Armenian youth movement vows to fight “ideological interference”
Mediamax news agency
26 Aug 05
YEREVAN
The public movement of like-minded young people We has issued a
statement, condemning external attempts to interfere in the domestic
and political life of Armenia.
The statement by the We movement says that “Armenia is persistently
moving forward on the democratic path and this is our choice”,
Mediamax reports. “There is no power able to make us give up the
freedom we have at the moment,” the statement reads.
Expressing its gratitude to countries and international organizations
“which have established equal and authentic partnership with our
country”, the We movement condemned “all those who, acting from
outside or hiding under cover of various organizations in Armenia,
interfere in Armenia’s political life and try to give us instructions
on issues of choice and building our future, assuming that we are
unable to rule our own country independently”.
“We also condemn all those who, guided by purely personal aims, are
trying to use a foreign hand to write the history of our future, thus
calling into question the sovereignty of our country and our freedom,”
the statement said. The We movement said that “it will fight any
ideological interference by peaceful and civilized means”.
The We movement also reported that it will stage a peaceful rally
outside the Armenian National Assembly in Demirchyan Street at 1100
[0600 gmt] on 29 August. The protesters are planning to urge MPs to
discuss the package of constitutional amendments and adopt a
constitution which “will lead us towards creating a prosperous and
democratic country protected from external threats”.

British man stabbed to death in Jerusalem

The Independent – United Kingdom; Aug 26, 2005
Donald Macintyre in Jerusalem
Police were last night hunting a lone Arab who stabbed to death a
21-year-old British Jew and wounded another as they returned from
praying at the Western Wall in Jerusalem’s Old City.
Shmuel Mett, from Golders Green, north London, was stabbed to death
with a kitchen knife two months before he was due to get married in
England.
Mr Mett, an ultra-Orthodox rabbinical student at Jerusalem’s Mir
Yeshiva religious college, was with his close friend Sam Weissbart,
22, also from Golders Green, when the attack happened on David
Street. Mr Weissbart, also a yeshiva student, was stabbed but escaped
to a nearby police station. He was recovering yesterday in the Shaare
Zedek hospital.
David Street, one of the main alleys leading into the heart of the Old
City, runs through the Christian Quarter, which is mainly populated by
Christian Arabs. But Jews frequently go through it to pray at the
Western Wall, Judaism’s holiest site, without being attacked or
threatened.
Relatives of Mr Weissbart said that a man jumped out at him shouting
something he could not understand.
He said that he thought he had been punched before realising that he
was bleeding from a wound just above the hip bone. He had not seen
what had happened to Mr Mett, whom he had known from childhood.
The murder was caught on one of the many CCTV cameras throughout the
Old City and police were reported to be taking a photograph of the
assailant round the neighbourhood in an effort to find him. Police
said last night that a third yeshiva student, whom they did not
identify, had been walking with the two men and had come forward to
give information.
The dead man’s parents, Percy and Judith, flew immediately to Israel
from London for the funeral yesterday evening at the Mir Yeshiva in
the ultra orthodox Beit Israel neighbourhood. More than 1,000 yeshiva
students and local residents attended the funeral, conducted in
Yiddish and Hebrew, along with eminent scholars and leading rabbis
attached to the yeshiva. Mir Yeshiva is currently on holiday but is
normally attended by 400 to 500 students and is one of the leading
centre of Talmudic scholarship in world Jewry.
One leading mourner sobbed as he cried out in Yiddish: ‘Why do the
disciples of the wise die when they are so small?’ Mr Mett’s fiance,
Dina Rosenfeld, whom he was due to marry in two months, was understood
to have remained in London.
Earlier, Daniel Harrington, a 22-year-old American traveller from
Spokane, Washington, said he had heard a ‘commotion’ at around 8.30pm
on Wednesday and had left the Petra hostel where he was staying to see
what had happened. He said that he had been at the scene for about
four minutes when the police arrived and started to move people back.
Mr Harrington said the blade appeared to be in Mr Mett’s stomach and
that there appeared to be blood running from a second wound on his
leg. He added: ‘When I arrived he was still breathing and he had
colour, but by the time the police moved me on he was as white as a
sheet.’ Students at the yeshiva, largely foreigners unable to go home
for the August break, were among demonstrators on Wednesday evening at
the Hadassah Ein Karem hospital where Mr Mett had been taken,
protesting at reported police plans to hold an autopsy, which
ultra-Orthodox Jews regard as forbidden by their religion.
In the face of the protests ” and the resistance of Mr Mett’s sister,
who lives in Israel ” police announced yesterday morning that they
would not be holding an autopsy but instead there would be a ‘visual
inspection’ of Mr Mett’s wounds by a doctor approved by the dead man’s
family.
At the yeshiva, fellow students, who declined to give their names,
spoke of Mr Mett as a ‘smiley, quiet, boy who was very serious about
studies’. One student, also from Golders Green, said: ‘Shmuel was one
of those people who was impossible to dislike. This is a tragic,
tragic thing.’ The student said that both Mr Mett and Mr Weissbart had
regularly attended the Hagers synagogue in Golders Green.
One family friend, who asked for his name not to be used, said: ‘Sam
couldn’t sleep last night. He said that when he shut his eyes he saw
the man jumping out at him shouting.’ One of Mr Weissbart’s cousins
Noah Feld, said both men ” who had been friends since attending Pardes
House school in Golders Green and had been together at the Gateshead
Yeshiva before coming to Israel ” ‘wouldn’t hurt a fly. They were
gentle, special people’.
Mr Feld said Mr Weissbart had managed to reach the police station at
the Armenian quarter about 300 yards from where the attack took place
in David Street, where a small group of ultra-Orthodox mourners
gathered to pray yesterday afternoon.
Yoram Halevy, commander of the Old City’s police station, said a
Palestinian carried out the stabbings. Police said the attack was
‘nationally’ motivated.

New railway plan testifies to Turkish pressure – Armenian minister
Mediamax news agency
26 Aug 05
Yerevan, 26 August: Armenian Transport and Communications Minister
Andranik Manukyan said in Yerevan today that the plan to construct the
Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku railway is “Turkey’s attempt to put
political pressure on Armenia”.
Manukyan said that the railway from Turkey to Georgia and further to
Azerbaijan will bypass Armenia and endanger the already existing
communication lines. The minister said that despite the existing
Kars-Gyumri-Tbilisi railway, which is ready for exploitation, Turkey
proposes building a new railway which will require “a lot of money and
years” to build. “With this behaviour, Turkey is practically putting
political pressure on our country,” the Armenian minister said.
Manukyan said that the Armenian authorities will speak out against the
construction of the new railway since this plan will cause “Armenia’s
double isolation in the region”.
At present, the feasibility study of the draft project of the
Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku railway is being carried out at the
moment. According to preliminary calculations, the construction of the
98 km railway line from Kars to Akhalkalaki and the upgrading of the
Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi section will cost 400-500m dollars.

Azeri leader off to capital of Russia’s Tatarstan to attend CIS summit
ANS TV, Baku
26 Aug 05
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has left for Kazan to attend the summit
of CIS heads of state, Azerbaijani ANS TV has reported.
Aliyev will have a meeting with Armenian President Robert Kocharyan to
discuss the Karabakh problem, it said.

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Aug 26 2005
Political analyst says Armenia `not ready for concessions yet’
Baku, August 25, AssA-Irada
Armenia is not ready to make concessions in the settlement of the
Upper Garabagh conflict yet, said political analyst, head of the
Political Innovation and Technology Center Mubariz Ahmadoghlu.
The Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents are due to meet in Kazan,
Russia on Saturday to gold the next round of negotiations.
`Expecting a specific agreement at this round of talks is illogical.
Armenians are not ready for concessions yet’, Ahmadoghlu said.
`The Kazan meeting is unlikely to be different than others. After the
meeting Azerbaijan should determine whether to continue peace talks
or resort to other means.’
Ahmadoghlu said that Russia stepped up its efforts in the negotiating
process and regarded this as positive. `Russians understand that the
continuing conflict weakens their position in CIS. It is therefore
important for them to be closely involved in assisting the conflict
resolution from the standpoint of re-asserting the influence they
have lost in the region.’*

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
—————————————— —-
PRESS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
375010 Telephone: +37410. 544041 ext 202
Fax: +37410. 562543
Email: [email protected]:
PRESS RELEASE
25-08-2005
Minister Oskanian receives delegation from the Committee of International
Relations of the House of Representatives
On August 25 Minister Oskanian receives delegation from the House
International Relations Committee.
During the meeting sides touched upon Armenia’s inclusion in the Millennium
Challenges program.
Minister Oskanian presented Armenia’s accomplishments of the program and
basic features of the draft proposals submitted to the Millennium Challenges
Corporation Board of Directors.
Members of the delegation noted that Armenia’s draft proposals are quite
realistic and well revised. They expressed hope that the Corporation’s
board of directors will approve it.
Sides noted with satisfaction the current level of US-Armenian relations.
They agreed that developed interactions should be aimed at enhancing
bilateral relations in all areas.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Aug 26 2005
Azerbaijan’s Population to exceed 11 Million By 2050
The population of Azerbaijan will increase to 11.6 million from the
present figure of over 8 million by 2050, says a report of the
Washington-based research organization.
The population will increase in other countries of the Commonwealth
of Independent States as well. The figure will reach 3.3 million in
Armenia, 8.3 million in Kyrgyzstan, 10.9 million in Tajikistan, 7.4
million in Turkmenistan and 38.4 million in Uzbekistan, Population
Reference Bureau said in a report.
The population will go down to 33.4 million in the Ukraine, 8.5
million in Belarus, 3.6 million in Georgia and 3.3 million in
Moldova. The figure in Kazakhstan is expected to remain unchanged at
15 million over the next 45 years.
Among CIS states, Tajikistan is a country with most young people, as
40% of people are below 15. Ukraine has the most `old’ people, as 16%
are over 65. Children below 15 make up 15% of this country’s
population, the organization’s experts say.
Turkmenistan and Russia are the only countries in CIS with life
expectancy below 60 among men, as the figures make up 58 and 59
respectively. The highest figure, 70 years, is observed in
Azerbaijan, the report said.
The highest average life expectancy among women in CIS states, 75
years, is observed in Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus and Georgia. The
figure is 66 and 67 in Tajikistan and Turkmenistan respectively.
The Population Reference Bureau experts also estimated that the world
population grows 80 million every year, with 99% of the growth made
up by poor countries.
India will be the most populated country by 2050, with 1.628 billion
people, compared to 1.437 billion in China. The United States and
Indonesia will keep their places in the list with the population of
420 million and 308 million respectively.
The report also said that the world population will make up 7.95
billion in 2025 and 9.26 billion in 2050.

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Aug 26 2005
Aliyev leaves for Russia

Baku, August 25, AssA-Irada
President Ilham Aliyev will leave for Kazan, Russia on Friday to
attend a summit of CIS heads of state.
The President is expected to hold the next round of talks on the
Upper Garabagh conflict settlement with his Armenian counterpart
Robert Kocharian. He is also to meet the Presidents of Ukraine and
Kazakhstan Viktor Yushchenko and Nursultan Nazarbayev.
Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov left for Kazan on Wednesday to
address issues relating to preparations for President Aliyev’s visit.
He will also report to the President on the results of the meeting he
held with his Armenian counterpart Vardan Oskanian in Moscow.*

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Aug 26 2005
Moscow Says Concerns over Russo-Armenian Ties Groundless
Azerbaijan’s concerns over Russo-Armenian ties are groundless, a
Russian parliament member has said.
The Russia-Armenia relations are considered defense union ties and
`Azerbaijan should know this’, said director of the CIS Institute, MP
Konstantin Zatulin.
Zatulin said that Azerbaijan should not be concerned over the recent
transfer of Russian arms to Armenia. He said that its `doubts and
accusations’ against Russia and Armenia over the transfer of Russian
military bases from Georgia to Armenia `are in vain’.
`The distance between Russia and Armenia in the present
communications age challenges such views and renders out of place the
statements that Russia disrupts military balance in the region by
taking this step.’
The MP added that due to Azerbaijan’s concerns over the presence of
Russian bases in Armenia, Moscow may station a part of its military
contingent in Russian territory.

Bloomberg
Aug 26 2005
Turkey’s Erdogan Faces Resistance to Promise of Kurdish Rights
Aug. 26 (Bloomberg) — Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s
pledge to give more rights to the Kurdish minority has reignited the
debate over what the government should do to end insurgent attacks
and appease the European Union.
Erdogan, 51, promised “more democracy” for minorities and became
the first Turkish leader to say the government had made mistakes in
its treatment of the Kurds during an Aug. 12 speech in Diyarbakir,
the biggest city in the largely Kurdish southeast. The Kurdistan
Workers Party, or PKK, which seeks autonomy for the southeast,
responded with a one-month cease-fire.
The gesture by Erdogan may halt the resurgence of a civil war that
has cost 35,000 lives and aid Turkey’s bid to join the EU, which has
criticized limits on Kurdish rights. Erdogan still faces the
challenge of winning support from the army and general public. His
overture may put Turkey on a “very dangerous road,” columnist Melih
Asik wrote Aug. 19 in the Istanbul daily Milliyet.
“Erdogan is probably telling the military that it’s evident the use
of force doesn’t resolve these problems,” said Kemal Kirisci, 50,
co-author of “The Kurdish Question and Turkey,” (Frank Cass
Publishers, 1997). “But while there are people in the Turkish system
who want to go further with reforms, there are also people who are
saying, `Whoa, hold it!”’
Turkey’s constitution makes the military the guardian of the
country’s unity and secular state. While the army’s powers have been
reduced since 2002, it has forced four governments from power since
1960. Officers on the National Security Council this week objected to
Erdogan’s admission that there is a “Kurdish problem,” the
Istanbul-based daily Vatan reported Aug. 24.
Kurdish Language
Kurds are asking the government to permit public schools to teach the
Kurdish language and to lower the percentage of votes political
parties must receive to gain seats in parliament. The current 10
percent threshold has kept Kurdish parties out of the legislature.
Erdogan is asking private television stations to carry Kurdish
programs, Milliyet reported Aug. 17.
Erdogan’s statements mark progress, says Yusuf Akgun, 38, the deputy
mayor of Diyarbakir. In the 1960s and ’70s Turkish governments
wouldn’t admit that the Kurds existed, telling people to refer to
them as “mountain Turks.”
“The Kurds have heard a lot of promises in the past,” Akgun said in
an Aug. 17 interview. “But the prime minister has said things that
make us hope it will be different this time.”
The conflict between the Turkish army and the PKK has threatened to
spread in recent months. The military has finalized plans for strikes
against PKK camps in northern Iraq, where they say about 3,000
fighters are based, Milliyet said Aug. 18, citing a speech by General
Sukru Sariisik.
Northern Iraq
Generals and ministers have said Turkey may launch such attacks if
the U.S., which has about 140,000 troops in Iraq, doesn’t fulfill
promises to crack down on the PKK. The U.S. says Turkey shouldn’t act
without the approval of Iraqi authorities.
In the 1990s, at the height of Turkey’s war with the PKK, the
southeast was under emergency rule and people suspected of links with
the rebels were routinely tortured, according to Turkey’s Human
Rights Association, based in the capital, Ankara.
PKK leader Abdulla Ocalan called a cease-fire in 1999 after he was
captured by Turkish agents in Kenya. He was convicted of treason
later that year and is serving a life sentence in a Turkish jail.
The PKK resumed attacks in June 2004, saying Turkey hadn’t done
enough to meet Kurdish demands. Fighting had escalated in recent
months. The PKK on Aug. 19 said it would cease hostilities for one
month to allow the government to take “practical steps.”
EU Concerns
Erdogan’s government said it wouldn’t respond to a group considered a
terrorist organization by the U.S., the EU and Turkey.
The EU said in its 2004 annual report on Turkey that there were still
“considerable restrictions on the exercise of cultural rights” for
Kurds. It called on Turkey to allow greater use of the Kurdish
language in education and broadcasting.
Turkey is also grappling with the legacy of another ethnic conflict.
Armenians say hundreds of thousands of their people were killed in
1915 in a genocide conducted by the Ottoman Empire, the predecessor
to modern Turkey. The claim is backed by parliamentary votes in
France and Germany. Turkey says the killings occurred amid civil
unrest during World War I and weren’t genocide.
Kurdish activists focus on language rights and poverty. Many Kurds
are illiterate in the language they grew up speaking.
“I can’t read this,” said Sahin Altuntur, a textile trader in
Diyarbakir’s bazaar district, pointing to a Kurdish language text
message on his mobile phone. “I’ll have to find someone more
cultured to do it. With my friends we talk Kurdish, but at school
they only taught us to read and write in Turkish.”
The country’s five poorest provinces are all in Kurdish areas,
according to government statistics for 2001. Unemployment in
Diyarbakir is around 70 percent and tens of thousands leave the city
each summer for seasonal farm work elsewhere, Akgun said.
The conflict with the PKK is the chief cause of underdevelopment,
said Shah Ismail Bedirhanoglu, head of the region’s biggest business
group.
“Money is like a bird, when it hears a bang it flies away,” said
Bedirhanoglu, 45. “Where there’s war, there’s no investment.”