Author: Jilavian Emma

Pan Armenian News

TALVITIE: KARABAKH CONFLICT SHOULD NOT BE DISREGARDED

16.09.2005 03:31

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ During yesterday’s press conference in Baku EU Special
Representative for the South Caucasus Heikki Talvitie stated that despite
the great interest towards the parliamentary election in Azerbaijan the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict should receive proper attention. The EU Special
Representative gave a high estimate to the Kazan meeting of the Armenian and
Azerbaijani Presidents and noted the necessity of taking the opportunity.
Mr. Talvitie also said that the organization he represents attaches utter
importance to the upcoming election and he will visit Azerbaijan before and
after the event.

Zaman, Turkey
Sept 14 2005

‘Prosecution of Pamuk Provokes EU’
By Selcuk Gultasli
Published: Wednesday, September 14, 2005
zaman.com

European Union Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said the
prosecution of Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk could be seen as
provocation.

Rehn briefed European parliamentarians about the Supplementary
Protocol with regard to Cyprus and the negotiations framework
document, in the European Parliament (EP) Foreign Relations
Committee, on September 13.

He noted the coincidence of the first court hearing in Pamuk’s trial
with the opening day of the six-monthly EU summit on December 16 that
implied a provocation.

Pamuk will be tried on the grounds of insulting the Turkish state
with his statement that in Turkey one million Armenians and 30,000
Kurds had been killed.

Rehn responded to questions by EP members and expressed his views on
many issues including the recognition of the Greek Cypriot
administration, the implementation of the Supplementary Protocol,
privileged partnership, removing the isolation imposed on Cypriot
Turks and the Pamuk case.

The reactions to Pamuk’s prosecution continue to grow.

Many European parliamentary members brought up the subject. Some
suggested Pamuk be invited to the EP and be consulted.

Rehn indicated that the prosecution of the renowned Turkish novelist
violated the European Human Rights Convention.

He expressed concerns about the Turkish Penal Code that recently came
to effect.

Drawing attention to the opening date of the trial, December 16, Rehn
noted the selection of that date could not be a coincidence but could
very well be a provocation.

Some cadres in the Turkish Justice still resisted the reforms, The
Commissioner indicated.

Often reminding that the recognition of the Greek Cypriot
administration was not among the conditions set on December 17, Rehn
drew attention to the Greek Cypriot rejection of the Annan plan.

Had the Greek Cypriots accepted the plan, today they would not be
discussing issues such as recognition and ports, he stressed,
highlighting Turkey’s efforts for a settlement.

Calling both parties to resume the UN process at once, Rehn indicated
the rejection of the plan harmed the Cypriot Turks the most.

Promises about direct trade and financial aid were not still
delivered to Cypriot Turks due to the disagreement in the Council,
Rehn added, and that the EC should give priority to solve this issue.

Talks with the EU term president the UK and former term president
Luxembourg for the approval of direct trade regulations in the EC
continue Rehn told. `While reminding Turkey about its
responsibilities, we should remember our own responsibilities as
well.’

Every member country has 71 veto voting rights

Turkey’s negotiations would be subjected to very strict rules and
every country has 35 rights both in the opening and the closing of
each chapter, and another voting session is needed to finalize the
negotiations when all negotiating and all chapters are finished.
Every country will have 71 rights to veto during Turkey’s
negotiations.

Rehn expressed displeasure about the Turkish declaration on the
non-recognition of Greek Cyprus while signing the supplementary
protocol of the Customs Union Agreement and cited the rejection of
the Annan Plan as grounds for this unfortunate case.

The EU Commissioner reiterated that Turkey would undertake
negotiations with all the 25 countries as he wanted Turkey to
implement the supplementary protocol fully and open its ports to all
Cypriot Greek ships. If Turkey does not open its ports, the chapters
related to the customs union and the domestic market would not be
open to negotiations, he added, `Under these conditions, it will not
be possible to make any progress in the negotiations.’

`Do not change the negotiations framework’

Rehn warned EU countries not to change the negotiations framework.
The EU Commissioner emphasized that the negotiations framework, which
was issued late in June took very fragile balances into
consideration. `If the document is changed remarkably, the very
fragile balance that was reached after long negotiations last
December will be endangered.’

22 PAINTINGS OF ST. PETERSBURG ARTISTS WERE GIFTED TO ARMENIA’s
NATIONAL PICTURE GALLERY

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14. ARMINFO. 22 paintings of modern St. Petersburg
artists were gifted to Armenia’s National Picture Gallery. Saint
Petersburg mayor Valentina Matvienko participated at exhibition’s
opening ceremony.

In her words, works of Russian artists having a great contribution to
the development of Russian culture are represented at the
exhibition. To note, the exhibition has been organized within the
framework of St. Petersburg’s Days in Yerevan.

IN OUR PAGES: 100, 75 AND 50 YEARS AGO; 1905: Holy War Waged

The International Herald Tribune
September 13, 2005 Tuesday

ST. PETERSBURG: The districts of Zangezur and Jebrail are swarming
with Tartar bands under the leadership of chiefs, and in some cases
accompanied by Tartar police officials. Green banners are carried and
a “Holy War” is being proclaimed. All Armenians, without distinction
of sex or age, are being massacred. Many thousand Tartar horsemen
have crossed the Perso-Russian frontier and joined the insurgents.

Horrible scenes attended the destruction of the village of Minkind.

Three hundred Armenians were massacred and mutilated. The children
were thrown to the dogs and the few survivors were forced to embrace
Islamism.

EU blasts Turkish author’s trial
By Jonny Dymond

Tuesday, 13 September 2005, 18:12 GMT 19:12 UK
BBC News, Brussels

Orhan Pamuk is accused of publicly denigrating Turkish identity

The EU’s enlargement commissioner and several MEPs have strongly
criticised Turkey for bringing renowned author Orhan Pamuk to court.

Mr Pamuk has been charged under Turkey’s criminal code with insulting
the country’s national character.

The court case followed comments by Mr Pamuk about the deaths of one
million Armenians and 30,000 Kurds in Turkey.

The trial of Turkey’s most internationally-acclaimed author is not
due to start until mid-December.

But his case has caught the eye of European politicians weighing up
Turkey’s bid for membership of the European Union.

‘Regrettable’

Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, the official responsible for
shepherding Turkey through the membership process, did not mention
Mr Pamuk’s case when he made his opening statement.

Turkish journalists protested over freedom of speech earlier this
year But he was pressed on the issue over and over again by members
of the European Parliament.

They were clearly upset that the court had been brought under a new,
supposedly more liberal penal code that the European Commission had
pushed Turkey to introduce.

One MEP described the court case as “most unfortunate”. Another stated
that it was “unacceptable” that Turkey should join the EU while it
still practised such restrictions on free speech.

Mr Rehn agreed that the court case was regrettable, while stressing
that Turkey had made clear positive progress on human rights.

He said he had serious concerns over the interpretation of the penal
code, and that the case was in contravention of the European convention
on human rights.

PRESS RELEASE
“Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund
Governmental Building 3, Yerevan, RA
Contact: Artak Harutyunyan
Tel: 3741 52 09 40
Fax: 3741 52 37 95
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
08.09.2005

The reconstruction of the sport complexes is over

Very soon, the sports schools and complexes repaired by the “Hayastan”
Fund will be unveiled in Yerevan. The reconstruction works started in
April will be completed on schedule and the State Olympic Sports
College, the “Spartak” sports complex of the “Hayastan” union, the
Wrestling Olympic Youth College, “Working reserves” NGO’s Yerevan
building will be opened in September.

Visiting to the sport complexes Naira Melkoumian, the Executive
Director of the Fund, Gagik Tsaroukian, the Chairman of the National
Olympic Committee of Armenia, Ishkhan Zakarian, the Chairman of the
State Sport Committee and others highly appreciated the works done.

—
Best regards,
Pr mailto:[email protected]

AZERI FOREIGN MINISTER, NEW OSCE SECRETARY-GENERAL DISCUSS KARABAKH

Trend news agency
7 Sep 05

Baku, 7 September, Trend correspondent S. Agayev: Azerbaijani Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has discussed ways of settling the Nagornyy
Karabakh problem with the new OSCE secretary-general, Marc Perrin de
Brichambaut, the press service of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry
has said.

The minister spoke about the development of cooperation between
Azerbaijan and the OSCE, the process of democratization and political
and economic reforms carried out in Azerbaijan. The two parties
exchanged views on the structure, development and future of OSCE
institutions.

[Passage omitted: Mammadyarov will have several other meetings]

ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN MOVE CLOSER TO DEAL ON ENCLAVE

Agence France Presse — English
September 6, 2005 Tuesday 3:38 PM GMT

Armenia and Azerbaijan are making progress on resolving their conflict
over the ethnic Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, the head of
the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said
in the Armenian capital Yerevan on Tuesday.

After meeting leaders of the two countries, OSCE President Dimitrij
Rupel told reporters there were “signs” an agreement could be reached
over the separatist enclave, which is completely surrounded by Azeri
territory.

Rupel said that in principle both nations took a “very similar”
position but he also sounded a note of caution. “On the level of
details there are still problems,” he said.

The OSCE president urged the hostile parties to try and “reach a
peaceful agreement”.

Nagorno-Karabakh was part of Armenia until 1923 when the Soviet leader
Josef Stalin ceded it to the republic of Azerbaijan and granted it
autonomy. Both Armenia and Azerbaijan had at the time been included
in the young Soviet Union.

Between 1988 and 1994, after the collapse of the Soviet state,
the two nations fought a bloody war over the disputed territory,
in which nearly 30,000 people died.

In 1991, Armenia won effective control of the region and declared
unilateral independance. Azerbaijan, however, wants to take back
control.

Azerbaijan claims about 20,000 Azeris have been exiled during the
conflict and nearly a million people displaced.

OSCE CHAIRMAN STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF TOP-LEVEL CONTACTS BETWEEN ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN

Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE)

Sept 6 2005

/noticias.info/ The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Slovenian Foreign Minister
Dimitrij Rupel, stressed the importance of continuous contacts between
Azerbaijan and Armenia at the highest level in meetings with President
Robert Kocharian and other leaders in Yerevan on Tuesday.

“There have been encouraging signs in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
settlement process over the last few months and we see both prospects
and the difficulties in the process,” Minister Rupel said.

“I understand that the discussions between the leaders of the
two countries have moved in a very constructive direction. I see a
promising opportunity for progress and I am convinced the two parties
should make full use of the opportunities to accelerate the conflict
settlement process.”

During his visit, Minister Rupel also met Prime Minister Andranik
Margarian, Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian and representatives of
NGOs. He had a separate meeting with the leader of Nagorno-Karabakh,
Arkadyi Gukasian.

Minister Rupel said the OSCE welcomed close co-operation with the
Armenian authorities on a number of issues, from legislative reform
to the Police Assistance Programme and the project to dispose of the
rocket fuel component known as “Melange.”

The Chairman-in-Office was also encouraged by progress on
constitutional reform in Armenia.

“The OSCE welcomes the fact that long-term work has resulted in the
recent draft of constitutional amendments, which was revised based
on the comments of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe,”
he said.

The Chairman-in-Office stressed the need for broader public involvement
in the process of constitutional reform in order to prepare for a
successful referendum. He also underlined the importance of improving
Armenia’s electoral framework.

“The OSCE stresses that political will and implementation in good faith
of the recently amended Electoral Code are the major preconditions
for ensuring genuinely democratic, free and fair elections,” Minister
Rupel said.

During his meeting with Foreign Minister Oskanian, the
Chairman-in-Office also discussed OSCE reform. “We count on Armenia’s
active participation in the discussion on reform of OSCE, by which
we wish to strengthen its effectiveness,” Minister Rupel said.

ERDOGAN: TURKEY CAN REVOKE EU BID

Pan Armenian News
05.09.2005 05:48

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
stated that is ready to revoke its bid for the European Union if
conditions not provided by the Eurointergration are imposed on it,
CNN-Turk reports. “Europe should not play tricks on Turkey. If they
try to impose conditions not included in the negotiation agenda we
will follow our path”, Erdogan threatened. Turkish Prime Minister
made a similar statement. “Turkey is going to abandon EU bid if new
conditions or partial membership is proposed”, he said.