Author: Badalian Vardan

Turkey: A Past and a Future: Part 3

15:43 – 06.11.2012

“Your great business is with the fundamental doctrines and duties of the
Gospel.”
In this spirit the American missionaries have worked. They have had no
warships behind them, no diplomatic support, no political ambitions,
no economic concessions.
As Evangelicals their first step was to translate the Bible into all
the living languages and current scripts of the Nearer East. For the
Bulgars and Armenians this was the beginning of their modern
literature, but the jealousy of the Orthodox and Gregorian clergy was
naturally aroused. Native Protestant Churches formed themselves – not by
the missionaries’ initiative but on their own. They were trained by
the missionaries to self-government, and as they spread from centre to
centre they grouped themselves in unions, with annual meetings to
settle their common affairs. The missionaries also encouraged them to
be self-supporting, and in 1908 the contributions of the Native
Churches to the general expenses of the missions were twice as large
as those of the American Board.
The Protestant Armenians, in spite of a nominal exemption, were
deported and massacred like their Gregorian fellow-countrymen; the
boys and girls were carried away from the American colleges, the
nurses and patients from the hospitals; the empty buildings were
“requisitioned” by the Ottoman authorities; the missionaries
themselves, in their devoted efforts to save a remnant from
destruction, suffered as many casualties from typhus and physical
exhaustion as any proportionate body of workers on the European
battlefields. The Turkish Nationalists congratulated themselves that
the American work in Western Asia was destroyed. In praising a lecture
by a member of the German Reichstag, who had declared himself “opposed
to all missionary activities in the Turkish Empire,” a Constantinople
newspaper wrote:
“The suppression of the schools founded and directed by ecclesiastical
missions or by individuals belonging to enemy nations is as important
a measure as the abolition of the Capitulations. Thanks to their
schools, foreigners were able to exercise great moral influence over
the young men of the country, and they were virtually in charge of its
spiritual and intellectual guidance. By closing them the Government
has put an end to a situation as humiliating as it was dangerous.”
But the missionaries’ spirit was something they could not destroy.
“When they deported the Armenians,” wrote a missionary, “and left us
without work and without friends, we decided to come home and get our
vacation and be ready to go wherever we could after the War.”
After the War the Turks in Anatolia may still be infatuated enough to
banish their best friends, but in Armenia, when the Turk has gone, the
Americans will find more than their former field; for, in one form or
another, Armenia is certain to rise again. The Turks have not
succeeded in exterminating the Armenian nation.
Half of it lives in Russia, and its colonies are scattered over the
world from California to Singapore. Even within the Ottoman frontiers
the extermination is not complete, and the Arabian deserts will yield
up their living as well as the memory of their dead.
One thing is certain, that, whatever land is restored to them, the
Armenians will turn its resources to good account, for, while their
town-dwellers are the merchants and artisans of Western Asia, 80 per
cent., of them are tillers of the soil.

