Author: Andres-Papazian

TURKISH AMBASSADOR TO US MAKES PRIVATE CALLS TO CONGRESSMEN

Panorama
Dec 21 2010
Armenia

Turkish Embassy to the United States adopted intensified campaign
against including Armenian Genocide Resolution in US House of
Representatives’ plenary agenda, Turkish “Haber7” news web site writes.

It’s reported that Turkish Ambassador to US Namik Tan has personally
called all the Congressmen, as well as former US State Secretaries
of Foreign Affairs, Defense and National Security.

In the aftermath of their efforts US House of Trade has also been
engaged into the current campaign. The Trade House diplomats called
on their colleagues that relations with Turkey are of greater
significance.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA GEORGIA TO ESTABLISH JOINT CUSTOMS STATION

news.am
Dec 21 2010
Armenia

Armenia and Georgia will establish a joint customs station in 2011.

The two states’ governments submitted for approval a memorandum on
mutual understating. Armenian Government will discuss the document
at the Dec. 2 session.

Customs procedures at the joint station will be simplified.

The memorandum on mutual understating will be in effect within 3
years, after which the term will be automatically prolonged unless
one of the sides notifies the other side of its desire to terminate
it at least 6 months prior to the document’s expiry.

From: A. Papazian

BAKU: NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED THIS YEAR DUE TO ARMENIA’S NON-CONSTRUCTIVE POSITION

Trend
Dec 21 2010
Azerbaijan

Baku sees Armenia’s non-constructive position as the reason why the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was not resolved in 2010.

“The talks held in 2010, as in previous years, showed that
Armenia’s non-constructive position and Yerevan’s non-willingness
to solve the problem are the reasons for the non-resolution of
the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,” Azerbaijani
Presidential Administration Social and Political Department head Ali
Hasanov said in an interview with Trend. By sending the president to
resignation and having shootings in parliament, Armenia wants to keep
the status quo in the talks, he added.

Hasanov said prior to the OSCE Astana summit, it was obvious that
Armenia would not move toward a more non-constructive position. Thus,
for Azerbaijan, the summit was a tool for bringing its position to the
international community’s attention and to show Yerevan’s true face.

“Armenia must either continue its aggressive policy and violate
international norms, and thus bring itself to the edge, or to create
normal relations with Azerbaijan and other countries and reject its
territorial claims,” he said. “In 2009, the failure of the Zurich
agreement, which was reached between Armenia and Turkey with the
support of several countries, affirmed to everyone that Azerbaijan is
a strong state pursuing an independent policy, and that the country
has a decisive influence in regional processes and it is impossible
to realize any international initiative or interstate project in the
region without considering Azerbaijan’s interests.”

Hasanov stressed that Armenia will not be allowed to enter regional
cooperation or economic integration projects until the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict resolved.

“The reality is that, today, Azerbaijan is a strong and dynamically
developing country, which relies on its resources,” he said. “Armenia
has been left out of transnational communications initiatives and
lives on the handouts of other countries and humanitarian assistance.

Today, Azerbaijan’s military budget is $3.1 billion, while Armenia’s
state budget is $2.36 billion. In my opinion, this comparison clearly
shows everything”

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 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 the 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.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA MAY PAY MARKET PRICE FOR GAS, GAZPROM REP. SAYS

news.am
Dec 21 2010
Armenia

At today’s press conference Anatoly Podmishalsky, chief of Gazprom’s
division in charge of relations with the near abroad, touched upon
issues related to changes in gas rate.

“There are contractual terms according to which gas price in Armenia
will correspond to the market prices starting April 1, 2011. As to
other possible variants, they will be determined in next 2-3 months
if the talks are held,” he said.

From: A. Papazian

MEETINGS OF THE DEPUTY OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE KEY RAPPORTEUR ON ARMENIA TOMASZ POREBA IN THE PARLIAMENT

parliament.am
National Assembly
Dec 21 2010
Armenia

On December 20 the members of the Armenian delegation of EU-Armenian
Parliamentary Cooperation Committee of the National Assembly Artak
Zakaryan, Armen Rustamyan, Larisa Alaverdyan, Hovhannes Margaryan
and Armen Melikyan met with the deputy of the European Parliament,
the key rapporteur on Armenia Tomasz Poreba.

Tomasz Poreba opined that his working visit to the Republic of
Armenia, as well as the Nagorno Karabkah Republic would be efficient
with respect to unbiased and objective assessment of the report on
Armenia to be prepared by him. Emphasizing the further rapprochement of
EU-Armenia relations and the strengthening of cooperation, Mr Tomasz
Poreba highly assessed the efforts of the Armenian authorities in
the spheres of human rights, NGOs, as well as the reforms made in RA
Electoral Code and emphasized their continuity.

The members of the Armenian delegation of EU-Armenian Parliamentary
Cooperation Committee detailed the works being done in the improving
the RA Electoral Code, noted the main factors and principles, which
would promote the conduct of fair and transparent elections.

Emphasizing Mr Tomasz Poreba’s working visit to Armenia and Nagorno
Karabakh, the Armenian deputies expressed conviction that such
visits to the region would help to make a truthful picture about the
situation and real processes, which would promote to present unbiased
and objective conclusions.

During the meeting the parties also touched upon the problem of the
normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations.

The key rapporteur on Armenia in the European Parliament Tomasz Poreba
in the National Assembly also met with the representatives of the
political forces of the parliament. Artak Zakaryan, Armen Melikyan,
Hovhannes Margaryan, Vahan Hovhannisyan, Styopa Safrayan and Larisa
Alaverdyan from the NA factions attended the meeting.

The head of the ARF faction Vahan Hovhannisyan welcomed the
rapporteur’s visit to the NKR, expressing confidence that the meeting
that took place there covered the situation and crystallized the
notions not only on external, but also on inner processes. Without
touching the moods of the Artsakh people, taking into account their
will and security, examining the refugees’ issue it’s possible to
present the Karabakh conflict in the world arena, Vahan Hovhannisyan
said.

The head of the Heritage faction Styopa Safryan in his talk with
the newly appointed rapporteur on Armenia touched upon the problems
regarding the Electoral Code and freedom of speech.

The member of the Country of Law faction Hovhannes Margaryan also
in the name of his political force positively characterized the
rapporteur’s two-day visit to the NKR. The visit to the conflict zone
and personally getting familiarized with the situation serve as good
precondition for preparing an objective report, the representative of
the Country of Law said. The deputy expressed hope that the cooperation
with the European structures would help Armenia for integrating into
the European family as political priority.

The member of the RPA faction Artak Zakaryan talked about the events
aimed the improvement of the electoral processes, informing the
interlocutors that the Electoral Code was being reformed after every
election for rectifying the disclosed shortcomings in applying them.

Today the Code is under review, as well as on the agenda of the
dialogue between the authorities and opposition. The deputy noted
that the in the field of the freedom of speech they also try to solve
the existing problems. In particular, reforms are in the legal field,
for example, decriminalizing the responsibility for the slander. Such
key laws, as the deputy ensured, pass the expertise of the Venice
Commission.

Tomasz Poreba submitted to the political forces the main principles,
which would lead him while preparing the report on Armenia. First,
the deputy of the European Parliament will meet with all the parties
to be involved in the NK conflict, situation and to be aware of the
situation, too. He will focus on all the achievements of Armenia and
the problems being solved. Mrs Poreba ensured that the report would
be strictly objective and balanced. The deputy envisages also meeting
with rapporteurs’ on other two states of the region for keeping the
general principles. He noted that it was possible that the report
would be ready and be presented at the end of the year of 2011.

On the same day the members of the delegation led by the deputy of
the European Parliament, the key rapporteur on Armenia Tomasz Poreba
visited Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex of the Armenian Genocide
victims, laid flowers at the memorial perpetuating the memory of the
innocent victims and Genocide Museum.

We’ll note that on December 15 the deputy of the European Parliament,
the key rapporteur on Armenia Tomasz Poreba visited the NKR, in
Stepanakert had meetings the Speaker of the NKR National Assembly
Ashot Ghulyan, the Chairman of the NKR Refugees’ Union S. Saryan.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIANS SUE TURKEY CLAIMING U.S. AIR BASE LAND

Panorama
Dec 21 2010
Armenia

Over the years, Armenians have gradually shifted their attention from
the recognition of the Genocide to the pursuit of legal remedies for
their massive losses suffered between 1915 and 1923.

Several lawsuits have been filed recently in U.S. Federal
Courts against Western insurance companies and banks. In July,
Armenian-American attorneys sued the Republic of Turkey and its two
major banks, seeking compensation for confiscated properties and loss
of income.

A new federal lawsuit was filed last week by attorneys Vartkes
Yeghiayan, Kathryn Lee Boyd and David Schwarcz, along with
international law expert Michael Bazyler, against the Republic of
Turkey, the Central Bank, and Ziraat Bank for “unlawful expropriation
and unjust enrichment.” The plaintiffs are Los Angeles-area residents
Rita Mahdessian and Anais Haroutunian, and Alex Bakalian of Washington,
D.C.

The three Armenian-Americans, who have deeds proving ownership of
properties stolen from their families during the Genocide, are seeking
compensation for 122 acres of land in the Adana region. The strategic
Incirlik U.S. Air Base is partly located on their property.

During the Genocide, the Turkish government initially placed all
properties belonging to Armenian victims under seal. Subsequently, it
directed the Ziraat Bank to hold all proceeds from the sale of seized
properties in trust and for safekeeping on behalf of the Armenian
owners. These properties were then transferred to the Turkish Treasury
and placed under the administration of the Central Bank. The lawsuit
accuses the Republic of Turkey, the Central Bank and Ziraat Bank of
unfairly benefiting from the plaintiffs’ seized assets.

The three Turkish defendants are currently engaged in commercial
activities in the United States which grants jurisdiction to U.S.

courts. The Republic of Turkey operates several state-owned or
controlled enterprises in the U.S., such as the Turkish Airlines and
Tourism Information Office. Both the Central Bank and Ziraat Bank
also have offices in the United States.

In addition to seizing the Armenian plaintiffs’ property, the Turkish
government has pocketed the rent paid by the United States for the
Incirlik Air Base during the past 60 years. The base is operated
by the Army and Air Force Exchange Service — a U.S. Department of
Defense entity. Several major American corporations, such as Baskin
Robbins, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Starbucks, and AT&T transact business
and provide services on the base for U.S. troops. These companies
have also been profiting from Armenian-owned lands for many years.

The lawsuit claims that the plaintiffs “are suffering harm from the
loss of use and proceeds from their property.” Turkey and its Central
Bank’s “continued unlawful use of the property causes a direct effect
in the United States because a U.S. commercial entity pays money” to
Turkey to lease the Incirlik Air Base and “is engaged in a long-term
business arrangement with defendants….”

The lawsuit also states that the “plaintiffs’ action is additionally
based upon their rights in property unlawfully expropriated by
defendant Turkey in violation of international law, pursuant to
a Turkish campaign of genocide…. International law prohibits the
taking of property when it is done in a discriminatory way or pursuant
to gross violations of human rights. Plaintiffs’ property was taken
pursuant to the genocidal campaign of the Ottoman Turkish Empire to
destroy, in whole or in part, Armenian Christians in Turkey.”

The plaintiffs assert that after the Genocide, the Turkish government
transferred Armenian-owned “businesses, factories, shops, farms,
and all other economic enterprises into Turkish Muslim ownership,”
Yet, the most shocking charge is the accusation that the Turkish
authorities used “the proceeds derived from the sale of Armenian
property to fund their deportation.” It is noteworthy that beyond
depriving Armenians of their lives and property during the Genocide,
Turkish authorities strictly forbade the survivors from reclaiming
their properties, by stamping their passports “Return prohibited.”

The Armenian-American plaintiffs estimate the current value of the
property seized from their families to be $63.9 million, since their
land constitutes 3.7% of the $1.7 billion “plant replacement value” of
the Incirlik Air Base, according to the latest U.S. Defense Department
data. The plaintiffs are demanding the current fair market value of
their property as well as the accrued rental for the past 60 years,
possibly totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. This lawsuit
does not include the value of other Armenian properties in Incirlik,
including a church and school.

In the coming months, several other lawsuits are expected to be
filed in U.S. courts against the Turkish government and other Turkish
entities, including a claim for the Turkish Presidential Palace in
Ankara, which is located on land owned by the Kassabian family.

From: A. Papazian

US STATE DEPARTMENT IS IN TOUCH WITH CONGRESSMEN TO STOP N252 RESOLUTION

Panorama
Dec 21 2010
Armenia

US State Department is currently in touch with the House of
Representatives on the issue of Armenian Genocide Resolution,
US Assistant Secretary Philip J. Crowley said in a daily briefing
answering to a question what the Administration is doing to try to
stop that.

“We’ve made clear our opposition to that resolution. I can’t say
whether it’s the Secretary, but we’ve been in touch with the House.”

It’s worth reminding that Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker to US House of
Representatives, took the initiative on December 18 to bring N252
Resolution on Armenian Genocide into Congress plenary session agenda,
Her initiative was failed as Congress activities were extended. Then,
Ms. Pelosi declared the resolution would most probably be called on
December 21, today.

Turkish authorities, particularly PM Erdogan and FM Davutoglu, have
repeatedly threatened US Administration.

From: A. Papazian

TANER AKCAM: NO CLOSED BORDERS AND NO RIVAL COUNTRIES (PART 2)

Panorama
Dec 21 2010
Armenia

Turkish historian, sociologist and columnist Taner Akcam, who
arrived in Yerevan to attend the international conference on “Crime
of Genocide, condemnation and elimination of consequences”, gave
exclusive interview to “Ermenihaber.am” news web site.

– Do you consider Azerbaijan as an obstacle to the normalization
process of Armenian-Turkish ties?

– It seems Azerbaijan is an obstacle. But I’m not as much informed
on this, as it is out of my field of investigation. As a citizen of
Turkey, I would say the following – Turkey must differentiate between
relations with Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The conflict
of Karabakh is a different conflict, diplomatic ties with Armenia –
quite different. Turkey should not anticipate resolution of Karabakh
conflict as a precondition. If Turkey makes certain changes in his
political course, Azerbaijan will no longer be an obstacle.

– Does it mean that anyway Azerbaijan is an obstacle?

-The reality is that those in Turkey who are against ties with Armenia,
use this factor as a tool.

– So, if Turkey wanted to normalize ties with Armenia, Azerbaijan
would not be an obstacle?

-Surely, they couldn’t.

– Does it mean that Turkey does not want that?

– It turns to be so.

– Do you think the ratification of the protocols is possible and when?

-It seems the process is frozen. Turkey links ratification of the
protocols with Karabakh issue, and if no advancement is made here,
the ratification will be left unprocessed. And in Karabakh issue,
when we feel threat of war, we can’t anticipate any advancement. In
this case we have two versions – either advancement is recorded in
Karabakh deal or Turkey changes its policy. I think Turkey should say
“No matter what happens in Karabakh, I open the border”.

-In that case don’t you think Turkish-Azerbaijani ties would suffer?

– I don’t think the relations will suffer. Azerbaijan’s Government
needs relations with Turkish Government. Generally, if a country leads
a second country to war against a third party, they can’t advance as
far. In this respect Azerbaijan can’t advance as far.

– What do you think about Armenians and Armenia?

– Every time I feel happiness to come to Armenia. I am from Ardahan.

Walking through Yerevan streets, I feel as if in Ardahan. I find much
to resemble my hometown. I feel I’m a cosmopolitan. To find friends
in Armenia is of special significance for me.

From: A. Papazian

PETER JAM LAUNCHES “VIBRATIONS” IN SIGNING SESSION AT VIRGIN MEGASTORE

Daily Star

Dec 21 2010
Lebanon

After his US tour and the release of his debut album “Vibrations”,
Peter Jam launched his latest CD in a signing session at Virgin
Megastore in Downtown Beirut on December 11th.

Jam is an Armenian artist who sings for peace and love and believes
music represents a powerful positive message as an art. The CD launch
is dedicated to the great artist and peace activist John Lennon of
The Beatles for his 30th anniversary.

From: A. Papazian

US LAWMAKERS MAY VOTE ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MEASURE

TMCnet News

Dec 21 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) – The House may vote next week on a measure that
could damage U.S. relations with critical ally Turkey: a resolution
declaring the World War I-era killings of Armenians a genocide.

The vote would be a blow to President Barack Obama by his Democratic
allies. House Democratic leaders had long set aside consideration
of the draft resolution, and the measure was expected to expire as
a new Republican-led House takes office next month.

House aides, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not
authorized to comment, said Friday that Democratic leaders have been
discussing a possible vote with lawmakers. A spokesman for Speaker
Nancy Pelosi had no immediate comment.

Turkey has said frequently that the resolution would drive a wedge
in its relations with the United States. It sees the measure as a
historical affront. In March after the House Foreign Affairs Committee
endorsed the proposed resolution, Turkey withdrew its ambassador
from Washington.

Historians estimate that up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed by
Ottoman Turks around the time of World War I, an event widely viewed
by scholars as the first genocide of the 20th century. Turkey denies
that the deaths constituted genocide, saying the toll has been inflated
and those killed were victims of civil war and unrest.

The issue is awkward for Obama, who pledged as a presidential candidate
to recognize the Armenian deaths as genocide. The administration
reversed course, as Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton
acknowledged Thursday.

Turkey, a NATO ally with a pivotal role for U.S. interests in the
Middle East and Afghanistan, has warned that the resolution’s approval
could jeopardize U.S-Turkish cooperation and set back negotiations
aimed at opening the border between Turkey and Armenia. Turkey also
currently holds one of the rotating seats in the United Nations’
Security Council that will have to approve sanctions against Iran.

Armenian American groups have sought congressional affirmation of
the killings as genocide for decades.

“We continue to look to the House Democratic leadership to schedule a
vote allowing a bipartisan majority to vote for the Armenian Genocide
Resolution,” Aram Hamparian, the executive director of the Armenian
National Committee of America, said Friday in a statement.

Opponents of the treaty, including the Turkish government, have begun
ramping up their lobbying as it became clear that a vote might be in
the works shortly before Democrats hand over leadership of the House
to Republicans next month.

“We are very concerned that there is a backroom deal going on led by
the Democratic leadership to sneak the Armenian resolution through
in the final hours of the 111th Congress,” said G. Lincoln McCurdy,
president of the Turkish Coalition of America.

The Foreign Affairs Committee approved a similar genocide measure in
2007, but it was not brought to the House floor for a vote following
intensive pressure by then-President George W. Bush.

From: A. Papazian