SERVICEMAN KILLED IN ARMENIAN TRUCE VIOLATION – AZERI TV
ANS TV, Baku
8 Sep 05
A warrant officer of the Azerbaijani army has been killed on the
front line, Azerbaijani ANS TV said on 8 September.
The officer was wounded when Azerbaijan’s army positions in the
village of Borsunlu in Tartar District came under fire from the
Armenian armed forces at about 0700 gmt on 7 September, ANS reported.

BRITISH FM WARNS OF “TERRIBLE” CONSEQUENCES IF TURKEY TALKS FALTER
Agence France Presse — English
September 8, 2005 Thursday 3:42 PM GMT
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw warned Thursday of “terrible”
repercussions for co-existence with the Muslim world if the European
Union fails to follow through on the process for admitting Turkey to
the union.
“We cannot afford to get this wrong,” Straw said in a speech in which
he argued for Turkey to begin long-awaited accession talks on October
3 despite Ankara’s refusal to recognise the government of Cyprus.
“By welcoming Turkey we will demonstrate that Western and Islamic
cultures can thrive together as partners in the modern world. The
alternative is too terrible to contemplate,” he said.
Straw stressed that Turkey had met conditions for starting accession
talks that could take several years and praised “wide-ranging and
courageous” reforms in Turkey.
But Ankara still had some way to go in implementing reforms, he added,
pointing to the charges brought against world-famous Turkish novelist
Orhan Pamuk for commenting on killings of Kurds and Armenians.
“If and when Turkey does become a member, it will be after years
of structural reforms and with a long track record of sustained and
stable growth,” Straw said.
EU leaders last December gave Turkey the green light to start
membership talks, after Ankara first applied to join the union in 1987,
even though the country still refuses to to recognise the government
of Cyprus.
But last week foreign ministers of the 25-nation bloc failed to agree
on a response to Turkey’s reiteration of non-recognition.
EU members need to agree unanimously on a reponse and a negotiating
framework for Turkey before accession talks can officially begin.
Cyprus has been divided since the Turkish military occupied the
northern third of the territory in 1974 in response to a coup by
Greek Cypriots to unite the island with Greece.
“I would have preferred it if the government of Turkey had not felt
it necessary to issue its declaration… by doing so the process has
frankly been made more difficult,” Straw said.
“Normally, you get agreement in the end,” Straw said, adding that he
would call an EU meeting to discuss Turkish accession at the end of
September if that was necessary.
French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin earlier opposed starting
accession talks with the Cyprus issue still unresolved and other
European politicians have expressed reservations.
German opposition leader Angela Merkel, who is favoured to win
parliamentary elections later this month, opposes Turkey’s membership
of the EU outright.
“The process of Turkish accession has turned into a lightning rod
for other discontent,” said Straw.
Turkish membership “has been the long-standing policy of successive
German governments up until now,” he continued.
In his speech, Straw emphasised the common history of Turkey and
western Europe and praised the democratic legacy of Kemal Ataturk,
who became leader of a secular Turkey after the collapse of the
Ottoman empire in World War I.
Turkish membership would help the EU compete with emerging economies
in Asia and tackle terrorism and drug trafficking, Straw said.
Membership would also encourage reforms in Turkey that have already
led to the abolition of the death penalty, progress on Kurdish issues
and moves towards European Council political standards, he said.
“Turkey will go through a major, continuing process of transformation
over a number of years before it joins the Union.”

UPPER GARABAGH CURRENCY ‘NOT TO BE INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED’
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Sept 8 2005
Baku, September 7, AssA-Irada — The ‘national currency’ that Upper
Garabagh plans to illegally release into circulation will not be
recognized by any country, deputy board chairman of the National Bank
(NBA) told journalists on Wednesday.
Alim Guliyev said, however, that Azerbaijan cannot prevent the release
of the new currency.
“The National Bank will object to the move through its own means, but
it has no real opportunities to prevent the issuance of the currency.
We can simply convey to the international community the illegitimacy
of the process.”
Guliyev added that the currency may not be used anywhere outside
Garabagh.*

RUSSIA, ARMENIA LAUNCH JOINT MILITARY EXERCISES
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Sept 8 2005
Baku, September 7, AssA-Irada — Joint military exercises of Russian
and Armenian armed forces were launched in Armenia’s Armavir region
on Wednesday.
Official Yerevan and Moscow term the training as military cooperation
within the “collective security” agreement, according to the Armenian
media. Officers, soldiers and weapons of the Russian military base
deployed in Armenia’s Gumru region, as well as battalions of the
Armenian ground troops are involved in the exercises to last till
September 11. The training program also includes joint maneuvers of
the two countries’ air forces.
The launch of the military exercises amid OSCE chairman-in-office
Dimitrij Rupel’s visit to Yerevan on a peacekeeping mission and his
talks with the leadership of aggressor Armenia on the settlement of
the Upper Garabagh conflict was disapproved by some pundits. They
believe that the move may be interpreted as Moscow’s pressure on the
course of Armenia-Azerbaijan talks.*

