Turkish historian given suspended sentence for violating Armenian antique book law
AP Worldstream; Aug 16, 2005
A Yerevan court on Tuesday handed a two-year suspended sentence to a
Turkish historian who tried to leave the country with centuries-old
books, in violation of Armenian law.
Yektan Turkyilmaz, 33, was leaving from Yerevan June 17, when Armenian
security agents pulled him from his plane. He was carrying 88 books,
some of which dated back to the 17th century, authorities said.
Armenian law prohibits anyone from taking a book that is more than
50 years old out of the country without permission. Authorities did
not return the books to Turkyilmaz.
Turkyilmaz is the only Turkish scholar to be allowed to study in
Armenia, which has tense relations with Turkey, due to lingering
bitterness over the mass killings of Armenians in Turkey during World
War I and Turkey’s support of Armenia’s regional rival, Azerbaijan.
Turkyilmaz, who was freed after the ruling, told reporters that he
planned to spend another two weeks working in Yerevan before returning
to Istanbul then North Carolina, where he is a doctoral student at
Duke University.

Turkish contribution to campaign fund to be investigated
WASHINGTON (AP) – A watchdog group filed a complaint Tuesday urging
U.S. government election officials to investigate whether House
Speaker Dennis Hastert’s campaign fund illegally accepted campaign
contributions from foreign nationals.
The complaint from Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Government
– a self-described nonpartisan, progressive group – relied upon an
article published in the September issue of Vanity Fair to argue the
FEC should pursue the matter.
The account in Vanity Fair says a former fired FBI translator, Sibil
Edmonds, has reported having heard Turkish wiretap targets boast
that they had a covert relationship with Hastert. It says the targets
reportedly discussed giving Hastert tens of thousands of dollars in
secret payments in exchange for political favors and information.
The group, whose executive director, Melanie Sloan, is a former federal
prosecutor and counsel to House Democrats, suggested that the Illinois
Republican’s campaign fund could have received hundreds of unitemized
contributions of $200 (162.43) or less from foreign nationals in 2000
and 2001 because Hastert raised so much money in small amounts.
Name and address information is not required for such small donations.
“The sheer number of small contributions should have raised a red
flag,” Sloan said in a statement. “Hastert’s campaign committee was
obligated to ensure that no laws were being broken. It’s now time for
a thorough investigation into Hastert’s finances.” Hastert spokesman
Ron Bonjean ridiculed the complaint.
FEC spokesman George Smaragdis said the agency, traditionally, has
no comment when complaints are initially filed.
08/16/05 16:08 EDT
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PETER BRINER: STATEMENT ON GENOCIDE OF ARMENIANS WAS MISINTERPRETED
BERN, AUGUST 11. ARMINFO. The categorical statement ascribed to
Chairman of The Foreign Relations Committee of Swiss Senate Peter
Briner related to withdrawal of the issue of Armenian genocide from
the agenda of the Plenary Sitting of Swiss Senate was distorted and
misinterpreted. Peter Briner informs ARMINFO. It should be noted
that since the beginning of the current week, a number of Mass
Media representatives as well as Swissinfo have spread information
referring to Head of Swiss Senate wherein the latter allegedly says
that massacre of Armenians in Ottoman Turkey in 1915 will never be a
subject of discussion at the Swiss Senate. Third states should not
interfere and condemn Turkey for the events of 90-years remoteness
and that the Committee agreed that it is not within the competence
of the parliament to consider thew events of 1915 and qualify them
as genocide. Peter Briner says “The mentioned statement is based on
a false citation or a misunderstanding respectively. This is most
regrettable! What I did say was, that at the time when the Swiss House
of Representatives has forwarded an intervention recognizing the
genocide, this had not been an issue in the Senate. So please take
not of the difference: Past sense and not future! The policy of our
Government, and our committee shared its opinion, is that that time
and its terrible events should be investigated by the two countries
involved, i.e. Turkey and Armenia with a committee of historians
of both sides. I am sorry that by not precise reporting you might
have received a message that was not intended at all!” In its turn,
As Journal of Turkish Weekly (JTW) condemns The California Courier
Publisher Harut Sassounian, The JTW will start a legal action in
California against this rude letter. However we consider his letter as
a good example to show the extremist Armenian approach to our readers.
I don’t know what your background or training is, but I am sure you
know nothing about journalism. Your replies to Maral Der Ohanesian
confirm my suspicions about your ignorance. How dare you give a
lecture to her on a subject you know nothing about? Not only your
distorted and perverted version of this news item was full of lies,
every piece of news you have released has been nothing but a pack
of lies. I will be happy to give you one free lesson in journalism:
there is no such thing as Armenian or Turkish journalism. There is
only one kind of universal journalism, which is reporting the truth.
What you added to the ::. news is not the Turkish point of view,
but sheer lies. Maybe lies ARE the Turkish point of view, in which
case you have a point. I would normally list the lies in your news,
but I am sure you do not need my help, since you know the lies that
you have made up. To report such lies and try to convince others
that you are reporting the truth, you must be truly “sharafsiz”! (*)
And you shamelessly call yourself “Editor” and “Dr.”Harut Sassounian
Publisher The California Courier.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NATIONAL UNITY TO TAKE PART IN PARLIAMENTARY DISCUSSIONS ON
CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS
YEREVAN, AUGUST 13. ARMINFO. The opposition party “National Unity”
will take part in the parliamentary discussions on constitutional
reforms on Aug 29, 2005. Deputy Chairman of the opposition party
“National unity” Aleksan Karapetian informed journalists, Saturday.
“The leader of National Unity Artashes Geghamian has had 6 speech
this year for the welfare of the nation in international structures,
and he will not lose the opportunity of live air for the seventh,
decisive speech”, Karapetian stressed, promising Armenian authorities
surprises during the forthcoming parliamentary debates.
Karapetian said that the National Unity does not take part in the
elections to local self-government bodies because it does not want
to accept the rules of the game dictated by the authorities.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ILHAM ALIYEV SPEAKS OF PEACE, BUT PREPARES FOR WAR
YEREVAN, AUGUST 13. ARMINFO. Within the current year, the expenses
for defense in Azerbaijan will be increased 76% and next year they
ill be increased at least as much as in 2005. Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliyev made this statement, Azerbaijani Mass Media reports.
“We live in conditions of war. We wage negotiations, aspire for
peace settlement of Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. But the enemy is
to be aware that we are able to liberate our lands at any moment,”
the president says. In his words, to achieve this, a powerful military
potential is to be created and the work in this direction is evident.
“We must use the process of negotiations till the very end. If
there is hope fore peace settlement of the issue, we must use all the
opportunities. However, if we see that the peace way brings no effect,
a new situation will originate then and we together with the people
will make a necessary decision,” Ilham Aliyev says.

KAZAKH INSURANCE COMPANY “EURASIA” ENTERS INSURANCE MARKET OF ARMENIA
YEREVAN, AUGUST 12. ARMINFO. The Armenian insurance company Sil
Insurance has signed an agreement of cooperation with Kazakh insurance
company Eurasia today.
Speaking at a press-conference Acting Executive Director of Sil
Insurance Hayk Baghramyan said this agreement will allow the company
to provide new insurance services in the sphere of medicine and
financial sector. It is not known yet how the risks will be shared by
the companies as this issue is still discussed, Baghramyan said. In
her turn, Vice Chairman of Eurasia Board Larisa Slabkevich said the
company occupies the first place among 36 insurance companies in
Kazahkstan as to insurance premiums. In connection with dynamical
development of insurance market in Kazakhstan, the company has
accumulated much sum to invest part of it in Armenia to expand
the spheres of its services. Slabkevich did not mention the sum of
investment. She stated that Eurasia is ready to secure its presence in
Armenia either by opening of a branch or by attraction of investments
in Sin Insurance. Eurasia provides insurance services in the territory
of Russia, Ukraine and Georgia.
A. Baghramyan says as of August 1 2005 insurance premiums of Sil
Insurance were 72 mln AMD ($160,000) or 20% of Armenia’s insurance
market, with insurance payments totaling 52 mln AMD. On the whole,
the company established in 2000 with 231.5 mln AMD authorized capital
concluded 874 contracts on insurance of various types of risks for 18.5
bln AMD. 55% of these contracts was the share of property insurance,
45% – car insurance.
It should be noted that Eurasia was created in 1995. By the end of
2004, its authorized capital was $49 mln. In 2004 insurance premiums
totaled $51 mln or 300% of the total sum of insurance premiums in
the country.

SEMINAR “ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS: SITUATION TODAY AND PROSPECTS”
HELD IN YEREVAN
YEREVAN, AUGUST 11. ARMINFO. “For official Ankara to admit Armenian
Genocide in Ottoman Turkey means to agree with the image of
Turk-barbarian”, Advisor of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia
Arsen Avakian stated during the seminar “Armenian-Turkish relations:
situation today and prospects”. To note, Arsen Avakian has been
working in Turkey for several years in the Organization of the Black
Sea Economic Cooperation.
At the same time the reporter mentioned certain progress in
the behavior of official Ankara. So, the continuous denial of the
Armenian Genocide was transformed into attempts to present the events
at the beginning of last century as “mutual problem”, and bilateral
negotiations are necessary for their settlement. Avakian stressed that
the denial of the Genocide is the position of the Turkish government,
which is shared by the most part of the society. The second group
(smaller group) of the Turkish public admits the fact of massacres,
but avoids to define them as a genocide. The third group is ready to
admit the fact of the Armenian Genocide and necessity of reparations,
but they are only a few dozens. European countries’ recognizing the
Armenian Genocide creates necessary atmosphere for bilateral discussion
of this problem, Arsen Avakian thinks.

SWEDEN INTERESTED IN SOONER SETTLEMENT OF KARABAKH CONFLICT: LARS
DANIELSSON GUNNAR
YEREVAN, AUGUST 12. ARMINFO. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia
Vardan Oskanian received members of the delegation headed by Lars
Danielsson Gunnar, State Secretary of the staff of the prime minister
of Sweden. The delegation has arrived in Yerevan within the framework
of the regional visit.
ARMINFO was informed in the press office of Armenia’s Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, during the meeting the sides stressed the necessity of
further development of Armenian-Swedish relations and in this context
the importance of exchange of visits. The foreign minister of Armenia
stressed the importance of Sweden’s assistance in the issue of more
involvement of Armenia in the EU’s policy of New Neighborhood. He
especially mentioned the success of technical programs implemented in
Armenia since 1995 through the financing of the Swiss International
Development Agency.
Speaking of the process of settlement of the Karabakh conflict Lars
Gunnar mentioned that his country is interested in sooner settlement
of the conflict. He also stressed the readiness of Swede for political
and economic assistance to the parties of the conflict in reaching
an agreement round the settlement of the conflict.

GEORGIAN PRESIDENT MEETS WITH ARMENIAN JOURNALISTS IN BATUMI
TBILISI, AUGUST 16. ARMINFO-BSP. President of Goergia Mikheil
Saakashvili met with Armenian journalists having rest in Batumi on
August 15. The president stated that next year some 100,000 tourists
from Armenia are forecasted to visit Georgia, and all the conditions
are created for it. The Georgian president stated that he welcomes
desire of a number of investors from Armenia to invest in construction
of hotels in Ajaria and restoration of report infrastructure. “You
must feel that Georgia welcomes you and waits for you, and you will
return to Georgia for many times,” Saakashvili stated.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZG Armenian Daily #144, 17/08/2005
Adventure
‘CILICIA’ SAVED FROM STORM IN OCEAN
Zori Balayan told in the letter addressed to Azg that when their ship
appeared in the open ocean a sudden storm began. Their initiate joy
was replaced with anxiety. The temperature sharply fell and the cold
wind became stronger making huge ocean waves.
“We had the impression that several big waves merged in one ascending
to the sky and falling down on the ship. This weather lasted from
morning till noon. We had to turn to East. Soon we appeared in
the Sinesh port, which we didn’t plan to do. It is hard to forget
a scene that made us start from fear in the beginning and laugh a
bit later. For the first time we were approaching the harbor during
the highest ebb. We felt how small our “Cilicia” is at that very
moment,” Zori Balayan wrote. The mooring line was so high because
of the ebb that it was impossible to berth there. But brave sailors
Vahagn Matevosian, Mushegh Barseghian and Hayk Sadoyan jumped into
the water and managed to berth the ship.
“Cilicia” will reach London, its final destination on August 19.
By Ruzan Poghosian