Euro court condemns Turkey over press harassment

STRASBOURG, France, March 16 (Reuters) - The European Court of Human Rights condemned Turkey on Thursday over attacks on staff of the defunct Kurdish newspaper Ozgur Gundem, saying it failed in its duty to ensure freedom of expression.

The court awarded damages worth a total nine billion Turkish lira ($15,550) to the four plaintiffs -- owners and executives of the newspaper which closed down in 1994 -- as well as 5,000 pounds
sterling ($7,862) for non-pecuniary damage to each of the four and 16,000 pounds ($25,160) for legal costs.

In a ruling released to the press, the court said the Turkish government ``failed to comply with their positive obligation to protect the newspaper in the exercise of its freedom of expression.''

Nine Ozgur Gundem journalists were killed by unknown assailants in the early 1990s and a mystery bomb attack ruined the paper's offices and killed one person.

The plaintiffs had argued that journalists and distributors of the Turkish-language daily were subjected to a campaign of killings,
disappearances, ill treatment, threats, seizure of newspaper issues and heavy fines.

The Ankara government argued that the newspaper was inciting violence as a propaganda tool for the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). It said it had taken the appropriate steps to deal with the attacks on newspaper staff which it blamed on unidentified terrorists.

The court said Ankara had ``failed to provide adequate or effective responses to the allegations that the attacks were part of a campaign supported or tolerated by the authorities.''

($1-578570 Turkish Lira)

($1-.6360 Pound)

05:16 03-16-00

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UN Secretary General Reports on Cyprus, Human Rights
15 Mar 2000
Nicosia Cyprus News Agency in English 1400 GMT 15
Mar 00

"UN Secretary-General - Cyprus - Human rights"--Cyprus News Agency headline

[FBIS Transcribed Text] Nicosia, Mar 15 (CNA) - UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has said a formal agreement on Cyprus can only be achieved "in comprehensive negotiations directly involving both leaders", in his report on Cyprus to the Commission on Human Rights.

In the four-page report covering 1999, Annan recalls the last Commission resolution on the issue that calls for the respect of human
rights and fundamental freedoms of all Cypriots, including the freedoms of movement and settlement and the right to property.

The UN chief refers to efforts for a settlement in Cyprus, the suspension of most bicommunal events because of a ban imposed by the
Turkish Cypriot side and the living conditions of Greek Cypriots in the Turkish occupied north and Turkish Cypriots in the government-controlled
south.

The UN chief prepares the report entitled "Question of human rights in Cyprus" as it is on the Commission agenda.

In its most recent resolution on this subject (1987/50), he says, the Commission reiterated its previous calls for the full restoration of all human rights to the population of Cyprus, particular to the refugees.

"It considered attempts to settle any part of Varosha by people other than its inhabitants as illegal and called for the immediate cessation of
such activities," Annan says.

Varosha, on the south-eastern coast, is in the areas of Cyprus occupied by Turkey since it invaded the island in 1974, but has not been
settled despite statements made at times by the Turkish side that it will do so.

In the same resolution, the Commission also called for "the tracing of and accounting for missing persons in Cyprus without any further delay and for the restoration and respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Cypriots, including the freedom of movement, the freedom of settlement and the right to property".

In his report, the Secretary-General refers to the "shuttle talks" undertaken by his representative on the island in the first half of 1999, noting that President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash engaged in them in "a constructive manner".

"While that format allowed me to assess to what extent there was convergence of views on the various aspects, it also had its limitations as a formal agreement can only be achieved in comprehensive negotiations directly involving both leaders," he adds.

Annan goes on to recall Security Council resolutions adopted last June, which call on the two leaders in Cyprus to give their full support to a comprehensive negotiation under his auspices and to commit themselves to four principles, namely, no preconditions, all issues on the table, commitment to continue to negotiate in good faith until a settlement was reached and with full consideration of relevant UN resolutions and treaties.

He adds that in November both the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot sides agreed to begin proximity talks to prepare the ground for
meaningful negotiations leading to a comprehensive settlement., which were held in December of the same year and then resumed in January.

Referring to some 429 Greek Cypriots enclaved whose living conditions are monitored by UNFICYP, Annan says a number of incremental improvements have occurred, even though they are still deprived the right of
bequeathing their immovable property to heirs. He also says the delivery of school books to enclaved primary school children by UNFICYP
was delayed in the year under review because the Turkish Cypriot "authorities" objected to them on political grounds.

As for some 310 Turkish Cypriots living in the government-controlled areas Annan says UNFICYP closed an office it had opened in December 1996 because it was made very little use of.

The UN chief also says an "impasse in the investigative work of the Committee on Missing Persons has continued", despite the fact that it met twice for the first time in three years.
[Description of Source: Government-Affiliated
Root URL: http://www.cyna.org.cy ]

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WE don't need your aid ,and watch how strong Russia will be again.All countries would be better off without your help .It would be great if US kept all their money and aid,the world would be less exploited.

Turkish butchers committed genocide against the Armenians. Now the Turks need to be forced to pay reparations, including handing back the land that they robbed.

---

ANKARA: Virginia District Said Passes Armenian Genocide Bill
13 Mar 2000
ISTANBUL MILLIYET (ANKARA edition) in Turkish 13 Mar 00 p 18

Article: "Armenian Genocide Day Commemorated in Virginia"

[FBIS Translated Text] For a long time now, the Virginia Congressional District has been debating the so-called Armenian Genocide Bill. The
Bill to mark 24 April 2000 as "Armenian Genocide Day" has now been passed by the Senate.

Even though the word "genocide" was used at the Virginia Congressional District house of delegates, the upper house Senate had removed the word when it was put to the vote on Wednesday and had ruled that 24 April be known as "Armenian Martyrs Day".

While it was expected that the two separate and differently worded texts issued by the house of delegates and the Senate would be brought
before a reconciliation committee, on the last day of the State legislature period they abandoned the idea of voting on it again and removing the word "genocide" from the bill and it passed through the Senate in the form agreed upon by the house of delegates. Thus 24 April 2000 was pronounced "Armenian Genocide Day".
[Description of Source: Centrist, Mass Appeal Daily; One of Country's Top Circulation Papers]

Igor that's easy to say when you have toilet paper.

Just be carefull - your wishes might come true!

What do you have BIG MAC and CRACK.?Watch more CNN,you seem to think they don't have anything there.

ALL AMERICAN I guess you do not have any toilet paper ,I will send you some so you don't hace to use your hand.

Igor,

The whole world did not need CNN to know that essential daily products were not readily available in Russia during communism and when it was line-ups were the first to greet you.

Big Mac, Crack and CNN - do you have anything better. I Rest my case. LMAO!

Hey kids.... come out, come out were ever you are! LOL.

kissako, hairy, dimitry... LMAO.

I feel like, well... like being me 😉

>Antonio,

>BTW, I used to be an Agnostic, but now I'm not
>so sure.........

How sad. A child with no home, wandering in the fearful cold cruel world, with only other lost souls for companionship....

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01215c.htm Agnosticism


>CU


Antonio, you are seriously sick man.
That was a joke, Thicko!!!!
Kim

This war with Chechnya is fun no more. Russians are chasing Chechens like wild dogs all around the map. This end was obvious from the very beginning. What I cannot understand is what were those Chechens thinking back in August? Did those Napoleons really believe they could grab any piece of land from Russia? Is it an arrogance or ignorance?

About Ukraine. I feel sorry for Ukrainians. I have some Ukrainian blood in me and many relatives there. All my relatives want Ukraine to unite with Russia. But no, crooked politicians play nationalists for job security reasons. Without natural resources how this country can provide a decent life style for its citizens?

I've been reading latest postings and found out that Oleg must be really f***g rich. I live 10 miles from the place he describes. It is really beautiful. I like drinking beer in one of the Wood Side restaurants. Way to go Oleg!