Author: Chalian Meline

Time Magazine
Thursday, Oct. 18, 2007

Honesty Is the Best Policy

By Samantha Power

Ninety-two years ago, the "young Turk" regime ordered the executions
of Armenian civic leaders and intellectuals, and Turkish soldiers and
militia forced the Armenian population to march into the desert, where
more than a million died by bayonet or starvation. That horror helped
galvanize Raphael Lemkin, a Polish Jew, to invent the word genocide,
which was defined not as the extermination of an entire group but
rather as a systematic effort to destroy a group. Lemkin wanted the
term–and the international legal convention that grew out of it–to
encompass ethnic cleansing and the murdering of a substantial part of
a group. Otherwise, he feared, the world would wait until an entire
group had been wiped out before taking any action.

But this month in Washington these historical truths–about events
carried out on another continent, in another century–are igniting
controversy among politicians as if the harms were unsubstantiated,
local and recent. At stake, of course, is the question of whether the
U.S. House of Representatives should offend Turkey by passing a
resolution condemning the "Armenian genocide" of 1915.

All actors in the debate are playing the roles they have played for
decades. Turkish General Yasar Buyukanit warned that if the House
proceeds with a vote, "our military ties with the U.S. will never be
the same again." Having recognized the genocide while campaigning for
the White House, President George W. Bush nevertheless followed in the
footsteps of his Oval Office predecessors, bemoaning the euphemistic
"tragic suffering" of Armenians and wheeling out men and women of
diplomatic and military rank to argue that the resolution would harm
the indispensable U.S.-Turkish relationship. In Congress,
Representatives in districts populated by Armenians generally support
the measure, while those well cudgeled or coddled by the President or
Pentagon don’t. Official pressure has led many sponsors of the
resolution to withdraw their support.

One feature of the decades-old script is new: the Turkish threats have
greater credibility today than in the past. Mainly this is because the
U.S. war in Iraq has dramatically increased Turkish leverage over
Washington. Some 70% of U.S. air cargo en route to Iraq passes through
Turkey, as does about one-third of the fuel used by the U.S. military
there. While Turkey may react negatively in the short term,
recognition of the genocide is warranted for four reasons. First, the
House resolution tells the truth, and the U.S. would be the 24th
country to officially acknowledge it. In arguing against the
resolution, Bush hasn’t dared dispute the facts. An Administration
that has shown little regard for the truth is openly urging Congress
to join it in avoiding honesty. It is inconceivable that even back in
the days when the U.S. prized West Germany as a bulwark against the
Soviet Union, Washington would have refrained from condemning the
Holocaust at Germany’s behest.

Second, the passage of time is only going to increase the size of the
thorn in the side of what is indeed a valuable relationship with
Turkey. Many a U.S. official (and even the occasional senior Turkish
official) admits in private to wishing the U.S. had recognized the
genocide years ago. Armenian survivors are passing away, but their
descendants have vowed to continue the struggle. The vehemence of the
Armenian diaspora is increasing, not diminishing. Third, America’s
leverage over Turkey is far greater than Turkey’s over the U.S. The
U.S. brought Turkey into nato, built up its military and backed its
membership in the European Union. Washington granted
most-favored-nation trading status to Turkey, resulting in some $7
billion in annual trade between the two countries and $2 billion in
U.S. investments there. Only Israel and Egypt outrank Turkey as
recipients of U.S. foreign assistance. And fourth, for all the help
Turkey has given the U.S. concerning Iraq, Ankara turned down
Washington’s request to use Turkish bases to launch the Iraq invasion,
and it ignored Washington’s protests by massing 60,000 troops at the
Iraq border this month as a prelude to a widely expected attack in
Iraqi Kurdistan. In other words, while Turkey may invoke the genocide
resolution as grounds for ignoring U.S. wishes, it has a longer
history of snubbing Washington when it wants to.

Back in 1915, when Henry Morgenthau, the U.S. ambassador to Turkey,
protested the atrocities to the Turkish Minister of the Interior, the
Turk was puzzled. "Why are you so interested in the Armenians anyway?"
Mehmed Talaat asked. "We treat the Americans all right." While it is
essential to ensure that Turkey continues to "treat the Americans all
right," a stable, fruitful, 21st century relationship cannot be built
on a lie.

Source: ,9171,1 673273,00.html

United Press International
Oct 20 2007

Analysis: Oil price not only due to Turkey

Published: 19, 2007 at 5:56 PM
By DEREK SANDS
UPI Energy Correspondent

WASHINGTON, Oct. 19 (UPI) — Record high oil prices over the past
week have been attributed to the possible loss of supply from
northern Iraq, but the potential for a change in the regional balance
of power, as well as other events around the world — from Alaska to
Nigeria — have also tightened the markets, according to an expert in
Middle East oil policy.

Oil prices topped $90 a barrel on Friday, a record high that comes as
world headlines reported the Turkish government has authorized its
military to cross the border into northern Iraq to stop terrorist
attacks carried out by a Kurdish separatist group, the Kurdistan
Workers’ Party, or PKK.

`A Turkish incursion that weakens the Kurdish government will not
only stop Iraqi oil exports from the north, but it will also change
the power balance in the Middle East, worsen the relationship between
Turkey and the U.S., and embolden Iran and Syria,’ according to A.F.
Alhajji, a professor of energy economics at Ohio Northern University
and expert on Middle East energy markets.

`It is this change in the balance of power that will change the
outlook for world oil markets and put pressure on prices,’ Alhajji
said.

The United States worsened its relations with Turkey last week when
the U.S. House of Representatives moved forward with a bill that
would officially refer to the killing of 1.5 million Armenians during
World War I as `genocide.’ The possibility of such a bill was
immediately criticized by the White House, but Turkey reacted
swiftly, recalling its ambassador.

Turkey denies there was a genocide, and U.S. President George W. Bush
has been sensitive to Turkish sentiments by referring to it as `mass
killings.’

Whether Turkish military incursions into northern Iraq can be stopped
is still up in the air, but harsh action, or no action, by the United
States and the European Union still has the potential to continue
shifting power toward regional actors Iran and Syria, according to
Alhajji.

The United States and the European Union have many options on the
table, but it’s unclear which ones would be appropriate.

`They can also retaliate by bringing the issue to the U.N. Security
Council, impose economic sanction on Turkey, and eliminate foreign
assistance. In the process, EU officials who oppose the inclusion of
Turkey in the EU will find another reason to prevent Turkey from
joining the EU. As a result, the government of Turkey and the Turkish
people will turn against the West and strengthen their ties with
Middle Eastern countries. In fact, the Turkish government has already
sent a strong massage when it hosted the Syrian president,’ Alhajji
said.

Although some disagree, many analysts say Iran is pursuing a policy
of regional supremacy. The United States, as well as some European
countries, has been very critical of Iran’s civilian nuclear program,
saying that it is a cover for developing atomic weapons.

Syria has long been an ally of Iran, especially when their interests
converge, as in opposition to Israel and the United States.

But politics are not solely to blame for high oil prices. According
to Alhajji, there were at least nine recent events across the globe
that have tightened the oil market as well.

A fire at a BP oil facility in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, caused a slump of
30,000 barrels a day for two weeks in early October. On the other
side of the world, Nigerian oil workers called a strike briefly last
week, causing some concern in oil markets. Also, separate reports
indicated winter oil consumption in the United States, as well as
U.S. economic growth, would be unexpectedly up over the winter.

Supplies may also be down due to a potential royalty increases on oil
sands projects in the Canadian province of Alberta, while demand from
the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve is up and the International
Energy Agency continues to project international demand increases,
according to Alhajji.

Panorama.am

13:47 20/10/2007

A. MELIKYAN: `FREEDOM OF SPEECH REGRESSING IN ARMENIA’

`Freedom of speech is regressing in Armenia year by year,’ Ashot
Melikyan, Yerevan Press Club expert and chairman of `Protection of
freedom of speech’ NGO, said in a conversation with Panorama.am
reporter. In his words, the media, especially the broadcast media, is
under the control of the authorities in power. `Our monitoring
conducted during the parliamentary elections indicated that several
political parties had been deprived of air before the official
campaign kicked off. The broadcasting outlets are imposed to pressure
through illegal measures,’ the expert said. Melikyan assured that the
press is a little freer but it has little print run, and
consecutively, low impact.

The expert mentioned that the activities of several political figures
are not broadcast already. He believes the process has deeper roots in
the region. The regional broadcasters, local self-government bodies
and the republican circles urge to refrain from providing air to the
opposition. `It reminds the communist regime and not processes of a
democratic country,’ he said.

Source: Panorama.am

Anatolia News Agency, Turkey
Oct 18 2007

Turkish Americans’ organizations oppose Armenian genocide resolution

New York: Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA) held a
meeting in New York to counter the resolution regarding the Armenian
allegations on incidents of 1915.

During the meeting, participants discussed the steps to be taken in
order to strengthen the Turkish American community in USA and to
avoid the Armenian resolution’s adoption both at the US House of
Representatives and within the American society.

Delivering a speech at the meeting, Zeynep Kiziltan, Turkey’s deputy
consul-general in New York, said that both the resolution on Armenian
allegations and the PKK [Kurdistan Workers’ Party] terrorism in north
of Iraq had a negative impact on strategical partnership between
Turkey and USA.

Moreover, ATAA Chairperson Nurten Ural said the Turkish American
community should act with solidarity and in an organized way.

On the other hand, Gunay Evinch, who will become ATAA chairperson in
2008, made a detailed presentation regarding the Turkish theses
against Armenian allegations.

Upon a question on whether Turkey should apply to the International
Court of Justice regarding this matter, Evinch said Turkey could win
such case if independent judges handle the issue.

Noting that the resolution on Armenian allegations was inaccurate in
terms of law, moral values, history and national security of USA,
Evinch said a parliament should never act as a judge or jury.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to visit Armenia

armradio.am
19.10.2007 16:36

October 22-23 President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad will arrive in Armenia on an official visit, RA President’s
Press Office informs.

Presidents of Armenia and Iran Robert Kocharyan and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
will have a face-to-face meeting followed by consultations in an
enlarger format. The parties will sign documents on bilateral
cooperation.

The Presidents of Armenia and Iran will give a joint press conference.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will meet with the Speaker of RA Nnational Assembly
Tigran Torosyan and will make a speech at the Armenian Parliament.

The President of Iran will visit the memorial to the Armenian Genocide
victims and the Genocide Museum Institute. In the Yerevan State
University he will meet with students and faculty. Mr. Ahmadinejad will
visit the Blue Mosque and will meet with representatives of the Iranian
community of Armenia.

The delegation headed by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will leave Yerevan on
October 23.

Khaleej Times, United Arab Emirates
Oct 19 2007

No way to treat a friend
BY CHRIS PATTEN

19 October 2007

FOR the third year in a row, Turkey’s annual hurdles on the winding
path of convergence with the EU – a progress report early next month
and the European Council in December – are likely to be bruising.

Doubters will seize on gridlock over Cyprus and a pause in
legislative reform to allege that Turkey is not changing and should
be pushed back outside the EU’s gates. They will point to Ankara’s
response to US efforts to declare the 1915-23 killing of Armenians a
genocide, and the political push for an incursion into northern Iraq
to deal with cross-border terrorist attacks, as evidence that Turkey
is not ready to join the club. So it is worth stepping back and
considering why Europe needs Turkey.

Turkey was critical to Europe in the cold war. For 40 years, it stood
lonely guard on the south-eastern third of Nato’s frontline, paying
the price in military-heavy government and delayed development. There
was little carping about its Muslim identity then, and a cultural
variety that included Turkey was considered a European strength.
After communism’s collapse, Turkey kept contributing to Europe’s
security, giving troops and legitimacy to EU-backed missions in
Afghanistan, Lebanon, the Balkans, and even Congo. If EU-Turkish
relations had not stumbled (for which all sides are responsible), it
would likely be supporting a force for Darfur.

The process of convergence has been strongly in Europe’s interest as
well, especially the golden period between 1999 and 2005:
wide-ranging reforms fashioned a more European political system;
peace and cooperation replaced friction with Greece; annual economic
growth of 7.5 per cent benefited European companies; Turkey’s new
trust in the EU brought a turnaround on Cyprus that nearly solved the
problem; and basic freedoms of religion and expression improved. The
EU won credibility as a fair-minded player in the Muslim world.

But the sum of these many parts is not seen by European publics and
politicians, consumed by doubts about enlargement, immigration and
their own economic security. Election campaigns – notably those of
Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel – featured a demeaning of the
Turkish "other" and proposals that Europe drop its promise of
membership. Conservative EU politicians admit privately that Turkey
is more benefit than threat, but that to say so out loud would be
political suicide.

Fears about instant membership are misplaced. Nobody suggests Turkey
will be ready for a decade or more. Incomes are less than half the EU
average, and EU norms are far from implemented.

Most important for both the EU and Turkey is to relaunch the process
of convergence that has brought so much benefit to both sides.
Turkish voters have shown their faith in this process, returning the
pro-reform AK party to power. It has gone straight back to work,
tackling in an open spirit one of the key problems in Turkey’s
democratisation: the 1982 military-era constitution.

As EU leaders prepare for the annual debate over how much reform
Turkey has done and how much it should do, they should do all they
can to renew Turkey’s trust in the EU. The cost of restoring the
motivational goal of membership is not high, and the reward great.
Turkey is not fundamentally different to Greece, Spain and Portugal,
where EU leaps of faith were essential to a transition from military
authoritarianism to stability and democracy.

Lord Patten, the former European commissioner for external relations,
is chairman of the board of the International Crisis Group
Crisisgroup.org

BUSH RIGHT ON TIBET; PELOSI WRONG ON TURKEY

Wheeling News Register, WV
Oct 19 2007

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has ignited a firestorm with
her push for Congress to approve a resolution condemning the World
War I-era massacre of hundreds of thousands of Armenians in Turkey.

The killings occurred nearly a century ago at a time when Turkey was
not ruled by the comparatively tolerant government it has now.

Pelosi’s move angers Turks, who are key U.S. allies, unnecessarily.

But President Bush now is being criticized because he has questioned
the wisdom of Pelosi’s action – while angering China by praising the
Dalai Lama. His action is hypocritical, claim critics.

No, it is not. Pelosi’s resolution has nothing to do with the present –
other than, again, to anger Turks. But the Dalai Lama is a symbol of
Tibetans’ desire for freedom, which is being denied them right now
by the Chinese government.

That was then, this is now, in other words. Pelosi’s resolution can
accomplish nothing worthwhile – while Bush’s support of the Dalai
Lama may help pressure the Chinese to ease up on repression in Tibet.

Bush’s critics either can’t understand that – or don’t want to do so.

ail/id/501136.html?nav=511

MOD PRESS SECRETARY TO VISIT MOSCOW

armradio.am
18.10.2007 17:20

October 23-25 the Press Secretary of RA Ministry pf Defense, Colonel
Seyran Shahsuvaryan will visit Moscow.

Press Service of the Ministry pf Defense informs that Colonel Seyran
Shahsuvaryan will participate in the meeting of the task force on
issues of information and public relations envisaged by the 2007
cooperation plan of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia
and the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

ABOUT 50 FOREIGN COMPANIES TO PARTICIPATE IN "DIGITECH 2007" EXHIBITION-FORUM

Noyan Tapan
Oct 18 2007

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 18, NOYAN TAPAN. About 50 foreign companies,
state and educational institutions will participate in the third
international exhibition-forum of information and communication
technologies "DigiTech 2007". NT correspondent was informed by Karen
Vardanian, the executive director of the Union of IT Enterprises of
Armenia (UITA) – the event’s organizer that 34 local companies and
universities and 12 foreign ones took part in the forum last year.

According to him, the number of participants in this year’s exhibition
would be greater if as previously, the event were held at K. Demirchian
Sport and Cultural Complex. Digitech 2007 will be held in one of the
halls (10/1 Ayasi Street) of the Hrazdan Fair in Yerevan. According
to the executive director of UITA, this circumstance highlights the
necessity of having a modern center for exhibition-forums in Armenia.

K. Vardanian attached importance to the fact that this year the
exhibition-forum will be held under the aegis of the Armenian prime
minsiter, which bears evidence of the attention that the Armenian
authorities pay to the information and communication sector.

He said that during DigiTech 2007, the forum-meeting "Business
Solutions", a series of seminars "DigiLife", and the forum "Electronic
Government" will be organized. While preparing for the forum-meeting
"Business Solutions", UITA conducted surveys of nearly 2 thousand
Armenian companies in order to find out what information and
communication technologies (ICT) solutions they need. Based on the
responses, meetings with respresentatives of ICT companies proposing
the appropriate solutions will be organized.

During the exhibition, the Armenian government will display electronic
governance sector’s services and programs at a special pavilion. Mika
Armenia Trading company – the main sponsor of the exhibition will
present the experience of using IT by Armavia. K. Vardanian also
underlined the importance of the first participation of IBM company
(without a pavilion) – one of the world’s IT sector leading companies
in DigiTech, which marks the entrance of IBM into the Armenian
market. Until now IBM was operating in the Armenian market through
its representatives.

According to the executive director of UITA, DigiTech 2007 will differ
from the exhibitions held in the previous years in that almost all
participants will present new IT production and services and that
only one company will present computer hardware.

TRAINING COMPENSATION TO BE GIVEN TO PUPILS LEARNING AT NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS’ DEPARTMENTS

Noyan Tapan
Oct 16 2007

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 16, NOYAN TAPAN. At the October 11 sitting, the RA
government made a decision to intend introduction of state order into
national instruments training at Armenian music and art schools. As
Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA government Information and Public
Relations Department, a compensation for training payment at national
instruments’ departments has been established in Yerevan to the amount
of 7018 drams and in RA regions to the amount of 5539 drams.

It was mentioned that the decision will help to make state assistance
in that sphere more concrete, to contribute to increase of the number
of pupils learning at national instruments’ departments, which in
its turn, will promote preservation and development of national music
and national performing art, as well as socially insecure families’
children’s getting a professional education.