Second Congress of World Azerbaijanis Ends in Baku
Baku Today, Azerbaijan
March 17 2006
17/03/2006 18:26
Second Congress of Azerbaijanis of the World finished its work. A
number of documents were adopted on the results of the forum.
Forum adopted the necessity of preparation the conception of Diaspora’s
activity. Until the Third Congress special attention must be paid to
these questions: consolidation of Azerbaijani communities; foundations
of the Congresses of America’s and Asia’s Azerbaijanis; creation
of the World Organizations of Azerbaijanis; adoption of measures
for Azerbaijanis’ representation in parliaments, state and municipal
organs of foreign countries; conduction of joint forum of Azerbaijani
and Turkish Diaspora organizations; rapprochement with mass media;
creation of “Sunday school” and other education-cultural organizations;
attraction of businessmen to implementation of socioeconomic programs
in Azerbaijan.
Forum decided to hold congresses of Azerbaijanis every 5 years.
Sessions of Coordinating Council of Azerbaijanis will be held once
a year.
The Congress called Azerbaijanis to consolidation. They called
the international organizations, parliaments, heads of states and
governments due to the Karabakh conflict. The document calls to
condemn aggressive Armenian separatism.
The Congress appealed to UNESCO regarding damage caused as a result
of Armenian aggression as a result of occupation of Azerbaijani
territories.
Congress re-elected Mahmud Kerimov, the President of the national
Academy to the post of chairman of the Coordinating Council.

Ukraine Finished Talks with Armenia and Columbia on Mutual Access to Markets
[17.03.2006 15:23]
UNIAN , Ukraine
March 17 2006
Ukraine finished market access talks with Armenia and Columbia within
the framework of joining the World Trade Organization.
According to an UNIAN correspondent, Economics Minister of Ukraine
Arseniy Yatseniuk disclosed this to journalists today.
Ukraine has been holding talks for joining WTO since 1994. Presently a
new date of entering WTO is expected – summer-autumn of the current
year.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

BÝA, Turkey
March 17 2006
Free Expression Falls Victim to EU Opponents
Using loosely worded laws that criminalize the denigration of the
Turkish state, conservative secular nationalists – referred to by
some as “the state within the state” – are challenging writings and
public comments on issues they dislike.
CPJ/IFEX
17/03/2006
BÝA (New York) – Nationalists opposed to Turkey’s engagement with
Europe have sought out sympathetic public prosecutors across the
country to file criminal complaints against journalists, writers and
academics who favor EU membership, a new report by the Committee to
Protect Journalists has found.
Using loosely worded laws that criminalize the denigration of the
Turkish state, its identity and its institutions, conservative secular
nationalists – referred to by some as “the state within the state” –
are challenging writings and public comments on issues they dislike,
including the Kurds, the mass killings of Armenians under the Ottoman
Empire, and the security forces, CPJ found in its special report,
“Nationalism and the Press,” released today.
Five journalists were charged in December 2005 under Article 288 of
the penal code with attempting to influence the outcome of judicial
proceedings through their writings. Four of the five were also charged
under the controversial Article 301 of the code with insulting
“Turkishness,” and if convicted could face prison terms from six
months to 10 years.
Senior Editor Robert Mahoney attended the unruly opening of the
journalists’ trial on February 7 in Istanbul where hundreds of riot
police ringed the court room and the judge adjourned the case after
two hours. He interviewed several of the journalists standing trial,
government officials and activists for the report.
Since Turkey’s penal code was overhauled in 2005, cases have been
brought against 29 journalists under Article 301, according to the
local press freedom organization Bia.
For 40 years, Turkey has been forging closer political, economic,
and social ties with Europe, writes Mahoney. But the opening last
October of formal accession negotiations with Brussels has galvanized
those who feel Turkey has gone far enough in reforming itself along
Western lines to pass the EU membership test.
The prosecution of the five journalists is scheduled to reconvene on
April 11.
–Boundary_(ID_1z27Pjr6yaQgJRNVDkz7UQ)–

BÝA, Turkey
March 17 2006
Not Many “New Approaches” for Armenian Issue
“New Approaches in Turkish Armenian Relations” conferance will
continue for 3 days witnessed the reproduction of nationalist
reflexes and unscientific propositions: “There is not more noble a
nation in the world than the Turks.”
BIA News Center
17/03/2006 Talin SUCIYAN
BÝA (Istanbul) – On the first day of the international symposium
entitled “New Approaches in Turkish Armenian Relations” organized by
Istanbul University as the Science and Literature Faculty Cemil
Birsel Meeting Hall that started on Wednesday, the symposium stayed
far away from bringing new approaches to the issue. Old formulaic
narratives were repeated.
The symposium witnessed the reproduction of nationalist reflexes and
unscientific propositions.
Propositions and questions such as “The Armenians had sold their
masters”, “deportation is a form of crisis management”, “how could
one compare those who die from deportations with those who die from
the flu”, “there is no nobler nation on earth than the Turks” were
repeated.
A 25-page anonymous brochure printed by Ýstanbul University entitled
“The Attack of the Genociders and the Reactions One Must Give to
Them” was introduced at the last minute at an unnamed exhibit.
The symposium started with a practice inappropriate for an academic
meeting, namely with the reading of the National Anthem and the March
of the 10th Year Celebrations of the Turkish Republic. Then there was
a moment of silence observed for those who had lost their lives
during World War I.
The National Anthem was sung by Katya Hallacoglu from Ferikoy
Armenian Elementary School who was elected the best national anthem
singing student and the Tenth Year (of The Republic) March was sang
by the Surp Takavor Choir. The same choir then sang some Armenian
pieces.
The Brochure with the unknown author and publisher
Among the various bookstands in the hall way were the publications of
the Prime Minister’s Office, Ataturk Research Center and the Gomidas
Institute. During the first panel, there was added next to the books
of the Gomidas Institute a brochure stand for a 25-page brochure
entitled “The Attack of the Genociders and the Reactions One Must
Give to Them.”
The name of the author was someone named “Holdwater” and the
translator the Turkish Forum member Fatma Sarýkaya who had attended
the Bilgi University conference in September 2005. Vice Rector Þafak
Ural stated that the brochure had been printed by the Istanbul
University Press right before the symposium but it had not yet been
accepted as an Istanbul University publication because it had not
been examined adequately.
There was no information in the brochure that it had been printed by
Istanbul University. The entire content of the brochure whose writer
is unknown has been taken from the website
and translated by Fatma Sarýkaya.
On the first day of the conference that will continue for three days,
a total of 18 presentations took place under the themes “Armenians
under Ottoman Adminsitration,” “Deportation according to Archival
Documants” and “Great Powers and the Armenian Issue.”
Even though the original title of the paper of Yair Auron who
participated in the symposium from Israel was “Armenian Genocide
during World War I According to the Narrtives of the Witnesses and
Jewish Documentation,” it appeared in the program as “Armenians under
Ottoman rule according to the archival documents of the Yishuv (the
Palestinian Jewish community).” This misprint was corrected at the
end of the presentation by Yusuf Halacoglu.
Auron: “1915 is a Genocide”
As could also be understood from his paper title, Yair Auron gave a
presentation on the proofs of the Armenian genocide in the Jewish
sources. Auron stated that he had been researching genocides for 30
years and the Armenian genocide for 20 years and that he employed the
term genocide not to offend anyone but because he interprets 1915
within the scientific and legal conceptualizations as genocide.
Saray: “Armenians and Greek were used as Tools for Selfish Purposes”
Mehmet Saray who presented in an emotional tone a paper entitled
“Armenians and the Ottoman conception of the state” said the
following at the end of his paper: “The Turkish nation is the most
noble nation of the world; friends, it is not possible for such a
nation to commit genocide.” Saray also stated that the Armenians and
Greeks were used by the Britain, France and Russia as ‘tools.’
Bozkurt: “Non-Muslims prevented equality”
In her talk entitled “non-Muslims in Ottoman Law,” Gulnihal Bozkurt
said that the legal differentiation between the Muslims and
non-Muslims occurred because the Ottoman state was a religious state
and the legal system applied a religious one. She claimed that the
non-Muslims did not support the application of the reforms that gave
them more rights but also more responsibilities and that was why the
introduction of an egalitarian understanding (to Ottoman society) was
prevented directly by the non-Muslims.
Ali Arslan who defended the view that the Armenian church and the
Armenian problem were interconnected stated that the (activities of
the) churches had to be observed very carefully and that he wished
the churches were centers of peace and love.
“Armenians have sold their Masters”
Erol Kurkcuoglu who stated while giving his paper that “the Armenian
problem is an artificial (non-existent) issue created by the Russians
and Western powers” referred to the Russian historian Velichkov in
stating that Armenians always had masters. He narrated that these
“master”s’were respectively Romans, Byzantines, Iranian, British,
French and Germans. He concluded his talk by stating that “Armenians
have always changed their masters in history and have sold them (the
masters).”
Deportation as Crisis Management
Hikmet Ozdemir stated that his talk searched for the answer to the
single question: ‘what are the reasons for the deportation?’ and
pointed out that he had “the right to ask to know what his colleagues
at Bilgi and Sabanci Universities thought about this.” Ozdemir listed
various rebellions to argue that deportation emerged as a crisis
management technique during war.
Why did Gomidas go abroad?
In his paper entitled “Deportation according to Ottoman documents”,
Yusuf Sarinay gave the example of Gomidas, the first
ethnomusicologist of Anatolia, stating how helpful the state elite
had been in sending him abroad for his medical treatment.
Sarýnay did not state that Gomidas had lost his mental health because
of what he had lived through and witnessed.
Sarýnay also argued that Armenians had been sent south in order to
move them away from the warfront to settle them at a secure place.
“Comparison of deportation and flu deaths”
Yusuf Hallacoðlu argued in his talk entitled “population loss due to
deportation and migrations” that the number of casualties due to
sickness, travel, hunger was 227 500 and that this could be compared
to those in England who died from the flu.
The Activities of the Missionaries and the Armenians are Different
from One Another
Hilmar Kaiser who presented a paper entitled “Merzifon, 1915: Ottoman
Armenians and American Missionaries during times of Crisis” stated
that one should not equate those who performed missionary activities
with the Armenians because Armenians sometimes converted to Islam to
escape genocide and this (conversion) would not be acceptable to the
missionaries.
As proof for his argument that the purposes of the two groups were
entirely different, Kaiser relayed from the memoirs of the wife the
negative reaction received by the Armenian doctor who had become the
director of the Merzifon missionary hospital.
Kaiser stated that Merzifon was totally cleansed of Armenians except
for the Protestant Armenians who were disabled or working at the
American mission.
The symposium that has not been well attended will continue at the
same place Thursday and Friday. (TS/KO/FMG/YE)
–Boundary_(ID_ak3GXP3MJkOtSxHJpac riA)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Akkan Suver: “Armenia should withdraw from the territories it occupied”
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
March 17 2006
[ 17 Mar. 2006 17:55 ]
Director-general of Turkey Marmara Strategic and Social Researches
Foundation Akkan Suver held news conference today (APA). Suver said
that he visited Baku to attend the 2nd Congress of World Azerbaijanis.
Highly appreciating the Congress, Suver called it not only the congress
of world Azerbaijanis but also all Turks worldwide. “Turkey needs to
learn much from Azerbaijan regarding lobbying activity. The problem
is we lack lobbying. Azerbaijan is a good example for Turkish world
for lobbying. Turkey should develop lobbying in order to be powerful,”
the Turkish visitor said.
Referring to the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, the director-general
said Armenia is pursuing a wrong policy. “It is imposable to develop
as a terrorist country in the civilized Turkish world. Armenia should
bear it in mind and withdraw from the territories it has occupied,”
Suver concluded./APA/

Mujgan Suver: “Turkey do not organize flights to Armenia”
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
March 17 2006
[ 17 Mar. 2006 17:56 ]
“Istanbul-Yerevan and the opposite direction flights are not organized
by the Turkish government but a private company,” head of Turkey
Marmara Strategic and Social Researches Foundation on European Union
and Human Rights Platform, Mujgan Suver told APA.
She stated that Istanbul-Yerevan and the opposite direction flights
that are held twice a week are for Armenians who are Turkish citizens,
and they travel to visit their relations in Armenia. Mujgan Suver
also added that Turkey does not violate the rights of Armenians and
other nations living in Turkey./APA/

Armenian Marxists on Karabakh problem’s solution: “all or nothing”
Regnum, Russia
March 17 2006
“Forthcoming meeting of co-Chairs of OSCE Minsk Group on Nagorno
Karabakh conflict settlement, to be held in Istanbul on March 20,
gives new negotiating possibilities, and it is unworthy to expect
anything else,” stated Chairman of Armenian Christian-Democratic Union,
ex-Speaker Khosrov Arutyunyan at a news conference.
As a REGNUM correspondent informs, according to him,” results of
negotiations in Rambouillet, better to say – their absence, confirmed
fact, that anybody of parties was not ready to compromise.
Negotiation’s mediators were ready for such result.” “Despite fact,
that Azerbaijan announced more then once inadmissibility of concessions
from his side, continuation of the long-drawn process is possible
only through compromises. We have even to exclude idea on possible
military solution of the problem,” stated Arutyunyan. At the same
time, he stressed, that official Yerevan, “convincing international
community of readiness to compromise, must not forget to remind to
it, that the readiness is caused not by fear of war, but by wish to
settle question peacefully.” “Rejection of talks is proclaiming of war
against international community. However, status quo is now dangerous
for both Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. If one has been considering
events since 1994, so 2006 is most favorable to settle Nagorno Karabakh
problem. And we have to use the chance,” added Khosrov Arutyunyan.
Mentioning integration of Nagorno Karabakh into negotiating process
on conflict settlement, Khosrov Arutyunyan pointed out, that NK
for international community is not intermediate link of the chain,
but practically a main one – “it an undisputable question. Without
acceptance of right of Nagorno Karabakh people on self-determination
no decisions and agreements may be taken.” Mentioning some countries,
interested in Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, the ex-speaker
in particular stated:” USA diplomatically request to settle Karabakh
conflict, and Russia wish decently to help.”
In his turn, Chairman of the Armenian Marxist Party David Akopyan
stated, that all possible compromises are exhausted within the
framework of conflict settlement. “At present, one has to act
according to everything or nothing principle,” stated he. According
to his prognosis, “pan-American hegemony” will end and “Russia will
join the conflict” in 2007. Also, he stated that no documents on
Karabakh conflict settlement will be signed in 2006, and question
of Nagorno Karabakh status will be solved only by next Armenian
president. “Present authorities are unable to achieve such solution,”
believes David Akopyan. Mentioning forthcoming meeting of co-Chairs of
OSCE Minsk Group, to be held in Istanbul on March 20, chief Armenian
Marxist proclaimed: “Hope for the best, be prepared for the worst!”

Ukraine concludes WTO talks with Armenia, Columbia
16:44 | 17/ 03/ 2006
RIA Novosti, Russia
March 17 2006
KIEV, March 17 (RIA Novosti, Olga Bernatskaya) – Ukraine has concluded
talks with Armenia and Columbia in its bid to join the World Trade
Organization, the country’s economics minister said Friday.
“We have concluded the WTO accession talks with Armenia and Columbia,”
Arseniy Yatsenyuk said, adding that there have also been positive
developments in the negotiations with Australia.
The minister said that the country’s hopes about accelerating the
negotiating process after it signed a bilateral agreement with the
United States had materialized.
A presidential administration official previously said that the
country could complete talks on joining the body governing global
trade as early as at the end of March 2006.
Ukraine has signed protocols with the majority of WTO members,
including with the United States on March 2, on mutual access to
commodities and services markets. In mid-February, the U.S. granted
it market economy status after the European Union declared Ukraine
a market economy at the end of 2005.

Energy Security Problems of Armenia Debated
National Assembly of RA, Armenia
March 17 2006
On March 16 at NA parliamentary hearings were held on the theme “RA
Energy Security” by NA Standing Committee on Defence, National Security
and Internal Affairs. Members of parliament, MPs, those responsible
for respective departments and representatives of international and
public organizations attended the hearings.
Mher Shahgeldyan, Chairman of NA Standing Committee on Defence,
National Security and Internal Affairs, mentioned that the energy
development, as well as ensuring regular vital activity, are the main
problems of RA national security. According to him, today energy
security and development of the sphere are problems directed to
Armenia’s future, taking into account the regional developments, RA
geographical location, as well as the expansion of high technologies
and the imperative need for the future development of our country. He
believes that the public is greatly interested in the problem, and
politicians and statesmen, representatives of public organizations
and our citizens are eager to see the existing vision clearly and
distinctly. It was also mentioned that the problem has to do with
every citizen’s daily life. The public interest becomes pressing and
acute on account of recent fluctuations in gas price, as well as the
problems of state control on nuclear energy debated at the National
Assembly. Mr. Shahgeldyan spoke on the regular activity of energy
system, ways of energy carriers’ regular supply and prevision of
energy carriers’ sources. It was noted that they try to create and
form a concept on RA national security, which will become the most
important document on strategic planning for the coming years.
Artur Baghdasaryan, NA President, highlighted the organization of
hearings and mentioned that a unified concept on the national security
is currently developed, and RA energy security is its component
part. Energy security problems are of key political importance in the
globalized world and in the complicated and difficult region, and we
are to display a serious state approach towards these problems. He
believes that the hearings will promote the debate of the problems
accumulated in the system, at least, and perhaps to giving solutions
through suggestions and will promote the endorsement of the drafts,
which are currently in official circulation. The NA President spoke
on the necessity of developing a concept on RA national security,
mentioning that it should include both tactics and perspective
strategic approaches. He particularly said: “The increase in Russian
gas caused great concern not only among politicians but also in the
society and among factories, and we still expect that Russia as a
friendly country for Armenia should certainly try to find mutually
accepted solutions through negotiations, as the increase in gas price
in Armenia means serious social difficulties for the population, rise
in product and service prices, serious complications concerning economy
and our future developments. In this situation we should naturally
try to find ways out, and I hope that some solutions will certainly
be found, enabling the population to avoid the rise in prices. The
state in its turn should take appropriate steps to protect both the
population and managers. I bring this example not only on account
that it is closely connected with the problem currently debated but
because it is really of great importance for us to have a concept on
the national security, as we can’t avoid energy carriers’ rises in
a few years.
But this does not mean that the country and the society should appear
defenseless, on the contrary, we should try hard so as in future
we are secured against unfavourable developments of this or that
kind that can occur in the sphere of energy. That is why I believe
that the concept that can be developed and also submitted to the
society’s judgment is of great public and political significance
and will allow keeping the energy strategic problems of Armenia at
the center of foreseeable developments. I would like to consider the
government’s endorsement of RA energy development strategy after long
debates a positive step: this is a document of great importance on
RA energy development vision and imperatives, but I think that at
least from the national security viewpoint we should pay much more
serious attention to the energy security. Today, it is difficult to
underestimate the economic significance of the Iran-Armenia pipeline
but we should understand that we should have scenarios for at least
a few developments on the energy sphere. And here the transparency
and publicity of the government’s policy in the energy sphere are
very important.” Touching upon the problems on the privatization of
the nuclear energy, the NA President noted that the principles of
withdrawing from the state monopoly caused serious debates at the
National Assembly. According to him, it is necessary to seriously
debate and understand what the state intervention in the energy
sphere leads to, what kind of state intervention and state control
can be applied. These are problems that should be seriously debated
and solved in RA energy development strategy, in the concept on the
energy security.
Armen Movsisyan, Energy Minister, spoke on the theme “RA Energy
Security and Development Strategy.” He mentioned that the principles
of state policy in the sphere of energy set out in the law on Energy
aim at promoting RA sustainable economic development, at providing
security in the sphere of energy, stimulating the energy independence
of the republic and so on. The minister informed that hydroelectric
power stations smaller than 38 are built in the republic, that it
is envisaged to raise them to 260mw, which will annually provide
500 million kw/h energy. He highlighted the construction of the
Iran-Armenia pipeline, which will enable Armenia to annually import
2bn 800m cubic metre gas under the present circumstances, when
Armenia’s home demand is equivalent to 1bn 700 m cubic metre gas. In
order to create a minimum cost from the maximum with the country’s
production power, a rise in the share of Metsamor’s nuclear power
plant is necessary. It was informed that in 2005 the nuclear power
plant had a record rate of product: it produced 2bn 700m kw/h energy.
The Energy Minister touched upon the problem of making use of thermal
power plants’ potentials and mentioned that the stations need to be
reconstructed. Reminding that Metsamor’s exploitation power ends
in 2016, Armen Movsisyan highlighted the substitute of the former
nuclear power plant for a new one, meeting modern requirements.
Touching upon the rise in gas prices, he mentioned that it creates
serious consequences for the population and economy, but we should
realize that there is no 54 dollar price for gas in the world.
During the hearings MPs, the representatives of international and
public organizations, interested people expressed their viewpoints.
Samvel Balasanyan, Head of the Country of Law faction, believes that
the energy sphere is of strategic significance for our country and
is connected with the country’s security and economic development.
Alexander Iskandaryan, Head of the Caucasus Media Institute,
touched upon the problems on regional and local energy security,
Astghine Pasoyan, Program Manager, Alliance to Save Energy, Armenia,
spoke on the energy saving potential of Armenia’s economy and the
developments of national policy, professor Zohrab Melikyan, Chief
of the Department of Heat-Gas Supply and Ventilation in the Yerevan
State University of Architecture and Construction, presented the ways
of the development of Armenia’s gas supply system, Levon Eghiazaryan,
docent, General Director of the Energy Research Institute, touched
upon the problems of energy supply.

Armenia Isolated from Regional Projects
Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
March 17 2006
Today Armenia is isolated from regional projects and kept outside of
important communications. “We have done that because Armenia will not
give up its aggressive policy,” Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said
in his speech at the Second World Congress of Azerbaijanis in Baku.
He added that Azerbaijan will not make concessions, but will struggle
for a settlement of the Karabakh conflict that maintains the republic’s
territorial integrity. “Any cooperation is out of question until
Armenia liberates our territories,” said Aliyev.
Owing to rapid economic growth, Azerbaijan is developing, while the
economy of Armenia, which is in isolation, makes no headway.
The interest and importance of Azerbaijan’s partners and neighbors is
constantly growing. All this makes us believe that the country will
resolve all its problems, including the Karabakh conflict, said Aliyev.
He urged all Azerbaijanis living in various countries around the
world to actively promote the prosperity of their motherland and the
resolution of its problems.