Author: Arsine Chaltikian

PRESS RELEASE
From: Mira Yardemian
Public Relations Director
Haigazian University
Mexique Street, Kantari, Beirut
P.O.Box. 11-1748
Riad El Solh 1107 2090
Tel: 01-353010/1/2
Email: [email protected]

Mouradian Lectures on Turkey-Armenia Dialogue

On Thursday, December 11, a lecture on Turkish-Armenian relations,
titled "Soccer Diplomacy and the Road Not Taken," was held at Haigazian
University.

Haigazian’s Student Life Director and Haigazian Armenological Review’s
executive secretary Antranig Dakessian spoke briefly about the current
developments in Turkish-Armenian relations and introduced the speaker,
Khatchig Mouradian, editor of the Boston-based Armenian Weekly and a
graduate of Haigazian University.

Mouradian first provided the context in which the recent Turkey-Armenia
rapprochement happened. During the Russia-Georgia conflict, he noted,
traffic was disrupted on an important highway connecting the two
countries, stopping vital supplies from reaching Armenia. With the
Russia-Georgia standoff unresolved, urgent attention was given in
Yerevan to the Turkey-Armenia border, closed by Turkey when the Karabagh
conflict erupted. Mouradian also talked about the presidential election
in Armenia and how it affected the rapprochement.

The speaker then detailed the political situation in Turkey and the
reasons behind Ankara’s interest in reaching a breakthrough in
Turkey-Armenia relations. After a brief overview of the situation in
Turkey, during which he spoke about the role of the Turkish army and
bureaucracy and the difficult situation the ruling AK party has found
itself in, Mouradian noted that Turkey’s interest in a breakthrough
could be summarized by one word: genocide.

"With a democratic majority in Congress, and with the prospects of an
Obama/Biden victory high, Turkey realized that it is only a matter of
time before the U.S. officially recognizes the Armenian genocide,"
Mouradian said.

Mouradian said, "In Turkey, the hardliners argued that Ankara should
avoid normalizing relations with Yerevan before the latter stop pursuing
international recognition of the Genocide and withdraws forces from
Karabagh. The moderates, on the other hand, argued that the best
strategy for Turkey would be to disrupt the harmony between the Armenian
state, which has made genocide recognition a foreign relations priority,
and the Armenian Diaspora, which has been pursuing genocide recognition
worldwide for decades through activism and lobbying." By starting
negotiations with Armenia and receiving concessions from it on the
genocide recognition front, Mouradian argued, Turkey hoped of creating a
schism between the Diaspora and Armenia and undermine the passage of the
Genocide Resolution in the U.S.

Mouradian then talked about the inherent asymmetries in the
Turkey-Armenia dialogue. He said, "True transformation of
Turkish-Armenian relations cannot take place without involving all
sectors and levels of the affected population. ‘Soccer Diplomacy’ was
not Turkish-Armenian dialogue-as it was portrayed in the media-it was
Turkey-Armenia dialogue and ignored the large and powerful Diaspora that
has been the coronary artery of Armenia since its independence."

He concluded, "A great amount of creativity is necessary to address the
power asymmetries that are so inherent to this conflict-especially since
these asymmetries are the product of the genocide perpetrated by one
side and the denial and hostile attitude that continued to define the
policies of that side towards the other."

ARMENIANS IN THAILAND ARE NOT UNDER THREAT

Panorama.am
19:36 27/11/2008

Currently the situation in Thailand is under control and Armenians
are nit threatened, reported the Consulate of Thailand. According to
the source emergency situation has not been announced, international
airport of Suvanaboom is closed. Remind that "Democratic Federation
for Democracy" party holds demonstrations in Bangkok, and international
airport of Suvanaboom is occupied by the demonstrators.

There are 30 Armenian schoolchildren studying in Paraya, Thailand,
said Hayk Harutyunyan, the representative of "Regents" school and the
project coordinator. According to him the city is a few kilometers
far from Bangkok and the recent events there are not dangerous for
the schoolchildren. Besides, the school is also well protected with
high walls.

PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN HAS A TELEPHONE TALK WITH RUSSIAN COUNTERPART

Today.Az
itics/47383.html
Sept 4 2008
Azerbaijan

On September 3, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev made a telephone
call to President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

The two leaders expressed satisfaction with the development of the
Azerbaijan-Russia relations at various levels.

They stressed the importance of reciprocal visits, including recent
official trip by Dmitry Medvedev to Baku, in terms of enhancing the
bilateral ties between the two countries.

The two Presidents expressed confidence in further strengthening
of the bilateral relations. During the phone talk, Presidents Ilham
Aliyev and Dmitry Medvedev also discussed several international issues,
including regional situation, and Nagorno-Karabakh peace talks.

ALL CONFLICTS IN SOUTH CAUCASUS REGION SHOULD BE SETTLED WITHIN TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF COUNTRIES OF REGION: PRESIDENT OF ROMANIA

Trend News Agency
Aug 21 2008
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, 21 August /corr. Trend J.Babayeva / All conflicts
in the South Caucasus region should be settled within territorial
integrity of the countries of region, the President of Romania, Trayan
Basesku, told during the meeting with the President of Azerbaijan,
Ilham Aliyev, in Baku.

" Romania supports solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh and other conflicts
in the region within territorial integrity of the countries of region,"
Basesku said.

During the meeting, the President of Azerbaijan highlighted development
of friendly relations between Azerbaijan and Romania in political,
economic, cultural spheres. " Romania and Azerbaijan are close allies,
and regional co-operation between the two countries is successfully
realized," President Ilham Aliyev said.

President of Romanian made a short-term visit to Azerbaijan. Trayan
Basesku’s visit took place within tour to the countries of Black
Sea region.

SERZH SARGSIAN:"WE ARE READY TO TALK TO TURKEY"

ARMENPRESS
JULY 9, 2008

The famous "The Wall Street Journal" published today the
article of the Armenian President Serzh Sargsian which we present
below.

"The problems of newly independent nations attempting to build
a novel, democratic way of life did not end with the break-up of the
Soviet Union. Armenia, a small country strategically located between
Turkey, Russia, Iran and the energy-rich Caspian region, is a case in
point. Postindependence Armenia’s potential for peaceful development
has not been realized as best it could.

During the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Turkey closed its border
with Armenia as an expression of ethnic solidarity with Turkic
Azerbaijan. The regrettable result is that for almost 15 years, the
geopolitically vital border between Armenia and Turkey has become
a barrier to diplomatic and economic cooperation. It is closed not
only to Armenians and Turks who might want to visit their neighboring
countries, but to trade, transport and energy flows from East to West.

Strategic projects such as the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and
the projected Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad bypass Armenia, while the
existing railway between Turkey and Armenia remains shut. And the
Armenian people are not the only ones who have suffered from these
restrictions and detours. All countries in the region, and the broader
community of European nations, pay a high cost for these unnatural
barriers to commerce, progress and international cooperation.

The time has come for a fresh effort to break this deadlock, a
situation that helps no one and hurts many. As president of Armenia,
I take this opportunity to propose a fresh start – a new phase
of dialogue with the government and people of Turkey, with the goal
of normalizing relations and opening our common border.

After my election in February, my Turkish counterpart, Abdullah Gul,
was one of the first heads of state to congratulate me. Turkey’s Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan suggested that the doors are open to
new dialogue in this new period.

There is no real alternative to the establishment of normal relations
between our countries. It is my hope that both of our governments
can pass through the threshold of this new open door. Establishing
normal political relations would enable us to create a commission to
comprehensively discuss all of the complex issues affecting Armenia
and Turkey. We cannot expect tangible progress without such structured
relations. Only through them can we create an effective dialogue
touching upon even the most contentious historical issues.

Already, on a more personal scale, many Armenians and Turks have
found ways to get around the closed border. They take advantage of
regular charter flights from Yerevan to Istanbul and Antalya. There are
numerous bus and taxi routes through Georgia, and container trucks even
make the long detour, enabling some trade between our two countries.

And just as the people of China and the United States shared enthusiasm
for ping pong before their governments fully normalized relations,
the people of Armenia and Turkey are united in their love for football
– which prompts me to extend the following invitation.

On Sept. 6 a World Cup qualifier match between the Armenian and Turkish
national football teams will take place in Yerevan. I hereby invite
President G?l to visit Armenia to enjoy the match together with me
in the stadium. Thus we will announce a new symbolic start in our
relations. Whatever our differences, there are certain cultural,
humanitarian and sports links that our peoples share, even with a
closed border. This is why I sincerely believe that the ordinary
people of Armenia and Turkey will welcome such a gesture and will
cheer the day that our borders open.

There may be possible political obstacles on both sides along the
way. However, we must have the courage and the foresight to act
now. Armenia and Turkey need not and should not be permanent rivals. A
more prosperous, mutually beneficial future for Armenia and Turkey,
and the opening up of a historic East-West corridor for Europe, the
Caspian region and the rest of the world, are goals that we can and
must achieve."

BY WEF’S 2008 REPORT ON WORLD TRADE PROMOTION, ARMENIA IN FIRST PLACE AMONG CIS COUNTRIES BY TRADE PROMOTION INDEX

Noyan Tapan

Ju ne 17, 2008

YEREVAN, JUNE 17, NOYAN TAPAN. By the 2008 Report on World Trade
Promotion of the World Economic Forum (WEF), Armenia is in 61st place
among 118 countries by the trade promotion index, taking the first
place among CIS countries and exceeding the indices of Ukraine (68),
Azerbaijan (78) and Russia (103). NT was informed by the Economy and
Values research center – partner of the WEF’s Global Competitiveness
Network that this report was published by the WEF for the first time
and analyses the conditions of ensuring efficiency of the factors
forming the basis of free commodity flow among countries – in each
of the examined countries.

According to the report, Armenia is in 43rd place by the market
entrance freedom index: the economic policy conducted in Armenia
sufficiently promotes the foreign production inflow. On the other
hand, the impact of regulation on the country’s borders on trade is
especially unfavorable (87th place). Armenia is in 77th position by the
index determining the transport and communication infrastructures and
in 53rd position by the index of the sector’s business environment. Out
of the factors influencing international trade, the tariff and
nontariff restrictions (14th place) and the legislative field on
business environment (47th place) are especially effective.

It is said in the report that among Armenia’s results in the sector,
the most vulnerable ones are the efficiency of customs regulation
(103rd place), transparency of the activities of the regulatory bodies
on the borders (92nd place), the availability and quality of transport
means (89th place), and the access and quality of information and
communication means (86th place).

Hong Kong and Singapore are the world leaders by their trade promotion
indices: they are in leading positions in terms of international
trade openness and investment attraction ability.

YARD SPORTS FESTIVAL TO BE ORGANIZED THIS YEAR AS WELL ON INITIATIVE OF YEREVAN MAYOR’S OFFICE

Noyan Tapan
April 28, 2008

YEREVAN, APRIL 28, NOYAN TAPAN. A contest-festival of Yerevan’s
music and art schools is held for already the second year on the
initiative of Yerevan Mayor’s Office. This year it started on April
20 and will finish on June 14, with a concert to be held in Aram
Khachatrian concert hall. As Kamo Movsisian, the Head of the Youth,
Culture, and Sport Department of Mayor’s Office, said at the April
28 press conference, festival’s goal is not only to raise quality
of music schools, but also to draw children’s attention to national
instruments. It was also mentioned that the best ten of music and
art schools will be chosen in the contest and the winning schools
will be given prizes.

According to K. Movsisian, a yard sports fesival and The Best Sport
Family event will be organized this year as well on the initiative of
the Mayor’s Office. In his words, the first yard sports festival was
held in 2007, in which 2000 children from different communities of
Yerevan took part. The festival includes a number of kinds of sport:
football, volleyball, basketball, handball. It was mentioned that
both cultural and sports events will involve disabled children as well.

K. Movsisian also said that like every year this year also Yerevan
Mayor’s Office will organize a concert dedicated to the Last Bell
event for comprehensive school leavers in Liberty Square.

TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTRY SLAMS FLAG BURNING IN ARMENIA

Anatolia News Agency, Turkey
April 25 2008

Ankara, 25 April: A Spokesman for the Turkish Ministry of Foreign
Affairs said Friday that Turkey strongly condemns the trampling of
the Turkish flag in Yerevan on April 24th and the burning of the
Turkish flag a day earlier in Yerevan by Armenians.

In a written press release, the Turkish MFA said that "the Turkish flag
symbolizes the values, beliefs and freedom of the Turks. All peoples
know how much importance the Turks attach to the Turkish flag. News
from Yerevan pertaining to the Turkish flag have caused deep sorrow,
reaction and anger in the Turkish society. We strongly condemn all
acts made against the Turkish flag in Yerevan".

The Armenian Weekly On-Line
80 Bigelow Avenue
Watertown MA 02472 USA
(617) 926-3974
[email protected]

http://www.a rmenianweekly.com

The Armenian Weekly; Volume 74, No. 13; April 5, 2008

AYF Section:

1. New York AYF Organizes Discussion on ANCA Gateway, Internship Programs

2. An issue of international significance
By Raffi Teperdjian

***

1. New York AYF Organizes Discussion on ANCA Gateway, Internship Programs

NEW YORK, NY-On March 27, ANCA Capital Gateway Program director Serouj
Aprahamian lectured to a group of young Armenian-Americans about ANCA
internship opportunities in Washington, DC. Organized by the New York
"Hyortik" AYF chapter the event took place at St. Illuminator’s Armenian
Cathedral in Manhattan. In addition to numerous young professionals, AYF
members from New York, New Jersey, and members from Hunter’s Armenian Club
were in attendance.

During the lecture Aprahamian spoke about the Capital Gateway program while
the audience listened with interest. "The ANCA offers many different
internship opportunities to students and young Armenian professionals and
has been doing so for more than two decades," said Aprahamian.

A short movie was then screened showing alumni and current fellows talking
about their program experience. In the film numerous young
Armenian-Americans voiced their thanks to the ANCA for giving them
opportunities that eventually led to their current career advancements. ANCA
Executive Director Aram Hamparian spoke in the film about the importance of
having Armenians not only as interns working at large firms and
Congressional offices, but of one day becoming CEO’s and Senators
themselves. Copies of the DVD were also passed out to each attendee.

After the lecture Aprahamian gave the floor to ANC Eastern Region director
Karine Birazian who also addressed the audience, stressing the importance of
having a strong ANC presence in New York City. She outlined local
opportunities to help out at the ANC Eastern Region office in Manhattan.

"This event was a good learning experience not only in respect to the ANCA
Internship program but about ANCA’s role in Washington. Talking to Serouj
after the program, I think I’m definitely going to give Capital Gateway a
try," said Hyortik member Maral Najjarian.
————————————— ————————————————– ——

2. An issue of international significance
By Raffi Teperdjian

In the United States, the media is historically viewed as the public’s ally
against corruption and autocracy, internationally as well as within our
borders. Americans like to think that they can stay up to date on current
events, news, sports, and crises simply by staying glued to a television
set. Today, people seem more concerned with watching in the
highest-definition and having the most plasma oozing out of their system
than with what is the content of what they are actually watching.
Unfortunately, the magnitude of p’s & i’s does not affect the intellectual
quality of the programs being seen. Often the media coverage of the most
significant worldly issues is suppressed by crooked bureaucrats seeking
personal gains or is overlooked altogether.

Such is the case with the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

On April 24th, 1915, the Ottoman Turks led by the newly formed Young Turk
party began a collectivized effort to ethnically cleanse all Armenians
throughout the Ottoman Empire and beyond, beginning with the arrest,
torture, and murder of 250 Armenian intellectuals within the Turkish
capital. What followed before and throughout World War I was the first
genocide of the 20th century where 1.5 million Armenians (in addition to
other ethnic minorities in the empire) were deported, persecuted, robbed,
starved, raped, burned, and ultimately slaughtered.

Under the false pretext of "relocating" Armenians to other parts of the
empire due to the ensuing war, Armenians were rounded up and marched out of
their villages systematically and driven towards the deserts of Der Zor in a
remote part of Syria where they were left to perish. Along the way, they
were prey to bands of Kurds and robbers who pillaged, raped, and killed
them. Instead of giving aid and protection, Turkish soldiers charged with
marching Armenians allowed and often partook in executions and rape and in
fact shot those who could not continue due to exhaustion and starvation.

The enormity of the scale of atrocities did not go unnoticed and in fact was
regularly reported in The New York Times. Westerners were outraged with the
stories they heard, and diplomats such as Henry Morgenthau, Sr., the U.S.
ambassador to Turkey at the time, regularly reported on events he witnessed
and had heard from others. Millions of dollars in aid were sent to Armenians
through the American Near East Relief Committee and similar organizations,
but ultimately less then 100,000 Armenians remained as a result of the
massacres.

Despite the overwhelming evidence supporting this holocaust, Turkey and the
United States have yet to recognize the Armenian Genocide. Politicians
shudder at the thought of even referring to the events by their proper name;
and to this day, Turkey threatens to halt support of U.S. operations in the
Middle East should a resolution be passed acknowledging the historical
facts. Among the 22 nations that have officially acknowledged the Armenian
Genocide is France, which is one of many nations that today demands that
Turkey accept its past truthfully before being allowed admittance to the
European Union.

Being an Armenian, this issue is personally paramount among unresolved
conflicts in the world, and with public support for the war in Iraq
dwindling is more relevant then ever. Governments cannot continue to dictate
international policy to meet an agenda at the expense of an entire nation.
If humans continue to cast a cold shoulder in reviewing and acknowledging
authentic history, then we are doomed to repeat our mistakes.

Prior to his invasion of Poland, Hitler was quoted saying, "Who, after all,
speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?" The most important issue
to me internationally is the one where retribution is the longest overdue.

Raffi Teperdjian is a member of the Washington "Ani" AYF chapter.

FORUM 18 NEWS SERVICE, Oslo, Norway

The right to believe, to worship and witness
The right to change one’s belief or religion
The right to join together and express one’s belief

========================================== ======
Thursday 14 February 2008
TURKMENISTAN: WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE, THE RELIGION LAW OR GOVERNMENT
ACTIONS?

Turkmenistan has promised to amend its Religion Law, but work on this has
not started, Forum 18 News Service has found. Shirin Akhmedova, Director of
the state National Institute for Democracy and Human Rights, claimed the
process of amending the Law would be "transparent" and would involve
"international experts." However, she said that the views of local people
would be listened to only after Forum 18 specifically asked about this. She
refused to say what parts of the Law are likely to be amended, when a draft
Law may be produced, or if their would be public discussion. She insisted
that the country has a "new government" and denied that religious believers
face any problems in practising their faith. Religious believers have told
Forum 18 that no fundamental changes in religious policy have yet taken
place. Many have stated that restrictions they face include not being able
to: build or open places of worship; publish or import religious
literature; travel abroad (including on the haj pilgrimage to Mecca); share
their beliefs; or – for communities the authorities particularly dislike –
gain legal status.

TURKMENISTAN: WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE, THE RELIGION LAW OR GOVERNMENT
ACTIONS?

By Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service <;

Turkmenistan’s government is promising to amend the Religion Law "to bring
it into line with international human rights norms", but a senior official
has admitted that work on this has not yet started. "Concrete work has not
begun, but the process has begun," Shirin Akhmedova, Director of the
government’s National Institute for Democracy and Human Rights, told Forum
18 News Service from the capital Ashgabad [Ashgabat] on 13 February. She
claimed the process of amending the Law would be "transparent" and would
involve "international experts." However, she said that the views of local
people would be listened to only after Forum 18 specifically asked about
this.

Forum 18 tried to find out more about the proposed amendments to the
Religion Law from the government’s Gengeshi (Committee) for Religious
Affairs in Ashgabad. However, each time Forum 18 introduced itself on 13
and 14 February the official who answered the phone of its deputy head
Nurmukhamed Gurbanov put the phone down.

Religious believers Forum 18 has spoken to welcome any attempts to improve
the Law. However, they remain sceptical over whether any amendments will be
a genuine improvement, or be a genuine attempt to establish the rule of
law, and whether the authorities will end the tight state control of
religious communities.

