Month: April 2007

AZERBAIJAN SOLDIER’S TRIAL TO BE CLOSED

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
April 19 2007

Azerbaijan, Baku / corr. Trend S.Ilhamgizi / On 19 April, Judge Jamal
Ramazanov presided over a preliminary session in the Court on Heinous
Crimes of Azerbaijan with regards to the criminal case of Azerbaijan
Army’s Soldier, Vusal Garajayev. Mr. Garajayev was captured and held
as a prisoner of war in Armenia.

The court case was scheduled for 30 April and the trial will continue
but at the preliminary session it was decided the trial would be
closed to the public.

A criminal case has been filed in the Investigation Department for
Heinous Crimes against Garajayev in compliance with the article 274
(selling out the Mother-Land) and 338.1 (breaking rules of watch).

Mr. Garajayev, born in 1988 was drafted to military service last
year by the Military Registration Office of the Balaken district of
Azerbaijan. He had been taken as a prisoner of war by the Armenian
military on 7 December in the territory of Agdam district and was
released from captivity on 23 December.

5 HELD IN TURKEY AFTER KILLINGS IN BIBLE PUBLISHING HOUSE
By Sabrina Tavernise

International Herald Tribune, France
April 19 2007

ISTANBUL: Five men were detained for police questioning after three
people were found with their throats slit in a publishing house in
eastern Turkey that prints Bibles and other Christian literature.

Turkish authorities said the five detained were three 19-year-olds
and two 20-year-olds. None was identified further.

Several of the suspects were carrying weapons when they were
apprehended, the authorities said. One had broken his leg in a jump
or fall.

The publishing house, in Malatya, a town with a reputation for
nationalism, has had trouble in the past over a shipment of Bibles
that nationalists forcefully blocked.

As change opens up Turkish society, the country’s nationalist fringe,
dedicated to the ethnic and religious purity of the state, has been
turning to violence. Hrant Dink, a Turkish journalist of Armenian
descent who was killed in January in Istanbul, was one victim.

The trend is a concern for the government, whose prime minister,
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has been pushing hard for Turkey’s entry into
the European Union. Some European politicians have opposed membership,
arguing that Turkey does not fit in culturally or religiously.

The three victims in Malatya were found seated in chairs, their hands
and feet bound, according to Halil Ibrahim Dasoz, a government official
there. He spoke on NTV, a Turkish news channel. One did not die from
his wounds until later, Dasoz said, adding that the victim had also
been stabbed in the back and stomach.

The state-run Anatolian news agency identified the victims as Tilman
Ekkehart Geske, 46; Necati Aydin, 35; and Ugur Yuksel, whose age was
not given. The German ambassador to Turkey, Eckart Cuntz, said through
a spokesman that one victim was a German citizen but he declined to
give details.

The victims were evangelical Protestants, said an evangelical pastor
in Istanbul, Carlos Madrigal, Reuters reported.

Malatya once had a heavy Armenian population. But in eastern Turkey,
Armenians were driven out or killed in a series of purges culminating
in 1915, when 1.5 million Armenians died.

Subsequently, nationalists were urged to settle in the area to preserve
a Turkish identity there.

Mehmet Ali Agca, who tried to assassinate Pope John Paul II in 1981,
was from Malatya, as was Dink, the outspoken journalist.

"Nationalism is on the rise in Turkey," said Ali Bulac, a Turkish
newspaper columnist in Istanbul. "It stands against the U.S. and
the EU."

Turkish nationalists boast of their Muslim identity, but often have
as much in common with the secularists of the state elite as with
Islamists. So it was not clear whether the suspects were motivated
more by a dedication to Islam or a longing for a pure Turkish state.

The distinction is important because of the broad debate over the role
of religion now roiling Turkish society. The discussion has become
more shrill in recent weeks because the country faces an election to
its presidency, the single most important post safeguarding secularism.

Erdogan, a former Islamist who has moderated his views considerably,
may try to compete for the presidency, a possibility that has thrown
some secularists into a panic.

ARMENIANS CALL ON EUROPEAN COUNCIL RE GENOCIDE

Financial Mirror, Cyprus
April 19 2007

The European Armenian Federation urges the Ministers of Justice of the
EU member-States not to surrender to the pressure exerted by Turkey in
order to exclude the negation of the Armenian genocide from the scope
of the Framework decision aiming at penalizing denial. In this regard,
the Federation sent a mail to the EU German presidency denouncing the
"immoral and inappropriate interference" of Turkey. It also calls
upon the European policy-makers not to "let a hateful and genocidal
ideology from abroad destroy all that we have built"

According to the media, Ankara exerted heavy pressures on various
member-States, especially on the German presidency, to avoid the
Framework decision "against racism and xenophobia" hindering its
denial propaganda in Europe. Various diplomats from the Council would
have asserted that the text actually exclude this denial, to comply
with the Turkish will. However, the draft law doesn’t contain as such
this provision.

" Actually, this opinion is clearly led by a very biased political
interpretation of a juridical text which basically aims to protect
all the European citizens. However, it would be morally abject that
the EU gives such a support to Ankara’s policy aiming at downgrading
Europeans with Armenian descent into second-class citizens, the only
ones to be out of this legal protection" stated Laurent Leylekian,
the executive director of the European Armenian Federation.

The Federation recalls that Turkey organized several demonstrations
in Europe to incite hatred against Armenians through the genocide
denial. Thanks to the massive police presence, these demonstrations
did not degenerate into actual anti-Armenian violence.

"The ultimate goal of Ankara is that – in Europe as in Turkey – all
Human beings are born equal in dignity and rights but the Armenians.

Facing to this infamy, Europe must remain inflexible and must secure
our penal legislation against the denial-based hatred" concluded
Leylekian.

CLOSED TRIAL FOR AZERBAIJAN’S SOLDIER

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
April 19 2007

Azerbaijan, Baku / corr. Trend S.Ilhamgizi / On 19 April, headed by
the Judge Jamal Ramazanov, a preliminary session took place in the
Court on Heinous Crimes of Azerbaijan with regards to the criminal
case of Azerbaijan Army’s Soldier Vusal Garajayev, who was taken as
a prisoner of war by Armenia.

Case was scheduled for 30 April for court but a decision was made at
the preliminary session to make it a closed trial.

A criminal case has been filed with the Investigation Department for
Heinous Crimes against Mr. Garajayev in compliance with article 274
(selling out the Mother-Land) and 338.1 (breaking rules of watch).

Mr. Garajayev born in 1988 was called up to the military service last
year by the Military Registration Office of the Balaken district of
Azerbaijan. He had been taken a prisoner of war by Armenian military
on 7 December in the territory of Agdam district and was released
from captivity on 23 December.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

KUWAIT STICKS TO ITS POSITION ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
April 19 2007

Azerbaijan, Baku / Òrend corr S. Aghayeva / Azerbaijan Ambassador to
Kuwait, Shahin Abdullayev, has reported on 19 April that Kuwait still
supports Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The statement
was made by Kuwaiti officials during the meeting with the chairman
of the Caucasus Muslims Clerical Port (CMCP), Sheikh-ul-Islam Haji
Allahshukur Pashazadeh.

The plight of the refugees and internally displaced persons in
Azerbaijan, who were forced to leave their homes as a result of the
Armenian conflict, was discussed with the administration of Kuwait.

The parties also discussed the dialogue between civilizations, prospect
of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Kuwait, and interaction within
the framework of international organizations.

Sheikh-ul-Islam was accompanied by the Patriarch of the Entire Georgia,
Iliya II, and the Archbishop of Caspian and Baku eparchies, parson
Alexander. They also discussed neutralizing the affect of globalization
on national values.

The visit of the clerical leaders was completed on 19 April. The
delegation will return on 20 April.

–Boundary_(ID_+AFpkqNvlOrQuEAFunOEwg)–

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RUSSIA SUPPLIES GEORGIA AND ARMENIA WITH GAS AGAIN

ImediNews, Georgia
April 19 2007

Russia has renewed the gas supply of Georgia an Armenia this
morning. Interpressnews has been provided with this news by the
Georgian Gas and Oil Corporation.

Gazprom has finished the rehabilitation works of the North-South
pipeline. The rehabilitation works lasted for two days and during
this period Shahdeniz has been supplying Georgia with the raised
amount of gas.

OPINION: TURKEY MUST RESOLVE THE ISSUE OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

Deutsche Welle, Germany
April 19 2007

Three men were found with their throats slit, their ankles and wrists
tied to their chairs.

It was a provocation that could be repeated at any time; a provocation
that is seriously damaging to Turkey. The people who did it knew what
effect it would have, especially in terms of foreign policy.

So far, 10 suspects have been arrested. They are ultra-nationalists
from Malatya. According to their own statements, their goal is to
protect Islam from Christians. Malatya is an Islamic stronghold — like
Trabzon, the town where, protests against the Mohammed caricatures
in February 2006, reached such a fever pitch that a priest was
shot by an Islamic fanatic. It’s also where, in early 2007, a young
ultranationalist murdered an Armenian-Turkish publicist Hrant Dink —
also Christian from Malatya.

Three times a pattern

Now, Christians were once more victims of an attack. The Turkish
stance is to call this an exceptional case. But three exceptional
cases equal a pattern. Not a good climate for Turkey’s EU-entry hopes.

What this means is that Prime Minister Erdogan’s government urgently
needs to clarify its stance on freedom of religion. The principle of
laicism in Turkey’s constitution provides for a strict separation of
church and state, as well as religious freedom.

But in reality it means it is subordinate to the state. Why else would
a state agency for religious matters control just about every activity
that has to do with Islam? It is a sad truth that the laic state,
in which Christian and Jewish minorities should also feel at home,
only exists on paper.

Turkey is responsible

Resolving the issue of religious freedom also means resolving the
issue of the structures of religious freedom — for example building
up church congregations. Missionaries are still not allowed in Turkey,
which is a biased concept. The Turkish government and the Islamic
clergy together need to make clear that the right to change religions
or do missionary work is an inalienable human right applying equally to
all religious organizations, and that the right to religious freedom
should not simply be guaranteed in the constitution, but that people
should be able to practice their religion openly without it being a
threat to their lives. That this is not the case is a massive failure
on the part of the Turkish government. It means that. ultimately,
it too is responsible for these attacks.

Attacks like those on Wednesday should never happen again. It is not
enough for Erdogan, who may well run for the presidency, to openly
declare himself a secular person. Europe has long demanded that
Turkey clarify its position, meaning: more freedom for the Christian
minority. And rightly so. Any country that wants to join Europe needs
to adopt a European identity.

The attack on the Christian publisher showed an ultimate disrespect
for human life, and it could be grist for the mill of European
conservatives who oppose Turkey’s entry into the EU. To these
people, I issue a call to dispense with judgment. The attack was not
state-sponsored terrorism. In the aftermath of these shocking attacks,
Europe shouldn’t slam the door in Turkey’s face — we shouldn’t hand
the agitators such a victory.

Mechthild Brockamp is an editor and commentator for Deutsche Welle
(jen)

,2 144,2448198,00.html

AMOUNT OF INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION INCREASED IN NKR IN JANUARY-MARCH, 2007

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
April 19 2007

In January-March, 2007, the amount of the Nagorno-Karabagh Republic
industrial production increased by 22, 2 %, as compared with the same
period last year, making 4 milliard 654, 9 million drams.

According to the information DE FACTO received at the NKR National
Statistic Service, at the structure of industrial production proportion
of the state sector’s output made 28,8%, that of non-state sector –
71,2% versus 32,5% and 67,5% accordingly in the first quarter of the
last year.

For the first three months of the current year the amount of capital
construction in the Republic made 3 milliards 410, 9 million drams,
which is 59 % more than the level of the same period last year.

OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRMEN TO VISIT KARABAKH

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
April 19 2007

Azerbaijan, Baku/ Trend /The OSCE Minsk Co-Chairmen are expected to pay
a visit to the Karabakh region to become acquainted with the positions
of the conflict parties, as well as discuss the possibility of holding
the next meting between the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia.

The Armenian Agency "ARKA" has been informed at the Press

During the discussions held, the Minsk Group Co-Chairmen put forward
proposals to the disputing parties, emphasizing a number of the
issues, not agreed within the principles being presently viewed by
the parties. At the same time, no date of the forthcoming visit of
the mediators was confirmed.

Notably, in Belgrade, the Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers
participated in the 16th meeting of Foreign Ministries of BSEC (Black
Sea Economic Co-operation).

AZERBAIJANI STUDENTS TO GATHER AT GERMAN PARLIAMENT

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
April 19 2007

France, Strasbourg / Òrend corr E. Mejidli / The first forum of the
Azerbaijani students receiving their education in Germany will be held
in the German parliament of Bundestag on 19 April. The forum has been
initiated by the European Forum of the Azerbaijani Students (EFAS)
and Alumni Network company. The future development of Azerbaijan,
the solution to social problems as well as co-ordinated activities
of Azerbaijanis residing in Europe will be discussed at the forum.

In attendance will be the MP Joerg Tauss, a member of the
Germany-Caucasus Group, Parviz Shahbazov, Azerbaijani Ambassador to
Germany, Vusal Mammadov, the Secretary General of EFAS, Emin Milli,
a co-founder of Alumni Network as well as other officials.

Meetings with German politicians, the youth organizations and the
media will be held during the two-day meeting. The participants will
focus on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, along with the formation and
promotion of the Azerbaijani-Germany relationship.

Such forums of this kind have regularly been organized since 2006
under the title "The Future Will Not Come By Its Own"

Some 5,000 Azerbaijanis were sent to Germany to study as a result of
the forum held in 2006.

–Boundary_(ID_jCXQRmDt96t1oGnTcZMRzw)–