TURKISH MINISTER: WE EXPECT EU TO TAKE ACTION ON FRENCH BILL ON ARMENIAN CLAIMS
Anatolia news agency, Ankara
Oct 9 2006
Ankara, 9 October: “We expect the EU to take action against the French
bill aiming to criminalize denial of so-called Armenian genocide,”
Turkish Justice Minister and Government Spokesman Cemil Cicek said
on Monday [9 October].
Replying to questions after the meeting of Council of Ministers, Cicek
indicated that while the EU demanded that there should be improvement
in freedom of expression in Turkey, there have been efforts in France
which restricted this freedom.
Stating that Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul briefed ministers about
the bill in the cabinet meeting, Cicek noted: “We have been holding
talks with our interlocutors in regard to the matter. This situation
(in France) conflicts with basic values of the EU.”
“We keep conducting our initiatives. We hope that steps will be taken
against it (the bill), otherwise it will harm basic values (of the EU)
as well as Turkish-French relations,” he stressed.
Replying to a question that Turkey might take up a bill which says
that France committed genocide in Algeria, Cicek said: “Turkish
people have some expectations from the government, parliament and
authorities. We are working to prevent approval of this bill. Turkey
cannot remain silent regarding the matter.”
Asked what sort of measures Turkey would take, if the bill was
approved, Cicek said: “Turkey has been working regarding every kind
of possibility. Everyone should exert efforts on this matter. The
attitude that France has assumed is wrong.”
Turkish troops in Lebanon
Cicek said that National Defence Minister Vecdi Gonul briefed the
cabinet about dispatch of Turkish troops to Lebanon, noting that
Turkish authorities informed the UN on dispatch of one engineering
and construction unit, one frigate and two corvettes to Lebanon. He
stated that the construction troop including 261 personnel and 46
vehicles would probably be deployed near Sur city in Lebanon.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SHOTS FIRED AT OPPOSITION RALLY IN SOUTHERN GEORGIA
Imedi TV, Georgia
Oct 9 2006
[Presenter] There have been shots fired during clashes in Akhalkalaki
[predominantly ethnic Armenian town in southern Georgia]. About half
an hour ago a protest rally staged by [opposition party] Industry
Will Save Georgia grew into a major confrontation. There were clashes
between the participants in the rally and the police. Several people
have been wounded.
After the chaos, those who were protesting about the local government
elections moved to the building housing the Akhalkalaki local
administration. They were carrying roses and said that the Rose
Revolution was now beginning in Akhalkalaki. Manucha Gogolauri now
joins us from Akhalkalaki. Manucha, what is the situation now?
[Correspondent, by telephone] The protestors have taken over the
first floor of the local administration building. They say that a
Rose Revolution has taken place in Akhalkalaki today. They voiced
support for the central government and the president but called on
the local government to resign.
During the clashes shots were fired but no-one was wounded. All the
local police and law-enforcement agencies have been mobilized.
Special units are also expected to appear.
The protesters say they are simply interested in a peaceful protest
and want to know how many seats they have won with their votes in
the local elections.

MINISTER FOR EUROPE TO VISIT GEORGIA AND ARMENIA
Government Contracting Opportunities
October 9, 2006 Monday 12:08 PM (Central European Time)
by FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE News Release (GEORGIA) issued by
The Government News Network on 9 October 2006
ABSTRACT
Minister for Europe Geoff Hoon starts a visit to Georgia and
Armenia today. During his three day visit, the Minister will meet
his government counterparts and discuss issues of mutual concern,
including promoting democracy, good governance and regional stability
in the South Caucasus.
FULL TEXT
Minister for Europe Geoff Hoon starts a visit to Georgia and
Armenia today. During his three day visit, the Minister will meet
his government counterparts and discuss issues of mutual concern,
including promoting democracy, good governance and regional stability
in the South Caucasus.
Mr Hoon said:
“I am glad to be visiting Georgia at a time when two welcome steps have
just been taken in the deepening of the country’s relationship with
Europe. Last month the NATO Alliance agreed to open an Intensified
Dialogue with Georgia. And last week Georgia and the European Union
successfully concluded negotiations on a European Neighbourhood Policy
Action Plan to be signed at the EU-Georgia Co-operation Council next
month in Brussels. Both these agreements are designed to support and
stimulate processes of modernisation and reform, promoting Georgia’s
development as a secure, stable and successful country.
“This is a clearly a significant time for Georgia. The UK wants to
see an early solution to the current difficulties in Georgian-Russian
relations. It is important for regional stability that both sides
should exercise restraint, avoiding inflammatory statements and
impetuous actions. We have raised with the Russians the desirability
of their lifting as soon as possible the measures they have
introduced. But equally we look to the Georgian authorities to act
constructively. I hope that normal contacts, based on mutual respect,
can be restored between the two countries as soon as possible. The UK
firmly believes that the serious and challenging issues underlying
this dispute can only be resolved with the full and constructive
involvement of the Russian and Georgian authorities, working together
with the support of the international community to reach mutually
acceptable solutions.
“I am also pleased to be visiting Armenia, especially now that the
European Neighbourhood Programme has been agreed for Armenia, as
for Georgia and Azerbaijan. Armenia is to be congratulated on this
significant achievement. With the Deputy Defence Minister also visiting
the UK this week, our bilateral relations are growing in strength. As
elections approach, I look forward to discussing the importance of
free and fair voting with my Armenian colleagues, opposition leaders
and representatives of civil society. We will also be discussing how
progress can be made through the OSCE Minsk Group on the conflict
over Nagorno-Karabakh.”
Notes to Editors
1. Mr Hoon will visit Georgia on 9 – 10 October and Armenia on 10 –
11 October.

OFFICIAL SAYS SITUATION CALM IN SOUTHERN GEORGIA AFTER POLICE, PROTESTORS CLASH
Rustavi-2 TV, Georgia
Oct 9 2006
[Presenter] Shots were heard today in the centre of Akhalkalaki. At
about midday members of [opposition party] Industry Will Save
Georgia’s local branch and their supporters gathered outside the local
administration building. They were protesting against the results of
the local elections [on 5 October]. The police attempted to break up
the rally and that was when an unknown person opened fire. Clashes
then broke out. Two law-enforcement officers were wounded and several
people have been detained.
Local governor Goga Khachidze joins us live by telephone. Batono Goga,
what happened today in Akhalkalaki and was there shooting?
[Khachidze] I would like to tell you that at the moment Akhalkalaki
is completely calm. The situation is under control. As for this
incident, a certain group of people wanted to enter the local electoral
commission offices, which is illegal. Therefore, police prevented this
attempt and clashes broke out. As a result police and law-enforcement
officers were lightly wounded, as were some members of this group.
[Question] Did they have to be taken to hospital?
[Khachidze] I don’t have information about that.
[Presenter] One of the leaders of Industry Will Save Georgia, [MP]
Zurab Tqemaladze, says the incident was an act of provocation and
members of his party were only protesting peacefully against the
election results while carrying flowers.
[Tqemaladze] As an expression of peaceful protest, they went to the
local electoral commission offices and local administration building
carrying roses, to set out their position and call for the final
results to be clarified.
Of course, this was a peaceful protest but there was some kind of
provocation. It will now be established who did this and who was behind
it. Let’s see. I have spoken to the head of our local organization and
he said that they had nothing to do with the provocation and do not
intend to do anything similar. This will all be resolved peacefully.
[Georgian Imedi TV at 1100 gmt showed Industry Will Save Georgia MP
Gia Tsagareishvili saying: “As far as I have been informed, they were
holding a peaceful protest when some provocateur fired into the air.
Clashes broke out between protestors and representatives of the local
government. Now it is calm there and talks are taking place in the
local administration building where the local electoral commission is
located. This is a problematic region from this point of view. There
is an Armenian population there and this clash was between residents
of Akhalkalaki. We are monitoring the situation and will do everything
possible to make sure the situation is defused and resolved as soon
as possible.”]

TWO ARMENIANS FOUND DEAD NEAR RUSSIAN CAPITAL
Interfax, Russia
Oct 9 2006
Moscow, 9 October: Two immigrants from Armenia have been found dead
in the village of Kartino in Moscow Region’s Leninskiy District,
a source in the region’s law-enforcement agencies told Interfax on
Monday [9 October].
The body of a 33-year-old man and a 22-year-old woman, both natives
of Armenia, were found on the evening of Sunday [8 October] in a
private house, the source said. The man and woman died of firearm
wounds about five hours before they were found.
The case is currently being investigated, the source added.

HEADBUTT RULING MARS DARCHINYAN’S VICTORY
by Grantlee Kieza
The Courier Mail (Australia)
October 9, 2006 Monday
First with the news Edition
AUSTRALIA’S IBF world flyweight champion Vic Darchinyan showed
yet again that he is one of the most dominant titleholders in
boxing, breaking the jaw and abruptly terminating the challenge of
American-based Filipino Glenn Donaire in Las Vegas yesterday.
It was a typically one-sided fight for the Armenian-born southpaw as
he forced Donaire to quit midway through round six.
Darchinyan, 30, decked Donaire at the end of round four with a short
right and kept doling out punishment until the fight was halted as
Donaire turned away in surrender.
But in a controversial ending, Darchinyan was awarded a technical
decision rather than a knockout after the referee, Tony Weeks, ruled
Donaire’s jaw was broken by a headbutt and not a punch.
Darchinyan was furious about the ruling because it robbed him of
another KO after his five previous world title wins had all been
by stoppages.
He is now unbeaten in 27 fights, with 21 wins by KO, though he will
forever argue that it should be 22.
Television replays showed no headbutt, only Donaire being hit at will
with rights and lefts from the Sydney Olympian, who is probably the
hardest-punching fighter in the world, pound for pound.
“It was not a headbutt,” Darchinyan said.
“Donaire is a smart guy. I hurt him and he didn’t want any more. I
hit him on the chin with a punch, not a headbutt.
“This should have been a knockout on my record, not a decision win.
If I knew it was going to finish like this I would have knocked him
out much sooner.”
It was the first fight for Darchinyan without regular trainer Jeff
Fenech. He was trained by long-time cornerman Billy Hussein.
Darchinyan says he is confident he can win world titles at six weight
divisions all the way up to junior-lightweight (59kg) and is now
targeting IBF bantamweight champ Rafael Marquez, of Mexico.

FRENCH FM SEEKS TO CALM ROW OVER ARMENIA ‘GENOCIDE’ BILL
Agence France Presse — English
October 9, 2006 Monday 5:19 PM GMT
French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy telephoned his Turkish
counterpart Abdullah Gul Monday to try to defuse a looming row over
a bill before the National Assembly making it a punishable offence
to deny the Armenian “genocide”.
Foreign ministry spokesman Jean-Baptiste Mattei said Douste-Blazy was
at pains to stress that the French government does not back the bill,
which was tabled by the opposition Socialist Party (PS).
The minister “noted our attachment to the long-term future of relations
between Turkey and France … and the support brought by France for
Turkey’s European perspective.”
The bill — which was originally brought before the French parliament
in May — is to be debated again on Thursday, amid considerable
uncertainty over its chances and outraged threats from Ankara over
damage to Franco-Turkish trade links.
Though the PS commands fewer than a third of seats in the Assembly,
several members of the ruling Union for a Poular Movement (UMP)
are thought to back the measure and the government has promised a
free vote.
Around 400,000 people of Armenian origin are estimated to live
in France.
The Socialist bill would make it punishable by up to five years in
prison and a fine of 45,000 euros (57,000 dollars) to deny that Turkish
troops committed genocide against the Armenians between 1915 and 1917.
A 2001 French law officially recognises the massacres of Armenians
as genocide.
Armenians claim up to 1.5 million were slaughtered in orchestrated
killings between 1915 and 1917 by Turks, as the Ottoman Empire was
falling apart.
Turkey rejects the claims, saying 300,000 Armenians and at least as
many Turks died in civil strife when the Armenians took up arms for
independence in eastern Anatolia and sided with invading Russian
troops.
On a visit to Armenia 10 days ago, President Jacques Chirac said Turkey
should recognise the Armenian genocide as a condition for joining
the EU. However he also said the opposition bill was “deliberately
controversial”.

TURKISH INTELLECTUALS TRIED OVER ARMENIAN ISSUE SLAM FRENCH BILL
Agence France Presse — English
October 9, 2006 Monday
Six Turkish intellectuals prosecuted in the past for comments on the
Armenian massacre have condemned a French bill that would criminalise
any denial that the killings under the Ottoman Empire constitute
genocide, according to a press report Monday.
“Writing history is not the job of states or politicians,” said
novelist Elif Shafak, one of the authors quoted in Monday’s edition
of the liberal daily Radikal.
“I consider what is happening in France as a negative development
that leaves progressives and democrats in both France and Turkey in
a difficult situation,” wrote Shafak, who was recently acquitted of
“denigrating the national identity” in a novel dealing with the
1915-1917 massacres.
The bill, submitted by the French Socialist Party and apparently
backed by many governing conservatives as well, provides for up to
one year in jail and a 45,000-euro fine (57,000 dollars) for anyone
who says the killings were not genocide.
Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, hit by one six-month suspended
sentence for his writings on the Armenian question and again on trial
for calling the killings genocide, said the bill was “stupid.”
“This type of law undermines any debate between Turks and Armenians,”
said Dink, edior of the bilingual Turkish Armenian weekly newspaper
Agos. “Turkish and Armenian people need to dialogue, to discuss their
common history.”
Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their kin were slaughtered in
the dying days of the Ottoman Empire in a planned “genocide”. Turks
say massacres were committed on both sides during World War I and
categorically reject the genocide label.

TURKEY CALLS ON EU TO HELP THWART ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BILL IN FRANCE
By Selcan Hacaoglu, Associated Press Writer
Associated Press Worldstream
October 9, 2006 Monday 5:37 PM GMT
Turkey called on the European Union to help thwart a French bill
that would make it a crime to deny that World War I-era killings
of Armenians amounted to genocide, saying Monday that the law would
sharply contradict the principles of freedom of expression.
Tension between Turkey and France has been rising before Thursday’s
debate by French lawmakers in the lower house.
“We expect the European Union to express its opposition against
such a development that restricts freedom of expression in France,
because it contradicts key values of the EU,” said Justice Minister
Cemil Cicek, who also serves as the government’s spokesman.
“We hope such a mistake is not committed since it would seriously
damage Turkish-French relations,” Cicek warned at a news conference.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has sought the help of French
companies doing business in Turkey to prevent the approval of the bill.
Armenians claim that as many as 1.5 million of their ancestors were
killed in 1915-1923 in an organized campaign to force them out of
eastern Turkey, and have pushed for recognition of the killings around
the world as genocide.
Turkey acknowledges that large numbers of Armenians died, but says
the overall figure is inflated and that the deaths occurred in the
civil unrest during the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. But Ankara
is facing increasing pressure to fully acknowledge the killings,
particularly as it seeks EU membership.
Turkish lawmakers, meanwhile, were scheduled Wednesday to debate a
proposed bill that would make it a crime to deny that France committed
genocide against Algerians in retaliation.
French lawmakers had caved in to pressure from Turkey and put off the
sensitive debate on the issue in the lower house in May. Under the
bill, people who contest that there was an Armenian genocide would
risk up to a year in prison and fines of up to euro45,000 (US$57,000).
At the time, Turkish legislators also froze a retaliatory bill which
said anyone who denied that the French committed genocide against
the Algerians could be put in jail and fined. Turkish lawmakers will
re-debate that bill Wednesday in an attempt to intimidate the French
lawmakers.
“Turkey cannot sit silent in the face of such action,” Cicek said.
The Turkish bill was aimed to hit a sore spot in French history.
“France has massacred more than one million Algerians in history,”
a subtitle on Turkey’s state television read Monday.
The Islamic-rooted municipality of the Turkish capital on Monday
announced plans to erect a monument to remember the killings of
Algerians by France. The municipality of Adana, a southern city,
also announced similar plans Monday.
Meanwhile, a Turkish legislator Koksal Toptan called for a boycott
of French goods.
“At least, we may refrain buying goods with a tag ‘Made in France’,”
Toptan told state-television on Monday.
Turkey has accused Armenia of not responding to Turkish initiatives
to jointly research the mass killings. Last week, Erdogan turned down
a series of proposals by French presidential hopeful and Interior
Minister Nicolas Sarkozy for reconciliation, accusing Armenia of not
responding to the Turkish calls, his office said Monday.
Among the demands of Sarkozy, who is staunchly opposed to EU membership
for Turkey, were opening the Turkish-Armenian border and dropping a
Turkish condition that only historians should represent both sides
in a joint research committee.
Last week, Turkey said it was out of the question to accept a call
by French President Jacques Chirac for Ankara to acknowledge the mass
killings of Armenians in the early 20th century as genocide.

NIER LE GENOCIDE ARMENIEN POURRAIT ETRE CONDAMNE PENALEMENT
par Beatrice Gurrey
Le Monde, France
10 octobre 2006 mardi
LA PROPOSITION de loi socialiste qui vise a penaliser la negation
du genocide armenien pourrait etre votee, jeudi 12 octobre, a
l’Assemblee nationale, avec l’appui d’une soixantaine de deputes de
l’UMP. Le groupe UMP examinera le dossier mardi matin. Le premier
secretaire du PS, Francois Hollande et le depute Patrick Devedjian
(UMP Hauts-de-Seine), se sont accordes, dimanche 8 octobre, lors de
l’emission ” France-Europe Express “, sur la necessite de voter ce
texte dont l’examen avait avorte en mai.
Lundi, sur France-Inter, Nicolas Sarkozy a indique qu’il avait eu
deux fois le premier ministre turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan au telephone,
ce qu’il avait deja raconte au groupe UMP, voila une semaine : le
debat y avait ete assez vif pour savoir s’il fallait ou non continuer
a soutenir ce texte, alors que Jacques Chirac, le 30 septembre,
a Erevan, avait fait de la reconnaissance du genocide armenien une
condition a l’entree de la Turquie dans l’Union europeenne.
” Pour moi, – la reconnaissance du genocide par l’Armenie – ce n’est
pas une condition prealable pour rentrer en Europe. C’est le minimum.
Ce n’est pas parce qu’on fait son devoir de memoire qu’on peut
rentrer en Europe. On ne pourrait eviter de voter cette loi qu’a trois
conditions : la mise en place d’une commission bilaterale et paritaire
Armenie-Turquie ; que la Turquie rouvre ses frontières avec l’Armenie ;
que la Turquie renonce a sa legislation penale qui interdit de parler
d’un genocide “, a declare M. Sarkozy. Il a ajoute qu’il n’avait pas
ete certain de convaincre M. Erdogan.
Les reactions officielles se sont multipliees en Turquie. 500 personnes
ont manifeste, dimanche, a Istanbul, avec des pancartes portant ”
le genocide est un mensonge “. Le ministre des affaires etrangères
turc, Abdullah Gul, a assure que la France allait ” perdre la Turquie
“. La participation de la France a d’importants projets economiques,
notamment de centrale nucleaire, serait compromise si ce projet etait
vote, a averti M. Gul, precisant qu’il avait prevenu son homologue
francais, Philippe Douste-Blazy. Samedi, M. Erdogan avait exprime son
indignation, affirmant qu’il s’agissait d’un problème ” qui concerne la
Turquie et l’Armenie ” et que ” la France n’avait pas a s’en meler “.
La Turquie combat cette proposition de loi, alors que la reaction
avait ete assez moderee a Ankara, après le voyage de Jacques Chirac en
Armenie. A Erevan, le chef de l’Etat avait indique qu’il considerait la
proposition socialiste comme relevant de la ” polemique “. Rappelant
que la France avait reconnu le genocide par la loi du 29 janvier
2001, il avait considere ce texte comme inutile, la loi francaise
condamnant deja ” toute provocation a la discrimination, a la haine
ou la violence raciale “.
–Boundary_(ID_z/jJSP4UZHRbMPSPcoCO/Q)–
From: Baghdasarian