Month: October 2006

HOLLAND RAISES "ARMENIAN ISSUE" WITHIN EU AND IN CONTACTS WITH TURKEY

PanARMENIAN.Net
25.10.2006 18:15 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Representatives of the Federation of Armenian
Organizations in the Netherlands (FAON) met today with Minister
of Immigration and Integration Rita Verdonk. As the FAON told the
PanARMENIAN.Net, the reason for this meeting was connected with the
commotion after the removal of three MP candidates of Turkish descent
from the candidates’ lists of CDA (Christian Democrat Party) and PvdA
(Labor Party) for publicly denying the Armenian Genocide. In response
to that Minister Verdonk underlined that in the international context
the Dutch government has raised the Armenian question repeatedly,
both in EU framework and in the bilateral contacts with Turkey and
will continue to do so. The Armenian Federation, that got the ball
rolling on the matter of the MP candidates through a letter to the
CDA, expressed concern towards the minister on the one-sided way in
which particularly Turks in the Netherlands are informed about this
episode of the history, which hampers their integration into Dutch
society. Moreover, because of current Turkish legislation, it is in
fact impossible for Turks, also those living in the Netherlands,
to give other opinions on the Armenian Genocide than the official
Turkish point of view. The FAON for this reason urged the minister
to adapt the education program on this subject. By means of objective
material, attention should be paid to this history on different levels,
as is the case in neighboring countries, in one package together
with the Holocaust and other genocides. The Institute for Holocaust
and Genocide Studies in Amsterdam can play an important role in this
matter. Minister Verdonk promised that she will transmit the request
of the FAON concerning the adaptation of the history curriculum on
this subject to her colleague of Education, Culture and Sciences. The
minister subscribes to the need of sound provision of information on
the matter.

Additionally, the FAON asked for an active attitude of the Dutch
government by acting against denial on Internet sites stirring up
hatred, and other forms of public denial, minimization, justification
or reversing of the Armenian Genocide; action is also necessary against
hackers who continuously try to destroy Dutch and Armenian internet
websites. In response to this request, minister Verdonk promised to
ask the Dutch Complaints Bureau for Discrimination on the Internet
(MDI) to be alert to any form of discrimination towards Armenians.

IRANIAN GAS DELIVERY VIA IRAN-ARMENIA PIPELINE TO START DECEMBER 20

PanARMENIAN.Net
25.10.2006 18:38 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Iranian gas will be received in Armenia via the
Iran-Armenia gas pipeline earlier than planned, stated Director
of High-Voltage Electric Grids – the customer, which has ordered
the building of the Armenian part of the gas pipeline – Sahak
Abrahamyan. In his words, the gas pipeline is expected to be
commissioned December 20 this year instead of January 1, 2007. Sahak
Abrahamyan also reported that the building works on the 38-kilometer
part of the 40-km lot of Meghri-Kajaran are over. The estimated cost
of the building of the 40-km lot is $35 million.

80% of this sum are lent by the Iranian Development Bank to the
Armenian party, while the rest will be allocated from own sources,
reports IA Regnum.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARCHBISHOP MUTAFIAN, AGAIN TURKEY’S SPOKESPERSON
By Murad Muradian, Oct. 14 editorial of The Armenian Mirror Spectator

AZG Armenian Daily
26/10/2006

It is hard to figure out if Archbishop Mesrob Mutafian, Patriarch of
Istanbul, is running scared of the Turks for whom he obviously has
deep affection, or whether he simply opposes anything favorable for
Armenia and Armenians in general.

What is galling is the honor he is given in some newspapers as the
"leader" of Armenians in Turkey. A leader of Armenians hopefully does
not undermine leaders of the Armenian community, Armenian history
or friends of Armenia. What the Turkey-fawning Mutafian fails to
understand is that his words impact upon Armenians and non-Armenians
around the world.

The Turks do not hesitate to splash his comments in international
newspapers because Mutafian has become one of the favored
Ankara-sponsored spokespersons in the world. Unfortunately, his title
receives attention because most persons outside of Turkey do not
know him or his style and assume that he really has deep concerns for
Armenians and Armenia. It is assumed in too many places that because
Mutafian bears an Armenian name that he lives Armenian pain, Armenian
hopes and Armenian dreams as verbalized by most Armenians in general.

That he is now a lobbyist for the Turkish government has become very
obvious. He has indicated many times that the 1.5 million Armenians
slaughtered in the 1915 Genocide share responsibility with the butchers
for their own deaths.

Upon the departure from Armenia of French President Jacques Chirac,
one of Mutafian’s comments as he again kissed the Turkish hand was,
"If Armenians did not lead separation actions… at least 10 million
Armenians would live in Turkey today." He went on to say that Turkey
would win a lot with that population.

It is interesting that he did not profess sorrow for the Genocide
of Armenians. His main interest was that Turkey would have gained
a lot if the murderers did not butcher the Armenians. It is hard to
imagine that any honest person, much less an Armenian clergyman, has
the audacity to state that the slaughtered Armenian babies, women,
old people, young, sick, etc., were equally responsible with Talaat,
Enver, Djemal and Nazim for the 1915 Genocide.

Of course, Mutafian does not have the courage, or perhaps even
the belief, to state that 1915 was genocide. Keep in mind that he
castigated the Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II for having done
so during the latter’s visit to Turkey some weeks ago.

Mutafian objected that Jacques Chirac advanced the Armenian Genocide
as a pre-condition for Turkey’s entrance into the European Union
(EU). Mutafian stated that even if that is what President Chirac wants,
"One must not forget that Louis Michael, the minister of Foreign
Affairs of Belgium, decisively said that one must not put new political
standards before Turkey for membership to the European Union."

Is this person, Mr. Mutafian, supposed to be a religious leader or
Turkey’s lobbyist? Recalling that he traveled around Europe lobbying
European politicians to allow his masters into the EU, he fits the
description of a lobbyist. Being a political lobbyist for Turkey,
Mr. Mutafian said that Jacques Chirac’s comment that "Turkey must
recognize the Armenian Genocide for membership to the European Union"
might be a "political precept." In his comments to the Turkish press,
Mr. Mutafian advanced himself as a spokesperson for the Armenians
of Turkey.

One wonders who or what gives him the right to say that it would have
been preferred if the French president attempted to create dialogue
between Armenia and Turkey. For the most part, Armenians to whom I have
spoken who were from Istanbul and now live in the US are embarrassed,
dislike, or find excuses for the comments made by Mutafian.

The excuses are generally that he is frightened of the repressive
government in Turkey and says such things to protect the Armenian
flock. My comment usually is, if this is fact, then Mutafian should
say nothing outside the realm of being a clergyman. A clergyman does
not denigrate proven Armenian/world/genocide history. When anyone says
that the slaughtered Armenians were responsible for their own deaths,
that is abominable and a disgrace. He has become the David Irving
(Holocaust denier) of the Armenian Genocide.

Mutafian’s position and spoken words have even more appalling impact
than David Irving’s books.

Mutafian’s words were spoken to international outlets and will appear
in English, Turkish and German languages, perhaps on TV as well as
in written form. I do not blame Mutafian for wanting Turkey in the EU.

Perhaps he recognizes that the EU will stick by their demands that
Turkey must be a democracy before being allowed into that prestigious
body. And if Turkey does become a democracy and is allowed into the
EU all citizens of the country will benefit, including the Armenian
flock. But it is not necessary for Mutafian to join the Genocide
denier club for that to happen.

Mutafian wants Turkey to be able to write its own rules for entrance
into the EU instead of Turkey complying with rules set up for
Turkey. The Turks object to rules that specifically apply to them. If
one of the leading Europeans (Jacques Chirac) wants to satisfy the
demands of 400,000 French Armenians and countless non-Armenians in
France and Europe for Turkey to recognize 1915 as genocide, it is
unseemly for a wannabe Turk like Mutafian to object.

Why is it appropriate to have rules specifically applicable to Turkey
to join the EU? Point out another wannabe nation to the EU that has
as abysmal a human rights history as Turkey does. What other nation
that aspires to the EU currently threatens to invade northern Iraq to
get its way, and particularly to get oil that is in short supply? Let
us not overlook that Foreign Minister Gul of Turkey threatened to
invade northern Iraq because of comments made about Kurds by President
Talabani of Iraq.

Perhaps Mutafian has lived so long in Turkey under pressure from the
government that he has forgotten what truth and human rights are. One
does not have to be an Armenian to understand these things. So much
the greater shame for the current Patriarch sitting in Istanbul.

GEORGIA AND IRAN SIGN AGREEMENT OF ELECTRICITY SUPPLY THROUGH ARMENIA
By Aghavni Harutyunian

AZG Armenian Daily
26/10/2006

Iranian Gas Shipment Still Being Discussed

Within the framework of his Iranian visit, Georgian foreign minister
Gela Bezhuashvili met with the country’s president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
on October 23.

The aim of the visit of Gela Bezhuashvili and Georgian minister of
energetics Nika Gilauri was to discussion of bilateral relations
between the two counties in the sphere of economics. More precisely,
the Georgian side was interested in possibility of gas and electricity
import from Iran.

IRNA news agency reports that on October 24 Nika Gilauri and his
Iranian counterpart Parviz Fatah signed an agreement on Iranian
electricity supply to Georgia via Armenia’s territory.

Such a turn in Georgian-Iranian relations has good reasons: by the help
of Iran, Georgia is trying to abolish its overdependence on Russian
gas; the Iranian side is paving a road for gas shipment through the
South Caucasus.

The Iranian Ministry of Energetics informs that according to the
agreement Iran will begin shipment of 50 megawatt electricity through
Armenia to Georgia in late November gradually increasing this amount to
300 megawatt. Besides, the Iranian suggested to expand the shipment
of electricity to Russia via Georgia’s territory. To that end in
three months Iran and Georgia invite Russia to join them.

As to a more vital issue for Georgia – shipment of the Iranian gas –
it’s still being discussed.

ARMENIAN TO LEAD CYPRIOT POLITICAL PARTY
By Georges der Parthogh

AZG Armenian Daily
26/10/2006

Marios Karoyan, Armenian born Cypriot politician was elected chairman
of the ruling "Democratic Party" (DIKO), thus becoming the Armenian
with the highest in the 46 years of the Cyprus Republic.

At an island wide election involving some 14, 000 members and
followers of the party formed 30 years ago by the late president of
the republic, Spyros Kiprianou, Karoyian clinched 62,6 percent of
the votes as against 37.4 percent of his opponent acting party leader
Nicos Kieanthous.

Karoyian now replaced President Papadopoulos who stepped down as
party leader this month, saying that he wanted to make room for
younger people.

During a bitterly contested election campaign Karoyian suffered "below
the belt" attacks by some leading DIKO members for his Armenian
ancestry, stressing that he had not done military service in the
Greek Cypriot National Guard.

Under the provisions of the Cypriot Constitution, members of the
minority groups, namely, Maronites, Latins and Armenians, are exempt
from military service.

Karoyian, a former football star in AYM the Armenian Young Man’s
Association, came into political limelight in 1991, when the then
President of the Cyprus House of Representatives, Alexis Galanos,
chose him as his personal assistant. Later, He was picked by President
Kouprianou and Papadopoulos as top political adviser.

He also served as government spokesman.

He appeared deeply moved as he was proclaimed the now leader of DIKO,
flanked by the two sons of the late Spyros Kiprianou, including Markos
who is European Union Commissioner for Health.

It will be recalled that Syprus Kiprianou was one of the first
politicians who raised the question of the Armenia genocide at the
United Nation’s General Assembly when he was foreign minister under
the then President of Cyprus, Archbishop Makarios.

ARMENIAN AND FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTERS DISCUSS ARMENIAN-FRENCH RELATIONS

AZG Armenian Daily
26/10/2006

On October 24, the French and Armenian Foreign Ministers Philip
Doust-Blazy and Vartan Oskanian held a meeting in Paris. In the course
of the meeting, they discussed the Armenian-French relations.

The press and information department of RA Foreign Ministry informed
that during the meeting, the sides also discussed the Karabakh conflict
peaceful settlement process and the organization of events within the
framework of Armenia’s Year in France. The sides highly appreciated
the coming session of the Armenia-EU Cooperation Council that is
slated on November 14. In the course of the session, the parties
will sign the program of actions under the New European Neighborhood
Policy. This will contribute to deepening of bilateral cooperation. At
the meeting, the foreign ministers also touched upon regional issues,
particularly, the impact of the aggravated Russian-Georgian relations
on the situation in the region of the South Caucasus.

OUR COUNTRY RANKED 101ST IN FREEDOM OF PRESS 2005 REPORT
By Ruzan Poghosian

AZG Armenian Daily
26/10/2006

According to the rating elaborated by "Reporters without Borders"
organization, Armenia is ranked 101st among 107 countries, behind
not only Georgia (99), but also Turkey (98). Particularly, this year
Armenia managed to institute a number of suits against journalists
and deserved the criticism of the European structures.

In the South Caucasus, the freedom of mass media sources is sharply
violated in Azerbaijan (141st). The murder of independent journalist
Elmar Husseynov in March testifies to the violence and harassment
applied against the journalists. Meanwhile, gradually, the attacks
on press freedom increase in the course of the pre-election activities.

Russia occupies the 138th place, Ukraine – 112th, Tajikistan –
114th, Khyrghyzia – 111th, Kazakhstan – 119th. The highest level of
press freedom is observed in Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Island, the
Netherlands, Norway and Switzerland. The situation with press freedom
is the worst in Eritrea, Turkmenistan, and Northern Korea. The USA
ranks the 53rd in the list because of George Bush’s statement that
any journalists who dares to cast doubts on the justice of "the war
against terrorism" will be suspected, as well as because of the right
of federal courts to demand sources of information from the media.

The organization applied to various journalists, experts, foreign
mass media sources, urging them to inform about all kinds of cases
of violence or limitations applied against the journalists and the
freedom of speech.

Elsa Vidal, Head of CIS Countries Department, informed that the
Armenian journalists and experts pointed out many cases of violence
against the journalists, particularly, two journalists were threatened
and five were attacked.

According to "Reporters without Borders" organization, Armenia
fixed regress from the viewpoint of the freedom of speech. Thus, in
2003-2004, our country occupied the 90th place in the rating list,
while last year it sharply moved to the 102nd.

ANOTHER MEETING OF ARMENIAN WRITERS IN GLENDALE
By Gohar Gevorgian

AZG Armenian Daily
26/10/2006

Recently, the regular meeting of the Armenian Writers’ Union of
California took place at the Glendale Public Library. In the course
of the meeting, chairman of the union Grish Davtian represented the
newly issued publications of Poghos Goubelian’s "African Symphony"
and Termine Manounkian’s "Smile, My Dear" and "Adagio" verses, as
well as Astghik Topchian’s "Home" and Gousan Apor’s "Heart’s Spring."

Besides, during the meeting, some of the present writers also
represented extracts from their pieces, held speeches. Particularly,
poet Nerses Ter-Mesropian represented the opening of the festive
arrangements dedicated to the Day of the Armenian Culture and the
fact that this holiday is included in the calendar of the Armenian
national and church calendars.

ITB BANK TO GET GERMAN DEPOSITS
By Ara Martirosian

AZG Armenian Daily
26/10/2006

According to the information disseminated by the International Trade
Bank (Armenia), the bank became one of the participants of the program
initiated by the German KfW organization. The program is called
"For Development of the Real Estate Stable Market."

In this connection, Ara Kitbalian, Executive Director, expressed the
opinion that this program will make the banks decrease the mortgage
deposit percents and prolong the payment deadlines. The Bank is going
to allocate mortgage deposits from its own sources, as well.

Besides, the bank informed that "ITB"(Armenia) bank belongs to
"Makarios" holding that united about 60 various companies in Austria,
in the Great Britain, in Ireland, in Switzerland, in Cyprus and in
number of CIS states.

‘OUR ULTIMATE AIM IS TO GIVE THE VILLAGERS A CHANCE TO GET RICH’
By Gohar Gevorgian

AZG Armenian Daily
26/10/2006

The United Nations Development Program and "Hayastan" Pan-Armenian
Fund have decided to unite their efforts and abilities in reducing
rural poverty in Armenia.

Yesterday, the sides signed a memorandum of mutual understanding.

Director of "Hayastan" Pan-Armenian Fund, Naira Melkumian, and
UN permanent coordinator in Armenia, Consuelo Vidal, emphasized
the importance of cooperation of rural communities and local
authorities in productive implementation of the program. The rural
communities will be selected based on the level of poverty and the
level of unemployment. Border villages will also be included in the
program. Consuelo Vidal said that a group at the Armenian Foreign
Ministry engaged in this issue and the UN already have a common
elaborated program. The UN permanent coordinator underscored that
while studying the problems of rural communities, people themselves
indicate their needs and priorities that include social issues as well.

"I am sure that the result of this cooperation will be decisive in
terms of reducing poverty. Our ultimate aim is to give the villagers
a chance to get rich," Naira Melkumian said.