Month: October 2006

Turkey, America and Europe

The awkward partners
Sep 28th 2006 | ANKARA AND WASHINGTON, DC
>From The Economist print edition

Growing worries in the West over the risk of losing Turkey

AS AMERICA ponders its options on Iran, Turkey figures prominently in its
calculations. An old ally with NATO’s second-largest army, Turkey may be the
only regional power with any clout in Tehran. That is one reason why
President George Bush is meeting Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish prime
minister, at the White House next week.

The trouble is that squabbles over Iraq have poisoned Turkish-American
relations. According to a recent survey of transatlantic trends carried out
by the German Marshall Fund, Iran is over twice as popular among Turks as
America is.

At the same time, rows over Cyprus may soon lead to the suspension of
Turkey’s membership talks with the EU. This week the European Parliament
adopted a report that criticised Turkey for its human-rights failings. Since
support for EU membership has fallen to just 50%, from a high of 84% two
years ago, few Turks may care.

Indeed, pandering to a resurgent nationalism, Mr Erdogan is balking at EU
demands to scrap Turkey’s notorious article 301 that has permitted the
prosecution of such novelists as Orhan Pamuk and Elif Shafak on charges of
"insulting Turkishness". Their acquittals have not deterred the Turkish
Jurists’ Union from pressing similar complaints against others.

Relations may worsen again when the pope visits Turkey in November. Islamist
groups have said he should be arrested for quoting a Byzantine emperor’s
unflattering remarks about Muhammad. One Turkish columnist even suggested he
should be killed. And all this comes just a year after Mr Erdogan’s
government triumphantly opened membership talks with the EU.

"The consequences of a rupture of ties between Washington and Ankara, or
more darkly a Turkey that becomes strategically disoriented, would be
great," says Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Although Turkey’s flirtation with Russia, Iran and Syria does not presage a
shift in its pro-Western stance, it cannot be taken for granted. Yet some EU
politicians seem oblivious to the danger of "losing" Turkey. They are
playing on public fears of letting in a poor, populous and mainly Muslim
country. Such attitudes have reinforced Turks’ conviction that the EU is a
"Christian club".

In Washington, Turkey’s threats to carry its battle against Kurdish PKK
fighters into northern Iraq are also concentrating official minds. Turkey
has long demanded that America fulfil its pledges to act against some 5,000
PKK fighters based in the Kurdish-controlled enclave. The Americans cannot
open a second front when their forces are stretched in the rest of Iraq. But
they won’t let Turkey do the job, because such an intervention would
destabilise the only peaceful part of the country.

The Americans’ stance is the biggest source of their new unpopularity in
Turkey. With every new casualty at the PKK’s hands, pressure increases on
the government to pursue the rebels into Iraq. Should they do it, they may
find themselves fighting not only the Kurds, but the Americans as well.
Turkey’s EU ambitions, once the best guarantee against any such
intervention, can no longer be counted on.

Can the meeting with Mr Bush make a difference? No, say Mr Erdogan’s
critics. The meeting was Mr Erdogan’s idea, and its real purpose, say these
critics, is to burnish his image as a world leader who commands America’s
respect. Their cynicism is echoed by conservatives who blame Mr Erdogan for
the chill with America.

In truth, attitudes in America have been hardening ever since 2003, when Mr
Erdogan failed to use his party’s big majority to pass a bill to allow
American forces to use Turkey as a launching pad in the war on Iraq. The
Americans later arrested 11 members of a Turkish special unit in northern
Iraq for allegedly plotting to murder an Iraqi Kurdish politician. By the
time they were released, anti-American passions had erupted within Turkey’s
once staunchly pro-American armed forces too.

What angers Bush administration officials is that, far from dousing the
ensuing bout of America-bashing, Mr Erdogan and his party egged it on. Even
pro-Turkish congressmen watched in horror as Mr Erdogan called Israel "a
terrorist state" and Sunni insurgents who were killed in Fallujah "martyrs".
When Mr Bush met Mr Erdogan in June last year, many expected a showdown.
Instead, the meeting marked the start of a climbdown, with both sides
scrabbling for ways to turn their relationship around.

Next week’s meeting is being held in the same spirit, insist officials on
both sides. Mr Erdogan’s decision to override public opinion and contribute
some 1,000 troops to the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon is an encouraging
sign that Turkey’s pro-Western orientation is intact. Turkey is also the
largest supplier of non-combat equipment to American forces in Iraq.

