Author: Karabekian Emil

CHIRAC READY TO HEAR TURKEY ON GENOCIDE

The Peninsula, Qatar
Source : REUTERS
Oct 16 2006

ankara ~U French leader Jacques Chirac has told Turkish Prime Minister
Tayyip Erdogan he is sorry French lawmakers approved a bill making
it a crime to deny Armenians were victims of genocide at the hands
of Ottoman Turks.

"Chirac called me and told me he was sorry and he said that he is
listening to our statements and he thinks we are right and he will
do what he can in the upcoming process," Erdogan told his ruling AK
Party, in broadcast comments, during a dinner on Saturday evening.

Turkey denies any genocide, saying the Armenians were victims of
a partisan war that also claimed many Muslim Turkish lives. Turkey
accuses Armenians of carrying out massacres while siding with invading
Russian troops during World War I.

The French president’s office did not comment when contacted about
Chirac’s call to Erdogan on Saturday morning.

But immediately after Thursday’s vote, the French Foreign Ministry said
it did not support the lower house bill, calling it "unnecessary and
untimely" and indicating it might never become law as it still needed
to be ratified by both the upper house Senate and French president.

About 100 people protested outside the French consulate in Istanbul
yesterday, throwing eggs at the building.

Many Turks also see the genocide vote as a way for the European
Union to keep Muslim Turkey out of the 25-member club, which Ankara
is negotiating to join.

The European Commission has said that recognition of the genocide
was not a pre-condition for Turkey entering the EU.

But Chirac and the two leading candidates to replace him in polls
due next May – Nicolas Sarkozy and Segolene Royal – all say Ankara
must accept the genocide before joining the bloc.

France is home to Europe’s largest Armenian diaspora.

Erdogan warned on Friday that Turkey was considering retaliatory
measures against France.

French firms have said the bill would create repercussions for their
business in Turkey, a fast-growing market which imported 4.7 billion
euros’ worth of French goods in 2005.

FRANCE CONDEMNS THE NEGATION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

A1+
[04:30 pm] 12 October, 2006

The French Parliament voted, today October 12, 2006, in favour of the
bill penalizing the negation of the Armenian genocide. After 3h30 of
debates to the platform of the national assembly, the deputies voted
"YES" in majority (127 against 19) for the law condemning the negation
of the Armenian genocide.

The amendment of former minister Patrick Devedjian, authorizing the
debate of the historians on the history of the Genocide was rejected
by the deputies.

In an atmosphere of great emotion the whole of the members of
Parliament present in the French hemicycle, affirmed with strength
their determination to defend the inalienable right of the Armenians.

"It is with the heart that UDF group will vote on the bill" said
Andre Santini, great friend of the Armenian community of France.This
law condemns the contraveners to a maximum sorrow of 45000 euros fine
and one year of prison.

TURKEY’S PM TALKS TOUGH ON EVE OF FRENCH "GENOCIDE" VOTE

EuroNews – English Version
October 10, 2006

The Turkish Prime Minister has hit out at France, as a crisis looms
between the two countries. Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged the French
to look at their own colonial past in Africa, instead of attacking
Ankara. He was speaking on the eve of a controversial parliamentary
vote in Paris that would make it a crime to deny that the mass killing
of Armenians by Ottoman Turks was genocide.

Turkey, which hopes to join the European Union, maintains there was
no systematic genocide of Armenians during World War One. Recognition
of genocide allegations is not a condition of EU membership and the
President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso has said
new criteria should not be imposed.

But tomorrow’s French vote has already provoked protests in Turkey.

And Europe’s enlargement commissioner has warned that approval of the
bill could do serious harm to EU-Turkey relations. The Turkish foreign
ministry has warned that economic and political ties with France could
be damaged if the bill is passed. Ankara strongly rejects claims that
1.5 million Armenians perished at the hands of Ottoman Turks between
1915 and 1921 in a genocide, saying large numbers of Armenians and
Turks died in partisan conflict raging at the time.

"DAYS OF ARMENIA IN SIBERIA" TO OPEN IN KRASNOYARSK
by Igor Kritsky

ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
October 10, 2006 Tuesday

The first inter-state forum "Days of Armenia in Siberia" is opening at
the international exhibition-business centre "Siberia" in Krasnoyarsk
on Tuesday.

As Itar-Tass learnt at the company Krasexpocentre, the aim of the
forum is to expand economic and cultural ties between Armenia and
the biggest region of Russia."

Representatives of the Armenian government, mayors of a number of
cities, representatives of big business, the Union of Commodity
Producers of the republic and cultural workers will arrive in
Krasnoyarsk. They will meet with Siberian leaders and businessmen,
as well as with Krasnoyarsk governor Alexander Kloponin and head of
Krasnoyarsk Pyotr Pimashkov.

In particular, the Armenian side plans to discuss issues of
administrative and economic management and business cooperation,
including the possibility of creating joint ventures.

The cultural and business forum will begin its work with the
presentation of the republic and the opening of an exhibition of
foodstuffs and industrial goods of Armenia. Famous Armenian singers
and musicians will give two concerts.

The forum will last till October 13.

NDP LEADER PREDICTS THAT SHADOW ECONOMY MAY COME TO POWER

Panorama.am
15:40 11/10/06

"If the opposition does not make a serious claim for power, this claim
will be made by shadow economy representatives," Shavarsh Kocharyan,
National Democratic Party (NDP) chairman, told a press conference
today. In his words, 80% of businessmen are tired of paying services
to the power authorities and want to take the power themselves.

Panorama.am asked Kocharyan if he means Gagik Tsarukyan and his
Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) but Kocharyan refrained from giving
names and said all big businessmen are working in shadow in Armenia
and that is why the mid size business is not developing in the
country. When the reporter insisted on his question, Kocharyan said,
"If I said that the leader of PAP Gagik Tsarukyan does not work in
shadow, would you believe me?"

TURKISH-FRENCH TIES AT RISK OVER GENOCIDE BILL
Hande Culpan

Middle East Times, Egypt
AFP
Oct 10 2006

ATTACK: Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses his ruling Justice
and Development Party MPs at the Turkish parliament in Ankara October
10. Erdogan called on France to look to its own colonial past instead
of attacking Turkey over an alleged genocide of Armenians during WWI.

(REUTERS)

ANKARA — Ankara launched a scathing attack against Paris Tuesday,
accusing it of losing its reason over a draft law on the World War
I massacres of Armenians and warning that bilateral ties will suffer
if the bill is enacted.

The draft, scheduled for debate and a vote before the French National
Assembly Thursday, calls for one year in prison and a ~@45,000
($57,000) fine for anyone who denies that Armenians were the victims of
a genocide under the Ottoman Empire, the predecessor of modern Turkey.

"We expect Paris to avoid this blunder, this political accident
that will harm Turkish-French relations," Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan told the parliamentary group of his Justice and
Development Party in a speech interrupted by applause. "The EU must
absolutely take a stand against this eclipse of reason in France,"
he said, charging that the bill would violate freedom of expression,
a basic EU norm that Turkey itself is under pressure to respect.

Drawn up by the Socialist opposition, the bill was first submitted
in May, but the debate ran out of time after filibustering from the
ruling UMP party bloc.

Turkish officials believe that it stands a good chance of being voted
Thursday – as a gesture to France’s large Armenian community ahead
of legislative elections next year – as many lawmakers opposed to
the bill will be away in their constituencies.

Ankara has warned that French firms will be barred from major tenders,
including one for the planned construction of the country’s first
nuclear power plant, if the bill is accepted.

"The French will lose Turkey," foreign minister Abdullah Gul warned
Sunday.

The Ankara Chamber of Commerce, which groups some 3,200 businesses,
and the Consumers’ Union, a nongovernmental consumer rights group,
have threatened to boycott French goods.

In 2001, Turkey sidelined French companies from public tenders and
canceled projects awarded to French firms when parliament adopted a
resolution recognizing the massacres as genocide.

At stake now is a flourishing trade between the two countries that
totaled [email protected] billion ($10 billion) in 2005.

About 250 French firms are active in Turkey, providing employment
for about 65,000 people.

France also plays a leading role in foreign direct investment in
Turkey with $2.1 billion last year and $328 million in the first
seven months of 2006.

But some commentators have warned that suspending economic ties with
France would have a bruising affect on Turkey, for which foreign
investment is vital as it recovers from two severe financial crises.

Turkey could also retaliate politically, keeping bilateral contacts
at a minimum and at the lowest diplomatic level and possibly canceling
bilateral visits.

One senior lawmaker warned that the Turkish parliament could retaliate
with a law proclaiming the killing of Algerians under French colonial
rule as genocide and its denial a jailable offense, but Erdogan
rejected the suggestion. "No," he said, "we will not retaliate in
kind – we do not clean filth with filth."

The Armenian massacres are one of most controversial episodes in
Turkish history and open debate on the issue has only recently begun
in Turkey, often sending nationalist sentiment into frenzy.

Armenians claim that up to 1.5 million of their kin were slaughtered
in orchestrated killings between 1915 and 1917.

Turkey categorically rejects the genocide label, arguing that
300,000 Armenians and at least as many Turks died in civil strife
when Armenians rose for independence in eastern Anatolia and sided
with invading Russian troops as the Ottoman Empire fell apart.

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT NOT AWARE OF ARMENTEL TENDER RESULTS

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.10.2006 14:43 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian Government has not received any document
from OTE Greek Company on the results of the tender on selling 90%
of shares of ArmenTel telecommunication company, Minister of Transport
and Communication Andranik Manukyan said. In his words, in compliance
with the law, OTE Greek Company has to officially inform about the
outcomes of the contest. "The OTE has not addressed the Government
yet. When they do I can say exactly which proposals they have made
and which company the Government prefers," the Minister said. "HSBC is
dealing with the issue. It is the business of OTE whom they will sell
their shares, however, the agreement of the Government is necessary,"
Andranik Manukyan said. According to unofficial reports 90% of
ArmenTel shares, owned by OTE, were sold to Arab consortium Emirates
Telecommunications Corporation (ETISALAT)/Istithmar PJSC/Emergent
Telecom Ventures (ETV) at $600 million, reports IA Regnum.

REVIEWING RELATIONS WITH FRANCE

The New Anatolian
Oct 10 2006

Ankara toughened its stance towards Paris on Monday, saying it will
be left with no option but reviewing relations with France, due to
a draft bill that would make it a crime to question the Armenian
genocide claims.

Turkish officials told reporters yesterday that despite strong efforts
to convince French lawmakers that the disputed bill will have negative
impacts on bilateral relations, Turkey’s European Union process as
well as the reconciliation efforts with Armenia, today it seems highly
likely that the bill pass the lower house of French Parliament on
Thursday. Stressing that France has entered into an election period,
the officials said some of the lawmakers are under pressure from the
Armenian lobby and that some others will be in their constituency
area and will even not attend the meeting.

Officials said that under these conditions, the bill will probably
pass from the lower house, even without discussion.

"Turkey will view such a decision by French Parliament as a hostile
action," a high-level official from the Foreign Ministry told
reporters yesterday. "Despite France being a country that the young
Turkish Republic adopted as a model, it will lose all its privilege
and influence in Turkey," the official said.

Foreign Ministry officials acknowledged that Turkish people are
also benefiting from French companies investing in Turkey, but
underlined that if the bill is adopted by the French Parliament it
will be impossible to accept the participation of any further French
companies in strategic projects like nuclear plants or those in the
defense field.

The economic worth of tenders that French firms are looking to
participate in is approximately 14 billion euros. There are also some
4 billion euros in military tenders.

Foreign Ministry officials also listed several other possible steps
by Turkey to express its unease, in the fields of political, economic
and defense ties, but ruled out the option of calling back the Turkish
ambassador to Paris, at least for the time being.

If French Parliament’s lower house adopts the disputed bill, the
process for approval of the law will continue with a vote in the
Senate and finally the president’s signature. According to Turkish
officials, even if the controversial law is adopted, it is highly
likely to be challenged by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR),
on the basis of violating the principle of "freedom of expression."

However Turkish officials have expressed great regret that the French
move would fuel among the Turkish public a perception of European
double standards and also strengthen the country’s anti-Western
political trend.

A group of Turkish deputies intensified their efforts on Monday
to win the support of party groups for a bill that aims at official
recognition of the Algerian "genocide" committed by France, and makings
its denial a crime. Parliament sources told The New Anatolian that the
draft bill is highly likely to be discussed by the Justice Commission
on Wednesday.

However, Foreign Ministry officials adopted a critical approach towards
the move. An official told the press that as there is controversy
with France it is not wise to include a third party.

Underlining that even Algerians do not support such an initiative,
the official also said Turkey was insisting that the French move is
a big mistake, and a similar one by a group of Turkish deputies would
only undermine Turkey’s position.

PRESS RELEASE
American University of Armenia
300 Lakeside Drive, 5th Floor
Oakland, CA 94612
Contact: Maggie Mead
Tel: 510-987-9125
Fax: 510-208-3576
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

AUA GRADUATION: The American University of Armenia is 15 years old

Yerevan – In the midst of 15th Anniversary commemoration activities, the
American University of Armenia celebrated its 13th graduation and
commencement ceremonies during the last week of September.

Festivities began on Friday, September 29, with the traditional annual
alumni dinner, whereby AUA alumni and faculty congratulated the Class of
2006. The traditional Alumni Dinner brought together about 300 graduates,
past and present faculty, and staff.

The following day, September 30, AUA held its Baccalaureate Service for the
graduates, families, faculty, and staff to reflect upon their
accomplishments in a spiritual setting. The Baccalaureate is a
traditional celebration of academic achievement marked by an inspirational
message which takes place the day before graduation ceremonies in American
universities. AUA President Haroutune Armenian explained that "the
Baccalaureate is an integral part of the AUA graduation celebration taking
place next weekend and it is a wonderful opportunity for students and
families to reflect on their hard-earned achievements."

This year, the speaker was AUA President Emeritus, Dr. Mihran Agbabian. Dr.
Agbabian is a founder of the American University of Armenia and served as
its first President. Dr. Agbabian spoke on the importance of "giving back"
and fellowship, or, as he stated, "If you cannot return the help you receive
directly to those who have made a difference in your life, you can always
help another person in another place and time."

"Paros" Chamber Choir, the only wheelchair choir in the world, then
performed several inspiring songs.

On October 1, 2006, the American University of Armenia’s graduation ceremony
took place in the main auditorium. One hundred and twenty six men and women
received their Master’s Degrees. These new graduates join AUA’s 1,402 alumni
who now occupy important leadership positions.

At the ceremony President Haroutune Armenian welcomed the graduates, their
families, faculty, and many distinguished guests.

The Associate Dean of English Programs spoke on behalf of the University of
California. Commencement addresses were delivered by Mr.Gagik Harutunyan,
President, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia, and Mr.
Jason B. Sprague, Peace Corps Volunteer in Gavar, Armenia. Valedictorians
Anush Dulgaryan (Armenian address) and
Tatevik Gharibyan (English address) spoke on behalf of the Class 2006.

After this, about 126 graduates were presented by their respective Deans and
called to the stage to receive their Certificates and Master’s Degrees. At
the end of the Ceremony, the graduates, according to tradition, threw their
caps into the air.

The reception in the main lobby and cafeteria of AUA concluded this great
day.

AUA Accomplishments, Year 2006
* AUA becomes a founding member of the consortium of American-style Academic
Libraries of colleges and universities in Europe, North Africa, and the
Middle East, which is created to implement collaborative projects in
information resources and technology that support teaching and learning.
* AUA launches the Turpanjian Rural Development Program, a major five year
initiative focused on economic growth through adult education and rural
entrepreneurship.
* The Anti-Seismic Systems International Society and AUA, in collaboration
with the Armenian Association for Earthquake Engineering, holds an
international workshop on "Base Isolated High-Rise Buildings." Armenia was
the first among developing nations to implement seismic isolation technology
and pioneered the practice of retrofitting buildings for seismic isolation.
* Fifty-two doctors and nurses in Nagorno Karabakh complete basic first aid
and emergency skills training organized by the Center for Health Services
Research and Development, as part of the United States Agency of
International Development-funded Humanitarian Assistance Program for Nagorno
Karabakh.
——————————-
The American University of Armenia is registered as a non-profit educational
organization in both Armenia and the United States and is affiliated with
the Regents of the University of California. Receiving major support from
the AGBU, AUA offers instruction leading to the Masters Degree in eight
graduate programs. For more information about AUA, visit

Arturs’ mystery ‘abduction’ in Dubai
By Standard Team

Standard, Kenya
Oct 7 2006

The gold-bedecked so-called Armenian brothers – Artur Margaryan and
Artur Sargasyan – have mysteriously gone missing from their Dubai base.

And their disappearance is keeping various transcontinental
intelligence agencies guessing.

Interpol confirmed they are for the moment unaware of the whereabouts
of the two, a fact that seems to introduce the latest mystery to the
operations of the Armenians who strode Kenyan streets with confidence,
flashing police identifications and all-access passes to airports.

And as the mystery deepened, their Kenyan "friends" also appeared
to be in frenzy. One of them is a suspended civil servant who flew
out to Dubai via a European route only to give up the bid to see the
Arturs after five days. She could not trace them.

Sources within the Arabian intelligence networks say various theories
have been advanced for the absence of the Arturs, the most sensational
being that a Euro-Russian criminal ring, with which they fell out in
an unexplained operation, may have abducted them.

There are also those who think the Arturs, who the government deported
to Dubai after a gun-drama at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport,
could actually be in a neighbouring state and running their overt
business in Kenya through "remote control".

The proponents of the abduction theory, about which some of Kenya’s
security managers have been discreetly tipped, say "irreconcilable
disagreements" illicit trade, or even money laundering precipitated
the bitter fall-out.

"They have not been seen for over a month, Sargasyan, a family man
managed to speak to his wife just the other day. Details of their
conversation are scanty but it is very much unlike him to leave his
wife Alice and children in financial straits," revealed our sources.

The sources added: "The report we are getting is that they were
abducted from their residence. Alice has been in panic."

Because of the sensitive nature of the covert underworld-like tactics
in the disappearance, sources declined to be quoted on this matter.
They however made it clear it was authentic and Kenya was monitoring
keenly the goings-on in the United Arab Emirates.

Our sources believe the brothers could have a connection with Russian
gangs, who are also a part of or are related to the operations of
the dreaded Armenian mafia.

The Russian Mafia or the "Red Mafia" are mostly active in fraud,
transnational money laundering, drug-trafficking, weapon smuggling,
auto theft, prostitution, hostage taking, transportation of stolen
property for export, counterfeiting credit card, forgery, murder,
among other crimes.

The recovery of guns and balaclavas in the Arturs’ residence at Runda,
together with the string of fake number plates, police letters showing
they were reservists, and even fake passports, smack of illegal deals
on the part of the Armenians.

Reached for comment, the regional Interpol chief, Mr Awad Dahia, said
his unit had not received any communiquÈ from the Dubai authorities
regarding the whereabouts of the Armenians.

He said they had not heard about the two brothers, branded
international criminals since they were deported from Kenya in June.
"I have checked with our headquarters Lyons, France, and they seem
to be in the dark over the same, but if there is such a thing I will
be happy to let you know," he added.

Dahia said Interpol is always on the alert as regards the activities
of the two "brothers" after it was established that their activities
in Kenya were criminal.

Deputy Criminal Investigations director Mr Peter Kavila too said they
had not received such a communication from their Dubai counterparts.

Kavila said Kenya as a member of Interpol relies on the agency on
such security matters.

"As usual we are alert but no such information has reached our office
so far," he said. Commissioner of police Maj Gen Hussein Ali who also
said he was unaware of the development referred us to the Interpol
sub-regional offices for more.

The sub-regional offices in Nairobi serve as the headquarters of
Interpol in Eastern Africa countries.

Other sources in Dubai claim that when the two brothers arrived in
Dubai after they were deported from Kenya they did not stay long
but chose to move to a neighbouring country where they continue with
their shady business deals in Kenya.

A source said that the two Armenians have registered a company in
Dubai with Kenyan connections and business dealings in Kenya, the
neighbouring country and other countries in Africa.

"We have heard about some abduction here but it involves spies and
the personalities involved are of Israeli and Iranian origin," the
sources added. .

"We are not sure who the Artur brothers are connected to but these
people all belonged to the former USSR before it collapsed," a source
told The Saturday Standard.

Most Russian and Armenian mafia have a military background and are
allegedly implicated in gunrunning and drug trafficking.

The two Armenian brothers had arrived in Kenya on different dates in
late 2005.

Intelligence sources had warned the government about the Arturs’
activities in March 2006, with an intelligence officer describing
them as "dangerous individuals ready to kill for the sake of money".

The sources also warned that the two are international criminals who
had excelled in organised criminal activities.

–Boundary_(ID_e2RvtwvCuRZE3m8d60ZcGw )–