U.S. AND UNDP WILLING TO SHOW FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO NATIONAL ANTI-TRAFFICKING PROGRAM IN ARMENIA
Noyan Tapan
Nov 02 2006
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 2, NOYAN TAPAN. Though the RA Government
intends to work out a new national program against trafficking,
but practical steps were not taken yet, as no financial resources
were allocated for it from the state budget. Anthony Godfrey, the
U.S. Charge d’Affaires to the RA mentioned about it at the November
1 meeting with Hranush Hakobian, the Chairwoman of the RA National
Assembly Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture and Youth
Issues. The Charge d’Affaires assured that the U.S. is interested
in this issue, and if Armenia allocates from the state budget some
money for solution of the mentioned problem, the U.S. and UNDP are
willing to show active financial assistance to the program. H.Hakobian
agreed that this defective phenomenon exists in our reality, so steps
must be taken to uproot it. In her words, the national program must
successively be brought to life, it is necesaary to join international
agreements regulating the sphere, to regulate the legislative field,
to establish close ties with international organizations engaged in
this issue. According to the information submitted to Noyan Tapan by
the RA NA Public Relations Department, it was decided at the meeting
to make the cooperation continuous and to take practical steps to
implement the program.

ANALYSIS: EU GIVES TURKEY BAD GRADES
By Stefan Nicola – UPI Germany Correspondent
United Press International
Nov 2 2006
BERLIN, Nov. 1 (UPI) — A new European Union report is set to give
Turkey low grades on its democratic reforms and further delay the
country’s EU accession, a process already under scrutiny by most
of Europe.
An unnamed EU official told the Financial Times Germany newspaper
he was surprised that Turkey was so significantly behind in its
democratization process.
“We would have hoped that Turkey would have delivered a lot more during
the past 18 months, certainly since the beginning of negotiations in
October last year,” the official said. “If Turkey had been moving
more, if there was greater freedom of expression, if there wasn’t
any torture, things would be a lot more promising.”
The official report, which the newspaper said it has seen, will be
presented next week. It said “prosecutions and convictions for the
expression of non-violent opinion … are a cause for serious concern,”
although on the weekend, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
said he has no plans to change the penal code for such cases, the
newspaper reported.
Such bad grades for Turkey are by no means a surprise, experts say.
“Since the beginning of the accession negotiations, Turkey and the EU
have constantly distanced themselves from each other,” Heinz Kramer,
Turkey expert at the German Institute for International and Security
Affairs, a Berlin-based think tank, told United Press International.
“That’s also because the accession process within the EU has not much
or only half-hearted backing.”
Public support for Turkey’s EU membership is at an all time low,
with less than one in three Europeans supporting it.
“Large parts of the population and — mostly conservative — political
elites feel that Turkey does not belong to Europe,” Kramer said.
A country with unsolved regional conflicts and roughly 70 million
citizens, nearly all of them Muslims, Turkey is seen by many European
governments as a burden, rather than an asset to the EU.
France, Austria, the Netherlands, Denmark and Slovakia are among
the most outspoken opponents, with Paris speaking loudest. In
what observers say was a bid to bank on anti-Turkey sentiments,
France earlier this month adopted a bill that makes it a crime to
deny that an Armenian genocide occurred in Turkey during World War
I, a move that was criticized in most of Europe. France is home to
roughly 500,000 people whose families came from Armenia, many of them
descendants of families that experienced the 1915-1923 violence that
killed some 1.5 million people. Turkey denies that genocide took place.
Another unresolved issue involves the Republic of Cyprus.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel recently said that if Turkey wants
to be accepted into the EU, Ankara would have to open its ports to
Cypriots and recognize the Republic of Cyprus, an EU member.
Cyprus, a popular Mediterranean tourist destination, has been
divided into a Republic of Cyprus — the Greek Cypriot south —
and a Turkish-occupied north since a 1974 Turkish invasion.
Merkel has been critical of Turkey’s EU accession and favors the
model of a “privileged partnership” instead, although her coalition
government officially endorses the accession process.
Finland, which currently holds the rotating the EU presidency, has
been beefing up efforts to prevent a possible escalation of the Cyprus
crisis, wanted by “neither the EU nor Turkey,” Kramer said.
Within the EU, the supporters of a Turkey membership, including Spain
and Britain, argue Turkey could serve as a bridge to the Islamic world,
and fuel democratization efforts in the region. Most EU governments,
however, feel the enlargement process, with Croatia becoming a
member soon, has reached its limits, and pointing to Turkey’s reform
shortcomings is an easy way out of a quick accession.
But the EU, with its half-hearted support of the Turkish accession
process, is also to blame for the lack of reforms in Turkey, Kramer
said.
“In Ankara, politicians think: ‘Why should we make all these efforts
if in the end, nothing comes out of it,'” he told UPI. “From how it
looks now, it may only be a question of time until the whole process
becomes deadlocked.”

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I MET WITH SPIRITUAL LEADERS OF THE ARMENIAN CATHOLIC AND EVANGELICAL CHURCHES
ArmRadio.am
02.11.2006 16:00
His Holiness Aram I met with the spiritual leaders of the Armenian
Catholic and Evangelical Churches in two separate meetings on
October 30. V. Rev. Fr. Norayr Ashekian, V. Rev. Fr. Krikor Chiftjian
and Mr. Tsolag Tutelian from the Central Executive Council of the
Catholicosate accompanied His Holiness, Office of Communication of
the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia informs.
The meeting with Patriarch Nerses Bedros Tarmouni XIX was held in
the presence of several Armenian Catholic Bishops and priests. His
Holiness then met Rev. Meguerditch Karageozian, President of Armenian
Evangelical Churches in the Near East. The President of Haigazian
University, Rev. Dr. Paul Haidostian as well as several Evangelical
pastors and community leaders also attended.
The main focus of the talks was the relationship between Armenia
and the Diaspora particularly in light of the Third Armenia-Diaspora
conference held this summer in Yerevan. The three spiritual leaders
also discussed the importance of strengthening the Diaspora and
reviving Armenian schools in particular.
They reiterated the crucial importance of preserving the internal
unity of the Armenian community of Lebanon.
On these and other issues, all three highlighted the role of close
cooperation between the Armenian Orthodox, Catholic and Evangelical
Churches and the adoption of united stands towards issues of national
concern.
Following these two meetings, His Holiness made the following
statement: “The main purpose of our meetings was the reinforcement
of our internal national unity. There might be difference in
our approaches and evaluations, but we consider that a natural
phenomenon in the life of any nation. However, it is essential that
our communities, our nation become united in basic issues affecting
our life. Today more than ever, it is imperative that we gather around
pan-national projects and visions.”
“The Armenian community of Lebanon should concretely prove that it
has a unique role and place in the life of our nation in general
and the Diaspora in particular. Therefore, the energizing of our
institutions and in this context the revival of the Armenian school,
the backbone of the Armenian community of Lebanon, should become
a priority for all of us. The stronger an Armenian school becomes,
the stronger an Armenian community becomes.”
“The Catholicosate of Cilicia and We personally in cooperation with
the ” Gulbenkian”, “Lincy” and “Khatchig Babikian” Foundations,
are striving to keep the Armenian school strong in its educational
mission. Financial assistance alone, however, is not enough. It is
our expectation that Armenian parents send their children to Armenian
schools. An Armenian school becomes truly an Armenian School when it is
filled with Armenian students; when it conveys the Armenian language,
religion and history as a spirit, faith and commitment to Armenian
students, making them the pillar of Christian Armenian formation.
Therefore, Christian education and Armenian education for us, are
closely interconnected; they are two dimensions of one process”,
said His Holiness Aram I.
The Pontiff concluded by calling on the Lebanese Armenian Members
of Par liament, parties and community leaders to work together for
safeguarding the rights of the Lebanese Armenian community and for
preserving the integrity and independence of Lebanon.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

“INTERFOOD 2006” EXHIBITION TO BE HELD IN TBILISI
ArmRadio.am
02.11.2006 16:31
November 16-18 the third international “InterFood 2006″ exhibition
of food production will be held in Tbilisi, Black Sea Press reports,
referring to ” ITECA Kavkasia” Company – organizer of the event.
Companies like “Arkolad CJSC” (Armenia), “Akvatekhavtomatika”
(Armenia), ” Animex Sp.zo.o” (Poland), “Ashtarak-Kat CJSC” (Armenia),
“JCS Bagrationi 1882” (Georgia), “Castel-Sakartvelo LTD” (Georgia),
“DGS S.A.” (Poland), ” Dustr Marianna LLC” (Armenia), “Elita LLC”
(Armenia), “Elola CJSC” (Armeniaa), “Glass World Company” (Armenia),
“Trading Company HA LLC” (Georgia-Azerbaijan), “Brewery Natakhtary”
(Georgia), “SIS Natural LLC” (Armenia), “UCS” (Georgia-Azerbaijan),
“Zanetti SPA” (Italy) and others will participate in the exhibition.

AUDITORIUM AFTER WRITER-PUBLICIST ARTASHES KALANTARIAN OPENS IN YSU
Noyan Tapan
Nov 02 2006
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 2, NOYAN TAPAN. The ceremony of opening an auditorium
after famous journalist, writer-publicist Artashes Kalantarian took
place on November 2 at the Journalism Department of the Yerevan State
University. As YSU Rector Aram Simonian mentioned, this auditorium
will be a subject of care of both Journalism Department and all
students and lecturers of the University.
The auditorium, opened on the initiative of Alexander Kalantarian,
A.Kalantarian’s son, will soon be equiped with computers, and on
his initiative, scholarship after A.Kalantarian will be fixed at the
department from the next year.
“A.Kalantarian is the first graduate of the YSU Journalist Department,
and his name is inseparably connected with the Armenian journalism
history of the 2nd half of the 20th century,” department Dean
Garnik Ananian mentioned. In his words, A.Kalantarian was a
man of inexhaustible humour and gifted with satirical gift:
it is not accidental that he started his journalism activity with
feuilletons. “Everbody waited for Kalantarian’s feuilletons, novels and
stories impatiently, and it seemed an atom exploded after publication
of his “Marathon” book, and some of Soviet high-ranking officials left
their posts after publication of the book,” G.Ananian said. In words of
Astghik Gevorgian, the Chairwoman of the Journalists’ Union of Armenia,
“A.Kalantarian’s name will be written in history of Armenian press
with gold letters.” “His eye was very sharp and he saw everything
there was around him. A.Kalantarian’s every feuilleton used to become
a material for discussion for the Central Committee bureau. And as
a result of that discussion, the official often left its chair,”
A.Gevorgian mentioned. It’s a pity, today the JUA Chairperson’s
status changed: publications of the Armenian press remain unanswered,
no one respond them.

ARMENIAN TEAM LOSES RIGHT OF CONTINUING STRUGGLE
Noyan Tapan
Nov 02 2006
LARNACA, NOVEMBER 2, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian team competed on
November 1 with representatives of Hungary by the group tournament
program of the elective stage of the Europe championship of below 19
football players being held in Cyprus. It was defeated with a score
of 1;4 and, with the team of Cyprus, lost the right of continuing
the future struggle. Teams of Hungary and Azerbaijan entered the
next stage.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FORUM ON “MASS MEDIA AS BUSINESS” OPENED IN TBILISI
ArmRadio.am
02.11.2006 15:35
The third forum on “Mass media as business” of the mass media of
the South Caucasian countries opened in “Sheraton Metechi Palace”
Hotel of Tbilisi.
The event has been organized by the OSCE Office in Georgia. Editors and
media managers from Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan are participating
in the forum.
“Kavkazpress” informs that the participants of the conference were
greeted by OSCE Representative to Georgia Giyom Semneski, Head of the
International Organizations Department of the Georgian MFA Alexander
Nalbandov and others.

TURKISH SCHOLAR WHO MOCKED HEAD SCARVES IS ACQUITTED
New York Times, NY
Nov 2 2006
ISTANBUL, Nov. 1 – In the latest case challenging freedom of expression
in Turkey, an Istanbul court on Wednesday acquitted a 92-year-old
academic of inciting religious hatred by putting the head scarf
in ancient history in a sexual context and by criticizing abusive
religious marriages.
In one of her published letters, Muazzez Ilmiye Cig, an expert on
Sumerian civilization, asserted that 5,000 years ago, the head scarf
was a symbol to distinguish the temple priestess who had ritual sex
with young men to celebrate fertility. As such, her satirical letter
argued, the wearing of a head scarf should not indicate a woman’s
morality or religious devotion in today’s world.
This comparison and other satires appeared in her book “My Reactions
as a Citizen” and prompted Yusuf Akin, an Islamic-oriented lawyer
based in Izmir, to file a complaint against Ms. Cig and her publisher,
Ismet Ogutcu.
More than 50 people chanted slogans supporting Ms. Cig and applauded
as she left the courthouse after a hearing of only half an hour. She
and Mr. Ogutcu each faced up to a year and a half in jail if convicted.
So far, most of the cases challenging freedom of expression in Turkey
have concerned references to the mass killings of Armenians in the
1910s, partly because it is illegal to insult the Turkish state or
identity. Intellectuals like the Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk and the
novelist Elif Shafak have been tried in that regard. Ms. Cig’s case,
however, falls under a separate law.
Charges of insulting the Turkish identity brought against Mr. Pamuk
were dropped, and Ms. Shafak was acquitted. But the laws under which
the cases have been brought cause contention within the European Union,
which Turkey wants to join. The recent cases are likely to generate
scorn when the union reports next on Turkey, next Wednesday.
Ms. Cig, a devotee of Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic,
and his secular principles, said her case was not a blot on Turkey’s
progress in human rights or freedom of expression. Instead, she said:
“My trial acted as a tool to display the strength of the secular
tradition in Turkey against the fundamentalists. This will encourage
people like me to think more, act more courageously and voice their
opposition more openly.”
In Turkey, a predominantly Muslim country, head scarves are common in
public life but banned from government offices, including universities,
to protect the secular character of the state. Head scarves were an
electoral issue in 2002 when the current government came to power
with promises to remove the ban. The secular establishment, however,
backed by strong institutions like the military, upholds the ban.
Ms. Cig has also criticized Emine Erdogan, the wife of Turkey’s prime
minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, for wearing a head scarf that excludes
her from state functions, and asked her to give up her covered looks
to prevent a misrepresentation of modern Turkish women.

40 REFUGEE FAMILIES IN GORIS GIVE HOUSE-WARMING ON NOVEMBER 1ST
Noyan Tapan
Nov 02 2006
GORIS, NOVEMBER 2, NOYAN TAPAN. 40 refugee families in Goris gave
house-warming on November 1 within the framework of the “Program on
Providing with Flats Refugees Taken Shelters in Administrative Houses”
being jointly implemented by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees
and the Government of Armenia. RA Minister of Urban Development
Aram Haroutiunian, Syunik Governor Surik Khachatrian as well as UN
High Commissioner for Refugees Peter Nicolaus participated in the
solemn ceremony of putting the building into operation. To recap,
construction of the building having 1-4-room flats lasted 1.5 years. It
is e nvisaged within the framework of the program to build another
dwelling building in Goris.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian National Committee of Canada
130 Albert St., Suite 1007
Ottawa, ON
KIP 5G4
Tel. (613) 235-2622 Fax (613) 238-2622
E-mail:[email protected]
Fo r Immediate Release
October 30, 2006
Contact: Kevork Manguelian
Tel. (613) 235-2622
Canadian Media Tricked by Turkish Propaganda
Ottawa-In the past few days some Canadian media outlets have
published articles about the Turkish government’s so-called proposal
for a commission of historians to study the Armenian Genocide. The
Canadian-Armenian community is appalled and outraged to see respected
media institutions being manipulated by the Turkish government’s public
relations machine and accepting Ankara’s big lie hook, line and sinker.
The Turkish government’s public relations strategy of so-called
“opening of archives” and its “call for a historians commission”
to study the mass annihilation of Armenians are diversions from
its culpability in the first genocide of the 20th century. Despite
decades of costly international public relations campaigns, the Turkish
government’s revisionist stance of denying the Armenian Genocide has
failed to persuade the international community.
Over 450 historians, international law experts and global organizations
have already researched and studied the Armenian Genocide and have come
to the unanimous decision that it’s an incontestable historical fact.
In February 2003, upon the request of the Turkish-Armenian
Reconciliation Commission (which included six Turks, among them
former Turkish ambassador and army general, and four Armenians) the
International Centre for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) conducted an
independent study on the Armenian Genocide. The ICTJ study concluded:
“The 1915 mass killing and deportations of Ottoman Armenians meet
the four basic criteria laid out by the 1948 UN Convention on the
Prevention and Punishment of the crime of Genocide.” After the ICTJ
conclusion, the Turkish side abruptly pulled out of the commission
and did not accept the ICTJ report.
Aris Babikian, executive director, Armenian National Committee of
Canada, said: “Why does the Turkish government want to re-invent the
wheel all over again? Why try to prove something that has been proved
again and again by bipartisan historians and scholars? Rather that
trying to distract and mislead the media, why doesn’t the Turkish
government allow its own historians and intellectuals to express
their convictions on this vital subject without fear of persecution?
“We urge the Canadian media to be more vigilant in their handling
of Ankara-issued news releases intended to confuse and mislead our
media,” added Babikian.
#
The ANCC is the largest and the most influential Canadian-Armenian
grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a
network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout Canada and
affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCC actively advances
the concerns of the Canadian-Armenian community on a broad range
of issues.
Regional Chapters Montreal – Laval – Ottawa – Toronto – Hamilton –
Cambridge – St.
Catharines – Windsor – Vancouver