Author: Vorskanian Yeghisabet

UN report condemns Oil-for-Food head for taking $ 150,000 kickback
by James Bone
The Times (London)
August 9, 2005, Tuesday
The UN is left reeling by revelations that its largest humanitarian
aid project had been corrupted, reports James Bone
The United Nations’ own inquiry into the Oil-for-Food scandal concluded
yesterday that the head of its largest humanitarian programme took
nearly $ 150,000 (£84,000) in kickbacks, most of it in stacks of
$100 bills.
Benon Sevan was accused of receiving the cash for steering Iraqi oil
contracts to a firm run by a brother-in-law and a cousin of Boutros
Boutros Ghali, the former UN chief.
The charge of outright corruption came in the report by the UN inquiry
led by Paul Volcker, the former chairman of the US Federal Reserve. The
findings rocked the UN, where officials initially dismissed the
Oil-for-Food scandal as a vendetta by right-wing American politicians
angered by UN opposition to the war in Iraq.
Mr Volcker’s findings suggest that Saddam Hussein’s government
was successful in effectively bribing the head of the Oil-for-Food
programme for the entire six years of its existence. The Volcker
commission said that Mr Sevan, who had been struggling after losing
on the stock market, received $ 147,184 in cash from December 1998 to
January 2002. The money came from oil sales by a Panama-based company,
African Middle East Petroleum (AMEP), which was run by Dr Boutros
Ghali’s relatives.
But the company was only able to get the contracts -and pay the
kickbacks – because Iraq had allocated the oil to Mr Sevan. The
report found that Mr Sevan had conspired with AMEP’s owner, Fakhry
Abdelnour, a cousin of Dr Boutros Ghali, and an AMEP officer, Fred
Nadler, the brother of Dr Boutros Ghali’s wife, Leia.
It concluded that “Mr Sevan corruptly benefited from his request
and receipt of Iraqi oil allocations and that Mr Nadler and Mr
Abdelnour financially benefited from and assisted in Mr Sevan’s
corrupt activity”.
The report did not mention Dr Boutros Ghali but said there was no
evidence that other members of the Sevan or Nadler familes “acted
in a way that was wrong or improper”. According to the report, AMEP
bought and resold 7.3 million barrels of Iraqi oil allocated to Mr
Sevan for a $ 1.5 million profit.
About $ 580,000 was then transferred from AMEP to Mr Nadler’s account
under the name of Caisor Services in Geneva. Nearly $ 150,000 was
deposited in cash in theSevans’ New York bank accounts.
According to one witness, Mr Nadler allegedly told his money managers
that, in the words of the report, “there was no possibility that
anybody would prove that he had given any money to Mr Sevan as it
was all cash withdrawals -there was no paper trail”.
Mr Sevan denies any wrongdoing and said that the cash deposits came
from an aunt in his native Cyprus and that he declared them on his UN
tax returns, a claim the Volcker inquiry rejects. Now in Cyprus, Mr
Sevan resigned on Sunday from the $ 1-a-year retainer he has received
from the UN since retiring in 2003.Mr Volcker said that Mr Sevan was
the subject of a criminal inquiry and that he should be stripped of
diplomatic immunity.
Separately, the Volcker committee also found that Alexander Yakovlev,
a key UN procurement officer, had received more than $ 950,000 in
a bank account in Antigua from companies that won more than $ 79
million in UN business.
He was accused of soliciting a bribe from a company seeking an
oil-inspection contract in Iraq, although it is not clear the money
was paid. Mr Yakovlev, a Russian, resigned after it emerged that he
had got his son a job with a UN contractor.
He was arrested yesterday after the UN agreed to waive his diplomatic
immunity and pleaded guilty to three counts of money laundering, wire
fraud and conspiracy that each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years.
The guilty plea suggests that Mr Yakovlev could strike a bargain to
give information about other UN officials in return for a reduced
sentence.
Mr Yakovlev is the first UN official to plead guilty to fraud in
the Oil-For Food scandal because one of the US charges against him
relates to providing inside information to a company seeking a UN
oil-inspection contract in Iraq.
A report is due next month on the business dealings of Kojo Annan,
the son of Kofi Annan, the UN Secretary-General.
Leading article, page 15 Andrew Billen, T2, pages 6, 7
$ 64bn UN-supervised programme allowed Iraq to sell oil to buy food,
medicine and humanitarian supplies while under sanctions after 1990
invasion of Kuwait
THE SCHEME
1. Saddam Hussein allegedly awarded allocations of cutprice oil to
favoured politicians, officials, businessmen and journalists. A CIA
report in 2004 named hundreds of alleged recipients, including leading
officials in France and Russia
2. Allocation holders sold their oil to traders and received payments
for helping oil companies to win Iraqi oil contracts
3. UN oversaw contracts to release Iraqi crude for sale on world
market. Kickbacks were paid to Saddam
THE KEY PLAYERS
BENON SEVAN, right The Cypriot of Armenian descent who ran the
Oil-for-Food programme throughout its six-year existence is accused
of receiving millions of barrels of oil allocations on behalf of a
trading company run by a cousin of the former UN Secretary-General
Boutros Boutros Ghali. Investigators say he took at least $ 160,000
in kickbacks
BOUTROS BOUTROS GHALI, left The former Egyptian Foreign Minister
served as UN Secretary-General in 1992-96, during which time the UN
negotiated the terms of the Oil-for-Food programme, including allowing
Saddam Hussein to choose which companies he did business with
FRED NADLER The brother-in-law of Boutros Boutros Ghali and a friend
of Mr Sevan and Mr Abdelnour, previously described by the UN as the
likely intermediary between Mr Sevan and Mr Abdelnour. One of Mr
Abdelnour’s uncles is the lawyer for the Nadler family
FAKHRY ABDELNOUR Swiss-based Egyptian oil trader and cousin of Boutros
Boutros Ghali. He owns a Panama-based trading company called African
Middle East Petroleum (AMEP). The UN has reported that he went to
Iraq to handle oil allocations for Mr Sevan and that AMEP lifted
about 7.3m barrels of oil at a profit of more than $ 1.5m
THE OIL ALLOCATIONS
Oil allocations to Benon Sevan by Iraq:
1 1.8m barrels AMEP took delivery in November 1998
2 1m barrels First half of 1999. Oil not delivered
3 2m barrels AMEP took delivery in October-November 1999
4 1.5m barrels AMEP took delivery in April and June 2000
5 1.5m barrels AMEP took delivery of 951,655 barrels in November 2000
6 1m barrels AMEP took delivery in September 2001
7 2.5m barrels First half 2002. Oil not delivered
8 1.5m barrels Second half of 2002. Oil not delivered
9 1.5m barrels First half of 2003. Oil not delivered
–Boundary_(ID_P5BsCQ56Y+302tn67HMeBw)–

Azeri authorities use youth leader row to “discredit” democratic forces
Turan news agency
11 Aug 05
BAKU
The authorities are using the row involving [leader of the Yeni Fikir
youth movement who is charged with plotting to overthrow the
government] Ruslan Basirli to discredit the democratic youth
movement. This opinion was voiced during a round table organized today
by the human rights centre, Free Society.
The head of the centre and a former “October prisoner” [reference to a
group of people imprisoned in the aftermath of street clashes after
the 2003 presidential election], Kanan Haciakbar oglu, said the
authorities and the media subordinated to them were trying to portray
Basirli as someone representing the opposition youth in general. The
meeting participants expressed their regret with Basirli’s actions and
described them as “erroneous and faulty”.
The meeting participants, who represented youth bodies of opposition
parties and youth organizations, accused the authorities and
pro-government media of being insincere and pseudo-patriotic.
It was indicated that the authorities had imprisoned the activists of
the Karabakh Liberation Organization (KLO) who took part in the
rallies condemning the arrival of Armenian officers in Baku [in 2004]
and deprived 21 people (“Karabakh guerrillas”) of liberty for
intending to fight for the liberation of Karabakh.
The round table participants said that if the smear campaign against
the youth movement continued, democratic forces would stage protests
outside the headquarters of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party.

DISCUSSION OF KARABAKH CONFLICT AT PACE CONTRIBUTED TO ACTIVATION OF
NEGOTIATION PROCESS: AZERBAIJANI REPRESENTATIVE AT CE
YEREVAN, AUGUST 8. ARMINFO. The report of Davis-Atkinson has become
the “last alarm warning Armenians to revise their positions in the
conflict.” Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan at the Council of
Europe Agshin Mekhtiyev says in his interview to Trend.
He says the report showed whose advantage the balance is tilted to.
“The Committee engaged in conflicts within the frameworks of PACE is
created, and it means that neither PACE nor CE intend to leave the
settlement of the given issue without attention,” Mekhtiyev says.
In his opinion, Davis-Atkinson report reflects the position of the
CE. No one can ignore it, Mekhtiyev thinks. I think discussion of the
given problem at PACE as well as inclusion of the issue of
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict in the agenda of UN General Assembly
have become factors which contributed to facilitation of the
negotiation process alongside with others, Mekhtiyev says.

New Straits Times, Malaysia
Aug 9 2005
COVER STORY: Colour of quiet melancholy
RUHAYAT X

Laurent Achedjian travels the world to snap stories. RUHAYAT X talks
to the photographer who can bring even the stiffest dummies to life,
about his points of interest and inspiration.
IF a Martian were to land in Malaysia, what would he/she/it notice
the most about this little world we have here? While we wait for the
apocalyptic big bang denoting the start of an old-fashioned alien
invasion a la Steven Spielberg’s dreary War of the Worlds, I suppose
we’ll just have to go for the next best thing – ask a Belgian who has
never been here before.
“What I notice the most about Singapore and here is the colours.
There is a lot of colour around, a lot of yellows and reds,” Laurent
Achedjian helpfully offers. “But sometimes I wonder if that is really
what this place is all about, or just something that I see because
that’s what I look out for.
“For example, here’s a shot I took in a fabric store in Singapore. I
was drawn to the layers and layers of colours and textures, and this
is something new to me. But to you it might be too obvious.”
Indeed, my immediate reaction to the shot was, “So what?” It’s a
scene we have seen so many times that we have become somewhat
desensitised to its inherent beauty. Compounding this is the context:
whereas Achedjian approaches the fabric store with the sense of
wonder of seeing something for the first time, we locals associate
the scene with a commodity, a place where we go to buy things.
Hence, our perception is influenced by our intent. This is where the
lens of a photographer makes its biggest contribution. It can take
even the most mundane objects and make those seem heavenly.
Browsing through his portfolio, it is obvious that Achedjian (left)
has an eye for capturing details, highlighting things that we’d miss
or take for granted.
One photograph which he’d taken in New York, for example, juxtaposes
the seriousness of a news bulletin against a backdrop of the faux
happy life promoted by the typical decadent billboard, forging a new
narrative that tells more about the place in a single frame than
seems reasonable.
In another, he somehow manages to see past the riot of billboards in
a typical Los Angeles neighbourhood to tie them together like
coherent paragraphs of a short story. What drew him to the
composition initially, he says, was the larger-than-life Marlboro Man
in the background. From there he traced out the threads and framed
his story.
Achedjian walks around with his mind fully open to possibilities.
This could be due partly to his journalistic training, which teaches
one to always be aware of one’s surroundings, particularly the
periphery which may add far more interesting details than the main
focus.
He started out in journalism at the University of Brussels because
going to university was “something you had to do, because everyone
else is doing it.” During the course he discovered that journalism
was quite different from what he thought it would be. It wasn’t until
his trip to the US that he discovered his true calling.
“Photography found me,” is how Achedjian puts it. His vacation after
completing his degree was supposed to only be for six months. He
ended up staying in America for the next five years, leaving only
because his visa had run out and he was unable to obtain a work
permit.
“After a couple of months in New York I discovered that I enjoyed it
very much. So I began thinking of ways for me to stay there a bit
longer. I thought, why don’t I take a degree course? I looked around
for a suitable course to take, and decided to do photography.”
Adjusting to a foreign culture is not something unusual for
Achedjian, whose Armenian grandparents had been living in Istanbul in
the early 20th century. They migrated to Belgium to escape
persecution by the revolutionary Turkish government.
“Belgium just seemed a quieter place,” he says, by way of explaining
his ancestors’ somewhat unusual choice of destination. Most Armenians
went to southern France or South America, he says.
His grandmother passed away last year, and he wistfully notes that he
doesn’t know much about who they are or where they had come from.
“They might as well be in the flea market,” he remarks, alluding to
series of pictures he had snapped of previously-cherished family
heirlooms placed for sale in flea markets. The sense of sadness at
pieces of personal history being auctioned away is palpable in his
shots.
If there is one thing that seems to tie his disparate works together,
it is his sense of colour. A flip through his portfolio shows shot
after shot of delicious candy palettes with the contrast pushed
almost to saturation.
“Yeah, what happens is that most of these were still taken from
negatives, rather than digital. I shoot in all kinds of format. And
then they are scanned in and enhanced in Photoshop. No collage or
anything – I play on the colour to make everything seem hyper-real.
But it’s never a drastic change.”
A recurring theme in his compositions is melancholy. Even in
brightly-coloured frames of subjects caught in the throes of
celebration, you can still detect a hint of sadness. As the
photographer had mused previously, you wonder if this what is out
there in the world, or merely the way that Achedjian views the world
around him.
A particularly wonderful image is one of a man dressed in RuPaul-like
drag which Achedjian captured at a gay parade in New York. The man is
standing in the middle of the celebrations of a community which he
must have chosen to be in, dressed in the most colourful dressage,
yet the forlorn gaze in his eyes seems to hint that he feels he
doesn’t quite belong there. The happy context surrounding him only
serves to make his sadness even more intriguing.
“I like to play with personality. How they feel inside. If it’s a
direct smiling face, then I’m not interested,” he says. The man’s
melancholy was in fact what had drawn him in the first place.
Such juxtapositions are indeed Achedjian’s forte. He manages to
capture the discordance with apparent ease. Yet, while he is
intrigued by personality, he says he is more comfortable with
objects, icons and symbols. Sometimes, he even treats the human
subjects in his pictures as mere objects.
He also professes a fondness for what he calls “fake nature”,
man-made environments or things. An example of this is his amazing
ongoing series on store mannequins.
The mannequins are not posed, yet through his lens, they acquire a
distinct personality and become beings with individual attitudes.
Enough to make you believe that at the end of each working day, these
statues have a family they go home to!
Also, his camera provides the fascinating suggestion that mannequin
“personality” and “attitude” differs according to geographical
location. In New York, they are more serious and reflective, whereas
in Singapore they seem happier and openly expressive, in facial
expressions, body language and the clothes they “wear”.
Achedjian acknowledges the sense of amazement. “You can get the
personality out of the mannequins through the context they are
sitting in,” he says, laughing out loud when it was suggested that
one mannequin looked cool. “You just need to get the right angle to
it,” he says modestly.
To date, his works are sold in a limited edition series of three
prints only.
“I’m not yet a famous photographer. I asked the art gallery and they
advised me to make only three copies. They said I could always make
my art print and show it in exhibitions. Later, when I am more
well-known, maybe I can make more prints in each edition,” he
explains.
He once had a solo show in Paris titled “Uncertain Glamour” He found
out that he had to fill up a 20-metre-long space, so he dug up old
photos of his travels in the US.
“I wanted to show everything about the underbelly of America, from
kitsch to vanishing traditions, to show where the country has gone
and is going,” he says.
He passes me a postcard from that show. It has an image of a tattered
flag with red and white stripes fluttering in the wind.
It could have been a Malaysian flag, I say. If not for the water
towers, it could be passed off as a Malaysian scene. Achedjian
smiles. “Yes. I was thinking that also. Maybe I can use this as a
marketing teaser or poster for a solo show here, bridging my time in
the US with my photos of Malaysia. Maybe I’ll talk to GaleriTaksu and
see. I’d love to come back here.”
In the photo, the evening sky is downcast, the setting sun rendering
the reds and yellows with a deep glow. You look at the scene and it
feels like someone had just died. And you think that it would be a
gorgeous show indeed.
Laurent Achedjian’s limited edition prints may be purchased through
GaleriTAKSU (tel: 03-4251-4396). The photographer’s catalogue may be
viewed on his website,

ARMENIAN OCCUPIED FOURTH POSITION AT MISS INTERCONTINENTAL – 2005
PanArmenian News Network
Aug 6 2005
06.08.2005 02:49
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Miss Intercontinental – 2005 contest was held in
Kangshan Chinese town. Winners and awardees of national contests
of 61 countries took part in it. Vice Miss Armenia – 2003 Anush
Grigoryan represented Armenia at the contest. She occupied the
fourth prize place, having fascinated everyone with her beauty,
intelligence and sociability. A Venezuela representative became
Miss Intercontinental. Armenian MP, entrepreneur Gurgen Arsenyan and
Austrian Airlines sponsored the participation of the Armenian beauty
in the contest, reported Armenpress.

Lraper Church Bulletin 05/08/2005
Contact: Deacon Vagharshag Seropyan
Armenian Patriarchate
TR-34130 Kumkapi, Istanbul
T: +90 (212) 517-0970, 517-0971
F: +90 (212) 516-4833, 458-1365
[email protected]
THE PATRIARCH AT THE USKUDAR HOLY CROSS CHURCH
;NewsCode=N000000821&Lang=
ENG
His Beatitude Mesrob II, Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul and All Turkey,
presided over services in the Uskudar Holy Cross Armenian Church on
Sunday morning, 31 July 2005.
The Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Father Bisag Tezenliyan, and
sacred music was provided by the Uskudar Miyatsyal Choir.
His Beatitude the Patriarch preached at the conclusion of the
Liturgy. Referring to the Second Letter of Timothy, who was the
disciple of St. Paul, he mentioned “fathers, mothers, religious
leaders, teachers, and community leaders who have nothing to be
ashamed of,” and stressed how empty talk, gossip, and exaggeration
always harm both church and society. His Beatitude the Patriarch said
that believers must control themselves and noted that this type of
sin harms its owner most of all.
His Beatitude then spoke on the Gospel of John, recalling Christ’s
words that “this is the work that God requires: believe in the one
whom he has sent” (Jn 6:29). “The Church has one purpose: to prepare
for eternal life its members who are united by baptism and bring them
peace, whether here or in the next world.”
His Beatitude recalled that the Lord Jesus Christ is “the Bread of
Life come down from heaven” (Jn 6:35,41). He said that the souls are
saved of those who believe in the Word of God revealed in Christ.
They will find peace and taste eternal happiness.
Following the ceremonies, a luncheon was held in the church’s
Gulbenkyan Hall, attended by the clergymen, the members of the Uskudar
Holy Cross Parish Council, Dr. Ardas Akdag, Chairman of the Kalfayan
School Board of Directors, members of the choir and members of the
community.

Anti-Armenian Vandalism Raises Tensions in Southern Russian
Union of Councils for Jews in the Former Soviet Union, DC
Aug 3 2005
(August 3, 2005)
Recent incidents of vandalism targeting ethnic Armenians in Russia’s
Northern Caucasus have raised inter-ethnic tensions, according to
separate reports by the Regnum news agency. The latest incident took
place on July 29, 2005. According to a Regnum report the next day,
29 gravestones in the cemetery of Verkhny Yurt (Krasnodar region) were
toppled and defaced. Most of the gravestones marked the final resting
places of ethnic Armenians. Local police believe the vandalism was the
work of a mentally ill person, and point to the words “schizophrenia”
painted on many of the gravestones. The local Armenian community,
however, sees the incident as an act of ethnic hatred and are demanding
that police treat it as such.
Considering the fact that on July 16, an Armenian church was burned
down by arsonists in the city of Budyonnovsk, according to a July
19 Regnum report, the attitude of local Armenians to the cemetery
vandalism is understandable.

ADOPTION OF NEW CONSTITUTION TO OPEN WAY TO EURO-INTEGRATION, SAYS EC REPRESENTATIVE
ArmenPress
Aug 3 2005
YEREVAN, AUGUST 3, ARMENPRESS: The Council of Europe special
representative Boyana Urumova told today at a press conference
that “The adoption of new Constitution will open a way to
Euro-integration.” She said the success will witness about the maturity
of the Armenian political field. Noting that the opposition must
be able to display readiness for making concessions she added that
the Venice Commission underscored the discussion of constitutional
amendments with civilians and opposition for securing mutual agreement.
On behalf of the Council of Europe B. Urumova thanked the Armenian
authorities as well as all the experts for securing success in
the process and pointed out the support provided by international
organizations and embassies. Thorda Abbot Watt, Great Britain and
Northern Ireland’s ambassador to Armenia, welcomed the positive
assessment of the Venice Commission concerning the amendments and
said that “This is a step which will help Armenia in establishing
democratic values and will open the way to Europe,” said she.
According to her, Armenian people must chose what Constitution they
would like to have and in what country they want to live.
The OSCE Yerevan Office Director Vladimir Pryakhin said the process
of constitutional amendments is essential from the point of view of
securing development of democracy. He said the suggestions of the
Venice Commission which are included in the package of amendments
has made the document relevant to international standards.

Armenia complains about misssing flag at Council of Europe
Agence France Presse — English
August 2, 2005 Tuesday 6:07 PM GMT
EREVAN Aug 2 — Armenia protested Tuesday to the Strasbourg-based
Council of Europe after its flag disappeared from outside the
organisation’s building last weekend.
“The Armenian foreign ministry condemns the theft of our national flag
and demands to know the circumstances surrounding this disappearance
and that adequate measures be taken in respect of the criminals who
have carried out this act,” it said in a letter to the secretary
general of the 46-member council.
The flag vanished Saturday and Armenia’s representative on the council
immediately informed the council’s security service and demanded it
be replaced, the ministry said.
The council apologised, it said, but referred it to the French police
who are responsible for security at the site.

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
08/02/2005
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) French Premier Says EU-Turkey Talks May Be Delayed 2) Hamazkayin's Summer Forum to Tread New Territory 3) You Must Have Been Kidding Ilham. . . Oh, You Were 4) Homenetmen Regions Meet on Sidelines of Pan Armenian Games 1) French Premier Says EU-Turkey Talks May Be Delayed (AFP/Bloomberg)--French Prime Minister Dominique De Villepin demanded Turkey recognize Cyprus before starting talks on joining the European Union, threatening EU enlargement and deepening a rift with UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. "It doesn't seem to me that a process of negotiations can start with a country that doesn't recognize each one of the members of the EU," De Villepin told Europe 1 radio today. "Absolutely," he said when asked whether the negotiations, scheduled for October 3, may be delayed. Turkey will not agree to any demands to recognize the Republic of Cyprus as a condition to begin accession talks with the European Union later this year, a source close to the Ankara government said. "Turkey will never accept the recognition of the Greek Cypriots administration as a precondition to be able to begin membership negotiations with the European Union on October 3," the source, who requested anonymity, told AFP. De Villepin's comment put him at odds with the EU enlargement commissioner and with Blair, who holds the rotating EU presidency. They add to disagreements between France and Britain that have included European agriculture subsidies, the war in Iraq and the site of the 2012 Olympics. Turkey signed an accord last week extending trade preferences to Cyprus, which the EU said cleared the way for membership talks. Turkey said it won't recognize a Cypriot government until a solution is found to the island's three-decade partition. A Muslim nation of 72 million, Turkey has said EU talks will attract record investment to its $300 billion economy. The 25 EU members must fulfill the pledge they made in December to start the talks on October 3, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said today in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, CNN Turk television reported. 'EU's Criticism' De Villepin's comments undermine a December accord among European leaders that distinguished between expanding the customs union and recognizing Cyprus, said Amadeu Altafaj, a spokesman for the Brussels-based European Commission, the EU executive arm. "If somebody wants to add conditions, then this will have to be discussed," he said. Recognition should be settled through the United Nations, and "there's a UN track for the recognition of Cyprus," added Altafaj. Turkey's benchmark stock index fell 0.8 percent to 29,543, reversing a gain of 0.4 percent before the comments were reported. The new French demand counters President Jacques Chirac's agreement on December 17 when EU leaders set the date for talks with Turkey to begin. Chirac said at the time Turkey must recognize Cyprus to join the EU. It was not a requirement to start talks. `Privileged Partnership' Following French voters' rejection of the EU constitution in a referendum May 29, Chirac urged fellow EU leaders to reconsider planned enlargement. "The government is drawing a lesson from the loss of the referendum: public fear of enlargement, especially to Turkey," said Philippe Moreau Defarges, a senior fellow at the French Institute of International Relations in Paris. Sixty-six percent of the French want Turkey to stay out of the European Union, a June 7 opinion poll by CSA showed. Nicolas Sarkozy, who heads Chirac's Union for a Popular Movement party and may seek to replace him in 2007's presidential elections, opposes Turkey joining the EU. Turkey could face opposition in Germany if Angela Merkel, the opposition candidate for chancellor, wins the September 18 elections. Like Sarkozy, she supports a "privileged partnership" instead of full membership. "The whole Turkey decision is a game of chicken," said Katinka Barysch, an analyst at the London-based Center for European Reform. "There are lots of countries that want to speak out on it, but no one wants to be seen as the one who vetoes the process." Blair's Backing French skepticism towards Turkey contrasts with comments by Blair. Hungary, one of 10 nations that joined the EU last year, also backs Turkey. "Everybody also wants, I think I am right in saying, Turkey inside the European Union." Blair said July 26. "When there was some suggestion before the accession of Cyprus to the European Union that a unified island should be a pre-condition of accession, it was Britain that said 'no you can't make this a precondition.'" Ferenc Szabo, Hungary's deputy foreign affairs spokesman said in a phone interview in Budapest August 2 that "Turkey has fulfilled all conditions set by the EU." "France no longer surprises with such negative comments about Turkey's EU bid," said Elif Cengiz, who helps manage about $4 billion at Is Portfolio Management in Istanbul. "French politicians made similar noise before the December 17 decision to start membership talks with Turkey. The pro-Turkish U.K. holding the rotational presidency provides an advantage to Turkey." 2) Hamazkayin's Summer Forum to Tread New Territory YEREVAN--Hamazkayin's dynamic Summer Forum 2005 began on July 21 with nearly 56 youth participating in what has already been an unforgettable trip. Marking its fourth year in Armenia, the Forum has once again brought together youth from the United States, France, Cyprus, Lebanon, Syria, Georgia, and Karabagh. Six of the participants are students from Armenia. Speaking about the significance of the Forum, head of Hamazkayin's Yerevan office Lilit Galstyan said, "The goal of the summer Forum is for Armenian youth to familiarize themselves with our homeland. During the Forum's 14 days, the participants get to learn first hand about their history, land, and identity, taking back with them a 'little Armenia.'" Since its inception in 1995, the Hamazkayin Summer Forum has provided a friendly and exciting environment for bright young Armenians. Students learn a great deal about Armenian culture, discover the sites and sounds of the host country, and build lifelong friendships. Thought provoking lectures, trips to historic destinations, and nights of dancing and entertainment are only some of the activities the forum has to offer. The 2005 participants have had the opportunity to meet fellow Armenians both from the diaspora and Armenia, visit historical sites including Echmiadzin, Garni, Geghart, Khor Virab, and Noravank, and attended a welcoming reception at Yerevan State University. They have also enhanced their learning experience by attending lectures on Armenian culture and heritage, music, and history. In the coming days, the group will visit Hagartsin, Sanahin, Madenataran, the Sarian and Parajanov museums, Oshagan, Amberd, and Saghmosavank, and make a historic pilgrimage to Western Armenia. 3) You Must Have Been Kidding Ilham. . . Oh, You Were (Combined Sources)--As soon as the latest edition of the opposition newspaper Azadliq (Freedom) hit newsstands in Baku on Monday, they were just as quickly removed because of inappropriate content. According to Russian and Azeri news sources, the edition included a photo collage that poked fun of President Ilham Aliyev. Only last Thursday, Aliyev, however, told a gathering celebrating the 130th anniversary of the country's media, "Azerbaijan's media is completely free today." He even posthumously honored Najaf Najafov--the late editor in chief of the same opposition newspaper--by conferring an order through a presidential decree. He also pointed out the importance of conveying balanced news to the public, and covering issues fairly. "The development of media is demanded of Azerbaijani society. The press should be free and come out of the influence of political forces," Aliyev said, before he apparently uncrossed his fingers. 4) Homenetmen Regions Meet on Sidelines of Pan Armenian Games As Homenetmen's Seventh Pan Armenian Games Came to a close on Sunday in Greece, representatives from the organization's regions gathered in Athens on August 1 for their sixth inter-executive meeting. They hailed from the regions of Australia, Canada, Eastern and Western US, South America, Greece, Iran, and Lebanon, as well as individual chapters of Alexandria, Cairo, Cyprus, Jerusalem, Kuwait, London, Paris, and Vienna. Iran's Ararat Chapter participated with guest status. Also present were ARF Greece Central Committee representative Krikor Erchenian, Azat Or newspaper, and the Honorary President of the organization's Pan Armenian Games Alber Shahinian. All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2005 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets. From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress