Author: Emil Lazarian

Turkey Has Not Committed Genocide Throughout Its History, Erdogan
Turkish Press
Published: 5/19/2005
ANKARA (AA) – “Turkey has not committed genocide through its history,
so it is impossible for us to accept such accusations”, Turkish Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday.
Addressing the gathering of his governmental Justice & Development
Party (AK Party), Erdogan said that the so-called Armenian genocide
allegations were brought to the Council of Europe Heads of State and
Government Summit (held in Polish capital of Warsaw at the beginning
of this week).
Erdogan stated that he was out of the meeting room when Armenian
President Robert Kocharian was speaking, and drew attention that
Turkey recognized Armenia but there were not any diplomatic links
between the two countries.
Recalling that flights between (Turkish commercial hub of) Istanbul
and (Armenian capital of) Yerevan had been launched after his party
came to power, Erdogan said that Turkey had started to restore an
Armenian Church in (eastern city of) Van. But, he stressed, border
crossings were still closed.
Erdogan said that any positive step to be taken between Azerbaijan
and Armenia could have a positive impact on decisions to be made by
Turkey (regarding its relations with Armenia).
“During my speech, I said that we have opened our state archives. We
don’t have any concerns about our history, and believe that the
reality should be revealed. Armenia should also open its archives. And,
historians, jurists, political scientists and archivists should work
on them. Then, we make the political decision, but unfortunately I
cannot get any positive response from Kocharian so far,” noted Erdogan.
-WE WILL EXAMINE 15 COUNTRIES-
Erdogan went on saying, “parliaments of some countries recognize these
so-called Armenian genocide allegations after lobbying activities. This
contradicts international diplomacy. There is no word for assuming such
an attitude without basing on any document or information against a
country with which you are together in international institutions. In
Warsaw, I told reporters that parliaments of 15 countries made such a
decision, and we will examine these 15 countries. There are countries
among these 15 which carried out genocide in the past. We will bring
them to our parliament and pass a decision, basing on real documents
and information, not with lobbying. We will take this step because
Turkey had never committed genocide throughout its history.”
“But of course, some people might have died during relocation. It
is true. But, why were these people forced to migrate? Documents
indicate that the Ottomans were fighting in three fronts, and there
was an Armenian nation which started to rebel due to provocations
of some other circles. Naturally, the administration encouraged such
a relocation under these circumstances. But, it also met travelling
costs of the people forced to migrate. And it issued circulars for
protection of these people. There could be raids on the way. But,
the state did not carry out a genocide,” said Erdogan.
“There might have been some problems for this or that reason, but
it is wrong to define it as genocide. We won’t build our future on
hatred and resentment,” added Erdogan.
-COE SUMMIT-
On the other hand, Erdogan recalled that he had the opportunity
to explain the importance and theses of Turkey to 46 COE members,
25 of which were the EU members, and stressed, “we would like to
recall those who have forgotten at which part of Europe Turkey is,
that Turkey is one of active and strong members of the Council of
Europe for more than 50 years.
-BAN ON ONUR AIR-
Touching on some European countries’ ban on Onur Air flights, Erdogan
said that he discussed this matter with German Chancellor Schroeder
and Dutch PM Balkenende, and added that he and Schroeder agreed to
work together to help Onur Air overcome its technical problems.
-THE FINAL DECLARATION-
Erdogan said that the declaration of the COE summit stressed common
sensitivity of member states about democracy, rule of law and
human rights, and added, “we condemn every type of intolerance and
discrimination like Islam enmity and anti-Semitism. And, in the COE
we confirm our decisiveness to develop rules and efficient mechanisms
to prevent all these.”

Basbug: Turkey Wishes Upper Karabagh Issue Be Resolved
Turkish Press
Published: 5/19/2005
BAKU (AA) – Deputy Chief of Staff of Turkish army Gen. Ilker Basbug
said that the occupation of Azeri territory is unacceptable by
Turkey. “Turkey wishes the Upper Karabagh problem be resolved as soon
as possible. The Turkish Republic will continue to deploy efforts to
end the occupation,” he said.
General Basbug was received by the Azeri Parliament Speaker Murtuz
Aleskerov.
General Basbug expressed that, since Azerbaijan gained its
independence, relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan have shown
a rapid and remarkable growth. “The situation Azerbaijan is in,
especially the Armenian occupation of Upper Karabagh and its
surrounding, is totally unacceptable for Turkey,” stressed General
Basbug.
Basbug also commented on Turkey-Armenia relations. “There are two
problems with Armenia. The first one has to do with the Armenian
occupation of Upper Karabagh. The second one is about baseless Armenian
allegations of a genocide,” noted Basbug. “I am confident that the
Armenian society thinks differently than the government itself,”
said Basbug.
Basbug added that military ties between Turkey and Azerbaijan are
excellent.
Basbug remarked that the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline
is important for the future of the region. “We have to provide the
necessary protection that this oil pipeline deserves as there could
be attacks on this pipeline by the enemies of the three countries,”
told Basbug.
Azeri Parliament speaker Aleskerov indicated that Turkey will not
open its border pass with Armenia until Armenia fully withdraws from
occupied Azeri territory. “Turkey has always been and continues to
be on our side,” indicated Aleskerov.
Meanwhile, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has welcomed General
Basbug at his office. “The relations among our countries are at an
all time high. General Basbug’s visit has contributed to our already
good ties in political, economic and military areas,” stressed Aliyev.

