Author: Andres-Papazian

PRESS RELEASE
From: Haigazian University
Mira Yardemian
Public Relations Director
Haigazian University
Mexique Street, Kantari, Beirut – Lebanon
Email: [email protected]

“Phoenician Kings and Queens”: The Recent Works of Arthur K. at
Haigazian University

Friday, December 17th 2010, was the opening of the painting exhibition
of Dr. Haroutioun Nicolian. A.K.A Arthur K., at the Haigazian University
Art Center, the Matossian Gallery.

More than 40 paintings with the mixed media technique and of various
sizes were displayed at the gallery, exhibiting vibrant colors and a
deep perspective on the faces of ancient kings and queens of Phoenicia,
including Elissa, Ithobaal, and Ashtarte. Some of these rulers
originated from major cities of Lebanon such as Tyre and Saida.

Nicolian was initially influenced by the works of Picasso and then
Chafic Abboud, and now he works mainly in the abstract style. He
expresses a great interest in the history of the Phoenicians through his
art, paying tribute to their figurines and masks.

“Painting for me is a natural inspiration born from a profound feeling
towards our ancestors and patrimony,” explains Nicolian. “National
enthusiasm is an expression of feeling and awareness of our heritage and
rich history.”

Dr. Haroutioun Nicolian, a medical doctor by profession, is also a poet
and essayist. A prolific artist with over 1000 paintings to his name, he
has exhibited his works in Beirut, New York, Toronto, Montreal, Sao
Paolo, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and recently in the 12th International Art
Exhibition in Beijing, China.

He has been influenced by the most unique philosophy of author Zecharia
Sitchin about the birth of our civilization in the areas where the
people of Sumer, Mari, Urartu and Phoenicia lived. His works include
three different themes: Phoenician kings and queens, Violoncello
players, and Traditional houses of Lebanon.

“Phoenician Kings and Queens” is in course until December 30, 2010.

From: A. Papazian

Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
Email. [email protected]
Internet

PRESS RELEASE

December 21, 2010
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

HOUSE LEADERS MAY SCHEDULE VOTE ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION ON
DECEMBER 22ND

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. House of Representatives will likely have
its last opportunity, before adjourning, to hold a vote on the
Armenian Genocide Resolution on Wednesday, December 22nd, when the
House leadership is expected to schedule a series of votes on
legislation, including a measure that would provide additional
health benefits for 9/11 first responders, reported the Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA).

“We look to Speaker Pelosi to do the right thing and allow a
bipartisan majority of her House colleagues an opportunity to vote
to end Turkey’s gag rule on American recognition of the Armenian
Genocide,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “It’s long
past time for the U.S. Congress to honor the victims and the last
remaining survivors of this crime.”

On Tuesday, an unprecedented number of Armenian Americans and anti-
genocide activists across the United States continued to mobilize
in support of a possible vote on the Armenian Genocide Resolution,
H.Res.252, with the offices of the Speaker and House Majority
Leader flooded with thousands of phone calls. Last week, Armenian
American celebrities Kim Kardashian and Serge Tankian urged
millions of their Twitter, Facebook and website followers to bring
H.Res.252 to the Floor. These efforts were supported, on the
ground in Washington, DC, by dozens of community and church leaders
from around the country, who continue to meet with legislators on
Capitol Hill in support of H.Res.252.

House Resolution 252, introduced by Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and
spearheaded by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard
Berman (D-CA), Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairman Frank
Pallone (D-NJ), Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA), Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA)
and Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA) along with a bipartisan base of
Congressional leaders from across the U.S. including incoming House
Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA), incoming House Majority Whip
Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Foreign Affairs Committee Member Ed Royce
(R-CA). The resolution currently has 149 cosponsors.

The House Foreign Affairs Committee adopted the measure in March,
2010. Similar legislation was adopted at the committee level in
the U.S. House in 2000, 2005, and 2007.

The Armenian Genocide Resolution “calls upon the President to
ensure that the foreign policy of the United States reflects
appropriate understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related
to human rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in the
United States record relating to the Armenian Genocide and the
consequences of the failure to realize a just resolution.” It goes
on to urge the President, in his “annual message commemorating the
Armenian Genocide issued on or about April 24, to accurately
characterize the systematic and deliberate annihilation of
1,500,000 Armenians as genocide and to recall the proud history of
United States intervention in opposition to the Armenian Genocide.”

#####

From: A. Papazian

Istanbul literary figure receives final send-off
VERCIHAN ZIFLIOGLU

ISTANBUL – Hurriyet Daily News

Tuesday, December 21, 2010Writer Yervant Gobelyan died last week at
the age of 87, leaving behind an impressive literary career that
included eight books, one of which was devoted to poetry. Born in
Istanbul, Gobelyan was known for emphasizing his profound love of the
city in his literary works. The writer also spent his last 14 years at
Agos, a weekly of Turkey’s Armenian community

Prominent Istanbul literary figure and weekly Agos writer Yervant
Gobelyan will

be buried Wednesday after succumbing to illness last week. The
87-year-old writer was best known for his poetic and literary works
that reflected an overwhelming love of Istanbul.

Gobelyan died Thursday at Yedikule Surp Pırgic Armenian Hospital
after a long treatment process. He will be buried at the Balıklı
Cemetery in Zeytinburnu after a funeral service starting at 1 p.m. at
Beyoglu’s Uc Horan Armenian Church.

Gobelyan was born in Rumelihisarı in the Istanbul district of
Sarıyer, a neighborhood known for is beauty next to the
Bosphorus. Like many other Armenian writers from his generation,
Gobelyan enjoyed close relations with members of the Turkish literary
world, including one of the country’s most famous poets, Orhan Veli
Kanık, as well as many others. Gobelyan and others, such as Kanık,
used to come together at Eptalafos, an old Greek-style tavern in
Taksim.

Writing was a passion for him Writing was Gobelyan’s main interest in
life, but financial difficulties often prevented him from earning a
living solely from his literary pursuits. Like many other leading
figures in Turkish-Armenian literature, Gobelyan graduated from Esayan
Armenian School in Taksim. After finishing school, however, Gobelyan
had difficulty in making ends meet as a writer, leading him to work as
an apprentice, auto mechanic, carpenter and in other
professions. Despite the hardships, Gobelyan never ceased his literary
pursuits.

His first book of poetry was published in 1948, after which he found a
job writing for the local Armenian community’s weekly `Luys’ (Light)
paper. Financial difficulties, however, soon forced Luys to close,
after which Gobelyan was again forced to find other employment. Within
time, Gobelyan would work for all of the major Armenian community’s
papers in Istanbul, working the final 14 years of his life at Agos.

Gobelyan had spent many years away from Armenian newspapers until he
was hired for the Agos job in 1996 by Editor-in-Chief Hrant Dink, the
prominent Turkish-Armenian journalist assassinated in 2007.

Remained inaccessible to non-Armenian readers Despite his close
relations with Turkish writers and poets, most of Gobelyan’s works,
including one book of poetry among a total of eight books, remained
only in Armenian for many years and were thus inaccessible to the
wider Turkish society.

Eager to bring the writer’s work to the Turkish public, Aras
Publishing House, which began publishing in the 1990s, released a
number of Gobelyan’s stories in `Memleketini Ozleyen Yengec’ (The
Crab Missing His Country) in 1998.

The book, which featured stories from Gobelyan telling of the daily
routines of Turks, Greeks and Armenians in Istanbul, quickly drew
interest from Turkish readers.

© 2009 Hurriyet Daily News

From: A. Papazian

TCA Arshag Dickranian Armenian School
1200 N. Cahuenga Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90038

Tel: 323-461-4377
Fax: 323-323-461-4247
Contact: [email protected]

TCA Arshag Dickranian School Holds Its
30th Annual Christmas Program

Los Angeles, December 21, 2010 – The Tekeyan Cultural Association Arshag
Dickranian School held its 30th Annual Christmas Program on Thursday,
December 20, 2010 at 7:30 p.m. at the school’s Walter and Laurel Karabian
Hall. Complying with its tradition, the school held this event prior to
the Christmas vacation thus giving parents, students, faculty members,
friends and guests the opportunity to celebrate the Yule Holidays
together.

The event comprised of students ranging from pre-kindergarten through 12th
grade performing in a medley of stage presentations and dances,
interjected by recitations, monologues and Christmas carols sung by the
school choir. The program was organized namely by pre-kindergarten teacher
Ms. Madlena Marikyan and her assistant Ms. Nina Lazarian, kindergarten
teacher Ms. Anahid Avanessian and her assistant Ms. Martha Mirzakhanyan,
Armenian teacher Ms. Emma Umroyan, music teacher Mr. Komitas Keshishyan,
and dance teacher Mr. Robert Arakelian.

The program began with joint welcoming remarks by 6th grade student Mania
Mgdsyan and 8th grade students Anais Nahapetyan and Louisa Hekimyan, which
was followed by the Christmas carols `Deck the Halls’ and `Feliz Navidad’
sung by the school choir. The program continued with the kindergartners
and pre-kindergartners taking the stage respectively with the
kindergarteners singing `The Twelve Months of the Year’ and the
pre-kindergartners singing `The Red Nosed Reindeer’ and `Santa Clause Is
Coming to Town’. The toddlers’ performances were followed by more carols
sung by the school choir, a solo performance called `Gymnastics’ by 6th
grader Elizabeth Bedrosian, and `Cha-Cha-Cha’ and salsa group dances
performed by 8th and 9th grade students. A novel attraction was the stage
presentation of an Armenian musical play called the `Complaint of Animals’
performed by elementary students. The program was concluded with a
brilliant performance of the folk dance `Kinto’ performed by high school
students.

Principal Vartkes Kourouyan delivered the closing remarks by thanking all
the hands involved in the preparation and production of this joyful
event, giving guests, faculty, students and teachers his best Holiday
wishes and inviting guests for picture taking and socializing.

Founded in 1981, The TCA Arshag Dickranian Armenian School is a Pre-K
through grade 12 co-educational facility which serves the Armenian
community at large. It is accredited by the Western Association of Schools
and Colleges (WASC) and has federal tax exemption status. For more
information visit

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA: Authorities deny licence for critical voice despite court judgment

IFEX – News from the international freedom of expression community
_________________________________________________________________

ALERT – ARMENIA

21 December 2010

Authorities deny licence for critical voice despite court judgment

SOURCE: Human Rights Watch

(Human Rights Watch/IFEX) – New York, December 16, 2010 – Armenia has
denied a broadcast license to an independent television station, A1+,
despite a European Court of Human Rights judgment that previous
denials violated freedom of expression, Human Rights Watch said today.

`Today’s decision is another setback for freedom of expression and
information in Armenia,` said Giorgi Gogia, South Caucasus researcher
at Human Rights Watch. `It’s clear that keeping a critic off the air
is more important to this government than its international legal
obligations.`

A1+, an independent station well-known for its criticism of government
policy, was taken off the air in 2002 after its license was rescinded,
but continued to operate a popular news website and online television
station. Since then it had made 12 unsuccessful applications for a new
broadcast license.

On December 16, 2010, the National Commission on Television and Radio
(NCTR), the body in charge of issuing broadcasting licenses in
Armenia, denied A1+ station’s application for the 13th time. The
commission is staffed entirely with presidential appointees.

In 2008, the European Court of Human Rights issued a judgment holding
Armenia in violation of the European Convention on Human Rights for
the repeated rejection of the station’s license applications. The
court held that Armenia’s laws regulating the granting of broadcast
licenses do not protect against arbitrary decisions by the licensing
authority, and that the denial of a license to A1+ was unlawful.

The December 16 meeting of the commission was its first since a
moratorium on new licenses was announced in 2008. Soon after the
European Court judgment, the Armenian authorities suspended all
licensing until television and radio switched from analog to digital
broadcasting, scheduled for 2010. The moratorium on granting licenses
was seen by many local and international observers as the government’s
further efforts to keep A1+ off the air.

In anticipation of Armenia’s transition to mandatory digital
broadcasting, in June the government rushed to adopt a new Law on
Television and Radio. The new law does not fully address concerns
expressed by civil society and Armenia’s international partners.

In a June letter to the president of Armenia, Human Rights Watch
expressed concern that the new law would reduce the number of media
outlets as well as public access to a variety of information and
opinion. The new media law reduced the number of television stations
able to broadcast in Armenia from 22 to 18, and failed to address
longstanding concerns that the law did not ensure pluralism in the
selection and appointment of members of the licensing regulatory body.

`The transition to digital broadcasting was supposed to provide
opportunities for greater media pluralism in Armenia,` Gogia
said. `The government has a long way to go to prove that its deeds
match its commitments.`

Click here to read Human Rights Watch’s June 2010 letter to the
president of Armenia

For more information:

Human
Rights Watch
350 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10118
USA
hrwnyc (=40) hrw.org
Phone: +1 212 290 4700
Fax: +1 212 736 1300

_________________________________________________________________
IFEX
555 Richmond St. West, =23 1101, PO Box 407
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
M5V 3B1
alerts=40ifex.org

_________________________________________________________________

From: A. Papazian

TURKEY WORKING TO PREVENT HOUSE VOTE ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BILL

AZG DAILY
22-12-2010

Turkey is pulling out all the stops to convince US lawmakers not to
proceed with a possible vote on the Armenian Genocide Resolution
(H.Res.252) in a House vote tentatively scheduled for Tuesday,
reported the Turkish Hurriyet Daily News on Monday.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent a letter to President
Barack Obama outlining the gravity of the situation, while other
high-ranking Turkish political figures have warned that a positive
vote could have a deep effect on US-Turkish relations

Turkey is redoubling its efforts to prevent a possible U.S. House of
Representatives vote Tuesday on Armenian Genocide claims,

“In the letter Prime Minister [Recep Tayyip Erdogan] drew attention to
the seriousness and sensitivity of the situation. He called President
Obama to make active efforts in order to prevent the resolution from
going to the House. Erdogan reminded [the president] of the efforts
of Ankara to normalize relations with Armenia,” a Turkish Foreign
Ministry official told the Hurriyet on Monday.

“Foreign Minister [Ahmet] Davutoglu, the Turkish Embassy in Washington,
Turkish and U.S. Azerbaijani lobbies and Turkish-U.S.

friendship groups are urging U.S. officials to avoid the resolution,”
the same official said.

According to Hurriyet, Turkish diplomatic sources said Ankara has
received overwhelming support from the upper echelons of the U.S.

government, citing Deputy Secretary of State Philip Crowley’s
statement Friday that the State Department was categorically against
the potential vote.

Davutoglu spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton last
week and asked her to halt the adoption of the resolution.

Turkish Embassy staff in Washington have been holding talks with
high-ranking U.S. executives in the White House, the National Security
Council and the departments of State and Defense to prevent the vote,
sources said.

The Turkish-U.S. Friendship Group in Congress has also been sending
letters to members of Congress arguing against the resolution and
calling on members close to Turkey to become part of the efforts
against the resolution.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN CHESS PLAYERS IN GRONINGEN

AZG DAILY
22-12-2010

Traditional big open is being held in Groningen, Netherlands from 21
to 30 December, 2010. GM Zaven Andriasian and Vahe Baghdasaryan are
among the participants of the main tournament, armchess.am reports.

Open A. Prize-holder of the World 2010 Girls’ Championship, 10-year-old
Anna-Maja Kazarian (Netherlands) is playing in the Open C.

From: A. Papazian

XINHUA: NEW GREAT GAME IN SOUTH CAUCASUS

AZG DAILY
22-12-2010

News.am posts the article “More players and more pieces in the New
Great Game” by Gaochao Yi published on Xinhua news agency.

“Though it started long ago, the game is still on. There are only
more players with more pieces moving and moved on a bigger board,
all for a newer rendition of the Great Game.

“Whichever way people prefer to describe the game – geostrategy or
geopolitics – there has been a center-piece: interest in a geography
that is important to world powers, past and present; that is, in
whatever way these powers deem it as important.”

“If the Caspian Sea can be taken as a dividing line, the west wing
of the playing board has been more active in this past year than its
eastern counterpart.

Natural resources, capital and routes linking up to the world’s
existing and emerging markets for exports and politically tagged
investments, not to mention militarily strategic outlets, are such
interests in the South Caucasus which to the east links up with the
Caspian Sea oil and natural gas riches and to the west links up with
the Black Sea commercial and military pathways,” the source reports.”

“Sitting at one end of the board is the same old player, known as the
Russian Empire, while at the other end now is an alliance orchestrated
not any more by the British Empire but rather by the Americans and
the military coalition they dominate, known as NATO.

However, the past year was somehow quiet in the South Caucasus thanks
to reassessing and regrouping after the 2008 Georgia-Russia conflict
and to a foot-dragging recovery from the 2008-2009 financial and
economic difficulties,” the website reads.

“Either as individual states or as component parts of the South
Caucasus, the three countries of the region strived in the past year
to play themselves instead of being played upon by others. And they
all had their moves to make to play some part in the game.

For Georgia, claiming sovereignty over Abkhazia and South Ossetia
and dealing with neighboring Russia has put the country under
the spotlight from time to time, be it sideline talks concerning
Russian accession to the WTO or direct talks in the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) summit or its aspirations
for affiliation with NATO,” the author says.

“For Azerbaijan, reaffirming UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR)
definitions over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh while trying to strike
a balance over oil and natural gas exports between the old route
through Russia and the new route via the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline
has drawn some international attention, and the Azerbaijanis have even
warned of resorting to force to regain control over Nagorno-Karabakh,”
the source says.

“For Armenia, internationalizing the Nagorno-Karabakh issue by raising
Kosovo deja vu and by warning it will recognize the self-proclaimed
republic has plucked a string or two on the international chord. The
country also has a side-front of its own with neighboring Turkey,
from which it has been demanding a public apology and hopefully
compensation for the 1910 massacre of Armenians.

Russia, the former Big Brother to the South Caucasus trio, is in a
deadlock with Georgia but has been maneuvering carefully to maintain
the balance between Azerbaijan and Armenia,” the author stresses.

“Though the local players were assessing and reassessing the cons
and pros, the losses and gains of the August 2008 conflict and the
financial and economic crises, other players from outside the region
have not rested in 2010. They also made moves on the board.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and EU foreign policy chief
Catherine Ashton visited in tandem all three South Caucasus countries
before NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen visited and opened
an alliance liaison office in Tbilisi, to reassure they care about
and support the region.

NATO later invited the presidents of the three South Caucasus
countries to its Lisbon summit, which further reassured the trio
about the alliance’s backup,” the author emphasizes.

From: A. Papazian

TURKEY URGES OBAMA TO STOP ARMENIA GENOCIDE RESOLUTION

Agence France Presse
December 20, 2010 Monday 6:19 PM GMT

Turkey’s prime minister has written to US President Barack Obama
urging him to prevent a resolution classifying the 1915-17 killings
of Armenians as genocide, the foreign minister said Monday.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in his letter described the
resolution in the House of Representatives as a mistake, and called
on Obama to do what he could to intervene, Ahmet Davutoglu was quoted
as saying by Anatolia news agency.

The resolution, which could be debated by the House on Tuesday, calls
on the president to classify the massacre, in which as many as 1.5
million Armenians died, as a genocide.

Turkey in the past has warned that the resolution would harm ties
with the US, and in March it withdrew its ambassador after the House
foreign affairs committee approved the proposed resolution.

Davutoglu said he had discussed the resolution with US Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton and urged her to spare no effort in preventing
the resolution.

The World War I-era killings remain a major point of friction between
Armenia and Turkey, with Yerevan saying about 1.5 million people were
killed during massacres and forced marches.

Ankara acknowledges the deaths of between 300,000 and 500,000
Armenians, but says it was not a campaign of extermination.

From: A. Papazian

TURKISH PRIME MINISTER WRITES TO OBAMA ABOUT ARMENIAN RESOLUTION

Anadolu Agency
Dec 20 2010
Turkey

Ankara: Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Monday [20
December] that they will not let resolutions on the so-called Armenian
genocide hang like the sword of Damocles in Turkish-US relations.

Speaking on the 2011 budget of his ministry at the Turkish
Parliamentary Assembly, Davutoglu said that Turkish Prime Minister sent
a letter to US President Barack Obama on Monday on attempts to bring
an Armenian resolution to the floor of the US House of Representatives.

We pay high attention to our relations with the United States. We
want to carry our relations further than merely a geopolitical and
strategic cooperation, Davutoglu stressed.

When President Obama talked about a ‘model partnership’ with Turkey
in a speech delivered at the Turkish Parliament, we talked about the
need to promote Turkish-US relations not only in the military field
but economic as well, Davutoglu said.

Turkish State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan and
State Minister for foreign trade Zafer Caglayan established a joint
committee with their US counterparts to promote economic relations
between the two countries, Davutoglu underlined.

In the past several days, there have been efforts to bring an
Armenian resolution to the floor of the US House of Representatives
before the House recesses for holidays. As soon as we have heard the
news about the so-called Armenian resolution, we made the necessary
warnings to US officials, including US Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton. We can no longer permit such resolutions to hang like the
sword of Damocles in Turkish-US relations. Within this frame, Prime
Minister Erdogan sent a letter to President Obama on Monday. Turkey
is determined to protect its national pride against all slanders and
baseless allegations. I am confident that our Turkish Parliament will
display the necessary sensitivity that it did display in the past
(on the Armenian resolution), Davutoglu also said.

Turkey’s position on Armenian allegations

Turkey has long been facing a systematic campaign of defamation
carried out by Armenian lobbying groups. The Armenian diaspora has
lately increased its organized activities throughout the world for
the recognition of their unfounded allegations in regard to the events
of 1915 as “genocide” by national and local parliaments.

Armenian groups living in various countries try to get the publication
of many books on their allegations concerning the events of 1915 and
articles written by authors close to Armenian views in well-known
magazines and newspapers. Armenian organizations also orchestrate
many meetings, conferences and symposia in order to garner support
and to give them as much publicity as possible. Armenian groups make
sure that researchers and authors close to the Armenian views take
part in these meetings so that the issue always remains on the agenda.

Armenian circles, similarly, sponsors the making of documentary films
that advocate Armenian claims. They also encourage the broadcasting
of these films in many television channels. Public opinion especially
in Western countries is affected by these films, books and articles
published every year and their Parliaments are left under constant
pressure to recognize the Armenian allegations as ?undeniable
historical truth?. The activities of diaspora organizations are also
supported by the Armenian state. It is known that Armenian diplomatic
missions abroad carry out certain activities so that their allegations
are recognized in national legislatures.

Until today the parliaments of Argentina, Belgium, France, Netherlands,
Switzerland, Italy, Canada, Lebanon, the Russian Federation, Slovakia,
Uruguay, Greece, the Greek Cypriot Administration, Poland, Germany,
Lithuania, Chile, Venezuela and the European Parliament passed either
resolutions or issued statements. In addition, some local parliaments
in the USA, Canada, Britain, Australia, Argentina and Switzerland
passed similar resolutions.

Turkey is of the view that parliaments and other political institutions
are not the appropriate for a to debate and pass judgments on disputed
periods of history. Past events and controversial periods of history
should be left to the historians for their dispassionate study and
evaluation. In order to shed light on such a disputed historical issue,
the Turkish Government has opened all its archives, including military
records to all researchers.

Furthermore, Turkey encourages historians, scholars and researchers
to freely examine and discuss this historical issue in every
platform. In order to have an objective and complete analysis of
the Turkish-Armenian relations, the Armenian archives should also be
opened and made available to the public and researchers. For reaching
the truth, historians must have access to all related archives.

In this respect, in 2005, Turkey has officially proposed to the
Government of Armenia the establishment of a joint commission of
history composed of historians and other experts from both sides to
study together the events of 1915 not only in the archives of Turkey
and Armenia but also in the archives of all relevant third countries
and to share their findings with the public. Unfortunately, Armenia
has not responded positively to this initiative, yet. Turkey’s proposal
is still on the table.

If accepted by Armenia, Turkey’s proposal for setting up a Joint
Commission of History would also serve as a confidence-building
measure paving the way for a dialogue towards normalization of
relations between the two countries.

From: A. Papazian