Author: Jalatian Sonya

Global Politician, NY
Feb 2, 2005
Does Turkey Belong In the European Union?
2/2/2005
By Antero Leitzinger
Turkey applied for membership in the EEC as early as in 1970s, when
she had been indisputably and for a long time a democratic market
economy, one of the founding members of the Council of Europe, and a
country with a decent record on human rights, compared with the
military dictatorships of Greece, Spain and Portugal, let alone the
countries of Eastern Europe. The upheavals of Southern Europe in the
mid-1970s, the intensified internal political situation of Turkey,
and the military regime of early 1980s, as well as the surprising
membership of Greece in the Western European community sidelined
Turkey for two extra decades to wait for acceptance.
Finally during Finland’s chairman period in 1999, Turkey was finally
accepted as an applicant country for the European Union. This
encouraged Turkey to make legal reforms, which have been carried out
for three years now, despite the hard economic crisis. Guerrilla war
in the Kurdish districts is past now, and on 30th Nov. 2002, even the
last province was officially returned to normalcy. The PKK has
abolished itself, and the death penalty of the PKK leader Abdullah
Öcalan has been changed into life imprisonment. Turkey’s prisons have
been reformed according to the EU norms, lots of inmates have been
amnestied, and previously used parts of the criminal law have been
overruled. In allowing media and school teaching in Kurdish
languages, Turkey has exceeded France and Sweden in the progression
of her minority policy.
However, Turkey has traditionally had dedicated enemies in Europe. As
early as in 1800s, conservative Christian and idealist liberal civil
movements, acting on behalf of the Christian minorities of the
Balkans, were organising lecture and newspaper campaigns and
demonstrations against Turkey. The ancient Greece was adored under
the banners of philhellenism (1821), and medieval myths were revived
by telling horror stories of the “Bulgarian atrocities” (1876). The
propaganda war culminated in the after-play of the First World War in
1920s, but was again revived from 1965 onwards, on the initiative of
third generation Armenian emigrants of France and America, who were
inspired and directed by Soviet Armenia.
Nowadays it is hard to believe that Turkey could anyhow get released
from the constant criticism by human rights organisations, since
criticising Turkey has become the lifeline of many of them. For many
international human rights organisations, regular campaigns against
Turkey have become the most successful kind of activity, and Turkish
illegal immigrants willingly participate them in order to base their
asylum applications. International organisations, researchers and
media outlets are using Turkish extremist groups as their sources,
but the credibility and relevance of the information they provide is
very low. For this reason, the criticism against Turkey often repeats
echoes from years away. In its latest issue, Der Spiegel (50/9th Dec.
2002) added to its article on Turkey a picture of a Kurdish
demonstration from 1992.
Turkish asylum seekers still refer to the destruction and evacuation
of frontier villages in mid-1990s. Although repatriation of these
villages has been started, the Human Rights Watch report predicts the
return to fail, because it would be too late without EU support (i.e.
many who have moved to cities, are reluctant to return to the
periphery).
Neue Zürcher Zeitung (28th Nov. 2002) tells that torture became more
common in Turkey during the short military reign of 1980s. After that
the government tried to get rid of the phenomenon by sending the
cruel policemen from cities to the countryside, which, however,
spread the problem especially to the Kurdish districts. Accusing the
policemen was made difficult by a law that demanded acceptance of the
superior to rise a court case. The fact that many trials were taking
more than five years caused that many accusations became obsolete.
The new government has suggested a legal reform that would correct
these problems, and enable overruling existing verdicts on political
crimes.
Against this background we have to understand the interest of the
Turks in the question, whether they are Europeans in the others’
eyes, or if they fall outside Europe already in principle. When the
Westernisation that has prevailed in Turkey for 80 years becomes
questioned by other Europeans, the nationalist and pan-Islamic
alternatives become stronger. Same kind of development was
experienced already in early 1900s, when the originally liberal Young
Turks changed into ferocious nationalists and rushed into the First
World War. In today’s Turkey, many people think that if the EU will
turn her back to Turkey, Turkey must turn towards Arab countries,
Iran, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. In co-operation with Pakistan,
Turkey could develop her own nuclear weapon. The successful military
co-operation between Turkey and Israel would be endangered. The
300-year rivalry between Turkey and Russia over the borderlands would
intensify.
Turkey is a bit poorer than Romania, when the GNP per capita is
compared, but the reason is the very rapid growth of Turkish
population. It is estimated that after 10 years there will be 90
million inhabitants in Turkey, more than in Germany. In one way or
another, that will compensate the shrinking population of Europe and
Russia. Chronic inflation plagues the Turkish economy, but economic
growth has been strong for a long time, and there is plenty of
potential. Unemployment (8,5 %) is lower than in most of the
countries of Eastern Europe, and industrialisation is more developed
than in Bulgaria and Romania. (Der Spiegel, 50/9th Dec. 2002)
Political Islamisation of Turkey would influence Europe especially
through the 2,5 million Turkish-originating immigrants residing in
Germany. It is hard to imagine how the EU could isolate herself from
Turkey and the Middle East. The EU can, however, choose, whether she
will passively surrender to be a side theatre of the problems of the
Middle East and the whole Islamic world, or whether it takes an
active initiative to support moderate Muslims and Turkey in her
relations to her neighbours.
It is expected that the attitude towards Turkey, the Turks, Muslims
and foreigners in general, will become a hot election issue in the
election of the German state of Hessen in February. Both radical
right and radical left oppose the EU membership of Turkey. The
present red-green government has tried to balance between the views
and the former Bundeskanzler Helmut Kohl had a Turkish
daughter-in-law. Compared to these, future seems more controversial.
Already half million of the German Turks have German citizenship, and
their votes for the left and for the Greens was decisive in favour of
the present government in last national election.
Antero Leitzinger is a political historian and a researcher for the
Finnish Directorate of Immigration. He wrote several books on Turkey,
the Middle East and the Caucasus.

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Studies Program
Armenian Studies Program
California State University, Fresno
5245 N Backer Ave PB4
Fresno, CA 93740-8001
Email: [email protected]
ASP Office: 559-278-2669
Office: 559-278-4930
FAX: 559-278-2129
Armenia Semester Abroad Program- 2005
Armenian Studies Program of California State University, Fresno
Fall 2005 Armenia Semester Abroad Program
Semester begins – September 5, 2005
Experience a semester abroad in Yerevan, Armenia. The Armenian
Studies Program at California State University, Fresno has organized
a one-semester program designed to introduce students to Armenian
language, history, art, and contemporary events. The semester
schedule is composed of five courses: Armenian language (4 units);
Armenian art and architecture (3 units); Armenia today (3 units);
Armenian studies (3 units); Independent study (2 units).
Courses, based on curriculum used by the Armenian Studies Program at
California State University, Fresno, will be taught by faculty from
Yerevan State University.
The academic committee in charge of curriculum is composed of Dr.
Dickran Kouymjian, Haig and Isabel Berberian Professor of Armenian
Studies and Director of the Armenian Studies Program at Fresno State,
Dr. Tom Samuelian of Arlex International, and Barlow Der Mugrdechian
of the Armenian Studies Program at Fresno State.
Full information on the program is available at the following web
site:
Eligibility: The program is open to all high school graduates, ages
18-32, who have maintained a minimum 2.75 GPA in college.
Fees: Fees for the program are $2,250 per person (for 15 units of
courses) and an additional fee of approximately of $160 for health
insurance. Room and board, air fare, and transportation and any
additional costs are the responsibility of the student. (The Program
will assist in finding living arrangements)
Deadline: Students are required to fill in the following application
form and return it to the Armenian Studies Program by May 1, 2005 for
study abroad in Armenia in the Spring semester 2005.
Minimum class size:
A minimum of 5 students must be successfully admitted to the program
for the Fall 2005 program to take place.
Required information for application: Official college transcript;
One page essay on why you would like to participate in the Armenia
Study Abroad Program, what has prepared you for study in such a
Program, and why you are qualified to participate; One passport sized
color photo; Names and telephone numbers of two references
(non-related). In addition please submit Name, Address, City, State,
Zip, Telephone number, Email address, Date of birth: (Please clearly
print all information and make sure that the telephone number and
email address are current). Send the application form, and all
requested material to: Barlow Der Mugrdechian, Armenian Studies
Program, 5245 N Backer Ave. PB4. Fresno, CA 93740-8001
If you have any questions contact: Barlow Der Mugrdechian office
telephone: 559-278-4930 o email: [email protected]
Travel fellowship: Travel fellowships are available to qualified
applicants who are accepted into the Fresno State Armenia Semester
Abroad Program through BirthRight Armenia/Depi Hayk (BR/DH). (See
below for Eligibility). The travel fellowship covers reimbursement of
roundtrip economy class airfare at the average price for that period
upon successful completion of the program and BR/DH requirements. The
application form is posted on the

UNITED HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL
P.O. Box 9426
Glendale, CA 91206
Contact: Serouj Aprahamian
Tel: (951) 316-6351 – mobile
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

UNITED HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL CONDUCTS FACT STRIP DISTRIBUTION

Glendale, CA – On Saturday, January 29, the United Human Rights
Council (UHRC) held its first large-scale fact strip distribution of
2005. Council members visited Armenian grocery stores in both
Glendale and Pasadena, providing them with informative flyers about
human rights abuses committed by the Turkish government. Store clerks
and managers were urged to place the flyers on their check-out
counters for customers to pick up.

According to Ani Garibyan, one of the organizers of Saturday’s action,
the UHRC regularly carries out such fact strip distributions in order
to `raise the awareness of Armenian consumers’ susceptible to buying
Turkish products. `We figure that if we want to stop Armenians from
buying Turkish products, the best thing to do is to directly go to the
stores where they shop,’ stated Garibyan.

Many of those who took part in the distribution explained that most
store managers were receptive to their campaign. Several clerks even
insisted on putting the fact strips in the grocery bags of customers.

In addition, the UHRC members conducted a survey of Armenian shoppers
at the stores they visited. Customers were asked a series of
questions regarding Turkish products being sold in Armenian stores,
including whether or not they realized that the Turkish government
receives tax revenue from companies exporting such products to the
U.S. The results of the survey will be used to help structure future
campaigns aimed towards ridding Turkish products from Southern
California stores.

The United Human Rights Council (UHRC), by means of action on a
grassroots level, works toward correcting the human rights violations
of those governments who distort, deny, and delude their own history
to disguise past and present genocides, massacres, and human rights
violations. The UHRC is a collective of concerned citizens, including
a diverse spectrum of members and supporters from various community-
based organizations and student associations of universities and
colleges.

EARLY GORKY WORKS & CATALOGUE BREAK NEW GROUND
“ARSHILE GORKY: THE EARLY YEARS” EXTENDED THROUGH FEB. 2005
Also on View: Jerome Witkin: Site & Insight Part 2
Jack Rutberg Fine Arts
357 North La Brea Avenue
Los Angeles, California 90036-2517
Tel (323) 938-5222
Fax (323) 938-0577
E-mail: [email protected]
URL:
PRESS RELEASE
LOS ANGELES, CA – Arshile Gorky (1904-1948) is widely regarded as one of
the most pivotal and significant artists in the development of 20th
century American art. After moving to America from Armenia in 1920, he
quickly became a lightning rod for other artists in the late 1920s and
early 30s, sparking the genesis what was to become the “New York
School”and setting the course of modern art in America.
Now, in a ground-breaking exhibition entitled Arshile Gorky – The Early
Years, and with a 96-page catalogue of the same name, Jack Rutberg Fine
Arts in Los Angeles is showing 66 rare works by Gorky from a private
collection, most previously unexhibited. This exhibition is thought to
be the largest exhibit of Gorky’s works ever presented outside of a
museum, and breaks new ground in addressing Gorky’s earliest stylistic
development.
“Arshile Gorky -The Early Years” offers new references and insights into
this legendary artist during his seminal period as he explored the avant
garde sensibilities of the time. As Melvin P. Lader (widely regarded as
the eminent scholar on the work of Arshile Gorky and author of numerous
books on Gorky and abstract expressionism) notes in this exhibition
catalogue’s text: “As a group, the drawings and paintings mirror Gorky’s
stylistic evolution, up to the point in the late 1930s when he began to
truly digest and synthesize so many of his early influences on the verge
of finding his own unique language and style. Examples of his absorption
of Analytic Cubism, Synthetic Cubism, and aspects of Surrealism are
plentiful among these works . . . and they offer us the rare opportunity
to view a good number . . . from a very fertile period of his artistic
career.”
As Donald Kuspit notes in his 1998 essay Arshile Gorky in the Thirties:
“Gorky began his `self-analysis’ in the drawings and painting of the
thirties . . . already beginning to move beyond [modernist elders] ideas
. . .in the thirties still lifes [which are] surrealized and
abstractified versions of Cezanne’s still lifes.” Indeed, Kuspit says
“we see the beginning of this pure, autonomous, highly fluid,
unpredictable line . . . which begins in nature and ends in pure
expression – as abstract expression.”
That this exhibition was even possible is due to the long-standing
friendship between Gorky and the Swiss-born American artist Hans
Burkhardt (1904-1994), who shared a studio with Gorky in New York for
many years, and acquired a formidable collection of Gorky’s early works.
As Lader observes: “Among them were Gorky’s small Cezannean landscape
Staten Island and an equally significant early Self Portrait, both of
which are key pieces in understanding Gorky’s early absorption of modern
influences” and the “Burkhardt collection Gorky drawings provides a
rather unique opportunity to see the artist’s art and ideas evolve
within an important period of his artistic transformation. Drawings, by
their very nature, register the artist’s first impulses in creating a
work. As such, they can often be of enormous value in understanding how
an artist thinks and in tracing the various stages through which his art
has progressed.”
“Arshile Gorky: The Early Years” is currently exhibited at Jack Rutberg
Fine Arts gallery, 357 North La Brea Avenue, Los Angeles, through
February, 2005.
The exhibition is accompanied by a 96-page text with 103 color
illustrations; essay by Dr. Lader, who co-curated the recent major
retrospective of Gorky drawings at the Whitney Museum of Art in New York
and the Menil Collection in Houston.
Gallery hours are Tuesday – Friday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm and
Saturdays from 10:00 to 5:00 pm or by appointment.
A portfolio sampling of Arshile Gorky’s exhibition may be viewed at the
gallery’s Web site,

indystar.com
City violin event to get more play
By Whitney Smith
[email protected]
January 29, 2005
A documentary chronicling the most recent International Violin Competition
of Indianapolis will be broadcast by dozens of public television stations
across the country this spring.
“Pure Gold — the 2002 International Violin Competition of Indianapolis” has
been picked up by 51 markets, including San Francisco, Denver and Atlanta.
It will be telecast starting in April.
The 56-minute documentary traces the 17-day contest from the opening
ceremonies through the finalists’ performances with the Indianapolis
Symphony Orchestra at Hilbert Circle Theatre. “Pure Gold” aired on WFYI
(Channel 20) in October and is expected to be repeated in the spring.
“We want to get our story about the competition out to the rest of the
country,” said Glen Kwok, the violin competition’s executive director, who
co-produced the documentary with former competition Director Thomas
Beczkiewicz. “The national broadcast will provide tremendous exposure, not
only for the competition, but Indianapolis in general.”
The quadrennial contest attracts violinists ages 16 to 29 from around the
globe. Josef Gingold, the late Indiana University School of Music professor,
helped start the contest.
The first Indianapolis competition took place in 1982. For the sixth edition
in September 2002, 43 competitors vied for about $200,000 in cash prizes and
career assistance.
Barnabas Kelemen, a 24-year-old Hungarian violinist, won the $30,000 top
prize, a gold medal, concert dates and the four-year use of Gingold’s
Stradivarius violin.
Sergey Khachatryan, 17, Armenia, won the silver medal and $15,000. Soovin
Kim, a 26-year-old American, won the bronze medal and $10,000. Kim narrates
“Pure Gold.”
Kwok said documentaries also were made about the 1986 and 1994 competitions.
A DVD recording of “Pure Gold” is available for $18 from the competition
office by calling (317) 637-4574.
Call Star reporter Whitney Smith at (317) 444-6226.

PARUYR HAIRIKIAN REQUIRES FROM FOREIGN MINISTRY OF ARMENIA STEPS ON
CANCELLATION OF MOSCOW AND KARS TREATIES OF 1921
YEREVAN, JANUARY 28. ARMINFO. Leader of the party Self-determination
unity Paruyr Hairikian demanded from the Ministry of foreign affairs
of Armenia to cancel the Moscow and Kars Treaties of 1921 signed by
Soviet Russia and Turkey.
During the news conference he reminded that in 1921 he Soviet Russia
“gifted” Turkey a number of native Armenian lands – Karsa, Ardahan,
Bitlis, and Nakhichevan and Nagorny Karabakh were transferred to
Azerbaijan. “Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Erdogan states that the
Armenians have the right not to admit the Kars and Moscow Treaties,
but Vardan Oskanian declares that Armenia does not consist in the
revision of the Kars and Moscow Treaties. Erdogan more cares of
Armenia than the Armenians themselves”, Hairikian stated, requiring
form the foreign political office of Armenia to start the process of
revision of the aforementioned Treaties.

CIS body chief suggests single global list of terrorist groups
Interfax-Kazakhstan news agency
26 Jan 05
Almaty, 26 January: The world community should form a single list of
terrorist and extremist organizations in addition to other measures in
order to fight terrorism effectively, the head of the CIS
Antiterrorist Centre, Boris Mylnikov, told a session of the UN
Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee in Almaty on Wednesday
[26 January].
Mylnikov regards countries forming a single list of terrorist and
extremist organizations as “an effective way of anti-terrorist
cooperation”.
He recalled that similar lists had already been adopted within a
number of regional organizations, particularly within the CSTO
[Collective Security Treaty Organization; members are Armenia,
Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Russia] and the SCO
[Shanghai Cooperation Organization; members are China, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Russia].
[Passage omitted: exchange of information about terrorist
organizations is necessary to work out this kind of list]
[In a separate report, in Russian, at 1448 gmt, the
Interfax-Kazakhstan news agency quoted Mylnikov as saying that a draft
agreement on exchange of information about terrorist and extremist
organizations is being considered in the CIS. He said, according to
the agency, was no similar agreement in the world.]

ZORYAN INSTITUTE OF CANADA, INC.
255 Duncan Mill Rd., Suite 310
Toronto, ON, Canada M3B 3H9
Tel: 416-250-9807 Fax: 416-512-1736 E-mail: [email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
Date: January 26, 2005
Contact: George Shirinian Tel:
416-250-9807
Zoryan Institute Invites Applications for Ph.D. Scholarship Fund
TORONTO, CANADA – The Zoryan Institute is now inviting applications for its
new Ph.D. Scholarship Fund. This fund has been established through the
generosity and vision of the Bal family of Montreal. It is intended for
Ph.D. students preparing their thesis on the Armenian Genocide or a
comparative study with other genocides.
“We are very pleased to be able to offer this support to doctoral students,”
commented Lisa Siraganian, a member of Zoryan’s Academic Board. “The
scholarship program is designed to provide assistance when they are at what
is known as the ‘All But Dissertation’ stage. This is the point when they
have finished all their course work and comprehensive exams,” she explained,
“and must now begin the long and arduous task of researching and writing
their thesis.”
Applicants must be currently enrolled full-time in an accredited Ph.D.
program at a university in North America or Europe. They must be a Ph.D.
candidate in good standing at the ABD stage, (i.e., all requirements for the
PhD have been completed except for the dissertation).
Awards will be made on the following basis. First, academic excellence,
based on a review of graduate transcripts. Second, two letters of
recommendation from professors–at least one from a dissertation advisor who
is sufficiently familiar with the project and can attest to the candidate’s
research skills and intellectual capabilities. Third, a six-page description
by the candidate of the thesis, including theoretical approach to be used,
methodology to be applied, and goals to be achieved, along with his/her
assessment of the subject’s importance in the context of current
scholarship. Fourth, a sample of a graduate paper related to the thesis
topic or a dissertation chapter, 25-30 pages in length, if preferred.
The following languages are considered an asset to the applicant’s
candidacy: Armenian, Ottoman Turkish, Modern Turkish, English, and German.
There are no restrictions as to the nationality of the applicant.
Applications must be received by March 31, 2005. Scholarships will be
awarded by the end of June.
The amount awarded will vary according to each application, and will not
exceed $10,000 per year or $20,000 per individual in total, over the course
of four years. Students will be re-evaluated every year.
Further details about the scholarship can be found at
For more information about the scholarship, please
contact the Zoryan Institute, 255 Duncan Mill Rd., Suite 310, Toronto,
Canada M3B 3H9, 416-250-9807, [email protected].
The Zoryan Institute is the first non-profit, international center devoted
to the research and documentation of contemporary issues related to Armenian
social, political and cultural life. To this end, the Institute conducts
multidisciplinary research, publication, and educational programs dealing
with Armenia, the Armenian Genocide, and Diaspora, within a universal
context.

Armenian nuclear plant produces record levels of electric power in 2004
Arminfo
26 Jan 05
YEREVAN
The Armenian nuclear power plant produced record levels of electric
power in 2004 since its reopening in 1995 – 2.4bn kWh, the general
director of plant, Gagik Markosyan, has told Arminfo.
He said that 2.2bn kWh of electric power were released into the
grid. This record level was achieved thanks to the timely supply of
fuel to the station and to its timely re-opening after major repairs
in October last year. In addition, Markosyan noted that the high level
of output was due to optimisation of labour at the plant and to the
reduction of power loss.
The general director went on to say that during the current year, the
nuclear power plant’s projected power output would be 2.52bn kWh of
electric power. This rate of production will be ensured by reducing
the amount of time production is halted by repairs and refuelling to
45 days, plus 10 days for the major repair of one of the turbines. The
general director of the power plant said that in 2004, the plant’s
output accounted for 44 per cent of the overall electric energy
production in Armenia.
[Passage omitted]

Deutsche Welle, Deutschland
01/25/2005
Pour une solution au conflit du Nagorny Karabakh

Le Conseil de l’Europe a appelé à une solution au conflit qui oppose
l’Arménie et l’Azerbaïdjan au sujet de l’enclave azerbaïdjanaise à
majorité arménienne du Nagorny Karabakh, aujourd’hui contrôlée de
facto par Erevan. Les deux anciennes républiques soviétiques ont mené
une guerre sanglante au début des années 1990 qui s’est soldée par
30.000 morts et quelques deux millions de déplacés.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress