Armenian Genocide Denial by a Few Candidates May Upset Dutch Election
PanARMENIAN.Net
06.10.2006 17:28 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Dutch MP candidates had clearly stated in the past
that, in their view, the Genocide of Armenians in Turkey in 1915 had
not taken place.
This view is contrary to the official policy of the Dutch government
and of the parties themselves, stated columnist RadioNetherlands
Andy Clark, the Federation of Armenian Communities of Holland
told PanARMENIAN.Net. “It might seem a little strange but the
Armenian Genocide of 1915 has become an issue in the run up to the
Dutch elections. The two leading parties in the opinion polls have
kicked out prospective MPs because they deny that the Genocide took
place. The candidates, one from the opposition Labour Party and two
from the biggest coalition party – the Christian Democrat CDA – are
Dutch/Turkish politicians. It made the headlines after questions were
raised by the Armenian community in the Netherlands when the names of
the candidates were made public on the party lists for the November
elections, and a heated discussion soon followed,” the columnist notes.
He cites Tineke Huizinga from the Christian Union – a small party
in the parliament which introduced an initiative in 2004 saying that
the government has to push for recognition of the genocide in Turkey
as part of the negotiations for Turkey’s desired accession to the
EU. That initiative was unanimously accepted. Ms Huzinga explains
the official Dutch position: “More than one and a half million people
were murdered during the time of World War I by Turkey and this was
a genocide and you can absolutely compare this with the Holocaust.”
It was a clash with this position that brought the CDA candidates
Ayhan Tonca, Osman Elamci and Labour Party candidate Erdinc Sacan
into problems with their parties. Ayhan Tonca has constantly denied
the genocide occurred: “The genocide that people talk about never
took place.” Although he doesn’t deny that hundreds of thousands of
people died, he argues that there needs to be further investigation
to see if the killings were consciously carried out by the Turkish
government at that time. Deliberate and conscious persecution would
constitute genocide, the Dutch Radio columnist underscored.

Armenians in Holland against MP Candidates Denying Armenian Genocide
PanARMENIAN.Net
06.10.2006 16:02 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Leaders of the Armenian community of Holland
were invited to the Foreign Ministry to meet with Chief of the
South Eastern Europe Department Henk Voskamp, who explained the
position of the Netherlands in the Armenian-Turkish relations. As
PanARMENIAN.Net was informed from Hague, activation of the Armenian
community is due to the parliamentary election scheduled on November
22, in which ethnic Turk candidates will also take part. We remind
that 3 candidates are already left out of the lists of the Labor and
Christian-Democratic Parties for denial of the Armenian Genocide. On
behalf of the Federation of Armenian Organizations of the Netherlands
statements were sent to leaders of Dutch parties, drawing special
attention to the Armenian Genocide issue, which resulted in radical
measures by the leaders. As a result they can lose votes of ethnic
Turks, which number over 300 thousand in Holland.

Armenian Genocide Bill “Headache” for Swiss Justice Minister
PanARMENIAN.Net
06.10.2006 16:33 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “Swiss draft bill, which would penalize those, who
deny the existence of the Armenian Genocide poses a predicament to
freedom of speech,” said Swiss Justice Minister Christoph Blocher
to his Turkish counterpart Cemil Cicek in the Turkish capital
of Ankara. “There is a dilemma between this law and freedom of
speech. This law is giving us headache too,” said Christoph Blocher
to Mr. Cicek regarding the Armenian Genocide bill in his country,
reports the Zaman.

Karabakh Parliament Adopted NKR Draft Constitution in First Hearing
PanARMENIAN.Net
06.10.2006 17:36 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today the National Assembly of the NKR adopted the
draft Constitution in the first hearing. The draft will be presented
for a public discourse. Specifically, it will be made public in the
Azat Artsakh republican newspaper with an edition of over 7 thousand
examples. Notes and proposals during the discussion will be presented
for consideration by the MPs, for which another plenary session will
be convened, reports De-Facto.

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
October 6, 2006 Friday
CAN MIKHAIL SAAKASHVILI PRESERVE THE BORDERS OF THE GEORGIAN S.S.R.?
by Yevgeny Umerenkov
FOUR POSSIBLE SCENARIOS FOR GEORGIA AND THE UNRECOGNIZED REPUBLICS;
Moscow maintains that its main priority is to avoid any renewed
bloodshed in the conflict zones. Yet the situation in this region is
clearly heating up. Tbilisi’s priority is to preserve Georgia’s
territorial integrity. But is this a realistic goal?
The “spy crisis” has strained Russian-Georgian relations to the
breaking point. Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili and his
cohorts get all wound up when speaking of Russia, and hardly seem
capable of taking appropriate steps. Moscow is striving to remain
calm and collected, stating that its main priority is to avoid any
renewed bloodshed in the conflict zones. Yet the situation in this
region is clearly heating up. Tbilisi’s priority is to preserve
Georgia’s territorial integrity. But is this a realistic goal? We
have attempted to analyze potential developments.
Scenario 1: Military
Russia is unlikely to permit Saakashvili to draw it into a direct
military conflict with Georgia. But the Georgian authorities might be
driven into a tight corner by their own reckless statements (like
Defense Minister Okruashvili’s promise to celebrate New Year’s Eve in
Tskhinvali), as well as facing pressure from the growing discontent
of Georgia’s impoverished population. This could make the Georgian
authorities desperate enought to attempt a military solution to the
conflicts with Abkhazia and South Ossetia. A war could provide
justifications for everything: economic hardships and brutal
repression of the opposition.
The idea that such a scenario could happen is supported by Georgia’s
intensive military build-up, its acquisition of offensive weaponry,
and Saakashvili’s objective of “creating a comprehensive defense
mechanism” (is anyone about to attack him?).
Yet Georgia has already fought and lost wars against Abkhazia and
South Ossetia. Naturally, Russia would not maintain “complete
neutrality” in the event of an armed conflict on its borders; it
would find various ways to support the victims of Georgia’s new
aggression. So Tbilisi’s chances of a military victory are
practically zero – barring direct military participation by the
United States or NATO. And no matter how much Washington likes
Saakashvili, it’s hard to imagine the Americans getting involved in a
hot conflict with Moscow over Tbilisi. This would generate new
conflicts, with unpredictable consequences. It’s too high a price to
pay for the Saakashvili regime’s ambitions.
If Tbilisi goes ahead with the military scenario, it can forget about
any possibility of retaining its rebel provinces. A drastic
escalation in the Caucasus situation would trigger explosions not
only in some of Russia’s “problem regions,” but also in areas where
Saakashvili’s Western sponsors don’t want any trouble. Yet another
military defeat for the national authorities could plunge Georgia
into chaos and make it fall apart.
Scenario 2: Evolutionary
The only way to keep Georgia’s borders consistent with those of the
former Georgian SSR would be to make it economically attractive for
the unruly autonomous regions to return to the fold. The first step
here is to maintain stability and rebuild trust between the opposing
sides. Then, as a result economic contacts and doing business
together, the “separatists” might develop the necessary preconditions
for wanting to be part of Georgia.
The key factor here is Georgia’s economic prosperity. But this is
impossible unless relations with Russia are normal – and there seems
little chance of that as long as Saakashvili remains in power.
Judging by Tbilisi’s latest actions, the Georgian president isn’t
even considering this scenario.
Scenario 3: Revolutionary
Saakashvili takes pride in describing himself and his cohorts as
revolutionaries. But revolutionaries of a different kind could also
emerge in Georgia. A tradition of replacing regimes by
unconstitutional means is the only tradition Georgia has developed so
far. So it can’t be ruled out that the Georgians, having experienced
a Rose Revolution, might create some other kind of revolution. Its
color may be uncertain as yet, but the techniques of organizing mass
protests are well-practised. The opposition still isn’t organized
enough for such a scenario, and it lacks strong leaders – but this is
just a matter of time. The most important factor is support from
foreign sponsors.
Who might become such a sponsor? Unlikely as this may sound, it might
be the United States again. The leaders of Georgia’s largest
opposition parties have already contacted the Bush Administration,
accusing the Georgian government of abandoning the ideals of the Rose
Revolution and asking “the friends of democratic Georgia” to restore
law and order. Saakashvili is swearing eternal friendship for the
Americans – but Eduard Shevardnadze did the same, and it didn’t save
him. The unrestrained anti-Russian escapades of Georgia’s current
revolutionaries are certainly a burden for Washington. It does need a
loyal junior friend in the Caucasus, but not at the cost of
partnership with Moscow. So a new group of revolutionaries, not
burdened by the present regime’s errors and broken promises, might
become necessary.
In this scenario, the “separatists” would find themselves in a much
stronger position. If the Georgians can’t even resolve their own
domestic problems non-violently, how can they aspire to govern those
who wish to exist separately? Moreover, there is also the possibility
of new problems arising in Svanetia and Dzhavakheti (South Georgia).
The Svans, like all freedom-loving highlanders, don’t like it when a
new government and new ways are imposed on them. Svanetia is unlikely
to become a full-fledged “separatist,” but the task of keeping it
under Tbilisi’s effective control will divert a substantial part of
the Georgian government’s energy. Ethnic Armenians, who make up the
majority of residents in the Akhalkalaki and Ninotsmindi districts,
have long been demanding autonomy. Tension has risen there during the
process of withdrawing a Russian military base from Akhalkalaki.
Saakahsvili, like Sheverdnadze before him, can only control the
situation in Dzhavakheti with the help of the Armenian government.
Scenario 4: Inertia
This scenario assumes that Saakashvili’s weapons of choice –
anti-Russian rhetoric and acts of provocation – fail to work. The
West does not support Georgia’s plan to internationalize the
peacekeeping effort. It’s too risky, in both military and political
terms, to send peacekeepers into regions where local residents don’t
want them; not to mention the fact that Moscow’s opinion is unlikely
to be ignored in the process of weighing up all the pros and cons.
The conflict remains frozen. The militant attitudes of Georgia’s
leaders start to work against them: it becomes increasingly evident
that “peaceful reintegration” isn’t part of their plans. The West
prefers to restrain Saakashvili from taking any fateful steps (and
he’s incapable of disobeying Washington).
Some time later, there are further precedents of the map of Europe
being redrawn (Kosovo) and the West recognizing other
still-unrecognized states (the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus,
for example). Five to seven years down the line, it becomes
conclusively clear that Tbilisi’s aspirations to rule the
“separatist” territories are unfeasible. This provides grounds for
Russia and some other CIS countries to recognized Abkhazia and South
Ossetia. The danger of this scenario is precisely what is making
Tbilisi act so nervously and hastily, engaging in ill-judged acts of
provocation.
The burdens of NATO membership for Georgia
If Georgia joins NATO, it should remember that America’s assistance
in Atlantic integration demands substantial gratitude in return. What
kind of gratitude?
– For NATO’s new recruits from the former socialist camp, America’s
guardianship effectively means a partial loss of their national
sovereignty, once US military bases are stationed on their territory.
– NATO membership candidates are compelled to undergo the Iraq test,
and must participate in NATO military operations unconditionally in
future.
– The countries of Central and Eastern Europe are turning into a
“gray zone” where the Americans station secret CIA prisons and other
special facilities which remain outside the jurisdiction of host
nations. Georgia is likely to become part of that zone.
Source: Izvestia, October 4, 2006, p. 4
Translated by Elena Leonova

Yerevan Considers Consultations between Armenian and Azeri FMS as Useful
PanARMENIAN.Net
06.10.2006 19:08 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian and Azeri FMS Vartan Oskanian and Elmar
Mammadyarov meet under the aegis of the OSCE MG co-chairs in Moscow
October 6. During consultations in the Russian MFA the Ministers
referred to issues that are still unsolved in the Karabakh talks,
as well as ideas of the co-chairs regarding overcoming those
differences. According to Oskanian, the Armenian party evaluates
the consultations as positive, noting that the issues raised by the
co-chairs during these will be seriously discussed in Yerevan before
the next meeting that is scheduled in late October.

ARMENIA ENTERS NEW ROUND OF DEMOCRACY, CONSTITUTIONAL COURT CHAIRMAN SAYS
Armenpress
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 6, ARMENPRESS: The chairman of Armenia’s
Constitutional Court, Gagik Harutunian, argued today that Armenia
has entered a new stage of democracy after two Armenian citizens
sought justice at the Court and managed to defend their rights by
questioning some provisions of the country’s constitution.
Harutunian meant a Constitutional Court ruling that found several
provisions of the law on social security cards unconstitutional. The
appeal had been submitted by two retired women who complained that
because of these provisions which ban those who have no social cards
from receiving old-age pensions they did not receive their pensions
for months.
Speaking to reporters after a seminar on constitutional right in
Yerevan Harutunian said it was very important that the revised
constitution gives ordinary citizens a right to seek justice at the
highest court of the country.
He said the Court has received 300 complaints already and 11 were
being examined. The only problem, according to him, is that now the
Constitutional Court is overloaded with work.

ARA ABRAHAMIAN: ARMENIA SUFFERS FROM WORSENING OF RUSSIAN-GEORGIAN RELATIONS
AZG Armenian Daily #191, 07/10/2006
Opinion
The Union of Armenians of Russia is concerned about the
Russian-Georgian confrontation. Ara Abrahamian, Chairman of the union,
stated in the interview with RFE/RL. According to him, the union has
received dozens of calls about the complications that occurred when
transferring goods. These obstacles were conditioned by the latest
negative developments between Georgia and Russia. Ara Abrahamian
stated that when the relations get worse, one should always figure
out what should the Armenian companies and Armenia do, and how they
should carry out the deals with the Russian and other companies.
Ara Abrahamian stated that the question how will Russia treat the
Armenian companies if its policy changes to Armenia is naïve. He added
that Russia has its interests in the region. The relations between
Georgia and Russia differ from those between Armenia and Russia. Ara
Abrahamian said that Armenia has signed many agreements with Russian
and their implementation will last for dozens of years in the future.
By Aghavni Harutyunian
–Boundary_(ID_N9xwWSdt6bwNEgHJr+VYbQ )–

AZG Armenian Daily #191, 07/10/2006
Turkey
TURKISH CANDIDATE TO DUTCH PARLIAMENT FORCED TO
RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Nebahat Albayrak, in second position on the list of
the main opposition Labor Party (PvdA) candidates, has
recognized the Armenian Genocide, Zaman daily reports.
After the main Dutch parties removed three Turkish
candidates from their electoral lists, Albayrak said
she backed the parliamentary motion describing the
deaths as genocide, in an interview with the analysis
magazine HP/De Tijd, adding that the form of its
occurrence needs to be investigated.
Albayrak, who has served in the parliament since 1998,
in her previous statements said the jurists would
determine the use of “genocide” in response to the
Armenian Diaspora’s claims, and avoided using the
definition in her interviews.
Meanwhile, Turkish candidates Ayhan Tonca, Osman
Elmaci (CDA) and Erdinc Sacan (PvdA) were removed from
the election list for the general elections.

‘FRANCE HAS TO BE RECONCILED TO LOSING TURKEY’
AZG Armenian Daily #191, 07/10/2006
Turkey
Spokesperson for the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Namik Tan, at a weekly
meeting with journalists yesterday said that once the French Parliament
adopts the draft bill penalizing denial of the Armenian Genocide,
France will have to be reconciled to the fact of losing Turkey. The
draft bill is to be discussed on October 12. This threatening rhetoric
together with futile visit of Turkish delegation to Paris last week
display that official Ankara’s concerns about adoption of the bill
are very serious.