Author: Chatinian Lara

Cyprus Mail, Cyprus
Nov 24 2006

Armenia hopes Turkey EU process will open to doors to genocide debate

By Jean Christou

ARMENIA said yesterday it hoped Turkey’s accession to the European
Union would lead to more honest and open debate on issues such as the
Armenian genocide.

Speaking to reporters during his official visit to Cyprus, Armenian
President Robert Kocharian said Turkey’s path to Europe would likely
influence relations between the two countries.

He said that once Turkey had expressed its wish to include itself in
the EU, it should mean normalisation of relations with its
neighbours, including Armenia.

`Consequently, the issue of Turkey’s accession course interests us
and we are waiting to see it become what it should become. This will
certainly influence Armenian-Turkish relations,’ Kocharian said.

The Armenian president also commented on the recent difficulties in
French-Turkish relations after Ankara said it was suspending
bilateral military ties with Paris

It was the latest step in a row over whether Armenians suffered
genocide at the hands of Ottoman Turks in 1915, after the French
National Assembly approved a bill criminalising denial of the
Armenian genocide.

Kocharian avoided commenting on the row, but welcomed moves by the
international community to recognise genocides and hoped that one day
Turkey could join the ranks.

`We believe the process of Turkey’s accession to the EU will lead to
a more open and honest debate in Turkish society where people can
express their opinions,’ Kocharian said.
`I know this a difficult process. I also know that the international
community, in recognising the various genocides that have taken
place, all contribute so that these matters can move forward to the
point where there is understanding of such things.’

Kocharian also said that `Armenia would like to see a speedy solution
to the Cyprus problem’, following his meeting with President Tassos
Papadopoulos.

Papadopoulos said that discussions with his Armenian counterpart
covered a wide range of issues, aiming at developing the bilateral
co-operation, in the fields of education, tourism, bank sector, and
culture.
He also expressed the belief that Armenians who live in Cyprus would
pave the way for new areas of co-operation, and accepted an
invitation from Kocharian to visit Armenia in 2007.

Prior to the meeting, an agreement was signed between the two
governments on co-operation in combating organised and other forms of
crime, which was initialled by Justice Minster Sophocles Sophocleous
and his Armenian counterpart Davit Harutyunyan.

OSCE PRESENTS EXPERT RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE DIGITAL BROADCASTING DRAFT PLAN OF ARMENIA

Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE)

Nov 22 2006

YEREVAN, 22 November 2006 – An OSCE expert review of Armenia’s draft
plan for digital TV and radio broadcasting in the country was presented
today in Yerevan.

The report highlighted that social and economic issues, as well as
infrastructure development, were key issues of concern when it comes
to ensuring more access to broadcasting in Armenia. It was also
recommended that more attention should be paid to avoid monopolization.

In an address delivered on his behalf in the Armenian capital, Miklos
Haraszti, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, welcomed
the Armenian Government’s initiative to establish a regulatory basis
for the digitalization of broadcasting media and to encourage a public
discussion on the move.

"This ‘switch-over’ from analogue to digital transmission will
multiply the number of available channels and make state licensing
largely unnecessary," he said in his speech.

Ambassador Vladimir Pryakhin, Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan said:
"I hope that today’s discussion will help identify the challenges in
making the ‘switch-over’ an achievable and well-managed objective. This
is very important for the safeguarding and promotion of media pluralism
in Armenia."

Following the allocation of a digital terrestrial frequency range
to Armenia by the International Telecommunications Union earlier in
the year, the Armenian authorities drafted an implementation plan
as an initial step to put into practice the changes from analogue to
digital broadcasting. At the request of the Armenian Government, the
OSCE Media Representative, who in an earlier country report on Armenia
had recommended to establish the legislative framework for the switch
to digital broadcasting, provided an expert review on the draft plan.

The presentation of the expert review was organized by the OSCE
Office in Yerevan, the Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom
of the Media together with the the Open Society Institute Assistance
Foundation-Armenia, and the Armenian Ministry of Transport and
Communication.

INITIATIVE GROUP FROM CALIFORNIA PROTESTS AGAINST CONVICTION OF EDITOR OF ‘ZHAMANAK LOS-ANGELES’ NEWSPAPER

AZG Armenian Daily
22/11/2006

The California based initiative group protests against conviction of
the editor of "Zhamanak Los Angeles" newspaper, Arman Babajanian. It’s
worth mentioning that Babajanian is convicted by the Armenian court.

The first instance court has sentenced Babajanian to 4 years in
imprisonment for "draft dodging" in October 2006.

The statement of the initiative group reminded that A. Babajanian was
convinced, according to the formulation of judges, for "violation of
RA Law on Compulsory Military Service" and under the Article 327 of
RA Criminal Code. Moreover, the document states that the sentence,
passed on Babajanian, cannot take force, since the Law envisages a
fine, while the RA CC – imprisonment. The document authors call to
change the restraint to Babajanian for a fine, "taking into account
that Arman Babajanian is a worthy son of his Motherland".

Q&A: ACCOUNT OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE TRANSLATED SO OTHERS WILL NOT REPEAT ATROCITIES
By Phyllis Sides

Journal Times Online, WI –
Nov 21 2006

Second of two parts: The first genocide of the 20th century started in
Turkey in April 1915. Racine resident Mariam Sahakian has a first-hand
account in her father’s memoirs. Sahakian’s father, Varteres Mikael
Garougian, survived the killing and recorded his experiences for
posterity.

Armenians say that Turkish authorities executed 1.5 million people
between 1915-1923, accusing them of helping the invading Russian Army
during World War I. Turkey rejects the genocide claim, saying Armenians
were killed in civil unrest during the collapse of the Ottoman Empire.

However, Henry Morgenthau, the United States ambassador to Ottoman
Turkey between 1913 and 1916, wrote of the mistreatment and killings
of the Armenians in "Ambassador Morgenthau’s Story," a memoir of his
years in Turkey. Because the past is important Sahakian translated
her father’s memoirs into English.

This is part two of a two-part interview. The first part was published
Monday.

When did you decide to translate your father’s memoirs and how long
did it take? Shortly after I retired in 1988, I began to read again
our father’s gift to us – his treasure, the manuscript that he had
left to my brother and me. As a tribute to our parents, I began
translating it by 1990, intending to make it available to my family
and my brother Mikael. However, as I worked on it, I realized that
my father’s uncommon life might be of interest to others.

The whole process took me over 12 years to complete because I used
quite a few sources to corroborate some events Varteres describes,
as well as searching for maps and geographical sources, contacting a
number of living survivors, etc. Also, I didn’t work on it everyday
and when I did, it usually was for only two to three hours at a time.

When he died in 1958, my father’s Armenian manuscript, interspersed
with some Turkish, French, Arabic, consisted of 286 legal size,
handwritten pages of text only and was not completely ready for
publication in Armenian. There were several separate sections, as well
as some eyewitness accounts by others, which had to be incorporated
into the text as I translated it.

To his work I added a translator’s preface, title, chapters and chapter
headings, 16 pages of footnotes, a Turkish and an Armenian glossary,
a suggested bibliography, and a 19-page index. In addition to all
the above, I sketched three maps and selected photos with captions.

The Armenian title my father had used was "Narrations from my life:
what I saw, heard, and endured." However, I changed it to "Destiny of
the Dzidzernag." When he was a French Legionnaire, he was sending
articles to Armenian newspapers in America using the pseudonym
"Dzidzernag," which is the swallow that symbolizes Armenia. I think
of my parents – in fact all the Armenian immigrants of those times as
Dzidzernags – and this tribute is for all those immigrants, who as
my father describes it in his manuscript, were uprooted from their
ancestral lands and courageously tried to relocate elsewhere were –
and I quote him – "like seeds flung to the winds."

What did you learn from the process? I learned how important our roots
are, as well as developed a greater appreciation for our immigrant
parents, as well as other immigrants. I marvel at their ability to
leave homeland and find roots in such faraway places – also their
ability to survive such horrendous difficulties and cruelties.

Although we were taught to speak Armenian by our parents and to read
and write by our father in the safety of our home in this country,
we only were aware of how precarious and uncommon their previous
lives had been. A few hints now and then, or a brief story of some
troubles they had encountered. Reading my father’s manuscript as well
as other related sources while translating has left us in awe of our
parents’ lives.

Why is your translation important? The word `genocide’ was coined
by our President Woodrow Wilson, a true scholar, who was active
in promoting the League of Nations after World War I. "Destiny
of the Dzidzernag" is a factual record of those times. My 19-page
index includes numerous people’s names and places, since many have
been changed or are no more, as well as some events. The suggested
bibliography and my footnotes add to its value. Professor Robert O.

Krikorian’s enlightening foreword emphasizes the historical importance
of Varteres’ translated memoirs. I will remain grateful to him for
encouraging me to have it published and showing me the path to do so.

Hopefully, this book, in its own small way, will help readers to
understand they must prevent genocide, atrocities. In the 1930s,
when some in Adolph Hitler’s circle of advisors argued against
his plan to exterminate the Jewish people, he convincingly stated,
"After all, who now remembers the Armenians?" Let us always keep in
mind this famous statement by George Santayana; "Those who cannot
remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

06/11/21/local/columns/iq_4284040.txt

EUROPEAN COMMISSION SETS DECEMBER 6 AS DEADLINE FOR TURKEY

PanARMENIAN.Net
20.11.2006 17:38 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Finland, the holder of the rotating EU presidency,
has given Turkey a respite until December 6 to resolve the Cyprus
deadlock. In his speech to members of parliamentary EU affairs
committees in Helsinki, Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen stated
that the European Commission would take a recommendatory decision
about the Cyprus issue in the first week of December, adding that
the decision will be discussed at the General Affairs and External
Relations Council meeting to be held on December 11.

The deadline for Turkey as Vanhannen stated is before the decision on
advice. On one hand European commission is demanding opening the sea
and airports to Greek Cypriots and on the other Turkey is demanding
the lifting of the isolations on The Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus. "Time is running out", the Finnish premier remarked. "If
Turkey does not honor its commitments, the EU will need to reconsider
the implications for the accession process," Mr. Vanhanen noted,
reports Cihan News Agency.

TURKIC LEADERS AGREE ON CONCRETE STEPS

Zaman, Turkey
Nov 18 2006

The eighth summit meting of Turkic speaking countries, hosted by
Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer in Antalya, wrapped up.

Meeting again after five years, the heads of Turkic language-speaking
countries agreed on taking concrete steps in political, economic,
and cultural cooperation.

Sezer proposed highlighting the common features of Turkic-speaking
countries. Kazakh President Nurzultan Nazarbayev supported Sezer’s
proposal: "Let’s systemize cooperation among our businessmen.

Turkey’s experience in this regard suffices."

The leaders discussed the safe transportation of Caucasian oil and
natural gas, particularly Azeri and Kazakh resources, to Europe
via Turkey.

During the meeting, possible risks facing energy security and
cooperation among the countries in countering terrorism and organized
crimes were also discussed, foreign ministry sources said.

Officials said that the most serious energy security issue was the
overseas transportation of Caucasian oil, 30 percent of which comes
from Azerbaijan and 70 percent from Kazakhstan, which might reach an
output capacity of four million barrels a day in the future.

Meeting calls for concrete steps

The joint statement released at the closure of the meeting contained
concrete steps to enhance cooperation.

Building the Istanbul-Almaty railway was one of these steps.

The statement supported Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh issue and
Turkey in the Cyprus and Iraqi Turkmen issues.

Final Declaration

The following are some points from the 27-item final declaration
signed by the four leaders:

Educational cooperation is significant to enforce and improve
friendship among Turkic speaking societies, to create more closeness
among future generations and to train qualified staff.

Cooperation among parliaments, central and local administrations,
media companies and trade associations must be supported because of
its importance in improving social relations among societies.

Completion of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum
has international strategic significance. It is crucial to connect
these pipelines to trans-Caspian projected pipelines.

ARMENIAN, GERMAN LEADERS DISCUSS BILATERAL RELATIONS

Mediamax News Agency, Armenia
Nov 16 2006

Yerevan, 16 November: Armenian President Robert Kocharyan met German
Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin today.

The two countries’ leaders discussed bilateral relations and noted that
they have considerably improved over the last few years, a Mediamax
correspondent reported from Berlin. The sides also noted that the
German government and private investors are playing an important role
in implementing various economic projects in Armenia.

Kocharyan and Merkel also discussed issues related to prospects of
Armenia’s integration into Europe. From 1 January 2007, Germany will
take over the presidency of the European Union for six months and
the European Neighbourhood Policy will be one of the priorities of
its presidency.

The Armenian president and the German chancellor also exchanged
views about the situation in the South Caucasus and touched on
Armenian-Turkish relations in the context of the talks on Turkey’s
membership of European Union.

KARABAKH FOR GEORGIA: RUSSIA OFFERS ARMENIA A DIPLOMATIC DEAL
by Igor Dmitriyev

Source: Versiya, No 43, November 6 – 12, 2006, p. 9
Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
November 15, 2006 Wednesday

MOSCOW PROMISED YEREVAN ASSISTANCE IN KARABAKH CONFLICT RESOLUTION
IN ARMENIA’S FAVOR IN RETURN FOR ITS SUPPORT IN THE RUSSIAN-GEORGIAN
CONFLICT; Russian-Armenian relations: mutually beneficial improvement.

Negotiations between the presidents of Russia and Armenia that took
place in Moscow last week marked a turn for a dramatic improvement
of the bilateral relations between the two countries.

According to official reports alone, Russia is expected to deliver
$26 million worth of munitions, weapons, and military hardware to
Armenia before the year is over.

According to what information this newspaper has compiled, Russia
promised Armenia assistance in the Karabakh conflict resolution
in a manner that will benefit Yerevan. President of Armenia Robert
Kocharjan is asked in return to support Russia in its deteriorating
conflict with Georgia. After all, the latter includes a whole region
with the predominantly Armenian population – Samtskhe-Javakheti. Mass
anti-government actions there (with highways cut off, for example)
will become a formidable element of political blackmail the Kremlin
is applying on Mikhail Saakashvili.

The Kremlin even suggested a solution to the main problem – that
of the transport corridor bypassing Georgia that is located between
Russia and Armenia. Moscow suggests a roundabout way across Iran and
the Black Sea. To secure its hold on Yerevan, Russia bought a part
of the gas pipeline (141 km long) between Iran and Armenia that is
to be turned on in late 2006. Russia already owns 90% of the Armenian
energy framework. Acquisition of the Armenian railroads and Armentel
(the only telecommunications company in the republic) is speculated
over. Along with everything else, the Kremlin can blackmail Yerevan
with the threat to start advancing the Russian-Azerbaijani relations.

After all, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev is expected in Moscow
soon now.

It seems that the position of the Kremlin becomes decisive for the
future of Nagorno-Karabakh.

EU ACCORDS WITH SOUTH CAUCASUS NATIONS TO OPEN NEW PAGES – ARMENIAN PAPER
by Anna Akopyan

Haykakan Zhamanak, Armenia
Nov 14 2006

"New door will be opened"

Today marks a special day for the three South Caucasus states of
Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia as individual action plans between
them and the European Union as part of the EU New Neighbourhood Policy
will be signed in Brussels.

This was a long-awaited event for the three states as it was delayed
for more than a year. The fact that EU approved the Action Plans with
Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia simultaneously shows that these three
states will develop their relations with the EU in parallel in future.

Anyway we should say that as a result of today’s event in Brussels,
the three states will get new, more specific and in some sense,
a higher status in their contacts with the EU. Let us also note
that some political experts think that the South Caucasus regional
conflicts maybe settled by means of regional integration and the EU’s
New Neighbourhood Policy may provide them with such an opportunity.

At present, it is hard to say if the EU will show strict attitude
towards fulfilment of the three states’ obligations to the EU, but
there is no doubt that Brussels will get serious levers to track
the process.

Yesterday Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan left for Brussels to take
part in the events to be held today. He will also meet Azerbaijani
Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov in Brussels today. And we should
say that this second event lags behind the first one. As it became
clear to the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs as well as to the parties
to the conflict long ago that no progress may be registered in the
Karabakh issue settlement process over the next two years.

For this reason, the talks continue only outwardly for preserving
dialogue. But it is not ruled out that specific decisions will be made
in the Karabakh conflict settlement process within the framework of
the EU’s New Neighbourhood Policy and thanks to that.

REFUGEES IN SHIRAK PROVINCE REGISTERED

Armenpress
Nov 15 2006

GYUMRI, NOVEMBER 15, ARMENPRESS: Authorities in the northwestern
province of Shirak have completed registration of Armenian
refugees form Azerbaijan who have settled down in this region of the
country. The registration was initiated by the UNHCR Armenian Agency
and completed in cooperation with Armenian ministry for territorial
management.

The real situation with refugees in the province will be clear after
the results of the registration are summed up. It was the first
official registration of refugees in the province.

According to preliminary estimates, there are 360 Armenian refugees
from Azerbaijan in this province.