Government bends to protests and agrees to leave intact Shikahoghres

GOVERNMENT BENDS TO PROTESTS AND AGREES TO LEAVE INTACT SHIKAHOGH RESERVE

Armenpress

YEREVAN, JUNE 17, ARMENPRESS: Bending to the daily mounting protest of
ecologists and public at large against its plans to build a highway
in the southern part of Armenia through the middle of the old growth
Mtnadzor (Dark Canyon) forest, which occupies about half of the
Shikahogh nature reserve, one of only three pristine reserves in the
country, the government has backpedaled on its intention and formed
a task force to examine the feasibility of an alternative route that
will connect Armenian Meghri with Kapan and provide a safe road to
neighboring Iran.

Armenian communication and transport minister Andranik Margarian
revealed today that he handed the alternative plan yesterday to
president Kocharian.

He said the task force was told to present the feasibility scheme
to the government in a week. The alternative route is said to be 7
km longer than the previously designed one and will run across a 155
meters higher mountain pass. Manukian said it will be 6.6 meters wide
allowing the traffic to move at 50-60 km speed.

Ecologists say Armenia, which historically had forest cover of 40-45
percent, is today at perilous risk of becoming completely deforested.

Current estimates place forest cover at around eight percent, and at
current rates of cutting, the last of the forests could be gone in
as little as 20 years. The Shikahogh reserve, established in 1958,
is home to innumerable rare and endangered plant and animal species,
including up to 12 leopards, whose habitats would be gravely threatened
by the road’s construction.

Neufassung Deutscher Bundestag verabschiedet Armenien-Resolution

Schweizerische Depeschenagentur AG (SDA)
SDA – Basisdienst Deutsch
16. Juni 2005

Neufassung Deutscher Bundestag verabschiedet Armenien-Resolution

Berlin; Ankara

Der Bundestag in Berlin hat am Donnerstag in einem gemeinsamen Antrag
aller Fraktionen die Tuerkei zur offenen Aufarbeitung der Vertreibung
und der Massaker an den Armeniern aufgefordert. Diese fanden vor 90
Jahren im Osmanischen Reich statt.

“Insgesamt wird das Ausmass der Massaker und Deportationen in der
Tuerkei immer noch verharmlost und weitgehend bestritten”, heisst es
in der Antragsbegruendung.

Diese tuerkische Haltung stehe im Widerspruch zu der Idee der
Versoehnung, die die Wertegemeinschaft der Europaeischen Union leite.
Die EU will am 3. Oktober Beitrittsverhandlungen mit der Tuerkei
beginnen.

Die tuerkische Regierung wies die Resolution scharf zurueck. “Wir
nehmen den Antrag mit Bedauern zur Kenntnis und verurteilen ihn aufs
Schaerfste”, hiess es in einer Erklaerung des Aussenministeriums
in Ankara.

Der tuerkische Aussenminister Abdullah Guel hatte vor der Annahme
der Resolution in einem Interview der “Hannoverschen Allgemeinen
Zeitung” (Mittwochsausgabe) erklaert: “Es gab keinen Voelkermord an
den Armeniern.” Deutsche und Tuerken muessten als wichtigstes Projekt
die voellige Integration der Tuerken in Deutschland vorantreiben.

Die Antragsbegruendung weist darauf hin, dass den Deportationen und
Massenmorden nach unabhaengigen Berechnungen mehr als eine Million
Armenier zum Opfer fielen. “Zahlreiche unabhaengige Historiker,
Parlamente und internationale Organisationen bezeichnen die Vertreibung
und Vernichtung der Armenier als Voelkermord.”

Das Deutsche Reich war als militaerischer Hauptverbuendeter des
Osmanischen Reichs tief in diese Vorgaenge verstrickt. Der Antrag ist
von den Vorsitzenden aller vier Bundestagsfraktionen unterschrieben.

Der Bundestag fordert die Regierung auf, dabei mitzuhelfen, dass
zwischen Tuerken und Armeniern ein Ausgleich durch Aufarbeitung,
Versoehnen und Verzeihen historischer Schuld erreicht werde.

Tief besorgt aeusserten sich die Parlamentarier darueber, dass
die Armenier- Konferenz international angesehener tuerkischer
Wissenschaftler vom 25. bis 27. Mai in Istanbul durch den tuerkischen
Justizminister unterbunden worden sei.

Armenien und Teile der internationalen Oeffentlichkeit stufen den
Tod von mehreren hunderttausend Armeniern zwischen 1915 und 1917
als Voelkermord ein. Aus Sicht der Tuerkei handelte es sich bei den
Ereignissen dagegen um die tragischen Folgen einer Zwangsumsiedlung,
die wegen des Krieges erforderlich gewesen sei.

Bei den Massakern und Todesmaerschen starben zwischen 300 000 und
1,5 Millionen Menschen. Der Voelkermordstreit verhindert bis heute
eine Normalisierung der Beziehungen zwischen der Tuerkei und dem
Nachbarstaat Armenien.

Notiz: Die Meldung bsd098 wurde nach dem Bundestagsantrag
aktualisiert. Ganzer Text neu – ausser den letzten beiden Abschnitten.

‘Genocide’ clashes

‘Genocide’ clashes

7DAYS, United Arab Emirates
June 16 2005

Germany’s parliament condemned yesterday the mass killing of Armenians
by Ottoman Turks 90 years ago, sparking an angry protest from
Ankara. In a vote shortly after Germany’s government and opposition
clashed over whether Turkey should join the European Union, all main
parties in the Bundestag joined forces to deplore what many historians
say amounted to genocide.

The resolution stopped short of calling the killings genocide, a
term Turkey rejects, but looks sure to test relations between Ankara
and Berlin, until now a key supporter of Turkish EU aspirations.
“This resolution is regretful and we strongly condemn it,” said the
Turkish Foreign Ministry in a statement.

It described the resolution as one-sided and “provocative” and said
it would hurt Turks’ feelings. It said German lawmakers had been
motivated by domestic politics and had ignored repeated warnings of
the harm the resolution would do to bilateral ties.

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul told German journalists this
week that the resolution amounted to “a huge injustice towards Turkey
and Turks living in Germany”, the newspaper Rheinische Post reported.

Germany angers Turkey with massacre resolution

Germany angers Turkey with massacre resolution

Expatica, Netherlands
June 16 2005

16 June 2005

BERLIN – Straining relations with Turkey, the German Bundestag
parliament adopted a resolution on Thursday condemning the massacre of
up to 1.5 million ethnic Armenians in the Ottoman Empire 90 years ago.

The resolution criticised the current government of Turkey for
“neglecting to address the issue” in a forthright manner.

Turkey’s foreign minister Abdullah Gul denounced the resolution as
“irresponsible, appalling and injurious” to relations between the
two countries.

“We note this decision with regret and we strongly condemn it,” said
a statement released by the foreign ministry. The statement accused
the resolution of being rooted in “domestic politics” and called it

“irresponsible and narrow-minded”.

Turkey acknowledges the tragedy of hundreds of thousands of deaths in
“civil strife” during 1915-17 but denies there was a state- sponsored
extermination plan – a stance that has complicated its efforts to join
the European Union. Accession talks are due to start later this year.

On 24 April 1915, the Ottoman Turkish government arrested hundreds
of Armenian intellectuals and community leaders, most of whom were
quickly executed.

This was followed by the mass relocation of Christian Armenians from
Anatolia through desert to Mesopotamia and what is today Syria.

Starvation, disease, attacks by bandits and the brutality of the
escorting troops resulted in mass fatalities. Most Western sources
maintain that more than a million deaths took place.

The incident has been widely referred to as the first genocide of
the 20th century.

Turkey said Thursday’s resolution is not historically correct, saying
claims that “almost all Armenians living in Anatolia were exterminated”
have “no basis”.

ANKARA: Turkey and EU Referendums

Journal of Turkish Weekly
June 16 2005

Turkey and EU Referendums
View: Sedat Laciner

According to some European politicians and journalists Turkey has
nothing to contribute to the EU. Many of them see that Turkey will
deplete the EU sources and cause great economic depression. The
Christian Democrats and some other anti-Turkish circles in France and
Germany argue that Turkey is not part of ‘the European civilization”.
Turkey is generally considered poor, problematic and an awkward
candidate for the EU. Worst of all, some abuse the ‘Turkey problem’
in order to curtail their failures as witnessed in the French and
Dutch referendums. The French and Dutch politicians refuse to question
their mistakes and Turkey has become a scapegoat.

***

First, in France and Netherlands, the peoples rejected the ‘new
economic order’. They were not happy with the new global competitive
market conditions. They were losing their jobs. The Western European
companies have been investing in the Eastern Europe, Central Europe,
the Balkans, Turkey and China. And the EU has to enlarge to be more
competitive. Competitiveness also forces the EU to cut social rights.
The welfare state has been dying. Under these circumstances the old
members of the EU has been radically transforming. The problem is
that the continental Europe is not flexible enough to be transformed
at this speed. Another problem is that Western Europe has not enough
time to make such structural changes in employment, social rights,
health services, education systems, and other public services. The
rapid changes cause problems and resistance. The French and Dutch
‘no’s were part of this resistance. In another word, the problem is
more serious, and ‘Turkey issue’ as a scapegoat may only delay the
problems. The French and other Western European leaders have to face
the reality.

***

The ‘no’s were not only against ‘the competitiveness efforts’ and
globalization’s impacts on the social life and employment. No one
can ignore ‘civilizational factors’. Significant percent of the
French and Dutch voters saw ‘Turkey’ or ‘Muslim issue’ as a factor
to vote ‘non’. After the Van Gogh Murder in particular the ethnic and
interfaith relations have become thornier. About 7 million Muslims live
in Netherlands and France. Most of them are Arab and from Northern
Africa. However the Christian citizens do not see the Muslim French
and Dutch citizens as true citizens. In the post- 9/11 era, the Van
Gogh Murder muddled the ethnic relations even in the Netherlands which
was one of the perfect example of ethnic harmony. Though the number
of Turks is less than 15 percent, the French and Dutch peoples do not
make any distinction between Turks, Arabs and Iranians. In fact the
ethnic origin of any Muslim is not important for the biased and angry
masses. They say Muslim, but they mean Arab, Turk, and Iranian. However
only the Turkey have a ‘chance’ to become EU member: The EU leaders in
the 17 December Summit decided to start full-membership negotiations
with Turkey on 3 October 2005, and recognized that there was no
serious structural problem for Turkey’s EU membership. In fact the
EU first time in its history recognized Turkey as the true European
and opened the doors of the EU to the Turks. This made anti-Turkish
political parties and groups in the Western Europe panicked. Racist
and anti-Muslim groups argued that Turkey’s entry will make Europe a
Muslim continent. Turkey, according to these groups, with 75 million
Muslims was not a true European. Apart from the racist, radical and
religionist parties, the ‘incurable’ anti-Turkish lobbies (Armenians,
Greeks and the PKK militants) made anything possible to show Turkey
and Muslims as a threat to ‘Europe’. Armenians for instance in France
argued that Turkey had to recognize Armenian allegations regarding
the 1915 Relocation Campaign before accepting by the EU. According
to the Armenians, Turks had committed genocide against the Ottoman
Armenians while Turkey says there was an Armenian riot and more than
523,000 Turks were massacred by the armed Armenian groups during
the last years of the Ottoman Empire. Who is right is a formidable
question, yet the timing is interesting. The French Armenians and
many French politicians started anti-Turkish campaigns before the
EU Constitution referendum. None of them could remember the Algerian
Genocide committed by the French troops though the Algerian President
and people were still expecting a sincere sorry from Paris. But Turkey
was at the heart of all of the EU debates. Both sides accused Turkey
for almost anything. The opposition accused Chirac of giving support
to Turkey’s EU membership, and Chirac replied that Turkey cannot be
a EU member in foreseeable future, and that the French people will
decide whether Turkey can be a EU member or not. Chirac totally
supported the Armenian diaspora, and even sent a supportive letter
to a former ASALA terrorist.

***

In brief, neither France nor the Netherlands questioned the real
problems. The politicians and so-called ‘leaders’ accused the
‘others’ and never faced the realities. They provided a ground for the
‘non’s. Worst of all, it seems that they cannot read the results of the
referendums. They still accuse Turkey and the Muslims. France has tried
to prevent any enlargement since the referendum; German CDU’s leader
Merkel says the EU cannot integrate Turkey. None of them touches the
real problems. The referendums proved that the French and Dutch peoples
are against globalization and they are getting more and more prejudiced
(if not racist) about the Muslims. At this point palliative measures
cannot solve the problems. The EU states, as EU member or alone, have
to be more competitive, and the EU citizens will continue to suffer
from limited welfare state. Enlargements are possibly the only way
in the short term to be more competitive against China, India and
other countries. In another word, enlargement is not the problem,
but the true prescription.

Second, anti-Turkish or anti-Muslim politics are dangerous for
Europe as the NAZÝ politics before the Second World War. There are
more than 150 million Muslims in Europe. The American policies in
the ‘greater Middle East’ worsened the civilization relations. The
situation in Iraq is worse than the Saddam Hussein era. American
policies in Iraq and Palestine increased anti-Westernism not only
in the region but also among the Euro-Muslims. American human
rights abuses in Guantanamo and Iraq prisons have deepened hatred
between civilizations. French and Dutch politicians are talking about
declaring a war against Islamism. Many politicians abuse the ethnic
relations in the EU states. The Christian solidarity is still alive
against Turkey in Cyprus issue, Armenian problem or any problem in the
Aegean Sea. Many Turks and Muslims perceive a return to the Medieval
Ages. If an ethnic or religious mass conflict erupts, both sides
will lose. The EU and the EU members’ leaders however seem have no
prescription. They just nourish the misunderstandings and historical
biases. In this framework, it can be argued that Turkey provides
the right prescription, and the EU has no alternative but Turkey.

– Turkey is the greatest Muslim economy in the world,

– Turkey is the oldest and most healthy democracy in the Muslim world,

– Turkey is the most liberal economy of the Muslim world,

– Turkey has the most stable and reliable economic and political
structure in the Muslim world,

– Turkey is the most Westernized and modernized Muslim country in
the world,

– Turkey has a strong representative power among the Muslim states,

– Apart from the Muslim world, Turkey is considered the leader of
the 150 million-Turkic world,

– More than half of Turkey’s foreign trade with the EU countries,

– Turks do not equate Christianity with the West, and Judaism with
Israel. Turkey can be critical about both of them when it has good
relation with Israel and the West,

– Turkish people do see radical Islamists as ‘heroes’. It can be
said that Turkish religious understanding is the only antidote to
counteract against Usame Bin-Ladin approach,

It can be said that Turkey is an invaluable candidate for the EU
at this point. Apart from the civilization contributions, Turkey’s
competitiveness and economic potential may also help the suffering EU
economies. Turkey is now the 20th bigger economy of the world and it
has dramatically been climbing the list. On the other hand what the
EU can contribute to Turkey is debatable. The EU has no funds to pour
to Turkey as it did to the new comers. The EU cannot offer employment
for Turkish unemployed as it did during the 19602 and 70s. The EU
also cannot finance Turkish agriculture sector as it did the French
agriculture in the past.

We do not want to underestimate the EU’s possible contributions
to Turkey, but at the same time, it should be noted that Turkey’s
possible contributions should not be underestimated.

–Boundary_(ID_x3+4uTI4JzFgZp8351jzQA)–

NKR Authorities Positively Take The Mutual Visits Of Azeri andKaraba

NKR AUTHORITIES POSITIVELY TAKE THE MUTUAL VISITS OF AZERI AND
KARABAKH JOURNALISTS AND PUBLIC FIGURES

YEREVAN, June 15. /ARKA/. NKR authorities positively take the mutual
visits of Azeri and Karabakh journalists and public figures, as they
believe that it is necessary to pay appropriate attention to the
internal life of the neighboring country, stated Arman Melikyan, the
NKR Foreign Minister in his interview to Second Armenian TV channel.
According to him, as long as this state treats NKR with hostility, it
is necessary to be well-aware of the mood of Azeri society, as whatever
appears in the Azeri press and other mass media proceeds only from
the interest of local political elite. He also said that in essence,
the Azeri authorities try to protect the society against truth about
Nagorno Karabakh “We should bring that truth to Azerbaijanis”, said
Melikyan and added that the Azeri people have the right to know what
takes place in Karabakh and Nagorno Karabakh is ready to provide such
an opportunity to Azeri journalists and public figures. The Minister
reminded that Azerbaijanis had many times come to Nagorno Karabakh,
communicated with representatives of all strata, both the authorities
and common people and formed clear ideas of today’s life of NKR,
expectations of its people and ideas for the future. “And when they
become confident that NKR people see their country only independent
and are ready to establish relations with Azerbaijan only proceeding
from this stance, this, in my opinion, is

BAKU: Statement of MFA of Azerbaijan

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan
June 14 2005

STATEMENT OF THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE AZERBAIJAN
REPUBLIC
[June 14, 2005, 22:41:50]

According to Armenian media reports, the separatist regime of Nagorny
Karabakh is planning to hold June 19 the so-called ‘parliamentary
elections’ in the occupied territories.

Azerbaijan, which has repeatedly gave a legal assessment to such
provocative actions, is stating once again that any attempt to impose
a policy of fait accompli has no prospects.

Holding ‘elections’ in the occupied and ethnically purged territories
contradicts the norms and principles of the international law and the
Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and is of no legal effect.

Such actions by the Armenian side do not meet the spirit of the
process of negotiations, which have recently given some hopes for
positive trends.

Sustainable peace cannot be reached without ensuring normal living
conditions and peaceful coexistence of Azerbaijani and Armenian
communities of the Nagorny Karabakh region of the Azerbaijan Republic.

In this context, Azerbaijan supports the appeals of the international
community for establishment of direct contacts between the communities,
and implementation of complex measures of trust and confidence with
the aim to overcome the hostility, and achieve stability and mutual
understanding.

Intercommunity dialogue of this kind will help normalize relations
between Armenians of Nagorny Karabakh and Azerbaijani population of
the region returning to the places of their permanent residence, as
well as create necessary prerequisites for involvement of all strata
of local population in legal, peaceful and democratic process, which,
in addition, includes forming of legitimate regional authorities at
all levels.

European specialist in Armenia

EUROPEAN SPECIALISTS IN ARMENIA

A1plus

| 16:40:38 | 13-06-2005 | Social |

European specialists of hearing restoration will take part in the
International Conference of Cochlear Implantation in Armenia. The
Conference has been organized by the Medical center “Erebuni” together
with the “Cochlear” international center.

Tomorrow on June 14 the Armenian and European specialists will examine
the Armenian patients. In the medical centers of Yerevan “Erebuni”,
“Armenia”, and “Arabkir” there will be an open-door day. As Professor
Arthur Shukuryan, head of the Armenian Cochlear Implantation Center
said during today’s seminar in hotel “Armenia”, on the “open-door
day” the Armenian patients with hearing problems will be given hearing
apparatuses free of change. They have been allotted by the specialists
of the “Cochlear” international center.

By the way, the Cochlear Implantation apparatuses are given to Armenia
by the Europeans for 12 000 USD each. But Mr. Shukuryan considers this
the minimal cost as in reality the apparatus costs much more expensive.

Oskanian and Rice discuss issues of ‘inner developements anddemocrac

AZG Armenian Daily #108, 14/06/2005

Meeting

OSKANIAN AND RIÑE DISCUSS ISSUES OF ‘INNER DEVELOPMENTS AND DEMOCRACY
OF ARMENIA’ AS WELL

Vartan Oskanian, RA Foreign Minister, met with Condoleezza Rice,
U.S. State Secretary, and Steven Headley, advisor of US President on
Security Issues, in the course of his working visit to Washington. The
press office of RA Foreign Ministry informed that Vartan Oskanian
and Condoleezza Rice discussed many issues of Armenian-American
relations. Mrs. Rice highly evaluated Armenia’s participation in the
anti-terrorist struggle and in the program of restoring Iraq. The
sides also discussed issues of inner developments and democratic
processes in Armenia.

Mr. Oskanian introduced the latest developments in the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict settlement to US State Secretary. They also exchanged views
on the developments in the South Caucasus and neighboring regions,
including the Armenian-Turkish relations. Mr. Headley was particularly
interested in the democratic processes in Armenia, as well as the
electoral and constitutional reforms.

–Boundary_(ID_9+0x1xfQJNWXcos0fyvaKA)–

Serge Sargsian and Brian Fall discussed Karabakh settlement

SERGE SARGSIAN AND BRIAN FALL DISCUSSED KARABAKH SETTLEMENT

Pan Armenian News
13.06.2005 07:56

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Secretary of the National Security Council
under the RA President, Defense Minister Serge Sargsian met with
UK Special Representative for the South Caucasus Sir Brian Fall,
RA Defense Minister~Rs Press Secretary, Colonel Seyran Shahsuvarian
reported. UK Ambassador to Armenia Thorda Abbot-Watt was also present
at the meeting. At the guest~Rs request Serge Sargsian presented
him the details of his recent visit to Brussels noting the meeting
with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer. The parties also
touched upon the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement.