Month: November 2006

The New Anatolian, Turkey
Nov 9 2006
Lagendijk praises the report
The New Anatolian /Ankara
The regular report of the European Commission on Turkey was greeted
yesterday as an objective one which brought no new expectations to
Turkey in the words of Joost Lagendijk, the co-chair of the
Turco-European Joint Parliamentary Commission.
Lagendijk said right after the publication of the report that the
most important parts of the report were those on the
military-civilian relationship and freedom of expression.
He added that the many points in the European Parliament report,
penned by Dutch Rapporteur Camiel Eurlings, were not reflected in the
final version. The Parliament report had referred to the Turkish
recognition of an Armenian “genocide” as a precondition to
membership, although the reference was taken out at the last minute.
Lagendijk said that the report gave Turkey an additional three-four
weeks to Turkey to open its airports and harbors to the Greek
Cypriots and lack of progress might have negative consequences on
Turkey’s EU membership, said the Dutch Green deputy.

Armenpress
REAL ESTATE PRICES GO UP

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS: In the first nine
months of 2006 prices of apartments in high-rise
blocks in Yerevan surged nearly 30 percent from a year
ago ranging between 54,300 Drams to 900,000 Drams for
one square meter of housing space.
The price growth was even higher in other towns of
the country springing up to 42 percent. The state-run
cadastre committee said 90, 200 transactions were
concluded in real estate market over these nine
months, 2 percent down year-over-year.

Armenpress
DILIJAN REGIONAL TOURISM INFORMATION CENTER TO OPEN
NEXT TUESDAY

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS: Tourism
Information Center in Armenia’s most famous resort
town of Dilijan will open on November 14. The center’s
development has been supported by USAID CAPS, in close
collaboration with the Dilijan Mayor’s Office and the
Dilijan Tourism Association (DTA). The ceremony will
be followed by a quick tour of the Dilijan
improvements.
The establishment of the Tourism Information Center
is a major step in implementation of the Dilijan Pilot
Project launched by CAPS, as part of USAID Armenia’s
tourism cluster strengthening and competitiveness
program. In March 2006, the Dilijan Pilot Project
began as a pilot site for the CAPS tourism development
project. Since then CAPS has trained local tourism
service providers to improve Dilijan as a tourism
destination.
The friendly, multilingual staff of the Information
Center will provide high quality customer service to
local and foreign visitors on accommodation,
attractions, and other tourist information in order to
make their stay in Dilijan more enjoyable.
To provide an experience to the tourists during
their stay in Dilijan and to support the
sustainability of the center, a new bicycle rental
enterprise will operate in Dilijan allowing visitors
to use the newly marked bike path. The Information
Center will also offer internet access to visitors for
a small charge.
By actively engaging local communities in a
commonly beneficial project, CAPS aims to achieve
sustainable, cluster-based (the tourism cluster
includes hotels, restaurants, tour operators, local
government and business associations – all
stakeholders) economic growth through communicating
the value of cluster competitiveness. The Dilijan
Pilot Project can become a model for other cities to
use in implementing low-cost, high-impact local
tourism development programs to benefit all
stakeholders.

From: “Katia M. Peltekian”
Subject: ANKARA: EU paints mixed picture
The New Anatolian, Turkey
Nov 9 2006
EU paints mixed picture
The New Anatolian / Ankara
The European Commission yesterday released its progress report on
Turkey, covering the progress that has made in Turkey since the
beginning of membership talks in October 2005 and including
criticisms in various areas.
While evaluating the overall progress in Turkey, the country’s place
in fulfilling European Union membership criteria and efforts to
harmonize its laws with that of the bloc, the Commission in its
80-page document urged Ankara to take constructive steps on minority,
women’s and union’s rights, civilian-military relations, the election
system, broadcasting and publication in different languages and
especially in amending controversial Article 301 of the new Turkish
Penal Code.
Though criticizing the slow progress of reforms on the key issue of
Cyprus, the EU didn’t include in the report a suggestion to suspend
talks with Turkey if the country fails to implement the Ankara
Protocol, thereby throwing the ball of making a final decision on
continuing talks with Turkey to the leaders’ summit next month and
paving the way for the continuation of talks on the Finnish
proposals.
“Under the negotiating framework and the Accession Partnership,” said
the report, “Turkey is expected to ensure continued support for
efforts to find a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem
within the United Nations framework and in line with the principles
on which the Union is founded, whilst contributing to a better
climate for a comprehensive settlement, implement fully the protocol
adapting the Ankara Agreement to the accession of the 10 new EU
member states including (Greek) Cyprus and take concrete steps for
normalization of bilateral relations with all Member States,
including the (Greek) Republic of Cyprus.” The report asked Turkey to
remove all obstacles to the free movement of goods, including
restrictions on means of transport, but without mentioning a possible
suspension of talks if Turkey fails to fulfill the requirements.
The report stated, however, that Turkey’s fulfillment of the
responsibilities will affect the negotiations and should it fail to
do so, the Commission will make recommendations on the issue next
month.
The declaration also stressed that recognition of all member states
is a necessary component of the accession process and underlined the
importance it attaches to the normalization of relations between
Turkey and all EU member states, making direct reference to Greek
Cyprus.
Fine-tuned criticism of military
The European Commission made a carefully worded criticism of the
military’s role in politics in its key report published yesterday,
staying clear of heated domestic debate about secularism but saying
that more time is needed for stronger alignment of civil-military
relations with EU practices.
“Overall, limited progress has been made in aligning civil-military
relations with EU practices,” said the chapter on civil-military
relations. “Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) have continued to exercise
significant political influence. Senior members of the armed forces
have expressed their opinion on domestic and foreign policy issues
including Cyprus, secularism, the Kurdish issue and on the indictment
concerning the (November 2005) Semdinli bombing.”
On the Semdinli affair, when a bookstore in the southeastern town
left two dead, raising tension over claims TSK officials were
involved in the bombing, the EU was expected to make a stronger
criticism of the military. Some of the ruling Justice and Development
(AK) Party members accused then land forces commander and current
Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit of having links with the
alleged bombers.
But contrary to many expectations, the report did not mention the
issue in detail. The report also did not make strong criticisms of
the recently increase in statements by top military officials in
defense of Turkey’s principle of secularism and criticizing the
ruling AK Party for not taking the rising Islamic fundamentalism
threat seriously.
Concerning the chapter on civil-military relations in the report,
European diplomats told The New Anatolian that the recently heated
debate in Turkish politics was mainly perceived as an internal debate
ahead of next year’s key presidential election and the EU did not
want to interfere in that. Diplomats also said that more time was
needed in Turkey’s democratization process to come to a point where
civil-military relations were be better aligned with EU practices.
The Commission report raised some other concerns on the issue of
civil-military relations, such as the lack of a parliamentary vote on
Turkey’s National Security Policy Document and the TSK Internal
Service Law remaining unchanged, giving the military wide space to
maneuver in domestic politics. It also underlined the need for
measures to enhance civilian control over the Gendarmerie,
strengthening parliamentary oversight of the military budget and
expenditures.
The report welcomed a law this June amending the relevant provisions
of the Military Criminal Code to assure that no civilian will be
tried in military courts in peacetime unless military personnel and
civilians commit an offense together.
The commission’s report concluded that there was not “back tracking”
but “a limited progress” in this year concerning alignment of
military relations with EU practices, and made the following
suggestion for the TSK:
“Statements by the military should only concern military, defense and
security matters and should only be made under the authority of the
government, while the civilian authorities should fully exercise
their supervisory functions in particular as regards the formulation
of the national security strategy and its implementation including
with regard to relations with neighboring countries.”
Stating that the positive statement of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan in 2005 stressing the need to resolve through domestic means
what he called “the Kurdish issue” was not followed up, the EU said
in the report that there is almost no dialogue between the
authorities and locally elected politicians and furthermore, many
locally elected politicians face court challenges.
EU calls for concrete steps on minority rights
Turkey has made little progress on ensuring cultural diversity and
promoting respect for and protection of minorities in accordance with
international standards, the EU said in the progress report, urging
Ankara to take concrete and constructive steps in the issue.
In the key report on Turkey, freedom of religion, minority rights and
their protection were highlighted as the main areas of concern.
On the issue of freedom of religion, according to the progress
report, although freedom of worship continues to be generally
respected, no progress was reported on difficulties encountered by
non-Muslim religious communities.
Stressing that restrictions on the training of clergy and on foreign
clergy working in Turkey remain, the report said, “Turkish
legislation does not provide private higher religious education for
these communities,” and therefore urged the reopening of the Greek
Orthodox Halki (Heybeliada) seminary and the recognition of the
“ecumenical” status of the Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarch.
There have been no developments made in relation to the situation of
the Alevis and they face difficulties opening their places of worship
(cemevis), said the report, urging Ankara to recognize cemevis and
give funding to them. Furthermore, the Union criticized the
compulsory religious instruction given to Alevi children in schools.
Another area of concern in the progress report is that although the
mandatory indication of religious affiliation on some personal
documents such as ID cards was abolished in April, such documents
still include information on religion, which according to the EU
leaves open the potential of discriminatory practices.
Furthermore on freedom of religion, Brussels called on Turkey to give
access to legal incorporation to non-Muslin religious minorities and
abolish their restricted property rights.
Touching on the problems of the Greek minority, the report stated
that they continue to encounter problems, particularly related to
education and property rights. “The Greek minority properties on the
island of Gokceada (Imvros) and Bozcaada (Tenedos) are under the
threat of confiscation and tender by the Turkish authorities,” it
said.
Call for more Kurdish language broadcasting, education
On the issue of cultural rights of Kurds, the EU called on Turkey to
do more to ensure more broadcasting and education in the Kurdish
language.
Stressing that permission was granted to two local TV channels in
Diyarbakir and to one radio in Sanliurfa to broadcast in Kurdish, the
Union expressed criticism on the time restrictions, the presence of
subtitles or translations in Turkish and the absence of educational
programs teaching the Kurdish language. Stating that the Turkish
Television and Radio Corporation (TRT) has continued broadcasting in
five languages including Kurdish, the Union expressed concern over
the limited duration and scope of TRT’s broadcasts, adding that no
private broadcaster at the national level has applied to broadcast in
languages other than Turkish since the enactment of the 2004
legislation.
The Union also urged Ankara to do more in education in Kurdish,
saying, “Children whose mother tongue is not Turkish cannot learn
their mother tongue in the Turkish public schooling system. As
concerns Kurdish all private courses were also closed down in 2004.
Therefore, there are no possibilities to learn Kurdish today in the
public or private schooling system. Furthermore, there are no
measures taken to facilitate access to public services for those who
do not speak Turkish.”
Touching on the overall record of Turkey in the minority rights, the
EU described it as “unchanged” and urged Ankara to determine other
minorities in Turkey besides the Jews, Armenians and Greeks who were
given the status of minorities with the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne.
“The February 2005 visit of the OSCE High Commissioner on National
Minorities (HCNM) to Ankara has not been followed up and no progress
has been made in starting a dialogue on the situation of national
minorities in Turkey,” said the report, urging Ankara to include
relevant areas such as minority education, languages, the
participation of minorities in the public life and broadcasting in
minority languages to facilitate Turkey’s further alignment with
international standards and best practice in EU member states to
ensure cultural diversity and to promote respect for and protection
of minorities.
———Ara Baslik———
Need to change Article 301
Brussels also pressed for changes to Article 301 of the new Turkish
Penal Code (TCK), saying that it needed to be brought into line with
the relevant European standards.
“Some progress can be reported in the area of broadcasts in languages
other than Turkish at local and regional level,” said the report.
“However, the prosecutions and convictions for the expression of
nonviolent opinion under certain provisions of the new penal code are
a cause for serious concern and may contribute to create a climate of
self-censorship in the country. This is particularly the case for
Article 301 which penalties insulting Turkishness, the republic as
well as the organs and institutions of the state. Although this
article includes a provision that expression of thought intended to
criticize should not constitute a crime, it has repeatedly been used
to prosecute non violent opinions expressed by journalists, writers,
publishers, academics and human rights activists.”
‘Parliamentary immunity should be ended to fight corruption’
The European Union also urged Turkey to abolish parliamentary
immunity to better fight corruption within the country in the report.
According to the report, although there has been some limited
progress in the fight against corruption, notably on increasing
transparency in the public administration, overall corruption remains
widespread and anti-corruption authorities and policies are still
weak.
Besides the need to abolish parliamentary immunity to better fight
corruption within the country, according to the EU, Turkey also needs
to improve its legislation on financing and auditing of political
parties.
“With regard to corruption investigations carried out by the
inspection boards, the need for a prior authorization from the
hierarchy when investigating some categories of public officials
hampers the investigation,” the report said, underlining the need for
better coordination of the system currently in place for combating
corruption. In line with this conclusion reached by the EU, the
25-nation bloc called on Ankara to establish a sufficient independent
body that will be responsible for the conception and monitoring the
implementation of anti-corruption measures.
Report gives Ocalan, Papadopoulos more than their due
In terminology all but guaranteed to raise hackles in Turkey, the
report refers to terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader
Abdullah Ocalan as “Mr.Ocalan” and calls the Greek Cypriot leader
“President Papadopoulos.”
The EU’s use of “Mr. Ocalan” despite the PKK’s recognition by the
Union as a terrorist group, is likely to cause anger in Turkey, a
country which seeks support from its allies in its efforts to fight
the terrorist group.
