Pan Armenian News

KOCHARIAN DID NOT RECEIVE NEW PROPOSALS FROM TURKISH PREMIER

30.04.2005 03:24

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ «We did not receive any new official proposals from the
Prime Minister of Turkey, however, judging by media reports, Recep Tayyip
Erdogan does not propose anything new,» stated Victor Soghomonian, the Press
Secretary of the Armenian President, reported RFE/RL. According to Turkish
Milliyet, Erdogan stated Turkey is ready to establish diplomatic relations
with Armenia if Yerevan agrees to form a joint commission to research the
fact of the Armenian Genocide. “On the one hand, political relations could
be established. On the other hand, the work (on the archives) could
continue,’ the Turkish Premier said. It should be reminded that earlier
Erdogan sent a letter to the President of Armenia, proposing to form a group
of historians and other experts from Armenia and Turkey to research the
archives not only in Armenia and Turkey, but also third countries and
acquaint the international community with the outcomes of the research.’ In
a response letter Robert Kocharian rejected the proposal to join the
commission, suggesting to establish normal relations between the two
countries in exchange.

Christian Post, CA
April 28 2005

CEC President Attends Armenian Genocide Commemoration

The president of the Conference of European Churches commemorated the
90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide

The President of the Conference of European Churches (CEC), took part
in events commemorating the 90th anniversary of the Armenian genocide
in Erevan and Etchmiadzin, Armenia on Sunday.

The Rev. Jean-Arnold de Clermont, president of the CEC, presented a
statement on the Armenian Genocide during which he urged the Turkish
government to initiate reconciliation between Turkish and Armenian
peoples by a `recognition of guilt and the proclamation of the
truth.’

He handed the statement in a private meeting to His Holiness Karekin
II, Catholicos of All Armenians.

At a ceremony in the cathedral of Erevan – which included the
president of Armenia, members of government, and a large congregation
– church representatives each offered prayers of intercession for the
others in their own language. Represented at the event were the
Orthodox Churches of Russia, Greece, Romania, and Syria along with
Anglican Churches.

The Reverend also said that CEC member churches considered a
recognition by Turkey of the 1915 genocide and the respect for the
values of the European Union to be pre-conditions for acceptance into
the EU, according to a statement by the CEC.

He said that the `atrocities’ which happened on the soil of modern
day Turkey, were `not only committed against Armenians but aso
against other Christian and ethnic minorities, in particuar Greek and
Syrian.’

In its statement, the CEC Presidium joined the World Council of
Churches in inviting all its member churches `to make April 24 a Day
of memory of the Armenian Genocide and to consider further
appropriate actions related to the 90 years commemoration of the
Armenian Genocide.’

Journal of Turkish Weekly
April 28 2005

Turkish PM: ‘We Cannot Forget the American Support to Turkey’

* Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan: `Turkish people do not
forget the American support to Turkey’s EU membership, Turkey’s
struggle against terrorism. We cannot forget the American support’

* ”We should be alert against the efforts of various groups and
lobbies who are uneasy about the development of Turkish-US relations
and we shouldn’t permit them,” told Erdogan in AK Party meeting held
in the parliament.

Jan SOYKOK, ANKARA (JTW)

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said he cannot share the ideas
that Turkish people is anti-American. Turkish PM emphasized that
Turkish people cannot forget the American support from the area of
energy co-operation to combating against terrorism. Erdogan gave a
speech in Turkish Grand National Assembly yesterday.

`WE MUST ACT TOGETHER’

Tayyip Erdogan continued:

`Relations with the United States is one of the main axis of our
foreign policy. W e time to time face exceptional differences in
methodology in some cases. But these differences cannot remove the
ultimate common understanding and need to make co-operation.
Naturally, the reaching a long-lasting and just solution in Cyprus,
combating against PKK terrorism and Armenian allegations are part of
the agenda in our bilateral relations. If we can follow a policy
together, all sides will benefit from that and Turkish-American
relations will be strengthened. ‘We must be alert against the efforts
of various groups and lobbies who are uneasy about the development of
Turkish-US relations and we shouldn’t permit them” told Erdogan in
AK Party meeting held in the parliament.

DISSAPOINTMENTS

Erdogan said Turkey cannot forget the American supports:

`Turkish people cannot forget the support of the United States we
have been in co-operation from combating terrorism to international
energy routes. Turkish people is aware of that we need each other
today and tomorrow. Fulfillment the expectations of Turkish people by
not only the US but also by our all allies will reduce the degree of
disappointments in Turkish public opinion.

`NO RELUCTANCE IN EU PROCESS’

Speaking at the parliamentary group meeting of the AK Party, Prime
Minister Erdogan said, ”the progress made by our government in
relations with the EU are evident. Even our opponents cannot deny
that we have reached the furthest point in our relations the EU.
Currently, European countries have begun considering Turkey a
‘partner’ or a ‘future-member’ instead of a ‘party’. Therefore, I
cannot understand those who claim that we slowed down in our EU
membership process. Our government will never give up its goal of
increasing political, economic and social standards of Turkish
people… There are many people in the EU who well-analyze Turkey’s
future contributions to the Union in its efforts to become a more
influential international actor’.

Erdogan argued he could not understand the claims of that Turkey
slowed down in EU process:

`After the decision of 17 December Summit there has been no slowing
down or any reluctance in Turkey’s EU progress… Turkey expects the
same sincerity, goodwill and consistency it showed from the EU.
Sometimes the EU says `we are aware of the injustice, yet we cannot
do anything’, and this kind of explanations damage the credibility of
the EU. We have warned them for the years, however they could not
show the similar foresight.’

`THIS IS NOT A EUROPEAN ATTITUDE’

Erdogan said the official EU circles sound the irrelevant issues to
prevent Turkey’s EU process. Stressing that Turkey had been
fulfilling its commitments with good-will and coherence, Prime
Minister Erdogan said that they expect the EU to display the same
thing.

`Turkey as promised will sign the Protocol. And it is our right to
expect from the EU to approve the financial aid and changes in direct
trade with Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) as the EU
promised to do so. In parallel with progress of Turkey’s EU bid, the
some unofficial groups in Europe sounds some issues which irrelevant
with Turkey’s EU membership. Now these irrelevant issues are sounded
by the some official EU circles. This is not a right attitude. This
is not the attitude we expect from the EU. This is not a European
attitude.’

”Turkey is a source of confidence and stability for both its region
and Europe. Turkey has been trying to contribute to efforts of
finding lasting solutions to problems in world. It is clear that
Turkey would make many contributions to the EU,” Tayip Erdogan
added.

JTW
28 April 2005

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
April 28 2005

Ankara, Yerevan in secret talks, Turkish reports say

Turkish and Armenian foreign ministers have developed a secret
protocol on cooperation to bring the Turkish and Armenian peoples
closer until the problems between the two countries are solved,
influential Turkish media reported.
Ministers Abdullah Gul and Vardan Oskanian are holding private
meetings in different countries to put an end to historical
differences and restore diplomatic ties, the reports said.

Prior to establishing diplomatic relations, the two countries
developed a special protocol laying groundwork for collaboration. The
document called “Turkish-Armenian approach” includes 10 items, which
envision opening Turkish and Armenian air space for the two
countries’ air travel, implementing joint tourism projects,
interacting in mutual preservation of historical monuments and
setting up models of cooperation between state agencies and media.
The protocol also covers conducting joint scientific research,
strengthening relations between NGOs and government bodies, seeking
ways of cooperating within international organizations, discussing
issues meeting the two countries’ interests and intensifying
inter-parliamentary dialogue.
Turkey has put forth four conditions to Armenia to sign the protocol,
as the latter is to withdraw the provisions on territorial claims
against Turkey from its Constitution and recognize Turkey’s borders
set by the 1921 Gars Treaty. Armenia is also required not to make its
claims on false “genocide of Armenians” a priority in its foreign
policy and observe UN resolutions on the withdrawal of its troops
from the occupied Azerbaijani territories.
According to Turkish reports, the sides have failed to sign the
protocol twice. Talks on its provisions started in 2002 and continue
between Turkish and Armenian diplomats in neutral countries.

Taipei Times,Taiwan
April 27 2005

Another version of history

By Burak Gursel

Thursday, Apr 28, 2005,Page 8
I must say I was not surprised when I read Charles Tannock’s article
(“Turkey, Armenia and the heavy burden of memories,” April 23, page
9), since it contained the usual one-sided and unfounded allegations
by the Armenians.

After reading the article I felt that the readers of the Taipei Times
had to learn the truth about these allegations.

Armenians were a favored minority in the Ottoman Empire and occupied
the commanding heights of the civil service and the economy.

With the guidance and encouragement from the enemies of the Ottoman
Empire, Armenian extremists hoping to gain independence began a
series of terrorist attacks against Ottoman Muslims in the late
1800s. The terrorism was intended to provoke an over-reaction by the
Ottoman rulers and the intervention of European powers.

So even before World War I commenced, the Armenians declared war
against the empire — a classic case of treason.When the war broke
out and the men were in the battlefield fighting against the invading
countries, Armenians who sided with the enemy attacked the cities and
villages, killing innocent women and children left behind. These
uprisings took place in the eastern region of the country which
consequently facilitated the enemy’s job.

This led the Ottoman authorities to warn the Armenian leaders that
they would be forced to take drastic measures if the situation
continued. Unfortunately these warnings had no effect on the
Armenians, forcing the Turkish authorities in 1915 to call for the
relocation of Armenians living in the war zones away from the front
lines and into other parts of Ottoman territory, certainly not with
the intent to annihilate the Armenians, but because the government
had no other possible choice, since it was engaged in a
life-and-death situation.

Today the Turkish government accepts the fact that many Armenians,
Turks and other civilians died during this time of relocation due to
harsh weather and wartime conditions, as well as diseases. However,
this is by no means an act of genocide. If any genocide was committed
it was by the Armenians themselves, who slaughtered over 500,000
innocent, defenseless women, children and elderly. Today more than
200 mass graves of Turkish civilians killed by the Armenians in the
areas where the uprisings took place have been uncovered and many
more mass graves are waiting to be discovered, proving to the world
the inhumane acts committed by the Armenians.

Today, because the Armenian allegations lack the support of academic
research, the Armenians attempt to legislate their version of history
by lobbying parliaments — where they have influence over the local
politicians — to pass resolutions recognizing their allegations. The
European Parliament is a case in point. Instead of backing their
allegations with credible documents, they choose to harass, threaten
and commit outright attacks against prominent scholars such as
Bernard Lewis and Stanford Shaw of UCLA, who independently and
objectively research these Armenian claims.

Recently, in order to bring an end to these allegations, the Turkish
government once again invited the Armenian authorities to open their
archives, like it has done, and allow historians both from the
Armenian side and the Turkish side to carry out research on these
archives. Historians of both sides coming together to view these
documents and debate the issue would be the best way to solve this
problem. Since history should be left to historians.

Unfortunately, the Armenian authorities have rejected the offer
Turkey has made, an offer which gives them a great chance to prove
such allegations. The Armenian authorities’ refusal to open their
archives and defend their allegations shows that they have no clear
evidence that an act of genocide took place against them.

Burak Gursel
Representative of the Turkish Trade Office in Taipei

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
April 28 2005

ARMENIA SHOULD BE EXCLUDED FROM COUNCIL OF EUROPE
[April 28, 2005, 13:37:57]

Armenia bearing series of diplomatic failures, in particular,
undergone criticism in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe and officially represented in a number of documents of the
Council of Europe as a country – aggressor, resorts to the most
various provocations.

In 2001, when Azerbaijan and Armenia were admitted to the Council of
Europe, among their basic obligations was peace settlement of the
military conflict. However, Armenia uses various means to prevent
settlement of the conflict by diplomatic way. At the same time, it
declares that Azerbaijan is ostensibly going to solve the problem in
military way. Consecutive infringement by Armenia of ceasefire regime
testifies to its intention to involve Azerbaijan in open military
operations.

Addressing in the Ministerial Committee of the Council of Europe, the
Armenians, taking out from the context of interview which during
various times were given by a number of Azerbaijani officials,
distort ideas, trying to create such representation that Azerbaijan
ostensibly supports the military way of settlement of the conflict.

In the next document prepared by member of the permanent delegation
of Azerbaijan in PACE Rafael Huseynov, exposing this false activity
of the Armenians, it is marked, that, as a matter of fact, Armenia
itself tries to untie military operations. In the document submitted
in the Ministerial Committee, titled `Intentions and attempts of
Armenia to continue aggression against Azerbaijan in the military
way’, it is stated:

`During admission into the Council of Europe, one of the basic
obligations of Armenia consisted in achievement of peace settlement
of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem, the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict.
However, it is already for 5 years Armenia evidently shows absence of
intention to carry out this task, as well as a number of other
obligations accepted before the Council of Europe. Recently, in
particular, in second half of 2004 and in the first months 2005,
Armenia with a view of provocation consistently breaks the ceasefire
regime proceeding already for 10 years. Besides, it is carried out
not only in the territories which are directly included in zone of
the conflict, but also on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border which are
taking place far enough from zone of the conflict and in completely
other direction. In result, for the expired period, besides soldiers
of national army of Azerbaijan, as a result of bombardment by the
Armenian armed forces, were lost tens peaceful citizens of
Azerbaijan.

All these actions of the Armenian side have openly provocative
character, solution of the problem are directed to diplomatic way on
prevention by all means and mean instigation to settlement of the
conflict in military way.

As Armenia, which the Council of Europe in the official documents
openly recognizes as aggressor, and the Nagorno-Karabakh regime which
it regards as separatist, realizes persistence of the international
public in settlement of the question in diplomatic way and their
unfair, unprofitable position in this sense, they see a way out to
kindling military operations, transformation of temporarily frozen
military conflict into open war. Infringement with special intensity
by Armenia of ceasefire is connected to it. While the truth consists
in it, the Armenian side distributes messages and accusations that
Azerbaijan is ostensibly interested in settlement of the conflict by
military way’.

Taking into account the listed facts, deputy R. Huseynov has
addressed to the Ministerial Committee with the following question:

`What measures the Committee of Ministers is going to take for
prevention of attempts of Armenia to expand scales of aggression
against Azerbaijan, its initiatives to proceed active military
operations, its instigations to military way of settlement of the
conflict and whether there has come time to apply against Armenia –
aggressive member of the Council of Europe – resolute sanctions, to
exclude it from this structure which is not worthy?’

Predictably, the document in the near future will be discussed in the
Ministerial Committee, and the Azerbaijan side will present for these
discussions and other facts openly testifying to falsification of the
Armenians.

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
April 28 2005

Baku, Chisinau join efforts in resolving conflicts

Azerbaijan and Moldova support each other in their integration into
the European Union and settlement of conflicts over Upper Garabagh
and Dnestr, Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Vladimir Voronin told a news
conference in Kishinev on Thursday.

“We support Azerbaijan’s efforts at preserving its territorial
integrity and are ready to assist in resolving the Armenia-Azerbaijan
conflict, as we face a similar problem”, the Moldovan President said.

President Aliyev said the Azeri government supports Moldova’s
position and the steps it has taken to solve the Dnestr conflict.
“Moldova and Azerbaijan have become victims of territorial conflicts.
Separatists block the development of our countries and our aspiration
to European integration.”
During President Aliyev’s visit, the parties signed agreements
covering air transport, information technologies, veterinary science,
TV broadcasting, labor and social security of the two countries’
citizens.

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
April 28 2005

Speaker calls on Russia to step up efforts

The Upper Garabagh conflict settlement should meet the interests of
the conflicting sides – Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Russia is ready to act as guarantor in the conflict resolution, the
visiting Russian Federation Council [upper house of parliament]
chairman Sergey Mironov said in a meeting with Azerbaijani parliament
speaker Murtuz Alasgarov on Thursday.
Mironov stated that the efforts by the mediating OSCE Minsk Group
have been fruitless. “It appears that the sides may reach the desired
results only through direct talks”, he said.
Alasgarov said that meetings between the presidents of Azerbaijan and
Armenia are the most optimal format for the conflict settlement. The
speaker said that OSCE Minsk Group should be more active in resolving
the problem, calling on Russia, as the MG co-chair, to step up its
efforts. He noted that separatism has assumed a broad scale in Upper
Garabagh.
“Russia should be interested in peace in the Caucasus, as this means
putting an end to separatism and terrorism in the region.”
Alasgarov proposed to hold the next meeting of parliament speakers of
the ‘Caucasus four’ (Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia) in
Moscow on May 24-27.
Mironov told journalists on the same day that the meeting, originally
scheduled for Friday, had been postponed due to the Armenian
speaker’s alleged ‘visit schedule changes’.

Boston Globe
April 28 2005

OBITUARIES
Vasken Gostanian, 85, baseball leader
April 28, 2005

Vasken Gostanian of Haverhill, who started a Babe Ruth Baseball
League in Haverhill, died April 20 at Hannah Duston Healthcare Center
in Haverhill. He was 85.

Mr. ”Gus” Gostanian was born in Haverhill on March 17, 1920. He
graduated from Haverhill High School, class of 1938. He served in the
Army during World War II and received the European African Middle
Eastern Service Medal with five Bronze Stars, the Good Conduct
Ribbon, and three Overseas Service Bars.

He worked as a salesman for many years. Mr. Gostanian also played
semi-pro baseball and was president of Haverhill Little League and
Haverhill Pony League. He was instrumental in bringing a Babe Ruth
League to Haverhill.

Mr. Gostanian was a member of St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian
Church in Haverhill. He was also a member of the Haverhill Elks Lodge
and the VFW Lorraine Post 29.

He was the husband of the late Mary (Johnson) Gostanian, who died in
2000. He leaves a son, Gary Gostanian of Bradford; a daughter, Sandra
Arakelian of Fowler, Calif.; a brother, Vaughn Gostanian of
Arlington; a sister, Shirley Mikaelian of Maryland; four
grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

Zaman, Turkey
April 28 2005

Press Review:
Turkiye

ANKARA PROTESTS POLAND AND RUSSIA

Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc yesterday sent a letter to his Polish
counterpart condemning the Polish Parliament’s passing a resolution
that recognizes the Armenian allegations of genocide. In addition, in
a protest move, certain parliamentary activities to take place next
month with Poland have been cancelled. Moreover, a resolution last
week in Russia’s Duma on the matter was also condemned by the Foreign
Ministry by delivering a note of protest to Russia, and Russia’s
charge d’affaires was also summoned yesterday to the ministry to
convey Ankara’s disappointment. Speaking to reporters, Foreign
Ministry spokesman Namik Tan said that Ankara had noted with regret
the parliaments of different countries passing such resolutions. He
added that Turkey was also trying to stop a similar attempt in
Germany. /Turkiye/