Author: Kalantarian Kevo

Hürriyet, Turkey
Sunday, September 16, 2007 01:14

US Diplomat sends seven messages to Turkey

Nicholas Burns, the third ranking official at the US
state department, has said that Turkey-US relations
have reached a `critical juncture’. Burns, who said
`we should work together’ on the issues of Iran and
energy, made several challenging remarks to Ankara
during a recent speech in Washington, DC.

Gül and Erdoðan reliable
`Turkey is critical for us, an indispensable ally,
with her commitment to secular democracy. Prime
Minister Erdoðan and President Gül are reliable. They
have kept promises they have made to us in the past.
Turkey is an important portal for energy sources to
reach Europe. We support Turkey’s accession to the
European Union. `

Work with us against Iran
`The energy agreement between Iran and Turkey bothered
us. It is beneficial for both the US and Turkey to
keep Iran, which supports the Taleban and wants to
possess nuclear power, under control.’
Six months for PKK

`The PKK is a terrorist organisation. Our good faith
should not be underestimated. I hope that solid steps
will be taken against the PKK within the next six
months.

Open priests’ school
`The Fener Greek Patriarchate is of ecumenical status.
The US recognises Patriarch Bartholomeos as a friend.
A priests’ school should be opened in Heybeliada.’

Open borders with Armenia
`Normalize relations with Armenia. The
Turkish-Armenian border should be opened. We are
opposed to the passing of the Armenian bill in
Congress. In the case of this bill passing, those in
Turkey who seek to keep a dialogue between the
Armenians and the Turks will be silenced.’

Lift article 301
`Article 301 of the Turkish penal code, used even
against Nobel prize-winner Orhan Pamuk, should be
lifted.’
Cyprus
`We are working for the UN to start a new venture in
Cyprus.’

CONTRACT SIGNED BETWEEN MCA-ARMENIA AND ï~^"HAYJRNAKHAGITS INSTITUTEï~^" CJSC

armradio.am
14.09.2007 12:45

Millennium Challenge Account ï~^- Armenia announced the award of a
consulting contract to ï~^"Hayjrnakhagits Instituteï~^" CJSC for
the design and construction supervision of a project that will
rehabilitate six main irrigation canals (Artashat, Low Hrazdan,
Armavir, Talin, Arzni-Shamiram, Shirak) of the MCA-Armenia Irrigated
Agriculture Project Infrastructure Activity. The contract was signed
by MCA-Armenia CEO Ara Hovsepyan and ï~^"Hayjrnakhagits Instituteï~^"
Director Yuri Javadyan.

According to the contract, ï~^"Hayjrnakhagits Instituteï~^" should
develop preliminary designs for the six main canals and final designs
for ancillary structures, prepare two-phase bidding documents
for the construction firm that will carry out the rehabilitation
work, collect baseline data for an environmental and social impact
assessment and supervise construction activity during the canalsï~^’
rehabilitation stage.

In total, these six main canals serve around 120.000 hectares
of farmland which is more than half of area served by Water User
Associations.

The contract value is USD 1,500.000. The duration of work will be
46 months.

After the Soviet era, due to the lack of maintenance, irrigation
canals deteriorated. Water losses increased, which led to a worsening
of irrigation of thousands of hectares of land. MCA-Armeniaï~^’s
program will rehabilitate around 200 km of main canals which will
reduce water losses by up to 50%.

–Boundary_(ID_CFMMLToy7jqTJJEMJYXd6A)–

LEVON ARONYAN PLAYED A DRAW WITH ALEXANDER MOROZEVICH

armradio.am
14.09.2007 14:16

September 13 the first round games of the World Chess Championship
were held in Mexico. All four games, Kramnik-Swidler, Anand-Gelfand,
Gishuk-Leko and Aronyan-Morozevich, ended a draw.

In the second round Levon Aronyan will compete with Vishvanatan Anand
of India. They played five games against each other, four of which
ended a draw, and Levon Aronyan defeated the rival in one game.

NEW ORDER IN ALEXANDER ARZUMANYAN’S CASE

A1+
[07:21 pm] 12 September, 2007

Today the RA General Prosecutor Aghvan Hovsepyan revealed some details
of the criminal case against the former RA Minister of Foreign Minister
Alexander Arzumanyan.

The Prosecutor announced that 20 thousand US dollars were transferred
to each bank account of 9 persons. He added that if Arzumanyan’s
friend sent the money as assistance, he would not have transferred
it to henchmen and would not pay them for their service.

Aghvan Hovsepyan informed that this fact was confirmed by the
"henchmen", and the fact that false bank transferring was carried
out was confirmed by the employees of the bank. He also noted that
the National Security Service started the action against Alexander
Arzumanyan. They organized the secret hearings and the evidences
served ground for accusation.

The precautionary measures were not connected with Arzumanyan’s
innocence. The investigation was over and he could not hamper it
any more.

Heghine Bisharyan, a deputy asked why they could not release the
chief editor of "Time-Yerevan" Arman Babajanyan. Aghvan Hovsepyan
pointed out that Babajanyan was accused of avoiding military service by
falsifying documents and the verdict of the court that was already in
force. The crime was committed when Babajanyan’s mother worked in the
RA President’s office and abusing her position, she ensured that the
submitted documents were true, that is to say "in the documents his
friend’s wife was presented as Babajanyan’s wife, and his children as
Babajanyan’s children. Fortunately, that woman arrived in Armenia and
it was found out that she had only one husband, meaning Babajanyan’s
friend and the children belonged to them".

Mr Babajanyan may not be released, since according to the verdict he
has to serve the sentence.

ANAND TOP SEED IN CHESS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
By Our Chess Correspondent

Press Trust of India, India
Sept 12

Mexico, Sept 12 (PTI) Viswanathan Anand will start as the top seed
but a tough contest is on cards in the Chess World championship that
starts here from tomorrow.

After his recent elevation as the top ranked player in the world
in ELO ratings, this will be Anand’s first major event in Classical
chess and the Indian will have to give his best if he has to regain
the title he won in 2001.

For the chess buffs across the world the extravaganza, arguably
the strongest ever tournament in the history of the game, promises
exciting chess spread well over a fortnight when the eight top players
of the planet will take on each other twice to determine the new
World champion.

The onus will be on Russian Vladimir Kramnik who was crowned the
new world champion in 2006 after his victory over Veselin Topalov of
Bulgaria in the reunification match, famous as toiletgate, at Elista
in Russia.

Kramnik is the second seed in the event on ELO scales but is amongst
the favourites for the crown here.

For the records, the eight-players double round robin tournament will
be played under classical chess rules and all games can last up to
seven hours. There will be 14 games in all and the new world champion
will be decided based on the number of points scored from these games.

Amongst other participants Armenian Levon Aronian is also expected to
be among the contenders for the world title. A former World Junior
champion, Aronian has been quite impressive in the recent past and
is amongst the few players who have beaten Anand in classical chess
recently. PTI

BUSES’ ROUTES TEMPORARILY CHANGED IN YEREVAN BECAUSE OF BAREKAMUTYUN TRAFFIC CENTER RECONSTRUCTION

ARKA
11 Sept 2007

YEREVAN, September 11. /ARKA/. Yerevan’s buses and minibuses have
temporarily changed their routes because of Barekamutyun traffic
center reconstruction.

The city authorities told ARKA News Agency that the road above
Barekamutyun subway would be opened only for one-side traffic and
Orbeli Street is completely closed.

One will be able to get from Mrshal Baghramyan Avenue to Kievyan
Street through Avetisyan, Gyulbenkian, Hr. Kochar and Kalents Streets
as well as Komitas Avenue.

It will be possible to reach Kievyan Street from Komitas through
Kalents and Baghramyan Avenue will be available through Hr. Kochar,
Gyulbenkian and Avetisyan Streets.

The city officials said they would make whatever possible to ensure
traffic security.

IranMania

Iran participates in Kyrgyzstan?s Film Festival

Sunday, September 09, 2007 – ?2005 IranMania.com

LONDON, September 9 (IranMania) – Iran is
participating in the first Issykkul Film Festival
currently underway in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, MNA
reported.

?With Him? by Naqi Nemati, ?Woman, Color, and Wedding?
by Ali Shahideh, ?Life and No More? by Ruhollah
Molavi, and ?Barefoot until Dawn? are among the
Iranian entries at the festival which began on
September 3 and will end tomorrow.

Director General of the festival Zamir Eraliev said
that 100 films are taking part in the festival from
countries including Armenia, Iran, Latvia, Ukraine,
Canada, Turkey, Tajikistan, China, and Azerbaijan.

Winners will receive a golden tunduk (the Kyrgyz
symbol of nomadic life) made from pure Kyrgyz gold.

KARABAKH CONFLICT NOT URGENT IN AZERBAIJAN: SPEAKERS BELIEVE

Panorama.am
17:32 05/09/2007

Political scientist Aghasi Yenokyan and representatives of the Armenian
Republican Party (HHK), Armen Ashotyan, shared their opinions on
Karabakh conflict at Club "Hayeli" today.

"I do not see any progress in this issue. No development is noticeable
in this conflict. Time is not working for us now because in time our
relative strength is declining in the region," Yenokyan said referring
to recent economic and military developments in Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Ashotyan disagreed saying "NKR is a de facto recognized separate
official structure" and its legal recognition is a subject of
"favorable conditions."

Ashotyan believes time is working in favor of Armenia and Nagorno
Karabakh.

Despite of differences in opinion, both speakers are sure that today
Nagorno Karabakh conflict is not an urgent issue for Azerbaijan.

REGIONAL CONFERENCE DEDICATED TO TRAFFICKING TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 5 TO 6

Noyan Tapan
Sep 4, 2007

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN. The regional conference titled
"Actions against trafficking: measures directed at prevention,
protection and prosecution" will be held in Yerevan between September
5 to 6. There are representatives of governments, international
organizations, and non-governmental organizations from Armenia,
Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Croatia, Norway, Portugal, Romania,
the Russian Federation, Georgia, as well as diplomatic representatives
accredited in Armenia among the participants of the conference. The
above-mentioned conference is organized jointly by the RA Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and the European Council within the frameworks of "The
campaign of the European Council for the struggle against trafficking."

According to the message provided to Noyan Tapan by the RA Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, the Yerevan conference is the eighth measure of the
campaign, one of the goals of which is to promote the ratification of
the convention of the European Council on actions against trafficking
and the increase in the awareness of people about trafficking.

FRANCE AND TURKEY MOVE TO MEND FENCES AFTER US CONVINCED SARKOZY TO "HELP"

The New Anatolian, Turkey
Sept 3 2007

France, Ankara move to mend fences

Ankara and Paris are excepted today to set a course to mend fences
in their chilly relations after France vocally opposed Turkey’s
accession into the European Union as a full member and the French
Parliament moved to accept Armenian claims that Turks committed an
act of genocide against them at the turn of the last century.

Diplomatic sources told The New Anatolian the United States had a
role in the fence mending process. President George W. Bush hosted
his French counterpart Nicholas Sarkozy in the United States and
urged him to ease his opposiiton to Turkish membership in the EU.

Sources said Sarkozy agreed to make an effort and and kept his promise.

The fence mending starts with the arrival of French Foreign
Undersecretary Philipee Faure today upon an invitation of Turkish
Foreign Undersecretary Ertugrul Apakan.

Faure will hold talks as part of annual "political consultations"
with Turkish Foreign Ministry executives.

The visit comes at a time when French President Nicolas Sarkozy,
a staunch opponent of Turkish membership, softened his stance last
Monday, saying France would not block Turkey’s accession talks with
the EU.

Turkey began accession negotiations with the EU in 2005, but Brussels
froze the talks last year in eight of the 35 policy areas candidates
must complete.

The move was a response to Ankara’s refusal to grant trade privileges
to EU-member Cyprus, which it does not recognize.

However, in June France blocked talks in one chapter on monetary
issues saying this would amount to allowing more Turkish intergation
into the EU economic system giving Ankara hope that the negotiations
would lead to full membership.

Faure’s meetings in Ankara will focus on relations between Turkey
and France, Turkey’s membership negotiations with the EU and regional
matters.

According to diplomatic sources, French Foreign Minister Bernard
Kouchner will also pay a formal visit to Turkey soon.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit France and meet
French President Nicolas Sarkozy in the upcoming months, diplomatic
sources told The New Anatolian.

Meanwhile, the President of the EU Commission Jose Manuel Barroso said:
"the EU must fulfill its responsibilities vis-a-vis Turkey. We welcome
Sarkozy’s new stance on Turkey".

However, not all was bright abnd beautiful. Last week Frabce also
spelled out five areas of Turkey’s accession talks with the EU that
it wants to hold up because they assume the large, poor, mainly Muslim
nation will eventually join the 27-nation bloc.

They include agricultural subsidies and regional aid – the EU’s two
biggest spending programs – as well as the euro and Turkey’s place in
institutions such as the European Parliament, and European citizenship
rights for Turks.

"Evidently, there are a certain number of subjects where negotiations
would objectively lead to membership," Sarkozy’s spokesman David
Martinon told a weekly news conference last week.

"Among those, if you think about it, there must of course be the
chapter or the package or the subject of monetary and economic union,
there are the provisions relating to European citizenship … there
is institutions, there is the Common Agricultural Policy and there
is regional policy and structural funds," he said.

The EU agreed unanimously in 2004 to open negotiations with Turkey
with the aim of membership, and the executive European Commission
rejects the distinction made by France between chapters that imply
membership and others that do not.

However, the Commission welcomed Sarkozy’s willingness to allow
talks with Ankara to go forward, and officials said there was a tacit
understanding that the EU executive would not recommend opening talks
on chapters it knew Paris opposed.

In June, France blocked the opening of talks between Ankara and
Brussels on economic and monetary policy – the groundwork for Turkey
to eventually adopt the euro – underlining Sarkozy’s oft-repeated
opposition to Turkey joining the EU.

Government spokesman Laurent Wauquiez said the five problem areas
should be discussed after the 30 other chapters.

Asked when that was, Martinon said: "When we will have settled the
30 others."

Sarkozy made clear last Monday that he would allow talks go ahead
on other policy areas provided a group of "wise people" is set up
to discuss the longer-term future of Europe, including how far its
borders should stretch.

He said the panel should report back before European Parliament
elections in 2009.