OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS TO VISIT BAKU ON NOVEMBER 22
Author: E.Huseynov
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Nov 20 2006
The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry informed Trend that the OSCE Minsk
Group co-chairs on the resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict
over Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will visit Baku on November 22.
An agreement on the mediators’ tour of the region has been recently
achieved in a meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers
in Brussels, Vardan Oskanian and Elmar Mammadyarov, as well as the
Minsk Group co-chairs. The tour will start from Yerevan where the
mediators will land on November 21, 2006.
The mediators intend to hold talks with the leadership of these
countries to discuss the last initiative on the resolution of the
conflict. It is planned to mull the organization of the next meeting
between the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia scheduled for November
28, 2006 in Minsk.

CYPRUS PEACE PROCESS GAINS MOMENTUM
Source: The New Anatolian
ABHaber, Belgium
Nov 20 2006
United Nations Undersecretary General Ibrahim Gambari urged Greek and
Turkish Cypriot leaders to immediately begin bilateral talks aimed
at reaching a comprehensive settlement on the island, in his letter
sent to the two leaders.
Gambari in his letter sent to both Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
(TRNC) President Mehmet Ali Talat and Greek Cypriot administration
leader Tassos Papadopoulos, suggested meeting of the leaders at least
once in every month and beginning of direct bilateral talks up until
the end of March.
Gambari also suggested the immediate beginning of activities of
technical committees and study groups.
Speaking to reporters about Gambari’s letter, TRNC Presidency
spokesperson Hasan Ercakica stated that the Turkish Cypriots welcomed
the suggestions made in the letter since they foresee the beginning
of bilateral talks to find a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus
dispute up until the first quarter of the next year.
Ercakica however expressed concerns over the success of the new round
of talks, saying, “We have reservations and concerns over the letter
since there are some ambiguous parts that could be exploited by the
Greek Cypriots and may also lead to delaying tactics. We will work
to clear these ambiguities during our upcoming consultations.”
Greek Cypriot administration spokesperson Christodoulos Pashiardis,
commented on the letter saying that it concerns practical arrangements
with the aim to accelerate efforts to promote the implementation
of the July 8, 2006 Agreement, adding that “our side will respond
positively to Gambari’s suggestions.”
“Out steady pursuit was and remains the full implementation the
soonest possible of the July 8, Agreement, so as to open the way for
substantive negotiations for the solution of the Cyprus problem,”
he added.
The suggestion to begin bilateral talks between the Greek and Turkish
Cypriots was first made by TRNC President Talat in move to open way
for efforts to reach a just and comprehensive settlement on Cyprus
dispute. Although the suggestion to begin direct talks was welcomed
by the concerned parties, the process hasn’t started yet.
Talat to push Annan for convincing Greek Cypriots on talks
Talat will meet with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan today in Geneva,
where he will push the secretary-general to convince Papadopoulos
for the immediate beginning of direct talks.
Talat is also expected to ask Annan, the United Nations’ contribution
to the ports and Maras issues which create obstacles for Turkey’s
bid to join the European Union. While asking for UN contribution in
the issues, Talat is expected to underline that finding a solution
to those two issues is the issue area of the UN, not the EU.
Turkey’s refusal to open its ports and harbors to the Greek Cypriots
risks the country’s progress in EU talks. According to the EU progress
report on Turkey and strategy paper released on Nov 8, the leaders
of the 25-nation bloc will make a suggestion over whether Turkey’s
refusal to open ports will negatively affect the relations during
their meeting in mid-December. Ankara says that it won’t open its
ports and harbors to the Greek Cypriots unless the international
community ends the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots. EU’s decision to
throw the ball of making final decision on continuation of talks with
Turkey to the leaders’ Summit also aims at keeping the door open to
a possible success of negotiations on the Finnish proposals up until
the key meeting.
While the general outlines of the Finnish proposals have been
disclosed, their details are not clear so far. As part of the deal,
the port of Magosa in TRNC would be opened to international trade
under the supervision of both the EU and UN, in exchange for handing
over control of Varosha to the UN for Greek Cypriot settlement. Then
it is expected that Turkey will open its ports to Greek Cypriots.
Talat sends letter to Barroso to clear Turkish Cypriot stance
TRNC President Talat sent on Sunday a letter to European Parliament
President Jose Manuel Barroso, in which he stressed that the process
of peace talks which began with the agreement of July 8 was initiated
by the Turkish Cypriots.
Underlining that there are some mistakes made in EU’s progress
report on Turkey about the parts on Cyprus, Talat said, “Although the
report makes reference to the beginning of peace process on the island
following Annan-Papadopoulos meeting in February, actually the process
was materialized following the initiatives of the Turkish Cypriots.”
Reminding the continuous calls of the Turkish Cypriots on the
establishment of a mechanism to discuss the daily issues like health,
bird flu, environment and crimes, Talat said in his letter that
the process was materialized following UN Special Envoy to Cyprus
Michael Moller’s letter sent to the two sides in February to launch
the mechanism.
“Following the draft progress report was leaked to the media before its
release, despite our continuous warnings made to UN and EU officials
about the mistakes made on Cyprus, the mistakes took place in such
an important EU document. We regret it,” Talat said.
Stressing that the political interests and realities on Cyprus are
misguided in order to appease the Greek Cypriots, Talat warned that the
continuation of such behavior would distance the sides from reaching
a comprehensive settlement on the island under UN auspices.
“I don’t believe that the real aim of the EU in general and the
European Commission in particular would be such a development,”
he added.
Kocharian to visit Greek Cyprus
Armenian President Robert Kocharian will visit Greek Cyprus in
November, at the invitation of Greek Cypriot administration leader
Tassos Papadopoulos in order to boost bilateral ties.
Greek Cypriot administration spokesperson Christodoulos Pashiardis
said Kocharian’s visit is scheduled for November 22 to 25, a visit
that is expected to draw criticism of Ankara sice Turkey doesn’t
recognize Greek Cyprus and has no diplomatic relations with Armenia.

GORAN LENNMARKER TO VISIT AZERBAIJAN SOON
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Nov 20 2006
Parliament deputy chairman Bahar Muradova has met with the chairman
of the OSCE PA Goran Lennmarker, APA reports.
The meeting took place during Bahar Muradova’s participation in the
autumn session. During the talks Goran Lennmarker said he pays great
attention to Nagorno Garabagh conflict. The chairman of the OSCE PA
said he is going to visit Azerbaijan soon. He stressed that he will
be the rapporteur on Nagorno Garabagh conflict. Bahar Muradova said
she believed that the OSCE will actively participate in the settlement
of Nagorno Garabagh conflict.

TRANSLATION COMPETITION ANNOUNCED
The Messenger, Georgia
Nov 20 2006
The Deer Leap fund and State Language Department have announced
a translation competition for ethnic minority students, reports
newspaper Sakartvelos Respublika.
Young translators from Georgia’s Armenian and Azeri schools will be
asked to translate a poem from Azeri or Armenian into Georgian.
Azeri pupils will translate a poem by Azeri poet Valeh Hajiev and
Armenian pupils will translate Vahan Terian’s poetry.
In another part of the competition, famous Georgian poetry is to be
translated into Armenian and Azeri. For this component, well-loved
Georgian poet Galaktion Tabidze’s The Wind Blows has been selected.
The top three entrants will receive special prizes, including personal
computers, electronic equipment and book tokens. The deadline for
accepting translations is December 10.

Q&A: WORDS FILLED WITH PAIN; DAUGHTER KEEPS FATHER’S MEMOIRS ALIVE FOR FUTURE ARMENIAN GENERATIONS
By Phyllis Sides
Journal Times Online, WI
Nov 20 2006
Copies of “Destiny of the Dzidzernag” are available at Amazon.com or
St. Mesrob Armenian Church’s gift shop, 4605 Erie St.
The first genocide of the 20th century started in Turkey in April
1915. Racine resident Mariam Sahakian has a first-hand account in
her father’s memoirs. Sahakian’s father, Varteres Mikael Garougian,
survived the killing and recorded his experiences for posterity.
Armenians say that Turkish authorities executed 1.5 million people
between 1915-1923, accusing them of helping the invading Russian
Army during World War I. Turkey rejects the genocide claim, saying
Armenians were killed in civil unrest during the collapse of the
Ottoman Turk Empire.
However, Henry Morgenthau, the United States ambassador to Ottoman
Turkey between 1913 and 1916, wrote of the mistreatment and killings
of the Armenians in “Ambassador Morgenthau’s Story,” a memoir of his
years in Turkey. Because the past is important, Sahakian translated
her father’s memoirs into English.
This is part one of a two-part interview. The second installment will
appear in Tuesday’s paper.
Tell me about your father: Varteres Mikael Garougian was born the
eldest of three sons on Sept. 14, 1892 in Khoulakyough village in
the province of Kharpert, located in Turkish Armenia.
In 1911, to avoid being taken at 19 years of life into the much
feared and dreaded Turkish military, his parents paid a bedel –
temporary exemption fee – as well as bribes to Turkish authorities.
They arranged for him to go to America temporarily to work in safety
and earn money, hopefully for a short time.
In departing, Varteres left behind everything he loved – his wife
Manan, his parents, two brothers and his village. When those horrible
times began in 1915 in Armenia, which the then Turkish government
referred to as “deportations” but were actually massacres and death
marches, he and other similarly displaced young Armenian men in
Racine were shocked, helpless and disturbed, bitterly questioning
among themselves why they were spared while their loved ones in
Armenia were not.
Seeking a possible means of returning to his homeland to search for
his loved ones who might have survived, in 1917 Varteres left safety
in America to join the Legion Armenienne (French Foreign Legion)
or Legion d”Orient in New York. While in Armenia, as a Legionnaire
soldier Varteres sought information about his family, corresponding
with a considerable number of persons. In so doing he became well known
as an intermediary for many survivors who desperately needed help.
In 1920, it was finally through missionaries that he found injured
Manan and later his young brother Krikor. Everyone else he knew in
Armenia had perished or been lost. After getting his wife to safety
with missionaries and other survivor friends, Varteres was captured
by Turkish authorities and taken away to face certain death. It was
only through his cleverness and a miraculous reprieve that he was
placed instead in the Turkish military in 1921.
Eventually he returned to Kharpert to help his young brother get
settled and after several perilous attempts, found his way, again,
back to Manan. By 1923 he realized that only by again leaving Manan
to return to America to get his U.S. citizenship would he and Manan
be able to live safely in America.
For many years “Baron Varteres” – as the students called him – was
director and an instructor of the Armenian night school in the State
Street Saint Mesrob Church, which was attended by a large number of
Armenian children.
Why did your father write his memoirs? First, my father wanted his
children and future grandchildren to know of, and to be proud of,
their ancestors, whom they were never privileged to see, unfortunately,
because most of their ancestors were killed or perished during the
1915-1923 death marches/massacres which the then Turkish government
called “deportations.”
Also, because he felt many other immigrant Armenians were being lured
by the freedom, ease of life, and busy lives they had in America
which enticed them to forget their important past lives as well as
their terrible experiences during the deportations, he felt he must
write. In fact, he hoped and eagerly anticipated that others would
write of their experiences as well, but apparently not many did. By
1957-58, Varteres had almost completed his Armenian manuscript and
was contacting people to get it published in Armenian before he died
suddenly in 1958.
Why are your father’s memoirs important? Between 1911 through 1930,
keeping notes of his experiences, even through the most difficult
times whenever he was able to jot things down, helped him to keep
his sanity. Later on, being a perfectionist, compiling these notes
into a narrative was of great importance to him.
He felt pride in being an Armenian, knowing his ancestors, language,
history, and his culture. Because of all that was forbidden and
wrenched away by the happenings in 1915-23 by the Ottoman Turkish
government of those days, he felt he must keep alive what he could of
his background upon immigrating a second time to this free, wonderful
land of hope – America.
6/11/20/local/columns/iq_4284003.txt

ALIYEV SAYS ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL COOPERATION MUST BE IMPROVED AMONG TURKISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES
Today, Azerbaijan
Nov 20 2006
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said on Friday that economic
and political cooperation among the Turkish speaking countries must
be improved.
Speaking at the 8th Summit of Heads of State & Government of
Turkish-Speaking Countries in the southern Turkish city of Antalya,
Aliyev remembered that Turkey was the first country recognizing
independence of Azerbaijan.
“Economy of Azerbaijan develops rapidly. We have left economic
difficulties behind. Other Turkish-speaking states also overcame the
difficulties,” Aliyev added.
“World is changing. The incidents occurring in our region require
new relationships and cooperation,” he recalled.
“Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline is a historic step. This will serve
economic development of the region. Inclusion of Kazakhstan to this
cooperation brings a new dynamism. Completion of Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum
natural gas pipeline means shipment of Azerbaijani gas to Turkey and
Europe,” Aliyev said.
Emphasizing that countries of the Caspian region have very rich natural
resources, Aliyev said, “these resources bring financial prosperity
to the region. The cooperation which was considered as a dream before,
is now realized.”
Stating that there were problems that create uneasiness in Azerbaijan,
Aliyev said, “ongoing Armenian occupation on Azerbaijan`s territory
is the biggest problem of our country. This is also a problem of
the region. We favor resolution of the problem through peaceful
means. The problem must be solved in line with the principles
of the U.N.. European Organizations do not have any effect on
Armenia. Azerbaijan lost 20 percent of its territory in the ethnic
cleansing. More than 1 million people were made refugee in their own
country.”
URL:

TURKEY IMPOSES DEFENSE SANCTIONS ON FRANCE
Middle East Newsline, Canada
Nov 20 2006
ANKARA [MENL] — Turkey has imposed defense sanctions on France.
Officials said Ankara would not consider French military and defense
cooperation in wake of the French parliament’s approval of a bill that
recognized the Turkish genocide of Armenians in 1918. They said France
would also not attend military and security meetings in Turkey. Both
countries are members of NATO.
Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul said France would not be invited
to the biannual International Defense Fair in Ankara. The next IDEF
exhibition was meant to take place in September 2007.
“France has a renowned [defense] minister, but due to the recent
developments we haven’t sent her an invitation for the upcoming fair,”
Gonul said on Nov. 16. “France has not been officially invited to
the fair.”
NOTE: The above is not the full item.

FRENCH DEFENSE MINISTER LEFT OFF GONUL’S DEFENSE FAIR GUEST LIST
Anatolian Times, Turkey
Nov 20 2006
Following Land Forces Commander Gen. Ilker Basbug’s announcement
on Wednesday that military ties with France had been suspended,
the government also took a negative stance towards France. Defense
Minister Vecdi Gonul said yesterday that he had not invited his French
counterpart Michele Alliot Maire to the Eighth International Defense
Fair (IDEF 2007) set for next May in Ankara. During a promotional
meeting, Gonul said that France had a respected defense minister, but
due to the recent developments, he had not been officially invited to
the fair in question. Meanwhile, commenting on Basbug’s announcement,
French Defense Ministry spokesman Jean-Francois Bureau stated that
the statement had been made by a military commander but not by the
Turkish government, adding that no practical or concrete effect of
the declaration had been seen so far.
In addition, regarding Basbug’s statement, world media outlets
interpreted the move as “Turkey’s revenge” following the French
Parliament’s passage of a bill criminalizing denial of the alleged
Armenian genocide.

KOCHARIAN: “AS AN EU CANDIDATE, TURKEY SHOULD ESTABLISH DIPLOMATIC TIES WITH ARMENIA”
Anatolian Times, Turkey
Nov 20 2006
Speaking at a conference in Berlin yesterday, Armenian President
Robert Kocharian said that as a European Union candidate, Turkey
should pursue a different approach by establishing diplomatic
relations with Armenia. Kocharian further complained that Turkey, an
important country in its region, has closed its border with Armenia,
adding that it should take a different stance. Kocharyan also said
that diplomatic ties between the two countries should be established
without any preconditions.

WAITING FOR ARMENIA’S ‘PORTERFIELD!’ MOMENT
The Times, UK
Nov 20 2006
YOU NEEDN’T WORRY yourselves why, but I was searching for information
about the Armenian Premier League the other day and was frustrated to
discover that the FFA (Football Federation of Armenia) still haven’t
got their website () uploaded, despite a little notice at
the domain insisting that it’s coming soon. Yes, so you keep saying,
Armenia! This low-tech irritation has been greeting me for at least
two months and I am getting close to going over the FFA’s heads and
writing directly to Ian Porterfield about it. Porterfield, as I’m
sure you’re aware, is in charge of the Armenia team. If you weren’t
aware of that, isn’t it a tremendous thing to have salted away now?
For those of you too young to remember, Ian’s surname, as barked
stoutly and irrevocably by David Coleman 30 minutes into the 1973 FA
Cup Final, is synonymous with upset, shock and sensation. He was the
“Porterfield!” whose unstoppable lash decided the game for Sunderland
over hot favourites Leeds United.
No footballer’s name has been broadcast with such boldness and
finality. However, a man can only coast so long on a 33-year-old
bombshell.
Why is he now dragging his feet over giving the world instant access
to breaking football news and events in his new workplace? A friend of
mine thinks it’s because men in Armenia, stylistically and tonsorially,
still look like the 1973 Sunderland squad and Porterfield wishes to
make sure that the nation isn’t playing a huge practical joke at his
expense before drawing back the curtain to the folks back home.
Maybe so. In this age of all things Borat, we must expect some kind
of tit-for-tat retaliation from our Eastern friends. Then again,
it is possible that Porterfield’s plans for this sleeping giant
of European soccer are so amazing that he doesn’t wish to give his
enemies a glimpse of the future.
Whatever it is, I do wish everyone over there would get a move on.
The last I heard, FC Pyunik were racing away with the Armenian league,
but that was ages ago. And as that cunning old fox now in charge knows
better than anyone, in football, everything can change in a heartbeat.