Author: Tambiyan Samvel

Azerbaijan’s breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh enclave holds parliamentary elections

AP Worldstream; Jun 19, 2005

The Armenian-controlled enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh held parliamentary
elections on Sunday, with the ruling party and an opposition group
expected to win the most seats.

Candidates and parties are contesting 33 seats in the legislature of
the region, which has been in the hands of ethnic Armenians since a
war against Azerbaijani forces ended with a 1994 cease-fire.

No political settlement has been reached despite international efforts,
and the threat of a new armed conflict persists.

Observers believe the ruling Democratic Party of Artsakh and the
Dashnaktsutyun-Movement 88 bloc have the best chances in the election.

The bloc says the enclave’s leadership is not tough enough on asserting
its self-proclaimed independence and claims it is too willing to
consider ceding Azerbaijani territory it controls outside the borders
of the region.

Azerbaijan News Service
June 17 2005

MILLI MAJLIS ADDRESSED TO PACE
2005-06-17 15:19

Milli Majlis began its session with address to Parliamentary Assembly
of Council of Europe. Deputies stated international community and
Council of Europe should be indifferent to Daqliq Qarabaq’s being
controlled by separatist powers and to attempts of the separatists
to hold parliamentary elections in Daqliq Qarabaq on June 19.
Parliamentarians proposed to address such appeals to parliaments
of states that are going to send election observation missions to
Azerbaijan. There appeared differences among the parliamentarians
during discussion of Electoral Code. While deputies from opposition
demanded to make changes in staffs of election commissions, others
didn’t consider it reasonable.

Turkish prime minister criticizes German chancellor for Armenia resolution

AP Worldstream; Jun 17, 2005

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized German Chancellor
Gerhard Schroeder for failing to curb a parliament resolution calling
on Turkey to re-examine its role in the deaths of 1 million Armenians.

“He should have made his position clear, he should have been able
to influence lawmakers, and parliamentarians should have made their
reservations clear,” Erdogan said late Thursday. “I wonder if he
tried and was not successful.”

Erdogan said he found the decision, “without discussing the issue
and without negotiations, very wrong. More than wrong, I also find
it ugly.”

“I like politics that has a backbone,” he added.

Erdogan spoke at Istanbul’s airport upon returning from a summit
in Lebanon, where the accusations of genocide against Armenians
also played heavily. Lebanese Armenians protested the Turkish prime
minister’s visit, burning Turkish flags in Beirut.

Erdogan suggested that Schroeder had in the past supported Turkey’s
position.

“His position was directly opposite” to the parliament’s decision,
Erdogan said, adding that the decision was “wrong from the point of
view of political ethics.”

Erdogan also said Turkey had opened up its archives for researchers
to study the Ottoman-era killings, but said no one had taken up the
offer to examine them.

“History will put them to shame, the future will put them to shame,”
he said.

Many Armenians have said that the Ottoman archives have been purged
of necessary documents and have rejected Erdogan’s offer.

German lawmakers on Thursday adopted a resolution asking the government
to press Turkey to investigate the “organized expulsion and destruction
of the Armenians” and foster reconciliation.

Armenia accuses Turkey of genocide in the killings as part of a
1915-23 campaign to force Armenians out of eastern Anatolia.

Turkey denies that the killings were genocide, and says the death
count is inflated and that Armenians were killed or displaced along
with others as the Ottoman Empire tried to quell civil unrest.

The speaker of the Turkish parliament, Bulent Arinc, said Friday he was
composing a letter to his German counterpart to condemn the decision,
the Anatolia news agency reported.

In the Turkish capital, Ankara, about 150 members of a Turkish trade
union on Friday protested the German parliament’s decision, shouting:
“Fascist Germany,” “Racist Germany” and “Germany, don’t test our
patience.”

The protesters, members of a civil servants union, scuffled with police
for about 10 minutes outside the German Embassy after a plainclothes
policeman removed and broke a black wreath the protesters had left
at the embassy gate.

They dispersed peacefully after the wreath was returned to the gate.

CARS TO THE HOSPITAL

A1plus

| 14:00:50 | 17-06-2005 | Social |

The Georgian Health Ministry has allotted 2 Ambulance cars to the
Akhalqalaq regional hospital. At the same time the Ministry has
ordered to make the Ambulance service free of charge. The salary
of the workers of this service will probably be raised so that the
proper work with the population is guaranteed.

According to Alexan Toroyan, director of the Akhalqalaq region
hospital, son the Ambulance service of the hospital will receive
another car from the Health Ministry.

GERMAN PARLIAMENT PASSES ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MOTION

FEAJD.org (Communiqués de presse), Belgium
June 16 2005

Berlin: Just over 90 years after the beginning of the expulsions and
massacres of Armenians in Turkey in April 1915, the Bundestag has
unanimously called for the “sincere reappraisal” of what happened in
the Ottoman Empire. Without a debate, parliament adopted a joint motion
by all parliamentary groups in Berlin on Thursday [16 June], focusing
on the “nearly complete extermination of the Armenians in Anatolia”.

