Author: Kajoyan Gevork

QUESTION ARMENIENNE : FRANCE ET TURQUIE ASSURENT QUE LA CRISE EST PASSEE

Agence France Presse
16 juin 2006 vendredi 11:11 AM GMT

La France et la Turquie ont affiche vendredi a Istanbul leur volonte
de developper les echanges economiques bilateraux et de tourner la
page après la polemique entre les deux pays creee par une proposition
de loi francaise sur la question armenienne.

"Quels que soient les incidents survenus, les relations economiques
entre les deux pays sont excellentes, toutes les courbes sont
ascendantes", a declare la ministre francaise deleguee au Commerce
exterieur Christine Lagarde lors d’une conference de presse commune
avec son homologue turc Kursad Tuzmen.

La discussion par l’Assemblee nationale francaise, le 18 mai, d’une
proposition de loi visant a penaliser les propos niant "le genocide
armenien" commis en Anatolie entre 1915 et 1917 avait cree un tolle
en Turquie, Ankara evoquant des "consequences incalculables" pour
les relations bilaterales.

Au terme d’une seance houleuse, les deputes francais ont finalement
choisi de repousser a une date indeterminee l’examen de cette
proposition de loi.

Première ministre francaise a se rendre en Turquie depuis, Mme Lagarde,
multipliant les signes de connivence avec son homologue (sourires,
poignees de mains et annonce d’une seance de plongee sous-marine en
commun), a assure que cette visite se deroulait "sous des auspices
d’amitie tout a fait rares".

"Les relations franco-turques ont des racines anciennes et multiples
(…), de petits incidents ne peuvent pas les affecter", lui a fait
echo M. Tuzmen. "Cette visite montre le peu d’effet de ces incidents".

Mme Lagarde, arrivee mercredi en Turquie, a indique que ses discussions
avec les responsables turcs avaient principalement porte sur les
domaines de l’energie (la Turquie a l’intention de construire trois
centrales nucleaires) et les transports.

La Turquie estime que 300.000 Armeniens et au moins autant de Turcs
ont ete massacres lors de la Première guerre mondiale lorsque les
Armeniens se sont ranges aux côtes de la Russie contre l’empire ottoman
et lors des deportations qui ont suivi, mais refute le qualificatif de
"genocide".

Les Armeniens disent qu’un million et demi des leurs ont peri dans
un genocide.

Les echanges franco-turcs ont atteint 8,2 milliards d’euros en 2005,
en hausse de 9% par rapport a l’annee precedente.

–Boundary_(ID_EBTN53pnnnd6r9oy6DHbjA )–

No charges against Safak

TDN
Saturday, June 17, 2006

ISTANBUL – Turkish Daily News

The Beyoglu Prosecutor’s Office in Istanbul decided to drop charges
against Elif Safak, who was accused of belittling Turkishness in her
new book, "Baba ve Pic," which will be published at the end of the year
in the United States as "The Bastard of Istanbul" by Viking/Penguin.

The prosecutor’s office said they could find no evidence Safak intended
to belittle Turkishness in her book. Beyoglu Prosecutor Mustafa Erol in
his decision said: "In her testimony on June 6, 2006, she in summary
said her purpose in writing this book was not to belittle Turkishness
but just the opposite, to contribute to efforts to create a peaceful
and humane environment between Turks and Armenians. She said her book
was fictional."

The investigation was due to a character in her latest novel that
recognized the death of Armenians during the First World War as
genocide. The character’s utterances were perceived as insulting
to Turkishness.

The trials against novelists and journalists for statements deemed
insulting to Turkishness, Turkey’s founder Ataturk, the military or
the judiciary have increased in frequency as of late due to a campaign
by some groups to file complaints against them.

Most widely reported cases involved novelist Orhan Pamuk and the
editor in chief of Armenian daily Hrant Dink.

Yerevan-Batumi-Yerevan Railway Route to Be Launched June 17

PanARMENIAN.Net
16.06.2006 15:16 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The solemn ceremony of opening of the
Yerevan-Batumi-Yerevan railway route will take place Saturday,
June 17. In the words of head of the department of transportation
of the Armenian Railway Hakob Khrimyan, the train was scheduled to
depart on June 15, however by the request of Georgian Vice-Premier,
who wished to participate in the ceremony, the terms were delayed.

Armenian Minister of Transport Andranik Manukyan and heads of
the Armenian and Georgian railways will take part in the opening
ceremony. Khrimyan informed that the train will start off on odd days
of week.

To note, the railway communication was established for the summer rest
of Armenian tourists at the Black Sea coast in Georgia. The train will
start off at 9.10 local time and arrive in Batumi at 1.40. The ticket
will cost 18 703 drams in a double compartment and 9 297 drams in a
compartment for four. Meanwhile the price of the ticket from Batumi
to Yerevan will make 21 256 drams and 10 542 drams in a compartment
for four, reported Apsny.Ge.

DISCUSSION ON DESERTIFICATION AND DROUGHT TO BE HELD AT UN ARMENIA OFFICE

ArmRadio.am
16.06.2006 10:41

A round-table discussion will take place today in the UN Conference
Hall dedicated to the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought.

Specialists say the risk of desertification is very high in the
capital.

"For Stable Human Development" Association asserts that it is necessary
to create a special commission to solve the ecologic problems of
Yerevan city.

MICHELINE CALMY-REY A RENCONTRE SON HOMOLOGUE ARMENIEN

Le Temps, Suisse
13 juin 2006

Genocide Des Armeniens Evoque A Erevan

Micheline Calmy-Rey s’est rendue en Armenie lundi, effectuant la
première visite officielle d’un membre du Conseil federal dans ce
pays. La cheffe du DFAE a rencontre les dirigeants armeniens et rendu
hommage aux victimes du genocide. Le voyage d’un jour de Micheline
Calmy-Rey dans cette republique du sud du Caucase a permis de faire
le point sur les relations bilaterales, qualifiees de bonnes par
le ministre armenien des Affaires etrangères et par la conseillère
federale a Erevan.

La Suisse a entame un dialogue politique avec l’Armenie en 2004. La
cooperation humanitaire et technique avait demarre en 1988, a la
suite du tremblement de terre qui avait detruit le nord du pays.

L’Armenie beneficie d’une position centrale dans cette region de
l’ancienne Union sovietique et la Suisse a interet a sa stabilite, a
explique la cheffe des Affaires etrangères. Cette stabilite passe en
particulier par une solution au conflit du Haut-Karabakh, qui oppose
ce pays a l’Azerbaïdjan. Ce territoire, qui s’est declare autonome,
est peuple majoritairement d’Armeniens, mais est rattache juridiquement
a l’Azerbaïdjan. Cette question a egalement ete abordee. La Suisse
a offert ses services a deux reprises a ces deux pays, a releve
Micheline Calmy-Rey. Mais elle n’a pas l’intention de jouer un rôle
de mediateur actif dans ce dossier, tant Bakou qu’Erevan n’ayant
pas sollicite un tel interet. La ministre a aussi aborde le thème
du genocide perpetre par les Turcs contre les Armeniens durant la
Première Guerre mondiale. La Suisse a toujours condamne de tels actes,
a-t-elle souligne. Elle a visite le monument et le musee commemorant le
genocide, a depose une gerbe de fleurs et s’est recueillie devant la
flamme du souvenir. "J’ai tenu a exprimer ma sympathie a ce peuple",
a-t-elle dit. Ce geste symbolique pourrait durcir les relations deja
tendues entre Berne et Ankara.

–Boundary_(ID_+q6U4qk3WVJXNarXmo4Gbg)–

LEVON MKRTCHYAN: THERE IS NEED FOR INCLUSIVE REFORMS IN THE SPHERE OF EDUCATION

ArmRadio.am
13.06.2006 17:34

Position or the Party? If RA Minister of Education and Science Levon
Lazarian faces this dilemma, he will definitely choose the second
one. The Minister from the ARF is, however, confident that what
happened to Orinats Yerkir does not threaten his Party. The newly
appointed Minister urged all heads of educational establishments to
escape getting involved in political games; if they do not share the
ideas of a certain party, it is not necessary to join a party. During
today’s meeting with journalists Levon Lazarian urged not to ask
questions about the education sphere, since the situation here is
the worst.

“We are yielding our positions in the world in this sphere. If
things continue this way, the fall will become more apparent,” Levon
Lazarian said.

He did not criticize the former Minister for the omissions of the
system. He first of all blames himself, since he occupied the same
position twice in the past.

According to the Minister, the current educational system creates an
impression that we have taken the 10-year education system and try
to artificially extend it for 12 years.

Levon Lazarian urged not to conceive the Ministry of Science and
Education solely as an establishment for holding different kinds
of exams.

“There are much more important and serious problems than entry and
exit exams,” Levon Lazarian added.

AGO GROUP TO VISIT BAKU

ArmRadio.am
13.06.2006 10:40

The Ago Group of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe
headed by Roland Wegener will arrive today in Baku.

The process of accopmplishment of Azerbaijan’s committments before
the council of Europe will be discussed during the meetings with
Azeri leadership.

To note, June 9-10 the Ago Group was in Armenia to study the process
of accoplishment of Armenia’s committments.

PROSECUTOR GENERAL INFORMS PACE RAPPORTEUR ON POWs, HOSTAGES AND MISSING PEOPLE

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
June 11 2006

Prosecutor General of the Republic of Azerbaijan Zakir Garalov met with
visiting delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe led by rapporteur of the organization’s Committee for Migration,
Refugees and Population for the South Caucasus Leo Platvoet.

He thanked Mr. Platvoet, as head of pre-election mission of the
PACE ad hoc Committee, for his unbiased approach to the re-run of
the parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan, as well as, for positive
appraisal of democratic reforms being implemented in Azerbaijan under
the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, and the country’s honoring
of obligations and commitments to the Council of Europe, that was
given by COE Secretary General Tarry Davis during his meeting with
high-ranking Azerbaijani officials in Strasbourg.

The Prosecutor General described Mr. Platvoet’s mission as very
delicate question recalling that the Armenian policy of occupation
and genocide against Azerbaijan lasted over 200 years and continues
today with 20 percent of Azerbaijani territories under occupation,
that over a million of Azerbaijanis from Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh and
surrounding regions are refugees and internally displaced, and that
the conflict cannot be resolved peacefully because of the Armenian
leadership’s destructive stance. In this context, according to him,
the issue of POWs, hostages and missing citizens still remains topical.

Zakir Garalov informed the visitors that the State Commission on
POWs, Hostages and Missing Persons, registered 4604 citizens of
Azerbaijan as missing, and that investigation formed three year ago
has questioned 1061 POWs and hostages, and fully proved the fact
that during occupation of the town of Khojaly, as well as Mesheli
and Garadgly villages, hundreds of people were brutally killed, taken
hostage and subjected to terrifying tortures. “Everyone proved guilty
of these crimes will appear in our country’s courts, and, if needed,
relating materials will be submitted to the international courts”
he said.

The Prosecutor General noted that not a single prisoner of war is now
in Azerbaijan, and that the country is open for any international
monitoring. “Should Armenian side has some facts, our republic is
ready conduct an appropriate investigation,” he said. He pointed out
the necessity for the Council of Europe Mission to investigate facts
in the uncontrolled territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, and suggested the
visitors to meet with family members of the Azerbaijani citizens,
who were subjected to torture in Armenian captivity, and were missing
for their report to be more detailed and objective.

Leo Platvoet expressed satisfaction with the meeting noting that not
a single document on Armenian citizens held captive or hostage in
Azerbaijan was presented to him, as the head of the Mission, during
their stay in Armenia. He added that information provided by Prosecutor
General of Azerbaijan Zakir Garalov and the questions raised by him
will be taken into account in his mission’s future activities.

Daily Nation, Kenya
June 10, 2006

The incident that sparked police action

Story by NATION Reporter
Publication Date: 6/10/2006

The arrests were triggered by an incident at Jomo Kenyatta
International Airport, Nairobi, in which one of the brothers
allegedly assaulted a Customs officer, who blocked their way as they
left the airport.

Mr Sargsyan and a woman colleague had arrived from Dubai and were to
be received by a business tycoon and Mr Margaryan in a convoy of four
vehicles. The tycoon had made arrangements for the brothers to enter
the arrivals section and clear a consignment of closed-circuit TV
cameras and monitors, which had arrived from Dubai as unaccompanied
luggage.

It was not established why the brothers were allowed into the
international arrivals lounge with firearms. A licensed gun holder is
required to surrender it to the security who hold it until he leaves
the airport.

But, according to a source, Customs officers who inspected the
luggage had turned away a courier the brothers had sent to collect
the consignment, demanding that they pay duty for the equipment.

Demand for duty

The source said the Armenians demanded to know on whose order the
officers were demanding duty, and vowed not to pay it. Mr Margaryan
was said to have pushed the officers out of the way and walked out,
saying that their bags were never searched.

Sources said their aide then grabbed the bags, placed them on a
trolley and pushed it out as Mr Margaryan drew a gun and threatened
to shoot anyone who dared block their way out of the airport.

A minister’s bodyguard who happened to be at the airport, also drew a
gun and dared Mr Margaryan to shoot. The Armenian put his gun back
into the holster and walked out.

Another Customs officer who tried to stop them was hit and injured by
one of the brothers before they walked to the main exit, jumped onto
waiting vehicles and sped out of the airport.

Police commissioner Hussein Ali summoned airports police boss
Beatrice Nduta to his Vigilance House office to find out how the
brothers and the businessman had driven out of the airport without
being intercepted.

The four-vehicle convoy left the airport past armed General Service
Unit officers and passed road-blocks on their way to Runda.

TREND, Azerbaijan
June 9 2006

Next meeting of PABSEC to be held in Baku

Source: Trend
Author: J.Shahverdiyev

09.06.2006

The next meetion of the Parlamenatry Assembly of Black Sea Economic
Cooperation (PABSEC) will be held in November in Baku,Trend reports
quoting deputy Asef Hajiyev, the head of the Azerbaijani delegation
in this organization.

During the 27th plenary meeting of PABSEC held on 7-8 June in
Armenia, the chairmanship for coming 6 months was presented to
Azerbaijan.

PABSEC includes 12 states. `Azerbaijan will be the chairman of the
organization – it is important. Because it will be possible to
deliver information about Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the occupied
territories of Azerbaijan to the attention of PABSEC
member-countries,’ told Hajiyev,

As an answer to the question `Will Armenia be invited to the meeting
that will be held in Baku?’ Hajivev said that `yet it is impossible
to say something exact’. `Because yet there is time. On the other
hand, this question should be decided by the head of Milli Majlis
[Azerbaijan Parliament],’ stressed Hajiyev.