Author: Tashjian Arbi

PHILIP CROWLEY: ARMENIA, TURKEY MUST MOVE FORWARD

news.am
March 30 2010
Armenia

The U.S. continues to press both Armenia and Turkey to move forward
and ratify the protocols, Philip Crowley, U.S.

Assistant Secretary of State, told a news briefing on March 29.

Responding to a question concerning the situation regarding the
Armenian genocide, he said that t is up to Turkey to decide on
re-sending its Ambassador to Washington.

"Secretary Clinton and Foreign Minister Davutoglu – they converse on
a regular basis. When you look at the issues that Turkey is engaged
in, they’ve had their own dialogue with Iran, their own dialogue with
Syria. They’ve had in the not-too-distant past constructive relations
with Israel. So they are playing an increasingly important role in
the region. And they are clearly linked to something we have spent
a lot of time and attention focused on, which is improving relations
between Turkey and Armenia. Many of you were with the Secretary when we
had the agreement on normalization. We continue to press both Armenia
and Turkey to move forward and ratify those protocols," Crowley said.

"And likewise, we are, along with our fellow members in the Minsk
process, involved in how to sort through the difficult and complex
issue regarding Nagorno-Karabakh. So this is just part of the ongoing
strategic nature of our relationship," he said.

ACCORDING TO RUBEN SAFRASTIAN, TURKISH DIPLOMACY HAS NO TACTICS OF LONG-TERM POLICY

NOYAN TAPAN
MARCH 29, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MARCH 29, NOYAN TAPAN. Though the Turkish diplomacy managed
to lead the process of ratification of the protocols up the blind
alley, the Armenian side appeared in a favorable situation under
the condition of deadlock. Director of the RA National Academy of
Sciences Institute of Oriental Studies, Turkologist Ruben Safrastian
expressed such an opinion at a March 29 press conference. "We showed
the world that we treat seriously the protocols we had signed,"
he said mentioning that we managed to put on the Armenian-Turkish
negotiations table protocols signed without preconditions.

The current normalization process of Armenian-Turkish relations showed
that the Turkish diplomacy has no tactics of long-term policy.

According to R. Safrastian, with such policy the Turkish diplomacy
will not manage "to come out of the formed situation unscathed and
to lay the blame on Armenia."

And overcoming the deadlock, according to R. Safrastian, depends
on Turkey’s further steps. He mentioned that we should not yet draw
final conclusions and show haste in the issue of ratification of the
Armenian-Turkish protocols: under the circumstances the Armenian side
has no need to ratify the protocols the first. "It will be wrong if
we are the first to ratify the protocols," R. Safrastian said.

Georgian Parliament May Recognise Circassian `Genocide’

The Georgian Times

The Georgian Parliament will be asked to recognise the genocide of the
Circassian (‘Cherkess’) people committed by Russia in the 19th century. A
document to this effect was adopted at a conference held by the Jamestown
Foundation in Tbilisi on March 21 and entitled `Continuing Crime:
Circassians and the Peoples of the North Caucasus Past and Future.’

The alleged Circassian genocide ostensibly happened during the
Russo-Circassian War, conducted in Circassia (present day Russia’s Krasnodar
Krai, republics of Adygea and Karachay-Cherkessia), the northwestern part of
the Caucasus. The war ended in 1864 with annexation of these lands to the
Russian Empire. During the 1860s much of the Circassian population was
expelled from their lands. Historians site figures as large as 500,000 and
greater. A large fraction of them died in transit.This expulsion and other
actions of the Russian military has given rise to a movement for
international recognition of the alleged genocide.

Nugzar Tsiklauri, Chairman of the Georgian Parliament’s Committee on
Relations with the Diaspora, said that the document contains request for the
Parliament of Georgia to recognise the genocide of the Circassian people by
the Russian Empire, though it is not currently recognised by any state. It
is difficult at this point to talk about whether MPs will support the
appeal, however, he said.

Tsiklauri also said that Moscow might be irritated by this appeal but it can
also get upset over anything, including even the March 20 rugby match, which
resulted in a Georgian victory.

The appeal will be officially delivered to the legislature at the end of
May. The Georgian Parliament is likely to recognize the genocide because it
can use the issue as a political weapon against Russia, said journalist
Fatima Tlisova, one of the leaders of the Circassian lobby.

Additionally, the move may elevate Georgia’s standing in the region. `The
fact that the Circassians have decided to have close relations with the
Georgian Parliament opens up a new perspective for us," Tsiklauri said.
"Georgia can now become the regional centre which will influence the
processes developing in the North and South Caucasus,’

The appeal on the part of Circassians is not surprising and relies on many
similar precedents. `Such requests are numerous worldwide," said Mamuka
Areshidze, Director of the Caucasus Institute of Strategic Studies. "Armenia’s
activity has provoked responses and the Parliaments of France, Sweden and
America have adopted resolutions about the genocide of Armenians. Why is it
not possible to do the same for the Circassian people?"

Areshidze said that it will be salutary if Georgia stretches out a hand to
the Circassian people and attempts to discuss their tragedy at a high
political level. He also said that this will be unpleasant for Russia and
`no one in Moscow will be surprised.’

However he said that official Tbilisi must not be led by emotion when
discussing this issue. In 1992-1993 Circassian people fought against
Georgians with the Russians and the Abkhaz separatists. During the August
war in 2008 Circassians also held support actions in favour of Russia in
front of Georgian Embassies worldwide.

Areshidze said that the Circassians thought that by showing this support
they would persuade Russia to agree to recognise the genocide and not hold
the Olympics in Sochi. However, "they did not gain anything from these
rallies," the expert said.

Iad Iugar, head of the Circassian Cultural Institute of New York, said
during the conference that currently the aims of Circassian movement are to
form their own State, to obtain recognition of the genocide and prevent the
2014 Sochi Winter Olympics taking place. The participants of the conference
said that the Olympic Charter directly prohibits holding the Olympics in
places where large numbers of people have been killed and accordingly it is
unacceptable to hold the games in Sochi.

According to Areshidze those Circassians attending the conference in Tbilisi
favoured Abkhazia’s independence from Georgia. `I think the reason for this
is that we have not had any contact with the Circassian nation for a long
time and no steps have been made towards the North Caucasus peoples," he
said. "In this period Russia has been conducting an information war against
Georgia.’

Circassians’ support for Abkhazia notwithstanding, the de-facto independent
republic have not recognized the fact of genocide even though Abkhazians are
a kindred people of the Circassians.

Representatives of Circassian diasporas from different countries, except
Turkey, attended the conference. The Circassian diaspora in Turkey refrained
from attending the conference because it was afraid of spoiling relations
with Russia, said Glen Howard, President of the Jamestown Foundation and one
of its organisers.

By Dali Bzhalava
2010.03.29 11:46

Armenian authorities raise issue of Karabakh side’s participation in
negotiation process

2010-03-26 13:31:00

ArmInfo. "Armenia continues its initiative foreign policy, and I think
we shall reach success in this field", secretary of the Republican
party of Armenia, RPA spokesman Eduard Sharmazanov said at today’s
press-conference in Yerevan.

According to him, joining of Karabakh to Azerbaijan is inadmissible.
"Serzh Sargsyan offered Ilham Aliyev to sign a treaty on the non-use
of force, however, the latter did not agree. It proves once again that
the Azerbaijanis are not ready to solve the conflicts by the rules of
the 21st century", E. Sharmazanov emphasized. As for the possible
concessions on the Karabakh conflict, Sharmazanov said the mutual
concessions are out of question without solution of the NKR status
problem. "After Aliyev refused from the Armenian president’s proposal,
the stance of official Yerevan did not change: the Karabakh conflict
must be solved in a peaceful way", Sharmazanov said and added that no
other processes can be carried out unless Azerbaijan recognizes the
NKR independence.

Moreover, Sharmazanov said the Armenian authorities have already
raised the issue of Karabakh’s participation in the negotiation
process. "No one can determine the fortune of the Karabakh people
without them", he said and added that a decision will be made in this
issue to satisfy both the Karabakh people and the Armenians.

Official visit of Armenian president to Syria comes to end

YEREVAN, MARCH 26, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The three-day
official visit of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan to Syria finished
on March 24 with a trip to Deir es Zor where, in his words, "bereft of
home and property, bereft of children and parents, bereft of health
and the last hope, and finally bereft of the most important their
homeland, these people were doomed to lose the last thing they had –
their life in accordance with the state orchestrated and meticulously
developed plan of extermination".

The president attended the Honorary Consulate of the Republic of
Armenia, then he went to the Saint Martyrs Church in memory of the
victims of the Armenian Genocide where he delivered a speech, in which
he declared: "It is impossible to kill a nation that does not want to
die. We mean to live and to grow. It is no more possible to intimidate
or blackmail us since we have seen the most horrible".

According to the Public Television Company of Armenia, the president
returned from Damascus with a package of agreements on the development
of political, cultural and economic cooperation.

SPECIAL ATTITUDE TO BE DISPLAYED TOWARDS THE SOCIALLY VULNERABLE STRATA OF THE NKR

lang/en
2010-03-24

STEPANAKERT, MARCH 24, ARMENPRESS: President of the Artsakh Republic
Bako Sahakyan convoked a consultation today dedicated to the issues
of financial aid provided to socially vulnerable groups of citizens
in return for services.

Central Information Department of the Office of the NKR President told
Armenpress that Bako Sahakyan underlined the importance of special
treatment of socially vulnerable strata by the state considering it
a pivotal component of social justice.

The President gave concrete instructions to the Cabinet of Ministers
in connection with increasing financial aid provided to the socially
vulnerable groups in the nearest time period.

NKR premier Ara Haroutyunyan and other officials partook at the
consultation.

WORSHIP TO BE ALLOWED AT ARMENIAN CHURCH ONCE A YEAR IN VAN

Hurriyet
March 25 2010
Turkey

The Culture and Tourism Ministry will allow worship once a year at
a church in Van, according to a statement released Thursday.

The historical Surp Hac (Holy Cross) Church on Akdamar Island in
the eastern district of Van was renovated and opened as a museum
in 2007 by former Culture Minister Atilla Koc. Since then, debate
has centered on whether the church would once again be opened for
prayer. Buildings designated as museums are not allowed to host
religious services under Turkish law.

In an interview with the Hurriyet Daily News & Economic Review in
January, Culture Minister Ertugrul Gunay said the ministry was making
the final legal arrangements to allow the church to open for prayer
once a year.

Renovating the Armenian church helped begin the normalization
process between Turkey and Armenia, but the church remained a topic
of considerable debate especially around speculation surrounding
whether a cross would be set atop the church. The decision on the
cross is still pending.

HOW WILL ARMENIAN NATION SUFFER?

os17257.html
13:55:06 – 23/03/2010

Not the Turkish but the Armenian nation is punished as a result
of genocide resolutions being adopted in parliaments of different
countries. On March 23, said the Chair of Turkish Liberal-Democratic
party Jem Tocker.

He said he does not think the U.S. Congress will ratify the law
draft this year, because it will not promote the Armenian and Turkish
normalization. "For political figures like me, it is very difficult
to boost the process in Turkey, because such resolutions repress
us", says Jem Tocker. The Turkish parliamentarian recalled the close
border between Armenia and Turkey and its consequences for Armenia,
in response to the question how such resolutions punish Armenia.

As to his own opinion about the genocide, Jem Tocker said he would like
to be neutral in this issue. Though he says when visiting Armenia,
he paid a visit to Tsitsernakaberd, then he says he does not like
history as it is boring.

He noted that he had understood a thing during his visits to Armenia.

"Each family has its story about that violence but all have their
history with their Turkish neighbors who helped them too. I prefer
concentrating on positive aspects", says the head of the Turkish
Liberal-Democratic Party.

ARF TO CONDUCT A CONFERENCE ON COUNTRY’S SOCIAL-ECONOMIC SITUATION

95658/lang/en
2010-03-23
YEREVAN

"Socialisti c Approaches to Armenia’s Challenges, Global Prospects-Local
Realities" conference will be conducted in Yerevan March 25-26
organized by ARF.

Representative of the ARF Supreme Body Armen Rustamyan told today
at the meeting with the reporters that the participants will discuss
Armenia’s social-economic situations, assessment will be given to the
current economic situation, the concept on solution of the issues of
the spheres will be made complete, as well as functioning mechanisms
for their solutions will be forwarded. Rustamyan said the conference
will be quite extended.

Deputy chairman of the "Socintern" organization Maria Titizian
said that representatives of socialistic organizations of different
countries the USA, Sweden, Chile, Argentina, Russia, Iran, Greece
will participate in the event. They will present the experience of
their country and discuss the issues which will give an opportunity to
solve the challenges of our country. The conference will be conducted
in 8 sessions, including about 40 speeches.

WE NEED TO BE THE VOICE OF THE VOICELESS: ARMENIAN PRIEST

news.am
March 22 2010
Armenia

The article by Elizabeth Llorente in North Jersey.com website brings
opinions of U.S. Armenians on recent approval of Genocide Resolution
by the congressional committee.

"My grandmother always wore black because of the genocide. My father’s
sister found out the Turks were on their way to where she was and she
committed suicide. What do I think will happen next? Obama is saying
‘no’," the source quotes Agnes Kazanjian.

The Reverend Berj Gulleyan from Armenian Presbyterian Church in
Paramus says that nearly all of his parishioners "were touched,
in one way or another, by the mass killings."

"We need to be the voice of the voiceless," Gulleyan said, supporting
the Genocide recognition internationally. "If the United States can’t
be that, we’ve lost something very special that this country is known
and respected for."

The author mentions that Turks keep on insisting that no genocide was
perpetrated and killings "were casualties of a civil conflict as the
Ottoman Empire collapsed."

Llorente quotes Faruk Acar — former vice president of the Federation
of Turkish American Associations as saying, "The resolution is
ridiculous, it’s purely political. U.S. congressmen and senators make
decisions on their political future, they’re selfish. The Turkish
people are very proud of our history."

The author also quotes Senator Bob Menendez who claims that actions,
not the words are necessary to avoid "another Holocaust, another
Armenian genocide, another Rwanda or Darfur."