Author: Babajanian Karo

Journal of Turkish Weekly
Dec 30 2011

Azerbaijani Parliament Accepts Appeal to French Senate

Friday, 30 December 2011

The Azerbaijani parliament accepted an appeal to the French Senate on
the so-called “Armenian genocide” today.

An Azerbaijani MP read out the appeal. Azerbaijan is extremely
concerned about the decision taken by the French Parliament.

“We urge you to carefully consider these old and not fully clarified
historical events,” the MP said. “Of course, if this law is adopted,
it would be contrary to freedom of speech and thought which has its
principal place among human rights and freedoms which are the
foundation of a democratic system.”

The appeal stressed that Armenian armed forces killed hundreds of
civilians in the Azerbaijani town of Khojaly on February 26, 1992 just
because they were Azerbaijanis. “Taking all this into account, the
attempts of a one-sided assessment of historical events can lead to
disrespect for the historical realities,” the MP said.

According to the appeal, the adoption of this law will put France’s
objectivity as the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing country, engaged in a
peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in question.

“So, Azerbaijani MPs call on their colleagues in the French Senate to
be careful and sensitive when discussing this issue,” the MP went on.
The appeal was made in parliament under a vote.

The French Parliament adopted a bill criminalising the denial of a
fictitious “Armenian genocide” last week.

Some 45 out of 577 French MPs participated in the voting, while 38
voted for and seven voted against the adoption of the bill.

The bill demands about a year’s imprisonment and a fine worth 45,000
euros for denial of the so-called “Armenian genocide”.

MPs from the French President’s “Union for Popular Movement” (UMP)
party which has the parliamentary majority, proposed the bill which
aims at criminalising denial of the so-called “Armenian genocide” to
the legislative committee of the National Assembly in early December.

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.

Friday, 30 December 2011

National Assembly of RA , Armenia

Dec 30 2011

RA National Assembly Speaker’s New Year and Holy Nativity congratulatory address

The RA NA Speaker Samvel Nikoyan has delivered a New Year and Holy
Nativity congratulatory address, where it says:

`Dear Compatriots,

We will soon as usual bid farewell to this year: a year, which has
been symbolic for us. Together we celebrated the 20th anniversary of
the Independence of the Republic of Armenia this year. The Armenian
parliament also had its significant contribution to the all-national
struggle for Independence and today also it continues its active
participation in the country’s progress and strengthening.

The world has continued sticking to exponential changes in the passing
year. As a direct and indirect participant in the world activities we
couldn’t stand apart from this all and strived to overcome collisions
of various political and economic interests with possible few losses.

Naturally, not all the expectations or not everybody’s expectations
have been realized, but Armenia has been able without shocks to resist
the world challenges, which exist even now and dictate us to remain
alert and intensify the country’s economic strength and further rise
its political weight. The steps of country’s authorities, including
the draft laws and decisions made by the National Assembly, are aimed
at this.

Dear Compatriots,

The changing world makes us undertake more flexible actions and more
promptly respond to situations. The passing year has been active
enough for the parliamentary diplomacy. The delegations of the
National Assembly actively and efficiently participated in the works
of international structures.

The year was rather eventful also in terms of mutual visits both at
the level of parliamentary speakers and parliamentary friendship
groups. As a result of those mutual visits our positions in the
international structures are becoming more comprehensible and
acceptable.

Dear Compatriots,

The coming 2012 year is a year of elections. Irrespective of our
political adherence the overall aim should be the same: in the
conditions of peace and stability the building of the strong country
and prosperous society through general efforts and for all of us.

Certainly, we expect new success and accomplishments in every new
year. But the New Year doesn’t bring success by itself, if we don’t
seek for that success through our work. By bidding farewell to the
passing year, it is necessary to assess the things done or failed to
be done and enter the next year with more wisdom, evaluating what
should have been done that is not done yet and what has been done that
shouldn’t have been done at all.

Dear Compatriots,

Cordially congratulating the coming New Year and Holy Nativity, I wish
everybody fulfillment of expectations and desires, success, peace,
happiness and welfare to your families.

Happy New Year and Holy Nativity!’

Foreign Policy Blogs Network
December 30, 2011 Friday 5:26 PM EST

Turkey: Cold War v2.0

I have recently read an opinion by Fehim Tastekin, a Turkish Caucasus
expert, who regularly writes for the Turkish daily Radikal. I find the
article very important, so I translated it to the attention of FPA
Blogs followers:

——

þHIM-TASTEKIN&Date=30.12.2011&CategoryID=100

Amidst its growing engagement in the Middle East and the Arab Spring,
as well as its resurrecting Kurdish insurgency problem, Turkey
installed the NATO Missile Defense Shield in September 2011. Many
observers interpreted Turkey’s decision as a move against Iran, as a
response to its expanding nuclear and missile capabilities, while
Turkish officials indicated that the installment of this missile
shield in Turkey was agreed upon much earlier and has nothing to do
with Iran. The purpose of the missile shield also exposed differences
within NATO countries. For example, French President Sarkozy had
claimed “We call a cat, a cat; today’s threat is Iran”, while Turkish
Prime Minister Erdogan said “We also call a cat, a cat, but we haven’t
specified a threat like [Iran]”. Hillary Clinton too had commented on
the matter by “The shield is not directed against Russia; in fact it
has to do with Iran”.

Russia wasn’t convinced however; Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs
Sergei Lavrov indicated “words fly, military technic is permanent; we
want written guarantees”. To follow up, Russia’s decision to re-direct
Kaliningrad missiles to European capitals increased the
interpretations of a ‘new Cold War’. Yet, some observers indicate that
Russia’s Kaliningrad move is not a mere reaction, but a part of a more
profound thinking. According to Nevazisimaya Gazeta, Kremlin was
informed of a U.S.-backed Israeli air raid against Iranian nuclear
facilities and argued “… there will soon be a surprise raid. Iran
will retaliate and the war will spread out. If Iran is invaded, Russia
will not sit idly and will certainly send military aid.” Indeed,
Russia Minister of Defense supported this perception, explicitly
warning the United States in a Reuters interview that “an attack
against Iran would be a wrong decision”.

Though more troublesome perhaps, is that Russia’s mistrust towards
NATO’s missile shield was not confined to words. Soon after the
installment of the missile shield, Russia made the following moves:

– Complete and urgent modernization of the 102nd Military base in Armenia

– Units close to Yerevan were deployed to Gumru, closer to the Turkish border

– Military bases in Abkhazia and South Ossetia were put under alarm on
December 1, 2011

– Some ships from Russia’s Black Sea fleet were re-deployed closer to
the Georgian territorial waters.

– Missile command base at Dagestan was ordered to be ready for battle

– Guided missile frigates in the Khazar fleet were re-deployed to
Mahackale and Kaspiysk.

– Alexander-E missiles were sent to the Krasnodar base, their range
covering the NATO missile shield in Malatya

– Kuznetsov aircraft carrier was sent to Tartus, which is interpreted
as a dual move against a possible military intervention to Iran and
Syria

Russia also considers the possibility of an Azeri military move
towards Karabakh to reclaim that territory lost to Armenia. When
Russia extended its use of Armenia’s Gumru base, it also signed an
agreement to protect Armenia against external attacks. Additionally,
Russia is worried about its military presence in Armenia because of
Georgia’s annulment of the treaty that enabled Russian troops to use
Georgian territory to be transferred further south. The necessity to
bolster Russian military presence in Armenia may lead Russia to force
its way through Georgia. Meanwhile, Russia also needs to guarantee its
use of the Gebele radar installation in Azerbaijan whose lease ends in
2012. Azerbaijan raised the cost of the installation from 7 million to
100 million US dollars per annum, while hints at the possibility of
negotiating the cost in exchange for Russian support for its
territorial demands over Karabakh.

Russia also considered Gebele radar installation as a test case for
American intentions. When the Bush administration considered the
installation of the radar site in Poland in 2007, Russia suggested
that two countries should use Gebele radar base (with 6000 kilometer
range extending from the Indian Ocean to North Africa) together. Bush
government’s refusal was interpreted by Russia as a sign of American
expansionism, as the Gebele radar base is more than sufficient to act
as an early warning system against Iran. Together with the
installation of the NATO missile defense shield in Turkey, Russia no
longer believes that this is intended as protection against Iran.

On the other hand, NATO shield was an interesting move on the part of
the Turkish government. It successfully silenced those who interpret
Turkish foreign policy as ‘moving away from the West’ and also those
who criticize Turkey for deteriorating relations with Israel as well
as those who question Turkey’s commitment to its partnership with the
United States. It allowed Turkish diplomats to argue “see, we are
protecting Israel at the expense of deteriorating our relations with
Iran and Russia”.

[end of article]

———

All this makes me think that Turkey might be returning back to its
‘lone wolf’ foreign policy and siege mentality:

The problem is, just as Assad’s suppression methods and Turkey’s
belligerent stance against him had caused the collapse of Turkey’s
‘zero problems policy’ in the south, NATO missile shield not only
caused the collapse of this doctrine vis-à-vis Iran, but also
vis-à-vis Russia and by extension, the Caucasus. Systemic constraints
are pushing Turkey back to its pre-2002, traditional foreign policy
understanding and a return back to its Cold War role: covering NATO’s
southern flank. What makes Turkey’s new role ‘updated’ is that the
Middle East is more active and more relevant to American interests
than it was through the Cold War and therefore, Turkey may be the
bridgehead of a new and more difficult dual-containment policy against
Shia and Russian influence.

The new Cold War v2.0 is more complex and difficult for Turkey, which
requires quicker balancing and more intricate set of
interdependencies. At a time when Turkey’s domestic Kurdish problem is
intensifying, simultaneously countering Russian AND Iranian influence
at such proximity is a heavy burden for any country. Following months
will create more visible cross-regional entrenchments and the United
States must find a way to re-assert its relevance and weight in the
wider region, certainly for Turkey, for any strategy of containment to
succeed – if there still is such a strategy.

WPS Agency, Russia
December 29, 2011 Thursday

LOADING MISSILES BY THE TON

by Svetlana Gamova
Source: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, No 286, December 29, 2011, p. 1
[translated from Russian]

CLANDESTINE ARMS EXPORT TO ARMENIA TRIGGERED A SCANDAL IN MOLDOVA;
Moldova is selling sophisticated weapons to Armenia, much to the
displeasure of Azerbaijan and indignation of its own legislature.

The arms deal with Armenia was a deep dark secret so that even the
Moldovan parliament knew nothing about it. When a leak exposed the
deal in September, the parliament hit the roof and demanded
explanations from the government. Legislators said that they wanted to
know why the Defense Ministry was selling arms to a conflict area. The
deal was put on hold. Security Council Secretary Yuri Rikichinsky
tried to reanimate it the other day and immediately found himself
under an attack launched by lawmakers.

Rikichinsky was invited to the parliament this Tuesday and asked to
explain his letter to acting president Marian Lupu, one where he had
requested assistance with completion of the deal with Armenia. The
matter concerned missile launchers and rockets (20 tons in all) from
the arsenals of the regular army the Armenians were expecting.

The first shipment (40 tons) was dispatched to Armenia in September.
It fomented a scandal in Kishinev itself and other CIS capitals.
Latvia, a non-CIS country, was the first to respond to Kishinev’s lame
excuses that the deal had involved a Latvian intermediary. Latvia
vehemently denounced the assumption and denied its involvement.
Official Baku (Azerbaijani Foreign Minister and President Ilham Aliyev
himself) followed with protests and demands for an explanation.
Moldovan Premier Vladimir Filat had to explain the matter to Aliyev
personally. Nothing is known about what he told the Azerbaijani
president, but Moldovan Army Commander and Chief of the General Staff
Brigadier General Yuri Dominik was thrown to the wolves. He retired,
in other words, but not before he announced that the merchandise had
been sold to the Armenians on the orders from his political masters.
Needless to say, political masters denied everything.

At first, the Moldovan Defense Ministry announced that it was only
selling the Armenians outmoded systems. As it turned out, however, and
the news did nothing to soften the parliament’s reaction, the Defense
Ministry was lying through the teeth. According to Omega news agency,
“… the shipment included expensive weapons and systems like 9V862
and 9V863 Kobra missile test complexes, 9V871-3 ones for Konkurs-M
anti-tank missiles… not to mentioned Fagot, Konkurs, Shturm-S, and
Metis missiles by the thousand.” Market price of these weapons alone
exceeded $5 million. Moldovan Defense Minister Vitaly Marinutsa in the
meantime told the parliament that only $3.25 million had been received
for the whole lot. The parliament immediately formed a special
investigative panel. The deal was put on hold.

Experts say that the clandestine deal fomented an outcry in the
parliament because it had been kept secret from it… and from
Azerbaijan. Moreover, experts believe that Kishinev went about it in a
thoroughly slipshod manner and did not even take measures to ensure a
proper cover, hence the scandal with Latvia.

Rikichinsky tried to reanimate the deal the other day and thus stoked
the fire of the parliamentary indignation.

WPS’2011

The Times-Union (Albany, NY)
December 29, 2011 Thursday
Final Edition EDITION

HIS TASTE FOR POLITICS BEGAN WITH A LUNCH

by KENNETH C. CROWE II STAFF WRITER

TROY — Mayor Harry Tutunjian’s political career began in 1996 when,
as a new homeowner, he was staggered by a 21 percent city property-tax
hike.

“I started paying attention to city government and city politics,”
Tutunjian recalled Wednesday.

His taste for politics grew when he won a silent auction for a 1997
Valentine’s Day lunch with state Sen. Joseph L. Bruno, R-Brunswick, at
Jack’s Oyster House in Albany.

Tutunjian narrowly won election to the City Council in 1999, then as
City Council president in 2001. At the end of his second four-year
term as mayor, Tutunjian is leaving reluctantly on Saturday, forced
out of office by term limits.

The only photo left in the Republican mayor’s office is one taken of
him with President Obama in 2009 at Hudson Valley Community College.

“I met the President. I’m a first generation American,” the
Armenian-American mayor said.

Tutunjian didn’t anticipate becoming mayor, which he said has
“rock-star status” among the city’s schoolchildren and a far lower
regard among his opponents.

Tutunjian’s eight years have been marked by controversies and
achievement. He’s been called thin skinned and combative by friends
and foes, but acknowledged for loyalty and perseverance.

Tutunjian said taking the helm in 2003 left him confronting a city
where “They heard it all but they had never seen it all.”

His task starting in his first term was to show not only city
residents, but the Capital Region that Troy was vital and improving.
Instituting the Action Team in public works to ensure trash was picked
up and streets cleaned, the mayor said, was the first step.

“There seems to be tremendous change in creating excitement for the
city,” said Councilman Bill Dunne, the Democrat representing downtown,
who is the only councilman to serve eight years with Tutunjian as
mayor.

That includes the introduction of festivals such as Chowderfest and
The Troy Pig Out. On the economic development front, the city has seen
$110 million in private investment and 1,100 new jobs. His passion for
barbecuing helped bring Dinosaur BBQ to the city.

Dunne said Tutunjian also has succeeded in following Democratic Mayor
Mark Pattison in keeping the city’s finances balanced.

Tutunjian’s eight budgets included three that carried no tax hike.

But much of Tutunjian’s second term was spent battling with the
Democratic-controlled City Council, which over the last two years had
five of its nine Democratic members under investigation for
absentee-ballot fraud.

“Poor communications,” Dunne said, summing up the relationship.
Nowhere was that demonstrated more that the still-unresolved fight of
where city hall should be.

Tutunjian obtained state funds to knock down the old city hall at 1
Monument Square on the Hudson River. City government relocated to the
former Verizon Building at 1776 Sixth Ave., which Tutunjian originally
proposed getting by swapping it for the old city hall site. Some
members of the council wanted to move to the city-owned Dauchy
building.

Republican Councilman Mark McGrath, who supported the mayor on some
issues but confronted him on others, said, “Harry is an honest man who
really did a great job.”

Tutunjian leaves office with the prospect that he will be appointed to
fill the Rensselaer County Legislature seat vacated by Lou Rosamilia,
his Democratic successor as mayor. Tutunjian hasn’t ruled out running
for other offices, including a return as mayor in 2015.

He shuttered the family’s auto body business when he became mayor.
He’s leaving his $95,000 post without firm plans. He may get back into
the auto business or invest in developing properties in the city.

Considered a hands-on mayor, Tutunjian responded to police and fire
calls and even plowed snow. He said the one thing he didn’t do was
pick up the garbage.

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Dec 29 2011

Russia keen to settle Karabakh conflict – expert

The deputy head of the Strategic Culture Fund, Andrey Areshev, says
Russia is keen to settled the Azerbaijani-Armenian conflict over
Nagorno-Karabakh.
“Russia will by all means continue its efforts to settle the Karabakh
conflict,” the expert told VK.

However, certain changes in the process may take place, as Russian-US
relations are worsening. “The belief that Russian-US cooperation can
settle all the matters was proved to be wrong,” Areshev said.

“These changes will probably affect the operation of the OSCE Mink
Group,” he added.

Fars News Agency, Iran
Dec 29 2011

Expert: South Caucasus No Platform for Potential Attack on Iran

TEHRAN (FNA)- South Caucasus states won’t be used as a springboard for
an attack on Iran, head of Armenian State University’s (YSU) Iranian
Studies department Garnik Asatryan told a news conference in Yerevan.

As the deputy head of YSU Oriental Studies department Vardan Voskanyan
in turn, noted, “Despite the rumors of Iranian President arriving in
Yerevan to secure Armenia’s support, I believe it was unnecessary as
Iran and Armenia have always supported each other.”

On the whole, the experts assessed Iranian President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad’s visit to Armenia as productive, with a number agreements
signed as a result.

On December 23, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrived in
Armenia for an official visit. 6 cooperation agreements were signed
during the trip, with the parties reiterating intention to strengthen
bilateral ties.

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Dec 29 2011

Armenia may prolong winter holidays for pupils due to school heating problems

Armenian Minister for Education and Science Armen Ashotyan sent
circular letter to governors and Yerevan’s mayor, noting that the
ministry approves the initiative to merge the winter holidays with the
spring ones, Armenia Today reports.

Holidays in January may be prolonged by a week for pupils due to
heating problems at school. Additional lessons will later be
organized.

National Assembly of RA, Armenia

Dec 28 2011

NA Deputy Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov Meets the Australian Parliamentarian

On December 28 Eduard Sharmazanov, Deputy Speaker of the National
Assembly, met Walt Secord, Member of the Legislative Council of the
Parliament of New South Wales of Australia. The member of the ARF
faction Ara Nranyan also attended the meeting.

Mr. Sharmazanov thanked Mr. Secord for the interest and concern shown
towards the fact of the Armenian Genocide, Artsakh problem and, in
general, the Armenian people’s destiny and expressed hope that the
present meeting created due to the ARF faction deputies will be of
continuous nature and will become a basis of further development of
inter-parliamentary relations.

Mr. Walt Secord has informed them that he is the Deputy Chair of the
Parliamentary Friendship Group with Armenia. He has heard a lot about
the History of the Armenian People, who has seen Genocide, its culture
and current processes inclined to building a democratic country, but
he has decided to see everything with his own eyes. He is the first
Australian MP, who has been to Artsakh, met the NKR NA Speaker, felt
the will and expediency of the Artsakh Armenians seeking independence.
He thanked the Armenian community of Australia for supporting his
visit to Armenia.

Touching upon the international processes of recognition of the
Armenian Genocide it was mutually documented that the best means of
preventing genocide is to condemn it, and the right of Artsakh to live
independent and free is inviolable.

Mr. Walt Secord informed that immediately after the meeting he would
immediately visit the Genocide Museum and Complex for paying tribute
to the innocent victims’ memory.

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Dec 28 2011

Passing of bill on Armenian Genocide will harm France’s international
image – Azerbaijani deputy foreign minister

Passing of the bill on the so-called Armenian Genocide by the French
Parliament would harm its international image, Azerbaijani Deputy
Foreign Minister Araz Azimov said, 1news.az reports.

The deputy minister said that such an initiative is a most unusual
step for a state co-chairing the OSCE Minsk Group. Azimov believes
that the bill is based on a `false history’ of Armenians. He expressed
regret at France’s initiative and emphasized that Azerbaijan shares
the position of Turkey.

The lower chamber of the French Parliament passed a bill on criminal
prosecution for denying the Armenian Genocide.