Author: Emil Lazarian

ARMENIA SHOULD GRADUALLY QUIT NEGOTIATION PROCESS, KARABAKH POLITICIANS CONSIDER
PanArmenian News
Dec 20 2004
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “The principal part of the conflict remained beyond
the negotiation process. Besides all, we were the belligerent”,
member of the commission for foreign policy of the NKR parliament,
AFR Dashnaktsutyun representative Maxim Mirzoyan considers.
Non-participation of the Karabakh party in the negotiations is not
justified, he said in his interview with Azg Armenian newspaper.
Editor-in-chief of “Demo” newspaper Gegham Baghdsarian says there are
issues “Armenia is not empowered to negotiate on, for example, the
issue of the liberated territories”. Developing the topic, Mirzoian
says that Armenia should categorically state that she will not take
part in the talks without Nagorno Karabakh. Moreover, Armenia should
gradually quit the negotiation process, leaving Stepanakert and
Baku at the bargaining table”. Karabakh political scientist Murad
Petrosian is of the same opinion: “Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan
Oskanian’s statement that if Baku brings forward the discussion of
the issue in the UN Armenia will quit the negotiation process should
have been made still in 1994”, he says.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS RELEASE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of Australia & New Zealand
10 Macquarie Street
Chatswood NSW 2067
AUSTRALIA
Contact: Laura Artinian
Tel: (02) 9419-8056
Fax: (02) 9904-8446
Email: [email protected]
20 December 2004
DEACON ORDAINED FOR SERVICE IN CHURCH IN SYDNEY
Sydney, Australia – On Sunday, 19th December, 2004 in the Armenian Apostolic
Church of Holy Resurrection, His Eminence Archbishop Aghan Baliozian,
Primate of the Diocese of Australia & New Zealand ordained Acolyte Shnork
Nigoghossian as Deacon. Also partaking in the ceremony were Reverend Father
Norayr Patanian, Reverend Father Bartev Karakashian, Deacons, Acolytes and
the Church Lousavorich Choir.
Deacon Shnork is the seventh ordained deacon of the Church of Holy
Resurrection.
During the ordination rite, through prayers and blessings, the
newly-ordained received the order of sub-deacon and deacon. It was deeply
moving when he committed himself to the service of God in front of the
congregation, humbly kneeling before the altar with arms raised and ears
blocked rejecting earthly standards.
The new order grants Deacon Shnork the privilege to perform sacred rituals
in the church that includes censing, chanting the Gospel reading during the
Divine Liturgy, and transferring the veiled chalice containing the gifts
(bread and wine) to the priest during The Eucharist.
The word “deacon” means “one who serves”. The position is believed to have
its origin rooted with the Apostles in the Jerusalem church. The primary
role of the deacon then was to care for the physical needs of the
congregation, a role which continues until today in traditional churches.
St Paul writes in his first letter to Timothy “Deacons are to be men worthy
of respect, sincere .. they must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith
with a clear conscience.”
Deacon Shnork Nigoghossian has served the Armenian Apostolic Church over the
past 15 years. He was born in Istanbul, Turkey, is married to Askanoush
and has two children. For many years, Deacon Shnork has been actively
involved in all aspects of church life.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Head of Kazakh bank shot dead while hunting
Reuters
12/19/04 08:05 ET
ALMATY, Dec 19 (Reuters) – The head of Kazakhstan’s second largest
bank TuranAlem, Yerzhan Tatishev, died on Sunday in a shooting accident
while hunting wolves, the government spokesman said.
Government spokesman Murat Buldekbayev said Tatishev had died on a
hunting expedition in the Central Asian state’s southern region near
the border with Kyrgyzstan.
“He died at about noon,” he said. “His death was caused by a lethal
gunshot wound to his head, due to incautious use of firearms,” he
added. He gave no further details.
Three days ago Tatishev, 37, had unveiled during a visit to Russia
TuranAlem’s ambitious strategy to borrow $1.5 billion next year.
The rapidly growing bank, which has bought several banks in Russia,
Ukraine and Belarus and eyes new acquisitions in Armenia, Azerbaijan
and ex-Soviet Georgia, plans to issue a 7-year, $200-million Eurobond
in the first quarter of 2005.
Earlier this month the bank said it also planned to raise around $350
million via a rouble bond issue in Russia next year.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

‘Aggressor unequivocally turned into object of reproach’ – President
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Dec 18 2004
President Ilham Aliyev stated with regard to the closeness observed of
late in the Armenia-Iran relations that bilateral relations between
Azerbaijan, which pursues an independent foreign policy course,
and Iran should meet both countries’ interests.
The President pointed that the dialogue between the two countries has
intensified and that this country has repeatedly supported Azerbaijan’s
territorial integrity with regard to the Upper Garabagh conflict.
As for Iran’s relations with other countries, Aliyev termed this as
this country’s prerogative.
He emphasized the importance of taking into account every process
that takes place in the region in maintaining relations.
“I hope that the aggressor has unequivocally turned into an object
of reproach for the sake of peace and stability, and international
organizations and regional states should state their position on the
issue as well.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

With deal on Turkey in hand, Europe’s borders set to press into Asia
Agence France Presse — English
December 18, 2004 Saturday 1:35 AM GMT
BRUSSELS Dec 18 — Barely seven months after its biggest ever
enlargement, the European Union has taken a bold step to push its
eastern-most borders deep into continental Asia’s western frontier
in Turkey.
After a bruising two days of summit haggling, and not a little
nail-biting, leaders of the 25 EU member states agreed terms to begin
EU accession talks with Ankara on October 3 next.
Then, on Friday, Turkey accepted its long-cherished invitation.
“We did not obtain all that we wanted 100 percent,” said Turkish
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, “but we can say that it was a
success… We have reached a point where Turkey is rewarded for 41
years of efforts.”
“We have been writing history today,” added Dutch Prime Minister
Jan Peter Balkenende, savouring success as his nation wraps up its
six-month turn at the rotating EU presidency.
He called the outcome — which EU leaders welcomed with a robust
round of applause — “an important and brave decision by Turkey,
by Cyprus and by the EU as a whole”.
Significantly, the European Union pledged Turkey nothing less than
full membership at the end of the process — and not a second-class
“partnership” as some skeptical EU members, led by Austria, proposed.
Accession talks, plus a raft of economic and political reforms to
bring Turkey closer to EU standards, are likely to run a decade or so.
So no one should expect to see Turkey as a bona fide European power
before 2015 or so.
When it does join, however, it will be the EU’s first predominantly
Muslim member state — and bring Europe’s political borders right up
to Iraq, Iran, Syria and the Caucasus states of Armenia, Azerbaijan
and Georgia.
The significance was not lost on British Prime Minister Tony Blair,
a staunch supporter of EU membership for NATO-member Turkey, which he
sees as a beacon of secularism and democracy for the wider Middle East.
“It shows that those who believe that there is some fundamental clash
of civilisations between Christians and Muslims are actually wrong,
that we can work together, that we can cooperate together,” he said.
The United States was delighted, too.
“Turkey’s full integration into the EU will be good for Europe and
the world. The announcement of accession talks brings this step closer
than ever,” said a White House spokesman.
Smiling for their own reasons Friday were ex-communist EU hopefuls
Bulgaria and Romania, who were told that they will sign accession
treaties in April next year, ahead of their planned entry in January
2007.
Croatia, born out of the violent break-up of the old Yugoslavia,
was meanwhile told it can start accession talks in March next year,
but under a strict condition — that it “fully cooperate” with the
UN war crimes tribunal.
Closing a deal with Turkey turned out harder than expected when a
rift emerged Friday over extending a 1963 customs protocol between
Ankara and the then European common market to include the 10 newest
EU member states, which joined last May 1.
One of the 10 is the ethnic Greek republic of Cyprus — a problem
because Turkey only recognises an ethnic Turkish statelet on the north
side of the Mediterranean island that it militarily helped to create
30 years ago.
Deft diplomacy meant that language in the final agreement was
rewritten to allow Turkey to promise that it will sign the protocol not
immediately, but sometime before the October 3 start of negotiations.
Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos said he was “satisfied”. But he
warned that once Turkey signs on the dotted line, it must fully live
up to its obligations under the protocol, which covers free movement
of people as well as goods.
“The implementation of the protocol is not only the commitment to
sign, but its (actual) implementation… If they don’t do it, simply,
they don’t start negotiations,” he said.

PRESENCE OF OPPOSITION IN ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT WILL INCREASE EFFICIENCY OF
ELABORATION AND CONSIDERATION OF BILLS: ARMENIAN PARLIAMENTARY SPEAKER
BODY:YEREVAN, DECEMBER 18. ARMINFO. Presence of the opposition in the
Armenian Parliament will increase the efficiency of elaboration and
consideration of bills, says Armenian Parliamentary Speaker Artur
Baghdasaryan in his interview with the Armenian Second TV channel
“H2.” A.Baghdasaryan is the Leader of the Orinats Yerkir party included
in the ruling coalition.
In his words, if the boycott is continued, the opposition is better
refuse from its presence in the parliament at all. Artur Baghdasaryan
thinks that this problem must be solved only through political
discussions. Finally, the people will send the MPs to the parliament,
in order that they protect its interests, first of all. There are
national problems like the peaceful resolution of Karabakh conflict
and they cannot be “favorable to the authorities and unfavorable to
the opposition or vice versa,” Baghdasaryan says.
Speaking of the domestic political situation in Armenia on the whole,
he states that it can be called stable. It is for the first time that
the political forces in the parliament has formed a coalition. Of
course, there are conflicts of opinions and approaches inside the
coalition in conditions of powerful positive potential. Of course,
there are obstacles, which can be overcome through structural reforms,
first of all. As regards the talks on the necessity of extraordinary
presidential and parliamentary elections, they are illogical from
the political point of view, he states. He assessed the activity of
the parliament in 2004 as effective as it was possible.

RUSSIANS ABROAD COULD SOLVE DEMOGRAPHIC SHORTFALL – TV
Channel One TV, Moscow
17 Dec 04
Russia needs to make use of the huge “gold reserve” of Russians
living in the states of the former Soviet Union to compensate for
its shrinking population, presenter Svetlana Sorokina said in “Basic
Instinct” on Russia’s Channel One television on 17 December. But in
order to do so, it needs to take a close look at how it regards those
Russian-speaking people and at its foreign policy towards the former
Soviet states, studio guests said.
Taking part in the studio debate on how Russia needs to interact with
Russians abroad were:
the editor-in-chief of Ekho Moskvy, Aleksey Venediktov;
the head of the Centre for Strategic Research into Religion and
Politics of the Modern World, Maksim Shevchenko;
a member of the Duma Security Committee, member of the One Russia
faction, Police Lt-Col Aleksey Rozuvan;
the head of the Russian Centre for International Scientific and
Cultural Cooperation at the Russian Foreign Ministry, Eleonora
Mitrofanova;
the leader of the Motherland action in the Duma, Dmitriy Rogozin;
a member of the Federation Council, who lived in Turkmenistan for 40
years, Galina Buslova;
the executive director of Moscow Council of Russian Compatriots,
Vitaliy Skrinnik;
the leader of the headquarters for protection of Russian schools in
Latvia, Aleksandr Kazakov;
and a young man from Volgograd, originally from Samarkand in
Uzbekistan, Andrey Zuyev.
Lessons from Ukraine
Asked what lessons in terms of defending the interests of the
Russophone population should be learned from the events occurring
in Ukraine, Shevchenko said that Russia needed to look closely at
exactly what its foreign policy aims were. “The first lesson is
that we should more clearly and precisely formulate both Russia’s
foreign political interests and the role of those people whom Russia
takes under its protection in the light of those foreign political
interests as formulated.” The area of Russophone eastern Ukraine, he
said, is “such a self-sufficient territory that Moscow should perhaps
stop taking it as an instrument for exerting influence on European
or Ukrainian affairs. It seems to me that Donetsk and Kharkov and
Lugansk are in fact entirely ready for partnership relations with
Russia, with Moscow. The problem is that Moscow is not ready to see
them as partners but only as compatriots who are an instrument of
interference or influence, or in some game.”
Venediktov questioned rhetorically whether Russia’s attempt to get
involved in the situation in Ukraine was genuinely in defence of the
interests of Russian compatriots or political manoeuvring. “Genuine
defence of the interests of our compatriots should find expression in
two ways,” Venediktov said. “Either we invite them here – and they
really do represent a gold reserve. Russia’s demographic situation
is very bad. Yet according to various estimates there are up to 22m
people now who regard themselves either as Russians or Tatars or
Chuvash, who have gone through state education here. This is the gold
reserve. Or, we must help them there, so that in the final analysis
they do not lose their links with the language and culture, with the
motherland. Neither of these things has been done.”
Rogozin said there was a need to define the terms used. “In my view,
in the Russian Federation nobody is interested in the subject of
compatriots, we have not even managed seriously to tackle the concept
of exactly who we mean by the term compatriots – what do we mean
– ethnic Russians? Or a Tatar living in Riga for whom the Russian
language is the main language by which he identifies himself? What is
he, a compatriot? Or nothing for us?” There is no official support for
Russians abroad, Rogozin pointed out. The Duma comes out with grand
statements along the lines of “hands off our compatriots in the Baltic
states”, he said, and then forgets about it the next day. Whereas the
USA and some European states regard protection of their compatriots
abroad as a matter of national security, Rogozin went on, “for us it
is PR, in the best case” or an instrument to be used. What is needed,
he said, is some sort of official body to tackle work with Russians
abroad, a point picked up by Mitrofanova, who believes the Russian
Centre for International Scientific and Cultural Cooperation at the
Russian Foreign Ministry should be turned into a federal agency.
Citizenship law
Vendiktov condemned at length what he described as Russia’s
“detestable” and “shameful” citizenship law, which he said closed off
avenues for people to get citizenship. He said the law, which speakers
pointed out had already been subject to considerable amendment,
needed to be further simplified. The case of Andrey Zuyev, a young
man originally from Samarkand in Uzbekistan, who has been living in
Volgograd for four years, was taken as an example of the difficulties
people from the former Soviet states have when they try to return to
Russia. He has been unable to get citizenship, and without documents
he cannot get a proper job. Rogozin promised to look into Zuyev’s case.
Despite the need for labour in Russia, Duma Security Committee member
Rozuvan said, “we cannot simply take in everybody who wants to come to
Russia. Just imagine what would happen!” Having sparked heated debate
on the subject, Rozuvan insisted that there had to be differentiation
between who could be given citizenship. “There has to be this sort
of gradation. Because today the Russian who has landed up outside
the confines of his country should have prior claims to return here
than, for example, an Uzbek or an Armenian who was not born in Russia
at all and never spent any time there but today suddenly wants to
become a Russian citizen.” Pressed on the subject of mixed marriages,
Rozuvan said there nevertheless had to be “a simplified procedure for
ethnic Russians. Under the present law they all have equal rights
and that is not proper.”
Buslova pointed out that details of the simplified procedure for
getting Russian citizenship had not been announced in Turkmenistan,
Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, which is why Russians in those countries
were in their present plight.
Turkmenistan
Rogozin took up the “outrageous situation” of Russians in
Turkmenistan. “This is a catastrophe, a complete catastrophe. Because
when we abandoned the agreement on dual citizenship with Turkmenistan –
yes, of course it was a strange agreement, we have dual citizenship
with a country governed by, I don’t know, Saddam Husayn No 2, even
worse, even crueller. Turkmenbasy, I mean, of course. There are
today 95,000 citizens of the Russian Federation there today, Russian
Turkmens, who cannot leave Turkmenistan for Russia on a Russian
passport. They cannot leave Turkmenistan until he, Turkmenbasy, puts
a stamp on their exit visa in their passport. And our people can do
nothing. The Americans take their citizens out of Turkmenistan, all
kinds of European conferences and congresses debate Turkmenistan and
condemn the despotic, fascist regime in Turkmenistan. We have 100,000
of our people there whom we are obliged under the constitution to
protect, and we do nothing,” Rogozin said.
Rogozin went on to add: “Turkmenistan is a state which not only
oppresses its own citizens and the citizens of other states, including
Russia. It is a state which uses the state machine to manufacture
narcotics on an industrial scale and transfer them to Russia in
industrial quantities. Narcotics, especially heroin from Afghanistan,
are a weapon of mass destruction.”
Presenter Sorokina asked “why 100,000 citizens of the Russian
Federation in Turkmenistan have been forgotten by the State Duma”,
adding that she has never heard of the Duma issuing a note of protest
to Turkmenistan.
“Gold reserve”
Asked what should be done now to make use in the long term of the
“gold reserve” of Russians abroad, Skrinnik proposed completing work
on setting up a federal agency for work with compatriots, which should
monitor the diverse situation in different countries. Rogozin commented
that “nobody will respect Russians outside Russia” until the Russian
government itself defines its policy on compatriots. Venediktov backed
up the point, adding that a specific state programme of support for
compatriots abroad was needed, in addition to “a tough response on
the part of the state to all infringements of the rights of Russians
abroad”. Second, he said, specific work and support is needed for
those who have returned to Russia.
Buslova pointed out that a programme of resettlement could be drawn
up to take advantage of abundance of jobs, land and housing in the
Far East, where Defence Ministry accommodation has been evacuated.
Shevchenko pointed out that whilst Russia needed to open its gates wide
to immigration in order to make use of and retain its vast territory,
“we need an internal mechanism of absorption, it seems to me, so that
Chinese, for example, who come to Russia would not be seen as enemies
like they are in America, but as citizens of the Russian Federation
who would like to live in our country”.
Venediktov added that countries which previously had empires,
such as Britain, had special ministries, such as the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office, tasked with dealing with the consequences of
loss of empire. Russia should follow their example, he suggested.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

IF ISSUE OF RETURN OF POPULATION’S DEPOSITS NOT SOLVED, ALREADY IN SPRING
PEOPLE WILL RAISE WAVE OF PROTEST: ARMENIAN MP
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 17. ARMINFO. If the Armenian Government does
not solve the issue of return of population’s deposits with the
Savingsbank of the former USSR, in the spring of 2005 the people will
raise such a wave, that the country’s authorities will envy Eduard
Shevardnadze and Leonid Kuchma. Armenian MP Hmayak Hovhannissyan
says at a press-conference at the club “Pakagits,” Friday. It was
Hovhannissyan that initiated the extraordinary parliamentary session
on this issue.
In his words, if the issue is not solved, the population will show its
attitude to the ruling coalition already at the next elections. If
the authorities are unable to solve this problem, they must send
in their resignation, otherwise it will lead to establishment of a
fascist regime in Armenia, Hovhannissyan says. He states that his
initiative pursued a goal of exposing the ruling coalition, which
ignores the interests of the population in such important issues.
If the coalition represetnatives, in particular, Republicans and
Dashnaks, do not attend the extraordinary parliamentary session,
I will apply to the population from the tribune demanding that the
coalition MPs be brought to the parliament, Hovhannissyan states. The
problem with return of the population’s deposits could be solved even
several years ago. Then the authorities could distribute the shares
of the privatized enterprises to the depositors, hereby solving the
problem, he states.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian Assembly of America
122 C Street, NW, Suite 350
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:
 
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 17, 2004
CONTACT: Alex Karapetian
Email: [email protected]
AN INTERNSHIP PROGRAM WITH A DIFFERENCE: A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE IN WASHINGTON AND YEREVAN
Washington, DC – Since its founding in 1977, the Armenian Assembly’s
Summer Internship Program has provided an opportunity to over 800
talented college-aged students to gain valuable experience in the
nation’s capital.
Following the success of the Washington program, the Assembly launched
a similar program in Armenia in 1999 to give students an opportunity
to work in Armenian government agencies, meet with Armenian and Nagorno
Karabakh officials and tour historical sites throughout the region.
This past summer, Christine Heath of West Bloomfield, Michigan and
Alex Vartan of Fresno, California gained a better understanding of the
inner workings of Washington, while California-native Eliz Agopian,
a Columbia University graduate in Public Health, gained hands-on
experience in Yerevan.
“Prior to coming to Armenia, I felt removed from Armenia and my
Armenian culture. I had heard many stories that made me fearful that
I might be disappointed from my visit. Instead, Armenians amazed me
with their hospitality, cheerfulness and intelligence. I realized that
Armenia faces some substantial challenges, but also shows incredible
potential,” she said upon her return from her internship at the
Armenian Ministry of Health in Yerevan.
Heath is currently a junior at the University of Michigan studying
English and Communications. This past summer, she was placed as an
Assembly intern at United Press International (UPI) headquarters in
Washington, where her news reports were published on several occasions.
“I was given the chance to write and publish news stories for
an internationally recognized news wire service,” Heath said. “In
addition to this great work experience, I was given the chance to fully
explore my cultural background by spending three months living with
Armenian-American students who taught me so much about my heritage.”
Heath’s internship experience has not only expanded her knowledge of
Armenian history and culture, but has helped her reach her goal for
a career in media.
“I plan to continue my education in media studies and hope to someday
find my way back to Washington, DC,” she added.
Like Heath, Stanford University graduate and 2004 intern Alex Vartan
gained valuable work experience while interning at the Senate Banking
Committee.
“The internship program gave me an unparalleled view into the workings
of our government, and I was especially impressed that the Assembly was
able to place me in an internship that so closely matched my interests,
having a BS and MS in Management Science and Engineering,” Vartan said.
Not only did he gain valuable work experience, he, like all prior
interns, met with dozens of Congressional members, policy-makers and
academicians. “The wide variety of speakers and other outside events
rounded out a summer which exceeded my expectations in every way.”
The Assembly is accepting applications for the 2005 Terjenian-Thomas
Assembly Internship Program in Washington, DC and the continuing
program in Yerevan. The internship programs provide college students
of Armenian descent an opportunity to work in the nation’s capital
and Yerevan while taking part in a full schedule of educational,
cultural and social activities.
Students who are accepted to the program will be placed in internships
– typically in congressional offices, government agencies, think-thanks
and media outlets – based on their educational backgrounds and
work experiences. Interns also have the opportunity to meet with
Members of Congress, policy makers and noted academicians through the
popular Capitol Ideas and Lecture Series. Partial and full housing
scholarships are available to qualified applicants on a competitive
basis.
To learn more about both programs, download application
forms or apply online, go to the Assembly Web site at
The deadline for
completed application for the Washington program is January 15, 2005,
and Feb. 15, 2005 for the Yerevan program. For additional information
or assistance with the application process, please contact Alex
Karapetian, Intern Program Manager, at 202-393-3434 ext. 245 or via
e-mail [email protected].
The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based
nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of
Armenian issues. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.
NR#2004-110A
Photographs are available on the Assembly’s Web site at the following
links:
Caption: L to R: Assembly 2004 summer intern Alex Vartan with Intern
Program Manager Alex Karapetian in Washington, DC.
Caption: 2004 Intern Alum Christine Heath, far right, during a meeting
with Senator Carl Levin (D-MI). Also pictured is Assembly interns
Kristen Stamboulian, far left, and Laurie Sagherian.
Caption: L to R: Armenian Assembly 2004 Yerevan interns Eliz Agopian,
Marina Nazarbekian and Alexandra Kazarian.
–Boundary_(ID_ZiWCS8g56DsBY8vfHQhe1Q)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Chirac under fire over stance on Turkey’s bid
By John Thornhill in Paris
FT
December 16 2004 20:16
Jacques Chirac, France’s president, was fiercely criticised by his
own supporters on Thursday after he reiterated his strong support
for Turkey’s entry to the European Union.
Several politicians also warned that the domestic row over Turkey
could jeopardise the chances of France approving the EU’s constitution
in next year’s referendum. Each EU member state must approve the
constitution before it can come into force.
On Wednesday night, Mr Chirac gave a rare television interview
explaining why he supported Turkey’s bid. He said it was vital to pull
Turkey towards democracy, stability and prosperity in Europe. The EU
should encourage Turkey to join the 25-member organisation so long
as it fulfilled the necessary conditions and promised a referendum
on Turkey’s membership when it is on the verge of joining, probably
in 10 to 20 years’ time.
The French president also rejected the idea of offering Turkey a
“privileged partnership” with the EU, suggesting it would be demeaning
for such an important country.
Members of Mr Chirac’s UMP party, who have supported the idea of just
such a “privileged partnership”, yesterday reacted with dismay to
the president’s stance. Some observers suggested his position could
also cloud any plans he still had of seeking a third presidential
term in 2007.
Alain Madelin, a former government minister and UMP deputy, said he
deplored the president’s failure to take account of “any democratic
debate, or any vote”. He said it was incredible for the president
to take such a momentous decision on his own personal initiative and
only allow voters to have a say in a refe rendum in many years’ time.
Nicolas Sarkozy, UMP party president and potential rival for the
French presidency in 2007, said Mr Chirac created an “incontestable
difficulty” given that 72 per cent of party members were opposed
to Turkey’s entry. Mr Sarkozy, speaking in Israel just before Mr
Chirac’s interview, said Turkey’s accession would dilute the EU’s
effectiveness. “The more numerous we are, the less integrated we
become. Mr The less integrated we are, the weaker we become.”
But Mr Chirac did receive some support on Thursday from an unlikely
quarter: the leadership of the opposition socialists. “Jacques Chirac
has had the merit of being clear, that’s to say that he has come
round to the position of the European Commission and the position
of the Socialist party as well,” said Ségolène Royal, a prominent
Socialist leader.
But even the Socialist party has its divisions on the Turkey
issue. Robert Badinter, a Socialist senator, denounced Mr Chirac’s
“capitulation” to Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish prime minister, over
Cyprus and the recognition of the Armenian genocide. “Everything
that displeased Mr Erdogan has been withdrawn at the start of the
negotiation. That is called a capitulation before even embarking on
a negotiation,” he told French TV.
–Boundary_(ID_ydx5JxmCjdDrtPjT7FSU5w)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress