Month: February 2012

Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Feb 11 2012

Democracy of Turkey crucial asset: Ex-US envoy

Barçın Yinanç
ISTANBUL – Hürriyet Daily News

Turkey has strategic importance because it is a secular democracy with
a majority Muslim population, says a former member of the US
administration, adding that any regression in democracy would end
Ankara’s strategic importance. The US is also paying attention to the
plight of arrested Turkish journalists, Matt Bryza adds

The cornerstone of what makes Turkey so important to the United States
strategically is that it remains a secular democracy with a Muslim
majority population, said a former US diplomat.

The Turkish-US strategic partnership would become unsustainable if
there were no sustained progress on democracy, said Matt Bryza, a
career diplomat who was the U.S. ambassador to Baku until recently.

Following the failure of the Senate to endorse his nomination due to
pressure from the Armenian lobby, he left Baku last month to settle in
Istanbul. `Washington should focus on a breakthrough in the
Nagorno-Karabakh [NK] conflict, which will be followed by
Turkey-Armenia reconciliation as a consequence,’ he said in his first
interview since leaving the U.S. foreign service.

Q: Does the failure of the Senate to endorse your nomination to Baku
tell us that the Armenian issue will always hijack the United States’
ties with Ankara and Baku?

A: Most definitely not. Look what President [Barack] Obama did last
year; he used his constitutional powers to go around that blockage. He
understood the strategic interest of Azerbaijan and pressed ahead.
This time, his decision may be based on factors that go beyond factors
related to Baku. Obviously we are in an electoral year.

Q: What are we to expect this year in Washington on April 24 [the day
Armenians commemorate the `genocide’]?

A: I was deeply involved with this issue every single year as I was in
[President George W.] Bush’s staff. We can expect every year that
there will be a lot of tension surrounding this issue, especially as
2015 comes close and especially in an election year. The [Armenian]
organization that blocked me will keep bringing up this issue forever.
But it’s not up to governments but to people to make their own
determination on how to characterize it. The comfortable prediction
would be to say that the current trend will continue.

Q: What is Turkey to expect as 2015 approaches?

A: [Centennial] anniversaries are a milestone. But Turkey has the
ability to influence that debate in a significant way. It can have a
genuine open discussion with credible participants from all elements
of Turkish society to examine the historical records. The radicals
that blocked me hate that, they don’t want to have an open debate; an
open dialogue is their enemy.

Also, I think it’s a huge mistake to explicitly say there is no
connection at all between Turkish-Armenian normalization and a
settlement to the NK problem. I always believed that the two issues
will help each other; as there is progress on the Turkish-Armenian
front, that will help create progress on NK and progress on NK will
help normalize relations between Turkey and Armenia. But if we
artificially say that there is no such relationship, we end up dooming
the prospect for a settlement in NK because we make it impossible for
Armenian leaders to compromise because they are given a huge benefit
[opening the border with Turkey] without making any compromise. So we
need to manage the two processes together at the same time. We saw
that if Azerbaijan feels Turkey is not supporting it with regard to
Armenia, Azerbaijani politicians have a way to make normalization with
Armenia impossible.

Q: Do you believe there has been an evolution in Turkey’s approach to
the Armenian `genocide?’

A: There has been a progression. [There is more acceptance of] an open
discussion of what happened. I think the Hrant Dink murder was a huge
awakening for millions of Turks. It’s not just the government, it’s
society that has moved forward to consider that terrible killings were
committed by Ottoman troops. But what has not changed at all for
legitimate reasons is the firm Turkish view that this should not be
recognized politically as genocide; it’s not the business of any
politician in any country to characterize these events as genocide or
not as genocide. It has to be up to societies, not to others, to have
a decision taken based on a political calendar. To me that’s dishonest
[otherwise].

Q: How Turkey should tackle the Armenian lobby’s efforts?

A: Truth is on everyone side, especially on Turkey’s side. The debate
about this issue is really one-sided right now. Anybody who voices a
different view is attacked as a genocide-denier, which immediately
means you are against human rights. If you believe there was a
genocide committed, you can equally argue looking from a narrow
definition of the word that genocide was committed to many others,
against Turks or Muslims, in eastern Anatolia. Let’s have a dialogue
of the multiple atrocities that [were committed against] many groups.
Let’s talk about it all. Let’s be fair and not forget the suffering of
others.

Q: What has failed in Turkish-Armenian reconciliation? Is it because
the NK dimension was neglected in the protocols?

A: The Turkish leadership realized that by opening the border with
Armenia totally outside the context of NK, Turkey was moving in a new
direction because Turkey closed the border in the context of the NK
conflict. Azerbaijanis will never forget that. Azerbaijanis have
significant political influence in Turkey.
In Azerbaijan there is no country that is as loved as Turkey. It is
overwhelmingly the most popular country in Azerbaijan. It was always
painful for me to see [the U.S.’] approval rating in the 20s and 30s
while Turkey was well into the 90s. So if anybody takes a step that
Azerbaijan is extremely uncomfortable with, that step will never
succeed in Turkish politics. It’s impossible.

Q: What’s the way to move forward based on past experience? It seems
like it’s a case of putting the cart before the horse.

A: That’s the point. Keep the horse in front of the cart. Sequencing
matters but the sequencing was out of order. The most important issue
for both Yerevan and Baku is NK, not reconciliation. For Armenia it is
much more important to eliminate the risk of war and have a fair and
sustainable settlement in NK than have direct trading relations with
Turkey. What I advocated is to focus on getting that breakthrough on
NK. If you do that, Turkish-Armenian reconciliation comes as a
consequence.

Q: What will your advice be to Washington on the
Armenia-Azerbaijan-Turkey triangle?

A: As I said to the secretary of state, focus on getting a
breakthrough on NK, it’s achievable, the breakthrough would not be on
the final peace agreement but on the framework agreement for the peace
agreement. Once you work hard to get the framework agreement, make
clear you will do everything possible to make sure the framework
becomes a final peace agreement. And then with that process moving
forward, go back to Turkey-Armenia negotiations.

Q: As 2015 approaches, won’t it be difficult to convince Armenia?

A: I think Armenia will come to understand that if our president and
state secretary are personally involved, and if they make clear that
the drafting of the agreement will be truly trilateral ` and not only
be driven by one side, the Russian side, but by the equal
participation of the two other countries, the U.S. and France ` I
think there will be a chance for a breakthrough. What is on the table
is fair and reasonable.

There has been huge progress. The sides are extremely close to a
breakthrough. There are a couple of core, key details that can only be
agreed upon if the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan make a very
difficult and risky political decision. They would not do that until
they feel they receive political support from the U.S. and France.

Q: Will the U.S. step in?

A: Based on my conversation with Clinton, I believe the willingness is
there. But it is a busy time in foreign policy. I can’t predict
whether our top-level leaders will sustain this interest but I know
it’s there now. I just had conversations in Washington two weeks ago.

Q: Where do you think Turkey has come in fulfilling its aspirations on
energy policies?

A: Turkey has succeeded in becoming a hub. It has gas coming from
Iraq, Azerbaijan and Russia [and will] eventually [get it] from
northern Iraq. Previously, Turkey’s aspiration was to be a link for
its strategic brothers in Azerbaijan and Central Asia with Europe. It
can be both. A hub is a link. The question is for Turkey to decide how
much it wants to play a strategic role as a link or how much it wants
to be at the centerpiece. My hope is that Turkey will think first and
foremost about the importance to Europe ¦ to have a diversified flow
of gas from Central Asia and think of its partners that look to Turkey
as their strategic link to Europe ¦ If Turkey is seen as overplaying
its hand trying to extract too much revenue out of its geographic
position, then it risks losing its status with Europe and Azerbaijan
and other countries. But if it finds the right balance, it will
elevate its strategic position. Make your primary objective be that of
connecting Caspian gas to Europe even as you use the rest of your
position to [attain] the economic benefits of being a hub. Be a
statesman rather than a salesman.

Q: How do you see the evolution of Turkish-U.S. ties?

A: It was shocking to me to see in the 2000s the low approval ratings.
It was the lowest on the globe except for Palestine. It was
mind-boggling because we have such deep ties. Look at me, I am married
to a Turkish woman. [But now] something has changed. It has to do with
Turkey’s own sense of where it stands in the world. It wants to be
recognized as a global player and it is [beginning] to be recognized
as such, and I hope that is what is going to improve Turkey’s
relations with the U.S. Relations are much better now as Turkey
becomes more confident, it will be more confident in its ties with the
U.S. Turkey for years was punching under its weight. It was not
punching hard enough for its weight class. It should punch harder now.

Q: How do you see the level of relations now?

A: They’re very good, especially because of Syria. Regardless of the
political party in government, Turkey can serve as an inspiration to
all those people in all those lands where Ottoman reforms took hold
whether in Damascus or Cairo. [It can become] a modernizing state
providing the same political and economic freedoms that Turks have
achieved to those who seek them in Arab countries. Turkey’s experience
is unique but can inspire and Turkey has fully realized that potential
and is using this card extremely skillfully in the Middle East.

Turkey and the U.S. have a partnership that is equal and focused on
shared strategic interests.
We don’t have identical interests but have many common ones. The
cornerstone of what makes Turkey so important to the U.S.
strategically is that it remains a secular democracy with a Muslim
majority population and a legacy of 170 years of modernizing reforms
that helped to modernize key parts of the Middle East.

Q: The U.S. is criticized for underestimating the democratic deficit in Turkey.

A: If you are in foreign policy-making, your job is to promote
stability in the Middle East. Turkey in this case has proven to be a
great partner. That sort of partnership is unsustainable if there is
no sustained progress on democracy. Turkey’s strategic importance is
because it is a secular democracy with a majority Muslim population.
Were that no longer the case, then the strategic importance would go
away. It will still be relevant and important to the U.S. in working
on a set of issues, but Turkey itself is such a vital spot on the map
¦ Like everywhere else, democracy in Turkey is a work in progress. In
Washington great attention is paid to the plight of arrested
journalists.

Who is Matt Bryza?

DAILY NEWS PHOTO, Emrah GÃ`REL

In the early stages of his career in the United States Foreign
Service, Matt Bryza participated in U.S. diplomatic missions in Poland
and Russia. He began focusing on the Caucasus, Central Asia and the
energy issue in Eurasia in the second half of the 1990s. Throughout
the 2000s he developed U.S. policies on Turkey, Greece, Cyprus, South
Caucasus and Central Asia in the National Security Council as well as
in the State Department as deputy assistant secretary of state.

In 2010 President Barack Obama nominated Bryza as ambassador to Baku.
As a result of the campaign of the Armenian National Committee of
America (ANCA), two democratic senators put a hold on his nomination,
preventing a Senate vote. Obama sent Bryza to Baku as a recess
appointment but did not push for him when he re-nominated him as the
two senators continued their blockage.

Arguments against him have included his opposition to U.S. recognition
of genocide claims, failure to speak out forcefully against
`Azerbaijani aggression’ and supposed conflicts involving his
Turkish-born American citizen wife. He recently left the Foreign
Service.

February/11/2012

From: Baghdasarian

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Feb 10 2012

How did we step into the missionary threat trap ?(2)

MARKAR ESAYAN

I said in my last column that there was visible link between the Hrank
Dink murder and the missionary paranoia that has been discussed and
raised since 2002; in that column, I provided an introduction into how
the process had started.

In fact, the information that those who fabricated this paranoia had
in hand did not support a state of panic. A document from the National
Security Council (MGK) undersigned by Å?ükrü SarııÅ?ık and dated Nov.
17, 2003 noted that the missionary and minority threat was pretty
grave and that this threat was pointing to the unitary state itself.
The threat was underlined but the concrete evidence that referred to
the dimensions of this threat and danger referred to a completely
different situation. Furthermore, this was spelled out in the same
document.

The document provided some numbers of missionaries active in Turkey in
2000: `As of 2000, there are 54 missionaries, 45 foreigners and nine
Turks, active in Turkey.’ True, the number of missionaries who were
threatening the unitary structure of the state of Turkey was just 54.
A 40-page report was drafted on these 54 people. In other words, there
was no danger that would lead to a state of paranoia at all. If you
take a look at those who created this fuss over missionaries, those
who exaggerated this danger and created this climate, you will see the
current Ergenekon suspects, like those who followed the actions of
Hrant Dink, who threatened him, harassed him in court and displayed
placards that read, `Hrant: son of missionary.’ This matter was
extensively covered by Adem Yavuz Arslan in his book, `Bi Ermeni var:
Hrant Dink Operasyonunun Å?ifreleri’ (There’s this Armenian: The Codes
of the Dink Operation).

For instance, the book noted that a report by the Ankara Chamber of
Commerce led by Sinan Aygün, another Ergenekon suspect, on the
activities of missionaries argued that Turkey was a target of
missionary activities. The report claims: `The missionary activities
which were presented as actions to spread Christianity in the
beginning now seek to undermine the unitary structure of the state.
Their activities intensify in the Black Sea and Southeast regions.’
Aygün said that in those days harmonization laws promoted missionary
activity in Turkey.

EU membership bid targeted

In other words, it appeared that one of the targets was the EU
membership bid. The said report also presented a survey on
missionaries in 2003: `In 2003, 190 missionary activities were
detected. To this end, more than 300 churches, a number of bookstores,
one library, six journals, a number of foundations and publications,
five radio stations, many monasteries, two cafes, one agency, seven
corporations, one translation house, seven newspapers, one historical
artifact, two museums and a number of associations were spotted.’ Let
us set aside these exaggerated numbers and the unwise claims that they
had historical artifacts and museums. Did you ever hear of such a
statistical study? This is obviously a study of intelligence; and even
if you assume that this information is true, only intelligence units
hold information such as what cafe belongs to who and what hotel is
run by a missionary. Arslan wrote in his book that this information
overlapped with the information provided in the document by the MGK’s
General Secretariat on March 12, 2003. Let us continue. It was Jan.
23, 2002. The Agos weekly was classified as dangerous by the General
Staff’s Psychological Warfare Unit. A report Col. Ä°smet Kayfaz
referred to the chair of the unit had unveiled that Agos and its
columnists were monitored and kept under surveillance. These
columnists included me. I wrote an article on this document for the
Taraf daily. Frankly, it was not pleasant to see my name and one of my
columns as an example in that document. Why does an army of a country
keep under surveillance a national paper while that is not its mission
or job?

But this is nothing new or surprising for Turkey. It later became
apparent that Father Andrea Santoro, who was killed in 2006, was
reviewed by the Gendarmerie Intelligence Review Unit in 2003 and 2004
and that detailed reports were drafted on his actions. The report
argued that missionaries used the opportunities and freedoms provided
by the EU harmonization laws and that Father Santoro, a priest at the
Santa Maria Catholic Church in Trabzon, was engaging in missionary
activity.

Using children under the age of 18

For some reason, all the people referred to in such reports and
documents, including Santoro, Dink and the Malatya victims, were
killed. In all these three cases, kids younger than 18 were used. Even
the methods and styles displayed consistency.

Now let us keep this in mind and go back to the `climate’ aspect of
this matter. Those who were on the target list and the conscientious
people of this country were aware of the plot. A handful of people
were trying to practice their faith in Turkey. Their only crime was
that they were Christian. The plotters were well aware that this
danger was not real. However, the plot of paranoia worked. All TV
stations and papers contributed to the spread of the paranoia. As I
noted in my previous column, some ministers in the Cabinet, which was
the actual target, and even the Religious Affairs Directorate
contributed to this process via their attitudes and general
preferences.

Of course, there was a deep structure, along with its goals and
murders, out there. But this nation did not act prudently to abort
this plot. The circles and groups that were on Ergenekon’s target list
were used through media, nationalism and prejudice.

A deep structure killed Dink. But how will we explain the negligence
that set reason and conscience aside during the process that resulted
in his murder? Why were numerous intelligence reports ignored? Why was
Hrant not protected? How were the Santoro and Malatya murders
committed? How did the intelligence units of this country miss all
these?

Let us say that every unit had Ergenekon extensions which manipulated
these units, but why did the government, which had stated that the
Dink murder also targeted the political administration as well, not
extend full support to this legal case? Why did the legal process end
with a scandalous decision?

At this point we have to admit the painful truth and realize that
there is a poisonous unification of agreement on some issues. There is
no other explanation for Ergenekon to have fallen for the trap of
`missionaries and Armenians.’ And this remains a problem. This further
prevents the solution of the Dink murder and keeps the possibility for
other plots on the table.

In a country where the Islamic faith is so strong, I am surprised to
see that the overall outlook is in stark contrast with Islamic values
and precepts because the holy book of Islam, the Quran, says in verse
135 of Surah Nisa: `O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice,
as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or
your kin, and whether it be [against] rich or poor: for Allah can best
protect both. Follow not the lusts [of your hearts], lest you swerve,
and if you distort [justice] or decline to do justice, verily Allah is
well-acquainted with all that you do.’

And verse 22 of Surah Rum says: `And among His Signs is the creation
of the heavens and the earth, and the variations in your languages and
your colors: Verily in that are Signs for those who know.’

Indeed it is.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Anadolu Agency, Turkey
Feb 11 2012

Turkey’s EU Minister Says It Is Illogical To Call 1915 Events A Genocide

Saturday, 11 February 2012 16:15 .

Turkey’s European Union (EU) minister and chief negotiator said on
Saturday that it was illogical to call the 1915 events a genocide.

Egemen Bagis said the fact that some EU members had to pass a series
of laws that restrict freedom of speech was illogical, this was
contrary to the principles of the EU constitution that the members had
adopted.

“I said in Zurich, I repeat here, and I will repeat elsewhere, that
with our information, according to our records and our sources, it
makes no sense- it-s illogical to call the 1915 events a genocide,”
Bagis told an interview with the Euronews TV channel.

Bagis said Turkey challenged Armenia and other countries to open their
archives, that Turkey created an independent commission in which they
found Armenian historians, Russian, Turkish, European and American
historians.

“That all these countries open their archives so that we can analyse
what really happened in 1915. Thereafter we can assess the situation.
This is an execution without trial. Calling the 1915 events a genocide
based solely on information we have right now, comes from a lobby that
nurtures malicious hatred. We refuse to enter into their games,” he
said.

Asked if it could be spread throughout the EU, Bagis said, “this is
against the principles of the EU. For this to be possible, all 27 EU
members should take a unanimous decision. It’s unlikely that all 27 EU
countries decide this at the same time.”

On Turkish-EU relations, Bagis said Europe must stop thinking that the
Turks would emigrate to Europe, because in recent year’s every one had
seen that more Europeans were moving to Turkey than vice versa.

Bagis said Turkey’s position was not driven by economic interests,
Turkey never saw the EU in that way. “For us, Europe is the most
extensive project for peace in all of human history. When we look at
the member countries of the European Union, we find that peoples who
have waged war for centuries now live in peace within the EU,” he
said.

Bagis said for that peaceful project to become more worldwide Turkey
should be integrated into it, and due to its geographical location,
Turkey served as a bridge between countries and could give that
project an international dimension.

“Despite the economic difficulties experienced by the EU, we must not
forget that the EU still has the highest wealth per capita. Therefore
the EU model is one of the best to apply when thinking of our own
hopes for the future,” he said.

Asked if Turkey was going to turn towards other horizons, Bagis said
as always Turkey continued to be a bridge between East and West,
between Islam and Christianity.

“In terms of energy resources it also serves as a bridge and manages
supply and demand. This bridge, which extends from north to south, and
east to west gets stronger every day. This shouldn’t be a source of
disagreement,” the minister said.

On economic crisis, Bagis said, “as Turkey has also gone through very
difficult times, we can say that the EU will emerge from this crisis
even more stable and fortified. Not so long ago, there was a period of
12-13 years in which Turkey saw interest rates raise by 8000 percent
in a single night.”

“The first thing that the EU should do is take away the visa that
applies to Turkish citizens. It’s unfair, illogical, and illegitimate.
Turks should be able to travel freely in EU member countries. This
would mean more tourists and therefore more money spent. They-ll do
business. Turkish citizens now have the opportunity to travel without
visas in 65 countries. We are part of the customs union, 50 percent of
our foreign trade is with the EU, 60 percent of tourists visiting
Turkey come from the EU. Despite all this, it is unfortunate that we
can not we travel freely in EU countries,” he said.

Bagis said, “the world of business has grown significantly. Turkey is
currently the sixth largest economy in Europe. Figures from the OECD
predict that by 2050 Turkey will be the second largest economy, and
until 2020 Turkey will continue to have the strongest economic growth
in Europe. To build walls and close doors to such potential does not
make sense. We must stop thinking that the Turks will emigrate to
Europe, because in recent years we-ve seen that more Europeans are
moving to Turkey than vice versa.”

Asked about criticism about slowdown in reforms, Bagis said, “the AK
(Justice & Development) Party is not tired of making reforms. The AK
party is historically the government which has made –the most
reforms. Just look what we have done recently.”

On constitutional initiatives, Bagis said they were creating a
commission with an equal number of representatives that reflected the
four parties represented in parliament.

“Right now it is this committee which is responsible for the new
constitution. NGOs, academics and journalists also support the work of
the commission. Once all this information is collected the commission
will prepare a civil constitution which I hope will unite all
citizens,” he said.

Commenting on developments in Syria, Bagis said, “today at a press
conference the President of the European Parliament himself said that
Turkey is the country that made –the most courageous statements on
this issue. We would also like to see European countries adopt a
firmer stance.”

“On one night alone 300 people were killed. The entire international
community must tell them to stop. The international community should
exert greater pressure on China and Russia who are permanent members
of the Security Council of the United Nations,” the minister said.

“Tens of thousands of people have already been welcomed into Turkey.
All our resources have been deployed- Concerning our plans for the
future, I’m not ready to share that on camera, I’ll save it for
diplomacy behind the scenes,” Bagis also said.

AA

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Trend, Azerbaijan
Feb 11 2012

Matthew Bryza: politicians shouldn’t characterize events as genocide
or not as genocide

11 February 2012, 11:55 (GMT+04:00)

Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb. 11 / Trend A.Badalova /

“It’s not the business of any politician in any country to
characterize events as genocide or not as genocide,” former U.S.
ambassador to Azerbaijan Matthew Bryza said in an interview with
Turkish Hurriyet Daily newspaper.

On Jan 23, after an eight-hour debate, the French senate adopted the
law criminalizing the denial of the so-called “Armenian genocide”. The
bill demands a year’s imprisonment and a fine of 45,000 euro for
denying the so-called genocide.

French senators who did not agree with the adoption of the law
appealed to the Constitutional Council on Jan. 31 with a request to
cancel it. The council should examine issue on the law adopted in the
both chambers of the French parliament and which many consider
violating the Constitution and freedom of expression.

Armenia and the Armenian lobby claim that the predecessor of the
Turkey – Ottoman Empire had committed the 1915 genocide against the
Armenians living in Anadolu, and achieved recognition of the “Armenian
Genocide” by the parliaments of several countries.

Mr Bryza said it has to be up to societies, not to others, to have a
decision taken based on a political calendar.

He noted truth is on everyone side, especially on Turkey’s side. The
debate about this issue is really one-sided right now.

“If you believe there was a genocide committed, you can equally argue
looking from a narrow definition of the word that genocide was
committed to many others, against Turks or Muslims, in eastern
Anatolia,” Mr Bryza said

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Trend, Azerbaijan
Feb 11 2012

Matthew Bryza: Sides of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict close to breakthrough

11 February 2012, 11:25 (GMT+04:00) Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb. 11 / Trend
E.Kosolapova /

Azerbaijan and Armenia are close to a breakthrough in the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, former U.S. ambassador to Azerbaijan
Matthew Bryza said in an interview with Turkish Hurriyet Daily
newspaper.

“There is a huge progress (in negotiations), and the sides are
extremely close to a breakthrough,” Mr Bryza said.

He stressed there are a couple of core, key details that can only be
agreed upon if the sides make a very difficult and risky political
decision.

Mr Bryza also noted such decision won’t be made until the sides feel
they receive political support from the U.S. and France.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France and the U.S. – are
currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

APA, Azerbaijan
Feb 11 2012

Matthew Bryza: The Armenian lobby can not weaken the close relations
of the US with Azerbaijan and Turkey

[ 11 Feb 2012 10:36 ]
Former ambassador announces one of the possible causes of his recall

Baku. Anakhanim Hidayatova – APA. Azerbaijan remains one of the most
strategic countries for the US, former US Ambassador to Azerbaijan
Matthew Bryza said in his interview to the Hurriyet Daily News.

Matthew Bryza said it has nothing to do with Baku that he was not
confirmed as ambassador.

Former ambassador considers that one of the causes of his recall is
the upcoming presidential election in the US.

Diplomat underlined that the Armenian lobby can not weaken the close
relations of the US with Azerbaijan and Turkey.

Matthew Bryza, who ended his diplomatic mission in Azerbaijan, left
Baku on January 3.

Venezia.net, Italia
10 febbraio 2012

`Venezia e gli Armeni’, Ciclo di incontri in Marciana

Mercoledì 15 febbraio 2012
Antisala Libreria Sansoviniana
Ingresso libero

Il secondo appuntamento nell’ambito del ciclo di incontri che la
Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana di Venezia, organizza in occasione della
mostra `Armenia. Impronte di una civiltà’, si svolgerà mercoledì 15
febbraio, alle ore 17.00 e avrà per titolo `Venezia e gli Armeni’. Gli
incontri, che fanno parte delle `Giornate armene in Marciana’, sono
dedicati ad approfondire singole tematiche della storia, dell’arte e
della cultura armene e si svolgeranno nell’Antisala della Libreria
Sansoviniana (Piazzetta San Marco 13/a, Venezia), con ingresso libero
fino ad esaurimento dei posti disponibili.

L’incontro di mercoledì prossimo proporrà una riflessione storica
sulla presenza degli armeni a Venezia, dagli inizi della fondazione
della colonia armena nel secolo XIII fino alla mostra ospitata nei
musei di Piazza San Marco. Si seguiranno le tracce di mercanti,
editori, inventori, interpreti e intellettuali per arrivare al cuore
della comunità armena tra Calle degli Armeni e il Monastero di San
Lazzaro.

L’appuntamento sarà introduttivo anche al recital teatrale `Gli Armeni
in Goldoni’ in programma per lunedì 20 febbraio (due repliche: ore
18.30 e 21.00 – nella medesima sede – nell’ambito della Carnival
Culture Night, che proporrà brani tratti dalle commedie di Carlo
Goldoni nei quali compaiono personaggi armeni. La Redazione

ANSA, Italia
11 febbraio 2012

Italia-Armenia: Sindaco Honsell riceve delegazione a Udine
Per il capoluogo friulano transitarono 100 mila armeni

(ANSA) – UDINE, 11 FEB – Il sindaco Furio Honsell oggi ha incontrato
in Municipio la ministra armeno per la Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan e
l’ambasciatore della Repubblica Armena in Italia Rouben Karapetian,
per celebrare la vicinanza della città e del Friuli. “Udine è sempre
stata sensibile alle tragedie dei popoli che, come quello armeno – ha
detto il sindaco – sono stati perseguitati e costretti all’esodo nel
corso della loro storia.Ieri abbiamo doverosamente ricordato l’esodo
delle popolazioni giuliane, fiumane e dalmate – ha proseguito – e i
100.000 profughi che transitarono per Udine. Siamo ugualmente vicini a
questo popolo per la sua tragedia”. (ANSA).

La Repubblica, Italia
10 febbraio 2012

Unicef, le riforme sociali in Armenia e l’equità delle politiche sui bambini

Qui i più poveri sono tra i poveri. L’esperienza dell’Agenzia delle
Nazioni Unite nel paese dell’Asia occidentale (a medio reddito) dove
il lavoro degli operatori concentra l’attenzione su interventi che
garantiscano parità di accesso ai servizi sociali. Relazioni dirette
con il governo su programmazione finanziaria e trasparenzadi

CHIARA LUTI

ROMA – Non è una novità che siano sempre i bambini, in ogni parte del
mondo, a pagare il prezzo più alto della povertà. Ma se il paese in
cui si trovano è uno di quelli considerati “a medio reddito” dalla
comunità internazionale, quel prezzo assume anche un altro
significato: quello della laconicità di certe definizioni, che poco o
niente rivelano della qualità della vita e dell’accesso a servizi
essenziali come la cura, l’educazione, la salute. L’Armenia è,
appunto, un paese “a medio reddito”; segnata da una condizione di
conflitto latente (si pensi alla situazione di “guerra fredda”
permanente con l’Azerbaijan per il controllo del territorio del
Nagorno Karabakh), ha visto in realtà, nel corso degli anni che sono
seguiti all’indipendenza del 1992, un drastico declino economico e il
deteriorarsi delle infrastrutture sociali. Il PIL pro-capite è di
3.000 dollari l’anno (circa un decimo di quello italiano), e la
crescita esponenziale della diseguaglianza tra una piccola élite
coinvolta in affari e politica e il resto della popolazione – che in
molte aree del paese vive in estrema povertà – getta la sua ombra
lunga sulle vite dei bambini.

Lo sa bene l’UNICEF 1. Che è presente nel paese da diversi anni, che
avverte come siano proprio loro, qui, la categoria più vulnerabile,
nonostante una cultura fortemente tradizionale, che vede la famiglia
come elemento determinante
nell’organizzazione sociale. L’indice di povertà per il 2010 raggiunge
il 38% della popolazione, e il 41% dei bambini; tra le famiglie con
quattro figli o più, la povertà riguarda il 70%. La situazione si fa
allarmante se si prende in esame i bambini disabili, che sono più
della metà dei 5.000 ancora ospitati in istituti residenziali: per
loro non c’è molta scelta: sono costretti, nel migliore dei casi, a
frequentare scuole “speciali”, anch’esse per la maggior parte
residenziali perché concentrate solo in alcune aree del territorio, in
particolare nella capitale, Yerevan.

La de-istituzionalizzazione. Lo sforzo di Unicef è quello di
indirizzare le riforme delle politiche sociali in una prospettiva di
progressiva de-istituzionalizzazione. “È un settore di recente
espansione per l’UNICEF 2, rispetto alle tradizionali aree di nostra
competenza: sanità e nutrizione, educazione, protezione dei bambini da
violenza e abuso”, osserva Cristina Roccella, dal 2009 coordinatrice
del programma Unicef in Armenia. “Negli ultimi anni, la nostra
attenzione si è concentrata sempre di più su interventi che
garantiscano soprattutto una maggiore equità di accesso ai servizi
sociali, con un avvicinamento ai settori della popolazione più poveri
e marginalizzati, attraverso un lavoro “mainstreaming” che – a
differenza di quel che fanno le Ong – si caratterizza per una
relazione diretta e costante con il governo e altre controparti, su
questioni direttamente legate alla programmazione finanziaria, alla
trasparenza del budget nei settori che riguardano il benessere di
bambini e famiglie, e la protezione sociale più in generale”.

La mancanza degli assistenti sociali. Nel 2010 il ministero del lavoro
armeno ha presentato un progetto di riforma dei servizi sociali,
ispirato dalle linee guida del Consiglio d’Europa, al quale l’Unicef
ha aderito con entusiasmo, nella convinzione che il maggiore elemento
di debolezza dei servizi di protezione sociale armeno consistesse
nella mancanza di una figura professionale di centrale importanza:
quella dell’assistente sociale. “In risposta alla richiesta del
ministero di aiutarli nel definire un modello di servizi sociali
integrati per l’Armenia, e di formare il personale da coinvolgere”,
ricorda Roccella, “mi sono rivolta a EducAid 3, una Onlus di Rimini
che promuove una formula di intervento che riassume l’essenza della
cooperazione internazionale: il coinvolgimento di operatori di servizi
di diversi paesi in uno scambio “alla pari” sulle loro esperienze
professionali. In Armenia, EducAid ha coinvolto manager e operatori
dei servizi sociali di Imola, che hanno realizzato seminari con
dirigenti, amministratori regionali e con operatori dei servizi
territoriali”.

Obiettivo: l’autonomia della famiglia. “Volevamo avviare una
sperimentazione che, invece di concentrarsi sulla prestazione di un
servizio predefinito, privilegiasse l’analisi dei bisogni delle
persone, ed il coinvolgimento di tutte le risorse possibili, formali e
informali, nella definizione di un progetto di supporto alla famiglia,
con l’obiettivo finale di una ritrovata autonomia della famiglia
stessa”. Una condivisione che secondo la rappresentante dell’Unicef
“ha consentito agli operatori armeni di comprendere sempre di più un
approccio che ribalta i parametri della relazione d’aiuto e permette
di ottenere risultati senza investimenti aggiuntivi”.

I risultati ottenuti. Un lavoro che sta dando i suoi frutti: in
Armenia sono aumentati i servizi di assistenza sanitaria neonatale e
di assistenza sanitaria primaria e secondaria all’infanzia; è iniziato
un processo di apertura all’educazione inclusiva, che consente aanche
a bambini disabili di frequentare la scuola assieme a tutti gli altri;
è stato ridotto il numero di bambini rinchiusi in istituto, mentre
crescono servizi comunitari di assistenza a minori e famiglie, che
coinvolgono spesso Ong locali. Ci sono adesso 63 scuole inclusive dove
sono iscritti 1700 bambini con disabilità. È inoltre aumentata la
produzione di dati sulla condizione infantile, con particolare
attenzione ai livelli di povertà.

“Ma i bambini non votano”. Avverte Roccella: “Non hanno voce in
capitolo, ed è per questo che la promozione dei loro diritti, compreso
quello di crescere in un ambiente familiare anche in assenza della
famiglia biologica, è un lavoro continuo, che va rafforzato per
evitare il calo di attenzione di politici e amministratori. Noi
cerchiamo di essere i loro sostenitori, i loro “avvocati” nel
significato inglese – advocate – del termine. Dobbiamo più in generale
renderci conto che i progressi nel welfare riguardano gli strati più
alti della popolazione, e non i gruppi più marginalizzati. Non a
caso, l’acronimo usato per indicare gli Obiettivi del Millennio 4
(MDG) viene spesso usato per un’altra espressione: Mind the
Development Gap, ovvero, con una traduzione un po’ forzata,
“attenzione ai buchi (o ai vuoti) dello sviluppo”. Vuoti nei quali
troppo spesso scorre la vita dei bambini”.

Gente Veneta, Italia
10 febbraio 2012

Baviera, Armenia, Terra Santa: i prossimi pellegrinaggi diocesani

L’ufficio Pellegrinaggi della Curia patriarcale ha definito il
programma dei viaggi religiosi proposti per il 2012, confermando le
destinazioni e i periodi già resi noti tramite `Il Mosaico’,
supplemento a GV. Ora sono disponibili anche le quotazioni, che
saranno peraltro definitive solo più avanti, dipendendo anche da
eventuali oscillazioni del costo dei carburanti e del cambio
dollaro/euro. Ecco i tre pellegrinaggi proposti, che saranno
presieduti dal vicario episcopale mons.

Orlando Barbaro.

I luoghi di Papa Benedetto XVI, in Baviera dall’8 al 13 maggio (6
giorni e 5 notti con bus gran turismo da Venezia), per riflettere sui
messaggi lanciati dal Papa alla Chiesa di Venezia dopo un anno dalla
sua visita, ripercorrendo le strade della sua formazione umana e
cristiana e del suo servizio di pastore e di teologo. Si visiteranno
fra l’altro Altoetting, `cuore religioso della Baviera’ grazie alla
statua miracolosa della `Madonna Nera’; Marktl am Inn, luogo di
nascita del Papa; Ratisbona, nella cui università insegnò il giovane
Ratzinger; Freising, che vide maturare la sua attività pastorale;
Monaco, dove Ratzinger fu arcivescovo; e Traunstein, dove abitò fin da
bambino. Quota in camera doppia (minimo 25) 670 euro, supplemento
singola (secondo disponibilità) 150 euro. Iscrizioni e acconto (150
euro) entro il 29 febbraio; saldo entro il 20 aprile.

L’Armenia, prima nazione cristiana, dal 19 al 26 agosto (8 giorni con
volo da Venezia alla capitale Erevan), per tornare alle origini delle
comunità cristiane continuando l’itinerario di approfondimento della
fede e della cultura delle civiltà orientali seguito negli anni scorsi
fra Grecia, Turchia, Egitto, Romania, Russia ecc. Il pellegrinaggio
prevede la scoperta di spettacolari scenari naturali lungo un percorso
fra antiche città, costellato di innumerevoli monasteri paleocristiani
e medievali. Quota in camera doppia (min. 30 max. 40) 1.300 euro,
supplemento singola (secondo disponibilità) 290 euro. Iscrizioni e
acconto (300 euro) entro il 15 marzo; saldo entro il 15 luglio.

La terra di Gesù, dal 18 al 25 ottobre (8 giorni con volo speciale da
Verona), itinerario classico e tradizionale in Terra Santa, dove ogni
anno la Chiesa di Venezia, camminando sui passi di Cristo, incontra le
comunità che discendono dai primi cristiani e vivono la loro fede fra
mille difficoltà. Quest’anno, in particolare, le strade di Gesù
saranno percorse alla luce dell’icona di Emmaus, prescelta come
simbolo significativo dell’anno pastorale in Patriarcato di Venezia.
Quota in camera doppia (hotel `tre stelle’) 1.100 euro; supplemento
camera singola (secondo disponibilità) 245 euro. Iscrizioni e acconto
(250 euro): fino ad esaurimento posti, entro il 15 marzo; saldo entro
il 15 settembre.

L’organizzazione tecnica dei pellegrinaggi è stata affidata al tour
operator Girardi Viaggi di Asiago. Le iscrizioni si ricevono
direttamente dall’ufficio Pellegrinaggi della Curia (calle degli
Albanesi, Castello 4264) il lunedì, mercoledì e venerdì dalle 10 alle
12; è consigliabile preannunciare telefonicamente, anche per bloccare
i posti (che sono limitati): 041.2702421. Per maggior comodità dei
fedeli di terraferma, le iscrizioni si potranno ricevere anche a
Zelarino (Centro Pastorale card. Urbani) il martedì dalle 17 alle 19,
previa telefonata al n. 340.7810231.

Nei prossimi numeri di Gente Veneta verranno pubblicati i programmi
dettagliati dei tre pellegrinaggi, insieme ad ulteriori notizie e
anticipazioni sui viaggi.