TURKISH CIVIL GROUPS SPEARHEAD FRENCH BOYCOTT CAMPAIGN
New Anatolian, Turkey
May 4 2006
A Turkish civil group began to boycott French products and services
in Turkey yesterday in a move to encourage rejection of a bill
prescribing prison terms and fines for people who question Armenian
genocide claims.
The boycott was launched ahead of the French Parliament gathering on
May 18 to debate the bill, which calls for prison terms of up to one
year and fines of up to 45,000 euros for deniers of the so-called
Armenian genocide.
With its slogan, “It’s time to move,” the group aims to
raise public awareness in Turkey through their Internet site
(). The campaign comes just ahead
of France’s critical decision, which, according to political analysts,
would undermine reconciliation efforts between Turks and Armenians,
the normalization of relations between the two countries and further
damage relations between Turkey and France.
According to the group, the ailing French economy was hurt even
more when the government was forced to withdraw the proposed labor
bill as a result of a month-long protest by French youth to block
the implementation of the bill. Underlining that a Turkish boycott
will further damage the French economy in its fragile condition,
the group also seeks to spark reaction and criticism by the French
public against the Armenian bill.
Apart from winning public support, the civil society group also
seeks to gain the support of the Turkish government and Parliament
for the boycott.
French goods and services and companies that are being targeted by the
boycott include, among others, Total, Elf, Carrefour, Gima, Dia Endi,
ChampionSA, Air France, BIC, Sheaffer, Danone, Evian, Tefal, Michelin,
Uniroyal, Renault, Peugeot, Citroen, AXA, Peugot, Lacoste, Givenchy,
L’Oreal, Studio Line, Lancome, Clarins, Bledina, Mellin, Majorette,
Biotherm, Christian Dior, Drakkar Noir, Fahrenheit, Alcatel, Lafarge,
Societe General Bank, Servier, Fournier, Guerbet, and Pierre Fabre.
Economic relations and cooperation between Turkey and France have
quickly reached a significant level, especially after Turkey’s
accession to the Customs Union. Turkey is France’s sixth-largest
export market, and sectoral performance analysts say that the French
has played an important role in development and growth of the Turkish
economy.
Armenian organizations in France announced last week that a bill
stipulating prison sentences for Armenian genocide deniers would
be brought for debate to the floor of the French Parliament by the
Socialist Party (PS). Later last week, the bill won the support of 100
government deputies, which increased the chances of the Parliament’s
approval of the bill.
The Armenian diaspora accuses the Ottoman Empire of deliberately
massacring up to 1.5 million Armenians between 1915 and 1919. Turkey
stresses that these figures are inflated and says that far fewer
Armenians died, due to civil unrest under the conditions of World War
I and the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Turkey also claims that
during the ethnic conflict, thousands of Turks were also killed by
Armenian militants.
Ankara rejects France’s ‘double standards’
Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Namik Tan stated yesterday that
it is impossible for Turkey to accept France’s contradictory manner
and double standards towards Turkey, underlining that approval of the
Armenian bill would wreak irreversible damage in Turkish-French ties.
Tan called on French officials to show common sense regarding the
controversial Armenian issue, just as they have towards their own
history.
Other initiatives to block Armenian bill
Other members of the Turkish civil society have also launched a
campaign to convince French deputies that it would be an enormous
mistake to pass the Armenian bill.
Representatives of Turkish businessmen, scholars and parliamentarians
will visit Paris in the coming weeks to convey messages from the
Turks to their French counterparts.
Turkish diplomats told The New Anatolian that if the French Parliament
passes the bill it would be a much more serious decision against Turkey
than the Parliament’s recognition of the Armenian genocide claims in
2001. They said that Ankara is considering taking a tougher stance
than it did in 2001, and that among several other, tougher options,
it could withdraw the Turkish ambassador to France.
Turkish Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc sent a letter to his
French counterpart on Monday asking him not to take sides in the
controversial matter of the Armenian genocide. Underlining that
judging history should be left to historians, not Parliaments,
Arinc said that the French bill, which stipulates punishment for
those who deny the Armenian genocide claims, is both anti-freedom of
expression and anti-freedom of thought. He referred to the leading
role played by France in the implementation of basic human rights in
the international arena.

GEORGIA TO TAKE PART IN ARMENIAN PLANE CRASH PROBE
ITAR-TASS, Russia
May 4 2006
TBILISI, May 4 (Itar-Tass) – Investigators from the Armenian Prosecutor
General’s Office agreed to participation of Georgian specialists
in the probe into the Airbus A-320 crash near Sochi, head of the
Gruzavianavigatsiya company Georgy Karbelashvili told.
The Georgian aviation service offered “cooperation to the group of
investigators from the Armenian Prosecutor General’s Office in the
plane crash probe, and received support in this issue,” Karbelashvili
said.
He said Georgia “will hand over all the available materials to the
investigation commission – the radiogram of the A-320 flight, the audio
recording of talks between the Georgian air traffic controller and
the plane crew and other materials necessary for the investigation.”
The head of Gruzavianavigatsiya met with the Armenian investigators
in Tbilisi earlier on Thursday.
There were 113 people on board the plane that met with an accident
on the approach to Sochi on May 3. As of now, 53 bodies have been
identified, including those of a crewmember and an airhostess.
According to the information of the Russian Foreign Ministry, 26
victims had Russian citizenship. There was a Ukrainian woman and a
Georgian man among the passengers, spokeswoman for the prosecutor’s
office of the Krasnodar territory Yulia Vlasova told Tass, which was
confirmed by the Ukrainian and Georgian embassies in Moscow.

JUST A FEW NAIVE QUESTIONS ON THE ‘ARMENIAN GENOCIDE’
Cem Oguz
New Anatolian, Turkey
May 4 2006
At a symposium held in Kayseri recently Turkish Armenians’ Patriarch
Mesrob Mutafyan II wisely argued that it’s unethical for both Armenians
and Turks “to ignore each other’s responsibility or completely put it
on the other side although responsibilities weren’t equal in the brutal
consequence.” He then criticized the great powers of the time, ranging
from France to the U.S., since they bore a responsibility as well.
What might be the responsibility of the great powers that the patriarch
touched upon? And what is its relevance today?
During his visit to Ankara two weeks ago, Polish Foreign Minister
Stefan Meller, in response to Turkish criticism regarding the Polish
Parliament’s recognition of the so-called Armenian genocide, said that
the decision neither has a binding impact on his country’s foreign
policy nor reflects the view of his government. Supposedly the decision
wasn’t one taken against Turkey. Since a number Polish citizens
with Armenian roots have carried out significant duties in Poland,
the Polish Parliament considered the decision moral compensation for
Armenian suffering and pain stemming from the 1915 tragedy.
The foreign minister’s statement begs one simple question: Is the
Polish Parliament’s decision indeed so apolitical?
Just as was the case when the U.S. public TV network PBS a short
while ago aired a controversial documentary on the so-called Armenian
genocide but gave little opportunity for scholars supporting the
Turkish thesis to have a say, every defensive attempt by Turks are
zealously blocked by Armenian diaspora organizations.
If our Armenian friends are so sure that our arguments are baseless
why are they so hesitant about giving us a chance to fall flat on
our faces?
A memorial in Lyon, France honoring those killed in the so-called
Armenian genocide was vandalized just a week before it was to be
unveiled, which, as The New Anatolian’s Nazlan Ertan two days ago
wrote, has created a fertile atmosphere for the new law that would
punish genocide deniers with time in prison.
Who might the vandals be? Some men with moustaches, as some circles
are trying to portray, or teenagers being paid in a dark alley by a
guy in a suit?
As of today the number of U.S. states that have passed resolutions
supporting the Armenian allegations has reached 36 in total.
Why then are we heartened on April 24 every year to see that the U.S.
president, whoever he is at the time, has avoided using the term
“genocide” in his message to Armenia and the Armenian Americans? Are
these resolutions passed by U.S. states, on the other hand,
just like the controversial movie “Midnight Express,” a sign of
anti-Turkishness? As our U.S. friends do about “The Valley of Wolves
Iraq,” shall we complain about it as well?
George W. Bush, in his presidential message this year, interestingly
expressed his willingness to strengthen Armenia’s inclusion in the
Euro-Atlantic family.
Doesn’t the U.S. president or other Western leaders realize that
the biased Western stance towards the Armenian claims, in turn,
is accelerating the Turkish people’s alienation from the West?
TNA recently published a striking news story entitled “New measures
to fight Armenian claims.” Due to the fait accompli of the Armenian
diaspora, a high-level and unnamed Turkish source ironically asserted
that sometimes even the foreign ministries of some countries find out,
much to their “surprise,” that their parliament took a decision on
the matter. Supposedly Venezuela was a good example. Its Foreign
Ministry officials discovered that a resolution supporting the
Armenian allegations was passed in their Parliament only after it
was condemned by Turkish diplomats. The way these resolutions are
passed is also worth considering. In several cases previously such
drafts were brought to Parliaments during late evening sessions when
the number of deputies present was very few indeed.
This leaves us scratching our heads, wondering why the Turkish
diplomats in Venezuela didn’t inform their colleagues before the law
was passed. Or are such arguments merely another reflection of our
diplomats’ professional kindness?
Last, but not least, why doesn’t Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc,
instead of making speculative speeches that further divide the public,
convene Parliament on his own initiative to formulate a national
declaration, to be signed by all political parties in and outside
Parliament, reaffirming that the Armenian allegations are unacceptable
and Turkey is ready to pay the consequences of its alleged “denial”
whatever they are? Why do opposition parties, in turn, make this
national cause simply another matter of domestic polemics and populism
despite the fact that they’re equally responsible?
Can nobody see that the Turkish people won’t forgive those who are
trying to attribute a grave moral flaw to them?
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RUSSIA’S MILITARY PULLS OUT WITH NO FUSS
Kommersant, Russia
May 4 2006
Pulling out Russia’s military of Akhalkalaki base, Georgia, commenced
yesterday, May 3, 2006. Despite the general agitation, the Armenian
locals didn’t step in to oppose the withdrawal.
The military of Russia and the authorities of Georgia were getting
ready for withdrawal of defense weapons and equipment from the 62nd
military base in Akhalkalaki as if it were some comprehensive military
operation. The locals of Akhalkalaki, predominately the Armenians,
staged rallies past week claiming the withdrawal would mean the loss
of jobs for them. A few feared the threat of the Turkish expansion
might increase once Russia’s soldiers leave the region.
A special police squad of Georgian Interior Ministry arrived in
Akhalkalaki at night to Wednesday to break up the crowd should it
attempt to block the base and oppose the withdrawal. But the rally
gathered just a few dozens of locals. The protesters independently
decided to disperse, as the machinery slated for withdrawal on May 3,
left the base at 4:00 a.m. The Armenians also said they wouldn’t hold
rallies on the day of mourning – an Armenian airliner crashed into
the Black Sea May 3.

TURKEY WARNS FRANCE OVER BILL ON SO-CALLED ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Hurriyet, Turkey
May 4 2006
France was warned by Turkey on Wednesday that bilateral ties could
suffer if the French Parliament adopts a bill that would criminalize
any denial that Armenians massacred during World War I were victims
of genocide.”In our meetings (with French officials), we stress that
adoption of the bill could lead to irreparable damage in long-standing
Turkish-French ties and that this should not be allowed,” Foreign
Ministry spokesman Namik Tan told a news conference here.
Tan said Ankara is doing everything it can to block the bill, adding
that the French government is doing the same.
The bill, expected to be voted on later this month, provides for one
year’s imprisonment and a $57,000 fine for denying Armenians were
victims of genocide, Turkish press reports said.
If adopted, it will follow a 2001 French decision that infuriated
Turkey by acknowledging that the mass killings in the dying days of
the Ottoman Empire amounted to genocide.
Armenians claim up to 1.5 million of their kin were slaughtered in
orchestrated killings between 1915 and 1917 by Turks, as the Ottoman
Empire was falling apart.
Turkey categorically rejects the claims, saying 300,000 Armenians
and at least as many Turks died in civil strife.

ISLAMIC CONFERENCE COUNTRIES INTEND TO SUSPEND RELATIONS WITH ARMENIA
ArmRadio.am
05.05.2006 14:53
“Islamic Conference countries intend to suspend relations with
Armenia, Freign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mamedyarov said, Azeri
media report.
According to him, in June Foreign Ministers of the Organization of
Islamic Conference countries will hold a sitting in Baku, during which
it expected to adopt a statement on complete suspension of relations
with Armenia as an “aggressor country.”
“The text of the statement is already being worked out,” the Azeri
diplomat said.
To remind, Armenia is in no way related to this organization, and
suspension of relations with us is a complete nonsense. It needs to
be mentioned also that Azerbaijan had already raised the question in
the past, but the Islamic Republic of Iran protested against this.

BUSH, ALIYEV PRAISE OUTCOME OF TALKS
AzerNews Weekly, Azerbaijan
May 4 2006
US and Azeri leaders George Bush and Ilham Aliyev praised the outcome
of their meeting at the White House on Friday, saying they concur on
a number of key issues, including Iran and global energy security.
The United States reaffirmed that Azerbaijan is its important and
strategic partner in the region. “We highly appreciate Azerbaijan’s
involvement in the anti-terror coalition,” Bush said following
a 45-minute meeting with Aliyev. Bush expressed his appreciation
to Aliyev for the support in the Iraq war and for help in achieving
“what we all want, which is energy security.” He said the country had a
“very important role to play” in meeting the world’s energy needs.
Bush described Azerbaijan as “a modern Muslim country that is able
to provide for its citizens and understands that democracy is the
wave of the future.” The two presidents also discussed the crisis
over Iran’s nuclear program. Bush said the sides agreed that the
problem must be resolved through diplomatic channels. “Obviously we
talked about Iran and I assured the president of my desire to solve
this problem diplomatically and peacefully.” Bush said, however,
that options were still open to settle the issue, including the use
of force, but he did not elaborate. Aliyev, speaking in English, said
Azerbaijan’s stance coincides with that of Washington on all issues.
“Just like the US, Baku supports a peaceful settlement of the Upper
(Nagorno) Garabagh conflict [with Armenia] and other problems, as well
as the establishment of peace in the region. “We have agreed on the
need to expand and strengthen the strategic cooperation between our
countries.” Aliyev spoke highly of the US support in the development
of Azerbaijan’s energy resources. “We appreciate the US leadership’s
support in strengthening regional security, i.e. establishing a
reliable transport infrastructure enabling to take the entire bulk
of Caspian oil and gas to world markets.” The Azeri leader told a
news briefing after the talks that the military cooperation between
U.S. and Azerbaijan is “profound and firm”. Both countries intend to
continue cooperating in this field, he said.
Asked if he took on any commitments during his meeting with Bush,
President Aliyev said he “did not come to Washington to do that”. “I
came as a full-fledged partner and a friend,” he said. Stance on Iran
President Aliyev made it clear that Azerbaijani territory could not be
used for a possible US attack on neighboring Iran. “Azerbaijan and Iran
have signed an agreement banning the use of each other’s territories
for third country attacks. We try to honor all the agreements we have
reached,” Aliyev said addressing the Council on Foreign Relations as
he opened his visit to the U.S. last Wednesday.
Some experts said earlier the Bush administration was likely to
focus on efforts to draw Azerbaijan into an international coalition
against Iran over what the West describes as Tehran’s ambition to
develop a nuclear weapon. The president issued a harsh response to
a question concerning US-Iran tensions, saying his country would
not be used by those trying to engage in confrontation. “Azerbaijan
is not a suitable venue for the realization of such objectives.” A
representative of the International Crisis Group, an organization
engaged in conflict prevention worldwide, said it is beyond doubt that
one of the reasons President Aliyev had been invited to the White
House had to do with Iran’s nuclear ambitions. The project director
on South Caucasus, Sabine Frasier, said that if the US is trying to
gain long-term Azeri support for its policy on Iran and the entire
region, the best alternative would be for Washington to ensure a
peaceful settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. “So long as
the conflict remains unresolved, Azerbaijan will not be interested in
spoiling its developing relations with Iran. And the other way round,
if Azerbaijan decides to use military action in Upper Garabagh, which
is located near Iran’s border in the north, this could compromise US
energy and security interests and lead to a halt of foreign investment
in the Azerbaijani economy. “The US should be interested in conflict
resolution, as the territory hosting the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil
export pipeline, as well as the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline,
both considered an important element of Western energy security, is 30
miles away from the conflict zone,” Frasier said. While commenting on
the visit outcomes, the head of the international relations department
of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration, Novruz Mammadov,
said the visit had opened up a new page in the history of bilateral
relations. Mammadov told state-owned Azerbaijan television that the
negotiations would have a soothing impact on bilateral relations
because the visit has helped elevate all spheres of cooperation
to a completely new strategic level. Now Azerbaijan, as a regional
leader, will demonstrate its role and significance in the developments
unfolding in Eurasia, Mammadov added.

SHUSHI, SAN DIEGO AND ETHNOGRAPHY
Lragir.am
5 May 06
Shushi is not ignored by the Armenia Fund, we simply have to have a
clear perception, Naira Melkumyan, Executive Director of the Fund,
said May 5. While we will be trying to perceive, there will remain
nothing in Shushi that can be perceived, for the town is ruined, and
the population is quickly dropping instead of growing. Nevertheless,
it is interesting to know what needs to be perceived. It turns out
that there is little to perceive.
“Shushi is not the case when we must implement separate programs
there. A long-term policy, an urbanist program must be worked out,
because Shushi is a town, it does not have agricultural potential,
and we need to find peculiar solutions there. There are cities,
such as San Diego, for instance, if I am not mistaken, which have
ethnographic elements,” says Naira Melkumyan. She says they have
been seeking for such interesting solutions for over two years,
and Diasporan specialists on urban development have been involved.
“We must carry out a complex policy. A policy which is not developing
a town or a district but it drags the entire region, if I can say
so. I think the development of Shushi also needs the support of
private business,” says the executive director of Armenia Fund.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

A1+ DEPENDS ON AUTHORITIES
Lragir.am
5 May 06
Jean Louis Laurent, CoE Political Director, speaking about the benefits
of Armenia’s membership to the CoE and fulfilment of undertaken
commitments, he noticed that Armenia has freedom of speech problems,
particularly, in the areas of regulatory agencies and licensing. Jean
Louis Laurent specified that he meant the question of the TV company
A1+, and emphasized the importance of commitment of the authorities
to prevention of political interventions of regulatory agencies.

NOT TO REACH STRASBOURG TRIBUNAL
Lragir.am
5 May 06
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe Terry Davis finds that
the revised Constitution of Armenia “opens a new era in key areas
of political life of Armenia. It will help the country to progress
on its path towards modern democracy.” What progress can there be
without a test? “2007 will see another crucial test for democracy in
Armenia. The forthcoming legislative elections should be free and fair
in order to bring the necessary legitimacy to the National Assembly.”
Jean Louis Laurent, Political Director of the Council of Europe,
who arrived in Yerevan to participate in the conference “Council of
Europe and Armenia: 5 Years of Membership”, told how an Armenian
official regretted that there is not a decision of the Strasbourg
Court of Human Rights on Armenia yet, adding that such a decision
would become a milestone on the path towards democratic reforms. He
stated, however, that there is no need to wait for court rulings,
and preventive measures can be taken.