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Category: EU Members

European Council decided to open accession negotiations with Turkey on 17 Dec. 2004

Military Relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey

After the collapse of USSR, necessaries of new states were that economic, politic, military and educational relations with each other and other international platforms and countries. On that way all former Soviet countries created Commonwealth of Independence States union. With creation of CIS, these countries which were unificated on old Soviet map will create new relations on the new world system. Also for regulating new systems, geopolitical situation was very important. Firstly a state can create strong relations where it was near another state.

If we describe relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan, we will see influence of border factor. Strong relations of Turkey with Azerbaijan are result of near abroad condition.
Cooperations of Turkey and Azerbaijan had been decreased sometimes. But it ended in new powerful authorities.

Pro Russian politics of Ayaz Muttalibov influenced Turkish relations as only embassy found. In short time of Muttalibov administrative Turkey was working to make new perspective for other Turkish countries.

Ebulfez Elchibey who came to power after Muttalibov followed new way Pro Turkish politics as opposite to Muttalibov. So many agreements had been created in economy, military, education, energy, politics and new activities started. First military cooperations between Azerbaijan and Turkey borned in that time.

In 1992 military education agreement signed between Azerbaijani and Turkish government. In this period Azerbaijan was working to create international pressure circumstances on Armenia about Nagorno Karabakh conflict. So military agreements with Turkey, created new tensions in this region. We can say a diminish symbol with Russia as military.

Military conventions were less than next years in new political actions to make strong authority and balanced actions period. Haydar Aliyev’s balance political way made a cooperation as pragmatist mind of Azerbaijan. We will see importance of Turkish military agreements. Because if Azerbaijan want to be important actor on this region, it should regulate new relations for the USA and NATO via Turkey.

In 1996 between the government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the government of the Republic of Turkey on base of cooperation of staff members of supporting service of Armed Forces protocol signed.

In 1997 between the government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the government of the Republic of Turkey on regulation of civil and military flying in 10 km of astride Azerbaijan-Turkey border protocol signed.

In that time agreements of Azerbaijan with Iran and Russia were targeting only friendship situation and solve problems on bounds And agreements with the USA were not totally military cooperations. It is important to not forget that Russian embargo on Azerbaijan because of Chechen problem increased Turkish inclination on military subjects. Strong relations with Turkey of Azerbaijan will create new diplomatical positions from Cyprus to Yerevan.

Military positions as international importance of Azerbaijan borned with agreement between the government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the government of the Republic of Turkey on activities of platoon of Azerbaijan is going to the Kosovo in the staff of Turkey battalion.
Azerbaijan will keep its soldiers untill period of independence of Kosovo. With this step Azerbaijan became an important and strategical country on extend to East policy of NATO. Azerbaijan won a good position on Caucasus region with taking some other militaryal duties via Turkey in different countries.

In 2000 between the Ministry of defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Head of Naval Forces of Republic of Turkey about giving the attack launch of AB-34 P-134 to the Azerbaijan protocol signed and :

– Protocol between the Ministry of defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Ministry of national security of Republic of Turkey on cooperation in the topographical area,
– Protocol between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Turkey on forming and training of profession school of forces kind of Baku,
– Protocol between the Ministry of defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the General Staff of the Republic of Turkey on carrying out of the material and technical purchasing,
– Agreement between the government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the government of the Republic of Turkey on military industry cooperation signed.

In 2001 between the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the General Staff of the Republic of Turkey on development of Nakhchivan 5th army protocol;

In 2002 Ministry of defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the General Staff of the Republic of Turkey on cooperation in the area of war history, military archive and museum work and military publication protocol and in 2003 between the government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the government of the Republic of on training, material and technical assistance of State Border Service of Azerbaijan by Armed Forces of Turkey and Protocol between Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey on cooperation in the safety of the West-East energy corridor protocol signed.

Since 1999 Azerbaijan took steps quickly. As opposite to Azerbaijan and Turkey, Armenia and Greece signed an agreement as “Send Armenian soldiers to Kosovo via Greek army”. Armenian parliament agreed this on 13 December 2003. According to this agreement 30 Armenian soldiers had gone to Kosovo with ratification of Ministry of Defence of Armenia. It had been explained as to support European-Atlantic integration on South Caucasus. Against to modernization of Azerbaijan by Turkish Military Forces, Greece take a decision to support to Armenian army. Also military cooperations created influences on political problems. In that time mix circumstances about these events will share a balance of situations on energy and trade agreements.

After the September 11 terrorist acts, Azerbaijan supported the decision of counter attack to terrorism of the USA. So it sent some peacekeepers to Afghanistan and opened air space for American forces. These actions share Turkish support and modernisation to Azerbaijani army. Azerbaijan use this experiment to be main actor in the region.

In 2004 and 2005 between the government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the government of the Republic of Turkey on long-term economical and military cooperation and between the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the General Staff of the Republic of Turkey on application of the financial aid protocol signed.

And in 2006 between the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the General Staff of the Republic of Turkey on application of material and technical provision protocol shared new improvements of new actor.

Since 2006 new approaches regulated cooperations with other states :
– Supports of Azerbaijan to Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus,
– Turkey purchases rockets from the USA,
– New relations of Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey as result of alternative energy way against to Russia.

Same year new circumstances created balance regulations for Azerbaijan with agreement of natural gas project with Greece. It was political and militaryal goal of Azerbaijan because Yerevan loosed its good militaryal and political relations with Greece. So it must choose a new way as balance politics.

There is a balance activities with military cooperations of Azerbaijani relations from the independence time. Pro Turkish military activities regulated international perspective on problems of Azerbaijan. Example, mainly Azerbaijan use Cyprus card about Greek support to Armenia. And also it used totally the USA and NATO supports and created new politics as alternative to Russia. We can say thay experiments of Elchibey’s totally Pro Turkish politics and Aliyev’s balance politics which agree all region as a whole will regulate positions of Caucasus region.

Mehmet Fatih ÖZTARSU / Baku Qafqaz University

November 24, 2008
Greek Americans gain a seat in the House of Representatives and all major friends re-elected

Washington, D.C.- The National Coordinated Effort of Hellenes (CEH) released an analysis of how the U.S. Congress changed, following the elections on November 4, particularly with regard to Greece and Cyprus’ top advocates (and detractors) and how Hellenic and Orthodox issues may be handled differently with the new line-up.While a number of our strongest supporters seemed vulnerable to being defeated, including those on the key Committees and Subcommittees that handle U.S. policy toward Cyprus, almost all were re-elected. As well, of the over 59 Members of Congress and 10 Senators who will not be in office next year (because they were defeated, elected to another office or are retiring), very few were strong supporters. In fact, a vast majority had not been engaged in Hellenic and Orthodox issues at all. In the end, the greatest determinant of how Hellenic and Orthodox issues may be handled differently in the 111th Congress (2009 – 2010) will be who are the Chairmen, Ranking Members, and Members of the key Committees and Subcommittees that handle the Cyprus issue. These changes are just beginning and won’t be finalized until December or later.

All six “Greek-Americans” in the House and Senate will remain. Greek-Americans Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), John Sarbanes (D-MD) and Zack Space (D-OH) were re-elected, with 63%, 70% and 60% of the vote, respectively. At the beginning of this election cycle, Congressman Space was one of the top three Members of Congress targeted by the Republican party to defeat, as he was elected in a traditionally Republican district. However, he ran an excellent campaign and won by a wide margin. Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (D-NV), whose family is from the Jewish Community of Thessaloniki, Greece, was re-elected with 68% of the vote. Greek Orthodox Christian, and wife of a former Greek-American Senator and Presidential candidate, Niki Tsongas (D-MA), was re-elected, running unopposed. In the U.S. Senate, Greek-American Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME) was not up for re-election (and will not be so until 2012).

And there will be two new “Greek-Americans” in the 111th Congress. Greek-American Dina Titus (D-NV), for whom Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Congresswoman Berkley campaigned very hard, won with 47% of the vote over 5 other challengers, the closest of whom was incumbent Congressman Jon Porter who received 42% of the vote. Dina’s grandfather, Arthur Costandinos Cathones, after whom she is named, came to America in 1911. As well, Suzanne Kosmas (D-FL) defeated Congressman Tom Feeney 57% to 41%. While Suzanne is not Greek, her ex-husband, with whom she had four children and still keeps in touch, is.

Two other “Greek-Americans” were unsuccessful in their run for Congress. Greek-American Jim Trakas (R-OH) lost to Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) 57% to 39% and Jane Mitakides (D-OH), who is married to a Greek-American, lost to Congressman Michael Turner (R-OH) 64% to 36%.

Other Strong Supporters

Just weeks before the election, four of our top supporters (who had “A+” grades for their support of our issues) were on the list of the top 25 most likely Republican Members of Congress to lose. Three of them survived. Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL) and Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) won with 58% and 53% of the vote, respectively. And, Congressman Henry Brown (R-SC) won with 54% of the vote. Unfortunately, Congressman Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), who was also a member of the crucial House Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee, was defeated 52% to 43%.

Two other advocates who play a crucial role in the formulation of U.S. foreign policy toward Cyprus, Greece and Turkey, were soundly re-elected despite being considered vulnerable in recent months. House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) won with 58%. Chairman of the House Europe Subcommittee, Congressman Robert Wexler (D-FL), won with 66% of the vote, against two opponents. While Chairman Wexler is the founder and co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Turkish Issues, he has also engaged the Greek-American community and has taken a positive step on all of the major Hellenic and Orthodox issues.

The most significant change, from the Congressional perspective only, will be the loss of Senator Joe Biden (D-DE), who was elected as Vice President of the United States. Senator Biden’s advocacy for Hellenic and Orthodox issues is legendary. After former Senator Paul Sarbanes and current Senators Bob Menendez and Hellene Olympia Snowe, no one in the Senate surpasses Joe Biden, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in terms of advocacy for our issues. As well, the loss in the U.S. Senate of Senator Barack Obama (D-IL), who was elected President of the United States, and was the Chairman of the Senate European Affairs Subcommittee, will be significant. Obviously, the movement of these Senators into the positions of President and Vice President will enable them to have an even more profound impact on our issues.

In addition, five other Republican Senators with “B+” grades for their support of Hellenic and Orthodox issues, will not be serving in the 111th Congress. This is somewhat significant, as far fewer Republican Senators have been supportive. Senators Gordon Smith (R-OR) and John Sununu (R-NH) were defeated, and Senators Chuck Hagel (R-NE), Pete Domenici (R-NM) and John Warner (R-VA) retired.

Key Committees and Subcommittees

While the Chairman, Ranking Members and Members of the key Committees and Subcommittees that handle U.S. policy toward Cyprus, Greece and Turkey will not be finalized until next month, if not later, there are some significant changes already.

As mentioned earlier, in the Senate the Chairman of both the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Senate European Affairs Subcommittee will be new. Also, there will likely be several open slots to fill on that full Committee. As well, in the Senate, Turkey’s number one advocate, Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV), recently agreed to step down as Chairman of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee.

November 24, 2008
Violent nationalism blights Turkey

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7737413.stm

Turkey is fiercely patriotic and proud of it. But the country’s bid to join the European Union has sparked a nationalist backlash that has turned murderous, the BBC’s Sarah Rainsford reports from Istanbul.

Writer Hrant Dink was the first victim, killed last year because some in Turkey could not tolerate what he stood for. To nationalists, he was a traitor.

In a country where every citizen is defined as a Turk, Hrant Dink defined himself as ethnic Armenian. That was already subversive to some. But Mr Dink went further.

He wrote about the expulsion and killing of hundreds of thousands of Ottoman Armenians from eastern Turkey in 1915. To Armenians, and others, that was genocide – a claim Ankara vigorously denies.

Hrant’s cause

Hrant Dink was convicted of insulting the Turkish nation. That is a crime here. Nationalist protesters surrounded his office shouting “Love Turkey or leave it!” and he received hundreds of death threats.

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Rakel Dink on her husband and his murder

Already low-profile, after Mr Dink’s murder most Armenians retreated into scared silence. But almost two years on, his widow has decided to speak out.

“Hrant was really affected by those protests,” Rakel says, fighting back tears. “After that, we said only a miracle could help us live here.”

But the family stayed.

“Hrant could never abandon his cause,” says Rakel, explaining that he wanted to convince Turkey that diversity and dissent were a strength, not a threat.

His killers disagreed.

“I don’t know if I should say this, but the origins of this murder go back to 1915,” Rakel says.

“An Armenian told the truth to the face of the Turkish state and the law. That’s why Hrant was murdered. It offended them, it dishonoured them.”

Critical flashpoints

To Turks, honour is everything. From childhood they learn of a glorious history: how a soldier – Mustafa Kemal Ataturk – forged a new nation from the ruins of the Ottoman Empire.

Turkey needs time to adjust – the EU process may help, but my husband’s death is their biggest loss
Rakel Dink

To most, the allegation their ancestors were guilty of genocide is an unacceptable slur.

Turkey’s justice minister underlined that view himself this week, defending his decision to allow the trial of another writer to proceed for referring to “genocide”.

“The man describes Turkey as a murderer state,” Mehmet Ali Sahin is quoted as saying.

It seems freedom of expression is no defence.

“That is why they were against Hrant,” Rakel says. “They could not digest what he was writing about, even though he used very soft language.”

But Turkey’s drive to enter the EU has made nationalists feel threatened, and that has made them aggressive.

The Armenian issue, and the treatment of millions of Kurds in Turkey, have become critical flashpoints.

‘Once-and-for-all fight’

Almost 50 writers have been brought to trial since May for insulting the nation.

“Democracy means questioning, it means self-critique – and this is the thing they [nationalists] would not like,” explains Umut Ozkirimli, from Istanbul’s Bilgi University.

“For them, when you start questioning things you become a traitor.”

That is why Hrant Dink was murdered.

It is also why at least 20 writers in Istanbul are now living with bodyguards.

Oral Calislar is one of them. A close friend of Hrant Dink, he is also a well-known critic of the Turkish military – particularly its policy towards ethnic Kurds.

He has had dozens of death threats. Now, wherever he goes his armed guard goes with him.

“We want to change this country into a democratic country and the EU accession process is important for that,” the journalist says.

“I think because of that, some powers in the state want to shut our mouths.”

Mr Calislar is sure Mr Dink’s murder is part of a far broader resistance to reform. He sees that deep within institutions of the Turkish state; groups clinging to power – and to their own vision of the republic.

“This is a once-and-for-all fight. It’s been going on in the closet for 80 years, between those who want change and those who don’t,” Mr Ozkirimli agrees.

“If the whole project of EU membership goes away, [then] the democratic forces will lose, and forever,” he adds.

‘Ergenekon’ trial

In that battle for democracy, Hrant Dink was on the frontline. Now there is another sign the fight will be fierce.

Eighty ultra-nationalists are currently on trial just outside Istanbul, accused of plotting to overthrow the government and block democratic reforms.

The prosecutor claims the group – known as Ergenekon – planned a campaign of murder and violence. It was meant to create chaos – and force the military to step in and take control.

Hrant Dink believed Turkey could change. His vision was of a truly democratic republic and the EU accession process was a vital part of that.

To his widow, such change now looks a long way off.

“[Turkey] doesn’t want people to express their ethnic identity, or live freely. That doesn’t fit the founding ideas of this country,” Rakel says.

“Turkey needs time to adjust. The EU process may help, but my husband’s death is their biggest loss.”

You can watch Sarah Rainsford’s full report at 2230 GMT tonight on BBC2’s Newsnight programme.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7737413.stm

Published: 2008/11/19 16:31:29 GMT

November 24, 2008
Kurds in N. Iraq Receive Arms From Bulgaria

3 Planeloads of Munitions Worry Officials in Baghdad

By Ernesto Londoño
Washington Post Foreign Service
Sunday, November 23, 2008; A01

BAGHDAD — Kurdish officials this fall took delivery of three planeloads of small arms and ammunition imported from Bulgaria, three U.S. military officials said, an acquisition that occurred outside the weapons procurement procedures of Iraq’s central government.

The large quantity of weapons and the timing of the shipment alarmed U.S. officials, who have grown concerned about the prospect of an armed confrontation between Iraqi Kurds and the government at a time when the Kurds are attempting to expand their control over parts of northern Iraq.

The weapons arrived in the northern city of Sulaymaniyah in September on three C-130 cargo planes, according to the three officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information.

Kurdish officials declined to answer questions about the shipments but released the following statement: “The Kurdistan Regional Government continues to be on the forefront of the war on terrorism in Iraq. With that continued threat, nothing in the constitution prevents the KRG from obtaining defense materials for its regional defense.”

Iraq’s ethnic Kurds maintain an autonomous region that comprises three of the country’s 18 provinces. In recent months, the Shiite-led central government in Baghdad, which includes some Kurds in prominent positions, has accused Kurdish leaders of attempting to expand their territory by deploying their militia, known as pesh merga, to areas south of the autonomous region. Among other things, the Kurds and Iraq’s government are at odds over control of the oil-rich city of Kirkuk, which lies outside the autonomous region, and over how Iraq’s oil revenue ought to be distributed.

The Kurds of northern Iraq have run their affairs with increasing autonomy since 1991, when U.S. and British forces began enforcing a no-fly zone in northern Iraq to protect the region from President Saddam Hussein‘s military. The U.S.-led invasion in 2003 sparked concern that Iraqi Kurds would seek independence, but the Kurds have insisted that they wish to remain part of a federal Iraq.

Neighboring countries with large Kurdish minorities, including Turkey and Iran, have said they would oppose the emergence of an independent Kurdistan, as the autonomous region is known.

Iraq’s interior minister, Jawad al-Bolani, said in an interview that central government officials did not authorize the purchase of weapons from Bulgaria. He said such an acquisition would constitute a “violation” of Iraqi law because only the Ministries of Interior and Defense are authorized to import weapons.

Experts on Iraq’s constitution said the document does not clearly say whether provincial officials have the authority to import weapons. However, Iraqi and U.S. officials said the Ministries of Interior and Defense are the only entities authorized to import weapons. The Defense Ministry provides weapons to the Iraqi army, and the Interior Ministry procures arms for the country’s police forces.

The Iraqi government has acquired the vast majority of its weapons through the Foreign Military Sales program, a U.S.-run procurement system, Brig. Gen. Charles D. Luckey, who assists the Iraqi government with weapons purchases, said Saturday. He said he knew of no instances in which provincial authorities had independently purchased weapons from abroad.

With thousands of American military officials involved in the training of Iraq’s security forces, there is little the U.S. government does not know about weapons that are legally imported to Iraq. The shipments from Bulgaria in September caught the American military off guard, the three officials said. They first learned of the shipments from a source in Bulgaria, the officials said.

The three said they did not know whether U.S. officials had confronted Kurdish leaders about the shipments or alerted Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki‘s government.

“Yes, the Kurds have this autonomous region and they’re authorized to keep the pesh,” one of the officials said, referring to the militia. “But arming themselves and bringing in weapons stealthily like that — if I were the Iraqi government, I’d be pretty concerned.”

While violence in Iraq has decreased markedly in recent months, political tension is rising as Iraqi leaders gear up for provincial and national elections scheduled to take place next year, and as they prepare for an era in which the U.S. military will have a smaller presence there.

Of the primary fault lines — which include tension between Sunnis and Shiites and rivalry among Shiite political parties — the rift between Kurds and the Arab-dominated Iraqi government has become a top concern in recent months. Senior government officials have engaged in a war of words, and Iraqi army and pesh merga units have come close to clashing.

“You could easily have a huge eruption of violence in the north,” said Kenneth B. Katzman, a Middle East specialist at the Congressional Research Service in Washington. “Nothing having to do with the Kurds is resolved.”

Because Arab Sunnis largely boycotted the 2005 election, Kurds obtained disproportionate political power in key provinces such as Tamim, which includes Kirkuk, and Nineveh. Both abut the Kurdish autonomous region. Kurds also control 75 of the 275 seats in parliament.

This year, violence broke out in Kirkuk amid political squabbling over an Arab proposal that seats on the Tamim provincial council should be divided evenly among ethnic Arabs, Kurds and Turkmens. In the end, Iraqi lawmakers had to shelve plans to hold provincial elections in Tamim because the sides were unable to reach a deal.

In August, U.S. officials narrowly averted an armed confrontation between an Iraqi army unit and pesh merga fighters in the town of Khanaqin, in Diyala province.

In recent weeks, Maliki and Kurdish leaders have exchanged sharp words over Maliki’s creation of so-called support councils. Maliki has said the councils, which are made up of pro-government tribal leaders, are the central government’s eyes and ears in provinces. But Kurdistan Regional Government President Massoud Barzani and other Iraqi leaders have accused the prime minister of using the councils to bolster Maliki’s influence in areas where he has little political support. In a recent news conference, Barzani said Maliki was “playing with fire.”

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, who is a Kurd, recently sent Maliki a letter saying the money being spent on councils should go to the country’s armed forces.

The pesh merga, which began as a militia controlled by powerful Kurdish families, fought Iraqi troops when Hussein was in power. Since the 2003 invasion, its primary role has been to patrol predominantly Kurdish areas in the north. However, pesh merga units were deployed to the northern city of Mosul in 2004 to help quell an insurgent uprising, and others were dispatched to Baghdad as part of the 2007 buildup of U.S. troops.

Recently, the Iraqi government has refrained from using pesh merga forces outside of the Kurdish region and has taken steps to replace predominantly Kurdish forces with Sunni and Shiite soldiers in Nineveh, one of the most violent areas in Iraq.

Central government officials recently bristled at Barzani’s offer to allow U.S. troops to establish bases in the Kurdish autonomous region, saying the regional government had no authority to make such an overture, especially as Iraqi officials are calling for a gradual withdrawal of U.S. troops.

“There is a lot of tension,” Kurdish parliament member Mahmoud Othman said. “Maliki and his administration are accusing the Kurdish authorities of violating the constitution. And the Kurds are accusing Maliki of violating the constitution.”

November 23, 2008
Philippe de Villiers: even recognition of Armenian Genocide won’t open EU door for Turkey

18.11.2008 15:03 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN. Net/ Turkey will never be a member of the European Union, head of Movement for France (MPF) Philippe de Villiers told a PanARMENIAN. Net reporter.

“First, this country is in Asia geographically. Second, this country is far from European culture, faith and human rights. Furthermore, accession of Turkey will mean Turkish majority in the European Parliament. We will never accept it,” he said.

Even recognition of the Armenian Genocide won’t open the EU door for Turkey, according to him.

“Turkey must acknowledge the Armenian Genocide. It’s a moral duty but not a condition for accession to the European Union. Armenia, with similar moral values, is closer to Europe than Turkey,” Mr. de Villiers said, adding that 80 per cent of French oppose Turkey’s bid for the EU.

Philippe de Villiers: Baku should understand that Karabakh Armenians have right to live and develop in their native land

Haberin turkcesi : http://cumhuriyet. com.tr/?im= yhs&kid=8&hn=17912

18.11.2008 15:38 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN. Net/ France holds presidency in the EU and our task is to press for recognition of the Armenian Genocide and put an end to Genocide denial in state structures head of Movement for France (MPF) Philippe de Villiers told a PanARMENIAN. Net reporter.

“It’s essential to stop Armenia’s isolation and open its border with Turkey,” he said.

Another important trend in Mr. de Villiers’ policy is support of Nagorno Karabakh’s independence. “We should make Azerbaijan understand that Karabakh Armenians have the right to live and develop in their native land,” he said, adding that the French Co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group has a similar stand on the issue.

The people of Nagorno Karabakh should be guaranteed a secure life, Berdand Fassier said in Yerevan yesterday. “Presently, security [still jeopardized by Baku] is guaranteed by the Armenian armed forces and the defense army of Nagorno Karabakh,” he said.

November 21, 2008
Green leader ‘not German Obama’

The first ethnic Turkish head of a German political party has dismissed any comparisons between himself and US President-elect Barack Obama.

Cem Ozdemir, who was elected co-leader of the Green Party at the weekend, told Germany’s Bild am Sonntag newspaper such comparisons were “inappropriate”.

“It is enough for me to be Ozdemir of the Greens,” the 42-year-old said.

Mr Ozdemir’s rise has prompted comparisons with that of Mr Obama – who will be the first black US president.

At the Green Party’s weekend conference in Erfurt, eastern Germany, some of Mr Ozdemir’s supporters even wore badges that read “Yes We Cem”, in reference to an Obama campaign slogan.

Mr Ozdemir was born to Turkish Muslim parents in south-western Germany.

In 1994, he became the first ethnic Turk to be elected to the country’s parliament. In 2004, he won a seat in the European Parliament.

There are nearly three million ethnic Turks in Germany – making it the country’s largest ethnic minority.

Source: news.bbc.co.uk, 17 November 2008

November 18, 2008