Author: Tadevosian Garnik

DEBATING NON-RECOGNITION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
By Yasmine Ryan

Scoop, New Zealand
Oct 30 2006

Les Yeux on France: Debating Non-Recognition of the Armenian Genocide

Scoop Audio (click here to listen): to this edition of Yasmine Ryan’s
Les Yeux on France.

(AIX-EN-PROVENCE) – Two different approaches by French politicians in
the past few weeks have stirred debate in France on how Turkey might
be made to recognise the Armenian Genocide that took place during
World War One. The first is President Jacques Chirac’s symbolic visit
to Armenia; the second is a move to legislate against any denial of
the Genocide in France. A large majority of the French population
want Turkey to confront its demons, as does France’s significant
Armenian minority. And the issue is becoming increasingly relevant
as the European Union debates Turkey’s membership. Image of Yasmine
Ryan by Jason Dorday.

Back in the dying days of the Ottoman Empire, a strong Turkish
nationalist ideology was forged. Although the regime had ruled
over its diverse multiethnic populations in relative harmony for
centuries, it became increasingly suspicious of its Armenian and Greek
minorities. The Armenian separatist movement Dachnak, supported by
Russia, was seen as a threat to the nation’s very survival. Rising
tensions led eventually to the drastic decision to deport, not just
those involved in the independence struggle, but all Armenians.

And whilst these people were being transported out between 1915 and
1917, a series of extensive massacres occurred. The Turkish government
claims the death toll was between 250,000 and 500,000 and that the
victims died mostly from cold, exhaustion and hunger, or else were
massacred by bandits acting in isolation. The evidence, however, puts
the number at approximately 1.5 million. And it is widely accepted
that the massacres were ordered from the top level of the Ottoman
regime and that they were part of a broad strategy of extermination.

ADVERTISEMENT This massive figure makes the Armenian Genocide, in terms
of shear scale, second only to the Holocaust. Indeed, Robert Fisk’s
account details how the Ottoman Empire’s ideology of extermination
had an influence on the Nazi regime. Yet the Armenian Genocide has
long been blatantly ignored by the international community, and
Turkey’s refusal to acknowledge its past has not been the subject of
much criticism.

It is this irony that has captured the French public’s attention
in recent years. Turkey’s desire to join the EU is seen as a unique
opportunity to pressure the state to change its attitude. In 2001, the
Armenian Genocide was officially recognised by the French parliament.

President Chirac’s visit to Armenia was another way to place indirect
pressure on Turkey to recognise the atrocity. The Head of State made a
series of meaningful public appearances in the small and impoverished
state from 29 September to 1 October this year. He stopped off at the
Tsitsernakaberd Memorial, which honours those who died in the Armenian
Genocide, and attended the inauguration of ‘La place de France’,
where he spoke of ‘the heroic and tormented history of this people’
and of ‘all the survivors of this tragedy who must take the path of
a heartbreaking exile’.

Significantly, Chirac stated in a press conference that he believes
Turkey must recognise the Armenian Genocide before it can be admitted
into the EU. He made the comparison with the importance of Germany’s
recognition of the Holocaust. This is the most forceful statement on
the Armenian Genocide that a Western Head of State has ever made. For
a people long accustomed to being overlooked, the visit was gratefully
received amidst much emotion.

In addition to this bold move by the French President, on the 12
October, Parliament voted in favour of a bill, sponsored by the
Socialist Party, which would outlaw any denial of the Armenian
Genocide. If it is to pass into law, the parliamentary initiative
must now be validated by the Senate. This will be more difficult.

Ankara’s anger at France’s zeal over what it considers to be a
private dispute with a neighbour is growing. The Turkish government
fears that its acceptance into the EU is at risk. While there was no
real vocalisation at Chirac’s more diplomatic gesture, the move to
legislate provoked a storm of outrage in Turkey.

Chirac managed to sooth things somewhat by phoning Recep Tayyip
Erdogan, telling the Turkish Prime Minister he was very sorry and
that he believes the existing legislation is sufficient. Erdogan was
appeased by Chirac’s promise to do what he can to prevent the Bill
becoming law. Consequently, the reaction against France was moderated:
there is merely a semi-boycott. France exports to Turkey were valued
at 4.7 billion euros in 2005.

In contrast to Chirac’s visit to Armenia, there have been widespread
criticisms of the proposed bill. For many it is a confrontational
approach that in fact undermines the cause of those pushing for
more honest dialogue within Turkey. It is ironically similar to the
Turkish repression of recognition of the Genocide, a point not lost
on Turkish critiques. ‘Liberte, egalite, stupidite’ was the headline
in the daily newspaper Hurriyët. PM Erdogan called it a ‘primitive
law’ pushed through by ‘a few stubborn legislators’. He stated that:
‘Thanks to a few stubborn MPs, the France we know as the nation of
liberties must live with this shame. If France doesn’t stop this bill,
it’s her that will lose and not Turkey.’ Even Nobel Prize winner
Orhan Pamuk, viewed as a traitor by many Turks for his recognition
of the Armenian Genocide, points out that ‘freedom of expression is
a French invention. This law is contrary to this culture of liberty.’

France should continue to encourage the recognition of the Armenian
Genocide by Turkey, but not by compromising its principles. Pushing
too hard risks fuelling Turkish nationalists and creating conflict.

Public debate on the issue is growing within Turkey, and gentle
diplomacy, such as the example given by President Chirac, could
substantially help the nation come to terms with its past.

****** Yasmine Ryan is a graduate of the University of Auckland, in
Political Studies and French language. She is currently completing a
Masters degree in International Journalism at the Institut d’Etudes
Politiques, Aix-en-Provence.

L0610/S00430.htm

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DOGGED BY TRIVIAL CONTROVERSIES, MACKAY IS DISTRACTED FROM VITAL WORK
by Mike Blanchfield, The Ottawa Citizen

Ottawa Citizen, Canada
October 30, 2006 Monday
Final Edition

Foreign policy experts lament time spent on petty squabbles in House

The night before he allegedly called his ex-girlfriend, Liberal MP
Belinda Stronach, a dog in the House of Commons, Foreign Affairs
Minister Peter MacKay was doing something one would more closely
associate with his job — he was offering up bon mots to polite
applause at an embassy soiree.

No slurs were hurled on the evening of Oct. 18, as Mr. MacKay spoke
for several minutes at the Turkish Embassy in Ottawa. He expressed
thanks for "the warm embrace that Canadians received from the Turkish
people" when their ports welcomed ships carrying stranded Canadians
from war-torn Lebanon last summer.

The nights of foreign ministers around the world are filled with
such events, and most of them are mundane and attract little, if any
attention. But in the wake of Dog-Gate, the serious business of how
Canada conducts its relations with the world has now been pushed even
further to the backburner.

The daily assault in question period has included calls for
Mr. MacKay’s resignation.

The noise has drowned out serious discussion of Canadian foreign
policy at a time when Canada is fighting a war in Afghanistan, and the
nuclear brinkmanship on the Korean Peninsula has reached new heights,
to name just a couple of crises.

But when Canadians hear about Mr. MacKay, more often than not, it
appears it is in the context of his failed relationship with Ms.

Stronach, or unsubstantiated speculation that there are romantic
sparks with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice — a level of
discourse that seems more in keeping with a high school cafeteria
than the halls of international diplomacy.

"He should concentrate more on the international agenda. There’s
not so much about his visits, or his activities as a real foreign
minister. There is much more on this issue with the dog and Belinda.

For us, it is not very encouraging," said a western diplomat, who
offered that assessment on the condition of anonymity.

Douglas Goold, president of the Canadian Institute of International
Affairs, said it really doesn’t matter who is responsible for
diverting the public’s attention from the global agenda — whether
it is opposition politicians, the media, or Mr. MacKay himself —
it is Mr. MacKay who will suffer in the long run, if it continues.

"Who the hell knows whether he actually made the comment? But if
he did, I guess he brought it on himself. … Whether he deserves
this reputation or not, there has been that list of things. It does
definitely detract from the things the government is trying to say,"
Mr. Goold said.

David Bercuson, a University of Calgary defence and foreign affairs
analyst, said he doubts the dog fixation will hurt Mr. MacKay in the
eyes of the U.S., the European Union, China or any country watching
Canada.

"It reflects not only the state of politics, but the state of mind
of a lot of people in the country today that when we’re facing some
really serious issues — and I don’t think anything is more serious
than a war in Afghanistan — that this is the sort of thing that gets
the attention," he said.