The Bundestag also pointed out the “inglorious role of the German
Reich”, which, in spite of manifold information on the “organized
expulsion and extermination of Armenians did not even try to stop
the atrocities”. Yet the term “genocide” was not used in the actual
motion but only in the pertaining explanation, in which the Social
Democratic Party of Germany, the Christian Democratic Union/Christian
Social Union, the Greens, and the Free Democratic Party point out
that over 1 million Armenians were killed in the deportations and
mass murders, according to calculations by independent experts.
“Numerous independent historians, parliaments, and international
organizations have described the expulsion and the extermination of
the Armenians as genocide,” the explanation reads.

Yet the dimension of the massacres and expulsions continues to be
played down and to be largely denied in Turkey, the four Bundestag
groups criticized in the explanation, stressing: “This Turkish position
conflicts with the idea of reconciliation that guides the community
of values of the EU.” The Bundestag resolution calls on the Federal
Government “to ensure that the Turkish parliament, government, and
society reappraise their role towards the Armenian people in the past
and present without prejudice.”

–Boundary_(ID_Jt+Rkd0lTNKxnmM8C+fA4Q)–

JAVAKHK TO BECOME INDEPENDENT

A1plus

| 13:25:08 | 16-06-2005 | Politics |

In a year Georgia will hold the elections to the local
self-government. The country has already ratified the European Charter
of local self-government with minor reservations, thus the elections
will be held according the new but unadopted law.

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili has formed a special commission
for the elaboration of the project of reformation of the local
self-government system, which is likely to serve as a basis for the
new law. The commission will deal with the decentralization of the
local self-government bodies and formation of budget balances.

To all appearances the project will not touch the
administrative-territorial structure depending on Georgia’s relations
with Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

It is supposed that the southern regions of Georgia mostly inhabited
by Armenians, especially Javakhk will be offered the independence in
settling the local issues referring to the local self-government and
decentralization, A-info reported.

Armenian National Committee of America
888 17th St., NW, Suite 904
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet:

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 16, 2005
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

ANCA LAUNCHES RESPONSE TO ERDOGAN’S WAVE OF GENOCIDE DENIAL

— Seven-Part Action Alert Featured on ANCA Website

WASHINGTON, DC – Activists from across the United States,
throughout Europe, and around the world are streaming to the
Armenian National Committee of America’s (ANCA) website to take
part in a seven-part on-line response to Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s recently unleashed international wave of
genocide denial.

In recent weeks, Erdogan has dramatically raised the stakes in his
government’s campaign to deny the Armenian Genocide, orchestrating
the purchase of major media advertisements, applying intense
pressure on foreign governments, and severely cracking down on
dissidents within Turkey who seek to speak openly about this crime
against humanity. Elements of this wave of denial include:

* Blocking the first-ever Armenian Genocide conference in Turkey,
which was to have taken place in Istanbul this June.

* Spending over $1,000,000 to have Time Magazine include DVDs
denying the Armenian Genocide in all of its editions throughout
Europe, and placing a major genocide denial ad in the Washington
Post.

* Pressing the U.S. government to withdraw the American Foreign
Service Association’s “Constructive Dissent” award to U.S.
Ambassador to Armenia John Evans for speaking the truth about the
Genocide.

* Pressuring President Bush, during their June 8th White House
meeting, to oppose the Armenian Genocide Resolution before
Congress. This legislation (H.Res.316) was introduced on June 14th
by Congressmen George Radanovich (R-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), and
Armenian Caucus Co-Chairmen Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), and Frank
Pallone (D-NJ).

* Twisting arms at the State Department to continue to exclude any
mention of the Armenian Genocide in the Department’s official
website’s section on Armenian history.

* Imposing an effective “gag-rule,” silencing any U.S. protests
over Turkey’s new Penal Code provision (Section 305) outlawing even
the discussion of the Genocide.

“The powerful response to our action alert reflects the seriousness
with which Armenians worldwide are responding to Erdogan’s
escalation of his attacks on the truth, on the memories of genocide
victims, and on the very security of Armenia,” said Aram Hamparian,
Executive Director of the ANCA.

“But he will fail – despite all the millions of dollars and vast
political capital he will expend. He’ll fail – because of the
powerful grassroots response he will face from Armenian Americans;
because of the moral indignation of the American people as they
learn more about how his government’s values stand in stark
contrast to those held by the vast majority of Americans; because
he is finding himself increasingly isolated internationally as he
loses his partners in denial, and – perhaps most importantly –
because his years of hateful lies and deception will collapse under
their own weight,” added Hamparian.

The ANCA website – – features a seven-part array of
action alerts on issues ranging from the Armenian Genocide
Resolution to the Time Magazine (European Edition) DVD
advertisement denying the Armenian Genocide. These web-based
components complement the work of the ANCA’s Washington, DC staff,
regional offices in Los Angeles and New York City, and its network
of more than fifty chapters and tens of thousands of volunteer
activists.

#####

AZG Armenian Daily #109, 15/06/2005

Cooperation

‘WE ARE NEIGHBORS THAT HAVE MANY THINGS IN COMMON’

Education Minister of Iran Visits Armenia

Iranian delegation head by education minister Morteza Haji arrived
in Yerevan on June 13 on a three-day visit. According to the visit
schedule the Iranian delegation will visit schools, universities and
will sign a memorandum on the last day of the stay. The memorandum
will probably specify the frames of cooperation in the sphere of
education, issues of representing the history of both states in history
text-books, retraining of teachers, organization of short-time classes
of Persian and a number of other issues.

Receiving the delegation, Armenian education minister Sergo Yeritsian
emphasized the importance of the meeting. The minister said that the
fact of having Iranian delegation with us on these days (when Iran
is getting ready for presidential elections) evidences that Iran
attaches great importance to relations with Armenia. Mr. Yeritsian
also expressed hope that the memorandum will help outline the future
steps of cooperation.

Iranian minister Morteza Haji assured that whoever elected Iranian
president, he will back this agreement. He believes that the talks
will be a success as we are neighbors that have many things in
common. Besides, “bilateral political and economic relations are in
the heyday and the educational and scientific relations are in the
stage of developing and hopefully they will progress”, Mr. Haji said.

By Gohar Gevorgian

Turkish Press
June 14 2005

Press Scan

MILLIYET

PARTIES MAKE HARSH STATEMENTS AT TURKEY-EU JPC MEETING

The parties made harsh reactions at the 54th meeting of the Turkey-EU
Joint Parliamentary Commission.

The EU wing stated that reforms slowed down in Turkey, criticized
postponement of an Armenian conference and made criticisms that Chief
Negotiator Ali Babacan did not attend the meeting.

The Turkish delegation reacted to such a manner which was described as
“giving lesson”.

Co-President Joost Lagendijk said there were statements that few
progress was recorded in Turkey, noting that, “it seems the momentum
before December 17th has changed. Do you think of maintaining the
reform process?”. As to the Armenian conference, Lagendijk said,
“I was very pleased when I first heard about the conference. I hope
this is not a cancellation but a postponement.”

Schweizerische Depeschenagentur AG (SDA)
SDA – Servizio di base in Italiano
June 13, 2005

Svizzera-Turchia: parlamentari Ankara in visita per cinque giorni

BERNA, 13 giu

La commissione di politica estera del parlamento turco e giunta in
Svizzera per una visita di cinque giorni. Oggi, la mezza dozzina di
deputati avra colloqui con i rappresentanti dell’omonina commissione
degli Stati, indica una nota del suo segretariato. In programma per
domani incontri con i presidenti dei due rami del parlamento elvetico
e con i consiglieri federali Micheline Calmy-Rey e Joseph Deiss. La
spinosa questione del genocidio armeno e fra i possibili argomenti di
discussione.

La questione del genocidio armeno – che si stima abbia causato un
numero di morti da 200’000 a 2’000’000 – e ormai da anni un ostacolo
alle relazioni fra Berna e Ankara.

L’ultimo episodio risale al 10 giugno scorso. La stampa turca aveva
pubblicato una notizia secondo cui l’annullamento della visita di
Deiss ad Ankara per settembre e quella del ministro del commercio
turco Kuersad Tuezmen ad un forum del 22-24 giugno a Zurigo era da
ricondurre all’apertura – da parte della procura di Winterthur (ZH) –
di un procedimento contro lo storico Yusuf Halacoglu. Quest’ultimo,
durante una conferenza del maggio 2004, avrebbe minimizzato gli
avvenimenti del 1915, violando in tal modo la norma federale
anti-razzismo.

Lo storico e fra i piu importanti sostenitori della tesi che nel 1915
non ci fu genocidio, ma solo deportazioni in seguito alla ribellione
degli armeni, e che i decessi furono causati dalla difficile
situazione alimentare dettata dalla guerra.

In Svizzera il genocidio armeno e stato riconosciuto dal Consiglio
nazionale, ma non dal Consiglio degli Stati ne dal Consiglio
federale. A livello cantonale, il genocidio e stato riconosciuto dai
Gran Consigli di Vaud e Ginevra, nonche dall’esecutivo di
quest’ultimo cantone.

La delegazione turca vedra la presidente del Nazionale Therese Meyer.
La prima cittadina elvetica rappresenta quell’istituzione che ha
riconosciuto il genocidio armeno. Non e improbabile che l’argomento
venga affrontato in questa occasione.

Con la loro presenza in Svizzera, i parlamentari turchi
contraccambiano la visita dei loro colleghi elvetici recatisi ad
Ankara lo scorso settembre. Al termine di quel soggiorno, Peter
Briner (PLR/SH) aveva giudicato molto buone le relazioni tra i due
Paesi.