Georgian president says G8 to decide future world politics – fuller version
Imedi TV, Tbilisi
11 Jul 06
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has said that the forthcoming
G8 summit in St Petersburg will determine the future direction of
world politics. He was speaking at a news conference in Tbilisi
broadcast live by Imedi TV and other Georgian networks. Saakashvili
again described his meeting with US president George Bush on 5 July
as “historic” and said that Bush’s support for Georgian territorial
integrity and membership of NATO carried “much more weight” than
statements made by Russian President Vladimir Putin. He said that
Russia had reacted to his meeting with Bush by increasing pressure
on Georgia but noted that Georgia would not bow to the pressure
as it would be counterproductive anyway. Saakashvili also accused
Moscow of attempts to overthrow the Georgian government. He said that
Georgia should act quickly and decide on its future in the CIS and the
future of the Russian peacekeepers in Georgia. He rejected Putin’s
suggestion that Georgia should follow Russia’s example in Chechnya
and hold independence referendums in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. At
the end of his 42-minute news conference, Saakashvili also hinted
about an imminent government reshuffle, but said that it would not
involve “dramatic changes”. The following is an excerpt from the news
conference broadcast by Imedi TV on 11 July; subheadings have been
inserted editorially:
Successful visit to Washington
[Presenter] We are going live to the State Chancellery where the
Georgian president’s news conference for Georgian journalists is
about to start.
[Saakashvili] Hello everyone. This is my first meeting with you since
my official visit to the United States of America. I would like to
tell you again what our delegation and I thought after meeting with
President [George] Bush: For us, this was a historic visit held at
a historic time.
Generally, US-Georgian relations have been very intensive. You
know that many presidents visit Washington but I should tell you
that President Bush does not meet every one of them. The presidents
of several other countries also visited Washington just before my
visit, but their meetings were usually limited to the level of the
[US] secretary of state and other levels. Since I became president,
in two and a half years, I have had three official meetings [with
the US president] in addition to many other brief meetings. This is
a very intensive process.
Besides, this was not just a meeting with the US president. We also
had a separate meeting with US Vice-President [Richard Cheney] at his
home, where he invited the Georgian delegation, which was attended
by the chairman of US Joint Chiefs of Staff as well as the US Energy
Secretary. The day before, the vice-president attended the meeting
with President Bush along with some other cabinet members. We had
talks with almost all senior officials of the US administration.
G8 summit “will absolutely determine” future of world politics
This was a historic event because of its timing as well. You know
that a G8 summit will take place in St Petersburg in a few days’
time. The G8 summit will absolutely determine where the world will
be heading in the coming years and in the coming period. It will
determine that because everything is being decided now. Is this a world
where everything is determined by arms, money, oil, global strategic
interests, where there is no place for small countries, where deals
are made behind the backs of small countries and their fate is decided
by others, or is this a world where morals, principles and the freedom
of various nations are as important as has been declared for decades
by the free world, a world where the voice of small countries can
be heard?
Before the G8 summit, the Georgian president met with the Russian
president. And then he was the last visitor to Washington. By the way,
it was on the day of President Bush’s 60th birthday and US Independence
Day, which was a very symbolic coincidence. We managed, more exactly,
we were invited to Washington to the last consultation held before the
summit. I think this a very clear indicator of our small country’s
role in global politics. We are taking part not only in shaping our
fate and defending it, but, because of exceptional character of our
people and because of exceptional events in our recent history, we
are also taking part in shaping the interests of global politics and,
what is most important, in finding our place in all this. This is
the most important thing for us. I, my friends or even our country
really have no ambition to be global players. We simply have our
small interests, which are big interests for us.
However, our country is at the focal point of these global interests.
Today we have very powerful friends, but this comes at a price –
we also have very powerful enemies. All of us should realize this
very well.
Bush’s position “carries much more weight” than Putin’s statement
This meeting was historic because for the first time the president of
the world’s only superpower confirmed openly and without any conditions
his direct support for Georgia joining NATO. Perhaps some people did
not pay much attention to that, but I am well aware of the value of
all that. This is an offer of completely new guarantees for Georgia
by the world’s most powerful country. Secondly, the president of the
United States of America has absolutely openly confirmed his support
for Georgia’s territorial integrity at a time like this. The answer
from President Putin came the following day. He is still talking about
parallels between Kosovo and Abkhazia and South Ossetia, that is to
say, about dismembering Georgia’s territory. But the position of the
American president carries much more weight. His was an unambiguous
response to such statements by Moscow, and it was also stressed that
the statement was intended for Georgia’s neighbours.
There were many other interesting details as well. I think it was
very symbolic that we brought to the US president a letter which is
now an exhibit at the [Tbilisi] museum of the [Soviet] occupation.
Khevsurs [natives of the mountainous Khevsureti region in northern
Georgia] wrote this letter to the then US President Franklin Delano
Roosevelt in 1936. [Passage omitted: describes the letter, says
Georgia is “in the centre of the fight for freedom”]
Georgia enjoys “unanimous support” in the West
Just look at the press articles about Georgia around the world. They
are full of admiration and support. None of our neighbouring countries
or any other small country in the world has ever had such unanimous
support of the Western public opinion. At least I cannot recall
anything like this. It was not the same even a year ago. After the
Rose Revolution, there was some sympathy, but today we have a different
kind of support. This is a country that has achieved results, this is a
country that has proved that it is stronger than many other countries.
The US administration’s support is one thing. President Bush visited
Tbilisi [in May 2005] and, of course, it was a historic visit as
well. However, I cannot recall such unanimity among the US political
spectrum. On the one hand, there is the Republican administration. On
the other hand, there is a large group of Democratic Senators. There is
also the democratic press which constantly criticizes the current US
president. But there is an amazing unanimity of opinion with respect
to Georgia. The Washington Post alone, which is the main critic of
the Bush administration, carried three large articles sympathetic to
Georgia. And The Wall Street Journal published a whole saga praising
Georgia. [Passage omitted: says positive public opinion about Georgia
in Western countries is very important]
Georgia will resolve conflicts with “or without Russia”
This is our great asset. However, our country is also facing
challenges. Some people sometimes forget what is going on. Sometimes
I hear complaints that someone is so tired of all this talk about our
achievements and victories. But we are not an ordinary country. We
are a country that is not yet at war – thank God and God forbid,
we will do everything to avoid being dragged into such a situation –
but Georgia is under massive attack. A cruel economic embargo has been
imposed on Georgia, the cruellest ever imposed in Europe. A few days
ago, our last route of relatively free travel to our neighbour Russia
was cut. There are attempts to wage a huge propaganda war against us,
slander us and present us in a bad light. They are failing anyway,
but there are attempts. Georgia is a country against which a huge
amount of money is being spent. There are forces gathering near our
border and attempts of subversive actions within the country.
Under such pressure, we must make decisions. I did everything
possible before and during my meeting with President Putin. We are
offering Russia to arrange another meeting in Moscow after the G8
summit. However, the time for decisions on the peacekeeping forces
is approaching. Behind these peacekeeping forces, the annexation of
Georgian territory is continuing. This is taking place today and has
been taking place daily with particular intensity in recent months.
Behind these peacekeeping forces in the Tskhinvali region [South
Ossetia], daily threats are being made to the lives and safety of
Georgia’s citizens of every ethnicity. We must make decisions. We are
waiting for this debate to take place in the Georgian parliament. We
must make decisions on staying in the CIS. We are no longer going
to continue deluding ourselves on this issue. We are calculating
everything. No step will be taken that will in any way harm even a
single Georgian entrepreneur, at least as far as we are concerned.
However, given our past and current problems, we must make these
decisions, which will be fundamental for our future.
At the same time, the peace process should continue. On this issue,
we have full support of America and the absolute majority of European
countries. These are not just Georgia’s efforts to resolve its
conflicts peacefully. These are efforts of the entire international
community to have a dialogue with Russia. That is because today no-one
except Russia has a key to the settlement of these conflicts.
However, we should understand that we will resolve these conflicts,
hopefully together with Russia, or without Russia. I and my friends are
not going to wait indefinitely for Russia to resolve our problems. We
want a peaceful settlement of these issues. We will fight for peace
to the end, but we must resolve these issues. We are not going to
postpone it indefinitely.
[Passage omitted: briefly touches on his visit to Croatia on 10 July
where he attended a regional summit on EU and NATO integration]
US Vice-President to visit Georgia
I would also like to tell you that there are some visits being
planned. We have agreed that US Vice-President [Richard Cheney]
should visit Georgia in the next few months. As you know, he is the
second highest ranking official in the United States. It was unusual
itself that we had a separate meeting with the US Vice-President. If
someone meets the president, he does not necessarily meets the
vice-president separately, in the same building. This was another
emphasis on our status. And the TV coverage of our visit was amazing
too. I cannot recall anything like this. It was a kind of coverage
usually given to a visit by newly elected British prime minister or a
newly elected Israeli prime minister. [Passage omitted: recalls that
he felt humiliated when during former President Eduard Shevardnadze’s
visit to the United States the then Georgian president was almost
ignored by the US media]
We should use this. I do not need these meetings in order to collect
photographs of my meetings with world leaders or newspaper articles
about me. This is not my function. All this is an asset that we
will spend for Georgia’s development and unification. No-one should
entertain any illusion about this. This is not a goal in itself
or a cause for complacency. We will be happy and content only when
Georgia is a united, peaceful and developed country. This is the main
goal. I am not telling you all this just to brag about my meetings. We
should understand that all this increases our chances of achieving
our main goal.
Georgia not going to send troops to South Ossetia
[Saakashvili] Questions, please.
[Question] Representatives of the de facto government have said
that unofficially [in Washington] you have been given green light to
carry out military operations in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Could
you please comment on this? What is Russia’s role?
[Saakashvili] I would like to begin by saying that Georgia takes
decisions on its own. We have immense respect for our devout friend,
the president and the administration of the United States of America.
However, I am not a leader who goes somewhere to get permissions. We
no longer have in this world masters issuing instructions to us. This
is the main appeal of freedom. This is the main appeal of freedom
that I am proud of.
On the other hand, I think this is just the same people crying wolf
again and again. I remember how people were saying two years ago
that we would attack [South Ossetia] next week, in two weeks’ time,
in a months’ time or in two months’ time.
I visited Orpolo [military training ground in southern Georgia]
and I saw a miracle there. What is happening in Orpolo, our army
spread across a vast field, our army that we are putting together
brick by brick, piece by piece, bit by bit from the day I and my
friends occupied these offices. I do not know whether we have ever
had manoeuvres of this kind, involving so many people with so much
training, in the history of Georgia. Probably not. In the past,
Georgians didn’t have time for manoeuvres. They moved straight to
business. Men assembled and off they went. They probably didn’t hold
major manoeuvres before Didgori [battle in the 12th century]. These
manoeuvres are probably larger than any big battle in our history.
I am saying this because there is talk again that there are troops
in Orpolo from where they will go to Tskhinvali. I would like to
say that the troops are not going to Tskhinvali from there. However,
everyone should know that any attempt to stage acts of provocation
in Georgia, any attempt by anyone to drive people of any nationality
out of any district, or to destabilize the situation in Georgia on
a large scale by attacking energy supply facilities or imposing a
blockade and taking us by the throat [changes tack] – I know that a
scenario for a larger scale energy blockade than we had last winter,
this January to be more precise, is being drawn up for [the coming]
winter. Someone may even have ideas to do something in Georgia. We
will respond in a stronger manner than we ever could in the past.
This does not mean that we want disorder. We do not want disorder
because our economy will grow at a rate greater than nearly anywhere
else in the world. We do not want disorder because billions are
being invested in the country, because tourists have started to come,
because two new airports are being built and because Georgia is once
again becoming a country where good news happen. It is not just about
explosions, murders, eliminations and clashes. No, it is becoming a
country of positive news. I know full well what any kind of military
confrontation means. It means going back to the starting point. It
is clear that we are moving forward. Naturally, I would be happy if
we were moving forward at a much faster pace and I will do everything
for our moving forward to continue at a much faster pace.
Saakashvili to spend summer holiday in reservist camp
By the way, you know about the reservist movement. I am very proud
of these people. I was very pleased when [Georgian rap singer] Leksen
enlisted as a reservist. I assure you that sleeping in a tent, working
out in mud and making 10-km runs every day for two weeks isn’t much
of a pleasure. One may enjoy it for one hour but probably not for
two weeks. Many good professionals took leave from their jobs and
enlisted as reservists.
I intend to use my summer leave to spend two weeks at a reservist
camp as an ordinary reservist. The president is a citizen just as
anyone else. He has the right to [annual] leave just as anyone else
does and also has the right to go on holiday wherever he likes. It
will be my pleasure to go on holiday to one of the reservist camps.
You should understand that being a reservist does not mean being in the
army. The army is one thing and the reserve is another. Our reservist
groups can be used in many other ways. I think that this will be a good
page in my biography. I talked to [Defence Minister Irakli] Okruashvili
today. He is already selecting a camp where I can do this job for two
weeks together with other patriots. I am very proud of this by the way.
Next question, please.
Georgia will not bow to Russian pressure
[Question] Good evening. Mr President, the [closure of the] only land
border crossing between Georgia and the Russian Federation [recognized
by Georgia] has caused a new round of tension in Georgian-Russian
relations. The Russian defence minister said that Russia was fortifying
its border with Georgia. A month later, the Larsi border crossing was
closed due to repair works. What can be the reason behind this? How
should we assess this?
[Saakashvili] I think this is precisely what we are saying. This is
a direct response to our talks in Washington. Let us say it openly:
there is an official policy of government change in Georgia. But
it is not about Georgia alone. Georgia has become a symbol for the
Ukrainians, Belarusians, Central Asians and people of many other
regions of the world in the fight for freedom and the protection
of their interests. Our overthrow and strangulation will mean a
major triumph for evil and – I do not want to use a pathetic tone –
opponents of freedom.
Once they realized how much support we have from the West and from the
leader of the western world in particular, the first thing that came
to their minds after some deliberation [changes tack] – apart from
the statements that we should hold a referendum in Abkhazia similar
to the one held in Chechnya. I certainly do not want a referendum
similar to the one in Chechnya to be held in any part of Georgian
territory because in Chechnya the referendum was held at the cost
of 100,000 people being killed, at the cost of every small building
being destroyed, at the cost of an enormous human tragedy.
Is that the kind of referendum they are suggesting that we hold in
Georgia? I can just say that totally unacceptable statements are
being made.
This was their message: You are welcome to travel to Washington but
we will take away your territories. But do you think that they will
not take them away if we don’t go? Quite the opposite, they will
take them away if we don’t go. This hysterical reaction towards us
is the manifestation of feebleness and some kind of revenge – if you
do this we will do that. But as soon as Georgia loses support of the
free world, Georgia’s ill-wishers will carry out their plans. And the
next thing was the closure of Larsi. I can’t say that this affects us
economically because Georgian exporters hadn’t been using that route
anyway. This is bad for people, particularly for Armenia. I can’t
understand what Armenia has done wrong. Armenian goods and people used
this route. Georgian goods were not allowed to use the crossing anyway.
I really have no difficulty talking to President Putin. He is always
an equal and frank interlocutor. By the way, on a personal level,
talking to him is easy for me. I think he is quite a talented man,
a very talented man in defending his country’s interests. So we will
talk, we will talk. However, no-one should entertain any illusion,
including ourselves, that if we kneel down and humiliate ourselves
someone will give us back something or will ease pressure. As soon as
they see that we are scared and retreating, that’s when our end will
come. This is not in the spirit of the Georgians. [Passage omitted:
says that Georgia was able to overcome the January 2006 energy crisis
because “everyone was mobilized, including children”]
Our people understand that we should respond to such pressure by
consolidation and courage. They should see that we are not scared
and we are not going to fight with each other. Instead, they will
see that we know very well what is behind these attacks. And we will
emerge stronger. Therefore, of course I am not happy that the Larsi
crossing is closed, I am not happy that Georgian wine is banned,
I am not happy and I think Russians themselves are not happy that
they cannot drink Borjomi [mineral water], but [changes tack] –
I can tell you more. Recently, when we visited St Petersburg, our
journalists went to a local restaurant together with their Russian
colleagues. By the way, as it happens, I was not made to wait for
any of my meetings in America, but there [in St Petersburg] it so
happened that the meeting was delayed for several hours. Naturally,
I did not wait and I went to have dinner at a very good restaurant
discovered by my aide Nato Qancheli. Georgian journalists also went
to a restaurant together with their hosts. Georgians never wait for
anyone, humbly standing at the door. A waiter, who did not know that
they were Georgians, told them: We have a good French wine, Chilean
wine and something else, but if you really want to enjoy it, we also
have a smuggled Georgian wine. Now, maybe I should not have said this,
the restaurant may get shut down, but that’s what really happened.
This shows that even in that society [changes tack] – they are our
traditional allies. Let’s say it, no matter how much racist and
anti-Georgian sentiments are aroused, these are just temporary. We
and Russians have nothing to argue about. I told President Putin that
he and I personally had nothing to argue about. He did not create
these conflicts. I was not here when they were created. Sometimes it
strikes me that if at the time of the Abkhazia war we had had even a
tenth of international support we have today, nothing like that would
have happened. I was a cursed time and cursed circumstances. The huge
tragedy in Abkhazia happened at the most unfavourable time, when the
country was in disorder. We should not make the same mistake again.
No “dramatic changes” planned in government
[Question] There are rumours about possible changes in the cabinet
after [Environment Minister] Giorgi Papuashvili’s possible appointment
as a member of the Constitutional Court. Are you going to appoint
Papuashvili there? Which ministers are likely to lose their posts? Will
this affect power-wielding ministers?
[Saakashvili] First of all, I should say that the government is a
living organism. As you know, corrections and changes have been made.
However, the cabinet has been very stable over the past year and a
half. We never hesitated to carry out experiments as well, I always
wanted to achieve an optimal arrangement. Naturally, such changes
will continue, but generally my team will stay as it is. Individuals
may be replaced, generally, but the policy will stay unchanged.
As regards concrete changes, let’s see. Decisions about Papuashvili
will be made jointly by me and [parliament speaker] Nino Burjanadze.
We will decide what to do when the parliament chairwoman and I agree.
By the way, Nino Burjanadze is going to address the UN [Security
Council] today and I hope her mission will be successful. It is
important to explain our problems to the UN.
As regards other changes, I do not expect any dramatic changes.
Frankly, lately I have been slightly surprised by hysterical tone
of some political entities. [Passage omitted: criticizes unnamed
opponents for launching personal attacks on “families and personal
dignity of others”, says that democracy and free speech is “still the
best system”, speaks about Croatia’s example of unity in restoring
the country’s territorial integrity]

EU warns Turkey over freedom of speech after court upholds journalist’s conviction
AP Worldstream;
Jul 12, 2006
The European Union on Wednesday warned Turkey over freedom of speech
provisions in its penal code after a court confirmed the conviction
of an Armenian-Turkish journalist accused of insulting the country’s
national identity.
“I am disappointed by this judgment, which limits the exercise of
freedom of expression in Turkey,” said Olli Rehn, the EU official
overseeing Turkey’s membership talks with the 25-member bloc.
A Turkish high court on Tuesday confirmed a six-month sentence imposed
on Hrant Dink for the crime of “attempting to influence the judiciary”
after his bilingual Turkish-Armenian newspaper ran articles criticizing
a law that makes it a crime to “insult Turkishness.”
The EU has frequently warned Turkey that its efforts to join the
union could be hampered by article 301 of the penal code, which sets
out penalties for insulting the Turkish Republic, its officials, or
“Turkishness,” and has been used to bring charges against dozens of
journalists, publishers and scholars.
“Freedom of expression is a key principle” of the criteria for EU
membership, Rehn said in a statement.
Although Tuesday’s court ruling postponed the application of Dink’s
sentence and asked a local court to review the case, Rehn said it
set an example that could be followed in other cases under article 301.
He said it showed that Turkish courts had failed to apply the law in
line with EU standards.
He said the EU will review the situation toward the end of this year
in a progress report on Turkey’s membership negotiations. The EU
has warned it could suspend the membership talks this year if Turkey
fails to meet EU accession requirements.

Is Kuria an undercover lawyer for Armenians? By Patrick Mathangani and Biketi
Kikechi
The Standard, Kenya
July 12 2006
Is Senior Counsel Gibson Kamau Kuria representing the Artur brothers
through the backdoor? That is the question the Kiruki Commission of
Inquiry had to wrestle with on Wednesday.
Kuria, who is on record for Narc activist Mary Wambui’s daughter,
Winfred Wangui, was taken to task after he appeared to be defending
the bogus Armenian brothers, Artur Margaryan and Artur Sargasyan.
A commissioner, Hassan Isaack, took Kuria to task, telling him that
as an officer of the High Court appearing for a client, he should
not be seen as being misused by others not present at the commission.
Lawyer Gibson Kamau Kuria cross-examines a witness at the Kiruki
Commission of Inquiry at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre,
Nairobi, on Wednesday. Pic by Jacob Otieno
“Do you have instructions from the Artur brothers?” Hassan asked Kuria,
adding: “If you continue with this line of questioning, it will appear
that you will be taking over the brief of those who were turned away.”
Last week, lawyer Oscar Avedi appeared before the commission inquiring
into the activities of the brothers and sought leave to represent them.
Big cover-up
But commission chairman Shedrach Kiruki turned him away because it was
not clear whom he wanted to represent as the real Artur Margaryan and
Artur Sargasyan lived in the city of Yerevan, Armenia, and the United
Arab Emirates and had never been to Kenya, according to Interpol.
However, Kuria said he had no instructions from the Artur brothers
and assured the commission that he would comply with its directions.
“But whether it is the Artur brothers or not, I have the duty of
assisting the commission in finding the truth,” said Kuria.
He accused the assisting counsel of a big cover-up, and urged the
commission to find out the truth on the Armenian saga either through
cross-examination of witnesses or through other people.
Assisting counsel Dorcas Oduor had interjected while Kuria was
cross-examining a witness, and sought to know who Kuria’s client was.
Just as in the previous day, Kuria put it to the witness that it
was the Customs officers that had provoked the Armenians. He claimed
the Arturs had not drawn guns at the airport as alleged by Charles
Nambale and Nelson Ochieng.
Derogatory racial slurs
Kuria also accused Nambale of being on the payroll of politicians.
Oduor at this point sought to know the limit of Kuria’s brief because
he was putting statements to the witness when it was clear his client
was not at the scene.
“If his instructions are different from what we have on record,
then there must be another witness who is instructing him… but
for purposes of clarity, it is important for us to know his limit,”
said Oduor.
And in another day of high drama, graphic details of the combat
abilities of the Arturs emerged, with a Customs official re-enacting
a brutal assault on him by the brothers.
During the attack, the official was punched and humiliated with
derogatory racial slurs. It was the first witness account to
corroborate what has only been widely published in the local media
about the alleged Armenians, described variously as international
crooks on the run.
Racial epithets
On Wednesday, Nambale – himself a self-defence artist trained in the
United Kingdom – moved the commission with an account of his moments
of horror at the hands of Margaryan.
Still in pain even as he testified, he pleaded for pain killers. The
commission obliged. He narrated how the brothers hurled racial epithets
at him, calling him a “stupid African” and a “black African monkey,”
Nambale said.
His crime: He refused to clear the guests Margaryan had come to
receive at the airport after they declined to pay duty.
The guests claimed the goods they had brought in, including seven
CCTV cameras and a receiver, were worth Sh40,000 but he judged they
were much more expensive and attracted more duty.
When he refused to clear them, a protocol officer from the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs asked him to “talk to Winnie” but he declined
because he could only take orders from his own boss.

Lebanon seeks Armenia’s support for mine clearing operations
Arminfo
11 Jul 06
Yerevan, 11 July: Lebanese Foreign Minister Fawzi Sallukh, who is on
an official visit in Armenia, has requested Armenian Prime Minister
Andranik Markaryan to help with mine clearing in areas south of
Lebanon.
The Lebanese foreign minister said that Armenia both has rich
experience in mine clearing and professional specialists, the press
service of the Armenian government reported.
Andranik Markaryan assured Sallukh of consulting the heads of relevant
bodies over the request.

BBC Monitoring quotes from the Turkish press 12 Jul 06
BBC Monitoring Service – United Kingdom;
Jul 12, 2006
Turkey and USA
Hurriyet (centre-right) “Northern Iraq is totally under the control
of the USA. The PKK [Kurdistan Workers’ Party] is flourishing there;
totally under the protection of the USA. And then every day in Turkey
we see funeral ceremonies for martyrs [people killed by PKK members
infiltrating across the border].” (Commentary by Emin Colasan)
Radikal (centre-left) “The USA is now making preparations for its own
Kurdish state that will be used to guard vitally important energy
resources and their transport routes.” (Commentary by M. Ali Kislali)
Anti-Western feeling in Turkey
Hurriyet “In Turkey, enmity against the West and Christianity has
increased to a level not seen in other countries. In enmity against
the West, those who declare themselves secular and Ataturkist are
walking arm in arm with the most open opponents of secularism. Any
step that will divide Turkey from the West will prove fatal. We will
be stuck either with the religious quagmire of the Middle East or
military coups d’etats.” (Commentary by Ertugrul Ozkok)
Problems with reforms
Milliyet (centrist) “In Turkey, reforms always have a caesarean
birth. It is not public welfare that decides which law is made and
which is not. It is the interests of small groups. In such an
atmosphere, no reforms are made without arm-twisting.” (Commentary by
Metin Munir)
Sentence on Armenian writer Dink
Radikal “The term of [Armenian intellectual] Hrant Dink’s sentence
has been fixed. For the first time, the crime of ‘denigrating
Turkishness’ has been punished. I expect parliament will convene
before its normal opening date, 1 October, and it will debate and
pass nine EU reform packages into law. Changing Article 301 [of the
new Turkish Penal Code, cited in Dink’s punishment] must be included
in these packages as a matter of urgency.” (Commentary by Ismet
Berkan)
Israelis and Palestinians
Zaman (moderate, pro-Islamic) “It is clear that Arab regimes are not
sincere about the Palestinian issue… Sincerely or not, it is only
Iran which has put this issue in the top of its agenda. Iran gains
big advantages from this issue.” (Commentary by Ali Bulac)
Yeni Safak (liberal, pro-Islamic) “Apart from shame, what does the
Israeli state bring the Jews with the massacres it has been carrying
out? Why is it trying to settle in Israel the successors of Jews who
have shown the world the ugly face of fascism? Is it to show them the
dismembered bodies of Palestinian children? Is this the sight that
the people who experienced the ‘Great Fire’ [Holocaust] present to
their children?” (Commentary by Salih Tuna)

Peninsula On-line, Qatar
July 13 2006
EU warns Turkey on freedom of expression
Web posted at: 7/13/2006 4:31:5
Source ::: REUTERS
BRUSSELS ~U The European Commission told Turkey yesterday it will
have to rewrite its penal code again to meet EU standards after the
country’s highest court confirmed a sentence against an editor for
insulting “Turkishness”.
EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said the High Court of Appeals
ruling in the case of Hrant Dink, editor-in-chief of the bilingual
Turkish and Armenian weekly Agos, showed Turkey’s reformed penal code
still restricted freedom of expression.
“I am disappointed by this judgment, which limits the exercise of
freedom of expression in Turkey,” Rehn said in a statement. The ruling
would set a binding precedent for other pending human rights cases,
he said.
“I would therefore urge the Turkish authorities to amend Article 301
and other vaguely formulated articles in order to guarantee freedom of
expression in Turkey,” Rehn said, noting that this was a key political
criterion for EU accession.
He said the Commission would review the situation in the light of the
EU’s political criteria in its upcoming progress report in Turkey in
late October or early November.
Dink, a Turkish-born Armenian, was given a six-month suspended prison
sentence last year for an article criticising Article 301, which
allows prosecutors to pursue cases against writers and scholars for
“insulting Turkish identity”.
The top court’s sentencing board on Tuesday upheld the suspended
jail sentence.
Dink voiced dismay in a statement sent to Reuters and said he would
make a final appeal to the European Court of Human Rights since his
legal recourse in Turkey had been exhausted.
“I am of course deeply upset by the verdict of Penal Council of Supreme
Court concerning my case but the verdict itself did not surprise me,”
Dink said.
“The verdict of the Supreme Court concerning myself reveals that
Article 301 and the other similar ones can never suit a democratic
Turkey and should be immediately abolished,” he said.
The executive European Commission can recommend suspending negotiations
with Turkey in cases of a serious and persistent breach of human rights
or democracy. The Ankara government has repeatedly said writers have
not served time in prison under laws related to freedom of expression.
But Dink and other intellectuals have faced prosecution under Article
301 for calling into question the official Turkish version of what
happened to the Armenians in Ottoman Turkey and EU officials say
the proceedings are themselves an unacceptable form of intimidation
restricting freedom of speech.

Int’l Freedom of Expression eXpress – IFEX, Canada
Committee to Protect Journalists – CPJ Press Freedom Online, NY
July 12 2006
Appeals court upholds suspended prison sentence against Hrant Dink
Francais: La Cour de cassation confirme la condamnation de Hrant Dink
a la prison avec sursis
Country/Topic: Turkey
Date: 12 July 2006
Source: Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
Person(s): Hrant Dink
Target(s): editor(s)
Type(s) of violation(s): sentenced
Urgency: Flash
(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters Without Borders said it was baffled by an
appeals court decision to uphold a six-month suspended prison
sentence against Hrant Dink, managing editor of the weekly “Agos”,
for referring to the 1915 genocide against the Armenians.
On 12 July 2006, Dink was sentenced on appeal in connection with a 13
February 2004 column in “Agos”, for which he was found guilty of
“insulting Turkish identity” under Article 301 of the Criminal Code.
The ethnic Armenian had called on Armenians to “now turn their
attention to the new life offered by an independent Armenia”.
“We are surprised by this conviction which is particularly shocking
for the entire profession,” said the press freedom organisation.
“This ruling will strengthen the climate of self-censorship on
subjects which are seen as sensitive by the Turkish state.”
“Turkey’s criminal law is among Europe’s most repressive towards
freedom of expression. It is unacceptable that criticism of
institutions or offences of opinion should be liable to prison
sentences. The Criminal Code, particularly Articles 301 and 125,
should be urgently amended to conform to European standards,” it
added. “Turkey has been condemned at least five times by the European
Court of Human Rights since the start of 2006, for its failure to
respect free expression.”
One of the journalist’s lawyers, Fethiye Cetin, told Reporters
Without Borders that she was waiting to formally receive the court’s
decision so that she could appeal to the European Court of Human
Rights.
Dink is facing up to three years in prison in connection with another
trial in which he is accused of “trying to influence the course of
justice”.

Sydney Morning Herald, Australia
The Age, Australia
July 13 2006
Anxious wait for flyweight Darchinyan
July 13, 2006 – 8:14AM
Australia’s world flyweight boxing champion Vic Darchinyan is
unlikely to make his next title defence until October.
After stopping previously undefeated Mexican Luis Maldonado in Las
Vegas last month, it was reported Darchinyan could be back in action
on another big US card as early as next month.
One of Darchinyan’s trainers, Billy Hussein, said on Wednesday a
unification fight with Argentina’s World Boxing Organisation champion
Omar Narvaez was still a possibility.
But he added Darchinyan’s next bout was likely to be on the undercard
of the next Diego Corrales fight, which wasn’t expected until
October.
Hussein said Darchinyan had yet to resume training after returning
last week from a holiday in Armenia, where he was born.
“Until we find out what’s going on, then we won’t go training again.
He’ll have at least 10 weeks to prepare,” Hussein said.
Darchinyan has made four defences of the International Boxing
Federation title and three of the less established and recognised
International Boxing Organisation championship in the same division.
Long time friend and stablemate Hussein Hussein, who is the fifth
ranked contender for Darchinyan’s IBF title, is looking to fight
Mexico’s former light IBF flyweight world champion Victor Burgos.
If the fight with Burgos doesn’t come off, another option is for
Hussein to challenge Japan’s new Oriental and Pacific Boxing
Federation flyweight champion Daisuke Nailo, who at number six, is
ranked two places higher in the World Boxing Council rankings.
The other Hussein brother, WBC seventh ranked featherweight Nedal, is
poised to challenge Japan’s OPBF champion Hiroyuki Enoki on September
16 in Tokyo.
Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Leonardo Zappavigna, who has won
his first two pro bouts in quick time, will fight on a Billy Hussein
promotion at Sydney’s Ninevah club on Friday week.
On the same night in Wollongong, multiple world title contender
Shannan Taylor will fight Canadian Ian MacKillop for the IBF and IBO
regional middleweight titles.
Former rugby league star John Hopoate will have his second
professional fight on August 4 against New Zealander Alex Mene at the
Gold Coast Turf Club in Bundall.
Hopoate took less than a minute to win his first paid bout on the
undercard of the Anthony Mundine-Danny Green bout.
Mundine is again being chased for a rematch by Sam Soliman, who lost
a contentious points decision to The Man in 2001.

Washington File, DC
July 12 2006
U.S. Envoy to Armenia Describes Central Role of U.S. Constitution
John Evans says Constitution provides framework for “great” national
debate
By Carolee Walker
Washington File Staff Writer
U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Evans (State Department photo)
Washington — The struggle to build democratic institutions and
establish democratic practices must be faced anew by every
generation, says U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John M. Evans.
“Building democracy is a never-ending challenge,” Evans told students
and faculty members at the American University in Yerevan, Armenia,
July 10. “Surely this is as true for my country, which has just
celebrated its two hundred and thirtieth birthday, as it is for
countries just starting to build democratic institutions.”
He illustrated what that meant by describing how the U.S.
Constitution came to be amended 27 times since it took effect in
1789.
“One can truly say that the Constitution provides Americans with a
framework for a great national discussion, often as not characterized
by a clash of opposing philosophies,” Evans said. “Certainly in a
society as diverse as ours, the differences of opinion are many and
at times have been deep.”
The U.S. Constitution is a dynamic document, he said, in part because
the document the framers signed in Philadelphia at the Constitutional
Convention “contained within it the seeds of many future
controversies that continue to the present day.”
Almost immediately after ratification – within six months, said Evans
– 10 amendments were proposed that relate to limiting the power of
the federal government. These amendments, known as the Bill of
Rights, “are cited, in some context or another, every day of our
national life,” he said. They provide for freedom of speech, press,
religion, assembly, trial by jury and other rights. Although the
process of amending the Constitution is difficult, 17 more amendments
also have been added.
Beyond the amendments, there have been many interpretations of the
language of the Constitution by the courts. The Supreme Court has
“the last word in saying precisely what the Constitution really
means,” Evans said.
Yet even the best-written constitution, by itself, does not create a
democracy, the ambassador said.
“There are customs, methods and procedures, in short, habits of
democracy, that put democratic flesh on the bones provided by the
basic provisions of the fundamental law. A democracy may function
minimally without these habits, but for it to flourish fully requires
that everyone play his or her part,” Evans said.
Crucial habits of democracy, according to Evans, are tolerance,
honesty and responsibility.
“Participants in a democracy must show a basic level of mutual
respect for each other,” he said. “Only when a citizen is willing to
listen to the opinions of others, and to entertain the possibility
that what others say will influence his thinking, does he himself
earn the right also to be heard.”
Responsibility means “accepting that everyone in a democracy bears a
degree of accountability for the overall outcome, especially of his
or her own actions,” including elected and appointed officials and
citizens.
Citizens are “responsible before the law, as well as bearing an
overall responsibility to inform themselves about the issues of the
day, to choose good leaders, through free and fair elections, and to
stand up for their own rights if and when they are challenged,” Evans
said.
The United States Constitution is the oldest written federal
constitution in the world, and the shortest.
Evans’ speech about the Constitution builds on his speech in 2005 at
American University about the U.S. Declaration of Independence and
the ideas of freedom and democracy that it embodies. (See related
article.)
The full text of the ambassador’s July 10 remarks is available on the
Web site of the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan.
For additional information, see U.S. Constitution.
(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International
Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site:
)

Today, Azerbaijan
July 12 2006
Matthew Bryza: “Talks still have not run out of potential”
13 July 2006 [02:07] – Today.Az
“OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs are looking forward to initiative of the
conflicting sides,” said OSCE MG American co-chair Matthew Bryza.
He exclusively told APA correspondent in Turkey that he didn’t
make public the elements of negotiations by not agreeing with the
conflicting side on his own initiative. “It was the decision of
co-chairs.”
He said he presented to public discussion only some of the elements:
“We expect the reaction of the Presidents. But I state that Talks
still have not run out of potential.
We expect directions from the Presidents, they should show us in what
direction we should work.”
American co-chair did not exclude the discussion of Azerbaijan-Armenia,
Nagorno Karabakh problem in the summit of G-8 to be held in Sankt
Petersburg.
He stressed that the time of Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents
meeting has not been defined yet.
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