Category: News

Associated Press Worldstream
July 20, 2004 Tuesday 1:56 PM Eastern Time
Turkish Prime Minister to meet Chirac on lobbying visit for EU entry
talks
by PAMELA SAMPSON; Associated Press Writer
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan pressed ahead Tuesday
with an official visit to France aimed at prying open the European
Union’s doors to his overwhelmingly Muslim country.
But his quest was a hard sell in France, where leaders have failed to
enthusiastically embrace Turkey’s bid and polls show most French want
Turkey to stay out of the 25-member union.
Erdogan, after meeting with French President Jacques Chirac, said he
tried to convey the message that Turkey is making the changes
required to meet the so-called Copenhagen criteria for membership and
is counting on France not to withdraw its support.
But he said Turkey should not be held to a higher standard than the
other EU members or the two nations hoping to join in 2007, Romania
and Bulgaria.
“Turkey doesn’t ask to join at any price,” Erdogan said at a press
conference. “Joining the EU is not a must for Turkey.”
But France has its doubters. One of the most prominent voices to
oppose Turkey membership has been former French President Valery
Giscard d’Estaing, who bluntly said that Turkey isn’t European and
its entry would mean “the end” of the EU.
The ruling Union for the Popular Majority party, which has an
overwhelming majority in the French parliament, also is hostile to
Turkey’s membership. Erdogan met with former party head Alain Juppe
and others later Tuesday to try to win over hearts and minds.
The French public also needs to be convinced. In a poll of 1,511
people last month, 61 percent of French who responded said they
opposed Turkey membership in the EU, and only 31 percent said they
approved. Eight percent did not have an opinion.
Turkey is hoping for a positive report on its candidacy from the
European Commission this fall. Turkey hopes to get a start date for
entry negotiations at the EU summit in December, but some European
countries have seemed reluctant to include Turkey – a country of some
70 million, mostly Muslim inhabitants.
Membership of Turkey, located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia,
would stretch the EU’s borders to Syria and Iraq – a fact that
opponents say moves Europe too close to the unstable Middle East.
Chirac has said that he believes Ankara was not likely to be able to
meet the bloc’s conditions for another 10-15 years.
Foreign Minister Michel Barnier said in a radio interview Tuesday
that “Turkey should not expect to enter the European Union tomorrow
morning” even if it improves its human rights record and reforms its
justice system, two key requirements.
“Turkey still has a ways to go toward becoming a social and
democratic model along the lines of the European model,” Barnier told
Europe-1 radio.
Turkey also has passed sweeping democratic reforms to meet the EU’s
membership criteria, abolishing the death penalty and granting
greater cultural rights to long-oppressed Kurds.
French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin said Monday after talks
with Erdogan that France was awaiting the European Commission report.
“We will study the Commission’s report this fall with the greatest
attention,” Raffarin said.
Whatever the outcome of Turkey’s application, it likely will maintain
its strong commercial contacts with France. Turkey’s Anatolia news
agency said that Erdogan and Chirac on Tuesday agreed in principle on
the purchases of 36 Airbus planes by Turkish Airlines at a cost of
around US$1.5 billion.
In Paris, members of the Revolutionary Armenian Federation held a
demonstration against Erdogan’s visit and said Turkey should not be
allowed into the EU until it recognizes the Armenian genocide.
Armenians accuse Turks of a genocide of up to 1.5 million Armenians
between 1915 and 1923. Turks claim the number of deaths is inflated
and say the victims were killed in civil unrest.
“We are here to convince the French government, specifically Chirac,
to say absolutely ‘No’ to Turkey’s entry into the European Union,”
said Marie Ghazarossian, a housewife of Armenian descent who has
lived in France for 15 years. “Turkey is not a part of Europe, not
the Europe that we know.”

Xinhua News Agency – French
July 20, 2004 Tuesday
Erdogan remercie Chirac pour son soutien a la candidature turque a
l’UE
PARIS
Le Premier ministre turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan a remercie mardi le
president francais Jacques Chirac pour “l’approche constructive” et
“l’attitude tout a fait positive de la France” en ce qui concerne la
candidature turque a l’Union Europeenne.
A l’issue de son entretien a l’Elysee avec le chef de l’Etat
francais, le premier ministre turc a indique a la presse que le
conseil europeen du 17 decembre ne ferait qu'”approuver le debut d’un
processus de negociation”. “Nous ne savons pas combien va durer ce
processus, c’est une periode qui nous permettra de combler toutes nos
lacunes”, a-t-il insiste.
Pour M. Erdogan, la reconnaissance par la Turquie d’un
genocidearmenien ne figurait pas pami les criteres d’adhesion a l’UE
et ila renvoye cette question “aux historiens”.
Les criteres de Copenhague d’adhesion a l’Union Europeenne
“n’impliquent pas de reconnaissance d’un genocide armenien”, a
declare M. Erdogan au cours d’une conference de presse tenue a Paris
ou il effectue une visite officielle.
“Un tel evenement qui s’est passe dans le passe, savoir quelle partie
a fait telle chose, laissons cela aux mains des historiens”,a-t-il
ajoute.
La Commission europeenne doit en octobre recommander ou non
l’ouverture de negociations d’adhesion sur laquelle les
dirigeantseuropeens se prononceront lors de leur sommet du 17
decembre a Bruxelles.
Le president Chirac, qui a recu M. Erdogan mardi au deuxieme jour de
la visite de ce dernier, a confirme son soutien a la candidature
turque. M. Chirac s’est declare a de nombreuses reprises en faveur
d’une adhesion mais son propre parti, l’UMP, y est oppose ainsi
qu’une grande partie de l’opinion francaise.
M. Erdogan, qui a rencontre le president sortant de l’UMP AlainJuppe,
a indique que son parti, issu de la mouvance islamiste, l’AKP,
pourrait “demain devenir membre du PPE” (Parti populaire europeen
dont fait partie l’UMP) et qu’en “etant dans la meme maison ce sera
plus facile”.
De nombreux hommes politiques reclament en France, ou vit une
communaute d’origine armenienne nombreuse (450 000 personnes), quela
Turquie reconnaisse le genocide armenien de 1915 du temps de l’empire
otteman.

El Pais (Uruguay)
July 20, 2004
Puerta del Sur construira nueva terminal de pasajeros por US$ 30
millones;
Manana presentan diseno del nuevo edificio del aeropuerto
El consorcio Puerta del Sur, concesionario del Aeropuerto de
Carrasco, presentara manana su proyecto de construccion de la nueva
terminal de pasajeros, la que estara a cargo de Rafael Vinoly,
arquitecto uruguayo radicado en Nueva York responsable del diseno de
la obra que insumira una inversion de unos U$S 30 millones.
Si bien el propio pliego de la licitacion, celebrada en noviembre de
2003, por la que se concedio la operacion del aeropuerto establecia
la construccion de la nueva terminal, los detalles de la misma se
conoceran recien manana.
Fuentes cercanas al emprendimiento dijeron a El Pais que el
empresario armenio-argentino Eduardo Eurnekian, principal accionista
de Puerta del Sur y tambien del grupo que opera todos los aeropuertos
argentinos, dio luz verde a la presentacion de la obra despues de
reunirse con Tabare Vazquez en Buenos Aires, y que este le asegurase
que en caso que el Frente Amplio sea gobierno respetara las
privatizaciones aprobadas por sus predecesores.
Eurnekian y Vazquez se encontraron en la capital argentina a
principios de junio cuando el lider de la izquierda se presento ante
la clase empresarial local.
Hoy Vazquez se adelantara a la presentacion oficial y la anunciara a
un grupo de empresarios locales con los que se reunira.
El presidenciable ya hablo del asunto durante su gira por Estados
Unidos, oportunidad en la que se reunio con Vinoly quien le mostro la
maqueta de la obra que en Uruguay se conocera manana.
El pliego de condiciones de la concesion del Aeropuerto de Carrasco
establece que Puerta del Sur debera encargarse de la “puesta a punto”
de la termi- nal aerea y el tema se presenta como la primera
controversia que surja entre el Estado y los pri- vados.
La concesion del aeropuerto a Puerta del Sur indica que la empresa
debera construir una nueva terminal aerea antes del 2008, la que
estara ubicada a unos mil metros de la actual en la zona en la que
hoy se unica el radar del aeropuerto.
Fuentes consultadas de la empresa y tecnicos del aeropuerto indicaron
a El Pais que el edificio actual tiene un deterioro edilicio
importante y destacaron que su refaccion costara entre U$S 4 y U$S 5
millones.

ARKA News Agency
July 20 2004
RA President and Ambassador of Finland discuss opportunities of
expanding of Armenian-Finnish relations
RA Prime Minister receives German Ambassador to RA on the occasion of
completion of his diplomatic mission
Newly Appointed Ambassador of Philippines to Armenia hands
credentials to RA President
A delegation of the Representatives house of Thailand Parliament to
arrive in Armenia on July 21-27
*********************************************************************
RA PRESIDENT AND AMBASSADOR OF FINLAND DISCUSS OPPORTUNITIES OF
EXPANDING OF ARMENIAN-FINNISH RELATIONS
YEREVAN, July 20. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharian and the
Ambassador of Finland to Armenia Timo Lahelma discussed opportunities
of expanding of Armenian-Finnish relations, President’s press office
told ARKA. Kocharian noted the importance of creation of
corresponding legal-agreement field for activation of business links
between the countries. Press release noted that Lahelma finishes his
diplomatic mission in Armenia. L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
RA PRIME MINISTER RECEIVES GERMAN AMBASSADOR TO RA ON THE OCCASION OF
COMPLETION OF HIS DIPLOMATIC MISSION
YEREVAN, July 20. /ARKA/. RA Prime Minister Andranik Margarian
received German Ambassador to RA Hans Wolf Bartels on the occasion of
completion of his diplomatic mission, RA Government press office told
ARKA. During the meeting Margarian highly estimated the activity of
Bartels in Armenia and his contribution in development of
Armenian-German political and economic relations. He noted the
necessity of future deepening of cooperation between Armenia and
Germany.
Bartels in his turn noted with satisfaction fruitful visit of
Margarian in Germany for participation in Armenian-Germany conference
on economic cooperation in June 2004 and expressed hope that it will
become an additional stimulus in development of economic links
between the countries. L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
NEWLY APPOINTED AMBASSADOR OF PHILIPPINES TO ARMENIA HANDS
CREDENTIALS TO RA PRESIDENT
YEREVAN, July 20. /ARKA/. Newly Appointed Ambassador of Philippines
to Armenia Ernesto Villiarica Lliamas (residence in Moscow) handed
credentials to RA President Robert Kocharian, President’s press
office told ARKA. During the meeting the parties discussed
perspectives of development of bilateral cooperation. At this they
noted that cooperation between the countries has big potential, which
is not used effectively yet. The parties expressed readiness to take
necessary steps for realization of mutually beneficial programs in
the sphere of economy. L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
A DELEGATION OF THE REPRESENTATIVES HOUSE OF THAILAND PARLIAMENT TO
ARRIVE IN ARMENIA ON JULY 21-27
YEREVAN, July 20. /ARKA/. A delegation of friendship group of
Thailand-Armenia House of Representatives of the Parliament of
Thailand will visit Armenia on July 21-27 headed by the Senator Sanit
Kulcharoen. As ARKA was informed in the RA NA Public Relations
Department, the representatives of the delegation will meet the RA NA
Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan, the members of Armenia-Thailand
Parliamentary Friendship Group of RA NA, the RA Ministers of Foreign
Affairs, and Trade and Economic Development Vartan Oskanian and Karen
Chshmarityan, and the Mayor of Yerevan Yervand Zakharyan.
As it is mentioned in the press release, on July 22 in
Tsitsernakaberd the delegation from Thailand will place wreaths on
the memorial of victims of the Armenian Genocide of 1915. A.A.-0 –

Leave Economics to the People
The Daily Bruin
Monday, July 19, 2004
Garin Hovannisian
DAILY BRUIN COLUMNIST
[email protected]
TSAGHKADZOR, Armenia — I have come on a whim to the Valley of
Flowers, a vast expanse of forestry 40 miles outside Yerevan,
Armenia’s capital city. For the past week, 150 high school economics
students have stayed at a campsite here, both as reward for academic
achievement and as an incentive for further involvement in the shaping
of Armenia’s economic landscape.
The students – whose stay is sponsored by Junior Achievement of
Armenia, an organization that heads the teaching of economics and
civics in public schools – are divided into 13 groups that compete
with each other in various activities.
In one day’s time these students have exposed me to the world of
economics in a way that no textbook or economist could.
On today’s agenda was the picnic. Each group was given approximately
12,000 drams ($24). With that money the group was required to set a
table with food, judged on factors of health, taste, creativity,
quality and quantity.
When I arrived at Tsaghkadzor at 3 p.m. the 13 tables already were set
on the midsize patch of greenery surrounding the campsite. The tables
abounded with drinks, kabobs, salads, cheeses and pastries – all of
which quickly reminded me why one cannot maintain a diet in Armenia.
As part of the administration’s jury team I walked from table to table
to sample the foods, assess groups’ creativity, and determine their
overall score. I immediately discovered that the seemingly supreme
layout of one table was quickly overshadowed by the pristine variety
of the foods on the next.
The winning table was simply spectacular. This group had gone to the
limit with its money. Its members had carved a watermelon to resemble
Armenia’s geographic shape and assembled cucumbers and tomatoes to
look like large mushrooms. Even the losing teams begrudgingly accepted
the outcome as music began to play and the festivities peaked.
Soon cards and backgammon were brought out for play, and, in Armenia’s
true cultural flavor, conversations flourished.
Razmik, a short and confident 16-year-old who wore a Chicago Bulls
hat, told me in secret, “I hate to say it, but (the winning group’s)
table was much better than ours.”
The tone and subject of the talks later became more serious. “What
would you do if you were president of Armenia?” I asked Razmik. He
chuckled and said, “I wouldn’t do anything. Economics is all about
individuals competing with one another. Government is not involved.” I
smiled at the simple clarity of that answer.
I made my way to the winning table, where I chatted lightly with a
15-year-old girl named Hamest, which, ironically, means “modest” in
Armenian. “We won,” she said. “We are the best.”
I asked her if that was not a bit selfish. “I guess you could call it
that,” she said, her face now sour. “But it really isn’t. We didn’t
hurt any of the other teams in the process. Our goal was not to harm
them, and we did not harm them. From the beginning we were interested
in our own product – how we could be better. And we won. But that
doesn’t mean the others lost.”
I asked Hamest what the government’s role in economics should
be. “Aside from protecting its citizens from harm,” she told me,
“absolutely nothing. Look at our table. Do you think (Armenian
President) Robert Kocharian could have spent the $25 as we did and set
up a table as beautiful as ours?” The obvious answer was no. But why?
“Because he wouldn’t be setting it up for himself,” said a voice from
the other side of the table. “Well, he probably would be,” said
another joking on a somewhat unrelated topic.
“Was this economics?” I thought to myself. It surely had to be more
complex, a little less simplistic.
But it wasn’t. These students had spent what they had to best suit
their own needs and desires and in the process, without intervention,
had created 13 stunning tables for everyone to see and enjoy.
Economics, I was informed, is best left to those who are affected by
it – the people. Their money and life must be earned, managed, and
spent by them.
This concept and the camp in which I found it are not at all
political. The students come from different social and political
backgrounds, and the organization is entirely nonpartisan.
Without thinking ideologically the students had come to the same
conclusion: Free-thinking, creative individuals who are free from
governmental coercion and free to pursue their own prosperity and
happiness will end up bettering themselves and the society around
them. This means, as I later figured out – though the students never
labeled it – laissez-faire capitalism.
George Bush, John Kerry and the lot of American and world
intellectuals have much to learn from these students – students who
probably will never own a major corporation or manage an international
company but who see the simple key to life’s complex problems.
Hovannisian is a second-year history and philosophy student. E-mail
him at [email protected]. Send general comments to
[email protected].

MOSNEWS, Russia
July 20 2004
Russians Helped Kill Kadyrov – Zakayev
Created: 20.07.2004 14:56 MSK (GMT +3), Updated: 14:58 MSK, 2 hours 5
minutes ago
Yelena Rudneva, London
Gazeta.Ru
In an interview to Gazeta.Ru Akhmed Zakayev, a former envoy for
Chechen separatist leader Aslan Maskhadov, shares his ideas as to who
was behind the murder of the pro-Moscow president of Chechnya Akhmad
Kadyrov and what the motives were.
Zakayev also implicitly confirms earlier statements by Chechen
warlord Shamil Basyaev, who spoke of a list of certain state-owned
installations and compounds likely to be the target of terrorist
attacks in near future. At the same time, according to Zakayev,
Chechen rebels plan no more attacks on civilian installations.
Do you communicate with Maskhadov often? Do you know where he is now?
He is in Chechnya. We communicate about twice a month, when
necessary. I just have to report on certain work that we have been
doing here. If need be he has the capability to get in touch as well.
If there were no Maskhadov, there would not be any Basayev, or anyone
else.
Do you mean they keep in touch? They were said to have serious
disagreements.
Of course, they do. They coordinate all the military operations which
are being planned. As for the individual actions that take place
every now and then, they are beyond any control absolutely. Such
terrorist acts claim the lives of innocent people. I hope that people
will no longer die at concerts, on trains, in the metro, in the
cities.
In the wake of the rebel raid on Ingushetia Shamil Basayev said he
had a list of state-owned installations, which he plans to attack.
The list includes the State Duma, the Federation Council, and other
governmental buildings. Does such a list really exist?
I think that for those waging war against a certain adversary such a
list must exist. I am convinced that such a list must exist.
How do you view the situation in present-day Chechnya, in the run-up
to the new presidential elections?
Judging by the recent developments in Chechnya and Ingushetia, it is
evident that the true state of affairs is different from the official
propaganda that the Kremlin is trying to convince the public of.
There is a war going on there. You can call it a guerilla war, a
separatist war. That makes no difference. For mothers who lose their
sons, it makes no difference what that war is called. The result is
the same: victims, ruins and no light at the end of the tunnel.
>From 1994 up to now over a trillion dollars have been spent on the
Chechen war. Can you imagine that? And there is no end to it. Ask an
ordinary Russian citizen if he really needs that? It doesn’t solve
any of the problems. If we continue waging that war for another ten
years, just as much money will be wasted.
What was your opinion of Akhmad Kadyrov?
Our roads never crossed, I cannot say anything personal. But when he
took the pro-Russian stand, he became just another simple Russian
Ivan Petrovich who arrived in Chechnya to kill, and for me he ceased
to exist. I do not believe it is correct to speak of him as of a
political figure. He was only implementing the policy imposed by the
Kremlin. Incidentally, he himself admitted that he was at war all the
time.
Judging by the Kremlin’s action Kadyrov was the central link in the
system of checks and balances in Chechnya. Is that true? After all,
it is hardly a coincidence that following Kadyrov’s death many
anticipated a new wave of hostilities as various groups clashed in
the fight for power.
I can assure you, there will be no fight for that post.
Do you mean, because people rarely survive in that post?
Yes, and also because regardless of who is assigned to it by the
Kremlin, nothing will change absolutely. Kadyrov played no
independent role. The election is just a screen for the West, for
Europe. After all, you all know already who will be the next
president.
Did you know Alu Alkhanov personally. What can you say about him?
Nothing, absolutely nothing other than that he headed a police
station during the storming of Grozny in August 1996. It was the
second or the third day when we surrounded the city; I was contacted
on a walkie-talkie and told that Chechen policemen inside the train
station would not talk to anyone but me. The talks were conducted by
Adayev, the same man who is running together with Alkhanov today.
Do you have any idea as to who could have killed Akhmad Kadyrov?
I tend to believe that Kadyrov was not killed by Basayev, but by a
unit of the Russian special services. Moreover, I am convinced of
that. I know what the VIP guard service is like; I personally headed
the guards between the two wars.
In my time I also took part in the restoration of the Dinamo stadium
[where Kadyrov was killed on 9 May this year] and I know that nothing
can be planted there without the guards being informed. This is
especially so, as Kadyrov had presidential guards assigned to him by
Moscow. That is why it is impossible to imagine that some ordinary
tractor driver or bricklayer could plant a bomb there. Although, of
course, maybe it was not a joint operation but it was impossible to
eliminate Kadyrov without the special services’ involvement.
Rumor has it that he was killed because he intended to hold talks
with Maskhadov. Is that true?
Maskhadov will never hold talks with people appointed by the Kremlin.
To sow enmity between the Chechens is something all Russian leaders
dream about.
They tried to do that during Yeltsin’s rule when he attended the
talks between Zavgayev and Yandarbiyev. But we will never agree to
that, since everything that is going on in Chechnya today is seen as
a crime against humanity by the world community and European law.
That is why even if Kadyrov did seek talks with Maskhadov, Maskhadov
would never speak with Kadyrov. That would mean turning the war into
a conflict between the Chechens and in doing so to write off all the
victims. The war is between the Chechens and the Russian state, not
between the Russians and the Chechens.
You claim that the election organized by the federal authorities in
Chechnya cannot be honest by definition. Who should conduct them
then?
There is a war going on there. But if we stop that war, only then
will it be possible to hold democratic elections and only then will
it be possible to discuss the presence of peacekeepers, or somebody
else there.
Elections must be held under the protectorate of the world community.
That may be the OSCE, the UN, the European Union. Any international
power institution, tasked to hold elections in such circumstances.
They are not to be organized by the Kremlin, Maskhadov, or Zakayev.
There is nothing like in Nagorny Karabakh, or in Ossetia. There they
are trying to negotiate. For some reason Chechnya is an exception.
Although I do understand Putin, it is his war, as it was the
beginning of his political career.
You’ve been living in London for quite a while. What is you status
here?
I have a passport with which I am free to travel across the globe,
except Russia.
Do you ask for security guarantees when you go somewhere outside
London?
As long as we are at war no one can feel safe. If I did ask for such
guarantees nobody would agreed to grant them to me. Which country
needs that? Besides, today Europe and the West are on the whole
satisfied with what is going on in Russia. Russia is too preoccupied
with the war in Chechnya to claim its role in the ongoing
redistribution of spheres of power and influence.

Municipal election campaign starts in Karabakh
Arminfo, Yerevan
20 Jul 04

STEPANAKERT
The electioneering of candidates for municipality heads started in the
Nagornyy Karabakh Republic [NKR] on 20 July. Eight people are
contending for the post of the NKR capital’s mayor.
[Passage omitted: a mayoral candidate regrets that there is no law on
the status of the capital]
The electioneering will last until 7 August.

Edicom, Suisse
20 juillet 2004
Chirac: l’intégration de la Turquie est «souhaitable dès qu’elle sera
possible»

par Christine Ollivier
PARIS (AP) – Jacques Chirac fait profil bas sur le dossier turc.
Recevant le Premier ministre Recep Tayyip Erdogan, le président
français s’est contenté mardi de rappeler que l’intégration de la
Turquie dans l’Union européenne était «souhaitable dès qu’elle serait
possible», selon l’Elysée.
»La Turquie a fait des progrès considérables. Elle doit poursuivre et
intensifier la mise en oeuvre des réformes démocratiques et
économiques», a estimé le chef de l’Etat.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan a entamé lundi une visite officielle de trois
jours destinée à convaincre une opinion publique française réticente
du bien-fondé d’une éventuelle intégration de son pays dans l’Union
européenne. L’UMP, l’UDF et une majorité de Français, à en croire les
sondages, y sont pour l’heure hostiles.
Or, le calendrier s’accélère : la Commission européenne doit rendre
début octobre un rapport évaluant les progrès accomplis par la
Turquie dans le domaine des droits de l’homme et des libertés
publiques. Sur cette base, les 25 Etats membres doivent décider en
décembre de fixer ou non une date pour entamer des négociations
d’adhésion, qui pourraient durer plusieurs années.
Dans ce contexte, le Premier ministre turc a eu un entretien en
tête-à-tête de trois quarts d’heure avec Jacques Chirac à l’Elysée,
avant un déjeuner de travail qui a permis de faire un tour d’horizon
de la situation régionale (Iran, Proche-Orient, Irak, lutte contre le
terrorisme).
M. Erdogan est ressorti visiblement satisfait de ces discussions.
»Nous avons eu un entretien très positif», s’est-il félicité dans la
cour de l’Elysée. «Le soutien de la France à notre pays se poursuit
depuis le sommet d’Helsinki», qui avait promu la Turquie candidate à
l’adhésion en 1999, a-t-il souligné.
Il a «espéré» que les «décisions politiques» qui devront être prises
au sommet européen de décembre le soient «en fonction du rapport» de
la Commission, en insistant sur les «réformes» que son pays a déjà
menées à bien ces dernières années pour se conformer aux critères de
Copenhague. Par ailleurs, la «décision que prendra le Conseil
européen le 17 décembre ne sera pas une décision d’adhésion de la
Turquie à l’Union européenne», mais «simplement une décision de
commencer les négociations d’adhésion», a-t-il rappelé.
De son côté, Jacques Chirac s’est contenté, en public, du service
minimum en rappelant qu’il jugeait «souhaitable» cette intégration
»dès qu’elle serait possible».
»Ce n’est pas demain matin que la Turquie va entrer dans l’Union
européenne», même si Ankara fait «des progrès» dans ce sens,
soulignait pour sa part quelques heures auparavant le ministre
français des Affaires étrangères Michel Barnier. «Le chemin est
encore long mais elle est sur ce chemin».
Officiellement, la France attend donc le rapport de la Commission
pour se prononcer. Lors du sommet de l’OTAN à Istanbul fin juin,
Jacques Chirac était toutefois allé jusqu’à juger «irréversible» le
processus d’adhésion de la Turquie, même s’il prendra selon lui au
moins dix ou quinze ans.
M. Erdogan semblait en tout cas convaincu mardi que l’opinion de
Jacques Chirac était déjà faite sur ce sujet: «Nous sommes tout à
fait persuadés que lors du sommet, c’est la France qui va nous
apporter le plus grand soutien», a-t-il affirmé lors d’une rencontre
avec des chefs d’entreprise français au Medef (Mouvement des
entreprises de France) mardi matin.
Poursuivant sa campagne de séduction, le Premier ministre turc devait
encore rencontrer l’ancien président de l’UMP Alain Juppé, puis les
députés de la Commission des affaires étrangères de l’Assemblée
nationale, avant un dîner offert mardi soir par la président du
Sénat, Christian Poncelet. Pour sa dernière journée en France,
mercredi, il doit s’entretenir avec le Premier secrétaire du Parti
socialiste, François Hollande, avec le président de l’UDF, François
Bayrou, et avec le président de l’Assemblée nationale, Jean-Louis
Debré.
Sur le plan commercial, cette visite devrait par ailleurs faire
avancer les négociations sur l’achat d’Airbus par la Turquie, qui
sont encore «en cours de finalisation» selon l’Elysée. La compagnie
Turkish Airlines, qui souhaite acquérir une cinquantaine d’appareils,
a ouvert des négociations avec Airbus et Boeing.
Par ailleurs, des organisations arméniennes appelaient à manifester
mardi soir au Trocadéro en faveur de la reconnaissance du génocide
arménien de 1915 par Ankara. AP

Le Monde
20 juillet 2004
Jacques Chirac confirme son soutien à l’entrée de la Turquie dans
l’Union
L’UMP ainsi qu’une grande partie de l’opinion française sont opposées
à l’adhésion de la Turquie.
Au deuxième jour de sa visite officielle en France, mardi 20 juillet,
le premier ministre turc, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, espérait trouver à
l’Elysée le soutien de Paris à l’adhésion de la Turquie à l’Union
européenne. Cela a été le cas.
Le président français, Jacques Chirac, “a rappelé que l’intégration
de la Turquie dans l’Union européenne était souhaitable dès qu’elle
serait possible”, a rapporté l’Elysée à l’issue d’un tête-à-tête
entre les deux dirigeants suivi d’un déjeuner. Le président français
a souligné que “la Turquie avait fait des progrès considérables, et
qu’elle doit poursuivre et intensifier la mise en `uvre des réformes
démocratiques et économiques”.
Peu avant, devant des journalistes, M. Erdogan avait jugé
“impensable” que la Turquie et la France soient en désaccord
politique, étant donné la vigueur de leurs liens historiques et
économiques. “La France a constamment soutenu la Turquie” depuis le
sommet d’Helsinki, en 1999, où la Turquie a obtenu le statut de pays
candidat, avait-il noté.
M. Chirac s’est déclaré à de nombreuses reprises et sans ambiguïté en
faveur d’une adhésion alors que son propre parti, l’UMP (Union pour
un mouvement populaire) y est opposé ainsi qu’une grande partie de
l’opinion française. Lors du sommet de l’OTAN à Istanbul le 29 juin,
M. Chirac avait qualifié ce processus d'”irréversible”.
Au deuxième jour de son séjour à Paris, M. Erdogan a donc obtenu un
appui de poids dans sa campagne pour promouvoir la candidature
d’Ankara dans une France très réticente et divisée sur cette
question.
Interrogé sur la radio privée Europe 1, le ministre des affaires
étrangères, Michel Barnier, a cependant estimé, mardi, que “le chemin
était encore long” avant l’adhésion mais que ce pays était sur la
bonne voie.
PARTENAIRE COMMERCIAL PRIVILÉGIÉ
M. Erdogan a, pour sa part, regretté la persistance de doutes, de
réserves ou de débats sur l’adhésion : “Le fait que ces débats
continuent à exister malgré le paquet de réformes qui a été accompli,
cela nous attriste”, a-t-il dit aux journalistes.
L’opposition de gauche française est, pour sa part, favorable à
l’adhésion mais le Parti socialiste exige en préalable la
reconnaissance du génocide arménien de 1915. La communauté arménienne
de France (450 000 personnes) est la plus importante après celle des
Etats-Unis. Elle a appelé à manifester à Paris pour que M. Erdogan
“engage son pays dans le processus de reconnaissance du génocide
arménien”.
Parallèlement, Paris et Ankara ont fait avancer un autre dossier
important, celui de l’achat éventuel d’avions Airbus par la compagnie
nationale turque Turkish Airlines pour le renouvellement de sa
flotte. Ces discussions “sont en cours de finalisation”, a indiqué la
présidence française à l’issue de l’entretien Chirac-Erdogan. Ce
contrat avait été notamment discuté lundi soir par M. Erdogan avec le
premier ministre, Jean-Pierre Raffarin. Le consortium aéronautique
européen Airbus et l’américain Boeing devraient en principe se
partager ce contrat de deux milliards de dollars (1,6 milliard
euros).
M. Erdogan a appelé les milieux d’affaires français, qu’il a
rencontrés mardi au siège du Medef (patronat français), à l’épauler
et à investir dans son pays. La France est le deuxième partenaire
commercial de la Turquie et son quatrième fournisseur.
M. Erdogan sera reçu mercredi par le président de l’Assemblée
nationale, Jean-Louis Debré, et s’entretiendra avec le chef du Parti
socialiste, François Hollande, ainsi qu’avec le président de l’UDF
(centre droit), François Bayrou.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Le Figaro, France
20 juillet 2004
TURQUIE Le premier ministre, qui est arrivé hier dans la capitale
française, veut donner de son pays l’image du bon élève de la classe
européenne
Europe : la Turquie cherche l’appui de la France
L. de B.
[20 juillet 2004]
Le premier ministre turc est arrivé hier à Paris, étape clé de sa
campagne visant à faciliter l’entrée de la Turquie dans l’Union
européenne (UE). Pour lever les réserves françaises à l’adhésion
d’Ankara, Recep Tayyip Erdogan présente son pays comme un bon élève
de la classe européenne, respectueux des critères d’adhésion fixés
par Bruxelles.
Il doit rencontrer aujourd’hui le président Jacques Chirac, autour
d’un déjeuner à l’Elysée. Dès son arrivée hier, il a été reçu par le
premier ministre Jean-Pierre Raffarin, avant de s’entretenir à
l’ambassade de Turquie avec des représentants de la communauté turque
en France, forte de 350 000 personnes.
«Je vais expliquer les mesures prises par la Turquie sur la voie qui
conduit à l’Union européenne», a déclaré Erdogan hier lors d’une
conférence de presse donnée avant son départ d’Ankara. «Je vais
demander à la France de continuer à nous soutenir comme elle l’a fait
jusqu’à présent (…) Je vais souligner la détermination de la
Turquie à harmoniser ses lois avec celles de l’UE», a-t-il dit. Pour
mieux faire passer son message, Erdogan, qui est escorté d’une
imposante délégation d’hommes d’affaires, fait miroiter à ses hôtes
un possible achat d’avions Airbus. Turkish Airlines doit renouveler
une partie de sa flotte avec l’acquisition d’une quarantaine
d’appareils. L’avionneur européen est en compétition avec l’américain
Boeing.
Parmi les grands pays européens, la France est celui où l’adhésion
turque est vue avec le plus de réticences, comme en témoigne une
série de sondages récents qui montrent, à une exception près, une
majorité de «non». Elle est le seul où le parti au pouvoir, en
l’occurrence l’UMP, a fait campagne contre l’adhésion turque lors des
dernières élections européennes.
Ces réserves se fondent sur la situation géographique de la Turquie,
sa religion musulmane, sa puissance démographique avec 70 millions
d’habitants, sa pauvreté, son refus de reconnaître la réalité du
génocide arménien, ainsi que le risque de dilution de l’UE en une
vaste zone de libre-échange. Pour lutter contre ces craintes, Erdogan
veut donner des arguments aux responsables politiques et économiques
français qui penchent en faveur de l’entrée de la Turquie – au
premier rang desquels le président Jacques Chirac. Ceux-ci mettent en
avant les liens traditionnels de la Turquie avec l’Europe, l’intérêt
géostratégique d’inclure un grand pays musulman dans l’UE, la laïcité
observée par la Turquie, les perspectives économiques qu’elle offre,
ainsi que la nécessité de récompenser les efforts qu’elle a déployés
pour respecter les critères européens en matière d’Etat de droit, de
droits de l’homme et de liberté d’entreprendre.
Au cours de sa visite, Erdogan va s’efforcer de montrer que les
réformes entreprises sont sérieusement appliquées. Il entend ainsi
apporter de l’eau au moulin du président de la République, qui a déjà
jugé, lors du sommet de l’Otan fin juin à Istanbul, que le projet
d’adhésion de la Turquie était «irréversible».