Author: Vorskanian Yeghisabet

SPEAKER OF ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT PROPOSES REFORMS OF CIS
YEREVAN, June 14. /ARKA/. Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Artur
Baghdasaryan has made a proposal for reforming the CIS. Talking to
journalists, Baghdasaryan stated that he made this proposal at the CIS
Interparliamentary Assembly in Saint Petersburg. According to him,
the CIS needs serious reforms, and Armenia intends to be involved
in this process at the level of both legislative and executive
powers. P.T. -0–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TOP UK OFFICIALS VISIT ARMENIA
Armenpress
YEREVAN, JUNE 13, ARMENPRESS: The UK embassy in Armenia said Sir Brian
Fall (United Kingdom Representative to the South Caucasus) and Simon
Smith (Head of Eastern Department in the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office in London) have arrived on a three-day visit to Armenia on
June 12.
The embassy said the visit is the first part of a preparatory tour of
countries in the South Caucasus before the United Kingdom assumes the
Presidency of the European Union on 1 July. It will include calls
on President Robert Kocharian, Defense Minister Serzh Sarkisian,
Trade Minister Karen Chshmaritian and Deputy Foreign Minister Gegham
Gharibjanyan, as well as members of the opposition and NGOs working
in the fields of democracy and governance.
The objective is to have an exchange of views on issues which will
be discussed between Armenia and the European Union during the course
of the British Presidency. These are likely to include in particular
efforts to reach a lasting solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
and developments following the extension of the European Neighborhood
Policy to Armenia.
Sir Brian Fall was previously the United Kingdom Special Representative
to Georgia. His remit was extended in 2002 to cover the South
Caucasus. The embassy said his appointment underlines the commitment
of the British Government to play an active part in the efforts of
the international community to prevent or resolve conflict, and to
establish a stable basis for peace and prosperity in each of the three
countries and in the region as a whole. Simon Smith was appointed Head
of Eastern Department in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 2004.

Turkish Press
June 13 2005
Press Scan
MILLIYET
TUZMEN POSTPONES HIS VISIT TO SWITZERLAND
Turkish State Minister Kursad Tuzmen has postponed his scheduled visit
to Switzerland after opening of a legal procedure against Turkish
Institute of History (TTK) Chairman Prof. Dr. Yusuf Halacoglu about
his statement rejecting the so-called Armenian genocide.

ARA ABRAHAMIAN: RELEASE OF ARMENIAN PILOTS – OUR COMMON VICTORY
Pan Armenian News
11.06.2005 07:27
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The release of the Armenian pilots is our common
victory, President of World Congress of Armenians Ara Abrahamian
stated at today’s press conference dedicated to the release of 6
Armenian pilots held in jail in Equatorial Guinea. In his words,
Armenia did much for the release. “I cannot say it was easy”, he
noted. According to him, the Armenian government has been negotiating
the pilots’ release for over a year with several officials, including
Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian, visiting the African country. Ara
Abrahamian himself took the advantage of international contacts. As
result the Pope, UNESCO President and Russian Foreign Minister appealed
to the leadership of Equatorial Guinea. “There are people who think too
highly of my service. It is not true and will do harm not only to me
but also to all Armenian people. All I did was for the consolidation
of Armenian people”, he said. “For the first time we bought to the
Diaspora’s notion that there is a state, which is not indifferent
to the fate of its citizens independently of their location”, Ara
Abrahamian noted. “Though each country has its own laws I am convinced
our pilots are innocent and I am happy they are free now”, he said. At
the same time he added that he has undertaken some commitments to
the leadership of Equatorial Guinea and noted that they will aim at
the solution of social and financial problems available in the country.

Armenian opposition leader vows to topple authorities
Arminfo
11 Jun 05
YEREVAN
The restoration of constitutional order in Armenia and the departure
of the illegitimate authorities are the main condition for the further
development of the country, the leader of the Justice faction, MP
Stepan Demirchyan, said during a press conference at the Azdak
[National Press Club].
He pointed out that there is a clear demand for a change of power in
society, because since 2003, i.e. since the “falsified” presidential
and parliamentary elections, the situation in the country has not
improved. On the contrary, the social abyss in society has become
deeper and wider, while corruption is flourishing and the authorities
are restricting themselves to declarative statements instead of
fighting it. Prices for essential goods are also rising.
The overwhelming majority of the Armenian population lives only on aid
provided by their relatives from abroad, which is not at all helped by
artificial fluctuations in the rate of the US dollars.
All this means that the need to change the authorities is clear to
everyone. The Justice faction and the People’s Party support the
constitutional way of solving these tasks, and armed upheavals are
unacceptable to us, Demirchyan said.
[Passage omitted: minor details]

NO SPECIFIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR ARMENIAN “MARS” PLANT AVAILABLE
YEREVAN, June 11. /ARKA/. No specific development programs for the
“Mars” plant are available now, Chairman of the opposition People’s
Party of Armenia (PPA) Stepan Demirchyan told reporters. According to
him, no prospects can bee seen, and the plant itself is in a poor
state. Demirchyan said that the ensuring of stable orders must be a
priority in developing the “Mars” plant. He pointed out that the
plant’s re-equipment must be an uninterrupted process.
Demirchyan added that the equipment installed at the plant can
manufacture competitive products. According to him, the operation of
the plant at its full capacity is a most complicated task. Demirchyan
stated that the PPA is against the transfer of Armenia’s enterprises
to pay off the country’s national debt to other countries, which was
the case of the “Mars” plant. P.T. -0–

Pan Armenian News
MOSCOW GOING TO CONTINUE PROMOTING SEARCH FOR UNBINDING KARABAKH KNOT
11.06.2005 03:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Moscow intends to actively promote search for unbinding
the Karabakh knot, stated Alexander Yakovenko, a Russian Foreign Ministry
official representative, reported RIA Novosti. In his words, Moscow `is
going to continue actively promoting search for unbinding the Karabakh
knot.’ `We positively assess the outcomes of the latest meeting of the
Armenian and Azeri Presidents in Warsaw in May. It conveyed an impetus to
the search for soonest political settlement of the Karabakh conflict,’ the
diplomat emphasized. `The position of Russia over Karabakh remains unchanged
in principle. We come against imposing any recipes from the outside over the
participants of the conflict and we proceed from the point that the basic
responsibility for the final choice should be carried by Azeris and
Armenians themselves,’ the Russian Foreign Ministry official representative
said. He noted that Russia `would be ready to support the option of solution
of the problem that fits all parties to conflict and in case a compromise
agreement is made – to come as the guarantor of the settlement.’ `In our
opinion the solution of the problem allowing to restore stability and peace
in the Transcaucasia will be viable. In the post-conflict period it will
assist in sustaining the historically formed geo-political balance of power
there and will not lead to making the region an arena of international
political and military contest,’ Mr. Yakovenko underscored.

Newropeans Magazine
June 6 2005
Turkey legalizes the Denial of the Armenian Genocide – 1st Part –

Written by Houry Mayissian

90 years have passed since Ottoman Turkey committed genocide against
its Christian Armenian subjects in 1915. Although several parliaments
have recognized the Armenian Genocide and many historians have
established that it is a historical fact, the Turkish government
still refuses to acknowledge it. It has, in the past 90 years,
implemented several methods to deny the genocide ever happened. The
latest of these measures was the recent criminalization of the
acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide in the new Turkish Penal
Code, which took effect on June 1.
As part of the several reforms it adopted during the last few years,
Turkey devised a new Penal Code in September 2004. The adoption of
the code came after much debate and a bitter row between Turkey and
the European Union over a controversial article criminalizing
adultery*. It was a must for Ankara to adopt a new code: the European
Commission threatened that it would advise EU leaders not to start
accession talks with Turkey unless it adopts the new code**. The code
was adopted without the article criminalizing adultery, and the
European Commission welcomed the move*.
Another controversial article, however, article 305* did not receive
much attention and was adopted as part of the Penal Code. The article
`threatens authors with jail sentences over statements that are
construed by government officials to undermine Turkish `national
interests”, and its explanatory report mentions as examples of such
statements recognition of the Armenian Genocide and calls for the
withdrawal of the Turkish Army from Cyprus***.
The full text of article 305 is as follows:
Action against the fundamental national interests
Article 305
1) A citizen who either directly or indirectly accepts from a
foreign individual or organization pecuniary benefits for himself or
for another person in return for engaging in activities against
fundamental national interests or for that reason shall be sentenced
to imprisonment for a term of three to ten years[…]. The same penalty
shall be imposed on the person who provides the benefit or makes the
promise.
2) If the act is committed during wartime or benefit has been
given or promised in order to spread propaganda through the medium of
the press and media, the penalty shall be increased by half.
3) Except in cases where the act is committed during wartime,
the prosecution of the offence shall be subject to the authorization
of the Minister of Justice.
4) Within the meaning of the present article, fundamental
national interests shall mean independence, territorial integrity,
national security and the fundamental qualities defined in the
Constitution of the Republic.****
The explanatory report of the article clarifies that `the article
protects, in general, the fundamental national interests and punishes
those who acquire benefit by making actions against them’*****. The
explanatory report also illustrates each paragraph of the article and
gives further explanations on how they should be interpreted. The
interpretation of the second paragraph of the article is as follows:
`Furthermore, according to this paragraph in case money or benefit or
promises have been accepted for conducting propaganda via
publications and the Media, the penalty will be increased. For
example such as the conducting of propaganda via publications and the
Media, by accepting money or benefit or promises for the withdrawal
of the Turkish troops from Cyprus, or for accepting a solution that
is against Turkey on this issue, or for the genocide of the Armenians
at the end of World War I, aimed only at harming Turkey, contrary to
the historical realities.’*****
Therefore, the article proposes punishments for those who
specifically conduct `propaganda’ in the media and other publications
for the withdrawal of the Turkish army from Cyprus and recognition of
the Armenian Genocide `by accepting money or benefit or promises’.
Furthermore, the article dismisses affirmation of the Armenian
Genocide as propaganda and legalizes its denial, by claiming that
such statements are `aimed only at harming Turkey’ and are `contrary
to the historical realities’.
Current Status of Article 305
The new Turkish Penal Code was supposed to enter into force on 1
April 2005, but in the face of fierce objections to it by Turkish
journalists, lawmakers agreed to postpone its implementation till
June in order to introduce certain amendments (6). It seems, however,
that some of the amendments Turkish lawmakers adopted aims “to
introduce even greater restriction.” (6)
In fact, the correspondent of Irish Times in Istanbul reported on May
5 that just hours before a revised draft of the penal code was
presented to the parliament, three MPs succeeded in extending the
remit of article 305, initially applicable only to Turkish citizens,
to include “foreigners in Turkey.”(7) Amnesty International issued an
action alert on May 13, expressing concern that the new version of
the Turkish Penal Code “may be used to unnecessarily restrict the
freedom of expression.” (6) Amnesty International cited article 305
as well as the amendment proposed to it as examples of breaches of
freedom of expression.
Just days before the law was supposed to take effect on June 1, the
Turkish parliament introduced amendments in response to wide
criticism by the media. Some clauses restricting media freedom were
amended, but there are still restrictions that will raise eyebrows in
Western Europe: criticizing some state institutions is still a
criminal offence, as is publishing material deemed “contrary to
fundamental national interests” – such as suggesting that the
killings of Armenians in World War I was a genocide.'(8)
The Turkish Penal Code thus entered into force on June 1. It is
notable, however, that the code entered into force in its original
version, as President Ahmet Necdet Sezer has not yet approved the
last-minute amendments.(9)
(1) Lungescu, O. Turkey’s quest to join Europe. Retrieved 01-01-2005.
(2) EU demands new Turkish Penal Code. Retrieved 01-01-2005.
(3) The new Turkish Penal Code would criminalize recognition of the
Armenian Genocide. Retrieved 01-01-2005. Some of the initial reports
called the article “article 305”. Later it was established that the
number of the article is 305. The number 305 is used in this paper
throughout.
(4)Haraszti, M. Review of the Draft Turkish Penal Code: Freedom of
Media Concerns. Retrieved 19-05-2005.
(5) Criminalization by Turkey of the Affirmation of the Armenian
Genocide and of the request for a withdrawal of the Turkish troops
from Cyprus. Retrieved 01-01-2005.
(6) Turkey: Freedom of expression/torture/prisoners of conscience.
Retrieved 19-05-2005.
(7) Birch, n. Turkey extends ban on alluding to genocide. Retrieved
19-05-2005.
(8) Dymond, J. Turkey adopts Penal Code reforms. Retrieved
27/05-2005.
(9) EU-sought penal code takes effect in Turkey despite criticism.
Retrieved 02-06-2005.

SEMINAR ON ELECTION
Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
07 June 05
On June 3rd a seminar-consultancy was held for the members of the
regional and local election committees and the mayors of villages. The
aim of the seminar was to prepare for and hold elections on a high
level. The chairman of the Central Election Committee Sergey Nassibian
said the members of the committees and the mayors of the villages
should advocate the rule of law better than others. Although the
committees had been already acquainted with the order of holding
elections, the innovations in the Electoral Code were presented once
again. S. Nassibian pointed out the importance of solving the problem
of faults in electoral registers. In spite of the efforts of the CEC,
there always occur problems because of mistakes in the electoral
registers. The mayors of villages must enter the names of people who
are registered in their communities in the electoral registers from
which they had been left out by their fault. It was announced that the
Central Election Committee is taking measures to prevent breakdown in
electricity supply, telephone network and transport during the
election. The government adopted a decision by which the executive
bodies will assist to the central and local election committees in
holding the election.
AA.
07-06-2005
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian foreign minister to visit China 12-14 June
Xinhua news agency, Beijing
7 Jun 05
Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New
China News Agency)
Beijing, 7 June: Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan will pay an
official visit to China from 12 to 14 June at the invitation of
Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, said Chinese Foreign Ministry
spokesman Liu Jianchao here Tuesday [7 June].