Author: Zakarian Garnik

CLINTON: WHITE HOUSE OPPOSES ARMENIAN GENOCIDE LABEL

The Daily Star (Lebanon)
March 30, 2010 Tuesday

ISTANBUL: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has assured Turkey
that the White House opposes a congressional resolution labeling the
World War I massacres of Armenians in Turkey as genocide, the Turkish
Foreign Ministry said on Monday.The ministry issued the statement
after a phone call between Clinton and Foreign Minister

ISTANBUL: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has assured Turkey
that the White House opposes a congressional resolution labeling the
World War I massacres of Armenians in Turkey as genocide, the Turkish
Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

The ministry issued the statement after a phone call between Clinton
and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu Sunday.

The US is keen to smooth over ties with Turkey, NATO’s only Muslim
member, and a key ally in trouble spots from Afghanistan to the
Middle East.

Turkey recalled its ambassador in Washington after a US House of
Representatives committee approved a non-binding resolution on March
4 calling on President Barack Obama to refer to the killings of as
many as 1.5 million Armenians almost a century ago as genocide.

The full House of Representatives is due to consider the resolution,
although it was unclear whether it would go to a vote or had enough
support to pass.

"Secretary Clinton emphasized that the US administration opposes both
the decision accepted by the committee and the decision reaching the
general assembly," the statement said.

Turkey wants to be sure that Obama will not use the term genocide in
an address scheduled for April 24, and has halted high-profile visits
by officials.

Davutoglu told Clinton the congressional committee’s resolution
had negatively affected efforts to improved stability in the South
Caucasus.

While Turkey and Armenia are trying to normalize relations and open
their shared border, progress is complicated by hostility between
Armenia and Turkey’s fellow-Muslim ally, Azerbaijan.

Clinton said US officials hoped Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan will
attend a summit in Washington next month on nuclear disarmament,
the Foreign Ministry statement said.

Davutoglu said Erdogan would decide in the next few days whether to
attend the meeting on April 13 and 14. More than 40 world leaders
are expected at the summit.

Turkey has offered to use its close ties with Iran in Tehran’s dispute
with the West over its nuclear program, but has indicated it may not
support a fourth round of UN sanctions being prepared by the United
States and other Western powers.

More than 20 nations recognize the killings of Armenians by Ottoman
Turks nearly a century ago as genocide. Turkey argues both Turks and
Armenians were killed during the chaos of war and the break-up of
the Ottoman Empire.

YEREVAN EXPECTS ANSWER FROM ANKARA OR IT WILL CANCEL PROTOCOLS

Hurriyet
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.c om/n.php?n=yerevan-expects-answer-from-ankara-or-i t-will-cancel-protocols-2010-03-29
March 29 2010
Turkey

Via an invitation by the Kultur Universitesi Siyasi Egilimler Merkezi I
went to Armenia last week end. There were journalists, academics and
experts among us. I joined a conference sponsored by a partnership
of the American Ambassy, or USAID, and the Eurasia Foundation, or EPF.

With important experts of Armenia, NGOs and representatives of
opposition and administration parties we talked about protocols for
two days.

At a limited dinner at the American Ambassador’s house we met with
Deputy Secretary of State Arman Kirakosyan who from the start was
present during preparations of the protocols, the vice president of
the assembly and officials of the general staff.

The most striking thing was a briefing given by Vigen Sargisyan
who we would call deputy general secretary to the president. An
extremely brilliant and outspoken person who represents Armenia’s
future generation and knows what he wants. He told us everything from
his point of view.

These chats were mainly conducted according to Chatham House Rules,
which means, only views will be reflected but no names given. The
series you’ll read starting today will reflect the atmosphere in
Yerevan. It will show latest developments, why and how they interpret
things the way they do and the course of our relationship.

You might ask why I gave priority to the Armenian protocols when
Constitutional issues have occupied the agenda in Turkey.

The reason is simple.

I give much importance to these protocols.

I think there is no other smart way out of this genocide dead end
for the two countries.

Especially with April 24 approaching we don’t know what the US Congress
and President Obama will do in the genocide issue. And besides I think
Turkish American relations in the short and long run and genocide
issues threatening Turkey’s image in the international public and
the future of these protocols are far more vital than some infertile
internal issues.

The process which ended with the signing of the protocols first started
in Vienna in 1999 and continued in Geneva with the arbitration of the
Swiss. Since then all Turkish and Armenian governments have contributed
to the finalization of the protocols. But the AKP took the final
step and for the first time in 100 years political authorities of
these two countries were brave, took on risk and signed the protocol
that includes great solutions to unwind the genocide knot in this
relationship.

Genocide will be frozen, relations developed

The genocide issue will literally be frozen and put on a shelf.

Meaning Armenians will continue with their attitude in the genocide
issue and Turks will continue denying the genocide.

Now that’s where the beauty of the formula steps in: while the argument
over genocide continues, the relationship will develop.

Meaning diplomatic relations were to be established, borders opened,
trade developed and in a later stage examinations made and a solution
found in the genocide issue.

But it didn’t work out.

Hell broke lose in Baku. The Azerbaijani showed reactions never seen
before. Ankara was stunned about these reactions.

When Prime Minister Erdogan all of a sudden went to Baku and made
the process come to a halt by explaining, under Aliyev’s threatening
looks, that the protocols can only be approved when the Karabag
issue progresses, which means a retrieval from at least 1 or 2 of the
occupied 7 regions of the Armenian army. This means that Turkey linked
the realization of the protocols to positive development in Armenian
and Azerbaijani relations. According to one perspective he somewhat
recognized a veto right for Azerbaijan in Turkish Armenian relations.

This development caused for some uproar in Armenia.

According to Armenians there was no Karabag condition. Turkey changed
the rules of the game after the game already started by taking sides
with Azerbaijan ignoring its own signature.

He very much outraged President Sarkisyan. For, the president put
his political life on stake by showing a more flexible attitude than
former presidents (when he accepted the establishment of a Historian
Commission, as Turkey had proposed) regarding the so vital genocide
issue for Armenians. He was announced a traitor when he signed the
protocols. Now trying to bring in the Armenians who they perceive as
their archenemies, meant a breach of the treaty.

But the Turkish part kept saying that the Armenians implicitly knew
that the Karabag issue was always argued about even if it was not
stated in a written form.

As you see, either someone lies to us or someone spoils the game.

But who?

To find out I first spoke to those of the Ministry for Foreign
Affairs in Turkey, then I came to Yerevan and finally I will go to
the Azerbaijanis.

I will try and find the one who spoiled the game.

"Turkey deceived us. Protocols were cancelled…"

Questions I have encountered in this country of 3 million people as
I set foot in Yerevan I can summarize as follows:

– When will you approve the protocols?

– Why didn’t you keep your promise, why did you deceive us?

You may try and explain as much as you want; there is no way they’ll
believe you. From the outside it really seems as if Turkey has taken
a step backwards and has played tricks after signing the protocols.

The Armenian government sent those protocols to Parliament and said,
"Turkey deceived us. You sign them first and we will sign after you."

Now they are hesitating. They say this will not take long. Especially
Erdogan’s mention about a possible deportation of illegal Armenian
workers went off like a bomb. Genocide and deportation revived their
memories.

An upper level Armenian official warned, "Your prime minister’s
attitude is very clear. He is determined in the Karabag issue. It
seems we will have to wait for a referendum and general elections
thereafter." He continued his words with, "We can’t wait that long. In
a political sense we can’t afford to do so. And besides, this waiting
period would stiffen the Azerbaijanis in the Karabag negotiations."

Obama interfered, Sarkisyan will negotiate in Washington

So what will happen now?

Yerevan expects a written explanation from Turkey.

Will he apply these protocols without any prerequisite or insist on
the Karabag condition?

President Sarkisyan will, upon an invitation by Washington, meet
with President Obama mid April. He will join the Nucleer Summit which
Erdogan declined in order to protest President Obama. This meeting will
influence the protocols as well as Obama’s announcement on April 24.

An official from the Armenian parliament said, "After this meeting we
will decide what to do. We can’t have the protocols wait in parliament
for too long. Either Turkey will take a step (approval in parliament
or an announcement) or we’ll ask for cancellation of the protocols."

Then an upper level official from the general staff said, "If Turkey
announces that it puts the protocols on hold for reasons based on
internal problems, we’d comply with that. Then we’d not cancel but
also put them on hold. We are ready to take action whenever Turkey
is ready."

As you see, the situation is quite critical.

Tomorrow I will tell you about how Turkey’s changing image and our
prime minister’s brisk reactions are perceived here. People here say
"Can’t live with him, can’t live without him."

RA NA VICE SPEAKER AREVIK PETROSYAN RECEIVES THE ARMENIAN MEMBER OF THE SWEDISH PARLIAMENT ESABELLE DINGIZIAN

National Assembly of RA
March 30 2010
Armenia

On March 29 RA National Assembly Speaker Arevik Petrosyan received
the Armenian deputy of the Swedish Parliament Esabelle Dingizian.

Welcoming the guest Mrs. Petrosyan expressed her satisfaction and
gratitude in connection with the adoption and condemnation of the
resolution of the Armenian Genocide, perpetrated by the Ottoman Turkey
in 1915 in the Swedish Parliament, first of all, assessing it as a big
step aimed at condemning the crimes in the world and excluding them.

RA NA Vice Speaker touched upon the Armenian-Swedish bilateral and
multi-lateral relations, emphasized the necessity of the development
of the inter-parliamentary relations.

Mrs. Dingizian expressed her gratitude for the warm reception. She also
highlighted the Armenian-Swedish relations and ensured that within her
possibilities she would take necessary steps to form Armenian-Swedish
Parliamentary Friendship Group in the Swedish Parliament and develop
inter-parliamentary relations.

At the guest’s request Mrs. Petrosyan presented the structure, the
activities, the procedure of the legislative reforms, the state of
the involvement of the political forces of the National Assembly of
the Republic of Armenia, the expanded powers of the National Assembly,
the issues of the legislative regulation of the gender issues and the
developments. Mrs. Petrosyan noted that it was envisaged to form a
consultative body on gender issues adjunct to RA National Assembly
Speaker, which would study the gender issues coordinated and in a
comprehensive way, discuss the initiatives of the parliamentarians
representing different political forces, the gender examination of
the legislation, the analysis, etc.

Mrs. Dingizian in her turn presented the existing solutions and
mechanisms in the Swedish Parliament on gender issues.

During the meeting the sides noted that the gender issues are
emphasized in the whole world, every country in this sphere has
special problems and necessity of solving them in a special way. They
highlighted the active cooperation of the parliaments in the sphere
of equal opportunities policy.

The sides expressed hope that after the establishment of the Council
on Gender Issues in RA National Assembly the cooperation of similar
structures of the parliaments of two countries would be active and
practical.

Calgary Herald, Canada
March 28 2010

Armenians: the true story

By Eduardo Kalaydjian, Calgary Herald March 28, 2010 Re: "It was
chaos, but not genocide," Letter, March 23.

The Armenian genocide is recognized by numerous historians and
academics, such as the International Association of Genocide Scholars.
Deniers depend on a handful of historians funded by the Turkish
government and their interest groups. Historians in Turkey deny the
genocide for fear of being imprisoned for breaking Turkish law 301
(Insulting Turkishness).

Taner Akcam, a Turkish historian, left Turkey in fear of his life for
claiming there was a genocide. Deniers state the Armenians had to be
deported because they posed a threat. However, most deported Armenians
were infants, children, women and old men.

It is hard to fathom that the Ottoman Empire’s army would feel
threatened by these people. What country forces its weakest citizens
to march for hundreds of miles into the desert without food or water
unless there is an intent to exterminate them?

Armenian orphans placed in Ottoman orphanages were converted to Islam,
prevented from speaking Armenian and given Turkish names. Most
Armenians today are unable to provide you with a family tree beyond
the genocide of 1915.

The Armenian-Turkish Protocols and Armenian rapprochement will not be
harmed by the acceptance of the genocide. Acceptance will bring both
countries closer and allow them to move forward. Most Armenians want
acknowledgment of the genocide to come from the Turkish government,
for that is who is trying to rewrite history and hide behind denial.

Eduardo Kalaydjian, Calgary
Director of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Calgary

ns+true+story/2735772/story.html

REVITALIZATION OF SHUSHI

11:12:37 – 25/03/2010
hos17285.html

With its recently initiated reconstruction of the Garegin Nzhdeh and
Alec Manoogian streets, Shushi’s two main thoroughfares, the Hayastan
All-Armenian Fund has begun to restore the city’s economic and social
infrastructures. The street-revitalization project is being realized
through contributions made by the Russian-Armenian community during
Telethon 2009.

Following the construction of sewage, water-delivery, and drainage
systems, the streets and sidewalks (about 950 meters) will be paved
and furbish, and light posts will be installed throughout. The project
will be completed with the installation of 1.5-meter-wide lawns
separating the streets from the sidewalks.

Foreign ministers of Armenia and Russia discuss Karabakh conflict
settlement process

2010-03-26 11:51:00

ArmInfo. Meeting of the Armenian and Russian Foreign Ministers, Edward
Nalbandyan and Sergey Lavrov was held in Moscow on March 25.

As Armenian Foreign Ministry press service reports, the parties
discussed a number of issues of bilateral relations, as well as
regional and international problems. E. Nalbandyan and S. Lavrov
discussed in details the process of settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict running on the basis of Madrid proposals. The parties
emphasized lack of options of peaceful solution of the problem.

Aysor, Armenia
March 26 2010

SCR and Georgian Railways deal

Director General of the South Caucasus Railways Shevket Shaidullyn met
with Director of the Georgian Railways Irakli Ezugbaya on March 22-23
in Tbilisi, a spokesperson for the South Caucasus Railways said.

Businessmen discussed issues related to trucking and passenger
industries, information and communication technologies, and agreed to
establish a working group for marketing research and activities, aimed
at growth of trade flows between Armenia and Georgia.

Item of Yerevan-Batumi and Batumi-Yerevan destinations was meeting’s
key agenda as holiday summer season travel is starting soon. Parties
agreed that 80% of the tickets will be sold by the South Caucasus
Railways.

Shevket Shaidullyn and Irakli Ezugbaya also paid a great attention to
the issue of Yerevan-Tbilisi route’s travel time.

WHO LOSES, WHO WINS OVER ARMENIAN ALLEGATIONS?

Hurriyet
March 24 2010
Turkey

According to the Armenian press, the UK, Spain, Ukraine and Bulgaria
will follow the Swedish parliament’s approval of a ‘genocide’
resolution as a result of a worldwide campaign. Both Turkish and
Foreign diplomats deny the reports. ‘Such made-up reports are promoted
on purpose ahead of April 24,’ says a high-ranking Turkish diplomat
The normalization protocols signed last October encouraged many to
hope it was time to acknowledge that a genuine historical controversy
could be resolved by scholars rather than politicians.

Nowadays, recent debates in third countries’ parliaments might endanger
this picture although Turkish and Armenian politicians had finally
agreed to establish a historical committee to examine the 1915 events.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Burak Ozugergin advocated that such moves
by third countries would damage both bilateral relations and the
normalization process with Armenia. "As you saw with recent examples
[in the United States and Sweden], we reject the content and our
bilateral relations are harmed," he said.

Without giving details, Ozugergin said Turkey would take new steps
seeking its rights on the global scene and "applying to international
courts" was among the options.

According to Armenian press, the United Kingdom, Spain, Ukraine and
Bulgaria will follow the Swedish parliament’s approval in an attempt
make the Armenian campaign worldwide. "Such made-up reports are
promoted on purpose ahead of April 24," said a high-ranking Turkish
diplomat speaking on condition anonymity. Both Sweden’s Prime Minister
Fredrik Reinfeldt and Foreign Minister Carl Bildt apologized and
criticized their parliaments’ decisions, the source reminded.

"The U.K. is our stronghold as Prime Minister (Gordon Brown) assured
the national assembly will not hold such a resolution," the source
said. "The Spanish government is against such a resolution and will
not allow it to be discussed in the national parliament."

Spain’s government is working to torpedo efforts by its legislature
to pass a resolution recognizing the Armenian "genocide," reported
the Spanish ABC newspaper, according to Armenian news portal Asbarez
on Tuesday.

The regional assembly of Catalonia recognized the "Armenian genocide"
on Feb. 26, but Catalan President Jose Montilla sent an apology letter
to Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on March 9, saying he
found the allegations baseless.

Neither Bulgarian nor Ukrainian diplomatic sources confirmed that
the Armenian "genocide" would be discussed in parliamentary sessions
in coming weeks. "Our political cooperation with Turkey is vital for
us, and we will not let such an outsider affect or deteriorate it," a
Bulgarian diplomat told the Daily News. "The political system in Sofia
is different than Washington, and there is no powerful Armenian lobby.

Only some far-rights welcome such allegations."

In an interview with the Hurriyet Daily News & Economic Review,
Ukrainian Ambassador to Ankara Sergey Korsunsky denied the claim. ‘We
are not going to consider it in parliament, so this information is
totally false. It is not on the agenda and will not be discussed."

Asked if the Ukrainian parliament may consider it in the future as a
result of the Armenian lobby, Korsunsky firmly replied, "No chance. It
is not our issue."

Yerevan claims the Ottoman army carried out genocide against more
than a million Armenian citizens, but Ankara rejects "systematic
genocide" and asserts mass killings happened on both sides under
warlike conditions. The Turkish administration has long suggested
opening archives to all researchers seeking the truth.

Although Turkey was absolved of further responsibility for the
consequences of the policies of the former Ottoman Empire according to
the 1923 Lausanne Treaty, Armenians worldwide have initiated efforts
for national and international recognition of an alleged genocide.

The efforts began with the introduction of commemorative resolutions
in the U.S. Congress in 1975, and in 1987 broader recognition was
achieved with the adoption of a resolution by the European Parliament,
which stated "the tragic events of 1915-1917 … constitute genocide."

In the following years, parliaments in a number of countries, including
Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, France, Greece and Russia adopted resolutions
recognizing "genocide."

The U.S. is a stronghold of the Armenian lobby, and 42 of 50 states
have recognized the "genocide," but the lobby has so far failed to
have a resolution pass through Congress. As a result of strategic
interests in the Middle East and a NATO alliance with Turkey, U.S.

presidents to date have avoided using the word "genocide" on April
24 when extending official condolences to the Armenian people on the
day the events are annually commemorated.

President Barack Obama made no exception last year despite his promises
during the election campaign and asserted that any external effects
might harm the normalization talks between Armenia and Turkey.

Washington’s pressure on Turkey to ratify protocols in the Turkish
Parliament before April 24 faced a backlash in Ankara, and politicians
vowed not bow to "U.S. blackmail."

‘THOUSANDS GENOCIDE SURVIVORS FOUND HOME IN SYRIA’

Aysor
March 24 2010
Armenia

Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan within the framework of his visit
to Syria, met with Governor of Aleppo and discussed with him items,
related to Armenia-Syria relations and cooperation, a spokesperson
for Presidential Administration said.

Besides, President Sargsyan met with representatives of Armenian
Community of Aleppo. "Armenian and Syrian history is as old as
Euphrates and Tigris and the Biblical Ararat are," said President.

"Syria became a home for the 1915 Genocide survivors, who passed
through flours and found safety and warmth in this Edenic country,"
said President.

He also referred to the tragic circumstances, related to Deir Ez-Zor –
a Syrian city in north-eastern part of the country, where is one of
the most notorious death camps: during the 1915 Armenian Genocide,
thousands of Armenian men, women and children were forced into death
marches through the desert of Deir ez-Zor where most of them perished,
leaving few survivors.

"The Deir Ez-Zor Desert became the last shelter for thousands of
victims of the 1915 Genocide, it became the largest Armenian cemetery,"
he said.

Stressing friendly relations between the two nations, Armenia’s
President expressed hope that Armenians of Syria will contribute to
strengthening and developing of Syria, its economy and international
prestige. "It’s more important at the current situation of crisis,"
noted President Sargsyan. "It’s a logical consequence of more than
friendly Armenian-Syrian relations."

AZERBAIJAN REFUSES TO SIGN NON-AGGRESSION PACT WITH ARMENIA

World Markets Research Centre
Global Insight
March 23 2010

BYLINE: Lilit Gevorgyan

Yesterday, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson rejected
neighbouring Armenia’s proposal to sign a non-aggression pact. The
offer was made on 19 March by Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan
during his interview on the Euronews television channel (seeArmenia –
Azerbaijan: 22 March 2010:). In its response, the Azerbaijan Foreign
Ministry stated that Azerbaijan would retain its right to restore
territorial integrity. Furthermore the spokesperson was quoted by
local media outlets as saying that if Armenia wants to eliminate the
use of force it should eliminate the causes that can lead to the use
of force. The Armenian government has not commented on the Azerbaijani
response yet.

Significance:The Azerbaijani government’s response was quick and
rather predictable. It has long demanded that the Armenians in its
breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh give up theirde factoindependence,
declared over 20 years ago. Azerbaijan also demands the withdrawal
of the Armenian armed forces from the region as well as its
surrounding territories, which have been under Armenian control
since the Armenian-Azerbaijani war in the early 1990s. Military
activity ended in 1994 with a ceasefire agreement, having resulted in
30,000 deaths. The peace process mediated by the Minsk Group of the
Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has made
no significant headway, since the parties insist on two different
and counterbalancing principles of international law. The Armenian
enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh cites its right to self-determination
earned through the war of self defence against the Azerbaijani central
government’s attempts at ethnic cleansing of Armenians in the region.

Conversely, Azerbaijan is adamant that its territorial integrity must
be kept at all costs even if it takes use of force. The refusal to
sign the non-aggression pact indicates that for Azerbaijan, solving
the frozen conflict through a new war in not out of the question.