Author: Chilingarian Babken

RZA VEZIRI: IT IS UP TO AZERBAIJANI GOVERNMENT TO PREVENT EXPLOITATION OF GOLD DEPOSITS BY ARMENIANS

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Oct 2 2006

Armenian government, foreign companies, US State Department,
British Foreign Ministry, and UN have not reacted to the protest
of the Azerbaijan International Mining Operating Company (AIMOC)
against exploitation of gold deposits in Armenian-occupied Azerbaijan
territories, Rza Veziri, AIMOC president told the APA exclusively.

Mr.Veziri said they have not concrete evidences to appeal to the
International Court. The photos taken from satellite do not prove
any excavation.

"Ecology and Natural Resources Ministry criticizes us for passivity.

I signed only an economic contract with Azerbaijan. It is up to the
government to investigate the matter," he said.

CHIRAC: TURKEY SHOULD USE TERM GENOCIDE

Associated Press
Sept 30 2006

YEREVAN, Armenia — French President Jacques Chirac urged Turkey on
Saturday to acknowledge the mass killings of Armenians in the early
20th century as genocide.

Armenians say that as many as 1.5 million of their ancestors were
killed in 1915-1923 in an organized campaign to force them out of
eastern Turkey and have pushed for recognition around the world of
the killings as genocide.

Turkey acknowledges that large numbers of Armenians died, but says
the overall figure is inflated and that the deaths occurred in the
civil unrest during the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. But Ankara
is facing increasing pressure to fully acknowledge the killings,
particularly as it seeks membership in the European Union.

"Should Turkey recognize the genocide of Armenia to join the European
Union?" Chirac asked, echoing a question posed by a reporter at a
joint news conference with Armenian President Robert Kocharian.

"Honestly, I believe so. Each country grows by acknowledging its
dramas and errors of the past."

Chirac’s comments went further than in the past, using the word
genocide directly for the first time. In 2004, Chirac said Turkey
should recognize the killings and make "an effort at memory" to join
the EU. France’s parliament has officially recognized the killings
as genocide.

Chirac has personally supported Turkey’s entry into the 25-nation EU,
though many French have grave misgivings, fearing an influx of cheap
labor and questioning Turkey’s human rights record.

Earlier Saturday, Chirac and his wife, Bernadette, laid a wreath at
the Memorial to the Victims of the 1915 Armenian Genocide in Ottoman
Turkey and visited the Genocide Museum and Institute. Chirac wrote
a single world in the guestbook: "Remember."

Chirac was paying the first visit by a French president to the former
Soviet republic of Armenia since in gained independence. France has
some 400,000 citizens of Armenian origin, and plans several events
in the coming year linked to Armenian culture and history.

"Can one say that Germany, which has deeply acknowledged the Holocaust,
has as a result lost credit? It has grown," Chirac said, urging Turkey
to take inspiration from that and other examples.

Kocharian thanked France for giving "the force of law" to recognition
of the killings as genocide.

Chirac and Kocharian then participated in the opening ceremony for
French Republic Square in the center of Yerevan and attended a concert
by Charles Aznavour, a famous French singer of Armenian origin.

OSCE MG CO-CHAIRS TO ARRIVE IN BAKU ON OCTOBER 2
Author: A. Ismaylova

TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Sept 29 2006

The Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Bernar Face, Mathew Bryza and
Yuri Merzlyakov, will arrive in Baku on 2 October, Tahir Tagizade,
Head of the Press & Information Department of the Azerbaijani Foreign
Ministry told Trend. The Co-chairs are expected to meet with the Head
of Azerbaijan.

According to the Armenian Foreign Minister, the Co-chairs will depart
to Yerevan on 3 October. Oskanyan stressed that only after the visit
will it be clear whether the meeting will be held between the Foreign
Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia. He added that the Co-chairs will
also visit the territories around Nagorno-Karabakh which experienced
fires over the recent period.

A1+

CHARLES AZNAVOUR SANG IN THE REPUBLIC SQUARE TODAY
[07:54 pm] 29 September, 2006

Today the voice of Charles Aznavour sounded for about 15 minutes in
the Republic Square. The passers by were surprised to find out that
the renowned singer was standing on the stage himself. Nevertheless,
the concert `Aznavour and friends’ will take place tomorrow at 08:00
p.m.

Aznavour himself wanted to check the equipment in the square, the
stage decorations and the cameras. Nevertheless, he did not sing with
his full voice but saved it for tomorrow.

After the rehearsal the Abovyan street was closed for a while so that
Aznavour could leave the square.

By the way, the security of the concert is provided by a large number
of policemen who guard the stage and the enclosed area.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Turkey Rejected Kurdish Leader’s Call
29.09.2006 15:34 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan rejected
the call of leader of Kurdish separatists Abdullah Ocalan to
ceasefire, reports the AFP. `Armistice is not concluded with
terrorists,’ Erdogan replied urging Kurds to lay down arms.

Yesterday leader of the Kurdish Worker’s Party (PKK) Abdullah Ocalan,
who is serving life sentence in the Turkish jail called on the Turkish
authorities and Kurdish separatists to conclude an armistice.

However, the PKK soldiers ignored Ocalan’s call and on September 28
night blew up the gas pipeline that conveys Iranian natural gas to
Turkey. There are killed and injured. The fire was seen in a radius of
45 km.

Anoush Tatevossian
Executive Director
Armenian Volunteer Corps
62 Hanrapetutyan St. Apt 108
Yerevan, Armenia

Phone: (374 10) 540037
For information:
For contact: [email protected]

Here I am, in Armenia
By: Laurence Manessian

YEREVAN September 15, 2006. I grew up in France, both my parents are of
Armenian origin but I have never been really much involved in the Armenian
community there. I work in finance in London, I have quite a demanding job.
Last spring I felt the need to take a break from my professional and private
life and to reflect on which direction I wanted my life to take. I obtained
a 3-month career break from my work and decided to apply to become a
volunteer with the Armenian Volunteer Corps.

The choice of coming to Armenia came naturally. I had been there briefly 10
years ago, I had spent most of my time in a small village in the North of
the country. Since then I wanted to go back, get to know the country more in
depth and understand what it meant to me.

Through the AVC I got a volunteer placement at the French Armenian
Development Foundation based in Yerevan. They finance projects all over
Armenia for the long-term development of the country. The types of projects
they finance are: equipping hospitals, renovating schools or working with
handicapped and deaf people to improve their living conditions in Armenia
and help them find jobs. I help in the monitoring and co-ordination of
existing projects and also in finding funding for new projects, asking for
grants from international organizations.

I find that it is such an advantage to be of Armenian origin here. It makes
the experience so much more profound. I was accepted as one of them from the
start, I could really experience everything from the inside, and I never
felt like an intruder.

I am so glad I came to Armenia for an extended period of time. The
experience is so much more complete that any I could have in any other
country. I learn and see things on so many different dimensions.

Of course there is a linguistic and cultural dimension to the experience. I
get to know the country, its history, its specificities and customs- who
were Parajanov and Komitas, what is Borsch, who are the Armenian Navy Band,
how to do a proper Genatz.

But I also find there is a very strong human dimension to the experience.
You meet so many different people, have so many different interactions. You
meet of course other volunteers, Diasporans from all over the world with
which you can share your experiences. You also interact with Armenians from
Armenia. I found that they are very easy to talk to, they let you come into
their lives straight away, they confide in you very quickly, tell you about
their life, their problems.

I also found that there is a strong artistic dimension to the experience.
Armenia is a country which is very orientated towards arts and I have never
had such a close artistic experience than in this country. I met painters
who brought me to their studios and explained me their arts, I met ballet
dancers who took me to their rehearsals. It is so easy here and cheap to go
to classical concerts, operas or ballets.

Somehow I also found my experience here spiritual, even though I am not such
a devoted Christian. The journey through the forest to the Arekolov church,
the frescos of Kobair and the sceneries from Gandzasar are all conducive to
spiritual thoughts, I found.

Being a very city person, I found that my trip to Armenia brought me back to
nature. Through various hikes around the country, I discovered its very
diverse sceneries- the vast and dry hills of the surroundings of Yerevan,
the green forests of Dilijan and the North East or the moonlike landscape of
Aragatz.

Through my experience here, I have also discovered the world of NGOs and
international organizations, a world much of its own, with its own rules.

I also found that this trip opened my mind to a number of issues and
concepts that I had never given a proper thought before. Through the forums
organized by Birthright Armenia, talks with people and my own observations,
I got to think about a number of different world issues, such as: the
influence and impact of communism, the place of Armenia in geopolitics, the
economy of developing countries or humanitarian aid versus private
investment.

All in all it is quite a complete and certainly amazing experience and one
that I would recommend to any Diasporan Armenian. What is more, with AVC
facilitating the transition and sponsorship and support from Birthright
Armenia, it is a possibility for anyone.

For those interested in learning more about the Armenian Volunteer Corps or
Birthright Armenia , please visit and

###

European Report
September 28, 2006

EU/TURKEY : EP REPORT ON TURKEY TOUGH BUT FAIR, SAYS EURLINGS

The European Parliament approved the report on Turkey’s progress
towards EU accession on 27 September by a large majority (429 in
favour, 71 against and 125 abstentions) The final version of this
document is "still tough but more balanced", said rapporteur Camiel
Eurlings (EPP-ED, NL), commenting on the vote.

After a stormy discussion in the EP Foreign Affairs Committee (AFET)
two weeks ago, the report triggered turbulent dispute at the plenary
session on 26 September too. The MEPs were to decide on that day on
the final wording of the report, assessing Turkey’s preparation for
EU accession. The last version of the report, approved by AFET on 4
September, drew strong criticism from most of the political groups in
the Parliament for its "exceptionally critical tone" and "unbalanced
approach". Eurlings’s assessment was harshly criticised also in
Ankara. Commenting on the document, a Turkish Foreign Ministry
spokesman said that "We think that some elements in the report are
written with political motives and without realism and are not in
accordance with the European Parliament’s credibility and
seriousness."

Most controversial for both Ankara and Brussels was Paragraph 49,
which sets the recognition by Turkey of an alleged genocide of
Armenians as a precondition for its full EU membership. Commenting on
this particular paragraph, Camiel Eurlings admitted that it was
adopted against his will. "The Armenian genocide was added as a
precondition for accession at the very last moment. That was against
my will," said the rapporteur in an interview with the Turkish Daily
News on 25 September.

The amendments (80 in total), which were discussed at the plenary
session on 26 September, referred, in particular, to Paragraph 49.
The members of the PES and ALDE Groups intended to delete it. The
ALDE Group also suggested a modification of Paragraph 50 by deleting
its last sentence, which states that Turkey should establish good
relationships with the Greeks of Pontos and the Assyrians to fulfil
EU accession requirements. The ALDE Group tabled in total fourteen
amendments with a general aim to make the report more balanced and
objective. A similar approach was taken by the Socialist Group. They
intended, in particular, to change the wording of paragraphs
referring to the situation of the divided island of Cyprus by
stressing that both "Turkey and Cyprus should undertake new
initiatives to strengthen the ties between the two communities" and
underlining that it is the government of Cyprus which is responsible
for the continuing isolation of northern Cyprus.

The EPP-ED Group, known for its critical attitude towards Turkey’s EU
candidacy, tabled five amendments, including a proposal for a new
paragraph (31 a), referring to the forthcoming visit by Pope Benedict
XVI to Turkey. Taking into consideration recent events after the
Pope’s recent speech, in which he quoted a 14th century Christian
emperor and caused a wave of anger in the Muslim world, including
Turkey, the EPP-ED Group suggested that the report emphasise the hope
that "the visit will contribute to strengthening dialogue between the
Christian and Muslim worlds".

The vote at the EP’s plenary session resulted in "further improvement
of the report", said Eurlings. He expressed his satisfaction that the
Parliament decided to delete Paragraph 49 (322 in favour, 283 against
and 40 abstentions), stressing that there are no extra preconditions
for the accession of Turkey except for those conditions which were
set 13 years ago in Copenhagen. "If Turkey complies with them, it
will become a fully-fledged member of the EU," said Eurlings. He also
strongly defended the final wording of Paragraph 50, saying that it
does not set a new condition but just puts pressure on Turkey to
establish good relations with such minorities as the Greeks of Pontos
and the Assyrians. The MEPs also voted in favour of the new Paragraph
31 a.

Despite the adopted amendments, the report is still very rigorous. It
calls on the government in Ankara to recognise the Republic of
Cyprus, withdraw its forces from the island and lift its embargo on
Cypriot vessels and aircraft. It reminds Turkey that a lack of
progress in implementing the Ankara Protocol "will have serious
implications for the negotiation process, and could even bring it to
a halt". It also calls on "both Greece and Turkey to refrain from
tension-prone military activities". Moreover, the MEPs stressed that
Ankara has to introduce freedom of expression and amend Article 301
of its Penal Code.

ARMENIAN NATION SHOULD NOT FEAR TAKING THE ROAD OF FUTURE

PanARMENIAN.Net
28.09.2006 14:00 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "France is ready to assist Armenia in political
modernization," French President Jacques Chirac stated in an interview
to the Hayastani Hanrapetutyun (Republic of Armenia) newspaper. In his
words, an old nation like Armenian should not fear of taking the road
of the future. At that he remarked that between the Armenian and French
people there is a certain internal commonness. Chirac underscored
similar preferences of the two peoples, specifically independence,
spiritual wisdom in art and culture, beauty of the languages and their
being sacral," Chirac underscored, adding some half a million French
of Armenian origin "conveyed their courage, talent and magnanimity
to France." The French President underscored they preserved ties
with their historical fatherland and promote strengthening relations
between the two peoples. Addressing the Armenian youth, Chirac said,
"Belonging to such an old people, simultaneously having an opportunity
to build a new country is happiness." "Armenia deserves its people
being devoted to it," Chirac stressed.

NATO SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR SOUTH CAUCASUS TO ARRIVE IN ARMENIA IN MID-OCTOBER

PanARMENIAN.Net
26.09.2006 17:45 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ NATO Special Representative for the South Caucasus
Robert Simmons will arrive in Armenia in the second ten days of
October, acting Spokesperson of the Armenian MFA Vladimir Karapetyan
told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. According to Azeri sources, Robert
Simmons will be in Azerbaijan October 8-10.

There he is scheduled to meet Azeri officials.

AZERBAIJAN WANTS AL-JAZEERA PROGRAMMES ON KARABAKH OFF THE AIR – OFFICIAL

Ekho, Baku, in Russian
20 Sep 06 pp 1,4

An Azerbaijani official has said that Baku will try to persuade
Qatar’s Al-Jazeera TV not to broadcast programmes about separatists
in Azerbaijan’s breakaway region of Nagornyy Karabakh, the daily Ekho
has said.

The head of the press and information policy department of the
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, Tahir Tagizada, told Ekho in an
interview published on 20 September: "If Qatar’s Al-Jazeera TV
confirms information about its plans to broadcast a reportage about
separatists in Nagornyy Karabakh in the near future, we will bring to
their notice the fact that such a step is unacceptable to our country
and will propose taking the programme off the air."

Tagizada said that the Azerbaijani embassy in the United Arab Emirates
is now dealing with the issue as the country has no embassy in Qatar.

The paper also quoted the chairman of the working group on
Azerbaijani-Qatari interparliamentary ties, MP Fazil Qazanfaroglu, as
saying that the TV channel’s wish to broadcast a series of programmes
about the life of Karabakh separatists was "obviously" based on
commercial interests. "It is not connected with a special negative
attitude on the part of the TV channel towards our country," he said.

Qazanfaroglu added that it was no secret that Armenians spend large
amounts of money on their propaganda campaign in the world.