage
in and mobilize towards peace-building and development.

The keynote speaker at the opening plenary session will be
H.E. Sheikha Haya Rashed Al Khalifa, President, UN General Assembly
61st Session. The Foreign Minister for Armenia, H.E. Vartan Oskanian,
will speak at the Second Plenary Session. The opening speeches
will be followed by five concurrent workshops, which will examine
in depth the roles played and strategies used by various diasporan
groups to strengthen peace-building and promote development in their
countries of origin. The case studies focus on Afghanistan, Armenia,
China, Colombia, and Ethiopia. The participants in the Armenian
workshop will include Prof. Khachig Tololyan of Wesleyan University,
who is the editor of Diaspora: A Journal of Transnational Studies
co-published by the Zoryan Institute, and Dr. Razmik Panossian,
who is Director of Policy, Programs and Planning at Rights and
Democracy in Montreal. Also participating in the conference will be
senior representatives of the Canadian government, policy-makers,
representatives of NGO’s and scholars.

As communities worldwide have begun to focus more systematically
on how to harness diversity as an asset rather than a liability,
there has been increased interest from many quarters in tapping the
creativity, energy and resources of diasporas to build peace and
promote development.

"Not only is there a growing recognition of Diasporas as effective
agents of peace and development in their home countries, but also a
nuanced understanding of Diaspora is increasingly being recognized
as fundamental to comprehending the multicultural fabric of Canada,
the United States and other host countries," stated Torrey Swan,
the Zoryan Institute’s Project Manger for the conference, "as today
there are over 190 million migrants worldwide."

The Chair of the conference, Ambassador Mohamed Sahnoun, who is Special
Advisor to the Secretary-General of the UN on Africa and Vice-President
of the Council of the University, has stated, "The role of diasporas
in peace-building, good governance, and economic development processes
is an issue that I regard as significant, timely, and warranting more
global attention. We are delighted to be convening this expert forum
in Canada, which has played a pivotal role historically in fostering
open debate on critical issues of international peace and development."

"We are very pleased to be working with the University for Peace in
the realization of this conference," stated K.M. (Greg) Sarkissian,
President of the Zoryan Institute. For twenty-five years we have
operated with the conviction that the potential of the Armenian
Diaspora would be greatly enhanced though comparative study and
dialogue with other diasporas. This high level expert’s forum is
an excellent opportunity for Zoryan to continue to expand its reach
beyond academia and share information and knowledge with many other
experts and policy-makers."

The Zoryan Institute, parent organization of the International
Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies, and co-publisher of
Diaspora: A Journal of Transnational Studies and Genocide Studies and
Prevention: An International Journal. It is the first non-profit,
international center devoted to the research and documentation of
contemporary issues with a focus on Armenian social, political and
cultural life, but with the concern for the human rights of all.

Armenian National Committee of Canada
130 Albert St., Suite 1007
Ottawa, ON
KIP 5G4
Tel. (613) 235-2622 Fax (613) 238-2622
E-mail:[email protected]

Fo r Immediate Release
October 17, 2006
Foreign Affairs Minister of the Republic of Armenia Visits Canada

Ottawa-Vartan Oskanian, Foreign Affairs Minister of the Republic of
Armenia, will make an official visit to Ottawa on October 18 and meet with
Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Hon. Peter MacKay to discuss
Canada-Armenia bilateral relations.

To honour His Excellency Vartan Oskanian, Gary Goodyear, (MP – Cambridge)
and Chairman of Canada-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship Group, in
cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Ottawa, and the
Armenian National Committee of Canada (ANCC), will host a luncheon/meeting
for the House of Commons and Senate of Canada members.

More than 75 joint economic ventures already exist between the two
countries. Many Canadian companies now operate in Armenia. Recently, Dundee
Precious Metals Inc. acquired 80% of an Armenian mining company for US$22
million.

The 125-year-old Canadian Armenian Community is a vibrant and growing
community with significant presence in all major cities across Canada. Over
2,500 Canadians visit Armenia a year-on business or for pleasure. This
number is expected to rise sharply in the next few years.

Participating in peace-keeping activities are among the priorities of the
Republic of Armenia which presently is involved in peace-keeping missions
in Kosovo and in Iraq. The government of Armenia is also anxious to learn
from the Canadian experience in these fields.

According to international organizations, Armenia is one of the most
progressive countries of the former Soviet Union in introducing, economic
liberalization, political freedom, freedom of speech and of press freedom.
Enhancement of relations between Canada and Armenia will benefit both
countries.

His Excellency Vartan Oskanian itinerary:

October 17, 2006 Arrival in Ottawa

October 18, 12:00 -2:00 pm: Luncheon/meeting, Room 601 of the Parliamentary
Restaurant, Centre Block.

October 18, 5:00 pm Meeting the Hon. Peter MacKay

#
For media inquiries please contact:

Kelly Williams, Gary Goodyear- MP Office. Tel. (613) 996-1307
Aris Babikian, ANCC Office. Tel. (613) 235-2622

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress