Author: Jalatian Sonya

Rustavi-2 TV, Tbilisi, Georgia
Feb 25 2009

Georgian speaker upbeat on ties after meeting Armenian president

[Presenter] The Georgian parliament speaker’s [Davit Bakradze] visit
to Armenia continued today with a meeting with Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan. They discussed bilateral relations between the two
countries and the strategic focuses thereof. It was emphasized that
Georgian-Armenian relations must be preserved and enhanced despite the
interference of a third country. At the meeting, Sargsyan pointed out
that Armenia had staked out a neutral position on the Russian-Georgian
War and does not intend to recognize the separatist republics
[Abkhazia and South Ossetia].

[Bakradze, interviewed] We heard once again in absolutely clear terms
from the president that Armenia is interested in a stable and strong
Georgia. Armenia is interested in having as good relations as possible
with Georgia and, accordingly, all problems that exist or may arise in
our relations should be resolved on the basis of precisely this main
principle.

And likewise, for our part, Georgia is interested in a strong and
stable Armenia and I think that Georgian-Armenian relations will
further develop and become closer and stronger in the future.

APA, Azerbaijan
Feb 27 2009

Azeri minister, US mediator discuss Karabakh, regional situation

Azerbaijani Defence Minister Col-Gen Safar Abiyev today received OSCE
Minsk Group co-chairman Matthew Bryza. A source at the Azerbaijani
Defence Ministry told APA that the military and political situation in
the region and ways to resolve the Armenian-Azerbaijani, the Nagornyy
Karabakh conflict were discussed at the meeting.

US ambassador to Azerbaijan Anne Derse also attended the meeting.

VLADIMIR VORONIN: NOOSE FASTENING AROUND RUSSIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
27.02.2009 12:54 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin said Armenia,
Georgia and Azerbaijan have not matured for European projects like
the Eastern Partnership

"Without offence, these countries are not fit for the initiative while
we have reached considerable progress in integration into European
structures," he said.

Mr. Voronin labeled the Eastern Partnership as CIS-2 under control of
the European Union. "It resembles a noose fastening around Russia,"
he said.

As to CSTO membership, he said that Moldova is a country with neutral
status and can’t join the organization.

"However, we are interested to join some projects implemented within
the EurAsEC. We would also like to join the Shanghai Cooperation
Organisation, as we have close ties with China," Mr. Voronin said,
Kommersant daily reports.

FM BAKOYANNIS ADDRESSES BROOKINGS INSTITUTION IN WASHINGTON

Athens News Agency
February 24, 2009 Tuesday

WASHINGTON (ANA-MPA/T.Ellis) – Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis
on Monday termed 2009 a year-challenge for all during a speech
delivered at the Brookings Institution on "Collective Security in
the 21st century; Building new bridges".

"I think we all agree that 2009 is a critical year. It could be the
beginning of the end or the end of the beginning of an incredibly
challenging time," Bakoyannis, who is on three-day visit to the
U.S. capital, told her audience.

"The global financial and economic crisis casts a shadow over all of
our efforts. And no doubt it concerns people not just numbers. The
massive economic downturn we are witnessing is dramatically changing
the political landscape thus presenting a security concern all
in itself.

"In the wider European region alone, just a few weeks ago, the gas
crisis reminded us of the vulnerability of our energy supplies. The
after-effects of the Georgia conflict last August have not given way
to long-term stability. In Kosovo, the year that has passed since its
unilateral declaration of independence has brought us no closer to
a consensus on its status. In Transdniestria and Nagorno-Karabakh,
longstanding protracted conflicts continue to defy resolution." she
said.

"One thing is clear. In our multi-polar world, security depends on
more than just power. It depends on building relationships and forging
ties. It depends on building bridges over troubled waters. Global
problems require global solutions. The need for global governance,
the need for collective action and an international order based on
common rules, has never been greater," Bakoyannis emphasised.

"We in Greece have developed through the ages the art of building
bridges.Therefore, I am proud to say that over the years Greece has
forged strong ties and built solid relationships with peoples close and
afar that have withstood the test of time. Greece is present in the
efforts made by the international community for peace and security
in regions as far apart,as Kosovo, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina,
Nagorno-Karabakh, Georgia, Western Sahara, Abkhazia, Eritrea &
Ethiopia and Sudan.

"In the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean, Greece helps combat
international terrorism. In Somalia we are assisting in the combat
of piracy. In the Middle East we have been active amongst others in
assisting the women of the region on their road to empowerment. And
in Afghanistan our force there is assisting in the reconstruction of
the country.

"With this in mind, I would like to describe three bridges we see as
very significant.

First, the bridge over the Atlantic that brings Europe and the US
together.

Second, the bridge across Eurasia that brings Russia closer to the US
and Europe. Third, the bridge over the European heartlands that brings
the Balkans to the European family," the Greek foreign minister noted.

"Now, there is a saying that goes "great winds blow upon high
hills". The European Union has guaranteed peace and prosperity for
each of its 27 members.

But we must not forget that our era asks for greater engagement with
the rest of the world. I strongly believe that the US would benefit
from a strong Europe that stands as an equal and solid partner. Now is
the opportunity to do so, with a new Administration that has generated
such popularity and enthusiasm around the world. Now is the time to
think of ways to further deepen this relationship, including, but by
no means limiting it to, the NATO framework," Bakoyannis added. "We
need to formulate the most expedient power-sharing possible with each
side undertaking the responsibilities it is most fit to bear. In this
context, European soft power is a desired corollary to US military
might. Still, Europe must develop, as it has already started to do
slowly, its own military capability, which is crucial, particularly
in regions, where only Europe is an acceptable mediator by all. To
be totally candid however there are certain issues that the European
Union must resolve in order to keep our side of the bargain. We have
shown leadership, as in the crisis in Georgia, but we still have some
way to go," she said.

Turning to problems in the Balkan region and which are of
particular interest to Greece, the Greek foreign minister said:
"In Bosnia-Herzegovina, fourteen years after the Dayton Accords,
much remains to be done, especially when it comes to streamlining
decision-making. A change in the mindset, the active participation
of all its citizens and a certain degree of political consensus is
needed. After some slow progress in 2008, 2009 is a crucial year in
the European integration of the country in order to match this of
its neighbors.

"It is significant that countless prophesies of doom never
materialized.

"As it is equally significant that the citizens of Bosnia and
Herzegovina, irrespective of religious and ethnic background, are
looking forward towards a Euro-Atlantic future for their region. Yet,
the state remains extremely fragile and the international community
must re-engage.

"Turning to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. In the past
couple of years a number of worrying signals have been coming from
Skopje. The Government of Nicolas Gruefski appears to have chosen
the road of nationalism, awakening Balkan ghosts. The forthcoming
Presidential elections this March will be another key test.

"Particularly since last Junes parliamentary elections were mired
with violence and voting irregularities. As you probably know, Greece
has been in negotiations, under the auspices of the UN, for years
with the FYROM over its name. Despite our good will and our sincere
efforts, these negotiations have not been successful so far. We hope
that the Government of Skopje will meet us half-way and agree on a
win-win solution.

"Last but not least, Turkey. I think many of us agree that Turkeys
accession to the European Union is key. Greece is very much in support,
and has proved it over the years.

"Our support for Turkey is naturally offered under the same rules and
principles which apply to each and every EU candidate. This is the
same process for everyone – the one for example that Greece had to
go through. Hence, our support can not be unconditional. It relies
upon Turkey honoring her commitments and promises.

"Turkey has taken certain steps forward, in the reform process. We
were all happy to note that there was some progress with the amendment
of infamous Article 301 of the penal code. This was long overdue.

"Much remains to be done however. Overall progress is assessed by
the EU as quite modest. A number of outstanding issues remain to be
addressed. These issues concern among others, the consolidation of
the democratic system, as well as the respect of minority rights,
of the freedom of religion and of the freedom of expression. In the
same spirit, good neighbourly relations and adherence to International
Law are also of capital importance.

"No doubt Turkey has a long and winding road ahead. Nevertheless,
it is clear that it is a road well worth travelling because it would
benefit both Turkey and Europe. "Linked with Turkeys prospects for
accession to the EU is its continued occupation of Cyprus. A just,
lasting, and functional solution for the reunification of the island
after 35 years of Turkish occupation is long overdue.

"In 2008 we welcomed the beginning of a new effort, within the UN
framework, with direct talks between the two sides. We hope that
this new effort will achieve an agreed settlement, which will at last
reunify the island and allow the two communities to live side by side
and prosper."

A SOLEMN AWARD CEREMONY TOOK PLACE AT THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE

Azat Artsakh Daily
25 Feb 09
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]

In connection with the 85th anniversary of the Azat Artsakh
newspaper NKR President Bako Sahakyan recently has signed a decree
on awarding some of the contributors with government awards and
valuable gifts. Today, on February 24 a solemn award ceremony took
place at the Presidential Palace. Bako Sahakyan congratulated the
attendees and noted that these awards are also assessments of work the
editorial staff has carried out for a long period of time. Assessing
positively the work of the "Azat Artsakh" newspaper, the Head of
the State underlined his interest to see the newspaper fitting the
modern requirements. To this end, according to the President, the NKR
authorities will carry out everything possible to improve social and
working conditions of the newspaper’s contributors.

International Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies
255 Duncan Mill Rd., Suite 310
Toronto, ON, Canada M3B 3H9
Tel: 416-250-9807 Fax: 416-512-1736

PRESS RELEASE

DATE:  February 23, 2009
CONTACT: Rebecca Parson, [email protected]
OR:   Megan Swan, [email protected], TEL: 416-250-9807

Scholars to Assess Genocide Prevention Task Force Report in Washington, DC

Washington, DC – A symposium to assess the official report of the Genocide
Prevention Task Force will be held on March 13, 2009 at the Woodrow Wilson
International Center for Scholars. This is the initiative of the editors of
Genocide Studies and Prevention, published in partnership by The
International Association of Genocide Scholars (`IAGS’), The International
Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies (`IIGHRS’) and The
University of Toronto Press.
.
`This much anticipated report was released in December 2008,’ said Prof.
Herb Hirsch, one of the journal’s editors. `We wanted to organize as quickly
as possible a symposium of experts from North America and Europe in
political science, international law, sociology, history and philosophy to
provide an independent, in-depth, scholarly review and assessment of its
findings.’

The Genocide Prevention Task Force was officially launched in November 2007
by a consortium of non-governmental agencies – The US Holocaust Memorial
Museum, The American Academy of Diplomacy, and The US Institute of
Peace – under the joint chairmanship of Madeline Albright and William Cohen.
Albright served as US Ambassador to the United Nations and then Secretary of
State during the Clinton administration. Cohen was Secretary of Defense
during Clinton’s second term. Participants in the Task Force and its
research comprised over fifty people with international, diplomatic,
political, government, military, academic, humanitarian, and other relevant
experience.

The Task Force’s mandate is explained in the title of its official report,
Preventing Genocide: A Blueprint for U.S. Policymakers. The Co-Chairs
explain in their Foreword, `This report provides a blueprint that can enable
the United States to take preventive action, along with international
partners, to forestall the specter of future cases of genocide and mass
atrocities. The world agrees that genocide is unacceptable and yet genocide
and mass killings continue. Our challenge is to match words to deeds and
stop allowing the unacceptable.’

Prof. Gregory Stanton, President of the IAGS, noted, `Scholars understand
that to commit genocide is a political act. But when it comes to such things
as preventing genocide, the kind of politics found in Washington and other
capitals of power can sometimes get in the way of real understanding, and
therefore of effective intervention.’

Prof. Roger W. Smith, Chairman of the IIGHRS, commented, `One can not study
genocide without feeling the urgent need to do everything one can to prevent
it. We need to persuade governments that preventing genocide is in their
national interest, for both moral and pragmatic reasons. That is why this
symposium should critically analyze this vital report and its potential
effectiveness.’

Entry to the symposium is free, but pre-registration is required. Please
contact the IIGHRS office at 416-250-9807 or [email protected], if
you wish to attend. The papers presented and discussed at the symposium will
be published in the Spring 2009 issue of Genocide Studies and Prevention.

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal was co-founded by
the International Association of Genocide Scholars and the International
Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies (A Division of the Zoryan
Institute). The journal’s mission is to understand the phenomenon of
genocide, create an awareness of it as an ongoing scourge, and promote the
necessity of preventing it, for both pragmatic and moral reasons. It is the
official journal of the International Association of Genocide Scholars and
is published three times a year by the University of Toronto Press.

Bjni plant (Armenia) to be re-operated soon

YEREVAN, February 20. /ARKA/. The new owner of the Bjni plant Ruben
Hayrapetyan said that the enterprise will resume production late this
or early next month.

The Bjni plant was put up for forced sale on February 16 and auctioned
off for 4.441bln AMD ($14.5mln).
`We will start the acceptance process next Monday, the enterprise is
most likely to resume production late in February or early in March,’
Hayrapetyan told reporters.

As regards possible investments, he said that any specific statements
can only be made after the acceptance process has been completed.

`Investments will be made if necessary,’ Hayrapetyan said. He does not
rule out the purchase of a modern production line.

He stressed that no dismissals should be expected. `Experienced
personnel are much more efficient than new people,’ Hayrapetyan
said.`0–

THE ART OF MUSEUM DIPLOMACY
By William Lee Adams

TIME
cle/0,9171,1880606,00.html
Feb 20 2009

When western diplomats seek concessions from Iran, they typically
dish out tough rhetoric and threaten sanctions. Neil MacGregor, the
cherub-faced director of the British Museum, uses a more refined
arsenal: cultural relics and priceless artifacts. In January,
MacGregor traveled to Tehran to finalize the loan of treasures from
eight of Iran’s best museums. In exchange, he promised to loan the
National Museum of Iran the Cyrus Cylinder, a 2,500-year-old clay
cylinder inscribed with decrees from the Persian emperor Cyrus the
Great. Following a request by the Iranian Vice President’s office,
he also vowed to raise international awareness of damage done
to archaeological sites in Gaza during Israel’s recent military
operation. The lofty maneuvering paid off: three weeks later, dozens
of crates containing Persian rugs and 17th century mosque ornaments
were winging their way to London.

At a time when more conventional channels of communication between
Britain and Iran have stalled, MacGregor’s cultural diplomacy is
opening up another avenue for dialogue. The British Museum, especially
since MacGregor took the helm in 2002, has used traveling exhibitions
and curatorial exchanges to successfully engage museums from China
to North Korea to Sudan. "The more difficult the political relations
are, the more important it is to try to understand the history of the
country with whom we’re having difficult conversations," he says. (See
pictures of 250 years of the British Museum.)

With "Shah ‘Abbas: The Remaking of Iran" the British Museum seeks to
break down the perception of Iran as a hostile state on the fringe —
politically and culturally — of the modern world. The exhibition,
which runs until June 14, brings together an astonishing collection
of Persian artifacts, many of which have never been seen together
inside Iran, let alone outside the country. The show highlights the
accomplishments of Shah ‘Abbas, who ruled Persia from 1587 to 1629,
ushering in a golden age for arts and culture, and opening the country
to European trade. Says MacGregor: "He created a multi-faith society
in touch with the rest of the world. That’s why now he is someone
really worth thinking about."

Given recent events, that’s an understatement. On Feb. 3, one day
after Iran launched its first domestically produced satellite,
Britain’s Foreign Office condemned the move, saying it raised
"serious concerns about Iran’s intentions." Two days later, the
British Council, a body that promotes international cultural dialogue,
suspended its operations in Tehran citing "intimidation" of its staff
by Iranian officials. But the organizers of the Shah ‘Abbas show were
unperturbed. Curator Sheila Canby says the spirit of inquiry that
museums share helps them transcend political tensions. "We’ve been
told by Iranian and British officials that this is just the kind of
exchange that should happen," she says. "No matter what else happens,
this is a benign and informative way to exchange ideas."

That may be true, but officials at the British Museum speak from
a privileged position. They don’t answer to the government and can
freely pursue a cultural agenda with any country. For Iran’s curators,
politics underscores every exchange, and sending relics abroad requires
authorization from some of Iran’s most powerful bureaucrats. That
makes the Shah ‘Abbas show all the more significant. "Iranians feel
they are misunderstood, misrepresented and sometimes rather snubbed by
the West," says Michael Axworthy, director of the Centre for Persian
and Iranian Studies at the University of Exeter. "There are few things
the Iranians look for more than an appreciation for where they are
coming from culturally and intellectually."

The Iran on show is a far cry from the clichéd picture of an angry,
anti-U.S. Islamic state with a Holocaust-denying President. Under
Shah ‘Abbas, Iran became a center of diplomacy and trade. Glorious
paintings from the early 17th century depict British envoys
who traded gold and silver for silk rugs; other prints capture
negotiations in which Iranians mingle with Uzbeks and Indians. Like
his contemporary Elizabeth I, Shah ‘Abbas waged war to defend his
nation’s territory. But unlike England, MacGregor says, the Shah’s Iran
"accommodated other faiths," as seen by gospels beautifully illustrated
by Armenian Christians who were forcibly resettled in Iran from 1603.

The legacy of Shah ‘Abbas stems from the architecture of his capital,
Isfahan. With its mosques, minarets and brightly colored tiles, the
city’s vast central square remains one of the world’s most dramatic
public spaces. "A lot of what he did was inspired by the rivalry with
the Ottomans," Axworthy says. "It was intended to create an impression
of magnificence so that Isfahan was taken as seriously as Istanbul."

The idea of using culture as a way to impress is as relevant
today. "For élites and those who visit museums, artistic exchanges
can contribute to soft power," says Joseph Nye, a political science
professor at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government who defines soft
power as "the ability to get what you want through attraction rather
than coercion."

It’s an idea that’s enjoying a resurgence in popularity. Last year,
ahead of the Beijing Olympics when China faced renewed criticism over
human rights, the British Museum staged exhibitions on the history of
the Games in Shanghai and Hong Kong, sending more than 110 invaluable
items, including the 2nd century marble statue The Discus Thrower,
which the museum had never allowed overseas. And on Feb. 16, the
directors of Beijing’s Palace Museum and Taipei’s National Palace
Museum brokered a deal to send Chinese imperial artifacts to Taiwan for
the first time in 60 years. In a show scheduled to open in October, the
pieces will be reunited with objects taken by nationalists when they
fled the mainland after losing China’s civil war. Analysts interpret
Beijing’s conciliatory approach as a bid to improve China’s image in
Taiwan, perhaps to soften opposition to reunification. Whatever’s
behind it, Beijing’s more amicable stance is welcome news to Chou
Kung-shin, director of the Taipei museum. "Cultural exchanges,"
she says, "are the most convenient and effective way to establish
communications across the Strait." (See pictures of the Beijing
Olympics.)

There are, of course, limits to the effects of this form of
diplomacy. The Shah ‘Abbas exhibition isn’t likely to convince visitors
that Iran should have access to nuclear arms. But in chronicling
the nation’s former glory, it may help explain why many Iranians
feel entitled to them. Curator Canby says there’s also a bigger
point. "I don’t think of it in terms of redressing public opinion,"
she says. "Museum relationships are based on something other than
politics."

That something is an appreciation of beautiful objects and the
history they embody, two things curators will go to great lengths
to protect. After U.S. troops invaded Iraq in March 2003, looters
besieged the country’s national museum, stealing 8,000 objects that
had come from ancient Mesopotamia. Donny George, the Iraqi museum’s
former director, phoned from Baghdad and described the situation to
a curatorial colleague in London. That curator spoke to MacGregor,
who phoned then Prime Minister Tony Blair’s culture secretary. A
few hours later, U.S. tanks were moving into position to guard Iraq’s
finest museum. "It was possible entirely because of the long links kept
between curators even through the worst moments of Saddam Hussein,"
says MacGregor. In a world where political relationships can be as
fragile as an ancient vase, that’s a lesson leaders would be wise
to remember.

FILM CASTS LIGHT ON DARK CHAPTER OF TURKISH PAST
By Ayla Jean Yackley

Reuters
Feb 20 2009
UK

ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Mihail Vasiliadis’s friends warned the teenager
to leave work early and go home to his family on September 6, 1955.

Within hours, mobs were attacking thousands of shops, churches and
homes throughout Istanbul in a rampage against ethnic Greeks that
eventually led thousands to leave Turkey.

"It was the shock of a lifetime, but it was something that wasn’t
talked about for 50 years," said Vasiliadis, who was aged 15 at the
time and is now one of just 2,800 or so Greeks left in Istanbul. He
is now the editor of Apoyevmatimi, Istanbul’s last Greek-language
newspaper.

Now a film entitled "Guz Sancisi," or "The Pain of Autumn," tells the
story of that night more than half a century ago, the first time a
Turkish movie has tackled the events that Istanbul Greeks call their
"Kristallnacht."

The fictional love story of Behcet and Elena, a Turkish man and
a Greek woman, is set against the tension that culminated in the
real-life destruction of 5,300 businesses and houses owned by Greeks,
Armenians and Jews.

More than 500,000 people have seen the film since its release last
month, according to its distributor Ozen Film.

Television talk shows and newspapers have covered both the film and
the discussion of the events on which it is based.

Its makers say the public debate is a result of an easing of curbs
on freedom of expression accompanying Turkey’s drive to meet European
Union membership standards.

"This film couldn’t have been made 10 years ago," said Etyen Mahcupyan,
who wrote the screenplay and is editor of the Armenian community
newspaper Agos.

"Though the laws on the books still limit free speech, the reality
is there’s less and less that can’t be criticised."

PHOTOGRAPHS VANDALISED

As recently as 2005, demonstrators stormed an Istanbul gallery and
vandalised photographs on exhibit from a prosecutor’s investigation
into the 1955 events.

"Until now, we’ve either used silence or shouted to block out the
past," said Murat Belge, literature professor at Bilgi University
and a political columnist, who was prosecuted in 2006 for criticising
Turkey’s treatment of minorities. "It’s a major shift that we’re now
using art to examine it."

On the night in question, thousands of protesters converged on central
Istanbul, incited by news reports that Greeks in Thessaloniki had
bombed the childhood home of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of
modern Turkey. It emerged later that the reports were false.

Tension between Turkey and its historical rival Greece was high at
the time over Cyprus.

Police and soldiers stood by when the protest turned
violent. Cemeteries were desecrated, churches were looted and about
a dozen people died, said Dilek Guven, a historian and author of a
2005 book on the subject, "The September 6-7 Events." Hundreds of
women were raped, she said.

Damage was estimated at $50 million, or about $400 million in today’s
terms. Most of the attacks were against Greek-owned targets, but
almost a third were aimed at property owned by Armenians and Jews.

More than 5,000 people were arrested and most were later acquitted.

Prime Minister Adnan Menderes and two members of his government,
deposed in a 1960 military coup, were found guilty the following year
of violating the constitution and executed.

During the trial, one of the principal charges the judges heard was
that the Menderes government was behind the 1955 events.

Research by Guven and others has shown the conspiracy ran deeper,
involving the military and the intelligence service, and was aimed at
pressuring minorities to abandon their property and leave the country.

NEVER DISCUSSED

"A film like this might be just a film in another country," said
Mahcupyan. "Because there’s been a vacuum and this issue was never
discussed, the film now fulfils an important mission."

Today, 60 percent of Greeks living in Istanbul, seat of the
Greek-dominated Byzantine Empire for 1,000 years until 1453, are
aged over 55, says the Rev. Dositheos Anagnostopulous, a spokesman
for the Greek Orthodox Church in Istanbul.

One and a half million Greeks left Turkey for Greece in 1923, when the
Turkish republic was established, and thousands more emigrated when a
"wealth tax" imposed on minorities in 1942 wiped out their fortunes
before it was repealed two years later.

About 120,000 Greeks were living in Istanbul in 1955, said
Anagnostopulous. After the attacks 50,000 more left, and the final blow
was in 1964 after fighting between Turkish and Greek Cypriots. By 1966,
just 30,000 Greeks remained, he said.

Istanbul, a city of 15 million people, is also home today to about
60,000 Armenians and fewer than 20,000 Jews.

"September 6-7 was our Kristallnacht," Anagnostopulous said,
referring to the Nazi pogrom of 1938. "The chances of something like
this happening again are slim, because Turkish youth today are more
critical in their thinking. But to be sure, they need to learn that
this catastrophe occurred, that’s why the film is important."

The Ecumenical Patriarchate, the spiritual centre of the world’s
250 million Orthodox Christians, is still based in Istanbul. The
EU has criticised the Turkish government’s refusal to recognise the
patriarchate’s legal status and its ban on the training of Orthodox
clergy.

Anagnostopulous said a 2006 change in the law on non-Muslim foundations
has relaxed restrictions on Greeks’ property rights. However, the
government has returned only one of the handful of buildings that the
European Court of Human Rights has ruled it had illegally seized over
the years.

The Turkish government has never formally apologised for the state’s
role in the violence 54 years ago.

"We are aware in Turkey of what we have done, but we fail to confront
it, and we keep repeating it," Belge said. "This is a society that
fails to bury its dead, and so you have a lot of ghosts roaming
around."

OSCE ENVOY URGES ARMENIA TO FOCUS ON REGIONAL ENERGY PROJECTS

AzerNews Weekly
Feb 18 2009
Azerbaijan

Armenia should focus on energy projects in the region, rather than on
conflicts, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly`s special representative on
the Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict said during
a visit to Baku.

Goran Lennmarker, speaking at a meeting with members of the Azerbaijani
delegation at the OSCE PA on Friday, said that since Armenia is a
small country with a weak economy in the South Caucasus region, its
authorities should place an emphasis on boosting its economy, and
the best way to do this is to participate in regional energy projects.

Lennmarker visited Azerbaijan as part of his tour of the region
to study the current state of talks on the Garabagh settlement. In
conclusion, he will prepare a report on the outcome of the visit and
submit it to an OSCE PA session due in Vienna February 19-20.

Further, Lennmarker stressed the importance of finding a solution to
the Garabagh problem.

"I reported three years ago that a `golden opportunity` had emerged for
settling the conflict. This opportunity is still open," he said, but
added that it was unclear how long this would be the case, therefore,
the conflicting sides should take advantage of this opportunity.

The special envoy emphasized that a negotiated solution was the only
option to resolve the long-standing dispute, and said both parties
should make concessions to reach that goal. "Both sides will not be
able to achieve a 100% result regarding the conflict settlement."

He noted that the OSCE Minsk Group – a team of diplomats brokering the
peace process – was seeking a neutral and mutually beneficial solution.

Bahar Muradova, Vice-Speaker and head of the Azerbaijani delegation
at the OSCE PA, said Azerbaijan was deeply concerned over their being
no resolution to the Garabagh conflict. She emphasized that the OSCE
and European countries should be interested in resolving the conflict
as much as they are interested in capitalizing on the resource-rich
South Caucasus republic`s energy potential, as ensuring security in
the turbulent region serves the interests of Europe as well.

"We would like to take advantage of the European model in the
settlement of conflicts," the vice-speaker added.

Underlining the importance of the South Caucasus on the world stage,
Lennmarker said the European Union`s having paid little attention to
the region in the past was a mistake.

"The situation has changed now. The EU is currently trying to
intensify its relations with the South Caucasus states. The European
New Neighborhood Policy (ENNP) was launched for that purpose," he said.

Lennmarker emphasized that integration between the 27-member bloc
and regional countries should not be strictly technical, but this
requires a change of people`s mindset.

"Europe is moving slowly on this decision and the rapprochement
of the South Caucasus toward Europe is gradually taking place,"
Lennmarker said.

Lennmarker called on the South Caucasus states to step up regional
cooperation, saying interaction among Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia
was pivotal to ensuring a bright future for the region. Regional
developments, in particular Russia`s incursion in the Georgian rebel
region of South Ossetia, should encourage unity of the South Caucasus
states, he said.

"Unity of the South Caucasus states should be strong in the future,"
the special envoy said, noting that these countries should draw closer
to Europe and assist each other to defend their independence.

Lennmarker noted that among regional states, Azerbaijan stands out for
its rapid economic growth, therefore, it has a great responsibility
in promoting the expansion of regional cooperation.

"Azerbaijan should play a special role in the area in ensuring peace
in the South Caucasus. The more it develops economically, the greater
responsibility it assumes," he added.