Author: Emil Lazarian

JOHN EVANS: ARMENIA IS ON RIGHT WAY
Noyan Tapan
Sept 07 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenia is on the right way and
its future is democracy, John Evans, the U.S. Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary who finished his mission to Armenia, mentioned in
the interview to the Public Television. In the Ambassador’s words,
Armenia has all the main preconditions for becoming the leading
democratic state of the region, but there is no progress without
retreats. John Evans believed that creation and re-creation of
democracy is everyday work for all countries. And for this reason,
in the Ambassador’s words, the U.S. envisages programs which will
help Armenia to strengthen its democracy. The American diplomate also
explained that democracy is not only free and just elections, though
it’s one of the main elements: democracy is supremacy of the law as
well, independence of the judicial system, power and activity of press.

VARTAN OSKANIAN EXPRESSES GRATITUDE TO JOHN EVANS FOR EFFORTS IN DIRECTION OF DEVELOPMENT OF ARMENIAN-AMERICAN RELATIONS
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Sept 07 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. RA Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian received on September 6 U.S. Ambassador
to Armenia John Evans, on the occasion of finishing his diplomatic
mission. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press
and Information Department, the interlocuters emphasized that during
the two years of the Ambassador’s officiating, a considerable progress
is fixed in the Armenian-American relations. The sides expressed
confidence that the agenda of bilateral cooperation will involve
new initiatives and spheres. The Minister thanked the Ambassador for
efforts made in development of the bilateral relations, wishing his
success during the future activity.

HMAYAK HOVHANNISIAN: CRIMINAL WORLD HAS LOST SENSE OF FEAR AND MEASURE
Noyan Tapan
Sept 07 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, NOYAN TAPAN. The subject of forming a civil
society in Armenia has become more than actual in the recent days,
when tragic events follow one another. Hmayak Hovhannisian, Chairman
of the Armenian Union of Political Scientists, RA MP, declared at
the September 7 press conference. In connection with the previous
day’s murder of Chief of the Investigation Department of the State Tax
Service attached to RA government, Shahen Hovasapian, and attack upon
editor of the Iravunk newspaper Hovhannes Galajian committed the same
day, Hovhannisian declared: “All this shows that the criminal world has
lost sense of fear and measure and has become so impudent that even
high-ranking officers become its targets.” The MP considers the main
obstacle to establishment of a civil society the fact that “the public
opinion has no impact on political processes in our country.” The
other obstacle of no less importance, in the MP’s words, is “absence
of social mobility” “under which closed castes emerge, which remind
of social structures typical of eastern dictatorships.” Under
such conditions, in the speaker’s words, to pass from one caste to
another becomes impossible and “on the one hand, the society becomes
hardened and, on the other hand, the society becomes separated and
distorted.” As Hovhannisian affirmed, in Armenia even marriages have
“inter-clan, oligarch character”: young people strive for marrying
someone from their caste.” Another obstacle to establishment of civil
society, as the political scientist emphasized, is sense of losing the
integrity of the Armenian society. Today, in his words, an Armenian
perceives himself not as an Armenian but as a resident of Aparan,
Lori or Syunik (Armenian marzes). The very fact is the reason that, in
Hovhannisian’s words, “by the principle of regionalism Nig-Aparans and
other compatriotic unions emerge.” At the forthcoming parliamentary
elections non-partisan Hmayak Hovhannisian is ready to cooperate
with the political forces who will “accept Hovhannisian’s ideas,”
will realize “the necessity to get rid of the class of stable-men
and to establish really a political class.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN AMBASSADOR VLADIMIR KARMIRSHALIAN HANDS HIS CREDENTIALS TO PRESIDENT OF CHILE MICHELLE BACHELET
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Sept 07 2006
SANTIAGO, SEPTEMBER 7, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On September 5,
Vladimir Karmirshalian, RA Ambassador to Argentina, Uruguay and Chile
(residence Buenos Aires) handed his credentials to President of the
Republic of Chile Mrs Michelle Bachelet assuming the responsibilities
of RA Ambassador in this country. During the tete-a-tete conversation
with participation of Deputy Foreign Minister of Chile Alberto
van Klaveren as well, held after the official ceremony of handing
the credentials, Ambassador Karmirshalian presented the prospects
of RA-Latin America cooperation emphasizing that in difference to
Argentia and Uruguay, relations with Chile are still at the stage
of formation. He proposed immediately starting to create the legal
field first of all attaching importance to elaboration and signing
of agreements in political, economic and cultural spheres. As NT was
informed from RA Foreign Ministry Press and Information Department,
the President of Chile also attached importance to the necessity to
create a legal-contractual field and proposed signing a document on
cooperation between the Foreign Ministries of the two countries,
which will enable to prepare and coordinate agreements in another
spheres through the foreign political departments. President Bachelet
especially mentioned that only Armenia in the South Caucasian region
has accredited its ambassador in Chile. She expressed the hope that
she will have a possibility to visit Armenia by the end of her tenure.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

VARTAN OSKANIAN: CONSISTENCY IN SOLUTION OF DOMESTIC PROBLEMS IS ON THE SOCIETY’S AGENDA
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Sept 07 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. “Ideological
distinctness, consistency, adherence to its principles, also
consistency in solition of national problems have always been typical
of the Dashnaktsutyun,” the Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian
stated during his speech at the opening ceremony of the 10th Supreme
Meeting of the ARF’s Armenia organization on September 7. At the same
time, the minister underlined that today on the society’s “agenda is
consistency in solution of domestic problems, consistency that will
allow us to build our society in line with today’s requirements,
consistency that will enable law and order to rule in our country,
consistency to make democracy an irreversible lifestyle, consistency
to make our government system function more efficiently, consistency to
allow us to fight more efficiently against corrution and protectionism,
and finally consistency so that the moral and psychological image
of our nation, the Armenian individual will become healthier and
take roots.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PALESTINE DIARY: PART 3
Selma Sevkli
Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
Sept 6 2006
1 August 2006, Jerusalem
I went back to Bir Zeit University the next morning, to bid goodbye to
everyone I know. I first found the camp coordinator Gadah, she said,
“You couldn’t even visit my house, I was going to cook for you!” and I
could just say, “Next year I will, hopefully”.Both of our eyes filled
with tears. I said, “You should visit Istanbul”, he gave me university
T-shirt as a present. I called Ahmed and Lauri as they were showing 2
people around, people who came for the camp though it’d been cancelled,
one from Romania, one from the US. I asked Amanda, the American girl,
what her family thought about her visit to Palestine and she said that
they didn’t know that she was here. She told her mother that she was
going to Egypt and her father didn’t even know about the imaginary
Egypt journey. And these two wanted to come and see it here despite
everything. We had lunch together and chatted.
We started mentioning Jewish Palestinians who are living in a northern
town. They all voted for Hamas.Then we started comparing the PKK
and Hamas. Neither foreigners nor Palestinians regard the PKK as a
terrorist organization. What is Hamas is the same as the PKK to them.
It took me hours to go to the dorm and pack; for some reason I didn’t
want to leave this place, I didn’t want to leave Ramallah even if my
destination was Jerusalem. I bid goodbye to everyone and set out.
Actually I had 16 km to go but it took me more than one hour becuase
of the checkpoints on the way. We had a chat with Namir, who was
sitting next to me. Namir, who is a student at Bir Zeit and travels
from Jerusalem to Ramallah for school. She lost his mother 2 years
ago; and as she is the eldest of 5 siblings and as an elder sister,
she has the responsibility of taking care of the household. While
she was talking about these, an Israeli soldier stopped the bus and
ckecked the ID cards. I realized that Namir’s eyes filled with tears.
When I saw her like this, I couldn’t stand that. I asked, “Don’t you
ever get used to this? Are you still affected so negatively?” She said,
“Neither will I get used to this, nor will the situation get better,
I don’t believe that the problem will ever be solved!”. We were in
Jerusalem now and I could feel that I was no longer in Palestine,
I was in Israel now. The local teleophone line I bought in Ramallah
went dead, now occasionally it comes and goes. I got off the bus at
the Damascusgate and started to look for the hostel I was going to
stay at. But both the bags on my back and the ones in my hand were
so heavy that I could hardly walk. I took a taxi but the driver told
me that he couldn’t take me to the hostel because, all the roads had
been blocked. Desperately I got off, took a look around and saw a
grocery store. I asked the Palestinian shopowner about the hostel
and he said it was just a 15- minute walk from there. But it was
rather difficult with those bags. They let 10-year old Ahmad, their
son or the apprentice, help me for money in return, so we set out. I
followed Ahmad, noticing ultra-Orthodox Jews, Palestinians, priests,
policemen, soldiers around and finally we arrived at a public square.
Hundreds, thousands of Israeli people, including kids were heading
towards a direction with Israeli flags in their hands. Because of
the heavy burden on my shoulders, our inability to find the hotel,
and lack of communication (because Ahmad couldn’t speak English, and
I couldn’t speak Arabic), I gave up and entered a hostel.I thanked
Ahmed and dismissed him. My reservation started tomorrow morning at
the hotel anyway, so I was going to spend the night at this hostel. I
left my bags and went out in order to mingle with the Jews I had just
seen. Meanwhile, I learnt that all of them were going to the Wailing
Wall (the western Wall) both to pray and to spiritually support the
war. Also that day it was the anniversary of Israeli settlers being
dismissed from Gaza. I was stunned when I heard the words: “support the
war”. Thousands of Israeli people of all kinds, old and young, kids and
adults, had come to that spot for this demonstration by buses from the
North, South, everywhere. Some teenagers were wearing orange headbands,
some were seated at a corner with a book of prayer in their hands,
praying while moving back and forth, some are running around. And I,
confused, sometimes walk sometimes stop. I pass by churches, hearing
call for prayer from the mosques. There are Armenian restaurants
along the road. It is rather difficult to describe the atmosphere and
my feelings. At last we arrive at the Wailing Wall. There is tight
security at the entrance, they look inside the bags.
I guess there wasn’t any Muslim among them other than me. They didn’t
feel the need to do body search on me, thinking that I was one of
them. And I entered the area. The rabbi is uttering words in Hebrew,
sometimes loudly sometimes in a crying voice, people are saying
them along with him, listening to him. I felt strange. How come all
these people, all these faithful people support the war? I took a
few photos, recorded a few scenes and I couldn’t wait any more to
set out and go back.
Passing through covered shopping arcades, I walked and walked in the
old city, and at last I got lost. I was so impressed by the things I
saw that I forgot the name of the hostel I was staying. I was looking
for the public square I first saw when I came to the city but all the
streets looked alike. Buildings and pavements made of stone, hundreds
of narrow streets… It had got dark already, and all the shops were
closing. I walked into a market and learnt the name of the square,
and started walking again. The Jews had finished their demostration
and now they were going home-it was crowded around. Palestinian
shop owners were staring around with surprised looks. Yes, everone
lives here together but not in peace, they ignore one another. It’s
full of Israeli gunmen around anyway. Finally I found my hostel,
had something to eat and now I felt really confused after the things
I had seen that day.
3 August 2006, Jerusalem
Unfortunately, the internet here is far more expensive than Palestine,
I cannot write that often. I am about to end my travel, herefore I
am running short of money but everything’s alright. As soon as I got
up yesterday, I moved into the hostel I had booked a room at. It’s
much more comfortable here, it is thounds of years old, looks like
an old castle and also it is in the middle of the old souq. There
are people from Finland, Czech Republic, Canada, Palestine, Israel,
Ireland, Germany, Italy, Belgium, England and Slovakia. I had a chat
somehow with all of them, and everyone favours Palestine, including
the Israeli people. War and politics are in every conversation.
At the entrance of the Hz.Omar Mosque (Dome of the Rock), which many
people confuse with Al Aqsa, you have to prove that you are Muslim.
The entrance is denied to non-Muslims. First I enter the Omar Mosque,
it is the time for noon prayer, it’s crowded in the mosque. Then I go
to Al Aksa and something incredible happens. I start crying as soon
as I enter the place, even before I take a look around. I sit at a
corner with a tissue in my hand, I almost sob, bewildered at myself,
asking”why are you crying!”. Later on I notice that is because of the
magnificant spiritual atmosphere this place has. The construction is
simplistic, there is nothing around that will make you cry. I mean,
nothing visually impressive, but the atmosphere is indescribable.
Words would not suffice, one needs to exprerience. I don’t want to
go out, I sit there for a long while. Then I see the basement floor,
which is older; finally I go out, fascinated. I pass through covered
shopping arcades again and walk towards Jaffa Gate to visit the Museum
of the Tower of David. The tower consists of several sections- I mean,
there is a minaret in the museum, but now it isn’t open to public,
maybe the mosque has been destroyed, I have no idea. The museum
tells the history of Jerusalem. In each section you can see various
historical periods. The Ottoman period seems pretty small and dull
when compared with other sections, although the Ottomans ruled over
this land for 400 years. For this period there is also an interactive
“film”. At the beginning, there is a depressing piece of music and
the descent of the Turkish flag and the ascent of the English flag,
later on a joyful melody starts and 1948, the ascent of the Israeli
flag, happy ending! But, English ruling is depicted as more positive
than the 400-year reign of the Ottomans.All the walls in the “old town”
part were built by (the Ottoman emperor) Suleyman the Magnificent. When
the Palestinians learn that I am a Turk, they talk about it in pride
but the museum doesn’t give that much attention to Turks.
I meet a rabbi in the evening, a rabbi whom I had a contact with
before I came here. His name is Jeremy Milgrom. He is an opponent
liberal Israeli rabbi at his 50s. At the time we meet, a group of
Jews are walking towards the Wailing Wall but not to protest anything
this time, for prayer. They aren’t carrying Israeli flags. It is
one of the important religious days of the year and all of them are
fasting, from yesterday’s sunset till today’s sunset. We also walk
along with them and I listen to Milgrom’s ideas about Israel, the war,
and all that’s happening and I get amazed. “What is happening between
Israel and Lebanon cannot be called a war”, he says, “It’s an unfair
attack by Israel. It’s a raid and an unfair occupation” he adds. He
tells me about his worries about his children’s doing their military
service right now, and criticizes Israeli policies. At this moment,
a radical Jew, dressed up in a black jacket and wearing a hat, asks
for donation and Milgrom starts speaking in Arabic, just to see the
his reaction. He says, “I thank God” and walks away. Milgram says,
“This city could have been a peaceful city, but now one can live
here this way only under security precautions.Actually there is no
communication among various communities”. By the way I learn that in
the whole country there are only 3 or 4 schools that both Israeli
and Palestinian children can attend. Even this seems to be a big
improvement to me.
Then I learn that Jews will try to get into Al Aqsa today. According
to Judaism, this is on the Moria Hill where Solomon Temple was built,
in other words, where Prophet Abrahamwas born. Jews gained admission
to this place, but the police may do anything. No Muslim man between
the ages of 20-45 is admitted. The last time they tried to do so
in 2000 Ariel ªaron also joined them, they say it was in the second
intifada. They say a big opposition may occur.
I found it strange when I saw that Palestinians’ Jewish accessories,
key holders, and even T-shirts that read “Don’t worry, be Jewish”
on them are sold at the market here. I asked about this to Fahmi, an
employee at the hostel, “They need money, what else can they do?” he
said, and I said, “Then it means they accept failure, they cannot
claim Jerusalem any more, it is all words and no action”.
I haven’t lived through a war in Turkey but in the case of an
earthquake, all people unite, everyone collects money and helps people
far away from them. I couldn’t see such mutual support here.
It seems as though no one cares about what is happening in Jerusalem
and no one opposes to the Israeli demonstrations supporting the war.
I asked why it is this way and he said they have given up, they have
been forced to give up. Once you find a job and save your life, you
try to support your family and grow individualistic. One more thing,
when you are young, you are more active and you have faith in change;
but then you see how powerful they are and that it is impossible for
you to stand up and fight. He says he sometimes feels suspicious of
even his friends, are they spies or so? Everyone is “sold”, one by
one. Enterprises to set up an association, or unification are blocked,
they have no leader here. The ones living in Jerusalem don’t even have
their citizenship. They get a special travel document when they travel
abroad. The situation is rather complicated, and multi-dimensional,
what is more, saddening. It all seems hopeless to me now.
3 August 2006, Jerusalem
I thank God that the police didn’t let the Jews to enter Al Aqsa
and the possible events have been prevented. I got up early in the
morning and went to Betlehem. Ittakes 15 minutes to arrive at the
“wall” by the vehicles that depart from the DamascusGate. Then you
arrive at a big terminal that reminds one of an airport and you show
your passport three times, you get searched twice, you go through
X-ray machines and go to West Bank. Betlehem is a Palestinian city
with its population of 22.000-half Muslim and half Christian. The
Church of Nativity, where Jesus Christ was born is downtown. It is a
very old big church, there aren’t many tourists around. Tourism has
been affected badly due to the current events. I visit another Omar
Mosque and have a chat with the officers here to get their ideas.
They complain about the decrease in tourism. There are people who
haven’t been paid their salaries for months. I ask whether they
collect money for Gaza or not, but no! They transferred all their
responsibility and right to Hamas. Okay, I say, “I want to donate
some, but how could I be sure that Hamas won’t buy weapons? I want
this money to be used for food and medicine”. They say, “Just trust”
and they promise, but I don’t find them very reliable. Therefore,
I donate just a little sum. The streets are full of beggars, and kids
asking for ice-cream.
Then I take a taxi to go to Heroid Palace, 10 kms from here in
Palestine, but it is in an Israeli military zone. The driver
accompanies me, greets an Israeli officer and then I buy a ticket
and walk around the palace-I mean the remains, taking photos. When I
come down, I get happy to see a scene: the Israeli officer chatting
with the Palestinian driver. Then again way back to Jerusalem through
painful borders. I take photos of the slogans and graffitis favouring
peace and freedom on “the wall”, reading things like, “let it go down”,
“the wall can’t hide the truth” etc.
In Jerusalem, at the spot where I get off the bus, I see the sign of
Garden of Tomb and I walk in. According to Protestant belief, this
is where the tomb of Jesus Christ is. It looks like an open air church.
As opposed to Protestants, Catholics and Orthodox people believe
that his tomb is in the Church of Holy Sepulchre, which I will try
to visit tomorrow.
For the first time I am visiting West Jerusalem. It looks like a
European city with its stores. Life seems quite normal, modern and
based on consumption. It is really different than the Old City. It is
full of police officers and soldiers here, too. I can see around 500
policemen or soldiers in just one day. Security guards check bags at
the entrance of even small shops.
By the way, I just realized that I have been staying at an Armenian
district. Right next to that, there is the Muslim section, then
the Christian one and the Jewish. These districts are next to one
another. There is a little bit of interaction between the Christians
and the Muslims but the Jews are totally isolated. This is the divison
in this old city, which is enclosed by the city walls once built by
Suleyman the Magnificent [email protected]
–Boundary_(ID_O/lW2CV8jT13 Z9ULqmWD9A)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Dodgers Get Trip Off to a Bad Start
Maddux has a poor outing as L.A. begins a 10-game stretch with a lackluster
6-3 loss to the Brewers, who had dropped 10 in a row.
Los Angeles Times
September 5, 2006
By Steve Henson, Times Staff Writer ([email protected])
MILWAUKEE – Sleepless nights often are followed by disturbing days. So
the Dodgers might have expected their 6-3 loss to the Milwaukee
Brewers on Monday the moment they checked into their hotel shortly
after midnight.
The Armenian Youth Federation was partying hard in the ballroom, and
the din didn’t let up until 5 a.m. They were friendly enough kids,
telling Nomar Garciaparra they missed him in Boston and, oh yeah,
they missed him in Chicago too.
But the discordant music, the whoops and hollers, the tinkling glasses,
this was no way to begin a 10-game, three-city trip during a tight
pennant race.
In case the Dodgers wondered, the throbbing beat they heard through
their walls came from an oud (a string instrument used by ancient
Egyptians) and a dumbeg (an hourglass-shaped drum with a lambskin
head).
The beat went on at Miller Park. The Brewers ended a 10-game losing
streak by pounding Greg Maddux like a dumbeg, scoring three runs in
the fifth inning and two in the sixth.
It marked the third time in his last four starts Maddux (12-12)
has been hit hard.
“They had good at-bats,” he said. “I missed my locations a few times,
but they hit me too.”
One blow was literal. With a runner on second and one out in the
fifth inning with the score tied, 1-1, Maddux stopped Brady Clark’s
comebacker with his leg. The ball rolled only a couple feet in front
of him, but he couldn’t locate it, looking to the back of the mound and
taking a step toward the rosin bag as if he’d mistook it for the ball.
“I just couldn’t find it,” he said. “It’s hard to see sometimes.”
The result was a single that opened the floodgates. Seven of the
next 10 batters had hits, all against Maddux except the finale, a
two-run double by Tony Graffanino in the sixth on a pitch by reliever
Giovanni Carrara.
It was quite an outburst from a team that batted .213 and averaged
fewer than three runs during its 10-game skid.
“Greg got a couple of pitches up and over the middle of the plate,”
Manager Grady Little said. “He’s certainly had better days with
his command.”
Dodgers starters are following poor days with poorer ones. Only
Derek Lowe is pitching consistently well, Chad Billingsley’s next
start was pushed back again because of his strained side, Brad Penny
isn’t getting deep into games and Maddux more closely resembled the
struggling pitcher who posted a 4.69 earned-run average in 22 starts
with the Cubs than the savior who had been 3-0 with a 2.37 ERA in
six starts with the Dodgers.
“If we have to continue going into the bullpen in the sixth inning,
it will be difficult,” Little said. “Our bullpen is deep, but if we
need those guys early on a regular basis, it will catch up with us
in a hurry.”
Carrara, back with the team after being designated for assignment
two weeks ago, replaced Maddux with the bases loaded and the score
4-3. He got two strikes on Graffanino but couldn’t get him out.
The Dodgers’ offense, feisty to that point, withered. Right-hander Dave
Bush (10-10) lasted 7 1/3 innings, and two relievers had no trouble.
The best opportunity came in the sixth. Kenny Lofton led off with
a single, stole his 25th base and scored on a single by J.D. Drew,
who also doubled twice. Jeff Kent hit a ground-rule double and Andre
Ethier walked, loading the bases with one out.
Wilson Betemit struck out, however, and although Russell Martin
singled to bring in Drew, Kent was thrown out at the plate by left
fielder Corey Hart, leaving the Dodgers behind, 4-3.
At least they were able to catch up on their sleep Monday night. The
Armenian Youth Federation checked out after an invigorating breakfast
of basturma (cured Armenian beef), eggs and foule (fava beans).
It wasn’t the first time the Dodgers have shared a hotel with a
boisterous group. About 20 years ago a gospel singers convention
kept them awake in Atlanta, and more than 40 years ago in Milwaukee,
revelers were so loud that several players ducked into a theater
during the day to catch a few winks before the game.
This is no time for fatigue. The Dodgers’ lead over the San Diego
Padres in the National League West shrank to two games, thanks to
the Padres’ 7-5 victory over Colorado.
“If we keep playing this way on this trip,” Little said, “we’ll be
doing everything we can to keep the race close.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

BRUSSELS SEEKS WAYS TO KEEP EU-TURKEY TALKS AFLOAT
ABHaber, Belgium
EU-Turkey News Network
Sept 6 2006
In a bid to keep EU-Turkey talks from derailing completely, Brussels
is considering ways of putting off dealing with the thorny Cyprus
question until after Turkish elections next year.
The Financial Times reports that enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn
is seeking to put the nub of the issue – access to Turkey ports and
airports by Cyprus – before the European Court of Justice.
This would effectively defer the question until next year and after
Turkey has been through its parliamentary elections.
Member states have given Turkey until the end of this year to open
its ports to Cyprus but Ankara has refused to do so until the EU
makes good on a promise to end the isolation of Turkish Cypriots in
the northern part of the island.
The EU insists that the two issues are not linked resulting in a
stalemate which analysts suggest will be almost impossible to get
out of before Turkey’s elections.
The FT quotes a senior commission official as saying “We need a plan
B to limit the damage and avoid a complete suspension of negotiations,
because that would kill the momentum.”
“We have to find ways and means to muddle through until after the
Turkish elections.”
But diplomats quoted by the paper suggest that neither side would be
in favour of the court option with Turkey likely to lose any legal
battle on the issue and Cyprus likely to be unhappy that Ankara would
no longer be under pressure to act this year.
The tone between Brussels and Ankara has considerably hardened in
recent months with the EU feeling that Turkey has slowed down its
reform process and Ankara feeling that the bloc is not serious about
having it as a member.
On Monday (5 September) there was once again a hard exchange of words
after MEPs passed a tough report on Turkey in which they complained
about its lack of progress on human rights and called on Turkey to
recognise the massacre of Armenians in the first world war as genocide.
Responding to the parliament’s report, prime minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan pointed out that it is not binding and said that the parliament
is dreaming if it thinks it would change its stance on the Armenia
issue.
“Our position regarding the so-called Armenian genocide is very clear,
and nobody should expect us to change it.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

“JIHAD MEANS LIFE, AND NOT WAR AND MURDER”
National Assembly of RA, Armenia
Sept 6 2006
On September 4, Mr. Tigran Torosyan, the President of the National
Assembly of the Republic of Armenia received the delegation headed
by Mufti of the Arab Republic of Syria Sheikh Ahmad Badr Al-Din Hasun.
The Catholicos of all Armenians Garegin II and Ambassadors of two
countries were present at the meeting.
Closely observing the goal and the process of Mufti of the Arab
Republic of Syria Sheikh Ahmad Badr Al-Din Hasun’s visit to Armenia His
Holiness highlighted friendly relations between the two countries, and
particularly the fact of providing a shelter to our compatriots, who
survived after the Armenian Genocide at the beginning of last century.
Mr. Tigran Torosyan, the RA NA President, greeting the spiritual
leader of Syria in the Parliament, gratefully touched upon the
fact of brotherly reception and treatment of our suffered people
as fully citizens in 1915. The RA NA President noted that he is
closely observing the events that keep the region in chaos and he is
concerned not only with the fate of his compatriots, but with the one
of the friendly nations. Mr. Torosyan highlighted the Mufti’s visit
in a period when the spiritual leader of the neighboring country is
threatening with Jihad and expressed a hope that religions cannot be
divisive. Other high values exist, which unite the people and give
the opportunity to confront the challenges.
The Mufti of the Arab Republic of Syria Sheikh Ahmad Badr Al-Din Hasun,
conveying the greetings of the people and the President of the Syrian
Arab Republic Bashar Asad, expressed his satisfaction to be on a visit
to the Parliament of the Republic of Armenia as a country, which was
the first to adopt Christianity as a state religion – a light which
guided throughout its future history.Touching upon the Jihad declared
by the spiritual leader of the Muslims of the Caucasus, the Mufti
noted that Jihad means life, and not war and murder, because Jihad
unites the people around good idea, and the task of the spiritual
leaders should be supporting the political leadership to establish
peace and well being.
Mr. T. Torosyan, the RA NA President, noted that as Jihad may
receive various interpretations within the same religion, so various
interpretations are given to the conception of democracy. It is
interpreted as a way of governance, which brings welfare and safety to
a human being. But there are people and groups that use the democracy
for war. Though, the welfare is not given by war and is not obliged.
The issues of globalization to meet the challenges were mutually
highlighted: to protect and save the national identity, since the
loss of identity is a sin before God, who awarded that identity and
peculiarities.
Other issues were also discussed during the meeting.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIA PRESIDENT ORDERS TO SOLVE MURDER OF TAX SERVICE GENERAL
by: Tigran Liloyan
ITAR-TASS News Agency
September 6, 2006 Wednesday 08:45 AM EST
Armenian President Robert Kocharian ordered the republican law
enforcement agencies to solve the murder of a general of the tax
service as quick as possible, Kocharian’s spokesman Viktor Sogomonian
told Itar-Tass.
Chief of the investigation department of the Armenian State Tax
Service Shagen Ovasapian was killed in the blast in downtown Yerevan
on Wednesday morning. The blast went off, when the 49-year-old
Major-General of the tax service was getting in his service car to go
to work. The driver of the service car was slightly injured. Criminal
proceedings were instituted, the investigation is in progress.
Robert Kocharian offered condolences to the family of the killed
general and condemned “the criminal methods aimed against the
efforts of the state to tighten the tax administration and create
equal taxation conditions for all.” These criminal actions “cannot
change the task-oriented state policy in this field,” the Armenian
president pointed out.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress