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07/12/2005
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1) Turkish Author Breaks Media Silence, Addresses Turkish Denial
2) Media Floats Reports of Phased Peace Deal on Karabagh
3) Karabagh Agreement Not Quite Visible
4) Egoyan Opens Yerevan’s Golden Apricot International Film Festival

1) Turkish Author Breaks Silence to again Addresses Turkish Denial

ISTANBUL(Deutsche Welle/Marmara)–Breaking his silence to the media, Turkish
novelist Orhan Pamuk spoke to the Turkish paper Sabah about many topics, and
addressed Turkey’s denial of the Armenian genocide–the very same subject that
caused his rejection of the press.
In an interview to a Swiss paper, Pamuk–Turkey’s best-selling novelist,
conveyed that one million Armenians and 30,000 Kurds had been killed in
Turkey.
The fallout in Turkey was tremendous. Pamuk, who is consistently an outspoken
critic of his country’s inability to own up to its often harrowing history,
subsequently chose not to speak to the press.
But Pamuk, who was recently awarded the German Book Trade’s Peace Prize, told
Sabah that he simply told the Swiss paper what he knows to be true. “I do not
hold animosity toward anyone, but as you very well know, if you speak about
the
history of a country–and address a sensitive issue, and convey what you
believe, then you invite indignation and reaction. I knew that.”
Condemnation is not new to Pamuk. Nationalist groups have always been
angry at
his criticism of Turkey’s treatment of its Kurdish minority, and want to see
his books removed from public libraries.
Admirers, however, see his work as a rejection of a recent intellectual
tradition that aspires to be western by ignoring the past.
“If you try to repress memories, something always comes back,” Pamuk once
said
in an interview with Time magazine. “I’m what comes back.”
He also told Sabah that such issues as Turkey’s acceptance of the Armenian
genocide can not be solved with a few random statements. “This is not
something
to be undertaken by three or five people. These truths will unravel slowly. We
will know when we begin to tell each other the truth–but we must,
nevertheless, be taught.”
Germany’s recent award to Pamuk–one of most prestigious cultural
prizes–seems to have reflected a growing awareness that many of the issues
preoccupying Turkey these days have a profound global resonance.
Pamuk was rewarded just one week after demonstrations took place in Berlin
against the German parliament’s resolution in memory of the massacre of
Armenians by Turks in 1915.
Yavus Baydar from the newspaper Sabah has described the award as “very
significant for freedom of speech in Turkey.” He knows what he’s talking
about.
Earlier this year, he asked Pamuk to write an article for Sabah about South
Korea. After it was published, he was bombarded with outraged readers’ mail,
accusing him of having given a voice to a “traitor.”
Born in 1952, Pamuk grew up among Turkey’s secular upper classes. After
spending several years in New York, he was given a mixed reception when he
returned to Istanbul, the city where he was born. The country’s Islamic
intellectuals accused him of exploiting religious and historical themes to
pander to Western tastes.
He enjoys both commercial success and critical acclaim in his home country.
His 1990 novel “Kara Kitap” is widely seen as one of the most controversial
and
popular readings in Turkish literature.
But despite his phenomenal popularity, Turkey itself has a love-hate
relationship with Pamuk.
In 1998, Ankara wanted to present him with Turkey’s highest cultural
accolade,
the title of state artist. He rejected the honor. “For years I have been
criticizing the state for putting authors in jail, for only trying to solve
the
Kurdish problem by force, and for its narrow-minded nationalism,” said Pamuk.
“I don’t know why they tried to give me the prize.”
This time, though, Pamuk will be accepting his award–at the Frankfurt Book
Fair in October.

2) Media Floats Reports of Phased Peace Deal on Karabagh

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)–The leadership of Mountainous Karabagh Republic is
opposed to
a gradual resolution of the conflict with Azerbaijan, according to RFE/RL,
which cited an opposition politician in Yerevan as its source. That deal would
enable the region’s population to determine its future status with a
referendum.
The news agency also reported that senior Armenian sources said the deal
calls
for an independence referendum to be held in Karabagh within 10 to 15 years
from the liberation of most of the Armenian seized lands in Azerbaijan proper
and the restoration of economic links between the two neighbors.
Authorities in Stepanakert have always ruled out Karabagh’s return under
Azeri
control, saying that any peace accord must formalize its independence.
Ghukasian and other Karabagh leaders have not yet publicly commented on the
phased settlement which is reportedly discussed by Armenia and Azerbaijan.
“The main demand of the Armenian side is that the issue of Karabagh’s status
be resolved in accordance with the people of Karabagh’s right to
self-determination,” commented ARF-Armenia head Armen Rustamian. “So we must
achieve the realization of that right.”
“But we don’t have the remaining details,” he added. “As they say, the devil
is in the details. A few concrete issues must be clarified. For example, the
territory on which the referendum is to be held and the electorate that will
take part in the vote.”
“If we see that the details nullify the idea, that will mean we are again in
an illusory situation and we, of course, will not agree to that.”

3) Karabagh Agreement Not Quite Visible

YEREVAN (Armenpress)–Yuri Merzlyakov, the Russian co-chairman of the
international body tasked with finding a resolution to the Karabagh conflict,
and told a press conference in Baku that even a draft agreement on a
regulation
to Karabagh conflict would hardly be ready in time for the August meeting
between Armenian and Azeri presidents.
“At present, we are working to formulate concise wording of principles. The
process of forming the accord–after we receive agreement from both
sides–will
take several months,” the Minsk Group’s Merzlyakov told the Baku-based Day.az
online newspaper, after rounds of talks with Azeri leaders.
The group’s American co-chair, Steven Mann was less optimistic, saying that
the agreement could be prepared either in coming months or in the next
century–depending on the will of Armenian and Azeri leaders.
The French co-chair, Bernard Fassier added that the peace process would be on
the right track if upcoming parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan are
democratic and transparent.
The three co-chairs stressed that the direct involvement of the Karabagh’s
Armenian and Azeri communities would be necessary at least in the final rounds
of settlement talks.
The Minsk Group co-chairs are due to arrive in Armenia on Wednesday on their
regional tour that includes Mountainous Karabagh Republic.

4) Egoyan Opens Yerevan’s Golden Apricot International Film Festival

By Nane Atshemian

Renowned Canadian film director Atom Egoyan, opened an international film
festival in Yerevan on Tuesday, hailing a “great selection” of works that will
be screened during the five-day event.
The second annual Golden Apricot Festival, the biggest in Armenia’s history,
will feature movies and documentaries by filmmakers from over a dozen
countries, including the United States, France, Germany and even Afghanistan.
They will compete for the top prizes in three different categories defined by
the organizers.
Egoyan will head the jury for the main contest designed for local and foreign
films. “This will be a very difficult selection because some of the films that
are chosen have already been shown in other festivals,” he told a news
conference ahead of the opening ceremony. “They are of a very high standard
and
quality.”
“We have a great selection, we have wonderful guests, we have workshops,”
Egoyan said. “It’s very well organized. So now it’s for the public to take
advantage of this.”
Also expected to attend the festival are several world famous movie
directors,
among them Krzysztof Zanussi of Poland and Russia’s Nikita Mikhalkov. They
will
arrive with their latest productions and hold workshops for local young
filmmakers.

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