Month: December 2008

APOLOGY CAMPAIGN TRIGGERS FIERCE DEBATE

Today’s Zaman
Dec 18 2008
Turkey

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has objected to a campaign
initiated by a group of intellectuals to apologize for the events of
1915, saying the campaign is wrong and is "messing things up."

Some Turkish intellectuals collected signatures for a statement that
contained a personal apology for the events of 1915, which the Armenian
claims of genocide are based on.

"My conscience does not accept the insensitivity showed to and the
denial of the Great Catastrophe that Ottoman Armenians were subjected
to in 1915. I reject this injustice and for my part, I empathize with
the feelings and pain of my Armenian brothers. I apologize to them,"
the statement said.

When asked yesterday about the campaign, Erdogan claimed that those
who committed crimes apologize but that the state and the nation do
not have such a problem.

"We cannot accept this just because some writers launched a campaign,"
Erdogan said. "I don’t accept such a campaign, I don’t support this
campaign, I don’t take part in it. We did not commit crimes, so we
don’t need to apologize."

He underlined that he had some difficulty understanding the
intellectuals because this campaign serves to "mess things up."

"Some positive steps were taken. Such initiatives reverse these steps,"
he said.

"Such campaigns are wrong initiatives. To approach the issues with
goodwill is something else. To apologize is something else. I think
to apologize is illogical."

Erdogan recalled that they restored the Ahdamar church in Van and
opened it to visitors. "Also, our president’s recent visit to Armenia
is another sign of these positive steps," he said.

Gul visited Yerevan in September at the invitation of his Armenian
counterpart, Serzh Sarksyan, to watch the World Cup qualifying game
between the two countries’ national soccer teams.

Gul was also asked about the campaign yesterday. He said that Turkey
is a country in which freedom of expression is alive and well.

"As a state, our attitude is to bring our relations with our neighbors
to their best points," Gul said. "We believe in solution by dialogue
with our neighbors with which we have problems. Continuing the problems
is not useful to anyone."

Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Burak Ozugergin said
yesterday that Turkey is an open society in which everything can be
discussed but that Turkey’s foreign policy is not as fragile as it
may change from today to tomorrow.

Ozugergin also asked about the initiative of the retired diplomats who
opposed the apologizing campaign in a separate statement. "We neither
guided this move nor do we have any intentions to comment on that,"
Ozugergin said. "Our attitude about 1915 is known by everybody,"

The State Minister Cemil Cicek said that the best answer to the
campaign is given by the retired diplomats.

The apologizing campaign on the Internet collected 6,500 signatures
within three days. Another campaign, which started yesterday under
the name of "We are expecting an apology" drew approximately 300
signatures.

The "We are expecting an apology" Web site is designed with the same
colors and shapes as the "apologizing campaign" and includes pictures
of Turks killed at Hocalı in February 1992 during the Nagorno-Karabakh
war. The counter-campaign also has a short statement:

"I think that all Armenians and their supporters should apologize for
the savageness of Armenians towards the Ottoman people. I am stating
that I will not close my eyes to this savagery and expecting apology
in the name of the whole Turkish word and grandchildren of Ottomans."

A group of retired diplomats, which includes former Foreign Ministry
undersecretaries Korkmaz Haktanır, Å~^ukru Elekdag and Onur Oymen,
in a counter-declaration stressed that the move was a "disrespectful
act toward Turkish history and its martyrs."

"Such a wrong and unilateral initiative is disrespectful to our
history and also to our people who lost their lives in violent
terrorist attacks during the history of the republic and during the
last years of the Ottoman Empire," the declaration stated.

The diplomats’ declaration made a point of mentioning the Armenian
Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia (ASALA), which in various
attacks in the late ’70s and early ’80s killed 70 people, including
five ambassadors, four consul generals and 34 public workers, and
injured 574 people.

