Author: David Nargizian

ArmenPress
Jan 19 2005
US STATE DEPARTMENT COMMENTS OF ELIZABETH JONES’ REMARKS
YEREVAN, JANUARY 19, ARMENPRESS: The US Department of State
responded to a wave of protest of Armenian organizations caused by
what they say “highly incendiary” remarks by US Assistant Secretary
of State Elizabeth Jones referring to Nagorno Karabagh’s leadership
as “criminal secessionists.”
The US Embassy in Yerevan has disseminated a statement from
Washington, which says that the US has not changed its policy
regarding Nagorno Karabagh. “The US does not recognize Nagorno
Karabagh as an independent state and neither its leadership is
recognized internationally or by the US. The US defends the
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and believes that the future
status of Nagorno Karabagh is to be defined in the negotiation
process in the frameworks of the OSCE Minsk group. The US continues
to actively support the peaceful resolution of the conflict. We are
hopeful of the ongoing talks between Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign
ministers,” the Washington statement says.
According to the Moscow Times, during a video conference the US
Assistant Secretary of State Elizabeth Jones, in discussing U.S.
bi-lateral relations with Russia, called for increased engagement in
resolving regional conflicts in the former Soviet Union. The US State
of Department statement says that Washington realizes that every
conflict is caused by peculiar and unique circumstances.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Jan 14 2005
OSCE fact-finding mission to visit occupied territories

The OSCE Minsk Group (MG) co-chairs from Russia, United States and
France are due to arrive in Baku on January 28, Deputy Foreign
Minister Araz Azimov told a press conference on Thursday.
The MG co-chairs will visit the country as part of the OSCE
fact-finding mission which will look into the illegal settlement of
Armenians in the occupied
Azerbaijani lands. The mission will also include OSCE MG co-chairs
from
Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Finland.
Azimov said that the mission members will hold a number of meetings
with Azeri officials, after which they will tour the region. He said
that as part of preparations for the visit, the co-chairs will meet
with the other mission members in Vienna on January 21 to discuss
technical issues.
The Deputy Foreign Minister continued that `the mission should not
give any political assessments but prepare a report on the facts it
witnesses and confirms’.
The mission will visit five Azerbaijani regions – Kalbajar, Lachin,
Jabrayil, Gubadly and Zangilan, where Armenians were purposefully
settled, Azimov said.
`With regard to the two other regions, Aghdam and Fuzuli, I am not
aware of such facts’, he added.*

PRESS RELEASE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of Australia & New Zealand
10 Macquarie Street
Chatswood NSW 2067
AUSTRALIA
Contact: Laura Artinian
Tel: (02) 9419-8056
Fax: (02) 9904-8446
Email: [email protected]
29 December 2004
PRIMATE VISITS THE ARMENIAN COMMUNITY OF AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND
Primate of the Diocese of Australia & New Zealand, His Eminence Archbishop
Aghan Baliozian met with the small but vibrant Armenian community of
Auckland, New Zealand during a 5-day pastoral visit from 22-27 December. As
the planned visit coincided with the Christmas celebrations of the western
calendar, the presence of Archbishop Aghan during this holy season was even
more significant for the community.
On his arrival at the airport late Wednesday afternoon, the Archbishop was
warmly welcomed by a group of community members who had scheduled a busy few
days of meetings, social outings and gatherings, and a liturgical service.
The program also included a meeting with the Chief Justice of New Zealand,
the Rt. Hon. Dame Sian Elias and a private visit with Dr and Mrs Minas
Elias. Dr Elias is a refined Armenian gentleman of 88 years who migrated to
New Zealand in the 1950’s from Burma (Myanmar) and has been the face of
Armenians in New Zealand ever since.
Friday afternoon, Archbishop Aghan was accompanied to the local cemetery by
community members where he blessed the graves and offered prayers for the
souls of the dearly departed Armenians interred in Auckland. The same
evening, the community gathered together for an evening of traditional
Armenian festivity with the children presenting a special concert for the
Archbishop demonstrating their many talents and all they had learnt during
their weekly lessons at Armenian school. The Archbishop was duly inspired
and invited to present the children with award certificates. He later
closed the evening with a speech and prayer.
During the 5-day visit, Archbishop Aghan took every spare moment to meet
with individual families in their homes. On Sunday evening, Archbishop
Aghan offered Holy Mass at St Peter’s Anglican Church in Takapuna. Present
also were clergy from the Anglican Church and Syrian Orthodox Church. The
sermon gave spiritual comfort and nourishment to the close-knit Armenian
congregation that have a special yearning to partake in the Divine Liturgy
of their mother language. A reception followed the church service when
community members had their final opportunity to enjoy the Archbishop’s
company in a social gathering before his return to Australia the following
day.
The Armenian community in New Zealand is made of migrants from Iraq, Iran,
Russia, Armenia, Uruguay, Lebanon and Jordan and numbers no more than 110.
All have settled in the city of Auckland on the north island of New Zealand.
The oldest Armenian family in New Zealand is known to be the Zohrab family
dating back to the 1860’s, followed by the Elias family who settled in the
mid 1900’s.
Contact with the Armenian Society of New Zealand can be made through the
Chairman, Mr Ara Ovanessoff at [email protected]
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN FM: STATEMENT BY AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT CONCERNING “OUTPOST” EVIDENCE
OF POOR EXPERIENCE
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 21. ARMINFO. The statement by Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliyev that Armenia is allegedly an “outpost” of Russia
is an evidence of poor political experience of the Azerbaijani
administration, said Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan in
his interview with Armenia TV channel, Tuesday.
In his words, Armenia is a sovereign independent state having fraternal
and partner ties with other states. The minister notes that no one
can dictate anything to Armenia either today or in future. Armenia
is practically the only state in the region to wage an independent
policy, as it wages a complementary policy, and speculations on this
issue “hint me at the approach to this issue in Azerbaijan,” Vardan
Oskanyan states.
It should be noted that earlier, commenting on the statement by
RF Speaker Boris Gryzlkov in Yerevan that Armenia was an outpost
of Russia, Azerbaijani President stated that he though “Armenia an
independent state, while it proved to be an outpost.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARKA News Agency
Dec 16 2004
200 million amd directed in Armenia for celebration of victory in
Great Patriotic War
Baku tries to keep Karabakh from the participation in negotiations as
a full party
RA President meets the Governor of Armavir region of Armenia
*********************************************************************
200 MILLION AMD DIRECTED IN ARMENIA FOR CELEBRATION OF VICTORY IN
GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR
YEREVAN, December 16. /ARKA/. 200 million AMD directed in Armenia for
celebration of victory in Great Patriotic War in 1941-1945, RA
Government press office told ARKA. L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
BAKU TRIES TO KEEP KARABAKH FROM THE PARTICIPATION IN NEGOTIATIONS AS
A FULL PARTY
YEREVAN, December 16. /ARKA/. Baku tries to keep Karabakh from the
participation in negotiations as a full party, as NKR President
Arkadi Ghukasyan stated during the republican session. According to
ARKA’s reporter in Stepanakert, Ghukasyan stated that the efforts of
the NKR government target at establishing dialogue with Azerbaijan
around the final peace settlement of the conflict as NKR people wish.
“The position of Azerbaijani authorities led the negotiations process
to blind alley, the way out of which is impossible to be found
without full participation of NKR representatives. The Karabakh side
has always adhered to peaceful settlement of the conflict, and
contributes to the work of the co-Chairmen of OSCE Minsk Group, the
mediating potential of which is not exhausted. NKR is ready to start
direct dialogue with Azerbaijan and to discuss all the problems
regarding the perspective of future relations. However, the
authorities of Baku hinder it and do not contact the Karabakh side”,
Ghukasyan said.
The Karabakh conflict started in 1988, when Nagorno Karabakh
predominantly populated with Armenians declared its independence from
Azerbaijan. The peak of military conflict fell to 1992-1993. Military
actions ceased after Armenia and Azerbaijan signed armistice on May
12 1994. The cease-fire regime has been observed up to date. Today,
negotiations are carried out to settle the conflict through
international mediation. OSCE Minsk Group with the chairmanship of
the USA, France and Russia is involved in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
settlement.
UN General Assembly supported the inclusion of the issue Situation in
the occupied territories of Azerbaijan in the agenda of November 59th
session. This corresponding appeal of Azerbaijan was supported by 42
delegations, 2 voted against and 99 states, including Russia
abstained from voting. A.H. –0—
*********************************************************************
RA PRESIDENT MEETS THE GOVERNOR OF ARMAVIR REGION OF ARMENIA
YEREVAN, December 16. /ARKA/ RA President Robert Kocharyan had a
working meeting with the Governor of Armavir region Albert Geroyan.
According to RA President’s Press Service Department, during the
meeting Geroyan introduced the situation in the agrarian sector of
the region to the President.
Issues regarding the sale of land lots by auction were discussed. The
financial means gained from it will go into covering needs of the
region, i.e. of repair of roads, schools, cultural and sport
institutions of the region.
In 2004, about 500 thsd. Tones of vegetables, 80 thsd tones of
grapes, including 40 thsd tones of technical grape, 75 thsd tones of
wheat, 120 thsd tones of melons and gourds were grown in Armavir
region of Armenia.
For 10 months of 2004 communities of the region were given 14 thsd.
hectares of land, and 1 thsd hectares of land lots were sold by
auction and about $23 mln is expected to be received from the sale.
A.H.–0—
*********************************************************************
–Boundary_(ID_iF+iS9+3CSUh0O69Y1BQ6A)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Sunday Times, Australia
The Mercury, Australia
Melbourne Herald Sun, Australia
Dec 6 2004
On this day
06dec04
1988 – Sources say ethnic violence kills at least three people and
injures six others in southern republics of Azerbaijan and Armenia.
1492 – Christopher Columbus discovers island of Hispaniola, now
divided between Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
1534 – Spanish conquistadors establish presence in Quito, an Inca
city in the Andes.
1857 – British forces recapture Cawnpore in India.
1877 – Thomas Edison demonstrates the first sound recording, reciting
Mary had a Little Lamb at West Orange, New Jersey.
1889 – Death of Jefferson Davis, first and only president of the
Confederate States of America.
1906 – Self-government is granted in Transvaal and Orange River
colonies in what is now South Africa.
1907 – Frontier between Uganda and East Africa is defined; In one of
America’s worst coal mine disasters, 361 die at Mononagh, West
Virginia.
1916 – Bucharest, capital of Romania, falls to German troops.
1917 – Republic of Finland is proclaimed; Collision between Belgian
and French ammunition ships at Halifax, Nova Scotia, takes 1600
lives.
1921 – Britain signs peace treaty with Ireland under which Irish Free
State is established and Ireland accepts Dominion status.
1925 – Libyan frontier agreement is signed between Italy and Egypt.
1929 – Women’s suffrage begins in Turkey.
1938 – France and Germany sign pact on inviolability of their
existing frontier.
1941 – US President Franklin D Roosevelt appeals for peace to Japan’s
Emperor Hirohito – one day before the Japanese attack on Pearl
Harbor. He also authorises the Manhattan Project, which results in
the creation of the atomic bomb.
1957 – America’s first attempt at putting a satellite into orbit
blows up on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida.
1959 – UN General Assembly says Togoland should receive independence.
1961 – Heavy fighting erupts in Congo’s Katanga Province between
United Nations and Katanga forces.
1966 – Britain calls for United Nations sanctions against rebellious
Rhodesia, including ban on oil shipments.
1969 – A concert by The Rolling Stones at the Altamont Speedway in
Livermore, California, is marred by the deaths of four people,
including one who is stabbed by a Hell’s Angel.
1971 – South Korea’s President Park Chung Hee warns of danger of
invasion from the north and declares national emergency.
1973 – Gerald Ford is sworn in as US vice-president following the
resignation of Spiro Agnew over alleged financial irregularities.
1975 – Six-day Balcombe Street Siege begins in London when four IRA
gunmen take a middle-aged couple hostage; US President Gerald Ford
arrives in Philippines for talks on new terms for US air and naval
bases there.
1978 – Constitution returning Spain to democracy is approved in
referendum.
1982 – Eleven soldiers and six civilians are killed when a bomb
planted by the Irish National Liberation Army explodes in a pub in
Ballykelly, Northern Ireland.
1984 – Death toll rises to 1600 from gas leak from US-built pesticide
plant in Bhopal, India.
1987 – Bangladesh government dissolves Parliament amid opposition
campaign to topple President Hussain Mohammad Ershad’s
administration.
1988 – Death of Roy Orbison, one of the greatest stars in American
rock and country music; Sources say ethnic violence kills at least
three people and injures six others in southern republics of
Azerbaijan and Armenia.
1989 – Gunman kills 14 women and wounds nine women and four men at
University of Montreal before killing himself; Car bomb believed to
be set by drug traffickers kills 59 in Colombia.
1990 – Iraqi President Saddam Hussein says he has asked parliament to
let all foreign nationals leave Iraq; General Hussain Mohammed
Ershad, who ruled Bangladesh for nine years after coming to power in
a coup, steps down at the height of a pro-democracy movement.
1991 – John Kerin is replaced as Australia’s federal treasurer after
five months, by Ralph Willis.
1992 – Hindu extremists destroy an ancient Muslim shrine in the
northern town of Ayodhya, India, that they believe Muslim invaders
built after destroying a major Hindu temple. Months of nationwide
Hindu-Muslim riots kill about 2,000 people.
1993 – Serb forces shell Sarajevo for five hours, taking aim at
shoppers bartering for food and mourners burying their dead. Five
people are killed and at least 27 wounded.
1994 – A 52-nation summit in Budapest charting a new strategy for a
more peaceful Europe ends in a deadlock over the Bosnian war.
1995 – A huge US transport plane lands at Tuzla, Bosnia airfield to
start the first concrete preparations for the NATO peace mission.
1996 – A mudslide kills at least eight workers repairing a dam in
north-western Japan.
1997 – A Russian Antonov-124 cargo aircraft with two fighter jets on
board crashes into an apartment block near Irkutsk; 49 bodies and 19
body fragments were recovered and 17 other people were unaccounted
for.
1998 – Six years after staging a bloody coup attempt, Former Lt Col
Hugo Chavez is elected president of Venezuela, dealing a blow to the
establishment that ruled the country for 40 years.
1999 – NASA says it has not detected a signal from the Mars Polar
Lander, two days after it began its descent to Mars. It is later
determined that the robot spacecraft was destroyed following a
software glitch; Georges Rutaganda, a leader of the Hutu militia
group, which led the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, is convicted of
genocide by a UN tribunal and sentenced to life imprisonment.
2000 – Werner Klemperer, German-born character actor, dies.
Klemperer, who fled Germany in the 1930s with his father, Otto, a
distinguished conductor, won two Emmy Awards for his appearances in
the sitcom about World War Two allied prisoners of war, Hogan’s
Heroes.
2001 – The Taliban’s supreme Leader agrees to surrender Kandahar, the
militia’s birthplace and position of last stand in Afghanistan, to
tribal forces and puts himself under the protection of tribal
leaders.
2001 – Anti-Taliban forces capture the main base of Osama bin Laden
in the Tora Bora Mountains of eastern Afghanistan but fail to find
the Saudi-born militant.
2002 – Israeli forces kill 10 Palestinians, including two United
Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) school employees, during a
pre-dawn incursion into the Bureij refugee camp in the Gaza Strip.
2002 – Exxon Mobil Corp says a federal court in Alaska has decided it
should pay $US4 billion ($A5.51 billion) in punitive damages for the
Exxon Valdez oil spill.
2003 – Miss Ireland, Rosanna Davison, daughter of singer Chris de
Burgh, is crowned Miss World 2003 in Communist China’s first
international beauty pageant.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS PRESENTS IOSIF KOBZON WITH ST SAHAK-ST
MESROP ORDER
ECHMIADZIN, December 4 (Noyan Tapan). On December 3, Catholicos of All
Armenians Karekin II received the Russian political and social figure
Iosif Kobzon in the Mother See of Holy Echmiadzin and presented him
with the St Sahak – St Mesrop order and the kondak – official epistly
of the Catholicos on conferring this high award of the Armenian
Apostolic Church upon him for his services to Armenia and the Armenian
people. The kondak was published by His Holiness a year ago. “You have
been to Armenia many times and every time you were a welcome guest in
the Land of biblical Ararat. Our people’s respect and sympathy for you
is great both as a talented singer and artist and as a political and
social figure. In Armenia people remember with love all your visits
and with gratitude – all charitable concerts and programs organized
and implemented by you for our people. During your last visit you also
showed support for our people by going once again to the disaster
regions on Remembrance Day of the December 7, 1988 earthquake victims
and giving new hopes and encouragement to the people there who live in
difficult conditions,” the kondak reads. Iosif Kobzon expressed
gratitude to His Holiness for conferring this high award upon him and
promised to do his best in order to strengthen even more the age-long
friendship between the Russian and Armenian peoples. According to the
Inforamtion System of the Mother See, the the monks and leaders of the
Mother See, as well as guests from Moscow attended the order award
ceremony.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

The Messenger, Georgia
Dec 3 2004
Aliev’s accuses Armenia of stymieing negotiations
According to the Azeri newspaper 525 Gazeta, during a visit by the
OSCE’s special representative on the Karabakh conflict Goran
Lennmarker, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliev stated that despite
negotiations between leaders of the two countries, attempts to settle
the Karabakh conflict still have no results. Aliev blamed Armenia for
not taking serious steps to solve the conflict and for repeatedly
trying to postpone talks.
“The Azeri side wants the quickest possible settlement of this issue
through peaceful means, however, the conflict can be solved only
adhering to international standards, on the basis of the principles
of territorial integrity and the inviolability of countries’
borders,” Aliev stressed, adding that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
will still be resolved in the near future.
Aliev welcomed the involvement of the Council of Europe and other
international organizations in the settlement of the conflict.
Simultaneously, Aliev said that the OSCE’s Minsk group has the
mandate to settle this problem and he expressed his hope that the
Minsk Group will become more active in this direction.
On his part, Goran Lennmarker said that after meeting with many
people in Karabakh as well as with the people of other occupied
regions of Azerbaijan, he is sure that this conflict will be solved
in the near future by all means. He thinks that the international
community and organizations should strengthen their attention so to
resolve the conflict peacefully as soon as possible.
Aliev also met with UN High Commissioner for Refugees Ruud Lubbers.
According to Aliev, his government is doing its best to completely
close refugee and IDP camps and locate new homes for them. Aliev
stressed that this issue is a humanitarian crisis that has serious
economic and social consequences.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

A1 Plus | 20:17:52 | 03-11-2004 | Politics |
DASHNAKTSUTYUN OPPOSED
On Wednesday, Dashnaktsutyun party representative Armen Rustamyan told
journalists the party remained opposed to idea of opening
Armenian-Turkish border. The party is also opposed to Armenian
government decision to send soldiers to Iraq.
The party is critical about Armenia’s state policy on the Armenians
living in Georgian Javakhk province, Rustamyan said.
The party is also unhappy about the constitutional amendments
discussion course as well as about their coalition fellow members’
stance on electoral code. More then that, if consensus is not reached
on amendments proposed by the Dashnaktsutyun, the party can quit the
coalition.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Libération , France
8 octobre 2004
Turquie, l’accueil ambigu
AUTEUR: GOULARD Sylvie; Sylvie GOULARD enseignante à Sciences-Po
(Paris) et au Collège d’Europe (Bruges). Dernier ouvrage paru : le
Grand Turc et la République de Venise, Fayard, 142 pp., 12 euros.
Le processus, prématuré, d’adhésion de la Turquie met en péril la
cohérence européenne.
L’enjeu n’est pas la Turquie. L’enjeu n’est pas non plus, cela mérite
d’être rappelé, la relation de l’islam et de la chrétienté : l’Union
compte déjà en son sein des millions de musulmans et de
non-chrétiens. Et l’islam ne se résume pas à la Turquie. L’enjeu,
c’est notre conception de la démocratie, c’est notre vision de
l’Europe.
La démocratie a une exigence : les décisions politiques doivent être
l’expression de la volonté générale. Dans le cas de la Turquie, nul
ne peut dire aux citoyens français quand la décision d’ouvrir l’Union
aux Turcs a été, est ou sera prise. En tout cas, les Parlements
européen et français, ainsi que les peuples, n’ont guère été
impliqués. Pour certains, la décision remonte à 1963 et à l’accord
“d’association” entre la CEE et la Turquie ; pour d’autres, elle date
de 1999, lorsque les quinze chefs d’Etat et de gouvernement, réunis à
Helsinki, lui ont reconnu le “statut” de candidat en catimini. Pour
d’autres encore, elle vient d’être prise par la Commission, le 6
octobre, dans son rapport favorable à l’ouverture de négociations. Ce
document comporte cependant de nombreuses réserves. La Commission y
relève des atteintes aux droits de l’homme, notamment en ce qui
concerne les femmes et la liberté religieuse des non-musulmans. Elle
se garde de proposer une date pour le début des négociations. Elle
précise que le processus, appelé à durer, n’aboutira pas forcément.
Outre des périodes transitoires, elle envisage, pour la libre
circulation des personnes, “des clauses de sauvegarde permanentes”.
Sauvegarde contre qui ? Contre ceux-là mêmes à qui, selon Romano
Prodi, l’on déclare adresser un “message de confiance” ? L’ambiguïté
confine à l’acte manqué.
En réalité, la date clé est le 17 décembre 2004, lorsque les 25 chefs
d’Etat et de gouvernement décideront d’ouvrir ou non les
négociations. Alors, le point de non-retour sera atteint.
Naturellement, gouvernements et Commission jurent que le processus
peut être interrompu ensuite, voire qu’il n’est pas voué à aboutir.
Cela revient à affirmer que les décisions antérieures sont
irréversibles et… celles à venir sans conséquence. C’est une erreur
car, une fois les négociations engagées, la pression pour les
conclure sera forte.
En France, le président de la République a promis un référendum au
terme des négociations, dans dix ou quinze ans. Même si, dans
l’intervalle, il est probable que la Turquie et l’Union européenne
évoluent, un refus populaire n’est pas à exclure. Ce serait le pire
des scénarios. Jean Monnet disait: “C’est par la simplicité qu’on
parvient à créer la confiance.” Par leurs contorsions, par leurs
ambiguïtés, les dirigeants européens – à Bruxelles et dans les
capitales – sapent la confiance des opinions. En France, ne pas
impliquer le peuple, aujourd’hui, sur cette décision, fait courir à
l’idée européenne un risque considérable. La démocratie ne peut être
une perpétuelle promesse. En outre, le débat sur le traité
constitutionnel en ptirait, alors qu’il constitue une question
nettement distincte de celle de l’adhésion turque.
Sur la Turquie, le Parlement français devrait donc procéder à un
débat, suivi d’un vote, avant le 17 décembre. La procédure est
inédite mais le sujet est d’importance. Nous pouvons expliquer aux
Turcs qu’un oui arraché à la volée n’est pas dans leur intérêt.
L’Europe s’honorerait à pratiquer ainsi la démocratie qu’elle exige,
justement, des futurs membres.
Le second enjeu de l’adhésion turque est notre vision de l’Europe.
L’Union, projet politique, n’est pas extensible à l’infini. Certains
la disent obsolète. Nous devrions cependant y réfléchir à deux fois
avant de mettre en péril notre bon vieil idéal communautaire.
Avons-nous des solutions de rechange pour régler des problèmes
d’intérêt supranational ? Et que pesons-nous, séparément, dans le
monde pour revenir aux errements intergouvernementaux dont nous
voyons à l’ONU, chaque jour, les limites ? Le rapport d’impact de la
Commission montre bien que l’adhésion turque change radicalement
l’échelle de l’élargissement. La Commission reconnaît qu’en raison de
“sa taille, de sa population, de sa localisation géographique, de son
potentiel économique, militaire, ainsi que de ses caractéristiques
culturelles et religieuses”, cette adhésion serait sans précédent.
Sur bien des points, elle refuse même de faire des pronostics tant
les inconnues sont nombreuses. Si le progrès économique de la Turquie
semble incontestable, les incertitudes institutionnelles et
budgétaires liées à son entrée éventuelle n’en demeurent pas moins
fortes. Sur le plan institutionnel, la Commission considère que
l’arrivée d’un pays aussi peuplé, qui peut légitimement prétendre au
nombre de voix le plus élevé au Conseil et à la plus forte
représentation au Parlement européen, aura forcément un rôle
important dans la prise de décision… au détriment des Etats moyens
et grands. Après le trouble qu’a connu la France cet été, sur sa
perte d’influence relative, il y a là aussi de quoi réfléchir. Enfin,
selon la Commission, le retard de développement de ce pays est
supérieur à celui des dix nouveaux entrants. Autant dire que les
politiques sociales et environnementales ne seront pas, à moyenne
échéance, la préoccupation première de ce pays. La gauche devrait le
comprendre maintenant. En réalité, le rapport de la Commission est un
peu court : les stratèges d’aujourd’hui, contrairement aux Pères
fondateurs, sont pétris de bonnes intentions mais n’ont pas de
méthode au service de leurs vues, du moins pas de méthode qui puisse
rivaliser avec la “méthode communautaire”, critiquée mais qui a fait
ses preuves.
Cette marche forcée vers Ankara, conduite par le commissaire allemand
Günter Verheugen, avec le soutien de Berlin et l’aval des hautes
autorités françaises, en dit long sur le désarroi qui entoure l’idéal
européen dans nos pays. Pouvons-nous vraiment, nous Français et
Allemands, passer sous silence le refus turc de dénoncer le génocide
arménien alors que nous sommes parvenus à l’apaisement en regardant
l’Histoire en face ? Verheugen n’en parle guère. Quant à Joschka
Fischer, le ministre allemand des Affaires étrangères, autrefois
champion de la “légitimation démocratique” et de “l’Union des
citoyens”, peut-il souhaiter une adhésion turque pilotée par le seul
Conseil européen, sur la base d’un rapport technique, sans aval des
Européens ? Sur ce qui engage leur destin, ce sont pourtant les
peuples qui ont le dernier mot. En poussant l’adhésion turque sans
considération pour cette expérience commune et pour les attentes
immédiates du peuple français, nos partenaires allemands et le
président de la République prennent un grand risque : celui de perdre
en route le projet européen et l’adhésion des Français.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress