Michael's Afteroon 7 - 07 May

I. Halki Seminary reopening will require political will

Experts argue that the Greek Orthodox Halki Seminary in İstanbul was closed unlawfully and that its reopening will require political will to bypass obstacles from anti-EU groups in Turkey. “Articles 40 and 42 of Lausanne clearly ask the government to facilitate religious organizations and indicate that Turkish nationals belonging to non-Muslim minorities shall enjoy the same treatment and security guarantee as other Turkish nationals.”

II. Armenia & Azerbaijan inch ahead in Karabakh talks

Armenia and Azerbaijan inched ahead in talks over settling their dispute over the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave on Thursday. "For the first time the presidents agreed on basic ideas surrounding these (long discussed) points." The talks took place on the sidelines of a European Union summit launching a cooperation programme for six former Soviet countries including the Caucasian states. Oil-producing Azerbaijan has reacted angrily to plans by Turkey and Armenia to establish diplomatic relations and open their border, which Turkey closed in 1993 in solidarity with fellow Muslim Azerbaijan during the Nagorno-Karabakh war.

III. UPDATE: EU Offers EUR600M In Aid To 6 Former Soviet States

The European Union on Thursday offered six former Soviet states incentives worth EUR600 million to promote stronger energy and economic ties and democratic reforms.

IV. Turkey to review village guards after massacre

Turkey said Thursday that it could reform a village militia that helps to fight Kurdish rebels following an attack on an engagement ceremony in which 44 people were killed by gunmen, including state-backed militiamen. "If there are problems, they can be reviewed," President Abdullah Gul said of the village guard system. But Europe says EU candidate Turkey should end any discrimination against Kurds, and the PKK is still able to recruit disaffected youths in the impoverished southeast. "In the end, this is an issue related to security. Whatever should be done has to be done carefully." "We have said that if you give such people arms, there will be a tendency toward tyranny," said Turk, whose party members were targeted in recent police raids because of suspected ties to Kurdish rebels. "When you arm the village guards, then villagers start to arm themselves to protect themselves from the village guards," he said. "It is a natural thing."

V. Statement of FM spokesman Mr. Koumoutsakos regarding the visit of Turkey's new FM Mr. Davutoglu to the occupied section of Cyprus

“This visit is no surprise. We should, however, stress that such actions – obviously aimed at upgrading the illegal secessionist entity in the occupied section of Cyprus – do not contribute to the ongoing negotiation efforts towards finding a solution on the Cyprus issue.

VI. Israeli police bust Palestinians with ancient text

Undercover Israeli officers foiled an attempt by two Palestinian men to sell an ancient, valuable papyrus document on the black market, police said Wednesday. The men were arrested at a Jerusalem hotel Tuesday after a sting operation lasting several weeks, police said. The 1,900-year-old Hebrew document, previously unknown and valued at millions of dollars, was rescued, and police showed it to reporters.

VII. Jordanians seek papal apology

As Jordan's Christians, who account for five per cent of the population, prepare to welcome Pope Benedict XVI to their country at the start of his first papal pilgrimage to the Middle East, the Muslim Brotherhood have renewed their criticism of the pontiff's visit. In 2006, the pope quoted a medieval text that characterised some of the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed as "evil and inhuman," especially "his command to spread by the sword the faith." The pontiff has said he was "deeply sorry" over the reaction to his speech, explaining that the passage he quoted did not reflect his own opinion. Abu Bakr told Al Jazeera that Muslims "love Jesus Christ more than Christians do" and said if the Vatican went "against the Christian faith when it acquitted Jews of spilling Christ's blood", then an apology to the world's Muslims is not too much to ask of the Holy See.