Author: Chmshkian Vicken

EU PARLIAMENT ENDORSES CRITICISM ON PACE OF TURKISH REFORMS

AKI, Italy
Sept 27 2006

Strasbourg, 27 Sept. (AKI) – Members of the European Parliament on
Wednesday overwhelmingly adopted a report levelling stern criticism
at European Union candidate country Turkey over its recent progress in
implementing reforms, especially in the areas of freedom of expression,
rights of religious minorities and the issue of its recognition of
Cyprus. MEPs voted 429 in favour of the report, with 71 against and
125 abstentions.

MEPs nevertheless welcomed some recent steps by the Turkish government
in the fields of combating torture, fighting corruption and extending
women’s rights. They also rejected a controversial provision in
the report that would have made Turkey’s recognition as ‘genocide’
of the killing of over one million Armenians by Ottoman Turks during
and after World War I a precondition for EU membership.

MEPs called on the Turkish government to recognise the Republic of
Cyprus (an EU member state) and to withdraw its forces from the island
and lift its embargo on Cypriot vessels and aircraft. The report –
prepared by Conservative Dutch MEP Camiel Eurlings – reminds Turkey
that a lack of progress in normalising relations with Cypus "will
have serious implications for the negotiation process and could even
bring it to a halt." It also urges Greece and Turkey "to refrain from
tension-prone military activities."

The parliament called on the Turkish authorities to facilitate the
work of researchers, intellectuals and academics studying the Armenian
mass killings by ensuring them access to the historical archives and
all the relevant documents. MEPs urged Turkey to establish diplomatic
and good neighbourly relations with Armenia, to withdraw the economic
blockade and open the land border at an early date.

On the Kurdish question, MEPs noted the continued intimidation of
non-governmental organisations in southeast Turkey, while welcoming the
start of broadcasts in Kurdish. Eurlings’ report "strongly condemns the
resurgence of terrorist violence on the part of the banned separatist
Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK)" but also urges a democratic solution
to the issue of a Kurdish homeland in southeast Turkey.

Despite the recent acquittal of leading novelist Elif Shafak on
charges of "insulting Turkishness," MEPs said they remained troubled by
persisting barriers to freedom of expression in Turkey. They called for
the abolition or amendment of those provisions of Turkey’s penal code
which threaten freedom of speech, notably Article 301, which foresees
punishment for ‘denigrating Turkishness’. Charges were brought against
Shafak and, previously, another leading Turkish writer, Orhan Pamuk
under Article 301.

Ahead of a debate of his report by the parliament on Wednesday,
Eurlings described it as "tough but fair." He said it regretted above
all a slowdown in implementing reforms on the role of the security
forces in public life, trade union rights, torture and ill-treatment
of prisoners, as well as individual freedoms.

The European Commission is due to release its annual report on Turkey’s
progress on 8 November. It began membership talks with Turkey on 3
October last year and Turkey is not expected to join the EU until
2015 at earliest.

AZNAVOUR ET L’ARMENIE, 82 ANS D’HISTOIRE COMMUNE

Agence France Presse
26 septembre 2006 mardi 4:26 PM GMT

Monument de la culture francaise, meme s’il n’aime pas ce
qualificatif, Charles Aznavour est aussi l’une des plus celèbres
vedettes internationales originaires d’Armenie, le pays de ses parents,
avec lequel il a entretenu des liens etroits tout au long de sa vie.

Aznavour, 82 ans, donnera un concert a Erevan, la capitale de
l’Armenie, samedi, sous les yeux de Jacques Chirac, qui s’y rend
en visite de vendredi a dimanche. Il se produira en outre a l’Opera
Garnier a Paris le 17 fevrier prochain, dans le cadre de l’annee de
l’Armenie en France.

La manifestation la plus tangible des liens entre Aznavour et l’Armenie
date de decembre 1988, après le tremblement de terre qui devaste le
nord du pays.

Le chanteur, dont le vrai nom est Aznavourian, fonde alors le comite
"Aznavour pour l’Armenie" pour collecter des fonds. Avant de se
rendre sur place, il ecrit le texte de la chanson humanitaire "Pour
toi Armenie". Elle est enregistree debut 1989 avec 90 artistes (dont
Gilbert Becaud, Johnny Hallyday ou Renaud) et se vendra a plus d’un
million d’exemplaires.

Après cela, Charles Aznavour sera nomme ambassadeur permanent en
Armenie par l’Unesco.

"Jusqu’ici, je disais toujours: +Je suis francais d’origine
armenienne+. Après le choc, je me suis rendu compte que j’etais
vraiment d’origine armenienne", avait-il declare a Paris-Match en
decembre 1988.

En avril 1975, il avait cree a la salle Pleyel a Paris la chanson
"Ils sont tombes", pour le 60e anniversaire du genocide armenien ("La
mort les a frappes sans demander leur âge/Puisqu’ils etaient fautifs
d’etre enfants d’Armenie", dit le texte). La musique etait signee par
son beau-frère Georges Garvarentz (fils du poète Kevork Garvarentz,
auteur de l’hymne national revolutionnaire armenien).

Pour ses 80 ans, Aznavour a ete nomme en 2004 "heros national" de
l’Armenie par le president Robert Kotcharian. En 2001, une place
d’Erevan a ete baptisee a son nom, avec une statue a son effigie. Et
en 2002, il tenait le rôle d’un cineaste tournant un film sur le
genocide de 1915 dans "Ararat", film du Canadien Atom Egoyan, lui
aussi d’origine armenienne.

Le chanteur n’est pourtant pas ne en Armenie mais a Paris, le 22 mai
1924, où ses parents s’etaient etablis après avoir quitte leur pays.

"Charles Aznavour ou le destin apprivoise", biographie de reference
parue en juin, relève qu’Aznavour aurait dû porter le prenom armenien
de Shahnourh, finalement francise en Charles par la sage-femme.

Cet ouvrage, auquel Aznavour a porte son concours pour la première
fois, revèle en outre les liens d’amitie etroits qui existaient
dans les annees 30 entre la famille Aznavourian et un autre Armenien
d’origine, entre depuis dans l’Histoire de France: Missak Manouchian,
chef du groupe FTP (Francs-tireurs partisans) de "L’affiche rouge",
execute en fevrier 1944 par les nazis avec 22 autres resistants.

Manouchian qui, en 1940, avait ecrit cette phrase premonitoire a la
mère d’Aznavour: "Charles sera l’honneur du peuple armenien, et une
gloire pour la France".

–Boundary_(ID_Hs/rdCOZlV0LNkgY+yMN pg)–

RUSSELL JOHNSTON TO MEET WITH HEADS OF ARMENIAN AND AZERBAIJANI DELEGATIONS

Public Radio of Armenia
Sept 25 2006

President of PACE Subcommittee on Nagorno Karabakh Russell Johnston
will have e meeting with Heads of Armenian and Azerbaijani delegations,
Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan in the European Parliament
Aghshin Mehtiev told "Trend" agency. He noted that during the fall
session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to
be held October 2-6, Russell Johnston will discuss the question of
the visit of members of PACE Subcommittee on Nagorno Karabakh to
the region.

TURKISH COURT JUSTIFIES FEMALE WRITER WHO TOUCHED UPON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

AZG Armenian Daily
26/09/2006

Turkish court has justified writer Elif Safaq charged with having
"insulted Turkish dignity." Reuters reports that Mrs. Safaq appeared
on the dock as the characters of her novel "Istanbul’s Illegitimate
Son" comment on the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey in 1915. Elif
Safaq gave birth to a child last week and is currently in hospital,
Reuters reports.

EU TRIO DELEGATION TO ARRIVE IN ARMENIA OCTOBER 2

Pablic Radio of Armenia
Sept 23 2006

EU Trio delegation headed by the Foreign Minister of Finland Erkki
Tuomioja will arrive in Armenia on October 2. Acting Press Secretary of
RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Karapetyan told "Armenpress"
that during the visit the EU Presidency and the Armenian side will
declare about the completion of the text of Armenia’s Actions Plan
in the framework of the "Enlarged Europe: New Neighbors" Policy.

The Trio delegation comprises also EU Commissioner for Foreign
Relations and European Neighborhood Policy Benita Ferero-Waldner,
EU Special Envoy for the South Caucasus Peter Semneby and Ambassadors.

WILL OSKANYAN BE PRESIDENT?

A1+
[08:07 pm] 22 September, 2006

RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan did not exclude the possibility
of his participation in the 2008 Presidential elections.

Answering the questions about his possible participation in the 2008
Presidential elections by magazine "Nouvelles d’Armenie" which is
published in France, the Foreign Minister said, "It is still too
early to speak about it".

"I know that I still have much to do in this country, and I would
like to continue my work. As for how, time will show", Oskanyan said.

The Armenian press has supposed many times that Oskanyan can be
the possible successor of Kocharyan and be supported by "Prosperous
Armenia" created by Gagik Tsaroukyan.

According to the legislation, Vardan Oskanyan who left California
for Armenia in 1992 and got citizenship in 1998 will have the right
to participate in the 2008 Presidential elections, Radio station
"Azatutyun" reports.

Public Radio of Armenia
Sept 20 2006

Arkady Ghukasyan: During the years of independence we have built two states
20.09.2006 18:02

Alisa Gevorgyan
"Radiolur"

"The 15 years of independence were first all years of struggle for real
independence of Armenia. Unfortunately, in any struggle, losses are
inevitable. It is the duty of all of us to pay tribute to those who
sacrificed their lives for our real independence," Defense Minister
Serge Sargsyan says. What did we learn during these 15 years and how
should we continue?

"These 15 years were filled with the joy of success and grief of
failures. These years have taught us that any decision should be
taken in the result of long discussions and considerations, to have
these correspond to the interests our state and people.

Unfortunately, here also we cannot do without mistakes, since every
people passes the path of independence on its own, and it is impossible
to fully repeat the way passed by other nations, Sege Sargsyan told
the journalists.

In NKR Presidnet Arkady Ghukasyan’s words, the real achievement
of the past 15 years was the statehood of the Republic of Armenian
and the Nagorno Karabakh Republic. "It is natural that not all of
our problems have been resolved, but I’m sure these will find their
solution If we are united. War takes the best, those who are on the
front line, and we are obliged to build a state that will deserve
their dreams. During these years we have built two states instead
of one, and I think that this is a great achievement. Certainly,
this Armenia and Karabakh are not completely what we desired, but
everything is in our hands and it’s senseless to rely upon others."

In NKR President’s words, if you do not wish war, you must always be
ready for it. He considers that during the years to come the emphasis
should be laid on security issues and the power of the army. "War is
not our choice, this war was imposed to us and we won, but life has
proven that wars never resolve questions. We should try to find the
solutions of our problems in the political field," Arkady Ghukasyan
stated.

Public Radio of Armenia
Sept 15 2006

The Karabakh conflict has no military solution, US Co-Chair of the
OSCE Minsk Group is confident
15.09.2006 12:20

US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Matthew Bryza said in an
interview to MEDIAMAX agency that, `The statements in the region
should not include hatred or a threat of applying force, since the
Karabakh conflict has no military solution. This kind of solution
does not exist today. It will not exist in 10, 15, 30 or 50 years.’
Commenting on the mediators’ suggestion to hold a referendum in
Nagorno Karabakh, Matthew Bryza noted that the document including the
main principles includes the following terminology: referendum or
popular vote.
`Azerbaijan says that it means a popular vote and not a referendum,
referring to its Constitution, which says that all the citizens of
the country must participate in the referendum. In my opinion, the
Armenian side is not satisfied with this version, in case of which
the whole population of Azerbaijan will participate in the voting.
Thus, we must find a clever way and organize the voting process so
that it corresponds to the interests of both Armenia and Azerbaijan,
the US mediator said.

Messenger.ge, Georgia

Friday, September 15, 2006, #175 (1195)

Georgia needs European reforms more than European integration

Georgia’s dream of EU integration is no secret, the EU flag is even
emblazoned on the ruling National Movement’s logo, and the first step
along this long and winding road-hopes the government-is the European
Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) and its attendant action plan. The
negotiations are over and the plan is due to be signed off at a
ceremony during the visit of the EU’s Neighbourhood Commissioner
Benita Ferrero-Waldner. The action plan has a five year term, during
which major and lasting reforms are expected of Georgia. With
characteristic bravado, the government has promised to complete these
reforms in three years rather than five.

The ENP sets out a bilateral relationship which offers deeper
integration with countries bordering the EU. However, the policy
"does not have an enlargement perspective", in the EU’s words, and is
results based, meaning that any further economic and political
integration is wholly contingent on the neighbour country achieving
the reforms prescribed, and the neighbour countries still have no
guarantee of an invitation to join the EU. Also, the South Caucasus
was not even considered to be part of Europe’s neighbourhood until
2004, when the three countries were hastily tacked on to the scheme.

Head of the delegation of the European Commission to Georgia and
Armenia, Torben Holtze, praises Georgia’s institutional and economic
reforms, macro-economic development and customs and tax
reform. However, Georgia came in for criticism over the supremacy of
the rule of law, the freedom of the media and the fact that more than
fifty percent of Georgians live in poverty.

The EU also upbraided Georgia on its huge military spending, something
Ferrero-Waldner recently panned Georgia and Azerbaijan for. The EC
delegation recommend Georgia spend some of those vast sums on
education, reports the newspaper Rezonansi.

Under the ENP action plan, over the next five years (or three years if
you’re as optimistic as the government) Georgia is expected to
entrench the supremacy of the rule of law, improve the business
climate, decrease poverty, cooperate with the EU in security matters
and seek peaceful resolution of the Abkhazian and South Ossetian
conflicts. Even in ten years Georgia will have its work cut out.

In an interview earlier this year the EU’s top Caucasus expert Dov
Lynch, who is convinced of Georgia’s importance for Europe, commented
that, in spite of Georgia’s repeated assertions that they are a
European country and their eagerness to accede to all the structures
and bodies associated with that status, Georgia is less successful at
implementing the necessary reforms suggested by the EU than
neighbouring Armenia. There is some irony in this, as there are no EU
flags flying on public buildings in Yerevan, and Armenia is a close
ally of Russia.

The government, which is still characterised by a high degree of
revolutionary fervour, must make sure that the rule of law is indeed
supreme, and not something that can be put aside for temporary
benefit, if they are to fulfil the action plan, and move a little
closer to Europe.

The Rose Revolution alerted a complacent EU to the reality of the
South Caucasus as a region, hence the three countries hasty inclusion
on in the ENP. For the EU it is vitally important to have a stable,
predictable and prosperous region on its south-eastern flank, a region
which borders three EU candidate countries, Turkey, Romania and
Bulgaria, as well as the Middle East. For Europe to achieve this it
needs the South Caucasus countries to be representative, stable and
predictable as only democratic states can be. It needs property to be
protected and international norms and rules to be observed. Above all,
the EU wants peace in the region, and the end to the quasi-states,
that funnel people, drugs guns and possibly worse to Europe. This is
why the South Caucasus is included in the ENP, but Europe may find its
desires more difficult to achieve here than it is used to.

Because the ENP "does not have an enlargement perspective" the
incentives for the governments of the region to adopt reforms which
may curtail there own powers are not so apparent. Although it is clear
that having open societies and rule of law based states is in the
interest of all three countries of the South Caucasus, it may not be
in the interests of their rulers. Unlike in Eastern Europe, and now in
Turkey, where the EU could say ‘if you want to be in our club you have
to follow our rules’, with the ENP there is no invitation to join the
club. Hopefully the Georgian government will realise that the reforms
themselves matter more than the integration they may or may not bring.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Year of Armenia in France Not to Be Limited to Cultural Events
16.09.2006 14:09 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ 500 events in 125 French towns are planed within the
Year of Armenia in France, stated Armenian Ambassador to France Edvard
Nalbandyan. In his words, on those days largest museums, theaters,
concert halls of France will open their doors. Specifically, Louvre
will provide one of its largest halls – Melpomen – for an exposition
called Holy Armenia. Some 30 Khachkars (stone-crosses), as well as
exhibits from Holy Echmiadzin Treasure House and the Historical Museum
of Armenia will be displayed there in February-May 2007.

E. Nalbandyan also reported that for the first time the royal
collection of Armenian manuscripts will be exhibited at the National
Library of France. The Year of Armenia in France will not be limited
to cultural events, he added. `A conference, organized in cooperation
with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Paris, with participation
of the business community and economic bloc ministers of Armenia and
France, will be held in November. In February 2007 for the first time
Armenia will take part in the largest in the world Paris International
Agricultural Saloon. Within its framework a conference for discussing
agricultural cooperation between the two countries is planned to be
organized in cooperation with Crédit Agricole Bank. Another
conference – dedicated to IT – will be held in Paris in March 2007,’
the Armenian diplomat reported.