ASBAREZ Online [07-11-2005]

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07/11/2005
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Framework for Turkey's EU Accession Negotiations Garners Sharp Criticism 2) Erdogan Tells San Francisco Audience Turkey Has Nothing to Hide 3) Baku Protesters Demand Free Vote 4) OSCE Minsk Group Co-chair Negotiate in Azerbaijan 1) Framework for Turkey's EU Accession Negotiations Garners Sharp Criticism Hundreds of European organizations and foreign leaders call on European Union to integrate the Armenian genocide in Turkey's negotiations BRUSSELS (EAFJD) - -Over 350 associations and key leaders of European civil society from 21 countries, responded to an appeal by the European Armenian Federation (EAFJD) to include Armenian genocide recognition in Turkey's European Union (EU) negotiations for accession. The initiative, launched last April as the world marked the 90th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, garnered support from groups representing Armenian genocide survivors and their descendants, associations for the defense of victims of genocide and crimes against humanity, human rights groups, member organizations of the Charter of European Armenians, as well as key European political figures. The European appeal urged the EU to integrate calls by national and European parliaments to include genocide recognition in the framework of negotiations. The EAFJD noted that on Tuesday July 5, the European Parliament's Christian Democrat French delegation called on the Council "to modify the mandate of negotiations of the [European] Commission," notably "to reinforce the exigencies of Union on essential topics such as freedom of religion, penal legislation, the recognition of Cyprus, and the recognition of the Armenian genocide." In a July 5 press release issued by the French delegation to the European Parliament, Jacques Toubon, Vice President of the EU-Turkey Delegation, accused the Commission of harboring an "irresponsible attitude" which was "totally devoid of reality." He affirmed that "the official framework of negotiations essentially engages Turkey on its terms and not the criteria laid down by the [European] Union." During the presentation of the negotiations framework to the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), Olli Rehn, the EU Commissioner responsible for enlargement, revealed that a program geared to promote "dialogue between Turkish and European civil societies" was in fact intended to improve European public opinion about Turkey's accession to the EU; 40 million euros will be allocated to that program in 2006 alone. "We would encourage the EU to utilize the criteria established by the European Parliament, adopted since the beginning of Turkey's accession process, instead of wasting funds trying to improve Turkey's image in Europe at the expense of European tax dollars," stated European Armenian Federation Chairwoman, Hilda Tchoboian. "It is regrettable that the Commission would so openly ignore the wishes of 450 million European citizens and their 730 elected representatives. It is an abnormal and dangerous situation for democracy. Encouraged by the support of political parties and leaders in the Union, we will again submit the European appeal and the signatories list to the European Council in the days leading up to the October 3 negotiations," concluded Tchoboian. 2) Erdogan Tells San Francisco Audience Turkey Has Nothing to Hide SAN FRANCISCO (Combined Sources)--Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan was in San Francisco on July 7 to rub elbows with US media moguls in a bid to attract more foreign investment. Speaking for more than two hours at a forum organized by the World Affairs Council and The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, Erdogan focused mostly on international terrorism, but also spoke about his country's relations with Armenia and the Armenian genocide. He said that if necessary, Turkey is prepared to come face-to-face with its past. "We have nothing to hide; we have confidence in our history--it is impossible that our forefathers would have done anything like this," he asserted about the Armenian genocide. He also advised the US not to succumb to Armenian pressure. According to Erdogan, Turkey has taken important steps to clarify assertions that presently harm Turkish Armenian relations. "We don't think it is right [for Armenians] to interpret history so as to transfer feelings of hate generations. We don't hold hatred. But there are countries who have nothing to do with this issue that have adopted political decisions which will not help to remedy the situation." Erdogan said he would expect American Armenians to play a more constructive role. He said that Armenia, instead of pulling out of Mountainous Karabagh, is trying to portray its actions as legitimate, through its various worldwide lobbying efforts. "This is unacceptable. The only country [in the region] that does not have the courage to benefit from neighborly relations is Armenia; Armenia's shortsightedness and unhealthy policy is a waste of time for its people." Erdogan lamented the international community's snubbing of Turkish occupied Northern Cyprus. "Greek Cypriots were admitted into the European Union. Turkish Cypriots are still facing international isolation," he said. "What have the Turkish Cypriots done to deserve such an isolation? How can human rights activists justify discrimination that Turkish Cypriots are facing in the island?" He pointed out a recent visit by three US Congressmen to Northern Cyprus as a positive development "aimed at breaking the political isolation of the Turkish Cypriots." Asked by a reporter how the terrorist attacks in London affect Turkey's EU bid, Erdogan said that, ''British authorities say that the bomb attacks were against whole humanity and all civilizations and they show a calm attitude against terrorism. This is our common problem. We can't target one religion or one country and accuse them... It would be wrong to say that this/that terrorist organization did this attack before getting clear evidence. This is the aim of terrorism, to be able to spread propaganda all the time. And we politicians should not be a tool of it.'' 3) Baku Protesters Demand Free Vote By Greg Walters BAKU--Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, on Sunday, demanding a free vote in November's parliamentary elections, and raising the possibility of another velvet revolution in the former Soviet country. Demonstrators waved orange flags in an echo of last winter's Orange Revolution in Ukraine; several protesters said they were prepared to mount a similar campaign of peaceful resistance if elections were deemed fraudulent. Sunday's protest appeared to be the largest this summer. Internews, a media support non-governmental organization, estimated that the crowd numbered in excess of 25,000. Though at least 200 riot police stood by, there were no immediate reports of arrests. Anti-government demonstrations have been held in Baku almost every week for over a month and some have been violently dispersed. 4) OSCE Minsk Group Co-chair Negotiate in Azerbaijan BAKU (Combined Sources)--The co-chairmen of the Minsk Group began another round of regional talks in search of a resolution to the Mountainous Karabagh conflict. The American, French and Russian mediators of OSCE's (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) Minsk Group met with Azeri leaders on Monday and plan to travel to Armenia and Mountainous Karabagh to continue negotiations. They released no details about the content of their proposals, citing the confidentiality of the peace proposals. A meeting between the president of Armenia and Azerbaijan is scheduled to take place in the Russian city of Kazan on August 27. 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) 2005 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets.