German parliament passes Armenian resolution

Berlin, June 16, IRNA

The German parliament here Thursday approved a resolution aimed at
commemorating the expulsion and massacres of Armenians in the Ottoman
empire some 90 years ago.

Petitioned by all German political parties, the three-page resolution
urges Turkey to “take historic responsibility” for the massacres and
expulsions of Armenians by the Ottoman government.

The resolution points also to a limited German role in the massacres
of Armenians since Germany was a close ally of the Ottomans.

Turkey has harshly criticized the German resolution, calling it
“irresponsible”.

German parliament calls for Turkey to re-examine Armenian killings

AP Worldstream; Jun 16, 2005

Germany’s parliament on Thursday urged Turkey to examine its role in
the killing of an estimated 1 million ethnic Armenians a century ago,
an issue that could weigh on Ankara’s hopes of joining the European
Union.

Lawmakers adopted a cross-party resolution asking the Berlin government
to press Turkey to investigate the “organized expulsion and destruction
of the Armenians” and foster reconciliation.

“The motion is passed with votes from the whole house,” parliamentary
vice president Antje Vollmer announced after a show of hands in the
lower house.

Armenia accuses Turkey of genocide in the killings as part of a 1915-23
campaign to force Armenians out of eastern Anatolia. At the time,
Armenia was part of the Ottoman Empire.

Turkey remains extremely sensitive to the issue. It denies that the
killings were genocide and says the death count is inflated and that
Armenians were killed or displaced along with others as the Ottoman
Empire tried to quell civil unrest.

In its motion, the German parliament said it was “convinced an honest
historical review is needed and represents the most important basis
for reconciliation.”

“This is particularly true in the framework of a European culture
of remembrance which includes openly debating the dark side of each
nation’s history,” it said.

The motion didn’t mention Turkey’s bid to join the EU, but said the
Armenian issue was an example of how Turkey needs to guarantee freedom
of speech _ an area where Ankara has been told it must improve if it
is to join the 25-nation bloc.

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has been one of Turkey’s strongest
backers in its membership bid, but the conservative opposition _
which hopes to win elections later this year _ argues that it should
be offered a lesser “privileged partnership.”

ARF bureau representative: There is misrepresentation that Armenia is
losing in Karabakh talks

16.06.2005 16:32

YEREVAN (YERKIR) – Commenting on the current stage of the Karabakh
conflict negotiations process, Armenian Revolutionary Federation
(ARF) Bureau representative Hrant Margarian told a news conference on
Thursday that it is wrong to create a defeatist environment in Armenia.

Margarian Margarian said his impression is that on the one hand the
international forces pressure Azerbaijan to accept that Karabakh (and
probably Lachin, too) should be joined to Armenia, and on the other
hand they pressure Armenia to accept that the liberated territories
should be returned to Azerbaijan.

“I don’t believe there is an Armenian who wants the liberated
territories to be reutnred,” Margarian mentioned. “But I admit that
the issue can be touched upon during the talks process for tactical
reasons, but when Azerbaijan refuses at all to consider the issue
of ceding Karabakh to Armenia de jure — on the contrary, militant
rhetoric prevails in Azerbaijan — then I don’t understand why are
we creating a seemingly defeatist mood among our people?

This is unwise, to say the least. Our people have paid a big price
for the liberation of Karabakh and will not let anyone surrender
territories.” He added that concessions should not include such
issues as Karabakh’s sovereignty, national identity and today’s
factual borders.

Draw for 118th Wimbledon Championships

AP Worldstream; Jun 16, 2005

The draw for the 118th Wimbledon Championships made by the All
England Club on Thursday (seedings in parantheses):

Singles

Men

Roger Federer (1), Switzerland, vs. Paul-Henri Mathieu, France

Ivo Minar, Czech Republic, vs. Michal Tabara, Czech Republic

Joshua Goodall, Britain, vs. Alessio Di Mauro, Italy

Julien Benneteau, France, vs. Nicolas Kiefer (25), Germany

Juan Carlos Ferrero (23), Spain, vs. Qualifier

Thomas Enqvist, Sweden, vs. Hyung-taik Lee, South Korea

Florian Mayer, Germany, vs. Santiago Ventura, Spain

Fernando Verdasco, Spain, vs. Tommy Robredo (13), Spain

Joachim Johansson (11), Sweden, vs. Albert Montanes, Spain

Alberto Martin, Spain, vs. Greg Rusedski, Britain

Jose Acasuso, Argentina, vs. Tomas Zib, Czech Republic

Alan Mackin, Britain, vs. Fernando Gonzalez (21), Chile

Mikhail Youzhny (31), Russia, vs. Marcos Baghdatis, Cyprus

Oscar Hernandez, Spain, vs. Jean-Rene Lisnard, France

Jonas Bjorkman, Sweden, vs. Qualifier

Scott Draper, Australia, vs. Nikolay Davydenko (8), Russia

Lleyton Hewitt (3), Australia, vs. Christophe Rochus, Belgium

Jan Hernych, Czech Republic, vs. James Blake, United States

Qualifier vs. Qualifier

Sargis Sargsian, Armenia, vs. Nicolas Massu (29), Chile

Taylor Dent (24), United States, vs. Qualifier

Kevin Kim, United States, vs. Alex Bogdanovic, Britain

Qualifier vs. Tomas Berdych, Czech Republic

Lars Burgsmuller, Germany, vs. Mariano Puerta (16), Argentina

Mario Ancic (10), Croatia, vs. Qualifier

Qualifier vs. Stefan Koubek, Austria

Gael Monfils, France, vs. Olivier Rochus, Belgium

Cyril Saulnier, France, vs. Dominik Hrbaty (22), Slovakia

Feliciano Lopez (26), Spain, vs. Bjorn Phau, Germany

David Sherwood, Britain, vs. Ricardo Mello, Brazil

Karol Beck, Slovakia, vs. Mark Philippoussis, Australia

Paradorn Srichaphan, Thailand, vs. Marat Safin (5), Russia

Guillermo Canas (7), Argentina, vs. Qualifier

Max Mirnyi, Belarus, vs. Rainer Schuettler, Germany

Stanislas Wawrinka, Switzerland, vs. Fabrice Santoro, France

Peter Wessels, Netherlands, vs. Jiri Novak (28), Czech Republic

Tommy Haas (19), Germany, vs. Janko Tipsarevic,

Qualifier vs. Qualifier

Andrei Pavel, Romania, vs. Qualifier

Bohdan Ulihrach, Czech Republic, vs. Thomas Johansson (12), Sweden

Radek Stepanek (14), Czech Republic, vs. Robby Ginepri, United States

Andrew Murray, Britain, vs. Qualifier

Karol Kucera, Slovakia, vs. Luis Horna, Peru

Raemon Sluiter, Netherlands, vs. David Nalbandian (18), Argentina

Richard Gasquet (27), France, vs. Philipp Kohlschreiber, Germany

Sjeng Schalken, Netherlands, vs. Potito Starace, Italy

Felix Mantilla, Spain, vs. Gilles Muller, Luxembourg

Vincent Spadea, United States, vs. Rafael Nadal (4), Spain

Tim Henman (6), Britain, vs. Jarkko Nieminen, Finland

Nicolas Almagro, Spain, vs. Dmitry Tursunov, Russia

Alexander Popp, Germany, vs. Jerome Haehnel, France

Wayne Arthurs, Australia, vs. Filippo Volandri (32), Italy

David Ferrer (17), Spain, vs. Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, Spain

Juan Monaco, Argentina, vs. Qualifier

Victor Hanescu, Romania, vs. Kenneth Carlsen, Denmark

Michael Llodra, France, vs. Sebastien Grosjean (9), France

Guillermo Coria (15), Argentina, vs. Tomas Behrend, Germany

Jonathan Marray, Britain, vs. Xavier Malisse, Belgium

Alex Calatrava, Spain, vs. Qualifier

Jurgen Melzer, Austria, vs. Ivan Ljubicic (20), Croatia

Robin Soderling (30), Sweden, vs. Igor Andreev, Russia

Davide Sanguinetti, Italy, vs. Qualifier

Qualifier, vs. Ivo Karlovic, Croatia

Jiri Vanek, Czech Republic, vs. Andy Roddick (2), United States

Women

Lindsay Davenport (1), United States, vs. Alina Jidkova, Russia

Marta Marrero, Spain, vs. Qualifier

Barbora Strycova, Czech Republic, vs. Lilia Osterloh, United States

Sanda Mamic, Croatia, vs. Dinara Safina (30), Russia

Ai Sugiyama (23), Japan, vs. Roberta Vinci, Italy

Abigail Spears, United States, vs. Anne Kremer, Luxembourg

Marissa Irvin, United States, vs. Qualifier

Katie O’Brien, Britain, vs. Kim Clijsters (15), Belgium

Patty Schnyder (10), Switzerland, vs. Antonella Serra Zanetti, Italy

Tatiana Perebiynis, Ukraine, vs. Qualifier

Maria Kirilenko, Russia, vs. Qualifier

Magdalena Maleeva, Bulgaria, vs. Shinobu Asagoe (24), Japan

Nicole Vaidisova (27), Czech Republic, vs. Jelena Kostanic, Croatia

Samantha Stosur, Australia, vs. Michaela Pastikova, Czech Republic

Akiko Morigami, Japan, vs. Sania Mirza, India

Rebecca Llewellyn, Britain, vs. Svetlana Kuznetsova (5), Russia

Amelie Mauresmo (3), France, vs. Paola Suarez, Argentina

Maria Sanchez Lorenzo, Spain, vs. Marta Domachowska, Poland

Sarah Borwell, Britain, vs. Shenay Perry, United States

Tamarine Tanasugarn, Thailand, vs. Karolina Sprem (25), Croatia

Silvia Farina Elia (22), Italy, vs. Martina Sucha, Slovakia

Maria Vento-Kabchi, Venezuela, vs. Milagros Sequera, Venezuela

Meghann Shaughnessy, United States, vs. Julia Schruff, Germany

Anna Smashnova, Israel, vs. Elena Likhovtseva (13), Russia

Anastasia Myskina (9), Russia, vs. Qualifier

Evie Dominikovic, Australia, vs. Aiko Nakamura, Japan

Mariana Diaz-Oliva, Argentina, vs. Anne Keothavong, Britain

Anna Chakvetadze, Russia, vs. Jelena Jankovic (17)

Amy Frazier (28), United States, vs. Mashona Washington, United
States

Selima Sfar, Tunisia, vs. Emilie Loit, France

Elena Baltacha, Britain, vs. Qualifier

Iveta Benesova, Czech Republic, vs. Elena Dementieva (6), Russia

Justine Henin-Hardenne (7), Belgium, vs. Eleni Daniilidou, Greece

Klara Koukalova, Czech Republic, vs. Laura Granville, United States

Gisela Dulko, Argentina, vs. Yuliana Fedak, Ukraine

Emmanuelle Gagliardi, Switzerland, vs. Flavia Pennetta (26), Italy

Ana Ivanovic (19), Serbia-Montenegro, vs. Vera Douchevina, Russia

Denisa Chladkova, Czech Republic, vs. Stephanie Foretz, France

Qualifier vs. Tathiana Garbin, Italy

Lucie Safarova, Czech Republic, vs. Mary Pierce (12), France

Venus Williams (14), United States, vs. Qualifier

Nicole Pratt, Australia, vs. Ludmila Cervanova, Slovakia

Qualifier vs. Shahar Peer, Israel

Evgenia Linetskaya, Russia, vs. Daniela Hantuchova (20), Slovakia

Marion Bartoli (29), France, vs. Rika Fujiwara, Japan

Qualifier vs. Jill Craybas, United States

Qualifier vs. Qualifier

Angela Haynes, United States, vs. Serena Williams (4), United States

Nadia Petrova (8), Russia, vs. Virginia Ruano Pascual, Spain

Claudine Schaul, Luxembourg, vs. Michaela Krajicek, Netherlands

Zuzana Ondraskova, Czech Republic, vs. Cara Black, Zimbabwe

Catalina Castano, Colombia, vs. Virginie Razzano (32), France

Francesca Schiavone (21), Italy, vs. Kristina Brandi, Puerto Rico

Conchita Martinez, Spain, vs. Qualifier

Kveta Peschke, Czech Republic, vs. Dally Randriantefy, Madagascar

Marlene Weingartner, Germany, vs. Vera Zvonareva (11), Russia

Nathalie Dechy (16), France, vs. Maria Elena Camerin, Italy

Jane O’Donoghue, Britain, vs. Anna-Lena Groenefeld, Germany

Tatiana Panova, Russia, vs. Lisa Raymond, United States

Alyona Bondarenko, Ukraine, vs. Tatiana Golovin (18), France

Anabel Medina Garrigues (31), Spain, vs. Katarina Srebotnik, Slovenia

Yoon Jeong-cho, South Korea, vs. Arantxa Parra Santonja, Spain

Amanda Janes, Britain, vs. Sesil Karatancheva, Bulgaria

Nuria Llagostera Vives, Spain, vs. Maria Sharapova (2), Russia

COSSACKS OF AZERBAIJAN «INTEND TO HELP BAKU SOLVE KARABAKH ISSUE»

Pan Armenian News
16.06.2005 06:55

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Friendly Association of Azeri Cossacks (FAAC)
has asked Republic President Ilham Aliyev to form a Cossack battalion
within the National Army. Baku MPs have supported Cossacks. FAAC
leaders do not conceal that the decision of the Russian State Duma,
passed the Bill on State Service of Russian Cossacks in the first
reading on May 18 ~V on the day of the 200th anniversary of the Don
Cossacks’ capital of Novocherkassk. By the way, it is submitted for
consideration by the MPs by Vladimir Putin. The document provides
for service of Russian Cossacks in Armed Forces. The formations they
will join will given traditional Cossack names. FAAC Chairman Victor
Mereshkin explained that Cossacks of Azerbaijan has studied the bill
and asked President Ilham Aliyev to lobby a similar one. «We are
ready to do everything to assist the country leadership in solving
the Karabakh problem. Karabakh should belong to Azerbaijan not only
de jure, but also de facto,» Mereshkin said. In his words, there are
1.5 thousand Cossacks in Azerbaijan. He reported that according to
the statute of Cossacks, representatives of other nationalities,
including Azeris, can serve in Cossack battalions. Baku MPs have
already stated they are ready to support the FAAC initiative. Milli
Mejlis Deputy Mais Safarli urged to legalize the activities of
local Cossacks. «Victor Mereshkin has fought in the Karabakh war at
Azerbaijan’s part. All Cossacks he leads are people, who are ready
to fight for Karabakh. They propagate Azerbaijan everywhere and have
attained the support of Russian Cossack societies’ support of our
country,» the MP said. In his words, in the near future the Azeri
Parliament intends to discuss the matter of service of local Cossacks
in a detachment within the National Army, the Novye Izvestia reported.

–Boundary_(ID_0Ho+q7yIj+fIHvJuBTzdIA)–

Turkish Army will continue antiterrorist fight in southeast – general

Anatolia news agency
16 Jun 05

Ankara, 16 June: Deputy Chief of General Staff Gen Ilker Basbug said:
“The responsibility of Turkish security forces in southeastern Anatolia
region is to fight against terrorists. They will pursue their mission.”

When reporters recalled statements of EU ambassadors who said
Turkey should be active in southeastern Anatolia region not only by
military measures but also by civilian measures, Gen Basbug said: “The
responsibility of Turkish security forces in southeastern Anatolia
region is to fight against terrorists. Certainly, it is normal to
take measures against terrorism. We have taken these measures; it is
not a new issue.”

Azeri opposition bloc demands Public TV boss’s resignation

Yeni Musavat, Baku
16 Jun 05

Text of unattributed report by Azerbaijani newspaper Yeni Musavat
on 16 June headlined “Our Azerbaijan bloc demands Ismayil Omarov’s
resignation” and subheaded “The bloc also wants the dissolution of
the Broadcasting Council”

A session of the Our Azerbaijan bloc [led by opposition Musavat Party
and including dozens of small parties] was held yesterday [15 June].
The session adopted a statement concerning Public TV. The launch of
public TV and radio broadcasting – one of the fundamental principles of
building a civil society – is the most important aspect of transition
to democracy and one of the main commitments of the Azerbaijani
authorities to the Council of Europe, the statement said.

The Council of Europe demanded that Public TV be set up on the basis
of state TV, that state TV be shut down and that Public TV go on air
on 1 June 2005, the bloc said. This practice has been used in Georgia,
Ukraine and even in Armenia. Obstacles created on the way of setting
up Public TV began after the Milli Maclis [Azerbaijan’s parliament]
selected and appointed members of the Broadcasting Council. “The
regime staffed it in such a way that this immediately elicited
disapproval of the Azerbaijani public and international community,”
the statement said.

