Author: Garnik Tadevosian

NATO cancels exercises in Baku
AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Sept 16 2004
NATO Supreme Command has decided to cancel the long-planned exercise
in Baku hours before it was due to start on Tuesday after Azerbaijan’s
authorities refused to allow officers from Armenia to participate. The
alliance spokesman in Brussels said in a written
statement that the exercises were called off due to the non-observance
to the principle of “inclusiveness” for all allies and partners,
under which all NATO exercises are conducted. The announcement
came after a wave of protests over the weekend in Baku against the
Armenian officers’ intended participation in the two-week exercises,
entitled Cooperative Best Effort. President Ilham Aliyev said last
week he opposed the Armenian officers’ visit and was taking necessary
measures to prevent it.
“There is hardly anyone in Azerbaijan who would accept Armenian
officers’ visiting the country. I therefore object to their arrival in
Azerbaijan. Armenia has occupied our land and violated Azerbaijan’s
territorial integrity. Only after this aggression ends can our
relations become normal and conditions be created for journalists
and public figures to meet. Until the conflict is settled, any
communication is out of the question.” The United States has
criticized Azerbaijan for excluding Armenia from participation in
the exercises. The State Department said it supports NATO’s decision
to cancel the exercises and that it “deeply regrets” Azerbaijan’s
refusal not to issue visas for Armenian participants.
Public outcry
For the first time in many years, the Azerbaijani people share
unity of views. Regardless of party affiliation, positions or views,
the public has voiced a joint protest against the Armenian officers’
planned arrival. Garabagh Liberation Organization members, hundreds of
non-government organizations (NGOs), war veterans, and refugees held
numerous protest actions in Baku. Influential news media, including
independent ANS TV, expressed their protests by suspending broadcasts
for several hours. Over 10 newspapers voiced their indignation with
the Armenian officers’ planned visit by publishing their front pages
blank. Parliament members also expressed their protests with the
Armenian officers’ planned visit. Several MPs refused to attend a
parliament session last week in this connection. Defense Minister
Safar Abiyev said he strongly objects to Armenians’ intended arrival,
since there are no relations between the two countries. “Armenia
does not recognize Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and would not
give up its territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan and
Armenia have no diplomatic relations, therefore, participation of
Armenian military men in the exercises in Baku is inappropriate.” He
also mentioned that Azerbaijan refused to attend NATO exercises held
in Armenia last year. Caucasus clerical leader Sheikh Allahshukur
Pashazada also said that he opposes the Armenian officers’ visit. “I
do not support their arrival”, he said. With regard to the protest
actions conducted by the Azerbaijani public, Pashazada said that
“every citizen has rights and is entitled to using them”.
Opinion
Former Foreign Minister, political analyst Tofig Zulfugarov said such
a biased decision was made by NATO disregarding the real situation
in the region. He said that although this step was undesirable for
Azerbaijan, it gave some food for thought to those making decisions on
holding international events in Azerbaijan. “Azerbaijan is a victim
of aggression, and ignoring this is a mistake by the forces trying
to cover up the occupation of Azerbaijan’s land and the presence of
hundreds of thousands of refugees. I believe that NATO Secretary
General’s decision was erroneous.” Zulfugarov went on to say that
Azerbaijan’s refusal to allow Armenian officers to enter the country
is explained by the current situation in the region. The reaction of
the Azerbaijani public to a possible presence of Armenian citizens in
the country was natural, he said. “However, I believe this situation
will yield certain positive results to Azerbaijan, which has shown
a firm stance on the issue. This position should be considered by
NATO and other international entities in the future.” Nonetheless,
the political analyst did not rule out a future decline in relations
between Azerbaijan and NATO, in particular, the United States.
Concern
The Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Tuesday expressing its
concern with the cancellation of NATO’s “Cooperative Best Effort-2004”
exercises. Azerbaijan regards the exercises as an important step in
its integration into the Euro-Atlantic community and had created all
the suitable conditions to hold the exercises in Baku, the statement
says. The document also outlines the reasons for the Azeri public’s
protest against the planned visit by Armenian military men to Baku. “As
a result of Armenia’s aggression, 20% of Azerbaijan’s territory
was occupied and more than one million people became refugees and
internally displaced persons. The government of Armenia is taking
a non-constructive position in peace talks, therefore, the Armenian
officers’ participation in the exercises in Baku is impossible,” the
statement says. The statement also expressed Azerbaijan’s adherence
to Euro-Atlantic values and principles, its commitment to cooperation
with the North Atlantic Alliance, and a hope for further development
of long-term and fruitful partnership.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Le Monde, France
04 août 2004
« Une catastrophe pour les rapports entre Occident et Orient » ;
IRAK Joseph Yacoub, professeur de science politique à l’Université
catholique de Lyon
Propos recueillis par Henri Tincq
LIVRE
TITRE: Menaces sur les chrétiens d’Irak
AUTEUR: Joseph Yacoub
Vous avez publié en mars 2003 Menaces sur les chrétiens d’Irak
(édition CLD-Témoignage chrétien). Quelle est pour vous la
signification des attentats qui ont pris pour cible la communauté
chrétienne de ce pays ?
C’est la première fois que des lieux de culte, représentant
l’ensemble des Eglises – chaldéenne, syriaque, arménienne,
nestorienne, etc. -, sont touchés et au même moment. Et ce dans les
trois villes les plus symboliques de l’Irak chrétien : Bagdad, lieu
de concentration de tous les patriarcats, Mossoul et Kirkouk, qui
sont parmi les plus vieilles villes chrétiennes du monde.
Des attaques aussi bien organisées et concertées ont une fonction
idéologique précise : réduire l’influence chrétienne, fût-elle
limitée, dans les instances de gouvernement et de préparation des
élections, briser le renouveau liturgique, culturel, intellectuel des
Eglises. Je ne citerai que l’exemple de la revue Al-fiqr Al-Masihi
(La Pensée chrétienne), qui compte déjà 10 000 acheteurs, dont un
quart de musulmans !
A qui attribuez-vous la responsabilité de telles attaques ?
J’exclus que les auteurs viennent des mouvements nationalistes
irakiens. Ils ne peuvent être issus que des rangs de musulmans
fanatiques, pour qui il ne doit plus y avoir de chrétiens sur cette
terre et qui veulent accroître l’amalgame entre chrétiens d’Irak et
chrétiens d’Occident, au premier rang desquels les Américains.
Il s’agit de faire monter les tensions entre les différentes
communautés, de dresser les musulmans contre les chrétiens,
d’éliminer l’influence chrétienne sur l’échiquier politique, dans le
paysage social et culturel irakien, de les pousser encore un peu plus
à l’exode.
Quelle est l’ampleur de cet exode chrétien ?
Sous Saddam Hussein, on a exagéré le poids des chrétiens. Le
dictateur les tolérait, mais guère plus que les autres confessions.
Leur activité était limitée à un cadre strictement religieux et
contrôlée par le régime baas. Dès qu’ils dépassaient ce cadre, les
chrétiens étaient persécutés. 350 000 ont quitté l’Irak depuis 1961,
c’est-à-dire depuis la révolte kurde. Ils ont commencé à émigrer du
Nord vers les villes, puis sont descendus encore un peu plus à
Bagdad, pour prendre ensuite le chemin de l’exil. Ils étaient un
million en 1961. Ils vivent aujourd’hui à Detroit (70 000), à
Chicago, etc. L’émigration s’est faite plus massive encore à partir
de l’embargo du début des années 1990, qui a fait fuir 250 000
chrétiens. Ce mouvement s’est ralenti depuis la chute de Saddam
Hussein, mais l’exode a repris depuis mars en raison du chaos.
Cet exode est grave. Le chrétien d’Irak revendique ses racines dans
l’Assyrie et la Babylone anciennes. L’Irak est sa terre. Ce n’est pas
un étranger ni un converti des missions jésuites ou protestantes. Il
est chrétien depuis deux mille ans, c’est-à-dire depuis
l’évangélisation par l’apôtre Thomas de la Mésopotamie. Les premières
églises dans le Nord à Mossoul datent du IIe siècle.
Cette chrétienté est fière. Sa présence est bien antérieure à celle
de l’islam. Elle a toujours participé à la vie politique et
culturelle du pays, traduit la littérature grecque, servi de pont
entre l’Orient et l’Occident. Ce sont les chrétiens qui traduisaient
en Irak les oeuvres de l’Occident et ce sont eux qui faisaient
connaître en Occident la richesse de la littérature arabe, chrétienne
ou musulmane. Oui, ces derniers attentats sont une catastrophe pour
les rapports entre Occident et Orient, entre islam et christianisme.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
July 26, 2004, Monday
ARMENIAN MILITARY VIOLATED THE CEASEFIRE AGREEMENT AT THE
ARMENIAN-AZERBAIJANI BORDER
The press service of the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry announced that
last Thursday.
Reportedly, the incident occurred late at Wednesday night. Within an
hour – from 10.35 p.m. to 11.40 p.m. local time – the positions of
the Azerbaijani troops in Gyzylgadzhily came under fire of Armenian
military units from the Berkaber settlement. The fire on the side of
Armenia was suppressed by the response fire of Azerbaijani troops. No
kills are available among Azerbaijani military, says a report by the
Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan.
The Kazakhsky district of Azerbaijan is situated 450 kilometers to
the west from Baku and has common border with Armenia and Georgia.
Source: RIA Novosti, July 22, 2004, 16:39
Translated by Andrei Ryabochkin
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

WCU student recognized for genocide thesis
PAMELA BATZEL , Staff Writer
Daily Local News
07/15/2004

Standing in front of a barracks at a former death camp in Poland, with
a survivor in front of him recalling the horrors he experienced and
witnessed, a question hit Jonathan Coull.
Coull, a West Chester University student, wanted to know: “Where did
the Nazis get their ideas?”
The question gnawed at him.
After that two-week trip to Poland and the Czech Republic in the
summer of 2002, he stayed in Europe to backpack but found himself
interviewing residents and researching in museums, hoping to learn who
taught the Germans how to kill millions.
After he returned to West Chester, Coull abandoned plans to teach high
school history and enrolled in the university’s Holocaust and genocide
studies master ‘s of arts program and doggedly pursued an answer to
his question.
After two years of research, which included interviews with a local
survivor of genocide and research of primary documents, Coull had a
thesis that argued Germany had practice in the science of genocide
that preceded Adolf Hitler and World War II.
His efforts were recently recognized by the Pennsylvania Association
for Graduate Schools. He won “Distinguished Thesis Award” this spring
from the association representing 45 colleges and universities from
across the state. Coull was also one of the runner-ups for the
association’s outstanding graduate student of the year.
Brenda Sanders Dede, co-chairwoman of the committee that selected the
winner, said that Coull’s topic was unique and timely and his
recommendations from West Chester professors and project directors
excellent.
William Hewitt, a professor of history at West Chester who helped
advise Coull, said the work was “above and beyond the expectations of
the (Holocaust and genocide) program,” which was created five years
ago.
A master’s level thesis is typically about 100 pages. Coullâ=80=99s
touches 300. And his scholarship, which was strong, calls attention
to what is little known, Hewitt said.
Coull’s paper argues that the German government nearly exterminated
the Herero, a tribe in the African nation of Namibia that Germany
colonized. The Germans used that experience to help the Turks kill
between 1.5 and 2 million-plus Turkish Armenians in 1915, he argued.
By the time Hitler came to power, genocide had been institutionalized,
said Coull, who is 33.
“When you’re going to kill 6 million Jews in a residential complex,it
takes a lot of know-how,” Coull said. “If you practice killing groups
of people that are pariah — supposedly inferior groups — over a
period of 40 years, you’re going to get better at it.”
Coull’s work shows that genocide “doesn’t happen in a vacuum, there’s
a lineage to these horrors. They’re connected,” Hewitt said. “That
connection hadn’ t been made by many people.”
Coull acknowledged that some scholars do not agree that the Germans
played a central or leadership role in the Armenian genocide, but he
maintains that they did. “The documents I found support direct
involvement, they were involved in the killing. I found an
eyewitness.” His eyewitness, Charles Mahjoubian, lives in Paoli.
The Turkish government does not acknowledge the genocide, nor does the
United States, he said.
Coull said it is important to acknowledge and understand the
connection and progression of genocide.
In Germany, he said, “The whole government was created around the idea
that foreign policy is conducted by committing genocide.”
In each instance, the country justified the killings by arguing racial
superiority, Coull said, adding that the effort to wipe people out was
partof government plans to access resources and land.
In Turkey, for instance, several nations, including the United States,
were angling for access to mineral and railway rights as they saw the
Ottoman Empire crumbling, Coull said. Germany saw it could get closer
to the Turks by offering to help them kill the Christian Armenians.
“A lot of so-called inferior groups have been caught in between power
brokers in the world for a long time,” he said.
The Carter administration backed the Khmer Rouge after the Vietnam War
because the Khmer Rouge opposed the Vietnam War, Coull said. The Khmer
Rouge, who were Communists, is reported to have killed nearly 1.9
million people.
In 1989, Coull said, the United States backed Saddam Hussein who,
recent reports indicate, then killed between 600,000 and 1 million
Kurds. The Kurds were fighting for autonomy.
“It’s a real problem. It keeps happening over and over again. People
don’t even know it,” said Coull. “We live in an age of genocide. It’s
happening right now. It’s wrong.”
Coull, who hopes to enroll in a doctoral program in the fall of 2005,
said he wants to conduct research in Sudan.
A recent report from Reuters said as many as 30,000 black Darfur
Africans may have been killed by the Janjaweed, the Darfu militia,
with support from Sudan’ s military. Humanitarian officials say the
violence has made 1.2 million people in Darfur homeless, living in
barren areas.
Coull said he is in particular interested in the role missionaries
play in genocide.
“They need to be aware of their role and they need to be aware that
spreading their faith only instigates more killing,” he said. “Their
role needs to be redefined.”
Coull said he is interested in doing human rights work and developing
a model of intervention.
Coull said his passion for pursuing truth and humanitarianism has its
roots in his childhood.
He said he was about 11 years old when his father took him to see
“Gandhi,” which he described as the first “real” film he ever
saw. Shortly after he saw “Victor Victoria,” another movie with “a
universalist ideal of what people are,” he said. And, around the same
time, he read “The Rise and Fall of theThird Reich,” by William
Shirer, a well-known American journalist who covered Nazi Germany for
the American press.
“Right away there’s a system that’s being put in my head that’s
humanistic, individualistic and universalist,” he said.
His dad was a dean at the Haverford School and his mom was a reading
teacher. His stepmother has taught art and special education students
and several other family members teach.
In 1993, he joined the Reserve Officer Training Corps, carrying on a
family tradition of offering service to the armed forces. Coull said
he was quickly disillusioned.
He said he went in believing that the United States was the “bearer of
true, high-minded values” but that his experiences changed that
perception. He said he saw the Army as abusing its power.
After college and his service in the Army, Coull went into social
work. But the work was exhausting and it seemed never to solve the
underlying causes of incarceration, rape and child abuse.
“It was a burn-out and I felt I was capable of doing more,” he said.
He decided to go back to school to get a certificate to teach
history. He said he wanted to relate his humanistic outlook. How
people understand history defines how they perceive the world today,
he said.
But after his first year, he participated in the two-week tour of
ghettoes and death camps from World War II in Poland and the Czech
Republic and was confronted with the question that led to his thesis
and his pursuit of a doctoral degree.
Dede, of the association for graduate schools, said that another
reason the committee chose Coull’s project over other candidates’ was
because he plans to continue his research in a doctoral program.
Coull added he hopes as more and more scholars bring attention to the
problem the public will take more notice — and interest.
“This topic is gaining momentum,” he said, referring to Anne
Applebaumâ=80=99s “The Gulag” which won a Pulitzer Prize in
2003. “It’s gaining currency.”
“If we (scholars) keep kicking at this door we’re going to kick it
in,” he said. “It’s going to become an issue.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

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From: “Katia M. Peltekian”
Subject: Protesters in Baku try to storm NATO conference
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World News / Jang News, Pakistan
June 23 2004
Protesters in Baku try to storm NATO conference
BAKU: A NATO conference in the former Soviet republic of Azerbaijan
was disrupted on Tuesday when hardline nationalists tried to storm
the hotel where the meeting was taking place. Police arrested 12
demonstrators, who were protesting against the presence at the
conference of two servicemen from the neighbouring country of
Armenia. Azerbaijan and Armenia are officially in a state of war
after fighting in the early 1990s over the disputed enclave of
Nagorno-Karabakh.
About 30 demonstrators broke through a police cordon outside the
venue for the meeting, a hotel in the Azeri capital, Baku, and
smashed the glass door of the conference hall, witnesses at the scene
told AFP. They were prevented from getting into the hall by the
hotel’s security guards and were later detained by police. The
meeting was suspended for five minutes as a result of the
disturbance.
Earlier, the protesters had marched through Baku carrying placards
with the slogans: “Armenians Out!” and “The Armenians criminals have
the blood of our people on their hands.” “We will continue this
protest action all day,” said Akif Nagi, who led the demonstration.
“Our aim is to force the Armenians to leave the conference.” The
conference is being held to prepare for a training exercise of the
North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, called “Cooperative Best Effort,”
which is due to take place in Azerbaijan this fall.
The conference is being attended by delegates from 24 NATO member
states and partner countries, including the two Armenian officers.
They have been identified by Azerbaijan’s Defence Ministry as Colonel
Murad Sakhanian and Senior Lieutenant Aram Hovannisian. Also on
Tuesday, there were complaints about the presence of the Armenian
officers from deputies in Azerbaijan’s parliament. Speaker Murtuz
Aleskerov said he “expressed his protest about this issue.”
Both Armenia and Azerbaijan are members of NATO’s Partnership for
Peace programme, which is seen as a stepping-stone to full membership
of the military alliance. This is not the first time a NATO event has
brought clashes between the two countries. Earlier this year, an
Armenian officer studying English in the Hungarian capital, Budapest,
as part of a NATO-sponsored course, was beheaded as he slept in his
student dormitory. An Azeri officer, who had been studying on the
same course as the victim, has been arrested and charged with the
murder.
The war between Azerbaijan and Armenia in the early 1990s over
Nagorno-Karabakh left some 35,000 people dead and forced about a
million people on both sides to flee their homes. It ended with
Armenian forces in control of Karabakh, which is internationally
recognised as part of Azerbiajan.
–Boundary_(ID_N0QnvKfW6sUo6O2cd/JFrQ)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress