DENMARK-BASED ROJ TV CALLS FOR VIOLENCE AND RIOTS IN TURKEY
Menekse Turkyilmaz
Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
March 30 2006
Denmark-based Roj TV has called for violent uprisings in southeastern
Turkey. After the call, the PKK militants and sympathizers terrorized
the biggest city Diyarbakir in the region.
Roj TV has been the focus of recent controversy, as Turkey has made
a series of high level diplomatic requests that it be shut down in
Denmark, where it continues to broadcast uninterrupted by the Danish
government.
Turkish media accuses Denmark of supporting international terrorism.
A civilian economic sanction against Denmark goods is asked by the
Turkish groups
DIYARBAKIR – When Denmark-based Roj TV has called for violent rioting
on the streets of Diyarbakir, the funerals for 4 of the 14 terrorist
PKK members killed in clashes became an opportunity to attack the
civilian and police targets in Diyarbakir city. Yesterday, a call
to shop and business owners to “close their shutters and roll down
their metal blinds” in deference to the funerals led to violence
by PKK supporters on the streets of Diyarbakir against up to 70
shops, 3 banks, and one health clinic that chose not to heed the
Roj TY broadcasted warning from the PKK. Supporters of the outlawed
terrorist group threw molotov cocktails at unshuttered businesses,
and some banks’ ATMs were destroyed.
It is believed that the Roj TV has been financed by the PKK which is
on the list of terrorist organizations in the US, UK and EU. The TV
channel is also used for money laundering and other illegal business.
However Denmark has rejected to close down the station. The PKK’s
previous TV stations MED TV and MEDYA TV were closed by the UK and
France. Turkey accuses Denmark of supporting terrorism.
Events occured in follow-up to funeral
The event leading up to the rioting and clashes in Diyarbakir was the
funerals held for PKK terrorists Bulent Tanisik, Muzaffer Pehlivan,
Mahmut Guler, and Kenan Demir. The funerals were attended by an
estimated 5,000 people, who accompanied the bodies from Diyarbakir’s
Sefik Efendi mosque to the Yenikoy Graveyard where they were buried.
Stones were thrown by the crowd at the 2nd Tactical Air Force regiment
which passed nearby the funeral procession. Following the burials,
a group of 1,000 marched through the streets shouting slogans in
support of imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan. Later, gas bombs and
stones were thrown in clashes between police forces behind barricades
that confronted the marchers in the street. With crowds dispersing
into sidestreets, businesses that had not closed their metal shutters
were attacked by PKK supporters armed with molotov cocktails, sticks,
and stones.
No one was killed yesterday in Diyarbakir, although 10 police force
members and one soldier were injured. Funerals for the remaining 10
PKK members killed in clashes this week were also marked by protest
in Batman, Adana, and Siirt, though none of the other funerals turned
into anything like the events in Diyarbakir.
Denmark Supports International Terrorism
Kemal Tuzcu named Denmark “supporter of terrorism”. Most of the Turkish
newspapers and TV channels yesterday accused Denmark of encouraging
international terrorism. “All in Danish government and security
services know that the Roj TV is a branch of PKK. Most of the staff
of the station are PKK members and the Roj TV supported the violent
events in Turkey. The Roj TV is one of the leading factors in violence
in Turkey. And denmark allows the PKK TV to broadcast” Tuzcu added.
Worse Than Cartoon Crisis” Dr. Sedat Laciner from USAK said “the
Roj TV case is worse than cartoon crisis”. “Denmark insists on the
mistakes. If the Danish police and intelligence services cannot see the
difference between a civilian TV station and terrorist organization,
they are very bad at their business. But no one in Turkey believes
in Denmark’s sincerity.
Roj TV calls for violence and people are killed in Turkey.” Dr.
Laciner added.
According to Dr. Nilgun Gulcan, the Danish Government aims to prevent
Turkey’s EU membership: “The anti-Turkish groups in Europe abuses the
Kurdish, Cyprus and Armenian problems in order to prevent Turkey’s
EU membership. When the Danish Government supports the terrorists in
Turkey, the Turkish Government and people lose their trust towards
the EU. This is a very dirty game. The supporter of the terrorists
are not Iran or Syria but Denmark and some groups in the EU”.
Dr. Laciner says if Roj TV continues to broadcast, Turkey-Denmark
relations would be damaged permanently. “It is like an Al Qeada
TV in Ankara. The PKK is a terrorist organization. It is on the
terrorist organizations list of the European Union, United States,
United Kingdom and many other countries. However the PKK has offices
in many EU cities. Similarly another Turkish terrorist organization
DHKP-C has office in Belgium. Belgium ‘allowed’ a DHKP-C militant
Fehriye Erdal to escape. The double standart is clear”.
Kemal Tuzcu argues that “no one should expect anything in combating
international terrorism”. “They have their own terrorists and they do
not consider the PKK who is responsible for more than 40.000 lives
terrorist. The Western combating terrorism is just the words but
nothing more” Mr. Tuzcu added.
Sanction Against Denmark Goods
A civilian economic sanction against Denmark goods is also asked by
the Turkish groups.
Melahat Karayol, economy correspondent of Turkish newspaper, told
the JTW that “the best way to persuade the Danish Government is the
sanctions against the Danish goods”. “remember the cartoon crisis.
Denmark did nothing but watched the crisis till the economic
sanctions. Trade is more important for Denmark than the human life”
she added.

STATE’S FRIED DISCUSSES ARMENIA DEMOCRATIZATION, NAGORNO-KARABAKH
By Jeffrey Thomas
Washington File Staff Writer
Washington File, DC
March 30 2006
United States expects upcoming elections to meet international
standards.
Washington – The United States expects Armenia’s parliamentary
and presidential elections in 2007 and 2008 to meet international
standards for free and fair elections, the State Department’s Daniel
Fried said March 27 in a speech that also touched on such regional
issues as the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, energy security and
the war against terrorism.
Fried, the assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian
affairs, said the Bush administration is “taking at face value”
assurances from the Armenian government that the elections will be
free and fair. The elections are “key tests” of whether Armenia is
meeting its commitments under the terms of the Millennium Challenge
Compact it signed March 27, he said.
“We must achieve this goal [elections that meet international
standards] to sustain our relations,” Fried told the Armenian Assembly
of America National Conference in Washington.
Armenia signed a Millennium Challenge Compact — or bilateral aid
agreement – worth $235 million over five years at a ceremony March
27 at the State Department. The money will be targeted at improving
the country’s rural roads and an irrigation-and-drainage project that
will increase water supply to rural areas. (See related article.)
Millennium Challenge money is granted to countries judged to be
encouraging economic freedom, ruling justly and investing in their
people. Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian acknowledged in
his remarks at the signing ceremony that “much remains to be done”
to make Armenia’s democratic and economic reforms “comprehensive.”
“We know that corruption must not be tolerated and that law must rule,
that the principles of democracy must be transformed to traditions
of democracy in our country,” Oskanian said.
Fried referred to the compact as “a testament to Armenia’s progress
and its commitment to do more on good governance, economic freedom,
and investment in its people.”
Armenia, he said, “has the potential to be a leader in the region
by showing progress on democratic reforms to keep pace with its
economic expansion.”
AZERBAIJAN
Turning to Nagorno-Karabakh, Fried said finding a solution to
the conflict over the predominantly ethnic Armenian region within
Azerbaijan remains a “key focus” of U.S. foreign policy. He said
the United States was “disappointed” at the lack of progress when
the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan met at Rambouillet, France,
in February. But on recent meetings with Armenian President Robert
Kocharian and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, he believes “there
is a possibility for progress in 2006.” (See related article.)
Fried said the United States does not intend to impose a settlement
on either Armenia or Azerbaijan. “But it is our intention to support
a solution if both governments arrive at it,” he added.
When questioned, Fried declined to reveal details of any possible
settlement under discussion except to say that “the will of the people
of Nagorno-Karabakh has to be respected” and that “there are issues
of territorial integrity.”
A solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute, which dates to the last
years of the former Soviet Union, should result in an open border with
Turkey, Fried said. After his visit to Armenia, he went to Turkey,
he said, and pressed the Turkish government to open its border with
Armenia as soon as possible.
Turkey closed its land border with Armenia during the 1990-94 armed
conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh to show solidarity with Azerbaijan
and has not reopened it.
Fried also said the United States hopes to see the Caucasus region
integrate economically even before a solution to the dispute over
Nagorno-Karabakh. “It’s good not only for Armenia; it would be good
for Turkey and Azerbaijan as well,” he said.
SECURITY CONCERNS
Regarding U.S. security cooperation with Azerbaijan, Fried said U.S.
assistance was meant to help Azerbaijan handle such security threats
as Iran, not to be used against Armenia.
“Our assistance to Azerbaijan does not undermine our support for
Armenian security, and it is not designed and will not be used for
offensive purposes against Armenia,” he said.
Fried expressed concern about increased energy ties to Iran, saying
the United States is looking at ways in which it can support energy
security for all the countries of the south Caucasus.
He concluded by addressing the tragic events of 1915, when more than
1.5 million ethnic Armenians were killed while Armenia was still part
of the Ottoman Empire.
“The U.S. position on events of 1915 has not changed,” Fried said.
“We want to foster reconciliation and peace based on an understanding
of history, not a denial of it. We believe that the tragedy of 1915,
the killings, is of enormous human significance and its historical
assessment should be determined not on the basis of politics, but
introspection among civic leaders and scholars. This process has
begun in Turkey where it needs to take place.”
Turkey, Fried said, “will have to go through what many other countries
such as the United States have had to go through in our own history,
which is looking back at the darker spots in our past.”
A transcript of Fried’s speech is available on the State Department
Web site.
(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International
Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site:
)

NAGORNYY KARABAKH REPUBLIC CONDEMNS AZERI TRUCE VIOLATIONS
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
30 Mar 06
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Nagornyy Karabakh Republic (NKR)
has issued a statement condemning the truce violation by Azerbaijan
during the OSCE monitoring on 28 March.
To recap, during the routine monitoring by the OSCE monitoring
mission on 28 March east of the village of Seysulan in Martakert
[Askaran] District of the NKR, the units of the Azerbaijani armed
forces violated the cease-fire, opening fire on the NKR armed forces.
In order to ensure security of the monitoring mission, the OSCE
chairman-in-office’s personal representative, Andrzej Kasprzyk,
decided to cancel the monitoring.
Drawing attention of the international community to the frequent
violations by Azerbaijani military units of the contact line between
the Azerbaijani and Karabakh armed forces, as well as to cases of
shooting during the monitoring, the NKR Foreign Ministry considers
necessary to declare that actions of that kind are a direct consequence
of the Azerbaijani leadership’s ongoing bellicose rhetoric which has
not been properly assessed by interested states and organizations,
the NKR Foreign Ministry statement reads.
Stepanakert [Xankandi] considers that the mediators’ attempts to make
all sides of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict equally accountable for
cease-fire violations create conditions for Azerbaijan’s impunity
as a real culprit of [truce] violations, which is absolutely
unacceptable. In this connection, the NKR Foreign Ministry considers
that such position may hamper the balance [of forces] and lead to the
destabilization of the situation in the entire South Caucasus region.

IRAQ’S RELIGIOUS LEADERS MEET IN UK, URGE FORMATION OF STRONG GOVERNMENT, ARMY
Al-Quds al-Arabi website, London
30 Mar 06
Text of report by Samir Nasif in London entitled “Meeting in London
for Iraqi religious leaders: unity of Iraqis condition for defeating
occupation. Prince Al-Hasan: Arab and Muslim forces can replace
international forces” published on London-based newspaper Al-Quds
al-Arabi website on 30 March; subheadings inserted editorially
The conference of religious leaders in Iraq, which was held in
London between 26 and 29 March under the supervision and with the
participation of Jordan’s former Crown Prince Al-Hasan Bin-Talal,
in addition to a large number of clerics from various communities
in Iraq, has stressed that what pains the participants is that the
world has not become safer or more stable in the past three years as
a result of what happened in Iraq and other parts of the world.
The participants called for speeding up the formation of a strong
government and a strong balanced army capable of providing full
sovereignty for the country and for not confusing between the acts of
terrorism, murder, sabotage and forced displacement and the legitimate
resistance under international laws against any occupation. They
stressed that Iraq belongs to all the Iraqis and that the points of
agreement are many more than points of disagreement.
Arab-Muslim peacekeepers, departure of US, UK forces
In reply to a question about the effectiveness of sending an Arab and
Muslim peacekeeping force to Iraq to ease the escalating violence which
might lead to a civil war, or whether the US and British plan includes
the deployment of NATO forces in Iraq as it does now in Afghanistan,
and whether the United States and Britain intend to withdraw from Iraq
in the future, Prince Al-Hasan said: A security vacuum could happen
if the US-British coalition forces decided to adopt the strategy of
quick withdrawal. It is possible to rely on the Muslim-Arab forces
in this case. But it appears from the statements of President Bush
and US leaders that the United States will not withdraw from Iraq
during his term and that any withdrawal, if it does happen, might
take place after 2009, that is the end of his presidential term.
According to the prince, British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s statements
point to the same approach after Blair focused again on the difficult
decisions that should be taken in Iraq in the future and on the
correctness, in his view, of the military option that Britain took
in Iraq.
The US and British leaderships are saying that the coalition commanders
are doing everything that their responsibilities require them to do
in Iraq despite the fragility of the situation and dangers.
Prince Al-Hasan added: I believe that if the Sunni and Shi’i jihadists
unite their stands, the security situation will worsen and the matter
of the fragmentation of Iraq and the region’s countries will become a
dangerous reality that we should be cautious of. He added however that
it is difficult to ask Arab and Muslim forces to help spread security
in Iraq if the Iraqi parties themselves do not want this. In his view,
what is required now is not military power but the power of persuasion
and bolstering the desire to negotiate.
Terrorism and “resistance”
Salih al-Haydari, the Shi’i awqaf affairs minister in the Iraqi
government, commented on the same question and said: It is terrorism
that is stirring the security issue in the country. It is fighting all
the Iraqis and its aims are to label all its adversaries infidels,
though everyone is demanding an end to the occupation in Iraq. To
reach this aim, we the Iraqis should agree on a course that brings
all Iraqis together.
He queried the identity of those manipulating the fingers of sabotage
in Iraq and the foreigners who have come to Iraq and urged the Iraqis
to stand against them. He also stressed that the Iraqis want to rely
on the Iraqi force and a strong Iraqi army and hope that they will
not get to a situation where they will need Arab-Muslim forces.
Dr Shaykh Ahmad Abd-al-Ghafur al-Samarra’i, the Sunni awqaf affairs
minister in the Iraqi government, said: There were no sectarian and
doctrinal conflicts and revenges for three months after the occupation
entered Iraq. The occupation is now thinking of leaving when Iraq,
as you can see, is rife with conflicts. We believe there are secret
hands manipulated by foreign and hidden hands and funds.
This hand is like cancer. One does not see it with one’s eyes but
discovers it. When you ask all the Iraqi spectrums, they tell you:
We do not want a civil war. So who wants the civil war? The answer
is these hands. A total withdrawal of the occupation forces now will
be a disaster. We want the Iraqis to agree among themselves and have
the occupation forces leave not according to their timetable but
according to the Iraqis’ timetable and after the Iraqi people have
come together and united.
He added: Terrorism in all its forms is feeding the sectarian
conflicts, whether by the foreign-backed bombing, the random shelling
of civilian areas, or the donning of the Interior Ministry’s uniforms
and exercising ugly sectarian killings. He concluded by saying:
The nation will be all right if the ulemas become reconciled.
Al-Samarra’i thanked Prince Al-Hasan for his participation in
the conference and said the Iraqis welcome any hand that comes to
reconcile and Prince Al-Hasan has accustomed us to bringing closer
the views of warring parties all over the world and this work has a
big reward from God.
Shaykh Majid al-Hafid, representative of the Kurdish Muslim ulema,
said Iraq was an indivisible whole and the ulema’s stands were very
important, even if they stayed away from power. If they agree that the
occupation forces should leave, then these forces will leave within
weeks. In his view, Iraq’s history is rich in examples of successful
resistance to occupiers with the religious leaders’ backing. He also
stressed that the British and US forces were occupation forces and
the Security Council has not said yet that they have stopped being
occupation forces.
Ties with Iran
In reply to a question about Iran’s interference in the Iraqi affairs,
as the United States is accusing it, Shaykh Al-Haydari said: If
you meant bad Iranian interference, then ask the US government. As
Iraqis, we reject bad interference by Iran or any neighbouring or
far away country. But there are many ties that bind the Iraqis and
Iranians and there are things that bind Iraq to the Arab countries
and Turkey. We welcome good relations with all countries that help
Iraq build itself technologically, economically and humanely.
As for differentiating between the concepts of resistance and
terrorism, Al-Samarra’i said: Resistance is a means and not an end.
If its aim is to liberate the country, then this is what is required.
But the killing of innocent people should not be the aim. The aim
might be achieved through dialogue, negotiations and treaties. But if
this is impossible, then one will be compelled to resist in order to
liberate one’s country. Terrorism is seeking to destroy the country
so that the occupation remains, while the resistance is seeking to
liberate the country and the occupier’s departure.
When the ulema were asked about defining the identity of terrorists,
Al-Haydari answered: They announce themselves, Al-Zarqawi and Saddam’s
henchmen. Al-Samarra’i answered: There are elements that wear the
Interior Ministry’s uniforms and commit crimes that are worse than
others. Then there are the ordinary thieves and criminals.
Recommendations
The other issues approved by the conference included the importance of
continuing the dialogue between the clerics and religious creeds in
Iraq by holding periodic conferences; extensive exchange of visits;
forming peace teams to visit the hot spots; concentrating in the
religious message on the spirit of tolerance and forgiveness;
establishing the culture of recognizing the other; standing firm
against all who try to sow sedition; deepening the religious spirit
in the development of civil society; underlining the importance of
the national economy’s fair and balanced role.
The participants recommended preparations for an enlarged conference
inside Iraq that includes all the religious leaders, the activation of
the Iraqi Interreligious Council-Religions for Peace, and confirmation
of the sanctity of sacred places and the need to protect them.
The conference underlined Iraq’s historic role as the cradle of
civilizations and point of their convergence and urged adherence to the
noble moral values and the dissemination of the spirit of brotherhood,
love and coexistence.
Other prominent participants included Hasan Bahr-al-Ulum, Ja’far
Abd-al-Sahib al-Hakim, Adil al-Yasiri, Fadil al-Milani, Shaykh Abbas
Rahimah Fadil al-Zaydi, Shaykh Harith al-Ubaydi, Shaykh Abd-al-Salam
al-Kubaysi, Shaykh Tahsin Shams-al-Din, Shaykh Mahmud Jarad, Senior
Chaldean Bishop Andrawus Abuna; Senior Greek Armenian Bishop Avak
Asadouryan, Dr Nabil Yasin, Jawad al-Khu’i, and Dr William Findley.

FUN FOLDING PHYLLO: ARMENIAN COOKING CLASS WITH HARRY KAISERIAN
By Penobscot School
Victoria A. Scott
VillageSoup Belfast
knox.VillageSoup.com, ME
March 30 2006
ROCKLAND (March 29): If you are a fan of Penobscot School’s Italian
Cooking Series, then here is yet another example of Harry’s magic.
Harry Kaiserian of K’s Kwisine and Penobscot School’s Italian chef
will conduct this special class for a limited number of students on
Saturday, April 8 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
Fun Folding Phyllo, an Armenian cooking class, is a special workshop
that will explore basic cooking techniques with phyllo dough. Learn how
to use this marvelous food product to make some wonderful appetizers
and desserts. Leave the workshop with recipes and the know-how to do
almost anything with phyllo. In class, Harry and his students will
prepare: spanikopita (Greek cheese pies), Moroccan style meat pies, an
Armenian variation on baklava (it’s easier to make and tastes better)
and a banana roll that your kids or grand kids (of any age) will love.
The instructor for the course is Harry Kaiserian, a retired naval
officer and college administrator. Kaiserian has lived in Italy and
studied cooking there. He writes a cooking column ‘K’s Kwisine’ for
newspapers in Blue Hill, Stonington and Castine and has published a
cookbook. Harry also teaches through the Castine Arts Association.
Besides Italian, he teaches Armenian, Asian and Mediterranean
cooking. Kaiserian has been teaching cooking classes for over ten
years and can be reached at 207-326-9309 or [email protected].
The $45 per class fee (or $40 fee for two or more classes including
the Italian Cooking Series workshops) includes instruction,
materials and meals. Pre-registration is required. Register
by phone at 207-594-1084, fax 207-594-1067, or write to:
[email protected]. Rockland’s non-profit center for
language learning and international cultural exchange since 1986 is
located at 28 Gay Street and on the web at
Registration forms are available on the website.
photos: ID=70092

DEPUTY FM STYLIANIDIS VISITS ARMENIA
Athens News Agency, Greece
March 30 2006
The political will to strengthen economic and trade relations and
development cooperation between Greece and Armenia was confirmed in
Yerevan on Wednesday with the signing of a cooperation protocol by
Deputy Foreign Minister Evripidis Stylianidis and with the bilateral
contacts the Greek deputy minister had with Armenia’s political
leadership.
The promotion of the two countries’ bilateral relations is a commitment
by Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and Armenian President Robert
Kocharian, during the latter’s visit to Athens in November 2005,
Stylianidis said and termed Armenia a “strategic partner of Greece
in the region of the Black Sea.”
With the signing of the economic, industrial, technical and scientific
cooperation protocol, the work of the fourth Joint Interministerial
Committee, at which economic and development issues were examined
and which was jointly chaired by Stylianidis and Armenian Agriculture
Minister Davit Lokyan, came to an end.
After the signing of the document, Stylianidis expressed satisfaction
over the new mobility and the positive reaction of the Armenian side
to resolve “pending issues of the past”, as he said, that concern
Greek investments in Armenia.
The Greek side placed particular emphasis on development cooperation,
stressing that Armenia constitutes a basic priority of its development
policy. It is characteristic that during the 2001-2004 period it
has spent 9.5 million dollars for this purpose and in a “mutually
beneficial” way, as the Greek deputy minister said.
The sectors of financing development projects in Armenia include
agriculture, tourism, support for small and medium-size businesses
and infrastructures.
The protocol also anticipates, in the framework of backing economic
relations, cooperation in the energy sector, as well as the creation
of better conditions to improve the investing climate.
Resolving existing pending issues with Greek companies will contribute
to a climate of stability and reliability for increasing Greek
investments.
“I want a positive response from the Armenian administration so that
I can convey a strong message to the business community of my country
to carry out new investments here,” Stylianidis said and reminded that
Greece is the top foreign investor with capital invested amounting
to 450 million dollars.
The Federation of Greek Industries (SEB) and the Union of Producers
and Businessmen of Armenia signed a cooperation memorandum in the
framework of improving the business climate and drawing the business
communities closer together.
Referring to political relations and the bilateral meetings he had
on Wednesday with Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan, Trade
and Economic Development Minister Karen Chshmaritian and Deputy
Foreign Minister Arman Kirakosyan, Stylianidis said they were very
constructive and that Greece is prepared to support Armenia with
its European prospects, placing emphasis on the funding instruments
provided for the country.
Athens will also support every initiative by Armenia to harmonise
itself with the European framework and to utilise European funds for
its development.
Stylianidis pointed out that this is the target of Greece’s development
aid for Armenia, to bring it closer to the European Union.

ALIYEV LASHES OUT AT “ARMENIAN NATIONALISTS”
Mina Muradova and Rufat Abbasov 3/29/06
EurasiaNet, NY
March 30 2006
Azerbaijan’s president, Ilham Aliyev, has lashed out at Armenia,
claiming that “Armenian ideologists-nationalists” have pursued a
policy of aggression against Azeris for “about 200 years.” Aliyev’s
vitriolic rhetoric indicates that the window for a negotiated solution
to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is slamming shut.
In his March 28 address, Aliyev said Armenians aimed “to oust
Azerbaijanis from their lands, and create a state of ‘Greater
Armenia.'” He went on to assert that Yerevan was solely responsible
for starting hostilities between the two countries “aiming to forcibly
unify Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia.” He complained that “the history
of our nation has been roughly distorted” by a comprehensive Armenian
propaganda campaign that “mobilized the Armenia diaspora and lobby
for those purposes,” according to the text of the address distributed
by the official AzerTag news agency.
Aliyev’s speech occurred roughly six weeks after he and his Armenian
counterpart, Robert Kocharian, failed to achieve a breakthrough in
Karabakh peace negotiations during a summit meeting in France. [For
background see the Eurasia Insight archive]. In the weeks leading up
to that meeting, hopes ran high that the two leaders would agree on a
peace framework. Though few details of the discussions have emerged,
observers believe that disagreement over the timing and the scope
of a Karabakh referendum concerning the territory’s political future
emerged as an insurmountable obstacle to a settlement.
Since the summit, international mediators had expressed hope that
a settlement could still be found in 2006. [For background see
the Eurasia Insight archive]. Aliyev’s comments indicate, however,
that Baku doesn’t believe a peaceful settlement is achievable in the
near term.
Claiming that Armenia has “become a hostage to the idea of a ‘great
state,'” Aliyev alleged that peace talks stalled yet again “because
of the destructive and aggressive policy of the Armenian leadership.”
He reiterated that Azerbaijan is committed to a negotiated Karabakh
settlement that provides for “the restoration of our territorial
integrity.” But in comments sure to enrage Yerevan, Aliyev added that
Armenian leaders were conducting an “informational-propagandistic
fight concerning the invented ‘Armenian genocide’ … to prove their
territorial claims and obtain political dividends.”
Armenian officials had no immediate official reaction to the
Azerbaijani president’s comments. A central pillar of Yerevan’s foreign
policy has been securing international recognition of Ottoman Turkey’s
mass killings of Armenians, beginning in 1915, as genocide.
