Month: October 2006

PAMUK WINS, TURKEY LOSES

Washington Post,DC
Oct 25 2006

Istanbul, Turkey – The most important story in Turkey over the past
two weeks was Orhan Pamuk winning the Nobel Prize for literature. The
announcement came an hour after the French National Assembly passed
a resolution making it a criminal offence punishable by five years
in jail to deny that a genocide against the Armenians of the Ottoman
Empire was committed during World War I.

Pamuk himself was once tried for defaming "Turkness" because he said
"a million Armenians and thirty thousand Kurds have been killed in this
land" in the course of an interview he gave to a Swiss newspaper. Many
of his detractors viciously linked the two developments. They argued
that the prize was given to Pamuk not because of his literary
accomplishments, his recognition as a master of the novel who
transformed this literary form and raised substantive questions
about East and West and their relations in his work but because of
his political stance. The public in general was unable to rejoice in
the accomplishment of one of its own.

This peculiar and rather unhealthy reaction is a reflection of
the growing self-absorption of the public in Turkey and a growing
mistrust of the West. Such a mood of xenophobic nationalism ill-suits
Turkey’s current trajectory and undermines its future projects. The
deterioration of Turkey’s relations with the West and the rise of an
anti-Western orientation will harm Turkey’s long-term interests.

Beyond that such a development will exacerbate the West’s legitimacy
problems, further fuel anti-Western rage in the Middle East and
beyond and seriously undermine pro-Western and/or secular forces in
the region as well as assisting in Iran’s ascent.

SENATE GROUP HEAD: "WE WILL NOT APPROVE IT"

Sabah, Turkey
Oct 25 2006

The dominant name of French senate guaranteed: "Armenian bill is a
mistake, we will prevent it."

Senate Group Head of the ruling party UMP Josselin Rohan said:
"If the Armenian bill comes to the senate, we will reject it."

Our relationship of ages can not and should not be taken in pawn

Senate Group Head of the ruling party UMP Josselin Rohan said: "If
the Armenian bill comes to the senate, we will object to it with all
our might. Our relationship with Turkey can not be taken in pawn."

New reactions against the denial bill are growing from all Europe
including France. Senate Group Head of the ruling party UMP Josselin
Rohan said: "The bill has not come to the Senate yet. However, if it
happens, we will do our best to reject it as a group. Considering our
a hundred year friendship with Turkey, this draft is a diplomatic
mistake. It is really depressing and sad. It does not have any use
to anybody, but it is harmful in many aspects."

US AZERBAIJANIS WORK TO KEEP TRADITIONS ALIVE
By Mike O’Sullivan

Voice of America
Oct 24 2006

The modern state of Azerbaijan is just 15 years old, but the country,
a part of the former Soviet Union, has maintained its distinctive
traditions. Azerbaijani Americans are working to keep alive their
culture and help others understand the nation’s problems and
potential. Mike O’Sullivan spoke with Azerbaijani Americans who
attended a recent conference in Los Angeles.

Asmar Eyvazova (l) and Nazrin Baghirova
Nazrin Baghirova is studying educational administration at the
University of Utah. She tells people about her country and its ancient
capital, Baku, and often get quizzical looks, but says it is a great
way to start a conversation.

"It is always exciting for me to give them information [about] where
I’m from and showing them the location of Azerbaijan on the map,
and seeing their reaction – oh, wow," she said.

Her friend, Asmar Eyvazova, works at center for distance education at
the University of Texas, Arlington. When Asmar talks about Azerbaijan,
reactions range from blank stares to limited recognition.

Some people know, for example, that Azerbaijan has abundant oil
supplies. A few realize that its population is mostly Turkic-speaking
and Muslim. On occasion, she meets people who have traveled to
Azerbaijan.

"Those who have been to our country, they just really express it
immediately that, oh, you are very hospitable," she said. "People
are really nice and they like having guests and offer the best things
that they have in their houses."

Azerbaijan borders the Caspian Sea and Iran, Georgia, Armenia, Russia
and Turkey. The region was in the news in the late 1980s and early
1990s, and the news for Azerbaijan was mostly bad.

A separatist movement of ethnic Armenians declared independence in
the Azerbaijani enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, where they formed the
dominant group. Fighting erupted and Azerbaijan lost 16-percent of
its territory to Armenia. The dispute is unresolved, despite a 1994
cease-fire, and Azerbaijan is now coping with more than half a million
displaced people.

Elin Suleymanov Other Azerbaijanis are scattered around the world,
and many have come to the United States to settle or study. Elin
Suleymanov is consul general for Azerbaijan in Los Angeles. He
estimates there are from 200,000 to 500,000 Azerbaijani Americans,
a figure that includes ethnic Azeris from Iran.

"They share the language and the culture, and attitude, and cuisine and
everything else," he said. "And increasingly they share the identity."

He says Azerbaijanis come from a difficult neighborhood, and part
of the reason for holding this Los Angeles meeting is to get Azeri
Americans to tell their story. He urged his countrymen to get involved
in U.S. civic life and make sure their congressional representatives
get to know them.

One participant at the conference is not from Azerbaijan, but is
helping educate the world about the Caucasus nation.

Betty Blair Betty Blair edits a quarterly publication called Azerbaijan
International. She and her husband, an Azerbaijani, started the
magazine in 1993 to answer questions like this one she has encountered.

"Is this in Africa? Where is it? What is it," she said.

She says when she and her husband started the magazine, fighting was
raging with Armenia, and Americans often heard the Armenian side.

"That other side of the story was not being presented," she said.

"And we just started very simply, 16 pages."

Traditional Azerbaijani dancing Now, each issue the glossy magazine
has 100 pages of articles and pictures on Azerbaijani history,
literature, and culture. The couple also runs what is billed as the
world’s largest website about Azerbaijan, called

Blair says that over the years, Azerbaijan has been under the rule of
czars, shahs, caliphs and khans, and now, is coping with the problems
of independence.

The country has been called an authoritarian democracy. Critics say
its oil wealth remains largely undeveloped and that the nation is
mismanaged and plagued with corruption.

But Azerbaijani Americans say their ties with their homeland are still
strong, and that they hope to play a role in the country’s development.

TWO MINISTERS MET IN PARIS UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE OSCE MINSK GROUP

ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
Oct 24 2006

PARIS, October 24 (Itar-Tass) — The Paris negotiations on the Karabakh
settlement are aimed at the elaboration of "main principles of the
drafting of a peace treaty acceptable for the both sides," French
Foreign Ministry spokesman Jean-Baptiste Mattei told commenting on
meeting between the Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers.

The two ministers met in Paris under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk
Group.

The diplomat stressed that the principles should be "balanced, fair
and workable."

Mattei reaffirmed that the October 6 meeting between the Armenian and
Azerbaijani foreign ministers in Moscow, which also was held under
the OSCE auspices, gave the start to the present-day round of talks.

France, jointly with Russia and the United States, is one of the
countries co-chairing the Minsk Group, created by the Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to promote progress in
the resolution of the Karabakh conflict.

ARMENIAN-BELORUSSIAN MEMORANDUM ON LEGAL COOPERATION TO BE OF FUNDAMENTAL IMPORTANCE FOR ACTIVITY OF TWO COUNTRIES’ JUDICIAL SYSTEMS

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 24 2006

YEREVAN, October 24. /ARKA/. The Armenian-Belorussian memorandum on
legal cooperation will be of fundamental importance for the joint
activity of the two countries’ judicial systems, chairman of the
Armenian court of appeal Hovhannes Manukyan reported today in Yerevan.

"The memorandum gives a new start to the relations between the courts
of general jurisdiction of the two countries and will be of fundamental
importance for the cooperation of the judicial systems, synchronization
of the activity of judicial bodies and legislation," he said At the
same time, the chairman of the court of appeal of Armenia pointed out
that the memorandum regulates the joint activity of judicial bodies and
the list of activities, necessary for establishing contacts, exchange
of information and conduction of various activities, particularly,
scientific and scientific-practical conferences.

