Sunday Times, Australia
Oct 14 2006
Armenians rally to support genocide billFrom correspondents in
Yerevan
October 14, 2006 02:30am
AROUND 1000 students rallied in the Armenian capital overnight to
thank the French parliament for backing a bill that would make it a
crime to deny that Turks committed genocide against the Armenians in
the early 20th century.
“Thank You France!” and “Hail French Justice!” read two of the
placards held up by the students from a nationalist youth group, who
waved flags of Armenia and France as they marched through central
Yerevan.
Participants at the rally laid flowers by the French embassy
building.
“With this march we want to express our gratitude to the French
parliament and the French people,” said Aik Asatryan, head of the
Dashnaktsutyun group that organised the march.
“We want to say thank you. Despite threats from Turkey, they were not
afraid and took the right decision,” Mr Asatryan said.
Participants at the rally presented France’s ambassador to Yerevan,
Henry Cuny, with a letter that read: “With this step France has once
again shown its support for defending human rights and freedom of
speech.”
The French parliament on Thursday approved on first reading a bill
that would make it a crime to deny that the 1915-1917 massacres of
Armenians by the Ottoman Turks constituted genocide.
The bill still needs the approval of the Senate and the president to
take effect.
Turkey, which strongly rejects the use of the term genocide in the
sensitive Armenian issue, slammed the vote, saying France had dealt
“a heavy blow” to longstanding bilateral relations.

Reuters, UK
Oct 13 2006
Turkey studying retaliatory measures against France
October 13, 2006

By Paul de Bendern
ANKARA, Oct 13 (Reuters) – Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on
Friday Turkey was studying retaliatory measures against France
following approval of a law making it a crime to deny Armenians
suffered genocide at the hands of Ottoman Turks.
“Turkey’s foreign trade volume with France is $10 billion and this is
equal to 1.5 percent of France’s whole foreign trade volume. We’re
going to make the proper calculations and then take necessary steps,”
Erdogan said in a speech.
He did not elaborate, but said the centre-right government would take
measures within Turkey and abroad.
But the ruling AK Party, facing a rise in nationalism ahead of next
year’s parliamentary elections, must tread a careful line not to
damage its success at bringing political and econmic stability to the
Muslim country seeking EU membership.
France’s lower house of parliament voted for the bill on Thursday,
despite warnings from French firms that it would create repercussions
for their business in Turkey, a fast-growing market which imported
4.7 billion euros’ worth of French goods in 2005.
“There are no real threats in current trade, though perhaps (there
could be) with some big contracts,” a French Foreign Ministry
spokesman told reporters at a regular briefing in Paris.
The bill still needs approval from the upper house, the Senate, and
President Jacques Chirac to take effect.
Turkey denies claims that Armenians suffered genocide in Turkey
during World War One, arguing that large numbers of both Muslim Turks
and Christian Armenians died in a partisan conflict that accompanied
the collapse of the Ottoman Empire.
BOYCOTT CALLS
Hundreds of French firms such as Renault and Carrefour have large
investments in Turkey, employing thousands of Turkish workers. This
week Turkish consumer groups and some trade unions called for
boycotts of French products.
The Turkish Consumers Union called on its members to begin boycotting
French products, starting on Friday with energy group Total.
“The boycott will continue increasingly until the law on the
so-called Armenian genocide is annulled,” the union’s chairman Bulent
Deniz said in a press release.
But economists questioned the effectiveness of a boycott on France as
Turkey accounts for only 1.3 percent of France’s exports.
Past Turkish calls for boycotts against other countries had an effect
only for a short time.
Big Turkish business have largely opposed a boycott and Economy
Minister Ali Babacan said on Thursday the government would not
encourage it either.
The controversy over an alleged genocide goes to the heart of modern
Turkey which is struggling to push through EU-inspired reform which
often clash with its own history and customs.
Many Turks also see the genocide vote as a way for the European Union
to keep Muslim Turkey out of the 25-member club.
“In my view the new law is likely to be counterproductive,” EU
Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said in Helsinki.
“We don’t achieve real dialogue and real conciliation through
ultimatums. It will have a negative impact on Turkey coming to terms
with its past,” Rehn said.
(Additional reporting by Brian Rohan in Paris and Tarmo Virki in
Helsinki)

