Author: Ekmekjian Janet

Zaman, Turkey
Sept 22 2004
‘EU Membership Process at Risk’
Emre Soncan, Yasin Uygur
Istanbul
Several Turkish academics and experts suggest that the Turkish Penal
Code (TCK) crisis occurring between Ankara and the Europe Union (EU)
could jeopardize Turkey’s membership process.
Some of those experts told Zaman that they wanted the government to
tread more carefully from here on out.
Economic Development Foundation President Davut Okutcu charges that
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s statements are a
strategic mismatch in timing. To Okutcu, those statements about the
issue created confusion both within and without. He is adamant that
the TCK must be approved by October 6th because the penal code is the
fundamental text that the legal sphere relies upon when applying
reforms.
Okutcu goes on to say that the latest developments played straight
into the hands of those who have reservations about Turkey’s EU
membership. Okutcu also does not agree with Erdogan’s statement that
the EU should not interfere in Turkey’s internal affairs. The
Foundation president is of the opinion that the EU Commission was not
interfering in Turkey’s internal matters, but rather simply reminding
Turkey of the commitment it had made to reform.
Professor Kemal Kirisci, a faculty member at Bogazici University,
sees the government’s latest ploy as a joke. Just as Turkey was on
the verge of convincing Europeans to say ‘yes’ to Turkey’s
membership, it aroused the suspicion of those who support the
country’s EU membership. Now those supporters are thinking twice,
explains Kirisci. He considers now that even if Turkey tries to fix
its fault, its full membership date will come later than expected.
TESEV Foreign Policy Program Director Sabiha Sanyucel remarks that
the discussion date will be given despite everything that occurred.
According to Sanyucel, if the prime minister continues to rub the EU
the wrong way, a strong “yes, but” will be the decision of the EU at
the December summit.
In addition, EU expert and Referans daily newspaper writer Can
Baydarol comments that Erdogan’s stance is an indicator that Turkey
does not know what to do about the EU issue. Baydarol points out that
the harsh statements Erdogan made were evaluated as an assault on EU
values.
Continues Baydarol, “Of course Turkey has a strategic importance for
the EU. However, Erdogan should be calmer and more open to
compromise. The EU will not burn its bridges after such statements,
but the discussion date may be delayed. Now the Europeans are putting
the Armenian card before us. While saying that we passed the critical
threshold they will put down new criteria. Turkey’s confidence has
been eroding for a long time.”

La Croix , France
21 septembre 2004
Portrait. Le P. Avedikian dans les pas de saint Grégoire. Recteur de
la cathédrale apostolique arménienne à Marseille, le P. Zadik
Avedikian organisait dimanche à Tallard (Hautes-Alpes) le 50e
pèlerinage en l’honneur de saint Grégoire, missionnaire venu
d’Arménie et décédé dans ces contrées alpines il y a exactement 1 600
ans.
par PEIRON Denis (à Marseille)
Chaque troisième dimanche de septembre, le P. Zadik Avedikian prend
de l’altitude. Le temps d’un pèlerinage, le recteur de la cathédrale
arménienne de Marseille, désormais responsable de son Eglise pour
tout le sud de la France, part pour Tallard, aux portes de Gap, afin
de rendre hommage à saint Grégoire. Ce dernier fait partie des
missionnaires qui ont quitté l’Arménie (premier pays à avoir reconnu
le christianisme comme religion d’Etat, dès le IVe siècle) pour
porter la bonne parole.
Au terme de son périple, il a été l’hôte de l’évêque de Gap et, à son
invitation, a pris la tête de la paroisse de Tallard. C’est là qu’il
devait mourir il y a exactement seize siècles, raconte le P.
Avedikian. Les gens du coin ont alors commencé à lui vouer un culte
populaire, qui allait être reconnu, au XVIIe siècle par le pape
Innocent X .
Célébré dimanche, cet anniversaire coïncidait avec la 50e édition du
pèlerinage. 400 personnes – parmi lesquelles des catholiques, membres
des paroisses alpines – ont participé à la messe, célébrée selon la
liturgie arménienne, et suivie d’un repas convivial.
Lieu de transmission et de rassemblement, entre culture et
spiritualité, l’Eglise permet de retrouver un peu de la patrie perdue
, souligne le P. Avedikian. Les 450 000 membres de la communauté
arménienne (80 000 pour la seule ville de Marseille) sont, pour
l’essentiel, les descendants des exilés fuyant le génocide perpétré
par les Turcs et arrivés en France entre 1915 et 1922. Les ans ont
passé, l’identité a eu tendance à se diluer. Pour autant, le P.
Avedikian ne craint pas l’ouverture : L’enfermement n’est pas une
promotion de la foi , répète le recteur, qui, samedi dernier, a une
nouvelle fois célébré un mariage mixte, apostolique arménien et
catholique.
Aujourd’hui, son Eglise doit relever un défi : susciter des vocations
à l’intérieur de l’Hexagone : Aucun des prêtres qui, actuellement,
servent en France, n’y est né , déplore le P. Avedikian. Lui-même est
venu d’Erevan, il y a une vingtaine d’années. D’expérience, il sait
qu’il faut du temps pour apprendre parfaitement la langue. Surtout,
dit-il, cela permettrait de mieux comprendre la mentalité des
générations montantes .

NATO training dropped after Baku refuses Armenian participation
messenger.com.ge, Georgia
September 17 2004
Azeri newspapers this week reported NATO’s decision to cancel the
“Cooperative Best Effort-2004” training, which was planned to be
held from September 13 to 26 in Baku. This followed the refusal of
the Azerbaijani authorities to allow Armenian soldiers to enter the
country to participate in the training.
Azerbaijani newspaper Ekho reported that, according to the Azeri
Minister of Foreign Affairs Mamediarov, Baku had been conducting
negotiations with Brussels in order not to allow the participation
of Armenian soldiers in the NATO training. In response, according to
Azerbaijani newspaper Express, Deputy Commander of American Armed
Forces in Europe General Charles Wald had visited Baku three times
in five months, in order to assure the authorities of Azerbaijan
of the importance of the participation of Armenian soldiers in the
training; although the Armenian newspaper AZG Armenian Daily stated
that this was a secondary reason for his frequent visits, his main
goal being to negotiate the establishment of American military bases
on Azerbaijani territory.
Ekho reported that starting from September 11, activists of
“Organization for the Release of Karabakh” (ORK), together with
influential political forces of the country and public organizations,
were planning to start mass demonstrations against the arrival of
Armenian officers in Baku. Deputy Chair of ORK Shamil Mekhti told the
newspaper that he had not been informed where the Armenian officers
were going to spend the night.
Zerkalo, Baku reported that NATO was unhappy with the Azeri
authorities’ stance. The training was to take place within the
framework of the ‘Partnership in the name of peace’ program, which
is based on the principle of parity.
“We regret very much regarding the fact that the principle of parity
has been violated at this time and has become the reason of the
annulment of the training,” the official NATO web site notes. The
newspaper quoted Head of the Armenian Ministry of Defense’s department
of external relations and international cooperation Mikael Melkonian
as saying that, particularly after training had already been held
in Georgia and Armenia, the Azeri authorities’ hindrance should be
taken into consideration by NATO.

Opposition Party Pickets British Embassy
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Sept 11 2004
The Whole Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (WAPFP) picketed the British
embassy in Baku on Friday in protest against the planned participation
ofrmenian officers in NATO exercises to be held in Baku in September
within the Partnership for Peace program.
Assa-Irada — Some 100 party members showed placards “Death to
Armenian criminals!” and “Armenian criminals be brought to military
court!” during the protest action, a source from the party said.
The petition of the protest action was forwarded to the embassy.
During the clash with police 8 protesters were detained and taken to
the Sabayil district police precinct. The detainees were released an
hour and a half later.
The WAPFP is scheduled to hold a rally outside the Khatai cultural
center on Sunday with the similar purpose.

Azeri Pres calls forthcoming Azerbaijan-Armenia talks crucial
By Sevindj Abdullayeva, Viktor Shulman
ITAR-TASS News Agency  
September 11, 2004 Saturday
BAKU — Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that his meeting
with Armenian President Robert Kocharian as part of the CIS summit
in Astana, Kazakhstan, in mid-September will have crucial importance
for settling the dragged-out conflict in Nagorny Karabakh.
As he addressed correspondents in the town of Barda, western
Azerbaijan, Saturday, Aliyev said: “That meeting may introduce clarity
into the situation so that we could see where we actually are at the
moment and whether we’re getting closer to an agreement or drifting
away from it”.
He also said the co-chairmen of the so-called Minsk group for Nagorny
Karabakh settlement, set up by the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe, had made known their willingness to attend
the Azerbaijani-Armenian talks in Astana.
“I’m for it, too,” Aliyev said.
When he was asked about his own assessment of the current situation,
he said there were no agreements between the sides at the moment.
“But even without breaking the confidentiality of the negotiations
process, I can tell you we have fair chances of reaching such
agreements,” Aliyev said.
As he met with a group of refugees in the Barda district earlier in
the day, he said Azerbaijani government envisioned an increase of
defense spending in 2005
“It will strengthen our Armed Forces and will make the army one of
the guarantors of settling the Karabakh conflict,” Aliyev said.
He reiterated that Azerbaijan is seeking a peaceful solution to
the conflict.
“As long as there is hope for that [peace settlement], we’ll continue
the talks, but if they prove ineffective, the Azerbaijanis will free
the occupied territories by any means,” Aliyev indicated.
“We have all the prerequisites for it – the patriotic spirit and
moral mobilization of our people, and the persistently growing
economic potential”.
As he addressed a meeting with public representatives in Barda on the
same day, Aliyev said: “The people of Azerbaijan must be prepared to
liberate its occupied lands by force”.
The conflict in the mostly Armenian-populated Karabakh enclave has
been going on since 1988 along a pattern similar to most ethnic
conflicts on the territory of the former USSR.
Karabakh’s Armenians are trying to win independence from Azerbaijan. In
the early 1990’s, the tensions between the sides took the form of
open armed hostilities.
Efforts to settle the conflict have been made for years, but they
have produced insignificant results so far.

Armenia should abstain from NATO drill in Baku – minister
By Sevindzh Abdullayeva, Viktor Shulman
ITAR-TASS News Agency
September 10, 2004 Friday
BAKU, September 10 — Armenia should abstain from participation
in the Cooperative Best Effort 2004 exercises due in Azerbaijan
on September 14-26 under the NATO Partnership for Peace program,
Azerbaijani Defense Minister Safar Abiyev said.
“Baku is perplexed with the insistent wish of Armenia, which
occupied some of Azerbaijani lands, to take part in the exercises,”
Abiyev said. “Armenia does not recognize territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan. There are no diplomatic relations between our countries.
Is the participation of Armenian officers in the exercises in Baku
expedient?”
He said the Azerbaijani public objects to the visit of Armenian
servicemen.
“The insistence of Armenia may build up bilateral tension shortly
before the CIS summit in Astana,” where Azerbaijani President Ilham
Aliyev and Armenian President Robert Kocharyan are expected to meet
with the Russian mediation, he said.
Meanwhile, the Armenian defense minister’s press secretary Seiran
Shakhsuvaryan said that five Armenian officers would take part in
the NATO exercises in Azerbaijan.
“Our position is invariable. We will take part in the drill,” he
said. He noted that the exercises organizer – NATO – has not made any
changes in the program. “In addition, Yerevan does not have official
information about refusal of the Azerbaijani embassy in Tbilisi to
grant entry visas for the Armenian servicemen going to the drill in
Baku,” he said.
The news of Armenian servicemen’s visit agitated the Azerbaijani
public. A number of opposition parties, public and non-governmental
organizations will hold protests the day before the drill and on
the drill’s opening day. The Baku City Hall has authorized some of
the protests.

Iran gives Armenia 30-million-dollar loan for gas pipeline
Agence France Presse — English
September 8, 2004 Wednesday 6:06 PM GMT
YEREVAN Sept 8 — Iran has extended a 30-million-dollar
(25-million-euro) loan to Armenia to build a gas pipeline between the
two countries, Armenian President Robert Kotcharian said on Wednesday.
The loan should enable Yerevan to finance the 41 kilometres of the
141-kilometre (88-mile) pipeline that cross Armenian territory,
Kocharian told journalists after a meeting with his Iranian
counterpart, Mohammad Khatami.
The construction contract has been awarded to Iranian company Sanir.
Iran and Armenia signed a contract in May, under which Iran will
supply Armenia with a total of 36 billion cubic metres of gas over
a 20-year period, expected to start in early 2007.

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Sept 7 2004
President to leave for France September 7
Baku, September 6, AssA-Irada
President Ilham Aliyev is expected to leave for France on September 7.
On the first day of the visit, Aliyev will meet with his French
counterpart Jacques Chirac to discuss issues pertaining to bilateral
relations and peace settlement of the Upper Garabagh conflict, the
French Embassy in Baku said.
Also discussed will be investments by French companies in Azerbaijan.
On September 9, a ceremony on presenting the goodwill ambassador
title to the President’s wife Mehriban Aliyeva will be held at the
UNESCO residence in Paris.
Commenting on President Aliyev’s visit, prominent political scholar
Rasim Musabayov said that before the forthcoming talks in Astana, the
President may clarify certain details in his meeting President Chirac.
“Presidents Chirac and Putin of Russia have leverage to influence
the Armenian leadership. The use of the French President’s political
potential may appear productive to President Aliyev, although such
meetings did not yield any results in the past”, Musabayov said.*

ANOTHER POLITICAL PRISONER TO BE RELEASED BEFORE PACE SESSION
A1 Plus | 16:49:14 | 06-09-2004 | Politics |
Edgar Arakelyan, who was sentenced to 1 year and 6 months in jail
this summer for hitting a policeman by empty plastic bottle during
the demonstration held on April 12 is expected to be released ahead
of the end of his term.
He has already served one-third of his term in jail. The decision is
to be made today at 16:00 in the first instance court of Nork-Marash.

New Times Broward-Palm Beach (Florida)
September 2, 2004 Thursday
Blood & Sweat
But no tears, pansy boy
All eyes — and all of ESPN’s cameras — will be on Hollywood this
Friday, when seven big, bad boxers beat the bejesus out of seven other
big, bad boxers during Hard Knocks at the Hard Rock. In a battle for
the world championship of the flyweight division, undefeated Colombian
Irene “Mambaco” Pacheco (30-0), 33, goes up against 28-year-old Vic
Darchinyan (also undefeated, with a 21-0 record). Pacheco’s skill
is unrivaled among flyweights, but his challenger, an Armenian, has
been training in Australia. And you know what that means: He’s been
around those boxing kangaroos.
Darchinyan’s handlers are saying the D-man is going to mop the floor
with Pacheco and then hop away with the loser in his joey pocket. The
co-main event features Daniel Judah versus Luis Alberto Gimenez. The
undercard has Colombian Angel Priolo going ten rounds against Juan
Keb-Baas. Then there are the locals: Hollywood’s own Ed Paredes and
Johnny Pawlowski are scheduled to get in the ring at the Seminole
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (1 Seminole Way, Hollywood). Tickets
cost $30 to $100; get them by calling 954-523-3309 or visiting
The first bout starts at 7 p.m. For more
information, see — Deirdra Funcheon
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress