MASSACRES OF ARMENIANS IN 1915 NOTHING BUT GENOCIDE, TURKISH HISTORIAN CONSIDERS
Pan Armenian News
26.09.2005 04:24
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Scientific conference titled “Ottoman Armenians
During the Decline of the Empire: Issues of Scientific Responsibility
and Democracy” was held in the Bilgi University last week. In the
opinion of many exerts, it can give start to the discussion of the
Armenian issue by the Turkish society. “We should try to realize what
happened in 1915”, well known Turkish historian Halil Bektay stated
adding that at the beginning of the World War I the leaders of the
Ottoman Empire announced the hunting season against Armenians. In his
turn historian Fikret Adanir stated that the carnages of Armenians at
the beginning of the 20-th century are nothing but genocide. “It is my
personal opinion”, he said. “This conference will surprise Armenians
all over the world. Now some of them will have the courage to start
dialogue with Turks”, Los Angeles Times writes citing editor-in-chief
of Akos Armenian newspaper published in Istanbul. To remind, the
conference has been twice postponed, last time on Thursday, September
22 by a resolution of a Turkish court. It should be also noted that
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the court
resolution and called it incompatible with the norms of democracy
and civilized society.
Spokesperson for the EU Commissioner for Enlargement Krisztina Nagy
characterized the court decision as a “recurrent provocation”.

PRE-ELECTION HUBBUB IN GYUMRI
A1+
| 20:30:54 | 26-09-2005 | Politics |
On September 23 in the Shirak region the phase of putting forward
candidacies for the elections of local governing bodies started. The
first candidacy was that of the Gyumri present mayor Vardan Ghoukasyan.
At 05:00 p.m. the Local Electoral Committee N34 which includes
79 electoral areas in Gyumri had received 21 applications for
the posts of aldermen. 13 of the candidates do not belong to any
party, 4 of them represent the Republican Party, and the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation, the Orinats Yerkir Party, the Union for
National Self-Determination and “Democracy and Labor” Parties have
one candidate each.

VLADIMIR RUSHAYLO TO ARRIVE IN YEREVAN SEPTEMBER 27
Pan Armenian News
26.09.2005 09:08
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Chairman of the Executive Committee, CIS Executive
Secretary Vladimit Rushaylo will pay a visit to Armenia September
27-19, RA MFA press center reported. V. Rushaylo is scheduled to meet
with President Robert Kocharian, Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian and
Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan. September 29 the opening ceremony
of the Council of the CIS Ministers of Interior will take place.

OSCE MG CO-CHAIRS TO MEET IN VIENNA
Pan Armenian News
26.09.2005 08:47
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov stated
that OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs Steven Mann (U.S.), Bernard Fassier
(France) and Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia) will meet in Vienna September
26-27. In his words, the mediators will determine the format and
location of the conduction of the next round of the negotiations
on the Karabakh conflict. “The further strategy will become clear
after the meeting. Either the talks will be continued at the level
of FMs or the mediators will pay a visit to the region,” Mammadyarov
said. Noting the existing possibilities for continuing the negotiations
the Azeri FM voiced opinion that Azerbaijan should still expand its
military potential. He also confirmed the position of official Baku
“to grant Nagorno Karabakh the status of autonomy within Azerbaijan.”
“The Armenian community is not alone. Azerbaijanis also line in
Karabakh and their opinion cannot be ignored. They should return to
Karabakh and line normal life”, Mammadyarov stated.

CoE SEC. GEN. COMMENDED INITIATORS OF ARMENIAN ISSUE CONFERENCE FOR COURAGE AND RESOLUTENESS
Pan Armenian News
26.09.2005 07:46
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Council of Europe Secretary General Mr.Terry Davis
commended the initiators of the conference of the Armenian issue for
courage and resoluteness. He also noted that the “people believing in
modern, democratic and tolerant Turkey do not fear of nationalists
in the Istanbul streets any longer.” “I confirm my endorsement to
the position of Prime Minister Erdogan, who came to support freedom
of speech in Turkey. I hope that such attitude will affect the legal
proceedings against well known Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk, who is
accused of making public statements on the Armenian Genocide”,
Mr. Davis said. “I understand the sensitivity of the Turkish
authorities on this issue, however such delicate issues should be
solved via dialogue and truth but not by means of prosecution and
propaganda. Being a member of the Council if Europe Turkey is obliged
to respect the European Convention on Human Rights. I am convinced
that the Turkish leadership will not abandon the way of democratic
reform in the time epochal for the Turkey-Europe relations,” CoE
Secretary General stated, Mediamax reports.

MINISTER OSKANIAN RECEIVES “GROSSO D’ORO VENEZIANO” AWARD IN VENETO
Pan Armenian News
26.09.2005 06:31
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Grosso d’Oro Veneziano award was bestowed on
Armenia¹s Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian by the Masi Foundation of
Italy’s Veneto Region, on September 24. The prize is a special award
on an international level for individuals who have contributed to
the cause of peace and brotherhood among nations. It was conferred on
Minister Oskanian for his contribution to Armenia¹s integration into
European structures, to the deepening of Armenia-Italy ties, and for
his active involvement in peace talks. In the 8th century St. George
Cathedral in Verona, before several hundred Italian intellectuals,
artists and businessmen, the Masi Foundation held its 25th awards
ceremony. After receiving the award ­ a sculpture in silver, decorated
with grapes as well as designs from ancient khachkars, and topped
with a gold medal­ the Minister spoke about Armenia’s determination
to pursue the path of European integration. He also spoke about
traditional Armenian-Italian ties and the upcoming Italian-Armenian
Days in Yerevan.
During the ceremony, other awards were also given to those who protect
and promote Veneto’s historic legacy and cultural values. The Masi
Foundation, in line with its guiding philosophy and with an original
policy for recognizing subtle changes in the world, awarded prizes
for excellence in education, medicine, theater, fashion, as well as
in the area of vinoculture. The Masi Foundation was created and is
run by the descendants of the Italian poet Dante Alighieri.The only
other recipient of the Grosso d’Oro Veneziano has been Slovenia’s
former President, Milan Kucan.
–Boundary_(ID_ti+1EpZktdiPktVYp+A3bQ)–

NATO PA ROSE-ROTH SEMINAR TO START IN YEREVAN OCTOBER 6
Pan Armenian News
26.09.2005 04:13
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ October 6-9 NATO PA Rose-Roth seminar with the
participation of 60 parliamentarians from 22 states will be held
in Yerevan.
The agenda includes the issues referring to the Karabakh conflict
settlement, regional cooperation, and reformation of defense and police
systems. The Armenian party expressed readiness to host participants
from Azerbaijan and guarantee their security. An invitation for
the seminar was sent to PACE Rapporteur on Nagorno Karabakh Goran
Lennmarker. By the RA government’s decree 32 million 549 thousand
AMD was allocated to the National Assembly for the conduction of
the seminar.

IRAQI MILITANTS DEMAND $1M FOR ARMENIAN CAPTIVE
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Sept 27 2005
Baku, September 26, AssA-Irada
Iraqi militants demand $1 million for the ethnically-Armenian
businessman they recently captured, Russian ITAR-TASS news agency
reported.
The deadline on the ransom for the release of Karapet Zhan
Jeckerdzhian, a 40-year old citizen of Cyprus and Lebanon engaged in
selling drinks and food in Iraq to order of Jetco company, expires
Monday.
The company suspended its activity in Iraq a week ago on a demand of
the kidnappers.
Reports released last week suggested that the militants demanded $2
million for Jeckerdzhian’s release but lowered the figure to $500,000
later. According to latest reports, the kidnappers are demanding a
$1 million ransom,. *

GEORGIAN PRIME MINISTER TO VISIT ARMENIA
Pan Armenian News
26.09.2005 09:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ September 29 Georgian delegation headed by
Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli will arrive in Armenia on a 2-day
visit to participate in the 4-th sitting of the Armenian-Georgian
intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation. Energy Minister
Nikoloz Gilauri, Deputy Foreign Minister Georgi Gugunishvili, Deputy
Minister of Finance Dmitry Gvindadze, Deputies to the Minister
of Economic development David Tsiklauri and Genrikh Muradian,
Deputy Minister of Labor, Health and Social Protection Levan Judeli,
Deputy Minister of Agriculture Mirian Dekonoidze, Deputy Minister of
Environment and Natural Resources Jaal Lomtadze, Deputy Minister of
Education and Science Teymuraz Samadashvili, Head of Customs Department
Zurab Antelidze, Commercial Director of Georgian Railways Ramaz
Giorgadze, Head of the Transport Department Alexander Chkhikvadze,
Advisors to the Georgian Prime Minister and other officials will
serve on the delegation.
Before the opening of the meeting the Prime Ministers of Georgia
and Armenia will hold a tete-a-tete meeting. Separate meetings
of the working commissions will be also held. The agenda includes
issues referring to the contractual-legal basis, trade and economic
relations, tourism, etc. After the final sitting the participants will
sign documents and render a joint press conference. During the visit
Zurab Nogaideli will attend the depository of ancient manuscripts
of Matenadaran and meet with Armenian President Robert Kocharian and
Chairman of the National Assembly Artur Baghdassaryan.

V. OSKANIAN: EUROPEAN NEIGHBORHOOD POLICY BRINGS ARMENIA BACK HOME
Pan Armenian News
26.09.2005 08:19
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian-Italian connections are based on rich
and ancient traditions, Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian
stated when receiving the Grosso d’Oro Veneziano award. “It was in
Italy in 1512, that Hakob Meghapart published the first book ever in
Armenian. The Urbatagirk (or Book of Days) was followed in 1513 with
the first published Armenian calendar.
The renowned Briton, Lord Byron, referred to the Venetian island of
San Lazaro as a fortress of Armenian independence, since the Armenian
monks of the Order of Mekhitar had found refuge there in the early
1700s. For the last three centuries, that haven has turned into a
scientific and cultural locus. Today, if you ask the Mekhitarist
fathers whether they are Venetian, they will say yes. If you ask
them whether they are Armenian, they will say yes. One can say that
they were pioneers in establishing a common European identity,
about which we speak proudly, yet with some apprehension. If it
used to be religion that bound Europe together a millennium ago, it
certainly isn’t any longer. Nor is it the economic advancement that
was specific to Europe two centuries ago. It isn’t ideology either,
which was both adhesive and encumbrance for decades in the last
century. Europe is more than its common history, more than geography,
more than a club for members. All those who’ve said Europe is an
idea are right. It is the idea of a Europe that is the common, if
unattainable ideal. Even those living outside this space have imagined
and desired a Europe which can be addressed collectively, a partner
which can be enlisted conveniently, a Europe to which they yearn to
belong. Armenia is Europe. This is a fact, it’s not a response to a
question. The collapse of the USSR brought us to a point of economic
and political crisis. I remember our discussions in Armenia, before
our entry into the Council of Europe. There were many questions about
the choice of path to take. Dante once said that the hottest places in
hell are reserved for those who in a period of moral crisis maintain
their neutrality. I’m happy to say I won’t be going there because I
was among the loudest advocates of the European path. The choice was
clear. Armenians believe in the values of the European enlightenment,
of European civilization. The moral, ethical and existential choices
that bring individuals and societies to select democracy over other
forms of government, rule of law over rule of man, human rights over
selective rights ­ those choices have been made. A people who have
lived under subjugation, have seen ethnic cleansing and genocide even
before the terms existed, have lived as a minority without rights,
now belong to a world where warring neighbors have found that they
can accept new borders based on realities on the ground and move
on. Europe’s nation-states have found that they can transcend borders,
without diminishing or ignoring cultural spaces, without expecting
historical identities to vanish. The European Neighborhood Policy
brings Armenia back home since Armenia’s foreign policy priority is
the gradual integration of Armenia into European institutions. The
double digit GDP growth, which Armenia achieved each of the last five
years, the successful admission into the WTO, the spirit of the free
enterprise, the changing political system and society are promising
signs that we are on the right track. However, it is too early to say
that the European standard is round the corner. It is not as close
yet as Europe itself, as Venice, as Verona, as the shared cultural
and religious values of the past and present.
To highlight and share those values, we will be launching a two-month
long Days of Italy in Armenia, beginning in early October. This project
has received the blessing and patronage of President Ciampi, President
Kocharian and Governor Galan. The centerpiece of these important events
will be an exhibition of the riches from the Isla Armena. In light of
all this, then, the Fondazione Masi has, in bestowing upon me this
award, put a great stamp of approval on Armenia, its foreign policy
directions, its European orientation, its future. I am privileged
to receive this prestigious award, il Grosso d’Oro Veneziano. This
is a special day for me. And this is, of course, a special place,
a special foundation and a special family with a glorious history of
650 years stretching all the way back to one of the greatest poets of
all times, Dante Alighieri. Dante’s descendants valued their heritage
and helped pass on his legacy. This legacy clearly manifests itself
in modern Italy and the Region of Veneto. Italy and Veneto also share
a legacy with Armenians. There is much symbolism in the fact that
Armenia’s coming back to Europe is being noted and celebrated here,
in Italy,” the Minister said.
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