Author: Jirair Kafian

Zaman, Turkey
Oct 28 2006
EU’s only Plan for Turkey is Membership
By Economy News Desk
Saturday, October 28, 2006
zaman.com
Graham Watson, leader of the Group of the Alliance of Democrats and
Liberals in the European Parliament (EP), is certain Turkey will
become a member of the European Union.
Watson said accession would ultimately take place but some circles
had an unfavorable opinion about free circulation and noted the
European Union had no Plan B for Turkey.
Invited to Turkey by Zaman daily, Watson spoke at a meeting organized
by the Confederation of Turkish Businessmen and Manufacturers
(TUSKON).
Watson focused on Turkey’s E.U. process and said the European Union
should keep enlarging and include countries that fulfill the criteria
in order to continue the success it had so far obtained.
`No matter how long it lasts, this reform process should be a peg to
increase economic stability and life standards,’ he said.
Describing the supporters of Turkey’s E.U. membership process as
optimistic and those who oppose it as pessimistic, Watson believes
the optimists try to turn difficulties into opportunities whereas the
latter group refuses to take advantage of any opportunity.
While there were vast opportunities for optimists, he said,
pessimists remained reluctant in regards to politics, causing doors
to shut in Turkey’s membership process.
There were still some difficulties for Turkey’s membership process
but the Turkish government was determined to do its best, he added.
Calling for calmness in discussions on Cyprus, Watson said, `We
should come through this storm because everything will ultimately
settle down.’
Stating France was influential on the UK’s 10-year wait during the
E.U. membership process, Watson believes the membership process
should continue in agreement with the Copenhagen criteria. Confidence
must be established without worrying over the increasing goals of
politicians because getting public confidence is no easy task.
Seven percent of the Turkey believes in the European Union, a
newspaper survey revealed. Turkey should overcome these obstacles in
the public opinion and struggle against those opposing enlargement,
he said.
Graham added that there were 12 E.U. members in 1980. Today, there
are 27 countries because a single market offers great opportunities
and the trade is an important tool in this sense.
Terming the French parliament passing a bill on an Armenian genocide
as `madness,’ Watson said: `Such a law is totally absurd in today’s
world. If it becomes a law, they will regret it.’

SERGE SARGSYAN ALSO NEEDS FACTS, AND BARGAVACH HAYASTAN IS NOT AN
OPPONENT YET
Lragir.am
01 Sept 06
If in answer to the statement that `the criminal penetrates into
politics and namely the Republican Party of Armenia’ only Speaker
Tigran Torosyan and Robert Kocharyan’s speaker have demanded names and
facts, on September 1 the head of the Council of the Republican Party
and Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan joined them.
The head of the Council of the Republican Party Serge Sargsyan touched
upon the news about the minister of environmental protection Vardan
Aivazyan.
There are news that Vardan Aivazyan wanted to extort 3 million dollars
from a businessman. Serge Sargsyan did not use accusing words. `The
attorney general and the court can accuse, the allegations of some
peoples cannot be perceived as an accusation.’ Serge Sargsyan does not
exclude that some time later it will become known that the news about
Vardan Aivazyan are slander. It should be added that the opposite may
become known. However, the procuracy must act to find out something.
On the evaluations that the Republican involved the criminal, `People
simply give evaluations that come from the poison inside them. We are
ready to speak, debate, both publicly and face to face, whenever
definite parties are told. The criminal are those who slander.’ Serge
Sargsyan is trying to understand what criminal means. `Is a man a
criminal if he has a nickname, isa man a criminal if he speaks aloud
and does not speak Armenian well?’ There may be one or two or three
people among the members of parliament or the council of the political
party, whose behavior and words do not show their intelligence, states
Serge Sargsyan without problems and asks which members of the council
of the Republican Party were convicted or murdered people.
Serge Sargsyan does not think that he does not spare enough time to
the Council of the RP, he is likely to spare more time, `but not at
the expense of defense and security.”
Like formerly, Serge Sargsyan does not consider Gagik Tsarukyan’s
Bargavach Hayastan Party an opponent. `Bargavach Hayastan is a force,
which has announced about its political aims, and the outcome of the
election will show what this force will be like. Now it is difficult
to say whether he is a big or small opponent.’

PRESS RELEASE
DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Contact: Prof. Gerard Libaridian
Email: [email protected]
FIFTH MEETING OF THE WORKSHOP FOR ARMENIAN/TURKISH SCHOLARSHIP TO
CONVENE AT NYU
Public Session Scheduled for Sunday, May 14
The next meeting of the Workshop for Armenian/Turkish Scholarship
(WATS) will convene at New York University, May 14-16. This will be the
fifth meeting of this important undertaking. The three day gathering
will start with a session open to the public, from 7:00-9:00 PM in the
Hemmerdinger Hall, Silver Center, 100 Washington Square East, 1st
Floor. Organized by Professors Fatma Müge Göçek (Sociology,
University of Michigan), Gerard Libaridian (History, Michigan), and
Ronald Grigor Suny (History, Michigan), previous meetings of WATS were
held at the University of Chicago (2000), University of Michigan
(2002), the University of Minnesota (2004) and in Salzburg, Austria
last year. The fifth meeting is being hosted by New York University and
the organizers are joined by Prof. Paul Boghossian ( Philosophy, NYU).
The theme of the workshop this year is `The Boundaries of Genocide:
Intentions, Histories, Peoples.’
`Dialogue is an ideal that often ends up with one side talking and the
other appearing to listen,’ commented Prof. Ronald Suny. `In
discussions about the Armenian Genocide of 1915, neither side –
Armenian or Turkish – seemed to understand, or even hear, what the
other was saying. How could the deportation and massacre of hundreds
of thousands of people be metastasized into a civil war that never
occurred? How could one blame the victims for their own deaths? This
workshop has been one of the most exciting and productive scholarly
initiatives in the last five years that has brought Turkish, Armenian,
and other historians and social scientists together to present research
and talk about the fate of the Armenians and other minorities in the
last years of the Ottoman Empire.’
The evening session on May 14 will serve to acquaint the general
public with the work of this initiative. In addition to introductory
comments by Prof. Boghossian and officials of the host institution,
Professors Gocek, Suny and Libaridian will present reports on various
aspects of WATS and answer questions. The public is invited.

GEORGIAN MI INVESTIGATES APPEARANCE OF ANTI-ARMENIAN LEAFLETS IN SAMTSKHE-JAVAKHETI
The Messenger, Georgia
Oct 17 2005
On October 12-13, leaflets reading “It’s high time for revenge”
appeared on the streets of Akhalkalaki (the largest city in the
predominately Armenian region of Javakheti).
“Armenians! We are coming and whoever stands in our way will die.
Russia will not help you, as their time on our land is over,” the
leaflet, by a group calling itself the “Brigade of Liberation of
Akhalkalaki,” warned.
The administration of the Samtskhe-Javakheti region notes that
all leaflets have been confiscated and criminal proceedings have
been instituted. The Georgian Interior Ministry Secret Service is
investigating the case.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EBRD Development Lead for Armenia
BISNIS Consulting Update
21 September 2005
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Leadlink,
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Deadline: October 10, 2005
Leadlink,
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Pan Armenian News
CSTO TO COOPERATE WITH NATO
15.09.2005 05:58
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russian Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov stated September 14
that according to an arrangement first contacts between the Collective
Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), which comprises Armenia, Belarus,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan, and the NATO will take place.
In the course of an unofficial meeting in Berlin the Russian MOD head had
with his counterparts representing NATO member states S. Ivanov noted that
before the end of the year a meeting of CSTO top officials with their NATO
colleagues will be held in Brussels. `Someone might dislike the CSTO or an
individual member state of the Treaty, however any action against drug
trafficking from Afghanistan is impossible without CSTO member states,’ S.
Ivanov stated, adding that Russia has presented a number of proposals,
including closer cooperation between the NATO and CSTO member states,
reported Interfax.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Sept 15 2005
Separatist republics’ representatives attending Moscow conference
Baku, September 14, AssA-Irada
Representatives of separatist entities from Upper Garabagh, Abkhazia,
South Ossetia and Dnestr are attending a three-day conference that
started in Moscow on the invitation of the Russian President’s
administration, reports say.
Member of the Russian Duma (parliament) Konstantin Zatulin said that
unrecognized republics possess many `state attributes’, including
armed forces and security councils. `Democratic processes in these
republics are developing more rapidly than those in other CIS
countries’, he alleged.
The conference, attended by Russian MPs, heard a report from Ruslan
Zargarian, `deputy foreign minister’ of the self-proclaimed Upper
Garabagh republic.
Zargarian claimed that Azerbaijan’s Dashkasan, Khanlar and Ganja
regions are Armenian territories.
Representatives of Abkhazia, Dnestr and South Ossetia spoke at the
event as well.
Head of the department on relations with CIS under the Russian
President, in turn, said his country considers the interests of South
Ossetia and Abkhazia as its own, `as over half of the population
there are Russian citizens’. Touching upon the Armenia-Azerbaijan
conflict over Upper Garabagh, the Russian representative said: `A
part of Azerbaijan’s population is in military mood, which is a bad
sign.’*
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

UNITED STATES EARMARKS $295 MILLION FOR GEORGIA
By Tatoul Hakobian
AZG Armenian Daily #164
14/09/2005
Neighbors
$102 Million of This To Be Spent On Reconstruction of Infrastructures
and Road Network in Javakhk
The US government confirmed September 12 the size of financial
assistance to Georgia within the frameworks of Millennium Challenges. A
press release of the Millennium Challenges Program says that the
$295.3 million for the Georgian government aim at reducing poverty
and spurring economic growth in Georgia.
The greater part of the US financial support, $102.2 million, will
be spent to rebuild infrastructures and roads in Samtskhe-Javakhk
region. The Georgian authorities will assign additional $20 million
from the state budget for the needs of this Armenian-populated
southern region. The roads to be reconstructed are Ninotsminda-Bavra
highway connecting Armenia with Georgia, Akhalkalak-Karzakh,
Akhalkalak-Akhaltskha and Akhaltskha-Tsalka-Tbilisi stretching in
total 245 kms.
$60 million of the sum will be spent on development of various
infrastructures of Georgia, $49.5 million will be spent on
reconstruction of Russia-Armenia gas pipeline, investments in
enterprises out of Tbilisi will demand another $32.5 million and $15
million will go to agriculture, tourism and irrigation water system.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

GORIS TO HOST SECOND “SYUNIK PRODEXPO 2005”
Armenpress
Sept 12, 2005
GORIS, SEPTEMBER 12, ARMENPRESS: Goris Business Support Center (BSC)
NGO has announced the second regional ProdExpo in Syunik Province. It
said the aim of the event is to introduce local producers’ products
and services to locals and the international community. The expo will
be hold in the southern Armenian town of Goris, on September 24, 2005.
Over fifty regional Armenian companies will present such products as
cheese, juices and soft drinks, construction materials, meat and fish
products, jewellery, and IT. Local and International organizations,
governmental institutions, banks and donor organization have confirmed
their participation in this exhibition. The overall program also
includes traditional Armenian dancing, singing, food tasting, artwork,
and carpet weaving. Handicrafts (their creation and presentation)
will also be shown.
These handicrafts will be made of stone, wood, and local ceramics.
People will sell home-made products- yogurt (matsoon), honey, nuts
and walnuts, vegetables, fruits, dried fruits, baked goods, lavash,
home-made jams and jellies, sweet soodjookh, herbal teas (including
rose-hip and thyme), and all the other products that a typical Armenian
household usually prepares for its members. Artisans will present
their work, and visitors may try their hand at replicating this art.
Armenian restaurants and cafes will organize an area for a one-day
operation of their businesses. The information desk will provide
information about the town’s museums, as well as explain possible
tours and visits in the area. Visitors will have an opportunity to
visit the Old Town, the Goris Archeological and Artists’ museums.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Quartet brings Down the house
Live Review: System Of A Down in T.O.
By LIISA LADOUCEUR – Special to the Sun
Canoe.ca, Canada
Toronto Sun
Sept 2 2005
TORONTO – Never underestimate the power of a good musical pummelling.
For who would have believed that System of a Down, four
Armenian-American underdogs playing complex, kooky, uncatchy hard
rock with a communist (or at least very socialist) manifesto could
be stadium superstars.
The California group emerged from the late-90s Ozzfest scene to become
a leading voice for pierced activists and aged headbangers alike;
their influence in the underground has been growing as steadily as
their goatees.
But as they proved last night at the Air Canada Centre in front of
15,000 stoked fans, System of a Down are not actually the kings of
nu metal — they are the new kings of metal.
Emerging onto a stark stage dressed all in black with fancy
aristocratic jackets, they took control of the crowd immediately with
their recent hit BYOB and for almost two hours, never let go.
It’s almost impossible to sing along to their tunes, but leader Serj
Tankian’s mix of rapid-fire speak and operatic singing was like a
tribal war cry and the crowd responded on cue.
Guitarist Daron Malakian was the team spazz, racing about. The rumbling
bass and rapid-fire kick drums had the power and fury of death metal,
but without the relentless pacing and ridiculous lyrics. Well,
“pull the tapeworm out of your a–” is pretty ridiculous and most
of the songs that aren’t political are equally goofy but how else to
turn everyone in the room into a fist-pumping 14-year-old boy?
Besides, the band’s musicianship is so stunning, so dynamic and
dramatic any juvenile geeking out was forgiven.
This was not Fred Durst-style goofing off. It was utterly intense
and refreshingly playful.
When Serj sat down with an acoustic guitar to play Questions, it was
the heaviest unplugged interlude ever.
The band didn’t say a word to the crowd, and didn’t have to.
Tunes that sound chaotic on radio flowed seamlessly from one to the
next, from Violent Pornography to Mr. Jack to War to Prison Song,
with ferocity and precision.
They even worked in some Neil Young and Dire Straight references.
By the time they got to bombastic hits like Ariel and Toxicity,
System of a Down were playing as good as Metallica in their heyday,
and perhaps better than any other metal bands on the road today.
Two devil saluting thumbs up.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress