HUNGARIAN COURT TO SENTENCE AZERBAIJANI ARMY OFFICER RAMIL SAFAROV ON 17 NOVEMBER
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Aug 5 2006
Hungarian court today held next trial hearing on jailer’s claim
against Ramil Safarov, Azerbaijani Army officer, who was sentenced
to life in prison for murdering Armenian lieutenant Gurgen Markarian
in Hungary. Azerbaijani Embassy in Hungary told the APA three more
witnesses testified in the trial. They participated in the incident.
The next trial will be held on 17 November. Two more witnesses will
testify and, the court verdict will be announced.
Clara Fisher, Hungarian lawyer for Ramil defends him on this case.
While being held in Hungarian prison in 2004, jailers wanted telephone
card from Ramil. But Ramil could not understand Hungarian which led
an incident between them. Eight police officers tied his hands and
used force. Though lawyers for the Azerbaijani lieutenant appealed to
court related to this matter, the court dismissed the appeal saying
there was no evidence. Then the opposite side claimed that Ramil
resisted officials.

ERDOGAN: IT IS A DAYDREAM TO EXPECT TURKEY TO RECOGNIZE “ARMENIAN GENOCIDE”
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Aug 5 2006
“It is a daydream to expect Turkey to recognize the so-called Armenian
genocide. We’ll not change our position regarding the alleged “Armenian
genocide”. Let no one expect us to change our position,” Turkey’s Prime
Minister Rajab Tayyib Erdogan said while commenting on the European
Parliament’s today’s decision urging Turkey to recognize the alleged
“Armenian genocide”.
APA’s Turkey bureau reports said there are some initiatives for
normalizing the relations between Turkey and Armenia, and the Foreign
Ministry controls this process.
“The European Parliament’s decision is not compulsory. So, there
is no need to exaggerate the appeals addressed from Strasbourg,”
the Premier underlined.
Prior to that, the European Parliament twice (in 1987 and 2005)
appealed to Turkey for recognizing the alleged “Armenian genocide”.
Turkish Prime Minister wrote to Armenian President Robert Kocharian
offering to set up a joint commission to solve the problems between
the two countries, including the so-called “Armenian genocide”.
However, Armenia’s response was negative.
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul concretely voiced Ankara’s stance
regarding this issue in his address to the parliament on 13 April.
“Turkey will not obey any pressure and will not recognize the
fabricated “Armenian genocide”. The Copenhagen principles-main document
on Turkey’s EU membership discussions do not mention the necessity
of recognition of the so-called genocide.”

‘TURKISH RECOGNITION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE A ‘DAYDREAM”
By Cihan News Agency
Zaman Online, Turkey
Aug 5 2006
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that it would
be nothing but a “daydream” to expect recognition by Turkey of the
so-called genocide of Armenians during the last years of the Ottoman
Empire.
PM Erdogan and his Albanian counterpart Sali Berisha held a joint
press conference on Tuesday following their meeting at the prime
ministry office in Ankara.
Commenting on the draft report on Turkey for 2006 prepared by the
European Parliament (EP), Erdogan remarked that the EP decisions
were nor binding. Erdogan added that expecting Turkey’s recognition
of Armenian killings as “genocide” was impossible.
The EP called on Turkey for recognition of so-called Armenian genocide
claims as a condition for its accession to the union in a draft report
adopted by majority in Strasbourg on Monday.
Turkish Foreign Ministry has strongly rejected the EP report, saying
that the report compiled by Dutch legislator Camiel Eurlings was
incompatible with prestige and gravity of the European parliament.
“Turkey was deeply saddened with the stance of the European parliament
regarding the so-called Armenian genocide claims,” FM spokesman said.

“PERSIAN ALPHABET” PUBLISHED FOR 3RD TIME IN ARMENIA SERVICE: LITERARY
ISNA, Iran
Iranian Students News Agency
Aug 5 2006
TEHRAN, Sep.05 (ISNA)-“Persian alphabet in a simple language” so be
applied by teacher’s in Armenia’s schools was published for the third
time in this country.
This book has been written under the supervision of an Armenian top
professor and from among its distinctions we can name its specific
referral to the background of the Iranian alphabet.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT, DEFENSE MINISTER SHOW SIGNS OF RIFT
By Emil Danielyan
Eurasia Daily Monitor, DC
Aug 5 2006
Recent weeks have revealed a rift between Armenia’s two most powerful
leaders that could have far-reaching implications for the political
future of the South Caucasus state. President Robert Kocharian is
reportedly monitoring with unease the efforts by Defense Minister Serge
Sarkisian, his hitherto chief lieutenant and most likely successor,
to succeed him in 2008.
Sarkisian has confirmed his presidential ambitions by formally joining
and assuming a key position in the governing Republican Party of
Armenia (HHK). Kocharian, for his part, is widely linked with another
party that was set up recently by the country’s most influential
oligarch and is increasingly seen as a counterweight to the HHK. The
party’s growing strength has also prompted concern from Armenian
opposition leaders who believe it bodes ill for democratic change.
The HHK officially admitted Sarkisian and elected him as its deputy
chairman at a high-profile congress on July 22 that was attended by
many members of the Armenian government. Although the party continues
to be nominally headed by Prime Minister Andranik Markarian, few doubt
that it is Sarkisian who will now be calling the shots. The HHK holds
several ministerial portfolios, controls local government bodies across
the country, and boasts the largest faction in parliament. Hence its
significance for Sarkisian. The powerful defense chief has repeatedly
stated that his participation in the next presidential election,
due in 2008, hinges on the HHK’s strong performance in parliamentary
elections scheduled for next spring. His critics insinuate that the
Republicans will therefore try to win the 2007 polls at any cost.
Kocharian claimed through a spokesman on July 24 that he does not
object to Sarkisian’s alliance with the ruling party and even
welcomes it. “An authoritative politician’s membership in the HHK
… is a welcome development and may have a positive influence on
the Armenian political field that is still far from being perfect,”
presidential press secretary Victor Soghomonian said in a statement.
Still, a growing number of local analysts believe that in reality
Kocharian is banking on the equally ambitious Prosperous Armenia party
of Gagik Tsarukian, a millionaire businessman close to the Armenian
leader. They say Kocharian is building a new, totally reliable
support base that will enable him to continue to play a major role
in government affairs after he completes his second and final term
as president in 2008. In particular, he is rumored to have set his
sights on the post of prime minister.
Prosperous Armenia announced its existence last January and claims
to have already recruited as many as 300,000 members, or 10% of the
country’s population. Individuals close to Tsarukian say the tycoon
is seriously hoping to win the upcoming elections by capitalizing on
his vast financial resources, which opposition leaders and even some
top Republicans fear could be used for a massive vote buying.
Sarkisian, meanwhile, played down Prosperous Armenia’s significance
on July 20, questioning its ability to serve as Kocharian’s new power
base. “Prosperous Armenia is not yet a party,” he told RFE/RL. But
the remarks only added to speculation that he is worried about the
pro-Kocharian oligarch’s political maneuvering. Hayots Ashkhar, a
newspaper reputedly sponsored by Sarkisian, poured scorn on Tsarukian
on August 18, alleging that he is paying ordinary Armenians to join
his party.
It has escaped no one’s notice that Tsarukian was invited to attend
the last HHK congress along with leaders of other parties but failed
to show up, citing “technical reasons.” He promptly held a Prosperous
Armenia conference in Yerevan two days later to address hundreds
of party activists and slam those who question the sincerity of his
pledges to make his countrymen more prosperous.
Yet not everyone is convinced that Kocharian and Sarkisian have
fallen out. Chorrord Ishkhanutyun, a newspaper highly critical of the
government, insisted on July 28 that the latest developments signal
“anything but a Kocharian-Serge standoff” and are part of a scenario
drawn up by the two men. Indeed, they have long known and worked with
each other, both in their native Karabakh and Yerevan. Conventional
wisdom therefore suggests that Kocharian would have a reliable
successor in Sarkisian, someone who would at least guarantee his
personal security. The question is, though, whether Kocharian intends
to retire from active politics or remain in government in some other
capacity. In the latter case, he would hardly need a strong president.
The Armenian opposition, meanwhile, is ringing alarm bells over an
influx of more wealthy businessmen and other influential individuals
with questionable reputations into the HHK, which was sparked by its
alliance with Sarkisian. Some opposition leaders, including former
parliament speaker Artur Baghdasarian, have openly branded those
individuals as “criminal elements” tasked with helping the ruling
regime rig the next elections.
Sarkisian dismissed these concerns as he joined the HHK, promising
that the 2007 vote will be the “best” one in Armenia’s post-Soviet
history. But he was quick to add that he believes the previous Armenian
elections, criticized as undemocratic by Western observers, were not
deeply flawed. “Things were good and will get even better,” said the
man regarded by his opponents as a key mastermind of serious fraud
reported during the last presidential and parliamentary elections
held in 2003.
(Hayots Ashkhar, August 18, July 25; Iravunk, August 15; Chorrord
Ishkhanutyun, July 28; RFE/RL Armenia Report, July 20-21)

TURKEY STRONGLY REJECTS EP REPORT
By Cihan News Agency
Zaman Online, Turkey
Aug 5 2006
The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Tuesday said it strongly rejected
the European parliament report compiled by Dutch legislator Camiel
Eurlings, saying it was incompatible with the prestige and gravity
of the European parliament.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Namik Tan said that the controversial
report would not contribute to the improvement of ties between Turkey
and European Union. “The report lacks commonsense and objectivity.”
The European parliament report, which was compiled by Dutch legislator
Camiel Eurlings and was adopted by the European parliament’s foreign
affairs committee on Monday, harshly criticized Turkey for its slow
pace of reform on rights, freedom of expression and relations with
Greek Cyprus.
“Turkey was deeply saddened with the stance of the European parliament
regarding the so-called Armenian genocide claims,” Tan said.
Spokesman Tan said that the European lawmakers should act with
consideration and amend the draft report.
The report complains that the pace of the reforms slowed in 2005 and
the implementation of reforms still remains uneven, underlining that
significant further efforts are required in regard to fundamental
freedoms and human rights, in particular freedom of expression,
women’s rights, religious freedoms, trade union rights and cultural
rights, and the further strengthening of the fight against torture
and ill-treatment.
From: Baghdasarian

BUILDING BRIDGES THROUGH MUSIC
By Hinda Mandell – Tuesday September 5 2006
Jewish Advocate , MA
Aug 5 2006
Yuval Ron Ensemble gives rousing performance
Can four musicians onstage provide the key to world peace?
It’s a tall order, but if the Yuval Ron Ensemble has its way, the
answer is an astounding yes.
The ensemble performed Sunday at Brandeis University’s Slosberg Recital
Hall in a benefit concert for locally-based Progressive Pictures,
a production company at work on a documentary of the ensemble and
its effort to resolve conflict through music.
The audience was a willing participant in this social experiment;
by the concert’s end, the ensemble had people on their feet, clapping
and humming along. There was not an unsmiling face in the house.
The Yuval Ron Ensemble was established in 1999, with musicians
from Muslim, Christian and Jewish backgrounds. Sunday’s performance
featured music director Yuval Ron, an Israeli from Tel Aviv, vocalist
Najwa Gibran, a Christian Lebanese-Palestinian woman born in Haifa,
wind instrumentalist Yeghish Manukyan from Armenia and Jamie Papish,
a percussionist from Los Angeles.
While the group prides itself on the diversity of its musicians, it’s
the world-class musicianship that drives home the ensemble’s message.
Melodies thousands of years old wafted through the recital hall,
haunting, lovely and filled with history. Manukyan played a tune on
his duduk, a traditional Armenian instrument made from the wood of
an apricot tree, that has roots during the time of the ancient Temple.
