Turkey aspires to military technology
By Selcan Hacaoglu
Baku Sun, Azerbaijan
June 23 2006
ANKARA, Turkey – For the first time ever, there are no U.S. bidders
for a major Turkish arms contract, signaling serious snags in one of
the world’s closest military-commercial partnerships.
For more than 50 years, the United States and U.S. firms have been
the main arms suppliers to Turkey, a lynchpin of NATO’s southern
flank during the Cold War. Turkey, in a rough neighborhood that
includes Iran, Iraq, Syria as well as traditional rival Greece, has
also been eager to snatch up weapons to supply its large army, which
is also dealing with a domestic Kurdish insurgency. At the heart of
the problems today are both diplomatic and technical issues rooted
in Turkey’s ambition to gain control over its military technology.
Turkey is going through a low point in defense relations with
Washington following its refusal to host U.S. troops for the invasion
of Iraq in 2003. It has actively sought out other potential arms
suppliers, making Turkey’s business less attractive for U.S.
companies. If they last, the frictions threaten to make U.S arms
companies reluctant to support Turkish lobbying efforts in Washington,
analysts and defense sources say.
Next week, firms from South Africa, Russia, France and Italy are
competing for a US$2 billion (1.6 billion euros) tender to deliver
attack helicopters to Turkey. U.S. makers Bell Helicopter Textron,
Boeing Co. and Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. did not even offer proposals
after evaluating tough tender conditions.
The new bidding rules included full access to the aircraft’s specific
software codes – which the United States considers a security risk –
and a written guarantee from the provider’s government that there
will be no political obstacles to the export of the arms. However,
the U.S. government can only seek the consent of Congress for a deal
after the sale is finalized.
It was not clear whether Turks would be satisfied with an initial
letter from the government assuring them there would be no political
problems.
“As far as Boeing is concerned, some of the conditions in the tender
are such that we simply could not agree to (them), and that we felt
would make the program from a Boeing perspective very difficult,”
Greg Pepin, Vice President of Boeing Turkey said in an interview.
Pepin explained that sharing the software was problematic because
it was partly owned by other U.S. suppliers as well as the U.S.
government – and the other owners would likely balk at sharing the
technology even if Boeing were willing.
“We can’t guarantee that the U.S. government will transfer that
technology, we can talk about the technology that we own but we can’t
agree to and sign up to assuring that these other owners of technology
would do the same,” Pepin said. “That was an issue we had, we simply
cannot guarantee that.”
Turkey imposed new bidding rules last year, after it canceled a
previous tender in 2004 when a deal with Bell Helicopter Textron’s
“King Cobra,” a Turkish version of the AH-1Z Super Cobra used by U.S.
Marines, collapsed over price, technology transfer and licensing
problems.
The new rules empower Turkey to substitute alternative, probably
locally manufactured components such as weapon systems, the mission
computer, avionics and electronic warfare suites, and require the
supplier to integrate other systems or equipment built by Turkish
companies.
“The collapse of one deal is not itself a major crisis, but if
Turkey persists in seeking carte blanche from American suppliers to
substitute its own technology for theirs and asks for impossible terms,
U.S. arms suppliers will not, indeed cannot, bid for Turkey’s business,
and they will likely cease their lobbying efforts on Turkey’s behalf
with both the White House and Congress,” said Ian M. Cuthbertson,
an arms sales expert at World Policy Institute. “U.S. industry will
lose business and Turkey would lose powerful allies in Washington.”
U.S. arms companies have been lobbying for Turkey against Armenians –
who are pressing for recognition of killings of Armenians in the early
20th century as a genocide – and Kurds – who complain about Turkey’s
alleged human rights violations. Turkey’s concerns over technological
control of its weaponry increased after it faced arms blockades
from several countries because of human rights problems in its fight
against autonomy-seeking Kurdish guerrillas, while Washington demanded
Turkish progress on human rights as a condition for arms sales. Many
Turkish defense authorities also bitterly remember a U.S. arms embargo
following Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus in 1974, when Libya provided
Turkey with bombs and spare parts to operate its U.S.-made jets.
Today, Turkey is keen on having a sovereign helicopter to freely use,
mainly against Kurdish guerrillas in the rugged southeast, without
taking on the risk of outside interference in the aircraft’s mission
computer or of political obstacles from Washington to its use.
Turkey’s Defense Executive Committee might opt in its next meeting on
June 27 to choose one of the current bidders from France, Italy, Russia
and South Africa _ which lifted an arms embargo against Turkey in
2005 _ to end a decade-long search for Turkey’s next attack helicopter.
The options are Tiger of the Franco-German company, Eurocopter,
Mangusta of Italy’s Agusta Aerospace, Kamov of Russia and South
African company Denel’s Rooivalk.
“If Turkey wants to have a sovereign helicopter, this is the
opportunity,” said an official of Likom Defense, the representative
of Denel in Turkey, speaking on condition of anonymity because he
was not authorized to speak to the media.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Moscow views Baku as key player
Baku Sun, Azerbaijan
June 23 2006
The Human Rights Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of
Azerbaijan last week held a round table to discuss the role of the
Diaspora in Azerbaijani-Russian relations.
Tatyana Poloskova, head of department at the Center for International
Scientific and Cultural Cooperation (CISCC) under the Russian Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, also attended the event.
Baku Sun’s Mammad Bagirov asked Ms Poloskova for her comments on the
problems facing Russia’s sizeable ethnic Azerbaijani community. –
What are the main problems facing Azerbaijanis in Russia today? –
During the round table, we agreed that Azerbaijanis really are facing
problems in Russia.
The main problem is the negative image of Azerbaijanis which has
developed in Russia. As I said at the round table, it is actually
possible to improve this image. A group of Russian and Azerbaijani
experts are going to look into the reasons for this negative image.
On the surface, the negative attitude towards Azerbaijanis in Russia
stems from the fact that Azerbaijanis have filled a certain economic
vacuum in Russia, particularly in the sphere of trade. But in fact,
there were no other contenders for this vacuum apart from Azerbaijanis.
As Russians have traditionally never shown interest in trade,
Azerbaijanis engaging in trade cannot serve as a reason for this
negative image. Yes, we have to admit that one can frequently observe
Azerbaijani vendors behaving incorrectly in Russian markets. However,
vendors representing other nationalities behave in the same way as
well. This is a special market environment.
I think one of the main reasons behind this negative image of
Azerbaijanis is their ability to compete. They are hard working,
mobile and less inclined to alcoholism. There are ways of building up
a positive image, and we are ready to work with the Azerbaijani side
on this. Why is this important for us? One of the responsibilities of
the CISCC is to accompany Russia’s foreign policies with informational
initiatives in the humanitarian field.
It is very difficult to hold a humanitarian dialogue with Baku as
long as the problem of Caucasusphobia remains in Russia. If we do not
resolve this problem, it will hinder our humanitarian relations. –
One of the problems hindering Azerbaijani-Russian relations is Russia’s
policy of double standards toward Azerbaijan. For instance, when dozens
of Azerbaijanis were killed in a market roof collapse in Moscow, Russia
did not declare mourning. But Russia did mourn Armenians killed in
a recent aircraft crash. – Yes, Russia should have declared morning
after the roof collapse in the Basmanniy market. It is difficult to
say why the Russian authorities did not do so. I think in politics
lobby systems play a greater role than states. However, I cannot say
that there is an efficient Armenian lobby in Russia today. They are
much less efficient than they might be.
On the contrary, the Azerbaijani lobby in Russia is becoming more
powerful with each passing year.
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline. As strange as it may seem, Russia
reacted calmly to this. Is this a sign that the position of Russia’s
political elite is changing towards realism and pragmatism? – Reaction
always means something. Moscow realizes that Azerbaijan is a key player
in the South Caucasus region with its political, economic and cultural
potential. Russia has spiritual and religious ties with Armenia and
Georgia. But Azerbaijan is the key player because of its potential.
Therefore, one should address the key player while building relations
with the region. The reaction of the presidents is important. You may
have noticed that the issue of the Diaspora receives great attention
in the Azerbaijani-Russian dialogue. If you have such a large Diaspora
in Russia, one cannot but view Azerbaijan as the key player.

MATTHEW BRYZA: “PRESIDENTS ARE PRESENTED A FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT”
PRAGUE, JUNE 23, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Matthew Bryza, the U.S.
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs,
already the OSCE Minsk Group American Co-Chairman made public in
the interview to Radio Liberty those fundamental principles or the
package of proposals which is today put on the Karabakh negotiations
table. “We have a framework agreement which calls to remove the
Armenian armies from those territories of Azerbaijan where they
are placed at present,” Matthew Bryza stated. On the other hand,
the agreement envisages normalization of the economic and diplomatic
ties of Armenia and Azerbaijan. There are other principles as well,
like, suppose, placing of peace-keepers, international economic
assistance for the Karabakh region, and economic development. Thus,
there is a package proposal on the table.” “And finally, a votion on
the issue of the future status of Nagorno Karabakh is also envisaged
at a moment. This is the main outline of the proposal put on the
negotiations table,” the new American Co-Chairman stated. Factually,
the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan are presented a concrete
proposal, a concrete agreement is put on their table which they refuse
to accept for the present. The American high-ranking official refused
to go into details, especially on which principal the Presidents do
not agree. Matthew Bryza persuaded the Presidents of Armenia and
Azerbaijan to accept this agreement. “We encourage the Presidents
to accept the framework agreement what demands political boldness,”
the Minsk Group American Co-Chairman mentioned.

ACCORDING TO NKR PRESIDENT, NAGORNO KARABAKH SETTLEMENT IS STILL FAR AWAY
STEPANAKERT, JUNE 23, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The organization
of the authoritative conference in Artsakh is one more step in the
issue of properly presenting NKR to the world an in achieving its
international recognition.
NKR President Arkady Ghukasian said this at the June 22 meeting with
the participants of the international conference titled “Nagorno
Karabakh Republic: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow” that started the day
before in Stepanakert under the aegis of the NKR President. In his
conversation with the guests representing scientific and educational
spheres of over one dozen countries, NKR President expressed an opinion
that the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh problem is still far away
and the opponents avoiding the dialogue have moved the conflict to the
political, economic and even scientific field. “We have to accept the
challenges and your scientific potential and rich experience should
become our firm support in this struggle,” he said. According to NKR
President’s Acting Spokesperson, the interlocutors exchanged opinions
about a number of issues relating to development of education and
science in NKR. Arkady Ghukasian expressed readiness to study various
ideas and programs proposed to him. He suggested making annual such
kinds of conferences in NKR. NKR Prime Minister Anushavan Danielian,
Deputy Prime Minister Ararat Danielian, NKR Minister of Education,
Culture and Sport Kamo Atayan were also present at the meeting.

Baku Sun, Azerbaijan
June 23 2006
OIC voices support for Iran
By Aida Sultanova
BAKU ~W Foreign ministers from member nations of the Organization of
the Islamic Conference said Wednesday that the dispute over Iran~Rs
nuclear program needs to be resolved through the U.N. nuclear
watchdog – the International Atomic Energy Agency. Tehran also has
insisted the issue should be dealt with solely within the IAEA, but
the United States and other Western countries have pushed for
possible referral to the United Nations Security Council.
In recent weeks Iran has indicated it might be is willing to
negotiate the nuclear dispute with six world powers who have offered
a package of rewards if halts uranium enrichment.
In a statement issued at the end of a three-day meeting in the
Azerbaijani capital Baku, diplomats said the Islamic organization~Rs
57 member nations had ~Sthe inalienable right~T to develop nuclear
energy for peaceful purposes.
~SWe believe that the outstanding issues between the Islamic Republic
of Iran and the IAEA should be resolved within the IAEA framework as
the sole competent authority,~T the statement said. ~SThe only way to
resolve the issue is to resume negotiations without any
preconditions.~T
Iran insists that its nuclear program is aimed at generating
electricity, but the United States and European Union suspect that it
is aimed at building weapons. Tehran is considering a Western package
of incentives, also backed by Russia and China, that calls on Iran to
suspend, not permanently halt, uranium enrichment as a condition for
the start of talks, although the negotiations are aimed at getting
Iran to agree to a long-term moratorium on such activity.
Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, the OIC~Rs secretary general, said the
organization also called for ridding the Middle East of all nuclear
weapons ~W a long-standing demand by many Arab states directed mainly
at Israel and its clandestine nuclear arms program. Israel neither
acknowledges nor denies having nuclear weapons.
The OIC ministers also condemned Azerbaijan’s neighbor, Armenia,
blaming it for the lingering conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.
Ihsanoglu also criticized the media for last year’s controversy
surrounding the publication of the cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.
A Danish newspaper first printed the cartoons, and other foreign
newspapers later followed, infuriating much of the Muslim world and
sparking deadly riots.
“This is impermissible. This is a crime against Islam. This is an
insult to Muslims,” Ihsanoglu said.
“Freedom and responsibility should go hand-in-hand,” he added.
“Irresponsible freedom is anarchy. We call on the Europeans to pay
attention to this issue.”

HEARINGS DEDICATED TO DUAL CITIZENSHIP PROBLEMS HELD AT PARLIAMENT
YEREVAN, JUNE 23, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Representatives of
parliamentary and extraparliamentary forces, government, analytical
centers, institutions of higher education, diplomatic corps and
international organizations took part in the parliamentary hearings
on the subject “Problems of Dual Citizenship: International Law and
Experience” organized on June 23 by RA National Assembly Standing
Committee on Foreign Relations. The participants of the hearings
were given the conception of the bill “On Giving a Status of Dual
Citizenship to Foreign Armenians in the Republic of Armenia.” As Armen
Rustamian, Committee Chairman, member of ARFD faction, mentioned,
this is still the working variant of the draft that can be changed
as a result of these hearings.
According to him, after summing up the results of the hearings, the
Committee will come up with a conclusion. At the end of the hearings
Rustamian said that there was a wrong understanding and a subjective
perception about the dual citizenship institution in the society and
as a result of the hearings they succeeded in moving the issue to
the subject professional field.

ARMENIAN DELEGATION TO TAKE PART IN PACE SUMMER SESSION
YEREVAN, JUNE 23, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. PACE summer session
will open on June 25 in Strasbourg. The Armenian delegation led by
Tigran Torosian, RA National Assembly Speaker, Head of NA delegation
in PACE, will take part in the session. As Noyan Tapan was informed
from RA NA Public Relations Department, Armen Rustamian (ARFD),
Gurgen Arsenian (ULP), Stepan Demirchian (Ardarutiun), Artashes
Geghamian (National Unity) and Hermine Naghdalian (RPA) will leave
for Strasbourg as members of the Armenian delegation.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Ïðaâî Âûaîða, Azerbaijan
Democratic Azerbaijan
June 23 2006
Book Entitled Azerbaijan-Council of Europe: Cooperation in Democracy
& Human Rights Published
23.06.2006
Elm Publishing House published the book entitled Azerbaijan-Council
of Europe: Cooperation in Democracy & Human Rights, written by Adil
Veliyev.
This book is devoted to the bright memory of the national leader, the
main founder of Azerbaijan-CE relationship, Heydar Aliyev. The
edition studies specific stages of establishment, form, purpose and
dynamics of development of relations between Azerbaijan and the
Council of Europe, analyses the successful activity of Azerbaijan’s
parliamentary delegation, which the first three years was led by the
President Ilham Aliyev to PACE, human rights protection in our
country, Azerbaijan-Armenian Nagorno-Garabagh conflict, the
implementation of commitments taken by Azerbaijan before CE.
The monograph analyses the political specifities, determines the
priorities of development of Azerbaijan-CE relationship, democratic
processes progressing in the field of protection of human rights.
The book is considered for specialists, students, Masters and
Post-graduates in the field of political studies, international law
and international relations, and also large-scale readers.
Scientific editor of the book is the Doctor of Historical Sciences,
Ali Hasanov. The author of review is the Doctor of Political Studies,
Rovshan Mustafayev and the candidate of historical sciences, Agshin
Mehdiyev.
–Boundary_(ID_P+r8/a2eIq9WcBAY hfTuEg)–

ORINATS YERKIR PARTY WOMEN’S UNION READY TO CONSISTENTLY STRUGGLE IN
KEEPING WITH PARTY’S POLITICAL LINE
YEREVAN, JUNE 23, NOYAN TAPAN. The Orinats Yerkir (Country of Law)
Party’s Women’s Union is ready to consistently struggle in keeping
with the party’s political line for building a country of law,
Armenia’s democratization and strengthening of Armenia’s positions in
the international sphere. This was mentioned in the statement of the
Union’s 5th forum held on June 23. The statement authors also express
readiness to activize the Union’s activity in protection of women’s
rights and basic freedoms, in raising their role and extending their
involvement in socio-economic progress. Over 700 delegates took
part in the forum convened at the government sitting hall. Party
Chairman, former NA Speaker Artur Baghdasarian and the members of the
parliamentary faction were also present. As A.Baghdasarian mentioned
in his speech, no woman official has left the party lately and
parliamentary faction head Samvel Balasanian in his turn mentioned
that in difference to the women making over 70% of party members,
“many mercenary men ran away.” The forum approved the work done by
the Women’s Union in 2005-2006 and reelected Margarita Petrosian as
Chairwoman of the OYP Women’s Union. The latter expressed the hope
that in 2007 OYP will be stronger, firmer and more united. The staff
of the Union’s board was also approved. It consists of the chairwomen
of women’s unions elected from OYP regional boards.

TIGRAN TOROSIAN: WORK OF SPRING SESSION OF NATIONAL ASSEMBLY PROCEEDED IN NORMAL WAY
YEREVAN, JUNE 23, NOYAN TAPAN. 103 laws were adopted at the regular
plenary sittings of the spring session of the RA National Assembly,
other 13 were adopted at the special session. 36 international
agreements are certified. NA Speaker Tigran Torosian informed
about it at the June 22 press conference, summing up results of
the session. According to him, the above-mentioned proves that the
NA work proceeded in a normal way. By the outbalancing part of the
adopted laws, amendments were made in the acting laws, “but it does
not humble the done work.” According to him, the necessity of a
part of changes appeared as a result of using the laws and of the
other part was connected with the constitutional amendments. The NA
Speaker expressed satisfaction on that occasion that during the short
period of time followed adoption of the constitutional amendments,
the Parliament has already adopted 8-9 laws coming out of the latter
ones, what is rather hopefull. During the summer the Government will
aslo go on working in the direction of the drafts arising of the
constitutional amendments, putting them in the official circulation of
the Parliament, according to the schedule affirmed beforehand. By the
way, another special session of the National Assembly will, perhaps,
be convened in early July.
Responding journalists’ questions, the NA newly elected Speaker foresaw
that the re-arrangements at the Parliament may be considered finished,
and new re-arrangements are not expected at the autumn session, so the
Parliament will finish works within the circle of the already formed
correlation of forces. As for the staff, according to Tigran Torosian,
the only goal of the staff must be securing of an effective work of the
Parliament, and a necessity to review the structure of the NA staff
will be soon, as a number of services, boards, departments exists
at the Parliament at present to solve issues of the same field. At
the same time, the NA Speaker mentioned that possible changes may
be observed not in contrast to the previous NA Speaker’s work,
but within the context of increasing the effectivity of work of the
Parliament. According to him, the above-mentioned amendments will
have no relation to the staff representatives’ belonging to this
or that party. The NA Speaker informed on the occasion of coming
visits that many visits were envisaged beforehand, but the visits
to be paid by parliamentary delegations to Armenia and from Armenia
will be defined only in July. According to the speaker, they must
be purposeful, and just protocol ones must be excluded or, at least,
their number must be brought to minimum.