HARIRI AND ARMENIAN SPEAKER DISCUSS BILATERAL RELATIONS
NowLebanon
wsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=160055
April 12 2010
Lebanon
Prime Minister Saad Hariri met with Armenian Speaker of Parliament
Hovik Abrahamyan on Monday to discuss regional and international
developments as well as Lebanese-Armenian relations, reported the
National News Agency (NNA).
The NNA added that following the meeting, Hariri hosted Abrahamyan
and his delegation for lunch.
Die Tageszeitung
Freitag 09. April 2010
Dunkle Blaupause;
GENOZID Stark und wichtig: Die ARD-Doku "Aghet" über den türkischen
Völkermord an den Armeniern
RENÃ? MARTENS
GENOZID Stark und wichtig: Die ARD-Doku Aghet über den türkischen
Völkermord an den Armeniern
Dass man bei einer Reise durch Deutschland eine Adolf-Hitler-StraÃ?e,
eine Adolf-Eichmann-Grundschule oder ein Heinrich-Himmler-Ehrenmal
sieht, liegt jenseits aller Vorstellungskraft. In der Türkei dagegen
sind die Namen von Enver Pascha, Talat Pascha und Djemal Pascha noch
auf diese Weise präsent. Während des Ersten Weltkriegs waren diese
Regierungsmitglieder verantwortlich für den Völkermord an der
armenischen Minderheit im Lande, dem bis zu 1,5 Millionen Menschen zum
Opfer fielen. Dieser Genozid gilt als Blaupause des Holocausts.
Der Beginn des Völkermords an den Armeniern jährt sich am 24. April
zum 95. Mal. Für die ARD ist das ein Anlass, heute Abend Eric
Friedlers aufwendige Dokumentation Aghet (armenisch für die
Katastrophe ) zu zeigen. Historiker haben die Ereignisse zwar
ausführlich aufgearbeitet, der breiten Ã-ffentlichkeit ist aber vor
allem das AusmaÃ? der Barbarei unbekannt. Das Konzept der damaligen
türkischen Regierung lautete Vernichtung durch Deportation :
monatelange Totenmärsche aus verschiedenen Landesteilen endeten in der
Wüste Syriens und der Steppe Mesopotamiens, sofern die Opfer nicht
vorher massakriert wurden, verhungerten oder verdursteten.
Aus Lageberichten deutscher und amerikanischer Diplomaten sowie den
Aufzeichnungen von Ã?rzten, Missionsschwestern und Lehrerinnen aus
verschiedenen Ländern hat Friedler die eindringlichsten Passagen
extrahiert, die unter anderem Axel Milberg, Martina Gedeck und Hannah
Herzsprung in ganz sachlichen Interviewsituationen in Szene setzen.
Dieses Experiment (Friedler) gelingt auf überwältigende Weise, weil
der Filmemacher in zwei Welten zu Hause ist: Bekannt geworden ist er
als Dokumentarfilmer, vor allem mit dem mehrfach ausgezeichneten Film
Das Schweigen der Quandts , mit der er neue Erkenntnisse über die
Rolle der Unternehmerdynastie Quandt im Nationalsozialismus lieferte.
Der Genozid an den Armeniern ist kein rein historisches Thema, weshalb
Friedler den Bogen in die aktuelle Weltpolitik schlägt: Damals wie
heute profitiert die Türkei, in deren offiziellen türkischen
Geschichtsschreibung er bis heute nicht vorkommt, von der
Samtpfötigkeit der Gro�mächte. Die Regierung des Deutschen Reichs lie�
einst den Genozid geschehen, weil sie ihren Bündnispartner im Ersten
Weltkrieg nicht verlieren wollte. Heute ist die Türkei wirtschaftlich
und geostrategisch wichtig, hier befindet sich eine US-Militärbasis,
die für Einsätze in Irak und Afghanistan von zentraler Bedeutung ist.
Deshalb übt die Staatengemeinschaft kaum Druck auf die Türkei aus, den
Genozid anzuerkennen.
Mit Das Schweigen der Quandts sorgte Friedler dafür, dass die berühmte
Industriellenfamilie sich gezwungen sah, eine wissenschaftliche
Untersuchung ihrer eigenen Rolle im Nationalsozialismus in Auftrag zu
geben. Aghet ist filmisch so stark, dass man ihm fast zutrauen möchte,
ähnliche Debatten zum Thema Völkermord an den Armeniern auszulösen.
RENÃ? MARTENS
РAghet ein V̦lkermord , ARD, 23.30 Uhr, Wiederholung: 13. 4.,
Phoenix, 20.15 Uhr
Auf Das Schweigen der Quandts lässt Eric Friedler nun Das Schweigen
der Paschas folgen
Interfax, Russia
April 8 2010
Azerbaijani president wants world to urge Armenia to remove troops
BALINN April 8
European institutions must try and persuade Armenia to withdraw its
troops from occupied Azerbaijani territory, Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliyev said.
"Occupation of our land for nearly 20 years shows that Armenia’s
unconstructive position and policy of slowing down the peace process
remains a barrier to the settlement of this issue, despite our efforts
to resolve the conflict peacefully, and on the basis of international
law and UN Security Council resolutions," Aliyev told the press in
Tallinn on Wednesday after talks with his Estonian counterpart Toomas
Ilves.
"World organizations and the public are directly involved in settling
this issue, including European institutions, which must try and
influence Armenia, which is currently occupying 20% of a sovereign
territory, in order to remove the aftermath of ethnic purges against
Azerbaijan, to create conditions for the return of one million
Azerbaijani refugees to their homes, and to put an end to the
occupation. After this, peace can be established in the region,"
Aliyev said.
I Do Not See War Threat in Near Future but a War Will Not Take Us
Aback: Serzh Sargsyan
11:13 – 10.04.10
In an April 9 visit to Tavush marz (province) Armenia’s President
Serzh Sargsyan said that there has always been a war threat and that
the country will not be taken aback, should a war be unleashed.
`Can you tell me any time that there has not been a war threat? Now we
are in a cross border marz [region]. Just ask about it these people
here. There was such threat in ’95, in 2000, in 2005 and, yes, such
threat exists also today, and there will be such threat unless peace
and stability are established in the region,’ said Sargsyan.
According to him the point is that the threat of war becomes more
tangible for Armenians in two occasions: when the Azerbaijani make
bellicose statements and when some political powers in Armenia attempt
to use it for their benefit.
`I do not see a war threat in the near future, though you may remember
that I have stated in several occasions that the defense minister must
always suppose that just tomorrow military actions may start … Our
army can fight. I am repeating it again, may it never happen, but if
it does happen, we will not be taken aback,’ said Sargsyan.
Tert.am
TURKISH DIPLOMAT VISITS YEREVAN, BAKU AHEAD OF WASHINGTON TALKS
Hurriyet
April 8 2010
Turkey
As Turkish and Armenian leaders prepare to meet with U.S. President
Barack Obama in Washington, Turkish Foreign Ministry Undersecretary
Feridun Sinirlioglu is making the rounds in Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent Sinirlioglu as a special
envoy to Baku on Friday to convey a letter to Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliyev. The Turkish diplomat previously held high-level talks
in Yerevan on Wednesday.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu confirmed that Turkey would
continue its efforts to secure "fair memory" in bilateral relations
as well as peace and stability for the Southern Caucasus in the light
of the normalization protocols signed between Turkey and Armenia
in October.
"We need to overcome the existing difficulties together in accordance
with this vision," Davutoglu said Friday during a press conference
with Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas.
Sinirlioglu was received by Armenian President Serge Sarkisian and
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian this week after Sarkisian and
Davutoglu agreed to review the process during an earlier meeting
in Kiev.
Davutoglu described the talks as "positive and constructive" and
announced the next stop for the Turkish diplomat would be Baku. He
also rebuffed the idea of any outside influence or involvement, saying,
"It [the normalizing process] should continue in its nature."
"We sincerely believe our relations with Armenia will be normalized
in accordance with the protocols’ letter and spirit," the Turkish
foreign minister said.
"We gave a clear message of our loyalty to the normalization process
during the talks in Armenia," said a diplomatic source, speaking on
condition of anonymity. "Now, we need to share our impression with
the Azerbaijani side."
Ramiz Mehdiyev, the head of the Azerbaijani President’s Executive
Office, held talks last week in Ankara, just days before Erdogan,
Sarkisian and Obama are set to meet in Washington on the sidelines
of a nuclear-security summit.
Obama invited the Turkish and Armenian leaders to the summit and has
been planning to host a pull-aside meeting to speed up normalization
talks between the two neighbors.
"It is quite natural to talk with the Azerbaijani side, too. One more
time, we will affirm that Turkey is sharing Azerbaijani concerns over
the Karabakh conflict," the diplomatic source added. "As you know,
there are speculative reports saying Obama may convince Erdogan to
step back during the upcoming meeting with Sarkisian in Washington."
Sinirlioglu will be received by Azerbaijani President Aliyev and
Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov on Friday.
AZERBAIJANI RULING PARTY HOPES TURKISH PM TO DISCUSS NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT IN US IN DETAIL
Trend
April 7 2010
Azerbaijan
The Turkish prime minister’s visit to the U.S. is of great importance,
the Azerbaijani ruling party’s deputy executive secretary believes.
"During Rejep Tayyib Erdogan’s visit it is planned to discuss in large
the nuclear security, relations between Turkey and the U.S., as well
as the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," MP Mubariz Gurbanly, the ruling New
Azerbaijan Party (NAP) Deputy Executive Secretary, said to NAP website.
The Turkish PM’s visit is scheduled for April 12-13.
Presently, there are still forces in the United States which consider
the opening of the Armenian-Turkish border as a mean to remove tension
in the region. "However, this is a wrong approach, because Turkey
closed border with Armenia due to occupation of Azerbaijani lands
by Armenia. Namely, after the occupation of the Kalbajar region,
Turkey closed border in a unilateral order. Opening border by Turkey
in case when the reason for it has not been removed would be a direct
justification to Armenian aggression," Gurbanly said.
The U.S. thinks in case the border between Turkey and Armenia opens
warm relations will be established between the these two countries,
Armenian side will come out from constructive position in the talks
over the Nagorno-Karabakh and Nagorno-Karabakh dispute will be solved.
"However, these circles are either unaware of Armenian policy, or
simply want opening the Turkey-Armenia border in this way. If Turkey
opens border, it will not really help solving the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. In the contrary, it will lead to toughening the Armenians’
position in the talks over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Therefore,
Azerbaijan voiced its opinion to Turkey about opening border. Overall
public opinion is also against opening the border," Gurbanly said.
The parliamentary majority in Turkey supports this issue and note
the opening of border is a wrong step. "Turkey’s public opinion also
backs keeping border closed. Influence on the Turkish PM during
the visit to the U.S. and opening of border are less likelihood,"
Gurbanly underscored.
Erdogan’s visit to the U.S., his talks and discussions with President
Barack Obama, indeed, are not limited only to problems of the Caucasian
region. "During the visit the discussions will concern issues related
to the Near East, state in the region, proliferation of nuclear arms,
Iranian-Turkish and Iranian-west relations and West’s sanctions with
regard to Iran. It is also planned to mull Turkey’s position on these
matters and interaction of the United States and Turkey. However,
one of directions of Turkey’s policy is the establishment of peace
and prosperity in the Caucasus. Therefore, the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict takes an important place in U.S.-Turkey relations. Presently,
Azerbaijan also acts in this direction.
Diasporas of Azerbaijan and Turkey, which are the sates of one nation,
i.e. "one nation and two states", carry out joint activities, and
take real steps and in this direction," he added.
A fruitful visit of the Azerbaijani delegation led by Academician Ramiz
Mehdiyev, head-of-staff of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration,
to Turkey, particularly, agreements achieved during it, created very
serious and real grounds for joint Azerbaijani-Turkish activities in
the region in whole. "Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev, as well as
success of policy played an important role in destroying Armenians’
intentions. It testifies for Azerbaijan’s priority position in settling
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. In the diplomatic front Azerbaijan
left behind Armenia, as it seems in every field," Gurbanly said.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. –
are currently holding the peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the
occupied territories.
TURKISH PREMIER, ARMENIAN PRESIDENT TO MEET AT NUCLEAR SECURITY SUMMIT IN USA
Anadolu Agency
April 7 2010
Turkey
Ankara, 7 April: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will meet
with President Serzh Sargsyan of Armenia during the nuclear security
summit in the United States next week.
Burak Ozugergin, spokesman for Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
said that Feridun Sinirlioglu, undersecretary of the ministry, went
to Yerevan, Armenia, as the special envoy of Prime Minister Erdogan.
"During his talks, the parties agreed that Prime Minister Erdogan and
President Sargsyan would meet during the nuclear security summit in
Washington, DC, on 12 and 13 April," he said.
"As part of his talks in Yerevan, Sinirlioglu was received by
President Sargsyan and Foreign Minister Edvard Nalbandyan earlier in
the day. Sinirlioglu conveyed Prime Minister Erdogan’s written message
to President Sargsyan. Turkey-Armenia normalization process was high on
agenda of the talks. The parties agreed that the current opportunity
should not be missed. The Turkish party said that Turkey-Armenia
normalization process would contribute to efforts to ensure peace,
security and stability in southern Caucasus," he added.
Sinirlioglu’s visit to Yerevan has been the highest-level visit between
the two countries since signing of protocols on 10 October 2009.
HEAD OF IMF MISSION IN ARMENIA FORECASTS A 1.8 GDP GROWTH BY THE END OF 2010
Hasmik Dilanyan
"Radiolur"
09.04.2010 17:00
International Monetary Fund (IMF) highly assesses the anti-crisis
program of the Armenian government, Head of IMF Mission in Armenia
Guillermo Tolosa told a press conference today. "If not the measures
taken by the government, the Armenian economy would be in far worse
situation today," he said.
Commenting on the statement of the Armenian Prime Minister on
toughening control over reporting of large enterprises, Guillermo
Tolosa noted that tax administration and collection of taxes have
always been in the center of IMF attention.
"Level of tax collection is low and we are ready to render assistance
to increase these indices," Head of IMF Mission in Armenia stated.
Guillermo Tolosa also touched upon the external debt of Armenia,
noting that it has significantly increased over the past year and will
continue increasing. However, he expressed confidence that starting
from 2010, the external debt of Armenia will start reducing.
The Head of IMF Mission forecasted a 1.8% growth and 6.2% inflation
rate by the end of the year.
ANOTHER CASE OF HOOLIGANISM ON BOARD OF MOSCOW-YEREVAN FLIGHT
ArmInfo
2010-04-09 11:18:00
ArmInfo. Another case of hooliganism took place on board of
Moscow-Yerevan flight.
As the press- service of Armenia’s Police reported, the Police
department of Zvartnots airport received a message by a senior
stewardess in the morning of April 8 after landing of the airplane of
Moscow-Yerevan flight. According to the message, a citizen Sargis Ye.,
born in 1967, misbehaved, cursed and disturbed the public order for
about 5-6 minutes. The hooligan was detained, and the circumstances
of the incident were cleared up.
To note, this is not the first case of "onboard hooliganism". The
statistics sadly testifies of the growing number of such incidents
just in the airplanes of Moscow- Yerevan flight.
Christopher Hitchens: Turkey Denies History
Slate
[Christopher Hitchens is a columnist for Vanity Fair and the Roger S. Mertz
media fellow at the Hoover Institution.]
April is the cruelest month for the people of Armenia, who every year at
this season have to suffer a continuing tragedy and a humiliation. The
tragedy is that of commemorating the huge number of their ancestors who were
exterminated by the Ottoman Muslim caliphate in a campaign of state-planned
mass murder that began in April 1915. The humiliation is of hearing, year
after year, that the Turkish authorities simply deny that these appalling
events ever occurred or that the killings constituted "genocide."
In a technical and pedantic sense, the word genocide does not, in fact,
apply, since it only entered our vocabulary in 1943. (It was coined by a
scholar named Raphael Lemkin, who for rather self-evident reasons in that
even more awful year wanted a legal term for the intersection between racism
and bloodlust and saw Armenia as the precedent for what was then happening
in Poland.) I still rather prefer the phrase used by America’s
then-ambassador to Turkey, Henry Morgenthau. Reporting to Washington about
what his consular agents were telling him of the foul doings in the Ottoman
provinces of Harput and Van in particular, he employed the striking words
"race extermination." (See the imperishable book The Slaughterhouse Province
for some of the cold diplomatic dispatches of that period.) Terrible enough
in itself, Morgenthau’s expression did not quite comprehend the later
erasure of all traces of Armenian life, from the destruction of their
churches and libraries and institutes to the crude altering of official
Turkish maps and schoolbooks to deny that there had ever been an Armenia in
the first place.
This year, the House foreign affairs committee in Washington and the
parliament of Sweden joined the growing number of political bodies that have
decided to call the slaughter by its right name. I quote now from a
statement in response by Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the current prime minister of
Turkey and the leader of its Islamist party:
In my country there are 170,000 Armenians. Seventy thousand of them are
citizens. We tolerate 100,000 more. So, what am I going to do tomorrow? If
necessary I will tell the 100,000: OK, time to go back to your country. Why?
They are not my citizens. I am not obliged to keep them in my country.
This extraordinary threat was not made at some stupid rally in a fly-blown
town. It was uttered in England, on March 17, on the Turkish-language
service of the BBC. Just to be clear, then, about the view of Turkey’s chief
statesman: If democratic assemblies dare to mention the ethnic cleansing of
Armenians in the 20th century, I will personally complete that cleansing in
the 21st!
Where to begin? Turkish "guest workers" are to be found in great numbers all
through the European Union, membership of which is a declared Turkish
objective. How would the world respond if a European prime minister called
for the mass deportation of all Turks? Yet Erdogan’s xenophobic demagoguery
attracted precisely no condemnation from Washington or Brussels. He probably
overestimated the number of "tolerated" economic refugees from neighboring
and former Soviet Armenia, but is it not interesting that he keeps a count
in his head? And a count of the tiny number of surviving Turkish Armenians
as well?..
Monday, April 5, 2010