Author: Hakobian Adrine

DEFENSE MINISTER OF ROMANIA ARRIVES TO ARMENIA
Translated by Pavel Pushkin

Source: Regnum news agency
October 10, 2007 Wednesday
Russia

DEFENSE and SECURITY

On October 9, the delegation of Romania headed by Defense Minister
Teodor Meleskanu will arrive to Yerevan on a three-day official
visit. Colonel Seiran Shahsuvaryan, press secretary of the Defense
Minister of Armenia, reports that in the course of the visit, the
Romanian Defense Minister will visit the military institute of the
Defense Ministry of Armenia named after Vazgen Sarkisyan. An official
meeting with chief of the main staff of the armed forces of Armenia
and Senior Deputy Defense Minister, Colonel General Seiran Oganyan, is
planned for the same day. In the course of the visit of the Romanian
delegation, the parties will sign an agreement on bilateral military
cooperation.

October 9, 2007

Turkey Warns US on Armenia Genocide Bill

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Filed at 5:22 p.m. ET

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey’s president warned the U.S. government
Tuesday that their longtime ties will be harmed if Congress passes a
resolution putting the genocide label on the mass killings of ethnic
Armenians in Ottoman Turk lands during World War I.

President Abdullah Gul said in a letter there would be ”serious
troubles” if Congress adopted the measure, which is expected to be
considered Wednesday by the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Armenians, backed by many historians, contend hundreds of thousands of
Armenians died in an organized genocide. Turks say the killings came
amid widespread chaos and governmental breakdown as the 600-year-old
Ottoman Empire collapsed in the years before modern Turkey was born in
1923.

In recent years, Armenians have campaigned for international
recognition of the killings as genocide, and France is among countries
that officially adopted that view. Turkey, a member of NATO along with
France, broke military ties with the French government after that.

Gul’s complaint to President Bush came as the Turkish governing party
decided to ask for parliamentary approval for a military attack into
northern Iraq, seeking to wipe out bases used by guerrillas of a
Turkish Kurd separatist movement.

U.S. officials fear an incursion into Iraq’s Kurdish region could
destabilize one of the few areas in the country that have remained
relatively peaceful and have urged the Turkish government against
sending troops across the border.

The Bush administration is pressing Congress to reject the Armenian
resolution, which would have no binding effect on U.S. foreign policy.
But its supporters appear to have enough votes to win approval from
the full House.

Some analysts said passage could break the last constraints holding
the Turkish government back from striking into Iraq, despite the
rising anger of Turks over recent attacks by rebels in largely Kurdish
southeastern Turkey.

”What was preventing an operation was the fear that Turkey-U.S.
relations might reach a new low, and concerns not to harm relations
any further,” said Ihsan Dagi in the international relations
department of Middle East Technical University in Ankara.

”However, if the Armenian genocide resolution passes, that will be
the moment when relations between Turkey and the United States
collapse.”

Polls say the United States already is unpopular in Turkey due to
widespread opposition to the war in Iraq.

Many in the U.S. administration worry the Armenian resolution also
could lead Turkey to restrict crucial supply routes to Iraq and
Afghanistan and perhaps to close Incirlik, a strategic Turkish air
base used by the United States.

In Ankara, the U.S. Embassy warned that the resolution could spark
demonstrations and anti-American anger across Turkey and said that
American citizens should be vigilant.

Source: -Genocide.html

ROMANIAN DEFENCE MINISTER PAYS OFFICIAL VISIT TO ARMENIA

Rompres News Agency
Oct 9 2007
Romania

"Defence Minister Melescanu Pays Official Visit to Erevan"

Bucharest, Oct 9 (Rompres) – Development of Partnership for Peace,
from the perspective of the organization of a NATO summit in Bucharest
next year, and the developments relating to the security environment in
the extended area of the Black Sea are the main topics to be discussed
during an official visit Romanian Defence Minister Teodor Melescanu
pays to Armenia, Oct. 9-11, at the invitation of his counterpart
Michael Haroutounyan.

During official talks, approached will be aspects of the bilateral
military cooperation, the process of restructuring the Romanian armed
forces and the participation of Romanian troops in operations of
stabilization and consolidation of the political authority in Iraq
and Afghanistan.

Scheduled are meetings with Afghan state high officials and a visit
to the Military Institute of the Defence Ministry.

TURKISH PARLIAMENT WARNS US AGAINST ‘ARMENIAN GENOCIDE’ LAW

Agence France Presse — English
October 7, 2007 Sunday 2:12 PM GMT

The head of Turkey’s parliament has warned the US Congress of the
potential damage to relations between the two countries if a new law
is adopted recognising the "Armenian genocide," his office said Sunday.

The foreign affairs committee of the US House of Representatives is
to next week examine a move to legally term the deaths of hundreds
of thousands of Armenians during the Ottoman Empire a "genocide".

"I hope to have convinced you of the negative repercussions there
will be, if it is adopted, this draft law," Koksal Toptan, president
of the parliament, wrote in a letter to the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

The damage to US-Turkish relations "could take decades to repair,"
he added, according to a statement quoted by the Anatolia news agency.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has already voiced his
country’s concern about the legislation in a telephone conversation
with US President George W. Bush.

And Bush on Friday backed Turkey’s stand on the issue.

"The president has described the events of 1915 as ‘one of the greatest
tragedies of the 20th century,’ but believes that the determination
of whether or not the events constitute a genocide should be a matter
for historical inquiry, not legislation," said White House spokesman
Gordon Johndroe.

Turkey categorically rejects Armenian claims that 1.5 million of
their kinsmen died in systematic deportations and killings during
1915-1918 as the Ottoman Empire was breaking up.

The parliaments of many countries have recognised the killings as
genocide, and Turkey has responded by temporarily downgrading its
political and economic ties with some of them.

Turkey argues that 250,000 to 500,000 Armenians and at least as many
Turks died in civil strife when Armenians took up arms for independence
in eastern Anatolia during World War I.

THE SKEPTIC

Hayots Ashkharh Daily
Oct 6 2007
Armenia

Representative of "Bargavach Hayastan" party Aram Safaryan doesn’t
consider it possibly for the opposition to unite.

"I don’t believe Armenian opposition will unite around any political
figure including Levon Ter-Petrosyan during the forthcoming
presidential elections.

In my view the opposition activists will be represented in the
presidential elections independently and with many candidates.

According to my calculations they will be 10, in case when the
pro-governmental camp will be represented in the presidential elections
with a single candidate.

EU SAYS TURKEY MUST IMPROVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH-TV

San Antonio Express, TX
Oct 6 2007

Writer Orhan Pamuk was tried last year for telling a Swiss newspaper
that 30,000 Kurds had perished in Turkey in recent decades.

Reuters photo: dovegreyreader.typepad.com Turkey must move ahead with
laws ensuring freedoms of religion and expression and prosecuting
writers for criticising Turkish identity is unacceptable, a senior
EU official told Turkish television.

Turkey has said it remains fully committed to joining the European
Union, but key reforms such as an amendment or withdrawal of
article 301, which can be used to prosecute writers for "insulting
Turkishness", are not likely to be passed before an EU progress report
in November.

"It is a human and moral issue. It is not acceptable that writers
like Orhan Pamuk and Elif Safak are prosecuted based on this article,"
EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn told Turkish NTVMSNBC.

Before the case against him was dropped, Pamuk was tried in Turkey
last year for telling a Swiss newspaper that 1 million Armenians had
died in Turkey during World War One and 30,000 Kurds had perished in
recent decades.

Charges against novelist Safak were also dropped last year.

Opponents of the law also say Turkish Armenian editor and journalist
Hrant Dink was murdered last year after being singled out because of
his prosecution under the law.

Recent efforts by Turkey’s ruling party to change the country’s
constitution also should not delay reforms in expanding freedoms of
expression and religion, Rehn added.

"The changes (to the constitution) can be a method for expanding
fundamental rights and freedoms. But the preparations should not
delay the realisation of freedoms of expression or religion," he said.

Turkey’s Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has said previously the new
constitution will strengthen individual rights and freedoms, but
Turkish officials say article 301 will not be revised or overwritten
in the new document.

Lack of attention to laws regarding freedom of speech by the ruling
AK Party have led to criticism that the party is being selective in
its reform process.

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Oct 5 2007

Azerbaijani consul-general to Los -Angeles attends the local TV

[ 05 Oct 2007 17:39 ]

Elin Suleymanov, Azerbaijani consul-general to Los-Angeles the city
of Washington has attended `Parallah Forum `,the program of the `Time
Warner Cable `TV channel, APA’s USA bureau reports.
Mr. Suleymanov answered the questions related to Azerbaijan of Li
Alpert, well-known lawyer and public man of Los-Angeles, telecaster
of `Parallah Forum’. Mr. Suleymanov noted that Azerbaijan is the
Moslem and worldwide country as well as, the US and Israel are
countries of close relations. He gave wide information about Nagorno
Karabakh conflict, development of non-oil sector, especially issues
on high technologies and communication. Beside this, Mr. Suleymanov
focused the contributions given by Azerbaijan on global energy
security and terrorism. But Mr.Alpert stressed the participation of
Azerbaijan can be a good example for the peacekeeping operations in
Iraq, Afghanistan and Kosovo. /APA/

HIGHFEST 5th INTERNATIONAL PERFORMING ARTS FESTIVAL STARTS IN YEREVAN
Author: Ruzanna Bagratunian

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 5 2007

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 5, NOYAN TAPAN. The Highfest 5th international
performing arts festival started on October 4 in Yerevan with the
performance "The Canterville Ghost" of the Lucia Armenian company
of actors. Its opening was followed by a theatrical parade and
fireworks in Charles Aznavour Square. According to Artur Ghukasian,
the festival’s Chairman, nearly 100 performances will be presented by
33 countries’ companies of actors in the days of the festival being
held on October 4-14. 17 theaters will take part in this already
traditional theater festival. The companies of actors will perform
on all Yerevan stages and open squares.

"Five years ago the festival was founded as a theatrical one, but
later it became a festival of performing arts. We tried to expand the
festival’s framework by involving new and interesting works created
in other spheres of art, which are also a theater by their form,"
the festival’s Chairman said.

Artur Ghukasian said that renowned artists, international festivals’
chairmen, theater critics will take part in the Yerevan festival.

They will hold seminars and round tables on the spot dedicated to
cultural policy and art management in Armenia.

According to A. Ghukasian, the festival will give Armenian spectators
an opportunity to watch different countries’ best performances
of pantomime, dramatic, puppet performances, as well as those of
modern dance theaters. It was mentioned that a Festival of Puppet
and Children’s Theaters will be also organized within the framework
of Highfest.

Mike Ribalta, the Chairman of the Fira Tarrega Spanish theatrical
festival, said that he is glad to take part in this young festival
and expects not only to see interesting performances, but also
to learn. Mike Ribalta, who has arrived in Armenia on a three-day
visit, will try to help young and talented actors and interesting
companies of actors. "I have not only come to watch good, bad or
average performances, but I wish to help young people to make an
attempt to perform abroad as well."

AZERBAIJAN BLAMES U.S. AND ISRAEL FOR ITS TROUBLES

PanARMENIAN.Net
04.10.2007 17:41 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "The Movement of Azerbaijani Intellectuals and
"Azeri’ public union have held round table discussions with the topic
"Let us protect our morality."

Intellectuals and representatives of political, public and religious
organizations were invited to take part in the debate. However, all
above-mentioned failed to properly speculate on the appearance and
expansion of phenomena conflicting with the national mentality and
Islamic values in Azerbaijan.

Each speaker at the event felt obliged to blame the U.S. and Israel
for breeding immorality in Azerbaijan.

In his opening remarks, chairman Eldaniz Guliyev said immorality has
become a global problem for the country. "All say our major problem is
Karabakh. In my opinion, we lost the region because of our immorality,"
he said.

For his part, chairman of the Islamic Party of Azerbaijan, Movsum
Samedov said the Jews formed a Zionist state, which is a menace
for Islam and Islamic countries. The United States and Israel are
propagandizing deleterious moral in Azerbaijan, according to him.

"International Zionism is holding the Azeri television in its
fist. Intellectuals should join for defense of Islam," said Hajiaga
Nuriyev, Zerkalo Baku-based newspaper reports.

NEW CUSTOMS UNION SHAPING UP IN CENTRAL ASIA?

Autonomous Nonprofit Organization "TV-Novosti"
October 4, 2007, 10:54

Tajikistan’s capital Dushanbe is about to play host to three
international organisations in Central Asia.

The Commonwealth of Independent States, the Collective Security
Treaty Organisation, and the Eurasian Economic Community, all came
into being following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

15 years after the collapse of the USSR, the post-Soviet space is
packed with all sorts of new abbreviations.

Some of these organizations stem from a political agenda, others
pursue economic interests, hardly any of them has proved to be as
successful as they had hoped for.

The CIS was created in 1991 and unites most of the former Soviet
republics. It was first regarded as a substitute for the USSR, although
its original goal, a common economic space, was never fulfilled. The
main obstacle to its development is the lack of political will among
some of its members.

State officials like to use this platform for face-to-face meetings
rather than round-tables.

For the past decade the post-Soviet area has been shaken with numerous
regional conflicts, revolutions and even civil war. And if some of
them were resolved, others have been frozen for years.

Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan
and Armenia are now united in a military coalition – the Collective
Security Treaty Organization.

Its aim – to protect sovereignty of the states, that includes
countering terrorism and drug trafficking.

"During the operation that was aimed to counter drug-trafficking
from Afghanistan, and thanks to the joint efforts of the CSTO member
states, we confiscated 10 tons of heroine, and 1,200 tons of chemical
substances needed for the production of drugs" says Nikolay Bordyuzha,
CSTO Secretary General.

CSTO members regularly conduct military exercises.

The organization is also planning to establish its own rescue forces,
antiterrorist and peacekeeping units.

The same states except for Armenia are members of the Eurasian Economic
Community, or EurAsEC.

It is the only group in the region that exclusively deals with economic
and social issues.

The main goals are to create a customs union and a common economic
space.

But seven years after its establishment, progress is slow. EurAsEC
‘s Secretary General says there are many obstacles.

"The states are very careful." says Grigory Rapota, EurAsEC Secretary
General.

Some countries fear that further integration might limit their autonomy
and interfere with domestic policies, but there is some progress,
he says.

"Three documents are going to be signed in Dushanbe creating the
judicial basis for the Customs Union. It will take around three years"
adds Rapota.

So far, a custom’s union is planned between Belarus, Russia and
Kazakhstan.Other countries will join when they are able to meet the
necessary conditions. If successful, the next stage will be a common
economic area.