Author: Kalantarian Kevo

ARMENIAN ISSUE MUST BE PULLED FROM BETWEEN HAMMER AND ANVIL

The Armenian issue is a convenient lever used by leading states in
their relations with Turkey. The general impression is that everyone
benefits from the Armenian cause except Armenia. The role of Armenia
does not go beyond that of an artifact.

It first of all comes from the quality and behavior of Armenian
officials, politicians and Diaspora organizations who refrain from
opposing the political goals of their partners, initiatives that
would be out of control.

On the other hand, the behavior of foreign stakeholders is also
understood. Armenia cannot oppose this logic but also has to “filter”
the political goals of external parties in order to be ready for any
turn in future developments.

In this regard it is important to clarify Russia’s attitude to the
Armenian cause. For explicable reasons there is a stereotyped thinking
in Armenia that Turkey and the West are against Armenia and part of
Armenia was saved thanks to Russia. Meanwhile, historical facts and
logic claim the opposite. Notably, Russia did not try to prevent
displacement and massacres of Armenians and even helped Turkey to
achieve its goals.

Later on as the West was redesigning the Ottoman Empire and the
Armenian state was foreseen by the agreement of Sevres, Turkey could
prevent it with the help of Russia. Russia helped the exhausted
Turkish government and army with weapon, troops and others. And
in 1921 the unlawful Russian-Turkish agreement was signed by which
Russia recognized Turkey and Turkey got the Armenian territories,
and the present border between Armenia and Turkey was laid out.

Armenia has not recognized this border so far while in 2011 Turkey
and Russia reasserted their loyalty to this agreement in Moscow.

The Russian-Turkish relations have repeatedly escalated and
normalized at the expense of the Armenians and territories inhabited
by Armenians. Recently Russia has built its relations with Turkey at
the expense of the interests of Armenians, notably an effort was made
to return Karabakh to Azerbaijan.

The more the relations between Turkey and the West aggravate,
the more the Russian-Turkish relations strengthen. So was in the
abovementioned period, so is now and so will be in the future when
the issue of Turkey’s fragmentation will be on the agenda.

Moscow and Ankara are partners in defeating Armenian claims on the
international arena. Russia is able to neutralize all the initiatives
relating to the Armenian issue, including the international recognition
of the independence of Karabakh, using its levers on the Armenian
government and its fifth column, the pro-Russian experts of Armenian
origin and the Union of Armenians of Russia whose main goal is lobby
of Russia’s interests at the expense of the Armenian interests.

Time changes, real issues and approaches are discussed more
substantially in Armenia. The Armenian political class must get over
stereotypes and style imposed on it and use the Armenian cause as its
own weapon and rid of the role of an artifact and something between
the hammer and anvil.

Turkey’s fragmentation may come true, and Armenia must be ready for
that not to get under the ruins once again. We did not resist in
West Armenia because someone had reassured that Russia would defend
the Armenians. We resisted and won in Karabakh because there were
no illusions, especially that Russia fought against the Armenians,
on Azerbaijan’s side.

One more thing: whether tsarist, communist, democratic or sovereign,
Russia conducts the same policy, which is natural and logical because
the interests of Armenia are not in line with Russia’s interests in
the region, this is the rule and it cannot be ignored in building
new Armenian-Russian relations.

Haik Aramyan 16:55 24/04/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

DAVID HARUTYUNYAN: SAMAD SEYIDOV’S STATEMENT HAS NO CONNECTION TO REALITY

Panorama.am
24/04/2013

The statement of head of the Azerbaijani delegation to PACE Samad
Seyidov has no connection to reality, head of the Armenian delegation
to PACE David Harutyunyan told Panorama.am.

Samad Seyidov recently told the Azerbaijani media that a meeting
between the delegations of Armenia and Azerbaijan will take place
within the PACE Subcommittee on Karabakh during the PACE spring
session.

This statement was strange because the mentioned Subcommittee does not
exist for a long time. So we asked David Harutyunyan for a comment. He
said: “First of all, there haven’t been any meetings or consultations
held within any Ad Hoc Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly, let
alone the non-existing one. To express myself in a diplomatic way,
I have to state that Mr. Seyidov’s statements have no connection to
reality at all.

The truth is that several confidential meetings have been organized
under the auspices of the President of the Parliamentary with the heads
of Armenian and Azeri delegations to discuss ways of cooperation and
reconciliation between the delegations.

The political will to start a genuine dialogue aimed at the fostering
reconciliation between the delegations was highlighted during these
meetings and one of the most important agreements was the commitment
of parties to maintain confidentiality of the negotiations.

Unfortunately this simple commitment not only was disrespected by
our Azeri colleague, but the truth was distorted and used for the
purpose of propaganda.”

NEVER FORGET ARMENIAN GENOCIDE – KIM KARDASHIAN

April 24, 2013 | 22:00

Famous American celebrity of Armenian descent Kim Kardashian posted
a link on her Celebuzz webpage, where she stresses the importance to
honor the memory of the 1.5 million Armenians who were killed in the
1915 Armenian Genocide.

“I am incredibly proud of my Armenian roots and that is why it is so
important for me to spread the word about the Armenian Genocide. It is
so important for me to honor the memory of the 1.5 million Armenians
who were killed in the 1915 Armenian Genocide. My thoughts and prayers
will always be with all my fellow Armenians. I will never forget the
fear and pain this has caused my ancestors and those close to me and
will continue to do everything in my power to educate those around
me so that there is a truthful and just resolution of the Armenian
Genocide. I love my heritage so much, this will be a part of me
forever. Xo,” reads Kardashian’s post.

TRADITIONAL TORCH MARCH TO TSITSERNAKABERT LAUNCHED IN YEREVAN

19:42, 23 April, 2013

YEREVAN, APRIL 23, ARMENPRESS: Traditional march with torches from
Independence Square to Tsitsernakaber launched in Yerevan on the eve of
98th anniversary of Armenian Genocide. As Armenpress reporter informs,
thousands of young people from public organizations, parties, students’
unions and just individual citizens participate in the march.

As a protest sign participants burnt the Turkish flag expressing
their anger over the denial policy of the country.

Attendees are very determined and united, demanding Turkey and
international community to recognize events of 1915 in Ottoman Empire
as Armenian Genocide.

That is the 14th march with torches held in Yerevan.

GENOCIDE 100TH ANNIVERSARY TO MARK SERIOUS DIVIDE – ARMENIAN OPPOSITION LEADER

16:16 ~U 24.04.13

Two years from now, Yerevan’s Tsitsernakaberd Park will see Armenians
commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Genocide in a completely
new state, the opposition Heritage party’s leader told reporters
today in the Genocide remembrance park.

“The 100th anniversary does not imply an end to the struggle. The
struggle is continual. The 100th anniversary is not a limitation
period; it marks the divide which has to force Turkey to decide between
paying reward without preconditions and accepting the Armenian people’s
victory,” Raffi Hovhannisian said.

The politician believes Armenia’s current policies contribute to
Turkey’s denialism. “I support accountability measures for Turkey
and the world community, but we must be in a country protecting and
respecting the law and the Constitution,” he said.

“Domestic policies should not be linked to foreign policies, but it
is important to break the flock stereotype,” Hovhannisian continued.

Armenian News – Tert.am

JOINT STATEMENT BY ARMENIAN SPIRITUAL LEADERS MARKS 98TH ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE – ARF-D REP

17:16 ~U 24.04.13

Kiro Manoyan, Head of the Armenian Cause Office, believes that
April 24, 2013, is notable for a joint statement by Catholicos of
All Armenians Garegin II and Head of the Catholicosate of the Great
House of Cilicia Aram I.

As regards the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, Manoyan told
Tert.am that this day will never be forgotten.

“This is not a day of mourning, but a day of demanding our rights,”
he said.

“We want the world to show justice to Armenians, and we must use our
full potential to regain our rights restored,” he said.

The centennial of the Armenian Genocide must inaugurate the process
of raising the issues of rights and compensation, which will continue
afterwards.

Armenian News – Tert.am

IN ISRAEL, BOTH COALITION AND OPPOSITION URGE REMEMBRANCE OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

17:38 24/04/2013 ” IN THE WORLD

Both coalition and opposition members Tuesday commemorated the Armenian
genocide by the Ottoman Turks, despite Israel’s efforts to patch things
up with Turkey over the raid on the Gaza flotilla three years ago in
which eight Turkish nationals died, says an article in Haaretz.com.

Because of Jerusalem’s past close relations with Ankara, the
government has never officially recognized the events as genocide,
says the article.

“How many of us are really familiar with the Armenian holocaust? Why
are we indifferent when Turkey does not take responsibility?” said
MK Ayelet Shaked (Habayit Hayehudi).

MK Israel Hasson (Kadima) called on his colleagues to support
the Armenian people. “We’ve formed an Israeli-Armenian friendship
association, and I call on any MKs who want to express solidarity
to join it, even if the government has difficulty formulating a
statement.”

MK Zahava Gal-On (Meretz) referred to the reconciliation talks with
Turkey as “an important and strategic process. It’s not that we
have to either recognize the genocide or have relations with Turkey;
we can do both.”

Ofir Akunis, a deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, said
that “as Jews and Israelis we have a moral obligation to remember
human tragedies. One of them was the massacre of the Armenian people.

The State of Israel has never denied these terrible events.”

The Armenian Genocide has been recognized and condemned by Uruguay
(1965), the Republic of Cyprus (1982), Argentina (1993), Russia
(1995), Canada (1996), Greece (1996), Lebanon (1997), Belgium (1998),
Italy (2000), Vatican (2000), France (2001), Switzerland (2003),
Slovakia (2004), The Netherlands (2004), Poland (2005), Germany
(2005), Venezuela (2005), Lithuania (2005), Chile (2007), Sweden
(2010). The Armenian Genocide has been recognized by Vatican, the
Council of Europe and the World Council of Churches.

Source: Panorama.am

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS COMMEMORATED IN BULGARIA

18:25, 24 April, 2013

YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS: Number of events on 98th anniversary of
Armenian Genocide has been organized in Bulgaria. As Armenpress was
informed from press, informational and public relations department
of Armenian Foreign Ministry, Armenian Ambassador to Bulgaria Arsen
Shoyan, Father Abgar Ovakimyan, embassy personnel, former deputy
Katar Khachikyan and representatives of Armenian community in Bulgaria
laid wreaths on the Armenian Genocide memorial in Armenian cemetery
in Sofia.

Ambassador Shoyan delivered a speech highlighting the necessity of
the international recognition of Armenian Genocide and condemning
the denial policy. The wreath laying ceremony was followed by Divine
Liturgy.

Different events on Armenian Genocide anniversary continue to be held
in different cities of Bulgaria.

FRANCE’S SOCIALISTS JOIN ARMENIANS ON APRIL 24

April 24, 2013 | 15:58

France’s ruling Socialist party issued a statement on the 98th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide expressing solidarity with
Armenians.

In their statement, Socialists noted importance of Genocide recognition
by Turkey for the sake of peace and stability between the states,
Nouvelles d’Armenie reported.

The statement says 1.5 million people were massacred by the ruling
regime in the Ottoman Empire.

“Even if the current Turkish government is not bearing any
responsibility for the Armenian Genocide, recognition by Turkey not
only helps to preserve the memory necessary for friendship between
the nations, but also helps to maintain peace and stability between
Armenia and Turkey,” the statement reads.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

WE WILL PAY OUR DEBT TO SOME EXTENT IF WE ACHIEVE GENOCIDE’S FULL INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION – PROSPEROUS ARMENIA MP

April 24, 2013 | 15:13

YEREVAN. – We will pay our debt to some extent when we achieve the
whole international community’s ultimate acceptance and recognition
of the Armenian Genocide. Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) National
Assembly Faction Secretary Naira Zohrabyan told this to news reporters
on Wednesday while visiting capital city Yerevan’s Armenian Genocide
Memorial, on the 98th anniversary of the genocide.

Zohrabyan stressed that those superpowers, which do not recognize the
genocide to this day, should come to understand that if the crime is
not punished, any impunity can become a basis for new crimes.

“It is important for us that Turkey would have so much courage to
accept and recognize the Armenian Genocide. We ultimately must put
the issue of compensation. Turkey does not have the courage to look
truth in the eye,” she stated.

The PAP MP also noted that, on her way to the genocide monument,
she had seen several Turkish intellectuals who had come to pay their
respects to the genocide victims.

“They said they had come here with a debt of soul and they apologize,
in their forebears’ stead, for the crime committed by Ottoman Turkey.

But we cannot pay our debt in full by solely retaining the memory,
coming here [to the memorial], putting a flower [there], [and] bowing
[in respect to the genocide victims],” Naira Zohrabyan added.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am