Month: December 2008

CONGRESSMAN MARK KIRK TO BE INCOMING CO-CHAIR OF CONGRESSIONAL CAUCUS ON ARMENIAN ISSUES

De Facto
Dec 18, 2008

YEREVAN, 18.12.08. DE FACTO. Congressman Mark Kirk (R-IL) has been
elected the incoming Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian
Issues.

Congressman Kirk succeeds Co-Chair Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), who will
be retiring at the end of the 110th Congress, the Armenian Assembly
of America (Assembly) reports.

"After 20 years of working with the Armenian-American community
to advance U.S.-Armenia issues, I am honored and excited to serve
alongside Congressman Pallone as co-chair of the Caucus on Armenia
Issues," Kirk said. "The Caucus on Armenian Issues is well-known for
its work to strengthen the U.S.-Armenia relationship and recognize
the Armenian Genocide. I look forward to working with Congressman
Pallone and all members of the Caucus to advance the U.S.-Armenia
relationship in the 111th Congress."

To note, first elected to the House of Representatives in 2000,
Congressman Kirk succeeded John Porter (R-IL), who served as the
first Republican Co-Chair of the Caucus. Rep. Kirk represents the
10th district of Illinois, which is located north of Chicago, along
Lake Michigan and is home to St.

George Armenian Apostolic Church. Congressman Kirk serves on the
Appropriations Committee and sits on the State, Foreign Operations,
and Related Programs Subcommittee, responsible for determining crucial
funding to Armenia, and Financial Services.

During his tenure in Congress, Rep. Kirk has co-sponsored numerous
Armenian Genocide resolutions and made several statements in support
of reaffirmation. In addition, he has supported resolutions calling
for Permanent Normal Trade Relations with Armenia, and was a cosponsor
of H.Res. 3361, which prevented tax-payer funding of a rail bypass
of Armenia.

Jim Keledjian, ARAMAC Illinois State Chair said, "We are extremely
happy to have Rep. Kirk Co-Chair the Armenian Caucus. He has been a
strong advocate of Armenian interests throughout his tenure in the
House of Representatives and even prior as staff of former Caucus
Co-chair, Rep. Porter."

"The Assembly congratulates Congressman Kirk on this new role
and extends its sincere appreciation to outgoing Caucus Co-Chair
Knollenberg," said Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny. "Nearly
90 percent of the Caucus is returning in the 111th Congress and we look
forward to working with Representative Kirk and the entire Caucus. The
Assembly’s 2009 Advocacy Conference and Banquet in Washington, DC
next March will help ensure continued success in the 111th Congress."

An Illinois native, Representative Kirk attended the Universidad
Nacional Autonoma de Mexico before graduating cum laude in
History from Cornell. He holds a Masters Degree from the
London School of Economics and a Juris Doctor from Georgetown

POST-SOVIET SECURITY BLOC UNAWARE OF U.S. PLANS FOR C.ASIA BASES

RIA Novosti
15:03 | 18/ 12/ 2008

MOSCOW, December 18 (RIA Novosti) – The head of a post-Soviet security
bloc said on Thursday he had no information about the possible
deployment of new U.S. military bases in Kazakhstan or Uzbekistan.

A senior Russian military official expressed concern on Tuesday about
what he said were U.S. plans to set up military bases in the former
Soviet republics.

"This is the first time I have heard about the deployment of such
bases, and I cannot confirm this information," said Nikolai Bordyuzha,
general secretary of the Collective Security Treaty Organization
(CSTO).

He added that "any such decision" would have to be agreed on with
the CSTO.

"The Secretariat has received no such notification," he said.

The CSTO is a security grouping comprising the former Soviet republics
of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Uzbekistan,
and Tajikistan.

The press secretary of the U.S. embassy in Uzbekistan said earlier
on Thursday that the U.S. administration had no plans to deploy any
military bases in Uzbekistan.

The Kazakh Defense Ministry also denied any knowledge of U.S. plans
to deploy military bases in the country.

"We know nothing about such plans, and we cannot confirm this
information," a ministry source said.

Gen. Nikolai Makarov, chief of the General Staff of Russia’s Armed
Forces said on Tuesday that, "The U.S. has opened bases in Romania
and Bulgaria, and according to our information plans to establish
them in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan."

Former Soviet republics in Central Asia have been the focus of
increased rivalry between Moscow and Washington of late.

The United States has recently stepped up ties with oil-rich
Kazakhstan, which allowed U.S. planes to fly over its territory during
the 2001 U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan and also contributed troops
to Iraq.

Observers in Russia say that Washington will need more bases in
countries neighboring Afghanistan due to president-elect Barack
Obama’s plans to increase the U.S. military presence in the war-ravaged
country by 20,000 troops.

The U.S. has run an airbase in Kyrgyzstan since the war in Afghanistan.

Uzbekistan expelled U.S. troops from its airbase in 2005, but has
recently sought closer ties with the U.S. and other Western powers.

Gen. Makarov also blamed Washington for pushing Georgia and Ukraine
toward NATO membership. He said Russia had been surrounded by the
military alliance’s forces.

The statement came amid an ongoing dispute over Washington’s
plans to place a missile base in Poland and a radar in the Czech
Republic. Moscow opposes the plans as a threat to its national
security. The U.S. says the missile defenses are needed to counter
possible strikes from "rogue" states.

IN ORDER THAT ENERGETIC SYSTEM WORKS WITH GREAT PROFIT

NKR Government Information and
Public Relations Department
December 17, 2008

Today, the NKR Prime Minister Ara Haroutyunyan has conducted a
conference with participation of the executives of the Republic’s
energetic system.

During the conference the results of 2008 were summarized and the tasks
for 2009 were outlined. The data of this year were presented by Valeri
Balayan, the Head of the Department of Industrial Infrastructures
adjunct to the NKR Government. He particularly noted that in 2008 more
than 350 mln drams investments were made in the energetic system,
while according to the affirmed programme, this index should have
formed 850 mln drams. The investment underfulfillment was justified
by the technical unavailability of the system. However, according
to other indices some changes for the better were recorded. It
was underlined that in 2008 the technical damages in the energetic
system of the Republic decreased by 9.6 percent in comparison with
the previous year and the total index of the year will form 15.7
percent. It was noted for comparison that in 2006 the energetic
losses formed 24.9 percent. According to Valeri Balayan’s assurance
the experience of the past few days (when gas supply was considerably
reduced in the Republic) showed that the energetic system today is
more secure and is ready to operate regularly under more overladen
conditions. According to the Chief Executive of the sphere some
technical and organizational improvements should be introduced in the
electricity system of the Republic reducing the commercial losses to
1-2 percent and the technical ones to 14 percent.

Appraising the achievements of the year in the energetic sphere at
their true worth the NKR Prime Minister Ara Haroutyunyan simultaneously
expressed his dissatisfaction with the insufficient work of separate
regional branches. He addressed his remarks mainly to the regional
electro-distributive systems of Martakert, Askeran and Hadrout
demanding to take necessary steps to improve the situation. The Head
of the Government emphasized that it is necessary to have such an
energetic system, which will not be a burden for the state, moreover,
will work with great profit and will safely secure the economic
development of the Republic.

Congratulating the power engineering specialists in connection with
the forthcoming professional holiday the NKR Prime Minister charged
the executives of the sphere with the tasks to considerably reduce the
losses in the electro-distributive systems, to apply relevant punitive
measures and to present organizational proposals. The Prime Minister
demanded as well to form and to present the activity programme of
the system for 2009 with detailed estimate and development tendencies.

EUROPEAN COUNCIL GIVES ULTIMATE WARNING TO ANKARA

_and_World_News/13187
December 18, 2008

The General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAEC) of the
European Union adopted its annual conclusions on December 9 regarding
the Enlargement Policy. In these conclusions which insist on the
"fair and rigorous conditionality" and on the "reference criteria"
taking into consideration the "essential issues relating to the Rule
of law and good governance", a whole chapter is dedicated to Turkey.

This chapter is more critical than ever before, and it appears as an
ultimate warning sent to Ankara because of its lack of progress. Thus,
while greeting "the active and constructive role played by Turkey
through its diplomatic initiatives in the South Caucasus and in the
Middle East" and while being satisfied "that a serious political
crisis was able to be averted in the summer 2008", the Council "is
disappointed to note that over the year just passed Turkey has made
only limited progress, particularly as regards political reforms".

According to the Council, "Turkey still have to make substantial
efforts continued judicial reform, establishing an anti-corruption
strategy, effective protection of citizens’ rights, full implementation
of the policy of zero tolerance of torture and ill-treatment, ensuring
freedom of expression and of religion in law and in practice for
all religious communities, respect for property rights, respect for
and protection of minorities and strengthening of cultural rights,
women’s rights, children’s rights and trade union rights, and the
civilian authorities’ control of the military".

"This list of breaches is too long for a State which is in
the negotiating process and which is supposed to have already
fulfilled all of the political criteria" declared Hilda Tchoboian,
the chairperson of the European Armenian Federation. "It betrays
the Council’s opinion, expressed diplomatically, that the Turkish
application is not credible", she continued.

Regarding the Cypriot question and the implicit recognition of Cyprus
through implementation of the Additional Protocol, the Council "regrets
Turkey has not yet fulfilled its obligation of full non-discriminatory
implementation of the Additional Protocol to the Association Agreement
and has not made progress towards normalisation of its relations
with the Republic of Cyprus" and informs Ankara that "progress is
now urgently awaited."

"It is normal that the European Union can no longer tolerate that a
candidate country occupies militarily a Member State and refuses to
recognize it, even implicitly", added Tchoboian.

In addition, regarding the relations with Erevan, the Council
"encourages the incipient rapprochement with Armenia".

"A sincere rapprochement impli es the end of the Turkish blockade of
Armenia and the recognition of the Armenian genocide as demanded by
the Turkish, Armenian and European civil societies" declared Hilda
Tchoboian.

RECTOR OF YEDITEPE UNIVERSITY BEDRETTIN DALAN: "EUROPEANS, WHO RAISED GLASS TO EACH OTHER WITH HUMAN SKULLS, ARE REAL CRIMINALS COMMITTED GENOCIDE"

Azeri Press Agency
Dec 18 2008
Azerbaijan

Istanbul-APA. "Claims on genocide are immoral lie. Turks have not
committed any genocide throughout millennium. Turks fight in wars
bravely", Professor, Rector of Yeditepe University Bedrettin Dalan
said, APA reports quoting Turkish media.

Dalan underlined that Turks had not committed genocide. Europeans,
who raised glass to each other with human skulls, are real criminals
committed genocide.

"They want to distort history now. They are engaged in treachery
with persons, who are at one with them in Turkey. This is not
pluralism. Pluralism cannot be treachery," he said.

Dalan urged scientists apologized to Armenians for open debates.

"Let them come and discuss the issue before people. Or let them bring
an action against me and deal the issue before the court", he added.

Salan was Mayor of Istanbul in 1984-89.

UNEMPLOYMENT – ARMENIA’S NUMBER ONE PROBLEM?

The Messenger
Dec 18 2008
Georgia

The Armenian budget for 2009 does not take into account the world
financial crisis, says former head of the Armenian Central Bank Bagrat
Assatrian, now in opposition. He says that this budget was submitted to
Parliament in July and August and adopted in October and therefore does
not include any concept of operating within a global economic crisis.

Assatrian thinks that the economic situation will deteriorate in
2009, because the country artificially maintains the Drum (national
currency) rate against the USD. He also thinks that the number one
problem in 2009 will be unemployment. He considers Armenian nationals
now working in Russia will also face serious problems and will be
forced to return home.

MP Vardan Bostanjian however thinks the Armenian economy is
in compliance with the demands of the current international
situation. According to him amendments of the customs and taxation
codes are envisaged.

SIGNATURE CAMPAIGN AGAINST PRO-ARMENIAN FORCES IN TURKEY LAUNCHED AT

Azeri Press Agency
Dec 18 2008
Azerbaijan

Baku. Vugar Masimoglu-APA. Internet-campaigns against the apologizing
for 1915 events to Armenians are widening throughout Turkey. On
Thursday one more campaign started at ,
which involved a number of well-known figures.

"The history was outlived, written and it made its verdict. There are
no guilt to shame us and guilty men to apologize for them. Those,
who launched this disgusting campaign hiding behind the name of
intellectual, must understand that no one can speak on behalf of
the Turkish nation and to accuse the Turkish nation", said in the
website. Well-known artists Ahmet Shafak, Ozan Arif, members of the
parliament from CHP and MHP, chairman of the Great Union Party,
member of the parliament Muhsin Yazicioglu, numerous journalists
are among the signatories. Many people are joining the campaign from
Azerbaijan. Those, who want to say NO to the disgusting campaign of
pro-Armenian forces in Turkey, can affix a signature visiting the
website

The campaign launched on Wednesday at is also
continuing. Azerbaijanis living in the different parts of the world
are also actively joining this campaign. Ten thousands people have
already joined the campaign demanding Armenians to apologize to the
Turkish people. The campaign is going on.

GERMAN WRITER’S BOOK ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT TRANSLATED INTO ARABIAN LANGUAGE

Trend News Agency
Dec 18 2008
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec. 18 /TrendNews, N.Vazirova/ A book of the German
writer of political essays on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has been
translated into the Arabian language. "The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Short historical essay" by Johannes
Raun has bee published in the Arabian language under support of the
Azerbaijani Embassy in Egypt, the Embassy told TrendNews.

The book includes evidences of Dashnaksutun Party’s pursuit and
terrorism facts against other nations living in Azerbaijan early the
20th century.

The book has been presented to officials of Egypt, government and
non-government organizations, scientific and educational, as well
as cultural centers, international and educational centers and
representations of Egypt.

Translation into the Arabian language has been organized, taking
into consideration the foreign writer’s independent opinion and his
neutral view on the issue of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The conflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus began
in 1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since
1992, Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20% of Azerbaijan including
the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven surrounding districts. In
1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which
time the active hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk
Group (Russia, France, and the US) are currently holding peaceful
negotiations.

NO APOLOGY FROM TURKEY’S LEADER

Philadelphia Inquirer
Dec 18 2008
PA

In the World

ANKARA, Turkey – Turkey’s prime minister yesterday said he would not
join a group of Turkish intellectuals who issued an apology on the
Internet for alleged World War I-era massacres of Armenians in Turkey.

"If there is a crime, then those who committed it can offer an
apology. My nation, my country has no such issue," Recep Tayyip
Erdogan said. "I personally do not support this campaign."

The Turkish prime minister’s reaction, echoed by nationalists and even
members of opposition parties, was a setback for the intellectuals’
hopes to nurture reconciliation by shattering a taboo against
acknowledging Turkish culpability for the deaths.

Several Turkish diplomats and lawmakers have condemned the apology,
and hundreds of Turks joined groups that popped up on Facebook with
such titles as "I am not apologizing." – AP

Protest banners hung on Acropolis ATHENS, Greece – Heaping new
embarrassment on a government reeling from days of rioting, protesters
hung giant banners off Greece’s most famous monument, the Acropolis,
yesterday, calling for mass demonstrations across Europe.

The two pink banners were unfurled over the walls of the ancient
citadel, which towers above central Athens, and they could be seen
for miles around. One bore the word Resistance in large black letters
in Greek, English, Spanish and German.

The other called for demonstrations throughout the continent today,
when students plan major marches in Athens and Greece’s second-largest
city, Thessaloniki, to protest the death of 15-year-old Alexandros
Grigoropoulos, killed in a police shooting on Dec. 6.

"This hurts the image of our country abroad. . . . It is unacceptable,"
government spokesman Evangelos Antonaros said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

GERMANY’S EU LAW A DENIAL OF GENOCIDE
By Toivo Ndjebela

Informante
8080/informante/index.php?option=com_content&t ask=view&id=3302&Itemid=100
Dec 18 2008
Namibia

THE legislation proposed by Germany and approved by the European
Union (EU) on 12 April 2007 appears contradictory and even smacks
of hypocrisy.

The law tabled by the Germans would allow prosecution of anyone guilty
of "genocide denial" for questioning war crimes committed in either
Africa or the Balkans during the past 20 years.

The decision to limit the crime of "genocide denial" only to events
that took place during the past 20 years has raised widespread
suspicion.

Furthermore, it is a slap in the face for many who are trying to
address past human rights violations, particularly in Namibia.

Under German-proposed law, people who question Europe’s human rights
violations from 20 years and beyond in Africa and the Balkans could
be jailed for up to three years for "genocide denial".

Even the International Herald Tribune reported just after the approval
of the law that it was notable "for what it omitted".

Most people would consider any law that outlaws "intentional conduct"
that incites violence or hatred against a person’s "race, colour,
religion, descent or ethnic origin" a noble initiative.

The decision to limit the law to the events of the past 20 years
appears to be a disingenuous and cynical attempt by Germany to
indemnify itself against atrocities committed during its colonial rule,
particularly in Namibia.

By imposing the 20-year limit, the Germans avoid the discomfort of
having to embarrass powerful or important neighbours such as Russia
over Stalin’s atrocities in the Baltic countries, or the massacres
of Armenians by Ottoman Turks.

The scope of the law does not cover many specific historical events,
but limits itself to recognising genocides that fall under the
statutes, such as the mass killing of Jews during World War II and
the massacre in Rwanda in 1994.

Above all, justice under the new EU law is highly selective, allowing
the EU to pick and choose what forms of "genocide denial" to outlaw,
leaving wide latitude for applying double standards.

It specifically excludes any justice for Namibia’s Herero and Nama
communities, who demand compensation for the killing of between 35,000
to 105,000 of their ancestors from 1904 to 1908, in the genocide by
German colonial forces in Namibia.

The genocidal killings by German troops drove thousands of Ovaherero
people into exile in Botswana, where many still remain after a
100 years.

In 2001, the Herero became the first ethnic group in Namibia to seek
reparations from Germany for that country’s colonial policies which
fit the definition of genocide.

The case was brought before a US federal court and the reparation
claims were based on the procedures of the Alien Torts Claim Act of
1789. The case is still ongoing, albeit with strong opposition from
the Germans.

International human rights bodies such as Amnesty International,
Human Rights Watch and others have looked into violations of human
rights in the past, and have at times called for justice to be done.

Germany cannot escape scrutiny, and the proposal to have strict
limits on the definition of "genocide denial", while making special
provisions for the economically powerful Jewish community in its own
national laws, is hardly surprising.

The order by German colonial administrator in Namibia, Lothar von
Trotha, for the execution of thousands of Namibians stands out as a
classic example of why Germany would have a slim chance of escaping
any possible prosecution.

There is great condemnation of the envisaged law, not only in Africa
but Europe too. In Europe, Lithuania and Estonia were among the nations
against the proposal. They have pressed hard for the crimes committed
by the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin to be brought into the scope
of the law.

Most EU member states have resisted the two nations’ stance on the
matter, but a compromise was drawn up last year, to include a political
declaration condemning the mass murders committed under Stalin.

According to the draft proposal "…each (EU) member state shall take
the measures necessary to ensure that the following intentional conduct
is punishable: ‘publicly condoning, denying or grossly trivialising
of crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes as
defined in’… the Statute of the ICC."