ASBAREZ ONLINE [10-27-2004]

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10/27/2004
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Turkish EU Bid Gets Vocal Support from German, French Leaders, but Chirac Says 'Not A Done Deal' 2) Armenia Marks Parliament Attack Anniversary 3) Turkey Condemned by Human Rights Court for Torture of Alleged Kurdish Militant 4) Two Armenians in Lebanon's Final Cabinet Lineup 5) Deliberation in Case Against Turkish Consul of France Underway; Verdict to Be Announced on November 15 6) Kocharian Congratulates the Armenian Sailors of 'Cilicia' 1) Turkish EU Bid Gets Vocal Support from German, French Leaders, but Chirac Says 'Not A Done Deal' --German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and French President Jacques Chirac have reiterated their support for Turkey's EU bid, saying they will vote for setting a date for the start of accession talks when EU leaders meet at a summit in December. (International Herald Tribune, AFP, BBC, Reuters, Deutsche Welle)--German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said the EU's December summit should set a date for starting accession talks with Ankara. Reiterating their support for Turkey's EU bid, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and French President Jacques Chirac said on Tuesday that they would vote for opening accession talks with Ankara at the Union's December summit in Brussels. "We are both of the opinion that on December 17, it is about a decision that should give Turkey the opportunity to negotiate with the Commission with the explicit aim of Turkey joining the EU and with no other aim," Schroeder said after a meeting with Chirac in Berlin, preceding three-way talks with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The Brussels summit, he added, would serve as a probable starting point for negotiations. Earlier this month, the European Commission (EC) gave its preliminary approval for starting membership negotiations with Turkey. But it also warned that the process could be suspended at any time if Ankara fails to meet its political and human rights reform commitments. The commission's recommendations are expected to serve as a basis for the EU leaders' decision in December. Chirac said on Wednesday that Turkey's EU membership bid was "not a done deal," although he believed it was in Europe's best interests, a government spokesman reported after a cabinet meeting. "It is for Turkey to do the necessary to join the European Union, not for the EU to adapt to Turkey," he was quoted as telling ministers. "It will demand a considerable effort by Turkey and a lot of time, and it's not a done deal," he added, telling reporters the talks were likely to begin "in 2005 or around 2005," cautioning that it could take 15 years for Turkey to complete its negotiations and eventually join the Union. "Adapting all of Turkish law to the laws of the EU will demand a very major effort, particularly on Turkey's part," he said. Should negotiations fail to result in Turkey joining the EU, another option would be a "system designed to conserve strong links with Turkey", Reuters quoted the French president as saying. Significant opposition to Turkish membership exists both in France and Germany, with many worrying that the EU labor market would be flooded. Responding to domestic pressures, Chirac has said Turkey's EU entry bid will be put to a referendum in his country--an idea which sparked fierce criticism by Turkish officials, who say none of the ten Central and East European countries which joined the Union on May 1 were subjected to such a plebiscite. "The rules of the game are known and established. You cannot have new rules once the match has begun," Erdogan was quoted as saying in Berlin on Tuesday. He has sought to allay fears of a "clash of civilizations," saying that his country's membership would instead reconcile Europe and the Muslim world. Asked about the referendum on Tuesday, Chirac said it would only take place at the end of the negotiation process, voicing confidence that "the problem will provoke much less passion at that time." Portuguese President Jorge Sampaio also voiced support for Turkey's EU bid on Tuesday, viewing its eventual admission to the club as "a promising venture of mutual interest." "On the one hand, it would reinforce the national consensus regarding the secular nature of the Turkish state while, on the other hand, it would certainly contribute in the turbulent world which we live in since September 11, for a better perception of Europe in Muslim nations," said Sampaio, addressing a conference on the future of Europe in Lisbon. Also on Tuesday, Czech Foreign Minister Cyril Svoboda met with Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul, and voiced support for starting accession negotiations. The two officials also said their countries planned to discuss future visa liberalization. 2) Armenia Marks Parliament Attack Anniversary YEREVAN (Combined Sources)--Senior Armenian government officials marked the fifth anniversary of the 1999 attack on Armenia's parliament by visiting the Yerablur military cemetery in Yerevan, where eight top government officials are laid to rest alongside hundreds of Armenians who died during the 1991-94 war in Mountainous Karabagh. Prime Minister Andranik Markarian visited in the morning together with members of his government, parliamentarians, and senior law-enforcement officials. "The 1999 terrorist act pushed Armenia several years back," Markarian said after laying flowers at his predecessor's grave. He said the two assassinated leaders laid the groundwork for Armenia's economic recovery. Foreign minister Vartan Oskanian, who also was at the cemetery, said Armenia should reinforce its borders to prevent the country from becoming a transit route for terrorists. 3) Turkey Condemned by Human Rights Court for Torture of Alleged Kurdish Militant STRASBOURG (AFP)--The European Court of Human Rights condemned Turkey on Tuesday for the 1998 torture of a man accused of having links with the Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK--now renamed KONGRA-GEL). It dismissed a similar case brought by a second man arrested in the same incident but found Turkey guilty in both cases of failing to provide an effective remedy to complaints of ill-treatment. Turkish police arrested Abdurrahman Celik and Kasim Imret on May 17, 1998 on suspicion of acting as couriers for the PKK; they were later cleared of the charge. Both Celik and Imret said that while in detention, they were subjected to electric shocks, notably on their genitals, and also beaten, deprived of food and water, kept in isolation, immersed in cold water and threatened with death. The Turkish government argued that injuries found on Celik's body--a large bruise under one eye and lesions in the groin area--were the result of a fall, an account the Strasbourg-based court found "not very convincing," ruling that they were the result of treatment for which the Turkish government was responsible. Accordingly, it found that Turkey had violated an article of the European Convention on Human Rights prohibiting torture. In the case of Imret, it acquitted Turkey on the grounds that the plaintiff had not provided proof of his allegations. But it ruled that the Turkish authorities had been remiss in failing to rapidly prosecute the police officers involved, and found Turkey in breach of its obligation to provide an effective remedy to the men's complaints. Turkey was ordered to pay 10,000 euros (12,800 dollars) to Celik and 5,000 euros to Imret. 4) Two Armenians in Lebanon's Final Cabinet Lineup --30 member government includes two Armenians BEIRUT (Daily Star)--Prime Minister-designate Omar Karami formed a 30-minister Cabinet on Tuesday that includes two candidates proposed by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Sebouh Hovnanian and Alain Tabourian to represent Lebanon's Christian Armenians. Hovnanian will again serve as Sports and Youth Minister, while the incoming Tabourian was named Minister of State. Karami's Cabinet is the first to include two women, Leila Solh, daughter of former Prime Minister Riad Solh and aunt of billionaire Saudi Prince Walid Bin Talal, and Wafaa Hamza, a Shiite close to Speaker Nabih Berri. Karami said, "Women constitute half the Lebanese population." Two of the most prominent portfolios, the defense and foreign ministries, were given to Syria's allies Abdel-Hamid Mrad and Mahmoud Hammoud, while Syria's strongest ally, Suleiman Franjieh, was named interior minister. Karami named economist and former Minister Elias Saba as finance minister, at a time when his government is suffering from an estimated $35 billion national debt. Druze Talal Arslan was named minister of the displaced, replacing his opponent Chouf MP Walid Jumblatt, who said he will not participate in any Cabinet under Lahoud's mandate in opposition to the extension of the president's term for three years on Sept. 3. In accordance with the Taif Accord, the Cabinet must include equal Christian and Muslim representation spread between six Christian Maronites, four Christian Orthodox, three Christian Catholics, two Christian Armenians, six Shiites, six Sunnis and three Druze, headed by a Sunni Muslim prime minister. The Cabinet was announced following extensive and lengthy consultations between Lahoud, Berri, and Karami over the past five days. Sources close to the Cabinet discussions said that Berri vetoed the presence of former Speaker Hussein Husseini in the Cabinet and demanded that the names of all six Shiites ministers receive his approval. Berri, who heads the Amal Movement, issued a statement on Tuesday denying all information about a "Shiite obstacle" in the Cabinet reshuffle. "There is no Shiite obstacle at all in the Cabinet reshuffle. Several of the names mentioned in the press are inaccurate," the statement said. After resolving the interior ministry obstacle, granted to outgoing Health Minister Suleiman Franjieh after outgoing Interior Minister Elias Murr announced he would not participate in the next Cabinet, other difficulties emerged over the past 24 hours concerning the names to be appointed in the culture and education ministries. The new Cabinet excludes members of the opposition, such as Jumblatt's Democratic Gathering parliamentary bloc, the Qornet Shehwan Gathering and any ally of Hariri. Karami's extensive attempts to include members of the opposition in his Cabinet failed late Monday. The opposition groups, although not opposing Karami personally, are determined not to participate in a cabinet that falls short concerning basic national objectives, such as implementing the Taif Accord. They have also repeatedly said that the next cabinet will not bring any improvement to the current situation. "We refused to participate in the next cabinet knowing...that the opposition would be a minority and could not make any difference to face the majority of pro-regime parties and forces that are determined to keep the situation going as it is now," said Qornet Shehwan Gathering member Batroun MP Butros Harb in a statement Tuesday. What remains to be seen following the Cabinet reshuffle is whether it will be granted the confidence of Parliament, which requires the vote of 86 out of its 128 MPs. According to Article 64 of the Constitution, "The Cabinet does not exercise its powers before it gains Parliament's confidence." The 29 MPs who voted against the constitutional amendment of the extension of Lahoud's term may refuse to cast their vote for the new Cabinet. However, such a number would not affect the Cabinet's legitimacy. But if Hariri's parliamentary bloc decided not to vote in favor of the government, in addition to the 29 other MPs, Karami's Cabinet would not be able to exercise its powers. 5) Deliberation in Case Against Turkish Consul of France Underway; Verdict to Be Announced on November 15 PARISLawyers representing the Armenian National Committee of France in its legal suit against Turkish Consul General Aydin Sezgin, presented their argument before a Paris court on October 11. After listening to the parties, the court decided to postpone the verdict to November 15. "We are confident that the court will return with a favorable verdict," stated ANC France Chairman Harout Mardirossian, after sitting through the hearings. "Neither the opposing party, nor the public prosecutor contested the validity of the facts presented by our side." On his personal webpage, the Turkish Consul General includes a copy of "Armenian Allegations and Historical Facts"--the Turkish government's ten-point thesis, which denies the historical validity of the genocide perpetrated against the Ottoman-Armenians during World War I. After some deliberation, the ANC decided to bring the matter under the attention of the French courts. Wanadoo France Telecom, the internet company that hosts Sezgin's webpage, was also identified as a defendant in the suit. After refusing to suspend Sezgin's site, the ANC moved to gain convictions against both the counsel general and the web hosting company for their respective roles in producing and distributing denialist propaganda. "As French citizens, we are confident in the justice of our country," concluded Mardirossian. 6) Kocharian Congratulates the Armenian Sailors of 'Cilicia' YEREVAN--On Tuesday, President Robert Kocharian congratulated the crew of "Cilicia" after the successful completion of the first leg of their voyage. The president confirmed the Armenian government's willingness to assist the crew members, who have "shown to be steadfast in their goal and ready to overcome all sorts of difficulties." The sailing ship is named and modeled after the 13th century vessels used in and around the Armenian kingdom of Cilicia. All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2004 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. 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