Author: Jagharian Tania

CONSTITUTION MIGHT BE DEMILITARIZED

Lragir, Armenia
Aug 28 2007

After the victory of the Justice and Development Party in the
parliamentary election and the election of Abdullah Gyul as president a
constitutional reform is possible, thinks the director of the Institute
of Oriental Studies, expert on Turkey Ruben Safrastyan, who held a news
conference on August 28. He said the influence of the military command
on the political life of Turkey might be gradually diminishing. In
this country, the military are the guardians of the political order,
the secular state. Ruben Safrastyan thinks this state of things will
change gradually, and the influence of the military on the political
processes in Turkey will gradually weaken.

The expert on Turkey says already appeals are made that the Justice
and Development Party will change the constitution. "It became clear
from the statements by the leadership of the party. In fact, they are
saying that Turkey’s constitution is a militarized constitution which
was adopted after the military coup in 1980," Ruben Safrastyan says.

According to him, the leadership of the Justice and Development
party is said to have instructed its members to prepare proposals on
amendments to the constitution, which will lead to "demilitarization
of the constitution" of Turkey.

RE-EQUIPMEMT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES UNDERWAY IN BANKING SYSTEM OF ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
Aug 28 2007

YEREVAN, AUGUST 28, NOYAN TAPAN. Large-scale re-equipment of
information technology equipment and software is being done in the
RA banking system, NT correspondent was informed by the president of
Bi Line company Hayk Khanjyan.

In his words, the purpose of this re-equipment is to secure a higher
level of reliability of informaton provision, security and management
through installation of equipment that requires more optimal operating
conditions.

H. Khanjyan said that Central Bank of Armenia is taking a most active
part in the re-equipment process.

According to him, demand for IT use, in particular, demand for
having corporate computer networks, is growing in other sectors of
the Armenian economy as well. He noted that Bi Line is cooperating
with nearly 100 organizations in the issue of creation, operation
and servicing corporate computer networks.

ADL NE CHIEF RE-HIRED
By Bianca Vazquez Toness

WBUR, MA
Aug 28 2007

INTRO: New England’s Regional Director for the Anti Defamation League
is back on the job. He was fired more than a week ago for breaking
ranks with the national organization’s stance on the killings of
Armenians in the early 1900s. WBUR’s Bianca Vazquez Toness reports.

VAZQUEZ TONESS: Andrew Tarsy lost his job for using the word
"genocide" to describe the wide scale massacre of Armenians in what
is now Turkey. When regional board members resigned in protest, the
national ADL switched its position on the genocide. And Monday the
organization re-hired Tarsy.

TARSY: The Jewish community which has so many concerns and stresses
around the world has to look at every issue through a complicated
lens. You saw that play out here.

VAZQUEZ TONESS: Tarsy says the organization, which was founded
to fight anti-Semitism, should be proud of how it confronted the
difficult moral issue.

Tarsy got involved in the genocide debate after the Armenian community
in Watertown pushed the town council to boycott an ADL program. For
WBUR, I’m Bianca Vazquez Toness.

Tolerance.ca, Canada
Aug 23 2007

Jews Face the Armenian Genocide
(Version anglaise seulement)

(Agrandir)

By Dr. Stephen Scheinberg

Dr. Scheinberg is emeritus professor of history, Concordia
University, and co-chair of Canadian Friends of Peace Now. His
editorials can be heard on Montreal’s Radio Shalom 1650AM on Monday
at 7:15A.M. and Wednesday at 6:14P.M..

There is a controversy raging among American Jews which may get even
hotter in the coming days. The issue arises because the U.S. Congress
will once again be asked to vote for a bill recognizing the Armenian
genocide of 1915. One might think that this would not be a difficult
issue for the Jewish community but unfortunately several of the major
Jewish organizations in the United States have seen fit to intervene
against the bill.

First, let me explain to those of you who are not well acquainted
with the events of 1915 that an overwhelming number of historians
recognize that the Turkish government of the day engaged in the
pre-meditated murder of between 1 and 1.5 million Armenians. Jewish
holocaust scholars including Raul Hilberg, Elie Wiesel , Yehuda
Bauer, Daniel Goldhagen and Deborah Lipstadt have all signed ads
urging the Congress to pass the resolution. The scholarship is
overwhelming; including even some Turkish writers, but the Turkish
government persists in its refusal to acknowledge responsibility.
Armenian genocide denial is close kin to holocaust denial and as
morally reprehensible.

The current bill in the Congress was introduced in January 2007 by
Representative Adam Schiff of California and has wide Jewish support
in both the House and Senate, from Democrats and Republicans.
However, it is not clear if or when the bill will come to a vote. The
Turkish government has been active in supporting opposition to the
bill, hiring prominent lobbyists and meeting with Jewish leaders.
This leadership was obviously reminded, at a meeting with the Turkish
Foreign Minister Abdula Gul, of Turkey’s good relations with Israel
as well as with the United States, her support for her own Jewish
community numbering approximately 40,000, and her record as a
sanctuary for Jewish refugees over the centuries. It is difficult to
say whether it was Turkish lobbying, their own sentiments, or
possibly direct intervention from Israel which led the
Anti-Defamation League, B’nai Brith International, the American
Jewish Committee and the Jewish Institute of National Security
Affairs to pass along to members of Congress a letter from Turkish
Jews opposing the resolution, thus implicitly taking the side of
Turkey.

It was the ADL’s Abraham Foxman who was the most outspoken of the
Jewish leaders, declaring that `this is an issue that needs to be
resolved by the parties, not by us. We are neither historians nor
arbiters.’ One has never heard Foxman, a child survivor of the
holocaust, make such a cavalier reference to the death of six million
Jews. He has given further fuel to his critics by firing the ADL’s
New England regional director who had urged that the organization
recognize the genocide. A former ADL regional board member condemned
the firing as `a vindictive, intolerant, and destructive act’ by an
organization and leader whose `fundamental mission – is to promote
tolerance.’ Foxman has subsequently, following much criticism and a
conversation with Elie Wiesel, recognized that the events of 1915
constituted genocide but continues to oppose the bill as
counterproductive.

For her part, Israel has not made any public reference to the
Armenian genocide and has carefully deleted such references from text
books and even withdrawn support from international conferences at
which the genocide would have been a subject for discussion. Before a
trip to Turkey then-foreign minister Shimon Peres said of the
genocide, that it was `a matter for historians to decide.’ There are
many prominent Israelis who deplore their government’s failure to act
on a significant moral issue. However, in the case of a nation state,
realpolitik often triumphs over morality. Israel obviously considers
that her relations with Turkey are too important to be possibly
undermined by taking the moral road, though Israelis from across the
political spectrum have disagreed on the consequences of such
actions.

Nevertheless, the American Jewish leadership is not and should not be
tied to Israeli realpolitik. Individual morality cannot be waived in
the interest of Israel, the United States or Canada. Perhaps if the
Armenian genocide resolution is again defeated these same community
leaders will be at pains to deny the influence of the Jewish lobby.
Neither Israel nor the American Jewish community will be well served
by a community leadership that abandons elementary standards of
behavior for a misguided assessment of the needs of Israel or Turkish
Jewry. Perhaps they should recall the infamous words attributed to
Adolph Hitler, calling on his troops to pursue their destructive
work, he stated: `Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of
the Armenians?’ As Jews, we are obliged to speak, and our voices must
be heard on the side of justice and morality.

* Credit : Wikipedia – The Armenian Genocide Memorial in the
Marcelin-Wilson Park in Montreal.

"ARTSAKH MAKES PART OF ARMENIA," MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT OF UNITED KINGDOM SAYS

Noyan Tapan
Aug 24, 2007

YEREVAN, AUGUST 24, NOYAN TAPAN. Steven Pound, a member of the
Parliament of the United Kingdom, has been in Armenia since August
19 on the initiative of the ARF Hay Dat Committee of England. He
visited Artsakh on August 21, where he had meetings with the Speaker
of the National Assembly of the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh, the
NKR Minister of Foreign Affairs, as well as with other officials.

As Steven Pound mentioned at the August 24 press conference, the
Parliament of the United Kingdom possesses very little information
about Karabakh.

According to him, one should see everything with his/her own eyes in
order to become acquainted with the real situation. "Today I am armed
with such facts, which can refute the misinformation about Artsakh,"
the British MP said and added that they, for example, had been told
that Armenians have been living in Artsakh for a 100 years all in
all. "After visiting Gandzasar, which, by the way, is one of the
most beautiful places of the world, one becomes sure that Armenians
have been living in Artsakh for over a thousand years," Steven Pound
said. In his words, the fact that Artsakh makes part of Armenia is
an irrefutable one as well, as he did not meet anybody there, who
would insist on the opposite.

Referring to the issue of the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by
the Great Britain, Steven Pound mentioned that he has made a speech in
the parliament in that respect for several times. He is of the opinion
that "the denial of the genocide is equivalent to what the Ottoman
Empire did." In response to the question of what is the reason that
the United Kingdom has not recognized the Armenian Genocide so far,
the British MP said: "If it were me, I would recognize that fact in
three minutes." And as for the official position of the Great Britain,
it is the following: "The word "genocide" did not exist in 1915,
it is a post-war definition." In the opinion of Steven Pound, this
viewpoint is a legal interpretation, which disregards the moral side
of the issue. "It is surprising for me that the British government
could apologize to the Dutch for its bad attitude in the tenth century
and at present it hesitates to be more strict towards Turkey," he said.

The member of the Parliament of the United Kingdom also mentioned
that the closing of the border with Armenia by Turkey is "an
aggresion". Steven Pound is convicted that the British government
should impose pressure on Turkey within possible limits for opening
the border.

ARMENIA LACKS A STRATEGIC PARTNER

Lragir.am
23-08-2007 14:19:38

Presently, Armenia lacks a strategic partner, stated Aram Manukyan,
member of the board of the All-Armenian Movement, on August 23,
the day of the declaration of independence and the tenth day of the
Armenian and Russian agreement on strategic partnership. He stated
in a news conference at the Friday Club that Armenia lacks ties with
influential countries, and the Armenian government makes no efforts
to set up such ties.

"Recently, for instance, the vice president of Iran has visited
Armenia to discuss cooperation on sports, whereas on those days the
president of Iran went to Azerbaijan to discuss long-term political
and economic partnership," Aram Manukyan stated. ARKA reported that
according to Aram Manukyan Azerbaijan conducts a better-thought and
serious complementary policy. "Israel is now the second importer
of the Azerbaijani oil, and 300 thousand barrels of Azerbaijani
oil flows by us every day. Azerbaijan has excellent relations with
Iran, Israel’s foe number 1," said the member of the board of the
All-Armenian Movement. The only way out, according to him, is the
change of the government to change the policy as well.

ADL Reiterates Support For Efforts To Reconcile Turkey And Armenia

New York, NY, August 23, 2007 =85 The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today
reiterated its support for efforts to bring together Turkey and Armenia to
resolve differences over their shared history.

Glen S. Lewy, ADL National Chair and Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National
Director, issued the following statement:

We must encourage steps to create an atmosphere in which Armenia will
respond favorably to the several recent overtures of Turkey to convene a
joint commission to assist the parties in achieving a resolution of their
profound differences. We believe there are many renowned historians, human
rights activists and distinguished world leaders who are willing to lend
their knowledge, experience and judgment to this cause. We know that
earlier this year, Professor Elie Wiesel and more than 50 of his fellow
Nobel Laureates called for concrete steps to be taken by Turkey and Armenia
to find a way forward to reach the goal of reconciliation, and that, last
week, Professor Wiesel reaffirmed his support for efforts to create a body
in which both Turkish and Armenian experts can come together to work
cooperatively in re-examining the shared past of both peoples.

The force and passion of the debate today leaves us more convinced than ever
that this issue does not belong in a forum such as the United States
Congress.

The proper role of those of us who deeply believe the controversy must be
resolved is to promote and support Turkey and Armenia in efforts to bring
them together to begin the process of reconciliation. Although independent
scholars may have reached a consensus about the genocide, in an effort to
help accomplish the reconciliation there is room for further dispassionate
scholarly examination of the details of those dark and terrible days.

ADL and the American Jewish community should focus their attention on
supporting efforts to urge Turkey and Armenia to make this happen.

The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world’s leading
organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that
counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.

Source:

Major Jewish group recognizes Armenian genocide The Anti-Defamation League
declines, however, to back a congressional resolution to do the same. The
decisions spark impassioned reactions.

By Teresa Watanabe
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

August 23, 2007

Reversing long-standing policy, a major American Jewish organization has
officially recognized the early 20th century massacre of Armenians by
Ottoman Turks as genocide — but set off a new furor Wednesday by declining
to support a congressional resolution that would do the same.

Anti-Defamation League national director Abraham Foxman called the massacre
"tantamount to genocide" in a statement this week, rebuffing Turkish claims
that the bloodshed was not ethnic cleansing but casualties suffered by both
sides in a civil war.

He added, however, that a congressional resolution to recognize the genocide
would be a "counterproductive diversion" that could jeopardize Turkish Jews
and relations among Turkey, Israel and the U.S.

Foxman’s statements set off a firestorm of reactions, including anger and
disappointment among Southern California’s Turkish and Armenian American
communities.

They also prompted a telephone powwow Wednesday among major American Jewish
organizations to discuss whether to forge a united position on the issue.

" ‘Furious’ is an understatement" to describe Turkish American reactions,
said Ergun Kirlikovali, West Coast regional director for the Assembly of
Turkish American Associations. "We’re disappointed the ADL has caved in to
Armenian pressure and that history in America is being written by lobbyists,
not facts."

But Armenian American organizations were not satisfied either.

"We welcome any organization that recognizes the genocide, but opposing the
resolution is disappointing and illogical," said Andrew Kzirian of the
Armenian National Committee Western Region.

Father Vazken Movsesian, an Armenian American priest in Glendale who is
active on the genocide issue, was blunter. Foxman’s dual stand "makes it
very clear that his organization is not pursuing justice, but playing the
usual political games," he said. "You would think that a group who has known
the horrors of a Holocaust would be the first one to unequivocally stand up
for the rights of others who have suffered the same."

The issue exploded this week after Foxman fired the executive director of
the group’s Boston office for criticizing the ADL chief’s failure to
recognize the Armenian genocide and support the congressional resolution.

On Tuesday, Foxman issued a statement recognizing the genocide, saying he
had decided to revisit the issue "out of concern for the unity of the Jewish
community at a time of increased threats against the Jewish people."

In an interview Wednesday, Foxman reiterated his view on the congressional
resolution but said he had agreed to requests to reexamine support for it at
the ADL’s national board meeting in November.

The issue has divided the American Jewish community, with many voicing a
moral imperative to recognize the Armenian genocide and others expressing
concern that doing so would jeopardize Turkish Jews or Israel’s relations
with its strongest Muslim ally.

The congressional resolution, written by Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank),
would declare that the Ottoman Empire killed 1.5 million Armenians between
1915 and 1923 — eliminating them from their historic homeland — and would
call on the president to properly call the massacre a genocide.

Schiff said several American Jewish organizations had conveyed concerns to
him about the resolution’s effect on Turkish Jews and Israel. But he said,
"This has nothing to do with Israel, and it’s a mistake for any pro-Israel
organization to make a connection where none exists."

He said U.S. work against mass killings in Darfur would be undermined
without recognition of the Armenian genocide.

"To speak out on genocide when it is committed by a politically weak state
like Sudan and not recognize it when committed by the predecessor of a
powerful state undermines our leadership and credibility," Schiff said.

He added that the ADL had "sullied its reputation" as a leading civil rights
group by not supporting the resolution.

Foxman said, "He’s entitled to his opinion, but it’s wrong."

[email protected]

Source:
ia/la-me-adl23aug23,1,3504735.story?coll=la-headli nes-pe-california

CSTO HIGH-LEVEL GROUP TO DISCUSS SETTING UP PEACE-MAKING MECHANISM

ITAR-TASS News Agency
August 21, 2007 Tuesday 8:25 AM EST
Russia

A meeting of the CSTO high-level group will discuss stepping up efforts
in the post-conflict development of Afghanistan and priority areas in
the activities of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation in 2008.

The consultations will be attended by deputy ministers of foreign
affairs, defence and finance as well as secretaries of the security
councils of the Organisation which includes Armenia, Belarus
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

CSTO press secretary Vitaly Strugovets told Itar-Tass that "the meeting
plans to examine a package of documents on normative and organisational
setting-up of a peace-making mechanism within the Organisation".

"Besides, participants will discuss draft proposals on a system of
controlling forces and means of the collective security system, a joint
air defence system and organisation of a common system of training
military personnel". "The meeting will discuss 30 documents on the
whole, and it is necessary to agree fully 15 of them," Strugovets
continued.

"Much attention will be given to discussion of mechanisms for rendering
military and technical aid to CSTO states in case of a committed act of
aggression or of a threat of aggression," the press secretary stated.

"Meeting participants will discuss draft decisions on establishing a
CSTO anti-terrorist committee as well as formation of two coordination
councils – on struggle against illegal immigration and on emergency
situations." "The latter move is very important, since all understand
that it is very difficult single-handed to overcome aftermaths of
industrial disasters or natural calamities," Strugovets emphasised.

PRESENTATION OF REPORT OF UDFPA ON DEMOGRAPHIC SITUATION TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN ON SEPTEMBER 20

ARKA News Agency
Aug 20 2007
Armenia

YEREVAN, August 20. /ARKA/. The presentation of the report of the
United Nations Population Fund (UDFPA) on the demographic situation
is to be held in Yerevan on September 20.

The Armenian Ministry of Social Security reported that the program of
the Fund on development of population in Armenia for 2005-2009 attaches
importance to coverage of demographic problems in the Armenian society
and introduction of demography as a discipline in the education system.

Government officials, representatives of public and international
organizations are to participate in the event.

As per the official statistics, about 3.2mln people live in Armenia.

Only in the last 10 years the number of population decreased by 0.5
mln people. According to the information of UNO, the population of
Armenia may number 2.66 mln people by 2025.