RELEASE OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH BORDER TO CONTRIBUTE TO PROMOTION OF USA
INTERESTS IN REGION: ARMENIAN FM

YEREVAN, JUNE 15. ARMINFO. At a press-conference in the National
press-club in Washington, Armenia’s Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan
once again called upon to Turkey’s authorities to release a border
with Armenia.

As ARMINFO was informed in Armenian Assembly of America (AAA), Oskanyan
noted that it will affect positively the situation in the region as a
whole and will help to promote interests of the USA there. He repeated
the position of the official Yerevan and the readiness to normalize
relations with Ankara without preconditions. Oskanyan stated that
one should not involve the legislative power on Armenian Genocide in
Ottoman Turkey in both the normalization process of bilateral relations
and the issue of borders’ release. Minister called upon to the White
House to exert influence on Turkey in this issue. The source informs
that the US President George Bush called upon to Turkey earlier to
restore economical, political and cultural relations with Armenia.

DEMAND FOR JAPANESE “NISSAN” GROWS IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, JUNE 14. ARMINFO. Demand for Japanese cars “Nissan” has
started growing in Armenia. Director General of the CJSC Armenia Lada
Ashot Shahmuradyan informs ATRMINFO that in 2004, the first sales year,
some 100 “Nissan” models were sold in Armenia.

It is forecasted that this year the sale volume will grew to 120-150
cars, he says. These cars are cheaper than German cars but not
less qualitative. The most popular models are “Nissan Maxima” and
“Nissan Altima.” Among “Nissan” subtypes are broadly presented Murano,
“Patrol,” “Armada” and other models. The most expensive are “Nissan
Infinity” cost some $74,000. 5-6 such cars are sold annually. The
official representative of Nissan in Armenia is “Muran.”

Journal of Turkish Weekly
June 16 2005

Turkey and EU Referendums
View: Sedat Laciner

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

***

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

***

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

***

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

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

– Turkey is the greatest Muslim economy in the world,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

–Boundary_(ID_x3+4uTI4JzFgZp8351jzQA)–

ASBAREZ ONLINE
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06/15/2005
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1) ARF Youth Delegation at IUSY Black Sea Area Cooperation Meeting in Istanbul
2) Lebanese Armenians Protest Erdogan Visit
3) Giro Manoyan Meets with Turkish Deputy
4) German Bundestag Set to Adopt Armenian Genocide Resolution

1) ARF Youth Delegation at IUSY Black Sea Area Cooperation Meeting in Istanbul

YEREVAN (ARF Youth Office)–An Armenian Youth Federation delegation will be
attending an International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY) conference in
Istanbul, Turkey, June 16-19, along with representatives of IUSY member
organizations from Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Romania, Russia,
Turkey, and Ukraine.
The AYF’s Karen Mnatsakanyan and Zinavor Meghryan (Armenia), Talline
Tachdjian
(France), and Khatchik Mouradian (Lebanon) will participate in the conference
that will address Black Sea area cooperation. Topics include minorities in
Europe, international agreements on minorities, and past policies on
minorities. A seminar on the geopolitics of Central Asia is also scheduled.
The IUSY is a fraternal organization of the Socialist International. IUSY
membership includes 143 socialist, social-democratic, labor youth and student
unions from 100 countries.
The AYF is a full-fledged IUSY member. Additional information on IUSY and the
Black Sea Area Cooperation conference is available at
<;

2) Lebanese Armenians Protest Erdogan Visit

BEIRUT–Hundreds of Lebanese Armenians took part in a demonstration Wednesday
protesting Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to the country.
Erdogan was expected in Beirut for talks with Lebanese officials and to take
part in the Arab Economic Forum.
Lebanon has passed legislation that recognizes and condemns the genocide of
Armenians by the Ottoman Empire, and encourages other nations to stop the
cycle
of such extreme criminal acts.
Organized by the Armenian National Committee of Lebanon, the rally took place
in the heart of Bourj Hammoud, a shopping district, where stores closed
mid-afternoon in protest of Erdogan’s visit.

3) Giro Manoyan Meets with Turkish Deputy

YEREVAN (Combined Sources)–Giro Manoyan, Director of Armenian Revolutionary
Federation (ARF) Bureau’s Armenian National Committee and Political Affairs
Office, met on Sunday with a member of the Turkish Parliament.
Manoyan’s one-hour long meeting with Turkish ruling party’s Turhan Comez,
took
place in the lobby of the Marriott Armenia hotel.
Samson Ozararat, Armenia’s representative in the Black Sea Economic
Cooperation Council, and Comez’s colleauges also attended.
Armenian-Turkish relations highlighted conversations, with Manoyan pointing
out that dialogue is possible only when it is genuine. He said that by all
indications, however, no such environment within Turkey exists for such
internal discussions.
Manoyan later stressed to journalists accompanying the Turkish politician
their role in the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations, and
emphasized the need for responsible reporting.
Zaman Daily reported that Comez, who also met with French Ambassador to
Armenia Henry Cuny, told reporters that people sharing the same geography
could
meet at a common ground. “The meeting was held to share our intentions and
ideas. I thank Armenia for their hospitability. We, as two nations sharing the
same geography, can take steps forward in harmony and [with] mutual
understanding, and open the channels of communication with warm dialogue.
Dialogue is a must. ”
Comez, who was on an unofficial visit to Yerevan, also spoke to students and
lecturers at Yerevan State University, and insisted that–as a first step–the
two countries should stop setting conditions for establishing relations.

4) German Bundestag Set to Adopt Armenian Genocide Resolution

(RFE/RL)–According to journalist Ashot Manucharian, who lives and works in
Germany, the German Bundestag will discuss and vote on a resolution on the
Armenian genocide, on June 16.
Preliminary discussions concerning the adoption of a special resolution on
the
Armenian genocide took place at the Bundestag on April 21. Despite pressure
from the Turkish Government, the Turkish Embassy in Germany and lobbyist
groups, all parties represented in the Bundestag, nevertheless, decided to
adopt before September a special document related to the Armenian genocide.
However, with Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder’s announcement of pre-term
parliamentary elections, the Bundestag has decided to complete the process
before the original September deadline.
According to Manucharian, the word “genocide” will be used in the resolution,
which stresses that “numerous independent historians, parliaments and
international organizations call the massacre of Armenians ‘a genocide.'”

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PRESS RELEASE

June 15, 2005

American University of Armenia Corporation
300 Lakeside Drive, 4th Floor
Oakland, CA 94612
Telephone: (510) 987-9452
Fax: (510) 208-3576

Contact: Gohar Momjian
E-mail: [email protected]

AUA Helps Establish Regional Ophthalmic Unit in Sevan

Yerevan – The Ararat-1 Lions Club and the Garo Meghrigian Eye Institute for
Preventive Ophthalmology (GMEIPO) of the Center for Health Services Research
and Development, American University of Armenia, in conjunction with the
Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia, hosted the opening of the
Lions Regional Ophthalmic Unit in Sevan on June 11, 2005.

The Lions Regional Ophthalmic Unit is part of an integrated project
supported by the Lions Club International Foundation SightFirst grant to
strengthen ophthalmologic services throughout the region and to serve as a
model for sustainable, community-based primary eye care and a blindness
prevention system.

The Unit was renovated and equipped according to World Health Organization
(WHO) standards and the core staff, including one ophthalmologist and two
ophthalmic nurses, was trained on new methods of diagnostics and treatment
at the Lions Aravind Institute for Community Ophthalmology in India. The
Lions Regional Ophthalmic Unit will focus on cataract surgery, the main
blinding condition in Armenia, according to the GMEIPO~Rs population-based
survey and Armenia~Rs Ministry of Health statistics.

In support of the Unit, 10 village examination centers were established in
village ambulatories in the Gegharkunik region. The centers will provide
primary eye care and screening services by nurses that completed a training
session conducted by the GMEIPO, with support from the Jinishian Memorial
Fund. Within 2 years, approximately 20,000 people aged 50 and over from the
Gegharkunik region will receive free ophthalmic examinations. An estimated
1,000-1,500 cataract surgeries will be conducted, many for free or at
substantially reduced prices.

~SThis project is the outcome of a partnership that has been forged to
provide needed eye care services to the poor people of the Gegharkunik
region. It is a unique event and I have every confidence that it will be a
great success,~T said Dr. Para, WHO/Geneva Consultant Ophthalmologist.

*******************

The American University of Armenia is registered as a non-profit educational
organization in both Armenia and the United States and is affiliated with
the Regents of the University of California. Receiving major support from
the AGBU, AUA offers instruction leading to the Masters Degree in eight
graduate programs. For more information about AUA, visit

Photo 1 (left to right): AUA Director of Center for Health Services and
Research (CHSR) , Dr. Michael Thompson, AUA President, Dr. Haroutune
Armenian, Silva Gevorgyan, Grant Administrator of Ararat-1 Lions Club
International, and Mikael Antonyan, Project Committee Member and Member of
Ararat-1 Lions Club International

Photo 2: A plaque on the wall of the Sevan Regional Ophthalmic Unit (near
the main entrance)

Photo 3: back row (left to right) Varduhi Petrosyan, Associate Director,
CHSR; Dr. Michael Thompson, Director, CHSR; front row (left to right):
Ovsanna Najaryan, Operations Manager, Garo Meghrigian Eye Institute for
Preventive Ophthalmology (GMEIPO); Lilit Kirakosyan, Ophthalmic Consultant,
GMEIPO; Varsik Hakobyan, Ophthalmic Consultant, GMEIPO; Naira Khachatryan,
Principal Investigator, GMEIPO

PRESS RELEASE

Armenian Technology Group, Inc.
1300 E. Shaw Ave., Suite 149
Fresno, CA 93710
Contact: Avo Arikian
Tel: 559-224-1000
Fax: 559-224-1002
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

For Immediate Release

June 14, 2005

ATG Bike-a-Thon III

Imagine biking hundreds of miles, encountering mountains, rocky
terrain, and long stretches of uninhabited land as you go. On August
20, 2005, a number of designated riders will do just that, as they
ride for Armenia during the Armenian Technology Group’s Bike-a-Thon
III. Their goal is simple: to help rebuild their ancestral homeland
into a strong, vibrant nation.

The past two Bike-a-Thons have been a very successful part of the
ongoing process to help Armenia’s rural farmers prosper. Bike-a-Thon
I helped establish a certified grape nursery in the Artsakh region;
ATG estimates that every dollar invested in the nursery increases local
income 14-fold. Fifty-three families are now employed by the nursery,
and hundreds of acres of vineyards in Karabakh are being rejuvenated
yearly with young, disease-free grapevines.

Bike-a-Thon II played a critical role in raising the funds to purchase
four milk-cooling tanks to serve as storage for rural farmers,
allowing their surplus milk to be kept fresh and to be sold to dairy
processors. The milk tanks also serve as inspection sites to ensure
that Armenia’s children are provided with fresh, wholesome milk. More
than 3,000 families in 4 villages are the target beneficiaries of
this project.

This year’s Bike-a-Thon has the specific goal of raising the funds
needed to train professional veterinarians who will work with
the Central Diagnostic Lab to a) help increase farm production and
income, and b) to ensure that the milk and dairy products are safe for
consumption. The purpose of the Lab is to ensure that Armenia’s rural
farming operations can minimize the spread of a wide range of diseases
including as tuberculosis, brucellosis, salmonella, anthrax and e.coli,
which can enter the food supply and thereby affect public health. This
will also help farmers to run their operations more efficiently and
productively. “Rural economic development in Armenia is vital to the
future of the country. We sincerely appreciate those who participate
in helping us attain our mutual goal,” said ATG executive director
Varoujan Der Simonian.

Preparations are already under way for Bike-a-Thon III. Vatche
Soghomonian, who led the first two cycling events and recently
qualified for the Tour de France, will be accompanied by other bikers
eager to support Armenia. “I invite anyone who is willing to join me
in this noble cause of revitalizing our homeland”, stated Soghomonian.

Vatche and his friends will begin their ride from Yerevan, then peddle
towards Khor Virab, and then on to Noravank. They will then journey to
Yeghegnatsor and through Areni wine country, stopping to have a taste
of Armenia’s wines. The tour will continue to Sisian, and then Goris,
followed by a stop at Khapan, and onward to Meghri. The bikers will
pass through Karabakh, visiting Shushi and Stepanakert. They will visit
the ATG wine grape nursery in Khramort, funded by Diaspora Armenians,
and ride to the ancient Gantzasar monastery. The tour will then climb
from Yeghegnatsor to Marduni, and along Lake Sevan, then continuing
on to Oshakan, Sartarabad, and finally visit St. Echmiadzin before
returning to Yerevan.

The tour will also feature several Walk-a-Thons through several
villages and towns on the same path as the Bike-a-Thon, giving
participants a close connection with the local residents. Throughout
the tour, they will rely on the hospitality of the local population
to regain their strength. As in the past, their efforts are expected
to attract many supporters, from inside Armenia and out, to see them
in action. Tourists will also be able to visit the many natural and
historical wonders of the country. Media coverage of the Bike-a-Thon
will bring rural Armenia into the spotlight, showing the great beauty
and potential of the countryside.

For more information about participating in Bike-A-Thon III or to help
financially, please visit the Armenian Technology Group website at:
or call (559) 224-1000.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918 Fax: 818.246.7353
[email protected]
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
PRESS RELEASE +++ PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, June 15, 2005

Contact: Vrouir Frankian
Tel: (281) 543-8274

HOUSTON HOLOCAUST MUSEUM HOSTS ARMENIAN GENOCIDE LECTURE

— William Parsons, Chief of Staff of the US Holocaust Museum presents
lecture to a capacity crowd

HOUSTON, TX – On May 26, 2005 William Parsons, Chief of Staff of
the United States Holocaust Museum and Memorial presented a lecture
entitled “Remembering the Past for Sake of the Future” at the Houston
Holocaust Museum. Over one hundred Houstonians, the majority of
whom were not of Armenian descent, attended this lecture. Several
local and international dignitaries, including Mr. Peter Berkowitz,
incoming Chairman of the Houston Holocaust Museum, and Ambassador
Edward Djerejian of the Baker Institute also attended.

“The Armenian Community of Texas welcomes Ambassador Djerejian’s
presence at an outstanding event which, most appropriately, examined
the many dimensions of the Armenian Genocide,” said Texas community
activist Philip M. Kanayan, Esq.

Mr. Parsons’ lecture centered on the similarities of genocides and
how the Armenian Genocide is a classical genocide. He did this by
comparing the Armenian Genocide to the modern day genocides in Darfur
and Bosnia Herzegovina. Following the lecture, Mr. Parsons allowed
for a question and answer session. Local Turkish community members
attempted to question the validity of Armenian Genocide. Mr. Parsons
stated that this issue has already been established by a preponderance
of genocide scholars and that no additional proof was necessary.

This event also marked the final days of an Armenian Genocide exhibit
entitled “The Forgotten Genocide Exhibit” that was hosted by the
Houston Holocaust Museum from March 29 through June 8, 2005. The
exhibit was sponsored by the Armenian National Committee of Texas.

“The Armenian National Committee of Texas would like to thank the
Houston Holocaust Museum for its moral courage and leadership in
hosting this exhibit,” stated Vatche Hovsepian of the ANC of Texas.

The Houston Holocaust Museum is bringing Dr. Richard Hovannisian of
UCLA for a Genocide curriculum training session for teachers on July
26 and 27. Dr. Hovannisian will be giving a public lecture at the
Museum the evening of the July 26. All are welcomed and encouraged
to attend. Admission to the Museum is free.

The ANCA is the largest and most influential Armenian American
grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a
network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the United
States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively
advances the concerns of the Armenian-American community on a broad
range of issues.

Editor’s Note: Photos attached. Photo 1 caption: Chief of Staff
of the US Holocaust Museum and Memorial William Parsons (left) with
Houston Holocaust Museum chair-elect Peter Berkowitz. Photo 2 caption:
William Parsons (right) with Holocaust survivor Chaja Verveer.

#####

Tender Opportunity in Armenia’s Natural Gas Sector

BISNIS Oil & Gas
June 2005

This broadcast contains information on:

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City / Country: Yerevan, Armenia

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EVENTS

Corporate Taxation in Russia and CIS

September 22-23, 2005

Cyprus (locale to be confirmed)

Marcus Evans conference will give a unique opportunity to hear from
those personally involved in drafting and applying tax legislation.
The focus of the conference will be on giving practical advice on tax
administration, minimising the tax liability by all legal means and
analysing all aspects of corporate taxation such as: transfer
pricing, VAT, export VAT and profit tax.

For more information see

*******************************************
UPDATES

Report on Oil and Gas Exports from the Caspian Region by RPI

Oil and Gas Exports from the Caspian Region provides analysis of the
fundamentals and practice of oil and gas exports from Azerbaijan,
Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The report reviews the
export potential of the Caspian region and focuses on economic, legal
and technical aspects of exporting oil via different routes.

For more information see

*********** SENT BY **********************
Chang Suh, International Trade Specialist for Energy
Email: [email protected]
Direct Tel: 202-482-2047
Fax: 202-482-2293

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BISNIS FinanceLink helps U.S. companies find financing for export
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Daily Star – Lebanon, Lebanon
June 16 2005

Erdogan arrives in Beirut for Arab forum

By Osama Habib
Daily Star staff
Thursday, June 16, 2005

BEIRUT: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Lebanon
last night to attend the 11th Arab Economic Forum which opens in
Beirut later today. Erdogan was met by Lebanese Prime Minister Najib
Mikati upon his arrival at Beirut International Airport.

Hundreds of Armenians also gathered at the airport for the occasion
to protest Turkey’s failure to recognize claims of genocide.

Last night, Erdogan attended a government reception at the Grand
Serail, where he met with a host of local MPs, ambassadors and
business leaders.

Erdogan is accompanied on this trip by a delegation of Turkish
businessmen who are keen to explore trade opportunities with Arab
governments and investors who will be attending the two-day forum.

Erdogan is expected to meet with President Emile Lahoud and other
Lebanese officials during his short visit.

Prior to his speech today, there will be a special ceremony to honor
late former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

The reform-minded Erdogan is expected to stress the need for more
economic liberalization in the region during his keynote speech to
the forum today.

Erdogan’s presence at the AEF, the first time Turkey has been invited
to the exclusively Arab event, adds extra interest to this year’s
forum.

A large number of Arab governments are looking closely at economic
reform in Turkey which has transformed the historically unstable
Turkish economy into one of the world’s top performing emerging
markets.

Delegations from governments and businesses across the Arab world have
arrived in Beirut for the forum, which will be dominated by economic
reform in the middle East and examining ways of attracting greater
foreign investment.

Total FDI in the 22 Arab states in 2003 stood at $110 billion, an
improvement over 2002.

The September 11, 2001, terrorist attack in the United States and
the security measures in the West have induced many Arab investors
to transfer assets to their own countries.

In addition, rising oil prices in the last two have boosted investments
in the Arab region and GDP achieved a good growth in oil-rich Arab
countries.

Speakers at the forum will raise the issue of privatization and
economic liberalization.

They will also highlight positive and negative points in all free
trade agreements with special emphasis in the World Trade Agreement.

Some of the participants at the forum will also call for more Arab
investments in the region, noting that Arab assets in the West exceed
$1 trillion.

Turkey’s gross domestic product (GDP) is estimated at $458 billion
in 2004, or twice the size of Saudi Arabia’s GDP.

Yet Turkey’s foreign direct investment is only $2.9 billion a year
and is not enough to reduce unemployment, which stands at 10.5 percent.

Daily Star – Lebanon
June 16 2005

Armenians protest as Erdogan arrives in Beirut

Demonstrators demand Turkey acknowledge and apologize for Ottoman-era genocide
By Rym Ghazal
Daily Star staff
Thursday, June 16, 2005

BEIRUT: Hundreds of Lebanese Armenians waved Armenian flags and
burned Turkish flags to send a message to visiting Turkish Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan “to acknowledge the Armenian genocide.”
“Animals are not welcome,” read one demonstrator’s sign under a
picture of the visiting Turkish premier. The protestors gathered
in Bourj Hammoud, an Armenian suburb of Beirut, and shouted slogans
condemning the 1915 Ottoman massacre of the Armenians.

The demonstration, organized by the Armenian Tashnag Party, was
not a protest against the actual visit, “as diplomatic relations
are respected,” said a Tashnag Party spokesperson, but rather was
intended as a “reminder” to the Turkish and the Lebanese governments
about the genocide that reportedly killed 1.5 million Armenians.

“By Turkey ignoring what happened … it is like a painful continuation
of the genocide,” said the spokesperson.

Hratch Balekijan, one of the protestors, came carrying a poster of
Erdogan depicted as Pinocchio.

Balekijan said: “Turkey keeps lying about what happened and Lebanon
keeps ignoring our voices.”

Balekijan, like the rest of the demonstrators, is frustrated at how,
after 100 years of demonstrations over the killings, some countries
like Lebanon have not yet officially acknowledged the massacre as
genocide.

Lebanon is home to the Arab world’s largest Armenian community, made
up of descendants of survivors of the 1915-1917 massacres in Turkey.
There are an estimated 120,000 Lebanese Armenians, half as many as
before the 1975-1990 civil war.

While waiting in the airport for the Turkish prime minister’s arrival,
Turkish Ambassador Irfan Acar told The Daily Star: “We have been
saying that since the genocide remains a controversial issue, we are
inviting historians from both sides, Turkish and Armenian, to meet
and come and view our archives and reach a final conclusion.”

“Instead of burning flags and going to the streets, there is a more
civilized way of dealing with this issue like organizing a formal
commission and sending it to Turkey,” said Acar.

Erdogan is expected to stay for two days, during which he will hold
talks with Lebanese officials and participate in the Arab Economic
Forum.

The Armenian slaughter remains a controversial issue. Several countries
like France have recognized the massacres as genocide – a term Turkey
fiercely rejects – and Brussels has urged Ankara to face its past
and expand freedom of speech.

But Ankara last month squelched a landmark conference that was to
have been held at Istanbul’s prestigious Bogazici University and
would have questioned the official line on the mass killings.