BRITAIN APPOINTS NEW AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA, SAYS REPORT
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Sept 8 2005
Baku, September 7, AssA-Irada — Great Britain has appointed its
new ambassador to Armenia. Anthony Cantor will take up the post,
replacing Thorda Abbott Watt, whose diplomatic mission will complete
next January, Armenian media quoted a source from the embassy of
United Kingdom in Armenia as saying.*

CYPRUS DISPUTE ‘SHOULD NOT DELAY TURKEY’S EU ACCESSION’
by Andrew Woodcock, PA Political Correspondent
Press Association
September 8, 2005, Thursday 11:00 AM Eastern Time
Negotiations on Turkey’s accession to the European Union should not
be delayed, even though Ankara refuses to recognise the Republic of
Cyprus, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said today.
He warned that turning a cold shoulder to Turkey would give ammunition
to Islamist extremists, while welcoming it into the EU would be
a powerful blow against the belief in a “clash of civilisations”
between the Muslim world and the West.
The long-awaited talks are due to begin on October 3, but there is
growing popular and political opposition to Turkey joining the EU in
several existing member states, including France and Germany.
Ankara’s announcement that its recent signature of an Association
Agreement Protocol with the EU – a necessary step on the road
to membership – did not imply recognition of the Greek Cypriot
administration in Nicosia was seized upon by opponents of accession
as a reason for delay.
But speaking in London today, Mr Straw said: “There is more at stake
here than Turkey’s future. This is about Europe’s future too. And
it is a question of paramount importance for the whole international
community.
“Turkey is a secular nation with a majority Muslim population. By
welcoming Turkey we will demonstrate that Western and Islamic cultures
can thrive together as partners in the modern world. The alternative
is too terrible to contemplate.”
And he added: “A stable, prosperous Turkey anchored in the European
Union would be a powerful symbol indeed that the true divide lies not
between civilisations but between the vast majority of civilised people
across the world and the uncivilised few who use violence and terror to
try to destroy the common values and beliefs which bind the rest of us.
“It will prove that a secular, democratic state which shows respect
for Islam can live comfortably within Europe. Conversely, what message
would we give out if we were perceived to turn away from Turkey?”
Mr Straw said that, due to its strategic position as a bridge between
East and West, Turkey would offer the EU vital new strengths in the
battle against terrorism, cross-border crime and drug-trafficking.
Contrary to fears that the entry of a populous, low-wage economy into
the EU would have damaging economic effects on existing members,
Mr Straw insisted that Turkish accession would boost not only its
own prosperity but that of the rest of the Union.
He hailed Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s “wide-ranging and
courageous reform” to bring Turkey in line with European standards
on human rights and democracy.
But he was critical of the decision to bring charges of “denigration
of Turkish identity” against world-renowned novelist Orhan Pamuk for
comments he made about the Ottoman-era genocide of Armenians and more
recent killings of thousands of Kurds.
Mr Straw said that the Pamuk case showed there was “still some way to
go in the implementation” of measures to protect freedom of speech,
and cautioned that “continued and sustained commitment” to EU norms
would be required from the Turkish Government.
The Foreign Secretary pointed out that the possibility of Turkish entry
into the EU had first been held out in 1963, with the establishment
of a customs union, and said that “the destinies of Turkey and the
rest of Europe have long been intertwined”.
The dispute over Cyprus should not be a bar to Turkish accession,
said Mr Straw. Instead, European leaders should have faith that the
EU’s “healing power” will help dissipate tensions between the two
sides once they are fellow members of the Union.
“I would have preferred it if the Government of Turkey had not felt
it necessary to issue its declaration stating that its signature of
the Association Agreement Protocol did not amount to recognition of
the Republic of Cyprus,” he said.
“But acknowledging that Turkey’s declaration raises genuine concerns
– which we, as Presidency, are working hard to address – does not
mean that we should delay the start of Turkey’s historic accession
negotiations.
“We should have faith in the power of the Union to help resolve
problems.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FREE-SPEECH CASE CAN’T HIDE PROGRESS
by Soli Ozel
The International Herald Tribune
September 8, 2005 Thursday
In December, the internationally renowned Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk
is scheduled to appear in court here for having “blatantly belittled
Turkishness.” If convicted he faces six months to three years in
prison. His offense? Having said to a Swiss newspaper in February:
“Thirty thousand Kurds and one million Armenians were killed in
Turkey. Almost no one dares to speak out on this but me.”
Pamuk’s indictment last week by a district prosecutor here was
undoubtedly an affront to the principle of freedom of expression as
was the vicious campaign by ultranationalists that followed Pamuk’s
remarks, including death threats that led him to leave Turkey for a
couple of months. In December, the court should throw out the charges
against him.
But those, especially in the West, who would use the indictment against
Pamuk to denigrate Turkey’s progress toward greater civil rights and
toward European Union membership are ignoring the distance that the
country has covered in the past decade.
For one thing, public debate in Turkey has in fact become much more
open and varied, particularly on the Armenian issue. For another,
though some liberals took exception to Pamuk’s wording and the platform
he chose, in the end Turkey’s democratic voices unequivocally defended
his right to express his views.
In addition, the very justice system that brought down the indictment
against Pamuk is deeply divided between those who favor a more modern,
liberal judicial mentality and those who are uncomfortable with such
an opening: Only two months ago, the Istanbul prosecutor’s office
had decided that Pamuk’s words were indeed protected by free speech.
A month from now, Pamuk is scheduled to receive the prestigious
Peace Award of the German Publishers and Writers Association. For
evidence of how far Turkey has come, it might pay to go revisit the
moment eight years ago when the grand old man of Turkish literature,
Yasar Kemal, received the same award.
At the time, Kemal had just been sentenced to 20 months in prison,
with his sentence suspended on condition that he did not commit the
same “crime” within five years. His crime was an article entitled
“Dark Clouds Over Turkey,” in which he severely criticized the Turkish
government’s policies toward its Kurdish citizens.
Turkey was indeed under dark clouds in 1997. The military was fighting
against the separatist Kurdistan Workers’ Party, a vicious group that
specialized in murdering its civilian opponents. The military’s tactics
trampled upon the human rights and dignity of Kurds in the country’s
southeast, and the overall national climate served to suppress any
expression of Kurdish identity. The war cost Turkey more than 30,000
lives, and hundreds of thousands became refugees in their own land.
When Kemal won his award, human rights violations were rampant and
freedom of expression was severely restricted. The European Union’s
refusal in that year to extend candidate member status to Turkey
froze relations with Ankara. The Union had no influence on Turkey
and its pull was weak.
Since then, not only has the war ended, but the EU has also reversed
its course. Turkey has made huge strides to fulfill the economic
and political conditions necessary to join the Union because the
Turkish public overwhelmingly support this goal. The movement toward
democratic governance and liberal politics has certainly encountered
great resistance at every turn. Yet in the end, the democratizing
will of Turkish society has prevailed; despite stiff opposition from
some powerful entrenched interests, groundbreaking reforms have been
undertaken. Last December, the European Council decided to start
accession talks with Turkey on Oct. 3 of this year, a decision
that many in the Union and in Turkey still find hard to digest,
or outright unacceptable.
So the indictment against Pamuk, however offensive, ought to be seen as
part of the ongoing struggle within Turkey about the country’s future,
particularly within the justice system. Some judiciary members have
been slow to adjust to contemporary legal norms. But judicial opinion
increasingly reflects the sophistication and outlook of a new attitude
toward the law and citizens’ rights.
Detractors of Turkey’s European destiny must have rejoiced in Pamuk’s
indictment. Yet they themselves have been displaying a non-European
spirit toward Turkey, with their rejection of Turks on cultural
(read religious) grounds and their petty maneuvering over commitments
already made. As such they are the Turkish hard-liners’ best allies.
Turks not unlike Kemal and Pamuk have spent over two centuries in
their country’s European vocation, often fighting on two fronts. That
is why it took them so long to get to where they are. But at the end
of the day, they have always prevailed.
*
Soli Ozel is a professor of international relations at Istanbul Bilgi
University and a columnist for the Turkish daily newspaper Sabah.

OSCE PA RAPPORTEUR TO VISIT S CAUCASUS AFTER LEGISLATIVE POLL
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Aug 7 2005
The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly rapporteur on the Armenia-Azerbaijan
Nagorno Karabakh conflict Goran Lennmarker will visit the South
Caucasus region after the November parliamentary elections in
Azerbaijan.
The visit is likely to take place in December or before the winter
session of the OSCE PA due next February, said member of the Azeri
delegation at the Assembly, MP Eldar Ibrahimov.
Lennmarker’s report on the Karabakh conflict, discussed at the
summer session of the Parliamentary Assembly, was not approved due
to certain differences.
Azerbaijan’s discontent over the report and Lennmarker’s new ideas
will be mulled during the rapporteur’s visit to Baku.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FM REAFFIRMS TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY AS KEY CONDITION FOR CONFLICT SETTLEMENT
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Sept 8 2005
Baku, September 7, AssA-Irada — Baku is ready for a speedy
settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Upper Garabagh
within Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, foreign minister Elmar
Mammadyarov said at a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in
Vienna. “Azerbaijan is ready for the conflict resolution based on
respect for its territorial integrity and sovereignty. The status of
the Upper Garabagh region of Azerbaijan Republic should guarantee
a peaceful co-existence of the Armenian and Azeri residents”, the
minister said in a statement published on Wednesday. The status should
be determined with the full-fledged involvement of both the Azeri
and Armenian communities of the region, as this is the most fair
alternative, Mammadyarov said. The minister positively assessed the
intensifying process of conflict resolution, saying that official Baku
hopes Armenia will adhere to a constructive position. Azerbaijan’s
chances for settling the conflict ‘have never been higher’, he
said. Mammadyarov mentioned that as a result of the ongoing political
and military aggression against Azerbaijan, a massive re-settlement
of Azerbaijanis took place amid indifference of the international
community. “The geo-political impact of this conflict tramples on
Azerbaijani borders and impedes the establishment of normal relations
in the entire South Caucasus region…Armenia will not be able to
seize a single patch of Azerbaijan’s land. Although they inflicted
considerable damage to Azerbaijan, the strongest blow was dealt upon
Armenia itself.”*

KATRINA – THE AFTERMATH BUSH’S MOTHER SPARKS ANGER WITH COMMENTS
Townsville Bulletin/Townsville Sun (Australia)
September 8, 2005 Thursday
FORMER first lady Barbara Bush has fueled anger by saying Hurricane
Katrina victims in Houston, Texas were ‘underprivileged anyway’.
Mrs Bush also said life in the Astrodome sports arena is ‘working
very well for them’.
The comments by the mother of President George W Bush have added
weight to claims the Bushes are out-of-touch patricians.
“Almost everyone I’ve talked to says ‘we’re going to move to Houston’,”
Mrs Bush said in a radio interview after visiting evacuees at the
Astrodome with her husband, former president George Bush.
“What I’m hearing, which is sort of scary, is they all want to stay
in Texas.
“Everyone is so overwhelmed by the hospitality.
“And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were
underprivileged anyway, so this — this is working very well for them.”
Her comments were aired late on Monday on Marketplace, an American
Public Radio show broadcast nationwide.
They triggered a flood of negative messages on the Huffington Post,
a popular left-leaning web page.
“Cold hearted witch,” read one of the more polite comments, signed
by IowaDem. “No wonder her son remained on vacation, playing guitar
and eating cake instead of seeing that aid and rescue operations
were well-managed.”
Another writer found the comments hard to believe. “Did she really
say that?” wrote ‘Stephen.’ “My God! What or who have we become?”
WHO GAVE WHAT… A list of international government aid offers
Afghanistan — $US100,000 ($A131,388)
Armenia — $US100,000 ($A131,388)
Australia — $US7.6 million ($A9.99 million)
Azerbaijan — $US500,000 ($A656,943)
Bahamas — $US50,000 ($A65,694)
Bahrain — $US5 million ($A6.57 million)
Bangladesh — $US1 ($A1.31 million)
Belgium — Medical/logistics teams to Red Cross
Britain — Military food rations
Canada — two helicopters, 32-person rescue team, Air Canada evacuation
flights, medical supplies
China — $US5.1 million ($A6.7 million) and relief supplies
Djibouti — $US50,000 ($A65,694.39)
Finland — three logistics experts to help Red Cross
France — tents, tarps, military food rations, water treatment supplies
Gabon — $US500,000 ($A656,943)
Georgia — $US50,000 ($A65,694)
Germany — military rations and high speed pumps
Greece — cruise ships to house survivors (private offer)
India — $US5 million ($A6.57 million)
Israel — tents, first aid kits, baby formula
Italy — generators, water pumps/purifiers, tents, medical supplies
Japan — $US1 million ($A1.31 million), generators, tents, blankets,
bottled
water
Kuwait — $US400 million ($A525.56 million) in oil, $US100 million
($A131.39 million) in cash
Maldives — $US25,000 ($A32,847.19)
Mexico — bedding, military rations, baby care items, personal
hygiene kits
Norway — $US1.54 million ($A2.02 million) in relief supplies
Qatar — $US100 million ($A131.39 million) cash
Saudi Arabia — $US5.25 million ($A6.9 million)
Singapore — three helicopters
South Korea — $US30 million ($A39.42 million) cash and donations
Sri Lanka — $US25,000 ($A32,847.19) cash
Taiwan — $US2 million ($A2.63 million) plus medical supplies
Thailand — Large amounts of food
United Arab Emirates — $US100 million ($A131.39 million)
Venezuela — Up to $US1.0 million ($A1.31 million) to Red Cross
Organisations:
International Committee of the Red Cross — web-based tracing system
North Atlantic Treaty Organisation — coordinating European assistance
offers Organisation of American States — $US25,000 ($A32,847)
UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs — disaster
assessment and coordination team/logisitics support
UN World Health Organisation — Public health officers and logistics
experts.