Mehr News Agency, Iran
Dec 14 2004

Iran exports $1.3m worth of flowers to Azerbaijan Republic

TEHRAN (MNA) – Azerbaijan was recorded this year as the leading
importer of Iran’s flowers, setting an import of 37% of the total
Iranian flower exports. The amount valued at $1.26 million, which
showed 27.5% growth compared with last year’s figure in the same
period.

Turkmenistan and UAE stood next with importing 33% (421,000 dollars)
and 12% (161,000 dollars) of the volume, respectively. Kuwait and
Armenia were also registered among Iranian flower importers.

Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
Dec 14 2004

France: `Erdogan should bring a stone from the Moon’
View: Baris Sanli, Analyst at ISRO

I am a nice person, a logical one,at least my friends call me so, but
even I can not understand French. Probably NASA should set up a
research team and send a shuttle to France, communicate with Chirac,
also with Armenians. You can blame me for speaking nonsense but
please try to understand all this French opposition from a Turk’s
perspective.

There is a joke about Turkey’s membership to the EU. Bulgaria,
Romania and Turkey came to the doors of the EU commission. First the
President of Bulgaria enters to the commission.

Commission says:

`Ok, Mr. President. We will ask you a question. If you know, we will
take you to the EU’

President of Bulgaria replies:

`Ok, I am ready’

They ask:

`Tell us the name of the Japanese city where atomic bomb first
exploded’

The President answered :

`Hiroshima’

and he passed the questioning and his country hopefully joins to the
EU.

When it was Romania’s turn, they asked the year when the atomic bomb
exploded in `Hiroshima’.

President of Romania answered the question right with the answer year
1945. Hopefully again, Romania joined the EU.

When Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish Leader came, the Commission welcomed
him, and said
`Ok, now, your question, If you answer this question in 5 minutes, we
will accept Turkey to the EU’

Mr. Erdogan said:

`I am ready, I worked hard for the last 45 years, day and night, you
can ask me any question’

Commission asked the question:

`Ok, now tell us the names and birth dates of all the people died in
Hiroshima during the atomic bomb explosion’

***
This was a nice joke, I recall from a Turkish Newspaper maybe two
months ago. Turkey had done everything, Cyprus, Human Rights, Zana
and her friends, Kurdish. Now there are no more alternatives. Turkey
should be given a date.

What makes me feel sick is the `French view’. They were given
capitulations; Ottoman Empire had good relations with them. Turkish
Republic was always nice to France, even French used to taught in
schools in 1960s. France was a raw model for Turkey. Nope, no problem
whatsoever.

All this adds up to French problem of stubbornness. Think that way, I
watched the Turkish Intellectuals visit to Yerevan capital of Armenia
last night on CNN Turk. There were street interviews. One old and
wise Armenian said:

`Every nation has bad people and good people, we should look to the
future’. Even Armenia’s Armenians are supporting Turkey’s membership
to some extend.

But with French this is a different story.

I am not sure but maybe if Erdogan can go to the Moon without a
rocket and bring a stone from the Moon, French’s Turk skeptics will
be satisfied.

Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
Dec 14 2004

Erdogan Confirms the ISRO Survey: EU Should Fufill Its Duties

Turkish PM Erdogan Confirms the ISRO Survey. Erdogan Says Turkey has
Fulfilled All the Critera Asked by the EU, and It is the EU’s Turn.

Selin Akyuz, JTW – Ankara
14 December 2004

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey has done all
from ‘A to Z’ and it was the turn of the EU now. The ISRO’s latest
the EU Perception Survey has reached the similar results. According
to the Survey, Turkish people (78 %) thinks that Turkey has done all
requirments for EU negotiations. However the Turkish public (84%),
according to the Survey, perceives that the EU is not ‘fair’ and
‘sincere’ in its treatment towards Turkey (For the details please see
the “Surveys” section)

Addressing his party’s (AK Party) group at the Parliament, PM Tayyip
Erdogan said that Turkey has been waiting for 40 years to be admitted
to the EU.

PM Erdogan argued that Turkey has fulfilled all its responsibilities
from ‘A to Z’ and waiting for a decision of the EU on a date of
negotiation.

He called the EU leaders to make a decision responding to the
expectations of the Turkish people and the sensitivities of the
State.

Gul: “The EU Leaders Should Be Loyal to Their Words”

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul also called the EU leaders “to
keep their promises”.

“The EU leaders should be loyal to their words and signatures…
Turkey had applied to the EU about 45 years ago… All we want is a
full integration between Turkey and the EU. This integration will
contribute not only to Turkey but also to the EU and to all of the
world.” added Gul.

Gul sid “There is only one criteria to start the negotiations: The
Copenhagen Political Criteria. Anybody now knows that Turkey has
fulfilled this criteria in last two years, and the Turkish public has
strongly supported Turkish Parliement and Government in this process.

Dr. Bal: “Turkey-Sceptics Curtail Their Real Aims Regarding Turkey”

Dr. Ihsan Bal similarly says “Turkey-sceptics curtail their real
feelings regarding Turkey”. “The EU has to do its duties. The EU
leaders cannot escape from their historical duties just by accusing
the other side” added Dr. Bal.

Bal further continued:

“EU-Turkey relations is not love-hate relations. These relations are
based on common interests, and mutual understanding. This
relationship is not an emotional but a rational one. If both sides
think that they will benefit from each other, negotiation process has
to be started without any delay. As a matter of fact that there are
some EU leaders whom takes the debate to irretional arena. They
criticize Turkey for Cyprus, Armenian issue, economy, population,
culture etc. However they curtain their real ideas with the third
parts’ issues. If they rationally estimate Turkey’s possible
contribution to the EU, they would not have made efforts to delay
Turkey’s entry.”

BBC News, UK
Dec 14 2004

Leaders meet over Turkish EU bid

Turkey will be the main issue on the agenda

Tony Blair is meeting Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder to talk about Turkey entering the
EU.

The Downing Street talks will cover a range of other topics ahead of
an EU summit in Brussels later in the week.

Mr Blair is an enthusiastic proponent of talks to bring Turkey within
the recently-expanded EU.

Italy and Germany also favour an early start to talks, but there is
scepticism in France and elsewhere.

Some are worried that Turkey’s large and rapidly growing population
and low average income might make integration into the EU difficult.

World War I

Some are concerned that a change of government could lead to Turkey
reneging on key human rights reforms it has recently enacted.

And many in France would prefer Turkey to admit that World War I-era
killing of Armenians constituted genocide. There are also issues in
France and the Netherlands over the possible problems of integrating
the first major Muslim nation into the EU.

But Mr Blair and the Labour government have been the staunchest
backers of Turkish accession, provided it sticks with human rights
and economic reform.

Mr Blair’s official spokesman said: “The prime minister has regular
meetings with both of them and particularly in advance of European
Councils.

“The key issue at this week’s council will be that of Turkey, but
they will also discuss a range of other matters.”

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
12/14/2004
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://

1) Cypriot President, ARF Meet on Turkey’s EU Entry
2) An Appeal to the Armenian-American Community of the Western US
3) Armenian Youth Protest Scheduled at Consul General of Netherlands
4) ACTION ALERT
5) Armenia Hails French Push for Turkish Recognition of Genocide
6) BRIEFS
7) Correction

1) Cypriot President, ARF Meet on Turkey’s EU Entry

NICOSIA (Yerkir)–Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Bureau
representative
Hrant Margarian and the President of Cyprus Tassos Papadopoulos met on Tuesday
to discuss Turkey’s aspirations to join the European Union (EU).
Cyprus warned its European Union partners last week that it may veto the
start
of accession talks with Turkey if the latter continues to resist calls to
recognize Cyprus.
Margarian briefed President Papadopoulos on the ARF’s position concerning
Turkey’s bid to join the EU, and called on Cyprus to maintain a steadfast
position regarding the possibility of Turkey commencing EU accession
negotiations. He also said he expected Cyprus to raise, within the EU, the
issue of Turkey’s recognition of the Armenian genocide.
The ARF delegation was composed of ARF Western Europe Central Committee (CC)
representative Murad Papazian, ARF Greece CC representative Krikor Erchanian,
European Armenian Federation Chairwoman Hilda Tchoboian, ARF Cyprus
organization representative Vahan Aynedjian, and Armenian National
Committee of
Cyprus Chairman Antranig Ashjian.
The delegation later met with the president of the Cyprus Socialist Party
(EDEK) and other officials.
The Cypriot government has demanded full recognition before Turkey’s
accession
talks commence. Turkey invaded Cyprus in 1974 in reaction to a Greek-inspired
coup in Nicosia and has kept 35,000 troops on the divided island ever since.
The warning that Nicosia may “have no other option” but to use its veto at a
December 16-17 summit of EU heads of state was issued at a meeting of the EU
ambassadors of the bloc’s 25 member countries in Brussels last Wednesday.
Turkey recognizes only the Turkish Cypriot enclave in north Cyprus, while the
rest of the world views the Greek Cypriot government in the south, which
joined
the EU in May, as the sole legitimate representative of the whole island.

2) An Appeal to the Armenian-American Community of the Western US

On Thursday December 16, the European Union (EU) will convene a two day summit
in the Belgium capital of Brussels, during which time Turkey’s accession to
the
body will be discussed. The European Armenian Federation for Justice and
Democracy (EAFJD) has organized a demonstration in an attempt to voice the
Armenian community’s position on the matter.
Turkey’s EU bid is not merely a concern to the European-Armenian community.
Rather, it affects Armenians throughout the world. For this reason, we ask
Armenian-Americans to contact any relatives or friends they may have in
Europe,
and specifically in the city of Brussels, and urge them to attend the planned
demonstration. The Armenian community must make sure that its concerns are
clearly heard in Brussels.
For detailed information about the demonstration, please visit
<;, or contact the organization’s
representatives directly at [email protected], or (32) 02-732-70-26.

3) Armenian Youth Protest Scheduled at Consul General of Netherlands

LOS ANGELES–European Union leaders will meet in Brussels on Thursday and
Friday to decide on whether to set a date for Turkey’s membership negotiations
into the Union.
The Armenian National Committee of Europe has undertaken efforts to
organize a
massive demonstration in Brussels on December 17 to oppose Turkey’s
membership.
Armenians from throughout Europe are expected to join that protest to present
the demands of the Armenian people.
In joining those efforts, as well as other protests that are scheduled to
take
place throughout the diaspora, the Armenian Youth Federation will stage a
peaceful protest at the Consulate General of the Netherlands in Los Angeles at
3 p.m. on Thursday, December 16.
Armenian youth are expected to present a letter to the Consul General of the
Netherlands to convey their opposition to Turkish EU membership based on
specific Armenian and human rights concerns. The Dutch currently head the
European Union presidency.
The Consul General of the Netherlands is located at 11766 Wilshire Boulevard
(Wilshire and Granville) in Los Angeles.

4) ACTION ALERT

Send ANCA WebFax to key EU Members today
Urge EU to Reject Turkey’s Membership Bid

On December 17th, the European Council will vote on whether to begin
discussions on Turkey’s accession to the European Union.
Take one minute to send a free ANCA WebFax to key European leaders urging
them
to reject Turkey’s bid because of its denial of the Armenian Genocide;
occupation of Cyprus; blockade of Armenia; and human rights abuses.

–Log onto ANCA.org
–Click on first Action Alert item urging “EU to Reject Turkey’s Membership
Bid”
–Simply in your name, address and information, and click on “Send Message.”

Your ready fax will automatically be forwarded to the following:

Colin L. Powell, US Secretary of State
John Bruton, EU Commission’s Ambassador to US
Javier Solana, Secretary General of the Council of the EU
Arlette Conzemius, Luxembourg Ambassador to US (Luxembourg will take over the
EU presidency in January 2005)
Boudewijn Johannes van Eenennaam, Dutch Ambassador to US (Dutch hold current
EU presidency)
Jean-David Levitte, French Ambassador to US
Euripides Euriviades, Cypriot Ambassador to US

5) Armenia Hails French Push for Turkish Recognition of Genocide

YEREVAN (RFE-RL)–Armenia praised France on Tuesday for pledging to seek
Turkish recognition of the 1915 genocide of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire
during anticipated negotiations on Turkey’s membership of the European Union.
Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian said he believes Ankara’s refusal to open the
Turkish-Armenian border will also be on the agenda of the accession talks.
“In the course of the accession negotiations, France will ask for recognition
of the tragedy at the outset of the 20th century,” French Foreign Minister
Michel Barnier said late Monday. Barnier referred to the 1915-1923 mass
killings and deportations of some 1.5 million Ottoman Armenians which France’s
parliament recognized as genocide in 2001.
“Armenia certainly welcomes the statement,” Oskanian told reporters in
Yerevan. “It once again shows that the issue of the Armenian Genocide is now a
truly global issue.”
Barnier made the comments in Brussels after attending a meeting of the
foreign
ministers of EU member states. They discussed preparations for this week’s EU
summit, which is expected to give the green light for the start of formal
negotiations on Turkish entry into the bloc.
Turkey was quick to reject the French calls which could complicate its
decades-long efforts to join the EU. “Our position is well-known. We do not
recognize any so-called genocide and we will never recognize it,” a Foreign
Ministry spokesman in Ankara told Reuters.
Barnier clarified on Tuesday that France does not regard Turkish recognition
of the genocide as a precondition for EU membership. “But when the time comes,
Turkey should face up to the requirement of remembrance over this tragedy at
the beginning of the century, which affected hundreds of thousands of
Armenians,” he told French television, according to the Associated Press. “The
European project itself is founded on the idea of reconciliation.
“We have 10 years to ask it; the Turks have 10 years to think about their
response,” he added.
France is home to Europe’s largest and most influential ethnic Armenian
community, which has been lobbying Paris hard to link Turkey’s EU entry to
genocide recognition. Western commentators suggest that Barnier’s statements
are also meant to reassure the broader French public overwhelmingly opposed to
Turkish membership.
Armenia’s government has also voiced strong objections, citing Ankara’s
continuing denial of the genocide and, more importantly, its refusal to open
the border and establish diplomatic relations with Yerevan without any
preconditions. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan listed Armenian
efforts at genocide recognition among those preconditions in a newspaper
interview last October.
Oskanian raised the issue in meetings last week with senior EU officials,
among them External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner and
Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn. “Our efforts in recent months seem to be
yielding positive results,” he said.
“Both the opening of the Turkish-Armenian border and the Armenian Genocide
have really become issues of interest to the European Union…I have reason to
be confident that those issues will be on the agenda of the accession talks.”

6) BRIEFS

Germany Opposes “Watered Down” EU Turkey Talks

BRUSSELS (Reuters)–Germany insisted that any accession talks between the
European Union and Turkey should be with the goal of Ankara becoming a member,
rejecting calls for more limited partnership options. Three days before EU
leaders are seen giving the green light to entry talks, new controversy
emerged
as France said it would seek Turkish recognition of a 1915-23 killing of
Armenians as genocide once those talks begun, drawing an immediate denial from
Ankara.
“This is about negotiations with the goal of entry,” German Chancellor
Gerhard
Schroeder told reporters in Berlin, rejecting calls for the 25-member bloc to
offer Ankara a privileged but limited partnership status.

German Firm Takes over Armenian Mining Giant

YEREVAN (RFE-RL)–The government clarified on Tuesday terms of the sale of
Armenia’s largest metallurgical complex to a German-led consortium of private
investors, saying that they will pay $132 million, not $40 million as was
initially understood. The latter figure was mentioned in a government
statement
last week announcing the country’s biggest privatization deal since 1998.
Officials said it only reflected the face value of the Zangezur Copper and
Molybdenum Combine’s stock.
The industrial giant, located near the south-eastern town of Kajaran,
comprises mines and an ore-enrichment plant. The clarification was made during
the signing of the takeover agreement by Trade and Economic Development
Minister Karen Chshmaritian and the chairman of Germany’s Chronimet firm,
Guenter Pilarski. Chronimet will directly own 60 percent of the Kajaran
complex
and control another 15 percent through the Yerevan-based smelter Makur Yerkat
where it holds a controlling share.

OSCE to Sponsor New Armenian Police Unit

YEREVAN (RFE-RL)–The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE) plans to sponsor a new Western-style police force in Armenia that will
embody higher standards of efficiency and moral integrity, the head of its
Yerevan office announced on Tuesday.
Ambassador Vladimir Pryakhin said the “municipal public police” will be
modeled on Swedish police and will operate in Yerevan as part of a $2 million
project designed by the OSCE. He said the unit will be staffed with new
officers to be taught Western standards of policing at Armenia’s main police
academy. European instructors will teach them, among other things, that “it is
inadmissible to get bribes when you are on duty and regulate traffic,” he
added.

Speaker of Russia’s State Duma Visits Armenia

YEREVAN (Arminfo)–Speaker of Russia’s State Duma Boris Gryzlov arrived in
Yerevan on December 14 for a three day visit. During his stay, he is scheduled
to meet with his Armenian counterpart Artur Bagdasarian, President Robert
Kocharian, Prime Minister Andranik Margarian, His Holiness Armenians Karekin
II.

IMF Agrees Fresh Turkey Funding

ANKARA (BBC)–Turkey has agreed a draft proposal with the International
Monetary Fund to borrow $10 billion, extending its ongoing financial support
until 2007. Turkey’s current $18.6 billion loan agreement with the IMF expires
in February and the new follow-on deal would see it get fresh support between
2005 and 2007.
In return for the funding, Turkey would be expected to keep inflation under
control and introduce market reforms. Turkey’s economy has steadily recovered
from a severe crisis in 2001. Rodrigo de Rato, the IMF’s managing director,
said the loan agreement would help to improve Turkish economic prospects by
cutting its debt and stimulating growth.

France Shows off Tallest Bridge

PARIS (BBC)–The world’s highest road bridge has been inaugurated in southern
France by President Jacques Chirac. When the bridge opens in 2005, cars
traveling from Paris to Barcelona will sail over the Tarn valley in southern
France at a height of nearly 250 meters, cutting journey times on one of
Europe’s busiest roads. The Millau bridge is more than 300m (984ft)
high–taller even than the country’s Eiffel Tower.
“The bridge is just on the clouds,” said Millau Mayor Jacques Godfrain. The
French construction group Eiffage, which built the Eiffel Tower, financed the
project in return for the right to collect receipts from a bridge toll for 75
years.

Azeri President Urges International Effort in Karabagh Resolution

YEREVAN (Armenpress)–Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev called on the
Council of Europe, the European Union, and the United Nations to do more to
help settle the Karabagh conflict.
Speaking at the Royal Institute of International Affairs December 13 during a
visit to London, Aliyev said he remains committed to seek a peaceful solution
to the Karabagh conflict with the help of the OSCE. He stressed, however, that
other international organizations should play a more active role in the
negotiation process. He also added that Azerbaijan would never agree to
“annexation” of its territories and would do everything to “liberate” its
lands.

7) Correction:

In the article “ANCC Speaks out on Escalating Violence against Armenians in
Iraq,” which appeared in the December 14 issue of Asbarez, we erroneously
referred to the “December 7 bombings of Kabul’s Armenian and Chaldean
churches,” instead of Mosul’s churches.

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and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and
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ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for
academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through
mass media outlets.

The Times, London
Dec 15 2004

Turkey will not apologise for Armenian genocide
By Anthony Browne, Brussels Correspondent

TURKEY has reacted angrily to a demand by France that it accept
responsibility for a `genocide’ against Armenians nearly 80 years
ago, which is thought to have influenced the Nazi Holocaust.
Michel Barnier, the French Foreign Minister insisted that Turkey must
officially recognise the 1915 genocide before it joins the European
Union.

Historians believe that Turkish authorities orchestrated the killing
of 1.5 million Armenian Christians, who were indigenous inhabitants
of Turkey, in a brutal attempt to make an ethnically pure nation.
However, the Turkish Government has always said that only a small
number were killed in spontaneous acts of violence.

M Barnier said: `In the course of the accession negotiations, France
will ask for a recognition of the tragedy at the outset of the 20th
century. When the time comes, Turkey should face up to the
requirement of remembrance. The European project itself is founded on
reconciliation.’

He said that recognition should not be a precondition for membership
talks with Turkey, a step to be decided by EU leaders on Thursday.
However, he insisted that Turkey recognise the genocide during the
membership talks, which are expected to last ten years: `We have ten
years to ask it. the Turks have ten years to think about their
response.’

He later referred to it as a genocide, the first time the French
Government has used that word, having previously preferred tragedy.
Many parliaments in Europe have called on Turkey to recognise the
slaughter, which is marked by monuments in many European cities.

However, a Turkish government spokesman said: `There was no such
genocide, so there is no question of recognising a genocide that did
not happen.’

One Turkish official said: `They are just trying to make us angry. It
is their last chance to cause trouble against us.’

Agence France Presse
Dec 14 2004

France refers to Armenian massacre as “genocide” for first time

PARIS, Dec 14 (AFP) – The French government on Tuesday used the word
“genocide” for the first time in relation to the 1915-1917 massacre
of Armenians during the end of the Ottoman Empire, risking further
angering a Turkey already frustrated in its bid to join the European
Union.

Foreign Minister Michel Barnier told parliament that France would ask
many questions, “notably that of the Armenian genocide,” in EU-Turkey
negotiations on the membership issue.

Up to now, the French government had avoided the word “genocide”,
preferring the term “tragedy”, although the parliament voted in 2001
to qualify the events as a genocide.

Turkey, which formed the nucleus of the former Ottoman Empire, has
disputed the scale and nature of the killing of Armenians, and railed
against the term “genocide” used by surviving Armenians and their
descendants.

An estimated 1.5 million Armenians are believed to have died between
1915 and 1917 in the last years of the Ottoman empire.

Barnier, responding to an MP’s question about Turkey and its
ambitions of joining the EU, said Tuesday: “We will ask all the
questions — notably that of the Armenian genocide, notably that of
Cyprus — all through the negotiations.”

He said the bloody events “are a wound that does not heal,” and
added: “This issue is at the very heart of the European project,
which is based on reconciliation.”
From: Baghdasarian

PRESS RELEASE

December 14, 2004

American University of Armenia Corporation
300 Lakeside Drive, 4th Floor
Oakland, CA 94612
Telephone: (510) 987-9452
Fax: (510) 208-3576

Contact: Gohar Momjian
E-mail: [email protected]

AUA President Dr. Haroutune Armenian Receives Lebanese Cedar Medal

BEIRUT – AUA President, Dr. Haroutune Armenian, was awarded Lebanon’s Cedar
Medal last week during a ceremony that marked the 50th anniversary of the
founding of the Faculty of Health Sciences of the American University of
Beirut (AUB). The decision was made by Lebanese President Emile Lahoud to
recognize Dr. Armenian’s international, regional, and local accomplishments
in the field of public health, bringing prestige not only to the AUB, but to
all of Lebanon.

Dr. Armenian is currently the President of the American University of
Armenia, Dean of AUA’s College of Health Sciences, and a Professor of
Epidemiology at Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Between 1989 & 1996 he was the Director of the Master of Public Health
Program at Johns Hopkins. Previously, he was Dean and Professor of the
Faculty of Health Sciences at the American University of Beirut. Dr.
Armenian received his Medical Degree from the AUB and his Dr.P.H. in
Epidemiology from the Johns Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public
Health.

He is the author of many scholarly works and has published close to a 100
scientific articles in prestigious international journals on a variety of
health issues including familial paroxysmal polyserositis, cancer
epidemiology, AIDS, psychopathology, war, disasters and infant mortality in
Armenian parish records. Dr. Armenian is the author-editor of about 20
volumes including a textbook on Epidemiology and Health Services that was
published by Oxford University Press in 1998. He is currently finishing a
textbook on the case-control method due to be published in late 2005 by
Oxford University Press.

AUB Associate Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Iman Nuwayhid, said,
“He is truly a bridge between the east and west…At no time did Haroutune
Armenian miss an opportunity to link the US, Armenia, and Lebanon in
collaborative or joint academic activities. He remains the mentor, advisor,
and collaborator for many here at AUB and at other universities in the three
countries.” In bestowing the honor to Dr. Armenian on behalf of President
Lahoud, Minister Dr. Karam Karam said, “Dr. Armenian embodies the highest
level of cultural cooperation.”

Dr. Haroutune Armenian continues to contribute to the advancement of the
public health field in the region through his scientific works and academic
collaborations. Under his leadership, in September 2005, the American
University of Armenia will host the Association of Schools of Public Health
European Region’s annual conference, whereby 200 delegates from Europe and
the Middle East are expected to attend. The conference `Educating the
Public Health Workforce: Development Perspectives for the European and
Mediterranean Regions,’ is the first time to be hosted by a former Soviet
Republic and coincides with the 10th Anniversary of the College of Health
Sciences.

—————————————-
The American University of Armenia is registered as a non-profit educational
organization in both Armenia and the United States and is affiliated with
the Regents of the University of California. Receiving major support from
the AGBU, AUA offers instruction leading to the Masters Degree in eight
graduate programs. For more information about AUA, visit

Photo: Lebanon’s State Minister Dr. Karam Karam pinning the national Cedar
Medal on AUA President Dr. Haroutune Armenian

PRESS RELEASE
December 14, 2004
Embassy of the Republic of Armenia
2225 R Street, NW, Washington, DC 20008
Tel: 202-319-1976, x. 348; Fax: 202-319-2982
Email: [email protected]; Web:

Armenia Participates in Olympic Arts Festival 2004 in Washington, DC

The Embassy of Greece and the European Commission Delegation in Washington,
DC are hosting the exhibition “Olympic Truce: Pieces of Peace,” showcasing
distinct works of artists from the international community, submitted by
foreign embassies in Washington. The exhibition is organized as part of the
Olympic Arts Festival 2004, celebrating the return of the Olympic Games to
its birthplace, Greece.

The Embassy of Armenia was one of 102 embassies participating in the
exhibition. Armenia was represented by artist Emma Gregorian.

The exhibition “Olympic Truce: Pieces of Peace” was opened on December 13,
2004 at the European Commission Delegation in Washington, DC by the Greek
Ambassador to the U.S. and the head of the European Commission Delegation.
Senator Paul Sarbanes, Armenian Ambassador to the U.S., Dr. Arman
Kirakossian, and other foreign Ambassadors took part in the opening
ceremony.

For more information on the Olympic Arts Festival 2004, please visit

ARMENIA THIS WEEK

Monday, December 13, 2004

In this issue:

Armenian Constitutional Court approves Iraq deployment
France urges Turkish recognition of Armenian Genocide
Suspect pleads guilty in NATO PfP course murder
Statement of FM Oskanian at the OSCE MInisterial

HIGH COURT APPROVES IRAQ MISSION, AS ANOTHER ARMENIAN CHURCH ATTACKED

Armenia’s Constitutional Court voted last week to approve the
Armenian-Polish agreement that will form the legal basis for Armenian
servicemen to deploy with the Polish-led multi-national division of the
U.S.-led coalition in Iraq. The vote came a day after another Armenian
church came under attack in Iraq. According to media reports, gunmen
burst into Armenian Catholic and Chaldean churches in Iraq’s northern
city of Mosul, forced those inside to leave and then set off explosives
damaging the buildings but not hurting any of the parishioners. Iraq’s
Christian minorities, including some 15,000 Armenians, have increasingly
been targeted by anti-U.S. insurgents. Concerns over the safety of
Armenians in Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East have forced Armenia
to initially distance itself from the U.S.-led war in Iraq.

Defense Minister Serge Sargsian argued that the dwindling Armenian
community in Iraq would be at risk whether Armenia joins the coalition
or not. He said Armenia is sending a non-combatant force in part because
of the community’s concerns. Sargsian also pledged that Armenia’s
50-person task force, made up of military transportation, engineering
and medical personnel, would be drawn exclusively from among volunteers.
The Armenian Army, which is composed primarily of draftees, also has
thousands of officers and NCO’s serving on contract, primarily in tense
border areas. Sargsian again defended the government’s decision, which
is unpopular both in Armenia and Diaspora communities. The Defense
Minister argued that political losses from Armenia’s non-participation
in the U.S.-led coalition far outnumber likely risks associated with the
deployment.

The Armenian unit would be deploying in Iraq as the security situation
there remains tenuous at best. The month of November saw the second
highest number of U.S. and coalition casualties since the war began and
insurgent attacks are expected to continue in the run up to the Iraqi
national elections tentatively set for the end of January. An increasing
number of countries are either withdrawing or reducing their forces in
Iraq. The total number of U.S.-led coalition members has reduced from 35
to 28 countries over 2004, and two more of the U.S.’ NATO allies,
Hungary and the Netherlands, are expected to withdraw soon. At the same
time, the U.S. non-NATO allies, such as Albania, Georgia and Romania,
are due to increase their troop commitments.

It is now up to Armenia’s Parliament to give final approval for the
deployment. Governing coalition factions led by Prime Minister Andranik
Margarian (Republicans) and Speaker Artur Baghdasarian (Country of Law)
have already backed the move. They are also supported by the
non-coalition United Labor Party led by Gurgen Arsenian. Another
coalition partner, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation remains
undecided, with opposition Justice and National Unity factions strongly
opposed to the government’s decision. (Sources: Armenia This Week 11-15;
Washington Times 12-2; Arminfo 12-8, 9, 10; Noyan Tapan 12-8, 9; RFE/RL
Armenia Report 12-8; Donga.com 12-10)

FRANCE URGES TURKEY TO ACKNOWLEDGE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

France’s Foreign Minister Michel Barnier said that his country will
request that the Turkish government recognize the Genocide of Armenians
early last century, as part of its negotiations for membership in the
European Union (EU). The EU summit this week is expected to give
conditional approval to negotiations on Turkey’s membership application.
France is one of the growing number of countries worldwide which have
officially affirmed the Armenian Genocide. The French Armenian
community, which is the largest in Europe, has in recent months
intensified its campaign for the French government to take up key
Armenian issues as part of Turkey-EU talks. In his letter two weeks ago,
Armenia’s President Robert Kocharian urged the EU leaders to discuss
Turkey’s anti-Armenian policies, such as the decade-long blockade and
recent measures to criminalize the Armenian Genocide affirmation within
Turkey. For its part, Turkey has refused to condemn the deaths of over
one million Armenians and long pressured the international community to
avoid the issue. Turkey has also refused to establish normal relations
with Armenia. (Sources: Armenia This Week 12-6; Agence France Presse
10-13)

AZERI SAYS GUILTY IN BUDAPEST MURDER CASE

The lieutenant, who was praised as a national hero in Azerbaijan after
brutally killing an Armenian counterpart at a NATO English language
course last February, has said he was sorry about the murder. “It was
not my plan to be so cruel, savage,” the 27-year-old Ramil Safarov said
as his trial began in Budapest. The Hungarian police said that Safarov
attacked the Armenian officer Gurgen Margarian while he was asleep and
struck him repeatedly with an axe until Margarian’s head was nearly cut
off. Safarov said he was taking revenge over Azeri losses in the
Karabakh war. He reportedly tried but failed to kill another Armenian
participant of the same course. Armenian officials have argued that the
the crime was a consequence of the Azeri government’s policy of
fomenting anti-Armenian hysteria in Azerbaijan.

Safarov’s actions were praised by senior Azeri officials and much of the
public, with calls for more violence against ethnic Armenians. The Azeri
officials have since toned down their rhetoric as part of the effort to
seek Safarov’s extradition. Last week, Safarov’s lawyers claimed he was
beaten by his Hungarian prison guards. In the meantime, court experts
determined that Safarov was sane and competent to stand trial but had
somewhat retarded intellectual faculties. The trial was adjourned until
February 8 of next year on the request from the defense, which asked for
more time to prepare. (Sources: Armenia This Week 2-27, 8-30; Reuters
11-23; Noyan Tapan 11-30; Regnum.ru 11-30; Day.az 12-4)

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