Author: Emil Lazarian

Journal of Turkish Weekly
Aug 23 2005
Postponed Armenian conference on again
ISTANBUL – A conference on Armenians which was postponed due to sharp
reactions in the media and the government has been rescheduled for
23-25 September at Bosporus University, Istanbul. Bosporus University
is a state university.
The preparation committee for the conference has decided to limit its
comments on the conference to strictly official ones. Likewise, the
Rector of Bosporus University, Dr. Ayse Soysal, has said she does not
want to say anything in advance of the late September date.
“Ottoman Era Armenians During the Collapse of the Empire”
The conference, entitled “Ottoman Era Armenians During the Collapse
of the Empire: Intellectual Responsibility and Democratic Problems,”
wasoriginally supposed to run between May 25-27.
The participants in the Armenian conference will include professors
from Bosphorus and Sabanci Universities, as well as Turkish academics
who work at universities from prestigious universities from around
the world. However the Conference Committee did not invite the
well-known Turkish Armenian researchers who advocate Turkish
perspective on Armenian issue, including Prof. Dr. Turkkaya Ataov,
Prof. Dr. Mim Kemal Oke, Prof. Dr. Ilber Ortayli etc.
Lasting two days, with 12 sessions, and featuring the participation
of 38 academics, the conference will have panels like “Deportation
and Massacre,” “Disaster and Rescue Stories,” “Memories and
Witnesses,” “Things the World Knew that Turkey did not Know.”
Dr. Nilgun Gulcan said the conference is not scientific but like a
religious ceremony: `All say the same thing. They do not want listen
any opposing word. They just invited the academicians from the same
groups. They cannot organize a similar conference in Yerevan,
California or Lyon. The Armenian extremist do not allow such a
conference. Yerevan even did not allow a Turkish historian to make
archive studies’ she added.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

From: “Katia M. Peltekian”
Subject: ALIYEV: Parliamentary elections in cannot turn to Orange Revolution
Today, Azerbaijan
Aug 23 2005
Ilham Aliyev: `Parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan cannot turn to
an `orange’ revolution’

23 August 2005 [10:53] – Today.Az

Future parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan cannot turn to an
`orange’ revolution, Ilham Aliyev, the Azerbaijani leader said in an
interview for Russian Newsweek magazine titled `Ilham Aliyev: «The
most important – to take a balance».
Taking questions from Leonid Parfenov, a writer of the magazine, the
head of state said that he parliamentary elections cannot turn to
`orange revolution’ due to some reasons. «Firstly, Azerbaijan is
presidential country and even the changes in forces in the parliament
the do not mean the changes in policy. Secondly, the nation has
confidence in the reforms. Over the past 6 months the Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) grew 17%, while over one and half year of my term in
power minimal salaries grew thrice and it is not the limit, the
public budget rose 60%. Thirdly, the peculiarities of the opposition
in difference to other countries of CIS are as follows it was in
power in 1992-1993 and collapsed. Over 10 years Azerbaijan has seen
the same people with the same position. So, there are not real terms
for state d’coup in Azerbaijan,’ Aliyev underscored.
The same time the President noted that a successful country is not
built without state control, no matter ho many hydrocarbons are in
the country. «This is my deep conviction and one of priorities in my
political activities. When 40% of people live out poverty, while a
year and half it was roughly 50% the democratization is not the theme
which worries people first of all. Azerbaijan is also concerned in
the problem of Nagorno-Karabakh, unemployment, corruption. However,
the problems cannot be resolved out of the democratic developments.
This is the world tendency and it is inevitable. The best variant is
to lead the processes,’ he underlined.
According to Aliyev, to date the level of development of the
Azerbaijani society, of course does not allow to apply the political
standards of the West Europe and North America. However, it is
possible to pursue a development policy, current non-readiness cannot
justify the maintenance of such situation. For a man well aware of
real world, the reverse direction is conservatism and isolation of
the country – is simply fatal.
Touching upon the presidential elections in Azerbaijan in autumn of
2003 Aliyev noted that understanding its loss in the presidential
elections, the opposition did not want to recognize it and took an
attempt on forced accession to power. «They accuse us in
overreaction, while the attacked on them and lorries ran over police.
The then break was a forced action. I am for a dialogue at table and
in the street. But how will the opposition behave on the elections
day and after the elections? They are actually the last chance for
those who sit chairs of `staff opposition’ for 10-15-years, Aliyev
underlined.
«We do not have any anxieties and our openness for the West – the
United States and Europe, means multi-billion American and English
investments, our active participation in the anti-terror fighting is
not a favorable state, but policy for the interests of the nation. In
the first year of the post-Soviet period Azerbaijan turned out a
country with spectral perspectives: civil war, occupation of Karabakh
by Armenia, and without integration into the world and western
investments we would never survive. We well understand it,’ the
Azerbaijani leader noted.
Touching upon the foreign political orientation of Baku Aliyev said,
«In difference to Armenia we are not advanced post of anyone. We hold
a real and independent policy and it is well in regard to neighbors.
In general, the most important in our region is the maintenance of
the balance. We have mutual trust relationships with Iran, for
instance we a Consulate in Tebriz, the center of South Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan has a global problem, awaiting its resolution – the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. In the context
of its resolution we could consider the variants for more active
military integration and only. Maybe, it is easy to have a political
patron, `elder brother’ – old or new, but it would never meet the
interests of Azerbaijan.
In the conclusion Aliyev noted that he easily imagines himself out of
the politics. «It is necessary to think over it, as the life does not
end with the power,’ the President underlined. (Trend)
URL:
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZG Armenian Daily #148, 23/08/2005
Karabakh diary
KARABAKH CANNOT GET SIDETRACKED
The Central Electoral Committee of Nagorno Karabakh called the appeal of the
Azerbaijani CEC to the people of Karabakh on the eve of parliamentary
elections a violent intervention in the inner affairs of sovereign Artsakh.
A statement by NKR CEC reads, “Azerbaijan is empowered neither with legal
nor especially with moral right to call on the Artsakhi people to take part
in elections in the republic. The people of Nagorno Karabakh realizes its
electoral right in accordance with the constitution of NKR, exclusively
within the frontiers of its own state, which secures its social and civil
rights.
The official Baku, which organized and carried out mass killings and
eviction of hundreds of thousands Armenians in former Soviet Azerbaijan and
provoked large-scale war against NKR and its people, now tries to play a
protector of the rights of people of Nagorno Karabakh. Such a stance is even
more impudent when considered the neglect to basic rights of Artsakhi
people, including the right of self-determination, the seizure of a
considerable part of NKR territory, the everlasting blockade of NKR and the
creation of atmosphere of intolerance against Armenians. Azerbaijan, which
violates the constitutional rights and liberties of its own citizens, cannot
guarantee security for the elementary rights of life and dignity of NKR
citizens. This proves that the people of Karabakh has chosen right and
irreversible path of independent development.
The people of Karabakh has its own state that declared its independence on 6
January of 1992 in accordance with a national referendum held earlier. The
population of Nagorno Karabakh, whose civil rights are documented in the
constitution of NKR and are pronouncedly protected, is actively involved in
the inner political life of the republic, in strengthening and further
development of civil and state institutions, including the National Assembly
of NKR. During the years of independence Nagorno Karabakh has organized 3
presidential, 4 parliamentary and 3 elections to local governance bodies.
International observers found all of them transparent, free and just”.
The statement calls on Azerbaijan at the same time to refrain from
groundless statements that mislead the world community and to direct its
efforts to a constructive dialogue aiming to establish stability in the
region and to achieve peaceful coexistence of the two people.
The head of CEC of NKR, Sergey Nasibian, told daily Azg on occasion of the
statement that this step of Azerbaijan is directed to the inner audience, as
the neighboring state is perhaps anxious about the forthcoming elections on
November 6. Azerbaijan has carried many elections in the course of a
decade-long confrontation but this was the first time it employs such
tactics. This, perhaps, speaks well of the authorities’ fears as regards
inner instability of the country.
By Kim Gabrielian from Stepanakert
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x137
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website:
Monday, August 22, 2005
On Thursday, August 18, 2005, Léna Balsan, Mayor of the French city of
Valence, met with AGBU President Berge Setrakian in New York at the
AGBU Central Office to discuss matters of mutual interest concerning
Armenians in France, particularly those in the Rhône Valley.
Balsan was involved in the development of the Armenian Heritage Center
(), which opened on July 11, 2005, and is
the first of its kind in France. Located in the heart of Valence, the
center houses extensive information about the history, exile and
integration of the country’s Armenian population into the fabric of
the French nation. Since the 1920s, the town of Valence has been home
to a significant French Armenian community making up 10% of its
population.
Established in 1906, AGBU () is the world’s largest
non-profit Armenian organization. Headquartered in New York City with
an annual budget of $26 million, AGBU preserves and promotes the
Armenian identity and heritage through educational, cultural and
humanitarian programs, annually serving some 400,000 Armenians in 35
countries.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

INVESTMENTS IN BTA INVEST BANK TO MAKE 30 MLN DOLLARS BY LATE 2005
YEREVAN, AUGUST 22, NOYAN TAPAN. On August 22, the presentation of BTA
Invest Bank (former Midinvestbank) took place. 48.9% of the bank
shares were acquired by Turan Alem Bank (Kazakhstan) in May
2005. According to Eric Sultankulov, Turan Alem Bank’s Financial
Director, it is envisaged to make investments of about 30 mln USD by
late 2005, including 10 mln USD in the sphere of mortgage crediting.
It was noted that as of June 30, BTA Invest Bank’s assets made 1 bln
118.9 mln drams (about 2.4 mln USD), its overall capital – 878.8 mln
drams with the authorized capital of 1.1 bln drams. To recap, under
CBA normatives, starting July 1, the minimum amount of the authorized
capital of the Armenian banks shall be 5 mln US dollar (in drams). The
assets of Turan Alem Bank – BTA Invest Bank’s biggest investor – make
about 5.5 bln USD, with its own capital exceeding 600 mln USD. The
bank’s partners are BTA-Kazan (Russia), BTA Trans Bank (Ukraine),
Astana Eximbank (Belarus) and BTA Silk Road Bank (Georgia). Besides
Turan Alem Bank, BTA Invset Bank’s shareholders are the Austrain
company ZRL (31.1%) and the Kazakhstanian-Armenian company Mobilex
(20%).

Azartac news agency, Baku
22 Aug 05
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev received the president of the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe [PACE], Rene van der
Linden, at the presidential palace on 22 August.
The head of state recalled his meeting with Linden in Warsaw and said
that the meeting, which was important, discussed a number of issues of
mutual interest. The president noted that a lot was being done to
democratize society and expressed the hope that during the visit the
PACE head will familiarize himself with the developments in the
country.
Linden expressed his support for the process of reforms conducted by
the Council of Europe in the country. He noted that the resolution of
the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagornyy Karabakh conflict is the most
important issue for Azerbaijan and voiced his satisfaction with the
steps taken to resolve the conflict peacefully.
He noted that he had discussed the issue with the Armenian side during
his visit to Armenia and expressed the hope that the conflict will
soon be settled.
The meeting discussed a range of other issues of mutual interest.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

The Sevres bill

Yerkir/arm
19 Aug 05

The Sevres Treaty, signed August 10, 1920, has been a subject of
discussions for years. For decades, the Armenian political thought has
been disputing over this document considered as an achievement by the
First Republic of Armenia.
On the one hand, the Sevres Treaty was declared a document that
recognized the free, independent and united Armenia internationally;
on the other hand, it was seen as a document affirming the West’s
imperialistic claims, and thus having no value. Before the Soviet
totalitarian regime was brought down, Yerevan’s position over the
Treaty was negative; nowadays, the reviving of the Sevres bill has
been included in the foreign policy agenda.
The dire history of the regional and international developments is
known: Kemal’s campaigning was unfolding, the anti-Armenian pact of
Lenin and Kemal was in place, the US Senate voted against the Armenian
mandate, the great powers refused to fulfill many of their
commitments, the Republic of Armenia was forced into Soviet rule, the
Armenian territories were annexed by Kemal’s troops, the Turkish
Republic was declared. All these events led to the Lausanne Treaty of
1923.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

IFEX – News from the international freedom of expression community
_________________________________________________ ________________
ALERT UPDATE – ARMENIA
22 August 2005
Anthropology student Yektan Turkyilmaz released
SOURCE: Writers in Prison Committee (WiPC), International PEN, London
**Updates IFEX alert of 5 August 2005**
(WiPC/IFEX) – Yektan Turkyilmaz, a PhD student of cultural anthropology held
in Armenia since mid-June, was released from prison with a suspended
sentence on 16 August 2005. The Malatia-Sebastia district court in the
capital, Yerevan, convicted Turkyilmaz on two counts of attempting to take
antique books out of the country. According to Radio Free Europe/Radio
Liberty (RFE/RL), the decision not to imprison him was made at the request
of state prosecutors who cited Turkyilmaz’s partial acknowledgement of guilt
and his cooperation with investigators. The prosecutor also said
Turkyilmaz’s youth was a reason for leniency. He is required to stay in
Armenia until 30 August and will from then on be free to travel to and from
the country.
Turkyilmaz, aged 33, was arrested at Yerevan Airport on 17 June as he
attempted to leave Armenia. During his visit, he had purchased around 100
books, from the 17th to 20th centuries, mainly from second-hand book shops.
Turkyilmaz has been collecting such books for his own research as well as to
build up a library of Armenian books that would otherwise be lost.
Turkyilmaz claims that he was unaware of legislation that bans the removal
from the country of books more than 50 years old without the Ministry of
Culture’s approval. RFE/RL reports that this new law, which came into force
in January, deals with the smuggling of items of “cultural-historical
value”, as well as narcotics and weapons.
A Duke University representative who was present at the trial welcomed the
news that Turkyilmaz, who will be studying on a scholarship at the
university later this year, will be able to continue his studies on Armenian
issues. Duke University had been among a number of academic institutions
world-wide that had questioned the arrest and lengthy pre-trial detention of
Turkyilmaz, and in particular the fact that he was convicted under a law
that provided up to eight years in prison. Concerns were heightened by
reports that the focus of the interrogation of Turkyilmaz had been on his
academic studies and political beliefs. Turkyilmaz told the press he was
delighted at being released and looks forward to continuing his studies.
For the full RFE/RL report and details of academic institutions’ campaigns
on his behalf, visit
Also see the website dedicated to his case at
For further information, contact Sara Whyatt, the WiPC, International PEN,
9/10 Charterhouse Buildings, Goswell Road, London EC1M 7AT, U.K., tel: +44
207 253 3226, fax: +44 207 253 5711, e-mail: [email protected], Internet:
The information contained in this alert update is the sole responsibility of
WiPC. In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit
WiPC.
_________________________________________________________________
DISTRIBUTED BY THE INTERNATIONAL FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
EXCHANGE (IFEX) CLEARING HOUSE
489 College Street, Suite 403, Toronto (ON) M6G 1A5 CANADA
tel: +1 416 515 9622 fax: +1 416 515 7879
alerts e-mail: [email protected] general e-mail [email protected]
Internet site:
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

The Messenger, Georgia
Aug 22 2005
Meetings in Crimea, grumbling in Russia
By Christina Tashkevich
Ukrainian President Victor Yushchenko,
Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus, Polish President Aleksander
Kwasniewski,
and President Mikheil Saakashvili
Despite the little information and no official agreements
from an informal meeting of the presidents of Georgia,
Ukraine, Lithuania and Poland on Friday to discuss
the initiative of a new regional coalition, Russian political
commentators quickly labeled their meeting in Crimea
as an anti-Russian step.
The presidents gathered on Thursday, August 18, for the celebration
of the 80th anniversary of the children’s camp Artek. Donning
neckerchiefs and casual clothes, the presidents dined at the camp’s
canteen and played games with children. On Friday, they met at
Ukrainian President Victor Yushchenko’s Crimea residence for informal
talks.
On Thursday Yushchenko met with the presidents of Poland and
Lithuania and held a group meeting when President Saakashvili arrived
later in the day. Topics discussed included the creation of a new
regional alliance and the situation in Belarus.
Last Friday Saakashvili and Yushchenko announced their intention to
create an alliance uniting democracies of Baltic, Black and Caspian
Sea countries called the Community of Democratic Choice.
Saakashvili, who returned to Georgia early Saturday, has yet to
comment on the meeting and left soon after arriving in Georgia to
meet with Armenian President Robert Kocharaian at Lake Sevan.
According to leading Russian political scientists the meeting of the
leaders in Crimea was a demonstration that Presidents Saakashvili and
Yushchenko are following a pro-Western policy and wish to separate
from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
The director of private Institute of CIS Countries, Konstantin
Zatulin, told Interfax Friday, “They want to be liked by the West and
demonstrate first of all to Russia that they left the borders of the
CIS.”
“Their goal is to receive [money] transfers from the U.S.A. and EU
to use them in the interests of
asserting power and personal enrichment”
He stated that Russia should not make any concessions to these
countries in the future such as speeding up the process of the
withdrawal of Russian bases from Georgia.
The president of ‘Politics’ foundation Viacheslav Nikonov agreed that
the meeting in Crimea was a step of Georgia and Ukraine in founding
an anti-Russian coalition. “Such an alliance can lead to the
isolation of Russia from its largest trade partner – the EU,” he told
Interfax.
The Director of Russian Institute of Political Studies Sergey Markov
believes that the United States will be more interested in the
‘Democratic Choice’ project than Western Europe.
“Their goal is to receive [money] transfers from the U.S.A. and EU to
use them in the interests of asserting power and personal
enrichment,” he told Russian media.
A column in Kommersant by Natalia Gevorkian was critical of Russia
for making others fear it. “President Putin was able to achieve his
‘high goal’ – people are scared of Russia. But it is not fear of a
dangerous and strong adversary. It is fear of a weak and inferiority
complex overridden,” she writes, adding:
“The new politicians in neighboring countries do not want to lie
under Moscow anymore. They want to change the situation. Moscow still
would have to sell its natural resources, but its market might shrink
if the neighbors, and Europe as well, have more choices. All roads to
the West would lead through this corridor, which was discussed in the
Artek summit.”
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Boris Tarasiuk commented on Thursday that
this new alliance would not be, however, an “alternative for the CIS”
and is currently only a concept.
However, Tarasiuk is not surprised that CIS countries have tried to
find other organizations during the last 14 years as the
effectiveness of CIS was low. “Not Ukraine and Georgia caused the
crisis within CIS, but the inability to respond to key issues which
concern the CIS countries,” he said at a briefing in Kiev.
After Presidents Saakashvili and Yushchenko announced the alliance
idea in the Borjomi Declaration on Friday, August 12, President of
Lithuania Valdas Adamkus was the first to respond and welcomed the
creation of a coalition of Baltic-Black Sea region countries.
In a statement on his official web site Adamkus addressed Saakashvili
and Yushchenko saying, “Cooperation of countries of the region has a
large prospects.”
He said the initiative would be “a strong stimulus to demolishing
separating lines in this region, settle out-of-date conflicts, block
the way to violations of human rights and open opportunities to new
era of democracy, safety, stability and long-term peace.”
The president of Lithuania hoped that the leaders of other Baltic
states would support the initiative as well.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

L’Humanite, France
20 août 2005
Trois questions a Naif Alibeyoglu, maire de Kars
Entretien realise par E. D. et A. P.
” Nous ne voulons plus etre le trou noir de la Turquie “, declare
l’homme d’affaires devenu le premier magistrat de la ville.
Correspondance particulière.
La cinquantaine debonnaire, Naif Alibeyoglu, l’enfant du pays devenu
homme d’affaires, tient les renes de la mairie de Kars depuis six
ans. Kurde par sa mère, elu sous la bannière de l’AKP, cet ancien
etudiant marxiste est un pragmatique qui affiche une energie
farouche, determine a sortir sa – region de l’ornière de la pauvrete.
Quels sont vos objectifs en tant que maire de Kars ?
Naif Alibeyoglu. J’ai deux objectifs : la reouverture de la frontière
avec l’Armenie, vitale pour la vie economique de la region, et
l’approfondissement des liens avec l’UE. Avec une attention toute
particulière pour l’Europe ! Bien evidemment, je veux developper le
commerce avec le Caucase, mais ma priorite c’est l’adhesion a l’UE.
Elle est comme une boussole pour nous, une voie vers le progrès. Si
on n’avait pas cet objectif, le pays serait livre soit a
l’imperialisme americain, soit au terrorisme et aux islamistes
radicaux.
Precisement, l’integration a l’UE ne passe-t-elle pas par la
reconciliation turco-armenienne ?
Naif Alibeyoglu. Peut-etre. Mais je suis sûr que, via le dialogue,
cette reconciliation se fera. Je ne suis pas historien, mais maire.
Et ce dont nos deux pays ont besoin, c’est de – recommencer a
commercer normalement. Certes, les resistances politiques a cette
reouverture sont encore nombreuses. Rien que l’an dernier, lors du
festival culturel de notre ville, j’ai tente de jumeler Kars avec
Gumri, situee en Armenie. Mais Ankara s’y est oppose. – Cependant, je
reste optimiste.
Sur quelles forces vives peut s’appuyer la ville pour asseoir son
developpement ?
Naif Alibeyoglu. D’une part sur les activites traditionnelles, au –
premier rang desquelles l’elevage, a condition que nous ayons les
moyens de moderniser notre production. Nous venons ainsi de mettre en
place un reseau de 16 fermes pilotes, que nous voudrions integrer
dans un processus agro-industriel. Grâce a differentes cooperations,
comme celle engagee avec le ministère de l’Agriculture francais, nous
comptons sur ce projet pour redynamiser le tissu economique de la
region.
D’autre part, nous pouvons compter sur les hommes et les femmes de la
region, et notamment la jeunesse. Kars est dotee depuis une dizaine
d’annees d’une universite. Encore jeune certes, mais enfin, la ville
recommence a attirer un peu de monde. Peu a peu. Et ces futurs
diplômes, s’ils restent, nous permettront de ne plus etre le trou
noir de la Turquie.
–Boundary_(ID_xeIDJcaQQVB3OQAcl87hNA)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress