EUObserver.com
October 7, 2005
Fresh controversy between Ankara and Brussels over Cyprus
by Mark Beunderman
ANCHORS: Lisbeth Kirk
Just days after the historic opening of Turkish EU membership talks,
fresh controversy has already emerged between Ankara and Brussels
over Cyprus.
Just days after the historic opening of Turkish EU membership talks,
fresh controversy has already emerged between Ankara and Brussels
over Cyprus.
The spat concerns Ankara’s implementation of a customs agreement with
the EU, which it agreed to extend to all new EU member states in June
– including Cyprus, which Turkey refuses to recognise.
In practical terms, this means that Turkey is obliged to stop
blocking Cypriot ships and planes from its territory.
During a visit to Turkey on Thursday (6 October), EU enlargement
commissioner Olli Rehn said, according to press reports, that the EU
expects Turkey’s parliament to ratify the agreement “without delay
and in good faith”.
Ankara must then fully implement the agreement, he added.
But in a TV interview, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
reacted by saying that “there’s no need to rush” in ratifying the
agreement.
Mr Erdogan said that the EU should instead first open trade to the
Turkish-occupied northern part of Cyprus, and release its financial
aid package for northern Cyprus which is now being blocked by the
Cypriot government.
An EU financial aid package of 259 million euros to Turkish Cypriots,
which was offered in April 2004 when Greek Cypriots voted down a UN
reunification plan, is still waiting to be released from EU coffers.
The Cypriot government is blocking the release of the package, as it
disagrees with a free trade scheme for Northern Cyprus, which the
Commission proposed later.
Nicosia argues that free trade with the north would mean a de facto
recognition of the Turkish-occupied North.
The Commission’s efforts to push Ankara to implement the customs
agreement were dealt a blow last week, as a majority in the European
Parliament suspended the EU’s own ratification of the deal, arguing
that there were not enough assurances on Ankara’s commitment to the
customs agreement.
Mr Rehn said the parliament’s move did “not strengthen our position
in urging Turkey to stick to its commitment.”
Human rights record
Now that Turkey has started accession talks with Brussels, further
difficulties are set to arise over what is expected to be a highly
critical report by the commission on human rights, to be released in
November.
Mr Rehn urged Ankara on Thursday to step up political reforms warning
that the EU executive would in its regular progress report, due next
month, point to Turkish human rights shortcomings.
“This means rigorously implementing political reforms in the areas of
the rule of law, human rights, women’s rights, the rights of
religious communities and trade unions”, Mr Rehn said.
He added that this implied “to make the rule of law an everyday
reality in all walks of life”.
The commission in the up-run to accession talks already expressed
serious concern over Ankara’s actual implementation of its political
reforms.
Brussels’ concern focussed recently on the decision by a Turkish
court to file charges against the author, Orhan Pamuk, who had raised
the issue of the Armenian genocide in 1915.
The Istanbul prosecutor’s charges against Mr Pamuk were made despite
a new penal code along EU standards that Ankara was forced to adopt
as a condition to open accession talks.
Mr Rehn in September called the move by the Turkish prosecutor a
“provocation”.

Zaman, Turkey
Oct 8 2005
European Politicians Think `Kurdish is Still Prohibited in Turkey’
By Habib Guler
Published: Friday, October 07, 2005
zaman.com
European Parliament (EP) Human Rights Subcommittee members visiting
Turkish Parliament experienced difficult moments when they asked
questions that revealed a lack of information.
Human Rights Commission Head Mehmet Elkatmis replied to the question
of when Kurdish will be permitted in Turkey saying, `Education and
broadcasting in Kurdish is free in Turkey.’ The delegation, under the
presidency of Helene Flautre, French member of EP, was informed by
Elkatmis about the developments in turkey. Flautre spoke at the
beginning of the meeting and congratulated Turkey for its efforts to
enter the EU. However the EP delegation asked questions about the
agenda in the part of the meeting which was closed to the press and
were surprised when they got answers they did not expect. It is
reported that the EP authorities brought a staged photo shot at
Bakirkoy Mental Institution and which had been published in some
newspapers in Europe recently and asked about torturing in Turkey.
Elkatmis said that the photo describes a scene which was totally made
up and emphasized that there is no tolerance to torture in Turkey.
Polish member Jozef Pinior raised the case opened against Orhan Pamuk
after he affirmed the Armenian Genocide in an interview and asked
when Turkey will change its policy on its history. Elkatmis replied
`The case against Orhan Pamuk can be seen in any country. There were
punishments for the ones who speak for Jews in Poland. There is an
investigation against the President of Turkish Historical Society
(TTK) Yusuf Halacoglu in Switzerland for denying the Armenian
Genocide. Armenians occupied 20 percent of the lands of Azerbaijan
and massacred 250,000 Azeri. Why do not you ever raise questions
about that?’
EP members said after they had eaten that they were impressed that
they had been served food even though the people welcoming them were
fasting for Ramadan.

