Author: Khondkarian Raffi

AZERI GROUP PICKETS FRENCH EMBASSY
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Oct 16 2006
The hard-line Garabagh Liberation Organization (GLO) picketed the
embassy of France in Azerbaijan on Monday against Thursday’s decision
of the country’s National Assembly to enforce criminal prosecution
for denying the so-called “genocide of Armenians”.
Armenians say Ottoman Turks killed 1.5 million people in 1915,
a claim strongly denied by Turkey.
After submitting a resolution to the embassy, the protesters started to
throw eggs, tomatoes and eggplants at the building in protest at the
decision of the French parliament’s lower chamber. 18 picketers were
detained and taken to a police precinct. All but three protesters
were released shortly afterwards. Two of the picket participants
were injured.
The protesters demanded to immediately repeal the “genocide” law, to
close down the French embassy and to estrange France from brokering
settlement to the Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper (Nagrono) Garabagh conflict
within the OSCE Minsk Group (MG) also co-chaired by Russia and the
United States.

GEORGIAN ARMENIANS WANT AN MP TO APOLOGIZE
Armenpress
Oct 17 2006
TBILISI, OCTOBER 17, ARMENPRESS: An Armenian non-governmental
organization in Georgia, called Union of Georgian Armenians-New
Generation, has demanded that a parliament member Koba Davitashvili,
who is chairman of the opposition Conservative party, apologizes for
what the organization says were ‘anti-Armenian remarks.”
Davitashvili reportedly said, “I am not Armenian and I do not
trade.” According to Mariam Mikoyan, head of the NGO, who was quoted
by Russian RIA news agency, Davitashvili made his remarks at a Tbilisi
restaurant during a meeting with a Mirzoyev whom he promised to put
into his party’s electoral slate in return for $150,000.
“If Davitashvili does not apologize we shall boycott his party in
next elections and he will lose our votes,” she said.

GEOPOLITICAL DIARY: CONSIDERING TURKEY’S INTERESTS IN IRAQ
Stratfor
Oct 16 2006
Reports are circulating that jihadist groups in northern and central
Iraq are in the process of creating an “emirate,” an independent
region in the Sunni areas. The Shia are already in effective control
of their own region in the south, and the Kurds have controlled
their region of northern Iraq for an extended period of time. There
are ethnically diffuse and disputed areas in and around Baghdad,
so this hardly solves the problem of sectarian violence, but this
regional autonomy is becoming a de facto reality. We now need to
start considering some aspects of a potential partition.
The most important issue here is to recognize what the Sunnis already
know: a partition along ethno-sectarian lines would make the Sunni
region, economically speaking, an abortion. The Shia control Iraq’s
southern oil fields. The Kurds control the northern oil fields. The
Sunnis control nothing. If partition occurs in accordance with current
boundaries, the Sunni position will deteriorate and collapse.
Therefore, it is essential for all involved (given the Sunni unrest
and prospects of violence) that the Sunnis have a share in Iraq’s oil.
To be more precise, the Sunnis must control Kirkuk, a center of the
oil industry and a city in which conflict rages for these reasons.
The Kurds now hold Kirkuk; the Sunnis must take it. The Sunnis are
fighting on four fronts: against the Shia, against the Kurds, against
the Americans and against each other. The Kurds, on the other hand,
are fighting only the Sunnis at this point. Therefore, logic would
have it that the Sunnis don’t stand a chance.
But another element must be added to this calculus: Turkey. Turkey
has tried to keep out of the Iraq war and, so far, has done fairly
well at it. But Turkey does not want to see the Kurdish autonomous
region expand, let alone give rise to an independent Kurdish state.
Such a state would become a focal point for Kurdish nationalism and,
since the Turks would face growing breakaway tendencies in their
own Kurdish region, they would not welcome this development —
particularly if Baghdad collapses as Iraq’s center.
Therefore, the Turks will want to weaken the Kurds. They also will
want to make sure that there is a strong buffer between them and the
Iraqi Shia — a buffer other than the Kurds. That would mean it is
in Turkey’s national interest to see the Sunnis strengthened right now.
It should be recalled that the Turks intervened extensively in
Iraq prior to 2003. They are old players in the region with ties to
Sunni tribal leaders. If they are facing a Kurdish state, they might
well choose to reassert themselves in the region by strengthening
the Sunnis.
Now, the Turks are vehemently opposed to the jihadists, but in this
they share an interest with Sunni tribal leaders, who see the jihadists
as a potential threat to their own authority. While it is the jihadists
who have declared an emirate, neither the Sunni leadership nor the
Turks would want to see the jihadists having any role to play if
independence becomes a reality. The Turks would want to weaken the
Kurds; the Sunnis would want to dominate oil in the north. Alliances
have been formed on less.
There are few constraints on the Turks. They do not expect to be
admitted to the European Union and, given France’s decision to raise
the question of the Armenian holocaust, the Turks have written off
accession, in the intermediate term at least. Nor do they need it.
Turkey has been doing quite well — better than France or Germany,
economically. As for the Iranians, they would have no problem
with seeing the Kurds seriously weakened and the Sunni jihadists
undermined. So long as the Shia control the south and the Iranians
have influence with the Shia in Iraq, they can live with Turkish
influence among the Sunnis.
Meanwhile, the United States seems to be making plans for deploying
forces in northern Iraq. Any such plan would require Turkish support,
as logistical support from Kuwait makes for a long, tough line. If the
United States wants a role in Iraq after redeployment, it will have
to take Turkish interests into account. The United States previously
has backed Kurdish interests. But the Americans need the Turks and
have little to offer them. The one thing the Turks might want —
EU membership without strings — is something Washington can’t help
them with.
It is now time to turn the focus from Baghdad to the north, and the
political evolution there.

ARMENIE : LA NOUVELLE LOI EST UNE VICTOIRE POUR LA REPUBLIQUE
Par Armen Seropyan
Le Figaro
16 octobre 2006
” Cette loi n’empechera nullement les historiens d’effectuer leurs
recherches ”
La loi du 29 janvier 2001, dans laquelle la France reconnaît
publiquement le genocide armenien de 1915, est une loi declarative.
Elle ne permet en aucun cas de condamner penalement toute personne
qui viendrait a la contredire. L’absence d’outils juridiques dans
l’arsenal legislatif francais empeche le juge de sanctionner la
meconnaissance des termes de ladite loi du 29 janvier 2001, en vertu
du principe de la legalite de la peine. On se trouve alors en presence
d’une opinion negationniste qui n’est pas un jugement comme un autre :
c’est un crime.
En effet, cet acte de negationnisme parachève le genocide en lui-meme,
en tentant de l’effacer de la memoire collective. Nier un tel crime,
c’est attaquer l’essence de l’humanite, car un genocide est un
crime contre l’humanite tout entière. La loi, votee le 12 octobre
2006, visant a condamner penalement le negationnisme du genocide
des Armeniens va enfin permettre au juge de statuer. Quant aux
historiens, pour lesquels la liberte d’entreprendre des travaux
scientifiques doit etre preservee, cette loi a-t-elle une valeur
contraignante ? Non, elle ne les empechera nullement d’effectuer
des recherches approfondies sur les evenements de 1915. La liberte
d’expression est un droit fondamental qui n’est pas menace par cette
action. En effet, celle-ci doit etre encadree, car des conclusions
negationnistes instillees dans l’esprit d’une opinion mal informee
ne peuvent qu’attiser la haine entre les peuples. Ce texte prevoyant
la penalisation du negationnisme du genocide des Armeniens sera le
rempart de la justice et de la verite contre le deni et le mensonge.
Cette realite historique a ete reconnue par l’ensemble du monde,
a l’exception malheureuse de l’un de ses principaux protagonistes.
C’est un fait regrettable et meme condamnable. ” En acceptant
et en reconnaissant son passe, chaque pays se retrouve grandi ”
a declare le president Jacques Chirac en visite a Erevan (Armenie)
le 30 septembre 2006. Le voeu le plus cher de tous les democrates
du monde entier est que la Turquie se developpe, afin qu’elle puisse
accepter son passe en toute serenite. Au plan economique, les menaces
de boycott contre les entreprises francaises sont aussi malfaisantes
que superficielles. Est-il necessaire de rappeler que des menaces
similaires ont ete proferees en janvier 2001, lorsque la France avait
reconnu officiellement le genocide armenien, alors qu’en meme temps,
les echanges commerciaux entre la France et la Turquie augmentaient
de 32 % en 2002 ? ” Je prefère avoir un livre d’histoire dans ma
bibliothèque plutôt que des gros contrats ” , a declare le depute
Eric Raoult (UMP). J’aimerais lui dire qu’il n’a pas a s’inquieter,
qu’il disposera bien entendu d’un livre d’histoire mais aussi de
” gros contrats ” , notre pays disposant de nombreux atouts dont
il est impossible de se passer. La France, patrie des droits de
l’homme et du citoyen a toujours ete en tete de tous les combats pour
l’epanouissement et la democratisation de la societe humaine. C’est
au nom de ses valeurs qu’elle doit continuer ce devoir de memoire
universelle qui permet a un groupe de vivre en paix et en harmonie.
Elle s’est honoree en adoptant cette loi, qui plus est par une forte
majorite. Victoire pour la Republique, victoire pour la democratie,
cette loi annonce aussi un espoir de reconciliation. * Representant
de la nouvelle Generation armenienne.
–Boundary_(ID_uCTAbf05drrEgP/CAYCONw )–

AZERBAIJANI DIASPORA MEMBERS ARGUE IN CANADA
Azeri Press Agency
Oct 16 2006
Canada-Azerbaijan Circles Federation held meeting in Toronto on October
15, Azerbaijan Educational and Cultural Center press service in Canada
told the APA.
Five circles out of seven participated in the meeting. The Federation
made annual report. They discussed Khojali and March 31 genocides.
The Federation positively appreciated the activity of “Azerbaijani
language’ weekend which is carried out at Toronto School Board and
the protest actions taking part outside Armenian embassy, UNESCO
Office and Canadian Parliament.
Akber Majidov was elected the president of the Federation. Azerbaijan
Education and Cultural Center General Manager Faraj Aliyev became
the vice-president.
Esmira Esedova, the president of Canada-Azerbaijan Friendship
Federation president, Javad Zerrin, The president of Ontario
Azerbaijanis Association, Masud Aliyev, the president of Quebec
Azerbaijanis Association and Ilham Akhundov, the president of
Canada-Azerbaijan Cooperation Association told the APA that the
meeting of Canada-Azerbaijan Circles Federation was illegal.
State Committee for Azerbaijanis Abroad confirmed the fact that the
members of the Federation argued. The problem is being solved.

Los Angeles Times
Oct 13 2006
EU Criticizes French Vote to Punish the Denial of Armenian Genocide
By Achrene Sicakyuz, Times Staff Writer
October 13, 2006
PARIS – Another potential barrier to Turkey’s entry to the European
Union surfaced Thursday when the French National Assembly approved a
bill that would punish anyone who denied that the killing of
Armenians by Ottoman Turks during and after World War I was genocide.
Under the legislation, asserting that the massacres, expulsions and
imprisonment that killed an estimated 1.2 million Armenians in the
former Ottoman Empire did not constitute genocide can be punished by
up to a year of imprisonment and a $57,000 fine.
The EU, which began discussing Turkey’s membership last year,
strongly criticized the vote, which also drew rebukes from the
Turkish government.
“In the case this bill would become a law, it would prevent the
dialogue and debate that are necessary for reconciliation,” said a
spokeswoman for Olli Rehn, the EU commissioner for enlargement.
The Turkish government threatened to retaliate by boycotting French
products.
“No one should harbor the conviction that Turkey will take this
lightly,” Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said. “From now on,
France will never describe itself as the homeland of freedoms.”
Protesters in Ankara, the Turkish capital, hurled eggs at the French
Embassy, and in Istanbul demonstrators marched down the city’s main
commercial thoroughfare and laid a black wreath at the gates of the
French Consulate.
The Turkish government denies that genocide took place, and it has
prosecuted artists, authors and intellectuals for statements
regarding the issue.
The Armenian community in France, which numbers about 400,000,
pressed hard for the measure and hailed the vote as a long-awaited
victory.
“The memory of the victims is finally totally respected,” said Alexis
Govciyan, a prominent French Armenian political activist.
The legislation passed on a vote of 106 to 19, with many abstentions
among the 577 assembly members.
It must also pass the Senate to be sent to the president. The current
government opposes the bill.
“Based on our experience, we know it is not a good thing to legislate
on such questions,” French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin said
Thursday.

ARMENIA INTENDS TO REALISE REFORMS IN 2007
A1+
[03:34 pm] 12 October, 2006
Today, the 27th conference of European Ministers of Justice titled
“Victims: Place, Rights and Assistance” was convened in Yerevan. RA
Justice Minister David Haroutyunyan received his counterparts from
the CoE member countries at the entrance of the government premises.
“God chose Armenia as a country of Paradise, and we chose it as a
site for the conference,” said Gay de Vail, head of the CoE legal
issues department in his opening speech. He reminded the participants
of the conference about the importance of rendering assistance and
compensation to the victims.
Europe adopted the Convention on Compensation of Victims Suffering
Violence in 1983. The Conventions on Actions against Trafficking in
Human Beings and on the Prevention of Terrorism combat were ratified
in 2005.
By the way, today Armenia ratified the European Convention on
Cybercrime and the Additional Protocol to the Convention on Cybercrime
concerning the criminalisation of acts of a racist and xenophobic
nature committed through computer system.
“At present we are working out the normative acts of gudicial system
amendments and we intend to realise the reforms in 2007,” said Andranik
Margaryan, RA Prime Minister during the conference.
He also added that Armenia finishes the CoE commitments within the
framework of CoE integration and will undertake new commitments.
It is noteworthy that the Prime Minister’s speech wasn’t included in
the agenda of the 27th conference.
Instead, President Robert Kocharyan was to make a speech in the
conference but the latter didn’t come.
By the way, Armen Roustamyan, member of the Armenian delegation
was present at the Conference of European Ministers of Justice who
maintains that Armenia must be guided by the international practice
and use it in our country so that we could have perfect mechanisms,
and complete systems.
He claims that Armenian legal field will fully comply with the European
standards and the judicial system will become more independent and
transparent within two year’s time. He is convinced that “it will
contribute to the better protection of human rights in Armenia.”
By the way, the representatives from Andora, Iceland, Cyprus and
Sweden were not present at the conference.
As soon as the conference started the journalists were denied entry.

RAILWAY COUNCIL OF CIS, BALTIC STATES MEETS IN ARMENIAN CAPITAL
Mediamax News Agency, Armenia
11 Oct 06
Yerevan, 11 October: A session of the railway council of the CIS and
Baltic states opened in Yerevan today.
Opening the session, the chairman of the council and the head of
Russian Railways, Vladimir Yakunin, said that under the council’s
auspices, the railways of its member countries have made great progress
in establishing an intergovernmental informational-computing system,
Mediamax has said.
Besides, Vladimir Yakunin noted that the council played an important
role in ensuring cooperation among the railway administrations [of
the member countries].
Speaking about the Armenian railway, Yakunin described it as the oldest
system in the former Soviet Union. He recalled that the decision to
set up the Armenian railway was adopted in 1895.
The session of the council will last till 13 October. About 133
representatives from 15 countries are taking part in the session.

COE JUSTICE MINISTERS LAUNCH A CONFERENCE IN YEREVAN
Panorama.am
20:51 11/10/06
27th conference of Council of Europe (CoE) member states’ justice
ministers will kick off in Yerevan tomorrow. The conference is
titled “Victims: status, rights and assistance.” Only four out of 46
participants did not arrive in Yerevan.
“I think the topic of the conference complies with the principles of
the Council of Europe in relation to fostering human rights,” Guy de
Vel, general director on legal issues of the CoE General Secretariat,
said in a joint press conference with the Armenian Justice Minister
Davit Harutunyan.
Guy de Vel said, “The conference is actually the continuation of the
wonderful cooperation that has been established with your country
long ago.”
Speaking about Armenia’s CoE commitments Guy de Vel mentioned that
Armenia has implemented most of her commitments. “Armenia is making
constant progress but there is a lot to be done yet,” he said. He
also said the conference will also decide on the venue of the next
conference.

Turkish Daily News
Oct 7 2006
Cicek signals changes in Article 301
Saturday, October 7, 2006
ANKARA – Turkish Daily News
Justice Minister Cemil Cicek, who has been determined in his
opposition to any changes in the much-criticized Article 301 of the
Turkish Penal Code (TCK), has begun to change his mind, according to
recent reports.
Speaking to journalists in Berlin, where he is was attending a
Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association (TUSÝAD)
meeting, Cicek said there was no such thing that Article 301 could
not be changed, noting that the real problem was what changes were to
be introduced.
Despite government arguments that the new TCK, which came into
effect last year, constituted significant progress in terms of rights
and freedoms, Article 301, which criminalizes insulting Turkishness,
state institutions and Ataturk, has created an uproar with one
celebrated writer after another being tried as a result.
While writers Orhan Pamuk and Elif Þafak were found not guilty of
violating the article, many other lesser-known authors were
victimized as a result without attracting too much media attention.
The European Union, which Turkey wants to join, insists the article
needs to be changed or annulled, with the government seemingly
agreeing on the necessity of a review.
The opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) is opposed to any
such change and has said it would not support amendments to the
article.
Earlier this week the court that found Þafak not guilty said,
“Efforts to limit freedom of thought and expression may have serious
consequences” in its full opinion on the Þafak ruling. “It is
unthinkable to talk about crimes committed by fictional characters.
… It is necessary to define the boundaries of the ‘Turkishness’
concept and place it on firm ground.”
The government has said it needs more time to assess whether it is
necessary to change Article 301. It fears a nationalist backlash
ahead of elections due next year if it tries to change the law.
Cicek said they were under pressure from the EU to change the
article but noted that he kept asking EU officials about the bill
French Parliament would soon discuss that criminalizes the refusal to
accept the Armenian genocide.
He said the government was working on changing the controversial
article. “However, citizens’ concerns need to be taken into account.
If we annul it, what will we tell the people when they ask: ‘Are you
ashamed of being a Turk?’?”
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul has been openly insisting that the
article be changed, but Cicek was opposed to any such amendment,
arguing that the judiciary would fine-tune the article on its own.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan has also said the government
would consider changing the article.
A European Commission source told Reuters that Brussels would study
the opinion but said a higher court has already imposed a suspended
jail sentence on another writer under Article 301 and that this
ruling set a precedent in the evolution of case law on the issue. “We
understand there is a will in Ankara to solve this issue through case
law, but this will take many years to build up. We believe Article
301 needs to be changed now,” the source said.
–Boundary_(ID_svn7lxkZBwmkJ+7ErApbDg)–