Author: Jalatian Sonya

TURKEY GIVES IN ON FREE SPEECH BUT CUTS ARMY TIES WITH PARIS
By Mark Beunderman

EUobserver.com, Belgium
Nov 16 2006

In a move to curry favour with the EU, Turkey has said it will quickly
change a notorious article of its penal code curbing free speech – but
at the same time, Ankara has put its ties with France under further
strain by suspending military cooperation following a dispute over
the Armenian genocide.

Turkish officials on Wednesday (15 November) announced they will work
towards amending the notorious article 301 of the penal code which
penalises insulting "Turkishness" before EU leaders meet for a 14-15
December summit meeting, which is set to be dominated by a debate on
the fate of Ankara’s embattled EU accession process.

Newswires cite Turkish officials as saying the country’s ruling AKP
party hopes to have a parliamentary vote on the issue "in the first
week of December," just ahead of the EU leaders’ meeting.

Revision of article 301 is seen as a symbolically important move,
with a critical European Commission report on Turkey’s accession
process earlier this month highlighting the article as contributing
to a "climate of self-censorship in the country."

The article has been used to bring charges against various
intellectuals or journalists including Nobel Prize winner Orham Pamuk,
with important parts of Turkish civil society also eager to get rid
of it.

But while the announced concession on free speech could take some of
the criticism on Turkey away at the December summit, one important
EU player – France – on Wednesday saw its tense relations with Ankara
further deteriorate as a Turkish general announced that military ties
with Paris will be suspended.

"Relations with France in the military field have been suspended,"
general Ilker Basbug said according to press reports, adding the move
is a protest against pending French legislation which would penalise
the denial of the 1915 Armenian genocide.

The new French bill, adopted by the French National Assembly but
still waiting for approval from the Senate, makes it a crime to deny
that Armenians suffered genocide by the Ottoman Turks, with Ankara
describing the bill immediately after adoption in October as a
"severe blow" to French-Turkish relations.

Ankara denies that the mass killings of Armenians during World War
I constituted a genocide.

The row is escalating just as Paris is defining its position on whether
or not to suspend Turkey’s EU accession talks over the Cyprus issue,
with Brussels and EU capitals pressing Ankara to open its ports and
airports to traffic from Cyprus before the December summit.

Ankara’s continuing failure to open up to shipping from Cyprus –
and EU member which Ankara does not recognise – could jeopardise the
accession negotiations, with member states currently debating whether
the talks should be fully or partially frozen.

Turkish foreign minister Abdullah Gul said on Wednesday that his
country is not ready to compromise over the issue, stating "We won’t
bow to blackmail, in the same way that we did not bow to blackmail
in the past."

The Finnish EU presidency is currently engaged in intense diplomatic
efforts to save the Turkey talks, proposing in a trade-off plan that
the EU lift the isolation of Turkish Cypriots in the North of the
island in return for Turkey allowing trade from Cyprus.

TURKEY FROZE MILITARY RELATIONS WITH FRANCE OVER GENOCIDE BILL

PanARMENIAN.Net
16.11.2006 13:21 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey has frozen military relations with France,
reports CNN-Turk with a reference to the Commander of the Turkish
land forces. At a reception dedicated to the 23rd anniversary of
proclamation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Army
General Ilker Bashbug said that military visits at the high level
between Turkey and France have also been cancelled. The decision of
the Turkish Defense Ministry is a response to the bill criminalizing
the Armenian Genocide denial adopted by the French National Assembly
in October. The bill which rates negation of the Genocide perpetrated
in the Ottoman Empire in 1915-1917 as a crime aroused extremely
sharp reaction of Ankara. Turkish officials threatened Paris with
sanctions. Turkish businessmen threatened with boycott of French
goods. The commodity circulation between the two states makes about
$10 billion.

To come into force the law should be approved by the Senate and
then signed by the President. The European Commission has already
subjected the bill to criticism and said the document ‘undermines
friendly relations.’ "If the law is passed it can complicate the
dialogue essential for coordination of positions of the European Union
and Turkey," a European Commission member said, reports RIA Novosti.

ARMENIAN BUSINESSMEN COME TO ISTANBUL FOR INVESTMENTS
By Ercan Baysal

Zaman, Turkey
Nov 16 2006

As the reactions to French parliament’s controversial Armenian genocide
bill continue, the Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen Association
(TUSIAD) is taking the initiative to loosen tension between Armenia
and Turkey.

Members of TUSIAD and the Union of Businessmen and Manufacturers of
Armenia (UMBA) do not want France’s stance to overshadow relations so
they will come together in Istanbul. UMBA was officially invited to
the Black Sea and Caspian Industrialists Confederation Union meeting
on Nov. 27.

TUSIAD president, Omer Sabanci, and UMBA chairman Arsen Ghazarian
will also discuss their countries’ relations besides regular business
negotiations.

Kaan Soyak, the Turkish-Armenian co-chair of the Council on Development
of Economic Ties said Ghazaryan will invite TUSIAD members to Armenia
to invest in textile, energy and telecommunication sectors.

Soyak said this meeting was important for Russia and the Armenian
Diaspora:

"Turkey has become an attractive market thanks to the atmosphere
of stability. Armenians in the Diaspora want to make investments in
Turkey mostly in hotels, real estate and port sectors. They have made
their applications to our council in this regard. These issues will
be discussed during the meeting."

"Armenia is a virgin market, right now they only have relations with
Iran so we want Turkish investors there too," said Soyak and added
that this kind of commercial relationship could diffuse the tension
between the two countries.

Trade between Turkey and Armenia takes place unofficially via Iran.

According to unofficial statistics, the total trade volume between
the two countries reached $200 million dollars.

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) noted the
Turkey-Armenia embargo costs about $570-720 million dollars to Armenia
every year.

If the border gates were opened, Armenia’s transportation costs would
drop by about 30-50 percent, its export volume would double and its
Gross National Product would increase by about 30-38 percent.

According to World Bank statistics, Armenia’s savings in transportation
costs would be about $6.4-8.4 million dollars, energy saving would
be $45 million and its export volume would increase by about $269-342
million dollars. In this way Armenia’s total benefit from the opening
of the border would be about $320-396 million dollars.

How Armenia copes with its isolation in the combustible Caucasus

The art of levitation
Nov 16th 2006 | YEREVAN
>From The Economist print edition

NOWHERE is living next to big countries trickier than in the
Caucasus. Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan were for centuries
swallowed by rival empires; when the last of them, the Soviet Union,
collapsed, three territorial wars broke out, all of which may yet
re-erupt. Now Georgia is in a cold war with Russia.

Next-door Armenia’s geographical plight might seem the worst in the
Caucasus-or anywhere. It is landlocked and poor; of its four
borders, those with Turkey and Azerbaijan are closed following its
bloody but successful struggle for Nagorno-Karabakh, a province of
Soviet Azerbaijan mostly populated by Armenians. Its other neighbours
are Georgia (under an economic blockade by Russia) and Iran. Yet
despite the war, the economic collapse that went with it and a
terrible earthquake that preceded it, Armenia seems to have levitated
out of trouble.

It benefits from an indulgence not afforded to pro-Western Georgia.
Per person, Armenia is one of the biggest recipients of American aid
(thanks to the powerful diaspora there, which remembers vividly the
massacres of 1915). Yet that American help does not trouble Russia,
which has a military base in Armenia. GDP is growing-though still
pitifully low: monthly wages are around $150. Towns and villages in
the beautiful, barren countryside are still poor and dilapidated, but
Yerevan is full of construction cranes and posh cafes.

But levitation has its limits. After some progress in the late 1990s,
reforms have stalled. The famed cognac aside, exports are puny.
Armenia relies on foreign aid and remittances from the huge diaspora;
emigration (see article) has put the population well below the
official 2.9m figure. The international balance is also precarious.
Some in Russia want the Armenians to take sides against the
Georgians, perhaps by stirring up the Armenian minority there. "We
refuse to choose," says Vartan Oskanian, the foreign minister.
Indeed: alienating Georgia would be suicidal.

But the Kremlin’s leverage is growing. Russian firms already control
the energy sector and want a greater stake elsewhere. Mr Oskanian
says "our needs today are too dire" to worry about future risks.
Azerbaijan’s hydrocarbons windfall makes it sound confident, even
bellicose, stoking Armenian reliance on Russia.

American interest in the pipelines that link the Caspian to the
Mediterranean, doglegging round Armenia, mean that renewed fighting
would echo far beyond the Caucasus. Internationally sponsored talks
about Karabakh limp on-Mr Oskanian met his Azerbaijani counterpart
this week-and Western diplomats try to sound upbeat. But a deal, or
even a fudge that would at least allow normal trade relations, looks
all but impossible. Sporadic shooting continues.

One reason is that bad governments in both countries bang the
nationalist drum for want of wider legitimacy. Armenia’s Robert
Kocharian has emulated his sponsors in the Kremlin, squeezing the
media and rigging elections. Corruption flourishes. It is hard to
find an Armenian politician who does not want to succeed Mr Kocharian
when his presidential term expires in 2008; it is harder still to
find one who thinks the vote will be fair. Like Ilham Aliev, who
inherited power in Azerbaijan from his father, Mr Kocharian promises
just enough change to pacify America. Unsurprisingly, considering
their history, most Armenians are too cynical to expect much better
from their rulers.

Like acrobats in a human pyramid, the Caucasus countries are
inevitably affected by their neighbours’ behaviour. Russia’s closure
of its border with Georgia, for example, hurts Armenian traders. Such
outsiders’ jostling would be much easier to bear if the three
(relative) tiddlers had a common line. But they are all, as Raffi
Hovannisian, a former Armenian foreign minister, says of his country,
"long on civilisation, short on statecraft."

europe/displaystory.cfm?story_id=8173284

Press Release
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Father Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version:

PEACE -BUILDING AS AN INVITATION TO SPIRITUALITY
AFFIRMED THE PARTICIPANTS OF MIDDLE EAST-ASIA INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE

The Asia-Middle East interreligious dialogue inaugurated on Sunday 12
November 2006, continued its work in the Armenian Catholicsate of Cilicia
with the leadership of His Holiness Catholicos Aram I.

The representatives of different religions presented papers on
peace-building from the perspective of their on faith traditions. His
Holiness Swami Parmeshananda chaired the meeting. Sheikh Muhammed Najaf (Shi
‘ite Iran) Dr Ugyen Tashi (Tibetan Hindu monk Taiwan), Dr. Muhammed Sammak
(Sunni Lebanon) and Dr. Paul Haydotsian (Christian Lebanon).

Building peace based on love, search for truth and justice is the vocation
of all religions said the speakers. At the end of the session the
participants visited at Dar-al-Fatwa Sheikh Muhammed Kabbani the Mufti of
the Republic of Lebanon. After leaving the Mufti the delegation visited the
ruins of the Israeli invasion in July 2006 in the southern suburbs of
Beirut.

Sacredness of life, a gift and a call to spirituality was the topic of the
afternoon session. Dr. Hisham Nashabe(Sunni) moderated the session and the
Venerable Guo Yuan (Buddhist Taiwan) and Mr. Camil Menassa (Christian,
Lebanon) reflected on the theme. Speakers emphasized the centrality of
protecting all life in their religions.

Following the panels the participants met in two groups to discuss the
presentations of the past two days.

One of the important aspects of the agenda of this meeting is the visits to
religious leaders in their own communities. On Sunday the members of the
dialogue had visited the Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Sfeir. In both visits
the participants appreciated the openness and sincerity of the religious
leaders. The meeting will be concluded on Tuesday 14 November in the
afternoon.

##
View photos here:
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Ecumenical
activities of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.

THE ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY OF AMERICA DID NOT OK HOAGLAND’S APPOINTMENT US AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA

Zaman, Turkey
Nov 14 2006

According to Armenian Aravot newspaper referring to its own sources,
the Armenian Assembly of America has agreed with Richard Hoagland’s
appointment US ambassador to Armenia. According to the periodical,
US senators have recently received some phone calls from the AAA
informing that the latter did not have any more questions connected
with Hoagland’s appointment US ambassador to Armenia. At the same
time, the source claimed that the AAA sources allegedly stated to the
senators that they had also received official Yerevan’s approval of
Hoagland’s appointment.

Meanwhile, speaking to REGNUM correspondent, head of the AAA office
in Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh Arpi Vardanyan stated that there was
no phone call to the senators. "We could not agree with Hoagland’s
appointment US ambassador to Armenia. Moreover, we oppose the current
policy of the US administration that does not recognize the fact of
Armenians’ Genocide. We believe that truth should be said about the
Armenians’ Genocide in Ottoman Empire," she stated. "We have principal
disagreements with US government concerning recognition of Armenian
Genocide, and we are sure that truth should not be denied.

The recall of the ex-US Ambassador to Armenia John Evans continues to
raise questions, and we continue to insist upon complete and final
recognition of Armenian Genocide by the USA. We are also informed
that the Armenian government has approved Hoagland’s candidacy, and
we are sure that presence of an ambassador will be more favorable
for the Armenian-US relations than its absence," Arpi Vardanyan stated.

To remind, Armenian public was quite repelled by the Richard
Hoagland’s candidacy after the diplomat’s indulging in statements
denying Armenians’ Genocide in Ottoman Turkey in 1915. The Aryan Order
published an unequivocal commentary about it. Despite protests of the
Armenian public opinion, including several Armenian NGOs, Richard
Hoagland’s candidacy nominated by the US president George Bush was
considered and approved. Speaking on the occasion, US Senator from New
Jersey Robert Menendez stated that many politicians including the US
President avoid qualifying the crime committed in early 20th century
in Turkey as Genocide, and Hoagland’s appointment may become a step
backwards that will benefit neither Armenian nor Diapora’s interests.

On November 8, US Charge d’Affairs to Armenia, Vice-Ambassador Anthony
Godfrey stated at press conference: "Despite the negative Armenian
public opinion of the candidacy of Richard Hoagland who has been
approved US Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador to Armenia,
the US government does not consider any other candidacy for the post."

BIGGEST WINNERS: HOUSE DEMOCRATS

Inside Bay Area (California)
November 8, 2006 Wednesday

WASHINGTON — Parochially speaking, the Republicans’ Capitol Hill
loss could be California’s gain.

When the 110th Congress is sworn in next January, a Californian will
hold the most powerful position in the House of Representatives. At
least 17 other California House Democrats are likewise poised by dint
of seniority to chair committees or subcommittees.

"It’s always great to have people in leadership, from either party,
from your state," noted Rep. Dennis Cardoza, D-Merced.

The full impact of Tuesday’s election will unfold over time, as House
Democrats adjust to their newfound majority status.

There will be unforeseeable ripple effects, as one change begets
another. "There’s a lot of jockeying that’s going to happen before
the end of the year," Cardoza said.

Still, the ascension of Rep. Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco to House
speaker will give the Golden State considerable clout. She will be
the first Californian to take the House’s top job, as well as the
first woman.

As speaker, Pelosi will direct what bills reach the House floor. She
picks who gets plum assignments. She appoints House negotiators who
compromise with the Senate. She will be in earmark heaven, shaping
legislative bottom lines to her satisfaction.

"It’s a big step forward," said Vic Fazio, a Washington lobbyist who
formerly represented the Sacramento Valley in the House. "For the
region, it’s actually quite good."

Pelosi’s top lieutenants are likewise attuned to California’s
appetites. They include close advisers like Rep. George Miller,
D-Concord, and Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Eureka. Pelosi’s chief of staff,
John Lawrence, holds a doctorate in history from the University of
California, Berkeley, and cut his political teeth on Central Valley
water politics.

Californians will chair at least five full committees, if seniority
prevails.

Miller will take over the House Education and the Workforce
Committee. Even the committee’s name might change. When Democrats
controlled Congress, they symbolically saluted their union allies by
calling the panel the Education and Labor Committee.

More substantively, Pelosi has promised that within the "first 100
hours" of the new Congress, Democrats will emphasize six priorities
that include increasing the national minimum wage to $7.25 an hour,
up from the current $5.15. California’s current minimum wage is $6.75.

The wage hike could still flounder amid Senate and White House
resistance. So could other House Democratic priorities, like the
costly proposal to screen 100percent of the 7million-plus ocean cargo
containers that arrive annually in Oakland, Long Beach and other ports.

Currently, inspectors reach only about 5 percent of seaborne containers
entering the United States.

"It is realistic to set out an agenda," said Tim Ransdell, executive
director of the California Institute for Federal Policy Studies. "It
is less realistic to think that every item on a grand wish list can
be achieved."

Another Bay Area lawmaker, Rep. Tom Lantos of San Mateo, is the senior
Democrat on the House International Relations Committee. The panel
will certainly become a forum for critiquing Iraq policies.

More narrowly, fresh hearings are likely for ethnic political disputes,
such as an Armenian genocide resolution favored by San Joaquin Valley
lawmakers.

The House Government Reform Committee under Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Los
Angeles, will aggressively investigate the Bush administration.

Californians are likewise in line to chair committees handling ethics
and House administration.

The state’s defense industry is watching whether Los Angeles Democrat
Jane Harman will head the House intelligence panel. She has the
seniority and is lobbying hard, but she’s at odds with Pelosi, who
handpicks the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

Besides committees, power will flow anew to certain coalitions.

Cardoza and Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, are among 37 members of the
Blue Dog coalition. The centrist Democrats seek more influence,
bridging the gap between Democratic liberals and moderate Republicans.

"We will have to shift into defensive mode," said Rep. Devin Nunes,
R-Visalia. "This will mean working in a coalition with the Blue Dogs,
to stop bad things for the Valley from coming through."

California is also losing some stature. The House water and power
subcommittee responsible for shepherding a San Joaquin River settlement
bill, for instance, is now passing from the hands of Republican
Rep. George Radanovich of Mariposa.

"I think the Valley agenda will be the same," predicted Rep. Richard
Pombo, R-Tracy, "but it will be much harder to get things done."

