TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER, EU’S REHN VIEW INTEGRATION PROCESS IN NEWS CONFERENCE
Anatolia news agency, Ankara,
4 Oct 06
Ankara, 4 October: “Turkey is aware of its deficiencies in the EU
membership process. The most important things are the determination,
the capacity of overcoming difficulties and showing everyone that we
have that capacity,” said Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime
Minister Abdullah Gul on Wednesday [4 October].
Gul held a joint news conference together with EU Commissioner for
Enlargement Olli Rehn.
“Mr Rehn’s visit coincided with the first anniversary of the opening
of entry talks between Turkey and the EU. We have recorded important
developments last year. Turkey has maintained the screening process
successfully. We consider the negotiation process a transformation for
Turkey. We also consider this process a period of modernization and a
period of increasing our standards to the level of EU-member states,”
he said.
“Turkey is aware of its deficiencies in the EU membership process.
The most important things are the determination, the capacity of
overcoming difficulties and showing everyone that we have that
capacity. Therefore, we need the negotiation process,” he said.
Gul kept on saying: “Turkey has become a centre of economic attraction
since 3 October 2005. We will continue fulfilling our commitments. We
expect the EU to contribute to our efforts in this process.”
Upon a question about the Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK),
Gul said: “We have a long negotiation process ahead of us. We will
increase all standards in Turkey.”
When asked whether the resolution in France envisaging to punish
those who deny the so-called Armenian genocide was against freedom of
thought, Gul said: “During my meetings in France, I stressed that the
resolution was nothing but a contradiction. I hope that the resolution
will be rejected.”
Upon another question about proposal of Finland on the Cyprus issue,
Gul told reporters: “If we succeed in resolving the Cyprus issue,
it will be beneficial for everyone. Together with Greece and Cyprus
as a whole, we can create an area of cooperation in the eastern
Mediterranean. Turkish Cypriots have fulfilled their responsibilities
to this end. We expect the same positive attitude from the other
party. We told Finland which holds the rotating EU presidency, that if
isolation of Turkish Cypriots was lifted, we could take some tangible
steps. However, no one should expect Turkey to take unilateral steps
as long as the isolation continued.”
Speaking at the news conference, Rehn said that there was a difficult
and long period ahead of Turkey. He said that both Gul and he was
determined to this end, adding that Turkey and the EU would work
together to find solution to several problems which would enable the
parties to maintain the negotiation process.
Noting that he came to Ankara to mark the first anniversary of the
opening of entry talks between Turkey and the EU, Rehn said that the
Progress Report to be released in the coming weeks would include many
developments and several deficiencies.
Rehn told reporters that they were aware of the current threat of
terrorism, adding that terrorism jeopardized not only Turkey but the
whole world.
He said that they appreciated the reform process in Turkey, noting
that there were still many things to do.
Rehn stressed that his meetings in Ankara focused on freedom of
expression and freedom of religion.
He highlighted importance of Turkey’s fulfilling its commitments
stemming from the additional protocol extending the Customs Union
deal to cover the whole EU-member countries during the presidency
of Finland.
Referring to the Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK),
Rehn said some people in Turkey were tried because of their critical
attitude. He said that those trials stemmed from indefinite expressions
in the article.
Upon a question about the so-called Armenian genocide, Rehn said that
recognition of the so-called Armenian genocide was not a pre-condition
neither in Turkey’s negotiation process nor in the full membership
process. He highlighted importance of creating an appropriate
atmosphere for discussions over the issue in order to provide an
atmosphere of compromise between Turkish and Armenian societies.

SERBIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY AGAINST ARMS EXPORTS TO GEORGIA, ARMENIA
FoNet news agency, Belgrade,
4 Oct 06
Belgrade, 4 October: The Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has
announced in a statement that it will not give its political consent
for the export and transport of Serbian weapons to Georgia and Armenia
because they could be used against Russia and the Russian Army in
that crisis area.
The Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs says that it is not competent
to issue permits for the export and transport of weapons from Serbia
and that such permits are issued by the Ministry for Foreign Economic
Relations. The foreign affairs ministry only gives its political
opinion on export or import, the statement adds.
We assumed a negative position towards requests for the export of
weapons to Georgia and Armenia and we explained it by saying that it
could be used in that crisis area against Russians and the Russian
Army, the Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs says.
Only two weeks ago, in talks with our state delegation led by Serbian
President Boris Tadic, Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey
Lavrov thanked Minister of Foreign Affairs Vuk Draskovic and the
Serbian government for their stance not to export weapons to the
Caucasus region, because they are intended for fighting Russia,
the statement says.
It goes on to say that, despite political opposition from the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations and
the Serbian government may nevertheless issue licenses for the export
and import of Serbian weapons to Georgia and Armenia.

RUSSIA MAY SPEED UP TROOPS WITHDRAWAL FROM GEORGIA – DEFENCE MINISTER
RTR Russia TV, Moscow,
4 Oct 06
[Presenter] Russia may speed up the withdrawal of Russian military
bases from Georgia, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Sergey
Ivanov said in Bishkek today.
Let me recall that, according to an agreement signed in March this
year, the military base located in Akhalkalak should be removed by
1 October 2007, and the one located in Batumi, by the end of 2008.
[Ivanov] As for the group of Russian troops deployed in the
Transcaucasus, specifically the part of them deployed in Georgia, as
we also have a military base in Armenia, let me assure you, we are not
going to increase the number of these troops, as it makes no sense at
all. On the contrary, we will keep withdrawing our two Russian bases
from Georgia in line with the schedule and even ahead of it. Given
the conditions our servicemen are living in – [changes tack]. I think
all of you understand the condition of our soldiers and officers there.

AZERI DEFENCE MINISTER, US MEDIATOR DISCUSS KARABAKH
Azeri press Agency
4 Oct 06
3 October, Baku: Azerbaijani Defence Minister Safar Abiyev received
the US co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, Matthew Bryza, yesterday [2
October], a source at the Defence Ministry has told APA. Abiyev said
that the Armenian-Azerbaijani talks over the Karabakh settlement,
which have been continuing for many years, were fruitless. He said
that the activities of the OSCE Minsk Group yielded no positive
results so far. The defence minister said that the non-resolution
of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict was a major obstacle to the
development of strategic Azerbaijani-US relations and recalled that
Azerbaijani territories were occupied by Armenia.
“Yerevan should understand that the policy conducted by Armenia is
putting it on the edge of a precipice. Armenia is on the sidelines
from all regional economic projects. Azerbaijan is developing in
the economic sphere and increasing its military capacity. Armenia’s
destructive position, the occupation of our territories and the
presence of unregistered arms and ammunition in these territories
urge us to do this. We again state that Azerbaijan will not cede an
inch of its territories. The conflict should be resolved within the
framework of international laws and territorial integrity of the
states. Azerbaijan will restore its territorial integrity by other
means if the peace talks yield no results,” Abiyev said.
Bryza said that Azerbaijan was ahead of Armenia in all spheres and
called on Azerbaijan to be patient. The co-chair informed the minister
about his activities and added that along with co-chairmanship in the
OSCE Minsk group, he was also involved in Europe’s energy security and
the development of US-Azerbaijani friendly relations. He said that
Azerbaijan was an important country to the USA and it supported the
USA in the fight against international terrorism. Bryza said that
the international community supported a solution to the conflict
through talks.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

LESSONS IN LIFE IN THE WILDERNESS
Birmingham Evening Mail, UK
October 4, 2006, Wednesday
Worcs Edition
TV Choice FAMILY BRAT CAMP (C4, 9pm)
IN PREVIOUS series of this programme, troublesome teens were taken to
strict American camps in the middle of nowhere to see if a spell of
roughing it would give them a chance to think about the consequences
of their bad behaviour and instil some much-needed discipline.
Generally, the experiment seemed to work, but some viewers may have
wondered what happened when the youngsters got back to Blighty –
if their home environment hadn’t changed, wouldn’t they simply slip
back into old bad habits?
It shouldn’t be a problem for the brats taking part in the new version
of the show, as this time they aren’t the only ones who’ll be getting
the short, sharp shock treatment – their parents are going along too.
The dysfunctional families are being shipped off to the Idaho desert
to see if living in virtually Stone Age conditions will force the
mums and dads to accept they are at least partly responsible for
their offspring’s out-of-control antics.
But will the harsh regime bring the troubled clans closer together
or simply force them further apart?
In the first episode, both generations find sleeping in the wilderness
a shock to the system.
WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? (BBC1, 9pm)
BARGAIN Hunt presenter David Dickinson may be extremely knowledgeable
about the history of antiques, but it seems he’s less well informed
about his own past.
In the latest edition of this fascinating series, the flamboyant
celebrity goes in search of his roots – a process that’s particularly
poignant for him because he was adopted at birth.
David only discovered this by chance at the age of 11, but his
adoptive parents did tell him the name of his biological mother,
Eugenie Gulessarian, a local woman of Armenian heritage, and it’s
this part of his family tree he wants to concentrate on.
He says: “I think as a little boy, having found out that I came from
this Armenian stock, I’ve always wanted to know more about it. As I
got into my twenties and thirties I did find out more, but eventually
that came to a stop. So I’m hoping that this programme will take me
the full journey.”
It seems he’s achieved his aim when he meets a long-lost relative
who can shed more light on his family, and David also discovers some
surprising similarities between himself and his ancestors.
GRAPHIC: HISTORICAL… David Dickinson explores his heritage.’
BEHAVIOUR PROBLEMS… families head to the Idaho desert in a
back-to-basics attempt to curb their tearaway teenagers’ out-of-control
behaviour – and get the parents to take responsibility.

YOURLIFE: WE LOVE TELLY! – DOCUMENTARY WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?
By Jane Simon
The Mirror, UK
October 4, 2006 Wednesday
3 Star Edition
DAVID DICKINSON BBC1, 9PM
“WHAT can you say when you find out your grandmother was a bit of
a tart?” muses David Dickinson as he trips over one more unexpected
skeleton in his family’s closet.
Adopted as a baby, Dickinson only found out the truth about his
biological parents when he was 11, and his search for his own heritage
uncovers a sentimental side to the jovial Bargain Hunt presenter that
viewers won’t have guessed at.
Although he wrote to his mother, Eugenie Gulessarian for 20 years,
she refused to ever meet him. Tonight, he begins to understand why
and he also discovers that he has more in common with his Armenian
ancestors than he ever imagined, as his quest takes him to Istanbul,
and a house that looks unchanged since the day when his great
grandfather lived in it.

THE MOST EMOTIONAL HUNT OF HIS LIFE
The Herald (Glasgow)
October 4, 2006
David Dickinson is led to Armenia in the search for his natural mother
during tonight’s episode of Who Do You Think You Are? BBC1, 9pm
Who Do You Think You Are?
BBC1, 9pm David Dickinson, the man who found a career in the detritus
of an antiques showroom, is not the product of a meeting between a
Malteser, a road surface and a large steamroller, though his skin
colour might suggest otherwise. He searches for his natural mother in
a complicated but touching story that reveals his links to Armenian
traders.

FAMILY ROOTS IN THE BAZAARS OF ISTANBUL
The Sentinel (Stoke), UK
October 4, 2006 Wednesday
David Dickinson, the only man in Britain to wash his face with Brasso,
goes in search of his roots, the main surprise being that he doesn’t
end up at the foot of a mahogany tree.
Dickinson’s parents, Jim and Joyce, adopted him as a baby, something
he didn’t find out until he was 11. But he confesses he had always
felt different.
His birth mother was an Armenian called Eugenie Gulessarian who had
lived locally. In his 20s, Dickinson tracked her down. Although they
corresponded by letter and talked on the phone, they never actually
met. She died in 1989.
When Dickinson later acquired some photographs of Eugenie, and her
parents, Hrant and Marie-Adelaide, he was struck by how much they
resembled him.
And the similarities didn’t end there. Hrant, like Dickinson, had
been a successful textiles entrepreneur in Manchester, having arrived
from Constantinople in 1904. Remarkably, it turns out Hrant’s home
was only 20 minutes away from his own.
Dickinson admits a fascination for his grandfather. “I have always
felt I had been close to him as a little boy,” he says. “And I
think I feel a lot of understanding for him. I can see the slight
old-fashioned-ness. I can see the slight toughness. It is in me, and
I think I’ve always looked towards him and, as a teenager, I always –
rather silly I suppose – modelled myself on him.”
Dickinson travels to Istanbul to trace Hrant’s ancestors, stumbling
across a story of massacre and persecution.
Towards the end of his visit a gentleman called Hacik Guleser gets
in contact. He turns out to be Dickinson’s third cousin.

DISPLEASURE OVER END OF GEORGIAN CHILDREN STUDY IN RUS SCHOOLS
by Eka Mekhuzla
ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
October 4, 2006 Wednesday 01:12 PM EST
Georgian Education Minister Kakha Lomaya expressed displeasure over
the decision to end the studies of children, Georgian citizens, in
Russian schools belonging to the Russian Defence Ministry in Tbilisi,
Batumi and Akhalkalaki.
Lomaya told reporters that children, Georgian citizens, who attended
schools belonging to the Russian Defence Ministry in Georgia would
go to nearby schools in charge of the Georgian Ministry of Education.
Lomaya also said that teachers, Georgian citizens, who worked in those
Russian schools and who can work there no longer would be employed
in schools of the Georgian Ministry of Education.
>From Wednesday, children of Georgian citizens no longer attend three
Russian schools belonging to the Russian Defence Ministry in Tbilisi,
Batumi and Akhalkalaki, Itar-Tass learned from the Russian troops
group in the Transcaucasia.
Representative of the Russian troops group said such was the decision
of the Russian Defence Ministry. “From now on children of Georgian
citizens should study in other schools in Georgian territory.
This decision has no national connection. It equally applies to all
children of Georgian citizens – Georgian, Russian, Armenian – and of
people of various other nationalities who studied in these schools,
Itar-Tass was told.
The decision may be connected with the gradual decrease of the number
of pupils. Fewer children continue going to these schools with the
stage-by-stage withdrawal of Russian servicemen from Georgia. The
Russian military base at Akhalkalaki will be closed before October 1,
2007. (Heavy equipment and armaments have already been withdrawn from
the base.)
The base at Batumi and the headquarters of the Russian troops group
in Tbilisi will end functioning in 2008. These schools will be closed
upon the Russian servicemen’s withdrawal.
Some 3,000 schools of the Georgian Ministry of Education now function
in Georgia. Most of them are Georgian schools, and there are also
some 100 Russian schools and several hundred Armenian and Azerbaijani
schools.

RUSSIAN DM-RUN SCHOOLS NO LONGER AVAILABLE TO GEORGIAN CITIZENS
by Tengiz Pachkoria
ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
October 4, 2006 Wednesday
Starting from Wednesday children of Georgia’s citizens will
be deprived of the opportunity to study at any of the three
Russian-language schools of Russia’s Defence Ministry in Tbilisi,
Batumi and Akhalkalaki, a source at the headquarters of the group of
Russian troops in Transcaucasia told Itar-Tass.
“That’s the decision made by Russia’s Defence Ministry,” the source
said.
“It is not ethnically motivated. It applies to the children of all
Georgian citizens – Russians, Armenians, Georgians and other ethnic
groups. From now on they will have to attend classes elsewhere,”
the source said.
To a certain extent this decision was prompted by the gradual reduction
in the number of school students, as Russian troops leave Georgia. The
Russian military base in Akhalkalaki will be closed down before
October 1, 2007, and that in Batumi, as well as the Tbilisi-based
headquarters of the group of Russian troops in Transcaucasia will
stop operating during 2008.
After the withdrawal is completed, Russia’s Defence Ministry will
close all schools it runs altogether.
Currently, Georgia has a total of 3,000 schools. Instruction in most
of them is in the official language. Along with Georgian schools,
there are about 100 Russian language ones and several hundreds of
Armenian and Azerbaijani schools.