Author: Karabekian Emil

April 24
ERDAL SAFAK

Turkish Press
April 27 2009

SABAH – Another April 24 is now finally at hand, but I believe it will
be the calmest one yet, aside from a few unimportant incidents. More
importantly, the possibility of the US recognizing the genocide claims,
which has been hanging like a sword of Damocles each year and turned
into an immediate threat after Barack Obama was elected president,
is off the table, after Turkey and Armenia stated that they agreed
to a road map towards normalized relations.

(A footnote: Where and when was it decided to make April 24 the day
for commemorating the Armenian genocide claims? In Istanbul in March
1919. At that time, a 13-member committee of prominent Armenian figures
in Istanbul was established. The committee adopted April 11 as the
day of ‘Tears and Commemoration of Genocide Victims.’ April 11 on the
old Julian Calendar is April 24 on the Gregorian Calendar. All the
Armenian shops and schools in Istanbul were closed and ceremonies
were held at churches on the first commemoration in 1919. Later,
April 24 activities were spread all over in the world through the
efforts of the diaspora. In short, April 24 was born in Istanbul in
1919, when Ataturk was getting ready to go to Anatolia).

Returning to our main issue, the risk of the US recognizing the
claims has fallen greatly. The issue was even suspended until a
proposed committee of Turkish, Armenian and other historians reaches
a conclusion. This is a very important development. Yes, genocide
claims have been recognized by more than 20 countries so far, but if
the US did so, this would carry more weight. In other words, Turkey
wouldn’t be able to brush this off by a standard reaction such as
recalling its ambassador for a short period of time, and it would
cause irreparable rifts in bilateral relations.

Former Turkish President Ismet Inonu’s prediction in a 1963 letter
to US President Lyndon Johnson of a new world in which Turkey would
take its place could become true. After the sword of Damocles’
removal, a potential danger in Turkish-US relations and one of two
great hurdles to normalized Turkish-Armenian relations (the other
is Nagorno-Karabakh) has been ended, laying the basis for a calm
and healthy discussion of the Armenian claims (more precisely, the
diaspora claims).

All the parties should make good use of this, because unless this
problem is completely solved, normalized Turkish-Armenian relations
will bring nothing but a cold peace. But the two sides need to have
a lively friendship for the Turkish and Armenian peoples and in order
to bring peace and stability to the Caucasus.

PanArmenian News, Armenia
April 24 2009

LA City Council commemorated 94th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide

25.04.2009 20:35 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti,
Council President Pro Tem Wendy Greuel, and the Los Angeles City
Council commemorated the 94th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide
with a special presentation in Council Chambers today. `This is an
important day for us to recognize this crime against humanity, and to
join together in committing to preventing this kind of genocide from
ever happening again,’ said Garcetti.

`It is important that we recognize this tragedy as a genocide, both to
heal the wounds of the survivors and the families of victims, but also
to help prevent future atrocities from occurring.’ said Councilwoman
Greuel.

Garcetti and Greuel were joined by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa,
Assemblymember Paul Krekorian, and Armenian community dignitaries and
leaders, including: Andrew Kzirian, Executive Director, Armenian
National Committee of America Western Region; Levon Baronian, Board
Director, Armenian National Committee of America Western Region;
Yeghig L. Keshishian, Armenian Assembly of America, Very Reverend
Father Muron Aznikian, Western Prelacy of the Armenian Church,
Reverend Father Ardak Demirjian, Western Prelacy of the Armenian
Church, His Eminence Archbishop Vatche Hovsepian, former Primate of
the Western Diocese, Consul General for Republic of Armenia in Los
Angeles Grigor Hovhannisyan, Vartan Tchomasian, Los Angeles Yerevan
Sister City Committee.

TURKEY CAN INITIALLY OPEN BORDER WITH ARMENIA ONCE A MONTH

PanArmenian News
April 22 2009
Armenia

On April 28 National Security Council of Turkey will discuss the
border opening with Armenia. They say council will also discuss
amnesty for the members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party
(PKK) and deployment of Turkish troops in Afghanistan.

The meeting will take place under the leadership of President Abdullah
Gul. They will focus on relations with Azerbaijan and border opening
with Armenia. Until recently, Ankara said Armenian withdrawal from
Nagorno Karabakh is a precondition for the restoration of ties with
Yerevan. For the last several months, Ankara and Yerevan are engaged
in closed-door negotiations to normalize relations.

The General Staff and the government agree that Turkey should not
open its border with Armenia without the settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh dispute. As the first step for normalization, Ankara has
asked Yerevan to allow Azerbaijanis who were displaced from five
settlements in Karabakh to return to these places. The formation
of a security corridor in Karabakh is among the proposals of the
Turkish government. If Armenia accepts preconditions, Turkey will
initially open the Turkish-Armenia border once a month and then twice
a month. Once there are established ties with Armenia and the area
is secure, the border gate will be open 24 hours a day, Zaman reports.

ARA ABRAHAMIAN’S LETTER THE US CONGRESS

AZG
April 23 2009
Armenia

Ara Abramian, President of the World Armenian Congress and the Union
of Armenians of Russia, UNESCO Good Will Ambassador

Representatives Adam Schiff and George Radanovich, Co-Chairs of
Armenian Caucus in the US Congress, Mr. Frank Pallone and Mr. Mark Kirk

Dear Sirs,

The Armenians, who at the fates decree turned out to live in different
countries of the world, regard your noble and just mission with great
attention and gratitude.

The draft resolution on recognition of the Armenian Genocide in
Ottoman Turkey that is initiated by you, adopted by the Armenian
Caucus in the Congress and submitted to the US Congress is a document
of fundamental importance.

In case the resolution is passed by the US Congress it will become
a document that not only recognizes and condemns the crimes against
humanity, but will also symbolize a victory of principles of morals,
democracy and human rights declared by the new US leadership.

We cherish hope for that US President Barak Obama will define the 1915
events as a "Genocide" in his annual address to the Armenian people
on April 24th as a confirmation of the new policy declared by him.

We are convinced that passing of the resolution by the US Congress
and the statement by President Barak Obama will become turning events
both in the process of prevention of appalling crimes, such as the
Armenian Genocide, the Jewish Holocaust and other unsolved problems
from the past, what will enable to ensure peace on the planet based
on mutual respect of all the peoples.

Dear Congressmen,

You may not doubt that the final aim of all Armenian hood is to ensure
such interstate relations that will make it possible to establish
natural, good neighborly relations with Turkey and the Turkish people
on the basis of recognition and respect for norms of international
law and modern international relations.

Once again I would like to express gratitude to you and on behalf
of the World Armenian Congress assure you that we fully support all
your efforts and are ready to render all possible assistance to your
full-scale activities.

Sincerely yours, Ara Abrahamian

TURKEY AND ARMENIA AGREE ON RECONCILIATION ROADMAP

Deutsche Welle
April 23 2009

Groansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Turkish President
Abdullah Gul, left, and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan met in
2008Turkey and Armenia have reached an agreement on a comprehensive
framework to normalize relations. Deutsche Welle correspondent
Dorian Jones reports that the process carries some risk for the
Turkish government.

The Turkish minister for EU affairs, Egemen Bagis, said Thursday
the process, which is taking place under Swiss supervision, aimed to
bring about a fundamental change in bilateral relations between the
two countries.

"Better relations, more neighborly relations, more trade, more
opportunities and cooperation and peace – I see a light at the end
of the tunnel, that peace is possible," he said.

A senior Western diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity,
told Reuters news agency that the deal had not yet been signed but
that Turkey and Armenia had agreed on diplomatic ties, opening the
border and establishing commissions to address historical disputes.

"All the documents have been agreed in principle but it’s from the
signing that the clock starts ticking," the diplomat said. "It is
a finite period that is not very long. We are talking about weeks
or months."

Old wounds

Bildunterschrift: Groansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift:
Some Armenian groups have long opposed reconciliation with Turkey
In Armenia, several thousand protesters, mainly supporters of a
nationalist junior partner in the government, burned Turkish flags
and condemned the efforts at normalizing relations.

At the heart of ongoing tensions between the countries are accusations
by Armenia that Turkey was directly responsible for what it calls
the genocide of 1.5 million Armenians in 1915 during World War I,
a charge strongly denied by Ankara

Turkey officially admits that as many as 600,000 Armenians died
during the war and deportation from eastern Anatolia, but it insists
the deaths must be seen in the context of an Armenian uprising at a
time when Armenians were siding with invading Russian troops

Earlier this week, Ankara recalled its ambassador from Canada after
the Canadian prime minister supported the genocide charge.

Eyes on Obama

Bildunterschrift: Groansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift:
Obama looks likely to ease pressure on Turkey after the talks with
Armenia Ankara now fears US president Barack Obama will do the
same. During his presidential campaign Obama said he would recognize
the genocide if elected. But Yasemin Congar, deputy editor of the
Turkish daily Taraf, said Obama may now hold back as a result of the
new rapprochement efforts.

"Washington wants to see Turkey open its border with Armenia,"
she said. "They want to see Ankara and Yerevan normalize diplomatic
relations and there is a movement to that end.

"I think Obama wants to give the message to Ankara that if this
process goes on it might even stop him from saying the ‘G’ word,
the genocide word in Washington."

During his visit to Turkey earlier this month Obama avoided using
the so-called "G" word. Instead he praised the Turkish and Armenian
rapprochement efforts.

Eve of remembrance

Bildunterschrift: Groansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift:
Conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabahk displaced
hundreds of thousands The timing of Turkey’s announcement of its
agreement with Armenia is being seen as no coincidence. It comes just
one day before Armenians around the world remember those killed in
1915. Traditionally, US presidents deliver a speech to mark the event.

US-based Armenian groups have been lobbying Obama intensively to use
his expected speech to recognize the genocide. That is now seen as
unlikely in light of the new rapprochement efforts. Obama is also
aware that a reference to genocide would seriously damage US-Turkey
relations.

The Turkish government is paying a heavy domestic political price
for its rapprochement efforts, since Turkey’s close relationship to
Armenia’s rival, Azerbaijan, is seen to be at risk.

Sixteen years ago, Armenia occupied nearly 20 percent of Azerbaijan
following a war over the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. Turkey
imposed a trade embargo against Armenia in support of its ally.

"All Turkish press, all political opposition, is using the Azerbaijani
issue against the government. I think the government finds itself in
a very difficult position," said political scientist Nuray Mert.

Such pressure is already having an effect, with the Turkish prime
minister now linking the ending of the embargo to the withdrawal of
Armenian forces from Azerbaijan. That is seen as unlikely anytime soon.

Turkish news reports have said Azerbaijan is disturbed by the
reconciliation efforts, which could lead to the reopening of the
Turkish-Armenian border.

But with Ankara facing increasing pressure from both the US and the
EU to end the embargo, the Turkish government now finds itself between
a rock and a hard place.

STAR CHAIN OF SUPERMARKETS ENSURES 24% SALES GROWTH VIA DISCOUNT ACTION ‘CHOSE ARMENIAN’

ArmInfo
2009-04-22 13:02:00

STAR chain of supermarkets has ensured a 24% sales growth over a week
via a discount action ‘Chose Armenian’. The action was launched on
April 14 and will last 14 days. STAR offers up to 14% discount for
514 local products.

‘Demand for local products has grown. We’d like to believe that our
consumers will chose local products even after the discount action’,
says Vahan Kerobyan, STAR Executive Officer. ‘Nowadays consumers try
to save their funds. In this connection, as local producers we are
extremely interested in increasing the share of local production in
their choice. Due to such actions, local producers get an opportunity
to maintain sales and prevent job axing’, says Shushan Karapetyan,
MAP Company Deputy Director for Marketing.

STAR Company is sure that the action ‘Chose Armenian’ is a joint
‘therapy’ against global economic crisis.

STAR Company was founded in 1998. At present this chain comprises
13 supermarkets (12 in Yerevan and 1 in Hrazdan). EBRD holds a 28.3%
stake in STAR Company.

"ARMENIAN YOUTH ACCPETS CHALLENGE": MARCH TO U.S. EMBASSY

Panorama.am
16:53 21/04/2009

The activists, supporters and the followers of "Heritage" party
started a march today from Saryan Monument to the Embassy of the United
States of America to Armenia. Davit Sanasaryan, Larisa Alaverdyan’s
assistant said that the objective of the march was to transfer the
U.S. President Barack Obama through the Embassy that the Armenian youth
was calling on America to recognize Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923,
which deprived of Armenian roots 90% of the Armenian land. "This march
is a tool to show that we are consistent, we accept the challenges and
demand that the U.S. recognizes the Armenian Genocide," he said. The
participants of the march were holding 21 flags of those countries
which have already recognized Armenian Genocide.

UNLESS KARABAKH CLAN RULES IN ARMENIA, PEACEFUL RESOLUTION OF THE KARABAKH CONFLICT SHOULD NOT BE EXPECTED: OPPOSITIONAL LEADER

Today.Az
/51675.html
April 21 2009
Azerbaijan

Unless Karabakh clan rules in Armenia, peaceful resolution of the
Karabakh conflict should not be expected, said co-chair of the
Social-Democratic party of Azerbaijan Araz Alizade.

According to him, talks must always be held.

"But I think it is already time for Baku to announce that Azerbaijan
is tired of talks, that Azerbaijani side might launch hostilities,
for the world community to put pressure on the aggressor, which is
Armenia, as usually if such conflicts protract, it might work in
favor of separatists.

Anyway, you know that Yerevan might build a railroad with Iran, might
open border with Turkey. This is not the way out for it. Armenia has
no economic potential and no one will support them forever. The only
way for Armenia is, certainly, the resolution of the Karabakh conflict
and normalization of ties with Azerbaijan", said he.

But this clan can not improve relations with Azerbaijan, as they have
come to powers on the wave of nationalism, noted Alizade.

AZERBAIJAN: IS BAKU OFFERING A NATURAL GAS CARROT TO MOSCOW FOR HELP WITH KARABAKH?
Shahin Abbasov

Eurasianet
April 20, 2009

As talk of a potential Nagorno-Karabakh deal gains momentum, Azerbaijan
appears to be making serious overtures toward Russia in hopes that
the Kremlin will push Armenia to make key concessions, analysts in
Baku believe. As an incentive, Azerbaijan is playing one of its most
strategic cards – cooperation in the natural gas sector.

During a joint press conference with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev
on April 17, Azerbaijani leader Ilham Aliyev stated that he does
"not see any restriction" on possible sales of Azerbaijani gas to
Russia. The assertion has been understood to include sales of gas from
Stage 2 of the multilateral Shah Deniz project, which is expected to
yield 14-16 billion cubic meters of gas per year. He also indicated
that oil transportation via the Baku-Novorossiysk pipeline could also
increase. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive].

Baku had earlier avoided making any commitments about gas sales to
Russia or the Baku-Novorossiysk pipeline.

President Medvedev, in turn, stated that the chances for reaching "a
full-fledged" agreement on gas sales between Gazprom and the State
Oil Company of the Azerbaijani Republic (SOCAR) are high. A recent
agreement envisages the sale of gas produced by SOCAR alone. [For
background see the Eurasia Insight archive].

In a separate statement on April 17, the last day of Aliyev’s
two-day visit to Moscow, Novruz Mammadov, head of the presidential
administration’s Foreign Policy Department, elaborated more
definitively. Gas sales to Russia or to Iran could be an alternative to
the Western-backed Nabucco project, he told the Turan news agency. "If
countries interested in Nabucco do not move, Azerbaijan has no option
but to think about its interests," Mammadov said.

One Baku expert, however, states that Azerbaijan’s energy-sector
promises were not solely intended to spur Nabucco’s sponsors into
action.

Elhan Shahinoglu, head of the Atlas Center for Political Research,
believes that Aliyev may have received some assurances in Moscow
about the potential withdrawal of Armenian forces from the five
regions surrounding Karabakh. [For background see the Eurasia Insight
archive]. "Roughly speaking, in exchange for guarantees of gas supplies
to Russia, Moscow could put pressure on Armenia in order to liberate
the five occupied regions, i.e. to launch the step-by-step conflict
resolution plan," Shahinoglu said. [For background see the Eurasia
Insight archive].

Shahinoglu believes that such a development could be advantageous
not only to Baku and Moscow, but also to Ankara and Yerevan. "Russia
gets gas, Azerbaijan gets the territories, Armenia opens its border
with Turkey. Ankara also gets progress in resolution of the Karabakh
conflict, which allows it to normalize relations with Armenia without
problems with Azerbaijan," the expert said. [For background see the
Eurasia Insight archive].

In an April 18 interview with the Russian television channel Vesti,
Aliyev indicated readiness to make one serious concession to Yerevan –
signaling that Baku might be willing to live with a final settlement
in which the Lachin corridor that links Karabakh proper to Armenia
remains under Armenian control. "[W]e do not see problems here," Aliyev
said. "The issues with the Lachin corridor could be effectively solved
in order to not cause anxiety for those who live in Nagorno-Karabakh
and for the Azerbaijani population which will return there after the
conflict’s resolution."

But Rauf Mirkadirov, political columnist for the Russian-language
daily Zerkalo (Mirror), believes that "it is difficult to talk about
real progress even after Aliyev’s visit to Moscow."

While interest from the United States and the European Union in
resolving the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and establishing a corridor
for gas from Central Asia to Europe may goad Moscow’s interests in
brokering a conflict resolution, the terms may prove unpalatable for
both Armenia and Azerbaijan, Mirkadirov said.

"Moscow wants a resolution under its full control — in other words,
with its peacekeepers in the conflict zone — while Azerbaijan and
even Armenia are not ready for that," he said.

Former presidential foreign police aide Vafa Guluzade also believes
that the chances for progress are slim. Without clarity on the ultimate
question — Karabakh’s final status – statements by Aliyev, Medvedev
and others "are just diplomatic words," Guluzade argued.

Nonetheless, those "words" show little sign of slacking off.

In an April 17 interview with the Voice of America, US Deputy Assistant
Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Matthew Bryza
stated that Aliyev and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan are now
examining "painful compromises" that have to be made before a
breakthrough can occur. Nonetheless, Bryza, a noted optimist in
the Karabakh peace process, believes that a "real" breakthrough is
possible in the coming weeks.

In an April 20 interview published by the Trend news agency, the
presidential administration’s Mammadov stated that if Armenia "defines
its position" at an expected May 7 meeting in Prague between Aliyev
and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, "a decision will be adopted."

Mammadov called on Moscow, which will be hosting an official visit by
Sargsyan in late April, to "fulfill its historic mission" to resolve
the 21-year conflict.

According to Bryza, a special meeting of the US, French and Russian
presidents on the Karabakh issue is possible this summer.

Editor’s Note: Shahin Abbasov is a freelance correspondent
based in Baku. He is also a board member of the Open Society
Institute-Azerbaijan.

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE DEDICATED TO 1909 ADANA MASSACRE

Yerevan (Yerkir)
17.04.2009 16:56

The Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute will be organizing an
international conference on April 20-21, 2009 dedicated to the
centennial anniversary of the Armenian massacres in Adana district of
the Ottoman Empire. Historians from Armenia, Italy, Hungary, Austria,
France, USA and Sweden specialized on these issues will make speeches
at the conference.

The speakers will have the opportunity to present their papers and
share their knowledge about the massacre in Adana district and in
the city of Adana itself in spring 1909 in the main reverting on the
motives of massacres as well as international responses.

In 1908, the Young Turkish revolution brought some hope for change
for the Empire’s Christian minorities. However, the initial euphoria
and hopes for equal rights for Muslims and Christians were dashed in
brutal slaughtering of Armenian population in Cilicia and its center
Adana. This massacre revived the fears of Christian minorities,
particularly of Armenians towards the traditional Ottoman policy
against them.

The Adana massacres of April 1909 became a symbolic prelude for the
state orchestrated and executed policy of genocide against the Armenian
population of the Ottoman Empire. Ethnical cleansings and large-scale
massacres were carried out even earlier; during the Hamidian massacres
in 1894-1896 about 300.000 Armenians were annihilated a nd evicted.

The study of Adana massacre reveals several important issues,
particularly in terms of crime investigation, reparation and
involvement of Turkish regular army in the massacre. These tragic
events resonated with the events of the earlier attacks on the
Armenians and brought back the feeling of the coming catastrophe.

The Adana massacres heralded a large-scale extermination policy,
which was implemented shortly after the breakout of the WWI. This
resulted in the genocide of Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire
during 1915-1922, and expulsion of several hundred thousand people
from their homeland.