TURKISH SPOKESMAN: EP REPORT “FAR FROM COMMON SENSE AND OBJECTIVITY”
Anatolia news agency
5 Sep 06
Ankara, 5 September: “It is obvious that the [EP – European Parliament]
report (on Turkey) focused on issues which has nothing to do with
common sense and objectivity. We hope that those points will be
addressed before the vote in the General Assembly at the end of this
month,” Turkish MFA spokesman Namik Tan said regarding the Turkey
report which was adopted by the Foreign Affairs Committee of the
European Parliament, yesterday.
Upon a question, Tan said that the report, which was prepared by
Christian Democrat MEP Camiel Eurlings, would be voted at the General
Assembly on 28 September 2006.
Tan noted: “Several matters in the report which are far from being
real and written with political impulses do not reflect EP’s esteem
and seriousness.”
He mentioned as example issues like the so-called Armenian genocide.
Tan said: “We expect the EP would encourage Turkey-EU relations. We
hope MEPs will demonstrate common sense to fix this situation during
general assembly meeting.”

EP’S TURKEY REPORT ANGERS BRUSSELS
By Emre Demir, Suleyman Kurt, Strasbourg, Ankara
Zaman Online, Turkey
Sept 6 2006
The Turkey report approved by the European Parliament (E.P.) Foreign
Affairs Committee on Monday drew strong reaction from Brussels after
Ankara’s response.
President of the E.U. Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso said recognition
of the so-called Armenian Genocide would not be a precondition
for Turkey’s E.U. membership. Some European parliamentarians
say the Armenian issue was being used to hinder Turkey’s
E.U. membership. Ankara reacted to the report saying that it was
“lacking commonsense and objectivity.” The report, compiled by Dutch
legislator Camiel Eurlings, contained an article that requires Turkey
to recognize the so-called Armenian Genocide, a possible stipulation
mentioned for the first time last year, to gain E.U. membership. There
were some last-minute additions to the report, which also claimed
Turkey had committed genocide against its Greek Pontus and Syrian
populations.
Ankara strongly objected to the report and emphasized: “The efforts
to assert non-objective conditions on issues such as the so-called
Armenian Genocide, which requires serious professional studying and
discussions, was met with great sadness by Turkey.” Spokesman for the
Foreign Ministry Namik Tan demanded that this mistake be corrected
at the next E.P. General Assembly meeting.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said there was no need
to exaggerate the report and Turkey had not accepted any preset
conditions relating to the so-called Armenian Genocide, adding that
Turkey’s stance was very strong.
E.U.-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Commission Co-Chairman Joost Lagendijk
and Turkish origin-legislator Cem Ozdemir called the report a new
obstacle for Turkey’s E.U. journey. The two legislators said this
report would weaken the reformists’ hands in Turkey, and added:
“If you aggravate Turkey’s conditions every year, you give the image
that the E.P. is against Turkey’s E.U. membership.”
The report’s author, Camiel Eurlings, said yesterday that the “spirit”
of the report did not change with the last minute additions; however,
the tone of its voice had. Eurlings said he believed Turkey should
recognize the so-called Armenian Genocide; however, this condition
cannot be held as a pre-condition as it is not in the Copenhagen
Criteria.
‘EP Report Berates Turkey’
The European media evaluated the E.P. Foreign Affairs Assembly’s
harsh report and assessed that the deepest immediate division between
Turkey and the E.U. was related to Turkey’s decision not to open its
ports to Greek Cyprus. The International Herald-Tribune wrote that
E.P. legislators had harshly criticized Turkey; while The Times of
London emphasized that the report predicted a suspension of Turkey’s
E.U. membership negotiations.

TURKEY REJECTS EU CALL TO RECOGNISE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
AFX UK (Focus)
Sep 05, 2006
ANKARA (AFX) – Turkey denounced today a European Union report saying
that Ankara must recognise the 1915-1917 genocide in Armenia as a
condition for joining the EU.
“We are dismayed by efforts aiming to impose preconditions that are
far from objective on questions that require serious academic inquiry,”
the Turkish foreign ministry said in a communique.
A report adopted by the EU parliament’s foreign affairs committee
last night deplored Turkey’s lack of progress in implementing reforms
needed to join the EU, and alluded specifically to Ankara’s refusal
to acknowledge the Armenian genocide.
“Certain elements of the report … written with political
considerations are not compatible with the credibility of the European
parliament,” the Turkish foreign ministry said.
Armenians estimate that up to 1.5 mln of their forebears perished in
systematic killings orchestrated by the Ottoman Empire between 1915
to 1917.
Ankara rejects all accusations of genocide, estimating the number of
Armenian deaths at 300,000 and arguing they were not a consequence
of deliberate extermination but a combination of war, disease, famine
and ethnic conflict.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

12-MONTH INFLATION TO EXCEED PLANNED 3% IN 3RD QUARTER OF 2006
Arka News Agency, Armenia
Sept 6 2006
YEREVAN, September 6. /ARKA/. At the end of the 3rd quarter of 2006,
12 -month inflation is expected to exceed the planned 3%, says a
protocol of the sitting of the Board of the Central Bank of Armenia
(CBA) “On refinancing rate”.
Among the risks and inflationary pressures are both internal and
external factors. Concerning the external factors, the protocol says
that in August the trends formed early in 2006 – USD devaluation
against the EURO (5.1% in August 2006 compared to August 2005),
high rates of rise in prices for raw materials, particularly for oil
(26.8%) – were maintained.
Among internal risks is setback in agricultural production, which
forms serious inflationary pressures on the consumer market.
Besides, the increase in cash incomes has influenced the price for
nonfoods and services. The CBA Board believe that further influence
should be expected.
The CBA Board members also attach importance to the fact that huge
on-budget expenditures expected before the end of the year, especially
during the last few months, will cause an inflation rise, which will
be evident in the first half 2007. This phenomenon, accompanied by the
aforementioned factors, will cause considerable inflationary pressures.
According to the protocol, 7.2% inflation was recorded in August
2006 compared to August 2005. An 8% rise in prices for food products
(alcoholic beverages and tobacco inclusive) was recorded. A 5.3%
rise in prices for nonfoods and a 4.5% rise in prices for services
were recorded. 2.7% inflation was recorded compared to December 2005,
and 0.9% inflation compared to July 2006.
The highest inflation (compared to August 2006) was recorded in such
groups of products as sugar (35.2%), fruit (25.2%), and vegetables
and potatoes (49.2%). Since the beginning of 2006, the price for
these products has risen by 30.7%, 7.9% and 8.4%.
As regards nonfoods, the highest rise in prices for jewelry was
recorded (31.9%), for gardening implements (23%), for personal cars
and petrol (8.8%), for building materials (5.7%). Since the beginning
of 2006, the highest inflation was recorded in the following services:
shoe repair (5.1%), medical service (6.9%) and communication (10.6%).
A 20.4% rise in the USD import prices was recorded in the 2nd quarter
of 2006 compared to the corresponding period of 2005. The prices for
both consumer goods and for raw materials rose as well.
3% inflation is budgeted in Armenia this year.

ARMENIA RESTORES CEMETERIES IN FORMER AZERI VILLAGES
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
5 Sep 06
[Presenter] Armenians are replying with great mercy to the destruction
of cultural monuments by Azerbaijan. A cemetery in the village of
Saral in Lori District formerly populated by Azerbaijanis has been
restored. The barbarous destruction of the cross stones at the Armenian
cemetery of Old Juga [the Culfa town in the Azerbaijani exclave of
Naxcivan] still remains in people’s memory. But the pages of our
history and today’s events have ones again showed that the Armenians
are not vindictive people.
[Correspondent over video of cemetery] Sixty-five Azerbaijani
tombstones have been restored in Lori District. The Azerbaijani
cemetery in the village of Nor Khachakab has also been restored. The
Vanadzor office of the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly examined the
destroyed Azerbaijani cemeteries in Lori District in April. Eighteen
former Azerbaijani-populated villages were inspected and the village
of Saral was chosen for restoration.
[Head of the Vanadzor office of the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Artur
Sakunts, captioned] We decided that the cemeteries should be restored
first. The cemeteries belong to those people who as a result of the
conflict have left their residence and moved to Azerbaijan.
We have agreed with our Azerbaijani colleagues that they will restore
the Armenian cemeteries in Azerbaijan.
[Correspondent] The local authorities will keep an eye on the
Azerbaijani cemetery. The governor of Nor Khachakap said that the
cemetery would be in the focus of attention and the villagers would
protect it.
[Head of the Azerbaijani National Committee of the Helsinki Citizens’
Assembly, Arzu Abdullayeva speaking in Russian with Armenian
voice-over] Peace is the result of cooperation and it is made up of
such small inputs.
[Correspondent] About 30 young people from Armenia, Azerbaijan and
Karabakh had an opportunity to familiarize themselves with their
culture in the district’s Gugark camp and speak about peace.
[Passage omitted: participants in the meeting stress the importance
of such meetings]
[Correspondent] The regional programme is being implemented by the
Armenian and Azerbaijani national committees of the Helsinki Citizens’
Assembly, and the aim of the programme is to build confidence through
similar cultural events carried out by different representatives of
the conflicting sides, in particular by young people.
David Ovanesyan, Lilit Georchyan, Vanadzor, “Aylur”.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

WORLD NEVER TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIA AS “AGGRESSOR” – ARMENIAN MINISTER
Arminfo
5 Sep 06
Yerevan, 5 September: Azerbaijan should not even dream of securing
the international recognition of Armenia as an aggressor, Foreign
Minister Vardan Oskanyan said at a meeting with a group of Armenian
writers today.
Oskanyan said no international document had so far named Armenia
an aggressor.
“It is true that some international documents use the phrase ‘occupied
territories’. However, none of them says that the territories have
been occupied by Armenia,” Oskanyan said. He added that only Azerbaijan
and Turkey called Armenia an aggressor.
Oskanyan noted that Armenia had always tried to draw the attention of
the international community to the massacre of Armenians in Sumqayit
and Baku. Oskanyan also said that the Armenian side duly dismissed
Baku’s claims concerning the [1992] massacre of Azerbaijanis in Xocali
[a town in Nagornyy Karabakh].

FOOTBALL TEAMS OF ARMENIA AND BELGIUM TO MEET IN YEREVAN
ArmRadio.am
06.09.2006 10:39
In the qualification round of the Euro 2008 the Armenian national
football team will welcome today the team of Belgium. The Armenian
team headed by Scott started training a week ago. Roman Berezovski,
Artavazd Karamyan and Edgar Manucharyan will not participate in
the match. The team includes skilled players Karen Dochoyan, Hamlet
Mkhitaryan, Romik Khachatryan, Arman Karamyan and Armen Shahgeldyan.

FM VARDAN OSKANIAN TO PARTICIPATE IN THE UN SESSION
ArmRadio.am
06.09.2006 11:00
RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian will leave for New York to
participate in the UN session. The Minister told the journalists that
his speech at the session is scheduled September 25. He informed
also that he will have a number of bilateral meetings with his
counterparts. Vardan Oskanian underlined that he is not scheduled to
meet with US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minks Group Matthew Bryza, but such
a meeting is not ruled out.
Turning to the Azeri initiative to have the question of fires at the
contact line be included in the agenda of the sitting, Vardan Oskanyan
declared that it is the right of Baku. The Minister noted that the
issue might be discussed in the framework of the OSCE parliamentary
Assembly, especially considering that the UN can do no more than the
OSCE. “I tin that only Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan can discuss
and resolve the question of fires. I do believe that involvement of
the UN is not proper here. The most proper structure for considering
the issue is the OSCE, the Minister declared.
Vardan Oskanian did not rule out the opportunity of including
the questioning the agenda. The minister reported also that he has
received a letter from the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Karel de Gucht,
in which he suggests sending a mission to the inflammation zones. “We
have already responded that we no problem here. We are satisfied with
assessment of the fires at the contact line by Personal Representative
of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk.
However, Azerbaijan is not happy with the report,” Vardan Oskanian
declared.

RA PRESIDENT’S CONGRATULATION TO THE CREW OF “KILIKIA”
ArmRadio.am
06.09.2006 11:39
RA President Robert Kocharyan addressed a message to the crew of the
“Kilikia ” sailing ship. President’s Press Office informs that the
message says, in particular:
“Dear friends,
For three years our people have been closely observing the
unprecedented voyage of the Armenian “Kilikia” vessel. After eight
centuries you repeated the historical route of the sailors of
the Armenian state of Kilikia, crossing a long way and overcoming
dangerous difficulties. I want to lay special emphasis on the fact
that during the whole course of the voyage state flats of European
and Mediterranean countries were fluttering on “Kilikia” together
with the Armenian tricolor. The cruise was also a good example for
the boys and girls, who intend to go in for sailing sports I wish
safe home-coming to you and to “Kilikia” vessel.”

SHAHEN HOVHANNISYAN KILLED IN THE CENTER OF YEREVAN
ArmRadio.am
06.09.2006 11:58
At about 9:30 this morning member of the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation, Head of the Operative Investigation Department of the
Governmental Tax Agency Shahen Hovhannisyan was killed at Byron Street
near the Yerevan Conservatory. According to preliminary data, Shahen
Hovasapyan’s GAZ-31 car was exploded.
“Radiolur” correspondent reports there are signs of blood at the
site of the murder. Law-enforcement bodies do not comment on the
accident. No other details are known.