Month: October 2006

TURKISH BUSINESS WORLD’S REACTION TO FRANCE

Turkish Press
Oct 25 2006

ISTANBUL – "Adoption of the bill making a crime (in France) the denial
of so-called Armenian genocide will affect both Turkish-French and
EU-Turkey relations negatively," Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO)
Chairman Murat Yalcintas told A.A on Thursday.

"I would like to remind my French friends that a handful French
parliamentarians cannot make a decision about Turkish history. French
Parliament is not authorized to judge Turkey," he said.

"ITO will hold meetings with all French companies in Turkey, as well as
executives of French-Turkish partnerships. We will also have meetings
with officials of all French educational institutions in Turkey,"
Yalcintas said.

On the other hand, Independent Industrialists & Businessmen’s
Association (MUSIAD) Chairman Omer Bolat called on Turkish people to
boycott French products.

Noting that it is necessary to make a long-term and collective
economic boycott against France, Bolat called on members of MUSIAD
to stop their commercial relations with French companies.

On the other hand, International Investors Association of Turkey
(YASED) Chairman Saban Erdikler said that Turkey should not boycott
companies which were established with French capital in Turkey and
invested in Turkey. Erdikler told A.A that now Turkish government
has important responsibilities, adding that the government should
act with cold blood and take initiatives in ECHR and EU on legal basis.

Noting that the trade balance (between Turkey and France) is against
Turkey, Erdikler said that Turkey imports more from France than it
exports to that country. "Thus, France will be affected negatively
of the decision" he said.

Economic Development Foundation (IKV) condemned the decision of French
national assembly, noting that such decisions which restrain freedom
of expression overshadows the reliability of a country which claims
to be the cradle of democracy.

TURKEY’S ATTITUDE TOWARDS SO-CALLED ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IS MORE EUROPEAN THAN FRANCE’S, BABACAN

Turkish Press
Oct 25 2006

BRUSSELS – "The attitude Turkey has assumed against so-called Armenian
genocide allegations is more European than the attitude of France,"
Turkish State Minister & Chief Negotiator for EU talks Ali Babacan
who spoke at round-table meeting organized by think-tank institution
"Friends of Europe" in Brussels said on Thursday.

Regarding EU’s enlargement process and Turkey’s EU process, Babacan
said that Turkey is ready to cooperate in every type of projects to
eliminate misunderstandings in EU as well as in Turkish public.

Babacan wanted EU to assess Turkey’s membership in long-term by taking
into consideration the economic and social transformation. He added
that Turkey’s EU membership should be based on logic and realities,
not emotions.

"When the issue is considered from EU’s point of view, Turkey’s
membership will strengthen EU’s global actor role. If EU wants to be a
big actor in global level, it can achieve it easily through Turkey’s
membership. Turkey can have important contributions to extension of
peace and prosperity in Balkans, Caucasus, Central Asia and Middle
East," Babacan noted.

Babacan said, "democratic institutions in Turkey are functioning
better than those in several EU member countries. Also in economic
aspect, Turkey is important with its location as a bridge between
Asia and Europe as well as being a natural road between Europe and
oil rich Iraq, Iran, Caspian basin and Central Asia. Turkey will have
contributions to EU with its young, qualified and educated population."

Regarding adoption the draft law criminalizing denial of so-called
Armenian genocide by French Parliament, Babacan said that Turkey’s
attitude towards the issue is more European than the attitude of
France. "Parliaments are not responsible of making decisions about
history. We proposed establishment of a commission to research the
allegations. We opened all documents and military archives and wanted
the same thing (from Armenia) but we did not receive a positive
response," he added.

Babacan noted, "Turkey, by leaving the history to historians, assumed
a more European attitude. French draft law contradicts freedom of
expression which is one of the most basic values of EU."

AMBASSADOR OF SWEDEN IN ANKARA ASP IN MERSIN

Turkish Press
Oct 25 2006

-"BILL ON SO-CALLED ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IS A DISASTER" -"SWEDEN SUPPORTS
TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP"

MERSIN – "Adoption of the bill that criminalizes any denial of
so-called Armenian genocide in France is a disaster," Swedish
Ambassador in Ankara Christer Asp said on Thursday.

Ambassador Asp paid a visit to the governor of southern city of
Mersin Huseyin Aksoy today. Asp thanked Aksoy for the hospitality
extended to Swedish citizens who recently arrived in Mersin after
fleeing war-torn Lebanon.

"We are thankful for the hospitality you have displayed to our citizens
who arrived in Mersin and later were sent back to Sweden," told Asp.

In response to a question on a French bill that makes any denial
of so-called Armenian genocide a crime, Asp stated that "it (bill)
is a disaster. These kinds of issues also came up in Sweden. The
answer Sweden gave to these issues was clear and firm. Certain
incidents took place 100 years ago. Yet these incidents must be
left to historians. Turkey has made all of its archives available
to researchers. We are happy about this reality. There were Swedish
scientists who studied these archives. This issue has got nothing to
do with Turkey’s EU membership process."

Ambassador Asp remarked that he has been in Turkey for the past
one year. "We try to develop relations not only among our two
governments but also between local administrations and private sector
representatives," underlined Asp.

Asp added that "Sweden strongly supports Turkey’s EU membership."

Meanwhile, Mersin Governor Huseyin Aksoy indicated that relations
between Turkey and Sweden will get better as time passes by. We can
expect commercial relations between the two countries to develop
rapidly, expressed Aksoy.

Aksoy added that "more than 10,000 foreign nationals, including
Swedish citizens, arrived in Mersin after fleeing war-torn Lebanon.

We helped these foreigners during their time of difficulty. It is a
Turkish tradition to welcome and help guests."

PARIS COURT OF APPEALS ADJOURNS ITS VERDICT ON SEZGIN CASE

Turkish Press
Oct 25 2006

PARIS – Paris Court of Appeals on Thursday adjourned its verdict in
the lawsuit which was filed by Armenians in France against Turkey’s
Consul General Aydin Sezgin in Paris to October 25th.

The chief judge of the court said announcement of the verdict was
adjourned to October 25th because of the problems in the computer
system.

An association in France which defends so-called Armenian genocide,
applied to Paris Civil Court of First Instance and filed a lawsuit
against Consul General Sezgin after transmission of a text (that
opposes to so-called Armenian genocide allegations) on the Consulate
General’s formal web-page.

The French Chamber 17 last year refused the application on grounds
that Sezgin has diplomatic immunity.

In the case which was heard on September 6th after the Armenian
association applied to Appeals Court, the Chief Prosecutor expressed
his opinion that the case should be rejected.

In this lawsuit, Sezgin’s lawyers stated that Sezgin has diplomatic
immunity, there is freedom of speech and parliaments can not write
history. They stressed that a consul general could freely state the
formal views of his country in the country he was assigned, and asked
the court to reject the lawsuit.

On basis of the law acknowledging so-called Armenian genocide which
was adopted in the French parliament in 2001, lawyers of the Armenian
association defended that the Consul General could not express views
about several areas apart from defending the rights of his citizens
so he could not have diplomatic immunity.

IF FRANCE ADOPTS THE DRAFT LAW, TURKEY DOES NOT LOSE ANYTHING, GUL

Turkish Press
Oct 25 2006

ANKARA – "If French Parliament adopts the draft law (which envisions
denial of so-called Armenian genocide as crime), Turkey will not lose
anything, but France will lose not only Turkey but also many other
things," Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul told reporters after
his meeting with Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell of the Bahamas in
Ankara on Wednesday.

Upon a question about French Parliament’s debate the draft law
tomorrow, Gul said that Turkey has exerted every type of efforts on
all levels to warn France.

"Turkish politicians, businessmen, the government, Parliament, ruling
and opposition parties, deputies and intellectuals have all exerted
efforts. Also the EU stated that this issue is very wrong. I hope
France will not be the victim of small inner policy tools. I hope
France, which is the homeland of freedoms and liberty as well as
the pioneer of freedom of thought and expression, will not become
a country where people are imprisoned as they release the documents
and express their thoughts," Gul noted.

Gul added that turning of EU’s locomotive country and pioneer of
freedoms into such a country will concern France more than Turkey.

DUTCH GOVERNMENT ALLOCATES 0.5 MLN EUR FOR OPENING PROGRAMMER RETRAINING SCHOOL IN ARMENIA

ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Oct 25 2006

The Dutch Government has provided Metris company from the Netherlands
with 0.5 mln EUR for opening a programmer retraining school in Armenia,
says the company’s representative in Armenia Levon Bagdasaryan.

For 10 years already Metris has been producing high-precision medical
equipment for leading hospitals in Europe and the US.

Bagdasaryan says that retrainees will be employed with Metris and will
get start-up salary of $500. Today Metris has 4 programmers in Armenia.

The company has its representations in Russia, Japan and Hong Kong
and almost 50 employees. Metris is going to enlarge its activities
in Armenia however it cannot find qualified personnel while Armenian
students do not hurry to undergo the retraining.

62 PERCENT OF ARMENIANS THINK THAT THE COUNTRY IS ON THE WRONG TRACK: GALLUP SURVEY

ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Oct 25 2006

62 percent of Armenians think that the country is on the wrong
track, while 31 percent think that the country is going in the right
direction, say the results of a national poll conducted by Gallup
Organization/Baltic Surveys in Armenia.

39 percent of Armenians see improvement in the country’s economy,
while 21 percent think it is declining.

26 percent of Armenians say their household’s financial situation
has improved, while 24 percent say it has declined.

29 percent of Armenians are satisfied with the development of
democracy, while 68 percent are not.

An overall majority of Armenians think that it will take a long time
to improve things in their country.

The poll was commissioned by IRI, was conducted by the Gallup
Organization/Baltic Surveys in coordination with the Armenian
Sociological Association, and was funded by USAID.

It was conducted from July 31 to August 10, 2006 among 1,200 Armenian
residents (voters) aged 18 years and over who were interviewed
face-to-face. The margin of error does not exceed 3 percent.

GALLUP INSTITUTE: MAJORITY OF RESPONDENTS IN ARMENIA OPTIMISTIC
ABOUT FUTURE

Majority of respondents in Armenia (57%) are optimistic about
future, say the results of a national poll conducted by Gallup
Organization/Baltic Surveys in Armenia.

In addition, 31% of the polled have a neutral attitude to future,
and only 10% are pessimistic about the future. 5% of respondents feel
themselves insecure and feel fear for future, 4% feel apathy, 27%
do not pin hopes with future, 45% hope that situation will improve
in future. Majority of the Armenian respondents do not think that
the situation improved during the last year. 23% think the situation
worsened, and 18% see progress in the year passed.

The poll was commissioned by IRI, was conducted by the Gallup
Organization/Baltic Surveys in coordination with the Armenian
Sociological Association, and was funded by USAID.

It was conducted from July 31 to August 10, 2006 among 1,200 Armenian
residents (voters) aged 18 years. -M-

GALLUP INSTITUTE: MAJORITY OF RESPONDENTS IN ARMENIA CONCERNED OVER
SITUATION WITH UNEMPLOYMENT IN COUNTRY

Majority of respondents (42%) in Armenia are concerned over the
situation with unemployment in the country, say the results of a
national poll conducted by Gallup Organization/Baltic Surveys in
Armenia.

22% of the polled connect their concern with the Nagorny Karabakh
conflict, 32% are concerned over the social-economic situation in
the country. 16% of the polled are concerned over the development of
economy and industry in the country, 10% are anxious at corruption,
10% at democracy and respect for human rights. In addition, 12%
of Armenian residents are concerned over migration problem and 7%
over the foreign political course. Recognition of Armenian Genocide
arises concern of only 3% of respondents in Armenia.

GALLUP INSTITUTE: ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT WILL ATTRACT THE SUPPORT OF
THE MAJORITY OF THE ARMENIAN POPULATION IF IT FULFILLS ITS PROMISE
TO CREATE JOBS

The Armenian government will attract the support of the majority of the
Armenian population if it fulfills its promise to create new jobs, say
the results of a national poll conducted by Gallup Organization/Baltic
Surveys in Armenia.

Thus, 37% of respondents think necessary the creation of jobs, 18% of
the polled are for the rise of wages and pensions, 14% are concerned
over the development of economy, 21% are concerned over the democracy
level, 15% of the polled think necessary fair elections. In addition,
8% of the polled residents of Armenia are concerned over insufficient
measures of fight against corruption, 3% are for the change of the
government, 3% are for assistance to the unsecured sections of the
population. Only 2% of respondents are concerned over attaching
Nagorny Karabakh to Armenia.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TAN: WE HOPE FRENCH AUTHORITIES TO REJECT IT

Turkish Press
Oct 25 2006

ANKARA – "We hope that French authorities will reject the draft law
(criminalizing denial of so-called Armenian genocide)," Turkish
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Namik Tan said on Wednesday.

In his weekly press conference, Tan noted that French government has
launched some initiatives to counter the draft law, stating that it
was a positive development.

"(French) government has undertaken some initiatives against this
bill," he stressed.

On the other hand, a delegation headed by Rifat Hisarciklioglu, the
Chairman of the Union of Chambers & Commodity Exchanges of Turkey
(TOBB), met representatives of French Economy & Social Labor Council
in Paris this morning.

Sources quoted Hisarciklioglu as saying in the meeting that the
bill was against freedom of expression, stressing that it would harm
relations between the two countries.

After holding talks in Paris, TOBB delegation left France for Turkey.

FRANCE IS 128 YEARS LATE TO REDEEM ITS FAULT BEFORE ARMENIA, SAYS ARMENIAN POLITICAL SCIENTIST

ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Oct 25 2006

The fact that France adopted resolution criminalizing the denial of
Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire in 1915 shows that France
tries to redeem its fault before Armenians. That is, it did not
fulfill the guarantees of security of Armenians inhabiting Western
Armenia provided by the 1878 Berlin Congress, political scientist
Levon Melik-Shakhnazaryan said at the press conference today.

Armenian political scientist said that he is sure that the document
will be completely adopted by the Senate as well. It will deprive
Turkey and Azerbaijan of a possibility to continue the anti-Armenian
propaganda round the world. "French Parliament’s ratification of the
resolution is an important achievement of Armenia in foreign policy
for the last several years", said L. Melik-Shakhnazaryan.

The lower chamber of the French parliament adopted the draft law
criminalizing the denial of Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire in
1915 and imposing a 45 ths EUR fine. The document is to be passed to
French Senate and then be signed by President of the French Republic.

ARMENIAN DM: PEACE TREATY TO BE SIGNED BY NEW PRESIDENT

ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Oct 25 2006

"Who becomes the president he will sign the peace treaty," Armenian
Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan told journalists, Wednesday.

Asked if it will be he who will sign the treaty, Serge Sargsyan said: "
it is possible if you help holding free and fair elections in 2007." To
recap, the parliamentary elections are scheduled for 2007 in Armenia.

Commenting on the allegations by representatives of "Orinats Yerkir"
party, who said that the defense minister and the prime minister exert
pressure on the party, deprive "OY" leader Arthur Baghdsasaryan of air,
the minister said: "no one has a right to judge us and such statements
are just silly." "I assure you that I have more important things to
do than just read someone’s interviews or focus of provision of air
to someone," the minister said.