Author: Tadevosian Garnik

TURKEY’S GUL CALLS OBAMA OVER KARABAKH, CYPRUS ISSUES: REPORT

Tehran Times
Oct 19 2009
Iran

Turkish President Abdullah Gul called U.S. President Barack Obama on
Saturday over several foreign policy issues, Turkish media said.

Gul reportedly asked him to help Turkey in two issues when Turkey
was getting prepared for changes in its foreign policy.

Reports said Gul told Obama to urge the Minsk Group to take action
and solve the Upper Karabakh dispute, and to support settlement of
Cyprus problem.

Turkey urges Armenia to end occupation in Azeri land where since
early 1990s in which nearly 30,000 people died and 2 million were
forced to flee their homes.

On the other hand, the two men discussed "the historic progress that is
being made on normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia,
and the importance of maintaining the momentum in this important
effort," the White House said in a statement.

Turkey and Armenia signed two protocols a week ago to normalize ties.

Foreign report also said, Gul and Obama discussed the "situation in
Afghanistan" and agreed to work closely in the "critical weeks" ahead.

Obama is in the midst of defining a new strategy for the Afghan
occupation.

The two men also discussed the need for "sustained engagement" in
resolving the ongoing conflict in Cyprus, and in "promoting stability"
in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

NEW TIMES PARTY BOARD DEMANDS PUBLICATION OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROTOCOLS SIGNED ON OCTOBER 10

ArmInfo
2009-10-19 11:23:00

ArmInfo. The New Times Opposition Party Board has applied to
Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian for publication of the
Armenian-Turkish Protocols signed on October 10 in Zurich.

The letter says there is rumors that new provisions were added to
the Protocols after the Foreign Ministry officially published them
on August 31 in Mass Media. Therefore, the Party demands publication
of the texts of the protocols in Mass Media.

"40 DAYS OF MUSA DAGH" PERFORMANCE TO BE PRESENTED

ARMENPRESS
Oct 19, 2009

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 19, ARMENPRESS: "40 Days of Musa Dagh" performance
will be presented October 23 in Gabriel Sundukyan State Academic
Theatre staged on the basis of Franz Werfel’s "40 Days of Musa Dagh"
book. The stage director of the performance is Armenian people’s
artist Armen Elbakyan.

"This performance is very important and a bit delayed. There are many
questions in this work of Werfel and answers are given to them.

This performance must educate Armenian youth and remind it about the
duty of a patriot. I hope the performance will serve to its purpose,"
Armen Elbakyan said.

World Bank managing director to visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan

YEREVAN, October 17, /ARKA/. The World Bank Managing Director, Ms.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, will travel to Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan on
October 17-21. The aim of her visit is to discuss with the respective
governments, development partners and civil society the impact of the
financial crisis in the South Caucasus and to find ways to help ease
the crisis and enable sustainable economic growth. The World Bank is
actively engaged in helping these countries address the challenges
facing them.

`One thing that the crisis has taught us all is our interdependence.
While this has added to the global nature of the current crises, it is
also a source of strength for investment and growth. Working together
with the governments, our development partners and civil society, the
Bank is helping improve the lives of the people in the South Caucasus
and elsewhere. Together, we can help ease the crisis and enable the
countries embark upon a new trajectory of growth, development and
social progress,’ says Ms. Okonjo -Iweala.

In all three countries Ms. Okonjo-Iweala will meet with the country
leadership, senior government officials, civil society and private
sector representatives, and visit World Bank supported project sites.
She will make a field trip to IDA Fast-Track Operation sites and meet
with project beneficiaries in Armenia. As part of her program in
Georgia, she will visit an IDP settlement, a road construction site
and a primary healthcare facility. In Azerbaijan, she will co-chair a
high level Economic Policy Forum, visit a cultural heritage site and
meet with women leaders.

The World Bank recently launched Country Partnership Strategies (CPS)
in Armenia (June, 2009) and Georgia (September, 2009) and is currently
preparing one for Azerbaijan. The Strategy for Armenia is intended to
assist the country in resuming growth and reducing the impacts of the
financial crisis on the poor. It also aims to help Armenia lay the
foundation for a more competitive economy for rapid post-crisis
growth.

The commitments to Armenia total approximately US$1.3 billion for 54
projects. The Georgia CPS prepared against the backdrop of twin crises
– the August 2008 conflict followed by the global economic downturn –
focuses on pressing post-conflict and vulnerability issues, and
strengthening the foundations for competitiveness and growth in the
future. The commitments to Georgia total approximately US$1.2 billion
for 46 projects. The new CPS for Azerbaijan will build on the results
and achievements of the current program that embraces investment
operations for a total amount of US$2.2 billion. The new strategy will
be prepared in close consultation with the government and civil
society and designed to meet the country’s short and longer term
priorities. – 0–

WHAT IS BENEFICIAL FOR ARMENIA IS NOT ALWAYS PROFITABLE FOR DIASPORA: EXPERT

Trend
Oct 7 2009
Azerbaijan

The world Armenian lobby hampers normalization of Turkish-Armenian
relations with all its might, the director of the Central Asia-Caucasus
Institute at Johns Hopkins University, Svante Cornell, believes.

"There is great difference between Armenia and the world Armenian
lobby. What is advantageous to the country is not always advantageous
to the Diaspora" Cornell told Trend News over phone on Oct.7.

Earlier Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Trend News
in an exclusive interview that Turkey and Armenia will sign a deal
to establish diplomatic ties on Oct. 10.

During his recent international visit, Armenian President Serzh
Sargsyan met with representatives of Armenian diasporas in Europe,
Argentina and the U.S, and many of them expressed their opposition
to the signing of a Turkish-Armenian agreement.

The Armenian diaspora holds protests worldwide. Sargsyan faced these
actions in Paris, New York and Los Angeles. The demonstrators met
the Armenian president with slogans such as "Traitor!", "No protocols".

Several opposition parties in Armenia are also against Sargsyan’s
policy. Such meetingsare also held against signing of the protocols.

On Oct.6, rally was held in Yerevan to protest signing of protocols
on development of relations with Turkey, Armenia Today said. The
event was organized by the movement Miasum "(" Unity "). Protesters
marched to the memorial dedicated to victims of so-called "genocide"
of Armenians. There they burned copy of protocols in eternal fire,
as well as a photo of President Serzh Sargsyan.

"At present, the lobby intends not only to help Armenia, but harm
Turkey" Cornell said. "This agreement will define the specific borders
between Turkey and Armenia and the diaspora will not recognize the
existing borders."

According to Cornell, the diaspora believes that the Armenian
government does not speak on behalf of its people. "The Diaspora does
its best to influence the president and the Diaspora’s actions are
headache for the Armenian government," Cornell added.

The Armenian diaspora acts rather bravely for many years because the
lobby supports not only financial stability of the country, but also
the internal political processes, the expert said.

But if there is failure in the process of normalization of
Ankara-Yerevan relations, it will be the result of not only the
Armenian diaspora’s activities, but also the Turkish opposition,
the expert said.

According to Cornell, besides this factor, Turkish-Azerbaijani
relations will be able to negatively affect the process.

SYRIA BORDER, ONCE ASSOCIATED WITH TERROR, NOW A PATH TO INTEGRATION

TurkishNY
Wednesday, 14 October 2009 08:24

The Oncupınar border gate on the Turkish side of the Turkish-Syrian
border on Tuesday served as the venue for a symbolic gesture reflecting
remarkable progress in bilateral relations between the two countries
with the signing of a historic deal by the foreign ministers of the
two countries, which came to the brink of war more than a decade ago.

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and his Syrian counterpart, Walid
al-Moallem, officially signed an agreement on Tuesday in Gaziantep
to end visa requirements between the two countries, a goal announced
in mid-September by the two ministers during a visit to Ä°stanbul by
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. While announcing the end to visa
requirements, Davutoglu and al-Moallem made an accord last month to
end visa requirements and signed a bilateral cooperation agreement
under which top ministers from the two countries will meet each year.

The accord, titled the "High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council
Agreement," is similar to a strategic mechanism recently established
between Turkey and Iraq.

Yesterday, the Syrian city of Aleppo and the Turkish city of Gaziantep
were venues of a ministerial level meeting of the High-Level Strategic
Cooperation Council, with the first part of the meeting being held
in Aleppo and the second in Gaziantep. The two ministers arrived in
Gaziantep after walking across the border.

Davutoglu was accompanied by nine other ministers while the Syrian
delegation of 15 ministers, including al-Moallem, was led in the
first part of the meeting in Aleppo by a Syrian deputy vice president.

Following the first part of the meeting, Davutoglu and al-Moallem,
while in no-man’s land between the Oncupınar and al-Salame border
gates, together removed a symbolic barrier, marking the significance
of the move by the two countries.

The lifting of visa requirements is only one aspect of a planned
multidimensional bilateral relationship final goal of which was dubbed
at the time by Davutoglu as "maximum integration."

"Our slogan is a joint destiny, a joint history and a joint future,"
Davutoglu said, speaking both in Arabic and in Turkish at a joint press
conference with al-Moallem following the first part of the meeting.

Both Davutoglu and al-Moallem called yesterday "a historic day,"
while the former also said the day was like a "third holiday for the
peoples of Syria and Turkey," referring to the two Muslim religious
holidays in a year.

"I consider today the third holiday of the two peoples," Davutoglu
said, noting that the Tuesday meeting would lay the ground for a prime
ministerial level meeting of the High Level Strategic Cooperation
Council which will probably be held in Damascus during Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit in December.

"Our two countries worked today like one delegation," Davutoglu said,
voicing hope that the strategic cooperation would present a model for
regional countries, with the spirit of integration being spread around.

For his part, al-Moallem said: "Today is a really historic day. We
set this example for all brotherly countries. We hope other counties
can also develop strategic relations and that these relations include
all fields."

In response to a question, Davutoglu highlighted that the "Turkey-Syria
relationship is not against any country and it is not an alternative
to another relationship." He then added, "However, we will build a
future together as Turkey and Syria."

Davutoglu also said Syria will eventually become an EU neighbor,
while the EU would become a neighbor to the Middle East with Turkey’s
accession to the EU, citing this situation as an opportunity for all
parties concerned.

The course of affairs in bilateral relations between Syria and
Turkey over the last decade may be considered a bold example of the
implementation of Ankara’s "zero-problems policy" in its neighborhood
by reaching out to create an atmosphere of maximum cooperation
neighbors.

In the autumn of 1998, Syria and Turkey came to the brink of
war over the presence of the now-jailed leader of the outlawed
Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), Abdullah Ocalan, in Syria. At the
time, Turkish troops were marshaled along the border with Syria,
with Ankara demanding that Damascus cease its support for the PKK
and hand Ocalan over. Then Syrian President Hafez al-Assad complied
and eventually Ocalan was deported — and subsequently captured by
Turkish special forces in Kenya. PKK training camps in Syria and
Lebanon were also closed down.

In August, while announcing Ankara’s intention to establish a joint
mechanism with Damascus and one that would be similar to the High-Level
Strategic Cooperation Council established between Ankara and Baghdad,
Davutoglu stated that Turkey also wished to improve cooperation
between Turkey and Iraq, which is supported by various mechanisms,
to offer a model for other countries in the region.

The ceremonial meeting at the Oncupınar border gate came only days
ahead of a planned visit by Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan to Baghdad
for the upcoming meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation
Council — a joint meeting of the Iraqi and Turkish cabinets. The
meeting will be presided over by Erdogan and his Iraqi counterpart,
Nouri al-Maliki. The formation of such a council was outlined during
Erdogan’s July 2008 visit to Baghdad.

The fact that this visa agreement with Syria follows the signing
of protocols with Armenia on Saturday for the normalization of
ties and that Erdogan’s upcoming visit to Baghdad will come after
Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan’s visit to Bursa at the invitation
of his Turkish counterpart, Abdullah Gul, to watch the 2010 World
Cup qualifying second-leg match between the Turkish and Armenian
national teams to be held Wednesday are not a "coincidence at all,"
Turkish diplomatic sources have told.

Such a calendar is a message to both governments and peoples, the same
diplomatic sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, s Armenian
side should read from the Syrian-Turkish border opening is clear:
"If we are lifting visa requirement for a border which was at one
time mined and used as a refuge by terrorists, then we can easily
open the border with Armenia. However, to do so, Armenia, like Syria,
should clearly state its intention for permanent peace with Turkey."

FIRE IN ABOVIAN TOWN

11:51 am | October 14, 2009

A 15-square-meter booth belonging to A. Muradyan got burnt as a result
of an October 13 fire in the town of Abovian, Kotayk Marz.

SARKISIAN TELLS TURKS HE DIDN’T NEED DIASPORA’S PERMISSION
By Asbarez Staff

-tells-turks-he-didnt-need-diasporas-permission/
O ct 14th, 2009

BURSA, Turkey-Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian arrived in the Turkish
city of Bursa on Wednesday ahead of the Turkey-Armenia soccer match
and during a meeting with Turkish leaders he said he was not asking
the Diaspora’s permission about the protocols but rather telling them
of a government decision.

"I have not tried to inform people in order to receive permission from
the Armenian Diaspora. I wanted to convey a decision of the Armenian
Government to the Diaspora and held meetings to update them," said
Sarkisian as reported by the Anadolu News Agency.

"There could be individuals with different thoughts in both
countries. What is important is to see that the number of the people
thinking positively about our steps in the majority," added Sarkisian,
according to Anadolu.

In his remarks, Sarkisian said the protocols were a crucial step,
adding that he had experienced difficulty while trying to inform
certain circles about the process.

During a meeting of both countries’ delegations, Turkish President
Abdullah Gul declared "We are not writing history, we are making
history," adding that making history cannot take place in a single day.

"This is a process. We have witnessed together that we can solve the
difficult problems within this process," added Gul.

Sarkisian and Gul are due to attend a return match of their countries’
national soccer teams, which was scheduled to take place at 11
a.m. Pacific Time.

Sarkisian, accompanied by Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian and
other Armenian officials, arrived at Bursa airport late in the
afternoon. He was greeted there by Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu in an official ceremony broadcast live by Armenian and
Turkish television. Sarkisian smiled as he watched a brief performance
by Turkish folk dancers.

The two presidents were to have dinner before heading to Bursa’s
Ataturk Stadium. Gul will give a reception in honor of his Armenian
counterpart after the match. It was not clear if they will make
public statements after the talks as they did in Yerevan last year. A
statement issued by Sarkisian’s office earlier in the day said the
president will first visit Armenia players and coaching staff to
"encourage" them ahead of the politically charged game.

Turkish authorities mounted tight security measures in and around
the stadium hours before the match.

Turkish media has reported that thousands of uniformed and
plainclothes security personnel will be deployed there to avoid
possible provocations. Fans will only be allowed to carry Turkish
and Armenian flags. Turkish officials have banned fans from chanting
political slogans and displaying Azerbaijani flags at the match.

Ticket sales have been restricted, with most distributed to students
of military academies, police and their families, according to
media reports. President Gul has met with leaders of fans groups
to personally ask them not to overshadow the game and return the
"hospitality" with which he himself was greeted in Yerevan.

AFP news agency reported that in a gesture to their Armenian guests,
the Turkish fans were expected to greet them in the stadium by singing
a folk song about a blonde lover, which is popular in both Turkey
and Armenia.

APIGIAN-KESSEL: GLENDALE’S CATHERINE YESSAYAN: BUDDING WRITER IN THE WINGS
By Betty Apigian-Kessel

9/10/14/apigian-kessel-glendales-catherine-yessaya n-budding-writer-in-the-wings/
October 14, 2009

I find people interesting, granted some more than others, but I
feel everyone has a story to tell. Such is the case with Glendale’s
Catherine Yessayan, a multi-faceted, deeply fascinating woman born
in Tehran, Iran, who came here 30 years ago with her husband.

By her own admission, Catherine was a "stay at home mom" to her four
children, in the finest of Armenian tradition. Even during those
nurturing years, her light could not be hidden beneath the bushel. She
is, as they say, "a doer."

She has always been active in the Glendale schools and community. In
2000, she unsuccessfully ran for the Glendale School Board,
but nevertheless found the political arena to be a stimulating
experience. I discovered she is good friends with Glendale School
Board presdient Greg Krikorian, nephew to our local Anne and George
Krikorian. She is involved with the PTA, the homeowner’s association,
and civic organizations. It’s no wonder that in 1998 Yessayan was
selected as one of the most influential citizens by the Glendale
News Press.

I became acquainted with Yessayan when a friend sent me an article
printed in Appo Jabarian’s "Armenian Life Magazine" written by the
talented Catherine-her first time being published, but certainly
not her last. I have read several of her stories which I found to
be stimulating.

She knows how to put words together to capture your interest. Her
vignette, entitled "So I Hear…and the World Watches…" clutched my
emotions. I immediately fired off a note of congratulations to her on
her finely written article, stating I was happy to know a knowledgeable
Hyegagan woman capable of being a strong voice for the Armenians. And
that through her activism she has brought honor to her ancestors. Quite
soon her message arrived thanking me for encouraging her.

Her children are now grown and Catherine recently became a first-time
grandmother to Markar, born in New York City. For 10 years she helped
her husband in his real estate business. Now it is Catherine’s time
to blossom. She is taking writing courses at UCLA in order to write
her memoirs. As a community activist, she already has a portfolio of
over 200 letters to the editor of various newspapers. She is a woman
of substance.

Her piece "So I Hear…" has an original style encapsulating the
Armenian Cause with a time line beginning on April 25, 2009. She
received emails stating "Obama betrays Armenians" and "Armenians have
rallied to continue their effort to have the U.S. officially recognize
the genocide." She says, "So I hear." She then reminds us of Obama’s
pre-campaign promise to acknowledge the genocide, his statement about
the Medz Yeghern, and the recall of Ambassador John Evans.

She takes us back to April 24, 1995, driving her kids to Montebello
to view the Genocide Memorial, then to Hitler’s words as to "Who
Remembers the Armenians," to March 15, 1921 when Soghomon Tehlirian
assasinated Talat, back to her ancestors being slaughtered in Ottoman
Turkey, and finally to April 24, 1915, when Talat ordered the arrest
and persecution of Armenian leaders and intellectuals, followed by
the genocide of over 1.5 million Armenians. "And the world watches
the first ethnic cleansing of the 20th century." You’re going to like
reading Catherine when she starts delivering.

Our correspondence grew, as we found we have much in common besides
writing, decorating, and real estate. We are both antique buffs,
readers, and women with a restless spirit possessing many varied
interests. She is a certified home stager, whereby she redesigns
homes to improve their marketability.

She told me of her happy years in Iran during the Shah’s regime
and that she got her BA degree in English literature from Tehran’s
American Women’s College-Damavand. She also studied Armenian, French,
and Persian literature.

She began writing her memoirs two years ago. Says Catherine, "Since
I was very young, I had an inborn tendency to write and when my
Dad passed away at age 92, I realized there were so many unanswered
questions. There were so many things we never communicated."

She decided to blend her life story with history.

Catherine wants to unfold her inner knowledge and to reflect on
her life experiences, many of which are very interesting since
she essentially grew up during Shah Reza Pahlevi’s regime in Iran
before his expulsion-an era of grandeur, opulence, and the lovely
Queen Soraya. She describes her life in Tehran before the Islamic
Revolution as "beautiful," telling of the active social environment
common to those of her age at the time. Quite different than what
plays out today.

Catherine the intellectual? She likes writers Robert Fulgham and Erma
Bombeck’s wit and humor. She includes French Renaissance thinker-writer
Michel de Montaigne. "In his essays he engages philosophical sayings
by great orators, something I’d like using in my writings," she says.

Friendships are born and forged in the least unlikely ways. It won’t
be long before, through Catherine’s published writings, you too will
be mesmerized by this intelligent Armenian woman’s essays. Even I
can hardly wait.

TURKISH ANALYSTS DISAGREED ON ISSUE OF RATIFICATION

Aysor.am
Wednesday, October 14

Turkish experts and analysts invited to today’s Yerevan-Ankara-Moscow
teleconference titled "A new geopolitical situation in East:
Armenian-Turkish reconciliation, issues and realities", disagreed on
views on signed in Zurich Armenian-Turkish pacts ratification.

"Turkey’s Parliament will not adopt the ratification waiting for
settlement of issue of Karabakh," such a statement made president
of Turkish Center for International Affairs and Strategic Analysis
Sinan Ogan. In his opinion, any settlement of Karabakh conflict is
not expected till 2010’s April.

"Our forecast is that any settlement of Karabakh conflict is not
expected till 2010’s April," he said noting that under normalize ties
Turkey’s society wants straight results.

"If issue of Karabakh is not resolved then Armenia-Turkey bilateral
border will not open," said Sinan Ogan. However, the analyst thinks
that in such scenario Turkey will face a challenge of choice: either
fully open the border, or face resolutions on Genocide recognition
from U.S. and other west-sitting countries.

"Both Turkey and region as well will face serious problems," said
Turkish expert mentioning that he had talks on ratification with dozen
of deputies and almost all of them repeat Prime Minister Erdogan’s
words that the ratification will not be adopted until any movement
in settlement of Karabakh conflict.

Another Turkish expert, Professor Huseyin Begdzhi, the vice-president
of Academy of European security, declared that Turkey’s Parliament
will adopt the ratification.

"Zeitgeist dictates it. Prime Minister Erdogan declared his political
will regarding to this problem’s solution, however, it’s impossible
to expect returning back," he said.