Little time remains till the parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan
and [director-general of Public TV] Ismayil Omarov has been in office
for two months. “Over this period he was observed ‘settling scores’
in the Milli Maclis on the principles of nepotism – he had a conflict
with staff of Azerbaijani [state-owned] radio and begged that he not be
stripped of the MP mandate. Currently, he is conducting a ‘competition’
among those who wish to work for Public TV. It is alleged that 700
people will be recruited, although the TV channel needs 250-300
employees to function in accordance with European standards. It is
already obvious for everyone that Omarov is creating another nest of
corruption under the guise of the Public TV idea,” the statement said.

The Our Azerbaijan bloc demands that the authorities fulfil their
commitment to the Council of Europe and that Public TV operate
in accordance with its mandate. “The composition of the Public
Broadcasting Council has to be changed by 1 July 2005, and a genuine
public council has to be composed of independent specialists renowned
in Azerbaijan as democrats,” the statement said. The bloc demanded
that Ismayil Omarov – who will never be accepted by the Azerbaijani
public, who was appointed by the presidential administration under
pressure from a tycoon and who is an enemy of democratic thought –
be relieved of the post of director-general of Public TV.

Necessary measures must be taken so that independent and democratic
journalists are represented at Public TV and that the TV channel starts
to operate in accordance with its mandate not later than 1 August 2005.

Azeri economy should orient towards Europe, not Russia, minister says

Azad Azarbaycan TV, Baku
15 Jun 05

[Presenter] Azerbaijani Minister for Economic Development Farhad
Aliyev, who returned from an international economic forum in Russia,
has made an interesting statement. Aliyev believes that the Azerbaijani
economy should be oriented towards the West rather than Russia.

[Correspondent over video of Farhad Aliyev] Azerbaijan should expand
its economic ties mainly with the USA and European countries, the
minister said.

Commenting on the results of the ninth international economic forum
in St Petersburg, Minister for Economic Development Farhad Aliyev
said that the Russian market was attractive for Azerbaijan in terms
of agricultural export.

[Aliyev speaking to microphone] I think we can learn nothing serious
from our neighbour. We are in no way lagging behind our neighbours
in terms of development. We are ahead of them. Therefore, we should
try to integrate mainly into more developed countries, especially
Western countries, Europe and the USA.

[Correspondent] The minister said that the export and import operations
with Russia comprised 11 per cent of Azerbaijan’s total trade and
oil products accounted for over 80 per cent of them. Therefore, Mr
Aliyev regarded as advantageous increasing export of agricultural
products to Russia.

[Passage omitted: Farhad Aliyev about exhibition of Azeri goods,
expresses hope that talks with Russia will yield results]

UNION OF ARMENIANS OF RUSSIA MARKS FIFTH ANNIVERSARY

Pan Armenian News
16.06.2005 06:24

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Union of Armenians of Russia (UAR) today marks
a jubilee. Founded five years ago the Union replaced several hundreds
of small national organizations, which engaged in preserving the
national Armenian culture in Russia to the best of their abilities
and as far as possible. As UAR President Ara Abrahamyan said, “from
the moment of the creation of an all-Russian national NGO a new phase
referring to the strengthening of centuries-old traditions opened
in the life of Armenian Russians.” In his words, the Union “has the
complicated task to promote integration of hundreds of thousand of
new migrant Armenians from Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia into the
linguistic, social, economic and cultural environment of Russia.”
“Simultaneously our goal is further strengthening of the relations
between Russia and Armenia,” Ara Abrahamyan emphasized. The summit of
the program of celebration of the jubilee will be today’s concert of
Armenian song and dance ensemble at the International House of Music
in Moscow, the Trud newspaper reported.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN AMBASSADOR TO RUSSIA AND RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY DIRECTOR GENERAL
DISCUSSED URGENT ISSUES

Pan Armenian News
16.06.2005 05:58

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ June 15 Director General of the Russian Foreign
Ministry Doku Zavgayev met with Armenian Ambassador to Russia Armen
Smbatyan in Moscow, reported Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service. In
the course of the meeting the parties exchanged views over a number
of urgent issues of bilateral relations, including the location
of the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Russia and Russian
Consulate General in Gyumri Armenian city. The parties reaffirmed
their readiness to further solve question appearing in the bilateral
agenda within the spirit of mutual understanding and in full compliance
with the high level of the allied relations between Russia and Armenia.