Author: Emil Lazarian

Turkish Daily News
Oct 19 2006
Diplomacy Newsline
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Azerbaijan to counter Armenian diaspora:
ANK – TDN with AFP
Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev has announced a campaign to
counter the influence of the Armenian diaspora, a major backer of
ethnic-Armenian separatists in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.
Aliyev said his oil-rich ex-Soviet republic was opening embassies
and consulates in parts of the world where the Armenian diaspora was
especially influential.
“It’s no secret that California is a state with a large Armenian
population. We opened a consulate general [in Los Angeles] to be
there and to fight the Armenian lobby,” Aliyev said on Tuesday in an
interview with Arabic network Al Jazeera. He said his country planned
to open an embassy in Argentina, where the Armenian lobby “is [at its]
strongest among Latin American nations.”
Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in a territorial dispute
over the Nagorno-Karabakh ethnic-Armenian enclave since before the
breakup of the Soviet Union. Turkey severed diplomatic relations with
neighboring Armenia after Armenian troops occupied Nagorno-Karabakh,
and the border gate between Turkey and Armenia has been closed for
more than a decade. The influential Armenian diaspora, particularly in
the United States, has long been exerting efforts against Turkey via
its lobbying for Armenian genocide allegations to be internationally
recognized.
Aliyev said Azerbaijan’s new oil wealth gave it a chance to outweigh
ethnic-Armenians’ influence abroad. “What is attractive about
Armenia? Only the fact that it has a rich diaspora that influences the
policies of various countries,” he said. “Azerbaijan is a country that
will supply Europe and world markets with energy resources. Imagine
Azerbaijan on one side of the scale and Armenia on the other.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Warm Ties with the Diaspora
By MEHMET KAMIS
10.19.2006 Thursday – ISTANBUL 20:51
Zaman, Turkey
Oct 19 2006
The Armenian issue constantly confronts Turkey. Everywhere in the
world – in France, America, Lebanon – when Turkey is mentioned, some
group appears hating Turkey and opposing them to the death. I have
written on this story of hate in previous articles.
More than in those subjected to deportation, this is a hate that has
formed in later generations. The migration of Armenians, an Eastern
Christian group, after World War II to Western countries played a big
role in the transformation of the resentment of the first generation
into the hatred of later generations.
Last year was the 90th anniversary of the deportation. 2015 will be the
100th anniversary. The Armenians, or, more accurately, those who want
to put pressure on Turkey, are trying to keep this issue on the agenda
as much as possible and are preparing for a finale ten years from now.
In World War II, which began in 1939 and ended in 1945, 35 million
people died. Twenty million remained crippled. Twelve million mothers
miscarried before holding their babies in their arms. Occupying France,
Germany attacked Russia and caused the death of hundreds of thousands
of people. A total of 35 million people from England, France, Italy
and Germany lost their lives in this war. Killing millions of each
other’s people just 60 years ago, these states are uniting under one
roof today by their own desire. But the events Turkey experienced with
the Armenians during World War I are constantly bearing down on it,
growing larger with each passing day.
This issue constantly confronts us in a different country.
There is only one action Turkey has taken against this situation.
That is to say as loudly as possible to anyone who begins speaking
about the alleged Armenian genocide that we didn’t’ butcher them,
they butchered us. Repeated more so in Turkey, these words don’t
reach the rest of the world. The whole world believes the claims of
the Armenians; their voice comes out a lot stronger than Turkey’s.
Turkey has no other approach or policy regarding this matter. When a
few authorities repeat these words that we didn’t kill them, Armenian
gangs killed Turks, the subject is closed for us.
For example, if we say that historians should handle this, it isn’t
going to resolve anything. The subject isn’t closed for the Armenians
and because it is useful for big states, it is constantly brought up
against us. This situation could have been acceptable before because
Turkey was a country squeezed between the Kapikule and Habur borders
where only the rulers were happy. But things have changed today. We
are finally living in a country integrated with the rest of the world.
Turkey should change its policy on this issue and create warm ties
with the Armenian Diaspora. In fact, civilians should be doing more
than the government. We should sit down and talk with them a little
about Fenerbahce football. Eating stuffed grapevine leaves together,
presenting gold jewelry at weddings, and occasionally speaking
Turkish. In short, it’s necessary to remember again that we are
societies that until yesterday did a lot of things together, ate the
same food, sang the same songs, and reacted similarly when insulted;
we shared the same emotions.
There are so many people in the Armenian Diaspora who have never met
a Turk in their whole life. Through face-to-face encounters, seeing
that Turks are different from the type of person they have created
in their minds could make a deep impression on them. Seeing that the
Turks they hate to death are not like the image they have in their
heads could turn their beliefs upside down.
Turkey can overcome this issue with more human-oriented policies.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Turkish Daily News
Oct 19 2006
>>From the columns
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Who will forgive whom?:
Bugun, Gulay Gokturk: Orhan Pamuk’s task is really difficult. So
many are dictating what he should say at the Nobel Prize ceremony.
The minute the news of the Nobel came in, many started writing draft
speeches. These mentors said, “Make a statement condemning France’s
genocide denial bill.” Some said it would be appropriate for him to
go to France at once and have himself arrested. Following that, a
race to craft the best phrases to say at the ceremony began. If he
said one thing, he would make peace with the people of Turkey, or
perhaps instead he’d better say something else. He was assigned a
wide range of missions, from stating support for Turkey’s European
Union membership bid to proving how wonderful Turkish democracy
actually is. Some said that while the opportunity exists, they
expected him to say that he opposes U.S. policy in Iraq. Those who
demanded he turn down the prize are another story. What is being done
here is, in its simplest form, disrespect. It is disrespectful to
write a sentence for a great writer and try to make him read it. It
is as if we won the prize together. As if it was not given to Orhan
Pamuk. As if he will be representing Turkey on that podium and is
obligated to say what we’d like him to. We have a Nobel-winning
author and we think we can exploit his fame as we wish and make him
send the messages we want. As if the Nobel was won through the joint
efforts of a team. The reality is very different. Turkey was never on
the same team as Pamuk. Not simply without us, he earned this prize
in spite of us. Our state tried him, our intellectuals took every
opportunity to demoralize him, to find fault with and destroy him.
Our people were, in general, indifferent to this lynching attempt.
And now do we have the ability to talk about “forgiving,” about
“compensating for a mistake”? Do we have the ability to tell him what
to say at the Nobel ceremony? If this honor is going to be an
instrument for a reconciliation of some sort, it is not us, but Orhan
Pamuk, who should be forgiving.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIA: ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE SPURS RESPIRATORY DISEASES
Marianna Grigoryan 10/20/06
EurasiaNet, NY
Oct 20 2006
A dramatic increase in respiratory diseases over the past several years
means that Armenia is now struggling to breathe, physicians and public
health specialists say. While government representatives downplay
the problem, environmentalists point to desertification as the cause.
Between 2001 and 2005, the number of respiratory diseases registered in
Armenia increased by 45 percent to just over 161,000 cases, according
to statistics from the Ministry of Health.
Andranik Voskanyan, one of Armenia’s chief lung specialists, believes
that the real number of individuals suffering from respiratory
diseases, particularly asthma, is much higher than officially
reported. Voskanyan estimates that the number of such cases has at
least doubled in the past decade. He is also seeing respiratory disease
strike at an earlier age. “A few years ago the youngest child suffering
from asthma was five or six … [but] we now find this disease also
among one to two-year-old[s],” said Voskanyan. “This is the reaction
of the body to the environment.”
Voskanyan believes that shrinking green areas, industrial emissions,
lack of quality control for imported fuel, and increased emissions
from automobiles have played a central role in the increased number
of respiratory diseases.
Yerevan pediatrician Anahit Mazmanyan agrees. “Almost all newborns
have allergies, symptoms of rickets [inflammation of the spine],
which was a rare phenomenon in the past. These are phenomena that
one should pay great attention to,” commented Mazmanyan.
Environmentalists and public health specialists say a major factor
behind the trend is galloping desertification. Recent United
Nations (UN) data reports that 82 percent of Armenia’s territory
is at risk of desertification and 26 percent is at risk of extreme
desertification. In response, the UN recently called on the government
and civil society groups to develop programs to address environmental
issues.
“Armenia today has opted for a peculiar way of desertification –
an asphalt-concrete desertification,” commented Karine Danielyan,
a former minister for environmental protection who now chairs the
For Sustainable Human Development non-governmental organization.
“Construction in gross violation of the rules of urban development
is going on everywhere at the expense of green areas.”
In Yerevan, where fashionable cafes have mushroomed recently in city
parks, trees today cover only 2 percent of the land area, according to
government statistics. In 2005, the amount of so-called “green area”
available per resident in this city of 1.1 million stood at 4.2 square
meters, a threefold decline from 1990 levels.
With fewer trees, fewer ways exist for removing emissions from cars
and factories, according to environmentalists. At the same time,
greater quantities of dust enter the atmosphere as the soil erodes.
“Soon it won’t be the amount of green area per resident that will
be calculated, but the number of cafe chairs per resident, and cafe
tables per family,” quipped one elderly Yerevan resident who regularly
strolls in the capital’s parks.
Experts note that during the Communist era, Yerevan ranked as one
of the Soviet Union’s most polluted cities. The closure of nearby
factories in the 1990s failed to make much of a difference. In
addition, an energy crisis during the early 1990s, largely connected
to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, led to a rash of tree cutting
throughout Armenia. Today, even though the energy crisis is long past,
large-scale logging continues.
According to data provided by the Ministry of Environmental Protection,
the quantity of dust, sulfur, dioxide, ethyl benzol, nitric oxide
and other substances, including lead, in the atmosphere over Armenia
exceeds admissible concentration levels.
Experts deem the situation dangerous. “Monitoring has collapsed in
recent years. Very few materials are studied now,” said Danielyan.
Carbonic acid and ozone, for instance, are no longer monitored in
Yerevan, he added.
As yet, no government policy exists to address the issue of tree
loss. Officials maintain that attention is being paid to the country’s
general environmental welfare.
“There are certain government resolutions and decrees aimed at
protecting the environment, in particular those envisaging control
over car emissions,” said Aram Gabrielyan, head of the Environment
Ministry’s Department for Environmental Protection. “Certain measures
are being taken in terms of control, but I don’t think that the
shrinkage of green areas can contribute to air pollution and
respiratory diseases,” Gabrielyan claimed.
Editor’s Note: Marianna Grigoryan is a reporter for the Armenianow.com
weekly in Yerevan.

Turkish Daily News
Oct 19 2006
>>From the columns
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Hot contact with the diaspora:
Zaman, Mehmet Kamýþ: The Armenian question is being brought before
Turkey at every opportunity. A group of people all over the world —
in France, America and Lebanon — hate Turkey and wish only bad
things for it. This hatred has been fostered not by those who were
deported but rather by the generations that followed. The migration
of Armenians, an Eastern Christian society, to Western countries
after World War I played a huge role in this Armenian transformation.
This is the 90th anniversary of that forced deportation. States that
were at each other’s throats only 60 years ago are today united under
one roof. Nobody feuds anymore. The significance of Turkey’s World
War I incident with the Armenians is growing on a daily basis. Each
time this problem confronts us in a different country. To manage
this, Turkey should change its policy and establish close contact
with the Armenian diaspora. Civilians, rather than the state, should
put more effort into solving this problem. We need to sit down with
them and talk a little bit about Fenerbahce. Eat sarma with them, put
jewelry on the bride at weddings. In short, we should remember that
we are similar nations emotionally; we eat the same foods and sing
the same folk songs.
–Boundary_(ID_kgEnUy/auTM5k0Ev7PlTrQ)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Levon Ter-Petrasiyan to nominate his candidacy in the presidential elections
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Oct 20 2006
[ 20 Oct. 2006 20:28 ]
The former president Levon Ter-Petrosiyan can nominate his candidacy
in the presidential elections in 2008, Ararat Zurabyan, administrator
of Armenian National Movement (ANM) headed by Levon Ter-Petrosian
said in the press conference, APA reports.
He thinks that the return of the first president of Armenia to the
sphere of action will change the conditions in the country.
“Levon Ter-Petrosiyan’s two words are more important than the activity
of the all political power, “he said.
Zurabyan said that if former president do not nominate his candidacy,
ANM will nominate other candidacy. Zurabyan said that the aim of
opposition is to prevent the leading of those who came to power
illegally. He said that during the reign of Foreign Minister Vardan
Oskanian and Defense Minister Serj Sarkisian Armenia stood aside from
regional projects./APA/
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Turkey Bakhchasaray University prepared 1mn application forms against false Armenian genocide
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Oct 20 2006
[ 20 Oct. 2006 19:31 ]
Turkey Bakhchasaray University prepared one million application forms
against false Armenian genocide for sending European Court of Human
Rights, the University rector and famous lawyer Suheyl Batum told
APA Turkey bureau exclusively.
“Armenia tries to accuse Turkey of the genocide which was not
recognized by well-known historians of the world. The political
aim of this accusation is evident from France Interior Minister’s
suggestions. He said that France Parliament will not adopt the law if
Turkey opens the borders with Armenia, restores diplomatic relations
between the two countries and abolish Turkish Criminal Code article
301. This problem concerns Azerbaijan, too. Armenians occupied 20
percent of Azerbaijan’s territory, but they want us to recognize the
controversial historical event. France does not allow Turks to protest
against its decision. It gives us a chance to appeal to European Court
of Human Rights. We prepared application forms for this. Turkey should
solve the problem legally. Azerbaijan and Turkey will have great
chances to pressurize France and other western countries. Armenians
occupied Azerbaijan’s territories, but the world community wants us to
restore diplomatic and commercial relations with Armenia. They do not
pay attention to UN decision making Armenia aggressor. Azerbaijan would
have solved this problem if it were economically strong country. But
now we should solve the problem legally,” he said. /APA/
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Is There any Strategy in Boycotting France?
By IBRAHIM OZTURK
Zaman, Turkey
Oct 20 2006
10.20.2006 Friday – ISTANBUL 22:36
As a nation, our judgment is easily clouded. It’s our Achilles heel
to win the hard way but lose easily. We still haven’t learned how
to solve possible crises by adopting long-term strategies or using
intelligence and know-how.
A fine example of this phenomenon is the French controversy, perfectly
timed just before the EU progress report on Turkey is released. It is
as if the French wanted to seek help from Turkish sentiments that can
lose control and direction easily. While France and other like-minded
countries try to provoke us, so to speak, there are “customers” who
are ready to buy this turmoil at home because their interests fit
snugly into each other. I insist that the Algerian genocide should
not be used to extract vengeance against France. This would burn
bridges, whereas our duty is to build foundations and bridges for
better dialogue and understanding.
The tension we experienced because of Italy’s stance on the PKK and
the street protests it triggered are still fresh in our memory. But
remember Italy’s full support for us to obtain an exact date for EU
full membership negotiations. International relations are determined
neither by love nor by hatred, but by national interests guided by
common sense. Can’t you see that today Japan and America are like
identical twins, despite the two atomic bombs America dropped on its
present-day ally? While discussing today’s matters, we should not ruin
future relations. In fact, France does not prefer Armenia, a country
of five million poor people, over Turkey with this action. As is well
known, Europe has had this France problem for quite some time. It is
the same country that opposed Britain’s full EU membership in the past,
and that also rejects the current EU constitution. This notorious
country is now trying to use Turkey as a scapegoat for its problems
with the EU. What Turkey has to do is try to avoid being part of the
problem, with little patience and sound strategy.
The other side of the equation is our homemade problems. Those who,
until recently, had been tormenting people in order to impose
European values on them are now pretending to be against the
European Union. Since they are in search of a strategy to change
course smoothly, they acted hastily in finding similarities between
France’s attitude and the present EU situation. Take a guess: What
is the religion of our old aunt who yelled, “Religion is becoming
lost?” As always, one of the most legal grounds is Ataturk. He said,
“We have to reach the level of contemporary civilizations, not the
European level.” He meant rationalism, didn’t he? But how can all
this be combined with economic and political unity?
Let’s not digress; I do support boycotting French products. But mine is
a well-founded embargo. If a foreign product has a Turkish equivalent
with the same quality, and if it can withstand the price competition, I
would prefer the homegrown products. A stance and preference spreading
across all parts of life with national consciousness is essential, not
feelings that are set ablaze with tensions and then burnt away. For
instance, rescuing the present volatile campaign launched against
France from its narrow bounds and turning it into a campaign using
homegrown products would be the most viable long-term strategy. On
the other hand, punishing French capital that is assisting successful
investments in our country, contributing to production and employment
by launching a boycott, will amount to sawing away at the branch
we are sitting on. Instead, not buying imported French products and
brands would be the best way to boost the boycott spirit.
France may risk losing Turkey in an economic sense because Turkey is
as good as a pill to cure an earthquake as far as French imports and
exports are concerned. That would not move a leaf in France. However,
France is our fifth-largest trading partner. More importantly,
it seems as if similar things will occur with other countries,
whether they’re EU members or non-EU members. Almost 70 percent of
Turkey’s foreign trade is with European countries. We should reduce
our dependence on Europe by expanding to new horizons, discovering
new abilities and developing new long-term strategies. Furthermore,
to increase our bargaining power we should be able to create other
power sources. Otherwise any action taken by us would seem ridiculous.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Julie Finley stresses the importance of holding elections in
compliance with democratic standards
19.10.2006 13:54
Public Radio, Armenia
Oct 19 2006
October 19 Head of the Armenian delegation to OSCE Parliamentary
Assembly, NA Vice-Speaker Vahan Hovhannisyan and member of the
delegation Samvel Nikoyan met with the US Ambassador to the OSCE
Julie Finley.
Mrs. Finley emphasized the importance of conducting the forthcoming
elections in Armenia in compliance with democratic standards,
stressing the necessity of OSCE observation mission’s long-term stay
in Armenia. In Mrs. Finley, opinion, the presence of observers in
the preelection process is as important as in the election period.
Vahan Hovhannisyan and Samvel Nikoyan also attached importance to
holding free and fair elections in Armenia, noting that soon the
amendments to the Electoral Code will be adopted.
During the meeting reference was made to the activity of the
Central Electoral Commission. The parties stressed the importance of
completeness and accuracy of voting lists. Other questions of mutual
importance were discussed as well.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Turkish spokesman: Recalling envoy from France “out of question”
Anatolia news agency, Ankara,
19 Oct 06
Ankara, 19 October: “The Cyprus issue should not poison Turkey’s
negotiation process with the EU,” said Namik Tan, spokesman for the
Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Thursday [19 October].
Speaking at the weekly press briefing, Tan said: “The negotiation
process has its own frame and parameters. It is quite wrong to
associate this issue with Turkey’s EU negotiation process. Turkey
accepts only the Copenhagen political criteria in this process.”
Upon a question about recent proposal of Finland which holds the
rotating EU presidency, Tan told reporters: “According to our point of
view, the Cyprus issue can be resolved under the auspices of the United
Nations. Finland’s proposal can be considered as a quite important
step in efforts to find a way-out to the Cyprus issue. But neither
Finland’s proposal nor any other similar initiative can replace a
comprehensive solution.”
Tan also highlighted importance of a compromise to be reached by the
two parties on the island.
Referring to adoption of the bill about so-called Armenian genocide
by the French National Assembly last week, Tan said: “It is comforting
to know that the French government is against the bill.
However, this does not solve the problem.”
“France has lost its privileged position in the sight of Turkish
people. It is not possible to correct it by making administrative
decisions. Turkey has already warned France about likely consequences
of such a decision,” he commented.
When asked whether Turkey would recall its ambassador as a reaction,
Tan said that such a move was completely out of the question. “We
are in favour of acting rationally,” he added.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress