Author: Virabian Jhanna

Zaman , Turkey
Oct 13 2006

Brussels Concerned; `Decision Foolish & un-European’
By Selcuk Gultasli, Brussels
Friday, October 13, 2006
zaman.com

Brussels has been deeply troubled by the approval of the French bill
making it illegal to deny the alleged Armenian genocide despite
warnings from the European Union and the European Parliament (EP).

The EU Commission has declared that the passing of the bill will not
be a factor in Turkey’s EU accession negotiation efforts.

Remarking that the bill had not yet become law, the EU Commission
emphasized the significance of leaving the matter to be discussed by
historians and researchers.

While negative reactions from EP members continue, one of the
harshest criticisms came from Joost Lagendijk, chairman of European
Union-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Commission, whose description of the
bill was `foolish and far from belonging to Europe.’

Andrew Duff, the English member of the EP for East England, told the
French assembly, `You have made Voltaire turn in his grave!’

Duff also said the European Court of Human Rights must be ready to
oversee the matter in case it became law.

Camiel Eurlings, the Turkey reporter of the EP, noted that France’s
decision to cut down on freedom of speech had made things more
difficult for Turkey, especially at a time when it was trying to
establish freedom of speech and thought.

Eurlings further noted that `Politicians cannot write history; let’s
leave this to historians.’

Krisztina Nagy, the spokeswoman for EU Commissioner Olli Rehn, said,
"In the case this bill becomes a law, it would prevent the dialogue
and debate that are necessary for reconciliation," and highlighted
that the recognition of `genocide’ is not a Copenhagen criterion.

Asked if the decision would be included in Turkey’s EU accession
progress report to be unveiled on Nov. 9, Nagy said that the two
subjects aren’t related to one another.

When Zaman asked if France’s decision contradict the European Union,
which has been pressing Turkey for freedom of speech, Nagy simply
stressed that the matter should be left to historians and
researchers.

PATRICK DEVEJIAN PROPOSES AMENDMENT IN THE LAW CRIMINALIZING THE DENIAL OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Public Radio, Armenia
Oct 10 2006

Representative of the Democratic Movement Union of France, Armenian
in origin, Patrick Devejian has proposed an amendment in the law
criminalizing the denial of the Armenian Genocide, insisting that it
should not apply to researchers and historians.

The proposed amendment consists of only one clause, "These measures
do not apply to academic and scientific research."

The European Armenian Federation calls on Parliamentarians to adopt
the law for the sake of "human dignity."

In a statement attached to the proposed amendment Devejian noted
that the draft will prevent the political disputes by any country,
first of all meaning Turkey.

THREE IRAQI ARMENIAN FAMILIES MOVE TO ARMENIA

Armenpress
Oct 10 2006

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 10, ARMENPRESS: A Los-Angeles-based Iraqi Armenian
Assistance Foundation has helped to bring another three Iraqi
Armenian families to Armenia. Overall since its inception last year
the Foundation has helped to evacuate seven Armenian families or 30
people from Iraq to Armenia.

It has listed also 95 other families who want to move to Armenia.

Foundation chairman Sargis Derdzakian says each member of the family
that comes to Armenia receives $1000 assistance. The money to secure
Iraqi Armenians transportation to Armenia and other related expenses
is raised in the USA among local Armenians.

Derdzakian says more Armenians could be evacuated if this initiative
is endorsed by Armenian communities in other countries.

ARMENIENS, UE: PARIS TENTE DE CALMER LA COLèRE D’ANKARA

Agence France Presse
9 octobre 2006 lundi

Paris a cherche lundi a calmer la colère d’Ankara face aux debats en
France sur le genocide des Armeniens et l’entree de la Turquie dans
l’Union europeenne (UE), en affirmant vouloir preserver "la perennite"
des relations entre les deux pays.

Ces dossiers ont ete evoques lors d’un entretien telephonique samedi
entre les ministres des Affaires etrangères des deux pays, Philippe
Douste-Blazy et Abdullah Gul, a indique le porte-parole du ministère
francais des Affaires etrangères, Jean-Baptiste Mattei.

M. Douste-Blazy a "marque notre attachement a la perennite des
relations entre la Turquie et la France, dans le domaine politique
et dans le domaine economique", a-t-il declare.

Il a aussi "rappele le soutien apporte par la France a la perspective
europeenne de la Turquie, afin de permettre a celle-ci de partager
les valeurs et la vision politique de l’Europe".

M. Douste-Blazy a egalement rappele que le gouvernement francais
ne soutenait pas une proposition de loi controversee instaurant
des sanctions penales en cas de negation du genocide des Armeniens
par la Turquie durant la Première guerre mondiale. Ce texte doit
venir a nouveau devant l’Assemblee nationale jeudi a l’initiative
des socialistes, et le suspense plane sur son adoption, les deputes
etant largement partages.

Le ministre "a redit la position des autorites francaises qui avait
ete presentee a l’Assemblee nationale le 18 mai dernier" lors d’un
precedent examen du texte, où le gouvernement avait deja exprime
son desaccord.

M. Gul a menace dimanche la France de represailles economiques si ce
texte etait adopte.

M. Douste-Blazy a manifestement cherche a presenter sous un jour le
moins polemique possible pour Ankara les declarations du president
Jacques Chirac sur la necessite pour la Turquie de reconnaître le
genocide des Armeniens avant de pouvoir entrer dans l’UE.

"Le ministre a rappele notre position sur la question du travail
de memoire, telle qu’elle avait ete exprimee par le president de la
Republique lors de sa visite en Armenie", a declare M. Mattei.

–Boundary_(ID_HiJ6saWKn8+OeBLUpja9nA)–

GEORGIA AND RUSSIA MUST THINK ABOUT ARMENIA

A1+
[06:25 pm] 09 October, 2006

Answering the question of "A1+" if they use the intergovernmental
links well enough to reduce the possible losses of Armenia due to
the tension in the relations between Russia and Georgia, NA Speaker
Tigran Torosyan said that the relations of the two countries are so
complicated that only Russia and Georgia can solve their own problems.

Tigran Torosyan also thinks that the two countries must think about
their friend and prove the friendship they like to speak about. "But
one thing is obvious: both Russia and Georgia must do everything in
order for Armenia not to suffer because of their problems.

Otherwise, the announcements about friendship will remain empty words",
he added.

ARMENIA, FINLAND DRAW 0-0 IN A EURO 2008 QUALIFIER

Associated Press Worldstream
October 7, 2006 Saturday 7:06 PM GMT

Armenia held Finland to a goalless draw Saturday, earning its first
point in 2008 European Championship qualifying while the Finns settled
for a second straight tie.

The result left Finland with five points from three games while the
hosts remained at the bottom of Group A with one point.

Finland controlled the pace of the game and had its first scoring
opportunity in the 20th minute when Jonatan Johansson drove a low
show shot toward the right corner before Armenian goalkeeper Gevorg
Kasparov thwarted the chance with diving block.

A minute later, Finnish goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen denied Yegishe
Melikian on a counterattack.

Finland had three near misses in the second half. Kasparov blocked
Shefki Kuqi’s low shot in the 54th minute and fisted away Mika
Vayrynen’s header off a corner kick in the 75th.

Nine minutes later he blocked Mikael Forssell’s header off Jari
Litmanen’s pass from the left.

Finland’s final chance came in the 85th minute, but Forssell’s shot
from the edge of the box was cleared by Kasparov.

Armenia next travels to Serbia while Finland goes to play Kazakhstan,
both on Wednesday.

Lineups:

Armenia: Gevorg Kasparov; Sargis Hovsepian, Robert Arzumanian,
Karen Dokhoian, Yegishe Melikian, Armen Tigranian, Karen Aleksanian
(Aram Hakobian, 54), Arman Karamian (Aghvan Mkrtchian, 45), Armen
Shehgeldian, Edgar Manucharian (Ara Hakobian, 78).

Finland: Jussi Jaaskelainen, Petri Pasanen, Sami Hyypia, Mika Vayrynen
(Mika Nurmela, 73), Hannu Tihinen, Jari Litmanen, Joonas Kolkka,
Shefki Kuqi (Mikael Forssell, 66), Noni Kallio, Jonatan Johansson
(Aki Riihilahti, 83), Markus Heikkinen.

EUROPEAN CENTER FOR COMMEMORATION OF ETHNIC CLEANSING VICTIMS BEING ESTABLISHED

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.10.2006 19:12 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ By a vote of almost equal number for and against the
PACE supported the creation of the European Center for Commemoration
of Displacement and Ethnic Cleansing Victims. However, during a vote
over specific proposals on establishment of that Center, the necessary
two thirds of votes were not gathered.

By Resolution 1522, adopted by a majority vote, the PACE underscored
that the Center will not deal with matters of deportation of Jews or
compensation for lost property, while it "will remind Europeans about
their history of forced migration, promote reconciliation, serve a
tool for conflict prevention," reports the PACE Communication Office.

INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNION REGISTERS SHUSHA TV TO AZERBAIJAN’S NAME

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Oct 5 2006

International Telecommunication Union has registered Shusha TV channel
as Azerbaijan’s although it is being used by Armenians, Azerbaijani CIT
Ministry’s Teleradio Unit technical director Mikayil Abbasov told APA.

Transition of the channel of Shusha TV to the other one and all issues
of this channel have to be agreed with Azerbaijan. He said Armenian
TV channels are broadcasting in some territories of Azerbaijan
currently. Because of the close distance between the borders, the
mutual interference of the channels is natural.

"The outside channels have some interference but they can’t impede
our broadcasting," he said.

STRATFOR EXPERTS DON’T BELIEVE IN KARABAKH SETTLEMENT TILL YEAREND

PanARMENIAN.Net
04.10.2006 14:09 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The analysts of Stratfor, a security consulting
intelligence agency, do not consider that the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
will be settled till the end of the year even in case of a new round
of talks.

Azerbaijan is reinforcing its army but has not made big achievements
yet. Meanwhile, according to the experts, during the next three
months Azerbaijan will have a new source of income – a gas pipeline
will be put into operation in addition to the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil
pipeline. The Stratfor analysts suppose that the Georgian conflicts
will aggravate and the referendum in South Ossetia scheduled for
October 12 will worsen the situation.

Georgia will long to strengthen ties with the West, first of all with
the United States. Russia will try to encourage separatist movements
and undertake steps to hinder the possibility Georgia’s joining the
NATO, the experts say, reported RFE/RL.

AZERI, ARMENIAN MINISTERS TO MEET IN MOSCOW ON 6 OCTOBER – RUSSIAN MEDIATOR

Mediamax news agency, Yerevan,
3 Oct 06

Yerevan, 3 October: The Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers
are expected to meet in Moscow on 6 October, the Russian co-chairman
of the OSCE Minsk Group, Yuriy Merzlyakov, said in Yerevan today.

Addressing a news conference on the results of the mediators’
negotiations with the Armenian leadership, Merzlyakov said that the
main purpose of the co-chairmen’s visit to the region "was to achieve
a resumption of direct contacts between the two sides and we have
achieved this target".

The Russian mediator said it cannot be ruled out that the Armenian
and Azerbaijani ministers may meet again in mid-October following
the meeting in Moscow on 6 October.

"We hope that the meetings of the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign
ministers will give the two countries’ presidents a chance to meet,"
the French co-chairmen of the Minsk Group, Bernard Fassier, said.

"We are often asked if we are upbeat or downbeat. We prefer avoiding
this direct question and say that any small opportunity to achieve
a breakthrough should be taken," the French diplomat said.

US co-chairman Matthew Bryza said that "more vigour and more creative
approaches" should be employed in the negotiations.

"We are not saying that we are on the threshold of a major breakthrough
in the talks and that all difficult issues have been overcome. At
the same time, during this visit we saw both parties standing ready
to seek ways of moving ahead," Bryza said.

The US mediator said that the main factor slowing down the process
of reaching agreement is the lack of confidence between the parties.