Wrangling over Cyprus mars historic EU Turkey deal
Expatica, Netherlands
Dec 17 2004
BRUSSELS – The European Union’s breakthrough invitation to Turkey
for the start of historic membership negotiations – a goal sought by
Ankara for over 40 years – came only after last minute wrangles over
Cyprus almost scuppered the accord.
The deal to open talks with Muslim Turkey is a major turning point
for European Union, which until now has been a mainly Christian club.
For Turkey the move is a landmark recognition of a decades old drive
to be seen as a European nation.
But celebrations after a two-day summit in Brussels were marred by
an unseemly, eleventh-hour battle over EU demands that Turkey give
fast-track recognition to Cyprus
via the signing of a customs union deal.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan rejected this and instead
forced a compromise under which he verbally pledged to sign the
agreement by the 3 October, 2005 start for accession talks, diplomats
said. EU leaders welcomed Turkey’s declaration.
The skirmish was a less than auspicious start for what were always
going to be tough negotiations to bring Turkey – with its far poorer
much more rural population – into the EU.
Even pro-Turkey leaders such as German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder
say negotiations with Ankara may drag out until 2019.
The squabbles at the Brussels summit once again reflected the EU’s
complex decision-making machinery where one member state – in this
case tiny Cyprus – can make nationally driven demands.
Although it had never previously been a condition for starting talks
with Turkey, Cyprus, which only joined the EU last May, swiftly
objected to the fact that Turkey refuses to grant it diplomatic
recognition.
Turkey, until now, has only recognised the self-styled state of
Turkish northern Cyprus.
This led to hours of shuttle diplomacy at the summit with Turkey
supporters Germany and Britain being called in to mediate.
Erdogan dug in his heels due to fears that voters at home and the
ever-sensitive Turkish parliament would rebel if he was seen to be
caving in on the spot to last-minute EU demands.
Turkey has been knocking at Europe’s door since 1963 and the goal of
EU membership has spurred unprecedented reforms under Erdogan which
have won wide admiration in the EU.
For Europe, taking in Turkey makes sense for a host of economic and
geo-political reasons.
EU leaders such as Chancellor Schroeder point equally to the huge
market provided by Turkey’s booming economy and population of
70 million as well as the security advantage of making Turkey a
democratic, secular beacon for the Islamic world.
Taking in Turkey will also boost the morale of the 15 million Muslims
already living in the EU who still face tough integration challenges.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair has long seen enlargement of the EU
as a way both to weaken the Franco-German dominance of the bloc and
to boost transatlantic ties. The US has long been a strong backer of
Turkish EU membership.
Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende – who holds the rotating
EU presidency – said the goal of negotiations beginning next year was
full accession of Turkey but cautioned: “We’re going to negotiate to
see if membership is possible. There’s no guarantee it is possible.”
Should negotiations fail, he said, Turkey must remain firmly anchored
in EU structures. This, however, is not the same thing as the offer
second class membership – dubbed a “privileged partnership” – which
was rejected by EU leaders.
Despite Friday’s EU deal with Turkey, Ankara’s path to membership
will be difficult.
Turkey faces a huge task in meeting standards of what European
Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso earlier stressed was a “very
demanding Union.”
Erdogan’s reforms are seen by the EU as just a start and Ankara’s
lengthy “to do” list includes major improvements in political and
economic structures. EU 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.
Asked about calls by France for Turkey to recognise the killing of
up to 1.5 million Christian Armenians under the Ottoman Empire in
1915 as a genocide, Barroso said the question would have to be up
for frank discussion.
But he underlined this should take place at a later date. Turkey
rejects the label of genocide with regard to the Armenians.

GEORGIA SIMPLIFIES CUSTOMS AND ROAD PROCEDURES FOR ARMENIAN CARGO TRANSIT
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 17. ARMINFO. In Mar 2005 Georgia will significantly
simplify its customs and road procedures for Armenian cargo transit in
terms of both quoting and taxation, says Levan Jagarkava, the chief
of the customs control and methodology department of the customs
department of Georgia’s Finance Ministry.
Jan 1 2005 Georgia is enforcing its new tax code envisaging only 8
instead of 18 taxes. The code cuts the tax tariff for individuals
crossing the border and is unifies cargo and vehicle clearance
procedures for them. Georgia is not only simplifying its customs
procedures but is also improving its customs infrastructure. The
customs service personnel has been cut from 2,500 to 900 people in
the last year while the customs duty collection has grown from $15-17
mln to $40 mln a year.
The president of the Center for regional Development Transaprency
International Amalia Kostanyan says that Georgia’s reforms will
tangibly boost the trade between Armenia and Georgia.
In Jan-Oct 2004 the Armenian-Georgian trade turnover totalled $59.7
mln which was 3.6% of Armenia’s foreign trade and 38.6% more than
in Jan-Oct 2003. The Armenian exports was $20.49 mln the Georgian
imports $39.2 mln.

GROSS INTERNATIONAL RESERVES OF ARMENIA INCREASED BY $3.6 MLN IN JAN-OCT, 2004
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 17. ARMINFO. Gross international reserves of Armenia
increased by $3.6 mln during Jan-Oct of the current year, and in Oct as
against Sept they increased by $8.1 mln, totalling $513.8 mln. Gross
international reserves privatized funds exclusive totaled $491.6 mln
by the end of Oct, 2004, increased by $7.7 mln as against Sept, 2004,
and compared with Dec 2003 it decreased by $10.4 mln.
SDR in IMF decreased by $10.4 mln in Jan-Oct of the current year as
against the same period of last year, and in Oct as against Sept it
decreased by $2.4 mln, totaling $8.4 mln. Currency assets increased
by $14.0 mln in Jan-Oct of the current year, and in Oct as against
Sept it increased by $10.5 mln, totalling $505.4 mln.
It should be noted that the share of gold in gross international
reserves was nulled in Dec 2003. By Jan 1, 2004 Gross international
reserves totaled $510.2 mln. SDR in IMF was $18.8 mln. Currency
assets totaled $491.4 mln. Gross international reserves privatized
funds exclusive totaled $502.0 mln by the beginning of 2004.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EU HAS NO INTENTION TO ADVANCE ISSUE OF RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN
GENOCIDE BY TURKEY AS PRECONDITION TO OPEN EU ENTRY TALKS
BRUSSELS, DECEMBER 17. ARMINFO. Asked whether the EU would press for
Turkey to recognize a genocide of Armenians early in the last century,
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said there were
no plans to add new hurdles to Ankara’s bid to open EU entry talks,
Reuters reports.
“We can’t introduce new political conditions. it wouldn’t be fair to
do that… That was not one of them, so neither today nor tomorrow
are we going to come up with new political provisos,” he said.
But he stressed that the topic was not taboo but rather one that
would be dealt with in the future: “The issue raised and possibly
many others must be the subject of open and frank dialogue.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

BY THE END OF 2004 SANIR COMPANY TO ANNOUNCE TENDER FOR SUBCONTRACTOR WORK ON
ARMENIAN SECTION OF IRAN-ARMENIA GAS PIPELINE
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 17. ARMINFO. By the end of this year the Sanir
company from Iran will give start to a tender to enroll subcontractors
for laying the Armenian section of the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline,
says the director general of ArmRosGazprom company Karen Karapetyan.
He says that his company will certainly take part in the tender and
has quite good chances to win it. “Even if we lose the winners will
be forced to cooperate with us considering that we have domestic gas
market monopoly,” says Karapetyan. He notes that after the Iran-Armenia
gas pipeline is built and the Abovyan underground gas depositary is
restored Armenia will have almost no energy security problems.
Sanir is the general contractor of the project. Iran will lend Armenia
$30 mln for laying the Armenian section of the pipeline – from Megri
to Kajaran. The loan will be given for 7.5 years at 5% a year. The
project will be finished in two years to be launched Jan 1 2007.

IF ISSUE OF RETURN OF POPULATION’S DEPOSITS NOT SOLVED, ALREADY IN SPRING
PEOPLE WILL RAISE WAVE OF PROTEST: ARMENIAN MP
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 17. ARMINFO. If the Armenian Government does
not solve the issue of return of population’s deposits with the
Savingsbank of the former USSR, in the spring of 2005 the people will
raise such a wave, that the country’s authorities will envy Eduard
Shevardnadze and Leonid Kuchma. Armenian MP Hmayak Hovhannissyan
says at a press-conference at the club “Pakagits,” Friday. It was
Hovhannissyan that initiated the extraordinary parliamentary session
on this issue.
In his words, if the issue is not solved, the population will show its
attitude to the ruling coalition already at the next elections. If
the authorities are unable to solve this problem, they must send
in their resignation, otherwise it will lead to establishment of a
fascist regime in Armenia, Hovhannissyan says. He states that his
initiative pursued a goal of exposing the ruling coalition, which
ignores the interests of the population in such important issues.
If the coalition represetnatives, in particular, Republicans and
Dashnaks, do not attend the extraordinary parliamentary session,
I will apply to the population from the tribune demanding that the
coalition MPs be brought to the parliament, Hovhannissyan states. The
problem with return of the population’s deposits could be solved even
several years ago. Then the authorities could distribute the shares
of the privatized enterprises to the depositors, hereby solving the
problem, he states.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Aliyev Comments on Georgia
Civil Georgia, Georgia
Dec 17 2004
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said on December 17 that the
problems of blocked freight movement on the Georgian border will be
settled only after the Azerbaijani side is convinced that these goods
are not designated for Armenia.
“Azerbaijan will never permit the import of freight to Armenia via
its own territory,” RIA Novosti quotes the Azerbaijani President as
saying on December 17.
“The stoppage of train vans causes damage to both Georgia and
Azerbaijan. But we have no other way,” Aliyev added.
While commenting on the problems of ethnic Azeris living in Georgia,
Aliyev said that the Azerbaijani authorities always focus on this
issue, adding that “the Azerbaijanis in Georgia are citizens of
Georgia and they should respect the laws of their country.”
“There are particular forces which are trying to cause damage to the
relationship between Georgia and Azerbaijan. We know these forces;
unfortunately, they act inside our country as well. But basically
these forces operate outside Azerbaijan,” Aliyev said.
“We will never permit that the strategic relations between Georgia
and Azerbaijan to be endangered,” the Azerbaijani President added.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Anadolu Agency
Dec 17 2004
Patriarch Of Armenian Community In Turkey: I Advocate Turkey’s
Membership To The E.U.
ISTANBUL (AA) – Mesrob II, Patriarch of Armenian Community in Turkey,
said on Thursday that he always advocated Turkey’s membership to the
European Union (EU). He said he believed the EU would give a date to
Turkey on December 17th to start full membership negotiations.
Mesrob II told A.A correspondent that he shared the view that
the EU was not a Christian club, and noted that, ”religion and
religious culture have become a tool of politics both for the EU and
the Turkish politicians more than necessary. Parliaments of the EU
member countries do not make decisions according to the doctrines of
the Bible and the Turkish parliament does not make its decisions
according to Koran. Integration of the EU and Turkey would be for the
interest of the region, the world and the peace among the
civilizations.”
Replying to a question about the attitude of the Armenians
living in France, putting forward the allegations of ”so-called
Armenian genocide”, toward Turkey’s EU membership, Mesrob II said,
”the disaster in 1915 is an issue which can be abused. To this end,
the foreigners will bring this issue on the agenda when they have the
opportunity. The issue should be excluded from being an issue of
exploitation soon by starting official and unofficial dialogue
process.”
”Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in an earlier
statement said this was the job of historians and should be left to
historians. His statements are extremely realistic. Meeting face to
face with history is important for building of future on solid basis.
People can not embrace each other before making peace. Dialogue
process should be initiated,” Mesrob II said.

France Discusses Chirac’s Surprise Turkey Support
Zaman, Turkey
Dec 17 2004
French President Jacques Chirac is being fiercely criticized for his
open support of Turkey prior to the historic European Union (EU)
summit in spite of French public opinion and opposition by Chirac’s
own party.
The leader of the coalition partner representing France’s
center-right, the Union for Public Movement (UDF) party, Francois
Bayrou, accused Chirac of ignoring the government’s position and
acting like a monarch in his support of Turkey’s EU membership bid.
Bayrou told RTL radio yesterday: “I listened to what the President
said with sadness and anger. This is a monarchy. And many French
people do not want to live under a monarchy, even if it is a
presidential one. In any other country, such an important decision
could not be made by a single person in such a unilateral way.” Alain
Madelin, a former government minister and deputy in the UMP also
reacted to Chirac’s speech describing the president’s decision as
unilateral that was not based on any democratic debate or vote. He
called the decision the “bankruptcy of democracy.” Nicolas Sarkozy,
UMP leader and potential rival for the French presidency in 2007,
said Chirac has created “incontestable difficulty” and said, “I have
to calm certain things.” UMP Parliamentary Group Chair Bernard
Accoyer, explained that a consensus had been reached within the party
regarding the beginning of negotiations with Turkey and that the
majority is against Turkey’s membership.
Armenians pleased with Chirac
The Armenian Diaspora living in France is pleased with Chirac’s
televised speech on Wednesday (December 15). In a historic statement,
Chirac used the word “drama” instead of the expression “Armenian
Genocide” and said Turkey would one day respect the Armenians’
“collective memory.” Harout Mardirossian, President of the Committee
for the Defense of the Armenian Cause, said Chirac described the
issue of “Armenian Genocide” as “a problem between Turkey and
Armenia” a few months ago and said they are pleased with Chirac’s
statement.
12.17.2004
Ali Ihsan Aydin
Paris

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan
Dec 17 2004
SPEAKER MEETS WITH UZBEK AMBASSADOR
[December 17, 2004, 15:01:09]
Speaker of the Milli Majlis /Parliament/ of Azerbaijan Murtuz
Alasgarov received Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Azerbaijan Abdugafur
Abdurahmanov in connection with completion of his diplomatic mission
in Azerbaijan. The Speaker noted that after gaining independence,
relations between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan entered the new era, and
that reciprocal visits of the Heads of State had played an important
role in deepening of bilateral cooperation. He also mentioned the
successfully developing contacts of the two countries’ parliaments.
Mr. Alasgarov also touched upon the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over
Nagorno-Karabakh expressing gratitude to the government and people of
Uzbekistan for the support of the fair position of Azerbaijan in
relation to this issue.
The Speaker finally thanked the Ambassador for his contribution to
development of friendly relations between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan
and wished him every success in his future activities.
Ambassador Abdugafur Abdurahmanov said for his part that his country
attaches importance to development of relations with Azerbaijan.
Noting he has felt at home in Azerbaijan, he stressed he would always
support the right cause of the country wherever he works. The
diplomat expressed hope that members of the Milli Majlis would
observe the upcoming parliamentary elections in Uzbekistan. He also
expressed confidence that the newly appointed ambassador who is
expected to arrive in Baku within a few next days would work hard to
promote strengthening and deepening of Azerbaijan-Uzbekistan
relationship.
The parties also exchanged views on a number of other issues of
mutual interest.