BÝA, Turkey
Oct 20 2006
Chomsky’s Publishers On Trial
Publishers of the translation of Chomsky’s “Role of Mass Media:
Manufacturing of Consent” tell court it shouldn’t be them facing the
bench. Publisher Tas, translator Abadoglu, editor Tosun and Kurhan
face up to six years in jail, if found guilty.
BIA News Center
19/10/2006 Erol ONDEROGLU
BÝA (Istanbul) – Four people have been charged this week for
involvement in the publishing of a Turkish language translation of
American linguist and philosopher Noam Chomsky ‘s “Role of Mass
Media: Manufacturing of Consent” facing 1.5 to 6 years imprisonment
if found guilty.
Aram Publishing House executive Fatih Tas, the book’s translator
Ender Abadoglu, editor Lutfi Taylan Tosun and Omer Faruk Kurhan, one
of the redactors of the book, turned up for the first hearing of the
case at the Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance flanked by
their lawyers on Wednesday.
All suspects are accused under articles 216 and 301 of the Turkish
Penal Code for “publicly denigrating Turkishness, the Republic and
the Parliament” and “inciting hatred and enmity among the people”.
The first trial saw presiding judge Sevim Efendiler agreeing with
public prosecutor Kadir Nazmi Yelkenci’s opinion and rejecting
attorney Ozcan Kilic’s request for the case file to be postponed as
“criminal liability” outlined in article 11/4 of the Press Law was
contrary to the Constitution and the European Convention on Human
Rights.
Addressing the court at the start of the hearing, translator Abadoglu
explained, “The opinions in the book are opinions of the author. I
believe the translator cannot be held responsible for these
opinions”.
Abadoglu referred to the recent ordeal of the Armenian genocide bill
in the French Parliament and said that although opinions in favor of
an Armenian genocide having taken place were translated into Turkish
press reports non of the translators had been prosecuted.
“It is wrong to put publishers and translators on trial”
In his statement to the court, Tosun said his function was that of
ensuring the book was properly translated from its original and
expressed in good Turkish.
“As far as I checked it,” he said, “there was no problem in the
translation”. Tosun added “I did not see any factors of offence in
the work”.
Publisher Tas said he saw it inappropriate that he and the
translators were being put on trial for a book whose author was will
arrive and defended that the book itself was an analysis of the media
wit
h international importance.
The last defendant to address the court was Kurhan who said he had
noticed no statement in the book that could be charged under article
216 on “inciting hated and enmity” and argued that the very sole of
controversial article 301 served to protect the immunity of the state
and was open to interpretations and mistakes.
After the defendants made their statements, attorney Inan Yilmaz
referred to author Noam Chomsky saying “If we are putting an author,
linguist and a professor of philosophy with international importance
on trial, we should give these individuals the right to defend
themselves in the courts of the land”.
“My client before you has translated the work of this writer who we
cannot pt on trial. Unfortunately with such cases we are living in
the shadows” he said.
Defendants to give written defense
Stressing that none of the four suspects on trial were being charged
for their own opinions, attorney Ugur Demirci denied the allegations
and informed the court it would be receiving a written defense.
Of the defense lawyers, Ozcan Kilic said the book targeted the United
States and added “US operations, massacres and coups throughout the
world are being explained. The way these reflect in the media are
being revealed. In this context it is a strange situation that four
people are on trial under articles 216 and 301”.
Having heard the initial defense arguments, judge Efendiler agreed to
give time for written statements to be prepared and adjourned the
court to December 20.
John Tirman’s case continues
This week’s case against Aram Publishing House comes in the footsteps
of another trial involving a Turkish translation of an American
author’s work.
In September, the same court heard charges against translators Lutfi
Taylan Tosun and Aysel Yildirim alongside Aram Publishing House owner
Fatih Tas for the Turkish language copy of John Tirman’s book “Spoils
of War: The Human Cost of America’s Arms Trade”.
If found guilty on the charges of “publicly denigrating the armed
forces” and “insulting [modern Turkey’s founder] Ataturk” through
content originally written by Tirman himself, each of those
defendants face up to 6.5 years imprisonment.
Both translators in Tirman’s book case also rejected the accusations
while Tas’s attorney Ozcan Kilic rejected the trial of the publisher
on grounds that the author of the work was known and there was no
reason to put a publisher on trial just because the author lived
abroad.
The investigation into the Turkish language copy of “Spoils of War:
The Human Cost of America’s Arms Trade” started in November 2005. It
covers various excerpts in Tirman’s work that focuses on criticism of
US policy in the Middle East – arguing that dollars earned through
the arms trade led to support of militarization in the region while
holding back essential democratic reforms.
Subject to the Istanbul charges are sections of the book relating to
severe human rights violations allegedly committed by security forces
in the 1990s inclusive of claims of “white genocide”, assimilation,
censorship and denial of cultural rights.
The Tirman case will continue in Istanbul on November 29.
(EO/II/YE/EU)
–Boundary_(ID_AwYwuTD7dEFzluBH nPqxbw)–

Today, Azerbaijan
Oct 19 2006
Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents’ meeting depends on Foreign
ministers’ talks
19 October 2006 [22:00] – Today.Az
Azerbaijani Foreign minister Elmar Mammadyarov and Armenian Foreign
minister Vartan Oskanian’s next talks in the frame of Prague Process
will be held on October 24, said Yuri Merzlyakov, Russian co-chair
of OSCE Minsk group and coordinator on Karabakh conflict.
The talks will be the continuation of the meeting held on October 6
in Moscow, the ministers will discuss the uncoordinated parts of the
main principles of Nagorno Garabagh conflict regulations. Co-chairs
Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia), Bernard Fasier (France), Matthew Bryza
(USA) and Andrzey Kasprzyk, OCSE Personal Representative will have
consulting a day before the meeting.
Merzlyakov told the APA co-chairs did not plan meetings with the
ministers. “Only one meeting will be held with the participation of
ministers and coordinators,” he said.
Answering the question “Will you discuss the next meeting of the
presidents in the meetings of ministers?” the Russian diplomat said
that they have already suggested it.
“But the meeting of presidents depends on ministers’ talks. If the
ministers need high level meeting, we will begin to the preparations,”
Merzlyakov said.
Merzlyakov also said that if the presidents agree to meet, we will
decide where and when to organize it. “We do not know the presidents’
schedules. In a case of agreement we will find an appropriate time
and place,” Merzlyakov stated.
Russian co-chair did not rule out the fact that the meeting of the
presidents can take place in the summit of CIS countries’ heads in
Minsk in late November.
URL:

ARMENIAN ASSOCIATION OF FAMILY DOCTORS PROPOSES TO ENSURE BY
LEGISLATION INSTITUTION OF FAMILY DOCTOR IN ARMENIA
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 19 2006
YEREVAN, October 19. /ARKA/. On Thursday at the second clinical
conference on Modern Issues of Family Medicine Chairman of the Armenian
Association of Family Doctors Samvel Hovhannisyan told journalists
that the Armenian Association of Family Doctors proposed to ensure
by legislation the institution of family doctors in the country.
“We propose either to include a special chapter about the family
doctors in the Law On Healthcare, being discussed today, or adopt a
separate Law On Family Medicine, particularly for regulation of such
issues as organization and financing of the system of family medicine”,
Hovhannisyan said.
Speaking of nowadays issues of the family medicine development in
Armenia, Hovhannisyan emphasized that there existed problems of
introduction of that institution in cities.
He said that in villages those functions had always been performed
by district doctors.
“However there is a great outpatient system with great staff of narrow
specialists and district doctors in cities, and those functions should
be divided”, Hovhannisyan said.
He pointed out that at present the population of the republic was
passive in the selection of a family doctor, nevertheless expressing
belief that in January 2007, people would turn to services of family
medicine more actively.
He informed journalists that this year the government had adopted
an order, determining mechanisms of free selection of doctors by the
population. S.P.–0–

“ARMENIAN BUSINESSWOMAN 2005” EXHIBITION KICKS OFF IN YEREVAN TODAY
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 19 2006
YEREVAN, October 19. /ARKA/. The second exhibition “Armenian
Businesswoman 2006” was opened in Yerevan today. ASME program
coordinator for support to Anahit Bobikyan told reporters Thursday
that 60 women-run companies participate in the exhibition.
She said that particularly food, textile, clothes, wooden and stone
ware, applied arts, leather accessories, souvenirs, handwork carpets,
embroidery, publishing and consultation services were demonstrated
at the exhibition.
The first exhibition was held in May 2005. The second one “Armenian
Businesswoman 2006” will last until October 21. The activity was
organized by the ASME (small and medium enterprises) Program in
association with the Logos EXPO Center exhibition company and funded
by the USAID.
At the exhibition, a meeting of Armenian businesswomen with beginner
representatives of business, a round table of businesswomen and
Armenian students, and also a gala-concert dedicated to Armenian
businesswomen to be participated by well-known musicians and prominent
figures of art. R.O. –0–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Yuri Merzlyakov: Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents’ meeting depends
on Foreign ministers’ talks
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Oct 19 2006
[ 19 Oct. 2006 20:23 ]
Azerbaijani Foreign minister Elmar Mammadyarov and Armenian Foreign
minister Vardan Oskanian’s next talks in the frame of Prague Process
will be held on October 24, Yuri Merzlyakov, Russian co-chair of
OSCE Minsk group and coordinator on Garabagh conflict told the APA
exclusively.
The talks will be the continuation of the meeting held on October 6
in Moscow, the ministers will discuss the uncoordinated parts of the
main principles of Nagorno Garabagh conflict regulations. Co-chairs
Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia), Bernard Fasie (France), Matthew Bryza (USA)
and Andrzey Kasprzyk, OCSE Personal Representative will have consulting
a day before the meeting. Merzlyakov said that the co-chairs did not
plan meetings with the ministers.
“Only one meeting will be held with the participation of ministers
and coordinators,” he said. Answering the question “Will you discuss
the next meeting of the presidents in the meetings of ministers?” the
Russian diplomat said that they have already suggested it.
“But the meeting of presidents depends on ministers’ talks. If the
ministers need high level meeting, we will begin to the preparations,”
Merzlyakov said.
Merzlyakov also said that if the presidents agree to meet, we will
decide where and when to organize it.
“We do not know the president’s schedules. In a case of agreement we
will find an appropriate time and place,” Merzlyakov stated.
Russian co-chair did not rule out the fact that the meeting of the
presidents can take place in the summit of CIS countries’ heads in
Minsk in late November. /APA/

Turkish Press
Oct 19 2006
Press Review
AKSAM
CICEK: “ARTICLE 301 CAN BE CHANGED”
Before a meeting of Parliament’s Justice Commission yesterday,
Justice Minister Cemil Cicek spoke to reporters about possible
changes to controversial Turkish Penal Code (TCK) Article 301, saying
that only four articles of the TCK couldn’t be changed, namely 1,
2, 3, and 174. “Thus, all articles except these can be changed,”
said Cicek. “Article 301 was amended in the past. Article 301 isn’t
off-limits to change.” /Aksam/

BAYKAL: “NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO ALLEGE TURKEY COMMITTED A GENOCIDE ON ARMENIANS”
Turkish Press
Oct 19 2006
Press Review
AKSAM
Speaking at his party’s group meeting yesterday, main opposition
Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal commented on the
Armenian bill passed last week by the French Parliament, saying that
no one had the right to say that Turkey had committed a genocide on
Armenians. Stressing that 17 countries had made this false allegation,
Baykal stated that 10 of these were European Union members. Commenting
on the recent dispute between Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar
Buyukanit and opposition True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar,
who suggested that terrorists should be encouraged to come down from
the mountains so they can take part in politics, Baykal criticized
Agar’s suggestion. /Aksam/

Armenian Businessmen Suffer from Russia’s Georgia Embargo
Civil Georgia, Georgia
Oct 19 2006
Armenian businessmen have to redirect import routes as a result of
Russia’s sanctions on Georgia, which increases expenditures from 7%
to 20%, Armenian Trade and Economy Minister Karen Chshmaritian said
on October 19, according to the Novosti-Armenia news agency.
He said that Armenian importers redirect their cargo travelling from
Russia to ports – mainly Varna in Bulgaria and Ilichevsk in Ukraine –
from where it is possible to access Georgia and then Armenia.
Meanwhile, RFE/RL Armenian Service reported on October 17 that Armenian
Parliamentary Chairman Tigran Torosian told visiting group of Russian
parliamentarians in Yerevan that Russia is ignoring the interests of
Armenia while dealing with Georgia.
Russian MP Konstantin Zatulin told the Armenian daily Haykakan Zhamanak
that Yerevan has to make a choice between Russia and Georgia. “If
you don’t do that, you have no moral right to blame Russia for not
taking into account Armenia’s interests in our conflict with Georgia,”
MP Zatulin said in the interview, according to the RFE/RL Armenian
Service.

Turkish Peacekeepers Arrive in Lebanon
NaharNet, Lebanon
Oct 19 2006
Turkish army engineers arrived by boat in Beirut on Friday to join
the enlarged U.N. peacekeeping operation policing a ceasefire between
Israel and Hizbullah, an AFP correspondent reported.
The 95 soldiers, the first batch of 261 Turkish military engineers,
arrived on two warships, with the remaining 165 members of the team
due to fly into the Lebanese capital.
Turkey is the first Muslim country to contribute troops to the
beefed-up U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) that will eventually
number 15,000 men. Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia and Qatar have
also pledged soldiers.
The Turkish contingent, which includes 237 soldiers and 24 civilians,
will be stationed at a small village, lying seven-and-a-half kilometers
(nearly five miles) to the southeast of the port city of Tyre in
southern Lebanon.
They are expected to work mostly on the reconstruction of roads
and bridges.
Turkey is not expected to contribute any more ground troops for the
U.N. force.
A Turkish frigate is already serving in the German-led naval task
force patrolling the Lebanese coast to prevent arms being smuggled
to Hizbullah, and the navy has said it will also send two corvettes
to the war-torn country.
The Turkish government has said it will contribute a total of 681
troops to UNIFIL, including those on board the ships.
The Turkish parliament authorized the deployment of troops to Lebanon
last month despite objections and street protests.(AFP-AP photo shows
a Lebanese Armenian demonstrator holding a banner during a protest
against Turkey’s planned participation in a peacekeeping force in
Lebanon, in the Martyrs’ Square, in downtown Beirut)

Gallic TV faces threat of boycott in Turkey
Variety
Oct 19 2006
Law on murder of Armenians prompts attack on French biz
By ALISON JAMESPARIS
The Turkish broadcasting authority called for a boycott of French
TV programs Thursday as a heated political row between the countries
over the mass killing of Armenians nearly a century ago spilled over
into the TV biz.
The authority “recommended” that Gallic shows stay off the air in
Turkey until France drops draft legislation that would make it a crime
to deny that the deaths of 1.5 million Armenians in 1915-17 amounted
to genocide.
Turkey has accused France and its sizable Armenian-origin population
of trying to scupper Turkey’s bid to join the European Union and
attacking free speech.
If the new law takes effect — it has passed the lower house but must
be voted on by the senate — someone denying the Armenian genocide
would face a one-year prison term and a fine of up to $56,000.
France already has a similar law regarding the Holocaust.
Turkey is not one of French TV exporters’ biggest clients in monetary
terms — the market was worth around E1.8 million ($2.25 million) in
2005 — but Turkish TV channels do air a lot of Gallic programming,
especially cartoons.
Michele Massonat, head of international sales and marketing at
youth programming specialist Dargaud Distribution, said Thursday,
“The prices aren’t very high, but almost everything we produce
or distribute sells to Turkey, which makes it a not insignificant
territory for us. Hopefully this will all settle down soon.”