Author: Varosian Antranik

HOUSE TO PASS BILL ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
By Michal Lando, Jerusalem Post Correspondent

Jerusalem Post
Oct 10 2007
New York

The US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee is expected
to approve a bipartisan bill on Wednesday that calls on the US to
recognize the World War I massacres of Armenians as genocide.

The results of the vote will set the stage for a subsequent full
House consideration. If approved in the Committee, it will be up to
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a longtime supporter of such recognition,
to allow for a vote in the House.

The bill is largely expected to pass both the Committee and the full
House despite mounting pressure from Turkey. The bipartisan measure
currently has 226 co-sponsors – more than a majority in the House
and the most support an Armenian Genocide resolution has ever received.

"The United States has a compelling historical and moral reason to
recognize the Armenian Genocide, which cost a million and a half
people their lives," said Rep. Adam Schiff, who sponsored the bill,
in a statement. "But we also have a powerful contemporary reason
as well – how can we take effective action against the genocide in
Darfur if we lack the will to condemn genocide whenever and wherever
it occurs?" Similar bills have been debated in Congress for decades,
but Armenian groups have repeatedly been undermined by concerns about
damaging relations with Turkey.

Now, in the days preceding the vote, Turkish officials warned that
approval of the bill may mean that ties between Turkey the US and
Israel may suffer.

In a letter to Pelosi, Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan said that
"it might take decades to heal negative effects of the bill if it
passes," AP reported. And last week eight former secretaries of state,
Republican and Democrat, urged Pelosi to block it.

On Friday, efforts by Turkey to intercede came through Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who told US President George W. Bush that
the measure would "harm the strategic partnership" between the two
countries. Bush reiterated his opposition to the bill, saying he
recognized the tragedy, but that the determination over whether the
events constitute a genocide should be a matter for historical inquiry,
not legislation.

"They’ve done everything in their power to scare members away from
voting for it, but if those threats scared people five to 10 years ago,
they don’t seem to work today," said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director
of the Armenian National Committee, an Armenian interest group. "I
don’t think anybody would like to see this adopted by Congress over
their opposition and be remembered as an organization that opposed
it." Similar threats to target diplomatic ties have been launched
against Israel in the last few days.

The widespread perception in Turkey is that US Jewish organizations
have linked up with Armenian groups to "defame" and "condemn" Turkey,
visiting Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan told The Jerusalem
Post Monday.

He warned that if a measure characterizing the killing of Armenians
as an act of genocide was approved by Congress in the coming days,
it would not only harm Turkey’s ties with the US, but also Ankara’s
ties with Jerusalem.

Morton Klein, president of the Zionist Organization of America, who
has publicly acknowledged the Armenian genocide, harshly criticized
the recent threats by the Turkish government. "This is an ugly and
inappropriate threat by Turkey and it really tells you something
about them when they blame Israel for something the US is doing,"
said Klein. "This doesn’t have to do with Jews because they aren’t
lobbying for it, and I don’t think Israel or America or anyone should
respond to this type of inappropriate threat."

However, such threats have caused some Jewish organizations to stop
short of supporting the congressional bills. The issue erupted
in August, when the Anti-Defamation League reversed its longtime
refusal to recognize the genocide after a disagreement emerged with
its New England chapter. Boston Jews, who have close ties with the
large Armenian community in Boston, widely supported the recognition,
and stood behind New England Regional director Andrew Tarsy, who was
fired after telling the media he disagreed with the national position
on the Armenian genocide. Tarsy was reinstated, but the ADL stopped
short of supporting the congressional resolution.

Foxman continues to oppose the bill. "We are opposed in the sense
that we do not believe this is the place it should be resolved,"
said Foxman. "We may change our minds we may not." ADL’s national
policy-making body is expected to discuss the congressional resolutions
at its annual meeting on November 1. Foxman has repeatedly urged the
Turks and the Armenians to resolve the issue between themselves. But
Armenians have refused offers by the Turkish government to establish
a joint commission to study historical facts.

Hamparian compared such a request to calls by Ahmadinejad for more
research on the Holocaust. "I think it’s about as sincere as the
Iranian government saying they need to revisit the Holocaust,"
said Hamparian. "I think it’s a veiled denial put in the guise of
academic inquiry."

FRANCE AND TURKEY MOVE TO MEND FENCES UNDER THE SHADOW OF EU AND ARMENIAN LAW

The New Anatolian, Turkey
Oct 8 2007

Once again it is the carrot tactic that is paying off to normalize
Turkish-French relations.

Turkey has been angered by the French move to ban the denial of
Armenian genocide and French President Nicolas Sarkozy has said he
will make every effort to deny Turkey full membership in the EU.

But in recent weeks things have started to change.

Sarkozy first met with his close ally U.S. President George W. Bush
and later met Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Bush has
been working on Sarkozy to tone down his opposition ion Turkey at the
EU. Then came the meeting with Erdogan in New York on the sidelines
of the U.N. General assembly meeting and things started to move for
mending fences.

On Friday French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner was in Ankara
and diplomatic sources said this was the first step in the fence
mending process.

France sees vast business opportunities in Turkey and that it is
losing the market to its competitors. France wants to be active in the
natural gas projects in Turkey as well as in the telecommunications
industry. But it is losing out because of the frictions between Ankara
and Paris.

Turkey and France has a similar chilly period in their relations in the
1980s but late Turgut Ozal lured Paris by offering massive satellite
and airline purchase contracts. The same seems to be occurring now.

Kouchner said in an interview France wants to cooperate with Turkey
in the field of energy in particular and would try to overcome Turkish
opposition to the participation of Gaz de France (GDF) in the Nabucco
pipeline project to carry natural gas from the Middle East and Central
Asia to the EU via Turkey and the Balkans.

"This is a very important issue for France and I hope for speedy
progress," he told mass circulation Milliyet.

The Turkish gas company BOTAS is reportedly blocking GDF’s inclusion
in the project in retaliation for the Armenian genocide bill.

France and Turkey said Friday they would work to mend fences and
seek closer cooperation, despite lingering disputes over Ankara’s EU
membership bid and the Armenian massacres of the Ottoman era.

"We share a desire to improve our ties in every field… I see our
talks today as the beginning of a new impetus in bilateral relations,"
Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said after talks with Kouchner.

Sarkozy argues that most of Turkey’s territory is in Asia and that the
idea of a united Europe would be diluted if its borders stretch that
far. He has instead proposed a close partnership agreement with Turkey.

Ankara has slammed Sarkozy’s stance, insisting that full membership
is the the only objective of its accession talks.

Pledging that Turkey would pursue its democratic reforms to catch up
with European norms, Babacan stressed that "we expect the EU to stay
loyal to the promises that it has made to Turkey."

Kouchner said the talks had laid the ground for an extensive dialogue
on Turkey’s EU aspirations.

"Our relations had cooled a bit. I hope they will warm up in the
coming days," he said.

Kouchner said he hoped a French bill passed in October 2006 calling
for jail sentences for those who deny that Ottoman Turks committed
genocide against Armenians during World War I would not stand in the
way of improving ties.

Turkey has threatened unspecified measures against the bill, which
followed a 2001 French parliament resolution, which had already
poisoned bilateral ties, recognizing the killings as genocide.

Sarkozy told Erdogan in New York last month that the negotiations
would lead to closer ties between Turkey and the EU, "even though we
disagree on the ultimate goal of these talks," Kouchner told Milliyet.

"Therefore, everything is open-ended today," he said, adding that a
debate on the future of Europe was also needed.

Turkey conducted far-reaching reforms to win the green light for
accession talks in October 2005 despite strong opposition in European
public opinion, notably in France.

Last year, its bid took a serious blow when the EU, in response to
Ankara’s refusal to grant trade privileges to Greek Cyprus, suspended
talks in eight of 35 policy areas candidates must negotiate.

Kouchner said France also backs a strong Turkish role in resolving
regional issues such as the turmoil in Iraq, the dispute over Iran’s
nuclear program, the instability in Lebanon and the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict.

Kouchner also met Erdogan and President Abdullah Gul before wrapping
up his visit late Friday.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Russia: resolution of Karabakh conflict by use of force inadmissible
06.10.2007 15:23 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ `We are ready for negotiations and peacekeeping
mission in Nagorno Karabakh. But we reiterate that resolution of the
conflict by use of force is inadmissible,’ Russian State Duma member,
first deputy chairman of the parliamentary committee on defense,
Alexey Sigutkin said.

Military cooperation between Russia and Armenia bases on state
agreement, he said. `In compliance with the agreement on joint
security signed October 27, 2000 by the Russian Federation and the
Republic of Armenia, a united group of armed forces of the Russian
Federation and the Republic of Armenia was formed to ensure stability
in the region,’ Sigutkin said, Day.az reports.

Pontifical Visit Media Advisory

His Holiness Karekin II

Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians

Pontifical Visit of the
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue New York, New York 10016

Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate

Pontifical Visit
Media Relations Office

Michael O’Hurley-Pitts, Ph.D.
Director
Telephone: 212.686.0710 ext. 154
[email protected]
Facsimile: 212.689.1934
Cellular: 212.533.0335

Sylvie Keshishian
Public Relations Director
Telephone: 212.686.0710 ext. 160
[email protected]
Facsimile: 212.689.1934

PRESS RELEASE
5 October 2007

Ecumenical Leaders Gather To Greet His Holiness Karekin II at Special Dinner

New York – Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the
Armenian Church of America (Eastern) was host to a wide array of ecumenical
leaders who gathered for a special dinner to welcome His Holiness Karekin
II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians on his Pontifical
Visit to the Diocese.

The private dinner, included Church leaders from the Antiochian Orthodox,
Coptic, Episcopal, Greek Orthodox, Orthodox Church in America, Roman
Catholic, Russian Orthodox and Syrian Orthodox Churches, as well as leaders
of the National Council of Churches of Christ and the clergy of the Diocese
of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern).

Photos (L-R) His Holiness Karekin II, His Grace Archbishop Mark Sisk,
Episcopal Bishop of New York;

His Eminence Archbishop Mor Cyril Aphrem Karim of the Syrian Orthodox Church
and His Holiness Karekin II

Photos (L-R) His Excellency Bishop William Murphy, Diocese of Rockville
Centre, His Excellency Bishop Nicholas

Dimarzio, Diocese of Brooklyn; and His Grace Archbishop Celestino
Migliore, Apostolic Nuncio & Permanent Observer of the Holy See at the
United Nations; The Very Reverend Father Leonid Kishkovsky, Orthodox
Church in America

In his welcoming remarks and opening toast to His Holiness Karekin II, His
Eminence Archbishop Khajag Barsamian praised the Supreme Patriarch and
Catholicos of All Armenians for his pastoral care and leadership of his
flock in Armenian, Artsakh and the rest of the Armenian Diaspora scattered
across the globe. Noting the restoration of the Church in Armenian life
since the fall of the Soviet Empire, His Eminence Archbishop Barsamian
declared, "We are blessed to have His Holiness Karekin II as our leader. He
has shown himself to be the most successful religious leader in what had
previously been the Soviet Union."

Photos (L-R) His Grace Archbishop Celestino Migliore, Apostolic Nuncio &
Permanent Observer of the Holy See at the

United Nations; His Grace Bishop Bagrat Galstanyan, Armenian Bishop of
Canada; His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme

Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians and His Eminence Archbishop Khajag
Barsamian

Under communist governments, the Armenian Church was severely restricted to
operating just 13 churches and only allowing 26 priests to function. Under
the guidance of His Holiness Karekin II, the Armenian Church in the
motherland now has over 250 churches and routinely ordains approximately 30
new priests each year. Contrary to the trend of decreasing vocations in
other Churches in the West, Armenian Church seminaries are full, with more
than 200 seminarians studying for the priesthood at present.

His Holiness Karekin II was born in 1951 in the village of Voskehat, near
Etchmiadzin, Armenia and baptized Ktrij Nersissian. He entered the seminary
of Holy Etchmiadzin in 1965, graduating with honors in 1971. For a year
after gradu-ation, he taught at the theological seminary at Holy
Etchmiadzin. He was ordained a deacon in 1970 and a celibate priest in
1972, at which time he received the priestly name "Karekin." (In the
Armenian Church, when deacons are ordained to the priesthood they receive a
saints name or other holy name from their Bishop.)

In June of 1999, Catholicos Karekin I passed away. In October of that year,
the National Ecclesiastical Assembly of the Armenian Church met to choose a
successor to Catholicos Karekin I of blessed memory. Armenian Church
communities around the world sent delegations of bishops, priests and lay
persons to Armenia, to deliberate and elect a new Catholicos – the 132nd in
a continuous line dating back to the 4th century. On October 27, 1999,
Archbishop Nersissian was elected, and following his consecration and
enthrone-ment on November 4, he took the name and title of His Holiness
Karekin II (the Second), Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.

Please log on to our website
<http://www.pontificalv isit.org/> to keep up to date with His Holiness’
Pontifical Visit.

# # #

KOCHARIAN TO FLY TO TAJIKISTAN FOR CIS SUMMIT

ARMENPRESS
Oct 04 2007

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 4, ARMENPRESS: President Robert Kocharian is flying
October 5 to Tajikistan’s capital Dushanbe to join counterparts from
other former Soviet republics for a recurrent summit of heads of the
Commonwealth of the Independent States (CIS).

Kocharian will also attend a meeting of the Collective Security
Treaty Organization (CSTO) Council and another meeting of heads of
the countries making the Eurasian Economic Community, also hosted
by Tajikistan.

Kocharian’s entourage will include defense minister Mikael Harutunian,
chief of the presidential staff and national security council secretary
Armen Gevorkian, other government officials and journalists.

Kocharian’s press office said CIS heads will focus on a CIS development
concept and a plan of actions designed to boost cooperation among
former Soviet nations. The CSTO Council meeting will focus on a set
of issues pertaining to the organization’s future operation.

The CIS heads will sign a number of documents, developed to boost
their political and military partnership.

The CIS was created in 1991 and unites most of the former Soviet
republic.

Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan
and Armenia are now united in a military coalition – the Collective
Security Treaty Organization.

The same states except for Armenia are members of the Eurasian Economic
Community, or EurAsEC.

CLERIC SPREADS FAITH’S TRADITIONS: HIS HOLINESS KAREKIN II VISITS CALIFORNIA
By Louis Sahagun, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

Los Angeles Times, CA
rnia/la-me-armenian3oct03,0,1315730.story?coll=la- headlines-pe-california
Oct 3 2007

His Holiness Karekin II, spiritual leader of the world’s 10 million
Armenians, visits with worshipers on a two-day trip to the Southland.

With the pouring of holy oil and the release of 50 white doves,
the head of the worldwide Armenian Apostolic Church on Tuesday ended
a tour of Southern California’s Armenian American community, a trip
highlighted by the groundbreaking for a cathedral and the consecration
of a new church’s altar.

The consecration with muron, or holy oil, of the pink marble altar at
St. Gregory the Illuminator Church on Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena
was an apt metaphor for the unifying force of the Armenian church on
the community of about 300,000 people in the region. The muron —
a mixture of herbs, flower extracts, spices, wine and olive oil —
has ties to an original batch mixed in Armenia at the church’s founding
1,706 years ago.

Interactive Feature Consecrating an Altar (Flash)The oil is replenished
every seven years by pouring old into new. In a way, that was the
role of His Holiness Karekin II during his pontifical visit, infusing
the growing local church with the spirit and traditions of the nation
that some local Armenians refer to as the Motherland.

Clad in robes of purple, light beige and burgundy embroidered in
gold, with a black cowl denoting celibacy, Karekin presided over the
consecration in a 90-minute service before about 1,000 worshipers.

Karekin’s personal blessings coincided with the 80th anniversary of
the Burbank-based Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North
America. His presence was hailed as fitting acknowledgment of the
region’s stature as a burgeoning crossroads of Armenian American
culture, business, religion and success.

There was a lot to be thankful for. Over the centuries the people
of Armenia have been decimated and dispersed by war, conquest and
genocide. But here, the Armenian American population has exploded
over the last 20 years into one of the greatest concentrations of
Armenians outside Armenia.

In his third trip to the United States, Karekin II’s primary goal was
to visit with East Coast congregations. The fact that he made time for
a two-day swing through Southern California "symbolizes the importance
of the community in terms of numbers and its financial ability to
support the Holy See and the Armenian Republic itself," said Richard
Dekmejian, director of the USC Institute of Armenian Studies.

On Monday night, amid acrid plumes of incense and bursts of chant and
choir song, Karekin, patriarch of the world’s 10 million Armenians,
consecrated the altar at St. Gregory, continuing a river of sacraments
and symbols that flows back to the year 301.

The ritual began with a welcoming ceremony in which five young girls
wearing white veils and traditional floor-length blue dresses greeted
Karekin at the church gates with a symbolic offering of bread, salt
and water served on silver platters.

Karekin proceeded to the church entrance under a large silk canopy
resting on four poles held by four prominent congregants. Along the
way, priests waved incense burners, deacons rang bells and Karekin
gently tapped bowed heads on each side of the procession with a
fist-sized gold cross studded with gemstones.

Among the faithful was Joseph Melkonian, 55, a deacon at St. Gregory
and a general contractor who built the exterior limestone walls of
the $5-million domed church. "I feel a special connection between
this moment and 301. Our church is unbeatable," Melkonian said.

Inside, the altar was washed with wine and water by its "godfathers,"
or major funders, including the Imasdounian brothers — Vahe, Daniel
and Vasken — who donated $150,000 toward its construction.

"This is a very fulfilling day; a joyous, joyous achievement," said
Vahe Imasdounian, chairman of the Armenian General Benevolent Union,
the largest Armenian charitable organization in the United States.

"Our souls are at rest."

Karekin took up a silver vessel shaped like a dove and poured muron
into a chalice. Then, as the choir sang "alleluia, alleluia," he
dipped his thumb into the oil and made the sign of the cross on the
marble while intoning alone, "Blessed, anointed and sanctified be the
top of this divine holy altar with this sign of the holy cross. . . ."

The ritual rendered St. Gregory, the first church built in Pasadena
in 10 years, officially open for Holy Communion and worship. Karekin
addressed the congregation in Armenian, and a priest then repeated
the remarks in English.

"Orphaned from their homeland for centuries, traversing the road of
the immigrant, many Armenians found refuge and safety in the United
States by the grace and mercy of God," Karekin said. "The Western
Diocese was founded as a testimony to the rebirth of Armenians."

"Through your assistance and contributions," he said, "countless
programs in the spheres of Christian education and socioeconomic and
cultural development are being realized in Armenia."

On Tuesday, he presided over the groundbreaking for a $12-million
cathedral in the 3300 block of Glenoaks Boulevard in Burbank. The
ceremony was attended by more than 500 worshipers, dignitaries and
supporters of various faiths, some of them waving small red, blue
and orange Armenian flags.

As work crews on earthmovers waited for the ceremony to end, Karekin
told the crowd of his mission to restore old churches and build new
ones. So far, more than 50 new churches worldwide have been consecrated
under his leadership.

His newest house of prayer in Burbank, he said, "shall soon rise
up from this ground to the heavens on the blessed land of America,
where within her walls and under her roof, she shall keep bountiful
the spirit of faith in Christ and national identity in the souls of
our Armenian sons and daughters on the banks of the Pacific."

ARMENTEL REMINDS OF PSRC DECISION

ARMENPRESS
Oct 03 2007

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 3, ARMENPRESS: ArmenTel mobile telephone operator
has warned today that all its subscribers using pre-paid system (easy
card) must sign contracts with the company, as required by a decision
of the Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC) of March 30.

t said the deadline is November 1. Otherwise the telephones will
be disconnected. Contracts can be signed with service centers of
ArmenTel. As a bonus the company has promised 50 SMSs to subscribers.

BABACAN: TURKEY EXPECTS URGENT STEPS BY US, BAGHDAD AND IRAQI KURDS AGAINST PKK

The New Anatolian, Turkey
Oct 3 2007

Both administrations in the north of Iraq and Iraqi central
administration as well as the United States should exert "urgent and
determined" efforts which will bring concrete results in the fight
against PKK terrorist organization, Foreign Minister Ali Babacan told
a press conference at Turkish House in New York early Tuesday.

Babacan said that he conveyed Turkey’s views about this issue strongly
to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Iraqi Foreign Minister
Hoshyar Zebari.

Upon a question about U.S.-made weapons in PKK possession, Babacan
said that the investigation on the issue has not been completed yet,
but it is obvious that serious mistakes were made. "We will see the
results after the investigation is completed," he added.

Upon a question about fight against terrorism, Babacan said that
terrorism is a global problem, noting that Turkey has not received
the support and solidarity it expects from other states in fight
against PKK.

Noting that this attitude –which is especially seen in European
countries– has changed recently, Babacan said that now PKK has been
listed as a terrorist organization by many states and organizations.

Underscoring that Iraq’s political unity and territorial integrity
should be preserved, Babacan said Turkey, as a neighboring country,
exerted efforts for a national compromise in Iraq. Turkey particularly
suggested inclusion of Sunnis in the political process and launched
Iraq’s Neighboring Countries initiative, added Babacan.

Responding to a question, Babacan said Iraq’s future was very
important both for the United States and Turkish people, indicating
that rapid withdrawal of the U.S. soldiers from Iraq may have
extremely "destructive" outcomes and the problem may become more
serious. "Withdrawal of the United States according to a specific
timetable and securing stability after the withdrawal is very
important," he said.

Reaffirming that Iraq’s division could not be an alternative, Babacan
said Iraq was always administered by single central authority,
and international society advocated Iraq’s political unity and
territorial integrity.

Babacan expressed pleasure over rise of U.N. role in Iraq, yet noted
that it would not be right to have high expectations about the U.N. on
the matter.

*****

Ties with Iran

When asked Turkey’s views regarding Iran’s nuclear program, Babacan
said that Turkey’s stance is very clear, adding, "we don’t want
proliferation of nuclear weapons in our region." He added that
Turkey has always stressed, during talks with Iran, that it (Iran)
has to be transparent as well as in cooperation and dialogue with
the international community.

Recalling that Turkey is one of the oldest members of the UN, Babacan
said that UN cannot make decisions easily about Iran.

Upon a question about the memorandum of understanding on natural gas
signed with Iran, Babacan said that energy is an important issue,
and production of natural gas is nearly the half of electricity
production in Turkey, adding that 49 provinces are heated by natural
gas in Turkey.

Noting that Europe and Turkey should diversify their energy resources,
Babacan said that the memorandum of understanding which Turkey signed
with Iran is a step to research what can be done in this issue,
adding that it is not an agreement.

Babacan said that priorities of Turkish foreign policy are stability
and security of its nearby region and the EU process.

Foreign Minister Babacan said that his contacts on the sidelines of
UN’s General Assembly meetings were indeed very fruitful, adding that
he told his counterparts about Turkey’s contributions to world peace,
its economy, which is the 17th biggest in the world, and its particular
place within the dialogue of civilizations and the world energy sector.

*****

The Cyprus issue

Babacan stated that during his contacts he briefed his counterparts
about the Cyprus issue, and about a meeting which was held between
President Mehmet Ali Talat of the Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus (TRNC) and leader of the Greek Cypriot administration Tassos
Papadopoulos on September 5. Babacan added that Turkey’s membership
in the European Union was particularly taken up during his meetings
with European foreign ministers.

In a separate meeting earlier at the Turkish American Association
Babacan said Turkey and Turkish Cypriots still support the start
of talks under U.N. auspices, "we favor finding a fair, permanent
and a comprehensive solution to the problem. The Turkish government
endeavored to find such a solution," he noted.

Babacan said Turkish Cypriots continued to live under embargo and
restrictions although they voted "yes" for the Annan plan. "They
continued to punish the constructive party, Turkish Cypriots. The
Greek Cypriot party, which did not favor cooperation, was awarded
and given EU membership. Turkey will continue to do its best in the
future for the resolution of the problem," he said.

Babacan said Cyprus question started in 1960s, noting that Turkey,
following the tragedies in that period, abided by international
agreements and intervened as guarantor country. "We had every kind
of reasons to be there at that time in the past and we have every
kind of reasons to be there today," he added.

*****

Condemns terrorism

Babacan also condemned a recent attack by the members of the terrorist
organization PKK, which killed 12 Turkish citizens over the weekend.

"We have told our counterparts about the importance of counter
terrorism and the international cooperation on this issue and brought
to the attention of the foreign ministers of certain countries a need
to stop PKK/Kongragel’s illegal activities. And we expressed in the
possible strongest terms that Turkey would not tolerate terrorists
to use the north of Iraq as a base and staging area," Babacan said.

*****

Armenian allegations

Touching on the Armenian allegations on the incidents of 1915 in
Ottoman Turkey and a draft resolution awaiting discussion on the U.S.

Senate floor that sees these events as an act of genocide, Babacan
said that "history should not be written by parliamentary votes."

"Allegations about the incidents of 1915 proved one of the most
difficult issues in relations between Turkey and the United States, one
which could negatively affect the relations," Babacan told reporters,
adding that Turkey closely monitored developments in Washington.

"We have to be careful in every step we take as the Armenian lobbies
allocate enormous resources for the issue," Babacan said.

The foreign minister also recalled that Armenia still has to respond
to a Turkish offer to set up a joint commission of historians and
experts to look into the allegations.

"History should not be written by parliamentary votes, but by
historians. We have opened all our archives for research and anyone
willing to dig into them are happily welcomed. It is not us who
have fears."

*****

Aim is EU membership

Earlier addressing the Turkish-American Association Babacan said
Turkey will not accept any other arrangement apart from full and
equal membership in the EU.

Babacan gave information to the audience about Turkey’s EU accession
process.

He said Turkey was grateful to the United States over its support to
Turkey’s EU membership process, and noted that the EU process was a
"social transformation" for Turkey. He also emphasized that the target
was to upgrade the standards of Turkish people.

Indicating that many countries closely monitored Turkey’s accession
process to the EU, Babacan said, "Turkey gradually proves that
democracy, secularism and Islam can live together."

Babacan said Turkey’s EU membership was important with respect to
human rights and its spread to Islamic countries, "Turkey will be
the gate of the EU opening to a vast geography," he noted.

He said many countries extending from Morocco to Indonesia monitored
Turkey closely, adding that, "what will happen in Turkey relays
messages to a very vast geography."

Responding to a question, Babacan said Turkey’s EU process was not
only important for the EU and Turkey, but also in regional and global
dimensions.

Babacan said current economic growth of many EU member countries
is slow, and noted that unemployment increased in some of them. He
said countries like Germany and France should make serious reforms
to increase competition.

Babacan said, "some circles, while commenting on Turkey’s EU
membership, made criticisms like Turkey was poor, big and different
in cultural sense to enter the EU. Such criticisms are not fair."

He said Turkey is the 17th largest economy in the world, and
moreover, some circles expected Turkey’s economy to rank the 10th in
2023. "Turkey is not poor," Babacan remarked.

Later Babacan held a reception at the Turkish House hosting Asha-Rose
Migiro, UN Deputy Secretary General, UNDP Chairman Kemal Dervis,
Zalmay Khalilzad, the permanent representative of the U.S. at the
United Nations and other senior Turkish and foreign diplomats.

Babacan is set to attend on Thursday foreign ministers’ meeting of
the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and meet Bangladeshi
and Armenian foreign ministers before he leaves for Turkey.

ARMENIA AND CROATIA TO ACTIVATE COOPERATION

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 1 2007

YEREVAN, October 1. /ARKA/. Armenia and Croatia intend to activate
cooperation. The press service of the Armenian Foreign Ministry told
ARKA that Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian accepted the delegation
from Croatia headed by the Assistant to Croatia’s Minister of Foreign
Affairs and European Integration, Head of the General Board of
Bilateral Cooperation Ivitsa Tomich.

The press service said that the aim of the visit is to conduct a
political meeting with Armenia’s Foreign Ministry.

During the meeting the sides assessed the bilateral relations. In
particular, Oskanian attached great importance to the development of
political and economic relations.

The sides pointed out the importance of the steps on activating
bilateral relations, replenishment of the contractual and legal filed,
creation of favorable conditions for strengthening contacts between
enterprises.

The sides approved the readiness of both countries to develop the
mutually beneficial cooperation between Armenia and Croatia in
international structures, especially within the UN.

Besides, Oskanian and Tomich expressed opinion about the relations
of the countries with their neighbors and settlement of regional
conflicts.

They also pointed out the necessity of cooperation directed to European
Integration, agreeing upon being consecutive in the elaboration of
the relevant protocol.

ARMENIA DOESN’T REJECT EUROATOM LOAN FOR CLOSING NPP

PanARMENIAN.Net
02.10.2007 13:00 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia doesn’t refuse from a 200 mln euro loan
Euroatom is supposed to grant for closing of the Armenian Nuclear
Power Plant, Lusine Harutyunyan, a spokesperson for the RA Energy
Ministry told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

Presently, Armenia is holding talks on the terms, according to her

Earlier, some media with reference to a source in the government
reported that Armenia is going to reject 20 mln euro loan for closing
the only nuclear power plant in the republic.

European Commission’s Acting Director for Eastern Europe, South
Caucasus and Central Asia, Mr Gunnar Wiegand said recently in Yerevan
that the EU insists on soonest closing of the ANPP and the Euroatom
is ready to grant a 200 mln euro loan for the purpose.

When in Yerevan, Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Manouchehr Mottaki
said Iran doesn’t exclude the possibility of financing construction
of a new NPP in Armenia.

The Metsamor NPP consists of two blocks. The first was put into
operation in 1976, the second – in 1980. The NPP capacity is 815
megawatt.

After the earthquake in 1988 the USSR government decreed to close
the plant.

In November 1995 the NPP was restarted. It processes 2 bln
kilowatt-hour annually.