ARMENIAN CULTURAL WEEK OPENED IN STATE UNIVERSITY OF ALEPPO
ALEPPO, MAY 18, NOYAN TAPAN. On May 15, the Armenia Cultural Week
solemny opened at the Aleppo State University. The University Student
Union organized it in cooperation with the Berio Armenian diocese
primacy. This event was the last one in the chain of the cultural
events held in Aleppo during the days of exorcism of the 90th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide: performances of the Yerevan
“Sanctus” spiritual songs quartet, art critic Shahen Khachatrian’s
letures on the theme “Echo of the Armenian Genocide in Armenian
Painters’ Works”, the exhibition of 90 Armenian and foreign painters
concerning the Genocide, the exhibition of natural-sized copies of
Jansem’s works kept in the Yerevan Armenian Genocide Museum. After
the exhibition the copies will always be exhibited in the museum of
the Der Zor Armenian chapel. As Noyan Tapan was informed from the
RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and Information Department, the Armenian
Cultural Week started with an ethnographic exhibition which was opened
by Doctor Ahmad Habbun, the Secretary of the Baas Party of the Aleppo
University, Bishop Shahan Sargsian, the Berio diocese primate, and
Armen Melkonian, the RA Consulor General to Aleppo. The program also
includes a number of lectures, concerts, “round tables.”

ON OCCASION OF ARSHIL GORKI’S 100TH ANNIVERSARY HIS LETTERS PUBLISHED
YEREVAN, MAY 18, NOYAN TAPAN. On the occasion of the 100th birthday
of Arshil Gorki, a greatest abstract artist of the 20th century, the
his “Namakani” (collection of letters) was published under the state
order. As Seyranuhi Geghamian, the book editor informed the Noyan
Tapan correspondent, the artist wrote the letters included in the
book during the last 10 years of his life, in the native language,
and mainly addressed to his younger sister. A.Gorki’s letters were
first uncompletely published in the “Ararat” monthly of Boston in 1971
in English translation. They were published by the artist’s younger
sister’s son, Karlen Muradian who studied his uncle’s life and works
during his whole life. Gorki’s letters were completely, again in
English, published in 1978 in K.Muradian’s “Arshil Gorki-Adoyan” book
where interviews with people close to Gorki were also included. Later,
in 1984, the letters were published in Portuguese in Lisbon in a
catalog-album of an exhibition of Gorki’s paintings organized by
Vardush and Karlen Muradian in the Modern Art Museus of the Kulpenkian
institution. According to Seyranuhi Geghamian, Arshil Gorki’s death as
well as the whole life was tragic. The great artist lived 44 years,
but during his lifetime he did not see the fame he deserved. Gorki’s
art became widely recognized and appreciated at the international
level only after his death. Today American great art critics rank
Gorki among American great modern artists. In one of his letters
Arshil Gorki wrote; “I always see my homeland in my dreams and it
seems that an Armenian soul lodged inside me leads my hand to create
shadows of our Adoyan family’s yards, of our lovely nature in Khorgom,
our beautiful Armenia in a place far form our homeland. We lost our
Armenian and I shall again possess it with my work.” Gorki worked in
all genres of fine arts: painting, wall-painting, sculpture. The artist
characterized his art in this way: “The Armenian soul always speaks
in my paintings. Though Turks distroyed our culture and massacred our
people, in any case, we went on struggling and expressing ourselves
with the help of art. I’ll interprete Armenia for the whole world,
and when we, like everybody, become dust, people will say: “The son
of the Armenian land made his contribution in the development of the
world culture.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

“PROBLEMS CONCERNING ARMENIAN CHURCHES IN GEORGIA WILL BE SOLVED
SUCCESSFULLY,” CATHOLICOS KAREKIN II CONVINCED
ETCHMIADZIN, MAY 18, NOYAN TAPAN. On May 17, Catholicos of All
Armenians Karekin II received Zurab Adeishvili, Georgian Prosecutor
General, and Aghvan Hovsepian, RA Prosecutor General, in the Mother
See of Holy Etchmiadzin. Greeting the high-ranking guest’s first visit
to Armenia and Holy Etchmiadzin, His Holiness the Patriarch attached
importance to such meetings at state level, relations and cooperation
formed among different structures of the 2 states. According to the
report submitted to Noyan Tapan from the Information Services of the
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, during the meeting the interlocutors
touched upon the issue of the status of Georgian Armenian diocese of
Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia. The Catholicos of All Armenians
said that problems concerning a number of Armenian churches in
Georgia will be solved successfully with the assistance of Georgian
authorities.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ITALIAN REGIONAL MINISTRY EXPERTS TO VISIT ARMENIA
Pan Armenian News
18.05.2005 07:20
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian Parliament Speaker Artur Baghdasarian
received Italian Minister of Regional Affairs Enrico La Loggia, RA NA
Press Service reported. The interlocutors pointed out to the potential
of the economic, scientific and cultural ties between the Italian and
Armenian regions, which is not being fully utilized. The parties also
welcomed the opening of the House of Italy in Armenia and agreed on
the visit of the Italian Regional Ministry’s experts to the RA for
exchange of legislative experience and elaboration of some programs.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZERBAIJAN’S DEFENCE MINISTER MEETS U.S. AMBASSADOR AND CAPSTONE GROUP’S MEMBERS
Azer Tag
[May 18, 2005, 12:40:50]
On May 17, Azerbaijan’s defence minister colonel-general Safar Abiyev
has meets with the United States Ambassador to Azerbaijan Reno Harnish
and members of the Capstone group, reports AzerTAj on referring to
the Ministry’s press service.
Minister Safar Abiyev has in detail told about the independence
of Azerbaijan, the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over
Nagorno-Karabakh. He noted that there is engaged in a peaceful
settlement of the problem OSCE Minsk group that’s activity do not meets
with success too. According to him, as a strategic partner of the
United States, Azerbaijan is expected more effectively efforts from
the U.S. towards the settlement of the conflict. Mr Abiyev said the
Armenian state policy is established on the enlargement its territory
through occupation of the lands of other countries. Such is indeed the
case of building of the Armenian state. “Therefore, I must declare
that we are wouldn’t ceded not a single inch of our territory. While
the Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh had not been
solved there are impossible a peace in the South Caucasus region”,
said colonel-general Abiyev.
Ambassador Reno Harnish has recalled an outspoken by the United States
President George Bush words in Tbilisi about the USA constant support
to the Caucasus peoples’ independence. He also said the United States
military cooperation with Azerbaijan will be continues henceforth.

AGBU TO REBUILD BARESHEN VILLAGE IN NAGORNO KARABAKH
AZG Armenian Daily #088, 18/05/2005
Karabakh diary
Thanks to the donations of Luis-Simon Manukian, chairman of the
Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the construction of the
biggest secondary school in Nagorno Karabakh capital of Stepanakert
is in process. The once ruined town is rising from ashes due to his
ongoing support; the reconstruction of razed hotel finished lately and
it is now an apartment building for the families of perished freedom
fighters, disabled people and servicemen. The cultural life of the
town received new momentum as the AGBU formed a chamber music orchestra
last September. Chairman of the AGBU Armenian office, Ashot Ghazarian,
says that the orchestra’s concerts pull in so many listeners that there
are even standing people during the performance. “The strings came to
replace the arms in Stepanakert. Life there has changed thoroughly”,
he says.
At first, it were individuals and the AGBU branch of France who
initiated projects in Nagorno Karabakh but lately each one of
AGBU’s 60 offshoots in 20 countries lends support. Since 1999,
Levon Qebabjian, member of AGBU Central Administrative Assembly,
has been enthusiastically carrying out the mission of reconstructing
and inhabiting strategically important village of Norashen of Hadrut
region. Reconstruction of 22 houses, a kindergarten and a social and
medical center are already complete. The village was completely ruined
and deserted during the war in 1988-1994.
The AGBU has opened its office in Stepanakert in order to control
realization of divers projects. The fluctuation of US dollar in
Armenia lately caused the most serious problems that the Union has
encountered for the last year. So, a school that was earlier estimated
$54 thousand today will cost $69 thousand.
The London branch of AGBU will launch a project in near future of
rebuilding and inhabiting Bareshen village which is also of strategic
importance for Nagorno Karabakh. “Hopefully we will mange to rebuild
more houses and villages for people to come back and enjoy the
beautiful nature and fertile soil of Artsakh”, Levon Qebabjian says.
By Ruzan Poghosian
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian, Russian Officials Squabble Over Debt Deal
Baku Today
17/05/2005 22:03
Armenian and Russian officials traded on Tuesday angry recriminations
over a lack of progress in the implementation of a controversial swap
agreement that cleared Yerevan’s $100 million debt to Moscow.
The Armenian authorities are increasingly frustrated with Russia’s
failure to so far revitalize five enterprises which were handed
over to it in 2003 in payment for the debt. Only one of them, a big
thermal power plant located in the town Hrazdan, currently operates
in earnest. The other enterprises, an electronics factory and three
research institutes in Yerevan, remain largely idle.
The issue was brought up at a meeting of a Russian-Armenian commission
on inter-parliamentary cooperation in Yerevan. It was also attended
by Defense Minister Serzh Sarkisian.
“We are not satisfied with the course of the reactivation of those
enterprises and, more importantly, a lack of purchasing orders for
them,” the commission’s Armenian co-chairman, deputy parliament
speaker Vahan Hovannisian, said.
Tempers frayed when its Russian members said Moscow has still not
heavily invested in those enterprises because it needs tax privileges
that will offset high costs of transporting goods to and from Armenia.
The explanation left Sarkisian fuming. “All of those enterprises are
exempt from all taxes,” he said. “What other privileges do you want?”
One of the Russian parliamentarians, Konstantin Zatulin, retorted
bluntly that the Armenians should regard the equities-for-debt deal
as a great favor. “As for the Russian side, it continues to treat
those enterprises as an absolutely unnecessary and redundant gift
written off from someone’s balance sheet,” he said.
The Russian co-chair of the commission, Nikolay Ryzhkov, was quick to
rebuke Zatulin, saying that the Armenian industries covered by the
deal are “not scrap metal.” “The discussion today was quite tense,”
Ryzhkov told reporters afterward.
Yerevan has repeatedly raised their concerns with Russian officials
in recent months. The Russians assured them they will make promised
investments in all five companies.

Saad Hariri predicts opposition will win and overthrow Lahoud
Tuesday, 17 May, 2005 @ 6:38 PM
NaharNet, Lebanon
May 17 2005
Saad Rafik Hariri predicts the opposition is certain to win between
80 and 90 seats in Lebanon’s new parliament and would stage a “white
coup” to overthrow President Lahoud’s Syrian-sponsored police state.
“It will be white revolution against the police state that governed
Lebanon during 15 years,” Saad Hariri said in an interview carried
by the Agence France Presse, referring to the Syrian secret service
control of Lebanon’s affairs since the end of the 1975-1990 civil war.
Saad is certain to win Beirut’s 19 seats in the new parliament in a
coalition with Qornet Shahwan, Solange Bashir Gemayel and Hizbullah
in the first round of the 4-stage elections that is set for May 29.
Four contestants on Hariri’s Beirut list have already been declared
winners unopposed, incumbent Michel Pharoun for Beirut’s Catholic seat,
newcomer Mrs. Gemayel for the Maronite seat, incumbent Ghazi Aridi for
the Druze seat and newcomer Ghazi Youssef for one of two Shiite seats.
Hariri’s 4 Armenians on the list have also virtually won their seats
after the announcement of the Tashnak party, which supports the Lahoud
regime, that it will not contest the Beirut elections.
Hariri’s powerful Druze ally Walid Jumblat has formed a coalition list
with Samir Geagea’s Lebanese Forces in the Chouf district, which is
certain to win all eight seats allotted to the Druze hinterland.
Saad has declared that Tayyar Al Mustaqbal, or Future Tide political
movement, would vigorously contest the elections in north Lebanon in
an alliance with Qornet Shahwan and Geagea’s Lebanese Forces.
Although Gen. Aoun has declared an elections war against the
Hariri-Jumblat alliance, Saad told AFP he was still trying to win
over Gen. Aoun’s Free Patriotic Movement to the opposition front.
Aoun, however, has ruled out a reconciliation with either Hariri or
Jumblat, vowing to confront them in the Aley-Baabda district, north
Lebanon and the Bekaa.
“Each and both of them is worse than Rustom Ghazaleh,” Aoun said in
a fresh attack on Hariri and Jumblat, comparing them to the dreaded
Syrian military intelligence chief who personally sponsored the
establishment of the police state system under the Lahoud regime
before Syria’s evacuation of Lebanon.
Aoun said that he will be Joining the pro Syrian loyalists in the
Aley Baabda electoral districts