Month: October 2006

SUREN ABRAHAMYAN BEATEN DEMANDING HE BEGS PARDON

Panorama.am
18:13 09/10/06

Suren Abrahamyan, board member of Republic Party (RP) told a press
conference today that he was beaten by a person in black who "was a
skinhead in his essence."

Abrahamyan said the attack was made yesterday at 10:30 a.m.

Aram Sargsyan RP board chairman said the violence against Abrahamyan
is directed against their party.

"It’s pointless to try to frighten us," he said.

RP another board member thinks that the attack was made because of
Abrahamyan’s recent statements which said that political criminal is
concentrated in top ruling structures and is headed by Prime Minister
Andranik Margaryan who Abrahamyan called a criminal, too.

Suren Abrahamyan said he believes Andranik Margaryan is guilty in
the attack "no matter he ordered it or not."

General Abrahamyan said he is a man of contribution to Armenia and
he had "to beg for assistance on his knees" in his own country. He
said it goes beyond any morality.

SARKOZY SETS TERMS TO AVOID FRENCH ARMENIA VOTE

Gulf Times, Qatar
Oct 10 2006

Some 500 of the leftist Turkey’s Worker Party hold a black wreath
reading "France stop! Massacres of Armenians is a lie" as Turkish
riot police block their way to French Consulate in Istanbul yesterday

PARIS: French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy yesterday set three
conditions for Turkey to avoid a vote by French deputies on a bill
making it a crime to deny Armenians suffered genocide at the hands
of Ottoman Turks. Parliament, dominated by the Union for a Popular
Movement that Sarkozy leads, is due on Thursday to discuss an
opposition Socialist bill on Armenian deaths during World War I.

Turkey strongly denies the 1.5mn deaths constitute genocide.

Though the conservative majority in parliament opposes the bill, Turkey
fears many opponents will vote for the bill for fear of upsetting
France’s 400,000-strong Armenian diaspora ahead of presidential and
parliamentary elections next year.

Sarkozy, conservative frontrunner for the presidential race and
a long-standing opponent of Turkey’s EU entry, said he had set out
conditions for avoiding a vote in a telephone call with Prime Minister
Tayyip Erdogan.

"The first is that there is a bilateral commission between Armenia and
Turkey which has equal representation, so that these two countries can
conduct the work of acknowledging history," he told France Inter radio.

"The second condition is that Turkey reopen its borders with Armenia.

And the third condition is that Turkey gives up its penal law which
forbids people speaking of the genocide in Turkey."

He said he was not sure whether he had convinced Erdogan but added
that the Turkish premier had taken note of them.

Erdogan on Sunday criticised the bill and Turkish lawmakers warned
last week that illegal Armenian immigrants in Turkey may be expelled
and French trade hurt if the measure were passed.

According to officials at the Turkish prime minister’s office, Erdogan
defended Turkey’s position in the phone conversation with Sarkozy.

"We are the open and transparent side. We have been unable to receive
the necessary response (from Armenia) to our well-intended proposal
to set up a joint commission, and Article 301 has nothing to do with
this issue," the officials quoted Erdogan as saying.

Article 301 in Turkey’s penal code is used to prosecute writers and
journalists for insulting Turkish identity or state institutions. The
EU says the article must be scrapped, but Turkey has asked for
more time.

Ankara strongly denies estimates that 1.5mn Armenians perished at
the hands of Ottoman Turks in a systematic genocide, saying large
numbers of both Christian Armenians and Muslim Turks died in a partisan
conflict raging at that time.

Sarkozy also said Turkey was not guaranteed EU entry even if it
accepted calls for it to admit Armenians suffered genocide.

Turkey began its EU entry talks last year, though is not expected to
join for many years. – Reuters.

DEVELOPMENT TIED TO SOVEREIGNTY, SAYS SEZER

Turkish Daily News
Oct 10 2006

President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said on Monday that the only way to
properly exploit the country’s resources fully is by preserving
national unity and sovereignty.

Speaking at the conference "Strategic Foresight: The World and
Turkey in the 100th Anniversary of the Republic in 2023," organized
by the Eurasia Strategic Studies Center in Ankara (ASAM), Sezer said:
"Such studies should be carried out by non-governmental organizations
on the basis of scientific and academic criteria. Such initiatives
will have positive impacts on the development of democratic culture
in our country."

"Strategic foresight entails that states develop the ability of
planning and using their own capabilities and resources. If we preserve
our national unity and sovereignty, we can succeed in benefiting
from our national and natural resources as well as technological
opportunities in the most influential way. Therefore, our republic
is based on the principle of national unity and sovereignty," he said.

"Strategic foresight studies revealed that Turkey is expected to
become one of the 10 biggest economies in the world in the next
two decades. In order to reach this target, we should generalize
prosperity, speed up the development of technologic progress and
avoid the destructive impact of globalization," he said.

Sezer stressed: "Turkey’s contributions to regional and international
security and stability cannot be ignored. Today’s regional and global
conditions show that the world will need Turkey’s contributions in
the future."

"The issue of energy is an indispensable part of strategic foresight
and designs. In our age, energy security has become synonymous with
national security. Turkey’s position in the East-West and North-South
energy corridors constitutes an important dimension in strategic
equations. Turkey aims at creating a zone of cooperation in its
region. Therefore, our country is trying to do everything in its
power to contribute efforts to find peaceful solutions to disputes
in the Middle East, Balkans and Caucasus," he added.

Meanwhile, ASAM Chairman Faruk Loðoðlu said that democracy, rule
of law, human rights and especially secularism were the main values
of contemporary civilization, and he highlighted the importance of
preserving those values for a better future.

Bahceþehir University Rector Suheyl Batum stressed that political
decision-making mechanisms in Turkey cannot produce the desired
strategy, adding: "Turkey will inevitably face major problems, such
as the recent developments in Iraq and Iran, besides the EU-sponsored
Cyprus and Armenia issues. Political actors in Turkey cannot produce
strategies. In fact, we have to develop long-term strategies instead
of daily ones."

–Boundary_(ID_U6GgsJWFCNoISILvBCfqKA )–

CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP TO END

A1+
[11:51 am] 10 October, 2006

The Chess Championship under 20 is still continuing in the Chess
House after Tigran Petrosyan. Two tournaments will be held before
the end of the championship.

Armenian chess player Arman Pashikyan tied up with Ukrainian Yuri
Krivoruchko in the seventh tournament.

The Ukrainian representative leads the fixture table with six
points. Pashikyan is in the 5 – 12th places with his five points. He
will meet Indian chess player Chakravarti Dipan in the eighth round
who also has got five points.

Among Armenian women chess players only Tatevik Abrahamyan,
representing the U.S.A. has real chances to win. At present she is
in the 4 – 7th places with her five points.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TURKEY UPSET OVER PROPOSED FRENCH LAW

United Press International UPI
Oct 9 2006

ANKARA, Turkey, Oct. 9 (UPI) — Turkey’s prime minister is warning
French companies that a bill before their country’s parliament could
harm economic ties between Turkey and France.

The legislation would make it a crime to question claims of Armenian
genocide punishable by up to a year in prison and fines of up to
$57,000, The New Anatolian reports.

According to the newspaper, Turkey’s prime minister met with
representatives of French companies doing business in Turkey to gain
their help in blocking the controversial legislation.

"Such a law would result in great damage to bilateral relations in all
fields, fuel anti-Western and nationalistic ideas among the Turkish
public and seriously undermine Turkey’s reconciliation efforts with
Armenia," say top Turkish officials in a statement.

If such a law is passed by the French Parliament, officials say it
would affect military ties since France is a NATO ally of Turkey.

DUTCH TURKISH COMMUNITY URGED TO VOTE

Malaysia Sun, Malaysia
Oct 10 2006

The Netherlands’ Turkish immigrant group wants its members to vote
in the November poll despite a dispute over Armenian mass killings
of the last century.

The dispute has resulted in the Labor PvdA and Christian Democrat
CDA parties dumping their Turkish candidates, reports the Expatica.

The Turkish lobby group IOT organized a meeting over the weekend
to agree on a course of action in response to the outrage among the
Turks over the dumping of their candidates. The leaders decided against
boycotting the national elections and urged members to withhold support
for the PvdA and CDA. They asked members to vote for the Democrat D66,
whose leader has rejected any discussion on the Armenian killings
which happened at the start of the 20th century.

Many Turks admit many deaths occurred under the Ottoman Empire during
World War I but deny committing genocide.

SIMMONS: "I REGRET FOR NO NOTABLE IMPROVEMENT IN THE SETTLEMENT OF NK CONFLICT"

Today, Azerbaijan
Oct 10 2006

Azerbaijani Defense Minister, general-colonel Safar Abiyev received
Robert Simon, NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for
the Caucasus and Central Asia.

Safar Abiyev said that Azerbaijan goes on cooperating with NATO and
delay of Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict prevents successful development
of this cooperation, APA reports.

The Minister said that one of the main principles of NATO Partnership
for Peace (PP) is to respect territorial integrity of states, stating
that Armenia being the member of this program does not fulfil its
responsibility and UN Security Council four resolutions.

"The international organisations should exert pressure upon Armenia.

If the conflict is not solved peacefully Azerbaijan will restore its
territorial integrity by itself," the Minister said.

Mr. Simmons said that NATO appreciates the successes of Azerbaijan
in fulfilling of PP, and follows it attentively.

"We regret for no notable improvement in the settlement of Nagorno
Karabakh conflict," he said.

URL:

NATO HOLDS UP TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF ALL COUNTRIES

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Oct 10 2006

Special representative of the Secretary General of NATO on Southern
Caucasus and Central Asia Robert Simmons being on a visit in Azerbaijan
has held press conference in the Euro-Atlantic Center. 9 October.

Noting that annually he some times visits region, Robert Simmons,
has informed, that the basic purpose of his visit is fulfillment of
the "Plan of activity of individual partnership" between Azerbaijan
and NATO, preparation of the corresponding report in this direction.

The Special Representative has informed, that has been accepted by
President Ilham Aliyev, besides, has lead meetings in the Ministries of
Defense, foreign affairs and national security. At meetings, discussed
were relations between Azerbaijan and NATO, situation in region.

Informing about the "Plan of activity of individual partnership", R.
Simmons has expressed satisfaction with fulfillment of the plan and
has highly estimated the work done in this direction.

Clearing up the position of NATO concerning settlement of conflicts
on Southern Caucasus, the Special Representative has told, that
the North Atlantic Alliance supports territorial integrity of all
countries. Though the NATO does not accept direct participation in
the decision of the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
it supports the negotiations conducted at intermediary of the OSCE
Minsk Group. We consider, Mr. Simons said, that the parties will
reach settlement of the conflict by peace talks.

TURKISH DIPLOMATS EXPECT FRENCH RESOLUTION ON SO-CALLED ARMENIAN GENOCIDE TO BE APPROVED

Anatolian Times, Turkey
Oct 9 2006

ANKARA – "We think that the French resolution, that considers as a
crime any denial of so-called Armenian genocide, would be approved
by the French parliament on Thursday, October 12th," said high level
Turkish diplomats in Ankara today.

"Chances of the resolution getting accepted is high due to the upcoming
elections in France," told diplomatic sources in Ankara.

According to Turkish sources, the resolution to be voted is against
Europe’s culture and freedom of thought and expression. "Turkey is
doing all it can in both political and economic fronts to defeat the
resolution," noted Turkish diplomats.

"Once the resolution gets adopted at the lower chamber of the
parliament, it then goes to the Senate and will be submitted to the
President of France for signature. If the resolution gets adopted,
France will lose its special status in Turkey in many areas," told
Turkish diplomatic sources which prefers not to be named.

"At a time when all obstacles in front of the freedom of expression
and thought are being lifted in Turkey and when Ankara has proposed
the establishment of a Joint Historical Commission to Armenia, the
resolution submitted to the French parliament is an immoral one,"
stressed Turkish diplomats.

Meanwhile, a draft law has been submitted to the Turkish Parliament
concerning France and its previous acts in Algeria.

"Even if the French resolution gets accepted in the French Parliament,
a French citizen can take this resolution to the European Court of
Human Rights (ECHR) arguing that it violates freedom of speech and
expression. Thus, the ECHR may declare the resolution invalid,"
added Turkish sources.

"Turks living in Europe may also protest against the French Parliament
by using their democratic rights," they added.

E.U. COMMISSIONER REHN WARNS FRANCE: DRAFT WOULD HARM TURKEY – E.U. RELATIONS

Anatolian Times, Turkey
Oct 9 2006

BRUSSELS – EU commissioner for enlargement Olli Rehn criticised
the draft legislation on the so called Armenian Genocide in French
Parliament and pointed out to the possible harm that will be caused
by steps taken to that end.

Expressing his views to the press, Rehn said "while the draft in
question was French parliament’s problem, it may however would lead
to serious problems in EU-Turkey relations".

Rehn said he is worried about the possibility of adoption of the
draft legislation punishing those who didn’t acknowledge the so called
Armenian genocide, and said such a development would harm the dialogue
between Turkey and EU.

Rehn also warned that if the draft was to be put to vote it would
block all the debate about the Armenian issue and would jeopardise
the steps taken towards freedom of thought in Turkey.

Rehn, in his remarks, also referred to his recent visit to Turkey and
pointed out that the Turkish public believe what France was trying
to do was in complete opposition with France’s approach to freedom of
thought in Turkey and France itself was harming freedom of expression.

Rehn called on the French MPs to fulfill their responsibilities and
said "I’m asking French parliamentarians to consider the possible
consequences of this draft. Our aim is to deal with this problem within
a serious framework of discussion. I believe French parliamentarians
will act responsibly".