Author: Madatian Greg

SARAFIAN AND HALACOGLU DISPROVE RADIKAL’S INSISTENCE ON THEIR AVOIDING
HOLDING JOINT RESEARCH

ISTANBUL, MARCH 16, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Historians Ara
Sarafian and Yusuf Halacoglu stated that the Radikal journalist’s
interpretation about their refusal to hold a research in Kharberd
concerning the Armenian Genocide and having a rest are wrong. Marmara
states about it.

Halacoglu showed his correspondence with Sarafian and insisted that he
was not the one to avoid. And Sarafian was insulted from the Radikal
journalist’s words, according to which he proposed difficult
conditions before holding researches in Kharberd. Sarafian said that
his goal is to create clear working conditions.

After all these the Turkish newspaper journalist said that he is
obliged to emphasize that in his opinion, Ara Sarafian avoided the
work. He also mentioned that here the issue is not the one who
avoided. The important thing is that such a valuable occasion was lost
as Turkey for the first time has a possibility to do public work with
a historian like Ara Sarafian, and though Sarafian was sure in the
Genocide, Turkey was to show respect towards him. This valuable
possibility was lost, the journalist said.

USA TO ADVOCATE REGULATION OF NAGORNI GARABAGH CONFLICT WITHIN THE FRAMES OF TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF AZERBAIJAN

Ïðaâî Âûaîða, Azerbaijan
Democratic Azerbaijan
March 15 2007

The United States of America support just regulation of
Armenian-Azerbaijani, Nagorni Garabagh conflict within the frames
of territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. AzerTaj informs that it was
declared by US Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Ms. Ann Ders, during the
meeting with students held at "Khazar" university, March 12.

Having reminded about 4 resolutions on Nagorni Garabagh adopted by
UN Security Council, diplomat stressed that her country being one
of OSCE Minsk Group co-chair is making efforts to solve the problem
in question.

During the meeting dedicated to human rights, Ambassador, Ann Ders,
spoke about annual report of US Department of State underlining aspects
concerning Azerbaijan. Report of US Department of State stresses that
Azerbaijan is trustworthy defender of religious and ethnic tolerance.

Moreover, adopted laws to combat corruption in Azerbaijan,
"National action plan on protection of human rights in the Republic
of Azerbaijan" approved by the decree of the President, Ilham Aliyev,
successes achieved in prevention of human trafficking and work carried
out for improvement of legislation connected with process of entering
World Trade Organization were highly evaluated in the report.

Having expressed her confidence that the government of Azerbaijan
will continue democratic reforms, Ann Ders, said that Azerbaijan
is collaborating with OSCE, Council of Europe, NATO, west countries
including USA in this respect.

Attaching importance to simultaneous realization of economic and
political reforms, American diplomat said that development of democracy
is also connected with economic progress.

She also stressed that cooperation of USA and Azerbaijan in energy
sector will continue, adding that efficient use of oil incomes
will positively affect strengthening of independence of Azerbaijan,
improvement of welfare of population, economic development.

As for Iranian nuclear program, diplomat said that international
community, including USA, is not against peaceful nuclear program of
Iran. Diplomat said that Iran’s craving for having nuclear weapon is
a threat for the countries of the region.

–Boundary_(ID_Va3+Y32vHSmlB5/ZWFJY/g)–

THE AKHTAMAR CHURCH HAS NO ANALOGS IN THE WORLD’S ARCHITECTURE

PanARMENIAN.Net
14.03.2007 GMT+04:00

The international legislation stipulates that the original should
serve as a sample in monument reconstruction; consequently a cross
should be placed on the dome of the Holy Cross Church.

In 2005 in Beijing law on reconstruction of the Holy Cross Church
situated on Akhtamar Island in Turkey was adopted. According to the
law Armenian restorers and architects must also take part in the
reconstruction works. But as these two countries are not in healthy
diplomatic relations with each other, the Armenian party had to appeal
to UNESCO for assistance.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ According to the Turkish Press, the Church is ready
for its opening ceremony, where the Turkish Prime-minister Redgep
Erdoghan and Members of the Cabinet will be present. It was also
stated that the Representatives of the Armenian Diaspora and the
Armenian Minister of Culture and Youth Affairs are also invited,
though the Ministry doesn’t seem to have received any official
invitation yet. The date of the opening ceremony has been postponed
more than once. At first it was supposed to be held on April 24,
but later under the pressure of the Armenian Diaspora the date was
changed and was fixed on April 15, at present it is said that the
opening ceremony is going to be held on April 11.

However the Holy Cross Church is reconstructed. In the opinion of the
Armenian historian Samvel Karapetian Akhtamar is a universal property
that is why the Turkish government decided to reconstruct it. The
Akhtamar Church has no analogs in the world’s architecture. "Akhtamar
is unique, and the Turkish government will have great profits from the
flow of tourists. The matter of the contents of the inscription on the
wall of the temple is a question of minor importance. Presently Greek,
Armenian and Assyrian monuments are being reconstructed throughout
Turkey and the Turks will decide themselves which monument will carry
writing about its belonging," Karapetian said.

Over the past two years, Turkish authorities have raised loud
clamors over the restoration of a 10th century Armenian Church on
Akhtamar Island. Until now it is not clear whether this restoration
project is a gesture of peace or a crude gloss over the reality
of the Armenian Genocide and the destruction of Armenian cultural
properties. Komitas Institute in London quotes the words of the Head
of the Turkish Historical Society, Yusuf Halacoglu from New Anatolian,
"We have nothing to hide… Opening of the Agdamar Church will be a
gesture towards the Armenians and the whole world…"

Meanwhile, debates about placing a cross on the belfry of the Church
are being held. According to the Minister of Culture Attila Koch
"if the cross indeed existed, it should still be there", Hurriyet
writes mentioning that the Holy Cross Church was built by King Gagik
I Artsruni (915-921 A.D.) of the Vaspurakan kingdom. In its turn
the Armenian Marmara mentions, that the issue of placing the cross
on the belfry of the Church itself has become a vexed question for
the Turkish Government. "Engineer Yagub Hazan, who has taken up the
responsibility of the reconstruction of the Church, mentioned that
during the research they have found one picture only, where the cross
is not distinctly marked, and the engineer doesn’t think it worthwhile
to place the cross on the dome of the Church.

Meanwhile, architect Zakaria Mildanoglu, who has been selected by the
Armenian Community to control the reconstruction works, objected to the
engineer’s point of view and appealed to the international legislation,
which stipulates that the original should serve as a sample in
monument reconstruction. He mentioned that by his initiative a group
of specialists has designed a cross of 2.5 meters of height. Besides
an official involved in the works; Dzhahid Zeinadli has announced
that they don’t want to place the cross on the dome of the church
avoiding fire in the church that may be caused by the lightening",
Marmara writes.

"PanARMENIAN.Net" analytical department

BERNARD FASSIER AND ARKADY GHUKASIAH CONSIDER NECESSARY MAKING OSCE MISNK GROUP CO-CHAIRMEN’S AND NKR HEADS’ MEETINGS MORE FREQUENT

Noyan Tapan
Mar 12 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 12, NOYAN TAPAN. OSCE Minsk Group French Co-Chairman
Bernard Fassier met on March 12 with President of the Republic
of Nagorno Karabakh Arkady Ghukasian. At the meeting held at the
NKR Permanent Representation to the RA, the sides discussed issues
relating to the present stage of the Karabakh conflict settlement
and the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen’s proposals as well as complete
participation of Nagorno Karabakh in the negotiations process.

It was bilaterally emphasized that it is necessary to make more
frequent meetings among the OSCE Minsk Group Ch-Chairmen and the heads
of the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh. As Noyan Tapan was informed by
the NKR Permanent Representation to the RA, ideas were exchanged
concerning the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and
Azerbaijan to take place in Geneva on March 14. Georgi Petrosian,
the NKR Minister of Foreign Affairs and Karlen Avetisian, the NKR
Permanent Representative to the RA participated in the meeting.

AZERBAIJANI MP ACHIEVES INCLUSION OF NAGORNO KARABAKH AS UNCONTROLLED TERRITORY INTO REPORT "SITUATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN EUROPE"

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
March 13 2007

The Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe (PACE) Committee for
Legal Affairs and Human Rights met yesterday, APA’s Europe bureau
reports.

The approval of the report on situation of human rights in Europe
and Montenegro’s admission to the Council of Europe were debated.

Analogous issues were discussed at the meeting of the PACE Political
Affairs Committee. Azerbaijan was discussed at the meetings of
both committees. Member of the Azerbaijani delegation to the PACE,
parliamentarian Gultekin Hajiyeva told the APA’s Europe bureau that
the report "The situation of democracy in Europe drawn up by Swiss
parliamentarian Andreas Gross was debated.

"I gave proposals to this report and most of them have been taken
into consideration. The proposals were connected with the necessity of
preventing cases of islamophobia, religious and national discrimination
and creating conditions for ensuring women’s rights in European
democracies. The discussions on the report "Situation of human rights
in Europe" drawn up by Purgoridz, parliamentarian from Cyprus, was
very interesting for Azerbaijan. The most interesting point in the
report is connected with uncontrolled territories in Europe. I had
some additions to the report. The rapporteur included South Ossetia,
Abkhazia and Transnestria in the list of uncontrolled territories,
but forgot Nagorno Karabakh. After my serious remark, the rapporteur
agreed to include Nagorno Karabakh into the list of uncontrolled
territories," she said.

Gultekin Hajiyeva noted that there were unpleasant momentums during
the discussions.

"Deputy Chief of the Committee for Legal Affairs, Ukrainian MP
Holovatiy was against my proposal and said that Nagorno Karabakh
problem differs from South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Transnestria
problems. He always expresses his own position and his position does
not coincide with the position of the Ukrainian government. I protested
against his position and drew his attention to four resolutions of
the UN Security Council and the document #1416 adopted by the PACE
in January, 2005. I also told the committee members that Holovatiy
is very crude towards the Azerbaijani delegation. Nagorno Karabakh
is not a disputed territory. Azerbaijan’s sovereign rights over
Nagorno Karabakh are out of discussion. I asked Holovatiy what his
position is based on and said that such position of a deputy chief
of the Committee for Legal Affairs is unwelcoming. My remarks were
adopted and Nagorno Karabakh was included in the list of uncontrolled
territories in Europe," she said.

Gultekin Hajiyeva said that the reports approved at the meetings of
both committees will be debated in the PACE spring session.

MEETING OF AZERBAIJANI, ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS NOT PROMISE SERIOUS PROGRESS – HEAD OF AZERBAIJANI COMMUNITY OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
March 13 2007

Azerbaijan, Baku / Trend , corr S.Ilhamgizi / Nizami Bahmaov, the
head of the Azerbaijani community of Nagorno-Karabakh, stated that a
meeting of the Azerbaijan and Armenian Foreign Ministers, organized
by the OSCE Minsk Group, does not promise any serious breakthrough
in the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

He reminded that the meetings are continued within the framework of
the Paris agreement and said that the co-chairs will organize a next
meeting of the Ministers on 14 March. "I guess the discussions will
focus on some disputable milestones. The major progress can be expected
from the meeting of the Presidents of two countries," Bahmanov noted.

Bahmanov stressed that the continuation of peace talks is the
greatest compromise and any other compromise is out of question. He
was commenting on the statement by the Armenian Foreign Minister
Vardan Oskanian, who urged that should Azerbaijan make a compromise,
the progress is possible.

"It is not worth to expect a compromise from an belligerent country
in the ongoing peace negotiations," he stressed.

GENOCIDE ARMENIEN: UN JUGEMENT SUR LA MEMOIRE

Le Temps, Suisse
10 mars 2007

On s’est beaucoup demande, au cours du procès qui a debouche sur la
condamnation de l’homme politique turc Dogu Perincek pour negationnisme
du genocide armenien, si les juges pouvaient ecrire l’histoire. La
reponse est a l’evidence oui.

Les juges ont ecrit l’histoire a Nuremberg, ils l’ecrivent aujourd’hui
a Arusha et a LaHaye. Non pas tant parce qu’ils qualifient en
droit les crimes commis au nom de la raison politique. Mais parce
qu’ils etablissent les faits avec l’opportunite d’un accès immediat
aux acteurs et aux temoins et avec la rigueur de la procedure
contradictoire.

Le juge lausannois n’etait pas en mesure de soumettre les deportations
et les massacres dont ont ete victimes les Armeniens en 1915 a un
examen comparable et il ne l’a pas fait. Il s’est borne a constater
qu’une majorite d’historiens et plusieurs parlements qualifiaient ces
faits de genocide. Il en a conclu que contester cette qualification
constituait une infraction a l’article 261 bis du Code penal, du
moins lorsque la contestation avait des accents nationalistes.

Les autorites superieures, que le condamne entend saisir, diront si
cette conclusion est satisfaisante au nom du droit suisse. On peut
deja dire qu’elle apporte peu au regard de l’histoire.

La norme antinegationniste n’a pas pour but d’ecrire l’histoire mais
de defendre des valeurs. Le jugement de Lausanne ne dit donc pas
l’histoire. Il etend aux Armeniens la protection de la memoire deja
reconnue aux victimes de la Shoah.

L’opportunite d’ancrer cette protection dans la loi penale est
contestee au-dela des cercles revisionnistes. Des historiens et non des
moindres se sont inquietes, en France, du danger de voir le recit admis
du passe remplacer la reflexion sur les faits et leur interpretation.

Suivant qu’on partage la foi des defenseurs de la memoire ou les
doutes des historiens, on se rejouira du jugement de Lausanne ou on le
deplorera. Mais les debats auront rappele a tous que l’utilisation
de l’histoire pour dire des valeurs n’est pas l’apanage des
premiers. C’est au contraire une activite favorite des nationalistes
-l’entetement aveugle du condamne en est une preuve eclatante.

Ce ne sont pas les memes valeurs? Certes. Mais c’est le meme danger:
faire de l’histoire, non un questionnement mais une affirmation,
non une reflexion mais une statue.

–Boundary_(ID_0F4XblIQaIiSefU2sCfWDw)–

Agence France Presse — English
March 9, 2007 Friday 3:18 PM GMT

Swiss court finds Turkish militant guilty of genocide denial

by Peter Capella

A Swiss court on Friday found a Turkish militant leader guilty of
denying the Armenian genocide, the first time Switzerland’s
anti-racism law has been applied to the World War I slaughter.

Turkish Workers’ Party leader Dogu Perincek received a suspended jail
sentence of 90 days or an equivalent fine from the Lausanne court as
well as a fine of 3,000 Swiss francs (1,900 euros, 2,500 dollars).

Perincek had described the Armenian genocide under the Ottoman Empire
as an "international lie" at a Turkish rally in the Swiss city in
2005.

The Turkish government also fiercely rejects the genocide label and
the issue has sparked diplomatic tensions with Switzerland in the
past.

Judge Pierre-Henri Winzap called Perincek an "arrogant provocateur"
in his ruling at the end of a week-long trial, adding that he had
"racist and nationalist motives".

Lausanne was also the site of the international conference and treaty
signed in 1923 which sealed the break-up of the Ottoman Empire and
the birth of the modern Turkish state.

Winzap said the Armenian genocide was "a proven historical fact
according to Swiss public opinion" and the fact that it was not
listed as a genocide by an international court did not rule out its
reality.

He also ruled that Perincek made two speeches in May 2005 in the full
knowledge that he would be breaking the law.

Charges against Perincek were pressed under Swiss anti-racism law,
which includes an offence of denial of genocide or crimes against
humanity, following a complaint by a Swiss-Armenian group.

The verdict marks the first time that the 1995 law was applied to the
massacre of Armenians, said Doris Angst of Switzerland’s official
anti-racism watchdog.

