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Turkey warns of terror wave if EU membership is rejected
13.12.2004 | By Lisbeth Kirk | www.euobserver.com <http://www.euobserver.com/> Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned European Union leaders that violence from Islamic extremists
could escalate if the EU rejects Turkey as a member.
Speaking before the opening of Istanbul's first modern art museum Mr Erdogan said, according to the Times: "There is
nothing we can do if the EU feels that it can live with being simply a Christian club . . . but if these countries burn their bridges with the rest of the world, history will not forgive them" .
CLICK HERE TO READ FULL ARTICLE
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NEW YORK TIMES RECOGNISES GENOCIDE
The New York Times has made a dramatic change in its official editorial policy:
`After careful study of scholarly definitions of `genocide,'
we have decided to accept the term in references to the
Turks' mass destruction of Armenians in and around 1915.'
`By most historical accounts, the Ottoman empire killed more than
one million Armenians in a campaign of death and mass deportation
aimed at eliminating the Armenian population throughout what is now Turkey.'
CLICK HERE TO READ DETAILS IN FULL 
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE AND HISTORICAL MEMORY PUBLISHED IN ENGLISH
YEREVAN, APRIL 9, ARMENPRESS
The Armenian Genocide and Historical Memory, this the name of a book by Verjine Svazlian, consisting of 650 survivors stories
of eye-witnesses of the Armenian genocide, methodically carried out by the government of Turkey between 1915-1922, published in English earlier this month.
Verjine Svazlian collected most of these testimonies herself through many years, across Armenia as well as some interviews
abroad. The book also contains folk songs, many of which in Turkish, depicting the events of the Genocide, "the screams of
the unheard suffering, protest, as well as the heroic resentment of the people subjected to genocide, undeniable testimonies addressed to the Turk historians and politicians of today who are denying the Genocide.
This book is a heavy contribution to the history of the Armenian Genocide. Published in 500 copies it will be distributed to
foreign embassies in Armenia, international organizations, researching in Armenian history. Its Turkish-language edition will appear soon.
Ethnographer and folklorist, Verjine Svazlian was born in 1934 in Alexandria (Egypt) in the family of a writer and public man
Garnik Svazlian, himself an eye-witness survivor of Turkish tyranny. In 1947, she was repatriated with her parents to Armenia.
In 1956, she graduated with honors from the Department of the Armenian Language and Literature of Abovian Pedagogical Institute.
Beginning from 1950-s she started on her own initiative writing down and thereby saving from a total loss various folklore
creations communicated by the repatriates forcibly deported from Western Armenia, Cilicia and the Armenian-inhabited provinces of Anatolia, as well as the narrated memoirs of the eye-witness survivors of the
Genocide.
Defense minister says Armenia would consider ceding territory
in exchange for security of Nagorno-Karabakh
AP Worldstream Feb 15, 2005 Armenia would consider ceding Azerbaijani territory it controls outside Nagorno-Karabakh in exchange for greater
security for the disputed, Armenian-held enclave itself, Defense Minister Serge Sarkisian said Tuesday.
In an on-line news conference, Sarkisian called Armenian-controlled territory a "security zone" and said that the aim in
taking it during a six-year war over Nagorno-Karabakh had not been to expand the territory of Armenia or of Nagorno-Karabakh.
If, giving up this security zone, we can achieve more secure conditions for the people of Karabakh, then this question can be discussed," Sarkisian, who is also head of Armenia's presidential Security Council.
"But if we're talking about the voluntary surrender of these territories without increasing security guarantees for Karabakh, then I think that nobody intends to do that," he said.
Nagorno-Karabakh has been de facto independent since the war, which killed 30,000 people and drove a million from
their homes. Armenian forces also control a large amount of surrounding territory, including land that links the enclave
with Armenia. A cease-fire ended the war in 1994, but tension remains high and disputes over the additional territory
have been among the factors that have prevented Armenia and Azerbaijan from settling the conflict and kept the threat of a new war alive.
Nagorno-Karabakh's ethnic Armenian government is not recognized internationally, and Baku insists it must remain part of Azerbaijan. The continuing dispute has hurt the economies of both ex-Soviet republics.
Armenia's Strong Public Expenditure Management Qualifies For
British Debt Relief Offer
ArmenPress Feb 15 2005 Yerevan
The British Embassy in Armenia has confirmed today that the Government of the United Kingdom has offered to pay 10% of Armenia's World Bank
debt repayments until 2015. The British Department for International Development (DFID) will pay the money into a World Bank trust fund. The
International Development Association (the World Bank agency which provides funding on concessional terms to the poorest developing countries)
will in turn reduce the repayments which Armenia makes over the next ten years.
The British Government have offered this financial help in recognition of the difficulties which low income countries face in trying to reduce poverty
while at the same time service their international debt. The objective is to free additional resources to enable Armenia to achieve its development
goals. Armenia is one of five countries to benefit in this way, all chosen in recognition that they have sound public expenditure policies in place which
will ensure that the money saved will be targeted towards poverty reduction. The other countries are Mongolia, Vietnam, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
Following a meeting with Economy and Finance Minister Vartan Khachatrian the British Ambassador, Thorda Abbott-Watt, said "I am pleased that my
Government has felt able to make this gesture, which recognizes and rewards strong economic management. The money which will be released will
help Armenia increase investment in spheres such as health, education and social support and raise living standards more quickly."
Armenia is due to repay the World Bank US$ 8 million, US$ 11 million and US$ 12 million in 2005, 2006 and 2007 respectively. The United Kingdom
contribution will be 10% of this - US$800,000, US$1.1million and US$1.2million. Over the ten years of the initiative (until 2015), the total United Kingdom contribution will be just under US$20 million.
Demonstration in Edinburgh - Holocaust Memorial Day 2004
CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS
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ACCC of GB IRAQI ARMENIANS AID FUND The Iraqi Armenians Aid Fund of The Armenian Community and Church Council of Great Britain announced on
Wednesday 26th November 2003, that as a result of their fund raising efforts, the Fund has sent to the Council of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Iraq the sum of $13,117 (US Dollars).
The funds will be used to aid Armenian families who had been placed in distressing circumstances due to the recent war and to rebuild damaged Armenian Church and School premises.
The ACCC would like to thank all those who contributed to the fund and to announce that although their fund-raising activities have now come to an end, there is no doubt that the need of the Iraqi Armenians is
immense and the Fund Raising Committee will be happy to provide information and advice to any person or organisation which wishes to transmit funds to aid Iraqi Armenians. For information please e-mail info@accc.org.uk 
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NEW YORK TIMES GROUP RECOGNISES GENOCIDE
The New York Times Company has made a dramatic change in its official editorial policy:
`After careful study of scholarly definitions of `genocide,' we have decided to accept the term in
references to the Turks' mass destruction of Armenians in and around 1915.'
`By most historical accounts, the Ottoman empire killed more than one million Armenians in a
campaign of death and mass deportation aimed at eliminating the Armenian population throughout
what is now Turkey.'
THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY OWNS 19 NEWSPAPERS INCLUDING THE "NEW YORK TIMES",
"THE INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE" and "THE BOSTON GLOBE".
ADDITIONALLY, EIGHT NETWORK-AFFILIATED TELEVISION STATIONS AND NEW YORK RADIO STATIONS
CLICK HERE TO READ DETAILS IN FULL
============================================================================================= On its report on "Turkey's progress towards accession" the European Parliament calls on Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide Brussels, 15/12/2004 - According to the recent information received from the European Parliament (Strasbourg), the European Parliament voted
the 84 amendments to the report on "Turkey's progress towards accession" of the rapporteur Camiel Eurlings and adopted the final text of the
report. Amendments regarding the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the Republic of Turkey, the recognition of the Greek Cyprus State,
the minority rights (etc) were submitted to the vote by the European Parliament during the plenary session on 15/12/2004.
The amendment 18 submitted by MEP Francis Wurtz and Dimitris Papadimoulis on behalf of the GUE/NGL group was approved by the European Parliament and will be included in the final text of the report:
"Calls on Turkey to promote the process of reconciliation with the Armenian people by acknowledging the genocide perpetrated against the
Armenians as expressed in Parliament's earlier resolutions with regard to Turkey's candidate status (from 18 June 1987 to 1 April 2004).
In the same report the European Parliament calls upon Turkey to improve the situation of minority rights and protect their cultural heritage; to
engage a constant dialogue with the European Parliament on women's rights in Turkey and take note in this regard of the resolution on the role of women in Turkey in social, economic and political life, etc.
Source: Assembly of Armenians of Europe
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TURKEY WARNS OF TERROR WAVE IF EU MEMBERSHIP IS REJECTED
13.12.2004 | By Lisbeth Kirk | www.euobserver.com <http://www.euobserver.com/>
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned European Union leaders that violence from Islamic extremists could escalate if the EU rejects Turkey as a member.
Speaking before the opening of Istanbul's first modern art museum Mr Erdogan said, according to the Times: "There is nothing we can do if the EU
feels that it can live with being simply a Christian club . . . but if these countries burn their bridges with the rest of the world, history will not forgive them".
CLICK HERE TO READ FULL ARTICLE
(Source: Assembly of Armenian of Europe)
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UNION EUROPÉENNE - Michel Barnier a annoncé hier à Bruxelles que la France demandera officiellement à la Turquie de reconnaître le génocide arménien - LE FIGARO, 13/12/2004
France calls on Turkey to recognise Armenia killings: BRUSSELS - In the latest twist to the debate surrounding Turkey's eventual membership of
the EU, France has demanded that Ankara recognise the mass killing of Armenians from 1915. EU OBSERVER 14.12.2004 - | By Honor Mahony
CLICK HERE TO READ FULL ARTICLE
DUTCH PARLIAMENT PASSED RESOLUTION CONCERNING
RECOGNITION BY TURKEY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE On 21 December 2004, the Dutch Parliament adopted unanimously a motion concerning the recognition by Turkey of the Armenian Genocide. In the motion the Dutch Government is asked:
"
to bring up the recognition of the Armenian Genocide continuously and expressly in the dialogue with Turkey ".
This motion was introduced by the Chairman of Christian Union faction Mr. Rouvoet and was supported by all other political parties in the Parliament.
The motion was introduced during the debate on the outcome of the European Summit of last Friday in connection with the start of accession
negotiations with Turkey. In that debate nearly all factions asked the Dutch Government about the absence of the Armenian Genocide issue in the
Presidency conclusions. This in spite of commitment by among others, France, the European Parliament and also by Dutch Foreign Minister Bot
himself. Mr. Bot ensured the Dutch Parliament that the Armenian question has always been brought up at the meetings with the Turkish colleagues. 
ARMENIAN ATOMIC DILEMMA
Aging nuclear power station is a vital source of energy for Armenia, but its future is uncertain given its location on geological and political faultlines.
Article by Kerob Sarkisian in Yerevan, Sophie Bukia in Tbilisi and Idrak Abbasov in Baku
Nouritza Matossian - Author of "Black Angel, The Double Life of Archile Gorky" receives Honorary Doctorate
CLICK THIS LINK TO READ FULL PRESS RELEASE
BRITAIN'S AZERI EMBASSY SAYS TRAVEL WARNING CONCERNS KARABAKH
The British embassy in Azerbaijan has issued an explanation in connection with the information posted on the web site of the British Foreign Office
suggesting that British citizens should refrain from travelling to Azerbaijan. A statement by the British embassy said that it does not recommend that British citizens visit
"Nagornyy Karabakh and the military occupied area surrounding it". "The British government provides information
about security, local laws and customs, traffic safety and information about health and visas," the embassy said in the statement. The press release
also said that thousands of British citizens visit Azerbaijan every year and that Baku is home "to a British community"
BRITAIN'S AZERI EMBASSY SAYS TRAVEL WARNING CONCERNS KARABAKH
The British embassy in Azerbaijan has issued an explanation in connection with the information posted on the web site of the British Foreign Office
suggesting that British citizens should refrain from travelling to Azerbaijan. A statement by the British embassy said that it does not recommend that British citizens visit
"Nagornyy Karabakh and the military occupied area surrounding it". "The British government provides information
about security, local laws and customs, traffic safety and information about health and visas," the embassy said in the statement. The press release
also said that thousands of British citizens visit Azerbaijan every year and that Baku is home "to a British community"
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Dreaming West & Moving East? 
Read also the sequel: "
TURKEY: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow?"
Articles by Dr Harry Hagopian that focus on the EU and Turkey.
"
As far as the Armenian Genocide of 1915 is concerned, Ottoman Turkey was capable
of stopping those massacres. It did not do so, and thereby bears responsibility for them.
I therefore hope that Turkey will no longer shirk way from this onus when it is knocking
at the EU doors and when Armenians across the world are preparing themselves to
commemorate in 2005 the 90th anniversary of their sorrowful tragedy."
" The burden of proof should rest on Turkey to prove unequivocally that it meets all the
Copenhagen criteria in order to ensure that its accession would enhance rather than impede
the EU momentum and system of values "
'"Turkey should also lift the fog of untruth that surrounds its denial to the Armenian Genocide
by assuming responsibility for the aggregate crimes perpetrated against Armenian Turks
by its predecessor regime "
CLICK HERE TO READ FULL ARTICLE
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FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTRY SECRETARY OF STATE BELIEVES
THAT ARMENIA MIGHT JOIN EU IN 15 YEARS EREVAN
November 6 (RIA Novosti, Gamlet Matevosyan) --
Mr. Renaud Muselier, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of the French Foreign Ministry believes that Armenia might become the EU member in 15
years. He met with speaker of the Armenian Parliament Artur Bagdasaryan, who is currently on an official visit to France. Officials at the public
relations department of the Armenian Parliament told RIA Novosti that Mr. Muselier also stressed the importance of integration of Armenia in European
structures in the framework of the EU program "Enlarged Europe: new neighbors." In his turn, Mr. Bagdasaryan pointed out that all countries must
have similar EU membership criteria, emphasizing the inadmissibility of the double-standard policy.
The participants of the talks discussed the possibility of French technical aid to Armenia, the creation of the House of Friendship with France in
Armenia, which might become a coordinating link in the implementation of scientific, cultural, trade and economic programs of cooperation between more than 20 twin-cities of the two countries.
The Armenian community in France numbers about 300,000 people.
============================================================================================== DUAL CITIZENSHIP ISSUE AMONG PROPOSED CHANGES IN ARMENIA'S CONSTITUTIONThe initial draft of changes to Armenia's Constitution has been completed and will be forwarded to the Venice Commission next week for expert
advice and input, said Parliament Speaker Artur Baghdasarian. He was addressing a pan-Armenian youth conference being held in Tsaghkadzor, Armenia.
In the draft amendments, the restrictions against dual citizenship have been removed, Baghdasarian reported, adding that after further revisions to the text this matter will be regulated by law.
CLICK HERE TO READ FULL ARTICLE
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BRITISH & ARMENIAN DEFENSE MINISTRIES SIGN CO-OPERATION MEMO.Mediamax news agency 24 Sep 04
YEREVAN
The Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom and the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Armenia have agreed a memorandum of understanding in defence contacts and cooperation.
Armenian Minister of Defence Serzh Sarkisyan and British ambassador to Armenia Thorda Abbott-Watt signed the memorandum at a brief ceremony
at the Armenian Ministry of Defence in Yerevan today. The aim of the memorandum is to further strengthen good relations between the two ministries
and to serve as a basis for increased cooperation between them in the field of defence. Over the last year the United Kingdom has sponsored a
variety of training courses outside Armenia for 16 members of the Armenian Armed Forces, including the first Armenian cadet ever to attend the Royal
Military Academy, Sandhurst. The British Ministry of Defence also funds English language training within the framework of the Peacekeeping English
Programme run by the British Council Armenia at the Armenian Ministry of Defence. The memorandum of understanding notes that stable and
democratic sovereign states contribute to confidence, stability and security in Europe as a whole. It will put the existing cooperation programme on a
formal footing, and enable Britain and Armenia to develop further contacts in areas such as defence management in democratic societies, language training, peace support in humanitarian operations and arms control.
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"MELKONIAN EDUCATIONAL CENTRE" - AGBU PLAN TO OPEN IN YEREVAN
Yerevan, August 18, Armenpress:
The AGBU is planning to open "Melkonian educational center", a youth complex in Yerevan in the coming years. The school may host up to 200 students from around the world. AGBU Armenian
representation director Ashot Ghazarian told Armenpress that Diaspora Armenians will learn Armenian language,
literature and history which will contribute to preservation of Armenian identity and Armenian education. According to
Ghazarian, many young Armenians from around the globe will make contacts with motherland and communicate with
national values. "Of coarse, this is not a tourism program, the focus is on education," Ghazarian said.
The educational establishment will be equipped with modern technology with lingo-phone and computer auditoriums.
University aged students may continue their education at local Armenian higher educational establishment as well as at
American and French Universities here in Yerevan. Ashot Ghazarian informed that they are negotiating with Yerevan municipality to provide facilities for that purpose. The project will be funded by AGBU.
The project has been discussed with president Kocharian, chairman and members of writers' house, Yerevan state university rector Radik Martirossian and minister of education and science Sergo Yeritsian.
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OPEN LETTER TO BERGE SETRAKIAN ( Chairman - AGBU CENTRAL BOARD - New York)
By Dikran Vorperian - London
'' But, what about the 'wishes' of Aga Krikor and Aga Garabed Melkonian, the greatest Armenian Benefactors of the 20th Century? Are you
and your 'master instigator' Mrs. Louise Simone-Manougian respecting their wishes and their Will?''
''The two Benefactors also left a cash fund of approximately £700,000 (Pounds Sterling) in 1925.'' - - ''which could be valued in modern terms
at least £1,500,000,000 (one and a half Billion Pounds Sterling or about 2.7 Billion U.S. Dollars). ''
TO READ FULL TEXT OF LETTER PLEASE CLICK HERE
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AGBU CLOSING DOWN MELKONIAN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE? - CYPRUS
Parents told no new Melkonian class this year By Jean Christou, Cyprus Mail CLICK HERE TO READ ARTICLE
= Armenians worldwide mount campaign to save Melkonian
= AGBU Announces CLOSURE OF MELKONIAN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE
= Campaign Websites:
http://www.savemelkonian.org
http://www.savemelkonian.com
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ARMENIA, BRITAIN SIGN AGREEMENT ON CULTURAL CENTRES
15 Jul 04 (Mediamax news agency)
The Armenian foreign minister and the British ambassador to Armenia, Thorda Abbott-Watt, signed an agreement "On cultural centres" in Yerevan today.
In line with the agreement, the British Council is declared to be the official agency regulating cultural ties between Armenia and Great Britain, the
Foreign Ministry press service told Mediamax today. The agreement also creates pre-conditions for founding a similar Armenian cultural representative office in Britain.
The agreement gives Armenia and Britain the right to found cultural centres in the two countries' capital cities and other regions on the basis of mutual consent.
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'All hail Kerko, king of the billion dollar buyout' (Kirk Kerkorian)
By Richard Siklos, The Telegraph, UK, June 20 2004
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