TURKEY GOING TO ADOPT BILL SAYING “FRANCE COMMITTED GENOCIDE IN ALGERIA”
PanARMENIAN.Net
09.10.2006 15:29 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A rally with a slogan “Stop, France!
Armenian Genocide is a lie” was held in Turkey.
Although the rally in front of the French Consulate General in Istanbul
was authorized, policemen did not let the protesters come up to the
Consulate. Labor Party Chairman Dogu Perincek accused Prime Minister
Erdogan of deploying Turkish policemen on “French barricades.” “France
lost 5 thousand soldiers when fighting against us. If the bill on
Genocide is passed by the French parliament October 12 the selling of
French products will be boycotted from October 13,” he said. Yesterday
Prime Minister Erdogan said that France’s involvement in the Genocide
issue will be harmful for it and extreme measures will be taken
in case the bill is adopted. Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul
during a phone conversation with his French counterpart stated that
the adoption of the bill will badly damage the relations between the
two states. Abdullah Gul said that French companies will be forbidden
to participate in all international tenders scheduled in Turkey for
the construction of a nuclear power plant and helicopters selling.
The justice committee of the Turkish Grand National Assembly October
11 will discuss a bill condemning the killing of 250 thousand peaceful
Muslims during a military operation conducted by France in 1960-ies
as genocide. If the French parliament passes the bill on the Armenian
Genocide, the Turkish parliament will officially approve the bill
on genocide committed by France against Algerians. According to the
bill, anyone who denies that the French committed genocide against
the Algerians could be put in jail for 3 years.

AKHTAMAR CHURCH TO OPEN NOVEMBER 4
PanARMENIAN.Net
09.10.2006 16:41 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The opening of the church on Akhtamar island
will most likely take place November 4. According to supervisor of
the restoration works, architect Zakhid Certanly, the works were
started in May 2005 and finished August 30, 2006. “600 000 Liras
was spent for the restoration carried out under the supervision of
5 experts. Bas-reliefs on the walls were cleaned, the foundation was
fastened, roof and floor were repaired and windows glassed. Presently
the workers put in order the surrounding territory, repair the roads,
build a quay, a booking office, a hotel, a cafe and a gift shop,”
the Turkish architect said. He also remarked that he restored the
church in Bitlis which is now used for social needs.
“As for Akhtamar, we always kept in contact with Armenian architects in
order to maintain its Armenian originality,” Certnaly said emphasizing
that Turkish Prime Minister Racep Tayyip Erdogan attaches importance to
the restoration of the church, which can contribute to the development
of the Armenian-Turkish relations and become an example for the
whole world.
“Erdogan will to all appearance be present at the opening ceremony,”
he said. The Turkish architect also reminded that the Church of
Saint Apostles was built in the 10th century by King Gagik Artsruni,
reports Yerkir with a reference to Marmara newspaper.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

GEORGIA INTRODUCED ‘SPECIAL CONTROL’ OVER TRANSIT OF MILITARY CARGO THROUGH ITS TERRITORY TO ARMENIA
PanARMENIAN.Net
09.10.2006 17:09 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Some changes were introduced into the order of
transit of military cargo and personnel to the 102nd Russian base in
Armenia. In accordance with the treaty “On organization of transit
of military cargo and personnel through the Georgian territory”,
the Russian Defense Ministry should appeal to the Georgian Defense
Ministry for a permission to transport its cargo. Unfortunately,
Tbilisi is going to use these amendments for organization of
new provocations. According Georgian Defense Minister Irakly
Okruashvili, Georgia is just establishing a ‘special control’ over
the transportation of cargo through Georgia to Armenia.
The decision of the Georgian Defense Ministry refers to the transit
to the 102nd Russian base to Armenia not only of the military staff
but also the accompanying persons and families.

FRANCE: PUNISHMENT FOR ARMENIAN GENOCIDE DENIAL SHOULDN’T BE APPLIED TO HISTORIANS
PanARMENIAN.Net
09.10.2006 17:25 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A leading figure from the ruling People’s
Majority Unity Party, French Armenian Patrick Devedjian proposed an
amendment to the bill penalizing the Armenian Genocide denial. The
single-sentenced proposal reads “These regulations do not apply
to academic and scientific researches and studies.” To remind, the
draft submitted by the opposition Socialist Party stipulates those
who deny the Armenian Genocide be imprisoned up to five years and
fined 45,000 euros. In a statement annexed to the amendment proposal,
Devedjian, in reference to Turkey, noted that the bill should prevent
any provocations and political demonstrations organized by a foreign
country, reported zaman.com.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

OSCE MG: OSKANIAN-MAMMADYAROV TALKS WERE RICH
PanARMENIAN.Net
09.10.2006 17:36 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The talks held with the Azerbaijani and Armenian
Foreign Ministers on October 6 in Moscow were very useful and
rich, Russian Co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Yuri Merzlyakov
said. According to him, both Ministers positively assessed the
consultations. “I think that the Co-chairs share their opinion,”
Merzlyakov stated. The diplomat pointed out that after getting a
response from both parties as to the presentation of the proposals
regarding “fundamental principles” of the settlement, the mediators
continued talks. During the Moscow meeting, the Minsk Group Co-chairs
were unanimous in their opinion with regards to the elements of
several principles having differences, Merzlyakov said, adding,
“We hope to achieve mutual understanding in the talks that will
continue on 24 October in Paris.”
The diplomat emphasized that during the Moscow meeting, debates on
the organization of the next meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian
Presidents were not conducted. This question will be discussed in
Paris. In addition, Merzlyakov refuted the previous statement that
the meeting of the leaders of the conflict parties may take place
at the CIS Summit on 17 October in Minsk. As a matter of fact, the
diplomat said, the CIS Summit is scheduled for November, reported
Trend news agency.

SOUTH CAUCASIAN STATES STAND NO CHANCE FOR EU MEMBERSHIP YET
PanARMENIAN.Net
09.10.2006 17:49 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The PACE commission for political affairs has
considered Adrian Severin’s report on the Pact of stability in the
South Caucasus, Armenian National Assembly Speaker Tigran Torosian
said at a press conference in Yerevan. In his words, some amendments
referring to the situation in the South Caucasus will be introduced
in the report with the consent of the rapporteur. “In part, the
report said that the South Caucasian states have no outlook for EU
membership,” Torosian remarked.
“Word ‘yet’ was added to the sentence. The draft resolution is
acceptable for Armenia in the whole but the Azeri delegates voiced
discontent with the initiative citing the unsettlement of the
Nagorno Karabakh problem. The initiative provides for cooperation
and integration in the South Caucasus, full use of communications,
establishment of trust,” the RA NA Speaker said.
He underscored that the position of the Azeri parliamentarians did not
have power, since a similar Pact on Stability was adopted for Balkans,
where the unsettled Kosovo problem is available.
A process which aims at establishment of a mini EU model in the
South Caucasus will be started with the assistance of the EU and CoE
within the New Neighborhood program. “This initiative purposes good
objectives but its implementation depends first of all on the states
of the region,” Torosian said, reported newsarmenia.ru.

IRANIAN EXPERT: TEHRAN AS REGIONAL POWER SHOULD HELP KARABAKH
PanARMENIAN.Net
09.10.2006 17:53 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Iranian expert Daryush Safarnejat says no serious
improvements are observed in the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict, because Karabakh does not take part in peace making process.
In his article titled “Iran’s potential of mediating in Nagorno
Karabakh conflict” Daryush Safarnejat noted that “Nagorno Karabakh
forces seized some adjacent regions to Karabakh in 1992-1993.” “Iran as
a border country with three countries, namely Azerbaijan, Armenia, and
Karabakh, has established neighborly relations with all of the,” the
expert said. “Although Iran does not recognize Karabakh as independent
political unit, but being the regional power can help it, reported APA.

NETHERLANDS: NEBAHAT ALBAYRAK SAYS SHE NEVER RECOGNIZED ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
PanARMENIAN.Net
09.10.2006 17:18 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Nebahat Albayrak, a member of the Dutch parliament of
Turkish origin and the number two candidate of the Labor Party for next
month’s elections, claimed over the weekend that she never said she
acknowledged the Armenian Genocide, contrary to earlier news reports
that said she admitted the fact of the Genocide. “I’m not a politician
that will trample my identity. I’ve always defended the same views
everywhere with regard to the Genocide,” she said. To remind, after
the main Dutch parties removed three Turkish candidates from their
electoral lists, in an interview with HP/De Tijd magazine Albayrak
said she backed the parliamentary motion describing the killings of
Armenians as genocide, adding that the issue needs to be investigated.

PARLIAMENT CHAIRMAN SHRUGS OFF ALLEGATIONS BY FORMER INTERIOR MINISTER THAT HE WAS ATTACKED AT PRIME MINISTER’S ORDER
Armenpress
Oct 09 2006
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 9, ARMENPRESS: Parliament chairman Tigran Torosian
has shrugged off a former interior minister’s allegations that prime
minister Andranik Margarian was behind an attack on him.
Suren Abrahamian, a former interior minister, a former Yerevan mayor,
who is now in the governing board of the opposition Hanrapetutyun
(Republic) Party, was attacked and severely beaten by several unknown
men on Sunday morning in downtown Yerevan street. In an interview
to some local mass media Suren Abrahamian alleged that the attack
had been ordered by prime minister Margarian in retaliation to his
recent remarks that Margarian was a corrupted government official.
The former interior minister was quoted as saying that the attackers
demanded that he must apologize, but did not specify to whom. This
prompted him to conclude that the attack was ordered by Andranik
Margarian. Speaking to journalists today parliament chairman Torosian
who is from Margarian’s Republican Party, said he was surprised
at Suren Abrahamian’s allegations which were not supported by any
evidence.
Torosian condemned the attack saying he hopes that the police will
track down and arrest the attackers.
“Over all these years when Margarian has been chairman of the
Republican Party no one can recall an instance when he resorted to
such actions to defend his interests,” the parliament chairman argued,
adding also he was certain the prime minister had no involvement in
the attack.
Torosian also speculated that the attackers’ demand that Abrahamian
apologizes was engineered to put the blame on the prime minister and
the ultimately smear his Republican Party.

ANOTHER OSKANIAN-MAMEDYAROV MEETING ON OCT 24
AZG Armenian Daily
10/10/2006
On October 7, Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers met in Moscow
under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group. According to Armenian
Foreign Ministry’s press release, the Armenian side assesses the
meeting at the Russian Foreign Ministry as useful pointing out that
the issues raised by the co-chairs will be seriously discussed in
Yerevan before the upcoming meeting of the FMs.
Day.az agency of Azerbaijan reported that the upcoming meeting is
slated on October 24 in Paris.