Month: May 2008

TURKEY: AUTHORITIES TO AMEND RESTRICTIVE LAWS AFTER YOUTUBE BLOCKED AGAIN

Reporters Sans Frontieres/ Reporters without Borders
May 13 2008
France

Reporters Without Borders is astonished that access to the
video-sharing website YouTube has been blocked again in Turkey since
5 May as a result of court orders issued by Ankara magistrate courts
on 24 and 30 April. The grounds for blocking the website were not
given in either case.

"We call on the authorities to give the reasons for these orders,"
Reporters Without Borders said. "This is the third time in less than
two months that YouTube has been blocked in Turkey. The authorities
do not need to block an entire website just because of a few videos
they consider ‘shocking.’ Doing this is an abuse, as YouTube is able
to stop the distribution of offending videos in any given country."

Law 5651 on "the organization of online publications and the fight
against crime committed by means of such publications," in effect
since November 2007, enables a prosecutor to get a website banned
within 24 hours if its content is deemed likely to incite suicide,
paedophilia, drug use, obscenity, prostitution or offend the memory
of Ataturk, the Turkish republic’s founder.

"This law opens the door to too many abuses," Reporters Without
Borders said. "Its collateral damage has included the blocking of
entire sites such as YouTube, Indymedia Istanbul and WordPress. We
urge the authorities to amend Law 5621 so that people can express
themselves freely on the Internet again. Turkey has a legislative
arsenal that places too many restrictions on freedom of expression."

The Indymedia Istanbul website () has
been inaccessible within Turkey since 21 March. The site’s staff are
continuing to post articles at another web address and describe the
blockage as just "an attempt at censorship." The authorities "still
have not understood that censorship is technically impossible on
the Internet," they said. WordPress, one of the most popular blog
platforms in the world, was only recently unblocked after being
accessible since August 2007.

Other participative websites are also blocked. The photo-sharing site
Slide has been inaccessible since 25 March as a result of a court’s
decision in Civril (southwest of Ankara) because of "photos and
articles considered insulting to Ataturk." Google Groups, Google’s
discussion site, has been inaccessible since 10 April as a result
of an action brought by religious leader Adnan Oktar claiming he had
been defamed in comments posted on the site.

Kurdish media websites have also been targeted. The website of Gundem,
a daily newspaper, has been inaccessible since 1 April as a result a
decision by a court of assizes in Ankara. The site of the Firat News
Agency (ANF) has been blocked since 11 February. In these two cases,
the grounds are "propaganda" in support of the outlawed Kurdistan
Workers Party (PKK). Neither media was told of the decision or given
a chance to defend itself.

Freedom of expression in Turkey is often limited by criminal code
provisions that punish threats to fundamental national interests
(article 305), inciting hatred, hostility or humiliation (article
216), attacking the memory of Ataturk (Law 5816 of 25 July 1951) or
discouraging the population from doing military service (article 318).

The Turkish parliament amended article 301 of the criminal code on
30 April, replacing "insulting Turkish identity" by "insulting the
Turkish nation." But this still leaves judges a great deal of scope
to convict anyone who publicly raises such sensitive issues as the
Armenian genocide or the Kurdish issue. Most article 301 cases will now
be heard before magistrate courts instead of criminal courts. Orhan
Pamuk, a Nobel prize-winning novelist, and Hrant Dink, a journalist
of Armenian origin who was murdered by ultra-nationalists in Istanbul
in January 2007, were both prosecuted under article 301.

Anti-terrorism Law 3713 also punishes websites that post "the
propaganda of a terrorist organization" or "the press releases of
such organizations."

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EGLISES: LE PATRIARCHE DE TOUS LES ARMENIENS RECU PAR BENOIT XVI

Le Monde
13 mai 2008 mardi
France

VATICAN. Le pape a recu, vendredi 9 mai, le catholicos Karekin II,
patriarche de tous les Armeniens, et 18 eveques de l’Eglise armenienne
(separee de Rome depuis le concile de Chalcedoine en 451 et comptant
7 millions de fidèles). Englobant le genocide de 1915 et la periode
sovietique, Benoit XVI a rappele que " l’histoire recente de l’Eglise
armenienne a ete ecrite dans le contraste de la persecution et du
martyre, de l’obscurite et de l’esperance, de l’humiliation et de la
renaissance spirituelle ". Il s’est toutefois abstenu de prononcer le
mot " genocide " comme Jean Paul II l’avait deja fait au cours de son
voyage en Armenie en 2001, preferant parler de " grande catastrophe".

–Boundary_(ID_A/MWWyixynYkmhA TXUbhjg)–

GAROYIAN: IT TAKES TWO TO TANGO

Athens News Agency
May 13, 2008

Athens News Agency – Tuesday 13 May – "It takes two to tango, and up
to now Cyprus President Demetris Christofias has been dancing alone,"
visiting Cyprus House of Representatives president Marios Garoyian
said in Athens on Monday, speaking to reporters after being received
by President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias.

Garoyian, accompanied by Greek parliament president Dimitris Sioufas,
said he conveyed to Papoulias the "greetings, love and respect"
of President Christofias.

The Cyprus parliament leader also said he had noted to Papoulias that
Christofias "has taken initiatives in the right direction, which has
been appreciated by the international community".

However, he added, "there is also the factor of the standing Turkish
intransigence".

"President Christofias has the political volition, and is trying
to overcome the impasse. But it takes two to tango, and President
Christofias is dancing alone," Garoyian stressed.

On Christofias’ upcoming new meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader
Mehmet Ali Talat, Garoyian said it had to do with the fact that the
"working groups have not produced tangible results", and consequently
"the two leaders will meet to see where this process is stumbling".

MEETING WITH ARMENIAN DELEGATION

Gibrahayer
May 14, 2008

Gibrahayer – Nicosia 14 May, 2008 – During his stay in Athens,
Parliament Speaker of Cyprus Marios Garoyian met with a delegation
of the Armenian National Committee of Greece.

The meeting took place on Sunday evening in the Grand Britannia Hotel,
where the Cypriot delegation was staying.

ARMENIAN AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH SYRIAN MINISTERS

armradio.am
13.05.2008 18:05

On May 12 Armenian Ambassador to Siria Arshak Poladyan met with
the Minister of Tourism of the Arab Republic of Syria Saadalla Agha
al-Qala’a.

Issues related to the perspectives of development of cooperation
between the two countries in the field of tourism were discussed
during the meeting.

Reference was made to the necessity of signing a practical program of
cooperation in the field of tourism for 2008-2011, which is currently
in the stage of discussion.

Minister Saadalla Agha al-Qala’a noted that the Silk Road Festival
will be held in Damascus in October, and an invitation to participate
in the event will soon be conveyed to the Armenian side.

The same day the Armenian Ambassador met with the Minister of
Culture of Syria Ali Saad. The parties discussed the Armenian-Syrian
cooperation in the sphere of education, as well as the details of RA
Minister of Education and Science Levon Lazarian’s visit to Syria.

Minister Saadi attached importance to the necessity of the meeting with
his Armenian counterpart, noting that a close and mutually beneficial
cooperation has always existed between the two countries, and the
Syrian side is interested in the perspectives of developing those.

ALTERNATIVE TELECOMMUNICATION NET IN ARMENIA WILL HAVE LOW RETURN FOR GENERAL UNDERPOPULATION IN COUNTRY

arminfo
2008-05-13 18:51:00

ArmInfo. An alternative telecommunication network in Armenia will
have low return for the general underpopulation in the country,
ARMENIAN DATACOM COMPANY (ADC) General Director Harald Grytten says
in an interview with ArmInfo when commenting on the possibilities
of liquidating the natural infrastructure monopoly in the country’s
telecommunication market. He believes that creation of an alternative
net is unprofitable. It is possible to return investments only in the
capital city, in regions it is impossible. As a result, the potential
field of activity will be sharply reduced, H. Grytten says. He is sure
that despite the alternative nets of optic and wireless technologies,
DSL communication has always been dominating, and the statistics of
European countries is an evidence of it. Cable net users exceed the DSL
user only in the USA due to the wide penetration of IP-television,
which is just being launched in Armenian, he says. As a result,
telecommunication net and the terms of access to it are becoming of
special importance. In this conditions, ADC Director General believes
that state regulatory agencies must elaborate stricter rules of
activity in the telecommunication market.

In such situation the company attaches a special importance to
negotiations and considers the readiness to conduct talks a good sign,
he says.

Speaking about the terms of using the net, suggested by ArmenTel,
ADC director says they cannot radically change the situation in
the telecommunication market. He also added that the problem of
subscriber’s tariff differentiation known in Europe as Local Loop
Unbundling, (LLU), continues being one of the vexed problems at the
Armenian market. ArmenTel gave access to the DSL lines to the companies
interested but only subject to buying the "port", i.e. preserving
total control over the telecommunication net. But even such partial
introduction of LLU is a step forward by ArmenTel. Let’s wait for
further developments, H.Grytten says.

To recall, in April of the current year ArmenTel
changed internet-communication tariffs for final users and
internet-providers. For this reason representatives of ArmenTel said
there was a chance of creation of alternative communication nets
by the interested companies if they are not pleased with ArmenTel
net services.

TER-PETROSYAN HAS PROBLEMS WITH MORALITY

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
Published on May 13, 2008
Armenia

Ex-President Robert Kocharyan’s exclusive interview given to MEDIAMAX
agency.

"In his speech during the congress of the "pan-national movement",
Levon Ter-Petrosyan made certain accusations in your address.

Would you like to respond?"

"I must mention, that I didn’t have any intention to give interviews
these days, but I have to, after the bizarre statements made by Levon
Ter-Petrosyan. By the way I had already forgotten about his existence.

Levon Ter-Petrosyan can’t purify himself by throwing mud on
others. This method of justifying himself is really disgusting. He
has never had the courage to shoulder any responsibility. During the
times of crises he has always thought only about his security – the
bright example is after the detention of "Karabakh" committee, during
Karabakh war, in 1998, etc. The same thing is taking place at present.

I will not touch upon the chronicle of the events; the investigation
must reveal the picture of what happened in Yerevan on March 1-2,
as soon s possible."

"Ter-Petrosyan, the Mass Media, and the political organizations
supporting him represent March 1-2 events in such a way that it turns
out that the organization of the mass disorder and the use of force was
already planned by the authorities. What would you say in this regard?"

"Only a weak-minded and a deeply indecent person can say that the
authorities can plan a use of force beforehand. First of all they
should understand one thing: who is interested in it? Any similar
clash, especially with human victims is a very big blow to the
authorities. It is evident that people will always think that the
authorities didn’t do their best to avoid victims. This is the
reality. The same happens even in the European countries. In such
cases the authorities have to use force to avert worse consequences,
especially for me – for the President whose term of office was coming
to a close.

To be able to understand the truth it is enough just to remember who
was doing his best to discredit the authorities during the pre-election
campaign and especially after the elections, who was calling the
authorities "chieftains", who was making appeals to dismantle the state
system, who announced two weeks before the elections that he has won
the elections, who was convincing the servicemen and the policemen to
break their oath, who was blackmailing the international structures
and the observers, for their positive estimations.

Ter-Petrosyan and Armenian Pan National Movement badly needed this
blood, as a tool to continue their political struggle even after
suffering defeat – and, by the way, other’s blood. Ter-Petrosyan did
his best to organize mass disorder and to instigate the police to
use force.

And, eventually, who is trying to use the tragic events of March 1,
for his own political purposes, immorally speculating the victims. Let
each of us draw his/her own conclusions."

"Ter-Petrosyan especially emphasizes the fact of his being under "
house arrest." How can you explain this?"

"Ter-Petrosyan badly needs the version of the house arrest. Without
that it is impossible to justify his absence in the square near the
Municipality, on March 1. I must state that there has been no house
arrest. Moreover Armenia’s legislation doesn’t envisage similar
legal regime.

Ter-Petrosyan was simply warned that he can go anywhere and anytime
but his guards can’t attend him, because their participation in the
meetings that have turned into a mass disorder is illegal. By the
way a real man with a sense of responsibility must have gone there.

You can’t stage a revolution with the participation of the state guard
service. Did he go there and someone brought him back by force? If
this thing happened he should openly speak about it. He can appeal
to the Prosecutor’s. Ter-Petrosyan’s guards are very loyal to him,
and they were with him at his own request. The head of his guard is
a person who is in close relations with his family. Everyone knows
that their registration in the state guard service is a formality.

The topic of the "house arrest" must be considered both by
the Prosecutor’s and the future Committee. If someone has ex
officio committed a crime, he must be punished. The myth about the
"house arrest" is a justification for a coward who wants to avoid
responsibility. I’m not a President any more and I’m free to use
similar language – to call a spade a spade."

"Ter-Petrosyan says the authorities have "lots of things to
hide". He says this is the reason why they didn’t sue anyone for
using arms against the police. Besides that the ex-President spoke
about holding negotiations with you on March 1 by the mediation of
foreign Ambassadors. What has happened in reality?

"Why are there no cases against those who used arms against the police?

Because lots of important people are hidden. It is really stupid to
call into question the fact of using force against the police in case
of two killed and 41 injured policemen. Whereas I speak about only
those 43 who obtained gun traumas.

Ter-Petrosyan said my speeches during the press conferences were
contradicting – when I said that the police were not armed. The
ex-President should have some knowledge about the difference of the
regime of carrying arms in the police and the police troops. The
collision was with the troops, who were armed with cudgels and
shields and the two victims and many of the injured were from the
police troops. I’m sure Ter-Petrosyan is well aware of this fact but
he doesn’t speak about it to mislead his supporters.

In general judging from all this Ter-Petrosyan is in bad relations
with morality. In my opinion he needs this lie to keep his supporters
and manipulate them."

TER-PETROSYAN LIES OVER AGAIN

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
Published on May 13, 2008
Armenia

"Ter-Petrosyan states that we held negotiations on March 1, by the
mediation of certain Ambassadors in Armenia. I’m unaware of this fact.

We didn’t hold any negotiations by the mediation of the Ambassadors
and I haven’t received any proposals.

By my recommendation Head of the Presidential Administration
Armen Gevorgyan had two meetings with the representatives of the
international organizations and the Ambassadors of the EU countries,
in the evening of March 1.

The meetings were of informative nature and didn’t include elements
of negotiations," Robert Kocharyan announced during his interview
given to MEDIAMAX agency.

ILHAM ALIEV TO BE THE ACCOUNTABLE

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
Published on May 13, 2008
Armenia

Political Scientist Melik Shahnazaryan announced yesterday, Azerbaijani
Special Service made an attempt upon his life on April 22.

He said, undoubtedly, the article published in the Russian language
magazine "Karabakh Express", in May 2007, served as a reason for
this encroachment.

"If a big tree drops on me, if the lightening hits me, or I die because
of pneumonia Ilham Aliev will be accountable for it, a person engaged
in international terrorism.

As far as I can understand and as far as I’m informed the Special
Service of any country will never dare to take similar actions without
the order and agreement of the country’s leader," the Political
Scientist announced.

ARMENIA TO BE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN SILK ROAD TOURISM FESTIVAL IN DAMASCUS

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 13, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 13, NOYAN TAPAN. Prospects of developing tourism between
Armenia and Syria were discussed at the May 12 meeting of the Armenian
ambassador to Syria Arshak Poladian and the Syrian minister of
tourism Saadalla Agha al-Qala. In particular, the sides underlined
the necessity of signing a program of cooperation in the tourism
sector for 2008-2011. The draft program is now under discussion.

Saadalla Agha al-Qala said that a Silk Road festival of tourism will be
held in Damascus in October, and the Armenian side will soon receive
an invitation to participate in this event.

According to a press release submitted to NT by the RA MFA Press
and Information Department, on the same day A. Poladian met with
the Syrian minister of education Ali Saad. The Armenian-Syrian
cooperation in the education sector, as well as the details of the
envisaged visit of the Armenian minister of education and science to
Syria were discussed at the meeting.

Ali Saad attached special importance to the meeting with his Armenian
counterpart, saying that there has been a close and mutually beneficial
cooperation in edication between the two countries, and the Syrian
side is interested in developing this cooperation.