Officials often do not know which parts of the published laws are supposed
to govern their actions. Recently-deported Baptist pastor Vyacheslav
Kalataevsky was told by officials that unregistered religious activity,
including people meeting together for worship in homes, is banned. "I asked
them to show me what part of the law bans unregistered worship and they
were unable to do so," Kalataevsky told Forum 18 when he was still in the
country. Throughout Turkmenistan, Protestants, Muslims and people from
other faiths have been stopped by officials from exercising their right to
freedom of thought, conscience and belief (see F18News 21 November 2007
< e_id=1050>).

"What needs to be cleaned up is the Ministry of State Security (MSS)
secret police," one Christian who preferred not to be identified told Forum
18 on 13 February. "They need to stop the house raids, taking of names,
workplaces and addresses. They continually follow and harass believers."
The Christian recounted the case of a friend who was offered a high level
job. When he disclosed – for the safety of the employer – that he was a
Christian, the employer took back the job offer saying it was too risky.
"If the new President, Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, is serious we should
start seeing some internal changes that conform with the Constitution’s
guarantees."

However, Akhmedova of the National Institute for Democracy and Human
Rights resolutely denied that religious communities and individuals face
any problems in practising their faith. Told that many religious believers
have told Forum 18 that they cannot freely build or open places of worship,
publish or import religious literature, travel abroad freely for religious
purposes (including on the haj pilgrimage to Mecca), invite foreign
co-religionists, share their beliefs and – for communities the authorities
particularly dislike – gain legal status she declared angrily to Forum 18:
"You have one-sided information. I have worked here for nearly a year and I
have received no complaints from any religious community in all that time."

Asked whether religious communities can freely build places of worship,
Akhmedova responded: "Of course. Look at the mosque that is to be built in
Koneürgench [in the northern Dashhowuz Region]. Places of worship are being
built." When Forum 18 pointed out that this mosque is being built at the
decision of the state, while religious communities themselves cannot
initiate building places of worship, she repeated that Forum 18 had
"one-sided information".

While refusing to distance the authorities from the repression of
religious believers during the rule of former President Saparmurat Niyazov,
who died in December 2006, Akhmedova kept insisting that Turkmenistan has a
"new government". Asked whether this meant that those who suffered under
the Niyazov regime would be compensated – such as Ashgabad’s Seventh-day
Adventist community which saw its church bulldozed by the authorities in
November 1999 without compensation – she said she had never heard of this.

Asked whether Muslims would be compensated for the mosques destroyed in
the last three years or whether the Armenian Apostolic Church would get
compensation and be allowed to get back their century-old church in
Turkmenbashi [Türkmenbashy, formerly Krasnovodsk], partially destroyed in
2005, she again denied all knowledge of such demolitions (see F18News 21
November 2007 < 1050>).

Akhmedova repeated government claims that pilgrims could travel
independently "at their own expense". However, only 188 state-approved
pilgrims were approved to travel on the haj in December 2007, while
Turkmenistan has a quota of 5,000 (see F18News 14 December 2007
< e_id=1062>). Asked why there was
this severe restriction, she claimed: "Dozens of my friends went on the haj
this time making their own arrangements." She declined to give Forum 18 any
names or contact details to verify her claim independently, or say how they
travelled.

Akhmedova told Forum 18 that the Interagency Commission set up last year
to bring Turkmenistan’s laws in the area of human rights into line with
international norms met in Ashgabad on 5 January. "A long list of laws was
approved to be brought into line with international standards," she told
Forum 18. "The Religion Law is one of those. However, there is no hierarchy
of priority, so no individual law will be considered ahead of the others."

Akhmedova said the Interagency Commission will be coordinating specific
proposals to amend the Religion Law, with the help of her agency. "We want
to work with experts from USAID and the OSCE [Organisation for Security and
Co-operation in Europe]," she added. "It will be done better with their
help." She said the text would eventually go to parliament for approval.
Only after questioning from Forum 18 about the involvement of citizens did
she state that local people could present suggestions to the Interagency
Commission or her National Institute for Democracy and Human Rights.

