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TOP STORIES
03/16/2006
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <http://www.asbarez.com/>HTTP://WWW.ASBAREZ. COM
1) US Assistant Secretary of State Visits Armenia
2) Turks in Germany Rally Honor Talaat Pasha
3) Istanbul University Hosts Conference on Turkish-Armenian Relations
4) Armenian Vice-Speaker Meets with Armenian Youth of Moscow
1) US Assistant Secretary of State Visits Armenia
YEREVAN (RFE/RL/Armenpress)--On the last leg of his regional tour, US Deputy
Secretary of State Daniel Fried met Thursday with Armenia's President Robert
Kocharian, Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian, and Defense Minister Serge
Sargsian.
Fried, who also visited Azerbaijan and Georgia, said the goal of his trip was
to study the situation in the region after the Rambouillet meeting between the
presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as to discuss a number of issues
pertaining to the future of the region, including energy security.
Steven Mann, OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair from the United States, accompanied
the
US deputy secretary of state to Yerevan and said: "It is a difficult fact that
we did not move ahead at Rambouillet. But the two countries' presidents are
willing to move forward."
Fried says he believes there is still an opportunity for Armenia and
Azerbaijan to make a breakthrough in the Karabagh settlement process. He said
he is convinced that negotiations can be continued despite the lack of
progress
at the latest round of high-level talks at Rambouillet.
"Both governments express their countries' interests and take the Karabagh
settlement process seriously," Fried said, sharing with the media his
impressions of the meetings with officials in Baku and Yerevan.
He added that the settlement of the conflict will stimulate the economic
progress of the region.
Fried also addressed energy issues at a news conference in Yerevan. He said
the US would not object to the Armenian government's ambitious plans to
build
a new nuclear power station replacing the Medzamor plant, which is due to be
decommissioned by 2016.
Fried said after recent explosions in the pipeline that ships Russian gas to
the South Caucasus, the US and Europe have been paying greater attention to
the
energy situation in the region and the need to cut its heavy dependence on
Russian fuel supplies.
He said Armenia's desire to build a new nuclear power plant will be discussed
in Washington.
During his trip, Fried also denied media allegations that US ambassador to
Armenia, John Evans, would be recalled soon, allegedly for acknowledging
publicly last year that 1915 massacres of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire was
genocide.
"Ambassador Evans enjoys the confidence of the State Department and will
continue to serve as US ambassador to Armenia," he said.
Ambassador Evans who was also present at the news conference reiterated what
he had said earlier: "I serve at the pleasure of US president."
Fried said the US Government is also interested in the democratic
situation in
Armenia.
The American diplomats left Yerevan for Istanbul later on Thursday to
attend a
meeting of the Minsk Group cochairmen due to be held there.
2) Turks in Germany Rally Honor Talaat Pasha
BERLINAfter German courts overruled the Berlin Police Department's decision to
stop the Turkish march in honor of Talaat Pasha, around 20 Turks gathered in
Berlin to honor one of the masterminds of the Armenian genocide.
This group of Turks, however, was prevented from placing a wreath at the foot
of a memorial dedicated to victims of the Nazi regime in Germany. A group
consisting of both Armenians and Germans blocked the Turks from placing the
wreath there, because they considered honoring a perpetrator of genocide to be
disrespectful to those who lost their lives in the Holocaust.
Following these developments, the Berlin Police Department has submitted a
request to the court to stop another planned Turkish rally scheduled for
Saturday, March 18. The court will rule on the matter Friday.
The court's ruling will be based on the German law that forbids denial of the
Holocaust. It is unclear whether that law can be applied to the denial of
other
genocides as well.
3) Istanbul University Hosts Conference on Turkish-Armenian Relations
ISTANBUL (Combined Sources)--Some 70 Turkish and foreign academics gathered in
Istanbul on Wednesday for a three-day conference titled "A New Approach to
Turkish-Armenian Relations."
In a rare move, the gathering, organized by Istanbul University, included
presenters of all convictions, but it was largely dominated by historians and
officials who defend Turkey's official position on the Armenian genocide.
Turkey categorically denies that 1.5 million Armenians were victims of
genocide under its predecessor, the Ottoman Empire.
Twenty-four historians from around the world attended the conference, which
failed to fill up even half of the hall's 2000 seats. Historians and experts
from Armenia were also invited to the conference. However, they refused to
participate.
Historian Ara Sarafian, who did participate in the conference, told reporters
outside the conference hall that the Genocide is a historical fact, during
which several of his family members lost their lives.
In the first session of the conference, Yair Auron, an Israeli researcher of
Jewish archives from Ottoman times, openly used the term "genocide" and
appealed to Turks to question their past.
"Every civil society has to deal with its past, including the black pages of
this past," Auron said.
In a message sent to the conference, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul
stressed that Turkey is at peace with its past, saying, "We have no page in
our
history to be ashamed of."
Noting that many conferences and symposiums have been held in Turkey recently
on the Armenian allegations, Gul said, "There has been an increase in the
amount of scientific research, articles and books published about the last
period of the Ottoman Empire and the Armenian genocide claims."
In a rare move, books deviating from the official Turkish position were made
available at the entrance to the conference hall.
One of the books displayed by Sarafian caused a stir among some of the
Turkish
participants who were offended by the way the Turkish flag was presented on
the
cover. Sarafian subsequently removed the book's jacket cover, but one
participant continued to verbally assault Sarafian until others intervened.
Turkey has only recently begun discussing the taboo subject of the Armenian
genocide, which many countries have recognized.
In September of last year, a private Istanbul university hosted a landmark
conference organized by Turkish intellectuals disputing Ankara's official line
on the issue, despite a court order to block it.
4) Armenian Vice-Speaker Meets with Armenian Youth of Moscow
(PanArmenian.Net)--Mitk Union of Armenian Youth organized a meeting between
representatives of Moscow's Armenian youth organizations and Armenian
Parliamentary Vice-Speaker and Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Bureau
member Vahan Hovhannisian.
During the meeting, Hovannisian discussed issues relating to Armenia's
development, Russian-Armenian cooperation, and Armenia-diaspora relations. He
also spoke about the geopolitical situation in the region and the Karabagh
conflict settlement.
Mitk is a project organized by the Russian-Armenian Commonwealth NGO. Members
of the Mitk Friends' Club are given the opportunity to meet with Russian and
Armenian politicians and public figures.
All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier
and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and
subscription requests.
(c) 2006 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved.
ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for
academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through
mass media outlets.
TOP STORIES
03/16/2006
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <http://www.asbarez.com/>HTTP://WWW.ASBAREZ. COM
1) US Assistant Secretary of State Visits Armenia
2) Turks in Germany Rally Honor Talaat Pasha
3) Istanbul University Hosts Conference on Turkish-Armenian Relations
4) Armenian Vice-Speaker Meets with Armenian Youth of Moscow
1) US Assistant Secretary of State Visits Armenia
YEREVAN (RFE/RL/Armenpress)--On the last leg of his regional tour, US Deputy
Secretary of State Daniel Fried met Thursday with Armenia's President Robert
Kocharian, Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian, and Defense Minister Serge
Sargsian.
Fried, who also visited Azerbaijan and Georgia, said the goal of his trip was
to study the situation in the region after the Rambouillet meeting between the
presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as to discuss a number of issues
pertaining to the future of the region, including energy security.
Steven Mann, OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair from the United States, accompanied
the
US deputy secretary of state to Yerevan and said: "It is a difficult fact that
we did not move ahead at Rambouillet. But the two countries' presidents are
willing to move forward."
Fried says he believes there is still an opportunity for Armenia and
Azerbaijan to make a breakthrough in the Karabagh settlement process. He said
he is convinced that negotiations can be continued despite the lack of
progress
at the latest round of high-level talks at Rambouillet.
"Both governments express their countries' interests and take the Karabagh
settlement process seriously," Fried said, sharing with the media his
impressions of the meetings with officials in Baku and Yerevan.
He added that the settlement of the conflict will stimulate the economic
progress of the region.
Fried also addressed energy issues at a news conference in Yerevan. He said
the US would not object to the Armenian government's ambitious plans to
build
a new nuclear power station replacing the Medzamor plant, which is due to be
decommissioned by 2016.
Fried said after recent explosions in the pipeline that ships Russian gas to
the South Caucasus, the US and Europe have been paying greater attention to
the
energy situation in the region and the need to cut its heavy dependence on
Russian fuel supplies.
He said Armenia's desire to build a new nuclear power plant will be discussed
in Washington.
During his trip, Fried also denied media allegations that US ambassador to
Armenia, John Evans, would be recalled soon, allegedly for acknowledging
publicly last year that 1915 massacres of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire was
genocide.
"Ambassador Evans enjoys the confidence of the State Department and will
continue to serve as US ambassador to Armenia," he said.
Ambassador Evans who was also present at the news conference reiterated what
he had said earlier: "I serve at the pleasure of US president."
Fried said the US Government is also interested in the democratic
situation in
Armenia.
The American diplomats left Yerevan for Istanbul later on Thursday to
attend a
meeting of the Minsk Group cochairmen due to be held there.
2) Turks in Germany Rally Honor Talaat Pasha
BERLINAfter German courts overruled the Berlin Police Department's decision to
stop the Turkish march in honor of Talaat Pasha, around 20 Turks gathered in
Berlin to honor one of the masterminds of the Armenian genocide.
This group of Turks, however, was prevented from placing a wreath at the foot
of a memorial dedicated to victims of the Nazi regime in Germany. A group
consisting of both Armenians and Germans blocked the Turks from placing the
wreath there, because they considered honoring a perpetrator of genocide to be
disrespectful to those who lost their lives in the Holocaust.
Following these developments, the Berlin Police Department has submitted a
request to the court to stop another planned Turkish rally scheduled for
Saturday, March 18. The court will rule on the matter Friday.
The court's ruling will be based on the German law that forbids denial of the
Holocaust. It is unclear whether that law can be applied to the denial of
other
genocides as well.
3) Istanbul University Hosts Conference on Turkish-Armenian Relations
ISTANBUL (Combined Sources)--Some 70 Turkish and foreign academics gathered in
Istanbul on Wednesday for a three-day conference titled "A New Approach to
Turkish-Armenian Relations."
In a rare move, the gathering, organized by Istanbul University, included
presenters of all convictions, but it was largely dominated by historians and
officials who defend Turkey's official position on the Armenian genocide.
Turkey categorically denies that 1.5 million Armenians were victims of
genocide under its predecessor, the Ottoman Empire.
Twenty-four historians from around the world attended the conference, which
failed to fill up even half of the hall's 2000 seats. Historians and experts
from Armenia were also invited to the conference. However, they refused to
participate.
Historian Ara Sarafian, who did participate in the conference, told reporters
outside the conference hall that the Genocide is a historical fact, during
which several of his family members lost their lives.
In the first session of the conference, Yair Auron, an Israeli researcher of
Jewish archives from Ottoman times, openly used the term "genocide" and
appealed to Turks to question their past.
"Every civil society has to deal with its past, including the black pages of
this past," Auron said.
In a message sent to the conference, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul
stressed that Turkey is at peace with its past, saying, "We have no page in
our
history to be ashamed of."
Noting that many conferences and symposiums have been held in Turkey recently
on the Armenian allegations, Gul said, "There has been an increase in the
amount of scientific research, articles and books published about the last
period of the Ottoman Empire and the Armenian genocide claims."
In a rare move, books deviating from the official Turkish position were made
available at the entrance to the conference hall.
One of the books displayed by Sarafian caused a stir among some of the
Turkish
participants who were offended by the way the Turkish flag was presented on
the
cover. Sarafian subsequently removed the book's jacket cover, but one
participant continued to verbally assault Sarafian until others intervened.
Turkey has only recently begun discussing the taboo subject of the Armenian
genocide, which many countries have recognized.
In September of last year, a private Istanbul university hosted a landmark
conference organized by Turkish intellectuals disputing Ankara's official line
on the issue, despite a court order to block it.
4) Armenian Vice-Speaker Meets with Armenian Youth of Moscow
(PanArmenian.Net)--Mitk Union of Armenian Youth organized a meeting between
representatives of Moscow's Armenian youth organizations and Armenian
Parliamentary Vice-Speaker and Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Bureau
member Vahan Hovhannisian.
During the meeting, Hovannisian discussed issues relating to Armenia's
development, Russian-Armenian cooperation, and Armenia-diaspora relations. He
also spoke about the geopolitical situation in the region and the Karabagh
conflict settlement.
Mitk is a project organized by the Russian-Armenian Commonwealth NGO. Members
of the Mitk Friends' Club are given the opportunity to meet with Russian and
Armenian politicians and public figures.
All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier
and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and
subscription requests.
(c) 2006 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved.
ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for
academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through
mass media outlets.