[For background see the Eurasia Insight archive]. President Kocharian
previously cautioned that if Baku did not alter its negotiating
position, the Armenian government would consider recognizing Karabakh’s
independence.
In recent weeks, Aliyev and other officials have repeatedly threatened
that Azerbaijan might resort to military action if Baku determined that
Karabakh peace negotiations stood no chance of success. In comments
made March 27 during a ceremony at the National Security Ministry,
and broadcast by ANS television, Aliyev stressed that Azerbaijan’s
rapid economic growth, driven by the development of the country’s
abundant energy reserves, was enabling the government to embark on
a far-reaching military build-up. He added that the potential for
Karabakh negotiations “has not yet been exhausted.”
“The other side [Armenia] must know that Azerbaijan is capable of
securing its territorial integrity through war,” Aliyev said.
Ceasefire violations in recent weeks have resulted in the deaths of
several Azerbaijani soldiers, Lider television reported. The ArmInfo
news agency on March 28 quoted Armenian Deputy Defense Minister
Artur Agabekyan as saying Azerbaijani forces were responsible for
starting the firefights. “Our servicemen … are in a state of combat
readiness,” Agabekyan said. “They will be prepared to repulse any
attack, be it a local attack or a large-scale one.”
In addition to the build-up, Azerbaijan appears intent on mobilizing
the Azeri diaspora to join in an information offensive to promote
Baku’s interests around the globe, including a Karabakh settlement that
is favorable to Baku. Azerbaijani officials used the second Congress
of World Azerbaijanis, held in mid March, to issue a call for rapid
consolidation of diaspora groups in order to present a unified view
of Azerbaijan and its policy aims to the outside world.
“In today’s world, a successful information policy is one of the
major factors of the overall development and perfect strengthening of
statehood,” Nazim Ibrahimov, the head of Azerbaijan’s State Committee
on Relations with Azerbaijanis Living Abroad, said in a March 16
speech to the congress’ 600 delegates.
According to state committee figures, approximately 50 million Azeris
live in over 70 countries. The largest diaspora communities are found
in Russia, Turkey, Georgia, Ukraine, Germany and the United States.
Approximately 30 million Azerbaijanis also live in modern Iran.
Roughly 8 million Azeris live in Azerbaijan.
In his March 28 speech, Aliyev indicated that Baku would seek to use
the Azeri diaspora to counter the “Armenian lobby abroad.”
Some delegates to the congress acknowledged that Azeri diaspora groups
had not done a good job in promoting Baku’s policies. “The Azerbaijani
diaspora is badly organized because it is young,” Azad Seidov, head of
the Azeri national cultural center in the Russian city Surgut, told
EurasiaNet. “We do not have a common plan of action and Azerbaijani
communities in foreign countries are working on their own. We have
to unite in order to recover our lands, cultural heritage and customs.”
Other representatives of diaspora groups confirmed that the
consolidation effort was intended to influence the Karabakh peace
process. Fahri Kerimli, chairman of board of the Romanian-Azerbaijani
Cultural Assembly, said unification would assist in the “neutralization
of efforts of Armenian diaspora around the world against Azerbaijan,
Azerbaijanis and Turkey.” A major aim of the intended information
offensive, Kerimli added, was to recast Azerbaijan as the victim in
the Karabakh conflict, dispelling the widely held view at present
that Baku was the aggressor.
Seidov and other delegates expressed interest in coordinating actions
with representatives of Turkish diaspora groups. “State interests …
made it necessary for the Azerbaijani and Turkish diasporas to
cooperate – to jointly operate to solve vital problems,” Ibrahimov,
the state committee chief, said.
Editor’s Note: Mina Muradova and Rufat Abbasov are freelance reporters
in Baku.

KEVORK ARSLANIAN, 100, SURVIVED WWI MASSACRE
Richard M. Peery
Plain Dealer Reporter
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH
March 30 2006
Garfield Heights- Kevork “George” Arslanian, 100, a survivor of the
slaughter of Armenians in Turkey during World War I and a Cleveland
barber since 1928, died Monday at Marymount Hospital.
Arslanian was living in Malatia, Turkey, when he and two siblings
were rescued by an uncle who had converted to Islam and a Muslim woman.
Their parents and other family members died in the massacre that took
an estimated 1.5 million Christian Armenians’ lives.
Although 24 nations have labeled it an act of genocide, the Turkish
government denies responsibility for the deaths.
The children were placed in a Red Cross orphanage in Syria.
Another uncle in Cleveland tried to send for them but was blocked by
immigration quotas. The uncle provided passage to Cuba, where the
children shined shoes and did odd jobs for several years. In 1927,
prohibition-era rum runners smuggled them into the United States.
Arslanian never attended school beyond kindergarten, but he taught
himself to read using a dictionary and newspapers. He enrolled in
Miller Barber College and was awarded the 11th license issued in
Ohio. In 1932 he opened a barbershop with his brother.
Four years later, a friend wrote Arslanian to tell him about a young
woman in another city. She was Vergin “Virginia” Sarkisian, who had
also lived through the massacre and fled to Syria as a child.
He married her and brought her to Cleveland in 1936. They lived in
Garfield Heights for many years.
In 1955, Arslanian and his brother moved their shop to the former
Milo Theater at East 100th Street and Miles Avenue. His sons began a
rug-cleaning business in the back of the building in 1959 that grew
into one of the industry’s leaders under the Arslanian Brothers name.
Although two years ago Arslanian stopped driving to the barbershop
to cut hair each Friday, he continued to help repair rugs one or two
days a week.
Arslanian was a founding member of St. Gregory of Narek Armenian
Church. The congregation built the area’s first Armenian Orthodox
church in Richmond Heights in the 1960s. He remained one of its
leaders throughout his life.
He was often asked to speak at weddings, birthdays, anniversaries
and funerals. He was also active in the Armenian General Benevolent
Union and the Tekeyan Cultural Association.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
[email protected], 216-999-4807
Kevork Arslanian
1905 – 2006
Survivors: Ted of Aurora, Henry of Solon and Armen of Independence;
nine grandchildren; and 22 great-grandchildren.
Services: 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. Gregory of Narek Armenian Church,
678 Richmond Road, Richmond Heights 44143.
Contributions: St. Gregory of Narek Armenian Church; Tekeyan Cultural
Association, Armenian Benevolent Union; all same address as the church.
Arrangements: Johnson-Romito of Bedford.

ARMENIA TO HOST NATO DRILLS IN JULY 2006
Mediamax news agency
30 Mar 06
Yerevan, 30 March: The government of Armenia today approved a proposal
to sign an agreement “On holding the Spasatel-2006 (Rescue-2006)
exercise on Armenian territory between the Armenian Defence Ministry
and the US Ground Forces Command in Europe”.
The international exercise is to be held between 12-28 July 2006
within the framework of NATO’s Partnership for Peace Programme,
the Armenian government’s press service told Mediamax today.
This is the staff exercise aimed at the expansion of cooperation
opportunities with partners countries, as well as the organization and
coordination of rescue works during natural and technical disasters.
According to preliminary information, 250 representatives from 12
countries will take part in the exercise.

‘ARMENIAN’ SUES RAILA FOR DEFAMATION
By Judy Ogutu
Standard, Kenya
March 30 2006
Mr Artur Margaryan, an alleged Armenian who has been in the headlines
recently, has sued Langata MP Raila Odinga for alleged defamation.
Artur claims that Raila had defamed him at Press conferences, which
were extensively covered by the media on or about March 3, 8 and 10.
Through his lawyers, Artur claims that the former Roads minister had
published or caused the publication of malicious words to help him
escape from a legal liability to pay a debt he owes him.
At the time the alleged malicious allegations were published, they
said, their client had advanced Raila a loan that was repayable and
was due.
According to Artur, the alleged words were understood to mean he was
a mercenary, drug-dealer, a criminal, unscrupulous and a dishonest
businessman.
The words, the suit papers say, were also calculated to mean he was
a heartless person who would kill for money.
Artur says this was done to engineer his deportation by destroying
his credibility. He claims to have met Raila several times in Dubai
and Kenya.
The applicant, who is represented by Ndonye, Mbugua, Atudo and
Macharia Company Advocates, also sought an order restraining Raila
from publishing, writing or causing to be written defamatory matters
about him.
He also wants the court to award him general damages and the costs of
the suit, and to compel Raila to apologise in local and international
media “in a manner that is sufficiently prominent and commensurate
to the publication of words complained of in the suit.”
His lawyers said Artur was a businessman and director in various
companies “with concerns in more than five countries including Kenya.”
Artur, they said, had interests in real estate, construction, gemstones
and precious minerals and import and export businesses among others.