Author: Hakobian Adrine

Campus Should Hear Both Sides of the Story
By MUSTAFA ERGEN

The Daily Californian
May 6 2005

Friday, May 6, 2005

As representatives of the Turkish student population of the campus, we
deeply believe that the campus community deserves the right to hear the
story from both sides in order to have a fair judgment on the issue.

The Armenian community throughout the Ottoman territories lived as
loyal and, in certain aspects, privileged subjects of the sultan.
They could serve as ministers, ambassadors, commercial envoys and in
other such capacities.

However, beginning in the last quarter of the 19th century, external
provocation from separatist Armenian bands started fomenting
insurrection among the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire.
These bands organized several rebellions in various provinces during
which thousands of Muslims were killed.

At the very beginning of World War I, they joined the invading
Russian forces. They raided the Ottoman supply depots, savagely
attacked Turkish cities, towns and villages in Eastern Anatolia,
massacring inhabitants without mercy and doing whatever possible to
ease the Russian military advance. Their hope was that participation
in the Russian success would be rewarded with an independent Armenian
state carved out of Ottoman territories.

In response to these uprisings and massacres by Armenians, the Ottoman
government ordered the relocation of the Armenian population from
the war zone to southern regions of the Empire.

To describe the events that took place during the relocation of the
Armenian subjects of the Empire in 1915 as “genocide” is baseless.
The fundamental element of “genocide” is “an intention” to destroy a
group in part or as a whole. The Ottoman archives, under the control
of the Entente states at the end of World War I, are full of government
decrees proving the contrary.

Objective historical studies clearly show that allegations that there
was a premeditated plan to annihilate the empire’s Armenian population
by the Ottoman Empire is unfounded.

Armenian insistence on viewing themselves as the only victims of
the sufferings in Anatolia during World War I fuels today’s racial
animosity and is a feeble attempt to justify Armenian terrorism in
recent history which has claimed the lives of 75 people of different
nationalities, 34 of them Turkish diplomats and their family members.

We are against the exploitation of this tragic episode of history
for political purposes. In order to shed light on such a historical
issue, the Turkish government has opened the Ottoman archives
and made available four centuries’ worth of documents regarding
the Ottoman Armenians. These include the records of deliberations
of the Council of Ministers for the years 1914-1922. Furthermore,
we encourage historians, academics and researchers to discuss this
historical issue in every platform.

The Ottoman Empire was a multi-ethnic and multi-faith empire spread
over a vast geography. During its slow disintegration everybody
suffered alike. 5 million people-mostly civilian Muslims-died during
this process.

The primary sources of our common history should be the Ottoman
archives, not the propaganda brochures of the countries that were at
war with the Ottoman Empire.

In Turkey, the historical archives are open to researchers. As the
classification process is completed, more documents are becoming open
to researchers. Access to the Ottoman archives through the Internet
is possible. But unfortunately, we don’t come across references to
these documents in recent publications.

Turkey always maintained that parliaments and other political
institutions are not the appropriate forums to discuss or pass judgment
on the disputed periods of history. History is a science and past
events should be left to historians for judgment. In Turkey, every
era in history can be discussed openly without any interference. We
would like to see the same kind of approach in other countries as well.

For this purpose, on March 8 our Prime Minister made a joint
declaration with Deniz Baykal, the leader of the main opposition
party. The declaration proposes that Turkish and Armenian historians
examine the historical facts together. We call Armenia and other
relevant countries to open their archives as well.

Mustafa Ergen is president of the Berkeley Turkish Student
Association. Reply at [email protected].

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
05/05/2005
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://

1) Schroeder Criticizes Turkish Democracy
2) Oskanian Says No ‘Ulterior Motives’ for Not Attending Meeting
3) Armenian Not Exactly an Attractive Money Laundering Hub
4) ARS Western Region to Celebrate 95th at Annual Festival
5) ANC of Australia Condemns Vandalism of Armenian Genocide Plaque

1) Schroeder Criticizes Turkish Democracy

(Deutsche Welle)–German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder on Wednesday criticized
Turkey for a string of deficiencies in its democracy, urging the country to
correct them if it wants to join the European Union.
“Mistreatment by security forces, limits on freedom of expression, and
discrimination against women are incompatible with our common values,”
Schroeder said at a speech at Marmara University after official talks in
Ankara.
The German leader also spoke of the “necessity of reform” in religious
freedoms in this mainly Muslim country, specifically mentioning a meeting
earlier in the day with the Istanbul-based spiritual leader of the Orthodox
Church, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I.
Turkey is under pressure to remove legal obstacles for non-Muslim religious
foundations to fully exercise their property rights and to reopen a Greek
Orthodox seminary in Istanbul closed down more than 30 years ago.
Schroeder, who was receiving an honorary doctorate from the university,
called
on Ankara to address problem areas before it begins accession talks with the
European bloc on Oct. 3 and urged it to swiftly implement reforms it has
already adopted to achieve European norms.
Turkey “should not diminish its efforts,” he said. “Turkey has achieved many
reforms so far but there is still much to do.”

