Month: October 2006

International Herald Tribune, France
Oct 27 2006

Romanian PM acknowledges problems with country’s proposal for EU
commissioner
The Associated Press

Published: October 27, 2006

BUCHAREST, Romania Romania’s Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu
acknowledged Friday that there were problems with the country’s
nomination for European commissioner but said that attacks on the
candidate were partly based on unsubstantiated information.

Sen. Varujan Vosganian of the Liberal Party was not approved by the
European Parliament on Thursday after criticism from the Socialist
faction in the Parliament, who said he was too right-wing and had
been "on the payroll of big economic tycoons," according to Hannes
Swoboda and Jan Marinus Wiersma, vice presidents of the Socialist
group in a statement.

The European Commission Thursday accepted Meglena Kuneva, Bulgaria’s
European affairs minister for the post but said it would continue
consultations on Vosganian.

Vosganian flew back to Bucharest late Thursday and had talks with
Tariceanu on Friday about the situation. The Romanian media alleged
that Vosganian had collaborated with the foreign espionage agency of
former dictator Nicolae Ceausescu.

"The sensitive points are that he collaborated with the Securitate
and that he was funded" by economic interest groups, Tariceanu told
reporters after the meeting.

The prime minister and Vosganian said that allegations about
Vosganian collaborating with the secret police could not be
confirmed. Tariceanu said foreign intelligence chiefs had told him
that Vosganian had not collaborated.

"I had no kind of collaboration with the Securitate (communist-era
secret police) and there is no kind of document that says that I
informed for the Securitate or foreign intelligence," said Vosganian.

Vosganian, 48, chair of the Senate’s budget and finance committee, is
known for supporting free-market policies. He is also a fervent
backer of his country’s flat tax of 16 percent, which Romania
introduced in 2005 to replace a progressive taxation scheme ranging
from 18 to 40 percent.

A mathematician and economist, Vosganian is also a writer and poet.
He heads the National Union of (Ethnic) Armenians in Romania. Romania
and Bulgaria are due to join the European Union on Jan. 1.

BUCHAREST, Romania Romania’s Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu
acknowledged Friday that there were problems with the country’s
nomination for European commissioner but said that attacks on the
candidate were partly based on unsubstantiated information.

Sen. Varujan Vosganian of the Liberal Party was not approved by the
European Parliament on Thursday after criticism from the Socialist
faction in the Parliament, who said he was too right-wing and had
been "on the payroll of big economic tycoons," according to Hannes
Swoboda and Jan Marinus Wiersma, vice presidents of the Socialist
group in a statement.

The European Commission Thursday accepted Meglena Kuneva, Bulgaria’s
European affairs minister for the post but said it would continue
consultations on Vosganian.

Vosganian flew back to Bucharest late Thursday and had talks with
Tariceanu on Friday about the situation. The Romanian media alleged
that Vosganian had collaborated with the foreign espionage agency of
former dictator Nicolae Ceausescu.

"The sensitive points are that he collaborated with the Securitate
and that he was funded" by economic interest groups, Tariceanu told
reporters after the meeting.

The prime minister and Vosganian said that allegations about
Vosganian collaborating with the secret police could not be
confirmed. Tariceanu said foreign intelligence chiefs had told him
that Vosganian had not collaborated.

"I had no kind of collaboration with the Securitate (communist-era
secret police) and there is no kind of document that says that I
informed for the Securitate or foreign intelligence," said Vosganian.

Vosganian, 48, chair of the Senate’s budget and finance committee, is
known for supporting free-market policies. He is also a fervent
backer of his country’s flat tax of 16 percent, which Romania
introduced in 2005 to replace a progressive taxation scheme ranging
from 18 to 40 percent.

A mathematician and economist, Vosganian is also a writer and poet.
He heads the National Union of (Ethnic) Armenians in Romania. Romania
and Bulgaria are due to join the European Union on Jan. 1.
From: Baghdasarian

iBerkshires.com, MA
Oct 27 2006

Piano Virtuoso Tchougarian to Perform
– October 27, 2006

Armenian piano virtuoso Karen Tchougarian will bring his
distinguished and international talent to EPOCH Assisted Living at
Melbourne on Friday, Nov. 3, at 3 p.m. EPOCH Assisted Living is
located at 140 Melbourne Road.

Tchougarian studied at the Komitas University in Armenia and the
University of Arkansas. He received his Doctor of Musical Arts from
the Manhattan School of Music and has won many performance
competitions, including the 1999 Artists International Auditions. As
the winner, Tchougarian made a fully sponsored debut at Carnegie
Hall. Tchougarian will perform a full range of music from classical
to movie scores to jazz and waltz.

Part of EPOCH Assisted Living’s programs for residents, this
performance is open to visitors at not charge but a reservation is
requested at 413-499-1992.

Bay Area Indymedia, CA –
Oct 27 2006

Freedom of speech under continuing attack in Turkey
by wsws (reposted)
Friday Oct 27th, 2006 7:27 AM

Last week, a court in Istanbul began hearings against the Turkish
publisher, editors and translator of the book Manufacturing Consent:
The Political Economy of the Mass Media by Noam Chomsky and Edward S.
Herman. The charges related to Article 301 and Article 216 of the
Turkish Penal Code (TCK).
Article 301 is a highly controversial law that has been used to
penalise many writers, journalists, publishers and even translators
and editors. Amnesty International has called for the repeal of
Article 301, which was first introduced as part of the legislative
reforms of June 1, 2005, and poses a direct threat to the fundamental
right to freedom of expression.

The article states that anyone who `publicly denigrates Turkishness,
the Republic or the Grand National Assembly of Turkey be punishable
by imprisonment of between six months and three years.’ If the public
`denigration’ is directed against Turkey’s government, the judicial
institutions of the state, the military or security organisations,
punishment is up to two years. One of the most recent cases involving
Article 301 involved the Turkish writer and recent Nobel Literature
Prize winner Orhan Pamuk, who was charged for speaking out openly on
the massacre of Armenians by Turkey at the beginning of the twentieth
century.

The case launched against Chomsky’s publishers in Turkey, the Aram
Yayincilik Publishing House, its owner Fatih Tas, editors Omer Faruk
Kurhan and Lutfu Taylan Tosun and translator Ender Abadoglu accuses
them of openly humiliating Turkish identity, the Turkish Republic and
parliament, as well as spreading public hatred and enmity by
publishing this book. If convicted, the defendants face jail
sentences of between one-and-a-half and six years.

More
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Regnum, Russia
Oct 27 2006

Armenian defense minister: Azerbaijan cannot solve the Karabakh
problem by war

In case of a new war in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone, Armenia
will again have an advantage over Azerbaijan. However, the war will
be a big blow for both sides, Armenian Defense Minister Serzh
Sargsyan says in an interview to Jane’s military and political
research center.

Radio Liberty reports Sargsyan to say, referring to independent
experts, that Azerbaijan is not yet able to solve the
Nagorno-Karabakh problem by war. He notes that in the early 90s
Azerbaijan also had a numerical and technical military superiority it
had got from the Soviet Union. `But despite all of its forecast oil
revenues – neither today nor in many years ahead – will Azerbaijan be
able to gain the preponderance it had 14-15 years ago. The Azeri
military scenario failed then and will fail again,’ says Sargsyan. He
notes that he is an advocate of peaceful resolution but `Azerbaijan’s
militarist policy does not contribute to it.’

Concerning Armenia-NATO relations, Sargsyan says that for quite a
long time Turkey’s policy has been undermining NATO’s authority in
Armenia. The Russian military base in Armenia was formed in the face
of an external threat to become a force restraining it.
Unfortunately, this threat is still existent as there is still no
substantial progress in Armenia’s relations with Turkey. `Turkey
continues the blockade of Armenia, which is, in fact, a hostile
action. Turkey supports Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh process
and our rapprochement depends on Azerbaijan’s whims,’ says Sargsyan.

Regnum, Russia
Oct 27 2006

Armenian expert recommends to Georgia to pursue a more balanced policy

Georgian analyst Ramaz Sakvarelidze expressed both his own opinion
and position of Georgian official authorities, Armenian expert on
problems of Armenian-populated Samtskhe-Javakheti region Mark Zoryan
says commenting on the analysts’ interview, published on October 16
in Georgian Akhali Taoba newspaper. In particular, Sakvarelidze
stated: `Via Georgia Russia connects with Armenia; if Russia does not
change its mind, Georgia may have an intention to cut off all
communications with it. Our country is acting with dignity yet not
returning to Russia what it deserves. If the process prolongs,
Georgia will inevitably close its borders; then, Russia’s connections
with its own ally in Caucasus will be cut off.’

`It is clear; analyst Ramaz Sakvarelidze expressed both his own
opinion and position of Georgia’s authorities. It is both blackmail
and plan of prospective actions towards Armenia. In fact,
Sakvarelidze says that Georgia can take inadequate measures and
become dangerous for Armenia. However, I would like to warn Georgian
authorities not even to think about it. If such steps are made, it
will turn out to be a catastrophe for Georgia,’ Mark Zoryan believes.
`Only communications passing through Georgia, keep the Armenian side
from adequate response to discrimination and trample of elementary
rights of Armenian population in Samtskhe-Javakheti. If Armenia
looses these communication ways, it will have nothing to lose. In
such case, Georgia will win nothing losing confidence of its peaceful
neighbor Armenia. However, it may loose. Early in 20th century,
switching from blackmail to actions, it lost the war again Armenia in
a similar situation. At that time, only interference of Western
countries saved Georgia from viewing Armenian army near Tbilisi.’

At the same time, the Armenian expert stated: `At present, when
Armenian people managed in fact to smash Azerbaijan in Karabakh
during difficult years for it, Georgia should pursue balanced policy
concerning Armenia, especially if it takes into consideration the sad
state of its economy and real possibilities of its quasi-army, as
well as the fact that it was practically destroyed by its former
autonomies – Abkhazia and South Ossetia.’

ic Huddersfield.co.uk, UK
Oct 27 2006

Why Murray’s keeping score Oct 27 2006

By The Huddersfield Daily Examiner

MURRAY Greig, of Outlane, is principal trumpet with the Orchestra of
Opera North.

He says that the famous trumpet concerto by the celebrated Armenian
composer Alexander Arutiunian, with its glorious romantic passages
and fabulous fireworks cadenza, is the mainstay of all trumpet
soloists’ repertoire.

Murray is due to perform the piece at Leeds University on Saturday,
November 11, when he appears as guest soloist with the Sinfonia of
Leeds.

And that reminds him once again of the autographed score he has of
the work – a souvenir of a meeting in London, 14 years ago, with the
distinguished composer, who is now 86.

It was as senior professor of trumpet at the Royal Northern College
of Music, in Manchester, that Murray met Arutiunian at the Royal
Academy of Music in London.

He recalls: "Claire Allen, one of my pupils, was due to perform the
work in the finals of the 1992 BBC Young Musician of the Year contest
at the Barbicon. Arutiunian was in town as the guest of John Wallace
who is a friend of mine.

"As John was head of brass at the Academy he thought it would be a
nice idea if the great man heard her play it beforehand.
Unfortunately Claire lost out in the finals to the cellist Natalie
Cline but before we left he signed the cover of my score."

Douglas Scarfe, the Sinfonia’s associate conductor, will conduct the
concerto, plus the fifth symphonies of Schubert and Sibelius in the
Great Hall of Leeds University at 7.30pm on the 11th.

Tickets at £10 (£8 concessions) on 0113-2243801 or on the door.

/0090news/tm_headline=why-murray-s-keeping-score-& amp;method=full&objectid=18001076&siteid=5 0060-name_page.html

Oneworld, Netherlands
Oct 27 2006

ARMENIA/AZERBIJAN, PROGRAMME COORDINATOR D&P
ICCO Personnel Co-operation

ICCO is the Dutch inter-church organisation for development
co-operation. Together with its partner organisations in Asia,
Africa, Latin America, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Central
Asia, ICCO works towards a world without poverty and injustice.
ICCO’s partner organisations comprise local church-based and secular,
non-governmental development organisations. Annually, ICCO spends
over Euro 100 million on support to development programmes of these
organisations, that stimulate people to create a just and safe living
environment for themselves and for others.

ICCO’s Personnel Co-operation focuses on supporting capacity
strengthening initiatives of ICCO’s partner organisations, through
the provision of personnel (on a short- or long-term basis) as well
as through co-funding local capacity strengthening programmes. The
department, therefore, mediates between requests for expertise from
organisations in the South and the availability of qualified experts
in the Netherlands or elsewhere. In 2005, around 75 experts were
working abroad through ICCO, while dozens of funding agreements and
short-term assignments were realised.

Applicants for vacancies through ICCO Personnel Co-operation have
specialised expertise and experience, but social involvement and
concern are of equal importance.

Armenia & azerbijan

ICCO invites qualified candidates to apply for the position of:

Programme Coordinator D&P Armenia and Azerbaijan

Duration: From January 2007 – December 31, 2008

Duty station: Tbilisi, Georgia

Background of the function
In the past years ICCO and IKV have supported Democratisation and
Peace building (D&P) initiatives of a number of NGOs in the South
Caucasus. In 2003 the capacity building program for the South
Caucasus started. This program was an intervention to support 7 peace
organizations from the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly network in
developing their organizational and institutional capacities. The
program was funded by PSO, through ICCO/Psa and IKV. In 2005 a mid
term review was carried out.

On the basis of the outcome of the MTR in 2006 a second phase for the
above mentioned capacity building program is being developed for the
period 2007-2008. The programme will be embedded in the overall ICCO
D&P programme, addressing both HCA’s as well as other ICCO-partner
organisations in Armenia and Azerbaijan. The programme is titled
"Civic Engagement in Peace building and Enhancement of Human Rights
in Armenia and Azerbaijan", the programme will have a focus on civic
engagement in peace and human rights issues and stimulating
constructive public debate and dialogue. The programme of the HCA
network, addressing the Nagorno Karabach conflict, is part of this
programme. This program will exist of two components: (1) monitoring
on the role of the army and (2) influencing programs of political
parties.

ICCO is main responsible for the program. IKV is involved as an
advisory party, and will support the capacity building interventions
related to the peace building program through its own expertise and
networks.

Job Description

For the management, implementation and further development of the
program, a program coordinator will be based in Tbilisi in an
independent office, to facilitate relatively easy access from all
partners.

Main tasks fields

Programme development (policy and strategy) including linking and
learning between partner organisations
Facilitate the process of implementation of the programme by partner
organisations
Capacity building of partner organisations
Management of Capacity building funds and raise additional funding
Office management of the (small) office in Tbilisi
Monitoring and evaluation of the programme achievements
Maintain external relations with International NGOs and participate
in lobby initatives

Requirements

The programme coordinator has several years of experience abroad,
preferably in D&P programmes and capacity building. Some experience
with personnel management (coaching and on-the-job advising) and
financial management is requested.

Knowledge based competencies

Ø Democratisation and Peace building

Ø Civil Society development

Ø Financial management

Ø PM&E

Ø Institutional Development and Organisational Strengthening
(ID/OS)

Ø Knowledge of the Russian language is an asset

Behavioural competencies

Ø Cross cultural communication

Ø Diplomacy

Ø Coaching and developing others

Ø Stress tolerance

Ø Practical approach to organisation of work

Conditions
The appointee will sign a labour contract with the requesting
organisation and a supplementary contract with the back-donor PSO
(). Remuneration will be in accordance with PSO terms and
conditions and includes a supplementary salary and a social security
and insurance package.

Inquiries about the position can be obtained from: Angelica Senders,
Regional Coordinator, ICCO Personnel Co-operation ([email protected] or +31
30 6927910). ICCO is open to applications from all nationalities, but
will not reimburse travel costs, from outside of The Netherlands, for
first interviews.

Applicants should send a letter and a CV in English, by e-mail,
before November 27th, 2006 to:

ICCO Personnel Co-operation
Mr. W. Schasfoort, Programme Leader
P.O. Box 8190
3503 RD UTRECHT
The Netherlands
phone: 00-31-(0)30 – 69 27 914
fax: 00-31- (0)30 – 69 25 614
e-mail: [email protected]
internet:

;jobo peningId=1194

Regnum, Russia
Oct 27 2006

Armenian and Russian presidents to have a separate meeting in Moscow

Armenia’s President Robert Kocharyan is to depart to Moscow for a
work visit on October 30. On the same day, a separate meeting of
Russian and Armenian presidents, Vladimir Putin and Robert Kocharyan
will be held in the Kremlin.

As REGNUM is told at the Armenian president’s press office, Robert
Kocharyan is also planned to have meetings with Russia’s Prime
Minister Mikhail Fradkov and Moscow City Mayor Yuri Luzhkov.
President Kocharyan is also planned to participate in the opening
ceremony of a monument to great Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian
in Moscow.

As REGNUM reported earlier, during the visit, most vital issues of
the bilateral cooperation will be discussed. Implementation of
agreements on increasing Russian-Armenian cooperation particularly in
transport and fuel and energy sphere will be discussed in detail.
Exchange of opinions in extending cooperation in CSTO (Collective
Security Treaty Organization), further strengthening of the
organization facing new challenges and threats is planned. An
important place in the agenda will be taken by CIS issues. The sides
are expected to focus upon coordination of the countries’ effort in
improving the situation in Caucasus, establishing the atmosphere of
trust for regional cooperation and settlement of conflicts on this
basis.

Regnum, Russia
Oct 27 2006

EU gives a positive assessment of reforms in Armenia

The 7th committee on Armenia-EU cooperation met in Brussels on Oct 25
to discuss the problems concerning the implementation of the New
Neighborhood Policy program in Armenia.

The press service of the Armenian Foreign Ministry has told REGNUM
that the Armenian delegation was led by Trade and Economic
Development Minister Karen Tchshmarityan and comprised deputy
ministers of foreign affairs, justice, economy and finance and energy
as well as the head of the Armenian mission to the EU Vigen
Chitechyan.

The Armenian delegates told their EU colleagues about the steps they
had taken and would take in their respective spheres. The EU
representatives gave a positive assessment of the reforms in Armenia
and stressed the importance of the Nov 14 signing of the NNP action
plan.

On Oct 26 Tchshmarityan met with David O’Sullivan, Director General
for Trade of the European Commission. The sides discussed the ways to
create a free trade zone and market economy in Armenia and to enlarge
the country’s trade with the EU member states.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Cyprus Observer, Cyprus
Oct 27 2006

EU envoy on French bill and Article 301: Do not compare apples with pears

27.10.2006

Hansjoerg Kretschmer, the EU Commission rep – resentative in Ankara
said that Turkey cannot exploit the French parliament’s approval of a
bill that makes denial of the alleged Armenian genocide a crime as an
excuse to avoid democratic reforms. Kretschmer demanded the Turkish
government to take action regarding Article 301 of the Turkish Penal
Code (TCK). The representative invited Turkey not to `compare apples
with pears’, expressing that the two bills have separate contents;
one would prohibit the expression of one specific statement, but the
other is used to prevent public debate on general political issues.
Speaking at an interview with Reuters last week he said, `[The French
bill] would prohibit the expression of one specific statement, i.e.,
that there was no genocide. But 301 is used to prevent public debate
on general political issues,’ pointing out, `For example, one person
ended up in court because she questioned whether conscientious
objectors should have to do military service. So comparing the French
bill and 301 is really comparing apples and pears.’
He also expressed hope for Turkey’s EU membership saying, `Some say a
Muslim country cannot be a liberal democracy because there is a
danger of radical Islamists coming to power. The task of the
accession process now is to build and strengthen the civilian
institutions in a way that any possible fundamentalist threat, if it
should arise, can be contained. You do not need the military for this
kind of thing.’

US says bill is bad for Turkey’s EU bid
The United States also expressed negative opinions about the French
bill, with Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried saying the
French bill is not helping to better EU-Turkey relations. `The job of
outsiders is to encourage a Turkish-Armenian dialogue, not to take
positions which make that dialogue harder,’ he was quoted as saying
on a trip to Brussels, adding that his government certainly shared
the view that this legislation criminalising discussion did not seem
to make any sense.