Author: Chakhmakhchian Vatche

AzerTag
25 Oct. 2004
FOREIGN MINISTERS DISCUSS MEASURES OF CONFIDENCE IN ALMATY
[October 25, 2004, 12:54:12]
Deputy foreign minister of Azerbaijan Vagif Sadigov headed the
delegation of Azerbaijan in these discussions, AzerTAj correspondent
reported.
Discussed were issues on combat against terrorism, separatism,
extremism, situation in Afghanistan, restoration of peace and stability
on the South Caucasus. Participants of the event called on the world
community to show respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of
Iraq.
The session has adopted catalogue of Measures of Confidence, the
political declaration and official rules.
Having touched the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorny Karabakh conflict, Vagif
Sadigov has stated that presence of double standards in the mentioned
question impedes settlement of the problem. As he said, the Armenians
are settled in the occupied Azerbaijan lands, which contradict
international norms. In this connection, Mr. Sadigov met the deputy
minister of internal affairs of Uzbekistan Vladimir Norov, the first
deputy foreign minister of Afghanistan Zalmo Aziz, Minister of Foreign
Affairs of Thailand Surakiat Sathirathai, the deputy foreign minister
of Kazakhstan Asker Shakirov, in detail informed them on the
Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorny Karabakh conflict.
Let’s remind, that members of meeting concerning Measures of trust in
Asia are 16 countries.

OPPOSITION LEADER DISMISSES ARMENIAN TROOPS IN IRAQ DECISION AS “OPPORTUNIST”
Noyan Tapan news agency
23 Oct 04
YEREVAN
“The decision of the authorities to send Armenian troops to Iraq is an
opportunist one. We will lose more than we will gain if the decision
is to be implemented.” This was announced at the 5th congress of the
People’s Party of Armenia on 23 October by its chairman Stepan
Demirchyan. He noted that his party wants to establish normal
relations with all regional countries. “We don’t want any conflicts in
the region where Armenia is located,” the leader said.
He spoke in favour of furthering a strategic partnership relationship
with Russia. At the same time, he regards the “Property for debts”
agreement as unacceptable. He also noted the need for promoting
Armenia’s relations with NATO. Demirchyan spoke highly of the US
assistance and help in developing Armenia’s market economy. He
stressed the need for further deepening of Armenian-US ties.

AZERI DEFENCE MINISTRY DENIES TENSION ON FRONT LINE
Turan news agency
21 Oct 04
BAKU
The Azerbaijani Defence Ministry press service has not confirmed
reports by some media outlets that the situation on the front line has
deteriorated over the last few days.
At the same time, the ministry said that a resident of the village of
Alibayli of Tovuz District (bordering Armenia), Police Sergeant Azar
Nagiyev, was wounded in his stomach by an Armenian sniper in the
backyard of his private house on 18 October. He is receiving treatment
at the hospital of the Internal Troops at the moment.

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Oct 22 2004
Key conflict settlement parameters determined – Russian co-chair

Armenia, under the influence of outside forces, has nearly agreed to
return the Jabrayil, Zangelan and Fuzuli regions it currently
controls to Azerbaijan in exchange for releasing transport and energy
communications.

This was recently stated by the leader of Armenian Democratic Party,
ex-presidential adviser on foreign issues Aram Sarkisian in the
country’s parliament.
He said the USA is applying pressure on the Armenian side on
withdrawing from the occupied territories, as this country is
interested opening the railway lines.

Sarkisian continued that these issues were also discussed at a recent
meeting of the Presidents of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and of Armenia
Robert Kocharian in Astana. Considering this Armenia’s positions in
the Upper Garabagh conflict settlement have “sharply weekened”, as in
all international documents Armenia is presented as an aggressor and
is compelled to justify the occupation.
The Russian co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Yuri Merzlyakov, in
turn, told “Liberty” Radio station that he was unaware of any details
of the Azeri and Armenian Presidents’ meeting. He also refuted media
reports about the “Moscow Formula” for the conflict settlement
allegedly proposed by Russian President Putin.
Merzlyakov also said that the Presidents of the two countries were
expected to issue statements following their meeting in Astana, and
that Azerbaijan and Armenia will resume talks in late October-early
November.
“A lot has been agreed upon and it’s time to start more detailed
negotiations on the level of experts to prepare documents”, the
Russian co-chair said.

ArmenPress
Oct 21 2004
OSKANIAN MET WITH VENICE CITY OFFICIALS AND BUSINESS COMMUNITY
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 21, ARMENPRESS: The visit of Armenian foreign
minister Vartan Oskanian continues to Italy. According to foreign
ministry press services, yesterday Oskanian met with city authorities
and business community in Venice. He was hosted by the general
secretary of Venice Commerce Chamber and local business community.
The meeting passed in a business environment during which issues were
discussed to stimulate Armenian-Italian ties.
Both sides mentioned that Venice and Armenia have history-long
relations and tradition in the range of which the Armenian Mkhitarian
Congregation of Venice plays an important role. Special attention was
paid to large opportunities in small and medium-sized business
cooperation. Prospective were considered carpet making , tourism,
light industry and others. Arrangements are made to organize business
exchange visits, exchange of experts and business forums. Ensuing the
meeting, minister Oskanian met with the local media representatives.
After mid day, a meeting was held with the city administration
authorities, particularly with Venice city economy head Ms. Maria
Joanna Piva during which Oskanian extended his gratitude for the
support to Mkhitarian Congregation hanks to which Armenian
establishments survive and fully operate on St. Lazarus island.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Deutsche Welle, Germany
Oct 20 2004
European Greens Support Turkish EU Bid

The Greens’ meeting in Istanbul unsurprisingly focuses on Turkey

During a three-day parliamentary group meeting in Istanbul, Europe’s
Greens have come out in support for Turkey’s EU bid and criticized
proposed national referendums on its membership.
Europe’s Greens, once Turkey’s most vocal critics and now the
staunchest supporters of its EU membership, began a three-day
parliamentary group meeting in Istanbul on Tuesday by airing strong
criticism against any plans to hold national referendums on whether
Ankara should join the bloc.
“We are against holding referendums in one country about another
country,” Greens group president Daniel Cohn-Bendit said. “There are
seven million Turks living in Europe, so the real question in the
referendum will be, ‘Do you like Turks — do you like Muslims?'”
He singled out President Jacques Chirac, criticizing his proposal to
amend the French constitution to allow referendums on future EU
members as “foolish” and “ridiculous.”
“How can a democratic president, even Chirac, say what will happen in
10 years’ time?” Cohn-Bendit asked at a press conference at the
opening of the meeting. “Are they going to have referendums on the
memberships of Romania, Bulgaria, Bosnia? The French will go crazy,”
he said. “This is ridiculous. Don’t waste our time with what will
happen in 10 years.”
Cohn-Bendit was flanked at the press conference by co-chair Monica
Frassoni of Italy, Dutchman Joost Logendijk and Germany’s Cem
Özdemir, both of the EU-Turkey joint parliamentary committee.
Special negotiations must be accepted
Cohn-Bendit urged Turkey to accept the fact that it is different from
other candidate countries and that a special negotiating process is
needed to allow it into the EU. A generally favorable European
Commission report on Oct. 6 advises EU leaders to agree at a Dec. 17
summit in Brussels to launch membership talks with Turkey.
“When you say, ‘We want equal treatment,’ you do not mean it,”
Cohn-Bendit said. “Turkey is not Malta, it is not Romania, it is not
Bulgaria. It is a big country, it is a proud country, and its entry
into the EU will be an important event.”
“Critical friends”
He said the Greens had arrived in Turkey as “critical friends” in
hopes that many issues that remain to be ironed out — the situation
of the Kurds and other minorities, women’s rights, the Armenian
massacres — could be “openly discussed among friends.”
“We must have uncomfortable discussions on, for example, Cyprus and
the role of the army,” Frassoni said, adding: “The process of
building a European democracy is not finished.”
The Greens support Turkey’s EU membership, the Italian MEP said, but
so does Italy’s conservative Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi — “his
reasons are not the same as ours,” she added.
“What is the Greens’ message to Turkey,” asked Özdemir, who is of
Turkish origin. “The message is that we are here and not somewhere
else. If Turkey is today at another point than where it was several
years ago, it is also because of civil society, not only because of
politicians,” he said.
Issues on contention
Another message from the Greens to Turkey’s politicians is “don’t
panic,” Logendijk said. He added the Commission report contained
elements Turkey and the Greens both disagree with, such as the
open-ended nature of the talks and mention of permanent derogations
concerning this country, such as barring its citizens from free
circulation in Europe.
“But,” he said, “don’t lose your focus; don’t lose sight of the main
point: (membership) negotiations should begin next year.”
The meeting of the joint Greens/European Free Alliance group next
goes into a series of panel conferences covering aspects of Turkey-EU
ties. Panelists include German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer his
Turkish counterpart, Abdullah Gül, Kurdish activist Leyla Zana and
Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk.

Armenian embassy in Poland subjected to vandalism
Armenian Radio First Programme, Yerevan
19 Oct 04

A group of unknown assailants poured black paint over the signboard of
the Armenian embassy in Warsaw and covered the walls of the building
with anti-Armenian graffiti.
Viola Khonkaryan, a member of the Armenian organization, Ararat, in
Warsaw said that she had never witnessed anything like that during her
10 years of residence in Poland.
To recap, Arminfo news agency reported that the Polish law-enforcement
agencies are investigating this act of vandalism.

EUROPEAN ARMENIAN FEDERATION
for Justice and Democracy
Avenue de la Renaissance 10
B – 1000 BRUSSELS
Tel. +32 (0)2 732 70 26
Tel. /Fax. +32 (0)2 732 70 27
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Contact: Talline Tachdjian
Tel. +32 (0)2 732 70 26
October 19th, 2004
FIRST EUROPEAN ARMENIAN CONVENTION ISSUES DECLARATION AFFIRMING ITS
VALUES, VIEWS, AND ADVOCACY AGENDA
BRUSSELS. BELGIUM (October 19th, 2004) – The first Convention of
European Armenians, convened at the European Parliament, closed today
with the adoption of a final declaration affirming its support for
fundamental European values, the need for the increased promotion of
Armenian identity within Europe, the further integration of Armenia into
the European family of nations, and strong opposition to
Turkey’s candidacy for membership in the European Union.
These points were agreed to by acclamation by the more than two hundred
and fifty delegates to the European Armenian Federation for Justice and
Democracy (EAFJD) Convention, the first of its kind on the European
continent. The declaration will be sent to the twenty-five member
states of the European Union.
The challenges of the EU enlargement process
Today’s progam opened with a panel on `The challenges of
the EU enlargement process,’ moderated by Phillipe Kalfayan, the
Deputy Secretary General of the International Federation of Human Rights
(FIDH). In a sweeping introduction to this topic, Kalfayan touched on
the security, religious and cultural dimensions to Turkey’s
candidacy for membership in the European Union, as well as the impact of
internal Turkish policy on its relations with European institutions.
The first speaker was Prof. Bernard Coulie, a noted historian and the
Rector of the Catholic University of Louvain. Drawing on a reservoir of
historical understanding of Armenia’s longstanding relations
with Europe, Prof. Coulie discussed the prospects for Armenia –
and, with it, the Armenian Diaspora, – drawing closer to the
European Union. He noted with certainty that Armenia will either be in
or on the border with the European Union, as a member or close neighbor.
The Armenian communtiy of Europe, he explained, will play an
increasingly vital catalyst role in bringing Armenia and Europe closer
together.
The second speaker of the day was Jean Varoujan Sirapian, the Chairman
of the Armenian Liberal Democratic (Ramgavar) Party in France. He
spelled out, in a point by point analysis, why Turkey’s
acceptance into the European Union would contradict the spirit of the
Union’s founding and, ultimately, undermine the interests and
values of this vital institution. He sharply criticized the recent
reports issued by the European Commission about Turkey which point out
its many failures, but nonetheless still recommended opening talks on
membership. He announced the publication of a report by the Chobanian
Institute that makes the case against Turkey’s acceptance into
the EU.
The next speaker, Harlem Desir, was the Vice-President of the Socialist
Group in the European Parliament. He stressed the twin points that
Turkey must be held accountable for meeting the EU criteria, but that,
once these points have been met, Turkey could rightfully be considered
for membership. He stressed his efforts and the work of his Party in
pressing Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide and noted his regret
that the EU did not formally set Armenian Genocide recognition as a
precondition for membership. Desir made the point that Turkey must do
what Germany and France have done, namely come to terms with their
history. Doing so will not be a setback for Turkey, but rather a
victory for truth. The EU, he noted, should use Turkey’s
interest in membership as leverage to secure continued reforms.
In a spirited and compelling presentation, the next speaker, Frank
Biancheri, analyzed the practical prospects for Turkey’s
acceptance into the EU. Biancheri, the Chairman of the think tank
TIESweb, argued that – for a myriad of domestic and
international reasons – Turkey’s membership was highly
unrealistic during the next twenty years. The fact is, he said, that
the forces against Turkey’s membership have set forth arguments
that have resonance across Europe, while pro-Turkey elements have been
limited to parts of ruling European elites. Given the likelihood of
referendums on Turkey’s acceptance, the chances for approval are
very low. He argued, instead, for a Priviledged Partnership
relationship as a realistic alternative.
The final speaker on the panel was Charles Papazian, representing the
Western Europe branch of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation. His
remarks on Turkey’s EU candidacy argued that its acceptance
would run counter to European values and public opinion across the
continent. He outlined the basis for this opposition, on issues ranging
from genocide denial, blockades, human rights, treatment of minorities,
the continued occupation of Cyprus, and the role of religion in Turkish
society. He stressed the growing gap on this issue between governing
European elites and the broad cross section of popular opinion. He
closed by discussing the ARF’s advocacy and grassroots efforts
in Brussels and throughout Europe in opposing Turkey’s
membership, culmintating in a December 17th demonstration outside of the
European Commission building.
The question and answer period was especially spirited and lasted nearly
two hours. Among the issues raised were the lowering of EU standards
for Turkey, the role of public opinion on Turkey’s candidacy,
and the sincerity of pronouncements by members of Turkey’s
governing elites concerning the EU. During this discussion, remarks
were offered by Charles Tannock, MEP (Christian Democrat, UK), who
criticized the moral double standard being applied to Turkey. He warned
of the large costs of bringing Turkey into the Union and stressed that
serious attention should be devoted to the issues of fundamental
cultural differences, and the role of Islam in Turkey. He predicted
that the top-driven agenda of getting Turkey in the EU will come to a
halt as national referendums are held on this issue.
Declaration
Following the question and answer session, Hilda Tchoboian, the
Chairperson of the EAFJD, read the Charter of the Convention of
European-Armenians and the Declaration of the Convention, which were
approved unanimously by acclamation. Her comments were followed by
closing remarks by Garo Armenian, member of the ARF Bureau and the
Chairman of the Armenian National Committee international coordinating
body. In his comments, Armenian praised this historic beginning and
noted the progress made by Europe’s Armenian community in
emerging as a political force on the European stage. He stressed the
success of the EAFJD in developing a Europe-wide consensus, and
organizing focused and effective advocacy in the key European capitals.
He closed his comments by noting for all in attendance that the real
work for Europe’s increasingly vibrant Armenian community lies
ahead.
Press Conference
Following the formal program, Hilda Tchoboian and EAFJD Executive
Director Laurent Leylekian held a press conference for the several dozen
print and broadcast journalists at the Convention.
######
Enclosures:
– Charter of the Convention of European-Armenians (in Armenian)
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Top Iranian energy official warns Europe of dangers of low gas prices
IRNA web site, Tehran
20 Oct 04
Brussels, 20 October: The current high oil prices resulting partly
form insufficient supplies should signal a warning to gas consumers,
particularly in the European Union, warned Nezhad-Hoseynian, deputy
minister for international relations in Iran’s Oil Ministry.
Speaking at an international energy conference in Brussels Wednesday
20 October , he noted that in the past few years low oil prices
hampered investment in production projects which resulted in the
current undesirable situation.
“The same scenario can happen to natural gas, given the current low
gas sales prices,” said Nezhad-Hoseynian.
“Energy transit in Eurasia: challenges and perspectives” is the theme
of the 2-day conference which started on Tuesday.
The conference, organized by the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) has
brought together representatives of governments, businesses and
academic community from Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East to
discuss the existing legal framework for energy transit and future
perspectives for ensuring unimpeded flows of energy.
The Brussels-based ECT was formed in early 1990s to help maintain
energy security in Europe. It has been signed or acceded to by
fifty-one states.
Nezhad-Hoseynian stated that gas pricing mechanisms have always been a
controversial issue between suppliers and customers.
He said Iran has the potential to export natural gas both to the EU
markets and the emerging markets with huge demands such as India,
Pakistan, China and even Japan.
“Iran the biggest natural gas producer and consumer in the Middle
East, with the second largest proven natural gas and oil reserves, is
emerging as a major supplier of natural gas to the world,” he said.
Nezhad-Hoseynian said Iran has plans to increase oil production
capacity from the present 4.2m b/d to around 6m b/d in 2015 in order
to maintain its current share in OPEC’s production.
The Islamic Republic also has plans to increase its gas production
capacity from 130bn cm/y to 300bn cm/y in the next ten years and to
400bn cm/y in the next 20 years.
Iran is planning to invest some 100 billion dollars in oil and gas by
the year 2015. During the past seven years, Iran has invested more
than 46 billion dollars in this sector, 65 per cent of which have come
from foreign investors.
He noted that Iran is exporting gas to Turkey and very soon the
Islamic Republic will start exports to Armenia and Naxcivan and the
UAE.

Armenian, Cyprus Speakers urge Turkey to improve relations with neighbours
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
19 Oct 04
Presenter Armenian Speaker Artur Bagdasaryan and the president of the
House of Representatives of Cyprus, Dhimitrios Khristofias, signed a
memorandum today.
Bagdasaryan At the meeting, we focused on developing political and
economic ties between Armenia and Cyprus.
Correspondent over video of Bagdasaryan and Khristofias The president
of the House of Representatives of Cyprus, Dhimitrios Khristofias,
feels at home in Armenia. He believes that the reason is not only
similarities between the countries’ historical past but also the fact
that only Armenians pronounce his country’s name like Cypriots.
Dhimitrios Khristofias, in Greek with Armenian voice-over As a member
of the European Union, Cyprus could be conducive to Armenia’s
integration into Europe.
Correspondent Armenia and Cyprus are in close cooperation at the
international level. Both countries share the same position towards
Turkey’s aspiration to become a member of the European Union.
Dhimitrios Khristofias Although Turkey is an occupying country, some
forces want to see it in the EU. Before admission to the EU, Turkey
should tackle several issues, i.e. recognize all EU member countries
and deal with human rights issues.
Bagdasaryan If this country wants to join the EU, it should first
improve relations with its neighbours.
Correspondent Dhimitrios Khristofias said that Turkey should recognize
the Armenian genocide if it aspires to EU membership, which could
facilitate Turkey’s admission to this organization.
He also aired these views at a meeting with the prime minister. He
spoke in favour of a peaceful resolution to the Karabakh problem. He
said that apart from Armenia, other regional countries’ interests
should also be taken into consideration in this issue.