The California Courier Online, June 20, 2019
1 – Turkey’s Membership in NATO
Could be Ending Soon…
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com
2- United Nations: Movses Abelian Named Under-Secretary-General
for General Assembly, Conference Management
3 – 50 Years of Sunny Days: Sesame Workshop
Honors Michelle Obama, Carnegie Corp.
4- Maine House Speaker Sara Gideon to challenge Sen. Susan
Collins in 2020
5- Prayers for ABMDR patients offered throughout Prelacy churches
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1 – Turkey’s Membership in NATO
Could be Ending Soon…
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com
Patrick Shanahan, Acting Defense Secretary of the United States, sent
on June 6, 2019, a harsh letter to his counterpart, Hulusi Akar,
Turkey’s Minister of Defense. Shanahan threatened to end Turkey’s
participation in the most advanced US air force jet F-35 program and
implement sanctions should Turkey persist in acquiring S-400 missiles
from Russia next month. The Russian missiles are incompatible with
NATO’s weapons system and risk to compromise the F-35 jets operations,
thus jeopardizing U.S. national security.
Turkish President Erdogan has repeatedly rejected U.S. complaints and
insisted on acquisition of the Russian missiles for which Turkey has
signed a $2.5 billion loan agreement with Russia. Several Turkish
military officers are already in Russia learning how to operate the
new missiles. In the meantime, the United States has informed Turkey
that Turkish pilots who had been training on the F-35 jets in the
United States for several months have to depart from the country by
July 31, 2019.
Acting Secretary of Defense Shanahan’s letter sent shock waves into
Turkey’s foreign policy and security establishment as Turkey doesn’t
yet know “how to reply,” a senior Turkish security source told
Al-Monitor. In the meantime, Turkey had paid over a billion dollars to
acquire 100 F-35 jets. Pres. Erdogan announced that he will demand the
payment back from the United States. Furthermore, Turkey, as a partner
in the F-35 program, has been producing certain parts of the jets
which will no longer be sourced from Turkey.
Shanahan wrote to Turkey’s Defense Minister: “All actions taken on the
F-35 are based on risks the S-400 presence in Turkey would have and
they are separate from Russia-related Countering America’s Adversaries
Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) sanctions. There is strong bipartisan
U.S. Congressional determination to see CAATSA sanctions imposed on
Turkey if Turkey acquires the S-400. In addition to threatening the
security of platforms like the F-35, Turkey’s procurement of the S-400
will hinder your nation’s ability to enhance or maintain cooperation
with the United States and within NATO, lead to Turkish strategic and
economic over-dependence on Russia, and undermine Turkey’s very
capable defense industry and ambitious economic development goals.
Pursuing this path will cause a loss in jobs, gross domestic product,
and international trade. President Trump committed to boost bilateral
trade from $20 billion currently to more than $75 billion, however
that may be challenging if the United States imposes CAATSA
sanctions.”
On June 14, 2019, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu threatened
that Turkey will retaliate to U.S. sanctions: “One country cannot give
instructions to another on how to act. The US should abandon this
behavior. Everyone is concerned about this. How far can it go? If the
US takes steps against us, then we will be forced to take reciprocal
steps,” he stated in an interview with NTV channel.
What are the next steps? Pres. Erdogan has learned from previous
experiences that Pres. Trump does not always listen to his Cabinet
members or to members of Congress. Erdogan has had several phone
conversations to convince Trump to form a joint study group which will
buy time for Turkey. In the meantime, naturally-occurring or
artificially-created world events may change the present situation.
The Presidents of Turkey and the United States are scheduled to meet
on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit in Tokyo at the end of June. That
would be Erdogan’s last chance to persuade Trump to change his
decision on the Russian missile acquisition in July.
If unable to change Trump’s mind, Erdogan will go ahead and acquire
the Russian missiles in order to avoid being humiliated by the United
States. However, that would only be the beginning of a larger
conflict. The United States would impose sanctions on Turkey,
seriously damaging its economy. Erdogan could retaliate by banning
NATO from using the Incirlik air base in Turkey. The United States
would then relocate its jets to Jordan (as Germany has done) or Greece
(a NATO member) or Cyprus.
This vicious cycle of punches and counter punches could end up by
either Turkey withdrawing from NATO or NATO deciding to expel Turkey.
The removal of Turkey from NATO is a step that has been anticipated
for a long time, ever since Erdogan has been acting contrary to the
letter and spirit of the NATO agreement. Even though expelling Turkey
from NATO is a serious decision fraught with major consequences,
Erdogan is the cause by repeatedly violating Turkey’s commitments to
NATO and ignoring all its warnings.
The obvious winner in this situation will be Russia which will succeed
in weakening NATO by excluding Turkey — the country with the second
largest military in NATO, while earning from the sale of the missiles
desperately needed income for its collapsed economy.
However, Russia’s success may be short-lived. As soon as a
geo-political conflict arises between Russia and Turkey, the
newly-formed love-fest will fall apart, putting an end to Turkish
acrobatic moves between East and West, and getting abandoned by both.
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2- United Nations: Movses Abelian Named Under-Secretary-General
for General Assembly, Conference Management
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Movses
Abelian of Armenia (as well as a national of Georgia), as the next
Under-Secretary-General for General Assembly and Conference
Management. He will succeed Catherine Pollard of Guyana who has been
appointed as the Under-Secretary-General for Management Strategy,
Policy and Compliance.
Abelian is currently Assistant Secretary-General for General Assembly
and Conference Management. Prior to assuming this position in 2016, he
was Director of the Security Council Affairs Division in the
Department of Political Affairs.
He brings to the position over 25 years of experience in conference
and management affairs, coupled with experience in peace and security
issues, conflict resolution as well as extensive expertise leading,
supporting and managing complex portfolios and intergovernmental
processes in the UN system. Abelian also has extensive experience in
management, including programme planning and budget, having previously
worked as Secretary of the Administrative and Budgetary Committee of
the General Assembly (Fifth Committee) and the Committee on Programme
and Coordination at the United Nations.
Prior to joining the United Nations, Abelian was the Ambassador and
Permanent Representative of the Republic of Armenia to the United
Nations (1998-2003) and Deputy Permanent Representative (1996 to
1998). Prior to joining the Foreign Service of Armenia in 1992,
Abelian worked in academia as an Associate Professor at Yerevan State
University.
Abelian was educated in Armenia, the Russian Federation and the United
States. He is married and has two children.
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3 – 50 Years of Sunny Days: Sesame Workshop
Honors Michelle Obama, Carnegie Corp.
NEW YORK—At Sesame Workshop’s 17th annual benefit dinner on June 5,
the organization honored Former First Lady Michelle Obama with the
Joan Ganz Cooney Award, named for Sesame Street’s creator. With
special performances and honorees spanning the organization’s past,
present, and future, the evening celebrated Sesame Street’s 50-year
history of helping kids everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder.
“For half a century, Sesame Workshop has been on a continuous,
relentless, and successful mission to help kids get ready for
school—and for life,” said Jeffrey D. Dunn, President and CEO of
Sesame Workshop. “As we mark this historic anniversary, we’re proud to
honor Former First Lady Michelle Obama, a tireless champion of
children and families who shares our commitment to improving the lives
of kids around the world.”
Sesame Street co-founder Joan Ganz Cooney joined Lin-Manuel Miranda to
present Mrs. Obama with the award. “When I became First Lady, and I
knew that I wanted to help kids reach their potential, my first
question was a simple but familiar one: Can you tell me how to get to
Sesame Street?” said Mrs. Obama. “I cannot tell you how proud and
thankful I am to come here tonight as a Sesame Street partner. You are
always ahead of the curve, always out there observing, and learning,
and creating new ways to help kids and parents navigate the world
around them.” [Watch the full speech here.]
Held at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City, the event was hosted by
Hoda Kotb and included special guests John Oliver and Chrissy Teigen.
The evening culminated with performances from John Legend and the
Sesame Street Muppets, finishing with the Sesame Street classic,
“Sing.”
The event also honored the Ford Foundation and the Carnegie
Corporation of New York, which were among the first funders of Sesame
Street in the 1960s. Original cast member Sonia Manzano presented
Visionary Awards to Carnegie Corporation president Vartan Gregorian
and Ford Foundation president Darren Walker, who accepted on behalf of
their organizations. Remarks from Julia Stasch, president of the John
D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, highlighted their historic
$100M award to help Sesame Workshop and the International Rescue
Committee bring early childhood education to children affected by
refugee crises. On behalf of the LEGO Foundation, CEO John Goodwin
accepted the Innovation Award for their commitment to support
displaced children through the power of playful learning.
“In 1969, the audacious philanthropy of the Carnegie Corporation and
Ford Foundation made the creation of Sesame Street possible, helping
to improve the lives of millions of less-advantaged children around
the world,” said Sherrie Westin, Sesame Workshop’s President of Social
Impact and Philanthropy. “Fifty years later, we’re thrilled that
similarly bold commitments from the MacArthur Foundation and the LEGO
Foundation are helping us give millions of displaced children the
tools they need to thrive.”
The benefit raised over $4.5 million, which will help Sesame Workshop
deliver on its mission to help kids everywhere grow smarter, stronger,
and kinder. Today, the organization reaches children and families in
more than 150 countries, including areas where children have no other
access to quality early education. All of Sesame Workshop’s social
impact work—from providing early learning to millions of children
affected by the Syrian and Rohingya refugee crises to addressing tough
topics like homelessness and foster care in the United States—is made
possible with the generous support of like-minded partners including
government, foundations, corporations, and individuals, as well as
proceeds from the annual benefit.
Sesame Workshop thanked presenting sponsors American Greetings
Corporation, Hasbro, Inc., Ogden CAP Properties LLC, Party City,
WarnerMedia Entertainment, and YouTube Kids for their exceptional
generosity toward this celebration, and to Cipriani Wall Street,
StarGroup Productions, Preston Bailey Designs, and The Jim Henson
Company for their support.
Sesame Workshop is the nonprofit media and educational organization
behind Sesame Street. Today, Sesame Workshop is an innovative force
for change, with a mission to help kids everywhere grow smarter,
stronger, and kinder. Present in more than 150 countries, Sesame
Workshop serves vulnerable children through a wide range of media,
formal education, and philanthropically-funded social impact programs,
each grounded in rigorous research and tailored to the needs and
cultures of the communities served.
For more information, visit sesameworkshop.org.
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4- Maine House Speaker Sara Gideon to challenge Sen. Susan
Collins in 2020
Maine House Speaker Sara Gideon, a Democrat with Armenian roots, is
expected to formally announce in the coming weeks that she’s running
for Republican Sen. Susan Collins’ seat in 2020, five Democratic
sources confirmed, according to HuffPost.
She will likely launch her campaign shortly after the close of the
state’s legislative session on June 19, the three Democratic sources
in Maine and two national Democratic strategists said.
Defeating Collins, the Maine moderate who infuriated liberals with her
vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, is key to
Democratic hopes of winning back control of the Senate in 2020.
Gideon is a top-tier recruit for the race and is expected to have at
least the tacit backing of establishment groups like the Democratic
Senatorial Campaign Committee and EMILY’s List.
At the same time, the Senate GOP is marshaling its resources to defend
Collins, who has long outperformed other Republicans on the ballot in
Maine.
Gideon hinted last October that she would toss her hat in the ring
following Collins’ controversial vote for Kavanaugh.
“Maine deserves a champion in the US Senate,” Gideon wrote in a
Facebook post at the time. “After November I will be seriously
considering how I can elevate the voices of people who deserve and
demand to be heard and represented in Washington, DC.”
Gideon, a 47-year-old mother of three, has served in the Maine House
of Representatives since 2012, representing the towns of Freeport and
Pownal. Her legislative initiatives have focused on boosting the
state’s economy, tackling the opioid crisis, investing in sustainable
energy and increasing access to universal health care.
Earlier this week, Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) signed a bill sponsored
by Gideon that expands access to abortion in the state by allowing
health care professionals who are not doctors ― such as nurse
practitioners and physician assistants ― to perform the procedure.
Gideon is a graduate of George Washington University. She spent her
professional career as an advertising account executive for a
nationally renowned newspaper.
She is the youngest of four daughters. Her father is a pediatrician
who immigrated to America from India. Her mother is a
second-generation Armenian American, whose parents escaped the
Armenian genocide.
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5- Prayers for ABMDR patients offered throughout Prelacy churches
LOS ANGELES—On Sunday, June 9, as the Armenian Apostolic Church
commemorated the feast of Pentecost, Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian,
Prelate, presided over the Divine Liturgy and delivered a sermon at
St. Sarkis Church, in Pasadena.
The day also had great significance for the worldwide family of the
Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry, as prayers for ABMDR patients and
volunteers were offered at all Prelacy churches, by the directive of
Archbishop Mardirossian, and parishioners were familiarized with the
work of ABMDR.
In his sermon, Archbishop Mardirossian stated that 2019 represents a
great milestone for ABMDR, as it marks the 20th anniversary of the
founding of the organization. The Prelate praised the dedication of
ABMDR’s volunteers and thousands of donors across the globe, and urged
congregants to generously support its cause. “May God grant good
health to all and lead the members of ABMDR to continued success in
their life-saving mission,” the Prelate said.
Subsequently Archbishop Mardirossian invited Dr. Frieda Jordan,
President of ABMDR, to deliver remarks. “As we celebrate our 20th
anniversary this year, we convey our heartfelt gratitude to Archbishop
Mardirossian, the Armenian Church, and the Armenian community as a
whole, for their unwavering support,” Dr. Jordan said. “Twenty years
ago, we established ABMDR with a singular quest: to provide patients
suffering from leukemia and other blood-related illnesses with their
last hope of survival, namely matched donors for facilitating bone
marrow stem cell transplants. Toward this goal, we have built a
substantial registry of bone marrow donors throughout the world, and,
to date, helped save the lives of 32 patients through bone marrow
transplants.”
“Today, as we look ahead to the future,” Dr. Jordan concluded, “we
once again thank the worldwide Armenian community for its steadfast
support, and pray that God will give everyone involved in ABMDR the
strength to carry out our work for another 20 years.”
Following the church service, ABMDR Board members and volunteers
remained on hand to answer questions by congregants and provide
information on how to join ABMDR as potential bone marrow donors.
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