Author: Kalashian Nyrie

JOURNALIST SENER IN COURT FOR BOOK CRITICISING SECURITY FORCES
Erol Onderoglu [email protected]

BIA Magazine
June 11 2009
Turkey

The court case of journalist Sener has begun in Istanbul. IPI and
the Turkey Journalists’ Society have condemned current legislation,
which makes such trials possible.

The court case of Milliyet newspaper’s journalist Nedim Sener began at
Istanbul’s 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance on Wednesday, 10 June.

Sener is the author of a book entitled "The Dink Murder and
Intelligence Lies". In the book, he writes about the negligence
and attempts to cover up this negligence of gendarmerie, police and
the Turkish secret service prior to the murder of Turkish-Armenian
journalist Hrant Dink in 2007.

Sener now faces a trial, without detention, because of the book. He
attended the hearing with lawyer Yucel Dosemeci.

Milliyet newspaper’s editor-in-chief Sedat Ergin also attended the
hearing in support of the journalist.

Following the publication of the book, several police officers who
filed criminal complaints against the writer: Ramazan Akyurek, then
Chief of Police in Trabzon and still in office as Police Intelligence
Unit Chief, Ali Fuat Yilmazer, then Police Intelligence C Unit Manager
and now Istanbul Intelligence Unit Chief and Muhittin Zenit, the
police officer who was responsible for police informant Erhan Tuncel,
who is now accused of encouraging Ogun Samast to kill Hrant Dink.

Another complaint was filed by Faruk Sari, Trabzon Police Intelligence
Branch Manager.

28 years demanded All in all, Sener faces 28 years imprisonment. He
stands accused of "targeting people involved in anti-terrorism
campaigns, revealing classified information, obtaining classified
information, violating the secrecy of these communications, and
attempting to influence the judiciary."

In his defense, Sener said that he had not attempted to influence
the judiciary, but had only tried to contribute to justice being done.

He added that there could be no question of him violating secrecy;
a simple Internet search would allow anyone to find the conversations
between police informant Erhan Tuncel and police officer Muhittin
Zenit. Furthermore, these conversations had been published in the
media long before his book was written.

Media faces increase in oppression The International Press Institute’s
National Committee published a statement in connection with Sener’s
trial, saying that the demand for 28 years imprisonment showed the
increase in oppression of the media in Turkey.

The committee said that last year’s amendments to the controversial
Law 301, which penalises the "denigration of the Turkish state or
state organs", were insufficient:

"Despite all our objections, the Turkish Penal Code, the Press Law
and the Anti-Terrorism Law still contains articles which threaten
the freedom of expression and press freedom."

Urgent need for new legislation The committee further drew attention
to the fact that not even Ogun Samast, the young man suspected of
killing Hrant Dink, is facing such a steep sentence.

They called on urgent changes to the current legislation, which
threatens journalists with imprisonment.

The Turkey Journalists’ Society (TGC) emphasised that Sener was being
tried in two cases, saying:

"For freedom of expression to be protected and provided, first of
all mentalities must change. This becomes clear with every case that
goes to court. The laws which allow the trial of not only Sener but
all journalists must be reconsidered from all dimensions."

The society called on everyone to lobby for a change in
legislation.

ARMENIAN-ESTONIAN REALTIONS DEVELOP DYNAMICALLY

Panorama.am
16:58 11/06/2009

The Foreign Minister of Armenia, Edward Nalbandyan, received the
Foreign Minister of Estonia, Urmas Paet, who is currently paying
official visit to Armenia, MFA reports.

Greeting the Estonian Foreign Minister and his delegation, Edward
Nalbandyan expressed appreciation for the dynamically developing
bilateral relations and emphasized that Armenia was interested in
deepening and strengthening the mutually beneficial cooperation
with Estonia.

Urmas Paet also highly assessed the friendly relations established
between the two countries and noted that Estonia is intended to
take measures towards the development of multisided cooperation
with Armenia.

At the request of the Estonian Minister, Edward Nalbandyan presented
the latest developments over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution
and the process of normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations.

RA PRIME MINISTER TIGRAN SARGSYAN-LED GOVERNMENT DELEGATION IS IN MOSCOW ON A WORKING VISIT

Tuesda y, 9 June 2009

The delegation is composed of Chief of Government Staff David Sargsyan,
Minister of Finance Tigran Davtyan, Minister of Energy and Natural
Resources Armen Movsisyan, Deputy Finance Minister Vardan Aramyan,
Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan and other officials.

The agenda of the Interstate Council features about two tens of items.

Armenia has the status of observer with the EvrAzEs. By midday,
the prime ministers met in a narrow format. Then, RF Government Head
Vladimir Putin addressed the enlarged meeting. In his opening remarks
Mr. Putin urged EvrAzEs-member States to unite endeavors against the
global crisis. Then, the heads of government in attendance took the
floor by turns.

After the meeting, the prime ministers signed a series of documents,
including the agreement on establishing the EvrAzEs Anti-Crisis
Fund. Next, the heads of government approved a program of joint
anti-crisis action.

The anti-crisis fund will be launched as early as in 2009. Either a
hi-tech center will be operational this year to boost research and
innovation across EvrAzEs countries.

The planned efforts under the EvrAzEs and Customs Union formats
are supposed to promote integration and minimize the impact of the
global crisis.

Armenia’s Embassy in Russia hosted a meeting with businessmen at which
Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan delivered a report entitled "Armenia:
Strategy for the Future- 3 Years Later."

Later today the government delegation will be back to Yerevan.

RA PRIME MINISTER BID FAREWELL TO ITALIAN AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
10.06.2009 19:18 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan met Italian
Ambassador to Armenia, Massimo Lavezzo Kasinelli, in connection
with completion of his diplomatic mission in Armenia. Thanking the
Ambassador for work accomplished and fruitful collaboration, RA Prime
Minister noted that Armenian-Italian relations promote collaboration
development in different spheres.

The parties discussed developlemnt of trade and economic relations
between the two countries, creation of favorable economic environment
and investment programs’ implementation. The Ambassador expressed
a hope that collaboration between the countries will cover new
spheres. Sargsyan wished him success and expressed a hope that in his
further activities Mr. Massimo Lavezzo Kasinelli will also contribute
to future development of Armenian-Italian relations.

PACE CO-RAPPORTEURS ON ARMENIA TO VISIT YEREVAN ON JUNE 15-18

NOYAN TAPAN
JUNE 10, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JUNE 10, NOYAN TAPAN. The PACE Co-rapporteurs on Armenia
presented their report on activity of democratic institutions in
Armenia at the PACE Monitoring Committee June 5 sitting in Paris.

According to Armen Rustamian, a member of the Armenian delegation in
PACE taking part in the sitting, Chairman of the NA Standing Committee
on Foreign Relations, an ARFD member, the Co-rapporteurs, in essence,
presented their preliminary interpretations and estimations on the
process of fulfillment of PACE resolutions by Armenia, without the
draft resolution, conclusion, and proposals. The discussion of the
latter was postponed: it will take place in Strasbourg after the
scheduled visit of Co-rapporteurs George Colombier (France) and John
Prescott (United Kingdom) to Armenia to take place on June 15-18.

The discussion of the process of Armenia’s fulfilling the resolutions
and proposals is envisaged at PACE summer plenary session’s June
24 sitting.

In their report presented in Paris the Co-rapporteurs, in general,
touched upon four problems, which in the future will be also
touched upon by the draft resolution to be introduced. According
to A. Rustamian, these are problems regarding revision of the
law On Holding of Gatherings and Meetings and its use, holding of
independent and reliable investigation of the 2008 March events, as
well as release of persons not having a special relation to acts of
violence. A necessity of carrying out many-sided and profound reforms
through an open dialogue with involvement of all political forces
was also accentuated, which proceeds from the directions outlined by
point 8 of PACE 2008 Resolution N 1609.

HOVIK ABRAHAMYAN, "I HOPE THAT ARMENIAN-ITALIAN COOPERATION WILL CONTINUE DEVELOPING"

ARMENPRESS
June 9, 2009

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS: National Assembly Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan
received today Italian ambassador to Armenia Massimo Lavezzo Kasineli
on the occasion of ending his diplomatic mission in Armenia.

National Assembly public relations department told Armenpress that
during the conversation the head of the Armenian Parliament expressed
his gratitude to the Italian ambassador for close cooperation of
the previous years. H. Abrahamyan highly assessed the work of the
ambassador and stressed that he made his unique contribution to the
development of bilateral relations.

NA speaker expressed hope that in future Armenian-Italian cooperation
will go on developing in political, trade-economic, cultural and other
spheres. In that context the interlocutors discussed the prospects
of the cooperation between the parliaments of the two countries and
referred to the present investment projects.

CLINTON SAYS TURKISH-ARMENIAN TALKS ‘ON TRACK’

says-turkish-armenian-talks-on-track/
Jun 8th, 2009

WASHINGTON (Combined Sources)-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
said in a press conference Friday that the process between Turkey
and Armenia to normalize their relations were continuing on
course. Although there have been no concrete steps taken by either
state since late April, Clinton said Washington strongly supports
the so-called "roadmap" process.

Clinton was speaking after a Friday meeting with Turkish Foreign
Minister Ahmet Davutoðlu at the State Department.

With Switzerland standing as observer, Turkey and Armenia jointly
said April 22 that they would work to normalize their relations and
that a road map had been drawn up for that.

Although it has not been made public, the road map is believed to
include a set of steps, including the creation of full diplomatic ties,
and more importantly, the opening of the two neighbors’ land border.

At the Washington meeting with Foreign Minister Davutoðlu, Clinton
struck a hopeful note that the normalization would take place.

"I have been very encouraged by the progress that has been made and
by the commitment of the governments involved. Certainly Turkey and
Armenia, with the assistance of the Swiss government, have committed
themselves to a process of normalization," said Clinton.

"We’re well aware that this is difficult. It requires patience
and perseverance. But we have seen no flagging of commitment," she
said. "We believe that a lot of progress has been made in a relatively
short period of time to resolve issues that are of long standing."

Clinton said that Azerbaijan and Armenia were also working on the
Karabakh problem.

Davutoðlu said: "we are fully committed to our normalization process
with Armenia."

He also said that "on the main regional issues like the Middle East,
Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Caucasus, Black Sea, and all the relevant
issues, we have a common agenda."

"I am very happy to see that we have very identical, similar approaches
to many of these issues," he said.

Clinton reiterated Washington’s support for Turkey in the fight
against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party’s (PKK) and her backing for
Turkey’s eventual membership to the European Union.

ACTIVITY OF THE FACT-FINDING GROUP SUSPENDED

armradio.am
08.06.2009 17:55

The President of the Republic of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, signed an
executive order on declaring invalid the executive order on "Creating
a Fact-finding group of experts and confirming the procedure of
organization of its activity" dated October 23, 2008, President’s
Press Office reported.

APA
June 8 2009
Azerbaijan

MATTHEW BRYZA: "WHETHER THE PRESIDENTS DECIDE TO MEET NEXT WEEK WILL DEPEND ON HOW MUCH PROGRESS THE CO-CHAIRS CAN MAKE, WORKING IN CLOSE COOPERATION WITH THEFOREIGN MINISTERS"

Baku. Viktoria Dementieva – APA. "Whether the Presidents of Armenia
and Azerbaijan decide to meet in July will depend on how much progress
the Co-Chairs can make in coming weeks, working in close cooperation
with the foreign ministers of both countries", American Co-Chair of
the OSCE Minsk Group Matthew Bryza exclusively told APA.

Whilst commenting on the meeting of Presidents Aliyev and Sargsian on
June 4 in St. Petersburg, the co-chair stated that the dialogue was
positive: "The mood between the two leaders was constructive. The
Co-Chairs are pleased by the progress the presidents made, and are
preparing to build on that progress with a new round diplomatic
thinking and consultations to help the parties move closer toward
finalizing the Basic Principles".

Al-Tayyar, Lebanon
June 6 2009

The list of Change and Reform in Jbeil met Tashnak leaders and
citizens of Sakyet el Khayt.

The candidates of change and reform have continued their tour in the
various electoral regions of Jbeil. In this context, they met today,
citizens of Sakyet el Khayt in the presence of the mayor of the region
and a delegation from the Tashnak and its allies in Jbeil, in the
presence of the head of the electoral machinery of the FPM, Tony Abi
Youness.

Ensuring the decision taken by his party, the leader of the Tashnak
party assured that the vote will be for the list as it is. For his
part, MP Walid Khoury assured that the Armenian community and Tashnak
are an essential part of Lebanese society. "The Armenians have been
marginalized for a long time but the Doha agreement has restored the
role of Christians and Armenians," he said.

While the candidate Simon Abiramia stressed on the solidarity among
Armenians and said that all FPM alliances took place after the return
of General Aoun from exile but only the alliance with the Tashnak was
established before his return. "General Aoun said, we have a long
history with the Armenians because the relationship between Tashnak
and the FPM is rooted," he added.

Finally, the MP Abbas Hashem assured that the alliance between the FPM
and Tashnak is stable and continuous because nothing can replace the
partnership among the Lebanese. "The strong state cannot be
constructed in the presence of corruption and the confiscation of
power by certain groups. General Aoun has taken a historic position in
Doha concerning the Armenians, and the honest people â??he
concluded.