Author: Hambardsumian Paul

TURKS IN GERMANY, FRANCE PROTEST ARMENIAN CLAIMS

Journal of Turkish Weekly
March 20 2006

Some 5,000 Turks rallied under the slogan “Take your flag and come
to Berlin” over the weekend in Berlin to urge the German Parliament
to reverse its decision to acknowledge Armenian genocide claims.

The Talat Pasha movement, responsible for the rally, was initiated by
Workers’ Party (IP) leader Dogu Perincek and former Turkish Republic
of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas. Many representatives
from Turkish political parties and non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) participated.

The participants in the rally marched from Berlin’s An der Urania
Street to Ernst Reuter Square chanting “Long live Turkish-German
friendship,” “We didn’t commit genocide, we defended the country,” and
“The genocide lie is a U.S. game.” While they carried signs showing
photos of Turkish diplomats killed by Armenian terrorists, they also
called on the German Parliament to denounce the genocide claims.

During the rally, the crowd stopped at Steinplatz where Talat Pasha
was assassinated in 1921 and sang the Turkish national anthem.

Delivering a speech to the crowd, Perincek said, “Nobody can bring
us to our knees by accusing our nation of massacre.” He also lashed
out at the decision of the German Parliament making Turks out to be
“butchers,” saying, “The German Parliament has stabbed Turkish-German
friendship in the back with this decision.” He also urged the
Parliament to annul the earlier recognition.

Stressing that an erroneous decision by Germany should not be included
in German textbooks, Perincek said, “Don’t put hatred and antagonism
in textbooks. Don’t make Turks and Germans enemies.”

Perincek also lambasted German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s undertakings
to ban the rally, saying, “Merkel should speak in German, not in
American.” The IP leader also claimed that the Armenian genocide
claims serve the U.S.’ Greater Middle East Initiative (GME), adding
that the recognition of the claims is not for the benefit of Germany.

At the head of the rally, Denktas laid flowers where Talat Pasha
was assassinated. Sunday, a general assembly to commemorate Talat
Pasha was held in Berlin. Last year, the same group held another
demonstration to mark the 82nd anniversary of the Treaty of Lausanne.

During that rally, Perincek lashed out at a decision by Switzerland
to punish those who deny the Armenian genocide claims, saying,
“The Armenian ‘genocide’ is an international lie,” after which the
prosecutor from Winterthur opened an investigation into Perincek
and the incident turned into a diplomatic crisis between Turkey
and Switzerland.

Turks in Lyon protest inauguration of Armenian monument

Turkish associations in Lyon, France organized a rally over the
weekend to protest the Lyon Municipality’s decision to dedicate a
monument commemorating the so-called Armenian genocide.

The rally began at Place Bellcour with the members of various Turkish
associations participating while carrying Turkish and French flags.

Some 1,500 Turks participated in the rally and chanted slogans
against the inauguration of the monument. The rally ended at the Lyon
Municipality Building, where protestors laid a black wreath at the
front door.

French police used teargas to disperse a number of Armenians who were
trying to provoke protesters as a means of preventing a dangerous
escalation of tension between Turks and Armenians.

The Lyon Municipality made its decision in 2004 to dedicate a monument
to commemorating the alleged Armenian genocide. They also decided
to make a 45,000 euro contribution towards the total cost of 130,000
euros for the monument and ceremony.

Certain French NGOs together with UNESCO opened a lawsuit against
the construction of the monument, claiming that it will violate the
district’s aesthetics. Some 150,000 Armenians live in Lyon.

In 2001, the French Parliament recognized the Armenian genocide claims,
a move which created a diplomatic row between Ankara and Paris.

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
03/21/2006
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1) ARF Condemns Lyon Demonstration Calls for Action from French Government
2) Armenian And Turkish Ambassadors to Italy Exchange Views on Armenian
Genocide
3) Turkish Army Refuses to Investigate Allegations against Top General
4) Aliyev Says Azeri Territorial Integrity Is Not Subject for Discussion
5) Armenian President Meets with Agriculture Minister to Discuss Bird Flu

1) ARF Condemns Lyon Demonstration Calls for Action from French Government

YEREVAN (Yerkir/PanArmenian.Net)–The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF)
Western Europe Central Committee condemned Tuesday the Turkish protest against
the construction of an Armenian genocide memorial in Lyon.
The ARF condemned the decision by the regional government of Rhone to
sanction
this demonstration of hate and denial even though they were informed in
advance
about its real goal and that the Turkish government had secretly
contributed to
this demonstration through the Turkish embassy in Paris and Turkish consulate
in Lyon.
The regional government was also aware of the contribution the Grey Wolves, a
fascist organization that threatens France and the French people.
The March 18 demonstration is one of the first instances of the Turkish
government’s decision to organize the Turkish communities in Europe. The
protests in Berlin were also organized with help from the Turkish government.
The Lyon demonstration was an example of Genocide denial, something
unacceptable in a country like France.
The prefect of Rhone, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, announced Monday that he will
prohibit all further gatherings of Turkish associations which may result in
denial of the Armenian genocide.
Lacroix said that he understood the anger of the French Armenians.
“But, from a legal point of view, we could not prohibit it. At present, we
have evidence and I will prohibit any other gathering of this type,” he
said at
a news conference.
Several Armenian organizations have decided to address Minister of the
Interior Nicolas Sarkozy so that this type of ashamed gathering “is not
held in
our country any more.”
“Mr. Sarkozy must take the necessary steps to complete the January 2001
law on
the recognition of the Armenian genocide by France,” said affirmed Martine
David, mayor of Saint-Priest (Rhone).
According to of the Coordination Council of the Armenian organizations of
France (CCAF), “the law on recognition of the Armenian genocide lacks an
article necessary for punishing those who, on our land, deny the Armenian
genocide.”
The ARF has also demanded that an investigation be launched to find the
organizers of the demonstration and to unveil the involvement of the Turkish
government in the demonstration, as well as to put an end to anti-Armenian
expression against French Armenians.

2) Armenian And Turkish Ambassadors to Italy Exchange Views on Armenian
Genocide

YEREVAN (Yerkir/PanArmenian.Net)–The Armenian and Turkish Ambassadors to
Italy, Ruben Shugaryan and Ugur Ziyal, discussed the Armenian genocide Monday
on Italian TV.
The five minute dialogue was broadcast on RAI Italian TV Channel.
Turkish Ambassador Ugur Ziyal initiated the discussion. He stated that the
Italian channel often features programming about the Armenian genocide.
He called these programs one-sided, because they only reflect the stance of
the Armenian party.
“We want Turkey’s stance to be presented as well,” Ziyal said.
He also noted that the Turkish party wrote to Armenian Ambassador Ruben
Shugaryan asking him to participate. Shugaryan agreed.

3) Turkish Army Refuses to Investigate Allegations against Top General

ANKARA (AP)–Turkey’s military rejected a prosecutor’s call to investigate a
top Turkish general for allegedly creating a secret force to fight Kurdish
rebels, saying the accusations against the military commander were politically
motivated.
Earlier this month, a prosecutor demanded that a military court investigate
whether head of land forces General Yasar Buyukanit set up a secret group to
fight autonomy-seeking Kurdish rebels. Such a move could undermine the
country’s bid to join the EU.
The accusations raised fears of a new conflict between Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan’s Islamic-rooted government and the country’s secular military,
which has led three coups since 1960.
Buyukanit, who will become the military’s next chief of staff, is considered
more of a hardliner than the current chief of staff. Some newspapers and
politicians have called the prosecutor’s accusation an attempt by the
government to block Buyukanit from becoming the next chief of staff. Many
observers have speculated that Buyukanit would be more likely to clash with
the
Islamic-rooted governing party.
The military statement said the accusations against Buyukanit were “more
political than legal and aimed at harming the Turkish Armed Forces.” It said
there was no need for an investigation into the general.

4) Aliyev Says Azeri Territorial Integrity Is Not Subject for Discussion

BAKU (Armenpress)–Azeri President Ilham Aliyev stated again that the issue of
Azeri territorial integrity will not be up for discussion at the negotiations
held with Armenia over the Karabagh conflict regulation.
“Azerbaijani territorial integrity and autonomy are not subjects for
discussion at the negotiations,” said Aliyev in his speech during Nevruz
spring
holiday celebrations in Baku.
Aliyev also pointed out that the only way they will settle the Karabagh
conflict is based on the interests of Azerbaijan and international norms.

5) Armenian President Meets with Agriculture Minister to Discuss Bird Flu

YEREVAN (Armenpress/RFE/RL)–Armenian President Robert Kocharian conducted a
working meeting Tuesday with the minister of agriculture David Lokian and
discussed a set of measures to prevent the spread of the deadly strain of H5N1
bird flu to Armenia from neighboring countries.
The minister briefed the president on the latest results of a joint study
conducted by Armenian and US experts, who have not any cases of bird flu in
Armenia.
During the meeting the sides also discussed the creation of about 200 small
and medium-sized agriculture processing enterprises. President Kocharian said
it is necessary to support the processing enterprises by giving them
opportunity to get credits with low interest rate.
Authorities in Yerevan already have a plan of action against H5N1. It
envisions, among other things, instructions on how to cull poultry in cases of
emergency, training of officials in charge of veterinary security, and
purchase
of special laboratory equipment for quickly detecting the virus.
Two experts from Armenia’s State Veterinary Inspectorate have already
undergone relevant training at the FAO headquarters in Budapest and two others
will do so next month.
Among the countries that have confirmed bird flu cases are neighboring Turkey
and Azerbaijan. The latter detected two outbreaks of the virus among wild
birds
earlier this month. Similar cases are being reported across Europe on a
practically daily basis. Government officials and disease experts say the
risks
facing Armenia will grow considerably with the start early next month of the
spring migration of wild birds, the main carriers of H5N1. Armenia serves as a
transit point for them.
Baghian repeated the government’s pledge to form and send special teams of
epidemiologists to locations traditionally used by wild birds for nesting.
“Possible cases of bird deaths and other extraordinary phenomena would be
immediately reported to local veterinary services,” he said.
The official also sought to ease Armenian consumers’ lingering concerns about
eating chickens, eggs and poultry products saying that local poultry farms are
being regularly inspected by his agency. “Those products are sold with
appropriate safety certificates,” he said.
The government imposed a near complete ban on poultry imports on January 3
following the deaths of three children in a village in eastern Turkey located
less than 60 kilometers from the Armenian border. They died after reportedly
contracting the disease from domestic chickens.
The Armenian authorities have also heightened sanitary controls at the border
crossings and carried out a mass vaccination of fowl in villages close to the
Turkish border.

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SITUATION IS UNDER CONTROL

Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
20 March 2006

On March 15 the NKR Ministry of Agriculture and Health sent specialists
to the border villages of Mataghis and Talish in Martakert for
extension on protection from the bird flu. The reason was the
information in the Azerbaijani mass media that bird flu was reported
in the region of Tartar (Mirbashir).

Tartar is close to the northern border of Nagorno Karabakh Republic,
which urges to enhance control in our poultry farms. The specialists
of the ministry found out that in the past few months no mass deaths
of birds were reported. “It means the situation is stable, and there
are no cases that cause suspicion,” said Tigran Arustamyan, the head
of the department of veterinary medicine and cattle breeding of the
Ministry of Agriculture. Ofelia Harutyunian, the head of the hygiene
and epidemic department, said the measures that have been taken reduce
the risk of the penetration of the virus.

CYBER CRIMES TO BECOME PUNISHABLE
By Marietta Khachatrian

AZG Armenian Daily
21/03/2006

The National Assembly discussed yesterday the issue of ratifying
“racist and xenophobic activity via computer technologies” protocol
of the convention on “Cyber Crimes”. This is an attempt to define
cyber crimes and their types, particularly illegal penetration into
the computer field and secret hunting of information, information
defiling, violating of author rights as well as crimes related to
children’s pornography as punishable under the country’s penal code.

Minister Vartan Oskanian interviewed by Second Armenian TV Channel

17.03.2006 12:20

Question: Mr. Oskanian, what issues did you discuss with the high-level
representatives of the State Department?

Oskanian: Today, in our meeting with the high-level representatives
of the US State Dept, we focused on three areas: bilateral issues,
energy-related issues and of course the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
resolution process.

Regarding the first, the upcoming Millennium Challenge Compact signing
ceremony is of course uppermost in everyone’s mind. The Minister
of Finance will sign the compact in Washington on March 27. I’ll be
present during the ceremony. We are truly fortunate to have these kinds
of significant resources made available to us. This is a very serious
program that offers us the opportunity to make huge infrastructure
improvements, and it’s related directly to our democratization
process. This program will put Armenia-US relations at a new level.

Energy issues, too, are obviously, very important today. It was
interesting to hear the US thinking on this subject. For Armenia, the
diversification of energy sources is a matter of utmost priority. Our
energy security depends on our being able to maintain the nuclear
resource, and we discussed all of these topics.

Finally, the Nagorno Karabakh issue: Here the fundamental issue is that
negotiations continue. After Rambouillet and the backtracking that we
sensed there, the challenge is to preserve the positive achievements
and build on those. The co-chairs will meet soon and then it will be
clearer what might happen next. Our discussions today revolved around
how we might do that in a way that tries to find solutions for the
deadlocked situation in which we find ourselves today.

Question: What do you make of Aliev’s statements, including those
today, extolling their increasing military capability?

Oskanian: It must be exactly because of their huge military budget
that they have been working overtime at the border and repeatedly
violating the ceasefire. They must have extra bullets to spare.

But let’s look at this from a global context. Today, in the
civilized world, peoples and states don’t compete over the size
of their military budget. That’s not what they take pride in when
they compare themselves with their neighbors. Today, the spheres
of competition are elsewhere. And in all those spheres, Armenia is
ahead of Azerbaijan. So far ahead that there is really no room to
compare. Beginning with the UN’s human development index, Armenia is
ahead of Azerbaijan. The international index that gauges Armenia’s
investment climate puts Armenia way ahead of Azerbaijan. They’re not
even a member of the WTO. There is no comparison in level of democratic
development, human rights protections or press freedoms. In indexes
that measure economic freedoms and development, and transparency and
gains in the battle against corruption, Armenia is disproportionately
better than Azerbaijan. Despite the fact that it’s how many years
now that Azerbaijan produces 400,000 barrels of oil, the per capita
income in Azerbaijan still hasn’t reached Armenia’s. It is better that
Azerbaijan tries to reach Armenia’s levels in these fields, than try
to compete and take pride in being ahead with its military capacity.

JAVAKHETI ROADS TO BE REPAIRED WITHIN MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE ACCOUNT

PanARMENIAN.Net
17.03.2006 00:28 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The first consultation meeting with a number of NGOs
was held at the office of the Millennium Challenge Georgia (MCG). Its
major goal was to inform the public on the course of implementation
of the project of rehabilitation of roads in Samtskhe-Javakheti
region. The project is being implemented with the financial assistance
of the Millennium Challenge Corporation in compliance with Millennium
Challenge Account of the US Government.

During the meeting nature conservation principles and approaches of
the Millennium Challenge Corporation and MCG were considered, as well
as information on consulting company of the project of rehabilitation
of Samtskhe-Javakheti roads – German Kox Consult Gmbh.

According to a contract, signed between the Millennium Challenge –
Georgia and Kox Consult Gmbh February 10, 2006, the company, which has
55 years of experience, should compose the project of rehabilitation of
the major highway, connecting Tbilisi with Samtskhe-Javakheti region,
estimate the project impact on the environment. The construction
works are scheduled to begin in spring 2007. The overall length of the
roads planned to repair makes 245km, which include the major highway,
as well as the road to the Turkish border, reports Novosti-Gruzia.

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
—————————————— —-
PRESS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
375010 Telephone: +37410. 544041 ext 202
Fax: +37410. 562543
Email: [email protected]

PRESS RELEASE

16-03-2006

Minister Vartan Oskanian interviewed by Second Armenian TV Channel

Question: Mr. Oskanian, what issues did you discuss with the high-level
representatives of the State Department?

Oskanian: Today, in our meeting with the high-level representatives
of the US State Dept, we focused on three areas: bilateral issues,
energy-related issues and of course the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
resolution process.

Regarding the first, the upcoming Millennium Challenge Compact signing
ceremony is of course uppermost in everyone’s mind. The Minister
of Finance will sign the compact in Washington on March 27. I’ll be
present during the ceremony. We are truly fortunate to have these kinds
of significant resources made available to us. This is a very serious
program that offers us the opportunity to make huge infrastructure
improvements, and it’s related directly to our democratization
process. This program will put Armenia-US relations at a new level.

Energy issues, too, are obviously, very important today. It was
interesting to hear the US thinking on this subject. For Armenia, the
diversification of energy sources is a matter of utmost priority. Our
energy security depends on our being able to maintain the nuclear
resource, and we discussed all of these topics.

Finally, the Nagorno Karabakh issue: Here the fundamental issue is that
negotiations continue. After Rambouillet and the backtracking that we
sensed there, the challenge is to preserve the positive achievements
and build on those. The co-chairs will meet soon and then it will be
clearer what might happen next. Our discussions today revolved around
how we might do that in a way that tries to find solutions for the
deadlocked situation in which we find ourselves today.

Question: What do you make of Aliev’s statements, including those
today, extolling their increasing military capability?

Oskanian: It must be exactly because of their huge military budget
that they have been working overtime at the border and repeatedly
violating the ceasefire. They must have extra bullets to spare.

But let’s look at this from a global context. Today, in the
civilized world, peoples and states don’t compete over the size
of their military budget. That’s not what they take pride in when
they compare themselves with their neighbors. Today, the spheres
of competition are elsewhere. And in all those spheres, Armenia is
ahead of Azerbaijan. So far ahead that there is really no room to
compare. Beginning with the UN’s human development index, Armenia is
ahead of Azerbaijan. The international index that gauges Armenia’s
investment climate puts Armenia way ahead of Azerbaijan. They’re not
even a member of the WTO. There is no comparison in level of democratic
development, human rights protections or press freedoms. In indexes
that measure economic freedoms and development, and transparency and
gains in the battle against corruption, Armenia is disproportionately
better than Azerbaijan. Despite the fact that it’s how many years
now that Azerbaijan produces 400,000 barrels of oil, the per capita
income in Azerbaijan still hasn’t reached Armenia’s. It is better that
Azerbaijan tries to reach Armenia’s levels in these fields, than try
to compete and take pride in being ahead with its military capacity.

TWO ARMENIAN BROTHERS IN CENTER OF POLITICAL SCANDAL IN KENYA

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Mar 15 2006

NAIROBI, MARCH 15, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Artur Sargsian
and Artur Margarian, whom the international media and the Kenyan
press present as brothers, found themselves in the center of a
political scandal that broke in Kenya this week. According to Radio
Liberty, Reyla Odinga – one of the leaders of the Kenyan opposition –
accused the Armenian brothers of acting as hirelings of the Kenyan
authorities for attacking the media. Both Sargsian and Margarian
denied the accusations.

They convened a press conference early this week at the airport of the
Kenyan capital of Nairobi and stated: “We are not hirelings, but even
if we were, your government would not have enough money to hire us.”

The brothers also claimed that they are relatives of the Armenian
President Robert Kocharian.

Artur Sargsian said that he is a candidate for the post of the RA
president, and that he runs a gold and precios stone business in Asia
and Africa.

According to the German DPA agency, Artur Sargsian also claimed
that the opposition leader Odinga has borrowed one and a half
million dollars from him, so that the opposition can pass a vote of
nonconfidence to the government of the Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki
in the parliament.

The mysterious story of the two Armenian brothers received extensive
coverage in the Kenyan press.

TURKEY SHOULD HURRY WITH ARMENIAN ISSUE

PanARMENIAN.Net
15.03.2006 19:03 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey should maximally speed up the measures
undertaken within the Armenian issue.

Historians should deal with historical issues and Turks should think in
this direction, staunch defender of official Turkey’s position on the
Armenian Genocide Justin McCarty stated during the “New rapprochement
in the Turkish-Armenian relations” symposium held in Istanbul. McCarty
also touched upon the protest of the Armenian lobby against the TV
debates to take place after the show of Andrew Goldberg’s film titled
Armenian Genocide. “The resolution of the issue is unclear yet. But if
Armenians had anything to say they wouldn’t have minded the program,”
the American historian said, reported Marmara Istanbul-based newspaper.

TWO FOLD INCREASE IN GAS PRICE TO MAKE CEMENT EXPORT FROM ARMENIA IMPOSSIBLE

Noyan Tapan
Mar 07 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 7, NOYAN TAPAN. In case of a twofold increase in the
gas price, the cement production cost will increase by 15% in Armenia,
which will make it impossible to export this building material from
the country – under conditions of a high transportation cost. Artur
Ashughian, Head of the Nature Use and Mining Industry Department of
the RA Ministry of Trade and Economic Development, stated this at
the March 7 press conference.

According to him, in case of the current gas price of 54 USD for 1,000,
gas accounts for 30-42% of the cost of cement produced in Armenia,
but it will account for 52-60% as a result of the gas price increase
to 110 USD.

Naira Martirosian, Director General of Mika Cement company, stated
previously that the company operated with a 5% profitability in
late 2005.