Author: Ekmekjian Janet

LA TURQUIE FACE A LA QUESTION DU GENOCIDE ARMENIEN
par Sophie Shihab

Le Monde
14 octobre 2006 samedi

Jeudi a ete une journee de sentiments aussi forts qu’ambigus pour la
grande majorite des Turcs qui ont accompagne avec espoir la longue
marche de leur pays vers ce qu’il est convenu d’appeler les " valeurs
europeennes ". Seuls les ultranationalistes ont eu, jeudi 12 octobre,
le loisir de s’indigner a la fois du vote du Parlement francais, qui a
propose de faire un crime du deni du genocide armenien de 1915, et de
l’attribution, le meme jour, du prix Nobel de litterature a l’ecrivain
turc Orhan Pamuk, qu’ils considèrent comme un " traître " parce qu’il
fait partie des Turcs qui reconnaissent publiquement ce genocide.

Pour les autres, qu’ils soient au pouvoir ou non, ecrivains ou
simples lecteurs, la reaction la plus generale a ete celle exprimee
par Murat Yetkin, chroniqueur au quotidien liberal Radikal : " Nous
sommes tristes pour la France et heureux pour Orhan Pamuk ". La "
tristesse pour la France " est celle de tout ce que la Turquie compte
d’intellectuels eclaires et de " minoritaires " – parmi lesquels ses
80 000 Armeniens – qui disaient que la proposition de loi socialiste
serait contre-productive. Après le vote, le Patriarcat armenien a
Istanbul a declare que " les Francais, qui ont, dans le passe, place
divers obstacles sur la voie de la Turquie vers l’Union europeenne,
ont a present porte un coup serieux au dialogue deja limite entre
la Turquie et l’Armenie (….) qui va faire le jeu des nationalistes
extremistes et racistes dans les societes turque et armenienne ".

La reaction officielle d’Ankara au vote francais a ete de denoncer le
" coup dur " porte aux relations franco-turques et de deplorer que la
France " perde sa position privilegiee au sein du peuple turc ". Mais
le chef du gouvernement, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, tout en denoncant cette
" honte pour la liberte d’expression " et cette " erreur historique
", a aussi cherche a brider les reactions extremistes, notamment
celles de l’opposition " laïque republicaine " – plus nationaliste
en realite que les " islamistes " pro-europeens au pouvoir.

" En tant que gouvernement, a annonce le ministre de l’economie, Ali
Babacan, nous ne prendrons pas la tete " d’un mouvement de boycottage
des produits francais. Tout en concedant que " certains secteurs
de la societe " pourraient agir ainsi. La commission parlementaire
qui travaillait sur une loi pour penaliser, en retorsion, le deni du
genocide algerien – " idee aussi ridicule que le projet francais ",
ont ecrit des commentateurs turcs – a fait marche arrière, au nom
de la necessite de " laisser l’histoire aux historiens ". Mais le
gouvernement ne peut faire l’economie de toute sanction. Il a laisse
entendre qu’il restreindra les contacts politiques et exclura la
France des grands contrats a venir.

La proposition votee en France pourrait ne jamais devenir une loi. Si
tel n’etait pas le cas, des citoyens turcs, y compris armeniens, qui
ont brave en Turquie le tabou sur le genocide armenien, se rendront en
France pour y braver le " deni du genocide " a seule fin, disent-ils,
de defendre la liberte d’expression.

Le problème est virtuel, un peu comme en Turquie, où l’article 301
qui punit les " atteintes a l’identite turque " (telles que les mots
" genocide armenien ") n’a jamais envoye quiconque en prison, malgre
tous les procès intentes. Mais les degâts n’en sont pas moins forts.

La Turquie doit ainsi gerer desormais le soupcon que Orhan Pamuk n’ait
obtenu son prix qu’en raison des poursuites qu’elle lui a infligees
en vertu de cet article.

Officiellement, ce soupcon est ecarte. " C’est un grand bonheur pour
nous tous qu’un ecrivain turc ait remporte un prix aussi prestigieux
(…) c’est un grand succès pour la promotion de la Turquie ",
a ainsi declare son ministre des affaires etrangères, Abdullah Gul.

Interroge sur la sincerite de ses louanges a l’ecrivain, le
sous-secretaire d’Etat a la culture, Moustafa Isen, a egalement cru
bon de preciser qu’il ne se sent " concerne que par Pamuk le romancier
" et non le politique.

Mais si les milieux intellectuels liberaux se felicitaient pareillement
de voir enfin un ecrivain turc nobelise, ils exprimaient aussi la
crainte de voir la presse populaire fustiger le " choix de l’Occident –
qui voudrait – a nouveau imposer a la Turquie d’etre ce qu’elle n’est
pas ".

–Boundary_(ID_aaxy6zxvQtE9z+LhL4+46A)–

ARMENIE: CHIRAC A RAPPELE AU 1ER MINISTRE TURC SES PROPOS D’EREVAN (ELYSEE)

Agence France Presse
15 octobre 2006 dimanche

Jacques Chirac s’est entretenu avec le Premier ministre turc samedi
pour lui rappeler sa position concernant le genocide armenien, avec
a la fois le necessaire devoir de memoire turc et l’inutilite de la
loi votee par les deputes francais, a-t-on indique dimanche a l’Elysee.

Le president francais, qui a appele Recep Tayyip Erdogan, lui a repete
ses propos tenus a Erevan lors de sa recente visite en Armenie,
a souligne l’Elysee, interroge sur les affirmations du chef de
gouvernement turc.

Ce dernier a assure samedi soir avoir recu un appel du president Chirac
lui exprimant ses "regrets" au sujet du vote en première lecture
par l’Assemblee nationale francaise d’une proposition de loi sur le
genocide armenien.

Un entretien confirme par le Palais presidentiel. M. Chirac, a-t-on
dit, "a rappele a M. Erdogan l’attachement de la France a la Turquie
et lui a redit la position qu’il avait exprimee a Erevan".

Interroge lors ce voyage en Armenie acheve le 1er octobre, sur la
proposition de loi des socialistes francais visant a penaliser la
negation de ce genocide, le chef de l’Etat avait rappele que la France
avait "pleinement reconnu la tragedie du genocide".

"Elle l’a officiellement reconnu de par la loi", avait souligne M.

Chirac. "Le reste relève plus, aujourd’hui, de la polemique que de
la realite juridique".

Comme on lui demandait, lors du meme voyage, si la Turquie devait
reconnaître le genocide armenien pour entrer dans l’Union, il
avait repondu: "Honnetement, je le crois. Tout pays se grandit en
reconnaissant ses drames et ses erreurs. Peut-on dire que l’Allemagne,
qui a profondement reconnu la Shoah, a perdu son credit ? Elle s’est
grandie".

–Boundary_(ID_psxgX0oBMDP9w ZDwEYRzdw)–

ANKARA’S EU PROGRESS, ARMENIAN BILL TO DOMINATE TROIKA TALKS

The New Anatolian, Turkey
Oct 16 2006

Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul is braced for discussions during today’s
European Union-Turkey Troika meeting with three key issues on the
agenda, including Ankara’s progress in talks, the Finnish plan and
the French Parliament’s bill on the Armenian genocide claims.

Gul and senior EU officials will evaluate the future prospects of
Turkey’s membership bid, progress made in implementing reforms, the
screening process in the year since the beginning of talks and the
latest Greek and Greek Cypriot block during the key meeting which
will is being held in Luxembourg.

The plan proposed by Finland, which holds the rotating EU presidency,
aimed at avoiding a possible "train crash" in Turkey’s membership
talks, will also dominate the meeting.

The Finnish plan foresees the opening of the port of Famagusta
(Magosa) in Northern Cyprus under EU auspices in return for the Turkish
Parliament’s approval of the Ankara protocol, which paves the way for
the opening of Turkish ports and harbors to the Greek Cypriots. In
line with the plan, while the Turkish Cypriots would conduct direct
trade from Magosa, the Varosha (Maras) region, which is currently
under Turkish Cypriot control, would be under United Nations control.

Speaking to reporters ahead of his departure from Turkey, Gul told
reporters that Turkey welcomes all views proposed with good will,
referring to the Finnish plan. However, Gul stressed that this doesn’t
mean "Turkey accepting the unacceptable."

Underlining that Turkey is not a directly concerned side in the Cyprus
dispute, but that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)
is, Gul urged the EU to discuss the latest initiatives with Turkish
Cypriot leaders to proceed in the Cyprus peace process. The foreign
minister also praised the latest visit of TRNC President Mehmet Ali
Talat to Brussels as a "positive" development.

While Gul is expected to underline the need to find solution to the
Cyprus problem under UN auspices, he will also urge the Union to end
the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots, which could pave the way for
Ankara to open its ports and harbors to the Greek Cypriots through
implementing the Ankara protocol.

The meeting is important since, according to sources, the results
could affect the final touches to the EU’s progress report, set to
be released on Nov 8.

The Turkish foreign minister will also bring the French Parliament’s
recent approval of a bill introducing prison terms and fines for those
who question the Armenian genocide claims to discussions during the
Troika meeting.

During the press conference before his departure, Gul said that he
would tell EU officials that by passing the Armenian bill the French
had already altered the Copenhagen criteria. Lamenting the current
state of Turkish-French relations, Gul said, "I hope France will
take the necessary measures in order not to shake the already shaken
relations and its own image."

According to sources, besides expressing Turkey’s concerns on the
passage of the bill by the French Parliament, stressing that the
bill limits freedom of expression and also violates the EU’s basic
principles and its pressure on Ankara to amend Article 301 of the new
Turkish Penal Code (TCK), Gul is expected to praise how influential
EU officials, including Rehn, have opposed the bill.

Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja, German Foreign Minister
Frank Walter-Steinmeier, whose country will take over the rotating
EU presidency from Finland in January, European Commissioner for
Enlargement Olli Rehn and European foreign policy chief Javier Solana
will be among the participants of the key meeting. In the wake of
latest move by Greece and Greek Cyprus to block the opening of new
chapters in Turkey’s EU talks, Foreign Minister Gul is also expected
to visit Greece late next month to evaluate the latest developments
with Greek officials, the Greek Foreign Ministry announced on Friday.

TWO SHOTS FIRED FROM ARMENIAN

Zaman, Turkey
Oct 14 2006

Armenian soldiers on the Armenian border have reportedly opened
harassment fire on Turkey’s side of the border.

According to a statement posted on the website of the General Staff of
Turkey, "A group of soldiers from an Armenian border unit committed
a violation by shooting twice toward Turkish soil with no casualties
or loss of property."

The incident has been reported to the foreign ministry for the
appropriate action to be taken.

TURKEY STILL UNDER CONTROL

A1+
[01:47 pm] 16 October, 2006

European Union foreign ministers will meet Monday with Turkish Foreign
Minister Abdullah Gul in an effort to diffuse tensions amid moves by
Cyprus and Greece to block Ankara’s EU membership talks.

Ties between Turkey and Europe were also strained by the French
parliament’s decision to approve legislation that would make it
a crime to deny that the World War I-era killings of Armenians in
Turkey were genocide.

Cyprus and Greece have warned they will block entry talks if Turkey
does not extend its EU customs agreement to shipments from EU-member
Cyprus. Last week, Greece and Cyprus forced the EU to postpone
the opening of a new chapter of Turkey’s EU membership talks – on
industrial policy – until a solution to the customs dispute was found.

Turkey has refused to open its ports to Greek Cypriots until an
international embargo against Turkish-Cypriots in the north of the
island is lifted.

Turkey’s "open-ended" membership negotiations, launched Oct. 3, 2005,
already had been progressing slowly. Rehn, who was leading Monday’s
talks, appealed to all parties to help resolve the standoff.

Stolichnyye Novosti, Kiev,
10 Oct 06; p 3

RUSSIAN PLANE MAYBE NOT DESTROYED BY UKRAINIAN MISSILE, BUT BOMB ON
BOARD

US and Israeli secret services have evidence that the Russian
aircraft travelling from Tel Aviv to Russia that crashed into the
Black Sea in 2001 was not accidentally hit by a Ukrainian missile, a
newspaper has said. Its US correspondent reports that it was
destroyed by an explosion on board. Israel and Russia agreed to the
missile theory to prevent mutual accusations, because a group of
Russian experts on weapons of mass destruction was flying on board
the plane, the paper alleges. The following is the text of the
article by Dmytro Dymov entitled "Ukrainian missile did not bring
down Russian plane, was it blown up?" published in the Ukrainian
publication Stolichnyye Novosti on 10 October:

A week ago it was the fifth anniversary of the tragedy that took the
lives of almost 80 people – the disaster to the passenger liner of
the Sibir airline company flying from Tel Aviv to Novosibirsk.

Our correspondent in America, on conditions of anonymity, was
informed of a sensational theory of the crash of the Russian plane
over the Black Sea. The American and Israeli special services have
reliable information at their disposal that the Tu-154 plane was not
brought down by a Ukrainian missile [during military exercises in
Crimea], but was blown up by a bomb placed in the luggage. The
explosion was also reported on 4 October 2001 and the only witness of
the horrific tragedy was the commander of an AN-24 of Armenian
airlines that was flying on a parallel route. He did not see any
trace of a missile in the sky.

So who destroyed the plane and why? Why was it that only one theory
was immediately launched into the media, which serious specialists
completely dismiss? The answer to the mystery, it is thought, lies in
the plane’s passengers. Not all of them, but a group of scientists
who had been in Tel Aviv at the invitation of their Israeli
colleagues. It is known with absolute precision that those people
were staff from the secret Novosibirsk scientific centre that was
developing weapons of mass destruction. It may be not only Muslim
terrorists that had an interest in their death, but also in theory,
for example, the Americans.

However, our collocutor believes that the explosion on board was
indeed organized by terrorists. But the Israelis and Russians agreed
on the "missile theory" in order not to accuse each other, making
Ukraine into the "scapegoat" once again. Military specialists from
various countries even then expressed doubts as to the ability of a
Ukrainian S-200 to overcome such an enormous distance and accurately
to hit the target. They also drew attention to the absence of visible
external damage, scorching and traces of soot remaining after an
"external" blast on the surface of the liner. The video clips shown
five years ago made experts assume there and then that the blast had
indeed been on board. And the missile itself that was launched from
the test site but did not shoot down the plane, it seems, can be
sought on the sea bed – there are relevant estimates of the place
where it fell, very far from point of the plane disaster.

So far as can be judged, the bomb could have been planted in
Bulgaria. The Tu-154 made an unscheduled stopover there, which has
never been reported in the press. In all likelihood, it is a matter
of the airport in Burgas, where some people left the plane and some
luggage was put on board. One other thing is surprising: at the time
of the disaster one of the crew members declared to be on board was
missing.

We hope that in the near future the editorial board will have new
facts at its disposal shedding light on the terrible tragedy. And we
will certainly continue the topic.

The Daily Star, Lebanon
Oct 13 2006

A French law harms free speech in Turkey

By Howard Eissenstat
Commentary by
Friday, October 13, 2006

On October 12, France’s National Assembly approved a proposal to
criminalize the denial of the Armenian Genocide. If it also passes
the Senate and receives presidential approval, the law will be a blow
to freedom of speech in France; more importantly, it will also be a
blow to freedom of speech in Turkey.

For advocates of free speech in Turkey, the past few years have been
a time both of great hopes and great frustration. In 2003 and 2004,
when the moderate Islamist Justice and Development Party government
of Prime Minister Reccep Tayyip Erdogan first came to power, it
seemed to promise a new, more democratic and pluralistic Turkey. In
those heady days, it seemed that Turkey was poised to achieve its
long-term goal of membership in the European Union.

For the past year or two, however, such hopes have seemed
increasingly Pollyannaish as Turkish reforms have stumbled. Most
dramatically, a steady stream of Turkey’s most prominent
intellectuals, journalists, and authors have been brought to trial
under the infamous Article 301 of the Turkish criminal code, which
makes it a criminal offense, punishable by as many as three years in
prison, to "denigrate Turkishness." The international stature of
several of those accused, including novelists Orhan Pamuk and Elif
Shafak, have ensured widespread media coverage of the trials and a
steady decline in Turkey’s stature abroad. Even as charges against
one intellectual were dropped, several more cases emerged in steady
succession, so that they have remained in the news and become a
constant drain on Turkey’s international standing.

On September 21, Elif Shafak’s case was thrown out of court as
baseless. The charges against her, based on what a character in one
of her novels said, was only the most absurd in a long series of
embarrassing trials. Nevertheless, within a matter of days, new
charges were brought up against Hrant Dink, the publisher of a small
Armenian newspaper.

In fact, this situation appears to be part of a concerted effort by
members of the old elite within the bureaucracy and the military and
their allies to sabotage both the Erdogan government and Turkey’s
European aspirations. The liberalization promised by the government –
and demanded by the EU – placed elements of the old elite in a
dilemma. Many in the Turkish bureaucracy, and particularly within the
military, believe it is their right and duty to shepherd Turkey
toward modernization. Elected officials are seen as too corrupt and
the populace as too ignorant and fickle to be trusted with
stewardship of the nation. When legal limitations are insufficient
for maintaining control, a murky system of patronage, strong-arm
tactics, and outright violence that the Turks refer to as the "deep
state" can be relied on to keep both politicians and ordinary
citizens in line. The liberalization demanded by the EU and the
reforms implemented early on by the Erdogan government threaten this
monopoly on real power.

In recent weeks, the battle between the government and elements of
the Turkish state has become more heated, with generals warning of
the threats of political Islam almost on a daily basis. Yet,
advocates of free speech have gained significant popular support. The
public, seeing the ludicrous nature of the Article 301 trials, has
started accepting the virtues of defending unpopular opinions. Both
Erdogan and his foreign minister, Abdullah Gul, called Shafak while
she awaited trial to demonstrate their support. For a time it seemed
a corner had been turned, and advocates of free expression were
starting to feel hopeful.

All of this came to a crashing halt thanks to the debate in France’s
National Assembly over the proposed law to criminalize denial of the
Armenian genocide. The law is a bad idea for France and, more
importantly, it has proven to be a tremendous blow to Turkish reform.

History is not the issue. If we accept the definition of genocide
used in the 1948 United Nations Genocide Convention, there is no
question that the Ottoman state’s destruction of much of its Armenian
population between 1915 and 1917 was genocidal. In dispute is whether
denial of this fact should constitute a crime. After all, freedom of
speech is the right to say what one believes, even if those beliefs
are stupid, wrong, or offensive. Indeed, it is often beliefs that are
offensive that require protection since they are most likely to be
limited by state power.

This has been the argument that Turkish liberals have been making as
they have tried to build a more open and democratic society. This is
the argument that has created space for public discussions of the
Armenian genocide and for advocates of Turkish recognition of the
crime, like Dink and Shafak. Despite significant pressure against
this, openings have been made, conferences held, and articles
written.

Now, however, discussion of Article 301 has almost completely
disappeared from the Turkish public sphere while newspapers endlessly
discuss the French proposal. The draft law, moreover, has allowed the
most anti-democratic elements in Turkish society to pose as
"defenders of liberty." Turkish intellectuals who had been exerting
their energy to develop greater awareness of the Armenian genocide,
or simply working for more freedom, have been forced to suspend their
criticisms of Article 301 to argue against the French law. They
realize that defending the freedom to express unpopular opinions in
Turkey requires that they also defend unpopular opinions in France.

Criminalizing the denial of the Armenian genocide tarnishes France’s
reputation as a bastion of freedom of expression. More seriously, it
will be a devastating blow to freedom of speech in Turkey.

Howard Eissenstat teaches Middle Eastern history at Seton Hall
University in New Jersey. He wrote this commentary for THE DAILY
STAR.

Today, Azerbaijan
Oct 13 2006

Rovshen Mustafayev: "Patrick Devechian knows Jacque Chirac’s family
secrets"

14 October 2006 [00:22] – Today.Az

Rovshen Mustafayev, the head of National Academy of Science Human
Rights Institute, held press conference on a law would make it a
crime to deny false Armenian genocide.

Mustayev said that this decision has historical background. He also
stated that a contract was signed between France and Armenian ASALA
terror organization in 1982. The contract considers the mutual aid
and cooperation on making false Armenian genocide worldly recognized.
Mustafayev said the author of the draft law is Devechian who has warm
relations with France president.

"Devechian is Jacque Chirac’s family lawyer, and he knows all family
secrets. He has great impact on the president’s decisions. Armenians
consider that Chirac is an Armenian surname and the original form is
Chiracian," he said.

Mustafayev showed the pieces of Washington Post, Armenian reporter,
Le Mantin newspapers and short records of the discussions held in the
US Senate about the relations between ASALA and France.

The deputy chief Araz Gurbanov said it is very interesting that
France supports the organization which sows terror in France after
Turkey. He said Azerbaijan and Turkey should bring to a focus the
genocides committed at Van lakeside where thousands of Turkish people
were killed and Algeria Genocide.

Mustafayev said that France violated Europe Human Rights Convention
item 10 by adopting of this law. "Turkey and Azerbaijan should appeal
to Europe Human Rights Court," he said, APA reports.

URL:

YEREVAN STARTS MARKING 2788TH ANNIVERSARY TOMORROW

PanARMENIAN.Net
12.10.2006 13:28 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian capital of Yerevan celebrates its
2788th anniversary this year. As Chief of the Department of Culture,
Sport and Youth of the City Hall Kamo Movsisyan had stated before,
festivities will be held in the capital October 13-14.

"10 delegations will visit the city during the celebration," he
said. The festivities will be full of surprises this year and these
will be held under the personal supervision of Yerevan Mayor Yervand
Zakharyan.

The opening ceremony will take place in the National Academic Theater
of Opera and Ballet after Alexander Spendiarov tomorrow, while the
closing will be in the Sport and Concert Complex after K. Dermichyan
October 14.

Signatures and ratifications of Council of Europe treaties on the
occasion of the 27th Conference of European Ministers of Justice

Yerevan, 12.10.2006 – On the occasion of the 27th Conference of European
Ministers of Justice taking place on 12 and 13 October in Yerevan (see
our press release 566a
< 83&BackColorInternet=3DF5CA75&Back
ColorIn tranet=3DF5CA75&BackColorLogged=3DA9BACE> of 09.10.2006), the
following treaties have been ratified or signed by the member states
below:

Convention on Cybercrime (CETS No. 185
< ueVoulezVous.asp?NT=3D185&CM=3D1&
CL=3DENG > )*

This treaty was ratified by Armenia

Additional Protocol to the Convention on cybercrime, concerning the
criminalisation of acts of a racist and xenophobic nature committed
through computer systems (CETS No. 189
< ueVoulezVous.asp?NT=3D189&CM=3D1&
CL=3DENG > )

This treaty was ratified by Armenia and Lithuania

Protocol No. 14 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and
Fundamental Freedoms, amending the control system of the Convention
(CETS No. 194
< ueVoulezVous.asp?NT=3D194&CM=3D1&
CL=3DENG > )*

This treaty was ratified by Poland

Council of Europe Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism (CETS No.196
< n/QueVoulezVous.asp?NT=3D196&CM=3D1&
CL=3D ENG> )*

This treaty was signed by Germany

Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human
Beings (CETS No. 197
< ueVoulezVous.asp?NT=3D197&CM=3D1&
CL=3DENG > )*

This treaty was ratified by Austria

Council of Europe Convention on Laundering, Search, Seizure and
Confiscation of the Proceeds from Crime and on the Financing of
Terrorism (CETS No. 198
< ueVoulezVous.asp?NT=3D198&CM=3D1&
CL=3DENG > )*

This treaty was signed by Greece

Council of Europe Convention on the avoidance of statelessness in
relation to state succession (CETS No. 200
< ueVoulezVous.asp?NT=3D200&CM=3D1&
CL=3DENG > )*

This treaty was signed by Norway

* * *

Detailed information on the Council of Europe treaties (full text, chart
of signatures and ratifications, reservations and declarations, summary,
explanatory report) is available on the Treaty Office’s web site
<;

—————

(*) CETS : Council of Europe Treaty Series