Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

Two more Azerbaijani terrorists killed in Syria

18:16 07/01/2014 » SOCIETY

Two more Azerbaijani citizens who participated in the fighting on the
side of the terrorists have been killed in Syria. According to the
Azerbaijani news agency “APA”, two sites belonging to terrorist groups
fighting against government forces in Syria extended this information.

It is reported that Namik Askerov, who fought with “Frente al Nusra”
group associated with “Al-Qaeda” was killed. Someone called Soltan
Azeri Seifullakh was killed too. Sites also spread photographs of
murdered Azerbaijani terrorists.

According to “APA” in battles against Bashar al-Assad’s forces in
Syria hundreds of Azerbaijanis are involved in various groups, dozens
of them have been killed.

In the last period of time the media reported about a number of deaths
of Azerbaijani terrorists in Syria. In early April, the Turkish sites
have reported that about 30 terrorists from Azerbaijan have already
been killed in Syria. According to the Azerbaijani conflict scientist
Arif Yunus more than 300 Islamists from Azerbaijan are fighting in
Syria, Afghanistan and Pakistan. However, according to Arif Yunus and
the “Facthaber’ portal, over 100 Azerbaijani terrorists are fighting
in Syria. Azerbaijani terrorists had even placed an online
video-record calling for “jihad.

The relationship between international terrorist groups and Azerbaijan
originated in the early 1990s. That time, the Azerbaijani army, having
failed in the aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR),
retreated with losses. Trying to save the situation, the Azerbaijani
leadership, headed by Heydar Aliyev attracted to the war against the
Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh international terrorists and members of
radical groups from Afghanistan (groupings of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar),
Turkey (“Grey Wolves”, etc.), Chechnya (groupings Basayev and Raduyev
etc.) and some other regions.

Despite the involvement in of thousands of foreign mercenaries and
terrorists in the Azerbaijani army during the war, the Azerbaijani
aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh Republic failed, and the Baku
authorities were forced to sign an armistice with the NKR and Armenia.
However, international terrorists found ties in Azerbaijan, and used
them in the future. Recruitment was conducted among Azerbaijanis, who
then were sent to Afghanistan and the North Caucasus, where
participated in the battles against the forces of the international
coalition and Russian organizations.

In recent years, the citizens of Azerbaijan are actively involved in
terrorist and extremist activities in Russia, Afghanistan and Syria.
In Azerbaijan the citizens are brought to criminal liability for
participating in “illegal armed groups” in Afghanistan, sentenced to
minor terms of imprisonment.

Source: Panorama.am

From: Baghdasarian

Petition Asks Switzerland to Appeal Genocide Denial Verdict

Tuesday, January 7th, 2014

The Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations of France

PARIS – In the struggle against Turkish denial of the Armenian Genocide,
the Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations of France (CCAF)
has decided to launch a petition asking Switzerland to appeal the most
recent judgment of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), which
found that the ultra-nationalist Dogu Perinçek, president of the
Workers’ Party of Turkey, could not be condemned for saying publicly
in Geneva in 2007 that the `so-called Armenian genocide is an
imperialist lie.’

The full petition can be read and signed at Change.org.

From: Baghdasarian

ANCA-WESTERN REGION 2013 ANNUAL REPORT

Friday, January 3rd, 2014

ANCA-WR

ANCA-WR Mission Statement The Armenian National Committee of
America-Western Region is the largest Armenian American grassroots
advocacy organization in the Western United States. Working in
coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters
throughout the Western United States and affiliated organizations
around the country, the ANCA-WR works to promote understanding
regarding issues of concern to the Armenian American community.

ANCA-WR Board chairperson Nora Hovsepian

Board Chairperson’s Message I have had the privilege of serving as the
Chair of ANCA WR for two years now though I have served in different
capacities within the organization off and on since the 1980’s. In that
time not a day has gone by that I was not inspired by the work that
is done here and the devotion and perseverance of the people who do
it. From the dedicated and committed volunteers who serve on the Board
of Directors and various committees, to our donors and supporters,
staff and interns, the ANCA is not just a community organization,
but a family that digs its roots deep and expands its branches far –
to fortify, advance and give voice to the Armenian-American community.

We have come a long way, and as our community has grown and evolved,
we have grown and evolved with it to make sure its needs are met. Our
programs have expanded, our staff has increased, and our reputation
and initiatives have become a model for others.

The work of our local chapters has now come to include many community
service initiatives like free legal clinics, community town hall
forums, voter education and registration, pathways to maximize civic
engagement in all levels of government, media response mechanisms,
and other means by which our community can fully integrate, all the
while continuing to stay true to our mission of fighting for Armenian
Genocide recognition and reparations, helping Armenia and Artsakh
develop and prosper, and working hard to ensure the safety and security
of our Homeland against all threats. This multi-disciplinary approach
is more important than ever as it is part of a long-term approach
in ensuring that we have thriving communities across the region that
will help bring justice and accountability in all levels of government
while simultaneously helping to advance the Armenian Cause overall.

In the past two years, we have also created an Advisory Board composed
of our elder statesmen who had the vision to create and develop this
organization and from whose institutional memory, collective wisdom and
diverse experience we have greatly benefitted. We are deeply grateful
to them, and to all of those who have supported the organization over
time and helped us to get to where we are today.

Despite the difficult economic climate, and the many challenges it has
brought, we have been able to continue and expand our work because of
such support and backing of our community. The many accomplishments
we have achieved this year are the result of this partnership and
teamwork. As we move forward, I know we will only be building on the
strong foundation that has been set, stone by stone, for so many years.

By standing together and continuing to develop mechanisms to strengthen
and amplify our community’s voice, I know we will reach even greater
heights of distinction and accomplishments as we continue to strive
toward our ultimate goals.

In Common Cause, Nora Hovsepian, Esq.

Chair, ANCA Western Region

ANCA-WR Board members meet with Calif. Governor Jerry Brown

Strengthening The Grassroots

Powering Up Our Local Chapters Recognizing that our strength lies in
the incredible work conducted by our local chapters in their respective
communities, one of the major undertakings of the ANCA Western Region
in 2013 has been to strengthen and work more closely with our local
chapters. Through allocation of additional resources and support from
the ANCA WR Board liaisons and staff, our local chapters are able to
with greater ease successfully implement programs and initiatives.

The ANCA WR now works alongside with local chapters toward cultivating
relationships with local public officials and entities, is more
involved in community activities and community development, and helps
promote grassroots activism on a local level to be utilized at the
state, regional and national levels in advancing the Armenian Cause.

The results of this effort in the past year have been incredible,
as we have witnessed existing and new chapters become more organized,
active and proactive in addressing issues in their local communities.

Expanding Our Reach Through Town Halls In an effort to educate and
remain in close ties with existing ANCA local chapters and establish
new chapters in the region, the ANCA WR conducted a number of town
hall meetings in Idaho, Texas, Arizona, San Diego, Seattle, Nevada
among other locations.

Given the incredible response by local community members to attend
the town hall meetings and their eagerness to start a local chapter
or become involved with an existing one, the ANCA WR will continue
to host similar community gatherings to engage communities outside
of its headquarters base in Los Angeles, CA.

Making Our Community’s Voice Heard Through Hye Votes In 2012, the ANCA
WR launched the very successful Hye Votes initiative as a region wide,
non-partisan program to engage community members in the electoral
process. The Hye Votes efforts in coalition with our local chapters,
a network of non-profit organizations, student groups, and community
members, are intended to register and encourage the community to vote
in the Elections while also serving as a source for voter information.

For the 2012 Presidential Elections, the 2013 Los Angeles Mayoral
Elections, and more recently for the Montebello City Elections, Hye
Votes along with area specific ANCA WR local chapters, coordinated a
multi-faceted civic participation campaign designed to walk first-time
and disadvantaged voters through the entire political process. The
components of the campaign included: voter registration, voter
education, voter mobilization, voter assistance, voter research,
voting rights advocacy and get-out-the-vote efforts.

The aforementioned combined with on-the-ground field organizers,
advertising, direct mail, trainings, phone banking, and canvassing
resulted in over 5,500 additional registered Armenian voters and
unprecedented turnouts in the Elections by the Armenian-American
community. Given the success and the importance of the initiative,
the ANCA-Western Region is currently in the midst of establishing a
Hye Votes task force to be comprised of representatives from local
chapters to continue implementing the initiative across the region.

California state and local officials during the ANCA-WR trip to Armenia

Elevating Awareness And Advocacy

Legislative Affairs 2013 has been an extremely busy year for the
ANCA WR in the area of legislative affairs. We continued to stand
strong on issues of importance to the Armenian-American communities
by working closely with our national office on proper recognition of
the Armenian Genocide through the Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice
Act that was recently introduced in the US House of Representatives,
calling upon the White House and Congress to prominently display
the Armenian Genocide Orphan Rug at the Smithsonian, activating
our grassroots to voice opposition on US strikes against Syria,
and advocating for foreign aid to Armenia and Artsakh.

Moreover, in order to have a stronger presence in the CA State
Capitol and take proactive steps in minimizing the recent efforts of
infiltrating the CA legislature by the Turkish and Azeri lobby, the
ANCA Western Region hired a Legislative Affairs Director to educate
elected officials, hold regular meetings, cultivate relationships,
and work on policy issues as they relate to the benefit of the Armenian
communities in the region, Armenia, and Artsakh.

All the while, our local chapters took on demanding proper
representation in their city institutions, opposing electrical fee
hikes that would heavily impact the livelihood of the Armenian-American
residents in their region, partnering with their school districts to
ensure that Armenian parents and students with language barriers were
able to successfully navigate the education system, and serving as the
bridge between issues in city departments and their Armenian-American
constituency.

Meetings With Officials The ANCA WR held more than 150 meetings in
2013 with just state and federal level elected officials to educate and
advocate on issues of concern to the Armenian-American community. This
high volume number of meetings does not include those held with local
elected officials, appointed high level administrators, any meetings
held by the ANCA National Headquarters, or the local chapters of the
ANCA WR.

Groundbreaking Delegation Trip To Armenia And Artsakh In an effort
to establish direct ties between U.S. elected officials and the
Homeland by providing policymakers with a first-hand understanding
of the rich Armenian history and culture, the ANCA Western Region
helped organize a delegation of prominent city and state officials
for a 5 day in-depth visit to Armenia followed by a two day visit to
Artsakh. The groundbreaking trip, which took place from September 17 to
September 24, 2013 was hosted by the Governments of Armenia and NKR,
and facilitated by the Consul General of Los Angeles in coordination
with the California State Assembly and the City of Los Angeles.

The delegation included CA State Assembly Speaker John Perez,
Assemblymembers Katcho Achadjian, Cheryl Brown, Adrin Nazarian,
Scott Wilk, Los Angeles City Councilmembers Bob Blumenfield
and Paul Krekorian, Assemblymember Nazarian’s Chief of Staff Dan
Savage, Councilmember Krekorian’s Chief of Staff Areen Ibranossian,
Communications Director Jeremy Oberstein and Director of Planning
and Land Usage Karo Torossian, ANCA WR Chair Nora Hovsepian, and ANCA
WR Executive Director Elen Asatryan. The ANCA WR intends to organize
similar trips on an annual basis.

2013 ANCA-WR Advocay Day in Sacrament

Advocacy Day In Sacramento On April 15, 2013, the ANCA WR hosted more
than 200 activists from all over California for its annual Advocacy Day
and for the Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide in the California
State Legislature.

Community activists of every age spent the entire day advocating
issues concerning the community by educating their legislators
about the consequences of the denial of the Genocide, while viewing
the month-long exhibit of Armenian American inventors that have
contributed to the well-being of the American population. Participants
also observed the State Assembly’s and State Senate’s commemorations
which recognized various community groups including the ANCA WR. The
day’s events were highlighted by passage of the Armenian Genocide
Resolution in both chambers of the State legislature.

Candidates’ Forum In order to bring together large segments of
the Armenian-American community to hear and interact with political
candidates at the local, state, and federal levels of government, the
ANCA WR organized numerous town-halls and debates during elections. The
most successful of these forums/debates was the Berman and Sherman
debate as it was the first time we watched incumbent congressmen
debate issues of importance to Armenian-Americans that was also aired
live nationwide.

ANCA-WR Executive Director Elen Asatryan speaks to college students
about Hye Tad

Investing In The Future

ANCA WR Internship Program Acknowledging the importance of providing a
pipeline of support to the next generation of our community’s leaders,
the ANCA WR re-launched its internship program for the 8th year in
May 2013, while our Glendale Chapter kicked off its 7th year, and
our Crescenta Valley chapter established one for their region. This
selective, part time, leadership training program provides high
school and college students as well as recent college graduates an
opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of community issues
as well as advocacy efforts on the local, regional, and federal
levels. During their tenure, interns are given valuable opportunities
to interact with public officials, develop leadership and advocacy
skills, represent the ANCA WR at community and media events,
organize various grassroots campaigns and events, work with staff,
Board members, committee members, and local ANCA chapters as well
as attend weekly educational lectures. The multi-faceted internship
compounds professional skill-building with networking opportunities
to promote well-rounded individuals to serve in our community and on
future ANCA Western Region and local chapter committees. The program
hosts spring, summer, and fall sessions.

ANCA Leo Sarkisian Internship Program In that same spirit, the
ANCA WR also sponsored two local students to participate in the
prestigious ANCA Leo Sarkisian Internship Program in Washington,
DC. The Internship program, now in its 29th year, provides Armenian
American youth leaders from the across the U.S. an opportunity to
learn first-hand about the inner workings of the American political
system during its eight week training session in the nation’s capital.

ANCA WR-AYF Mentorship Program In the summer of 2013, ANCA WR partnered
with the Armenian Youth Federation Western Region to establish a
mentorship program for the youth in the area. Through this new program,
ANCA Professional Network members are paired with AYF members to assist
them with such matters as choosing a college, college applications,
professional development, and professional internships.

Path To College Program (PTC) Originally launched by the ANCA
Glendale Chapter in 2007, the PTC program consists of a series
of forums organized to educate the non-English speaking immigrant
Armenian population about the multitude of opportunities available
to secondary school students. Though the program is geared toward the
non-English speaking immigrant population, it is open to all students
and parents who need assistance.

The objective of the program is to increase high school retention
and admission to college. The forums cover such topic matters as
high school graduation requirements, 4 year plan, English Language
Development classes, the college application process and deadlines,
financial aid, SAT & ACT college admission exams, how to write personal
statements, and the difference between community colleges and 4-year
universities. Given the success and the need in our communities for
such services, the ANCA WR brought the PTC program on the regional
level to help organize similar forum across the region using the
Glendale model.

Key Events

ANCA Grassroots Conference In 2013, the much anticipated Grassroots
Conference returned Thanksgiving Weekend, bringing together 31 expert
panelists and more than 550 hundred activists from all over the world
to analyze issues related to the Armenian Cause and to develop and
promote new avenues of leadership and advocacy. The ANCA Grassroots
Conference has been established as a bi-annual event.

ANCA-WR Annual Gala Banquet The premier annual fundraising event
for the ANCA-WR, the 2013 Annual Banquet Gala was attended by more
than 1,000 activists, supporters, donors and public officials who
came together to acknowledge the work of the organization and to
pay homage to the 2013 honorees Primate of Artsakh Archbishop Barkev
Martirosyan, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, Legendary Coach Jerry
Tarkanian, Lifelong Philanthropist Manas Boujikian, Assemblymember
Katcho Achadjian, and Activist and Filmmaker Ara Soudjian for their
contributions to the Armenian Cause.

ANCA-PN Destination Weekend The inaugural event was successfully held
in October, 2012, in Las Vegas, Nevada, and will hereafter be organized
bi-annually, alternating years with the ANC Grassroots Conference. The
locale will change each year with the goal of bringing together
young Armenian professionals from all over the world to network,
share ideas, identify mentors, socialize, and share their interest
in the Armenian Cause.

ANCA-WR Board of Directors and staff

How does all of this happen? It’s Simple… Through Grassroots Efforts

Because we have a proven track record and the work we do is so
critical, we have hundreds of dedicated community members across
the region who serve on our regional and local boards, committees,
and subcommittees, while others graciously contribute financially to
make our programs and initiatives possible. No matter the size of the
group or task being completed, all of our dedicated volunteers play
a vital role in helping us fulfill our goal of educating, motivating
and activating our community, all the while demanding accountability,
proper representation, and justice from our representatives.

2 Ways You Can Help

1. Donate We rely on region-wide monetary donations for the bulk of
our operating funds. No matter how large or small. Every donation
helps keep our lights on and fuels our advocacy, community outreach,
civic engagement, youth, and development programs. A $15 donation
allows us to purchase a case of paper, while a $100 donation covers
the monthly bill of keeping our community informed of issues that
are important to them through monthly e-newsletters.

You can be sure that we will stretch every dollar of your donation
and ensure that your voice will be heard through local, state, and
federal government agencies and grassroots action on the issues that
matter to you most.

4 Ways To Donate 1. ANCA WR 2. Become a monthly ANCA WR donor.

3. Earmark Your Donation to the ANCA WR Initiative You Care About
Most. Note: Contributions, gifts, and dues to the ANCA WR are not tax
deductible. They support our effective, citizen-based advocacy efforts.

4. Make a tax-deductible gift to the ANC WR and help us continue our
education and community outreach efforts.

Visit to contribute today.

2. Get Involved Contact us at: ANCA Western Region 104 N. Belmont,
Ste. 200, Glendale, CA 91206 (818) 500-1918 [email protected]
facebook.com/ANCAWesternRegion twitter.com/ANCA_WR

ANCA WR LOCAL CHAPTERS

Bay Area Facebook.com/ancasf [email protected]

Burbank 75 E. Santa Anita Ave., Burbank, CA 91502
facebook.com/ANCABurbank [email protected] (818) 562-1918

Central California 2348 Ventura St., Fresno, CA 93721
facebook.com/ANCACentralCalifornia [email protected] (559) 233-2315

Crescenta Valley 2633 Honolulu Ave., Montrose, CA 91020
facebook.com/ANCACV [email protected] (818) 527-6361

Glendale 211 W. Chestnut St. Ste. 302, Glendale, CA
91204 facebook.com/ANCAGlendale
twitter.com/ANCA_Glendale [email protected] (818) 243-3444

Hollywood Facebook.com/AncaHollywood [email protected] (323)
642-8561

Houston [email protected] (281) 202-8274

Orange County facebook.com/ancorangecounty

Pasadena 2242 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91107
facebook.com/ANCA.PasadenaChapter [email protected] (626)
356-3674 Ext.103

Sacramento [email protected] (626) 394-9832

San Fernando Valley East [email protected]
(818) 497-8790

San Fernando Valley North [email protected] (818) 468-7007

San Fernando Valley West facebook.com/ancasfw [email protected] (818)
533-1918

San Gabriel Valley anca-sgv.com facebook.com/SanGabrielValley
[email protected] (323) 728-6493

ANCA WR BOARD OF DIRECTORS Nora Hovsepian, Esq., Chair Steve Artinian,
Treasurer Garo Madenlian, Esq., Secretary Armen Abrahamian Pattyl
Aposhian-Kasparian Oshin Harootoonian Arpie Jivalagian, Esq.

Raffi Kassabian, Esq.

Karo Khanjian Patil Aslanian, AYF Central Executive Liaison

ANCA WR ADVISORY BOARD Seto Boyadjian, Esq., ANCA National Board
Member Steven Dadaian, Esq.

Raffi Hamparian, ANCA National Board Member Berdj Karapetian Levon
Kirakosian, Esq.

Michael Mahdesian Harut Sassounian Mourad Topalian

ANCA WR STAFF Elen Asatryan, Executive Director Tereza Yerimyan,
Government Affairs Director Haig Baghdassarian, Esq., Legislative
Affairs Director Armine Der Grigorian, Accounting Talar Malakian,
ANCA-Glendale Executive Director Nare Kupelian, ANCA-San Gabriel
Valley Executive Director Patil Derderian, ANCA-Crescenta Valley
Executive Director Ani Nazaryan, Banquet & Grassroots Coordinator

ANCA WR GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE Armen Garabedian, Esq.,
Chair Raffi Kassabian, Esq., Board Liaison Arpie Jivalagian, Esq.,
Board Liaison

ANCA WR PROFESSIONAL NETWORK Linda Adran, Chair Raffi Kassabian,
Esq., Board Liaison

ANCA WR EDUCATION COMMITTEE Alice Petrossian, Chair Berdj Karapetian,
Board Liaison

HYE VOTES TASK FORCE Karo Khanjian, Board Liaison

ANCA WR CHAPTER DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Garo Madenlian, Esq., Board
Liaison

ANCA WR NEAR EAST RELIEF CENTENNIAL COMMITTEE Ayk Dikijian, Esq.,
Chair Nora Hovsepian, Esq., Board Liaison

ANCA WR SPECIAL EVENTS COMMITTEE Aida Yeghiazarian, Chair Pattyl
Aposhian-Kasparian, Board Liaison

ANCA WR FUNDRAISING & MARKETING COMMITTEE Aida Dimejian, Chair Steve
Artinian, Board Liaison

ANCA WR INTERN ALUMNI COMMITTEE Tatev Oganyan, Co Chair Tamar
Thomassian, Co Chair

Educate Motivate Activate

From: Baghdasarian

Cihan News Agency, Turkey
Jan 7 2014

Protest held for fair trial in Dink case

TR_ISTA – 07.01.2014 16:14:14

Protest held for fair trial in Dink case

A large group of people gathered in front of 14th High Criminal Court
of Ä°stanbul protest the court for a fair trial over the assassination
of Turkish Armenian journalist Hrant Dink.

Third hearing of Dink case was held on Tuesday. People shouted slogans
such as `Killer government will pay off,’ `The ones, who protect
killers, involve in murder’. Writes Oral ÇalıÅ?lar and
Ahmet Ã`mit also participated in the protest.

From: Baghdasarian

Journal of Turkish Weekly
Jan 7 2014

Suspect in Hrant Dink murder case detained in Trabzon

7 January 2014

Gendarmerie forces have detained one of two suspects whose arrests
were demanded by an Istanbul court in the case into the murder of
Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, CNNTürk has reported.

Zeynel Abidin Yavuz, who was said to be the first person chosen as
part of the conspiracy to murder Dink, was detained by gendarmerie
forces in the Black Sea province of Trabzon’s Pelitli neighborhood on
Jan. 7 and sent to the courthouse.

The Istanbul 14th Court of Serious Crimes has also ordered the arrest
of Osman Hayal, the brother of Yasin Hayal, who was charged with being
the instigator of the assassination.

Dink, the renowned editor-in-chief of Agos, was shot dead by Ogün
Samast in front of his office in Istanbul on Jan. 19, 2007. Samast was
subsequently sentenced to over 22 years in jail for the murder.

The trial into his murder resumed on Sept. 17, 2013, with 18 suspects
being retried after the Supreme Court of Appeals ruled that all
suspects in the case had acted as part of a criminal organization,
instead of individually.

A group of activists called the `Friends of Dink’ gathered in front of
the courthouse and chanted slogans ahead of the hearing.

Popular novelist Ahmet Ümit, speaking on behalf of the group, said
their demand to try the public servants who allegedly bear
responsibility for Dink’s murder had yet to be heeded.

`Instead, these same public officials have been promoted,’ Ümit said.

7 January 2014

From: Baghdasarian

TransConflict
Jan 6 2014

Between recognition and denial ` the genocide question and
Turkish-Armenian relations

JANUARY 6, 2014 4:23 PM

The Turkish-Armenian reconciliation process is now almost completely
stalled, with Turkey continuing to vehemently oppose the
Armenian-inspired international campaign to secure recognition of the
Armenian genocide.

By Dr. Ahmed Magdy Al-Soukkary

At the general assembly of parliament in Baku on 15th December, Ahmet
Davutoglu, Turkey’s foreign minister stated that meetings held with
Armenia are not a crime, but necessary politics. These statements came
a few days after his first high-level visit to Armenia in nearly five
years. The Armenian question ` or what is called the `Armenian
Genocide’ (1) – has for decades strained relations between Turkey and
Armenia. With the one-hundredth anniversary of the Armenian Genocide
taking place in 2015, some observers think it could provide a major
breakthrough in genocide recognition and Armenian-Turkish dialogue.
Others, however, insist that Turkey won’t recognize genocide, arguing
that the killings were in self-defence against people who were
disloyal to the Ottoman Empire during World War One (2). Turkey’s
continued denial has created conditions which, particularly in the
view of many Armenians, necessitates the continuation of the search
for international reaffirmation until acknowledgement is universal and
irreversible. In the meantime, the genocide issue continues to impact
the normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia.

The legacy of genocide

Relations between Turkey and Armenia are burdened by a number of
inter-connected problems. Turks and Armenians have, for instance,
disagreed about how to describe the Ottoman-era massacres committed
against Armenians in the First World War (1914-1918).(3) During and
immediately after World War One, the atrocities committed against the
Armenians of the Ottoman Empire were public knowledge. In their May
24th 1915 joint declaration, the Allied Powers ` Great Britain, France
and Russia ` accused the Young Turk regime of crimes against humanity
and civilization. In 1919, the post-war Ottoman government prosecuted
a number of Young Turk conspirators of the crimes of massacre and
plunder. By signing the Treaty of Sèvres on August 10th 1920, Turkey
obligated itself to apprehend those `responsible for the massacres.’
The international community did not question at the time the veracity
of the reports on the extermination of the Armenians.

The international community essentially abandoned the Armenians in
1923 when the European Powers agreed to the Treaty of Lausanne, in
which Turkey was absolved of further responsibility. Turkey took
license from this to embark upon a policy of denial, suppression of
public discussion and prevention of any official mention of the
treatment of Armenians. Europe’s determination to escape the horrors
of World War One, isolationism in the US and revolutionary utopianism
in Russia, further stigmatized the Armenian survivors as witnesses of
a catastrophe politicians and the public wanted to quickly forget.
World War Two, however, brought the problem of mass extermination into
sharp relief, with the Holocaust reviving the sense of international
obligation towards victimized peoples. As this sense of duty became
embodied in a number of UN covenants, so Armenians began to find
renewed hope that their case would receive attention. The 1948
Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide
attached a label to mass slaughter and a new word entered the post-war
political vocabulary – genocide. With it came the realization among
Armenians that they had been victims of a crime which at the time
still lacked a name.(4)

To retrieve the memory of their forgotten genocide, Armenians
initiated efforts for national and international recognition. These
began with the introduction of commemorative resolutions in the United
States Congress in 1975 and efforts to enter the subject on the record
at the UN, which occurred with the 1985 adoption of a report on
genocide by the UN Commission on Human Rights. Broader recognition was
achieved in 1987 with the adoption of a resolution by the European
Parliament, which stated that `the tragic events of
1915-1917¦constitute genocide.’ In the following years, the
legislatures of countries such as Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, France,
Greece and Russia adopted resolutions affirming the historical record
on the Armenian Genocide. Acknowledgement also came through
declarations by heads of states and pronouncements by legislators.(5)

For Turkey, it has never faced-up to the atrocities committed during
the `dying’ days of the Ottoman Empire. Alarmed by territorial claims
and demands for reparations by Armenians, Turkey resented that its
casualties and war-time conditions in eastern Anatolia as the Ottomans
fought invaders on three fronts were not taken into account. To
question the official line became a criminal offence and a taboo
issue.(6)

