CONSUMERS UNION: OUR ACTIONS AGAINST FRANCE WILL GO ON
The New Anatolian
EkoTurk News Agency / Istanbul
Oct 17 2006
Consumers Union Chair Bulent Deniz said that the boycott undertaken
by the Union against French goods will go on with the addition of a
new French company every week until the decision to outlaw the denial
of the so-called Armenian genocide allegations is withdrawn.
Deniz said in a written statement that the “A French good every week”
boycott initiated on October 13 upon the passing of the law proposal
to outlaw the denial of the so-called Armenian genocide allegations
proved fruitful very soon.
He stated that in a few hours from the onset of the boycott, French
FR2, Arte, Danish DR television channels and German Berlin radio
performed interviews in Turkey to make news stories on the boycott
initiated by the Consumers Union and broadcast them as the leading
stories on their news bulletins. Deniz also said that the call for
boycott had wide-ranging repercussions in the French, Belgian, Dutch,
Austrian, German and American media.
Deniz asserted that the interest that the European media took in the
boycott actions is a primary indicator of the concern caused by the
boycott on the part of the EU and particularly the French public.
“Moreover, according to the information received from the 25 branches
of the Consumers Union nationwide as well as from independent sources,
the sales figures of Total, the first company against which boycott
action was taken, has indicated a drop of up to 30 percent in sales. On
the first day of the boycott, Total shares lost 0.09 percent value
in the stock markets abroad,” Deniz said in his statement.
Deniz argued that the most noteworthy development was French President
Chirac calling Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan and saying that he
would do his best to prevent the ratification of the law. All these
developments prove that the Turkish people gave the harshest response
to France, he said.
Deniz informed that the Union will go on with the boycott started
against Total with the addition of a new French company every week
until the decision to criminalize the denial of the so-called Armenian
genocide allegations is withdrawn, and that the second French firm
to be brought under the boycott will be made public on October 19.
–Boundary_(ID_bhD8mWYiKP2jZaXbTwMj5Q)–

OSKANIAN VOWS TURKEY WILL RECOGNIZE ‘GENOCIDE’
The New Anatolian
Oct 17 2006
Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian stated on Monday that the
international community will succeed in making Turkey recognize an
Armenian “genocide” by working in cooperation.
Speaking to Armenian state TV, Oskanian said, “The passage of the bill
by the French Parliament gave Turkey a stronger and louder signal. That
country can’t continue to maintain that it is innocent from now on.”
Stressing that the decision doesn’t aim at creating obstacles for
Turkey’s bid to join the European Union, Oskanian said, “I hope
the French Parliament’s decision and Orhan Pamuk’s Nobel prize will
push Turkey in the right direction. Turkey has to understand that
Armenia will never humiliate itself. We will succeed in our efforts
for recognition of the Armenian ‘genocide’ by Turkey.”
Touching on Pamuk’s Nobel prize, the Armenian foreign minister said,
“We greatly appreciate his success; he’s on the right track.”
Last year Pamuk publicly said “one million Armenians” were killed
in Turkey, but never used the word “genocide.” He has also come out
against the French bill criminalizing “genocide” denial.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

POLL: MAJORITY OF FRENCH OPPOSE ARMENIAN BILL
The New Anatolian
Oct 17 2006
The majority of French people are against the Armenian bill that was
passed by the French Parliament last week introducing prison terms
and fines for those who question the genocide claims, a new public
opinion poll found.
According to an Internet poll, 68 percent of French people oppose the
bill while only 26 percent support it. Just 6 percent of participants
in the poll declined to comment on the controversial measure.
While those opposing the bill thinks it serves Armenian interests,
some stated that it could create danger for Armenians living in Turkey.

THE INDEPENDENT: TURKISH ‘PRIZE SLIPPING AWAY’ FROM EU
The New Anatolian
Oct 18 2006
Turkey is a “prize slipping away” from the hands of the European
Union because of the deadlock over the Cyprus issue and the French
Parliament’s passage of the Armenian bill, warned British daily The
Independent yesterday.
The newspaper, in its leading editorial on Tuesday, said, “Turkey’s
bid to enter the EU received a double blow last week. First came the
parking of talks on Ankara’s membership after objections by Greece and
[Greek] Cyprus.
And then there was the vote by the French Assembly to outlaw the
denial of the Armenian ‘genocide’.” The paper added that EU foreign
ministers met on Monday with their Turkish counterpart to repair some
of the damage.
Stressing that the real diplomatic crunch will come next month when a
report is due from the EU’s enlargement minister on Turkey’s progress
in implementing reforms since membership talks began a year ago, The
Independent stated that if the report criticizes Ankara’s refusal to
open Turkish ports to Greek Cypriot ships and planes, as expected, EU
leaders at their next summit may decide to freeze entry negotiations
entirely. “Once frozen, they would be very hard to re-start,” the
newspaper warned.
Citing the presence of a general pessimism about the EU enlargement
process, The Independent commented that the remarks by European
Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso over the weekend are
a reflection of the pessimism about Turkey’s chances to join the
25-nation bloc. The newspaper stated that although previous statements
had indicated that Turkey’s membership talks could last 15 years,
Barroso in his latest remarks predicted that the process would take
20 years.
Concerning the French Parliament’s passage of a bill introducing
prison terms and fines to those who question the Armenian genocide
claims, the newspaper commented that although French President Jacques
Chirac apologized to Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan over the incident and
said the French government is opposed to the law, the newspaper said,
“However, together with this move the damage has already been done.”
Underlining that the French Parliament’s decision served the interests
of nationalist circles in Turkey who oppose the country’s membership
in the Union, the newspaper also stated that Turkish supporters of
EU membership are having a hard time defending the self-sacrifices
for accession.
Describing Turkey as a “prize slipping away,” the daily said,
“Whereas the membership of this Muslim country would be an ideological
success for Europe. In this way, values like human rights, freedom
of _expression and a liberal economy will be strengthened in a land
bordering the Middle East.
However, in case of failure to continue political relations between
Turkey and Europe, none of those will materialize.”

TURKS PROTEST PLANNS FOR LAS VEGAS ARMENIAN ‘GENOCIDE’ MONUMENT
The New Anatolian
Oct 18 2006
Turkish associations in Las Vegas, Nevada yesterday protested
the mayor’s allocation of land for the construction of a monument
commemorating victims of the Armenian “genocide.”
The Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA), an organization
that coordinates Turkish associations in Las Vegas, sent a letter
of protest to Mayor Oscar Goodman, in which they stated that such a
monument would distort historical truths and could only be described
as a “lynching” monument.
ATAA head Vural Cengiz asserted that there is no evidence proving
that Turks committed genocide against the Armenians. He urged Goodman
to withdraw his approval, saying, “Please change your mind about the
construction of a monument that is a realization of a bad proposal
making reference to a fake genocide.”
Las Vegas is a U.S. city with an influential Armenian lobby.
Cengiz also sent another letter of protest to French Ambassador to
Washington Jean-David Levitte, criticizing the French Parliament’s
passage of a bill aimed at criminalizing the questioning of the
Armenian genocide claims.

‘ARMENIAN BILL IS VIOLATION OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION’
The New Anatolian
Oct 18 2006
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
yesterday expressed concern about the French Parliament’s passage of
a bill to criminalize questioning of the Armenian genocide claims.
In a letter sent to the president of the French Senate, Christian
Poncelet, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Miklos Haraszti
asked the Senators to reject the bill when it reaches the upper
chamber.
“I acknowledge the humanitarian intentions of those members of
the assembly who support this proposal. However, the adoption of
the amendment raises serious concerns with regard to international
standards of freedom of _expression,” wrote Haraszti.
“It is in the name of these same standards that I continue to call upon
Turkey to remove Article 301 of the Penal Code, ‘Insulting Turkish
identity’, which prosecutors in Turkey repeatedly use in the context
of the Armenian genocide debate.”
France recognized the genocide claims in a 2001 law. The proposed
bill would introduce punishment for denial of up to one year in prison
and a fine of 45,000 euros.
“Both the fact of criminalization of statements, and the severity
of the sanctions would infringe upon editorial freedom in France,”
added Haraszti.
“The adoption of the amendment by France, a nation with a longstanding
tradition of freedom of _expression, could set a dangerous precedent
for other nations of the OSCE.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

‘I HOPE THE FRENCH COME TO THEIR SENSES’
The New Anatolian
Oct 18 2006
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday assured Parliament that
Turkey would take all effective measures, including recourse to high
international courts, to combat the French bill that penalizes the
denial of Armenian “genocide.”
The declaration of Gul, his first to Parliament since France’s General
Assembly passed the law last week, indicated that Turkey would not
“forget” or “let go” if the bill, which still needs to go through
Senate and be ratified by French president, were enacted.
“I hope that the French come to their senses,” said Gul.
He also assured that the government would use all the tools it has in
its hands. “We will use all our rights from international accords. We
are already doing a great deal of preliminary work. Timing is, of
course, another question. We are fully benefiting from the experience
of our legal experts and diplomats,” he said.
“We hope that this bill will be left behind without being enacted,”
said Gul. “I hope that they also take into account the international
pressure.”
“If this law is enacted, the wounds could not be repaired. It would
be the political, economic and security-related ties which would
receive a large blow,” he said.
He also praised Turkish society, saying; “Racism that would be seen
in various countries, intolerance, has never been seen in Turkey. The
basis of our national culture is tolerance,” he said.
Main opposition Republican People’s Party leader Deniz Baykal, at
his party’s group meeting, offered a four-phase strategy to show a
response to France.
According to the CHP leader, Turkey should bring the case to
the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), asking the court to
suspend France’s membership in the Council of Europe. The country
also should go to the European Court of Justice, asking the body to
impose sanctions on France and to say the bill violated the European
Union acquis.
The third pillar of Baykal’s strategy was mostly about Turkish citizens
living in France. He proposed organized action against the law as a
response, which would also keep the matter in the headlines.
His last point was economic, Baykal said that Turkey should reconsider
its economic transactions with France. However, he didn’t call boycott
a must.
He said that accusing a people of having committed genocide is not
a simple allegation, and that nobody has right to accuse Turkey
of having done so. He also cited anti-France remarks from several
European countries, and said that truth cannot be hidden.
He also put emphasis on the security of the Armenians living in Turkey
and called on people no to feel hostility towards them for a mistake
made by France.
Motherland Party (ANAVATAN) leader Erkan Mumcu’s focus was what he
called Turkey’s silence on the French bill, for which he criticized
the government.
He lashed out at the government for remarks urging the people to rule
out economic sanctions against France, and said that since France
had insulted Turkey, it should be responded to in kind.

GREENWAY BOARD WANTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OUT
By Thomas C. Palmer Jr., Globe Staff
Boston Globe, MA
Oct 19 2006
Panel cites group’s lack of progress on garden
The board created to run the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway
Conservancy in downtown Boston wants the Massachusetts Horticultural
Society stripped of its right to occupy three prime blocks of the
new parkland near South Station.
Frustrated by lack of progress on the 30 acres of parks and
cultural institutions intended to replace the old Central Artery,
the conservancy board made that request yesterday to the Massachusetts
Turnpike Authority, which is running the Greenway project as part of
the Big Dig.
It is one of several recommendations designed to speed development
and hasten the conservancy’s control over the corridor.
Peter Meade, chairman of the conservancy’s board, acknowledged to
Turnpike board members that eliminating the horticultural society
could be controversial. But, he said, the society is financially
“not prepared to build a significant Garden Under Glass, which was
the reason for their designation in the first place.”
The Massachusetts Horticultural Society has indeed struggled
financially, but recently has shown signs of stabilizing under new
leadership. Thomas Herrera-Mishler, the society’s executive director ,
reacted forcefully to the recommendation, saying he was “quite puzzled
by Peter Meade and the Conservancy’s whole approach. ”
“Mass. Hort has had three solid years of financial performance based
on audited reports,” he said.
The move to “de-designate” the horticultural society for the blocks
between the Evelyn Moakley Bridge and Summer Street comes after it
tried and failed for years to deliver on its plan for a “winter garden”
on the Greenway.
Because that vision was incorporated into state environmental
approvals granted about 15 years ago, the Turnpike Authority —
if it accepts the conservancy’s recommendation — would have to
undergo a potentially lengthy regulatory process to win approval of
the horticultural society’s removal.
Recently the society has geared up again and gained support for its
Greenway mission — though that has been scaled back to a plan for
gardens and a modest educational center. Those are not scheduled to
be completed until 2008.
Meade acknowledged the horticultural society “does not have nothing
to bring to the table.” The conservancy envisions working with the
society on horticultural issues the length of the Greenway.
Mayor Thomas M. Menino, however, sided with the conservancy. “Mass.
Hort has been out there for 10 years trying to do something, and they
haven’t done a thing,” he said. ” We can’t live with all these false
and broken promises.”
The conservancy designated one of its board members, Edwin Schlossberg,
husband of Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg and grandson-in-law of Rose
Kennedy, to head a committee that would determine the future of the
three blocks. The parks are scheduled to be completed by the end of
summer next year .
The conservancy also recommended that other institutions with plans
to build on Greenway development blocks be given deadlines for
architectural and financial plans.
The YMCA of Greater Boston, which gave up on trying to build a facility
and community center on a North End block because of the high cost,
would have until the end of this year to reconsider. The Boston
Museum Project, the New Center for Arts and Culture, and the Harbor
Island Pavilion, designated for other blocks, would have until July
to submit plans.
Other recommendations in the 50-page report include:
Scrapping a tentative plan for a Greenway park commemorating the
Armenian Genocide of 1915, and placing it somewhere else in Boston.
Speeding up designation of the conservancy as “the single organization”
with authority for the whole Greenway — both parks and development
blocks — and responsibility for its maintenance.
Employing organic landscape management techniques in the corridor.
Turnpike Authority chairman John Cogliano said the board would take
the report and recommendations under advisement. Mary Z. Connaughton
and other board members said they want to be fair to all organizations
working on Greenway projects.

EDITORIAL: FRENCH FAUX PAS
Sacramento Bee, CA
Oct 19 2006
Law could strain Europe-Turkey ties
Story appeared in EDITORIALS section, Page B8
Relations between Turkey and Europe were testy enough even before
the French National Assembly voted last week to make it a crime
to deny that the massacre of Armenians by Ottoman Turkish troops
during World War I was genocide. Aside from whether French lawmakers
are qualified to make that judgment, such a law could fuel tensions
between Europe and Islam and further weaken Turkey’s flagging bid to
join the European Union.
The vote in Paris took place just as Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk
was named winner of the Nobel Prize for literature. Pamuk had been
charged with “insulting Turkishness” for saying Turks had killed a
million Armenians during World War I. The prosecution was dropped, but
similar charges have been brought against others despite the Turkish
government’s objections and despite the risk to Turkey’s EU bid because
they violate free speech rights. So would the proposed French law.
Both EU officials and the Turkish author oppose the French law,
which could reinforce European second thoughts about making a Muslim
country of 70 million part of the EU. Those feelings have been fueled
by the murders by Muslim immigrants of two Dutch public figures who
had criticized Islam, and by other incidents that provoked fury among
many Muslims.
The Armenian controversy will not be resolved with gratuitous laws.
Turkish officials say they are willing to allow historians with
diverse views to search the archives and reach their own conclusion.
That hasn’t happened, and growing Turkish-European tensions don’t
help. Many Turks now feel their future does not lie with a Europe
they see as hostile to them.
Speech can be truly odious, especially denial of the Holocaust, which
is a crime in France and other European countries. But criminalizing
speech that offends undermines the principles of a free society. And
a new French law on the Armenian issue invites retaliation: Some
Turkish lawmakers have called for a law to brand as genocide French
atrocities in colonial Algeria.
Turkey’s location, its democracy and its status as a Muslim society
living under secular law make it an optimum bridge between Europe and
the Middle East. Enacting gratuitous laws meant to compel people to
take sides is wrongheaded. An EU spokeswoman criticized the proposed
law by saying it “would prevent the dialogue and debate that are
necessary for reconciliation.” Exactly.

SWISS CABINET REBUKES JUSTICE MINISTER
Swiss Info, Switzerland
Oct 19 2006
The cabinet says it regrets comments made by Justice Minister Christoph
Blocher in Turkey earlier this month that he wanted to change the
Swiss anti-racism law.
Swiss President Moritz Leuenberger said this gave the impression that
Switzerland could be pressured into changing its laws depending on
the circumstances.
“The cabinet remains opposed to a pure and simple abolition of the
anti-racism law,” Leuenberger said on Wednesday. “This text will
remain in force and will continue to be used.”
He said it was legitimate to propose making modifications, but said
the cabinet regretted that the discussion had been started during a
visit abroad.
Blocher, a leading light of the rightwing Swiss People’s Party, had
remarked during his Turkish trip that part of the anti-racism law –
which was adopted in 1994 and includes sections aimed at preventing
revisionist views about the Holocaust – gave him a “headache”.
The law has led to investigations in Switzerland against two Turks,
including one historian, for allegedly denying the 1915 Armenian
massacre.
Armenians say around 1.8 million of their people died as a result of
a forced mass evacuation by the Turkish government during the Ottoman
Empire. Turkey puts the figure closer to 200,000. Under Swiss law any
act of denying, belittling or justifying genocide is a violation of
the country’s anti-racism legislation.
However, Blocher said at the time that it was ultimately up to the
government, parliament and possibly the population, to decide on
any changes.
What’s this? Federal Commission against Racism Under scrutiny
According to Leuenberger, Blocher has told his cabinet colleagues
that a working group at his ministry was already re-examining the law,
in particular article 261bis, the cause of Blocher’s headache.
The justice minister was ready to include a member of the Federal
Commission against Racism in this work, Leuenberger added, refusing
to any further questions on the matter – which caused a media and
political outcry in Switzerland – saying the content of cabinet
meetings was confidential.
For his part, Blocher, speaking at a different media conference
earlier in the day, said he was simply waiting for the feedback from
his working group by the end of the year.
“It’s about making the anti-racism law clearer, more secure and
unambiguous,” he said.