Category: News

KARABAKH REFUGEES PROTECT THEIR RIGHTS
Azat Artsakh, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR)
June 25 2003
At last there is an organization in Nagorni Karabakh which unites the
refugees. At last because there were refugees in Karabakh since 1988
and so far neither the government, nor the international organizations
have established an agency that would attend to the numerous problems
of the refugees. The fact that the committee was established on these
days causes anxiety. There are a number of factors accompanying this
process. First, from the beginning of this year the interest of a
number of international, particularly European organizations in the
Karabakh problem became apparent. For example in February
representatives of British and American organizations visited
Stepanakert. these organizations have joined in a consortium for the
implementation of the joint program of assistance to the settlement of
the Karabakh conflict and maintenance of an atmosphere of confidence
in the region. As the director of LINKS, which is member of the
consortium, Stephen Nash said, the program is funded by the British
government. Within the framework of the consortium LINKS will deal
with working out alternative ways of conflict regulation, the
organization “Alarm International” will regulate parliamentary
cooperation, the “Service of Catholic Aid” will assist to the
development of the non-governmental sector and “Conciliation
Resources” will deal with the international coverage of the conflict
and work with the local mass media. Within the framework of the
program several separate projects were already funded: the newspaper
“Demo”, Karabakh page in the Internet site of BBC, several other
projects with Karabakh public organization. This is the first
factor. Second, it is apparent that the special representatives of the
European organizations on the Karabakh conflict are interested in the
problems of common people. If formerly different reporters did not
consider it necessary to visit Karabakh for preparing their reports,
this year both Terry Davis and Goran Lenmarker who prepared reports on
Karabakh arrived here. What is more, all of them refuse to participate
in the political settlement of the conflict charging the OSCE Minsk
Group with this mission, and speak about the social and humanitarian
aspects of the problem. As a rule they meet with refugees, imply on
the probability of providing humanitarian aid and so on. Is the
growing interest of Europe favourable for us? On the one hand yes,
because this means an inflow of finance for the spheres of
democratization, development, for which the state has not possibility,
or wish. On the other hand, shifting the problem from the political to
the humanitarian plain may have bad consequences for Karabakh. Without
a political regulation, and recognition of the status of Karabakh any
social and economic assistance will be temporary. We considered this
long preface necessary for showing the background against which the
Committee for Refugees was founded. We talked to the chairman of the
committee S. Saroyan who mentioned that they plan a seminar for
refugees in mid-July which will be organized by the LINKS with the
participation of the Armenian organization “Millenium”. According to
him, the chief aim of the organization is the recognition of the
refugees resettled during the Karabakh conflict both by Nagorni
Karabakh and international organizations. The refugees of Shoushi
particularly mentioned about this during the meetings with the
European guests who visited Shoushi. The thing is that not only the
international community but also the government of Karabakh did not
recognize these people as refugees. Even the law “On refugees” was
adopted only in 2003. Many people and even the refugees explain this
by the fact that the Karabakh authorities tried to solve the problems
of refugees without any status. Many are provided with flats, jobs,
have registration. Then the war started and the refugees fought, got
wounded and killed shoulder to shoulder with the people of
Karabakh. Later a part managed to solve their problems although it is
natural that for them it was much difficult to recover from war than
for the natives of Karabakh. Nevertheless, there are people who still
live in dormitories, consider themselves refugees and think that if
they left their homes against their will, then both the country that
received them and the international community must help them.
Besides, as the deputy chairman of the Committee for Refugees Ashot
Harutiunian mentioned, all the inhabitants of Shoushi are in the sense
of their situation refugees because all of them were resettled, lost
their property and actually returned to their ruined town. In answer
to our question why the problem is raised only now we were told that
formerly nobody reacted to these demands as there was neither a law,
nor interest. Apparently the refugees are not informed on the changes
either. At the Department for Migration, Refugees and Resettlers we
were told that after the adoption of the law not a single refugee
applied for registration. According to Sanasar Saroyan, the committee
today carries out works for bringing together the refugees in
Stepanakert and regions for the settlement of their problems and
providing information on their rights. S. Saroyan mentioned that the
organization intends to become international. The former Armenian
inhabitants of Baku and Sumgait live not only in Karabakh. For uniting
efforts the leadership of the committee has established relationships
with the World Armenian Organization (Ara Abrahamian), Armenian
experts on refugees (Alexander Manassian), former Baku Armenians
living in America (Mikhail Avanessian) and others. The committee
already cooperates with the organization “Country and Culture” which
implements significant programs in Armenia and Artsakh. One of the
important problems that the committee is going to extend to the
government is the necessity of introducing legislative changes in the
law on refugees. It turns out that according to the law the refugees
do not have the right to occupy high positions in Karabakh. Or if the
refugee marries a native of Karabakh, he or she loses their
status. There are also questions related to the procedure of granting
the status of refugee. The second question: the committee was
established in Shoushi. One of the aims set by the members of the
committee is the renaissance of the town, investments and development
of business. According to S. Saroyan, nobody is going to return to
Baku or Sumgait. “But if we were offered to settle down in Shahoumian,
Getashen, we would agree gladly,” said S. Saroyan. According to the
deputy chairman S. Harutiunian Azerbaijan does everything possible to
make maximum political and financial profit from using the problem of
refugees. Quite recently through the state and international funds
about 500 apartments were built for Azerbaijanis close to the Karabakh
border, in the region of Aghdam. “What is this if not a starting
point,” says Ashot Harutiunian. Our authorities must show a similar
approach. Moreover, the stress should be put on the fact that
Karabakh is a sovereign state where people have equal rights. “The
unification with Armenia has no prospects for the upcoming several
years. We voted for independence and we want independence. And in this
context the recognition of the Karabakh refugees by the international
community is our legal claim,” said A. Harutiunian. S. Saroyan
mentioned that the organization intends to present the regulations of
the committee. The authorities promised to aid with the office and
computers. The committee cooperates with the department for migration
and refugees. There have already been organized meetings in the
regions. In short the work has already started.
NAIRA HAYRUMIAN.
25-06-2004

Ex-Armenian foreign minister warns of “disastrous” consequences
A1+ web site
27 Jun 04
Commenting on [Armenian President] Robert Kocharyan’s speech at a
session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the
head of the Centre for National and Strategic Studies, Raffi
Ovanisyan, said: “Regrettably, he has failed to present Armenia as a
democratic country. The domestic distrust, which has been prevailing
since the presidential elections, is conducive to this.”
The former foreign minister [under the Ter-Petrosyan government] is
advising Kocharyan: “The president of our country should first of all
have a mandate of 100-per cent public trust in all international
structures.”
Ovanisyan believes that if the domestic political situation continues
to remain alarming, nothing new awaits us in the near future: “The
domestic political infirmity poses a great threat to our foreign
policy, the consequence of which could be disastrous.”

Armenian president “obstacle” to democracy – opposition leader
Turan news agency, Baku
25 Jun 04

Strasbourg, 25 June: MP Shavarsh Kocharyan, leader of the National
Democratic Party of Armenia, has commented in an interview with Turan
news agency on Armenian President Robert Kocharyan’s speech at the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe [PACE].
Asked what he thought about the president’s assessments of the
domestic situation in the country, Kocharyan said that the president
was very “vague” about them. Particularly, it is wrong to present the
tension that has developed as an attempt to import a revolution. “In
fact, the situation deteriorated a result of ballot-rigging in
2003. Even if the revolution in Georgia had not taken place, something
would have happened in Armenia,” Shavarsh Kocharyan said.
The Armenian opposition declared last September why it was intending
to achieve its aims and was based on the Constitutional Court’s
decision to conduct a referendum of confidence in the president within
a year. When the parliamentary majority refused to discuss the
referendum, the opposition had no choice but to appeal to the people,
Shavarsh Kocharyan said. “Therefore, the roots of the conflict are
different from those mentioned by Robert Kocharyan, simply it is of no
benefit to him to talk about the real reasons,” the MP said.
In addition, some points in the president’s speech “do not serve good
relations between Armenia and Georgia”, he said.
Asked if Armenia has fulfilled its commitments to PACE, the MP said
that they have been fulfilled “as a formality”. It means that
everything is alright on paper, but in fact, the adopted laws and
conventions are not being observed. Moreover, the authorities
continue to violate these documents. “These violations are pretty
frequent in the country and therefore, Armenia is not actually keeping
its commitments,” Shavarsh Kocharyan said.
Asked if he agrees with the opinion that the Armenian opposition has
lost, he said that there cannot be a clear answer. This is a defeat
for those who wanted to “checkmate in two moves”. But for those who
want to draw Armenia closer to European values and democracy this is
the beginning of a long way, and we might be late in achieving the
desired results. “In any case, Robert Kocharyan and his entourage are
obstacles in this way,” he said.

Armenian pressure group condemns president’s Council of Europe speech
A1+ web site
26 Jun 04

25 June: The Defence of the Liberated Territories public initiative
has sharply condemned President Robert Kocharyan’s speech at the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe [PACE] today.
“Recently, the Armenian president personally spoke for the first time
from an international rostrum about Armenia’s disgraceful readiness to
cede the territories. Answering a question from the head of the
Azerbaijani delegation in PACE, he confessed that he had agreed to
cede the liberated territories in Key West. The territories have not
been ceded yet only because of Azerbaijan’s firm position.
“Some representatives of the opposition bypassed this issue and
hurried to approve of the Karabakh-related section of Kocharyan’s
speech.
“We sharply condemn every phrase which hints at the possible return of
the liberated territories to Azerbaijan, partly or in full. We state
that neither the president nor other figures who make such statements
have the right to speak on behalf of the people of Armenia and ignore
its opinion. The return of even an inch of our liberated territories,
as well as a speech containing statements which contribute to this,
are a betrayal.
“It becomes obvious that a positive solution to the Artsakh [Nagornyy
Karabakh] war requires a change of the political elite.
“All the liberated territories are an inseparable part of our
motherland and any attempts to thrust another solution upon the
Armenian people are doomed to failure,” the statement said.

Poll shows Armenians want unification with Karabakh
Yerkir web site, Yerevan
26 Jun 04
A poll conducted by the Armenian Centre for National and International
Studies (ACNIS) has revealed that Armenians are ready to participate
in the defence of Karabakh if the war resumes.
Stepan Safaryan of the centre told a discussion on Friday [25 June]
that the poll, conducted among 1,950 individuals, indicates that 73
per cent of the respondents are in favour of the settlement of the
confrontation by Armenia, Karabakh and Azerbaijan. Most of the
respondents consider the Karabakh issue to be part of the Armenian
Question.
Answering “why Karabakh does not belong to Azerbaijan”, 38 per cent
said that Karabakh was annexed to Azerbaijan under the Soviets, 27.6
per cent said Armenians have been living in that region for centuries,
and 12 per cent pointed out that Armenia has won the war over
Karabakh.
As for the status of Karabakh, 59.7 per cent see Karabakh as part of
Armenia, whereas 38.6 per cent sees it as an independent state.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Het Financieele Dagblad (Dutch newspaper)
June 24, 2004
“Recognition of genocide will help Turkey progress”
Turkey is high on the Dutch agenda with a view to an EU membership.
According to Turkey-expert Hilmar Kaiser openness of the past will
increase the chances.
BY OUR EDITOR
AMSTERDAM – Under Dutch presidency, the European Union will decide in
December whether candidate member Turkey receives a date on which
negotiations can begin for accession. The case is sensitive politically
because, among other factors, Turkey is a Muslim state, as written in a
recent report of the Scientific Council for Government Policy. It is also
notable that politicians scrupulously avoid the debate on the concealed
Turkish genocide of 1915 on 1.5 million Armenians. Wrongly, finds Hilmar
Kaiser, who was promoted at the European University in Florence after
studying Turkish archives on this matter. Kaiser is prohibited by the
Turkish authorities to carry out further archival research. Nevertheless the
Turkey expert is optimistic at this moment. Recently he spoke about his
research in Amsterdam.
– How do you estimate the chances of recognition of the genocide?
“To approach the EU Ankara has already done serious work on the Kurdish
problem and the Cyprus question. Judging the capabilities of Erdogan and
Gül, the current political leaders, I expect that the government will carry
out very generous solutions for the Armenian question. I think, however,
that they still need some time, because otherwise, in the eyes of the
military leaders, there will be too much confusion. It must, however, happen
before Turkey becomes an EU member. I have high hope that this will happen
as well.”
– What is the basis for your hope?
“This is the first government that in fact breaks with the kemalists, the
followers of Kemal Atatürk, founder of modern Turkey, who radically enforced
the separation of Church and State. Apart from the opposition, the current
politicians have nothing to do with people who have the genocide on their
conscience. Erdogan and Gül are ordinary Muslims. Their supporters originate
from people who had then saved Armenians with danger for their own lives.
This government has, as far as I know, no links with the mafia, the military
elite, the secret service and the media industry.”
– You are now referring to the car accident in Susurluk in 1996.
“Yes. A high police force officer, a member of Parliament, a mafia boss and
a beauty diva were involved. Then it became clear how the Turkish
establishment is interwoven with criminal gangs. This government has nothing
to do with that and has strong roots in a democratic tradition. Therefore, I
do not think that there are still reasons to keep Turkey outside the EU in
the long run, especially if Erdogan recognizes the genocide. Because I do
not see another government doing it so soon. Moreover this will help Turkey
enormously.”
– In which respect?
“Erdogan is able to push the door open for a completely new future for
Turkey and also for the Caucasus Region. He will not do that primarily to
please the EU, but out of personal interest. Because in the long run I see a
leading role for Turkey in the whole region. I consider Erdogan able to do
so. With the recognition of the Armenian genocide Turkey also provides
itself with the legitimacy to develop into a real regional power.
Recognition is in the Turkish interest. Problems do not get solved by
blurring or by denying them.”
– What stops Turkey then?
“Not Erdogan, because he is in fact pleading for renewal and emancipation.
You still find the opponents in all parts of the state apparatus and in the
current opposition party CHP. That party depicts Erdogan’s party AKP as
Muslim fundamentalist that tries to frustrate the reforms. CHP represents
the tradition of the genocide committers, Young-Turks, who for more than
eighty years had the power and up to 1950 sat in the government and owned
the banks. Their ideas are also widespread under Turks in Europe. They still
play the same game, but they are losing their influence.”
– This sounds like a revolution.
“This is exactly so. At this moment a lot is happening in Turkey and that is
a delicate process. AKP finds its basis among the ordinary population in
Eastern Turkey. It is striking that exactly this Muslim government releases
the Kurdish human rights activist Leyla Zana. A kemalist government would
never do that.”
– New York Life recently reached a settlement of millions with Armenian
heirs because of unpaid policies.
“This can be compared to the Jewish credit balances. There are more
financial institutions with genocide money, both abroad and in Turkey
itself. With the Armenian properties state ventures were established that
still exist today. The Turkish government must take the initiative to blow
off the lid. Transparency in companies is, in this respect, a condition for
economic and democratic development in that region. This matter should not
be seen in terms of what it costs, but in terms of new chances. That will
also make Turkey more attractive for foreign investors.”
– In the West too the term “genocide” concerning Armenians is sometimes
avoided. How do you see that?
“That is politically motivated. It was the first modern genocide, complete
with strategy and medical experiments. And also concerning the number of 1.5
million no doubt can exist. I’ll spare you the details.”
PHOTO: In Guzelyurt, Cappadocia, the party offices of ex-Prime Minister
Ecevit and Prime Minister Erdogan are next to each other. FRISO SPOELSTRA/HH

Indian Express, India
June 27, 2004
Rugby requiem

The once strong Armenian team was disbanded two years ago. A sad
reaffirmation of the shrinking numbers of Kolkata’s Armenian
community

KARTYK VENKATRAMAN

EVEN as the rest of the country begins to acknowledge rugby with mild
surprise, a 72-year-old man seeks the lonely solace of the Kolkata
Maidan’s wind-swept vastness to make room for his memories. Of times
that have probably passed on forever. Arsham Sookias often thinks of
the three-plus decades of his life that has been signed over to
Armenian Rugby.
Of distant 1947 when he began playing for the Armenians as a wing
forward. That was the year the Central Asian expats won the Calcutta
Cup for the first time, under the captaincy of his elder brother
Malcolm. That began one of the longest careers in rugby, lasting till
1980, after which he used his experience in teaching young Armenian
kids the game.

Looking for a Bride Groom
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Tough, fit and fast, the Armenians dominated the national scene for
several decades during the latter half of the 20th century. It’s now
been two years since the Armenian rugby team was disbanded, with a
finality rooted in changes in world politics and, consequently, the
dwindling Armenian community of Kolkata.
Their list of triumphs across a century of rugby in India is the
stuff legends are made of. Participating in the annual Calcutta Cup
and the All India and South Asia Rugby Tournament since 1930, they
have won the former 17 times with a triple in 1996-98, and the
All-India six times.
This, besides the All-India and South Asia Sevens on several
occasions and contributing to the National XV at all three Asian
Rugby Tournaments at Sri Lanka, Singapore and Malaysia. Now, says
Arsham Sookias – rugby player from 1947-80 and manager at the college
for several years – there’s no one left behind.
In Chennai, the last captain of the Armenian rugby team, Emil
Vartazarian, couldn’t agree more with Sookias. “A few other boys and
I were what was left of the Armenian rugby team. We formed a team and
participated in the Chennai Sevens in 2001. That was the last time we
participated under the Armenian banner.”
Now working with the Indian Rugby Football Union (IRFU) as technical
director in the South Zone, Emil says that till 1987 the going was
great. “From then on, the number of Armenian students began to
shrink. By 1990, there were only 17; by 1999, only three. Many gave
up the game once they were 19, passed out and began to think careers.
Many left for Australia, Canada, America.”
Emil now is about the last member of the team that once had tested
sides like the CC&FC and Bombay Gymkhana. Among the Indians who
played for the Armenian side in Kolkata towards the end, Tanvir Alam
will always remember the team he was once part of, with pride.
Alam, who played for them from 1995-99, moved on to the CC&FC team
when the Armenian side ceased to exist. “For someone new to rugby,
they were the best side to play with and pick up the game,” he says.
The present lot of kids at the College are very young, say Emil and
Sookias, but add that if they are started off with the game from a
young age, they can probably go on to regain past glory. Sookias, who
was part of the first overseas tour by India in 1970 under the
captaincy of English international scrum-half Steve Smith and has
himself captained the Armenian side from 1966-80 before taking over
as manager from 1981-2000, says the Armenian Sports Club (formed in
1945) thus no longer has the feeder base for its team.
The Armenian College and Philanthropic Academy, founded on April 2,
1821 has been home to local Armenian boys and to Armenian children
fleeing war-torn Armenia. Sookias says the Iranian government has
become very strict when allowing Armenian children to study abroad.
“In recent times, students who go home (to Iran and Armenia) on
vacation often never return,” he says.
At the college, honorary manager Sonia John admits that rugby has
taken a backseat. “Yes, there was no school rugby programme in place
last year. I will allow a coach to teach touch rugby to the kids only
if the IRFU sends an official coach,” says John.
Kolkata-based IRFU vice-president Noomi Mehta counters. “We have
sent them a proposal but are still to receive any response.”
A shrunk community intermingling with the local population has
reduced the Armenians to near-memory in a city where their community
once boasted its own quarter in the city and contributed to society,
commercially and culturally.
The game has been one of the casualties of the change, and remains
part of a diverse smorgasbord of talents and skills the Armenians no
longer offer.

The Scotsman, UK
June 27 2004
The battle of de Bernières’ nether parts
CLAIRE SCOBIE
LOUIS de Bernières arrives at the Sydney Writers Festival clutching a
copy of the erotic thriller In the Cut for his forthcoming session on
erotica with the New York author of the book, Susanna Moore. “The
main problem with writing erotic scenes is that the vocabulary is so
limited and corny,” he begins. “One of my favourite ever sentences I
found in one of those black-covered Mills and Boon books. It was
something like, `he thrust his proud manhood into her rich
generosity’.” He breaks into peels of laughter, so hard it makes his
belly quiver. In his camel-coloured slacks, a pressed shirt and
elegant pearl cuff-links, Louis de Bernières, 49, embodies the witty,
learned and idiosyncratic tenor of his books.
Hinting at writer’s block, de Bernières famously once likened the
pressure of trying to write a second bestseller to “standing in
Trafalgar Square and being told to get an erection in the rush hour”.
Captain Corelli’s Mandolin not only cast him as a publishing
phenomenon, but at the height of Corellimania, tourism to the Greek
island of Cephallonia, where the novel is set, rose by 20%. Since
then more than three million copies have been sold worldwide. So has
he succeeded with his latest novel, Birds Without Wings? “What, get
an erection?” He chuckles. “Yes, to begin with I had a ghastly sense
of fatalism that everybody was going to say it wasn’t as good as
Corelli… Now I think it’s probably better, although it may not be
as cuddly or loveable.”
Birds Without Wings, 10 years in the writing, is a tour de force
about the inhabitants of a town in south-west Turkey, Eskibahce
(pronounced Eskibaatchi), which was a virtual Eden at the turn of the
20th century. Christians and Muslims, Armenians and Greeks co-existed
harmoniously (mostly), bound by history, inter-marriage and
friendship, even religion, until the First World War heralded the
collapse of the Ottoman empire and the end of communal peace. It
bears de Bernières’ literary hallmarks – vast emotional breadth,
dazzling characterisation, rich historical detail (and gruesome
battle scenes), swerving between languid sensuality and horror,
humour and choking despair.
For the research de Bernières trawled the Ottoman archives and walked
the Gallipoli battlefields which he says, “made me feel very sad.
Bones are coming to the surface everywhere. That makes you understand
the fatuousness of nationalism because you can’t tell the nationality
of a bone.” While Birds was not written as a modern fable, “it
necessarily is a parable” expressing his hatred of “certainties,
absolutism” and religious dogma. “There used to be this cliché that
we are half beast and half angel. That’s what I believe – there’s
innate goodness alongside our innate evil.” He pauses, reflecting.
“The reason we create social order is to keep that evil under control
and war is all about the collapse of social order and that’s what
brings out the evil.”
De Bernières grew up in a genteel village in Surrey, “in a generation
where war was always talked about”. His father, Piers, a poet, was in
the army until around 1960 and his mother, Jean, served in the navy
during the Second World War. His maternal grandfather fought in
Gallipoli, and was shot three times in one day. Some 40 years later,
still suffering from war wounds, he shot himself. “A late casualty of
the war,” says the author. As a child, de Bernières was obstinate and
wilful, traits he still holds dear today. He read voraciously.

I had a ghastly sense of fatalism that everybody was going to say it
wasn’t as good

Aged 18 he briefly served in the British army himself but quit
because he didn’t want to be told what to do, and was much happier
strumming Bob Dylan ballads on his guitar and writing poetry. He then
travelled to Colombia, working as a teacher and part-time cowboy.
Ever since, de Bernières has been obsessed by how crazy megalomaniacs
– he had seen plenty in Colombia – affect the small lives of ordinary
people.
Aged 35, while still teaching in London, he wrote his debut, The War
of Don Emmanuel’s Nether Parts, inspired by the literary genre of
Magical Realism. Two more Latin American novels followed and in 1993
he was named as one of Granta’s best young novelists of the year. He
was awarded the Commonwealth writer’s prize in 1995 for Captain
Corelli’s Mandolin. But with success came controversy. Captain
Corelli upset Greek communists who accused de Bernières of
misrepresenting them.
“It was cooked up by The Guardian”, he sighs, a touch exasperated.
“They created a problem and then people on the far left started to
get annoyed… and it’s true the far left in Greece don’t like me,
but I don’t like them either,” he shrugs. He has returned to
Cephallonia since, without incident. The bickering continued during
the making of the film of Captain Corelli, directed by John Madden,
which de Bernières was rumoured to dislike. Today he says he would
have preferred “a European art house film rather than a Hollywood
blockbuster”. Later, he elaborates: “The reason for the film’s sex
scene was because the director wanted to see the tits of Penelope
Cruz [who played Pelagia]. A legitimate aspiration, but I felt the
sex scene destroyed the poignancy of the film.”
Louis is prepared for the fact that Birds Without Wings may invite
criticism. “I’m trying to offend everybody with perfect fairness, so
it should be offensive to Turks, Greeks and Armenians.”
But why so long to complete Birds? “I needed time for my style to
evolve. There’s no point in writing Captain Corelli twice.” For the
new book he invented words. “Shakespeare did so I don’t see why the
rest of us can’t.” And in between furious bursts of writing (he has
several books on the go) he would garden, potter and, a consummate
musical polymath, practise his mandolin, lute, flute or clarinet. He
also leisurely re-decorated his Georgian rectory in Norfolk where he
had moved to avoid journalists doorstepping him in London.
The success of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin was slow and steady. The
millions earned from it has given him the freedom to choose what to
write and when – he had no contract for this latest book until it was
finished. He describes himself as a “hedonist” and writing as “a
pleasure and a useful form of obsessive madness”. When he is deeply
immersed in the completion of a book he feels a sense of bereavement,
always showing the final manuscript first to his 32-year-old partner,
actress and director, Cathy Gill, who remains `unimpressed’ by how
famous he may be.
De Bernières, whose heritage is French Protestant Huguenot, says he
wants to be remembered for taking the British novel out of north
London and on to a world stage. “I’m quite conscious that I have
readers in Brazil and in Denmark. I put little bits in Birds Without
Wings which only the Turks or Greeks will be interested in.” His fans
often have a misguided impression of him: “People do think they know
me because they think I am like Captain Corelli. After my first novel
everyone thought I was Don Emmanuel.”
Hopefully, I venture, they don’t think he is like the canine hero of
his last semi-fictionalised novella Red Dog, with its colossal
flatulence, to which De Bernières gives his hallmark and delightful,
high-pitched chortle.
Birds Without Wings, Vintage, £17.99

New Straits Times, Malaysia
June 27 2004
Visiting Bush touts Turkey as example for Iraq

US President George W. Bush aimed to bolster ties with Turkey after
strains over the war in Iraq, meeting with political and religious
leaders as he touted the country as a model for the Muslim world.
The talks came just three days before new leaders are to take power
in Turkey’s neighbor Iraq, and as an Al-Qaeda linked Islamic group
there threatened to decapitate three Turkish hostages.
“I appreciate very much the example that your country has set, on how
to be a Muslim country, and at the same time a country which embraces
democracy and rule of law and freedom,” Bush said.
During a brief joint public appearance with Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Bush said they would discuss Iraq.
He also suggested Turkey “ought to be given a date” by the European
Union for its eventual accession.
“This is my first trip to your beautiful country as president, it
also happens to be my first trip to your beautiful country ever. And
we’re honored to be here. We appreciate the hospitality of the
Turkish people,” said Bush.
Bush was also to attend a NATO summit in Istanbul Monday and Tuesday,
fortified by the alliance’s commitment to train Iraq’s new security
forces and an EU endorsement of the interim Iraqi government set to
take power Wednesday.
The US leader arrived here late Saturday amid tight security
following a string of bomb attacks and protests over his visit,
taking his armored car in a race from the airport to his posh
downtown hotel.
He was to meet with religious leaders from Turkey’s Muslim, Syrian
Orthodox, Christian orthodox, and Armenian communities later in the
day to highlight Turkey’s pluralism and tolerance, values he hopes
Iraq will adopt.
Bush traveled here from a US-EU summit in Ireland, his second
fence-mending trip to Europe this month as the June 30 date for
transferring power from the US-led military coalition in Iraq to an
interim government.
Turkey, a NATO member, refused to allow Washington to use its bases
to launch attacks on Iraq during the March 2003 invasion, and has
expressed concerns about the role of the Kurds in that country’s
political future.
Seeking to soothe those concerns, Bush has said Iraq will not be
partitioned to give Kurds in the northern part of the country a
separate homeland, something Turkey worries might rekindle a
rebellion by Kurdish separatists within its own borders.
The US leader’s visit brought life in central Ankara to a near
standstill, as authorities banned traffic and deployed thousands of
police to guarantee his safety after a spate of bombings.
All main avenues and streets leading to the city center were blocked
off, while police stopped even pedestrians from walking around
Erdogan’s official residence.
Helicopters overflew the city, while riot police with plastic shields
stood guard at key junctions. Armored police vehicles were also on
patrol.
The police department has cancelled all leave for Bush’s visit and
about 10,000 officers were expected to be on duty across the city.
Frustrated residents were seen arguing with police or asking for
directions on how they can reach their destinations.
Authorities also closed the main road leading from the capital to the
airport until after Bush wraps up his visit later in the day.
Security fears over the visit escalated Thursday when a bomb exploded
outside the hotel where Bush was to stay in Ankara, injuring three
people.
Shortly afterwards, a bomb went off in a public bus in Istanbul,
killing four people and injuring 21 others.
A number of anti-American and anti-NATO demonstrations are also
planned around the country.
Turkey has been on edge since November when 63 people were killed in
four massive suicide bombings in Istanbul, blamed on local militants
linked to the Al-Qaeda network.
Meanwhile, in neighboring Iraq, an Al-Qaeda-linked Islamic militant
group threatened to kill three Turkish hostages unless Ankara pulls
its companies out of Iraq within 72 hours, according to a videotape
broadcast on Al-Jazeera television Saturday.

Anadolu Agency
June 27 2004
Azerbaijani President Says His Country Won’t Give Up Its Territories
Just For Compromise

ISTANBUL – Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said on Saturday that
his country would not give up its territories just for a compromise
on Upper Karabakh, which was under Armenian occupation.
Aliyev delivered a speech at a panel discussion held as a part of the
conference ”NATO At a New Crossroads” jointly organized by Turkish
Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV) and U.S. think-tank
organization German Marshall Fund.
His country would never accept Armenia’s theses that Upper Karabakh
should be independent or be under its control, Aliyev said.
Aliyev emphasized that Azerbaijan would neither give up its
territories under Armenian occupation nor make any concessions of its
territorial integrity.
The matter should be discussed at the NATO summit to help other
countries understand the issue better, Aliyev said.
Aliyev added that Azerbaijan would be one of the first countries
extending support to international community’s policy towards Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) in case there was a change in that
policy.
Azerbaijani President Aliyev came to Istanbul earlier on Saturday.
(BRC) 27.06.2004