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09/13/2005
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Brent Scowcroft Attacks Armenian Genocide Legislation 2) Argentine Foreign Minister at ARF South America Center 3) Second Opposition Youth Leader Detained in Azerbaijan 4) US, Georgia Agreement Includes Repair of Javakhk Roads 5) Armenia, Russia Conclude Military Exercises 1) Brent Scowcroft Attacks Armenian Genocide Legislation American Turkish Council Chairman Sharply Criticizes 'Careless use of Genocide Language' in HRes316 and HConRes195 WASHINGTON, DC--Only days before Armenian Genocide legislation is set to come before a key US House panel, American Turkish Council (ATC) Chairman Brent Scowcroft has warned Speaker Dennis Hastert that even the discussion of the Armenian Genocide on the floor of the US House would be "counter-productive" to the interests of the United States, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). In his September 12 letter, Scowcroft, speaking on behalf of the corporate members of the ATC, accused Congressional supporters of Armenian genocide legislation (HRes316 and HConRes195) of trying to "pull Turkey away from the West. He stressed that "the careless use of genocide language provides an excuse to do so, delivering a direct blow to American interests in the region." "We are outraged that Brent Scowcroft appears to have so compromised his own integrity in pursuit of personal business interests that he finds himself enlisted by the Turkish government in its desperate and patently immoral genocide denial effort," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "We are particularly troubled by his baseless comment regarding the 'careless use of genocide language'--a hateful insult to the victims of this crime, a direct offense to the Congressional authors of this legislation, and a repudiation of the US archives, the unanimous judgment of the International Association of Genocide Scholars, and the overwhelming evidence documenting this crime against humanity." The ATC has come under scrutiny in recent weeks as the result of a 10-page story in Vanity Fair detailing FBI whistleblower Sibel Edmond's reports that its officials were involved in illegal efforts to defeat Armenian genocide legislation in the fall of 2000. According to the article by contributing editor David Rose, Edmonds claimed FBI wiretaps--including those of the Turkish Embassy and Turkish groups such as the ATC and the Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA)--reveal that the Turkish government and its allies boasted of bribing members of Congress as part of an alleged deal to stop consideration of the Armenian Genocide Resolution. In a related effort, the Assembly of Turkish American Associations has distributed an action alert against both Armenian genocide resolutions. Among the factually unfounded and morally bankrupt points raised by the ATAA in the space of its one-page alert are the following: -The ATAA warns its members: "Inaction on the part of the Turkish American Community will compromise U.S.-Turkish relations, encourage more acts of harassment, violence and terrorism against people of Turkish and Turkic descent, and could potentially lead to territorial and compensations claims against the Republic of Turkey;" -The ATAA urges its members to tell members of Congress that HRes316 and HConRes195 "provide a one-sided, misinformed view of WWI Ottoman history and would deal a great blow to the Turkish American community, and furthermore inflict damage upon the partnership between Turkey and the United States;" -The ATAA stresses that resolutions such as HRes316 and HConRes195 "impede dialogue and reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey, discouraging the Armenian side from engaging in scholarly examination of these complicated historical events;" -The ATAA notes that "As the Armenian American lobby acts up again, we have only two choices: we can be passive and allow these allegations to go on, or we can stand up and defend ourselves, our history, and the future of our children here in the United States;" -The ATAA stresses that its efforts are not "anti-Armenian," explaining that "Armenian people are held hostage by the agenda of their country's ultra-nationalist government and extremists in the Armenian American, European and Middle Eastern communities." Text of ATC Chairman Brent Scowcroft's Letter to Speaker Hastert: September 12, 2005 The Honorable J. Dennis Hastert Speaker of the House of Representatives The Capitol Washington, DC 20515 Dear Mr. Speaker: As Chairman of the American-Turkish Council, I am gravely concerned about plans to debate in the House of Representatives HConRes195, a resolution "Commemorating the Armenian Genocide" and urging the Government of Turkey to acknowledge the culpability of Ottoman Turks for it, and HRes316, a resolution recognizing claims of "genocide" of Armenians by Ottoman Turks. Together with ATC's members, I strongly urge opposition to these resolutions and suggest that floor deliberation of them would be counter-productive to the interest of the United States. Whatever people individually decide on the merits of these resolutions, it is important to note the real world consequences of their adoption. When the French Senate passed such a resolution, it cost France over $1 billion in cancelled contracts and lost business opportunities. Enactment of genocide language would jeopardize our ability to achieve strategic interest with Turkey and in the region. Furthermore, it is quite likely that the business interest of several of our American members would be jeopardized by passage of such prejudicial legislation. The American-Turkish Council strongly believes that the events about which HConRes195 and HRes316 speak are matters for historians to decide-not politicians. Unfortunately, these resolutions express, as matters of law and fact, issues that remain widely disputed by scholars, historians, and legal experts. Accordingly, we strongly urge you to review the attached letter that Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan sent Armenian President Robert Kocharian on April 10, 2005, seeking to normalize bilateral relations as well as address painful long-standing historical issues. Although Armenian President Kocharian rejected his offer, we are encouraged that Prime Minister Erdogan and his government, by reaching out to Armenia with an offer for an open dialogue on difficult issues involving Turks and Armenians, are taking an historic step. Turkish-Armenian rapprochement is in the best interests of both nations, and the ATC believes now is the time for reconciliation. We sincerely hope that President Kocharian and his government will take the opportunity to reciprocate the olive branch extended by Prime Minister Erdogan. Turkey's strategic location at the crossroads of Europe, the Middle East, the Caucasus, and the Balkans places it at the center of American's current and long term strategic interest. As Turkey stands on the threshold of accession talks with the European Union, the US should be doing all it can to encourage positive momentum for Turkey. HConRes195, while purporting to support Turkey's EU accession talks, and HRes316 do exactly the opposite. The resolutions encourage those who would pull Turkey away from the West. The careless use of genocide language provides an excuse to do so, delivering a direct blow to American interests in the region. The ATC believes that legislators should not attempt to resolve historical issues by resolution. Historical commissions, fairly staffed, adequately supported, and afforded full access to the archives, are better suited to attempting the reconciliation that we all support. On behalf of the members of the American-Turkish Council, I strongly urge you to oppose floor deliberation and adoption of any language that would substitute political pronouncements for historical analysis of this highly sensitive issue. Sincerely, Brent Scowcroft Chairman of the Board 2) Argentine Foreign Minister at ARF South America Center BUENOS AIRES--Argentina's Foreign Minister Rafael Antonio Bielsa, who returned from a vist to Armenia less than two weeks ago, was honored at the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF)"Armenia" center in Buenos Aires. ARF Bureau member Mario Nalbandian, ARF South America Representative Haroutioun Hovanessian, and other members of the party greeted Bielsa who received applause as he entered the center's restaurant. During his visit to Armenia, Bielsa had meetings with President Robert Kocharian, Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian, as well as deputy speaker of Armenia's parliament, Vahan Hovhannisian. A video presentation detailed Bielsa's trip to Armenia, and highlighted the Foreign Minister's readiness to help strengthen relations between the two countries. Armenia's Ambassador to Argentina, Ara Ayvazian told the gathering that the Foreign Minister's trip to Armenia is significant when considering the potential for developing business between the two countries. Ayvazian thanked Bielsa for backing Armenia on a variety of political issues. South America Armenian National Committee Representative Pedro Mouradian pointed to the years-long relationship with Bielsa, and the foreign minister's lasting cooperation. Bielsa outlined his formal meetings in Armenia, preferring to rather reflect on the human elements and emotional impact of the visit. He recalled his feelings when visiting the monument to the victims of the Armenian genocide, and his brief visit with Catholicos Karekin II. As a token of appreciation, the ARF South America presented a piece of artwork to Bielsa. 3) Second Opposition Youth Leader Detained in Azerbaijan BAKU (AFP)--Authorities in Azerbaijan said Tuesday they had detained a prominent opposition youth leader in connection to alleged anti-government activity that received backing from a US democracy group and neighboring Armenia. Law enforcement officers detained Said Nuri, deputy head of the Yeni Fikir youth movement, on Monday, a spokesman for the prosecutor general's office said. "It is likely that charges will be pressed tomorrow," he told AFP. The spokesman said Nuri's detention was linked to the arrest last month of Yeni Fikir's leader, Ruslan Bashirli, who was charged with plotting a Ukraine-style uprising backed by the US-based National Democratic Institute (NDI), a democracy pressure group, and money from Armenia's government. Another deputy leader of Yeni Fikir, Fikret Farmazoglu, said Nuri had been detained for "preparing to overthrow the government of Azerbaijan and receiving funds from groups interested in doing this." NDI has denied training Yeni Fikir members to overthrow the government, while Yeni Fikir claims the allegations against it are a government smear campaign ahead of parliamentary elections in November. However, parliament speaker Murtuz Alasgarov, along with representatives of international organizations, realizes that the developments that happened in Georgia and Ukraine can't occur in Azerbaijan, stressing that "the crisis in the Ukrainian government and the situation in Georgia rule out the possibility of a revolution in Azerbaijan." Alasgarov said that during the meetings he held in the United States, representatives of international organizations and parliament speakers expressed confidence that Azerbaijan's November parliament elections will be democratic. Alasgarov said that the officials he met with have 'certain views' on the forthcoming poll, but all of them believe the elections will be free and fair. "The Azerbaijani people know well who they will vote for at the polls," he added. 4) US, Georgia Agreement Includes Repair of Javakhk Roads TBILISI (Armenpress)--The United States signed a five-year $295.3 million agreement with Georgia through the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), Georgian media reported, citing MCC. US State Secretary Condoleezza Rice and Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili signed the agreement in New York on Monday. A portion of the funds, about $102 million, will be allocated to constructing roads in Javakhk. Of that, 50 million will go to constructing the Akhaltskha-Akhalkalak-Ninotsminda highway. "MCC is proud to be Georgia's partner in its efforts to reduce poverty in the regions outside of Tbilisi," MCC Vice President Charles Sethness said. Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili, who was in New York for the 60th UN General Assembly, thanked the United States for its help, saying, "this agreement is a partnership between our two peoples who share the same values and have the same dreams for their children and believe in the supreme value of liberty," according to Reuters. The agreement aims to reduce poverty and stimulate economic growth in regions outside of Georgia's capital, Tbilisi. 5) Armenia, Russia Conclude Military Exercises YEREVAN (RIA Novosti/Armenpress)--The tenth joint Russian-Armenian military exercises concluded Tuesday at the Marshal Bagramyan firing range in Armenia. Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) secretary general Nikolay Bordyuzha, Armenian president Robert Kocharian and a legion of top brass traveled to the testing ground some 30 kilometers outside of Yerevan to watch the exercises between the 545th Armenian motorized rifle regiment and the 128th Russian motorized rifle regiment. About 1,037 soldiers, 294 units of military hardware, including missile air defense complex S-300, four Su-25 assault fighters, four MiG-29 fighters, four Mi-24 helicopters and two Mi-8 helicopters took part in the exercise. The 102nd Russian military base was deployed in Armenia in 1995 in accordance with intergovernmental agreements. The base performs combat duty in the region within the framework of the CIS joint air defense system, with S-300 missile air defense complexes, MiG-29 fighters and some 5,000 military personnel. All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2005 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets.