Al-Jazeera, Qatar
December 17, 2004

Turks cold to EU accession deal
By Jonathan Gorvett

Friday 17 December 2004, 22:56 Makka Time, 19:56 GMT

Scepticism greeted the EU accession deal amongst Turks

After a day marked by crisis talks and last-minute deals, Turkey’s
European Union road now stands open, with a date to start membership
talks fixed for 3 October 2005.

When on Friday the news finally broke that an agreement on the
country’s most cherished ambition of 40 years had been reached, there
was little in the way of celebration to be seen amongst ordinary
Turks.

To test out reactions to the news, Aljazeera.net spoke to people in
one Turkish heartland that has always been part of Europe, at least,
geographically.

In the town of Eceabat, located at the Dardanelles Strait on the very
edge of continental Europe, news that a final agreement had been
brokered roused little enthusiasm – and much scepticism.

One who questioned the worth of Ankara’s EU bid, and of the bloc’s
sincerity in wanting Turkey to join its ranks, was local artist Sera
Sekitmen.

Tough conditions

“The conditions being set out for us are very tough and very hard to
accept given our nationalism,” she said. “I do not believe that for
the price we will have to pay there will be great benefits from
becoming a member.”

EU deal involves more difficulties
for Turkey, says Sekitman

She was referring to the extra clauses that have been added to the
agreement between the EU and Turkey. These touch on issues such as
recognition of Cyprus and the possibility that the talks will not end
in full membership. Such terms have never before been asked of a
country seeking membership.

“There are more difficulties for us, more compromises being asked
for,” Sekitman said.

“As an individual I would not make so many compromises. For example,
on issues that we had insisted on throughout history, like the
Armenian genocide, that I believe happened, and the recognition of
southern Cyprus, we as a state said no for many years. Now we are
asked to say yes, this is a double standard for us. I would not give
so much.”

Opinion polls

Though scepticism remains strong, recent polls put support for
joining the EU among Turkish people at 80%, far higher than in most
of the countries that became members in May. However, in countries
such as Poland, Cyprus and Malta, there was little question of
whether they were wanted.

For 65-year old Ayse Ordu, this, however, is precisely the point.
“The prime minister keeps saying we will get into the EU,” he says.
“I am not so sure. We have many poor and jobless. They would go and
try to get jobs there. Would the EU agree to that? Would they really
like to let so many of our people into their countries? I am not so
sure.”

The deal caused a surge in
Turkey’s stock market

Local Nermin Demir saw Turkey’s unstable economy, rather than a
question of religion, as the main obstacle to accession. Despite the
news that EU leaders had agreed on a date for membership talks to
start, Demir says that her country is a long way from Europe.

“We are told everything will be fine if we get into the EU and that
the problems of the economy and unemployment will be resolved,” Demir
said. “But will they take us? We have many disadvantages such as
poverty, unemployment and our system is very different and that is a
problem on its own. I mean as people, citizens and as a state we are
different.”

Yet Turkey’s financial markets were a lot more positive about the
news of a date and a deal. The Istanbul Stock Exchange Index surged
late on Friday while the Turkish currency strengthened against the
dollar.

Simple fact

But the simple fact is, according to shop owner Askin Gungor, is that
Europe doesn’t want Turkey in its ranks – and Friday’s decision to
open accession talks has come too quickly for both sides.

“They do not want us.They will never have us”

Askin Gungor,
shop owner, Eceabat

“They do not want us,” Gungor said while standing outside his shop on
Eceabat’s main street. “They will never have us. Look at the Greek
Cyprus issue, this is just the beginning. Next will come more
enforced conditions. In fact, I see the future being worse when they
apply pressure on even more issues.”

Gungor believes that Turkey is not in a position to meet the rigid
demands of the EU in the short term and fears political and economic
instability if it tries to do so.

“Turkey cannot bear those burdens,” he said. “It is not just in one
area but in many and in fact in all sectors difficulties will occur.
There will be problems in all areas: fishing, the food sector that I
am in, textiles. In everything we are not ready yet. We do things our
way and we make mistakes and we are far from being ready for such
change.”

Doubts aside, however, Turkey does have a date to start accession
talks, although they may take 10-15 years to complete. This in itself
marks a major step, even if the consequences may still be viewed with
great suspicion on the streets of small town Turkey.

* Darchinyan wins IBF flyweight title with TKO of Pacheco
* Box: Darchinyan becomes Australia’s newest world champ
* Vic hooks a world crown
* ARMENIAN BOXER WINS IBF FLYWEIGHT TITLE
* Darchinyan destroys Pacheco, wins flyweight world title
* Goodnight, Irene: Darchinyan victorious in title bid
* Vic’s a knock-out
* Armenian takes IBF flyweight title
* Darchinyan wins IBF flyweight title with TKO of Pacheco
* Darchinyan stops Pacheco to win IBF flyweight title

***************************************************************************
Darchinyan wins IBF flyweight title with TKO of Pacheco

Jacksonville.com
Thursday, December 16, 2004
Story last updated at 11:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 16, 2004

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – Vic Darchinyan scored an 11th-round technical knockout of
defending champion Irene Pacheco to win the IBF flyweight title Thursday
night.

Darchinyan, a native of Armenia now living in Australia, controlled the pace
for most of the bout fought outdoors at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and
Casino in Hollywood.

Darchinyan’s gradual dominance began to take its toll on Pacheco in the 10th
round, when Darchinyan sent him to the canvas with a right to the head.

With a weary Pacheco returning to his corner at the end of the round,
Darchinyan didn’t let up his assault at the beginning of the 11th. He
unloaded a series of unanswered shots near the ropes and then dropped
Pacheco a second time with another right to the head.

Pacheco’s cornermen had seen enough, asking referee Jorge Alonso to stop the
fight at 44 seconds of the round.

For Pacheco, of Colombia, it was his first career loss in 31 professional
fights and seventh title defense.

Darchinyan (22-0, 17 KOs) was the busier fighter from the opening round and
didn’t let Pacheco build much of an offense. Pacheco’s frustrations prompted
repeated warnings from Alonso for hitting below the belt.

The low blows eventually cost Pacheco a point deduction in the ninth and
another two points removed in the 10th.

To add to Pacheco’s miseries, he suffered a deep gash to his right eyebrow
after colliding heads with Darchinyan in the fifth.

The fight was delayed seven minutes before the ninth round because of a loud
fireworks display during a festival adjacent to the fight facility.

Darchinyan weighed 111 pounds for the bout, while Pacheco weighed 112.

Copyright Associated Press. All rights reserved.

***************************************************************************
Box: Darchinyan becomes Australia’s newest world champ
By Adrian Warren

AAP NEWSFEED, Australia
December 17, 2004, Friday 7:30 AM Eastern Time

SYDNEY, Dec 17

Vic Darchinyan turned on the punching pyrotechnics after the real
life fireworks had finished in Florida today, to give Australia
another eastern European-bred boxing world champion.

Darchinyan, who represented his birth country of Armenia at the
Sydney 2000 Olympics, maintained his own unbeaten record and
shattered the one belonging to International Boxing Federation
flyweight champion Irene Pacheco stopping the champ in the eleventh
round of their championship bout at the Hard Rock Casino in
Hollywood.

He moved alongside Australia’s only other currently universally
recognised world champion, IBF super lightweight title holder Kostya
Tszyu, who was born in Russia.

He knocked Pacheco down in the tenth and eleventh rounds before the
out-going champion’s corner stepped in to save their stricken fighter
from further punishment.

Darchinyan won despite an interruption of several minutes caused by
fireworks exploding nearby and numerous low blows from a desperate
Pacheco, who was deducted a point in both the ninth and tenth rounds.

“They had to stop the fight for several minutes and we were going
crazy because we knew Vic was getting on top and when the tenth round
started, Vic just jumped on him,” Darchinyan’s trainer Jeff Fenech
said from Florida.

“He was hitting Vic in the balls because he was getting beaten.”

It was 28-year-old Darchinyan’s 22nd straight win and Pacheco’s first
defeat in 31 bouts.

The victory also gave three-division world champion Fenech his first
fully-fledged world titleholder as a trainer.

“The monkey is finally off my back,” yelled a jubilant Fenech.

The threat of a hurricane moving toward Florida forced the fight to
be delayed three months, but it was Darchinyan’s force of will rather
than a force of nature which terminated Pacheco’s reign.

“I think I destroyed him because I stopped him,” said Darchinyan, who
registered his 17th KO win.

He had vowed before the fight to destroy 33-year-old Pacheco, who had
made six successful defences since 1999 but had not fought for 15
months.

Darchinyan followed the advice offered by Fenech when the fight
resumed following the break, between the eighth and ninth rounds,
ordered by referee Hoge Alonso.

“Jeff asked me to throw more punches and miss his right jab and throw
my straight left and I did exactly what Jeff told me,” Darchinyan
said.

“I started the fight good, but in a few of the middle rounds, I
started waiting for him because I just wanted to catch him with one
big punch and it wasn’t the right way, Jeff reminded me to throw more
punches.

“Jeff started pushing me and reminded me about Nedal Hussein, because
Nedal waited.”

Darchinyan was referring to his stablemate’s unsuccessful challenge
last month for the World Boxing Council super bantamweight world
title when the Sydneysider failed to force the issue and dropped an
unanimous points decision to Mexican Oscar Larios.

Fenech was determined not to see another of his fighters squander a
precious world title opportunity and made it clear in no uncertain
terms what he wanted from Darchinyan.

“After three rounds he was so tired because he’s had such a long
preparation and I was pushing him hard. I got stuck in between a
couple of rounds and said to him if you don’t listen to me, I’m going
to walk out’,” Fenech said.

“There was some close rounds. Vic hit him with many better punches, I
thought Vic was just in front, but I didn’t want to say to him.

“I kept telling him C’mon Vic, we’re behind’. I just wanted him to
finish all over Pacheco because I know what happens in these places.”

Fenech was probably thinking back to his controversial draw with
Azumah Nelson in Las Vegas where many good judges felt he was robbed
of a victory, while some of his other fighters have also suffered
from controversial officiating in overseas fights.

***************************************************************************
Vic hooks a world crown
by Grantlee Kieza

Herald Sun (Melbourne, Australia)
December 18, 2004 Saturday

VIC Darchinyan, the mighty atom of Australian boxing, unleashed some
big blows to win the IBF world flyweight title in Hollywood, Florida,
yesterday.

The Sydney Olympian, who stands just 166cm tall, knocked out
Colombia’s previously unbeaten Irene Pacheco in the 11th round before
a stunned crowd at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel.

The 51kg Darchinyan, whose father ran a petrol station in Armenia,
fought as though propelled by rocket fuel, decking the world
titleholder with a left hook in round 10 and finishing him off with a
similar punch in the next round.

The 28-year-old joins interim WBC super-middleweight champ Danny
Green as world titleholders trained by all-time great Jeff Fenech.

The fight had been halted for 10 minutes between rounds eight and
nine because of exploding fireworks near the venue and the bout was a
cracker from round one.

“This is the greatest moment of my life,” said Darchinyan, who had
dreamed of becoming world champion since he started boxing in Armenia
at the age of eight when he still went by his real first name,
Vakhtang.

“I always believed I could beat Pacheco and now I plan to be world
champion for many years.

“My plan is to unify the title and beat the WBC and WBA champions.”

Darchinyan, who became an Australian citizen in July, is unbeaten in
22 fights with 17 knockouts.

Pacheco, 33, the world champion since 1999, lost for the first time
in 31 fights.

***************************************************************************
ARMENIAN BOXER WINS IBF FLYWEIGHT TITLE

ArmenPress
Dec 17 2004

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS: Vic Darchinyan scored an
11th-round technical knockout of defending champion Irene Pacheco to
win the IBF flyweight title Thursday night. Darchinyan (22-0, 17
KOs), a native of Armenia now living in Australia, controlled the
pace for most of the bout and finally knocked down Pacheco in the
10th round with a right to the head.
Darchinyan didn’t let up in the 11th. He unloaded a series of
unanswered shots near the ropes and then dropped Pacheco a second
time with another right to the head 44 seconds into the round.
Pacheco’s cornermen had seen enough, asking referee Jorge Alonso
to stop the fight. For Pacheco, of Colombia, it was his first career
loss in 31 professional fights and seventh title defense.

***************************************************************************
Darchinyan destroys Pacheco, wins flyweight world title
By Anthony Cocks, DHB Site Editor (December 17, 2004)

Doghouse Boxing, Canada
Dec 18 2004

Vic ‘Raging Bull’ Darchinyan

Australian-based Armenian Vic ‘Raging Bull’ Darchinyan became the
first Jeff Fenech trained fighter to win a world title when he
knocked out long reigning champion Irene ‘Mambaco’ Pacheco in the
11th round to annex the IBF flyweight title on Thursday night at the
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

The 33-year-old Columbian southpaw was knocked down twice in the
fight, once in the tenth and again in the fatal eleventh round. Both
times right hooks did the damage. Pacheco was also deducted a point
for a low blow in round nine and another two points in round ten for
the same infraction.

Darchinyan, an accomplished amateur who relocated to Australia after
competing in the Sydney Olympics, took the fight to Pacheco from the
opening bell and never took his foot off the gas.

Pacheco, who was making the 7th defense of the title he won in 1999
with a 9th round stoppage of Luis Cox Coronado, enjoyed some success
with a body attack in the middle rounds but overall had little answer
to the 28-year-old’s relentless pressure.

Referee Jorge Alonso called a halt to the bout at 0:44 of round 11
after Pacheco was knocked down for a second time.

The fight was originally scheduled to take place on September 3 in
Florida before Hurricane Frances scuttled those plans.

The win is of particular significance to former three division
champion and Hall of Famer Fenech, who despite having trained some of
Australia’s best fighters to world title shots has until today been
unable to win the big one.

With the win Darchinyan moves to 22-0 (17) and joins the illustrious
ranks of Jimmy Carruthers, Rocky Mattioli, Lionel Rose, Johnny
Famechon, Lester Ellis, Barry Michael, Jeff Fenech, Jeff Harding,
Kostya Tszyu and Anthony Mundine as Australians who have won world
titles.

Pacheco suffers his first loss and falls to 30-1 (23).

Australian fight fans can watch a replay of the fight on Fox Sports 2
on Christmas Eve, 24th December 2004 from 7:30pm AEDT.

***************************************************************************
Goodnight, Irene: Darchinyan victorious in title bid
December 18, 2004

Sydney Morning Herald, Australia
Dec 18 2004

Vic Darchinyan turned on the pugilistic pyrotechnics after the real
life fireworks had finished to give Australia another eastern
European-bred boxing world champion in Florida on Thursday.

Darchinyan, who represented Armenia at the Sydney Olympics,
maintained his own unbeaten record and shattered the one belonging to
International Boxing Federation flyweight champion Irene Pacheco,
stopping the champion in the 11th round of their championship bout at
the Hard Rock Casino in Tampa.

Darchinyan knocked Pacheco down in the 10th and 11th rounds before
the Colombian’s corner stepped in.

The Australian won the encounter despite an interruption of several
minutes caused by fireworks exploding nearby and numerous low blows
from a desperate Pacheco, who was deducted a point in both the ninth
and 10th rounds.

“They had to stop the fight for several minutes and we were going
crazy because we knew Vic was getting on top. And when the 10th round
started, Vic just jumped on him,” Darchinyan’s trainer, Jeff Fenech,
said from Florida. “He was hitting Vic in the balls because he was
getting beaten.”

It was 28-year-old Darchinyan’s 22nd consecutive win and Pacheco’s
first defeat in 31 bouts.

The victory also gave three-division world champion Fenech his first
world titleholder as a trainer. “The monkey is finally off my back,”
yelled a jubilant Fenech.

Darchinyan, who registered his 17th KO win, joins IBF
super-lightweight titleholder Kostya Tszyu as Australia’s only
top-level world champions.

“I think I destroyed him because I stopped him,” said Darchinyan, who
registered his 17th KO win. He had vowed before the fight to destroy
33-year-old Pacheco, who had made six successful defences since 1999
but had not fought for 15 months.

Darchinyan followed the advice of Fenech when the fight resumed
following the break between the eighth and ninth rounds.

“Jeff asked me to throw more punches and miss his right jab and throw
my straight left, and I did exactly what Jeff told me,” Darchinyan
said. “I started the fight good, but in a few of the middle rounds, I
started waiting for him because I just wanted to catch him with one
big punch. It wasn’t the right way. Jeff reminded me to throw more
punches.”

Fenech had made it clear what he wanted from Darchinyan.

“After three rounds he was so tired because he’s had such a long
preparation and I was pushing him hard. I got stuck in between a
couple of rounds and said to him: ‘If you don’t listen to me, I’m
going to walk out’,” Fenech said.

“There was some close rounds. Vic hit him with many better punches, I
thought Vic was just in front, but I didn’t want to say to him. I
kept telling him ‘C’mon Vic, we’re behind’.”

***************************************************************************
Vic’s a knock-out
By GRANTLEE KIEZA

Daily Telegraph, Australia
Dec 18 2004

VIC Darchinyan, the mighty atom of Australian boxing, unleashed some
furious fission to win the IBF world flyweight title in Hollywood,
Florida yesterday.

The Sydney Olympian knocked out Colombia’s previously unbeaten Irene
Pacheco in the 11th round before a stunned crowd at the Seminole Hard
Rock Hotel.

The 51kg Darchinyan, 28, whose father ran a petrol station in
Armenia, fought as though propelled by rocket fuel, decking the world
titleholder with a southpaw left hook in round 10 and then finishing
him off with the same punch in the 11th.

He now joins interim WBC super-middleweight champ Danny Green as two
world titleholders trained by all-time great Jeff Fenech.

The fight had been halted for 10 minutes between rounds eight and
nine because of exploding fireworks near the venue and the bout was a
cracker from round one.

“This is the greatest moment of my life,” said Darchinyan, who had
dreamed of becoming world champion since he started boxing in Armenia
at the age of eight when he still went by his real first name,
Vakhtang.

“I always believed I could beat Pacheco and now I plan to be world
champion for many years.

“My plan is to unify the title and beat the WBC and WBA champions.”

Darchinyan, who became an Australian citizen in July, is now unbeaten
in 22 fights with 17 knockouts. Pacheco, 33, the world champ since
1999, lost for the first time in 31 fights.

Darchinyan started the bout between the two left-handers in whirlwind
style but the lanky Pacheco, enjoying a 5cm height advantage, fought
back in the middle rounds using long-armed body shots.

Referee Jorge Alonso took a point off Pacheco in round nine for a low
blow and penalised him two more points in round 10 for the same
offence.

But Darchinyan had no intention of winning on points.

The bout, postponed from September 3 as Hurricane Frances struck the
Florida coast, will be telecast on Fox Sports on Christmas Eve.

***************************************************************************
Armenian takes IBF flyweight title

ESPN
Dec 17 2004

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — Vic Darchinyan scored an 11th-round technical
knockout of defending champion Irene Pacheco to win the IBF flyweight
title Thursday night.

Darchinyan (22-0, 17 KOs), a native of Armenia now living in
Australia, controlled the pace for most of the bout and finally
knocked down Pacheco in the 10th round with a right to the head.

Darchinyan didn’t let up in the 11th. He unloaded a series of
unanswered shots near the ropes and then dropped Pacheco a second
time with another right to the head 44 seconds into the round.

Pacheco’s cornermen had seen enough, asking referee Jorge Alonso to
stop the fight.

For Pacheco, of Colombia, it was his first career loss in 31
professional fights and seventh title defense.

***************************************************************************
Darchinyan wins IBF flyweight title with TKO of Pacheco

Associated Press
Dec 17 2004

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – Vic Darchinyan scored an 11th-round technical
knockout of defending champion Irene Pacheco to win the IBF flyweight
title Thursday night.

Darchinyan, a native of Armenia now living in Australia, controlled
the pace for most of the bout fought outdoors at the Seminole Hard
Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood.

Darchinyan’s gradual dominance began to take its toll on Pacheco in
the 10th round, when Darchinyan sent him to the canvas with a right
to the head.

With a weary Pacheco returning to his corner at the end of the round,
Darchinyan didn’t let up his assault at the beginning of the 11th. He
unloaded a series of unanswered shots near the ropes and then dropped
Pacheco a second time with another right to the head.

Pacheco’s cornermen had seen enough, asking referee Jorge Alonso to
stop the fight at 44 seconds of the round.

For Pacheco, of Colombia, it was his first career loss in 31
professional fights and seventh title defense.

Darchinyan (22-0, 17 KOs) was the busier fighter from the opening
round and didn’t let Pacheco build much of an offense. Pacheco’s
frustrations prompted repeated warnings from Alonso for hitting below
the belt.

The low blows eventually cost Pacheco a point deduction in the ninth
and another two points removed in the 10th.

To add to Pacheco’s miseries, he suffered a deep gash to his right
eyebrow after colliding heads with Darchinyan in the fifth.

The fight was delayed seven minutes before the ninth round because of
a loud fireworks display during a festival adjacent to the fight
facility.

Darchinyan weighed 111 pounds for the bout, while Pacheco weighed
112.

***************************************************************************
Darchinyan stops Pacheco to win IBF flyweight title
by Paul Upham:

SecondsOut
Dec 17 2004

Australian based Armenian “Raging Bull” Vic Darchinyan
22-0 (17) won the IBF flyweight title on Thursday night at the Hard
Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, USA with an 11th round
knockout over Colombian Irene Pacheco 30-1 (23). Darchinyan dropped
Pacheco with a left hand in round 10 and again in round 11, before
the corner of 33 year-old Pacheco stopped the fight.

“I am very happy,” Darchinyan told SecondsOut. “Jeff (Fenech) came
into the ring when they stopped the fight and he picked me up. After
much hard work, finally I have become world champion.”

28 year-old Darchinyan first joined Jeff Fenech’s Team Fenech in 2000
after representing his native Armenia at the Sydney Olympic Games.
The three-time world champion and Hall of Famer was very impressed
with what he saw and encouraged him to stay in Australia and turn
professional.

“He went exactly how I thought he would go,” said Fenech. “I thought
that he was going to be a little off. He had been training for so
long. I knew he would go through this tired period and then he just
came back strong as ever.”

The first six rounds of the fight were very close and Fenech reminded
Darchinyan between rounds of what was at stake.

“I thought it was close,” said Fenech. “I thought Vic might have been
in front by one round after nine. It was close and afterwards they
told me that after nine rounds it was even. I had some serious words
to Vic at the end of round eight and nine. I told him a few home
truths and he went out and did the job.”

“It was my fault,” admitted Darchinyan, in describing some slow work
from himself in the middle rounds. “I stopped a bit and Jeff reminded
me to keep punching again.”

In rounds 9 and 10 Pacheco was twice penalised for intentional low
blows. “When he knew that Vic was going to finishing him, he was
punching low on purpose,” said Fenech.

“Pacheco was a good champion,” said Darchinyan. “He had some good
punches to the body. But he was a dirty fighter too. He hit me low
when we were in close.”

After the 9th round, there was an unusual ten-minute delay for safety
reasons due to a large fireworks display next door at the Hard Rock
Hotel.
“It was crazy,” said Fenech. “We weren’t worried about the fireworks.
I told the referee to just let them fight. We were there to win.”

Darchinyan, who arrives back home in Sydney at 8am on Sunday morning,
has no promotional options on him and will not have to make a
mandatory defence until September 2005. Unification bouts with WBC
flyweight champion Pongsaklek Wonjongkam and WBA champion Lorenzo
Parra are a priority.

“I want to stay at flyweight and win the WBC and WBA titles,” said
Darchinyan. “I’ll talk to Jeff and after that, we may move up in
weight.”

If those fights are not possible straight away, Darchinyan has his
eyes fixed on a USA 2000 Olympian.

“I want to fight Brian Viloria,” he said. “I have sparred him before.
I win, no problem.”

***************************************************************************
This compilation was contributed to by:
Sebouh Tashjian
Katia Peltekian

–Boundary_(ID_e1UYdSa7m+2P9t0ydWqZMw)–

CIVIL SERVICE COUNCIL HEAD DENIES OMBUDSWOMAN’S CLAIMS

ArmenPress
Dec 17 2004

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS: The head of the Civil Service
Council, a government body supervising selection of thousands of
employees of civil service system through competitions, denied
Thursday the arguments of the country’s human rights defender that
the staff of her office should not be subject to the same procedure.
Manvel Badalian, the head of the Civil Service Council, told
reporters at a Thursday news conference that “the human rights
defender’s staff is a classical example of civil service.”
He then shrugged off the ombudswoman, Larisa Alaverdian’s claims
that extending the procedure to her staff would restrict their
freedom and independence, saying the “level of human rights
defender’s freedom and independence is guaranteed by the Constitution
and other laws.” “Selecting members of her staff through competitions
will only make it more professional and more effective, “he argued
and said: “At any rate if it does not do good it will not do harm.”
In retaliation to other arguments that the human rights protection
is a peculiar area of activity and the ombudswoman wants to have
“reliable” staff, Badalian retorted: “But who says that the president
of the country must not have trustworthy staff or the prime minister
must not have loyal heads of departments?”
Badalian also praised the government decision to raise minimal
wages of civil service employers from 20,000 to 30,000 in 2005 and
45,000 in 2006, saying the measure will have a positive impact in
terms of attracting qualified personnel.

Deutsche Presse-Agentur
December 17, 2004, Friday
17:47:07 Central European Time

Turkey agrees to E.U. entry talks after Cyprus deal

Brussels (dpa) – Turkey and the European Union on Friday clinched a
long-sought deal allowing Ankara to begin membership talks with the
bloc next year – but only after a diplomatic fudge resolved the
fraught issue of Turkish recognition for Cyprus.

“The European Union (E.U.) has opened its door to Turkey,” said
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso in a move ending 40
years of Turkish efforts to get a road map to join the Union.

E.U. leaders agreed to open accession negotiations on October 3, 2005
aimed at full Turkish membership.

“We have been writing history today,” said Dutch Prime Minister Jan
Peter Balkenende who holds the rotating E.U. presidency, adding:
“Turkey has accepted the hand we offered to them.”

British Prime Minister Tony Blair was also upbeat: “It’s a good day
for Europe, for Turkey and for the wide world,” said Blair who
strongly backs Turkish E.U. membership.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan took a more cautious
view, saying: “We have done it … the process will be difficult and
full of obstacles.”

He admitted Turkey was not “100 per cent satisfied.”

The sense of achievement over the landmark deal was soured by discord
over Cyprus which came to a head earlier Friday.

A further major damper on the mood was a surprise announcement by
Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel – who was never enthusiastic
about Turkey – that his country would hold a referendum on Turkish
E.U. membership.

“It is important that the Austrian people have their say,” said
Schuessel. Polls in many E.U. countries, including Austria, Germany
and France currently show a majority opposing Turkish admission.

French President Jacques Chirac, who also intends to hold a national
referendum on the issue, struck a note of caution by insisting that
“negotiations do not mean accession”.

“We cannot foresee the results…,” Chirac said, adding that E.U.
states could at any time suspend talks if there was slippage in
Turkey’s reform efforts.

The disagreement over Cyprus was settled by a finely-tuned diplomatic
fudge under which Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan only
agreed verbally to recognise the Greek Cypriot part of the island
before accession talks begin next year. Erdogan refused to sign any
document on this question.

European Union (E.U.) leaders welcomed Erdogan’s commitment to do so,
and – in a move to make things official – they promptly added his
words as an annex to the summit’s final communique.

Under the hard-won agreement, Erdogan promised that before Turkey
begins E.U. accession negotiations, he will sign an extension of
Ankara’s customs union agreement to include Cyprus, which joined the
E.U. as part of a group of 10 new members last May.

Balkenende admitted this was “not formal legal recognition” of Cyprus
by Turkey. But E.U. diplomats say this would amount to de facto
recognition.

This was denied by Erdogan who said: “It in no way means the
recognition of Cyprus.”

Most Turks already feel their country has made massive efforts to
meet Cyprus reunification demands. Both Turkey and the self-styled
state of Turkish northern Cyprus backed a U.N. blueprint for
unification last April. But the deal was torpedoed by a referendum
held in Greek Cyprus.

Turkey presently only recognises northern Cyprus and not the
internationally-recognised Greek Cypriot southern part of the island.

The deal to open talks with Moslem Turkey is a major turning point
for the E.U. which until now has been a mainly Christian club.

Turkey faces a huge task in meeting E.U. standards and European
Commission chief Barroso said his message to Turks was simple: “This
is not the end of the process, this is the beginning.”

Erdogan’s much-praised reforms are seen by the E.U. as just a start
and Ankara’s lengthy “to do” list includes major improvements in
political and economic structures.

E.U. leaders say Turkey must make additional effort to meet the
bloc’s “Copenhagen Criteria” which include strict standards for human
rights, minority protection and rule of law.

More challenging for Erodgan are Europe’s calls for what many in
Turkey will see as a social revolution.

Women’s rights, religious freedom and difficult historic questions
from Turkey’s past, including the fate of Armenians during World War
I, still need to be addressed.

Countries such as France have officially declared the killing of up
to 1.5 million Christian Armenians in 1915 under the Ottoman Empire
to have been a genocide. This is strongly denied by Turkey which says
far fewer Armenians died and that this was part of the normal course
of war.

“The process of E.U. construction is based on dialogue and
recognition of past errors,” said France’s Chirac, adding that the
Armenian issue would undoubtedly figure in the French referendum. dpa
lm si

Azerbaijani president: Armenia too dependent on Russia in territory dispute talks
by AIDA SULTANOVA; Associated Press Writer

Associated Press Worldstream
December 17, 2004 Friday

BAKU, Azerbaijan — Russia is taking too active a role in the
negotiations over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh enclave, whose
unresolved status remains a source of tension for Azerbaijan and
Armenia, Azerbaijan’s president said Friday.

Ilham Aliev was reacting to comments by Russian parliament speaker
Boris Gryzlov, who said that Armenia was Russia’s outpost in the
Caucasus region. Gryzlov made the statement Wednesday at a meeting
between Armenian legislators and their Russian counterparts.

“We are confused: We have always considered Armenia a state, but now
it turns out that it is an outpost,” Aliev told journalists Friday.

“So whom should we negotiate with now – the outpost or the master of
the outpost?” he said.

Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in a bitter dispute over
Nagorno-Karabakh, an ethnic Armenian enclave in Azerbaijan’s
territory. Ethnic Armenian forces drove Azerbaijani troops out of
Nagorno-Karabakh in the 1990s. Since a 1994 cease-fire, the sides
have been separated by a demilitarized buffer zone, but occasional
shooting breaks out and each side accuses the other of mounting
small incursions.

“I believe that if these negotiations are conducted in a constructive
way, and the Armenian side does not go back on earlier agreed-upon
positions … we can come to certain agreements,” Aliev said.

Baku wants Armenian forces to withdraw from Nagorno-Karabakh before
a peace treaty can be signed.

Aliev also said Friday that Azerbaijan is ready to fully reopen its
railway connection with neighboring Georgia only after it receives
guarantees that the cargo is not redirected to Armenia.

Azerbaijan closed its railway link with Georgia for five days in
November, barring about 1,500 train cars carrying oil and other
cargo, on the grounds that some of the cargo had ended up in Armenia.
Baku then reopened the connection partially – allowing in some trains,
mostly those carrying oil – after Azerbaijan and Georgia agreed that
no cargo would be redirected to Armenia.

But Aliev said Friday that “smuggling and falsifications” were still
taking place.

“If it persists, the border will remain closed,” Aliev said. “We
understand that it causes harm to us and to a certain extent to
Georgia, but we have no other choice.”

ARKADY GHUKASIAN: THEY TRY TO ISOLATE KARABAKH SIDE FROM NEGOTIATIONS
ARTIFICIALLY

Azg/arm
18 Dec 04

Arkady Ghukasian, NKR President, expressed regret that “under
the shelter of the OSCE Minsk group, an attempt is made at
present to artificially isolate the Karabakh side from the
negotiations.” According to Mediamax, Ghukasian said that “this very
factor doesnâ~@~Yt allow contributing to progress of the negotiations,
that could develop the positive achievements of the recent 10 years
attained by the sides in conflict through the mediation of the
international experts.”

NKR President didnâ~@~Yt specify who, in particular, tries to
isolate NKR from the peaceful settlement negotiations. Itsâ~@~Y
worth mentioning that Vartan Oskanian, foreign minister of Armenia,
said at a press conference on December 14: “The negotiations between
Armenia and Azerbaijan in the Prague format will continue up to a
certain stage, perhaps, until the participation of Nagorno Karabakh
is unavoidable. At present, the format that existed during several
years will be preserved.”

“Bakuâ~@~Ys unwillingness to take into account both the created
realities and the interests of Azerbaijanâ~@~Ys allies, in fact,
leads the negotiation process to a dead-end that can yield no results
without Nagorno Karabakhâ~@~Ys participation,” Ghukasian said in
his speech during the conference held with all the representatives
of the power branches.

Ghukasian reaffirmed NKRâ~@~Ys determination to open direct
negotiations with official Baku, as well as to discuss in conference
all the issues related to the further relations of NKR with
Azerbaijan. On the other hand, the President pointed out that “the Baku
authorities are unlikely to give up the absurd and destructive idea of
solving the problem by force, that makes us take relevant measures for
strengthening NKRâ~@~Ys defense in future and increase the efficiency
of our armed forces that secure the safety of our people.”

NKR President emphasized that in the course of the recent four years
the export of the republic increased for more than 15 times. It
is expected that by the end of the current year the volume of the
industrial production will increase for almost 1,5 times as compared
with the indicators of the last year. “This indicators allow us to
secure constant increase of our own profits that annually increase
by 42%,” Ghukasian said.

–Boundary_(ID_uABxBCWjPzB3JxProdJP1g)–

THERE IS A REAL DANGER OF HANDING LIBERATED TERRITORIES OVER

Azg/arm
18 Dec 04

Armen Aghayan, political secretary of Protection of Liberated
Territories NGO, announced in the press conference that “the threat has
increased and there seems to be a real danger of handing the liberated
territories over.” He condemned both the former and the current
Armenian authorities in this, saying that they are ready to hand the
liberated territories contiguous Nagorno Karabakh to Azerbaijan.

“What the former authorities do?” Some suggestions were made to Armenia
in Astana, Kazakhstan, Armenia rejected them or didnâ~@~Yt agree at
once, after which pressures began, i.e. PACE reports (by Davis and
Atkinson), the UN formula. Yes, the Minsk group has averted that,
but its aim is to exert a pressure, if you donâ~@~Yt accept it
(Astana suggestion), we will impose it on you,” Aghayan said.

“The authorities explain Azerbaijan and OSCE co-chairs that they
didnâ~@~Yt inhabit the regions and they didnâ~@~Yt even intend
to. They say that these territories serving a security zone will
be finally returned, but only against specifying the status of NKR
or giving security guarantees. While the opponents say that it is
better to trade the territories than to give them for free,” Aghayan
described the position of the Armenian authorities.

He believes that there is no contradiction between the former and the
current authorities in the NKR issue. “Kocharian didnâ~@~Yt go far
from Ter-Petrosian both in the NKR issue and in other issues,” he said.

Aghayan thinks that only the Armenian people can be an opposition in
the NKR issue. “No one knows what will be the reaction of the people,
but the authorities are frightened, otherwise this issue (the one of
handing the territories) would be solved long ago, as no power would
stand the pressure of the West.”

“In fact, the issue of the liberated territories is the only one that
arouses disputes after the war and the keystone in the suggestions
of the co-chairs. We can even exaggerate the matter, saying that
there is no other issue existing in the context of Nagorno Karabakh
settlement except for the issue of the territories. The rest of the
issues are derivative,” Aghayan said.

The members of the NGO are sure that the issue of Nagorno Karabakh can
have no international solution. They believe that the only settlement
of the problem is the Armenian version and envisages full and fast
inhabiting and utilization of all the liberated regions, as well as
the announcement of the Armenian power in these territories.

Aghayan believes that we should make Azerbaijan accept the reality of
unilateral activates (unification of NKR with RA together with all
the territories under the control of the Karabakh forces). “Neither
the Azeri people, nor their country have no internal resources to
take back these regions, if they had they wouldnâ~@~Yt have left
them. They are foreigners in these territories. As they banished the
native residents, the same thing the naïve dwellers did to them.
The Azeri understand this factor very well,” Aghayan said.

By Tatoul Hakobian

–Boundary_(ID_wVSnnOrW0E+CAn8IGUlMHg)–

EUROPE DECIDES TURKEY’S FUTURE

Azg/arm
18 Dec 04

Baucher: We Recognized the Terrible Tragedy that Happened with the
Armenian Community in Anatolia

Jose Manuel Barroso, chairman of EU commission, emphasized that the
leaders of 25 EU member countries that gathered in Brussels will vote
for opening the negotiations with Turkey in the issue of its entry
to EU, Novosti agency informed.

“The European Union has opened its door to Turkey. No obstacle can
occur on this path at the last moment,” Barroso said, adding that
the issues related to the full membership, including the issue of the
Armenian genocide, will be discussed during the future negotiations.

If a group of EU member states is for fixing concrete deadlines for
opening the negotiations with Turkey, the rest are less optimistic. A
high-ranking German official said in the interview to France-Presse
that Berlin expects that Turkey is suggested to open full membership
negotiations at the congress and not an issue of “special cooperation.”

Joschka Fischer, German foreign minister, considered Turkeyâ~@~Ys
membership to EU a desired one. “We will not only solve the issue of
Turkeyâ~@~Ys membership but also the issue of its modernization,”
Fischer said, adding that Muslim Turkey, meeting the commitments
required for EU membership, can serve as a good example for other
countries of the Middle East.

According to Reuters, Austrian chancellor Wolfgang Schussel is
the most known pessimist in the issue of Turkeyâ~@~Ys membership
to EU. Jacques Chirak, French President, announced on Wednesday,
Turkeyâ~@~Ys membership to EU would meet the interests of France
and Europe, on the other hand, he said that each of the 25 EU member
countries can put a veto on that decision.

According to Mediamax, in response to the question about the
Armenian Genocide, as well as the position of the USA towards the
dispute unfolded in the context of Turkeyâ~@~Ys membership to
EU, the official representative of the US State Department said:
“We recognized the terrible tragedy that happened to the Armenian
community of Anatolia during the last years of the Ottoman Empire.”

In reply to the question whether the recognition of the Armenian
Genocide should be a precondition for Turkeyâ~@~Ys entry to EU,
Richard Baucher said: “The State Secretary announced several times
during the last week that the Europeans should solve all these
issues. We believe that Turkey has covered a long path to keep in line
with the criteria required for the EU membership, and the Europeans
should take an independent decision.”

On December 16, TurkishMilietstated in its “USA Recognizes Armenian
Genocide” article that Colin Powel, US State Secretary, had a telephone
talk with Gul, Turkish foreign minister, and showed interest about
the latest developments around the EU membership negotiations.

By Tatoul Hakobian

–Boundary_(ID_labgk4Osji49IROFWYCXgw)–

“NO OTHER DOCUMENT ON KARABAKH IS SO PRO-AZERI AS ATKINSON’S REPORT”

Azg/arm
18 Dec 04

Kazimirov’s Letter to PACE Reads

Vladimir Kazimirov, former personal representative of the Russian
president on Karabakh issue in 1992-1996, sent a letter to PACE
reporter on Nagorno Karabakh, David Atkinson, expressing his discontent
with the emphasized pro-Azeri nature of the latter’s report.

Kazimirov particularly points out Atkinson’s statement that
the ceasefire was reached due to OSCE Minsk group in May 12 of
1994, whereas it was due to Russia’s efforts, and the Minsk group
co-chairmanship was organized in December of 1994 and the personal
representative was appointed after the truce.

“The most important international documents on Nagorno Karabakh
always maintained the balance in order to make it easy for the sides
to compromise. None of them has ever been so single-mindedly pro-Azeri
as yours”, Kazimirov wrote.

The former Russian broker being a well-informed specialist in the
Karabakh issue and someone who visited the region for 47 times
reminds Atkinson that his and Davis’ reports pay little attention
to the history of the confrontation, to the war of 1992-1994 and the
process of regulation.

“Many issues in the conflict were the result of both sides’ actions,
yet your projects pin the whole blame on the Armenian side. I am
not trying to justify the Armenians, I only say that we need to be
impartial in assessing the actions of both sides. Moreover, the very
Azerbaijan was standing for settling the Karabakh issue by means of
force, who was rejecting all the steps to ease the tension”, he wrote.

Kazimirov underlines that Nagorno Karabakh in the UN formulas and
OSCE documents was directly or indirectly recognized as a side in
the conflict: “Only your formulae overlooks this issue and recognize
Armenia and Azerbaijan as sides, thus playing into Bakuâ~@~Ys
hands”. He also reminds that the OSCE Budapest summit mentioned of
the three sides of the conflict.

“Azerbaijan is the side in conflict and not the Azeri population in
Nagorno Karabakh. There is no difference in Azerbaijan’s and Karabakh’s
Azeri population’s standpoints”, he said and went on condemning
Atkinson for emphasizing the importance of Karabakh’s Azeri community:
“Is it appropriate to use terms like “London’s British community”,
or “Baku’s Azeri community”, or “Moscow’s Russian community”?”.

Kazimirov is amazed that the Davis-Atkinson report refers to the UN
Security Council’s 4 formulae but only accents the demand to withdraw
Armenian armed forces. “Before the May of 1994, that is more than
1 year, (after UN Security Council adopted first formula- ed.) the
Azeri authorities, which were obstinately neglecting the key demand
of the 4 formulae and were continuing to bet on settling the issue
through force, broke the ceasefire several times. Azerbaijan agreed
on ceasefire under the threat of all-out defeat and loss of power
and not for accomplishing the UN Security Council’s formulae. The
Armenians also had many problems but they turned to be more flexible
and constructive”, Kazimirov reminded and added: “The territorial
take-over, increase of the refugees is on Azerbaijan’s conscience as
well, and not only Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh”.

The Russian diplomat accepts that the Armenians do not withdraw their
forces from the occupied territories and claim the package settlement
of the conflict. But “in fact, the Azeri authorities have not realized
any demand within the 4 UN formulae”. “Today they carry out nothing
either. Moreover, they demand that Turkey keep on maintaining the
blockade of Armenia, threatens with resuming the war time after time,
encourages anti-Armenian hysteria in Azerbaijan but there is no word
about this (in Atkinson’s report – ed)”.

Kazimirov reminds at the end that Armenian has full control only over
5 regions and partial over two 2 and not 8 as Atkinson claims. The
Russian diplomat notes that Azerbaijan also has occupied Armenian
territories such as Artsvashen. Kazimirov rounds off the letter with
hope that such an authoritative organization as the PACE will be able
to demonstrate a balanced approach in the Karabakh conflict.

By Tatoul Hakobian

–Boundary_(ID_ZM/PdTySqd1eTXPmiwna5Q)–

SERGE SARGSIAN: ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN MILITARY ALLIANCE HAS NO ALTERNATE

Azg/arm
18 Dec 04

Serge Sargsian, minister of defense of Armenia, stated yesterday
that the Armenia-NATO relations will develop so far as “they do not
contradict the Collective Security Treaty (CST)”.

There is no need to include the NATO membership in Armenia’s foreign
policy agenda today but this does not mean that we should not develop
our relations with the Organization, Sargsian said during a round
table organized to discuss issues of regional security.

The Yerevan-Brussels relations mark obvious progress during the
last few years. Speaking of the range of Armenia-NATO relations,
Sargsian said that Armenia has participated in 47 arrangements and
5 military exercises of the Organization in 2004 and is going to
increase these numbers.

Armenian political leaders, Russian and US representatives took part
at the round table. Serge Sargsian took time to speak of Armenia-NATO,
Armenia-Russia, Armenia-EU relations as well as the systems of regional
security separately.

“The Armenia-Russian military alliance has no alternate today”,
he said adding that the Armenian-Russian relations cannot hinder
Armenia’s integration into Europe especially in case when Russia
and Europe come closer. The minister noted that the Armenian-Russian
military cooperation is fixed on 6 dozens of pages.

Serge Sargsian highlighted Armenia-EU relations as key one. Our
country exports 40 percent of its goods to Europe. He underscored
the “brilliant military cooperation” of Armenian-Greek peacekeepers
in Kosovo.

The minister of defense noted that Armenia is the only country in the
South Caucasus that manages to implement balanced policy. He thinks
cooperation in the region will be one day possible and reminded that
such European states as England, France and Germany have history of
century-long enmity but today they are allies.

Levon Mkrtchian, representative of the Armenian Revolutionary
Party, added to more trends of cooperation to those mentioned
by the minister. He singled out relation with Iran and the Arab
world. Mkrtchian reminded two facts from the past: firstly, Iran
provided the only road to Armenia when it was blockaded from 3 sides,
secondly by taking a neutral stance in the Karabakh conflict, Tehran
prevented it to turn into a religious one, something Azerbaijan
strived for.

By Tatoul Hakobian