PRESS RELEASE
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Information Services
Address: Vagharshapat, Republic of Armenia
Contact: Rev. Fr. Ktrij Devejian
Tel: (374 1) 517 163
Fax: (374 1) 517 301
E-Mail: [email protected]
June 11, 2004
Official Visit of His Holiness Karekin II to Finland Concludes
On June 7, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos
of All Armenians, concluded his official ecumenical visit to the
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland and returned to the Mother
See of Holy Etchmiadzin. The Pontifical delegation had departed for
Finland upon the invitation of the Most Reverend Dr. Jukka Paarma,
Archbishop of Finland and Turku, Head of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church of Finland.
During meetings with Archbishop Paarma and His Eminence Archbishop
Leo of Karelia and All Finland (Finnish Orthodox Church), the
three spiritual leaders underlined the importance of inter-church
and ecumenical relations. The Armenian Pontiff expressed hope that
cooperation would be continued not only between the Heads of Churches,
but also between church-based organizations and structures.
In the course of the visit, His Holiness met with Mr. Matti Taneli
Vanhanen, the Prime Minister of Finland. His Holiness spoke of the
great tragedy which befell the Armenian nation and people at the
beginning of the 20th century in the Ottoman Empire, and expressed
regret that there are still many states which have not officially
recognized and condemned the Armenian Genocide, which was one the
gravest crimes committed against the whole of mankind.
During the five-day trip, the Catholicos of All Armenians and
the Pontifical delegation visited the Finnish Bible Society, had
meetings with the administrative staff of the Department of Theology
of the University of Helsinki and became acquainted with the work
and activity of the scientific/research centers of the Department.
His Holiness was also received by the philanthropic organizations of
both Finnish Churches.
His Holiness also met with the local Armenian community, giving them
his Pontifical blessing and encouraging them to remain steadfast
in their faith, continue to love their homeland and to be loyal,
contributing and honorable citizens of the Republic of Finland.
His Holiness Karekin II was accompanied during the journey by His
Eminence Archbishop Mesrob Krikorian, Pontifical Legate for Central
Europe; His Grace Bishop Yeznik Petrosian, Director of Inter-Church
Relations; His Grace Bishop Yezras Nersissian, Primate of the Armenian
Diocese of New Nakhijevan and Russia; and Rev. Fr. Mesrop Parsamian,
Staff-bearer of His Holiness. Mr. Vladimir Karmirshalian, Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to the
Republic of Finland, Kingdom of Denmark and the Kingdom of Norway,
accompanied the Pontifical delegation in Finland.
##

Jailed Azeri opposition leaders’ trial postponed due to defendants’ absence
ANS TV, Baku
10 Jun 04
Presenter Opposition members who staged mass rallies in protest
against the October 2003 presidential elections in Azerbaijan and
who are being charged with organizing mass riots, did not appear in
today’s session of the court which was to investigate their case. The
process was adjourned until tomorrow 11 June.
Correspondent, over archive footage of trial The trial at the Grave
Crimes Court into the case of opposition activists, Democratic Party
of Azerbaijan Secretary-General Sardar Calaloglu; the Musavat Party
deputy chairmen, Rauf Arifoglu, Arif Hacili and Ibrahim Ibrahimli;
People’s Party of Azerbaijan Chairman Panah Huseyn; Hope Party Chairman
Iqbal Agazada, and the chairman of the union of Karabakh war veterans,
Etimad Asadov, who are accused of organizing mass actions and riots
in October 2003 in protest against the outcome of the presidential
elections in Azerbaijan, was postponed even before it started. The
reason was that the defendants refused to attend the trial as they
did in the latest preliminary sessions.
To recap, the defence lawyers stopped their activities since their
clients officially dismissed them at the last session. The lawyers
appointed by the state were sitting in the courtroom today. Only
the Musavat Party deputy chairman, Rauf Arifoglu, signed a contract
with his former lawyer, Samad Panahov. Judge Mansur Ibayev said the
session could not be conducted without the defendants and announced
an adjournment until tomorrow. The judge said that if the defendants
were absent for invalid reasons, then they would be forced to attend
the sessions.
Leyla Hasanova, ANS.

ANOTHER POLITICAL PRISONER RELEASED FROM JAIL
A1 Plus | 18:07:52 | 10-06-2004 | Politics |
Republic party member Ashot Zakaryan charged with hooliganism,
disorderly conduct and defying the police order was freed right from
the courtroom on Thursday.
He was sentenced to one year’s probation. It means he will be under
police supervision for one year.
The court session lasted two hours. The prosecution offered to sentence
the accused to a year in jail while the defense side demanded to find
Zakaryan innocent and release from detention.

Libération, France
9 juin 2004
Turquie : PS et UMP tournent casaque;
Européennes.
AUTEUR: AESCHIMANN Eric
Inquiets de leur score dimanche, les deux partis renient leur soutien
à son adhésion.
L’UMP a opéré une brutale volte-face sur une éventuelle adhésion par
peur d’une nouvelle poussée des listes eurosceptiques ; plus
subtilement mais avec autant d’arrière-pensées électorales, le PS a
décidé d’embrasser la cause arménienne à dix jours du scrutin. Pour
les deux grands partis français de gouvernement, la campagne des
élections européennes a été l’occasion de déchirantes révisions sur
la question turque. Une sorte de surenchère qui a même valu à Pierre
Moscovici, responsable du secrétariat international du PS et ardent
partisan de la Turquie, des coups de fil inquiets de responsables de
la gauche turque, sur le thème : “A quoi jouez-vous ?”
Revirement. L’impulsion de ce tournant dans l’histoire des relations
franco-turques a été donnée il y a deux mois par Alain Juppé en
personne. Lors d’une conférence de presse, le président de l’UMP a
reconnu qu’il avait changé d’avis et que désormais, sa réponse était
“non”. Hasard : quelques jours plus tôt, Philippe de Villiers, le
dirigeant du Mouvement pour la France (MPF), avait dévoilé l’axe de
sa campagne pour les européennes : la Turquie. A l’UMP, on comprend
vite que la thématique est susceptible de capter les franges
eurosceptiques de l’électorat UMP. En 1999, la liste conduite par le
duo eurosceptique Philippe de Villiers et Charles Pasqua n’était-elle
pas arrivée devant la liste RPR ? Avec son revirement sur la Turquie,
Juppé a voulu éteindre l’incendie aux premières flammes.
“Il s’agit d’une manoeuvre concertée, et au final Jacques Chirac
soutiendra la candidature turque”, assure Pierre Moscovici, ministre
délégué aux Affaires européennes pendant la cohabitation Jospin.
Peut-être. Sauf qu’en matière de manoeuvre le Parti socialiste n’est
pas en reste, puisque François Hollande, son premier secrétaire,
vient d’imposer un virage à 180° en érigeant la reconnaissance du
génocide arménien de 1915 comme “condition de l’ouverture des
négociations d’adhésion à l’Union européenne”. L’affaire est
suffisamment cruciale pour que les associations arméniennes se soient
battues en ce sens depuis des années.
Jusque-là, la position socialiste était à la fois d’appuyer la
candidature turque et de réclamer la reconnaissance du génocide, mais
sans aller jusqu’à en faire un préalable aux négociations. “Le
génocide est une affaire complexe et, si la responsabilité des Turcs
est évidente, en faire un préalable est une façon hypocrite de leur
fermer la porte au nez”, explique un expert socialiste. “La
reconnaissance doit être exigée pour l’adhésion elle-même, mais non
pour l’ouverture des négociations. Car ce sont les négociations qui
permettront l’évolution de la société turque ; alors, la
reconnaissance du génocide viendra naturellement”, estime pour sa
part Michel Rocard, tête de liste du PS dans le Sud-Est.
Affolement. Mais là aussi les calculettes ont fonctionné. Il y a un
an, le parti arménien Dachnaktsoutioun menace de présenter des listes
en Ile-de-France et dans le grand Sud-Est, où vit l’essentiel de la
communauté arménienne. Affolement des élus locaux PS. A la fin de
l’hiver, Hollande prend langue avec le parti arménien, qui, en
échange de la promesse d’une inflexion de la ligne du PS, renonce à
son projet. Placé en porte-à-faux, Pierre Moscovici tente désormais
de faire la synthèse : “La reconnaissance du génocide est une
condition politique. Nous restons favorables à l’adhésion.” Et de
réclamer que le Conseil européen de décembre 2004, qui décidera de
l’ouverture des négociations, demande à la Turquie d’assumer son
passé. Le distinguo est subtil. Trop ?
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARKA News Agency
June 8 2004
Robert Kocharian and David Harutyunian discuss process of realization
of legal-executive reforms in Armenia
CBA Chairman receives delegation of KFW bank
RA president holds working meeting with representatives of small and
medium business
First instance courts’ newly appointed judges swore to RA Justice
Council
President of National Academy of Sciences of RA Fadei Sargsyan left
for Rostov -on-Don today
*********************************************************************
ROBERT KOCHARIAN AND DAVID HARUTYUNIAN DISCUSS PROCESS OF REALIZATION
OF LEGAL-EXECUTIVE REFORMS IN ARMENIA
YEREVAN, June 8. /ARKA/. The President of Armenia Robert Kocharian
and RA Minister of Justice David Harutyunian discussed process of
realization of legal-executive reforms in Armenia. The parties
discussed perspectives of creation of schools for judges’ candidates
that will be activated in 2005. L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
CBA CHAIRMAN RECEIVES DELEGATION OF KFW BANK
YEREVAN, June 8. /ARKA/. CBA Council headed with CBA Chairman Tigran
Sargsian met with the delegation of Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau
bank, headed with the Head of Directors Council Ingrid Matheus Mayer.
Delegation from Germany arrived in Yerevan in the frames of regional
visit and on June 10 it will leave for Georgia.
During the meeting Matheus Mayer noted that the Government of Germany
pays attention to development of middle class and KfW is the largest
Germany banks assisting the development of medium companies.
Sargsian said that RA Government also pays attention to creation of
small and medium business and in this view activity of KfW is very
important for Armenia. He stressed high effectiveness of its
activity, because there are almost no not-returned credits. He also
noted with satisfaction that at the moment CB and KfW conduct works
on creation of fund of deposits insurance.
The parties expressed hope that they will start cooperation in
implementation of concept of development of hypothec credits market
and corporate management. L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
RA PRESIDENT HOLDS WORKING MEETING WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF SMALL AND
MEDIUM BUSINESS
YEREVAN, June 8. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharian held working
meeting with representatives of small and medium business,
President’s press office told ARKA. He said that serious steps on
improvement of general field have been made since the last meeting
the representatives of SMB. He paid attention to conduction of
similar meeting on a regular base. Kocharian said that these meetings
allow having clear understanding of the situation in given field.
Talking about general trends the President stressed that in 2003 the
share of SMB in GDP structure made 38%, which is pretty serious
indicator. “However there are still numerous goals and obstacles
related to activity of certain structures”, Kocharian stressed and
expressed readiness to discuss given issues with the businessmen.
The parties discussed as general issues, so concrete goals. They
noted the necessity of improvement of tax and custom administration,
provision of fair competition.
The President assured that all raised issues will be generalized and
discussed, as well as the way to solve the problems will be found.
According to preliminary estimations of RA Ministry of Trade and
Economic Development, the weight share of small and medium business
in RA GDP will grow by 2% in 2004 and amount to 40%. L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
FIRST INSTANCE COURTS’ NEWLY APPOINTED JUDGES SWORE TO RA JUSTICE
COUNCIL
YEREVAN, June 8. /ARKA/. The newly appointed judges of first instance
courts swore today to RA Justice Council. According to the Press
Service Department of RA President, the judges swore to administer
justice in accordance with the Constitution and laws, to be
impartial, just and humane and to keep high the country’s and court
authority.
As the press release says, Robert Kocharian, the President of RA and
the Head of Justice Council expressed his confidence that the newly
appointed judges will honorably fulfill their duties. L.V. –0–
*********************************************************************
PRESIDENT OF NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF RA FADEI SARGSYAN LEFT
FOR ROSTOV -ON-DON TODAY
YEREVAN, June 8. /ARKA/. Today, Fadei Sargsyan, President of National
Academy of Sciences of RA starts his visit to Rostov-on-Don. As
reported by web channel Don-TR during five days the representatives
of RA to meet with Governor Vladimir Chub, Minister of General and
Professional Education Leonid Kovalev. Also the delegation to meet
the scientists from Rostov, Taganrog, Aksay. They will discuss the
future exchange of students and lectures of universities and joint
projects. T.M. –0–
*********************************************************************

ARKA News Agency
June 9 2004
Programs of German Bank KFW in Armenia are among most successful ones
RA Foreign Minister presented condolences on account of death of
ex-president of USA Ronald Reagan
By end of June package of electoral and constitutional reforms in RA
to be send to expertise of CE
PACE Monitoring Commission Co-Reporters to arrive in RA on 11 June
Delegation of RA France-Armenia friendship parliamentary group leaves
for France
EU welcomes initiative of construction alternative gas main in
Armenia
By the RA President’s decree Aram Harutyunyan is appointed a new RA
Minister of Urban Planning
*********************************************************************
PROGRAMS OF GERMAN BANK KfW IN ARMENIA ARE AMONG MOST SUCCESSFUL ONES
YEREVAN, June 9. /ARKA/. Programs of German Bank Kreditanstalt fur
Wiederaufbau in Armenia are among most successful ones, RA President
Robert Kocharian stated at the meeting with the member of KfW
Directors Council Ingrid Matheus-Mayer. Kocharian noted the
importance of cooperation in the sphere of energy and in banking
sector. According to Mayer, “bilateral cooperation on different
levels has good bases”. She said that the bank pays attention to
development of small and medium business in Armenia. In this view,
according to her, activity of German-Armenian Fund is very importance
and its productivity is very high, because the return of credits
makes almost 100%.
Talking about future programs Mayer said that partnership in the
sphere of energy will be continued. L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
RA FOREIGN MINISTER PRESENTED CONDOLENCES ON ACCOUNT OF DEATH OF
EX-PRESIDENT OF USA RONALD REAGAN
YEREVAN, June 9. /ARKA/. RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian
presented condolences on account of death of ex-president of USA
Ronald Reagan. The Minister visited today the Embassy of the U.S. to
Armenia. L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
BY END OF JUNE PACKAGE OF ELECTORAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS IN RA
TO BE SEND TO EXPERTISE OF CE
YEREVAN, June 9. /ARKA/. By the end of June package of electoral and
constitutional reforms in RA to be send to expertise of CE, as Tigran
Torosyan, Head of Temporary Parliamentary Commission on
Eurointegration, Vice Speaker of RA Parliament presenting the report
on the Commission’s activity. He said that the report concerns on
implementation of commitments related to two resolutions of PACE
issued in January and April 2004. In his words, the January
resolution offered RA to change 15 draft laws concerning deepening of
democracy and local self-governing, reforming of judiciary and legal
system. He considered as a negative thing non-participation of the
Armenian opposition in adopting of laws and decrees. “During this
time, the Parliamentary majority several times proposed to the
opposition, including prior to 12 April dialogue and cooperation”, he
remarked. Torosyan reminded that the parliamentary majority offered
to the opposition to create an action plan for working out two
packages – constitutional and electoral reforms and their adoption by
consensus. “It is unclear how the opposition could miss such
invitation, as this was an exceptional offer”, he believed. T.M. –0–
*********************************************************************
PACE MONITORING COMMISSION CO-REPORTERS TO ARRIVE IN RA ON 11 JUNE
YEREVAN, June 9. /ARKA/. PACE Monitoring Commission Co-Reporters
Jerzy Jaskernia and Rene Andre to arrive in RA on 11 June, as Tigran
Torosyan, Head of Armenian Delegation of PACE, Vice Speaker of RA
Parliament. He mentioned that the visit to allow to collect the facts
for a more detailed report.
