Author: Nalchajian Markos

EuroNews – English Version
October 13, 2006

Coaxing angry Turkey to open ports to all EU-25

The French storm over Armenian deaths under Turkish rule in the last
century continues. In newspapers and public places, echoes of outrage
ricocheted from Ankara to Strasbourg to Paris… and Helsinki. The
Turkish prime minister said he was studying reprisal possibilities
after the French parliament approved a bill making it a crime to deny
that Armenians suffered a genocide.

While it moved to calm tempers, the EU nevertheless urged Ankara to
respect its customs protocol commitments to all the bloc’s members.
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso made no secret of
his feelings: "We of course have to respect all the decisions taken
by the parliament in France, but let me tell you very frankly: I
don’t think this decision at this moment is helpful in the context of
the European Union relations with Turkey."

The Commission has warned of a "train crash" in Turkey’s membership
talks unless Ankara speeds reforms and opens its ports to shipping
from Cyprus. This is part of a customs protocol which the Turks have
signed but refuse to implement: Ending Turkish Cypriot isolation on
the divided island is unconditional, the Turkish side has said.

Turkish Economics Minister Ali Babacan was in Brussels on Thursday.
He said: "We believe that the improvements in one area also help the
improvements in the other area. When I say areas, I mean on the one
hand the protocol of Ankara and on the other hand the isolation of
northern Cyprus."

A plan floated by the Finnish EU presidency envisages Turkey opening
some ports and Turkish Cypriots being allowed to trade directly with
the outside world through a port run jointly, under EU supervision by
Greek and Turkish Cypriots. The Greek Cypriot government, which
joined the EU in 2004, has threatened to veto Turkey’s EU entry talks
if Ankara does not act to open its ports by the end of this year.
Brussels is to report on November 8 on Turkey’s progress towards the
EU and the bloc’s leaders will decide in December what to do.

TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Oct 14 2006

Azeri Parliament Passed Protest-Statement against French

Source: Trend
Author: J.Shahverdiyev

13.10.2006

The next meeting of Milli Majlis [Azerbaijani Parliament] has passed
a protest-statement against the French Parliament. The statement was
passed to protest French Parliament’s adopting the law penalizing
denial of so-called `Armenian genocide’, Trend reports.

The same decision of the French Parliament is condemned in the
statement and it is mentioned that this decision is contrary to the
European values, human rights and democracy.

The statement was prepared by the commission under the chairwomanship
of the Vice Speaker Bahar Muradova.

Zaman Online, Turkey
Oct 13 2006

Parliament to Hold Special Session on Tuesday
By Cihan News Agency
Friday, October 13, 2006
zaman.com

The Turkish Parliament is set to convene on Tuesday for a special
session to discuss the controversial French bill that makes it a
crime to deny the so-called Armenian genocide.

This will be the first session of the Turkish parliament following
the adoption of the bill on Thursday by the French National Assembly,
the lower house of the French Parliament.

Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul will inform the Turkish lawmakers
regarding the process of the bill. Opposition party leaders are also
expected to deliver speeches about the issue.

A joint declaration of all political parties in the parliament
condemning the French Parliament is planned to be issued following
the debates. A draft text prepared for such a declaration has already
been sent to the parties represented in the parliament.

STATE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS: NO ONE EXPELS ARMENIANS FROM MOSCOW

PanARMENIAN.Net
12.10.2006 15:45 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ No one expels Armenians from Moscow, a reliable
source in the State Department of Internal Affairs of Moscow told a
PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

According to it, Echo of Moscow radio station report that check-up of
Armenians and Azeris has become stricter in Moscow since the launching
of the search for illegal migrants from Georgia is false. "Moscow
police did not get an order to expel Armenians and Azeris from Moscow,"
the State Department of Internal Affairs said.

RUSSIA HAS JUST OVER 2,000 SERVICEMEN LEFT IN GEORGIA – COMMANDER

Interfax News Agency, Russia
11 Oct 06

Moscow, 11 October: Over 2,000 servicemen remain at Russian
military bases located in Georgia’s Batumi and Akhalkalaki and at
the headquarters in Tbilisi, Russian Ground Troops Commander-in-Chief
Army Gen Aleksey Maslov said.

"The bulk of the personnel have been removed, but 2,032 servicemen
and over 3,000 family members remain in Georgia. Some 400 servicemen
will be removed from the headquarters before the end of the year, all
troops will be pulled out from Batumi in 2007 and from Akhalkalaki
by the end of 2008 [as received; in actual fact the withdrawal from
Akhalkalaki is expected to be completed in 2007 and from Batumi in
2008]," Maslov told Interfax-AVN.

The personnel and military hardware being removed form Georgia will
be re-assigned to the 202nd military base in Armenia and to other
bases in Russia.

"For these purposes, we have worked out distribution plans for
officers, warrant officers and privates, as well as for armaments,
military hardware and materiel," he stressed.

Moreover, the Defence Ministry keeps the list of names of all Russian
servicemen in Transcaucasia and their family members who serve in
Georgia and have no apartment of their own.

"Specific measures are being taken to solve this problem. It is
necessary to provide housing to 452 people in 2006-2007," Maslov noted.

He stressed that 156 servicemen have already received apartments this
year, and 105 more servicemen will get them before the end of 2006.

"Another 247 servicemen are to be provided with housing in 2007,"
he said.

Maslov noted that Russian forces stationed on the Georgian territory
are preparing the hardware and materiel for the withdrawal.

"They are also naturally engaged in maintaining routine activity of
our military facilities," he said.

3325 North Glenoaks Blvd. Burbank, CA 91504
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======================== ====
WESTERN DIOCESE E-NEWSLETTER
===========================
Bible Readings
—————–
Isaiah 17:7-14
( dings.php?ID=1003)
Final Greetings (2 Corinthians 13:5-13)
( adings.php?ID=1004)
The Authority of Jesus Challenged (Mark 11:27-33)
( eadings.php?ID=1005)

Diocesan News
—————–

MR. AND MRS. BERJ AND BELET SHAHBAZIAN TO BE HONORED AT THIRD ANNUAL CHRISTMAS BALL
Christmas Ball preperations begin

The Christmas Season is well underway at the Western Diocese, Armenian
Church of North America, as plans and preparations begin for the Third
Annual Christmas Ball to be held on Saturday, December 2, 2006 in the
Nazareth and Sima Kalaydjian Hall of the Arshag and Eleanor Dickranian
Complex.
(http://www.armenianchurchwd.c om/news/story.php?id=212)

RECENT ACTIVITIES OF VERY REV. FR. DAJAD DZ. V. YARDEMIAN
Responsibilties range from the liturgical to television production

Within the ecclesiastic, religious and cultural realm, Very
Rev. Fr. Dajad Dz. V. Yardemian, the Vicar General of the Diocese,
aside from his daily responsibilities and Sunday Divine Liturgies and
Sermons, also participates in several projects and events within the
Armenian community.
( tory.php?id=213)

ARMENIAN VILLAGE OPERATION PROVIDES WATER TO FAMILIES IN RURAL VILLAGE
Diocese calls attention to AVO’s recent project

The AVO has been implementing projects in rural villages of Armenia
since early 2005. The mission of the organization is to eradicate
poverty through community and economic development, income generation
and self sustainability.
( ews/story.php?id=214)

APN HOSTS SPECIAL EVENT ON NOV. 19TH, 2006
Honorable Judge Armand Arabian will be the guest speaker

The APN will be hosting a special event to honor brave Armenian
American men and women who have served in the Armed Forces of the
United States.
( y.php?id=215)

Upcoming Events
—————–

10/22: An Evening of Appreciation
( ndar/detail.php?id=26)
11/19: Reception to honors Armenian American Veterens
( /detail.php?id=29)
11/24: ACYO Convention & General Assembly
( /detail.php?id=30)

============================
T he Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, providing
spiritual guidance and leadership to the Armenian Apostolic community,
is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit, tax-exempt organization comprised of 47
churches in 16 western states. It was established in 1898 as the
Diocese of the Armenian Church encompassing the entire United States
and Canada. In 1927 the Western Diocese was formed to exclusivly serve
the western United States.

Kerkorian ditches GM share plans<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office&qu ot; />

Kirk Kerkorian has cancelled plans to buy more General Motors shares
due to his displeasure at the firm ending alliance talks with Renault
and Nissan.
The billionaire investor, who owns 9.9% of General Motors (GM), had
been known to be strongly in favour of the tie-up.

It was also announced that Mr Kerkorian’s representative at GM, Jerry
York, had quit the carmaker’s board.

GM said the decision to end talks with Renault and Nissan had the
backing of all board members, including Mr York.

The news of Mr York’s resignation and Mr Kerkorian’s decision not to
buy any more stock saw GM’s shares lose 7% of their value on Friday.

Analysts speculated whether Mr Kerkorian, widely seen as the catalyst
behind GM’s accelerated turnaround efforts, will now choose to sell
off some or all of the 56m shares he owns.

‘Too abrupt’

His investment firm Tracinda said in a statement that it was
cancelling plans to buy extra GM shares because it was unhappy that
the carmaker had "abruptly announced the termination" of talks with
Renault and Nissan.

Tracinda said GM should not have done so before the initial deadline
and without obtaining an independent review from the board.

Mr York, a former Chrysler executive, criticised GM in his
resignation letter.

"I have grave reservations concerning the ability of the company’s
current business model to successfully compete in the marketplace
with those of the Asian producers," said Mr York.

He also attacked "an environment in the boardroom" that made it hard
to challenge GM’s management.

Back in July, GM announced that its second-quarter losses had widened
to $3.2bn (£1.7bn) from $987m in 2005.

Like fellow big <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags " />US carmaker Ford, GM
is struggling from falling sales in its home market, where it is
handicapped by an over-reliance upon thirsty pickup trucks and SUVs.

Last Updated: Friday, 6 October 2006, 21:10 GMT 22:10 UK

m

–Boundary_(ID_2wmWqgWq768cqAkwwA6l3A)–

ARA ABRAHAMIAN: ARMENIA SUFFERS FROM WORSENING OF RUSSIAN-GEORGIAN RELATIONS

AZG Armenian Daily #191, 07/10/2006

Opinion

The Union of Armenians of Russia is concerned about the
Russian-Georgian confrontation. Ara Abrahamian, Chairman of the union,
stated in the interview with RFE/RL. According to him, the union has
received dozens of calls about the complications that occurred when
transferring goods. These obstacles were conditioned by the latest
negative developments between Georgia and Russia. Ara Abrahamian
stated that when the relations get worse, one should always figure
out what should the Armenian companies and Armenia do, and how they
should carry out the deals with the Russian and other companies.

Ara Abrahamian stated that the question how will Russia treat the
Armenian companies if its policy changes to Armenia is naïve. He added
that Russia has its interests in the region. The relations between
Georgia and Russia differ from those between Armenia and Russia. Ara
Abrahamian said that Armenia has signed many agreements with Russian
and their implementation will last for dozens of years in the future.

By Aghavni Harutyunian

–Boundary_(ID_N9xwWSdt6bwNEgHJr+VYbQ )–

TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Oct 6 2006

EU to Do Everything Possible for Settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh
Conflict – EU Special Representative in Azerbaijan

Source: Trend
Author: A.Ismayilova

06.10.2006

Alan Wadams, a special representative of the European Commission in
Azerbaijan, declared at a conference dedicated to the co-operation
between Azerbaijan and the EU, to do everything possible to resolve
the [Armenian-Azerbaijani] Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Trend reports.

He noted that the signing of an Action Plan of the European
Neighborhood Policy will be held in Brussels in November. Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev will also attend the signing ceremony relating
to a memorandum on the energy sector.

Wadams stated the EU offers Azerbaijan its co-operation in the
economic, social and political fields. The signing of an Action Plan
of the European Neighborhood Policy will be an agreement between
Azerbaijan and the CE. The settlement of suspended conflicts was also
included in the Agreement. The EU is signing a similar document with
Armenia and Georgia.

LEO PLATVOET REPORTED ON HIS VISIT TO NK AND ABKHAZIA IN THE PACE MIGRATION, REFUGEES AND POPULATION COMMITTEE MEETING

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Oct 5 2006

Co- chairs of International Working Group for searching war prisoners,
missing persons and hostages Svetlana Gannushkina, Bernhard Klazen,
Armenian coordinator Carina Minasyan, Azerbaijani coordinator Evez
Hasanov and coordinator from Nagorno Garabagh Albert Voskanyan are
in Strasburg, APA European bureau reports.

They met with PACE Rapporteur on the Captures and Missing Persons
in South Caucasus Leo Platvoet. The working group representatives
took part in the meeting of PACE Migration, Refugees and Population
Committee meeting. Leo Platvoet reported on the visit to Nagorno
Garabagh and Abkhazia in the meting. Then the co-chairs discussed
the activities of the organization in Nagorno Garabagh conflict
settlement. They said both sides of the conflict should take upon
themselves commitments to provide opportunity for efficient activity
of the group.