ARMENIAN, RUSSIAN SECURITY SERVICES SIGN COOPERATION ACCORDS
Regnum, Russia
Oct 17 2006
16 October: The heads of Russian Federal Security Service [FSB] and
the Armenian National Security Service have signed two protocols
on cooperation in the fight against international terrorism, a
representatice of the Russian Security Service delegation has told
a Regnum correspondent.
The protocols were signed in Stavropol Territory’ resort town of
Yessentuki. The protocols envisage the development of cooperation
between the two organizations in the fight against international
terrorism and other manifestations of extremism.
During the signing ceremony, the head of the Armenian National Security
Service, Gorig Akopyan, said that 18 protocols to the main agreement
have been signed by the two organizations so far. He also expressed
his satisfaction with the development of cooperation with Russia’s
FSB and that the Atom Antiterror-2006 joint staff and command exercise
held recently in Yerevan could serve as an example of that.
At the 4th conference of the delegation in Yessentuki, Akopyan pointed
out that today Russia and Armenia are at the level of equal strategic
partnership, and social and political conditions in the Caucasus pose
various threats to the security of the two countries.
To this effect, Russia’s FSB and the Armenian National Security
Service need to cordinate their actions.

EUROPEAN COMMISSION DELEGATION HEAD APPOINTED
PanARMENIAN.Net
18.10.2006 16:00 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Pier Ikland was appointed new head of the European
Commission Delegation to Georgia and Armenia, former chief of mission
Torben Holtze told reporters in Yerevan. He said the term of his
office has expired, reported newsarmenia.ru
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TURKISH NATIONALISTS TO PROTEST FRENCH BILL ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
PanARMENIAN.Net
18.10.2006 16:45 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ October 21 in Paris the Talaat Pasha Committee
and Turkish Labor Party will hold a rally in protest against the
French bill penalizing the Armenian Genocide denial. As reported by
“Armenia” Greek edition, Labor Party leader Dogu Perincek will also
take part in the action. The party is known for its ultra-nationalist
and kemalist position and collaborates with the radical party of
nationalistic movement.

ARMENIA-EU RELATIONS DYNAMICALLY DEVELOPED DURING 5 YEARS
PanARMENIAN.Net
18.10.2006 16:53 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “I am glad with my work as the commission head. I
have established close cooperation with the Armenian authorities and
it’s hard for me to leave. I am impressed to witness the progress of
Armenia’s economy,” said in Yerevan head of the European Commission
delegation to Georgia and Armenia Torben Holtze, who is completing
his mission today.
The diplomat also remarked that the Armenia-EU relations were
dynamically developing during the recent 5 years. “These relations
started in 1999 with the signing of a partnership program. In 2003
the relations underwent some changes over the appointment of a special
representative to the South Caucasus. In 2004 Armenia was included in
the EU New Neighborhood program. The Armenia-EU action plan ratified
three weeks ago will mark further strengthening of these relations,”
Mr Holtze said, reports IA Regnum.

GENOCIDE ARMENIEN : AZNAVOUR PREND SES DISTANCES AVEC LE VOTE DE L’ASSEMBLEE
Agence France Presse
17 octobre 2006 mardi 10:08 PM GMT
Champion de la cause armenienne et vedette de la chanson
internationale, Charles Aznavour a pris ses distances mardi a La
Havane avec le vote en première lecture par le parlement francais
d’une loi reprimant la negation du genocide armenien.
Interroge sur ce point lors d’une conference de presse au terme de
son sejour dans la capitale cubaine, le chanteur francais d’origine
armenienne a estime que “la loi contre le negationisme devrait etre
votee pour tous les crimes et non pas particulièrement pour les
Armeniens, parce que sinon cela fait un drôle d’effet”.
“Je suis ravi qu’on y ait pense, mais j’ai quand meme, comme vous le
voyez, une certaine restriction, parce que j’ai l’impression qu’on
oublie d’autres genocides”, a-t-il ajoute.
Charles Aznavour, 82 ans, concluait mardi un sejour de dix jours
consacre a l’enregistrement d’un nouvel album realise avec le pianiste
virtuose et compositeur cubain Jesus “Chucho” Valdes.
A propos d’Orhan Pamuk, l’ecrivain turc laureat du prix Nobel 2006
de litterature, Charles Aznavour s’est declare “d’abord heureux qu’un
auteur lointain recoive cet honneur”.
“D’autre part, je ne peux qu’etre heureux que ce soit lui, car il
est envers et contre tout justement dans la bonne direction pour la
possibilite de la reconnaissance du genocide armenien” par la Turquie,
a-t-il ajoute.
Les deputes francais ont adopte jeudi en première lecture une
proposition de loi presentee par les socialistes, rendant passible
d’un an de prison et d’une amende de 45.000 euros la negation du
genocide armenien, provoquant la colère d’Ankara et la reprobation
de la Commission europeenne.
Les massacres et deportations d’Armeniens entre 1915 et 1917 dans
l’Empire ottoman ont fait plus de 1,5 million de morts selon les
Armeniens, 250.000 a 500.000 selon la Turquie, qui recuse la notion
de genocide.
–Boundary_(ID_C0svUonAu6gWyZFHmIma8A)- –

TURKISH MINISTER EXPRESSES “REGRET” AT FRENCH BILL ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Anatolia news agency, Ankara
16 Oct 2006
Brussels, 16 October: “Before expressing my pleasure that French
President (Jacques) Chirac called our Prime Minister (Recep Tayyip
Erdogan), I would like to express the regret I feel over the decision
the French parliament has made,” said Turkish Foreign Minister
Abdullah Gul.
Gul, Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja and German Foreign
Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and European Commissioner for
enlargement Olli Rehn held a joint press conference after the Turkey-EU
Troika meeting.
Foreign Minister Gul qualified their meeting as fruitful, and noted
that international developments and Turkey’s reforms on the road to
EU were debated in the meeting.
Gul stated that Turkey is determined to eliminate its shortcomings.
“I hope France will not maintain this wrong attitude,” he said,
while appreciated EU authorities and French historians who made
“responsible” remarks.
On Cyprus problem, Gul said that Turkey is supporting the proposal
laid down by Acting EU President Finland as it is “constructive”.
“Discussions (on Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk, who won the 2006 Nobel
Prize for literature) will end, but a Turk has won this prize and this
will be recorded in history. And this is important for promotion of
Turkey and Turks,” he also commented.
On the other hand, European Commissioner for Enlargement Olli
Rehn qualified Finland’s proposal about Cyprus as “realistic and
balanced”. “As the European Commission, we support it and call on
member states to support it,” he stated.
Praising Turkish negotiation team, Rehn emphasized that the negotiation
process is not only a technical but also a political one and underlined
importance of ombudsman and foundation bills.
Rehn expressed expectation that Turkey should implement the additional
protocol to the Customs Union.
Meanwhile, Finnish Foreign Minister Tuomioja said that they will make
public the Cyprus proposal after the parties accept it.
Tuomioja conditioned conclusion of negotiations with Turkey on some
chapter headings during Finland’s Presidency on acceptance of Cyprus
proposals. “If this (initiative) is successful, it will be possible
to open negotiations on more chapters,” he stated.
Steinmeier also supported Finland’s initiatives, and said that
there will be no problems in Turkey’s EU membership process if these
initiatives bear fruit.

VARTAN OSKANIAN TO MEET WITH HIS CANADIAN COUNTERPART
Public Radio, Armenia
Oct 18 2006
Today in Ottawa RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian is scheduled to
meet with his Canadian counterpart Peter McKay. Mr. Oskanian will
have meetings also with the representatives of the Canada-Armenia
Parliamentary Friendship Group and the Armenian community. Tomorrow
the Minister will leave for Toronto, where he will deliver a speech at
the international forum titled “The role of the Diaspora in building
opportunities for peace and development” organized by UN University
for Peace.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TURKEY INTENDS TO AMEND ARTICLE 301 OF THE PENAL CODE
Public Radio, Armenia
Oct 18 2006
Turkey intends to amend Article 301of the Penal Code, which envisages
considerable restriction of freedom of speech, Turkish Foreign Minister
Abdullah Gul declared during Turkey-EU meeting in Luxemburg.
In his words, Turkey will undertake the reformation of the Penal Code
after November 8, when the report on Turkey’s progress towards the
European Union is to be published.

OSCE REPRESENTATIVE URGES FRENCH SENATE TO REJECT CRIMINALIZATION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE DENIAL
ARMINFO News Agency
October 17, 2006 Tuesday
The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Miklos Haraszti,
expressed his concern today about the French National Assembly’s
adoption in a first reading of an amendment that aims to criminalize
the denial that the 1915 killings of Armenians in Turkey was
genocide. The press-service of OSCe headquarters in Vienna told
ArmInfo.
In a letter sent to the President of the French Senate, Christian
Poncelet, the Representative asked the Senate members to reject the
amendment when it reaches the Senate in its capacity as second 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 in the 19 January 2001 Law. The proposed
amendment would introduce a punishment for denial amounting to one
year’s imprisonment and a fine of EUR 45,000.
“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 long-standing tradition of freedom of expression, could set
a dangerous precedent for other nations of the OSCE.”

MEMORIAL TO ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS TO BE ERECTED IN LAS VEGAS
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 18 2006
LAS VEGAS, OCTOBER 18, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Mayor of U.S.
city of Las Vegas, Oscar Goodman has approved the idea of erecting
a memorial to Armenian Genocide victims in the city. The Mayor also
indicated a place convenient for the memorial. This was reported by
Marmara which refers to the Anatolu agency.
The Council of Turkish Organizations of America immediately expressed
protest in connection with this decision. The Council Chairman
affirmed in his letter to the Mayor that it has been never proved
that the events of 1915 were a genocide.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress