Author: Kajoyan Gevork

DEMOORJIAN: HYPOCRISY IN THE ADL’S NEW CAMPAIGN.BY ANONYMOUS

MetroWest Daily News

Posted Dec 28, 2011 @ 09:56 AM

In recently seeing an Anti-Defamation League billboard touting
‘RESPECT’ that engages the Boston Celtics and the NBA, it exemplifies a
hypocrisy that makes my blood boil, not at all unlike any anti-Semitic
Holocaust denial would affect Jewish people’s sensibilities. While
part of the ADL’s work is admirable there is one particular aspect
less so. There was and still is a still festering controversy its
National Director, Abraham Foxman, created and continues in contesting
official United States recognition for the 1915 Armenian Genocide.

The ADL’s position that aids the Turkish government’s vehement denial
of the 1915 Armenian Massacres/Genocide is hypocritical and shameful
when it purports to advocate for the human rights of all and might
warrant greater moral ethics on the part of the ADL.

There is a deceptive practice in cloaking oneself with the
accomplishments of others when incorporating professional sports
or any organizations that proves the reach and power of the ADL to
embolden its image and clout. If this is what is seen, there may be
other schemes of influence at work to the disadvantage of some.

The ADL has evidently changed in its lifetime and while respecting
the original objectives, enlarging its sphere of action can be a
threatening factor for some that may grow further still.

When the ADL supports Turkey’s efforts to defeat congressional
resolutions to recognize the 1915 Armenian Genocide inversely it
could promote it. I believe that if the Armenian Genocide Resolution
benefited the favor of the ADL it could pass through Congress though
unlikely to happen.

MARTIN DEMOORJIAN

Marlborough

Read more:

EVERYONE V AUTHORITIES

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 15:36:18 – 28/12/2011

“If our initiative is supported, the government will appear in
isolation. We will attentively follow the reactions to our initiative
to adopt 100% proportional representation. I’m glad many political
forces reacted to our initiative,” said MP Armen Rustamyan, member
of the ARFD Supreme Body member.

“If the authorities keep stating everyday that they are ready to
hold free elections but at the same time they don’t accept specific
proposals, their statements are just declarations and they just
address the issue of their reproduction,” Rustamyan says.

In this context, he dwelt on the statement of Speaker Eduard
Sharmazanov who said there is no need to amend the Election Code.

“Legitimacy is not achieved only in the elections, while the adoption
of 100% proportional representation, the election process would be
alleviated, starting from reduction of the number of ballots and
ending with the summary process,” he said.

By the way, Member of Parliament Naira Zohrabyan, BHP stated that
they support proportional representation. According to Rustamyan,
it means that the stance of the BHP differs from the stance of the RPA.

“This is a moment when the serious support of not only by the political
parties, but also the society is needed. Let’s do one step together
to build confidence in the elections,” said Rustamyan.

MASHTOTS, SAYAT-NOVA, SHIRAKATSI’S BIRTHDAY ANNIVERSARIES IN THE LIST OF UNESCO’S EVENTS

ARMENPRESS
DECEMBER 29, 2011
YEREVAN

Programs presented by Armenia for the 2012 anniversary events
have been approved at the 36th UNESCO General Conference. Culture
Ministry press office reported that events dedicated to the 1650th
birthday anniversary of Mesrop Mashtots, 300 birthday anniversary
of Sayat-Nova, 500th anniversary of Armenian typography and 1400th
birthday anniversary of Anania Shirakatsi were presented and all have
been approved.

The approval of the applications has been agreed with the mission of
UNESCO in scientific, social and humanitarian spheres and with its
unbreakable ties with the highest all-human ideas, values.

ARTHUR ABRAHAM PREPARED TO USE THE RING FOR ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RECOGNITION: MESSAGE

epress.am
12.29.2011

Former middleweight champion, Berlin-based Armenian boxer Arthur
Abraham (32-3, 26 KOs) has issued a message to the Armenian people,
which reads:

“Fellow citizens, Armenians of Armenia, Artsakh [Nagorno-Karabakh]
and the Diaspora, I wish you a Happy New Year and Merry Christmas. I
wish for love, health and abundance in every Armenian family. Let
2012 be a year of high goals, achievements and victories for the
Armenian people. Unity, faith in our strength and the unshakable will
of Armenians will help us on this path.

“In conditions of freedom and peace, let’s continue to demand the
recognition, condemnation and compensation of the Armenian Genocide –
any platform can achieve this purpose, including the ring.

“I also wish that the Artsakh conflict is resolved peacefully, and
we, Armenians, live in our independent, sovereign, peaceful Armenia,
being recognized by other countries as a nation that is powerful and
shapes and was the first in the world to adopt Christianity.

“I am sure that these lofty goals will be achieved, if we are united
on the road to their achievement.

“I am proud that I am Armenian. My infinite love to you all. Yours,
Arthur Abraham.”

ARAVOT: ARMENIA’S PARLIAMENT NOT TO AMEND ELECTION LAW

Tert.am
29.12.11

Chairman of the Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs,
Parliament of Armenia, David Harutyunyan answered the newspaper’s
question on the possibility of amendments to Armenia’s election law
proposed by the parliamentary and extra-parliamentary opposition.

As to whether Armenia’s parliament may approve amendments to the
election law at its next session, he said, “I consider it most unlikely
– less than one percent.”

ARFD – HERITAGE JOINT STATEMENT

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 14:13:49 – 27/12/2011

ARF Dashnaktsutyun and Heritage parties initiated steps aimed at real
and radical reforms of the Election Code in 2008-2011 to be adopted
by the National Assembly.

Reiterating their willingness to go on until the complete
implementation of the reforms and attaching importance to the union
of forces to control election processes, the ARFD and Heritage issued
a statement which in particular runs the parties welcome the stance
of the parliamentary and extra parliamentary forces relating to the
intention to hold free and fair elections and ensure supervision,
as well as they propose a concrete amendment to the Election Code
-elimination of the majoritarian system of election. The forces call
on the political forces to support this initiative.

LE PRESIDENT SARKISSIAN A MOSCOU
Stephane

armenews.com
mardi 27 decembre 2011

Au chapitre exterieur, les quotidiens rendent compte de la visite
du President Sarkissian a Moscou, où il a pris part a la session
de la Communaute economique eurasiatique (EurAsEC), au sein de
laquelle l’Armenie a un statut d’observateur. Les Ministres des AE,
de la defense et le Secretaire du Conseil de securite nationale qui
l’accompagnent lors de cette visite ont, quant a eux, pris part a
une reunion de l’OTSC.

Haykakan Jamanak rappelle que le 21 decembre doit avoir lieu le
dîner gala du Fonds ” Hayastan ” avec la participation des hommes
d’affaires armeniens de Russie, auquel le chef de l’Etat armenien
devrait prendre part.

Ambassade de France en Armenie

Service de presse

ISRAEL ROMPT UN CONTRAT DE VENTE D’ARMEMENTS A LA TURQUIE
Gari

armenews.com
mardi 27 decembre 2011

Sur fond de speculations toujours plus insistantes sur un examen par
le Parlement israelien, la Knesset, d’une resolution reconnaissant
le genocide des Armeniens, les responsables israeliens ont decide
d’annuler un accord de defense avec Ankara, portant sur la livraison
d’equipemets militaries d’un montant de 141 millions de dollars,
au risque d’aggraver plus encore les tensions entre l’Etat hebreu
et la Turquie, deja vives depuis les mesures prises par les Turcs
debut septembre a l’encontre d’Israël. Mais Israël a mis en avant sa
securite pour justifier sa decision, en expliquant qu’il redoutait
que certaines des technologies militaires sophistiquees fournies
a la Turquie puisse se retrouver entre les mains de pays tiers,
resolument hostiles a Israël. Les equipements sensibles auxquels il
est fait allusion sont des systèmes d’espionnage aerien utilisant
des capteurs electro-optiques dont devait etre equipee l’aviation
turque. Ces systèmes electroniques sophistiques de guidage et de
detection equipent deja les avions de combat israeliens.Un responsible
de la defense israelienne a souligne que si la relation avec la
Turquie etait très importante pour Israel, “dans le meme temps,
nous avons une responsabilite en matière de securite pour chaque
produit que nous exportons “. “Les decisions dans ce domaine portent
sur les systemes concernes, plutôt que sur l’ensemble de la relation
bilaterale”, a ajoute le responsable israelien. Le ministère de la
defense a aussi commente cette decision, en publiant la declaration
suivante : “Le ministère de la defense a pour principe de ne jamais
fournir les details de toutes les raisons et donnees a l’origine de ses
prises de decision concernant sa politique d’exportation de materiel
militaire… ces decisions etant prises sur une base professionnelle,
au su de considerations de securite et de diplomatie”. L’accord avait
et signe par Jerusalem et Ankara en 2008, a l’issue de negociations
remontant a 2000. Peu avant, des responsables du ministère israelien
de la defense et de Elbit Systems, le fabricant de ces systèmes,
avaient confirme que l’accord avait ete reporte sine die. Ils avaient
parle sous couvert d’anonymat en raison du caractère très sensible de
cette affaire sur le plan diplomatique. Ankara n’a pas encore commente
cette decision. La crise diplomatique entre Israel et la Turquie avait
eclate au grand jour après l’attaque d’un commando israelien contre
une flotte humanitaire pour Gaza affretee en partie par les Turcs
qui avait fait 9 morts parmi les activistes turcs le 31 mai 2010. Le
refus persistant d’Israël de presenter des excuses officielles avait
provoque un regain de tension debut septembre, la Turquie decidant de
geler ses relations notammet militaries avec l’Etat hebreu. Au debut
du mois, le ministre turc des affaires etrangères Ahmet Davutogle
avait affirme que la nouvelle politique de fermete de la Turquie au
Moyen Orient “a mis a genoux Israel”.

CLERICS DISCUSS “TERRORISM” IN NORTH CAUCASUS, KARABAKH

Turan news agency
Dec 22 2011
Azerbaijan

Baku, 22 December: The 2011 annual meeting to hear reports of the
supreme religious councils of the Caucasus peoples was held at
the Supreme Board of Muslims of the Caucasus (BMC) on Wednesday
[21 December].

Opening the meeting, BMC Chairman Sheikh ul-Islam Allahsukur Pasazada
stressed that the Caucasus remained an unstable region where religious
leaders were not only witnesses, but also victims of terror. He
recalled that religious leaders of the Caucasus countries noted in
their appeals to the UN that the world has double standards, even
with respect to terrorism.

It was also noted that the international community still does not
display a serious approach to terrorism in the North Caucasus and
Karabakh.

There is even the identification of Islam with terror. In response
to this, the board organized an international conference entitled
“Islam is a religion of peace and solidarity”.

Pasazada also recalled that he had met the leaders of the North
Caucasus during his visits to those regions in connection with the
election of religious leaders.

The board also sent a letter this year to protest the burning of the
Koran in the USA.

Participants in the meeting decided to congratulate [Russian Prime
Minister] Vladimir Putin on the occasion of One Russia party’s victory
at the State Duma elections.

Speaking about future plans, Pasazada stressed the need to promote
the development of traditional Islam in the region, the introduction
of Islamic journalism and Islamic economy in secular schools and
the coordination for organizing the Hajj pilgrimage of Muslims of
the Caucasus.

The board also decided to continue efforts to combat terrorism.

Religious leaders of all the republics of the North Caucasus and
Georgia attended the meeting.

CONTROVERSIAL DEBATE

Oman Tribune

Dec 28 2011
Sultanate of Oman

Israeli lawmakers, debating to recognise as genocide the 1915 killings
of Armenians by Ottoman Turks, have raised a sensitive issue which
could only have a negative effect on that country’s already frayed
relations with Turkey. But why now, at the very end of 2011 has such
an issue brought up in the Israeli parliament? For Turkey, the 2010
incident when a Gaza-bound Turkish aid ship was boarded and attacked
by Israeli commandos leading to the killing of nine Turks, is still
fresh and hurting. Much of the anguish expressed over the attack
by Turkey has not elicited a proper response from the Israelis,
who said at the time that its marines acted in self defence after
an initial boarding party was attacked, and relations continue to be
sour. Even as the lawmakers’ debate focused on the 1915 incident as
genocide Israel’s Foreign Ministry has warned of the grave danger to
the already taut relations between the two countries, both strategic
allies and regional powerhouses.

The issue being debated by Members of the Knesset, has stirred the
emotions of the Jewish people, particularly since some legislators
argued that the Israeli people have a moral obligation to identify
with the Armenian tragedy after the Nazi Holocaust which was a Jewish
tragedy. Unless saner counsels prevail in the Israeli parliament any
such move would no doubt be at the risk of further angering Ankara
and inviting a certain backlash as successive Turkish governments
have denied genocide saying that there was a heavy loss of life on
both sides during the 1915 war in the region. While the Israeli
parliament’s Education and Culture Committee has not taken any
decision on the issue, it said it would hold another session at a
future date. Irit Lillian, an Israeli Foreign Ministry official who
addressed the forum, was quoted as saying: “I can say at this time,
recognition of this type can have very grave strategic implications.

Our relations with Turkey today are so fragile and so delicate that
there is no place to take them over the red line, where we have been,
I’m sorry to say, for many months.”

The debate in Israel follows on the heels of recent developments in
France where the French National Assembly voted overwhelmingly in
favour of a draft law outlawing genocide denial. Ankara’s reaction
was swift, all economic, political and military meetings with its
Nato partner were cancelled. Observers view the French bill as an
attempt by President Nicolas Sarkozy to gain the backing of Armenians
in next year’s Presidential elections while heated reaction in Turkey
is that the bill is an attempt to put a hurdle in the way of Turkey’s
EU ambitions by harming its relations with those countries. While
Turkish-French relations could be seriously jeopardized by the French
bill, which will make it a criminal offence to deny that the killing
of Armenians during World War I amounted to genocide, any action over
the Israeli debate could also lead to serious consequences.