DUTCH POLITICAL PARTIES SCRAP CANDIDATES WHO DENY WWI MASSACRE OF ARMENIANS WAS GENOCIDE
International Herald Tribune, France
The Associated Press
Sept 27 2006
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands The two largest Dutch political parties
have scrapped ethnic Turkish parliamentary candidates who refuse to
acknowledge the mass killings of Armenians during World War I amounted
to genocide.
The candidates include Ayhan Tonca of the governing Christian Democrat
Party. Tonca is one of the country’s most prominent Muslim politicians
and is chairman of an umbrella organization of Islamic groups known
as CMO.
The Christian Democrats also retracted the candidacy of Osman Elmaci,
and the opposition Labor Party ended the candidacy of Erdinc Sacan.
In their platforms ahead of next month’s election, both parties have
staked out positions on Turkey’s possible entry into the European
Union, a divisive issue around the continent.
The Labor Party has adopted a view shared by others in Europe that
Turkey should be required to recognize the killings as genocide before
it can be allowed to join the EU.
Whether the mass killings of a million or more Armenians in the last
years of the Ottoman Empire nearly a century ago constituted a genocide
has been the subject of academic and political debate.
The Netherlands and most European governments consider it a genocide.
Turkey and many Turkish scholars, and others, vehemently deny the
deaths resulted from systematic slaughter, saying the death toll of
1.5 million is wildly inflated and that both Armenians and Turks were
killed in fighting during the collapse of the Ottoman Empire.
The U.S. government has shied away from using the word “genocide”
to define the killings.
Earlier this month the European Parliament voted for the inclusion
of a clause requiring Turkey “to recognize the Armenian genocide as
a condition for its EU accession.”
Though their parliamentary runs were ended, the three politicians were
not expelled from their parties. None could immediately be reached
for comment Wednesday.
Tonca and Elmaci had initially said they would assent to the Christian
Democrat Party’s official position acknowledging the killings as
genocide, but both later denied they shared that view in an interview
with a Turkish newspaper.
“As a result of an interview in the Turkish paper Sabah, a discussion
took place between the party and Mr. Elmaci and Mr. Tonca,” the
CDA said in a statement. “In this discussion it was determined that
there is a structural difference of opinion over recognition of the
Armenian Genocide.”
It said the men would not be candidates and thanked them for their
services.
Labor’s Sacan had never accepted his party’s position accepting the
genocide as a fact.
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands The two largest Dutch political parties
have scrapped ethnic Turkish parliamentary candidates who refuse to
acknowledge the mass killings of Armenians during World War I amounted
to genocide.
The candidates include Ayhan Tonca of the governing Christian Democrat
Party. Tonca is one of the country’s most prominent Muslim politicians
and is chairman of an umbrella organization of Islamic groups known
as CMO.
The Christian Democrats also retracted the candidacy of Osman Elmaci,
and the opposition Labor Party ended the candidacy of Erdinc Sacan.
In their platforms ahead of next month’s election, both parties have
staked out positions on Turkey’s possible entry into the European
Union, a divisive issue around the continent.
The Labor Party has adopted a view shared by others in Europe that
Turkey should be required to recognize the killings as genocide before
it can be allowed to join the EU.
Whether the mass killings of a million or more Armenians in the last
years of the Ottoman Empire nearly a century ago constituted a genocide
has been the subject of academic and political debate.
The Netherlands and most European governments consider it a genocide.
Turkey and many Turkish scholars, and others, vehemently deny the
deaths resulted from systematic slaughter, saying the death toll of
1.5 million is wildly inflated and that both Armenians and Turks were
killed in fighting during the collapse of the Ottoman Empire.
The U.S. government has shied away from using the word “genocide”
to define the killings.
Earlier this month the European Parliament voted for the inclusion
of a clause requiring Turkey “to recognize the Armenian genocide as
a condition for its EU accession.”
Though their parliamentary runs were ended, the three politicians were
not expelled from their parties. None could immediately be reached
for comment Wednesday.
Tonca and Elmaci had initially said they would assent to the Christian
Democrat Party’s official position acknowledging the killings as
genocide, but both later denied they shared that view in an interview
with a Turkish newspaper.
“As a result of an interview in the Turkish paper Sabah, a discussion
took place between the party and Mr. Elmaci and Mr. Tonca,” the
CDA said in a statement. “In this discussion it was determined that
there is a structural difference of opinion over recognition of the
Armenian Genocide.”
It said the men would not be candidates and thanked them for their
services.
Labor’s Sacan had never accepted his party’s position accepting the
genocide as a fact.

PRESIDENT’S ADVISER: INSTITUTE FOR FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION MUST NOT BECOME A WINDOW FOR IT
Panorama.am
17:26 26/09/06
“A state institute established to combat corruption first of all
must protect the rights of citizens on legal basis and must not
develop into a new window to bolster corruption,” Vahram Nersisiants,
economic adviser of the Armenian president, told reporters today
while presenting the results of an annual meeting of International
Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB) in Singapore.
In his words, the gathering paid special attention to corruption
and its effective administration. The participants underscored the
creation of a database.
Such information should contain specific cases instead of general
impressions, World Bank officials think.
Nersisyants said IMP and WB will draft a paper based on the
considerations of the gathering.
According to a recent WB report, the situation with corruption
deteriorated in Armenia in 2005. The source says that tax
administration has become more corrupt.
Thus, more companies pay bribes while registering or paying
taxes. Corruption is reported as the major impediment in Armenia for
the development of small and mid size businesses.

OWNERS OF ALIENATED HOUSES DEMAND PUBLIC HEARING OF THE BILL
Panorama.am
18:18 26/09/06
People gathered in front of National Assembly demanded public hearings
of the law on alienation of property for public and state needs while
the parliament was discussing it. The extraordinary session was held
at the initiation of the executive. Grigor Harutunyan, secretary
of Justice Block, thinks if the text is not going to be changed
then the title must change into “Law on alienation of property for
team and authority needs.” Hmaiak Hovhannisyan, independent deputy,
also thinks that any oligarch can buy the property which will be
alienated. Justice Minister Davit Harutunyan referred to European
Court practice saying that private physical entities may also buy
the property if there is a “public interest.” He also assured that
the bill envisages “protection mechanisms so that the damage to the
owner will be minimal.” The executive has also included a provision
in the bill upon the suggestion of the United Nations which says
compensation against property must be 10% higher than the market
price instead of previous 5%.
An owner, however, complained that $41850 was paid against 115.6
sq. meter space at 9 Buzand address, which is not enough to buy
another flat. Ms. Knarik said her 6-person family is living on rent
for a year now.

ARMENIAN FOREIGN TRADE RISES 11.5 %
Armenpress
Sept 26 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS: Armenian foreign trade in the
first nine months of this year rose 11.5 percent from a year ago to
$1.911.2 billion.
According to Armenian national statistical committee, the trade,
not counting diamond cutting industry, rose 20 percent to $1.6
billion. Exports made $595.6 million, 3.6 percent down from a year ago,
while imports rose 20 percent to $1.315 million.
It said also exports without cut diamonds rose 2.6 percent,
while import rate was 28.4 percent. Diamond import and export
deducted exports made $ 452.5 million and imports $1.167 million
respectively. The US Dollar exchange rate against Armenian dram
was 435.31.

EUROPEAN SOCIETY CALLS ON EP NOT TO YIELD TO TURKEY’S PRESSURE
PanARMENIAN.Net
27.09.2006 14:16 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The European Civil Society issued a joint statement
on the Armenian Genocide issue within the context of Turkey’s accession
talks. The statement says,
“We, European citizens, follow up with a sustained attention the
Union enlargement process and especially the developments relating
to Turkey’s controversial candidature.
We took note of the report on “Turkey’s progress towards accession”
voted on Monday September 4 by the Committee on Foreign Affairs. We
particularly noticed with delight that the European Parliament
“reiterates its call on Turkey to acknowledge the Armenian genocide,
as called for in the previous European Parliament resolutions of 15
December 2004 and 28 September 2005” and “considers such acknowledgment
to be a precondition for European Union accession”.
We were also informed about threatening pressures exerted on you
by Turkey and the disinformation campaign in order to remove this
mention. As citizens of the Union, we are absolutely indignant that
a foreign power with radically anti-European values can thus alter
the sovereign appreciation formulated by our European representation
on this issue.
This is why we take the liberty of reminding you the following facts:
1. The call for the Armenian genocide acknowledgment as a precondition
by the European Parliament does not constitute at all an additional
requirement towards Turkey. This requirement was clearly formulated
in almost the same wording, less than a year ago, in the resolution on
“opening the negotiations with Turkey”:
“The European Parliament calls on Turkey to recognise the Armenian
genocide; considers this recognition to be a prerequisite for accession
to the European Union” (P6_TA(2005)0350, 28/09/2005); This formulation
is in the political line of those written in the preceding resolutions
of 18 June 1987 and 15 December 2004. To water down or to remove it
would constitute an obvious sign given to Turkey that the European
Parliament is on the point of denying its principles,
2. The fact that such a condition was not formally imposed to
other Candidate States does not constitute an argument proving its
non-admissibility. The application of other States even would not be
taken into consideration. The acknowledgement of its crimes by the
State who perpetrated it is an accession criteria,
3. The calls reiterated by the European Parliament concerning this
issue allowed the beginning of timid debates in Turkey. Weakening
these demands would constitute an objective support to nationalists
who want to eliminate in Turkey some dissident voices on this matter
and to keep Turkey away from our European standards,
4. Turkey, who claims to wish to debate on this question, still has
not answered to the Armenian president proposal which consists in
establishing an intergovernmental commission in order to examine how
to solve all the problems between the two countries and to create
diplomatic relations. On the other hand, Turkey continues to deploy
its denialist strategy in terms of historians committees and opening of
archives in order to extract the genocide question from the political
context of its candidature for the Union,
5. The denial policy of Turkey is not only a permanent offence to our
European values, it is also the mark of an ultranationalist and racial
ideology which constitutes a concrete threat towards our societies
and our children.
Communities throughout Europe which are watching with anxiety the
negotiating process with Turkey will be terribly disappointed seeing
the EP retreat from the very laudable position established by its
Foreign Affairs Committee on such a fundamental principle. We urge
you to come forward with a proud vote upholding the Parliament’s
commitment in this matter.”
Consequently, we urge you to maintain in plenary session the clear
and adequate formulation of the paragraph 49 adopted by the Foreign
Affairs Committee.”

DMITRY FURMAN: KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT PROSPECTS VAGUE
PanARMENIAN.Net
27.09.2006 14:31 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The prospects of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement are the vaguest, irrelevantly of the meetings held at
various levels, said Dmitry Furman, Director of the Institute of Europe
at the Russian Academy of Sciences. In his words, the efficiency of
the talks is not necessarily dependent on the attitude of the sides
towards each other. “There are examples of successful talks between
representatives of the states the population of which experienced a
very negative attitude towards each other, for example the agreements
concluded by Sadat and Begin in Camp David. Nevertheless I think
that nothing can be expected from the Armenian-Azeri talks in the
near future,” he said. At that he remarked that GUAM can appear as a
factor contributing to the resolution of ‘frozen conflicts’. “However,
they can be settled in a faraway future,” Furman said, reported Day.az.

TURKISH BUSINESSMEN HAVE TROUBLE GETTING VISAS TO EU STATES
PanARMENIAN.Net
27.09.2006 14:39 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Istanbul’s Chamber of Industry Chairman Tanil
Kucuk stated there is no problem with the sale of Turkish products in
European Union member countries, but Turkish businessmen are having
problems obtaining visas for these countries.
Speaking at a panel titled “Technical Legislation for European Union:
Adaptation and Implementation,” Kucuk said: “Our products are in
circulation but Turkish businessmen are having problems getting
visas. We cannot understand the attitude of the EU member countries’
consulates. We express our problem at every platform but these
difficulties persist,” reported zaman.com.

OLLI REHN CALLS ON TURKEY TO ESTABLISH NEIGHBOR RELATIONS WITH ARMENIA
PanARMENIAN.Net
27.09.2006 15:02 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ During the discussions of the report on Turkey EU
Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn made the following statement:
“Freedom of expression is indeed a fundamental human right on which
any open society is based, and a foundation for modernization, social
progress and solving conflicts between various social groups.
An open and constructive exchange of views is needed in Turkey,
including the most sensitive issues. This is necessary both for the
democratic process in Turkey and for facing tomorrow’s challenges,
as well as for Turkey’s reconciliation with its neighbors, including
Armenia. Reconciliation is a principle that is both the origin and
the outcome of the European integration project. I therefore urge
Turkey to continue to take concrete steps in this direction.
Freedom of religion is another area where tangible progress is
needed. The Law on Foundations, which is currently debated in the
Turkish Grand National Assembly, should address the shortcomings.
Restrictions applied to non-Muslim religious groups on property rights,
management of foundations and training of the clergy must be lifted,”
reports abhaber.com.

OSCE MG MAY VISIT REGION IN NEAR FUTURE
PanARMENIAN.Net
27.09.2006 15:07 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group on the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement may pay a visit to the region in
the near future, RA MFA Acting Spokesman Vladimir Karapetian told a
PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. In his words, Vartan Oskanian did not rule
out such a possibility in New York.
As PanARMENIAN.Net came to know from the Russian MFA Group on Nagorno
Karabakh, the mediators are in Helsinki at the moment.
To note, Finland presides in the European Union and the mediators
arrived in Helsinki to report on the process of talks in the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict settlement.

NETHERLANDS: TURKISH CANDIDATE REMOVED FROM PARTY LIST FOR ARMENIAN GENOCIDE DENIAL
PanARMENIAN.Net
27.09.2006 15:23 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In the Netherlands, a Turkish candidate for MP
status in the Social Democrat Workers’ Party has been removed from
the party’s candidate list following his refusal to acknowledge the
Armenian Genocide.
Ethnically Turkish Dutch citizen Erdinc Sacan was previously on the
list for the upcoming November 22 elections in the Netherlands,
this after being elected to a leadership position in 2003 in the
Netherlands’ Brabant State. The leader of the Dutch Social Democrat
Workers’ Party commented on the situation, saying “It was a difficult
decision. But there cannot be any ambiguity within our party with
regards to our stance on this question. The fact that Sacan was not
giving his support clearly to the party on this position left us with
no other choice,” reports Hurriyet.com.