As Canada’s No. 1 diplomat, the ability to choose words carefully is
one of the top priorities for Mr. MacKay.

On Oct. 19, a Liberal apparently shouted to Mr. MacKay "what about your
dog?" during a boisterous exchange on climate change in the Commons. On
tape, a voice that could be Mr. MacKay’s responds: "you have her." The
Liberals say he gestured toward Ms. Stronach’s empty seat.

Mr. MacKay’s trip to the Turkish embassy the night before the dog
drama flared had a serious intent. He had welcomed the Armenian
foreign minister the same day. The Turks and Armenians are at polar
opposites in interpreting the killing of 1.5 million Armenians in 1915
by Ottoman Turks. Canada and two dozen countries call it genocide,
while Turkey flatly rejects that.

So Mr. MacKay offered an olive branch to the Turks: "The Canadian
government supports the Turkish government’s practical proposal
to establish a joint committee composed of Turkish and Armenian
historians, as well as historians from a third country, to look
into the events of 1915 and encourages the government of Armenia to
participate in this committee."

Mr. Goold said he has no doubt Mr. MacKay is doing other valuable work
on the diplomatic front, but until he learns to watch what he says,
he won’t be seen as an effective minister.

"He’s got to approach his portfolio with a degree of seriousness that
is important to anyone who is managing Canada’s external relations,"
he said.

ARMENIAN LEADER TO VISIT KAZAKHSTAN 6-7 NOVEMBER

Interfax, Russia
Oct 30 2006

Astana, 30 October: Armenian President Robert Kocharyan will pay an
official visit to Kazakhstan on 6-7 November.

"Armenian President Robert Kocharyan’s official visit to Kazakhstan
will take place on 6-7 November. He will hold meetings with the
country’s leadership," the Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s spokesman,
Yerzhan Ashikbayev, said at a news conference in Astana today.

During the visit, a number of bilateral documents are expected to
be signed and a round-table meeting, attended by the two countries’
business circles, is due to be held, Ashikbayev said.

Mark Zoryan: The West is beginning to realize that the `Georgian situation’
is absurd

_
()
11:43 10/28/2006

The attempts of the US administration and the European structures to
pretend that nothing worth mentioning is going on in Javakhq no longer
make sense. As far as we know, the embassies of almost all European
states and the US embassy in Georgia have informed their governments
of the processes that took place during the local elections in Georgia
and pointed out the peculiarity of the situation in Samtskhe-Javakheti
and Kvemo-Kartli.

Presently the diplomatic circles in Tbilisi are actively discussing
the `bad marks’ Georgia has received for its local elections. These
discussions got especially active after the Tbilisi visit of the US
assistant secretary of state Daniel Fried, who was obviously trying to
save the face of the ruling regime. At the same time, we have received
enough reports saying that the US administration are extremely
displeased with the style and outcome of the elections. Now that the
Georgian-Russian conflict has gone beyond any sensible limits of
inter-state confrontation, the Americans and Europeans have faced a
problem similar to the ones they faced in the Balkans and solved by
political and military interference.

The recent ` deliberately representative ‘ Washington seminar on
Russian-Georgian relations has come to a conclusion that the
propaganda task has lost any sense as it has become very hard to find
arguments to explain to the world community the point and the
political causes of this conflict, which is already spreading outside
the region.

During the seminar, one of the leading US experts on Eastern Europe,
representative of the OSCE office in the US congress Michael Ox said
that the present situation in Georgian-Russian relations does not
serve the interests of the US and is a barren scheme.

On the whole, the American experts on Eastern Europe, who are known
for their colorful language, describe this situation as `an absolute
deadlock,’ while the attempts of the West to `separate the fighting
sides’ are qualified as `rotten politicking.’ If there is anything
that unites the American and European experts, it is their unanimity
that the `Georgian situation’ is absurd.

Exactly now that there is a real want of effective political
expertise, the International Crisis Group ` who we know well for its
activities in Karabakh ` has been assigned the task of facilitating
the development of proposals ` in fact, a plan of how to settle the
situation in Samtskhe-Javakheti. This work will certainly cover a
complex of problems concerning the ethnic rights of the local Armenian
population. Certain Georgian and Armenian experts are involved in this
project. According to the preliminary information, the group will
recommend to enlarge self-government in Javakheti and
Kvemo-Kartli. Well aware of the ICG’s position on the Karabakh
problem, we can hardly expect that they will make any realistic
proposals and that the Georgian authorities will accept them. At the
same time, this initiative is hardly the result of the activities of
the Armenian lobby or of the talks of US administration
representatives with Armenian politicians. The US has just waited for
a tenser scenario in Javakhq to interfere and is now ready to show an
open interest in this region of Georgia.

Today, the problem is that the US has realized that Georgia is a
peculiar country and one can’t just apply general operational
approaches to it. That’s why they have decided to `divide’ Georgia
into political or regional-political blocs and to deal with each of
them individually. Obviously, they hope that this will help them
achieve certain goals in the sphere of system security. Still, it
seems that they have not yet fully grasped Georgia’s problems. We
don’t mean the current policy but some more fundamental problems. So,
we can assume that, having learned about new circumstances in the
policy of Russia, Turkey and the South Caucasian states, the US has
decided to work out new scenarios of its political and economic
expansion in the region. Otherwise, it would be hard to explain why
they have suddenly taken so keen interest in the processes they
formerly ignored.

Mark Zoryan ` expert of Caucasus analytical center

ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Oct 26 2006

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION SUGGESTS FORMING INDEPENDENT COMMISSION FOR
INVESTIGATING A-320 CRASH

Today’s hearings have been organized because the public seriously
doubts that the Inter-state Aviation Committee’s official version of
the A-320 crash is true, the leader of the New Times party Aram
Karapetyan said during today’s public hearings organized by the
opposition anti-criminal movement.

The delay in the investigation and the distrust in the IAC’s version
have given rise to plenty of versions which all have right to exist.

The leader of the Fatherland and Dignity Garnik Margaryan said that
one of the key versions is the lack of fuel. He said that Armavia
buys fuel in Russia and resells it in Armenia which results to
numerous machinations.

The MP from the National Unity party Agasi Arshakyan said that the
crash was the natural outcome of the post-Soviet official policy of
consistent destruction of civil aviation. Today nobody is insured
against new crashes as the basic principle of civil aviation tycoons
is to enrich themselves at any price.

The leader of the Democratic Party Aram Sargsyan suggested forming an
independent commission for investigating the crash. All participants
supported his initiative.

HAYPOST TRUST TO ASSUME MANAGEMENT OF HAYPOST NOT OWNED BY DUTCH
COMPANY ING

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20, NOYAN TAPAN. Haypost Trust OJSC, which will assume
soon management of Haypost company for 5 years, is owned not by the
Dutch company Ing, as the RA Minister of Transport and Communication
Andranik Manukian stated recently, but by the international investment
company Postfinance. NT correspondent was informed about it from
a reliable source. According to the same source, the preparation
for Haypost’s trust management was done on the advice of Ing. NT
correspondent failed to get any official explanation, as an answering
machine always responds to calls made to the PR Department of the RA
Ministry of Transport and Communication.

AZERI TV SAYS ARMENIANS USE AIRPORT IN OCCUPIED TOWN FOR MILITARY ENDS

ITV, Baku
17 Oct 2006

[Presenter] The Armenian army is using the airport in the occupied
Azerbaijani town of Agdam for military purposes. Helicopters are being
used to survey the area. The Karabakh bureau of Public TV reports
that the Armenian army has been carrying out excavation in the area
of Agdam’s occupied Sixlar village and Gulculuk Sovxozu.

[Correspondent] The Armenian army is using the airport located between
Agdam’s occupied villages of Saricali and Novruzlu for military
purposes. Latest observations show that military helicopters that
land at the airport carry out surveys of the area.

[Rahman Nazirov, captioned as resident of the Afatli village]
Military exercises are being frequently held, military hardware is
used, helicopters land and take off from the nearby airport, tanks
are regularly involved in exercises.

[A man, captioned as a villager] We can see vehicles and military
hardware of Armenians.

[Correspondent] The Armenian army has been carrying out excavation
in the area of Agdam’s occupied Sixlar village and Gulculuk Sovxozu
for a while. Observations showed that military lorries and assault
hardware were involved in the excavation.

[Rahman Nazirov] We are outraged by their military exercises. At
a time when intensive peace talks are under way, their military
exercises mean disrespect for all norms and procedures.

[Correspondent] Although the villagers are not scared of the regular
military exercises of Armenian army units, this cannot but influence
their psychological and moral state.

Press Release
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Father Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version:

INAU GURATION OF THE SEMINARY’S 77TH ACADEMIC YEAR

"THE SEMINARY IS THE STRUCTURE
OF FORMING TRUE MEN"
Says His Holiness ARAM I

The 77th academic year of the Antelias Seminary was launched on October 15
in Antelias with an official ceremony following the service on the Feast of
Holy Translators.

His Holiness Aram I presided over the service. Holy Mass was conducted by
Seminary Dean V. Rev. Fr. Shahe Panossian who talked about the mission of
the Seminary in the service of the Armenian Church and nation.

After the service, a procession of the Cilician Brotherhood and the Seminary
students marched towards the Veharan where the Pontiff presided over the
inauguration ceremony.

Speaking on behalf of the Seminary’s administration, V. Rev. Fr. Panossian
expressed his gratitude to His Holiness for trusting him with the important
responsibility of the Seminary’s Dean. He briefly talked about the new
academic curriculum and the current situation of the staff and teachers. The
Dean also touched on the high expectations of the Armenians from the
Antelias Seminary.

The Pontiff announced the official start of the new academic year at the
Seminary with his Pontifical blessings. Drawing on images from the Bible, he
spoke about the importance of dedication and quality in the Seminary
students.

"The Seminary forms such people who will completely dedicate themselves to
our nation and church. The Bible says that a healthy tree bears healthy
fruits. The fruits testify that the tree is healthy and vice versa. The
Seminary is a tree, nurtured in the garden of life of our church; a tree,
which, during the past 76 years, bore a lot of fruits and our nation witness
ed the healthy fruits of that healthy tree. However, there were also bad
fruits that feel from the tree so it can remain healthy and continue giving
healthy fruits, because our Antelias Seminary is the structure of forming
true men, said His Holiness Aram I.

The program of the ceremony also featured the performance of hymns and
readings from the Bible and Nareg.

At the end of the ceremony, the new and old Seminary students and their
parents received the Pontiff’s blessings by kissing his right hand. The
choir sang "Der Getso", "Cilicia" and "I Veh Partsants".

Classes at the Seminary of the Catholicosate started Monday morning in
Bikfaya.

##
View photos here:
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Theological
Seminary of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of the
Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.

RUSSIA, ARMENIA SIGN ANTI-TERROR PROTOCOLS
by Oleg Lyakhov

ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
October 14, 2006 Saturday

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) and Armenia’s National Security
Service (SNB) on Saturday signed two protocols on the suppression
of terrorism.

The head of the Russian delegation to the talks, Colonel-General Viktor
Komogorov told Itar-Tass, "The documents are dedicated to cooperation
between the two agencies in the fight against international terrorism
and other manifestations of extremism."

The head of the Armenian delegation, Lieutenant-General Gorik
Akopyan, said, "This is another step to strengthen mutual strategic
partnership."

He appeared to be pleased by the development of cooperation with
the FSB and said, "all in all, 18 protocols to the main agreement
were signed."

"A vivid example of effective and fruitful cooperation against
international terrorism was a joint command and staff exercise
codenamed Atom-Antiterror-2006, held in Armenia in September,"
Akopyan said.

In his view, "The commonness of our spiritual, cultural, political,
economic, and many other interests are a guarantee of further
integration."

The talks focused on how to improve bilateral cooperation in the
fight against terrorism and extremism.

"A key topic is how to organise joint struggle against terrorism and
other manifestations of extremism," Komogorov said.

In his words, Russia and Armenia have reached the level of equal
strategic partnership, but existing social and political conditions
in the Caucasus may generate different threats to the security of
both countries.

"This requires the FSB and the SNB to take joint concerted measures
within our jurisdiction," the general said.

He stressed, "We proceed from the need to create a single security
space, as our mutual membership in the Collective Security Treaty
Organisation guides us."

Zaman, Turkey
Oct 14 2006

Armenians Protest Turkish Troops
By Fatih Artun – Cihan News Agency, Beirut

zaman.com

About 5,000 Armenians protested the arrival of Turkish troops in
southern Lebanon to join the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

Waving Armenian and Tashnak flags, the crowd chanted anti-Turkish
slogans, carried placards protesting Turkey’s cooperation with Israel
and accused and shouted accusations of the purported Armenian
genocide.