"The memorandum will have big impact not only on the legal cooperation
between Armenia and Belarus, but also on the general level of the
bilateral relations," Manukyan said.

Memoranda on cooperation and exchange of legal information were
signed between the court of appeal of Armenia and the Supreme Court
of Belarus, and between the former and the High Economic court of
Belarus.

FRENCH AMBASSADOR: TURKEY WILL LOSE ITS CONTROL ON ITS BORDERS

Journal of Turkish Weekly
Oct 24 2006

Henri Cuny, Ambassador of France to Armenia, argued when meeting with
Armenian students in Armenia that once Turkey joins the EU, the issue
of its borders will be decided not by itself but by the central EU
headquarters in Brussels. "This is the order. And entering the EU
suggests open borders. The question is, when this is to happen",
says Cuny.

Dr. Sedat Laciner from Ankara-based Turkish think tank USAK says Mr.
Cuny’s remarks are not wise. "All countries have their own control
on their own borders. This kind of claims badly affect Turkish public
opinion and undermine the credibility of the EU and France in Turkey.

Most of the people now in Turkey consider France as hostile country and
see the French support for the Armenians as the religious solidarity"
Dr. Laciner added.

Similarly Dr. Mehmet Ozcan, another Turkish expert, told the JTW that
"Turkey sincerely seeks to develop good relations with Armenia and
air borders have been open between Turkey and Armenia.". According
to Mr. Ozcan Armenia does not want to develop relations with Turkey:
"Armenia aims to increase the tension to get the Western support
against Turkey. They do not recognize Turkey’s national borders and
they do expect open borders. If Turkey does not recognize France’s
national borders and occupies an EU member state, will France keep
its borders with Turkey open?"

Turkey-Armenian borders have been closed since Armenia attacked
and occupied neighboring Azerbaijan’s territories. Armenia does not
recognize Turkey’s and Azerbaijan’s national borders and makes great
efforts to undermine Turkey’s national interests everywhere.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FINNISH FM TUOMIOJA: THE FRENCH PARLIAMENT MADE A BAD MISTAKE

Journal of Turkish Weekly
Oct 24 2006

Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja yesterday criticized a bill
criminalizing rejecting of Armenian historical claims passed by the
French Parliament last week, saying that it made a bad mistake and
should quickly rectify the situation.

Saying that all countries had dark chapters in their pasts, Tuomioja
added that these chapters were usually met with silence, amnesia,
and denial.

"I think that ‘genocide’ is an exaggerated term for that time,"
he added.

Turkey has never accepted the Armenian claims of genocide. Turkish
Government says about 2 million Muslim Ottoman citizens were
massacred by the Armenian armed groups during the collapse of the
Ottoman Empire. Armenia does not recognise Turkey’s and Azerbaijan’s
national borders.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TURKISH BUSINESS DELEGATION IN FRANCE

Journal of Turkish Weekly
Oct 24 2006

PARIS – A delegation headed by Union of Turkish Chambers & Commodity
Exchanges (TOBB) Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu arrived in French
capital of Paris on Tuesday to lobby against the resolution, which
criminalizes rejecting of so-called Armenian genocide claims.

TOBB delegation held talks with leading French businessmen including
members of the Paris Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the Union of
European Chambers of Commerce & Industry (Eurochambers) and the MEDEF
International after their arrival.

They stressed that enactment of the resolution would play havoc with
the bilateral relations between Turkey and France.

The delegation is expected to return to Turkey tomorrow.

Turkish business circles believe in that the Armenian issue may damage
Turkish-French economic relations a lot.