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Nov 10 2006

NATO PA TO DISCUSS NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT
[November 10, 2006, 19:24:13]

Since November 11, the first vice-speaker of Azerbaijan Parliament,
the head of delegation of Azerbaijan in Parliamentary Assembly of
NATO (NATO PA) Ziyafet Askarov and MP Siyavush Novruzov will be on a
visit in the Canadian city of Quebec to participate in 52nd annual
session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.

In the frame of session, will be conducted meetings of political
committee, committees on defense and safety, on economy and safety,
on science and technology, and also political groups and Standing
Committees, press service of Milli Majlis told.

In meeting of subcommittee `Further opportunities of safety and
defense’ of the Committee on Defense and Safety, will be heard the
report on the topic `The Role of NATO in region of Southern
Caucasus’. Also will be conducted exchange of views on situation in
the countries of region, development of relations with NATO, the work
done in the field of individual cooperation, and on other questions.
On action, also will take place discussions on the
Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The session is to consider acceptance of the declaration of the Riga
Summit of NATO. The document will reflect importance of rendering
assistance to the countries of Southern Caucasus and the Balkans,
observance of democratic standards in the member states of the
Organization.

The visit will end 19 November.

Mehr News Agency, Iran
Nov 11 2006

Development of Iran-Armenia ties needs a legal framework: Armenian official

TEHRAN – The Armenian Ambassador to Tehran Karen Nazaryan said on
Saturday the expansion of trade ties between Iran and Armenia
requires a legal framework upon which their shared aims could be
established.

`Governments of both countries have long been trying to develop their
ties but few contracts have been signed due to lack of a mutually
accepted legal basis,’ he added, noting that the move has even been
pursued by the Iran-Armenia Joint Economic Committee.

The two sides, she stated, should also resolve the problems that have
so far hindered cooperation between Iranian and Armenian private
sectors.

Armenian Relief Society, Inc.
Telephone: 617-926-5892 Central Office
Fax£:617-926-4855
80 Bigelow Avenue
Watertown, MA 02472
e-mail: [email protected]
Contact: Hamesd Beugekian

FIRST LADY, DR. BELLA KOCHARIAN VISITS THE ARS MOTHER AND CHILD HEALTH
AND BIRTHING CENTER

On Wednesday, October 18, Armenia’s First Lady, Dr. Bella Kocharian
visited the ARS Mother and Child Health and Birthing Center in
Akhurian. This was Dr. Kocharian’s first visit to the ARS center’s
new maternity ward and recently completed Radiology & Scanning
Department.

Dr. Kocharian was accompanied by ARS Armenia Chairperson Alvard
Petrosian, who is also a member of the Republic of Armenia’s National
Assembly, as well as ARS Armenia Regional Executive Board members.

On the occasion of Dr. Kocharian’s important visit, the ARS invited
representatives of various women’s and social service organizations to
be present, including Minister of Health Norair Davtian; Armenia’s top
cancer expert Dr. Sergey Sayirian; ARF Supreme Council members Lilit
Galstian and Rouzan Arakelian; ARF Commission on Women’s Issues
Chairperson Maria Titizian; Shirak Province Governor Romik Manukian; and
ARS Central Executive Board member Karine Hovhannisian.

The visit was fully covered and broadcast on television and radio. All
the guests were deeply impressed and expressed their admiration for the
Health Center’s new additions. As a token of appreciation, First Lady
Kocharian presented the center with a television set.

The Mother and Child Health Center tour was followed by a visit to the
Psychological Center in Gyumri which recently inaugurated a new wing
built and subsidized by the Swiss "Armenianos" Fund. Center director and
noted psychologist Armine Gmuir-Karapetian cooperates closely with the
ARS Armenia Regional Executive Board. Over the last few years,
Gmuir-Karapetian has provided expertise to the ARS Armenia on various
in-depth ARS studies devoted to psychological issues faced by various
segments of the population.

Dr. Kocharian was visibly impressed by what she saw at both centers and
expressed her deep satisfaction for having the opportunity to witness
the ARS’s important work in Gyumri. In a parting promise, the First Lady
pledged to support all present and future ARS programs.

Established in 1910, the ARS is the oldest Armenian women’s
organization with entities in 24 countries. To learn more about the ARS
and its programs, visit the ARS’s website at or call
(617) 926-5892.

November 8, 2006

Hamesd Beugekian
Administrative Secretary
ARMENIAN RELIEF SOCIETY,INC
80 Bigelow Avenue
Watertown MA, 02427
Tel: 617-926 5892
Fax: 617-926 4855
E-mail: [email protected]