Author: Zakarian Garnik

ARMENIANS PROTEST TURKISH FILM

Peninsula On-line
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Feb 22 2009
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ISTANBUL: Armenian and other rights groups called for action yesterday
over Turkish school screenings of a controversial documentary on the
Ottoman mass killings of Armenians, charging that the film incited
racism and enmity.

The call follows an outcry in the small Armenian community following
reports earlier this week that the education ministry had asked school
teachers to show the documentary to students and file reports on
the result of the screenings. The documentary, called Blonde Bride –
The True Face of the Armenian Question, has come under fire for taking
Turkey’s official line that Armenians were not the victims of genocide
at the hands of Ottoman Turks in 1915-1917.

The film has also been criticised for violent images of Armenian
gangs attacking Turks and piles of corpses it says were of Turks
killed by Armenians. "This documentary is a propaganda film … It is
not only biased and hostile but also provocative and openly racist,"
said a declaration signed by seven rights organisations, among them
Armenian foundations and the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly.

"This is not an objective production … It has been made to poison
people’s souls and to turn Turks and Armenians into enemies," it
added. It called on the education ministry to launch an internal
investigation and "expose and punish" those behind the order for
school screenings.

COMMENTARY ON THOMAS DE VAAL’S REPORT "THE KARABAKH TRAP: THREATS AND DILEMMAS OF THE NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT"

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
2009-02-23 16:51
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic

In the middle of January Thomas de Vaal’s report "The Karabakh Trap:
Threats and Dilemmas of the Nagorno Karabakh Conflict" was published
in a number of Azerbaijani internet resources. (as it was mentioned
in the foreword to the report, it is the rough draft for discussion).

The report covers the force majéur scenarios of the development of the
Azerbaijani-Karabakhi conflict and gives a number of recommendations
both to the Armenian and Azerbaijani parties, as well as to the
mediators. According to the author himself, his work aimed at
persuading the parties that "neither of them can completely "win"
in the NK conflict".

In a wider context, the author’s aim was to convince all the actors,
involved in the Azerbaijani-Karabakhi conflict settlement process,
of the necessity to change the present status-quo. The author’s task
was complicated by the fact that the current state of affairs, to
this or that extent, suits both the parties directly involved in the
conflict and the main centers of power. This circumstance influenced
the arguments and theses brought by the author, which in most cases
were of declarative character, were not corroborated with real facts
and very=2 0 often contradicted one other.

The author had chosen the "scare tactics" as a means of persuading
the Armenian party. In particular, in the part "The situation in
the region: the Armenian party" the author tried to describe the
development prospects of Armenia in the darkest colors by using
the following formulations: "Isolation of Armenia", "Armenia’s
vulnerability within its closed borders", "global economic crisis
presents a real threat for Armenia", "Russia stops subsidizing the
gas exported to Armenia", "ten-year development "boom" comes to an
end", etc.

Meanwhile the situation in Azerbaijan is described in a rather
different way: "Azerbaijan is changing due to its rich oil reserves"
, "the international reputation of the country is today much more
influential", "today Azerbaijan has 50 embassies abroad", "a grandiose
military parade took place in Baku", "Azerbaijan demonstrates its
newly-acquired military might to the world". The author compared the
military potential of Azerbaijan and Armenia in the analogous manner.

Speaking about Azerbaijan the author has used such assertions as:
"in 2008 the military budget of Azerbaijan exceeds the military
budget of Armenia three times", "Azerbaijan buys a great number
of new equipment", "American and Turkish=2 0instructors train the
personnel", etc.

Whereas Armenia was favored with only one positive evaluation –
"deeper martial traditions exist in the Armenian Armed Forces, and they
continue playing a leading role in the Armenian society". However,
it was immediately leveled with the statement that "this, in its
turn, brings to the corruption and distortions in the economy". The
assessment of the military might of a state is one of the actual tasks
of military-scientific researches. The methodology of the solution
of this task is not simple, as it deals with heterogeneous indices,
characterizing various resources.

In the technical sense the correlation of the potentials of the two
republics was reduced to the comparison of the air park of the air
forces and the reactive systems of volley fire of high caliber, as a
result of which the author came to the conclusion that "the technical
basis of the Armenian air forces is much more modest".

In the meantime the military might of any country involves several
potentials: economic, scientific, military, moral-psychological
and social.

The author superficially touched only two of the above-mentioned
potentials.

Whereas it’s hardly possible to get an objective assessment of the
military might of Armenia and Azerbaijan, without analyzing the whole
complex of the mentioned aspects.

With this comparison the author also tries to lead the key=2 0players
to the idea that it is impossible to keep the status-quo in the future,
as "the defeated party feels itself surer and surer and impatiently
craves for changing it (the status) in its favor".

Meanwhile, fearing that the analysis of the situation, suggested
in this report, may somehow play into the hands of the revanchist
forces in Azerbaijan, the author of the report warns against hasty
conclusions: "To conclude with I would like to say that there is not
any real military solution of the conflict for Azerbaijan and that
the military aggression may lead to a catastrophe for the country".

Three possible scenarios of war have also been covered in the
report. From the military viewpoint, the given modeling may hardly
present any interest, as it is of superficial character and contains
general phrases.

On the whole, Thomas de Vaal, justifying his surname, under the cover
of an expert-peacemaker practically calls Azerbaijan to unleash a new
big war in the South Caucasus. Meanwhile, it seems to him that he and
his like will not be responsible for anything. But he is mistaken…

The Analytical Service of the NKR MFA

ANCA PLACES TURKEY IN ‘GENOCIDE AXIS’ WITH SUDAN

Today’s Zaman
Feb 23 2009
Turkey

An influential Armenian-American group has stepped up its campaign
for recognition of claims that 1.5 million Armenians were subjected
to genocide at the hands of the Ottoman Empire in the early 20th
century, telling US congressmen that Turkey is part of an emerging
"axis of genocide" with Sudan.

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) said in a statement
that it had alerted members of Congress last week that "Ankara
is playing an increasingly dangerous role in blocking decisive
international action to end the genocide in Darfur," claiming that
Ankara has been selling lethal weaponry to Sudan, providing diplomatic
support for the Sudanese government in the face of international
criticism over its Darfur policy and using its UN Security Council
membership "to block anti-genocide efforts."

Human rights groups criticize Turkey for its close ties with Sudan,
whose leader, Omar al-Bashir, has been indicted at the International
Criminal Court on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity
in Darfur. Turkish leaders have avoided accusing Sudan of genocide,
calling instead for an end to Darfur’s "humanitarian tragedy."

The American-Armenian lobby groups, of which ANCA is one of the
strongest, have been pressuring the US Congress to pass a resolution
recognizing their claims that World War I-era events in Anatolia
constituted genocide. The pressure on the US administration is also
high, as April 24, when Armenians say the genocide campaign started
in 1915, is approaching.

American presidents issue messages on this day every year, but no
president has ever used the word genocide in his message. Turks
cheered election of Barack Obama as US president, but Ankara is wary
that relations could receive a serious blow if he goes ahead with
his election campaign promises and supports claims that up to 1.5
million Armenians were victims of a systematic genocide campaign in
the Ottoman Empire.

The "genocide axis" claims spread by ANCA are likely to upset Ankara,
but the Turkish government may find a recent speech by a pro-Armenian
congressman even more appalling. Republican Rep. Frank Pallone Jr.,
co-chairman of the Armenian Caucus, said in a Feb. 13 speech on the
House floor that Turkey was guilty of "hypocrisy" as it levels human
rights charges against Israel for its Gaza operation in January while
it continues to deny the "Armenian genocide." Rep. Pallone (D-NJ)
sharply criticized Turkey’s hypocrisy in leveling human rights charges
against Israel even as it continues to deny the Armenian genocide
and strengthen its ties to the genocidal Sudanese regime, ANCA
reported. "For a nation that for 94 years has practiced wide-spread
genocide denial of the killing of one-and-a-half million Armenians,
hypocrisy runs deep today in Ankara," Pallone said, according to
a statement from ANCA. "The Turkish people need to step back and
question their skewed understanding of genocide. Look in the mirror,
look at your own history, come to terms with the fact that 1.5 million
Armenians died and when contemporary genocides, like Darfur, take
place it must be denounced."

Anadolu Agency, Turkey
Feb 21 2009

Turkish envoy says Armenian issue could harm ties with USA

New York, Turkish Ambassador in Washington Nabi Sensoy said relations
between Turkey and the United States would further improve under the
new administration of President Barack Obama.

"I believe our relations will see much better days with the new
administration. Unless, of course, wrong steps were not taken on a
couple of issues," Sensoy told a meeting in New York.

Sensoy said Armenian issue was highly sensitive one which risked
serious damage to the relations between the two countries.

"I hope that responsible figures of the new US administration would
understand the importance of Turkey, and the importance of this issue
which could harm Turkish-US relations," he said.

MATTHEW BRYZA: "ALL MINSK GROUP MEMBER-STATES RECOGNIZE THE TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF AZERBAIJAN"

Today.Az
s/politics/50725.html
Feb 17 2009
Azerbaijan

"There are three basic principles around the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
that must be balanced to satisfy both parties", said US co-chair of
OSCE Minsk group Matthew Bryza in his interview to Capital newspaper.

"I have noticed that in both Armenia and Azerbaijan journalists often
prefer to quote on the extracts of my statements that reflect their
positions. To reach fair and stable resolution the sides must make
mutual concessions, reflecting the backing points.

The United States, Russia, France and all Minsk Group member-states
recognize the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, which is
an important principle for this country. Yet the principle of
self-determination is most important for Armenia.

For bilateral coordination any variant of solution must take into
account the principles of territorial integrity and self-determination
as well as non-appliance of force.

These three principles are included into the main regulations of
the Helsinki final act The main goal of the Minsk group is balancing
these principles, appropriate for both parties", said US co-chair of
the OSCE Minsk group.

Notably the principle of non-application of force was fixed in the
Moscow declaration.

The Capital journalist asked Matthew Bryza, whether it was true that
"Azerbaijan’s bellicose statements" are aimed just for internal
consumption.

"The conflict has no military solution. The principle of
non-application of force must be fixed in any peaceful declaration
in case you want it to be balanced, fair and dutable. Most officials
often make contraversial statements".

Bryza listed Ilham Aliyev’s words: "We consider that the potential
of the negotiation process has not exhausted yet and the adherence
to the negotiation process is that main argument which confirms our
constructive position".

He also announced that during the upcoming visit to the region the
co-chairs must discuss the request of the presidents which they voiced
in Zurich – to help them develop formulations to remove differences
between the sides regarding basic principles.

Hurriyet / Turkish Daily News
Feb 13 2009

LAWMAKERS’ REPORT TURKEY MUST ADDRESS JEWISH CONCERNS AFTER DAVOS

The U.S.-Jewish lobby may back Armenian efforts to have the 1915
killings recognized as genocide as a result of the public
confrontation between the Turkish prime minister and Israeli president
in Davos, lawmakers have warned the government in a report.

"Turkey must eliminate the Jewish community’s concerns at once," said
the report, obtained by the Hurriyet Daily News & Economic Review.

The Ruling Justice and Development Party’s, or AKPs, Cuneyt Yuksel and
Suat Kynyklyoethlu, and the Nationalist Movement Party’s, or MHP,
Mithat Melen, were in the United States between Jan. 29 and Feb. 6 to
lobby against any genocide resolutions. Following their talks with
U.S. officials, as well as a roundtable meeting with representatives
from 10 Jewish organizations, the AKP deputies drafted a report
emphasizing the "Jewish lobby-Armenian alliance" and submitted it to
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoethan.

The report included a host of other topics relating to Turkey, ranging
from Turkish-Armenian relations to the Israeli offensive in Gaza and
the Davos summit, as well as Turkey’s bid to join the European Union,
and further reaching topics such as terrorism and international
security.

[HH] U.S. Jewish lobby concerned after Davos

The deputies warned that the heated panel debate with Israeli
President Shimon Peres in Davos, which ended when Erdoethan walked off
stage after being interrupted by the moderator, drew the Jewish lobby
in the United States closer to Armenian lobby groups.

At the meeting in Washington, Jewish organizations raised concerns
over rising anti-Semitism in Turkey, the damage to Turkey’s mediator
role in the region and the situation of Turkish Jews connected to the
strong condemnation by Turkish leaders of the Israeli operation in
Gaza. In defense, the Turkish lawmakers clearly expressed that
anti-Semitism was a crime against humanity and that the Jewish
citizens were under state protection just like each and every citizen
of Turkey, read the report.

The deputies highlighted a campaign prepared to be launched by four
congressmen in the U.S. House of Representative in support of the
Armenian thesis and warned, "Armenians believe an opportunity to pass
the draft resolution has emerged after Davos."

[HH] Lobby in Washington, report urges deputies

The report called for lobbying activities and encouraged deputies to
visit Washington more frequently.

Referring to the new process in Turkish-Armenian ties, the report said
a solid stage reached after efforts for normalization of ties with
Yerevan would be the most important advantage for Turkey, urging the
government to make public its will to improve neighborly relations.

"It must clearly be expressed that the passage of the genocide
resolution will be an untimely act not only for Turkey but also in
terms of positive developments in Turkish-Armenian ties," it read. The
report also suggested that the government meet with American Jewish
organizations to demonstrate it takes their concerns into account.

The deputies also drew attention to the beginning of a new process in
Turkish-U.S. relations with new President Barack Obama taking office
in Washington, stressing Obama’s vision, especially toward the Middle
East, overlapped with Turkish interests.

The deputies also noted they had invited Obama to a meeting of the
Alliance of Civilizations set for Istanbul on April 6-7.

Pallone challenges Turkey’s genocide hypocrisy

armradio.am
14.02.2009 12:33

Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) sharply criticized Turkey’s hypocrisy in
leveling human rights charges against Israel even as it continues to
deny the Armenian Genocide and strengthen its ties to the genocidal
Sudanese regime, reported the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA).

In a speech on the House floor, the Armenian Caucus Co-Chairman, called
the attention of his colleagues to increasingly strident Turkish
attacks on Israel, including menacing, even threatening, remarks by
Prime Minister Erdogan, as well as a recent Washington Post report that
a Turkey-based non-governmental organization has initiated a probe to
investigate if war crimes and genocide were committed by Israel during
the recent Gaza Conflict. Commenting on these developments, he noted
that, "For a nation that for 94 years has practiced wide-spread
genocide denial of the killing of one and half million Armenians,
hypocrisy runs deep today in Ankara."

The New Jersey legislator stressed that, "the Turkish people need to
step back and question their skewed understanding of genocide. Look in
the mirror, look at your own history, come to terms with the fact that
1.5 million Armenians died and when contemporary genocides, like
Darfur, take place it must be denounced." He added that Turkey, rather
than denouncing the Darfur Genocide, has actually strengthened its ties
to Khartoum: "Last year, Turkish President Abdullah Gul warmly welcomed
Sudanese President Omar al- Bashir to Ankara. Yet, Al-Bashir continues
to preside over a genocidal regime responsible for the deaths of
300,000 Sudanese people in the Darfur region of the country."

ARMENIANS CELEBRATE TIARN’DARAJ TODAY
[07:50 pm] 13 February, 2009

On February 14, the Armenian Church celebrates the Feast of the Lord’s
Presentation to the Temple. Tiarn’daraj, or Candlemas as it is known
in the West, symbolizes the presentation of the 40 day-old Christ
Child to the Temple in Jerusalem.

In accordance with the Law of Moses, the infant Christ was brought to
the Temple by Mary and Joseph and presented to God.

In the tradition of the Church, Evening Services (Nakhatonak) are
conducted on the night preceding the Feast Day. At the conclusion of
the service, the priest lights a candle from the Holy Altar, and
distributes the flame to all present. With great care, the faithful
take the lit candles home to their families.

The morning of the Feast Day, Divine Liturgy is celebrated in Armenian
Churches throughout the world. Many additional customs have been
inherited from the past, including the blessing of the four corners of
the world in the Andastan Service, the blessing of newlywed couples,
as well as offering prayers for the crops and fertility of the fields.

Date: Fri, 13 Feb 2009 14:34:20 -0800 (PST)
Subject: BAKU: Yevda Abramov: "Armenians Aim To Make Jewish Lobby Not To Support Turkey And Azerbaijan Anymore"

YEVDA ABRAMOV: "ARMENIANS AIM TO MAKE JEWISH LOBBY NOT TO SUPPORT TURKEY AND AZERBAIJAN ANYMORE"

Today.Az
olitics/50642.html
Feb 13 2009
Azerbaijan

Day.Az interview with Milli Medjlis deputy of Azerbaijan Yevda Abramov.

– Have you read the next "hoax" of the Armenian propaganda?

– Yes, I have visited these websites and familiarized with the nonsense
that Armenians have again published. I investigated the situation
at once and it turned out that on the night of February 10 there
was not a single person with knife wounds brought to the Sumgayit
hospitals. My assistant lives in Sumgayit but neither he nor his
relatives have heard anything about the alleged Jewish pogroms. We
contacted Jewish families, residing in Sumgayit, as well as Jews,
who have relatives in this city, but they all refuted this nonsense.

– Why did Armenians decide to release this disinformation? And why now?

– After Davos, when leaders of the countries friendly to Azerbaijan
and Israel, voiced emotional statements favorable conditions emerged
for the Armenian propaganda to publish another "hoax". I think after
the recent events in the Near East, a number of countries friendly to
Azerbaijan started to assess the situation lopsided. One party of the
conflict was set up for an aggressor and another as a victim. Armenians
decided to make use of it and wrote about the alleged murders in
Sumgayit on their websites.

– By the way, why was Sumgayit chosen for as far as we know there
are not so many Jews in this city?

– Armenians managed to make others associate Sumgayit with the place
of ethnic conflicts. Ordinary people in different countries think like
that: if several years ago there were atrocities committed in this
city, but most still do not know that these atrocities were committed
by Armenians, perhaps, they could have repeated again. Armenians have
staked on this factor skillfully and it should be admitted that to
some extend they have attained their goals. Bakuvians, residing in
Israel and other countries started to worry and call to Baku, asking
about the events, ongoing here.

– Probably Armenians pursued not only the goal of making the society
worry, they usually have far-seeing plans. What do you think was
their target this time?

– Armenians aim to make the world Jewish lobby not to support Turkey
and Azerbaijan. We have information that after "Davos" Armenians were
openly celebrating the speech of the Turkish leadership. Armenians
hope that when they raise the issue about "Armenian genocide" once
again, the World Jews will not support Turkey.

Azerbaijan is among the most tolerant countries in the world. People
here are very friendly to Jews like other nationalities. I am confident
that there will never be differences with Jews on the Azerbaijani land.

EX-ENVOY WARNS ARMENIAN ISSUE COULD BE "DEFINING" IN TURKEY-US TIES

Hurriyet
Feb 12 2009
Turkey

ISTANBUL – The Armenian lobby in Washington is fully mobilized and
highly motivated to re-launch its attempts to have recognized the
Armenian claims regarding the 1915 incidents, but that does not mean
their allegations would be recognized by the White House, a former
ambassador of the U.S. to Ankara said.

"The bad news is that the Armenian lobby is fully mobilized, highly
motivated and in possession of unprecedentedly clear and unqualified
commitments from leading members of the new Administration that the
events of 1915 will be termed ‘genocide’," Mark Parris, retired
U.S. Ambassador to Ankara said late on Wednesday at a dinner in
Istanbul hosted by Turkey’s International Investors Association.

U.S. President Barack Obama, Vice-President Joe Biden and Secretary
of State Hillary Clinton had pledged, once in office, to recognize
the Armenian claims regarding the 1915 incidents during the election
campaign.

The move helped them to garner the support of the Armenian lobby that
is expected to push for another legislation in Congress to have their
claims recognized.

Parris, who is currently a consultant to the Washington-based
Brookings Institute, said he does not think it necessarily means
either a resolution or a statement by the White House will be realized.

"It is not a pretty picture from where we sit tonight… At the end
of the day someone in Washington will calculate where the American
interest lies and make the case. I think there are strong and
potentially compelling arguments that can be made that this is not
the time and there never be a proper time to approach this issue in
this way," he added.

Armenia, with the backing of the diaspora, claims up to 1.5 million
of their kin were slaughtered in orchestrated killings in 1915.Turkey
rejects the claims saying that 300,000 Armenians, along with at least
as many Turks, died in civil strife that emerged when Armenians took
up arms, backed by Russia, for independence in eastern Anatolia.

The issue remains unsolved as Armenia drags its feet on accepting
Turkey’s proposal to form an independent commission to investigate
the claims.

DAVOS LIKELY TO IMPACT JEWISH LOBBY

Parris said for Washington the progress in normalizing relations
between Turkey and Armenian is important.

"I understand from today’s Hurriyet headlines there is something
tangible and imminent if that promises are realized that could change
the course of the discussions in Washington and we can talk about
other issues I mentioned today," he added.

Hurriyet daily reported on Wednesday that Armenia and Azerbaijan
reached a partial agreement towards the solution of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Turkey closed its borders with Armenia
over its invasion 20 percent of the Azerbaijani territory.

Parris confirmed the recent concerns in Turkey that Prime Minister
Tayyip Erdogan’s outburst in Davos in late January could negatively
effect Turkish-Jewish lobby relations.

"I think that there is some likelihood that there will be an impact on
enthusiasm on which to address a potential action having to do with
the genocide… If you had read their statements you will see that
they had stressed the strategic importance of Turkey. But it would
be inaccurate for me to suggest that there will not be effected by
some of the things said and happened here. And there might be some
consequences from that," he added.

TURKEY’S GAZA RESPONSE HIGHLIGHTS DILEMMA

Parris said Turkey’s reaction against the Israeli operations in Gaza,
which left more than 1,300 people dead, highlighted "the dilemma that
some in the U.S. see in Turkey’s more assertive regional diplomacy".

On the one hand Turkey appears behind the scenes to have been an
active, creative and constructive contributor to negotiations leading
to a ceasefire, he added.

"One the other hand, some of the rhetoric here has, I fear, undermined
Ankara’s hard-earned reputation for even-handedness. That has to be
considered a loss as the Obama administration considers how -and with
whom- to begin the process of re-engagement in pursuit of a lasting
peace between Israel and its neighbors," he said.

Parris said the issue that tops the agenda of the new Obama
administration is the economy, but that he is confident it will meet
the challenge to ensure that Turkey receives the timely, senior-level
attention it merits as a country that "can help or the hurt the new
administration’s efforts abroad".

The Obama administration comes into office with recent and clear
reminders that Turkey is awfully useful if Washington wants to get
help to Georgia or to support or withdraw forces from Iraq or to
develop alternative supply routes for Afghanistan.

PARTNERSHIP IN ENERGY

Among all the challenges awaiting Turkey-U.S. relations, partnership in
energy is a more encouraging subject after "a tragic lost opportunity
in the last eight years", according to Parris.

"The hour is late. But Russia’s test of wills with Ukraine last winter
could be impetus for a renewed commitment by the U.S., Turkey and
Europe to overcome the petty and self-interested squabbling that has
frustrated rapid movement on the Nabucco and other projects essential
to the long-term energy security of the West. And that could return
partnership on energy issues to a prominent place on the U.S.-Turkish
bilateral agenda," he added.

The new administration will find that Turkey-Russia relations are not
the same as they were eight years ago and the countries’ positions
on various issues such as Iran, Iraq, Palestine and the Black Sea
security have converged, and bilateral trade relations have mushroomed.

"I’m not among those who believe Moscow will ever provide an
alternative to strategic partnership with Washington or the West
generally. But as the Obama administration re-engages on issues like
energy security or the security and independence of former Soviet
territories like Georgia or the Ukraine, it will find, I suspect,
that it cannot count on Ankara’s simply following the U.S. lead,
as might have been the case in the past," he said.