Month: July 2007

ANTHONY GODFREY SATISFIED WITH STRONG AND STABLE RELATIONS BETWEEN ARMENIA AND USA

PanARMENIAN.Net
03.07.2007 18:45 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On July 4, the United States of America celebrates
the 231st anniversary of its independence and the signing of the
Declaration of Independence on that day in 1776. In his message in
connection with the Independence Day U.S. Charge d’Affaires in Armenia
Anthony Godfrey expressed his satisfaction with strong and stable
American-Armenian relations. "We share a vision for our families of a
world without fear of terror, where our children can grow strong and
free. The Armenian-American community in the United States makes a huge
contribution to the prosperity of our country and strengthening the
bonds between Armenia and the United States," A. Godfrey underscored,
the Press Office of the U.S. Embassy in Armenia reported.

Initially thirteen northern states undersigned the Declaration of
Independence of the United States.

George Washington became the first president of the country.

USA CELEBRATES INDEPENDENCE DAY

Armenpress
Jul 03 2007

YEREVAN, JULY 3, ARMENPRESS: On July 4, the United States of America
celebrate the 231st anniversary of its independence and the signing
of the Declaration of Independence on that day in 1776.

On July 3, Americans and Armenians jointly marked the day at a
celebration at the U.S. Embassy in Armenia. During the event,
U.S. Charge d’Affaires Anthony Godfrey stated, "Two hundred and
thirty one years ago, our founding fathers declared that our basic
rights are granted not by the state, not by a king or president,
but by our Creator."

He added that "U.S. – Armenia relations are strong.

We share a vision for our families of a world without fear of terror,
where our children can grow strong and free."

He also took note of the strong Armenian-American community in the
United States and their contribution in helping to make America great
and in strengthening the bonds between the two countries.

NA SPEAKER RECEIVES AGO GROUP

Armenpress
Jul 03 2007

YEREVAN, JULY 3, ARMENPRESS: Armenian National Assembly Speaker Tigran
Torosian received today Ago Group of the Council of Europe Ministers’
Committee.

NA public relations department told Armenpress that at the meeting
present were Armenian deputy foreign minister Armen Bayburtian,
special representative of the Council of Europe Secretary General
in Armenia Bojana Urumova, Armenia’s permanent representative in the
Council of Europe Kristian Ter-Stepanian.

Greeting the guests the NA speaker informed them that the newly formed
parliament has started its work and after the approval of the program
of the government, on the initiative of the Armenian president, an
extraordinary session has been called to discuss a number of bills
relating to the economic reforms.

The head of the Council of Europe Ministers’ Committee’s Ago group,
Swedish ambassador to the Council of Europe Per Sogren congratulated
the NA speaker on being re-elected in his office and noted that
while he was the head of the Armenia’s delegation to PACE wonderful
relations and cooperation have been established which may serve as
a basis for the further constructive work.

P. Sogren said that the Council of Europe is ready to cooperate and
support the NA in any issue.

Referring to the constitutional reforms Sogren said that having a
number of meetings with representatives of the judicial system they
were convinced that a great work is expected.

During the meeting the sides also referred to other issues of mutual
interest.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES AGO GROUP

Armenpress
Jul 03 2007

YEREVAN, JULY 3, ARMENPRESS: President of Armenia Robert Kocharian
received today delegation of Ago Group headed by the Swedish ambassador
to Council of Europe Per Sogren.

Presidential press service told Armenpress that during the meeting
the sides underscored the regular visits of the group and were of
the same opinion that since its membership to the Council of Europe
Armenia has passed an important way and registered a great progress
from the point of view of reforms.

According to Robert Kocharian, the reforms are being carried out with
deep conviction that first of all they are necessary for us and we
do not have any other way of the development of the country.

"Armenia is not rich with natural resources instead we have human
factor which may be completely expressed by effective, deep and
expanded reforms," the leader of the country said.

During the meeting the interlocutors also referred to the current
pace of Nagorno Karabakh conflict regulation.

They also exchanged thoughts over the results of the parliamentary
elections, the assessment of the international organizations.

At the meeting the sides also discussed issues on freedom of press and
referred to the bill on amendments in the law on "TV and Radio". Robert
Kocharian presented in details the bill.

A VERY BRIEF REPORT ON DINK TRIAL

AZG Armenian Daily
04/07/2007

I was one of four journalists who were somehow able to get in the
courtroom, which was only open for attorneys and relatives. Etyen
Mahcupyan (AGOS), Ali Bayramoglu (Yeni Safak), Eser Karakas (Star
Gazete) were the others.

It started in sweltering heat and went on. At the entrance a minor
incident: A lawyer, defending Yasin Hayal who is accused of helping
Ogun Samast for the killing, threw obscenities at Cengiz Candar,
outside the courtroom. He was called "servant of Brussels" or something
like that and a fight was prevented.

I could not be at the first session, which did not contain a
lot. Second session began very tensely. The accused, some 18 people,
were tightly surrounded by gendarmerie. But after some 10 minutes
into the session, another ring of security – by policemen – were
added. Lawyers of Dink, over 150 in the small room, scattered here
and there in a squeezed manner, rebelled. They demanded the ring be
dispersed and trial be moved to a larger hall. Rejected.

Ogun Samast, used his right to keep silent. He looked frightened.

Erhan Tuncel, the key element in the case, said he was "in duty"
all the time for the past years, reporting on the youngsters in the
neighborhood in Trabzon. He complained that police intelligence he
worked refused to react to his calls to prevent the murder. He said
he could not reach anyone in the critical month before the murder:
"They did not get in touch with me, saying they were busy". He was
very, very tense. He mentioned that all the eight people he knew
by name and rank in Trabzon police intelligence would be called as
witnesses by him an his lawyer. I believe he now realizes that he
has to save himself. Names were not mentioned and put in the file,
despite efforts by Dink lawyers.

It is a missing link in the chain. The hope of Dink lawyers is now
to get those names made public.

Yasin Hayal, the alleged helper and fixer has, to our surprise,
denied most of what he confessed to gendarmerie an prosecutors up to
the hearing in court.

He was rather angry, and decisive. He told a new story. The reason
for telling some new things were, he did not know Erhan Tuncel was
an informer. "We all knew him as a nationalist-pious big brother,
initiailly I protected him, but after what what I learned I won’t
anymore" he said. In a nutshell, Hayal pointed out to Tuncel as the
planner and "persuader".

He told (new) that Samast went to visit Tuncel just before he took
of for Istanbul. "When he left Tuncel’s home, he had a Turkish flag
with him" Hayal said.

Important: Hayal and Tuncel were clearly in dislike with each other
and accused one another during the session.

As we suspect links of the chain point "upwards", but much depends on
the will of the court and how Tuncel and his lawyer behave from now on.

Rakel Dink and Hrant’s brother gave also testimonies.

Rakel’s appeal was powerfully emotional. "I forgive those people, but
I want the state to clear this case fully for the future generations"
she said. Orhan said: "We as family of Hrant never will be winners
or losers of this case. The outcome of this case, instead, will prove
whether Turkey be the winner or loser."

ADDRESS OF RAKEL DINK TO THE COURT

AZG Armenian Daily
04/07/2007

Your Honour the President of the Court and the Honorable Judges,

My story beging with the Armenian Varto tribe which is one of the
1915 left overs. I was born in 1959 into the Armenian Varto tribe
which was in Mardin borders; in Sirnak district now. Today the town is
called Yolagzi. The name Varto omes from my grand grandfather’s name,
Vartan. The remaining of the tribe migrated to Ýstanbul in 1978. Until
migration, their life in the village, and then in the city was spent
by struggling at the courts against the fraud deeds that the landlords
of the neighbouing villages manufactured. These neighbor villages
were built on our lands. They were beaten, wounded and miraculously
survived murder attempts. My father lived an honorable life without
denying his roots and religion. He passed away in Brussels three
years ago, with his mind and soul worried about his land, of which
the trials stil continue. His children promised him that they would
continue the struggle. He never acted cowardly, was never lazy, never
laid an evil eye on other’s work and never imposed us with animosity.

I met with my beloved husband, whom I used to call Cutag, Hrant
Dink in a boarding school; we grew up together; we got married. They
stripped up our boarding school from us. With the help of Jesus Christ
we overcame all the obstacles, hardships. We were worried at the
problems of our country together. And now, I cry with a deep sadness.

Until today we were treated humiliated, insulted for being Armenians;
we heard people use Armenian as a curse. We heard it and we stil hear
it from the newspapers, TVs, birth registration offices; from public
servants to the highest authorities. Sometimes we were treated as if we
were not citizens of this country, but migrants from somewhere else. We
still witness all these and this structuring and this undestanding;
this darkness continues to create murderer from babies.

Verse 21:3 says "God wishes rightfullness and justice rather than
sacrifies. Today, we see the babies who became murderers here; where
is the darkness that created them?

The darkness I point to is not anyone unknown. You can find pieces
of this darkness in Governorship, in Gendarmarie, in Armed Forces, in
National Intelligence Agency, in Police, in Government, in Opposition
Part, in parties that do not have a seat in the parliament, an deven
in the media and the non-governmental organizations. Their names,
their positions are known.

They continuously create murderers from babies and they do it to serve
Turkey. We have seen them in front of AGOS right after the Sabiha
Gokcen article and in front of the court houses where my husband was
being tried. But for some reason, justice and judiciary cannot reach
to them, do not want to reach to them.

Because, they know that if they dig further they will see that this
darkness exists in them also.

Therefore, if you are not from this darkness and do not approve it,
do not agree with them be courageous enough to go deeper and pull
down all the barriers that was put on this case. Be the instrument
of the God’s justice; so that Turkey can be happy and this becomes
the starting point of bright days for Turkey.

Your Honor, my husband was tried for he wrote, for he thought and
spoke. As an innocent man, due to this understanding of the state he
was found guilty. I believe that the expressions of the state bears
separatism, insult, degradation; it encourages and multiplies the baby
murderers. In short, the source of this spring is the perception and
discourse. I am compliant against this discourse and the to the ones
who speak it out.

I, as a member of the people who live on these soil since Noah, want
to feel and see my children and myself as Armenian Turkish citizens,
as equal citizens.

Our proverb says "One who denies his origin is a sinner". What would
you expect from the one who denies or hides his origin? How can you
establish a strong building, a good character over a faulty base? I
ask you, can you trust him? Does it mean that we are enemies for not
denying our origin?

My beloved husband worked hard, never lied, never acted unjustly,
never said a word against his country either here or abroad. He was
a defender of truth and he lived as a true son and a true citizen. In
return, he received the traitors bullet

Whatever the justice you will see fit, it will not bring my husband
back. None of the rulings will be as equal as my loss of my husband. If
the justice is the foundation of the land, then I am in search of this
justice. I want Turkey to build upon this base. I want to see it not
in words, I want to see it in daily life, in discourse. Therefore,
I demand that all the responsible ones and the authorities declare:
"we could not, we did not want to protect your husband, our citizen. We
knowingly committed a crime, we apologize.

I demand from honorable court which is the representative of the state
that all the criminals receive the pusihment they deserve. I feel no
hatred to any of them; on the contrary I find all of them miserable and
I feel pity for them. I pray mercy for them with the love and justice
of Jesus Christ, one who knows all, sees all. I wish that with the
help of the Holy Spirit, they can feel that they need this mercy. And
I request that you act and decide in line with your responsibility.

With my due respect,
Rakel Dink.

–Boundary_(ID_D8/v466h/WFPxA4yYsa5pg)–

SPEECH OF HOSROF DINK

AZG Armenian Daily
04/07/2007

Your Honor President and the Member of the Court

Hrant Dink, who was brutally murdered on January 19, is my brother. I
am here to seek justice and to see that the perpetrators of this
crime against humanity are found out.

My older brother Hrant, I and my younger brother Yervant were born
in Malatya and shared the most sacred and fundamental right of the
humankind the right to life as well as our hopes, our pains and
our poverty.

Our father Sarkis and our mother Gulvart are divorced when we were
children. The conditions forced us to grow in an orhanage. We had to
begin learning the harsh conditions of living humanly on these land
when we were children, in the orphanage

We thought we were born as human beings. In time, against our will we
were given many identities, we were labeled. We no longer belonged
to the humankind, nor to the earth. We became part of a particular
region, a particular people, a particualr family and many more
different identities. Even during our childhood we were aware that
other children were different. We saw and lived discrimination. We
witnessed the crowds with intolerance to diversity.

We shared our lives with our wifes: Hrant with his Rakel, me with my
Zabel and Yervant with his Haygan.

We grew bigger with our children; we transformed our pains to
happiness, our poverty to wealth and our hopes to eternity. We fought
together to ensure that our children, together with the children of
the world, would not live through the pains and difficulties that we
had to experience.

We did not forget to laugh with the people around us and share the
joy with the world. On January 19, a bullet hit our happiness and our
family, which we built with our efforts, tears, joy and hopes. On
19 January once again we understood that we were neither human nor
an earthling

My brother knew that our ancestors were born in these lands and
harvested this land, turned grape into pectin, grape juice to wine,
wheat to bread, earth to jug, cupper to ewer, iron to pullow and
that they dearly loved this land, they caressed it with their hands
and smelled with their noses. I know he thought that all the people
who lived and currently live share the same pain, and that all their
happiness, sadness and hopes are linked to each other.

After the murder of my brother people expected that we would be afraid
and leave this country. And for some thinking was not enough they
did everything they could to make us escape. Some of the threats
we received are in the case files. But they could not understand,
they did not perceive something. Like all the people that were born
on these soils, we were born and grew up here; we blended our sorrow
and hopes with the people of this land. In short we were born here
and we will die here. Hrant, with all the opprtunity he had, did not
leave this country; he did not abondon his friends. This is what
suits us. This trial, which will begin today, will be a milestone
for Turkey if the truth comes out.

In fact, this trial is one that the rule of law vs.

the people who implement justice for their own interests and
incomes. In other worlds it will be between the people who believe
in the rule of law and the people who say "we are the law, we are
the state".

We do not have anthing to win or lose in this trial.

Neither the beloved we lost will come back, nor our lives will get
beter. In essence, you are the addressees of this case.

On one hand there is the judiciary; on the other an organization that
see themselves superior to the state, have no respect to law and
prove this through their acts and executions. In their dark world,
they can decide who shall live or die; they are the judge and the
executioner. Under these circumstances we, you and even little
children, none of us is safe.

The main question waiting to be answered is: What will the justice
do against this power that can take away the right to life of an
Armenian citizen; that can kill a judge in his own seat?

There has been similer structures in every country that get its
support from within state institutions.

But these countries were able to bring their country to lightness from
the darkness by destroying these structures through their belief to
justice and with brave judges. This trial is a chance to do the same.

We believe that there exist such brave judges in our country, too.

The people will give all the support they will need.

And a last word?

Every citizen of Turkey’s right to life is sacred and under state
protection.

And it will be Turkey that will win or lose at the end of this trial.

Hosrof Dink

MEETING ON DARFUR AND DENIAL OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN THE UK PARLIAMENT (IN THE CONTEXT OF AN ETHICAL FOREIGN POLICY)

AZG Armenian Daily
04/07/2007

Police Take an aggressive attitude to Armenian Lobbyists

In London yesterday, 27.06.2007, on Tony Blair’s last day as Prime
Minister, British-Armenian activists lobbied parliament all day in
support of Early Day Motion 357. This motion, recognising the Genocide,
has now been signed by 144 Members of Parliament.

Police took an unwarranted intolerant attitude, tearing a large
"Recognise the Genocide" banner and detaining the director of Armenia
Solidarity for half an hour under the Prevention of Terrorism Act
for holding the banner too close to Parliament. The distribution of
leaflets was continued throughout and the banner redisplayed where
it could still be noticed by those entering the Houses of Parliament.

A meeting on "Darfur and Armenia" was organised by Armenia Solidarity,
the British-Armenian All-Party Parliamentary Group, Nor Serount
Publications & the Armenian Genocide Trust in the House of Commons,
in the evening, in conjunction with, the Genocide Prevention All
Party Parliamentary Group and the Aegis Trust

In the meeting in the House of Commons, Dr James Smith of The Aegis
Trust, in a major speech on Ethical Foreign Policy emphasised the
parallels between Armenia and Darfur where the Turkish model of the
20th century is being successfully repeated. Ruth Barnett spoke on
the psychological effects of denial and introduced the concept of
reducing the present "Genocide Footprint" by addressing the issues
of past genocides. The Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia, Dr Vahe
Gabrielyan, emphasised the political dimensions of genocide recognition
which could not be addressed by any commission of historians however
eminent. The meeting was chaired by John Bercow MP of the Genocide
Prevention All Party Parliamentary Group, and attended by several
other parliamentarians including Lord Avebury, Lord Alton of Liverpool
David Burrowes MP as well as David Drew MP, the sponsor of the meeting.

The present Armenian Genocide Recognition effort in the UK is an ever
expanding coalition which is gathering momentum involving more and
more Armenian and UK supporters. "Genocide Recognition is a human,
not merely an Armenian, issue" said Eilian Williams, a spokesman
for the organisers. "We urge all Armenians to continue lobbying to
obtain further parliamentary support as well as to consider joining
the Aegis Trust in their Genocide Prevention Campaigns.

WHAT PRICE OPEN BORDERS WITH TURKEY?
by Edmond Y. Azadian

AZG Armenian Daily
04/07/2007

Turkey can eat its cake and still have it, as long as it enjoys
the US support in its drive to join the European Union. The EU has
mandated a number of preconditions for membership, chief among them
being open borders with other member states. In the case of Cyprus,
Ankara dragged its feet until the last moment of the set deadline to
meet the EU condition of opening its seaports to Cypriot shipping
and in the final moments announced that it would open one port,
without specifying which one.

Cyprus is a full-fledged EU member and it can veto Turkey’s
membership. Armenia does not have that kind of leverage over Turkey. It
has only to rely on the international law, which is applied always
in double standards. Right at this moment the US is pressuring the
UN Security Council to vote for Kosovo’s independence over Russia’s
objections, but the rights of Armenians in Karabagh do not enjoy
that kind of support and the principle of territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan has become a given factor, despite all historical and
legal documents against that argument.

The issue of opening the Armenian-Turkish border was again raised in
Istanbul on June 25 by Armenia’s Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian,
who attended the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization
Conference. He underlined that:"Genocide recognition, although it’s
in our political agenda to pursue it, has never been a precondition
to normalize relations".

But to no avail. Even a private meeting with Turkey’s Foreign Minister
Abdullah Gul led nowhere. Because Turkey itself has preconditions
to open its borders and establish normal diplomatic relations with
Armenia.

Those conditions are:

a) The settlement of the Karabagh dispute, preferably to the
satisfaction of its Azeri cousins.

b) Abandonment of the genocide issue by Armenia.

c) The explicit recognition by Armenia of the 1923 Treaty of
Kars between Ankara and Moscow, determining Armenia’s borer with
Turkey. That would indirectly signify that Armenia has no territorial
claims over historic Armenia occupied by Turkey.

The first precondition may be settled down the road, but Turkey knows
that the last two are no-starters.

It is very significant that the international law is extremely flexible
and it can be stretched to fit the arguments of the most powerful.

A case in point is a meeting at the White House, where eleven members
from the Armenian community leaders participated, right after the
election of President George W. Bush. When Karl Rove was asked by
this writer how come the US cannot ask Turkey to open its borders
with Armenia, when Ankara is forced to form a strategic alliance with
Israel, at the cost of turning Turkey into a pariah in the Moslem
world, Mr. Rove, with his characteristic arrogance, decided to leave
the room.

All the preconditions set by Turkey to open its borders with Armenia
are hollow excuses. In world politics governments may make concessions
over counter concessions or rewards, which Armenia is in no position to
offer. Should the EU come up with a carrot for Ankara, all objections
will evaporate overnight.

The closed borders between the two neighboring countries have become
a double-edged sword for both sides. Turkey’s Eastern provinces
have suffered economically more than Armenia. Also, Turkey’s push
to extend its political, economic and strategic influence to the
Central Asian Turkic nations have been blocked by Armenia, although
Christian Georgia has treacherously offered some relief in that sense,
by bypassing Armenia.

Despite the Turkish blockade to punish Armenia, the latter has enjoyed
economic growth better than most former Soviet republics. Also, many
fear that open borders may mean to open the flood gate of influence
of Turkish capital in Armenia, allowing the opportunity for Ankara
to strangulate Armenia over any excuse.

As a general rule open borders may lead towards more civilized
relations between neighboring countries, but in this case there may
also be some inherent dangers for Armenia.

Mr. Oskanian presented the issue at the Black Sea conference because
that is the right thing to do politically. He knows, as well as
anyone else, that the key is in Turkey’s hands and that key will not
be used until the US pressures Ankara or the EU comes up with some
tangible rewards.

In reporting the news about Oskanian’s speech the immorality of the
international news media surfaces once again. Indeed, the Reuters
News agency states that "Turkey closed its border in 1993 to protect
against Armenia’s occupation of territory inside Azerbaijan, Ankara’s
close Turkic ally." Historic documents and international law cut no
ice with these agencies. No one would like to listen that Karabagh
has never been an integral part of Azerbaijan’s territory and that it
has come out of the Soviet Union, under the same laws and conditions
that have defined Azerbaijan’s own independence.

Both Associated Press and Reuters adhere also to the immoral position
in the case of the genocide issue by turning it into a "he said –
you said" controversy, contrary to overwhelming evidence of the
Ottoman Turkish crime.

Oskanian’s above speech is concluded in a positive note, expecting
that July 11 parliamentary elections in Turkey may change Ankara’s
position on the border issue.

Unfortunately, Turkey will not budge from its current position,
unless it is forced by a greater power or unless a reward is offered
to compensate its good behavior.

As a seasoned diplomat, Mr. Oskanian knows better.

THAT WOULD BE STRANGE, IF SERBIA SUPPORTED INDEPENDENCE OF NKR
By Aghavni Haroutiunian

AZG Armenian Daily
04/07/2007

"There is no difference between the conflict in Nagorno Karabakh and
that in Kosovo," Boris Tabic, President of Serbia, said this during
the meeting at the CE Political School. "Day.az" agency informed about
this. Tabic commented on his statement saying that one shouldn’t give
independence to Kosovo, as this may be dangerous for the territorial
integrity of Georgia, Azerbaijan and other states. Moreover, President
of Serbia stated that the independence of Kosovo might destabilize
the region.