Ozugergin added that the Foreign Ministry is very sensitive about
the issue, as can be understood from the name of the room in which
regular ministry news conferences are held. The meeting room named
after Taha Carım, who killed by ASALA in 1977 when he was ambassador
to the Vatican.

–Boundary_(ID_eIt0ocu2blU7flXWLA8cqQ)–

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

‘ASSYRIANS PART OF TURKEY’

Hurriyet
Dec 18 2008
Turkey

ANKARA – A Swedish parliament deputy of Assyrian origin will attend a
hearing Friday for a land dispute between a 1,600-year-old monastery
and locals in the southeastern Anatolian town of Midyat, populated
by about 3,000 Assyrians.

"I hope a fair verdict will be delivered and the case will be resolved
within Turkey’s legal system, so that the country’s image is not
harmed in Europe," Yılmaz Kerimo told the Hurriyet Daily News &
Economic Review in a telephone interview.

Kerimo has served in Sweden’s parliament for 10 years. He is from
Midyat and moved to Sweden three decades ago.

The land dispute has been brought by local officials of three nearby
villages who contest the borders of the monastery, which they argue
are bigger than any place of worship in the world. Concerned by
the re-drawn borders following land surveying proceedings in the
area, officials from the monastery foundation applied to the court,
saying they are not occupiers as they’ve been paying tax for the land
since 1938.

"Our goal is not to denigrate Turkey. On the contrary, we want to see
the country in the EU. The monastery has been there for centuries. The
Assyrians peacefully live in the region without engaging in any
terrorist activity. I cannot understand why the group is branded as
occupiers," Kerimo told the Daily News.

More Assyrians claimed to return home

The land dispute is rooted in uneasiness about the return of migrant
Assyrians to their former lands in Turkey, according to some Assyrian
groups. Kerimo said their migration to Europe started 30 years ago but
democratic reforms in Turkey over the last five years have prompted
some to return home, leading to land disputes.

"Some of the Assyrian land was occupied [by the locals] and ended up
in courts. Turkey must protect its Assyrian community. There are only
3,000 left in Midyat. Assyrians are a richness of Turkey and part of
its mosaic," he said.

The EU is closely monitoring the situation for religious groups
in Turkey. A draft report of the European Parliament drew adverse
reactions from Ankara when it referred to an alleged "genocide"
of the Assyrians, but that was later removed. "The Assyrians are
non-Muslims but they are considered neither a minority nor Turk. In
other words, the Assyrians were caught in the middle. An Armenian or
a Jew has the right to education and religion but not an Assyrian,"
said Kerimo. Jews, Greeks and Armenians are the only recognized
minority groups spelled out in the Lausanne Treaty, the founding
agreement of the Turkish Republic.

–Boundary_(ID_tnqA9Jp5B/+rJIQF4sOEWg)- –

ARMENIAN APOLOGY DENOUNCED BY GOV’T

Hurriyet
Dec 18 2008
Turkey

ANKARA – As reactions continue to the initiative of some prominent
authors and academicians to apologize for the 1915 incidents Ankara got
involved to the debate. The prime minister argues that the initiative
makes no sense

An online apology for the "great catastrophe of 1915" that befell
Armenians, written by prominent authors and academics, has received
the cold shoulder from the top cadre of the government.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the initiative made no sense
and President Abdullah Gul did not make a direct comment. The Foreign
Ministry, similar to dozens of retired diplomats, said terrorists had
targeted its diplomats in the past and recalled murders carried out
by the Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia, or ASALA,
a terrorist group.

As to the need for an apology, Erdogan said, "They must have committed
genocide because they are apologizing. The Turkish Republic has no
such problem."

"We cannot join a campaign such as this just because writers started
it. Personally I do not accept their campaign, nor take part in
it. We did not commit any crime, why should we apologize? This is a
debate discussed by historians," Erdogan said in response to claims
by some Armenians that forced migration and 1915 incidents amounted
to "genocide". "It is one thing to have a good will, but apologizing
only matters to people. I have difficulty understanding these writers."

Gul said the initiative was proof everything could be openly discussed
in Turkey. "Various groups can come together and declare their
opinions," Gul said. He described the state policy as he saw it:
"This is how to accomplish Turkey’s goal to increase relations with
its neighbors to the highest level, establish trust with them and
help bring peace to the region."

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Burak Ozugergin denied the ministry
had urged retired diplomats to issue a counterstatement. "It is
not right for us to react against it," he said. "Both initiatives
are private. Our stance on the 1915 incidents is known," Ozugergin
said. Retired diplomats said the apology was "unfair, wrong and
unfavorable to national interests."

Turkey on the right path The prime minister, president and Ozugergin
said Turkey was already on a path to forge greater stability with its
eastern neighbor. "Turkey has shown a clear path in its relations
in the international arena. Our government has opened the airways
to Armenia and restored the Armenian church on Van’s Akdamar Island
for visitors. These were not responses to any move, but a sign. The
president’s flight to Armenia was also a sign," Erdogan said.

More than 11,000 people have signed the online petition that has
been rebuffed by the prime minister. "This would only serve to muddy
waters and disrupt our peace. It would reverse steps taken thus far,"
Erdogan said.

Ozugergin said foreign policy was not shaped by daily events. "We
must take the positive and negative reactions of the public into
consideration while making foreign policy."

Columnists join debate

Hurriyet Daily News The debate over the campaign launched by a
range of intellectuals to apologize for the 1915 incidents has
spread to the columns of the country’s dailies. Also a counter
online signature campaign on the Web site "özurdilemiyoruz.com
(we do not apologize) has emerged, by a group calling themselves
"The Real Turkish Intellectuals."

Turkish columnists widely criticized the apology campaign. Erdal
Å~^afak from daily Sabah argued the campaign would do more
harm than good because it "would be evaluated as a confession of
genocide." Ertugrul Ozkök from daily Hurriyet said he considered the
campaign a joke, asking who would apologize for the Turkish diplomats
murdered by the ASALA terror organization.

Nuray Mert from daily Radikal argued the campaign aimed at "scraping
the Turkish ‘intellectuals’ from their ‘historical shame’ and to make
them feel good and civilized." She also questioned the apology part of
the statement asking, "On whose behalf and to whom should I apologize?"

–Boundary_(ID_Y0BS6TeJSkvwbpedr dFBMw)–

TURKEY’S MAIN OPPOSITION PARTY CONDEMNS APOLOGY CAMPAIGN FOR "1915 INCIDENTS"

Turkish Press
Dec 18 2008

ANKARA – MPs from Turkey’s Main Opposition party, CHP, condemned
Wednesday the campaign launched to apologize from Armenians for the
incidents of 1915.

Parliamentarians of Republican’s People’s Party (CHP) who hold seats
at the foreign relations committee of the Turkish Parliament, released
a communique saying that Turkey had nothing to apologize for regarding
1915 incidents.

"The claim that Turkey committed a crime in those years, requiring
an apology has no legal or historical foundation. If there is someone
who needs to apologize, it is the Armenian side, who attacked Turkish
soldiers and killed hundreds of thousands of Turkish citizens while
siding with and supporting a foreign country on an attempt to invade
Ottoman territory," said the communique.

The Parliamentarians also said the Armenians also needed to apologize
for massacring thousands of Azerbaijani citizens, invading Azerbaijani
territory and forcing one million of its citizens to exile.

They also said Armenians needed to apologize for not prosecuting and
punishing ASALA terrorists who assassinated Turkish diplomats.

"While these facts remain, the attempt to apologize from Armenians
has been rather an act violating the homage we owe to our history
and ancestors, and one that hurts the honour of the Turkish Nation,"
said the communique.

FIVE NEW PROJECTS TO RECEIVE FUNDING FROM ITVS
By Kristin Brzoznowski

World Screen News
lename=fivenew12178.htm
Dec 18 2008
NY

SAN FRANCISCO, December 17: The Independent Television Service
(ITVS) has selected five projects from its recently completed ITVS
International Call 2008 for funding, with two more expected to be
announced shortly.

The films set to receive production funding were selected from
an application process, which included 385 submissions from 74
countries. Since 2005, some 100 international programs have been
supported through ITVS International’s Global Perspectives Project
and its International Media Development Fund.

The 2008 International Call projects selected for funding and
U.S. television broadcast include The Caviar Connection by Dragan
Nikolic and Jovana Nikolic (Serbia), Jalanan by Daniel Ziv and Leonard
Retel Helmrich (Indonesia), The Last Tightrope Dancer in Armenia by
Vardan Hovhannisyan and Inna Sahakyan (Armenia), Last Train Home by
Lixin Fan and Mila Aung-Thwin (China) and On the Borders of Desperation
by Nima Sarvestani (Kurdistan–Iran, Iraq).

The deadline for submission for projects to be considered in the next
ITVS International Call is February 6, 2009.

TURKISH AMBASSADOR TO AZERBAIJAN: "REOPENING OF BORDERS WITH ARMENIA IS NOT A SUBJECT OF NEGOTIATIONS"

Azeri Press Agency
Dec 18 2008
Azerbaijan

Baku. Lachin Sultanova-APA. "Reopening of borders with Armenia is
not a subject of negotiations," Hulusi Kilic, Turkish Ambassador to
Azerbaijan told journalists, APA reports.

Kilic added that the dialogue was conducted and meetings were held
to normalize relations between Armenia and Turkey and it can never
damage the relations with Azerbaijan.

"Azerbaijan is our soul, heart. We do not want to damage our heart,"
he said. The diplomat touched upon campaign apologizing to Armenians
and other contrary campaign against it noted that he joined statements
made by formed ambassadors and did not support apologizers.

Kilic answered question whether the government would take any measures
against this campaign or not.

"70 million people live in Turkey and everybody can say what he or
she wants. 50-100 people started campaign", he said.

TURKEY’S DIASPORA IN EUROPE DESCRIBES APOLOGY CAMPAIGN AS GAME OF ARMENIAN DIASPORA

Trend News Agency
Dec 18 2008
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec. 18/ Trend News, B. Hasanov/ Union of Turkish
Democrats in Europe, uniting all Turkish diasporas in Europe, located
in Koln city of Germany, strongly denounced apology the campaign
launched by a group of intellectuals in Turkey.

"The campaign launched by a group of "intellectuals" in Turkey does
not reflect position of Turkish people and we consider it a game of
Armenian diaspora," Salih Altinishik, secretary general of Union of
Turkish Democrats in Europe, said to Trend News by telephone from Koln.

Around 200 Turkish academics, writers and journalists launched
a website issuing an apology to the Armenians regarding the 1915
incidents and calling for people to sign on in support. Over 5,000
people have registered on the website, Turkush media reported.

Armenia and Armenian lobby worldwide state that in 1915 the Ottoman
Empire, Turkey’s predecessor, committed genocide against Armenians
living in Anatolia. Armenians striving to make their statements
recognized worldwide have strengthened their propaganda of the
so-called genocide in several countries and have achieved recognition
of the "Armenian genocide" at several Parliaments.

Altinishik said relevant measures are needed to be taken against
this campaign. He described it as a part of a scenario carried out
stage-by-stage.

"There is no any crime and criminal to apologize for," he added. He
said this campaign will not have any impact on so-called "genocide"
claims in Europe.

"We will successfully continue our diaspora efforts for the favor of
our nation," Altinishik said.

"WHY SHOULD I APOLOGIZE WHEN I HAVE NOT COMMITTED A CRIME?"

