The Turkish foreign ministry said Ankara has set up a ministerial committee to investigate Israel's raid on the Gaza-bound flotilla, during which nine Turkish nationals were killed

8. The Turkish foreign ministry said Ankara has set up a ministerial committee to investigate Israel's raid on the Gaza-bound flotilla, during which nine Turkish nationals were killed.

Russia hopes to sell Turkey surface-to-air missile systems, state-run news agency RIA cited the head of Russia's arms export company as saying on Wednesday.

A group of OSCE representatives will monitor on Wednesday the contact line between Armenian and Azerbaijani troops at the border between the two countries, the Armenian Defense Ministry's press service has said.

The monitoring will reportedly be held in line with the mandate granted to Kazakh Secretary of State Kanat Saudabayev's envoy to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Kazakhstan currently holds the rotating chair of the OSCE.

The monitoring will take place near the village of Bardzruni in Armenia's Vayots Dzor province, at the border with the disputed Nagorny Karabakh region.

Armenia and Azerbaijan frequently accuse each other of violating the ceasefire agreement in the disputed area. Shooting between the Armenian and Azerbaijani troops sometimes result in soldiers' deaths.

The OSCE regularly monitor the contact line between the troops to secure ceasefire.

Relations between the two countries have been strained for more than two decades, since the conflict over Nagorny Karabakh, a predominantly ethnic Armenian region, first erupted in 1988. The region then claimed independence from Azerbaijan to join Armenia.

Over 30,000 people are estimated to have died on both sides between 1988 and 1994, when a ceasefire was agreed. Nagorny Karabakh has remained in Armenian control and tensions between Azerbaijan and Armenia have persisted.

The conflict over Nagorny Karabakh is mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group that comprises the United States, Russia and France.

2. Armenian MP urges opposing UN sanctions against Iran

Excerpt from report by private Armenian news agency Arminfo

Yerevan, 16 June: Armenia should vote against the UN's possible sanctions against Iran, the head of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaktsutyun faction, Vahan Hovhannesyan, told a news conference today [in Yerevan].

"In case the resolution approved by the UN Security Council, which envisages introduction of new sanctions, is put on agenda of the UN General Assembly, Armenia should oppose it. Our country has strong reasons for acting in such a way", he said.

Hovhannesyan does not rule out that introduction of new sanctions against Iran may inflict certain harm to Armenia's economy, taking into consideration the common border between Armenia and Iran and close ties between the two countries.

[Passage omitted: Background information on sanctions against Iran.]

Source: Arminfo, Yerevan, in Russian 0942 gmt 16 Jun 10

3. Sargsyan-Medvedev-Aliyev meeting to be held in St. Petersburg

http://news.am/eng/news/22466.html

June 16, 2010 | 12:06

An Armenian-Azerbaijani-Russian presidential meeting will be held in Saint Petersburg on the sidelines of the 14th International Economic Forum, to be held on June 17-19. The current stage of Karabakh conflict settlement will be the focus at the meeting.

The meeting date is not clear yet.

RA President Serzh Sargsyan will also meet representatives of the Armenian Community in St. Petersburg on the occasion of the 300th anniversary of the city.

4. Armenian opposition activist arrested - paper

An activist of the [opposition] Armenian National Congress' (ANC) Arabkir unit, businessman Armen Hovhannisyan, was arrested on 15 June. Hovhannisyan dealt with production of video CDs and zipped CDs [as given] disseminated by the ANC. In remarks with Aravot a representative of the ANC's legal centre, Armen Khachatryan, told Aravot that the real reason for Hovhannisyan's arrest is still unknown and that the ANC is looking into it.

According to unverified information, Hovhannisyan's arrest has to do with tax code violation charges.

Source: Aravot, Yerevan, in Armenian 16 Jun 10 p 2

5. FM: Armenia ready to continue negotiations with Turkey, if it changes position
15.06.2010 16:59
http://en.trend.az/news/politics/foreign/1704628.html

 Georgia, Tbilisi, June 15 / Trend, N. Kirtskhalia /

Armenia is ready to resume consultations with Turkey, if it change its position on the signed protocols between the two countries, the Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said in Tbilisi.

This statement was made after the meeting with Georgian Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze, which lasted an hour and a half behind closed doors.

"Turkey has blocked two protocols that have been agreed between the two countries, which led to stagnation in the negotiating process, and if Turkey shows willingness to adopt them, we will be ready to resume these talks," Nalbandian said.

To the question whether Armenia is ready for Georgia's mediation in the process of negotiations with Turkey, Nalbandian answered that "welcomes any mediation effort, if it contributes to the negotiations."

16.06.2010 18:37

An agreement on economic and technological cooperation was signed within the meeting between Azerbaijani Prime Minister Artur Rasizade and a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China, Secretary of Central Commission for Disciplinary Inspection He Guoqiang, on visit to Baku, AzerTaj state news agency reported.

China will provide Azerbaijan with grant aid worth 20 million yuan under the agreement.

The agreement was signed by Minister of Economic Development Shahin Mustafayev from the Azerbaijani side, and Deputy Minister of Commerce Gao Hucheng from the Chinese side. He Guoqiang and Deputy Prime Minister Abid Sharifov attended the signing ceremony.

According to the Azerbaijani State Statistics Committee, turnover between Azerbaijan and China amounted to $136.3 million in the first quarter.

"This visit will be a new stage in the development of mutually beneficial relations between our countries in all fields. I think that now the work to study China and the Chinese language must be strengthened. We have already taken the first steps in this area. There are groups in some of our institutions of higher education, where the Chinese language is taught, "Azerbaijani Prime Minister said at a meeting.

Rasizade expressed gratitude to the Chinese leadership for consistent position in support of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, informed the guests about the state of the economy. It was emphasized that last year, despite the global financial and economic crisis, the Azerbaijani economy reached 9.3-percent-growth. Very large investment programs of the international level have been implemented for the development of infrastructure. Now, the work is underway.

The greatest successes have been achieved in the oil and gas industry, in the spheres of energy supplies to world markets. However, like other countries, Azerbaijan also has difficulties. The biggest problem of the country is a failure to resolve the 20 years Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict.

The Prime Minister informed the representatives of China on the essence of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, its consequences, the position of the Azerbaijani leadership in addressing the problem, unconstructive position of the Armenian side.

Conveying the greetings of the head of his country's government to the Azerbaijani Prime Minister, He Guoqiang said: "We appreciate the political stability and economic development of Azerbaijan, the ongoing work to improve the welfare of the people, strengthening of Azerbaijan's position in the international arena after its independence. China's ties with Azerbaijan are based on the traditional historical friendship. Even 2,000 years ago the Great Silk Road connected ancient China with Azerbaijan. These relations have further developed after the establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries. There are close links at senior level, mutual trust prevails in the political relations". 

Agreeing with Azerbaijan's position in the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, He Guoqiang stressed that China supports Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, its desire to resolve the conflict peacefully, supports resolving the problem within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan

http://en.trend.az/news/society/rights/1705365.html

Azerbaijan, Baku, June 16 / Trend E.Tariverdiyeva/

Three of the 13 Azerbaijani students who were evacuated from the Jalalabad region of Kyrgyzstan to Bishkek are citizens of Azerbaijan, others - the citizens of Georgia, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman Elkhan Polukhov told Trend.

According to him, students Guliyev Kanan, who lives in Baku, Hasanov Mehdikhan, who lives in Tovuz district and Kerimov Zeynaddin, who lives in the Guba district, are now at the Azerbaijani Embassy in Bishkek and will be sent to Azerbaijan.

The riots in southern Kyrgyzstan began June 10. The ethnic Kyrgyz and Uzbek populations then clashed in Osh and Jalalabad. The Kyrgyz Health Ministry reported that the death toll has reached 187 people.

A total of 600 Azerbaijanis reside in Osh and Jalalabad.

4. SOCAR's drilling trust drills three new wells

http://en.trend.az/capital/pengineering/1705540.html

16.06.2010 16:27
SOCAR's Complex Drilling Operations Trust Absheron department started drilling of two wells on the field Pirallahi to increase oil production, SOCAR said.

Both wells are drilled at a depth of 700 meters.

The department started drilling at the field "Saadan" at a depth of 1,400 meters.

5. Azerbaijan's national security minister: Individual partnership action plan with NATO is successfully implemented
16.06.2010 19:25
 
http://en.trend.az/news/politics/enforcement/1705687.html

Azerbaijan, Baku, June 16 /Trend, M.Aliyev/

The Individual Partnership Action Plan with NATO is successfully implemented, and the bilateral relations are dynamically developing," the National Security Minister of Azerbaijan, Lieutenant-General Eldar Mahmudov said during receiving NATO Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia Robert Simmons, who is on a working visit to Baku.  

"Individual Partnership Action Plan with NATO is successfully implemented, and the bilateral relations are dynamically developing. The important role in this regard is played by the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's relations with the international organizations, the continuous development of bilateral cooperation, including the intensification of cooperation with NATO and the decisions and orders made to strengthen integration into Euro-Atlantic area," said Mahmudov, National Security Ministry's public relations department reported.

Expressing satisfaction with the results of the discussions conducted within the visit, Simmons stressed that Azerbaijan's implementation of Individual Partnership Action Plan, as well as work conducted by the Ministry on security issues, informing of all these and strengthening opportunities for further cooperation is very important.

The meeting also covered other issues related to the consistent development of relations between Azerbaijan and NATO.

Azerbaijan, Baku, June 16 / Trend K. Zarbaliyeva /

Azerbaijani and Russian border guards have conducted joint exercises in the Caspian Sea.

The forces, participating in joint operational-tactical exercises "Identifying and preventing terrorist activities and smuggler, illegal drug trafficking, illegal immigration and other illegal activities in the Caspian Sea basin, the protection of biological resources, assistance to the wrecked ships and rescue of people", have demonstrated high combat effectiveness and fully accomplished their mission, the Azerbaijani State Border Service told Trend.

The main purpose of the exercises was the improvement of joint activities in the field of maritime boundaries, preventing of threats in the sea and rescue operations.

The border ships, high-speed boats, mobile groups and border aviation were involved in the exercises.

http://en.trend.az/news/politics/foreign/1705723.html

Georgia, Tbilisi, June 16 /Trend, N.Kirtskhalia/

Foreign Minister of Georgia Grigol Vashadze will visit Brussels June 17-18. During the visit, Georgia and the EU will sign an agreement on simplifying procedures for issuing visas, a source at the Foreign Ministry of Georgia told Trend. From the Georgian side, the document will be signed by Grigol Vashadze, from the EU - Foreign Minister Spain, chairing the EU, Miguel Angel Moratinos and the European Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom.

The Agreement will enter into force together with the agreement on readmission after being ratified by the European Parliament and the Parliament of Georgia.
Parties to the EU and Georgia agreement on simplifying procedures for issuing visas are Georgia and the EU member states except Denmark, Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Ireland.

2. First Chechen president's widow protects Georgian human rights activist

http://en.trend.az/news/politics/foreign/1705673.html

Georgia, Tbilisi, June 16 /Trend, N.Kirtskhalia/

Alla Dudayeva, the widow of the first Chechen president Dzhokhar Dudayev, asks the European human rights organizations and the European Court on Human Rights to protect the rights of a citizen of Georgia and Russia George Zaridze, who protests the decision of the Bulgarian court for extradition to Russia.

Living in Tbilisi Alla Dudayeva today sent a letter with the petition to Freedom House (New York), Human Rights Watch (London), Amnesty Internetional (London) and the European Court on Human Rights (Strasbourg).

"George Zaridze participated in the campaign for human rights in Chechnya, criticizing the policies of Russia. Now the Russian authorities want to curb his activities by deprivation of liberty," Alla Dudayeva told reporters.

According to her, George Zaridze was forced to leave Russia in 2007, during an anti-Georgian campaign of the Russian authorities. In home land, he acquired the citizenship of Georgia, organized a sports and travel company and since then has not returned to Russia.

Dudayeva said in Georgia, Zaridze also conducted public activities, cooperated with the media outlets and Internet publications that criticized the Kremlin's policies in the Caucasus and in Chechnya. He became one of the organizers of the photo exhibition "The Chronicles of Hell" held in Tbilisi in 2009, which tells about terror and violence of the Russian armed forces in Chechnya.

"During the preparation and organization of the exhibition, Zaridze closely contacted with me and the owner of media companies, human rights activist Sergei Melnikov. George was going to make a presentation of the exhibition in the U.S. and Europe, and for this purpose, he went to Bulgaria, where was immediately detained by border guards after crossing the border on the basis of request of the Russian side," said Alla Dudayeva.

According to her, George Zaridze never hidden, he knew nothing about the criminal case against him in Russia and that he was searched. "I am confident that Russia's accusations of swindling were fabricated, in fact he is persecuted for his political beliefs," said Alla Dudayeva.

May 10, 2010 the Regional Court of the Bulgarian city of Haskovo decided to extradite Zaridze. Protection could not get an opportunity to collect and present evidence to either National or to Appeal Court despite that the Russian side has not presented evidence that Zaridze's rights were protected and guaranteed in the criminal case.
Bulgarian Lawyers for Human Right Law Company, which represents the interests of George Zaridze at the request of his relatives, filed a complaint to the European Court on Human Rights (Zaridze against Bulgaria N31243/10) with the requirement to suspend the extradition.

8 June, the European Court made a decision to temporarily suspend extradition and requested additional information. The final decision should be made June 30. There is a risk that under pressure of Russia, the Bulgarian leadership will make extradition to Russia that will be a clear violation of human rights," says Alla Dudayeva's letter to international human rights organizations.

Georgia's opposition Alliance for Georgia has split up, with its four constituent parties agreeing to continue "close cooperation" while going their separate ways, the alliance's leader, Irakli Alasania, has said.

The alliance consisted of Alasania's Our Georgia - Free Democrats party, the Republican Party, the New Right party and the Georgia's Way party. Alasania stood as its Tbilisi mayoral candidate in the 30 May local elections, coming in second with 19 per cent of the vote.

In a live appearance on Tbilisi's local Kavkasia TV on 15 June, Alasania said:

"We failed to create the kind of political machine that we wanted to create. So for me, the most important priority - apart from fighting for fundamental reform of the electoral environment - is to strengthen and establish my own political force, the Free Democrats.

"The same decision has been made by the New Right, by [New Right leader] Mr Davit Gamqrelidze, by [Republican Party leader] Mr Davit Usupashvili, and [Georgia's Way leader] Ms Salome [Zourabichvili]. So we are switching to a different mode of relations after the elections. This will include, of course, close coordination, because we have the same positions on strategic issues - and by strategic I mean foreign policy. We will be in close cooperation but we will no longer be in a single alliance. So we plan to advance and strengthen our own political organizations and ahead of the next elections new decisions will have to be made."

Georgia, Tbilisi, June 16 / Trend N. Kirtskhalia /

Georgia will send humanitarian aid to Kyrgyzstan, Georgian Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze told media.

The Georgian side responded to the call of the International Committee of the Red Cross, encouraged the international community to provide humanitarian assistance to Kyrgyzstan.

http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=15231638&PageNum=0

TSKHINVAL, June 16 (Itar-Tass) - Electricity supply has been restored to South Ossetian capital Tskhinval and other settlements of the republic, the director of the South Ossetian Energoresurs electricity company, Aslan Gabarayev, said on Wednesday.

Electricity supply was disrupted as a result of torrential rains late on Tuesday that caused short circuit at the only power transmission line going to the republic from North Ossetia.

Electricity supply has been restored in full.

6. Rebel South Ossetia says Georgia trying to destabilize region

Excerpt from report by corporate-owned Russian news agency Interfax

Tskhinvali, 16 June: The foreign ministry of [Georgia's breakaway] South Ossetia has expressed concern about the fire opened from Georgia on the Disevi village in the republic's Tskhinvali district, South Ossetian deputy foreign minister Alan Pliyev told Interfax on Wednesday [16 June].

"The South Ossetian foreign ministry is expressing deep concern about yet another attempt by the Georgian side to destabilize the situation in the region and attracts the attention of the international community to the reluctance of the Georgian authorities to resolve problems by peaceful means and establish constructive dialogue with the republic of South Ossetia. Their refusal to sign with South Ossetia a document on the non-use of force is also indicative of this," a statement by the foreign ministry says.

Tskhinvali "urges the EU leadership to fulfil the mandate of its monitors to make their work more effective in ensuring security in the region".

[Passage omitted: covered details of the aforementioned incident]

Source: Interfax news agency, Moscow, in Russian 1211gmt 16 Jun 10

Turkey

1. Israel brands Turkish charity 'terrorist organisation': TV

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hR7eJYA8am1_-mgleFV2Ah9rxAxw

6.16.10

IHH, the acronym for Turkish Humanitarian Relief Foundation, is the charity that was involved with organising the fleet of aid ships that attempted to bust the Gaza blockade on May 31.

Nine Turkish activists were killed by Israeli navy seals when commandos stormed one of the six boats in the flotilla -- the Turkish-owned ferry, Mavi Marmara.

Public television said that IHH is now part of a list of movements or organisations such as the Palestinian Islamist Hamas or Lebanon's Shiite Hezbollah group which are under scrutiny by Israeli intelligence services

Questionned by AFP a spokesman for the Israeli defence ministry declined to confirm or deny the report.

But a senior Israeli official said on condition of anonymity that "the IHH charity is considered as criminal in Israel because it supports terrorism and has close links with Hamas," the Islamist rulers of Gaza.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Ygal Palmor told AFP "Israel will consider a hostile act any bid by enemy countries to break the Gaza blockade" -- amid reports aid ships from Iran and Lebanon would try to reach the Gaza Strip.

Turkey has accused Israel of "state terror" over the deadly attack on the aid flotilla.

Israel has said that the flotilla had been carrying out a "terrorist operation."

The IHH was founded in 1992 to help Muslims during the Bosnian war and operates in several Arab and Muslim countries, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Jordan, Lebanon and Pakistan.

Israel and several Western countries suspect IHH of having close ties with jihadists.

The charity's declared goal is to carry out relief operations to save lives and prevent human right abuses.

WASHINGTON — US lawmakers slammed "disgraceful" Turkey on Wednesday over its ties to Iran and charged Ankara had the "blood" of nine Turks killed in an Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound aid ship on its hands.

"There will be a cost if Turkey stays on its present heading of growing closer to Iran and more antagonistic to the state of Israel," warned Representative Mike Pence, the number three House Republican.

The group, firing an unusually harsh rhetorical broadside at a NATO ally, rebuked Turkey for backing the aid flotilla, criticizing Israel, and opposing US efforts to impose new sanctions on Tehran over its suspect nuclear program.

"Because Turkey is a NATO ally, it's even more disgraceful, their actions," said Democratic Representative Eliot Engel, who joined his colleagues in accusing Ankara of drifting away from the West and into the arms of Iran.

"If we look at what the Turkish government has done in the past couple of years: they certainly have a very strong Islamic bent, but a bent in terms of looking towards Iran, and looking towards the Middle East, and not looking at the West and NATO anymore," said Engel.

The lawmakers slammed Turkey for backing an aid flotilla for Gaza and said Ankara was to blame for the deaths of eight Turks and a dual Turkish-US national in a May 31 raid on one of the ships, the Turkish ferry Mavi Marmara.

"I believe that blood is on the hands of Turkey," Republican Representative Peter King.

"As far as I'm concerned, Turkey is responsible for the nine deaths aboard that ship, it is not Israel's troops that are responsible," said Democratic Representative Shelley Berkley.

Pence said he would consider dropping his opposition to a US Congress resolution branding the World War I era mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman forces as "genocide" and hinted at other consequences.

Berkley said she had turned Turkish officials away from her office this week and would continue to do so "until I see and change in policy" and vowed to fight against Turkey's accession to the European Union.

"They don't deserve to be a part of the EU until they start behaving more like the European nations and a whole lot less like Iran," she said.

6/16/2010 9:11:00 PM

http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-213246-105-central-budget-tl-58-billion-in-surplus-in-may.html

6-16-10
The central administration budget posted a surplus of TL 5.81 billion in May, although the total figure stood at a deficit of TL 9.98 billion in the first five months of 2010.

  
The Finance Ministry unveiled the budget results for May and the January-May period on Tuesday in a written statement.

Expenditures from the budget amounted to TL 19.05 billion in May, while revenues totaled TL 24.87 billion. In the first five months, however, revenues were only TL 102.62 billion whilst spending from the central budget was much higher, at TL 112.6 billion, although the January-May deficit marks a decline of 51.7 percent compared to the same period a year ago.

In May expenditures contracted by 2.1 percent, whereas revenues soared by 31.9 percent.

Expenditures, excluding interest payments, also rose in the same month by 16.7 percent, to TL 16.9 billion. The primary surplus, on the other hand, was up 82.1 percent, to TL 7.98 billion. Additionally, interest payments from the central budget, which were TL 4.99 billion a year ago, were down 56.6 percent to TL 2.17 billion.

In May state payroll from the budget amounted to TL 5.1 billion, premium payments by the state to the Social Security Institution (SGK) were TL 870 million, goods and services procurements cost TL 1.44 billion and capital transfers reached TL 185 million. In addition, the state lent TL 274 million in the fifth month of 2010. Health expenditure in the central budget was down 14.3 percent to TL 442 million.

Tax revenues in May were 28 percent higher than the previous year, at TL 19.55 billion, while revenues other than taxes rose 47.1 percent to TL 4.65 billion in May. The Finance Ministry statement underlined the continued positive performance in tax collection that started in the last quarter of 2009.

Considering the figures for the five months, however, state payroll reached TL 26.5 billion. Premiums paid by the state to the SGK were TL 4.48 billion, while procurements totaled TL 8.56 billion. Current transfers, such as subsidies and special incentives, amounted to TL 42.13 billion. Capital expenditures were TL 3.64 billion. The state spent TL 901 million in capital transfers and lent TL 2.16 billion in the January-May period.

Interest payments added up to TL 24.2 billion, down by 7.3 percent over the same period of a year ago.

Funds deriving from tax collection increased by 25 percent in the first five months, to TL 82.78 billion. Non-tax revenues were TL 16.11 billion.

Tue, Jun 15 04:19 PM

Abu Dhabi, June 15 (IANS/WAM) The United Arab Emirates and Turkey have explored the prospects of stronger cooperation between the two countries on family, youth and social issues.

UAE minister of state and chairwoman of Marriage Fund Maitha Al-Shamsi and Turkish minister to the UAE S. Vural Altay, in a meeting here, also discussed Monday the exchange of social expertise and the conduct of studies and researches.

Altay hailed the support and facilities provided by the UAE government to the national youth.

--IANS/WAM

6. Turkish warships to visit Bosnia, Croatia

Text of report in English by Turkish semi-official news agency Anatolia

Ankara, 16 June: The Turkish Navy Task Force (TDGG) is set to dock ports in Croatia and Bosnia-Hercegovina on 18-21 June as part of a two-month tour of the Mediterranean.

The Turkish naval task force began its tour on 10 May and it will cruise in the Mediterranean until 5 July.

The task force will conduct concerted military exercises with various countries and facilitate port visits.

As part of the TDGG, TCG Kemalreis, TCG Gaziantep, TCG Turgutreis and TCG Giresun frigates are on duty.

The fleet has so far visited ports in Italy, Spain, and Montenegro.

http://alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LDE65F283.htm

16 Jun 2010 17:16:18 GMT

Source: Reuters