Austria Claims ‘Double Standards’ On Turkish Talks

AUSTRIA CLAIMS ‘DOUBLE STANDARDS’ ON TURKISH TALKS
By Haig Simonian in Vienna, Daniel Dombey in Brussels and Raphael, Minder in Strasbourg

Financial Times, UK
Sept 29 2005

Wolfgang Schussel, Austria’s chancellor, yesterday sent an
uncompromising message on Turkey’s bid to join the European Union,
increasing the likelihood that talks will only begin if the EU also
moves towards starting negotiations with Croatia.

Some western diplomats warn that such a deal, in which Turkey would
begin its membership talks on time next Monday and Croatia would
follow soon after, could hurt efforts to track down war criminals in
the former Yugoslavia.

In an interview with the FT, Mr Schussel called for the EU to abandon
the idea that the talks with Turkey should be exclusively aimed
at membership.

He also denounced the EU’s “double standards” over Croatia, whose
membership bid is stalled because of a dispute over Ante Gotovina, an
alleged war criminal. “We need an alternative that would ensure that
Turkey would remain bonded as strongly as possible to the EU,” he said.

“If we trust Turkey to make further progress we should trust Croatia
too . .. It is in Europe’s interest to start negotiations with Croatia
immediately.”

Austria denies it is linking the cases of Turkey and Croatia in
any way.

However, EU diplomats now believe a deal on Turkey will only be
possible if the EU moves closer to starting talks with Croatia.

Most EU governments say Vienna’s demands on Turkey – particularly its
call to delete a reference to EU accession as the goal of the talks –
are unacceptable. But Austria, like all EU states, needs to give its
assent if talks are to begin.

The dispute is expected to go to an emergency meeting of foreign
ministers on Sunday night, hours before the scheduled start of talks.

Diplomats say such a high-profile meeting could make it impossible
for Austria to give up its position on Turkey without gaining ground
on Croatia, with which it has cultivated close relations.

“It is not fair to leave Croatia in an eternal waiting room,” said
Mr Schussel. “I don’t understand the logic.”

Carla del Ponte, chief prosecutor at the International Criminal
Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, has recently indicated that
Croatia has stepped up its efforts against Mr Gotovina.

But some western officials argue that beginning talks with Croatia
while Mr Gotovina is at large will set a bad precedent for efforts
to track down Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, the Bosnian Serb
indicted war criminals.

* Concerns about Ankara’s bid to join the EU were underlined yesterday
by a non-binding resolution on Turkey approved by the European
parliament. In a move likely to increase resentment in Ankara,
MEPs urged Turkey to recognise that the killing of Armenians in 1915
amounted to genocide. MEPs also delayed approval of a customs union
agreement between Turkey and the EU, in an attempt to increase pressure
on Turkey to normalise political and economic ties with Cyprus.

NATO’s position on Armenian-Azeri conflict remains unchanged

NATO’s position on Armenian-Azeri conflict remains unchanged

Arminfo, Yerevan, in Russian
27 Sep 05

YEREVAN

NATO’s position on the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict remains unchanged,
the special representative of the NATO secretary-general in the South
Caucasus and Central Asia, Robert Simmons, has told our correspondent.

He said that NATO does not support any of the conflicting sides and
does not aim to mediate the settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict. “We consider that the issue of settling the Nagornyy
Karabakh conflict falls under the jurisdiction of international
organizations and a solution to the issue can be achieved only in the
process of negotiations,” Simmons pointed out.

Speaking about the problems of the simultaneous joint participation
of Armenian and Azerbaijani servicemen in the Partnership for Peace
programme, the special representative pointed out that NATO’s
position also remains unchanged here. “Indeed, the simultaneous
participation of representatives from Armenia and Azerbaijan in NATO
exercises has created some problems. However, there are many other
exercises within the framework of the Partnership for Peace
programme, where the participation of the two countries’
representatives has not caused any problems,” Simmons pointed out,
adding that at the same time, NATO strongly supports the principle
that all Partnership for Peace exercises and programmes should be
accessible to all of its member countries which desire to take part
in them.

“We will continue defending this principle in all future exercises
conducted within the framework of the programme,” the NATO special
representative said in conclusion.

The Referring Issues About Armenian-American Economic CooperationDis

THE ISSUES REFERRING TO ARMENIAN – AMERICAN ECONOMIC COOPERATION DISCUSSED IN THE US

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
Sept 28 2005

A wide spectrum of Armenian – American economic cooperation was
discussed in the course of the recurrent meeting of Armenian – American
intergovernmental working group on economic issues (US-Armenia Task
Force) that took place in Washington on September 26.

According to the information De Facto got at the RA MFA pres service,
the meeting’s participants discussed democratic amendments in Armenia,
economic policy and long – term development of the country, the issues
referring to development of energetic system and infrastructures,
as well as a number of other issues.

Turkey rejects EU pressure on killings

Turkey rejects EU pressure on killings
Aljazeera.Net

Thursday 29 September 2005, 0:17 Makka Time, 21:17 GMT

Armenians every year mark mass killings by Ottoman Turks

Turkey’s prime minister has rejected a European Parliament resolution
calling on Ankara to recognise the mass killings of Armenians during the
first world war as genocide.
“That resolution is not binding. It does not matter whether they took such a
decision or not. We will continue on our way,” private CNN-Turk television
quoted Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan as saying during a visit to Abu
Dhabi.

Turkey is scheduled to open accession talks with the EU on Monday.

The EU lawmakers said in their resolution that recognition of the 1915-1923
killings as genocide should be a prerequisite for Turkey to join the
European Union.

Armenians across the world have been commemorating the anniversary of what
they brand as genocide on 24 April each year.

Ottoman Turks

Armenians say that 1.5 million Armenians were killed by
Ottoman Turks around the time of the second world war, which Armenians and
several nations around the world recognise as the first genocide of the 20th
century.

Turkey denies that the killings were genocide, saying the toll is inflated
and that Armenians were killed in civil unrest as the Ottoman Empire
collapsed.

Speaking to Turkish reporters in Abu Dhabi, Erdogan also reiterated his view
that the EU has to admit Turkey or risk being branded a “Christian club”.

“The EU … has to prove that it is not a Christian club. To say ‘the EU is
not a Christian club’ will not save it from becoming a Christian club,” he
said.

“What will the EU achieve by admitting Turkey? It will become a bridge
between the 1.5-billion strong Muslim world and the EU. It will start an
alliance of civilisations,” he added.

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/F8F24B6B-582C-4404-B919-1E95EE9E6343.htm

KGTB Railroad A Chance For Stable Development of 4 States

AZG Armenian daily
28/09/2005
By Nana Petrosian

KARS-GYUMRI-TBILISI-BAKU RAILROAD A CHANCE FOR STABLE DEVELOPMENT OF 4
STATES

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC)
held its regular session in Kishinev on September 21-22. Delegations of
Armenia, Georgia, Russia, Romania, Ukraine, Greece, Moldova and Turkey
discussed Georgia’s report titled “Development of road infrastructures in
the Black Sea region”. “As a railroad corridor for TRASECA project, another
important project, construction of Kars-Akhalkalak-Tbilisi-Baku was
launched. The project envisages construction of 98 km long railway from Kars
to Akhalkalak which will allow transport goods from Asia to Europe bypassing
Bosphorus and Hellespont”, reads the report.
Gagik Minasian, head of the Armenian delegation, said that they insisted
that the following wording about Armenia be included in the political
program of the PABSEC: “As an additional corridor for TRASECA the
rehabilitation of Kars-Gyumri-Tbilisi-Baku can be viewed that will allow to
transports millions of tones of goods from Europe to Asia and the other way
round. Kars-Gyumri-Tbilisi-Baku railway passes though 4 countries of the
region. Its reopening will allow to spur economic integration and stable
development in the 4 countries”. Minasian also underscored that this project
does not need capital investments.
Gagik Minasian sees development of Armenia-Turkey and Armenia-Azerbaijan
cooperation separately of each other. “The Turkish diplomacy is willing to
see Armenian-Turkish relations that are not unconditioned by relations with
Azerbaijan, and we have to embrace this chance of implementing our policy
with Turkey in a way that it is not dictated by our relations with
Azerbaijan. We have big chances in this regard”, Minasian said.

9/11 Families And Heroes Advancing Against Hijackers Of World TradeC

9/11 FAMILIES AND HEROES ADVANCING AGAINST HIJACKERS OF WORLD TRADE CENTER MEMORIAL
Wes Vernon

renewamerica.us, D.C.
Sept 26 2005

The high-powered liberal establishment that runs Manhattan from the
salons of the East and West sides and wields more than its share of
clout across America is on the defensive because of outraged citizens,
firefighters, police and families of the 9/11 dead. Now Congress may
soon weigh in – big time.

Capitol Hill’s outrage is bipartisan. Rep. John Sweeney (R-NY) is the
vice-chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Subcommittee of
the House Appropriations Committee. That panel oversees the federal
taxpayer dollars (“Taxpayer,” let us never forget, means you and me)
that may end up bankrolling a planned playpen for the “Politically
Correct” instead of creating a proper memorial to the nearly 3,000
who died in the savage, barbaric attack on 9/11. The object of Capitol
Hill wrath in this case is the so-called International Freedom Center
– or IFC). (See my column July 11 – “Political Correctness at Ground
Zero Draws Hill Protest.”)

Congressman Sweeney wants a House committee investigation of this
mess. Chances are his panel will do the investigating and require
the IFC eminences – unaccustomed to taking any sass or challenges to
their authority – to explain themselves.

The lawmaker is joined by his fellow New Yorkers, Reps. Peter King –
the new chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee – and Vito
Fosella, both Republicans.

Moreover, the move in the Halls of Congress against moneyed and
prominent know-it-alls who are pushing for the hijacking of the World
Trade Center memorial comes from both sides of the aisle. New York’s
junior senator, Hillary Rodham Clinton, has turned against the power
players of the IFC, many of whom have treated the Democrat presidential
wannabe as if she walked on water.

“I cannot support the IFC,” Senator Clinton told the New York Post’s
Deborah Orin. Noting the complaints that the IFC is going in a
direction that would make the memorial a center of anti-Americanism,
the senator added, “I am troubled by the serious concerns family
members and first responders have expressed to me,” and that “I do
not believe we can move forward until it [the LMDC- Lower Manhattan
Development Corporation – another group involved in planning the
memorial] heeds and addresses their concerns.”

Clinton took her stand shortly after the IFC issued a required report
to the LMDC in an attempt to prove itself worthy of a spot at Ground
Zero. LMDC Chairman John Whitehead had warned if the IFC failed to
prove itself, “we will find another tenant – consistent with our
objectives – for that space.”

“Guess what?” opined the New York Post in an editorial, “It failed.

Time to find another tenant.” Indeed the hundreds of thousands of
9/11 family members and unions representing about 182,000 police and
firefighters want the IFC out of there – yesterday. So too do the
nearly 50,000 who have signed on to a protest petition on the website,
Take Back the Memorial.

Senator Clinton, who faces the voters of New York in her 2006
re-election bid (as a stepping-stone for her 2008 run for 1600
Pennsylvania Avenue) is not about to row upstream against a political
thicket of angry people who believe they and their loved ones have
been wronged by an anti-Americanism that adds gratuitous personal
insult to grievous injury.

Debra Burlingame, whose brother “Chip” was the pilot of the plane
that terrorists crashed into the Pentagon Sept. 11, told me she thinks
“Senator Clinton recognized that this is no longer a couple of families
who can’t get over the loss of their loved ones [as the PC crowd
wants us to think]. I think that [the senator] understands that we
fairly reflect the feelings of all of those who associate with Ground
Zero-9/11 – that is, to say the first responders, and the survivors,
as well as Americans all across the land.” Uniformed Firefighters
President Steve Cassidy says his members want the memorial to put 9/11
“in context.”

IFC President Tom Bernstein has expressed hope the site will be a
“magnet” for activists, politicians, academics, and scholars to
“discuss” domestic and foreign policy in the post-9/11 world. Given
that George Soros and others of his ilk are helping to bankroll this
disaster, one can easily imagine the Blame America First “discussions”
that would mar the memory of the 9/11 heroes. For example, what
“academics” are we talking about here? Ward Churchill, who called
the 9/11 victims “little Eichmanns?”

The New York Times, the undisputed establishment mouthpiece, fretted
editorially that 9/11 families “will be able to censor” the IFC’s
supposed good works.

Of course, that totally misses the point of the protest. Such a
journalistic display of the tin-ear stems from the simple fact that,
unlike Senator Clinton, the New York Times is not burdened with the
necessity of seeking approval from the voters (though NYT’s circulation
has been on the decline in recent years, a little matter to which it
might want to direct its attention someday).

The Times, of course, urged LMDC to give rubber stamp approval
to the IFC’s plans post-haste. As far as its editorial board was
concerned, New York’s Republican Governor George Pataki “capitulated”
to “a misguided outcry from critics” by directing the IFC to write
the report. A better argument can be made that by not immediately
demanding the IFC’s ouster from the site, the governor dithered and
postponed the day of reckoning. If that kind of slow-motion “action”
continues – as the New York Post put it – “most likely, Ground Zero
will still be a massive hole in the ground four years from now.”

Understand: No one – absolutely nobody – has tried to “censor”
exhibits or lectures on the civil rights movement, the jailing of
Martin Luther King, slavery, the Civil War, the Holocaust, and the
Soviet Gulags. They’re all worthy of public attention. Just not at
Ground Zero. That is not censorship.

To mix 9/11 with these other issues would detract from the proper
memorial to the dead, many of whose body parts were found hours,
days, weeks and months later scattered about in the Hudson River and
in other Manhattan environs.

If you were to ask the curators of the Holocaust – whose purpose
is to honor the 6 million Jews Hitler killed – to honor also the
victims of the 1915 Turkish genocidal slaughter of the Armenians,
those museum gate-keepers would have none of it. In fact, Burlingame
notes they have said as much. And remember, the 6 million Jews were
killed in Europe, not here in Washington, where the Holocaust Museum
is located. Ground Zero, on the other hand, is the exact site where
most of the 9/11 victims were killed. To impose PC at that location
is something akin to grave desecration.

If you live outside of the New York City area, you may not be fully
aware of the full dimensions of this bitter controversy., which
should not be merely “a local story,” but by any reasonable standard,
should be national news. So why isn’t it? Aside from journalistic
laziness or inattentiveness, it is hard not to notice the powerful
media people tied in one way or another to the IFC, the LMDC, or
otherwise connected with the PC venture.

The White House is clearly embarrassed by these developoments. Try
to discuss the matter with anyone there, and you get a quick change
of subject. Liberals keep harping on the fact that IFC Chairman Tom
Bernstein is an old Yale buddy of President Bush. They do not mention,
however, that Bernstein is also President of Human Rights First which
has harassed the administration for locking up terrorists at Gitmo
and has worked hand-in-glove with the ACLU to target the Pentagon
over prisoner abuse. (The ACLU, by the way, wants a “civil liberties”
exhibit at Ground Zero.)

One can envision the long-overdue congressional hearings where the
IFC will have to answer questions related to the Sweeney-King-Fosella
statement Friday that the IFC report “falls well short” of legitimate
concerns and that the IFC “is thumbing its nose at limiting to the
events of 9/11.”

As the congressmen put it, “We have been patient, but the time for
debate is over.” The lawmakers are not shooting from the hip. They
have met with all parties involved in the memorial controversy.

And just in case anyone misses the point, they add, “Perhaps the
opportunity to shed light on the proposed center will allow the
American people to properly scrutinize the potential for their tax
dollars to be spent blaming America for the sins of others.”

Pound the gavel, Mr. Chairman. Call the committee to order. I can
hardly wait.

Wes Vernon is a Washington-based writer and veteran broadcast
journalist.

Antelias: Armenian students greet H.H. Aram I in Montreal

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

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version:

HIS HOLINESS CONTINUES HIS PONTIFICAL VISIT TO CANADA

ARMENIAN STUDENTS GREET HIS HOLINESS IN MONTREAL

On the second day of his Pontifical visit to Canada, His Holiness Aram I met
with Armenian students from the “Sarafian” Elementary and “Pasdermadjian”
Secondary sections of the St. Hagop national school, as well as children
from the kindergarten of the Armenian Relief Society.

Students greeted His Holiness Aram I, Prelate Archbishop Khajag Hagopian,
religious officials, representatives form the diocese and the board of
trustees with enthusiasm. Both sections presented well-prepared performances
in honor of His Holiness, with the student choir delivering a series of
beautiful religious hymns.

“The Armenian School is a mission; it’s the extension of the Armenian family
and church. Your parents have entrusted you to this institution so you would
be enriched with our national values and cultural treasures and one day
enrich our nation yourselves,” said His Holiness.

His Holiness commended the school’s administration, the Prelate, the board
of trustees and the teachers for their dedication. He highlighted the
numerous sacrifices taken by Armenian national institutions in preserving
Armenian schools.

Speaking with the Armenian teen, His Holiness called on them to overcome the
challenges of preserving the Armenian national identity.

“It’s not a regular school you’re attending; you’re attending an Armenian
School. The difference between regular schools and the Armenian School does
not preside in the walls or desks; the difference is in the unique formation
you’re given here,” said His Holiness Aram I.

The Catholicos stressed that the youth succeeds “only if it discusses
tomorrow’s agenda today.” “You are not the Armenians of tomorrow; you’re the
Armenians of today. We not only need you tomorrow; we also need you today,
because you are not only our future, you are also our present,” said His
Holiness.

***
After his Pontifical visit to the St. Hagop School, His Holiness met with
the Metropolitan of the Greek Orthodox Church, Soterios.

The two spiritual leaders discussed ecumenical and inter-church issues.
International efforts for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide and the
restoration of the Armenian people’s rights also featured on the agenda.

The Catholicos and the Metropolitan also exchanged souvenirs. His Holiness
gave a copy of “Cilicia’s Salvaged Treasure”, a book about the masterpieces
of Cilician culture salvaged from the Armenian Genocide.

##
View pictures here:

*****

The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the dioceses 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.

http://www.cathcil.org/
http://www.cathcil.org/v04/doc/Armenian.htm
http://www.cathcil.org/v04/doc/Photos/Pictures63.htm
http://www.cathcil.org/v04/doc/Photos/Pictures64.htm
http://www.cathcil.org/

Russian Pension fund ready to establish active coop with Armenia

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Sept 23 2005

PENSION FUND OF RUSSIA READY TO ESTABLISH ACTIVE COOPERATION WITH
ARMENIAN SIDE

YEREVAN, September 23. /ARKA/. Pension Fund of Russia is ready to
establish active cooperation with the Armenian side, Chairman of
Pension Fund of Russia Genadi Batanov said at his meeting with RA
President Robert Kocharyan, RA Presidential Press-Service reports.
The relevant agreement will be signed tomorrow, which will be the
basis for cooperation. During the meeting the sides discussed issues
of reforms in pension system.
Kocharyan welcomed the cooperation initiative, and pointed out that
Russia’s experience can be of benefit to Armenia. A.A. -0–

Turkey split by ban on Armenian massacre conference

The Scotsman, UK
Sept 25 2005

Turkey split by ban on Armenian massacre conference

JON HEMMING
IN ISTANBUL

HUNDREDS of Turkish nationalists chanting slogans and waving flags
protested yesterday against a controversial academic conference on
the First World War massacre of Armenians in Ottoman Turkey.

The conference had been due to open on Friday at two universities in
Istanbul but a last-minute court order blocked it, causing acute
embarrassment to the Turkish government just days before the start of
its EU membership talks.

Organisers circumvented the court ban by moving the conference to a
third university in the city.

“This conference is an insult to our republic and to the memory of
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk,” Erkal Onsel, head of the Istanbul branch of
the left wing but nationalist Workers’ Party, told protesters
gathered outside the private Bilgi University.

Atatürk is revered for founding the modern Turkish republic out of
the ashes of the Ottoman Empire in 1923.

The demonstrators chanted slogans such as “Treason will not go
unpunished” and “This is Turkey, love it or leave it”.

The issue of the Armenian massacres is highly sensitive in Turkey.
Armenia and its supporters around the world say some 1.5 million
Armenians died in a systematic genocide committed by Ottoman Turkish
forces between 1915 and 1923.

Ankara accepts that many Armenians were killed on Turkish soil during
and after the First World War, but says they were victims of a
partisan conflict that claimed even more Turkish Muslim lives as the
Ottoman Empire was collapsing. It denies any genocide.

But in a bid to defuse the issue, the government has opened up
Turkey’s archives to scholars, saying it has nothing to hide, and has
urged Armenia and other nations to do likewise.

The academic conference was originally scheduled for May but was
cancelled after justice minister Cemil Cicek accused those backing
the genocide claims of “stabbing Turkey in the back”.

This time, with a nervous eye on Brussels as the clock ticks towards
the start of its long-delayed EU entry talks on October 3, the
government has strongly backed the conference.

The court banning order, announced on Thursday evening just before
the conference was due to start, drew swift condemnation from prime
minister Tayyip Erdogan as well as from the European Commission,
which spoke of a “provocation” by anti-EU elements.

“If we have confidence in our own beliefs, we should not fear freedom
of thought,” Erdogan told a separate gathering of academics in
Istanbul yesterday.

“I want to live in a Turkey where all freedoms are guaranteed,” the
prime minister said.

Lawyers behind the original court ban condemned Bilgi University’s
decision on Saturday to host the event regardless.

“We will file a legal complaint against all of those people behind
this conference,” lawyer Kemal Kerincsiz said.

The court blocked the conference pending information on the
qualifications of the speakers and also wanted to know who was
participating and who was paying for it.

Mayor of town arrested for gunning down local electric utility chief

Mayor of Armenian town arrested for gunning down local electric
utility chief

.c The Associated Press

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) – Police arrested the mayor of a small Armenian
town on Saturday after he was accused of shooting and killing the head
of the local electric utility.

Mayor Armen Kelishyan allegedly shot Ashot Mkhitaryan after accusing
him of inflating his electricity bill, according to a police spokesman
in in Nor Adzhi, a town about 10 kilometers (6 miles) east of the
capital, Yerevan. The spokesman refused to give his name.

Officials with the Armenianskyie Electroseti company said the shooting
happened around 10 a.m. (0600GMT).

Mkhitaryan also supported a candidate challenging Kelishyan in
upcoming municipal elections, utility officials said.

Prosecutors refused to comment on the incident.

09/24/05 13:37 EDT