Cyprus Press and Information Office, Occupied Northern Cyprus
April 12 2005

Erdogan called for Armenians to apologize to Turkey

Istanbul NTV television (11.04.05) broadcast that the Turkish Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, speaking in Norway while on an
official visit, said that the concept of Kurds must not be confused
with the PKK [Workers Party of Kurdistan] and he also commented on
the Armenian genocide claims.
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said that we must not confuse the
concept of Kurds with the concept of PKK and noted that viewing all
the Kurdish citizens of Turkey as terrorists will be wrong. He noted:
‘Let us not be tricked. The Western countries are exploiting that.’
Stressing that the republic’s citizenship is the supra-identity in
Turkey, he added: ‘We will not adopt a nationalist approach based on
regional racism and religion.’

Erdogan drew attention to the country’s indivisible integrity,
saying: ‘However, there are elements which make an effort to divide
our country. Various elements in the West are trying to achieve that.
If a desire exists to sacrifice the EU for that purpose, then I am
sorry to say that we do not have such a problem.’

Commenting on the Armenian issue, Erdogan said: ‘The government and
the opposition challenged the claims. We are opening all the state
archives. Everyone should come and study the documents. If an act of
genocide was committed in the past, then we will be prepared to
account. However, the Armenians must be prepared to account for their
history if an act of genocide was not committed.’

Erdogan said that a letter has been drawn up in connection with the
Blue Book on the Armenian allegations and noted that it will be
signed by 550 deputies in the parliament. Erdogan said that the
letter will be conveyed to the two houses of the British parliament.
In a sense, it will call for an apology to Turkey. The copies of the
same letter will be conveyed to the 11 countries that have taken the
book as a reference.

Cyprus Press and Information Office, Occupied Northern Cyprus
April 11 2005

The TGNA will discuss how Turkey plans to handle the Armenian
genocide issue. Gul´s views on Incirlik

Ankara Anatolia news agency (09.04.05) reported that the Turkish
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul has stated
that Turkey’s action plan against Armenian claims of a so-called
genocide will be discussed at the Turkish parliament on Wednesday [13
April]. Gul talked with Turkish journalists aboard the airplane en
route to Algeria.
“A discussion on Turkey’s action plan will take place at the Turkish
parliament on Wednesday. I will make some explanations on the
Armenian claims,” told Gul.

Gul stressed that Turkey fell behind on the topic of so-called
Armenian genocide. “Turkey could have been more active and brave in
dealing with this topic.”

Gul noted that something which never occurred and has no truth has
become a tool of propaganda to win hearts in the West. “We must work
with full force to create extraordinary efforts to illuminate the
truth,” commented Gul.

Asked if a United Nations committee could be formed to investigate
Armenian claims, Gul expressed the view that the UN is a political
organ and not one that deals with legal matters. “The UN may make
mistakes in voting. Individuals raising their hands to vote may vote
wrongly based on political gains and interests. History has many
examples of votings that proved to be fallacious.”

Minister Gul remarked that there is a strong Armenian lobby in the
U.S.. “Every year, around this time, lobbies of the Armenians and
Turks in the United States work hard. There has never been a period
when the Turks disregarded Armenian attempts in the United States.
We, as Turks, have an ethical and moral obligation to inform the
world about certain allegations.”

According to Gul, enlightening U.S. congress members is a task that
should be done by all Turkish citizens and friends of Turks.

Upon a question about the demand of the United States to use Turkey’s
Incirlik Airbase for logistic purposes, Gul said: “Activities about
the issue continue. A new situation is out of question to discuss the
issue at Parliament.”

In response to the attitude of the opposition party regarding the
issue, Gul said: “If demands are carried to Parliament, then the
opposition acts the way it likes.”

When asked whether Turkey and the United States will sign a
memorandum of understanding about the issue, Gul said: “If a
political decision is taken, related officials set the framework of
the issue. We have not reached that stage yet.”

Regarding the visit which will be paid by Turkish Foreign Ministry
Undersecretary Ali Tuygan to the United States, Gul said: “Many
changes happened at U.S. government in the second Bush term. Tuygan
will go to the United States upon the invitation of Washington for
meetings with the new government.”

“Many issues will be discussed in technical aspect during the visit.
Meetings with high-ranking officials will also be held,” he added.

“When it is considered in a realistic way, there is a will to deepen
expectations and relations between Turkey and the United States. We
are always in contact with the United States within that scope,” said
Gul.

BY 2015 ARMENIA TO HAVE ARMY ABLE TO FACE ANY CHALLENGES

YEREVAN, APRIL 12. ARMINFO. By 2015 Armenia will have an army meeting
all the requirements of the 21st century and capable of facing new
challenges and ensuring its country’s security, Deputy Defence
Minister of Armenia Artur Agabekyan said during today’s workshop on
the individual partnership plan with NATO.

Being the guarantor of state security DM should take into account the
present military-political situation. Priority should be given to
reforms. Agabekyan says that this is a realistic project requiring
flexible policy, deep analysis and democratic approach.

US Ambassador to Armenia John Evans said that the region’s conflicts
should be overcome to pave the way for regional partnership.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azerbaijan News Service
April 11 2005

AZERBAIJAN AMONG COUNTRIES WHERE CONFLICT DETORIATION OBSERVED
2005-04-11 11:51

Due to tensed situation on front line caused by regular breach of
ceasefire by Armenian military forces, International Crisis Group
included Azerbaijan into the list of countries with detoriated
conflict situation. According to the information, the organization
that observes conflicts worldwide and conducts media monitoring
referred to mass media of Azerbaijan on information about cease-fire.
Pakistan, Lebanon and Taiwan were also included into the list of
countries where conflict detoriation was observed in March. The
experts underlinded existence of unstablie situation and probability
of future unrest in Qirgizistan. International Crisis Watch reports
serious changes did not take place in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan,
Kashmir, as well as in Kashmir.

DISCUSSION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BY GERMAN BUNDESTAG QUITE DELICATE
ISSUE: GERMAN MP

YEREVAN, APRIL 12. ARMINFO. MP from Social Democratic Party of Germany
Gernot Erler doubts that German Bundestag will discuss the motion
“Commemoration of Armenians on the 90th Anniversary of Their
Relocation and Massacre on Apr 24 1915 – Germany Should Contribute to
Provide Peace between Turks and Armenians.”

In an interview to Der Tagesspiegel Erler says that next week
Bundestag will discuss the issue only as a motion by his party’s
faction.

But this moot point for German MPs will be further discussed by
special commissions for subsequent submission to Bundestag.

Erler says that his party avoids using the “genocide” term tending to
replace it by “massacre” as the issue is “very delicate” as it is. At
the same time the party demands that Bundestag acknowledges Turkey as
legal successor of Ottoman Empire with its indisputable role towards
the Armenians.

Meanwhile representative of German Greens Fritz Kuhn has said in Der
Tagesspiegel earlier that the 90th anniversary should be given worthy
commemoration including by Turkey itself.

To remind, the author of the motion, CDU/CSU member Christoph Bergner
has told ARMINFO that the motion will be put to discussion at
Bundestag in Apr 21 or 22.

Los Angeles Daily News, CA
April 12 2005

Ex-mayor upstages his successor

Yousefian wed at meeting

By Alex Dobuzinskis, Staff Writer

GLENDALE — The Glendale City Council appointed Rafi Manoukian as
mayor on Monday, but it was outgoing Mayor Bob Yousefian who stole
the show by marrying his fiancee in front of a capacity crowd at City
Hall.
This will be Manoukian’s second term as mayor. The 44-year-old
accountant served a one-year term as mayor from 2002-03.

“It is largely symbolic, but it does also have some challenges in
terms of leading the city and setting the pace for the city,”
Manoukian said.

A year ago, Yousefian surprised the crowd when he proposed to his
girlfriend, Sue Eller, 44, during the ceremony marking his move into
the mayor’s chair.

“Everyone has been bugging us: When is the date? When is the date?
When is the date? Well, I’ve got news for you, today is the date,”
Yousefian said before stepping down to the public speaker’s podium to
slip a wedding ring on his fiancee’s finger.

Archbishop Hovnan Derderian of the Western Diocese of the Armenian
Church of North America presided over the ceremony, which was
concluded at City Hall but begun in a Glendale church before the
meeting.

After the wedding, Yousefian asked Councilman David Weaver if he had
managed to top his surprise announcement from last year.

“Never again will you see this happen in the council chambers. You
topped it,” Weaver said.

In taking over as mayor, Manoukian remarked that Yousefian had faced
challenges and tragedy during the year, including a battle over the
Americana at Brand project and the fatal Metrolink crash in February.
Before the meeting, Yousefian said it had been a busy year, and he
looked forward to handing over the mayor’s gavel.

“I have never seen anything like this. There were so many different
things that we had to accomplish this year, and there were a lot of
difficult issues we had to deal with,” Yousefian said.

Manoukian said he will revive his Coffee with Rafi program, giving
Glendale residents the chance to come talk to him the first Thursday
of the month at the Glendale farmers market.

“For me, the work starts with being accessible to the community.
That’s the most important part, I think,” he said.

Several newly elected and re-elected officials took the oath of
office at Monday’s ceremony, including new City Councilman Ara
Najarian, who received the most votes of any council member in last
week’s election. Najarian’s brother, Rafi Najarian, 39, an Air Force
base dental surgeon who has served in Iraq, led the audience in the
Pledge of Allegiance to open the meeting.

Monday Morning, Lebanon
April 11 2005

Ex-Soviet grouping mulling reforms, says Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that the Commonwealth of
Independent States (CIS), the organization of ex-Soviet states would
discuss a possible reform of the grouping at its next summit in May.
`Our partners have been making diverse proposals and giving various
points of view’, added Putin from his home on the Black Sea, where he
was hosting Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko on an official
visit.
The upcoming summit is to be held in Moscow on May 8.
The CIS was set up in 1991 in large part to fill the void left by the
disappearance of the Soviet Union, and Putin admitted in March that
its life span was limited, in contrast to the EU.
`The European Union was created for the unification of Europe, but
the CIS was set up to facilitate a civilized divorce’, Putin said.
The group includes all but three of the former Soviet republics.
Three of its members, Georgia, Ukraine and most recently Kyrgzstan,
have experienced uprisings that removed pro-Russian regimes in favot
of Western-leaning ones.
In a separate development, senior officials from three splinter
territories in the old Soviet Union said last week they were ready
for closer military cooperation as a result of the peaceful
revolutions in Ukraine and Georgia.
`The revolutions in Georgia and Ukraine have created a new
geopolitical situation’, commented Valeri Litskaya, external
relations chief for Moldova’s Russian-speaking separatist republic of
Transdniestr.
Litskaya said he feared `growing pressure’ on the secessionist
republics by Georgia and Moldova.
`We have common interests, common threats and a historic common
destiny that pushes us to come together and unite’, said Sergei
Chamba, external affairs head of Georgia’s breakaway region of
Abkhazia.
Litskaya said a meeting of leaders from the breakaway territories and
from the Armenian enclave of Nagorno Karabakh would meet in
Abkhazia’s main city of Sukhumi later this month.
Chamba said that in preparing for the meeting, `we discussed the
possibility of cooperating in the military domain’.
The president of Georgia’s separatist region of South Ossetia,
Dimitri Medoyev, said that if his region was attacked, it would count
in support from `brother peoples’ in North Ossetia, Transdniestr and
Abkhazia.

The New Hampshire
April 12 2005

Quick glimpse of the Kurdish people
By Ben Carder

The Kurdish people live predominantly in Iraq, Turkey, Syria, Iran
and Armenia-collectively known as Kurdistan-comprising 20-25 million
of the countries’ populations.

Traditionally, Kurds were recognized as a goat and sheep-herding
people until World War I when they were forced to abandon their
peripatetic lives due to the breakup of the Ottoman Empire. Since
then, Kurdish people have been ruled by neighboring factions for most
of their history but were freed of totalitarian reign in 1991,
precipitated by Kurdish uprisings of 1919, 1923, 1932, 1970, 1974 and
1988.

Two groups represent the Kurdish people: Kurdistan Democratic Party
(KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). Between 1994 and
1998, bloody battles ensued over absolute power in Northern Iraq. The
two sides brokered a peace deal of sharing power in September 1998;
the Kurdish people have endeavored to follow a democratic system of
government since 1999.

The Kurdish people are predominantly Sunni, one of the two main
belief systems in the Islamic faith, which compromises 85 percent of
all Muslims. The fundamental difference between the two sects-Sunni
and Shiite-stem from arguments over the prophet Muhammad’s successor
as caliph, the leader of Muslims.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Zaman, Turkey
April 12 2005

Ankara Ships 11 Countries Blue Book Disclaimer Against So-Called
Genocide Allegations
By Omer Sahin, Servet Yanatma

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has informed about the delivery
of a letter to 11 countries. The letter comprised of the fundamentals
of the so-called Armenian genocide, confirmed by the Turkish
parliament that takes the Blue Book as a reference.

Erdogan said, “If one says genocide to an emigration, then, all
developed countries have done it.” Erdogan, who met yesterday with
Turkish citizens in the Oslo Military Museum Meeting Hall in Norway,
said in response to a citizen’s question on the government’s policies
about the so-called Armenian genocide, that they have undertaken
important tasks on this issue.

Reminded that the Armenian problem will be discussed in parliament on
April 13 the Prime Minister said, “The declaration, to be signed by
our 550 deputies will be sent to London, the Lords and the House of
Commons and to the parliaments of other countries. The world cannot
be established on a foundation of grudges and aversions. There cannot
be such a political foundation. We have already opened air corridor
with Armenia.”

Erdogan noted that Turkey has challenged this issue and is ready to
face up to its history and these same tasks must also undertaken by
the Armenians. The Blue Book is the main resource and record of the
so-called Armenian genocide allegations. Viscount James Brandy and
historian Arnold Tonybee, who were appointed in 1916 to document the
practices and procedures performed against the Armenians, by the
Ottoman administration in 1915-1916, wrote it.

However, it had been revealed that the British propaganda office at
Welling House, who was asked by the US to take their side during
World War I, had attuned the Blue Book.

Meanwhile, Armenian President Robert Kocharian, who yesterday issued
a statement, said that his country works to gain recognition of the
so-called genocide; however, they have never demanded any territory
from Turkey.

Kocharian said, “Recognizing the Armenian genocide in the
international arena is on our agenda, today. Armenian leaders and
politicians decide on what they are able to perform legally in the
future.”

Noting in his speech in Oslo that it is extremely unfair to decide on
Turkey according to the evaluations issued by marginal groups in
Western countries, the Turkish Prime Minister said, “Of course, we do
not allow terrorist organization to wave their flags. It is
impossible to accept terror as a human right. However, when those who
are violated by terror, they say ‘ah, uh’. Excuse me. We have to
realize what is required.”

RIA Novosti, Russia
April 12 2005

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT: NO REVOLUTION HERE

YEREVAN, April 12 (RIA Novosti, Gamlet Matevosyan) – There are no
prerequisites for a revolution in Armenia, regardless of what its
color is, President Robert Kocharyan told Yerevan State University
students yesterday.

According to Kocharyan, in order for a state to go through a
revolution, certain conditions like those in Georgia, Ukraine and
Kyrgyzstan must exist.

“First, all of them took place during election periods, which implies
a certain ‘electrifying’ of society. Second, in all the three
countries the weak authorities could not decide the current issues.
For instance, in Georgia there were delays in the payment of pensions
and wages and salaries and problems in energy supply, in Kyrgyzstan
the budget for 2004 amounted to $300 million with the republic’s
inhabitants numbering 5 million, while Armenia with its
3-million-strong population has a budget of about $800 million. The
situation in Ukraine is somewhat different. In spite of the economic
growth, the country was divided in its east and west,” Kocharyan
said.

He called the change of generations, which took place in the course
of the revolutions, the third factor. As a result, younger and more
dynamic leaders replaced the old, former Soviet officials in power.

This occurred in Armenia in 1991 with the advent of Levon
Ter-Petrosyan, and in 1998 with Kocharyan’s own ascent to power, he
said.

Kocharyan said that oppositionists, who earlier held high posts in
their governments, came to power in all three of the republics.

“All the above-said factors have nothing in common with the situation
in Armenia where no one doubts the authorities’ resolve, the change
of generations has already taken place, there have been no
oppositionists dismissed from their posts and the next elections will
be held in Armenia in two years,” Kocharyan assured the students.

The president also noted that the Armenian opposition must not allow
itself to feel inadequate by the fact that the attempt at changing
power in Armenia, as distinct from the above-said countries, was
unsuccessful.

“This is not because of the fact that our opposition is too bad but
because the situation in Armenia is better, and state authorities are
more effective,” Kocharyan said.