Armenian Issue

Earlier on Wednesday, Schroeder told reporters after meeting Turkish Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan that the EU is determined to open accession
talks
with Turkey on time.
He brushed aside concerns that a May 29 referendum in France on the European
constitution could undermine Turkey’s bid.
“No referendum anywhere in Europe will affect Turkey’s EU process,” he said.
Schroeder also backed a Turkish proposal to Armenia to create a joint
commission of historians to study the Armenian genocide by Ottoman Turkey.
“We want Turkish-Armenian relations to improve,” Schroeder said. “Germany is
ready to do its best to help in this issue and open its archives.”
Germany and the Ottoman Empire, from which the present-day Turkish Republic
was born, were allies during World War I, when the Armenian massacres
occurred.
Turkey has come under mounting international pressure to recognize the
1915-1917 killings as genocide; some EU politicians, including the German
opposition, argue that Ankara should address the genocide if it wants to join
the European bloc.
Erdogan, meanwhile, denounced an appeal issued by the German parliament last
month calling on Ankara to face up to its history. He said he “conveyed our
serious concerns and expectations” on the issue to Schroeder.

Cyprus Conflict

The two leaders said they also discussed the Cyprus conflict, a major
stumbling block to Turkey’s EU membership bid. Schroeder pledged he would work
for the release of a 259-million euro (335million dollars) EU aid package
earmarked for the breakaway Turkish Cypriot community and the activation of
measures aimed at easing trade restrictions imposed on the island’s Turkish
sector.
The EU promised the aid last year as a reward for the strong support Turkish
Cypriots gave to a UN peace plan, which was killed off due to an overwhelming
“no” by the internationally-recognized Greek Cypriot side. The measures have
been blocked, however, because of opposition by the Greek Cypriots, who joined
the EU last year.

2) Oskanian Says No ‘Ulterior Motives’ for Not Attending Meeting

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)–Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian said on Thursday that no
“ulterior motives” exist for his decision to skip a new round of Mountainous
Karabagh peace talks, stressing that he was simply too busy to travel to
Frankfurt on April 27. He also said the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan
are tentatively scheduled to meet in Warsaw later this month.
The French, Russian and U.S. mediators were due to hold in Frankfurt more
“proximity talks” with Oskanian and his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar
Mammadyarov, but met only with the latter instead.
“My schedule for that day was filled with many meetings [in Yerevan],”
Oskanian told journalists. “There were no ulterior motives. We have no problem
with meeting the co-chairs and Mammadyarov. We are always ready [to meet
them].”
Oskanian said he never promised the mediators to attend the Frankfurt meeting
because “the date was unacceptable to me.” “They knew that in advance,” he
added.
While in Frankfurt, Mammadyarov commented tartly on Oskanian’s absence.
“He is
probably again ill,” he said, referring to Oskanian’s illness that was the
official reason for the cancellation of their March 2 meeting in Prague. The
two men have not had face-to-face encounters since then.
“We saw no need for a meeting of the ministers,” Oskanian explained. “The
co-chairs didn’t insist on it probably because they too realized that the
ministers have done all they could possibly do and that the next step has
to be
taken by the presidents.”
Oskanian added that Presidents Robert Kocharian and Ilham Aliyev are now
likely to meet in Warsaw on the sidelines of a Council of Europe summit
scheduled for May 16-17.
Oskanian did not rule out the possibility of a meeting between Kocharian and
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan during the May 9 Victory Day
celebrations in Moscow or at the Warsaw summit. “There are no agreements at
this point,” he said. “Neither the Armenian nor the Turkish side has applied
for such a meeting. We should wait and see.”
“It could be, but nothing is planned,” Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul
was reported to say in Ankara.

3) Armenian Not Exactly an Attractive Money Laundering Hub

YEREVAN (Armenpress)–Central Bank governor Tigran Sarkisian told journalists
on Thursday that Armenia is not susceptible to money laundering practices and
there exist no individuals or companies that finance terrorism. Speaking
before
the launch of an international conference on money laundering and terrorism
financing in Yerevan, he recalled only two past instances of money laundering.
The first involved an Armenian citizen who, in cooperation with some other
countries’ citizens, transferred a total of $1.4 million from the US to
Armenia. He said the information had been sent by US officials; as a result,
the Central bank moved to swiftly freeze some accounts in an Armenian bank. He
said the investigation into this instance continues.
The second instant was connected to the Credit-Yerevan Bank, when it issued
$250 million worth bonds and was trying to cash them in various countries;
that
operation was thwarted by Interpol.
He explained that Armenia does not attract illegal financial transactions
because it is not a major financial center, and offers no offshore
banking–only non-banking financial institutions.
However, a 2004 US State Department report on money laundering and terrorism
financing noted that high unemployment, low salaries, corruption, a large
shadow economy, and the presence of organized crime contribute to Armenia’s
vulnerability to money laundering.
It said Armenia’s large shadow economy is largely unrelated to criminal
activity other than tax evasion, but schemes that are commonly used in Armenia
to avoid taxation are similar to those used for money laundering, including
the
fraudulent invoicing of imports, double bookkeeping and misuse of the banking
system.
It also said the Government of Armenia has made great progress in 2004 in
bringing legislation and structural capacity up to international standards in
the area of money laundering and terrorist finance. On December 14, 2004, the
National Assembly adopted a comprehensive anti-money laundering law, “The Law
on Fighting Legalization of Illegally Received Income and Terrorist
Financing.”
Armenia is a member of the Council of Europe’s Select Committee of Experts on
the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures (MONEYVAL), a party to the
1988 UN Drug Convention, the UN Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal
Matters, the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, and the
European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters. During 2004,
Armenia became party to the UN International Convention for the Suppression of
the Financing of Terrorism and the Council of Europe Convention on Laundering
Search, Seizure, and Confiscation of the Proceeds From Crime.

4) ARS Western Region to Celebrate 95th at Annual Festival

GLENDALE–The Armenian Relief Society of Western US (ARS-WR) will celebrate
its
95th anniversary as it hosts the annual Armenian Cultural and Food Festival,
May 14-15, at the Glendale Civic
Auditorium.

The festival, now in its fourth year,
provides a
family atmosphere, where Armenian music, art, dance, history, culinary
heritage, and children’s games can be enjoyed under one roof. Among the many
activities planned this year are an Armenian costume show, popular Armenian
singers and traditional folk dancing, lessons on traditional “lavash” bread
and
string cheese making, lively children’s music and stories, and booths that
exhibit unique local Armenian
products.

“I’m so proud to represent the ARS on
its 95th anniversary, which we will celebrate together at our exciting
festival
the weekend of May 14th and 15th at the Glendale Civic Auditorium,” said
Angela
Savoian, Chair of the ARS of Western US, Regional Executive Board. “Come
celebrate with
us.”

The ARS-WR Regional Executive Board has
been planning this event as a group celebration with local chapter
participation. Members will travel from as far away as Fresno, San Francisco,
and San Diego to attend the 2-day Armenian Festival to volunteer at various
booths.

The Glendale Civic Auditorium is
located at 1401 North Verdugo Road in Glendale (the cross street is East
Mountain Street). Admission will be $4 for the public (very young children are
admitted free of charge). The non-stop entertainment will begin on Saturday,
May 14, at 1 pm, with the official opening ceremony at 2 pm. The entertainment
will continue until midnight. The festival will continue on Sunday, May 15, at
11 am until 7
pm.

Advertisers and sponsors are welcome. For
more information, contact the ARS-WR Regional Executive headquarters at (818)
500-1343 (phone), (818) 242-3732 (fax) or [email protected]
(<;). The ARS-WR headquarters is
located at 517 W. Glenoaks Blvd., Glendale, CA
91202-2812.

The ARS was founded in New York
City
in 1910; the establishment of the first two ARS-WR chapters west of the
Mississippi followed in Fresno (1915) and Hollywood (1918).

5) ANC of Australia Condemns Vandalism of Armenian Genocide Plaque

RYDE–The Armenian National Committee of Australia joined the
Armenian-Australian Community in condemning the deliberate removal by vandals
of the Commemorative plaque in Meadowbank Memorial Park marking the 90th
Anniversary of the Armenian genocide.
The plaque was dedicated on April 24, 2005, on the 90th Anniversary of the
Armenian genocide, during a solemn ceremony presided by Archbishop Aghan
Baliozian, Primate of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Australia and New
Zealand, along with the Mayor and Councilors of Ryde City Council, and the
State Member for Ryde, Hon. John Watkins, as well as hundreds of members of
the
Armenian-Australian Community.
Two weeks earlier, Ryde City Council unanimously passed a resolution
recognizing and condemning the Armenian genocide, as well as condemning all
attempts to deny it.
“This criminal act of vandalism is a shameless example of the extent to which
certain denialist of the Armenian Genocide will go to eradicate the memory of
the 1.5 million men, women and children who fell victim to the first genocide
of the 20th Century. Such people forget; however, that they live in a
democracy where public officials will not be intimidated or deterred by such
criminal behavior,” said Armenian National Committee of Australia President
Dr.
Tro Kortian. He added, “We are confident that the law enforcement authorities
will bring these criminals to justice.”
The New South Wales Government also condemned this crime, as Justice Minister
John Hatzistergos called it a “disgraceful and cowardly act.”
The Ryde City Council and the New South Wales Parliament (which in 1997 also
unanimously passed a resolution condemning the Armenian genocide and all
attempts to deny it) have added their unequivocal voice to the growing
international call that the memory of the Armenian genocide must never be
allowed to be erased.
The text of ANC Australia’s letter to Ryde City Council is provided below.
For
more information Email: [email protected] or visit

Dear Mayor Perram and Councilors,

We assume that by now you have received the standard genocide denial diatribe
from the Turkish Embassy/Consulates and their cohorts. We regret that you
have
had to witness first-hand the ugly sight of genocide denial.
Whilst we find such views repugnant, it is the price we are prepared to pay
for the democratic rights and freedoms we have in Australia, which we must all
cherish and up-hold.
The criminal actions of the hitherto unknown individual(s) who vandalized the
Armenian Genocide Memorial Plaque at Memorial Park, Meadowbank, however,
strikes at the very heart of our democratic society. In particular, it can
only
be seen as a direct attack on the democratic expression of Ryde City Council
embodied in its recent unanimous Motion to recognize and condemn the Armenian
Genocide.
Having witnessed the passage of that historic Motion and the spirit in which
it was passed, we are confident that Ryde City Council would never allow
itself
to be intimidated or swayed by the cowardly actions of criminals.
We call upon the Council unequivocally to condemn this disgraceful attempt of
denying the Armenian Genocide, and to re-instate the Plaque as soon as
possible, with appropriate measures to prevent a similar occurrence.
We again convey our sincere appreciation and gratitude to the Mayor,
Councilors and Officers of Ryde City Council for the passage of the Armenian
Genocide Memorial Motion and the dedication of the Memorial Garden and Plaque
on the occasion of the 90th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. The
Armenian-Australian Community, in particular those residing in Ryde, will
never
forget those historic events.

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AzerTag, Azerbaijan
May 4 2005

LATVIA SUPPORTS PRINCIPLES OF TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF STATES
[May 04, 2005, 20:10:20]

On May 4, chairman of the Milli Majlis (Parliament) Murtuz Alaskarov
received at the Parliament’s Heydar Aliyev hall members of the
Latvia-Azerbaijan Interparliamentary cooperation group, reported
AzerTAj.

Parliament’s speaker noted the new stage of bilateral relationship
that developing gets a new impetus with a mutual visits of the both
countries’ governmental delegations.

The parties have also focused on the relations between the legislators
two countries, the role of the Parliament in the process of integration
into the European family and development of democracy, its economic
growth and the important role it is playing in the region, discussed
the status of the Azerbaijani Diaspora in Latvia.

Murtuz Alaskarov also touched on the Nagorno-Karabakh problem. Head
of the Azerbaijani parliament has informed the guests on consequences
of the conflict and Khojali genocide which was a grave Armenian crime
against peaceful Azerbaijanis.

The Latvian delegation’s head Olegs Denisovs expressed his country’s
support of the fair position of Azerbaijan regarding the conflict.

After the meeting speaker Murtuz Alaskarov has presented to the guests
a Book of the Parliament’s deputy Vagif Abdullayev on a political
activity of the Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev.

ARMENIAN COURTS ARE NOT INDEPENDENT: ARMENIAN OMBUDSMAN

YEREVAN, MAY 3. ARMINFO. Courts in Armenia are not independent –
the government pressure them, Armenia’s Ombudsman Larisa Alaverdyan
said in the parliament today.

Getting small salaries judges are prone to governmental pressure
and inclined to take bribes. Alaverdyan says that she came to this
conclusion from her personal contacts with citizens “victim” to
unfair court verdicts. She notes that she is not only debarred from
active involvement in court activities but is even restricted in mere
observation of court proceedings. So Alaverdyan slates legislation
that prevents her from discharging her direct duties.

In 2004 Alaverdyan received 1,294 written complaints, 1,337 citizens,
2,300 phone calls. The key targets of the complaints are the prosecutor
office, police, municipality. 99% of the complainers are socially
disadvantaged people

WHAT CAN BE SAID IN THREE MINUTES?

A1plus

| 21:02:20 | 03-05-2005 | Politics |

Freedom House for three years already rates the press in Armenia as
“Not Free”. “That is from the moment A1+ TV Company was closed”,
Justice faction deputy Grigor Harutyunyan reminded during the NA
hearings.

In his words, A1+ was closed after calling the events in Aragast café
not “an incident” but “a homicide”. Grigor Harutyunyan also reminded
that the head of Kentron TV Company was replaced after showing some
shots of the April events. He stated that the acting administration
is afraid of freedom of speech/

Orinats Yerkir deputy Gagik Avetyan used his three minutes to say
that their party supports the idea of Nig-Aparan for organizing a
round-dance around the Aragats Mountain.

–Boundary_(ID_S9QzYIH2DeQeFDGxIhtI9w)–

Tensions resurface in Swiss-Turkey relations

Neue Zürcher Zeitung AG, Switzerland
May 4 2005

Turkey has criticised a decision by canton Zurich’s justice authorities
to investigate a Turkish historian for allegedly denying the 1915
Armenian massacre.

The move comes shortly after relations between the two countries ?
which had been dogged by the Armenian question ? appeared to have
stabilised.

The row centres on comments made a year ago by Yusuf Halacoglu,
the president of the Turkish History Organisation, in Winterthur in
canton Zurich.

During the talk, given at the invitation of the Turkish community,
the prominent historian is said to have denied that the killings of
hundreds of thousands of Armenians was genocide.

Armenians say around 1.8 million people were killed. Turkey disputes
this, putting the figure closer to 200,000.

Winterthur’s investigating magistrate is now reported to be looking
into claims that Halacoglu could have broken Swiss anti-racism
legislation.

Condemnation

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül told Turkey’s m>Hürriyetm>
newspaper on Monday that the decision by canton Zurich and some
European parliaments to “forbid the rejection of the Armenian genocide”
was a “terrible mistake”.

Gül added that Zurich’s investigation was also against the European
Agreement on Human Rights and that Europe was “trampling on its own
foundations” by stopping the freedom of expression.

The Turkish foreign ministry said on Monday that it had summoned the
Swiss ambassador to Turkey, Walter Gyger, to explain the move. The
Turkish embassy in the Swiss capital, Bern, has also protested to
the Swiss government.

It added, however, that Bern and Ankara were “closely collaborating”
and that Switzerland had been cooperative.

But a spokesman for the Swiss justice ministry denied that a warrant
had been issued for Halacoglu’s arrest via Interpol, as was reported
in some Turkish media.

Winterthur’s prosecuting magistrate Andrej Gnehm also said on Monday
that he had asked Interpol to provide him with some information about
the historian.

He added that he would like to interview Halacoglu, which could also
take the form of written replies, to decide whether to go further
with the investigation ? still at its early stages.

Tensions

The row comes at a time when relations between the two countries
appeared to be calming down after a period marked by tensions over
the Armenian question.

First canton Vaud’s parliament voted to recognise the Armenian
genocide, which led Ankara to withdraw an invitation to Swiss Foreign
Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey to visit Turkey in September 2003.

A similar vote on the Armenian matter by the House of Representatives
three months later drew fresh condemnation from Turkey.

Calmy-Rey finally made the trip to Ankara at the end of March this
year, which resulted in the two countries agreeing to disagree over
the Armenian issue.

And last month the way was cleared for Switzerland to begin selling
arms to Turkey for the first time since 1992 when it introduced tight
restrictions on exports to the country.

The Turkish government ended it embargo on Swiss arms on April 28,
one month after Switzerland lifted its boycott.

–Boundary_(ID_ozzC0CXetDMGbJKNsaWEiw)–

Tensions resurface in Swiss-Turkey relations

Swissinfo, Switzerland
May 2 2005

Turkey has criticised a decision by canton Zurich’s justice authorities
to investigate a Turkish historian for allegedly denying the 1915
Armenian massacre.

The move comes shortly after relations between the two countries –
which had been dogged by the Armenian question – appeared to have
stabilised.

The row centres on comments made by Yusuf Halacoglu, the president
of the Turkish History Organisation, a year ago in Winterthur, in
canton Zurich.

During the talk, given at the invitation of the Turkish community,
the prominent historian is said to have denied that the killings of
hundreds of thousands of Armenians was genocide.

Armenians say around 1.8 million people were killed; Turkey disputes
this, putting the figure closer to 200,000.

Winterthur’s investigating magistrate is now reported to be
investigating Halacoglu over claims that he could have broken
anti-racism legislation.

Condemnation

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül told Turkey’s Hurriyet newspaper
on Monday that the decision by the canton of Zurich and some European
parliaments to “forbid the rejection of the Armenian genocide” was a
“terrible mistake”.

Gül added that Zurich’s enquiry was also against the European
Agreement on Human Rights and that Europe was “trampling on its own
foundations” by stopping the freedom of expression.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Monday that it had summoned the
Swiss ambassador to Turkey, Walter Gyger, to explain the move. The
Turkish embassy in the Swiss capital, Bern, has also protested to
the Swiss government.

It added, however, that Bern and Ankara were “closely collaborating”
and that Switzerland had been cooperative over the matter.

But a spokesman for the Swiss Justice Ministry denied that there had
been a warrant issued for Halacoglu’s arrest via Interpol, as was
reported in some of the Turkish media.

Winterthur’s prosecuting magistrate Andrej Gnehm also said on Monday
that he had asked Interpol to provide him with some information about
the historian.

He added that he would like to interview Halacoglu, which could also
take the form of written replies, to decide whether to go further
with the investigation – still at its early stages.

Tensions

The row comes at a time when relations between the two countries
appeared to be calming down after a period that was marked by tensions
over the Armenian question.

First the canton of Vaud’s parliament voted to recognise the Armenian
genocide, leading to Ankara withdrawing an invitation for Swiss
Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey to visit Turkey in September 2003.

A similar vote on the Armenian matter by the House of Representatives
three months later drew fresh condemnation from Turkey.

Calmy-Rey finally made the trip to Ankara at the end of March this
year, which resulted in the two countries agreeing to disagree over
the Armenian issue.

And last month the way was cleared for Switzerland to begin selling
arms to Turkey for the first time since 1992 when it introduced tight
restrictions on exports to the country.

The Turkish government ended it embargo on Swiss arms on April 28,
one month after Switzerland lifted its boycott.

Key Facts

– Armenians say 1.8 million of their people were killed or deported
from 1915-18 by the Ottoman Empire. – Turkey disputes this, putting
the figure closer to 200,000. – The treaty marking the birth of
modern Turkey was signed in Lausanne on July 24, 1923.

Photo: A giant poster shows the faces of 90 survivors of the Armenian
killings of 1915 (Keystone Archive)

–Boundary_(ID_Xa6lm1YR6oQHcvY/KQoQ8w)–

Summary of Azeri ANS TV programme “Otan Hafta” at 1600 gmt 01 May 05

ANS TV, Baku
1 May 05

1. 0000 Headlines

2. 0055 In a “sensational” statement on CNN-Turk, the former Turkish
envoy to the OSCE, Yalim Eralp, said that the Armenian and Azerbaijani
leaders had reached a preliminary agreement on the Karabakh conflict,
ANS said. Under the agreement, which will be not a peace accord but
an agreement towards a phased settlement, Armenians will vacate five
of the occupied Azerbaijani districts. ANS quoted the envoy as saying
that the agreement is expected to be made public at a Council of Europe
summit on 15 May in Warsaw. Video showed library pictures of officials.

3. 0349 ANS quoted Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili as
saying that Russia is the main reason why conflicts in the post-Soviet
area have not been resolved. Video showed the minister speaking in
English with overlaid Azeri translation about Russia and the USA’s
positions on conflicts in the region and about Georgia’s ties with
the USA and Azerbaijan.

4. 0752 Moldovan Prime Minister Vasile Tarlev said he is sure
steps taken by Azerbaijan and Moldova towards the resolution of the
separatism-based conflicts they are experiencing will yield results
in the near future. Video showed the prime minister speaking to ANS
in Russian with overlaid Azeri translation.

5. 1032 In an interview with ANS in the studio, the head of the
Azerbaijani delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe (PACE), Samad Seyidov, said a provisional committee for
the resolution of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict had been set up
at PACE’s recent session. The first meeting of the committee will
be held in June, Seyidov said. He added that while the Azerbaijani
authorities and opposition have a single position on the resolution
of the Karabakh issue, this is not the case in Armenia.

6. 2002 A PACE statement has criticized the situation in Azerbaijan
ahead of the parliamentary elections. Video showed Eldar Namazov,
captioned as one of the founders of the Yeni Siyasat (New Policy)
electoral bloc, and Ali Karimli, captioned as one of the founders of
the Musavat – People’s Front of Azerbaijan Party – Democratic Party
of Azerbaijan electoral bloc, speaking about changes that should be
made to the electoral legislation. In an interview with ANS in the
studio, Ali Hasanov, head of the public-political department of the
presidential administration, said the authorities were ready to accept
“any” proposals from the Council of Europe, the Venice Commission
and the Azerbaijani public only provided that the election process
is not disturbed and the election is held objectively. He said exit
polls would be allowed to be held by foreign organizations during
the election. He also regretted the “extremely subjective” approach
of Freedom House to the situation in Azerba! ijan.

7. 3356 Commercials.

8. 3927 President Ilham Aliyev visited Samaxi. Aliyev told journalists
that his recent anti-inflation and anti-monopoly instructions would
yield results in the near future. Video showed the president hearing
complaints from people, visiting a market.

9. 4750 Flat prices in Baku have increased by 45 per cent in the past
year because of growing demand for apartments, monopoly in construction
industry and increase in prices for land, ANS said. Video showed
pictures of Baku.

10. 5410 Mortgages will start to be issued before the end of the
year. Video showed Sahmar Movsumov of the National Bank saying that
the duration of the loan will be 10 years.

11. 1:0118 Commercials.

12. 1:0619 People who have installed water meters in their flats pay
for water less than those who have not installed them. Video showed
people speaking about their water bills.

13. 1:1315 The president of the Barmek electricity company “declared
war” on owners of villas on Baku’s outskirts as they illegally do
not pay in full for electricity they use. Video showed villas.

14. 1:1517 ANS says some advertising companies face
“discrimination”. Video showed presidents of advertising companies
complaining that their applications to place adverts on billboards
in Baku were rejected and somebody else’s approved.

15. 1:2139 The central hospital in a district forged documents to
give illegal maternity leaves to thirty-six employees. As a result,
22m manats (4,569 dollars) were embezzled. Video showed hospital,
documents.

16. 1:2539 Presenter signs off.

Orange County Register, CA
May 1 2005

American stories
The Vietnamese chapter in U.S. history is a familiar tale

Steven Greenhut
Sr. editorial writer and columnist

Last week’s Register feature about 30 up-and-coming
Vietnamese-Americans “to watch” left me chuckling, given that just
about every Vietnamese person I’ve met in Orange County has a success
story to tell. Only 30? The real story would be finding 30 Vietnamese
losers who operate at the margins of society. They’re there, I’m
sure, but finding them would take real effort.

Thirty years after the fall of Saigon, when desperate people hopped
onto U.S. military aircraft or makeshift boats to flee the takeover
by a totalitarian and violent regime, the Vietnamese community in
Orange County epitomizes the age-old story of immigrants fleeing
oppression, then finding success and opportunity on our shores.

The success has been quick and astounding. We all know the anecdotal
stories, the common ones about, say, the Vietnamese restaurateur
whose five kids all go to Berkeley. It’s not just the Vietnamese, but
Lebanese, Pakistanis, Chinese, Koreans, Mexicans, Salvadorans and on
and on. I recall a John Stossel story about Indians, who struggle to
get by in their home country but do astoundingly well in America.

Big surprise, right?

That sounds cliched and unsophisticated in a world of whining about
inequalities, unfairness and every other grievance, real or
perceived. But the story of success in America is quite real, quite
profound, and – despite the troubling erosion of liberties in the age
of the welfare and regulatory state – an obvious result of keeping
government limited, and personal and economic freedom expansive.

Five years ago, I toured the “people’s paradise” in Saigon and Hanoi.
Vietnam is hauntingly beautiful, which in part explains why so many
Vietnamese-Americans cannot let go of their roots. (The other reason,
of course, is the circumstance under which they left. Imagine if a
war broke out on our shores and communist lunatics drove us from our
homes or put us in concentration camps for a dozen years. No one can
simply move on with their life without being haunted by what might
have been.)

The people are poor, the country depressed, the opportunities
limited, the oppressiveness of the government quite real. The
much-championed doi moi, the Vietnamese policy of promoting more
economic openness, has resulted in international investment and
improved economic conditions, but this remains a tightly controlled
society. China has opened up its markets, even as the Chinese
government holds tightly onto political control. Vietnam is a few
years behind China in that openness process.

Compare the struggling, poor, skinny Vietnamese people living in
Vietnam with the successful, affluent, chunky Vietnamese-Americans
one meets not just in Little Saigon, but in Newport Beach, Fullerton,
San Clemente and everywhere in-between. This is no coincidence, no
happenstance of birth.

When I was in Vietnam, I instantly could spot Vietnamese people from
back here, given their size, dress and obvious health and affluence.
Ted Nguyen, a Laguna Niguel resident who left Vietnam when he was 6,
returned for a visit 1 1/2 years ago and concurs. He saw Vietnamese
kids in baggy shorts and flip-flops and asked them where they were
from. Sure enough, they were from Huntington Beach. There’s no
mistaking an American citizen from a Vietnamese citizen!

Nguyen is head of public relations for one of my least-favorite local
government agencies – the Orange County Transportation Authority. We
usually get together for lunch to argue about light rail and other
transportation issues, but last week we met at a Vietnamese
restaurant to eat phoand talk about Vietnam.

His dad was in the Vietnamese military, stationed in Saigon, but
Nguyen was living with his mother and grandmother in their hometown
of Nha Trang, a picturesque beach community in the middle of the
country. The South Vietnamese forces were retreating south, and
Nguyen vaguely remembers his dad rushing home, grabbing him and
heading back to Saigon – leaving no time for changing or anything.

He remembers a little bit – the rushing, the screaming, the stream of
refugees. But his family filled in the details. His dad didn’t want
to leave his country. But his mother saw the handwriting on the wall
and insisted that they leave. They were among the first waves of
Vietnamese refugees, fleeing on a U.S. ship toward the Philippines
and then ultimately landing at Camp Pendleton.

The family was resettled in the scorching desert town of Sierra
Vista, Ariz., because an Army lieutenant from there sponsored them.
Townspeople collected money so that the Nguyens could buy a house. He
remembers the lieutenant saying to his dad: “Now you have a mortgage,
so now you are a real American.” His dad took a job as a house
painter and his mom worked long hours as a seamstress.

Eventually, the family moved to Culver City to be closer to
relatives. Then his parents fell in love with the mountains and the
open spaces and moved to Provo, Utah, where they could live the
American Dream: a big house on one-third of an acre. Ted went to
Brigham Young University, studied public relations and public
administration, and took a job with Laer Pearce and Associates in
Orange County. He moved to Laguna Niguel, and eventually took a job
with the transportation agency.

If this sounds typical, almost bland, it’s meant to sound that way.
Indeed, my dad fled Nazi Germany, and my siblings and I pursued
degrees, careers and families in the same way as did Ted Nguyen and
his family members. It’s the same with the descendants of the
Armenian genocide, with my friend who fled violence in El Salvador.

“My story is typical of a lot of Vietnamese,” said Nguyen. “Our
parents were well-educated, they had good jobs in the military and
government. They went from positions of power and influence to build
a new life in a foreign land. They took the jobs that they could
find. I have relatives who were doctors who are janitors here. They
humbled themselves to create a better life for their kids. …
Anything is possible here with hard work. It’s not a cliche. Most of
my peers, 95 percent of them, are college-educated. We think of
ourselves first as Americans, but as Americans with Vietnamese
accents.”

He doesn’t mean language accents. Most of the younger Vietnamese
people around here talk in perfect Southern California English, dude.
He means accented with a remembrance of their unique history, a love
of their culture and, of course, an enjoyment of the food.

That’s how it should be in America.

The new way, expressed accidentally by former Vice President Al Gore,
as he misinterpreted the phrase, e pluribus unum, is: “Out of one,
many.” It suggests that in America individuals see themselves mainly
as members of individual groups, unassimilated into an American
mainstream. The real translation, of course, is “Out of many, one.”
The meaning is the polar opposite.

As Americans, we come from many backgrounds, and we are a reflection
of those backgrounds, but we come together as one nation, one people,
despite our many disagreements and differences. It’s an ideal,
perhaps something mainly out of a civics textbook, but it’s always
worth having ideals to aim for.

The story of Vietnam – from the tragic war to the horrific plight of
refugees to success in America – is a recent passage in the book of
the American nation. My lesson from the 30th anniversary of the fall
of Saigon: As long as Americans cherish liberty and opportunity, new
chapters will continue to be added.

Pan Armenian News

SCHROEDER SUPPORTED TURKISH PREMIER’S PROPOSAL

30.04.2005 04:23

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Shortly before his visit to Turkey German Federal
Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder expressed support to Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s latest proposal to create a joint Armenian-Turkish
historical commission to study the facts of the Armenian Genocide in 1915,
AFP-Istanbul reported. In Schroeder’s words, Erdogan’s proposal should be
supported. The German Chancellor assured that the issue of the Armenian
Genocide `will never be a precondition for Turkey’s accession to the EU.’ He
also noted that the bill on the Armenian Genocide being considered in
Bundestag does not complicate the German-Turkish relations. «It is quite
normal for the Parliaments to deal with historical issues,» noted Gerhard
Schroeder.