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08/02/2005
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1) French Premier Says EU-Turkey Talks May Be Delayed
2) Hamazkayin’s Summer Forum to Tread New Territory
3) You Must Have Been Kidding Ilham. . . Oh, You Were
4) Homenetmen Regions Meet on Sidelines of Pan Armenian Games
1) French Premier Says EU-Turkey Talks May Be Delayed
(AFP/Bloomberg)–French Prime Minister Dominique De Villepin demanded Turkey
recognize Cyprus before starting talks on joining the European Union,
threatening EU enlargement and deepening a rift with UK Prime Minister Tony
Blair.
“It doesn’t seem to me that a process of negotiations can start with a
country
that doesn’t recognize each one of the members of the EU,” De Villepin told
Europe 1 radio today. “Absolutely,” he said when asked whether the
negotiations, scheduled for October 3, may be delayed.
Turkey will not agree to any demands to recognize the Republic of Cyprus as a
condition to begin accession talks with the European Union later this year, a
source close to the Ankara government said.
“Turkey will never accept the recognition of the Greek Cypriots
administration
as a precondition to be able to begin membership negotiations with the
European
Union on October 3,” the source, who requested anonymity, told AFP.
De Villepin’s comment put him at odds with the EU enlargement commissioner
and
with Blair, who holds the rotating EU presidency. They add to disagreements
between France and Britain that have included European agriculture subsidies,
the war in Iraq and the site of the 2012 Olympics.
Turkey signed an accord last week extending trade preferences to Cyprus,
which
the EU said cleared the way for membership talks. Turkey said it won’t
recognize a Cypriot government until a solution is found to the island’s
three-decade partition. A Muslim nation of 72 million, Turkey has said EU
talks
will attract record investment to its $300 billion economy.
The 25 EU members must fulfill the pledge they made in December to start the
talks on October 3, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said today in
Riyadh,
Saudi Arabia, CNN Turk television reported.
‘EU’s Criticism’
De Villepin’s comments undermine a December accord among European leaders
that
distinguished between expanding the customs union and recognizing Cyprus, said
Amadeu Altafaj, a spokesman for the Brussels-based European Commission, the EU
executive arm.
“If somebody wants to add conditions, then this will have to be
discussed,” he
said. Recognition should be settled through the United Nations, and “there’s a
UN track for the recognition of Cyprus,” added Altafaj.
Turkey’s benchmark stock index fell 0.8 percent to 29,543, reversing a
gain of
0.4 percent before the comments were reported.
The new French demand counters President Jacques Chirac’s agreement on
December 17 when EU leaders set the date for talks with Turkey to begin.
Chirac
said at the time Turkey must recognize Cyprus to join the EU. It was not a
requirement to start talks.
`Privileged Partnership’
Following French voters’ rejection of the EU constitution in a referendum May
29, Chirac urged fellow EU leaders to reconsider planned enlargement.
“The government is drawing a lesson from the loss of the referendum: public
fear of enlargement, especially to Turkey,” said Philippe Moreau Defarges, a
senior fellow at the French Institute of International Relations in Paris.
Sixty-six percent of the French want Turkey to stay out of the European
Union,
a June 7 opinion poll by CSA showed.
Nicolas Sarkozy, who heads Chirac’s Union for a Popular Movement party and
may
seek to replace him in 2007’s presidential elections, opposes Turkey joining
the EU. Turkey could face opposition in Germany if Angela Merkel, the
opposition candidate for chancellor, wins the September 18 elections. Like
Sarkozy, she supports a “privileged partnership” instead of full membership.
“The whole Turkey decision is a game of chicken,” said Katinka Barysch, an
analyst at the London-based Center for European Reform. “There are lots of
countries that want to speak out on it, but no one wants to be seen as the one
who vetoes the process.”
Blair’s Backing
French skepticism towards Turkey contrasts with comments by Blair. Hungary,
one of 10 nations that joined the EU last year, also backs Turkey.
“Everybody also wants, I think I am right in saying, Turkey inside the
European
Union.” Blair said July 26. “When there was some suggestion before the
accession of Cyprus to the European Union that a unified island should be a
pre-condition of accession, it was Britain that said ‘no you can’t make this a
precondition.'”
Ferenc Szabo, Hungary’s deputy foreign affairs spokesman said in a phone
interview in Budapest August 2 that “Turkey has fulfilled all conditions
set by
the EU.”
“France no longer surprises with such negative comments about
Turkey’s
EU bid,” said Elif Cengiz, who helps manage about $4 billion at Is Portfolio
Management in Istanbul. “French politicians made similar noise before the
December 17 decision to start membership talks with Turkey. The pro-Turkish
U.K. holding the rotational presidency provides an advantage to Turkey.”
2) Hamazkayin’s Summer Forum to Tread New Territory
YEREVAN–Hamazkayin’s dynamic Summer Forum 2005 began on July 21 with
nearly 56
youth participating in what has already been an unforgettable trip. Marking
its
fourth year in Armenia, the Forum has once again brought together youth from
the United States, France, Cyprus, Lebanon, Syria, Georgia, and Karabagh. Six
of the participants are students from Armenia.
Speaking about the significance of the Forum, head of Hamazkayin’s Yerevan
office Lilit Galstyan said, “The goal of the summer Forum is for Armenian
youth
to familiarize themselves with our homeland. During the Forum’s 14 days, the
participants get to learn first hand about their history, land, and identity,
taking back with them a ‘little Armenia.'”
Since its inception in 1995, the Hamazkayin Summer Forum has provided a
friendly and exciting environment for bright young Armenians. Students learn a
great deal about Armenian culture, discover the sites and sounds of the host
country, and build lifelong friendships. Thought provoking lectures, trips to
historic destinations, and nights of dancing and entertainment are only
some of
the activities the forum has to offer.
The 2005 participants have had the opportunity to meet fellow Armenians both
from the diaspora and Armenia, visit historical sites including Echmiadzin,
Garni, Geghart, Khor Virab, and Noravank, and attended a welcoming
reception at
Yerevan State University. They have also enhanced their learning experience by
attending lectures on Armenian culture and heritage, music, and history.
In the coming days, the group will visit Hagartsin, Sanahin, Madenataran, the
Sarian and Parajanov museums, Oshagan, Amberd, and Saghmosavank, and make a
historic pilgrimage to Western Armenia.
3) You Must Have Been Kidding Ilham. . . Oh, You Were
(Combined Sources)–As soon as the latest edition of the opposition newspaper
Azadliq (Freedom) hit newsstands in Baku on Monday, they were just as quickly
removed because of inappropriate content.
According to Russian and Azeri news sources, the edition included a photo
collage that poked fun of President Ilham Aliyev.
Only last Thursday, Aliyev, however, told a gathering celebrating the 130th
anniversary of the country’s media, “Azerbaijan’s media is completely free
today.”
He even posthumously honored Najaf Najafov–the late editor in chief of the
same opposition newspaper–by conferring an order through a presidential
decree.
He also pointed out the importance of conveying balanced news to the public,
and covering issues fairly. “The development of media is demanded of
Azerbaijani society. The press should be free and come out of the influence of
political forces,” Aliyev said, before he apparently uncrossed his fingers.
4) Homenetmen Regions Meet on Sidelines of Pan Armenian Games
As Homenetmen’s Seventh Pan Armenian Games Came to a close on Sunday in
Greece,
representatives from the organization’s regions gathered in Athens on August 1
for their sixth inter-executive meeting. They hailed from the regions of
Australia, Canada, Eastern and Western US, South America, Greece, Iran, and
Lebanon, as well as individual chapters of Alexandria, Cairo, Cyprus,
Jerusalem, Kuwait, London, Paris, and Vienna. Iran’s Ararat Chapter
participated with guest status. Also present were ARF Greece Central Committee
representative Krikor Erchenian, Azat Or newspaper, and the Honorary President
of the organization’s Pan Armenian Games Alber Shahinian.
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress