Author: Chakrian Hovsep

TSEGHAKRON TEACHING OF NZHDEH CLOSE TO MEMBERS OF UNITY OF GEORGIAN ARMENIANS, ORGANIZATION’S CO-CHAIRMAN SAYS

Noyan Tapan
Mar 15 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 15, NOYAN TAPAN. The Unity of Georgian Armenians NGO
will support the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) at the forthcoming
parliamentary elections for several basic reasons. Tachat Vardapetian,
NGO’s Co-chairman, stated this at the March 15 press conference. The
first reason, in his words, is close cooperation with RPA from the
very first day of foundation of the organization and the circumstance
that RPA assisted with implementation of programs of school building
and restoration of cultural centers in Javakhk.

Besides, as T. Vardapetian mentioned, "the Tseghakron teaching of
Nzhdeh is close to the members of Unity of Georgian Armenians."

To recap, T. Vardapetian, member of Unity of Georgian Armenians Hayk
Sanosian and editor of Dzayn Virahayots newspaper Hakob Srapian are
included in RPA’s proportional list.

T. Vardapetian said that in case of appearing in National Assembly they
will consistently raise problems Georgian Armenians are anxious about
and will pursue their discussion at the level of Armenian-Georgian
interstate relations.

In response to the question, why instead of joining the Javakhk
Compatriotic Union and Hzor Hayrenik Party engaged in problems of
Armenians of Javakhk they support RPA, H. Sanosian said that uniting
with Javakhk is not excluded in the future.

TURKISH MFA DENIES STORIES ON YEREVAN – VAN DIRECT FLIGHTS

Turkish Press, MI
March 14 2007

ANKARA – Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) denied today the
news stories that directs flights would be allowed from Armenia to
eastern Turkish city of Van for the inaugural ceremony of the Akdamar
Armenian Church.

Technical preparations are underway, said MFA spokesman Levent Bilman
when commenting on the inauguration of the church.

On the other hand, the Armenian Church on Akdamar Island on Van Lake
will be opened on March 29th.

Akdamar Church was constructed by architect bishop Manuel between
915 and 921 A.D. under the supervision of King Gagik I.

Among the important pieces of Armenian architecture, the church draws
attraction with its stone workmanship and reliefs on its walls.

Turkish company Kartalkaya started renovation of the church in 2006.

Van Governor Niyazi Tanilir earlier said that an international
inauguration ceremony would be held.

"Culture ministers of several countries, members of national and
international media organizations, representatives of Armenian
community around the world, the head of Turkish Religious Affairs DG,
and head of several religious communities are expected to participate
in the ceremony," he added.

PRESIDENT KOCHARYAN HAD A FAREWELL MEETING WITH IMF CHIEF OF MISSION

ArmRadio.am
13.03.2007 14:45

President Robert Kocharyan today had a farewell meeting with Chief of
Mission of the International Monetary Fund in Armenia Hasan Al-Atrash.

The parties highly assessed the current level of cooperation, noting
that it proceeds in a normal and effective course.

The interlocutors dwelt on the programs already accomplished and to
be accomplished in future. In particular, reference was made to the
tax-custom reforms, development of the securities market, progress
of the banking and insurance systems.

CAR OF "UNITED JAVAKHK" CHAIRMANSHIP MEMBER KHACHIK SAHARIAN BLOWN UP: LATTER IS TAKEN TO HOSPITAL

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Mar 13 2007

YEKATERINBURG, MARCH 13, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Lexus
car of Khachik Saharian, a member of the United Javakhk democratic
alliance chairmanship, businessman, was blown up in the city of
Yekaterinburg, Russia. Saharian was taken to one of the local
hospitals with different bodily injuries. As Javakhk-Info agency
states, Kh. Saharian was born in the village of Kumurdo, the region of
Akhalkalak, Samtskhe-Javakhk. It is not clear yet if the encroachment
was connected with his political or business activity. According to
the information of the "Bagin" information center, Khachik Saharian’s
relations were not "good-neighborly" with the heads of the "Virahayeri
Miasnutiun" (Unity of Georgian Armenians) organization settled in
Yerevan and the "Hzor Hayrenik" (Powerful Fatherland) party.

WE SHOULD NOT LOSE TURKEY

Sabah, Turkey
March 12 2007

A democrat member of the US House of Representatives, Wexler, said:
"The Armenian bill will not pass."

Robert Wexler, the co-chairman of the Turkish group of the Congress,
said: "The logistic support to the US soldiers in Iraq is carried
out via Turkey. We need Turkey’s support more than we did in the past
and we should not lose Turkey."

"We should not lose Turkey"

The democrat member of the US House of Representatives, Robert Wexler,
said: "we should not lose such a significant ally as Turkey".

He added: "as the USA, we did not even take the first step for keeping
our promises to Turkey".

As the debates on the Armenian genocide bill submitted to the US
House of Representatives go on, Robert Wexler, the co-chairman of the
Turkish group of the Congress, stated that the USA should not lose such
a significant ally as Turkey. He added: "as the USA, we did not even
take the first step for keeping our promises to Turkey." Robert Wexler,
who defines himself as an ally and fan of Turkey, stated that he does
not believe that the Armenian bill will be accepted in the US Congress.

Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
March 9 2007

Turkish PM Erdogan: World jealous of Azerbaijan and Turkey’s sharing
grief and joy

Friday , 09 March 2007

Turkish Prime Minister Recap Tayyip Erdogan interviewed by Azeri news
source APA:

– How do you evaluate the relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan?
What about the reality of the ‘one nation, two countries?’

Relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey are growing in all spheres on
the basis of deep-rooted and culture-pushed brotherhood. One of the
architects of these relations, the great leader Heydar Aliyev said
Azerbaijan and Turkey are one nation in two independent states. This
slogan came true. The world feels jealous of Azerbaijan and Turkey’s
sharing both the grief and the happiness.

The two countries are enjoying high-level political, economic,
military, cultural, commercial and other relations. The mutual
confidence and joint activities strengthened and consolidated our
relations and we created a healthy foundation for this cooperation.
We observe that Azerbaijan’s energy wealth, fast developing economy,
effective reforms in democracy and human rights elevate it to its
deserved summit. Implementation of Baku-Tbilissi-Ceyhan and
Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum projects shoulder-to-shoulder with Brother
Azerbaijan and Neighbor Georgia will be followed by execution of
Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad project. Azerbaijan is very determined
towards this issue.

Turkey have to date favored Azerbaijani people in sad and happy days
and will do its utmost afterwards.

– Armenia continues to occupy 20% of Azerbaijan’s territory.
Stipulating that Armenia should withdraw from Azerbaijan’s lands and
some one million of displaced Azeri people should return to their
native land, Turkey said it would have relations with Armenia after
that. Armenia’s giving up baseless ‘genocide’ and territory claim is
one of the stipulations Turkey made. If Armenia gives up the false
claims, can Turkey close eyes to occupation of Azerbaijan’s lands and
Karabakh conflict?

You know what stance Turkey has taken on Armenia’s aggression against
Nagorno Karabakh and 7 neighboring regions. Within its potential,
Turkey is giving all possible support for Azerbaijan in its fair
fight. Turkey supports termination of the occupation violating the
international laws. We will not leave Azerbaijan alone.

If Armenia gives up its current policy and takes a friendly stance,
it will take a significant step toward the normalization of the
relation. It seems to me, this move will lead to the settlement of
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and improve relations between
Azerbaijan and Armenia.

– There are cool relations between Turkey and the European Union?

Is it possible that the attempt to develop all-round relations with
the Turk republics becomes the priority? In this case, how real is it
to create Turk Common Market?

First of all, I would say the relations between Turkey and the
European Union are not alternative or rival to the ties between
Turkey and other Turkic states.

We enjoy historical, ethnic and cultural relations with Turkic
states, and Asian geography has always been one of the priorities in
Turkey’s foreign policy. Turkey was the first to recognize the
independence of Azerbaijan and Turkic states in Central Asia and has
done its best to backed strengthening of their independence,
sovereignty, territorial integrity, political-economic integration
into the international arena, as well as their political, economic
and military infrastructure.

Summit of Heads of Turkish speaking countries is the platform
bringing together the Turkish countries. The last summit held on
November 17, 2006 in Antalya was the indicator of the importance
Turkish speaking countries attach to the solidarity ad mutual
understanding.

Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipelines and
Baku-Tbilisi-Kars-Akhalkalaki railway project are building up
strategic bridge between Central Asia’s Turk Republics, Azerbaijan
and Turkey.

These countries that celebrate the 15th anniversary of their
independence have become the members of international community and
took their merit places in the world. Our cooperation covered all the
levels of our societies within these 15 years. I have no doubt that
all sides show political will to develop the relations on the basis
of respect, equality and common advantage.
APA

French mediator pleased with talks in Armenia, Azerbaijan

Turan news agency, Baku,
9 Mar 07

An OSCE Karabakh mediator has said that his regional visit is aimed at
organizing the Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers’ forthcoming
meeting in Geneva, Turan reported on 9 March.

In a news conference held in Baku on 8 March, OSCE Minsk Group’s French
co-chairman Bernard Fassier said that the co-chairs organized his visit
to ensure that Azerbaijan and Armenia want to continue peace process,
organize the Geneva meeting between the two foreign ministers and
conduct "constructive discussions and reach positive results".

Turan quoted Fassier as denying assumptions that his visits are
connected with the appearance of some new elements in the negotiating
process.

Fassier described his talks in Yerevan and Baku as "productive and
constructive". According to Fassier, the two presidents still cannot
meet directly because of the forthcoming parliamentary election in
Armenia.

Fassier visited Armenia on 7 March. He arrived in Azerbaijan on 8 March
and informed Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev about the results of
the meeting with Armenian President Robert Kocharyan. Fassier will go
back to Yerevan on 12 March to inform Kocharyan about the results of
his meeting with Aliyev, Turan reported.

NYU Washington Square News, NY
March 8 2007

A criminal act exposes Turkish genocide
Christina Clare
Issue date: 3/8/07 Section: Features

In 2006, Turkish author Elif Shafak was accused of and tried for
violating Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code, which makes it a
crime to engage in "public denigration of Turkishness." One of the
gravest ways to do this is to acknowledge and identify the Armenian
genocide that took place under Ottoman rule between 1915 and 1917.
Shafak does this artfully in her recent novel, "The Bastard of
Istanbul," in which she explores the interaction of two families, one
Turkish and the other Armenian, joined together by marriage.

The characters’ use of the word "genocide" is what landed Shafak in
court. According to the Turkish government, the mass deportation and
killing of an estimated 1.5 million Turkish Armenians was a
consequence of World War I, rather than the result of a concentrated
effort by those in power to eliminate a whole population. Despite the
censure of the denial of this event by the international community,
the Turkish government still adheres to this position and persecutes
those within its country who contradict them.

The "Bastard of Istanbul" is Shafak’s vehicle to draw the world’s
attention to the Armenian genocide so vigorously denied by her
country.

Shafak has a sharp and colorful knack for description. There is a
character with "the most blatantly aquiline nose, of which there were
only two others in world history – Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror’s and
Auntie Zeliha’s." Then there is the Dipsomatic Cartoonist, a
painfully jaded man in a lackluster marriage, experiencing so much
emotional turmoil that "even his wife" could sympathize. And then
there is Rose, an American who, while dealing with her divorce from
an Armenian man, meets the Turkish Mustafa and pursues him simply to
spite her staunchly anti-Turk in-laws.

Rose’s daughter, Armanoush, grows up in Arizona with her mother and
Turkish stepfather. She frequently visits her biological father in
San Francisco, where his psychologically scarred family educates her
about her Armenian heritage and the genocide her people suffered at
the hands of the Turks. Armanoush is very affected by what she is
told, so at age 21, unbeknownst to her family, she travels to Turkey
to try to understand her Turkish-Armenian identities. She meets and
stays with her stepfather’s family, the Kazancis.

The story centers around the women of the multigenerational Kazanci
family in Istanbul. This Turkish family represents the old and the
new of the country’s politics.

There is the clairvoyant Auntie Banu, who wears a headscarf that her
mother and sisters find offensive because it speaks of the past
suppression of women, abolished decades earlier by Ataturk. In stark
contrast is her sister, Zeliha, a provocatively dressed, rebellious
tattoo artist, who swears habitually and gives birth to the "the
bastard of Istanbul" at age 19. The mentally ill Aunt Ferida is
described as changing her hair color so much, "at each stage of her
journey to insanity," that her doctors even kept a hair chart "to
follow the changes in her psychology." Cevriye is "a humorless
history teacher with a Spartan sense of discipline and self-control"
who "crusaded against impulsiveness, disruption and spontaneity at
home."

These women form the crucible within which the action in Istanbul
occurs.

The Turkey that Armanoush finds in her search for identity is
described by the Dipsomaniac Cartoonist at a weekly meeting with his
cynical intellectual friends at the Kundera café¼This man, undergoing
prosecution by the government for the content of his work, laments
the sociopolitical climate of Turkey.

"We are stuck between the East and the West," he says. "On the one
hand, there are the secular modernists, so proud of the regime they
constructed, you cannot breathe a critical word. They’ve got the army
and half the state on their side. On the other hand there are the
conventional traditionalists, so infatuated with the Ottoman past,
you cannot breathe a critical word. They’ve got the general public
and the remaining half of the state on their side. What is left for
us?"

The title character, 19-year-old Asya, notes, "My family is a bunch
of clean freaks. … They always talk about the past, but it is a
cleansed version of the past. … Every day we swallow yet another
capsule of mendacity." These kinds of politically charged statements
prompted the Turkish government to prosecute Shafak.

