Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

TURKEY STRONGLY REJECTS EP REPORT
By Cihan News Agency
Zaman Online, Turkey
Aug 5 2006
The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Tuesday said it strongly rejected
the European parliament report compiled by Dutch legislator Camiel
Eurlings, saying it was incompatible with the prestige and gravity
of the European parliament.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Namik Tan said that the controversial
report would not contribute to the improvement of ties between Turkey
and European Union. “The report lacks commonsense and objectivity.”
The European parliament report, which was compiled by Dutch legislator
Camiel Eurlings and was adopted by the European parliament’s foreign
affairs committee on Monday, harshly criticized Turkey for its slow
pace of reform on rights, freedom of expression and relations with
Greek Cyprus.
“Turkey was deeply saddened with the stance of the European parliament
regarding the so-called Armenian genocide claims,” Tan said.
Spokesman Tan said that the European lawmakers should act with
consideration and amend the draft report.
The report complains that the pace of the reforms slowed in 2005 and
the implementation of reforms still remains uneven, underlining that
significant further efforts are required in regard to fundamental
freedoms and human rights, in particular freedom of expression,
women’s rights, religious freedoms, trade union rights and cultural
rights, and the further strengthening of the fight against torture
and ill-treatment.
From: Baghdasarian

MILITARY BUILDUP WORRIES EUROPE, AND RIGHTLY SO
The Messenger, Georgia
Aug 5 2006
Georgia still has the flag of Europe flying from every public building,
but in reality the country’s relations with the EU have reached
something of a stumbling block. On August 28 EU External Relations
Commissioner, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, who is in charge of the European
Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), castigated Caucasian countries over huge
increases in military spending.
Speaking at a Ljubljana conference on the implementation of the ENP
action plans with South Caucasus, Ferrero-Waldner had nothing but
extremely stern words for Georgian. Pointing first to the lack of
progress in conflict resolution, which she said was a responsibility
of “all parties”, she went on to argue that the vast increase in the
military budgets of Georgia and Azerbaijan-which she described as going
“through the roof”-was not only unjustifiable given the deplorable
social conditions in those countries, but also hindered the peaceful
resolution of the conflicts.
Though in a subsequent interview with Radio Free Europe she admitted
that this criticism would not prevent the adoption of the ENP action
plans, she added the increase of “hate speech” she detected in all
three South Caucasus countries to her list of charges.
Ferrero-Waldner makes a good case: not only is it clear that in
a country as poor as Georgia, where most of the population live in
extreme poverty, unemployment is rife, access to healthcare is scarce
and teachers and doctors live on a pittance, spending the lions share
of the state budget new guns is unacceptable; an increase in military
spending coupled with an increase in military rhetoric makes peaceful
conflict resolution ever more difficult.
Georgia has repeatedly stated its commitment to solving its separatist
conflicts only by peaceful means, and has submitted peace plans to
that effect to both South Ossetia and Abkhazia. These plans have
one international approval, and call first of all for confidence
building measures to be implemented between the conflicting sides. It
is difficult to see how these plans can proceed past stage one then,
when both sides are rattling their sabres ever louder “lowering the
threshold for war”, and Georgia saw the biggest increase in military
spending of any country in the world this year. “Harsh rhetoric does
not create an atmosphere conducive to restoring mutual trust and
resolving these conflicts” she warns.
In Georgia’s defence, this military build up does start from an
incredibly low base, it was only 1998 when the whole of Senaki
military base (now rebuilt to those ‘European Standards’ we hear so
much about) mutinied over conditions and pay, and Georgia clearly
needs a strong military to stop it sliding back towards being a
failed state. Also, military build up is by and large supported
by the Georgian population, though increased employment and better
social conditions would be supported still more. However, it is also
true is that Georgia needs the EU, membership may be a dim prospect,
but if the peacekeeping forces and settlement mechanisms are to be
internationalised in the conflict zones, the EU will prove far more
acceptable to Russia than NATO; it is with this in mind that Georgia
should take Ferrero-Waldner’s words to heart.
Azerbaijan, fat on oil and gas revenues, without Russian military
might to worry about in its confrontation with Nagorno-Karabakh and
with an authoritarian regime which tightly controls the media, can
ignore the EU’s advice, but any escalation in that conflict would
only add to the suffering of its already impoverished population.
The EU is right to be worried, the last thing Europe needs is
instability on its crucial south-eastern flank, another Balkans would
be a disaster in terms of human trafficking, drugs and terrorism.
Anything they can say to try and push back the Caucasus from the
verge of armed hostilities is to be welcomes, and we can only hope
that regional leaders take Ferrero-Waldner’s advice: “Leaders have
a responsibility to prepare their populations for peace, not war.”
From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIAN JOURNALISTS UNION ANNOUNCES CONTEST FOR JOURNALISTS
Arka News Agency, Armenia
Sept 4 2006
YEREVAN, September 4. /ARKA/. Armenian Journalists Union has announced
a contest for the best journalist work. The union sys the contest
is announced as part of the celebration of Armenia’s independence
15th anniversary.
Works have to cover Armenian people struggle for independence.
Media outlets’ and organizations’ journalists as well as freelancers
are eligible to contend. The deadline for submitting works is
September 15.
The ceremony of handing awards is to be held on September 20 September
21 is Armenia’s Independence Day.
From: Baghdasarian

OVER 20,000 APPEALS SUBMITTED TO UN ON VIOLATION OF AZERBAIJANIS’ PROPERTY RIGHTS IN ARMENIA
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Sept 4 2006
Documents were submitted to the European Court of Human Rights for
restoration of property rights of Azerbaijanis, who have been deported
from Armenia.
Azerbaijan National Academy of Science Human Rights Institute told
the APA.
The documents submitted to the European Court state that the
properties belonging to Azerbaijanis deported from Armenia cost
totally $20 billion.
The UN has received more than 20,000 appeals regarding violation of
property rights of Azerbaijanis.
There are 272 Azerbaijani villages and 89 mixed villages in Armenia.
All Azerbaijani graves in these villages have been destroyed by
Armenians.
From: Baghdasarian

OSKANIAN BACKS DUAL CITIZENSHIP FOR ETHNIC ARMENIANS
Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS General Newswire
September 4, 2006 Monday 5:41 PM MSK
Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian favors dual citizenship
for all members of the Armenian diaspora.
In Oskanian’s opinion, all ethnic Armenians should be granted dual
citizenship.
“The problem requires a balanced approach making it possible not to
deprive members of the Armenian diaspora of the opportunity to obtain
citizenship, while on the other hand, avoiding the negative impact
of dual citizenship on Armenia’s national interests,” the minister
told reporters on Monday ahead of parliamentary debates on the issue.
About the upcoming “Armenia – Diaspora” forum to be held in Yerevan
on September 18, Oskanian noted that more than 1,500 organizations
and individuals had been registered for participation in the event.
The forum will consist of three parts: a plenary meeting with
the country’s president, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of
all Armenians and prominent figures of the Armenian diaspora due to
address the audience; discussion about how Armenia and the Armenian
diaspora can unite their efforts to assist in upgrading infrastructure
in Armenia’s rural areas; and also, discussion about the role and
place of Armenians in the 21st century.
Problems facing Armenians in the Dzhavakhetia, an Armenian-populated
district of Georgia, may also be discussed during the forum,
Oskanian said.
Although this is an internal matter for Georgia, “Armenia cannot
remain indifferent to the fate of its compatriots,” the minister said.
From: Baghdasarian

IRAQ’S NEW PAPER TIGER
By Adnan R. Khan
Maclean’s, Canada
September 4, 2006
Launching a newspaper is tough enough, even without the insurgency
A new voice has entered the media fray in Iraq, one with a Canadian
twist. Soma, meaning “perspective” in Kurdish, is a biweekly
English-language digest published out of Iraqi Kurdistan. It’s headed
by a Canadian whose vision is to transform journalism in Iraq. And,
says editor and founder Tanya Goudsouzian, “It’s been a challenge.”
Indeed. Goudsouzian is a 29-year-old Montreal native of Armenian
descent who speaks no Kurdish and only very basic Arabic. She launched
the paper in February 2006 with the help of Hiro Ibrahim Ahmad,
the wife of Iraqi President Jalal Talabani. And the road to her
cramped office in Sulaymaniyah, a city 275 km north of Baghdad and
the regional headquarters of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK),
the political party headed by Talabani, has been anything but smooth.
After graduating from McGill in 1998, Goudsouzian moved to Washington
to work at a magazine focusing on Middle Eastern issues. She left in
2000, moving to Cairo, then landing a staff position at Gulf News
in Dubai. She covered Afghanistan and Iraq, where she met Ahmad,
who worked in journalism before her husband became the Iraqi leader.
Since its launch, Soma has been pumping out 4,000 issues every two
weeks, with website traffic surpassing 100,000 hits. Also remarkable
is the fact that it is distributed nationally. “We print out of
Baghdad,” says Goudsouzian. “Every issue has to be sent south for
printing and distribution and then issues have to be flown back to
Kurdistan. The main reason we send the paper south is I want it to
have a national appeal. It’s geared for the English-speaking community
and English-speaking Iraqis throughout Iraq, not just Kurdistan.”
Soma must contend with a journalistic mindset still firmly rooted
in the Baathist era. For the most part, the Iraqi media remains a
mouthpiece for those in power, only now there are more mouths. In
Kurdistan, Iraq’s most democratized region, only one of dozens of
publications is fully independent: the weekly Hawlati. And, says its
editor, Twana Osman, 31, “There are certain subjects you just can’t
touch. We’ve had journalists arrested for criticizing the government,
for example. I’ve been formally charged for criticizing the Kurdish
regional prime minister.”
Soma has been pigeonholed as a PUK organ, Goudsouzian complains. “I
know it sounds like a contradiction, the wife of the president funding
a newspaper,” she says, “but Hiro is genuinely interested in a free
press.” There are, after all, very few people with money in Iraq who
are not associated with a party. “So if you receive funding at all,”
Goudsouzian says, “it’s likely you’re receiving it from someone with
party affiliations.”
Soma does not consider itself a political watchdog. Goudsouzian
admits she tries to avoid taboo subjects, such as censuring certain
powerful individuals. “I don’t want it to be filled with yellow
news-style personal attacks,” she says, noting that tendency in other
publications. “I want to change things. I take young journalists to
interviews so they see how it should be done. I’m training these guys
on how to report, how to construct a story.” Injecting professionalism
into an underdeveloped journalistic community is idealistic, and
difficult. But, Goudsouzian says, “You’re taking part in the rebuilding
of a civilization. You have to be an idealist or you’d go nuts. I
don’t plan on being here forever. But I plan on leaving my mark.”
GRAPHIC: Photo, SOMA EDITOR Goudsouzian, a McGill grad, sits in front
of heroin seized by Kurdish police, PHOTOGRAPH BY IANOS ATHANASIADIS
From: Baghdasarian

The New Anatolian
Sept 2 2006

Opinions
Unrealistic to say ‘no combat forces’

Ilnur Cevik
We keep on hearing from everyone that Turkish forces to be sent to
Lebanon on a peace mission should go there for humanitarian purposes
and thus should not include combat units … Is this realistic?
Yes, of course, our soldiers should be given missions like in Bosnia
where they will be out of harm’s way but let us not forget that
Lebanon, or any other spot like that, will always have its risks and
our non-combat units should not be left to the mercy of local security
forces or United Nations soldiers from other countries …
Turkish combat forces should go to Lebanon to accompany our soldiers
who will shoulder humanitarian missions but they should be protected
by our own combat units.
Any decision by Parliament to send the forces to Lebanon should not
include restrictions on combat units. Our forces should not be sent to
Lebanon to directly confront Israeli troops or any other Lebanese
militia forces like Hezbollah. But our hands should not be tied from
protecting our own soldiers against all eventualities. If our forces
confront any obstacles or even threats while undertaking their
humanitarian missions, our own forces should be there to protect them.
We are told the Lebanese government, the Israelis and several other
Arab countries, as well as the U.S. and the European Union want to see
Turkish participation in the Lebanese peace mission but we are also
aware that there are some circles against, like the Armenian minority
living in Lebanon who oppose a Turkish presence. These people have
financed the killings of Turkish diplomats in the past and have even
collaborated with Kurdish extremists against Turkish interests in
Lebanon. So Lebanon will not be a bed of roses for our soldiers.
However, despite this, Turkey’s presence is needed in Lebanon and we
feel Turkey should be there.
While we feel the debate on the issue of sending troops to Lebanon is
healthy and should be conducted at all levels of society, we also feel
the debate and the controversies should not drag on and Parliament
should convene as soon as possible to authorize the government to send
troops to Lebanon.
Before the aborted attempt to send troops to Iraq, Turkey was plunged
into a lengthy and very harmful debate which hurt our international
credibility. This should not be repeated.
From: Baghdasarian

Arkady Ghukasyan: Declaration of NKR was the only salvation for Artsakh

ArmRadio.am
02.09.2006 15:46
Today the NKR governmental delegation headed by President Arkady
Ghukasyan, RA Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan, other guests from
Armenia, Russia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia and Artsakhi people headed
for the communal grave to pay tribute to the memory of those killed in
the national-liberation war in Artsakh. Analyzing and assessing the
way passed in the past 15 years, NKR President Arkady Ghukasyan noted,
`The most important is that we have reached our objective ` we have
won the war, have constructed a state and are now developing it. And
we are confident we have not been mistaken. In his words, the
declaration of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic was the only salvation
for Karabakh; otherwise Artsakh would face the fate of Nakhijevan.
From: Baghdasarian

SERGE SARGSIAN: WE ARE NOT GOING TO INCREASE ARMY’S BUDGET AT EXPENSE
OF EDUCATION, CULTURE AND OTHER SPHERES

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Armenia’s
military budget will grow equally with the growth of the country’s
gross national output. Serge Sargsian, RA Defence Minister, Secretary
of the National Security Council under RA President, informed
journalists about it during his visit to the Military College after
Monte Melkonian on the occasion of a new academic year. “3.5 percent
of this output will be our military budget. We are not going to
increase the army budget at the expense of education, culture and
other spheres,” the Minister emphasized. Mentioning that the state has
been paying little attention to the Military College after Monte
Melkonian for the present, the Minister assured that this gap will be
filled up in the coming 1-2 years and the college will become a model
educational institution. Congratulating the college students on the
occasion of a new academic year, the Minister stressed that they have
the honor to study at the institution named after legendary Monte
Melkonian and gave assurance that many of them will become deserved
representatives of Armenian army’s officers staff in the future.
From: Baghdasarian

RF PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN CONGRATULATES PRESIDENT KOCHARYAN ON HIS BIRTHDAY
ArmRadio.am
31.08.2006 16:11
Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated RA President Robert
Kocharyan on his birthday.
The message says, in particular, “It is very pleasant that the
multi-sided Russian-Armenian cooperation, based on the traditional
mutual respect and friendship between our peoples, is gradually
developing. We highly appreciate you personal contribution to the
reinforcement of the strategic partnership base between Armenia
and Russia.
Vladimir Putin expressed his gratitude to RA President “for the
efforts directed at the further deepening of mutually beneficial
relations both in the bilateral format and in the framework of the
CIS and the Collective Security Treaty Organization,” Russian Novosti
news agency reports.
From: Baghdasarian