Turkish optimism?

By Aram Ananian

Yerkir/am
September 17, 2004

Gunter Verheugen , EU Commissioner on Enlargement visited Turkey last
week. The Commissioner’s introductory visit will have a significant
impact on the launch of accession talks for Turkey and the country’s
report on progress in proceeding with EU membership.

Verheugen ‘s visit reminds of Gogol’s `Inspectorâ=80=9D – on the one
hand, the EU Commissioner is trying to make general statements and put
forward neutral arguments to make the Turks understand that they still
have a long way to go before they can become EU member.

The Turks, in their turn, are trying to convince Europe that they have
already done their best to meet the Copenhagen criteria for EU
membership.

Verheugen ‘s visit included meetings with public officials,
representatives of the civil society, local authorities in the regions
and the population.

The first procedural meetings were held with prime-minister Erdogan
and foreign minister Gull. At these meetings, Verheugen reaffirmed his
support for Turkey’s membership in the EU, Turkish newspaper
`Akshamâ=80=9D states. After the meeting with Erdogan, the
Commissioner pointed out that Turkey has made significant
progress. Nevertheless, Verheugen also stated that Turkey needs time
to complete the reforms necessary for jopining the EU.

Interestingly, Verheugen visited Diarbekir and Izmir where he met
governor Nusret Miroglu, mayor Osman Baydemir as well as member of
democratic party, ethnic Kurd ex-deputy Leila Zana who is currently
under home detention.

Diyarbakir has a large Kurdish population and the EU Commissioner had
a good opportunity of getting a better understanding of the problems
the Kurds are facing especially that a meeting with the
representatives of local NGOâ=80=99s was scheduled during the visit.

Minority issues are most likely to be the core issue during the
accession talks. Even though Turkey has tried to meet some of the
Copenhagen criteriait has neglected minority issues. Turkish newspaper
Zaman has quoted Verheugenas saying that minority issues will be
reflected in the report. Verheugen stated Turkey still has a lot to do
in this sphere.

During his visit, Verheugen has pointed to the necessity of granting
the Kurds more comprehensive cultural and social rights. This means
that Turkeysimply overlooks the problems of religious minorities. The
Turkish public administration machine is having problems with
adjusting to the realities and norms accepted in the civilized
world. The official Ankara has not changed its approach of neglecting
problems it does not want to address.

According to Turkish newspaper sources, Verheugen discussed accession
issues with representatives of NGO’s in Diyarbakir . He also visited a
Kurdish village. Answering the journalists’ questions at Ataturk
airport inIstanbul, Verheugen called the Turkish government to pay
more attention to the situation in South-Eastern Anatolia specifically
ensuring more comprehensive cultural rights for the Kurds and
undertaking the necessary measures for economic development of the
region.

Verheugen stated that despite some drawbacks, Turkey has accomplished
political reforms and is now trying to consolidate them. One of the
most important issues in the Turkish progress report is the creation
of a Christian spiritual lyceum.

Strange enough, the issue is on the agenda of Turkey’s Security
Council. In other words, Turkey believes that the spiritual education
of the religious leaders of minorities can seriously threaten Turkey’s
national security.

According to Turkish newspaper sources, Verheugen has also met with
the representatives of religious minorities. Verheugen has expressed
his satisfaction with Turkey’s efforts to join the EU noting that the
progress report will be objective and unbiased. He noted that
religious freedom will necessarily be included in Turkey’s progress
report.

The Turkish press has broadly addressed the activities of a joint
Independent Committee on Turkey established by the British Council and
Open Society Institute. This Committee includes ex-heads of state,
foreign ministers, EU Commissioners and other high-ranked officials.

The Committee’s publication of a report on Turkey’s accession to the
EU coincided with Verheugen ‘s visit. The report stated that
accessiontalks with Turkey can start only after it has met the
Copenhagen criteria. The Committee members stated that it is necessary
to clarify the issue of accession negotiations with Turkey since
otherwise the EU will lose Turkey’s trust.

The Committee has noted that the EU has to treat Turkey in an unbiased
and respectful way. The report was presented by Finish ex-president
Marti Ahtisaari. He stated that a `silent revolution’ has taken place
in Turkey in the last few years driven by the determination to join
the EU.

What are Turkey’s real chances of joining the EU? Turkish
newspaper`Radical’ concludes its analysis of the question by stating
that Turkey’s comparative advantage is its relatively young
population, the geographical location and the strong army.

Another optimistic article published in `Radical’ newspaperassures
that the report to be published by the EU Commission will finally
clarify the date for launching the accession negotiations. The
newspaper’s optimism derives from Verheugen ‘s assurance that the
report to be presented to the Commission will be unbiased. Turks seem
to really believe that their country is European and that they are
facing double standards when the issue comes to the country’s
membership in the European Union.

The newspaper quotes foreign minister Gull’s statement that he is
expecting a `great decision’ from Europe and that Turkey is even more
interested in consistency in implementing reforms than Europe.

A similar opinion has been expressed in all the major Turkish
newspapers. Turkey’s ex-foreign minister Ilter Turkman has pointed
out that minority issues are among Europe’s top priorities. He noted
that even though Greeceis formally supporting Turkey’s membership in
the EU, it is playing a double game by constantly bringing up the
issue of the property of religious organizations, spiritual centers
and the Orthodox church.

Mehmed Ali Birand, an experienced journalist, noted that the European
officials’ visits do not mean anything since they promise to start
accession talks while at the same time stating that the start of the
accession talks does not mean membership. Their position is that
Turkey can become EU member in 10-15 years. Finally, the European
officials state that even 15 years is not enough for Turkey.

This means that some segments of the Turkish society have come to
understand that Brussels is not satisfied with Turkey’s efforts to
join the EU. This can potentially result in two developments. The less
likely scenario is that Turkey will try to improve its performance in
terms of democratic reforms.

The other option is that the Turks will get tired of efforts to join
the EU and will adjust to a compromise which will not mean membership
in the EU but some kind of special relations with Europe (for instance
a more comprehensive customs union).

Publications in other Turkish newspapers reveal that there are some
new pre-conditions for Turkey’s membership including the addressing
theissues of unemployment, stopping emigration from South-Eastern
Anatolia, legal regulation of adultery and creation of customs union
with Cyprus.

In other words, Europe is taking its time with Turkey’s membership.
Interestingly, the French and German media coverage of Verheugen
‘svisit to Turkey was more pessimistic than the publications in the
Turkish media.

We believe the report to be presented to the European Commission will
be positive but not as optimistic as the Turks would like to see
it. The Commission will probably decide to address the launch of the
accession talks next year.

Le Télégramme , France
21 septembre 2004

Tentatives de vol d’essence. Deux hommes interpellés

LANVOLLON. Dans la nuit de samedi à dimanche, deux hommes ont tenté
de voler de l’essence à la station service de Lanvollon.

Ils s’en sont pris aux camions qui étaient stationnés devant le
commerce. C’est le propriétaire de la station qui les a mis en fuite.
Les deux hommes, un Géorgien et un Arménien, ont été interpellés
dimanche par les gendarmes de Plouha et placés en garde à vue. Ils
sont gés d’une vingtaine et d’une trentaine d’années. Les deux
hommes seront convoqués devant le tribunal de grande instance de
Saint-Brieuc.

Le Figaro, France
21 septembre 2004

Concours de chant de Toulouse

Les hommes n’ont pas remporté de premier prix au 45e Concours de
chant de Toulouse. Pour les femmes, la mezzo géorgienne de 20 ans
Ketevan Kemoklidze s’est imposée en tête. Le 2e prix ex aequo est
allé à la basse canadienne de 23 ans Robert MPomakov et à la soprano
chinoise de 30 ans Na Shen ; le 3e prix ex aequo au baryton argentin
de 27 ans Armando Noguera et à la soprano arménienne de 24 ans Liana
Alexanyan.

Le Figaro, France
21 septembre 2004

Les dérives autoritaires de l’ex-URSS

par Laure MANDEVILLE

Treize ans après l’effondrement du système communiste, la carte
politique de l’ex-URSS n’affiche pas vraiment des couleurs
démocratiques. Partout, à l’exception des trois pays Baltes qui ont
miraculeusement tiré leur épingle du jeu, le verrouillage du pouvoir
central exécutif se précise.

De Moscou à Astana, en passant par Minsk ou Tachkent, de petites
castes, issues des anciennes élites soviétiques converties au
capitalisme, ont remis la main sur les leviers de commande, avec la
ferme intention de ne plus les lcher. Après une brève période
libérale, au tournant des années 90, les élections y sont redevenues
des procédures formelles, dont le seul but semble être de parer le
pouvoir des nouveaux autocrates d’atours démocratiques. Gangréné par
la corruption, l’Etat prédateur, mais non protecteur, y a abandonné
les populations paupérisées à leur triste sort. Confortant les
bureaucraties et les services de renseignements héritiers du KGB, au
détriment d’une société civile quasi inexistante.

C’est le cas de la Russie, qui, après la libéralisation chaotique,
mais réelle, de l’ère gorbatchévienne et eltsinienne, s’est engagée
sous Poutine dans une voie nettement autoritaire, au nom d’une plus
grande efficacité économique.

Mais le verrouillage est encore plus spectaculaire en Asie centrale,
où les traditions autoritaires et claniques s’étaient toujours fort
bien accommodées du communisme soviétique. Le Tadjik Rakhmonov,
l’Ouzbek Karimov et l’ubuesque président turkmène Niazov tiennent
leurs républiques d’une main de fer, réprimant férocement tout germe
d’opposition, au nom, notamment, de la lutte contre le terrorisme
islamiste. Considéré comme le plus présentable des régimes d’Asie
centrale, le Kazakhstan n’en est pas moins totalement contrôlé depuis
quinze ans par le président Noursoultan Nazarbaïev, face auquel
seule… sa fille peut prétendre faire figure d’opposition, les
autres partis restant largement décoratifs ! Autoritarisme et
népotisme se portent aussi très bien au Kirghiztan, en Moldavie, en
Arménie et Azerbaïdjan, où le fils Aliev s’est aisément coulé dans le
siège de son père Gueïdar, en octobre dernier. En Biélorussie, où un
scrutin législatif est prévu mi-octobre, le dictateur Alexandre
Loukachenko mijote un changement constitutionnel qui lui permettrait
de se faire réélire en 2005.

Et puis il y a le tableau de la campagne électorale ukrainienne pour
la présidentielle du 31 octobre. Dans ce dernier pays, sur lequel
l’Occident a les yeux fixés, vu sa taille et son importance
stratégique sur la frontière orientale de l’UE, les jeux ne sont pas
encore faits, mais l’équipe au pouvoir du président Koutchma semble
prête à tout tenter pour garder le contrôle du pays. Ce week-end, le
chef de l’opposition Viktor Iouchtchenko, actuellement crédité de 5 à
10 % d’avance sur le premier ministre Viktor Ianoukovitch, a dû être
hospitalisé à Vienne en urgence, après avoir absorbé des substances
chimiques toxiques. Son entourage a accusé le pouvoir ukrainien
d’avoir tenté de l’empoisonner… Alors que les observateurs du
Conseil de l’Europe ont exprimé récemment leur vive préoccupation,
les deux tiers des Ukrainiens estiment que les résultats du scrutin
seront falsifiés.

Seule la petite Géorgie a pour l’instant réussi à promouvoir de
nouvelles élites, lors de la fameuse révolution de la rose de
décembre 2003, qui a porté au pouvoir le jeune président Mikhaïl
Saakachvili. Ce précédent a d’ailleurs frappé de stupeur les autres
dirigeants des ex-républiques soviétiques, bien décidés à tout faire
pour ne pas subir le sort du vieux président géorgien Edouard
Chevardnadze.

Russian, US leaders congratulate Armenia on independence anniversary

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
21 Sep 04

[Presenter over video of celebration ceremony] Armenia today
celebrates the 13th anniversary of its independence. On 21 September
1991, exactly 13 years ago, Armenian society made a resolute decision
by saying decisive “yes” at an independence referendum.

Celebrations started today by government members’ visit to Yerablur
[monument to martyrs in Yerevan]. The country’s high-ranking officials
led by President Robert Kocharyan laid flowers at the graves of
[assassinated Prime Minister] Vazgen Sarkisyan and Andranik [known to
the Armenian public as Zoravar Andranik, a distinguished leader of the
Armenian national liberation movement in the early 1900s].

[The president of the Nagornyy Karabakh Republic, Arkadiy Gukasyan,
captioned, in Yerablur] Armenia’s independence belongs not only to the
Armenians, this is a holiday for the whole Armenianhood. Armenia’s
independence is the basis on which the independence of Nagornyy
Karabakh and the diaspora – Armenia – Nagornyy Karabakh union have
been established. But, as you now, Karabakh’s independence is 18 days
older than Armenia’s independence. We all understand that without free
and independent Armenia there would hardly be the free and independent
Nagornyy Karabakh Republic and it would have been very difficult to
win this war [for Nagornyy Karabakh]. This is natural for
Armenianhood, and this is the greatest and most valuable achievement.

[Armenian Defence Minister Serzh Sarkisyan, captioned] Today we have a
combat-ready and strong army which is able to defend our
independence. I think this is the greatest achievement.

[Presenter] US President George W. Bush, Russian President Vladimir
Putin and Belarus President Alyaksandr Lukashenka have sent
congratulatory messages to Armenian President Robert Kocharyan on the
occasion of the 13th anniversary of independence.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent a congratulatory message to
the Armenian president. Our peoples’ historical friendship is based on
Russian-Armenian multifaceted cooperation. I am sure that the further
deepening of Russian-Armenian military cooperation meets our
countries’ interests, which plays the most important role in
preserving and strengthening peace and stability in the Caucasus, the
message said.

US President George W. Bush has also sent a congratulatory message to
President Kocharyan: I send my congratulations to you and all the
Armenian people on the occasion of the 13th anniversary of Armenia’s
independence. Today, independent Armenia is one of the most important
partners of the USA. My special thanks to Armenia for its special
support to the USA in the antiterror fight. The USA will continue
supporting the Armenian government and people to achieve economic
development and settle the Nagornyy Karabakh problem. I hope that
cooperation between our countries and friendly relations between our
peoples will strengthen, the message said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian president to visit China from 26 Sep

Xinhua news agency
21 Sep 04

(New China News Agency)

Beijing, 21 September: At the invitation of Chinese President Hu
Jintao, President of the Republic of Armenia Robert Sedrakovich
Kocharyan will pay a state visit to China from 26 to 30 September,
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan told a regular press
conference here Tuesday [21 September].

HEALTH SPHERE MOST CORRUPT IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 16. ARMINFO. The most corrupt sphere in Armenia is
public health, said 19.4% of 1,956 Armenian citizens involved in a poll
conducted by the Armenian Center of National and International Studies.

According to the poll results, the judicial system is second most
corrupt. 10 per cent of the respondents said that Armenia’s armed
forces are the most corrupt body in Armenia, followed by the Taxation
Service, education system, Police and Traffic Police. According to
23.2%, the executive power is the most corrupt in Armenia. 15.6%
of the respondents consider the judicial power corrupt, and 5.7% of
them pointed out that it is the legislative power. According to 5.2%
of the respondents, local government bodies are corrupt. According to
30.7% of the respondents, superior officials force inferior ones to
practise corruption, and 29.4% said that it is nothing but mutually
advantageous deals, inferiors pay to their superiors to retain
their posts. According to 35.9% of the respondents, the authorities’
arbitrary rule is the main reason for corruption. 20.7% said that the
main reason is the priority given to personal or sectional interests in
the country. 12.1% of the respondents said that Armenia’s unspecified
legislation is another reason for corruption.

According to the Transparency International organization, Armenia
tanks 78th in the list of 133 countries, followed by Romania, Russia,
Moldova, Kazakhstan. The neighboring countries, Azerbaijan and Georgia
rank 124th and 127th respectively.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

The last of the Armenians
MADHURIMA NANDY
The Times of India
TIMES NEWS NETWORK TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2004 03:15:04 AM

Eighty-three-year-old Charles Sarkies misses his friends who used to join
him for a quick game of bingo at the Armenian Club on Park Street. “There
are no births, weddings or engagements but only deaths of Armenians in the
city now.

The few left are just waiting to get six-feet under. Even the Armenian Club
is nearly non-functional,” reminisced Sarkies, who lives with 15 Armenians
at the Sir Catchick Paul Chater old-age home near Park Circus.

Sadly, even the much-popular Armenian rugby team in Kolkata has ceased to
exist now. Earlier, older students of the Armenian College who used to play
the game, along with professional players from abroad, are no more there.

“Unfortunately, the college had closed down for four years and that’s how
the team ceased to exist. I’ve managed to reopen the school in 1999 and
hopefully in the next two years we will get back our rugby team,” said Sonia
John, honourary manager of Armenian College and chair person of the Armenian
Church. The Church that was built in 1724 is possibly the oldest in the
city. Incidentally, there are about 100 Armenian students who now come from
Iran and Armenia to study here on scholarships.

It may be a forgotten history, but Armenians were the first hoteliers in the
city who set up landmark hotels like Grand, Kenilworth, Carlton and
Fairlawn, to name a few. They were known for their great communication
skills and fine sense of cuisine. John, who once owned Carlton Hotel in
Chowringhee, said, “Most of us sold our hotels off or just closed them down.
But like the Swiss, who were unparalled as the first confectioners in the
city, there is no match for Armenians in the hotel industry.”

Interestingly, of the 100-odd members of this community who remain here
still, only five are probably true blue Armenians who still speak in the
Armenian language. “Most Armenians have had inter-community marriages
because they couldn’t find partners from their community here. As a result,
the community is not very close-knit anymore,” said John. The Armenians, who
came here at the end of the 16th century, were as many as 20,000 in number
before Independence. However, post-Independence, moneyed Armenians started
migrating to USA, Europe and Australia.
From: Baghdasarian

HHS Announces $2.3 Million to Help Refugees Settle in U.S.

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Sept. 20 /U.S. Newswire/ — HHS Secretary Tommy G.
Thompson today awarded a $3.2 million grant to the Catholic Charities
of Louisville to provide medical care, job training and other services
to 2,000 recent refugees to the United States.

The Catholic Charities of Louisville’s Kentucky Wilson-Fish Program
will use the grant to help refugees integrate into American society by
offering cash and medical assistance, helping them learn English, and
providing social services such as job training.

“Kentucky compassionately opens its arms to refugees from around the
world,” Secretary Thompson said. “This grant is another example of
President Bush working with our nation’s faith-based communities to
ensure that new refugees’ arrival in the United States is as smooth as
possible.”

Administered by HHS’ Administration for Children and Families, the
$3.2 million grant will allow the Kentucky Wilson-Fish Program to
serve 2,000 refugees, asylum seekers, or victims of human
trafficking. More than 1,300 of the refugees who will be served
recently arrived in the United States, while 640 of the refugees have
been in the United States for a longer period of time but will be
served by the programs.

“As a faith-based community, Catholic Charities has had a long history
of collaborating with the federal government to provide social
services to the greater community,” said Steve Bogus, executive
director of Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of Louisville. “Catholic
Charities is honored to accept this award which will allow us to
practice the precepts of our faith on a daily basis, Catholic social
teaching, and to fulfill our commitment to faithful citizenship.”

The Kentucky Wilson-Fish Program, one of the largest of its kind in
the nation, provides day-to-day assistance to refugees to help them
better integrate into American society and sets a goal of finding jobs
for refugees within four months of their arrival in the United
States. The program assists refugees from such countries as Ethiopia,
Sudan, Congo, Liberia, Togo, Rwanda, Somalia, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan,
Kosovo, Bosnia, Azerbaijan, the former Soviet Union, Armenia, Vietnam
and Columbia.

The grant is part of President Bush’s Faith-Based and Community
Initiative, which enables some of the most effective social service
providers in American to compete for federal funding to make a
difference in the lives of our most vulnerable citizens — without
compromising the provider’s religious character and independence.

As part of this initiative, HHS’ Compassion Capital Fund was created
three years ago and has awarded more than $150 million to support
efforts in local communities provide services to our neediest
neighbors. President Bush’s budget proposal for fiscal year 2005 would
increase support for the Compassion Capital Fund to $161 million.

—

Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials
are available at

Contact: ACF Press Office, 202-401-9215

09/20 18:51

A.R.F. ZAVARIAN STUDENT ASSOCIATION (Z.S.A.) CONFERENCE OPENING CEREMONY

The 5-day pan-Armenian student conference entitled “Armenian students facing
the challenges of the 21st century”, which is organized on the occasion of
the A.R.F. Zavarian Student Association’s centenary, by both the A.R.F.
Bureau Youth Office and the A.R.F. Z.S.A., is going to be held until the
25th of September, 2004 in Beirut, Lebanon.

The opening ceremony took place on the evening of September 20 at the
Aghpalian Sports and Cultural Center. Speakers included the A.R.F. Bureau
representative and a member of the A.R.F. Central Committee of Lebanon. The
Z.S.A. representative conveyed to the audience the official congratulatory
letter of the International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY), received on the
occasion of the association’s 100th anniversary.

The ceremony ended with the projection of a documentary presenting the
biography of Simon Zavarian, founder of the A.R.F. Zavarian Student
Association.

It is worth mentioning that students representing various youth and student
organizations from Armenia, Karabakh, Javakhk, Russia, Iran, Iraq, France,
Canada, Germany, Greece, USA (East and West coasts), Syria and Lebanon are
taking part in the before mentioned conference. Earlier in the day, the
participants visited several places, including the Z.S.A. office, in the
area of Bourj-Hammoud, which is known as being populated mainly by
Armenians.