Author: Vorskanian Yeghisabet

KRETSCHMER REPLIES TO BUYUKANIT’S CRITICISMS

Zaman, Turkey
Oct 3 2006

The European Commission Turkey Representative, Hansjorg Kretschmer,
said the relationship between the army and civilian authorities in
Turkey is important, and that his previous criticism that "army and
civilian administration should be detached" was a friendly one.

Kretschmer stated that Turkey, in the EU membership process, should
solve this problem and said he believes Turkey will fully fulfill
criteria and become an EU member.

Kretschmer also emphasized there is no criteria for Turkey to recognize
the so-called Armenian genocide.

Live on Turkey’s NTV, Kretschmer answered questions on Turkey’s
membership in the EU.

Stating Turkey should settle the issues of human rights, freedoms,
democracy and independent judiciary, Kretschmer said they believe
Turkey will fulfill the determined criteria and become an EU member
if it maintains stability.

When asked a question on whether the army’s attitude will affect
Turkey’s membership or not, Kretschmer said the relationship between
the army and civilian administration is important and this problem
should be solved in the process of accession talks with the EU.

Another question touched on whether allegations of the Armenian
genocide will affect Turkey’s membership or not, to which Kretschmer
replied this issue is not an EU accession criteria. Stating the
negotiation process is a political process, not a technical one,
Kretschmer said the accession agreement will be signed when criteria
are fulfilled, and other EU member countries will discuss this issue.

Kretschmer added that some EU member countries may oppose Turkey’s
membership.

Upon being reminded that some nationalists in Turkey criticize the EU
for trying to divide the country, Kretschmer said these allegations
are totally untrue. Kretschmer stated the EU’s aim is to support a
peaceful Turkey, and added the basis is always the principles serving
the benefits of member countries.

Concerning the adequacy of the reform packages prepared, Kretschmer
said the government is making stable efforts to proceed with reforms,
and added reforms are extremely important for a positive image
for Turkey.

When asked whether negotiations will halt unless Turkey opens its
ports and airports to the Greek Cypriot part, Kretschmer replied
this question should be addressed to the EU Enlargement Commissioner,
Olli Rehn. Stating there is no threat against Turkey on this issue,
Kretschmer said the25 member countries will make the final decision.

ARMENIANS MAY ARTIFICIALLY HAVE FEW REPRESENTATIVES IN SAKREBULOS OF JAVAKHK

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 3 2006

AKHALKALAK, OCTOBER 3, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Elections of
local self-government bodies will take place in Georgia on October 5.

According to the acting legislation, 10 deputies in each of regional
sakrebulos must be elected by the proportional electoral system and
one representative at each of the lowest local self-government bodies
(rural and town sakrebulos) must be elected. 32 (10+22) deputies
will be elected in the Akhalkalak region, 20 (10+10) ones in the
Ninotsminda region, 25 (10+15) in the Akhaltskha region, 22 (10+12)
in the Aspindza region, 20 (10+10) ones in the Borzhom region, 37
(10+27) deputies will be elected in the Tsalka region. The A-Info
agency states about it.

It is expected that more than 20% of deputies at the sakrebulo in
the region of Akhalkalak will be not Armenians by origin, in spite of
the circumstance that 90% of the population of the region is Armenians.

The problem is that some Armenian villages were artificially united
into one administrative unit, in a rural sakrebulo, and villages
having not numerous Georgian population are represented by separate
sakrebulos.

By the same reasoning, Armenians will make a comparatively small number
in sakrebulo of the region of Tsalka, though they make majority of
the population, A-Info states.

Owing to 98% of Armenian population in the region of Ninotsminda and
presence of sakrebulos populated only by Armenians, only Armenians
will be voted here.

In the regions of Akhaltskha, Aspindza and Borzhom as well,
though Armenians do not make majority in sakrebulos, however their
representation is again artificially limited.

ANKARA SUR LA DEFENSIVE
by Laure Marchand

Le Figaro, France
03 octobre 2006

C’EST REPARTI pour un nouveau bras de fer diplomatique entre Paris et
Ankara. Vu de Turquie, le president francais a declenche le premier les
hostilites. "Chirac s’obstine : "reconnaissez le genocide armenien",
titrait dimanche le quotidien populaire a grand tirage Sabah,
commentant ses propos tenus au cours de la visite d’Etat qu’il a
effectuee en Armenie. Au cours de sa conference de presse a Erevan
samedi, Jacques Chirac a etabli pour la première fois un lien entre la
reconnaissance par la Turquie du caractère genocidaire des massacres
contre les Armeniens et l’adhesion d’Istanbul a l’Union europeenne.

La Turquie qualifie toujours les tueries perpetrees sous l’Empire
ottoman de 1915 a 1917 de "pretendu genocide" et concède tout au
plus 500 000 morts de part et d’autre. Les declarations de Jacques
Chirac sur ce sujet très sensible n’ont pour l’instant pas provoque
de tolle generalise. Le premier ministre, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, en
deplacement a Washington où il doit rencontrer George W. Bush lundi,
n’a pas encore reagi. Mais le discours d’Erevan risque de conforter
la Turquie dans la conviction qu’elle a d’etre prise en otage par la
politique interieure francaise. "Il s’agit d’un beau compliment pour
conquerir le coeur des Armeniens de France, considère placidement
Mehmet Dulger, president de la commission des Affaires etrangères
du Parlement turc. Nous en avons un peu marre d’etre sans arret
au milieu des enjeux electoraux." Lobbying La prochaine echeance
arrive d’ailleurs le 12 octobre : les deputes francais se pencheront
a nouveau sur une proposition de loi socialiste visant a penaliser
la negation du genocide armenien. Les peines prevues vont jusqu’a un
an d’emprisonnement et 45 000 euros d’amende. Mehmet Dulger devait
arriver ce matin a Paris, a la tete d’une delegation parlementaire
chargee de contre-attaquer et "de tenter de convaincre les elus de
renoncer a cette loi". Le groupe turc reprend son bâton de pèlerin
pour la deuxième fois cette annee : un voyage de lobbying avait deja
eu lieu en mai dernier lors du premier examen du texte, non soumis au
vote faute de temps. En exigeant d’Ankara la reconnaissance du genocide
armenien, le president francais pose un obstacle supplementaire a
l’entree de la Turquie dans l’Union europeenne.

Bruxelles n’a pas fait de cette demarche historique un critère
d’adhesion. Mais le sujet s’immisce de plus en plus frequemment dans
les negociations. Le Parlement europeen a adopte le 27 septembre un
rapport non contraignant sur la candidature turque et a retire in
extremis un paragraphe qui contenait une demande similaire. Recep
Tayyip Erdogan avait declare a cette occasion, "le match a commence,
il n’est pas question d’en changer les règles".

–Boundary_(ID_gi3XmK02yx8N0h2 v0qaD/w)–

IDEA ITSELF IS NONSENSE
By Gegham Qyurumian

AZG Armenian Daily
28/09/2006

The 3d Armenia-Diaspora-2006 forum set a main purpose of improving
rural infrastructures and stopping population flow from villages. The
idea to settle problems of the villages by reconstructing schools
and clinics is just a simple example of manifestation of the best
wishes. To prove the point I’ll remind of a number of slaughterhouses
in villages built on tens of thousand US dollars. When they were built
on Diaspora’s money and were officially opened officials trumpeted
that they were designed to bring relief to villagers. Absurdly enough,
agriculture representatives today ask each other if anyone has ever
seen a single calf in these slaughterhouses.

Those buildings doomed to idleness give a hint that a similar
fate awaits other rural infrastructures as it is not due to their
absence that rural residents leave the villages but due to absence
of necessary means to buy clothes and stationery for their children
to go to school. But there was no such item on the forum’s agenda. It
is the extremely low productivity of Armenian farmers’ work that puts
them on the edge of immigration.

The forum did not touch upon this situation but instead set a goal
of increasing the rural population by one in each village. Authors
of the project should be informed that in 15 rural communities out
of 24 selected growth of population has been recorded, according
to population census of 2001. According to the forum’s glamorous
"Eliminating Rural Poverty" magazine, Getik village of Gugharkunik
region, for one, has 530 residents whereas the census of 2001 has
counted 471 people. Jrap village of Shirak region in 2001 had a
population of 784 people, but according to the magazine this number
is 1051. This situation can be explained by the return of municipal
population to their roots to try to somehow keep body and soul together
in the village. It was necessary that the forum of powerful people
raised the issue of overcoming this situation.

Anyone acquainted with the very day life of Armenia will testify that
2/3 of goods that we consume is an import that reaches to 1 billion
USD. The interest of some of high-ranking officials to see a market
full of imports can be understood. But one cannot understand why the
officials neglect the possibility to solve country’s problems by the
work of Armenian farmers.

"JOURNALISTIC ORGANISATIONS ARE CONCERNED"

A1+
[12:16 pm] 26 September, 2006

The remarks and suggestions of Journalists’ Union, Yerevan Press
Club and "Internews" NGO on the draft amendments to the RA law on
"Television and Radio"

Taking into consideration the freedom of expression, media diversity
and their significant role in the society as well as the necessity
of establishing democratic, legal system, we present the following
observations; 1. Certain amendments to the bill, with the exception
of Article 21 referring to the appointment of the members to the
Nation Commission, are not in line with the motives of the draft
admission. Article 83.2 of the Constitution, according to which an
independent regulating body is formed by law to provide freedom of
mass media and diversity, cannot serve a convincing basis to endorse
such amendments.

On the other hand, the contents of Article 21 with its current
formulation doesn’t comply with the demands of Article 83.2 lest the
change of National Commission members according to the constitutional
demands are made clear. In fact, this is an attempt of avoiding
adjustment of the legislation to the constitutional amendments in
close future. Taking into account the fact that the current members
are appointed by the RA President, we suggest involving 8 members
elected by the National Assembly in the Commission. As a result of
this members will be elected equally by the RA President and by
the National Assembly. Besides, the demands of Article 11 of the
Constitution according to which "current members must hold their
posts by the time their term of office stipulated by the RA law on
"Television and Radio" has expired" will not be breeched. 2. We assume
that the attempt of the government to put the draft amendments on the
agenda of the national Assembly without holding public debates and
consultation with market representatives will have its side-effect
on the quality of the Law.

Besides, in comparison with the adopted democratic principles,
it merely ignores the opinion of civil society. We also think
that the annulation of the advertisement restrictions is a
real threat as it offers unequal conditions at the market of
advertisement. It is obvious that such amendments must be taken
into serious consideration. The interests of private TV Companies
and audience must be taken into consideration as well. 3. Reminder:
the bill doesn’t reflect the opinion of international organisations
and NGOs, a number of suggestions made on the legislation as well as
the provisions of consultations 96 (10) and 2000 (23) of the Council
of Europe. Finally, in regard of the absence of Commission’s freedom,
the draft amendments may strengthen the negative phenomena connected
with the sphere regulation and worsen the current situation.

We voice hope that the RA Government and National Assembly will take
into account our observations and suggestions and will hold mass
discussions on the bill.

STUDENTS CLEAN YEREVAN

Panorama.am
15:52 18/09/06

Frunzeh Basentsyan, construction, improvement and utilities
department head at Yerevan municipality, said 10,000 students,
21,000 schoolchildren took party on a subbotnik, September 16, a
cleaning day in Yerevan. Some 380 cars of garbage was transported to
Nubarashen disposal tip. Basentsyan praised the participants, saying,
"The subbotnik passed at a desired level."

The municipality employee called all residents of Yerevan to keep the
city clean. Ignoring the collected garbage on the streets of Yerevan,
Basentsyan said "certain progress is registered in keeping the city
clean determined by new garbage cars." The official also informed the
reporters that a garbage collection project plans to establish one or
two organizations which will conduct cleaning in the city. However,
Basentsyan said it will not be soon.

ARMINFO News Agency
September 12, 2006 Tuesday

AZERBAIJAN DID NOT ALLOW TO INVITE OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVES OF
ARMENIA TO FESTIVAL IN KARS

Yerevan September 12

The Municipality of Kars (Turkey) has not invited official
representatives of Armenia to the Sept 13-15 folk festival in Kars
after the protest of the Azeri public and mass media, Azeri Consul to
Kars Gasan Zeynalov says in an exclusive interview to APA.

Zeynalov says that he met with the Kars authorities and they promised
him to hold no discussions concerning the opening of the border
between Turkey and Armenia. "I told them that the opening of the
border is out of question for as long as Armenia has territorial
claims against Turkey and is carrying out occupant policy against
Azerbaijan," says Zeynalov.

He says that during the previous 2nd festival the sides discussed the
problem of border opening but the Azeri representatives expressed
protest and left the meeting.

To remind, recently the Kars Mayor appeared with a statement about
the necessity of opening the border with Armenia.

FRANCE:Â"ARMENIA MY FRIEND"
Sept 21, 2006 – July 14, 2007
by Jean Eckian

Paris september 13, 2006

Yesterday, September 12, Philippe Douste Blazy, french Foreign
Minister and Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres, Minister to the Culture
and Communication, launched officially the "Year of Armenia" to
the course of press conference in the presence of their armenian
counterparts Hasmik Poghosyan, Minister to the Culture and the Youth
and Vartan Oskanian, Foreign Minister of Armenia. Â" Armenia is close
and faraway, familiar and unknown. This is why this event constituted
a true challenge Â" R. Donnedieu de Vabres said. Opportunity to recall
the intimate and old bonds linking France to Armenia and its people,
and also opportunity to make discover with French people the richness
of the Armenian culture and its 3000 years of History. Thus, more
than 500 artistic events and development of the Armenian heritage
will commemorate the friendship France – Armenia between September
21, 2006 (birthday of the Republic of Armenia) and July 14, 2007
(national day in France since the Revolution of 1789). Important
times of this exemplary testimony of friendship between the two
countries will be marked, september 29 by the visit of the french
President Jacques Chirac to Yerevan (1), with the inauguration of
the "Place of France" and the big Concert of Charles Aznavour, place
of the Republic, accompanied by its guests, of which the singer of
Quebec Linda Demay and the french singer star Patricia Kaas. Lastly,
to conclude this year to the festivities, the operation "Thousand
Ambassadors for Armenia", 1000 children from Armenia will be invited
in France to learn the language of Moliere (french), thus giving to
its true direction to "Armenia my Friend". France invested a budget
of 1,5 million Euros in this event to which are added the financial
participation of many Armenian associations of France.

–Boundary_(ID_ywd1U0R6PInGmpZ3Sz0APw)–

PATRIARCH KAREKIN CALLS TO COOPERATE WITH SYRIAN SCHOLAR

SANA – Syrian Arab News Agency, Syria
Sept 8 2006

YERIVAN, (SANA) – Patriarch of the Armenian Church Karekin II
underlined on Thursday importance of the current visit of the Republic
Mufti to Armenia.

"We have to seek cooperation and build ties among religions as well as
realize mutual understanding between representatives of religions,"
Patriarch Karekin said in a joint press conference with Mufti Sheikh
Ahmed Badre Eddin .

For his part, the Mufti underlined "peace is Syria’s strategic option"
saying we are in quest of realizing just and comprehensive peace in
the Middle East.

He emphasized the significance of bringing about a just solution for
the central cause of Palestine.

The Mufti denounced some forces linking of the terror phenomenon
with Islam saying, we must learn that practices perpetrated under
the religion’s name or under a nation’s name represent their doers
and not peoples; asserting that Syria was the first who suffered from
this rejected phenomenon.

EUROPEAN HERITAGE DAYS SET OFF IN ARMENIA

Yerevan, September 9. ArmInfo. One can deeply feel the heart of
Armenia and Europe only through familiarizing oneself with cultural
heritage. That’s why it is very much important to preserve own culture
and history for the generations to come, Special Representative of
CE Secretary General Bojana Urumova said, while opening the European
Heritage Day in the territory of Zvartnots Cathedral museum-reserve
(VII).

Urumova pointed out that such inter-state cooperation plays a big role
not only for preserving cultural-historical monuments but also for
involving youths from around the world in this work. Last year alone
over 20 mln people from 49 European states took part in this action
symbolizing the unity and deversity of common cultural heritage,
Urumova said.

During the days, on Sept 9-10 people will enjoy free access to all
Armenian museums. Besides, the Armenian Culture and Youth Ministry
will organize tours all over Armenia.