Author: Tadevosian Garnik

Agence France Presse — English
October 13, 2006 Friday

Barroso criticizes France’s Armenian genocide law

European Commission President Jose Manuel Durao Barroso said Friday
France’s adoption of a bill making it an offence to deny there was an
Armenian genocide in Turkey, was not helpful.

"We don’t think that this decision at this moment is helpful in the
context of the European Union’s relations with Turkey but we have to
respect all the decisions taken by the parliament of France," he told
reporters.

"Frankly, we don’t think it’s helpful that a parliament outside takes
a legislative action on a matter of historic interpretation," he
added.

The French parliament on Thursday approved a bill that would make it
a crime to deny that the 1915-1917 massacres of Armenians was
genocide.

The crime would carry a prison sentence of up to one year and a fine
of up to 45,000 euros.

However, the European external relations commissioner, Benita Ferrero
Waldner said earlier that the measure, which provoked angry reactions
from Ankara, would not affect Turkey’s EU membership bid.

"One thing is what happens in France, (a) second thing is what we are
doing as (the) European Union with a candidate country," she told
Finnish television.

Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their ancestors were slaughtered
in a deliberate genocide by Ottoman Turks. Turkey concedes 300,000
Armenians died when the Ottoman Empire fell apart during World War I,
but says large numbers of Turks also died.

October 14, 2006
REGNUM » We are not afraid of war,.
We are not afraid of war, but we don’t want it: Interview with Armenian
Defense Minister

The Secretary of the presidential National Security Council, Defense
Minister of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan has given an interview to REGNUM news
agency (Russia) and El Pais newspaper (Spain)
Mr. Minister, what do you think about the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh?
There is a view that Armenia is unwilling to cede Nagorno-Karabakh but is
unable to develop it. Is it true?
This may be just one of the numerous personal views that do not reflect the
real situation. What do they mean: Armenia is developing or not developing
Nagorno-Karabakh? Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is an independent state and its
economic growth is quite comparable with that of Armenia. In Armenia the
annual GDP growth is 12%. Of course, we seek even better results but, you
must agree that not all post-Soviet republics have such a rate.
Perhaps, those who express such a view think that Armenia should more
actively support Nagorno-Karabakh? I don’t dispute that. And
Nagorno-Karabakh residents, people who live in NKR, certainly, think
likewise. However, you should understand that the situation "neither peace
nor war" is not attractive for investors and businessmen. On the other hand,
Nagorno-Karabakh is steadily developing. The situation you could see some
few years ago is quite incomparable with what you can see now. The
difference is obvious.
You have qualified the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh as "neither peace nor
war." For how long can this situation last now that Azerbaijan is quite
actively strengthening its economy?
The Azeri economy is really developing, but in 2005 Armenia had bigger
economic growth. This year, due to growing oil revenues, Azerbaijan is
developing a bit more actively.
However, it would be wrong to say that the economic growth in Azerbaijan may
force the Armenian side to capitulate. On the contrary, it may urge us to
work better and to seek improvement not only in the economy but in other
sectors – to become a developed state with a modern, highly efficient army.
Only this will allow us to effectively oppose Azerbaijan in case of new war.
I would like to say that one can’t built an efficient army on money only.
Besides, Azerbaijan does not have an overwhelming economic advantage over
Armenia. It will take Azerbaijan several decades to attain the advantages it
had in the early 1990s. As you remember, even then, despite its big
advantages, the Azeri side lost the war. So, I would like to advise all
those relying on money to come to their senses and to consider the lessons
of the war Azerbaijan has once unsuccessfully unleashed against the
indigenous population of Nagorno-Karabakh.
However, can we say that today Nagorno-Karabakh is supported by Armenia’s
national budget?
To tell the truth, I can’t say exactly how much Armenia has subsidized to
Nagorno-Karabakh for 2007. At the same time, we should not forget that
Nagorno-Karabakh is an independent republic, who can freely dispose of its
incomes. I mean that NK’s budget consists not only of Armenia’s subsidies
but also of own incomes: tax revenues and other payments. The greater part
of the humanitarian assistance comes from the Diaspora – Armenians living
outside Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. Nagorno-Karabakh lives the life all
democratically developing states normally live.
In one of you interviews you have said that Armenia has 45,000-strong army
and it is much for the country. How much does Armenia budget for its army?
In 2007 Armenia plans to spend 3.5% of its GDP on military needs – some
$270mln-280mln, depending on the rate of the national currency – AMD. This
may be much for Armenia, but, compared with some other countries, this is
not enough for building a modern efficient army. As they say, everything is
relative.
Do you think that the Nagorno-Karabakh problem can be resolved by peace?
Of course, it can. Perhaps, my comparison is a bit primitive but – any peace
agreement implies agreement of the sides. This is like marriage. There is no
marriage without mutual agreement. So, if we seek to solve the problem,
while Azerbaijan – not, we can’t help it. We believe that this problem must
be solved exclusively peacefully on the basis of compromise.
What kind of compromise will it be? Can you imagine the return of refugees
from Azerbaijan to Nagorno-Karabakh?
When we say peaceful resolution, we mean stable peace. Of course, at some
time in the future I see some possibility of the refugees’ return. After
all, we can’t isolate our countries from each other, we can’t build "a Great
Wall of China" and say that we will not contact with Azerbaijan any more,
can we? History has shown that we can’t. We have had conflicts and wars
before but we still continued our contacts: after some time, Armenians and
Azeris returned and began living together.
However, now that the problem is yet unresolved, now that people have not
yet healed the wounds they got during the war, the return of refugees is
impossible.
You know, the compromise is not about this. The people who left
Nagorno-Karabakh 14-15 years ago have long settled down in new environments
and are hardly prepared to leave everything they have there and to go back
to Nagorno-Karabakh. The compromise is about something quite different –
about Azerbaijan’s recognizing the right of the Nagorno-Karabakh people to
live independently, so they can feel themselves really secure and no longer
rely on the security zone. There are other important components, too. The
compromise must concern security – only then it will lead to stable peace.
Why does Armenia strongly object to the transfer of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict to the UN. Aren’t you interested in discussion?
Armenia objects to the transfer of the problem to any instance from the
format of its present discussion. What can this transfer give us, after all?
We have OSCE Minsk Group, whose members are all on the UN Security Council.
What will the transfer change? Do you really believe that people
representing, say, Somalia or some other far-away country are sufficiently
competent of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem to give us sensible advice? I
think that the whole point is that we should not prevent the work of the
OSCE MG who is expert in the matter.
Azerbaijan is trying to involve GUAM in the peace process. You in Yerevan
say that, by doing it, Azerbaijan is leading the negotiating process into a
deadlock. Do you think that under such conditions Nagorno-Karabakh may be
involved in the process and at what stage?
Nagorno-Karabakh’s involvement in the negotiating process will be beneficial
at any stage.
Then why isn’t it involved in the talks?
Azerbaijan does not want it to. They say that, if Nagorno-Karabakh is
involved in the talks, they will stop the negotiating process. We had to
choose: either to negotiate without NK or not to negotiate at all. Judge
yourselves what is better. You know, when there are no negotiations, the
situation is fraught with new war. I have repeatedly said that we are not
afraid of war, but we do not want it to resume. We do not fear this war, but
we realize what catastrophic consequences it may have for both nations.
Is war possible in the coming five years?
I have always said and am saying now that Defense Minister, especially the
Defense Minister of Armenia, must be always ready for war and must show high
responsibility for his country’s security. On the other hand, I believe that
there will be no war in the near future. First, I am deeply convinced that
today the Azeri army is not capable of waging a large-scale war. Second, the
world community will strictly react to such actions as, in fact, a new war
in Nagorno-Karabakh will spur up new wars in very many other places. We must
know it and must think about security.
What exactly has the OSCE MG achieved, so far? Does it have any
achievements?
Of course, it has. For 12 years already there has been truce in the region –
there is no war. And this is the most important thing. What the
international community wants is to prevent the resumption of the conflict,
to prevent people from killing each other. And we have it. Second, once we
were very close to solution. This problem is so difficult that one shouldn’t
expect a magician to come, wave his magic wand and solve it. One should work
hard to solve it. The people involved in the peace process should be well
informed of the situation.
Could you specify when exactly the sides were close to solution?
I think we were close to solution in Bucharest, in Paris, then, there was
Key-West. One can’t say that today Armenia or Azerbaijan reject the MG’s
proposals pointblank. On the other, show me any single person who really
believes that the problem will be solved the moment it is put on the UN
agenda. If there are such people, let’s listen to them.
You mean if there is no war, it is already good?
Of course, it is.
The Turkish and Azeri sections of Armenia’s state border are blocked. It is
clear that Azerbaijan will not open the border until the Nagorno-Karabakh is
resolved. And what about Turkey? Has Armenia negotiated this problem with
the Turkish side?
We have repeatedly and firmly said that we are ready to establish diplomatic
relations with Turkey with no preliminary conditions. I think that
diplomatic relations are established exactly like that. However, the Turks
are setting some conditions, avoiding dialogue – what can we do?
Unfortunately, the initial talks have been stopped, and we still have no
diplomatic relations.
Do you have any contacts now?
No, we have no serious official contacts. In the last three-four years there
have been several contacts between our foreign ministries but these were
once-time actions that can hardly be qualified as state relations.
Why is Ankara so persistently refusing to establish relations?
You know, it is a thankless thing to comment on the questions that are
beyond my competence. Obviously, they in Turkey will give you a clearer
answer, though, speaking personally, I have not heard anything specific from
them, so far.
I think that we must express our position and the Turks theirs and the
international community should judge who is right and who is wrong. The
international community should decide who complies with the principles of
the European community and who does not. I would like to say once again –
our position is very clear: Armenia is ready to establish relations with
Turkey with no preliminary conditions. Even more, we believe that the talks
for Turkey’s admission into the EU may be useful for Armenia. You know, we
want to have predictable neighbors.
Today the situation over Iran is quite controversial. What consequences may
its aggravation have for Armenia?
Naturally, this will have negative consequences for Armenia. I don’t even
want to think about it as the situation will be really hard. First, Iran
borders on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone. Second, for Armenia, Iran is
an outlet into the outer world. So, any instability there is quite
undesirable for Armenia.
Armenia has good relations with Iran. How can you explain this – what is the
formula of these relations? Are the tensions over Iran having any direct or
indirect influence on the atmosphere of Armenian-Iranian relations?
There is no such influence. Concerning our relations, I have already said
that Iran immediately borders on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone.
Besides, Iran is Armenia’s key economic partner. It is rich in energy
resources and it is extremely important for Armenia to effectively plan its
energy security.
On the other hand, Armenia is signatory to the agreement on nonproliferation
of weapons of mass destruction and strictly complies with all of its
requirements. That’s why our priority in relations with Iran is economic
cooperation, while, in security, we just exchange views and regular visits.
We always remember that, though being an Islamic country and an OIC member,
Iran shows restrained position on our conflict. Few countries in the OIC
show similar stance.
Could it be otherwise?
Of course, it could. We should be realistic.
Will the blockade of Iran exacerbate the blockade of Armenia?
Of course, it will. If this happens, we will have only the Georgian road
left.
And what if the situation in Abkhazia and South Ossetia worsens.
It will be very bad, too. Any instability in Georgia is a threat for
stability in Armenia. Our main road runs via Georgia. As a matter of
principle, landlocked countries often get in such situations.
Will Georgia’s aspiration to join NATO have any impact on Armenian-Georgian
relations or, particularly, on the prospects of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict settlement?
I don’t think that Georgia’s aspiration to join NATO will have any impact on
the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Besides, I don’t think that we should tell Georgia which security system to
join or how to ensure its national interests. I hope that, whatever security
system Georgia joins, it will preserve friendly relations with Armenia. I
think we are very close neighbors. Besides, Georgia is home to quite many
Armenians who are citizens of that country.
Do you have similar arguments for Azerbaijan’s joining NATO?
I would like to say once again – Armenia welcomes the predictability of the
policies and values of its neighbors. I see nothing bad in our neighbors’
aspiration to join an organization propagating human values. The richer our
strategy the better.
Do you recognize the territorial integrity of Georgia?
We have long recognized Georgia as a state, exchanged instruments,
demarcated borders.
I mean in the light of the conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
It is Georgia’s business.
Do you mean it is Georgia’s internal affair?
We do not permit ourselves to give any assessments of the matter. We are not
involved in those processes, and I see no sense in talking about them.
Does Armenia expect any advantages from its participation in the Collective
Security Treaty Organization (CSTO)?
This organization is exactly for giving its members advantages. This is a
collective security treaty, which means that its signatories should
collectively oppose the challenges each of them may face. On the other hand,
the signatory states are not yet fully prepared for sending their troops to
each others’ territories should any of them suffer from aggression or face a
challenge.
If Azerbaijan attacks Armenia, will you ask the CSTO for help? Will they
help?
I think you better ask this question to the heads of the CSTO states – they
may give you an exhaustive answer. I can’t answer in their stead. In any
case, one can hope that if he is a member of some organization, he has the
right to rely on its partners. In the modern world, one can’t build its
security on one’s own. Even a strong country like the US does not act alone
and leans on its partners. We all know that.
That’s why one can’t ensure one’s security without integration and
collective efforts. Do you really think that 45,000 soldiers can ensure
Armenia’s security. Of course, they can’t. By the way, we will shortly
complete a strategy of national security. An inter-department commission has
been working on it for already a year. Its basic principles have been
approved by leading professional world centers, particularly, by the
Academic Committee of the US National Defense University and was considered
by a NATO international expert commission. Shortly, we will send the
document to Moscow for the consideration of an expert group of the Russian
State Administration Academy. Armenia’s National Security Strategy clearly
says that international integration is a guarantee of Armenia’s security.
Do you mean integration on the Caucasian level?
I mean both regional and global integration, cooperation in the widest
possible context.
Is it possible for Armenia to integrate with Azerbaijan and Georgia on the
Caucasian level?
Why not. Integration with Azerbaijan will be possible only after the
resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Until our soldiers are
confronting each other in trenches, we can hardly speak about any serious
integration. On the other hand, we can see some signs of integration within
international organizations. For example, joint participation in BSEC and
the CIS. With Azerbaijan and Georgia we are also integrating in the
framework of NATO, particularly, under the IPAP. All the three countries are
involved in some groups and indirectly cooperate within peacekeeping
actions. However, full integration will be possible only after the
resolution of the conflict, when we will stop regarding each other as
enemies. As regards Georgia, we already cooperate on very many issues.
Being CSTO member, Armenia actively cooperates with NATO. Experts see some
contradiction in it. What is your position on the matter?
You know, if I thought that these two directions contradict each other, I
would not be hear. I take part in this process and consider that it is very
important.
Judge yourselves, why can Finland be outside NATO but, at the same time, be
EU member and have normal relations with Russia? By the way, members of the
PACE monitoring commission visited us yesterday and one of them was from
Finland. One more example is Austria. Of course, I don’t say that in
development and expenses Armenia is on the same level with developed
European countries, but we will reach their level some day.
Under the NATO IPAP we plan to raise our armed forces to the world standards
by 2015. Why should we think that we can’t do it. If we go back to the
1990 – then people could not even imagine that Armenia might some day have
an army it has today. We are receiving very favorable reports about our
forces in the Balkans and Iraq. We have to bring our whole army to this
level.

PanARMENIAN.Net

French Bill on Armenian Genocide Being Widely Commented in World Media
13.10.2006 18:06 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The adoption of the French bill on the Armenian
Genocide is being commented in various media throughout the globe. The
New York Times reports that Chirac’s government standing against the
bill expressed wish to continue dialogue with Turkey. `We are willing
to carry on our dialogue, strong cooperation and friendship with
Turkey,’ the newspaper quotes the French MFA Spokesman.

The complex relationship between Turkey and Europe played out Thursday
in two European capitals, as Turkey’s leading novelist was awarded the
2006 Nobel Prize in literature in Stockholm and French lawmakers here
passed a bill that would make it a crime to deny that Ottoman Turkey
committed genocide against Armenians during and after World War I,
reports the Washington Post.

The Guardian says, `Ataturk, one of whose adopted daughters was an
Armenian survivor of the forced death marches, should have – but never
could – bring himself to face the truth, possibly because of his shame
at what his brother army officers had ordered while he was in
Gallipoli fighting off the British,’ reports RFE/RL.

CALENDAR
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Information Services
Address:  Vagharshapat, Republic of Armenia
Contact:  Rev. Fr. Ktrij Devejian
Tel:  (374 10) 517 163
Fax:  (374 10) 517 301
E-Mail:  [email protected]
Website: 
October 13, 2006

Major Feasts and Commemoration Days of the Armenian Church
For the Calendar Year 2007

Note: Tabernacle Feasts in CAPS

January
06 HOLY NATIVITY AND THEOPHANY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
13 Naming Day of Our Lord
15 Birth of St. John the Forerunner (the Baptist)

February
03 Commemoration Day of St. Sergius (Sargis)
13 Commemoration Day of Sts. Leontius (Ghevondiants)
14 Presentation of Our Lord Jesus Christ to the Temple (Tiarn’ndaraj)
15 Commemoration Day of Sts. Vartanants
18 Eve of the Great Fast of Lent (Great Barekendan)

March
24 Commitment of St. Gregory the Illuminator to the Pit
30 Commemoration Day of the Resurrection of Lazarus

April
01 Palm Sunday
08 FEAST OF THE GLORIOUS RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD
JESUS CHRIST (EASTER SUNDAY)

May
06 Appearance of the Holy Cross
17 Ascension Day (Hambardzum)
27 Pentecost (Hogegalust)

June
04 Commemoration Day of St. Hripsime
05 Commemoration Day of St. Gayane
07 Feast of Holy `Shoghakat’
09 Deliverance of St. Gregory the Illuminator from the Pit
10 Feast of Holy Etchmiadzin
23 Discovery of the Relics of St. Gregory the Illuminator
28 Commemoration Day of Sts. Sahak and Mesrop

July
15 TRANSFIGURATION OF OUR LORD (VARDAVAR)

August
12 ASSUMPTION OF THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD (VERAPOKHUM)
21 Commemoration Day of Sts. Joachim and Anna

September
16 EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS (KHATCHVERATS)
29 Commemoration Day of St. George (Gevork)
30 Feast of the Holy Cross of Varag

October
13 Feast of the Holy Translators
28 Discovery of the Holy Cross

November
10 Commemoration Day of the Holy Archangels

December
01 Commemoration Day of Sts. Thaddeus and Bartholomew
15 Commemoration Day of St. James (Hakob)
24 Commemoration Day of St. David the Prophet
25 Commemoration Day of St. Stephen the Protomartyr
27 Commemoration Day of Sts. Peter and Paul

EVERYBODY HAS TO ACCEPT ARMENIAN CLAIMS IN FRANCE
By Mehtap Duztutar

Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
Oct 12 2006

~U The French parliament has unilateraly adopted a bill making it a
crime to reject the Armenian claims. There is no document prooving
Armenian claims

~U If the bill becomes law, no Turkish or French could defend the
Turkish approach in the Armenian Issue.

~U The bill carries up to one year of imprisonment and a 45,000 Euro
penalty for denying so-called Armenian genocide.

~U It passed by 106 votes to 19.

~U Ankara believes the issue is being used to whip up French sentiment
against Turkish entry into the EU.

UNITED ARMENIAN FUND
1101 N. Pacific Avenue # 301
Glendale, CA 91202
Tel: 818.241.8900
Fax: 818.241.6900

For Immediate Release
11 October, 2006

UAF Sent $6.2 Million of Aid
To Armenia By Sea So Far This Year

Glendale, CA – In addition to airlifts, the United Armenian Fund sends
humanitarian aid to Armenia by sea shipments. During the first nine months
of 2006, the UAF sent $6.2 million of relief supplies to Armenia on board 93
containers.

"The UAF would like to thank the following donors who generously contributed
various relief supplies for Armenia," said Harut Sassounian, the President
of the UAF.

World Vision U.S. Inc. ($1.2 million); Armenian Gospel Mission ($459,000);
Hope for the City ($439,000); Medical Outreach for Armenians ($365,000);
Centre Hospitalier Lucien Hussel of France ($312,000); Armenian Missionary
Association of America ($293,000); World Vision Canada ($251,000); Vahe
Enterprises ($244,000); Mihran Mahmouzian & Jack Mazmanian ($235,000);
Jilland Corporation (Mr. & Mrs. Roubik & Gilda Assatourian ($221,000); Help
the Children International Children’s Charity Foundation ($206,000);
Juliette Serabian of France ($184,000); Fund for Armenian Relief ($180,000);
Armenian Canadian Medical Association of Ontario ($170,000); Friends of
Armenia ($162,000); Consiglio Regionale del Fruili Venezia Giulia of Italy
($112,000).

Also contributing were: The Armenian EyeCare Project ($73,000); Dr. Vartkes
Najarian ($72,000); Foundation Semra of Switzerland ($71,000); George
Asadorian ($67,000); Developmental Services for Armenia ($67,000); Chene of
France ($56,000); Association de Soutien aux Patriotes Armeniens of France
($54,000); Glendale-Ghapan Sister City Association ($51,000); Michael Candan
($51,000); Catholic Medical Mission Board ($50,000); Armenian Ministries of
U.K. ($47,000); Berge & Terry Minasian ($46,000); Komitas Action
Suisse-Armenia of Switzerland ($40,000); AmeriCares ($37,000); Sacred Heart
Medical Center ($36,000); Fresno Armenian Radio Hour ($36,000); Konnect9
World Wide of U.K ($36,000) and American University of Armenia Corp.
($35,000).

Other donors were: Centro Studi e Documantazione della Cultura Armena of
Italy ($33,000); Christlicher Hilfsbund im Orient of Germany ($32,000);
Alvan Tsarik Foundation of Holland ($30,000); Dr. George Katcherian
($30,000); Torkom Postajian ($26,000); Karapet Cuyumdzyan ($22,000); Shoebox
Sharing ($18,000); Aykaram Oganesyan ($18,000); Armenian Relief Society of
Germany ($15,000) and Nork Marash Medical Center ($14,000).

Since its inception in 1989, the UAF has sent $447 million of humanitarian
assistance to Armenia on board 140 airlifts and 1,359 sea containers.

The UAF is the collective effort of the Armenian Assembly of America,
Armenian General Benevolent Union, Armenian Missionary Association of
America, Armenian Relief Society, Diocese of the Armenian Church of America,
Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America and The Lincy
Foundation.

For more information, contact the UAF office at 1101 North Pacific Avenue,
Suite 301, Glendale, CA 91202 or call (818) 241-8900.

###

IN WORDS OF TURK MINISTER OF STATE, EU MUST NOT INTERFERE IN ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 10 2006

BRUSSELS, OCTOBER 10, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Turkish Minister
of State and parliamentarian Abdullatif Sener warned the European
Union and other states not to interfere in the Armenian-Turkish
relations. Sener participates in Brussels in the event dedicated to
the Turkey-EU one-year negotiation process.

In the interview to the "Anadolu" agency, he touched upon the
statement made by President of France Jacques Chirac concerning
the Armenian Genocide in which the President insisted on accepting
Turkey’s recognition of the Armenian Genocide as a precondition in
the EU membership process.

On the occasion of the draft being discussed in France, which envisages
5-year imprisonement or 45.000 euro fine for all those who will deny
reality of the Armenian Genocide, the Turk official said: "Such an
attitude is inadmissible. It is against that cultural atmosphere that
the EU attempts to create."

"Armenia is an Asian country, but not a European one. So, it’s a third
country in the process of Turkey’s membership to the EU. It is out
of logic that the draft finds place in the Turkey-EU negotiations
process. Any EU member and not member state that influences on the
policy of Armenia from outside must give up those efforts. Chirac’s
statement was not a sincere one, and their goal is to influence on
the inner policy," Sener mentioned.

TURKISH PRIME MINISTER VOWS FIGHT AGAINST GENOCIDE LABEL FOR KILLINGS OF ARMENIANS

The Associated Press
International Herald Tribune, France
Oct 10 2006

ISTANBUL, Turkey Turkey’s prime minister vowed Tuesday to fight
against what he called a "systematic lie machine" pushing to label
Turkey’s World War I-era killings of Armenians as genocide.

The remarks were made in reaction to a proposed French law that would
make it a crime to deny that the killings of as many as 1.5 million
Armenians amounted to genocide.

The proposed law has sparked outrage in Turkey against France and the
European Union, both of which have sharply criticized Turkey for not
permitting freedom of expression, particularly on the highly emotional
Armenian issue.

"Let no one doubt that the Turkish Republic state and its people are
capable of breaking this systematic lie machine and of dispersing
these clouds of disinformation," Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
said in an address to his party.

"There can be no legal justification for making it a crime to say a
lie is a lie."

Turkey’s official policy is to acknowledge that large numbers of
Armenians were killed by Turks, but to reject the overall figure
of 1.5 million as inflated and to say the deaths occurred in civil
unrest during the collapse of the Ottoman Empire.

Saying otherwise in Turkey can lead to criminal prosecution.

Erdogan repeated his past calls to Armenia to jointly research the
killings by opening the historical archives of both countries to
historians, complaining that Armenia had not responded to his requests
to do so.

He said the proposed French law was inconsistent with the principle
of freedom of expression, and accused France of ignoring its own
history while trying to legislate the facts of Turkey’s.

"Let the lie and slander machines look at their own history," he said,
listing 11 African countries in which France has a colonial past.

France’s lower house of parliament is to debate the bill on Thursday.

Under the bill, people who contest that there was an Armenian
genocide would risk up to a year in prison and fines of up to ~@45,000
(US$57,000).

Some Turkish legislators have proposed tit-for-tat measures such as
erecting statues to an "Algerian genocide" committed by France and
to passing a reciprocal law that would make denying it a crime.

Turkey’s foremost Armenian journalist, Hrant Dink, who has been tried
repeatedly in Turkey for saying Turks committed genocide against
Armenians, said passing the French law would be a mistake.

"Even if it appears that the Armenian genocide denial law acts in
the principle of universal human rights and responsibilities like the
struggle against genocide, we believe it erases the basic principle
that makes human rights possible, the principle of free expression,"
he said in a statement issued in both French and Turkish.

"Moreover, we think there is no need to support with laws the
historical truths of what the Armenian people have lived through in
the past. Because looking correctly at history does not require a law,
but conscience and morality."

Dink’s letter was signed by two other journalists at Agos, an
Istanbul-based bilingual Armenian-Turkish newspaper.

Some 100 Turks representing two different political parties gathered in
front of the French Embassy in Ankara Tuesday, calling for a boycott
against French goods.

Erdogan had previously called on French companies with interests in
Turkey to lobby against the proposed genocide bill.

ISTANBUL, Turkey Turkey’s prime minister vowed Tuesday to fight
against what he called a "systematic lie machine" pushing to label
Turkey’s World War I-era killings of Armenians as genocide.

The remarks were made in reaction to a proposed French law that would
make it a crime to deny that the killings of as many as 1.5 million
Armenians amounted to genocide.

The proposed law has sparked outrage in Turkey against France and the
European Union, both of which have sharply criticized Turkey for not
permitting freedom of expression, particularly on the highly emotional
Armenian issue.

"Let no one doubt that the Turkish Republic state and its people are
capable of breaking this systematic lie machine and of dispersing
these clouds of disinformation," Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
said in an address to his party.

"There can be no legal justification for making it a crime to say a
lie is a lie."

Turkey’s official policy is to acknowledge that large numbers of
Armenians were killed by Turks, but to reject the overall figure
of 1.5 million as inflated and to say the deaths occurred in civil
unrest during the collapse of the Ottoman Empire.

Saying otherwise in Turkey can lead to criminal prosecution.

Erdogan repeated his past calls to Armenia to jointly research the
killings by opening the historical archives of both countries to
historians, complaining that Armenia had not responded to his requests
to do so.

He said the proposed French law was inconsistent with the principle
of freedom of expression, and accused France of ignoring its own
history while trying to legislate the facts of Turkey’s.

"Let the lie and slander machines look at their own history," he said,
listing 11 African countries in which France has a colonial past.

France’s lower house of parliament is to debate the bill on Thursday.

Under the bill, people who contest that there was an Armenian
genocide would risk up to a year in prison and fines of up to ~@45,000
(US$57,000).

Some Turkish legislators have proposed tit-for-tat measures such as
erecting statues to an "Algerian genocide" committed by France and
to passing a reciprocal law that would make denying it a crime.

Turkey’s foremost Armenian journalist, Hrant Dink, who has been tried
repeatedly in Turkey for saying Turks committed genocide against
Armenians, said passing the French law would be a mistake.

"Even if it appears that the Armenian genocide denial law acts in
the principle of universal human rights and responsibilities like the
struggle against genocide, we believe it erases the basic principle
that makes human rights possible, the principle of free expression,"
he said in a statement issued in both French and Turkish.

"Moreover, we think there is no need to support with laws the
historical truths of what the Armenian people have lived through in
the past. Because looking correctly at history does not require a law,
but conscience and morality."

Dink’s letter was signed by two other journalists at Agos, an
Istanbul-based bilingual Armenian-Turkish newspaper.

Some 100 Turks representing two different political parties gathered in
front of the French Embassy in Ankara Tuesday, calling for a boycott
against French goods.

Erdogan had previously called on French companies with interests in
Turkey to lobby against the proposed genocide bill.

"UNITED JAVAKHK" INTENDS TO STRUGGLE FOR ANNOUNCING INVALID ELECTIONS OF LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT BODIES IN AKHALKALAK

Noyan Tapan News Agency
Oct 9 2006

AKHALKALAK, OCTOBER 9, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The "United
Javakhk" organization calls on international right protection
organizations and the international community to give a just
estimation to electoral falsifications and electoral violations at
the elections of local self-goverment bodies of Akhalkalak and to
assist re-establishment of justice with all means. This is said in
the statement spread by the "United Javakhk" democratic alliance
public organization concerning preliminary results of elections of
local self-government bodies of the region of Akhalkalak, Georgia.

It is also said in the statement that organization of elections
in the region of Akhalkalak, the votion process and summing up of
results were accompanied by considerable ommissions and violations,
" which cast a serious doubt on the election results’ being just and
honest and prove that they allowed serious falsifications "in favour
of the "United National Movement" party.

Wide-spread falsifications again prove that the central authorities
are not ready in relations with national minorities to take into
consideration the population’s real strivings and hopes what makes even
worse the social-psychological atmosphere in the region and exhausts
the populations’ fickle reputation towards the central authorities
of Georgia," the statement authors mention.

The "United Javakhk" democratic alliance, particularly, mentions the
following violations revealed by itself:

– Names of numerous died or absent citizens were involved in the
electoral lists, and names of people registered in the region were
absent.

– Lists were fastened later than the fixed time in numerous polling
stations, and voters had no possibility to restore their voting right.

8 of the 9 members of the Akhalkalak regional electoral commission
are tied with each other with friendly and clan ties and represent the
ruling party. Numerous facts of votion with other person’s passport,
a person’s dropping two or more voting papers into the ballot-box
were revealed.

Numerous violations of the votion and counting order, including
stealing the ballot-box, were fixed in different polling stations.

Representatives of the "United Javakhk" democratic alliance public
organization participated in the elections in the staff of the
"Industry to Save Georgia" alliance.

OSCE MG CO-CHAIRS CONSIDER MOSCOW TALKS AS USEFUL & CONCISE
Author: E.Huseynov

TREND, Azerbaijan
Oct 9 2006

The talks held with the Azerbaijani and Armenian Foreign Ministers on
October 6 in Moscow were very useful and concise, the Russian Co-chair
of the OSCE Minsk Group Yuri Merzlyakov exclusively told Trend.

According to him, both Ministers positively assessed the
consultations. I think that the co-chairs share their opinion,
Merzlyakov stated. The diplomat pointed out that after getting a
response from both parties as to the presentation of the proposals
regarding "base principles" of the settlement, the mediators continued
talks. During the Moscow meeting, the Minsk Group co-chairs were united
in their opinion with regards to the elements of several principles
having differences, Merzlyakov said, adding that we hope to achieve
mutual understanding in the talks that will continue on 24 October
in Paris.

The diplomat emphasized that during the Moscow meeting, debates
were not conducted on the organization of the next meeting of the
Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents. This question will be discussed
in Paris. In addition, Merzlakov refuted the previous statement that
the meeting of the leaders of the conflict parties may take place at
the Summit of CIS on 17 October in Minsk. According to the diplomat,
generally it is not planned hold a summit of CIS, this is planed
for November.

Merzlyakov also underlined that the meeting of the Council of the CIS
Foreign Ministers has been scheduled for 16 October in Minsk. Due to
the possible absence of the Armenian Minister at the event, it was
decided to organize their meeting on 24 October in Paris.