Author: Karabekian Emil

FRENCH MINISTER SARKOZY DECLARES ‘WAR’ AGAINST TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP
By Melahat DUZGECER, Jan SOYKOK, ANKARA and PARIS (JTW)

Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
Sept 9 2006

* French Minister Sarkozy Says That Turkey Should Never Be EU Member

* Turks accuse him of being racist and religionist

French Interior Minister and chairman of the centre-right UMP Nicolas
Sarkozy argued that Turkey should never be part of the European
Union. Turks accuse Mr. Sarkozy of being racist and religionist.

French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, who is expected by many
to win the French presidency in 2007, reiterated his opposition to
Turkey’s E.U. membership, saying that membership talks with Turkey
should be suspended. "For many reason, the E.U. should deepen relations
with Turkey but without going as far as full membership," Sarkozy
said in a speech delivered to a Brussels think tank on Friday. Sarkozy
proposes a privileged partnership to Turkey instead of full membership.

In a speech to the Friends of Europe think-tank setting out his
"vision" of the EU’s future, Mr Sarkozy urged the creation of ad
hoc groups of countries ("an open avant-garde") empowered to forge
ahead with common policies, leaving others behind; the formation of
pan-European political parties; and handing powers to the European
commission president to choose his own team of commissioners.

Demanding a watertight definition of Europe’s frontiers, he made plain
that Turkey should never be allowed to join and current accession
talks should be frozen until Ankara opened its ports and airports to
(Greek) Cyprus, in effect recognizing the EU’s 25th member.

Prof. Dr. Sedat Laciner, director of the USAK, told the JTW that Mr.
Sarkozy abuses Turkey’s EU membership process for his presidential
campaign. "The Greek and Armenian voters with other anti-Turkish
groups give great importance to the Turkish issue and the French
politicians simply abuses the problems with Turkey" Dr. Laciner added.

Similarly Dr. Nilgun Gulcan accused Mr. Sarkozy of being racist
and religionist:

"There is no difference between his understanding and the Nazi
understanding. The only difference is the new Jews are Turks. Mr.

Sarkozy and his party do not want to see Turkey in the EU though
Turkey is an European country because Turkey is a Muslim country.

There are many Muslim countries on the European continent, yet none
of them is EU member. Mr. Sarkozy is talking about the Cyprus issue.

They fully accepted the Greek side as the only state on the island
and now they only accuse the Turkish side. The French minister is not
sincere and racist. He fully supports the Greeks against the Turks
because they are Christian. He also supports the Armenians against
Turkey and Azerbaijan because the Armenians are Christian. Mr. Sarkozy
is one of the supporters of the clash of civilizations in Europe."

One of the Turkish diplomats in Ankara told the JTW that the Greeks
were accepted as full EU member though they rejected all peace plans
in 2004. "The EU did not keep its words in Cyprus issue and now they
blame Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots for the problems regarding the
Cyprus issue" he added.

Many in Turkey believe in that the EU will never accept Turkey as full
member because the EU is a Christian club. Most of the Middle Eastern
countries, including Egypt, Israel, Palestine, Syria, Saudi Arabia,
Algeria, Jordan and Iran, declared that they fully support Turkey’s
EU membership.

Sarkozy: Turkey is not European

Nicholas Sarkozy had opened his anti-Turkish campaign on the eve of
the critical EU constitution referendum in France in May 2005.

"Israel and Lebanon have more European values than Turkey," Sarkozy
had said, meeting with university students in Paris. Describing Turkey
as an "Asian country," Sarkozy had said, "I’m not against the Turks
or Muslims, but I’m not for the EU membership of an Asian state."

"I don’t want to see the Kurdish, Hizbullah and Palestine problems
become European problems," Sarkozy, who is touted by many as the next
French president, continued. "I don’t want a Europe, which will be
neighboring Iraq or Iran." However Mr. Sarkozy have been champion of
French involvement in Kurdish and Lebanon issues.

More than 100 million Muslims live in Europe yet no Muslim country
has been accepted as the full member to the EU including Turkey,
Azerbaijan, Albania, Bosnia and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
(TRNC).

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DIRECTOR OF NOYAN TAPAN: INSTANCES OF VIOLENCE AGAINST REPORTERS ARE
A RESULT OF LACK OF JOURNALISTIC SOLIDARITY

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 8, NOYAN TAPAN. "The present-day press of Armenia
is a direct result of the independence, but it is more difficult to
work now," the chairwoman of the National Press Club Narine Mkrtchain
stated during a discussion at the club on September 7. According
to her, the recent years’ experience shows that the situation in
the country becomes strained before each election campaign, as a
result of which pressure on reporters grows as well. She noted the
the current situation requires making respective conclusions and
joint efforts of reporters. Hovhannes Galajian, editor-in-chief of
the newspaper "Iravunk" ("Law"), expressed an opinion that the fact
that problems may be solved in Armenia by applying "criminal pressure"
has caused the current situation. In his words, such pressure should be
counteracted by steadfastness of the journalistic corps. According to
Tigran Harutyunian, director of the Noyan Tapan News Agency, instances
of violence against resporters are a result of the lack of solidarity
among them and the split in the journalistic field.

"The field of journalism is now more split than ever. Many mass
media heads make their reporters present events in an incomplete,
even distorted form by violating the journalistic ethics and not to
address certain subjects or persons, which weakens the journalistic
field and prevents the people from implementing control over the
authorities based on impartiality of the mass media," he said. In his
words, as a result of the split in the journalistic field, violence
against reporters is becoming a usual phenomenon not receiving a
counterblow. T. Harutyunian sees the way out of the situation in
the unity and solidarity of reporters. He said that reporters should
put their professional interests above political and material ones,
which would make the general atmosphere in Armenia healthier.

Yerevan to host under 20 World Chess Championship

ArmRadio.am
08.09.2006 12:41

Yerevan is preparing to welcome the participants of the under 20 World
Chess Championship to be held in the Armenian capital. Secretary
General of the Chess Federation of Armenia Gagik Hovhannisyan told
"Armenpress" that about 130 chess players from 50 countries will
participate in the tournament.

WORLD BANK SURPRISED AT ECONOMIC INDICATORS OF ARMENIA

Panorama.am
17:54 06/09/06

The economic growth of Armenia continues to surprise the World Bank
(WB), Roger Robinson, the head of WB Yerevan office, said during a
presentation organized by AEPLAC experts. In his words, no one would
believe five years ago that Armenia will have two-digit growth of
GDP, increasing public incomes by two and considerably diminishing
the level of poverty. "In the beginning of this year, no one could
suppose that Armenia would have 11.7% of GDP growth," Robinson said.

Armenia overpasses all countries of the world, with the exception
to Turkmenia and Azerbaijan, in growth indicators. "However, we may
not count these countries because their growth is connected with
known factors.

If these factors are eliminated, Armenia will take the lead,"
Robinson says.

Robinson indicated that Armenia needs to implement institutional
reforms to keep to the same indicators, particularly in tax and
customs services.

NOR JAMANAKNER IS READY TO UNITE

Lragir.am
05 Sept 06

Nor Jamanakner Party will cooperate with all the political parties
in the next election which will act against the criminal, stated the
leader of the party Aram Karapetyan September 5 at the Pakagits Club.

"There is no problem of format of running in the election but we are
ready to cooperate with all the political forces which are against
the entrance of the criminal into politics," said Aram Karapetyan. He
said all the opposition parties should come together with the slogan
"politics without criminal".

Aram Karapetyan also said anti-Russian moods are gathering momentum
in the country which is determined by both the violence against
Armenians in Moscow and failure of the Property for Debt deal. But
Aram Karapetyan also said that the anti-Russian moods are also kindled
by the fact that Russia supported the present government of Armenia
under which the state of the people did not improve.

129 CANDIDATURES ARE NOMINATED AT ELECTIONS OF LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT BODIES IN AKHALKALAK AND NINOTSMINDA

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Sept 06 2006

AKHALKALAK, SEPTEMBER 6, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The
registration of candidatures nominated at elections of local
self-government bodies finished at 18:00 by Georgian time, on September
5. Maksim Mahtesian, the chairman of No40 district electoral commission
of the region of Akhalkalak informed the Javakhk-Info agency that
80 candidates will struggle for 22 deputy mandates of the electoral
district. In words of Seyran Kyureghian, the Chairman of No41 district
electoral commission of the region of Ninotsminda, 49 candidates will
struggle for 10 deputy mandates of the electoral district.

"ARMENTEL" TO INCREASE TARIFFS FOR ITS SERVICES IN 2007

Yerevan, September 4. ArmInfo. "ArmenTel" company appealed to
the commission for regulation of public services of Armenia with
the request to change the tariffs for fixed telephone connection,
internet services, international and inter-city call.

The company informed that they want to change the tariff for monthly
telephone connection from AMD 1100 to 3000, for the judiciary entities
the fee will be decreased from AMD 4800 to 4200. The company insists on
decreasing the bonus minutes from 360 to 280. The fee for a minute of
a talk after 280 minutes will amount to AMD 6 instead of AMD 5. After
1000 minutes of talk the subscriber will pay AMD 9. For opening a
telephone account the company demands AMD 24 thousand instead of 12
thousand. The judiciary entities will have to pay AMD 28,8 thousand
for the given service. The company intends to decrease the tariffs for
international and inter-city calls, as well as for mobile connection
from AMD 70 to AMD 54.

LACK OF MEDICAL PERSONNEL EXISTS IN MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS OF KOTAYK MARZ

Noyan Tapan
Aug 30 2006

HRAZDAN, AUGUST 30, NOYAN TAPAN. Lack of some doctors- specialists
exists in medical institutions of the marz of Kotayk. As Karen
Margarian, the Kotayk Regional Governor’s Press Secretary informed the
Noyan Tapan correspondent, today the marz needs doctors-therapeutists,
anesthesiologists and reanimatologs, laryngologists, psychiatrists,
surgeons, oncologist, traumatologists, pediatricians, etc. In
K.Margarian’s words, 26 medical institutions, including 4 hospitals,
7 polyclinics, 3 health centers, 10 rural medical out-patients
departments, function today in the marz. It was mentioned that the
Argel Health Center, Tsaghkadzor, Bjni, Arzakan, Jrvezh, Balahovit
and Arzni out-patients departments have satisfactory building
conditions. Works of fundamental construction were done in those
institutions, within the framework of the World Bank financing,
during the recent years.

ARMENIAN COMMUNITY OF UPPSALA GRIEVES ABOUT SILVA KAPUTIKIAN’S LOSS

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Aug 31 2006

UPPSALA, AUGUST 31, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Armenian inhabitants
of the Swedish city of Uppsala and members of the Armenian Cultural
Union of Uppsala pay their tribute of respect to Silva Kaputikian
and express deep sympathy on the occasion of the porminent poetess’
death to Ara and Natalia Shirazes, relatives and friends, the Writers
Union of Armenia and Union Chairman Levon Ananian, to the Armenian
intellectuals and the whole Armenian people.

"Silva Kaputikian’s loss is great and irrevocable for all of us,"
the administration of the Uppsala Armenian Cultural Union emphasizes
in its message.

THERE IS NO REPRESENTATIVE FROM CRIMINAL
Margaret Yesayan

Aravot.am
29 Aug 06

NA deputy Arakel Movsisian, the same Shmais, doesn’t agree with the
fact that a lot of criminal elements have become RPA members

Mr. Movsisian, why did you become the RPA member, did you do it by
your initiation or you had to.

Republican Party is very democratic, as Ashot Navasardian has
formed it, then there have been a lot of unified, normal persons,
who have been adopted by the people, and nowadays it has a better
status, especially a lot of influential powers have entered into the
party. Saying influential I mean the people accept them because they
have done a lot of things for the people. Besides, we have assisted
Republican Party for 10 years, where else can we go?

Are you introduced to the Njdeh’s ideology, have you read any book?

Nothing, I’m introduced as it is possible, we have martial ways,
which Njdeh has also passed martial ways, it’s another influence,
so you shouldn’t read Njdeh day and night. We have reached it by our
own life, which has been a devotion to the nation.

When you and some other persons became the RPA member that party was
criminalized, a lot of people speak about it. They say that persons
from criminal world have become that party members, do you think so?

I don’t share that standpoint, as there is nobody from the criminal
world there. If there were, neither Serge Sargsian nor the Prime
Minister wouldn’t become that party members. They all are respected
by the people as the people have elected them some of them has been
elected twice; the elections won’t be rigged twice.

It seems both times the elections have been rigged.

Omissions are everywhere, but the mass is normal in general.

Your name is connected with narcotics, Khorkhoruni’s murder, and if
it is true, does it mean you have contacts with the criminal world?

The court has proved that I have no connection with it and I haven’t
committed any crime. This country judges then it can’t justify. We
are engaged in that case, that decree is illegal.

How are you engaged in it?

When the time comes, the decree of justification will be made. Our
family has devoted to this nation. Six brothers have participated in
the war and four from them have become invalids. Our family is a hero,
and the time will come, some persons will be punished.

What is your opinion about giving the occupied territories back?

Those persons who speak about it want only to fill positions or
restore it.

Some politicians dream of becoming the president, but they don’t
know that this country has its elected representative of the people,
has its own army.

They can’t rule this country, they don’t think of this country,
they simply want to fill posts.

If there are fair elections will you be elected?

I haven’t seen unfair election up to the present day.

But even the international observers have seen it.

I haven’t seen any illegality in our precinct. Our elections have
always been transparent.

If Serge Sargsian didn’t become RPA member would you become that
party member?

Serge Sargsian has been our minister in Karabakh war, too, I deeply
respect him, I’m sure that people also accept him as the minister
of defense?

In your opinion, what kind of state is the Republic of Armenia,
they say, there is despotism there.

If you were in other countries you would be sure that our country is
the best one. It wasn’t so easy to restore the country after war.

How did you own your nickname, Shmais?

When some people were living in clover, I acquired gun of "Shmais"
type for participating in the war, it’s the name of a German gun.

Do you have that Â"ShmaisÂ"?

Yes I have as a memory, museum.

–Boundary_(ID_LTDp0DIXNRxqtBA57aG1nw)–