Author: Vardapetian Ophelia

May 17, 2006 11:09:40 AM | <;
Archive | <; Russian |
< ot_news.html> Hot News |
<; Vacancies in Georgia |
<; CENN |

17.5.2006

News From Georgia < > >>

IMF will not block poverty reduction program

Source: The Messenger, 2006-05-08

The IMF is not planning to stop its poverty reduction program in Georgia.
Permanent representative of IMF in Georgia Robert Kristiansen mentioned that
the IMF has a certain opinion for the amendments in the Georgian law
concerning illegal incomes, but this is not the reason for stopping the
poverty reduction program in the country. According to him the IMF
positively evaluates the macroeconomic policy carried out in the country.

The IMF recently made some remarks concerning the draft law on fighting
illegal incomes submitted to the parliament by the state minister Kakha
Bendukidze. The major concern of the IMF is the issue on increasing the
level of reported transfers from GEL 30,000 to GEL 50,000. This kind of
change might leave considerable amounts of money beyond the monitoring
scale.

IMF experts think also that if currency exchange offices will not require
any more licensing this will contradict the principles of combating money
laundering and terrorist threats.

Minister of Finance Lexo Aleksishvili states that the draft law already
considered the IMF recommendations and all the projects envisaged by IMF
will be continued. Deputy state minister Vakhtang Lezhava thinks that this
misinformation was disseminated by those who want to oppose the current
draft law and the amendments into legislation.

17.5.2006

News From < jan> Azerbaijan >>

OIL PRODUCTION ON RISE

Source: Azetag, 2006-05-13

Oil production in the State Oil Company’s fields was 746 thousand tons in
April. It is 20 470 tons more than scheduled. Oil production has come to 2
960 000 tons since the beginning of the year, beating the target by 67 670
tons. Oil transfer to the state outstripped the target by 14 960 tons in
April and hit 2 922 000 tons for the past four months.

17.5.2006

News From Armenia < > >>

news bulletin of environmental activities

Dear CENN Readers,

Here comes news bulletin of environmental activities carried out in ten
communities throughout Armenia within the frames of Community Environmental
Action Groups project Armenian Forests NGO is implementing under USAID
auspices.

It is interesting News < >
Bulletin about what local communities have achieved in working to improve
environmental conditions in their settlements.

Mher Sharoyan
Media Coordinator
Armenian Forests NGO
38 Moskovian St., apt. 10
Phone: (374 10) 54-15-29
Fax: (374 10) 58-20-39
E-mail: <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]

<file:///C:Documents%20and%20Settingsmariam. tevzadzeMy%20DocumentsInfo%2
0CENNWEEKLY%20DIGE ST20065.17.06;
www.Arm enianForests.am

17.5.2006

International < tional> News
>>

BRAZIL OFFICIALLY STARTS FIRST URANIUM ENRICHMENT FACILITY

Source: ENS, 2006-05-08

Brazil has inaugurated its first uranium enrichment facility to make the
type of fuel for nuclear power plants that Iran is running into trouble for
attempting to produce. There are strong suspicions that the objective of the
Iranian nuclear program is to eventually build a bomb, but Brazil has
managed to assure the international community its intentions are industrial
and commercial, not military.

17.5.2006

International < nce> Seminar /
Conference / Meeting >>

International conference to introduce climate change scenarios in the Baltic
Sea region

Source: Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM), 2006-05-16

Gvteborg, Helsinki, Geesthacht – Leading scientist, politicians, journalists
and interested stakeholders from the Baltic Sea countries will take part in
the First International Conference on the Assessment of Climate Change for
the Baltic Sea Basin on 22-23 May 2006 in Gvteborg, Sweden. The Conference,
organised by Gvteborg University, BALTEX and HELCOM, will provide an
assessment of ongoing and possible future climate variations in the Baltic
Sea basin.

The climate in the Baltic Sea basin has changed during the past century, and
current research shows that the area will likely continue to get warmer. In
the past century there has been a marked increase of temperature of more
than 0.70C, with consequences such as shorter ice seasons. This is larger
than the global mean temperature increase of 0.50C. No robust link to
anthropogenic warming and the increased levels of greenhouse gases on
regional scales has been established, although it is plausible that at
least part of the recent warming in the Baltic Sea basin is related to the
steadily increasing atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases.
“Continuing analysis is needed to clarify the causes behind the increasing
temperature,” says Anders Omstedt, professor in Geosphere Dynamics at
Gvteborg University.

The observed changes in temperature in the past have been associated with
consistent changes in terrestrial ecosystems, such as earlier spring
phenological phases, northward species shifts and increased growth and
vigour of vegetation. These trends are expected to continue into the future;
induced species shifts may be slower than the warming which causes it.

Scenarios for the climate in the later part of the present century describe
an ongoing general warming, increased winter precipitation almost everywhere
and dryer summers in the southern parts. For the water body of the Baltic
Sea, a tendency towards lower salinity could be expected, which is thought
to have a major influence on the Baltic Sea fauna. The expected changes in
precipitation (and thus river runoff) may have additional detrimental
effects on the problem of eutrophication. The warming will be associated
with earlier spring phenological phases, northward species shifts and
increased growth and vigour of vegetation.

The assessment is a result of a recently established Assessment of Climate
Change for the Baltic Sea Basin Project (The BACC Project). It integrates
available knowledge of historical, current and expected future climate
change. The unique feature of BACC is the combination of evidence on climate
change and related impacts on marine, freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems
in the Baltic Sea basin, which encompasses the entire water catchment with
runoff into the Baltic Sea. It is the first systematic scientific effort for
assessing climate change in a European region. More than 80 scientists from
12 countries have contributed on a voluntary basis. As such, the results
have not been influenced by either political or special interests.

The BACC Project is a joint venture of the BALTEX (Baltic Sea Experiment)
Program and HELCOM (Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission) as an
example of a dialogue between the scientific community and environmental
policy makers. BALTEX is a continental-scale experiment within GEWEX (Global
Energy and Water Cycle Experiment) and WCRP (World Climate Research
Program).

The first day of the Conference will be devoted to scientific discussions
and the individual chapter lead authors will present the BACC results both
as oral lectures and posters. The second day discussions will be dedicated
to bridge science, policy and the general public and includes a panel
discussion. The objective of the panel is to discuss issues of climate
change related to the entire water catchment of the Baltic Sea; possible
impacts of these changes on marine and terrestrial ecosystems, and on
society; and means how to improve the dialogue between scientists,
politicians and the public at large with regard to issues related to climate
change. The panel will consist of leading climate researchers, politicians
and journalists.

The Conference is open to the press.

For details on the BACC Project and the Conference, please visit:

BACC website <; ,
also see the Conference announcement flyer
< _flyer.pdf>
f2006_flyer.pdf,
and program < html>
dule.html

Information for TV journalists:

TV-footage is available at the BACC website.
For information about BACC, please visit:
For information about Gvteborg University, please visit
<;
For information about BALTEX, please visit <;
de/baltex
For information about HELCOM, please visit <;

For any additional information, please contact:

Prof. Dr. Hans von Storch
Chair of BACC
Institute for Coastal Research
GKSS Forschungszentrum Geesthacht GmbH, Germany
Phone: +49 171 212 2046
E-mail: <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]

Prof. Dr. Anders Omstedt
Earth Sciences Center-Oceanography
Gvteborg University, Sweden
Phone: +46 31 773 2881
E-mail: <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]

Dr. Markku Rummukainen
Rossby Centre
Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute, Norrkvping, Sweden
Phone: +46 11 495 8605
E-mail: <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]

Camilla Carlsson, informatvr,
Fakultetskansliet fvr naturvetenskap,Gvteborgs universitet
Phone: +46 31 773 28 64
Mobil: +46 70 146 39 61
E-mail: <mailto:[email protected]>
cami [email protected]

Dr. Torsten Fischer,
Presse- und Vffentlichkeitsarbeit
GKSS Forschungszentrum Geesthacht GmbH
Phone: +49 (0) 41 52 / 87 – 1677
E-mail: <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]

Nikolay Vlasov,
Information Secretary, HELCOM
Phone: +358 (0)207 412 635
E-mail: <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]

17.5.2006

Subscribing Information

CENN lists are created to maintain e-mail discussions of Caucasus
Environmental NGO Network members. CENN has been distributing information
since 1998.

All the published digests and bulletins issued in both English and Russian
languages present incredibly rich environmental information base that give
the reader the whole picture of the environmental process taking place
during the recent 5 years in the South Caucasus region as well as abroad.

To subscribe or unsubscribe from CENN mailing list service, please send an
email to <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected] and place the “subscribe” or
“unsubscribe” command as the first line of the message body.

If you would like the information about your organization and activities to
be distributed via the CENN mailing lists (the current number of CENN
mailing list members represents 11049), if you want your voice to be heard
around the world, please send your information at the following email:
[email protected].

For more information about the program, please visit CENN web-page:

Caucasus Environmental NGO Network 2006

< l?cipdd&0&digest> BannerDots
Network
< pl?digest>

CENN INFO

Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN)

Tel:+995 32 75 19 03/04

Fax:+995 32 75 19 05

E-mail: <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]

URL: <;

SOCHI AIRPORT GROUND CONTROLLER CHANGES HIS DECISION IN ONLY 30 SECONDS

Noyan Tapan
May 15 2006

YEREVAN, MAY 15, NOYAN TAPAN. The Main Department of Civil Aviation
adjunct to the Armenian government received an official press release
from the CIS Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC) on the Armenian
airline Armavia’s A-320 plane crash near Sochi on May 3. According
to preliminary information, the first radio communication between
the approach ground controller of Sochi airport and the pilots of
A-320 took place at 21:10:20 Greenwich mean time, and the plane
crew last communicated with the ground controller at 22:12:35. The
pilots did not respond to the controller at 22:12:39, 22:13:08 and
later. According to the information on the RA Main Department of Civil
Aviation, at 22:10:45 the pilots reported opening the undercarriage
and readiness to make a landing, in response to which they received
information about a distance of 10 km and 4,000X190 weather and were
given permission to land. However, about 30 seconds later the ground
controller reported the actual lower line – 100 metres and issued a
command to stop lowering the aircraft, make a second circle with a
turn to the right, gain an altitude of 600 metres and to communicate
with the ground controller in charge of circle flights. The preliminary
analysis of the radar data shows that the plane started making a second
circle at an altitude of about 300 metres – by turning to the right,
beginning to gain intensively altitude (450 meters at the maximium),
with a simultaneous loss of speed with respect to the earth and
further lowering of the aircraft until it hit the water surface.

LESS-KNOWN FACTS ABOUT THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE CLAIMS
Recep Guvelioglu

New Anatolian, Turkey
May 16 2006

The authors of some of the literature referenced in Armenian genocide
claims.

There are many books, mostly from American, British, German and French
sources, being used in the pro-genocide claims. I selected some of them
written by well-known authors. Evaluation of events includes evaluation
of the character of the authors. A well-known British proverb roughly
says that if there is any statement to be discussed, first of all
you should look at who said it and when and where it was said.

3. Arnold Toynbee

A much-respected historian. He wrote the “Blue Book” of the British
government in 1915. In that book, the Ottoman rulers were accused of
committing brutal massacres of Armenians.

Toynbee was an employee of the British Foreign Office at the time
of his anti-Turkish publications. He was under orders to collect
material to write propaganda against Turkey. The resulting book was
published under the name of Viscount Grey of Fallodon, British foreign
secretary, in 1915, under the title of “Treatment of Armenians in
the Ottoman Empire.” It is also known as the “Blue Book.” Toynbee
had never been in Turkey nor had he met the Turks personally when he
edited this book and another small pamphlet in 1915. He first visited
Turkey in 1920-21 during the Turkish-Greek War. At that time he was
professor and chairman of the History of Greek Culture and Civilization
Department at London University, an institution established by Greek
donations. After seeing a Muslim-Christian conflict on the spot and
its effects on the Western world, he changed his mind. He described
his 1915 writings as examples of war propaganda. He became a critic
of the prejudiced, unjust, and ill-informed anti-Turkish propaganda,
and devoted his following publications to correcting this mental
attitude. His first book was “The Western Question in Greece and
Turkey: A Study in the Contrast of Civilizations” in 1922.

4. Viscount Grey of Fallodon

British foreign secretary in 1915. The British “Blue Book” in 1915
was published under his name.

The ignorance of Viscount Grey was legendary, as he was known as the
most ignorant foreign secretary Britain ever had. William Martin
mentioned that Viscount Grey couldn’t tell the Red Sea from the
Persian Gulf (The Statesman of War in Retrospect, William Martin,
New York, 1928).

In the same year of 1915, another book was published, and its author
was Sir Mark Sykes. He was an orientalist who traveled in Turkey and
Armenia with the knowledge of both peoples. He was undersecretary of
state for Middle Eastern affairs and foremost expert of the Foreign
Office for that area. He became a British delegate to a secret
allied conference for partition of the Ottoman Empire between the
three allied powers who also would decide the fate and future of
the Armenians. He was co-signatory of the famous Sykes-Picot secret
agreement. The notes of this secret conference were later published
by the communist government of the USSR.

The name of his book is “The Caliph’s Last Heritage: A Short History of
the Turkish Empire” (MacMillan Co., London, 1915). Although this book
does not touch on the 1915 Armenian relocation (it was written before
it), it deals with the basis and essentials of the Turkish-Armenian
conflict. What is written in the “Blue Book” to discredit and condemn
the Turks and the Turkish administration, the exact opposite is
written in “The Caliph’s Last Heritage.” Again whatever praise and
admiration is expressed about the Armenians and their cause, exactly
the opposite is written in Sir Mark Sykes’ book.

And curiously enough the British Foreign Office left the fate and
future of the Armenians for their postwar partition plans to the hands
of Sykes. The comments of Sykes about the Armenians and Armenian
revolutionaries in this conference caused strong resentment on the
part of Armenians, as expressed by an Armenian historian Richard
Hovannessian (“Armenia on the Road to Independence”).

5. Henry Morgenthau Sr.

Ambassador of the U.S. to Turkey in 1915, wrote the book “Ambassador
Morgenthau’s Story.” According to the Armenian Encyclopedia, he is a
champion of the Armenian cause. He mentioned the Armenian massacres in
his other books also. His publications and campaign for the Armenian
cause had a powerful effect upon U.S. public opinion.

During the period of the 1915 Armenian relocations and their aftermath
(1915-23), two American ambassadors (Morgenthau, in 1912 to the end of
1915 and Abram Elkus, from February 1916 to April 1917), and after the
defeat of Turkey, U.S. High Commissioner Rear Admiral Marc L. Bristol
(1920-24), represented the U.S. in Turkey. Adm.

Bristol later became the first U.S. ambassador to the Republic of
Turkey and served until 1928.

Both Morgenthau and Elkus were of the Jewish faith and were both
known to have strong interest in the Palestine problem and the Jewish
homeland. Since the Armenian relocations started after April 1915,
Morgenthau was in a position to get information only for its first six-
or seven-month period, mainly to the first emotional reaction, fear
and anxiety created in the Armenian community and to the widespread
rumors created by this action. As an emotional man, he was deeply
influenced by these rumors and third-hand information.

Elkus was in a position to obtain information for a period of two
years, from April 1915 to April 1917. Therefore he was in a much
better position to know the real causes, aims, and significance
of the Armenian deportations, and knew much better about it than
Morgenthau. The reports and evaluations of Elkus were very different
from those of Morgenthau. (The characters, political views and
activities of these two U.S. ambassadors to Turkey, particularly in
terms of the Armenian and Palestine problems, were evaluated in a book,
Germany, Turkey and Zionism: 1897-1913, Isaiah Friedman, Oxford, 1977)

Morgenthau was described as a “charming, but over-emotional, erratic
and particularly untactful personality and sometimes acts as a bull
in a china store.” He thought a British victory would provide the
best solution to the Palestine problem and Jewish homeland. He was
strongly in favor of U.S. participation in war on the side of Britain
for a complete defeat of Turkey. As the campaign manager of President
Woodrow Wilson in 1916, he raised the Armenian problem as a moral
issue to convince the U.S. people in favor of war.

Elkus was an entirely different personality and had very different
political views than Morgenthau. He was described as a quiet
but extremely effective diplomat, achieving practical results of
far-reaching consequences. He greatly valued good relations between
the U.S. and Turkey, and restored them to an excellent relationship
which had been in poor shape due to Morgenthau’s lack of tact. He
was against U.S. participation in the war and strongly opposed a U.S.

declaration of war against Turkey and achieved it. Instead of publicity
or agitation, he devoted his efforts to provide help to the relocated
Armenians.

Adm. Bristol was the third U.S. top official to serve in Turkey
during the years of war and its aftermath. He was one of the high
commissioners of the four victorious allied powers in occupied
Turkey. He was in a position to reach and obtain all the records
and documents of the Ottoman government. He was able to see all the
grieved Armenians, their religious community and political leaders
and also all the American missionaries and relief workers who stayed
in Turkey and helped the Armenians during the whole period of war. He
visited the Republic of Armenia and met its leaders and people.

Additionally he played host to two very important American commissions
assigned by President Wilson:

1. The General Harbord Commission – assigned to investigate the
feasibility of a proposed American mandate to Armenia and Turkey.

2. King-Crane Commission – in charge of investigating the aspirations
and wishes of the different various communities of the Ottoman Empire,
including the Turks and Armenians, and to advise President Wilson
for his policy at the Versailles Peace Conference.

Both commissions had staffs of experts including Armenians in each.

The Armenian claims and grievances were thoroughly investigated by
both commissions. His staff members were eyewitnesses to those in
Armenia, and he himself chaired a commission formed by four Allied
military commanders who investigated atrocities and massacres of the
civilian Turkish population by the Greek Army during their invasion
of western Anatolia.

Therefore the whole Turkish-Armenian conflict during and after World
War I was open to Adm. Bristol. All the official reports of Bristol
and Elkus expressed views contradicting the writings of Morgenthau.

(The official reports of these two figures are available for historical
research. Adm. Bristol’s papers are in the Library of Congress,
Washington, D.C. His reports were also used as reference in some
books, for example United States Policy and the Partition of Turkey,
1914-1924, Laurence Evans, Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore,
Maryland, 1965; The Partition of Turkey, Harry Howard, New York, 1966;
and An American Inquiry in the Middle East, The King-Crane Commission,
Harry N. Howard, Beirut, 1963.

According to these historical studies, the reports of Adm. Bristol
and these two American commissions of inquiry revealed the
baselessness of wartime Armenian and British atrocity and
extermination allegations. All these also strongly opposed Allied
plans for the future of Armenia and described them as impractical
and impossible. Bristol’s reports were also full of atrocities and
massacres committed by Armenians and Greeks against the Turkish
population. Some reports also strongly warned the U.S. government
against British, Greek, and Armenian political intrigues and violent
propaganda activities.

An anecdote of Talat Pasha

There is an important story mentioned in the book Story of Near
East Relief: 1915-1930 (James L. Barton, MacMillan Co. 1930). When
diplomatic relations between Turkey and the U.S. were cut upon
the U.S. declaration of war against Germany, Talat Pasha promised
Ambassador Elkus that he would let all American missionaries and
relief workers stay in Turkey and continue their relief work for
Armenians. This was done against strong German opposition and despite
very heavy anti-Turkish propaganda organized by the Near East Relief
Agency. It is an interesting example of such a humanitarian gesture
in diplomatic history: A combatant country gave permission to the
citizens of another country fighting against its side to stay, feed,
clothe, treat, educate and give moral support to the people which it
was accused of exterminating. At the same time, because of a great
famine, Turkish people were starving to death.

NDU NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN ELECTION WHICH ARE GOING TO BE FAKE

Panorama.am
14:45 16/05/06

“We will not participate in the parliamentary elections either as an
alliance or separately,” NDU Chairman Vazgen Manukyan told a news
conference today saying that the authorities will do everything to
fake the elections.

According to NDU Chairman, another situation would be if NDU formed
a mass movement and changed the system.

Vazgen Manukyan would only then participate in the elections.

Responding to a reporter’s question why such movement is not formed,
Manukyan answered that the public doubts about it.

HAIGAZIAN UNIVERSITY
From: Mira Yardemian
Public Relations Director
Rue Mexique – Kantari
P.O. Box 11-1748
Riad El-Solh 1107 2090
Beirut – Lebanon

HAIGAZIAN UNIVERSITY WOMEN’S AUXILIARY RECOGNIZES DISTINGUISHED LEBANESE
MOTHERS

As a continuing tradition, for yet another year, Haigazian University’s
Women’s Auxiliary honored five distinguished women from Lebanon, who have
inspired, mentored, nurtured and cared for their communities. All women
were recognized for their role in developing their people, by giving them
room to grow and inspiring them to realize their full potential.

The event, under the high patronage of H.E. Mrs. Leila Solh Hamade, the
Vice President of the Al-Waleed Bin Talal Humanitarian Foundation in
Lebanon, took place on Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at the Bristol Hotel in Beirut.
Present were two hundred women from various regions and communities in
Lebanon, among whom were wives of government ministers and parliament members.

The honorees of this year were:

Mouftieh Sabahat Sabounji from Tripoli. She represents the symbol of
motherhood in the North, as her home is considered to be the place where
all disputes are settled and solved. Mrs. Sabounji had started and presided
over many educational, religious, and social associations, all aiming at
empowering women.

Ms. Ani Boudjikanian from Beirut, an exceptional social worker and
pharmacist, was honored for her achievement of the EHLAN Social Housing
Project, which provides decent housing for needy Lebanese Armenians. Ms
Boudjikanian represents the coexistence of a loving heart and an
intellectual mind in one body.

Mrs. Zeinab Osseiran from Saida was appreciated for her establishing the
Jabal Amel Women’s Association, for building a nursing school and reviving
the silk industry in the South. Mrs. Osseiran is a woman of vision and a
believer in continuous learning.

Mrs. Maya Chami was recognized for founding the “Association de Dame de la
Charite”. She has succeeded in developing a teamwork spirit amongst the
social workers.
Princess Hayat Arslan was honored for founding the Society of Lebanon the
Giver, an institution which deals with social problems, and generates
income through creating various social projects.

After a welcoming word by the Haigazian University Women’s Auxiliary chair
Mrs. Terine Hasserjian, HUWA member Mrs. Mayda Keleshian led the audience
in a half hour audio-visual journey, “down memory lane”, presenting the
lives of the five honorees in mesmerizing detail. In her conclusion, she
praised the women who have tried hard to restore and strengthen the dignity
of those who had lost it, and badly needed to regain it.

Mr. Abdel Salam Marini, director of the Al-Waleed Bin Talal Humanitarian
Foundation in Lebanon, praised Haigazian University for its pioneering role
in the Lebanese society. On this special occasion, the institution was
generous in offering the university a fully equipped exam room, in addition
to LCD projectors for all the classrooms. Mr. Marini announced that this
donation represented the beginning of cooperation between the university
and the Al-Waleed Bin Talal Humanitarian Foundation.

Haigazian University President, Rev. Dr. Paul Haidostian explained the
concept of servant leadership. “The mmission of Haigazian University from
the beginning has been to appreciate, encourage and promote an
understanding of leadership that is well-equipped, well-trained, but also
well-prepared to serve”, said Haidostian. Moreover, he considered an honor
for Haigazian University to be recognized and appreciated by the Al-Waleed
Bin Talal Humanitarian Foundation.

Then each of the five honorees received a special plaque from the hand of
Mrs. Solh and in return President Haidostian awarded her excellency with a
golden plaque of appreciation.

The program was concluded with a luncheon of fellowship during which the
attendees had the opportunity to meet the various members of the HUWA,
converse with Mrs. Solh and familiarize themselves with the academic
services of Haigazian University.

In addition to the enjoyment of the event as a whole, the attendees
expressed deep appreciation for the participation of some Haigazian
University students who during the celebration presented a special musical
interlude, and an Armenian traditional dance during the luncheon.

ANNE DERSE: RETURN TO VIOLENCE IN KARABAKH ISSUE WOULD BE TRAGEDY

PanARMENIAN.Net
15.05.2006 15:05 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ During her Senate confirmation hearing
today, Ambassador-designate Anne Derse reiterated U.S. policy
for a peaceful, mutually acceptable resolution to the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict, stating that “a return to violence would be a
tragedy.” Ambassador-designate Anne Derse responded that if confirmed,
she will work toward expanding and strengthening U.S.-Azerbaijan
security cooperation and help promote democracy and governance. She
said a peaceful settlement to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is critical
to achieving this goal and expressed hope that President of Armenia
Robert Kocharian and President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev will work
together on this issue. She further stated that as Co-Chair of the
OSCE Minsk Group, the U.S. will also urge Armenia and Azerbaijan to
remain engaged in the process and demonstrate political courage. Derse
also expressed her commitment to work with both countries towards a
peaceful resolution, reports the Armenian Assembly of America.

ABRAHAM RETAINED HIS TITLE

A1+
[12:46 pm] 15 May, 2006

Middleweight professional Armenian boxer Arthur Abraham (20-0, 17
KOs) representing Germany celebrated another win in the professional
ring retaining his title of IBF World Champion. In the fight against
Kofi Jantuah (30-2, 19 KOs) from Ghana at the Stadthalle in Zwickau,
Germany Arthur celebrating a convincing win.

Scores of the last three rounds were 115-112, 116-111, 117-109.

By the way, Referee Robert Byrd took a point from Abraham by mistake
at the end of the seventh for a punch that clearly landed on Jantuah’s
ear, not behind the head.

This was the second time this year that Arthur Abraham retained his
title. Let us remind you that on Marc 4 Arthur beat Shannon Taylor.

The New Anatolian, Turkey
May 13 2006

French President pledges ‘sensitivity’ to Turkish concerns on
Armenian bill

French President Jacques Chirac on Thursday reportedly told Turkish
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan that France will show sensitivity
to Turkish concerns over a bill threatening prison terms and fines to
people who question the Armenian genocide claims.

Chirac made the remarks during a meeting with Erdogan on the
sidelines of a dinner hosted by Austrian Prime Minister Wolfgang
Schuessel in honor of the participants of the European Union-Latin
American summit held in Vienna.

Although Chirac assured Erdogan that France will take into
consideration Turkish concerns during the debate of the Armenian bill
in the French Parliament set for next week, French socialists
Thursday expressed their insistence on bringing the bill to the
Parliament’s floor despite Parliament’s Law Commission rejecting the
controversial bill.

During Wednesday’s debates at the Law Commission, ruling Union for
Popular Movement (UMP) deputies sharply criticized the bill, drawn up
by a group of socialist deputies. Alain Marsaud and Michel Piron from
the UMP are opposed to the bill, and Piron stressed that trying to
write history with laws would result in a discredited “official
history.” After the debates, the commission made no changes to the
bill and rejected it by a majority.

However, under the French Parliament’s bylaws, the bill is still
going to be debated by the General Assembly next Thursday. The
majority of ruling UMP deputies are opposed to the bill, but if they
don’t participate in next week’s meeting, it’s expected to be
approved by the National Assembly. The UMP has announced that there
will be no group decision on the issue.

Gul warns France on dangers of bill

Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul warned France on Friday about danger of
possible approval of the Armenian bill, saying, “Sometimes issues of
domestic politics may hurt the greater interests of the country.”

“I think a country like France will give priority to its interests,”
Gul said.

Telling of the initiatives made by Turkish officials to block
approval of Armenian bill by the French Parliament, Gul said that the
aim of these initiatives is to warn France on time about the dangers
of such a move.

Underlining that recalling Turkish ambassadors from Ottawa and Paris
for consultations doesn’t aim at provoking the public, Gul said,
“This is not an issue of governments, but one of society. Both
non-governmental organization (NGOs) and businessmen warned their
French counterparts that approval of such a bill would harm
relations.”

Erdogan seeks German support for EU bid

Erdogan met on Friday with his German counterpart Angela Merkel on
the sidelines of the summit where he reportedly sought German support
to Turkish bid to join the EU.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Erdogan told reporters that
they also discussed the details and agenda of his upcoming visit to
Germany. “I told Merkel what Turkey can do in the EU accession
process and stated Turkish expectations from Germany in the process,”
Erdogan added.

Turkey’s chief EU negotiator and State Minister Ali Babacan and
Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin also joined Erdogan during
talks with Merkel.

Erdogan during his bilateral talks with United Nations
Secretary-General Kofi Annan discussed the Middle East peace process,
the latest developments in Iraq and possible Turkish contribution to
the democratization of the region.

The Turkish prime minister participated in the opening session of the
summit and posed in a group photo with his European and Latin
American counterparts on Friday before proceeding to Bali, Indonesia
to participate in the Developing-8 Summit.

Le Monde, France
12 mai 2006

Orhan Pamuk : ” Etre un artiste libre “;

Un entretien avec l’écrivain turc après la fin de son procès et
l’abandon des poursuites par la justice d’Ankara

Propos recueillis par Lila Azam Zanganeh

Un million d’Arméniens et trente mille Kurdes ont été assassinés sur
ces terres et personne d’autre que moi n’ose en parler. ” C’est au
journal suisse Tages Anzeiger que le romancier turc Orhan Pamuk
confiait son amertume un jour de février 2005. Il ne peut, alors,
soupçonner la réaction en chaîne qu’allaient provoquer ces propos :
campagne de presse, intimidations et menaces, un sous-préfet qui
demande la destruction de tous ses livres, un exil temporaire et,
enfin, un procès kafkaïen au motif d’une loi de juin 2005 dont
l’article 301 prévoit des peines de six mois à trois ans de prison
pour quiconque insulte les institutions ou l’identité turques.

Sur pression de la communauté internationale, la justice turque
finira par lcher prise, le 23 janvier 2006. Mais le mal est fait :
Orhan Pamuk est devenu cet écrivain insaisissable qui, pendant cette
semaine passée à New York à l’invitation du festival World Voices et
du PEN American Center, refusera tout entretien à la presse
internationale. Une exception, ” Le Monde des livres “. Le voici,
vêtu d’un costume noir délavé, l’air un rien agacé, le dos très
légèrement voûté : ” Je suis en retard, je sais, pardon. ”

En 1985, vous accompagnez Arthur Miller et Harold Pinter dans un
voyage sponsorisé par le PEN American Center et Helsinki Watch. Il
s’agit, pour eux, de rédiger un rapport sur les droits de l’homme en
Turquie. Quelles impressions vous reste-t-il de cette aventure ?

Il y avait eu un coup d’Etat militaire, en 1980. La liberté
d’expression était suspendue. Les droits de l’homme étaient bafoués.
Les prisons étaient le thétre de nombreux abus. Et pourtant les gens
parlaient – les familles de prisonniers, mais aussi les écrivains…

Et vous, vous sentiez-vous solidaire ? Coupable ? Les deux ? C’est un
dualisme qui habite vos romans de manière si obsessionnelle…

D’une part, je sentais en moi une explosion de honte, comme j’en ai
déjà observé dans d’autres coins du monde lorsque d’Amérique ou
d’Europe viennent des étrangers censés enquêter sur la nature d’une
démocratie ou l’absence de libertés : cela provoque une honte très
difficile à formuler et néanmoins ressentie par tout le monde.
D’autre part, il m’apparaissait soudain qu’il pouvait aussi exister
une solidarité internationale entre écrivains, considérés comme les
représentants, non pas de leurs nations d’origine, mais du monde :
une solidarité née d’un respect partagé, je dirais presque religieux,
pour la liberté d’expression.

Et pourtant vous n’êtes fondamentalement pas un écrivain ” politique
“. Vous aimez créer vos propres mondes bigarrés, oniriques. Un
certain nombre de vos romans portent d’ailleurs des noms de couleur :
Mon nom est Rouge, Le Livre noir, Le Chteau blanc…

C’est vrai, j’étais plutôt nabokovien au début. J’écrivais
essentiellement pour la beauté. Et pendant que des générations
entières d’écrivains turcs prenaient pour modèle Steinbeck ou Gorki –
et détruisaient l’essentiel de leur talent en le mettant au service
de quelque chose qui était supposé les dépasser – je lisais, moi,
Nabokov, et je rêvais. Vingt-cinq ans après, je sais que si, à cette
époque-là, j’avais commis l’erreur d’écrire des romans politiques,
j’aurais été détruit, le système m’aurait anéanti.

Et Neige, en 2004 ? Pourquoi écrire, tout à coup, un roman sur
l’islam, le nationalisme, le suicide de jeunes filles que l’on
contraint de se dévoiler dans une petite ville au nord-est du pays ?

J’ai décidé d’écrire un roman politique, parce que j’ai eu envie,
soudain, de raconter autrement mon pays. Chacun de mes romans est
structurellement différent des autres, en réalité. Et pour cause : je
rencontre toujours quelqu’un dans une rue d’Istanbul, qui finit par
me dire : ” Oh, M. Pamuk, quel malheur ! J’avais vraiment adoré tel
ou tel de vos romans, mais vous n’avez plus jamais écrit rien de
semblable ! ” Eh bien, voilà un roman radicalement différent… Et,
pour moi, tout le plaisir de la fiction est là, précisément, dans
l’acte toujours renouvelé de composition, juste avant l’exécution.
L’écriture n’est, par la suite, qu’un acte artisanal.

Vous sentez-vous aujourd’hui une certaine responsabilité en Turquie ?

Disons que, de ma vie, je n’avais jamais cherché à assumer la plupart
des responsabilités politiques qui m’ont brusquement pesé sur les
épaules ! Mais enfin, en raison de jalousies, de ressentiments, de
tabous et de pressions diverses, elles me sont tombées dessus. C’est
comme quelque chose qui tomberait d’un balcon, alors que vous marchez
dans la rue en toute insouciance. Et parce que le pays est réprimé,
et parce que j’ai une soi-disant stature internationale, j’ai été
contraint de me plier à ce destin nouveau. Cela ne m’enchante pas.
Mon secret désir a toujours été d’être un artiste libre. Mon style
d’écriture, mon mode de composition, requièrent un immense esprit
d’enfance. Et la responsabilité de l’écriture se limite, au fond de
moi, au jeu démoniaque et magique avec les règles du monde. Non,
croyez-moi, être un personnage public n’est pas bon pour le travail
du romancier. Et quant à être un personnage politique, n’en parlons
même pas – quel désastre !

Mais il y a bien des causes qui vous passionnent ? Il vous est arrivé
de définir la liberté d’expression en termes de dignité et de joie.
Après vos déboires judiciaires, ressentez-vous le besoin de vous
battre pour la liberté d’expression ?

Ecrire me suffit. Le reste, de toute évidence, m’est comme un mauvais
destin. On m’entraîne sur un terrain que je n’aime pas. Alors, soit
je tombe dans une tranchée par hasard. Soit je me trouve attaqué et
je suis contraint de btir moi-même une tranchée pour me protéger…

Et l’Union européenne ? Souhaitez-vous que la Turquie y soit intégrée
?

Oui, en cela je croyais avec enthousiasme, et certains hommes
politiques que je respecte m’avaient demandé de les aider. J’ai même
écrit quelques articles sur le sujet. Pas des articles polémiques,
mais des articles fervents. Or j’ai l’impression, tout à coup, d’être
une Célestine désabusée. Je pensais sincèrement que l’Europe et la
Turquie feraient bon ménage. Mais s’il n’y a pas d’attirance
mutuelle, je préfère penser à mes romans.

Quels écrivains admirez-vous par-dessus tout ?

Tolstoï, Nabokov, Thomas Mann – ce sont mes grands écrivains. Et
puis, bien sûr, Proust. Mais tous ces écrivains, vous devez essayer
de les imaginer du côté d’Istanbul, lus et médités depuis ma fenêtre.
Voyez-vous : à l’heure où la plupart des écrivains turcs se
préoccupaient de commentaires réalistes ou sociaux, c’est Proust qui
me parlait, avec ses longues phrases baroques, parfois claires,
parfois obscures, mais toujours si voluptueuses, et infiniment
polysémiques.

Aviez-vous jamais été attiré par le roman politique, avant Neige ?

Oui, j’ai un roman inachevé, qui date d’il y a vingt-cinq ans. Un
roman politique dostoïevskien, si je puis dire, où radicalisme de
gauche et démonisme mystique étaient mêlés. Mais il y a eu le coup
d’Etat et cela a été impossible à publier. C’est l’époque où je me
suis rendu compte, non sans stupeur, que certains de mes anciens amis
marxistes étaient tentés par l’islamisme et la logorrhée
anti-occidentale…

Vous avez écrit, dans un essai publié en décembre 2005, dans le New
Yorker – c’est-à-dire un mois avant votre procès à Istanbul – que le
nationalisme turc a parfois d’étranges racines, à la fois
intellectuelles et bourgeoises…

Oui. C’est comme si, pour se prémunir contre le spectre de l’anomie
mondialiste et, par la même occasion, contre la rancune anxieuse des
classes ouvrières, les classes cultivées choisissaient par moments la
crispation nationaliste la plus sommaire : ” Turcs et rien d’autre !
” Cette élite est bien sûr une vieille société prémoderne. Et, par
réflexe collectif, elle préfère parfois se définir par le sentiment
national plutôt que par la modernité. Avec les conséquences que l’on
sait pour la démocratie…

Est-elle tentée, elle aussi, par l’islamisme ?

Non, pas forcément. Le cliché veut que la Turquie soit empoisonnée
par l’Islam politique. Mais il y a, en réalité, tant de couleurs et
de nuances que le fondamentalisme pur et dur s’en est trouvé dilué…
Nous avons des sectes soufies, par exemple, ou des groupes épars qui,
mis ensemble, forment l’immense spectre de ce que l’on appelle ”
l’Islam politique “. Mais attention, il y a aussi, en Turquie, des
anti-Occidentaux séculiers et des antidémocrates athées ! Tout cela
forme une configuration politique d’une extrême complexité. Et
naturellement, pour le romancier, toute une palette de couleurs ô
combien précieuses…

D’où cet intérêt, dans Neige, pour la Turquie démunie, pour cette
ville de Kars hantée par une profonde ambivalence, entre islamisme –
justement – et kémalisme ?

Oui, j’ai eu soudain le vif désir de raconter la Turquie
contemporaine, l’Islam politique, le fondamentalisme, le sécularisme,
le tropisme national pour les coups d’Etat militaires, le
nationalisme de nos groupes ethniques, les forces politiques et leurs
insaisissables factions. Et je souhaitais que le décor soit une
petite ville d’une très grande pauvreté, et que cette petite ville se
transforme en un microcosme de la Turquie telle qu’elle m’apparaît
aujourd’hui. Je souhaitais tisser une intrigue qui révélerait les
mystères et les faux-semblants de mon pays, les modes de pensée
sibyllins, son labyrinthe politique insensé.

Vous aimez parler des vacillements démoniaques de vos personnages…
Et aussi raconter, comme dans Neige, la complexité vertigineuse du
décor turc. Or les Occidentaux, vous le savez, sont très tentés de
simplifier tout cela, à leurs propres fins politiques…

Si vous imaginiez le nombre de gens qui savent que je suis
pro-européen, que je souhaite ardemment l’intégration de la Turquie
dans l’Union européenne – et qui m’ont reproché le fait que mon roman
” contredise ” mes idées politiques ! Au départ, cela m’a surpris.
Puis cela m’a enchanté. Peu importent mes opinions politiques
personnelles. Il faut qu’un roman, comme chez Thomas Mann, porte ses
propres forces et défende ses propres couleurs.

Christopher Hitchens,

dans le magazine The Atlantic Monthly, vous a reproché de peindre vos
personnages islamistes

avec plus de sympathie que les autres ?

Ma règle d’or : pour écrire un beau roman, s’identifier à tous les
personnages. Et c’est l’identification avec les personnages les plus
sombres qui rend le roman meilleur encore. L’exemple, cette fois,
c’est naturellement Dostoïevski.

Et votre nouveau roman ? Celui dont on dit qu’il raconte la haute
société turque et les aventures, sociales, sexuelles, de la Turquie
contemporaine ?

Il n’avance guère. Ce procès m’a fait perdre un temps inimaginable.
Je n’en peux plus !

Iriez-vous jusqu’à dire que le procès a changé le cours de votre vie
?

De ma vie de romancier, oui, sans doute. Mais j’essaie aujourd’hui de
retrouver cette vie d’avant le procès, ce temps d’avant la tempête,
bref, de ressaisir la trame du songe…

Propos recueillis par Lila Azam Zanganeh

Azad-Hye, Dubai, 13 May 2006

 In 2001 a British journalist named Ben West
visited Sourp Magar Monastery in the northern part of Cyprus (now occupied)
and wrote in the travel section of the “Guardian”: “Sadly, Sourp Magar has
been comprehensively vandalised, but it is still a beautiful spot with an
unbelievable silence and the heady scent of pine trees”.

In May 2005, Armenian news agencies reported that the Monastery was turned
into a cafe with the intention also to build a hotel or a recreation center
on the site. After actions by the Cypriot Government, international bodies
expressed concern on this matter, notably the Vatican, which issued a severe
response. The hotel “licence” was temporarily halted.

In April 2006 Easter time, Sebouh Armenagian, a Cypriot Armenian based in
Sharjah (UAE), visited Sourp Magar Monastery with the spiritual leaders of
the community. Here are his notes:

It was Armenian Easter. We met Hayr Paren in the Armenian Apostolic Church
in Limassol (Saint Kevork). His face was familiar. He has stayed in Dubai
(UAE )for a couple of months in the past. After the Holy Mass we had a chat
with him and remembered the old days in Dubai and Sharjah.

We were informed that he and Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian (Catholicosal
Vicar) are planning to go to visit Sourp Magar Monastery in the occupied
areas after the Easter. He invited us to join the group.

The next day we headed to the Prelacy in Nicosia. The weather was better
than the day before and there was less risk for rains.

We noticed that both Archbishop Varoujan and Rev. Father Paren were wearing
civil clothes. They told that though it was not forbidden to go to the
occupied part with formal wearing, but it is better to keep low profile and
not to provoke any reaction there.

Our driver was the Bell-ringer (jamgotch) Vache Megdessian. Although he has
been there before, he did not remember the exact route that we needed to
follow. Archbishop Varoujan called Dr. Antranik Ashdjian and asked him for
directions.

At the borders (the so called Green Line) we had a bad feeling when we read
a big banner stating: “I am happy that I am a Turk”. You could see churches
transformed to mosques, houses of Greek Cypriots inhabited by Turks, etc.

We followed Dr. Antranik Ashdjian’s instructions and took the Famagusta
Highway. At some point you will notice the sign leading to Kyrenia. If you
watch carefully you will encounter a small signboard for Sourp Magar.

After the signboard we took a narrow road, where only one vehicle could
pass. We were thinking what will happen if another car appears from the
opposite direction. Vache managed to reach to a point where “Armenian
Monastery” was written.

The Monastery was closed. We went to a nearby governmental office, where we
communicated with the Turks using English and some Turkish. We asked for the
key. A wrong key was given first and then we received the correct one.

We had to walk for some 2 kilometers. We reached there and saw the Monastery
transformed into a restaurant.

Archbishop Varoujan remembered that he had held a baptism ceremony in the
same place in 1973, one year before the invasion. He gave us some
explanations.

We noticed that the most part of the church has been destroyed. In the
baptism basin we could see only the letters HA (the first letters of havadk
= faith). The complete saying is faith, hope and baptism.

Various parts of the Monastery were extensively dug up by the Turks in the
hope of finding gold.

On the way back we had a stop at the Sourp Asdvadzadzin Apostolic Church,
located in the occupied Armenian quarter of Nicosia. There is also the old
Prelacy buildings and the Melikian-Ouzounian Primary School. Everything is
destroyed.

At 5 pm we were back in the Prelacy, thinking what unforgettable day we had
just experienced.

END OF SEBOUH ARMENAGIAN’S NOTES 

Additional reading
 
Sourp Magar Monastery (Magaravank)

The monastery of Sourp Magar is situated at a height of 510 meters above sea
level, on the northern slopes of the Kyrenia mountain range.

Sourp Magar means “Saint Makarios the Blessed”. It was first established in
about 1000 AD as a Coptic monastery, and was dedicated to Saint Makarios of
Alexandria (309-404 AD) whose Coptic monastery still exists in Egypt.

Its location being at the edge of the cliff and the beginning of a deep
ravine is very picturesque.

The monastery came into the hands of Armenians at a later stage (15th
century). The exact date and the circumstances of this transfer are unclear.

Close relations exist between the Coptic and Armenian churches since the
Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD.

Sourp Magar has been a religious centre for Armenians for centuries.
Although under the jurisdiction of the Catholicosate of Cilicia, it has had
close ties with St. James’ Monastery in Jerusalem and with the Catholicosate
of Etchmiadzin in Armenia. The quiet surroundings have for centuries
provided a haven for clergymen and laymen alike.

The monastery was also used as a summer resort by the Armenian Church and
became a favorite pilgrimage spot for Armenians on their way to and from the
Holy Land.

The upheavals in the Ottoman Empire at the beginning of the 20th century
resulted in the arrival of thousands of Armenian refugees on the island. The
monastery opened its doors to orphans and to those in need. It also
developed farming to help feed the hungry.

Right until the Turkish invasion of 1974, the monastery was a favorite place
for Armenian families and schools to visit, as its grounds were particularly
pleasant, especially in the hot summer months. The feast day is 1st May.

All manuscripts and other relics kept in the Monastery were plundered and
sold and only the intervention of the Republic of Cyprus, the Armenian
Church and international organizations prevented further destruction of the
monastery.

>From 1974 to 2005, the monastery has been inaccessible to Armenians or Greek
Cypriots. Lately it was allowed to conduct daytime visits to the occupied
part of Cyprus.

?newsId=734ahg67