Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

SAMVEL FARMANYAN: TURKEY WILL RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE AND WILL DO IT UNDER PRESSURE OF ITS OWN PUBLIC

ArmInfo’s interview with Samvel Farmanyan, the co-chair of the
Armenian-EU Parliamentary Cooperation Committee (PCC)

by Tatevik Shahunyan

Friday, April 17, 16:17

Mr. Farmanyan, the process of international recognition of the Armenian
Genocide has intensified recently. Many countries and organizations
have passed resolutions condemning and recognizing that crime against
humanity. What is the reason of such high response to the issue? Is
it connected with the activity of the Armenian Foreign Ministry,
the Armenian lobby abroad or the campaign timed to the Centenary of
the Genocide?

– I think, the process of the international recognition of the
Armenian Genocide cannot be explained with a single factor. Several
factors should be considered here. I am speaking about human values,
humanism and moral principles that are of fundamental importance for
the international policy of many countries. And finally, the foreign
political department of Armenia and the Armenian lobby abroad are
making their great contribution to the process. The geopolitical
interests of some countries also play certain role in it. As for the
events timed to the Centennial of the Genocide that are organized
inside the country and outside it, they are widely covered by the
world media. All these factors together have intensified the process
of the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide, despite
the groundless statements by certain political circles claiming that
the Armenian-Turkish normalization and the bilateral protocols impede
the international recognition of the Genocide.

Mr. Farmanyan, what will the recognition and condemnation of the
Armenian Genocide by various countries and international organizations
give the Armenian people and Armenia as a state, except “moral
victory?”

– There is also a political dimension of the process. These documents
pursue real reconciliation of the two peoples, normalization of
the Armenian-Turkish relations, opening of borders, and economic
cooperation, as a consequence.

Some experts and political figures believe that after the Centennial
of the Armenian Genocide, the country should stop the efforts towards
international recognition of that crime and arm with a new strategy
and start demanding reparations. What do you think about it?

– I am for more realistic approaches. I think, our current steps must
pursue two goals: recognition of Genocide by Ankara – which should be
achieved through intensive process of the international recognition of
that crime and work with the Turkish society – and normalization of
the Armenian-Turkish relations. At least, these two goals seem more
realistic to me considering the current geopolitical situation. I
cannot say what will happen next. Other tasks of the Armenian-Turkish
relations appeared to be unrealistic so far.

Do you think it is possible that Ankara will recognize the Genocide
and the Armenian-Turkish relations will be normalized? Will it happen
under the new authorities of Turkey?

– I feel not a shade of doubt that Turkey will recognize the Genocide
of Armenians sooner or later. Furthermore, I am sure that it will
happen irrespective of whether that issue is on the foreign policy
agenda of Yerevan or not. Time moves along and the Turkish society will
sooner or later change its stand on the Genocide under information
influence. This trend is already visible. Under pressure of their
own public, the Turkish authorities will be reluctant to recognize
their history.

Do you mean that the recognition in not connected with the geopolitical
factors or domestic policy processes in Turkey?

– I have said Turkey will sooner or later recognize its own history,
and will do it within its own interests. Recognition of Genocide by
Ankara implies changes in the narration of Turkey’s history. I think,
it is hardly possible under the current authorities in that country.

Most probably, it will become possible only under a leadership that
will tolerate changes in its own history, or at least, in the Period
of the Ottoman Empire and the first years of the Kemalist government.

Mr. Farmanyan, do you think that the growing international response
to the Genocide issue and the latest resolutions recognizing that fact
suggest that Turkey’s Gallipoli undertaking has already failed? After
all, Turkey sought to overshadow the Genocide Centennial events and
international coverage of the issue.

– Sure, the latest processes around the international recognition of
the Genocide, active coverage of that topic by the world press prove
that Ankara’s idea to celebrate the Gallipoli Victory was unjustified.

Inherently, Turkey has failed to overshadow the Genocide issue and
distract the attention of the world community from the Genocide
Centennial events. Furthermore, it had the reverse effect and has
made Ankara’s denial policy as never evident.

U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan has said Washington may not send a
delegation to the Gallipoli event in Istanbul, as the country did not
participate in the WWI. Don’t you think that such reasoning of possible
refusal to attend the Gallipoli commemorations is certainly strained?

– The world community is well aware what is the real goal of Ankara’s
ideas to celebrate the Gallipoli Victory. We have already mentioned
it above. Turkey seeks to overshadow the Genocide Centennial
commemorations in Yerevan. If any country attends the events in
Turkey, it will do it only for its geopolitical, political and
economic interests anyhow connected with Turkey. If the U.S. refuses
to participate in these events, it means that Washington simply does
not want to be part of Ankara’s denial policy.

Mr. Farmanyan, given all the above factors and the intensified
process of the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide,
may President Barack Obama use the term “Genocide” in his annual
address to the Armenian people?

– Considering Obama’s expiring term and his policy on Cuba, Iranian
nuclear program, and the reform inside the country, I think it may
happen that the president uses the term “Genocide” this year, but it
will little change the U.S.-Turkey relations.

For conclusion, would you comment on Ankara’s actions in response to
the latest developments around the Genocide issue?

– Ankara’s hysteria, the summoning of the ambassador from Vatican
after Pope Francis’s call to recognize the Genocide, and the most
recent dismissal of the Turkish prime minister’s adviser Etyen
Mahcupyan after he called the events of 1915 as genocide – all
this means that the recent processes around the Genocide issue were
unexpected for Turkey. Therefore, it makes nervous, ad hoc and hasty
actions. As for the Turkey Foreign Ministry’s statement on the European
Parliament’s resolution on the Armenian Genocide Centennial, one can
get an impression that it is an electoral speech by a nationalist
politician rather than a document prepared by the foreign political
department. The Turkish ministry claims that “religious and cultural
fanaticism and indifference towards others regarded as different”
are laid behind the European Parliament’s resolution.

Probably, Ankara meant that the resolution fuels the confrontation
between the Christian Europe and Muslim Turkey. However, these
statements by Ankara come to naught due to a single fact – the
co-author of the resolution is Co-Chair of the EU-Armenia PCC,
parliamentarian Sajjad Karim, who is a British Pakistani Muslim.

From: Baghdasarian

TURKISH POLITICAL PARTIES RELEASE JOINT STATEMENT AGAINST EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT’S RESOLUTION ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

15:37 â~@¢ 17.04.15

Turkey’s ruling party, along with two opposition parties, have
released a joint statement “harshly condemning the partial approach”
of the European Parliament (EP) which backed a motion to call the
mass killings of Anatolian Armenians during World War I a “genocide,”
the Hurriyet Daily News reports.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), the main opposition
Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the opposition Nationalist Movement
Party (MHP) signed the declaration on late April 16; only the Peoples’
Democratic Party (HDP) abstained from signing the declaration.

The statement condemned the EP’s “partial” approach as it “opposes
the idea of peace, toleration and building of a common future.”

“Despite our objections, the European Parliament prefers to deepen the
problem and gap between our two societies … and prevent impartial
and scientific research of the issue,” said the joint statement.

Since 1985, some 13 joint statements have been released in the Turkish
parliament’s general assembly about various countries’ statements,
including ones by France and the United States, about Armenian claims.

“The government should found a truth and reconciliation commission
in order to face the past,” HDP Co-Chair Selahattin DemirtaÃ…~_ told
reporters on April 16, displaying a different approach than other
political leaders.

“The pope says something; they give a childish reaction. The European
Parliament makes a decision; they give a childish reaction to this,
too. It’s like a kindergarten, not as if they are governing a state.

They are like children attending a kindergarten,” he said.

“You should explain to society how the Armenian reality should be
faced. This is an issue which is not discussed in Turkey. This is
an issue which is not officially clarified,” he said. “This problem
cannot be resolved by saying ‘We don’t recognize the pope.'”

The HDP has long recognized the 1915 events as a genocide.

From: Baghdasarian

EURASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK INTERESTED IN MINING PROJECTS IN ARMENIA

13:39 April 16, 2015

EcoLur

The Eurasian Development Bank is interested in the implementation
mining projects in Armenia, as Dmitry Pankin, Chairman of EDB’s
Management Board, said at his meeting with Armenian President Serzh
Sargsyan on 15 April. He also outlined that the bank is interested
in developing infrastructures in Armenia such as energy, agriculture
and a number of other fields. The Armenian President highly valued
the operation of the bank in Armenia and outlined that our country is
interesting in deepening the cooperation with the Eurasian Development
Bank. The parties discussed possible involvement of the bank in the
implementation of priority and perspective projects for Armenia.

From: Baghdasarian

LEBANESE DELEGATION TO BE IN YEREVAN ON APRIL 24

15:08 17/04/2015 >> POLITICS

Lebanon’s official delegation led by Deputy Parliament Speaker Farid
Makari will arrive in Yerevan on April 21 to participate in the events
commemorating the Armenian Genocide centenary.

Representatives of many Lebanese organizations will also visit Armenia
together with them,Aztag Daily reports.

Lebanon is the only Arab country that has recognized the Armenian
Genocide.

From: Baghdasarian

RIMA DEMIRCHYAN: KAREN DEMIRCHYAN WOULD NOT LIVE IN PRESENT-DAY ARMENIA (VIDEO)

17:52 | April 17,2015 | Politics

“He was honest in life and in politics.”

Rima Demirchyan, the widow of prominent Armenian politician Karen
Demirchyan describes him with these words.

The great statesman would turn 83 today. Demirchyan’s relatives and
friends, political and public figures and ordinary citizens today
visited Komitas Pantheon in Yerevan to pay tribute to Karen
Demirchyan.

Standing beside her husband’s grave, Mrs Rima recalls the words of the
politician, “I feel pity for my people. They have always been cheated
like a naïve child. I shall not deceive my people and if I am able to
raise the level of my nation during my term in office, I shall
consider my mission completed.” Mrs Rima says Karen Demirchyan kept
his promised like an oath.

“They say politics and honesty are incompatible, but there are always
exceptions. Karen Demirchyan was an exception,” she says adding that
her husband did not manage to complete his mission. “If he was alive,
we would be living in a better Armenia,” said Rima Demirchyan.

Karen Demirchyan served as the First Secretary of the Armenian Soviet
Socialist Republic from 1974 to 1988. He became speaker of the
Armenian Parliament in 1999 until his assassination with other
politicians in parliament on October 27, 1999.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIA WILL ASPIRE TO ACHIEVE INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE: AMBASSADOR OLEG YESAYAN

16:53, 17 April, 2015

YEREVAN, 17 APRIL, ARMENPRESS. Yerevan will aspire to achieve
international recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide
perpetrated in the Ottoman Empire since it is a matter of Armenia’s
national security. That’s what Armenia’s Ambassador to the Russian
Federation Oleg Yesayan said during an April 17 press conference,
“Armenpress” reports.

“Since modern-day Turkey still hasn’t recognized the Armenian
Genocide, being the legal successor of the Ottoman Empire, it
is directly responsible for the crime. We will aspire to achieve
international recognition because it is a matter of Armenia’s national
security. After all, by becoming victims of genocide, it seems as
though we have taken responsibility for the future generations,
and not only our nation. It is our duty to become the frontrunners
in that struggle,” the Ambassador said in his speech at the forum
devoted to the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide perpetrated in
the Ottoman Empire.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE WAS A MASSIVE HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION

April 17, 2015 18:46

Nils Muiznieks

Photo:

Yerevan/Mediamax/. Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights
Nils Muiznieks published an article “Armenian-Turkish Reconnections
and Human Rights” on the official web-site of Council of Europe.

We present passages from Nils Muiznieks’ article:

History continues to divide Armenian and Turkish officialdom,
but there are many civil society, cultural and academic initiatives
aiming to reconnect the two societies. April 24 marks the centennial
of the beginning of the mass killings, deportations and dispossession
of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire in 1915, which resulted in the
near-total elimination of Armenians from Anatolia. These massive
human rights violations and their painful legacy left a major rift
between two societies, which has crystallised around the issue of
their political and legal designation as genocide. However, it is
heartening to see that today many people are seeking to overcome this
difficult legacy and to promote mutual understanding, reconciliation
and the reconstruction of a shared history, demonstrating a true
human rights ethos.

Discussion in Turkey of what was sometimes euphemistically called the
“1915 Events” was long taboo or even subject to criminal prosecution
under the offense of “insulting Turkishness”. In recent years,
prosecutions under this article have become more infrequent and a space
for discussion has emerged. This space has been created by a number of
concurrent developments, particularly increased contacts between Turks
and Armenians and domestic Turkish political and cultural esvolution.

The debate within Turkey about the past has evolved considerably.

While an academic conference in Istanbul was a watershed in 2005, since
then, a plethora of scholarly work about the Armenian legacy in Turkey
has been published. A turning point in the Turkish debate appeared
to come with the tragic assassination of Turkish-Armenian journalist
Hrant Dink in 2007, which led to further calls for a reassessment of
the past, more open public discussion and a more compassionate tone
of discourse. In a sign of this new tone, intellectuals in Turkey
organised a petition campaign in 2008, in which thousands signed an
apology to Armenians for the “Great Catastrophe”.

In recent years, a host of civil society initiatives have been
implemented, suggesting that people-to-people diplomacy has far
outstripped official relations, which remain deadlocked. In early 2014
a consortium of 8 NGOs from Turkey and Armenia launched a programme
entitled “Support to the Armenia-Turkey normalisation process” with
support from the European Union. These are encouraging steps which,
if continued, could form the basis for effectively dealing with a
painful past and addressing the legacy of 1915.

The deportation and massacre of Armenians by the Ottoman authorities
was a massive violation of human rights. The first rule of
international human rights might be summarised as “no impunity for
perpetrators.” However, since the tragedy took place 100 years ago,
the perpetrators are no longer among the living and cannot be held
to account. One indicator of progress in dealing with the past in
Turkey will be the evolution of the official stance towards these past
human rights violations. By official stance, I mean not only political
statements by Turkey’s leaders, but also the institutional stance as
reflected notably in officially approved school history textbooks,
state-funded museum exhibitions and other cultural output. Are
perpetrators condemned and crimes acknowledged? Or are they ignored,
downplayed, justified, or even glorified?

A second element of a human rights approach might be summarised as
“address the needs of victims and their families.” While few survivors
are still with us after 100 years, many of their descendants also
suffered from what happened. A human rights approach foresees various
ways to provide redress and reparation to victims of human rights
violations. One of these ways is the recognition of the tragedy through
commemorative dates, rituals and monuments. There have been instances
where property was returned to Armenians in Turkey and some parts of
the Armenian cultural heritage in Turkey have been rehabilitated,
such as the Surp Giragos church in Diyarbakir and the Surp Khach
church on Akdamar Island. The significance of these initiatives,
including for Turkish society, should not be underestimated. Recently,
the Van municipal council also restored Armenian (and Kurdish)
toponyms. However, much more could be done in this area.

In Armenia, the centennial will be marked on April 24 with solemn
ceremonies and a major international conference on genocide. Twice
during recent visits I paid homage to the victims at the Armenian
Genocide Memorial Monument in Yerevan. As the centennial approaches,
my thoughts and solidarity are again with the victims and their
descendants, but also with the civil society activists, scholars,
journalists and artists from both Armenia and Turkey who are seeking
to promote mutual understanding and foster an honest reckoning with
a heavy historical legacy.

From: Baghdasarian

TURKISH PM’S CHIEF ADVISOR CALLS 1915 A ‘GENOCIDE’

Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
April 15 2015

ANKARA

EU parliament urges Turkey to recognise ‘Armenian genocide’

Etyen Mahcupyan, who became the ever first Armenian-origin chief
advisor to a Turkish prime minister when Ahmet Davutoglu appointed him
to the post on Aug. 27, 2014, has described the killings of Armenians
in 1915 at the hands of the Ottoman Empire as a “genocide.”

“If accepting that what happened in Bosnia and Africa were genocides,
it is impossible not to call what happened to Armenians in 1915
genocide too,” Mahcupyan said in an interview with news website
Karar.com.

Commenting on Pope Francis’ remarks on April 12 describing 1915 as
“the first genocide of the 20th century,” Mahcupyan said the Vatican
had “thrown out a 100-year-old psychological burden.”

He said that what actually needs to be questioned is the 100-year-old
resistance to using the term. “The Vatican could have long ago said
such a thing, but it did not do so,” he added.

Meanwhile, Mahcupyan also said the term “genocide” carries a
“psychological meaning” for Armenians and others, rather than a
“political meaning.”

“What counts is facing what has happened. The important thing is to
look into what happened and to produce the future together, taking
lessons from it all,” he said.

Mahcupyan’s words contradict his boss somewhat, with both Prime
Minister Davutoglu and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reacting angrily
to Pope Francis’ remarks, with Davutoglu going as far as to condemn
the pope as part of an “evil front” targeting the Turkish government.

April/15/2015

From: Baghdasarian

RULING AK PARTY UNVEILS MANIFESTO FOR JUNE ELECTIONS

Journal of Turkish Weekly
April 15 2015

15 April 2015

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has announced the election
declaration of his Justice and Development, or AK Party and introduced
its candidates for the upcoming June 7 general elections.

“We aim to make a new breakthrough for both our nation and humanity
via our civilization call,” he said Wednesday in a promotion meeting
at Ankara Arena Sports Hall.

At the meeting, the premier read the 100-article election manifesto
called the “New Turkey Convention,” which features the AK Party’s
main campaign themes such as state protection of human dignity, equal
citizenship, the drafting of a new constitution, the implementation
of a presidential system, and measures towards a human-oriented
economic development.

The premier stressed the need for a civilian constitution for Turkey,
saying that it would be first on the Turkish Parliament’s agenda
should the Justice and Development be successful in the general
elections in June.

The 2015 parliamentary elections are of key importance to the AK
Party government as it seeks to work with the parliament to draft a
new constitution as Davutoglu has promised to replace the current one,
which was written after the 1980 military coup.

Above all, the election manifesto of the ruling party includes the
introduction of a presidential system, for which Turkish President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been pushing in order to replace the current
parliamentary one.

Davutoglu maintained that they “deem it necessary to reconstructure
Turkey’s administrative system towards a presidential system so as
to obviate the chaos of authority and actually restore accountability.”

“We think the presidential system as an administrative model where
legislative and executive powers are independently active and where
there are democratic balance and control mechanisms,” he added.

The AK Party does not have enough seats in Parliament to vote for
a constitutional change such as the introduction of a presidential
system.

According to the current Turkish Constitution, such a change requires
the approval of two-thirds (367) of the (550) lawmakers. Only then
can the president approve it or hold a referendum on the matter.

Turkish citizens voted in a referendum in 2007 to be able to elect
their president by popular vote.

He maintained that human rights and freedoms would be the focus of
the new constitutional order. The manifesto describes the concepts
of freedom and security as not opposing but complementary.

As expected, Davutoglu revealed the other significant part of
the election manifesto as the government’s fight against the
so-called “parallel state,” which refers to a purported group of
Turkish bureaucrats and senior officials embedded in the country’s
institutions, including the judiciary and police, who are allegedly
trying to undermine the elected Turkish government.

“The sovereignty of a parallel state or any power that does not gain
its legitimacy from the nation is unacceptable,” he said, as the
manifesto describes a nation of equal citizens as the sole source
and supervisor of the political legitimacy.

“There will remain no power that is not controlled and supervised,”
he added.

Davutoglu stressed that no horizontal or parallel organization must
be allowed to emanate within Turkish bureaucracy.

The manifesto announced by Davutoglu also brings forth equal
citizenship as principle of the human dignity.

“We are the principal owners and equal citizens of Turkey as the
descendants of those who founded the Republic,” he said.

Davutoglu also dismissed in a “New Turkey” any discrimination based
on people’s faith, color, gender, language, race, political view,
philosophical mindset or life style.

The manifesto also emphasizes the sense of belonging of the citizens,
calling it the main guarantee for the continuity of a state that does
not exclude or alienate any of their citizens.

“It is the sense of belonging that sustains a state, and then its
economic, political and military power that strengthens it,” said
Davutoglu.

Davutoglu also called upon the opposition parties to convey their
opinions on their election manifesto.

Following the manifesto read-out, he presented its 550 candidates,
99 of whom are women, to the public.

He promoted their main election mottos “Always Justice Always
Development,” and songs like “New Turkey,” which has long been the
slogan of the AK Party government led by Davutoglu.

The AK Party was victorious in last year’s March local elections and
its then leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed the presidential election
in August 2014. In the 2011 general elections, the AK Party received
almost 50 percent of the votes.

Approximately 56 million Turkish citizens will vote on June 7 in the
country’s 25th general elections to elect 550 lawmakers of the Turkish
Parliament. Turkey had held general elections every five years until
a 2007 constitutional change which set elections for every four years.

Pope remarks over 1915 incidents

During his speech, the premier also touched upon the remarks made
Sunday by Pope Francis over the 1915 events, in which he said “the
first genocide of the 20th century” had struck Armenians.

“We are ready to talk about historical incidents but we will allow
nobody to insult or blackmail our nation over historical disputes,”
he said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also condemned Pope’s remarks
on Wednesday by saying “I would like to warn the honorable Pope not
to make such a mistake again.”

Pope Francis’ statement led Turkey to recall its ambassador to the
Vatican and also to summon the Vatican’s envoy in Ankara.

The 1915 events took place during World War I when a portion of
the Armenian population living in the Ottoman Empire sided with the
invading Russians and revolted against the empire.

The Ottoman Empire relocated Armenians in eastern Anatolia following
the revolts and there were Armenian casualties during the relocation
process.

Armenia has demanded an apology and compensation, while Turkey has
officially refuted Armenian allegations over the incidents saying that,
although Armenians died during the relocations, many Turks also lost
their lives in attacks carried out by Armenian gangs in Anatolia.

From: Baghdasarian

ERDOGAN WARNS POPE NOT TO LABEL ARMENIAN KILLINGS AS GENOCIDE

Al-Arabiya, UAE
April 15 2015

Staff writer, Al Arabiya News
Wednesday, 15 April 2015

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has slammed Pope Francis,
warning him not to repeat the “mistake” of describing the mass killings
of Armenians under Ottoman rule in WWI as “genocide.”

“Whenever politicians, religious functionaries assume the duties of
historians, then delirium comes out, not fact. Hereby, I want to
repeat our call to establish a joint commission of historians and
stress we are ready to open our archives. I want to warn the pope to
not repeat this mistake and condemn him,” the local Hurriyet Daily
News quoted Erdogan as saying Tuesday in a meeting.

While addressing the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TÄ°M), Erdogan
expressed his regret over Pope Francis’ statement, who leads the
Catholic world, when the latter described the killings of Armenians
in 1915 as “the first genocide of the 20th century.”

Recalling the pope’s visit to Turkey in 2014, the Turkish leader said
he thought the Vatican leader was “a different politician.”

He added: “I don’t say a religious functionary.

“His remarks display the appearance of a mentality different to that
of a religious functionary,” Erdogan explained.

But Erdogan vowed that he “won’t let historical events be brought out
of their own course and turned into a campaign against our country
and nation.”

The pope made his recent remark during a Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica
commemorating the centenary that was attended by Armenian Church
leaders and Sargsyan.

Meanwhile, the European Union on April 13 urged Turkey and Armenia
to normalize ties.

From: Baghdasarian