Asya family, as a microcosm of Turkey, exemplifies the country’s
stance on the Armenian genocide. Through her travels, Armanoush
pushes her Turkish stepfamily to address what her country really did
to her people, in this highly enjoyable, elucidative novel.

/paper869/news/2007/03/08/Features/A.Criminal.Act. Exposes.Turkish.Genocide-2764391.shtml

Reporters without borders (press release), France
March 8 2007

Police negligence and nationalist tensions at centre of probe in
Hrant Dink’s murder

The Turkish government and authorities must do everything possible to
shed light on the 19 January murder of Hrant Dink, the editor of the
Turkish-Armenian newspaper Agos, and bring all those responsible to
trial, Reporters Without Borders reiterated today following the
emergence of new evidence of police negligence in the case.

`This murder must not remain unpunished,’ the press freedom
organisation said. `Justice must be done. We continue to be concerned
about the constant threats to Agos. We hope the proposal to amend
article 301 on Turkish identity will be carried out as soon as
possible and that there will be serious political debate about the
question of press freedom.’

The daily newspaper Milliyet published an article on 27 February
about the negligence of the Istanbul police as regards Dink’s
protection. It included a list of sites for protection which the
Istanbul security directorate drew up after the French parliament
passed a law last year making denial of the Armenian genocide a
crime. Although Agos was 12th on the list, the police had felt there
was no need to protect Dink. The day after his murder, the prefect of
the Istanbul police even said at a news conference that he had not
requested police protection.

Dink’s wife Rakel, his daughters Sera and Delal and his son Arat went
to testify at the Istanbul prosecutor’s office on 13 February. One of
the family’s lawyers, Bahri Beln, said they filed a complaint against
those who did not take the necessary measures to protect him.

A total of 28 people have been detained in several cities of Turkey
since Dink’s murder and eight of them have been placed in custody,
but there are still many murky aspects to the case. Yasil Hayal, the
murder’s alleged instigator, retracted his statement after learning
that Erhan Tuncel, an ultra-nationalist and student at the Karadeniz
(Black Sea) University, was a police informer.

During his second interrogation in Kandira prison in the city of
Kocaeli, Hayal told a prosecutor that the aim of his first statement
was to protect Tuncel, who was, he said, the `real instigator.’
Tuncel had informed the police several times a year ago of a plan to
murder Dink.

As the investigation continues, Agos continues to be the target of
threats. Ten people were arrested in Kayseri, in the centre of the
country, on 12 February for sending email messages threatening the
newspaper. Computer material was seized but the suspects were
released.

The debate about article 301 continues to grow in the run-up to
parliamentary elections in November and the presidential election in
May. After a meeting of senior representatives of the ruling Justice
and Development Party (AKP), its deputy president, Faruk Celik, said:
`We want this matter finished with once and for all. But the article
will not be abolished. It will be amended or maintained as it is.’

At Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s request to `get article 301
out of the news,’ members of his government and party met on 19
February to discuss a possible amendment, but failed to come up with
any concrete proposal. Foreign minister Abdullah Gül has come out in
favour of amending article 301, which, if left as it is, could
threaten Turkey’s hopes of joining the European Union. But the nature
of the possible amendment is still not known. Various proposals by
human rights groups that are part of the Common Platform on Human
Rights (IHOP) and by the Association of Turkish Journalists (TGC)
have not been accepted. The TGC has said it favours replacing the
expression `Turkish identity’ in the article by `Turkish people’ with
the aim of shifting its applicability to matters taking place on
Turkish soil.

The shock of Dink’s murder continues to shake Turkish society while
the gulf between ultra-nationalists and pro-Armenians deepens.

Shortly after a mass in Dink’s honour at the Armenian church of St
Mary of Kumkapi, on the European side of Istanbul, on 3 March, two
youths fired shots in the air to scare the people who had gathered in
the adjoining gardens. Identified thanks to security cameras at the
entrance to the church, Volkan Karaova and Yilmaz Murat Ozalp were
arrested in possession of a revolver and blanks by Istanbul
anti-terrorist police.

The Turkish press has reported that the Istanbul prosecutor’s office
ordered that they be held for an additional two days for further
questioning. The police took Karaova into custody three months ago
after he fired at a Greek church in Istanbul’s Eminonu district

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AS GENOCIDE ANNIVERSARY APPROACHES, ARMENIAN GROUP PREPARES EXHIBIT
By Bev Wax/Correspondent

Dover-Sherborn Press, MA
March 7 2007

SHERBORN – Massachusetts is recognized in having one of the largest
Armenian-American populations in the country. In Sherborn, there are
just a few. But last Thursday, March 1, this small group gathered to
plan a monthlong exhibit at the town library focusing on the culture
and religion of their ancestors.

The informal "committee" will also strive to remind and educate local
residents about "The Armenian Genocide" that occurred in the early
1900s. The tragic event will officially be commemorated in late April.

That evening, approximately a dozen adults, many bringing along their
young children, met at the home of Nicole and Will Whittesley. While
his in-laws are of Armenian descent, Whittesley volunteered to run
the meeting while his wife was busy hosting and looking after their
own little ones.

Her parents, John and Barbara Berberian of Shrewsbury, were
there to support the group’s effort and, of course, babysit their
grandchildren. Both agreed on the importance of teaching history
through sharing family stories. Mrs. Berberian described how her
husband’s parents "miraculously found each other" in Watertown,
realizing they were raised in the same Armenian village. She said,
"They came to this country, were hard-working and extremely
appreciative that doors were opened to them."

More than 1.5 million Armenians died during the genocide which took
place between in Turkey between 1915 through 1918 and then again from
1920 to1923 when the country was under the control of the Ottoman
Empire. Several governments, including those of Turkey and the United
States, do not officially recognize the genocide.

Reportedly, eyewitness accounts have documented numerous acts of
state-sponsored massacres, adding further weight to the genocide
argument. Many Armenians were forced out into the surrounding dessert
in traveling to the Syrian town of Deir ez-Zor.

Lucy Almasian, Sherborn’s town clerk for numerous years, said,
"Many died in these death marches … but our parents never talked
about these massaces."

At the gathering, a coffee table was overflowing with her collection
of Armenian artifacts and books. One of these was a small "oud," a
pear-shaped stringed instument known to be played in Middle Eastern
music. Almasian brightened when she spoke of her relative, Will:
"He was the best oud player, truly one of the best."

The fact that the Turkish government ordered the evacuation of ethnic
Armenians at this time is not disputed. The claim of ethinic cleansing
is still debated. Those labeling the action as genocide claim the
Ottoman government provided no care for the Armenians during this
deportation and likened it to the Holocaust. The Republic of Turkey
said the Armenian deaths were a result of the turmoil, disease and
strife of World War I.

The issue is controversial and emotional. Most attending that night
recalled heartbreaking stories of a family member’s survival.

Attorney Anthony Barsamian mentioned he had met Hirant Dink, editor
of the bilingual Armenian/Turkish Agos newspaper, while attending an
international law conference last September. Dink was shot outside
his office on Jan. 19 of this year. Well known for speaking about
the Armenian genocide, Dink’s murder sparked worldwide protests.

Here in Massachusetts, the Assembly of Turkish Associations,
a lobbying group which works closely with the Turkish government
fighting against the recognition of the genocide, has filed a lawsuit
with the state. It is based on the argument that removal of genocide
denial sources violates First Amendment rights to free speech.

The ATAA calls for the inclusion of its Web site and others in a list
of educational sources that is provided as part of a teacher’s guide
of genocide education provided by the state. The Armenian National
Committee for the Eastern Region is confident its efforts will prevail
to counteract the ATAA’s effort to reinsert genocide denial materials
into the state’s human rights curriculum guide. Barsamian explained
there is a motion to dismiss currently being considered by Judge Mark
Wolf. However, this may take months, and all parties are patiently
waiting to hear the decision.

During its brief meeting, the informal "committee" decided the library
exhibit must include information on the genocide. Three original
letters from genocide survivors are planned to be on display. But the
group also intends to focus on the country’s rich, cultural heritage.

As one of the oldest and most historic civilizations in the world,
Armenia was the first nation to adopt Christianity as its official
religion. Although it is constitutionally a secular state, the roots
of the Armenian church go back to the first century. The exhibit
includes a miniature wooden "Khachkar," a state cross that often is
used at gravesites and commemorate events. They can range in height
from 2 to 11 feet.

Always keeping the children in mind, the exhibit includes a first and
second book of Armenian words. The alphabet consists of 38 letters
dating from 405 A.D. A wide collection of books about Armenia surrounds
the display case located near the first-floor entrance.

As part of the commemoration in April, Nancy Barsamian is also
hoping to air the independent documentary "Beautiful Armenians" by
Tamar Salibian on Sherborn’s community access channel. In "Beautiful
Armenians," Salibian reflects on the interrelation of culture, family
and memory. Part travelogue, part family chronicle, part meditation,
"Beautiful Armenians" starts in the United States and eventually
moves to the Middle East.