Author: Varosian Antranik

FINLAND TRIES TO PREVENT FAILURE OF EU-TURKEY TALKS

PanARMENIAN.Net
31.10.2006 17:49 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Finland, which presides the EU at present, has
sponsored "crisis talks" to prevent failure of talks on Turkey’s
accession to the EU.

November 5-6 a meeting is expected with participation of
representatives of Turkey, Greece, as well as the Greek and Turkish
communities of Cyprus. Meanwhile, Finnish diplomats did not comment
on these reports, RFE/RL said. November 8 the European Commission
report on progress made by Turkey on the way to EU accession will
be presented. The document is expected to be critical of Turkish
authorities for not ensuring freedom of expression as well as failing
to end torture of prisoners and establish control over the army.

NKR PARLIAMENT ADOPTED DRAFT CONSTITUTION AT SECOND READING

ArmRadio.am
01.11.2006 16:17

The National Assembly of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic adopted the
draft Constitution at second reading.

ArmInfo correspondent reports from Stepanakert that the draft was
adopted with a devastating majority of votes. The Deputies have taken
the decision to presentt the document for nationwide voting on December
10. It is noted in the draft Constitution that the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic is a sovereign, democratic, legal and social state. The
authority in NKR belongs to people. People apply its authority
through free elections, referendums, as well as through state and
self-governance bodies and officials. The state is the guarantor of
the fundamental rights and freedoms of the citizen, in compliance
with accepted principles and norms of international law.

NATO CONSULTING GROUP WELCOMES DRAFT BEING WORKED OUT ON RA NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY

Noyan Tapan
Oct 30 2006

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN. Serge Sargsian, the Chairman of
the interdepartment commission coordinating works of working out the
draft to the RA National Security Srategy, the Secretary of the RA
National Security Council attached to President, met on October 26 with
members of the NATO international consulting group. As Noyan Tapan was
informed RA Defence Ministry’s Information and Propaganda Department,
at the beginning of the meeting, representative of Great Britain,
Major General John Drewienkiewicz mentioned that the consulting group
welcame all the provisions of the draft being worked out on the RA
National Security Strategy concerning development of state and civil
society of Armenia. Touching upon issues relating to security, the
group members spoke about difficult geostrategic situation of Armenia,
facting that two of the four neighbouring countries, Azerbaijan and
Turkey, implement blockade towards Armenia, and the vital path tiing
with the foreign world pass through Georgia and Iran appeared in the
difficult geopolitical situation. Speaking about the foreign policy
of Armenia, the group members mentioned that it is greatly provided
by existence of the two most important problems for every Armenian,
Nagorno Karabakh and the Armenian Genocide. At the end of the meeting,
the guests facted that in such a situation Armenia made a decision
on leading balanced policy from both strategic or global and military
or regional viewpoint.

ORHAN PAMUK GETS CHEATED BY A FRIEND

Sabah, Turkey
Oct 28 2006

Akcam, who defends Armenian genocide, has published one of Pamuk’s
letters in his new book: "This book is a perfect accounting of an
organized abolishment."

Taner Akcam, author of many books that blame Turkey for Armenian
genocide has enlarged one of his old books and preparing to publish
it in the United States under the name "A Shameful Act." On the back
cover of his book, Akcam has written Orhan Pamuk’s words: "This book
was written by a brave Turkish academician who dedicated his life
to record annals and is a perfect accounting of an Ottoman Armenians
oriented organized abolishment."

A friend cheats on Pamuk

Taner Akcam, author of many books that blame Turkey for Armenian
genocide has published a letter written by Pamuk years ago on the
back cover of his new book; "A Shameful Act."

Taner Akcam is preparing to publish his new book called "A
Shameful Act" in the United States. The book is again about the
Armenian issue. This book was published in Turkey years ago under
another name. Akcam says the new version has been enlarged. When he
published the first version back in 1999, Orhan Pamuk had sent him
a congratulation letter. Now 7 years later, in his enlarged version,
Akcam revealed Pamuk’s letter on the back cover. Pamuk wrote: ""This
book was written by a brave Turkish academician who dedicated his life
to record annals and is a perfect accounting of an Ottoman Armenians
oriented organized abolishment."

Screen Weekly, India
Oct 27 2006

Indian Documentaries much-talked about at Turkey Intl Docu Film
Festival

Rwita Dutta
Posted online: Friday, October 27, 2006 at 0000 hours IST

Istanbul is history reincarnated. With the Asian part on one side and
Europe on the other, the city represents universality. Especially the
nine days of The `International 1001 Documentary Film Festival’
(September 29 to October 5, 2006) has accentuated the universality of
the seventh art form called `cinema’. The Association of Documentary
Filmmakers’ of Turkey may not have a mega budget to provide its
guests with sumptuous cocktail parties every night, but shows utmost
dedication in terms of choosing the right kind of documentaries
coming from all over the world. The festival provided a warm
atmosphere for the documentary filmmakers and spectators from all
over the globe to meet and get to know each other through cinema.

Nurdan Arca, the Director of this otherwise humble looking, low
profile festival declared the mission of the Association Of
Documentary Film Makers’ of Turkey who hosted this festival. They
hold the eternal belief that it is possible to live in a world
without wars. Quite formidable and indeed pertinent!

The festival has so far hosted more than 100 documentary makers with
754 films from 44 countries since 1977. They have till date 50,000
audience and more. This year, itself, they have a wide spectrum of
124 films from 29 countries. The documentaries exhibit varieties of
subjects. From human portraits to encounters in daily life as well as
social issues are hindered upon. This 9th edition of Documentary Film
Festival had twelve sections screened in four most significant venues
in the city: the Italian Cultural Center, the French Cultural Center,
Kamal Ataturk Cultural Center and Nazim Hikmet Cultural Center.

The focus country was Finland. It beautifully projects films, which
tell us the stories of a country perceived to be cold and distant.
Among the seven films travelling from the northern tip of the globe,
Arto Halonen was the famous one. On the closing day, the audience was
bemused by the retrospective of Arto’s six films. From Tankman of
Cuba, he has come a long way in the amazing Pavlov’s Dogs – his
latest on Russia.

Created in cooperation with the Polish TV, the four documentary films
from Poland looked at history by using footages from archives. There
were also few selected Armenian films from their one and only
International Film Festival `Golden Apricot’.

Jan Vrijman Foundation is an offshoot of the founder of the biggest
documentary film festival, IDFA in Holland, Amsterdam. This
foundation is a boon for the talented, upcoming, independent
filmmakers from across the continents as it funds and supports
various projects every year. The ninth 1001 Documentary Film Festival
presents a collection of films supported by the foundation.

The Kultur and Culture is the joint venture of the documentary makers
of USA and Turkey. One of their latest productions Time Piece is an
ensemble of collective documentaries based on different time slots in
a single day. This film had its world premiere in this festival.
Celebrated documentary makers from USA such as Albert Maysels and Sam
Pollard were also present with their works.

In the segment named `Cultures-Colors’, eight documentaries were
screened. All of these tell us the stories of colors, cultures and
languages that are dying. For instance, Elizabeta Koneska, an
ethnologist from Macedonia traced back the existence of a Turkish
ethnic, nomadic group in Macedonia whereas a film from China
highlights the triumphs and traumas of acrobatic industry there.

Everybody Has A Story made a thoughtful insight into the everyday
lives of people, their stories and the hidden heroes among them.

Stories of forced migration and immigrants who struggle to establish
roots in their new countries seem to bear a universal theme. In Far
from Home, after most of the films and the audience enjoyed the
opportunity to meet with the filmmakers. Several panels were
organized amongst which were `Reproduction of violence in the media
and in documentary films’, `Growing influences of documentaries’.
There was also a master class of editing named `Editing Films:
Editing Life’.

The package of Bengal was extraordinary. Tales from both East and
West Bengal were truly represented in documentaries coming from
Bangladesh as well as Kolkata. Lots of questions were asked about
Indian documentaries, which were probably been satisfactorily
answered by the Indian Film Critics present there.

Documentaries are questioning life and presenting the ethereal. They
broaden our horizons open up new windows for us to discover what lies
behind the visible. The festival in the `City of two Continents’ was
successful in bringing out the crux of the power of documentaries!

ory.php?content_id=13956

Aravot, Armenia
Oct 26 2006

THE ADOPTION OF ANTHEM WILL BE DELAYED

It is obvious that the parliament won’t have time to realize the
demand coming from the constitutional amendments: about adoption of
the law "About anthem" till December 5.

The ARF faction postponed for 30 days discussion of the draft of law
"About national anthem" in the sitting of the NA state legal
commission on September 20. The government hasn’t produced a
legislative initiative about the RA national anthem’s text and music
based on the contest commission’s decision to the NA. The commission
has made a decision to propose the government to announce a new
contest for the text of Aram Khachatrian’s won music.
It isn’t also obvious / besides the ARF/ the position of
parliamentary forces in favor of what version they will vote. Grigor
Margarian, the head of "Businessmen" faction told us: "We haven’t
finally studied, it is still being discussed". Mkrtich Minasian from
"People’s deputy" faction who had voted for restoring the Soviet
Armenia’s anthem in the answer to our question whether it was his
decision or the faction’s said: "It was my personal opinion.
Evaluation of music and song is a personal feeling. And "People’s
deputy" will still discuss this question."
Another member of the commission, ULP head Gurgen Arsenian also voted
for the music of Soviet Armenia’s anthem. "I think that the most
perfect music is that one for which I have voted." And to the
question whether his voting means that the ULP faction will vote for
the melody of the Soviet Armenia, Mr. Arsenian answered that they
would vote freely.
It is known that the positions in "Justice" bloc are different: NDU
leader Vazgen Manukian is for "Mer Hayrenik" /the current anthem/ and
the DPA leader Aram Sargsian is for Aram Khachatrian’s melody.
Supposedly this faction will also vote freely. But head of Justice
Stepan Demirchian informed that they haven’t discussed that question
yet; "I myself like Aram Khachatrian’s music. But I think there is no
historical necessity to change the national anthem. Many things must
be changed in our country before the anthem".
After a conversation with OEP faction secretary Heghine Bisharian we
found out that this party was also oriented: "We think it is better
to save the current anthem. Nowadays the country has more serious
problems to solve. "National Unity" also has the same opinion, and
secretary of the faction Alexan Karapetian said: "I think the
agiotage round the selection of national anthem must be over, and the
forces should solve the problems the population need in".
It seems both versions aren’t preferable for RPA head of council
Serge Sargsian who told the journalists yesterday: "If it was
possible to have an anthem by Charents’ words and Aram Khachatrian’s
music, I’d be the greatest fan of that anthem".
RPA leader, Prime Minister Andranik Margarian answering to "Aravot’s"
question about his opinion about the Soviet Armenia’s anthem said:
"Only the music is admissible for me. When there aren’t suitable
words the old text is associated. In answer to our question how he
refers to "Mer Hayrenik" current anthem, he answered: "As there is no
better version, it must remain".

Anna Israelian

STATE STRUCTURES AND NGOS FOR THE SAKE OF HUMAN DIGNITY AND SECURITY DEFENCE

National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia
Oct 26 2006

On October 24 Mr. Tigran Torosyan, President of the National Assembly,
received the delegation headed by Mr. Valentin Varennikov, deputy of
the State Duma, President of the International League for the Defence
of Human Dignity and Security, General of the Army. The MP Mr. Hrant
Khachatryan and Mr. Fadey Sargsyan, Adviser to the Prime Minister of
the Republic of Armenia, participated in this meeting.

Expressing thanks for the reception Mr. Varennikov conveyed best
regards of Mr. Boris Grizlov, Speaker of the State Duma of the Russian
Federation and presented the objective of their mission, which is
to establish the NGO – International League for the Defence of Human
Dignity and Security also in Armenia. Its necessity was substantiated
with the necessity to work with the state structures, for finding the
solutions of the issues, which are especially of great importance
for the society. Mr. Varennikov noted that there are already 12
countries in the League, which will become a year old in November,
and also 20 countries will join in near future. The Center of the
Strategic Research of the League studies the level of the conflicts,
the probability of the technogenic catastrophes in different countries
and sends relevant letters to the governments of those countries,
warning about necessity of defence of human dignity and security. The
League also takes measures on preventing the consequences of the
conflicts and catastrophes.

Mr. Tigran Torosyan, President of the National Assembly, welcomed
the establishment of the National League for the Defence of Human
Dignity and Security in Armenia, highlighting the right of dignity
and protection of a person and expressed readiness to assist in the
activity of the National League as well as the International League.

Mr. Tigran Torosyan noted that, unfortunately, the human dignity
is not always highly evaluated in the modern world, however he is
optimistic and ready to promote in overcoming the difficulties.

COMBATING POVERTY TOGETHER WITH THE DIASPORA

A1+
[02:14 pm] 25 October, 2006

The UNDP and fund "Armenia" signed a memorandum of mutual understanding
today in order to combat poverty in Armenian villages. The two
organizations agreed to combat poverty with joint efforts.

"A number of projects are being realized for the development of about
30 villages near the borders of Armenia. At present we are working
on financial support of the projects", said UN Resident Coordinator
in Armenia, Consuelo Vidal.

According to head of pan-Armenian fund "Armenia" Naira Melqoumyan,
rural poverty will be reduced only if the peasants are given the
possibility to get rich. And this is possible provided the community
structures support them. "We need not build a house for them; we must
show them ways to earn money", Naira Melqoumyan underlined.

ANYONE WHO TRIES TO TEACH US A LESSON WILL BE TAUGHT A LESSON THEMSELVES
by Olga Allenova
Translated by A. Ignatkin

Source: Kommersant, October 23, 2006, p. 10
Agency WPS
What the Papers Say Part B (Russia)
October 24, 2006 Tuesday

An interview with Georgian Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili;
Gela Bezhuashvili: "Russia keeps viewing NATO the same way it did
in the 1950s. But NATO doesn’t pose a threat to Russia. Russia has
sufficient resources – political, military, and other resources –
to defend itself."

Question: What awaits the people deported from Russia once they’re
back in Georgia?

Gela Bezhuashvili: Let’s begin with why and how they are being
deported. People are detained on the basis of their ethnic origin.

They are kept in detention cells for weeks and extradited like
criminals. This xenophobic policy has already resulted in the first
victims. In fact, this tendency poses a danger to Russia itself and
to Europe. It is the Georgians who are victims these days, just like
Jews were half a century ago. Importantly, individual states and the
European Union have already condemned the measures Russia is taking
against Georgia as unacceptable.

As for our citizens, we’ve been urging them to come home since the
Rose Revolution. Sure, we have economic problems in Georgia, but who
doesn’t have them? Yes, there were illegal immigrants in Russia but
the majority were legal ones.

Question: Some oppositionists claim that deportation of immigrants
may result in social upheavals in Georgia.

Gela Bezhuashvili: Well, these people can earn in Georgia whatever
they earned in Russia. Forget social upheavals in Georgia, there
won’t be any. Russia is trying to make our life hard. We know it.

Well, we’ll cope with it.

Question: But food prices have already gone up in Georgia. They too
may lead to social disturbances.

Gela Bezhuashvili: Russia is not our only neighbor. There are other
countries. We enjoy a free trade regimen with Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Kazakhstan, Ukraine… and Turkey, soon. We expect to have a free
trade regimen with Turkey within a few months. When Russia stopped
importing our wines, Turkey raised its wine import quota. Turkey
doesn’t consume much wine, but there are many Russian tourists there.

Anyone who tries to teach us a lesson will be taught a lesson
themselves.

All this is being done to punish Georgia for what is described as an
anti-Russian policy. But what is an anti-Russian policy? Pro-European
doesn’t mean anti-Russian, does it?

Question: It’s a pro-NATO policy rather than pro-European…

Gela Bezhuashvili: Let’s look at NATO then. Two years of individual
partnership with NATO gave us a lot in terms of military reforms,
political reforms, social, and so on. Why would our membership of
NATO worry Russia so much if Russia’s own level of partnership with
NATO is much higher than ours?

Question: But the matter concerns actual membership of NATO.

Gela Bezhuashvili: I cannot even give you the date [when Georgia is
to be invited to join NATO because it is NATO that makes decisions of
this kind. Georgia still has a great deal to do. What counts, however,
is that the government enjoys society’s support in the matter. Our
partnership with NATO is not a problem for Russia.

Question: The Cold War between Russia and Georgia is under way because
Russia is leaving the region and understands that NATO will settle in.

Gela Bezhuashvili: That’s what your politicians think. Russia keeps
viewing NATO the same way it did in the 1950s. But NATO doesn’t pose
a threat to Russia. Russia has sufficient resources – political,
military, and other resources – to defend itself.

Question: Russia is doing all it can to prevent Georgia from joining
NATO. It may even go as far as to recognize the sovereignty of Abkhazia
and South Ossetia. Are you prepared for that?

Gela Bezhuashvili: For Russia’s recognition of Abkhazian and South
Ossetian sovereignty? But what does Russia stand to gain?

Question: Most Georgians would be angry at President Mikhail
Saakashvili, who will have failed to retain territorial integrity.

Gela Bezhuashvili: Attempts to make life difficult for Saakashvili
might backfire, you know. I don’t really expect Russia to go that far.

Question: But President Putin already said that there would be
nothing to prevent Moscow from recognizing the sovereignty of Abkhazia
and South Ossetia when sovereignty of Kosovo was recognized by the
international community.

Gela Bezhuashvili: Actually, he said it differently. It was only a
hint of what might be, a hint that it might provide a precedent…

First, Russia recognizes territorial integrity of Georgia. Second,
let us consider the resolution of the UN Security Council concerning
extension of peacekeepers’ mandate, the document that Moscow hails
as it diplomatic triumph. It states that "the UN Security Council
recognizes territorial integrity of Georgia within the internationally
recognized borders." Russia is a permanent member of the UN Security
Council. How can it recognize some other borders?

Besides, Russia itself is a federation. Yes, there was a referendum
in Chechnya but nobody can say with any degree of accuracy what the
state of affairs will be there like several years from now.

Precedents like that are dangerous, you know.

Question: Tension in Russian-Georgian relations mounted when several
Russian officers were arrested in Tbilisi. Was it possible to avoid
this scandal?

Gela Bezhuashvili: They were not the first Russian servicemen arrested
for subversive activities. Sergei Lavrov and I discussed the spy named
Boiko last October. One year later, history repeated itself. Georgia
and Russia have an agreement not to spy on each other. There have
been incidents when people were turned over to the other country
quietly. They surfaced in South Ossetia afterwards.

This time, we decided that enough was enough.

There were no problems at all from the point of view of the law. We
could have issued charges and tried these people. The OSCE chairman
intervened, however, and asked us to turn them over to Russia. We
did. Russia knew that we would, it could have kept this quiet –
but it wouldn’t.

This so-called spy scandal is the tip of the iceberg. What is
happening is not a result of this scandal. Russia’s reaction to it
was so inappropriate that it made it obvious that these measures of
putting Georgia under pressure had been designed long ago. Russia
only needed a pretext.

LEGISLATIVE FIELD OF ANTI-CORRUPTION STRATEGY REFORMED

Noyan Tapan
Oct 23 2006

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 23, NOYAN TAPAN. The annual results of implementation
of the events scheduled for 2005 by the "Anti-Corruption Strategy and
its Implementation Events Program" were summed up at the October 23
sitting of the Anti-Corruption Strategy Monitoring Committe. Gevorg
Mherian, the Committee Chairman, RA President’s Advisor stated that
the legislative field of the anti-corruption strategy was reformed
with the means of studying the legislative experience of developed
countries. Reforms of the judicial-legal system were implemented
under direct control of the RA President, and the process is at the
final stage. G.Mherian mentioned that the President of the republic
instructed to make reforms of the legislative field more transparent,
with the help of public organizations to upmost involve the society in
works of solution of problems it is interested in. It was mentioned
that from the 99 events envisaged by the program of implementation
of the RA anti-corruption strategy within the period of time of
2004-2007, 69 ones were implemented, other 30 are in the process of
implementation. Presenting results of the visit paid to Armenia by
the monitoring group of the anti-corruption net of countries of the
transitional economy of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development, Tigran Barseghian, the Chief of the Legal Department
of the RA Government’s staff stated that the committee fixed a
considerable progress in works of implementation of the anti-corruption
programs. According to the information submitted to Noyan Tapan by
the RA President’s Press Office, the committee discussed problems
of working out new program of the anti-corruption strategy as well,
as the acting program.