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06/13/2005
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1) ARF Candidates Pakradouni and Kasarji Victorious in Parliamentary Elections
2) Chirac’s Arch-Rival Sees No Urgent Need for EU Talks with Turkey
3) President Ghukasian Promises Fair Elections

1) ARF Candidates Pakradouni and Kasarji Victorious in Parliamentary Elections

Intense voter turnout characterize polls in the Metn area, the second district
in Lebanon’s third round of elections; Lebanese Armenians hold massive
pre-election rally, followed by huge voter turnout

BEIRUT (Combined Sources)–If a rally of 20,000 people in Bourj Hammoud on
Friday, June 10, was any indication of Armenian show of force in Lebanon, it
also served to prelude their determination to elect to parliament two Armenian
Revolutionary Federation (ARF) candidates, Hagop Pakradouni and Georges
Kasarji, two days later in the Metn and Bekka districts.
The party, in spite of certain criticism for boycotting the first round of
elections, nevertheless, garnered widespread support as masses turned out to
vote in the predominantly Armenian populated area of Bourj Hammoud, as well as
the village of Anjar in the Bekka Valley, where unofficial numbers placed
voter
turnout at 99 percent.
In Bourj Hammoud, voters came out as polling stations opened, and by 2:30PM,
85-90% of eligible voters had cast ballots. Official observers described it as
“intense voter turnout.”
According to reports from Lebanon, ARF centers–which were transformed into
voter information centers the night before the election–were buzzing with
activity. Determined to elect ARF representatives to parliament,
supporters–especially youth from the Zavarian Student Organization, Lebanon’s
Armenian Youth Federation (LEM), Homenetmen, and other organizations– chose
not to sleep, but prepared for elections.
“I’m positive that we’re going to win because the seat allotted to the
Armenian community can only be filled by the candidate that truly represents
that community. I’ll work for not one day, but for months to ensure the ARF
wins and Lebanese Armenians have someone to express their concerns in
parliament,” said one of the young volunteers working to ensure a smooth vote.
Asbarez editor Vatche Proodian spoke with Hagop Pakradouni on Monday, who
said
preliminary results reveal that of the 11,000 Armenian voters in Metn
district,
10,100 voted for him, and 900 for opponent Raffi Madeyan. The general vote in
Metn shows Pakradouni getting 53,272 votes and Madeyan 25,043.
Aside from a few independent candidates, two electoral lists waged a fierce
battle in Metn for eight seats in Parliament: one backed by Michel Aoun, the
ARF, and deputy Speaker Michel Murr; and the opposition’s list, which
contained
Nassib Lahoud, Gabriel Murr, and Pierre Gemayel.
Unofficial counts showed candidates backed by Aoun set to clinch 15 of 16
seats up for grabs in Metn, as well as Byblos-Kesrwan.
At a victory party Sunday evening, Pakradouni spoke to a packed crowed
gathered next to the ARF center. “This victory is not mine but yours–it’s a
triumph for Lebanese Armenians.”
Thanking everyone, Pakradouni said, “Our strength is in our unity; we are
strong only when we are one, and only then can we realize all our dreams.”
Pakradouni said that as the ARF was born of the people, and since its
creation
has worked to promote their welfare, he pledged to do the same in the coming
four years–to serve the interest of those who both he and the ARF are
indebted.
In Zahle as well, early indications show a clean sweep for a list headed by
Elias Skaff, the ARF, and Aoun, which includes ARF candidate Georges Kasarji.
With just one round of voting left next week, the major task for the incoming
parliament will be to address the thorny issue of the disarming of Lebanese
resistance group Hizbullah, as demanded by the international community.
There is also the equally problematic issue of the future of Lebanon’s
President Emile Lahoud.
Calls for Lahoud’s resignation have increased in recent weeks as the
opposition’s victory became more certain.
But after casting his vote in Mount Lebanon, Lahoud insisted: “I am staying
until the last moment in my tenure and this is because I believe that the
Constitution says so.”
Lahoud added: “We did as much as possible to stop corruption but there are so
many corrupt people in politics so I voted for the people who will stop
corruption.”
He also urged Parliament to issue a new electoral law to replace the current
law, which was adopted in 2000.
At stake on Sunday were 58 of Parliament’s 128 seats.
But only 56 seats were up for grabs since Druze opposition leader Walid
Jumblatt and his ally, Marwan Hamade, had already won uncontested in the Chouf
district.
Forty-two MPs have already been elected in the first two rounds. In Beirut,
the son of slain former Premier Rafik Hariri won all of the area’s 19 seats by
a landslide. In South Lebanon, Hizbullah and Amal also swept all the region’s
23 seats.

2) Chirac’s Arch-Rival Sees No Urgent Need for EU Talks with Turkey

PARIS (AFP)–French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, also head of the ruling
party, said Saturday that there was no urgent need for the European Union to
open accession talks with Turkey and pushed instead for a partnership with
Ankara.
“Is it reasonable to open negotiations with Turkey which is a big nation in
Asia Minor, not Europe?” said Sarkozy at a meeting of his party, the Union for
a Popular Movement (UMP).
Sarkozy said it would cause less “bitterness” if the EU considered offering
Turkey immediately the status of a privileged partner.
“There is no urgent need to engage in negotiations (for EU accession) with
Turkey,” he said.
The 50-year-old politician, who has made it clear he would like to succeed
President Jacques Chirac, said it was time “to rethink our European strategy”
and that the first priority was “to fix Europe’s geographic borders.”
“I supported the EU enlargement to the east, although it was done without
sufficient preparation or explanation,” said Sarkozy, adding that concern over
EU expansion was one of the issues that contributed to the victory of the “no”
campaign in last month’s referendum in France on the EU constitution, which
the
UMP supported.
Chirac has said he is in favor of the opening of talks with Turkey on October
3 to join the EU, rather than pursuing a partnership status.
Sarkozy also told the UMP meeting that the party would hold a congress early
in 2007 to choose its candidate for the presidential election that year.
Besides Chirac, who has not said whether he will seek a third term, Sarkozy’s
rivals for the presidential nomination include the country’s new prime
minister, Dominique de Villepin.

3) President Ghukasian Promises Fair Elections

YEREVAN (Armenpress)–Mountainous Karabagh Republic president Arkady Ghukasian
assured that the country~Rs authorities are doing everything possible to ensure
fairness in the upcoming parliamentary elections on June 19. ~SThe Nagorno
Karabagh Republic authorities will take every effort to make sure the upcoming
parliamentary elections are fair, objective, and transparent–there is no
other
alternative,~T Ghukasian stated on June 11 in Stepanakert.
~SAll political forces realize that no power chair, no post can be compared
with the country’s destiny and image. It is natural that everybody tries to
present himself better than he really is, but the people have the opportunity
to compare words and deeds, things said and done. I hope that they will make
the right choice,~T the President said, expressing confidence that all sides
will be represented by worthy candidates.

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A1plus

| 13:09:08 | 10-06-2005 | Official |

VARDAN OSKANYAN TO MEET CONDOLEEZZA RICE

On the first day of the two-day business visit to Washington RA Foreign
Minister Vardan Oskanyan had several meetings.

He was received by the US President advisor on security issues Steven
Hadley. During the meeting the perspectives of the peaceful settlement of
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, as well as the Armenian-Turkish relations
were discussed. Steven Hadley was especially interested in the course of
realization of the democratic, electoral and constitutional reforms in
Armenia.

Minister Oskanyan also had meetings with the members of the Armenian group
in the US Congress. During the meeting the issues of the agenda of the
Armenian-American relations were discussed. Minister Oskanyan informed the
members of the Congress about the recent developments of the negotiations
over Nagorno Karabakh and the Armenian-Turkish relations. He thanked the
members of the Congress for the aid given to Armenia. Issues which can be
included in the works of the Armenia-American economic Commission were also
discussed.

After the re-election of the US President George W. Bush this was Vardan
Oskanyan’s first visit to Washington. Today the Minister will meet State
Secretary Condoleezza Rice, and will kmake a speech in the Brookings
institution, as well as in the National Press Club.

Journal of Turkish Weekly
June 10 2005

20 Armenian journalists coming to Turkey

source: Hurriyet

The Turkish Journalist Union is going to host a group of 20 Armenian
journalists for 4 days in Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya and Urgup-Goreme.
The project, supported by the Culture and Tourism Ministry, will have
the 20 Armenian journalists spending one night in Istanbul, two
nights in Ankara, and one night in Antalya and Urgup-Goreme. Meetings
that take place with the group will attempt to focus on the theme
that any pain from 1915 should not be allowed to be transmitted to
future generations of the two countries.

A visit planned to the Armenian Patriarchate

Head of the Turkish Journalists’ Union, Turgut Dedeoglu, said that as
members of the press, they wanted to take action to help increasing
tensions on the Armenian claims of genocide.

Dedeoglu said that after visiting the Dogan and Sabah media groups,
the 20 journalists would also tour the Armenian Patriarchate.
Dedeoglu said also that there would be meetings bringing the visitors
together with Turkish journalists.

The Armenian journalist group has also indicated a desire to speak
with high placed members of the Turkish government, including Turkish
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. Regarding the dialogue that he his
hoping will be sparked by the visit, Dedeoglu said “We will try to
explain that any pain from 1915 should not be passed on to future
generations.” He also stressed that his group’s stance is that, since
there was no government policy at the time, there was no genocide
that took place either.

Archives may be opened to journalist group

The visit of the Armenian journlists will be an opportunity to have
the Turkish History Foundation open its archives to Armenia, said
Dedeoglu. Though the opening of the archives to the visiting group
has not been confirmed, Dedeoglu says that the Turkish Journalists
Union is working to make it happen. He also assered that the Foreign
Ministry looked warmly on the upcoming visit, which is scheduled for
July.

A1plus

| 20:55:13 | 08-06-2005 | Regions |

CEMENT POWDER OF ARARAT TOWN CAUSES ILLNESSES
Today the Caucasian region ecological center organized in Ararat a
conference with the theme `Environmental Protection For the Welfare of the
Coming Generations and Steady Development’. The aim of the conference was
create a field of cooperation and experience exchange between Ararat and
other regions in Armenia and the highlight the ecological problems of
Ararat.

According to Dshkhuhi Sahakyan, expert of the Ararat local environment
activities program, the town of Ararat has serious problems connected with
air and water pollution. Particularly, the problem is connected with the
Ararat cement factory. It has caused lung illnesses in many people.
According to the local residents, many people have been poisoned by the
water polluted by the gold extraction plant. Mrs. Sahakyan said that they
had offered to install filtering equipment in the cement factory, but they
were told that the equipment will be too expensive.

Head of the association «Principles of Steady Development» Karine Danielyan
referred to the food problems. According to her, many different types of
food with genetically changed components are imported into Armenia. The
reason of this, according to her, is the poor social conditions, as Armenia
imports these types of foods without detailed investigation.

Equatorial Guinea hands over six Armenians granted pardon in coup plot

AP Worldstream
Jun 08, 2005

RODRIGO ANGUE NGEUMA MBA

Authorities in this oil-rich African nation on Wednesday released six
accused Armenian mercenaries granted a presidential pardon after
spending nearly 15 months behind bars.

The six were arrested March 6 in Equatorial Guinea’s capital, Malabo,
and sentenced to 14 and 24 years in prison in an alleged plot to
overthrow the government.

“This is a very important act, which once again proves the generous
and great humane nature of the president,” Justice Minister Angel
Masie Mibuy said at a ceremony inside the ministry that was attended
by Armenian officials and the former detainees.

Those released included an Armenian pilot that the government said was
hired to fly gunmen and material in for the plot, and five other crew
members.

An Armenian official said they would be flown home as soon as
possible.

On Tuesday, human rights group Amnesty International said that the
trial and detention of the group of alleged mercenaries had been rife
with human rights violation.

The London-based group also said the court repeatedly ignored
allegations that defendants had been tortured while under
interrogation in order to extract confessions.

Torture allegations emerged after one German defendant died in March
in the notorious Black Beach prison. Rights groups cited witness
accounts that he was wounded during torture, but authorities said he
died of malaria.

The alleged leader of the mercenaries, South African arms dealer Nick
Du Toit, and six other South Africans are still in detention. Du Toit
was sentenced to 34 years in prison, though he repudiated an alleged
confession that had provided the bulk of Equatorial Guinea’s case.

Equatorial Guinea opposition figure Severo Moto, in exile in Spain,
was sentenced in absentia to 63 years. Eight other opposition figures
also living in exile each were sentenced to 52 years in prison.

Equatorial Guinea alleges that Mark Thatcher _ son of former British
Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher _ and other, mainly British,
financiers commissioned the bid to overthrow the 25-year-old regime of
Obiang and install an opposition politician as the figurehead leader
of Africa’s No. 3 oil producer.

Armenpress

GOVERNMENT DECIDES TO HALT CONSTRUCTION OF ROAD THROUGH UNIQUE FOREST
RESERVE

KAPAN, JUNE 8, ARMENPRESS: A cohort of top government officials,
including deputy energy minister, nature protection and transport ministers
and territorial minister traveled Tuesday to Armenian’s southern Shikahogh
reserve, the planned site of a new highway, the authorities want to build to
have a short and safe road to neighboring Iran, but ecologists warn once the
road is built it would endanger one of the country’s three pristine forest
reserves.
The new highway is planned to take a route across the Mtnadzor Forest
that covers a third of the Shikahogh reserve in southern Armenia.
Established in 1958, the reserve is inhabited by rare and endangered plants
and animals. Ecologist say at current rates of cutting, the last of the
forests could be gone in as little as 20 years, saying also that Armenia’s
forest areas have drastically reduced from 40 percent of the country w to
around eight percent.
A coalition of organizations and individuals, including the Armenia Tree
Project, Armenian Forests NGO, the World Wildlife Fund, and the Armenian
Assembly of America have been have asked the government to halt the plan
until a viable alternatives could be proposed . Ecologists fear the
construction of the proposed road through the preserve will introduce
pollution from passing vehicles into this almost pristine forest, destroy
the habitat for rare wildlife and migratory paths, and attract illegal
logging.
The government ministers traveled across the site together with Syunik
governor, who is one of the staunchest proponents of the alternative route
Transport minister Andranik Margarian told reporters the government has
already released around 9.5 million drams for earth works, saying also the
alternative route would be 2 km longer and would require more funding. After
four-hour discussions the officials agreed to halt works for a fortnight, to
prepare a feasibility plan for an alternative route and only then to make
the final decision.

Los Angeles Times, CA
June 8 2005

The Turkey- U.S. Divide
Lack of understanding strains a vital relationship.

By Ekrem Dumanli, Ekrem Dumanli is executive editor of Zaman, a
national newspaper headquartered in Istanbul.

What’s gone wrong between the U.S. and Turkey? Plagued by
misinformation and misperception, the two countries have seen
significant deterioration in their relations over the last few years.

Rising wrath against Turkey in Washington, especially at the
Pentagon, is threatening what has long been a strong, important
relationship. It seems to be a response, in turn, to a perceived rise
in anti-Americanism in Turkey. But this is a mistake. The roots of
the problem lay, for the most part, in misunderstanding.

ADVERTISEMENT

Just as the Iraq war was beginning in early 2003, Turkey rejected a
U.S. effort to open a northern front. For many U.S. officials, this
was an indication of growing anti-Americanism. Although it is true
that the Turkish parliament rejected the motion, the context has been
badly misunderstood.

On that day – March 1, 2003 – 533 lawmakers voted on the motion. Of
those, 264 were in favor, 250 rejected it and 19 abstained. The
motion required a simple majority, 267 votes; it was rejected for
want of three votes. The vote was so close that for a few minutes
after the voting it was believed that the motion had been approved.
In short, much of the wrath against Turkey in Washington, especially
in Pentagon circles, is based on just three votes.

In October 2003, the parliament agreed to send as many as 10,000
troops to Iraq to help in reconstruction and peacekeeping. This time
the vote was 358 to 183 in favor of deployment. But Turkey got little
credit for its willingness to help because the plan fell apart when
the Iraqi Governing Council announced that it did not want Turkish
troops. In yet another effort to cooperate with Washington, Turkey
subsequently agreed to send troops to Afghanistan, and the Turkish
army has twice taken command of the International Security Assistance
Force there.

I’m not denying that the last two years have been a tense period for
the two countries. There’s no doubt that the Turkish people, in line
with global public opinion, were worried about the occupation of
Iraq. Although Turks hated Saddam Hussein and wished for an end to
his rule, they were also concerned about a war in the region. Not
just because it was becoming clear that there were no weapons of mass
destruction and no link between Hussein and Al Qaeda, but because
they were afraid the war would spread to neighboring countries such
as Syria and Iran.

And it is certainly true that the horrible images from Fallouja and
Abu Ghraib shocked Turkish society, as they shocked the people of
many nations. When one also considers that Iraqis are Muslims and
that many mosques were in the war zone, the Turkish public’s concern
may be better understood.

But Turkish reservations about Bush administration policies in the
Middle East do not make us “anti-American.” Yes, there was one
Turkish member of parliament who said last year that the U.S. was
conducting “genocide” in Fallouja – but it must be remembered that
routine pressure is put on Turkey regarding Armenian allegations of
“genocide” after World War II. For many Turks, this is annually
discussed, debated and forgotten – they see the so-called genocide as
a false accusation, and the word itself is viewed as an exaggeration.
So when one parliamentarian accuses the U.S. of “genocide” in Iraq,
it does not carry the harsh meaning that Americans have reacted to.

After Sept. 11, many Muslims in the U.S. returned to their countries,
Turks among them. This trend accelerated after the invasion of Iraq.
But despite post-Sept. 11 anxiety and difficulty in obtaining visas,
statistics indicate that Turkish families and their children still
opt for a U.S. education when possible.

The Turkish people believe that the U.S. helped Muslims in Bosnia and
Kosovo. They haven’t forgotten that the leader of the terrorist
Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK), Abdullah Ocalan, was caught with U.S.
assistance. Nor have they overlooked U.S. support for Turkey’s
membership in the European Union.

Despite years of “strategic partnership,” the policymakers of the two
countries don’t fully understand each other. Turkey asks the U.S. to
take concrete action against the PKK militants in Iraq, but this is
not a high priority for the Americans. Armenian genocide allegations
are raised like clockwork in the U.S. Congress, but so far the
Turkish government has not formally recognized that such a thing
occurred. If that changes, the Turkish public will not react calmly.

Each party tries to evaluate the other side within the framework of
its own political culture and experience. This can cause confusion
and ill will. But these two countries need each other. At a time when
potential global conflicts exist in abundance along cultural and
religious lines, Turkey can play a major role as an “example” of a
nation that is modern, democratic and Muslim all at the same time.

Agence France Presse — English
June 5, 2005 Sunday 3:17 AM GMT

Desolation under the derricks: those left behind by the Azeri oil boom

BAKU

The acrid air pinches the throat; and the landscape — bone-dry scrub
dotted with viscous black pools of oil under scores of towering steel
derricks that extend as far as the eye can see — is a portrait of
desolation.

For Shahin, Vagif and their families, refugees from a village in
western Azerbaijan occupied by Armenian forces, this is home. But it
is a home where the promise of a better life implicit in the oil boom
sweeping this country is unlikely to be kept.

Just on the southern edge of the capital Baku, this section of the
Absheron peninsula is a giant wasteland, where even the dust is
saturated with oil and the land is covered with the rusting hulks of
machinery, ageing oil wells, gritty pools and random debris.

The only things that seem to be growing in this nightmarish landscape
are the oil derricks, but it is nevertheless populated by hundreds of
families.

Aside from them, only the occasional oil company employee drives
though this rough terrain sandwiched between a highway and the
coastline.

Most of the residents here are some of the 750,000 internally
displaced refugees from areas that are today controlled by Armenian
forces.

An estimated one million people from both sides were forced from
their homes by a war in the early 1990s between Armenia and
Azerbaijan.

Vagif Guliyev, 43, is one of the few people here who holds a job in
this small isolated block of houses which shelters about 100 people;
he delivers food to the staff of a local oil company.

Born in Zengilan, in the south of Azerbaijan, Guliyev said he misses
the “fresh air” of his homeland which he was forced to flee 13 years
ago. He said he regrets spending “the best years of his life,” in a
place where he left his health and youth.

The consequences of pollution in this disaster zone are visible to
the naked eye: adults blame it for their high blood pressure and
rotting teeth, while for the children the situation is worse,
according to Vagif who displayed a one-and-a-half-year-old whose
growth, he claimed, had been stunted by the environment.

The bleak surroundings make the children inordinately “nervous,” he
said.

As for the odor, it is so strong in the burning summer months that it
becomes “difficult to breathe,” said another inhabitant, Shahin
Huseynov.

Open and smiling, residents are proud to display their homes — an
amalgamation of unfinished buildings covered with scrap metal — as
well as their surrounding environment — a bare and oil-covered
terrain where their chickens and ducks live, their feet covered in
oil.

Though they are provided with water, gas, and electricity by the
government, and telephone and television function, they face a host
of other problems such as a lack of transportation.

The nearest school is located three kilometers (two miles) from the
community and passing buses owned by oil companies have instructions
not to stop here, said Hafiza Hatanova, a woman of about 60.

“That hurts us, it’s a form of discrimination,” she said. Relations
with the outside world are no less strained. Government assistance is
limited to 25,000 manats (five dollars, four euros) per person per
month.

Representatives of the state never come to check up on their
situation and health care is not available to the refugees.

Meanwhile the capital Baku last week celebrated the opening ceremony
of the ultra-modern four-billion-dollar Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline
which is expected to boost oil exports but the refugees remain
bitter.

“The government will get more money but where will it go?” asked
Rahman Shahmammadov, a local 40-year-old.

Nobody in this ramshackle habitat believes the pipeline, which Azeri
President Ilham Aliyev has said will usher in a new era of prosperity
for the people, will change their life.

Armenian economy minister calls on international banks for active cooperation

Arminfo
6 Jun 05

YEREVAN

International financial organizations are not so active in Armenia as
in neighbouring Georgia and Azerbaijan, Armenian Minister of Finance
and Economy Vardan Khachatryan told the Black Sea business forum,
which took place after the 7th meeting of the Board of Governors of
the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank in Yerevan today.

Armenia is mainly working with such international financial
institutions as the World Bank [WB] and the International Monetary
Fund, which allocate loans under state guarantees, Khachatryan
said. He described their cooperation with the Armenian government as
successful and noted that the share of government loans in Armenia is
even higher than in Georgia and Azerbaijan.

He said that in the meantime, the Armenian government has created a
favourable investment environment and expressed hope for an inflow of
investments.

The minister said that he expects the European Bank for Reconstruction
and Development [EBRD] and the International Finance Corporation
[IFC], which makes up the World Bank group, to step up their
activities in Armenia. He noted that there are two unsuccessful cases
of the Armenian government’s cooperation with the EBRD, which concern
credits for the thermal power station in Razdan and the construction
of a cargo terminal at Zvartnots airport.

Nevertheless, the minister noted some successful projects by the EBRD
in the country’s banking system and industry and welcomed the bank’s
direct investments in Armenian enterprises.

The IFC allocated a small loan back in 2000 and Armenia has not been
cooperating with this bank since then, the minister added.

[Passage omitted: Khachatryan speaks of the need for investment in the
South Caucasus]

Constitutional reforms may lead to government change – Armenian opposition MP

Yerkir website
4 Jun 05

Yerevan, 3 June: If the [ruling] coalition attempts to pass its draft
constitutional reforms in a referendum, this will be the beginning
of the change of power, the member of the Justice faction, MP Arshak
Sadoyan, told journalist during a news conference at the Armenian
National Assembly today.

He said that the deputy speaker of the Armenian National Assembly,
Tigran Torosyan, has always prevented him from meeting members of the
Council of Europe Venice Commission. The draft constitutional reforms
submitted by Sadoyan have not been sent to the Venice Commission in
full as a result of which the commission considered an incomplete
bill prepared by Sadoyan or did not schedule a meeting with him.

Commenting on the Venice Commission’s meetings and conclusions, Sadoyan
said that the members of the commission are greatly disappointed.

Asked why the Justice faction supports the draft constitutional
reforms submitted by the National Democratic Bloc [NDB], not the
bill submitted by Sadoyan, who is a member of the Justice faction,
he expressed his confidence that the members of the Justice faction
have not read his draft law.

At the end, he pointed out that 30-40 proposals made by the Venice
Commission will be included in their bill and sent to the Council of
Europe Venice Commission.