In addition to the specific Sephardic, Sufi and Arabic songs, the
ensemble also performed melodies that had roots in all of these
traditions.
These are musicians who are masters of their craft, whether it’s
a seemingly-exotic shvi flute or a drum. Vocalist Gibran easily
shifted from Hebrew to Arabic in her songs; her voice is an
exceptional instrument. For more information on the group, which
tours internationally, visit More information
on Progressive Pictures can be found at

AT THE UN, MICRO-STATES SIMMER UNDER THE ASSEMBLY’S SURFACE, WHILE INCOMING COUNCIL PRESIDENT DODGES MOST QUESTIONS
Byline: Matthew Russell Lee at the UN
Inner City Press, NY
Aug 6 2006
UNITED NATIONS, September 5 — Nagorno Karabakh, one of the world
most frozen and forgotten conflicts, surfaced at the UN on Tuesday,
if only for ten minutes. The General Assembly was scheduled to vote
on a resolution concerning fires in the occupied territories of
Azerbaijan. The diplomats assembled, or began to assemble, at 4 p.m..
At 4:15 it was announced that in light of ongoing negotiations,
the meeting was cancelled, perhaps to reconvene Wednesday at 11:30.
Sources close to the negotiations told Inner City Press that the
rub is paragraph 4 of the draft resolution, which requests that
the Secretary-General report to the UN General Assembly on the
conflict. Armenia wants the matter to remain before the Minsk Group
of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which has
presided over the problem for more than a decade. Leading the OSCE’s
Minsk Group are Russia, France and the United States, members of the
veto-wielding Permanent Five on the UN Security Council, nations which
Azerbaijan claims have ignored its sovereignty as well as blocking
Security Council action, as for example Russia has on Chechnya.
Of the fires, Azerbaijan has characterized them as Armenian arson,
and has asked for international pressure to allow it to reach the
disputed territories where the fires have been.
Nagorno-Karabakh, per WFP
At a July 13, 2006 briefing on the BTC pipeline, Inner City Press
asked the Ambassador of Azerbaijan Yashar Aliyev about the pipeline’s
avoidance of Armenia. We cannot deal with them until they stop
occupying our territory, Ambassador Aliyev said. “You mean Nagorno
– Karabakh?” Not only that, Amb. Aliyev answered. That’s only four
percent. Few people know this, but Armenia has occupied twenty percent
of our territory.
Both Amenia’s Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian and UN Ambassador
Armen Martirosian have said publicly in the past month that if
Azerbaijan continues pushing the issue before the United Nations,
the existing peace talks will stop. Armenian sources privately speak
more darkly of an alliance of Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova,
collectively intent on involving the UN in reigning in their breakaway
regions including South Ossetia, Nagorno-Karabakh and Transdniestria
— examples of what some call the micro-states. Armenia is concerned
that in the UN as opposed to OSCE, Azerbaijan might be able to rally
Islamic nations to its side.
It is not only to predominantly Muslim nations that the Azeri’s are
reaching out. The nation’s foreign minister Elmar Mammadyarov met
recently with this Swedish counterpart Jan Eliasson, the outgoing
president of the General Assembly.
Following Tuesday’s General Assembly postponement, Inner City Press
asked Mr. Eliasson if, in light of his involvement in reaching the
1994 cease-fire, he thinks the GA might have more luck solving the
Nagorno-Karabakh than the OSCE has.
“I hope so,” he said. “I’m in favor of an active General Assembly.” He
recounted his shuttle diplomacy to Baku in the early 90s. And then
he was gone.
Elsewhere in the UN at Tuesday, the income president of the Security
Council, Greek Ambassador Adamantios Vassilakis held a press conference
on the Council’s plan of work for September. Inner City Press asked
when the Council will get the long-awaited briefing on violations
of the arms embargo on Somalia. Amb. Vassilakis responded about a
meeting on September 25, at Kenya’s request, on the idea of the IGAD
force in Somalia. Inner City Press asked what has happened with the
resolution on the Lord’s Resistance Army of which the UK has spoken so
much. It will be up to them to introduce the motion,” Amb. Vassilakis
replied. He did not reply on the issue of the outstanding International
Criminal Court indictments against LRA leaders including Joseph Kony
and Vincent Otti.
Inner City Press asked why, on Ivory Coast, the long-delayed report
by the Secretary-General’s expert on the prevention of genocide has
not been released. In this response, Amb.
Vassilakis grew animated, saying that one has to choose between justice
and peace. This implies that the finished report identifies alleged
perpetrators, as pertains to genocide, but is being withheld either
to facilitate peace, which has not come, or as negotiating leverage
over some of the perpetrators. To be continued, throughout the month.
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EU: PARLIAMENT WARNS TURKEY OVER LACK OF REFORM
AKI, Italy
Aug 5 2006
Strasbourg, 5 Sept. (AKI) – A European Parliament committee has warned
Turkey that its continuing refusal to allow Greek Cypriot ships and
planes to enter its ports and airspace could stall its membership
negotiations with the European Union. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday,
Dutch Conservative MEP Camil Eurlings said the influential foreign
affairs committee endorsed the findings of his draft report criticising
Turkey for its failure to implement key reforms demanded by the EU,
especially in recognising EU member, Cyprus. “We have seen a clear
slowdown and that is regrettable,” Eurlings said.
“Stagnation means regression,” Eurlings continued. Eurlings’
report notes “persistent shortcomings,,” in areas such as freedom of
expression, religious and minority rights, the role of the military,
policing, women’s rights, trade union rights and cultural rights. The
report urges Turkey to “reinvigorate” the reform process.
Eurlings’ report is also critical of Ankara’s refusal to fully
implement a protocol extending its customs union with the EU to the
10 countries that joined the bloc in 2004, including Cyprus. This
prevents Cypriot planes and ships entering Turkish air and sea ports.
“Lack of progress in this regard will have serious implications
for the negotiation process and could even bring it to a halt,”
the report cautioned.
The report also levelled criticism at the Turkish government’s refusal
to recognise the killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks during and
after World War I. It recommends making such recognition a prerequisite
for Turkey’s membership of the EU.
Eurlings said he hoped his report would galvanise Ankara and “act as
a signal and an incentive to reintroduce the vigorous speed of reform
is had shown in the year before accession negotiations started.” The
report will be debated by the full 732-member parliament in late
September.
After protracted negotiations, Turkey began accession talks with the
EU last October. The talks do not lead automatically to membership,
which in any event is not expected before 2015.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

JOURNALISM STUDENTS ELIGIBLE FOR FELLOWSHIP
International Journalist’s Network
Aug 5 2006
Students at work editing their projects.
A master’s program in journalism in Armenia is accepting applications
for registration, fellowships and financial assistance until
September 10.
Organizers will select 10 to 12 participants for the two-year
program. The course is scheduled to begin September 15.
Tuition for the Yerevan State University, Armenia School of Journalism
program is AMD300,000 (about US$760). However, partial tuition waivers
and help finding financial assistance are available.
Applicants must have a bachelor’s or master’s degree, a commitment
to journalism, excellent knowledge of a foreign language and basic
computer literacy. While organizers say that future programs will
be open internationally, Armenians are only eligible to apply to the
September 2006, to May 2008 program. Journalists and experts from the
United States, Western Europe and the Caucasus will lead the program.
The program is funded by the U.S. Agency for International
Development. The International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) will
provide the faculty for the program, in cooperation with Louisiana
State University and Kent State University. Graduates will receive
a master’s degree and the possibility for an internship at a media
outlet abroad.
Applications must be submitted to: Dean’s Office, Journalism
Department, Yerevan State University, 1 Alex Manukyan str., 7th
building, 4th floor; Yerevan, Armenia.
For more information, contact Aram Lazarian at [email protected].
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress