Month: November 2006

BILL PENALIZING DENIAL OF SO-CALLED “ARMENIAN GENOCIDE” WILL NOT BE DISCUSSED IN FRENCH SENATE – FRENCH SENATOR
Author: A.Ismaylova
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Nov 23 2006
“Personally I do not support the termination of the co-operation
between France and Turkey. There are historical relations between
these countries and the French side respects the history and culture
of Turkey”, the Senator of the French Parliament, Bernard Fournier,
briefed the Azerbaijani media on 23 November, commenting on the
decision of the Turkish Parliament to terminate the military
co-operation with France, Trend reports.
He voiced his confidence that the century-old ties between Turkey and
France will continue in the future. “There were several differences,
and they are mainly linked with Turkey’s entrance to the European
Union. But I consider that it will not affect our relations with
Turkey,” the Senator said.
Touching upon the Bill penalizing the denial of so-called “Armenian
genocide” which was adopted by the French National Assembly, Fournier
stressed that this Bill has not been submitted to the Senate yet and
during their leadership, the Bill will not be discussed in the French
Parliament. He underlined that France has good relations with Turkey.
According to the Senator, this Bill may adversely affect relations with
Turkey. “If we pay attention, we can see that over centuries, genocides
have taken place in South and North America, Asia and other countries
of the world. If we recognize one genocide, then we should recognize
other genocides. I oppose against adopting this Bill,” he concluded.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

HEAD OF KHOJALI EXECUTIVE POWER AWAITS NO BENEFITS FOR AZERBAIJAN FROM ACTIVITIES OF OSCE MINSK GROUP
Author: A.Ismaylova
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Nov 23 2006
The action of the OSCE Minsk Group has been directed towards applying
pressure on Azerbaijan, and have, in particular, made every effort
to transfer the Azerbaijani territories to Armenia, the Head of
the Executive Power of Khojali District, Deputy of the Azerbaijani
Parliament, Elman Mammadov, stated, Trend reports.
He stated that all the occupied Azerbaijani territories have been
captured and transferred to Armenia by Russia and the former Soviet
Government. “The first Armenian state was created in the territory of
France, the second one in the historical territory of Azerbaijan, and
now they want to establish the third Armenian state in the occupied
Azerbaijani territories with the support from France. America also
wants to demonstrate itself as the supporter of justice. If America
does recognize the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, why does it
annually allocate finances to the unrecognized state,” Mammadov argued.
He mentioned in particular the periodical visits of the self-voted
Head of Nagorno-Karabakh to the USA, as well as the recent meeting
of the American co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Matthew Bryza with
Arkadi Kukasyan, leader of the Separatist Nagorno-Karabakh regime.
“Matthew Bryza takes in this question the same position held by
Kukasyan and Armenian President Robert Kocharyan. There is no point in
Azerbaijan waiting for action from the OSCE Minsk Group. The countries
represented in the Minsk Group do not correspond with the fight for
justice,” Mammadov stated.

KOCHARIAN VISITS GREEK CYPRUS TO BOOST SUPPORT FOR GENOCIDE CLAIMS
The New Anatolian, Turkey
Nov 23 2006
Armenian President Robert Kocharian yesterday began a four-day
visit to Greek Cyprus, where he will participate in an inauguration
ceremony for a monument commemorating the victims of the so-called
Armenian genocide.
During the visit, the Armenian president will hold talks with
Greek Cypriot administration leader Tassos Papadopoulos and other
high-ranking Greek Cypriot officials to boost bilateral ties. The
visit is likely to draw Turkish criticism since Ankara is at odds with
Yerevan over the country’s campaign for recognition of the Armenian
genocide claims and has no diplomatic ties with the country, while
Turkey doesn’t also recognize the Greek Cypriot administration.
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) was formed on the island
in response to a Greek coup aimed at enosis, or political union with
Greece, along with Greek attacks on the island’s Turkish population.
According to the Armenian Mediamax news agency, besides attending the
inauguration ceremony of the Armenian “genocide” monument in Larnaka,
Kocharian will also meet representatives of Armenian associations.
The Armenian source stated that the inauguration of the monument
aims at expressing Greek Cypriot support for those who survived the
so-called Armenian genocide.
Co-chairs tight-lipped on possible Kocharian-Aliyev meeting
No announcement has been made about a possible meeting of the
presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan after Tuesday’s visit by the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE9) Minsk
Group co-chairmen to Yerevan.
The delegates from Russia and France, Yuri Merzlyakov and Bernard
Fassier, met on Tuesday with Kocharian and Armenian Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanian.
In a recent interview with U.S-based Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
(RFE/RL) Vartan Oskanian said that during their visit to the region,
the co-chairs will propose a meeting of the two presidents on the
sidelines of next Tuesday’s summit of the Commonwealth of Independent
States (CIS).
The co-chairs left Yerevan for Baku. Analysts have expressed the
opinion that a possible meeting may be announced after the co-chairs’
meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
Last week Robert Kocharian said, “Unfortunately, despite the ongoing
active negotiations, there are few grounds for optimism.”

BSEC PA MAY PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN REGULATING THE NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT – TURKISH PARLIAMENT DEPUTY
Author: S.Agayeva
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Nov 23 2006
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Co-operation (BSEC
PA) may play a significant role in regulating the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, the Chairman of BSEC PA Committee for Culture, Education
and Social Matters, Deputy of the Turkish Parliament, Ali Teymur,
briefed the media in Baku, Trend reports.
According to him, BSEC PA always maintains the Nagorno-Karabakh problem
as a focus of attention. In the near future, the Black Sea region
will be an energy sector providing the world with energy resources,
and it is very important to establish peace and stability in that
region, the Deputy stated.

AZERBAIJAN POSSESSES AMPLE FINANCIAL OPPORTUNITIES AND MILITARY POTENTIAL TO SETTLE NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT – MARMARA FUND HEAD
Author: A.Ismaylova
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Nov 23 2006
“Azerbaijan possesses enough financial opportunities, forces and
military potential to settle the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. However, despite this, Azerbaijan has decided to resolve the
situation through negotiations, and we consider that it is a promising
situation,” the Director General of the Turkish Marmara Fund, Akan
Suver, stated on 23 November at a briefing in the General Assembly
of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Co-operation
(BSEC PA) whilst acting as an observer, Trend reports.
According to him, Azerbaijan has proved to the world that the
Nagorno-Karabakh is not a territory of Armenia, but is Azerbaijani
territory. At present, the international organizations and the world
have publicly acknowledged this fact, he said.
In addition, Suver noted that the NGOs, especially the Marmara Fund,
have participated for the first time at the meeting of the BSEC PA as
observers. As a result of the observation, he appropriately mentioned
the speeches of the Israeli and Georgian delegates who attracted the
participants’ attention to their own problems. Such events should be
an opportunity for Azerbaijan and Turkey to raise issues linked with
Nagorno-Karabakh and other problems, Suver emphasized.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

A NECESSARY AND POSITIVE STEP
Etyen Mahcupyan
Zaman, Turkey
Nov 23 2006
Undoubtedly, one of the issues that has been giving Turkey the most
trouble in recent years is the problem called the Armenian question;
however, it has a multi-faceted character, and some of these facets
are sometimes ignored. While one aspect of the issue is that a
moment in history that is perceived and known differently by the two
parties has reached a point where it can be discussed, at the same
time, another aspect implies the normalization of Turkish-Armenian
relations and the democratization of Turkey’s non-Muslim minority
policy. However, the matter doesn’t end here… Since the world is
global now, international and domestic politics are carried to a
universal dimension by means of emigrant groups in the outside world,
and the tension in the foreign countries sheltering the emigrants is
used as a part of their own political search and tactics.
On the other hand, as is always the case in this kind of bottleneck,
there are groups who aim to continue the tension on both sides and
produce ideological profit for its own political community.
Consequently, as a result of the multi-faceted pressure, demands
and manipulations coming from both inside and outside, the Armenian
issue creates paralysis. Because nation-state politics are based on an
account of mutual compromise, instead of resolving the bottleneck, it
wants to prolong it. Because whoever takes the first step will appear
as having compromised in the eyes of it own nationalist sector, and,
particularly in countries headed towards elections, taking these kinds
of courageous steps in foreign policy becomes extremely difficult. As
a result, “politics” is reduced to states mutually adorning themselves
with a “constructive” image in an effort to show the other party as
intransigent as possible.
In this way, the tendency of the periods of non-relations, which harm
both sides, to continue forever is surrendered to…Until a change
in conjecture that will break this mechanical balance appears and at
least both parties agree that non-action is a risky position with a
big price tag. This is the point to which we have come in the Armenian
issue: In respect to the external conjuncture, the main change is, as
everyone knows, the Democrats’ gaining a majority in the U.S. Congress
after a long interval. Because there is a tradition of strong relations
between the Democrats and the Armenian Diaspora and in an environment
where the Bush administration is extremely fragile due to Iraq,
the probability that a proposal for recognition of genocide will be
passed by Congress is quite high. Of course, even if it is America,
any country’s taking a political decision regarding history in another
geographical land cannot be sanctioned. However, the U.S.’s acceptance
of such a proposal may trigger a wave of “recognizing genocide” that
will spread to other countries and drag Turkey to spiritual isolation
in the global world.
For this reason, Turkey has to be pro-active regarding every facet of
the subject called the “Armenian issue.” Even though the decision to
“go to court” announced by the Foreign Affairs Ministry during the
week appears to be courage imposed by necessity, it is a step taken
in the right direction. If Armenia says yes to the workings of this
kind of “arbitration” institution, at least both societies will have
a chance to know our common history and understand events from the
other’s point of view. However, of course, a legal decision includes
a risk: No one can be one-hundred percent sure of which direction
the decision will take… Consequently, regardless of what kind of
decision is taken, it shouldn’t cause the losing party to become more
introverted and give way to the habit of nurturing its identity with
traumas. The way to do this is increasing as much as possible every
kind of trade, cultural and social relations parallel to the judicial
process. Even if the Turkish-Armenian border cannot be formally opened,
it has to open in practice. Because the psychological atmosphere that
will surround the discussions may cause not only the court to review
history, but Turkey to review its current attitude.

OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS MAKES JOINT STATEMENT
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Nov 23 2006
OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs made a joint statement on the results of
their last visit to the region, French Embassy told the APA.
The statement reads that Presidents accepted to meet in Minsk on
margins of the next CIS meeting.
” The Co-Chairs met with Presidents Robert Kocharian and Ilham Aliyev,
as well as with Foreign Ministers. As a result of these meetings, which
took place in an open minded and constructive spirit, both Presidents
accepted Co-Chairs’ proposal to meet in Minsk next week on the margins
of the CIS Heads of States Council meeting. The discussions in both
meetings confirmed that the consultations between the Foreign Ministers
which took place in Moscow, Paris and Brussels in October-November
were useful in moving of the negotiations forward. The Co-Chairs hope
that, the upcoming meetings with the Presidents end Foreign Ministers
in Minsk will allow taking a step toward an agreement on principles
for the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, as endorsed by
the G8 leaders in St. Petersburg in July”.

ARMENIA ARMED FORCES VIOLATES CEASEFIRE
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Nov 23 2006
Armenian Armed Forces continues to violate the ceasefire, Azerbaijan
Defense Ministry press service told the APA.
Armenian Armed Forces’ units in Bash Gervend village of occupied
Aghdam region fired on opposite positions of Azerbaijani Armed Forces
by machines and sub machines from 03.30 to 04.20 on November 23. The
enemy was silenced by response fire. Armenian Armed Forces units
in Mehdili village and the Araz territories of occupied Jebrail
region fired on opposite positions of Azerbaijani Armed Forces by
machine-guns since 19.50, the residents of front villages of Fuzuli
region told APA Garabagh bureau. The exchange of fire continued for
35 minutes. The enemy was silenced by response fire.
Today, Armenian Armed Forces in Yusifjanli village of occupied Aghdam
region fired on opposite positions of Azerbaijani Armed Forces by
machine-guns from 10.55 to 11.10. No casualty was reported.

INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP REPORTS ON ARMENIAN, AZERI MINORITIES
Civil Georgia, Georgia
Nov 23 2006
Despite some steps undertaken by the Georgian government to improve the
lives of minorities, it has made little progress towards integrating
the Armenians and Azeris who constitute over 12% of the population,
the Belgium-based International Crisis Group said in a report on the
situation of the two minorities in Georgia.
The report says that while there is no risk of the situations becoming
threats to the state’s territorial integrity, like S.Ossetia or
Abkhazia, tensions are evident in the regions of Samtskhe-Javakheti and
Kvemo Kartli, where the Armenian and Azeri minorities, respectively,
predominantly live.
“Tbilisi needs to pay more attention to minority rights, including
use of second languages, if it is to avoid further conflict,” the
report says.
International Crisis Group outlined the inability to speak the state
language as “the minorities’ biggest problem.”
The report notes that with donor support, Georgia has invested in
road and infrastructure rehabilitation in minority regions; created
a ministry for civic integration; established a public administration
institute to train minorities; and ratified the Framework Convention
for the Protection of National Minorities.
“But overall the priority has been to assert national unity over
minority protection.”

SECOND TRAINLOAD OF EQUIPMENT LEAVES RUSSIAN GARRISON IN GEORGIA
RIA Novosti, Russia
Nov 23 2006
TBILISI, November 23 (RIA Novosti) – A second trainload of equipment
and ammunition left a Russian garrison outside the Georgian capital,
Tbilisi, on Thursday, in keeping with Russia’s commitment to withdraw
from its military bases in the post-Soviet Caucasus state by the end
of 2008.
Russia’s South Caucasus Command said the train set off from the suburb
of Vaziani at 5 a.m., and is heading for Russia through Azerbaijan.
The Vaziani garrison will be pulled out before the end of the year,
ahead of the earliest of the withdrawal deadlines for Russian forces in
the South Caucasus state, set for 2007. The defense minister decided
on an early pullout in mid-October, amid a diplomatic feud between
the former Soviet allies.
The Vaziani base had about a hundred items of equipment and 350 metric
tons of ammunition before the first consignment was withdrawn a week
ago for redeployment to a base in neighboring Armenia.
Two more consignments are slated for removal in December, with one to
be sent to Armenia, and the other to Russia. The garrison’s 387 service
personnel will leave once the equipment pullout has been completed.
Russia and Georgia have been locked in a bitter diplomatic dispute
since September, when four Russian army officers were briefly arrested
in Tbilisi on suspicion of espionage.
The move outraged Moscow, which cut transportation and postal links
with its neighbor in response, deported hundreds of Georgian migrants
and shut down Georgian-run businesses for alleged violations of
Russian law.
Georgia’s Western-leaning leadership, which seeks to join NATO, is
uneasy about Russia’s continued military presence, and has repeatedly
urged Moscow to withdraw from its Soviet-era bases.
Under a bilateral agreement signed in March 2006 and ratified by
Russia’s parliament in October, the pullout from the Russian bases in
the southern city of Akhalkalaki and in Batumi, in western Georgia, is
to be completed by October 1, 2007, and October 1, 2008, respectively.