ARMENIAN MILITARY MEN READY IF NEED BE TO CONTINUE THEIR PEACE KEEPING IN IRAQ
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 13. ARMINFO. The Armenian military men in Iraq are
ready to replace their colleagues in Iraq if the parliament decides
on the continuation of Armenia’s peace keeping in that country,
says Armenia’s Deputy Defence Minister Lieut Gen Artur Agabekyan.
The next rotation in Iraq is in Dec 2005, in Kosovo in Oct 2005. The
Armenian peace keeping in Kosovo started in Feb 2004. The Armenian
peace keepers are part of a Greek battalion. THe rotation is held each
half a year. The Iraq-based peace keepers have been sent for one year.

Foreign Minister to Attend UN Session in New York
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Sept 13 2005
Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has left for New York to attend
the 60th session of the United Nations that will start on Tuesday. He
is expected to deliver a speech at the event.
Azerbaijan plans to bring up the issue of illegal settlements of
Armenians in the occupied Azeri territories, which was last raised
at the previous session of the UN General Assembly.

ARMENIA TO TAKE PART IN IT FORUM IN 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 13. ARMINFO. Leading Armenian companies will take
part in the IT forum to be held in Silicon Valley, US, in 2006,
reports Armenian Development Agency.
This may attract foreign investments and boost IT exports in Armenia.
The local Armenian community will help ADA in its organizational
activities.
In 2004 IT output in Armenia totalled $50 mln ($32 mln exports).
Armenian IT products are exported to over 20 countries.-

DR ANTRANIK ASHDJIAN ANNOUNCES HIS CANDIDACY
GIBRAHAYER e-magazine
Sept 12, 2005
[email protected]_ (mailto:[email protected])
The largest circulation Armenian
online e-magazine on the WWW
Dr.Atamyan’s candidacy expected to follow Gibrahayer September 12,
2005. A prominent community activist – a dentist by profession –
with an impeccable track record in community affairs is bidding
to become the next Armenian representative in the Cyprus House of
Representatives, in the by-elections that will take place on Sunday
October 9, 2005.
Besides his current position as Chairman of the Armenian National
Committee of Cyprus – a post which he has continuously held for the
past eight years – Dr.Antranik Ashdjian has been on the Editorial
Board of the Artsagang Armenian language monthly since its founding
ten years ago.
He has on many occasions participated in conferences, seminars and
discussions in Cyprus, Armenia, Brussels and elsewhere, addressing
issues concerning the Armenian nation, the Armenian Cause, the Armenian
Church, and the Armenian Community in Cyprus as well as minority
rights. Together with the late representative Bedros Kalaydjian, he
played a key role in formulating the Armenian community’s positions
and visions regarding its status in a post-solution Cyprus.
He has written numerous articles on these issues which have been
published in Cypriot (Greek and Armenian language) and Diaspora
publications.
Dr.Antranik Ashdjian – a graduate of the Semmelweis Medical University
of Budapest – speaks and writes Armenian, Greek, English and Hungarian
fluently.
With his perfect knowledge of the Greek language he has – on numerous
occasions over the years – appeared and advocated on Armenian related
issues on national TV and all local printed and electronic media.
In 1998 he was ordained a Deacon in the Armenian Apostolic Church of
Cyprus which he has been serving since childhood.
Dr. Ashdjian has been a member of the Diocesan Committee for the
1700th Jubilee of the Proclamation of Christianity as State Religion
in Armenia and numerous delegations of the Catholicosate of Cilicia
in Ecumenical meetings and conferences.
He has also been active in the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) and
served for several terms in the AYMA/HMEM committee.
In AYF’s first International jamboree held in Armenia in 1997, he met
his wife Aline – a Kuwaiti Armenian whom he married in 1999. Aline
works as an IT professional in PricewaterhouseCoopers, and is an active
member of The Armenian Relief Society (HOM) of Cyprus, Hamazkayin
Oshagan Cyprus Chapter and The Nareg School Parents and Teachers
Association. Their daughter Alik aged five, currently attends first
grade in Nareg Armenian School.
Dr. Ashdjian has been instrumental in the publication of the coloured
tri-lingual album titled “The Armenian Apostolic Church in Cyprus”,
as well as the Armenian-Greek-English booklet containing the Armenian
Liturgy aimed at bringing non-Armenian speaking families closer to the
Church and the community. He is also responsible for the publication
of “Keghart” – the periodical of the Armenian Prelacy of Cyprus and
assists in the publication of “Ardziv”, a literary weekly published
in Lebanon.
Although no other official candidacy has been announced to
the press to date, it is speculated by community circles that
Dr. Ashdjian’s candidacy will not be the last. Nareg School’s Committee
Chairman Dr. Vahakn Atamyan’s name is certain to join the name of
candidates. Dr.Atamyan is the President of the Ararat AGBU Futsal
team and has served for several years on the School Board of the
Melkonian Educational Institute.
A TENNIS PLAYER FROM ARMENIA LANDS IN CYPRUS
A top ranked 15 year-old tennis player, Zaruhi Harutyunyan from
Armenia has landed in Cyprus.
She has decided to stay in Cyprus and travel the tennis circuit. To
that end, community officials offering assistance to the talented
girl have already arranged for her to train with the Cypriot National
Tennis team at the Federation’s National Tennis center and work is
under way to arrange issues related to her accommodation and support
team who are going to help her make her mark on the tennis circuit.
Harutyunyan decided to stay in Cyprus after the Aphrodite Cup – a
world ranking Junior tournament – in which she lost to -three years
her senior – world number 228 Zuzanna Likhova of the Czech Republic.
With limited possibilities and opportunities in Armenia, she is hoping
that her risks away from home will soon be rewarded.
As a nine year old, Harutyunyan won the Palm Springs – California Under
12 tournament and subsequently won tournaments in Bulgaria, Germany,
Holland, France, England in the under 14 and the under 16 categories.
Like every community undertaking, this too needs generous community
support.
With the 6,000 subscribers reading Gibrahayer e-magazine every week,
I am certain that Armenians from across the globe will offer their
assistance too.
Let us all give it to her.
With her practice schedule and physical training already planned and
taken care of by interested parties in Cyprus, the community can show
its assistance in several other ways.
She will soon go on the world tour. She needs support for travel
and accommodation, sponsors for clothing, a budget for her initial
take-off, where she will be attempting to break the tennis scene.
You would be amazed with the seemingly little things that are important
right now.
She is 15 and does not have a driving license and needs rides to and
fro the practice grounds every day… twice.
She needs to “replace” her family vacuum, of a widowed mother from
a car accident, and a four your old sister.
Take a moment to think about the needs of this brave young girl who
has given up everything we often take for granted
With her kind of potential I am certain she will give back to her
homeland what our homeland is unable to give to her right now.
Simon Aynedjian – Gibrahayer e-magazine All contributions will be
publicised in the coming issues of Gibrahayer e-magazine. Email or
call me on +357 99437073.
THE FIGHT TO SAVE MELKONIAN CONTINUES ..follow
the latest news regarding the Pan-Armenian mobilization against .
the decision of the AGBU to shut down Melkonian school …
OUR OPINION To realise and reinforce the fight to save Melkonian, it
is important that all parties involved as well as all individuals
connected to the administration and running of the school and
decision-making processes of the last decades, come out of their
shelters and account for the reasons they perceive as to why Melkonian
was shut down.
Until today, this has not been done.
Only blaming the AGBU central board for a decision which was the
final piece to a puzzle, is both wrong and unethical.
It also shifts blame to the wrong-doings of the people who in the
past ran the school as a political bastion, and benefited from the
funds and leverages the school provided.
AGBU central board no doubt have their part of the blame. They too
should account for their wrong doings.
Who are the brave to stand on the ashes of Melkonian and account for
the biggest blow on our community after the Turkish invasion?
Gibrahayer e-magazine – September 6, 2005 â~@¢25 Turkish journalists
will shortly pay a “working visit” to Yerevan on the initiative of
the Turkish Foreign Ministry. The Star newspaper (Turkey) reports that
the visit will take place in the framework of the events preceding the
Sept 23-25 Istanbul Armenian Conference, an event that is to consider
alternative opinions on the Armenian Genocide and to establish contacts
for developing ties between Armenia and Turkey.
â~@¢A public conference scheduled for September 22 will address
Turkey’s violations of basic rights as it prepares to begin accession
talks with the European Union (EU) on October 3. Organized by the
European Armenian Federation, the conference, “December 2004–October
2005: Has Turkey Changed?” is supported by the largest political group
in the European Parliament, the EPP-ED–the Group of the European
People’s Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats in the
European Parliament.
â~@¢Cyprus escalated a row over Turkey’s refusal to recognize it,
suggesting on Thursday an emergency European Union ministerial meeting
just one week before Ankara is due to open membership talks. EU
president Britain said it hoped to avoid such a foreign ministers’
meeting, which would leave little time to agree on a negotiating
mandate before the planned October 3 start of talks.
â~@¢ The Armenian government approved on Thursday $200,000 in
assistance to victims of Hurricane Katrina. Deputy foreign minister
Arman Kirakossian said the money will be released from government’s
reserve fund and will be transferred on a special US government bank
account early next week.
â~@¢Armenia’s defense ministry denied Azeri news reports that an
Azeri soldier had been killed in a skirmish with Armenian forces in
Mountainous Karabagh on September 7. The Azerbaijan ANS channel had
reported that Azeri army positions near a village in the northern
section of the frontline around had Karabagh came under ‘intensive’
automatic gunfire from Armenian troops.
â~@¢Raging with its hypnotically dark, dense and arty style,
“Mezmerize” is System Of A Down’s recently released third album and
perhaps its hardest-hitting effort to date. With their newest album
already topping the music charts in the United States, Systm f Down
are looking to unleash Mezmerize in Armenia.
â~@¢As part of its ongoing objective to develop activities and programs
that promote the growth of young Armenian American professionals and
strong leaders, the Armenian National Committee-Professional Network
(ANC-PN) hosted its inaugural Summer Trip to Armenia. Over 40 young
Armenian American professionals from across the nation embarked on the
13-day trip, which traversed the Republics of Armenia and Mountainous
Karabagh Republic.
I hear hurricanes a blowin’ And I know the end is coming soon I fear
rivers overflowing I hear the voice for rage and ruin.
So don’t go out tonight It’s bound to take your life There’s a bad
moon on the rise.
Bad Moon Risin by Creedance Clearwater Revival
RECENTLY REPATRIATED ARMENIAN CYPRIOT FAMILY OPEN UP AUTO SERVICE
CENTER IN NICOSIA
Gibrahayer. Nicosia September 12, 2005. An Armenian Cypriot family
recently back from Australia have opened up an Auto service center
in Nicosia. The Parikians who moved from Australia after fleeing the
Turkish invasion of 1974 are back to their homeland and are throwing
roots in the country they left 30 years ago.
The Showroom / Autoservice center – Style V – is situated on
Dimosthenis Severis Avenue (next to Yianopoullos Jewellery). The
center will be fully operational as of this week, and in October it
will also engage in auto styling and car sales.
The Parikians are hoping to bring to their new business the expertise
they have gained over the years in Australia and are confident that
the Armenian community of Cyprus will support their repatriation.
You can reach them for a free consultation at 22 661999, fax 22661955
and on the following mobile number. 99753232.
You can also reach them by email at [email protected]_
(mailto:[email protected])
DENIED CITIZENSHIP
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that a
judge did not err in granting U.S. citizenship to two Armenian men
convicted more than 20 years ago of planning to bomb the Turkish
Consulate in Philadelphia.
The decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ends a long
struggle by Viken Hovsepian and Viken Yacoubian, who plotted to bomb
the consulate in retaliation for the massacre of Armenians by Turks
in 1915. The Turkish government denies a massacre occurred.
The men, who have been out of prison since the early 1990s, now have
doctorates, have renounced violence and volunteer many hours a week
in the Los Angeles Armenian-American community, said Mathew Millen,
an attorney who helped handle the immigration portion of their case.
Federal law currently forbids convicted terrorists from becoming
citizens.
But anyone convicted of an aggravated felony before November 1990 can
be granted citizenship if they have been “of good moral character”
for five years prior to their application, Millen said.
The men were in their early 20s when they and two others were
arrested in 1982 after authorities tape-recorded them planning the
bombing. Authorities at the time said they were linked to the Justice
Commandos of the Armenian Genocide.
Hovsepian was sentenced to six years in prison in 1984, while Yacoubian
was sentenced to three years in prison and 1,000 hours of community
service.
Yacoubian is now principal of the Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian
School in Los Angeles’ Little Armenia and has obtained a doctorate
in counselling psychology from the University of Southern California,
according to court documents.
RECOMMENDED SITES
TATIANA’S CORNER returns soon … after Tatiana
returns from The People’s Republic of China This corner is reserved for
local artist Tatiana Ferahian’s comic strips which are amalgamations
of Armenian-Cypriot social commentaries, painted with her usual wry
and ironic humour, to stimulate and encourage awareness and interest
toward our community’s everyday happenings.
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TURKEY’S WAR WITH HISTORY
September 8, 2005 LA TIMES EDITORIAL – Orhan Pamuk, arguably Turkey’s
most famous novelist, knew it was risky to ask what had happened
to hundreds of thousands of Armenians killed during the era of the
Ottoman Empire. But the threats didn’t silence him.
Pamuk wondered out loud about the fate of Turkey’s Armenian community,
and the more recent killings of 30,000 Kurds in a war against armed
separatists that began in 1984, during a February interview with a
Swiss newspaper.
Seven months later, and one day before European Union ministers were
scheduled to discuss Turkey’s bid to join the union, a Turkish public
prosecutor charged Pamuk with insulting his country.
In Turkey, it is a crime to “denigrate” Turkish identity, punishable
by up to three years in prison. It is up to government authorities
to define the meaning of “denigration.” Pamuk is scheduled to go to
trial on Dec. 16.
The timing of Pamuk’s prosecution suggests a deliberate attempt by
conservatives within the Turkish government to derail the country’s
EU negotiations.
It clearly violates the conditions set for Turkey’s EU membership,
such as guaranteeing free-speech rights.
In spite of a plethora of evidence gathered by Henry Morgenthau,
the U.S.
ambassador in Constantinople from 1913 to 1916, that detailed how
the Turkish government engaged in the systematic annihilation of
Armenians, the Turks still refuse to admit culpability. Instead,
they argue that Armenians who collaborated with the invading Russian
forces were deported to Syria and that many of them died of exposure,
famine and disease on their journey.
Pamuk, whose book, “My Name Is Red,” has been translated into more
than 20 languages, and other Turkish intellectuals have called for
a public debate on their country’s past.
Last May, Turkish academics organized a conference in Istanbul on
the fate of Ottoman Armenians. Justice Minister Cemil Cicek postponed
the conference the day before it was supposed to open.
These skirmishes are part of a bigger battle between traditionalists
and those who favor European-style modernization.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan should order a halt to Pamuk’s
prosecution, and his government needs to foster more freedom of
expression and thought in Turkey. Striking arbitrary laws that give
the government the right to imprison “critics” of Turkey would be a
start. So would an open debate on the fate of the country’s Armenian
population in the early 20th century.
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WHERE ARE WE IN THE INFINITE UNIVERSE?
A theory about coincidences or simultaneous occurrences and infinity
Professor Hovhanness I. Pilikian is an internationally acclaimed film
producer, theater director, a classical music composer, a classical
scholar and social scientist, fluent in many modern languages,
including French, German, Arabic, Armenian and Chinese.
Coincidences or Simultaneous occurrences are puzzling phenomena. Most
people have experienced them, and some on many occasions – when you
would be thinking of a person, and suddenly he/she appears (“speak
of the Devil” they say), or the telephone rings and there he/she is
at the other end of the line.
Folk wisdom ascribes it to the powers of the Devil, while scientists
scratch their heads for an acceptable theory.
On one occasion, I picked up the telephone to ring the London
Iranian-Armenian poetess, Mrs. Shoghik Minassian, only to find her at
the other end of the line without the telephone having yet rang… she
had picked up the telephone to make a phone call herself. In even more
of a complex and extremely unlikely version of this – I have dialled
the London based Painter from Armenia, Artour Oshakantsi’s number,
to discover him at the other end of the line having picked up the
telephone with the intention of telephoning me!
Coincidences are the chance occurrence of two unlikely events,
seemingly connected, sometimes the same, happening simultaneously,
often at the same time, overlapping, and even if not, still unlikely
to occur, let alone out of the blue, for no logical reason at all –
it is how Matter behaves at the subatomic Quantum level that scientists
are still unable but struggling to explain…
click here for more: BOOKS BY TURKISH WRITERS AT THE MOUFFLON
BOOKSTORES THE FRESH VOICE OF TURKEY’S VERY BEST, ORHAN PAMUK AND
ELIF SHAFAK ARE IN CYPRUS Tel:22665155 [email protected] ,
ARMENIAN MUSIC By Arek Dakessian in Beirut This
section is dedicated to bringing Armenian music closer to us, shedding
light on the Armenian music scene and its history.
DEREK SHERINIAN His latest album, released on the 9th of November
2004, features a number of high-profile guests such as Zakk Wylde,
Steve Stevens, Simon Philips, Marco Mendoza, Brian Tichy…
Currently he is on tour with Billy Idol Alice Cooper on Derek
Sherinian: “There are a few people on this world who are born rock
stars, he is one” Derek was born Laguna Beach Calif. – an hour south
of LA. He started playing the piano at the age of 5, During his school
years, Derek got offered a scholarship to the prestigious Berkley
School of Music in Boston, where – from his junior year on in 1982-
he jammed with the likes of Will Calhoun who went on to play the bass
guitar with Megadeth and others…
After three semesters at Berkley Derek felt he had what it took to
get up on the big stage, and he got a phone call from his Berkley
buddy Pitrelli, who had just been named musical director of the Alice
Cooper band, they were looking for a keyboard player… He auditioned
and got it.
Then Sherinian played with Kiss and Dream Theater alongside other
bands, he even formed a band of his own: Planet X, which was supposed
to be the name of his first solo album. Planet X released four
albums. Derek himself has released four solo albums… the number
which is the astonishing one is the number of albums he has been in,
and as a band member, essential, is 19!!!
Another one of us who’s made it in the big time!
visit his personal website: SPORTS NEWS
AND CALENDAR â~@¢ At the US Open Tennis Championships Armenian
Argentinean David Nalbandian lost to world number one Roger Federer
3-0, while Andre Agassi managed to win a set in the finals of the
same event. Federer won US$ 2.2 million dollars for 15 days of work
on the courts.
â~@¢In the European Futsal (five-a-side football) competition,
Tal Grig Yerevan needed an Emil Mesropyan goal, three seconds from
time to keep them on track for qualification from the four-team UEFA
Futsal Cup preliminary round mini-tournament. The Armenian champions’
successful spot-kick ensured a last-gasp 5-4 victory against Dinamo
Tirana of Albania .
â~@¢Ararat AGBU of Nicosia are representing Cyprus in the Futsal
Cup Champions League from 8-13 October, in a round robin tournament
that will take place in Bucharest. Bidding for qualification are the
Albanian, Armenian and English teams, while Aramis of Hungary and
Benefica of Portugal will be teams the Armenian Cypriot team will be
facing in their Group. Good luck to the Cyprus Champions!
â~@¢15 tear old Zaruhi Harutyunyan of Armenia – participating in the
world ranking ITF Junior Championships (under 18) in Nicosia – made
it to the semi finals of the doubles event and challenged the second
seed – three years her senior – world number 228 Zuzanna Likhova of
the Czech Republic eventually losing 7-6, 6-4. In the same tournament
Harutyunyan defeated Cyprus number one Irene Ketseva.
â~@¢( )- Larnaca Open Tennis Championships. Dikran
Bedrossian of London and Simon Aynedjian of Nicosia have teamed up
to contest the seniors men’s doubles tournament.
g i b r a h a y c a l e n d a r â~@¢AYF weekly meetings continue
every Monday at AYMA. Next meeting on Monday 19 September at 9:30
pm â~@¢Badanegan meetings – for children from 7- 12 years old – have
begun. They take place every Saturday at 4:00 pm at AYMA â~@¢AYMA /
HMEM Chicco football practices take place every Friday at 7:30 pm at
AYMA â~@¢Armenian Radio Hour on The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation via
real audio on . Broadcast 17:00-18:00 local Cyprus time
(14:00-15:00 GMT). Armenian news every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and
Tuesday â~@¢New Year’s Eve Dinner and Dance in London on December 31,
2005. Harout Pampoukdjian and his Band will be performing in London
at the Royal Lancaster at Hyde Park – London on Saturday 31 December
2005. Reception at 8:00 pm and Dinner at 9:00 pm. Tickets at 85.00 and
Stage Tables at 95.00. For bookings contact Janet Mardirossian at 4420
84221662, Yvette Mankassarian at 4420 79375703, Ovsig Saroukhanoff
at 88683538 and Alenoush Ohanian at 4420 8998 8048 or the following
email address [email protected] . Special 99.00 per room rate has
been arranged by the hotel for overnight stayers. Organised by HOM
(Armenian Relief Society), Hamazkayin and HMEM.
Dear Subscriber thank you for your interest in Gibrahayer, which
is an independent electronic environment, now in its fifth year,
disseminating news & posting upcoming events about the Armenian
community of Cyprus, Armenia, Artsakh and the Diaspora. The
list also promotes the discussion of issues brought forward
by its members. The subscription to this service is free. To
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Include this code in your report LATROBA123 (GIBRZINE1692).
–Boundary_(ID_EfvjT0t8KNDF8PHTLNhzvA)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

REHN SUGGESTS DATE OF PAMUK COURT CASE A PROVOCATION
NTV MSNBC, Turkey
Sept 13 2005
Rehn said that recognition of the Greek Cypriot administration is
not a pre-condition to start negotiation talks.
Guncelleme: 18:19 TSI 13 Eylul 2005 SalýBRUSSELS – Having the first
hearing of a court case against a well known Turkish author on the
same day as European Union leaders were to meet for their six monthly
summit may not be a coincidence, a senior EU official said Tuesday.
Prominent Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk is scheduled to go on trial
on December 16 to face charges he insulted the Turkish state after
saying in an interview with a Swiss magazine that up to one million
of the Ottoman Empire’s Armenian citizens were killed during the time
of the First World War.
Ollie Rehn, the EU’s the Commissioner responsible for the bloc’s
expansion process, said that: “December 16 could not be a just a
coincidence. This could be a provocation.”
Speaking in Brussels, Rehn said that Pamuk’s court case raised
serious question marks over the implementation of the new Turkish
Penal Code. He claimed that the case was in breach of the European
Human Rights Convention.
However, he went on to say that despite objections over Ankara’s
refusal to recognise the Greek Cypriot state that accession
negotiations with Turkey would start on October 3 as scheduled.
However, Turkey would only be able to complete the EU accession process
10 to 15 years, Rehn said, adding that the speed of the negotiation
process would rely on Ankara’s recognition of the Greek Cypriot side.
Rehn said that Ankara’s issuing a declaration saying its signing of
an extension of its customs unions with the EU to cover the ten new
members did not signify recognition of the Greek Cypriot state was
sad and that the EU would issue a counter declaration.
–Boundary_(ID_6xAi0ugBLOajpuXpFmMDqg)–

USAID HEAD APPRECIATED COOPERATION WITH ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT
Pan Armenian News
13.09.2005 08:19
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Ambassador to the US Tatul Margaryan met
with head of the US Agency for International Development (USAID)
Andrew Natsios, reported the Press Service of the Armenian MFA. In
the course of the meeting T. Margaryan presented economic reforms
being implemented in Armenia, owing to which the republic has high
indicators in economy liberty and economic growth. The ambassador
thanked for the continuous assistance of the Agency, appreciating
the programs in poverty reduction, economy development, opening
workplaces. He specially highlighted the USAID program for the
victims of the destructive earthquake in 1988. In his turn Natsios
appreciated the experience of USAID-Armenian Government cooperation and
spoke in favor of continuation and expansion of the scope of Agency
programs. The Armenian Ambassador to the US has invited the USAID
head to visit Armenia and get acquainted with impressive outcomes of
implementation of USAID programs.

ARMENIA FOR DEVELOPMENT OF RELATIONS WITH PORTUGAL
Pan Armenian News
13.09.2005 06:58
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Deputy FM Arman Kirakosyan met with
newly appointed Portuguese Ambassador to Armenia Manuel Marcelo
Monteiro Curto (residence in Moscow) due to the presentation of the
copies of credentials, reported the Armenian MFA Press Service. In
the course of the meeting the parties noted the importance of the
Armenian-Portuguese ties and noted favorable conditions are formed for
strengthening them. Thereupon the interlocutors mentioned the need for
bilateral contacts at the high level and replenishment of bilateral
agreements and legal framework. At the instance of the Ambassador the
Deputy FM briefed him on the latest developments in the settlement
of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, as well as the current state fo
the Armenian-Turkish relations. .

EU’S REHN PRESSES FOR START OF TURKISH ENTRY TALKS (UPDATE1)
Bloomberg
Sept 13 2005
Sept. 13 (Bloomberg) — European Union Enlargement Commissioner Olli
Rehn pressed EU governments to start membership talks with Turkey,
saying skeptical nations such as France would have dozens of chances
to veto entry later on.
The scheduled Oct. 3 start of the decade-long entry process is in
doubt because Turkey refuses to recognize EU member Cyprus. Rehn said
every EU government could block the start or conclusion of talks in
35 negotiating areas as well as Turkey’s ultimate membership, adding
up to 71 chances to wield a veto.
“That’s quite a safeguard,” Rehn told the European Parliament’s
foreign-affairs committee today in Brussels. Talks would end “perhaps
in 10 to 15 years.”
Opposition to enlargement was hardening before the dispute over
Turkey’s diplomatic boycott of Cyprus, one of 10 countries that
joined the bloc last year. Skepticism grew three and half months
ago when French and Dutch voters rejected the European constitution,
meant to help the 25-nation EU function better with more members.
The Turkish government caused a diplomatic stir in July when it said
its signature of a protocol extending a European trade accord to
Cyprus didn’t amount to recognition of the Mediterranean island, whose
northern tier Turkey has occupied since 1974. Signing the protocol was
a condition set by the EU last December for starting membership talks.
Diplomacy
EU governments are working on a declaration that would urge Turkey to
ensure free trade with the Greek-speaking Cypriot republic. Diplomats
in Brussels tomorrow will try to break a deadlock over the wording.
“I can’t speculate at this stage about what precise language will
come out of the ongoing discussions,” Rehn said. Still, he expressed
optimism that the talks will go ahead on time.
Cyprus will block the start of negotiations should the counter
declaration be unsatisfactory, Cypriot government spokesman Kypros
Chrysostomides was quoted by CNBC-e television as saying.
“It is regrettable that a candidate country does not recognize one
of the EU member states,” Rehn said. “At the same time, we need to
be consistent. Formal recognition wasn’t a condition for the start
of negotiations.”
Rehn said the dispute could be resolved with United Nations help on
unifying the island while EU entry talks took place. He also said
Turkey would have to recognize all EU members before joining.
Parliament Vote
Elmar Brok, head of the EU parliament’s foreign-affairs committee,
asked Rehn for a written statement that Turkey’s declaration about
not recognizing Cyprus would have no legal impact on the trade accord,
known as the Ankara protocol. The parliament is due to vote Sept. 28
on ratification of the protocol.
“We need clarity,” said Brok, who belongs to the German Christian
Democratic party opposed to Turkey joining the EU. “Otherwise, we can’t
complete the ratification process of the Ankara protocol by Sept. 28.”
Turkey, a nation of 72 million people, is counting on the accession
talks to attract record foreign investment to its $300 billion
economy. It would be one of the two most populous EU nations along
with Germany, become the bloc’s first mainly Muslim member and widen
the EU’s borders to Iraq.
Human Rights
Membership talks with Turkey would be in the EU’s strategic interest
by bolstering reform-minded politicians in the country, Rehn said.
“The EU needs a stable, democratic and increasingly prosperous Turkey,”
he said.
Rehn faced demands by some EU parliament members to press the
Turkish government for more human-rights protection after an Istanbul
prosecutor filed criminal charges against a Turkish novelist named
Orhan Pamuk. Pamuk faces up to three years in jail for criticizing
the lack of debate on the 1915 massacre of Armenians, his publisher
said Aug. 31.
Turkey, which fulfilled another EU condition for starting entry talks
by enacting upgraded human-rights legislation earlier this year,
is making progress in this area, said Rehn.
“There have been certain negative cases,” he said. “The overall trend
is still positive.”

NKR PRESIDENT NOT TO TAKE PART IN UNRECOGNIZED STATES CONFERENCE
Pan Armenian News
13.09.2005 06:40
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ September 14 Simultaneous to the CIS: Abkhazia,
Transdniestria, South Ossetia, Nagorno Karabakh as post-soviet reality
scientific conference will open in Moscow. The event is organized by
state universities of the unrecognized republics and the Institute
for CIS Issues, headed by head of Russian State Duma CIS Commission
Constantine Zatulin.
Leaders of Abkhazia, Transdniestria, South Ossetia, as well as scholars
and politicians or Russia will take part in the conference, which
is to discuss to conflict settlement opportunities. A NK delegation
is expected to participate in the conference. The composition of the
delegation is being specified at present, however, it is already known
that Nagorno Karabakh President Arkady Ghukasyan will not go to Moscow.

The Library of Congress
14 Sept 2005
H.R.3361
Title: To prohibit United States assistance to develop or promote any rail
connections or railway-related connections that traverse or connect Baku,
Azerbaijan; Tbilisi, Georgia; and Kars, Turkey, and that specifically
exclude cities in Armenia.
Sponsor: Rep Knollenberg, Joe [MI-9] (introduced 7/20/2005) Cosponsors
(31)
Latest Major Action: 8/24/2005 Referred to House subcommittee. Status:
Referred to the Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy,
Trade, and Technology.
COSPONSORS(31), BY DATE [order is left to right]: (Sort: alphabetical
order)
Rep Pallone, Frank, Jr. [NJ-6] – 7/20/2005Rep Radanovich, George [CA-19] –
7/20/2005
Rep McNulty, Michael R. [NY-21] – 7/22/2005Rep McCotter, Thaddeus G.
[MI-11] – 7/25/2005
Rep Maloney, Carolyn B. [NY-14] – 7/25/2005Rep Souder, Mark E. [IN-3] –
7/25/2005
Rep McGovern, James P. [MA-3] – 7/25/2005Rep Rogers, Mike [MI-8] – 7/25/2005
Rep Garrett, Scott [NJ-5] – 7/26/2005Rep Kirk, Mark Steven [IL-10] –
7/26/2005
Rep Schwarz, John J.H. “Joe” [MI-7] – 7/27/2005Rep Neal, Richard E. [MA-2] –
7/27/2005
Rep Bilirakis, Michael [FL-9] – 7/28/2005Rep Rush, Bobby L. [IL-1] –
7/28/2005
Rep Visclosky, Peter J. [IN-1] – 7/29/2005Rep Costello, Jerry F. [IL-12] –
9/6/2005
Rep Crowley, Joseph [NY-7] – 9/6/2005Rep Menendez, Robert [NJ-13] – 9/6/2005
Rep Royce, Edward R. [CA-40] – 9/6/2005Rep Baca, Joe [CA-43] – 9/6/2005
Rep Andrews, Robert E. [NJ-1] – 9/6/2005Rep Weiner, Anthony D. [NY-9] –
9/6/2005
Rep Langevin, James R. [RI-2] – 9/7/2005Rep Bishop, Timothy H. [NY-1] –
9/8/2005
Rep Grijalva, Raul M. [AZ-7] – 9/13/2005Rep Waxman, Henry A. [CA-30] –
9/13/2005
Rep Calvert, Ken [CA-44] – 9/13/2005Rep Sanchez, Loretta [CA-47] – 9/13/2005
Rep Miller, George [CA-7] – 9/13/2005Rep Sherman, Brad [CA-27] – 9/13/2005
Rep Issa, Darrell E. [CA-49] – 9/13/2005
From: Baghdasarian