Author: Chatinian Lara

COOPERATION BETWEEN AZERBAIJAN AND ITALY DEVELOPS
[May 16, 2005, 23:15:22]

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan
May 16 2005

On May 16, minister of justice of the Azerbaijan Republic Fikret
Mammadov has met with delegation led by the minister on regional
affairs of Italy Enriko la Lojia.

At the meeting, has been given detailed information on democratic
reforms carried out in the Republic, with satisfaction was marked
dynamical development of relations of friendship and cooperation
between two countries, underlined the role of the important documents
signed during official visit of the President of Azerbaijan of Ilham
Aliyev to Italy on February 24-26 this year. The attention of visitors
also has been involved in the Nagorno Karabakh problem.

Having expressed deep gratitude for the warm attitude, Mr. Enriko la
Lojia highly has estimated the reforms carried out in Azerbaijan and
their positive results and, having noted available ample opportunities
for deepening of cooperation between two countries, has touched
concrete spheres, has with satisfaction recollected the meeting with
Minister of Justice of Azerbaijan in the Council of Europe in 2003
and the carried out useful exchange of views.

The delegation of Italy has familiarized with the museum of Heydar
Aliyev created in the ministry.

RA AMBASSADOR TO USA QUESTIONS FRANKNESS OF ERDOGAN’S INITIATIVE IN THE “WASHINGTON TIMES” ARTICLE

WASHINGTON, MAY 18, NOYAN TAPAN. The attention of the American
political and diplomatic circles remains fixed to prospects of the
Armenian-Turkish relations which is connected both with the 90th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocde and the letters exchanged by
the Prime Minister of Turkey and the RA President. The Turkish Prime
Minister’s initiative concerning a joint study of the history that is
even presented as an historic opportunity gave cause of enthusiasm
to many people, and was mentioned by some Congressmen and in the
USA President’s April 24 statement. Going farther, in the article
published on May 3 in the “Washington Times” daily, Logoglu, the
Ambassador of Turkey in Washington, attempted to further support the
Turkish viewpoint and even to orient the proposed process of so called
studying the history. In the article, the Armenians are ascribed
as pretending to a monopoly of presenting their own and one-sided
interpretation of the 1915 events. Also, the Armenian Genocide
victims are put on a level with Muslims allegedly slaughtered during
the World War I. As Noyan tapan was informed from the RA Foreign
Ministry’s Press and Information Department, on May 15, 2005,
in the “Washington Times” daily, the article titled “A Promising
Start?” by Tatoul Markarian, the RA Ambassador to the USA, was
published which touched upon peculiarities of the present stage of
the Armenian-Turkish relations. The article explaines that Erdogan’s
initiative on studying the history can not be enough to reach a
progress in the Armenian-Turkish relations. Not pretending to give
final estimations to the initiative of Turkey’s Prime Minister, the
RA Ambassador points out the problems: establishment of diplomatic
relations and opening of the border. The solution of these problems
would be the evidence of frankness and seroiusness of Turkey’s
intentions. The article puts forward questionings about frankness
and efficiency of the Turkish party’s initiative taking into account
numerous legal and political obstacles present in Turkey tow
ards impartial study of the history. Responding Turkey’s Ambassador’s
public attempt to predestine this process towards a distorted result,
the RA Ambassador distinctly mentions that steps of the Turkish
party to justify the Armenian Genocide for war actions or other
reasons are imadmissible. The complete text of Tatoul Markarian’s
article submitted by the RA Foreign Ministry is presented below:
“A Promising Start? As the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide
approached last month, Turkish Prime Minister Receip Tayyip Erdogan
came up with an initiative in a letter to Armenian President Robert
Kocharian, proposing creation of a joint commission to address the
history. In response, Mr. Kocharian called on Turkey to establish
diplomatic relations and open its border with Armenia without
preconditions, and to form an intergovernmental commission to address
all bilateral concerns. No matter how unconventional this type of
public communication may be between leaders of two neighboring
nations, it is tempting to see Turkey may really open up for
serious dialog. Mr. Erdogan’s initiative, assuming its sincere aim
is normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations, still raises many
questions. A genuine effort by the Turkish government to allow
the Turkish scholars to investigate the dark chapters of Turkish
history would be worthy, though much belated. Such a move by the
Turkish government would undoubtedly be applauded by our nations’ true
friends, as it would indeed begin a process of alleviating the burden
of history in our region. Armenia would be the first to welcome such
a move by the Turkish government. This would allow Turkish scholars
to reveal the truth and help its political leadership accept and
condemn it. Let us hope, however, that Prime Minister Erdogan’s call
to concentrate on addressing the past will not deflect from addressing
pressing issues of the present and the future and that this will not
deepen still further the division on both sides about what happened in
1915. Yet, as long as there are political taboos and legal obstacles
to the free discussion and comprehension of this issue in Turkey,
including criminal penalties in the new Turkish Penal Code for mere
assertion of the term genocide, any investigation mandated by the
Turkish government will have a pre-determined outcome. A Turkish
newspaper, Zaman, noted on April 23 that the Turkish Government
should “lift all legal and other obstacles to the free investigation,
discussion, and comprehension of ‘What happened in 1915?’ ” Also, we
witness the dangerous temptation of modern-day Turkish officials to
present the extermination of the Ottoman Empire’s Armenian population
as a result of World War I. We want to remind all that it was the
exact hope, argument and calculation of the perpetrators that the
massacres and deportations of Armenians would pass unnoticed under
the cover of World War I. Neither war nor anything else can explain or
justify the murder of 1.5 million innocent Armenian children, women,
and men in the Ottoman Turkey. Turkish officials claim Armenians
alone define the history of those days. First, the historical record
is both rich and well-documented. The process for establishing the
truth started in the wake of World War I, as the Turkish military
tribunal sentenced the perpetrators of the massacres and deportation
of Armenians to the death penalty in 1919. That fact is deliberately
bypassed by governments in modern-day Turkey. This process has
progressed very far, especially in the last decade, with a growing
number of countries properly recognizing and strongly condemning
the events of 90 years ago. Turkey coming to terms with its past
has become a test of its willingness to embrace human rights and
fundamental values. And it is Turkey that is “missing the bus,” at
a cost of credibility and time. Second, we should not be blamed for
defining the history alone: Ever since its independence, Armenia has
consistently proposed, without preconditions, establishing diplomatic
relations, opening the border and allowing the people to inte!
ract free ly, thus helping create the proper environment for
a discussion of all issues of bilateral importance. However,
Turkey’s denial of history has not been the only problem. Turkey
has persistently refused to establish diplomatic relations with
Armenia, imposed a blockade on the Turkish-Armenian border and
prioritized ethnic solidarity with Azerbaijan over Turkey’s
international obligations, instead of helping settle the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict. Thus, Turkey’s rejection of not only the past
but also the present left Armenians with no choice but to pursue its
quest for justice — both historical and contemporary — within the
international framework. Armenia is firm on its intent to seize on
the opportunity presented by the exchange between our two countries’
leaders. However, caution is also inspired by the fact Prime Minister
Erdogan’s letter was hurriedly circulated to European capitals and
the United States Congress prior to the April 24 Commemoration Day and
even before Armenian President Kocharian had an opportunity to respond
formally. This left an impression the initiative may not have been
mainly directed at Armenia. Could it have been a tactical maneuver
intended to upstage the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide,
or to sidetrack European and other inquiries? We are interested in
concrete steps and results, never in a vague process for the sake
of process. That is why we proposed and are proposing again the
establishment without preconditions of normal relations between
Armenia and Turkey. As President Kocharian mentioned in his reply,
that will allow an intergovernmental commission to meet and discuss
any and all outstanding issues between our nations, with the aim of
resolving them and reaching an understanding”.

Visiting Turkish general, Azeri speaker discuss Karabakh conflict

Space TV, Baku
18 May 05

[Presenter] Armenian nationalists who have invaded Nagornyy Karabakh
should give up their dirty intentions, Turkish Deputy Chief of Staff
Gen Ilker Basbug has said at a meeting with Azerbaijani Speaker
Murtuz Alasgarov.

[Correspondent] The chairman of the Milli Maclis [Azerbaijan’s
parliament], Murtuz Alasgarov, spoke of the high level of development
of Turkish-Azerbaijani relations. Touching on the Nagornyy Karabakh
problem, Alasgarov said that Turkey has always backed Azerbaijan in
the issue of territorial claims laid by Armenia.

[Alasgarov speaking at the meeting] However, there is still no
result. But I believe that soon – with the participation of brotherly
Turkey, international organizations and the leading countries – this
problem will be resolved on the basis of provisions of international
law, that is the principle of territorial integrity.

[Correspondent] The speaker also said that the Milli Maclis has sent
a letter of protest to international organizations regarding fake
Armenian genocide claims.

Nagornyy Karabakh and the neighbouring districts have been brutally
invaded by the Armenians, Gen Ilker Basbug said and stated once again
Turkey’s position on the issue.

[Basbug, speaking in Turkish] In particular, Turkey is determined to
resolve the Nagornyy Karabakh issue and that of the occupied adjacent
territories as soon as possible. Turkey will continue its efforts
in this regard with the same determination because nobody is able to
put forward an excuse or explanation for the inhumane occupation of
this territory.

Some one million Azerbaijanis have fled the region and are currently
facing difficult living conditions. We especially saw that on the
outskirts of Baku. This is really an inhumane condition.

[Correspondent] The Turkish general also said that there are two
issues on which Turkey and Armenia cannot agree. One of them is the
Azerbaijani-Armenian conflict over Nagornyy Karabakh and the second are
the groundless genocide claims made by Armenia against Turkey. Only
after Armenia gives up both claims may Turkey’s relations with this
country become normal, Basbug said.

ZNet, MA
May 13 2005

The CIA’s New Client in Sudan

……… by David Baake May 12, 2005

It was Woodrow Wilson who called the Armenian Holocaust `sad, but
necessary to quell an internal security threat.’ Today it appears
that the Bush administration, only eight months after former
Secretary of State Colin Powell announced that Sudan’s pro-government
militias were committing genocide, has changed its mind and now is
once again ignoring victims of genocide and allowing a government to
quell a `security threat.’

The Las Angeles Times recently reported that the US government and
the Sudanese government responsible for over 180,000 deaths are
forming a close intelligence partnership, and that government in
Khartoum is becoming a `surprisingly valuable ally of the CIA’ in the
war on terrorism, as surprising as that would seem to anyone aware of
the fact that Sudan harbored Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda a decade
ago and that Sudan’s dictator retained ties with other groups
classified as terrorists by the US government after Al Qaeda left
Sudan.

The Times’ report on the US’ new ally shows very clearly the
opportunistic nature of the `war on terrorism’ paradigm, which in
reality has nothing to do with stopping violence or promoting peace
but is merely a new justification for continuing with the imperialist
program that the US has pursued since the Second World War. The
article is full of completely contradictory messages from US
government officials, and it is difficult to imagine how an
establishment reader could make sense of them without resorting to
the use of doublespeak. The first few paragraphs explain that Sudan
has been charged with committing genocide by the US government, once
welcomed bin Laden, and has been described as “an extraordinary
threat to the national security” by the Bush Administration.

Paragraphs later, the readership is told that `”American intelligence
considers [Sudan] to be a friend” by a senior official in the
Sudanese government, and that Sudan could become a `top tier’ ally of
the CIA by a State Department official. In addition, the Bush
Administration has recently normalized relations with Sudan in light
of this recent cooperation.

According to these interviews with US and Sudanese intelligence
officials, in recent collaborative efforts partaken by the two
governments Sudan has expelled Islamic `extremists.’ This leads one
to wonder, have they banished themselves from the country? Among
their other services, they detained Al Qaeda suspects, members of the
Iraqi insurgency, and other terrorist operatives and gave them to the
US for interrogation. Unfortunately, no members of the Janjaweed,
the pro-government militia committing genocide against the civilians
of Darfur have been detained or disarmed.

Why has the relationship between Sudan and the US shifted so
suddenly, and why is the Sudanese government so interested in helping
the US government hunt down extremists that it used to fund and give
sanctuary to? Why is the US so ready to normalize its relationship
with a country involved in a massive campaign of ethnic cleansing, as
the UN calls it, or genocide, as the Colin Powell called it?

Washington’s radical reversal of relations with Sudan undoubtedly has
quite a bit to do with Sudan’s oil, the majority of which it had been
selling to China. Washington has been looking for a way to gain
control over Sudan’s oil fields for a long period of time. It is
likely that the US helped train the two largest rebel groups whose
attacks elicited the government’s counter-insurgency campaign, the
Justice and Equality Movement and the Sudanese Liberation Army, in an
attempt to weaken Sudan’s government at a time when it was developing
closer ties with China. When the atrocities began to escalate in
Darfur and the US Sate Department officially labeled the killings in
Darfur `genocide’, it seemed the US was considering invading Sudan on
a platform of ending the genocide, disposing of the dictator who made
the mistake of giving China access to its oil fields, and replacing
him with a leader who would allow US corporations to funnel oil from
Sudan.

However, now that Sudan has proved willing to cooperate with the US,
new questions arise. Why would Sudan be dealing so comfortably with
Washington unless it knew that it would not be held accountable for
its own atrocities in any real sense?

It doesn’t seem altogether unfeasible for the governments of Sudan
and the US have made a pact stating that the US would use its power
to prevent action against the genocide in Darfur, in exchange for aid
in countering `terrorism’ and, at some point, access to untapped oil?
It is hard to think of another explanation for the sudden friendship
of the two regimes. The US has been considering an attempt to repeal
the sanctions placed on Sudan, a move favored both by Khartoum and by
US oil companies.

Once again, it seems the US is being complicit with genocide and
making deals with the war criminals responsible, just as previous US
administrations were complicit with the rise of the Khmer Rouge in
Cambodia which was engaged in a battle with the North Vietnamese by
allowing Thailand (then a US client state) to sell arms to Pol Pot
while he exterminated 1.7 million of his own people. Just as the US
was silent during the Rwandan genocide and instead focused on the
bombing of Yugoslavia, the US is again ignoring a massive tragedy in
Sudan in favor of perusing its immediate imperial interests and
destroying the resistance in Iraq.

Of course, just because ties have increased between Khartoum and
Washington doesn’t mean that the US wouldn’t abandon the Sudanese
government if the US feels the alliance is no longer politically
expedient or if Sudan is insubordinate, but right now it seems like
the alliance is a win-win situation for both governments; the only
losers of course being the citizens of Darfur experiencing living
hell.

The situation in Darfur is still one the of the worst humanitarian
catastrophes in the world with nearly 200,000 dead, either due to
violence or famine, and 2 million displaced. The pro-government
militias continue to raid the towns of Darfur, killing men, raping
women, and plundering entire villages, often abducting young women
and using them as sex-slaves. It is clear that rapid action is
necessary to save innocent lives and end the mass slaughter.

The solution to the tragedies in Darfur is most certainly not an
American or NATO military intervention; such an imperial intervention
would only augment the suffering felt in Sudan. To protect the human
rights of Sudanese civilians, it would be necessary for the UN to
launch a major peacekeeping mission or for the world to come together
to fund the African Union’s peacekeeping campaign. The AU has
already launched a peace keeping mission, and AU peace keepers have
been effective in stopping violence in areas where they are
dispatched. However, the AU does not have the resources to sustain
the kind of mission necessary to bring any degree of peace to Sudan,
and has only been able to deploy 3,000 troops to Darfur, a region the
size of France. In addition to enduring vicious campaigns of
violence, the people of Sudan are also in dire need of humanitarian
aid and are experiencing a great shortage in food, medicine, clean
water, and other life essentials.

If the international community does not work together to build a
peacekeeping campaign and the humanitarian aid campaign, the Oxfam
aid agency predicts that the humanitarian crisis in Sudan will
continue until October 2006, most likely bringing hundreds of
thousands of additional deaths. However, it seems the US may present
an obstacle to such campaigns, as it does not want to offend its
terrorist ally in Khartoum.

Kansas City infoZine, MO
May 10 2005

Bush in Tbilisi: Why Is Georgia on His Mind?

President Bush’s schedule in Tbilisi on Tuesday includes meeting with
Georgian government officials and speaking to a crowd in the city’s
Freedom Square. Why is Bush in Georgia?

Washington, D.C. – Institute for Public Accuracy – infoZine – Ronald
Grigor Suny, a professor of political science and history at the
University of Chicago, is author of “The Soviet Experiment: Russia,
the USSR, and the Successor States” and “The Making of the Georgian
Nation.” He said today: “Bush’s trip to Georgia is more about U.S.
policy toward Russia than about American interest in the South
Caucasus. The timing, the choice of countries to be visited, and the
president’s public statements are all directed at lessening the
impact of the 60th anniversary of the Allied defeat of Nazi Germany,
a dampening of the Russian celebration of a victory that was largely
the result of Soviet efforts and losses. Georgia makes sense as a
place to visit because of the way it is seen in the West as a beacon
of democracy, though in the region the Saakashvili government is not
so universally praised. The alternative sites in the area — Armenia
and Azerbaijan — are more facade democracies than real ones, and
going to one or the other country would be seen as an affront to the
other. America’s interest in Georgia is primarily in keeping Russia
out and limiting Russian influence south of the Caucasus, though the
pipeline from Baku that runs through Georgia is also a real interest
of Washington.”

William Hartung, a senior research fellow at the World Policy
Institute in New York City, said today: “President Bush’s stop in
Georgia is about more than just democracy. From Special Forces in
Georgia to growing military aid to the undemocratic regime in
Uzbekistan, the Bush administration is seeking an expanded military
presence in the Caucasus. The motivation driving that presence goes
beyond terrorism to a strong interest in the region’s oil and gas
resources.”

Schröder und Stoiber streiten über Erweiterung
Spiegel – 08.05.05 16:34 Uhr
Kurz vor der Bundestagsabstimmung ist der Streit über die
EU-Verfassung erneut aufgeflammt. Kanzler Schröder und CSU-Chef
Stoiber warfen sich gegenseitig Populismus und Fehler bei der
Osterweiterung der Union vor. … zum Beispiel nach dem Massaker an
den Armeniern”, sagte Fischer der “Neuen Ruhr/Rhein Zeitung”. Es liege
an der Türkei, sich beitrittsreif zu …

Hoher Besuch bei den Feierlichkeiten in Moskau | Politik | Deutsche Welle |
Deutsche Welle – 08.05.05 15:10 Uhr
Auch wenn sich Putin über die Absage der Staatschefs von Estland,
Litauen und Georgien geärgert haben soll: Er bekommt noch reichlich
Besuch zu den Feiern zum 60. Jahrestag des Kriegsendes in Moskau. Die
Gästeliste. Albanien: Präsident Alfred Moisiu Armenien:
… … Präsident Robert Kotcharian Australien: Generalgouverneur
Michael Jeffery Belgien: Ministerpräsident Guy Verhofstadt
Bosnien-Herzegowina …

Putin setzt vor Feier in Moskau Nazis und Terroristen gleich
Basler Zeitung – 08.05.05 15:05 Uhr
Der russische Präsident Wladimir Putin hat den Kampf gegen den
Faschismus vor 60 Jahren mit dem Kampf gegen den heutigen Terrorismus
gleichgesetzt. Er traf sich am Sonntag mit den Präsidenten der
Gemeinschaft Unabhängiger Staaten (GUS). Nazismus, Extremismus
… … Präsident Ilham Alijew wegen des Konflikts mit Armenien um die
aserbaidschanische Region Berg-Karabach. Etwa 20 000 Polizisten und
Soldaten …

Neues Buch über das
[email protected] – 07.05.05 12:16 Uhr
Als Befreiungs- und Gedenkmal für die Opfer der Sowjetarmee im Kampf
gegen den Nationalsozialismus wurde es errichtet. Die Österreicher
haben es schnell zum “Russendenkmal” abgewertet. … dem Ingenieur
Michail Scheinfeld und dem Architekten Major Jakowlew “ein Armenier,
ein Ukrainer jüdischer Herkunft und ein Russe, die das …

Türkei muss laut Fischer Defizite bei Menschenrechten aufarbeiten
Newsclick – 07.05.05 09:06 Uhr
Die Türkei muss nach der Ansicht von Außenminister Joschka Fischer
ihre Defizite in Menschenrechtsfragen aufarbeiten. Sie wird sich auch
den unangenehmen Fragen stellen müssen, zum Beispiel nach dem Massaker
an den Armeniern , sagte Fischer der Neuen Ruhr/Rhein … … Zeitung
. Es liege an der Türkei, sich beitrittsreif zu machen. Wir haben ein
essenzielles Interesse an einer Modernisierung der Türkei …

Ankara kritisiert den Bundestag
Hamburger Abendblatt – 07.05.05 08:52 Uhr
… r hat laut der Zeitung “Milliyet” bei Bundeskanzler Gerhard
Schröders (SPD) Türkei-Besuch den Entwurf des Bundestages zur
Armenien-Frage kritisiert. Er sei unvereinbar mit der
deutsch-türkischen Freundschaft.Der Kanzler habe Sezer zugestimmt. Der
Entwurf fordert die Türkei auf, sich der Armenien-Frage zu
stellen. afp …

Türkei muss laut Fischer Defizite bei Menschenrechten aufarbeiten WEB.DE – 07.05.05 08:04 Uhr

Fischer: Türkei muss Menschenrechte achten
N24 – 07.05.05 08:59 Uhr
Außenminister Joschka Fischer sieht die Türkei in der
Menschenrechtsfrage unter Handlungsdruck. Hier gebe es Defizite, die
aufgearbeitet werden müssten, sagte Fischer der “Neuen Ruhr/Rhein
Zeitung”. Das Land werde sich auch den “unangenehmen Fragen” stellen
… … meinte Fischer mit Blick auf das Massaker an den
Armeniern. Nach Aussage des Ministers liegt es an der Türkei, sich
beitrittsreif zu machen …

Fischer: Türkei muss Menschenrechte achten Netzeitung – 07.05.05 08:49 Uhr

Sieges-Show in Moskau
Passauer Neue Presse – 07.05.05 04:25 Uhr
Altbundespräsi- dent Richard von Weizsäcker hat eine große Wahrheit
gelassen ausgesprochen: Der Untergang des Hitler-Reiches am 8. Mai
1945 wird von vielen Ostdeutschen nicht als Tag der Befreiung
empfunden, für sie ist das nämlich der 9. November 1989 mit
… … Das werden auch die Türken mit Blick auf den Massenmord an den
Armeniern 1915 noch erfahren. Auf den Bundespräsidenten aber kommt mit
seiner 8 …

Öcalan bringt Erdogan in Bedrängnis
Frankfurter Rundschau – 06.05.05 22:26 Uhr
EU-Gerichtshof prüft, ob der Prozess gegen den PKK-Chef neu aufgerollt
werden muss … … Bereits die in Europa geführte Diskussion um die
Armenier-Verfolgungen im Ersten Weltkrieg, ein türkisches Tabu, haben
in Anatolien eine Woge …

Sturm im Teeglas
TAZ – 06.05.05 21:21 Uhr
Der “angebliche Völkermord” an den Armeniern und der europäische
Umgang damit: Kein anderes Thema eignet sich so gut, um die Paranoia
türkischer Nationalisten anzustacheln. Während das Gedenken an die
Massenmorde im Osmanischen Reich, die sich im vergangenen Monat zum
90. Mal jährten, vielerorts längst wieder von anderen Themen verdrängt
wurde, bietet es nationalistischen Kreisen … … in seinem Land
seien 30.000 Kurden und eine Million Armenier ermordet worden. Die
Berichterstattung der deutschen Hürriyet-Redaktion wirkt nicht …

Armenien setzt auf Reformen in der Türkei
Tagesspiegel – 06.05.05 20:04 Uhr
Berlin – Armenien würde nach den Worten seiner Botschafterin in
Berlin, Karine Kazinian, die Aufnahme der Türkei in die EU begrüßen,
wenn das Land europäischen Kriterien entsprechen würde . Kazinian
sagte dem Tagesspiegel: Nach einer Aufnahme der Türkei
… … Schröder hatte auch die Massaker 1915/16 im Osmanischen Reich
an den Armeniern zum Thema gemacht, dabei aber das Wort Völkermord
vermieden. Der …

Armenien setzt auf Reformen in der Türkei Potsdamer Neueste Nachrichten – 06.05.05 19:59 Uhr

Pingpong und die deutsche Geschichte
Berliner Zeitung – 06.05.05 18:35 Uhr
Junge Männer lehnen lässig am Tresen, sie tragen Baseball-Käppis und
Turnschuhe. Zwei Jugendliche spielen Tischtennis, andere schauen
zu. Ein ganz normaler Nachmittag im Kreuzberger Jugendzentrum
Naunynritze. “Sie wollen … … er spreche im Unterricht auch über
den Völkermord an den Armeniern. Da würden sich die türkischstämmigen
Jugendlichen stärker angesprochen …

Stichwort: Armenien | Politik | Deutsche Welle |
Deutsche Welle – 06.05.05 10:44 Uhr
Die frühere Sowjetrepublik Armenien ist seit 1991 ein unabhängiger
Staat. Das Land ist etwa so groß wie Brandenburg, die Hauptstadt heißt
Eriwan. Armenien liegt zwischen der Türkei, Iran, Aserbaidschan und
Georgien. Hier erfahren Sie mehr über Land und … … (über
100.000). Ungefähr acht Millionen Armenier leben im Ausland über die
ganze Welt verstreut. Die Diaspora reicht vom Vorderen Orient bis …

Armenien setzt auf Reformen in der Türkei
Tagesspiegel – 06.05.05 20:04 Uhr
Berlin – Armenien würde nach den Worten seiner Botschafterin in
Berlin, Karine Kazinian, die Aufnahme der Türkei in die EU begrüßen,
wenn das Land europäischen Kriterien entsprechen würde . Kazinian
sagte dem Tagesspiegel: Nach einer Aufnahme der Türkei … … um den
Dialog zwischen Armenien und der Türkei in Gang zu bringen, auch über
schmerzhafte Fragen . Die Botschafterin warb für die Aufnahme …

Armenien setzt auf Reformen in der Türkei
Potsdamer Neueste Nachrichten – 06.05.05 19:59 Uhr

Trennung unabhängiger Staaten
Potsdamer Neueste Nachrichten – 06.05.05 19:59 Uhr
Roten Sekt von der Krim wird es geben, schwarzen Kaviar aus dem
Kaspischen Meer und jede Menge Sonntagsreden: Am Wochenende treffen
sich die Staatschefs der Gemeinschaft unabhängiger Staaten (GUS) im
Moskauer Hotel President. Der Gipfel der UdSSR-Nachfolgegemeinschaft
… … Als mögliche Kandidaten werden Kasachstan und Armenien
gehandelt, die beide als loyale Verbündete Russlands
gelten. Bisher. Putin hat vor den …

Trennung unabhängiger Staaten Tagesspiegel – 06.05.05 19:51 Uhr

Stichwort: Armenien | Politik | Deutsche Welle |
Deutsche Welle – 06.05.05 10:44 Uhr
Die frühere Sowjetrepublik Armenien ist seit 1991 ein unabhängiger
Staat. Das Land ist etwa so groß wie Brandenburg, die Hauptstadt heißt
Eriwan. Armenien liegt zwischen der Türkei, Iran, Aserbaidschan und
Georgien. Hier erfahren Sie mehr über Land und … … Heute leben in
Armenien rund drei Millionen Menschen. Im benachbarten Georgien sind
sie mit 400.000 die stärkste Minderheit, im verfeindeten …

LEITARTIKEL: Schröder balanciert
Newsclick – 05.05.05 23:30 Uhr
Bei seinem Türkei-Besuch hat Bundeskanzler Schröder einen politischen
Balance-Akt vollführt.Auf der einen Seite vermied er es, den
türkischen Ministerpräsidenten Erdogan und dessen zuletzt reformmüde
Regierung unter großen öffentlichen Druck zu setzen. Mit
… … ausbalanciert waren auch Schröders Aussagen zur
Armenien-Frage: Der Kanzler forderte die Türken zwar zur Aufarbeitung
ihrer Vergangenheit auf …

Ein Besuch vergessener Opfer
Neues Deutschland – 05.05.05 22:42 Uhr
Verein KONTAKTE-KONTAKTb/I kümmert sich um Kriegsgefangene, die
Zwangsarbeit leisteten … … hier am Mittwoch zwölf frühere
sowjetische Kriegsgefangene aus Armenien, Belorussland, Russland und
der Ukraine vor. Betroffen hörten die …

Liebe Freunde in Zeiten wechselnder Stimmung
Frankfurter Rundschau – 05.05.05 22:24 Uhr
Bundeskanzler Gerhard Schröder besucht die Türkei und äußert viel
Verständnis für die Probleme des Gastgebers … … Umgekehrt hält der
Kanzler die Forcierung der Armenien-Frage in erster Linie für einen
christdemokratischen Sabotage-Versuch ist. Für den …

Schallgedämpft
Frankfurter Rundschau – 05.05.05 22:24 Uhr
Der türkische Ministerpräsident Erdogan gehört zu den Kollegen, die
Bundeskanzler Schröder um so demon-strativer mit Vertrauen bedenkt, je
mehr bei Außenstehenden die Zweifel an ihren lauteren Absichten
wachsen. Rein menschlich ist das eine schöne Haltung. … und im Falle
Armenien darüber hinaus. Wenn aus Massenmord “Ereignisse, die
seinerzeit stattgefunden haben”, werden, wird funktionale …

Türkei
Welt – 05.05.05 19:09 Uhr
Drei Ehrendoktorhüte hat Gerhard Schröder inzwischen beisammen; einen
aus Schanghai, einen aus St. Petersburg und einen aus Istanbul. China,
Rußland, Türkei? Ein Schelm der Böses denkt. Nun ist es keinesfalls
bewiesen, daß des Kanzlers Langmut mit heiklen … … sie finge beim
Stichwort Armenien damit einfach einmal an? Artikel erschienen am Fr,
6. Mai 2005

A1plus

| 17:40:13 | 06-05-2005 | Social |

ANOTHER REASON TO BE”PROU”

The reason to be”prou” this time is that in Armenia the new UA Embassy has
opened which surpassed all the UA Embassies in the would by its area. The
diplomats of the US Embassy comment on this fact by the warm attitude of
Armenia towards USA and the perspectives of cooperation.

The new building of the US Embassy is situated near the Yerevan lake on an
area of 90 thousand sq. meters. Since 2001 76 million UA dollars have been
used fro it. 600 Armenians have taken part in the construction works.

The old building of the embassy which is the property of the US Government
will be sold.

The UA deputy Ambassador also promised that they will be a good neighbor for
the Yerevan lake and will not pollute it still more.

AZG Armenian Daily #082, 06/05/2005

Region-EU

YOU ARE FAR FROM EUROPE

Benita Ferrero-Waldner, EU minister of external relations and the Issues of
European Neighborhood, said in the interview to ITAR TASS that it is too
early for Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova to become EU member states. “It~Rs
high time to be realistic. Look what poor economy these countries have! They
still have many things to change. They know about that very well,” Benita
Ferrero-Waldner said.

Semih Idiz: Turkey must keep its cool

TDN
Thursday, May 5, 2005
OPINIONS

Let no one mistake it, 1915 was a year of tragedy for the Armenian
people. As for the ‘numbers game,’ this is irrelevant. The Armenians
say 1.5 million died. Turks acknowledge that anything up to 600,000
Armenians died during the forced expulsions that started in May 1915.
But what difference does it make when you are talking about hundreds
of thousands of innocent people who lost their lives in brutal
circumstances.

Semih IDIZ – Let no one mistake it, 1915 was a year of tragedy for the
Armenian people. As for the “numbers game,” this is irrelevant. The
Armenians say 1.5 million died. Turks acknowledge that anything up
to 600,000 Armenians died during the forced expulsions that started
in May 1915. But what difference does it make when you are talking
about hundreds of thousands of innocent people who lost their lives
in brutal circumstances.

Let no one mistake it that these years were also years of tragedy
for the Turks, Kurds and other Muslim peoples of Anatolia. Again,
the numbers game is irrelevant, but the number of innocent Muslims
killed in Anatolia, the Balkans and the Caucasus during those years
runs into the millions. Their tragedy is no less than that of the
Armenians, even if many in the West insist on looking at this whole
affair from a skewed perspective, disregarding this basic fact for
historic, cultural, and religious reasons.

Armenians acknowledge that many Turks were killed during that
period. They usually say, however, that this is the price they paid
for “starting the fight.” This is like saying — as many Czechs and
the Poles do today — that the millions of Sudeten Germans who were
brutally murdered in horrific acts of vengeance at the end of World
War II deserved this so there can be no accountability. Tell that to
the millions of East Prussian Germans who are still seeking justice
for what was done to them.

History tells us that simple people do not start these big
fights. Their leaders do. Otherwise, if left to their own resources,
simple people can coexist in harmony, the way the Turks and Armenians
did for centuries. On the Turkish side it was the “Ittihadists,”
the first “coupists” in modern Turkish history, who co-engineered the
Armenian tragedy. On the Armenian side it was the equivalent of the
Ittihadists, whether they went under the name of the “Dashnaks” or the
“Hunchaks,” who led their own people down a blind alley by falling
for the promises given to them by the big powers, most notably Russia,
France and Great Britain — thus cultivating dreams of independence —
only to find themselves deserted over and over again in their hour
of need.

The question today, therefore, not only revolves around the issue of
whether the events of 1915 can be termed genocide or not. There is
a broad history that has to be unearthed to be able to see the “big
picture.” Since the term “genocide,” on the other hand, like the term
“homicide,” is a legalistic term, all that can be said today is that
a valid court of law — or a tribunal like the Nuremberg Tribunal
set up for the Germans at the end of World War II – has not ruled
that what happened in 1915 was genocide.

The only court that convened for the atrocities against the Armenians
sat in Istanbul, when that city was under allied occupation —
and everything was stacked in favor of the Armenians — after the
Ottoman Empire capitulated along with the Germans in 1918. That
court convicted some Ottoman officials for these atrocities but had
to let a much larger number go for lack of evidence. The attempt by
various parliaments in Europe today to “legislate history” with a
one-sided version of the events of 1915 does not alter this simple
fact. Parliaments can legislate that the sun should not set tomorrow
if they like, for all the good that will do.

Looked at what is transpiring today against this backdrop, one cannot
help but notice a correlation between the strong endorsement that
Turkey has gotten from the U.S., the EU and a host of influential
quarters, for its suggestion that Ankara and Yerevan set up a joint
commission to investigate the events of 1915 and the attempts by
“tangential” quarters to force-feed Turks with a one-sided version
of history under pressure from Armenian quarters.

The reason is not difficult to understand. Hardcore Armenians,
especially those led by the Dashnaks — who are still influential today
— and their non-Armenian sympathizers hate the idea of such a joint
commission, just as they hate any attempt at reconciliation between
Turks and Armenians. Those who doubt this can talk to the Armenian
members of the Turkish-Armenian Reconciliation Committee, set up a
few years ago, who were so intimidated by the Dashnaks with threats
and abuse that they had to resign from this committee in the end.

One can also follow the statements of the Armenian National Committee
of America on these topics in order to find the extent to which
ultranationalist Armenians are in a panic today in the face of the very
proactive and positive move by Turkey to open up all its archives,
demand that others do so too and call for the establishment of a
Turkish-Armenian Commission to investigate 1915. They are afraid,
of course, that the “other side of the story” will emerge — something
they are loath to see happen.

It is also apparent that the Armenian issue is an ideal device for
those in Europe who do not want to see Turkey in the EU and who are
using this to dampen the enthusiasm of the Turks for membership in
the union. It was interesting to note, for example, Foreign Minister
Abdullah Gül saying during an interview with Milliyet earlier this
week that there are such ugly pressures being applied on Turkey today
that it almost drives a person to say, “God, damn the lot of them!”

This was in fact an unfortunate — not to mention undiplomatic —
remark because it sent a signal to those quarters in Europe that
Gül was referring to and who are abusing issues like the Armenian
issue against Turkey to continue as they are “because the Turks are
near breaking point.”

To put it in a nutshell, there is an ugly game that is being played in
Europe today by a host of quarters who have become strange bedfellows
against Turkey. Some want to make Turkey eat humble pie for their own
prejudicial reasons based on historic events; others want to keep the
Turks out of Europe; and yet others want to salve their consciences
for having always dumped the Armenians in the past during their hour
of need after having incited deep hatred between Armenians and Turks.

This is why Turkey has to stand firm today and not lose its cool in
the face of all this while continuing to be proactive on the Armenian
issue, as its has started to be as of late. While doing this it also
has to free itself from ossified perceptions about 1915 and acknowledge
the great human suffering that took place during those years without
getting involved in “tit-for-tat” arguments about who started what.

As for the blatantly racist anti-Turkish chorus in the West that is
singing its ugly tune against this country today by using the Armenian
issue, among others: All that one can do is repeat the time-tested
Turkish saying, “The cur may howl, but the caravan moves on…”  

–Boundary_(ID_IFO/ZB4ink0n6M+CnIrb9w)–

IN CONTRAST TO THE CITIZENS, THE MAYOR IS PLEASED WITH HIS WORK

A1plus
| 15:02:47 | 02-05-2005 | Social |

«We are pleased with the tempo of the construction of the North
Avenue», said Yerevan mayor Yervand Zakharyan informing that the
main work will finish at the end of 2006 and the whole construction
will finish in 2007.

For the building of several parts of the Avenue the municipality has
announced a competition with the demand of $40 for one square km and
not 20 as it was envisaged by the Government. Yervand Zakharyan hopes
that the sum will increase. By the way, it is worth mentioning that
when Yervand Zakharyan was speaking about the North Avenue, the ex-,
that is – true residents of the Avenue gathered at the entrance of the
municipality and demanded to meet the mayor who has not only avoided
meeting them by now but also, according to the participants of the
meeting, “has ignored them”.

Speaking about the works in different spheres in the first 30month
period the mayor referred to the public transport problem. According
to him, 18 buses have been imported to Armenia. And is it true that
even if 700 buses are imported the route taxis will work? “Yes”
answered Yervand Zakharyan adding that “only those in good technical
conditions will work”.

–Boundary_(ID_CVHCBx8V/Gq2gnDZr+QbNw)–