Author: Babajanian Karo

ARMENIAN DIASPORA SEEKS TO REACH THE RECOGNITION OF SO CALLED GENOCIDE BY AUSTRIA

TurkishNY.com
June 26 2012

Diaspora is trying every way to reach the recognition of so called
Armenian genocide by Austria. In the framework of Austrian President’s
visit to Armenia about bilateral cultural ties Armenpress had an
interview with President of Armenian-Austrian cultural company, member
of Austrian branch of Armenian all-Armenian fund Razmik Tamrazyan.

“The level of present Armenian-Austrian cultural relations and
cooperation is more due to the efforts of private organizations than
inter-state activities but it will not be right to totally exclude
inter-state participation in this issue” Tamrazyan said.

By noticing that they are working on promotion of so called genocide,
“We plan to organize manuals towards the 100th anniversary of
Armenian genocide and to take the advantage of the visit of Austrian
President to Armenian recognition of Armenian Genocide by Austria”
Tamrazyan said.

TURKEY CAN AND SHOULD ACT

Mideast Mirror
June 25, 2012 Monday

Ankara should not be afraid of a decisive military reaction to the
Syrian regime shooting down its warplane, says Abderrahman ar-Rashed
in Saudi Asharq al-Awsat

The weekend shooting down of a Turkish jet by Syrian air defense
systems may have brought a Turkish/Syrian confrontation closer,
maintains a veteran Saudi commentator. This is despite Turkey’s
reluctance to go to war without securing international or NATO cover
for this.

CONSIDERABLE INTEREST: “The Turks are Syria’s largest neighbors and
have considerable influence inside Syria itself, especially in its
Northern areas,” writes ‘Abderrahman ar-Rashed in the Saudi-owned
panEnhanced Coverage Linkingpan -Search using:Company ProfileNews,
Most Recent 60 Days-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat.

The Turks have gained some legitimacy for intervening in defense of
their interests. Their sovereignty has been violated by the Syrian
regime’s forces many times. Nor should we forget that what is happening
in Syria is a threat to Turkey’s security, whether the regime survives
or falls.

The Turks fears that Kurdish separatists will resume their activity
against them after they had succeeded in crushing them. This has cost
it over forty thousand people dead in past guerilla wars. It also fears
the terrorist groups that may fill the vacuum that the regime’s fall
will create, just as it fears that if it manages to escape its fall,
the regime would conspire against it and seek revenge.

When Syrian defenses shot down a Turkish warplane on Friday, the
expectation was that Ankara would respond militarily, especially since
it had warned the regime that it would not remain silent in response
to the many acts of aggression committed by Syrian forces along the
Turkish borders. But Turkey also disappointed many people in this
regard, and had earlier also let them down when it verbally undertook
not to leave the Syrian people to be slaughtered without protection.

Turkey is a huge neighbor with vast military capabilities that render
it able to win any military confrontation. It will also find itself
welcome by the majority of the Syrian people as a savior from a
criminal regime that has not allowed a single day to pass without
killing tens of unarmed civilians.

What prevents Turkey from being like the U.S. when it saved France
from German Nazi occupation? Or what prevents it from doing for the
Syrians, what Saudi Arabia and the U.S. did when they forced Saddam’s
occupying forces out of Kuwait? In fact, Turkish PM Erdogan can play
a similar role to that played by former U.S. president Bill Clinton
in saving Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo.

Turkey indeed gives the impression that it wants to intervene to
end the massacres and restrain the Assad regime. It also seems
afraid of action. But why is this so given that it has sufficient
military power and capability to allow it to score an easy victory
over the Assad regime easy, especially since the latter’s forces are
exhausted and despised by the population? After all, as the former
[Greek] Cypriot PM said when asked about Cyprus armament program,
there is no point in having an armament program since Turkey has
enormous military power and can defeat us in a few hours.

The reason, I think, is that the Turks, who fought their last war alone
against the Greek Cypriots in August 1974 and quickly defeated them, do
not wish to be a party to any war unless fought under an international
flag. This continues to be impossible thanks to the Russian and
Chinese veto. Alternatively, the Turks would not be averse to a war
fought by NATO – the ‘Libyan scenario’ in other words. But NATO does
not seem to be interested in fighting the battle against Assad.

The Turks prefer to be a part of an international campaign. Turkey,
after all, is a major member of the NATO alliance. Its armed forces
are the second largest after the U.S. Its army has some 750 thousand
men in uniform.

The reason why the Turks have no appetite for fighting the Syrian
regime despite everything it has done to them, and despite the fact
that it has placed them in an awkward situation before regional public
opinion, may stem from the fact that Ankara is hoping for one of two
things: Either that the Assad regime will collapse because of the
ongoing revolution that has exhausted it; or that the international
community will reach a point where it would have had enough of the
regime’s crimes and reach an agreement against it.

Once the latter happens, Turkey will act as the spearhead and will
enter Damascus under an international umbrella. But the second
alternative is unlikely because of the Russian position which is
totally biased in the Syrian regime’s favor.

Turkey fears are well-known. Domestically, it fears that a war with
Syria would fling open the door to its secessionist or opposition
Kurdish and Armenian groups. It also fears that Iran would open a
front against it. But these pretexts are unconvincing because Turkey
is stronger than Iran, militarily and economically. Moreover, it will
secure NATO’s backing. Furthermore, the Syrian regime is teetering
on the edge no matter how much its president seems to be holding
his ground.

In my opinion, Turkey, which has hesitated for long and remained silent
in response to the Syrian regime’s insults and has disappointed many
people who thought it was ferocious lion, will reach a point where
it will have to intervene to protect its own interests.

“The difference is that, if it were to intervene now, it would win
enormous popular and moral backing from the Arabs and many other
societies that hate the Syrian regime’s crimes,” concludes Rashed.

WHY IS TURKEY AFRAID TO INTERVENE IN SYRIA?

Arab News
June 24, 2012 Sunday
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Turkey is the largest neighbor of Syria and it has a huge influence,
especially in its northern regions. The Turks obtained some legal
reasons for intervention in Syria to defend their interests and
sovereignty, which was violated several times by the Syrian armed
forces. We should not forget that what happens in Syria poses a threat
to the security of Turkey, whether the regime remains or leaves.

Turkey fears that the Turkish and Kurd separatists might return
after it had crushed them. The military operations against them cost
Turkey more than 40,000 deaths in the past guerilla warfare. Turkey
also fears that terrorist groups might fill in the void that would
follow the downfall of the regime. It also fears that, if it survives,
the regime may take revenge against it.

When the Syrian defense systems downed a Turkish military plane a
few days ago, everybody expected Turkey to take revenge immediately,
particularly that it had previously warned the Syrian regime it would
not keep silent over the repeated aggressions of its forces across the
borders. But Turkey disappointed many people. It has done so before
when it made a solemn pledge that it would not allow the continued
slaughtering of the Syrian people.

Turkey is a big neighbor. It has huge military might that would enable
it to emerge triumphant in any military confrontation. It will find
itself very warmly welcomed by the majority of the Syrian people as
a savior from a criminal regime that kills dozens of innocent and
unarmed civilians every day. What prevents Turkey from becoming like
the US when it freed France from the Nazi occupation? What holds
Turkey back from becoming like Saudi Arabia and the US when they
liberated Kuwait from the invading Saddam forces? Prime Minister of
Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan could play the same role played by former
US President Bill Clinton in salvaging Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo.

Turkey continually insinuated that it wished to intervene to harness
the regime and stop the massacres against the Syrians, but it always
seemed scary.

Why is Turkey frightened when it has the military might that will
make its victory over Assad’s regime an easy task, especially given
that his forces are fatigued and detested by the people? The Turkish
military strength was well expressed by the former prime minister
of Cyprus when he was asked why his country didn’t arm itself. He
replied: “There is no use. Turkey has enough power to crush us in a
few hours.” The reasons behind Turkey’s fears, in my opinion, are that
the Turks, who fought their last individual battles against the Greek
Cypriots in August 1974, do not want to be part of any war unless it
is under an international flag. This will not be possible because of
the Russian and Chinese veto. They would also want to go into Syria
as part of a NATO alliance similar to what happened in Libya. Again,
this will not be possible, because NATO is not interested in fighting
Assad. Turkey wants to be part of an international campaign. It is
a large NATO member, second only after the US, with a military force
of 750,000 soldiers.

Why doesn’t Turkey have the will to fight the Syrian regime regardless
of what it has done to it and the embarrassment it has caused in
front of the public opinion in the region? The Turks, in my belief,
are hoping for one of two things to happen: the Syrian regime bowing
down in front of the continued uprising that has exhausted it;
or the world community, which is sick of its crimes, coming to an
agreement to topple it by force. In the second option, Turkey will be
the spearhead and enter Damascus under an international banner. This
second possibility is, however, not likely because of Russia, which
totally backs the Syrian regime.

Turkey has its own internal fears that any war it wages against Syria
will open a hell for it by the separatists or opposing Kurdish and
Armenian groups. Externally, it fears that Iran may attack it if it
dares to fight Syria. These are, however, weak justifications because
Turkey is militarily and economically much stronger than Iran. It will
also be assisted by NATO in this case. Secondly, the Syrian regime
is actually staggering, despite the solid look Assad is trying to fake.

I believe that Turkey – who has been hesitant for a long time, kept
silent on Assad’s continued humiliations and disappointed those who
thought it to be a brave lion – would ultimately reach a point to
drive it to intervene in Syria to protect its interests. The only
difference is that Turkey, if it decides to intervene now, will get
huge popular and moral support by he Arabs and other communities who
abhor Assad’s regime.

SOMEBODY WANTS NAGORNO-KARABAKH SITUATION TO REMAIN UNCHANGED – LITHUANIAN DEFMIN

Baltic News Service
June 25, 2012 Monday 11:43 AM EET

VILNIUS, Jun 25, BNS – There are people among mediators in the
Yerevan-Baku negotiations on Nagorno-Karabakh who want the complicated
situation in the region to remain unchanged, Lithuanian Minister of
National Defense Rasa Jukneviciene, currently visiting Armenia, told
BNS following Monday meetings with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan
and the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Eduard Nalbandyan.

Jukneviciene said the meeting with the Armenian leader focused on
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and regional security issues.

Russia , the United States and France are acting as mediators as part
of the OSCE Minsk Group in the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

“I can only say, and I said that to the Armenian president, that
we in Lithuania see that perhaps some countries, I wouldn’t want to
name them now, which act as mediators, are interested in the status
quo position. As we see many conflicts in the former Soviet Union,
ongoing and frozen, and it seems sometimes that not all parties are
interested in the resolution,” Jukneviciene said when asked whether
all mediating countries held the same position.

According to the Lithuanian defense minister, that Lithuania’s
position on the regulation of this conflict matches the European
Union’s position that there can be no status quo and that a solution
must be found.

“And the second thing is that there can be no alternative to a
peaceful resolution of this conflict. Any attempts to solve this
issue by force would be unacceptable to the international community,
including Lithuania. I assured the president that the EU has the same
goals, and that it’s very important to build up trust,” the Lithuanian
minister said.

Jukneviciene underlined that attempts to back one side or the other
“would undermine the process.” She also added that she felt during
the meetings Armenia’s wish to step up cooperate with NATO member
countries.

“I felt great wish that cooperation between Armenia and NATO member
countries like Lithuania increased so that they could keep the balance
in their foreign policy and among various structures. As far as I
understood relations with NATO member countries is very important
for them,” Jukneviciene said.

Backed by the Armenian authorities, Armenians living Nagorno-Karabakh
regained control of the region following the war in the 1990s when
over 30,000 people were killed. The international community does not
recognize the region’s independence.

Nagorno-Karabakh has been a hot-spot despite the 1994 truce that ended
the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Thousands of Russian troops are
still deployed in Armenia, helping to protect the country’s borders.

GEORGIAN AUTHORITIES TARGET JAVAKHK ARMENIANS ALIGNED WITH OPPOSITION
Kristine Aghalaryan

hetq
18:56, June 25, 2012

Yesterday, Georgian authorities arrested Javakhk Armenian activist
Georgy Mkhchyan, who had recently aligned himself with Georgia’s
opposition Dream Party, charging him with real estate fraud.

Local observers claim that this arrest is the latest in a series of
moves by Georgia targeting Javakhk Armenians who are working with
the Georgian opposition.

The real estate, in the town of Akhalkalak, recently became the
regional office of the Dream Party led by Bidzina Ivanishvili.

Investigators from the Georgian Ministry of Finance have accused
Mkhchyan of falsifying documents regarding the purchase of the site.

If found guilty, Mkhchyan faces 4-7 years imprisonment.

Also accused in the fraudulent land deal is Melik Rayisyan, a former
member of the Georgian parliament. Rayisyan was charged with fraud
two days after joining the Georgian Dream Party and expressing his
support for Ivanishvili.

Georgian law enforcement is now looking for Rayisyan who, up until
2008, was twice elected to represent the Akhalkalak district in the
Georgian parliament.

Rayisyan and his family lived in Akhalkalak till 2004 and then moved
to Tbilisi, where they resided till 2007. . That year, Rayisyan moved
to Armenia, while maintaining residences in Tbilisi and Akhalkalak,
settling in Armenia permanently in 2008.

Georgy Mkhchyan worked as Rayisyan’s chauffeur for five years,
joining the Dream Party as well.

Melik Rayisyan’s son claims that the police search for his father and
the arrest of Georgy Mkhchyan are politically motivated, linking them
to the fact that both men recently joined the opposition Dream Party.

As to why Rayisyan, who until 2008 had worked closely with Georgian
President Mikhail Saakashvili, decided to join the opposition, his
son told Hetq that his father was “concerned about the increasing
Turkification of Javakhk under the current Georgian regime.”

“My father, understanding the severe political and social situation
of Javakhk and the Javakhk Armenians, has always desired to improve
things and defend the interest of the people. That’s why he joined
the opposition, to put an end to the reign of terror and intimidation
by the authorities.”

The son couldn’t say how his father planned to stop the Turkification
of Javakhk.

Georgy Mkhchyan’s father Alik is also convinced that his son was
arrested for being a member of the Dream Party.

“My son was an activist who wanted the Armenians to remain here. It’s
a lie that he falsified any real estate documents,” says Alik Mkhchyan.

Georgy Mkhchyan’s attorney has said that the court will not hear the
case for another two months.

After arresting Georgy, Georgian authorities moved him to Akhaltskha
and then to Tbilisi.

USA : UN REPUBLICAIN EXPLIQUE LA SHOAH ET LE GENOCIDE DES ARMENIENS PAR LA REGLEMENTATION DES ARMES
Stephane

armenews.com
mardi 26 juin 2012

Un candidat republicain aux legislatives de novembre aux Etats-Unis
etait critique mercredi pour avoir explique le genocide armenien
et la Shoah par la reglementation des armes, qui aurait selon lui
empeche les victimes de se defendre.

Samuel Wurzelbacher, mieux connu sous son surnom de “Joe le plombier”
pendant la campagne presidentielle de 2008, a risque cette explication
dans une video electorale qui le montre en train de tirer sur des
fruits et legumes.

“En 1911, la Turquie a mis en place une reglementation sur les armes.

De 1915 a 1917, 1,5 million d’Armeniens, incapables de se defendre,
ont ete extermines”, commente une voix “off”.

“En 1939, l’Allemagne a mis en place une reglementation sur les armes.

Entre 1939 et 1945, 6 millions de juifs et 7 millions d’autres
personnes, incapables de se defendre, ont ete extermines”, poursuit
la voix. M. Wurzelbacher se tourne alors vers la camera et proclame
“J’aime l’Amerique”.

“Joe le plombier”, candidat dans l’Ohio (nord), etait devenu celèbre en
2008 en s’en prenant face a face a Barack Obama avant que ce dernier ne
soit elu president. Il etait devenu une egerie de la droite populiste,
toujours prompte a defendre le droit des Americains a detenir des
armes sans entraves.

Une organisation juive, l’Anti-Defamation League, a denonce le
rapprochement fait par le candidat republicain.

“Invoquer l’Holocauste dans le debat politique et suggerer que le
meurtre systematique de 6 millions de juifs et de millions d’autres
personnes par le regime nazi etait la consequence de la reglementation
des armes est profondement choquant”, a declare a l’AFP Deborah Lauter,
une responsable de l’association.

Sur Twitter, l’interesse lui-meme est revenu sur la polemique en
assurant n’avoir jamais voulu dire que la legislation sur les armes
avait provoque les genocides. Il a cependant assure que Hitler avait
ecrit dans “Mein Kampf” que son programme ne serait pas applicable
si les citoyens n’etaient pas desarmes.

COUNCIL OF EUROPE SHOULD INVITE ARMENIA TO PARTICIPATE IN DIALOGUE TO DISCUSS NK CONFLICT

Trend
June 25 2012
Azerbaijan

The Council of Europe (CoE) should invite Armenia to participate in
a dialogue to discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, chairman of the
Azerbaijani delegation Samed Seyidov told reporters during the first
day of summer session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg.

Seyidov began his speech by mentioning the pardon order signed by
President Ilham Aliyev.

The importance of human rights protection in the countries
participating in the organization was stressed in the speeches today.

I want to emphasize that a few days ago the President of Azerbaijan
signed the pardon order and as a result of this people whose names are
mentioned in various documents of PACE have been released. I think that
it is very important for democracy in Azerbaijan and for the further
development of relations between PACE and Azerbaijan,” Seyidov said.

Seyidov also touched upon the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in his speech.

“I demand from the Council of Europe, as well as from the PACE
to invite Armenian side to participate in a dialogue to discuss
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. It is also very important in terms
of future relations between these countries as full member of the
organization. These complex and difficult issues become more and more
serious over time. We are ready for dialogue and advocate for it. I
think it is very important for the Council of Europe,” Seyidov said.

CLANDESTINE MILITARY UNIT BEHIND ZIRVE KILLINGS, INDICTMENT SAYS

Today’s Zaman
June 24 2012
Turkey

The Zirve Publishing House massacre, in which three Christian
publishers based in Malatya were brutally murdered in 2007, is
claimed to have been organized by a clandestine organization within
the Turkish Armed Forces called the National Strategies and Operations
Department of Turkey (TUSHAD).

According to the indictment, TUSHAD was established in 1993 by
former four-star Gen. Hurþit Tolon, on instructions from the illegal
Ergenekon organization, while Tolon was serving as secretary-general
of the General Staff. The 761-page indictment lists 19 suspects and
was recently accepted by the Malatya 3rd Specially Authorized High
Criminal Court. In the additional indictment, Tolon, also a key
suspect in the Ergenekon investigation — together with retired Col.

Mehmet Ulger, a former Malatya gendarmerie regiment commander,
and Maj. Haydar Yeþil — stands among the accused. According to the
prosecutors, the Zirve massacre was carried out by the Malatya cell
of TUSHAD.

The prosecution claims that efforts were made to transfer the blame
to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and religiously
conservative groups.

Tolon, who is said to have revised the secret organization in
1995, 1999 and 2004 upon instructions from the Ergenekon terrorist
organization, is accused in the indictment of soliciting the Zirve
massacre, in which Necati Aydýn, Uður Yuksel and Tilmann Geske
were killed.

Tolon’s name is also connected with JÝTEM, a counterterrorism
unit founded illegally within the gendarmerie, also believed to
be responsible for hundreds of thousands of unsolved murders and
disappearances in predominantly Kurdish areas of the country in the
1990s. According to the indictment, TUSHAD worked in coordination
with JÝTEM. The prosecution claims Tolon established a number of units
within TUSHAD, including one working against missionary activities.

The indictment includes records of phone calls between Tolon and Fatih
Hilmioðlu, the former president of Ýnonu University in Malatya. There
seems to be a sudden increase in the number of calls between the two
men ahead of the Zirve massacre. The indictment also notes that Tolon
visited Malatya twice prior to the murders — one visit occurring
the day before the killings — although he initially denied visiting
Malatya in his testimony.

The prosecutor demands two consecutive life sentences without parole
for Tolon for his role in the Zirve killings.

The Malatya murders are thought to be part of the Cage Action Plan,
a subversive plot allegedly devised by military officers seeking to
undermine the government through the assassination of non-Muslims and
other acts of terror. The Cage plan was allegedly drawn up by order
of Ergenekon. Cage plan documents specifically describe the killings
of Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant Dink, Catholic priest Father
Andrea Santoro and the three Christians in Malatya as an “operation.”

An anti-democratic group within the Naval Forces Command thought to
be behind the Cage plan had intended to use the killings to foment
chaos in society, but complained that the plan failed when large
segments of society protested the deaths in mass demonstrations.

ARMENIAN SCHOOL TO BE TURNED INTO HOTEL

Hurriyet

June 25 2012
Turkey

The historical building that is to be transformed into a hotel dates
back to the beginning of the 1900s and is located in Istanbul’s
GedikpaÅ~_a district in the Fatih area. DAILY NEWS photo, Emrah GUREL

A historical Armenian school, Mesrobyan School in Istanbul’s
GedikpaÅ~_a district, is being transformed into a hotel.

GedikpaÅ~_a Surp Hovhannes Church Foundation head Harutyun Å~^anlı,
who is also the general secretary of the Armenian Foundations
Solidarity Platform, spoke to the Hurriyet Daily News and said the
main reason they took this step with courage was the moderate policies
the government had adopted in recent years.

“Before 2008, we could not even hammer a nail on the property we owned,
but since 2008, everything has changed. With the new Foundation Law
passed last year, we can reclaim our property and have the ownership
returned to us,” he said.

Historical building

The building that is to be transformed into a hotel dated back to
the beginning of the 1900s, said Å~^anlı, adding that the building
served as a school until 1983 but had to be closed down because there
were no students left.

The place which is located on the historical peninsula of Istanbul
was then used as a shoe manufacturing shop for years.

The revenue generated by the hotel will be transferred to Armenian
establishments in Istanbul and will be used to support people in need.

Å~^anlı said they believed the hotel would be in high demand because
of its vicinity to the historical peninsula.

“I hope that the administration will soon decide also about the
Tokatlıyan Hotel in Beyoglu which is in ruins so that this hotel is
transformed back into the glorious hotel it used to be.”

If Tokatlıyan is also renovated like the hotel in GedikpaÅ~_a,
then the Armenian community would be free of financial problems,
Å~^anlı said.

“Now, we have difficulty raising funds for our churches, schools and
families in need. We are trying to make ends meet with donations and
funds raised at certain events,” he said.

Tokatlıyan Hotel

Tokatlıyan Hotel on İstiklal Street in Beyoglu hosted several
leaders when it operated, first and foremost Ataturk, and the high
society of the world.

Because the administration of the Tokatlıyan Foundation, which is
the richest foundation of the Armenian community, has not changed
for the past 30 years and because they have rejected all projects,
the community has sued the administration of the foundation.

Considered by scholars to be a significant architectural achievement,
the Tokatlıyan-Pera is one of the best examples of fin-de-siècle
architecture in Turkey.

The hotel belongs to the Uc Horan Armenian Church Foundation, one of
the richest foundations of Turkey’s Armenian community.

The foundation’s administration, which has remained unchanged for
30 years, has chosen not to adopt any of the numerous renovation
proposals that have been submitted over the years.

EU TO ALLOCATE ~@ 1 MILLION TO ARMENIA UNDER TWINNING-EU PROGRAM

Vestnik Kavkaza
June 25 2012
Russia

The EU will provide ~@1 million to Armenia in the framework of the
Twinning-EU program, aimed at strengthening institutional capacity of
state inspection of the market and protection of consumers’ rights,
as well as harmonization of the economy with EU criteria, ARKA reports.

The aim of the program, which was launched today in Yerevan, is to
promote the role of institutions responsible for standardization,
certification and market control, as well as harmonization of the
legislation of Armenia with EU standards in the field of consumer
protection.

“Despite the fact that the adopted strategy for the development of the
non-food market in Armenia is being carried out successfully, further
development requires substantial progress,” the Deputy Minister of
Economy, Garegin Melkonian, said at the meeting on the occasion of
the launching of the program.

In turn, the program manager, David Baker, said that the program will
ensure the safety of consumer goods in Armenia and protect the rights
of Armenian consumers.