Author: Topchian Jane

Leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey hold separate talks on disputed region

13:43 2005-05-16
Pravda

Azeri President Ilham Aliev met with Armenian and Turkish leaders
at separate talks early Monday to discuss the disputed enclave of
Nagorno-Karabakh, an official said.

Aliev first met with Armenian President Robert Kocharian, followed
by a meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said
Council of Europe official Seyfi Tashan.

The meetings, which took place just past midnight Monday ahead of the
two-day Council of Europe summit, focused on the presence of Armenian
troops in Nagorno-Karabakh, a mountainous region inside Azerbaijan
that has been under the control of ethnic Armenians since the early
1990s, following fighting that killed an estimated 30,000 people.

A cease-fire was signed in 1994, but the enclave’s final political
status has not been determined and shooting breaks out frequently
between the two sides, which face off across a demilitarized buffer
zone.

Washington Times
May 15 2005

A promising start?

By Tatoul Markarian

As the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide approached last
month, Turkish Prime Minister Receip Tayyip Erdogan came up with an
initiative in a letter to Armenian President Robert Kocharian,
proposing creation of a joint commission to address the history. In
response, Mr. Kocharian called on Turkey to establish diplomatic
relations and open its border with Armenia without preconditions, and
to form an intergovernmental commission to address all bilateral
concerns.
No matter how unconventional this type of public communication
may be between leaders of two neighboring nations, it is tempting to
see Turkey may really open up for serious dialog.

Mr. Erdogan’s initiative, assuming its sincere aim is
normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations, still raises many
questions. A genuine effort by the Turkish government to allow the
Turkish scholars to investigate the dark chapters of Turkish history
would be worthy, though much belated. Such a move by the Turkish
government would undoubtedly be applauded by our nations’ true
friends, as it would indeed begin a process of alleviating the burden
of history in our region.
Armenia would be the first to welcome such a move by the Turkish
government. This would allow Turkish scholars to reveal the truth and
help its political leadership accept and condemn it. Let us hope,
however, that Prime Minister Erdogan’s call to concentrate on
addressing the past will not deflect from addressing pressing issues
of the present and the future and that this will not deepen still
further the division on both sides about what happened in 1915.
Yet, as long as there are political taboos and legal obstacles to
the free discussion and comprehension of this issue in Turkey,
including criminal penalties in the new Turkish Penal Code for mere
assertion of the term genocide, any investigation mandated by the
Turkish government will have a pre-determined outcome. A Turkish
newspaper, Zaman, noted on April 23 that the Turkish Government
should “lift all legal and other obstacles to the free investigation,
discussion, and comprehension of ‘What happened in 1915?’ ”
Also, we witness the dangerous temptation of modern-day Turkish
officials to present the extermination of the Ottoman Empire’s
Armenian population as a result of World War I. We want to remind all
that it was the exact hope, argument and calculation of the
perpetrators that the massacres and deportations of Armenians would
pass unnoticed under the cover of World War I. Neither war nor
anything else can explain or justify the murder of 1.5 million
innocent Armenian children, women, and men in the Ottoman Turkey.
Turkish officials claim Armenians alone define the history of
those days. First, the historical record is both rich and
well-documented. The process for establishing the truth started in
the wake of World War I, as the Turkish military tribunal sentenced
the perpetrators of the massacres and deportation of Armenians to the
death penalty in 1919. That fact is deliberately bypassed by
governments in modern-day Turkey.
This process has progressed very far, especially in the last
decade, with a growing number of countries properly recognizing and
strongly condemning the events of 90 years ago. Turkey coming to
terms with its past has become a test of its willingness to embrace
human rights and fundamental values. And it is Turkey that is
“missing the bus,” at a cost of credibility and time.
Second, we should not be blamed for defining the history alone:
Ever since its independence, Armenia has consistently proposed,
without preconditions, establishing diplomatic relations, opening the
border and allowing the people to interact freely, thus helping
create the proper environment for a discussion of all issues of
bilateral importance. However, Turkey’s denial of history has not
been the only problem. Turkey has persistently refused to establish
diplomatic relations with Armenia, imposed a blockade on the
Turkish-Armenian border and prioritized ethnic solidarity with
Azerbaijan over Turkey’s international obligations, instead of
helping settle the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Thus, Turkey’s
rejection of not only the past but also the present left Armenians
with no choice but to pursue its quest for justice — both historical
and contemporary — within the international framework.
Armenia is firm on its intent to seize on the opportunity
presented by the exchange between our two countries’ leaders.
However, caution is also inspired by the fact Prime Minister
Erdogan’s letter was hurriedly circulated to European capitals and
the United States Congress prior to the April 24 Commemoration Day
and even before Armenian President Kocharian had an opportunity to
respond formally. This left an impression the initiative may not have
been mainly directed at Armenia. Could it have been a tactical
maneuver intended to upstage the 90th anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide, or to sidetrack European and other inquiries?
We are interested in concrete steps and results, never in a vague
process for the sake of process. That is why we proposed and are
proposing again the establishment without preconditions of normal
relations between Armenia and Turkey. As President Kocharian
mentioned in his reply, that will allow an intergovernmental
commission to meet and discuss any and all outstanding issues between
our nations, with the aim of resolving them and reaching an
understanding.

Tatoul Markarian is the ambassador of Armenia to the United
States.

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 ARAM I STARTS AN OFFICIAL VISIT TO IRAN

Responding to the invitation of the three Dioceses of Iran, His Holiness
Aram I traveled on an official visit to Tehran on May 11. The two-week
visit, extending from May 12 to May 25, will include meetings with the
public, religious services, celebrations on the occasion of the 10th
anniversary of his enthronement and the 75th anniversary of the
establishment of the Seminary, as well as meetings with government
officials.

This will be the third visit of His Holiness to the Islamic Republic of Iran
as the Catholicos of Cilicia. His Holiness has received a warm welcome by
the Iranian government during his previous visits to the republic. During
his visit the Catholicos will have meetings with the president of the
republic, Mohammed Khatemi, the spiritual leader of the country and senior
government officials.

V. Rev. Krikor Tchifdjian, Communications Officer, staff bearer Rev. Housig
Mardirossian and Kevork Kandaharian, a long time professor in the Seminary,
accompany His Holiness on his visit.

##

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

Pan Armenian News

ARMENIA WILL FULFILL COMMITMENTS TO CoE BEFORE YEAREND

12.05.2005 08:01

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian met with
PACE Monitoring Committee rapporteurs Jerzy Jaskiernia and Georges
Colombier, reported the Press Service of the Armenian Foreign Ministry. In
the course of the meeting the parties discussed matters of constitutional
reforms in Armenia. Thereupon, Vartan Oskanian marked the importance of the
referendum that will be held in the republic this year. By means of the
process in question the last obstacles will be eliminated and Armenia will
fulfill its commitments assumed at accession to the Council of Europe, the
Armenian FM added. Within the context of democratic processes in Armenia the
Minister also underscored the involvement of Armenia in Wider Europe: New
Neighbors EU program. At the instance of the guests V. Oskanian presented
the current phase of the negotiations over settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict and Armenia’s posture in the issue in detail. He also
touched upon the topic of latest developments in Armenia-Turkey relations.

Pan Armenian News

RAINBOW OVER ARARAT EXHIBITION OPENED IN GERMANY

12.05.2005 05:51

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Rainbow over Ararat exhibition opened in Wuppertal German
town, reported Westdeutsche Zeitung. Haykakan Shvakner (Armenian Shadows)
photographs of Hayk Davidian are presented at it, as well as Denis Alt’s
canvases. In the works of the latter the blue and the orange colors are
always present, as well as Armenian flowers. Being an ethnic Turk, Denis Alt
got however interested in the history of his family and found out that his
grandmother was Armenian and was deported in the years of the Armenian
Genocide. In his works he presents the sufferings of his compatriots, who
were ousted 90 years ago. The exhibition organized by Wegner society is a
peculiar teller of the history of Armenia and reminds of the grief and
sufferings of Armenians. The event will last till June 26.

A1plus

| 12:55:40 | 11-05-2005 | Politics |

COALITION DRAFT PASSED IN THE FIRST READING

Today the project of draft Constitution proposed by the coalition was passed
in the National Assembly in the first reading, obtaining 77 pros and 8
contras.

Arshak Sadoyan’s draft project got 13 pros; 36 deputies abstained form
voting. Gurgen Arsenyan’s project got 19 pros, 29 deputies abstained from
voting.

`People’s deputy’ parliamentary group supported all the three draft projects
of the Constitution.

,417.825 590/rede/Rede-von-Bundeska
nzler-Schroed.htm

Mi, 04.05.2005

Rede von Bundeskanzler Gerhard Schröder anlässlich der Verleihung der
Ehrendoktorwürde durch die Marmara-Universität, am Mittwoch, 4. April
2005 in Istanbul

Es gilt das gesprochene Wort!

Herr Ministerpräsident,
Magnifizenz,
Allheiligkeit,

meine sehr verehrten Damen und Herren!Es ist für mich eine große
Freude, hier an historischer Stelle im Herzen Istanbuls zu Ihnen
sprechen zu können. Ich empfinde es als eine große Ehre, die
Doktorwürde Ihrer traditionsreichen Universität entgegennehmen zu
dürfen. Es freut mich besonders, als erster Ehrendoktor der
Rechtswissenschaften von nun an Mitglied Ihrer angesehenen
Universität und Fakultät zu sein. Magnifizenz, Ihnen und den
Mitgliedern des Senats der Marmara-Universität danke ich sehr
herzlich für diese Auszeichnung. Die Marmara-Universität besitzt eine
mehr als 120 Jahre alte Tradition von Lehre und Forschung. Und sie
genießt einen vorzüglichen Ruf weit über die Grenzen ihres Landes
hinaus. Als drittgrößte Universität des Landes hat sie eine
beeindruckende Reihe von erfolgreichen Absolventen hervorgebracht.
Mit Ministerpräsidenten Erdogan will ich einen unter ihnen
ausdrücklich erwähnen.Herr Ministerpräsident, ich empfinde es als
eine besondere Ehre, dass Sie an dieser Feierstunde persönlich
teilnehmen.Meine Damen und Herren,Deutschland und die Türkei sind
seit langem aufs Engste politisch, wirtschaftlich und kulturell
miteinander verbunden. Die Region, welche heute das Herz der Türkei
bildet, ist eine der Wiegen der europäischen Zivilisation. Das
osmanische Reich war nicht nur Erbe von Byzanz und des oströmischen
Reiches, sondern zugleich der reichen griechisch-lateinischen und
jüdisch-christlichen Kulturen in Anatolien. Berühmte Namen wie
Herodot, den “Vater der Geschichtsschreibung”, und Orte wie Troja,
Pergamon oder den Berg Ararat verbinden wir mit dieser Region.Während
des Großteils seiner Geschichte spielte das osmanische Reich eine
wichtige Rolle in der europäischen Politik. Zugleich inspirierten vor
allem französische und englische Reformideen die Modernisierung des
türkischen Staates. Europäische Schulen der Philosophie und
Soziologie bildeten die theoretische Grundlage für die Schaffung des
modernen türkischen Nationalstaates durch Kemal Atatürk.Meine Damen
und Herren,heute – wenige Tage vor dem Gedenken an den 60. Jahrestag
des Endes des Zweiten Weltkriegs – will ich aber vor allem an einen
Aspekt unserer gemeinsamen Geschichte erinnern, der nicht vergessen
werden darf. Auf Initiative Ihres Staatsgründers Kemal Atatürk haben
viele Deutsche, die während des nationalsozialistischen Terrors ihre
Heimat verlassen mussten, hier in der Türkei gastfreundschaftliche
Aufnahme gefunden. Unter ihnen waren viele Politiker, Wissenschaftler
und Künstler – wie etwa der Sozialdemokrat Ernst Reuter, der
Komponist Paul Hindemith und die Juristen Ernst Hirsch und Andreas
Schwarz. Viele deutsche Exil-Wissenschaftler haben damals in Ihrem
Land eine neue berufliche Heimat gefunden. Zugleich haben sie dazu
beigetragen, das türkische Hochschul­wesen nach europäischem Vorbild
auszubauen.Diese wissenschaftliche Zusammen­arbeit hat sich –
besonders hier an der Marmara-Universität – bis in die Gegenwart zum
gegenseitigen Nutzen fortentwickelt. Ihre Universität ist durch ein
enges Netzwerk von persönlichen und wissenschaftlichen Kontakten und
Austauschprogrammen mit vielen deutschen Universitäten verbunden. Ich
freue mich besonders über den Erfolg ihrer deutschsprachigen
Studiengänge in Betriebswirtschaft und Wirtschaftsinformatik Sie sind
das Aushängeschild der deutsch-türkischen Hochschul­koopera=. tion.
Bereits mehr als 500 Absolventen dieser Studieng=E4nge stehen als
qual= ifizierte Nachwuchs=ADf=FChrungskr=E4fte f=FCr Unternehmen in
unseren beiden= L=E4ndern bereit. Die gro=DFz=FCgige Unterst=FCtzung
dieser Studieng=E4nge=20= durch die Wirtschaft, die ich
ausdr=FCcklich anerkennen m=F6chte, ist Beleg=20= f=FCr die hohe
Qualit=E4t und bedarfsorientierte Ausbildung an der Marmara-U=
niversit=E4t. Die Ehrendoktorw=FCrde, die Sie mir heute verliehen
haben, neh= me ich auch stellvertretend f=FCr alle diejenigen an, die
mit gro=DFem pers= =F6nlichem Einsatz zum Erfolg der
deutsch=ADsprachigen Abteilungen beigetrag= en haben. Ich w=FCrde es
sehr begr=FC=DFen, wenn der Ausbau der Abteilungen=20= zu einer
deutschsprachigen Fakult=E4t mit stark europ=E4ischer Ausrichtung w=
ie geplant gel=E4nge. Eine solche Fakult=E4t w=E4re gerade f=FCr die
jungen=20= Menschen in der T=FCrkei ein weiteres Symbol f=FCr die
Dichte der Beziehunge= n zwischen unseren L=E4ndern.Meine Damen und
Herren,die T=FCrkei hat in frei= er Entscheidung den Weg nach Europa
eingeschlagen. Die gro=DFen Anstrengunge= n, die sie dabei bereits
unternommen hat, haben die Staats- und Regierungsch= efs der
Europ=E4ischen Union im vergangenen Dezember mit der einstimmigen En=
tscheidung f=FCr die Aufnahme von Beitrittsverhandlungen honoriert.
Ich hatt= e mich mit Nachdruck f=FCr diese Entscheidung eingesetzt.
Nun muss die T=FCr= kei diesen Weg konsequent weitergehen. Sie darf
in ihren Anstrengungen nicht= nachlassen. Die Reformen m=FCssen
umgesetzt und ihre Unumkehrbarkeit sicher= gestellt werden –
insbesondere im Hinblick auf Rechtstaatlichkeit, Grundfrei= heiten,
und den vollen Respekt der Menschen- und Minderheitenrechte. Misshan=
dlungen durch Sicherheitskr=E4fte, Beschr=E4nkungen der
Meinungsfreiheit und= Diskriminierung von Frauen sind mit
europ=E4ischen Werten nicht vereinbar.D= ie Beitrittsverhandlungen
sollen am 3.=A0Oktober beginnen. Die Voraussetzung= en, welche die
T=FCrkei hierf=FCr noch im Einzelnen zu erf=FCllen hat, sind=20=
bekannt. Weitere Bedingungen werden nicht gestellt.Meine Damen und
Herren,ei= n Thema, dass mir pers=F6nlich und auch meinen
Mitb=FCrgerinnen und Mitb=FCr= gern sehr am Herzen liegt, ist die
Lage der nicht-muslimischen Religions=ADg= emeinschaften in der
T=FCrkei. Deshalb war es mir besonders wichtig, heute m= it seiner
Allheiligkeit, dem =D6kumenischen Patriarchen Bartholomaios I. zus=
ammenzutreffen. Unter dem Eindruck dieses Gespr=E4chs m=F6chte ich
die T=FCr= kei ermutigen, den auch vom j=FCngsten Assoziationsrat
EU-T=FCrkei best=E4ti= gten Reformbedarf im Bereich der
Religionsfreiheit anzugehen. Auch nicht-mus= limische
Religions=ADgemein=ADschaften k=F6nnen als Bereicherung und Teil de=
s kulturellen und religi=F6sen Erbes Ihres Landes wahrgenommen
werden. Meine= Damen und Herren,Europa ist eine Friedensgemeinschaft,
deren Mitglieder sic= h um der gemeinsamen Zukunft willen ihrer
Vergangenheit stellen.Vor wenigen= Tagen wurde in vielen L=E4ndern
der Welt des schrecklichen Schicksals hunde= rttausender Armenier im
osmanischen Reich gedacht. Auch der Deutsche Bundest= ag hat sich mit
den Ereignissen vor mehr als 90=A0Jahren befasst. Parlamenta= rier
aller Fraktionen haben sich zur deutschen Mitverant=ADwortung
bekannt.=20= Ich begr=FC=DFe und anerkenne den j=FCngsten Vorschlag
von Ministerpr=E4side= nt=A0Erdogan, die Ereignisse vor 90 Jahren
durch eine Historiker=ADkommissio= n aufarbeiten zu lassen. Dabei
sollte auch die damalige Rolle des Deutschen=20= Reichs nicht
ausgeklammert bleiben. Ich rege daher an, dass international an=
erkannte Historiker, vielleicht auch aus Deutschland, an dieser
Aufarbeitung= mitwirken. Die Archive in Deutschland stehen daf=FCr
offen.Gerade wir Deuts= che wissen, welche politische,
gesellschaftliche und menschliche Herausforde= rung mit der
Aufarbeitung historischer Ereignisse verbunden ist. Die Auss=
=F6hnung mit Frankreich, mit Polen und unseren anderen Nachbarn nach
den Sch= recken des Zweiten=A0Weltkrieges zeigt aber: sie kann
gelingen – zum Wohle a= ller Beteiligten. Gerade deshalb bin ich
=FCberzeugt: Der von Ministerpr=E4s= ident Erdogan vorgeschlagene Weg
weist in die richtige Richtung. Es ist der=20= Weg zur Normalisierung
der Beziehungen zwischen der T=FCrkei und Armenien un= d damit zur
Stabilisierung der gesamten Kaukasusregion. Es ist ein Weg, auf=20=
dem es nur Gewinner gibt.Deutschland ist bereit, die T=FCrkei und
Armenien a= uf diesem Weg zu ermutigen und zu unterst=FCtzen.Meine
Damen und Herren,= die T=FCrkei ist f=FCr Deutschland und Europa ein
gesch=E4tzter und verl=E4s= slicher Partner.Im Rahmen der NATO, bei
der Stabilisierung von Krisenregione= n und beim Kampf gegen den
internationalen Terrorismus arbeiten wir eng und=20= vertrauensvoll
zusammen. In Bezug auf Irak hat die t=FCrkische Regierung ein= e
umsichtige und verantwortungsvolle Politik bewiesen.Europa und die
T=FCrke= i haben ein gro=DFes Potenzial, bei der Modernisierung und
Demokratisierung=20= des Nahen und Mittleren Ostens weiter eng
zusammen zu arbeiten. Ich ermutige= die T=FCrkei, dieses gemeinsame
Potenzial auch bei der Stabilisierung der K= aukasusregion
verst=E4rkt einzusetzen.Meine Damen und Herren,ich bedaure seh= r,
dass im vergangenen Jahr trotz der konstruktiven Politik der
t=FCrkischen= Seite eine L=F6sung der Zypern-Krise nicht zustande
gekommen ist. Zugleich=20= habe ich Verst=E4ndnis f=FCr die
Entt=E4uschung in der T=FCrkei und auf Zype= rn. Wir geben die
Hoffnung nicht auf, dass in naher Zukunft eine umfassende,= gerechte
L=F6sung f=FCr die geteilte Insel zu erreichen sein wird.Meine Dam=
en und Herren,die Beitrittsverhandlungen zur Europ=E4ischen Union
werden sic= herlich lang und mitunter schwierig werden. Ihr Verlauf
wird ma=DFgeblich be= stimmt werden durch den Fortgang des
Reformprozesses in der T=FCrkei. Entsch= eidend dabei ist, dass wir
das gemeinsame Ziel nicht aus den Augen verlieren= : den Beitritt der
T=FCrkei zur Europ=E4ischen Union.Die T=FCrkei hat ein gr= o=DFes
Potenzial. Dies hat sie bei der Vorbereitung auf den Europ=E4ischen
R= at im Dezember eindr=FCcklich unter Beweis gestellt. Das hat uns
allen Hocha= chtung abgefordert: Es ist bereits Enormes geleistet
worden – es bleibt aber= immer noch Enormes zu leisten. Ich ermutige
Sie, diesen schwierigen Weg mit= Entschlossenheit weiter zu gehen.
Deutschland werden Sie dabei an Ihrer Sei= te wissen. Die T=FCrkei
und die Europ=E4ische Union stehen vor gro=DFen Hera= usforderungen,
es er=F6ffnen sich uns aber auch gro=DFe Chancen.Als Ehrendok= tor
der Marmara-Universit=E4t und Freund der T=FCrkei werde ich die
T=FCrkei= weiter darin unterst=FCtzen, diese Herausforderung zu
meistern und unsere g= emeinsamen Chancen zu nutzen.Ich danke Ihnen.

–Boundary_(ID_560awBrUv6k/FBaO49Xvxw)–

PUTIN OFFERS NEW PARADIGM OF COOPERATION

RIA Novosti, Russia
May 08, 2005

MOSCOW, May 8 (Tatiana Stanovaya, leading expert of the Center for
Political Technologies, specially for RIA Novosti) – The informal
CIS summit, which took place today, preceded the official events
devoted to the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the victory
over fascism. This fact is far from being accidental: Russia is,
therefore, stressing the priority of the CIS as the USSR heritage and
this event acquires a specific meaning in the context of the jubilee
of the Great Victory.

The further fate of the CIS is a very acute issue, which tops today’s
agenda. For the first time since 1998-1999, the CIS is experiencing a
crisis. The leaders of Ukraine, Georgia and now already Moldova are
openly speaking about the CIS as a structure of the past (although
in his today’s interview with Mayak radio station President of
Moldova Vladimir Voronin spoke about the CIS’ yet incompletely used
possibilities, he more perceived the Commonwealth as a sort of a
discussion club).

The issue of the expediency of keeping the CIS was already raised
in 1999 due to the August 1998 financial crisis. The economies of
the former Soviet republics closely linked with Russia started to
experience all the negative consequences of the weakening of the
Russian financial and economic system. Russian investors started
quickly losing their positions in the markets of the CIS countries
thinking about how to survive at least. Russia as a dominating creditor
was getting less attractive. It was also in 1999 that the future
of the Collective Security Treaty Organization became uncertain:
Uzbekistan, Georgia and Azerbaijan withdrew from it (today the
Collective Security Treaty Organization includes Russia, Belarus
and Armenia, and also three Central Asian republics – Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan). It was precisely in 1999 that a new
structure, GUUAM (the abbreviation consisting of the first letters
of five member states: Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and
Moldova) was created as a western-oriented alternative to the CIS.

Russia tried at that time to coordinate the efforts of the CIS
member states not so much in the economic sphere as in the sphere of
foreign policy to keep the Commonwealth alive. Russia attempted to
make the CIS a sort of an umbrella to protect the CIS foreign policy
interests amid the NATO expansion to the East. The election of new
President of Russia Vladimir Putin in 2000 helped Russia to increase
its geopolitical attractiveness. The period of 2000-2002 proved to be
a period of stagnation for the CIS. This stagnation was overcome in
2003 with the emergence of the project of the common economic space
for four states (Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan).

Russia’s attempts to accelerate the CIS integration processes in
2003 met with the understanding of the CIS member states: this was
prompted by the emerging weaknesses of the ruling regimes in the
CIS countries. The CIS as a structure for a dialog, in which Russia
objectively played a central role, was considered as an additional
resource for CIS ruling regimes to strengthen their internal
political positions. In 2003, it was the CIS summit, at which the
future President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, was presented with the
direct support of his candidature by Russia. The same year, the CIS’
leadership was passed over to Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma who
initiated constitutional reform in the country in the preparation for
the 2004 presidential elections. Russia soon secured Ukraine’s refusal
to join NATO: the relevant clause was excluded from the country’s
military doctrine (it is true, though, that this clause was restored
after Viktor Yushchenko was elected the President of Ukraine). CIS
observers play a key role in making elections in the CIS countries
legitimate. Simultaneously, there is increasing rivalry between the
CIS institutions and European organizations, in particular, the OSCE,
in assessing the results of electoral processes. Today the CIS member
states are actively discussing the ways of the reformation of the OSCE
whose decisions played quite a role in recognizing “color revolutions”
in the post-Soviet space.

The re-orientation of Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova to the West after
the presidential elections in those countries and the revival of
GUUAM (Tashkent recently announced its intention to withdraw from that
organization) as an alternative to the CIS have put the Commonwealth on
the brink of a new crisis. The Commonwealth of Independent States as an
organization for the settlement of conflicts and integration is facing
strong competition from the West. The CIS political problem today
is that the geopolitical vectors of the CIS member states are being
polarized. Those countries, which fear color revolutions (Uzbekistan,
Kazakhstan and Armenia) are turning towards Russia. Moldova, Georgia
and Ukraine, on the contrary, are embodying the disintegration
vector inside the CIS. President of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili
predicts a third wave of color revolutions while Ukraine also speaks,
although to a lesser degree, about the export of revolutions to the
CIS countries. Against this background, the support of the informal
role of the CIS as a resource to keep the ruling regimes may prove
to be fatal for the Commonwealth.

That is why, the topical issue today is to look for a new CIS
formula. This formula can be based on stronger security, the struggle
against terrorism and better efficiency of the CIS sectoral structures,
and also on cooperation in the humanitarian field: a respective
declaration was adopted today at the summit, which was attended by
all the heads of the CIS states, except the Presidents of Georgia and
Azerbaijan. The task of countering the threats of Nazism, terrorism
and extremism pronounced by President Vladimir Putin in his opening
speech is becoming a new ideological basis capable of shifting the
emphasis from confrontation to integration trends. The contours of
a new CIS paradigm based on the principles of security and humanism
are thus emerging.

ARMENIAN FERRIS WHEEL

A1plus
| 13:10:53 | 07-05-2005 | Politics |

Though according to the acting Constitution our juridical power is
independent, the words “RA Minister of Justice” are inscribed on the
blanks issued by our courts.

Justice faction member Shavarsh Kocharyan considers that the process
of appointing judges should be exercised by juridical power. Certainly
there are cases when the President should put his signature but it
should be made in exclusive cases and bear formal character. The
Justice Council should be formed by independent juridical bodies
without interference of the executive power. In Shavarsh Kocharyan’s
opinion the process of dismissing a judge should resemble legal
proceedings under the conditions of legal equality of the sides when
the judge has the right for defense. Moreover in some exceptional
cases the existence of an instance empowered to deal with the case
is essential. In Sh. Kocharyan’s words, it can be the CC.

He considers that the institute of jury should be preserved though it
does not function in our republic due to some peculiarities. “Our state
is rather small while the institute of jury implies absolute neutrality
what is almost impossible in Armenia. Besides, the system is rather
expensive. However the cancellation of this clause is inadmissible. “If
we are not ready for it today, we can be ready for it tomorrow. Thus
we have no right to block this way by the Constitution”, he says.

When commenting on the three-step juridical system functioning in
Armenia member of National Unity Gagik Kostandyan compared it the
with the Farris Wheel, “The first instance, then the second, then
the third and then again the first one. I do not what measures can
be undertaken to regulate the courts”, he said.

Diana Markosyan

Gul: We must address the question of stain on our name

Journal of Turkish Weekly
May 6 2005

Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, on his way to Kyrgyzstan for a state
visit, spoke with reporters about the Armenian genocide question.
“People who have no idea what even happened are making decisions as
if the claimed event actually happened. It is not only the Armenians
who are doing it.

It is the opposition parties in some European countries who are
looking for any way to shake the governments’ prestige.”

A trap lies before us

Said Gul further, “There is a huge trap that lies before us. They
want to isolate Turkey from Western organizations, especially the EU.
But we have friends in the Western world. In Germany, there are
34,000 Armenians who have become German citizens, and 600,000 Turks
who have done so. These are foot games that have to do with internal
politics. They are games that could seriously hurt the relationship
of two countries.”

Belgium spreading incorrect information

Gul went on, “We are trying especially to turn back harmful steps
which have been taken in open and actively democratic countries.
Belgium is saying incorrect things like ‘The UN and the European
Parliament have come to a decision.’ It is spreading dark stains on
our name. We have got to address this.”

A visit to Manas University

Gul, on his Kyrgyzstan visit, visited the Turkish International
University of Manas. Here, he gave a speech in which he said “As
Kyrgyzstan makes its new start, it needs to become more democratic
… a place where laws are applied to everyone equally.”