Author: Tadevosian Garnik

“Incredible how fixated they are on Turkey”
By our editor Hans Moll

NRC Handelsblad (Dutch newspaper)
April 3, 2004

Journalist Mehmet Ülger on Turkish nationalism

AMSTERDAM, APRIL 3. Many Turkish organizations are subsidised, however,
they do not promote integration. This is what Turkish-Dutch journalist
Mehmet Ülger says.

“Left-wing Netherlands protects right-wing immigrants”, says Mehmet Ülger.
He smiles but he does not really understand it. Last week an ‘updated
edition’ of “A Search for Turkish Extreme Right, Gray Wolves”, which he had
written with Stella Braam in 1997, was published.

[…]

Actively misleading the Dutch is often not even necessary. Ülger describes a
mosque in which, for those who understand, all kinds of symbols are hung
that refer to the Ottoman Empire and the last caliphate. To a Dutch person
this has no meaning, not only because he does not know the symbols, but also
because he is not a nationalist. Nationalism is a loaded concept in the
Netherlands that equals xenophobia and borders racism. “The Dutch hardly
have an idea of how deeply nationalism plays a role among Turks,” says
Ülger. He refers to the Austrian politician Haider who is depicted as a
nationalist and far-rightist in the Western media. But according to him,
Haider’s ideals pale before those of the Turkish MHP, the mother party of
the Gray Wolves. He refers to a meeting held last month in The Hague where
the president of the youth branch of the MHP, Alisan Satilmis, was a guest
of honor. “Satilmis led a demonstration against the showing of a movie in
Turkey about the Armenian genocide.” Recognizing that genocide means the
same as treason among nationalist Turks.

[…]

Ülger does not want his photograph in the newspaper. He is working
undercover again.

A1 Plus | 22:17:27 | 05-04-2004 | Politics |

ASPAREZ CLUB’S STATEMENT

Journalists’ Club Asparez came up with a statement on Monday condemning
violence committed by unidentified men against reporters.

What happened today proved that pressure can be put on freedom of speech
with impunity. Those whose direct duty is keep order encourage violence
perpetrators by turning blind eye to the illegalities being committed by
them, the statement says.

The statement contains strong condemnation of violence committed against
media representatives.

—

PRESS RELEASE
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Information Services
Address: Vagharshapat, Republic of Armenia
Contact: Rev. Fr. Ktrij Devejian
Tel: (374 1) 517 163
Fax: (374 1) 517 301
E-Mail: [email protected]
April 2, 2004

Supreme Spiritual Council Meeting in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

>From March 31 to April 2, the regular session of the Supreme Spiritual
Council convened in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, under the presidency
of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All
Armenians.

The first session of the meeting opened with the Lord’s Prayer and the
welcome message of His Holiness. The members of the Supreme Spiritual
Council offered prayers up to God, asking for the repose of the souls of
five high ranking clergymen of the Armenian Church who entered their eternal
rest since the last Council session: His Eminence Archbishop Zaven
Chinchinian of the Brotherhood of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, a
member of the Supreme Spiritual Council and Primate of Egypt; His Grace
Bishop Guregh Kapigian of the Brotherhood of St. James in Jerusalem, His
Eminence Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian of the Catholicosate of Cilicia, His
Eminence Archbishop Sahag Aivazian of the Catholicosate of Cilicia; and Very
Rev. Fr. Manuel Yergatian of the Brotherhood of St. James in Jerusalem.

The meeting sessions were co-chaired by the two senior members of the
Council, His Eminence Archbishop Vatche Hovsepian and His Eminence
Archbishop Kude Nakkashian. The three-day agenda included a number of
matters concerning the national-ecclesiastical life of the Armenian Church
and people.

Among the issues related to diocesan life, the Council expressed its
satisfaction regarding the positive outcome of the undesirable situation
that had been created in the Armenian Diocese of Russia and New Nakhijevan.
They further expressed their contentment that the primate, His Grace Bishop
Yezras Nersissian, is now in the process of organizing the lives of the
faithful around the Church.

Abp. Kude Nakkashian, Pontifical Legate to Western Europe and Primate of
Paris, presented his report regarding the reorganization of the diocesan
structures in France. His Eminence stated that the new draft constitution
for the diocese has been presented to the Pontiff of All Armenians. The
Council, in response to the suggestion of His Holiness, created a special
commission to review the document and present its report.

The Supreme Spiritual Council also discussed the establishment of a
parallel, anti-canonical diocesan administrative structure by the
Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia within the Armenian Diocese of
Canada. The Council has issued a communique stating their position
regarding this matter, wherein it is stated: “The Mother See once again
fraternally calls on the Catholicosate of Cilicia to sound judgment,
welcoming every step directed to overcoming the discord and the
reestablishment of the canonical status within the Armenian Church, and
invites her children to be zealous and unified on the road of the settlement
of disunity – a rift born from the dictates of difficult times, and in
effect for half a century.”

During the three-day meeting, the Council members also discussed events
which shall take place in the coming year. Among them are the 1600th
Anniversary celebration of the Discovery of the Armenian Alphabet, and the
commemoration of the 90th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. It was
further decided to solemnly commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the death of
His Holiness Vasken I, Catholicos of All Armenians, of blessed memory.

At the conclusion of the final session of the meeting, the members offered
prayers up to heaven, asking God to always guard and protect Armenia, and to
keep all Armenians dispersed throughout the world in love, brotherhood and
solidarity. Being led by the Glorious Resurrection of the Savior, they
prayed for the strengthening of the homeland and progress for all Armenians.

##

Armenian ruling coalition urges opposition to give up ultimatums

Mediamax news agency
1 Apr 04

YEREVAN

Representatives of the political forces included in the ruling
Armenian coalition have expressed their confidence that the
authorities are in control of the situation in the country and that
the opposition will not succeed in making the president resign.

The leader of the Republican Party’s parliamentary faction, Galust
Saakyan, said today that the opposition’s calls for civil disobedience
are anti-constitutional and anti-state. He said the opposition’s
ultimatum-like demands undermine stability and jeopardize Armenia’s
national security.

The deputy speaker of parliament and member of the bureau of the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation – Dashnaktsutyun [ARFD], Vahan
Ovanesyan, said today that a dialogue with the opposition is
“impossible” as long as the latter insists on an unconditional change
of power. He expressed his readiness to discuss any issues if the
opposition changes its stance.

“Otherwise, it will be the opposition that will be responsible for any
further developments,” Ovanesyan said.

Armenian quarry accident kills one

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
1 Apr 04

[Presenter over video of pit site] An accident took place at the
Dzhrverge alabaster quarry today. One person was killed. It was the
chief engineer who was killed in a landslide while conducting
research. A mechanic managed to survive the accident.

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan
April 2 2004

INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY MUST REMAIN ENGAGED IN SOUTH CAUCASUS
[April 02, 2004, 15:37:40]

The international community must remain engaged in helping find
solutions to the “daunting” challenges facing the Southern Caucasus,
such as the conflicts in Abkhazia, South Ossetia and
Nagorno-Karabakh, said U.S. Representative to the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Stephan Minikes April 1.

“The stability of this region is vital for all of us,” he said.

In response to an address by European Union Special Representative to
the South Caucasus Heikki Talvitie, Minikes welcomed the EU’s “deeper
engagement” in the region and thanked Ambassador Talvitie’s for his
“ongoing coordination with the OSCE” in the region.

EurasiaNet Organization
April 1 2004

ARMENIA BRACES FOR POLITICAL UPHEAVAL
Emil Danielyan: 4/01/04

Armenia’s leadership and opposition are gearing up for a potentially
violent confrontation. An opposition coalition is planning to hold
massive anti-government protests in early April. Some opposition
leaders have publicly called for the resignation of President Robert
Kocharian and have advocated civil disobedience to achieve that end.
Authorities have responded by threatening to crack down on opposition
leaders for attempting to “seize state power with violence.”

The confrontation began building in late March when the country’s two
main opposition groups joined forces in an apparent bid to encourage
popular protests along the lines of the “Rose Revolution” in
neighboring Georgia. Those protests ended up forcing former Georgian
leader Eduard Shevardnadze to step down, and paved the way for
President Mikheil Saakashvili’s rise to power. [For background see
the Eurasia Insight archive]. The Artarutiun (Justice) alliance led
by Stepan Demirchian and the National Unity Party of Artashes
Geghamian have set an April 12 deadline for the launch of a civil
disobedience campaign against what they say is Kocharian’s
“illegitimate” administration. Opposition leaders insist that
Kocharian rigged last year’s presidential and parliamentary
elections. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive].

The opposition says it has been forced to adopt a protest strategy
because of the Kocharian administration’s refusal to organize a
nationwide no-confidence referendum on the government’s performance.
A ruling by Armenia’s Constitutional Court on April 16, 2003, had
recommended the holding of a no-confidence referendum within a year’s
time. The ruling did not strictly order the government to organize a
referendum, however.

Demirchian and Geghamian were Kocharian’s main challengers in the
disputed 2003 presidential ballot. Authorities are taking their
threats seriously, with Kocharian indicating his readiness to use
force against crowds that are expected to march towards his official
residence in the center of Yerevan. A March 26 statement by the three
pro-presidential parties represented in his government warned that
the law-enforcement bodies have a legitimate right to counter
“attempts to violate the country’s constitutional law” with tough
action.

The office of Armenia’s Prosecutor General issued a statement March
31 in which it announced the opening of a criminal investigation into
the Justice bloc’s protests over the past month. The prosecutor’s
office suggested the protests had “publicly insulted representatives
of government.”

Demirchian and other Justice bloc leaders were quick to denounce the
investigation, issuing a statement that characterized the
prosecutors’ actions as “an unprecedented attempt at political
persecution. … The decision shows that authorities, who are in
their death throes, have lost the ability to think rationally.”

The opposition may have got a taste of things to come when nine of
its activists were arrested March 28 during and after a Justice bloc
rally in Armenia’s second largest city of Gyumri. During the rally,
opposition supporters scuffled with a group of government loyalists
and plainclothes police in what the rally organizers portrayed as a
government “provocation.” “Today’s provocation shows that Robert
Kocharian’s days in power are numbered,” one of the rally organizers,
Victor Dallakian, told the angry crowd.

According to Dallakian and other Justice bloc leaders, the opposition
plan is to surround the presidential palace and the nearby parliament
compound in the Armenian capital with tens of thousands of people who
will stand there “day and night” until Kocharian steps down. The
chances that the rallies would take place as planned were boosted
with the signing on March 24 of an agreement between Demirchian and
Geghamian to engage in joint action. Geghamian had previously refused
to attend Justice bloc rallies, saying that they were
counterproductive.

A key question is precisely how many people will take to the streets.
Demirchian and Geghamian hope to pull in large crowds from the
regions outside Yerevan, and have been separately campaigning across
Armenia for over a month. The Gyumri demonstration was part of that
effort. “The regime’s fate is predetermined,” Demirchian told its
participants, assuring them that his deal with Geghamian will lead to
“the restoration of constitutional order.”

“We will act in a united front for regime change and popular
salvation from this deplorable situation,” Geghamian said,
campaigning in the central Aragatsotn province on March 26.

The authorities, meanwhile, are expected to tighten security around
the two government buildings. Marshal Baghramian Avenue, one of
Yerevan’s main thoroughfares leading to them, was repeatedly blocked
with hundreds of riot police and interior troops armed with rubber
truncheons, tear gas grenades and water cannon during the 2003
election protests. The show of force contrasted sharply with a thin
row of riot police outside the parliament building in Tbilisi that
was easily overrun by scores of opposition supporters during the
November Rose Revolution.

This contrast highlighted Armenia’s important difference from
Georgia: the existence of a powerful and well-organized security
apparatus feared by the population. It might explain why the Armenian
opposition did not try to storm government buildings in the wake of
the presidential ballot controversially won by Kocharian. Yet,
opposition leaders were clearly buoyed by the success of the Georgian
revolt and, as local observers believe, might not be as restrained
this time around. “The outcome of the confrontation is unpredictable
because it is impossible to predict the behavior of security
structures and various government factions in a crisis situation,”
commented the Yerevan newspaper “Iravunk.”

Those structures underwent sweeping personnel changes earlier in
March. Kocharian replaced Armenia’s prosecutor-general, Aram
Tamazian, with one of his most loyal law-enforcement officials,
Aghvan Hovsepian. The president also sacked most of the district
prosecutors in Yerevan, and made over a dozen new appointments in the
leadership of the Armenian police. The official motive for the
reshuffle was to improve the law-enforcement bodies’ ability to fight
against corruption and protect the rule of law. However, political
observers believe the reshuffle is linked to the brewing political
battle.

To counter recent opposition maneuvering, Kocharian’s administration
undertook its own public relations campaign, with ministers
dispatched to economically depressed rural areas of the country to
hear local residents’ myriad complaints, and “present” government
policies to them. The government accuses the opposition of exploiting
the economic hardship endured by many Armenians for political
purposes. Some Armenian observers say the government’s charm
offensive did little to shore up its popular support. The reception
given to high-level officials in most regions was at best lukewarm.

Popular discontent over the lack of economic opportunity, coupled
with the continuing fallout from the troubled elections, has the
potential to fuel instability. “My vote was stolen and I still feel
offended,” said Hovannes Mejlumian, an opposition supporter in
Gyumri. “The authorities’ track record shows that there is nothing
good they can do.”

Garegin Jambazian, a retired army officer, sounded more bullish: “I
am in a state of full combat readiness. I am ready to fight against
them to death.”

Editor’s Note: Emil Danielyan is a Yerevan-based journalist and
political analyst.

RULING COALITION REPS. CONDEMN SKIRMISH BETWEEN PRO-GOVERNMENTAL FORCES AND
OPPOSITIONISTS IN GYUMRI

YEREVAN, MARCH 29. ARMINFO. Representatives of the ruling political
coalition in Armenia condemned yesterday’s skirmish between the supporters
of the opposition and the authorities in the course of the rally organzied
by the Justice bloc in Gyumri.

He said the RPA faction Galust Sahakyan considered inadmissible the attempts
of the law-enforcement bodies to break the opposition rally. In his turn,
Vice Speaker of the Armenian PArliament, the member of the Bureau of ARFD
Vahan Hovhannissyan condemned the acts by the opposition in respect to the
government supporters who gathered in the course of the rally with posters
supporting the country’s leadership. He said that it is inadmissible to push
the people down the tribune only because they do not share the opposition’s
views. The member of the Board of “Orinats Yerkir” party Mher Shahgeldyan
said that the incident is a result of the recent agressive statements by the
opposition which created tension in the country.

Secretary of the Justice bloc Victor Dallakyan is sure that the incident is
an evidence of the authorities’ panic. He said that the incident will not
stop the opposition and on April 9 it will organize a regular rally in
Malatia community. As regards the “all national rally,” Dallakyan said the
opposition will inform the Municipality of its date and place. He said that
the “all national rally” will take place even in case of a rejection by the
Municipality, as the Constitution says that holding mass actions is the
constitutional right of the Armenian citizens.

Georgian president’s envoy promises solution to Armenians’ problems

Arminfo, Yerevan
26 Mar 04

AKHALTSIKHE

The plenipotentiary of the Georgian president in the [predominantly
Armenian] Samtskhe-Javakheti Region of Georgia, Nikoloz
Nikolozashvili, has met representatives of voluntary organizations
from the Akhaltsikhe area.

At the beginning of the meeting the representatives of the voluntary
organizations underlined the need to attract professionals of Armenian
descent to the creation of a political cadre, to the repair of roads
to ethnic Armenian villages, and also to the allotment of grants by
international structures to Armenian organizations, Arminfo
informed. Nikoloz Nikolozashvili promised to do his utmost to find a
solution to the problems raised.

CENN – MARCH 24, 2004 DAILY DIGEST
Table of Content:
1. Association Green Alternative
2. Two Construction Companies To Work on Georgian Site of Oil Pipeline
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan
3. Baku -Supsa Pipeline Turns 5
4. YBC Concerned Over Possible Spread of Phylloxera in Ararat Valley
5. Uprooted and Ruined: Greed crisis does more damage than energy crisis
to Yerevan ‘s `green belt’
6. UNDP Launches Kazakhstan InfoBase

1. ASSOCIATION GREEN ALTERNATIVE
STATEMENT

March 22, 2003 — Green Alternative lost the court case in the Appeal
(Regional) Court against the Ministry of Environment of Georgia and the
BTC Co.

Last year Green Alternative filed a lawsuit against the Ministry of
Environment and the BTC Co claiming that constitutional rights of
Georgian citizens, as well as rights determined by the Aarhus
Convention, which provide for proper access to information and
meaningful participation in the decision-making process were violated
when the decision was taken by the Georgian Government to grant
environmental permit for the construction of the Georgian section of the
BTC pipeline.

In the opening speech BTC Co representative stated that Green
Alternative has no `moral right’ to feel abused and bring any
allegations, since Green Alternative was one of the most active NGOs
participating in the process and it is not fair to bring such
allegations against one of the most prominent, environmentally friendly
company with high corporate ethics. The `strongest’ argument against the
GA’s claim was that cancellation of the environmental permit would harm
the national interests of Georgia. BTC Co representative also declared
that BTC Co took all the necessary measures to ensure proper access to
information and the public participation, met all its obligations and
even more, met the obligations of the Ministry of Environment of
Georgia. He argued that the most important is the fact that the
obligations are met, it does not matter who was responsible to meet
them.

During hearing the representative of the Ministry of Environment could
not refused the fact that the ministry did not follow the requirements
of the Georgian law. He admitted that the ministry did not make any
public announcement and hold public meeting before taking decision to
grant environmental permit, as the law required it. However, this
statement was not taken into account by the judges. The fact that the
judges were biased became more obvious when they gave `interpretation’
of the articles of the Georgian Constitution and the Aarhus Convention
stating, that it does not matter when you (GA) got the information,
before or after the decision was taken. The only thing that a matter is
that at the end you (GA) got it.

The court took the decision on dismissal of Green Alternative’s
complaint substantiating its decision by the argument that the rights of
Green Alternative were not violated, since Green Alternative actively
participated in the process and was provided with all necessary
information.

Green Alternative keeps right to apply to the Supreme Court of Georgia
as well as to the Aarhus Convention compliance mechanism.

For contacts:

Manana Kochladze
Nino Gujaraidze

Visiting address: Rustaveli avenue. 1. Entrance I. Floor 4
Mailing address: Chavchavadze 62, Tbilisi, Georgia, 380062
Tel: 99532 93 24 03, 99 04 72
Fax: 22 38 74
E-mail: [email protected]

2. TWO CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES TO WORK ON GEORGIAN SITE OF OIL PIPELINE
BAKU-TBILISI-CEYHAN

In a few days Indian company Ponch Lloud will join construction works
conducted by the French Spie-Capag Petrofac, according to the
information providede by BP, company-operator of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan
oil pipeline construction project. Presumably, the company will work on
the Tsalka (the Kvemo Kartli region) and Akhaltsikhe districts (the
Samtskhe-Javakheti region).
Sarke, March 23, 2004

3. BAKU-SUPSA PIPELINE TURNS 5

The 833-km western export pipeline Baku-Supsa beginning from the Baku
terminal Sangachal and ending at the Supsa terminal of the Black Sea
coast of Georgia consists of six pumping and two pressure stations.

The first oil was pumped into the pipe on December 10, 1998 and it
reached the destination on March 11, 1999. The first tanker was
dispatched from Supsa in late March.

Since launching, the personnel has not made any mistakes and missed a
working day.

Hitherto, 200 million barrels of crude have been exported through the
pipeline whose throughput runs out at 200 million barrels a day. In
total, 216 tankers were sent to world markets including 32 tankers with
profitable oil of Azerbaijan. The personnel consist of Azerbaijani and
Georgian citizens. They safely ensured the shipping of Caspian oil to
world markets, vice-president of BP-Azerbaijan on Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli
operations Nil McKlieri.
AzerTag, March 23, 2004

4. YBC CONCERNED OVER POSSIBLE SPREAD OF PHYLLOXERA IN ARARAT VALLEY

The Yerevan Brandy Company (YBC) is concerned over possible spread of
phylloxera in vines of the Ararat valley.

According to the YBC managers, who share the concern expressed by
Professor P. K. Aivazyan of the Armenian Academy of Agriculture, the use
of trellises poses a serious risk of the spread of phylloxera, so it can
endanger the vines of the Ararat valley and, therefore, the production
of Armenian brandy.

The YBC managers believe that the sale of trellises imported from
phylloxera-struck regions must be immediately stopped. The YBC considers
important urgent measures to restrict the area where the trellises have
been sold and quarantine it. The YBC is carrying out explanatory work
among the vine-growers of the Ararat valley.
ARMINFO, March 22, 2004

5. UPROOTED AND RUINED: GREED CRISIS DOES MORE DAMAGE THAN ENERGY CRISIS
TO YEREVAN ‘S `GREEN BELT’

The dramatic proliferation of street cafes in recent years has inflicted
twice as much damage on Yerevan ‘s green belt as the severe energy
crisis of the early 1990s that had forced many residents to cut trees
for heating purposes, according to environmentalists.

The Social-Ecological Association, a local non-governmental
organization, estimates that more than 700 hectares of green areas have
been lost in the construction boom. The trees chopped down a decade ago
covered only 300 hectares of land.

The head of the association, Srbuhi Harutiunyan, stated that the total
area of the capital’s greenery has shrunk from 570 hectares to 507
hectares over the past year alone. `That has mainly been due to
construction carried out in parks and other green areas’.

Yerevan ‘s former presidentially appointed mayor, Robert Nazaryan,
effectively admitted shortly after his sacking last October that he was
often ordered to make land allocations by more powerful officials. He
also said that almost all caf? owners flouted their license terms by
grabbing more land that was rented to them and constructing illegal
premises on it.

The authorities have not made public the amount of revenues the city
gets from the mushrooming eateries. The current mayor, Yervand
Zakharyan, suspects that the municipality is being cheated by the
businesses. Zakharyan, according to his deputy Kamo Areyan, has issued
subordinates with a `

Some NGOs claim that Narek Sargsyan, the municipality’s chief architect
who has kept his job under three different mayors, is key to the land
grab. `He ensures the continuity of the process,’ said Gohar Oganezova
of the Armenian Botanical Society.

Oganezova also complained that relevant government officials usually
blame the problem on their predecessors or other government agencies.
Environment Minister Vartan Ayvazyan appeared to do just that on march
23, 2004 when he claimed to lack the authority to curb the destruction
of trees in Yerevan. `Protecting tress in the city is the municipality’s
job,’ stated Gohar Oganezova.

Environment Minister Vartan Ayvazyan also stated bluntly that his
ministry is often reluctant to bring offenders to book because it does
not want to hinder Armenia ‘s ongoing construction boom.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

6. UNDP LAUNCHES KAZAKHSTAN INFOBASE

UNDP Kazakhstan has launched Kazakhstan InfoBase, an online database of
expanded MDG indicators, which provides an integrated overview of human
development in Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan InfoBase was elaborated in cooperation with other donor
agencies to provide free and easy access to statistical data for the
wider community in and outside the country.

Kazakhstan InfoBase is analyzed and sorted by seven thematic areas and
presents data in tables and illustrative charts. Most of indicators are
accompanied with a definition and calculation methodology. The database
is searchable by keywords, contains a glossary and a list of sources
used, both national and international.

We hope that Kazakhstan InfoBase will prove useful and serve for the
benefit of the people of Kazakhstan and a wider international community.

Alma Nurshaikhova
Development Coordination Assistant
UNDP Kazakhstan

—
*******************************************
CENN INFO
Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN)

Tel: ++995 32 92 39 46
Fax: ++995 32 92 39 47
E-mail: [email protected]
URL: