Imedi TV, Georgia
29 Sep 05
ARMENIAN, GEORGIAN PREMIERS DISMISS CALLS FOR AUTONOMY IN SOUTH
GEORGIA
[Presenter] The demands for autonomy raised by certain groups in the
[southern Georgian] Samtskhe-Javakheti province are not serious,
Armenian Prime Minister [Andranik] Markaryan said after his meeting
with [Georgian Prime Minister] Zurab Noghaideli [in Yerevan today].
[Markaryan, addressing a news briefing, in Russian] These rumours and
discussions that arise at different times and for different reasons
have no grounds. If there are certain issues, they are being
addressed in an expeditious manner.
[Noghaideli, in Russian] The part of the public organizations that
demanded autonomy for Javakheti is just a small part of the
population, to put it straight, and in reality they do not represent
the population. The main thing is what I already told you when we
were visiting the tobacco factory in Yerevan: There will be three
autonomies in Georgia – the Ajarian, the Abkhaz and, in the
Tskhinvali region, the South Ossetian.
From: Baghdasarian

Daily Post (Liverpool)
September 29, 2005, Thursday
EU POSTPONES TURKEY VOTE
THE European Parliament, frustrated over Turkey’s refusal to
recognise Cyprus, postponed a vote yesterday to ratify Turkey’s
customs union with the EU, a requirement of Ankara’s bid for
membership in the 25-member bloc.
Days before the scheduled start of EU membership talks, MEPs also
called on Ankara to recognise the 1915-1923 killings of Armenians as
a genocide, which Turkey vehemently denies.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan immediately dismissed the
non-binding European resolution on the killings of Armenians, saying:
“It does not matter whether they took such a decision or not. We will
continue on our way.”
Armenians say that 1.5 million of their countrymen were killed by
Ottoman Turks.
Turkey denies that the massacres were genocide, saying the death toll
is inflated and Armenians were killed in civil unrest as the Ottoman
Empire collapsed

The Irish Times
September 29, 2005
Turkey told it must admit to Armenian genocide
by Paul Cullen in Strasbourg
TURKEY/EU: Turkey’s hopes of acceding to the EU have suffered a fresh
blow with a demand by the European Parliament that it first
recognises as genocide the killing of Armenians under Ottoman rule
almost a century ago.
Turkey, which vehemently denies there was genocide, claims Armenians
who rebelled at the end of the Ottoman Empire sided with Russian
invaders and were killed along with Turks in intercommunal fighting.
MEPs here also postponed a vote on approving Turkey’s extended
customs union with the EU because of Ankara’s failure to recognise
Cyprus, as well as expressing concerns about human rights issues in
the country. While the EU Commission had called for ratification of
the Ankara Protocol, members voted by 311 to 285 to postpone the
ballot.
Although parliament endorsed the start of negotiations with Turkey on
joining the EU next week, it called on the Commission to assess by
the end of next year whether Turkey has fully implemented the
protocol extending its customs union with the EU to the 10 new
accession states.
During the negotiations, which are open-ended and will not
automatically lead to Turkish membership, Turkey should be kept under
“permanent pressure” to ensure it keeps up the pace of reform, MEPs
resolved. The talks are expected to take at least a decade.
MEPs also expressed concern about the criminal proceedings against
novelist Orhan Pamuk and an article of the Turkish penal code which
criminalises “acts against the fundamental national interest”. The
vote followed an emotional debate in which many deputies, especially
on the right, poured out their hostility to the prospect of the poor,
populous, mainly Muslim nation joining the 25-nation EU. No Irish
MEPs spoke.

Mediamax news agency
29 Sep 05
ARMENIAN PRESIDENT, EU OFFICIAL HIGHLIGHT IMPORTANCE OF
CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES
Yerevan, 29 September: Armenian President Robert Kocharyan and the EU
special representative for the South Caucasus, Heikki Talvitie, today
highlighted the importance of constitutional changes in Armenia and
described them as “new opportunities for the development and
consolidation of democracy in the republic”.
Kocharyan and Talvitie also discussed issues pertaining to Armenia’s
action plan within the framework of the European Union’s New
Neighbourhood programme, the Karabakh settlement and regional
problems, the presidential press service told Mediamax.

Mediamax news agency
29 Sep 05
CIS INTERIOR MINISTERS GATHER IN ARMENIAN CAPITAL
Yerevan, 29 September: A session of CIS interior ministers opened in
Yerevan today.
Addressing the opening ceremony, Armenian Prime Minister Andranik
Markaryan said that “today, when the whole world faces new
challenges, we need to draw up a strategy and organize a vigorous
counter-attack against the most dangerous elements of crime”.
“Terrorism, organized crime, illegal drugs and weapons trafficking,
illegal migration and human trafficking are the phenomena that do not
recognize state or political borders and are a real force able to
oppose governmental structures and threaten the national securities
of countries,” the head of the Armenian government said.
Andranik Markaryan pointed out that it is “well-coordinated actions
by all CIS countries that could stamp out terrorism”.

Agence France Presse — English
September 29, 2005 Thursday
Austria’s Schuessel pushes for EU membership talks with Croatia
LONDON
Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel reiterated on Thursday a
desire to see European Union membership talks with Croatia follow
soon after discussions start with Turkey.
Speaking in an interview with Britain’s Financial Times, the Austrian
leader attacked the EU’s “double standards” over Zagreb.
Talks with Croatia have been put on hold because of its failure to
cooperate in the hunt for alleged war criminal General Ante Gotovina.
“If we trust Turkey to make further progress we should trust Croatia
too,” Schuessel told the economic daily.
“It is in Europe’s interest to start negotiations with Croatia
immediately.”
The FT said Austria denied it was linking the cases of Turkey with
Croatia.
At the same time it said European diplomats feel a deal on Turkey
will only be possible if the EU makes progress with beginning talks
with Croatia.
“It is not fair to leave Croatia in an eternal waiting room,” said
the Austrian leader. “I don’t understand the logic.”
EU membership talks with Turkey are due to start on Monday despite
rising political tensions after the European Parliament urged Ankara
to recognise Cyprus and acknowledge that the Ottomans committed
“genocide” against Armenians during World War I.

ORGANIZATION WORKS OF THIRD ARMENIA-DIASPORA FORUM DISCUSSED AT MEETING HELD BY RA KOCHARIAN
Noyan Tapan News Agency
Sept 29 2005
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Issues concerning
organization works of the third Armenia-Diaspora Forum were discussed
at the September 28 working meeting held by RA President Robert
Kocharian, in which the Prime Minister of the republic, NA Deputy
Chairman Vahan Hovhannisian, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs,
Culture and Youth Issues, the Chairman of the State Committee on
Physical Education and Sport, other officials participated.
President Robert Kocharian emphasized that holding of the 2006
Armenia-Disapora Forum will coincide with the 15th anniversary
of the independence of Armenia, and this will be a good occasion
for discussing the passed way and further activities with all the
Armenians.
Two months ago the head of the country instructed the Foreign Minister
to start preliminary discussions with Diasporan organizations. Robert
Kocharian said that there are already positive responses what is a
good stimulus for starting the organization works of the forum more
practically and quickly.
The President mentioned that, first, it’s necessary to fix what
was discussed at the previous forum, what was implemented and
what wasn’t. “Rather great work has been done and now practical
negotiations should be started with all organizations of Diaspora to
justify terms and regulations of the forum, and also the main slogan
should be thought about,” Robert Kocharian said.
The President mentioned that active negotiations with parties and
organizations should be started in Armenia as well for providing a
possibly wide involvement of the forum.
As Noyan Tapan was informed by the President’s Press Office, Robert
Kocharian attached importance to necessity of envisaging some money
from the year state budget for holding the forum at a high level.
Vartan Oskanian, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, presented briefly
results of preliminary discussions. It was proposed to make the idea
of a practical national program of development of rural communities of
Armenia till 2010 a theme of discussian at the Armenia-Diaspora Forum,
among programs already in the process. According to the President
of the republic, the implementation of such a program will support
strengthening of rural settlements, allow to reduce to minimum
dissociation among the city of Yerevan and rural settlements.
Such a program coincides completely with the strategic program of
overcoming poverty.
The republic President instructed to start preparation works of
the third Armenia-Diaspora Forum with all its strength, to form the
working program within one-week term mentioning strictly terms of
implementation and those responsible. The President will periodically
hold discussions concerning the process of works.

ARMENIAN FOLK TRIO TO PERFORM
Belmont Citizen-Herald, MA
Sept 29 2005
The concert of the Zulal Armenian Folk Trio, originally scheduled for
early September at Longy School of Music, 27 Garden St. in Cambridge,
has been rescheduled for Saturday, Oct. 8 at 8 p.m. at Longy.
Tickets are $20 ($15 for students) and all proceeds will be allocated
to the Hovanness Badalian Music Fund established in memory of the
late Armenian folk singer.
For more information and to purchase concert tickets visit
or call 617-733-7162

TURKEY WON’T SAY GENOCIDE, BUT U DOCUMENTARY DOES
By Don M. Burrows
Minnesota Daily, MN
Sept 29 2005
University film covers controversial Armenian genocide and garners
Emmy nomination
Armenian Genocide: 90 Years Later,” takes on one of the biggest
geopolitical controversies of the 20th century, even in its title:
Was the massacre of Armenians in 1915 an act of genocide?
The Republic of Turkey, the successor state of the Ottoman Empire
that carried out the killings, denies it was genocide, and has even
banned discussion in that vein.
The documentary, co-produced by the University’s Center for Holocaust
and Genocide Studies, uses interviews with historians and family
members of survivors to continue the discussion many avoid.
PHOTO COURTESY TESSA SAVVIDIS HOFMANN AND THE CENTRE FOR INF The
photograph “Deportation from Harput,” was used in the film “Armenian
Genocide: 90 Years Later.”
What is known is this: As many as 1.5 million Armenians were killed
from 1915 to 1917 in an apparent depopulation strategy by the Young
Turk government. Much like Jews were singled out in Nazi Germany,
Armenians – an ethnic and religious minority of artisans and skilled
laborers in Turkish society – were removed from their homes and
killed. The Turkish government, however, claims the killings were
part of ethnic clashes and denies that so many were slain.
The most compelling part of the film is the testimony of those whose
families survived the killings. Many remember their parents telling of
the horrors of leaving their homes and hiding from Turkish officials,
and recount how a remembrance of the events of 1915 is now embedded
in Armenian identity.
The documentary features two University history professors, Eric
Weitz and Taner Akcam. Akcam is a Turkish historian who was jailed
in the 1970s for broaching human rights. It first aired in April and
has since been nominated for an Upper Midwest Regional Emmy award in
the News Special category.
The timing couldn’t be better.
Just last weekend, a Turkish court canceled the academic conference
that was to occur at Bogazici University regarding this topic. The
action sparked a wave of protest from European leaders and Turkish
officials wary of bad press amid their bid for entrance into the
European Union. A previous conference was likewise banned in May
amid comments from the Turkish minister of justice, who called it
treasonous.
Stephen Feinstein, director of the Center for Holocaust and Genocide
Studies, said more than 200 copies of the film have been distributed
to organizations and schools since its airing.
Feinstein said that although the current Turkish government is
different than the one that committed the slayings in 1915, it has
been defiant in recognizing it as genocide. This is despite a consensus
among genocide scholars and similar recognitions by state governments
worldwide, including the state of Minnesota. He attributes this to
fears of demanded reparations and damage to the Turkish Republic’s
grand narrative and national pride.
His main concern, and that of scholars worldwide, is that Turkey,
a supposedly free democracy, is suppressing academic discussion.
“In a democracy, you should be free to talk about the past,”
Feinstein said.
Weitz agreed, and said that while there are many Turks who accept
that genocide occurred, there are also those ideologues who fit their
denial of the genocide into their concurrent distaste for Turkey’s
entrance into the EU.
“When they challenge the ability of scholars to discuss these issues,
they are provoking the EU deliberately,” he said.
Feinstein said many documents from Turkey’s own archives prove
that a systematic killing took place, but are written in the Arabic
script that
was replaced by the Latin alphabet after World War I. Consequently,
many Turkish government officials can’t even read them.
As stated in the documentary, German records are perhaps the best
source of information on the massacres, given Germany’s alliance with
Turkey during World War I.
It was the Nazis’ knowledge of the Armenians that contributed in part
to their own policy of extermination, scholars argue.
And those involved in the now Emmy-nominated film hope it will educate
the public so as to contradict Hitler’s famous quote in defense of
his genocidal plans: “Who remembers the Armenians?”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

HENRY CUNY: “ARMENIAN-FRENCH CULTURAL TIES COME FROM ANCIENT DAYS”
Noyan Tapan News Agency
Sept 29 2005
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Within the
framework of French Cultural Days in Armenia, an exhibition “Collection
of French Literature” opened on September 28, at the National Library
of Armenia. More than three hundreds of units of literature in French
kept at the library archives are displayed in separate expositions.
Rafik Ghazarian, the Deputy Director of the National Library of Armenia
mentioned that the library is provided with French literature every
year. 2400 units of incunabular books of the 16-18th centuries are
kept only in the library department of incunabular, rare and archive
literature. The most ancient book is “Heavenly, Erthly, Infernal”
published in France in 1580. There is a book with Jean Jacques
Rousseau’s signature and one book with signature of the Prince of
Monaco at the library.
“The National Library of Armenia has always been famous for its
rich collection but it was a surprise for me as well to see so many
valuable and incunabular books here. This exhibition proves that
the Armenian-French cultural ties come from ancient days, continue
today as well and are aimed to develop,” Henry Cuny, the Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to Armenia mentioned.
On the same day, an exhibition of French stamps, books and documents
dedicated to Napoleon Bonaparte opened at the Armenian Association
of Cultural Ties and Cooperation with Foreign Countries.