ARMENIAN REPORTER
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October 20, 2007 — From the front section
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1. Turkish bid to kill Genocide resolution intensifies (by Emil Sanamyan)
* President Bush leads the charge against
* Speaker Pelosi stands firm
* Bipartisan support remains strong
2. Prime Minister Serge Sargsian begins visit to the United States (by
Emil Sanamyan)
* Meets Vice President Cheney, Defense Secretary Gates
* Thanks members of Congress for supporting Genocide resolution
3. From Washington, in brief (by Emil Sanamyan)
* Bush foresees "World War III" if Iran were to get nuclear weapons
* Caspian states hold summit in Tehran
* Media organization sees progress in Armenia
4. Turkey’s parliament approves attack on Iraqi Kurdistan
5. Turkish court sentences Arat Dink, Serkis Seropyan (by Talin
Suciyan in Istanbul)
* Sentence is one year in prison, suspended
* Charge is "insulting Turkishness"
6. U.S. ambassadors chronicle Armenia’s progress (by Emil Sanamyan)
* From humanitarian crisis to normalcy and economic growth
7. Millennium Challenge Account dollars are hard at work in Armenia’s
rural areas (by Armen Hakobyan)
* CEO Ara Hovsepyan says the work is fast paced
8. From Armenia, in brief
* Embattled judge stripped of his office
* Georgian prime minister visits Armenia
* An Armenian-Georgian common market?
* Korean company to build power plant in Armenia
* In soccer, Armenia-Serbia ends 0-0
* And Belgium-Armenia, 3-0
* Presidents of FIFA and UEFA meet with President Kocharian
* Russian-Armenian donates manuscript to the Matenadaran
* Yerevan to have its first skateboard park
9. Happy birthday to Yerevan (by Betty Panossian-Ter Sargssian)
10. Levon Ter-Petrossian launches comeback (by Tatul Hakobyan)
* Ex-president’s meetings and public remarks shake up the political scene
12. Editorial: Fight back
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1. Turkish bid to kill Genocide resolution intensifies
* President Bush leads the charge against
* Speaker Pelosi stands firm
* Bipartisan support remains strong
by Emil Sanamyan
WASHINGTON — In the week after the House Foreign Affairs Committee on
October 10 endorsed, in a bipartisan 27-21 vote, the resolution
reaffirming the U.S. record on the Armenian Genocide, the Turkish
lobby’s campaign to defeat the resolution reached a fevered pitch.
With all its "pressing responsibilities, one thing Congress should
not be doing is sorting out the historical record of the Ottoman
Empire," said President George W. Bush.
Calling the resolution "counterproductive," the president, who
before his election in 2000 had pledged to properly recognize the
Armenian Genocide, added, "Congress has more important work to do than
antagonizing a democratic ally in the Muslim world, especially one
that is providing vital support for our military every day."
Editorials and commentaries opposing the resolution appeared in
several major media outlets. The unifying theme was that the
resolution was untimely because Turkey was liable to react to the
resolution by undermining U.S. interests in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In the face of personal attacks for pressing forward with the
resolution, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D.-Calif.) said that
she continues to support it. The timing of the vote "remains to be
seen," she said; it would be up to its main co-sponsors to decide when
to advance the measure. Having been endorsed by the House Foreign
Affairs Committee, the resolution in its present form can be brought
up at any time before the end of 2008.
Some senior House Democrats, however, this week joined the House
Republican leadership in speaking against the resolution. They include
Reps. John Murtha (Penn.), Ike Skelton (Mo.), Rahm Emanuel (Ill.), and
John Dingell (Mich.) While the first three are known opponents of the
measure, Mr. Dingell is in fact one of the co-sponsors.
About a dozen House members last week withdrew their co-sponsorship
of the House resolution. The number of signed-on supporters is now
212, down from a high of 227. Still listed among the co-sponsors is
Mr. Dingell and Rep. Jane Harman (D.-Calif.), who this week lobbied
the Speaker against bringing up the resolution.
But the list of co-sponsors does not include House leaders,
including Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D.-Md.), who have spoken in
favor of the resolution. Nor does it include several members who voted
for it in the Foreign Affairs Committee last week. Thus it is hard to
say whether the resolution would have the votes of a majority of the
435 voting members if introduced today.
Armenian-American organizations are continuing to work to build firm
support for the resolution. In an October 18 e-mail to supporters, the
Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) described this week’s
developments, including negative media coverage, as "a desperate wave
of ‘shock and awe’" designed by Turkey’s lobbyists "intended to
intimidate our supporters and deter us — as if they ever could —
from our noble cause of putting America back on the right side of this
issue.
"But they won’t win. And we won’t back down," the message stressed,
inviting supporters to come to Washington for Advocacy Days next week
to join a communitywide campaign in the U.S. Congress for the
resolution’s passage.
The key co-sponsors, Reps. Adam Schiff (D.-Calif.), George
Radanovich (R.-Calif.), Frank Pallone (D.-N.J.), Joe Knollenberg
(R.-Mich.), Brad Sherman (D.-Calif.) and Ed Royce (R.-Calif.) issued a
statement on October 17 saying, "If we as a nation are to be a moral
leader around the world we must have the courage to recognize genocide
whenever and wherever it occurs."
They drew parallels to the U.S. awarding the Dalai Lama this week
with the Congressional Gold Medal in spite of objects from China. "As
we take this principled moral stand in defiance of the Chinese
government, we must similarly be willing to speak out on the Armenian
Genocide," they argued.
Asked this week why he would ignore Beijing’s objections by meeting
the Dalai Lama, just as the United States seeks China’s support in
dealing with Iran and North Korea, President George W. Bush explained
that he "admire[s] the Dalai Lama a lot" and that he would continue to
bring up religious freedom issues with the Chinese government.
"And they didn’t like it, of course, but I don’t think it’s going to
damage — severely damage relations," he said.
* Meanwhile in Massachusetts
On October 16, two Massachusetts towns — Lexington and Westwood —
voted to sever their ties with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) over
its opposition to the Armenian Genocide resolution, the Boston Globe
reported the next day.
ADL leaders are due to discuss their position at a national
conference early next month after a controversy over the issue
resulted in six Massachusetts towns withdrawing from ADL’s antibigotry
program in protest.
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2. Prime Minister Serge Sargsian begins visit to the United States
* Meets Vice President Cheney, Defense Secretary Gates
* Thanks members of Congress for supporting Genocide resolution
by Emil Sanamyan
WASHINGTON — Prime Minister Serge Sargsian of Armenia, who arrived
here on October 18, expressed his country’s gratitude to congressional
leaders for their support for the Armenian Genocide resolution.
"We are thankful to those members of Congress who voted in favor of
the resolution’s passage" in the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr.
Sargsian told the Armenian Reporter. He said the issue had not come up
in his meeting with Defense Secretary Bob Gates. Their talks on
October 18 were focused on U.S.–Armenia military cooperation.
Last week, Mr. Gates along with other Bush administration officials
spoke out against the resolution, arguing that its passage may result
in the suspension, by Turkey, of military cooperation with the United
States, and interfere with logistical supplies to U.S.–led forces in
Iraq. The forces include a small contingent from the Republic of
Armenia.
According to the Armenian Embassy in Washington, Mr. Gates thanked
Mr. Sargsian for Armenia’s contribution to the U.S. effort in Iraq,
and the sides discussed a possible peacekeeping deployment by Armenia
in Afghanistan.
On October 18 Mr. Sargsyan also visited with Vice President Dick
Cheney and the executive director of the U.S. Millennium Challenge
Corporation (MCC) Ambassador John Danilovich.
Speaking to the press following his meeting with Armenia’s prime
minister, Mr. Danilovich said that the MCC is "very happy" about how
the five-year $235 million program is being implemented in Armenia.
[See below a story on the implementation of the program.]
"We are pleased with the progress Armenia is making in all
respects," Mr. Danilovich said. He added that the MCC looks forward to
seeing Armenia’s presidential elections in early 2008 being conducted
"in a positive way." Funding for the program is contingent on
Armenia’s continuing compliance with MCC eligibility criteria, which
include ongoing improvements in the conduct of elections.
The program began last year and is designed to reduce poverty by
developing Armenia’s rural areas. Armenia qualified for the program
because of its government’s relatively liberal democratic and economic
policies and its efforts to improve health and education.
Among former Soviet republics Georgia, Ukraine, and Moldova have
also been found eligible to sign MCC assistance compacts with the U.S.
government.
On October 19 and 20, Mr. Sargsian will be in Los Angeles, where he
will meet members of the Armenian community. He will then return to
Washington on October 21 to attend the annual meetings of the World
Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the biannual
session of the U.S.–Armenia Task Force on economic cooperation. He
will also hold talks with congressional leaders and senior State
Department officials.
The bank and IMF have provided developmental and fiscal support to
Armenia with programs totaling over $1 billion over the past decade.
The organizations’ low-interest loans account for the lion’s share of
Armenia’s $1.2 billion foreign debt.
U.S. government aid programs to Armenia have totaled $1.7 billion
over fifteen years. Last year, U.S.–Armenia trade amounted to $127
million out of Armenia’s total $3.2 billion foreign-trade turnover.
That put the United States fifth among Armenia’s largest trading
partners, behind Russia, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
************************************ ***************************************
3. From Washington, in brief
by Emil Sanamyan
* Bush foresees "World War III" if Iran were to get nuclear weapons
President George W. Bush warned this week that "World War III" might
ensue if Iran were to "have the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear
weapon."
Speaking at a White House press conference on October 17, Mr. Bush
confirmed his belief that Iran’s leaders "want to have the capacity,
the knowledge, in order to make a nuclear weapon" and that "if Iran
had a nuclear weapon, it would be a dangerous threat to world peace."
Iran’s leaders say they have a right under an international
nonproliferation treaty to enrich uranium into nuclear fuel, a
capability that can be used for both civilian and military purposes.
They deny they are seeking to build nuclear weapons.
As part of a policy to rally international support for the isolation
of Iran, whose leader "has announced that he wants to destroy Israel,"
Mr. Bush said he "told people that if you’re interested in avoiding
World War III, it seems like you ought to be interested in preventing
them from having the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon." He
did not elaborate.
Asked about the previous days’ visit by Russian President Vladimir
Putin to Iran, in which he reportedly expressed doubts that Iran is
seeking nuclear weapons and warned against an attack on Iran, Mr. Bush
said that he is "looking forward to getting President Putin’s readout
from the meeting."
Mr. Putin’s comments came days after the U.S. secretaries of state
and defense visited Russia and the sides failed to overcome a long
list of disagreements.
Moscow has protested Washington’s plans to build missile interceptor
and radar sites in Poland and the Czech Republic to counter potential
future missile launches from Iran. Such sites, they argue, would also
interfere with Russia’s capabilities.
In response, Mr. Putin has threatened to pull out by December 12 of
a treaty that places restrictions on conventional forces in Europe.
Russia has also relaunched regular patrols by its long-range
nuclear-armed aircraft.
On October 18, the Financial Times quoted U.S. officials as saying
that Washington could scale back European missile defense plans only
if Iran halts its nuclear program.
The United States and Russia also disagree on the future status of
Kosovo, a breakaway former Serbian province whose independence
Washington supports. Mr. Putin hinted that he would retaliate by
recognizing breakaway republics that are nominally part of the
Republic of Georgia, which enjoys a warm relationship with Washington.
At this week’s press conference, Mr. Bush noted that Moscow has
shared U.S. concerns about Iran and supported U.S.-initiated sanctions
(although only after watering them down) at the United Nations, where
Russia is one of five countries with veto power.
"The whole strategy is, is that at some point in time, leaders or
responsible folks inside of Iran may get tired of isolation and say,
this isn’t worth it. And to me, it’s worth the effort to keep the
pressure on this government," Mr. Bush surmised.
He avoided questions on whether he would support an Israeli military
strike "in self-defense" against Iran. Rumors of a U.S. or Israeli
strike against Iran have been rife for over a year.
* Caspian states hold summit in Tehran
Leaders of Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan met
on October 16 in Tehran to discuss unresolved disputes over maritime
borders in the Caspian. These disputes stem from the absence of a
legal agreement over the sea and its resources. While Russia has
agreed on its borders with Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, the latter has
yet to do so with Iran and Turkmenistan.
The summit served as the occasion for the first visit by a Moscow
leader to Iran since Joseph Stalin met with the U.S. president and
British prime minister there in 1943 at the height of World War II.
In a document signed with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran,
President Vladimir Putin confirmed Russian companies’ plans to make
major investments in Iran’s energy section. This is something the U.S.
has opposed.
The five countries reportedly also confirmed their intentions not to
allow forces from outside the region (meaning the United States) to
use their territories to attack fellow Caspian states.
At the same time, as the Jamestown Foundation reported citing
regional media, the Caspian states remained at odds about plans for
laying oil and gas pipelines under the Caspian seabed from Central
Asia to Azerbaijan for subsequent export to Europe. This is something
the U.S. has championed and Russia and Iran oppose.
The meeting was only the second such summit, the first having been
held in the Turkmen capital in 2002. The countries’ leaders agreed to
meet again in Baku in October 2008.
* Media organization sees progress in Armenia
Reporters without Borders (RSF), a Paris-based media-rights
organization issued its annual Worldwide Press Freedom Index, ranking
Armenia better than at any time since 2003, when RSF began to include
Armenia in its studies.
Based on views of experts in 15 freedom-of-expression organizations,
a network of 130 correspondents and in-country journalists, lawyers,
and human-rights activists, RSF ranked Armenia 77th of 169 countries
studied, up from the 90th position in 2003 and 101st last year. The
new ranking likely reflects the more balanced media coverage that
international and domestic observers noted during Armenia’s most
recent elections in May and a handful of cases of journalists’
harassment over last year.
In Armenia’s neighborhood Georgia ranked 66th, Turkey 101st,
Azerbaijan 139th, Russia 144th, and Iran 166th. Iceland, Norway,
Estonia, and Slovakia topped the media-freedom list while
Turkmenistan, North Korea, and Eritrea were at the bottom. The United
States was ranked 38th.
connect:
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4. Turkey’s parliament approves attack on Iraqi Kurdistan
Turkey continued to pressure the United States and Iraqi Kurdistan to
act against anti-Turkey Kurdish forces in northern Iraq as the Turkish
parliament, dominated by the party of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan and his even more nationalistic opponents, voted on October 17
to give the military the go-ahead to conduct large-scale operations
inside Iraq.
Ankara has for months threatened that it would invade northern Iraq,
as forces collectively referred to as the Kurdistan Workers’ Party
(PKK) stepped up their attacks on security forces in the southeastern
Turkey.
On October 18, thousands of Kurds rallied in northern Iraq to
protest the vote. The next day Iraqi Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani
promised to fight Turkish forces attack, but no invasion appeared
imminent, The Associated Press reported.
In his October 17 press conference President Bush said, "We are
making it very clear to Turkey that we don’t think it is in their
interests to . . . send massive additional troops into" Iraq. He said
the PKK should be dealt with through "dialoguing" between U.S.,
Turkey, and Iraq.
Both the Bush administration and Ankara have linked the possible
invasion of Iraqi Kurdistan to the passage of the Armenian Genocide
resolution in the U.S. Congress.
Turkish officials have said that that U.S. should "compensate" for
the possible passage of the resolution by supporting Ankara’s
interests in Iraq. (See the top story in the October 13 issue of the
Armenian Reporter). On the other hand, the Bush administration has
portrayed its fight against the resolution as part of an effort to
mollify Turkey and restrain it from going into Iraqi Kurdistan.
– E.S.
******************************************** *******************************
5. Turkish court sentences Arat Dink, Serkis Seropyan
* Sentence is one year in prison, suspended
* Charge is "insulting Turkishness"
by Talin Suciyan
ISTANBUL – It was midnight in Turkey when the U.S. House Foreign
Affairs Committee passed House Resolution 106, reaffirming the U.S.
record on the Armenian Genocide.
The following morning Arat Dink, who has succeeded his assassinated
father Hrant Dink as the editor-in-chief of the Turkish-Armenian
weekly Agos, and the newspaper’s license holder Serkis Seropyan were
sentenced to a one-year suspended prison sentence under Article 301 of
the Turkish penal code for "insulting Turkishness."
The case was opened against Agos because the newspaper reprinted an
interview Hrant Dink gave to the Reuters news agency last year, in
which he said he believed that the events in 1915 were indeed
genocide. The news item carrying the interview appeared in the July
21, 2007 issue of Agos.
While many others Turkish media outlets likewise reprinted the
interview, a legal complaint was initiated against only against Agos.
The complaint was filed by Recep Akkus, a member of the
ultranationalist organization Great Lawyers’ Union, which had also
targeted Hrant Dink.
As a result of the earlier lawsuit, Hrant Dink had been found guilty
under article 301. In his last article, Hrant Dink wondered whether
the decision to target him had anything to do with his Armenian
identity.
* "Considering . . . the personalities"
The court decision against Arat Dink says, "Considering the act and
the personalities of both persons, one year of imprisonment was given
as increased severity." (This means that the sentence was not the most
severe according to Turkish law, but it is more severe than usual.)
According to Agos lawyer Fethiye Çetin, this is a typical case of
discrimination. During a press conference organized after the
decision, Ms. Çetin underlined this sentence and asked, "Does this
penalty have anything to do with the Armenian identity of both
people?"
Ms. Çetin stated that this decision is an outright violation of the
freedom of the press. The sentence has been suspended considering that
both Mr. Dink and Mr. Seropyan have not been convicted of any crimes
before. Their lawyer has said they will appeal the decision.
* Article 301 fuels hatred
Article 301 was a reformulation of Article 159 in the old Turkish
Penal Code. Lawyers’ associations, nongovernmental organizations,
experts, and media were all opposed to this reformulation. But the
justice minister at the time, who is now minister of state, Cemil
Çiçek said, "Do not rush. . . . Let’s see the implementation of the
law."
Now it is obvious that implementation of the law and its practical
repercussions have only fuelled nationalist hatred among people in
society, making Hrant Dink the target of ultranationalists, but to
this day, there has been no initiative taken by the government to
abolish Article 301.
Following the sentencing, International PEN, Article 19, and the
International Publisher’s Association (IPA) issued a joint press
release in which they stated that they sent an open letter to
President Abdullah Gül. The letter states that 41 national and
international NGOs call for the abolition of Article 301 of the
Turkish Penal Code.
"Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code prohibits public denigration
of ‘Turkishness’, a term that is extremely vague and can be easily
abused," they said. "It has been widely used to repress freedom of
expression and open debate in the country." They note that between
April and July 2007, there were 18 trials against 24 people under
Article 301.
While welcoming progressive changes to Turkish legislation since the
mid-1990s, the letter also urges President Gül to do everything in his
power to ensure Turkey’s compliance with its obligations under
international law, "particularly through the abolition of Article
301."
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6. U.S. ambassadors chronicle Armenia’s progress
* From humanitarian crisis to normalcy and economic growth
by Emil Sanamyan
WASHINGTON — The five ambassadors who represented the United States
in Armenia between 1993 and 2006 discussed the challenges and
achievements of their terms in a unique event hosted by the Library of
Congress on September 28.
The Library’s Armenian specialist and the organizer of the event,
Levon Avdoyan, said the idea for the event was born as he studied the
personal papers of Henry Morgenthau, U.S. ambassador to the Ottoman
Empire in 1913–16, and sought to contribute to the primary-source
record of the first fifteen years of relatioans between Armenia and
the United States.
The ambassadors’ presentations, delivered in chronological order,
painted a picture of Armenia making progress, with U.S. help, from the
humanitarian and political crises of the 1990s to the normalcy and
economic success of recent years. Each ambassador also noted the role
of Armenian-American organizations and individuals in encouraging U.S.
support for Armenia.
* Turkey rejects Armenia’s overtures
Ambassador Harry Gilmore (served 1993–95) recalled the hardships
Armenia experienced during the years of his tenure due to the breakup
of the Soviet Union and accentuated by blockades imposed by Azerbaijan
and Turkey. By the time Mr. Gilmore arrived in Armenia, the United
States already had a chargé d’affaires in Armenia, Thomas Price, who
briefed the ambassador on the country’s problems, "which were many and
huge."
Mr. Gilmore noted the desire of President Levon Ter-Petrossian to
reach out to Turkey and normalize relations, highlighted by his
presence at President Turgut Ozal’s funeral in April 1993 — just as
Turkey closed its border with Armenia.
These efforts remained unappreciated by the Turkish government,
which continued to side with Azerbaijan on the Karabakh issue. And
although a cease-fire agreement put an end to the Karabakh war in May
1994, a full settlement remains elusive.
U.S. policy on Karabakh, Mr. Gilmore noted, was outlined as part of
Senate testimony on September 7, 1992, by the ambassador-at-large for
the Newly Independent States, Strobe Talbott, and remains in effect to
this day. It states that while the United States recognizes the
territorial integrity of former Soviet republics, it does not rule out
a change of borders so long as "mutual consent" is reached.
Mr. Gilmore described the U.S. humanitarian aid — primarily wheat
and kerosene — delivered in the crisis years of the early to
mid-1990s as a "tonic" for Armenians that helped "engender confidence
in the United States as a long-term and reliable friend and partner."
By 1995 the United States supplied half of Armenia’s food supply.
* Tanks on the streets
The term of Ambassador Peter Tomsen (1995–98) was marked by a steady
shift from humanitarian to developmental U.S. aid, but was also marked
by the first major setbacks in relations. Mr. Tomsen particularly
focused on the September 1996 presidential elections in which the
incumbent president, Levon Ter-Petrossian, was challenged by former
prime minister Vazgen Manukian.
As the vote count was underway, "President Ter-Petrossian recognized
he was losing the election toward the late evening, [but then he]
suddenly appeared on television with a glass of champagne in his hand
and announced that he just scored a brilliant victory," Mr. Tomsen
recalled. "There was tremendous fraud and the international
condemnation was quite strong."
Mr. Tomsen went on: "That same night riots broke out. Forty thousand
people marched by our embassy and then attacked the parliament. I got
a call from Jirair Libaridian [one of Mr. Ter-Petrossian’s senior
aides] who asked me to go on Voice of America and call off the crowd.
I of course did not have the ability to do that and urged him that
excessive force not be used, but the tanks were moving in [already.]"
In subsequent meetings with Mr. Ter-Petrossian and Mr. Manukian, Mr.
Tomsen helped broker a deal under which opposition leaders would get
time on state-controlled television in exchange for calling off
additional protests.
In the end, while Mr. Ter-Petrossian retained the presidency for
another year and a half, President Bill Clinton refused to
congratulate him on his re-election.
Mr. Tomsen noted that about a third of his time was consumed by
efforts to address the Karabakh conflict, the resolution of which
appeared caught between two tenets of international law: territorial
integrity of states and self-determination of nations.
"It is a fact that for thousands of years the great majority of the
population of Nagorno-Karabakh has been Armenian," Mr. Tomsen said.
"Any trip through Nagorno-Karabakh will reveal [that]. So that cannot
be ignored."
* A productive relationship
When Ambassador Michael Lemmon (1998–2001) prepared to take over the
U.S. Embassy, everyone he talked to in the U.S. government was unhappy
with the state of affairs in Armenia, be it the state of democracy or
the Karabakh peace process.
"It was not a very promising time," Mr. Lemmon recalled. "I shared
these impressions with President [Robert Kocharian] and that began a
very frank, honest, productive, and respectful relationship that
ensued for the next three years."
The October 27, 1999, murders of Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsian and
parliament Speaker Karen Demirchian and the resulting political crisis
"gave a body blow to the Armenian polity," Mr. Lemmon said. "However,
who could have imagined that Armenia could take this body blow,
stagger, and yet hold steady and stay more or less on the democratic
path?"
By the time Mr. Lemmon completed his term, Armenia’s policy of
"complementarity" opened the way for greater cooperation with
Euro-Atlantic organizations and closer ties with the United States in
addition to those with Russia.
There was also a near breakthrough in talks with Azerbaijan.
[According to reports since then, the agreement would have formalized
Karabakh’s unification with Armenia. But following the Key West summit
in April 2001, Azerbaijan’s President Heydar Aliyev walked away from
the proposal.]
The United States also worked to try to improve Armenia’s relations
with Turkey, on both official and unofficial levels. "And the
Turkish-Armenian Reconciliation Commission [TARC] was one such effort
that ensued [amid] considerable controversy, especially within the
diaspora, over its composition and purpose," Mr. Lemmon noted. "Other
parallel efforts in business and cultural spheres were simultaneously
underway."
Discussing Turkish nationalism, as manifested in the murder of Hrant
Dink earlier this year, and continued tensions over the past and
present relations with Armenia, Mr. Lemmon stressed that "dealing with
those [nationalist] tendencies that exist in all societies — it is
not a uniquely Turkish problem, it is a human problem, that all
countries and societies have — but until it is addressed, until it is
taken off [the agenda], democratic evolution of Turkey, and Armenia as
well, attainment of that European vocation, will not be successful."
* A long-term commitment
Ambassador John Ordway’s time in Armenia (2001–2004) "was
characterized by a more normal situation in Armenia." Mr. Ordway
described his effort to reach out to the Armenian-American community
and also showcase the positive impact that U.S. programs have had in
Armenia.
While promotion of relations with both Azerbaijan and Turkey "were
in a bit of a lull," U.S. officials worked successfully in preventing
any deterioration from the status quo.
The United States also continued to provide development assistance
and make efforts to promote democracy. The conduct of 2003
presidential election, in which President Kocharian was re-elected,
showed progress; but these elections too did not fully meet European
standards.
At the same time, the September 11 attacks shifted the emphasis to
the war on terror and "there was a lot of forward movement on
U.S.-Armenia military relationship."
The construction of a new, much larger embassy building, which got
underway during Mr. Ordway’s term, also came to symbolize the United
States’ long-term commitment to Armenia.
* Reaping the harvest
Ambassador John Evans (2004–2006) likened diplomacy to gardening, and
said that his time marked "reaping of the harvest" for which his
predecessors had sowed the seeds.
On the subject of relations with Turkey, Mr. Evans noted that under
the Kars Treaty, which established the present border, Turkey is under
a legal obligation to keep it open. But the continued closure of the
border began to matter much less economically.
Some in Armenia may even prefer for the border to stay closed to
protect local business interests. Still, the Armenian government’s
believes that opening it would bring an overall benefit.
And in spite of the border closure, Turkish businesses have already
found their way into Armenia. "In the construction of our new embassy
in Yerevan," Mr. Evans said, "there were 60 Turkish workers along with
600 locally employed Armenians, and basically they worked quite
harmoniously."
At the same time, Turkey’s refusal to establish diplomatic relations
with Armenia continues to hamper communication between the two
governments, which in turn does not contribute to prospects of
normalization.
Mr. Evans noted that his term came following "color revolutions" and
government changes in Georgia, Ukraine, and Kyrgyzstan, which led to
widespread speculation that the same might happen in Armenia, where
opposition leaders continued to challenge the outcome of the 2003
election, and that the United States would support such a development.
"Some members of the opposition were actually calling for a
revolution in the streets," Mr. Evans recalled. "One opposition
politician in particular was constantly talking about when the
revolution was going to happen, and sort of looked at his calendar and
said, ‘Maybe three weeks from now.’"
Mr. Evans worked to dispel the idea that the United States supported
such efforts, and he promoted the idea of democratic evolution over
revolution. At the end of 2005, the U.S. Embassy rolled out a new
long-term democratic assistance program, which received a favorable
reaction from President Kocharian.
"The [parliamentary] elections held in May seemed to be much better
[than previous polls] by all accounts and signs are positive for
presidential elections this winter," Mr. Evans said. "It does seem
that these seeds planted years back have started to bear fruit."
During Mr. Evans’ term foundations were laid for the U.S. Millennium
Challenge assistance program that would focus on "Armenia’s rural
areas, which [by 2004] seemed to be very sadly lagging behind Yerevan,
which of course was booming."
Mr. Evans concluded that sustained U.S. support for Armenia, in
various fields over fifteen years, "helped create maybe not a Garden
of Eden yet, but a very fine garden" that is modern Armenia.
**************************************** ***********************************
7. Millennium Challenge Account dollars are hard at work in Armenia’s
rural areas
* CEO Ara Hovsepyan says the work is fast paced
by Armen Hakobyan
Under a compact between the governments of the United States and
Armenia, the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) is funding a
five-year, $235 million program to reduce rural poverty in Armenia.
The funding is contingent on Armenia’s continuing compliance with MCC
eligibility criteria of ruling justly, investing in people, and
economic freedom. The compact went into force on September 29, 2006.
The program is being implemented by the Millennium Challenge Account
– Armenia (MCA-Armenia). One element of the program is an Irrigated
Agriculture project, which will rehabilitate and expand Armenia’s
irrigation system.
As part of its ongoing operations, the MCA-Armenia on September 14
entered into a four-year, $1.5 million agreement with the
HayJrNakhagitz Institute. HayJrNakhagitz will help design and manage
the construction and rehabilitation of six major irrigation canals.
The canals serve around 120,000 hectares of farmland. This
constitutes more than half of the area served by Armenia’s water
users’ cooperatives. But about half the water that flows through the
canals is lost. The program will rehabilitate some 200 km (124 mi) of
the main canals, which will significantly reduce water loss.
The Armenian Reporter had some questions for Ara Hovsepyan, the
chief executive officer of the MCA-Armenia.
Reporter: How many projects has MCA-Armenia already launched?
Hovsepyan: I would like to distinguish two groups of activities set
by our program. The first and larger group includes the
rehabilitation, reconstruction, and construction of major irrigational
waterways and roads. The second, relatively small block, is
conditionally called Water-to-Market. It is a little bit out of the
line of our usual activities. It has more of a consulting and
instructional nature and is aimed at a more effective implementation
of our program.
Reporter: Could you elaborate on the individual parts in more detail?
Hovsepyan: We have not started any construction yet. However, we are
already in the middle of the design stage. What does that mean? The
overall length of the road segments provided for in our program is 943
km. That is divided into three packages. Now we are almost finished
with the design work for the first package, comprising around 311 km.
Taking into account the procurement process, we expect that
construction based on these designs will start in spring of 2008.
Until then we are planning to organize a tender, and find the
organizations that will build this 311 km segment.
Reporter: Are these roads between village communities we are mainly
talking about?
Hovsepyan: The roads being constructed through the MCA-Armenia
project must all match one main standard: They have to connect the
rural or town communities to the main road. So, it is important for us
that a given community have at least one decent road leading to a
major artery.
* Working with Lincy
The realization of the first package of road construction is expected
to cost approximately $35 million. In addition to that first package
of design work, we have certain agreements with the Lincy Foundation,
which already has some projects ready. We have taken two ready
projects from them and have already announced a construction tender.
I’m talking about a 25 km segment of the Armavir-Isahakyan-Gyumri
road, which is divided into two parts.
In the irrigation sector we currently have two agreements with
design companies, one for Armenia’s seven water-storage tanks and the
other for the six main canals. When the design work is finished, we
will start work on construction. Construction is to start by late
spring of 2008, by about the end of May.
The other irrigation projects, including the design work and
construction of 18 gravity flow systems, the observation, design, and
reconstruction of 68 water-pump stations, and purchasing of the
designs of tertiary (intercommunity) water canals are in progress.
Using the same example we used in the road construction sector, we
also have three completed intercommunity network projects from the
World Bank in the irrigation sector.
Reporter: How much money has been received at this point and what
has it been spent on?
Hovsepyan: We have received $8 million so far. It has been spent
mainly on design work. The other part of the money was given for
initial expenses for the two segments of road construction and the
construction of the three intercommunity network projects.
We planned to spend $12 million this year, but have spent $8
million. We planned to spend $60 million next year, but are hoping for
even more — around $65 million. All in all, as you know, by 2011 we
must spend $235 million.
* Inflationary worries
Reporter: Does the rise of the dram affect the planned projects?
Hovsepyan: It is gradually beginning to have an effect. It is not
like we are actively worried about it now, because this is just the
first year of the program. We have four more years in front of us, and
dram can be fall as well. We have just identified that issue and
discussed it once in our Governing Council and Stakeholders’
Committee. We are aware of the issue and I believe that by the end of
the second year we will start looking for solutions. I think that now
it is too early to think about urgent solutions for four years,
because we have other problems to solve yet. But one thing is clear,
and it was approved by the Governing Council as well — that we took
on responsibility of reconstructing a road segment or an irrigation
network of a certain length and we have to accomplish these works. How
they will be implemented will become clear in process, and if there
will be a lack of finances, we have to find them from somewhere.
Reporter: What you can say about the Water-to-Market project?
Hovsepyan: The aim of the Water-to-Market component is a transition
to the more efficient agricultural production in areas where the
irrigation systems are being reconstructed. The project also aims to
connect farmers with local and international markets by installing
post-harvesting technologies and strengthening processing enterprises.
It also seeks to strengthen abilities of credit organizations to
finance viable proposals in production and post-harvest activities.
This is one of the main projects through which we raised part of the
finances received.
This component is carried out by the American ACDI/VOCA company
along with the local Vistaa Plus organization. The value of the
overall project is $18.4 million, which will be spent over 56 months.
* Training and credit for farmers
Reporter: What have these organizations already done within the
framework of the "Water-to-Market" project?
Hovsepyan: They work in three areas. The first one is instruction:
around 60,000 farmers will be trained over four years. The second is
the development of model farms. The third is credit programs. Work in
the first two areas has already been started. The credit component
will start working in December. Already, almost 2,000 farmers from
different communities have been trained in various fields. These
include how to implement new technologies in the irrigation of their
farms, how to improve their agricultural production by using
higher-quality seed sorts, and how to use post-harvest technologies.
During the course of the training some farmers were found who were
ready to change their working style through certain small investments.
For example, work is already going on with two farmers from the
Getashen and Griboyedov communities.
As for the credit programs, we plan to alot around $8.5 million over
three years, distributing $3.5 million over each of the first two
years and $1.5 million the third year. The credit program will be
implemented through banks. We will announce open competition, and
offer banks our standards and interest rates. It can be two or five
banks. However, the most important thing, in our opinion, is that the
banks are interested in this project. That’s why we plan to leave the
decision-making to them: let them decide and then apply to us, and if
their credit proposal matches our standards, we will refinance the
bank, instead of dictating to them our decision.
Reporter: How is the public’s involvement in the supervision of the
fund’s programs ensured?
Hovsepyan: First, it’s worth mentioning that the program is large
and very demanding, and the work pace is very fast. Public attention
is focused on it. Almost everyone has heard something about this
program. My team and I feel very responsible for the realization of
this program. This leads to fast-paced work.
Over the last month almost 70 percent of my work hours were devoted
to work with civil society. The aim of the Stakeholders’ Committee and
its mandate are very clear. It is a group of public representatives
who realize public monitoring and contribution to the program.
The participation of the public in various credit programs has often
been discussed. The public must not only be made aware of the
developments but must also contribute to these developments. This will
lead to public forums and transparency of the process.
**************************************** ***********************************
8. From Armenia, in brief
* Embattled judge stripped of his office
Pargev Ohanian, judge of the Court of First Instance of the Yerevan
Center and Nork-Marash communities has been stripped of his office by
a presidential decree.
The Council of Justice, a powerful body overseeing the Armenian
judiciary, asked President Robert Kocharian to relieve Mr. Ohanian of
his duties, saying that he broke the law when adjudicating two dozen
criminal and civil cases. Mr. Ohanian is widely believed to be paying
the price for his ruling in the Royal Armenia case in which two
businesspeople were charged with fraud. Gagik Hakobian, the leading
shareholder of Royal Armenia and the deputy director, Aram Ghazarian,
had been arrested and charged with tax evasion and fraud in October
two years ago after publicly accusing senior customs officials of
corruption.
Meanwhile, the state has appealed Judge Ohanian’s acquittal and the
Royal Armenia defendants have been rearrested.
* Georgian prime minister visits Armenia
Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli was in Yerevan October 15–16
for a working visit. The prime minister, along with a large Georgian
delegation was in the country to participate in the sixth session of
the Armenian-Georgian Intergovernmental Commission on Economic
Cooperation.
While in Yerevan, Mr. Nogaideli met with President Robert Kocharian.
They discussed a wide range of issues concerning developing and
strengthening Armenian-Georgian relations. Mr. Nogaideli also met with
Armenia’s prime minister, Serge Sargsian and visited the Genocide
Memorial.
* An Armenian-Georgian common market?
The sixth meeting of the Armenian-Georgian Intergovernmental
Commission on Economic Cooperation was held at the Government
Reception House in Yerevan.
Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli and members of his
delegation were greeted by Prime Minister Serge Sargsian, who
expressed confidence that the commission will succeed in reaching
agreements to promote economic and humanitarian ties between the two
countries.
He emphasized attraction of investments from third countries for the
development of Armenia and Georgia and underlined efforts to establish
a common investment field. "We are going to start working on
presenting Armenia and Georgia as a single investment and trade entity
to investors interested in working with us," Mr. Noghaideli said.
According to RFE/RL, Mr. Sargsian said, "Only together can we be of
interest to big foreign firms." He argued that the small size of
Armenia’s and Georgia’s populations is a major factor discouraging
foreign direct investment.
"Whereas several years ago we were talking about how to make sure
our cargos go through Georgian territory without problems and
unfettered electricity supplies [to Georgia,] we are now discussing
issues that are more important to our peoples. One of those issues is
the formation of a common market," Mr. Sargsian added at a joint news
conference.
According to Mr. Sargsian, it is necessary to intensify development
of joint projects for this purpose. "It’s obvious that joint projects
in any area provide grater opportunities for attracting investment
from international financial institutions," he said.
The meeting also focused on ways of increasing the still-modest
volume of Georgian-Armenian trade. According to official Armenian
statistics, it rose by 16 percent to $51 million in the first half of
this year. The figure is equivalent to less than 3 percent of
Armenia’s overall external trade during this period.
* Korean company to build power plant in Armenia
GS Engineering & Construction is about to make its entrance into the
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). The company announced on
Monday that it has won a $218 million project from Yerevan Thermal
Power Plant of Armenia to build a combined-cycle power plant there.
GS will handle the entire construction process, from design to
material and equipment procurement to engineering to installation.
Lee Jong-geun from GS Engineering & Construction’s plant
construction headquarters said that the project will serve as an
important opportunity for Korean construction firms to make their way
into the CIS region, as this is Korea’s first full turnkey order from
a CIS state.
GS Engineering & Construction Company’s principal activity is
provision of civil-engineering construction services. They specialize
in oil and gas — crude oil; petrochemical plants – oil refinery;
power & electrical plants; environmental – air pollution control,
water and waste water treatment, incineration systems and recycling
systems; civil – improving roads, bridges, railroads and airports;
building which develops facilities and space for hotels and resorts,
medical health care, educational, cultural and sports; and residential
housing.
* In soccer, Armenia-Serbia ends 0-0
UEFA EURO 2008 qualifying matches continue as Armenia hosted Serbia on
October 13 at Yerevan’s Republican Stadium.
Serbia’s qualifying hopes were dashed as Armenia’s football team
"continued their fine recent form with a well-earned goalless draw in
Yerevan" (uefa.com)
This result leaves Serbia in fourth position in Group A with 16
points and three games still to play. Armenia remained unbeaten in its
last four matches, winning against Kazakhstan and Poland and also a
draw with Portugal.
* And Belgium-Armenia, 3-0
After their stunning performance against Serbia, Armenia’s national
football team could not hang on to their momentum. Even with thousands
of Armenian fans in Belgium’s football stadium waving hundreds of
Armenian flags and shouting encouragement to their compatriots, the
Armenian team suffered a setback. After dominating the game for the
first 60 minutes, Armenia let Belgium score three times in 12 minutes.
Although Belgium won, their UEFA EURO 2008 qualification hopes were
ended by the results of another game in Group A. (Portugal-Kazakhstan,
2-1).
* Presidents of FIFA and UEFA meet with President Kocharian
On October 16 President Robert Kocharian met with the president of
FIFA (International Federation of Association Football), Zepp Blatter
and the president of UEFA (Union of European Football Associations)
Michele Platini. They were in Yerevan at the invitation of Ruben
Hayrapetian, president of the Football Federation of Armenia (FFA).
The president commended FIFA for implementing a series of programs
in Armenia designed to boost interest in soccer.
"The results are small but visible," the president said.
Noting that every victory in soccer increases interest in the sport,
Mr. Kocharian said inspiration and high spirit are important
prerequisites for reaching success. Without these, serious results are
impossible. Mr. Blatter praised the Football Federation of Armenia for
doing a great deal of work for the development of soccer and expressed
willingness to support these initiatives.
Mr. Hayrapetian, Mr. Blatter, and Mr. Platini participated in the
groundbreaking ceremony of a sports school in Yerevan and also visited
Banants junior football school which was reconstructed under the "Goal
I" program of FIFA.
* Russian-Armenian donates manuscript to the Matenadaran
According to Armenpress, Hrant Poghosian, a Moscow-based Armenian,
presented the Matenadaran, Armenia’s repository of ancient
manuscripts, with a 14th century Armenian-language Bible. The unique
manuscript had been purchased by three Russian Armenians.
Hrachya Tamrazian, executive director of the Matenadaran received
the manuscript in the presence of First Lady Bella Kocharian,
Education and Science Minister Levon Mkrtchian, and Culture Minister
Hasmik Poghosian
The manuscript, written in 1399, was kept at Saint John-Paul Church
in Yerevan. When the church was destroyed in 1937, the manuscript
somehow miraculously survived. It was passed from one hand to another
until it was purchased by a group of Russian Armenians.
For his contribution, Hrant Poghosian was awarded with the Saint
Mesrop order of the Matenadaran. "There is an old manuscript in Los
Angeles, and the owner wants to sell it at $130,000. I think it too,
will soon come to join other manuscripts here in the Matenadaran," Mr.
Poghosian said.
* Yerevan to have its first skateboard park
The first-ever skateboard park will soon be open to the public in
Yerevan’s Nor Nork district. The government had released 145 million
drams to build the park on a 1,200 sq m (12,000 sq ft) parcel of land.
Frunze Basentsian from the municipality’s department responsible for
construction and redevelopment said that visitors may bring their
skateboards or rent them at the park. There will always be instructors
as well as medics on the grounds, which will also have sanitary
facilities.
– M.T.
******************************************** *******************************
9. Happy birthday to Yerevan
by Betty Panossian-Ter Sargssian
YEREVAN — The city of Yerevan celebrated its birthday on October
11–13. It is now a 2789-year-old city.
As a tradition, each year Armenians mark the Day of Yerevan on the
second weekend of October.
With plenty of events, concerts, and dazzling firework displays
throughout the city, citizens of the capital celebrated their city’s
heritage.
Public events included chess tournaments, Paralympic games, and
wrestling matches. Cultural events were also planned for young and old
alike.
The celebrations kicked off with a festive concert at the Opera
House in Yerevan, and were concluded by an open-air concert at
Republic Square.
This year, Sharm Holding, an events organizer planned the
celebrations down to the last detail. This meant that the celebrations
were not only out of the ordinary but full of pizazz. "This year we
have tried to celebrate our city day with more lavishness. We have
learned a lot form our past years’ experiences and are trying to
improve," deputy mayor of Yerevan, Vano Vardanyan, said during a press
conference.
* A city in constant renewal
The 8th century BCE fortress of Erebuni looks down upon Yerevan and
bears witness to major construction sites, road works, insufferable
traffic, and the replacement of trees and green zones with newly built
luxury houses and buildings. On the other hand, the birthday
celebrations were a chance for Yerevan mayor Yervand Zakharyan to
highlight the improvements of the city. "With each passing day our
ancient city is getting younger due to the implemented urban
projects," he said.
"We love our city." This was the slogan on billboards throughout the
city. The expression of that love are the symbolic tree plantings and
concerts with songs dedicated to Yerevan. It’s fine to sing loves
songs for your city but while we do, the city we all love is still
waiting for the improvement in the quality of life for its residents,
visitors, and generations to come.
******************************************* ********************************
10. Levon Ter-Petrossian launches comeback
* Ex-president’s meetings and public remarks shake up the political scene
by Tatul Hakobyan
YEREVAN — There is a fifty-fifty chance that Levon Ter-Petrossian
will run in the February 2008 presidential elections, Armenia’s
ex-president told his supporters in the town of Sisian on October 5,
according to Yerevan newspapers that are sympathetic to him.
Mr. Ter-Petrossian reportedly said that he is now more inclined to
run, having held a series of meetings with his supporters around
Armenia and with some key political figures, most of whom are his past
or present opponents.
Already, Mr. Ter-Petrossian’s re-emergence after over nine years of
silence is causing quite a stir in Armenia’s political life. While
pro-government television stations have portrayed Prime Minister Serge
Sargsian’s victory in upcoming presidential elections as a foregone
conclusion, the potential nomination of Mr. Ter-Petrossian, regardless
of how many votes he may eventually be able to garner, would undermine
that sense of inevitability and is therefore undesirable for the
current administration.
In Armenia, as in other countries without mature institutions, the
military, police, and security services play a key role in politics
and their support may prove pivotal during elections.
With the exception of a six-month period in 1999–2000, Mr. Sargsian
has been in charge of the military, police, or security services in
Armenia since 1993. He has continued to exercises much influence after
becoming prime minister last May. Surely, Mr. Sargsian counts on this
support ahead of the February elections.
However, Mr. Ter-Petrossian’s nomination may undermine this support,
since some of the highest-ranking individuals in the military and
security establishment have direct ties to Mr. Ter-Petrossian and have
in the past — in 1996 — helped falsify election results in his
favor.
Since his first speech on September 21, in which he described the
present government as a "criminal mafia," Mr. Ter-Petrossian has
reached out to his former opponents. He met leaders of the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation — Hrant Margarian and Armen Rustamian — the
very same individuals he put in prison in 1994 and 1995 as he banned
the ARF and all its affiliates.
Mr. Ter-Petrossian also met his main rival in those 1996 elections,
former Prime Minister Vazgen Manukian. It was their first meeting in
12 years.
While the past opponents are not about to join forces, the slew of
activity by the long self-exiled ex-president leave no question that
he is back in politics. The meetings have at least served to disorient
many in the establishment, including his former allies who are now
members of the Republican Party, led by Prime Minister Sargsian.
Republican Party leaders have said repeatedly that they anticipate
Mr. Sargsian to garner victory in the first round of elections — that
is, they expect that he will be able to win more than half of the vote
at once. But participation by Mr. Ter-Petrossian, with his name
recognition, may force a second round, and that alone is unwelcome
news for Mr. Sargsian.
Certainly, Mr. Ter-Petrossian has long worn out the 87 percent
support he first enjoyed in 1991 elections. The 51 percent granted to
Mr. Ter-Petrossian in 1996 proved to have been inflated. For many
Armenians, Mr. Ter-Petrossian and the Armenian National Movement are
associated with the crisis years of the early- to mid-1990s.
But it is also true that both Mr. Sargsian and President Robert
Kocharian were President Ter-Petrossian’s close allies and supporters
before revolting against him together with the late Vazgen Sargsian in
1998. So Mr. Sargsian and Mr. Kocharian represent both the former and
present administrations.
Mr. Ter-Petrossian’s chances are also helped by the ARF’s decision
to nominate its own candidate and not support Mr. Sargsian. Mr.
Ter-Petrossian appears to have backing of past presidential candidate
Stepan Demirchian and Vazgen Sargsian’s brother Aram, who have led the
opposition in Armenia in recent years. If he makes it to the second
round, Mr. Ter-Petrossian may also count on support of Artur
Baghdasarian’s party.
Whereas he is seeking meetings with his past opponents, Mr.
Ter-Petrossian is not seeking a meeting with Republican Party leaders,
his one-time allies. He accuses them of election-rigging and other
violations of the law.
Mr. Ter-Petrosian has not yet clearly announced his candidacy, and
even if he does not, he will be able to play an active role in the
political life of the country. As much as the ex-president may not
have sufficient popular support, he is quite capable of influencing
the establishment.
And, past experience has shown that a contentious presidential
election may mean a protracted post-election struggle that at least
once, in the case of Mr. Ter-Petrossian, contributed to the
president’s resignation — although his critics mostly cited his
defeatist position on the Karabakh issue as the key factor.
In another surprise Mr. Ter-Petrossian visited Stepanakert, where he
met Nagorno-Karabakh’s president, Bako Sahakian, on October 11.
[This was his second trip to Karabakh since the summer of 1993, when
he arrived to lobby the leaders of Karabakh at the time, Mr. Kocharian
and Mr. Sargsian, to halt the successful offensive operations against
Azerbaijan and agree to a cease-fire. –Ed.]
Mr. Ter Petrossian is seen as having a negative attitude toward the
Armenians of Karabakh. Even today, as soon as he appeared on the
political scene, his longtime opponent and former veteran parliament
member Shavarsh Kocharian said that all Mr. Ter-Petrossian has to
offer is the surrender of Karabakh.
But Mr. Ter-Petrossian’s trip to Karabakh and his meetings with ARF
leaders and Mr. Manukian may herald a change in the overall political
life in Armenia.
**************************************** ***********************************
11. Letter: A permanent reminder
Sir:
The Armenian community is working tirelessly to achieve universal
affirmation of the atrocity of the Armenian Genocide. Against great
odds, well-funded opposition, and persistent Turkish threats,
Armenians are gaining ground. An increasing number of countries have
acknowledged the Genocide.
Here in the United States, arguably the most important country to
Turkey, the Armenian-American community continues to build increasing
support for affirmation of the Genocide. Despite the fact that the
Unites States government has repeatedly sold out to the Turkish lobby
and succumbed to threats and pressure, the Armenian-American community
remains steadfast in its resolve for truth and justice.
Over the last few weeks, the Armenian-American community, their
friends in the U.S. House of Representatives, and others of good
conscience have been engaged in a fierce battle to bring forth and
pass House Resolution 106 on the "Affirmation of the United States
Record on the Armenian Genocide." No matter the outcome, the struggle
for universal affirmation will continue.
Several years ago, a handful of community visionaries, led by Ms.
Anoush Mathevosian and Mr. Gerard Cafesjian, proposed the development
of an Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial in Washington. A
magnificent site has been acquired in the heart of our nation’s
capital for the proposed museum and memorial. The Armenian-American
community has a tremendous opportunity to make a powerful statement in
support of affirmation — a strategically located, permanent reminder
of the atrocities perpetrated on the Armenians.
At a time like this, when the Armenian-American community is
immersed in an intense battle to pass a Genocide resolution, the
potential benefits of the Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial in the
struggle for universal affirmation are all the more evident.
Unfortunately, that opportunity may be in jeopardy. An attempt is
being made to scale back the project to include just the site with the
former National Bank of Washington. Although the former bank would
make an excellent repository, the constraints of its size and historic
designation severely limit its use as a museum and memorial, and as a
gathering place for all Armenians.
As a part of the effort to scale back the project, a brazen, cynical
attempt is being made to dismember and sell half of the painstakingly
acquired property. The unique property, purchased by Mr. Cafesjian
with the fruits of his life’s work and generously donated in support
of a strong, bold vision, may be sold and the proceeds used to support
a renovated bank as a "grand vision." If the effort to sell is
successful, the opportunity to do this project on a meaningful scale
will be lost, possibly forever.
The community should not stand by and allow this vital project to be
sabotaged. The Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial should be built
on a scale we can all be proud of, with a strong, bold vision that
will allow the museum to become the centerpiece of the community
effort for universal affirmation. Mr. Cafesjian remains committed to
ensuring that this vision prevails and to supporting future plans that
utilize the entire property assembled for this noble purpose.
Very truly yours,
John J. Waters, Jr.
Minneapolis, Minn.
The writer is vice president of the Cafesjian Family Foundation and
trustee of the Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial, Inc.
[Chart] As of September 2006, the contributions funded by current and
former Board of Trustee members for the benefit of the AGMM were as
follows:
Gerard Cafesjian and CFF $ 14,400,000
Anoush Mathevosian $ 3,500,000
Hirair Hovnanian $ 1,500,000
John Waters $ 25,000
Robert Kaloosdian $ 100
Van Krikorian $ 0
Total Board of Trustee Contributions $19,425,100
************************************* **************************************
12. Editorial: Fight back
We noted last week that the leadership of the House of Representatives
and the members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee who voted in
favor of the Armenian Genocide resolution "resisted an enormous amount
of pressure from the White House and the military-diplomatic
establishment."
With the passage of the resolution in the committee, the opponents
of the resolution suffered a setback and redoubled their already
considerable efforts.
Turkey has enlisted President George W. Bush and the Bush White
House in its campaign to defeat the resolution. It has also enrolled
the U.S. Departments of Defense and State, high-ranking military
officers, prominent commentators, and others in its effort.
Turkey’s lobbyists (paid at least $300,000 a month) have succeeded
in orchestrating a media campaign to discredit the supporters of the
resolution, make them look shortsighted and naïve, and even portray
them as deliberately trying to undermine U.S. troops in Iraq. In the
face of this campaign, some members of the House who had pledged to
vote in favor of the resolution have become convinced that supporting
the resolution is a bad idea at this time. This withdrawal of support
has added to the pressure on the House leadership to table the
resolution.
We must, first, commend Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny
Hoyer, Foreign Affairs Committee chair Tom Lantos, and over 200
members — Democrats and Republicans alike — for standing firm in the
face of the onslaught. Speaker Pelosi’s predecessor, Rep. Dennis
Hastert, in 2000 responded to a call from President Bill Clinton by
removing the resolution from the House agenda on the very day of a
scheduled vote in which it was sure to pass. Speaker Pelosi, in
contrast, refused to withdraw the resolution and is actively working
to rebuild support to make sure that the measure passes.
Second, we must set out to create an atmosphere in which members of
Congress feel less vulnerable to attack for supporting the resolution.
That means we must turn the tide of media coverage so that the case
for the resolution is made more forcefully and the case against is
examined more critically.
We can never match their resources in dollars or in ex-cabinet
members. But we have a tremendous advantage: Each of the arguments
they repeatedly invoke against the resolution is demonstrably false.
* Turkish threats
"The popularly elected Turkish Grand National Assembly might react
strongly to a House resolution, as it did to a French National
Assembly resolution a year ago," wrote Turkish lobbyists in a
September 25 letter to Ms. Pelosi signed by former secretaries of
state Madeleine Albright, James Baker, Warren Christopher, Lawrence
Eagleburger, Alexander Haig, Henry Kissinger, Colin Powell, and George
Shultz. "The result could endanger our national security interests in
the region, including our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, and damage
efforts to promote reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey."
The label "popularly elected" is meant to invoke the fear of Muslim
hordes, who will be inflamed by the resolution to act against the
United States, contrary to their best interests. That will tie the
hands of Turkey’s leaders, who should not be blamed for the
anti-American decisions they will have to take, the letter is
signaling. Indeed, the vast majority of the population of Turkey has
long turned against the United States, polls show. But a glance at the
main decisions Turkish leaders are threatening to take reveals the
linkage between the resolution and the decisions to be a lie.
This week — the House not yet having voted in favor of the
resolution — "the popularly elected Turkish Grand National Assembly"
voted to authorize an invasion of Iraq, against U.S. interests. A
picture on page A2 of [the printed version of] this newspaper shows
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan voting yes. The main opposition
parties likewise supported the measure. This is something the Turkish
military has long wanted, and attacks by Kurdish forces have provided
them with the impetus to act.
As for the prospects of Turkey canceling its lease of the Incirlik
airbase to the United States and thus destroying its military alliance
with the United States and it role in NATO — and presumably losing
U.S. military aid and any leverage it may have — these are steps so
contrary to Turkey’s perceived national interests that they can only
be categorized as bluster.
"I do hope that common sense will prevail, as the alternative will
not be in the interests of either the U.S. or Turkey," Mr. Erdogan
wrote ominously in the Wall Street Journal for October 19.
We will shoot you and shoot ourselves if you accuse us of "genocide
— the highest of crimes," Mr. Erdogan is telling the United States.
And the appropriate U.S. response to this threat is to coddle Mr.
Erdogan?
* Reconciliation — without truth
The eight former secretaries of state also warn of "damage" to
"efforts to promote reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey." This
argument is disingenuous, as Armenia’s foreign minister, Vartan
Oskanian, wrote at the time, because no reconciliation process is
underway.
"Turkey has always been the one extending the olive branch," Mr.
Erdogan dissembles in the Wall Street Journal. (It looks more like a
sword to us.) "But while we search for ways to address this painful
issue and develop our relations with Armenia, we cannot live in the
past. Our sincere offer for dialogue and reconciliation is on the
table. It is incumbent on Armenia to take the next step."
The next step, according to Mr. Erdogan, is to "establish a Joint
History Commission to examine together the events of 1915 through
bilateral dialogue." This suggestion to do a study rings as hollow as
the suggestion by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran to do a study
on whether the Holocaust happened. It’s a nonstarter.
If Turkey is interested in "dialogue and reconciliation," it can
start by reopening the Turkish-Armenian border, which it has closed in
contravention of its treaty obligations. It can continue by
establishing diplomatic relations with Armenia, which Armenia is
willing to do without preconditions.
It can continue with reconciliation — as in the truth and
reconciliation process in South Africa — with the acknowledgement of
the truth, that is of the Armenian Genocide.
And if Turkey is searching for ways to address the "painful issue"
of the Genocide, it might repeal the law that criminalizes discussing
the matter and it might guarantee the security of those who wish to
discuss the "painful issue" openly.
Finally, Mr. Erdogan is right to say that we cannot live in the
past. We are all very busy building a brighter future for ourselves
and our people. But we will not allow genocide to be swept under the
rug, as if it were nothing more than a slight misunderstanding. We
will reject Turkish impunity not only in memory of our forebears, but
also for the security of generations to come.
* Call to action
We have a historic opportunity to secure passage of the Armenian
Genocide resolution in the House of Representatives. To seize that
opportunity, we must act decisively and cohesively.
First, we must show members of Congress that we care deeply and
passionately about this issue and expect them to support the
resolution.
To do that, we must visit them in person either in Washington or in
their home districts. We must write to them and call them immediately.
And we must align our political giving with their decision on this
resolution.
Second, we must fight back the media onslaught against the
resolution. Every newspaper, magazine, and web site welcomes letters
to the editor, and television and radio stations likewise welcome
comments from viewers and listeners.
We must praise outlets and authors that take a healthy approach to
the resolution. And we must respond strongly to those that
uncritically repeat Turkey’s talking points.
It takes effort. We must make that effort. The time is now.
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(c) 2007 Armenian Reporter LLC. All Rights Reserved
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
