KurdishMedia, UK
Dec 7 2004

11 days before the summit of December 17

… and yet, repression reigns in Turkey

371 years ago, in 1633, Galileo Galilei said: “And yet, it does
move!”

The European governments are preparing the opening of the negotiations
on Turkey’s adhesion by applauding “the process of political reform in
Turkey and the adopted constitutional and legislative changes.” As for
Ankara, it seems sure that “a clear date for launching the negotiations
of adhesion will be announced on December 17, without any condition
and the necessity of revaluation.”

However, in spite of this Turkish-European optimism, the violations
or the non-respect of humans right always continue in this country
candidate to the European Union.

Info-Türk, which has fought for 29 years for a real democratization
in Turkey, will remind the alarming facts until the European Summit
of December 17 the 2004.

1. In Turkish prisons, there are still thousands of political
detainees. Even the Minister for Justice Cemil Cicek, in answer to a
parliamentary question, announced on November 27 that the number of
the prisoners for ” offences of terror” climbs currently to 5,557 and
that they are kept in 73 grand prisons of the country including 11
prisons of type-F. He added that still two other prisons of type-F
are in construction in Van and Kirikkale. These prisons are the
cause of the death of 117 people on hunger strike. The new law on the
execution of punishments, adopted on December 4 by the Parliament,
still maintains this carceral system. The ill-treatment of political
prisoners, particularly in the prisons of type-F continues in spite
of the alarming affidavits of the prisoners or their parents. (See:
the reports of the NGOs such as AI, IHD, TIHV, Mazlum-Der and FIDH
in the issues 316, 315, 314 of Info-Türk in last three months)

2. The summary execution and torture under arrest are always being
practiced. Very recently, 12 years a 12-year old Kurdish child
was killed by forces of security under pretext of “hunting for the
terrorists”. Torturers are not pursued in many cases in spite of
the complaint of the victims or of human rights associations. As
detailed by a report of the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TIHV)
on November 25, rare lawsuits started against these criminals do not
lead to an exemplary judgment.

3. As it is often recalled by the press associations, the new Turkish
Penal Code, so applauded by the European Union, always constitutes
a threat against the freedom of press. Journalists are always judged
for insult to the Army, the government or the security forces because
of their criticisms, under the terms of article 302 (old article 159)
of the TPC. For example, an arrest warrant against the chief editor
of Info-Türk, Dogan Özgüden, is still in force within the framework
of a lawsuit relating to one of his articles criticizing the military
junta of the Seventies, and this in spite of the intervention of the
international press organizations and the Belgian ministry of the
Foreign Affairs. December 2, popular singer Ferhat Tunc was again
tried by a penal court for insulting the judiciary. November 26,
journalist Halit Ertas sentenced to eleven months for separatist
propaganda by means of Internet. (See: the reports of the NGOs such
as RSF, IFEX, IPI, NABA, WAN, WPFC, BIA and TGCin the issues 316,
315, 314 of Info-Türk in last three months)

4. In spite of some cosmetic reforms, the equal rights (teaching,
audio-visual expression, association) are still not recognized as well
for the Kurdish people as for the ethnic or religious minorities of the
country, in particular Armenians, Assyrians, Greeks and Alevis. All
the pacific initiatives of the Kurdish national movement in order
to arrive at a peaceful solution is systematically declined and the
military operations continue in order to satisfy the voracity of the
Army and the industry of war.

5. Ankara does not show any intention to recognize the injustices
and atrocities committed in the Turkish history and follows an
absolutely policy of negation. According to the statement of reasons
for Article 306 of the new Turkish Penal Code, a citizen who demands
the withdrawal of Turkish soldiers from Cyprus or declares that the
Armenian genocide actually took place during the First World War,
can be pursued by Justice. Moreover, the diplomatic missions of
Ankara often instigate the Turkish nationals and even the deputies
or candidates of Turkish origin of the European political parties
(Socialists, Liberals, Ecologists or Christians) to take part in the
demonstrations of negation.

6. In spite of the so-called “demilitarization” of the National
Security Council (MGK), the military continue to dictate their
militarist choices by well publicized declarations of the Chief
of the General Staff or the commanders of the land, air and naval
forces. Moreover, the Higher Military Council (YAS), charged to manage
the interne work procedure of the Army, continues to dismiss certain
officers considered “anti-secular” in spite of the opposition of
the government. Moreover, at the end of its last meeting on December
1st, 2004, the YAS released a completely political statement on the
relations with Europe and the neighbor countries. The commentators
estimate that the YAS thus gives the sign that it is rapidly replacing
the “demilitarized” MGK to ensure the military’s control over the
political life of the country.

7. Lastly, an undemocratic constitution preaching the superiority of
the Turkish race, imposed in 1982 by the military junta, is always in
force. Moreover, an electoral system imposing a national threshold
of 10% is always maintained with the detriment of the political
parties representing the different political opinions, in particular
pro-Kurdish or left-wing ones, so that the Islamist party remains
in power with an absolute majority in the Parliament in spite of its
electoral score less than 50%.

So, the European leaders should not yield to Ankara’s manipulations
or blackmails… Even if they are obliged to announce a date for
the opening of the negotiations, this opening must absolutely
be conditioned with the total suppression of all these failures
incompatible with the European Convention of Humans Right and with
the new European Constitution.

For all latest news on the situation of human rights in Turkey:

All news on the situation of human rights in Turkey since 1998:

–Boundary_(ID_uD2RBE3E0ivDrN66xhDQ2g)–

13097.9 MLN TONS OF HUMANITARIAN AID OF 29.8 MLN DOLLARS IMPORTED TO ARMENIA
IN JANUARY-OCTOBER 2004

YEREVAN, December 7 (Noyan Tapan). 13097.9 mln tons of humanitarian
aid of a total of 29.8 mln dollars were imported to Armenia in
January-October 2004. It should be mentioned that 5502.9 tons
of humanitarian aid of 43393.6 thousand dollars were imported to
Armenia during the same period of 2003. According to the RA National
Statistical Service, the products of chemical branch, or industrial
branches connected with it made 32.2% of received aid, tools and
apparatus made 17%, textile items made 21.8%. 5383.9 tons of products
of plant origin worth 2165.1 thousand dollars, 115.6 tons of products
of ready made food worth 396.7 mln drams, 141.7 tons of means of land,
air and water transport worth 5086.5 thousand dollars were imported
to the republic during the period under review.

2 Mosul churches bombed, three people injured

Associated Press Worldstream
December 7, 2004 Tuesday 12:52 PM Eastern Time

MOSUL, Iraq — Militants bombed two churches in Mosul on Tuesday,
injuring three people in a coordinated attack apparently aimed at
stirring trouble between religious groups in this ethnically diverse
northern city.

Police officials and church leaders said gunmen stormed into the
churches and ordered people out of the buildings before detonating
explosives in both.

Deputy provincial governor Khasro Gouran said three people were
wounded in the first church attack, which occurred at 2:30 p.m.
(1130GMT) in eastern Mosul’s Wihda neighborhood. Police officials had
no details on casualties. The religious denomination of the church
was not immediately clear, but it was believed to be Armenian.

An hour later, gunmen stormed the Chaldean Christian church in western
Mosul’s Shefa neighborhood, forcing a handful of people out before
rigging it with explosives and detonating them, according to Father
Ragheed Aziz, of the church. No casualties were reported.

Area residents said several carloads of gunmen surrounded the Chaldean
church before 20 militants stormed the church compound.

U.S. military spokeswoman Capt. Angela Bowman confirmed that one
church had been attacked and set on fire. American soldiers were
dispatched to the investigate the bombings.

Islamic militants have regularly targeted different sectors of Iraq’s
multiethnic population, including the minority Christians, in a bid
to disrupt the U.S.-led reconstruction of the war-scarred country.

Insurgents also launched two other attacks in the city, shooting dead
policeman Jassim Mohammed and firing a rocket-propelled grenade at
the home of police Lt. Col. Nashwan Mohammed, according to police
Capt. Ahmed Khalil.

In August, four churches in Baghdad and one in Mosul were blown up in
a coordinated series of car bombings, killing at least seven people
and wounding dozens more in the first significant strike against
Iraq’s minority Christians since the U.S. invasion began last year.

One person was killed and 11 injured in the August bombing of the
church in Mosul, where a minority Christian community has for long
lived in harmony with the city’s Sunni Arab majority, and many say
they still do. Any hostility toward Christians was mostly kept in
check under the toppled dictator, Saddam Hussein, who didn’t allow
militant Islamists to gain clout.

But Iraq’s community of 750,000 Christians has grown increasingly
anxious at the rise of Islamic fundamentalism since Saddam’s ouster
and hundreds have fled to neighboring Jordan and Syria.

Some of Iraq’s most feared Islamic militant terror networks, such
as the Ansar al-Sunnah Army and al-Qaida in Iraq, have claimed
responsibility for attacks in Mosul, the scene of a recent wave of
violence targeting U.S. and Iraqi forces and Kurds. Senior Muslim
leaders have condemned the violence, trying to quell Christian fears
they were being routed from the country.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Armenian Prelacy of Canada
3401 Olivar Asselin
Montreal, Quebec H4J 1L5
Contact Name: Dania Ohanian
Phone: (514) 856-1200
E-mail: [email protected]

85 People Register as Donors at the Armenian Prelacy of Canada Bone Marrow
Drive

Montreal (Qc)_ 85 donors registered in the Armenian Bone Marrow Project
organized jointly by the Armenian Prelacy of Canada and the Armenian Bone
Marrow Donor Registry (ABMDR) during the first weekend of December.

The youngest clergy member, Rev. Fr. Karnig Koyounian, Pastor of Sourp Hagop
Armenian Apostolic Cathedral, was one of the first people to provide a
sample of blood for the Bone Marrow Project.

Armenian Prelacy of Canada Executive Council and Armenian Revolutionary
Federation (ARF) Canada Central Committee members also participated in the
drive, as well as school officials and members of the Montreal and Laval
chapters of the ARF Youth Organization Committee of Canada and Homenetmen
Gamk (the scouting and athletic organization).

The Bone Marrow Project is a mission of crucial importance, which was put
into place to ensure that every Armenian (and others) struck with leukemia
or other blood related diseases have the hope of finding a genetically
suitable match for a bone marrow transplant, which often is the only and
final life-saving procedure for the patient.

However, due to the lack of Armenian donors in other registries and due to
the unique genetic make up of Armenians, finding a bone marrow match is more
likely to occur among other Armenians, rendering the ABMDR the greatest hope
for Armenians, particularly since only one match is projected for every 200
donors.

Established in 1999, the ABMDR is an internationally accredited,
independent, non-governmental, non-profit organization and currently has
more than 150 patients in need of a transplant.

Founded by Dr. Frieda Jordan and Dr. Sevak Avagyan, the ABMDR is a member of
the World Marrow Donor Association (WMDA) and the World Marrow Donor
Worldwide (WMDW), and although it shares its database information with other
registries around the world, it still needs as many donors as it can
recruit.

It is not too late to become a donor, for all those interested, please visit
for further information.

-30-

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AGREEMENT ON SALE OF ZANGEZUR PLANT TO BE SIGNED AFTER DECEMBER 13

ArmenPress
Dec 7 2004

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS: Armenian trade and economic
development ministry said the agreement with Germany’s Cronimet on
purchase of 75 percent of shares in Armenia’s Zangezur copper and
molybdenum plant will be signed after December 13. Earlier minister
Karen Chshmaritian said it would be signed by December 5. The ministry
said the agreement is being now finalized. Under the deal the German
company will pay $132 million for 75% of the stock.

Half of the remaining stock (12.5%) will be transferred to Armenian
Molybdenum Production (AMP), set up last year in Yerevan to process
molybdenum; the other 12.5% will go to management company Zangezur
Mining, created recently by the plant’s workforce and administration.

Cronimet has said it is ready to credit AMP and Zangezur Mining to
enable them to acquire their portion of stock. Cronimet owns 48%
of the stock in Yerevan’s Pure Iron, which processes molybdenum
concentrate produced by Zangezur plant.

PR Newswire US
December 7, 2004 Tuesday 02:00 PM GMT

American Red Cross Chapter Translates Its Web Site to Reach the
Growing Immigrant Communities it Serves

NEW YORK Dec. 7

NEW YORK, Dec. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Bowne Global Solutions
(BGS), the world’s leading provider of translation, localization and
interpretation services, recently volunteered its services to a
California chapter of the American Red Cross in order to help the
chapter improve its service to the local Korean, Spanish and Armenian
ethnic communities it serves. BGS translated mission-critical Web
site content related to disaster preparedness. This outreach effort
has received local media coverage and, since publishing the
translated content, the chapter has seen a 20% increase in the number
of visits to its site.

BGS translated the “Together We Prepare” portion of the
Glendale-Crescenta Valley Chapter’s web site, including directions on
how to prepare a home or workplace for disaster and where to go to
donate blood. For any business or governmental agency, translation
into the languages of the ethnic communities that surround it makes
good business sense. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that the number
of immigrants in the United States will increase by more than one
third by the year 2025.

“We have to consider the multi-ethnic nature of America when serving
those in our community who depend on us,” said Irena Efremian,
Assistant Chapter Manager of the Glendale-Crescenta Valley chapter.
“Our community is rich in cultural diversity, but our Web site was
only reaching a limited sector of it because only those who speak
English could read it. We needed to ensure that each translation —
Armenian, Spanish and Korean — would have the same fluency and
literacy level as the English version. Because BGS is recognized as
the premiere provider of quality translation services, we contacted
them to translate our site. We are more than satisfied with the
result.”

“Because the site is now translated into the languages of the local
ethnic communities, the Glendale-Crescenta Valley chapter can help
these communities prepare for disaster,” said Larry Wade, Senior Vice
President of the Americas for BGS. “It can also reach more people who
are potential blood donors. More and more of our clients are seeking
growth by targeting ethnic groups in their domestic market. BGS is
uniquely positioned to support them. We have more than 2,000
in-country project managers, linguists, translators, publishers and
programmers, who cover more than 60 languages and dialects.”

About the American Red Cross

Governed by volunteers and supported by community donations, the
American Red Cross is a nationwide network of nearly 900 field units
dedicated to saving lives and helping people prevent, prepare for and
respond to emergencies. Led by 1 million volunteers and 36,000
employees, the Red Cross annually mobilizes relief to families
affected by more than 70,000 disasters, trains almost 12 million
people in lifesaving skills and keeps U.S. military families
connected worldwide. The Red Cross is the largest supplier of blood
and blood products to more than 3,000 hospitals across the nation and
also assists victims of international disasters and conflicts at
locations worldwide. Marsha J. Evans is the President and CEO of the
American Red Cross.

About Bowne Global Solutions

Bowne Global Solutions (BGS) is one of the world’s leading providers
of multilingual solutions for products and documents, marketing and
communications, regulatory compliance, training and e-learning, and
globalization strategy. With employees in 24 countries, BGS is
ideally positioned to help companies adapt their products and
communications to reflect the unique linguistic and cultural
characteristics of their target markets worldwide. Supported by
proven project management methods and innovative technologies,
including the Elcano(TM) translation portal, clients have come to
rely on the BGS team for all of their translation, localization,
technical writing and interpretation needs. For more information,
visit .

Bowne Global Solutions is a business unit of Bowne & Co., Inc.
(NYSE:BNE), a global leader in providing high-value solutions that
empower our clients’ communications. In addition to BGS, Bowne &
Co.’s diversified business units include Bowne Financial Print, the
world’s largest financial printer, and Bowne Enterprise Solutions, a
leading provider of digital printing and electronic delivery of
personalized communications. For more information visit
.

CONTACT: Norma Hopcraft of Bowne Global Solutions, +1-917-339-4833,
[email protected]

Web site:

SOURCE Bowne Global Solutions

ANKARA AND YEREVAN ECONOMIC INTERESTS CAN SHOVE BACK KARABAKH PROBLEM

PanArmenian News
Dec 7 2004

07.12.2004 15:10

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The analytical section of Gazetasng.ru draws
attention to the coincidence of the Brussels making a decision to
accelerate the beginning of the talks on accession of Turkey to
the European Union and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit
to Ankara. As reported by Gazetasng.ru, some Turkish media again
started speaking about a possible settlement of the Armenian-Azeri
relations, as well as establishment of Turkish-Armenian diplomatic
relations. In the opinion of the Internet edition, “there are implicit
signs that Ankara does not intend to publicly and unambiguously
support Azerbaijan in the Karabakh issue.” In the opinion of the
article author, Turkey is not against Armenia having the foreign
trade transit via the railway from Gumri to Ankara, Istanbul and to
the Balkans either. “There are reasons for supposing that long-term
economic interests of Moscow, Ankara and Yerevan will allow to shove
back the Nagorno Karabakh problem.” As noted by the Turkish media,
Ankara perceives that Turkey’s obstinacy and e.g. a direct or indirect
participation in the events in the North Caucasus can entail Russia
(and even Armenia) supporting the Kurdish rebels, who operate exactly
in the Turkish sector of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan trunk. As supposed by
Kerimoghlu Turkish historian, “Turkey has its interests in the region,
however she does not wish to quarrel with Russia and its allies in the
same region. Turkey bewares that while she is sorting out relationships
with Moscow and Yerevan, Americans will establish their hegemony in
the Transcaucasia and the Caspian (as they have done in the North of
Iraq that Turkey has aspired for a long time). It should be reminded
that the Azeri-Turkish relations are not always unclouded, and the
anti-Turkish moods are not that rare among the Russian-language Azeri
intelligence and other strata of the society.

ARKA News Agency
Dec 7 2004

In near future conference dedicated to condition of Armenians in
Javahkh to take place in that region

Nagorno Karabakh commemorates 16th anniversary of Spitak earthquake

RA President visits Gyumri to participate in event dedicated to
commemoration of 1988 earthquake victims

The third edition of a bulletin of information Office of the Council
of Europe in Armenia was issued

*********************************************************************

IN NEAR FUTURE CONFERENCE DEDICATED TO CONDITION OF ARMENIANS IN
JAVAHKH TO TAKE PLACE IN THAT REGION

YEREVAN, December 7. /ARKA/. In near future conference dedicated to
condition of Armenians in Javahkh (Georgia) will take place in that
region, RA NA Vice Speaker Vahan Hovannesian stated today. According
to him, the slogan of the activity is “Integration, Not
Assimilation”. He also said that these issues were discussed at the
recent meeting of ARF Dashnaktsutyun Party member Grant Margarian
with the deputies of Georgian Parliament of Armenian origin. L.D.
–0–

*********************************************************************

NAGORNO KARABAKH COMMEMORATES 16TH ANNIVERSARY OF SPITAK EARTHQUAKE

STEPANAKERT, December 7. /ARKA/. Nagorno Karabakh commemorated 16th
anniversary of Spitak earthquake. Representatives of NKR
administration headed with the President Arkady Gukasian, members of
the Parliament and the Government, representative of the army, and
other officials visited Memorial Complex of Stepanakert and laid
flowers to the monument of earthquake victims.
On Dec 7, 1988 devastating earthquake took place in the north of
Armenia in Spitak. More than 25 thousand people became victims of the
earthquake. L.D. –0–

*********************************************************************

RA PRESIDENT VISITS GYUMRI TO PARTICIPATE IN EVENT DEDICATED TO
COMMEMORATION OF 1988 EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS

YEREVAN, December 7. /ARKA/. The RA President Robert Kocharian
visited today Gyumri city to participate in event on commemoration of
victims of 1988 Spitak earthquake. According to the Press Service of
RA President, Kocharian laid a wreath to the earthquake victims
Memorial and took part in the requiem mass.
Note, Spitak earthquake of December 7, 1988 claimed lives of more
than 25 thou people, making about 140 thou people disabled and
leaving homeless about half a million people. The earthquake utterly
destroyed two cities in the north of Armenia – Spitak and Leninakan
(now – Gyumri), over a hundred villages. Several cities were
partially ruined. L.V.–0