Besides the respectful title for a terrorist, the Union also calls
Greek Cypriot administration leader Tassos Papadopoulos “President
Papadopoulos,” another point that could anger Turkey since the
country doesn’t recognize Greek Cyprus.
Highlights:
Civil and political rights:
– The Turkish legal framework includes a comprehensive set of
safeguards against torture and ill-treatment. Cases of torture and
ill-treatment declined over the reporting period. However, concerns
remain regarding cases outside centers, human rights violations in
the southeast and the problem of impunity.
Women’s rights:
– There has been growing public attention on the issue of women’s
rights in Turkey. However, full respect of women’s rights remains a
critical problem, particularly in the poorest areas of country. While
the legal framework is overall satisfactory, its implementation
remains inadequate.
– In parts of the southeast it still occurs that girls are not
registered at birth. This hampers the fight against forced marriage
and crimes in the name of honor since these girls and women cannot be
properly traced.
Children’s rights:
– The right to education for children, particularly girls remains a
problem in some areas.
– In late 2005, ill-treatment of children in an orphanage of the
Social Services and Child Protection Agency (SHCEK) in Malatya
revealed the shortcomings of the child protection system in Turkey.
Trade unions:
– The government submitted to social partners two legislative
proposals aimed at amending the two currently applicable laws in this
area. However, no further progress was made and no formal legislative
initiative has been taken by the government.
– As a result, the current significant shortcomings on the right to
organize and the right to collective bargaining, including the right
to strike, remain in place.
EU urges Ankara to rethink stance on Hamas
Describing Hamas as a “terrorist group,” the report indirectly
criticized the AK Party receiving Hamas officials in Ankara early
this year following the Palestinian elections.
According to the progress report, although the Union stated that
“Turkey has broadly continued to align its foreign and security
policy with that of the EU?and has continued to support the Middle
East peace process,” it continued by saying, “Turkey declared in
February 2006 to share the objectives EU Common Position on the
application of specific measures to combat terrorism and ensure that
its national policies would conform to that Common Position. Hamas is
on the list included in this Common Position.”
On other issues in the chapter about foreign, security and defense
policy, while the Union praised Turkey’s participation in the EU-led
police missions including Bosnia-Herzegovina (EUPM), former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia (Proxima) and in Congo (EUROPOL KINSHASA) and
UN and NATO peace missions for the development of European Security
and Defense Policy (ESDP), it criticized Turkey’s resistance to
including Greek Cyprus and Malta in the EU-NATO strategic cooperation
based on the “Berlin Plus” agreement. The report also noted that
Turkey continues, for political reasons, to block Greek Cyprus’
membership in certain suppliers’ groups, such as the Wassenaar
Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use
Goods and Technologies.
Touching on Turkey’s relations with the Middle East, while the report
said that Turkey’s relations with Syria continued to develop
positively, it also praised Ankara’s efforts and concrete initiatives
to promote stability in Iraq by facilitating dialogue between U.S.
authorities and Sunni Arabs. “Turkey argues that there is a direct
link between the recent escalation of violence in the southeast of
Turkey and increased clashes between Turkish Armed Forces and the PKK
and ‘infiltration of PKK members’ from the Iraqi border,” it said in
the report, saying that a significant number of troops were deployed
along the Iraqi border in order to prevent infiltration by PKK
terrorists from northern Iraq.
The report also praised Turkish efforts to encourage Iran to comply
with the demands of the international community and the country’s
support to EU efforts to obtain long-term guarantees for the
implementation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and its
Nuclear Safeguards Agreement with the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) by Iran.
The continued strong support of Turkey for the “Bonn process”
concerning the reconstruction of Afghanistan was also praised in the
report.
Call for opening Turkey’s border with Armenia
The Union, in the chapter on foreign policy, urged Turkey to open its
border with Armenia, stressing that this would be an important step
forward in the establishment of good neighborly relations between the
two countries and would boost trade relations.
While urging Turkey to open its border with Armenia, the EU cited the
lack of significant developments in relations between Turkey and
Armenia since the official exchange of letters between Turkish Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Armenian President Robert Kocharian
in April 2005.
However, the EU noted a closer alignment of Turkey’s official
position with EU positions in relation with the Southern Caucasus and
Central Asia. “Turkey has reiterated its support for the European
Neighborhood Policy. Turkey participates in the regional initiative
GUAM (Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova) with observer status.
Turkey followed closely the elections in Azerbaijan. It aligned
itself with the EU Presidency statement on the elections in
Azerbaijan on 10 November 2005,” the report said.
Brussels indirectly urges removal of ‘casus belli’ resolution
In the progress report, the Union indirectly called on the Turkish
Parliament to abandon a 1995 resolution on casus belli (cause for
war) in relation to the possible extension of Greek territorial
waters.
In the text, the Commission alluded to the “casus belli” while urging
Ankara to commit to good neighborly relations through “addressing any
sources of friction with its neighbors and refrain from any action
which could negatively affect the process of peaceful settlement of
border disputes.”
Reviewing the development of relations and confidence building steps
taken by Turkey and Greece, the EU progress report also noted that
measures to prevent the escalation of tension on the Aegean Sea were
taken “following the collision of Turkish and Greek military air
crafts over the Aegean in May, which caused the death of a Greek
pilot.”

Aravot, Armenia
Nov 9 2006
NEW REPRESENTATIVES OF DIASPORA
The major part of Armenians who have left the country during last 15
years have a specific; they used to produce the Armenian life as a
complete nightmare to justify their refusal to return. They may
assure themselves that there is no electricity in Armenia or we stand
in turn for bread till today, such fantasies are some sort of cure
for them.
Our reality is far to be a heaven. The major part of our population
are poor, the Armenian authorities systematically break the rights of
citizens, they rig the elections, limit the freedom of the press, use
their authority for personal. Material problems etc. All these are a
reality and all normal newspapers right about it. But first of all,
we, the citizens of Armenia, have right to raise those problems. The
second, “new representatives of Diaspora” exaggerate our bad
conditions. The announcements of “exiled writers” weren’t published
in the official press. In other words, you can’t pronounce the word
“regime” freely being under pressure of regime.
There is another unpleasant item in the announcement of “Exiled
intellectuals”; the application addressed to democratic states where
the call to assist in holding revolution in Armenia. It is
meaningless to expect assistance from those countries, even if they
are ready to hold a revolution. But whatever they form won’t be a
better one.
Besides, I’m inclined to think that the RA current authorities are
admissible in general; it seems the outside powers have no problem
with the current authorities.
Certainly, it doesn’t mean that Europe and U.S. aren’t for democratic
values. If we manage to build a democratic state, they will respect
us. If we don’t manage, they won’t respect how much we complain or
swear for confidence.
Aram Abrahamian

Aravot, Armenia
Nov 9 2006
THE OPPOSITIONISTS AND TIGRAN TOROSIAN ARE ENTHUSIASTIC
CC decision about disparity of “Electoral Code” to the Constitution
will face the opposition and parliamentary majority to an interesting
situation. It becomes clear that there is a lot of thing to do on
“EC” project, and the majority will have to work with the opposition,
and the opposition perhaps will think about not to sign for the joint
project. Yesterday we asked NA chairman Tigran Torosian about his
opinion about CC decision. Tigran Torosian tried to insert and
explanation. “CC wasn’t discussing disparity of “EC” project of
amendments to the Constitution, but the current “EC”‘s, and more, the
judges have been included in the commissions after amendments in
2005. Some media today. But it isn’t so. Unfortunately, there is a
disparity in the current Constitution. One of the articles says that
the electoral commissions are state bodies but another article says
that the electoral commission mustn’t submit to state bodies or be
influenced by them. After constitutional amendments the formulation
about involvement of our judges in other activities is righter in our
Constitution than it was in the amendments adopted in 1995.
I think the CC decision is right and it must be fulfilled.” Certain
solutions aren’t known yet but there are a lot of solutions in T.
Torosian opinion and they will speak about a certain solution after
“EC” project discussion. We noticed that opposition groups and
independent parliamentarians, those who have turned to the CC for
that purpose are rather enthusiastic and think that this is a
victory. T. Torosian said that he was also enthusiastic; “I think
Constitutional amendments affirm day by day that they include very
important items, which lead to essential changes in our life. It
becomes obvious today that we deal with a new demonstration; the
opposition’s opportunity to turn to the CC and have success there. I
think the opposition must feel sorry for its inadequate attitude to
the constitutional amendments”. We reminded that Shavarsh Kocharian’s
‘EC” draft is also put into circulation in the NA where there is no
omission which exists in the joint project and whether it is possible
the parliament will review that draft. NA chairman said that the
parliament assumed very serious attitude to all drafts. The proposal
about involvement of judges into commissions was made and adopted in
2005. T. Torosian said on this occasion: “I myself have no
participation in the discussions of those amendments and when I saw
that the process of those amendments is turned into show, I said
about it the head of OSCE Yerevan office and the secretary of the
commission of Venice, still in 2005.
It’s interesting that both the opposition parliamentarians and
representatives of the majority are going to make proposals about the
amendments. The author of the initiative and the member of “Justice”
group Shavarsh Kocharian told us that the constitutional amendments
become operating and he is enthusiastic. In Shavarsh Kocharian
opinion, CC displayed a juridical approach and proved that the
Constitutional amendments were justified. He also said that all “EC”
items which refer to the involvement of judges, won’t act any more;
“This is a proper time to reach to the balanced commissions, and its
mechanisms exist in the “EC” draft.
It is possible to separate those mechanisms and to produce as
amendment, coming from CC decision. I hope this time the opposition
groups will unify,”- Shavarsh Kocharian said
Margaret Yesayan

Aljazeera.net, Qatar
Nov 10 2006
Turkish complexities confound EU
By Jody Sabral
The European Commission’s annual report on Turkey’s progress towards
EU membership, released earlier this week, has criticised Ankara’s
pace of reforms, but has not brought to light new challenges since
accession talks began in October 2005.
This is the view of Ali Yurttagul, a member of the European
parliament and expert on asylum and immigration to Turkey.
“In 2004, the EU’s report on Turkey, which wasn’t really a progress
report in the same sense, was very positive. The main message of this
new report is the slowdown in pace of implementation, a stagnation if
you will,” Yurttagul said.
The 2006 report said that the Turkish Grand National Assembly adopted
148 laws of a total 429 draft bills submitted since October 2005.
Ibrahim Gunel, a columnist at the Turkish daily Radikal, believes the
EU has very high expectations of Ankara, but does not really
comprehend its complexities.
He explains that Turkey’s majority Muslim composition and its secular
democracy make it a unique country.
The report also described the prosecutions and convictions for the
expression of non-violent opinion as “a cause for serious concern”.
“We are open to concrete proposals that will make clear the line
between the crimes stipulated under article 301 and the right to
criticism”
Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
Turkish prime minister

The case of Hrant Dink, a journalist who has openly written about
Armenian identity, is one example from a list of hundreds of writers,
publishers, academics, journalists and human rights activists who
have been prosecuted under article 301 of the new penal code.
Charged with insulting Turkish identity for writing a series of
articles on the Armenian genocide, the article allowed a court to
hand Dink down a six-month suspended prison sentence on October 7.
The Turkish government has always rejected Armenian demands that the
loss of two million lives under the Ottoman empire can be described
as genocide.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish prime minister, has since said that
the government might consider amending article 301.
“We are open to concrete proposals that will make clear the line
between the crimes stipulated under article 301 and the right to
criticism,” he said in a speech to the public.
Erdogan gave no indication as to when article 301 would be taken up
in parliament, only that the “opposition” was behind the move.
He did indicate, however, that it would take time as “a change in
mentality [among the judiciary] is needed to do that because it’s the
job of people to implement laws. It’s a process that takes time”.
In response to this new approach to freedom of speech in Turkey,
Yurttagul said: “The commission has noted that Ankara is willing to
modify article 301, and it is appreciated, but it wants to see
concrete steps. We don’t know in which direction it will be modified
yet.”
The report, while crediting Turkey for reform in the area of
civil-military relations, also said that overall “limited progress”
had been made in aligning civil-military relations with EU practices.
To understand Turkey’s relationship with the military is to
understand the very foundations of the modern republic. Turkey is a
99.8% per cent Muslim country, but operates as a secular state with
religion kept strictly out of politics.
“Erdogan has hit a wall on Cyprus, he cannot make more concessions.
After voting ‘yes’ to the Annan plan, there is nowhere to go. Europe
has to give Turkey something in return”
Hasan Unal, a scholar at Bilkent University, Ankara

This foundation was first laid in 1923 when the republic was
established by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, a military man with democratic
principles.
Turkish women were given the right to vote two years before their
British counterparts in 1926 under Ataturk’s governance.
The military is therefore seen as a beacon of democracy and
secularism, which safeguards the republic from becoming a theocracy
like Iran. Any attack on the military is, unsurprisingly, seen as an
attack on these principles.
Hasan Unal, a scholar at Bilkent University in Ankara, said: “EU
countries don’t understand how important the military is in Turkey.
The republic was set up by it. The military is the most modern and
progressive part of the Turkish regime.”
Many Turks are concerned that if the military were to lose more
power, particularly to the Islamist-leaning ruling Justice and
Development party (AKP), the secular lifestyle they enjoy could be
under threat.
These concerns were highlighted when the education ministry took over
four years ago from the ministry of religious affairs the
responsibility of overseeing all religious textbooks for elementary
and high schools nationwide.
Stuck on Cyprus
But the most contentious issue may lie outside Turkey’s borders.
The 2006 report issued earlier also set a deadline for Turkey to open
its ports to Greek Cypriot ships and flights by mid-December or face
consequences.
Most Turks are tired of hearing about the Cyprus issue as they
believe that it is just a sticking point that the EU uses to
frustrate Turkey’s struggle to be accepted.
This is especially true since Turkish Cypriots voted “yes” in 2004 to
a plan by Kofi Annan, the United Nations secretary-general, to bring
about reunification to the divided island.
Greek Cypriots, by contrast, voted “no”.
In response, the Turkish government said that “the Cyprus question is
a political question and is not an obligation in the context of our
accession process”.
Erdogan dismissed the possible collapse of the talks because of the
Cyprus impasse, but acknowledged that some “chapters” might be held
back.
Analysts believe that it might be a stumbling block, but that Erdogan
has no cards left to play on the issue.
“Erdogan has hit a wall on Cyprus, he cannot make more concessions.
After voting ‘yes’ to the Annan plan, there is nowhere to go. Europe
has to give Turkey something in return,” Unal said.
However, Gunel disagrees on this point. He believes the Cyprus issue
could be solved by a change of leadership.
“Turkey accepted the Annan plan, but the Greek Cypriot president
Tassos Papadopulous rejected it. If Papadopulous was to fall from
power, the problem could be solved.”
Gunel said the stalemate had become more entrenched after the EU
failed to keep its promise to end the economic isolation of northern
Cyprus.
“According to the Nice Convention [one of the founding principles of
the EU], Cyprus should not even really be a member of the EU as it
quite clearly states if a country has a border problem it can not be
accepted as an EU member,” he said.
The southern part of the island, which is governed by Greece, joined
the EU in May 2004.
For now, Turks will have to wait for the outcome of the December
talks in which 25 European leaders will discuss their EU path before
anything more can be said about accession.
Friday 10 November 2006, 14:08 Makka Time, 11:08 GMT
0A3-409A-84FB-9CB7CA71F4C2.htm

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Nov 10 2006
AZERBAIJAN’S AMBASSADOR IN OTTAWA MEETS WITH CANADIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS
[November 10, 2006, 15:09:29]
Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Canada Fakhraddin Qurbanov met with
members of the Canadian Parliament Patrick Brown and Borys
Wrzesnewskyj, press service of the Embassy said.
The ambassador informed the parliamentarians about the reforms
conducted in Azerbaijan as well as development of it’s non-oil
sector, and regional energy and transport projects.
Fakhraddin Qurbanov said after regaining its independence Azerbaijan
started pursuing intensive foreign policy and achieved huge success
in establishing democracy.
On the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, the
Ambassador stressed Azerbaijan’s just stance on the dispute, adding
his country wants it to be peacefully solved.
The Canadian parliamentarians wondered about the security situation
in the region as well as Azerbaijan’s political and economic
situation, and development of democracy here.

Café Babel, France
Nov 10 2006
Turkey and France in conflict over Armenia
In France, denying the Armenian genocide could lead up to one year in
prison and a 45.000 fine
The recent award of the Nobel Literature Prize to Orhan Pamuk, and
the new law passed by the French national assembly making denial of
the Armenian genocide a crime, have brought this historical event
back into the limelight. The Turkish government is still recovering
from the shock. Their talk of imposing economic sanctions on French
companies does seem very European. They also warned that political
relations with Paris threaten to deteriorate if `hostilities do not
cease’.
In Turkey, acknowledgment of the Armenian Genocide is a crime that
can lead to prison sentences, severe economic penalties, and
ostracism from Turkish society. In a recent interview, a journalist
from Turkish Daily News said that `many intellectuals and
communicators are still afraid to speak openly about these matters in
Turkey’. Some journalists and writers have been prosecuted, whilst
extreme right-wing groups have attacked, and even killed, a number of
journalists, lawyers and activists dedicated to freedom of expression
and to the promotion of human rights in Turkey. Many violent attacks
have never been investigated and violent groups enjoy relative
impunity thanks to their links with security forces.
European values
There is much talk about Turkey’s `European-ness’ and need to adapt
to the pace set by Brussels for its accession to the European Union.
If only the government in Ankara had the moral conscience post-war
Germany had, they would recognise facts which have been documented
and acknowledged by historians. Just as it is a crime to deny the
Holocaust in many countries, playing down or denying the Armenian
Genocide is an absolute absurdity in our world today.
It is estimated that between 1915 and 1921 around 2 million Armenians
died at the hands of the Turkish security forces and army. The
Armenians, like the Jews after them, were accused by the Turks of
being in league with those who wanted to see Turkey destroyed. They
were accused of being “Russian agents” and paid for this with their
lives.
European leaders need to be more courageous and emphatic when
defending Europe’s democratic values in Ankara, because it is these
principles which are at the heart of the European project. Without
values or moral principles to ensure the defence of democracy, there
is not, and neither can there be, a unified Europe. The economic
advantages which the enormous Turkish market presents for Europe
should not be the only factor determining their attitude towards
Turkey.
To deny the Armenian Genocide, a tragedy recorded by many Europeans
such as the philosopher Antonio Gramsci or the historian Arnold
Toynbee, would be a return to the `radical evil’ postulated by
another European thinker, Hannah Arendt, in her early writings. This
“forgetting” is the result of a reflexive, voluntary and entirely
purposeful attempt to erase all traces of the truth.
Overview: EU stances on Turkey
With the EU progress reports on Turkey coming out this week, the
country is in the spotlight. Where do the EU members stand on its
membership bid?
Roughly there are three groups. Those who are in favour of Turkish
entry, those who are against and those who are stuck in the middle.
The United Kingdom and Finland are two countries in favour of Turkish
membership. The Finnish Presidency has for months been engaging in
´sauna diplomacy´, trying to find a solution to the problem of
Cyprus, that is to say the opening of Turkish ports and harbours to
Cypriot ships and planes. In December the Council is expected to say
whether or not Turkey has made sufficient progress on this issue, but
Commission President Barroso has stated he expects trouble ahead.
France and Germany are against. In Germany, the coalition government
is split, with the SPD in favour of membership and the CDU in favour
of a ´privileged partnership´ with Turkey, stopping short of full
membership. In France, elections are upcoming. The likely candidate
for the right, Nicolas Sarkozy, is against Turkish membership As for
the left, it is still unclear, but it was the Socialist party which
introduced a bill making it a crime to deny that Armenians suffered
genocide at the hands of Ottoman Turks after the first world war.
France will have a referendum on Turkish membership before
negotiations are concluded.
Others, mostly the new member states, seem undecided. Poland, while
inclined to listen to Pope Benedict´s claim that Turkey is perhaps
not culturally a part of Europe , is demanding fair treatment of
candidate states, Turkey among them.
Pim de Kuijer – Amsterdam
; Id=8726
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Chicago Sun Times, IL
Nov 10 2006
They fought our wars, now they’re citizens
‘It’s the greatest feeling’: Soldiers, veterans sworn in
November 10, 2006
BY RUMMANA HUSSAIN Staff Reporter
Anthony Savarino thought he would automatically become an American
citizen when he joined the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War.
The Italy native eventually learned otherwise, and a busy life
raising a family and running a restaurant kept him from fulfilling a
longtime dream of gaining citizenship.
>From many nations
That is, until Thursday, when the 58-year-old Orland Park man —
along with 14 other current and former U.S. military members, and two
military spouses — were naturalized in a special pre-Veterans Day
ceremony in federal court downtown.
The new citizens came from countries including South Korea, Haiti and
the Dominican Republic.
‘You have answered the call’
“It’s hard to believe,” Savarino said of the milestone day — also
his 36th wedding anniversary. “It was about time. I wanted [the
opportunity] to vote.”
U.S. District Judge Samuel Der-Yeghiayan — who was born in Armenia
— swore in the group, telling those taking the Oath of Allegiance
that it was not only a “happy day” for them, but for the country as
well. “You have answered the call for duty,” he said.
Speeded-up process
More than 25,000 service men and women have become naturalized
citizens since President Bush signed the “Expedited Naturalization
Executive Order” in 2002, speeding up the naturalization process for
legal permanent residents serving on active duty in the armed forces
in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to the U.S. Bureau of Citizenship
and Immigration Services.
Army Sgt. Bernard Ramos’ parents and five siblings had already
obtained U.S. citizenship. The family moved to the United States from
the Philippines in 1982.
But being the last in the family to gain citizenship didn’t lessen
the emotional impact of the day for the 35-year-old Morton Grove
resident and Iraq veteran.
A father of four, Ramos tightly gripped his youngest child, Maya, in
one hand and a mini American flag in the other during the ceremony.
“It’s the greatest feeling next to my kids being born,” he said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress