Author: Kalantarian Kevo

TURKISH FALSE FLAGS AND THE INVASION THAT ALMOST WAS

[ Part 2.2: “Attached Text” ]

by David Boyajian / June 4th, 2014
Dissident Voice (see URL for live links)

almost-was/
Turkey seems fond of so-called ‘false flag’ operations. In 1955,
for example, the Turkish government covertly bombed its own consulate
in Thessaloniki, Greece and blamed it on Greeks. The following day,
Turkey stage-managed massive anti-Greek riots in Istanbul that killed
over a dozen Christians and caused hundreds of millions in damage.

Fast forward to March 2014. A leaked audiotape caught Turkish
officialsplotting to stage ‘false flag’ military attacks on their own
territory and blame them on Syrians. Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu, General YaÅ~_ar Gurel, and Intelligence chief Hakan Fidan
planned to use the attacks as an excuse to invade Syria. The title
of this article could easily apply to that plot.

To close observers of the Caucasus, however, it could also describe
a failed covert Turkish plan to attack Armenia two decades ago and
turn the geopolitics of the region upside down.

In October 1993, two years after the USSR had splintered, an ethnic
Chechen Muslim named Ruslan Khasbulatov – the Speaker, believe it
or not, of the Russian Parliament – led a coup against beleaguered
Russian President Boris Yeltsin. According to American, French, and
Greek officials, Khasbulatov and Muslim Turkey had a secret agreement.

If his coup succeeded, Khasbulatov would order Russian troops to
withdraw from Armenia, where they helped guard the latter’s border
with Turkey. That would pave the way for Turkey to invade the
landlocked Christian nation of just three million inhabitants.

History tells us that Turkey has always wanted to overrun Armenia.

Doing so would create a path to Turkic-speaking Muslim Azerbaijan,
the Caspian Sea, and, eventually, Central Asia.

It’s called pan-Turkism.

In 1993, of course, Azerbaijan was losing its war with Armenians over
the ancient, majority-Armenian province of Karabagh. Azerbaijan was,
therefore, eager for Turkey to attack Armenia, and Turkey was ready
to help Azerbaijan turn the tide.

The Plot Fails Harkening back to the Armenian genocide, Turkish
President Turgut Ozal had threatened to teach Armenia “the lessons
of 1915.” Tansu Ciller, Turkey’s prime minister, warned Armenia that
she wouldn’t “sit back and do nothing.” Turkey was massing forces
on Armenia’s western border and supplying Azerbaijan with weapons,
military advisors, and paramilitary forces. Chechen militants and
Afghan Mujahideen were already fighting alongside Azeris.

A successful Turkish attack on Armenia – Russia’s only military
partner in the Caucasus – would have all but destroyed Russian
influence in the region. That, in turn, would have increased the
likelihood that Chechnya, and much of the Muslim North Caucasus,
would eventually escape the Russian Bear’s grip. For a native-born
Chechen like Khasbulatov, it would all be a dream-come-true.

But bombarded by Russian tanks, Speaker Khasbulatov, V.P. Alexander
Rutskoi, and hundreds of rebel parliamentarians and supporters
surrenderedthe Parliament building on October 4, 1993.

The coup and the plot to invade Armenia had failed.

The Secret Pact The Khasbulatov-Turkish pact was first revealed by
Leonidas T.

Chrysanthopoulos in his book Caucasus Chronicles (London: Gomidas,
2002). He was Greece’s ambassador to Armenia from July 1993 to
February 1994. Chrysanthopoulos, now 68, has served as ambassador
to Canada and Poland, and was recently Secretary General of the
12-country, Istanbul-based Black Sea Economic Cooperation organization.

Caucasus_Map France’s ambassador to Armenia, Mme. France de Harthing,
told him that “French intelligence sources” confirmed that “the Turkish
incursion into Armenia would take place immediately after Khasbulatov
would have withdrawn the Russian troops from Armenia.” “This
information,”wrote Chrysanthopoulos, “was later confirmed to me by
my United States colleague,” Ambassador Harry J. Gilmore.

As a “pretext,” Turkey would claim to be targeting Kurdish PKK militant
bases, which, in fact, have never existed, in Armenia.

Such a “pretext” is similar, though not identical, to a ‘false flag.’
The Turkish strike would be “incursions of a limited nature,” though
it’s unclear what “limited” meant. More likely, as Turkey wouldn’t
find any PKK, the aim was to forge a permanent corridor across Armenia,
link up with Azeri forces, and cleanse Karabagh of Armenians.

The U.S. and France have never, as far as is known, publicly denied the
existence of the Khasbulatov-Turkish plot. Moreover, Chrysanthopoulos
gives no indication that any country tried to talk Turkey out of its
deal with Khasbulatov.

Is any of this relevant today?

NATO Ambitions Yes, because current Turkish, American, and NATO
policies in the Caucasus strongly echo the 1993 Khasbulatov-Turkish
plot. For two decades, the West has been trying to penetrate and
dominate the Caucasus – Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia -and
eventually cross the Caspian Sea into energy-rich Central Asia.

One piece of the plan has already been partially implemented:
constructing oil and gas pipelines from Azerbaijan through Georgia
and Turkey.

NATO’s remaining goal: absorb the entire Caucasus. NATO would thereby
threaten Russia from the south, just as it now pressures Russia
from the west with its absorption of much of Eastern Europe (and,
NATO hopes, Ukraine).

Georgia and Azerbaijan are inclined to eventually join NATO.

Armenia, however, is not, though it has excellent relations with
NATO and the West. Armenia has little choice but to ally itself with
Russia because the former faces an ongoing existential threat from
NATO member Turkey, the 1993 plot being one example.

Armenia is the Caucasus’s linchpin. Had the Khasbulatov – Turkish
quasi-‘false flag’ operation against Armenia succeeded, Russia would
probably have lost, and NATO would have gained, the entire Caucasus.
New provocations, including ‘false flags,’ by Turkey and NATO cannot,
therefore, be ruled out.

Turkish, American, and NATO leaders must also be interrogated as to
whether their policies in the Caucasus are leading to peace or war.

David Boyajian is a freelance journalist. Read other articles by David.

ARMENIA AS A SOVEREIGN PARTNER STATE DOES NOT EXIST IN THE MIND OF RUSSIAN FEDERATION AUTHORITIES

June 5 2014

According to the expert of the Armenian Center for Democracy, Security
and Development, Marta Ayvazyan, Russia will use Armenia at any time
as a coin in its political games. – The RA authorities were assuring
that no checkpoint can be installed between the Nagorno-Karabakh and
Armenia, but last week it became known that Armenia would be signing
the treaty to join the Eurasian Union by July 1, should Armenia agree
with the condition put forward by a founding member of the Union,
President of Kazakhstan. Armenia should join the Eurasian Union
with the UN-recognized borders, without Nagorno-Karabakh. How do
you explain the fact that the interests of Azerbaijan, which are not
associated with the Eurasian Union, are more consistently protected by
this union? – The matter that by joining the CU, Armenia, permanently
deprived of the opportunity to conduct an independent foreign policy,
will at least lose its economic ties with NK with installation of the
checkpoint or otherwise, was clear from the outset. Recall Russian
officials’ voiced opinions and positions to this respect, and I am
confident that the RA authorities were well aware of it. Maybe it was
a surprise for them of how this requirement was put forward, but not
its essence. The matter that the relations with Azerbaijan were much
more important for Russia, and that Armenia is a reliable partner for
Russia and at all times Russia is only pursuing its national interests,
is also not new, and Russia keeps approving this fact.

Suffice it to recall the continuous transactions on the same of
attacking weapons to Azerbaijan, as well as the form and content of
the visit by the President of Russia to Azerbaijan, also numerous
statements made by various representatives of the Russian Federation,
which evidently prove that Armenia as an independent and sovereign
partner state with its own state interest does not exist in the minds
of RF authorities, and at any time Russia will use Armenia as a coin
in its political games, regardless of the possible consequences
for Armenia. On the other hand, Armenia’s accession is not also
desirable for Kazakhstan and Belarus, whose relationships with Russia
within the CU are quite complex, because Armenia, being Russia’s
puppet state, can be used against other CU member states during the
decision-making process. In my opinion, this is due to the form of
introducing the requirement and publicity of the content of Aliyev’s
letter by Nazarbayev. At the same time, under created conditions, an
unexpected opportunity is granted to Armenia if not totally refuse
the CU membership, then at least to postpone it indefinitely, but
whether our authorities would be able to seize this opportunity. This
whole situation also leads to another painful conclusion; today,
the relations with Armenia are absolutely not important for virtually
any state, including the founder state of the European Union. – RF had
completed its supply of 100 T-90C tanks batch to Azerbaijan, supply of
the second batch with the same number of tanks to Baku is possible. On
May 26, it became also known that Russia is planning to supply another
batch of TOS-1A reactive flame-throwers to Azerbaijan. Russia side is
introducing the Russian-Azerbaijani military cooperation with several
billion dollars as a “commercial transaction.” How should Armenia, as
Russia’s strategic partner, display itself under these conditions? –
In case of willingness and ability, possible displays are vary and are
on different dimensions, bilateral and multilateral, from reviewing the
terms for deployment of the Russian military base up to enhancement of
relations with NATO and signing of similar “commercial transactions”
with the member states. Given that this “commercial transactions” under
the conditions of unresolved conflict create tension and hinder the
peace settlement process that is underway for more than two decades,
violates a number of international norms and agreements in principle
reached within conflict settlement negotiations, including the UN
Security Council Resolutions on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Armenia
may also, if not, should, send respective notes of protest to Russian
authorities, raise this issue within the UN and the OSCE, demanding
that Russia fulfill its international commitments and refrain from
supplying weapons to one of the sides in conflict and so on. –
Recently, there are many views voiced that new possibilities for
signing the EU Association for are opened up. The French President
Hollande, in the framework of his visit to Armenia said that a new
version of Association Agreement should be thought for Armenia, which
would not prevent the decision to join the Customs Union. Do you see
such possibilities? – Association Agreement with a new version that
will contain a component of economic cooperation with necessary scope
and substantive content, would have practical rather than merely a
political significance, and will not obstruct the decision to join the
CU, to be more precise, it would be acceptable for the CU, I cannot
imagine. Generally, the future development between Armenia and EU
is incompatible with the CU membership with desired and practically
profitable direction for us, and it will be possible only if Armenia
would be able to avoid this structure. As I already mentioned, to
avoid the CU, a certain possibility was opened up after the events
in Astana. As to the French President’s words, I would assess them
more like a political statement, which once again confirms the EU’s
desire and willingness to continue the development of cooperation with
Armenia in the presence of respective political decision by Armenia
and provision of required conditions. – On June 27, signing of the EU
Association Agreement with Georgia is scheduled. Can a dividing line
emerge between Armenia and Georgia, given the fact that Russia has
increased its military presence in Armenia, and there is a danger for
the Russian military base to operate as an obstacle Georgia’s way to
the European and Euro-Atlantic integration? – The dividing line between
Georgia and Armenia has emerged a long time ago and is strengthened
in concomitant with enhancement of Russia’s dominant role in Armenia
and loss of our sovereignty. Today, Armenia, being under the absolute
dependence on Russia, serving to Russia’s regional and geopolitical
interests, operating in line with them on various international
platforms, has turned into a source of instability and possibly a
military threat for the states in the region, particularly Georgia. On
June 27, the scheduled signing of the EU Association Agreement with
Georgia would not the cause of the dividing line, but will give a new
institutional format to it. – Recently, The Sunday Times wrote that
NATO may deploy troops in the post-Soviet territories. The NATO member
states defense ministers will discuss this issue in the near future.

What do you think will the tension in the West-Russia relations
mitigate after the presidential elections in Ukraine? – The tension
in the West-Russia relations can be partially mitigated if RF stop its
interference in Ukraine’s internal affairs and, in particular, all its
actions towards destabilization of the country’s eastern regions and
separation of the country. But, even then these relationships will
never be the same as they were before the crisis in Ukraine. Russia
remains an important partner for the West, but it has become a much
more important issue for the West to possibly neutralize and limit
expansion of Russia’s neo-imperialistic ambitions and their aggressive
actions towards their implementation. Hence, the West will continue
operating all, and particularly economic, levers available under its
influence against Russia. Development of economic ties with China and
other Asian countries, which in its turn is full of numerous risks,
can no wise compensate for the losses, which Russia would have as a
state, as well as Russia’s political and particularly economic elite
in the result of cooling of relations with the West. Moreover, the
Eurasian economic cooperation, in its current format, pushed forward
by Russia is not promising anymore. As a result, in not so distant
future, Russia may face a deep and insurmountable economic crisis
without ideological and systemic changes. All of this, in their turn,
will cause a domestic political and internal power crisis, and may
spur a new wave of social riot against the current authorities and,
particularly, the President of Russia, and as a result it may lead
to change of power though reshuffling of the power.

EMMA GABRIELYAN

Read more at:

ARMENIAN OBSERVERS TO MONITOR SOUTH OSSETIA PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS

June 04, 2014 | 20:18

Over 60 observers have agreed to monitor the South Ossetia
parliamentary elections, RIA Novisti reported quoting Ossetian
official.

The observers from Russia, Abkhazia, Armenia, Greece, Lithuania,
France, India and the United States will monitor the elections.

The western states will be represented by members of NGOs having a
status of international organizations. The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
and Transnistria will send the observers for elections slated for
June 8.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

ARMENIAN INTELLIGENCE CHIEF TO TRAVEL TO MINSK

June 05, 2014 | 13:16

YEREVAN. – An Armenian delegation headed by the chief of National
Security Service Gorik Hakobyan will pay a visit to Minsk on June 5-6.

The delegation will participate in the regular meeting of the council
of heads of the security agencies and secret services of the CIS
member states. The participants will sign a protocol on cooperation
in the fight against cyber crimes.

The representatives of Ukraine will not participate in the meeting.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

DETAILS OF KILLING OF ARMENIAN HIGH-RANKING INTELLIGENCE OFFICER BY AZERBAIJANI SOLDIERS ON FRONTLINE REVEALED

APA, Azerbaijan
June 4 2014

[ 04 Juny 2014 15:40 ]

Along with the chief intelligence officer of the Army Corps, his
driver was also killed, but this fact was hidden from media

Baku. Rashad Suleymanov – APA. The details of the operation conducted
by Azerbaijani soldiers on the frontline in the direction of Fuzuli
region on May 26 to render harmless the Armenian officer, Lieutenant
Colonel Garik Balayan were revealed.

A military source told APA that along with the chief intelligence
officer of the Armenian Army Corps, his driver was also killed,
but this fact was hidden from media.

According to the source, Balayan was killed far away from the contact
line of troops.

Azerbaijani soldiers immediately took preventive measures as informed
about the Armenians’ plan to conduct a subversive operation on the
frontline. Lieutenant Colonel Garik Balayan, who led the operation,
was subjected to fire by Azerbaijani soldiers while going to the
frontline. As a result, Balayan and his driver were killed. Even the
armor vest could not save his life.

According to the source, Armenians suffered a number of losses during
the intensive skirmishes on Fuzuli front on May 20 and the fact was
also recorded in radio intelligence data.

The wounded Armenians were reportedly taken to hospitals in Khojavend,
Askeran and Khankendi.

“More than 10 wounded Armenians were hospitalized in Askeran. They
mainly consist of soldiers from Karabakh. The wounded soldiers from
Armenia were taken to hospitals in Yerevan and Gorush”, the source
said.

ARMENIA STARTS 2014 WITH MUTED GROWTH AS CONSTRUCTION AND INDUSTRY STRUGGLE

IHS Global Insight
June 3, 2014

Venla Sipila

According to the latest national accounts data from the National
Statistical Service, Armenia’s GDP in the first quarter of 2014 grew
by 3.1% year on year (y/y). This result compares to annual growth of
3.5% in 2013 as a whole, and a stronger gain of 7.2% in 2012.

Preliminary detailed data showed that the volume of industrial
output in January-March contracted by 2.8% y/y, while construction
activity edged up by a modest rate of 0.7% y/y. Meanwhile, agricultural
production rose by 5.2% y/y. Also the service sector fared relatively
well, with domestic trade turnover rising by 4.5% y/y, and other
services expanding by 3.5% y/y. Trade was supported by an increase
of 6.6% in nominal wages. Suggesting growing real wages, consumer
prices in the same period had increased by a lower rate of 4.6%
y/y. The Statistical Service also reported that exports in the first
quarter climbed by 1.8% y/y, while imports edged up by 0.2% y/y.

Significance:The latest preliminary macroeconomic data confirm
that the Armenian economy is currently performing at a relatively
muted rate. While perhaps respectable at face value in international
comparison, the recent growth rates have been weak in the Armenian
context, taking into account the need to reduce poverty in the country,
and to catch up with more developed economies. The weakness of the
industrial and construction sectors, in particular, is notable.

Then again, at least, the construction sector has recovered from its
deep contraction in 2013. The central bank is seeking to support
economic activity with interest rate cuts – and this may have
somewhat helped the construction sector to find financing – while
fiscal policy this year is also relatively accommodative. Activity in
the trade sector has recently strengthened, but potential for further
improvement is suppressed by the recently introduced mandatory pension
contribution. Assuming that the important agricultural sector continues
performing well this year, growth at least around the current levels
should be sustained in the coming quarters, even as both the domestic
and external economic environment is fragile.

HATSPANYAN: ASSAD WILL BE REELECTED AS PRESIDENT

13:06 04/06/2014 >> POLITICS

Syria held presidential elections on June 3 and their results will
be known tomorrow.

“Bashar al-Assad aimed to show through the elections that despite
the ongoing fighting, the people want stability and they want the
political and public life to enter its normal course,” political and
public figure Sargis Hatspanyan told reporters on Wednesday.

“Although the election results will be announced tomorrow, they
are known in advance: Assad will be reelected as President since
the election was already done before the voting day. After the
elections, Bashar al-Assad will show that he enjoys public support
and confidence,” Hatspanyan said.

Source: Panorama.am

ROUBIK GOLANIAN APPOINTED PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR

Wednesday, June 4th, 2014

Roubik Golanian

GLENDALE–On Tuesday June 3, the Glendale City Council confirmed
the appointment of Roubik Golanian as the Director of Public Works
effective July 1, 2014. Golanian has provided dedicated service to
the Glendale community for 14 years through the positions of Senior
Civil Engineer, City Engineer, and most recently, Deputy Director
of Public Works/City Engineer. Before Golanian’s tenured career in
Glendale, he served the City of Ceres as the Engineering Technician
and the City of Fresno as a Project Engineer and Supervising Engineer.

“Roubik has demonstrated strong leadership skills, implemented
programs, and overseen projects that have been recognized by many
local and state organizations,” said City Manager Scott Ochoa. “His
years of experience in the field have prepared him to take the Public
Works Department into the future.”

Golanian will replace former Director Stephen Zurn who served in
the dual capacity of Director of Public Works and General Manager of
Glendale Water & Power since September 18, 2012. Zurn will continue
to serve as the General Manager of Glendale Water & Power.

Roubik Golanian earned his Bachelor’s Degree with Honors in Civil
Engineering from City University in London and his Master’s in
Organizational Leadership from Woodbury University in Burbank.

Glendale’s Public Works Department’s service encompasses 350 miles of
streets; 360 miles of sewers; 47,000 parkway trees; 3,686 storm catch
basins within the City of Glendale’s boundaries; 52 debris basins; 30
miles of alleys; 50 multi-space parking meters and 1,870 single space
parking meters; 40,000 signs; and 234 traffic signals and 35 flashing
beacons. Public Works also maintains the City’s 600 miles of curb,
including street sweeping, curb making, and curb and gutter repair.

“MIKOYAN’S STATUE WILL NOT BE ERECTED, I AM MORE THAN CONFIDENT.” HAYK DEMOYAN

June 4 2014

According to Hayk Demoyan, it does not worth erecting the statue,
which even at the time of erecting and removing people should die.

Despite of contradictory opinions about Anastas Mikoyan’s armenophile
or anti-Armenian activities, the Yerevan City Council has already made
a decision to erect the statue. The Director of Genocide Museum, RPA
member for the Yerevan City Council, Hayk Demoyan, voted against this
decision, addressing a question to the Council members, “Do you know
that this person has been involved in many and various crimes, and
it will have its consequences.” Deputy Mayor of Yerevan Kamo Areyan,
being in favor of placing the statue, in the conversation with the
journalists, told that Hayk Demoyan’s opinion is just his personal
views. In the conversation with Aravot.am Hayk Demoyan gave such an
assessment, “I was just terrified at the bases of the evidence-base.

The people who are in favor of or at least take a neutral position,
by the principle of “either-or”, “and-and”, what arguments and
counter-argument they bring. It terrifies me as an Armenian individual
man and as a genocide museum director. What are we talking about
when it comes to undeniable facts in the archive? The historians,
and I don’t know who else has, there is an irrefutable evidence,
which means that it was not said by someone, or heard, but based on
archival documents. But, with all of these, the principle of “and-and”
is adopted, or the principle of good-and-bad is opposed. It terrifies
me, because numerous and various crimes are committed with such
approach, or forgiven, or serve as a basis for subsequent crimes. In
the second episode, I am terrified at this evidence-base and approach,
which no more and less is the same model of Turkish denial. You may
introduce thousands of documents, hundreds of thousands of documents,
they will say, “Anyway, they are not evidence-based, they need to pass
an investigation, a commission of historians should be established,
hence, we cannot say that this is a true argument, based on which we
can recognize or condemn the Genocide”. These two reasons terrify me,
and I do not find any other word to qualify the phenomenon”. Kamo
Areyan had also said that the Council had not received any document
that gives evidence about Mikoyan’s anti-Armenian activities. To our
question of why you have not submitted the arguments available with
you to the Council, Hayk Demoyan responded, “Until the next session,
I am getting ready to submit and justify what we are talking about in
a form of a speech. It is my right, and I will be using my right. I
cannot make a step back, because it is not only the statue to Mikoyan
here, it is not the issue of erecting the state or not. Many people
do not want to understand. This is one of manifestations of distorted
and segmented, tormented perceptions of perceiving the memory of
history and the whole value system.” When “Barev Yerevan” faction of
the Yerevan City Hall had suggested announcing the Council’s decision
on installation of the statue revoked over the “Liberty” r/s, Taron
Margaryan closed the subject by claiming, “There are no grounds to
revoke this decision, and the subject is closed.” To our question of
whether, in fact, he is going to reopen the subject at the next council
session, Hayk Demoyan responded, “No, the subject is not closed,
at least, for me. I am not going to stay in the passive position of
expressing an opinion. I as a citizen and as a professional and as
a person with a family history, which cannot but respect his family
history and experience, I’ll try to take this fight to a logical
culmination. It is at least visible to me. It is the point that
such statue should not be erected in Yerevan. I have no problems
with the Mikoyan family. We cannot bring a symbol back to Armenia,
which symbolizes evil, symbolizes mass murders, and symbolizes an
atmosphere of fear. God forbid, we are not talking here about editing
or denying the Soviet past. We all came from there. We also have a
positive memory. We are not conducting an ant-Soviet campaign but we
deny the worst from our memory, which we are trying to bring back.” To
our question of whether there is a fear that the statue will be broke
if however it is erected, Hayk Demoyan responded, “The matter that the
statue will not be erected, I’m more than confident. But let’s remember
that during dismantling of the statues of this era that were placed in
the time, even people are dying during their removal. Let’s remembering
dismantling of Stalin’s statue. At that time the soldiers dismantled,
4 soldiers were killed. Then, it does not worth erecting the statue,
which even at the time of installing and removing people should die.”

Hripsime JEBEJYAN

Read more at:

OXFORD SELECTSWOMAN SHARES MEMORIES OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

June 4, 2014 – 17:14 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Two of the 1.5 million Armenian Christians
slaughtered by Turkish Muslims between 1915 and 1922 were grandparents
of Oxford resident Alice Kulungian Walker, 85, the town’s first female
member of the Board of Selectmen. Others lost were uncles, aunts and
cousins, Ellie Oleson writes in an article published by Telegram.

[]

“I’m first-generation American. My parents escaped from Armenia. Their
families didn’t survive,” Mrs. Walker said.

When she was honored with flowers at this year’s annual town meeting
for her years of service to this community, the town was recognizing
the value of each individual, which was not recognized in Armenia a
century ago, she said.

Mrs. Walker and her husband of 63 years, James H. Walker raised their
four sons and multiple foster children and supplied the community
with flowers and plants grown on their home farm, which came to be
known as Walkers’ Greenery.

Mrs. Walker also worked for a time at State Mutual Insurance Co. in
Worcester. Mr. Walker worked many years for Sheppard Envelope in
the city.

“My mother lost her parents and siblings. My father’s uncle escaped
to America. My father’s mother was afraid to cross the ocean on a ship.

Instead, she was forced to walk across the desert with the Turks and
died there,” Mrs. Walker said.

“My grandfather was a respected leader in his community. The Turks
told him that if he would give up Jesus, they would let him live. He
wouldn’t, so they shot him. He could have survived if he’d renounced
his Christian religion.”

Her parents, David and Zevart Kulungian, were teenagers at the time.

They were not slain, but were forced to work as slaves for the
Turkish army.

One rainy night, Mr. Kulungian found some nearby encamped English
and French soldiers.

“My father went to the soldiers and asked them to free the slaves.

They did. My mother was put in a Red Cross orphanage in the mountains
of Lebanon. There, the older children taught the younger children
crafts and how to speak English,” Mrs. Walker said.

Mrs. Kulungian already spoke her native Armenian and the Kurdish
she’d learned while working as a slave, and eventually became fluent
in five languages.

Young Zevart went to Marseilles, France with one of the older girls.

There, she learned French from her foster family. Mr. Kulungian came
to the United States.

Zevart remained in France until her future husband sent her money to
join him in America.

Unfortunately, the marriage foundered when the family moved to
Worcester.

“My father never had a childhood and didn’t know how to treat
children. He was very strong and didn’t realize his own strength. It
was hard for my older brother,” Mrs. Walker said.

When Mrs. Kulungian became ill with tuberculosis and depression,
12-year-old Alice went to visit her in Worcester State Hospital.

“My mother told me not to come back. She didn’t want us there with all
the illness. I think she lived there a couple more years. I never saw
her again. Zevart means ‘happy’ in Armenian. She was anything but,”
Mrs. Walker said.

She attended Oxford’s public schools, where a junior high school
civics class changed her life. “I wanted to be involved, to return
the favor to this wonderful country, which is still saving people
around the world,” Mrs. Walker said.

When she graduated from Oxford High School in 1946, her father said
he would not help fund a college education, since “girls are meant
to marry.”

Then Oxford High Principal Frank Sannalla, a coach at WPI, suggested
she get a job at State Mutual.

She met Mr. Walker at Sunday school at the First Congregational Church,
where he was the program head and she was a teacher.

“We had four boys, animals, fowl and ducks,” Mrs. Walker said. The
couple also took in 14 foster children, from infants to teens,
“who were the hardest.”

“It was painful economically. We only were given $1 per day per child.

I understood, from eighth grade civics, that I had a right to speak
up, and I did.”

Her strongly worded letter was read on the floor of the Statehouse
and funding for the foster care system was restructured.

In 1968, the family was struck by tragedy, when the couple’s
16-year-old son, James H. Walker Jr., died in an industrial accident
in an elevator.

The Walkers’ other three boys survived and thrived, giving the couple
four grandchildren.

Mrs. Walker served on the Economic Development and Industrial
Commission, and often stayed at Town Hall for selectmen’s meetings,
where she took notes and shared information with the Telegram & Gazette
reporter, sometimes being mistaken for a newspaper stenographer.

She attended training sessions for the commission, which taught her
“courage and made sense.”

This led to a run for a selectman’s seat.

“I ran three times before I won. They didn’t want a woman selectman,”
she said.

She served as the town’s first selectwoman from 1983 to 1998. She
also served as the town’s representative and sole woman on the Central
Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission and was an election worker,
library trustee, and member of various other committees and boards.

She also became a 4-H Club leader and local activist.

Mrs. Walker said she was happy to have served her community, and
hopes people will remember the value of each and every individual.

“When Hitler began the Jewish holocaust, he said, ‘Who remembers the
Armenians?’ when cautions were raised. If the slaughter of Armenians
had been recognized, the Jewish holocaust wouldn’t have happened. It
should be remembered, so it never happens again.”