TURKISH MP SUBMITS BILL ON FRENCH GENOCIDE OF ALGERIAN PEOPLE
Anatolia news agency
18 May 2006
Ankara, 18 May: Mahmut Kocak, a Justice and Development Party (AKP)
parliamentarian, has presented a draft law to Turkish parliamentary
Speaker’s office on Thursday [18 May] on genocide against Algerian
people.
The draft resolution proposes that the acts carried out by French
troops in Algeria shall be accepted as “genocide” and asks that 8
May shall be declared as “commemoration day of Algerian genocide”.
The draft law also proposes that any denial of “this genocide” shall
be considered as a crime.
The draft law describes the inhumane acts which France did in several
Algerian cities on 8 May 1945 as “genocide”.
The draft resolution asks for punishment of individuals who reject
“genocide” in Algeria, with imprisonment terms and fine.
Kocak told a news conference that reciprocity principle was valid
in international relations, stating that the draft resolution was
prepared to “retaliate” [against] French proposal.
He said Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika also had a request
in this direction.
Last week, Motherland Party (Anavatan) parliamentarian Ibrahim
Ozdogan prepared a draft law envisaging three years of imprisonment
for individuals who make claims of Armenian genocide.
The draft requests imprisonment terms up to three years for individuals
who allege (through article, picture or cartoon) that Turks committed
genocide against Armenians.
French parliament ended Thursday’s session on a draft law which
proposes “any denial of Armenian genocide to be considered a crime”
without bringing it to voting.
French parliament sources said that a possible voting on the draft
law would not be held until new legislation term began in October.

GENOCIDE ARMENIEN: RAOULT DENONCE “LA DUPLICITE ELECTORALISTE” DU PS
Agence France Presse
18 mai 2006 jeudi 5:11 PM GMT
Le depute UMP Eric Raoult a denonce jeudi “la duplicite electoraliste
des socialistes” après le non achèvement de la proposition de loi PS
reprimant la negation du genocide armenien.
“Le vrai debat restera a faire dans l’unite”, ajoute M. Raoult dans
un communique, en s’insurgeant contre “un debat tronque”.
Auteur d’une proposition de loi similaire, M. Raoult a accuse le
groupe socialiste de “duplicite electoraliste” pour avoir inscrit dans
la meme niche (seance dont l’ordre du jour est fixe par un groupe)
deux autres textes “de moindre importance”.
Il a decerne en outre “la palme de l’hypocrisie” au numero un du PS
Francois Hollande, qui “arrive 5 minutes avant la fin des travaux,
s’est permis de faire du cinema mediatique sur un sujet qui aurait
pourtant pu faire consensus”.
–Boundary_(ID_vXIRCNW27u+P9glLxZ63Ww )–

GENOCIDE ARMENIEN: L’UEJF DEPLORE UN “DEBAT AVORTE”
Agence France Presse
18 mai 2006 jeudi
L’Union des etudiants juifs de France (UEJF) a deplore “le debat
avorte” a propos de la proposition de loi socialiste visant a
sanctionner la negation du genocide armenien, enterree jeudi par
l’Assemblee nationale.
“Invoquer des possibles consequences politiques ou economiques en
Turquie pour ne pas voter la proposition de loi est une offense a la
memoire du million et demi d’Armeniens genocides en 1915 et a leurs
descendants”, estime l’UEJF dans un communique.
“L’UEJF regrette que l’exigence de verite et le devoir moral ne soient
pas l’ambition première de l’ensemble des responsables politiques de
notre pays” et “espère que le Parlement pourra discuter sereinement
et souverainement de cette proposition de loi”.
“De retour du Rwanda (où elle avait organise un voyage du 14 au
21 fevrier sur la memoire des genocides), l’UEJF a la conviction
renforcee que le dialogue des memoires est une necessite pour la
societe francaise et pour l’ensemble de nos concitoyens”, selon le
president de l’organisation, Benjamin Abtan, cite par le communique.
L’examen, jeudi, de la proposition de loi a l’Assemblee qui avait
commence dans la confusion, a ete interrompu sans etre acheve et
son vote a ete reporte sine die sous les cris de colère de plusieurs
dizaines de partisans de la cause armenienne masses dans les tribunes
du public. La proposition visait a completer par un volet penal la
loi du 29 janvier 2001 par laquelle la France reconnaît le genocide
armenien.
–Boundary_(ID_lvwzFhmuwMEhXu5 PQwcliQ)–

LA COMMUNAUTE ARMENIENNE DE MARSEILLE “OFFENSEE” DENONCE UNE “INJUSTICE”
Agence France Presse
18 mai 2006 jeudi
Les Armeniens de Marseille ont denonce jeudi l’enterrement de la
proposition de loi socialiste reprimant la negation du genocide
armenien comme “une injustice” mais se sont dits prets a “poursuivre
la bataille”.
“Nous nous sentons offenses et nous avons un sentiment d’injustice et
d’impuissance (…) mais nous sommes prets a poursuivre la bataille”
pour faire voter cette proposition de loi, a declare a l’AFP Maxime
Sisvalian, porte-parole du Conseil de coordination des organisations
armeniennes de France (CCAF) a Marseille.
Marseille compte la plus forte communaute armenienne de France,
avec quelque 80.000 personnes.
L’examen, jeudi, de la proposition de loi a l’Assemblee nationale qui
avait commence dans la confusion, a ete interrompu sans etre acheve et
son vote a ete reporte sine die sous les cris de colère de plusieurs
dizaines de partisans de la cause armenienne masses dans les tribunes
du public.
Le CCAF a affirme avoir tente de rencontrer le president de l’Assemblee
nationale Jean-Louis Debre, après la suspension de seance mais ce
dernier “a refuse” de les voir. Le Conseil espère que la proposition de
loi reprimant la negation du genocide sera de nouveau mise a l’ordre
du jour de la chambre. “Cela depend d’une decision de la conference
des presidents”, a precise M. Sisvalian.
De son côte, le conseiller regional PS de Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur
Garo Hovsepian a denonce l’attitude “insultante” du president de
l’Assemblee nationale.
La proposition de loi visait a completer par un volet penal la loi du
29 janvier 2001 par laquelle la France reconnaît le genocide armenien.
Les Armeniens affirment que jusqu’a 1,5 million des leurs ont peri
dans un genocide orchestre par l’empire ottoman (1915-1917). Ankara
soutient que 300.000 Armeniens et au moins autant de Turcs ont ete
tues au cours de troubles suscites par des soulèvements d’Armeniens et
leur ralliement aux armees russes en guerre contre l’empire ottoman,
et lors des deportations qui ont suivi.
–Boundary_(ID_AxfTxO23bLUcsOBphvsDYg)–

TURKISH LEGISLATOR PROPOSES BILL THAT SAYS FRENCH COMMITTED GENOCIDE IN ALGERIA
AP Worldstream
May 18, 2006
A legislator from Turkey’s ruling party on Thursday proposed a bill
that would make it a crime to deny that France committed genocide
against Algerians.
The proposal was a tit-for-tat move, and the latest expression of
Turkey’s disapproval of NATO ally France, whose parliament on Thursday
postponed voting on a similar bill that would make it a crime to deny
that Turks committed genocide against Armenians around the time of
World War I.
Mahmut Kocak, a legislator from Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development
Party representing the city of Afyon, said his proposal included making
May 8 of every year “The Genocide Carried out against the Algerians”
day. Under Kocak’s proposed law, anyone who denied that the French
committed genocide against the Algerians could be put in jail and
fined up to 100,000 Turkish lira (about US$70,000).
Turkey’s government has argued that designations of genocide should
be debated by historians, and not legislated by politicians.
Nonetheless, several countries, including France, have passed
resolutions recognizing the killings of as many as 1.5 million
Armenians in Turkey as genocide.
The bill in the French parliament would have taken recognition one step
further, however, by making it a crime to say Turks did not commit
genocide, similar to a French law that makes it a crime to deny that
Nazi Germans committed genocide against the Jews during World War II.
Turkey vehemently denies that it committed genocide against Armenians,
saying many were killed as the Ottoman Empire fell but it was not
part of an organized genocidal campaign.
The Turkish legislator’s remark was aimed to hit a sore spot in
French history.
Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika recently said French
colonization was a form of genocide for Algeria’s culture and
traditions, prompting the French foreign minister to warn him that
“this type of term should never be overused.

ARMENIAN CHURCH CONDEMNS THE DA VINCI CODE
Interfax, Russia
May 18 2006
Yerevan, May 18, Interfax – The Armenian Apostolic Church condemns
the novel Da Vinci Code by U.S. writer Dan Brown and the film based
on the book, which was first shown in Armenia on Thursday, said the
press service of the Armenian Church center in Echmiadzin.
“The film contains false information that contradicts the Holy
Scripture,” the service told Interfax on Thursday.
The movie has set off protests among Christians around the world.

FINAL AND MOVING-UP EXAMS TO START THIS YEAR IN SCHOOLS OF ARMENIA ON JUNE 12
Noyan Tapan
May 18 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 18, NOYAN TAPAN. The academic year will end in
institutions of comprehensive education of Armenia on June 10. Final
and moving-up exams will be held in the 3rd, 8th and 10th forms of 1362
schools of the country from June 12 to June 28. As Narine Hovhannisian,
the Chief of the RA Education and Culture Ministry’s Comprehensive
Education Department informed the Noyan Tapan correspondent, 3rd form
pupils will take the Armenian language exam on June 13, and the exam
on Mathematics on June 15. 8th form pupils will take three exams:
Mathematics (written) on June 13, the Armenian Language (reproduction)
on June 16, foreign language (Russian, English, French, German, Persian
or Spanish by pupil’s choice, orally) on June 19. The reproduction
theme of the Armenian language and the task for Mathematics will
be stated by radio, a half an hour before the exam. The examination
works of the 8th form pupils will be estimated by 5-points system. 47
thousand 10th form students of Armenia will take 6 exams 3 of which,
the Armenian language (on June 12), Mathematics (on June 15) and
Natural Sciences (on June 21) in written form. The exam on Natural
Science, Physics, Chemistry or Biology, will be held by pupil’s choice.
The task for the Armenian Language will be sent by the Ministry for
each of pupils in a separate envelope to schools, and the task for
Mathematics will be announced by radio. The exam on Biology will be
held by question card formed by the Ministry. School leavers will take
oral exams on the Armenian Literature, Armenian People’s History,
Physical Education and foreign language, English, Russian, French,
German, Spanish or Persian (by pupil’s choice) at school during the
period of time from June 12 to June 28, by the schedule fixed by the
pedagogical council. Written exams will be estimated by 20-points,
and oral ones by 5-points system. 8th and 10th form pupils will
take the exam on Physical Education at least 5 days earlier before
starting exams on other comprehensive subjects. 8th form pupils of
schools with deep teaching of Russia will also take all the exams
fixed by the Ministry, added Russian reproduction.
10th form pupils of same schools will also take all the exams fixed
for school-leavers, added exams on Russian dictation and Russian
Literature.

FRANCE DISCUSSES CONTROVERSIAL BILL ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Euronews.net, France
May 18 2006
Voting on a controversial bill to punish anyone denying the Armenian
genocide has been postponed in the French parliament. While the speaker
said talks were delayed due to a lack of time, pro-Armenian protestors
outside parliament were angered, accusing Turkey of mounting pressure
on France.
The conservative government has said it will not support the bill after
Turkish officials warned Paris of “irreparable damage” to bilateral
relations if it passed the law. Earlier this month, Ankara recalled
its ambassador to France and a leading deputy warned of a boycott of
French goods.
Under the bill put forward by the opposition socialists, anyone
denying the Armenian genocide could be jailed for up to five years
and face a hefty fine.
Turkey denies claims that 1.5 million Armenians died in a genocide
orchestrated by Ottoman forces during World War One. Turkish
authorities claim they were victims of partisan fighting that claimed
even more Turkish lives. The debate is a thorny issue in France which
is home to around half a million Armenians.
The inauguration of a memorial to commemorate the victims of the
genocide in the city of Lyon earlier this year sparked protests by
Turkish negationists who deny it ever happened. Turkey’s continued
denial of the genocide remains one of the main obstacles to its entry
into the European Union.
for video, go to
_info&article=359638&lng=1#
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

OPPOSITION TO BOYCOTT ELECTION OF NEW ARMENIAN SPEAKER
Radio Free Europe, Czech Rep.
May 18 2006
Armenia’s two main opposition groups said on Thursday that they will
boycott the upcoming election of the new speaker and the chairmen
of two standing committees of parliament, dismissing it as an
“illegitimate” body.
The Artarutyun alliance and the National Unity Party (AMK) said the
move is in line with their three-year politically motivated boycott
of most parliament sessions. Both opposition forces had refused to
participate in the formation of the National Assembly’s leadership
following the disputed parliamentary election in May 2003.
“The elections of the National Assembly took place [in May 2003] with
serious violations and did not correspond to the people’s choice,” an
Artarutyun spokeswoman said after a meeting of the bloc’s governing
council. “Therefore, the Artarutyun alliance is not going to take
part in those intra-government games.”
“We will only take part in debates and express our position,” clarified
Victor Dallakian, a senior Artarutyun lawmaker.
“We have neither a desire nor an intention to join the coalition
games,” Aghasi Arshakian, a parliament deputy from the AMK, told
RFE/RL.
The Armenian parliament will have to pick a new leader after
its outgoing speaker, Artur Baghdasarian, formally ceases to
perform his duties at the end of this month. The chairmen of the
parliament committees on security and social affairs affiliated with
Baghdasarian’s Orinats Yerkir party have also stepped down as a result
of the party’s withdrawal from the governing coalition.
The vacant posts will likely go to two other pro-establishment parties
that remain represented in President Robert Kocharian’s government. The
opposition minority in the National Assembly does not have enough
seats to seriously affect results of the planned parliament vote.
Artarutyun’s decision to boycott the process was not unanimous,
with at least one of its leaders, Arshak Sadoyan, insisting that the
opposition should field a candidate for the post of speaker.
In a related development, opposition leaders denied a newspaper
report that Baghdasarian, who now claims to be in opposition to
Kocharian, has asked them to relinquish their parliament seats in
protest against the ruling regime. Dallakian said he is against the
idea in the first place.
“It is those deputies who got their mandates by illegal means who must
hand in mandates,” he said. “The Artarutyun deputies rightly earned
their mandates, and if the elections had not been rigged Artarutyun
would have had a majority in parliament.”
Another leader of the bloc, Vazgen Manukian, did not rule out the
possibility of the opposition’s cooperation with Orinats Yerkir. “For
all its shortcomings and its participation in many bad things, there
are people in that party with whom we can cooperate,” he told RFE/RL.

GENOCIDE ARMENIEN: LAGARDE (UDF) ET BLAZY (PS) S’EN PRENNENT A DEBRE
Agence France Presse
18 mai 2006 jeudi
Les deputes Jean-Christophe Lagarde (UDF) et Jean-Pierre Blazy (PS)
ont vilipende jeudi le president de l’Assemblee nationale Jean-Louis
Debre sur l’inachèvement de la proposition de loi PS sur le genocide
armenien.
– Jean-Christophe Lagarde (UDF): “Une fois de plus, les Francais
d’origine armenienne ont ete trahis par un concours d’hypocrisie
du PS et du gouvernement qui ont tout fait pour faire traîner les
debats afin que les discussions soient bâclees et traitees au sein
de l’Assemblee nationale comme un sujet mineur. Qui plus est, sur
ordre du gouvernement, le president de l’Assemblee nationale, cense
defendre les droits du Parlement, voyant qu’une ecrasante majorite
des parlementaires presents etaient prets a voter le texte, a decide
de lever la seance sans proceder au vote, baillonnant les deputes.
Quand on est depute, on ne peut qu’avoir honte d’un tel coup de
force”. (communique)
– Jean-Pierre Blazy (PS): “Trahissant sa promesse, le president
Debre a arbitrairement leve la seance sitôt la discussion generale
terminee, sans passer au vote, vote qui n’aurait pourtant pris que
quelques minutes. En verite,le president a leve la seance pour
empecher que cette proposition soit adoptee alors qu’il y avait
alors dans l’hemicycle, a droite comme a gauche, une majorite pour la
voter. Arguant fallacieusement du respect de l’ordre du jour, il s’est
en realite servi de sa position pour faire prevaloir l’opposition a
ce texte de l’Elysee comme du gouvernement”. M. Debre “a trompe les
deputes. Il a ce faisant deconsidere le Parlement”. (communique)
–Boundary_(ID_MYF4xNSaW/7WHAhPTfrQy w)–