If Armenia & Azerbaijan could agree on NK conflict,they’d have done

PanArmenian News
Feb 14 2005

IF ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN COULD COME TO AGREEMENT ON KARABAKH
CONFLICT THEY WOULD HAVE DONE IT LONG BEFORE

14.02.2005 13:18

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Azerbaijan is viewing the Minsk Group as a single
whole and would not like to draw a distinction between the
Co-Chairs”, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stated in his
interview with Nezavisimaya Gazeta Russian newspaper. However Russia
is the only chair-state bordering with Azerbaijan and is a power of
our region. Surely, this circumstance increases her responsibility
for the Karabakh conflict settlement, he stated. “We think that the
activities of the Minsk Group should not proceed from the principle:
“you will come to agreement and we will confirm”. “If we could come
to an agreement, we would have done it long before. The Minsk Group
was formed because the conflicting parties could not arrive at an
agreement themselves. That is why we hold the opinion that the MG
activity should be directed at the asserting of principles and norms
of the jus gentium according to which the territorial integrity of
any state is inviolable. Azerbaijan did not violate the territorial
integrity of any country while our own territorial integrity was
violated. This fact was recorded in some document of the leading
international institutions, in part, in the resolution by the Council
of Europe”, Azeri President said. In his words, official Baku sees
the settlement of the conflict in thew following way: Azerbaijan’s
territorial integrity should be restored, Armenian forces should
leave the Azeri territories, and the refugees should return their
homes. Then peace will be established”. According to him, this
approach becomes more and more acceptable for the international
community and the latest activation of the OSCE Minsk Group may be
efficient.

Turquie et Constitution =?UNKNOWN?Q?europ=E9enne?= sont=?UNKNOWN?Q?l

Turquie et Constitution européenne sont liées
par NICOLAS DUPONT-AIGNAN

Le Figaro, France
11 février 2005

Le traité constitutionnel n’aurait rien à voir avec l’adhésion
programmée de la Turquie à l’Union européenne. C’est en tout cas ce
que martèlent ses partisans, à tel point qu’on en vient à se demander
s’ils ne cherchent pas d’abord à s’en convaincre eux-mêmes. A les en
croire, il n’y aurait qu’un malencontreux télescopage de calendrier.
Mais comme le pressentent à juste titre de plus en plus de Français,
le lien entre les deux questions est en réalité fondamental. Pour la
raison simple, tout d’abord, que la Constitution européenne n’est
rien d’autre que le contrat de mariage qui propose de lier entre
elles les nations d’Europe. Or, comment prétendre inviter nos
concitoyens à parapher ce contrat de mariage en leur enjoignant de ne
surtout pas se demander avec qui ils le signent ? C’est un peu se
moquer du monde, car chacun sait que, quand on se marie, on se soucie
bien plus du conjoint que du Code civil ! Or le conjoint est aussi
turc.

« Mais cette adhésion n’est pas certaine ! », nous répondra-t-on. Au
contraire, deuxième secret de polichinelle, il est bien évident qu’il
ne sera pas possible de dire non après une décennie de négociation
avec Ankara : la crise qui s’ouvrirait alors avec la Turquie serait
trop grave pour que quiconque en prenne le risque. Comme le dit
joliment Robert Badinter, on ne dit pas non devant Monsieur le Maire
après 10 ans de fiançailles. Ajoutons qu’on nous dira dans 10 ans
qu’il serait suicidaire pour la France de bloquer solitairement
l’adhésion turque dans le cadre de la constitution, cette dernière
faisant dépendre la plupart de nos lois du bon vouloir de la majorité
(qualifiée) de nos partenaires. C’est donc seulement en juin
prochain, en refusant de signer la constitution, que les Français
auront la dernière chance d’empêcher le mariage forcé avec la
Turquie. Après, il sera définitivement trop tard.

« Mais vous allez sacrifier le traité constitutionnel pour une
question qui n’a rien à voir avec lui ! » Serait-ce vraiment le cas ?
A lire la constitution, on a au contraire le sentiment que celle-ci
est non seulement l’instrument de l’adhésion turque, mais encore,
plus fondamentalement, son complice.

Tout d’abord, omettant délibérément de définir les frontières de
l’Europe, la constitution ouvre la voie à l’intégration turque là où
le traité de Nice l’empêchait. En effet, ce dernier attribue
nominativement aux 27 pays membres (les 25 actuels plus la Roumanie
et la Bulgarie) le nombre de sièges au Parlement européen et de voix
au Conseil. La Turquie ne figure pas dans cette liste. A l’inverse,
la Constitution fait sauter ce verrou en inscrivant seulement le
principe de la représentation des pays membres au poids
démographique, laissant la porte ouverte à n’importe quelle adhésion
future. Ainsi, refuser la Constitution, c’est en rester à un traité
de Nice qui paralyse juridiquement et politiquement cette
intégration, la possibilité de parvenir dans ce système à un accord
taillé sur mesure pour l’entrée de la Turquie étant très
problématique à de nombreux égards.

Plus grave, l’adhésion de la Turquie, qui est en soi nocive pour
l’Europe, deviendrait franchement dangereuse avec le traité
constitutionnel : premièrement, ce pays, bien que le moins européen
de l’Union, en deviendrait le plus puissant parce que le plus peuplé
(100 millions d’habitants à l’horizon 2025). En effet, la
Constitution établit le poids politique relatif des pays membres dans
l’Union au prorata de leur population. Ensuite, l’influence
prépondérante de la Turquie se ferait sentir dans les 25 nouveaux
domaines de compétences (dont l’immigration) auxquels le traité
constitutionnel étend la majorité qualifiée : la France prendrait
ainsi le risque de se voir infliger des lois européennes fortement
inspirées par la Turquie.

Ainsi, non seulement le traité constitutionnel permet l’intégration
turque, mais, de surcroît, il en aggrave l’impact. Il n’y a là aucun
hasard, puisque… la Turquie a participé à l’élaboration du projet
de constitution et l’a signée en octobre dernier à Rome, comme si
elle était déjà membre à part entière de l’UE ! Plus généralement, la
complicité de la Constitution avec l’adhésion turque n’est pas
fortuite dans la mesure où l’Europe qu’organise le traité
constitutionnel est exactement la même, mais dans une version
aggravée, que celle qui a, d’ores et déjà, conduit à l’ouverture des
fatales négociations d’adhésion : ce sont en effet les mêmes hommes,
la même logique institutionnelle et donc la même vision de l’Europe
qui ont conduit, d’un côté, à la signature de la Constitution
européenne fin octobre et, de l’autre, à l’accord de Bruxelles du 17
décembre, un mois et demi plus tard. Les Français ne doivent donc
avoir aucun état d’âme à dire non en juin 2005.

Ce serait épargner à l’Europe une fatale dislocation et lui offrir
une ultime chance de sursaut : la Turquie n’a pas vocation à entrer
dans l’Union, moins parce qu’elle est musulmane que parce qu’elle
n’est pas européenne. Sa taille, sa situation géographique, sa
culture, son économie, sa démographie, son insertion géopolitique
dans l’Asie centrale turcophone, sa contiguïté avec le Moyen-Orient
arabo-musulman, sa laïcité bottée et ambiguë, son nationalisme
incapable de reconnaître le génocide arménien, en font un pays non
européen dont l’adhésion mettrait en péril non seulement la pérennité
de l’UE mais aussi, en tout état de cause, sa propre cohésion.

Dire non, ce serait ensuite contraindre les dirigeants européens à
négocier un nouveau traité qui délimiterait une fois pour toutes la
construction européenne au continent européen… Dire non en juin
2005, ce serait plus généralement récuser un système antidémocratique
qui cherche à imposer ses orientations par la politique du fait
accompli, la dilution des responsabilités et le détournement de la
souveraineté populaire au travers de mécanismes de contrôle
démocratique fallacieux (droit de pétition artificiel, renforcement
factice du contrôle parlementaire sur la Commission).

Dire non, ce serait en définitive refuser la perspective d’une Europe
très affaiblie à l’intérieur, ouverte à tous les vents de la
mondialisation (article 314 CE) et réintégrée dans le giron de l’Otan
(article 41 CE). Bref, ce serait refuser l’Europe-impuissance sur
laquelle misent les États-Unis en favorisant l’adhésion de la
Turquie, leur deuxième cheval de Troie après la Grande-Bretagne, et
qu’anticipe le Parlement européen en préconisant la
communautarisation du siège de la France au Conseil de sécurité des
Nations unies (rapport Laschet).

Dire non, en fin de compte, ce serait ouvrir la voie à une nouvelle
organisation de l’Europe, qui délimiterait ses frontières,
démocratiserait ses institutions en instaurant une confédération
d’États respectueuse de la souveraineté démocratique des peuples et
qui organiserait les coopérations scientifiques et industrielles à
géométrie variable (type Airbus) seules capables de rendre au
continent toute sa place et son rayonnement sur la scène mondiale.

Le choix historique qu’offre le référendum ne consiste pas à
approuver ou à rejeter l’Europe, mais à dire laquelle nous voulons :
l’Europe condamnée d’avance de la Turquie et de la Constitution ou
l’espoir d’une Europe réellement européenne au service des peuples.

–Boundary_(ID_X+TyWyycrP2UcI9UVqNQmg)–

New press club opens in Vanadzor

New press club opens in Vanadzor

International Journalist’s Network
Feb 11 2005

Journalists in the north Armenian city of Vanadzor now have a local
press club to call their own, the Yerevan Press Club newsletter
reported.

The Vanadzor Press Club was launched at a ceremony on February 5.
Representatives from local and national media groups such as
Internews-Armenia and the Eurasia Foundation attended the ceremony.
Boris Navasardian, president of the Yerevan Press Club, donated
several YPC publications for the new club’s library.

The stated mission of the new club is to assist in the establishment
and development of the media in the Lori and Tavush regions of
Armenia. It will also work towards the free dissemination of
information and the protection of journalists’ rights in the country.

The club is an initiative of the Vanadzor branch of the Helsinki
Citizens Assembly, an international group that promotes civil society
development.

YPC:

http://www.ypc.am/eng/?go=newsletter#5.

Trial On Senior Lieutenant Ramil Safarov, Killer Of Armenian Officer

TRIAL ON SENIOR LIEUTENANT RAMIL SAFAROV, KILLER OF ARMENIAN OFFICER, RESUMED
IN BUDAPEST

BUDAPEST, FEBRUARY 8. ARMINFO. The trial of Ramil Safarov, Azeri officer
axing his Armenian counterpart Gurgen Margaryan in Hungary Feb 19 2004, resumed in
Budapest today.

The defense of the Azerbaijani officer tried to bring the judicial process to
the political field, but the judge prevented her attempts. The defense also
disagreed with the resolution of judicial medics insisting that an Azerbaijani
specialist examine Safarov, which was also rejected. The verdict will be
announced after another two sittings on 10 May and 27 September. The verdict’s
announcement was postponed because of the absence of a witness, a Latvian officer,
who lived in the same room with Margaryan and avoided Safarov’s axe by
chance. The second witness in the case was also absent from the trial because of
illness, it was another Azerbaijani officer who knew about the intentions of
Safarov but did not informed anyone of them before the crime.

ANKARA: Arinc: Turkey Must Be A Country That Resolves Disputes

Arinc: Turkey Must Be A Country That Resolves Disputes

Anadolu Agency, Turkey
Feb 9 2005

Anadolu Agency: 2/9/2005

ANKARA – Turkish Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc has returned to
Ankara after an official visit to Azerbaijan. He was the guest of
Azerbaijani Parliament’s Speaker Murtuz Alasgarov.

In a press conference at Ankara’s Esenboga Airport, Arinc said that
he met and had discussions with the Azeri President Ilham Aliyev,
Prime Minister Artur Rasizade and many Azeri officials.

Arinc told reporters that his meeting with Azeri executives focused
on the development of bilateral relations. “We especially discussed
ways to make our relations better,” remarked Arinc.

Arinc indicated that Turkey is for the solution of the Upper Karabagh
problem, a region under Armenian occupation. “We want Armenian tyranny
which makes one million displaced, all Azeris, to end. We will work
closely with Azerbaijan regarding this matter,” expressed Arinc.

Arinc went on to say that Turkey must be a dynamic country that
resolves disputes, and capable of taking initiatives in its region.
“The problems of Azerbaijan deserve assistance from Turkey. Our
brothers expect a far more active international diplomacy from
Turkey. Our historical mission and strength are all we need for an
active political role,” stated Arinc.

Asked about his views on north of Iraq, Arinc elaborated that Turkey
has drawn global attention to the demographic changes made in this
region. “Undoubtedly, the elections in Iraq was full of wrong and
unfair practices. We all know that the steps taken in Iraq to this
day have not been helpful in the re-construction and democratization
of Iraq,” commented Arinc.

In response to a question on the Israeli-Palestinian Summit in Sharm El
Sheikh town of Egypt, Arinc replied that the election of Mahmood Abbas
as the president of Palestine has been a very positive step towards
the restoration of democracy in Palestine. “Abbas’s election is a
new chance for peace in the region. The establishment of a permanent
peace in the Middle East will positively affect the whole world.”

Arinc added that an independent Palestine, whose recognized boundaries
are secure, is what Turkey wishes to realize.

Manama: Parliament talks

Gulf Daily News, Bahrain
Feb 8 2005

Parliament talks

ARMENIAN Parliament president Arthur Bagdasarin yesterday arrived in
Bahrain to hold talks on bolstering bilateral relations.

He was met at the airport by Parliament chairman Khalifa Al Dhahrani
and other officials.

A joint co-operation agreement will also be signed.

Mr Al Dhahrani later hosted a dinner banquet at Regency
InterContinental Hotel in honour of his counterpart and his
delegation.

Glendale Man Sentenced in Stalking Case

KABC, CA
Jan 28 2005

Glendale Man Sentenced in Stalking Case

PASADENA – A Glendale man accused of keeping track of his ex-
girlfriend by attaching a cell phone equipped with a
satellite-enabled tracking system to her car was sentenced today to
16 months in prison.
Ara Gabrielyan, 33, pleaded no contest to stalking and making
criminal threats, said Deputy District Attorney Debra Archuleta, head
of the Stalking and Threat Assessment Team.

Pasadena Superior Court Judge Teri Schwartz immediately sentenced
Gabrielyan to 16 months in state prison.

Gabrielyan, who was arrested last Aug. 29, also faces deportation to
Armenia when he completes his prison term, according to the
prosecutor.

Glendale police said Gabrielyan attached a cell phone with a Global
Positioning System to the bottom of his ex-girlfriend’s vehicle to
keep tabs on her whereabouts.

The woman — who had broken off her relationship with Gabrielyan
nearly two years before — became suspicious when she started running
into him at various locations, police said. The woman contacted
police after spotting him under her car, where he apparently tried to
change the battery that powered the cell phone, according to police.

Delegation Headed by Aghvan Vardanian Visits “Alik” in Tehran

DELEGATION HEADED BY AGHVAN VARDANIAN VISITS “ALIK” ESTABLISHMENT OF
TEHRAN

YEREVAN, January 27 (Noyan Tapan). The tax bodies provided tax
revenues of 142 bln drams (about 2 bln, 858 mln dollars) instead of
expected 138.4 bln drams. According to the press service of the State
Tax Service attached to the RA government, 9.4 bln drams have already
been collected out of expected 10.7 bln drams as of January 26. It was
mentioned that the planned index will be completely fulfilled till the
end of the year. In 2005, the State Tax Service should provide tax
revenues of 167 bln drams, and it is expected they will be provided
due to the toughening of the administration and the reduction of the
shadow sector of the economy.

ANKARA: PM urges world leaders to stop “globalization of terrorism”

Turkey’s premier urges world leaders to stop “globalization of terrorism”

TRT 1 television, Ankara
28 Jan 05

Announcer Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has held a news
conference at the World Economic Forum congress centre in
Davos. Within the framework of this year’s theme in the summit,
Erdogan said, the politicians should offer alternatives.

Erdogan In my opinion, the first of these is to be able to prevent the
globalization of terrorism. We should discuss what we can do to
globalize peace. We must take the step of the joint struggle platform
together, including the most developed countries, the developing
countries and even the underdeveloped countries. All terrorists are
bad. Turkey is one of the countries that was hurt most by
terrorism. From the onset we declared, and are still declaring, that
we are ready to engage in all types of solidarity in this regard.”

Announcer In reply to a question on the Armenian genocide allegations
raised in various countries, Erdogan said that his government
advocates a concept of politics that leaves historical events to
historians.

Erdogan We are a government that has started flights from Yerevan to
Istanbul by opening the air corridor. My government has very proper
relations with the Armenian citizens in my country. There are 30,000
Armenian citizens in my country, and they have no such problem. At
present, we are engaged in efforts to build the world of tomorrow.”

Announcer Answering a question on the Israeli-Palestinian question,
Erdogan said:

Erdogan According to our saying, friends tell the painful truth. We
are saying: Let these bombs stop spewing death. We want a
Palestine-Israel where there are two separate states. We are saying:
peace, peace, peace.

Servicemen Awarded Orders, Medals And Ranks on Occasion of Army Day

NUMBER OF SERVICEMEN AWARDED ORDERS, MEDALS AND RANKS ON OCCASION OF
ARMY DAY

YEREVAN, January 28 (Noyan Tapan). On January 28, the RA President
Robert Kocharian signed decrees on awarding orders, medals and ranks
to a number of servicemen on the occasion of Army Day. According to
the President’s press service, the RA Deputy Minister of Defence
Lieutenant General Artur Aghabekian has been awarded the Vardan
Mamikonian Order for his significant contribution to the establishment
of the RA Armed Forces. Assistant to the RA Minister of Defence
Colonel Hayk Kotanjian has been conferred a rank of Major General.

Khachatur Khachatrian and Komitas Muradian have been awarded the
Combat Cross of Second Degree for courage and devotion in military
service. The Valor Medal has been awarded to Radik Avetisian
(posthumously), Gagik Avsharian, Gurgen Margarian (posthumously),
Samvel Vishtunts (posthumously) and Albert Karamian. The Combat
Service Medal has been awarded to Sergei Arstamian, Armen Apoyan,
Karen Babayan, Armen Barkhudarian, Alexander Beglarian, Artak
Budaghian, Alexander Grigorian, Garik Grigorian, Nikolai Grigorian,
Khachatur Gevorgian, Garik Demirchian, Boris Davidov, Mihran
Khazhoyan, Gurgen Khachatrian, Eduard Karapetian, Albert Hayrapetian,
Artur Madatian, Yuri Matevosian, Artak Makhsudian, Vladik Mangasarian,
Igor Martirosian, Suren Martirosian, Erik Mkrtumian, Jahangir Papian,
Arshaluys Chobanian, Petros Sahakian, Ashot Sargsian, Armen Seyranian,
Artur Simonian and Setenik Papazian.