As earlier reported by Jerzy Jaskernia in Yerevan, the Reporters
plans meeting with the representatives of the opposition, NGOs and
the Constitutional Court. “For us it is extremely important to
present a comprehensive report on Armenia”, he mentioned. T.M. –0–
*********************************************************************
DELEGATION OF RA FRANCE-ARMENIA FRIENDSHIP PARLIAMENTARY GROUP LEAVES
FOR FRANCE
YEREVAN, June 9. /ARKA/. Delegation of RA France-Armenia Friendship
Parliamentary Group headed by MP Mher Shahgeldyan left for France. As
RA Foreign Ministry Information and Press Department told ARKA,
during the visit Armenian MPs to discuss with their French colleagues
the issues related to deepening of Armenian-French
inter-parliamentary cooperation. Also, the Armenian delegation plans
visiting Marseille, Lyon, Roman, Alforville, Grenoble, Avignon,
Valence and other cities where they to meet the leaders of local
governments and MPs.
As it is mentioned in the press release, on 13 June, the day when
there will be held elections to the European Parliament, eth Armenian
MPs to follow the course of voting in one of the constituencies of
France. T.M. –0–
*********************************************************************
EU WELCOMES INITIATIVE OF CONSTRUCTION ALTERNATIVE GAS MAIN IN
ARMENIA
YEREVAN, June 9. /ARKA/. EU welcomes the initiative of construction
of an alternative gas main in Armenia, as Karen Chshmarityan, RA
Trade and Economic Development Minister presenting the results of the
4th session of Armenian-EU Cooperation Committee held on 4 June in
Brussels. He mentioned that the construction of the gas main was
regarded in the context of closing Armenian Nuclear Power Plant as
additional gas supply.
He stressed that the EU’s financial participation in the project in
the project was not discussed so far, however the EU welcomes the
initiative as providing appearing of an alternative source of gas
supply for RA “This would allow to have more flexible economy and to
use alternative resources”, he considers.
The agreement on construction of Iran-Armenia gas-main was signed
during the visit of RA President Robert Kocharian in Iran on December
25-27, 2001. The intergovernmental agreement on Iran—Armenian gas
main was signed in 1995. The first stage of the construction
envisages construction of 100 kilometres gas-main on Iranian
territory and 41 kilometres at the territory of Armenia, which will
allow Armenia to receive 1.5 million cubic meters of gas daily. The
pipeline will make it possible to supply gas from Turkmenistan to
Armenia, through Iran. The construction of the gas main Iran-Armenia
will enable to import into Armenia 350-400 mln cubic m. of gas
annually.
The deadline for the completion of the gas main is expected on 1
January 2007. T.M. –0–
*********************************************************************
BY THE RA PRESIDENT’S DECREE ARAM HARUTYUNYAN IS APPOINTED A NEW RA
MINISTER OF URBAN PLANNING
YEREVAN, June 9. /ARKA/. By the RA President’s decree RA NA Deputy,
the representative of Orinats Yerkir party Aram Harutyunyan is
appointed as a new RA Minister of Urban Planning, according to RA
President’s Press Service Department.
Aram Harutyunyan was born on July 20, 1967 in Armenia. In 1992 he
graduated from Yerevan Architectural – Building University. From 1984
to 1999 he occupied different positions, including high ones. In 1999
he was elected as a Deputy of RA Parliament by majority system. He
was a member of standing committee on social, health and
environmental issues. In May 2003 he was re-elected as a Deputy. He
was a member of a standing committee on financial-credit, budget and
economic issues.
The RA ex-Minister of Urban Planning Aram Aramyan declared of his
resignation on April 9 and motivated his decision by speculations and
artificial fuss about the incident connected with his son. The
application for resignation was signed to avoid compromising the
party and the Government, according to him. A.H. –0—
*********************************************************************

PRESS RELEASE
Project Harmony Armenia
45 Sevastopolyan St
Yerevan, Armenia 375028
(374) 1-26-06-86
Contact: Knarik Nazaryan
[email protected]
Mobile Lab Hits the Road
Yerevan— June 11, 2004— The Mobile Lab, an innovative project that
created a Mobile Internet Computer Center to serve rural communities
in Armenia, will hit the road on June 14, 2004, with a ribbon cutting
ceremony at the border to the Gegharkunik region on the road to Lake
Sevan at 12:00 p.m. and with the official launch to the villages it
will serve from the Vardenis Municipality at 2:00 p.m. The Mobile Lab
is a component of the Armenia School Connectivity Program (ASCP), a
Program of the United States Department of State Bureau of Educational
and Cultural Affairs funded through FREEDOM Support Act and implemented
by Project Harmony.
The Mobile Lab is the first of its kind in Eurasia and will serve 20
remote border communities between the towns of Chambarak and Vardenis
in the Gegharkunik region of Armenia. A vehicle has been transformed
into a learning lab and is equipped with computer workstations
and satellite connection to provide Internet access. But besides
the hardware and Internet connection, the Mobile Lab will provide
free training for students and teachers of the villages, as well as
neighboring village schools. For these remote villages, the Mobile
Lab will offer an expanded worldview and exposure to new information,
and will allow students from rural communities to connect with others
as they never have before.
The Mobile Lab will remain in each of the 20 villages for a set amount
of time and will later return to the communities to provide users
with continued development of skills acquired during the initial
visit. Project Harmony anticipates the Mobile Lab will serve over
12,500 people in the 20 villages, including over 1900 students and
380 teachers, as well as many refugees, persons with disabilities,
and unemployed citizens.
Project Harmony builds strong communities by fostering civic
leadership, harnessing Internet technology and facilitating
cross-cultural experiential learning. Project Harmony was founded
in Vermont in 1985 as a grass-roots exchange organization for
Soviet and American high schools. Today, Project Harmony has 14
offices worldwide. In its 19-year history, Project Harmony has
facilitated educational, professional, cultural, and community-based
programs involving hundreds of families and individuals. Please
visit our web site: The Armenia-specific
web site is: U.S.: and in Armenia:
The Armenia School Connectivity
Program web site is: and the ZANG Armenia Legal
Socialization web site is: For
more information, please contact Project Harmony Outreach Manager
Siranush Vardanyan at [email protected]

Libération
8 juin 2004
La Turquie, chance de l’Europe;
Poser les prémices de l’adhésion de la Turquie dans l’Europe c’est
déjà penser un XXIe siècle pacifique et aider à la reconnaissance du
génocide arménien.
AUTEUR: KEHAYAN Jean; JEAN KEHAYAN, journaliste et écrivain
Si la Turquie refusait d’entamer son processus pour entrer dans
l’Union européenne, il serait indispensable que les nations
fondatrices de l’Europe déploient des trésors de diplomatie pour
convaincre Ankara d’effectuer cette démarche. Au moment où le débat
franco-français labellise le “Non à la Turquie dans l’Europe”, on est
frappé par l’absence de clairvoyance. Et, à la timide exception de
Jacques Chirac, aucun homme d’Etat ne prend de position courageuse,
estimant que ce serait suicidaire dans le climat d’hystérie
anti-islamique actuel de faire de la géopolitique intelligente. Il
suffit pourtant de regarder une carte pour se persuader que la
démocratisation de “l’homme malade de l’Europe” serait une chance
pour la stabilisation de cette région volcanique aux pays riverains
qui ne donnent aucun signe de mouvement.
Naturellement, le pari est d’envergure : dix années seront-elles
suffisantes pour que la Turquie montre ses capacités à vouloir une
adhésion sincère ? Ce n’est pas une mince affaire que d’imaginer son
conseil de sécurité militaire abandonner un pouvoir absolu en
laissant la société civile décider du destin politique du pays. Pas
une mince affaire non plus d’humaniser des prisons moyenâgeuses et, à
l’instar de la défunte Union soviétique, ne pas utiliser la
psychiatrie pour briser les esprits libres du pays. Les militaires
dans les casernes, cela doit signifier une garantie contre la
création de sanctuaires terroristes, le maintien de la laïcité
kémaliste et la garantie d’être à l’abri de tout coup d’état.
Mes amis turcs, kurdes et arméniens de l’intérieur ont la certitude
que seule la démocratisation à marche forcée peut pousser les
autorités à mettre à plat leur histoire sanglante du début du siècle
lorsque, dans une tradition qui remonte aux croisades, les infidèles
grecs et kurdes furent impitoyablement massacrés et chassés de leurs
lieux de vie ancestraux. Le paroxysme de cette politique barbare
étant le génocide des Arméniens d’Anatolie de plus en plus reconnu
par les nations raisonnables et de plus en plus nié par des autorités
qui croient suffisant d’occulter un problème pour le résoudre. Pire,
et pour ne citer qu’eux, les musées d’Erzeroum et de Van ont une
section sur le génocide, mais c’est celui des Turcs par les Arméniens
qui ont résisté !
Il faut relire les Quarante Jours du Mussa Dagh de Franz Werfel pour
se convaincre que la résistance face à la pulsion génocidaire des
militaires ottomans en déliquescence relevait de l’évidence. Dans le
processus de démocratisation, la révision de l’histoire du siècle
écoulé n’est évidemment pas négociable et fort heureusement il existe
en Turquie suffisamment d’intellectuels courageux capables de
remettre les livres d’histoire dans le bon sens. Le pari est de
taille, à la hauteur des enjeux et des avantages.
Pour en rester au problème arménien, il est évident que la petite
république du Caucase aurait tout à gagner, comme la Géorgie, à avoir
des frontières européennes. Elle pourrait ainsi sortir de son
enclavement étouffant et d’une tutelle russe qui n’est pas sans
arrière-pensée. Comme gage de bonne volonté et pour en finir avec la
crainte de restitution de terres, la Turquie pourrait rendre à
l’Arménie sa capitale historique d’Ani dont la restauration par la
communauté mondiale redonnerait tout son sens à une histoire vieille
d’une bonne quinzaine de siècles et enlèverait aux Arméniens
éparpillés sur la planète un ressentiment légitime. Un lieu où mille
églises se dressaient au Xe siècle, une nouvelle Jérusalem
pluriethnique, multiconfessionnelle et pluriculturelle. Elle pourrait
dans sa lancée trouver un statut inédit à la montagne de l’Ararat
pour qu’elle redevienne symbole de paix entre les deux pays. Une
restitution de terres sans guerre serait la première grande avancée
de l’Europe.
Concessions impossibles ? Mais que serait l’Europe si des hommes
d’Etat tels que de Gaulle et Adenauer n’avaient un beau jour décidé
d’en finir avec la “séculaire haine entre Allemands et Français” ? Si
Willy Brandt ne s’était pas agenouillé à Auschwitz, nous serions bien
loin de ce continent composé de vingt-cinq nations admises à la hâte
à la table du festin pacifique.
Nos politiques n’ont pas été très regardants sur les garanties
qu’offrait la Pologne dans cette lutte titanesque qu’est le combat
contre l’antisémitisme de ce pays désormais sans Juifs, un pays
ignorant des Lumières qui rêve de faire entrer la notion de
chrétienté dans la Constitution ! Ils ont aussi fermé les yeux sur le
racisme et la corruption endémique et déstabilisante des ex-pays du
bloc soviétique tombés de la façon la plus sauvage dans un
libéralisme qui laisse des couches entières de la population dans la
misère, qui bafoue les droits des Tsiganes et des minorités avec des
desseins et des méthodes proches d’un nouvel apartheid.
La démocratie gage de paix et de lutte contre les extrémismes. On a
vu et compris maintenant que la politique de la canonnière des
Américains en Irak conduisait à des impasses sans aucune solution
lisible dans le court terme. A l’inverse, on imagine aisément le
pouvoir de contagion d’une Turquie démocratique sur ses voisins
immédiats, comme la Syrie ou la Jordanie, régis par un parti unique
qui enlève tout espoir de progrès. N’oublions pas que le monde arabe
au faîte de la civilisation a commencé à décliner au XVIe siècle avec
la prise du pouvoir ottoman : il est temps de renverser cette
histoire. Car, à trop traîner pour amorcer les négociations d’entrée,
la Turquie pourrait être tentée de fédérer les ex-Républiques
soviétiques turcophones et imaginer un axe Ankara-Bakou-Téhéran
capable de bipolariser à nouveau notre monde. C’en serait alors
définitivement fini de voir reconnu le génocide et résolu le problème
du Haut-Karabagh, créé de toutes pièces par les diaboliques
cartographes de Staline.
Les hommes politiques français n’osent pas dire clairement que le mot
musulman est un repoussoir, alors que l’islam est la deuxième
religion dans notre propre pays. N’était une levée de boucliers, le
terme réducteur de chrétien aurait bien vu sa place dans la
Constitution européenne.
Un beau matin, fort d’une subtile révélation, M. Valéry Giscard
d’Estaing a cru trouver l’argument imparable de la géographie. D’un
côté on se fait les chantres d’une mondialisation qui abolit les
frontières, mais pour les seuls capitaux, et de l’autre on ressuscite
l’Asie mineure pour opposer une fin de non-recevoir
(1). Quelle insulte à tous les Arméniens éparpillés de par le monde
d’apprendre que leurs efforts à devenir Français, Européens,
Américains et autres en une seule génération étaient aussi évidents.
Personne n’aurait donc la hauteur de vue historique pour envisager
que la Turquie soit la chance d’une Europe vieillissante et fatiguée
sur le plan des idées et de la démographie.
Enfin, notre classe politique donneuse de leçons ne devrait pas
oublier qu’elle sera jugée pour s’être tue sinon rendue complice du
génocide rwandais ; qu’elle fait des courbettes devant Vladimir
Poutine, génocideur du peuple tchétchène qui n’a pas attendu le 11
septembre pour vouloir s’affranchir de la tutelle russe, tsariste et
communiste. Ces mêmes hommes qui déroulent le tapis rouge devant les
dirigeants chinois à la tête du plus grand Etat totalitaire de la
planète. Enfin, et puisque la religion semble être un atout maître,
comment ne pas reprocher à certains de nos leaders d’obéir à l’Opus
Dei dont la caractéristique n’est pas précisément de cultiver la
tolérance.
Certes, l’adhésion de la Turquie ne sera pas résolue en quelques
années mais en poser les prémices, c’est déjà penser un XXIe siècle
pacifique et donner des chances à l’Europe au Proche et Moyen-Orient.
C’est aussi sortir l’Arménie de l’impasse dans laquelle elle se
trouve, à condition qu’elle quitte son vieux costume soviétique,
qu’elle libère la presse et qu’elle entre dans le processus
démocratique ouvert par Lévon Ter Pétrossian, en se débarrassant de
ses mafias et de la mendicité auprès de la Banque mondiale. En somme,
il serait temps de rêver à une Europe de toutes les utopies et de
toutes les libertés. Le oui de l’Europe à la Turquie procède de cet
espoir.
(1) L’ancien président de la Convention européenne, lors de son
audition par la Commission des Affaires étrangères de l’Assemblée
nationale, le 27 novembre 2002, s’était déclaré contre l’adhésion de
la Turquie soulignant : “Il suffit d’ouvrir un dictionnaire pour
constater que l’Asie mineure, ce n’est pas l’Europe”.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

JUDGE COLLABORATES WITH SKINHEADS
A1 Plus | 14:40:40 | 10-06-2004 | Social |
The first instance court of Center, Nork-Marash began considering
case on assault on journalists on Thursday.
The case has been instigated into the incident occurred at the rally
staged by National Unity leader Artashes Geghamyan on April 2, when
skinheads beat media representatives and broke their cameras.
As many as 50 skinheads were present at Thursday’s court session. About
20 of them stood on foyer barring journalists from entering the
courtroom and insulting them. They made insulting remarks toward
Noyan Tapan news agency correspondent Sona Mashouryan and widely
smiling promised “to smash her head”.
Before letting Aykakan Zhamanak newspaper’s editor-in-chief Nikol
Pashinyan and the same newspaper’s correspondent Hayk Grigoryan enter,
the skinheads questioned them who they are and why came here.
When the newspaper representatives passed the first barrier and
eventually entered the courtroom, one skinhead start questioning them
here and asked the judge whether to let them sit down or not.
Nikol Pashinyan said he has nothing to do in the court where skinheads
decide everything and went out.
Many journalists failed to get in session room to hear the case on
the assault on their colleagues and remained outdoors.

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
06/09/2004
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Turkish Court Frees Pro-Kurdish Lawmakers 2) Turkish Police Raid Pro-Kurdish Media, Detain 23 3) Turkey's Kurds Welcome Broadcasts in Kurdish, with Broken Hearts 4) French Armenians Call on Chirac to Take Stance 5) Zepure Shant Dies 1) Turkish Court Frees Pro-Kurdish Lawmakers ANKARA (Reuters)--Turkey's appeals court ordered the release of former Nobel peace prize nominee Leyla Zana and three other Kurdish former lawmakers on Wednesday in a landmark decision certain to please the European Union it seeks to join. The ruling, freeing them pending appeal, coincided with historic first Kurdish-language broadcasts on state television, and the start of an appeal at the European Court of Human Rights on the fate of jailed Kurdish rebel chief Abdullah Ocalan. "Turkey's 80-year ban on the Kurds is over today," Sirri Sakik, another former pro-Kurdish lawmaker, told Reuters outside Ankara's Ulucanlar prison as supporters waited for the four to walk free. "It shows Turkey recognizes the Kurdish reality." Turkish financial markets bounced on news the four would be freed, seeing it as highlighting improved human rights and promoting a drive for EU membership. Zana, campaigning for Kurdish rights, had taken on a great symbolic importance for supporters and those who saw her as threatening Turkish unity. Turkey had denied the very existence of its Kurdish minority for decades, terming them "mountain Turks." Courts came down hard on public expressions of Kurdish identity, especially after the outbreak of armed separatism in 1984. Kurds form an estimated 12 million of Turkey's 70 million population. The EU and international human rights groups consider Zana, Hatip Dicle, Selim Sadak, and Orhan Dogan prisoners of conscience. They were jailed in 1994 after being stripped of their parliamentary mandates and convicted of maintaining ties to Kurdish separatist guerrillas. "Their verdict has not been overturned. But taking into account their long imprisonment, a decision was made for their release pending the end of the investigation," a court official told Reuters. The 1994 conviction was upheld by a state security court in April after a retrial ordered by the European Court of Human Rights, which said Zana and the others were denied a fair trial. April's ruling brought sharp criticism from the EU. The Ankara government is working flat-out on political and human rights reforms and hoping to wind a firm start date for accession talks when EU leaders meet in December. A state prosecutor called this week for the annulment of their sentences, and the court official said an appeal court would start hearing the case from July 8. "This will make things easier for us politically, both domestically and abroad," Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said. "The Turkish justice system did what it needed to do." Cicek told reporters the court had correctly interpreted recent legal reforms aimed at meeting EU criteria. The government last month abolished the controversial state security courts under which the four were tried, and is working to set up new civilian structures to replace them. 2) Turkish Police Raid Pro-Kurdish Media, Detain 23 ISTANBUL (AFP)--Anti-terror police raided on Tuesday a pro-Kurdish news agency and two magazines and detained at least 23 employees on suspicion of links with armed Kurdish rebels, Kurdish sources said. Police obtained court permission to search the Istanbul office of the Dicle news agency and said the operation was part of security measures ahead of the NATO summit in the city on June 28-29, the secretary of the agency told AFP by telephone. "They also said that people here are suspected of being linked to the PKK," she said, referring to the separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party, which this month announced the end to a five-year unilateral cease-fire with the government. The pro-Kurdish Democratic People's Party (DEHAP) said police also searched the offices of two small pro-Kurdish monthly magazines, Ozgur Halk and Genc Bakis. They were also suspected of having links with the PKK, DEHAP spokesman Kemal Avci told AFP. DEHAP issued a statement condemning the raids and accusing the government of insincerity in democratization efforts aimed at bringing Turkey closer to the European Union. 3) Turkey's Kurds Welcome Broadcasts in Kurdish, with Broken Hearts YOLBOYU (AFP)--Glued to the television set in a squalid coffee shop, residents of this Kurdish village on Wednesday welcomed the first-ever Kurdish broadcast in Turkey but also voiced resentment that it took so long to come about and only through EU pressure. Haunted by memories of the days when their mother tongue was banned in the country, villagers gathered in the shop ahead of the broadcast on TRT state television, visibly eager and excited. As the presenter announced the beginning of the taboo-breaking program in Kurmanci, the most widespread Kurdish dialect in Turkey, complete silence fell and the crowd watched the 30-minute program attentively. "This is what we have been waiting for since the 1970s. It has finally come true," said 32-year-old worker Abdurrahman Demir, referring to the period when Kurds first raised their demands for cultural rights. "My mother is old. She does not speak Turkish. Now she will also be able to understand," exclaimed Selahattin Cimen, 37. Turkey launched daily television and radio broadcasts in non-Turkish languages on Monday, under pressure from the European Union, which will decide in December whether the country is ready to start accession talks. The program, called "Our Cultural Riches," started with news and continued with a bizarre mix of Kurdish music and brief documentaries on nature, the development of civilization, and technology. In a sign of the haste with which the program was put together, the "news" material was taped earlier in the week. "Even though the content was poor, even though it was short, even though it was undertaken because of EU pressure, we are still happy to watch a broadcast in our own language on our national television," Demir said. Worker Zeki Karakas added: "We are both happy and sad. We are happy to watch television in our mother tongue and we are sad because we wished that those programs had started not because the EU wanted them, but because we wanted them." For years, Ankara had rejected Kurdish demands for cultural freedoms, fearing that such rights could fuel nationalist sentiment among the minority and constitute a reward for Kurdish rebels waging a bloody campaign for self-rule in the country's southeast. Several Kurdish channels, broadcasting either from Europe or the Kurdish enclave in neighboring northern Iraq, are already widely watched in Turkey's southeast, where satellite dishes have become an inseparable part of the landscape. Also as part of EU-sought reforms, private courses began teaching the Kurdish language earlier this year. The restive region has enjoyed a period of relative calm since 1999 when the separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) announced an end to its 15-year armed campaign and the government loosened its grip on locals. But the PKK, now known as KONGRA-GEL, said last week that it was ending the unilateral truce as of June 1, raising fears of renewed bloodshed in the area. The Kurdish conflict has claimed some 37,000 lives, most of them rebels. 4) French Armenians Call on Chirac to Take Stance PARIS (Yerkir)--A public rally will take place in Paris on June 12, demanding that French President Jacques Chirac take a final stance on Turkey's European Union membership. Organized by the Hai Tahd Committee of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation of France, the gathering will take place around the monument to the victims of the Armenian Genocide, which includes a statue of Gomidas Vartabed, erected in April 2003 in a park between the Armenian Cathedral on Jean-Goujon, and Champs Elysee, near the Seine River. French Armenians are appealing to the French government to honor the 1987 and 2004 resolutions of the European Parliament, stipulating that before starting accession talks on its EU membership, Turkey withdraw its troops from northern Cyprus invaded in 1974, release political prisoners, guarantee rights of Kurdish and religious minorities, recognize the Armenian Genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire, and lift the blockade of Armenia imposed in 1991. 5) Zepure Shant Dies Folllowing a lengthy illness, Zepure Shant, one of the founding members of the Hamazkayin Kaspar Ipegian theatrical group died in Glendale, California on Monday, June 7. She was 92. Born in the European Turkish town of Rodosto, Shant eventually moved to Lebanon. In 1941, during the formation of the Kaspar Ipegian theatrical group, she actively participated, taking on both major and smaller roles in almost all performances. Besides her love for the theater, Shant's fondness for singing landed her in the Parsegh Ganachian Kousan choir. She was married to Levon Shant's son Souren. They had one child, Levon. Throughout the years, Zepure Shant maintained a profound connection to the Kaspar Ipegian theatrical group, with the sole objective of serving Armenian theater. With the outbreak of Lebanon's civil war, she settled in Los Angeles, and continued to support Armenian theater, specifically collaborating with director Jean Nshanian. Funeral services for Zepure Shant will take place on Friday, June 11, 11 AM at St. Mary's Armenian Apostolic Church in Glendale, California. Burial services will be conducted at the Hollywood Hills Forest Lawn Cemetery. 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.