Author: Tumanian Talar

Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
Jan 21 2007

‘The Murder is Against Turkey’s Unity’

Saturday , 20 January 2007

ISTANBUL – "This murder was committed against unity, peace,
fraternity and efforts of democracy in Turkey," said Justice Minister
Cemil Cicek on Friday.

Governor of Istanbul Muammer Guler, Interior Minister Abdulkadir
Aksu, and Cicek held a meeting at the Governer`s Office in Istanbul,
in regard to the assassination of Hrant Dink, editor-in-chief of
bilingual Turkish-Armenian weekly Agos.

The top level officials who attended the meeting made a press
conference. Minister Cicek said, "this murder was committed against
unity, peace, fraternity and efforts of democracy in Turkey. We must
stress the fact that Hrant Dink was chosen. We underline this."

Cicek who described the event as "a well-planned provocation"
continued "this murder is meaningful in a period when the so-called
genocide discussions are on the agenda." The Turkish Minister pointed
out to the fact that this murder took place when the efforts for
scientific work on historical facts (regarding Armenian claims) were
underway.

Minister Cicek said "we will not withhold any effort to enlighten the
murder."

-RESERACH PROCESS IS CONTINUING-

The governor, related public prosecutors, intelligence and security
units evaluated the situation and the legal investigation started
immediately after the event took place, said Cicek.

Regarding the future of the investigation, Cicek told the press
members that, they informed the public as much as possible from the
beginning in order to prevent some people to take advantage of the
grief caused by the murder. However Cicek said the investigation must
be carried out in confidentiality and sensitivity for a while in
order to enlighten the attack with its all aspects.

Cicek said the government concluded many investigations regarding
terrorist activities in the past and they expect to get a similar
result in this case too.

-INTERIOR MINISTER AKSU-

Abdulkadir Aksu who took the floor at the press conference said, they
are considering every possibility and aspect of the event in order to
prevent any kind of uncertainty or mistake.

Aksu stated that all parts of the investigation from the ballistic
examination of the shells to the video records in the region are
carried out carefully.

Aksu offered his condolences to the friends, journalist friends of
the victim, and to the people of Turkey.

Journal of Turkish Weekly
Jan 20 2007

Dink’s Death: Things to do upon both Turkey and the EU Fatma Yilmaz

Saturday , 20 January 2007

Hrant Dink, the Turkish-Armenian journalist, was killed yesterday on
19 January. There is no clarity yet who is responsible for the murder
and why such a tragic event took place. However, what clear is that
the murder of journalist Dink in Turkey has sparked a wave of protest
both inside and outside the country. Not only the Armenian and
European people have shown their reactions and sorrows on such tragic
death but, possibly more than these people, Turkish people has
particularly expressed their sorrows and condemnation as a reaction
to the murder.

Beside to the demonstrations showing the reactions to the murder, the
politicians have officially expressed their opinions criticizing such
provocation. In this sense, Mr. Erdogan, the Turkish prime minister,
stated that the attack on Dink was an attack on Turkey and on Turkish
unity and stability. He also added that the "dark hands" behind the
killing would be brought to justice.

On the European side, the German Presidency of the EU stated that the
Turkish authorities will solve this case as quickly as possible and
has no doubt that Turkey will steadfastly continue along the path
towards fully realizing freedom of expression.

It seems so that two sides including the European and Turkish
officials share the same opinions officially, affirming their sorrow
about the murder and there is no way to accuse to the whole Turkish
society because of a betrayer who was probably planning to create
provocation in order to strain the relations.

The Turkey’s EU membership has already been under discussion due to
the reasons emanating from both some internal and external problems.
This murder has most likely targeted to damage the relations in a
more negative way. It is trying to make the parties take expeditious
and therefore wrong steps in favor of the people who will make profit
from such situation. This reminds me the previous cartoon crisis
aiming at producing a sense of anger so as to strain the relations
between the different religions. However, at this time, the tool
which was used for an atrocious aim became more brutal one, a murder.
Previously, the artificial cartoon crisis could not reach its target,
just like creation of `clash of religions’ in the long run. It came
and then went such a flash in the pan. Hopefully, the attack on Dink
would not let the people to be fooled by such provocation. What to be
expected from the people of all sides is to respond this tragic and
provocative event in terms of presence of mind. Therefore, the aim
should be finding the real criminals behind the murder, not to bring
the responsibility on whole Turkish society. Hence, there are things
to do for Turkey and the European authorities in support of showing
their real sincerity.

20 January 2007
Fatma Yilmaz
Center for European Union Studies

PanARMENIAN.Net

Freedom House: Armenia Again is Recognized as `Partially Free’ State
18.01.2007 16:40 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ According to the annual report of `Freedom House’
organization, Armenia has entered the group of partially free
states. As director of the organization Chris Walker stated, Armenia
is one of the weakest countries in this group and has closely
approached the boundary, which share `partially free’ and `not free’
states. `It is a reflection of weak indexes in a number of important
spheres, particularly, the situation in the Media, the possibilities
of citizens to participate in political processes,’ stated Chris
Walker to RFE RL. According to Freedom House, in the countries, which
are included in the `partially free’ category, political freedoms and
civil rights are not provided fully. Besides, here most often exist
atmosphere of corruption, on the background of pluralism predominates
one political party, the attributes, which are peculiar to jural
state, are weak. Among tendencies, which lately evoke concerns in
Armenia, Chris Walker underlined the activation of oligarchs. At the
same time he added that Freedom House will closely watch the coming
parliamentarian elections.

Meanwhile, Freedom House has recognized Turkey and Georgia also as
`partially free’ states. But unlike Armenia, these countries in the
sphere of organizing electoral processes have made a step
forward. Turkey and Georgia currently are in the list of `electoral
democracy’. The experts of organization think that Azerbaijan in the
issue of Media freedom experiences regress, and President Ilham
Aliev’s pressure on the Media is being strengthened. The situation in
Azerbaijan is much more lamentable, and this country is included in
the category of `non free’ states, as well as Iran and Russia.

THE CENTRE OF ISTANBUL

Yerevan, January 19. ArmInfo. An hour ago, the unknown shot Hrant
Dink, Editor-in- Chief of "Akos" Armenian newspaper, in the center of
Istanbul. Russian Mass Media report that H. Dink was shot at the
building of the Editorial office and died at once. Turkish authorities
are silent yet.

Hrant Dink several times was accused by Turkish courts for "insulting
Turkish identity" and was persecuted by Turkish authorities. H. Dink
had a line in "Akos" that said – "animosity of Turks poisons Armenian
blood" – for which he was accused under 301 article of Criminal Code
of Turkey for "insulting national identity of Turks" in July
2005. H. Dink was awarded with Oxfam Novib prize handed to journalists
who are being chased in the country where they live and work.

Armenian National Committee of Canada
130 Albert St., Suite 1007
Ottawa, ON
KIP 5G4
Tel. (613) 235-2622 Fax (613) 238-2622
E-mail:[email protected]
WWW .anc-canada.org

PRESS RELEASE

January 19, 2006

Contact: Kevork Manguelian
Tel. (613) 235-2622

Canadian-Armenians Condemn the Assassination
of Armenian journalist in Turkey

Ottawa – Outspoken and well-known Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink was
assassinated in front of his weekly newspaper office today. He was shot four
times by a young man. Dink’s body could be seen covered with a white sheet
at the entrance of the newspaper building.

Hrant Dink, publisher and editor of Turkish-Armenian weekly Agos, faced
number of legal cases for openly speaking about the Genocide of Armenians in
1915. Dink was given a six-month suspended sentence in October 2005 after
writing about the Armenian Genocide. He was one of the most prominent voices
of Turkey’s dwindling Armenian community.

Dink, 53, a Turkish citizen of Armenian descent, had received threats from
nationalists who viewed him as a traitor, the Associated Press news agency
reported.

In a recent interview with The Associated Press, Dink wept as he talked
about some of his fellow countrymen’s hatred for him, saying he could not
stay in a country where he was unwanted.

Workers at the newspaper, including Dink’s brother, who has also been put on
trial in Turkey, were in tears as they consoled each other near Dink’s body.

Can Dundar, Dink’s friend and fellow journalist, said he wished Dink had
left the country as he had once promised.

`The assassinated journalist had complained in a letter that he had received
no response from authorities after he had told them about threats of
violence made against him,’ the Turkish TV network NTV reported.

A colleague at Dink’s newspaper, Aydin Engin, said Dink had attributed the
threats to elements in the "deep state," a Turkish term that implies
shadowy, deeply nationalist and powerful elements in the government.

Upon hearing of Dink’s assassination, Fatma Muge Gocek, a Turkish author,
historian, and a friend of Dink, said: ` [we] have lost such a warm,
compassionate friend with a great zest for life who believed so fervently in
the goodness of humankind. Dink spent his unfortunately short life to get
Turkey to reconcile with its past and paid for his efforts with his life.
The dark forces in Turkey took him out but what he has instilled in all of
us will not be quenched: we all will keep him alive.’

Reporters Without Borders said it was deeply shocked by the murder of Hrant
Dink `This murder will distress and disturb all those who defend the freedom
of thought and expression in Turkey and elsewhere,’ the press freedom
organisation said.

Aris Babikian, the executive director of the Armenian National Committee of
Canada, held the Turkish Government responsible for the politically
motivated assassination. `Successive Turkish Governments’ Armenian Genocide
denial policy and the rewriting of history fanned flames of hatred against
Armenians,’ Babikian said.

`In a country where the educational system and the political culture mould
the minds of the people with hatred towards ethnically non-Turkish citizens
and where racist and extreme right-wing organizations occupy a place of
power, this is a sad reminder that things haven’t changed much in Turkey
since 1915. This vile murder proves once again that racism has deep roots in
Turkey,’ added ANCC’s executive director.

`Silencing Hrant Dink proves once again that the genocidal mentality in
Turkey still prevails and the Turkish Government is not interested in
reconciling with the Armenian people and in atoning for its crimes against
Armenians. The Turkish Government should come clean and once and for all
recognize the Armenian Genocide and put an end to the cycle of hatred,’
concluded the Executive Director.

-30-

The ANCC is the largest and the most influential Canadian-Armenian
grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a network of
offices, chapters, and supporters throughout Canada and affiliated
organizations around the world, the ANCC actively advances the concerns of
the Canadian-Armenian community on a broad range of issues.

Regional Chapters
Montréal – Laval – Ottawa – Toronto – Hamilton – Cambridge – St. Catharines
– Windsor – Vancouver

BEWARING AUTHORITIES’ THREATS, CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT UNION CARES ABOUT ITS MEMBERS’ SECURITY, CRU CHAIRMAN EXPLAINS

Noyan Tapan
Jan 18 2007

YEREVAN, JANUARY 18, NOYAN TAPAN. The authorities promotes black
PR against the serious opposing forces, particularly, against the
Constitutional Right Union. One of the types of that PR is accusation
of selling the electoral commission’s places. Hayk Babukhanian, the
CRU Chairman explained in this way at the January 18 press conference
the rumours according to which he occupied himself with sale of the
commission places during the 2003 president’s elections, as a result
of what the votes given for Aram Karapetian, the "Nor Zhamanakner"
(New Times) party leader were decreased.

Responding the question why he came to the press conference
accompanied by the bodyguard, H.Babukhanian mentioned that threats
and acts of violence by the authorities towards his person, towards
the editor-in-chief and journalists of the "Iravunk" (Law) newspaper
became frequent during the recent months, and the CRU had to care
about its members’ security. Responding the observation that not
less opposing former Chairman of the CRU Hrant Khachatrian did not
feel necessity of a bodyguard, H.Babukhanian advised the journalists
to leave H.Khachatrian alone. "He left the policy, and one must not
regularly tear up that theme," the present CRU Chairman said.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Father Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version:

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I: "CO-EXISTENCE IS THE BASIS OF LEBANON;
IT MUST REMAIN UNSHAKABLE"

"The co-existence of religions, cultures and communities is not merely a
characteristic of Lebanon; it is the very basis of this country. All aspects
and manifestations of Lebanon, including its political system and
governance, reflect this uniqueness of Lebanon. In fact, 17 communities have
committed to live together and make Lebanon their permanent homeland. Any
attempt that jeopardizes this particularity of Lebanon must be defeated with
common resolve", said His Holiness Aram I to the Christian-Muslim Committee
of Dialogue who met him at the Catholicosate of Cilicia in Antelias.

Referring to the prevailing political crisis in Lebanon, Catholicos Aram I
expressed his deep concern. He said: "The continuation of this crisis is
unacceptable. People cannot tolerate anymore this situation. Economy is
going down, poverty is gaining ground and the absence of dialogue is giving
way to mistrust. It looks that we are in a vicious circle".

For Aram I dialogue is a must: "Those elected by the people to govern this
country do not have the right to paralyze the country and create an
atmosphere of uncertainty. They must dialogue instead of accusing each
other, and decide what is best for Lebanon. History will judge our actions".

His Holiness said that beyond provisional arrangements, "we need to
articulate clearly our future vision of Lebanon. This country cannot be used
from time to time for the battle-field of others’ interests and projects. We
must re-affirm our own identity, integrity, sovereignty; and in order to do
that we must deepen our internal unity. The salvation of Lebanon is here
within ourselves and not outside of Lebanon".

His Holiness expressed his great appreciation for the work of the
Christian-Muslim Dialogue Committee; "This is a country of dialogue.
Dialogue is integral to our daily life. Dialogue generates mutual
understanding and trust, tolerance and consensus which must constitute the
basis and the guiding principle of the governance in Lebanon", concluded
Catholicos Aram I.

##
View the photo here: #2
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Ecumenical
activities of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.

PanARMENIAN.Net

U.S. Congress Continues to Oppose Candidacy of U.S. Ambassador to Armenia
13.01.2007 14:16 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Caucus Co-Chairman Frank Pallone and New
York Congressman Anthony Weiner today sharply criticized the White
House’s decision to resubmit the nomination of Richard Hoagland as
U.S. Ambassador to Armenia. The Armenian National Committee of
America (ANCA) reports, Congressman Pallone remarked that Congressman
Weiner has sent a letter to President Bush after Senator Bob Menendez
announced that he has, once again, placed a "hold" blocking the
Hoagland nomination’s approval by the U.S. Senate, despite the fact
that 97 percent of Armenian Americans oppose the Hoagland
nomination. `His denial of the Armenian Genocide makes him unfit to
represent American interests in Yerevan." says Weiner in his latter.

In remarks addressed to his House colleagues and the C-SPAN audience,
Congressman Pallone stressed that, "the Bush Administration continues
to play word games by not calling evil by its proper name in this
case. Instead they refer to the mass killings of 1.5 million
Armenians as tragic events. That term should not be substituted for
genocide. The two words are simply not synonymous. There are
historical documents that show that the genocide cannot be refuted but
somehow the Bush Administration continues to ignore the truth in fear
of offending the Turkish government." He added that, The American
people and this Congress deserve a full and truthful account of the
role of the Turkish government in denying the Armenian genocide."

ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
January 12, 2007 Friday 05:41 AM EST

Azerbaijan to inject $200 mln for KATB railway construction

TBILISI, January 12

Azerbaijan will allocate 200 million U.S. dollars to build the
Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku railway linking Azerbaijan, Georgia and
Turkey, Azerbaijani Transport Minister Ziya Mamedov said on Friday.

Baku will extend a concessional loan to revamp a 150-kilometre
railway section in Georgia and build a new 30-kilometer section
there, sources close to negotiations that are underway in Tbilisi
said.

“We are in active talks on the KATB railway construction and will
complete them successfully by the end of the day. It is a very
strategic project for us,” Georgian Economic Development Minister
Georgy Arveladze said.

Experts say the construction project will cost 422 million U.S.
dollars. Turkey will allocate another 222 million U.S. dollars to lay
a 75-kilometer railway in its territory.

Georgia, Turkey and Azerbaijan have been in talks to lay the KATB
railway since late 1990-s. But intensive talks are on only over the
past two years. Last November the countries coordinated “all
fundamental issues.”

Two weeks ago Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili said the railway
construction would be launched in 2007.

“The railway will contribute to stronger cooperation between the
Caucasian and Central Asian countries and will allow Georgia to build
a railway network with Europe,” he said.

The KATB construction began to awaken more interest after U.S.
Congress opposed the financing of the railway construction project by
U.S. banks last year. Experts explain this step is influenced by the
Armenian Diaspora in the U.S., which does not like that the railway
will run bypassing Armenia.

The Georgian authorities repeatedly said in response “there are
other sources to finance such an important project for the region.”

Agence France Presse — English
January 11, 2007 Thursday 12:34 PM GMT

Polish priest leads lonely crusade to get Church to come clean about
past

by Maja Czarnecka

WARSAW, Jan 11 2007

Roman Catholic priest Tadeusz Isakowicz-Zaleski is waging a lonely
battle to get the Church in Poland to tell the whole truth about
clerics who collaborated with the communists.

The 50-year-old priest of Armenian origin launched his crusade in
October 2005, when he had access to the file that the communist-era
secret police, the Sluzba Bezpieczenstwa (SB), had kept on him when
he was chaplain in the 1980s for the Solidarity trade union branch in
Nowa Huta, a working class suburb of the southern city of Krakow.

"I discovered that, among those who informed on me, there were
priests. It came as a shock," recalled the bearded cleric, who was
badly roughed up twice by the reviled SB for his anti-communist
activities.

Zaleski took his grim discovery to his superiors in Krakow, to warn
them that the information in the archives "was a true time-bomb" for
the Church, long seen as a pillar of resistance to the communists in
Poland.

"But the Church didn’t do much," he said.

Numerous commissions were set up "but they accomplished nothing."

"A resolution passed in August last year, calling for a collective
mea culpa, has remained a dead letter," he lamented, adding that all
of Poland’s bishops had signed it, including Stanislaw Wielgus, who
on Sunday stood down after two days as archbishop of Warsaw amid a
furore over his past.

To Zaleski’s mind, the scandal surrounding Wielgus — the 67-year-old
resigned as archbishop of Warsaw on Sunday after belatedly conceding
that accusations he had collaborated with the communist SB were true
— was proof that his quest to make the Church come clean was just.

"The Polish Church is going through its worst crisis now since the
fall of communism. And it could have been avoided," Zalewski said.

His own refusal to give in and collaborate with the SB meant that
Zaleski was never granted a passport in the 1980s, and was therefore
unable to travel abroad to study.

He also recounts how he was conscripted into a demining unit when he
did his military service. The communist-led military often placed
priests in tough units as a means of getting them to shelve plans to
pursue a career in the Church.

Not only did the Church hierarchy ignore Zaleski’s warnings about the
dangers lurking in the communist archives, but the crusading father’s
higher-ups also tried to dissuade him from going further with his
campaign.

"Some advised me to burn everything," he said, referring to the
manuscript of a book he has written about the communist-era archives.

Zaleski was dubbed an enemy of the Church, an inquisitor, even a
"super-spy" for the communist police by the Primate of Poland,
Cardinal Jozef Glemp.

"The Primate later apologised," Zaleski said.

Archbishop of Krakow Stanislaw Dziwisz, the long-time personal
secretary of the late pope John Paul II, ordered Zaleski to
temporarily halt his research into the Church’s communist past. The
priest obeyed his superior.

The Church is against Zaleski’s mission because it believes that
before attention is turned on collaborators — seen as victims of
communism — all officials of the totalitarian regime that ruled
Poland from the end of World War II until 1989 must be brought to
justice, Zaleski said.

"Those who bear true guilt are living blessed lives today," said
Zaleski, who says that revealing now, amid feverish media coverage,
the collaboration of a very few high-ranking clerics served only to
detract from the stalwart role the Church played in Poland’s long
fight against communism.

In his book, which is due to be published in the near future,
relations between the Church and the communist secret police are
broached only as of the seventh chapter. The greater part of the book
is dedicated to those who did not cave in to pressure from the
communists.

"The Church has nothing to fear. Only 10 percent of priests
collaborated. The others came out of the communist regime, their
heads held high."

According to the Polish media, Zaleski names and shames 39 Roman
Catholic clerics, including four bishops, in his book.

"There was a time a few years back when we could have calmly admitted
to having had these few collaborators, and asked forgiveness, which
society would certainly have given.

"Ten years ago, when a priest confessed to having informed on me, I
didn’t hesitate to forgive him. Our faith is based on mercy and
truth," he said.