DARFUR AT THE CROSSROADS
The Register-Guard, Oregon
Sept 25 2006
There is nothing, absolutely nothing, on the global agenda more urgent
than rescuing the people of Darfur from genocide.
Yet world leaders continue to respond with half measures that seem
almost crafted to ensure that Darfuris will not escape the fate that
has befallen the Armenians, Jews, Cambodians and Rwandans in past
de- cades.
A United Nations panel reported last week that Sudan’s government is
defying U.N. sanctions and is escalating its attacks on the remaining
villages in the sprawling western region of Darfur. Despite an
arms embargo, the Khartoum regime is continuing to provide weapons,
vehicles and other military assistance to the Arab tribal militias
known as the Janjaweed.
Darfur stands at a crossroads, and so far there is no indication the
international community will intervene to halt what President Bush
rightly called genocide in a speech last week to world leaders at
the United Nations.
As many as 400,000 African Muslims have died in Darfur from violence
or disease since 2003, and another 2 million are homeless. Millions
more may die soon unless world leaders take decisive, forceful action
to stop the slaughter.
Several developments last week, including Bush’s appointment of a
special envoy to Sudan, indicate the world hasn’t entirely forgotten
Darfur. But more drastic steps are needed, and without them the promise
that the world will “never again” allow genocide to go unchecked,
a promise imbedded in the United Nations Charter, will once again
go unfulfilled.
Bush has named Andrew Natsios, the former administrator of the
U.S. Agency for International Development, as special envoy to Sudan.
While a higher-profile appointment, such as Colin Powell or James
Baker III, would have helped highlight the importance of the crisis
in Darfur, Natsios has the requisite experience and, hopefully,
the necessary support from the White House to break through the
stalemate that has frustrated efforts to get a U.N. peacekeeping
force into Darfur.
The Security Council has authorized sending 20,000 peacekeepers to
replace an undersized and poorly equipped African Union force. That
group has struggled ineffectively to protect refugees and the dwindling
number of international aid workers that remain in Darfur.
However, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has refused to allow the
peacekeepers to enter Darfur and has even pledged to attack them if
they try. Meanwhile, al-Bashir has ordered African Union troops to
leave by Sept. 30, even though the union has agreed to extend its
mandate through the end of the year.
The clock is ticking. The United States and its allies must do
everything possible to persuade the Sudanese government to allow U.N.
peacekeepers to enter Darfur. If African Union troops remain in the
region, then al-Bashir must allow NATO to provide the additional
support it has promised.
Meanwhile, the Security Council should enact tougher sanctions,
including a travel ban on al-Bashir and other government leaders
and a no-fly zone to prevent government aircraft from assisting
the Janjaweed. U.S. diplomats must lean on China and Russia, which
have resisted international intervention in Darfur, to use their
considerable clout with Khartoum to persuade al-Bashir to admit the
peacekeepers.
Sudan’s Arab neighbors, including Libya and Egypt, must also break
their shameful silence about the genocidal slaughter of Muslims and
add their support for U.N. deployment.
It will take all these measures and more to stop the gears of genocide
from grinding on in Darfur.

EU STEPS UP PRESSURE FOR TURKISH PENAL-CODE REFORM
EurActiv
Sept 25 2006
The EU welcomed the decision to clear a writer of charges, but insists
that Turkey changes its laws to allow greater freedom of expression.
Background:
Cases brought against writers in Turkey gave cause for international
concern about the so-called Turkishness trials. Turkey had dropped
charges against the writer Orhan Pamuk earlier this year, following
strong pressure from the EU. The Commission has asked Turkey to
remove article 301 of the penal code, which served as a basis for
the trials. Issues:
Author Elif Shafak was acquitted of charges on 21 September 2006. The
court said there was no evidence that she insulted “Turkishness”
in her novel. Shafak’s book menioned the mass killing of Armenians
during the Ottoman Empire.
Similar cases of trials have raised concerns over the state of freedom
of speech in Turkey. Shafak stated that the law was used against
people to silence them. The Commission has urged that unjustified
claims be dismissed and to acquit those accused.
Commission spokesperson Krisztina Nagy said that the situation would
be reflected in the regular progress report on Turkey’s EU accession,
to be published on 8 November 2006.
European Parliament sources say that the delay of the report was due to
the unresolved Cyprus issue. The EU Presidency is currently holding
intensive talks with Turkey, Cyprus, Greece and other interested
parties to try to unblock an EU deal to open direct trade with the
Turkish Cypriots and convince Turkey to open its ports and airports
to traffic from Cyprus. Positions:
Commission spokesperson Krisztina Nagy said that “the Commission
welcomes this recent judgement. This is obviously good news.”
However, she insisted that article 301 “continues to pose a significant
threat to freedom of expression in Turkey and to all those who express
a non-violent opinion”.
Dutch MEP Joost Lagendijk said on the issue concerning article 301
“the Turkish government has a majority in parliament. This is an issue
where they could act. If they don’t, it makes it much harder to find
a compromise on Cyprus as well, so this has an influence much wider
than only freedom of speech. It can influence the negotiation process
positively if something happens, and negatively if nothing does.”
British MEP Richard Howitt said that “there are 80 such cases going
on at the moment. Most are opened for political reasons. As long
as the law remains unchanged, these people will be able to carry on
causing mayhem.”
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan made clear that he was ready
to consider amending a controversial article of the penal code:”Let’s
sit down and discuss this. We have to forge a consensus.”
Turkish Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said that the government would
first monitor the implementation of the controversial article 301
before considering changing it. Latest & next steps:
The European Parliament is to debate and vote the Eurlings report
on Turkey’s accession at the next plenary session in Strasbourg
on 26-27 September 2006. The report imposes tough conditions on
Turkey. It emphasises outstanding issues, such as the Cyprus issue,
the controversial article 301, as well as insufficient progress in
the areas of freedom of expression, minority rights, corruption and
violence against women.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CIS SECURITY SERVICES TO HOLD ANTITERROR EXERCISES IN ARMENIA
ITAR-TASS, Russia
Sept 25 2006
MOSCOW, September 25 (Itar-Tass) – Security services of the Collective
Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) countries will be held at the
Armenian nuclear power plant on September 26-29, the CIS Antiterrorist
Centre’s chief Colonel-General Boris Mylnikov said.
He told reporters on Monday that the Atom – Antiterror 2006
operative-strategic exercises would be a drill of planning and
conducting the search “to reveal and destroy sabotage groups that
infiltrated the territory of Armenia and seized a nuclear power plant
in the city of Metsamor”.
Workers of the Armenian National Security Service and the Russian
Federal Security Service’s Special Task Centre will act as “terrorists”
secretly moving in Armenia, Mylnikov said.
He said that antiterrorists divisions of CIS security services would
hold the exercises of this scale for the first time jointly with the
allied headquarters of the CSTO and Armenian army units that are a
part of the CSTO Collective Rapid Deployment Forces.
The Armenian National Security Service and antiterrorist units of the
FSB Special Task Centre will play a main role in the exercises. When
“terrorists” are spotted, the Armenian army’s motorised infantry
battalion of the Collective Rapid Deployment Forces in the
Trans-Caucasus and two companies of special forces will join the
action, Mylnikov said.
Representatives of G8 countries, the antiterrorist division of the
OSCE Secretariat, the counter-terrorist committee of the UN Security
Council, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and the Shanghai Cooperation
Organisation’s Regional Antiterrorist Structure have been invited to
the exercises in a capacity of observers.
“Azerbaijan has refused to participate in the exercises considering
the complex relations with Armenia because of a lack of settlement
of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem,” Mylnikov said.

KLO PRESENTED “NATIONAL PLAFORM FOR REGULATION OF NK CONFLICT”
Author: S.Ilhamgizi
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Sept 25 2006
Karabakh Liberation Organization (KLO) has prepared a document under
title “National plaform for regulation of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
emerger is result of Armenia’s aggression against Azerbaijan”. The
presentation ceremony of the platform was held On September 25,
Trend reports.
Presenting the document, the Chairman of KLO Akif Nagi noted that
this project was approved by the Board and Council of Old People,
and was forwarded to the High Assembly for confirmation.
The National Platform was confirmed at the meeting of the High Council
held om September 24. Nagi stressed that Azerbaijani community
should express a united position on Nagorno-Karabakh and support
this conception.
Nagi spelled out that KLO the occupied Azerbaijani lands can be
released only through military way. “We will present the program to
all social-political organizations and observe what organization will
join us. Each organization should make a choice where to be situated –
with patriot forces or traitors,” Nagi pointed out.
KLO was created on January 28, 2000 to organize a public fight
to release Karabakh from Armenian invadors. KLO brings together
outstanding representatives of intellectuals, refugees and internally
displaced persons, youths, veterans of war, retired officers and
other social layers of population. At present, KLO has 74 departments.
The representatives of KLO function in Turkey, Iran, Russia, Sweden,
Germany, France, Canada, Estonia, Iraq and other countries. KLO
possesses more than 10,000 members.

ARMENIAN LOBBY SLAMS BAKU-KARS RAILWAY PROJECT
By Anadolu News Agency (aa), Washington
Zaman, Turkey
Sept 25 2006
In response to the initiative of the Armenian lobby, the Banking
Committee of the U.S. Senate has accepted a proposal blocking
prospective Washington credit from a railway to be constructed between
Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan, excluding Armenia.
The proposal was drafted by U.S. Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez,
a member of the Armenian lobby.
The proposal was submitted to the general assembly of the senate,
after passing the committee with a unanimous vote. The bill blocks
funds to the Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railway project of American Eximbank.
Armenian institutes in the United States expressed their satisfaction
over the decision of the banking committee.
The Yerevan government and the Armenian lobby in the United States
called the plan an economic embargo against Armenia, referring to
the present railway network in Armenia that will not be used in the
railway project.
The Armenian lobby claims that the project will turn out to be
unnecessary and expensive.”

ANTI-TERRORISM DRILLS AT ARMENIA NPP SET FOR ACTIVE PHASE
Author: À.Mammadov
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Sept 25 2006
(RIA Novosti) – A joint command and staff anti-terrorism exercise at
nuclear power facilities in southwest Armenia will enter its active
phase September 26, military officials said Monday, reports Trend.
The Russian-Armenian exercise, Anti-Terror-2006, which started at a
nuclear plant in the city of Metsamor September 15 and will last until
September 29, aims to practice coordination of law enforcement agencies
in the event of a terrorist attack on vital infrastructure facilities.
“In the second stage of the exercise, the anti-terrorism task groups of
the Armenian and Russian security services will set up a headquarters
to organize and conduct a joint operation to release hostages and
eliminate terrorists at the Metsamor NPP,” said Colonel General Boris
Mylnikov, head of the Anti-Terrorist Center of the Commonwealth of
Independent States, a loose union of 11 former Soviet republics.
He said representatives of the CIS, the United States, France, Germany,
the United Kingdom, Greece, and anti-terrorist committees of the UN
Security Council, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization had been invited to
the exercise as observers.
–Boundary_(ID_ArfnSBXef9RehN0EXYlWTg) —

ARMENIAN PATRIARCH MESROB II: THIS YEAR, I TOO AM FASTING
Hurriyet, Turkey
Sept 25 2006
A variety of religious leaders from within Turkey yesterday gathered
for a large “iftar” meal sponsored by the Sisli Municipality of
Istanbul. Speaking to reporters at the “iftar tent” in Sisli, Armenian
Patriarch in Turkey, Mesrob II, noted “In Christianity, we also have
fasts. This year, I plan to join my fellow believers in the fast.”
Also present at the first “iftar” of this year’s Ramazan were the
Vatican’s representative to Turkey, Georges Marovich, as well as the
leaders of the Suryani congregations in Turkey, Yusuf Sag and Yusuf
Cetin. Markovich for his part commented that the month of Ramazan
was one which “people all over the world prayed contributed to peace”
on earth.

SERGEI IVANOV: RUSSIA WILL NOT ALLOW GUAM PEACEKEEPERS TO CIS CONFLICT ZONES
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Sept 25 2006
Russia will not allow GUAM (Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova)
peacekeepers to the conflict zones in the CIS, Russian Defense Minister
Sergei Ivanov told Greek “Katimerini” newspaper, APA reports.
He said GUAM plans to deploy its peacekeepers not only to Abkhazia
and South Ossetia, but also to Nagorno Garabagh and Transnistria.
“Russia wants to solve current conflicts in political way and therefore
will take adequate actions to prevent this scenario,” the Minister
said.

AZERI, ARMENIAN FMS NOT SCHEDULED TO MEET IN NEW YORK
Author: A.Ismayilova
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Sept 25 2006
The Azerbaijan and Armenian Foreign Ministers are not scheduled to
hold a meeting in New York under a meeting of 61st session of the U
General Assembly, the Press and Information Chief at the Azerbaijani
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tahir Tagizade, told Trend.
After approximately 8 hours [Baku time] the Azerbaijani FM will hold
its next meeting with the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs.
At the same time the Foreign Ministers of the Organization for
democracy and Economic Development – GUAM (Georgia, Ukraine,
Azerbaijan and Moldova), will hold a meting with representatives of
Washington on 25 September 2006. The talks will focus on cooperation
in the implementation of projects of frame program GUAM-U.S. in the
sphere of trade and transport, as well as state of cooperation of
the law-enforcement bodies in fighting with terror and organized crime.
After the meetings in New York, Mammadyarov will leave for Cuba with
an official visit from 28 to 29 September.

EURLINGS HOPEFUL FOR CHANGES TO EP TURKEY REPORT
ABHaber, Belgium
EU-Turkey News Network
Sept 25 2006
European Parliament Rapporteur on Turkey and Dutch MEP Camiel Eurlings
expressed hope over the weekend that a highly criticized move to
include recognition of claims of Armenian genocide as a precondition
to Turkey’s EU membership in the draft report will be withdrawn.
The European Parliament will discuss this week the key report on
Turkey’s European Union accession together with around a hundred
proposals for amendments on contentious issues like the claims of
Armenian genocide, the Cyprus problem and the pope’s recent remark on
Islam. The report is expected to be voted on in the General Assembly
on Wednesday.
A group of Christian Democrat deputies made a last-minute attempt
late Friday to insert a paragraph to the report condemning angry
Muslim reaction to the pope’s remarks, but Eurlings intervened to
avoid a bigger reaction from the Turkish side, which has already
raised several objections to the elements in the draft report.
Eurlings and two other deputies, Italian MEP Antonio Tajani and British
MEP Charles Tannock, suggested an amendment saying that the EP “hopes
the forthcoming visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Turkey will contribute
to strengthening interreligious and intercultural dialogue between
the Christian and Muslim worlds.”
In an interview with Brussels-based web news portal ABHaber.com,
Eurlings expressed regret for the draft report’s misinterpretation
in Turkey and his being perceived as an enemy of Turkey. Eurlings
said that he is hopeful that the last-minute insertion of the claims
of the Armenian genocide claims in the report as a precondition for
Turkey’s EU membership will be taken out.
A considerable number of deputies from the EP’s Socialists and Greens
also raised objection to inclusion of the controversial issue and
demanded change in the wording.
In the interview, Eurlings underlined his firm support to Turkey’s
EU accession and said the draft report also included a perspective
of full membership, not special partnership.
The EP’s draft report levels strong criticisms in a number of issues,
including a slower pace of political reforms, the continuing role of
military in politics, problems faced by non-religious minorities,
Turkey’s reservations to opening its ports to Greek Cypriots, and
demands that Ankara to recognize claims of Armenian genocide and
officially recognize the Greek Cypriot administration.
Turkish officials, in a written memo, briefed MEPs about Turkey’s
efforts in the EU process and raised objections to various elements
mentioned in the report.
Below are excerpts of the draft EP report and objections from the
Turkish side on the two most controversial issues: claims of an
Armenian genocide, and the Cyprus problem.
Claims of Armenian ‘genocide’
– EP report:
Article 50: [The EP] takes note of the proposal by Turkey to
establish a bilateral committee of experts in order to overcome the
tragic experience of the past, and the position of Armenia regarding
that proposal; urges both the Turkish government and the Armenian
government to continue their process of reconciliation leading to a
mutually acceptable proposal; welcomes that, with the recent debates
in Turkey, at least a start has been made with the discussion on the
painful history with Armenia; stresses that, although the recognition
of the [so-called] Armenian genocide as such is formally not one of
the Copenhagen criteria, it is indispensable for a country on the
road to membership to come to terms with and recognize its past;
calls in this respect on the Turkish authorities to facilitate the
work of researchers, intellectuals and academics working on this
question, ensuring them the access to the historical archives and
providing them with all the relevant documents; urges Turkey to
take the necessary steps, without any preconditions, to establish
diplomatic and good neighborly relations with Armenia, to withdraw
the economic blockade and to open the land border at an early date,
in accordance with the resolutions adopted by Parliament between 1987
and 2005, thereby fulfilling the Accession Partnership priorities and
the requirements of the Negotiation Framework on “peaceful settlement
on border disputes” which are both mandatory for EU accession; a
similar position should be adopted for the cases of other minorities
(e.g. the Greeks of Pontos and the Assyrians).
– Turkey’s objection:
Turkey’s foreign policy rests on an overarching principle of developing
good neighborly relations with its neighbors. Armenia does not
represent an exception to this policy. It is, in fact, noteworthy that
Turkey was only second to Lithuania in officially recognizing Armenia’s
independence. (…) Direct flight connections are established between
Istanbul and Yerevan, and seasonally between Antalya and Yerevan,
with a view to facilitate travels of Armenian nationals.
Armenian nationals are welcome to visit Turkey without restrictions.
They are accorded visas valid for 30 days upon their arrival in
Turkey. Over 40,000 Armenian nationals are estimated to reside
in Turkey at any given time, often overstaying their visas, to
seek employment. (..) With an aim to provide fresh impetus for a
rapprochement between Turkey and Armenia, and to help develop an
atmosphere of understanding on a controversial period of our common
history, Turkey has proposed establishing a joint commission of
historians to study the events that took place in 1915. (…) However,
the proceedings geared to boost this proposal have so far not yielded
tangible results due to Armenia’s reluctance to engage with the
process. (…) It is clear that the EP could carry out this moral
undertaking through its leverage to positively influence Armenia. The
European Neighborhood Policy could be employed towards this end.
Cyprus problem
– EP Report:
Article 52: [The EP] expresses its disappointment over the fact that,
in spite of its contractual obligations, Turkey continues to maintain
restrictions against vessels flying the [Greek] Cypriot flag and
vessels approaching from harbors in the [Greek] Republic of Cyprus,
denying them access to Turkish ports, and against [Greek] Cypriot
aircraft, denying them flying rights over Turkey and landing rights
at Turkish airports; reminds Turkey that this practice constitutes
a breach by Turkey of the Association Agreement, the related Customs
Union and the Additional Protocol, as the restrictions infringe the
principle of the free movement of goods; seeks to work with the Turkish
authorities to enable them to comply in full with their obligations in
this respect without seeking to exacerbate domestic political tensions
contrary to the interest of long-term reconciliation for Cyprus;
regrets that Turkey maintains its veto against the participation of
the [Greek] Republic of Cyprus in international organizations and in
multilateral agreements;
– Turkey’s objection:
According to the relevant Turkish legislation, there is no impediment
for the free circulation of products from all EU member states
within the framework of the Turkey-EC Customs Union Agreement. Our
foreign trade figures confirm this fact. There exists a difference of
interpretation between Turkey and the EU as far as the implementation
of the Customs Union is concerned.
At the same time, it should be kept in mind that there exists a
political problem regarding Cyprus, which has been on the agenda of
the UN Security Council for decades. Until this issue is satisfactorily
settled under the UN, we will all have to live with these difficulties
that are actually related to the very problem itself.
Therefore, we believe that Turkey should not be expected to meet
certain deadlines to which it has not bound itself through any mutual
understanding. (…) Turkey has already completed courageous openings
towards the Greek Cypriots. For example, they can freely travel
to Turkey by obtaining entry visas at the border. Bilateral trade
exists. The borders on the island were opened for crossings in 2003.
More unilateral steps will amount to rewarding the “policy of
rejection” of the Greek Cypriot leadership and will help strengthen
the position of the “No” camp in south Cyprus. Is this what the Union
really wants?
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress