Author: Ekmekjian Janet

Agence France Presse — English
September 29, 2006 Friday
Turkey has not met EU objectives on Cyprus and other issues:
commissioner
European External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero Waldner
repeated on Friday that Turkey had not yet reached the objectives set
for moving its EU membership bid forward.
Speaking at a meeting in Madrid on immigration, Ferrero Waldner cited
Turkey’s failure to recognise EU member Cyprus as a major sticking
point.
The Cyprus issue has seen Ankara threatened with a suspension of its
EU accession talks if it fails to open up Turkey’s ports and airports
to Cypriot ships and planes.
“I cannot say what we are going to decide” about the matter, Ferrero
Waldner said.
Brussels is also frustrated by Turkey’s failure to guarantee free
speech by amending penal code articles that have landed a string of
intellectuals in court, notably for questioning the official line on
the 1915 massacres of Armenians by Ottoman forces.
The European Commission’s annual evaluation report on Turkey is due
on November 8 and enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn is to travel to
the country on Monday to discuss its progress towards joining the
bloc.

The Irish Times
September 27, 2006 Wednesday
Turkish general warns levels of Islamism ‘alarming’
by Ian Traynor
TURKEY: A leading Turkish general issued a stinging attack on the
centre-right government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan by warning that the
danger of Islamism in the country was reaching “alarming” levels.
Defying EU demands for the military to keep out of politics, Gen
Ilker Basbug, the chief of land forces, warned the Erdogan government
that the top brass still saw itself as the ultimate arbiter of
Turkey’s secularist constitution. “The Turkish armed forces have
always taken sides and will continue to do so in protecting the
national state, the unitary state and the secular state,” he told a
ceremony for cadets at a military academy in Ankara.Islamists were
“patiently and systematically” seeking to erode the secularist order.
The robust defence of the military’s role in Turkish politics is
certain to affect an EU assessment of Turkey’s bid eventually to join
the EU.
The European Commission is to issue a report card on Turkey in
November, delayed from next month, and is concerned about curbs on
freedom of expression, persecution of the large Kurdish minority and
the military’s interference in democratic politics, as well as
Turkey’s dispute with EU members Greece and Cyprus over trade.
Other incidents yesterday showed Turkey ignoring EU criticism,
suggesting a rise in hostility ahead of elections next year.
Prosecutors filed new charges against the Turkish-Armenian editor
Hrant Dink for “denigrating Turkishness”, an article in the penal
code used to muzzle writers and journalists and which Brussels wants
scrapped.
Meanwhile, 56 Kurdish mayors went on trial yesterday over a letter
they sent to Denmark’s prime minister in a case that has raised
concerns in the EU.
The mayors from Turkey’s largest Kurdish party are charged by state
prosecutors with “knowingly and willingly” helping Kurdish rebels
when they urged prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen not to close
Danish-based Kurdish broadcaster Roj TV.
The members of the Democratic Society Party, which champions Kurdish
rights, each face up to 15 years in jail if convicted. The criminal
court judge adjourned the trial until November 21st.
“The problem [Kurdish rights] cannot be solved by closing Roj TV
which has been forced to broadcast from Denmark,” said Yenisehir
mayor Firat Anli in a defence statement on behalf of the mayors.

ELECTIONS TO LOCAL ADMINISTRATION BODIES IN JAVAKHETI SEEM TO BE HELD WITH VIOLATIONS
By Aghavni Harutyunian
AZG Armenian Daily
28/09/2006
“United Javakhk” Democratic Union began its pre-electoral
campaign on September 25 in the villages of Akhalkalaki region of
Georgia. According to “Javakhk-Info,” Vahagn Chalakhian, member
of the movement, stated that none of the political parties agreed
to cooperate with their union. Notwithstanding this fact, “United
Javakhk” Democratic Union managed to propose its candidacy in 22
poling stations.
As for the coming October 5 elections to the local administration
bodies, Chalakhian stated that there may occur serious violation cases,
as till now, the current local administration bodies of Javakheti
are not confident that they will be re-elected for the second term.

EU ADOPTS CRITICAL REPORT ON ANKARA
People’s Daily Online, China
Sept 28 2006
The European Parliament warned Turkey yesterday it must speed up
far-reaching reforms if it wants to join the European Union.
EU lawmakers adopted a highly critical, non-binding report which
accused Ankara of failing to live up to promises it made to win the
green light from EU leaders to start talks last October on joining
the bloc.
“The European Parliament … regrets the slowing down of the reform
process,” the report said.
It said Turkey had shown “insufficient progress” on freedom of
expression, religious and minority rights, women’s rights and the
rule of law since the start of accession talks.
It demanded Turkey fulfil its obligation to open its ports and airports
to EU member Cyprus under a customs agreement. Ankara has refused to
do so unless the EU fulfils a pledge to end the economic isolation
of Turkish Cypriot northern Cyprus.
But parliament voted to delete a clause which would have sought
to make recognition by Ankara of the mass killing of Armenians in
Ottoman Turkey as “genocide” a precondition for EU membership. The
clause had particularly angered Turkey.
However, parliament said it “reiterates its call on Turkey to
acknowledge the Armenian genocide, as called for in previous European
parliament resolutions.”
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan told an economic conference in
Istanbul that his government was “determined to work with the EU with
a constructive understanding” but would not accept any discrimination
or new criteria for membership.

CONSTRUCTION SECTOR SECURES ECONOMIC GROWTH
By Ara Martirosian
AZG Armenian Daily
27/09/2006
As of January-August 2006, a high pace of economic growth was secured
in Armenia. RA National Statistic Service informed about this. The
indicator of the economic growth made 11,3%. As compared to the first
six months, it has decreased and amounted to %16.
While the growth of the construction volume made 40,2% in the period
under review and the total area of dwelling houses made 28,7%.
The total volume of industrial production decreased by 0,9%, without
the volume of electricity, gas and water production, it made 0,7%
and without the volume of diamond production, it increased by 2,1%.
The foreign trade turnover increased by 11,5%. The export decreased
by 3,4% making $ 595 million, import increased by 20% and totaled to
$1,3 billion. Without the article of the diamond production, it grew
by 2,6%, while the import increased by 28,4%. The negative balance
of the foreign trade increased and surpassed $ 700 million.
As compared with the indicator of December, 2005, the consumers’
prices increased by 2,7 %. At the same time, the currency profits of
the population grew by 18,7%, while the expenses increased by 20,5%.

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT : ENLARGEMENT ISSUES SET TO DOMINATE PLENARY SESSION
European Report
September 25, 2006
The European Parliament’s second plenary session this month, which
will be held in Strasbourg from 25 to 28 September, will focus on
enlargement with the adoption of the Eurlings report’ on Turkey’s
progress towards accession, and a Commission declaration on Bulgaria
and Romania’s entry into the EU. Parliament is also due to vote on
the Rapkay report’ on Services of General Interest.
Turkey must relaunch reforms, normalise relations with Cyprus and
recognise the Armenian genocide. This in substance is the tenor of
the own-initiative report by Camiel Eurlings (EPP-ED, NL), which will
be examined in plenary session following its adoption by the Foreign
Affairs Committee on 4 September. While the rapporteur welcomes the
opening of negotiations with Turkey, he nevertheless regrets the
slow pace of the reform process in the country. Accession remains
the objective of negotiations, even though it cannot be considered
automatic. MEPs will vote on the report on 27 September, but the
outcome remains uncertain since some 79 amendments have been tabled.
While the EPP-ED has already pledged its support for the text, the
Socialists (PES) reserve the right to reject it if certain amendments
are not retained. The European Commission has, meanwhile, postponed
until 8 November (two weeks later than originally scheduled) the
publication of its annual report on progress made by Turkey towards
EU accession.
Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn will present a communication to
the EP on 26 September on the progress made by Bulgaria and Romania
towards their EU accession. The Commission must in effect decide
whether to maintain the 1 January 2007 date for the two countries’
entry into the European Union and decide whether to trigger certain
safeguards. An exchange of views will follow but the real debate will
come on 11 October in Brussels at the mini plenary session.
Parliament will vote on the two resolutions the following day. The
various groups generally expect the accession date to be maintained
at 1 January 2007.
INVESTITURE OF COMMISSIONERS
In another field, the own-initiative report by Bernhard Rapkay (PES,
DE) on the Commission White Paper on Services of General Interest will
be debated on 26 September in the presence of Commission President Jose
Manuel Barroso. The vote will take place the following day. The text
looks at how EU legislation should affect public services provided in
the member states. The report reflects a consensus negotiated between
the different political groups.
The plenary assembly will also examine the recommendation from its
Committee on Budgetary Control to grant discharge to the European
Parliament’s president for the 2004 budget year. This vote has been
postponed since April following the controversy over EP buildings in
Strasbourg. However, the settlement now appears to be in sight. In
this context, the Budget Committee, which meets on 26 September,
must decide whether or not to approve the acquisition of buildings
for a total of E143.125 million.
On the fringes of the plenary session, and in addition to the solemn
session on 26 September with the President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson
Sirleaf, Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora will address the
Conference of Presidents of Political Groups on 27 September.
Symbolically, the plenary session will be interrupted for an hour
and a half to allow this Conference to be opened exceptionally
to all MEPs. However, since this meeting will also be held in the
Parliament chamber, there will be little visible difference with the
plenary session.
Finally, three nominees among the ten candidates for the 2006 Sakharov
Prize will be revealed on evening of 25 September. The winner will be
chosen in October. On 28 September, the Conference of Presidents is
expected to begin discussing a date and procedures for the investiture
of the future Bulgarian and Romanian commissioners as well as current
commissioners who will be required to change their portfolio. A priori,
the commissioners should be appointed at the end of October, appear
before the European Parliament in November and be invested by the
December plenary session.

PRESENTATION OF DILI FARMING HELD IN DILIJAN
Arka News Agency, Armenia
Sept 25 2006
YEREVAN, September 25. /ARKA/. Presentation of Dili farming was held
in Dilijan (Armenia), which intends to develop production of famous
sorts of Mozzarella and Mozzarella-Pizza cheeses.
“In the nearest future the farming will be producing Mozzarella and
Mozzarella-Pizza cheeses, besides that the Dili already produces
traditional Armenian cheeses”, head of the enterprise Ashot Tamrazyan
informed during the presentation.
At the same time he said that the price of the Armenian Mozzarella
would be lower than that of the Italian one.
Tamrazyan emphasized that the farming was unique in a meaning that it
was the only farming with so called “close circle” in the country,
where the whole process – beginning with cattle farming and ending
with the final product -processing of milk and diary farming, was
carried out on the spot.
Besides that, thanks to the modern equipment and technologies human
factor is reduced to minimum on the stage of production.
In addition, Tamrazyan said that 120 cows of special breed were
imported to Armenia from Germany, which may become a good stimulus
for the development of agriculture in Armenia.
He informed, “We have agreed with our German colleagues that all
cows will stay in the farm and their posterity will be distributed
all over the country”.
“That is, we mean exchange of experience, which is for sure useful
for everybody” he said.
Tamrazyan also emphasized that the farming had been set as an object
to export its production to other countries already in the nearest
future. “USD Two million was invested in the farming, and Italian
professionals help the local specialists”, he explained. The RA Prime
Minister Andranik Margaryan, Minister of Agriculture David Lokyan,
Minister of Environment Protection Vardan Ayvazyan, Governor of
Tavush region Armen Gularyan and Mayor of Dilijan Armen Santroyan
were present at the presentation.

CES BIENS CHRETIENS QU’ANKARA NE VEUT PAS LâCHER
Le Figaro, France
21 septembre 2006
EXASPERE par l’absence de progrès dans le domaine des libertes
religieuses en Turquie depuis 2004, Bruxelles promet un sevère
avertissement dans son rapport annuel, qui sera rendu public par le
commissaire a l’Elargissement Olli Rehn, le 8 novembre. Le Parlement
turc a fini par recevoir le message. Les deputes sont reunis en
session extraordinaire depuis mardi pour voter un 9 e “paquet”
d’harmonisation avec les lois en vigueur dans l’Union europeenne. Cet
ensemble legislatif comprend un texte particulièrement attendu sur
les fondations religieuses non musulmanes.
Il prevoit la restitution des biens immobiliers confisques aux
institutions grecques orthodoxes, armeniennes et juives. Usant du
pretexte que les fondations des minorites religieuses n’avaient pas le
droit d’acquerir ou de recevoir en donation du patrimoine immobilier,
l’Etat turc s’est approprie des milliers de logements, ecoles, hôpitaux
ou eglises, depuis les annees 1930. Lorsque cette jurisprudence ne
suffisait pas, les tribunaux recouraient a des astuces. “Par exemple,
de nombreux biens avaient ete enregistres sous le nom de saints,
comme Saint-Augustin ou Saint-Gabriel, une pratique courante sous
l’Empire ottoman pour contourner des difficultes, explique Emre Oktem,
specialiste de droit a l’universite Galatasaray.
Le plus serieusement du monde, des tribunaux turcs ont donc constate
la disparition de ces proprietaires et leur absence d’heritiers pour
transferer les proprietes au Tresor.” Spoliation systematique Reclame
par l’Union europeenne, le projet de loi examine par les parlementaires
etait en souffrance depuis un an et demi, car il se heurte a une forte
opposition des nationalistes. Pour Baskin Oran, professeur de sciences
politiques et auteur d’un rapport accablant sur le droit des minorites
en Turquie, cette spoliation systematique “n’est que le dernier maillon
de la chaîne du projet de transfert de capital des non musulmans
aux musulmans lance en 1915”. La loi ne touche pas au pouvoir de la
Direction generale des fondations (VGM) qui peut toujours dissoudre
a sa guise l’une d’entre elles. “Les avancees legislatives seront
insuffisantes, estime d’ailleurs Diran Bakar, avocat des fondations
religieuses armeniennes. “La restitution ne concerne que les immeubles
detenus encore par le Tresor ou la direction des fondations. Rien
n’est prevu lorsqu’ils ont ete revendus a une tierce personne, ce
qui est frequent.” Et cet habitue des rouages de l’administration
predit de nouvelles difficultes après la promulgation de la loi :
“La bureaucratie refusera le transfert au proprietaire d’origine et
il faudra aller en justice. La mentalite n’a pas evolue.” Dernier
problème de taille, les catholiques et les protestants ne beneficient
pas de ces lois. Exclus du traite de Lausanne de 1923 garantissant la
protection des minorites non musulmanes, ces deux communautes n’ont
jamais constitue de fondations. Longtemps, ce statut a part les a
paradoxalement mises a l’abri. Mais depuis quelques annees, l’absence
de personnalite juridique les fragilise. La Direction generale
des fondations a, par exemple, mis la main sur une eglise situee
sur la rive asiatique du Bosphore. La justification : la location
d’une partie du terrain a un club sportif detournait le lieu de sa
fonction religieuse. Un arrangement amiable a finalement ete trouve a
la Cour europeenne des droits de l’homme de Strasbourg. L’Etat garde
la propriete de l’eglise, l’institution catholique ne dispose plus
que de l’usufruit.
Mais six ans après cette decision, ce droit d’usage n’est toujours
pas enterine.
–Boundary_(ID_giNAO8ci9zL8h6IpX+La2Q)- –

Turkish Daily News , Turkey
Sept 23 2006
Cicek may have been right
Saturday, September 23, 2006
Justice Minister Cicek had insisted that we be patient, arguing, ‘The
judiciary will fine-tune itself.’ Afterwards, Elif ªafak was found
not guilty. Now the Supreme Court of Appeals will have its say. If it
goes along with the decision, we will have passed a critical
threshold. Cicek will have been proven as right. The only thing I’m
worried about is the trials of the not-so-famous people.
Mehmet Ali Birand
I was interviewing Justice Minister Cemil Cicek for Kriter
magazine, which will be released with Radikal daily on Monday. Cicek
was constantly making the same argument.
“Everyone is so impatient. Just wait a while and you’ll see the
judiciary fine-tuning itself. If you take a look at the decisions
made up until now, you’ll see that important steps were taken on this
matter. You can’t provide a clear definition on everything laws
describe as a crime. These are defined through court decisions. We
can’t pass a law every time we face a problem.”
After an Istanbul court found Elif ªafak not guilty, Cicek called
to say,” Didn’t I say so?”
He is right.
He told me.
If the Supreme Court of Appeals approves the decision, the justice
minister will be proven right.
However, the trial we are talking about is for Elif ªafak, a famous
writer. The entire world was watching what the decision would be.
More importantly, most of Turkey was waiting to see what would
happen.
What about the trials of people we’ve never heard of? Some of them
are being convicted and suffering hardship.
The judiciary finding its own solutions to problems is fine, but do
we need to make ourselves suffer so much for progress?
301 needs to change for our sake:
There’s something I don’t agree with concerning Cicek’s argument.
The minister constantly argues that Turkey is being pressured by the
European Union to change Turkish Penal Code (TCK) Article 301.
Yes, the EU has taken several initiatives against this article.
However, there is one thing the justice minister cannot see, and that
is the fact that the EU’s opposition to Article 301 is just a
reflection of the domestic reaction.
It is not the EU but part of Turkey that opposes Article 301.
In other words, we are against Article 301.
If the article is to be changed, it won’t be for the EU but so that
the people of this country can live freely and utilize their rights
to the fullest.
Kerincsiz and Co. lost:
I had written about my belief that Kemal Kerincsiz is the best
propaganda artist this county has ever had. I still hold this
opinion. He again attracted all the attention at the trial of ªafak.
He and a few of his friends were able to do something that no party
could. He succeeded in mobilizing the groups that are against
Turkey’s EU membership. I don’t share his opinions, but still you
need to give him credit for what he has done. He’s a one-man show.
He knows which cases to follow and what news to pursue. He knows
how to organize his team. He knows what to say to galvanize support.
He knows how to act in front of the cameras. Consequently, he is
always in the headlines.
However, we must also admit the fact that our media played a
tremendous role in making him famous. If we had just ignored his
antics, no one would have ever heard his name.
Despite all their efforts, the poor results they have achieved
speak for themselves.
Whenever they created a fuss, no matter what they tried to prevent,
they failed. They were only able to attract the attention of the
local and international media. They failed on the Armenian
conference, the Orhan Pamuk case and the ªafak case.
Kerincsiz and his friends may run for Parliament from the far-right
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) in the next elections; however, no
matter what they do they can’t say, “I proudly represented my country
in the world.”
Let’s keep watching the shows of Kerincsiz and Co.
If the AKP had done what the CHP is doing…
You must have read it in yesterday’s newspapers. Opposition
Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputies took a very weird stance
when Parliament’s General Assembly was discussing the “definition of
minorities and education of foreigners” clause in the Law on Private
Schools, as part of the 9th EU Harmonization Package. The CHP
deputies provoked Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputies by
arguing, “If this proposal becomes law, Turkey will be training
priests,” and were able to suspend voting on the matter.
The foreign, interior affairs, justice and education ministries
worked on this proposal for months and it was pushed aside with just
a single sentence. The most important part of this affair is the fact
that this was done by the CHP, which believes it epitomizes
secularism.
If the AKP had done what the CHP did, we would have been furious.
We would have accused them of trying to take Turkey back to the Dark
Ages.
What’s happening with the CHP? Some CHP deputies don’t seem to be
aware of the fact that they are harming the country’s interests
merely in order to play politics.
–Boundary_(ID_evSwcOEDa+epWSfMZcKXcg)- –

ON THE TUBE
By Pat St. Germain
Winnipeg Sun, Canada
Wed, September 20, 2006
Famous for his Campbell’s soup can art, silkscreens of the rich
and famous and “factory” films — and, oh, yeah, getting shot by
a nutbar — oddball artist Andy Warhol earns a four-hour bio on
two-part American Masters special Andy Warhol: A Documentary Film,
on PPTV Ch. 3 at 8 p.m. today and tomorrow. Part 1 depicts the shy
son of Polish immigrants who makes it big.
A crime-conscious female FBI profiler leaves her window open while
she’s out of town? Her boss sends her home alone knowing she’s under
threat? We’re not buying it for a second — but we are dying to know
how the cliffhanger of Criminal Minds plays out on CBS Ch. 4 at 8 p.m.
It’s the end of the world as we know it. A small town in Kansas may
be the last safe haven after a presumed nuclear attack in serial
drama Jericho, premiering on CBS Ch. 4 at 7 p.m. Luckily, the mayor’s
prodigal son Skeet Ulrich and a mysterious stranger arrived in town
shortly before a mushroom cloud was spotted on the horizon.
A wealthy couple (Timothy Hutton and Dana Delany) hire a private
retrieval expert (Jeremy Sisto) after their son — whose talent
for holding his breath is likely to come in handy — is abducted,
sparking a season-long hunt on Kidnapped, premiering on NBC Ch. 6
and Global Ch. 12 at 9 p.m.
After six seasons, we know they aren’t really gonna be “top” models,
but the catty competition is still fun on the seventh season premiere
of America’s Next Top Model on The CW (WPIX Ch. 62 and WGN Ch. 61),
and City Ch. 8 at 7 p.m.
Modern cop Sam steps in to release a suspect when he discovers
old-school partner Gene planted evidence on the man. Unfortunately,
tragedy ensues on Life on Mars, on BBC Canada at 9 p.m.
Nancy pretends her husband is a Canadian hockey player injured by
a goon from Moose Jaw when she needs an electricity hookup, and the
crew are threatened by Armenian rivals on Weeds, on Showcase Ch. 28
at midnight.
Mac has sex with Dee and Dennis’s mom on It’s Always Sunny in
Philadelphia, on Showcase Ch. 28 at 12:40 a.m.
A serial killer on death row may be engineering a fresh string of
murders on Bones, on Fox Ch. 49 at 7 p.m.
A young socialite is accused of killing her ex-beau in a rehab centre
on Justice, on Fox Ch. 49 at 8 p.m.
Mac’s girlfriend (Claire Forlani) signs on as the new medical examiner
when a man who projects a giant marriage proposal on a highrise gets
a definite no — right in the heart — on the season premiere of CSI:
NY, on CBS Ch. 4 at 9 p.m.