The New Anatolian, Turkey
Oct 13 2006
‘A heavy blow to ties’
The Turkish Foreign Ministry yesterday declared that the French
Parliament’s passing a law penalizing denial of an Armenian
“genocide” had dealt a heavy blow to Turkish-French ties.
The Foreign Ministry’s written statement acknowledged that the law
will still have to pass the Senate and then be ratified by the
president, but added, “The first step in this process, the
ratification of the law by the (lower house) National Assembly, has
created deep disappointment in Turkey.”
The ministry stressed that Turkish nationals, civil society and
business groups had mobilized along with parliamentary and diplomatic
initiatives to block the bill, which would impose heavy penalties on
those who deny an Armenian “genocide.”
“We will continue those efforts,” the statement said, pointing to the
fact that there was a great deal of opposition to the law within
France as well.
The statement said that the law also constitutes a serious violation
of both the French constitutional system, which places freedom of
expression above all other rights, and the European Convention. “It
also contradicts the basic values of the French nation, which has
inspired the free world with its concept of liberty, equality and
fraternity,” said the statement.
The declaration drew attention to what it called a “French paradox”
of leaving its own history to historians — meaning a controversial
past in colonial Algeria — but choosing to pass a law on the history
of another country. “This damages the credibility of France’s words
and deeds,” it said.
The Foreign Ministry declaration carefully refrained from making any
reference to retaliatory measures, such as boycott or sanctions, but
simply referred to the sentiments of the Turkish public, saying,
“With this law, France has lost its privileged, special place in the
eyes of the Turkish people,” said the article.
The Foreign Ministry statement was definitely softer in tone than the
declaration of Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc, who called the law
“completely shameful.”
“This is a very hostile attitude toward Turkey which cannot be
accepted,” said Arinc. “It is a shame, totally shameful, that a
country which is seen as the cradle of democracy approves such a
law.”
We hope that it will not be passed by the Senate, said Arinc.

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 13 2006
AMERIA CJSC CONDUCTS RESEARCH AND EVALUATION OF EFFECTIVENESS OF
COMMERCIAL LAW IN ARMENIA
YEREVAN, October 13. /ARKA/. In the scope of the legal indicator
survey in the countries of the European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development activity, Ameria CJSC conducts a research and evaluation
of the effectiveness of commercial law in Armenia, the press service
of the company reported.
Since 2004 Ameria has actively participated in the EBRD activities
with the objective to improve the legal environment in the countries
with transition economies.
The EBRD conducted surveys of laws on insolvency and corporate
management in 29 countries.
The Ameria experts carried out all these surveys and also the
activities on elaboration of concession and anti money-laundering
laws.
In this year the EBRD assesses the concession sector. The results
will be announced before the end of 2006.
Through the concession assessment project, the EBRD aims to
encourage, influence and provide guidance to governments, policy
makers and all those in charge of promoting new legislation for the
development of concessions-related legal reform in the region.
Through the concession assessment project, the EBRD aims to
encourage, influence and provide guidance to governments, policy
makers and all those in charge of promoting new legislation for the
development of concessions-related legal reform in the region.
Ameria is a group of professional services companies registered in
Armenia with the objective to provide a comprehensive package of
professional advisory and assurance services. Ameria specializes in
four major areas of professional activities: management advisory
services; assurance and advisory services; legal advisory services;
investment banking. Established in 1998, the company has become a
leader in the Armenian market of advisory services bringing an
international reach and local touch to complex issues rising in more
than 30 industry sectors. R.O. -0–

Escambray, Cuba
Oct 13 2006
Charles Aznavour and Chucho Valdes to Record Together in Cuba
Charles Aznavour, a giant of French music, is in Havana recording an
album with the virtuoso Cuban pianist and composer Chucho Valdes. The
disc will have a romantic focus featuring the warm voice of Aznavour,
82, fused with the tropical rhythms of Cuba.
Aznavour arrived to Cuba on Sunday and is practicing 11 songs with
Valdes to prepare for recording, starting next week. The disc is
scheduled for release in February or March of 2007 and features an
instrumental piece, said Valdes in an interview with AFP.
“He [Aznavour] is an idol in Europe and Latin America. I was very
familiar with his music because I have always liked his work,” said
the Cuban composer during a break in rehearsal.
Chucho Valdes arranged all the songs on the album that will be
recorded in Havana’s Abdala studio. A monster in his own right,
Valdes, with five Grammies under his belt, turned 65 last Monday.
During the interview, Valdes said the songs are about love and life.
“They are new songs, lovely, beautiful, that carry the hallmark of
Aznavour but with a Latin, Cuban touch.
“Being familiar with his repertoire, with his style, we have been
able to come together in a great way and the practices are turning
out beautifully.”
Aznavour, the son of Armenian immigrants and whose real name is
Aznavourian, collaborated with another Cuban musician in 2002, Compay
Segundo (Francisco Repilado, d. July 13, 2003), with whom he recorded
the song Morir de amor (Dying from love) on the album Duets.
Aznavour was born in Paris on May 22, 1924. Edith Piaf, who called
him “the stupid genius,” gave him his first big break when he
accompanied her on piano from 1946 to 1954. He has 740 songs in his
repertoire including 350 in French and 150 in English.
The songwriter-composer, who has also been an actor both on
television and the silver screen, is well known for English hits like
She, Dance in the Old Fashioned Way, and the French hits, Apres
l’amour, J’Ai Perdu la Tete, J’en Deduis Que Je t’Aime and Bon
Anniversaire.
“He’s a giant. It has been a great honor to be asked to participate
in this very original project. We have chosen rhythms from the Cuban
romantic genres and adopted them for him,” said Chucho Valdes.
Aznavour came up with the idea to record with Valdes when he was in
France this year playing a concert with French composer-pianist
Michel Legrand.
Chucho Valdes said that the record will feature many different
converging rhythms: “The work is so special that it would be hard to
categorize it as a certain genre; there are new elements, rhythms
adopted that give the songs a new sonority.”
“We can’t say that there are Cha cha chas, boleros, habaneras,
because the sound we are making has nothing to do with these rhythms;
instead, it is romantic music with a Cuban rhythm.”
Chucho brings along his quartet for the musical accompaniment on the
record along with a horn and percussion section. “This is a very
original project […] Aznavour is enjoying it as much as we are.”
Jesus (Chucho) Valdes is considered one of the best pianists in the
world and is a renowned orchestra director and composer of such
masterpieces as Mambo Influenciado and Misa Negra.
He is also one of the most transcendental figures in jazz and Cuban
music today and is putting the finishing touches on an album called
Chucho Sinfonico and another that he recorded along with
singer-songwriter Pablo Milanes. Both albums are scheduled for
release this December.

Today, Azerbaijan
Oct 13 2006
Rovshen Mustafayev: “Patrick Devechian knows Jacque Chirac’s family
secrets”

14 October 2006 [00:22] – Today.Az

Rovshen Mustafayev, the head of National Academy of Science Human
Rights Institute, held press conference on a law would make it a
crime to deny false Armenian genocide.
Mustayev said that this decision has historical background. He also
stated that a contract was signed between France and Armenian ASALA
terror organization in 1982. The contract considers the mutual aid
and cooperation on making false Armenian genocide worldly recognized.
Mustafayev said the author of the draft law is Devechian who has warm
relations with France president.
“Devechian is Jacque Chirac’s family lawyer, and he knows all family
secrets. He has great impact on the president’s decisions. Armenians
consider that Chirac is an Armenian surname and the original form is
Chiracian,” he said.
Mustafayev showed the pieces of Washington Post, Armenian reporter,
Le Mantin newspapers and short records of the discussions held in the
US Senate about the relations between ASALA and France.
The deputy chief Araz Gurbanov said it is very interesting that
France supports the organization which sows terror in France after
Turkey. He said Azerbaijan and Turkey should bring to a focus the
genocides committed at Van lakeside where thousands of Turkish people
were killed and Algeria Genocide.
Mustafayev said that France violated Europe Human Rights Convention
item 10 by adopting of this law. “Turkey and Azerbaijan should appeal
to Europe Human Rights Court,” he said, APA reports.

URL:

Panorama.am
17:40 12/10/06

ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER HOLDS PRESS CONFERENCE WITH SPECIAL REP OF
NATO SECRETARY GENERAL
Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanyan held a joint press
conference today with Robert Simons, special representative of NATO
Secretary General. Oskanyan mentioned that Armenia is developing
smooth relationships with NATO through individual partnership
programs. The minister said these programs are developed upon mutual
consent based on the preferences of the partner-country. He also
assured that Armenia willingly is not involved in some programs where
Azerbaijan and Georgia are present.
`I want once again to mention that NATO supports Minsk Group,’
Mr. Simons said speaking about Karabakh conflict. He said he had
uttered the same in Baku ten days ago saying NATO is not part of
negotiations and the issue should be solved within OSCE Minsk Group.
Speaking about Russian-Georgian conflict, NATO represerntative was
very careful in words as saying, `The steps that Russia undertakes are
not favourable not only for Georgia but for the whole region.’
/Panorama.am/

PRESS RELEASE
Council of Europe Press Division
Ref: 588a06
Tel: +33 (0)3 88 41 25 60
Fax:+33 (0)3 88 41 39 11
[email protected]
internet:
European Ministers of Justice: Putting victims’ rights on paper and into
practice
Yerevan, 13.10.2006 – The Ministers of Justice of the 46 member states
of the Council of Europe today recommended taking measures to improve
assistance to victims, to reduce the chances of their also being victims
of administrative procedures and red tape, and to facilitate their
rehabilitation and compensation for the damage suffered.
Meeting in Yerevan with the Armenian Minister of Justice Davit
Harutyunyan in the chair, the European Ministers present stressed the
need to identify good practices in terms of civil and administrative
remedies to protect victims’ interests (such as legal aid and advice)
and in terms of public and private insurance schemes.
They also called on the Council of Europe to pursue its work against
domestic violence by looking into the need for and feasibility of a
further legal instrument, specifically on violence against partners.
Welcoming the drafting of a European convention against the sexual
exploitation of children, the Ministers pointed out that it was
important for it to include victims’ rights, as does the European
Convention against trafficking in human beings (2005).
The Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan was present at the
opening of the conference.
The text of the resolution adopted by the conference is available on
Press contact:
Estelle Steiner, Press officer, Council of Europe
Tel. +33 (0)3 88 41 33 35, mobile +33 (0)6 08 46 01 57,
[email protected]
To receive our press releases by e-mail, contact :
[email protected]
A political organisation set up in 1949, the Council of Europe works to
promote democracy and human rights continent-wide. It also develops
common responses to social, cultural and legal challenges in its 46
member states.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Father Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
Armenian version:
A DELEGATION FROM THE US COUNCIL OF CHURCHES VISITS
HIS HOLINESS ARAM I
A high-ranking delegation from the US Council of Churches visited His
Holiness Aram I in the Antelias headquarters of the Catholicosate of Cilicia
on October 11. The delegation was accompanied by the General Secretary of
the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), Dr. Georges Saleh. Other MECC
officials, including Ms. Seta Khedeshian, head of the “Life and Service”
department was also present. On the Catholicosate’s side, Bishop Nareg
Alemezian, Ecumenical Officer, attended the meeting.
During the meeting His Holiness gave a brief overview of the role of
churches in the coexistence of religions, nations, and people.
Speaking about recent regional and international developments and political
upheavals, The Catholicos stressed on the unique circumstances of the Middle
East, expressing his views on the centuries’ long experience of coexistence
between Christians and Muslims in the region. In this context, he also
talked about the necessity to provide impetus to the peace process in the
Middle East.
On the war in Lebanon, the resulting destruction particularly in the South
of the country and decisions of the UN Security Council regarding the
conflict, the Catholicos praised the humanitarian efforts of both local and
regional churches specially in the regions mostly affected by the conflict.
The members of the delegation, exceeding 15 in their number and many of them
personally acquainted with His Holiness, posed a series of questions about
the current situation in Lebanon.
##
View the photo here:
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Ecumenical
activities of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.

PanARMENIAN.Net
Paris Ready to Continue Dialogue with Turkey
13.10.2006 13:24 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ After the French parliament backed a bill that would
punish those who deny the Armenian Genocide, which has caused a deal
of great tension between Turkey and France, Paris stated that it
wanted to continue its dialogue with Turkey. The French Foreign
Ministry has stated that Paris is willing to carry on the dialogue
with Turkey. Ministry spokesman Jean-Baptiste Mattei said at a news
conference, `We are willing to carry on our dialogue, strong
cooperation and friendship with Turkey.’ Mattei also remarked that the
bill was `unnecessary and inappropriate.’ Also reiterating that a long
period of time awaited the bill’s passing, he noted he would speak
about the steps the government took at each phase of this long
process. Catherine Colonna, the minister in charge of European
affairs, spoke in the General Assembly hall before the vote on behalf
of the government and opposed the bill. Stating that the bill should
not be voted on, she said, `As the government, we are against the
bill’, reports zaman.com
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress