Month: May 2008

Iran warns against violation of its right to civilian nuclear energy

16:58 | 03/ 05/ 2008

TEHRAN, May 3 (RIA Novosti) – Iran’s foreign minister called on
Saturday on the six countries mediating in the Iranian nuclear problem
issue to avoid violating Tehran’s right to civilian nuclear energy.

"At [our] recent meeting in Kuwait with U.K. Foreign Secretary David
Miliband, he told me the Iran Six intends to send us a letter [with
proposals to settle the Iranian nuclear problem] after the May 2 London
meeting," Manouchehr Mottaki told journalists.

"I told him in response: you know very well which word is forbidden in
Iran. Be careful in your proposals to avoid crossing the forbidden
line," he said without specifying what he meant.

Local observers say Mottaki meant to say that "suspension" by Iran of
uranium enrichment was that "forbidden word", so he made it clear that
Tehran will reject any initiatives if they contain a demand for Iranian
authorities to impose a moratorium on enrichment.

Mottaki also said Iran will soon familiarize all interested sides with
its own "package of proposals" to resolve international problems.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Saturday new sanctions
against Iran had not been discussed at the regular round of six-nation
talks on Iran’s controversial nuclear program in London on Friday.

"There was no talk about new sanctions, although our American
colleagues believe that pressure on Iran should be preserved," he told
journalists.

Miliband said Friday the world powers engaged in the long-running
dispute with Iran have agreed to make a new proposal of incentives to
Tehran to halt its nuclear programs.

The U.S., Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany proposed to Tehran
in June 2006 cooperation in civilian nuclear technology, trade and
other spheres in a bid to persuade Tehran to give up uranium enrichment
and resume talks with the Iran Six group of negotiators.

"I am glad to say that we have got agreement on an offer that will be
made to the government of Iran," Miliband said.

The Western nations suspect Iran of seeking to build nuclear weapons
under the cover of a civilian nuclear program. Tehran insists in needs
uranium enrichment technology to generate electricity.

The Islamic Republic has rejected the 2006 incentives. It has also
defied three rounds of relatively mild UN Security Council sanctions
imposed over its refusal to halt nuclear-related activities.

Miliband did not reveal details of the new offer, but said it
symbolized a new approach to Iran, adding that the rights sought by
Iran "need to be accompanied by a clear set of responsibilities."

He also said the five permanent UN Security Council members and Germany
continued to insist that Tehran suspend uranium enrichment, the
technology that posed a serious security threat to the region.

ic Wales, United Kingdom
May 3 2008

Paradise Lost Smyrna 1922, by Giles Milton

May 3 2008 by Emily Lambert, Western Mail

HIS previous subjects include the spice wars and the white slave trade
` now journalist-cum-historian Giles Milton has turned his attention
to the massacre of Smyrna, the modern-day Turkish city of Izmir.

Celebrated as Islam’s city of tolerance, Smyrna was until last century
home to thousands of Europeans, Americans and Armenians; a thriving
port whose cosmopolitan population enjoyed peace and prosperity.

This harmony came to an abrupt end on September 9, 1922, when it
witnessed the terrible backlash of Turkey’s brutal three-year war with
Greece. Milton describes how two million innocent civilians were
caught up in the conflict as victorious Turkish troops entered
Smyrna. Women were raped, men tortured and hundreds of thousands
deported or killed.

Hopes that Greece’s allies would intervene were met by silence from
the 21 battleships moored in Smyrna Bay.

The book charts harrowing scenes as desperate residents and refugees
flee the city’s burning buildings only to be swamped by the crowds at
the harbour wall.

Eyewitness testimonies, diary entries, and letters ` some of them
published for the first time ` are all part of this meticulously
researched, informed account. Milton actually met survivors of the
massacre, who he says are haunted by the destruction of their city
`every day of their lives.’

The quality of the sources Milton employs makes up for the fact that
their constant quotation sometimes slows down what is a very absorbing
narrative.

With Paradise Lost Milton has built on his reputation for digging up a
little-told piece of history and bringing it to life in this, his
fifth non-fiction book.

At times a tale of personal suffering, it is also provides an
examination of political and religious relations at the time.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS TV, Iran
May 3 2008

Russia new missile base response to US
Sat, 03 May 2008 20:40:08

Russia begins the construction of a new missile base in the Southern
Caucus region amid a row with the US over its missile shield.

Citing informed Georgian sources, the Azeri newspaper Ayna reported
that Russia has started the construction work near the Armenian city
of Noyemberyan.

The report added the base is located in a place overlooking Sadighlu
village near the Georgian town of Marneuli and it would reportedly be
equipped with advanced air defense and missile systems.

The move by Moscow is considered as a response to Washington’s plans
for stationing the components of a missile defense shield system in
Eastern Europe.

Russia says the US plan poses a threat to its national security and it
has vowed to take retaliatory measures against the United States if
Washington goes ahead with the project.

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
May 3 2008

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister: Armenia’s new leadership should be
convinced that earlier solution to the conflict is good for them

[ 03 May 2008 15:49 ]

Baku. Tamara Grigoryeva-APA. Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov
received President of European Court of Human Rights Jean-Paul Costa,
Foreign Ministry’s press service told APA.

Jean-Paul Costa said that European Court of Human Rights faced some
difficulties and needed support of the member states, as the number of
the applications to the court increased and underlined the necessity
of cooperating with Azerbaijan in this field. Jean-Paul Costa also
highly appreciated Azerbaijan’s rapid economic growth and cooperation
with the European organizations.
Elmar Mammadyarov noted that integration into European institutions
was the priority of Azerbaijan’s foreign policy and main orientation
for the country’s further development and underlined the possible role
of European court in carrying out reforms in the country. The minister
also spoke about the conflict with Armenia and noted that this
aggression contradicted the commitments undertaken by Armenia
vis-à-vis the European institutions and European Code of Good
Administrative Behavior. The minister said Armenia’s new leadership
should be convinced that earlier solution to the conflict was good for
them and noted that there was a need for the help of international
organizations on this issue.
Cooperation with democratic institutions, rule of law and democratic
values and other issues of mutual interest were also discussed during
the meeting.

Nestle in Azerbaijan CD blunder
By Elettra Neysmith
West Asia editor, BBC News

Story from BBC NEWS:
europe/7382415.stm

Published: 2008/05/03 19:31:44 GMT

The Swiss-based multinational food company, Nestle, has apologised to
Azerbaijan after a free gift attached to a breakfast cereal backfired.

The CD-ROM featured information about countries around the world but
the data on Azerbaijan caused outrage there.

It said that Azerbaijan had started a war against neighbouring Armenia
and that the hotly disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh belonged to
Armenia.

Nestle has withdrawn the cereal and promised to seize the offending
CDs.

Tense and volatile

Conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia in the early 1990s over
Nagorno-Karabakh killed an estimated 30,000 people.

Hundreds of thousands of refugees were created on both sides.

And despite a peace deal in 1994, the situation remains tense and
volatile.

Nestle inadvertently stumbled into a minefield.

The Azeri government vowed to take action, and there has been
widespread talk of a public boycott.

Nestle has now issued a formal apology but some Azeris are still not
happy.

They accuse Nestle of playing Armenia’s hand, and are demanding more
than just an apology to chew on.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
May 3 2008

Azerbaijani Serviceman Released from Armenian Capture
03.05.08 15:27

Azerbaijan, Baku, 3 may / corr. J.Babayeva / Vusal Eybatov, 19, an
Azerbaijani servicemean previously detained in Nagorno-Karabakh has
been handed over to the Azerbaijani authorities under the auspices of
the International Commiteee of the Read Cross (ICRC).

The Handover operation took place on 3 May in Agdam district of the
Republic of Azerbaijan.

ICRC delegates had visited the serviceman on several occasions in
order to assess his conditions of detention and treatment. The
organization had also exchanged family news between the detainee and
his relatives.

Eybatov was detained by the Armenian Armed Forces on 11 April.

Today.Az, Azerbaijan
May 3 2008

Azerbaijan’s FM meets with chairman of European Court of Human Rights

03 May 2008 [15:18] – Today.Az

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov received chairman of the
European Court of Human Rights Jean-Paul Costa, as reported by the
press service for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.

Costa noted that the number of claims, submitted to the European
Court, as well as the initiated court processes in this connection,
has risen, which creates obstacles in work. In this connection, he
said there is a need for support of the member-states of this
structure, including the cooperation with Azerbaijan.

At the same time the visitor highly evaluated the rapid growth rates
in Azerbaijan, special geographic location and close cooperation with
European structures.

In turn, Mamedyarov noted that integration with the European
institutes is a priority in the external policy of Azerbaijan and the
European Court may contribute to conduction of judicial reforms in the
country.

At the same time, the Minister spoke of the unsettled conflict between
Azerbaijan and Armenia, noting that Armenia’s aggression does not
comply with its commitments before the European structures of the code
of European behavior.

"The new leadership of Armenia should realize that the soonest
resolution of the conflict should be useful for them and there is a
need for support of international institutes in this issue", said
Mamedyarov.

/Day.Az/

URL:

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
May 3 2008

Armenia-captured soldier Vusal Heybatov handed over to Azerbaijan today

[ 03 May 2008 15:16 ]

Baku. Mahbuba Gasimbayli-APA. Soldier Heybatov Vusal Shirsultan, who
was captured by Armenian Armed Forces on April 11, has been handed
over to Azerbaijan today, APA reports quoting the statement issued by
the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing
Persons.

The statement says as a result of the regular negotiations of the
State Commission’s Working Group with the international organizations,
Heybatov Vusal Shirsultan, 19, soldier of Azerbaijani Army captured by
the Armenian servicemen on April 11, has been released and handed over
to Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry in Bash Gervend village of Aghdam
region, on the line of contact today. According to the statement, the
soldier feels normal. Representatives of the State Commission’s
Working Group, Defense Ministry and International Committee of the Red
Cross (ICRC) were present at the process. The handover process was in
line with the humanitarian legal norms and no incident was recorded.
Resident of Khilmilli village of Gobustan region, Vusal Heybatov, 19,
was captured near Yusifjanli village of Aghdam region.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

In-Forum, ND
May 3 2008

Roundup: Remembrance and denial move to U.S. Congress

Published Saturday, May 03, 2008
Los Angeles Times

History can comfort or afflict us, and affliction was the order of the
day Thursday as Armenians around the world commemorating the genocide
of their people by the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1917 were met by
Turks protesting that the genocide never took place.

The argument over remembrance and denial of the Armenian genocide has
in recent years moved from France to the U.S. Congress and now to
Israel, which faces its own moral and political dilemmas in deciding
whether to debate the issue in the Knesset. Turkey is strongly
lobbying to prevent such a debate. Like the United States, Israel is
now torn between its commitment to confront genocide deniers of all
kinds and its geopolitical interest in maintaining relations with its
only Muslim ally.

It’s a lose-lose proposition for any nation involved in the dispute,
and for the millions of Turks and Armenians alive today who will have
to continue to live next to each other. It’s a winner, however, for
Russia, which has been competing with the United States for influence
in Armenia and which has leverage over the former Soviet republic’s
economy.

A friendly, democratic government in Ankara could help Turkey rebuild
its frayed ties with the West, improve its economy and, eventually,
negotiate peace with Azerbaijan over the disputed enclave of
Nagorno-Karabakh. Demonstrating the political maturity to pursue
rapprochement with Armenia could bring Turkey closer to its goal of
joining the European Union. History need not be destiny.

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
May 3 2008

Freedom House highlights challenges for Turkish democracy

Turkey has made significant progress in democratization in the past
decade, but major challenges remain in terms of local and national
governance, the electoral process, minority rights, the strength of
civil society and press freedoms, a US-based international think tank
announced yesterday in Ä°stanbul.

The content of a report titled `Turkey in Transit,’ prepared by the
European chapter of Freedom House, an organization famous for its
ranking of countries’ levels of freedom, was shared with journalists
at a press conference on Friday morning.

Turkey has seen a `positive trend of reform’ in the past few years,
the report’s author, Nigar Göksel, said, noting that the trend
had been stalled in the years 2006 and 2007. According to the report,
increasing polarization in Turkey caused by growing tension between
the governing Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and segments
that see the party as an Islamist threat is an obstacle on Turkey’s
path of reform. Other problems that remain as challenges to democracy
in Turkey include the executive branch of the state being too strong
vis-à-vis the legislature and judiciary, too much
centralization in public administration, problems implementing new
reforms passed in the past few years, cronyism in many institutions,
low female representation in politics, a higher rate of taxes on civil
society organizations compared to other countries and persistent
corruption, particularly in public tenders.

Göksel also noted that intolerance toward non-Muslim religious
minorities was creating concern, despite a law adopted earlier this
year that returns property seized from non-Muslim foundations by the
state. The brutal killing of three Christians in the eastern province
of Malatya last year and the shooting of a Catholic priest in 2006
made their way into the report as examples of intolerance and violence
against non-Muslims. Turkey’s overloaded and sluggish judiciary was
also cited as one of the significant obstacles to a better and sounder
democracy.

The report said the corporate structure of Turkish media, where large
conglomerates with interests in other sectors own media outlets,
raises concerns that newspapers might be `prone to try and remain on
good terms with politicians.’ The division of the media primarily
along pro and anti-government lines also poses a problem for press
freedoms, the report warned.

Yesterday’s press conference followed a report released this week by
Freedom House — ahead of May 3, World Press Freedom Day — that ranks
countries on the basis of media freedom. In this year’s report, Turkey
is the only country ranked as `Partly Free’ in Western Europe. Out of
195 countries and territories covered in the report, 72 (37 percent)
were rated `Free,’ 59 (30 percent) `Partly Free’ and 64 (33 percent)
`Not Free.’ The evaluations are based on an assessment of the legal,
political and economic environments in which journalists worked during
2007.

Turkey’s press freedom rating declined to 51 in this year’s report,
two points down from the previous year, said Balint Molnar of Freedom
House Europe. He said the continued prosecution of large numbers of
journalists under an anti-free speech penal code article and the 2007
murder of Turkish-Armenian editor Hrant Dink had played a clear role
in the decline. Monlar added that press freedoms were declining on a
global scale.

03.05.2008

E. BARIÅ? ALTINTAÅ? Ä°STANBUL