Author: Jabejian Elizabeth

ERDEM: ANTI-GENOCIDE RESOLUTION LETTER SENT TO US CONGRESSMEN

The New Anatolian, Turkey
Feb 27 2007

A ruling party deputy yesterday made public details of a letter he
delivered to the members of the U.S. House of Representatives which
is about to discuss a resolution to recognize the Armenian genocide
claims.

Ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party Kirikkale Deputy and NATO
Parliamentary Assembly Turkish Group Chairman Vahit Erdem delivered
the letters at the Parliamentary Assembly of NATO in Belgium last week.

Erdem, at a press conference in Parliament, said that he underlined
in the letter the need for historical research rather than political
talk over the issue and that he persuaded several congressmen to work
against the resolution.

Erdem also said that he told them the death toll was blown out of
proportion by Armenian sources conveying the data in Ottoman Archives,
which says the total population of Armenians in Turkey before the
World War I was around 1,300,000.

Several Turkish historians give smaller figures on the Armenian
population, while Armenian and European sources give a range between
1,500,000 and as high as 3,000,000.

"If the Armenian resolution is passed by the U.S. Congress, relations
between the two allies would be deeply hurt, and U.S. Congress
would fall into error, making a political judgment rather than a
historical one, as several European parliaments have done," Erdem
said in the letter.

He also added that genocide is internationally acknowledged as a
crime against humanity that should be dealt with by independent courts.

In related news, a group of Turkish parliamentarians has begun
anti-resolution campaigning in the U.S. The group is expected to hold
personal talks with congressional representatives and officials from
the U.S. Secretariat of State in order to persuade them not to pass
the resolution.

Turkish deputies were set to lobby in the U.S. against the resolution
weeks ago, but the delegation’s visit was postponed in order to assess
the outcome of Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and Chief of General
Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit’s recent talks with American officials.

After the visit by the group, two others will pay visits to the U.S.
in March.

Turkey denies the allegations that some 1.5 million Armenians were
massacred during the disintegration of the Ottoman Empire in World
War I, arguing that Armenian deaths were part of general partisan
fighting in which both sides suffered.

Ankara and Yerevan are at odds over the Armenian claims of genocide.

To break the deadlock, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
last year suggested the establishment of a committee of Turkish
and Armenian historians to study the claims, in a letter sent to
Armenian President Robert Kocharian. But Kocharian rejected Erdogan’s
proposal, saying that the two countries must first establish diplomatic
relations and that committees could be formed only within the process
of normalization of relations.

YEREVAN AND LOS ANGELES BECAME SISTER CITIES

PanARMENIAN.Net
27.02.2007 16:58 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Yerevan mayor Ervand Zakharian visited Los Angeles
February 20-24 having the aim to sign the agreement, which declares
Yerevan and Los Angeles sister cities, the Armenian MFA Press Office
reports. The solemn ceremony of signing the agreement took place in
Los Angeles City Council February 23.

During the ceremony Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa had
a welcoming speech, who said that this agreement will become a
new stimulus for deepening cooperation between the two cities. In
his part Ervand Zakharian said that the document supposes closer
cooperation between Yerevan and Los Angeles in Hi-Tech sphere and
public management, as well as growth of trade relations, economic,
cultural and scientific stronger ties.

NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES STARTS

ArmRadio.am
26.02.2007 11:14

>From today on parties and federations, as well as majoritarian
candidates must submit applications to the Central Electoral and
Precinct Electoral Commissions for running in the parliamentary
elections due on May 12. The deadline is March 3.

Women should comprise at least 15% in the party lists, at least every
tenth in the election list should be a woman.

Majoritarian candidates can be nominated by parties and federations,
as well as initiative groups comprised of 50 citizens.

The parties, federations and majoritarian candidates are to submit the
necessary documents to the Central Electoral and Precinct Electoral
Commissions by 18:00, March 28.

The election campaign will be launched on April 8 and will continue
through the 10th of May.

WE WILL CHANGE ARTICLE 301 IN A FEW WEEKS TIME BEFORE ELECTIONS, GUL

Anatolian Times, Turkey
Turkish Press
Feb 26 2007

ANKARA – Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah
Gul said Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code would be amended in
a few weeks time.

"This article overshadows Turkey’s reform progress. Both myself and
Prime Minister Erdogan believe that we have to change this article,"
Gul told EUobserver internet site.

Recalling that when they changed the whole Penal Code two years
ago, their intention was not to see any more problems because of the
expression of thoughts, Gul said "but unfortunately, some prosecutors
are opening files against writers and thinkers."

"Now we will change 301, in a few weeks time, before the elections.

But we also need a change in mentality. And this can not happen over
night; it is a process," he said.

Gul said the EU has some problems and these are not permanent, stating
that "there will be a better climate, and by that time, we will already
be in a different situation. We will use this time and make progress."

"Negotiations (with EU) are still going on, even if some chapters
have been frozen. We have not slowed down our speed," he stressed.

Gul said the majority of the member countries are aware of Turkey’s
importance and added, "many member countries defend Turkey better
than me, I noticed that."

On so-called Armenian genocide, Gul said, "what happened in those
years was a tragedy. But to call it a genocide, then we have to find
another terminology for the Jews that were killed in Germany. It
really offends us. Many people lost their lives, Turks, Armenians,
Muslims, Non-Muslims. It was during World War I and in the Balkans,
for instance, the Turks lost three million people," Gul said.

"Our offer was this: if you are really so interested in this issue,
why do not we have a committee composed of historians, we asked them.

We open our archives and let them study. But the Armenians are not
forthcoming. The same offer is valid for the American congressmen
and the French," he added.

CAPITAL REPAIRS OF SEBASTIA AND SASUNTSI DAVIT STREETS TO BE DONE THIS YEAR

Noyan Tapan
Feb 26 2007

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 26, NOYAN TAPAN. Yerevan Mayor’s Office envisages to
implement construction, improvement and repair work of 7.2 bln drams
(about 20 mln USD) in 2007. Frunz Basentsian, Head of the Construction,
Improvement and Municipal Economy Department of the mayor’s office,
said at the February 26 press conference that 2.2 bln drams has been
allocated for asphalt laying of streets. Capital repairs of Sebastia
and Sasuntsi Davit Streets will be done this year. According to
F. Basentsian, it is envisaged to construct new irrigation systems
of the total lengths of 12 km in Shengavit and Ajapniak communities
of the city, as well as to repair the water structures of fountains
in Republic Square. Speaking about the cleaning of Yerevan Lake, the
department head noted that results of the studies conducted by the
US embassy will be discussed by the mayor’s office soon. Besides, in
accordance with 2008 program of Yerevan Mayor’s Office, preparatory
work for the lake cleaning will be implemented: first of all,
a sewerage line from the Hrazdan River to Aeratsia station will be
laid, after which the cleaning work will start.

SAMVEL SHAHGALDIAN, ARTAK SARGSIAN AND GAGIK MKHEYAN LEFT OYP INVOLVED IN PROPORTIONAL LIST OF PEOPLE’S PARTY OF TIGRAN KARAPETICH

Noyan Tapan
Feb 26 2007

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 26, NOYAN TAPAN. The People’s Party headed by Tigran
Karapetian will alone go to the parliamentary elections. This was
stated at the 12th congress taken place by the PP on February 25. The
proportional list with which the party will take part in the elections
was presented during the congress. T.Karapetian heads the list, Samvel
Shahgaldian (Kotayk Regional Governor Kovalenko Shahgaldian’s brother),
left the "Orinats Yerkir" (Country of Law) party was on the second
place. Artak Sargsian (Artak of SAS) left the OYP as well as Gagik
Mkheyan left the party just recently were also involved in the list.

PanARMENIAN.Net

An appeal is being examined on Armenian officer’s murder case in Budapest
22.02.2007 15:02 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Hungarian Appeal’s Court under the chairmanship
of Karpat Piroshki examines the appeal on a April 13, 2003 decision of
a first instance court, according to which Azeri officer Ramil Safarof
was sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering Armenian officer
Gurgen Markarian. According to the information of Azeri Embassy to
Hungary, from plaintiffs on the session participate Azeri layer Ikram
Shirinov, chief of Azerbaijani Bar Association Azer Tagiyev, embassy
employees and representatives of Azeri Diaspora in Hungary. Safarov’s
rights in the court defend layers George Madjarand and Klara Fisher.
The layers are going to reach a change in preventive punishment and
return the case to revision, `Trend’ reports.

>From Armenian side interests of G. Markarian’s family defend layer
Nazeli Vartanian and Hayk Demoyan, the Director of the Armenian
Genocide Institute of RA NAS.

Lieutenant of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia Gurgen
Markarian, who was participating in the English language courses in
the framework of `Cooperation for Peace’ NATO program, was brutally
hacked to death by an ax by the Azeri officer, who was also
participating in the same program. The Hungarian court sentenced
Safarof to life imprisonment without the right to pardon during the
first 30 years.

OLD MENTOR BACK IN VIC’S CORNER

The Australian, Australia
Feb 21 2007

AUSTRALIA’S dual flyweight boxing world champion Vic Darchinyan will
have his old mentor in his corner for the first time in eight years
next month, when he plans to knock Mexican Victor Burgos out cold in
Los Angeles.

Sydney-based IBF and IBO champion Darchinyan, 31, today left Australia
to prepare for his March 4 engagement with Mexico’s former IBF light
flyweight champion.

Burgos, 32, who has a record of 39 wins (23 KOs) 14 losses and three
draws is the highest ranked IBF contender for Darchinyan’s sixth
defence of the title he won back in December 2004.

Armenian-born Darchinyan whose professional log stands at 27-0 (21
KOs) will also be making the fifth defence of the IBO crown he won
in March 2005.

In addition to regular trainer Billy Hussein, Darchinyan will also
have in his corner his old coach from Armenia, Vazgen Batalyda.

Batalyda worked with Darchinyan for 18 years, but hasn’t been in his
corner since 1999 world amateur championship in Huston.

"It’s very hard for him because he works in a big job, but I called
him and told him I wanted him to be there," Darchinyan said.

"I’m very happy he’s going to be in my corner."

After delivering on his promise to dismantle his previous challenger
Glenn Donaire with his supposedly weaker right hand, Darchinyan said
he intended to punish Burgos with his left and predicted a quick
knock out.

"I’m going to knock him out with my left, with a power shot,"
Darchinyan said.

"I don’t want to just drop him and he gets up, I want to knock him
out cold."

He said he had been working on his fitness and speed in the lead up
to next month’s contest.

"I know this guy is very fast, he’s busy in a round," Darchinyan
said of Burgos, who lost just one of his last 12 fights over the past
seven years.

"I’ve seen him fight, he throws a lot of punches in each round,
but he’s never fought someone like me."

Although he has already sparred about 145 rounds, Darchinyan said he
planned to have two or three more sessions in America.

He remained disappointed the fight was still not scheduled to be
shown live by any of the usual Australian television providers.

"I’m very embarrassed about the decision that they don’t want to show
my fight live, I am fighting the leading contender, they should show
my fight," Darchinyan said.

"People can’t support me because they are not going to see my fight."

He expected plenty of support from the large Armenian community in
California and also expected to win Mexican fight fans over with his
exciting style.

The fight is likely to be his last at flyweight, with Darchinyan eyeing
a move up to super flyweight, the division in which his primary target,
Jorge Arce currently resides.

KARABAKH CONFLICT UNSETTLEMENT CAN’T BE BENEFICIAL FOR ANYONE

PanARMENIAN.Net
21.02.2007 13:18 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Achievements of 19 years since the start of Karabakh
movement, first of all formation of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic,
although unrecognized, are obvious and do not need extra discussion,"
said Armenian National Assembly Speaker Tigran Torosian.

When commenting on the possibility to resolve the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict in the near future the Speaker said it’s hard to make
assessment at the moment. "I am convinced that there are possibilities
for the conflict settlement however a great deal of work should be
done. Unsettlement of the conflict can’t be beneficial for anyone,"
he resumed, reports IA Regnum.

LE FIGARO: ARMENIA READY FOR DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS

Journal of Turkish weekly
Feb 20 2007

Armenian President Kocharyan says that Yerevan is ready to establish
diplomatic ties with Turkey without preconditions and create a joint
governmental commission to discuss Armenian deaths during the First
World War, which Yerevan says was genocide.

Armenian President Robert Kocharyan rejected Turkey’s offer to set up
a joint panel of historians to debate the issue, using an interview
in the daily Le Figaro on Monday to call on Ankara to accept his
suggestion of an intergovernmental commission.

Turkey does not accept the Armenian accusations that some 1.5 million
Armenians were massacred during the disintegration of the Ottoman
Empire in World War One, arguing that Armenian deaths were part of
general partisan fighting in which both sides suffered.

The normalization of bilateral relations is the responsibility of
governments, not historians, said Kocharyan, who begans an official
visit to France on Monday. However Turkish side says that establishing
a governmental commission means establishing diplomatic ties between
two countries. Turkey cut its diplomatic ties with Armenia when
Armenian forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan.

Armenia also does not recognise Turkey’s and Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity. Armenian Constitution name eastern part of Turkey as
‘Western Armenia’. "Armenia is an accupier country and the aggressive
side, it has no right for any pre-condition" a Turkish diplomat told
the JTW.