Turkey: A Past and a Future Part 1

18:18 – 05.11.2012

What is Turkey? It is a name which explains nothing.
There were less than twenty million people in Turkey before the War,
and during it the Government has caused a million or so to perish by
massacre, starvation, or disease. Yet, in spite of this demoniac
effort after uniformity, they are still the strangest congeries of
racial and social types that has ever been placed at a single
Government’s mercy. The Ottoman Empire is named after the Osmanli, but
you might search long before you found one among its inhabitants.
These Osmanlis are a governing class, indigenous only in
Constantinople and a few neighboring towns, but planted here and
there, as officers and officials, over the Ottoman territories. They
come of a clan of Turkish nomads, recruited since the thirteenth
century by converts, forced or voluntary, from most of Christendom,
and crossed with the blood of slave-women from the entire world. They
are hardly a race.
Thus there are three distinct “Turkish” elements in Turkey, divided
by blood and vocation and social type; and even if we reckon all who
speak some form of Turkish as one group, they only amount to 30 or 40
per cent. Of the whole population of the Empire.
The rest are alien to the Turks and to one another. Those who speak
Arabic are as strong numerically as the Turks, or stronger, but they
too are divided, and their unity is a problem of the future. There are
pure-bred Arab nomads of the desert; there are Arabs who have settled
in towns or on the land, some within the last generation, like the
Muntefik in Mesopotamia, some a millennium or two ago, like the Meccan
Koreish, but who still retain their tribal consciousness of race;
there are Arabs in name who have nothing Arabic about them but their
language – most of the peasantry of Syria are such.
The Kurds themselves are more scattered than any other stock in
Turkey, and divided tribe against tribe, but taken together they rank
third in numerical strength, after the Arabs and Turks. There are
mountain Kurds and Kurds of the plain, husbandmen and herdsmen, Kurds
who have kept to their original homes along the eastern frontier, and
Kurds who, under Ottoman auspices, have spread themselves over the
Armenian plateau, the North Mesopotamian steppes, the Taurus valleys,
and the hinterland of the Black Sea.
The Greeks and Armenians, for instance, are, or were, the most
energetic, intellectual, liberal elements in Turkey, the natural
intermediaries between the other races and western civilization – “were”
rather than “are,” because the Ottoman Government has taken ruthless
steps to eliminate just these two most valuable elements among its
subjects. The urban Greeks survive in centers like Smyrna and
Constantinople, but the Greek peasantry of Thrace and Anatolia has
mostly been driven over the frontier since the Second Balkan War. As
for the Armenians, the Government has been destroying them by massacre
and deportation since April, 1915 – business and professional men,
peasants and shepherds, women and children – without discrimination or
pity. A third of the Ottoman Armenians may still survive; a tenth of
them are safe within the Russian and British lines.
What common factor accounts for the name? What has stained this coat
of many colors to one political hue? The answer is simple: Blood.
Turkey, the Ottoman state, is not a unity, climatic, geographical,
racial, or economic; it is a pretension, enforced by bloodshed and
violence whenever and wherever the Osmanli Government has power.

The new Turkish Nationalism is the immediate factor to be reckoned
with. It is very new – newer than the Young Turks, and sharply opposed
to the original Young Turkish program – but it has established its
ascendancy. It decided Turkey’s entry into the War, and is the key to
the current policy of the Ottoman Government.
The Young Turks were not Nationalists from the beginning; the
“Committee of Union and Progress” was founded in good faith to
liberate and reconcile all the inhabitants of the Empire on the
principles of the French Revolution. At the Committee’s congress in
1909 the Nationalists were shouted down with the cry: “Our goal is
organization and nothing else.
But Young Turkish ideals rapidly narrowed. Liberalism gave way to
Panislamism, Panislamism to Panturanianism, and the “Ottoman State
Idea” changed from “Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity” to the
Turkification of non-Turkish nationalities by force.
“The Turks realized that, in order to live, they must become
essentially Turkish, become a nation, be themselves…. The Turkish
nation turned aside its gaze from the lost territory and looked
instead upon Turania, the ideal country of the future.”
Ziya Bey a Turkish poet had endeavored before to dispense with the 95
per cent. (?) of the vocabulary that was borrowed from Persian and
Arabic, and “his poetry had to be published in small provincial papers
because the important newspapers of the towns would not accept it.”
The established writers in the traditional style made a hard fight,
but Tekin Alp claims that the Yeni Lisan (New Language) “is to-day in
possession of an absolute and unlimited authority.” Borrowed rhythms
have been banned as well as borrowed words, and there is even an
agitation to replace the Arabic script by a new Turkish alphabet – an
imitation of the Albanian movement which was opposed so fiercely by
the Turks themselves before the Balkan War.

Armenians face few options in Syria – Al Jazeera (video)

20:21 – 10.11.12

Al Jazeera television has prepared a short footage about the Armenians
of Syria, focusing particularly on their options in the current heated
conflict and the Armenian aid delivered to the county.

The author of the report, Sue Turton, speaks how the Armenian
humanitarian shipment en route to Syria was ordered to land at a
Turkish airport twice for a search of weapons.

`Roughly 80,000 live in the country, and though Armenia has offered
passports to any who want to leave, the vast majority have decided
to stay in their homes and communities. Relatives across the border in
Turkey have encouraged them to leave, but it seems the Armenians in
Syria still hope they can wait out the conflict,’ she says.

Armenian, Artsakh FMs discuss regional issues

November 10, 2012 – 19:11 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian met
November 10 with his Artsakh Republic counterpart Karen Mirzoyan.
The latest developments in Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement were
in the focus of the discussion, with both ministers stressing the
importance of deepening cooperation between the two countries’ foreign
ministries and regular conduction of political discussions.
Regional and international issues were further discussed.
Upon completion of the meeting NKR minister was awarded Armenian
Foreign Ministry’s Medal of Honor, RA MFA press service reported.

Hobbs, Lock and Oligarchs

JAMES HAKOBYAN

Comments – Saturday, 10 November 2012, 12:51

The ex-foreign minister of Armenia Vartan Oskanian’s recent post on
his Facebook page was in favor of the parliamentary government,
referring to the theories of Thomas Hobbs and John Lock.

Everything is interesting and attractive in this post, Thomas Hobbs
and John Lock is very good but Armenia is facing the problem of
oligarchs, generals, feudal lords, businessmen members of parliament
of the PAP parliamentary group to which Oskanian also belongs and
other odious Republican and Prosperous Armenia figures who have
usurped power and economy of Armenia, shared and set quotas, grab,
merge, share, transfer it abroad, and so on.

Instead of speaking about Hobbs and Lock it is worthwhile to speak
about these people, understand what they do in the government and
parliament, what relations they have with high-ranking government
officials, key legal officials, the head of state, the speaker of the
parliament, the prosecutor general, the chief of police, other
officials.

They all might be heroes who keep the state going with the help of
their business and posts in government. In this case they should speak
to the general public and explain to them that these people are the
creators of the country.

If these people nevertheless hinder the country, Hobbs and Lock will
not help because they have sent to hell everyone, including Hobbs and
Lock to hell and they are practically busy protecting their interests
in government and in business.

Vartan Oskanian stated, for example, that he held a press conference
on 1 March 2008 to prevent the bloodshed. Meanwhile, these people,
according to the Armenian National Congress, were arming their squads
of bodyguards to reproduce business and government.

If threat is again posed to their business and power, these people
will not get armed with the theory of Hobbs and Lock but their own
experience and will keep their businesses at the cost of the life of
citizens because it is not based on laws and the constitution. When
this is the basis, any agreement on any rule of the game will
legitimize the basis and eternalize the existing system.

Armenia has a shortage of political figures who will lead a political
debate within the framework of economics, political science, ideas,
programs, values. In Armenia there are political figures who have this
potential. Vartan Oskanian is one of them.

But apparently these figures are not aware of their values, their real
mission. Their mission is not to cover the oligarchy with the names of
the theorists of political science but to uncover the oligarchy to
show the society the mechanism of infringement of rights and
mismanagement of wealth of the public and disclose the scope of crime
committed against the state and people.

It is necessary not only for the psychological satisfaction or comfort
but also objective results which is possible to achieve through an
x-ray picture of the system. In this case the citizen will choose
which side to take to – crime or rule of law, the criminal or the
state. When this choice is clear for the citizen, the majority will
take to the side of the law and the state. Evidence to this is the
history of Armenia and the world in general.

When the mechanism is not clear and the choice of the citizen is not
clear, he already sees no differences inside the mosaic which is a
total lie.

When the actors of the new political culture try to play on the mosaic
rather than explain the picture to the citizens and offer them options
to choose, they automatically serve the ruling system where the only
difference is persons. They waste their potential from which the
society had other expectations.

Margaret Ajemian Ahnert to discuss new book at Pepperdine University

November 10, 2012 – 15:58 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Author Margaret Ajemian Ahnert will speak about her
book, “The Knock at The Door: A Journey Through The Darkness of the
Armenian Genocide,” on Wednesday, Nov 14, in Elkins Auditorium at
Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA, vcstar.com reports.
Margaret Ajemian Ahnert, the winner of the 2008 New York Book Fair
Award for Best Historical Memoir was born in New York City. She has an
MFA from Goucher College and a BA from Goddard College. She has
pursued a variety of careers: producing television documentaries,
lecturing as a docent at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the
Philadelphia Museum of Art.
`The Knock at the Door’, is the story of Ester, Margaret’s mother, and
her terrifying experiences as a young woman during the year of 1915
Armenian Genocide in Turkey. Ester was separated from her foster
family at the age of 15, during a forced march away from her birth
town of Amasia. She narrowly avoided kidnapping, faced unspeakable
horrors at the hands of soldiers, and was forcibly married to an
abusive Turkish wagon-driver. Throughout her ordeal, she reminded
herself that `this, too, will pass,’ a mantra which enabled her to
survive these nightmarish experiences. Eventually, she escaped
captivity and was able to make her way to America. `The Knock at the
Door’ is published in several languages including Spanish, Italian,
Polish, Armenian and Turkish.
0

Turkey-bound bus rolls over in Armenia’s Shirak Region

news.am
November 10, 2012 | 15:29

A road accident occurred Saturday in Armenia’s Shirak Region.

A bus, which was en route to Turkey, rolled over on the Gyumri
city-Bavra city highway, Armenian News-NEWS.am’s Shirak reporter
informed.

According to preliminary data, one person has died and eight or nine
others have sustained injuries as a result. They are taken to Gyumri
Medical Center, Shirak Regional Rescue Department Chief Marat
Saribekyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

He added that a firefighting brigade and a rescue squad have arrived
on the scene of the accident.

Georgia fails to please Azerbaijan, Russia, and West
Trying to please his Muslim neighbours, Saakashvili did his best to
put the country in total dependence on Baku’s energy supply.

Mikheil Saakashvili’s defeat at the parliamentary elections in Georgia
can entail certain regional changes, namely, with regard to the
relations between Georgia and Azerbaijan, and further maybe between
Georgia and Turkey.

November 10, 2012

PanARMENIAN.Net – According to Azerbaijani media, the new Georgian
minister of economy Giorgi Kvirikashvili did not exclude that the
agreements signed with the Russian Inter RAO UES and Azerbaijan’s
State Oil Company (SOCAR) may be reviewed. He believes it’s not right
for an investor to invest funds in a country and seek profit in five
years. `Investors should not violate the rights of the consumers
through regulatory commissions,’ he says. Prior to this, the new prime
minister of Georgia Bidzina Ivanishvili voiced the intention to cut
down the tariffs for the imported gas.All these unexpected statements
damage the interests of SOCAR which recently bought Itera-Georgia (the
branch of the ITERA International Energy LLC). This purchase gave
SOCAR the right to directly sell gas all over Georgia’s territory,
except for capital Tbilisi. On November 3, SOCAR president Rovnag
Abdullayev commented on Kvirikashvili’s statement in an interview with
an Azerbaijani TV channels saying he hoped the euphoria of Georgia’s
new government will pass, and the words of their politicians will
match the reality. Such statements are in fact part of the electoral
process that just ended in Georgia, he noted.

Trying to please his Muslim neighbours, Saakashvili did his best to
put the country in total dependence on Baku’s energy supply. This
resulted in Armenia’s isolation from the pipelines and regional
integration. One may only guess what he had on his mind when following
the tastes of Aliyev and Erdogan. However, a person, seemingly
Christian, should not have danced to Muslims’ tune.

Well, the developments of the past 10 years will weigh on
Saakashvili’s conscience, provided he has one. All in all, Armenia has
nothing to do with Georgian gas supply; the potential launch of the
Abkhaz railway branch line is far more serious. Baku is already
voicing its hysterical threats.

`If railway communication with Armenia is restored (through Abkhazia),
Azerbaijan may support separatist regimes in Abkhazia and South
Ossetia,’ Musa Gasymly, member of Azerbaijani Milli Mejlis declared.

Ivanishvili’s statement on potential resumption of railway
communication with Armenia through Russia-led Abkhazia `raises
concerns’ in Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani media report.

Experts think this policy of Georgia’s new PM may harm its relations
with Azerbaijan.

Gasymly believes Ivanishvili’s policy cannot be perceived positively.
`Georgia must consider the allied ties with Azerbaijan. Georgia’s
economic and social situation directly depends on Azerbaijan. If
pro-Armenian policy is further pursued, Azerbaijan will have to make
relevant moves,’ he said. The MP thinks if Azerbaijan has to take
reciprocal steps, this will yield no positive results for Georgia.

Gasymly urges Ivanishvili to `stop his unclear statements and realize
that the damage to strategic ties between Georgia and Azerbaijan will
negatively affect Georgia, in the first place.’ Meanwhile, the
notorious Azerbaijani political scientist, the governmental mouthpiece
for `Aliyev’s tales’ Mubariz Ahmedoglu believes that Georgia, despite
its seemingly neutral stance, tends to support Armenia in the dispute
over Nagorno Karabakh. He says Azerbaijan `should review its contracts
and agreements with Georgia’. According to Ahmedoglu, Azerbaijan is
making many concessions to Georgia by selling the gas very cheaply,
but sees `no reciprocal moves’ on Georgia’s part.

It will take quite a while for Georgia to settle the problems
inherited from Saakashvili, if the country really seeks to change its
image and turn from `the beacon of democracy’ into a normal state.
This is a long and hard path; reconsideration of relations with one’s
neighbours does not always come easy, and if threats of Azerbaijan and
Turkey suddenly become a reality, Tbilisi will have to just rely on
Moscow, however hard the Georgian leaders try to avoid it. The West
has already washed its hands off Georgia, so no aid is to be expected
here. The re-elected U.S. president Barack Obama does not at all want
to bother about Georgia; he has his own problems to tackle. Maybe, if
Romney were elected…however, the history recognizes no `ifs’. So,
Ivanishvili has to decide his further moves, though this is quite
difficult.

Karine Ter-Sahakian

Georgian FM to visit Armenia

armradio.am
11:16 10.11.20120

Armenian Ambassador to Georgia Hovhannes Manukyan had a meeting with
Maya Panjikidze, the newly appointed Foreign Minister of Georgia.

Congratulating the Foreign Minister on appointment, Ambassador
Manukyan conveyed the congratulations of Armenian Foreign Minister
Edward Nalbandian and an initiation to visit Armenia, which Mrs.
Panjikidze accepted.

The interlocutors exchanged views on the urgent issues on the agenda
of the high-level good-neighborly relations between Armenia and
Georgia.

The Armenian Ambassador and the Georgian Foreign Minister discussed
the format of future partnership and reached agreements on the ways of
ongoing cooperation.

Ultimate Bellaire
Oct 2 2012

Hagop Kantarjian named to Actinium Pharmaceuticals Clinical Advisory Board

by Journatic News Service | October 2, 2012 12:55 pm

Dr. Hagop Kantarjian has been named to the Actinium Pharmaceuticals
Clinical Advisory Board in New York.

Kantarjian previously served as chairman of the Leukemia Department
and professor of medicine at the University of Texas MD Anderson
Cancer Center.

Kantarjian also served as clinical and scientific advisor of ChemGenex
Therapeutics Inc. and as a member of the Astex Therapeutics Limited’s
Scientific Advisory Board.

Kantarjian obtained his medical degree from American University of
Beirut. He is board certified in internal medicine, medical oncology
and hematology.

Actinium Pharmaceuticals Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company
specialized in the development of cancer drugs.