Author: Kajoyan Gevork

di-ve News, Malta
Dec 17 2004

Turkey’s EU membership prospects being weighed – Malta says yes
but…

by Ronald Mizzi, di-ve news ([email protected])

PM Gonzi attends EU summit

BRUSSELS/MALTA, (di-ve news)–December 16, 2004 — 2100CET–PM
Lawrence Gonzi is attending a European Council summit in Brussels
that above all will discuss whether negotiations with Turkey over EU
membership should start or not. Prior to the summit Gonzi declared
Malta’s favouring position of starting negotiations with Turkey for
EU accession, saying that Turkey is a country with Mediterranean
regional interests. He however stated that Malta would be calling for
certain conditions that strengthen religious tolerance and human
rights in the country together with strict regulations regarding the
movement of people. And despite that MEPs have already adopted a
resolution saying that Turkey has made impressive progress in
respecting the political criteria, enough for negotiations on EU
membership to start, opinions remain divided.

The European Parliament has in fact acknowledged that problems
continue to exist, such as regarding minority rights, religious
freedoms, trade union rights, women’s rights, the role of the army,
Cyprus and the relations with Armenia. Therefore it stressed that, in
the first phase of negotiations, priority should be given to the full
application of the political criteria. In case of serious breaches of
the political criteria, negotiations must be suspended.

MEPs also underlined that starting negotiations will not
automatically result in Turkey’s accession and that appropriate ways
will have to be found “to ensure that Turkey remains fully anchored
in European structures”, should negotiations not be successfully
concluded.

MEPs were satisfied that Turkey had fulfilled a number of
recommendations and requirements included in earlier EP resolutions,
such as the abolition of the death penalty, the extension of
important fundamental rights and freedoms, reduction of the role of
the National Security Council and the lifting of the state of
emergency in the south-east. But they said that Turkey still had to
adopt further reforms and put these, as well as current reforms, into
practice. Thus it would have to lift all remaining restrictions on
broadcasting and education in minority languages; put an end to the
discrimination of religious minorities; completely eradicate torture;
draft a new constitution; lower the threshold of ten percent in
parliamentary elections; disband the village guard system in the
south-east; apply ILO standards for trade union rights; limit the
role of the army further; continue the process of reconciliation with
Armenia and recognise the Republic of Cyprus. MEPs also mentioned the
eradication of violence against women, freedom of expression and
press freedom as issues they would monitor closely.

The Parliament also referred to earlier conclusions of EU government
leaders that “the Union’s capacity to absorb new members, while
maintaining the momentum of European integration, constitutes an
important criterion for accession, from the point of view both of the
Union and of candidates for accession”. And it noted that Turkey
could only become a member after the EU’s long-term budget planning
for the period from 2014 onwards has been decided upon.

While France favours Turkey’s EU accession, Germany and Austria fear
that its potential as the second-largest EU member state means that
it can block decisions. On the other hand, Commission President Jose
Manuel Durao Barroso supports the starting of negotiations with
Turkey but urged the Muslim country to start recognising Cyprus.

The summit, the last under the Dutch Presidency, will also discuss
when it would be appropriate to start negotiations with Croatia and
the level of negotiations reached with both Bulgaria and Romania.

Azeri official critical of chief cleric’s plans to start political career

Assa-Irada, Baku
16 Dec 04

Baku, 16 December: The state has reacted sharply to a recent statement
by the chairman of the Board of the Muslims of the Caucasus, Allahsukur
Pasazada, saying that he will be actively involved in politics. Rafiq
Aliyev, head of the State Committee for Work with Religious Structures,
told our Assa-Irada correspondent that the sheikh ul-Islam’s idea
to be involved in politics contradicts the country’s constitution
and legislation.

He said that according to the current legislation, religion is
separated from the state in Azerbaijan. In addition, the law on freedom
of conscience also bans religious figures from involvement in politics.

Rafiq Aliyev recalled the recent past and said that the establishment
of a democratic, civil and independent state was one of the main
principles of the late President Heydar Aliyev. People involved in
religious activities cannot be involved in politics, nor can they stand
in elections to legislative bodies. I suppose that the leadership of
the Board of the Muslims of the Caucasus is aware of all this.

However, in order to be like Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin or
Georgian Patriarch Ilia II, it is not enough just to wish this. This
wish should also be in line with the requirements of the law.

BANKING SYSTEM OF ARMENIA AMONG MOST RELIABLE ONES IN CIS AREA: STANDARD & POOR’S

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 16. ARMINFO. The Banking system of Armenia is
considered one of the most reliable ones in the CIS area, say
specialists of the international agency Standard Poor’s.

According to the rating, as to the total system regulatory capital
as a % of risk weighted assets (BIS ratio), the banking system of
Armenia showed 34% in late 2003, yielding only to Tajikistan (44.7%)
and Kyrghyzstan (34%). Total banking system regulatory capital of the
baking system of Armenia in late 2003 was $79 mln (20 banks) leaving
behind Kyrghyzstan ($49 mln – 20 banks) and Tajikistan ($35 mln – 14
banks). At the end of 2003 Armenia ranked the first as to the capital
share controlled by foreign capital, including other CIS investors –
47%, leaving behind Kyrgyzstan – 29% amd Tajikistan 26.6%. As to the
total banking system assets, the banking system of Armenia showed
$498 mln, then goes Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, $258 mln and $147 mln,
respectively.

The specialists of the agency say that over the past decade, the number
of banks in most CIS countries has decreased significantly as a result
of bank failures, mergers, and license withdrawals. Restructuring
measures, as well as increases in minimum bank capital requirements
and capital adequacy ratios, have been effective instruments to
fortify banking systems and encourage consolidation. This process
is continuing today. For example, Armenia is increasing the minimum
required capital level to $5 million from the current $2 million,
effective July 1, 2005. This is largely above a minimum capital level
of ?1 million required in Russia, but still below a limit of $7 million
required in Kazakhstan. In Russia, the number of banks dropped from
2,300 in 1995, to nearly 1,300 banks today. Azerbaijan and Georgia
have seen a decline to about 50 banks in each country from almost
250 in each. Since 1994 in Kazakhstan, the number of banks fell to 36
from more than 180. Despite the growing divergence of policies and in
the performance of the CIS banking systems, one thing they share is
exposure to a variety of common risks. In addition to factors already
mentioned, such as shadowy economies, they include:

High economic and industry risks;

Volatility to economic cycles;

Low population wealth and high income inequalities;

Underdeveloped regulatory and legal systems;

Varying accounting practices; and

Limited confidence in the banking system.

In addition, the financial profiles of banks are characterized by weak
capital; lack of core deposits; weak credit culture, vulnerability
to asset quality risks; and low operating efficiency. Liquidity and
financial flexibility of CIS banks remain limited.

The population remains suspicious of banks and unwilling to trust
them with its savings Responding to the lack of confidence in their
banking systems, some CIS countries have sought to introduce deposit
insurance schemes. At the end of 1990s, Kazakhstan and Ukraine set up
deposit insurance systems, followed more recently by Moldova. In July
2004, amid the turmoil in the banking sector, the Russian government
adopted a law guaranteeing retail deposits in banks not admitted to
the retail-deposit insurance system introduced in December 2003 (whose
selection process has yet not been completed). Armenia set up a deposit
insurance system in 2003, which should start operating in 2005. The
Kyrgyz Republic is only preparing deposit insurance legislation.

The CIS banking systems mirror many of the high concentration
problems of their economies, particularly regarding the high
dependence on commodities in exports: oil for Russia and Kazakhstan,
gas for Turkmenistan, gold for the Kyrgyz Republic, aluminum for
Tajikistan, and diamond polishing for Armenia. With limited industry
diversification and natural-resource dependent and agriculturally
dominant economies, the CIS economies are fairly correlated in their
risks and economic cyclicality. Due to growing regional cooperation
and trade, the growth of many smaller CIS countries depends partly
on the performance of the large economies in the region–Russia,
Kazakhstan, and Ukraine.

Many privately owned CIS banks are closely connected to industrial
and trade groups. Beneficial owners, often hiding behind numerous
nominee or operating companies, are not publicly disclosed. This
raises critical information and corporate governance risks, which could
lead to understated related-party exposures. There is also a lack of
certainty about the owners’ ability and willingness to inject fresh
capital into the banks. Ultimate ownership and interrelationships
between borrowers and industries are difficult to discern. Opaque
ownership structures favor related party lending, with its attendant
risks. This results, in part, from the lack of enforcement and
monitoring of “fit and proper” criteria, and inhibits the emergence
of a market for corporate control. The lack of such a market is one
key reason for the lack of market-driven bank reorganizations in the
CIS countries, including the entry of foreign banks, mergers, and
acquisitions. The CIS banking systems have combined assets of around
$240 billion, which is less than half the size of Dresdner Bank AG
(A/Negative/A-1) or Barclays Bank PLC (AA/Stable/A-1+) and a third
of the size of ABN AMRO Bank N.V. (AA-/Stable/A-1+).

WESTERN UNITED STATES YOUTH TO PROTEST TURKISH ADMISSION TO EU

LOS ANGELES, December 16 (Noyan Tapan). The Armenian Youth Federation,
Western United States Central Executive announced that it will hold
a protest at the Netherlands Consulate in Los Angeles to express its
opposition to Turkey’s possible membership in the European Union.

“Before considering Turkey’s admission into the EU, European leaders
should consider Turkey’s abysmal record on human rights,” commented
Shant Baboujian, chairman of the AYF. “If Turkey wants to be considered
a part of Europe and the EU, it has to first adhere to basic human
rights standards – this includes admitting the historical record of
the Armenian Genocide.”

Baboujian explains that the AYF will present a formal letter to
the Consul General of Netherlands, which chairs the EU, to convey
its opposition.

The Los Angeles protest is one of many peaceful protests taking place
around the world this week in an international Armenian effort to
voice opposition to Turkish membership in the EU. The largest such
demonstration is undertaken by the Armenian National Committee
of Europe, which is organizing a massive protest in Brussels on
December 17.

Youth will begin picketing at the Netherlands Consulate starting at
3pm on December 16.

MONITORING OF PRISONS

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
15 Dec 04

The human rights organization `Center for Civil Undertakingsâ=80=9D
founded in October 2002 has been monitoring the prison of Shushi and
the remand prisonsince April 2003. The center sends reports on the
monitoring to the Council of Europe, the OSCE, the ICRC, the UN
Supreme Commissar on Human Rights, the organizations `Amnesty
International’ and `Penal Reform International’, as well as
corresponding agencies in NKR. The director of the Center for Civil
Undertakings Albert Voskanian said, the center has recently received
the permission of the NKR authorities to monitor all the five
regimes. On these days these five regimes have been monitored.

According to Albert Voskanian, the physical and psychological health
of the inmates, human rights, hygiene conditions, foodand recreation
are at a satisfactory level. The Center of Civil Undertakings made a
series of suggestions on elimination of drawbacks. According to the
press release of the organization, the center approves of the
abolition of capital punishment in NKR and appeals to transfer the
penitentiary institutions from the jurisdiction of the police to the
Ministry of Justice. Besides the monitoring the center gave 700 books
gathered by volunteers to the prison of Shushi and the remand
prison. In April 2003 the center held the first regional seminarin
Stepanakert devoted to prison reforms. Besides, the center works with
inmates who need psychological rehabilitation.

NAIRA HAYRUMIAN.
15-12-2004

Anadolu Agency, Turkey
Dec 15 2004

European Parliament Accepts Resolution Calling For Start Of Entry
Talks With Turkey

STRASBOURG (AA) – European Parliament on Wednesday accepted
resolution calling for start of Turkey accession talks ”without
undue delay”.
The European Parliament, meeting in Strasbourg, France, voted
407 to 262, with 29 abstentions to pass the resolution.
The resolution appreciated the reforms made in Turkey and stated
that negotiations would be the starting point of a very long process,
and noted that the process was open-ended in its nature and does not
mean it would automatically result in full membership.
The resolution said full membership depended on the mutual
efforts of Turkey and the EU, and stressed that it was important that
public opinions of Turkey and the EU should be informed effectively
in Ankara’s integration process.
The resolution said negotiation process would last long and
wanted restrictions on free movement and agriculture not to have a
negative impact on Turkey’s full membership efforts.
The resolution hinted that full membership negotiations with
Turkey could not be completed before that targets foreseen for EU’s
2014 budget.
The resolution called on solution of Turkey’s problems with its
neighbors in line with UN agreement. The resolution wanted
restrictions toward Greek Cypriot flagged ships to be eliminated.
The resolution said there should not be restrictions on the
activities of minorities in Turkey, and called on Turkey to open
seminary in Heybeliada within this framework.
The European Parliament resolution included demands like
”recognition and protection of the Alawite sect, including the
cemevi (prayer houses) of Alawites, religious education to be
voluntary, taking influential measures in fight against torture, and
annulment of village guard system in the Southeast.”
The resolution called on Turkey to open its borders with Armenia
and the Turkish and Armenian governments to support the peace
process. It said sorrowful experiences of the past should be overcome
with the support of independent experts.
The amendment envisaging recognition of so-called genocide on
Armenians as a condition for start of negotiations was rejected.
However, an amendment making references to the resolution which
European Parliament accepted earlier regarding recognition of
so-called genocide, and another amendment envisaging European
Commission and the Council to demand Turkey recognize the so-called
genocide were accepted.
European Parliament meanwhile rejected an amendment proposing
Turkey ”privileged partnership” instead of full membership.

ARMENIAN MOLYBDENUM PRODUCTION COMPANY INTENDS TO IMPORT MOLYBDENUM
CONCENTRATE TO ARMENIA

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 15. ARMINFO. Armenian Molybdenum Production (AMP)
intends to begin the import of molybdenum concentrate to Armenia next
year. General Director and co-founder of AMP Karen Karapetian informed
ARMINFO.

According to him, the import is economically purpose-orientated and
technically based at the current high world prices for metal. It is
possible to import raw material from Chile, Canada, Mongolia or China.
AMP is engaged in receiving ferromolybdenum, molybdenum oxide and
rhenium. The plant receives raw material from the Zangezour
copper-molybdenum pant and monthly processes about 200 tons of
molybdenum concentrate. Karapetian mentioned that 600 tons of
concentrate is extracted per a month. After the privatization of the
plant the extraction volumes will be brought to 1,000-1,200
tons. AMP’s share in the capital of the ZCMP is 12.5%.

It should be noted that the Armenian Molybdenum Production was founded
last year in the suburb of Yerevan and $2 mln has been invested for
its foundation. The product of the plant meet the European standards
and fully exported to Japan, Germany, Austria, Sweden and Italy.

Christian Post, CA
Dec 11 2004

Netherlands Churches Urge Conditions on Turkey’s EU Membership

The Council of Churches in the Netherlands said Turkey must recognize
religious minorities within its borders before entering the European
Union (EU)

The Council of Churches in the Netherlands said Turkey must recognize
religious minorities within its borders before entering the European
Union (EU), news agencies reported Friday. In an open letter to the
Netherlands Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende the council said the
fact that Turkey is a predominantly Muslim nation was no bar from
membership, but stressed the EU should insist it recognize Syrian,
Orthodox and other religious minorities.

“It is important that all religious minorities gain the right to
build and maintain buildings such as churches and monasteries, to set
up theological training, to speak and teach in their own language,
and to be free in carrying out diaconal and other church-related
activities,” the council, which comprises Protestant, Roman Catholic
and Orthodox churches. Currently, Turkey still does not formally
recognize the Syrian Orthodox minority living within its borders.

The council of churches also said in their letter that it would be a
“confidence-building sign” by the Turkish authorities if it publicly
admitted the genocide of Armenians in 1915 by its predecessor, the
Ottoman Empire. According to sources, books about the massacre are
banned in Turkey.

Turkey, which has waited 40 years to become a part of Europe, has
made EU membership its top priority. As the European Union decides
whether to open membership talks with Ankara, Turkey’s Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a devout Muslim, is reportedly keen to project
a positive image of the country’s treatment of minorities.

In a bid to showcase Turkey as a country that respects religion,
Erdogan inaugurated a church, a synagogue, and a mosque on Wednesday.
The inauguration was made possible only after Turkey changed laws
that restricted the opening of houses of worship other than mosques
to boost its chances of EU membership.

Most recently, the European Commission voiced support for Turkey’s
bid to join the EU and expressed hope for a “positive outcome” at a
summit next week, but warned that recognition of Cyprus is crucial to
Ankara’s hopes, AFP reported Friday.

Currently, Turkey recognizes only the Turkish Cypriot enclave in
north Cyprus, while the rest of the world views the Greek Cypriot
government in the south, which joined the EU in May, as the sole
legitimate representative of the whole island.

YERKRAPAH VOLUNTEER UNION HAS BEEN, IS AND WILL BE: GRETA SARGSYAN

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 11. ARMINFO. “Who gave us the right – now that the
Karabakh problem is at stake and the Sword of Damocles is hanging over
our country – to speak and think about a split inside Yerkarapah
Volunteer Union,” says Greta Sargsyan, mother of the founder of the
union, prime minister of Armenia Vazgen Sargsyan, killed in the
terrorist act in the Armenian Parliament Oct 27 1999.

Many want to see Yerkrapah weakened and inactive but those dreams will
never come true even though many Yerkrapah members have forgotten
about their mission because of their avarice.

During today’s Yerkrapah congress Sargsyan ordered the union to be
consolidated. “I am sure that the union has been, is and will always
be.” She complained that she had been invited as a guest only and
nominated herself for board member.

Her son, the leader of the republic party Aram Sargsyan stood up
against this proposal saying that his mother should not be a board
member. Yerkrapah should come together to their place every year to
say happy new year rather than come one by one to complain of
something. The union owes nothing to the government on the contrary it
is the government who owes the union as it is now in power due to
Yerkrapah, says Aram Sargsyan.

Armenian ombudsman accuses Azeri media of spreading misinformation

Arminfo
8 Dec 04

Yerevan, 8 December: Armenian ombudsman Larisa Alaverdyan has protested
against the spread of misinformation by the Azerbaijani media. “It
has become obvious lately that the Azerbaijani mass media are working
flat out to undermine relations between the human rights commissioners
of Azerbaijan and Armenia by trying to engage the national rights
institutions in pseudo-political insinuations that have nothing in
common with the ideals of human rights,” says a statement circulated
by the department for information and public relations of the Armenian
ombudsman’s office.

The latest Berlin meeting of ombudsmen from Europe and the CIS
held under the auspices of the Council of Europe’s human rights
commissioner was no exception to this rule, the document says. The
misinformation about “victories” in the putative struggle against
the Armenian ombudsman who has allegedly failed to disprove facts,
was promptly published on the web site of Azartac, the Azerbaijani
state-owned news agency.

Meanwhile, Alaverdyan said the official press release of the Council
of Europe says that the meeting adopted only one document, the Berlin
declaration, which does not and could not contain a word about the
“accepted suggestions and demands” of the Azerbaijani ombudsman,
especially if they concerned the Karabakh conflict. Such misinformation
casts a shadow on the high forum of representatives of national human
rights institutions from Europe and the CIS.

“In parallel with this, an international conference of ombudsmen from
the CIS and Europe was held in Baku and the Armenian ombudsman was not
even invited there even though she had repeatedly said from different
international rostrums that she was ready to attend the Baku conference
because she believes it is very important to establish cooperation
between national human right institutions of Europe and the CIS,”
the statement said.

[Passage omitted: previous meetings at the level of ombudsmen]

“Unfortunately, the destabilizing role of Azerbaijan in the South
Caucasus region, which the Armenian media and public have been warning
about, has reached the area of protection of human rights. This compels
us to raise the issue of joining our efforts in creating an atmosphere
of real and effective work in the area of human rights which would
enable us to reject all attempts at distorting the essence of this
benevolent mission,” the statement said.