Many who oppose official recognition of the genocide tend tacitly to
admit that it did happen, but that it would be politically
inconvenient to say so as this would anger Turkey ` an increasingly
powerful and influential country, an important NATO member and a
strategic partner of the west (albeit one more than ever inclined to
follow its own course). The implication is that it is still,
ninety-five years later, too soon to face reality.(7)

The AKP’s approach to dealing with the Genocide Question

Since assuming power in November 2002, the Islamist Justice and
Development Party (AKP) was preparing to start negotiations with the
European Union. This path implied that Turkey should implement the
EU’s conditionality principle to meet the criteria for starting
accession talks; an important transformative force. The European
course was instrumental in helping dispel fears of Turkey’s
traditional elites for the country’s Westernization process and
secular state identity under the AKP. The AKP government has realized
that solely political and economic criteria are not enough to become a
full member, consequently it began to invest in Turkey’s regional
competencies. The South Caucasus was, for instance, one region in
which Turkey could invest more, both politically and economically.

Genocide allegations and closed borders have played a big role in
directing the course of Turkey-EU relations, with the European
Commission’s annual progress reports prioritising establishing good
relations and opening the border. In 2005, the European Parliament
passed a non-binding resolution establishing Turkey’s recognition of
the Armenian genocide as a requirement for membership. Another factor
is the European Neighbourhood Policy, which includes Armenia, with the
EU calling on candidates to resolve difficulties with their neighbours
before accession. The AKP therefore launched the opening of relations
with Armenia as a means of removing this obstacle to EU
integration.(8)

At this time, Turkey’s prime minister, Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an, was much
more open in his treatment of the Armenian issue. Whereas the Turkish
state had always dictated historical narratives down to every school
book, and treated scholars and journalists who thought differently as
threats to national security, ErdoÄ?an left history to historians.
ErdoÄ?an made statements asserting that it should be up to historians
to determine the exact nature of what happened to Armenians in the
Ottoman Empire during the First World War. He made sure that the rules
governing access to Ottoman archives were eased, even though by now
these are most likely cleansed of the most obviously damning
documents, and the military archives are still not fully open. Rules
governing the terminology used to describe these events were eased or
applied less stringently. While this was partially due to internal
processes, much of this openness can be explained by European
requirements during Turkey’s negotiations for entry into the European
Union.(9)

Negotiations between Turkey and Armenia ` a win-lose situation?

On August 31st 2009, Turkey and Armenia announced the beginning of
formal negotiations with the end goal of normalizing ties, with the
presentation of two protocols ` one on developing bilateral ties, and
the other on establishing diplomatic relations. Through Swiss
mediation, the signature of an agreement on to establish diplomatic
relations in Zurich on October 10th 2009 offered hope that some of the
difficult problems in the southern Caucasus may soon be resolved. The
two countries agreed in principle to open the border , closed since
1993 because of the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan, a Turkish
ally, resulting from the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute. Turkey had
conditioned its reopening on a settlement between Armenia and
Azerbaijan.(10)

Turkey placed special emphasis on two points:

The fact that the protocols, once signed, would require parliamentary
approval;(11)
ErdoÄ?an’s insistence on the connection between the ratification of the
protocols and the normalization of Armenian relations with Azerbaijan
received much criticism in Armenia.(12) This refers to the great
influence of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Turkey ` which has a close
partnership with Azerbaijan based on linguistic ties, plus major oil
and gas pipelines ` has long linked any improvement in its
relationship with Armenia to a negotiated settlement over Azerbaijan’s
Armenian-majority enclave of Nagorno Karabakh. Not to mention that
Turkey also closed the Armenia border in 1993 to put pressure on
Armenian forces to withdraw from the 13.5% of Azerbaijan they
currently occupy.(14)

Despite these efforts, however, the Turkish-Armenian reconciliation
process is now almost completely stalled (15). Officially, Turkey
continues to vehemently oppose the Armenian-inspired international
campaign to secure recognition of the genocide. Ambassadors, consuls
and other officials ` as well as historians who support the official
Turkish position, whether of ethnic Turkish origin or not ` propagate
the official Turkish position in as many forums as possible. Armenians
believe that the AKP government is ready to blackmail ` when it can `
any government that moves towards recognizing the genocide. For the
Armenians, therefore, it appears that the issue has not been left to
historians after all. However, Gerard Libaridian, the Armenian
historian, thinks that the Armenian issue is the blind spot of the
Turkish leaders’ vision.(16)

On the level of Turkish elite and society, there is some sort of
internal consensus that relations with Armenia should not be
normalized at the expense of relations with Azerbaijan. Indeed, for
the Turkish side, one of the most debated issues related to the
protocols was the lack of any reference to Nagorno-Karabakh.
Azerbaijan was determined not to support rapprochement between Turkey
and Armenia as long as Nagorno-Karabakh remained unresolved.(17) It
can be concluded that the protocols failed to achieve their
objectives, even though the Armenian side did accept the constitution
of a joint sub-commission of historians to discover the historical
truth behind the genocide issue.(18)

Between Armenian demands for recognition and Turkish denial of
genocide as an official state policy, both need to adopt a new
approach to dealing with this debatable historical issue with all its
complexities. For Turkey, it should take concrete steps in normalizing
its bilateral relations with Armenia, on the one hand, and trying to
reach a political compromise to the intractable genocide issue, on the
other. Armenia, meanwhile, needs to show a considerable amount of
positive encouragement towards resolving the problem by separating the
normalization of relations with Turkey from the Nagorno-Karabakh peace
process. Only through these mutual steps can the process of
reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia be revitalised.

Dr. Ahmed Magdy Al-Soukkary is an Egyptian academic lecturer in
International Negotiations at the Faculty of Economics and Political
Science (FEPS), Cairo University. He has a very distinguished academic
career in Turkish Studies, completing a PhD in political science and
international relations on `The Process of International Negotiation `
a Theoretical Study with Application on the Turkish-European
Negotiations’. His MSc in political science explored `The Impacts of
the Iranian-Turkish Relations Towards the Arab Regional System in the
Nineties’, whilst his graduation research paper in political science
looked at `Turkey and The Arab ` Israeli Conflict 1948 ` 1989.’

To reply to this or any other article published by TransConflict,
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What are the principles of conflict transformation?

Footnotes

1) According to the definition of the 1948 Genocide Convention,
genocide involves the intent to destroy ` in a whole or in part ` a
national, ethical, racial or religious group as such. Genocide may
manifest itself in killing members of the group, causing serious
bodily or mental harm to its members, deliberately inflicting on the
group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical
destruction in whole or in part, and forcibly transferring children of
the group to another group. See Stuart D. Stein, `A Lecture on The
Armenian Genocide`.

2) Dr. Gregory Stanton, `The Cost of Denial`, Website of Genocide
Watch: The International Alliance to End Genocide.

3) Turkey in Europe: Breaking the vicious circle, the Second Report of
the Independent Commission on Turkey (September 2009), p.30.

4) Rouben, Paul Adalian, `International Recognition of Armenian Genocide.’

5) While for many years the Armenian issue based on the claims of
genocide was shouldered by Armenian Diaspora in many corners of the
world, but notably in the US, France, Lebanon and Argentine. Suddenly
a state representing the Armenian identity emerged next door to
Turkey. See: Rouben Paul Adalian, op.cit., and also: Cengiz Çandar,
`No Incentive for Turkey, Armenia To Normalize Relations’, Website of
Al-Monitor.

6) Turkey in Europe: Breaking the vicious circle, the Second Report of
the Independent Commission on Turkey (September 2009), p.30.

7) Vicken Cheterian, `Armenian genocide and Turkey: then and now`.

8) TuÄ?çe Erçetin, `The Reasons of the AKP’s Decision on the Armenian
Opening and its Failure Factors`.

9) Gerard J. Libaridian, `ErdoÄ?an and His Armenian Problem’, Turkish
Policy Quarterly, Vol. 12, No. 1 (Spring 2013), p. 54.

10) Ricardo Torres, `The Normalization Process Between Turkey and
Armenia`, Serie de Articulos Y Testimonios, No. 71 (June 2011).

11) Gallia Lindenstrauss, `The Historic Accord between Turkey and
Armenia: What Lies Ahead?`, INSS Insight, No. 136 (12 October 2009).

12) Ricardo Torres, `The Normalization Process Between Turkey and
Armenia`, Serie de Articulos Y Testimonios, No. 71 (June 2011).

13) Ã`mit Kurt and Bezen Balamir CoÅ?kun, `History vs. geopolitics: an
overview of Turkish-Armenian relations in the 2000s`, 01 June 2013.

14) Turkey in Europe: Breaking the vicious circle¦, Ibid.

15) Yigal Schleifer, `Can Cheese Bridge the Turkey ` Armenia Divide?`.

16) Gerard J. Libaridian, op.cit., p.59.

17) Ã`mit Kurt and Bezen Balamir CoÅ?kun, Op.Cit.

18) Gerard J. Libaridian, op.cit., p. 63.

From: Baghdasarian

Reuters
Jan 7 2014

Remaining Armenians pray for peace at Orthodox Christmas in Damascus

By Reuters Staff
January 7, 2014

Armenian Orthodox Christians gather at their church of St Sarkis in
Old Damascus for Christmas service January 6, 2014, in this handout
photograph released by Syria’s national news agency SANA. A small
congregation of Armenian Orthodox Christians prayed for peace at a
Christmas service in Old Damascus on Monday and reflected on the
hardships of living in an uneasy middle ground in Syria’s increasingly
sectarian conflict. They lamented a low turnout compared to previous
years – many have fled Syria and others were unable to get through a
maze of checkpoints and traffic bottlenecks to reach the church of St.
Sarkis for Armenian Christmas, celebrated on Jan. 6.
REUTERS/SANA/Handout via Reuters

A small congregation of Armenian Orthodox Christians prayed for peace
at a Christmas service in Old Damascus on Monday and reflected on the
hardships of living in an uneasy middle ground in Syria’s increasingly
sectarian conflict.

They lamented a low turnout compared to previous years – many have
fled Syria and others were unable to get through a maze of checkpoints
and traffic bottlenecks to reach the church of St. Sarkis for Armenian
Christmas, celebrated on January 6.

`You used to see this entire church courtyard full, but it’s been
fewer and fewer people every season,’ said one of the community
organisers who, like all those interviewed for this article, asked to
remain anonymous due to sensitivities.

`The trouble is many would have liked to come today but they couldn’t
because of the traffic at checkpoints.’

Syria’s conflict has grown increasingly sectarian since it started as
a peaceful uprising in March 2011 and then evolved into an armed
rebellion against President Bashar al-Assad.

Majority Sunni Muslims dominate the uprising while minorities have for
the most part stuck with the government, which is dominated by members
of Assad’s Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shi’ite Islam.

Syria’s Christians, around 10 percent, occupy an uneasy middle ground.
Some Christians have fled to government-held territory, while others
have stayed with the rebels. Some have joined the insurgency.

From: Baghdasarian

Armenian Government pledges to boost tourism in 2014

18:08 – 07.01.14

The Armenian Government has promised to initiate new tourism
development programs in 2014 and move ahead with the unfinished
projects launched in the previous years.

The new initiatives will be aimed at developing tourism industries in
the villages of Dsegh (Lori region) and Tatev (Syunik) regions, the
governors of the two communities told Tert.am.

It is planned particularly to launch the reconstruction of a monastery
complex in Tatev and give a push to an agricultural market
construction project.

`The sewage channel is incomplete in the village, It is necessary to
restore the drinking water supply; there are many problems, so we’ll
see what we can do,’ Murad Simonyan, the governor of Tatev, told our
correspondent.

He said a 2013 November decision giving the green light to the
agricultural market construction project is an important achievement
for the village. `It wasn’t planned to build it this year, but it was
postponed for some reason. They have promised that it will be built
this spring,’ he said.

Speaking of his community’s 2013 achievements, Norik Kocharyan, the
governor of Dsegh, said the year was remarkable in that the community
authorities managed to launch a playground for children and build
several drinking fountains and public latrines.

`Dsegh [the birthplace of Hovhannes Tumanyan, a renowned Armenian folk
poet and fiction writer – 1869-1923] is considered a village of
tourism, and I hope that the day will come that the tourists visiting
our village will remain content and will notice the difference,’ he
said, addinf that the great writer’s name obliges the community to be
attentive to their native place.

The local authorities are planning to design the village’s street
lighting and organize the waste disposal in a better way this year.
The governor says their key activities will focus on road paving.

`It is planned to mosaic the roadways. Because Dsegh is situated on a
plateau, thick mud gathers during rainfalls, and a villager is unable
to take the cattle to drink water,’ he explained.

Kocharyan further enumerated some of the projects which he said have
to be implemented with the Government’s assistance in the coming
months.

`’We have a pond and are planning to launch vessels for our tourists.
We are doing everything possible,’ he said.

The governor added that the climate in the village was favorable for
getting animal food, adding that the fact alone doesn’t put an end to
the existing problems.

`We have a problem of realizing dairy; the agriculture minister has
promised to offer assistance. It is necessary to solve them by all
means, as cattle-breeding is the basic means of survival in Dsegh,’
said the governor.

Armenian News – Tert.am

From: Baghdasarian

Assemblyman Mike Gatto introduces resolution to recognize Nagorno-Karabakh

January 07, 2014 | 16:33

Assemblyman Mike Gatto joined with people of Armenian descent around
California and the world in calling for the United States to recognize
the Nagorno-KarabakhRepublic as a sovereign state. The resolution,
AJR 32, invokes strong language from theUnited States’ own history
regarding the rights of the people to `self-determination and
democratic independence.’

If Gatto’s resolution passes, it would make California the most
populous governmental entity to call for Nagorno-Karabakh recognition,
or to recognize it outright.

Three organizations that have already expressed support for the
legislation are the Armenian Council of America (ACA), the Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA), and the Unified Young Armenians
(UYA).

Assemblyman Gatto has worked closely with each of these organizations
on legislation he has authored in the past, including a resolution
calling for U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide and on
legislation extending the statute of limitations for victims of the
genocide to file insurance claims. The Assemblyman has also supported
events sponsored by each organization, including their stellar efforts
to raise money for Armenians in need around the world. `The community
is united in support of recognizing Nagorno-Karabakh,’ stated Gatto.

`It has been my privilege on this resolution to work with the leaders
of the local Armenian American community and their outstanding
representatives,’ said Gatto. `I am especially honored to introduce
this legislation on a day when Armenians around the world are
celebrating Christmas with family and loved ones.’

`The introduction of AJR 32 by Assemblyman Gatto is an integral step
towards the recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh as a sovereign state,’
stated Sevak Khatchadorian, Chairman of the Armenian Council of
America. `The Armenian Council of America applauds Assemblyman Gatto
for his courageous and heroic effort toward promoting democracy and
the right to self-determination in the region. This legislation will
not only serve as a triumph for people of Armenian descent, but also
as a victory shared by citizens of the world who value democracy,
freedom and justice.”

Once passed by both houses of the California Legislature, a copy of
AJR 32 will be transmitted to the President of the United States, the
Secretary of the United States Senate, the Clerk of the United States
House of Representatives, and to each member of the California
delegation to the United States Congress.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIE
Le président de l’Union des banques arméniennes se félicite de la
possible arrivée de nouvelles banques russes en Arménie

Le président de l’Union des banques arméniennes, Samvel Chzmachyan,
s’est félicité de l’arrivée possible de nouveaux acteurs russes dans
le secteur bancaire de l’Arménie. S’adressant aux journalistes, il a
déclaré que quelques banques russes ont exploré les chances de deux
actions d’achat de banques locales ou d’ouvrir leurs succursales en
Arménie.

Selon ce dernier l’arrivée de nouvelles banques russes sur le marché
arménien pourrait apporter des ressources supplémentaires et augmenter
également la concurrence.

« Cela profitera aux intérêts de l’Arménie, car une saine concurrence
se traduit généralement par des taux d’intérêt plus bas » a-t-il dit.

Commentant l’impact possible de l’adhésion prévue de l’Arménie à
l’Union douanière au niveau du système bancaire de l’Arménie, il a dit
que ce dernier sera très faible. Il a précisé aussi que l’adhésion de
l’Arménie à l’Union douanière est extrêmement importante et est une
bonne décision.

mardi 7 janvier 2014,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

From: Baghdasarian