She refused to say what specific elements of the Religion Law are likely
to be amended. She would not give a timetable of when a new draft Law is
likely to be produced, or state if it would be open for public discussion.

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in
Warsaw told Forum 18 that it had expressed its readiness to offer
assistance to the Turkmen government through legislative support and other
forms of bilateral consultations. "The ODIHR provides legislative opinion
on draft laws on freedom of religion or belief to OSCE participating States
through its Panel of Experts on Freedom of Religion or Belief," it told
Forum 18 from Warsaw on 14 February.

The ODIHR’s Director, Ambassador Christian Strohal, has visited
Turkmenistan and offered help on election issues, the rule of law and human
rights. However, his visit coincided with a crackdown on a group of
Protestants by the MSS secret police, the hakim (head) of a district
administration, the head of a collective farm and the local mullah. Two
compulsory public meetings were then held, attended by hakimlik officials,
the collective farm chairman, the MSS secret police, the ordinary police
and the local mullah. At both meetings, Protestant parents were named and
threats were made that electricity, gas and water supplies to their homes
would be cut off, that their children would be expelled from school, and
that they would not be given farm land to cultivate. They were accused of
"conducting criminal activity and political activity against the
government" and the meetings were told that the authorities "would do
whatever it takes to crush and destroy them"(see F18News 25 May 2007
< -3>).

Akhmedova of the National Institute for Democracy and Human Rights put the
phone down before Forum 18 could ask if the Code of Administrative Offences
will also be amended. Article 205 in the Administrative Code punishes
individuals found guilty of violating the Religion Law, such as by holding
unregistered religious worship. She had put down the phone before Forum 18
could ask. However, the Criminal Code is among a number of legal codes
known to be due for review.

Religious believers insist to Forum 18 that no fundamental changes in
religious policy have yet taken place. "The mechanisms that existed before
[under Niyazov] still continue," one believer who asked not to be
identified told Forum 18 on 13 February. "All the limitations remain: if
you have state registration you can rent somewhere to meet for worship, but
you can’t get your own building for worship and you can’t meet in private
homes. Of course the community is pleased to be able to meet. But we dare
not complain about the other restrictions, as even the permission to meet
could be taken away."

The believer stressed that at almost every worship service a state
official is present. "The community doesn’t complain about this. It’s
something you have to live with. In the Soviet Union they were always
there."

The believer added that restrictions on religious literature remain. "You
can bring into the country only a handful of religious books or magazines,
and no more than one of any one title." The believer added that local
communities cannot invite fellow-believers from abroad.

A believer from another community was equally adamant that the state
control mechanism remained in force. "The most important problem is
government control," he told Forum 18 on 14 February. "They say they’re
working on a new Religion Law, but we know who’s controlling all this – the
MSS secret police. From my experience I know that no other agency can take
a decision without them. What would be good would be for the government to
change the situation so that the law would work."

The believer complained not only about the MSS secret police, but of the
religious affairs office in each regional hyakimlik (administration). "One
of the officials is always a mullah, while the other is a normal official,"
he told Forum 18. "They work with the police against religious communities,
especially Jehovah’s Witnesses, but not only them. It would be better if
such offices didn’t exist."

He added that regional religious affairs officials insist on checking all
religious literature received from abroad by post or confiscated from
religious believers. "They told us that we could read our religious books
but were banned from giving them to others."

The believer said that Justice Ministry officials repeatedly reject
registration applications citing "petty mistakes". "They also warn
communities applying for registration that if they are caught violating the
law three times their registration application will be cancelled."

He said that religious communities without state registration cannot meet
openly for worship. "Some communities have to meet in small groups so that
they are not noticed."

Forum 18 knows only of one Protestant church and a branch of it that were
newly registered in 2007. Many mosques, especially Shia mosques, face
registration difficulties, as do Armenian Apostolic, Protestant and
Jehovah’s Witness communities.

Registered communities such as the Russian Orthodox Church are subject to
state interference in their internal life, such as bans on receiving
literature and pressure to isolate them from their fellow believers (see
F18News 19 October 2007
< e_id=1037>). Protestants have
told Forum 18 of numerous unwritten controls on registered communities,
including forced co-operation with the MSS secret police (see F18News 16
February 2006 < 728>). Many
communities are therefore reluctant to apply for state registration (see
F18News 24 May 2006 < 787>).

