Author: Chalian Meline

Le Temps, Suisse
11 juillet 2007

Génocide des Arméniens: rebondissement à Fribourg;

FRIBOURG. Les députés au Grand Conseil ont reçu un ouvrage
négationniste.

Drôle de lettre que celle reçue dernièrement par les députés
fribourgeois au Grand Conseil. Emanant d’une certaine Union des
associations féminines d’Istanbul, datée du 23 avril, mais postée à
Berne à la fin de juin, elle suggère à ses destinataires la lecture
d’un petit ouvrage, accompagnant l’envoi, dont l’objectif est
clairement exprimé: remettre en cause le génocide des Arméniens.

«Nous nous permettons de vous faire part de notre opinion, selon
laquelle les événements de 1915 ne peuvent être qualifiés de
génocide, car le génocide représente un concept juridique, et aborder
le problème du génocide nécessite la prise en considération des
événements et documents historiques», relate la missive.

Une «stratégie globale»

Après la condamnation, en mars dernier, par le Tribunal de police de
Lausanne, de Dogu Perinçek pour négationnisme, voilà qui risque de
rallumer les feux de la controverse. Du reste, aux yeux de Sarkis
Shahinian, coprésident de l’Association Suisse-Arménie, le moment
choisi n’est pas anodin: «Cela fait partie d’une stratégie globale
visant à banaliser le génocide arménien. A travers cela, c’est aussi
la loi suisse antiraciste qu’on cherche à affaiblir», affirme-t-il.

Le livre adressé aux parlementaires fribourgeois est présenté comme
une preuve. Il s’agirait d’un rapport rédigé par Hovhannes
Katchaznouni, premier ministre arménien en 1918-19, qui prône la
dissolution du Parti Dachnak, la principale formation politique du
pays. Dans ce cadre, il interprète le génocide comme une simple
guerre dans laquelle les Arméniens seraient manipulés par les
impérialistes occidentaux. Ecrit en 1923, le texte est publié en
1927.

L’ombre de l’URSS

C’est là que le bt blesse. Selon l’historien catalan Jordi Tejel, un
spécialiste du Moyen-Orient qui a notamment enseigné à l’Université
de Fribourg, le Parti Dachnak était l’ennemi de la toute fraîche
URSS. Or cette dernière s’est alliée à la Turquie kémaliste pour
dépecer l’Arménie. Hovhannes Katchaznouni s’est mis au service des
Soviétiques. Il a donc certainement orienté les conclusions de son
rapport pour gagner leurs faveurs. «Il y avait 1,5 million
d’Arméniens dans l’Empire ottoman avant la Première Guerre mondiale.
A la fin de celle-ci, il en restait 30000. Comment peut-on nier le
génocide dans ces conditions?» interroge Jordi Tejel.

Le papier de Katchaznouni a été extirpé des limbes par un dénommé
Mehmet Perinçek, qui serait le fils de Dogu. Les ambassades de
Turquie en Suisse et en France n’ont jamais entendu parler de cette
Union des associations féminines d’Istanbul, qui l’a expédié aux
députés fribourgeois. Ces derniers ne sont pas les seuls à l’avoir
reçu: l’an dernier, ce livre a également été envoyé aux
parlementaires fédéraux, ainsi qu’à leurs homologues français et
allemands.

Pourquoi Fribourg?

Pourquoi Fribourg à présent? Difficile de l’évaluer précisément.
Contrairement au Conseil national ou à des législatifs cantonaux
comme ceux de Genève et de Vaud, le Grand Conseil fribourgeois n’a
pas reconnu le génocide arménien. Aucune initiative parlementaire
allant dans ce sens n’y a jamais été déposée. Sarkis Shahinian estime
que les expéditeurs de ce courrier agissent préventivement. «Le fait
que j’habite dans le canton de Fribourg, comme le conseiller national
Dominique de Buman, qui s’est engagé pour notre cause, joue peut-être
aussi un rôle. Ils veulent nous provoquer», estime-t-il.

Les auteurs de la missive risquent-ils une action en justice? Selon
Pierre-Henri Winzap, président du Tribunal de police de Lausanne -qui
a condamné Dogu Perinçek -, la nuance est parfois mince entre le
délit d’opinion et l’infraction pénale. «Cela dépendra donc
grandement de la sensibilité des juges fribourgeois»,
prophétise-t-il. Autre conséquence de cet envoi: il pourrait donner
des idées à certains députés, dans l’optique d’une reconnaissance
cantonale du génocide arménien.

Brazil orders Berezovsky arrest

A Brazilian judge has ordered Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky to be arrested
following money-laundering allegations linked to a Sao Paulo football club.

The judge also ordered the arrest of two of Mr Berezovsky’s associates,
including Kia Joorabchian whose MSI company has a major stake in the team.

Defence lawyers have denied any wrongdoing at the Corinthians club.

Mr Berezovsky, who lives in exile in the UK, said the warrant stemmed from
the Kremlin’s actions against him.

Brazilian federal judge Faustus Martins de Sanctis on Thursday ordered the
arrest of Mr Berezovsky, Mr Joorabchian and a third associate, Nojan
Bedroud.

The case centres on the financing at Corinthians, in which Mr Joorabchian’s
Media Sports Investment (MSI) is a major investor.

The allegation is that MSI used its investment in the club to launder
tainted money from overseas.

Four people at the club, Alberto Dualib, Nesi Curi, Renato Duprat and Paulo
Angioni, have also been accused of involvement.

Denials

A statement from Corinthians said the club had always acted within the law,
while MSI was quoted by the Brazilian Globo news agency as saying the
judge’s decision was "absurd, arbitrary and lacking legal backing".

Mr Berezovsky, an outspoken critic of the Russian President Vladimir Putin,
issued a statement on Friday denying any involvement in money-laundering.

"Given the extensive comment in the Russian media and the farce of a ‘trial
in absentia’ in the Russian courts, I have no doubt that the Brazilian story
is an extension of the Kremlin’s politicised campaign against me," Mr
Berezovsky’s statement.

Separately, the wrangling over the future of former Corinthians player and
Argentine international Carlos Tevez is continuing in England.

Mr Joorabchian, the player’s representative, has said he expects him to sign
for Manchester United.

But West Ham, the club who signed Tevez from Corinthians, insist he is under
contract to them until 2010.

Last Updated: Friday, 13 July 2007, 14:18 GMT 15:18 UK

/6897509.stm

UC RUSAL TO INVEST $9MLN IN PLANTS IN 2007

ARKA
Jul 11 2007

YEREVAN, July 11. /ARKA/. The US RUSAL plans to invest about $9mln in
its three pants in 2007, Director of the Packing Division, UC RUSAL,
Alexander Burdin told Russian reporters in Yerevan.

He reported that investments in the ARMENAL plant will total $4.6mln,
with $3.8mln to be invested in SANAYAL (Khakassia, Rusaia) and $600,000
in the "Ural Foil" plant (Mikhailovsk, Russia).

Under the investment programs, in 2007 the output is to total 25,000
tons at ARMENAL, 44,000 tons at SAYANAL (against 38,300 in 2006)
and 16,000 tons at the Ural Foil plant (against 15,536 tons in 2006),
he said.

Burdin pointed out that the company intends to increase the output
by 66%.

"This is not a final figure, and can be exceeded," he said.

An agreement on the foundation of the United Сompany RUSAL was signed
in 2006. The corporation has been founded in 2007.

In 2006, the output totaled 56,000 tons, and the proceeds $240mln. The
UC RUSAL now covers 47% of Russia’s market and 1.6% of the world’s
market. It exports 60% of its products to 400 clients in 40 countries,
mostly to North America, Europe and Near East.

The ARMENAL CJSC was founded in 2000, using the facilities of the
Kanaker aluminum plant and shared in by the Russian Aluminum Company
and the KanAZ OJSC. RUSAL has been owner of the ARMENAL CJSC since
January 2003.

On October 26, 2006, the RUSAL ARMENAL foil-rolling plant was
re-operated after large-scale modernization, with investments totaling
$70mln.

In 2006, the plant’s output totaled 949.7 tons.

–Boundary_(ID_aI6Iy1mG14yrrX8TONeaSA)–

INSIDE TRACK: TURKISH ELECTION FEVER
by Thomas Goltz

The National Interest Online, DC
=14920
July 9 2007

ISTANBUL, Turkey-The record-breaking heat-wave that enveloped the
country in late June may have subsided, but the temperature continues
to rise between the dozen-odd political parties and a multitude of
independent candidates contesting the upcoming parliamentary elections
on July 22. Major contenders are literally taunting their rivals with
the hangman’s noose.

"If you don’t have a rope, take mine!" bellowed Devlet Bahceli,
chairman of the Nationalist Action Party (MHP), symbolically flinging
the gallows instrument at the (absent) feet of Prime Minister Recep
Tayyib Erdogan of the governing Justice and Development Party (AKP).

He was referring to Mr. Erdogan’s accusation that the government
preceding his had not hung Abdullah Ocalan, captured leader of the
outlawed and separatist Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), when they had
the chance-before Turkey banned the death penalty under pressure from
the European Union.

The question of being too soft on separatist Kurds, who have
recently mounted a series of bloody attacks across the Turkish
southeast-allegedly from safe-havens in northern Iraq-has become the
third rail in the election contest. Virtually every candidate has
wrapped him or herself in the red and white, star and crescent Turkish
flag. Many had believed that the capture of Mr. Ocalan-in Kenya,
of all places-in 1999 was the end of the PKK rebellion, which had
cost some 35,000 lives and devastated much of the rough countryside
in the southeast over the course of 15 years. Partially bowing to
EU pressure and partially admitting to decades of head-in-the-sand
nationalist idiocy, successive governments recognized the "Kurdish
Reality", and allowed Kurdish language instruction and broadcasting
rights to the country’s estimated 20 million Kurds.

But the ongoing chaos in Iraq has allowed the PKK to regroup and launch
new attacks in Turkey, both against hard (military) and soft (civilian)
targets from safe-havens in northern Iraq. During the 1980s and 90s,
the Turkish military would mount periodic cross-border, hot pursuit
missions to eradicate bases with impunity.

Now, however, the specter of a massive, cross-border operation
into Iraqi Kurdistan brings with it the nightmarish possibility of a
confrontation between Turkish and American troops in the same theater,
which until now has been the quietest part of war-torn Iraq.

For Turks, however, Iraqi Kurdistan is a terrorist redoubt that must
be crushed-but which NATO allies are preventing the Turkish military
from accomplishing.

"While anticipating international cooperation in dealing with a
terrorist organization, we have difficulty in understanding the
lack of response", General Yashar Buyukyanit, chief of the General
Staff sternly remarked at a July 3 NATO conference in the Turkish
resort city of Antalya. "Among the obstacles is the inability of the
international community to define what exactly constitutes an act
of international terrorism. Sadly, this fact does not merely prevent
international cooperation, but provides a foundation for the spreading
of international terrorism."

Adding fuel to the fire is the recent allegation made by several
PKK defectors that they personally witnessed U.S. military vehicles
delivering weapons to a PKK base in northern Iraq. Although denounced
by the U.S. embassy in Ankara as "ridiculous", the report was broadcast
widely and fits into the growing negative view most Turks have about
their NATO ally-a negative view captured in the blockbuster movie
Valley of the Wolves: Iraq. Loosely based on a real incident in 2003,
in which a Turkish special forces team was arrested by American
forces in Iraqi Kurdistan and then marched in front of cameras with
sacks over their heads, the film pretends to show the aftermath: a
second team of Turkish commandos, in alliance with both Iraqi Kurds
and Arabs, takes revenge on the psychotic American commander and his
men responsible for the humiliation. The film broke all box-office
records, but has now been semi-suppressed.

This has not eased the growing antipathy shown by most Turks toward
American policy in the region. A recent Pew poll showed that a
miniscule 9 percent of Turks have a positive image of their long-time
NATO ally, one of the lowest approval ratings in the world.

So sensitive is the American issue that in a recent scenario session
held at the Hudson Institute in Washington, the team playing the
United States decided against handing over captured members of the
PKK to Erdogan’s AKP government, lest it be perceived in Turkey that
such a gesture meant American support for the AKP in the run-up to
the elections. Other elements in the Hudson scenario session-the
assassination of a supreme court judge, a mass terrorist action in
Istanbul-added little positive to the picture. The very idea that
such discussions involving Turkey could be entertained in the American
capital was seen as yet another example of potential U.S. perfidy. The
pending legislation in Congress marking the so-called Armenian Genocide
is mere icing-or more poison-on top of the cake.

And, as for a Turkish foray into northern Iraq, most believe that
it is only a matter of time-and likely to happen before the July
22 elections.

Thomas Goltz is a visiting scholar at the University of Montana’s
Central and Southwest Asia Studies Program. His most recent book is
Georgia Diary (M.E. Sharpe, 2006).

Azerbaijan: Security ministry hits opposition editor with new charges

Committee to Protect Journalists press release, New York
5 Jul 07

Text of press release by the New York-based Committee to Protect
Journalists (CPJ) on 5 July

New York, 5 July, 2007: The Committee to Protect Journalists deplores
the continued persecution of Eynulla Fatullayev, imprisoned editor of
the Russian-language weekly Realny Azerbaijan and the Azeri-language
daily Gundalik Azarbaycan, and that of his staff. The Ministry of
National Security (MNB) brought a new criminal charge of incitement to
ethnic and religious hatred against Fatullayev on Tuesday, and it
interrogated three journalists from the now-shuttered Gundalik
Azarbaycan on Wednesday.

The government also formally charged Fatullayev with terrorism in
Sabail District Court in Baku on Tuesday. The government’s intention to
file terror charges was first disclosed on 16 May. Together, the new
charges could bring up to 17 years in prison. Fatullayev is already
serving a 30-month jail term on a libel conviction.

"We are shocked by these charges against Eynulla Fatullayev, which seem
part of systemic campaign of persecution to silence him and destroy his
newspapers," said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. "We call on
authorities to withdraw the charges immediately."

According to local press reports and the Institute for Reporter Freedom
and Safety (IRFS), a Baku-based press freedom group, the MNB charged
Fatullayev with terrorism, and incitement of national, ethnic, or
religious hatred. The charges stem from a commentary headlined, "The
Aliyevs Go to War," published earlier this year in the Russian-language
weekly Realny Azerbaijan and written by Rovshan Bagirov. The commentary
focused on President Ilham Aliyev’s foreign policy regarding Iran and
it contained harshly critical language about the Azerbaijani
government. MNB officials did not elaborate on the charges or explain
how the piece amounted to terrorism and incitement of hatred.

On Wednesday, the MNB interrogated Gundalik Azarbaycan editors
Shahvaled Chobanoglu, Uzeir Jafarov, and Khalid Kazimli about the
paper’s financing, its sales, the topics Fatullayev covered, and the
weekly’s editorial independence from Realny Azerbaijan. Chobanoglu was
also questioned about "The Aliyevs Go to War," although the piece did
not appear in Gundalik Azarbaycan, the IRFS reported.

The terror charges against Fatullayev and the interrogation of his
staffers reflect the government’s aggressive recent retaliation against
the publications.

Local authorities evicted both Realny Azerbaijan and Gundalik
Azarbaycan from their Baku offices on 21 May, saying that the office
building violated safety regulations. Authorities seized computers from
the premises, which have been sealed.

On 6 June, a Baku judge upheld an earlier libel conviction against
Eynulla Fatullayev and left intact his 30-month jail sentence.
Authorities dismissed the journalist’s complaints of ill treatment in
MNB custody. In April, Fatullayev was sentenced to 30 months in prison
on charges of libelling and insulting Azerbaijanis in a piece that the
journalist said he did not write. Fatullayev said the charges were
fabricated.

ALEX MANUKYAN’S BODY TO BE TAKEN TO ARMENIA

A1+
[05:51 pm] 06 July, 2007

Alex and Mary Manukyans’ bodies will be transported to Armenia on
July 13 by a Paris-Yerevan flight.

Alex Manukyan was a renowned hero of the Armenian Republic, President
of the Armenian Charity Union and benefactor of Mother See of Holy
Echmiadzin.

They were buried in Detroit, the USA.

The funeral is scheduled for July 17, 10.00 a.m. It will be attended
by All-Armenian Catholicos Karekin II, RA President Robert Kocharian,
top officials, family members and relatives.

AZG Armenian Daily #126, 05/07/2007

Karabakh Issue

ARKADI GHUKASIAN: "THE SETTLEMENT IS POSSIBLE IF THERE IS AN AGREEMENT
ON PUTTING AN END TO MILITARY ACTIONS AND ARMED CONFLICT"

"Azerbaijan did nothing to gain the confidence of Karabakh people
during the last 15 years; instead it chose the policy of threat and
blackmails", announced NKR President Arkadi Ghukasian during his
meeting with the students of Yerevan Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) State
University on June 3.

"Instead of making efforts to settle the conflict, the Azerbaijani
side tries to present Armenia to the world community as a side of
conflict. There is only one way out of the created situation:
participation of Karabakh in the negotiation process", said Arkadi
Ghukasian.

"If Azerbaijan continues its destructive policy, Karabakh will just
stop its efforts to become a side of negotiation process and the
negotiations will be moved aside. All the efforts will be directed to
make the world community to recognize the independence of Nagorno
Karabakh: in that case without Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani side must
understand that Karabakh cannot be always dependent of its caprices.

The OSCE group, deeply understanding the actual and juridical sides of
the conflict, avoids discussing that issue and yields to the caprices
of Azerbaijan", announced NKR President Arkadi Ghukasian.

As NKR President always mentions this kind of negotiation format is
useless and the conflict cannot be settled without participation of
Karabakh in the negotiation process.

"We are sure that the settlement process can be started only after
signing an agreement on putting an end to military actions and armed
conflict. This agreement, in its turn, is possible only after the
efficient dialogue between Azerbaijan and NKR, and recognition of the
independence of Karabakh by Azerbaijan", said Arkadi Ghukasian.

In the created atmosphere of no-confidence it is not possible to speak
of compromises. "We can yield to partners but not the enemy, not the
one who has chosen the way of threats", announced NKR President.

"And if Azerbaijan continues it’s advocating, NKR will review its
approaches. Kosovo can serve as an example for Karabakh conflict
settlement", said NKR President.

Touching upon the parliamentary elections in Nagorno Karabakh Arkadi
Khukasian evaluated the pre-election state in NKR as almost perfect.

"If the world community doesn’t even recognize the elections in NKR,
they cannot be indifferent to the election process. The democratic
processes are the most important things, so we understand, that what
is sometimes excusable for the recognized states, it’s not pardonable
for the not-recognized", underscored Arkadi Ghukasian.

NKR presidential elections will be free, just and transparent
according to NKR President.

By Aghavni Harutyunian

MORE THAN 2000 CITIZENS RECEIVE CREDITS FOR HEATING SYSTEMS RESTORATION IN BLOCKS OF FLATS

Noyan Tapan
Jul 03 2007

YEREVAN, JULY 3, NOYAN TAPAN. Currently the Cascade, Ardshininvest,
ACBA Credit Agricole Armenian banks can receive credits from the
World Bank for restoring Armenia’s town heating systems. The ACBA
Credit Agricole Bank has already given credits to more than 2000
citizens. The credits’ interest rate is 24%, repayment term is 3
years. As Noyan Tapan correspondent was informed by Tamara Babayan,
the Director of the Armenian Renewable Energy and Energy Economy
Fund, at present they discuss the issue of making some changes in
the criteria of choosing banks-participants of the program with the
World Bank, which will help involve more banks in the program.

T. Babayan said that the WB gives a credit in the total amount of
4.2 mln dollars, for 7 years’ term, at the interest rate of 1% plus
libor. The banks, in their turn, give that money to private companies,
condominiums and other structures at some interest rates.

AZERBAIJANI DIASPORA ARE DESTROYING ARMENIAN’S PROPAGANDA – STATE COMMITTEE’S CHAIRMAN

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
July 3 2007

Azerbaijan, Baku / corr. Trend S.Ilhamgizi / Nazim Ibrahimov, the
chairman of the State Committee on Work with Azerbaijanis Residing
Abroad, stated on 3 July that activities of Azerbaijani Diaspora have
caused anxiety amongst the Armenians.

Ibrahimov noted that the Armenian media are daily observing the
Azerbaijani Diaspora’s activities. " Armenia media covers the
Azerbaijani Diasporas’ activities more broadly than the Azerbaijani
press does. By taking such steps they are being alarmed. The Armenian
media wishes to widen activities of their Diasporas. The Azerbaijani
Diaspora united with Turkish and Jewish Diasporas can stop Armenian
Diasporas’ many years of propaganda. The Azerbaijani Diaspora has
already begun to destroy the Armenian propaganda," the chairman said.

Ibrahimov stressed that, as stated by the President Ilham Aliyev,
Azerbaijan possesses a huge potential for using attack tactics.

Ibrahimov noted that alongside with patriotism, the Azerbaijani
Diaspora possesses co-ordination. "The Azerbaijani Diaspora can
implement State policy without our participation," Ibrahimov added.

"TURKEY’S WORKERS’ PARTY CONDEMNS DETENTION OF 2 TURKS IN SWITZERLAND"

Anatolia News Agency, Turkey
July 1 2007

ANKARA (A.A) -01.07.2007 -Turkey’s Workers’ Party (IP)
Secretary-General Nusret Senem condemned Switzerland for detaining
two Turks, who denied so-called Armenian genocide in this country.

A group of IP members protested Switzerland outside Swiss Embassy
in Ankara, carrying Turkish flags and chanting slogans against
Switzerland.

IP Secretary-General Nusret Senem told reporters that his party
representative Ali Mercan and Ethem Kayali, the Chairman of Kemalist
Thought Association (ADD) in Bern, were taken into custody in
Winterhurt, on charges that they said "Armenian genocide is an
imperialist lie."

Senem said they were released after being held in a cell for eight
hours and then interrogated for two hours.

"We learned that Swiss authorities will file a lawsuit against Mercan
and Kayali," Senem said.

"We will continue to raise our outcry against you (western countries)
that Armenian genocide is a lie. We repudiate your laws and we will
keep violating them," he added.

In July 2005, Dogu Perincek, Chairman of IP, was detained in
Switzerland for saying, "Armenian genocide is an imperialist lie"
in a press conference. He was released after being interrogated for
more than three hours.

Perincek was later tried in Swiss court in March 2007 and was fined
to 9,000 francs, but this sentence was delayed for two years. The
Lausanne court also fined Perincek to 3,000 Swiss francs, and decided
to sentence Perincek to 30 days in prison if the Turkish party leader
does not pay this fine immediately.

Perincek was also asked to pay 1,000 Swiss francs to the Armenian
community in Switzerland, and 10,000 francs to Sarkis Sahinyan,
who filed this lawsuit against him.

Perincek, whose appeal was rejected a while ago, filed lawsuit to
federal court.