Author: Kalantarian Kevo

DEBATING TURKEY AND THE EU
Tulin Daloglu

Washington Times, DC
Dec 4 2007

ANKARA, Turkey. — In the past two years, the suburbs of Paris have
twice witnessed violent clashes between non-native French citizens and
the police. Whether religious and cultural differences or poverty,
unemployment and racial discrimination are the root causes of
these incidents is open to debate. But what’s interesting is that
in September 2006, before he was elected president, Nicolas Sarkozy
visited Washington and argued that then the first French riot stood
as one of the reasons he opposes Turkey’s European Union membership.

"[I] have often been asked about the place of Muslims in France,
because of concern in the United States," Mr. Sarkozy said at an
event organized by the French-American Foundation. "My dear friends,
let’s be consistent. What’s the point of worrying about our ability
to integrate Muslims in France or in Europe if at the same time,
and just as forcefully, the United States asks us to accept Turkey
in Europe? Even if you consider that we have a problem with Islam,
in which case, you have to give us time to find the ways and means
to create a European Islam and reject an Islam in Europe. But don’t
then give equal support to the integration of a country like Turkey,
with 75 million inhabitants. Consistency is part of the relations
between Europe and the United States." Indeed, Mr. Sarkozy’s point
of view is shared by many Europeans.

It’s true that Turkey is becoming more Muslim than European –
particularly since the Islamic-rooted Justice and Development Party
(AKP) took power in 2002. Since then, 2006 the Pew Global Attitudes
poll found out that 51 percent of Turks define themselves first as
Muslim. Being religious is not the problem, but there is a lack of
sincere debate about what exactly scares people when they are faced
with Islamic practices taking a role in governmental life. If freedom
of religion is measured by allowing headscarves in governmental
buildings, would it also consider new interpretations of those
practices by others? Or whether AKP’s understanding of secular
government is consistent with European secular rule?

Mr. Sarkozy is right to say that he needs time to "find the ways
and means to create a European Islam." But it is also a fact that
Europeans allowed political Islam in Turkey to make headscarves the
one and only problem with freedom of religion; now, it’s time they
look deeper into the issue. Turkey’s most trusted public opinion
survey group, KONDA, led by Tarhan Erdem, yesterday announced the
results of a new survey that shows a significant rise in numbers of
covered women. According to this survey, in the last four years,
there are a million more Turkish women wearing headscarfwhile the
ones with turban, which is a sign of political Islam has quadrupled.

Unfortunately, Turkey’s secular and liberal elites have denied the
role of religion in public life in such a way that they have created
a huge mess by not investing in theological education to allow an
open-minded approach to matters – understanding what Islam means in
the modern world, rather than a strictly literal interpretation.

There are a limited number of those theologians, but they are not
enough to change a traditionalist mindset.

AKP’s insistence on traditionalist practices like the headscarf
stands as proof that it refuses to allow open debate on religious
interpretations. Mr. Sarkozy may have strange bedfellows with respect
to his concerns about Turkey’s EU membership; secular Turks may also
be worried about their future.

If the AKP is proud that Turkey has opened accession talks with EU on
its watch, it is now disinterested in moving forward with reforms of
governmental institutions. The European Commission reported "limited
progress" in Turkey’s political reform process.

According to the Pew Global Attitudes poll, the EU’s favorability
rating in Turkey dropped from 58 percent in 2004 to 27 percent in
2007. There are a number of thorny issues in Turkey’s relations with
the EU – including Cyprus, the Armenian genocide allegations and the
Kurdish dilemma. Yet not all of the EU’s issues are related to those
matters. And while the AKP is determined to keep Turkey on track to
join the EU, it is sending a number of paradoxical signals. These
raise concerns, as the AKP is a relatively new party and it is almost
impossible to judge how its rule will affect Turkey. The Turkish
scenery, however, looks in absolute chaos for the time being.

Against all the odds it seems that Mr. Sarkozy understands that
Turkey’s Westernization process is not only limited to its borders
and its politicians’ responses; it is very much a European project.

Yet he may take a more constructive approach in dealing with Turkey.

Still, although Mr. Sarkozy said he would end Turkey’s accession
talks with the EU when he was elected, he has done no such thing. Yet
he continues to express his opposition loud and clear, which is
only fair it represents the sincere opinion of some of the European
population. But the outgoing and the incoming EU presidents, Portugal
and Slovenia, continue to express full support to Turkey’s membership.

Tulin Daloglu is a freelance writer.

article?AID=/20071204/EDITORIAL/112040005/1013/edi torial&template=nextpage

NDU MADE A DECISION ON NOMINATING VAZGEN MANUKIAN FOR THE POSITION OF THE ARMENIAN PRESIDENT

Mediamax
November 28, 2007

Yerevan /Mediamax/. The special gathering of the National-Democratic
Union (NDU) made a decision today on nominating its leader Vazgen
Manukian for the position of the Armenian President.

Mediamax reports that in his speech Vazgen Manukian stated that
"today it is necessary to evoke the public consciousness in Armenia
and to determine the dominant task for the whole nation".

According to him, "corruption became the basic driving force of
the state apparatus, and we have to reform the whole system, since
the shift of a leader will not allow getting rid of the deep-rooted
corruption".

Vazgen Manukian proposed the oppositional parties of Armenia to get
united around the idea of establishment of a free and democratic
state and stressed that he does not at that put the accent on his
own personality.

Leader of NDU noted that in case he is elected, he plans to carry
out constitutional changes on establishing a parliamentary republic
in Armenia and securing real independence of the judicial authority.

According to him, this work will take about 2-3 years, "after which
it will become possible to bravely hold free and democratic elections".

RA NA ADOPTS BILL ON SPECIAL INVESTIGATION SERVICE

Noyan Tapan
Nov 28, 2007

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 28, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA National Assembly, on
November 28, adopted nearly ten bills discussed in the two days. Among
them, five legislative packages were adopted first in the second
reading and some time later in the third reading and completely.

The package of bills On Special Investigation Service and On Making
an Amendment to the RA Criminal Code are among the latters. The
Zharangutiun (Heritage) faction was its opponent and voted against
it, and the Orinats Yerkir (Country of Law) did not take part in
voting. Styopa Safarian, the Secretary of the Zharangutiun (Heritage)
faction, during the bill’s discussion in the second reading the
day before had expressed an opinion that in the respect of possible
consequences that "terrible law" perhaps can be compared only with
the law On Investigation Activity adopted lately.

According to the law, the special investigation service to be created
in the future is an independent state body and is independent in
performing its functions. It will implement preliminary examination
of crimes committed by RA legislative, executive, and judicial
bodies’ leading officials, persons doing special state service,
connected with their post or with their involvement, as well as
preliminary examination on criminal cases connected with electoral
processes. Control over the legality of the preliminary examination
being carried out will be exercised by the RA Prosecutor General
or by prosecutors empowered by him. The RA President will appoint
the head of the service to that post with the Prosecutor General’s
introduction. The President can relieve the head of the service of
his post by grounds stipulated by the law.

TURKISH PROSECUTOR PROBES ATHEIST BOOK

The Associated Press
Nov 28 2007

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) – A Turkish prosecutor has launched a probe into
whether a book by best-selling atheist writer Richard Dawkins is an
attack on religious values – a move that could lead to the prosecution
of the book’s Turkish publisher.

Publisher Erol Karaaslan said Wednesday he would be questioned by an
Istanbul prosecutor on Thursday as part of the official investigation
into Dawkins’ book, "The God Delusion."

Karaaslan could face trial and up to one year in prison if the
prosecutor concludes that the book "incites religious hatred" and
insults religious values, Milliyet newspaper reported. Karaaslan is
both the publisher and translator of the book.

The investigation of the British scientist’s book comes at a time when
Turkey has been criticized for targeting writers and intellectuals
for expressing opinions. The European Union, which Turkey hopes to
join, is pressing Ankara to change laws that curb free expression,
calling them inconsistent with the bloc’s free speech standards.

Turkey said this month it would soften a much-criticized law that makes
denigrating Turkish identity, or insulting the country’s institutions,
a crime.

The Nobel Prize-winning author Orhan Pamuk was among the highest
profile Turks snared by the law, when he commented on the mass killings
of Armenians by Turks in the early 20th century.

Historians estimate up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed by
Ottoman Turks around the time of World War I, an event widely viewed
by genocide scholars as the first genocide of the 20th century.

Turkey, however, denies the deaths constituted genocide, saying that
the toll has been inflated and that those killed were victims of
civil war and unrest.

A probe was launched into "The God Delusion" after one reader
complained that passages in the book were an assault on "sacred
values," Karaaslan said.

No one was available for comment at the prosecutor’s office.

The book has sold some 6,000 copies in Turkey since it was published
by Karaaslan’s Kuzey publishing house in June.

TEGHUT. ECONOMIC GROWTH OR ENVIRONMENTAL CATASTROPHE

Largir, Armenia
Nov 29 2007

The National Citizens’ Initiative (NCI) today convened a public
hearing to examine the advantages-in terms of economic growth-and the
drawbacks-with respect to environmental catastrophe-of a project toward
the operation of a copper-molybdenum mine in the area surrounding
the Teghut village in northern Armenia. The meeting brought together
social and political activists, NGO officials, analysts, and media
representatives.

NCI associate Davit Sanasarian welcomed the audience with opening
remarks. "The exploitation of the Teghut mine is an actual matter and
it calls for serious discussions and proper suggestions prior to the
undertaking of this project," he said.

In his intervention, Hovhannes Nikoghosian from the Armenian
Institute of Mountain Metallurgy spoke in detail about the Teghut
mining project. He informed that a comprehensive study was conducted
before the decision to operate the mine and the results of this study
were summarized in a 12-volume work plan. "The issue that relates to
the neighboring communities is the socioeconomic development, which
creates jobs and reduces work migration, against the ecological damage,
which is a normal phenomenon in any mining industry," Nikoghosian
maintained. In his view, all other ensuing matters, including the
environmental issues, usually are resolved only after registering
economic growth.

In his turn, Hakob Sanasarian of the Greens’ Union of Armenia explored
the ecological consequences of activating the Teghut mine.

He brought attention to the inconsistencies and inaccuracies in the
aforesaid work plan and expressed a deep conviction that this proposal
lacked legal and scientific evidence. What is more, in Sanasarian’s
firm belief, this plan has not been actually tested and therefore
needs a reevaluation. "If carried out, this project will cause a huge
environmental damage to the wildlife, rivers, and roads, the nearby
communities will become desolate, and a vast forest-covered area will
be destroyed as 357 hectares, or approximately 127 thousand trees,
will be cut down," he argued.

The remainder of the session was dedicated to an exchange of views
and recommendations among the public figures and policy specialists
in attendance. Noteworthy were interventions by Sahak Karapetian and
Taguhi Karapetian from the Vallex Group; chairwoman Karine Danielian
of the "Sustainable Human Development" NGO; economist Dr. Tatoul
Manasserian; chairwoman Srbuhi Harutiunian of the Social-Ecological
Association; and several others.

What is the correlation between the benefits and shortcomings of the
Teghut project? Is the Armenian government, which has declared the
mining industry as paramount, prepared to shoulder the responsibility
for the adverse outcome of such projects? These were the main civic
concerns expressed by the discussants during the exchange of opinions
and recommendations.

Azat Artsakh Tert, Nagorno Karabakh Republic
Nov 30 2007

When inconfidence preconceived

You can’t compare today central market of Stepanakert with the ex so
called "kolkhoz" market. It changed greatly in external design as
well as systematization of different services. By the way, the
guests, who visited the capital, affirmed it, noticing, that
everything is available in our market. It’s a praised fact, but not
in service culture. "Old sickness" of underweighing still exists. We
mustn’t hurry to estimate everyone because there are not less
scrupulous traders there. One of my relatives told me with pain that
Armenians, being good merchants since anciant times (they even
copmated with Phynicians who were famous with merchantry) today they
ceded with turkish merchants. He brought an example when we were
bargaining in the markets in Soviet Union years, turkish, azery
traders added one or two potatoes as a sign of gratitude. But our
traders can have the big potato. We, certainly, can not describe
every trader but infortunately it takes place in our life. But the
incident we witnessed in the central of Stepanakert astonished us.
One of the villagers who perhaps firstly came to sell vegetables and
fruits, brought a sack of dried onions and a bag of granate for sale.
As usual, second hand sellers surrounded him and tried to persuade
him sell cheaper and then to sell if more expensive. The villager
refused to give it for resale and prefered to sell it personally.
Taking advantage of the situation someone stole the bag. The villager
who came from the village of Nakhijevanik, was astonished. One of
customers adviced him to go to police inspector, noticing that
policeman knows him closer. Such psychology we have. It’s difficult
to say, where this villager got this confidence not to trust police
but it’s a pity that he was confident not to go to the police.
Morover, the villager whispered to me that one the men who were
playing cards, has stolen his goods who put the granates into the box
>From the bag stood and sold them cheaper quickly than market price.
But he was afraid to speak about it louder. The old villiger sold his
onion and went away. It’s a pity that we often have complexed
confidence which often became the question of dignity harming us too.
There’s no ground to tell, if the villiger went to police, the
policemen would not discover the case. They emphasized (we think) is
his preconceived inconfidence which we must get rid of it. Certainly,
if you want to live in legal reality. Both underweighing and stealing
the bag of a man is crime, against which the police struggles. But
attentiveness and personal responsibility are not less important as
if was in this story. Morality sayings Svetlanna Khachatrian
Pythogores (580-500 B.C.) is the founder of the Mathematics as the
science. He was the first to put into usage the expression
"philosophy". He was the first to name the world "universe". The
authority of Pythagores was high boundlessly, his power over society
was boundless. 1. People prefer to have good traditions, than laws.
But we know that the first laws originate from those very traditions.
2. All the nations of the world respect the memory of Vias whi said:
"I don’t recognize neither the power people, nor one commence. I
accept the law that makes order over jusice. 3. People, let law and
order be your faith. Law and order is the union of all the things.
The nature itself exists due ti it. And what’s the knowledge?
Knoeledge is the knowing of law and order. 4. People consider them
mindles dreamer who say that they talked to God. 5. Never laugh at
those who make mistakes, they should be hepled and not humiliated. 6.
Legislator or Mayor, don’t make strict laws for liquidating luxury,
but seed neglectness in relations with this phenomenon as the worst
defect. 7. People is the sacred the carrying out of this law check
only with clean hands. 8. The rulers of the polis, don’t stand the
officials in service, who are caught as lier. 9. Crotontians, if yoy
are asked what will people do, who wants to have internal freedom and
to be influensive for enemies? Answer them. "Have enough bread, a bit
salt and several just laws, as it was in the ancient Rome in the
years of reign Brutus the Edler". 10. A wise builder, learn from the
nature which creates much with less means. Only the nature will teach
you the art of building house. 11. Law-maker, try to make the form of
your words be shorter. The law is pannational book, but the people
have no time to read longer. 12. Wise and a man of common sense, do
the possible, improve the human-being.

PanARMENIAN.Net

OSCE Minsk Group: same old talks and nothing new at all

There are 10 proposals included in the package provided by the OCSE
Minsk Group to Oskanyan and Mamediarov. One of the proposals though is
not agreed upon, since it is a rather fundamental one and most
probably it is the proposal about the status of Nagorno-Karabakh.
29.11.2007 GMT+04:00

On the initiative of the OSCE Minsk Group in the evening of November
28 a meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Armenia and of
Azerbaijan took place in Madrid. Three issues were on the agenda of
the meeting; general questions regarding the session of the chairs of
the OCSE Minsk Group, the Declaration of the summit under discussion,
where the status of the conflict issues are mentioned, and finally the
uncoordinated issues between Armenia and Azerbaijan regarding Karabakh
conflict regulation.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Honestly speaking, nothing new from this meeting
should ever be expected. And the fact that the OSCE Minsk Group handed
two written proposals on the regulation of Karabakh conflict to both
countries, is not new.

Later the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of both countries had a meeting
with the OSCE Minsk Group with the presence of Minister of Foreign
Affairs of Russia Sergey Lavrov and the Under Secretary of State for
Political Affairs Nicolas Burns. According to the American mediator
Matthew Bryza, the co-chairs proposed a number of aspects in the
frames of basic agreement. `We hope that both presidents will be able
to solve these issues before the presidential elections. The aim of
the meeting is introducing the Ministers our proposals and they, in
their turn, will take those proposals to their Presidents. Over the
last three months we have actively participated in the negotiation
process on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict regulation. Today we suggest the
parties compromise solution. We want them to come to an agreement over
basic principles during several weeks and months before the election
campaign,’ announced Bryza. But the whole question is that Presidents
of Armenia and Azerbaijan do not have these weeks or months. Robert
Kocharyan leavs and naturally he will not sign anything. Ilham Aliyev
most probably stays, but will not sign anything either, and will
threaten with war >From time to time, but this time via the Minister
of Defence Safar Abiyev. Commenting on the statements of the Ministry
of Defence of Azerbaijan Safar Abiyev about the big probability of war
between the conflicting parties, Matthew Bryza mentioned: `This
process has lasted for more than 10 years and we all realize that the
resolution of the conflict is possible only in peaceful.’ According to
the Press-Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan,
there are 10 proposals included in the package provided by the OCSE
Minsk Group to Oskanyan and Mamediarov. One of the proposals though is
not agreed upon, since it is a rather fundamental one and most
probably it is the proposal about the status of Nagorno-Karabakh.

This meeting tempts us to draw a parallel with Kosovo
regulation. Having failed all the negotiations over the Kosovo
problem, the EU and the USA have decided to accelerate the decision
making over the Karabakh issue. Everybody spoke about it in
Madrid. `For the regulation of `frozen conflicts’ it is necessary to
display political will and generosity. To achieve peace between our
nations it is necessary to have the will of carrying negotiations, as
well as political courage to solve conflicts including those in
Moldova, Georgia and Nagorno-Karabakh,’ announced the Minister of
Foreign Affairs of Spain Miguel Angel Moratinos

He was supported by the President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
Goran Lennmarker, underlining that for the resolution of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict there is this so called `golden chance’. In
his opinion all the conditions for the peaceful regulation of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict are provided. The interesting thing is that
in the beginning of the year everybody was talking about the `window
of opportunity’, now they are talking about the `golden chance’. In
both cases the wishful thinking is taken for the reality, for the most
interested party, Nagorno-Karabakh is being ignored.

In his turn the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Portugal, the President
of the Council of European Union Luis Amado called upon Armenia and
Azerbaijan to fully get involved in the negotiations. `The OSCE Minsk
Group and its three co-chairs have worked hard on choosing fair and
balanced principles of regulation of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The EU
supports the continuation of the dialogue between Armenia and
Azerbaijan and would like to use this opportunity to call both parties
to complete involvement in the resolution process,’ announced the
President of the Council of European Union.

Most likely the USA were so happy with the results of summit on
Near-Eastern regulation in Annapolis, that they decided to resolve the
`frozen conflicts’ in CIS countries by the end of Bush’s
presidency. The American Administration hopes the agreement between
Israel and Palestine may be reached during a year, before George Bush
leaves his post in 2009. However, everybody forgets that the
Arab-Israeli conflict started in 1948; 60 years have passed since
then… «PanARMENIAN.Net» analytical department

Russia & CIS General Newswire
November 30, 2007 Friday 2:20 PM MSK

Concern with some countries’ attitude to Kazakh presidency of OSCE –
Lavrov

MADRID Nov 30

The attitude of a number of countries to Kazakhstan’s bid to preside
at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is
proof of an attempt to violate the organization’s principle of equal
rights, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

"I will speak about certain aspects which make us particularly
worried. Primarily, these are attempts to violate the principle of
equal rights of OSCE members," Lavrov said at the 15th meeting of the
Council of the OSCE Foreign Ministers in Madrid on Thursday.

"The most vivid example are approaches by a certain group of
countries to Kazakhstan’s bid to preside in the OSCE in 2009 which
was backed by all CIS members that account for one fifth of the OSCE
members," the minister said.

"Unlike those who were approved in the position of OSCE ‘leaders,’
one tried to force our Kazakh friends to prove that they ‘fit’ [the
position]," Lavrov said.

"Such double standards are absolutely unacceptable. We hope that
common sense will come to reign and we will approve Kazakhstan as
OSCE president," he said.

Moscow thinks that the fears of a number of countries that the
adoption of the OSCE charter could undermine the obligations of the
organization’s members, he said.

"Could one imagine that this key pan-European organization, which the
OSCE is held to be, exists without a charter – a basic document
defining its structure and operating mechanisms?" Lavrov said.

The minister called on OSCE members to "closely study a draft charter
prepared by Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia,
Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

"We advocate making a decision on the establishment of a working
group that would be tasked to discuss the draft at this ministerial
meeting," Lavrov said.

Panorama.am

13:57 01/12/2007

TODAY INTERNATIONAL DAY OF COMBAT AGAINST HIV

Today is the international day of combat against HIV. The whole world
is fighting against the spread of the disease since December 1, 1988
when the World Health Organization decided to attract public attention
on HIV problems.

The day is nominated by different slogans each year. Since 2005, the
slogan for the combat against HIV is `Stop HIV! Keep to your promise!’

U.N. member states have signed a commitment statement on fight against
HIV which has become the first global programs on such events.

Today an award giving ceremony will take place in Yerevan’s Moscow
Theater. Awards will be handed in several categories of fight against
the disease.

Source: Panorama.am

MANAGEMENT OF ‘HAYPOST’ CJSC HAD TO DISMISS 100 EMPLOYEES

arminfo
2007-11-14 14:58:00

ArmInfo. The management of "Haypost" CJSC (Armenian post) had to
dismiss its 100 employees as these people worked not in the Company’s
interests, Director General of "Haypost" Hans Boon said at today’s
press-conference.

He said that just 100 people and no more were dismissed, as the
press wrote.

He added that these dismissals are a disciplinary measure. "Once
these people were fixed up for a job here by acquaintanceship and
continued to receive a salary for nothing", H. Boon said. He added
that as of January 1, 2007, the Company numbered 3800 employees. The
"Haypost" is under reorganization, which is carried out for enhancement
of quality of the rendered services and thus, the non-professional
employees had to leave the Company, he said. Surely, the unnecessary
workplaces will be cut during reorganization and the new ones will be
opened. No such large-scale job cuts are envisaged within the next
five years, H. Boon said. He added that the Company has assumed a
social liability and intends to develop the available human capital
and attract new contracts . As he said, three-month contracts are
presently signed with employees.

In the nearest time, the Company intends to prepare a draft
new collective agreement for three years . Termless contracts
will be signed with separate employees of special value. It is
also scheduled to improve the working conditions and the social
security. The Company also intends to use the system of bonuses for
encouragement of employees. Further, it is going to provide a medical
insurance as well, Hans Boon said. He added that the revenues of
"Haypost" grew by 40% over 9 months, 2007. The expenses also grew
but insufficiently. The labour productivity increased. If an employee
served 1-2 correspondences per day, now this number reaches 5-6.

To note, on November 30, 2006, the full block of stock of "Haypost"
CJSC was passed to the trust management of the Dutch Company, the
"Haypost Trust Management", which belongs to the Dutch Postfinance.