ASBAREZ Online [09-22-2005]

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09/22/2005
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Turkey Regrets EU's 'Injustice' 2) Constitutional Reforms More Important than Confrontation Says Rustamian 3) Armenia Marks Independence Day 4) California Trade Office to Open in Armenia 1) Turkey Regrets EU's 'Injustice' (Combined Sources)--Turkey has described a European Union (EU) declaration criticizing Ankara's refusal to recognize Cyprus as unjust, one-sided, and politically motivated. The bitter words from foreign ministry spokesman Namik Tan come less than two weeks before Turkey and the EU are due to begin talks on Turkish membership. The EU declaration said that Turkey would have to recognize Cyprus before it could join the EU--a process which analysts say may take 10 years or probably much longer. "We regret the publication of this counter-declaration. It has a style which does not accord well with the traditional spirit of co-operation that has existed between Turkey and the EU over a period of more than 40 years," Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Tan said. The European Union told Turkey on Wednesday it must eventually recognize EU member Cyprus and said the bloc would review progress on this in 2006, removing an obstacle to opening accession talks with Ankara on October 3. The statement, forged after days of haggling among the EU's 25 members, responded to Turkey's refusal to recognize Cyprus, where it keeps some 35,000 troops since intervening in 1974. "The agreement... paves the way for a smooth adoption of the negotiating framework and thus the opening of the accession negotiations with Turkey," said EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn. The EU must still agree the negotiating framework that will provide the ground rules for opening talks with the sprawling Muslim nation of 72 million, whose potential entry has unnerved some leaders and many among the public in Europe. It also calls on Turkey to open its ports and airports to Cypriot vessels and planes, which Ankara has failed to do, even though it has extended its customs union agreement with the EU to 10 new members, including Cyprus. "If the accord is not implemented in the first six months of 2006, questions will be asked from Turkey why it has not done so," Cypriot Foreign Minister George Iacovou told reporters in Nicosia. He also called on the EU to keep promises to lift the economic blockade against northern Cyprus and to provide financial aid to the region. The declaration ignored the "rights and expectations of the Turkish Cypriot people" Tan said, describing it as a "serious injustice." Turkish officials say the EU's efforts to end the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots have been blocked by Cyprus, a member of the EU since May 2004. The EU declaration came in response to an earlier declaration by Turkey in July, saying that its extension of a customs union with the EU to all new member states did not imply recognition of Cyprus. Since then, Turkey has continued to block Cypriot ships and aircraft from its ports and airports. Turkish newspapers on Thursday reflected a mood of frustration with the EU. "The growing mood is such in Turkey that if the government were to announce that it will suspend relations with the EU, the support it would get from the public would soar," foreign affairs commentator Semih Idiz wrote in the English-language Turkish Daily News. 2) Constitutional Reforms More Important than Confrontation Says Rustamian YEREVAN (RFE/RL-Yerkir)--Armen Rustamian, who heads Armenian parliament's foreign relations committee, warned that a rejection of proposed constitutional amendments at a referendum in November would lead the Council of Europe and the European Union to conclude that Armenians are unwilling to embrace "European values," putting the country "not only in an unpleasant, but also ridiculous situation," he said. Failure to pass the amendments would be construed as a general failure, Rustamian told a news conference. "It wouldn't matter at all who is to blame for that, the government or the opposition. For they [the Europeans] believe that if this document is not adopted, Armenia won't able to carry on with its reform program." Rustamian also argued that Armenia's controversial post-Soviet constitution, widely criticized for giving disproportionate powers to the president of the republic, is a serious obstacle to its democratization. The Council of Europe, the EU as well as the United States similarly link constitutional reform to the democratization of Armenia's political system. They say Kocharian's constitutional draft does provide for a more effective system of checks and balances. But the Armenian opposition insists that the amendments would not significantly curtail the sweeping presidential powers. The opposition views the referendum also as an opportunity to make another attempt to topple the ruling regime. Rustamian, who heads the Armenian Revolutionary Federation for Armenia, deplored the opposition stance, saying success of the referendum is necessary for the entire country and not just its leadership. Opinion polls suggest that winning sufficient popular backing for the amendments will be an uphill task for the Administration. But Rustamian said he believes the authorities can convinced a majority of Armenians to vote for them, indicating that ARF has already drawn up a relevant plan of action. "When campaigning gets underway, the ARF will come up a comprehensive and clear opinion on what it expects from that constitution, what its approaches and tactic are," said Rustamian. Speaking about the recent passage of two Armenian Genocide resolutions in the House International Relations Committee and the State Department's reaction, Rustamian said they enjoy the backing of many members of Congress and is confident that the resolutions will likely pass in the House of Representatives, despite White House resistance. On a settlement to the Mountainous Karabagh conflict, he stressed that Armenia's leadership endorses a solution based on three principles: that Mountainous Karabagh cannot be under the Azerbaijan's rule; it should have a common border with Armenia; and the security of the people of Karabagh must be guaranteed. 3) Armenia Marks Independence Day YEREVAN (Armenpress)--President Robert Kocharian said on Wednesday that Armenia is firmly on the path of sustainable development fourteen years after declaring independence from the Soviet Union, an anniversary marked as a public holiday. He was speaking at official ceremonies marking Armenia's Independence Day. It is devoted to a September 21, 1991 referendum in which the vast majority of Armenians voted for secession from the Soviet Union. Kocharian and other Armenian leaders paid traditional visits to Yerevan's Yerablur military cemetery as part of those ceremonies. In his speech, Kocharian pointed to four consecutive years of double-digit growth reported by his government, saying that was made possible by political stability in the country. "Economic growth should directly affect the well being of our citizens and we are determined to fully implement our poverty reduction program," he said. "Work and social security--this must be our slogan for the coming years." Kocharian's optimism was echoed by parliament speaker Artur Baghdasarian. "During these 14 years our people have seen a lot of hardship and difficulties," he said in an interview RFE/RL earlier in the day. "But today we can say that Armenia is an established state with all its shortcomings, omissions, and successes. I think we are entering the period called 'beyond establishment.'" "A lot has been done but there are also numerous unsolved problems," Baghdasarian added, singling out Armenia's high unemployment rate. Speaking to reporters, Prime Minister Margarian said today's Armenia is an established state with a pronounced commitment to deeper economic reforms, democratic transformation and international engagement. "What remains is to make our state stronger, to ensure its security and address the pressing problems of the people, to create conditions for thousands of Armenians who left the country to come back." 4) California Trade Office to Open in Armenia YEREVAN (Armenpress)--Visiting California State Senator Jack Scott (D-Pasadena) said that the Yerevan office of the California International Trade and Investment Office would start operating on October 1. Scott, who will be in Armenia until Saturday, said the opening of the office in the Armenian capital was evidence of growing trade between Armenia and California and would create favorable conditions for Armenian businessmen to sell their products in California, home to a 500,000 strong Armenian community. Scott indicated that Armenia would in return, be able to import the latest technology in such sectors as IT, biotechnology, and architecture. Plans are to eventually expand the office to Ukraine, Georgia, and Russia. "Californians and Armenians alike can move forward towards establishing closer business and trade relations with one another to benefit both peoples equally," Scott said, adding that it took 4-5 years to have the California State Legislature to pass a resolution to establish a Yerevan trade office. Armenian-US trade is now about $60-70 million and the bulk of which falls on California. Armenian foreign minister Vartan Oskanian said the office will help raise these figures substantially in the next few years. The California International Trade office will be housed temporarily in the premises of the Armenian Development Agency (ADA) until a separate building is found. 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.