Noyan Tapan News Agency
Oct 7 2005
ROBERT KOCHARIAN: “KARABAKH INDEPENDENCE IS IN NO WAY CONNECTED WITH
PRINCIPLE OF TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY”
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 7, NOYAN TAPAN. The independence of Nagorno Karabakh
is in no way connected with the principle of territorial integrity.
RA President Robert Kocharian declared it at the October 7 briefing
in connection with the visit of Latvian President to Armenia.
He explained that after the disintegration of the USSR two states
were proclaimed in its territory – the Nagorno Karabakh Republic that
established independence by a referendum and the Republic of
Azerbaijan that restored its independence of 1918. “NKR has been
never included in the independent Azerbaijan. I don’t remember a case
when territorial integrity was spoken about in the process of
disintegration of an empire as it’s not clear whose territorial
integrity is meant here,” RA President highlighted.
Robert Kocharian mentioned that after the disintegration of the USSR
not only 15 new states were formed – some restored their statehood,
some new states were formed, but the entire political map of Europe
changed: 5 new states were formed in the Balkans, the formation of
the 6th state is underway, Czechoslovakia disintegrated dividing into
2 parts and the two German states united. “Whose territorial
integrity is meant when global changes take place conected with such
a fenomenon as disintegration of the USSR?”
At the same time Robert Kocharian highlighted that Armenia has never
been against the importance of the principle of territorial integrity
and sees no contradiction between the principles of territorial
integrity and self-determination of peoples, the Karabakh issue “just
didn’t contain the territorial integrity that can be placed under
such a principle and respect this principle.”
Answering the question of a Latvian journalist, what is the
President’s conception about the settlement of the conflict that
would satisfy “both sides,” R.Kocharian mentioned that first of all
Nagorno Karabakh people’s opinion must be taken into consideration,
with whom and how it wants to live: “I don’t think that a solution
satisfying all sides of the conflict can be made but I have no doubt
that the issue must be solved proceeding from the principle of
peoples’ right of self-determination applied in Karabakh since the
first days of the movement.”
The Latvian President in her turn mentioned that in this issue her
country shares the neutral position of the European Union. “Of
course, we accept the principle of territorial integrity not
depreciating in this respect people’s right of self-determination,”
the Latvian President declared. She emphasized that over the past
years the principle of territorial integrity has been playing an
important part in elaboration of policy, but in case of Karabakh
Latvia greets peaceful negotiations expressing its assistance to the
efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group in searching for conflict’s solution.
“Judging by your statements one may suppose that for Latvia the
principle of peoples’ self-determination is less important than the
principle of territorial integrity,” answering this question,
Vike-Freiberga mentioned: “In this issue Latvia holds the position of
the European Union and doesn’t say anything that can differ from this
position.”

Noyan Tapan News Agency
Oct 7 2005
PRESENTATION OF PERSIAN POET AND TRANSLATOR AHMAD NURIZADE’S THREE
BOOKS IN YEREVAN
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 7, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. “Ahmad Nurizade is
the only foreign poet writing in Armenian who in his fatherland,
Iran, holds propaganda of the Armenian culture and literature,” Levon
Ananian, the Chairman of the Writers’ Union of Armenia mentioned at
the October 6 presentation of three books, “100 Years Armenian
Poetry,” “Hail, Armenians” and “Night of Solitude and Dreams” by
Ahmad Nurizade, a Persian poet and translator. Nurizade’s poems
written in Armenian language are presented in the last two books.
L.Ananian mentioned that Nurizade’s translations from Armenian into
Persian made dozens of volumes. According to him, pages of Iranian
press are also full of interviews with Nurizade, and the Armenian
culture, Armenian people and friendship of centuries between the two
countries is in the pivot of all publications.
“Armenians and Persians have almost the same traditions and attach
importance to keeping national traditions. Nurizade attempts to serve
Armenian national values to his people and by this he destroys those
borders that there are between the two countries,” L.Ananian
mentioned. He also informed that the third volume of the Persian
poet’s poems written in Armenian will be published soon.
According to Reza Atufi, the Consulor on Culture of the IRI Embassy
to the RA, Armenian and Iranian cutures have come from old centuries,
and even somehow influnced on other civilizations of the world.
R.Atufi finds that though friendship between the two countries has a
history of milleniums, however, circles of Armenian-Iranian
cooperation must be widened even more.

Public Television of Armenia
Oct 7 2005
Armenian, Latvian leaders discuss bilateral cooperation
[Presenter] Following an official welcoming ceremony for the
high-ranking guest, the Armenian and Latvian presidents, Robert
Kocharyan and Vaira Vike-Freiberga, held a face-to-face meeting at
the Armenian president’s residency this morning.
The Latvian president said that the political dialogue between the
two countries was at the highest level. After this the Armenian and
Latvian talks continued with the participation of the delegations.
The sides discussed the important directions of economic cooperation
and the opportunities for intensifying them. The presidents made a
joint statement and signed several agreements on the stimulation of
mutual investment and its protection as well as the cooperation in
the spheres of culture and the customs.
[Kocharyan] We held face-to-face and expanded meetings. We discussed
economic and political issues. I informed the Latvian president of
the Nagornyy Karabakh settlement and our approaches to the
developments in the region , including the process of integration
into the European Union. Latvia’s entrance to the EU is very
interesting for us. We are confident that Latvia will help us within
the framework of the New Neighbourhood Policy.
We discussed specific directions of Latvia’s assistance and will
probably reach an agreements on this matter late this year. I
expressed my satisfaction with the recent level of the ongoing
political dialogue between our countries. The interparliamentary
relations, meetings and mutual understanding between the two
countries are very high. I am pleased with today’s meeting and give
the floor to my Latvian counterpart.
[Vaira Vike-Freiberga, speaking in English with Armenian voice-over]
The documents, which we have signed, will allow us to expand
cooperation in several important spheres. We reached an agreement at
the meeting that several spheres of mutual interest should be chosen
in order we focus on them in our cooperation. Armenia and Latvia
should join their efforts and expand relations. We welcome
cooperation with this region within the framework of the EU
programme.
If it is impossible to hold talks with all the countries of the
region simultaneously, the EU has to hold talks with the countries
separately in order to avoid creating obstacles to the negotiations
[between the EU and the South Caucasus countries].
It is obvious that along with the regional interests, there are
disagreements in the region. The experience of the Baltic region
shows that the coincidence of interests of the neighbouring countries
can be effective for the whole region. [Video showed the meeting]

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 5 2005
Armenian premier denies rumours of resignation if referendum fails
Yerevan, 5 October: Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan has
denied the rumours about his possible dismissal by the president if
the referendum on constitutional amendments fails.
In an interview with journalists on 5 October, the prime minister
noted that this question was not discussed at all. He said that the
ruling coalition and the government have committed themselves to
carrying out the constitutional reforms, but there will be no
political consequences no matter if the referendum has a positive or
negative outcome.
“It is another matter that we, as political parties, are obliged to
carry out a propaganda campaign that would prompt people to say yes
to the referendum,” Andranik Markaryan stressed.
Asked about the financing of the referendum, the prime minister noted
that the Armenian Central Electoral Commission will submit an
estimate of expenses in the near future and the government will
provide relevant funding from its reserve fund.
Andranik Markaryan said that discrepancies on electoral lists
revealed during the municipal elections have a technical nature.

Daily Star – Lebanon
Oct 8 2005
Prince Claus Awards honor two Middle Eastern artists
Lenin El-Ramly and Ibrahim Nabavi recognized for the political,
social and ideological satire
By Ramsay Short
Daily Star staff
Saturday, October 08, 2005

BEIRUT: For the second year in a row two artists from the Middle East
have been honored in the annual Prince Claus Awards for Culture and
Development. Egyptian comic dramatist Lenin El-Ramly and Iranian
satirist Ibrahim Nabavi will both receive $25,000 in recognition of
their work over the last 30 years, the Fund announced on Thursday.
The principal award of $100,000 goes to South African cartoonist
Jonathan Shapiro (more famously known as Zapiro) for his role in
stimulating social and cultural development in South Africa. Zapiro’s
satire in cartoon form is edgy, cutting and subtle, scrutinizing
eloquently the current social and political realities of South
Africa, the African continent and the global arena. This year the
Prince Claus Fund opted for the theme of “Humor and Satire” and not
without reason.
Around the globe writers, musicians, artists, comedians and
cartoonists are using humor and satire to critique and express their
views on the conditions in which they live, and many are virtually
unknown outside their own countries.
Last year famed Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish won the principal
award for his life’s work under the theme “The Positive Results of
Asylum and Migration,” and in what seems to be a continued theme for
the awards, an increasing number of Middle Eastern figures are
gaining recognition every year.
“The Fund is focusing on and looking for quality, and because in the
Arab world there is a lot of artistic/cultural quality, it is on that
criteria we decide to give an award,” the Fund’s media spokesperson
Christine Wagner said.
Both Ramly and Nabavi are deserved winners.
Ramly was born in Cairo in 1945 and is a man who, as a comic
dramatist, audaciously questions the social conventions, hypocrisies
and bigotries of both Egyptian society and the Arab world. His work
encompasses popular television dramas, experimental theater, and an
oeuvre of approximately 40 plays and 12 films. His dramatic
techniques vary from farce and parody to satire and the absurd.

Wagner indicated that Ramly was given the Prince Claus prize for his
emphasis on political satire and comedy, and for maintaining a
balance between popular entertainment and serious social, political
and ideological satire.
A satirist who believes his job is to unmask those who propagate
fallacies – be they politicians or clerics – Nabavi was born in1958
in Iran. He deploys his incisive wit to parody official speeches and
statements, and to undermine allegations and rationalizations.
Through his work in the Iranian press, Nabavi has single-handedly
reinstated a long tradition of political satire despite the risk of
imprisonment. In 2002 he was sentenced to 18 months in jail.
For the first time this year, recognition was also given to an
Armenian, the poplar 50-year-old actor, singer and comedian Michael
Poghosian, for using comedy and satire to stimulate the creation of
an open society and democracy in Armenia.
The Prince Claus Fund for Culture and Development was established to
mark the 70th birthday of Prince Claus of the Netherlands on
September 6, 1996, with the purpose of “expanding insight into
cultures and promoting interaction between culture and development.”
This year is the ninth year of the awards, which are chosen by a
distinguished panel of judges and former laureates.
The other honorees are Kenyan dancer and choreographer Opiyo Okach,
Brazilian archaeology professor Nide Guidon, Indonesian contemporary
puppet master Slamet Gundono, Tanzanian cultural historian
Abdel-Sheriff, Zimbabwean stand-up comic Edgar Langeveldt,
Argentinian cartoonist Joaquin Salvador Lavado (alias Quino), and
Congolese painter ChŽri Samba.
For more info on this year’s Prince Claus Awards go to

Top Azerbaijan official again defends decision on U.S. upgrade for radars
By AIDA SULTANOVA
.c The Associated Press
BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) – Azerbaijan on Friday defended its decision to
accept U.S. help in upgrading two Soviet-era radar installations,
saying the country had the right to guarantee its own security.
Deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov’s comments, given during a
news conference with a top Iranian diplomat, appear to be the latest
effort by Azerbaijani officials to assuage suspicions by Iran and
Russia over the upgrade of the two radars – one near the Russian
border and the other near the border with Iran.
Khalafov said that Azerbaijan, like any country, has the right to
cooperate with any nation it wants to cooperate with.
“Every country has the right to choose how it guarantees its own
security and cooperation with other countries. And Azerbaijan will not
base its cooperation on the positions of other countries,” Khalafov
said.
“Azerbaijan’s cooperation with third countries in any sphere is not
directed against its neighbors and does not encroach on their
interests,” he said.
The U.S. ambassador to Azerbaijan said earlier that the radars would
help Azerbaijan fight contraband goods smuggling and criminal
activity, but Azerbaijani defense analysts say the U.S. will likely
use them to listen in on Iranian military activity.
Also speaking at the news conference was Mohsn Baharvand, a top
official with Iran’s Foreign Ministry.
“Iran does not object to other countries fighting terrorism, illegal
narcotics business and other types of crimes,” Baharvand said. “This
is one of those questions for which … the sides have a common
position.”
Baharvand was in Baku representing Iran at talks among the five
Caspian littoral states trying to reach final agreement on the inland
sea’s legal status.
The Caspian, which is believed to contain the world’s third largest
reserves of oil and gas, was governed by treaties between the Soviet
Union and Iran. Since the 1991 Soviet collapse, Russia, Iran,
Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan have repeatedly failed to
reach a new agreement.
Azerbaijan has stepped up its military cooperation with the United
States in recent years. It is the only predominantly Muslim country
that has contributed troops to the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq, where
about 150 Azerbaijani soldiers are serving.
The former Soviet republic, which also has contributed troops in
Afghanistan, is seeking U.S. support in modernizing its military and
resolving a territorial dispute with neighboring Armenia.
10/07/05 13:04 EDT
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Regnum, Russia
Oct 8 2005
Serzh Sarkisyan: Cooperation of Armenia and NATO doesn’t hamper
cooperation with CSTO
Armenian cooperation with NATO cannot harm in any way the cooperation
with CSTO, Armenian Defense Minister Serzh Sarkisyan said, who is
currently participating in the seminar of NATO and Armenia
`Rose-Roth’ on the topic of `The security on South Caucasus.’
The minister informed the participants that the plan of Armenian
individual partnership with NATO (IPAP) has already been sent to
different state institutions and several responses have already been
received.
The main reason for Armenia to join IPAP is to form the defense
system of the 21st century. Participation in IPAP means periodical
consultations with NATO on the issues of regional security,
development of the security system, creation of an Armenian defense
doctrine, improvement of war budget system, military education and
Special Forces coordination.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Regnum, Russia
Oct 8 2005
Head of MFA of Armenia: participation of Nagorno Karabakh in
negotiations is inevitable
`The positions of Armenia and Azerbaijan on some principal issues of
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement have drawn together. We can
hope that soon it will be put on paper’, stated FA Minister of
Armenia Vardan Oskanyan.
Concerning the possibility of changing the negotiation format, from
OSCE Minsk Group to the European Council (on which the Azerbaijani
side insisted), Armenian foreign minister said that `useful’
negotiations could be everywhere. `But for full-fledged discussions
of problem settlement there is only one structure – the OSCE Minsk
Group. Azerbaijan can ask for format change; it’s the country’s
right. But it’s clear that Nagorno Karabakh conflict must be settled
in the format of the OSCE MG. It is recognized by the international
community’, stated Vardan Oskanyan, adding that we should distinguish
different place of discussion and different negotiations structures.
Then, the minister stated that `if tomorrow new format of discussion
would be chosen, we accept, but now there is no alternative to the
OSCE MG.’
Talking about the participation of Nagorno Karabakh in the
negotiations, FA Minister of Armenia said that it was inevitable.
`Once, Nagorno Karabakh will become a rightful participant of the
negotiations. Azerbaijani side also realizes this’, he noted. He also
expressed hope, that Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement would be
possible after the Azerbaijani parliamentary elections.