OBJECTIONS ON FRENCH BILL RISE FROM EP
By Selcuk Gultasli, Brussels
Zaman, Turkey
May 11 2006
Reactions against the bill that would criminalize denial of the
so-called Armenian genocide have begun to emerge from the European
Parliament (EP) members, too.
EP members of different political groups speaking to Zaman criticized
the French motion.
Graham Watson, leader of the Liberal Democrats which is the EP’s
third largest political group, termed the draft as “a wrong decision
opposed to freedoms.”
Watson stressed that the proposal is both a wrong and
freedom-restricting step.
Freedom of thought and expression is the basic value of Europe,
Watson said. “These freedoms must not be restricted.”
The best way, according to the EP’s Liberal Group leader, to unveil
the realities regarding the Armenian genocide is to set up a commission
of Turkish and Armenian historians. Watson reminded this proposal was
brought to the agenda by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Another Liberal Democrat in the EP, Andrew Duff, said the draft is
not just “very ugly,” but it is also an attack against freedom of
expression. “Those supporting the motion have a clear target: To
damage Turkey.”
Co-Chairman of the European Union-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Commission
Joost Lagendijk pointed out those responsible for the preparation
of the motion fail to appreciate the value of the free discussion
atmosphere that started in Turkey. “It is necessary to encourage
discussion,” Lagendijk said, “but if the bill becomes law, it will
definitely be misused by reform opponents in Turkey.”
European Parliamentary member for the Greens, Turkish-origin
Cem Ozdemir, finding the French attitude “no different from the
chauvinistic nationalists in Turkey,” said those who oppose Turkey’s
accession to the European Union are behind the motion. “If France wants
to heal the wounds of Armenians, let it support Turkey’s membership
to EU. If the bill passes, it will give an advantage to those who do
not want the Armenian problem solved.”
Turkish-born EP deputy Emine Bozkurt, who thinks the motion is
“a real hypocrisy” asked, “The EU is making efforts for freedom of
expression in Turkey on one hand, and France brings this motion to
the agenda on the other. How will this contradiction be explained to
the Turkish people?”

NEW RECORD OF KOMITAS’ ‘HOLY LITURGY’ RELEASED
By Gohar Gevorgian
AZG Armenian Daily
12/05/2006
Meeting with Stanford University professor Hrant Khachatrian at a
concert in Geghard became the beginning of an interesting and important
project for “Hover” chamber choir. Soon after the acquaintance the
professor suggests to release the recording of Komitas’ “Holy Liturgy”
with an aim of further promotion.
Yesterday, the choir represented its new, 8th, album that was recorded
in Armenia by VEM Studio and release in German city of Cologne. Arman
Padarian, head of the chamber choir, says that the CD was released in
3.000 copies, 1.000 of which will be distributed all over the world,
1.000 will be put for sale at and and
1.000 will be brought to Armenia.
Choir’s editor, Vahe Begoyan, said that their recording is complete
and includes parts of the priest and deacon in the liturgy as well
as the Gospel readings.
The repertoire of “Hover” chamber choir, founded in 1992, includes
more than 170 works of Armenian, Western European and American
composers. The choir took part in a number of famous contests and
festivals such as International Chorus Polyphonic Contest in Italy
(1997, laureate), International Chorus Contest in France (1999,
laureate) and First Choir Olympiad in Austria (2000, gold medal).

LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION OF THE FRENCH PARLIAMENT TURNS DOWN DRAFT ON PENALTY FOR GENOCIDE DENIAL
By Hakob Chakrian
AZG Armenian Daily
12/05/2006
Armenian-born Journalists Join Resistance of the Bill
Wednesday May 10, the Legislative Commission of the French Parliament
turned down the draft aiming at penalizing the negation of the Armenian
Genocide. If passed, those denying the Genocide would face 1 year in
jail or a fine of 45.000 euros. Regardless the Commission’s decision,
the bill will be discussed at an additional sitting of the French
parliament. The country’s Senate also has to approve the bill in
order to put it into practice.
Though the bill was rejected by the Legislative Commission, Turkish
political circles think it is likely to become a law, and Turkish
authorities backed by 9 intellectuals and executives are taking action.
Days before the refusal of the Legislative Commission, French-based
Turkish organizations and unions published an open letter in French
papers to block adoption of the bill.
After the publication, the foreign relations committee at the Turkish
Parliament sent a deceleration headed by committee chairman Mehmed
Dulger to Paris that currently negotiates with French lawmakers.
It must noted that before sending the delegations to Paris, Turkish
Foreign Ministry had called its ambassadors to France and Canada to
Ankara on May 8.
Aydemir Erman, Turkish ambassador to Canada, was called to Ankara
in connection with Canadian prime minister Stefan Harper’s “Armenian
genocide” wording in his April 21 statement.
Among the 9 intellectuals supporting the Turkish government to
block the bill were Ahmed Insal, Elif Safaq, Halil Berktay, Myuge
Guceq, Ragep Zaraqolu, participants of the workshop on Armenian
genocide’s 90th anniversary Basken Oran and Murad Belge as well as
Turkish-Armenians Hrant Dink, editor-in-chief of Agos daily and Zaman
columnist Etien Mahchupian.
In a letter to French daily Le Liberacion they wrote: “Despite its aim,
this bill will damage the process of thoughts exchange over historic
issues and will stymie the activity of those trying to push forward
this process in Turkey.” This draft, they claim, is an assault on
freedom of speech and thought.
Interestingly, the French daily published the letter free of charge.

IDLE TALKS ON A320 CRASH
AZG Armenian Daily
12/05/2006
Oppositional deputies of the Armenian Parliament are going to gather
necessary 44 signatures to put on the parliamentary agenda the issues
of examination of Armenian civil aviation’s condition and creation
of a parliamentary commission to study the causes of A320 crash. In
Viktor Dallakian words, our nation has the right to know the truth
about the crash. Another legislative initiative will suggest rendering
aid to the families of the victims in form of, say, monthly allowance
or tuition fee.

STORMY WEATHER HINDERS SEARCH IN BLACK SEA
AZG Armenian Daily
12/05/2006
The search for Armavia’s A320 jetliner airbus has stopped, as the
weather forecast promises a storm of 4 degrees in the Black Sea
basin. RIA news agency informed that the French specialists arrived
in Sochi.
Their equipment will help carry out search works in deeper layers
of the seabed. The new equipment will be installed on “Navigator”
ship that arrived from Novorossiysk.
Several items are revealed on the seabed, where the French specialists
managed to get signals from. It is supposed that the signals come
from the “black boxes” that are in the dept of 400-450 meters.
The specialists believe that a more powerful equipment than they have
at present is required for carrying out more effective search.

BEST CONDITIONS FOR MATERNITY IN SOUTH CAUCASUS ARE IN ARMENIA
By Nana Petrosian
AZG Armenian Daily
12/05/2006
The mothers feel safe most of all in the Scandinavian states. In this
issue, Sweden is in the first place, then come Denmark and Finland,
Norway, Austria and Germany. Armenia is in the 37 position in the list
of the countries that render good conditions for maternity. Moreover,
according to the principle of the most beneficial conditions for
maternity, Armenia is in the first place among the South Caucasus
countries.
This data is revealed as a result of the research carried out
in 125 countries by “Save the Children” British benevolence
organization. Thus, Belarus is the first among the former Soviet
republics; it occupies the 16th place in the list. Ukraine is in the
21st place, Moldova in the 24th, Russia and Uzbekistan are sharing the
27th place. Tajikistan is in the 69th place, while Turkey occupies
the 74th place. According to the research, the worst conditions for
maternity are in Nigeria.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

A-320 FLIGHT RECORDERS TO BE LIFTED FROM BLACK SEA BOTTOM SOON
PanARMENIAN.Net
11.05.2006 15:39 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Fragments and flight recorders of A-320 Armenian
airplane will be lifted from the Black Sea bottom soon, Russian
Minister of Transport Igor Levitin reported to Russian Premier
Mikhail Fradkov.
“The commission hopes to get exact information on the location
of flight recorders and start lifting airplane fragments,” Levitin
said. Besides, he reported that all necessary assistance was provided
to victims’ relatives, who arrived in Sochi. Search for flight
recorders and fragments of the crashed plane continued in the Black
Sea today, Interfax reports.

‘CAUCASUS AXIS OF CONFRONTATIONS’ CONGRESS
By Marietta Khachatrian
AZG Armenian Daily
12/05/2006
Armenian Democratic Party spearhead, Aram Sargsian, has opened
National Center for A Dialogue of Civilizations NGO that will hold a
congress at the Armenia-Marriott Hotel on May 17-18 in concert with
the World Armenian Congress. In Mr. Sargsian’s words, the congress,
comprising experts from Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh, Georgia, Turkey,
Russia and EU states, will discuss issues of regional cooperation
and economic issues. Azerbaijanis refused to arrive in Armenia.
“This is the first regional structure of its kind, and the upcoming
congress ‘Caucasus Axis of Confrontations’ is its first step. All
participating experts are well aware of the issues facing the Caucasus
and know what should be our approaches to overcome the problems
inherited from the past. The main purpose is to find a way out from
the current deadlock,” Aram Sargsian said.

CILICIA TO PUT OUT AGAIN MAY 28
PanARMENIAN.Net
11.05.2006 17:28 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian President Robert Kocharian met
with Cilicia vessel crew, reports the Press Service of the Armenian
leader. May 14 Cilicia crew will leave for London to prepare to the
final phase of their voyage. The Armenian President reported that talks
are held with foreign companies for building docks in the Lake Sevan.
We note that Cilicia will be put out of south England May 28 and will
head for Kale French port. Then, having passed the North and Baltic
Seas along the coastline of a number of states, Cilicia will arrive
in Saint Petersburg in August. From there it will go to Poti port in
the Black Sea. Then the ship will be transported to Armenia overland
and the Lake Sevan will host it next spring.

FRENCH EXPERTS SEARCH FOR BLACK BOXES AT BLACK SEA CRASH SITE
RIA Novosti, Russia
May 11 2006
SOCHI, May 11 (RIA Novosti) – French experts have left the Black Sea
port of Sochi in a bid to pinpoint the location of the flight data
recorders of an Armenian airliner that crashed last week killing 113
people, emergency services said Thursday.
The black boxes are seen as the key to understanding why the Airbus
plunged into the sea in stormy weather six kilometers (3.7 miles)
from the coast early on the morning of May 3.
Vladimir Yerygin, who oversees technological support for the operation
to recover the recorders, said the specialists from Toulouse-based
Airbus were planning to use advanced hydroacoustic equipment to find
the precise location of the black boxes and later recover them using
a deep-sea vehicle.
“The equipment brought by French experts consists of four buoys placed
on small speedboats,” Yerygin said. “They will help us to establish
the precise location of the black boxes.”
The official said the main group of French experts would set up a
data-processing center on board one ship, and another ship with the
Kalmar deep-sea craft would continue scanning the seabed for parts
of the A-320.