Category: News

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
June 1 2004
SUCCESSFUL REALIZATION OF OIL STRATEGY OF GREAT LEADER HEYDAR ALIYEV
BRINGS ITS FRUITS
SPEECH OF THE PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN ILHAM ALIYEV AT THE OPENING OF
XI INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION – CONFERENCE “CASPIAN – OIL, GAS, OIL
REFINING AND PETROCHEMICALS – 2004”
[June 01, 2004, 19:47:10]
Dear ladies and gentlemen!
Dear visitors!
I intimately congratulate you on the occasion of opening of the XI
International exhibition – conference “Caspian – oil, gas, oil
refining and petrochemicals – 2004”. I wish the Conference success.
In 1994, in Azerbaijan first such exhibition has been carried out. I
well remember those days. I remember, how then carrying out of this
exhibition caused in ones – doubts, others – were surprised to this
as at that time Azerbaijan was in very difficult situation. Situation
in the country was very difficult. The Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict
has just been suspended, the agreement on ceasefire was reached.
Certainly, carrying out of exhibition in such conditions was the
extreme phenomenon. The country experienced heavy days. In Azerbaijan
ruled an economic crisis.
As a whole, at that time Azerbaijan was known in the world in quality
of very risky country. However, thanks to efforts of organizers of
the Exhibition and support of President Heydar Aliyev this exhibition
has taken place, and I remember, that it has passed very
successfully. The representatives who have arrived to Azerbaijan of
the foreign companies have expressed here the interests to our
country, trust to Azerbaijan, and, thus, with participation of the
large oil companies in Azerbaijan the international action was
carried out.
In general, the year 1994 takes a special place in the history of
Azerbaijan. In 1994, the “Contract of the Century” has been signed,
and from this contract new oil strategy of Azerbaijan began. Heydar
Aliyev’s oil strategy is put into practice already more than 10 years
and has brought to Azerbaijan great successes. For these years to
Azerbaijan, in a petroleum industry of our country, large investments
have been enclosed. The known oil companies came to Azerbaijan and
have adjusted very successful cooperation with our country. I can
tell, that the works, which have begun in 1994, had decisive
character for the future Azerbaijan.
After the “Contract of the Century”, it has been signed more than 20
oil contracts. Within the framework of the said contracts, the
investment at amount almost 60 billion dollars is expected. The
investments enclosed in the oil industry, naturally, will stimulate
all our economy. I can tell you that the volume of the investments
enclosed in Azerbaijan within last 7-8 years makes 17 billion
dollars. Of them, 12 billion are direct foreign investments. It
testifies to the great trust in Azerbaijan, that Azerbaijan is very
reliable partner. Otherwise, the foreign companies, certainly, would
not begin to put to Azerbaijan so many investments. Also I should
tell, that in comparison with neighboring countries, former Soviet
republics, and at the same time with some states of the East Europe,
Azerbaijan is the leader on volume of foreign investments per capita
and during many years keeps this leadership.
If in Azerbaijan political stability and order have not been
established, certainly, achievement of such level of foreign
investments would be impossible. Due to activity and efforts of the
national leader of our people Heydar Aliyev, Azerbaijan for very
short time has made significant steps. The oil sector develops; other
branches of our economy also are in development. It speaks that
Azerbaijan is on a true way.
In Azerbaijan, there is extremely favorable investment environment.
Our foreign friends, partners are sure that their investments are
protected up to the mark. Already all know, that any oil contract
after signing is ratified by Milli Majlis and, thus, inures as the
law, and nobody can change this law. It is pleasant, that within
these ten years between Azerbaijan and the oil companies there was no
question at issue. We always work, we cooperate in very friendly
conditions, and carrying out activity in our country the foreign oil
companies, living here the foreign experts became members of the
Azerbaijan society, and I know, that they feel very easy in
Azerbaijan.
Our purpose consists in an all-around development of Azerbaijan. In
that, using the oil factor, to make our economy versatile to open new
workplaces. In particular, due to activity of the foreign oil
companies, in oil sector in Azerbaijan thousand, tens thousand new
workplaces were open. Our citizens working in this sector, receive
very high wages, and have good conditions. Now, we should take
advantage of this factor so that in Azerbaijan other sectors of
economy also have comprehensively developed. With this purpose, have
been adopted and special programs. I hope, that these programs will
bring the results.
With feeling of deep satisfaction I can tell, that for last 7 months,
after presidential elections in Azerbaijan it was open about 30
thousand new workplaces. It once again shows that the promises given
up to electors become true and find approval in the life.
The oil sector of Azerbaijan develops. I can tell, that in 1990s one
of the complicated questions was the question on legal status of the
Caspian. In this connection, though the question was many times
discussed, there was certain intensity. But I can tell and that as a
result of Heydar Aliyev’s diplomacy the said question also finds its
settlement. In the direction of settlement of this question extremely
important steps have been undertaken, and Azerbaijan has already
signed agreements with Russia and Kazakhstan about legal status of
the Caspian Sea. This certifies that even on such complex
international problems it is possible to come to a common
denominator, and it was found a decision satisfying each side. I
hope, that in the near future the question on the status of the
Caspian Sea, at last, can find its decision as a whole.
The future prospects of Azerbaijan are fine. For realization of all
plans we face, certainly, it is necessary strong economy. Naturally,
the oil sector being the basic branch of our economy plays thus
important and, I can tell, the main role. We have already executed
preliminary stage. Azerbaijan has involved large investments. The oil
sector of Azerbaijan develops very promptly and the new
infrastructure is being created.
For these years, in Azerbaijan, four drilling installations have been
constructed and handed over in operation: “Dede Gorgud”, “Istiglal”,
“Gurtulush” and the largest drilling installation – “Heydar Aliyev”
capable to work in the deepest waters of the Caspian Sea. It very
much strengthens our infrastructure. But, at the same time, the
following stage will depend on how will the incomes received from oil
effectively work to efficiently use them. With this purpose, in
Azerbaijan the Oil Fund has been created. The Oil Fund is very
transparent structure, and its activity gets support of the
international financial institutions. The international audit is on
regular basis carried out, the information on incomes and charges of
Oil Fund is periodically published in press.
The transparency becomes one of the main preconditions of our
success. As you know, Azerbaijan has joined the International
Transparency Initiative. Already more than year we seriously are
engaged in the given question and we support the initiative of the
Prime Minister of the Great Britain. I can tell, that Azerbaijan is,
may be, the unique country in region which accepts very active
participation in this Initiative. It will allow us that the incomes
received from oil in the future, worked effectively, and each citizen
of Azerbaijan has felt it in the daily life.
The incomes, to tell the truth, received from oil already render the
influence to our life. I can tell to you, that the last year wages
and pensions have been raised by decrees of our national leader
Heydar Aliyev due to means of the Oil Fund. It means that incomes
received from oil already find the reflection in a daily life of our
people. Certainly, with growth of our incomes in the future we shall
have even more opportunities that our people lived even better.
One of the most important directions of oil strategy of Heydar Aliyev
is construction of oil pipelines and delivery of the Azerbaijan oil
to the world markets. Two oil pipelines, transporting the Azerbaijan
oil now function, and it allows us to deliver in very effective form
our oil on the world markets.
As you know, construction of the oil pipeline Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan
goes very successfully, and we hope, that in the beginning of the
next year it will be handed over in operation. This pipeline also is
Heydar Aliyev’s creation. Not casually, that the members of the
Company “Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan” have given to this pipeline Heydar
Aliyev’s name, and our brothers living in Turkey, our friends, the
government of Turkey have named after Heydar Aliyev the Ceyhan
terminal. Truly, Heydar Aliyev is the architect of the oil pipeline
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan.
About the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan many words have been told. I do not
want to repeat them. I want to tell only, that it is the project,
which in a huge degree will determine the future of Azerbaijan. It is
the project, which can bring to Azerbaijan, the region the peace and
calmness. It is the project strengthening cooperation in the region.
I hope and is confident, that after realization of the said project,
our region will change, we shall reach peace and calmness. Certainly,
as soon as Azerbaijan, using this pipeline, will deliver the oil on
the world markets, our country will achieve even greater development,
our people will live even better, and our economy become stronger.
The strong economy is the most important condition. For solution of
all problems in Azerbaijan, first of all, there should be a strong
economy. Social questions find their solution. Means allocated from
Oil Fund, first of all, are spent for refugees and IDPs living in the
most difficult conditions. I hope, that the said question will find
its settlement. We aspire to peace settlement of the
Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorny Karabakh conflict. But it should be
solved on the basis of all international legal norms, within the
framework of territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.
The project “Shahdeniz” will bring to Azerbaijan new achievements.
The large works directed on delivery of the Azerbaijan gas to Europe,
Turkey are already being carried out. I hope, that the mentioned
project also will bring fine results, and in the near future the
Azerbaijan gas will be delivered to Turkey, and there from – to
Europe. Azerbaijan becomes very much reliable source for the European
consumers.
Dear friends!
In a word, all works, which have been carried out in Azerbaijan
within last ten years, were very successful. Including in the
oil-and-gas sector. It once again shows, that the steps undertaken in
1994 were true. This is celebration of oil strategy, Heydar Aliyev’s
oil diplomacy. I hope, that, continuing this policy, we shall achieve
new successes, we shall reach strengthening and an all-round
development of our country.
Once again I sincerely congratulate you on the occasion of opening of
this Exhibition-Conference. I wish you robust health, happiness and
successes. Thanks!

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
June 1 2004
SUCCESSFULLY REALIZED LARGE-SCALE PROJECTS ARE COMMON US-AZERBAIJAN
ACHIEVEMENTS
PRESIDENT OF THE AZERBAIJAN REPUBLIC ILHAM ALIYEV RECEIVES US
PRESIDENT’S SPECIAL ADVISOR ON CASPIAN ENERGY DIPLOMACY
[June 01, 2004, 21:58:27]
President of the Azerbaijan Republic Ilham Aliyev received the US
President’s special advisor on Caspian energy diplomacy, ambassador
Steven Mann, on 1 June.
Noting that the Conference-Exhibition starting today in Baku has been
conducted for 11 years, President Ilham Aliyev assessed the event as
a notable success. Today, the participants of the Exhibition total
340. Traditional events usually attract less interest. But interest in
the Exhibition-Conference, on the contrary, rises year by year. Of
course, this is connected with the significant and large-scale
projects. Azerbaijan is attractive for the foreign companies,
investors, and service firms.
President Ilham Aliyev further said: “First of all, I would like to
ask you to convey my gratitude to the US President for kind letter.
You presented it this morning. It is important and is a strong impetus
for our relations. I am rather pleased with it. I am convinced that
our cooperation in energy and other fields will successfully continue
in the coming years”.
Expressing his gratitude to Azerbaijan president for warm words, Mr.
Steven Mann appraised the today’s Exhibition-Conference as a landmark
event. In this oil-gas fair you have displayed your accomplishments
gained during the passed 11 years. I present the letter of President
Bush to You with a feeling of pride. In this letter, he expresses his
congratulations and personal greetings to You. My country is pleased
with cooperation in energy field and we have reached great success
in this direction. Next year, the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline
will be put into operation. Today’s arrangement clearly demonstrated
that Azerbaijan is a very attractive country for the energy companies
and other investors. Today, Your Country’s cooperation with the US
ambassador Reno Harnish and other investors is high level”.
The achievements gained in the oil and gas field are common
success of Azerbaijan and the United States, President Ilham Aliyev
emphasized. “Successful realization of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan MEP
became possible due to strong support by the United States, and You,
Mr. Ambassador, have made your own contributions to these successes.
I am eyewitness of your efforts in this direction and would like once
again to stress that these are our common successes. I am confident
that these successes will continue in the coming years as well.
In the course of meeting, stating that Ambassador Steven Mann has
another important mission – he is the co-chair of the OSCE Minsk
Group for settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorny Karabakh
conflict, President Ilham Aliyev had comprehensive exchange of views
on resolution to the problem.
Ambassador of the United States to Azerbaijan Reno Harnish attended
the reception.

Bagdikian’s Long Journey to Journalistic Heights
By Dorothy Bryant Special to the Planet
Berkeley Daily Planet, CA
June 1 2004
The most dramatic story in Ben Bagdikian’s life was not his role in
obtaining, publishing, and reporting on the Pentagon Papers in 1971.
It was a story he was not able to report (until his 1995 memoir
Double Vision) because he was too young–10 days old in 1920–when his
parents and four sisters fled Marash, Armenia, on foot, climbing over
snow-covered mountains to escape the Turks during a great Armenian
genocide.
Thinking the new baby was dead, his father dropped him in order to
catch his mother who had fainted. Ben hit the snow, cried out, and
was picked up again. After more narrow escapes, the family made it to
America when Ben was four months old and settled in Stoneham, Mass.
There his father (who had taught at an American University in Armenia)
became pastor of a Cambridge Armenian Congregational Church.
Despite the loss of his mother to tuberculosis three years later,
Ben says that, compared to immigrants with no contacts, no English,
and few skills, his English-speaking family had a fairly “easy entreé
into middle-class American life,” and he grew up as “an Armenian
overlaid by, of all things, the culture of New England Yankees.”
Although there were family feasts where relatives told stories in
Turkish or Armenian, Ben–a fiercely “American” kid who “always
wished they’d serve hot dogs and stuff like that instead of stuffed
eggplant”–understood neither language. “I picked up a little Turkish
when I was staying with my grandparents, but lost it all. Or thought
I did.”
A few years ago, his wife Marlene and he traveled to Marash.
“One night we found ourselves wandering in a dark and gloomy district
that made me more and more uneasy. We had to get out of there,
but how? I saw a man in a tan uniform–some official or policeman,
I hoped–walked up to him, and out of my mouth came, ‘Can you tell
us how to get a cab?’ In Turkish! I was astonished. Somewhere, back
in my brain, bits of the language still lived.”
The plan was for Ben to become a doctor, but when he graduated from
Clark University (after serving as editor of the college newspaper),
he needed to earn money for medical school. As a pre-med student,
he had to take many chemistry courses. He went to apply for a job
as a chemist. “Come back in an hour.” During that fateful hour, he
wandered into the offices of the Springfield Morning Union, found
that they could use a reporter, and never looked back.
During World War II, he married while serving as a navigator
in the Army Air Corps. He and his wife Betty had two sons, Chris
(1944) and Eric (1951), before their marriage ended. By 1947 he was
working as a reporter and Washington bureau chief for the Providence
Journal-Bulletin. In 1956, he won an Ogden Reed Fellowship for a year
in Europe, then in 1957 took the risky assignment of covering the
Southern Civil Rights scene along with black reporter Jim Rhea. He
left the Journal-Bulletin in 1961 and began freelance reporting. His
first book, In The Midst of Plenty (1964), came out of articles written
after spending time with poor Appalachians, bean pickers in Florida,
old people “warehoused” in Los Angeles, men in flop houses in Chicago.
Later, a similar experience, having himself smuggled into a maximum
security prison as an inmate, led to his book Caged: Eight Prisoners
and their Keepers (1976).
“I was only there two weeks, but I’ll never forget how quickly the
outside world disappears. A depression settles over everyone. Once,
when we were brought out of our cells, I looked into a wall-mirror to
check out who was nearby. I saw a guy I didn’t know. Who was that? It
was me! That look, that careful, dead, expressionless look had already
made me a stranger to myself.”
I asked Ben if such experiences with the poor and the imprisoned led to
his life-long concern for the deprived, the less educated. He nodded.
“And a couple of earlier influences. There was my Uncle Fred, a
mechanic with a great zest for life. He bought me my first ice cream
soda, took me around with him, out of that up-tight world of the
‘preacher’s son.’ That was a terrible burden, everyone watching and
judging to see how ‘good’ I was–and I wasn’t good! Yet within that
uptight world was the deep concern for values. Every night we had a
Bible reading, all together, the family. Sounds dreary, and sometimes
it was. But, you know, after years and years, the theology, the dogma
falls away, and what’s left is ‘Do unto others–‘ and the Beatitudes.
You know, in the ethics class I have at Berkeley, I asked my graduate
students, where they got their sense of right and wrong. And most of
them went back to early religious training–Christian, Jewish, Muslim,
whatever–and they said the same thing, that in adulthood the theology
dropped away, but the moral teachings stayed with them.” Ben laughs.
“Marlene says all that King James Bible reading shows in my writing
style.”
By 1967 Ben was with the Washington Post as assistant managing editor
for national news (1970), where his adventures with the Pentagon
Papers hit the headlines in 1971. “It was a tricky spot to be in. I
was covering the story, but I was instrumental in getting the papers,
so I was part of the story as well. I believe a reporter should stand
outside the story and report it accurately, but in some cases, that’s
not possible. It’s like walking a tightrope.”
Ben has won so many awards that articles about him no longer bother
to list all of them. I asked which were his favorite awards.
“I was part of a group Pulitzer, but what I value more is the Pulitzer
I didn’t get. I was one of two finalists during that fellowship
year 1956-57 in Europe. I had helped cover the Israeli/Egyptian war,
giving the point of view of leaders but also of ordinary citizens on
both sides; that’s what made our reports different. Another award I
value is the Peabody I got in 1951 for criticizing leading TV and radio
commentators. And I treasure the James Madison Award from the American
Library Association, Coalition on Government Information in 1998.”
In 1976 Ben joined the faculty of the UC Graduate School of
Journalism, where he taught until 1991, serving three years as dean
(1985-1988). His major publishing event of those years was The Media
Monopoly in 1983. In that book he described the dangers of media
ownership by only 50 companies. Media Monopoly went into five more
editions–1987, 1990, 1993, 1997, 2000. Then in January 2004 The New
Media Monopoly came out.
“It wasn’t my idea. The publisher said I had to do a new edition
because so much has changed. So the seventh edition is really 90
percent new. From 50 companies, ownership of media has shrunk to
just five or six. But there’s an even bigger difference. In 1983
each company wanted a monopoly over just one medium–say magazines,
or newspapers, or television. Now, these few companies try to control
all media, so that the TV you watch, the radio, the newspaper, the
magazines, the movies, the books–might all be owned and controlled
by one corporation–Fox or Murdock or Disney. And these companies
promote a far-right slant. What they have managed to do in 25 years is
to shift what used to be called the ‘nutty right’ to the center. And
the left has been pushed off the edge completely.”
Is there hope in the Internet?
“Yes. There’s lots of junk on it, but it’s still an outlet for an
independent with no money but plenty of ingenuity and skill, like
MoveOn.org. It’s not controlled by the corporations. Not yet. But the
FCC, which is supposed to protect independent media, is Bush-appointed,
and not a bit friendly.”
What about print media? Name some of the ones that are holding firm
against the move to the right.
“Well, you know, I think you have to read the New York Times every
day. There’s been a big change in the last five years. It’s not so
wedded to the establishment. And there’s the Nation, the Progressive,
Extra, alternative radio, the New York Review of Books. And it’s a
good idea to read Time and Newsweek, so you get a view of the total
picture most magazine readers are getting–and even those two have
been pretty dismayed at the right lately.” Ben laughs. “I occasionally
look at the National Review too, and the Weekly Standard–I think
you have to know what the right is thinking.”
I asked, what if I work at a full-time job and have a family and
a house to keep up and friends, and a need to relax and watch TV
a little. But I’m determined to squeeze out an hour a day to stay
informed. What should I read?
“Hmmmm. Okay. The Nation, Newsweek, the Progressive. And, of course,
the Berkeley Daily Planet. It’s a really great local paper!”
Lest the reader decide that, in my admiration for Ben, I am buttering
him up inexcusably, let me conclude by telling his dirty little
secret, the revelation of which is sure to infuriate him. Ben is
not his real first name. His mother had him christened Ben-Hur, yes,
after the monumentally schlocky best seller that spawned some even
more tasteless movie spectacles.
“To my knowledge,” Ben murmurs, “it was her only lapse of literary
taste.”
Ben Bagdikian will read from The New Media Monopoly at 7:30 on June
4 at Cody’s Books on Telegraph.

Turkish Daily News
June 1 2004
Minority newspapers in Turkey – Part Two
Nor Marmara – the first Armenian newspaper on the Internet
`We believe that the number of our readers decreases with each death
announcement. Unfortunately, we don’t believe that a birth
announcement will bring us a new reader’
`Today Turkey’s biggest newspapers see minorities through a different
perspective. They feel attracted to them; they are defenders of
minorities against injustice, this pleases us greatly. The Turkish
Daily News is one of the newspapers that has approached minorities
sympathetically’
GUL DEMIR
ISTANBUL – Turkish Daily News
The Nor Marmara newspaper was established in 1940 by well-known
Armenian journalist Suren Samliyan. It was a weekly newspaper
initially but later became a daily because of the people’s intense
interest. Rober Haddeler took over the responsibility for the
newspaper in 1967 and it has now been published as a daily in
Armenian for 63 years. Nor Marmara, which cannot be published on
Sundays due to difficulties created by distribution, has four pages
and is published six days a week.
Rober Haddeler tries to keep Nor Marmara alive despite difficulties
in finding reporters, as well as with printing and advertising,
although the paper does now benefit from today’s technological
opportunities. Haddeler has turned over the day-to-day running of the
newspaper to his elder son Air with his younger son Ayk involved in
the management of the newspaper. Nor Marmara, which publishes a
supplement in Turkish on Fridays for Armenian citizens who cannot
read Armenian and for those who are interested in the life of
Armenians. The main goal of the newspaper is to keep the Armenian
language and culture alive while at the same time informing their
community of the latest news stories, discussing political issues in
Turkey and give snippets of information about the life of Armenians.
Rober Haddeler, who has had 50 to 60 books published so far and who
speaks English, French, Armenian and Turkish, is a graduate of the
Pangalti High School established by “Mihitarist” priests and the
Istanbul University Faculty of Letters Department of Philosophy.
Column articles in Nor Marmara are translated into Turkish by his
daughter-in-law Karolin Haddeler and published in the weekly Turkish
supplement.
TDN: How did you get started in journalism?
HADDELER: Actually, I am a man of letters, I was a writer before
becoming a journalist. I started writing Armenian stories in 1946. As
I am interested in literature, we prepared pages of literature in Nor
Marmara with a few friends between 1946-1967. In 1967, the former
owner of the newspaper Bedros Zobyan went abroad for the education of
his daughter. They asked me to take responsibility for the newspaper
for one or two years. I didn’t want to do it because I thought that
it was difficult to publish an Armenian newspaper in Turkey and I
didn’t want the responsibility, but I accepted it as a favor to my
friend. Because my friend did not return, whether I liked it or not,
I was forced to continue working on the newspaper. I must say that I
enjoyed it and I’ve never regretted it, it’s a pleasure to publish an
Armenian newspaper in Turkey. It makes one feel proud.
TDN: Have the winds of change blowing around Turkey and the world had
an influence on your newspaper?
HADDELER: It is a very big change but unfortunately we see this
change as deterioration. Everything is developing so fast in Turkey
with European standards being adopted. These developments bring many
things to Turkey but cause some minorities and groups to lose
something. Young Armenians are fascinated by Turkish television,
Turkish newspapers and radio. They think that it is unnecessary to
read an Armenian newspaper instead of a Turkish one because they
don’t expect the same thing from a newspaper as we do. Additionally,
we don’t compete against television and the rich Turkish press and we
lose our own readers. Also, our cultural publications don’t enthuse
the younger generation. They seek more popular culture.
Unfortunately, there is a permanent deterioration and decrease in the
number of our readership. I don’t know how long this can continue.
TDN: A decrease in the number of readers means a decrease in
circulation. What is the reason of this decrease?
HADDELER: When I took over responsibility for the newspaper, it had a
circulation of 3,500-4,000. It remained at this level for a long
time. In the last five-to-six years there has been a significant
decrease and today we have a circulation of below 2,000. However,
these figures are not important to us because 60 percent of our
newspapers are sent to relatives living abroad after being read by
our readers in Istanbul. They pass from hand to hand there. There is
one reason for the decrease in our circulation; the fact that
Armenian citizens living in Istanbul can’t read the Armenian language
or don’t want to read it. Generally, the number of those who want to
read in Armenian is very high but they can’t because of problems
caused by the Armenian alphabet. That’s why they read Turkish
newspapers. Additionally, for the first time in five years an
Armenian newspaper has been published on the Internet. We can make
our voice heard all over the world.
TDN: What is the most difficult thing in publishing the newspaper?
HADDELER: Although all the minorites have similar problems, the
Armenians have difficulty because they have a unique alphabet. It is
the richest and the most difficult one among the world’s alphabets.
If the young generation don’t wish to learn it then it is very
difficult for teach them. Teachers in the 15-18 schools of our
communty encounter lots of difficulties in teaching Armenian. We
believe that the number of our readers decreases with each death
announcement. Unfortunately, we don’t believe that a birth
announcement will bring us a new reader. In recent years there has
been a search for identity among people in the 20-30 year age group
but this does not overcome our difficulties. It is difficult enough
to find a reporter, and yet even if we do so, can he or she write in
Armenian?
TDN: Some laws relating to minorities living in Turkey were amended
in the EU adaptation process. As a journalist, you must know the
problems of your community. What are these problems?
HADDELER: Unfortunately, our community does have some problems. We
have called the state’s attention to these difficulties via our
patriarch and the managers of our community. We expect solutions. I
can say that today’s government is tolerant towards these issues. In
the EU adaptation process, important laws relating to property
acquisition were made, but none of these laws were put into effect.
Our community’s demands relating to property acquisition have yet to
be fulfilled, but even if they are fulfilled they cannot be put into
practice. We remain hopeful and believe these issues will be
resolved, and when they are resolved, Turkey won’t lose anything,
only win, because people abroad attach great importance to
unimportant things. We don’t think about applying to places like the
European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). We believe that such methods
will overshadow our citizenship. We prefer to overcome these
difficulties with our own state. We believe that they can easily be
overcome but they continue because of reasons that we don’t
understand. I can list these difficulties; Minority foundations are
not given the possibility of surviving. Many rights given to Turkish
foundations are not given to minority foundations. We have 30
churches today but if we want to build a 31st church we can’t do it,
so we have to forget about building a new church, we can’t even add a
storey to one of the properties of our churches or construct a
building on empty land belonging to one of our churches in order to
obtain income. This is one of the biggest problems for us.
Additionally, when rich citizens want to donate some of their
property to their own foundation it is not accepted, they have to
sell their property and give the money to their foundation. You know
that money and property are different things, money is quickly used
up, but property remains permanent.
Besides this, we hold two kinds of elections every four to five years
to elect the administrators of our community. We have some problems
regarding these elections. For example, it is a condition that
candidates and electors must be from the same district but we have
churches in some districts where no Armenians live. Who will take
responsibility for these beautiful treasures that helps to create
Turkey’s richness? We have many problems such as this.
TDN: When you compare the past and present, what has changed in the
attitude of the Turkish press towards minorities?
HADDELER: Unfortunately, the minorities received three or four blows
during the period of the Republic. First, among minorities only men
above 20 were enlisted during the war. This was an unforgettable
event for us because many families ran into difficulties and
dispersed. Later, the Wealth Tax was imposed causing many Armenians
to become very poor followed by the September 6-7 [1955] events. I
experienced it and still don’t understand how it was done. If the
target was only Greeks, why were other minorities chosen as a target?
Their properties and wealth were plundered. Because of this event
many friends left Turkey within a year or two. This caused our
community and Turkey to lose many things. All these things may be
seen as the necessities of politics at the time.
Today the press’ attitude towards minorities is sympathetic, the
turkish press did not feel so attracted to minorities in the past.
For example, when an Armenian was found guilty of a crime it was
stressed over and over again in the press. There was enmity. Today,
Turkey’s biggest newspapers see minorities through a different
perspective. They feel attracted to them; they are defenders of
minorities against injustice, this pleases us greatly. The Turkish
Daily News is one of the newspapers which has approached the
minorities sympathetically. When I met you, its Istanbul office
representative, I felt better. I said that we would see love if there
were such friends in Turkish press. The Armenian press abroad closely
follows the Turkish Daily News because it is accepted as one of the
newspapers reporting events the best.
TDN: Does Nor Marmara newspaper have future plans?
HADDELER: In my opinion we publish a high-quality newspaper. We have
no future projects because we just think about tomorrow. We don’t
have the opportunity to think ahead a few years. We let sleeping dogs
lie. Let’s see how the life of our community will go on. Maybe we can
publish our Turkish newspaper two to three days a week while
publishing our Armenian newspaper. Maybe we can publish a separate
Turkish newspaper. But is an advantage for Turkey that a newspaper
like Nor Marmara is published in Turkey. We are admired by all people
who like Turkey or not, they are astonished, exclaiming, “Such a
newspaper is published in Turkey!” People in Diaspora are interested
in Turkey the most. This makes us work harder. If the Armenian
community living abroad is taken into consideration, we are one of
the factors that reflects Turkey’s image best. Nor Marmara newspaper
is the one which is sought and read most. It is said, “It is true if
the Marmara newspaper writes it.”

JAVAKHK TO SEE MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS IF SAAKASHVILI KEEPS HIS VOWS
ArmenPress
June 1 2004
TBILISI, JUNE 1, ARMENPRESS: Traveling from Armenian-populated
Georgia’s region of Javakhk to the capital city of Tbilisi will become
a pleasure if president Mikhail Saakashvili keeps his vow to earmark
some $100 million of an overall $400 million aid, Georgia expects to
receive from the US government and IMF to improve its infrastructures,
for a major rehabilitation of existing and construction of new roads
in the region.
At any case, an Armenian member of the Georgian parliament, Van
Bayburdian, told Armenpress that the road to Tbilisi will become 100
km shorter if a new road is constructed. “If this happens the new
road will have a drastically positive effect on the region and its
population,” he said.
Bayburdian said president Saakashvili had underscored, during his
recent meetings with heads of international lending organizations,
the need for investing in Javakhk to ease employment problems there.
The lawmaker said overseas investments in the region may urge
Russia-based wealthy businessmen of Armenian origin to direct part
of their investments to Javakhk.
Bayburdian also shrugged off demands of several local ethnic Armenian
organizations that the region must be granted autonomy. “There is
already autonomy in the region, though it is not formalized, as it is
run by local cadres, the majority of whom are ethnic Armenians and who
after all have to decide how to make the region prosperous,” he said.
Bayburdian said five Armenian members of the Georgian parliament have
been facing no obstacles in raising issues of concern for the region.
From: Baghdasarian

PARLIAMENT CHAIRMAN CONGRATULATES CHILDREN
ArmenPress
June 1 2004
YEREVAN, JUNE 1, ARMENPRESS: Parliament chairman Arthur Baghdasarian
met today with human rights protector Larissa Alaverdian, the
representative of UN Children’s Fund in Armenia Naira Avetisian and
children from Huysi Kamurj (Bridge of Hope) organization to convey
his congratulations and best wishes to the latter on the occasion of
the International Children’s Day.
He then answered the children’s questions encompassing a wide range
of issues. He also gave presents to them. The day was marked today
in Armenia by a variety of events.
Out of an estimated 110,000-disabled people in Armenia, 8,400 are
children. According to official statistics, there are over 12,000
children living in children’s homes in Armenia . Most are able-bodied
and the majority have parents.

Armenian paper says president plans to dissolve parliament
Azg, Yerevan
1 Jun 04
Text of Tatul Akopyan’s report by the Armenian newspaper Azg on 1
June entitled “Robert Kocharyan will possibly dissolve parliament”
1 June: According to a source close to Armenian President Robert
Kocharyan, the latter intends to dissolve the National Assembly. Under
Article 63 of the Armenian Constitution, the president of the republic
has the power to dissolve the parliament and to call extraordinary
parliamentary elections.
Incidentally, our source said that Kocharyan might dissolve the
parliament in the summer before the autumn session. The president’s
intention to dissolve the parliament can be explained by two main
reasons: first a parliamentary crisis, with the opposition boycotting
the Armenian parliament’s work, and second, falsifications during
the 2003 elections. This is why the West and international judicial
and democratic organizations are putting pressure on Armenia, and
our country’s authority in the eyes of the world community has fallen.
In fact, during his tenure President Kocharyan may try to arrange at
least one election which will be more or less fair according to the
results of which it will be possible to hand over the power to his
“chosen successor”.

Paes-Martina crash out
The Indian Express
Tuesday, June 01, 2004
Leander Paes’ stay at Paris ended with his loss in the mixed
doubles. Paes playing alongside Martina Navratilova lost in the second
round to Angelique Widjaja of Indonesia and Lucas Arnold of Argentina
7-5, 7-5.
But third seeds Mahesh Bhupathi and Max Mirnyi of Belarus scored
a clinical 6-3, 6-4 win over Karsten Braasch of Germany and Sargis
Sargsian of Armenia to book a berth in the men’s doubles semifinals
at the French Open.
In the boys’ singles, Tushar Liberhan upset 10th seed Woong-Sun Jun
of Korea 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 to advance to the third round. Karan Rastogi,
the 12th seed, went down to Martin Fisher of Austria 2-6, 6-1, 3-6. —
(Agencies)

Minister says Azerbaijan, Armenia exchanging views on Karabakh
MPA news agency
1 Jun 04
Baku, 1 June: The third meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian
foreign ministers will take place in Prague on 21 June.
According to MPA, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov thinks
it is early to speak about a rapprochement between the positions of
the sides. Commenting on the course of talks between the Azerbaijani
and Armenian foreign ministers, the Azerbaijani foreign minister said
that the sides were exchanging views. According to him, Azerbaijan
is putting forward its ideas and is listening to those suggested
by Armenia. The [OSCE Minsk Group] co-chairmen also have certain
ideas. Mammadyarov believes that if they manage to properly arrange
these ideas, then they can move on.
Stressing the role of the European Union in the conflict settlement,
Minister Mammadyarov said that Azerbaijan supported the idea of keeping
the Karabakh issue on the agenda of the EU and the European community.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian opposition leader says “prominent” activists arrested
Noyan Tapan news agency
1 Jun 04
Yerevan, 1 June: The secretary of the National Unity Party’s
territorial organization, Simon Amirkhanyan, and his colleague,
Razmik Kchoyan, were arrested in the town of Gavar in Gegarkunik
Region on 31 May, chairman of the party Artashes Gegamyan said.
According to him, they are being blamed for telling people of
Gavar District, in particular, in the villages of Karmir, Gandzak
and Sarukhan and the town of Gavar about a meeting of MPs from the
National Unity faction with their voters scheduled for 2 June.
According to Gegamyan, [Armenian President] Robert Kocharyan is behind
the arrests. He said that by this move Kocharyan wanted to show to the
Orinats Yerkir [Law-Governed Country] Party and its leader that though
the marzapet [head] of Gegarkunik was one of the prominent members of
the Orinats Yerkir Party, however, this was of no significance to him.
Gegamyan has not yet reported the arrests to Jerzy Jaskiernia [PACE’s
co-rapporteur on Armenia], because he believes that “we should resolve
our domestic problems within the country and appeal to the Council
of Europe only in case of obstacles”.