Month: October 2006

ADOPTION OF LAW WILL AROUSE "CIVIC DISOBEDIENCE"

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[04:10 pm] 02 October, 2006

The residents of the "reconstruction zones" of the capital who have
been deprived of their houses due to "state needs" arrived at the
National Assembly building earlier than the deputies. Although the
NA sittings start at midday, the former residents of North and Main
Avenues, Koghbatsi, Firdusi, and Kozern streets and Dalma and Old
Norq gardens gathered near the entrance of the Parliament building
at about 10:15 a.m. to exercise "public pressure" upon the deputies
in order to prevent the RA draft law on "Alienation of property for
state and public needs" from entering the NA agenda.

Let us remind you that during the special session last week the
efforts of the oppositional deputies managed to prevent the law from
being adopted after the first hearing.

The participants of the protest action are not against the adoption
of the law, but they demand to organize Parliamentary hearings so
that all the concern sides can represent the strong and weak points
of the draft.

For example, they have fears that the draft will give the officials
a chance to legalize their previous anti-constitutional deeds.

Let us remind you that according to the decision of the Constitutional
Court, in several cases the evictions realized contradicted the
RA Constitution.

That decision gives the former residents of the reconstruction zone a
chance to turn to different court structures and even to the European
Court of Human Rights.

The participants of the protest action were so angered by the RA
draft law on "Alienation of property for state and public needs" that
the citizens who have been deprived of their houses due to "state
needs" were already planning how to organize "civic disobedience"
and to demand the resignation of the Government and Robert Kocharyan
himself. By the way, they have informed RA Minister of Justice David
Haroutyunyan about their aim; the letter represents the above mentioned
draft in the NA.

After the start of the session the participants of the action called
their friends inside the building to learn what was going on. There
came a moment when they started to congratulate each other: it turned
out that the draft was not included in the agenda.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

OSCE MG TO DISCUSS KARABAKH SETTLEMENT PRINCIPLES IN BAKU

PanARMENIAN.Net
02.10.2006 14:06 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group hope for
successful negotiations in Azerbaijan, American Co-Chair of OSCE
Minsk Group Matthew Bryza stated October 2 before consultations at the
Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan in Baku. He stressed that the co-chairs
will discuss with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov the
key principles of the negotiations regarding the settlement of the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Together with the American Co-Chair, the
negotiations are attended by Russian Co-Chair Yuri Merzlyakov, French
Co-Chair Bernard Fassier, as well as the personal representative
of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andzej Kasprzyk. In addition, the
mediators intend to meet with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev,
Trend reports. October 3 the OSCE MG Co-Chairs will arrive in Armenia.

EU TROIKA DELEGATION ARRIVED IN ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
02.10.2006 12:47 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today within the framework of a regional visit
EU Troika delegation arrived in Armenia. The delegation is led by
Erkki Tuomioja, the Foreign Minister of Finland, which presides
the EU currently. We note that EU Special Representative for the
Caucasus Peter Semenby arrived along with the delegation. The Troika
is scheduled to meet with Armenian President Kocharian and FM Oskanian
within the visit.

LA RECONNAISSANCE FRANCAISE DU GENOCIDE ARMENIEN: LES PRINCIPALES ETAPES

Agence France Presse
30 septembre 2006 samedi

La reconnaissance par la France du genocide armenien, depuis le debut
du processus en avril 1996 jusqu’a l’adoption d’une loi en ce sens
le 18 janvier 2001 par le Parlement, ne cesse de diviser la classe
politique au dela du clivage gauche droite.

Cette question sensible a connu une nouvelle etape en mai dernier avec
le debat a l’Assemblee nationale d’une proposition de loi socialiste
completant la loi de janvier 2001 par un volet penal.

Dans une atmosphère passionnee, le debat n’avait pu etre mene jusqu’a
son terme et la proposition soumise au vote des deputes.

Ce texte, qui sera examine de nouveau par les deputes le 12 octobre
prochain, suscite des reserves tant au sein de l’UMP que du PS,
au motif que le Parlement n’a pas a ecrire l’histoire, et n’a guère
l’approbation du gouvernement qui, en mai dernier, y voyait "un geste
inamical" envers la Turquie.

Mais a gauche comme a droite, de nombreux elus, sensibles aux
revendications de la communaute armenienne francaise, y sont
favorables.

– 24 avril 1996: Le PS fait part a la communaute armenienne de France
de "sa sympathie et de son soutien", a l’occasion du jour anniversaire
du "genocide des Armeniens".

– 22 avril 1998: Le ministre des Affaires etrangères Hubert Vedrine
affirme que la Turquie doit "aller beaucoup plus loin" sur la question
de l’extermination des Armeniens au debut du siècle.

"Il faut que ce travail soit fait", ajoute M. Vedrine rappelant qu’"une
partie importante de la population armenienne dans la Turquie d’alors
(…) a ete a l’epoque exterminee".

– 26 mai 1998: La commission des Affaires etrangères de l’Assemblee
nationale adopte une proposition de loi du groupe socialiste pour la
reconnaissance du "genocide armenien".

– 29 mai 1998: l’Assemblee nationale adopte, a l’unanimite, une
proposition de loi du groupe socialiste stipulant dans son article
unique : "La France reconnaît publiquement le genocide armenien
de 1915".

Le gouvernement socialiste de Lionel Jospin en a "pris acte".

– 10 mars 1999: Le gouvernement refuse d’inscrire cette proposition
de loi a l’ordre du jour du Senat, entendant ainsi "participer a la
reconciliation entre les peuples et les Etats de la region", allusion
a la Turquie et a l’Armenie.

– 22 fevrier 2000: Le Senat decide de ne pas debattre de la proposition
de loi, la chambre haute du Parlement estimant que "la Constitution
n’autorisait pas le Parlement a qualifier l’histoire".

– 24 avril 2000: Les autorites francaises expriment dans un communique
emanant du ministère des Affaires etrangères, "leur sympathie profonde
envers leurs compatriotes d’origine armenienne rassembles dans le
souvenir des evenements tragiques survenus il y a 85 ans".

– 8 novembre 2000: Le Senat reconnaît le genocide armenien de 1915.

– 18 janvier 2001: le Parlement adopte après un ultime vote unanime
de l’Assemblee nationale un texte sur le genocide armenien de 1915.

Celui-ci affirme que "la France reconnaît publiquement le genocide
armenien de 1915" sans designer explicitement les Turcs comme
responsables des massacres commis sous l’empire ottoman.

– 30 janvier 2001 : Le president de la Republique Jacques Chirac
promulgue la loi reconnaissant le genocide armenien.

– 18 mai 2006 : L’Assemblee nationale debat d’une proposition de loi
PS completant la loi du 29 janvier 2001 par un volet penal condamnant
la negation du genocide. Le texte n’est pas soumis au vote. Il sera
de nouveau examine par les deputes le 12 octobre.

–Boundary_(ID_rg3T3BUDomI/dYoXMHhmgA)–

JACQUES CHIRAC: WE MUST WANT, WISH AND BELIEVE IN PEACE

Panorama.am
13:39 02/10/06

The Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin B received on Sunday Jacques
Chirac, President of France and the delegation spearheaded by him.

President Chirac expressed an honest interest to the religious center
with 1705 time record. Greeting the guest Catholicos Garegin B said
France’s President’s visit commemorates 15th anniversary of the
Armenian statehood and the events to be organized within the year
of Armenia in France. "It is a beautiful proof of the friendship
between our nations," the Catholicos said. He thanked the president
for the support to the Armenian nation. He especially thanked for
hosting the Armenians who fled from the Turkish massacres during the
Armenian Genocide. The Catholicos also informed the president that
the Armenian Church will have a diocese in France from now one.

The French president also thanked the religious head of All
Armenians. "We are happy that you will have a diocese in France. You
know that there many French people of Armenian decent in France due to
historical circumstances." Speaking about the genocide, the president
of France said, "It’s natural that France was one of the first
countries to recognize the Armenian Genocide. I hope by condemning
such crimes, we will stop the repetition in future." President Chirac
reiterated that France takes all the steps to contribute to Karabakh
conflict settlement. "We must want, wish and believe in peace,"
he said.

STATEMENT BY VARTAN OSKANIAN

Panorama.am
16:28 02/10/06

On the occasion of the signing of the joint statements on the
conclusion of consultations on the ENP Action Plan: We welcome the
Finnish Presidency here, in the person of my friend, Erkii Tuomioja,
the Finnish FM, and the representative of the European Commission,
Torben Holze, representing Benita Ferrero Waldner who called to
say she could not be here, because of local political commitments
in Austria. Thanks also to Ambassador Terhi Hakala whose tireless
efforts have brought us to this day, and also want to recognize
Ambassador Peter Semneby, the EU Special Representative to the
South Caucasus. Although this document will be signed in November,
in Brussels, we appreciate the delegation’s coming here to Armenia,
so that our public can share in this historic occasion.

I would also like to thank the NGOs and civil society for their
engagement and involvement in enhancing the content and make it more
representative of the wishes of our society.

Once the document is signed, we’ll be able to publicly present the
entire document. Let me just tell you that it says clearly, at the
outset, that through this Action Plan, Armenia is invited to enter into
intensified political, security, economic and cultural relations with
the EU, enhanced regional and cross border co-operation and shared
responsibility in conflict prevention and conflict resolution.

And the document, goes on to detail each of these categories, and
sets a 5-year time period during which each of these actions will
take place. This is a huge opportunity for Armenia to become the
beneficiary of a tried and true process to change what needs to be
changed, re-enforce and confirm that which needs to be affirmed –
in a word to strengthen the institutions of state.

The distinction of this document, as the joint statement clearly says,
is that it involves significant measures of economic integration
and political cooperation. It’s called an Action Plan and rightly
so. It is not just a document of intentions, but of concrete actions
to bring Armenia’s social, political, economic systems more in line
with Europe’s since the premise is that we do in fact live in the
same neighborhood and interact together. It opens new partnership
perspectives in very basic fields such as science, education, culture,
and of course in economic development.

These reforms are extremely important for Armenia. We are where we
are today, exactly because we made the courageous economic reforms on
Day 1 of our independence. We knew then and we know even better today
that reforms are our only resource, they are what will strengthen and
empower our society. This document provides the opportunity to move
forward with reforms in a focused, strategic way. It gives us a way
and a means to do what we know we must do – revamp our institutions,
retool our society, rethink our methods and assumptions. We are signing
this on the 15th year of our independence, it will be concluded on
the 20th year of our independence, and we will be able to mark a
new turning point in Armenia’s future as a more democratic, open and
prosperous society.

NUCLEAR PLANT CEASED WORK

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[01:24 pm] 02 October, 2006

The RA Nuclear power plant ceased work for 45 days yesterday for
taking preventive measures and loading the station with nuclear
fuel. According to the station administration, the necessary
consignment of nuclear fuel ha already arrived at the site.

A number of measures will be taken for raising the level of security of
the nuclear power plant. The CoE has allotted 1 million 300 thousand
euros for the realization of the program within the framework of the
program "TASIS".

JOINT STATEMENT BY THE FOREIGN MINISTERS’ TROIKA OF THE EUROPEAN UNION AND ARMENIA

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[03:53 pm] 02 October, 2006

The Foreign Ministers’ Troika of the European Union and Armenia welcome
the successful outcome of consultations on the European Neighborhood
Policy Action Plan, started in November 2005.

In connection with the visit of the Foreign Ministers’ troika of
the European Union to Armenia, the two sides note that an agreement
in principle has been reached on a final ENP Action Plan text. The
necessary steps can now be taken in order to prepare the formal
adoption of the Action Plan at the next EU-Armenia Cooperation Council,
to be held on the 14th of November in Brussels.

The European Neighbourhood Policy Action Plan is a significant step
towards an increasingly close relationship between the EU and Armenia,
going beyond co-operation, to involve a significant measure of economic
integration and deepening of political co-operation. The European Union
and Armenia are determined to make use of this occasion to enhance
their relations and to promote prosperity, stability, and security.

The Finnish EU Presidency – H.E. Mr. Erkki Tuomioja

The European Commission – H.E. Mr. Torben Holtze

The Government of Armenia – H.E. Mr. Vartan Oskanian

Yerevan, 2 October, 2006.

TURKEY BELONGS IN THE EUROPEAN UNION
By John K. Cooley

Christian Science Monitor, MA
Oct 2 2006

Full Turkish membeship would do much to stabilize its turbulent Middle
East neighborhood.

ATHENS – It’s time for policymakers of the 25 European Union (EU)
nations, as well as leaders of 70 million Turks, to take a deep breath,
step back, and carefully consider whether it’s wise to halt or impede
Turkey’s effort to join the EU.

Turkey’s pro-Western government, along with a majority of its business
leaders and its secular-minded, Westernized military, is committed to
accession. But some Turkish politicians who have favored membership
for decades have recently expressed doubts because of widespread
European rejection.

Strategic and human considerations favor Turkey’s bid, if it has
fulfilled all the preconditions – a big "if" at this juncture. Now
that EU ministers have postponed a membership progress report from
Oct. 24 to Nov. 8, decisionmakers happily have more time to review
the pros and cons of this crucial question.

Membership advocates insist that EU rules would stabilize Turkey’s
economy and political structure.

But objections are growing louder in European capitals. It wasn’t
always this way. Back in 1959, France invited a wary Turkish government
to join the EU’s predecessor, the European Economic Community (EEC),
as an associate member, which it did in 1963. Today, Nicholas Sarkozy
and Segolene Royal, the two front-running candidates in France’s 2007
presidential election, and senior politicians in Austria, also facing
elections, urge some kind of "privileged relationship" for Turkey,
short of full-fledged membership.

Turkey began knocking at Europe’s door when it applied to fully
join the former European Community in 1987. For more than a decade,
it met with refusals, based partly on the Ankara government’s poor
relations with Greece, especially conflict related to Turkey’s 1974
invasion and occupation of northern Cyprus.

In the 1990s, Turkey agreed to a customs union with the EU, abolishing
many trade tariffs with its members. Its candidacy got a further
boost in 2002, when Turkey’s Islamist but pro-European Justice and
Development Party (AKP) came to power and began making the reforms
necessary for EU accession. Turkish Prime Minister Recip Tayyip
Erdogan, a consistent proponent of EU membership, has pushed through
abolition of the death penalty, cracked down on torture, and secured
more rights for Turkey’s substantial Kurdish minority.

Today, support for accession has plummeted among both Turks and
Western Europeans, with levels of approval well below 50 percent.

Austria, mindful of its 17th-century role as a bulwark against Turkish
invasion of Western Europe, and commentators elsewhere object to having
Turkey’s 99.8-percent Muslim population join the EU. They call it a
"Christian club," an epithet also used by Turkish and other Muslim
opponents of EU membership. Fear of massive Turkish immigration,
which could deprive Western Europeans of jobs, is widespread.

Another objection is that only 3 percent of Turkey’s vast territory is
within geographical Europe, leading to a European debate about where
Europe’s real borders should be. European critics condemn Turkey’s
acts of closing newspapers opposed to government policy.

They also criticize its prosecution of intellectuals and authors –
such as prizewinning novelist Orhan Pamuk – for "insulting Turkishness"
or discussing the 1915-17 massacres of Armenians.

Kurdish terrorist bombings at Turkish tourist resorts and guerrilla
warfare by the Marxist Kurdish Workers’ Party are further prickly
issues.

But Cyprus remains the key. The EU requires Turkey to recognize the
Greek Cypriot-governed Cyprus Republic by opening Turkish harbors and
airports to Greek Cypriot ships and planes. Ankara and the so-called
Turkish state in northern Cyprus (recognized only by Turkey) refuse.

They demand that the EU first lift "embargoes" against the north by
unfreezing promised economic aid. But the EU and the international
community refuse, arguing that this would be de facto recognition of
the Turkish Cypriot regime. The Greek government, despite hostility
from the Greek public, strongly backs Turkish EU membership in order
to strengthen relations with its neighbor and old rival, Turkey.

Former German foreign minister Joschka Fischer eloquently argues
Turkey’s case for membership. In a Sept. 27 article in the German
newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung, Mr. Fischer reminds us that Turkey,
as a modernizing Muslim EU member, would be a bridge between Islam
and Europe; would extend benefits of the economic eurozone; and would
help to curb the spread of Islamist extremism and violence.

The EU ministers should reassure Turkey in November that it belongs
in an expanded EU. The protracted accession negotiations – possibly
as long as 10 to 15 years – with the desirable goal of full Turkish
membership could do much to stabilize Turkey’s turbulent Middle East
neighborhood. The United States should continue to encourage all
concerned to keep moving in that direction.

~U John K. Cooley, a former Monitor correspondent, has covered the
Middle East and eastern Mediterranean region for more than 40 years.

coop.html

AZNAVOUR FASCINATED ONCE AGAIN

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[12:56 pm] 02 October, 2006

more images The "traces" of the concert "Aznavour and friends" are
still present in the Republic Square.

The deconstruction of the equipment is still under way reminding
the passers by about the unprecedented concert which will place two
days ago.

Those who were present, will never forget the sensations of the day;
nor will they forget the mood of the square, and the voice of Charles
Aznavour will echo in their ears every now and then.

Although some people complained that the sound of the concert was not
as loud as promised, it can’t be denied that the chance to listen to
the world-famous chansonnier could not be missed.