FAMILY OF KARABAKH WAR VICTIM PLANS PROTEST ACTION IN MARTYR’S ALLEY
Today, Azerbaijan
Oct 31 2006
Samire Osmanova, the wife of Karabakh War martyr from Sumqayit plans
to place protest action in Martyrs’ Alley.
Though Osmanova got the voucher of three-room apartment for which
her husband stood in a queue she cannot move there, because refugee
family from Gubadli seized the apartment, Information Department of
Human Rights Resources Center office in Guba-Khachmaz regions told
APA northern bureau.
According to the President’s decree refugee families cannot be evicted
from the houses they live.
Osmanova had to seize the apartment whose owner died last summer,
but the city court evicted the martyr’s family in September this year.
Osmanova with her children lived in the houses of her relatives for
some time. She appealed to different state bodies and courts.
Sumqayit Mayor’s Office temporarily supplied the family with two-room
apartment and pays AZN100 for it every month.
The family appealed to the President and asked him to end their
torture. Osmanova said that she will put up a tent in Martyr’s Alley
in Sumqayit and live there if her rights are not restored.
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GEOPOLITICAL REALITIES IN ANKARA
By Tulin Daloglu
Washington Times, DC
Oct 31 2006
Turkey faces an exceptional dilemma: retaining its cultural heritage
while maintaining the character of its majority-Muslim population
and making sure that its secular principles and foundation remain
aligned with the goals of a modernized Western future.
The Turkish public distrusts all traditionally accepted Western
alliances, from the U.S. and NATO to the U.N. and the EU. Turks
looked to the U.N. for approval of the Iraq war, yet still feel the
organization is ineffective and rarely solves conflicts. Turkish
officials say they will abide by any U.N. Security Council decision
on Iran, if and when one passes. Turks, however, wonder whether the
U.N. will help Turkey when its economy is threatened by possible
radical Islamist attacks. Cyprus is a good example.
Greek Cypriots rejected the U.N.’s 2004 plan to end the separation
of the island. Turkish Cypriots accepted it, and neither the U.N. nor
the EU seems to care. They seem to not care whether they promised to
lift economic sanctions, which would boost Turkish Cypriot economy
and eventually eliminate one of the main reasons the Greek Cypriots
did not accept the unification plan. The image of Turks as barbarians
is so pervasive and so harmful that EU member countries forget that
north Cyprus is a working democracy.
Germans were similarly concerned about the economic gap between East
Germany and West Germany when the Berlin wall came down, with the added
complication of Communism. The difference was in how Germany approached
it — determined to close the gap rather than making it an obstacle.
Yet Oli Rehn, the EU Enlargement Commissioner, recently warned Ankara
that talks could come to a crashing halt if Turkey fails to implement
a customs union with Cyprus. Turks question thegrounds on which the
EU accepted Greek Cypriots, especially after Turkish Cypriots accepted
the U.N. plan despite its heavy price.
The EU’s demands on Turkey are endless, from explicit conditions
demanded by signed agreements to pressure to recognize the so-called
Armenian genocide. Turks admit that the country’s politics are
problematic to say the very least — but the country should not be
treated this way, with its culture insulted and its people treated
as second-class citizens. Turks feel that the West is Turk-bashing.
Before the second Iraq war began, it took NATO more than a month to
decide to plan to help Turkey if Saddam Hussein launched retaliatory
attacks against it. That lag time left Turks with the impression that
the other NATO members think their lives are less valuable than those
of others in the coalition. But if Turkey does not send its troops
into combat in places like Afghanistan and refuses to be the “proof”
that the war on terror is not a fight between Christians and Muslims,
it faces condemnation.
Turkey had led ISAF twice and has proven its capabilities. But
according to Turkish media reports, CENTCOM commander, Gen. John
Abizaid, said he would not allow Turkey to cross the border to
Northern Iraq — even at a time when he was visiting Kandahar,
Afghanistan. Turkey’s only motivation for going into Northern Iraq
is to defend itself against attacks from separatist Kurdish terrorists.
Turks conflict with Kurdish nationalists who claim Turkish sovereign
land, and they are continually suspicious about whether the U.S.
supports such an independent Kurdistan.
The debates about the future of NATO, the relevance of the U.N.
and the possibility of the EU’s dissolution have the potential to
make all local politics global. The international community has a
responsibility to be clear about the future of these institutions.The
West also has a responsibility to keep its ally from falling victim
to political Islam. It is important — indeed, fundamental to the
character and principles of the Turkish nation — to focus on how
Turks’ present actions will affect their future.
It is time for Turkey to think hard about the consequences of
anti-Americanism and anti-Westernism within its own borders, and
really look at what allowing those conditions to continue will cost
the country as a whole.
A Turkey pushed away from the Western alliance will turn old friends
into foes, and radical Islamists will reap the benefits.
Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer should issue warnings about the
republic’s threatened principles and radical Islamists on the rise.
He should lay out clear and constructive plans to fight those
conditions before his term ends in May — or the consequences that
will follow if the next president represents political Islam could
prove devastating.
Tulin Daloglu is a free-lance writer.

THIS WAS GENOCIDE, BUT ARMENIANS WERE NOT ITS ONLY VICTIMS
Thea Halo
Guardian Unlimited, UK
Oct 31 2006
Forgetting the Christians who were slaughtered is nearly as bad as
denying it happened
Timothy Garton Ash mockingly suggests bills to criminalise the
denial of genocides committed by other countries, including France
(This is the moment for Europe to dismantle taboos, not erect them,
October 19). And he’s right. Let’s mention the absurdity of enforcing
the bill except against the powerless. Would France jail the prime
minister of Turkey?
But the double standard Garton Ash mentions should include the
mind-boggling omissions by the Armenian drafters of the bill, who
make no mention of the co-victims of the Armenian genocide: the Pontic
Greeks, who lost 353,000 out of their population of 700,000 in Turkey;
and the Assyrians, who lost three-quarters of their population –
some put the figure at 750,000.
There is also the matter of the other Asia Minor Greeks. At the
Lausanne conference in 1923, Lord Curzon stated that 1 million Greeks
had been slaughtered and 1 million more were exiled. These genocides
took place at the same time and place as that of the Armenians: in
Turkey between 1914 and 1923. The genocide was of the Christians of
Ottoman and Kemalist Turkey. By age 10, my Pontic Greek mother had lost
everyone and everything she had ever loved, including her name, on her
own death-march to exile from Turkey in 1920. My father was Assyrian.
The precursor to the Nazi Holocaust was not just the Armenian
genocide of 1915-16, but the pogroms, or early stages of what would
become a genocide, against the indigenous Greeks of Asia Minor in
1914. According to US Consul General George Horton, Greek businesses
were boycotted and Turks were encouraged to kill Greeks and drive
them out, reminiscent of Kristallnacht in Nazi Germany 24 years
later. Thousands were slaughtered or sent to islands in the Aegean
Sea. According to the US ambassador to the Ottoman empire, Henry
Morgenthau Sr, the Young Turks were so successful in their campaign
that they decided to target the other Christian “races” as well.
Mustafa Kemal (Ataturk) picked up where the Young Turks left off.
The Armenian people are part of my extended family. My aunt was
Armenian, as was the family who rescued my mother in Turkey. In
Armenia, all victims of the genocide are honoured: Pontic Greeks,
Assyrians and Armenians. But the framers of the French bill, along
with numerous Armenian-descended historians in the US and elsewhere,
prefer exclusivity.
Thus, if the bill passes the upper house of the French parliament,
perhaps we should first jail its Armenian drafters, as well as those
who actively deny the other genocides.
These co-victims had inhabited the territory of what became Turkey
for three millennia. One must ask which is worse: genocidal denial,
or being invisible as if one never existed? At least with denial,
there is the possibility of debate. The expropriation by a single
group of such a monumental evil serves to strip the other, “nameless”
victims of that same evil of their rightful place in history –
thereby assuring that their genocide is complete.
· Thea Halo is the author of Not Even My Name, a memoir of her Pontic
Greek mother, and has lectured for the International Association of
Genocide Scholars
[email protected]
· If you wish to respond, at greater length than in a letter, to an
article in which you have featured either directly or indirectly,
email [email protected] or write to Response, The Guardian,
119 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3ER. We cannot guarantee to publish
all responses, and we reserve the right to edit pieces for both length
and content
tory/0,,1935652,00.html
–Boundary_(ID_xsFzvUltvB J0oLJdEiMCVQ)–

PRESIDENT OF ARMENIA TO VISIT KAZAKHSTAN IN EARLY NOVEMBER
Gazeta.KZ, Kazakhstan
Oct 31 2006
ASTANA. Robert Kocharyan, President of Armenia, is going to visit
Kazakhstan officially on 6 – 7 November, Kazakhstan Today correspondent
reports.
Yerzhan Ashikbayev, official spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of Kazakhstan, stated yesterday, October 30, at a traditional
briefing in Astana that Mr. Kocharyan plans to meet the country
leaders. “Bilateral documents will be inked during the visit and a
“round table” with participation of Kazakhstani and Armenian business
circles will be held,” – he observed.
At the same time on 5 – 6 November there will be a second meeting of
the Kazakh-Armenian commission for commercial and economic co-operation
in Astana. “Development of co-operation in commercial, economic,
investment, transportation, innovation, agricultural, and education
areas will be discussed,” – the MFA spokesperson said.

MUST ARMENIA FEEL ASHAMED?
A1+
[08:27 pm] 30 October, 2006
Vladimir Putin considered it a shame that Russia is not the first
in making investments to the economy of their strategic ally
Armenia. During the meeting of RA President Robert Kocharyan and
RF President Vladimir Putin in Kremlin Putin said that he expects
increase in investments of Russian companies in the economy of Armenia.
“Russia is still in the third place with making investments in the
economy of Armenia which is shame for us”, the Russian President
announced.
Robert Kocharyan reassured him saying that the agreements of Yerevan
with “Gasprom” are being put into execution. “All the serious
agreements with “Gasprom” in connection with energy projects are
entering the final stage of execution”.
The meeting of the President was closed for journalists; they had
the chance to follow only the first five minutes.

NATIONAL UNITY COULD NOT VOTE FOR OR AGAINST ELECTORAL CODE’S AMENDED VARIANT, FACTION SECRETARY SAYS
Noyan Tapan
Oct 30 2006
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN. 90% of proposals of the National
Unity and Ardarutiun (Justice) factions was included in the new draft
Electoral Code, as a result of which the code was considerably improved
and voting against would be wrong from moral point of view. Alexan
Karapetian, Secretary of RA NA National Unity faction, reported this
at the October 30 dispute at the Hayeli Mirror club, explaining the
faction’s decision not to take part in voting of draft of amendments
and additions to the Electoral Code. In his words, the National
Unity could not, either vote for the draft as it did not include the
opposition’s proposal of passing to 100% proportional electoral system.
A.Karapetian gave assurance that only 100% proportional electoral
system can result in liquidation of many electoral violations that
are mainly committed by candidates nominated by the majoritarian
system. Samvel Nikoyan, RPA faction member, expressed bewilderment
in connection with the fact that issues not included in the draft are
discussed in connection with the amendments to the Electoral Code. In
his words, as early as a year ago when political forces represented
at NA started to work out amendments to the Electoral Code, an
agreement was reached not to touch upon proportional-majoritarian
electoral systems and formation of electoral commissions, as it
was clear from the very start that approaches towards these issues
will differ. Besides, in 2005 NA had already made amendment to the
Electoral Code, according to which correlation of MPs elected by
majoritarian and proportional systems from 56/75 became 41/90. In
response, A.Karapetian said that this was not a political agreement,
but a bargain, as a result of which the People’s Deputy group that
does not represent a political force received one seat at electoral
commissions. In the MP’s words, the fact that the Business MP group
has no such right is evidence of a double approach.

RPA MEMBER HAS APPREHENSION THAT PARTIES’ COMPETITION CAN MOVE FROM POLITICAL TO POTATO FIELD
Noyan Tapan
Oct 30 2006
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN. It is several months a number of
provisions of law “On Parties” and of Electoral Code are violated
in Armenia, but the authorities in no way respond to this. Alexan
Karapetian, Secretary of NA National Unity faction, declared this
at the October 30 dispute at the Hayeli (Mirror) club. In his words,
some parties give out seeds to population in country’s regions, show
medical aid, organize shows and all this under the “party logo.” The
deputy said that no party has the right to do charity as it is charity
organizations that should do this. In A.Karapetian’s words, all this
is done with the sponsorship of the country’s President and by his
order. He gave assurance that no one can violate the law and remain
unpunished in the country unless he enjoys the President’s support. “If
such lawlessness is done now, what guarantee do we have that we will
not have the same during the elections,” A.Karapetian said. Samvel
Nikoyan, RPA faction member, another side participating in the dispute,
in his turn, said that he does not like the above mentioned phenomenon,
either. “I have an apprehension that the parties’ competition can move
from ideological-political field to the field of giving out potato or
sunflower seeds: this is unacceptable in the moral respect,” the deputy
declared. Asked, why then RPA does not undertake the needed steps,
S.Nikoyan said that he is only an MP and his only arms is speaking,
which he uses by expressing his own opinion.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIANS HAD EXCLUSIVE ROLE IN COLLAPSE OF SOVIET UNION, NATIONAL SELF-DETERMINATION UNION CHAIRMAN CONSIDERS
Noyan Tapan
Oct 30 2006
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenians had an exclusive
role in the issue of collapse of the Soviet Union. As National
Self-Determination Union Chairman Paruyr Hayrikian said on October 30,
political prisoners of different nations joining the United National
Party in the 60-s jointly struggled against the USSR. In his words,
in the 70-s of the previous century political prisoners marked October
30 as a day of political prisoners and their protection, with this
registering at the international level the fact of existence of
political prisoners in the USSR. The political prisoners marked this
day by one-day hunger-strike and appeals. As P.Hayrikian informed
journalists, 100 mln political prisoners died in the USSR, in the
country with the greatest number of political prisoners in the
mankind’s history.

LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS SCHEDULED IN 5 ARMENIAN RURAL COMMUNITIES IN NOVEMBER
Noyan Tapan
Oct 30 2006
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN. In November, local self-government
elections are scheduled in 5 Armenian rural communities. As NT
correspondent was informed by CEC Spokeswoman, Tsovinar Khachatrian,
on November 5, regular elections of community head are scheduled in
the community of Zoravan, Kotayk region, on November 12 Ddmashen,
Gegharkunik region, on November 19, Aygezard, Ararat region. On
November 12, regular elections of councillor members are also scheduled
in the rural community of Shenavan, Armavir region, and on November
26, special elections of community head in the rural community of
Dalar, Ararat region. To recap, holding of special elections in
the last community is conditioned by the fact that village head
Tigran Petrosian’s powers were considered as prematurely stopped:
on August 30, he was killed with fire-arms by former village head
Gegham Badalian.

PREVENTIVE PUNISHMENT TOWARDS VAHAGN CHAKHALIAN CHANGED
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Oct 30 2006
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On October 30,
Vahagn Chakhalian, Presidency member of the United Javakhk democratic
bloc and Chairman of the Javakhk Youth Sport and Cultural Union,
was released from the isolation cell of the National Security
Service. The Appeal Court on Criminal and Military Cases chose as
a preventive punishment a signature on not leaving the country. To
recap, V.Chakhalian had been arrested on October 11 on the charge of
crossing RA state frontier illegally and was in the isolation cell of
the National Security Service. Arrest had been chosen as a preventive
punishment towards him by the decision of the first instance court.