Author: Andres-Papazian

Today, Azerbaijan
Dec 15 2010

Council of Europe: Azerbaijan is source and transit country for human
trafficking

15 December 2010 [13:41] – Today.Az

Azerbaijan is a source and transit country for human trafficking,
Head of Judicial Co-operation, Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation
Unit at the Council of Europe Danuta Wisniewska-Cazals said at the
seminar on fighting and preventing trafficking in human beings in
Baku.

The two-day seminar is organized by the Council of Europe and
Azerbaijani Interior Ministry’s Department for Combating Human
Trafficking.

Victims of human trafficking are sent from Azerbaijan to Turkey and
Arabian countries for sexual exploitation and men to Russian for labor
exploitation, she said. Noting that women are the main target,
Wisniewska-Cazals said sometimes women became victims of the sexual
exploitation and forced to begging within the country. She said that a
limited number of victims of human trafficking are brought to
Azerbaijan.

Europe adopted the Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human
Beings only this year. The Convention was undersigned by 33 countries
and 30 countries ratified it. Azerbaijan joined this Convention in
February 2010.

The Azerbaijani Interior Ministry’s Department for Combat with Human
Trafficking reported that the department recorded 70 facts of human
trafficking. 34 people were brought to responsibly over these facts.
34 people become a victim of human trafficking.

In 2010, the department recorded one fact on forced involvement in
labor. Three Azerbaijani citizens were involved in forced labor in
Poland. A criminal case was opened and the investigation is underway
over the fact.

/Trend/

URL:

From: A. Papazian

GAS FROM IRAQI KURDISTAN FOR NABUCCO: TURKISH INTEREST

15.12.2010

Sergei Sargsyan

In September 2009 Turkey’s Minister of Energy Taner Yildiz stated that
Turkey and Iraq discussed possibilities of concluding memorandum on
mutual understanding in the issue of the Iraqi gas supply to Europe
through the territory of Turkey by the planned Nabucco gas pipeline1.

This sounded a bit unexpected, taking into consideration that `gas
from Iraq’ implies its production on the territory of Kurdistan Region
which will promote development of its economic independence and
self-sufficiency and, consequently, work for strengthening of that
region as an independent formation and Ankara’s negative attitude to
such developments is conditioned not only by historical but also by
geo-political grounds.

That is why it would be logical to assume that the interest of Turkey
in the export of the Iraqi gas through its territory is conditioned
not only by economic but also by political reasons. So what are the
real interests of Turkey and how feasible are those mutual plans of
Ankara and Baghdad on turning Iraqi Kurdistan into one of the main
alternative gas suppliers to the EU?

The explored reserves of gas on the territory of Iraq are about 3.17
trillion m3, and about 90% of them – approximately 2.8 trillion m3 are
in Kurdistan Region. But at present the natural gas is not produced in
Iraq due to the absence of the appropriate capacities and
infrastructure. Though the Iraqi government has eagerly proceeded to
concluding direct contracts and arranging international tenders on
foreign capital formation and involvement of foreign companies in
order to create from zero the gas producing and gas transition
systems.

Thus, in May 2009 Austrian `OMV’ Energy Company and Hungarian `MOL’
each acquired 10% of shares of «Pearl Petroleum Company», which
produces Kor Mor and Chemchemal gas fields on the territory of Iraqi
Kurdistan and the expected capacity of which will be about 85 million
m3 of gas per 24 hours by 2015. This implies beginning of export of
the gas to the world markets. This capacity should be at least enough
to start Nabucco pipeline.

At the same time, it should be mentioned that companies which are
ready to invest in oil and gas sector of Iraq are expected to face
many challenges of judicial and political character and it will be
hard to overcome them in the time to come and to make capital
investments more protected.

Firstly, there is no comprehensive judicial and legal base for
mobilization of investments. In particular, framework bill on
hydro-carbons approved by the government of Iraq in February 2007 is
still not passed.

Secondly, there are serious discrepancies between the Central
government of the country and authorities of Kurdistan Region on
interpretation of the provisions of the Constitution of Iraq which
concern the regulations of exploring of the resources.

Mainly, the controversy concerns the procedure of concluding
agreements with foreign investors and sharing revenue from the energy
carriers’ export.

In accordance with the provisions of article 113 of the Constitution2
Iraqi Kurdistan has acquired a status of federal region with the high
level of autonomy, up to the right to have its own legislation, system
of legislative, executive and judicial authority, its own security
powers and etc.

According to article 107 the central authorities has preserved
exclusive powers to carry out the foreign and national security
policy, arranging trade policy between the districts and provinces of
Iraq, drafting state and investment budgets, planning policy connected
with the water resources of Iraq and etc.

As a result, Kurdistan has started passing regional laws on economic
activity on its territory on stepped-up pace without waiting their
drafting and passing by the federal government. Back in 2006 the
regional law `On Foreign Investments’ was passed, and in 2007 – Law on
Hydro-Carbons, according to which foreign investments can be attracted
not only to the hydro-carbon sector of three provinces – Erbil,
Suleimania and Dohuk, but also to the territories round Kirkuk.

In May 2010 central and regional governments concluded an agreement
which judicially vested right of Kurdistan to export oil to the
external market which was done till now unofficially.

At the same time, it is not a secret that because of the oil
smuggling, according to different estimations Iraqi budget loses from
$3 to $5 billion annually. A great part of those losses falls on the
smuggling of oil produced in the north of the country. But a similar
situation with the control of oil producing and refining sectors by
the largest clans (both Kurdish and Arab-Shiite) and state and
partisan structures of the Center and Kurdistan Region brought to the
situation when the status-quo shaped satisfies all to a varying
degree, except, may be, Sunnite Arabs of Iraq, the historical range of
habitation of which has no gas and oil reserves. But a perspective gas
infrastructure which demands mobilization of large foreign investments
will have more financial and corruption transparency. In this case the
profit opportunities from oil smuggling will be brought to nothing.
This makes regional government of Kurdistan Region fiercely defend its
interests on the earlier stage of judicial specifying of the profit
share which will stay in the budget of Kurdistan. Besides, the scheme
and level of transparency in the allocation of the revenue from gas
production and export, sooner or later, will be spread to the oil
sector as well. And this will directly affect the interests of the
Kurdish clans and may cause redistribution of the influence between
both them and two leading Kurdish parties of Iraq – Democratic Party
of Kurdistan (leader – the head of Kurdistan Region Masud Barzani) and
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (leader – president of Iraq Jalal
Talabani).

At the same time, the provisions of Constitution, according to which
the revenue from using of the natural resources3 is allocated between
all the people of Iraq on the proportionality principle and which
turns Kurdistan Region into a donor in regard to the rest of the
country, have not been revoked yet. And the availability of judicial
collisions between regional and central governments is very important
in feeding confrontation processes between the ethnic and confessional
groups in the country and they afford extra-features for
implementation of their own interests by the neighboring states and
first of all by Turkey.

But the problems on production and realization of oil, and in future
gas of Northern Iraq, are not restricted to a complex of problems
existing between Kurdistan Region and Center,

The largest oil field which brings most profit to the budget of
Kurdistan Region is near the city of Kirkuk which is a disputed
territory between Kurds, Arabs and Turcomans. The problem originates
from the 20s of the last century when Mosul Villayat was passed from
Turkey to Iraq,

The prospects of creation of an independent Kurdistan in consequence
of the 1991 war or at least formation of an autonomy with high or at
least real level of independence (the one Kurdistan Region has now)
made Ankara stir up its foreign policy in the Iraqi direction.

Not without its pressure the so-called `security zone’ in the North of
Iraq included only a part of Iraqi Kurdistan, without cities of Kirkuk
and Khanaqin, i.e. within the cut borders of Kurdish autonomy declared
unilaterally by Saddam Hussein in 1974.

In that very period the support to the ethnic Turkic Turcoman
(Turkmen) minority was build up. The minority numbers, according to
different estimations, from 500 to 2.5 million people and compactly
lives on the territory the so-called `Turcoman belt’ – in the region
which divides districts mainly populated by Arabs and Kurds.

Alongside Turkey initiated a `demographic war’ – documental
registration of Kurdish population as Turcoman, using as an incentive
distribution of the humanitarian aid by Turkey based on the ethnic
principle. And in 2004 Turkey’s attempts to finance the process of
`transition into Turcoman’ of the Iraqi Arabs living near Kirkuk were
fixed

Gradual accumulation of political and most probably military and
political potential by Turcomans turned that ethnic minority into one
of the most significant leverages in the hands of Ankara to exert
pressure on Iraqi Kurdistan.

The fact that sooner or later Turkey will claim a right to its former
Mosul Villayat was acknowledged by S. Hussein very well when he
sanctioned dispossession of not only Kurds but also of ethnic Turks
from the oilfields in the north of the country within the framework of
the policy of Arab nationalism4.

Today there are about 100 thousand Turcomans from the 4 million
population of Kurdistan Region, and most of them live in the province
of Erbil. From organizational point of view the Turcomans are united
in a number of social and political organizations and the most
prominent is the Iraqi Turcoman Front which, however does not receive
any support on the elections on all the levels.

Belonging of Kirkuk and other disputed territories, according to
article 140 of the Constitution, should be decided at the local
referendum which had to be held not later than on December 31. 2007.
Due to the fact that in the region of Kirkuk Kurds constituted
majority as a result of active repatriation5 and migratory policy
carried out by Kurdistan Region, the prospects of the results of the
referendum and passing of the district rich with oil to Kurdistan
caused serious concern and strong reaction on behlaf of Anakra which
demanded to postone referendum at least for five years. On January 15,
2007 Turkish prime-minister Recep T. Erdogan openly threatened saying
that referendum in Kirkuk could initiate a regional conflict.

Both his statement: `At present Iraq for us is of greater priority
than membership in the European Union’6, and information in the
Turkish mass media that the 240-thousand army group reinforced with
the armor and artillery was concentrated at Iraqi border come to prove
that such a development is quite probable.

In general Turkey pursues following strategic goals:
Preserving of Kurdistan Region in united Iraq with the hope in future
to strengthen the role of the centre in the business of the region.
Not-allowing de-jure annexation of the oilfield in Kirkuk to Kurdistan Region.
Initiation and support of the controversies, up to incitation of
intra-fraction and intra-clan collisions between the main powers in
Kurdistan – DPK, PUK and KWP.
Creation and support of new political parties and movements which
weaken and split the ranks of the powers traditionally working in
Kurdistan. Formation of `Goran’ party (`Changes’), established by a
group of former members of Patriotic Union of Kurdistan which took
away 11% of votes from the PUK at local elections comes to prove that
such a process of party building has already been initiated after the
acquisition of factual independence by Kurdistan Region.
Putting on the agenda the issue of involving gas from Iraqi Kurdistan
to Nabucco project, Turkey not only preventatively lobbies direction
of the gas export through its territory but also pursues a number of
exclusively political aims. Under rather obscure prospects of Nabucco
gas pipeline project implementation in its current configuration, only
putting on the agenda the issue of multi-billion investments can
initiate formation of more advantageous for Turkey stance of Kurdistan
Region on a range of issues – from the relations with the Centre and
Kurdistan Workers’ Party to the issue of Kirkuk.

In case if all goes well in the implementation of this economic and
political intervention:

Turkey, in fact, will get another reason – providing guarantees of
uninterrupted functioning of an infrastructure which is of critical
importance for Europe – to carry out operations against the activists
of Kurdistan Workers’ Party who may deliver strikes on the pipeline on
both the territory of Turkey and neighbouring Iraq.
It will initiate another aspect in the controversies and force
opposition between both the authorities and clans of Kurdistan Region
and the fighters of KWP, as well as between main parties of Kurdistan
on the issue of distribution of revenue from the gas production and
export.
It will stimulate reduction of separatist moods in Kurdistan Region,
because mobilization of multi-billion investments will be made, most
probably, to a united state of Iraq and not to its separated part,
especially when this separation is fraught with serious escalation of
tension along its borders, up to the initiation of military actions.
By the same reason it will reduce the heat of the struggle for Kirkuk
and will promote preserving of status-quo.
In mid-term perspective Turkey will continue attempts of economic
penetration to Kurdistan Region (at present about 70% of investments
in the Region are of Turkish origin), it will also try to create
political space oriented on Ankara, in particular using as an option,
creation of Turcoman and Arab parties and movements. Model and
techniques of transboundary projection of influence of most active
pro-Turkish part of Turcoman movement on the entire political field of
activity of Turcoman parties and organizations of Kurdistan Region,
most of which are loyal to the regional authorities, may also be
successfully implemented in other districts of Turkish foreign
political interests, in particular in Javakhq, through designing
external management of the entire movement of Meskhetian Turks from
the centers of Akhiskian Turks in Turkey.
Generally, new policy of Turkey in regard to Kurdistan Region lies
within the scope of the active neo-Ottomanism which has become a pivot
of foreign policy of Ankara. It is not without reason that in the
academic circles in Turkey the prospects of annexation of northern
regions of Iraq to Turkey are seriously considered.

1

2Came into effect after the nationwide referendum held on October 15, 2005.

3By the way, besides oil and gas, Kurdistan also has considerable
iron, gold, uranium, wolfram and vanadium reserves.

4According to western and Kurdish sources in the period from 1991 to
1998 200 thousand Kurds and 5 thousand Turkmen were evicted from
there, and 300 thousand Arabs were moved from other provinces of Iraq
to Kirkuk; in Kirkuk province where the martial law was declared only
those Kurds who refused from their national identity were allowed to
stay. In order to reduce the share of Kurdish population, Kurdish
villages near Kirkuk were destroyed and administrative borders of the
province were changed through inclusion of non-Kurd population
centers.

5According to data of the 1957 census (before the beginning of
large-scale military activities in Kurdistan), 48% of population of
Kirkuk were Kurds, 28.2% – Arabs. and 21.4% – Turkmen (`Turcomans’).

6

`Globus Energy and Regional Security’, issue 6

—————————————————————-
Another materials of author

AZERBAIJAN: SEARCHING NEW FOREIGN POLICY BALANCE[27.10.2010]
TWO `STREAMS’ FROM RUSSIA: BREAKING DOWN THE OLD GEOPOLITICAL
STRUCTURES[21.06.2010]
MILITARY AND POLITICAL RISKS OF TRANSCASPIAN PROJECTS[04.06.2010]
GEOPOLITICS OF THE GAS PIPELINES IN THE BLACK SEA-CASPIAN REGION[24.12.2009]

From: A. Papazian

Development of ecologically pure agriculture as an alternative to
development of Tekhut deposit

2010-12-15 11:40:00

Arminfo. The statements that the lands of Shnokh and Tekhut districts
are dead, do not meet reality, Professor Varsham Avetisyan said t
today’s international conference dedicated to the problems of
ecological safety of Tekhut deposit development.

He also added that harvest at 40 centners may be gathered from 1 ha of
the land of this districts. ‘Five years ago we managed to get 70
centners of wheat from 1 ha’, – he said. ‘Instead of development of
the cooper and molybdenum deposit one could develop ecologically pure
agriculture which is demanded in the whole world at present’, –
Avetisyan said and added that growing of raspberry and blackberry on
these lands would be beneficial. He also said that profit from
ecologically pure agriculture may amount to 18 bln drams per year and
implementation of this programme will make it possible to open new job
places in Tekhut.

From: A. Papazian

Prevention of genocidal atmosphere should be at focus

Aysor.am
Wednesday,December 15, 2010

According to Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, nations should focus
on prevention of genocidal atmosphere to prevent future genocides.

“Nations should eradicate such phenomena triggering genocides as
national, ethnic, racial or religious hatred. Intolerance towards
cultural and historical heritage of peoples is also blameworthy as it
triggers cultural genocide,’ Nalbandian said in his closing speech at
the International Conference entitled `The Crime of Genocide:
Prevention, Condemnation and Elimination of Consequences.’

Objective information plays a key role in prevention and condemnation
of genocide, Minister said.

`We will approach prevention, condemnation and elimination of genocide
consequences if not only heirs of victims but also heirs of genocide
organizers are involved in that business. Reconciliation is not
oblivion and denial of the past. I believe in such future, and I think
many think so,’ Minister stressed.

From: A. Papazian

Calls for Kurdish Self-Determination in Iraq Sparks Ire

Monday, December 13th, 2010
by Asbarez

BAGHDAD (AFP)-Iraqi Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani’s recent call for
self-determination for his people has drawn the ire of the country’s
Sunni and Shiite Arab leaders, who say such arguments presage a
break-up of Iraq.

`The right of self-determination is something that concerns people
living under occupation, but this is not the case for Kurdistan, which
has a special status in Iraq,’ said Alia Nusayaf, a member of
parliament aligned with the Sunni-backed Iraqiya bloc. `It makes me
wonder if the Kurds asked for federalism [in Iraq’s constitution] to
first form a region and then to separate from Iraq.’

Barzani said Saturday at the opening of a week-long congress of his
Kurdistan Democratic Party that self-determination was `a right.’ He
said it would be presented at the meeting `to be studied and
discussed.’

The Iraqi Kurdish leader’s comments mark the first time Barzani has
officially presented the issue to the KDP’s congress, with the
proposal set to be voted on during the meeting. His comments come at a
time when Iraqi Prime Minister-designate Nouri al-Maliki is forming
his cabinet. Barzani’s party is expected to be awarded several
ministerial posts and Kurdish authorities are mired in a dispute with
Baghdad over land and oil.

The six-day congress in Arbil is hosting a number of foreign
representatives, including members of Turkey’s ruling Justice and
Development Party (AKP), and main opposition Republican People’s Party
(CHP). The congress has drawn more than 1,000 delegates who are set to
elect 50 new members to the KDP’s top leadership committee. The
gathering is the first time the party has come together in 13 years.

Among those at the meeting in the northern Iraqi city were al-Maliki,
Parliament Speaker Osama al-Nujaifi and Ayad Allawi, the leader of
Iraqiya. `It’s shameful that with all the politicians present, not one
of them spoke up [regarding Barzani’s remarks],’ Nusayaf said.

There is also consternation among politicians loyal to radical Shiite
cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, whose backing for al-Maliki largely ensured
the incumbent would remain prime minister. `These declarations [of
Barzani’s] are not in the best interests of Iraq, and they only serve
to raise tensions,’ said Jawad al-Hasnawi, a Sadrist lawmaker.

`I think an Iraq that extends from Zakho to Basra is much better than
an Iraq that is divided,’ al-Hasnawi added, referring to the country’s
northern and southernmost cities.

Al-Hasnawi noted, however, that politicians at the Arbil meeting
probably declined to respond to Barzani’s remarks to avoid `inflaming
the situation.’ Barzani’s KDP is a key member of al-Maliki’s governing
coalition, and the Kurdish leader played a major role in bringing
Iraq’s divided political factions together to agree to a power-sharing
deal.

The party, part of a joint slate with Talabani’s Patriotic Union of
Kurdistan, controls a substantial majority of seats in the parliament
of the Kurdish regional administration in northern Iraq and in
combination with the PUK holds 43 seats in Baghdad’s assembly.

Iraq’s Kurdish north, made up of three provinces, exercises control
over all policy-making, except that relevant to national defense and
foreign affairs. On Sunday, Kurdish regional Prime Minister Barham
Salih, a PUK leader, pressed the issue again. `There is a consensus
among Kurds over the fact that it is legal and legitimate to have the
right to self-determination,’ he told a press conference. `When we
pushed for a federal Iraq we said that it was a form of expression of
self-determination, and we have never abandoned this right.’

The northern Iraqi administration won greater freedom after the 1991
Gulf War and its autonomy was enshrined in Iraq’s constitution
following the United States-led invasion to oust Saddam Hussein in
2003.

According to Khalid al-Assadi, a member of parliament with Maliki’s
State of Law coalition, it is unlikely the Kurds want to go much
further. Barzani’s comments were `for domestic consumption,’ al-Assadi
said. `Self-determination is a Kurdish ambition, and they bring it up
from time to time, but I think the Kurds are wise enough not to leave
Iraq.

From: A. Papazian

Village Boy Quits School to Support Family

hetq
[ 2010/12/14 | 14:37 ]
society marzes

Garik, a 16 year-old from the village of Noramarg, has quit the eighth
grade to go and work. He says his family couldn’t make it otherwise.

`If I didn’t leave school, there is no way to support my family. I
accept whatever work that comes my way,’ Garik says. His parents gave
their consent to him leaving school.

Garik’s mother Narineh says her son supports the entire family – her,
his father, sister and brother. `He works in the vineyard, in the
canning factory and cleans the stables of the Yezidis.’

The boy’s father Sasoun, a 39 year-old who is confined to a wheelchair
from sclerosis, says,’ I think I could improve with a bit of
treatment, but nobody wants to do it for free. The doctors just write
some really expensive prescription.’

Sasoun receives a disability allowance of 26,000 AMD and an 11,200
pension per month. The government donated the wheelchair, but the
wheels don’t work.

The Hovhannisyan family leaved in a temporary `vagon’ hut for years.
Just recently, the village mayor gave them the keys to a house whose
owners have been living overseas for quite awhile.

`We’ve gotten used to the house. It’s like the house is ours. If the
owners return, we’ll have no place to go,’ says Narineh.

The village isn’t supplied with gas. Everyone burns wood for heat
during the cold winter months.

Sometimes the mayor provides wood. Otherwise, Garik must find the precious fuel.

The boy doesn’t complain that he’s the one to shoulder the family’s
burden. He merely dreams of one day making enough money to send his 14
year-old sister to college.

`We boys can get by without an education. But my sister is different.
I want her to have some type of profession,’ says Garik.

Rouzan Gishyan

From: A. Papazian

DARCHINYAN BLASTS REFEREE AFTER SPLIT DECISION

AZG DAILY #230, 14-12-2010

Vic Darchinyan launched a verbal tirade after the Australian lost a
split points decision to rising Mexican boxing star Abner Mares in a
wild, action-filled bantamweight world title fight.

Darchinyan said referee Robert Howard wrongly accused him of pushing
and holding the unbeaten Mares throughout the bout, derailing his
fight plan.

”The referee didn’t let me do my fight. It was disgusting,”
Darchinyan said after Saturday’s bout at the Emerald Queen Casino in
Tacoma, Washington. ”I wasn’t pushing him or holding him.”

It was the third loss of 34-year-old Darchinyan’s 39-bout professional
career. Mares, a 25-year-old from Guadalajara, overcame plenty of
adversity in the early rounds to finish strongly against Darchinyan.

In the first round, Mares suffered a cut above his left eye from an
accidental head clash, and in the second, a powerful Darchinyan left
hand knocked the Mexican to the canvas.

Howard took a point off Mares in the fourth round for repeated low
blows, while in the seventh it was Darchinyan’s turn to hit the canvas
when Mares fired a left hand that caught the Australian off balance.

Judge Glen Hamada scored the fight 115-111 to Darchinyan, but Alan
Krebs and Tom McDonough gave Mares the victory in 114-112 and 115-111
respectively.

”It was my hardest fight ever,” said Mares, who improves to a 21
win, one draw, professional record and claims the International Boxing
Organisation and World Boxing Council bantamweight titles.

Darchinyan, who held the World Boxing Council and World Boxing
Association super-flyweight titles, stepped up a weight division to
take on Mares at bantamweight.

The bout was also the semi-final of a bantamweight tournament.

Ghana’s Joseph Agbeko won the other semi-final at the Tacoma casino on
Saturday, beating Colombia’s Yohnny Perez in a unanimous points
decision.

Mares will fight Agbeko in the tournament final next year (AAP, AFP).

From: A. Papazian

WHO WRITES LAWS?

Lragir.am
13 Dec 2010

The government’s initiative in connection with the temporary
disability benefits which deprives pregnant women, who have high
salaries, of the possibility to get an equally high benefit, brought
about unprecedented protests by pregnant women. The decision of the
government to listen to the pregnant and change the law it had adopted
was the same unprecedented. A pregnant woman, during Haylur news
program on Public TV, stated that it is good that the government cares
for what the society says and changes its decisions.

Of course it is good. But the issue is who the government listened to
when adopting the law which was ratified by the National Assembly and
signed by Serge Sargsyan. Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, during the
same TV report, was explaining that they `had listened’ to the Control
Chamber which carried out a study and revealed that many pregnant
women present false certificates of salary to get higher benefits. The
government decided to eliminate the difference of benefit amount to
fight this vicious phenomenon.

No doubt there can be such an issue of false certificates which is to
be fought. But did it not occur to the government that women, who
already became mothers, had planned their budget in accord with the
existing at that time situation. Did the pregnant have to hold protest
actions for the government to understand its omission?

Who writes the laws, with whom they consult, on what they rely,
whether they have a clear image of the reality or they are just led by
the books and lectures they read and listened to? Only a clear idea of
the life can promote elaborating drafts bettering life conditions.
Otherwise, the law is adopted then in the future it is found out that
it needs to be amended.

The subject of TV reports should not be the appraisal of our
government as if it cares for what the society is saying and changes
its adopted laws, but the issue on who writes the laws, whom they talk
to when writing it and whether they try to learn about a possible
reaction of the public to their law.

YEGHISHE METSARENTS

From: A. Papazian

US LAWMAKERS AVOID CLASH WITH TURKEY, SKIPPING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MEASURE
Desmond Butler

The Associated Press
Dec 22, 2010 18:32:05 PM

Be the first to Comment 0 Recommendation(s) WASHINGTON – U.S.

lawmakers are avoiding a diplomatic clash with important ally Turkey
as after deciding not to take up a resolution that declared the mass
killings of Armenians early last century a genocide.

Supporters of the resolution made a push for approval in the final
days of Congress, despite opposition from the Obama administration.

The measure was strongly opposed by Turkey and the administration
fears it would have damaged relations with the NATO ally.

The House of Representatives ended its two-year term Wednesday without
taking up the matter. It also is unlikely to be passed when Republicans
take control of the chamber in January because the new House speaker,
John Boehner, opposes it.

From: A. Papazian

PELOSI FAILS TO SCHEDULE VOTE ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Asbarez
Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010

House Democratic Leadership Blocks Bipartisan Majority from Voting
on Genocide-Prevention Measure

WASHINGTON – The U.S. House Democratic Leadership failed today
to schedule a vote on the Armenian Genocide Resolution, H,Res.252,
despite support for this human rights measure from a broad bipartisan
majority, killing the prospects for the passage of this legislation
during this session of Congress, reported the Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA).

ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian issued the following statement in response
to U.S. House Democratic Leadership’s decision:

“Armenian Americans are angered and disappointed by the failure of
Speaker Pelosi and the House Democratic leadership to honor their
commitment to allow a bipartisan majority to vote for passage of the
Armenian Genocide Resolution.”

“Speaker Pelosi clearly had the majority, the authority, and the
opportunity to pass the Armenian Genocide Resolution, yet refused to
allow a vote on this human rights measure.”

“The Speaker chose not to move forward, in the face of broad bipartisan
backing for this human rights measure, including from the current
House leadership and the incoming Majority Leader and Majority Whip,
and despite both the relatively muted opposition from the White House,
and the fact that Turkey’s effectiveness in opposing its adoption was
seriously undermined by controversial policies on the part of Ankara
toward Iran, Israel, and Sudan that have angered lawmakers.”

“Her decision to not move this legislation forward during her four
years as Speaker represents a failure of Congressional leadership
on human rights and, sadly, a setback to America’s standing in the
struggle to end the cycle of genocide.”

“Coming in the wake of President Obama’s string of broken promises to
recognize the Armenian Genocide, Speaker Pelosi’s refusal to schedule
a vote on the Armenian Genocide Resolution represents a major breach
of trust with Armenian American voters.”

“Although sharply disappointed by the Speaker’s unwillingness
to schedule a vote on the Armenian Genocide Resolution, we were,
throughout this session of Congress, tremendously encouraged by the
scope and depth of support for the Armenian Genocide Resolution, not
only from a bipartisan majority of Congress but also from a growing
cross-section of American civil society. We look forward to building
on our progress and to continuing the work of the Armenian American
community for a strong U.S. moral stand on the Armenian Genocide, an
end to Turkey’s campaign of denial, and a truthful and just resolution
of this still unpunished crime against the Armenian nation.”

The ANCA also urged Armenian-Americans to send ANCA WbMail to Speaker
Pelosi, telling her wheat they think about her decision to block
a bipartisan majority from voting to pass the Armenian Genocide
Resolution. Send a Free ANCA WebMail by clicking here

From: A. Papazian