TEHRAN: Congratulations on the new Christian year

IRNA, Iran
December 30, 2004 Thursday 1:33 PM EST

Congratulations on the new Christian year

Tehran, December 30

Over 120,000 Armenians all over Iran are going to celebrate the
advent of new Christian year by holding special rituals tomorrow.

Armenians in Iran are followers of Gregorian church which is based in
Beirut, Lebanon.

They also hold their public rituals on the occasion of the new
Christian year in churches on January 6 which commemorates the date
in which the Jesus Christ (Peace Be Upon Him) was baptized.

Furthermore, the newly-born Armenian babies are taken to churches by
their Christian parents on the same day to be baptized by a
particular sacred water which has been brought to Iranian churches
from the base church in Beirut after travelling to the grand church
in Armenia.

Now that they are baptized, they officially become a member of the
Armenian community in Iran.

The Armenian families keep waiting for the sacred stale bread to be
delivered to their houses on January 6 and then warmly welcome the
priests who call on them for the new year celebrations on the same
day.

The Islamic Republic News Agency hereby extends best wishes and
congratulations to all Christians worldwide especially the Armenian
fellow countrymen on the advent of the new year, 2005.

May God bless the humanity to live in peace and friendship in the new
year.

BAKU: Opposition points to government’s foreign policy failures

Azeri opposition paper points to government’s foreign policy failures

Azadliq, Baku
9 Dec 04

Text of Xayal Sahinoglu report by Azerbaijani newspaper Azadliq on 29
December headlined “Ilham Aliyev’s UN plan ends in a fiasco” and
subheaded “Moreover, it emerged that the OSCE does not regard Karabakh
as Azerbaijan’s land” and “What other catastrophes is this
good-for-nothing government going to put us through?”

The foreign policy of every state is the continuation of its domestic
policy. In other words, the diplomatic success of the ruling
political force directly depends on its domestic policy. The
international attitude to the current regime in Azerbaijan is negative
because it is crudely violating human rights and restricting freedom
of speech in the country. [Azerbaijani President] Ilham Aliyev, who is
guided solely by his personal interests in the country’s foreign, as
well as domestic policy, recently confirmed once again that he has no
diplomatic capabilities to resolve the Karabakh problem, which is
considered to be the most important problem of our people. The
well-known statement by the Russian co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk
Group, Yuriy Merzlyakov, ruined the propaganda campaign that the
authorities have been waging for months.

In fact, the government’s plan to raise the Karabakh conflict with the
UN failed from the beginning. The first failure the government faced
in this direction was that the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen backed
Armenia’s stance when the issue was put on the agenda. Like Armenia,
the OSCE co-chairmen were against discussing the issue at the
UN. Although it is possible to blame the OSCE for taking a biased
position on this issue. But it should also be taken into account that
the reaction of the aforesaid authoritative entity stems from the
good-for-nothing foreign policy of the authorities. The OSCE Minsk
Group realizes that it is easier to speak to the Aliyevs in the
language of pressure because they have come to power not by the will
of the people, but through election fraud. It means that the ruling
force in Azerbaijan is ready to make any concession to protect their
political power.

Another setback the government suffered in its UN plan was that nobody
but representatives of Islamic states voted for the Karabakh issue
when it was put on the UN agenda. And this was due to the unfavourable
diplomatic situation with limited capabilities to manoeuvre that
Azerbaijan has plunged into under the Aliyevs. The UN’s attitude to
the Karabakh problem undoubtedly implies that the international
community actually questions Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. At
the same time, this attitude also confirmed that the authorities’
long-lasting propaganda campaign that our country will increase the
number of its allies in the international arena as a result of its
“oil policy” is nothing but a lie.

Finally, the last and maybe tragic setback Azerbaijan suffered in the
government’s UN plan is that the OSCE has set a condition that it will
monitor the settlement of Armenians in the occupied [Azerbaijani]
territories only in the seven occupied districts around Nagornyy
Karabakh. Merzlyakov said that official Baku promised not to raise the
problem with the UN in return for the OSCE’s consent to conduct this
monitoring. But as can be seen, the Ilham Aliyev government did not
have enough strength to have Nagornyy Karabakh and Lacin [District of
Azerbaijan] included in the monitoring in exchange for giving up its
position. Although [Azerbaijani] Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov
had earlier stated that the Armenians are settling mainly in
Lacin. This setback of the Aliyev government may be regarded as tragic
also because one can draw the conclusion that the OSCE does not regard
Karabakh as Azerbaijan’s territory.

In Nov, 2004 Apartments in Yerevan Rose in Prices by 30.5%

IN NOV, 2004 APARTMENTS IN YEREVAN ROSE IN PRICES BY 30.5%

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 27. ARMINFO. In Nov of 2004 the average price of 1
sq/m of dwelling in Yerevan was $253.8, which is by 30.5% higher than
in the same period of 2003, and in Nov as against Oct 2004 it
increased by 2.4%.

The press-service of the State Committee of Real Estate Register
informed ARMINFO that, in the Center community the average price of 1
sq/m of apartments was $497.8, $401.5 in the Arabkir district, $242.8
in Kanaker-Zeytun, $216 in Nor-Nork, $204.5 in Avan, $195.8 in
Erebuni, $234.5 in Shengavit, $249.7 in Davidashen, $228 in Achapnyak,
$226.9 in Malatia-Sebastia, $93.8 in Nubarashen.

116 bargains on purchase and sale of private houses were registered in
Yerevan in Nov, 2004. One sq/m of premises in private houses in
Yerevan decreased by 10.8% in Nov 2004 as against the same period of
2003. The average price for one square meter of dwelling area in
private houses in Yerevan increased by 27%, including in the Center
community – $500, in the Arabkir district – $403.4, $244.8 in
Kanaker-Zeytun, $347.9 in Nork-Marash, $205.9 in Avan, $197.8 in
Erebuni, $237 in Shengavit, $251.3 in Davidashen, $230.9 in Achapnyak,
$228.9 in Malatia-Sebastia, $95 in Nubarashen.

Armenia adopts budget foreseeing deficit of 2.4 pct of GDP

Agence France Presse — English
December 27, 2004 Monday 3:09 PM GMT

Armenia adopts budget foreseeing deficit of 2.4 pct of GDP

YEREVAN

Armenian members of parliament adopted Monday a 2005 budget that
increases social and defence spending and shows a deficit equivalent
to 2.4 percent of output.

The text, which was adopted with 103 votes in favour and seven
against in a second and last reading, should be ratified before the
end of the year by President Robert Kocharian.

The budget is based on expected revenues of 345.4 billion drams
(about 690 million dollars) and spending of 394 billion drams.

As a result, the budget would have a deficit of 48.6 billion drams,
which is equivalent to 2.4 percent gross domestic product. That
compared with a deficit of 51.2 million drams, or 2.5 percent of GDP,
this year.

Prime Minister Andranik Margarian told members of parliament: “The
increase in spending will be devoted essentially to social questions
even if security has not been forgotten.”

Social outlays would account for 30 percent of spending while defence
would receive 16 percent, marking an increase of 35 percent from
2004.

Armenia is to spend 61 billion drams on defence which the lion’s
shares going towards a rise in soldiers wages, Defence Minister Serj
Sargsian said.

Armenia’s economy is expected to grow eight percent in 2005 with
inflation of about three percent.

Armenia to decide on sending troops to Iraq

Armenia to decide on sending troops to Iraq

ITAR-TASS News Agency
December 23, 2004 Thursday

YEREVAN, December 24 – The Armenian parliament will decide Friday
whether to send military servicemen to Iraq. On Thursday the
parliamentary committee on foreign relations and defense recommended
to approve the move.

Yet in June Armenian Defense Minister Serzh Sarkisyan said some 50
military drivers, engineers and doctors may be sent to Iraq. He said
the volunteers will engage exclusively in humanitarian missions.

Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oganesyan rejected allegations that
Russia was pressing Yerevan to refrain from sending servicemen to Iraq.

US Ambassador to Armenia John Evans said the US administration welcomed
the Armenian plans to send troops to Iraq.

New Delhi: CCS okays revised cost estimate for Kaveri engine

CCS okays revised cost estimate for Kaveri engine

Sify, India
Dec 24 2004

New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on Saturday approved
the revised cost estimate of Rs 2,800 crore for the Kaveri Engine
Project for India’s Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), Tejas. This was
stated by Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee after the CCS meeting
chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The CCS “approved the revised cost estimate of Kaveri engine” which
has been placed at Rs 2,800 crore, Mukherjee said adding that Rs
1,300 crore had already been spent earlier on the indigenous project.

Two prototypes of LCA , being developed by Hindustan Aeronautics
Limited (HAL), Bangalore, have been test flown including at supersonic
speeds.

LCA, a versatile, light weight and multi-role combat aircraft, is
expected to be ready for induction in the Indian Air Force in another
three years time.

Mukherjee said the CCS approved a defence cooperation agreement with
Armenia which had been reached by the previous NDA regime in May
last year.

Azerbaijani MPs Accuse Each Other Of Homosexuality And CooperationWi

AZERBAIJANI MPs ACCUSE EACH OTHER OF HOMOSEXUALITY AND COOPERATION
WITH ARMENIAN SPECIAL SERVICES

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 22. ARMINFO. Azerbaijani parliamentarians accused
each other of cooperation with Armenian special services and of
homosexuality, at Tuesday session of Milli Mejlis, Zerkalo newspaper
reports.

MP Ahad Abiyev stated that he had enough facts that Leader of PNFA
Ali Kerimli receive financial assistance by Armenian special services
in exchange of data of state secrecy, besides has been absent from
parliamentary sessions for already one year. He urged the parliament
for depriving Kerimli of his deputy mandate, calling him an Armenian
agent. Then Abiyev again began insulting Kerimli, stating that the
flag of PNFA was to be dyed in “blue” long ago in conformity with
the sexual orientation of its leader. However, talking to Zerkalo,
Abiyev could not properly answer the question concerning his facts
testifying to Kerimli’s cooperation with Armenian special services. He
just stated that these data he had received from a PNFA-member.

Civil service council head denies ombudswoman’s claims

CIVIL SERVICE COUNCIL HEAD DENIES OMBUDSWOMAN’S CLAIMS

ArmenPress
Dec 17 2004

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS: The head of the Civil Service
Council, a government body supervising selection of thousands of
employees of civil service system through competitions, denied
Thursday the arguments of the country’s human rights defender that
the staff of her office should not be subject to the same procedure.
Manvel Badalian, the head of the Civil Service Council, told
reporters at a Thursday news conference that “the human rights
defender’s staff is a classical example of civil service.”
He then shrugged off the ombudswoman, Larisa Alaverdian’s claims
that extending the procedure to her staff would restrict their
freedom and independence, saying the “level of human rights
defender’s freedom and independence is guaranteed by the Constitution
and other laws.” “Selecting members of her staff through competitions
will only make it more professional and more effective, “he argued
and said: “At any rate if it does not do good it will not do harm.”
In retaliation to other arguments that the human rights protection
is a peculiar area of activity and the ombudswoman wants to have
“reliable” staff, Badalian retorted: “But who says that the president
of the country must not have trustworthy staff or the prime minister
must not have loyal heads of departments?”
Badalian also praised the government decision to raise minimal
wages of civil service employers from 20,000 to 30,000 in 2005 and
45,000 in 2006, saying the measure will have a positive impact in
terms of attracting qualified personnel.

Brussels to decide Turkish bid to join EU

AsiaNews, Italy
Dec 16 2004

Brussels to decide Turkish bid to join EU

Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan says Europe should prove it is not a
Christian club. France is in favour of Turkey’s entry because it is
in its interest but demands Turkey acknowledge Armenian genocide.
European bishops state that the EU is forgetting Turkish violations
of religious freedom.

Brussels (AsiaNews) – EU heads of government will decide tomorrow
whether to open talks with Turkey over its accession to the Union.
Meantime, the European parliament adopted a non binding resolution in
favour of negotiations by a margin of 407 to 262 with 29 abstentions.
But Ankara’s demand is controversial and has provoked a flurry of
statements by political leaders.

Leaving this morning on his way to Brussels, Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Europe “has an obligation to prove
that it is not a Christian club” and accept the Turkish bid.

Turkey’s population is 99 per cent Muslim. In the last two years, the
Turkish government has adopted several laws to conform to European
standards but its first bid to join what eventually became the
European Union dates back to 1963.

International observers believe though that, despite changes such as
the abolition of the death penalty and language guarantees for
minorities, Turkey is still a long way from fulfilling the civil
rights obligations demanded by the EU.

Human Rights Watch points out for instance that Turkey must overcome
two major obstacles, namely torture and ill-treatment in police
custody and the safe return of more than 350,000 internally displaced
Kurds forced from their homes in the 1990s.

Religious freedom is also another unresolved problem. Non Muslim
religious groups still lack official legal recognition.

Recently, Mgr Hippolyte Simon, Vice President of the Commission of
the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community (COMECE), speaking
on behalf of Europe’s bishops, said they were surprised that the EU
would open negotiations without linking them to the full respect of
religious rights as the European Commission had stated in its report.

Europe’s bishops said they were in favour of Turkey’s membership
because the rights of religious minorities could thus be recognised
and membership in the EU could prevent the country from coming under
the influence of Islamic fundamentalism.

In a television interview broadcast yesterday, French President
Jacques Chirac said that he was in favour of Turkey’s entry into the
EU “because it is in the interest of Europe, especially France”. Mr
Chirac said he supported Turkey’s demand as long as Ankara “met all
the conditions placed on every candidate for membership”. In Turkey’s
case, this also includes recognising the Armenian genocide of 1915
when 1.5 million Christian Armenians were killed.

For some historians, the Armenian genocide inspired the Nazis to
carry out their own policy of mass murder against the Jews.

Yesterday, French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier said: “In the
course of the accession negotiations, France will ask for recognition
of [this] tragedy”. However, a Turkish government spokesman responded
saying that “there was no such genocide, so there is no question of
recognising a genocide that did not happen.”

Turkey has always denied responsibility for the slaughter of
Armenians claiming that it was the result of “spontaneous acts of
violence”. (LF)

Erdogan, in caso di no terroristi dilagheranno

ANSA Notiziario Generale in Italiano
13 Dicembre 2004

UE:TURCHIA; ERDOGAN,IN CASO DI NO TERRORISTI DILAGHERANNO/AN ;
SALGONO LE APPRENSIONI TURCHE IN VISTA DEL VERTICE DEL 17

DATELINE: ANKARA

BODY:
(di Lucio Leante).

(ANSA) – ANKARA, 13 DIC – Il terrorismo islamico potrebbe
dilagare in Europa se l’Unione europea respingesse la richiesta
del governo di Ankara, ribadita ancora oggi, di una “decisione
chiara”, al suo prossimo vertice di Bruxelles del 16 e 17
dicembre.

Ankara reagisce cosi’, con un sensibile elevamento dei toni,
che segnala le sue crescenti apprensioni, ai segnali di
perplessita’ provenienti dalle capitali europee, sia sul fronte
delle opinioni pubbliche, sia da quello di alcuni governi
dell’Ue, in vista del vertice europeo che dovra’ decidere
l’avvio del negoziato di adesione Turchia-Ue, e che, secondo
Ankara dovrebbe “indicare chiaramente” sia una data certa di
avvio, sia l’obbiettivo della piena adesione (senza menzionare
l’alternativa di un partenariato privilegiato), e sia anche la
data di accesso finale.

E’ stato lo stesso premier turco Tayyip Erdogan a fare
balenare la possibilita’ di un aumento del terrorismo islamico
in Europa, “nel caso che l’Unione europea respingesse la
Turchia, scegliendo di rimanere un club cristiano” ed
equiparando a un drastico “no” sia l’ipotesi di un negoziato
“a esito aperto” (“open ended”), sia quella di un
partenariato privilegiato.

“Accettando un paese (la Turchia, ndr) che ha coniugato
islam e democrazia, l’Ue portera’ l’armonia tra le civilta’. Se,
invece, non lo fara’ il mondo dovra’ fare fronte all’attuale
situazione” – ha detto Erdogan, riferendosi senza ambiguita’ a
gruppi di terroristi islamici, come al Qaida.

“Questo e’ il pericolo chiaro ed attuale. Non c’e niente
che possiamo fare se l’Unione europea sceglie di restare un club
cristiano. Ma se questi paesi bruciano i ponti con il resto del
mondo, la storia non li perdonera'”- ha aggiunto con un tono
sinistro.

Il premier turco ha respinto in particolare l’ipotesi
circolante a Bruxelles di un’offerta di negoziato “open ended”
(cioe a esito aperto, quanto alla durata ed al risultato
finale, ndr) e quella di una partership privilegiata,
un’ipotesi alternativa alla piena adesione, promossa dai
cristiano- democratici tedeschi, a cui hanno aderito nelle
ultime settimane i gollisti francesi (con la notevole eccezione
del presidente Jacques Chirac), parte dei socialisti francesi,
l’Austria e la Danimarca.

“La Turchia ha adempiuto a tutti i criteri di Copenaghen, ma
gli europei sono ancora esitanti. Certamente la piena adesione
non e’ automatica. Ma se noi facciamo la nostra parte, dovremo,
alla fine del negoziato, diventare membri a pieno titolo. O c’e
la piena adesione o nulla” – ha affermato Erdogan
sottolineando: “noi non saremo mai partner privilegiati perche
questo termine non esiste. La partnership privilegiata non e
stata mai offerta ad alcun altro paese. Non c’e modo che la
Turchia possa accettarla”.

“Ora vediamo che nuove regole vengono avanzate mentre la
partita e’ gia’ iniziata. Noi siamo musulmani, democratici e
laici. Non abbiamo bisogno di dire di piu'”- ha concluso
sibillinamente il premier turco.

Certamente, a spiegare le forti dichiarazioni di Erdogan,
c’e il fatto che le apprensioni di Ankara sono notevolmente
aumentate nelle ultime ore.

In primo luogo le tendenze dell’opinione pubblica nei due
maggiori paesi dell’Ue, Francia e Germania, non sono segnali
favorevoli, dato che proprio stamani un sondaggio Ifop-Le Figaro
ha mostrato che sono sfavorevoli all’entrata della Turchia
nell’Ue il 67% dei francesi ed il 55% dei tedeschi, mentre, a
parziale consolazione, spagnoli (65%), italiani (49%) ed
inglesi (41%) si mostrano prevalentemente favorevoli.

E’ vero che – come ha affermato il ministro degli esteri
olandese, Ben Bot, presidente di turno dell’Ue – “cio’ che
contera’ in ultima istanza e’ la decisione che prenderanno i
capi di stato e di governo alla fine della settimana”, ma
Ankara sa che i governi europei non possono ignorare a lungo le
loro opinioni pubbliche.

E segnali negativi per Ankara in questo senso sono pervenuti
in particolare da Parigi e Vienna. A Parigi il ministro degli
esteri francese, Michel Barnier, ha chiesto che la questione del
genocidio degli armeni del 1915-16 sia inclusa nei negoziati di
adesione della Turchia all’Unione europea, ben sapendo che
Ankara non riconosce come “genocidio” i massacri degli armeni
ad opera degli ottomani quasi 90 anni fa.

Forti perplessita’ sono state espresse anche a Vienna dal
cancelliere conservatore austriaco, Wolfgang Schuessel, sia per
quanto riguarda il rispetto dei diritti umani in Turchia, sia
sul costo (tra i 25 e i 30 miliardi di euro l’anno -secondo lui)
della Turchia dalla sua entrata a pieno titolo. “Chi paghera
per questo?” – si e’ chiesto Schuessel.