Author: Jalatian Sonya

PRESS RELEASE
Office of U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr.
Jennifer Karch Cannata
PRESS SECRETARY
420 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-4671 office
(202) 225-9665 fax
Contact: Christopher Close/Knollenberg (202) 225-5802
Jennifer Cannata/Pallone (202) 225-4671
January 25, 2005
ARMENIAN CAUCUS CO-CHAIRS CALL ON BUSH ADMINISTRATION TO RENOUNCE
ACCUSATIONS BY STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Reps. Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and Frank Pallone,
Jr. (D-NJ), cochairmen of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, today
called on the U.S. State Department to formally renounce remarks by a State
Department official in Moscow describing the government of Nagorno-Karabakh
as “criminal secessionists.” The lawmakers made the request in a letter to
Secretary of State nominee Condoleezza Rice.
Text of the letter to Secretary Rice follows.
January 25, 2005
Secretary Nominee Condoleezza Rice
U.S. Department of State
2201 C St, NW
Washington, DC 20520
Dear Ms. Rice:

We write to you today to welcome your nomination as Secretary of State and
to bring to your attention our profound concern over a matter of vital
importance to the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, and to our
nation’s more than one and a half million citizens of Armenian heritage. We
refer to a statement made by Assistant Secretary of State Elizabeth Jones
during a January 13th digital video-conference with journalists at U.S.
Embassies in Moscow, Rome and Bratislava. In these remarks, Assistant
Secretary Jones described the government of Nagorno-Karabakh as “criminal
secessionists” that ought to be removed from office.
We are seriously troubled that this clearly unfair and manifestly inaccurate
characterization of Nagorno-Karabakh has harmed our ability to advance U.S.
interests and promote American values in an important region of the world.
First and foremost, these unfounded and incendiary accusations undermine the
very principles underlying our role as an honest broker in the Organization
for Security and Cooperation’s Minsk Group Nagorno-Karabakh peace process.
Secondly, the mistaken description of the citizens of Nagorno-Karabakh as
secessionists inappropriately prejudices the outcome of the OSCE peace
process, which has been tasked to resolve both status and security issues
through negotiation. Thirdly, the highly charged and patently false charge
that the government is “criminal” only serves to further encourage
irresponsible senior Azerbaijani leaders that are already calling for a
military solution to the Karabakh issue. Finally, we are concerned that the
reckless call for the removal of Nagorno-Karabakh’s leaders unfairly
denigrates the tremendous progress that the people and government of
Nagorno-Karabakh have made in establishing democratic institutions, even as
they have struggled to rebuild their homes, schools and farms destroyed by
years of brutal Azerbaijan aggression.
We look to you to demonstrate strong leadership in restoring balance to our
efforts toward peace in Nagorno-Karabakh, by formally renouncing these false
and unfair remarks. We would also welcome the opportunity to work with you
to ensure that similar setbacks such as this do not arise in the future.
Thank you for your attention to our concerns.
Sincerely,
JOE KNOLLENBERG FRANK PALLONE, JR.
Member of Congress Member of Congress

RIA Novosti, Russia
Jan 25 2005
RUSSIA’S NUCLEAR POWER OUTPUT DOWN
MOSCOW, January 25 (RIA Novosti) – Russia’s nuclear power plants cut
electricity generation by 3.8 percent last year, said the chief
engineers of Russian, Ukrainian and Armenian nuclear power plants at
a conference that began Tuesday.
“In 2004 Russia’s nuclear power stations generated 142.9 billion
kilowatts per hour of electricity, or 96.2 percent of the
corresponding period last year,” Rosenergoatom said in a press
release.
“Simultaneously, last year’s performance merits a positive
assessment. In 2004, upon modernization, 300 megawatt-limitations
were lifted for Unit Two of the Kursk Nuclear Power Station, service
life extended for 15 years for Unit Two of the Kola Nuclear Power
Station, modernization completed and service life extended for Unit
One of the Leningrad Nuclear Power Station [and] Unit Three of the
Kalinin Nuclear Power Station was put into service,” Rosenergoatom
reported.
“Already this year, return from these attainments will mean an
increasing utilization rate of the installed capacity and, of course,
an increasing commercial output,” the press release stated.

Azerbaijan should not be used against Iran – analyst
Ekspress, Baku
25 Jan 05
An Azerbaijani political analyst has said that Azerbaijan should not
be used as an instrument against Iran. In remarks to Ekspress
newspaper, Baku State University history professor Musa Qasimli said
that Azerbaijan could play a role in improving relations between Iran
and the USA. The following is an excerpt from Jala Sabirqizi and Abbas
Ali report by Azerbaijani newspaper Ekspress on 25 January headlined
“New war in the region is a threat” and subheaded “Musa Qasimli:
‘Azerbaijan may play a role in easing the tension in US-Iranian
relations'”. Subheadings inserted editorially
“President [Ilham] Aliyev’s visit to Iran is undoubtedly very
important from the viewpoint of bilateral and regional relations.
First of all, the visit lays the foundation for a new stage in the
development of Azerbaijani-Iranian relations,” said PhD in history
Musa Qasimli, professor of the department for new and modern history
of European and American countries of Baku State University, in
comments to Ekspress on the president’s official visit to the
neighbouring country.
“Bound together”
[Qasimli] Iran and Azerbaijan are bound together by religion, history,
literature, geography and a common fate for many centuries. No matter
which regime rules in that country, it needs good relations with
Azerbaijan. Our country should maintain good relations with all
countries, including Iran, at a time when a fifth of our territories
have been occupied following Armenia’s aggression against Azerbaijan.
[Interviewer] But there have been quite chilly relations between Iran
and Azerbaijan until recently. Can we expect any changes after this
visit?
[Qasimli] I think there have been both objective and subjective
reasons for these cold relations from time to time. Both sides have
created conditions for it. Nevertheless, I believe that it is
necessary to have much better relations. This visit will help resolve
some problems in bilateral relations and gradually eliminate the
chill. Opening a consulate in Tabriz [in northern Iran predominantly
populated by ethnic Azeris] was a foreign policy success after the
2003 presidential elections. Railway construction between the two
countries is also in the interests of both countries. We should not
view Iran as our enemy, and neither should Iran view us as a threat.
[Passage omitted: possible impact of visit on resolving problems of
ethnic Azeris in Iran]
Iranian-Armenian ties
[Interviewer] Can Iran’s broad economic and political relations with
Armenia be identified as an obstacle to the development of
Iranian-Azerbaijani relations?
[Qasimli] Some issues should be openly declared. One million
Azerbaijani Muslims have become refugees after Armenia occupied a
fifth of Azerbaijani territories. It is not good for Iran, which has
undertaken to defend the rights of world Muslims in its foreign policy
and declared itself to be an Islamic republic, to cooperate with
occupying Armenia. It deals a blow to our bilateral relations. If Iran
were faithful to the principles it has declared, it would never
establish relations with and help Armenia. Iran is like a small window
for Armenia today. If they did not have close cooperation and Iran did
not help Armenia economically, Armenia would probably not reach its
current level and continue the occupation of Azerbaijani lands.
Security issues
[Interviewer] Iran and Azerbaijan have recently signed a security
treaty. What do you think motivated it? Was it because of the
appearance of new nuances in bilateral relations or the threat of US
attacks on Iran?
[Qasimli] To begin with, if Azerbaijan and Iran border on each other,
they should have common security issues. Therefore, security treaties
are important. As for US-Iranian relations, Azerbaijan’s foreign
policy priority is to integrate into the Euroatlantic space. The USA
is our strategic partner, while Iran should be our kind neighbour. I
think Azerbaijan may play a role in easing the tension in US-Iranian
relations. The president’s visit to Iran may lead to a thaw in
US-Iranian relations.
I believe that a new war in the region is a threat, especially one
with such a big country as Iran. Most of those who will suffer in
Iran, where 30 million ethnic Azerbaijanis live, may be Azerbaijanis.
I do not believe that the press reports about the possibility of the
USA’s hitting Iran will come true under the current circumstances,
because this is against US interests. Washington is competing with the
EU, while Europe’s economic centres are closely cooperating with
Iran. I think they will also have some influence in the improvement of
US-Iranian relations. Iran, for its part, should firmly reject
supporting terrorism and stop its nuclear programmes.
[Interviewer] If this threat against Iran is realized, what position
should Azerbaijan take?
[Qasimli] As an independent state Azerbaijan should not become an
instrument for any country or group of countries in relation to
Iran. Our foreign policy should be balanced and each country should
have its place there. At the same time, Azerbaijan should continue to
be in the antiterrorism coalition as a country that has suffered from
terrorism and aggression. It would not be reasonable to predict how
developments will unfold in the future. I think the USA and Iran will
try to resolve these issue by peaceful means. If the USA is our
strategic partner, Iran is our neighbour. In any case, peoples should
live in a kind neighbourhood and should not use their territory
against each other.

E-GOVERNMENT INTRODUCTION IN ARMENIA TO BE STARTED FROM FOREIGN
MINISTRY
YEREVAN, JANUARY 25. ARMINFO. A pilot project of e-government is being
carried out in Armenia’s Foreign Ministry under the EU IT. Am program,
says the program director Antony Jagus.
The project will be finished in a year. If successful this model will
be applied to the whole Armenian Government. The project envisions
creating a modern computer network, installing necessary equipment,
retraining FM employees. The best example of e-government in FM is the
issuance of e-visas. The next step is e-certificate of no previous
conviction for those seeking jobs abroad. This phase is to be carried
out together with Justice Ministry. For this purpose the computer
networks of the two ministries will be united. The FM’s experience
will be applied to the whole government structure. Officials from
different ministries are now being trained in England under the
program.
Jagus says that the Armenian authorities are actively promoting the
e-government introduction into the executive power. He hopes that the
demonstration of the pilot project results will stimulate the whole
process.
The other bloc of the IT.Am program envisions technically modernizing
the European Regional Institute of Information Technologies of
Armenia, creating a modern academic network and drafting a flexible IT
education program there to allow to train necessary e-government
specialists. This education system will timely react to changes on the
market and will be open for novelties in the sphere. The two blocs of
the program cost a total of 1.2 mln EUR.

POPE CONSECRATES STATUE OF GREGORY ILLUMINATOR
VATICAN, January 21 (Noyan Tapan). According to the “Regnum” News
Agency, Pope John Paul II, the Head of the Roman-Catholic Church,
opened and consecrated the statue of Holy Gregory Illuminator (Grigor
Lusavorich), the first Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church,
erected in Vatican on the outside niche of the Cathedral of St. Peter.
In connection with the 1700th anniversary of the adoption of the
Christianity in Armenia as a state religion, Patriarch of the Armenian
Catholic Church Nerses Petros XIX turned to the Pope with a request to
erect the monument to the first Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic
Church. The pontific satisfied the request of the Patriarch, and the
5.7-meter and 26-ton marble statue was erected. Khachik Ghazanchian, a
French sculptor of Armenian origin, is the author of the monument. In
2000, in Vatican Pope John Paul II gave Catholicos of All Armenians
Karekin II the relics of the Holy Gregory Illuminator, which are now
in the new Cathedral in Yerevan.

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Jan 22 2005
FM Dismisses Reports on Meeting of Azeri, Armenian Presidents
Foreign Minster Elmar Mammadyarov, in an interview with ANS TV,
dismissed the reports saying that Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents
Ilham Aliyev and Robert Kocharian are expected to meet in Warsaw,
Poland in May.
He said, however, that the two countries’ foreign ministers will meet
in late February-early March and everything will depend on this
meeting.
The reports released earlier quoted the Council of Europe (CE)
Committee on Foreign Relations as saying that the next meeting of the
two presidents, initiated by the OSCE Minsk Group, would allegedly
take place on May 16 as part of the third summit of leaders of CE
member states.

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Jan 20 2005
Cost of tickets for transit flights of Austrian Airlines from Armenia
thru Vienna decreased by $27
4th national exhibition `Our Home’ will take place on Feb 25-27 in
Yerevan
January 23 will be celebrated in all Armenian churches as
commemoration of victims of tragic events in Baku in 1990
Constituent congress of Armenia-Our Home newly established party of
NKR held in Stepanakert
RA President meets with Ambassador of Italy to Armenia
Public organizations of Armenia sign memorandum on cooperation on
fight against traficking and illegal migration
6 criminals wanted by police CIS countries are on the territory of
Armenia
*********************************************************************
COST OF TICKETS FOR TRANSIT FLIGHTS OF AUSTRIAN AIRLINES FROM ARMENIA
THRU VIENNA DECREASED BY $27
YEREVAN, January 20. /ARKA/. Cost of tickets for transit flights of
Austrian Airlines from Armenia thru Vienna decreased by $27, Austrian
Airlines told ARKA. It became possible in account of provision of
benefits by the company for transit flights thru Vienna. Since Jan
17, 2005 AA compensate more than 50% of the cost of the transit thru
Vienna, if earlier the amount of transit payments was 14.17 Euros,
now it makes 8 Euros. Besides the company also decreased all
additional payment for fuel.
According to General Commercial Director of Austrian Airlines Joseph
Burger, transit flights thru Vienna are the key ones in world network
of air flights.
Austrian Airlines was founded in 1957. Authorized capital of the
company makes 3.4 billion Austrian shillings (about $226 million).
The owners are Austrian Privatization Agency (39.7% of shares), Free
Flow (30.6%), Austrian Syndicate (18.2%), SairLines (10%) and Air
France (1.5%). Air park of the company makes 90 planes. AA office in
Yerevan opened in Jan 2001 and first flight in Vienna was made on
March 26, 2001. L.D. –0 –
*********************************************************************
4TH NATIONAL EXHIBITION `OUR HOME’ WILL TAKE PLACE ON FEB 25-27 IN
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, January 20. /ARKA/. 4th national exhibition `Our Home’ will
take place on Feb 25-27 in Yerevan, Expomedia Center told ARKA. The
exhibition covers more than 1000 square meters of area. According to
marketing research, about 60% of companies are regular participants
of the exhibition `Our Home’. The goal of the exhibition is to gather
together the companies occupied in project-construction, repairs
works, interior-exterior, design of dwelling and office areas. After
the end of the exhibition all participants will receive official
diplomas and the winners will receive prizes.
The exhibition will take place in support of Yerevan City
Administration, RA Ministry of Urban Development and Trade-Industrial
Chamber. L.D. -0 –
*********************************************************************
JANUARY 23 WILL BE CELEBRATED IN ALL ARMENIAN CHURCHES AS
COMMEMORATION OF VICTIMS OF TRAGIC EVENTS IN BAKU IN 1990
YEREVAN, January 20. /ARKA/. January 23 will be celebrated in all
Armenian churches as commemoration of victims of tragic events in
Baku in 1990, St. Echmiadzin press service told ARKA.
In Jan 1990 Armenian massacre in Baku received organized and mass
character. Concrete number of murdered is still not defined. L.D. -0 –
*********************************************************************
CONSTITUENT CONGRESS OF ARMENIA-OUR HOME NEWLY ESTABLISHED PARTY OF
NKR HELD IN STEPANAKERT
STEPANAKERT, January 20. /ÀÐÊÀ/. The constituent congress of
`Armenia-Our Home’ newly established party of NKR was held in
Stepanakert. According to Ararat Petrosyan, the member of the
initiative group, upon the development and implementation of the
scheduled objectives and tasks, the new party follows a number of
basic principles, in particular, the unity of Armenia and Nagorno
Karabakh, with consideration of all-human values and ideas, Armenian
national and state interests, etc. The objectives of the new party
are the political recognition of NKR as a subject of international
law, historically, judicially and politically justified renaming of
the country to Armenian state of Artsakh, economic, language and
cultural re-development of the territories liberated during the
Karabakh war, establishment of a social and legal state, constant
strengthening of Armenian Armed Forces and improvement of NKR
population’s welfare. L.V.-0–
*********************************************************************
RA PRESIDENT MEETS WITH AMBASSADOR OF ITALY TO ARMENIA
YEREVAN, January 20. /ARKA/. The RA President Robert Kocharian met
today with Marco Clementi, the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Ambassador of Italy to Armenia. As the Press Service of RA President
told ARKA agency, the parties discussed the details of the
forthcoming visit of Robert Kocharian to Italy. The President
emphasized the traditional friendship of Italy and Armenia and the
promising perspectives for economic cooperation, in particular, in
SME area. The visit of Kocharian to Italy is scheduled for the end of
January, 2005. L.V.-0 –
*********************************************************************
PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS OF ARMENIA SIGN MEMORANDUM ON COOPERATION ON
FIGHT AGAINST TRAFICKING AND ILLEGAL MIGRATION
YEREVAN, January 20. /ARKA/. Public organizations of Armenia signed
memorandum on cooperation on fight against traficking and illegal
migration, Coordinator of UNDP Program on Fight Against Traficking
Rafael Gyulnazarian stated today. According to him, special accent
will be made on conduction of preventive activities: organizations
will cooperate in the sphere of assistance to development of policy
and legislation, awareness of society on traficking problems,
provision of assistnace to victims of traficking, development of
mechanisms on their return and reintegration. He added that the plan
of activities for the next year is already created.
Memorandum signed by such organizations as Fund for Human Rights
Protection after Sakharov, Fund of Maternity, Armenian Sociological
Association, Armenian Red Cross, Armenian Caritas, Center for Women
Rights. L.D. -0 –
*********************************************************************
6 CRIMINALS WANTED BY POLICE CIS COUNTRIES ARE ON THE TERRITORY OF
ARMENIA
YEREVAN, January 20. /ARKA/. Currently, 6 criminals wanted by the
police of CIS countries are on the territory of Armenia, according to
the Deputy General Prosecutor Mnatsakan Sargsyan. He noted that
preventive punishment in the form of arrest was applied in relation
to them. `We have sent a corresponding inquiry with the information
that they were revealed and are currently in Armenia ‘, said
Sargsyan. He also noted that four of the wanted are Armenian citizens
and Armenia would not extradite them to Russia. Their criminal cases
have already been requested by Armenian law enforcement bodies. The
cases of other two arrested criminals are currently being discussed.
One of them illegally obtained Ukrainian citizenship and the other
committed a murder in Kazakhstan. Sargsyan mentioned that the basic
cooperation in this area is carried out with Russia, as majority of
Armenians live there. He assured that in other CIS countries, in
particular, in Belarus, Armenian citizens do not have any problems
with law enforcement bodies. L.V..-0 –

Felix Aprahamian
The Daily Telegraph/UK
(Filed: 20/01/2005)
Felix Aprahamian, who has died aged 90, was a self-taught musical
polyglot who became known to a wide public through his thoughtful,
erudite and sparkling criticism.
He was a specialist in the organ repertoire, reportedly owning the
largest private collection of work for the instrument, and a champion
of French music. But above all he was an enthusiast who would travel
far and wide to hear little-known talent, even when he was not
required to write a review.
As a teenager, he visited Delius at Grez-sur-Loing, and on the same
trip sat alongside the elderly Widor in the organ loft. He never
parted company froma musician without first collecting an autograph,
and kept extensive and exquisitely crafted diaries narrating his
musical encounters. They were all impeccably filed, as was his
extensive correspondence with, among others, Messiaen.
Aprahamian became secretary of the Organ Music Society in 1931, at the
age of 17, and during the Second World War worked as concert director
for the London Philharmonic. In 1948, he was appointed deputy music
critic to Ernest Newman at the Sunday Times, which for the next 41
years was his mouthpiece, his writing bringing unfailing pleasure to
his readers. He became an unofficial assistant to Sir Thomas Beecham
(who was much taken with Aprahamian’s knowledge of Delius), organised
concerts for the Free French in London and worked for United Music,
largely promoting French composers.
Aprahamian invariably added a splash of colour to the newspaper
office, returning from a Saturday night concert in his black opera
cloak with its scarlet satin lining, his white tie and monocle to
write up his review for the late edition. His neatly trimmed goatee
beard never had a hair out of place, andhis waistline was never far
from generous. For many years he chose to stand at the BBC Proms
concerts rather than occupy a seat.
In 1976 Aprahamian was one of the first people in the country to
invest in a set of headphones with a battery-operated radio hidden in
the band over the head. He purchased it in Japan for £19, and was
thrilled by the clear definition – and not just from the BBC. “I’ve
even picked up news of disturbances in this very road and nudes in the
telephone box in Duke’s Avenue,” he said when interviewed at home at
Muswell Hill about overhearing police messages. On occasions he would
point out to visitors a tree across the street from his front door
where Poulenc, suddenly caught short, had once answered a call of
nature.
Felix Aprahamian was born in London on June 5 1914, the son of an
Armenian carpet dealer. At the age of five he moved with his parents
to the house where he was to live for the rest of his life. He
attended Tollington High School, but was all too easily distracted by
music; his only other formal educationwas at a working men’s
college. He took organ lessons locally, becoming a master of the
instrument and counting among his friends another outstanding
organist, William Lloyd Webber, father of Andrew and Julian.
His father used his contacts to find his son work in the City, but in
vain; Felix spent much of his time at concerts. In 1944 he was
instrumental in organising the first performance of Tippett’s Child of
Our Time.
Aprahamian was a tireless translator, writer and editor, producing
programme notes that were always widely appreciated. He edited several
books, including two anthologies of Ernest Newman’s writings (1956 and
1958) and a collection of weekly appreciations from the Listener
(1967). His reviews for Gramophone were widely read, but he struggled
to meet his deadlines and was dropped after 11 years.
His career on the Sunday Times ended after the paper printed his
review of a concert conducted by Gennadi Rozhdestvensky when the
conductor had, in fact, been too unwell to attend. Not that failing to
attend a concert had always been a problem: his first review (for the
Daily Express) was, he admitted, of an event he had missed.
Aprahamian championed younger musicians, and was always happy to sit
on juries and be a member of a panel selecting and encouraging
performers starting out on their careers. On one occasion in 1957 he
helped to judge a competition for members of the public to try their
hand as music critics, with prizes of 25 and 10 guineas offered by
Harold Holt Ltd.
Among his numerous other interests, he led the campaign to save the
Alexandra Palace organ, was a fearsome gourmet and regularly tended
his exquisite Japanese floodlit garden. He was an ardent Proustian and
kept a magnificentdisplay of tropical fish.
Asked a direct question, he would generally proffer a direct answer.
Questioned once about whether the music of Peter Maxwell-Davies and
Harrison Birtwistle would last, he replied, to the approval of Bernard
Levin: “Frankly, no.” He turned down the offer of an OBE in 1987, but
in 1996 accepted the appointment of Officer de l’Ordre des Arts et des
Lettres for his promotion of French culture. His 80th birthday was
marked in 1994 by a concert of predominantlyFrench music given at a
packed Wigmore Hall by the Nash Ensemble. On that occasion he was
presented with a portrait of himself by the artist June Mendoza.
Latterly he was president of the Delius Society, and was delighted
when a work by the composer was chosen by the Tyneside Metro system to
be played over its public address system as a deterrent to vandals.
Felix Aprahamian died on January 15. He was unmarried.

Agence France Presse
19 janvier 2005 mercredi 8:45 AM GMT
La société turque commence à s’interroger sur la question arménienne
(PAPIER D’ANGLE)
ISTANBUL
Alors qu’à Istanbul une exposition consacrée à la vie quotidienne des
Arméniens en Anatolie au début du XXe siècle bat des records
d’entrées, la société turque commence à s’interroger sur la question
arménienne, occultée pendant 90 ans par l’histoire officielle.
Inaugurée le 8 janvier, l’exposition “Mon cher frère” a accueilli
quelque 6.000 visiteurs en une dizaine de jours selon ses
organisateurs, un record pour une galerie stambouliote.
A travers 500 cartes postales d’époque, “Mon cher frère” s’efforce de
démontrer, chiffres à l’appui et ville par ville, l’omniprésence des
communautés arméniennes sur le territoire ottoman et leur rôle dans
la société.
“En Turquie, l’histoire a toujours été enseignée par rapport au seul
peuple turc, comme s’il n’y avait jamais eu que lui sur ce
territoire. Quand on parle des Arméniens, ils ne sont pas décrits
comme une partie intégrante de la société mais comme une source de
problèmes”, explique Osman Koker, directeur de l’exposition.
“C’est pour remplir ce vide, parce que j’ai une fille de 11 ans qui
reçoit ce genre d’éducation à l’école que j’ai décidé de publier un
livre et de monter une exposition”, poursuit cet historien devenu
éditeur.
“Sans cette prise de conscience, il restera impossible de discuter
des événements de 1915”, ajoute-t-il, en référence aux massacres
d’Arméniens commis entre 1915 et 1917 par les armées ottomanes.
Convaincu des interrogations croissantes de la société turque sur son
propre passé, M. Koker n’en estime pas moins qu’un changement de
mentalités prendra du temps. “Une majorité du public, surtout en
province, considère encore le simple mot d’Arménien comme une
insulte”, estime-t-il.
Même si une poignée d’universitaires et d’historiens amateurs ont
entrepris de revisiter l’histoire turque, on ne brise pas aisément un
tabou profondément installé dans les esprits par 90 ans d’histoire
officielle.
“Jusqu’en 1980, les manuels scolaires turcs ne parlaient tout
simplement pas des massacres d’Arméniens”, résume Fabio Salomoni,
auteur d’un mémoire sur le système scolaire turc.
“Avec les premières reconnaissances du “génocide” par des Etats
occidentaux et la multiplication des attentats de l’Asala (une
organisation terroriste arménienne), un paragraphe a ensuite été
ajouté excluant toute responsabilité turque dans la mort des
Arméniens, expliquée par un contexte de guerre et les rigueurs
climatiques”, poursuit-il.
Si la Turquie reconnaît la réalité des massacres, elle récuse le
terme de “génocide” et les chiffres de 1,2 à 1,3 million de morts
avancés les Arméniens, estimant le nombre de victimes à 250.000 ou
300.000.
Le Premier ministre turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan a certes inauguré début
décembre -peu avant le sommet européen de Bruxelles, qui a donné une
date à Ankara pour le début de négociations d’adhésion à l’Union
européenne- un musée arménien à Istanbul, mais il n’est pas question
de revenir sur les dogmes en vigueur.
Plusieurs officines subventionnées par l’Etat continuent ainsi de
mener des recherches censées démontrer que s’il y a eu génocide,
celui-ci a plutôt été perpétré par les Arméniens contre les Turcs.
“On ne peut pas parler de changement profond au niveau étatique”,
commente Tarin Karakasli, du journal arménien Agos. “L’évolution a
lieu dans l’élite intellectuelle, qui commence à discuter ouvertement
du sujet, à encourager la publication d’ouvrages alternatifs”.
La jeune femme se félicite du rôle joué par l’UE, qui “contribue à
briser le tabou arménien” en encourageant la démocratisation de la
Turquie, mais déplore la position de la France, souhaitant faire de
la reconnaissance du “génocide” un préalable à l’adhésion turque.
“Ces pressions ne servent à rien, la question ne pourra se résoudre
que par des dynamiques internes”, estime-t-elle.
“La population turque n’a pas encore pleinement conscience du
problème; dans ce contexte, imposer une solution ne peut que susciter
des réactions hostiles”, renchérit Etyen Mahcupyan, Arménien
d’Istanbul et chroniqueur du quotidien Zaman.

Deccan Herald, India
Jan 17 2005
Will this baby be left in the cold?
Animal rights activists organised a signature campaign at the Mahatma
Gandhi statue on M G Road on Sunday opposing shifting of Veda to
Armenia.
BY DIPTI NAIR
DH NEWS SERVICE, BANGALORE:
Never look a gift horse in the mouth, it is said. The authorities at
Yerevan zoo in Armenia in West Asia are probably doing the same after
the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) announced six months ago that it
was gifting them an elephant as a `goodwill gesture’.
As Veda, a six-year-old female elephant at Bannerghatta Biological
Park, awaits her fate, animal lovers, especially children,
participated in a `Let’s walk for Veda’ campaign. Veda was supposed
to be airlifted from Bannerghatta to Armenia in December, but her
departure was postponed till February because of the extreme cold
conditions there.
According to Sharath Babu of People for Animals, `The move is in
total disregard of animal welfare, legal provisions and government
policies ensuring protection to captive animals.’ Adds Suparna
Ganguly of Cupa, `We contacted the former director of Yerevan zoo,
and she maintained that conditions there are not suitable for
elephants.’
The animal activists also maintained that they are in touch with
several NGOs in Armenia who have provided information regarding the
unsuitable conditions awaiting Veda. `The enclosure meant for Veda is
less than 10,000 sq ft and the winter shed is less than 2,500 sq ft
which is totally inadequate to house an elephant,’ says Sharath.
The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) had instructed that the elephant be
directly airlifted from Bannerghatta. Says Ram Mohan Ray, Karnataka
chief wildlife warden, `We got the orders from the Centre and there’s
nothing much we can do. Of course, we requested them to make
necessary arrangements for her comfort.’
Besides the prospect of facing the harsh winter, with temperature
dropping from 4 to 14 degrees for four to six months, Veda also faces
separation from her herd. At present, Veda is part of a herd living
with her mother and grandmother. The separation, when it happens,
will be extremely painful considering female elephants rarely ever
leave their herd.
And, though the powers that be claim that she will be joining a male
elephant in Armenia (which was earlier gifted to erstwhile Soviet
Union), activists are sceptical about a union.