Author: Chmshkian Vicken

Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
Feb 4 2005

Turkish Prime Minister and French Assembly Speaker Discuss Turkey’s
EU Membership

Jan SOYKOK, ANKARA (JTW and News Agencies) – President of the French
National Assembly Jean Louis Debre met Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip
Erdogan yesterday.

Louis Debre asked Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan about
the
implementation of reforms which Turkey fulfilled in the EU process.
Debre also asked improvement in Cyprus issue and relations with
Armenia.

Turkish PM Erdogan told Debre that France and Turkey share common
values like democracy, freedom, human rights and supremacy of law.
Noting that Turkey tries to effectively implement the reforms it made
in the EU process, Erdogan said Turkey’s EU membership will further
improve the political and economic relations between Turkey and
France.

Tayyip Erdogan said Armenian allegations should be left to
historians. “If their historians have claims, our historians have
claims too. They shall study Ottoman archives” added Erdogan.

Erdogan further said Turkey does not have any problems with its
Armenian citizens’.

“We opened our archives and we provide any assistance to Armenian
historians and scientist who wish to study Ottoman documents.
Armenians should also open their archives,” he added.

Dr. Laciner: `France Should Not Sacrifice For Armenian Radicals’

There is a strong Armenian diaspora lobbying in France and the
Armenian allegations is a domestic issue in France. However Dr. Sedat
Laciner argues French politicians should not sacrifice Turkish-French
relations for their domestic political interests. Dr. Laciner further
continued:

`As a matter of fact that neither French politicians nor the Armenian
Diaspora radicals see Armenia’s national interests as their priority.
Armenia’s and Diaspora’s interests are not the same. As Dr. Nilgun
Gulcan pointed out Armenia and Diaspora has contrary interests.
Diaspora needs more dispute between Turks and Armenians, because many
Diaspora Armenian enjoy from the `genocide industry’. If Turkey and
Armenia solve their problem they could not abuse the past for their
individual interests. Many diaspora institutions are dependent on
`genocide donations’. Many Armenian actors, businessmen, politician
etc. in Northern America and Europe see Turkish-Armenian problems as
source of power. When the both side put an end to the historical
misunderstandings many militants will lose their financial and
political power over the ordinary Armenians in diaspora. Similarly
some of the Diaspora institutions argue that the 1915 Legacy is the
most important thing uniting Armenians. According to this approach,
Diaspora Armenians need a uniting cause in order to resist
assimilation. Otherwise, they think, Armenian identity would be
diminished in front of the strong Western cultures.

However Armenian state needs Turkey and other Turkic peoples. Armenia
is surrounded by more than 100 million Turkish people (Turkey,
Azerbaijan and Iran Azerbaijan). Georgia is an ally of Turkey and has
good relations with the Western states though Armenia stayed the only
Russian ally in the region. Armenia is a relatively small and poor
country, it is land-locked. If Armenia can solve its problems with
Turkey the life would be easier for the Armenians. In my opinion
Turkey, Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan could establish an economic
regional integration in Caucasus. Turkey could be a European door for
the Armenian businessmen and people. Turkish universities can open
their doors to Armenian youth. Armenia cannot survive in a hostile
region. So-called Russian support or relations with Iran cannot
substitute relations with Turkey. A strong Turkish-Armenian regional
ally would change a lot in the region. If Turkey and Armenia can
establish a strong friendship foreign direct investment would jump,
security problems down, and the region would become a trade centre
for the Central Asia, Black Sea and the Middle East’.

A1 Plus | 14:55:44 | 03-02-2005 | Politics |

PRESS CONFERENCE IN ARMENIA CANCELLED DUE TO ZHVANIA’S DEATH

his morning Chairman of the Armenian-Georgian Business Association, NA
deputy Vladimir Badalyan was taking in demulcents instead of taking
part in the press conference scheduled for today, as he was shocked by
Zurab Zhvania’s death. Badalyan and Zhvania last met several days ago
and today’s press conference should have been devoted to the work
carried out by Vladimir Badalyan.

Upon completion of the sitting of the Armenian-Russian Business
Cooperation held January 19-28 in Rostov-on-Don the Armenian deputy
paid a call to Georgia and discussed the Armenian-Georgian economic
relations with Zurab Zhvania. It is known that the Armenian-Georgian
relationships are partly connected with the exploitation of ferries to
relieve the cargo transportation with Armenia under the conditions of
blockade. Vladimir Badalyan is absolutely sure that Zhvania was
interested in the resolving of the above-mentioned problems. By the
way, according to the program schedule, 5 ferries were to start
functioning between the port of Poti and Caucasus before this August.

RA officials perceive that Zurab Zhvania’s death will reflect on
Armenia. However, at the moment the members of the Association prefer
not to forecast the further development of Armenian-Georgian
relations. Association Chairman Vladimir Badalyan is to depart for
Georgia to be present at the Prime Minister’s funeral. Only after that
the further activities of the Armenian-Georgian Business Association
will be clarified.

BRITAIN’S AZERI EMBASSY SAYS TRAVEL WARNING CONCERNS KARABAKH

Turan news agency
31 Jan 05

BAKU

The British embassy in Azerbaijan has issued an explanation in
connection with a report by ANS TV concerning the information
allegedly posted on the web site of the British Foreign Office and
suggesting that British citizens should refrain from travelling to
Azerbaijan.

A statement by the British embassy says that it does not recommend
that British citizens visit “Nagornyy Karabakh and the military
occupied area surrounding it”.

“The British government provides information about security, local
laws and customs, traffic safety and information about health and
visas,” the embassy said in the statement. The press release also says
that thousands of British citizens visit Azerbaijan every year and
that Baku is home “to a British community”, the statement says.

Campaign for Recognition of the
Armenian Genocide (CRAG)

w3.crag.org.uk / w3.accc.org.uk
[email protected]

28 January 2005

** London Mayor Ken Livingstone on the Armenian Genocide **

Yesterday, as part of the weekly BBC1 television programme ‘Question
Time’ (10:35 pm-11:35 pm), David Dimbleby as Chair of the programme
invited a studio audience in Croydon to put their questions to a panel
that also comprised the Mayor of London Ken Livingstone.

During a discussion of the Jewish Holocaust, Mayor Ken Livingston
addressed the issue of the importance of history and declared how
Hitler, embarking upon the Holocaust, had stated, “Who now remembers
the Armenians”. The Mayor also added that Armenians were victims of
the 20th Century’s first genocide.

CRAG will make the necessary contacts, but for those who watched the
programme, you can also respond to the Audience question of the
programme: ‘What are the lessons for us when we remember Auschwitz?’
by writing to the BBC. Simply log on the BBC web-link and take it from
there:

Agence France Presse
25 janvier 2005 mardi 9:02 PM GMT

Polémique sur la disparition du génocide arménien d’un programme
d’histoire

POTSDAM (Allemagne) 25 jan

Le génocide arménien ne figure plus au programme scolaire d’histoire
de l’Etat régional allemand du Brandebourg (est), ce qui a déclenché
une polémique dans laquelle le gouvernement régional se défend
d’avoir cédé à des pressions de la Turquie.

“Malheureusement il y a eu toute une série de génocides”, a déclaré
mardi à Potsdam le chef du gouvernement régional, le social-démocrate
Matthias Platzeck, regrettant que seul l’exemple arménien soit évoqué
dans cette partie du programme d’histoire, rédigée il y a deux ans.

Il a annoncé que des directives d’instruction sur la question des
génocides allait être reformulées cette année. En Allemagne,
l’éducation est du ressort des Etats régionaux.

Le quotidien berlinois Tagesspiegel avait accusé le gouvernement de
M. Platzeck d’avoir cédé à des pressions d’Ankara, ce que ce dernier
a nié.

Le Tagesspiegel a rapporté que le consul général de Turquie Aydin
Durusay s’était plaint auprès du gouvernement régional que le
génocide arménien soit évoqué dans le programme des classes des
élèves de 15 et 16 ans.

Toujours selon le journal, M. Durusay a reçu il y a deux semaines
l’assurance lors d’un déjeuner avec M. Platzeck que le sujet
disparaîtrait du programme scolaire.

Depuis, selon le journal, “le génocide de la population arménienne”
ne figure plus comme exemple illustrant le sujet du génocide.

Des députés régionaux, l’Union chrétienne-démocrate (CDU,
conservateurs) et le PDS (néo-communistes), ont demandé que le thème
du génocide arménien figure à nouveau au programme.

Les massacres et déportations d’Arméniens sous l’empire Ottoman, de
1915 à 1917, ont fait 1,5 million de morts, selon les Arméniens,
entre 300.000 et 500.000, selon les Turcs.

Le génocide arménien, nié par la Turquie, est officiellement reconnu
par le Parlement européen, la France, la Belgique et la Grèce.

International Journalist’s Network
Jan 26 2005

Diversity group focuses attention on Caucasus for 2005

A group that encourages conflict resolution and minority rights is
planning several events this spring for journalists in Armenia,
Azerbaijan and Georgia.

In February, the London-based Media Diversity Institute (MDI) will
monitor 15 leading newspapers in the three countries. The institute
will examine the media’s coverage of topics such as refugees, the
disabled, and religious, sexual and ethnic minorities. MDI will
release a cross-regional comparison of the results after the study is
completed.

MDI also is organizing several team reporting projects for
journalists in the region. The first is scheduled for February 8 to
18 for eight Armenian and Georgian newspaper reporters. They will
travel throughout the two countries for two weeks, investigating a
diversity-related topic. One international and one local editor will
coordinate the team.

Similar team projects are scheduled for March 14 to 25 for
Azerbaijani and Georgian journalists; April 14 to 24 for Armenia,
Georgian and Azerbaijani journalists; and May 10 to 20 for Armenian
and Georgian journalists.

Journalists and NGO representatives can participate in one of several
media-relations workshops planned for the first half of 2005. Each
workshop will teach journalists the value of NGOs and how best to use
information provided by these groups. NGO participants will learn how
to gauge news value, and how to prepare news releases and news
conferences.

Media relations workshops are scheduled for February 25 to 27 in
Nagorno-Karabakh; March 1 to 3 for Armenians in Yerevan; April 5 to 7
for Azerbaijanis in Baku; April 5 to 7 for Georgians in Tbilisi; and
April 9 to 11 for Azerbaijanis in Ganja.

Three media management workshops – one each in Armenia, Azerbaijan
and Georgia – are planned for March. This two-day program teaches
editors and managers of minority media outlets about research,
targeting content to consumers, marketing, distribution, revenue and
budgeting. MDI says the goal is to help minority media be more
financially viable while maintaining professional journalism
standards.

The workshops are scheduled for March 1 to 3 in Yerevan, Armenia;
March 3 to 4 in Baku, Azerbaijan; and March 7 to 8 in Tbilisi,
Georgia.

MDI also plans to release a new version of its `Reporting Diversity’
handbook this February in Armenian, Azeri and Georgian languages. The
manual includes sections on ethnicity, religion, gender, the
disabled, elderly people, refugees, sexual orientation and political
dissidents. Each section offers reporting tips and detailed analysis
of actual articles taken from newspapers from the Caucasus, Western
Europe and the United States.

For information on any of these upcoming events, visit
or contact
MDI at [email protected], telephone +44 20 73800 200, or fax
+44 20 73800 050.

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Jan 26 2005

World Azerbaijanis urge PACE to deprive Armenians of deputy mandates

The World Azerbaijanis Congress (WAC) has urged the Council of Europe
(CE) to impose sanctions on Armenia and deprive the Armenian
parliamentarians attending the sessions of the Parliamentary Assembly
of the CE of their deputy mandates.
The WAC stated in its appeal to the PACE leadership and the member
states’ parliaments that `if the CE wants to achieve sustainable
peace in the region, it must take unbiased position on the Upper
Garabagh issue and urge Armenia to implement the UN resolutions and
PACE decisions’.*

SCIENTIFIC-RESEARCH CENTER OF CULTURAL HERITAGE TO COMPILE LISTS OF
ARMENIAN MONUMENTS SITUATED ABROAD

YEREVAN, January 19 (Noyan Tapan). The Scientific-Research Center of
Historical-Cultural Heritage compiled the state list of the historical
and cultural monuments of the Shirak and Tavush regions, which was
approved by the RA government. Hakob Simonian, the Director of the
Center, told NT’s correspondent that this year the government will
also present the list of the historical and cultural monuments of the
Syunik region. According to Hakob Simonian, 2,334 monuments will be
included into the list of the monuments of the Tavush region,
meanwhile their number made 700-800 in the state lists compiled in
1983 and 1986. The residential, public and monumental constructions
built in Gyumri at the close of the 19th century and in the beginning
of the 20th centuries are included into the state register of
2004. 1,996 monuments are registered in the Tavush region. The
archeological monuments, sepulchers, ancient castles, the settlements
of the Bronze Age, the monuments of the early Middle Ages have been
exposed as a result of the researches. The monumental sculptures of
the town of Ijevan, which were created by famous foreign sculptors,
are also included into the state list. The Director of the
Scientific-Research Center of Historical-Cultural Heritage mentions
the importance of the compiling of the state lists of the monuments,
as they may be destroyed as a result of the privatization of
lands. Hakob Simonian mentioned that completing the work on the
compiling of the state lists of historical and cultural monuments, the
center will start the work on the compiling of the lists of the
historical and cultural monuments situated abroad, in Russia, the
European countries and the United States.

Winter tales in warm halls

By Hovhannes Yeranian

Yerkir/arm
January 14, 2005

Due to the shaped tradition, the year ends and starts with theatrical
performances for children. Of course, the year actually ends for
theaters in summer so that a new season of performances start in
September.

New Year-related performances really boost theaters, since at these
occasions halls are usually full of children. Sometimes, New Year
tales are performed twice a day.

Today, the theaters are well-repaired and heated due to the Lincy
foundation. So the children no longer have to wear jackets, coats and
hats during the performances.

However, the Paronian theater, which did not experience a repair, this
year has not performed for children, sparing their health, since it
has no heating system. The Sundukian theater had a great success with
children, performing` The Magic Night’ play.

Different cultural centers have been trying to create mood for
children at the New Year> If we also add the performances and relevant
events organizedat schools, as well as the major event on the Republic
square, we shall get a picture of a New Year start full of fun for
children.

ISSUE OF KARABAKH CONFLICT TO BE RAISED AT CE SUMMIT

YEREVAN, JANUARY 18. ARMINFO. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev
will participate in the third Summit of CE Leaders in Warsaw and will
speak at the sitting, Head of the Foreign Relations Department of the
Presidential Executive Staff of Azerbaijan Novrus Mamedov told the
525th newspaper.

He confirmed the information of the Karabakh problem will be discussed
at the CE Summit, alongside with a number of urgent issues of Europe
and the conflicts in the South Caucasus. He said that raising the
Karabakh issue at such a representative forum may have positive
results only, Mamedov said.

The newspaper also presents a statement by a certain source at the CE
that advancement of the Karabakh issue for discussion at the
forthcoming session of PACE and adoption of a relevant resolution
allows a conclusion that the CE approaches the problem rather
seriously. According to the source, the CE Summit, which will start
only several months after discussions at PACE, will discuss the ways
of resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict in the course of
discussion of the issue “On taking of immediate measures on resolution
of urgent problems in Europe” on the basis of January resolution. At
present, inclusion of the Karabakh problem into the list of the issues
to be discussed at CE Summit is determined, the newspaper writes.