Author: Antonian Lara

AZG Armenian Daily #175, 30/09/2005
Turkey-EU
ANKARA SPEAKS A LANGUAGE OF THREATS TO EU
Turkish Delegation Will Not Leave for Luxemburg if the Phrase ‘Privileged
Partnership’ Is Not Removed from Documents
Speaking about European parliament’s resolution, Turkish Prime Minister
Tayyip Erdogan said: “This resolution is not mandatory. No matter what
resolution they passed, we shall not renounce our stance”. The International
Herald Tribune referred yesterday sources standing close to PM Erdogan
writing that the Parliament’s resolution was in fact a sting for him despite
PM’s outwardly calm response. The paper says that Erdogan at first wanted to
boycott the negotiations.
The representatives of EU member states tried to set the format of Turkey-EU
talks in Brussels yesterday. The EU ambassadors failed to come to a
unanimous decision. Meanwhile Austria proposed the status of “privileged”
partner, which Ankara rejected. Austria’s chancellor Wolfgang Schlussel
declared yesterday that his country will agree to start negotiations for
Turkey’s full membership if the EU reopens talks with Croatia halted because
of Zagreb’s refusal to hand a war criminal over to the Court of Hague.
The Great Britain, which holds the EU presidency, confirmed yesterday that
foreign ministers will meet on Sunday. In effect, the ministers will try to
save EU-Turkey talks slated in Luxemburg, October 3.
Abdullah Gul, Turkey’s foreign minister, called his British counterpart
earlier threatening that the Turkish delegation will not leave for Luxemburg
unless final negotiation documents lay bare on the table. According to
Hurriyet, the Turks will not leave for Luxemburg if EU does not remove
“privileged partnership” wording from the documents and does not withhold
Cyprus’ right for veto on Turkey’s participation in international meetings.
The September 28 speeches at the European Parliament as well as opinion
polls in different EU countries show that the Europeans are not inclined to
accept Turkey as a full member of the European family. Most of the French,
Germans and Austrians are against Turkey’s membership and the Danes would
prefer Ukraine to agricultural, Islamic Turkey. One of Greek deputies said
in his speech: “It’s inadmissible to make a positive decision hoping that
Turkey will some day become a democratic country. Following that logic we
can admit to EU countries like Iraq, Afghanistan, Cambodia, Iran and other
undemocratic states”.
The International Herald Tribune writes that pessimism in Europe about
Turkey will deepen in near future. In case Angela Merkel wins the elections
in Germany her government will not go beyond “privileged partnership” with
Turkey. Presidential candidate in France, Nikola Sarkozy, is also against
Turkey’s membership.
By Tatoul Hakobian

EuroNews – English Version
September 28, 2005
Parliament green lights Ankara’s EU talks, adds criticism
Even on the threshhold of formal discussions on joining together,
Europe and Turkey tensions continue. Parliament deputies in
Strasbourg have demanded that Ankara recognise the 1915 Armenian
genocide.
They also strongly criticised Turkey’s human rights record today.
‘Recognise Cyprus soon,’ they said. But the majority approved the
start of EU membership negotiations with Turkey next week.
The assembly postponed a vote to ratify Turkey’s extended customs
union with the EU. This was the doing of the conservative group,
which favours something short of full membership for Turkey in the
bloc. The postponement was a bid to put pressure on Ankara to open
its ports and airports to traffic from EU member Cyprus.
Meanwhile, EU governments remain deadlocked on a negotiating mandate
for the talks. Austria has informally linked its acceptance of the
start of the Turkey talks to an agreement to begin talks with
Croatia.
Ankara rejects anything less than full membership. Opinion polls show
a majority of EU citizens, especially in Austria, France and Germany
oppose this.Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan dismissed
parliament’s decisions as unimportant.
To seek an accord, diplomats say, an emergency meeting of the 25 EU
foreign ministers is likely on Sunday night. That is just hours
before the Turkish negotiations are meant to start, in Luxembourg.

EU MINISTERS TO HOLD EMERGENCY TALKS ON TURKEY
Ireland online, Ireland
Sept 29 2005
European Union foreign ministers will hold emergency talks this
weekend to try to overcome Austrian objections to starting entry
talks with Turkey, after ambassadors failed to reach agreement today,
diplomats said.
Austria held to its position that Turkey be offered the option of a
lesser partnership rather than full membership in negotiations which
are scheduled to start on Monday.
All 25 EU nations have to agree on a negotiating mandate before talks
can begin with Ankara.
The deadlock will put further strain on ties with Ankara which is
growing increasingly restless over attempts by several EU nations to
put the brakes on opening negotiations.
A British EU presidency spokesman confirmed the EU foreign ministers
will hold talks on Sunday in Luxembourg, on the eve of the planned
opening of negotiations with Turkey. Bilateral talks will continue
in the meantime between London and Vienna to try and get Austria to
back down.
Austria says its people – and many others across the bloc – do not
support full membership for Turkey and is demanding Ankara be given
the option of a privileged partnership. Turkey firmly rejects anything
less than full membership talks.
Austria is also linking the Turkey talks with its wish to see the EU
do more to review Croatia’s now-frozen efforts to join the bloc.
Brussels has demanded that Zagreb cooperate more in handing over a
top war crimes suspect to the UN war crimes tribunal.
Diplomats said Britain and other member states were unlikely to yield
to demands to drop guarantees of full membership.
The draft mandate states the “shared objective of the negotiations
is accession,” but adds they are “open-ended.” It does not mention
a partnership as an alternative.
Membership talks would be a major milestone for Europe and
predominantly Muslim Turkey, which has been knocking on the EU’s door
since 1963.
The EU nations secured Cypriot support last week to start the talks,
after Nicosia agreed to plans that the EU push Turkey to recognise
the Mediterranean island during entry talks, leaving Austria as the
only hold up.
EU diplomats have been negotiating for nearly two months to agree on
a joint negotiating mandate and a declaration demanding that Turkey
recognise EU member Cyprus.
The declaration warns that non-recognition could paralyse the
negotiations. The EU issued the demand after Turkey said it still
refused to recognise the island’s government, which effectively
controls only the Greek Cypriot south.
Ankara said an agreement it signed in July to widen its customs union
with the EU to include Cyprus and nine other new EU members did not
amount to recognition of the Greek-Cypriot government.
Yesterday, the European Parliament added to tense EU-Turkey ties,
voting to postpone a vote to ratify Turkey’s customs union with
the EU, a requirement of membership. The politicians also called on
Ankara to recognise the 1915-1923 killings of Armenians as genocide,
which Turkey vehemently denies.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan immediately dismissed the
non-binding European resolution on the extremely sensitive Armenian
issue.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

The Simone de Beauvoir Institute
Concordia University
is pleased to have organized
a reading by
Prof. Arlene Voski Avakian,
Director, Women’s Studies, U. Mass. Amherst
On October 17, 2005
at 7:15 PM
MU 101
2170 Bishop
Montreal
Avakian is going to read from her work on her grandmother’s survival story
of the 1915-1923 Genocide of the Armenians
Copies of Arlene’s Lion Woman’s Legacy will be there as well.
Arlene Avakian’s reading is part of the Institute’s Genocide Seminar WSDB
498X/2/A that meets on Monday nights 6 PM to 8:15 PM.
Free admission!
———————————————————————–
For more on the Seminar contact the Institute
514-848-2424 ex. 2370, or 2373
See this article in Thursday Report on the co-organizers of the seminar.-

DEFENDANT OPENS FIRE AT PLAINTIFF AND LAWYER IN MOSCOW COURT
MosNews, Russia
Sept 28 2005
A plaintiff and his lawyer were targeted by a gunman, believed to be
a defendant, in a justice of the peace building in Moscow Wednesday.
A man armed with a Kalashnikov assault rifle opened fire at the
plaintiff and his lawyer on Wednesday, Interfax news agency reported.
Both of them were badly injured in the attack, the news agency
reported.
The gunman, of Armenian origin, was overpowered and detained at the
scene of the incident. According to preliminary information, he was
the defendant in a case being heard in the building.

Bangkok Post – Thailand;
Sep 23, 2005
BEAUTIFUL CHEMISTRY
Interviewing a famous perfumer, you can’t help being nosy about how
he keeps his olfactory organs fit to do the job, what he eats to
nourish a great sense of smell, and, oh yeah, does he insure his two
gifted nostrils?
But for the busy Francis Kurkdjian, a leading figure on the fragrance
scene, frivolous questions were swept aside to make room for serious
_ but not too serious _ matters of the nose.
Not your average fragrance designer, Kurkdjian’s background is in
classical dance and music, but he left the fancy footwork and the
do-re-mi’s behind to create sweet smelling notes instead. At the age
of 15 he set his heart on becoming a perfume pro.
Elizabeth Arden’s Green Tea, Lancome’s Miracle Homme, and Armani
Mania are some of his non-Jean Paul Gaultier’s creations. For the
French fashion provocateur, Kurkdjian devised Le Male, Fragile and
the new Gaultier to the Power of Two.
The charming 36-year-old Frenchman with Armenian roots was recently
in Bangkok to unveil John Paul Gaultier’s new perfume, and shared
some of his aromatic expertise.
The recipe for a great perfumer?
Good olfactory memory, senses, passion, and flexibility to switch and
absorb each brand’s character or style. Also patience, because
creating one fragrance can take up to three years. For Gaultier to
the Power of Two it took 18 or 19 months. In terms of academics,
perfumers should have a knowledge of chemicals.
How do you get inspiration for a new fragrance?
Rather than specialise in a particular note combination or style, I
like to switch olfactory territories to explore new challenges.
What do you look for in a great perfume?
Finesse in everything, including the ingredients, process, bottle and
concept. It does not have to be complicated; it can be simple and
still be perfect. Less is more. Jean Paul Gaultier and I have the
same opinion about this.
What’s trendy in fragrances right now?
There are different preferences. Asian people are in favour of a
fresh and floral family, but there is no definitive trend. When I
create a fragrance, I never think of trends.
Your most important tip in choosing a new scent?
It may sound obvious, but simply choosing a perfume that appeals to
you is my best advice.
The worst mistake you can make wearing a fragrance?
For me, there are no limitations to wearing perfume. Many people like
to spray it on at the pulsation points where the fragrance will
develop. But why not spray it in the air like a shower, or if you
prefer, on a cloth. But we should be careful not to overwhelm others
in closed areas like the lift.
Any tips for smelling sweet in a hot climate?
I understand that using perfume is not a habit of Asians. You can use
less strong fragrances or start with a perfumed bath line _ body
lotion, shower gels or deodorant are a good start for people who
aren’t used to wearing a fragrance.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Noyan Tapan News Agency
Sept 23 2005
ARMEN RUSTAMIAN: ACCEPTING TURKEY, EUROPEAN UNION STOPS BEING
REPOSITORY OF SYSTEM OF VALUES AROUND WHICH CREATED
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 23, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. If today’s
Turkey which doesn’t correspond to European values. enter the
European Union, the European Union will stop being the repository of
the system of values around which that structure was first formed.
Armen Rustamian, a representative of the ARF Supreme Body of Armenia,
the Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations stated
about this at the September 22 press-conference.
According to him, the fear of the peoples of France and Holland, that
the European Union can lose its essense being strengthened by means
of new bureaucratic mechanisms and becoming a political structure,
was one of reasons of failure of the referendum of the EU
Constitution in these countries. Particularly, interviews held in
France showed that the most part of those saying “no” sees danger in
Turkey’s membership to the EU.
According to Rustamian, if Turkey completely correspond to the
European system of values, it will recognize the Armenian Genocide
immediatly. According to him, refusal of the fact of the Genocide
shows that today’s Turkey doesn’t differ from the Ottaman Turkey, and
it’s not excluded that it should take similar steps again.
According to him, the issue of the Genocide can’t be considered as a
historical or moral problem as it’s more than modern and relates to
geographic-political developments of the South Caucasus and the whole
eastern region, That’s why, according to the rapporteur, the issue is
replaced on the political field and “cut off its source and reasons.”
“We should be able to touch upon the problem of the Genocide in right
time and in right way and never make it a subject of trade, a subject
of hagglings,” Rustamian stated.

Anatolian Times, Turkey
Sept 23 2005
European Commission On Suspension Of Armenian Conference
BRUSSELS – The suspension of a conference entitled ”Ottoman
Armenians during the Empire’s Fall” will be reflected in the
European Commission’s regular progress report on Turkey (to be
released on November 9th), said Commission spokeswoman Krisztina
Nagy.
During her regular press briefing, Nagy said that the Commission
strongly deplored this attempt, and noted that the suspension
illustrated the difficulties of Turkey, and in particular of the
judiciary.
Stressing that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s and
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul’s statements on this development were
noted down, Nagy said the timing of this decision the day before the
opening of the conference seemed like yet another ”provocation”.

A1+
| 22:36:12 | 23-09-2005 | Politics |
FULL STOP
The candidate for the post of the Kentron community head, member of the
People’s Party Rouzan Khachatryan decided to put the full stop to her
pre-election campaign in the area near the Matenadaran. Her meeting with the
electors was organized there. Deputies of the Justice bloc Shavarsh
Kocharyan, Tatoul Manaseryan and Vardan Lazarian were present at the
meeting.
Member of the Heritage party administration Anahit Bakhshyan also supported
Mrs. Khachatryan.
During the meeting the candidate did not try to convince everyone to elect
her. She just tries to «awaken» the feeling of necessity to fulfill your
civic duty, «You must by all means participate in the elections. Do not let
others to use your voice for their aims. If you are against everyone, say
so».
The main reason for Rouzan Khachatryan to put forward her candidacy in the
elections is that «The Yerevan Center has lost its face».
The politicians supporting Rouzan Khachatryan mentioned that in the
atmosphere of oppression and loss of faith the elections of the local
governing bodies can improve the situation. «We are convinced that the
Kentron community will mark the beginning of democracy», they claimed.

A1+
| 20:19:54 | 22-09-2005 | Official |
CILICIA RETURNING
Today Secretary of the Security Council at the RA President, Defense
Minister Serge Sargsyan received the crew of Cilicia vessel.
During the meeting the parties discussed a number of issues referring to the
returning of the vessel to Armenia.