TURKEY’S ALLIES ARE COMMON SENSE AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
By Barin Kayaoglu
View: Barin Kayaoglu

Journal of Turkish Weekly
Oct 25 2006

Several bizarre reports exploded last week in reaction to the French
parliament’s vote two weeks ago. In a non-binding advisory note, the
Higher Council of Radio and Television (Radyo Televizyon Ust Kurulu –
RTUK) asked TV stations across the country to stop broadcasting French
films. Meanwhile, quoting the French journal Le Nouvel Observateur,
reports came in that France would open an official trade bureau in
Northern Iraq to compete with Turkish businesses operating there. The
news will likely draw a lot reaction from certain circles in the near
future. One should not be too surprised to see if the French legation
was to be blamed for being a backdoor initiative to create further
chaos and turmoil in Turkey’s southeast and Northern Iraq.

Turkey’s worst enemy is the volatility of its reactions. Some people
have already come up with weird ideas such as abandoning French
classes in schools, boycotting French tourists, or even boycotting
Turkish companies that are joint-ventures with the French. These are
not healthy indications. Turkey must realize that in the tumultuous
times ahead, its allies are nothing but common sense and freedom
of expression.

Exercising common sense means that Turkish people have to think and act
in a cool-headed manner. This might sound like a strange suggestion,
but they have to behave in such a way that they would advise their
kids to behave in stressful situations. "He who stands up in rage
sits down at a loss" is a common proverb that every Turk hears while
growing up. Everybody should adhere to this principle.

Everybody should see that the larger goal is to refute the claims
that what happened to the Armenian citizens of the Ottoman Empire in
the 1910s was not genocide by the definitions of international law,
but a massacre of another sort, which was reciprocated by the Armenian
side. Everybody should see the bigger picture that only by expressing
their views in a civilized manner can Turkish people expect to succeed.

Another way to disarm the claims of the French parliament and the
Armenian Diaspora is for Turkey to bring forward its other potential
super-ally, freedom of expression. The American founding father Thomas
Jefferson once said "it is error alone which needs the support of
government; truth can stand by itself." In this light, Turkey must
realize that any laws that punish non-violent forms of speech hurt
Turkey more than its adversaries in the long run. Last week, the
Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanyan called Turkish reactions to
the French vote "hypocrisy" because Turkey still curbed discussions
on certain aspects of its past. As much as the Armenian government has
its own share of hypocrisy in this debate, Mr. Oskanyan has a point.

Putting intellectuals on trial for speaking their mind is unacceptable
and unbecoming of a country like Turkey. Only by granting opposing
voices an audience and nurturing meaningful discussion on the subject
can Turkey thwart the baseless allegations.

Indeed, this will comport with Ataturk’s legacy. It will be to the
point to bring a story that was discussed in this column a few weeks
ago: During the 1930s, President Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and Prime
Minister Ýsmet Ýnonu assigned the eccentric apparatchik Recep Peker to
draft a report that would give a new sense of mission to Cumhuriyet
Halk Partisi (CHP-Republican Peoples’ Party). Peker’s 1936 report,
which proposed the reorganization of the RPP along the lines of the
Italian Fascist Party, met Ataturk’s bitter resentment.

Ataturk reportedly exclaimed "what the hell has Recep done again?"

and elucidated his vision for Turkey to his aide Hasan Rýza Soyak as
follows: "Should an anti-monarchical current take over the world in
the future, even those who demand a sultanate can form a party in this
country." Today, I believe, even those who call the Armenian tragedy
"genocide" should be able to have their say.

Turkey must stop doing some of the things that it is doing right now.

It should stop racing the French to stupidity. It is a contest that
is hard to beat. Turkey should refrain from passing futile laws about
French imperialism in Algeria (that it was tantamount to genocide).

The point is debatable and precisely for that reason Turkey should
gather a conference of scholars from both sides in a posh location
in Istanbul or the Aegean coast in order to garner international
attention. The juxtaposition would be too hard to miss for anyone:
Whereas France forcefully curbs freedom of expression, Turkey is
promoting it. But in order to augment that overture, all laws in
the penal code that criminalize anything other than an open call to
violence must either be changed or stricken out. By taking that last
step, Turkey can go traverse vast distances.

Turkey’s strongest allies in its struggle against the senseless
and fruitless allegations by France and the Armenian Diaspora are
common sense and freedom of expression. At the moment, by behaving
the way that they are behaving, Turkish people are weakening these
two partners. If their problems are addressed forthwith, they will
help Turkey prevail.

+++

Barýn Kayaoðlu is a Ph.D. student in history at the University of
Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia and a regular contributor to
the Journal of Turkish Weekly.

E-mail: [email protected]

———- NOTES

(1) "RTUK: Fransýz filmlerini yayýnlamayýn" (RTUK: Do not broadcast
French films), ntvmsnbc.com, October 20, 2006; available from

(2) "Fransa Kuzey Irak’ta temsilcilik acýyor" (France to open legation
in Northern Iraq), ntvmsnbc.com, October 19, 2006; available from

(3) "Oskanyan: Tepkiler ikiyuzluluk" (Oskanyan: The reactions
are hyprocrisy), ntvmsnbc.com, October 21, 2006; available from

(4) See Barýn Kayaoðlu, "The Armenian Question Between Genocide,
Tragedy, and Hypocrisy," Journal of Turkish Weekly, October 11, 2006;
available from

(5) Teoman Gul, Turk Siyasal Hayatýnda Recep Peker (Recep Peker in
Turkish Political Life) (Ankara: Kultur Bakanlýðý, 1998), 29.

–Boundary_(ID_/UmEhE8KMSDbP4VZqk4u9w)–

THE MORMONATOR: MITT ROMNEY’S BLINDING AMBITION. PLUS, THE INEXPLICABLE OPPOSITION TO AN ARMENIAN-GENOCIDE MEMORIAL

The Phoenix, MA
Oct 25 2006

Political dynasties are as American as apple pie. Since the Civil War,
witness the marks made – or still being made (for better or worse) –
by the Tafts of Ohio, the Stevensons of Illinois, the Roosevelts of New
York, the Bayhs of Indiana, the Bushes of Connecticut and Texas, the
Clintons of Arkansas and New York, and the Kennedys of Massachusetts,
New York, and Rhode Island.

Now comes Mitt Romney, son of George, who as governor of Michigan
in 1968 unsuccessfully sought to become the first Mormon elected
president. Son Mitt hopes to succeed where dad George failed. And
Mitt, the governor of Massachusetts, is not going to let anything
stand in his way. On the surface he is as smooth and as gentlemanly
as his dad. But in his heart Mitt is a sharpie, as cold as he is
ambitious. Like George Bush II, who saw his dad outflanked on the right
by Reagan, and on the left by Clinton, Mitt Romney is not going let the
failings of his paternity mess with his success. His will to power,
whatever the price, is straight out of Nietzsche. And his desire to
do his dad one better, whatever the cost, feels like pure Freud.

Armchair analysis aside, Mitt Romney’s dedication to his own success is
undebatable. With the help of Christy Mihos (a politically delicious
irony), he strong-armed Republican acting governor Jane Swift aside
to stake his claim to Beacon Hill. He shamelessly fudged his Utah
residency to get on the Massachusetts ballot. He cavalierly abandoned
Massachusetts’s voters after two years in order to launch his White
House run, and he held on to his office to use it as a convenient bully
pulpit. From that perch he morphed from a centrist to a right-winger,
flip-flopping on choice and suggesting – with a straight face – that
the sort of stem-cell research conducted at Children’s Hospital and
Harvard Medical School should be criminalized. Mitt Romney: what
an hombre.

In his latest exercise in duplicity, Romney secretly lobbied an
influential member of the Mormon church’s innermost ruling council
to leverage resources in the service of his White House campaign. The
scandal of this is that Romney has long sought to wrap himself in the
mantle of Roman Catholic John Kennedy, who in his 1960 presidential
run stressed that he would not be an ideological slave to the pope.

On the eve of that election American Protestants – especially the
evangelicals and fundamentalists whom Romney now courts so assiduously
– still feared Rome’s potential influence on the American Caesar. (What
a difference 50 or so years can make.)

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