Author: Khoyetsian Rose

AZERBAIJAN CANNOT BE AN ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SUPPLIER FOR EUROPE – ILHAM ALIYEV

Source: Kommersant, 10/11/06
Agency WPS
The Russian Oil and Gas Report (Russia)
November 13, 2006 Monday

On November 9, 2006, Russian President Putin met with his Azeri
counterpart Ilham Aliyev. Before coming to Moscow, President Ilham
Aliyev of Azerbaijan visited Brussels, the den of Eurobureaucrats,
and stirred it up.

Sources in the Azeri delegation say that Aliyev was told in Brussels
that perhaps he should start thinking in terms of his own energy
policy with regard to the EU. According to Kommersant’s sources,
Aliyev told the Europeans that Azerbaijan couldn’t be an alternative
to Russia in any case. In fact, Aliyev said as much to Putin himself.

"You and I, we are working together, and that’s what I told them,"
a senior Kremlin official quoted Aliyev as saying to Putin.

According to Aliyev himself, he was greatly surprised to discover that
"Brussels has no inkling whatsoever of how our countries depend on
each other!"

Putin and Aliyev would have discussed construction of an aluminum
plant worth $1 billion in Gyandja, Azerbaijan. What information is
available at this point, however, indicates that the issue was never
even mentioned despite Putin’s intention to bring it up.

Aliyev denied speculations that he had given EU leaders any guarantees
concerning transportation of fuel from the Caspian region or that
Azeri oil transportation by Odessa-Brody pipeline to Eastern Europe
had been discussed.

The situation with the same pipeline but a different project is more
complicated, it seems. President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus is
actively looking for alternative suppliers of gas and oil – as long
as their tariffs are not so high as the ones Russia established are.

Russia upped oil and gas tariffs for Belarus once it became clear that
Minsk was not in a hurry to deliver the promised assets (controlling
interest in Beltrasgaz). From this standpoint, Lukashenko has taken
a keen interest in Azerbaijan.

Well, Aliyev told Putin that the president of Belarus is free to look
for alternative suppliers anywhere but in Azerbaijan. Putin is bound
to inform Lukashenko of that at their talks in the Kremlin later today.

According to what information is available at this point, both
presidents made numerous references to the late president of Azerbaijan
Heydar Aliyev who is practically a model hero for both.

However, Putin failed to secure Aliyev’s support in the
Russian-Georgian confrontation. Aliyev only said that Azerbaijan is
experiencing some effects from the Russian-Georgian crisis, and that
he does not want that.

In other words, Aliyev is prepared to play the role of mediator in
the Russian-Georgian confrontation.

He will probably be as successful as Putin is in the Azeri-Armenian
conflict.

IGNORE POLICE SUMMONS, ODM LEADERS TELL RAILA

Daily Nation , Kenya
Nov 13 2006

Key Orange Democratic Movement leaders yesterday asked Lang’ata MP
Raila Odinga to defy police summons to record a statement over claims
that his life was in danger.

The leaders, among them 26 MPs, demanded that the Government first
assures all Kenyans of their security before pursuing individuals it
perceives to be its opponents.

Mr Odinga

Among those who spoke at an ODM rally at Kapkatet in Bureti District
were Mr Odinga himself, Kanu chairman Uhuru Kenyatta, secretary-general
William Ruto, Mwingi North MP Kalonzo Musyoka and former vice-president
Musalia Mudavadi.

The ODM leaders spoke as Mr Odinga was challenged by Cabinet ministers
Musikari Kombo and Njenga Karume over his assassination plot claims.

Politicising security

Speaking to reporters after meeting Ford Kenya officials in Nakuru,
Mr Kombo, the minister for Local Government, told Mr Odinga that the
country had gone beyond the era of assassinations.

"If Mr Odinga is aware of any such move he should have handled it
in a better manner … he should not to be sensational about it,"
the minister said and cautioned politicians against politicising
security matters.

Mr Musyoka

He said Ford Kenya was also concerned about insecurity in parts of the
country and called on the relevant ministries to address the matter.

Defence minister Karume told Mr Odinga to substantiate his claims
that some top Government officials were plotting to kill him. Mr
Karume said a group of MPs from Nyanza who first made the "wild
allegations" should also substantiate their claims or face action
for making alarming statements.

The Government would not sit and watch as leaders made utterances
that could plunge the country into chaos, he said.

"If these MPs know who is plotting to kill Mr Odinga they should
furnish the Government with names. We are fed up with cat and mouse
games. These are serious allegations and must be substantiated,"
Mr Karume said.

But Mr Odinga said it did not make sense to ask him to record a
statement over information he had about the alleged assassination
plot while the Government was yet to act on information he gave on
the alleged mercenaries, the Artur brothers.

Mr Kenyatta.

He said: "A commission of inquiry instituted on the Armenians after
I raised the alarm has not yielded anything and the police now want
me to record a statement", to which the crowd roared back that he
should not record one.

Earlier before the rally, Mr Odinga told the Nation in an interview
that he would record a statement today at Kilimani Police Station.

He said: "The provincial criminal investigations officer called me
in the morning and we have agreed that I record a statement tomorrow
at 10 am."

Mr Odinga said police had on Saturday been sent to his rural home in
Bondo to look for him.

"I received a call this morning (yesterday) that police were looking
for me in my Bondo home while I was in Kisumu," he said.

The ODM leaders argued that it was the responsibility of the Head
of State to marshal the necessary security forces to counter growing
insecurity.

Mr Musyoka, who spoke before Mr Odinga, said: "I am telling my
brother Raila that before he writes any statement, let the police
arrest those who shot at the car which Mrs Nyong’o was travelling in."

A car in which the wife of Kisumu Rural MP Anyang’ Nyong’o was
travelling, was shot at in Nairobi last week.

Mr Musyoka added: "The police should also explain the purpose of 10
of them who came to my house claiming there was a robbery recently."

He told Mr Odinga to remain steadfast and resist any attempts by
the police to force him to record a statement saying "kaa ngumu
(stand firm)".

Mr Odinga on Saturday issued a statement saying there were plans
to assassinate him, backing an earlier statement by a group of MPs
that a move had been hatched to eliminate politicians opposed to
the Government.

He said a meeting was held in the Kilimani area by eight senior
government officials and a person who "resembled" one of the deported
Armenian brothers.

Speakers at the rally said it was hypocritical for the Government
to tell Mr Odinga to record a statement while it had never concluded
investigations into the Armenians.

Mr Kenyatta asked President Kibaki to move fast and restore security
in the country.

"We are not fighting the President but we are assisting him to offer
Kenyans the peace and security that they deserve and what they actually
voted him to do," Mr Kenyatta said.

The Gatundu South MP said ODM’s sole purpose was to unite Kenyans to
bring new leadership and it was the work of the Opposition to check
the Government."We (Kanu) were hounded out of office because we were
told that we were corrupt, but corruption has never reached the point
it is now in the country since independence," he said.

Mr Kenyatta decried tribalism and urged the youth to unite beyond
tribal lines.

Mr Ruto said that ODM meant to bring better leadership for Kenyans
and it was not in any way meant to fight the Government of President
Kibaki.

ARKA News Agency, Azerbaijan
Nov 10 2006

MIGRATION FROM ARMENIA TO POLAND REDUCED TO MINIMUM

YEREVAN, November 9. /ARKA/. Migration from Armenia to Poland has
recently been reduced to a minimum, Marshal of the polish Senate
Bogdan Borusevich told reporters.
He said that quite a few Armenians came to Poland in 1990s, the
reason being the Karabakh war and general instability.
"The current situation is stable in Armenia, and economic factors
mostly account for Armenians’ migration," he said.
Borusevich added that there is no large Armenian Diaspora in Poland
now.
"Some of the migrant returned to Armenia and others went to better
places – Germany or France," Borusevich said.
He pointed out that Poland is a liberal country for migrants even if
they violate the country’s legislation.
"We do not practise what other countries do – hunting for foreigners
and repatriating them," he said.
He also pointed out that Poland’s migration legislation must be
regulated because the country intends to join the Schengen zone and
must observe the established standards.
A total of 100,000 currently reside in Poland. P.T. -0–

YEREVAN POSITIVELY ESTIMATES POSSIBLE MEDIATION OF POLAND IN STANDARDIZATION OF ARMENIA-TURKEY RELATIONS

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Nov 8 2006

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 8, NOYAN TAPAN. The Foreign Ministry of Armenia
positively estimates the readiness of Poland to present itself as
mediator in the affair of standardization of the relations between
Armenia and Turkey. Foreign Minister of Armenia Vartan Oskanian
informed journalists about it on November 7, commenting upon the
statement made by Bogdan Borusevich, the Senate Marshal of Poland,
about his country’s readiness to become a mediator in that affair.

In V.Oskanian’s words, the Polish side’s proposal was presented to
the Foreign Ministry of Armenia two months ago, and just then the
Armenian side gave beforehand a positive response, but no reaction
followed from the Turkish side. "At present contacts are not end in
itself for Armenia, the result is important for us. If Armenia takes
a step forward, there must be confidence that it will bear fruit.

Otherwise, we’ll clash with the next disappointment which may entail
worsening of the situation," the Minister of Foreign Affairs of
Armenia stated.

At the same time, as V.Oskanian stated at the Parliament on the same
day, because of shortage of resources, year by year it becomes more
and more difficult for Armenia to compete with Turkey and Azerbaijan
in propaganda of its position on issues like Nagorno Karabakh one
or relations with Ankara. In his words, those countries year by year
increase resources for propaganda addressed against Armenia: millions
of dollars are spent on it. Mentioning that Armenia is not able to
give such resources, V.Oskanian considers necessary attraction of
foreign capital.

GOING UP IN SMOKE?
By Times Team

Kenya Times, Kenya
Nov 8 2006

Security: Mp Laments Insecurity Has Reached Unprecedented Levels,
Cites Incidents Ranging From Carjackings, Raids To Ethnic Clashes

THE Government was yesterday put on notice over rampant insecurity
amid claims that the controversial Armenian brothers Artur Margaryan
and Sargarsyan could be back in the country.

Ndhiwa MP Jodhua Orwa Ojodeh (Narc) raised the issue in parliament,
demanding that Internal Security and Provincial Administration minister
John Michuki provides comprehensive statement on what the government
was doing to address insecurity in the country and to either confirm
or deny that the Armenian brothers are in the country.

The MP gave a chronology of unabated criminal incidents in the country
that included the Mathare flare-up as well as the recent raid on
Michuki’s Kangema home that also left a chief shot dead and sought
to know what the Government was doing about them.

Ojodeh raised the question parliament only hours after four armed
gangsters casually walked into Mombasa’s Moi Avenue Post Bank branch
and walked away with Sh 7.5 million.

He did not, however, give any more details regarding the Artur brothers
who were deported from the country in June after causing a security
scare at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). The two had
drawn a gun to force into the country a passenger and luggage without
being inspected.

Mr. Michuki was not in the House, but his assistant Kingi Kahindi
promised to issue a statement later.

Speaker Francis Ole Kaparo who was in the Chair concurred with the
MP that the issue being raised was of grave concern and asked the
government to take the matter seriously.

Mr Michuki is under pressure following a sharp upsurge in incidents of
insecurity in the recent past with flare ups in Mathare, Kuresoi and
Kuria-Transmara border as well as spiralling cases of, bank robberies
and car-jackings.

In Mathare’s case, six people were killed on Monday night while
thousands were left homeless as bloody violence continued to
escalate. Police reports indicate that three of the people were hacked
to death during the violence while three others were shot dead by
intervening officers.

Even as Nairobi Provincial Commissioner Joseph Waweru slapped a 7.00
pm to 7.00 am curfew on Mathare residents, hundreds of them were by
yesterday evening fleeing their homes in fear of reprisal attacks by
members of outlawed gangs Mungiki and Taliban gangs, whom the police
yesterday attributed the violence to.

A contingent of General Service Unit (GSU) was last evening dispatched
to the sprawling slums as the regular and administration police
officers who had been stationed there were withdrawn following
accusation of alleged complicity.

In Kuresoi, latest reports say police gunned down four suspected
arsonists as renewed wave of ethnic skirmishes entered its fourth
day in the troubled division of Nakuru District, bringing to eight,
the number of lives so far lost since Sunday.

According to the Rift Valley Provincial Police Officer, Everret Wasige,
the four were caught up with by security personnel torching houses at
Gacharage Farm while armed with bows, poisoned arrows and pangas which
they allegedly used to attack the police when challenged to surrender.

Two weeks ago, assistant minister, Dr Wilfred Machage, escaped death
by a whisker around the same area when an arrow aimed at him hit a
wallet on his chest pocket leaving him with only minor bruise.

According to reports, two of the dead men involved in the Mathare
flare-up were killed by suspected members of the outlawed Mungiki
sect while the others were shot dead by police who found them wielding
panga’s and other crude weapons.

Besides these incidents, the rate of car-jackings and theft in the
city and the country in general have risen sharply with the latest
being the weekend theft at City Hall in which the Deputy Mayor’s
chain was stolen, the attempted car-jacking and shooting at a car
being driven by Kisumu Rural’s MP Prof Anyang Nyong’o’s wife Dorothy
and the raid in Michuki’s home.

In Parliament, Ojodeh expressed grave concerns over the contradicting
reports attributed to the Police Commissioner Ali and Mr Michuki
after the attack at the minister’s home.

"Was the raid at Michuki’s home stage managed?", he posed. "Police
Commissioner says no raid, but Michuki confirms the attack in his
home".

"In 1975 before former MP J.M Kariuki was murdered, there were planned
bomb attacks at OTC bus stage and Norfolk Hotel. Are Kenyans safe or
is there planned assassination of prominent persons?," he questioned.

The MP cited other insecurity incidents among them the mayhem in
Kibera three weeks ago.

In Mathare yesterday, a vehicle belonging to one of the residents and
a private clinic operated by an International NGO were set ablaze by
irate mob. Upendo clinic and the pick up car were burnt yesterday in
the morning.

According to the residents, the violence which begun on Sunday has
spread to neighbouring villages in the slum due to alleged incitement
by unnamed politicians and police laxity to patrol the affected
villages at night.

They said the initial conflict revolved around Mungiki adherents and
traders of illegal brew "Chang’aa" over payment of bribes.

Yesterday, Nairobi Provincial Police Officer King’ori Mwangi led a
contingent of administration and regular police officers in the area
to diffuse tension. It was, however, evident that irate residents
were uncomfortable with police presence, accusing them of patrolling
the slums during the day and deserting then at night when the enemies
attack.

Several people have been injured in the skirmishes that begun on Sunday
when a group of chang’aa traders clashed with Mungiki adherents. The
traders accused sect members of demanding at least Sh100 to operate
the illegal trade.

The skirmishes have also sucked in police officers in the area who
are accused of offering protection to alleged known gang members.

Over 200 houses have been reduced to ashes since Sunday as a number
of shops and houses were looted during the night violence.

THIS NATIONALIST WAVE IS NOT TEMPORARY
Cengiz Aktar

Turkish Daily News, Turkey
Nov 7 2006

There are various interpretations concerning the rise of nationalist
sentiment. Most believe this wave is temporary and is mainly due
to the elections that will be held next year. It is believed that
the reactions won’t go beyond calls like "Europe, Europe hear our
voice." In my opinion, the issue goes much deeper, and the rising
nationalism we are witnessing is new and more permanent and structural
than ever before.

The sources that feed today’s nationalism are multiple. Our education
system is certainly one of these. But, the most important factor
is our country opening up and integrating with the world and the
consequent mindset that reacts to this development. Actually, when
a country that was closed to the world until the 1980’s is opened
up so fast it causes a deep social transformation and means new
traditions will enter our lives. For the last 25 years, Turkish
people have begun to see themselves in the mirror and this mirror
constantly shows the deficiencies and deformities of our country,
compared to developed countries.

Actually such a depressing self-evaluation is something that can happen
in any developing and changing country, but the European Union and the
International Monetary Fund (IMF) processes add to it a substantial
and different meaning.

This twin process has been dominating our daily lives in almost
every way since 1999. Moreover, the achievements on the economic
front thanks to the IMF process are definitely not being reflected
in the way ordinary people live. This failure results in the process
being perceived only as more taxes and unemployment. On the other
hand the EU process is a fabulous Pandora’s box, whose lid is wide
open. It involves a relationship with the EU that allows Turkey to
come face to face with the fact that the innumerable political and
social problems it has tried to solve its own way or to ignore over
the years are simply not being resolved.

We also need to add the realities of the post-Sept. 11 world, the
regional repercussions of the irrational reaction the United States to
the events of Sept. 11 and the natural uproar against the U.S. reaction
to the twin process mentioned above.

Today’s nationalism feeds on the fear of change, is reactionary
and contains no constructive aspects. Its multitude of versions
is discriminatory, isolationist, rejectionist and hate-filled. The
reactions generally abide by the rule of an eye for an eye. If someone
mentions the Armenian genocide, a statute that shows that the real
victims were Turks is erected. If a cartoon about the Prophet Mohammed
appears in Danish dailies, a Catholic priest is shot in Trabzon.

Politicians who are aware of this public mood feed it with political
populism. The IMF discipline has limited the number of economic tools
for populism and this leaves nationalism as the last trump card. The
latest example is the insistence not to amend Turkish Penal Code’s
(TCK) Article 301 that protects the Turkish world from insults.

Just have a look at the public expressions of the nationalist wave:
The "national" reaction against Nobel Laureate Orhan Pamuk; books
and movies that glorify Turks, such as "Cýlgýn Turkler" (Those
Crazy Turks), "Metal Storm" and "Valley of the Wolves Iraq," as
opposed to the "antinational" books of Elif Þafak and Orhan Pamuk;
the insults directed against the Greek Orthodox Patriarchy and
the ecumenical patriarch; the incredible lies and accusations that
flood the Internet; the race to produce the biggest Turkish flag;
anti-Jewish and anti-Western sentiments, which have always secretly
existed in our society, spewed at every opportunity and much more.

If we assume Turkey’s transformation process as structural and
impossible to wind back, we come to the conclusion that today’s
nationalist reactionism is equally structural. If we fail to properly
define the reasons behind the variety of nationalist sentiments voiced
by the most coarse or the most intellectual, the classic rightists or
within the Republican People’s Party (CHP), by those who come up with
a Turkish-Islamic synthesis or the secularists, it will become harder
to deal with them in the future and this will increase the possibility
of the country being whisked away to other unpleasant shores.

–Boundary_(ID_OmiABIkBQdlhvmI+6Y6qYQ)–

ANOTHER ROUND OF ARMENIAN, CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRIES CONSULTATIONS HELD IN BEIJING

Arka News Agency, Armenia
Nov 6 2006

YEREVAN, November 6. /ARKA/. Another round of consultations of Armenian
and Chinese foreign ministries took place on Thursday in Beijing,
Armenian Foreign Ministry’s press office reports.

Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Armen Bayburtyan and Armenian
Ambassador to China Vasily Ghazaryan were present at the meeting.

A wide range of issues related to Armenian-Chinese relations was
discussed at the meeting.

SERGEY SHAKUROV BROUGHT HIS ARMENIAN WIFE TO AZERBAIJAN

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Nov 6 2006

After their concert in Heydar Aliyev Palace famous Russian actors
Lyudmila Gurchenko and Sergey Shakurov visited Armenia, APA reports
quoting to Arminfo.

During their press conference in Armenia Shakurov said he loves
Armenians and added that his wife Ekaterina Balova is Armenian. She
is a theater producer. "There was no problem in my wife’s coming
to Azerbaijan, as she has a Russian surname. But as my costumier is
Armenian during our visit to Azerbaijan she was not allowed to come
to Azerbaijan. I don’t understand it," he said.

Expressing his attitude to the question the concert organizer the head
of the "Teatral" company Azer Guliyev said he does not believe this.

"His wife is not Armenian. I don’t believe that Shakurov said so,"
he said.

Culture and Tourism Ministry Press Service Department expressed no
opinion on the problem.

A double salvo from Klaas Jan Huntelaar helped AFC

Huntelaar adds to Austria’s woes
Thursday, 2 November 2006

Ajax start their UEFA Cup Group F campaign with a 3-0
win against FK Austria Wien.

Uphill task
A goal in each half from Dutch international
Huntelaar, sandwiching a strike from Armenian
substitute Edgar Manucharyan, gave the Amsterdam side
a comfortable victory and inflicted a second heavy
group-stage defeat on Austria. They had lost 4-1 at
home against SV Zulte Waregem on Matchday 1 and
newly-appointed coach Georg Zellhofer now faces an
uphill task in their remaining games.

Aggressive start
Any doubts over whether Ajax would have the stomach
for the competition after being denied a UEFA
Champions League place by FC København in the third
qualifying round were dispelled as they went on the
offensive at the Amsterdam ArenA. Huntelaar and Wesley
Sneijder both shot wide, before each threatened again
with a header and a free-kick respectively.

Manucharyan scores
Huntelaar finally broke the deadlock after 35 minutes,
latching on to Hedwiges Maduro’s flick-on from a
Kenneth Perez set-piece. They continued to dominate
after the break and Austria’s Hungarian goalkeeper
Szabolcs Safar had to punch away a Perez effort before
Manucharyan – on for Maduro – doubled Ajax’s
advantage, converting a Sneijder cross with his right
foot after 65 minutes.

Late flourish
Huntelaar completed the rout three minutes later,
diverting Perez’s free-kick into the net with his
head. Markus Kiesenebner had a rare attempt for
Austria which whistled wide but it remained largely
one-way traffic. Safar did well to deny Huntelaar a
hat-trick after good work from Urby Emanuelson and
Zdenĕk Grygera then hit the bar as Ajax kept
pushing forward.

uefa.com 1998-2006.

–Boundary_(ID_uQT4BdkXnhYczwywDqqMAg) —

STATE MINISTER BABACAN ON TURKEY’S E.U. ACCESSION

Anatolian Times, Turkey
Nov 2 2006

DUBLIN – "Turkey has always worked to achieve its goal of being
integrated into modern world," Turkish State Minister & Chief
Negotiator for EU talks Ali Babacan said on Thursday.

Addressing the National Forum on Europe comprised of parliamentarians
and representatives of nongovernmental organizations in Dublin, Babacan
stressed, "there are deep-rooted relations between Turkey and EU."

Babacan indicated that the integration process of Turkey which has
been continued for more than 50 years was based on freedom, democracy,
basic rights and supremacy of law.

"The start of membership talks between Turkey and the EU was also a
historical step for the Union. Turkey’s membership negotiations will
be long, difficult and challenging," he underlined.

Stating that Turkey’s EU accession would strengthen the EU which
played a significant role in global world, Babacan noted, "Turkey
will also assist the EU in regard to settlement of stability in the
Middle East and improvement of prosperity in Central Asia, Middle
East and Caucasus."

"Turkey’s full membership will also assist EU in regard to its foreign
policy and security," he noted.

Babacan said, "Turkey which acts as a bridge between Europe and Asia
will serve as a natural line between Europe and regional countries."

Stating that Turkey contributed to the EU with its young population,
he indicated, "Turkey will work hard for its EU accession process."

"We fulfilled reforms to upgrade living standards of Turkish people.

There has been a great progress in Turkish economy as well,"
he underlined.

Noting that there has been increase in the trade volume between Turkey
and the EU countries, Babacan stated that foreign investors attached
great attention to Turkish economy.

"Turkey will catch Maastricht criteria before it becomes a full member
of the EU as a result of sound budgetary and monetary policies in
the country," he noted.

Upon questions about the Cyprus issue, Babacan said, "the Cyprus issue
has been continuing for nearly 40 years. Several attempts to find
a solution to the Cyprus issue failed to yield results. The latest
attempt was made by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan in
2004. Consequently, Turkish Cypriot people supported the plan in
the referenda while Greek Cypriots rejected it. On the other hand,
the EU failed to fulfil its promises to lift embargoes and isolation
imposed on the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)."

When asked whether Turkey would open its ports and airports to the
Greek Cypriot traffic, Babacan said, "this is an practice envisaged in
the Customs Union. Some EU-member countries such as Belgium, Austria
and Italy apply the same practice against Turkish trucks on the
pretext that their quotas were full. The issue of opening of Turkish
ports and airports to the Greek Cypriot traffic should be brought onto
agenda at the same time with lifting of embargoes imposed on the TRNC."

Referring to the reform process in Turkey, Babacan said, "Turkish
parliament has displayed an extraordinary performance since the
beginning of the process, and adopted a number of legal amendments.

On the other hand, we need a mentality change to put those reforms
into practice. This mentality change takes time. We may not be perfect,
but we have taken quite important steps."

Upon a question about the Article 301 of the Penal Code on freedom
of expression, Babacan said, "Turkish government cannot intervene
in jurisdiction. But the article can be changed in the course of
the time."

Replying to another question about honor killings, Babacan said,
"those events have nothing to do with religious beliefs. They stem
from traditions."

Upon a question on problems faced in southeastern part of Turkey,
Babacan said, "Turkish state has never made a discrimination among
its citizens as Turkish or Kurdish. Also our state has made great
investments in the region. However, private sector’s investment is
essential for economic development of the region. The private sector
refrains from investing in the region due to instability and security
problems stemming from PKK terrorism."

Referring to recent developments in Iraq, Babacan said, "we have beer
advocating Iraq’s territorial integrity and political unity from the
very beginning. Also, we believe that Iraq’s natural resources should
be shared equally by all segments of Iraqi people."

Upon another question about role of radical Islam in Turkey, Babacan
said, "our understanding of secularism envisages separation of state
and religious affairs and enable our people to live their religious
beliefs freely. There is not much support to radicalism in Turkey."

"The Justice & Development Party (AKP) is not an Islamic political
party. It is rather a conservative party which protects its values
and traditions," he said.

Replying to another question about so-called Armenian genocide,
Babacan said, "only historians should deal with the past events.

Prime Minister Erdogan sent a letter to the Armenian prime minister
and proposed him to set up a joint commission to carry out research.

However, Armenia did not respond to our proposal in the affirmative.

Also, Turkey is ready to open its archives. But Armenians prefer to
carry out lobby activities instead of conducting scientific works."