CHARLES AZNAVOUR TO GIVE TWO CONCERTS IN MOSCOW
ArmInfo News Agency
Oct 4 2005
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 4. ARMINFO. The world renowned French singer
and composer Charles Aznavour will give two concerts in Moscow’s
Kremlyovsky Palace Oct 4-5, reports ITAR-TASS. This is part of the
world tour he is making to mark his 80th birthday.
Aznavour was born in Paris to an Armenian family. He is a frequent
guest in Russia. He goes there like his own home and loves Moscow
and the Russians.
Aznavour worked with legendary Edith Piaf, Liza Minnelli and many
other world celebrities. He is the author of over 800 songs and the
first singer in Europe to record a platinum disc. The Time has called
Aznavour the best variety singer of XX. Aznavour is not only composer
and singer he is drama and cinema actor. He starred in over 60 films
by world famous directors. Now he is finishing a book of novels and
will soon publish a photo album about his life.

NKR DM REFUTES AZERI MEDIA REPORTS
ArmInfo News Agency
Oct 4 2005
STEPANAKERT, OCTOBER 4. ARMINFO. The press service of the Defence
Ministry of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic has refuted the report
by the Azeri media that an Azeri soldier was killed by the Armenian
armed forces in Karabakh Oct 3.
The press secretary of the DM Senor Asratyan says that the report
is not true and is mere propaganda. “Now that Azerbaijan is to
conduct parliamentary elections the anti-Karabakh rhetoric is getting
increasingly stronger and is aimed at misleading the international
community.” “Karabakh fully meets its commitments to preserve the
cease-fire regime which cannot be said about Azerbaijan,” says
Asratyan.

TURKEY’S BIG TEST
EUPolitix.com, Belgium
Oct 4 2005
Ankara has waited over 40 years to begin entry talks with the EU,
and as it reaches the start line it will need stamina to overcome the
“rigorous” and uncharted terrain that lies ahead.
Turkey faces at least a decade of progress reports and intensive
negotiations as Brussels insists the outcome all hinges on Ankara’s
cooperation.
“The negotiations will be based on Turkey’s own merits and their
pace will depend on Turkey’s progress” in meeting the EU’s political
criteria, officials have stressed.
Whilst the underlying objective of talks is full membership, their
uniquely “open-ended” nature means no outcome can be guaranteed.
The Copenhagen criteria states that if Ankara fails to meet key
conditions it will be offered a partnership, “fully anchored in the
European structures through the strongest possible bond.”
There is also an emergency brake mechanism to suspend negotiations in
case of “a serious and persistent breach of the principles of liberty,
democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.”
Policy issues in the Turkey talks have been broken down into 35 policy
areas or chapters – more than ever before – and the decisions on each
part will require unanimity.
The chapters cover a wide range of issues from food safety to foreign
policy and from free movement of workers to education and culture.
A troubled timeline
November 9 2005 – The European Commission issues its annual progress
report.
Expect tough talk on Turkey’s denial of Armenian genocide, human
rights progress and the criminal justice system.
Earlier this month, slammed the “deplorable provocation” of Turkish
judges for banning a meeting on the massacre of Armenians.
The commission warned Turkey its decision to ban an academic conference
would be noted in its annual situation report.
“The decision will be reflected in the regular report that the
commission will release on November 9,” a commission spokeswoman said.
“We strongly deplore this decision to stop the Turkish people from
discussing their history.”
January 1 2006 – Austria takes over EU presidency With an overtly
hostile Vienna steering negotiations, Ankara can expect a testing
six months.
Vienna’s insistence on less than full membership for Turkey, lead to
a troubled week of brinkmanship ahead of entry negotiations.
“We need an alternative that would ensure Turkey would remain bonded
as strongly as possible to the EU,” Austrian Chancellor, Wolfgang
Schussel insisted.
Opinion polls show 75 per cent of 15-24 year-olds opposed to Turkish
membership; rising to 82 per cent among people over 55. This is the
highest No rating in the EU.
Historical antagonism towards Turkish Ottoman imperialism combines
with modern day fears of incorporating a Muslim nation.
On current projections Turkey would be the biggest and poorest member
state if it entered the EU in ten years time.
The prospect of losing bargaining power to an impoverished Muslim
state troubles Vienna, (not to mention Paris and Berlin.)
March / April 2006 – Commission likely to end initial screening process
with proposals to begin negotiations in non-controversial areas such
as education and culture.
During 2006 – Cyprus likely to demand Turkey opens its ports to Cypriot
vessels before any specific negotiations on the 35 chapters can begin.
MEPs from across the political spectrum have backed up these demands
in recent weeks – pressing for a tight deadline on customs union – and
an ultimatum to recognise Nicosia by 2006, or the termination of talks.
“During the negotiations, recognition of Cyprus must take place,”
Socialist leader Martin Schultz told MEPs in Strasbourg last week.
“That cannot be at the end of the negotiations. It must take place
immediately, within the first one or two years. If there is no
recognition of Cyprus, the accession negotiations must be broken off.”
2007- 08 – The commission likely to propose the opening of the chapter
on the judiciary and fundamental rights.
Turkey will have to work hard to prove itself in these areas.
EU-harmonization reforms focus on a handful of key areas – Removing
regulations that contribute to impunity for torture, abolition
of the crime of spreading separatist propaganda, lifting of press
restrictions, the end of incommunicado detention and the right to
immediate legal counsel for State Security Court detainees.
Last year Amnesty International found, “Reports of torture and
ill-treatment in police detention and disproportionate use of force
against demonstrators continued to be matters of grave concern,
although the use of some torture methods appeared to diminish.”
2015 or later – If EU membership is offered to Turkey, France is
obliged to hold a referendum on the deal.
In September last year France’s then finance minister, Nicolas Sarkozy
convinced President Chirac to offer a referendum on Turkish entry.
Sarkozy does not disguise his anti-Turkey stance and pitted himself
against the French President to secure a referendum on the issue.
According to recent polls, only 20 per cent of French says Yes to
Turkey joining.
The even more sceptical Austria has also promised a referendum.

U.S. RADAR STATION IN AZERBAIJAN WILL NOT AFFECT NEGATIVELY AZERI-IRANIAN RELATIONS
Caucaz.com, Georgia
Oct 4 2005
Baku, October 4 – Azerbaijani political scientists agree in views
that the construction of the U.S radar station in the territory of the
country must not affect negatively the Azerbaijani-Iranian relations.
Commenting negative reaction of some Iranian mass media on the issue,
Vafa Guluzada, the former adviser to the Azerbaijani President,
noted that the position of Iran is natural.
“Iran must understand that Azerbaijan peruses its own goals, but the
United States carries out its own plans in the region,” he underlined.
“Iran must regard extending of the cooperation between Azerbaijan
and the United States as normal,” Uzeyir Jafarov, the military expert
noted in his turn. Issue of license on construction of radar station
is internal affair of Azerbaijan.
“If Iran strengthen it relations with Armenia, but Azerbaijan does not
regard it as serious danger for its national interests, then Iran must
accept the fact of development of the Azerbaijani-U.S. relations,”
he added.
In his turn, MP Anar Mammadkhanov stressed that the Iranian-Azerbaijani
relations would be subjected to any serious changes. “Iran must
understand that Azerbaijan takes the steps not for pleasure, but to
ensure national interests,” he said.

OPINION: EU AND TURKEY TAKE HISTORIC STEP
Deutsche Welle, Germany
Oct 4 2005
Turkey’s boat has finally come in
The EU’s wrangling over the negotiation framework with Turkey over
accession has finally reached a happy conclusion. DW’s Baha Gungor
heaves a big sigh of relief.
Monday was to have marked the official launch of landmark entry talks
with Turkey. But as the day approached, it seemed more and more
unlikely that the negotiations would go ahead as scheduled. Chief
among the trouble-makers was Austria, which insisted that talks with
Turkey could only begin if accession negotiations were also opened
with Croatia.
But then, contrary to all expectations, a last-ditch deal was reached
after two days of tense debate — salvaging, just in the nick of time,
the EU’s reputation as a sturdy super-structure able to take the heat.
Strategic decision
The long-awaited start of Turkey’s entry talks represents an historic
step for the EU, and a key reinforcement of its security interests in
a strategic region. While Turkey once guarded Europe’s south-eastern
border as a member of NATO during the Cold War era, it now occupies
a key position within the Middle East conflict belt.
The ultimate aim of the talks is, inevitably, Turkish accession,
but entry is by no means in the bag. It will be years before the
decision is taken whether or not to allow a politically, economically
and socially transformed Turkey to join the EU as a full member. For
the time being, piling on the pressure is counterproductive — all
it will do is fan the flames of anti-EU sentiment within this mainly
Muslim country.
And the Turkish population’s reservations about too hasty a move
towards the EU are just as understandable as Europe’s wariness of
Turkey. The country is well aware it still has many obstacles to
weather, and it will be years before its vast regional disparities
can start to narrow. It’s a problem Europe has experienced itself
— and nowhere more painfully than Germany, a country that has been
trying to breach the gap between east and west for the last 15 years,
and paying a heavy cost in the process.
EU compatibility
But Turkey will also have to prove it is EU-compatible when it comes
to democracy, human rights, the Armenian question and the Kurdish
conflict — which will include demonstrating belief in European values
in its approach to problem-solving.
Sorting out Cyprus is another challenge Turkey faces, and will be a
key test of its willingness to compromise.
Turkey will have to adopt 35 chapters of EU law, and that means every
single EU member state has 35 veto opportunities, since every chapter
has to be unanimously agreed.
Austria’s shenanigans over the last few days are more than likely to
be repeated by one country or another, sooner or later. The risk of
failure is acute given that every member state will have to ratify
Turkey’s entry agreement, some of which by referendum.
After its speedy intake of eight new eastern European countries last
year, which it’s still belly-aching about, the EU now has another
set of problems to deal with. At least it realized in time that it
wouldn’t have been fair to vent its frustration on Turkey.
Baha Gungor (jp)
Send Print
Turkey and EU Agree on Membership Talks The European Union clinched
an 11th-hour accord with Turkey Monday to clear the way for landmark
talks with the vast mainly Muslim state to go ahead, after marathon
talks overcame Austrian objections. (Oct. 3, 2005) Turkey Brings EU
to “Edge of Precipice” With Turkey raising new obstacles and Austria
holding out against an accord to clear the way for talks with Ankara,
the European Union teetered on the brink of crisis Monday, and Turkey’s
EU hopes hung in the balance. (Oct. 3, 2005) Turkey Challenges EU
to Be “World Player” Turkey’s prime minister challenged the European
Union on Sunday to be a “world player” rather than a “Christian club,”
as the bloc deliberated whether to open formal membership talks with
the largely Muslim country. (Oct. 2, 2005)
,1564,1729225,00.html

MIXED FEELINGS GREET LAUNCH OF TURKISH EU MEMBERSHIP TALKS
AsiaNews.it, Italy
Oct 4 2005
Austria has accepted the terms of the negotiating mandate: accession,
not “privileged participation”. Stands taken within the Muslim
country: the press recalls Europe’s debts to Turkey and protests
against membership take place in Ankara and Istanbul.
Ankara (AsiaNews) – Turkey endured long, bewildering hours of
announcements and denials yesterday before finally hearing the news
that its membership talks will go ahead with the EU. The green light
for negotiations – a process expected to last at least 10 years –
came in the late evening.
“We have agreement. I am going to Luxembourg,” Turkish Foreign Minister
Abdullah Gul, told the press as he left the headquarters of the
Justice and Development Party in Ankara to join ministers of the Union.
Austria accepted that the common goal of negotiations should be
accession and no longer insisted on the weaker option of “privileged
participation”, which had been upheld by many conservatives and
Christian Democrats across western Europe.
It would seem, then, that the considerable palpitations experienced in
recent days by the whole Turkish nation – divided into those for and
against – are over. There are those, like the national daily Posta
in its recent editions, who assert that entry of Turkey into Europe
is inevitable, given the great historical and cultural debt the west
owes to this thousand-year “Empire”.
The Turkish newspaper was quick to counter a provocative question
which the English Independent had the audacity to pose: “But what
have the Turks done for us?” On Sunday, the Turkish paper retorted:
“What would have become (of Europe) if it were not for the Turks?” It
followed up its question with a detailed, page-long list of things
the Europeans “learned” from the Turks: peaceful coexistence between
different cultures and religions (emphasizing that all enjoyed the
same social and civil privileges under the Ottoman Empire, although it
was Muslim); the art of painting and crafts, above all using fabrics;
trade (without forgetting that the silk trail developed above all
under the Ottoman Empire); the eastern lifestyle and military awareness
(Turkey prides itself in being the most valiant and strong NATO ally).
Then there are others who, as the Hurriyet daily points out, recall
the notable efforts made since 1999, when Helsinki laid down tough
conditions for Turkey to meet if it ever wanted to approach Europe’s
gates. In 2002, the death penalty was abolished in times of peace and
last year, the prohibition was extended to times of war. In 2002, the
ban on teaching in the Kurdish language was lifted and in June 2004,
ample broadcasting space was given to Kurdish programmes on the TRT
national radio and television channels.
In May 2004, the law discriminating against women in cases of adultery
was abrogated; penalties handed down for “honour crimes” increased
in favour of women; and a strong political and social campaign is
under way for literacy of children and girls in rural areas where
the level of education is very low.
A zero-tolerance programme against torture in detention has been given
a strong push forward; torture is now forbidden and punishable by 12
years in prison.
Certain positions amounting to interference in the government of the
Security Council have been reviewed and the Tribunal of State Security
was abolished last year.
Always according to the same newspaper, provisions for non-Muslim
religions have been expanded, although the Greek Orthodox Patriarch
Bartholomew I laments that not enough has been done as yet in this
regard. And some stipulations in the penal code against freedom of
expression have been changed even if, as the Posta admits, there are
still gaps in the law. This was clear, for example, in the notorious
court case filed against the well-known Turkish author, Orhan Pamuk,
who dared to publicly denounce the Armenian genocide. However, adds
the paper, there are renowned lawyers who have taken up his defence
and a positive resolution to the case is hoped for.
However, despite this progress which has unfolded under the gaze of
all, not everyone is in favour of Turkey joining Europe and on Sunday,
large demonstrations registering disapproval took place in Ankara
and Istanbul. The first, organized by the Turkish Nationalist Party
(MHP) and attended by 70,000 people, was one big protest against
Europe addressed by the party leader Devlet Bahceli. Self-appointed
spokesman, he held the crowd with a speech of more than 75 minutes
in a bid to convince his militants that the opening of negotiations
meant the start of serious trouble for Turkey. According to Bahceli,
this step will disrupt the nation’s social and economic development.
The second protest, organised by the Communist TKP party, drew around
3,000 people despite bad weather. The slogan of the demonstration in
the square – “An independent nation against Imperialism and Facism” –
accompanied the march and speeches, in a heartfelt “no” to dependence
on the European Union.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MEDIATORS TO VISIT AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA
A1+
| 16:00:10 | 04-10-2005 | Politics |
According to Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov the
recurrent meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani FMs will take
place in Ljubljana December 4-5 . He also informed that the OSCE
Minsk Group Co-Chairs are expected to visit Azerbaijan and Armenia,
ANS TV Company reported.
During the visit to be paid early November the mediators will meet
with the Armenian and Azerbaijani leadership. To note, OSCE Minsk
Group U.S. Co-Chair Steven Mann is expected to visit Baku late October.

ANDRANIK MARGARYAN RECEIVED UKRAINIAN AMBASSADOR TO RA
A1+
| 15:12:34 | 04-10-2005 | Official |
Today Armenian PM Andranik Margaryan met with newly appointed Ukrainian
Ambassador to Armenia Alexander Bozhko.
Having congratulated the diplomat with appointment to the office
for a second time, A. Margaryan said he hoped for the Ambassador to
promote Armenian-Ukrainian relations further. Mr. Bozhko informed
the Armenian PM on latest developments in the political and economic
life of Ukraine. The situation in the region is stable at present,
a new Government is formed, headed by an experienced PM, relations
in the international arena are also being regulated, he emphasized.
Noting the importance of further strengthening of political and
diplomatic relations between the two countries that have chosen
the way of European integration, the interlocutors discussed the
current state and prospects of development of bilateral trade and
economic relations. They specifically highlighted cooperation within
international organizations. The economic potential of Armenia and
Ukraine is underused in goods turnover between the two countries, the
interlocutors noted. The parties expressed confidence that the previous
sessions of the Armenian-Ukrainian Inter-Governmental Commission for
Trade and Economic Affairs, as well as a range of agreements signed
between the parties would encourage bilateral economic relations.
A. Margaryan and A. Bozhko agreed to speed up the holding of the
Commission fourth session upon the appointment of its new Ukrainian
co-chair to deal with accumulated matters more efficiently.

BEARING RESPONSIBILITY FOR GENOCIDE
by Carlo Romero
Oklahoma Daily, OK
Oct 4 2005
Staff column
“We have talked; we have sympathized; we have expressed our horror;
the time to act is long past due.”
These words appeared in a 1943 resolution by the U.S. Senate Foreign
Relations Committee calling for the liberation of European Jews from
the Nazi Holocaust.
They need to be spoken again about the genocide in Darfur, Sudan,
before the conscience of another generation is stained.
Already, since 2003, an estimated 300,000 African Sudanese have been
summarily slaughtered by their own Arab government in Darfur. At the
same time, more than 2 million people have been driven from their
homes in Darfur and forced to live indefinitely in refugee camps
in other regions of Sudan or neighboring Chad. Refugees have been
left to fight for sparse humanitarian aid while being harassed by
government militias.
The United States has a responsibility to take definitive action to
stop genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan.
According to a report by the United Nations International Commission of
Inquiry on Darfur released in January, “Government forces and militias
conducted indiscriminate attacks, including killing of civilians,
torture, enforced disappearances, destruction of villages, rape and
other forms of sexual violence, pillaging and forced displacement,
throughout Darfur.”
Alarmingly, the U.N. Commission found that “attacks on villages,
killing of civilians, rape, pillaging and forced displacement have
continued” despite its presence in the Sudan.
On Sept. 9, 2004, the United States declared through then Secretary
of State Colin Powell that the atrocities committed by the Sudanese
government amounted to genocide.
In a statement to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Powell
cited “a consistent and widespread pattern of atrocities committed
against non-Arab villagers” and “that the government of Sudan and
the Janjaweed bear responsibility.”
Powell was right about the scale of human devastation. He was wrong
about who bears responsibility.
In a day and age when a person can fly anywhere in the world in less
than 24 hours, when no First World closet is without textiles from at
least 10 Third-World countries, when the Internet reveals precision
satellite photos of every square mile on the globe at any time of the
day to anyone interested, we all bear responsibility for the genocide
that is taking place in Darfur.
Americans in particular, who still live in a democracy (despite the
complaints of journalists and college professors), bear responsibility
for seeking information about the genocide and provoking their
government leaders to take action.
Tragically, the glaring majority of the civilized world has managed
to ignore the atrocities of Darfur.
Print media have buried stories about Sudan in the depths of their
publications. And, in 2004, NBC and CBS spent a total of eight minutes
covering the genocide in Darfur (Harper’s Index, October 2005). The
fourth estate has failed to fulfill its watchdog role, thus forcing
those interested in Sudan to turn to less accessible sources.
More and more, the situation bears stark resemblance to the genocide
inflicted on Armenians by the Ottoman-Turkish government in the second
decade of the 20th century. Despite a mountain of evidence exposing the
horrors, including photographs of mass graves and execution squads,
the United States held an isolationist stance during the Armenian
genocide and allowed over one million Christian Armenians to fall by
knife, bullet or worse to the Ottoman government. The country that
is now Turkey still denies the genocide ever took place.
The world’s reaction to the genocide in Darfur is also reminiscent
of the reaction to the more recent genocide that took place in Rwanda
in 1994. In Rwanda, more than 800,000 Tutsis were slaughtered at the
hands of the Hutu majority while the world watched on the evening news.
The United States never involved itself in Rwandan genocide. And
the United Nations, who maintained peacekeeping troops in the region
to prevent widespread violence prior to the genocide, abandoned the
Tutsis and its purpose when the violence actually escalated.
Last Wednesday, Sept. 28, the U.N. humanitarian chief Jan Egeland
warned about Darfur, “If (violence) continues to escalate, if it
continues to be so dangerous on humanitarian work, we may not be able
to sustain our operation for 2.5 million people requiring lifesaving
assistance.”
We walk into the Holocaust Museum and out of Hotel Rwanda saying
“never again.” Yet, in the words of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.,
“It is happening again.”
Americans can only inspire their government to take action in Darfur
by displaying popular sentiment in favor of such action.
We must write our congressmen to voice distress about the genocide
in the Sudan.
We must organize demonstrations to show our leaders that we are
unified in our humanitarian cause.
But first, we must accept responsibility. Then we must act.
-Carlo Romero is a letters senior. His column appears every other
Tuesday, and he can be reached at [email protected].

TURKEY GOT OVER EUROPE
A1+
| 14:44:40 | 04-10-2005 | Politics |
As result of efforts exerted in the course of 40 years the EU-Turkey
negotiations on full membership have opened.
After long and intense discussion EU FMs came to accord in
Luxembourg. Thus, the stalemate situation was overcome: Austria
renounced its proposal on “privileged partnership” to Turkey. On
the night of October 4 the talks on Turkey’s accession to the EU
opened officially.
Before departing for LuxembourgTurkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s
words, the agreement fits Turkey’s interests fully. “This is
a really historical day for Europe and the whole international
community,” stated the Premier of the UK, which presides at the EU
at present. There is a long way ahead still, he added.