Atom Egoyan’s Adoration awarded the 34th Ecumenical Jury Prize

PanARMENIAN.Net

Atom Egoyan’s Adoration awarded the 34th Ecumenical Jury Prize
29.05.2008 19:02 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Canadian director of Armenian origin
Atom Egoyan was awarded the 34th Ecumenical Jury Prize
for the humanistic values they discovered in
Adoration, a film that explores cultural intolerance
and misinformation.

"I am so overwhelmed by this prize because it places
this film in another context," Egoyan said of his
award. The Toronto filmmaker won the same prize 11
years ago for his masterwork, The Sweet Hereafter,
jam.canoe.ca reports.

-Adoration is an intimate film. It’s very much rooted
in this culture and I’m so proud to represent the
country at this level," Egoyan said.

Adoration focuses on one young man’s fascination with
the possibility he’s the spawn of two historical
figures – and how his personal obsession is both
enabled, and threatened, by technology.

The film also stars Scott Speedman, Rachel Blanchard,
Kenneth Welsh, and Arsinée Khanjian (Egoyan’s wife).

The director says his screenplay grew out of a
true-life story he’d heard 20 years ago about a young
man who convinced his pregnant Irish girlfriend to
board a flight, carrying a bomb that she didn’t know
had been planted on her. "This story – or a version of
it – is read in the main character’s high school and
it triggers his imagination," Egoyan explained.

Armenian youth in Turkey and opposite

Panorama.am

19:22 29/05/2008

ARMENIAN YOUTH IN TURKEY AND OPPOSITE

Armenian and Turkish youth have repaired the secondary
school of Arpachay village by their own will. Such
events are organized in the frameworks of -the role of
youth in social work- project leaded by -Young Women
Association of Armenia-, in 16-19 May.

The project has been conducted together with Volunteer
Foundation of Turkey. 40 Turkish and 20 Armenian youth
in Kars took part in the project. Armenian youth has
also visited Ani and witnessed the cultural values of
it, said Lilit Asatryan the president of -Young Women
Association of Armenia-.

According to Asatryan the mission of the project is to
break the stereotypes formed among Armenia and Turkish
youth and to contribute to their close relationship
through culture.

Source: Panorama.am

Heritage Holds Executive Session: Party Convention Slated for Jul 11

PRESS RELEASE
The Heritage Party
31 Moscovian Street
Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+374 – 10) 53.69.13
Fax: (+374 – 10) 53.26.97
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
Website:

30 May 2008

Heritage Holds Executive Session:
Party Convention Slated for July 11

Yerevan–The Heritage Party’s Governing Council today called a special
meeting devoted to a number of pressing agenda items, including the
nationwide institutional crisis flowing from February’s presidential
elections and reflected in the well-known April resolution of the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

Raffi K. Hovannisian, chairman of the Heritage Party, opened the
meeting, expressing his profound gratitude to the 31 assembled
delegates, all party members and public supporters for their civic
activity carried out, and righteous commitment demonstrated, on a
daily basis throughout the year. Hovannisian then reflected on the
current situation in Armenia: "Regardless of Heritage’s current
mandate at the National Assembly, during this one year the party
further consolidated its pivotal role in domestic and international
affairs and justified in large measure the vote of confidence it
received from the people. Regrettably, certain political actors who do
not comprehend–or do not wish to accept–this truth have not given
appropriate reactions to a long string of substantive Heritage
initiatives, including the recent ‘Summary Program of Priority
Reforms’ which the party has proposed. This notwithstanding, Heritage
will persistently press on its chosen path and, together with the
nation, will ultimately execute the imperative of resolving the
current political turmoil and securing an institutional system change
for the Republic."

During the ensuing deliberations, the Council members, invited guests,
and other session participants confirmed that the requirements of PACE
Resolution 1609 to date have not in essence been met by the Armenian
authorities. In addition, the ruling powers also have not yet replied
to Heritage’s proposal to launch a meaningful dialogue, including a
full consideration of its "Summary Program of Priority Reforms" which
the party’s board made public on May 19.

The Heritage Council members then expressed their support for the
party’s parliamentary group and its initiative to formally request
that the president of Armenia grant citizenship to Zhirair Sefilian, a
devotee of Artsakh’s struggle for liberty and self-determination. The
Council also decided to reiterate the demand, in the framework of the
same formal request, for the release of Vardan Malkhasian, Sasun
Mikaelian, Miasnik Malkhasian, Ararat Zurabian, Alexander Arzoumanian
and all other prisoners of conscience, as well as the immediate
cessation of any and all political pursuit with regard to members of
the opposition and civil society at large.

The Heritage delegates then proceeded to examine the proposals for
amendments to the party’s charter, bylaws, and political platform.
Council member Movses Aristakesian presented the primary policy
changes which will be moved during Heritage’s forthcoming party
convention. For the most part, these amendments embody the points laid
down in the party’s election program that was adopted prior to the
2007 parliamentary polls. Hovsep Khurshudian, chairman of Heritage’s
Constitutional Commission, subsequently introduced the proposed
amendments to the charter’s provisions on electing the party chairman
and constituting its Council. In line with these changes, the party’s
regional representatives will now receive the right simultaneously to
be elected to the Council. The participants in today’s special sitting
also contemplated new guidelines for the correlation between
Heritage’s executive board and its parliamentary group.

In her turn, Zoya Tadevosian, Heritage’s representative at the Central
Election Commission, broached several matters concerning the local
government elections to be held this autumn. In the exchange of views
and outlooks which followed, the Council members spoke largely in
favor of active involvement in these elections by supporting
Heritage’s own as well as other alternative candidates. During the
session, Stepan Safarian of Heritage’s parliamentary fraction also
presented an accounting of its one-year activity. Heritage board
member and MP Vardan Khachatrian then offered concluding remarks.

After conducting a complete examination of the situation in Armenia,
the Heritage Party’s Council unanimously adopted its decision on
Heritage’s role, objectives, and policies in the run-up to the party
convention which it called for July 11. The decision reads:

"Deeming crucial the task of surmounting the national-institutional
crisis that resulted from the presidential elections of 19 February
2008, and implementing to that end PACE Resolution 1609 of 17April
2008, the Heritage Party underscores for the record that:

a) The overcoming of the contemporary nationwide turmoil demands from
all government and opposition forces and individuals that they fully
and equally comprehend the new state of affairs created in the country
and adopt a constructive and inclusive work ethic which rules out
reciprocal annihilation, marginalization, imitation, and
crisis-derivative demeanor.

b) Being guided by precisely this sense of duty, throughout April and
May the Heritage Party launched initiatives–and made comprehensive
proposals–to bridge the divide existing between the citizens and the
administration, to encourage a public discourse among all political
forces which are responsible for the current situation, and to carry
out the requirements of PACE Resolution 1609 in mutual cooperation and
with combined forces; unfortunately, instead of being accepted and
comprehensively studied, these initiatives and proposals at best
received superficial, spurious, and parochial interpretations which
amount to excuses for not engaging in true dialogue.

c) Honoring the PACE resolution is not a mere matter of accountability
before European institutions but rather represents the necessity of
bringing to fruition the dignity and interests of Armenia’s citizens
and of its newly independent statehood; we must be the first to expect
the highest of democratic standards for our nation.

d) The looming isolation from the family of civilized nations–and a
deepening deadlock for authority and opposition alike–is the price
Armenia might indeed pay should it not come to its senses; the
alternative, on the other hand, is the delivery of a quantum leap onto
the country’s main artery of real democratic development, which can be
accomplished solely by way of critical introspection and the firm
precedence of national interests over partisan positions.

Based on these affirmations, the Heritage Party’s Council hereby decides:

1. To support the party’s leader in his continuing quest to realize
rational proposals for political and societal discourse and to make
use of every available means to that end;

2. To instruct the Heritage Party’s parliamentary group to prepare
legislative initiatives for the implementation of the measures
outlined in the "Summary Program of Priority Reforms" which Heritage
made public on May 19 and which reflect the terms stipulated in PACE
Resolutions 1601 and 1609;

3. To call Heritage’s Fifth Convention on July 11 and to constitute a
task force comprising board members, party activists, and
freedom-loving citizens which will assume responsibility for the
organization and conduct of this public congress;

4. There to deliver a complete and conclusive assessment of the
nation’s political phase preceding the Fifth Convention and of the
party’s activities, accomplishments, and setbacks during that span,
and to redefine by resolution of the Convention the challenges,
objectives, and policies for the years to come.

30 May 2008
Yerevan"

Founded in 2002, Heritage has regional divisions throughout the land.
Its central office is located at 31 Moscovian Street, Yerevan 0002,
Armenia, with telephone contact at (374-10) 536.913, fax at (374-10)
532.697, email at [email protected] or [email protected], and website
at

www.heritage.am
www.heritage.am

EBRD buys equity in Armenian meat producer

The Ukrainian Times
May 27, 2008 Tuesday

EBRD BUYS EQUITY STAKE IN ARMENIAN MEAT PRODUCER

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is
acquiring a 28.3% stake in the Armenian meat producer NatFood CJSC for
$4 million. The funds will be used for expanding business by building
new production facilities with state-of-the-art equipment in
compliance with international quality standards.

The Armenian market for processed meat is growing rapidly and the
companys strategy is to become a leading player. The emergence of a
middle class who can afford and ask for products of better and safer
quality is seen as a special opportunity. The companys products, sold
under the Biella brand name, already enjoy high reputation on the
local market.

NatFood was established as a spin-off of the meat processing business
of Valletta LLC. Valletta was founded in 1999 as a trading group by
the local entrepreneur Henrik Zakharyants, who was previously the sole
owner. It has since grown into a wide-ranging business group,
including wholesale, retail and food processing.

EBRD first vice president Varel Freeman said: The Banks acquisition of
an equity stake showed our confidence in our new partner. We have been
very impressed by the strong performance of the company over the past
years and we will now support its further development and
strengthening.

Armen Khudinyan, CEO of NatFood, added: Having the EBRD on board in
the truest sense of the word – is a massive boost for our
enterprise. It does not only strengthen us financially but we will
also benefit from the Banks expertise and know-how in our country and
region.

To-date, the EBRD has invested more than 170 million euros in 50
projects in all sectors of the Armenian economy. The strong growth in
recent years has also resulted in higher demand for EBRD finance.

According to the latest forecasts by Vahram Ghushchyan of the Armenian
Ministry of Economy, foreign trade will increase by 42% this year and
gross investments/GDP by 26.1%. He stated that Armenia would introduce
e-governance with the aim of having one window entrance for investors
for a term of five years and with 50% of services to be rendered
online. However, skeptics who took part in the country update and
networking session within the EBRD Business Forum in Kiev noted that
Armenian panelists presented rosy prospects and numbers.

Today in Larnaca

TODAY IN LARNACA

Gibrahayer – Wednesday May 28 – The official inauguration of the
Armenian Genocide Monument in Phinikoudes, Larnaca, will take place
today at 6:30 pm by His Excellency the President of the Cyprus Republic
Demetris Christofias, where the first Armenian Genocide survivors
landed.
A high-level delegation from the Armenian Republic will also be present.
Images on Gibrahayer dot com

Slovakia’s Harabin Signs Agreement On Partner Co-Operation In Armeni

HARABIN SIGNS AGREEMENT ON PARTNER CO-OPERATION IN ARMENIA

TlaÄ~Mová agentúra Slovenskej republiky (predplatn)
B00593
May 26 2008
Slovakia

Yerevan, May 26 (TASR-SLOVAKIA) – Slovakia’s Justice Minister Stefan
Harabin and his Armenian counterpart Gevorg Danielian in Yerevan on
Monday signed an agreement on partner co-operation between Slovakia
and Armenia, the justice ministry press department has told SLOVAKIA.

"I believe that the bilateral co-operation will bring the strengthening
of democracy and legal statehood in a given region. Only democracy
can contribute to stability in the region," said Harabin.

The partner agreement is to facilitate the mutual exchange
of information on domestic legislation, the structure and the
activities of legal bodies, as well as the field of education and
training of employees of the judiciary. Both ministers also agreed on
organising common lectures, seminars, and trainings aimed at improving
professional qualification of both countries’ experts in the field
of justice.

In addition, the agreement concerns the exchange of practical
experience from implementing multilateral international and other
agreements on legal assistance.

The aim of consultations with Danielian is to foster more effective
protection of the rights of Slovak and Armenian citizens, as well as
problem-free contact between Slovak and Armenian courts.

–Boundary_(ID_TyfbgQ+JpONdxDxXUOMsDQ)–

http://www.tasr.sk/30.axd?k=20080526TB

Levon Hakob Ter-Petrosyan or Levon Frayim Pliskovsky?

LEVON HAKOB TER-PETROSYAN OR LEVON FRAYIM PLISKOVSKY?
VREZH AHARONYAN

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
Published on May 24, 2008
Armenia

Armenian National Congress or Jewish Congress?

The information that the Ter-Petrosyan-led movement was funded and
governed from abroad is gradually becoming more precise and argumented.

The fact that Mr. Ter-Petrosyan has ties with Masonic as well as
powerful Jewish political and economic organizations and has constantly
been under their influence did not seem convincing to some people.
However, the analysis of his political activity of the past 6 months
directly confirms the above mentioned.

First, in the estimation of well-informed people, the atmosphere of
masonry (its first precondition being the denial of national values)
and cosmopolitism has become essentially overwhelming in the
ex-President’s family and his surroundings, especially during the
recent years. And this has been achieved due to the efforts of L.
Ter-Petrosyan’s wife.

That Mr. Ter-Petrosyan’s wife is a Jew has been published in the press
many a time. However, we recently managed to find out the real names of
Mrs. Ter-Petrosyan and her family members. Her father’s name is
Pliskovsky Frayim Abramovich, and here mother’s name is Kourtach Brakha
Ibramovna and before marriage, Ms. Lyudmila’s full name was Pliskovsaya
Lyudmila Frayimovna.

Having grown up in the influential and rich community of the Jews.
Lyudmila Ter-Petrosyan has been consistent enough in her efforts of
spreading her influence on L. Ter-Petrosyan, his son and his family
members.

And here is an interesting fact: after resigning from office, L.
Ter-Petorsyan never visited any marz of the country apart from Vayots
Dzor. After he and his wife paid several visits to the cemetery of the
Jews (situated near the village of Yeghegis), they decided to have it
renovated and reconstructed. What’s more, L. Ter-Petrosyan promised the
Jewish community that right after being elected a President in 2008 he
would deal with the reconstruction of the cemetery in person.

By involving Lyudmila Ter-Petrosyan in the leadership of their
infra-structures, the Masonic organizations of the United States, the
Russian Federation, Europe and the Near East managed to maintain
permanent and reliable ties with Levon Ter-Petrosyan and offer him
assistance. When the Jewish flag was waved on the Theatrical Square
during his pre-election meetings, nobody paid a special attention to
that.

However, the developments following the March 1 incidents make us
conduct a more thorough analysis as to why the `liberation movement’
was best elucidated especially by those American and Russian media
which are under the influence of the Jewish lobby. There were a number
of noteworthy facts revealed in the course of the journalistic
investigation.

Once we already informed you that the principal goal of L.
Ter-Petrosyan’s one-day visit to Moscow (mid-January, 2008) was the
meeting with the Vice Chair of the RF right-wing forces Leonid Gozman,
a Jew by nationality. Mr. Gozman is also the leader of the St.
Petersburg branch as well as one of the entrusted individuals of
Alexander Tchoubays, Head of the Russian Energy Systems. Why do you
think L. Ter-Petorsyan had a strictly confidential meeting and a
tête-à-tête with Leonid Gozman for 6-7 hours?

Let’s also note that L. Gozman and the `Holding’ he leads have
unlimited political and economic resources; their financial-economic
balance and annual circulation make up tens of billions of dollars.
Spending a sum of USD 100-200 million for assisting L. Ter-Petorsyan in
the Armenian elections was not a great difficulty for this particular
structure (which also coordinates the programs of their American and
European partners in the CIS countries).

This is the agreement Leonid Gozman and Levon Ter-Petorsyan concluded
in January 2008, in a confidential meeting held in Mr. Gozman’s private
residence in the vicinities of Moscow. L. Ter-Petorsyan’s electoral
campaign was to start in a couple of days’ time, and the sums arrived
in time. They entered Armenia through different organizations and were
invested in the political process.

The Jewish-Masonic lobby spent USD 65-70 million on L. Ter-Petrosyan’s
campaign, and it’s going to spend twice more for achieving its
principal-goal, i.e. bringing L. Ter-Petorsyan to power.

Those sums enter Armenia through different public organizations,
natural persons and artificially created enterprises and are mainly
transferred to the closed accounts of `Armeconombank’.

The sums are also periodically given to the emissaries who are sent
abroad on mission by Levon Ter-Petrosyan. Then, through different
banks, these people transfer the money to Armenia.

Why did the representatives of `Great East’, a powerful organization
with unlimited financial and political resources, arrive in Armenia in
mid-January? What were they planning and agreeing upon with Hovhannes
Igityan, an activist standing close to L. Ter-Petorsyan?

Why did the influential Masonic organization operating in the countries
of the Near East conduct a series of two-week closed meetings with
Hovhannes Igityan, who thereafter started meeting with L. Ter-Petrosyan
almost every day?

How come that just within a couple of hours on the night of March 2 H.
Igityan rapidly left Armenia with the help of large sums and different
individuals and found himself in France and then left for Strasburg and
Brussels?

How come that Hovhannes Igityan, who was only the Head L.
Ter-Petorsyan’s campaign headquarters in Avan district, has had
meetings with senior officials in Europe and beginning March 10, has
been conducting lobbying among the Parliamentarians of the Council of
Europe, representing Armenia exclusively in dark colors?

He gave misinformation to CoE Secretary General Terry Davis, Head of
PACE Rene van der Linden and different European media representatives
and experts who were preparing for the PACE April 17 hearings devoted
to Armenia.

Furthermore, the Jewish-Masonic lobby is currently using the same
aggressiveness to have the Council of Europe deprive the Armenian
delegation of the right to vote. Under whose auspices did H. Igityan
implement those `activities’? Of course, through his connections with
the Masonic `Great East’ organization. As to the details of the
process, L. Ter-Petrosyan is fully aware of them. H. Igityan kept in
touch with him from Europe on daily basis.

It will be extremely interesting to ask L. Ter-Petrosyan why the
members of the Jewish-American Committee (the second largest Jewish
lobbying organization in the United States and Europe) are arriving in
Armenia on May 27-28? It should be noted that those arriving in Armenia
are not ordinary members of the organization but rather, its leaders,
i.e. Peter Rosenblat, Barry Jabes and John Waters, as well as
American-Armenian translator Ross Vardanyan who will accompany them.

According to available information, the leaders of the Jewish
organization want L. Ter-Petrosyan to report them on his
accomplishments; thereafter, they will specify the ex-President’s
further steps in the following three directions:

1. Armenia’s domestic problems

2. US-Armenian relations

3. Turkish-Armenian relations

If L. Ter-Petrosyan expresses exhaustive and satisfactory attitude
towards those issues, the political and financial assistance will be
undoubtedly continued, and the US-RF segment of the Jewish chain will
open a `second respiratory tract’ for L. Ter-Petorsyan’s political
activity.

Head Of Nor Kharberd Region Fined

HEAD OF NOR KHARBERD REGION FINED

Panorama.am
20:44 21/05/2008

It is already a year the inhabitants of Nor Kharberd village use
the territory near the monument dedicated to Nakhijevan victims as
garbage heap. In these days the deputy Anahit Bakhshyan, the member
of Heritage party applied to the Ministry of Nature Protection,
in particular to the minister Aram Harutyunyan in this regard.

According to the press service of the ministry by the special order
of the minister the authorized bodies visited the place and registered
violations of environmental legislation. According to Arcrun Pepanyan,
the head of the region has been fined by 100.000 drams. Besides the
head of the region was order to take measures to clear the territory.

"Armenians and Progressive Politics" Announces Conference Panels

PRESS RELEASE
Date: May 22, 2008
Armenians and Progressive Politics
PO Box 419, New York, NY 10108
Contact: Laura Boghosian
Tel: 917-428-1918

"Armenians and Progressive Politics" Announces Conference Panels
—May 31 panels to discuss Armenian issues from a progressive
viewpoint

NEW YORK-Writers, scholars, and activists from around the world
will join their East Coast colleagues in examining Armenian issues
from a progressive viewpoint as part of the May 30-31 "Armenians
and Progressive Politics" conference in New York City.

Seven panels on Saturday, May 31, will discuss issues relating to
Armenia, Armenian identity, gender, genocide, and coalition-
building. Notable panelists include international lawyer and human
rights activist Armineh Arakelian; journalist Florence Avakian;
poet Nancy Agabian; author and professor Nubar Hovsepian;
sociologist and genocide scholar Jack Nusan Porter; Joey Kurtzman,
executive editor of Jewcy; writer, student and blogger Simon
Maghakyan; author and professor Levon Chorbanian; ArmeniaNow editor
John Hughes; and human rights activist Pedro Mouratian.

A brief summary of the panels follows:

"Changing Gender Roles in the Diaspora" will look at how women’s
roles and activities have changed over time, and evaluate the
possibilities for continued change in a progressive direction.

"Foreign Assistance to Armenia: Toward Prosperity or Dependency?"
considers how foreign aid helps or hinders Armenia’s progress, and
examines the agendas and methods of those states and agencies who
contribute aid to Armenia. Specific cases will be assessed.

Armenian and Jewish activists will discuss the controversy that
erupted last year over the Anti-Defamation League’s lobbying for
Turkey in the panel, "The ADL and the Armenian Genocide: Pursuing
Common Goals Through Grassroots Activism." The successes,
challenges, and obstacles in building a genuine coalition of
Armenians, Jews, and other progressives will be addressed.

A student panel, "New Work of an Activist Bent," highlights
activism by young Armenians, and will examine contemporary issues
of cultural genocide: linguistic and cultural disintegration and
identity; student activism on monument destruction; and problems
with victimhood and pain as a central element of culture.

The recent elections in Armenia – and the ensuing turmoil – will be
considered in "Unrest in Armenia: New Seeds of Democracy or
Destabilizing Acts?" The panel will examine whether Armenia’s
government suppressed genuine civil discontent among the
disenfranchised, or whether instead it sought to stem efforts aimed
at destabilizing the country. At the same time, the panel seeks to
move beyond this dichotomy, analyzing what is at stake for
different social strata who are striving for democracy and social
justice in Armenia today.

Panelists will discuss the meaning of progressivism in an Armenian
context in "What Would a Global Armenian Progressive Agenda Look
Like?" Here, Armenian issues will be tied to a larger field of
political ideas.

The closing plenary entitled "Coalition Building Among Dispossessed
Groups" features Tariq Ali, David Barsamian, and Nubar Hovsepian,
author and professor of Political Science and International
Studies. The panelists will lead a discussion on possible
coalition-building strategies for dispossessed peoples – including,
but not limited to Armenians. They will also look at those issues
that can unite or separate the Armenian Cause from other, similar
movements.

Saturday’s panels and closing plenary will all be held at CUNY
Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Avenue (at 34th Street), New York City.
Panels run from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with registration
beginning at 9:30 a.m. and a one-hour lunch break at noon.
Registration costs $15, $10 for students (lunch is not included).

As previously announced, the conference will open with a Friday,
May 30 plenary on "The New Imperialism: Old Problems, New
Challenges" featuring British writer and activist Tariq Ali; David
Barsamian, founder and director of Colorado-based Alternative
Radio; and Neil Smith, Distinguished Professor of Anthropology and
Geography at the City University of New York. These prominent
speakers will discuss the contemporary politics of empire,
superpower rivalries, globalization, trade and monetary policies,
the exploitative nature of capitalism, and the wars in Iraq and
Afghanistan. In addition, the destructive effects of imperialism
on small nations will be discussed, as well as alternatives to the
current international structure.

Friday’s session takes place at 7:30 p.m. at Mason Hall, Baruch
College Performing Arts Center, 17 Lexington Avenue (at East 23rd
Street), New York City. Admission is free.

Armenians and Progressive Politics (formerly Armenians and the
Left) is an initiative of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation-
Eastern USA. The conference is co-sponsored by the Armenian
National Committees of New York and New Jersey, The Nation
Institute, and CUNY’s Center for Place, Culture, and Politics.
Previous participants include Noam Chomsky and Robert Fisk.

A West Coast "Armenians and Progressive Politics" conference will
be held on June 6-7 in Glendale, California.

For more information on both conferences, visit the conference
website at:
####
Photo Caption 1: ArmeniaNow editor John Hughes
Photo Caption 2: International lawyer and human rights activist
Armineh Arakelian

www.armenianprogressive.com.

ANKARA: EP Approves Turkey’s 2007 Country Report

EP APPROVES TURKEY’S 2007 COUNTRY REPORT

Hurriyet
May 21 2008
Turkey

Turkey set to push ahead with EU membership talks

In its latest progress report on Turkey, adopted by a large majority
of 467 for, 62 against and 61 abstentions, the European Parliament
welcomes recent legislative activities in the country, while insisting
that the speed of reforms must pick up. (UPDATED)

The own-initiative report, drawn up by Dutch parliamentarian Ria
Oomen-Ruijten, "welcomes the commitment of Prime Minister Tayyip
Erdogan that 2008 is going to be the year of reforms" and "urges the
Turkish government to fulfil its promises" by implementing them.

While the Parliament stresses that "modernisation is first and foremost
in Turkey’s own interest," it also notes that "further delays will
seriously affect the pace of negotiations."

The parliament rejected amendments to the report regarding the
incidents of 1915 submitted by a group of French MEPs trying to
support Armenian allegations against Turkey.

MEPs expressed their concern about "the excessive use of force by
Turkish police against demonstrators at this year’s May Day parade
in Istanbul.

The amendment also said the changes made in the controversial article
301 of Turkish Penal Code were not enough and urged Turkish parliament
to revise the article and completely remove other restrictive
stipulations.

The report, adopted last month by the European Parliamentary Committee
on Foreign Affairs, expressed concern about the potential consequences
of the recent dissolution case filed against Turkey’s ruling Justice
and Development Party (AKP).

Another amendment to the report said the EP expected Turkish
Constitutional Court to act in accordance with the Venice Commission
guidelines and European standards on the prohibition of political
parties.

It also called on the Turkish government to respect pluralism,
secularism and democracy while carrying out reforms and to reach a
compromise with political parties and urged the political parties to
distance themselves from violence and terrorist organizations.

"Since the last report, we have seen some very positive developments
in Turkey (the Law on Foundations, some reform of Article 301). We
have a mixed picture, and a lot more needs to be done in order for
Turkey to keep its promises to the EU and to its own people," Ruijten
said in the debate on Wednesday morning.

She said a new constitution is the only way the government can ensure
separation of state and religion, and all civil society representatives
need to be involved in this process, adding that 2008 was supposed
to be the year of reforms for Turkey.

"We have a mixed picture, a lot more needs to be done, in order for
Turkey to keep their promises to the EU and to their own people. This
is a balanced report… But we are concerned with regard to the
case against the AKP, hopefully the constitutional court will follow
international law on this issue," she said.

"We want to ensure that Turkey remains a lay state. Separation between
church and state is creating friction in Turkish society. Nearly 50%
of citizens are concerned about the state of the secular state. A new
constitution is the only way the government can ensure separation of
state and religion, and all civil society representatives need to be
involved in this process," Ruijten added.

Parliament can make recommendations on foreign policy, although these
are not binding on the 27 EU states. The resolution will be taken
into account when the Commission makes its annual report on Turkey
accession process in October.