Author: Karakhanian Suren

"MR. SEZER, DO NOT RATIFY THE TERROR LAW"
Tolga Korkut

BÝA, Turkey
July 3 2006

Representatives of 15 organizations send letter to President Sezer
asking him not to ratify amendment in Turkey’s Anti-Terror Law:
"The law surrenders personal rights and freedoms to the conscience
of security forces; eliminates all basic human rights".

BÝA (Istanbul) – Representatives of 15 organisation including political
parties and democratic mass organisations have sent a joint letter
to President Ahmet Necdet Sezer requesting him not to ratify the
amendments in Turkey’s Anti-Terror Law (TMY).

Referring to last week’s Parliament General Assembly approval of the
controversial draft, the letter said the new TMY "surrenders personal
rights and freedoms to the conscience of the security forces and
eliminates basic human rights". The bill will go into force only if
the President ratifies it.

The letter stressed that the law had dangers to democracy and human
rights by listing a number of serious drawbacks and possibilities:

Disappearances under detention could be revived: "The law severely
restricts the right to defence. Personal safety is endangered with
the republic prosecutor being authorised to order for a suspect not
to be allowed to contact relatives or receive the assistance of an
attorney as of the moment of detention. This situation raises concern
that ‘disappearance under detention’ incidents could be revived.

Those thinking differently cannot express their opinion, organise:
"It is known that the whole of the society does not think in the
same way on issues such as the ‘Armenian Genocide, Cyprus Question,
Kurdish Problem’ which are the red points of the state. The law totally
abolishes the right of persons, intellectuals and institutions that
think differently [on these] to share their views with the public. Any
individual who expresses their opinion, organises according to their
opinion, can be put on trial for a terrorism offence under this law".

Gangs, killers encouraged: "Article 15 of the law rules that even
if an arrest is required, anti-terrorism officials on trial for
killing people, evacuating villages, torture, can be tried without
being remanded in custody. This article is an arrangement intending
to encourage the killers and gangs".

Tax pays for cost of offending officials: "The state will meet the
legal defence costs of security officials who commit an offence. The
limit of this payment has not been determined. It is disturbing that
the crimes of these officials will be paid for with our taxes".

Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Kaboglu told bianet in an exclusive interview
last week that due to articles in violation of the constitution,
he expected President Sezer to return the law to Parliament rather
than ratify it in its current form.

The organisations that have undersigned the letter to Sezer are:

Human Rights Association Ýstanbul Branch, Labout Party Istanbul
Provincial Organisation, Freedom and Solidarity Party Istanbul
Organisation, Democratic Society Party Istanbul Provincial
Organisation, Socialist Democracy Party Istanbul Provincial
Organisation, Initiatives of 78’s, Labour Movement Party, Peace
Mothers, Initiative Against Thought Crime, Socialist Platform of
the Oppressed, Young Civilians, Halkevleri Istanbul Branch, Kurdish
Institute, Socialist Solidarity Platform, Association to Assist
Prisoner Families.

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STATEMENTS OF ARMENIAN SIDE REGARDING REFERENDUM, KALBAJAR AND LACHIN TAKE SPECULATIVE AND PSEUDO CHARACTER – AZERI DEPUTY FM
Author: S.Agayeva

TREND Information, Azerbaijan
July 3 2006

Many statements of the Armenian side, as well as regarding the
referendum, status of Kalbajar and Lachin take speculative and pseudo
character, Araz Azimov, the deputy foreign minister of Azerbaijan,
told journalists on July 3, Trend reports.

According to Azimov, the Azeri side has repeatedly stated that only
national referendums may be held in the territory of Azerbaijan
and this position has been exactly defined in the Constitution
of Azerbaijan. Azeri government is not going to stand beyond this
position and all speculations in this direction are lie, told Azimov.

He remembered that the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh didn’t live
alone, but together with the Azerbaijanis, and if we speak about
the democracy, then the demography of the region should be restored
and Azerbaijanis should return to Nagorno-Karabakh. For this it is
important to ensure the relevant peaceful conditions and release of
Azerbaijan’s occupied territories. "It a normal logical process,"
Azimov added. "The settlement of political questions – appointment of
the status of both peoples’ joint living should be made democratically,
within Law," Azimov told.

Azimov emphasized that the statements about the issue that as though
Kalbajar and Lachin will remain under the control of Armenian side is
absurd because the talks on release of these districts have been held
from the first day to the present time. Nobody will allow Armenians
to keep any territory of Azerbaijan under control, Azimov stressed.

According to Azimov, Lachin problem may be resolved through the joint
use of the road infrastructure of the district for relation between
Armenia and Azerbaijan, Armenians and Azerbaijanis in Nagorno-Karabakh,
as well as with Nakchivan Autonomous Republic.

"The statements regarding Kalbajar will be lie because the exits
from this district to Nagorno-Karabakh will be kept under a proper
control. An international peaceful contingent or controller will be
placed there, and there will be no danger and threat," Azimov added,
mentioning the importance of ensuring the security of Azerbaijanis
in Nagorno-Karabakh. "There could be no one-sided demilitarization
in the control zone. And the demilitarization should be mutual,
and Armenian armed forces’ remaining there is impossible," told Azimov.

Armenpress

REPUBLICAN MP PREDICTS NO MAJOR CHANGES IN NEXT
PARLIAMENT

YEREVAN, JUNE 30, ARMENPRESS; A senior member of
the governing Republican party of prime minister
Andranik Margarian has downplayed media speculations
and expert forecast that the next Armenian parliament
will be made of quite different forces, saying to a
news conference today that all those forces which are
now in it will win seats as well in 2007 polls.
Galust Sahakian, head of the party’s parliamentary
faction, even made his own forecast saying the
opposition will win as many as 30 seats or even more.
Sahakian did not rule out that the Prosperous Armenia
of Gagik Tsarukian, a recently set up, but rapidly
expanding party and other out -of -parliament forces
may also win seats in the parliament given they choose
a right strategy.
Sahakian said he had no doubts that his Republican
Party will win more seats than any other party, but
said the decision to form an alliance could be made
only after the polls. Sahakian also ruled out pre-term
parliamentary elections because ‘there is no such
need." Sahakian said it was not yet clear whether
defense minister Serzh Sarkisian will join the
Republican party.
Armenian media has been speculating that Sarkisian
will announce his joining the Republican party at its
congress slated for July 22. Local newspapers also
claimed Sarkisian will co-chair the party and top its
list of candidates for next year’s parliamentary
elections.

NKR FM AND PARLIAMENT SPEAKER MET WITH MATTHEW BRYZA

PanARMENIAN.Net
30.06.2006 14:14 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Within the framework of the U.S. visit NKR National
Assembly Speaker Ashot Ghulyan and Foreign Minister Georgy Petrosyan
met with the OSCE Minsk Group U.S. Co-chair Matthew Bryza. The
interlocutors discussed the current stage of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict settlement and regional developments. The NKR officials
briefed on Nagorno Karabakh’s position on the settlement process
and pointed out to the necessity of legal aspect of the problem. The
parties agreed on continuation of consultations, in Stepanakert as
well, reported the NKR MFA press office.

NO FACTS OF ARSON REPORTED

Lragir.am
28 June 06

The news agency ARKA, referring to the NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
reports that no violations of the ceasefire were reported during the
monitoring of the Karabakh and the Azerbaijani front line near Aghdam
on June 28. On the side of Karabakh the monitoring was conducted
by the field assistants to the Personal Representative of the OSCE
Chairman-in-Office Peter Keen, U.K., Jiry Aberlen, Czech, and Gunter
Volk, Germany. They were accompanied by the representatives of the
NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense.

Despite Azerbaijan’s statements, the participants of the monitoring did
not find facts of arson of settlements in the territories controlled
by the Armenian forces.

ARONYAN WILL PLAY WITH SVIDLER

A1+
[05:24 pm] 28 June, 2006

Best chess player of Armenia Levon Aronyan will play with Peter
Svidler from Russia on 15-10 August in Mainz, Germany. They will play
for the title of the champion of "Chess-960".

Secretary of the Armenian Chess Federation Gagik Hovhannisyan told
"A1+" that in contrast to common chess the rules of "Chess-960"
are different. Before each game the computer chooses positions for
the players. There are 960 such positions, hence the name of the
tournament.

Last year Aronyan participated in this tournament and won the right
to compete with the present champion, Peter Svidler.

PLATVOET PROPOSED FORMING WORKING GROUP WITH PARTICIPATION OF ARMENIA, KARABAKH AND AZERBAIJAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
29.06.2006 14:53 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ At a meeting with Armenian Speaker Tigran Torosyan
PACE Rapporteur for the Missing in Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan,
Dutch MP Leo Platvoet discussed the outcomes of his latest visit
to Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan. Torosyan thanked Platvoet for
meeting during the visit with NKR NGOs dealing with the affairs of
the missing and is committed to not politicizing the issue. Platvoet
noted it would be very important for his mission to visit Nagorno
Karabakh and Abkhazia. The PACE Rapporteur suggested that Tigran
Torosyan provide him a lit of missing Armenians to organize search for
them in Azerbaijan and "find those, who is, maybe, still alive." To
promote search for the missing, Platvoet proposed to form a working
group with participation of all parties under the patronage of the
Red Cross. The Speaker was ready to assist in drawing a report aimed
at solving that important human problem, reports the Press Service
of the NA of Armenia.

RENE VAN DER LINDEN: PACE’S SPECIAL GROUP WILL DEBATE ON FIRES IN NK

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
June 27 2007

The Council of Europe Secretary General Terry Davis wished that the
Nagorno Garabagh conflict be resolved by peaceful way soon and stressed
the importance of both parties taking interest in the resolution.

The Secretary General stated these while responding to the question of
an Armenia journalist in the news conference in the frames of the PACE
Summer Session. APA’s Europe correspondent reports that Mr.Davis stated
Azerbaijanis also lived in Nagorno Garabagh alongside with Armenians
and regretted for the delay of the resolution of the conflict.

"This conflict should be taken serious, and solution ways should be
found as soon as possible. However, use of force by any parties is
unacceptable. Both sides already suffered loss of life during these
years, and I denounce these," Terry Davis said.

PACE President Rene van der Linden also held a pres conference.

Responding to the question of APA’s Europe correspondent regarding
recent massive fires in the occupied Azerbaijani territories set by
Armenians, the PACE President said the issues of preventing fires
in forests and massive fires will be discussed at the sitting of the
Summer Session on 30 June. Mr.van der Linden also said PACE’s special
group will debate the issue on fires in Nagorno Garabagh. He noted
that it would be advisable if rapporteur for Nagorno Garabagh conflict
Rassel Johnston in his report touches on the issue of preventing
these fires.

"Such cases caused by one of the parties to the conflict are very
unpleasant," Rene van der Linden said.

The PACE President considers happening of such cases due to the lack
of dialogue between the parties.

ERDOGAN’S ISLAMIST PARTY LEADS STATE TO DEMOCRACY

PanARMENIAN.Net
27.06.2006 15:57 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ I should say that changes take place in Turkey. How
much paradoxical it may sound but the Islamist line pursued by
Recep Tayyip leads the country towards democratization. Islamists
wish to limit the role of the General Staff in the home and foreign
policy. The period launched by the young Turks and Kemal Ataturk
comes to an end, Head of the Department of Turkey of the National
Academy of Sciences of Armenia, Doctor Ruben Safrastyan stated in an
interview with PanARMENIAN.Net.

The incumbent government stands for Islam which promotes the process
of European integration. Erdogan can become Turkey’s new president
and this will mean the final end of Kemalists represented by President
Ahmed Necet Sezer. Of course there is a risk. If the positions of the
military weaken we will have to deal with unpredictable Turkey. But
it’s premature to speak of it yet.

THE VISIT OF THE OFFICIAL DELEGATION OF THE NKR TO THE USA

A1+
[04:35 pm] 27 June, 2006

On June 22, within the framework of the working visit of the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic’s delegation to the United States of America,
NKR National Assembly Chairman Ashot Ghoulian and the Republic’s
Foreign Minister Georgy Petrossian arrived in Boston.

On June 23, the NKR Parliament Speaker and Foreign Minister visited the
House of Representatives of the state of Massachusetts where they met
with Deputy of the Parliament Rachel Kapriyelian and advisor to Speaker
on Healthcare Issues Chris Hager. In the course of the meetings issues
concerning mutual cooperation in the sphere of education, culture,
and healthcare, as well as parliamentary activity were discussed.

Then the NKR delegation met with the members of the Council of editors
of the "Boston Glob" newspaper.

During the conversation the current state of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict settlement peace process and social-economic situation
in Artsakh were touched upon. The NKR representatives replied to
different questions of journalists.

In Boston the official representatives of Nagorno Karabakh also
had meetings with representatives of the leadership of the Armenian
Assembly of America (AAA) Caroline Mîughar and Anthony Parsamian. The
issues connected with the relations’ expansion between AAA and the
NKR authorities were discussed.

In the evening NKR National Assembly Chairman Ashot Ghoulian and
NKR Minister for Foreign Affairs Georgy Petrossian visited Armenian
Cultural and Educational Centre where they met with the leadership
of the Armenian organizations of the state of Massachusetts.

After the meeting a public event took place. During the meeting an
important contribution of the USA Armenian community to the development
of Artsakh was noted. They also spoke about the necessity of the
participation of the Diaspora Armenians in the confrontation to the
challenges facing Nagorno Karabakh. The official representatives of
Artsakh answered the questions of the participants of the meeting,
which mainly related to economic, social and cultural spheres.

On June 24, a meeting was held at Sam and Aida Bedjakians place where
a number of American philanthropists of Armenian origin were present.

During the meeting the NKR representatives on behalf of the people
of Nagorno Karabakh expressed their gratitude to their compatriots
from the USA for the consistent assistance which was being rendered to
Artsakh. In their turn, the Armenian businessmen of America confirmed
once more their readiness to support the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.

The working visit of the NKR delegation to the USA is in progress.

–Boundary_(ID_lxRPKNRQIUXg3XsO+iS8rQ)- –