BABACAN: TURKEY SHOULD FOCUS ON REFORMS
By Cihan News Agency
Zaman Online, Turkey
Sept 6 2006
Turkey’s Chief E.U. Negotiator Ali Babacan said that it would be
wrong to deduce that Europeans do not want Turkey in the union just
by looking at the report adopted by European parliament foreign
affairs committee.
The strongly worded EP foreign affairs committee report, penned by a
Dutch legislator, harshly criticized Turkey, and called for recognition
of the alleged genocide against Armenians.
The Turkish foreign ministry dismissed the report, saying that it
lacked common sense and smelled of political bias.
Chief Negotiator Babacan has been carrying out talks in The Hague,
Netherlands. On Tuesday Babacan came together with Dutch Economy
Minister Joop Wijn.
“There may be faults in the report, they can be corrected. But
the important thing is that the reforms Turkey adopts are in our
interests,” Babacan told reporters.
Babacan said that Turkey would take reform steps ahead of the release
of the U.N. progress report on Turkey in October.

Dodgers Get Trip Off to a Bad Start
Maddux has a poor outing as L.A. begins a 10-game stretch with a lackluster
6-3 loss to the Brewers, who had dropped 10 in a row.
Los Angeles Times
September 5, 2006
By Steve Henson, Times Staff Writer ([email protected])
MILWAUKEE – Sleepless nights often are followed by disturbing days. So
the Dodgers might have expected their 6-3 loss to the Milwaukee
Brewers on Monday the moment they checked into their hotel shortly
after midnight.
The Armenian Youth Federation was partying hard in the ballroom, and
the din didn’t let up until 5 a.m. They were friendly enough kids,
telling Nomar Garciaparra they missed him in Boston and, oh yeah,
they missed him in Chicago too.
But the discordant music, the whoops and hollers, the tinkling glasses,
this was no way to begin a 10-game, three-city trip during a tight
pennant race.
In case the Dodgers wondered, the throbbing beat they heard through
their walls came from an oud (a string instrument used by ancient
Egyptians) and a dumbeg (an hourglass-shaped drum with a lambskin
head).
The beat went on at Miller Park. The Brewers ended a 10-game losing
streak by pounding Greg Maddux like a dumbeg, scoring three runs in
the fifth inning and two in the sixth.
It marked the third time in his last four starts Maddux (12-12)
has been hit hard.
“They had good at-bats,” he said. “I missed my locations a few times,
but they hit me too.”
One blow was literal. With a runner on second and one out in the
fifth inning with the score tied, 1-1, Maddux stopped Brady Clark’s
comebacker with his leg. The ball rolled only a couple feet in front
of him, but he couldn’t locate it, looking to the back of the mound and
taking a step toward the rosin bag as if he’d mistook it for the ball.
“I just couldn’t find it,” he said. “It’s hard to see sometimes.”
The result was a single that opened the floodgates. Seven of the
next 10 batters had hits, all against Maddux except the finale, a
two-run double by Tony Graffanino in the sixth on a pitch by reliever
Giovanni Carrara.
It was quite an outburst from a team that batted .213 and averaged
fewer than three runs during its 10-game skid.
“Greg got a couple of pitches up and over the middle of the plate,”
Manager Grady Little said. “He’s certainly had better days with
his command.”
Dodgers starters are following poor days with poorer ones. Only
Derek Lowe is pitching consistently well, Chad Billingsley’s next
start was pushed back again because of his strained side, Brad Penny
isn’t getting deep into games and Maddux more closely resembled the
struggling pitcher who posted a 4.69 earned-run average in 22 starts
with the Cubs than the savior who had been 3-0 with a 2.37 ERA in
six starts with the Dodgers.
“If we have to continue going into the bullpen in the sixth inning,
it will be difficult,” Little said. “Our bullpen is deep, but if we
need those guys early on a regular basis, it will catch up with us
in a hurry.”
Carrara, back with the team after being designated for assignment
two weeks ago, replaced Maddux with the bases loaded and the score
4-3. He got two strikes on Graffanino but couldn’t get him out.
The Dodgers’ offense, feisty to that point, withered. Right-hander Dave
Bush (10-10) lasted 7 1/3 innings, and two relievers had no trouble.
The best opportunity came in the sixth. Kenny Lofton led off with
a single, stole his 25th base and scored on a single by J.D. Drew,
who also doubled twice. Jeff Kent hit a ground-rule double and Andre
Ethier walked, loading the bases with one out.
Wilson Betemit struck out, however, and although Russell Martin
singled to bring in Drew, Kent was thrown out at the plate by left
fielder Corey Hart, leaving the Dodgers behind, 4-3.
At least they were able to catch up on their sleep Monday night. The
Armenian Youth Federation checked out after an invigorating breakfast
of basturma (cured Armenian beef), eggs and foule (fava beans).
It wasn’t the first time the Dodgers have shared a hotel with a
boisterous group. About 20 years ago a gospel singers convention
kept them awake in Atlanta, and more than 40 years ago in Milwaukee,
revelers were so loud that several players ducked into a theater
during the day to catch a few winks before the game.
This is no time for fatigue. The Dodgers’ lead over the San Diego
Padres in the National League West shrank to two games, thanks to
the Padres’ 7-5 victory over Colorado.
“If we keep playing this way on this trip,” Little said, “we’ll be
doing everything we can to keep the race close.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ASSAULTED
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Sept 6 2006
Editor-in-chief of the key pro-opposition newspaper “Iravnuk” Ovannes
Galajyan has been assaulted by unidentified persons, APA reports.
Two unknown persons attacked the editor-in-chief in front of his
apartment. Galajyan thinks the attack is related to his professional
activity. He said unknown persons threatened him several days ago.
But he refused to clarify why he became unwelcome for some
persons.

ARMENIAN WOMAN CHEATED AZERBAIJANI
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Sept 6 2006
Resident of Azerbaijani region of Ali Bayramli Shahin Mirzayev held
a press conference related to the local court’s giving his deceased
uncle Adil Babayev’s house to another one, APA reports. Mirzayev
accuses Ali Bayramli court judge Hamid Azizov.
“He registered Armenian woman Sevan Babayan to my uncle’s wife Asha
Mammadova’s house. After some time, she changed her name to Babayeva
Sevan Adil saying that she is my cuisine. She sued us in 2005 and
solved the problem in her favor by the help of Hamid Azimov. The
Court of Appeal annulled Ali Bayramli Court decision and passed a
verdict in our favor on March 31, 2006. But Sevan Babayan appealed
to Supreme Court. Sevan did not attend court hearing, therefore,
the Appeal Court decision remained in power,” he said.
Mirzayev said Azizov and Sevan Babayan do not agree with the court’s
decision and exert pressure on him and demand to leave the house till
September 20. He said he will appeal to President Ilham Aliyev and
Supreme Court judge Ramiz Rzayev.
Hamid Azizov denied the above mentioned.
“Asha Mammadova is an old woman, and I have talked to her. If they
are dissatisfied with my decision, they can appeal to other bodies.
The Supreme Court did not make decision on their favor,” he said.

THE SITTING OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL AFFAIRS, HEALTH CARE AND ENVIRONMENT OF THE NA OF RA
National Assembly of RA, Armenia
Sept 6 2006
At September 5 sitting the NA Standing Committee on Social Affairs,
Health Care and Environment discussed 7 draft laws to be put on the
agendas of the autumn session and the first four-day sittings of the
National Assembly. The Committee debated the draft law on Drugs,
through the second reading procedure, which submitted Mnatsakan
Petrosyan, Chairman of the Committee.
Gagik Avetyan, member of the committee, submitted the draft law On
Blood and Its Donor Components and Blood Transfusion of a Person,
authorized by the MPs Gagik Mkheyan, Gagik Avetyan, SamvelShahgaldyan
and Mnatsakan Petrosyan.
Harutyun Yavryan Board Member, Deputy Head of State Department for
Sport and Physical Education, presented the government the authorized
draft law on Making Amendments to the RA Law on Children’s sport.
Ararat Mahtesyan, First Deputy Head of the Police, presented the
government authorized draft law on Making Amendments and Addenda to
the RA Law on Social Security of Military Servicemen and Their Family
Members. The committee also debated the draft law on Making Addendum to
the RA Law on Social Security of Military Servicemen and Their Family
Members, presented by the MPs of the faction “Ardarutyun” (Justice),
which submitted Grigor Haroutyounyan, secretary of the faction.
Rafik Petrosyan presented the draft law on Pension Security of the
MPs and Social Protection of their Family Members. Besides, the
function of this draft law is envisaged to begin from January 1,
2007. Pension payment is not envisaged to the current MPs.
Gagik Avetyan, presented the MPs’ (“Country of Law” faction) authorized
draft laws on Making Addendum to the RA Law on Labor Payment, on
Making Addendum to the RA Law on Civil Servants, on Making Amendment
to the RA Law on Tax Service and on Making Amendment to the RA Law
on Criminal Executive Service.
The Committee gave a negative conclusion to the draft laws. The
other draft laws, debated in the committee, were endorsed to be put
on the draft agendas of the four-day sittings and big session of the
National Assembly. By the authors’ consent the debates of the 9 draft
laws were postponed for 30 days.
The 2006 September-December schedule of the citizens’ reception by
the committee members of the NA Standing Committee on Social Affairs,
Health Care and Environment was approved at the end of the sitting
by the proposal of Mnatsakan Petrosyan, the Chairman of the Committee.

SYRIA’S GRAND MUFTI: SYRIA COUNTRY OF RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE, PLACE FROM WHICH CHRISTIANITY SPREAD
SANA – Syrian Arab News Agency, Syria
Sept 6 2006
The Grand Mufti of the Republic in Syria Dr. Ahamd Badruddin Hassoun
stressed that Syria id the country of religious tolerance and the
place from which Christianity spread to the world.
The Grand Mufti, during a banquet given in his honor by the Armenian
Apostolic Catholicos Karekin II in Yerevan overnight, said that Syria
was also the country to which the Armenian people immigrated in the
past and found amity and hospitality.
He also conveyed best greetings of President Bashar al-Assad to the
friendly people and government of Armenia, the President and Catholicos
Karekin II in person.
For his part, Catholicos Karekin II highly appreciated the visit by
the Grand Mufti of Syria and the accompanying delegation to Armenia.
Armenia’s Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian who attended the banquet
stressed that the visit of Syria’s Grand Mufti is an expression
of the Arab friendship, particularly the Syrian, and for enhancing
Islamic-Christian dialogue.
Mr. Oskanian said “I lived in Aleppo ( north of Syria) which received
the Armenians in the past…there we led a good life, and we didn’t
feel one day that we were aliens…We also didn’t find any problems
in this hospital country.”
For his part, Professor Philin Hagobian, former Head of the State
Medical University and member of the Armenian Scientific Academy,
voiced gratitude to the Syrian people who received and offered all
available assistance to the Armenians.
Rev. Armash Nalbandian, bishop of the Armenian Apostolic of Damascus,
stressed that Damascus is a sacred land as it is the cradle of the
civilization and religions, expressing high appreciation of the
relations between the two peoples of Syria and Armenia.

PRESS RELEASE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of Australia & New Zealand
10 Macquarie Street
Chatswood NSW 2067
AUSTRALIA
Contact: Laura Artinian
Tel: (02) 9419-8056
Fax: (02) 9904-8446
Email: [email protected]
5 September 2006
COMMUNITY OF SINGAPORE WELCOMES ARCHBISHOP BALIOZIAN
Sydney, Australia – Following his representation of His Holiness
Karekin II Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians at the
VIII World Assembly of Religions for Peace in Kyoto, Japan, Primate
of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Australia and New Zealand,
His Eminence Archbishop Aghan Baliozian stopped over in Singapore
for a two day pastoral visit with the Armenian Community of Singapore.
The Archbishop was greeted at Singapore’s Changi Airport on Wednesday,
30th August by Mr Greg Basmajian, a trustee of the Armenian Apostolic
Church of St Gregory the Illuminator and Mrs Karine Sahagian, a
devoted volunteer of the Church office. A private dinner was held
the same evening to officially welcome the Primate to Singapore.
On Thursday and Friday, the Archbishop received visits from the
local Armenian Community at the Parsonage which provided excellent
opportunity for one-on-one meetings to establish closer acquaintances
and engage with the diverse range of expatriates. On Thursday evening
a dinner was organised with community members at the Park Royal Hotel
in honour of the visit where some dozen or so gathered in the presence
of the Archbishop.
The visit culminated on Friday evening with a prayer service in the
Armenian Church of St Gregory followed by a traditional Armenian dinner
in the Parsonage attended by 30 community members before Archbishop
Baliozian headed for a late flight home the same evening.
Whilst the small Armenian Community of Singapore maintains personal
connections with each other, it is rare opportunities such as this
that forge the Community together as a whole rooted in the spirit of
their heritage.
The Armenian Apostolic Church of St Gregory the Illuminator is
the oldest church in Singapore and is located at 60 Hill Street
Singapore. For information on the Church or the Armenian Community of
Singapore contact the Parsonage office by email [email protected]

ERDOGAN: “THE EP’S REPORT ISN’T BINDING”
Turkish Press
Sept 6 2006
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday said that the importance
of a controversial new European Parliament Foreign Affairs Commission’s
report shouldn’t be overblown, adding that the report wasn’t
binding. After a meeting with his Albanian counterpart Sali Berisha,
Erdogan told a press conference that the EP decisions weren’t binding,
and added, “We’ve never admitted such a thing about the so-called
Armenian genocide, our stance is clear and sharp.
Expecting this to be changed is fantasy. Moreover, the EP debated
this issue before and didn’t recognize any such genocide.” In related
news, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Namik Tan stated that the report
emphasized elements divorced from common sense and objectivity and
that they were expecting this situation to be corrected in a vote
in the full EP at the end of this month. Meanwhile, European Union
Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn’s spokesperson Krisztina Nagy said
that the report would make an important contribution to debates over
Turkey after the vote in the EP’s General Assembly. EU-Turkey Joint
Parliamentary Commission Co-Chair Joost Lagendijk and German Green
Party MP Cem Ozdemir said that the EP report placed a new hurdle in
front of Turkey’s EU bid.

BRUSSELS SEEKS WAYS TO KEEP EU-TURKEY TALKS AFLOAT
ABHaber, Belgium
EU-Turkey News Network
Sept 6 2006
In a bid to keep EU-Turkey talks from derailing completely, Brussels
is considering ways of putting off dealing with the thorny Cyprus
question until after Turkish elections next year.
The Financial Times reports that enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn
is seeking to put the nub of the issue – access to Turkey ports and
airports by Cyprus – before the European Court of Justice.
This would effectively defer the question until next year and after
Turkey has been through its parliamentary elections.
Member states have given Turkey until the end of this year to open
its ports to Cyprus but Ankara has refused to do so until the EU
makes good on a promise to end the isolation of Turkish Cypriots in
the northern part of the island.
The EU insists that the two issues are not linked resulting in a
stalemate which analysts suggest will be almost impossible to get
out of before Turkey’s elections.
The FT quotes a senior commission official as saying “We need a plan
B to limit the damage and avoid a complete suspension of negotiations,
because that would kill the momentum.”
“We have to find ways and means to muddle through until after the
Turkish elections.”
But diplomats quoted by the paper suggest that neither side would be
in favour of the court option with Turkey likely to lose any legal
battle on the issue and Cyprus likely to be unhappy that Ankara would
no longer be under pressure to act this year.
The tone between Brussels and Ankara has considerably hardened in
recent months with the EU feeling that Turkey has slowed down its
reform process and Ankara feeling that the bloc is not serious about
having it as a member.
On Monday (5 September) there was once again a hard exchange of words
after MEPs passed a tough report on Turkey in which they complained
about its lack of progress on human rights and called on Turkey to
recognise the massacre of Armenians in the first world war as genocide.
Responding to the parliament’s report, prime minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan pointed out that it is not binding and said that the parliament
is dreaming if it thinks it would change its stance on the Armenia
issue.
“Our position regarding the so-called Armenian genocide is very clear,
and nobody should expect us to change it.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TURKEY’S GROWING PAIN TOWARDS EU ACCESSION
Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
Sept 6 2006
Emre Ozkan, JTW – Ankara / The Committee on Foreign Affairs of the
European Parliament (EP) approved Turkey Report late on September 4th,
which was prepared by Christian Democrat MEP Camiel Eurlings.
EP, in the report, repeated its call for recognition of so-called
Armenian genocide prior to EU full membership of Turkey. Different
from previous reports, the report claimed that Turkey committed
genocide against Pontus Greeks and Assyrians besides Armenians.
The report also complains that the pace of the reforms slowed in 2005
and the implementation of reforms still remains uneven, underlining
that significant further efforts are required in regard to fundamental
freedoms and human rights, in particular freedom of expression,
women’s rights, religious freedoms, trade union rights and cultural
rights, and the further strengthening of the fight against torture
and ill-treatment.
According to Hurriyet, Eurlings said that the report is positive and
urged Turkey to take steps on the path to democratization.
Eurlings said that he welcomed the report in general. Noting that
the report strongly condemned PKK terrorism, Eurlings said that PKK
terrorism couldn’t be considered legitimate, adding that the report
shows that they will never tolerate terrorism.
On the other hand, the report of the EP which requires Turkey to
recognize the so-called Armenian genocide as well as Pontus and Syrian
genocides was even reacted by European Union circles: “Let’s not
offend Turkey. We are being ridiculous. This report has no balance.”
The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Tuesday said it strongly rejected the
EP report compiled by the Dutch legislator Camiel Eurlings, saying
that it was incompatible with the prestige and gravity of the EP.
Moreover, Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has dismissed
elements of the report adopted on Turkey’s progress towards meeting
the criteria of European Union membership. “The resolutions adopted
by the European Parliament are not binding,” Erdogan said during a
press conference in Ankara. “We have not accepted anything about the
so-called Armenian genocide. Our stance on that issue is obvious.”
Foreign Ministry spokesman Namik Tan said that the controversial
report would not contribute to the improvement of ties between Turkey
and the European Union. “The report lacks commonsense and objectivity.”
Spokesman Tan added that the European lawmakers should act with
consideration and amend the draft report.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the European Parliament
was dreaming if it felt that Turkey would change its position on issues
such as accepting claims that the Ottoman Empire had carried out an
act of genocide against its Armenian population during World War I.
Assos. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Ozcan, Head of European Studies Center of
Ankara based think-tank International Strategic Research Organization
(ISRO), argued that the report is asking for impossible things from
Turkey. “Turkey cannot bring stones from the Moon”, he stated. He
also mentions that how Belgium explains her acts in Congo or France in
Algeria? “If you are going to hold Turkey accountable for acts in its
past, then how will you explain your own past of genocide respectively
in Congo and Algeria and violence in the World War II”, he added. He
emphasized that the report will be amended in the coming meetings.
Stating that he is not happy with the report of Eurlings, Mixed
Parliament Commission Co-chairman Joost Lagendijk also said: “Instead
of encouraging Turkey’s membership, Eurlings has put more provisions.
Turkey will think that the EP will keep demanding new provisions
every year. The report confused me, it does not have a balance.”
The controversial report asks Turkey for recognizing so-called Armenian
genocide as well as Assyrian and Pontus genocides. With this report,
so-called Pontus and Assyrian genocides have entered in an official
EU report for the first time.
The report raises questions on Turkish public opinion about the
objectivity of the EP and EU officials. The report will be voted in
the general session of the EP in Strasbourg, which will take place
between September 25th and 28th.