Author: Toneyan Mark

MEDIA ALLOWED TO USE KURDISH LANGUAGE BUT STILL FORBIDDEN TO DISCUSS KURDISH ISSUES FREELY

AZG DAILY
26-11-2009

Turkey

Reporters Without Borders hails the lifting of the last restrictions
on the use of the Kurdish language by the Turkish news media. "This
is an important and symbolically-charged step but its impact will
be very limited as long as the media cannot tackle Kurdish issues
without risking prosecution," the press freedom organisation said.

The government gazette published a directive on 13 November
indefinitely lifting all remaining restrictions on the broadcast
media’s use of minority languages. Use of Kurdish had been allowed in
the print media and the national public TV station TRT 6 since January
2004, but privately-owned radio stations were limited to five hours
of Kurdish programming a week while privately-owned TV stations were
limited to four hours.

Furthermore, all Kurdish-language TV programmes had to be subtitled
in Turkish, which made live broadcasts impossible. As a result, only
TV stations offered any Kurdish programmes, the local station Gun TV
and, in the past two months, the satellite TV station Su TV.

"What is the point of broadcasting in Kurdish if coverage of Kurdish
issues from an independent or activist viewpoint is banned in
practice," Reporters Without Borders said. "The lifting of language
restrictions must not be allowed to eclipse the fact that the media
are still the victims of intimidation and self-censorship when they
try to tackle sensitive issues."

The press freedom organisation added: "There will be no real progress
for free expression in Turkey until the repressive legislation has
been repealed and the media are finally allowed to tackle the subjects
that the Turkish state has declared off limits."

More than 15 journalists are currently being prosecuted under
Anti-Terrorist Law No. 3713 and criminal code article 216 (on inciting
hatred) just for referring to the demands of the outlawed Kongra-Gel,
also known as the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), or for quoting its
leaders, even in an article that criticises them.

The Turkish legislative arsenal – including criminal code article
301, under which "insults to the Turkish nation" are punishable by
up to two years in prison – imposes considerable restrictions on
democratic debate by defining the limits that cannot be crossed as
regards such subjects as the armed forces, police, judicial system,
torture, secularism and the republic’s founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

And in practice this legislative arsenal allows many local judges
and prosecutors to resist the government’s declared policy of making
Turkish society more open.

Around 20 charges of "PKK propaganda," condoning criminal activity and
membership of an illegal organisation have been brought against Vedat
Kursun, the editor of the only Kurdish-language newspaper, Azadiya
Welat. Although he has been detained since January, the first hearing
in his trial was not held until 10 September. And he will continue to
be detained until the next hearing, which has been set for 2 December.

His lawyer, Servet Ozen, told Reporters Without Borders, "he is in
prison for comments that his newspaper was the first to make, but
which are now being debated in all the Turkish media."

Pro-Kurdish publications are even silenced online. Access to the
website of the daily newspaper Gunluk was blocked on 18 November.

Gunluk itself, like the weekly Ozgur Ortam, has repeatedly been closed
temporarily under the Anti-Terrorist Law, while Gunluk’s owner, its
editor and one of its journalists are all currently facing possible
sentences of 7½ years in prison.

The newspaper Demokratik Acilim was closed in September, just a
few weeks after it had been launched to replace Gunluk, which was
itself closed at the time. On 20 October, the European Court of
Human Rights ordered the Turkish government to pay several hundred
thousand euros in damages to 26 journalists working for four other
pro-Kurdish newspapers that had been closed – Ulkede Ozgur Gundem,
Gundem, Guncel and Gercek Demokrasi.

Even media that show little sign of sympathising with Kurdish autonomy
demands are exposed to repression. Hasan Cakkalkurt, the editor of the
"Kemalist" daily Milliyet, and one of his journalists, Namik Durukan,
are facing possible 7½-year jail sentences and fines of 9,000 euros
for reprinting a local news agency interview with a PKK leader. The
next hearing in their trial is set for 26 January.

Hulya Avsar, a famous singer, and Milliyet journalist Devrim Sevimay
are being prosecuted on charges of inciting hatred because Avsar,
who has Turkish and Kurdish parents, said in an interview that the
government’s policy of openness should not "under-estimate or ignore
the rights of the Kurds" and that it would be "hard to convince the
terrorists of the separatist PKK to lay down their arms."

Aside from Kurdish issues, it is still very difficult for Turkish
journalists to criticise the behaviour of the judicial system, armed
forces or police. Haci Bogatekin, the editor of the fortnightly Gerger
Firat, was sentenced in absentia by a local court on 18 November to
26 months and seven days in prison under criminal code article 125
for allegedly libelling the former prosecutor and police chief of
the southeastern district of Gerger by accusing them of harassing
his newspaper and colluding with Islamists.

Worn out by a legal battle that has dragged on for more than a year,
Bogatekin did not attend the final hearing for health reasons. He
wrote a letter of apology to the court, but the court ignored it on the
grounds that it was not sent by recorded delivery, rsf.org reported.

AZERI STATEMENTS HAVE NEGATIVE EFFECT ON KARABAKH TALKS – YEREVAN

Interfax
Nov 24 2009
Russia

Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian has negative feelings
about the possibility of a regional war declared by Azeri President
Ilham Aliyev.

"Although these statements are targeted at the domestic audience,
they have a negative effect on the negotiations and regional peace
efforts," he said.

"Such statements display the Azeri destructive position on Armenia,
Karabakh and regional processes at large," Nalbandian said.

Aliyev said two days before his Munich meeting with Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan that a war might resume in the region if the meeting
failed to bring results.

"If the meeting fails, the hopes we pin on negotiations will be
crushed, and we will have no other way left. We must be prepared
[to free the occupied Azerbaijani lands with military force]," he
said while visiting the Goranboy district of Azerbaijan.

Yerevan took the statement as a challenge to Armenia, Karabakh and
the world at large.

Meanwhile, the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen lauded the sixth round
of the Aliyev-Sargsyan negotiations held in Munich on Sunday.

GREEK PUBLIC TV TELEVISE PROGRAM ON ARMENIAN-TURKISH TIES

Panorama.am
15:14 24/11/2009

Politics

Greek "Antapokrites" TV show, public TV station of Greece, will
televise a program devoted to Armenian-Turkish protocols, "Azat or"
paper reports. The signing of protocols, the situation following
the signing ceremony, the further development of Armenian-Turkish
ties will be the highlights of the TV show. It’s reported that the
journalist made interviews in Armenia, Artsakh and Turkey.

Azerbaijani President’S Statements Made For Armenian Public, Not Authorities

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
23.11.2009 15:15 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Azerbaijani President’s statements are made for
Armenian public, not authorities, a military psychologist said.

"Aliyev makes such statements to spread panic among the Armenian
population. A new war between Armenia and Azerbaijan is very unlikely,"
Davit Jamalyan told a news conference on Monday.

Military potential of both countries is equal, according to him.

"The attacking side never announces its intentions. If Aliyev wanted
to wage a war, he would do it without any warning," Jamalyan said.

Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Nov 20 2009

Turkey eyes progress in Karabakh to move forward with Armenia

Friday, November 20, 2009
SERKAN DEMÄ°RTAÅ?
ANKARA – Hürriyet Daily News

Armenian President Serge Sarkisian (R) shakes hands with his
Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev during their meeting in October.
AFP photo

Turkey has said it is hopeful that Armenia and Azerbaijan will make
progress toward resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
facilitating an imminent normalization of relations between regional
foes Ankara and Yerevan.

`The technical work was completed with regard to the corridors linking
Armenia to Karabakh. We are informed of the progress [regarding the
negotiations],’ a senior Turkish diplomat told the Hürriyet Daily News
& Economic Review.

The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, Serge Sarkisian and Ilham
Aliyev, are expected to meet Sunday at the French consulate in Munich,
Germany. It will be the eighth presidential meeting since Turkey and
Armenia began reconciliatory talks.

In addition to this meeting, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet DavutoÄ?lu
and his Armenian counterpart Edward Nalbandian are also expected to
meet in Athens, Greece, on the sidelines of the ministerial meeting of
the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe, or OSCE.

Turkey and Armenia signed two protocols Oct. 10 but have not yet
initiated ratification of them at either parliament. Turkey submitted
the protocols to its Parliament, but Armenia is still trying to pass
them through the constitutional court. `I do not think that one could
press Turkey at this moment when Armenia has still not submitted them
to parliament,’ the senior diplomat said.

For Turkey, the condition to go ahead with the protocols is progress
in the Nagorno-Karabakh talks.

`There are important developments,’ the senior diplomat said, adding
that a technical delegation had completed an exploration of the Lachin
Corridor, a mountain pass within the official borders of Azerbaijan
that is the shortest route connecting Armenia with Nagorno-Karabakh.
`Its status and how to provide its security are important matters to
be solved.’

DavutoÄ?lu held a telephone conversation with his Azerbaijani
counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov last week and was informed about the
talks. The co-chairmen of the OSCE’s Minsk Group held meetings last
week in Yerevan and Baku. Mammadyarov is expected to pay a visit to
Ankara next month.

`The public is aware that there will be no further steps taken unless
there is progress on the Karabakh issue,’ DavutoÄ?lu said Tuesday at
Parliament while defending his ministry’s budget. `We are now
expecting concrete results [out of the negotiations].’

The three things Turkey expects are the withdrawal of Armenian troops
from the seven regions surrounding the Nagorno-Karabakh province and
the return of the Azerbaijani people who were expelled from their
homeland; clearer definition of the status of the corridor and how its
security would be assured; and, lastly, the reaching of an interim
agreement.

For Turkish diplomats, there are no additional obstacles before the
two parties being able to shake hands in the near future. `Talking
about deadlines is not always productive, but everyone is aware of the
need to accelerate the process,’ another Turkish diplomat said.

`Who knows, maybe Armenia’s borders with Turkey and Azerbaijan will be
opened simultaneously,’ the diplomat added.

According to DavutoÄ?lu, simultaneous rapprochement between Turkey and
Armenia and Armenia and Azerbaijan would be the best formula for
reaching a comprehensive settlement in the southern Caucasus.

Focus News, Bulgaria
Nov 21 2009

Azerbaijan President threatens to use military force to return control
over Nagorno-Karabakh

21 November 2009 | 22:01 | FOCUS News Agency

Baku. Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev has threatened to use military
force to return control over Nagorno-Karabakh, RBK informed. In his
words he is planning very soon to hold talks on the issue with
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.
Aliyev warned that if they do not reach results at the meeting
Azerbaijan is ready to use its armed forces. He noted Baku wants
peaceful resolution of the conflict but it would not wait forever.

CHP SHOULD SUPPORT DTP’S DERSIM SUGGESTION

Hurriyet Daily News
Nov 19 2009
Turkey

The CHP will have to pass an important test changing back Tunceli’s
name to its former name Dersim.

Here is a great opportunity for Onur Oymen to repair what he broke
and get back votes he lost to the AKP.

Opposing DTP’s legislation proposal would mean shooting himself in
the foot.

Rejecting DTP’s proposal would add insults to injury and mean an
immense loss of prestige.

A change made in 1935 has deep meaning for the inhabitants of Tunceli.

Renaming it with its former name Dersim would create great relaxation
whereby the message given is very important.

This would mean that the Turkish Republic would show the courage to
confront its past mistakes which would leave deeper traces than any
other political decision.

The AKP seems to have noticed this. The prime minister’s style of
answering questions asked in Rome was a sign of him supporting the
DTP legislation proposal regarding the Kurdish Initiative.

Let’s see how the CHP will proceed.

Does Baku postpone Turkish-Armenian protocol?

The protocol between Turkey and Armenia regarding the opening of
borders has not been forgotten but seems to be frozen for the time
being.

The key for the protocol passing Parliament is in Aliyev’s pocket.

When Baku and Yerevan come to a consensus in respect to an end to the
Armenian occupation of seven regions and Aliyev is pleased as to give
green light, and then Parliament will approve the protocol.

But now the question is as to whether the Azerbaijani really wants
a solution or not.

Many have doubts in this respect. It is being questioned whether the
Azerbaijani in the first place want a "reasonable" solution for the
retreat of the Armenians from the seven regions rather than a final
solution to Karabakh.

Until last year Azerbaijani authorities from behind closed doors in
Baku answered this question always the same way:

"… Why should we hurry? We are getting richer by the day. And as
we become richer our power increases. But the Armenians become weaker.

And especially if the border to Turkey remains closed they will be
even weaker. That is why we are not in a hurry. We will wait. They
will fall down like a ripe apple from a tree."

This attitude lasted until August 2008 when Russia placed troops in
Georgia. This also scared the Azerbaijanis. This proved that Russia
has set weight on the region and would not hesitate to interfere
if necessary.

In other words, the reality that Armenian’s prime ally Russia would
"not let the Armenians fall into the lap of the Azerbaijani when ripe
like an apple" is what obviously scared Baku.

These days we don’t really know from which direction the winds blow.

The Azerbaijani on one side show they look for a solution but on the
other side they seem not to hesitate to speak the last word. Steps
not taken increase these doubts.

Within this frame, since there is no result obtained in these seven
regions, the protocol between Turkey and Armenia can’t come before
Parliament. If the Azerbaijanis continue with their attitude from
before 2008 we will have to wait for many years.

AMBASSADOR OF SWEDEN IN RA NA STANDING COMMITTEE

National Assembly of RA
Nov 20 2009
Armenia

On November 20 the Chairperson on NA Standing Committee on European
Integration Ms. Naira Zohrabyan received the Ambassador of the Kingdom
of Sweden to the Republic of Armenia Mr. Hans Gunab Aden. Ambassador
of Armenia to Sweden Mr. Ara Ayvazian attended the meeting.

Welcoming the guest in the parliament Ms. Zohrabyan highlighted
the relations with Sweden, as the most important country of the
European Union, which was also one of the initiators of the Eastern
Partnership format, and further cooperation. Touching upon the EU
Eastern Partnership, Ms. Zohrabyan reaffirmed the willingness of
Armenia in the implementation of the predetermined platforms in that
format. As a practical means of cooperation and European integration
Ms. Zohrabyan noted that the establishment of the parliamentary
cooperation between the two countries, saying that in the National
Assembly of the Republic of Armenia the Armenian-Swedish Friendship
Group already functioned. The Committee Chairperson also said that
during her visit in Sweden an agreement was reached in the Riksdagen
of Sweden to set up a parliamentary friendship group. In the future
in RA NA a number of deputies of Riksdagen of Sweden will be hosted.

During the meeting issues connected with EU association, free trade
agreements, as well as easing the provision of entrance visas to EU
countries were discussed. The sides also discussed regional problems
and issues concerning the future strengthening of Armenia’s democracy.

Touching upon the problem of the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish
relations, Committee Chairperson Ms. Naira Zohrabyan once again
stressed that Armenia was interested in the establishment of
normal relations with Turkey, which could not be in the account of
our national ruling interests. Regarding the settlement of the NK
problem, the Committee Chairperson reaffirmed that the independence of
Artsakh had no alternative and sooner or later it should be accepted
by everybody.

ZBOGAR: EARLY RESOLUTION OF KARABAKHI CONFLICT IN CE INTERESTS

Yerkir
19.11.2009 12:12
Yerevan

Yerevan (Yerkir) – Early settlement of frozen conflicts, in particular
Karabakh conflict is in general interest, including the Council of
Europe, Slovenian Foreign Minister Samuel Zbogar said Nov. 18 after
Slovenia assumed presidency of the Committee of Ministers.

Zbogar underlined that though CoE is not involved in Karabakh peace
process, while OSCE Minsk Group is, the Council still can do much
to accelerate establishment of confidence between the two countries,
as well as contribute strengthening of interregional cooperation in
South Caucasus. First of all Azerbaijan and Armenia should seek ways
to resolve the conflict.

Commenting on "Eastern partnership" program, Zbogar stated that it is
aimed at creation of close cooperation atmosphere between EU member
states. "We expect reforms and development from the countries. We wish
to set on foot the reforms, development and progress in these states.

The means mentioned above might indirectly assist the Karabakh conflict
resolution," the official concluded.

‘TURKEY IS PART OF EUROPE,’ SAYS TURKEY’S FOREIGN MINISTER DAVUTOGLU

Tert
Nov 17 2009
Armenia

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Monday lambasted remarks
of European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek, who said Turkey’s
cultural heritage is putting the country’s EU process in a difficult
position, in an interview published in Spanish newspaper El Pais,
reports Turkish news source Today’s Zaman.

Buzek was quoted as saying that Turkey needs decades to complete the
membership process, noting that the country has a different place in
the enlargement plans of the EU.

Davutoglu expressed his displeasure at the remarks. "It is not
the correct approach," Davutoglu said, adding there are hundreds
of reasons why Turkey is part of European culture. "If the Ottoman
[Empire] archive was not opened, European history could not have been
written. Turkey is a part of Europe, whether you like it or not. Let’s
say Turkey withdrew its candidacy for EU membership, will the EU’s
problems then come to an end? We are not in the 19th century."

Pointing out that European intellectuals should be thinking more in
global terms, he added, "Otherwise, European culture will stay in a
defensive position against globalization."

He also said he would like to see a Europe facing challenges with
no barriers or borders; Davuoglu also rejected a Euro-centric and
defensive bloc. Davutoglu also hypothetically argued that even if
Turkey gives up on EU membership, that won’t solve the cultural
problems Europe is facing.

"There are millions of Turks already living in EU countries,"
he emphasized.