A religious believer with close ties in the country told Forum 18 from
Moscow on 14 February that he has applied repeatedly in recent years to be
able to visit fellow-believers in Turkmenistan. "I lodge my papers each
time at the embassy saying I want to go there to meet my co-religionists,
but they never even respond." Similarly, an exit ban is maintained against
Turkmen citizens the authorities do not like (see F18News 31 May 2006
< e_id=790>).

Jehovah’s Witnesses told Forum 18 that their attempts to send a delegation
>From the United States to Turkmenistan have also got nowhere, despite a
meeting in June 2007 with the Turkmen ambassador to the United States,
Meret Orazov.

Vyacheslav Kalataevsky, was pastor of a small independent Baptist
congregation in his native city of Turkmenbashi [Türkmenbashy] (formerly
Krasnovodsk), but was forced to leave Turkmenistan in December 2007. He
said that Turkmenistan’s Constitution already guarantees freedom of
conscience. "The Religion Law and the Constitution are fine on paper – the
problem is they are not being carried out."

Kalataevsky complains that he and his fellow-believers have been punished
for peacefully meeting for prayer and worship without state registration.
In his case with deportation, then imprisonment, then deportation again
(see F18News 10 January 2008
< e_id=1069>).

"During raids officers always refer to an order from above," he told Forum
18 from Ukraine, where he is now living. "All we can do is guess where this
order is from."

Kalataevsky insists that harassment of religious believers who wish to
worship peacefully is still going on, regardless of the change in
leadership. He referred to the raid on a Baptist congregation in Balkanabad
(formerly Nebitdag) in December 2007 as one example (see F18News 10 January
2008 < 1069>).

Pastor Kalataevsky also pointed out the rejection of his wish to return to
Turkmenistan to live with his wife and children and to lead his
congregation. He said that at the end of January 2008 his wife Valentina
phoned the Migration Service to ask whether the invitation she had issued
him on 6 December had been approved. "They told her verbally they had
rejected the application but refused to say why and refused to put it in
writing," Kalataevsky told Forum 18. "Of course my religious activity was
the most important reason why I was expelled and not allowed back." He said
he is now thinking of bringing his family to join him in Ukraine. "This is
all that is left to us."

Bayram Ashirgeldyyev – one of two Jehovah’s Witnesses currently serving a
suspended sentence for refusing compulsory military service on grounds of
religious conscience – said that the introduction of a system of
alternative civilian service is the biggest change he would like to see.
"We are ready to help the state by performing an alternative service," he
told Forum 18 from Ashgabad on 14 February, "as long as it is fully
civilian, not military."

Ashirgeldyyev expressed disappointment that neither he nor his fellow
Jehovah’s Witness Begench Shakhmuradov were included in the latest
presidential amnesty, announced on 13 February in honour of Turkmenistan’s
flag day. "Begench and I don’t know why we weren’t included yet again." He
told Forum 18 that the military commissariat is still refusing to give him
the military card and stamp that he needs to be able to take up an offer of
work he has received.

However, another Jehovah’s Witness Ashirgeldy Taganov was included in the
amnesty. He was sentenced in Ashgabad on 18 December 2007 to an 18-month
suspended sentence for refusing military service (see F18News 10 January
2008 < 1069>). (END)

For a personal commentary by a Protestant within Turkmenistan, on the
fiction – despite government claims – of religious freedom in the country,
and how religious communities and the international community should
respond to this, see < 728>.

For more background, see Forum 18’s Turkmenistan religious freedom survey
at < 672>.

More reports on freedom of thought, conscience and belief in Turkmenistan
can be found at
< mp;religion=all&country=32>.

A survey of the religious freedom decline in the eastern part of the
Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) area is at
< id=806>, and of religious
intolerance in Central Asia is at
< id=815>.

A printer-friendly map of Turkmenistan is available at
< s/atlas/index.html?Parent=asia&Rootmap=turkme& gt;.
(END)

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