Author: Nahapetian Boris

TURQUIE: DEBUT DU PROCèS DES MEURTRIERS PRESUMES DE HRANT DINK

Agence France Presse
(Actualisation, Papier General)
2 juillet 2007 lundi 3:58 PM GMT

Deux principaux suspects du meurtre du journaliste turc d’origine
armenienne Hrant Dink ont echange des accusations, selon les avocats
presents, a l’ouverture lundi a Istanbul du procès de 18 personnes
impliquees dans cet assassinat qui avait bouleverse la Turquie
en janvier.

Le premier des accuses, Ogun Samast, chômeur de 17 ans originaire de
Trabzon (nord-est) et membre d’un groupuscule ultra-nationalistes de
cette ville, a refuse de s’exprimer, ont dit les avocats de la partie
civile, parlant aux journalistes lors de la seance a huis clos.

C’est Samast qui, de son propre aveu, a abattu de trois balles Hrant
Dink le 19 janvier a Istanbul, devant les locaux de l’hebdomadaire
bilingue turc-armenien Agos, que dirigeait le journaliste.

Yasin Hayal et Erhan Tuncel, qui comparaissent aux côtes de Samast,
sont, selon l’acte d’accusation, les deux dirigeants du groupe et
les commanditaires de l’assassinat.

Hayal a deja passe 11 mois en prison pour un attentat a la bombe visant
un restaurant McDonald’s a Trabzon, qui avait fait six blesses en 2004.

Selon l’acte d’accusation, Tuncel, qui etait egalement informateur
de police, avait a deux reprises en 2006 fait savoir aux forces de
securite que Hayal preparait un attentat contre Hrant Dink.

Mais, poursuit l’acte, faisant partie lui-meme du complot, il n’a
pas dit que l’assassin serait une troisième personne.

Selon Oguz Ugur Olca, avocat de la partie civile, les deux se sont
mutuellement accuses lors de la première seance, Tuncel declarant
que l’assassinat avait ete planifie par Tuncel.

Ce dernier a traite Hayal de "schizophrène", tout en proclamant son
innocence et maintenant qu’il n’etait qu’un simple informateur qui
avait fait son "devoir" en informant ses superieurs du complot contre
le vie de Dink.

Le procureur a requis contre Samast 18 a 24 ans de prison pour meurtre
et 8,5 ans a 18 ans pour port d’arme illegal et appartenance a une
organisation terroriste. Le huis-clos a ete ordonne en raison de
son âge.

Hayal et Tuncel encourent des peines de prison a vie incompressibles,
alors que des peines allant de 7,5 ans a 35 ans de prison ont ete
requises contre 15 autres accuses.

Les forces de l’ordre avaient boucle la rue menant au tribunal
de Besiktas, dans le centre d’Istanbul, alors que quelque 2.500
manifestants, la plupart vetus en noir, s’etaient rassembles sur une
place avoisinante sous une banderole proclamant: "Nous sommes tous
temoins. Nous voulons la justice".

La foule a applaudi l’arrivee de la veuve du journaliste, Rakel,
qui a participe brièvement a la manifestation.

Les avocats de la partie civile avaient exprime dès vendredi leur
mecontentement avec la procedure, deplorant que d’autres protagonistes,
notamment des forces de l’ordre, ne soient pas poursuivis.

"Les forces de securite (…) n’ont pas ete incluses dans le dossier,
alors que leurs liens avec les suspects, le non accomplissement de
leur devoir, leur dissimulation de preuves et meme leur apologie du
crime et du criminel ont ete etablis", avait-elle deplore vendredi.

Dans des declarations ecrites soumises a la cour, Rakel Dink et
Hosrof, frere du journaliste, ont demande que le tribunal fasse la
lumière sur l’implication dans l’assassinat, selon eux, des membres
des forces de l’ordre.

"Ayez le courage de les defier… Soyez l’instrument de la justice
de dieux pour que ce procès puisse devenir un moment d’illumination
pour la Turquie," a dit Mme. Dink.

"Ce procès est entre ceux qui defendent le système legal et ceux qui
pretendent etre l’Etat et la loi", a declare de son côte Hosrof Dink.

"S’il met la lumière sur la verite, il s’agira d’un tournant pour
la Turquie".

Hrant Dink, qui militait pour une reconciliation entre Turcs et
Armeniens, s’etait attire la haine des cercles nationalistes pour avoir
ouvertement qualifie de genocide les massacres d’Armeniens commis en
Anatolie entre 1915 et 1917, une qualification rejetee par la Turquie.

–Boundary_(ID_dniYJQffg6OgNoQzm+KcOg)–

ADZHARIA: NUMBER OF TOURISTS FROM ARMENIA TO GROW TO 70,000 PEOPLE

arminfo
2007-07-02 13:03:00

Head of the Department of Tourism and Resorts of Adzharia Temur
Diasamidze says that along with increase of the number of tourists
from Armenia and Azerbaijan, inflow of tourists from Ukraine is
expected. Their number in this season will grow by 100% to 5,000
people as compared with 2006.

Head of the government of the Adzharian autonomous republic Levan
Varshalomidze expects a record number of tourists by 2009-2010 – 1
million people, the Georgia-online reports referring to GHN. In the
current holiday season, Adzharia is getting ready to receive 350,000
tourists. 45,000 citizens of Armenia were resting in Adzharia in
2006. Their number in 2007 will grow to 70,000 people. Eight thousand
residents of Azerbaijan visited Adzharia in 2006, their number this
season will make up 10-12 thsd people. Inflow of tourists from Baltic
countries (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia) is also expected, that will be
stipulated by opening of direct flights of "Air Baltic" and "Estonia
Air" Air Companies to the Batumi airport.

FARHAD BADALBEYLI: AZERBAIJAN SHOULD TREAT KARABAKH ARMENIANS AS ITS CITIZENS

arminfo
2007-07-02 13:22:00

Rector of the Baku Musical Academy, USSR People’s Artist, Professor
Farhad Badalbeyli positively assessed the results of his visit
to Nagorno Karabakh and Yerevan together with the delegation of
Azerbaijani intellectuals.

"I assess the results as positive. It is pleasant that the US State
Department, Russian Foreign Ministry, the presidents themselves
responded in the same way. Despite complexity of the relations, they
approved this idea, from all the sensible, pragmatic people who do
not work for sensation, for their political image, they just argue
soberly: what shall we do to get out of this situation. Of course,
this is a very important moment and we should work with the people
whom we consider the Azerbaijani citizens", Badalbeyli said, the
Day.az reports. He thinks that if Azerbaijan wishes to see Karabakh
in its structure, it should treat the people living there as the
citizens of Azerbaijan. Otherwise, quite another decision should
be made. In this case, one will have to think of seriousness of
this step, as neither the big countries nor the European Union will
approve this step. As for the Armenian party’s mood, Badalbeyli said:
" I felt their tiredness as well, as the results of their Pyrrhic
victory are apparent. Today, Shusha is a beautiful city, this is a
pearl which turned into a plantom-city". "Fifteen years have passed,
and if the people were sure of their power, over these years, they
would move there and develop construction, and they would be given
credits like the Jewish settlements in Gaza.

However, it did not happen. It means that the people are not sure
of tomorrow, they think they would give up their lands sooner or
later", F.

Badalbeyli said.

As for cooperation with the Armenians before the conflict settlement,
Badalbeyli said "they also have a desire but the situation is
different. I am not a politician and I cannot make terms. However,
after the talk with Robert Kocharyan, an idea was heard that such
contacts may take place only after the steps of good will". It means
that the Armenians have to liberate the seven regions for refugees
to return there, after which the contact may become real.

"Such meetings are necessary, they are so-called cerebric attacks,
as the Armenian delegation comprised serious people: Director of
Conservatory, President of the Academy, etc. We should contact
and persuade as they also have definite complexes. The Armenians,
as pragmatic people, cannot but understand the hopelessness of
their policy, especially after the visit to Baku, which, I think,
made a deafening impression on representatives of the Armenian
intellectuals", F. Badalbeyli said. Touching upon the response of
Azerbaijani party to the delegation’s visit and the issue how much
the Azerbaijani public is ready for such contacts, F. Badalbeyli said
that the public is ready by 40% as yet, while 60-70% of people will
condemn such initiatives. "However, this meeting, evidently, was so
much important that even the Department of State responded to it", F.

Badalbeyli said. "We must show that the people can live with each
other, that two peoples will live in Nagorno Karabakh, first, being
guarded by international forces. Afterwards, everything will pass in
normal way. However, this process must be started and someone had to
take the first step. We have made this fist step and were attacked
by the press.

However, it is typical. I think, we are wrecked by the emotional
approach to the problem solution, and we have to become the Norwegians
in this sense", F. Badalbeyli said.

TIGRAN L.PETROSYAN ACHIEVES CHAMPION’S TITLE IN SUDAN

armradio.am
02.07.2007 15:15

Playing within the chess club of Cairo – the capital of Egypt,
Armenian Grand master Tigran L.Petrosyan achieved the champion’s
title in the tournament of clubs of Arab states held in the capital
of Sudan. Tigran Petrosyan achieved 7 points from 9 possible.

US Embassy dedicated the installation of four Laser Shot shooting
simulators at RA Police Academy

armradio.am
29.06.2007 12:37

On June 29, 2007, the US Embassy in Armenia dedicated the installation
of four Laser Shot shooting simulators at the Training Center and
Police Academy of the Republic of Armenia. The dedication ceremony took
place at the Police Training Center in Kanaker. Present at the ceremony
was Artashes Andriasyan, Head of the Training Center, Eduard
Chibukhchyan, Head of the Training Department of the Police Academy,
William Douglass, Transnational Crime Affairs Officer at the US Embassy
in Yerevan, and representatives of Laser Shot, Inc.

The US Government invested over $95,000 dollars to purchase the
simulators and provide training for technical personnel at the Academy
and the Induction Center through the US Embassy’s International
Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Office.

The Laser Shot simulator systems donated by the US Embassy will be the
first in Armenia. Police personnel will use live-action videos to
simulate life-threatening situations. The trainees will use laser guns
to simulate live fire exchanges. The systems will train Armenian law
enforcement personnel in tactics, marksmanship and combat skills in a
safe, controlled environment.

This project is only one part of the US Government’s comprehensive law
enforcement assistance program in the Republic of Armenia. The U.S.
Embassy in Yerevan was the largest contributor by far to the renovation
of the Kanaker Police Induction Center and is the biggest contributor
to the development of new curricula in that facility. The Embassy has
renovated a number of other buildings in Armenia’s law enforcement
community, such as the National Bureau of Expertise, the Border Guards
Training Facility in Yerevan and the Vanadzor Customs House training
center. The Embassy has donated equipment for training in many areas,
such as physical conditioning, and we have also donated equipment for
the computer infrastructure in all these facilities. The Embassy is
working with the Government of Armenia to establish a nationwide,
computerized border management information system and a nationwide
computer network for the police. The US Embassy’s International
Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Office provides about $3 million
a year in law enforcement assistance to Armenia.

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
June 29 2007

CYPRIOT JUSTICE MINISTER ARRIVES IN ARMENIA FOR THREE-DAY VISIT

YEREVAN, June 29. /ARKA/. The Cypriot delegation headed by the
Justice Minister of Cyprus Sofoklis Sofokleous arrived in Armenia fro
a three-day visit.

The aim of the visit is to develop principal provisions of
international agreement on legal consultancy between the two
countries, Assistant to Armenian Justice Minister Lana Mshetsian told
ARKA agency.

She also pointed out that the respective agreement is expected to be
signed during the visit of Armenian Justice Minister Gevorg Danielian
to Cyprus at the end of the year.

According to Mshetsian, the Cypriot delegation will have meetings in
the Armenian Ministry of Justice in Yerevan, will visit local prisons
and the Central prison hospital, as well as will pay a floral tribute
to the victims of the Armenian Genocide of 1915 in Tsitsernakaberd.
N.V. -0 –

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
June 30 2007

Program of AGO Monitoring Group’s Visit to Azerbaijan Announced

Azerbaijan, Baku /corr. Trend E.Huseynly / Within the visit to the
region, the AGO Monitoring Group of the Council of Europe’s Committee
of Ministers will arrive in Baku on 4-7 July, the Foreign Ministry of
Azerbaijan reports.

The Ministry stated that the permanent Swiss envoy to the Council of
Europe, Per Shoygen, was elected as the Chairman of the group. The
group includes the ambassadors of Germany, Ebergad Kelsh, France,
Bruno Gen, Latvia, Peteris Elferst, Romania, Stelian Stoinan and
Russia, Alexander Alexev. They will be accompanied by the employees
of the Council of Europe’s Secretariat. Within the visit, the group
is expected to meet with Azerbaijan’s President, Ilham Aliyev, Head
of Presidential Administration, Ramiz Mehdiyev, Chairman of the
Parliament, Oktay Asadov, Foreign Minister, Elmar Mammadyarov,
Chairman of the Central Election Commission, Mazahir Panahov,
Chairman of the National TV and Radio Council, Nushiravan Maherremly.
The program of the group’s visit also includes attending the round
table `Activity of court system’ which will also be attended by the
Chairmen of Azerbaijan Constitutional Court and Supreme Court,
Chairman of the Bar Association and Commissioner on Human Rights.

The agenda of the meetings will include issues regarding the
relations between Azerbaijan and the Council of Europe, as well as
implementation of the obligations undertaken before the Council of
Europe. Discussions will take place over the free press in
Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, electoral legislation,
activity of local executive powers and courts.

THOUSANDS PARTICIPATE IN ANCA "CALL FOR JUSTICE" CAMPAIGN

armradio.am
29.06.2007 13:35

Thousands of Armenian Americans and human rights advocates participated
in the ANCA National Call-In Days this week calling for increased
bipartisan backing for the adoption of the Armenian Genocide Resolution
(H.Res.106) by the US House of Representatives, reported the Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA).

The June 27th campaign, titled "Call for Justice," was extended by
24 hours, following community requests to expand the program due to
overwhelming interest from local activists.

Over 12,000 visited the ANCA Call-in webpage and more than 2,000
submitted call-feedback forms reporting their conversations with
Congressional offices. The effort is a follow up to April’s successful
"Click for Justice" ANCA WebFax campaign to Congressional offices,
touted as the internet’s largest on-line genocide protest.

"The ANCA’s national congressional call-in day, ‘Call for Justice,’
is a great demonstration of the power of grassroots advocacy," said
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), sponsor of H.Res.106. "These calls are a
useful tool in the fight to get the Armenian Genocide resolution
passed. I thank the ANCA and all their supporters for making these
important calls."

"We want to thank the thousands of our friends – Armenian and
non-Armenian – who took part in National Call-In Day," said Aram
Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. "This type of authentic
grassroots activism is vital to building the support we will need
to overcome the deniers who continue to stand in the way of America
speaking with moral clarity on the Armenian Genocide."

Introduced on January 30th by Rep. Adam Schiff and spearheaded by
Rep. George Radanovich (R-CA), Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs
Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), Rep. Anna Eshoo
(D-CA), Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) and Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI),
the Armenian Genocide resolution calls upon the President to ensure
that the foreign policy of the United States reflects appropriate
understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related to human
rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in the United States
record relating to the Armenian Genocide.

Currently, the Armenian Genocide Resolution, H.Res.106, has over 210
cosponsors, more than 47% of the membership of the US House. A similar
resolution in the Senate (S.Res.106), introduced by Assistant Majority
Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) currently has
31 cosponsors, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV)
and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton (D-NY).

UN: PEOPLE IN ARMENIA LIVE LONGER THAN IN OTHER COUNTRIES OF FORMER USSR

PanARMENIAN.Net
28.06.2007 15:58 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In many countries with transitional economy, which
once were part of the former USSR, the life expectancy is lower
of world figures. UN News Center reports that life expectancy has
increased up to 15 years during recent five years reaching 64 for
men and 68 for women. These are average statistical world figures.

Women in Ukraine live 72.5 years on average and men -60.5. The figures
are lower in Russia: here life expectancy of men is 58.7 years, and
Russian women live 71 years on average. In Byelorussia these figures
are correspondingly 74 and 63. But in Georgia men live 67 years on
average. The best situation is in Armenia, where men live more than
68 and women 75 years.

There exists a great difference in figures of life expectancy between
men and women in favor of the latest in all former soviet republics.

In West European and North American countries people live much
longer. However, in some developing states the life expectancy does
not exceed 40 years. Women in many African states live much less than
men, says the report on world population of 2007.

Men live 75 years on average in USA, and women -80 years. In such
countries like Sweden, Switzerland, Norway and Denmark these figures
are equal to correspondingly 77 -78 and 82 -84 years. At the same
time women in Zimbabwe live 36 and in Swaziland 29 years on average.

KAROLOS PAPOULIAS: "CAUCASUS IS PART OF EUROPE IN REALITY"
By Ara Martirosian

AZG Armenian Daily #122,
29/06/2007

International

The President of Greece Karolos Papoulias, who is on a three-day
visit to Armenia, was the guest of Yerevan State University on June 27.

After the rector of the university Aram Simonian’s historical
excursion, which embraced the whole history of Armenian-Greek relations
from the 4th century B.C.

to our time, the President of Greece took a speech.

Karolos Papoulias mentioned that Greek and Armenian peoples are
similar in their cultural and historical past and destiny. "I am a
great admirer of the Armenian culture", said the honorable guest of
the Yerevan State University.

The most important issue in the speech of the Greece president was
about Caucasus-Europe relations. He mentioned that Caucasus had always
been a bridge between East and West, Europe and Asia, but "in reality
Caucasus is part of Europe, and it’s time to give a political meaning
to it".

The speech of the Greece President was based on the following issues:
Europe should deepen its economic cooperation, technical assistance and
political dialogue with the states of Caucasus. The "New neighbors"
project is a right approach, but Europe should review the direction
of the deepening relations.

He also gave an importance to the peaceful settlement of the conflicts
in the region.

At the end of the meeting the rector of Yerevan State University read
the decision of the Scientific Council of the University to award
a gold medal to the President of Greece Karolos Papoulias and title
him Honored Professor.