NOTE TO EDITORS: The California Courier office will be closed the week of
July 13-20 due to its semi-annual vacation. Publication of the Online
Edition will resume with the issue of July 29.
California Courier Online, July 15, 2004
1 – Commentary
Turkey Gives Up Candidacy for OSCE
Chair, After Armenia Threatens Veto
By Harut Sassounian
California Courier Publisher
**************************************************************************
2 – Prof. Dekmejian Will be Special
Guest at AAPAC Aug. 1 Event
3 – USC Friends of Armenian Music
Celebrate 25th Anniversary, July 25
4 – AACL Will Host Moonlight Picnic
July 17 at Fresno’s California Home
5 – Author Richard Demirjian
Addresses Valley Guild Dinner
************************************************************************
1 – Commentary
Turkey Gives Up Candidacy for OSCE
Chair, After Armenia Threatens Veto
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
In what may be the first major diplomatic victory for Armenia over Turkey,
the Turkish government withdrew its candidacy for the Chairmanship of the
OSCE after Armenia threatened to exercise its veto power.
As reported in this column last month, Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian,
during his talk at the Center for Strategic and International Studies
(CSIS) in Washington, D.C., revealed that Armenia would use its veto to
prevent Turkey from assuming the Chairmanship of the OSCE in 2007. Oskanian
explained that since the decision to select the chair of the OSCE is made
by consensus, Turkey needed the votes of all member states. As Turkey is
the only candidate for that position, its chairmanship would have been
normally approved as a routine matter.
Oskanian justified Armenia’s threatened veto by stating: “Turkey has not
risen to the occasion. We cannot allow a country to be chairman in office
with which we don’t have diplomatic ties. We cannot allow a country to be
chairman in office of OSCE which negotiates the Nagorno Karabagh conflict,
and the chairman has certain rights and privileges that can be used against
Armenia. And given their policy in these past 12 years towards the region,
which has been extremely unbalanced, and given their unequivocal support
and solidarity toward Azerbaijan and one-sided policy toward Nagorno
Karabagh, Armenia simply – even if we wanted – cannot afford to have, for a
whole year, Turkey as a chairman in office. So these kinds of problems
arise because Turkey has not risen to the occasion and has not given us the
chance to look at Turkey differently. And this, as I said, puts us under a
lot of pressure by different countries so that we accept Turkey as chairman
in office, but it will be an extremely difficult political decision for
Armenia.”
Both Turkey and the United States were unhappy with Armenia’s intent to use
its veto. High-ranking U.S. officials pressured the Armenian government to
reconsider its position on this issue.
During a press conference in Yerevan last week, when asked what concessions
Armenia would seek in return to lifting its threatened veto, Oskanian said:
“We are not looking for a deal. Our decision was based on a single factor:
Turkey does not have diplomatic relations with Armenia. The country
chairing the OSCE must have diplomatic relations with all member states.”
While insisting that Armenia was not looking for a deal, Oskanian’s
response confirmed that Armenia was indeed seeking to exchange its veto for
the establishment of diplomatic relations with Turkey. Armenia may have
been forced to take such a negative position out of frustration with
repeated unkept promises by the United States to pressure Turkey into
establishing diplomatic ties and opening the border with Armenia.
The Turkish government made the surprising decision last week to withdraw
its candidacy for the Chairmanship of the OSCE. Turkey formally informed
the OSCE that it would not seek the chairmanship in 2007. Obviously, Turkey
did not want to be humiliated in public by having Armenia reject its
chairmanship during a formal vote.
This unexpected Turkish move may mean that all attempts by the United
States and Turkey to pressure Armenia into lifting its veto have failed and
that Armenia stood firm on its intent to use its veto. By refusing to make
a deal with Armenia, the Turks may be indicating that they have no plans in
the foreseeable future to establish diplomatic relations and open the
border with Armenia.
A more devious explanation for the withdrawal of its candidacy could be
that should Turkey, under pressure from the European Union, be forced to
make a positive gesture towards Armenia in the near future, the Turks would
not want this move interpreted by the international community as caving in
to Armenia’s threatened veto.
Only time would tell which of these two interpretations is correct.
Nevertheless, Armenia’s threatened veto of Turkey’s candidacy for OSCE
Chairmanship was a smart diplomatic move that would pay dividends for
Armenia in the long run, regardless of how cleverly Turkey tries to
disguise its next moves.
This experience shows that Armenia’s foreign policy should be conducted
from a position of strength rather than weakness. The world respects
strength as long as Armenia’s leaders do not overplay their hand and know
the boundary between firmness and recklessness!
**************************************************************************
2 – Prof. Dekmejian Will be Special
Guest at AAPAC Aug. 1 Event
PASADENA, Calif. – The Armenian-American Political Action Committee (AAPAC)
announced this week that renowned professor and critically acclaimed
author, Dr. Richard H. Dekmejian, will be a special guest at the AAPAC’s
Young Professionals Event in Pasadena, Calif. on Aug. 1 at the AGBU Center.
Dekmejian is a Professor of Political Science at USC. His specialties
include Comparative Political Violence, Middle East/Islamic Studies,
Political Elites, Multinational Business & Politics, US Foreign Policy,
Political Economy of Oil, and Comparative Ethnic Politics. Prof. Dekmejian
has appeared as a commentator on world affairs on radio and television
networks and has been quoted in major newspapers and publications.
“We are honored to have Dr. Dekmejian speak at our event. The Professor is
one of the most knowledgeable and compelling expert in his field. He is an
inspiration to all Armenian-Americans,” said AAPAC’s Board of Trustees
Chairman, Albert Boyajian. “We look forward to hearing his comments on
advocacy and the importance of involvement among all Armenian-Americans.”
A US Army veteran, Dr. Dekmejian has served as a consultant to various
federal agencies including the Department of State, the US Information
Agency, and the Department of Defense. He received his doctorate from
Columbia University and has served as the Chair of the Political Science
Department at USC. His recent books include: Islam in Revolution (1995),
Troubled Waters: The Geopolitics of the Caspian Region (2001, 2003), The
Just Prince: A Manual of Leadership (2003).
The AAPAC is currently seeking steadfast young professionals who are
interested in becoming active members of the organization, ultimately
helping to carry the banner for Armenian issues and concerns into the
future. All those interested in learning more about the AAPAC, its
political efforts, and its impact upon the political landscape of America
and abroad, are encouraged to attend. Space is limited, so RSVP as soon as
possible or by calling (818) 896-1550, or email Executive Director, Armen
Zenjiryan at [email protected].
**************************************************************************
3 – USC Friends of Armenian Music
Celebrate 25th Anniversary, July 25
By Seda G. Marootian
LOS ANGELES – Musical performances, elegant dining, and honoring notable
personages will all be a part of the USC Friends of Armenian Music 25th
Anniversary celebration at the campus’ Town and Gown, July 25 beginning at
1 p.m.
President Diana Artunian and her board of directors welcome the
participation of the entire Armenian community to share in this
celebration.
A variety of artists will entertain following the July 25 dinner which will
honor Dr. Robert A. Cutietta, the present Dean of USC Thornton School of
Music.
Past and present USC scholarship recipients to perform include violinist
Arusiak Baltaian, pianist Sakis Baltaian, cellist Garin Terzian and his
string trio. Tenor Leon Makasjian, soprano Salpy Mayilian and flutist
Zevart Joulhiyan round out the program.
Past presidents of USC FAM who will be acknowledge for their services
include Dr. Jirire Boyajian, Eric Avazian, Audrey Gregor, Fred Mickaelian,
Jr., Elise Tashjian, Rose Ketchoyan, Manush Simonian and Artemis Bedros.
USC FAM was founded in 1979 by the late Grant Beglarian, Dean of the School
of Performing Arts. Throughout the years, its aim has been to advance the
knowledge, preservation and presentation of Armenia’s rich musical
heritage.
Reservations can be made by calling (626) 282-5295 or (323) 461-1441.
Parking is available on campus at Child’s Way.
**************************************************************************
4 – AACL Will Host Moonlight Picnic
July 17 at Fresno’s California Home
VAN NUYS – The annual Moonlight Picnic, sponsored by the Fresno Chapter of
the Armenian-American Citizens’ League, will be held on July 17 on the
California Home Grounds in Fresno. This year’s picnic is being co-sponsored
by the AACL and the Staff of the California Armenian Home. The co-chairmen
are George Juarez, assistant administrator of the Home, and George
Emerzian, president of the Fresno AACL Chapter.
The picnic will start at 6:00 p.m. and the entrance fee is $5 per vehicle.
Music will be provided by Richard Hagopian and his Band.
The picnic is a fund-raiser for the California Armenian Home.
**************************************************************************
5 – Author Richard Demirjian
Addresses Valley Guild Dinner
MISSION HILLS, Calif. – Richard Demirjian was guest speaker at the May
dinner meeting of the Valley Guild of the Ararat Home. Demirjian is the
author of two military books, Triumph and Glory, and The Faces of Courage.
The latter is a documentary of 48 Armenian men and women who have served in
various branches of the United States military during wartime in the
Asiatic-Pacific theatre, European-African, Middle Eastern, Korea, Vietnam,
and foreign military theatres.
Demirjian, who is 75 years old, made a fifteen year commitment to research,
compile, write, and edit these volumes. He credits his wife, Dotty, for
assisting him in editing the books as well as enduring “social dropout”
status necessary to produce such a work.
The Armenian community is fortunate to have the stories of these men and
women in print. Demirjian recognizes that so much of our history, as
Armenians, has been lost because so many of the horror stories of our
parents and grandparents during the Turkish massacres were never revealed.
His effort is an important step in making the contributions of first
generation Armenians known to future generations.
Several of the subjects of Faces of Courage who now reside in Southern
California were present at the Guild dinner: Kegham (Chummy) Alexanian, 93
years old and the most decorated among the veteran attendees; Yuga
Ekparian, who was in the audience and recognized by Demirjian, is the wife
of the late Jack Ekparian who received a Bronze Star for his heroic role in
breaking through the German lines; Mike Hartunian, another decorated
veteran of World War II; actor Vahe (Buck) Kartalian, whose overseas duty
earned him an incredible 16 battle stars; and Darwin Avedisian, whose
service in the U.S. Navy earned him 3 PTO Battle Stars and 2 ETO Battle
Stars.
In the audience were veterans who were not the subject of Faces. Among them
was Ara Sevanian, whose illustrious career as a Kanoonist in the USSR was
interrupted in 1940 when he was drafted into the USSR Medical Corps during
World War II.
Also present was the Guild’s own Nikki Smith, who joined the WAVES in 1942
and served as Pharmacist Mate, First Class at Bethesda Naval Hospital, as
well as at San Diego Naval Hospital. Smith has been an active board member
of the Valley Guild for many years.
A book signing took place at the end of the evening. Those interested in
purchasing a copy may write to Ararat Heritage Publishing Co., P.O. Box
396, Moraga, CA 94556.
**************************************************************************
***************************************************************************
The California Courier On-Line is a service provided by the California
Courier. Subscriptions or changes of address should not be transmitted
through this service. Information in that regard should be telephoned
to (818) 409-0949; faxed to: (818) 409-9207, or e-mailed to:
[email protected]. Letters to the editor concerning issues
addressed in the Courier may be e-mailed, provided it is signed by
the author. Phone and/or E-mail address is also required to verify
authorship.