*********************************************************************

THE THIRD EDITION OF A BULLETIN OF INFORMATION OFFICE OF THE COUNCIL
OF EUROPE IN ARMENIA WAS ISSUED

YEREVAN, December 7. /ARKA/. The third edition of a bulletin of
Information Office of the Council of Europe (CE) in Armenia was
issued. The bulletin contains an article of the representative of
Secretary General of the CE in Armenia Natalia Voutova about
important developments in CE related to Armenia; the review of an
international conference devoted to improvement of status of women
held on October 22 in Yerevan; the results of the visit of Deputy
Secretary General of CE to Armenia; information about the Armenian
Ombudsman Larisa Alaverdyan; about the European heritage in Armenia
“from Development of Characters to Electronic Culture”; youth seminar
-course “Caucasus in Europe”. The bulletin also contains information
about the strategy of national re-training for local self-governing
institutions, about the mission and the activity of the School of
Human Rights in Armenia.
The first edition of the bulletin was issued in December 2003. The
bulletin is issued twice a year – in autumn and spring with the aim
of introducing Armenian in the context of the CE and covering
programs implemented by the CE in Armenia. Since 2004 the bulletin
has been published on the site of the Office at A.H. –0—

*********************************************************************

–Boundary_(ID_m1aH0QSzO/PU0csRn+MCrw)–

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
12/07/2004
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://

1) Aram I Reacts Sharply to Turkish Foreign Minister’s Remark
2) Gunmen Attack Armenian, Chaldean Churches in Mosul
3) Hovhannisian: Russia’s Position not Conducive to Armenia’s Ability to
Freely
Decide to Send Troops to Iraq
4) Armenia’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry Opens its Doors in the US
5) BRIEFS

1) Aram I Reacts Sharply to Turkish Foreign Minister’s Remark

ANTELIAS–His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, has
invited Turkey’s prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to visit the Cilicia
Museum in Cilicia to witness the “irrefutable evidence of the genocide
perpetrated by the Turks.”
His Holiness was responding to Erdogan’s comments made during the opening of
the first museum in Turkey dedicated to the country’s Armenian minority.
The opening of the museum appears to be a calculated move by Turkey–aspiring
for candidacy to the European Union (EU). The 25-nation bloc has pressured
Turkey to enable its recognized minorities and the Kurds to fully exercise
their rights. Erdogan’s comments come just days before EU leaders are to meet
in Brussels to decide whether to allow Turkey to begin accession talks on its
membership.
“Instead of looking at facts, people have distorted history through
suppositions and misinformation,” Erdogan said at the opening of the museum,
referring to the genocide of Armenians in 1915 by the Ottoman government–a
fact that the Turkish government vehemently denies.
Alluding to the artifacts housed in the Cilicia museum of the
Catholicosate of
Cilicia in Lebanon, His Holiness Aram I told Erdogan that the remains of the
spiritual and cultural heritage of the Armenian people rescued from Cilicia
speak for themselves. “You would see manuscripts, church vessels, and other
articles of spiritual value, that the Armenians of Adana, Zeytoun, Hajen, Sis,
and other places in Cilicia and Western Armenia saved as they fled the horrors
of massacre. All these precious remains of our spiritual heritage reached
Antelias via Der Zor. No one who sees these remains would talk of
“assumptions”
and “distortion” of facts,” states the Catholicos, rather referring to them as
“clear evidence of Turkish barbarism.”
“History is based on clear facts and not assumptions,” continues the
Catholicos. “As much as you and others may deny [it], the Armenian Genocide is
a fact of history.”
The Catholicos also states that in commemorating the 90th anniversary of the
Armenian genocide, Armenians throughout the world will become one force to
demand the recognition of the genocide perpetrated by Turkey and
restoration of
their human rights thus far denied.

2) Gunmen Attack Armenian, Chaldean Churches in Mosul

MOSUL (AFP/Reuters)–Two churches in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul came
under simultaneous attack, but there were no immediate reports of casualties.
Gunmen stormed into the city’s Chaldean and Armenian churches in the latest
attacks on Iraq minority Christian community, witnesses and clerics said
Tuesday.
“Gunmen entered the church at about 4:30 p.m. They gathered those present in
one room and planted explosive charges in different parts of the building,”
said Father Raghid Aziz Kara at the Chaldean church.
“We were then taken outside and the armed men set off the devices. We heard
three blasts,” he told AFP outside the church which was set ablaze.
At the same moment, gunmen attacked an Armenian church, forcing out a
security
guard and two other people inside the building, the guard said, adding: “I
heard two explosions.”
Smoke poured from the Armenian church and flames could be seen inside the
Chaldean church, Reuters reporters said. It was not clear how many people had
been in the churches when they were attacked but the number was apparently not
large.
Mosul, with a population of 1.2 million, is home to many of Iraq’s
Christians,
who make up about three percent of the national population.
The Chaldean church, one of the largest in Mosul, was built in the 1950s and
enlarged four decades later.
The Chaldeans, whose 600,000 people represent the majority of Christians in
Iraq, are an oriental rite Catholic community.
Armenian Christians in Iraq number only a few thousand.
On November 8, at least three people were killed and 45 wounded when two
suspected car bombs exploded within minutes of each other outside two churches
in southern Baghdad.
In a coordinated assault on August 1, six car bombs killed 10 people and
injured 50 others outside churches in Baghdad and Mosul.

3) Hovhannisian: Russia’s Position not Conducive to Armenia’s Ability to
Freely
Decide to Send Troops to Iraq

YEREVAN (Combined Sources)–The issue of sending an Armenian military unit to
Iraq was discussed at the recently held meeting of the Armenian-Russian
Interparliamentary Cooperation Commission.
Deputy Speaker of Parliament Vahan Hovhannisian, who co-chairs the
interparliamentary commission and headed up the Armenian delegation, reported
on December 7 that the Russian side had expressed concern at the prospect of
Armenian troops in Iraq.
Hovhannisian said the Armenian side, in turn, raised the issue of whether
Russia’s forgiving of Iraq’s multibillion-dollar debt is not tantamount to
providing economic assistance to an Iraqi government that is an instrument of
US occupation.
The deputy speaker also underscored that Russia had not forgiven Armenia’s
debt, which is significantly less than Iraq’s.
“We told our Russian colleagues that their positions in international forums
do not at all contribute to Armenia’s ability to make a sovereign decision
regarding the matter [of sending troops to Iraq],” Hovhannisian stated.
The Russian side also expressed a certain level of resentment regarding
Armenia’s relations with NATO, according to the deputy speaker. “We clearly
explained to our colleagues that those relations are one of the prongs of our
independent policy, and we are not prepared to make concessions in that
regard,” Hovhannisian said.
The head of the Armenian delegation said the sides had, nevertheless, reached
an agreement to hold interparliamentary consultations regarding matters that
deal with NATO.

4) Armenia’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry Opens its Doors in the US

GLENDALE–The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Armenia
(ARMCCI) opened its regional office for the US and Canada on December 7 in
Glendale, California. In an effort to develop strong relations between the
Chambers of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Armenia and US/Canada,
the
office will work to create mutually beneficial ties between the business
communities of Armenia and Northern America. Businessmen who wish to establish
or have already established businesses in Armenia may contact the office or
visit for more information.
1807 West Glenoaks Blvd., Suite 201
Glendale, CA 91201
(818) 247-0603, (818) 548-1177

5) BRIEFS

Diaspora Armenian Seeks Fraud Case against Yerevan Partner

YEREVAN (RFE-RL)–Prominent Armenian-American George Najarian, who has helped
to ship millions of dollars worth of medical supplies to Armenia, pleaded with
a Yerevan court on Tuesday to press fraud charges against his former local
partner who has allegedly misappropriated his expensive property. He asked the
court through his legal representatives to order state prosecutors to reopen a
criminal case against the formal owner of a photo shop and two buildings
currently constructed in central Yerevan.
Najarian maintains that he is the real owner of the property, which he says
was registered in the name of Grigor Igitian, in 1996, because Armenian law at
the time banned foreign nationals from owning land. Subsequent legal
amendments
allowed authorities not to apply the ban to ethnic Armenian foreigners with
long-term residency permits. Najarian accuses Igitian of breaking his
pledge to
give up the lucrative assets, in which he claims to have invested $500,000,
once the restriction was dropped. Igitian denies the accusations, saying that
he invested more than Najarian did; however, it is unclear how the former
English-language interpreter and university lecturer could have raised so much
money.

Greeks Want Turkey to Recognize Cyprus Independence

YEREVAN (Yerkir)–Results of a poll conducted by the To Paron weekly in
Athens, revealed the results of a recent poll indicating that most Greeks are
against starting accession talks with Turkey in its bid to join the European
Union unless Turkey recognizes the Greek Republic of Cyprus and accepts
Greece’s demands regarding the Greek-Turkish relations. Nearly 82.1 percent
are
resolute in pressing Turkey to recognize Cyprus, while 89.3 percent believe
that Athens should veto the accession talks in case Turkey fails to accept
Greece’s demands.

Paris Sets Conditions for EU Talks with Turkey

YEREVAN (Yerkir)–In its December 6 issue, the Financial Times reported that
Paris will set three conditions for the start of EU membership talks with
Turkey. During the December 16-17 summit, President Jacques Chirac will
request
to clarify that Turkey must settle for less than full membership if the talks
fail. He is also expected to provide a reminder that the French people can
ultimately reject Turkey’s membership bid in a referendum, even if the talks
succeed, and that the accession talks should not start until the second
half of
2005, to prevent a dispute over Turkish membership dominating the French
referendum on the EU constitution, expected by June next year.

Le Figaro: Erdogan Uncomfortable with EU Distraction

YEREVAN (Yerkir)–Le Figaro newspaper reported that Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan is uncomfortable with Turkey’s preoccupation with the
European Union (EU). A headline read, “Erdogan does not exclude ‘no, thank
you,’ as an answer to Europe.” The story continued, “the political parties in
Turkey, as well as the people in the streets and press, have the belief that
the EU requires too many conditions from Turkey compared to other candidates,
and that is not fair.”

German Opposition Leaders Urge Schroeder to Prevent Turkey’s Accession to EU

YEREVAN (Yerkir)–Leaders of Germany’s conservative opposition have
written to
Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder urging him to stop the European Union from
opening
entry talks with Turkey. Angela Merkel, head of the Christian Democrats (CDU)
and Edmund Stoiber, head of the CDU’s Bavarian sister party the Christian
Social Union (CSU), argued that Turkey should be offered a “privileged
partnership” with the EU instead of full membership.
The Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung newspaper quoted extracts from the
letter to Schroeder in which they said that Turkey’s entry would “overstretch”
the EU.

No Fir or Pine Trees to be Cut

YEREVAN (Armenpress)–A little more than three weeks before the New Year as
Armenians begin to decorate their homes with Christmas trees, the Armenian
nature protection and agricultural ministries issued a joint order prohibiting
cutting of fir and pine trees in order to improve reproduction and
preservation
of natural woods. Both ministries said they will work closely with police to
regulate cut trees and punish the culprits.

All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier
and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and
subscription requests.
(c) 2004 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved.

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.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenia actively settling occupied Azeri territories – minister

Trend news agency
7 Dec 04

Baku, 7 December: In an effort to invigorate the results of its
military aggression, Armenia, which has occupied the Nagornyy Karabakh
region and adjacent districts of Azerbaijan, is actively settling the
occupied territories, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov
said in his remarks at the 12th meeting of the OSCE Foreign Ministers
Council in Sofia, the press service of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry
has told Trend.

The minister said this means a flagrant violation of international
humanitarian law, namely, the 1949 Geneva Convention. Mammadyarov added
that Azerbaijan adheres to a negotiated solution to the conflict on
the basis of international legal norms and principles, four UN Security
Council resolutions and OSCE documents. It was stressed that Azerbaijan
is ready to restore relations with Armenia, but before that can happen
Armenia must start acting not on the basis of the position it has
secured by means of force and the ideology of territorial claims,
but on the basis of principles of international law and democracy.

Giving a positive assessment to the Prague meetings, Mammadyarov
expressed his concern over the illegal activities carried out on the
occupied territories, which damage the peace process, and called on
the OSCE to contribute to the conflict settlement.

[Passage to end omitted: Mammadyarov had a number of other meetings
in Sofia]