Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

COLLOQUE INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATIONS DU GENOCIDE DES ARMENIENS ET DES CRIMES DE MASSE 1-3 OCTOBRE 2015

CANADA

Representations du genocide des Armeniens et des crimes de masse

Universite de Moncton, Nouveau-Brunswick, Canada 1-3 octobre 2015

A l’occasion du 100e anniversaire du genocide des Armeniens,
un colloque international et interdisciplinaire intitule >
est organise a l’Universite de Moncton, au Nouveau Brunswick, Canada,
du 1er au 3 octobre 2015. L’objectif principal de ce colloque consiste
a faire le point sur l’avancee des connaissances scientifiques sur
ce genocide et plus largement sur les crimes de masse aux 19e et
20e siècles.

Conferenciers invites

Claire Mouradian

Directrice de recherche au CNRS, Centre d’etudes des mondes russes,
caucasien et centre europeen, chercheure associee a l’Ecole des Hautes
Etudes en sciences sociales, responsable de l’equipe Caucase-Asie
centrale, chargee de cours a l’INALCO departement Eurasie-section
Armenien, Paris, France.

Gerard Libaridian

Professeur retraite d’histoire a l’Universite de Michigan, Ann Arbor,
Directeur de la chaire Alex Manougian en histoire armenienne moderne,
Directeur de Armenian Studies Program, Universite du Michigan, premier
conseiller du president de la republique d’Armenie (1994-1997) en
affaires etrangères et en politiques reliees a la securite.

A l’occasion du 100e anniversaire du genocide des Armeniens,
un colloque international et interdisciplinaire intitule >
est organise a l’Universite de Moncton, au Nouveau Brunswick, Canada,
du 1er au 3 octobre 2015. L’objectif principal de ce colloque consiste
a faire le point sur l’avancee des connaissances scientifiques
sur ce genocide et plus largement sur les crimes de masse aux 19e
et 20e siècles. Bien que le colloque soit centre sur le genocide
des Armeniens, les communications pourront comporter une dimension
comparee. Les propositions de communication pourront s’inscrire dans
l’un des 4 axes suivants :

1- Memoire, identite, reconnaissance

Cet axe interrogera les dynamiques memorielles autour du genocide des
Armeniens et des crimes de masse en termes d’espace, de temps et de
generation. Il sera question : * des problèmes de la transmission de
la memoire collective du genocide des Armeniens et des crimes de masse
dans le cadre de leur reconnaissance par la communaute internationale ;
* des temporalites liees a l’evenement passe et a son usage au present
dans les pratiques memorielles et les constructions identitaires
des survivants d’un genocide et des crimes de masse mais aussi de
leurs descendants ; * des enjeux et des conditions socio-politiques,
historiques et culturels de la mise en place des lieux de memoire
(monuments, musees, sites web etc…) et des rituels commemoratifs
des evenements traumatiques.

2- Denomination et qualification du crime

Cet axe proposera une reflexion autour de la prise en compte par le
droit international et plus largement par l’ensemble des sciences
sociales des enjeux de la denomination et de la qualification
du genocide des Armeniens. Il sera question : * de la semantique
conceptuelle disponible a l’epoque pour nommer, qualifier et temoigner
du genocide des Armeniens et des crimes de masse contre les civils ; *
de la pertinence du droit pour la comprehension des differentes formes
de violences et de persecutions dans les crimes de masse et le genocide
des Armeniens ; * des problèmes conceptuels et methodologiques de la
notion de genocide et de son usage dans les recherches scientifiques.

3- Mediums et representations

Cet axe questionnera les representations possibles du genocide des
Armeniens et des crimes de masse a travers les arts visuels, la bande
dessinee, la litterature, le cinema, etc. Il sera question : * des
limites du representable dans le cadre des violences genocidaires et
des crimes de masse ; * de la lisibilite de ces phenomènes ; * de la
fidelite a la realite et a la verite a travers les representations
artistiques, mediatiques et fictionnelles du genocide des Armeniens
et des crimes de masse ; * des enjeux d’une esthetisation de la
violence genocidaire.

4- Le genocide des Armeniens en son temps

Cet axe abordera le genocide des Armeniens dans l’ombre portee de la
Première Guerre mondiale et des dernières convulsions de la guerre
sur le front caucasien. Il sera question : * des liens entre la guerre
totale et le genocide des Armeniens ; * du genocide des Armeniens sur
l’echiquier international et regional en tenant compte du rôle des
Etats ; des motifs des principaux acteurs et des complicites diverses
; * du rôle et de la place des medias dans la circulation et la
divulgation de l’information ; * de la dimension sexuee des violences
contre les populations ; * de l’aide humanitaire internationale a
travers les camps, les missions et organismes charitables.

Ce colloque se deroulera en francais.

Comite organisateur du colloque :

Joceline Chabot – professeure agregee, departement d’histoire et de
geographie, Universite de Moncton Marie-Mich̬le Doucet Рdoctorante,
departement d’histoire, Universite de Montreal Sylvia Kasparian –
professeure titulaire, departement d’etudes francaises (linguistique),
Universite de Moncton Jean-Francois Thibault – professeur agrege,
departement de science politique, Universite de Moncton

Comite scientifique

Janine Altounian, essayiste et traductrice (de Freud, membre de
l’equipe editoriale des OEuvres complètes de PUF), membre fondateur
AIRCRIGE (Association internationale de recherche sur les crimes
contre l’humanite et les genocides)

Carl Bouchard, professeur agrege, departement d’histoire, Universite
de Montreal

Beatrice Fleury, professeure en sciences de l’information et de la
communication, directrice adjointe du Centre de recherche sur les
mediations, Universite de Lorraine

Fransiska Louwagie, lecturer in French Studies, School of Modern
Languages/Stanley Burton centre for Holocaust and Genocide Studies,
University of Leicester

Claire Mouradian, directrice de recherche au CNRS, responsable de
l’equipe Caucase, chercheure associee a l’Ecole des Hautes Etudes en
sciences sociales

Mark Toufayan, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Law, Civil Law-Section,
University of Ottawa

Jacques Walter, professeur en sciences de l’information et de la
communication, directeur du Centre de recherche sur les mediations,
Universite de Lorraine

cliquer pour plus d’informations :

jeudi 16 avril 2015, Stephane (c)armenews.com

From: Baghdasarian

RICHARD PENA READS THE TESTIMONY OF GALUST GALUSTIAN

April 16, 2015 10:30
EXCLUSIVE

Richard Pena

Mediamax presents 100 Seconds project devoted to Armenian Genocide
Centennial. The project is based on testimonies of Genocide survivors
published by the National Archive of Armenia.

Richard Pena is the former program director of the New York Film
Festival, Professor of Professional Practice at the School of Arts
at Columbia University.

For 100 seconds project he reads an extract from Armenian Genocide
survivor Galust Galustian’s testimony.

National Archives of
Armenia Collection of Documents

Testimony of survivor Galust Galustian on deportation and massacres
of the Armenian population of the town of Arabkir

June 21, 1917 Baberd, School of Orphans

On that day we walked for 3 hours and reached the foothills of a
desolate mountain. There was neither bread there, nor water. Actually,
there was water but the gendarmes wouldn’t give it to us – they drank
it themselves and demanded money to let us drink.

We passed that terrible night too. It was the morning of the last –
the 11th day of the deportation. We started off walking up the road.

We climbed a hill and then a huge mountain and a valley opened in
front of us.

There were villages and green gardens at the bottom of the mountains.

In the village and below it thousands of people swarmed like ants.

We were taken to them. We passed villages and gorges. It was soon and
after 11 days of unbearable life, the caravan for the last time stopped
at the villages that we had seen from far away. It was terribly hot
and our bodies were bathing in blood and sweat, our faces had lost
their forms because of dust. We were like creatures out of graves.

Producer: Ara Tadevosyan Filming: Lena Gevorgyan, Mariam Loretsyan
Post Production: Tumo LLC

The source of Galust Galustian’s testimony: National Archives of
Armenia, Armenian Genocide by Ottoman Turkey, 1915, Testimony of
survivors, Collection of documents, Yerevan-2013.

VivaCell-MTS is the general partner of 100 seconds project.

From: Baghdasarian

ERDOGAN WARNS POPE NOT TO LABEL ARMENIAN KILLINGS AS GENOCIDE

Al-Arabiya, UAE
April 15 2015

Staff writer, Al Arabiya News
Wednesday, 15 April 2015

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has slammed Pope Francis,
warning him not to repeat the “mistake” of describing the mass killings
of Armenians under Ottoman rule in WWI as “genocide.”

“Whenever politicians, religious functionaries assume the duties of
historians, then delirium comes out, not fact. Hereby, I want to
repeat our call to establish a joint commission of historians and
stress we are ready to open our archives. I want to warn the pope to
not repeat this mistake and condemn him,” the local Hurriyet Daily
News quoted Erdogan as saying Tuesday in a meeting.

While addressing the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TÄ°M), Erdogan
expressed his regret over Pope Francis’ statement, who leads the
Catholic world, when the latter described the killings of Armenians
in 1915 as “the first genocide of the 20th century.”

Recalling the pope’s visit to Turkey in 2014, the Turkish leader said
he thought the Vatican leader was “a different politician.”

He added: “I don’t say a religious functionary.

“His remarks display the appearance of a mentality different to that
of a religious functionary,” Erdogan explained.

But Erdogan vowed that he “won’t let historical events be brought out
of their own course and turned into a campaign against our country
and nation.”

The pope made his recent remark during a Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica
commemorating the centenary that was attended by Armenian Church
leaders and Sargsyan.

Meanwhile, the European Union on April 13 urged Turkey and Armenia
to normalize ties.

From: Baghdasarian

GENOCIDE ARMENIEN : LE PARLEMENT EUROPEEN APPELLE LA TURQUIE A LA RECONNAISSANCE

Publié le : 16-04-2015

Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN vous
propose ce communiqué de presse, ainsi que le texte de la résolution
adoptée, publiés sur le site du Parlement européen le 15 avril 2015.

Parlement européen

15-04-2015

Communiqué de presse

Centenaire du génocide arménien: les députés invitent la Turquie
et l’Arménie a normaliser leurs relations

L’Arménie et la Turquie devrait saisir l’occasion du centenaire du
génocide arménien pour relancer les relations diplomatiques, ouvrir
la frontière et faciliter l’intégration économique, a affirmé le
Parlement européen dans une résolution adoptée ce mercredi. Les
députés soulignent la nécessité pour la Turquie de reconnaître
le génocide arménien afin de poser les jalons d’une véritable
réconciliation et saluent la déclaration du pape Francois du 12
avril commémorant le centenaire du génocide.

Les députés invitent l’Arménie et la Turquie a “prendre exemple
sur la réconciliation des nations européennes”, en ratifiant et en
mettant en Ã…”uvre, sans conditions préalables, les protocoles sur
l’établissement de relations diplomatiques, en ouvrant la frontière,
et en améliorant de manière active leurs relations, notamment en
ce qui concerne la coopération transfrontalière et l’intégration
économique.

De plus, les parlementaires saluent le message du pape Francois en
date du 12 avril 2015, dans lequel “il commémore le centenaire du
génocide arménien dans un esprit de paix et de réconciliation”.

Ils se félicitent des déclarations du Président et du Premier
ministre de la Turquie, qui ont adressé leurs condoléances
aux Arméniens ottomans et reconnu les atrocités commises a leur
égard. Ils encouragent la Turquie a “saisir l’occasion propice offerte
par la commémoration du centenaire du génocide arménien” pour ouvrir
ses archives, pour “poursuivre ses efforts de réconciliation avec son
passé”, pour reconnaître le génocide et pour poser ainsi les jalons
d’une “véritable réconciliation entre les peuples turc et arménien”.

Par ailleurs, ils invitent la Turquie a effectuer “en toute bonne foi”
un inventaire du patrimoine culturel arménien détruit ou endommagé
au cours du siècle dernier sur son territoire.

Les députés rendent hommage a la mémoire des 1 500 000 victimes
arméniennes “qui ont perdu la vie dans l’Empire ottoman” il y a
un siècle.

Finalement, ils proposent d’instaurer une “journée internationale de
commémoration des génocides afin de réaffirmer le droit de tous les
peuples et de toutes les nations du monde a la paix et a la dignité”.

*****

14.4.2015

Proposition de résolution commune

déposée conformément a l’article 123, paragraphes 2 et 4, du
règlement en remplacement des propositions de résolution déposées
par les groupes:

ALDE (B8â~@~Q0342/2015) EFDD (B8â~@~Q0343/2015) Verts/ALE
(B8â~@~Q0344/2015) GUE/NGL (B8â~@~Q0346/2015) S&D (B8â~@~Q0347/2015)
ECR (B8â~@~Q0348/2015) PPE (B8â~@~Q0349/2015)

sur le centenaire du génocide arménien (2015/2590(RSP))

-Cristian Dan Preda, Elmar Brok, Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, Andrej
PlenkoviÄ~G, Renate Sommer, Esther de Lange, Tunne Kelam, David
McAllister, Eduard Kukan, Michael Gahler, Andrey Kovatchev, Jaromír
Å tÄ~[tina, Michaela Å ojdrová, MichaÅ~B Boni, Tomáš Zdechovský,
Lara Comi, Davor Ivo Stier, Pavel Svoboda, László TÃ…’kés, Milan
Zver, Claude Rolin, LudÄ~[k Niedermayer, Stanislav PolÄ~Mák au nom du
groupe PPE, -Knut Fleckenstein, Victor BoÈ~Ytinaru, Richard Howitt,
Vincent Peillon, Arne Lietz, Nikos Androulakis, Demetris Papadakis,
Nicola Caputo, Tonino Picula, Marlene Mizzi, Zigmantas BalÄ~Mytis,
Ana Gomes, Tanja Fajon, Siôn Simon, Goffredo Maria Bettini,
Andrejs Mamikins, Miroslav Poche, Liisa Jaakonsaari, Pier Antonio
Panzeri, Gabriele PreuÃ~_, Josef Weidenholzer, Miltiadis Kyrkos,
Afzal Khan, Brando Benifei, Sylvie Guillaume au nom du groupe S&D,
-Charles Tannock, Ryszard Antoni Legutko, Ryszard Czarnecki, Kazimierz
MichaÃ…~B Ujazdowski, Marek Jurek, Angel Dzhambazki, Mark Demesmaeker,
Bas Belder, Kosma ZÃ…~Botowski, Sajjad Karim, Beatrix von Storch au
nom du groupe ECR, -Jean-Marie Cavada, Petras AuÅ¡treviÄ~Mius, Dita
Charanzová, Marielle de Sarnez, José Inácio Faria, Juan Carlos
Girauta Vidal, Ivan JakovÄ~MiÄ~G, Javier Nart, Frédérique Ries, Pavel
TeliÄ~Mka, Johannes Cornelis van Baalen au nom du groupe ALDE, -Takis
Hadjigeorgiou, Miloslav Ransdorf, Patrick Le Hyaric, Marisa Matias,
Malin Björk, Kostas Chrysogonos, Emmanouil Glezos, Kostadinka Kuneva,
Sofia Sakorafa, Dimitrios Papadimoulis, Martina Anderson, Luke Ming
Flanagan au nom du groupe GUE/NGL, -Ulrike Lunacek, Heidi Hautala,
Michèle Rivasi, Jordi Sebastia, Bodil Ceballos, Tatjana Ždanoka,
Bart Staes, Davor Å krlec, Indrek Tarand, Judith Sargentini au nom du
groupe Verts/ALE, -Fabio Massimo Castaldo, Laura Agea, Ignazio Corrao,
Rolandas Paksas, Valentinas Mazuronis au nom du groupe EFDD

—————-

Résolution du Parlement européen sur le centenaire du génocide
arménien (2015/2590(RSP))

Le Parlement européen,

– vu la convention des Nations unies pour la prévention et la
répression du crime de génocide de 1948,

– vu sa résolution du 18 juin 1987 sur une solution politique de la
question arménienne(1),

– vu sa résolution du 12 mars 2015 concernant le rapport annuel
2013 sur les droits de l’homme et la démocratie dans le monde et la
politique de l’Union européenne en la matière(2),

– vu le protocole sur l’établissement de relations diplomatiques
entre la République d’Arménie et la République de Turquie,
ainsi que le protocole sur le développement des relations entre la
République d’Arménie et la République de Turquie signés a Zurich
le 10 octobre 2009,

– vu l’article 123, paragraphes 2 et 4, de son règlement,

A. considérant que l’année 2015 marque le centenaire du génocide
arménien perpétré dans l’Empire ottoman;

B. considérant qu’un nombre croissant d’Ã~Itats membres et de
parlements nationaux reconnaissent le génocide arménien perpétré
dans l’Empire ottoman;

C. considérant que l’une des principales motivations du mouvement
d’unification européen est la volonté d’empêcher que des guerres
et des crimes contre l’humanité ne se reproduisent en Europe;

D. considérant que la Turquie et l’Arménie se sont engagées dans un
processus de normalisation diplomatique en signant, en 2009, a Zurich,
des protocoles sur l’établissement et le développement de relations;

E. considérant qu’il est d’une grande importance d’entretenir le
souvenir du passé, puisqu’il ne peut y avoir de réconciliation sans
vérité ni Ã…”uvre de mémoire;

1. rend hommage, en cette veille du centenaire, a la mémoire des
victimes innocentes arméniennes, au nombre d’un million et demi, qui
ont perdu la vie dans l’Empire ottoman; participe a la commémoration
du centenaire du génocide arménien dans un esprit de solidarité
et de justice européennes; invite la Commission et le Conseil a se
joindre a la commémoration;

2. rappelle que, dans sa résolution du 18 juin 1987, il reconnaissait
entre autres que les actes tragiques perpétrés entre 1915 et
1917 contre les Arméniens sur le territoire de l’Empire ottoman
constituaient un génocide au sens de la convention pour la prévention
et la répression du crime de génocide de 1948; condamne tout crime
contre l’humanité et tout génocide et déplore vivement toute
tentative de dénégation de ces actes;

3. rend hommage a la mémoire des victimes innocentes de tous les
génocides et crimes contre l’humanité; propose d’instaurer une
journée internationale de commémoration des génocides afin de
réaffirmer le droit de tous les peuples et de toutes les nations du
monde a la paix et a la dignité;

4. souligne que la prévention en temps utile et la condamnation
effective des génocides et des crimes contre l’humanité devraient
figurer parmi les priorités principales de la communauté
internationale et de l’Union européenne;

5. se félicite des déclarations de Recep Tayyip Erdogan, président
de la République de Turquie, et d’Ahmet Davutoglu, Premier ministre
de la République de Turquie, qui ont adressé leurs condoléances aux
Arméniens ottomans et reconnu les atrocités commises a leur égard,
et les considère comme un pas dans la bonne direction; encourage
la Turquie a saisir l’occasion propice offerte par la commémoration
du centenaire du génocide arménien pour poursuivre ses efforts de
réconciliation avec son passé, notamment par l’ouverture de ses
archives, pour reconnaître le génocide arménien et pour poser
ainsi les jalons d’une véritable réconciliation entre les peuples
turc et arménien;

6. invite la Turquie a respecter et a remplir pleinement les
obligations qu’elle a contractées pour la protection du patrimoine
culturel et, en particulier, a effectuer en toute bonne foi un
inventaire complet du patrimoine culturel arménien et autre détruit
ou endommagé au cours du siècle dernier sur son territoire;

7. encourage l’Arménie et la Turquie a prendre exemple sur la
réconciliation des nations européennes et a privilégier une
stratégie mettant au premier plan la coopération entre les peuples;
ne doute pas que cela contribuera a une réconciliation historique des
peuples arménien et turc dans un esprit de vérité et de respect;
appuie les initiatives de la société civile entre la Turquie
et l’Arménie destinées a normaliser les relations; exhorte la
Turquie et l’Arménie a normaliser leurs relations en ratifiant et
en mettant en Ã…”uvre, sans conditions préalables, les protocoles sur
l’établissement de relations diplomatiques, en ouvrant la frontière
et en s’efforcant d’améliorer leurs relations eu égard notamment
a la coopération transfrontalière et a l’intégration économique;

8. charge son Président de transmettre la présente résolution
au Conseil, a la Commission, a la viceâ~@~Qprésidente de la
Commission/haute représentante de l’Union pour les affaires
étrangères et la politique de sécurité, aux gouvernements et aux
parlements des Ã~Itats membres, au gouvernement et au parlement de
la République d’Arménie et au gouvernement et au parlement de la
République de Turquie.

(1) JO C 190 du 20.7.1987, p. 119.

(2) Textes adoptés de cette date, P8_TA(2015)0076.

Source :

———-

Lire aussi :

Génocide arménien : Vote a 15h d’une résolution au Parlement
européen

Le Parlement européen commémore le centenaire du génocide arménien

Le Parlement européen reconnaît le génocide arménien

Source/Lien : Parlement européen

From: Baghdasarian

TURKISH AMBASSADOR: POPE’S DESCRIPTION OF 1915 EVENTS ‘BIG SURPRISE’

Anadolu Agency, Turkey
April 13 2015

13 April 2015 22:28 (Last updated 13 April 2015 22:30)

It is a big surprise because, when the Pope visited Turkey in November
2014, his remarks were quite different

PARIS

The description given by Pope Francis for the events of 1915, which he
termed as “genocide,” came as a big surprise to Turkish authorities,
Turkey’s Ambassador in ParisHakki Akil said Monday.

“It is a big surprise because, when the Pope visited Turkey in November
2014, his remarks were quite different,” the ambassador said.

“Moreover, the Vatican’s ambassador in Ankara had ensured that the
Pope would not use the word ‘genocide’ and that he would deliver a
humanitarian message to help improve Turkish-Armenian relations.”

Akil was speaking at a gathering organized by the Diplomatic
Correspondents Association in Paris.

“It is the job of the international court to decide whether the
incidents were ‘genocide’ or not,” he said, adding that Turkey shares
the pain of the Armenians.

Pope Francis had said on Sunday that “the first genocide of the 20th
century” struck the Armenians.

His statement led Turkey to recall its ambassador to the Vatican and
also to summon the Vatican’s envoy in Ankara.

Turkish PM Ahmet Davutoglu said on Sunday that the Pope’s statement
was “unfortunate,” “incorrect” and “inconsistent.”

Davutoglu added that the remarks were not just about reading history
incorrectly, but also “lent credence to the growing racism in Europe.”

On Monday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu also criticized
the Pope’s remarks and said they contradict historical and legal facts.

From: Baghdasarian

RULING AK PARTY UNVEILS MANIFESTO FOR JUNE ELECTIONS

Journal of Turkish Weekly
April 15 2015

15 April 2015

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has announced the election
declaration of his Justice and Development, or AK Party and introduced
its candidates for the upcoming June 7 general elections.

“We aim to make a new breakthrough for both our nation and humanity
via our civilization call,” he said Wednesday in a promotion meeting
at Ankara Arena Sports Hall.

At the meeting, the premier read the 100-article election manifesto
called the “New Turkey Convention,” which features the AK Party’s
main campaign themes such as state protection of human dignity, equal
citizenship, the drafting of a new constitution, the implementation
of a presidential system, and measures towards a human-oriented
economic development.

The premier stressed the need for a civilian constitution for Turkey,
saying that it would be first on the Turkish Parliament’s agenda
should the Justice and Development be successful in the general
elections in June.

The 2015 parliamentary elections are of key importance to the AK
Party government as it seeks to work with the parliament to draft a
new constitution as Davutoglu has promised to replace the current one,
which was written after the 1980 military coup.

Above all, the election manifesto of the ruling party includes the
introduction of a presidential system, for which Turkish President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been pushing in order to replace the current
parliamentary one.

Davutoglu maintained that they “deem it necessary to reconstructure
Turkey’s administrative system towards a presidential system so as
to obviate the chaos of authority and actually restore accountability.”

“We think the presidential system as an administrative model where
legislative and executive powers are independently active and where
there are democratic balance and control mechanisms,” he added.

The AK Party does not have enough seats in Parliament to vote for
a constitutional change such as the introduction of a presidential
system.

According to the current Turkish Constitution, such a change requires
the approval of two-thirds (367) of the (550) lawmakers. Only then
can the president approve it or hold a referendum on the matter.

Turkish citizens voted in a referendum in 2007 to be able to elect
their president by popular vote.

He maintained that human rights and freedoms would be the focus of
the new constitutional order. The manifesto describes the concepts
of freedom and security as not opposing but complementary.

As expected, Davutoglu revealed the other significant part of
the election manifesto as the government’s fight against the
so-called “parallel state,” which refers to a purported group of
Turkish bureaucrats and senior officials embedded in the country’s
institutions, including the judiciary and police, who are allegedly
trying to undermine the elected Turkish government.

“The sovereignty of a parallel state or any power that does not gain
its legitimacy from the nation is unacceptable,” he said, as the
manifesto describes a nation of equal citizens as the sole source
and supervisor of the political legitimacy.

“There will remain no power that is not controlled and supervised,”
he added.

Davutoglu stressed that no horizontal or parallel organization must
be allowed to emanate within Turkish bureaucracy.

The manifesto announced by Davutoglu also brings forth equal
citizenship as principle of the human dignity.

“We are the principal owners and equal citizens of Turkey as the
descendants of those who founded the Republic,” he said.

Davutoglu also dismissed in a “New Turkey” any discrimination based
on people’s faith, color, gender, language, race, political view,
philosophical mindset or life style.

The manifesto also emphasizes the sense of belonging of the citizens,
calling it the main guarantee for the continuity of a state that does
not exclude or alienate any of their citizens.

“It is the sense of belonging that sustains a state, and then its
economic, political and military power that strengthens it,” said
Davutoglu.

Davutoglu also called upon the opposition parties to convey their
opinions on their election manifesto.

Following the manifesto read-out, he presented its 550 candidates,
99 of whom are women, to the public.

He promoted their main election mottos “Always Justice Always
Development,” and songs like “New Turkey,” which has long been the
slogan of the AK Party government led by Davutoglu.

The AK Party was victorious in last year’s March local elections and
its then leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed the presidential election
in August 2014. In the 2011 general elections, the AK Party received
almost 50 percent of the votes.

Approximately 56 million Turkish citizens will vote on June 7 in the
country’s 25th general elections to elect 550 lawmakers of the Turkish
Parliament. Turkey had held general elections every five years until
a 2007 constitutional change which set elections for every four years.

Pope remarks over 1915 incidents

During his speech, the premier also touched upon the remarks made
Sunday by Pope Francis over the 1915 events, in which he said “the
first genocide of the 20th century” had struck Armenians.

“We are ready to talk about historical incidents but we will allow
nobody to insult or blackmail our nation over historical disputes,”
he said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also condemned Pope’s remarks
on Wednesday by saying “I would like to warn the honorable Pope not
to make such a mistake again.”

Pope Francis’ statement led Turkey to recall its ambassador to the
Vatican and also to summon the Vatican’s envoy in Ankara.

The 1915 events took place during World War I when a portion of
the Armenian population living in the Ottoman Empire sided with the
invading Russians and revolted against the empire.

The Ottoman Empire relocated Armenians in eastern Anatolia following
the revolts and there were Armenian casualties during the relocation
process.

Armenia has demanded an apology and compensation, while Turkey has
officially refuted Armenian allegations over the incidents saying that,
although Armenians died during the relocations, many Turks also lost
their lives in attacks carried out by Armenian gangs in Anatolia.

From: Baghdasarian

TURKEY’S ERDOGAN CONDEMNS EU, POPE FRANCIS OVER ARMENIAN ‘GENOCIDE’ LABEL

Wall Street Journal, NY
April 15 2015

European Parliament passes resolution commemorating centennial of
the mass killings

By Emre Peker & Valentina Pop

The European Parliament on Wednesday joined Pope Francis in urging
Turkey to recognize the 1915 massacre of Armenians as a genocide,
prompting another rebuke from Ankara amid mounting diplomatic tensions
over the century-old dispute.

At stake is a historic categorization that would put modern Turkey’s
Ottoman ancestors in the same category as Nazi Germany and a string
of dictators from Stalin to Pol Pot. Ankara vehemently denies
allegations of a systematic killing of Armenians during World War I,
while Armenians have placed the tragedy at the core of their national
identity.

The nonbinding resolution, adopted by a wide majority, repeated
the Parliament’s previous use of the word genocide in marking the
centennial of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians deaths in eastern
Turkey during World War I. The area was then part of the Ottoman
Empire.

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It also encouraged Turkey to use the anniversary “to recognize the
Armenian genocide and thus pave the way for a genuine reconciliation
between Turkish and Armenian peoples.”

On Sunday, the pope had called the deaths “the first genocide of
the 20th century,” prompting Ankara to recall its ambassador to the
Vatican for consultations.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan dismissed the European resolution even
before the vote.

“For us it will go in one ear and out the other,” he said in Ankara,
a day after criticizing Pope Francis. “It is impossible for Turkey
to accept this accusation. the stain of genocide on our nation is
out of the question.”

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry after the vote accused the EU of seeking
to rewrite history.

Armenia’s push to build momentum for broader recognition of a genocide
comes less than two months before parliamentary elections in Turkey,
where Mr. Erdogan is seeking to add to the majority held by his
Islamist-rooted, Justice and Development Party.

But with Turkey beset by sagging economic growth, fragile peace
talks to end a long Kurdish insurgency and mounting security
threats stemming from Iraq and Syria, the ruling party is waging an
increasingly nationalistic campaign, pledging to build a “New Turkey”
that restores the Ottoman Empire’s glory days.

“There is an evil gang forming against us, this front’s calculations
are all geared toward blocking the party’s path,” Prime Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu said Wednesday. “The pope has joined these traps that are
being set against Turkey.”

Ankara argues that hundreds of thousands of people, mostly Muslim,
were killed in conflicts that engulfed the eastern Ottoman Empire
during World War I. Armenians are predominantly Christian.

Mr. Erdogan took an unprecedented step last year and apologized for
the deaths, a move welcomed by Western partners but criticized by
some for shirking responsibility.

On Monday, he reiterated his call for a historical commission and
pledged to make Turkish archives available to researchers. But some
EU lawmakers argued that recognition of a genocide must come first
to start reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia.

“This is the responsibility of politicians, not historians, as Mr.

Erdogan claims,” said Cristian Preda, a Romanian member of the
Parliament who helped draft the resolution. Turkey needs to “signal
Europeanness, which is more and more needed today, not tomorrow,”
said Petras Austrevicius, a member from Lithuania.

At a time when EU-Turkey relations are tense, and Ankara’s long-sought
membership in the bloc seems as remote as ever, the parliament’s move
is poised to further strain ties.

“Turkey treats a country’s stance on the events of 1915 as a barometer
of bilateral relations,” said Ozgur Unluhisarcikli, Ankara-based
director at the German Marshall Fund of the U.S. “Turkish leaders
also have a domestic agenda, where they take credit for responding
to resolutions and statements in a decisive manner.”

About two dozen countries–including Turkey’s NATO allies France and
Germany, and its biggest natural-gas supplier Russia–recognize the
Armenian genocide.

The diplomatic fight will now turn largely to the U.S., where the issue
strains ties between Washington and Ankara on an almost annual basis.

This year, 40 members of Congress introduced a resolution to formally
recognize the Armenian genocide. Last year, President Barack Obama
called the Armenian massacres “one of the worst atrocities of the
20th century,” but didn’t use the word genocide.

From: Baghdasarian

ERDOGAN CONDEMNS POPE FOR #ARMENIA ‘GENOCIDE’ COMMENT

MWC – Media With Conscience
April 15 2015

Wednesday, 15 April 2015 08:21

Turkish president warns pontiff not to repeat comments on 1915
killings, but US urges Ankara to admit “historical fact”.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has condemned Pope Francis
for calling the 1915 mass killing of Armenians genocide, and warned
him not to make such a statement again.

“We will not allow historical incidents to be taken out of their
genuine context, and be used as a tool to campaign against our
country,” Erdogan said in a speech to a business group on Tuesday.

“I condemn the pope and would like to warn him not to make similar
mistakes again.”

The pope became the first head of the Roman Catholic church to publicly
call the killing of as many as 1.5 million Armenians “genocide” on
Sunday, prompting a diplomatic row with Turkey, which summoned the
Vatican’s envoy and recalled its own.

Muslim Turkey agrees Christian Armenians were killed in clashes with
Ottoman soldiers that began 100 years ago on April 15, 1915, when
Armenians lived in the empire ruled by Istanbul, but denies hundreds
of thousands were killed and that this amounted to genocide.

While other Turkish politicians, and now Erdogan, have lashed out at
the pope, some ordinary Turks have dismissed the row as empty politics
and voiced a desire to leave history be.

Pope Francis appeared to refer to his use of the term “genocide”
on Monday, saying in a sermon that “today the Church’s message is
one of the path of frankness, the path of Christian courage”.

Erdogan’s comments are likely to put a focus on whether the United
States, a traditional ally of NATO-member Turkey, will eventually
use the term “genocide” for the mass killings.

Full, frank acknowledgement of facts

Unlike almost two dozen European and South American states that use
the term, Washington avoids it and has warned legislators that Ankara
could cut off military cooperation if they voted to adopt it.

On Tuesday, the US State Department called for a “full, frank”
acknowledgement of the facts surrounding the mass killing of Armenians
in World War I, but shied away from calling it “a genocide”.

“The president and other senior administration officials have
repeatedly acknowledged as historical fact, and mourned the fact,
that 1.5 million Armenians were massacred or marched to their deaths
in the final days of the Ottoman empire,” State Department acting
spokeswoman Marie Harf said.

Harf added that “nations are stronger and they progress by
acknowledging and reckoning with pretty painful elements of their
past”.

Such moves were “essential to building a different, more tolerant
future,” she said.

However, she refused to term the mass killings a genocide, even
though during his 2008 campaign for the White House, then senator
Barack Obama had pledged to “recognise the Armenian genocide”.

From: Baghdasarian

TURKISH PM’S CHIEF ADVISOR CALLS 1915 A ‘GENOCIDE’

Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
April 15 2015

ANKARA

EU parliament urges Turkey to recognise ‘Armenian genocide’

Etyen Mahcupyan, who became the ever first Armenian-origin chief
advisor to a Turkish prime minister when Ahmet Davutoglu appointed him
to the post on Aug. 27, 2014, has described the killings of Armenians
in 1915 at the hands of the Ottoman Empire as a “genocide.”

“If accepting that what happened in Bosnia and Africa were genocides,
it is impossible not to call what happened to Armenians in 1915
genocide too,” Mahcupyan said in an interview with news website
Karar.com.

Commenting on Pope Francis’ remarks on April 12 describing 1915 as
“the first genocide of the 20th century,” Mahcupyan said the Vatican
had “thrown out a 100-year-old psychological burden.”

He said that what actually needs to be questioned is the 100-year-old
resistance to using the term. “The Vatican could have long ago said
such a thing, but it did not do so,” he added.

Meanwhile, Mahcupyan also said the term “genocide” carries a
“psychological meaning” for Armenians and others, rather than a
“political meaning.”

“What counts is facing what has happened. The important thing is to
look into what happened and to produce the future together, taking
lessons from it all,” he said.

Mahcupyan’s words contradict his boss somewhat, with both Prime
Minister Davutoglu and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reacting angrily
to Pope Francis’ remarks, with Davutoglu going as far as to condemn
the pope as part of an “evil front” targeting the Turkish government.

April/15/2015

From: Baghdasarian

TURQUIE : LE PAPE OUVERTEMENT MENACE DE MORT

TURQUIE

Il y a quelques jours le Pape Francois a qualidie les massacres
d’Armeniens de 1915 de genocide.

Le Ministre turc des Affaires etrangères Mevlut Cavusoglu a qualifie
le pontife de “predicateur de la haine”.

Depuis les principaux hommes politiques du parti au pouvoir sont tombes
sur la tete du Pape et notamment le Premier ministre Ahmet Davutoglu
qui a accuse le Pape Francois de promouvoir “le racisme en Europe”
ce qui est exactement le contraire de ses declarations.

Mais desormais la situation penche vers l’extreme : Volkan Bozkir,
le ministre turc des Affaires europeennes a insiste sur l’origine
du Pape qui est argentin et “L’Argentine est un pays qui a recu les
tortionnaires nazis a bras ouverts.” Il a ajoute, sur le ton d’un
theoricien de la conspiration, que la diaspora armenienne contrôle
“l’economie et les medias”.

Les raisons de cette hostilite doivent etre trouves dans la campagne
electorale selon Boris Kalnoky journaliste allemand.

“Le gouvernement utilise le Pape comme un epouvantail pour recueillir
des votes dans le camp religieux nationaliste et radical. Le Premier
ministre Erdogan a besoin d’une victoire ecrasante de l’AKP pour
permettre d’ecrire une nouvelle constitution presidentielle, renforcant
ainsi son pouvoir”.

Boris Kalnoky ajoute ” ainsi les insultes vis-a-vis du Pape sont une
campagne bien organisee, qui est egalement soutenue par des milliers
de fidèles de l’AKP sur Twitter. En fait, les nationalistes semblent
avaler l’appât et se joignent au choeur. Avec un contenu parfois
meurtrier. Il existe de nombreux appels a l’assassinat du pape ou de
menaces de mort”.

Pour ne citer que quelques exemples : Un utilisateur turc de Twitter
rappelle au pape dans un message court la tentative d’assassinat
du Turc Ali Agca contre le pape Jean-Paul II en 1981 et a menace :
“En Turquie il y a beaucoup d’Agca >>. “Une balle coûte 35 Kuru”
(centimes turcs, l’equivalent d’environ 12 centimes d’euro) a tweete
un autre utilisateur et ajoute une photo de l’Ali Agca egalement.

jeudi 16 avril 2015, Stephane (c)armenews.com

From: Baghdasarian