Sabah
99FA3334E84CFE8BFFD972BFAAD5BA.html
Dec 18 2008
Turkey

Prime Minister Erdogan has announced that he finds the ‘I apologize
to Armenia’ campaign as being illogical, and stated; "The Turkish
Republic does not have such concerns."

Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan shared his reaction to those who have
started the ‘I apologize to Armenia’ campaign. Calling the campaign
"illogical," Erdogan responded to a journalist’s question regarding
the campaign. "I have not committed any crimes that would require
me to apologize. Those that are apologizing must have done some sort
of genocide to feel such a need. The Turkish Republic does not have
such qualms. If such a crime exists then those that participated can
apologize. However not I, nor my country or this nation’s citizens
have any such issue. Erdogan, emphasizing he has expressed his
position on the issue, also brought up the steps that have been
taken towards building relations with Armenia. "We did not take any
of these actions in order to make up for anything. This in itself is
a sign. Another sign would be the president having gone to Armenia to
watch the national game between the two countries." Emphasizing that
participating in this campaign is not even in question, Erdogan stated:
"I do not support the campaign nor will I take any part in it."

DISRUPTS PEACE

Bringing up the fact that historians are debating the issue, Erdogan
stated; "I am honestly having a difficult time comprehending the
writers and academicians who are responsible for launching this
campaign. They are in essence doing nothing but rattling our sense
of peace and reversing the effects of the steps taken. Steps have
been taken in order to solve certain issues, but now with the wrong
incentive, those steps are being reversed. Approaching the issue with
good intentions is one thing; however apologizing only establishes
ties to the issue. I do not find it at all logical to apologize when
there is no offense present."

PACE COMMITTEE DEMANDS SUSPENSION OF ARMENIA’S DELEGATION VOTING RIGHTS

Trend
Dec 18 2008
Azerbaijan

Declaring it "unacceptable" that persons could be charged and deprived
of their liberty for political motivation in Armenia in relation to
the events of 1 and 2 March 2008, the Monitoring Committee of the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) recommended
suspending the voting rights of Armenia’s eight-member delegation to
the Assembly until the authorities "have clearly demonstrated their
political will to resolve this issue." The co-rapporteurs would visit
the country in January 2009, with a view to reporting back to the
Committee on the first day of the January 2009 part-session on any
progress with respect to the release of these persons, reported A1+.

In two earlier resolutions, the Assembly had made several demands
following the post-electoral violence of March 2008, including the
holding of an independent, transparent and credible inquiry into what
happened, and the release of persons detained on "seemingly artificial
and politically motivated charges" in connection with those events.

In its draft resolution, adopted in Paris, the Monitoring Committee
welcomed the Armenian President’s creation of a fact-finding group of
experts to look into the March events as an important step towards
meeting the Assembly’s demands, but cautioned that its credibility
would depend on how it conducts its work. They also expressed
satisfaction at efforts to initiate reforms in the media, electoral
legislation and the judiciary.

However, the parliamentarians said that "notwithstanding positive
developments in some areas" the limited progress with regard to the
release of the above mentioned persons meant the Armenian delegation
should be deprived of its vote, if no further progress is reached in
this request before the January 2009 PACE plenary session.

The Assembly is due to decide on the matter on Thursday 29 January
during its forthcoming Winter plenary Session (26 – 30 January 2009).

IS AZERBAIJANI BLACK CAVIAR SOLD IN ARMENIA?

Today.Az
cs/49666.html
Dec 18 2008
Azerbaijan

Smuggle caviar, brought to Azerbaijan, is revealed in Armenia.

According to Aykakan zhamanak newspaper, earlier the security
service of the Armenian President "held a raid" on the head universal
market. They confiscated the whole amounts of black caviar there. Shop
assistant sigh that they will not have black caviar for long.

Rumors say that caviar is smuggled to Armenia from Azerbaijan.

Head of the Center Community Gagik Beglaryan, famous as "Black",
who is the owner of the said market, has interfered with the case.