On the American side the big reforms in Turkey, spurred mainly by Brussels,
are starting to sink in. "For many years, this relationship [was conducted]
between security elites", observed Eric Edelman, now the number three in the
Pentagon, and formerly America’s ambassador in Ankara, adding, in an
interview with a Turkish newspaper, Radikal, that "now, with a more
democratic Turkey, you have to deal not just with elites but also with a
broader public opinion."

To demonstrate goodwill, the Bush administration has appointed a retired
general, Joseph Ralston, as its "PKK co-ordinator". But the general’s role
remains vague, and his assertion that military action against the rebels was
"the last option" has not helped. "Most Turks see Ralston as
window-dressing, as an attempt to buy time," says Omer Taspinar, of the
Brookings Institution. After three decades of fighting the rebels, many
Turkish officials privately concede that they cannot win by military means
alone. An amnesty that would allow PKK fighters to return home without
risking prosecution would do much to help. So would lowering the 10%
threshold for parliamentary seats that has kept out nationalist Kurds so
far. The lack of representation has created a vacuum that is being filled by
Islamic radicals in the mainly Kurdish provinces.

With Turkey’s next election due to be held by November 2007, few believe
that Mr Erdogan can now risk alienating nationalist voters by accommodating
the Kurds. Recent opinion polls suggest that, although Mr Erdogan’s party
retains its lead, two of his right-wing opponents might get into parliament,
along with the opposition Republican People’s Party. A return to the sort of
fractious coalition governments that paralysed Turkey for decades until 2002
could even allow the generals to reassert their influence. Breaking this
vicious cycle will require courage and vision not only from Turkey’s
leaders, but from its allies too.

ystory.cfm?story_id=7971046

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x118
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website:

PRESS RELEASE

Friday, September 29, 2006

34 AGBU New York Summer Interns Take on Manhattan with Great Success

A group of 34 AGBU interns from seven countries including Argentina,
Canada, England, Egypt, France, Lebanon, and the United States
immersed themselves in New York City’s culture, business, nightlife
and daily excitement as participants of the 20th season of AGBU’s New
York Summer Intern Program (NYSIP). After a rigorous application
process, these talented young men and women showed promise in their
academic achievements and diverse extracurricular interests. Through
the Program’s unique opportunities, each student not only interned at
a company related to his or her field of study, but also took on all
the challenges and excitement New York City has to offer.

In addition to a daily internship position, the eight-week Program
hosted a number of educational and cultural events for its 2006
participants, including an interactive session with Zarmine Boghosian
on the Armenian language; a lecture by sports marketing veteran, Paul
Kayaian, on the values and importance of professional networking; a
briefing on resume writing and interview tips by Ryan Herson of Young
& Rubicam; an outing to Sports Illustrated magazine for a question and
answer session with college football writer, Gene Menez; a night of
Armenian dance instruction led by the AGBU Antranig Dance Ensemble;
and community service projects at the Armenian Home for the Aged in
Queens, NY, and with local public television station Thirteen/WNET for
the Target-sponsored Kid’s Day. To expand their professional horizons,
interns attended a Mentoring Night sponsored by the AGBU Young
Professionals of Greater New York (YPGNY), where young professionals
from the community met with the students based on their fields of
interest to share their experiences in the working world.

Before the Program wrapped up, the President’s Club hosted the annual
Supervisors’ Reception at the AGBU Central Office in Manhattan to
thank the supervisors who spent their summers guiding and mentoring
the interns, teaching them valuable professional skills and serving as
role models. During the reception, twp interns Kara Boodakian from
Boston, MA who interned at Theatre Row, and John Chakardemian from
Beirut, Lebanon who interned at AXA Advisors, LLC, shared their
personal stories, lessons and memories from their time during the
Program and their stay in New York.

The keynote speaker Emmanuel Tchividjian, Senior Vice President of
Ruder Finn, Inc., shared his life story with the guests and provided
everyone with some helpful thoughts. "Everything takes, hard work,
dedication and patience. If I had to choose the one attribute that is
the most important in life, I would without a doubt choose
TRUST. Trust is at the basis of any human relation, whether personal
or corporate."

In addition, first time supervisor Stephanie Simon, Museums Reporter
for NY1News, spoke on her experience with AGBU, praised AGBU for
maintaining the Armenian culture and heritage, the importance of
connecting with people and ideas and the unexpected connection and
friendship that she developed with her intern, Tanya Baronian.

Before concluding the Program, Carol Aslanian, member of the AGBU
Central Board of Directors for the past ten years, spoke on behalf of
AGBU. Carol, who oversees AGBU’s Education Department, wished the
interns much success in the future, and praised them for their
commitment and hard work. She reminded the interns that each of them
has the potential to become great leaders of our Armenian community
and their countries’ respective societies.

To date, approximately 600 interns worldwide have benefited from this
extraordinary, life-changing program. The selection criteria is
challenging and interns must have completed their sophomore year of
college and have earned a minimum B+ average or its equivalent, for
international students. All applications and essays are carefully
reviewed to ensure that the interns are capable of meeting the
demanding internships available to them in a number of New York City’s
biggest and best employment sectors. Some of the many participating
institutions include: Columbia Records, Columbia University Hospital,
Moody’s, Merrill Lynch, NY1 News, Sports Illustrated, the United
Nations and UBS.

Sponsored by the AGBU President’s Club, the AGBU New York Summer
Intern Program () was established in 1987 by
Vartkess and Rita Balian, and is still currently under their
supervision in its 19th year. AGBU NYSIP places young, aspiring
Armenians in eight-week internships in the corporate, international,
art and medical worlds of New York, while providing a well-rounded
program of Armenian cultural, educational and community service
activities.

To obtain an application, please visit AGBU NYSIP’s website at
Please check the form for eligibility
requirements. The application deadline is December 14, 2006. For more
information, please email [email protected].

For more information about AGBU and its worldwide programs, please
visit

September 29, 2006

PRESS RELEASE
Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate
6252 Honolulu Avenue
La Crescenta, CA 91214
Tel: (818) 248-7737
Fax: (818) 248-7745
E-mail: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
Website: <;

PRELATE TO PRESIDE OVER MASS AT HOLY MARTYRS CHURCH

H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, has returned from a short
visit to Armenia, where he participated in the Third Armenia-Diaspora
Conference and Independence Day celebrations as a member of the entourage of
H.H. Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia.
On Sunday, October 1st, the Prelate will preside over Holy Mass
and deliver the sermon at Holy Martyrs Church in Encino. During Mass, the
Prelate will also conduct the blessing of the new Episcopal throne of the
church.
The throne was donated to the church in memory of the late
Archpriest Fr. Vartan Arakelian, previous pastor of Holy Martyrs Church.

PROF. FEULNER TO LECTURE ON THE
DIVINE LITURGY OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH

The Prelacy Christian Education Department, under the auspices of the
Prelate, has organized an educational evening to take place on Wednesday,
October 4, at 7:30 p.m., at St. Mary’s Church in Glendale.
Professor Dr. Hans-Juergen Feulner, from the University of
Vienna, Austria, will speak on the topic `Introductory Remarks on the Divine
Liturgy of the Armenian Church’.

BOARD OF REGENTS OF PRELACY SCHOOLS
STAFF-DEVELOPMENT SEMINAR

At the start of each academic year, the Board of Regents of Prelacy Schools
organizes a one-day staff-development seminar for teacher of all grade
levels. This year, the seminar will take place on Friday, October 6, at
Ferrahian High School.
Principals, directors, and teachers from all Armenian schools
are invited to attend the seminar, as well as those from A.R.S. Saturday
Schools and Davtian-Mariamian Educational Foundation.

HOLY MASS AT THE LAS VEGAS PARISH

On Sunday, October 8, Holy Mass will be offered at the Armenian Apostolic
Church of Las Vegas.
Archpriest Fr. Khoren Habeshian will officiate over Mass, which
begins at 2:00 p.m., at the Lakes Lutheran Church.

SEMINAR FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS
AND YOUTH AT HOLY TRINITY CHURCH

On October 7 and 8, Holy Trinity Church in Fresno will hold a seminar for
Sunday School teachers, and meetings to discuss the activities of the youth
association. Very Rev. Fr. Muron Aznikian, co-director of the Prelacy
Christian Education Department, will preside over and supervise the
meetings.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Turkish Daily News
September 29, 2006 Friday

ALI KULEBI PKK TERRORISM UNDER THE PROTECTION OF THE GLOBAL FORCES
(I)

Abdullah Ocalan, whom Syria refused to hand over to Turkey, claiming
he didn’t live there, was deported from the country after the
decisive ultimatum of the Turkish Armed Forces. Thus, a phase came to
an end in the struggle against Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK)
terrorism that had lasted for almost 19 years. While Salman Zirqi,
who was put in charge of Ocalan by Al Muhabarat, the Syrian
Intelligence Service, helped him out of Syria to new destinations
where he would find an equal amount of help and support, the chief
terrorist was dreaming of new beginnings. This was understandable as
PKK terrorism had cost Turkey tens of thousands of casualties and
billions of dollars. It could easily be said that Syria, which was
supported by the Soviet Union in the pre-1990 era; Greece, which is
still hallucinating about revenging its defeat in Cyprus in 1974;
Iran, which does not want a strong, democratic and secular Turkey in
the region; and the post-1990 Armenia and the pre-1990 Bulgaria as
well as prominent EU countries have extended their support in varying
degrees to the PKK throughout the period in which this ruthless
terrorist organization has sought power and recognition.

Additionally, the United States, subsequent to the launch of the
Combined Task Force — Poised Hammer, and finally Israel, within its
search to somehow make a use for the Kurds following the second Gulf
war, have provided some support to the PKK. At this point, it should
be emphasized that alongside the United States, Russia, as another
global power, has also supported and sheltered PKK terrorism at
different times.

Soviet Union as global force and PKK:

The Syrian strategy of systematically supporting the PKK is
undoubtedly in accordance with Syria’s historical national designs.
Within the illusion of a Greater Syria, the acquisition of Hatay has
always been a dream. To attain this goal, first Turkey was to be
weakened, and to weaken Turkey they would trigger internal
disruptions. Therefore, the harsh reality that the PKK terrorists
received training in the camps in Syria and Lebanon and were
transported from there to the Turkish border in the very vehicles of
the Syrian Army and Al Muhabarat should be understood as an extension
of this historical strategy of Syria. When Syria, whose military
inventory always looks very impressive on paper, was pursuing such a
strategy against Turkey, did it rely on its thousands of tanks,
artillery and hundreds of warplanes or on the Arab world, which
undeniably failed to support the Syrians during their wars against
Israel? For the pre-1990 era the answer to this question should be
"no." Firstly, it was obvious that the Syrian Army would be no match
against the much stronger and very well-disciplined Turkish Army,
which was well equipped — according to NATO standards — to
challenge the Soviet Army. Secondly, considering past events, Syria
could not rely on the other Arab states, either. In this case, Syria
could have relied only on powers other than the United States and
NATO, which were evidently the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact
countries. Syria expected that Turkish interference with Syria would
have resulted in the harsh retaliation of the Soviet Union. In other
words, the global and military force behind Syria, which was one of
the two prominent patrons of the PKK (the other was evidently our
neighbor Greece), was the Soviet Union.

The profit to be gained by the Soviet Union from the intensification
of PKK terror and even the disintegration of Turkey was not to be
underestimated. After all, a NATO member would have disintegrated and
thus the Soviet Union would have easily been able to access the
Mediterranean, the Middle East and, more importantly, the oil
resources in the region. In fact, it should be remembered here that
Bulgaria too played a certain role in the enhancement of the PKK’s
terrorist power. Given that such involvement of Bulgaria in the issue
was encouraged by the Soviet Union, the Soviet support provided to
the PKK in the pre-1990 era became more visible. It is clear today
that the Russian Federation, being the successor of the Soviet Union,
has inherited Soviet methods of foreign policy and thus is continuing
to handle the PKK similar to how the Soviets handled the group. This
time, however, parallels have been drawn between PKK terrorism and
the Chechen movement.

Focusing on the post-1990 era and elaborating on how Syria remained
in support of the PKK until 1998, even after the dissolution of the
Soviet Union, we arrive at a critical point. Syria did not take into
account the fact that it was not in a position to compete,
militarily, economically or politically, with Turkey, especially
having lost the empowering support of the Soviet Union with the
collapse of this giant empire. Furthermore, Syrian military assets,
which looked impressive on paper, had become outmoded and thrown on
the scrap heap over the course of time.

On the matter of the PKK, one can not help but wonder about the
answers to the following questions: If Syria was to be pacified
easily, why then did Turkey very sadly lose thousands of sons and
experience so much distress for years? Was it because of the
insensitive and almost anti-national policies of the maladroit
governments that ruled Turkey at the time? Were Turkey’s passiveness
and indecisiveness a result of its miscalculation of the military and
political powers backing PKK terrorism? Why did Turkey wait eight
years until 1998? Why did not we force Greece, Armenia, the Greek
Cypriot administration and Iran, alongside Syria, to answer for their
support to the PKK? Was Turkey afraid that these states would form a
Holy Alliance and conspire against Turkey? Or was there a concealed
truth behind the global actors’ support of these states?

What caused our setback then? Was it the U.S. deployment of the
"Combined Task Force — Poised Hammer" north of the 36th parallel in
Iraq that began preparations for a Kurdish establishment in the
region? Was it because, in a state of euphoria, we were completely
mesmerized by our entry to the customs union? In reality, the
situation was no different than the Ottoman signature on the Treaty
of Baltalimani in 1838, which is today accepted as the beginning of
the decline of the Ottoman Empire. All these points must be examined
historically. The first point to be elaborated upon is that the close
relationship between the PKK and the Soviet Union was in the
pre-1990, era when Soviet Russia was one of the two global powers.
Unfortunately, contemporary Russia continued the same attitude
towards the PKK for some time. Some significant proof of this is as
follows:

Allegedly, there was a PKK-controlled training camp that was active
for many years and which made possible the ideological education of
the PKK’s mountaineering staff in Yaroslavl, lying 250 kilometers
north of Moscow.

Materiel captured during Turkish military operations indicated that
some of the weapons, including surface-to-air missiles (SAM), were
Russian made.

The Duma, the lower house of the Russian Parliament, once attempted
to recognize the PKK, which is something we still remember

Ocalan, the leader of the PKK, went to Russia twice after leaving
Syria, and his efforts to take refuge in Russia are also still in our
minds.

* Ali Kulebi is acting president of TUSAM (National Security
Strategies Research Center). He can be contacted at [email protected]

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian National Committee
San Francisco – Bay Area
51 Commonwealth Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94118
Tel: (415) 387-3433
Fax: (415) 751-0617
[email protected]

Contact: Bay Area ANC: (415) 387-3433 or [email protected]

September 25, 2006

REP. FRANK PALLONE VISITS BAY AREA ARMENIAN COMMUNITY
09252006.htm

San Francisco, CA, September 24 – New Jersey congressman Frank Pallone
met with members of the Bay Area Armenian-American community at a
gathering hosted by the Bay Area Armenian National Committee at St.
Gregory Armenian Church’s Vaspouragan Hall. After attending church
services, Pallone discussed the status of various proposed legislation
of particular interest to Armenian-Americans.

Pallone, who is the founder and co-chair of the Armenian Issues Caucus
in the House of Representatives, and is currently in his 9th term in
Congress, praised the Armenian Diaspora for its contributions to
Armenia and its participation in the U.S. political process, which has
enabled the growth of the Armenian Caucus and its pursuit of
legislation. He pledged to fight for more foreign aid to Armenia and
Karabagh, and addressed issues including the proposed railroad between
Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey, the oil pipeline between those
countries, the removal of the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia and the
nomination of a replacement, the recognition of the Armenian Genocide,
and the need for an open border between Turkey and Armenia.

"Turkey’s blockade of the border is in violation of international law,"
said Pallone. He acknowledged Turkey’s desire to join the European
Union and its suppression of freedom of expression. Considering the
recent Turkish government prosecutions against those who have discussed
the Armenian Genocide, and its desire to join the European Union,
Pallone said it is important to continue to seek Genocide recognition.

On the removal of Ambassador Evans because of his statements
acknowledging the Armenian Genocide and the hearings surrounding the
nomination of his successor, Pallone said the "media blitz" which
followed, made the State Department look "more marginal, more
ridiculous," for not allowing its ambassadors to Armenia to refer to the
Armenian Genocide by name. "It’s drawn a lot of attention to the issue
in a positive way."

On the Karabagh issue, Pallone said, "In the coming months and years,
the Caucus will be making an effort to put the pressure on the U.S.
government, saying a peace settlement needs to be reached soon."
Pallone acknowledged that Armenia is a small country and said, "It
doesn’t get much attention from the State Department or whatever
administration is in power," though he added, "More conflict in the
Caucasus is not in the best interests of the United States."

Pallone answered questions about issues including the geopolitical
situation in the Caucuses, the role of the US embassy in Armenia, and
the role of Islam in politics of the region.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Tab to fix Manoogian near $188K

The Detroit News
September 28, 2006

By David Josar

DETROIT — Planned outdoor repairs at Manoogian Mansion include $25,000
for landscaping, $10,000 for exterior lighting and $50,000 to repair the
front porch, walkway and railing, according to detailed estimates
released by the mayor’s office.

Temporary fixes to tile surrounding the in-ground pool are expected to
cost about $1,000, but a price tag for permanent repairs is still being
determined.

Last June, the Detroit Building Authority approved $200,000 for the
fixes, but Kilpatrick’s staff believes the total bill will be closer to
$188,000, based on bids received from several companies.

The city is also paying the firm Hamilton Anderson Associates $6,500 in
architectural fees to oversee the work.

The remainder of the estimated $188,000 will be used to fix the rear
patio and walkways behind the mansion, which abuts the Detroit River.

The money is coming from a 2004 bond issue earmarked for capital
improvements to the city’s recreation, zoo or cultural facilities.

The historic 5,000-square-foot Manoogian Mansion has become an expensive
proposition for the city.

Mayoral spokesman Matt Allen said the repairs are necessary to ensure
official visitors to the mansion don’t injure themselves on city
property and then sue Detroit for negligence. "We want to avoid
liability," Allen said.

Allen said that once the consulting firm makes a recommendation on how
to repair the pool, the mayor’s staff will need to request more money.

"We’ll have to ask again to make permanent repairs," Allen said, of the
need for the City Council and Detroit Building Authority to tap more
bond funds.

Dating to the administration of Dennis Archer, faulty tile work has
caused the pool to leak water into the ground.

Since fiscal 1994, Detroit has spent $1.3 million in tax dollars on
repairs and upkeep for the mansion, which was donated to the city in
1966 by Masco Corp. founder Alex Manoogian and his wife.

You can reach David Josar at (313) 222-2073 or [email protected].

pps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060928/METRO/609280369

Armenia Solidarity Press Release
c/o Temple of Peace
Cathays Parc
Cardiff
Wales
Contact: Eilian Williams
Telephone: 07876 561398

To increase awareness of the Armenian Genocide and enhance parliamentary
support for future initiatives, Armenia Solidarity undertook three days of
lobbying at the UK Labour Party Conference in and outside G-Mex Manchester
between 24-26 September 2006. The Manchester Armenian community, including
students and young professionals, participated in this first exercise at
political party level.

One thousand specially prepared leaflets were distributed to delegates and
copies of John Torosyan’s comprehensive "Remember" booklet to selected
members of the government, including the Prime Minister and the Foreign
Secretary. Contact was made with Labour-affiliated groups for future
networking. Fringe meeting discussions and consultations took place in the
evenings with MPs and interested parties to understand parliamentary
procedures, to craft parliamentary motions and how to target support. These
were both with established supporters as well as new contacts.

A number of options were identified including a new Early Day Motion, a 10
Minute Rule debate and meetings with a Foreign Office Minister with valuable
advice given as to how to develop proposals and improve the chances of
success.

Armenia Solidarity has done solid work in Wales where over half the MPs have
now give their support to House of Commons motions on the Armenian Genocide.
This effort will continue and will be extended to the North West of England
with the active support of the Armenian community including Manchester and
Stockport constituencies. The objective is to involve all nationwide
constituencies with Armenian residents and their supporters

Armenia Solidarity is interested in co-operating with other established
organisations so that the last count of 37 MPs for the last EDM is increased
to a much higher number. This may help to leverage as much influence and
change possible in these days with the European spotlight on Turkey’s EU
application, on its human rights record and its treatment of minorities and
Christian churches. Though the British government underwrites the Turkey’s
application, every effort needs to be made that an unreformed administration
does not become a part of Europe and that Armenian interests are given
long-due attention.

The "Remember" booklet was prepared to persuade the UK Holocaust Memorial
Day Trust to include the Armenian Genocide in their commemorations,
documentation and website. This important initiative continues. View its
contents at

Anatolia news agency, Ankara,
29 Sep 06

TURKISH MP SLAMS DUTCH PARTIES FOR REJECTING CANDIDATES OVER GENOCIDE VIEWS

Ankara, 29 September: Canan Aritman, an MP of the main opposition
Republican People’s Party (CHP), sent letters to leaders of Dutch
political parties to condemn their decision not to accept the
candidacies of three people of Turkish descent for they reject the
so-called Armenian genocide.

In her letters to Dutch PM Jan Peter Balkenende and Labour Party
leader Michiel van Hulten [title and name as published], Aritman
qualified this decision as an anti-democratic approach.

Aritman said that such a thing cannot be allowed in any political
party which advocates democracy, and noted that this decision is a
violation of freedom of thought, and is against human rights.

Stating that this is a stroke on the democratic rights and liberties
of Turkish community and the parliamentary democracy in the
Netherlands, Aritman said that such moves will prevent Turkish
community from participating in active politics.

Aritman wished that Dutch parties will change their mind soon to
ensure a real democracy, human rights and freedoms.

Three people of Turkish origin, namely Erdinc Sacan (Social Democrat
Labour Party-PvdA), Ayhan Tonca and Osman Elmaci (Christian Democrat
Party-CDA) were excluded from parliamentarian candidacy lists due to
the campaigns launched by the Armenian diaspora. They were running
for the early general election in the Netherlands due on 22 November.

The Courier Mail (Australia)
September 29, 2006 Friday
First with the news Edition

Darchinyan’s power trip doesn’t faze Filipino foe in Vegas battle

by Grantlee Kieza

AUSTRALIA’S world flyweight champion Vic Darchinyan has challenged
his hard-hitting opponent Glenn Donaire to stand and trade power
shots with him when they slug it out in Las Vegas next week.

At a heated press conference in Los Angeles yesterday ahead of their
big battle, Donaire, a California-based Filipino, said he was not
intimidated by Darchinyan’s reputation as one of the best punchers in
world boxing.

The unbeaten Armenian-born champion from Sydney has won all five of
his world title fights by knockout and says it will be no different
when he faces Donaire at the Mandalay Bay Casino on Sunday week.

But Donaire fired up Darchinyan yesterday with dismissive comments
about the IBF champion’s lack of technique.

”Darchinyan does not have a style,” said the 26-year-old Filipino
who has 16 wins and a draw from 19 pro fights.

”He waits for the lucky punch with his left hand. He can be strong,
but I will beat him. His past opponents have been intimidated by him.
Not me.”

But Darchinyan, 30, who defends his world title on the same night
that Gold Coast fighter Paul Briggs faces world light-heavyweight
champ Tomasz Adamek in Chicago, says Donaire is in for a shock.

”I have been sparring guys 12kg heavier than me in Los Angeles and I
will knock this guy out, too,” said Darchinyan, who has won all 26
of his fights (21 by KO) since turning professional after the Sydney
Olympics.

Meanwhile, Briggs, who leaves for Chicago with trainer Johnny Lewis
today, says sparring with Melbourne’s Sam Soliman has been the key to
his preparation for revenge against the lanky Pole. Adamek outpointed
him for the world title in Chicago last year.

The Japan Times
September 29, 2006, Friday

Half a glass in Turkey

The case of Turkish novelist Elif Shafak makes it hard to decide
whether the glass that is Turkey is half-full or half-empty.

Ms. Shafak is the author of a best-selling novel titled "The Bastard
of Istanbul." The book, set in the waning years of the Ottoman
Empire, features an Armenian character who uses the term "genocide"
to describe the Turkish deportations of 1915 in which almost a
million Armenians died. Turkey denies there was a genocide, and its
recently updated penal code makes use of that term, or others deemed
critical of the government, a criminal offense.

Earlier this year, Ms. Shafak was charged under the code with
"insulting Turkishness," punishable by up to three years in prison.
The glass certainly looks half-empty when one considers that this was
even possible, particularly in a country that casts itself as a
modern, secular bastion of democracy with credible aspirations to
join the European Union. Nor was Ms. Shafak alone. Her case followed
a string of others, including the arrest last year, on the same
charge, of Turkey’s best-known writer, Orhan Pamuk.

The glass looks half full, however, since an Istanbul court acquitted
Ms. Shafak on Sept. 21, citing lack of evidence. It would have done
better to cite the simultaneous frivolity and menace of the charge –
and to remind prosecutors that censorship of fictional characters is
incompatible with freedom of speech – but the decision came as a
relief nonetheless. Its speed and clarity presumably makes it less
likely that the law will be used against other artists anytime soon.

Turkey’s problem is that it is under pressure from two directions:
the European Union, which is urging the government to improve human
rights, and nationalists at home who would like nothing better than
to scuttle the country’s chances of joining the bloc. Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan has hinted that the government might revise the
part of the code used to prosecute Ms. Shafak. Revising it isn’t
enough: If Turkey is serious about freedom of speech, not to mention
the EU, it ought to abolish it. That would make the glass far less
murky.