Author: Emil Lazarian

Turkish Daily News
Feb 23 2007

Armenian opposition urges dialogue with Ankara, Baku
Friday, February 23, 2007

Turkish Daily News

Artur Baghdasaryan, head of Armenian opposition party, said that
dwelling on history hampered his country’s relations with its
neighbors and suggested that Yerevan normalize ties with both Turkey
and Azerbaijan.

`Given the huge benefits Azerbaijani energy supplies and Turkish
investments would have for Armenia’s economy, normalizing our ties
with these two countries – with which we have no diplomatic relations
– would be crucial for us and the entire region,’ Baghdasaryan wrote
in an article published in The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday.

He complained that much of Armenia’s establishment remains trapped
in the past and, `…Dwelling on sad memories hampers our relationship
with our neighbors, chiefly Turkey and Azerbaijan. This cannot be
conducive to peace, stability and long-term prosperity.’

More than a decade ago, when Armenian troops began occupying the
Azerbaijani territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, Turkey closed their border
to Armenia and also severed diplomatic relations with the country.

In comments regarding the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh,
Baghdasaryan said that the persistence of this issue dilutes the
strategic value of Armenia as well as the entire region. `We have a
common interest in ensuring that our region can capitalize on its
geopolitical position and become the link between Eastern European
and Central Asian markets. The only durable solution is a negotiated
settlement which will require compromises on both sides,’ he added.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Turkish Press, MI
Feb 23 2007

Press Review

FM GUL: `IF THE ARMENIAN RESOLUTION PASSES, TURKISH-US STRATEGIC
COOPERATION WILL SUFFER’

Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday received a visiting US
congressional delegation led by Democratic Congressman Norm Dicks,
and they spoke about the resolution on the so-called Armenian
genocide now facing the US House of Representatives. Expressing
Turkey’s frustration over the terrorist PKK presence in northern
Iraq, Gul said that Ankara is running out of patience. /Star/

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Sabah, Turkey
Feb 23 2007

Permission for investigation demanded

The chief public prosecutor of Þiþli asked for permission from the
Ministry of Internal Affairs to start an investigation about the
magistrate Sarýgül and the organization committee for the banners
that read, "we are all Armenians."

Demand of permission to investigate the debated banners

The chief public prosecutor of Þiþli asked for permission from the
Ministry of Internal Affairs to start an investigation about the
magistrate Sarýgül and the organization committee for the banners
which read, "we are all Armenians."

An investigation will be started on the banners that say, "we are all
Hrant," "we are all Armenians," held up at the funeral of the
murdered editor-in-chief of Agos newspaper Hrant Dink. The chief
public prosecutor of Þiþli asked for permission from the Ministry of
Internal affairs to start an investigation about mayor Sarýgül and
the organization committee. In the complaint petition, it said that
the Þiþli magistrate Mustafa Sarýgül and the funeral organization
committee invited people to attend the funeral but the banners and
the slogans that were held up there were racist. The petition also
claimed that article 301 of the Turkish Commercial Code was also
insulted with the banner saying "Hrant’s murderer is article 301."

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
Feb 23 2007

SENTENCE ON MURDERER’S LIFE IMPRISONMENT REMAINED IN FORCE

Hungarian Court of Appeal left in force the life imprisonment
sentence of a lower instance court for Azeri officer Ramil Safarov
for Armenian officer Gurgen Margarian’s murder, the Armenian party’s
lawyer Nazeli Vartanian told IA REGNUM.
In her words, at the Court of Appeal session held February 22
Safarov’s lawyers presented two applications: to carry out a new, 5th
forensic medical examination and not to take into consideration
Safarov’s first testimonies, as they were given in Russian, while his
country’s state language is Azerbaijani. The Azeri party also
petitioned the court to remit the sentence, as Safarov is another
culture’s representative, so Hungarian party cannot understand his
motives, because an Armenian’s assassination is not considered a
criminally punishable act in Azerbaijan.
According to Nazeli Vartanian, the Armenian party presented
counter-petition to leave the lower instance court’s decision in
force. The Armenian side also pointed out that in the 21st century
murders were committed only because of a man’s belonging to either
nation, and the Armenian journalist’s murder in Turkey testified to
the fact. In his turn, Safarov again pleaded not guilty. After the
break the Appeal court made a ruling, according to which the lower
instance court’s decision was considered just and impartial, and left
the decision on Ramil Safarov’s life imprisonment in force. Vartanian
also said the Azeri party actually had no chance to appeal the Court
of Appeal’s decision, though theoretically they can submit the case
to Hungary’s Supreme Court, however, the criteria to take over a case
are quite severe there.
To remind, Lieutenant of RA Armed Forces Gurgen Markarian, who was
sent on an official journey trip to Budapest to participate in the
English language courses in the frames of `Cooperation for Peace’
NATO program, was brutally hacked to death by an ax by the Azeri
officer Ramil Safarov. April 13, 2006 Safarov was sentenced to life
imprisonment without the right to pardon during 30 years.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
February 23, 2007 Friday

GERMAN MINISTER’S CAUCASUS VOYAGE;
Germany offers equal multilateral cooperation

by Anatoly Gordiyenko, Yuri Simonjan

GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER FRANK-WALTER STEINMEIER FINISHED HIS TOUR OF
THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE CAUCASUS; Foreign Minister Frank-Walter
Steinmeier toured countries of the southern part of the Caucasus.

Foreign Minister of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, completed his
tour of the southern part of the Caucasus with a visit to Yerevan,
Armenia. Armenia stands out in the region. Unlike Georgia and
Azerbaijan, it has never lost any part of its territory. Unlike
Georgia, it does not really aspire for NATO or EU membership. Unlike
Azerbaijan, it enjoys an abundance of resources. With all of this
taken into consideration, Steinmeier’s statements in Yerevan would
have been interesting compared to what he said in Baku and Tbilisi.
Unfortunately, the visitor proved to be something of a
disappointment.

He said that Germany’s interest in the southern part of the Caucasus
had nothing to do with eagerness to join NATO or availability of
resources. When Romania and Bulgaria joined the European Union, it
made countries of the southern part of the Caucasus Europe’s
neighbors. And the European Union, Germany included, is naturally
interested in cooperation with these countries, in investments, and
in their stable economic development.

The Armenian minister Steinmeier met with said that the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict might be resolved this year and repeated
his recent statement concerning "a very interesting document already
on the desk" (a statement his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar
Mamedjarov promptly denounced).

Steinmeier’s visit to Tbilisi (it was from Tbilisi that he came to
Yerevan) had been more interesting. The visitor pampered the Georgian
leaders’ daydreams concerning urgent entry into the Alliance. "NATO
would like to see its new members free of conflicts. I’m not saying,
however, that conflicts present an insurmountable obstacle for
membership," Steinmeier said and promised that Germany would use all
its clout with the European Union (which it was chairing now) and
NATO to have them facilitate a fair solution of Georgia’s problems.
He emphasized that the West did not intend to apply the Kosovo
precedent to Georgia, "Kosovo may become a model, but this is a
separate issue altogether. It should not be applied to Georgia."

Tbilisi in its turn took Steinmeier’s words as a confirmation that
Georgia might join NATO without Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Some
experts began asking questions concerning the policy of the Georgian
administration because membership in NATO had always been regarded
aiding the problem of territorial integrity restoration. "Ruling out
of the conflict resolution by force is what the Alliance demands from
Georgia," Paata Zakareishvili, the head of the Center for Development
and Cooperation, said. The analyst believes that it will be perfectly
all right for Georgia to join NATO without the restoration of its
jurisdiction over the runaway autonomies. As far as Zakareishvili is
concerned, Russia will do everything to preserve the status quo in
these territories and thus prevent Georgian membership in the
Alliance. "And yet, the process is unstoppable now. It’s just that
powers of the Alliance and its projects are not going to apply to
these territories pending conflict resolution there," the expert
said. By way of proof, Zakareishvili referred to Turkey. "Sure,
Turkey was one of the first to join NATO, and the world was wholly
different then. Still, the Northern Cyprus remains a pressing problem
even now. The West nevertheless perceives the possibility of the
solution by peaceful means, and Turkey is nearly in the European
Union," he said.

Source: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, February 21, 2007, p. 6

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Panorama.am

19:50 23/02/2007

POPULISM OF REPUBLICAN PARTY REACHES RUSSIA

Gazeta.ru, a Russian e-newspaper, published an articled titled,
`Armenians three times more’ which detailed the discussions in the
parliament on dual citizenship.

The newspaper interview Karen Galustyan, vice chairman of the Union of
Armenians in Russia, who raised his surprise at the provision that
people with dual citizenship may vote only on the territory of
Armenia. `To leave for Armenia? What are you speaking about? One
ticket costs $400. Do you think those poor people will leave for
Armenia to vote? It is a fantasy,’ he said. The author of the article
condemns the Armenian Republican Party (HHK) in populism for rapid
adoption of this law. `They will have parliamentary elections in 2007
and presidential elections in 2008,’ the newspaper writes.

Karen Galustyan said, `The rapid adoption of this law is a sign of
populism by the ruling party, Republican party, which wants to show
that it thinks about the Armenian nation and tries to gain more
credits.’

Source: Panorama.am

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Turkish journalist demands investigation into organization of Hrant
Dink’s funeral

armradio.am
24.02.2007 12:11

Public Prosecutor’s Office of Istanbul’s Sisli district has launched an
investigation into Sisli Mayor Mustafa Sarigül and the committee that
organized the funeral for journalist Hrant Dink, the slain editor of
the Turkish-Armenian Agos weekly, for the slogans `We are all
Armenians’, `We are all Hrant Dink’, Milliyet daily informs.

A reporter for a local daily in the northern city of Sinop, Mete
Cagdas, filed a complaint to the local Prosecutor’s Office in Sinop.
Cagdas’s application accused Sisli Mayor Mustafa Sarigül and the
funeral organizers of turning the atmosphere at the funeral into one
for a fallen "militant," a term used subjectively in this case to
discredit the legitimacy of the protests.

According to Milliyet’s report, the Prosecutor General’s Office in
Sinop had no jurisdiction in the case and relayed the file to the Sisli
chief prosecutor’s office in late January. Sisli prosecutors launched
an investigation which might end up in a law suit against the
organizers or in dismissal. In either case, the Sisli office will have
to make a statement clarifying its opinion of the funeral slogans.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Arminfo
2007-02-24 13:58:00

Chief Presidential Advisor: Armenia’s extreme longing for external
support leads to unhealthy future

The low rates of Armenia’s tax collection can cause serious problems
in financing the state’s needs – Vaghram Nersisyanc, Chief
Presidential Advisor, said in the interview with Aravot paper.

He pointed out that starting from 2001, the annual growth of the
state’s economy is counted in the two-digit figures. However, the
volume of collected taxes "is not satisfactory". In 2006, Armenia’s
tax revenues made up only 14.5% of the gross domestic product (GDP),
including dues and social security payments – it will make 17.5%
GDP. "These revenues are not sufficient to cover administrative costs
of any state – including defence costs, development of infrastructure
and the primary social needs," V. Nersisyanc said.

Failing to mobilize internal resources of the state, Armenia extremely
longs for the external support. In its tern, this trend prevents the
country from a healthy future. The problem is not in the growth of tax
rates or in setting up new ones – the problem concerns the volumes of
taxes collected, V. Nersisyanc pointed out.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Arminfo
2007-02-24 13:31:00

Western Union money transfer system may reconsider rate policy on
Russia-Armenia, USA-Armenia, Greece-Armenia corridors

The Western Union international money transfer system may reconsider
the rate policy on the Russia-Armenia, USA-Armenia, Greece-Armenia
corridors, Mikhail Babirenko, the Western Union business manager for
Armenia, Georgia and Ukraine, told an ArmInfo correspondent at the
ceremony of opening the first specialized branch in the region jointly
with the Araratbank.

According to him, the Western Union is currently reconsidering the
rate policy in various directions including Armenia. The company is
considering a possible change of prices and trying to introduce new
products. At the moment, the "Next day" (i.e. receiving money the next
day) cheaper product has been introduced in the USA and Great
Britain. It is a kind of experiment, M.Babirenko noted explaining that
the Western Union, which has always been famous for quick money
transfers (15-20 minutes), wonders how interesting it will be to
clients. M.Babirenko emphasized that the company focuses on
specialized branches where people pay and count on a quick transfer.
He added that the Western Union doesn’t try to compete only in price
or run after the competitors’ rates. The company tries to find an
optimal price for consumers and not to run after the price
competition.

M.Babirenko pointed out that markets react to new products in the
region in different ways. The Western Union company regularly holds
market research, communicates with partner banks and partner agents in
different countries. Pointing out the spread of salary projects in
Armenia, Georgia and Ukraine, he said that at the moment, co-branding
card products are being considered. However, this production is not
always possible for countries in technological respect. Still,
everything depends on the market’s readiness for card products, he
noted.

To note, the Western Union is the leading company in the world market
of money transfers. The company has representative offices in over
200 countries and about 30 thsd branches. The company has been
operating for over 10 years and has over 200 points of service in
Armenia. According to the CBA’s data, the total volume of transfers to
Armenia is 1.5 bln USD, the annual growth being 20%. And the total
volume of transfers under the Western Union in 2006 totalled 45.2 bln
AMD, 41.2 bln of them were transferred to Armenia.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

All in a good cause
By Angus Watson

FT
February 24 2007 02:00

On January 19 2007, the Armenian-Turkish writer Hrant Dink was shot
dead for something he didn’t say. A 17-year-old named Ogün Samast
confessed to the murder: "I read on the internet that he said: ‘I am
from Turkey, but Turkish blood is dirty’, and I decided to kill him. I
have no regrets." Dink had said nothing of the sort. However, he had
been charged repeatedly under Article 301 of Turkey’s penal code,
which makes it a crime to insult "Turkishness", and so was on a hate
list for ultra-nationalistic Turks.

"There is increasing international awareness that Article 301 led
directly to Dink’s death," says Caroline McCormick, executive director
of International PEN, a charity that champions freedom of speech, or,
as PEN member Tom Stoppard points out: "not free speech – one cannot
shout ‘Fire!’ in a crowded cinema – but free comment on the way that
society operates."

In Turkey, International PEN is using its weight as literature
representative for Unesco and adviser to the European Union on
Turkey’s membership: "We are trying to have 301 abolished," explains
McCormick. "I think we have a realistic chance."

Turkish writer Elif Shafak was arrested last year under 301 for the
views of a fictional character in her novel The Bastard of Istanbul:
"International PEN was very active before and during my trial," she
says. Despite her acquittal, however, she has "become more anxious
when writing. Laws such as Article 301 breed self-censure and that is
their biggest danger. Self-censure is worse than any legal fine."

Defending writers’ freedom is just one role of International
PEN. McCormick says: "PEN has three goals. First, to promote
literature. This goal is often overlooked, when it’s the frame of
reference for everything we do. The second is freedom of expression,
the third to develop a world community of writers and readers."

The charity was founded in London in 1921 for Poets, Playwrights,
Essayists and Novelists (PPEN became PEN), and early members included
Joseph Conrad and HG Wells. Membership is now open to all professional
writers, and PEN has 15,000 members in 144 centres in 101
countries. It is funded by membership, bodies such as Unesco, national
governments, and corporate and private sponsorship.

International PEN is a "bottom-up" construction, in that local PENs
are created by writers who form a group then apply to the central
body. Stoppard explains the inspiration to form a PEN: "I always felt
that being a writer was somewhere between a stroke of luck and a
privilege. Joining PEN helps offset that feeling of privilege."

A PEN is currently forming in Iraq. McCormick is at pains to point out
that this was instigated by Iraqi writers. Shafak says: "It is very
important that International PEN’s work is a collaboration. When a
western organisation’s move is interpreted as an ‘outside
intervention’ it serves only to create a backlash."

Stoppard says: "When

I joined PEN there was a rallying cry that we couldn’t do anything for
anybody else’s freedom if we didn’t look after our own . . . Yet
there’s been continuous encroachment on personal liberty here [in
Britain]. Regulations that lay down markers for how we behave are
proliferating. This erosion of freedom is actually more insidious than
locking up a high-profile writer. For someone who’s just had their
seventh grandchild,

I think life is pretty depressing but I like to think that it would be
worse without PEN. "

Last year English PEN launched its Freedom of Expression Is No Offence
campaign. Perhaps we should express ourselves by rallying behind it.

_ () ,
tel: +44 (0)20-7405 0338

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress