Author: Hovhannisian John

Heidenheimer Zeitung – Germany
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ARMENIEN / Mit Unterstutzung der Landesregierung eroffnet das Rote
Kreuz ein “Haus der Hoffnung” in
Die Dankbarkeit hat ein Gesicht
Die armen Rentner in Eriwan konnen sich auch weiterhin auf Hilfe aus
dem Sudwesten Deutschlands verlassen. Mit Spenden aus Schwabisch
Gmund und einem Zuschuss der Landesregierung hat das Rote Kreuz in
Armeniens Hauptstadt ein “Haus der Hoffnung” eingerichtet.
“Welcome to Armenia – Willkommen in Armenien”, dieser Gruß prangt auf
einem riesigen Schild am neuen Terminal des Flughafens der
armenischen Hauptstadt Eriwan. Die Delegation aus dem Sudwesten
staunt uber das neue Abfertigungsgebaude und fuhlt sich wie in einer
europaischen Großstadt. Wer schon einmal in Eriwan war, erinnert sich
an den noch im Vorjahr vorhandenen Hauch von Sozialismus bei der
Ankunft am damaligen Terminal mit langem Warten aufs Gepack und
langer Schlange bei der Visakontrolle. Die Besucher aus
Baden-Wurttemberg sind nach Armenien gekommen, um das “Haus der
Hoffnung” zu eroffnen, ein vom Landesverband des Deutschen Roten
Kreuzes und dem armenischen Roten Kreuz errichtetes Sozialzentrum.
Die Idee, ein solches Haus mit Suppenkuche, Kleiderkammer und
Sozialstation zu bauen, geht auf Gerhard Maier zuruck. Sechs Jahre
nach dem großen Erdbeben im Norden Armeniens startete der Schwabisch
Gmunder CDU-Stadtrat und ehrenamtliche Rot-Kreuz-Mitarbeiter 1994 die
erste Suppenkuche, getragen von Spenden aus der Burgerschaft seiner
Stadt. Im Jahr 2002, nach Maiers Tod, fuhrte der Gmunder Pfarrer
Karl-Heinz Scheide die Hilfsaktion fort. Die Leser dieser Zeitung
wahlten ihn dafur 2004 zum Mensch des Jahres. Zu erleben, wie aus
einer Naturkatastrophe eine lebendige Freundschaft entstehen kann,
ist fur Lorenz Menz, den Prasidenten des Landes-DRK, der erstmals in
Armenien weilt, eine beeindruckende Erfahrung. “Wie hilfreich das
alles ist, sieht man, wenn man den alten Menschen gegenubersteht und
ihnen ins Gesicht schaut”, sagt er. Die Freundschaft sei nicht nur
Geben, sondern auch ein Bekommen. Noch immer im Container Dies sieht
auch Willi Stachele so, als Minister im Stuttgarter Staatsministerium
zustandig fur europaische Angelegenheiten. Baden-Wurttemberg hat das
“Haus der Hoffnung” mit 75 000 Euro unterstutzt, ein knappes Viertel
der 350 000 Euro Kosten. Stachele hat das Erdbebengebiet von 1988
besucht. Er traf dort Familien, die 18 Jahre danach noch immer in
Containern leben. Hier Abhilfe zu schaffen, darum habe er den
armenischen Sozialminister gebeten, sagt Stachele. Armenien stecke 15
Jahre nach dem Herauslosen aus der ehemaligen Sowjetunion auch
außenpolitisch in einer schwierigen Situation. Das Land kann nur im
Suden uber den Iran und im Norden uber Georgien und Russland Handel
treiben. Die Grenzen zum westlichen Nachbarn Turkei und zum ostlich
gelegenen Aserbaidschan sind dicht. Hier musse europaische Politik
ansetzen und auf die Turkei einwirken, um die Grenzen zu offnen.
Armenien selbst soll, so der CDU-Politiker, auch mehr fur sich
werben, etwa durch eine Kulturwoche in Deutschland ahnlich dem
Armenien-Jahr, das in diesem Jahr in Frankreich stattfand. “Hoffnung
zu geben”, dafur steht fur Stachele das eingeweihte “Haus der
Hoffnung”. Mit Stolz habe ihn erfullt, “dass eine Stadt in
Baden-Wurttemberg mit großem Engagement auf Dauer angelegt hilft”.
Ein Burger dieser Stadt ist der Gmunder Varujan Karajan. Seine
Vorfahren stammen aus dem fruheren Westarmenien, das heute zur Turkei
gehort. Er ist einer von sieben Millionen Diaspora-Armeniern, die das
Land verlassen haben, um im Ausland Arbeit zu finden. Denn von den
nach wie vor drei Millionen Armeniern – etwa 1,5 Millionen leben in
der Hauptstadt Eriwan – sind nach inoffiziellen Schatzungen bis zu 60
Prozent arbeitslos. Und die Rente der alten Menschen, die in der
“Kuche der Barmherzigkeit” taglich mit einer warmen Mahlzeit versorgt
werden, reicht oft nicht einmal fur die elementarsten Bedurfnisse
oder die einfachsten Lebensmittel. Die Einrichtung, die wahrend der
kalten Jahreszeit weit mehr als 500 000 warme Essen ausgibt, ist
daher langst zu einer angesehenen Einrichtung geworden. Ein Schock
Den ersten Besuch in der alten Heimat erlebt Karajan zunachst als
Schock: Die nachtliche Ankunft in der karg beleuchteten Stadt, die
riesigen Locher in den Straßen, die maroden sozialistischen
Wohnblocks. Erst am nachsten Morgen bessert sich sein Eindruck beim
uberwaltigenden Blick auf den 5165 Meter hohen Berg Ararat, auf dem
der Bibel nach die Arche Noahs gelandet ist. Doch liegt das
Bergmassiv fur die stolzen Armenier, deren Land sich vor gut 2000
Jahren bis zum Mittelmeer erstreckte, unerreichbar hinter
Stacheldraht auf turkischem Gebiet. Karajan, der mit seiner Familie
aus der Ostturkei nach Istanbul und dann nach Deutschland gezogen
ist, sagt nach wenigen Tagen Aufenthalt, dass er fruher nach Armenien
hatte kommen sollen. “Mal dachte ich, ich bin Armenier, dann auch
wieder nicht”, erzahlt er. Aber: “Wenn man hierherkommt, weiß man, wo
man hingehort.” Dabei weiß der Gmunder Zahnarzt aus seinem Alltag in
Deutschland, wie schwierig es ist, auch nur uber die historisch
belasteten Beziehungen zwischen Armenien und der Turkei zu reden.
Sein Großvater ist dem turkischen Massaker in den Jahren 1915 bis
1918 entkommen, sein Urgroßvater hat wie mindestens eine Million
weitere Armenier den Volkermord nicht uberlebt. Der Genozid ist ein
Thema, das Armenier aller Altersgruppen umtreibt, wie eine junge
Dolmetscherin beim Spaziergang uber den fruheren Lenin-Platz – heute
Platz der Republik – erzahlt. Die Alten meinen, sagt sie, dass in der
Sowjetunion alles besser war. Junge Leute wie die Dolmetscherin
selbst aber bauen in einem sich seit 15 Jahren mal langsamer, mal
schneller verandernden Land auf ein anderes Leben. Ein von Freiheit
gepragtes, trotz hoher Arbeitslosigkeit, trotz eklatantem Unterschied
zwischen Arm und Reich, trotz Korruption. Die junge Frau verweist auf
ihren Namen: Nadja, die Kurzform des russischen Namens Nadeschda – zu
deutsch Hoffnung. Spenden fur die “Kuche der Barmherzigkeit” konnen
auf das Konto 440 752 987 der Kreissparkasse Ostalb (BLZ 614 500 50)
einbezahlt werden.
MICHAEL LÄNGE
–Boundary_(ID_o0OvkUJEzu6g3kotS81mwA) —