"The commission welcomes the fact that the issue has been clarified
in a certain way with this ruling," the secretary of the Federal
Commission Against Racism told AFP.

Perincek said afterwards that he would appeal the verdict of
Lausanne’s magistrates court.

"I will appeal this decision. I still have confidence in Swiss
justice. We will take it to the end to the European Court of Human
Rights if necessary," he told the Anatolian news agency.

"This decision reflects in a concrete manner the Swiss judge’s hatred
for Turkey and the Turkish nation," he added.

In 2001, a court in the capital Bern acquitted 12 Turks facing
similar charges.

However, two years later the Swiss lower house of parliament formally
recognised the massacre of Armenians during World War I as genocide,
despite fierce protests from Turkey.

Perincek argued in court that he had not committed an offence with
his statements during the rally, insisting there had been no genocide
in 1915.

Swiss anti-racism law was not applicable in the Armenian case while
it was fully justified for the Holocaust in World War II, claimed the
Turkey-based militant.

However Lausanne chief prosecutor Eric Cottier insisted that there
was no doubt over a genocide.

The Swiss law on incitement to racial discrimination also covers
denial, "gross minimisation", or justification of a genocide or other
crimes against humanity.

It provides for a maximum jail sentence of three years or a fine.

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
March 10 2007

Photos of Akhtamar to be shown to US Congressmen

Turkey has increased its efforts to counter a Armenian genocide
resolution that is scheduled to be heard in the US House of
Representatives in April.

A Turkish delegation will take photos to the US Congress showing the
former and current condition of the Akhtamar Armenian Church in Van.

A photo album recently issued by the Culture and Tourism Ministry on
Akhtamar Church will be presented personally by Parliamentary Foreign
Affairs Commission Chairman Mehmet Dülger during a visit to the US
Congress from March 11 to 18.

Dülger said: "I will tell them, ‘See, the Turks, whom you accuse of
genocide, have renovated an Armenian Church with taxes collected from
Turks. And these photos are the evidence.’ Also, I will show them a
map of Africa and ask them to show me the location of Armenia."

Akhtamar Church will be opened by Culture and Tourism Minister Atilla
Koç on March 15 with participation from prominent artists and art
historians from around the world. Culture ministers of all countries
that have adopted or will adopt Armenian genocide bills, and senior
representatives of the Armenian diaspora are invited to the opening.

The photo album, entitled "Akhtamar Church" and published by Culture
and Tourism Ministry Revolving Fund Operations General Directorate,
will be distributed at the opening ceremonies. The album contains
photos of the church in its former and current conditions. The album
will also be distributed worldwide to the groups advocating Armenian
genocide claims.

10.03.2007

Ecan Yavuz Ankara

PETROS MAKEYAN: WE SHOULD CLEAN ARMENIA FROM KARABAKH CLAN!

YEREVAN, MARCH 9, NOYAN TAPAN. "Robert, Go Away!," "No to Reproduction
of Ruling Regime," "Impeachment!." These and other appeals were voiced
by participants of the rally organized on March 9 near Matenadaran by
the Alternative public-political movement. In the words of member of
movement’s initiating group, former Yerevan Mayor Vahagn Khachatrian,
today it is quite obvious that Robert Kocharian and Serge Sargsian who
came to power on the wave of Nagorno Karabakh movement did not keep
their promises on Nagorno Karabakh and today "Armenia is losing
Karabakh." "They came to power to grow rich," V. Khachatrian declared.
He sharply criticized the situation formed in the country’s political
system. Petros Makeyan, Chairman of Democratic Homeland Party making
part of Impeachment bloc, declared that those considering that
opposition’s struggle should proceed in CEC or at the Constitutional
Court are mistaken. "We should struggle at the very Liberty Square and
Matenadaran Square. We should clean Armenia from Karabakh clan in the
person of Kocharian and Sargsian and their stooges,!" P. Makeyan
stated. In the speakers’ words, almost 90% country’s population is
disposed oppositionally and under such arrangement of forces the system
created by the ruling regime, which is based on falsifications and
support of skinheads’ gangs, should collapse.