Author: Tatoyan Vazgen

ERDOGAN CALLS ON TURKS TO EMBRACE DISSIDENT NOBEL WINNER

Anatolian Times, Turkey
Oct 18 2006

ANKARA – Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on his
compatriots to wholeheartedly embrace 2006 Nobel literature laureate
Orhan Pamuk and "put aside" the controversies he has stirred up in
the past, in remarks published Monday.

"Let’s put aside the polemics. The prize is a first for a son of Turkey
and it will be wrong for us to underestimate it," Erdogan said in a
television interview to be aired late Monday, excerpts of which were
published in the best-selling newspaper Hurriyet.

"We must congratulate him," he said. "It would be wrong to mix what
Pamuk has said in the past and the fact that he has won this award."

The 54-year-old Pamuk, who has long had bad blood with the state,
landed himself in court on charges of "insulting Turkishness" and won
the reputation of a "traitor" among nationalist circles when he told
a Swiss magazine last year that "one million Armenians and 30,000
Kurds were killed in these lands."

His remarks were widely seen as an acknowledgement that the Ottoman
Turks committed genocide against Armenians during World War I,
a label that Ankara fiercely rejects.

Ironically, Thursday’s announcement of his Nobel prize came shortly
after the lower house of the French parliament voted a bill that
would make it a crime to deny that the killings were genocide,
infuriating Ankara.

The celebration of Pamuk’s award at home was overshadowed by skeptics
who argued that the author won the favors of the West not for his
literary skills but for his vocal criticism of his country

The divisions plagued even the highest state echelons: while Erdogan
personally called Pamuk, currently in New York, to congratulate him,
President Ahmet Necdet has remained mum, contrary to his tradition
of issuing congratulations to international achievements by Turks.

On Friday, Pamuk joined the chorus of criticism of the French bill,
saying that it flouted France’s "tradition of liberal and critical
thinking."

The court case against Pamuk, in which he risked up to three years
in jail, was dropped on a technicality in January.

The writer first drew the ire of the state in the mid-1990s when he
denounced heavy-handed policies against the Kurdish minority.

The state extended an olive branch in 1998, offering him the accolade
of "State Artist," but Pamuk declined.

GUL COMPLAINS TO EU TROYKA ABOUT FRANCE

Sabah, Turkey
Oct 17 2006

In the EU-Turkey Troyka meeting, Gul reminded that France has approved
the bill of Armenian genocide denial and said: "EU members retreated
from the fundamental freedoms, which caused distress."

In the EU-Turkey Troyka meeting held in Luxemburg, the representative
of Turkey, the minister of foreign affairs Abdullah Gul communicated
the disappointment and reactions in the Turkish public caused by the
Armenian genocide denial bill approved by the French parliament. The
minister of foreign affairs said that while Turkey is taking step
forward to the fundamental freedoms, EU members retreated from the
fundamental freedoms, which caused distress."

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT GIVES HIGH MARK TO COOPERATION WITH WB

Arka News Agency, Armenia
Oct 18 2006

YEREVAN, October 18. /ARKA/. Armenian President Robert Kocharyan
made a high appraisal of Armenia’s cooperation with the World Bank
in developing the country’s economy.

Many years of cooperation with the WB have produced good results in
the development of Armenia’s economy, President Kocharyan stated at
his meeting with Director of the WB Yerevan office Roger Robinson,
who is completing his mission in Armenia.

Kocharyan stressed structural reforms in the state government system,
infrastructure development, poverty reduction programs as important
factors in ensuring the country’s progress.

In his turn, Robinson pointed out positive changes in Armenia and
the WB’s contribution to this process.

During the meeting President Robert Kocharyan wished Rogert Robinson
success in his further activities, expressing the confidence that
they will be as effective as in Armenia.

NKR MFA PRESS SERVICE INFORMS

Azat Artsakh, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh
Oct 17 2006

In the morning of October 5 the OSCE mission including NKR experts
started the monitoring of the area adjacent to the front line
between the armed forces of Azerbaijan and NKR. They started the
monitoring on the Azerbaijani side. Earlier the NKR government had
insisted on postponing the monitoring to include representatives
of NKR in the mission, and sent a note to the OSCE. "We are sorry
that the OSCE did not provide necessary conditions to include NKR
representatives in the OSCE mission set up to study the environment in
the areas which suffered from fires. However, this does not exclude
the possibility of including Karabakh experts in the OSCE mission,
therefore the mission was postponed to include NKR representatives,"
stated NKR Foreign Minister Georgy Petrossian in answer to the
question of news reporters on the action of official Stepanakert
connected with the visit of the OSCE experts. Georgy Petrossian
also informed that the NKR foreign ministry sent a note to the OSCE
stating clearly the stance of the government of the republic on the
participation of experts from Karabakh. "Part of the territories to
be monitored is under the jurisdiction of NKR, which is sufficient
reason for our participation in the mentoring on the opposite side,"
emphasized the minister. According to the reliable information that
the NKR authorities possess, a dramatic situation has occurred in
the Karabakh territories occupied by Azerbaijan: the forests in the
region of Shahumian are destroyed, the ecological balance of the east
of Martakert was broken, where the structure of land and microflora
were damaged.

Press Release
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Father Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version:

DURI NG A MEETING IN ANTELIAS

BISHOP HUBERT EXPRESSES SUPPORT FOR THE ARMENIAN CAUSE AND ARAM I
DEMANDS MORE FROM GERMANY IN THIS RESPECT

The president of the EKD Council Bishop Wolfgang Hubert expressed his
support for the Armenian Cause following a meeting with the Catholicos of
Cilicia, His Holiness Aram I, in Antelias on October 14. The Bishop visited
Antelias with an official delegation representing the German Churches and
the Ambassador of Germany to Lebanon, Dr. Marius Haas.

His Holiness and the Bishop, two long-time friends, made the focus of their
discussions the recognition of the Armenian Genocide and in that context,
the issue of Turkey’s membership in the European Union.

The two spiritual leaders also discussed various issues including the
importance of Christian-Muslim dialogue in a new world situation as well as
the necessity of strengthening Christianity in the Middle East.

On the Lebanese front, Bishop Hubert talked about his impressions from his
meeting with Prime Minister Fouad Siniora the same day.

The Bishop considered his third visit to Antelias to be historical during a
luncheon organized after the meeting in his honor. Bishop Kegham
Khatcherian, Primate of the Diocese of Lebanon, members of the Cilician
Brotherhood, ministers and Members of Parliament, representatives of
Armenian political parties and organizations and members of ecumenical
committee attended the luncheon.

After welcoming his guests, the His Holiness Aram I commended the brave
position adopted by the German churches in recognizing the Armenian
Genocide. Addressing Bishop Hubert and the German Ambassador, however, His
Holiness stressed that the Armenian nation demands more from Germany as a
defender of human rights.

The Pontiff presented to the German Bishop a copy of "Voices from Germany",
a German book grouping the statements of about 50 German theologians,
politicians, intellectuals, Genocide scholars and human rights activists.
The book was published in Antelias on the occasion of the 90th anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide.

Speaking about the pursuit of the Armenian Cause, the German Spiritual
leader assured that he feels with the Armenians their pain and their
timeless pursuit of justice.

The Bishop also talked about the strong leadership and the great
contribution that His Holiness Aram I brought to the global ecumenical
movement and to the World Council of Churches in particular. "In the field
of ecumenical affairs, one should go thirty years back to trace the start of
our friendship. His Holiness Aram I’s seriousness towards the movement and
its mission is worthy of praise," he said.

Following an exchange of gifts between the two spiritual leaders, the German
delegation visited the Memorial of the Armenian Genocide in the
Catholicosate, where Bishop Hubert prayed for the souls of the one and a
half million victims of the Armenian Genocide.

The meeting also provided an opportunity to look into new prospects for
cooperation between the Armenian and German nations, as well as with the
Armenian and German protestant churches.

##
View photos here:

*****

The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Ecumenical
activities of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.

SOLDIER WOUNDED BY AZERI SNIPER DIED IN YEREVAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
18.10.2006 14:07 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian soldier Alexander Papakhchayan wounded by
an Azeri sniper died in the Erebuni medical center in Yerevan October
16. As RA Defense Minister’s Spokesman, colonel Seyran Shahsuvaryan
told PanARMENIAN.Net, 19-year-old Alexander Papakhchayan was wounded
in the chest.

Investigation is being carried out.

COURT REJECTS PARTY’S CLAIM AGAINST POLICE

Panorama.am
15:07 17/10/06

District court of Yerevan rejected today the claim of New Times
Party Chairman Aram Karapetyan against the Armenian police. Karapetyan
claimed that the police have violated the Law on Freedom of Information
by refusing to supply with requested information.

Armenian police posted information in its web site on May 2, 2005
saying 8 out of 21 interviewed people close to New Times Party and its
chairman Aram Karapetyan have criminal records. The police interviewed
the mentioned people in relation to a clash during a demonstration
organized by New Times Party in Sevan.

Hayots Ashkhar (Armenian World) newspaper cited this information
in its September 8, 2006 issue saying the real criminals are around
Aram Karapetyan. The newspaper said that in relation to Karapetyan"s
recent statements as part of anti-criminal initiative.

So, Karapetyan applied to the Armenian police requiring to name the
persons who have criminal records and are in his close team. New Times
Party says that the police information posted in the mentioned site
is inaccurate as only 3 not 8 people involved in the demonstration
have criminal records.

The court rejected Aram Karapetyan’s claim based on point 2, item
1 of article 8 of the Freedom of Information Law which prohibits to
unveil information on somebody’s private life.

New Times Party says they will check the supporting argument and if
it is true each member of New Times Party will require information
about himself/herself.

The party also says they reacted to the police information so late
because their site has not affect on public opinion whereas the
newspaper does. The party also believes that the pro-government
newspaper, Hayots Ashkhar, deliberately discredits Aram Karapetyan
because of his affiliation to anti-criminal movement.

SUGGESTIONS FROM CHP LEADER BAYKAL

Sabah, Turkey
Oct 17 2006

CHP (People’s Republican Party) Leader Deniz Baykal has listed four
things to do against France’s Armenian genocide bill which was approved
by the French parliament last week.

Stating that Turkey should fight this problem with an effective legal
process, Baykal said: "We should apply to the European Court of Human
Rights in order to suspend France’s European Commission membership.

We have to apply to European Union Court of Justice and make a
sanction demand by stating what France had done was against EU Acquis
Communitaire. We have to ask Turkish citizens who either live in
France or visit that country to violate this law and keep this issue
on the agenda at all times. Also we have to rearrange our economical
relations and tenders with France according to this problem."

WORLD – EU ATTACKS ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BILL

Morning Star
October 14, 2006 Saturday

The European Union lashed out on Friday at a French Bill that would
make it a crime to deny that the World War I killings of Armenians
in Turkey were genocide.

The EU described the French legislation as counter-productive at a
critical stage in Turkey’s accession talks.

"We don’t think that this decision at this moment is helpful in the
context of the European Union’s relations with Turkey," European
Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso said.

"This is not the best way to contribute to something we think is
important."

On Thursday, French deputies voted by 106 to 19 to approve a Bill that
would make it a crime to deny that the mass killings of Armenians by
Ottoman Turks around the time of World War I was genocide.

The Bill still needs to be approved by the French Senate and President
Jacques Chirac before it can become law.

Turkey denounced the French National Assembly’s decision, warning
that it would harm bilateral relations.

EU enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn said that the Bill, "instead
of opening up the debate, would rather close it down and thus have
a negative impact.

"We don’t achieve real dialogue and real reconciliation by ultimatums,
but by dialogue. Therefore, this law is counter-productive," Mr
Rehn said.

He also complained that it was badly timed, saying: "The real issue
now is to avoid a train crash because of a slowing-down of the
reform process" in Turkey "and because of Turkey not yet meeting its
obligations" in EU entry requirements.

Mr Barroso said that "the very sensitive issue" of Armenia should be
addressed by "Turkish society itself.

"Frankly, we don’t think it is helpful that another parliament outside
takes a legislative action on a matter of historical interpretation
and analysis," he said.

France already recognises the 1915-19 killings of up to 1.5 million
Armenians as genocide.

Under Thursday’s Bill, those who contest that it was genocide would
risk up to a year in prison and fines of up to 45,000 euros (£30,150).

The Turkish Consumers Union announced a limited boycott of French
goods on Friday in retaliation for the French legislation.

The group said that the boycott would begin with French oil products
company Total, adding that it would name a new French company for
Turks to boycott each week.

"By adopting the Bill on making denial of the so-called Armenian
genocide a crime, the French National Assembly expressed its opposition
to freedom of thought," group chairman Bulent Deniz said.

He vowed that the boycott would continue until the law was defeated
or annulled.

–Boundary_(ID_S71IF48YW43f/V8BLCfCTw)- –

US AMBASSADOR TO AZERBAIJAN HOSTS IFTAR

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Oct 14 2006

US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mrs. Anne Derse hosted iftar in her
residence, on October 13. She invited the religious figures and heads
of the diplomatic corps.

Mrs. Derse said that Ramadan is the holiest month for the hundred
millions of world Moslems, including US ones. The governments and
religious communities should join efforts to combat with the forces
trying to violate stability and turn civilizations against one another,
Ambassador said.

Mrs. Derse stated that there were many Moslem organizations in the
United States, and the US government highly respects their opinion.

Azerbaijan is an example of ethnic and religious tolerance just like
the United States. Over the ages, Moslems, Christians and Jews live
side by side here in tranquility. Azerbaijan as an active member of
the Organization for Islamic Conference (OIC) advocates peace and
stability in the region.

Head of Caucasus Moslems Clerical Office Sheykh-ul-Islam Haji
Allahshukur Pashazade, in his turn, noted that Azerbaijan has a great
prestige both in the Moslem world and Europe. It once again testifies
the tolerance of our nation. I’d like the holy month to become a month
of armistice for the world Moslems, and stop the war and terrorism.

Sheykh said that Azerbaijani society wants the United States to become
more active in the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh conflict
resolution efforts.

Haji Allahshukur Pashazade condemned those, who use the religion to
kill the people, commit terror acts and try to break the dialogue
between the civilizations. He stressed that humiliation of Islamic
values in some countries may pose a threat. He also criticized the
bill adopted October 12 in the French parliament making a crime the
statements denying so called "Armenian Genocide", which may bring to
the grave consequences.