ARMENIAN, AZERBAIJANI DEFENSE MINISTERS NOT DISCUSS ISSUE OF “OCCUPIED” TERRITORIES
Arka News Agency, Armenia
Nov 3 2006
YEREVAN, November 3. /ARKA/. At their meeting on October 20, Armenian
and Azerbaijani Ministers of Defense Serge Sargsyan and Safar Abiyev
did not discuss the issue of Armenia’s vacating the “occupied”
territories, Press Secretary of the RA Minioster of Defense Colonel
Seyran Shahsuvaryan told ARKA.
“Abiev’s statement quoted by Azerbaijani mass media that during his
meeting with Sargsyan on October 20 the first issue raised by the
Azerbaijani Minister concerned the withdrawal of Armenian troops
from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan does not correspond to
the facts,” Shahsuvaryan said.
He said that the Ministers’ meeting at the Armenian-Azerbaijani
border was held on the personal initiative of OSCE Chairman-in-Office
Andrej Kasprzic to promote mutual confidence between the Armenian
and Azerbaijani Defense Offices. Shahsuvaryan said that the Ministers
only discussed issues of maintaining the cease-fire regime and border
control. P.T. -0–

Georgia, Gazprom Discuss Gas Price Hike
By MISHA DZHINDZHIKASHVILI
Nov. 3, 2006, 12:53PM
Associated Press Writer
© 2006 The Associated Press
TBILISI, Georgia — Georgia said Friday it was trying to persuade
Russian state gas monopoly Gazprom to reconsider its decision to
more than double the price for gas supplies, but would also seek to
diversify its energy imports.
Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli told a Cabinet meeting that
the price hike was obviously political because other former Soviet
nations were paying far less. A day earlier, Georgia’s foreign
minister said the new rate was “the price we pay for our choice”
of a pro-Western path.
OAO Gazprom said Thursday it plans to charge Tbilisi $230 per
1,000 cubic meters of gas, compared with the $110 that it pays now,
increasing economic pressure against Moscow’s small southern neighbor.
Nogaideli pointed out that Ukraine got a price of $130 for next year
and Armenia $110, and some European Union nations paid less than
$230, an apparent reference to the three Baltic states. He said that
Georgian officials were talking to Gazprom hoping to reduce the price
it requested.
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili criticized the planned increase
but played down its potential effects. “I don’t expect any catastrophe,
but certainly it’s a bad precedent for everybody. Energy cannot
and should not become a political tool,” he said during a terrorism
conference in Monaco.
Energy Minister Nika Gilauri said that talks were taking place with
Azerbaijan, Iran and Turkey to secure alternative supplies of gas.
Analysts in Georgia warned of a repeat of the gas war between Russia
and Ukraine at the start of this year when Gazprom cut off supplies.
That stoppage, amid fierce negotiations over a higher price demanded by
Gazprom, was seen as punishment for Ukraine’s pro-Western policies. It
also briefly interrupted deliveries to Europe, sending lasting shock
waves through the European Union nations already wary of overdependence
on Russian energy supplies.
Ukraine, which finally agreed to pay almost double at $95 per 1,000
cubic meters, has since managed to limit the increase for 2007 to $130
after Russian-leaning Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych took over as
head of government in the wake of his party’s success in March polls.
Neighboring Belarus faces a fourfold rise in gas prices, although
Gazprom is believed to be willing to compromise if the country hands
over 50 percent of the state pipeline through which Russian gas
transits to western Europe.
“Russia is increasingly using the energy weapon for political reasons,”
said Georgian political analyst Ramaz Sakvarelidze. “There is only
one aim, to punish Georgia for its policy of integration with NATO
and European structures.”
–Boundary_(ID_YhNcMp+Z2hzWIOr3 875VTQ)–

November 2, 2006
PRESS RELEASE
Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate
6252 Honolulu Avenue
La Crescenta, CA 91214
Tel: (818) 248-7737
Fax: (818) 248-7745
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
DURING THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS OF ST. GREGORY CHURCH COME,
TOGETHER LET US BRIGHTEN THE ALTAR OF LIGHT DECLARED THE PRELATE
On Friday, October 27, 2006, H. E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian,
Prelate, departed for San Francisco to join the parish community in
celebrating the 40th anniversary of St. Gregory Church.
The Prelate landed in San Francisco on Friday evening, upon which he
was greeted by Rev. Avedis Torossian, Board of Trustees Chair Mr.
Nerses Teshoian, and Prelacy Executive Council member Mr. Garbis
Bezjian. Later that evening, the celebrations began with a family
night at Saroyan Hall. In his remarks, the Prelate congratulated the
parish community and commended their hard work. The evening came to
a close with the Prelate’s benediction.
On the evening of Saturday, October 28, the parish Ladies Auxiliary
had organized a banquet as the main event of the 40th anniversary
celebrations, under the auspices of and presided over by the Prelate.
By special invitation, representatives from all local Armenian
organizations participated in the event. The emcee of the evening
was Ladies Auxiliary Chair Mrs. Arax Sarian, who invited the Prelate
to bless the tables. Following the emcee’s welcoming remarks, the
artistic program began. The emcee then invited the Board Chair,
Executive Council representative, Rev. Avedis Torossian, Rev. James
Kizirian, Mr. Noubar Demirjian, and others to convey their messages,
followed by the cutting of the 40th anniversary cake by the Prelate,
Pastor, and Board Chairman. In his concluding remarks, the Prelate
once again congratulated the parish community, stressing that on
this blessed occasion “we must reexamine ourselves and renew our
responsibilities and commitment to the church and community”. The event
concluded with the “Bahbanich” prayer and the collective singing of
“Giligia”.
On Sunday, October 29, Archbishop Mardirossian conducted Holy Mass
at St. Gregory Church, where joining the parishioners in celebrating
Mass were Homenetmen scouts from the Walnut Creek and San Francisco
chapters. During his sermon, the Prelate urged the parishioners
to come together to keep the light of the church shining bright.
He then spoke on the feast of the Discovery of the Holy Cross, which
was also celebrated on that day, reminding the faithful that just
as Queen Heghine sought and found the Holy Cross, so did this parish
community when it was inspired forty years ago to build St. Gregory
Church. The Prelate then urged the faithful to serve the church
with faith in the example of the founders. During requiem service,
special prayers were offered for the souls of the founding members,
clergymen, benefactors, and volunteers. Services concluded with the
collective singing of “Giligia”.
On the morning of Monday, October 30, the Prelate visited
Krouzian-Zekarian-Vasbouragan School where the students had organized a
performance to honor the Armenian culture and language on the occasion
of Armenian Culture month. In his closing remarks, the Prelate had a
dialogue with the students, during which he instilled in them a love of
the Armenian language. He concluded with the benediction. The Prelate
was then escorted to the newly built playground, which he blessed.
Subsequently, the Prelate enjoyed lunch with the school administration,
after which they bid him farewell and a safe return to Los Angeles.

VARTAN OSKANIAN SPOKE AT THE SITTING OF BSEC COUNCIL OF FOREIGN MINISTERS
ArmRadio.am
01.11.2006 18:00
October 31 – November 1 RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian
participated and delivered a speech at the 15th sitting of the Black
Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSECO) Council of Foreign
Ministers.
In his speech Minister Oskanian said in particular that despite
the existing bilateral problems, BSEC countries have a number of
similarities. For establishment of a harmonic atmosphere for resolving
the political problems, these similarities should prevail over the
difficulties.
Turning to Bulgaria’s and Romania’s upcoming accession to the EU,
Minister Oskanian underlined that it creates a new opportunity for
close cooperation between BSEC and EU, considering the common interests
and membership of some countries to both organizations.
A joint communiqué was adopted at the end of the meeting of the
Foreign Ministers Council and the presidency was transferred from
Russia to Serbia.
In the framework of the sitting RA Foreign Minister met with his
Russian counterpart ergey Lavrov.
–Boundary_(ID_EK/A94G75LdjS7mFvAXFXA)–

ARMENIAN AND GEORGIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS DISCUSS WAYS OF LIQUIDATION OF POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF GUAM INITIATIVE AT UN
Noyan Tapan
Nov 01 2006
MOSCOW, NOVEMBER 1, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenia-Georgia bilateral
relations, reflection of the Russian-Georgian relations on the region
and possibilities of easing the existing tension were discussed on
November 1, in Moscow, at the meeting of Armenian and Georgian Foreign
Ministers Vartan Oskanian and Gela Bezhuashvili. Touching upon the two
countries’ relations with the EU, the Ministers appreciated adoption of
the Actions Plan of the South Caucasian states of the New Neighbourhood
Policy scheduled for November 14 and expressed confidence that it will
give possibility for more deepening of the bilateral cooperation in
the direction of the European integration of Armenia and Georgia.
As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and
Information Department, the sides exchanged opinions on peaceful
settlement of conflicts of the region as well, and, within that
context, on possibilities of liquidation of possible consequences
of the GUAM initiatives at the UN. To recap, the heads of the RA
and Georgian Foreign Ministries participate in Moscow in the 15th
meeting of the Foreign Ministers’ Council of the Black Sea Economic
Cooperation organization.

LES TEMPS FORTS
Le Figaro, France
30 octobre 2006
Patrimoine Du 15 decembre au 18 mars. Les douze capitales d’Armenie
et leurs styles architecturaux. n La Conciergerie, 2, boulevard du
Palais, 75001 Paris.
Du 28 janvier au 25 mars. Livre armenien : cinq siècles de tresors. n
La Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF). 58, rue de Richelieu 75002
Paris. Du 17 fevrier au 15 mai. Armenia Sacra. Le Musee du Louvre
presente l’art sacre armenien. Du 19 avril au 31 mai. Tresors d’Armenie
: 30 livres precieux (de la Bibliothèque nationale d’Armenie). n
Bibliothèque municipale : 3, rue Kuhn, 67000 Strasbourg. Art moderne
et contemporain Du 13 fevrier au 31 mars.
Retrospective Martiros Sarian au Musee francais de la carte a jouer.
n 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux. De juillet a août. Peintures en Armenie
1830-1930. n Petit Palais, Musee des beaux-arts de Paris : av.
Winston-Churchill, 75008 Paris. Photographie Du 6 janvier
au 24 fevrier. 15 ans d’independance vus par les photographes
armeniens. n Musee archeologique : place de la Vieille-Eglise, 83701
Saint-Raphaël. Cinema Janvier 2007. Retrospectives Sergueï Paradjanov
n Cinemathèque de Toulouse 69, rue du Taur, 31000 Toulouse. n
L’Institut Lumière de Lyon 25, rue du Premier-Film, 69008 Lyon. Avril
2007. Hommage a Rouben Mamoulian. n Cinemathèque francaise, 51,
rue de Bercy, 75012 Paris. Musique Le 17 fevrier. Charles Aznavour
et ses amis n Palais Garnier, a Paris. Theâtre/Danse Du 7 octobre
au 10 juin (tournee en France). Parfums d’Armenie : creation de la
compagnie Yeraz.
–Boundary_(ID_iXlu988d2jU8HEXpgkfv2Q)–

ANGELS AND ARMENIA ARE SEWER’S MOTIFS
Around Blackhawk: Georgia Lambert
ContraCostaTimes.com and wire service sources
Posted on Sun, Oct. 29, 2006
“‘DID I DO THAT?'” Olga Arabian told me she asks herself that sometimes
when she looks at her handiwork — magnificent cross-stitched beaded
angels, an Orthodox cross in tapestry, hand-stitched quilts, comforters
and pillows with crocheted lace.
The walls of the Blackhawk home in which she and husband Robert have
lived since 1994 are tastefully adorned with framed creations from
years past and present.
I learned about Olga’s talent after receiving a call from her neighbor,
Jim Ashworth. He and his wife, Mary, were out for a walk and were
invited to see Olga’s most recent project, a stunning gold and silver
tapestry Orthodox cross.
“I couldn’t put it down,” said Olga. “I spent 12 hours a day on
it — it took me about four months to complete. I could never do
another one.”
Said Jim, “Olga does the most beautiful kind of high-end needlework.”
After visiting the Arabians’ home, I couldn’t agree more. In spite
of the level of difficulty and the amount of work she put into the
Orthodox cross, she said the series of angels she has completed —
Hope, Universe, Grace, Ice, Autumn, Sea, Millennium and World Peace
angels — is her pride and joy. She is working on another, Celtic
Christmas Angel.
In addition to the painstaking cross-stitching she completes (with
no transfers, just counted cross-stitches), she sews on seed pearls,
beads and tiny gems.
“She’s a real perfectionist,” said Bob. “I assure you that each piece
is as flawless as she could make it.”
I asked her about a sampler that I saw on her wall with foreign
writing. She created the Armenian Sampler about 10 years ago, she
said. It features a scene with grapes, olive trees and Mount Ararat
in the background, with Armenian numbers, the Armenian alphabet and,
in Armenian, the saying, “I am Armenian.”
By popular demand, she made kits of the sampler; hundreds have been
sold through Armenian churches and newsletters, as well as local
charities for fundraising.
I struck gold when I asked Olga and Bob how they met. Their
grandmothers were friends in Armenia at the beginning of the 20th
century. In 1915, when the Turks attacked Armenia and more than a
million people were slain, many Armenians fled for their lives, and
the two women completely lost touch with each other (as well as with
some of their own family members, who were never heard from again).
Bob’s grandmother made it to England, where she worked as a governess
for some years. Olga’s grandmother ended up in the United States.
In 1930, when Bob’s grandmother was visiting a cousin in Detroit,
she recognized her old friend in a grocery store, and discovered they
lived only a few miles apart and had grandchildren of about the same
age — Bob, born in 1929, and Olga, born in 1930.
Family friends all of their lives, Bob and Olga celebrated their
51st anniversary this year — they were married in 1955. They have
10 nephews and nieces and 16 great-nephews and nieces (Olga has made
quilts for all of them!). They purchased their Blackhawk home in 1988,
rented it out once it was completed, and moved here in 1994 from
Detroit when Bob retired from General Motors, where Olga also worked.
Olga began quilting in 1959. She spent four years making her first
quilt, the Cherry Tree, which won an honorable mention when a friend
entered it in the California State Fair in 1963. It was also displayed
recently at the Mission San Jose Outdoor Quilt Show. An Amish quilt
she made, with close to 1,000 pieces, was recently included in a show
at the Museum of San Ramon Valley in Danville.
Each year, Olga prepares about a dozen Christmas trees with
hand-stitched ornaments for the Knights & Daughters of Vartan, an
Armenian fraternal service organization, which are then raffled. She
also makes centerpieces, dolls, holiday figures and artistic desserts
for various charities.
She is president of the Blackhawk Women’s Knit & Stitch group, which
meets monthly, and Bob has been a member of the local Homeowners
Association for many years.
Reach Georgia Lambert c/o the Times, P.O. Box 68, Danville, CA 94526;
at 925-743-2205 or [email protected].

AZG Armenian Daily #206, 28/10/2006

Opinion
TURKEY NOT READY TO BE MORE VIRTUOUS
“I think we are unwisely misusing the Genocide of
1915. Maybe we have a goal today – to make Turkey and
the Turks to accept responsibility for that bloody
page of their history – that is gradually coming true.
Also, to make them understand what was done and then
go forward,” Armen Darbinian, rector of Slavonic
University, former prime minister, said about the
Armenian Genocide at the yesterday’s meeting with
students.
The rector said that our longing to see a Turkey that
has recognized the Genocide is conditioned by the fact
that we want to see it cleaner, better and more
virtuous. But to achieve that they have to be
prepared. “This is perhaps a good aim but I think we
have a more important aim – we have to become more
truthful,” the rector said.
By Gohar Gevorgian

The New Anatolian, Turkey
Oct 27 2006
Linden: Reconciliation needs more freedom of _expression
The New Anatolian / Ankara
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) President Rene
van der Linden yesterday strongly criticized France’s lower house of
Parliament for passing a controversial bill that aims to ban
questioning of Armenian genocide claims.
“This is not in line with one of the basic principles of human
rights, freedom of _expression,” Linden said during his visit to
Ankara yesterday. PACE head underlined that reconciliation efforts
among countries need more freedom of _expression among all involved
parties, not unconstructive moves to restrict people’s free
_expression of their ideas. Van der Linden also criticized those in
Turkey who are using the French bill as a pretext not to change
controversial Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) which sets
out penalties for “insulting Turkishness.” The PACE head clearly
stated yesterday that the Turkish government has to amend the
article, which has been used to bring charges against dozens of
journalists, publishers and scholars.
Van der Linden, during his visit to Ankara yesterday, met with
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and Turkish deputies. Before
his departure from Ankara, the PACE president spoke to journalists.
Recalling his support for Turkey’s EU membership process and
highlighting the importance of continuation of the reform process,
Van der Linden underlined that this was in the interest of both
Europe and Turkey. He said that the second phase of the reform
process, the implementation was understandably much more difficult,
since it necessitated the change of mentalities and convincing
people.
Saying that Turkey seems overly frustrated by the criticisms of
Europe, Van der Linden said that most of these criticisms were in
fact aimed at assisting Turkey in the reform process. In a move to
further encourage Turkey on its EU accession process, he said that
Turkish people should not overestimate current discussions in Europe
and see that it will be EU in 15 years later which Turkey will join.
On the debates of so-called Armenian genocide, PACE head stressed the
necessity for all countries to come into terms with its history for a
better future, but he criticized France’s lower house of Parliament
passing a controversial bill to ban questioning of Armenian genocide
claims. “This is a back-step from the freedom of _expression, a bad
example,” Van der Linden told reporters, and expressed hope that the
controversial bill will not be passed by the upper house.
On the possible “train crash” between Turkey and EU late this year
due to the Cyprus problem, Van der Linden said that this is in no
one’s interest and continuation of Turkey’s EU process was in the
interest of both Europeans and Turkey.
The PACE president will attend a roundtable discussion with legal and
human rights experts at Bilgi University in Istanbul today. On
Saturday he will lay a wreath at the Gallipoli War Memorial and visit
the war graves there as well as meet with a delegation from the
Canakkale Provincial Council.