Turkish Press
Aug 5 2005
Press Review
TURKIYE
GUL: “WE’RE WORKING TO REVEAL THE REALITY ABOUT THE SO-CALLED ARMENIAN
GENOCIDE”
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said yesterday that the government was
working to reveal the reality about the so-called Armenian genocide.
Replying to an official question of a deputy, Gul said that a number
of documents reflecting the truth about the issue had been prepared
and sent to scholars, libraries, parliaments and journalists abroad.
/Turkiye/

Remains in Saint Stephanus Church may be bones of John the Baptist: archbishop
MehrNews.com, Iran
Aug 5 2005
TEHRAN, Aug. 5 (MNA) — The Armenian Orthodox primate of the diocese
of Tehran, Archbishop Sebuh Sarkisian, said on Thursday that some of
the remains recently discovered in Iran’s St. Stephanus Church may
be the bones of John the Baptist.
In late July, Shahriar Adl, the director of the team documenting three
Iranian churches for registration on UNESCO’s World Heritage List,
said that they had discovered the bones of one of the successors of
the Apostles of Jesus at the St. Stephanus Church, which is located
near Marand in East Azarbaijan.
“About the box, which contains the remains of the apostles’ bodies
and was found under the altar of the St. Stephanus Church, it is
said that the box contains the body of John the Baptist. According
to Armenian historian Arakel Davrizhetsi (17th century), the box,
which was located under the main altar of the Church of the Holy
Trinity in old Jolfa and contained the sacred remains and a scroll,
was given to Shamun, the archbishop of St. Stephanus Church, after
the Church of the Holy Trinity was destroyed,” Sarkisian explained.
“The remains may very likely have historic value. According to the
tradition of the church, we know that after St. Gregory the Illuminator
was consecrated as archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, in a friendly
gesture, he gave some remains of John the Baptist to Quintius, the
archbishop of the region, during his return trip to Armenia. The
remains were transferred to the John the Baptist Cathedral in the
city of Mush in Armenia.
“Now, the remains were somehow transferred to another place, as a
consequence of the wars and chaotic conditions prevailing in the land
over past centuries, in which believers and church fathers changed the
location of the box in order to safeguard it. A French traveler (Jean
Baptiste Tavernier, 1605-1689), who saw a box at the St. Stephanus
Church when he visited the place in the 17th century, had said that
the box contained the body of one of the Apostles,” Sarkisian said.
Some historical sources, such as some photos kept at Tehran’s Golestan
Palace, and the photos taken by Ali Khan Vali, the governor of northern
Azarbaijan during the reign of the Qajar king Nasser ad-Din Shah and
kept in the Adl family archives, indicate that the bones of Saint
Stephanus (Saint Stephen), Saint Matthew, and the Prophet Daniel,
are being kept in the St. Stephanus Church.
The bones have been examined by a team of anthropologists of the
Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (CHTO).
Unfortunately, the bones have been damaged because of the bad
condition of the place. Thus, the team could only determine that
they are the bones of a single body but the individual bones can not
be distinguished.
The experts have said that the complete skeleton belongs to a man
with a strong physique who was about 50 years old when he died.
The bones have been transferred to the Prelacy of Azarbaijan in
Tabriz because restoration work is currently underway in the church,
but they will be returned after the renovation is complete.
Hayk Ajimian, an Armenian scholar and historian, recorded that the
church was originally built in the ninth century CE, but repeated
earthquakes in Azarbaijan severely damaged the original structure.
The church was renovated during the reign of the Safavid king Shah
Abbas (1588-1629).
The general structure of the St. Stephanus Church mostly resembles
Armenian and Georgian architecture and the inside of the building is
adorned with beautiful paintings by Honatanian, a renowned Armenian
artist.
The CHTO plans to submit an application to UNESCO to register the St.
Stephanus Church as well as the St. Thaddeus and Zorzor churches in
West Azarbajian on the World Heritage List.

National Security Watch: FBI whistle-blower petitions high court
U.S. News & World Report
Aug 5 2005
Linda Spillers/Getty Images
Former FBI linguist Sibel Edmonds poses for a portrait at her home in
Alexandria, Virginia.
Posted 8/5/05
By Danielle Knight
Lawyers for Sibel Edmonds, the former translator for the FBI, have
petitioned the Supreme Court to hear her case. Edmonds claims that
she was fired in retaliation for reporting security breaches and
possible espionage within the bureau. The FBI hired Edmonds, who is
fluent in Turkish, Farsi, and Azerbaijani, shortly after the 9/11
attacks. She was fired in 2002 and filed a lawsuit later that year
arguing that her firing was in retaliation for blowing the whistle
on other FBI officials.
In its defense, the Justice Department is using the “states secrets
privilege,” an argument that information related to Edmonds’s case
is highly classified and cannot be disclosed without endangering the
nation’s security. The states secrets privilege is an executive power
that is not a law, but based on a series of legal precedents. In July
2004, a federal district court ruled in favor of the government’s
use of this privilege in Edmonds’s case. In May 2005 the D.C. appeals
court upheld the district court’s opinion.
If the Supreme Court agrees to hear the case, the court’s decision
could influence the fate of several other lawsuits involving national
security and intelligence in which the administration has used the
states secrets argument. The government has relied on this argument
in several high-profile federal cases, including that of Maher Arar,
the Canadian citizen who claims the U.S. government interdicted him
at JFK Airport in New York in 2002 and sent him to be interrogated
in Syria, where he alleges he was tortured.
“We are urging the Supreme Court, which has not directly addressed
this issue in 50 years, to rein in the government’s misuse of this
privilege,” says Ann Beeson, associate legal director at the American
Civil Liberties Union, who is one of the lawyers representing
Edmonds. The states secrets privilege, she says, “should be used
as a shield for sensitive evidence, not a sword the government can
use at will to cut off argument in a case before the evidence can
be presented.”
Edmonds told U.S. News that she and other whistle-blowers from the FBI,
CIA, National Security Agency, and Department of Homeland Security are
so furious with the lack of congressional oversight on intelligence
and national security that they plan to launch an advertising campaign
targeting government officials who have allegedly endangered national
security. The newspaper ads, which could be launched as early as two
months from now, would name officials, their titles, their salaries,
where they work, and their alleged or documented wrongdoing, says
Edmonds. The campaign would be funded by private donations and would
be coordinated by the recently formed advocacy group she heads,
the National Security Whistleblowers Coalition.
Edmonds is the subject of a 10-page story in September’s Vanity
Fair released this week. The article reveals some new details of the
wiretaps Edmonds translated that involved conversations by members of
Turkish associations and the Turkish Consulate in Chicago as part of
an FBI counterintelligence investigation. According to the wiretaps,
the article claims that members of these Turkish groups had arranged
for tens of thousands of dollars to be paid to the campaign funds of
House Speaker Dennis Hastert, an Illinois Republican, in small checks
under $200, so they wouldn’t have to be itemized in public campaign
filings. Hastert’s voice was never heard in the recordings, however,
and his office denies knowing anything about this.
The article says that the wiretap recordings contained repeated
reference to Hastert’s flip-flop in 2000 on a congressional proposal
to designate the killings of Armenians in Turkey between 1915 and 1923
a genocide. At first he supported the idea, but later he withdrew
the proposal. Hastert explained that he changed his mind because
President Bill Clinton was concerned about the resolution harming
U.S. interests abroad. But the Chicago wiretaps, according to Vanity
Fair, revealed that “a senior official at the Turkish Consulate is
said to have claimed in one recording that the price for Hastert to
withdraw the resolution would have been at least $500,000.”
The article cautions, however, that “the reported content of the
Chicago wiretaps may well have been sheer bravado, and there is no
evidence that any payment was ever made to Hastert or his campaign.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Democratic Poles
By KAMIL TCHOREK
EURASIA
The Wall Street Journal
August 5, 2005
MINSK — While western Europe focuses on terrorism in London, the
terror state of Belarus, dominated by dictator Alexander Lukashenko,
is treated in the tradition of Neville Chamberlain’s “faraway country
of which we know little.”
This is a mistake. Aside from the close though little-known historical
and cultural ties that the West has with Belarus — Tadeusz Kosciuszko,
a leading figure in the American Revolution and an early advocate
of democracy and emancipation, was born and bred in these parts —
the Moscow-backed regime in Minsk poses a security risk to Europe.
Two years ago Saddam Hussein’s closest aide, Abid Hamid Mahmud
Tikriti, was captured carrying Belarus passports for himself and
Saddam’s notorious sons. After a recent state visit from Tehran,
the flag of Iran has been left to decorate the main thoroughfare in
Minsk. Mr. Lukashenko is arming himself with cutting-edge Sukoyev
Su-30s.
Last week, in a chilling echo of the Balkan conflict, Belarus special
forces stormed buildings used by the nearly 500,000 strong ethnic
Polish community — some of whom live in the village of Kosciuszko’s
birth. The woman who leads the Union of Poles, Andzelika Borys,
yesterday was questioned by police; her deputy and four other
Union activists are in prison. Minsk is trying to replace her with
a quisling. In protest, Warsaw last week withdrew its ambassador
from Minsk.
Poland, Belarus’ western neighbor and the EU’s largest new member,
is taking a far tougher line with Mr. Lukashenko than much of
Europe. Poland has provided refuge for Belarusian émigrés who support
the democracy movement, and has allowed the Belarusian opposition
to use Warsaw as a place to work with Western NGOs and diplomats,
assemble and speak freely without fear of reprisal.
This policy is buoyed by American legislation. Washington’s Belarus
Democracy Act 2004 grants financial backing to promote human rights
and democratic development in Belarus. But as evidenced by a letter
from the Polish foreign ministry to European leaders last month,
at the start of the crisis, Poland is having to work to get the EU
to follow suit.
In private, some EU diplomats emphasize that it is important not to
antagonize Russia, an ally of Belarus, and dismissively claim that
Poland has an interest in raising its profile through conflict.
But Poland’s Eastern policy is set to get tougher still. After
elections next month, Poland’s ruling ex-communists are likely to be
replaced by the conservative opposition. When I recently interviewed
a leading candidate for prime minister, Jan Rokita, he spoke of
foreign policy in positively neoconservative terms. “This now ends
the period of mild politics,” he said of the crackdown on the Polish
minority. “Ours will be a simple message: Lukashenko must go. I will
do all I can to help the Belarus opposition and I will want the EU
to engage rather than look the other way.”
On Monday, Mr. Rokita’s colleague and presidential candidate Donald
Tusk crossed into Belarus to show the Polish community there that they
aren’t alone. Since then, Belarusian Poles who met with Mr. Tusk have
been jailed, and one of the prisoners, Andrzej Pisalnik, who edits
the Polish-language newspaper, has responded by going on hunger strike.
Meanwhile, also on Monday, an emerging opposition leader, Alexander
Milinkevitch was in Poland. “This is not an ethnic minority problem,”
Mr. Milinkevitch told me. “This is a civil rights problem for all
Belarusian people from whatever background. Lukashenko is destroying
civic society and we’ve got to stop him.”
Mr. Milinkevitch believes that there is a European tendency to consign
the current crisis between Warsaw and Minsk to the realm of bilateral
relations. To continue to believe this, he argues, would play into
Mr. Lukashenko’s hands. His immediate wish is for Europe to rally
round Poland in support of democracy in Belarus.
The shared vision of Jan Rokita and Alexander Milinkevitch is rooted in
history. From the sixteenth century, Belarus was united with Lithuania,
Ukraine and Poland in a state known as the “Rzeczpospolita Polska,”
or Polish Commonwealth. Much like in the United Kingdom or the U.S.,
citizens could belong to any or several cultural groups but swear
allegiance to one state.
In such traditions tolerance is born. It is no coincidence that
European Jews, Armenians and Protestants thrived in the Rzeczpospolita
when they were hounded elsewhere. The Rzeczpospolita also produced
Europe’s first written constitution, which was defended militarily by
Kosciuszko, who was born in Belarus of Lithuanian stock, spoke Polish,
and was awarded American citizenship.
It is also unsurprising that the Czarist and Soviet empires attempted
to rub out this history. “Until perestroika I thought I was Russian,
and a minor Russian at that,” commented Mr. Milinkevitch. “All my
life, like everyone in Belarus and Ukraine, I’d been told that Russian
history was our history, and that we didn’t have our own. Now that
we have learnt about ourselves, we want change.”
As a means of coercion, President Lukashenko is doing everything to
russify the nation and make sure the historical links with Poland
aren’t restored. He has changed the national flag from the medieval
red and white Belarusian banner it was in the 1990s to a near copy
of the Soviet era symbol. He has closed Jewish, Polish and Belarusian
schools and established Russian replacements. For years he has touted
plans to reunify with Russia, though they’ve never gone far.
Europe can stand by and watch Belarus, a European country, plunge
into a totalitarian abyss. Or it can recognize and support the immense
effort of so many Belarusians to become a democracy.
Mr. Tchorek is a freelance journalist.
–Boundary_(ID_j6dOBcv426vtxtrt6Z+Xyw)–

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Aug 5 2005
RADICAL OPPOSITION WILL COLLABORATE WITH DEVIL FOR THE SAKE OF COMING
TO THE POWER ALI KARIMLI, TALKING PROFUSELY ABOUT THE NATIVE LAND
AND NATION, DRAWS YOUTH INTO TREASON THROUGH MOVEMENT “YENI FIKIR”
[August 05, 2005, 22:00:39]
As was reported the General Prosecutor Office has disseminated special
report on the visit on July 28-29 of chairman of the “Yeni Fikir” youth
movement Ruslan Bashirli and the movement’s member Osman Alimuradov to
Tbilisi on the order of chairman of the Azerbaijan People Front Party
Ali Karimli where they have meeting with a certain Merabi Jibutia,
and being indeed as officers of the Armenian special services Georgi
Ispiryan and some person called as Vardan.
AzerTAj presents text of conversation between the above mentioned
persons in Tbilisi, on July 29.
X X X
GEORGI ISPIRYAN: Now we should be helping you, and after the coming
to the power you should help us.
RUSLAN BASHIRLI: You (addressed to Osman Alimuradov) are told him we’ll
like to hold a meeting with some governmental parties in the country.
MERABI JIBUTIA: That’s good.
RUSLAN BASHIRLI: Do you saw our office?
MERABÝ JÝBUTÝA: Yes, I do.
RUSLAN BASHIRLI: It’s at the city center, but there is Azadliq
newspaper. The same time they’re occupied by the People Front Party
and the largest news agency of the Caucasus and the Central Asia –
‘Turan’. There also located ‘Bizim Yol’ newspaper too. It’s a bit
closer for us. We have a small room for our organization, that only
one youth organization in the country possessing a separate office.
We are got it from Ali Karimli.
MERABÝ JÝBUTÝA: That’s good. Because on the eve of every deal it’s
necessary to have a separate office. There you will receive people,
hold meetings and discuss relevant questions.
RUSLAN BASHIRLI: For example, Azerbaijan is a large country and
there are enormous natural recourses. The country is located in very
favorable strategic place, and how shall I put it, Azerbaijan, perhaps,
will be as Belgium or Poland. But, Azerbaijan remains behind even
Georgia. There are issues in regards which Azerbaijan falls behind
even the more weak state in Caucasus – Armenia.
MERABI JUBUTIA: We are not nationalist. Somebody says we are
nationalists. It’s not truth. A man who is far from nationalism
will move forward everywhere. The war between Armenia and Azerbaijan
is initiated by Russia. Georgi will speak of that. I would like to
drink the honor of Caucasus and Azerbaijan. I wish happiness to all
nations. I would like that all be aware. All will best in Azerbaijan.
GEORGI ISPIRYAN: Good luck, on the honor all Caucasus. Now are what
happening in your country and Armenia? There is business in progress,
people are making a money. Your or I needn’t in war. We are don’t fight
but their will. It’s not necessary for us. What the cause that you are
Azerbaijanis or I’m Armenian. We all the people. Our close relations
are not advantageous for Russia. Just a first approximation… There
are faults from your and our sides too. It’s only Russia will to blame.
MERABI JIBUTIA: If all organizations will cooperate as ours. We are
like peace and democracy.
GEORGI ISPIRYAN: We are like to derive out the regime in Azerbaijan
and will do all necessary for it. After ten or twelve days we would
help you in a round sum.
RUSLAN BASHIRLI: In Azerbaijan is more profitable places. The country
had oil industry, strongest oil industry. There is also tourism. But
the oil most important for us.
GEORGI ISPIRYAN: Yes, the oil is first.
RUSLAN BASHIRLI: In a meetings that we attended to date together with
Said, Osman, Ahmad and others, we are not hear any concrete issues,
but three days ago representative of the Institution of National
Democracy has concretely said that should be preparations for the
revolution. Therefore, Said will leave tomorrow for Poland where
will get training during a week. Will also leave the deputy chairman
for political affairs of the People Front Party Fuad Mustafayev.
Representative of the Institution of National Democracy has already
told me what to do. Because of hot weather in our country are not
expected a serious rallies. We will suspend it till September and I
will reopen our plans and all must be remained secretly.
In September we must organize rally of 100 thousands people. I tell
you these because you are our friends. In other words, all these
plans are from America. The public in Georgia shouldn’t aware of these
excepting the two man. All conversation should be remained secretly.
MERABI JIBUTIA: Really? Thanks.
GEORGI ISPIRYAN: If you will need some aid from the Armenian side,
there are some friends. I will take something completely against
Aliyev. We are able to organize uprising in Armenia too.
RUSLAN BASHIRLI: What, in Armenia?
GEORGI ISPIRYAN: Yes, there.
RUSLAN BASHIRLI: I see. You (Osman Alimuradov) tell him it will in
benefit of Aliyevs. They are not aware on the Azerbaijani society.
GEORGI ISPIRYAN: Armenians are always ready for democracy.
RUSLAN BASHIRLI: Azerbaijan is open for You forever. We will change
this country and afterwards you will make business there as citizens
of our country. As friends of our citizens and ourselves you will
have a good chances in Azerbaijan.
As regards the problem which is seriously stand before us, the
conflict over Karabakh, we have recognizes occupation of our land.
But we consider that democrats will always collaborate. If we like
to be as part of Europe and the global world then we should simply
find solution to all these problems.
MERABI JIBUTIA: Yes, it’s a global problem.
RUSLAN BASHIRLI: Today’s problems in the world not settled through
war. They will find its solution behind the table, drinking cognac
and eating chocolate. We are friends. I said it about Armenians.
MERABI JIBUTIA: Thank you. Sat down.
GEORGI ISPIRYAN: Thanks, I’m satisfied. We like to Your coming to
the power. Therefore youth must hold fighting. I think, we will agree
and all will be best. We will render a financial assistance to your
organization. Maybe after 8-10-12 days you will get these aids. We
like that you come to the power and help to us.
MERABI JIBUTIA: We must unify as fist.
RUSLAN BASHIRLI: I will disclose for You one more issue. On the eve
of the elections is planning a meeting of our candidate, as well as
the candidate of all opposition Ali Karimli with Georgian President
Mikheil Saakashvili.
GEORGI ISPIRYAN: All rights.
RUSLAN BASHIRLI: He had a men there and they prepare a meeting. If
Ali Karimli will recognized in Europe and by Europeans then…
GEORGI ISPIRYAN: I will help from my side. Now will give 2 thousands
dollars and we will meet after 15 days. Then I will give you 20
thousands dollars. We are helping as we can. When you will come to
the power we will get aid from you.
RUSLAN BASHIRLI: It will be a big aid.
MERABI JIBUTIA: You must know that we are given this money for
developing of democracy.
GEORGÝ ISPIRYAN: Yes, only for the sake of democracy.
RUSLAN BASHIRLI: I must sign here?
MERABI JIBUTIA: Yes. All rights.
(Ruslan Bashirli signing the check and getting 2 thousands dollars)
RUSLAN BASHIRLI: We will take a street on November 6 and get the
power on November 7.
GEORGÝ ISPIRYAN: Good luck.
(Ruslan Bashirli and Osman Alimuradov talking confidentially)
RUSLAN BASHIRLI: Osman, I will spend 500 from these to my wedding and
1000 we must return to themselves that in any circumstances they will
deny all these. As it is we will remain without anything.
GEORGÝ ISPIRYAN: When will happen your meeting I will make a good
shoot.
I will dring 30 glass of beer.
RUSLAN BASHIRLI: Our editor-in-chief Ganimat Zahidov will drink 50
glass. GEORGÝ ISPIRYAN: Really?
RUSLAN BASHIRLI: Yes. For the weekend he drink and not anything
happening. Tell him I will show this money to Ali Karimli and if
he will arrive in Baku I will organize his meeting with Ali Karimli
who is help me on the political issues. Around Ali Karimli are 5-10
non-governmental organizations and businessmen. The later have living
today abroad and will help as they can.
MERABI JIBUTIA: You will convey our greetings to our friends in Baku.
But nobody shouldn’t hear it. We have a friends everywhere where
Azerbaijanis in war. If it necessary we will use the Armenian military
forces against your government.
RUSLAN BASHIRLI: They’re like to break the cease-fire?
MERABI JIBUTIA: It’s for uprising against your government.
RUSLAN BASHIRLI: We are friends with Georgians. Allah grant, thank
goodness that we will together with Armenians soon.
If they have courage, they will come tomorrow and we will give to him
oil, all things. Let their economy will develop. Then, they will not
suffering. Now they haven’t anything.
X X X
In conclusion, Ruslan Bashirli, Georgi Ispiryan and Merabi Jibutia
have been taking photograph.
–Boundary_(ID_zyWi0bNNL5wLK5cgI7uloQ)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Ankara postpones Deiss visit to Turkey
Swissinfo, Switzerland
Aug 5 2005
The Turkish authorities have postponed a visit to Turkey next month
by Swiss Economics Minister Joseph Deiss.
They have cited agenda problems of his Turkish counterpart, although
it is widely considered in Switzerland that the real cause for the
postponement is the Armenian genocide issue.
It is the second time that Ankara has made such a delaying move. In
September 2003, Turkish authorities cancelled a visit by the Swiss
foreign minister, Micheline Calmy-Rey. She eventually visited the
country in March.
The Swiss authorities confirmed reports in Friday~Rs edition of
the Zurich newspaper Tages Anzeiger and Geneva~Rs Le Temps that
Switzerland~Rs ambassador to Turkey had received an official note
cancelling Deiss~Rs trip.
It said that the Turkish economics minister, Kürsad Tüzmen, was
unavailable on the dates that had been pencilled in. As a result the
planned trip could not take place in September.
However the Turkish embassy in Bern said the visit had only been
postponed and denied any link to a criminal investigation into a
Turkish party leader in Switzerland.
“Mr Deiss’s visit is to be worked out through mutual contacts on both
sides in the period ahead,” Sibel Gal, press attaché at the Turkish
embassy, told swissinfo.
Snub
The snub is the latest episode in tensions between Ankara and Bern,
provoked indirectly by the commemoration two weeks ago of the 1923
Treaty of Lausanne, which defined the borders of modern Turkey.
Ankara has criticised Swiss authorities for opening an investigation
into Doðu Perinçek, head of the Turkish Workers~R Party who denied
the Armenian genocide at a news conference in canton Zurich.
Under Swiss law, any act of denying, belittling or justifying genocide
is a violation of the country~Rs anti-racism laws.
Perinçek, who appeared before the public prosecutor of Winterhur, is
also the subject of investigation for the same reason in canton Vaud.
A similar investigation in Winterthur has been opened in the case of
Turkish historian Yusuf Halaçoðlu.
The Turkish government, which has strongly condemned the Swiss action,
considers that the investigations are contrary to international law
and has demanded they be stopped.
Diplomatic spat
In a diplomatic spat, the ambassador of Switzerland in Turkey was
last week summoned to explain Switzerland~Rs position, while Turkey~Rs
envoy in Bern visited the Swiss foreign ministry a day later.
The Swiss economics ministry has expressed regret at Ankara~Rs
decision, hoping that the visit could take place at a later date.
The trip was a working visit with a delegation of Swiss business
leaders. Such trips take place about once every four years with
countries that represent an important market for Switzerland.
The ministry commented that if the real reason for the postponement
were due to the investigations it would regret that because Switzerland
practised “the separation of powers which is an essential value of
its democracy”.
The House of Representatives is the only federal institution that
has officially recognised genocide against the Armenians.
–Boundary_(ID_jNAs7v+PoMXWhEFeaiRvbA)–
From: Baghdasarian

Rolling Stone
Aug 5 2005
System Rock the Arena
Hard rockers turn big show into a stripped-down affair
System of a Down have had an ambitious year, releasing Mezmerize
— the first of their two-part album Mezmerize/Hypnotize, which
debuted at Number One — and touring Europe, as well as playing a
guerilla tour of small venues in nine U.S. cities. Considering their
bombastic year, which culminates in the release of Hypnotize this
fall, System’s massive new tour is less of an arena-rock spectacle
and more straight-up rock & roll.
Opening for System at the sold-out Long Beach Arena in California
were fellow guitar-heavy, counter-culture rockers the Mars Volta,
who provided a far more visual show with oversized psychedelic
projections. Guitarist Omar Rodriguez-Lopez was in fine form after
recovering from a stomach ailment that forced the band to cancel its
European tour dates earlier this year. And while rumors of an onstage
collaboration between Rodriguez-Lopez and System frontman Serj Tankian
proved to be just that, Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante
surprised the audience by guesting on nearly the entire Mars Volta set.
Once System hit the stage, they powered through an hour and a half
of material. Although they opened with cuts off of the latest album,
the hard-hitting “B.Y.O.B.” and “Revenga,” System’s set list featured
several tracks off their eponymous 1998 debut and follow-up, 2001’s
Toxicity. In contrast to the Mars Volta’s environment, System’s set
was sparse, save for a few plush rugs, minimal L.E.D. projections
and a nice long row of Marshall amps. For such a big arena show,
the stripped-down set seemed to underscore the sense that this band
has nothing to prove.
Midway through the show, Tankian, clad simply in black, finally
spoke to the audience, ominously uttering, “In America, we have
red people and we have blue people. Red people and blue people make
purple people.”
If playing a straightforward rock show with virtually no stage banter
was System’s spin on the spectacle of arena rock, it seemed to work
for the fans. As the band hit its stride, tearing into their hit
“Chop Suey!,” Armenian flags were waved, and five mosh pits churned
with body surfers.
While System’s sound is generally typified by their hard rock/metal
tendencies and Tankian’s neo-goth vocals, highlights of their set
came not from the over-the-top hits but tracks off Mezmerize that
took a softer turn. Prior to the song “Cigaro,” Tankian picked up an
acoustic guitar and played an almost classical version of the track,
inspiring fans to raise their lighters and cell phones into the air.
Later, on the biting “Lost in Hollywood,” guitarist Daron Malakian
and bassist Shavo Odadjian backed Tankian with beautiful harmonies,
and drummer John Dolmayan launched into a moving drum solo.
The band wrapped up with the electrifying “Sugar,” then walked off
the stage. Despite the thousands of fans chanting and stomping for
an encore, System of a Down did not return. So much for the rules of
arena rock.
System of a Down North American tour dates:
8/5: Long Beach, CA, Long Beach Arena 8/6: San Diego, CA, Sports
Arena 8/8: Phoenix, America West Arena 8/11: Dallas, America Airlines
Center 8/12: San Antonio, TX, SBC Arena 8/13: Houston, Cynthia Woods
Mitchell Pavilion 8/15: Pensacola, FL, Civic Center 8/16: Orlando, FL,
TD Waterhouse Arena 8/17: Miami, Office Depot Center 8/19: Atlanta,
Gwinnett Center 8/21: Hampton, VA, Hampton Coliseum 8/22: Baltimore,
MD, Baltimore Arena 8/23: East Rutherford, NJ, Continental Airlines
Arena 8/26: Philadelphia, Wachovia Spectrum Center 8/29: Montreal,
Belle Centre 8/30: Quebec, Colisee Pepsi Arena 9/1: Toronto, Air
Canada Center 9/17: Vancouver, PNE/Pacific Coliseum 9/19: Calgary,
Pengrowth Saddledome 9/20: Edmonton, Rexall Place 9/22: Winnipeg,
MTS Centre 9/23: Saint Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center 9/25: Columbus,
OH, Nationwide Arena 9/26: Cleveland, Wolstein Center at CSU 9/28:
Grand Rapids, MI, Van Andel Arena 9/29: Detroit, Joe Louis Arena
9/30: Rosemont, IL, Allstate Arena 10/02: Denver, Pepsi Center
10/05: Seattle, Key Arena at Seattle Center 10/06: Portland, OR,
Rose Garden Arena 10/08: Oakland, CA, Oakland Arena 10/11: Fresno,
CA, Save Mart Center
TATIANA SIMONIAN (Posted Aug 05, 2005)
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

When history hurts
Aug 4th 2005 | ANKARA
>From The Economist print edition
Times are tough for outspoken scholars
IF TURKEY is ever to join the European Union, it will need to
acknowledge-and allow free discussion of-the mass slaughter of the
Ottoman empire’s Armenian subjects both during and after the first
world war. That, at least, is the opinion of some EU members-especially
France, where many Armenians live, and where objections to Turkish
entry run high.
In theory, Turkey’s rendezvous with the Union-entry talks are due
to start in October-should be good news for the Turkish scholars
who have risked prosecution by challenging the official line, which
holds that the mass deportation of Armenians in 1915 did not amount
to a conspiracy to kill them. And earlier this year, there were some
good signs.
After decades of denying that the killings-which Armenians round
the world regard as genocide-ever took place, Turkey in April called
on international scholars to determine once and for all what really
happened, saying they were free to examine the Ottoman archives. This
invitation from Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the prime minister, won strong
praise from EU governments. But the few intrepid souls who took him
at his word have had nothing but trouble ever since.
In May, a group of Turkish historians (many of whom challenge the
official view that the main cause of death among deported Armenians
was exposure and disease) suffered a sharp setback. They had to cancel
a conference which was due to debate the Armenian tragedy after the
justice minister, Cemil Cicek, accused them of “stabbing Turkey in
the back”.
Another bad sign: Hrant Dink, the publisher of Agos, an Armenian
weekly in Istanbul, is facing up to three years in jail for telling
an audience in 2002 that he was “not Turkish” but “an Armenian of
Turkey”. In a separate case, also filed this year, Mr Dink is facing
up to six years for urging Armenians and Turks to stop hating one
another. In both instances, Mr Dink was said to have “insulted the
Turkish state”.
How do these prosecutions square with Mr Erdogan’s stated wish to take
the sting out of Turkish-Armenian relations by allowing some honest
research? “Easily,” insists Mr Dink. “There are forces in this country
who are working night and day to stop Turkey from joining the EU and
part of that is silencing people like me.”
But these days, the problems of liberal Turkish scholars-and advocates
of Turkish-Armenian reconciliation-are not all caused by their own
country. Take the case of Yektan Turkyilmaz, an internationally
acclaimed Turkish scholar who was arrested in Armenia on June
17th on charges of seeking to smuggle antique books out of the
country. Fluent in Armenian, Mr Turkyilmaz is among the few Turks
who say the Ottoman policy in 1915 did amount to deliberate killing.
The first Turkish academic to be granted access to Armenia’s national
archives, Mr Turkyilmaz is being held in a maximum security prison in
Yerevan. He will face trial next month for violating Article 215 of
the Armenian Criminal Code, which equates the smuggling of antiquities
with trafficking in weapons of mass destruction. He could incur a
jail sentence of up to eight years.
Mr Turkyilmaz insists he had no idea about the law, and that the
dealers who sold him some 100 volumes never said he would need
permission to take them out. In an open letter to Armenia’s president,
Robert Kocharian, some 200 academics, campaigning for the historian’s
freedom, said the arrest would “raise serious doubts as to whether
Armenia encourages independent scholarly research on its history.”
Whatever view you take of the Armenian tragedy, it can get you into
trouble-in unexpected places. Dogu Perincek, an eccentric Turkish
leftist, was briefly detained in Switzerland on July 23rd. The Swiss
authorities say he breached article 261 of their penal code, which
makes the denial or justification of genocide a punishable offence.
Mr Perincek had told a conference that to speak of Armenian genocide
was an “imperialist lie”. Oddly enough, the Turkish authorities
seem far more indignant about his minor travails than they are about
Mr Turkyilmaz.

Anglo-American Firm Taps Azeri Mining Market
Agence France Presse
Aug 5 2005
05/08/2005 22:35
BAKU, Aug 5 (AFP) – A British and US-owned firm announced plans
Friday to invest close to 600 million dollars in the development of
gold deposits in Azerbaijan, making it the first foreign investor in
local mining since 1919.
Anglo Asian Mining Plc said it would invest some 50 million dollars
(41 million euros) in the first phase of a gold and copper mining
operation in the Azeri exclave of Nakhchevan.
Known better for its sizeable oil reserves, Azerbaijan has “the
potential to become as famous for gold mining and its copper,”
company Chief Operating Officer Gerald Phillips said.
Anglo Asian has been granted operating rights to six locations
across Azerbaijan under a Production-Sharing Agreement (PSA) with
Azerbaijan, including three areas currently under ethnic Armenian
military occupation.
The company holds a 49 percent stake in the PSA with Azerbaijan,
which holds the remaining 51 percent.
A first mine is slated to start producing in the third quarter of
2007, but the company said it had plans to invest roughly 600 million
dollars in total over the next few years.
The gold and copper deposits contain an estimated 94 million equivalent
ounces of gold, Anglo Asian said.
The company said it was the first international mining firm to enter
the Azerbaijani market since Germany’s Siemens abandoned a copper
mine when the Bolsheviks invaded in 1919.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT BY OFFICE OF PROSECUTOR GENERAL OF THE AZERBAIJAN REPUBLIC
[August 05, 2005, 22:51:55]
AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Aug 5 2005
Despite the Government of Azerbaijan has created every condition
for the upcoming parliamentary elections to be held in a democratic
atmosphere, certain forces are continuing their destructive activities
ignoring the warnings by law-enforcement bodies.
Representatives of various strata of our society and individual
citizens send reports on radical opposition~Rs and its supporters~R
preparing for illegal actions aimed to violate socio-political
stability, create civil confrontation and forcedly change the
constitutional system in the country.
Several facts revealed and unclosed recently confirm the reliability
of the information, and event that the mentioned illegal actions are
being prepared with involvement of Armenia~Rs special services.
It was revealed that Armenia enviously looking at the progress in
Azerbaijan, the country~Rs becoming a regional leader in socio-economic
development and enhancing its international image as a democratic
and stable state, is striving to intensify its destructive activities
against Azerbaijan. In particular, in response to leading states~R and
prestigious international organizations~R insistent demands on fair
solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Republic of Armenia
demonstrating its destructive stance, resorts to various steps to
find the way out.
In order to cause damage to the forming image of our country as a
democratic state, and undermine its authority and protract the peace
talks on Nagorno-Karabakh problem for uncertain time, the Armenian
party has drawn up a special plan of violation of socio-political
stability in Azerbaijan to achieve a weak and capitulatory forces to
come to power here.
The government of Armenia sets aside large financial resources to
realize the plan major part of which envisages maximum possible use
of Armenians living in other counties. To this end, preference is
given to creating – through persons of Armenian national introduced
by special services into the democratic institutions of the third
countries – links with the forces striving in every possible way to
come to power in Azerbaijan.
The emissaries in those institutions are sent to Azerbaijan, or their
accomplices in our country are invited under various pretexts to the
third countries. Here, they are provided with necessary financial
assistance, and trained special methods to violate socio-political
stability, organize unrest, paralyze vital infrastructures and arouse
discontent among population.
On August 3, member of the youth movement ~SYeni Fikir~T (New Thought)
Osman Muhammed Alimuradov, of his own accord, presented information to
the Office of General Prosecutor to the effect that on the instructions
of the leader of the ~SPopular Front of Azerbaijan Party~T (PFAP)
Ali Kerimli, together with chairman of the movement Ruslan Bashirli
he had been visiting Tbilisi on July 28-29, 2005 to meet with Merabi
Jibutia and Georgiy Ispiryan introduced themselves as representatives
of Georgian democratic forces, and a certain Vardan, who in reality
were officers of Armenia~Rs special services. In addition, he presented
videotape handed to him by those men, and the ticket acknowledging
receiving money by Ruslan Bashirli.
It was found out that in late June – early July 2005, the citizen
of Georgia Merabi Jibutia arrived in Baku in the capacity of
representative of the country~Rs democratic forces. Here, he met with
chairman of the youth movement ~SYeni Fikir~T Ruslan Jalil Bashirli
(born in 1978 in the village of Khanmamedli of Zardab district,
currently is living in Baku). Ruslan Bashirli, for his part, introduced
Merabi Jibutia to PFAP Chairman Ali Kerimli, whereupon they had almost
1-hour one-on-one conversation. In consequence, at the invitation of
Merabi Jibutia, Ruslan Bashirli and Osman Alimuradov visited Tbilisi.
On July 28, Merabi Jibutia met Ruslan Bashirli and Osman Alimuradov
in Tbilisi and placed them at a hotel. On the same day, Merabi made
a feast for Ruslan Bashirli, which was mainly attended by Armenians
living both Armenia and Georgia. On July 29, in a Tbilisi apartment
presented as an office, Ruslan Bashirli and Osman Alimuradov met with
Georgiy Ispiryan and Merabi Jibutia. At the meeting, Georgiy Ispiryan
once again attentively heard out the Ruslan Bashirli~Rs story of
the work he had allegedly carried out for the sake of democracy in
Azerbaijan. Ruslan Bashirli noted the forces he represented acted in
accordance with direct instructions from the U.S. National Democratic
Institute, and that they had allegedly received concrete instruction
from its representatives to conduct a revolution in Azerbaijan. He
added under their patronage, PFAP deputy chairman Fuad Mustafayev
and coordinator of his movement Eni Fikir, Baku citizen Nuriyev Said
Fikrat, (born in 1981) were currently taking special training course
in the Republic of Poland.
Having heard out Ruslan Bashirli, Georgiy Ispiryan noted the necessity
carry our a revolution in Azerbaijan by democratic forces led by
Ali Kerimli and Ruslan Bashirli , and promised that the so-called
democratic forces in Armenia and Georgia would provide every possible
assistance to Ali Kerimli and Ruslan Bashirli, even stating on the
possibility to break the ceasefire for a while to spread panic among
population, anf therefore demonstrate incapability of the authority. In
addition, using abusive language towards Azerbaijan authorities,
Georgiy Ispiryan suggested providing such services as collection
of materials discrediting Azerbaijan~Rs officials, and said it was
important to let Ali Kerimli know about it.
No Ispiryan~Rs language insulting honor and dignity of the Azerbaijani
people wounded Ruslan Bashirli~Rs self-esteem. Conversely, inspired
by those words, he touched on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, stating
proudly that ~Sthe problem will be solved over a glass of cognac and
chocolate if the democratic forces come to power.~T After the parties
came to preliminary agreement on joint struggle against the Azerbaijan
authority, Georgiy Ispiryan handed US $2000 to Ruslan Bashirli, and
got a receipt. They agreed on monthly handing of $2000 to Ruslan
Bashirli, as well as a one-time payment of US $20.000 within the
few next days. Besides, Georgiy Ispiryan suggested – as a gift – to
open fire during one of the opposition~Rs meetings aimed to violate
stability in Azerbaijan that was also approved by Ruslan Bashirli. With
the ~Ssuccessful~T meeting completed, Ruslan Bashirli had his picture
with Georgiy Ispiryan and Merabi Jubutia for keepsake.
Then, Georgiy Ispiryan and Merabi Jubutia brought Ruslan Bashirli and
Osman Alimuradov to one of the Tbilisi saunas, where offered them to
have some fun with local prostitutes. Rejecting the offer, however,
Osman Alimuradov stayed in cafe to wait for Ruslan Bashirli. At this
moment, a certain Vardan, mentioned-above, came up to him and having
introduced himself as officer of the Armenia~Rs special services,
advised their last meeting had been shot by hidden video camera.
Vardan said the $2000 had been given them not as a favor. He added
they would establish closer cooperation with and provide constant
financial assistance to the democratic forces in Azerbaijan, and
warned that in case of avoidance of the cooperation, the video would
be demonstrated on TV-channels. Then, he handed the copy of the tape
to Osman Alimuradov advising him to watch it in Baku.
The ~Sheroism~T shown in Tbilisi by Ruslan Bashirli – who has
constantly pretend to be a messenger of democracy, but has completely
unmasked himself and those he represented by conspiring with Armenia~Rs
special services and sacrificed national interests to money – is
reflected in the newspapers ~SAzadlyg~T (Freedom) and ~SBizim Yol~T
(Our Path), which are mouthpiece of those like him. The papers read
that Ruslan Bashirli allegedly visited Tbilisi to participate in the
international conference and meet with one of the Georgia~Rs renowned
businessmen Georgiy Burjanadze. In fact, however, the man was nobody
else but Georgiy Ispiryan well known to Bashirli himself.
The Office of Prosecutor General has launched a criminal case on
article 278 (actions aimed at forced seize of power, and change
of constitutional system of the state) of the Criminal Code of the
Azerbaijan Republic, and Ruslan Bashirli has been detained as a suspect
of run-up to the above-mentioned actions. Investigation is in progress
to reveal all aspects the case the public will be kept informed.