DAVUTOGLU TO VISIT NAKHICHEVAN THIS MONTH
Panorama.am
13/01/2012
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is due to visit Nakhichevan
in January, Trend quoted Foreign Ministry spokesperson Selcuk Unal
as saying.
Davutoglu will visit Nakhichevan on January 17 to attend a tripartite
meeting of Azerbaijani, Iranian and Turkish Foreign Ministers, the
source said.
PUTIN ATTENDS LEGENDARY ARMENIAN SPY’S FUNERAL
Tert.am
13.01.12
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has attended legendary Soviet
intelligence agent Gevrog Vardanyan’s funerals in Moscow, Life News
reported.
Director of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service Mikhail Fradkov
is also said to have been present at the ceremony in Moscow’s
Troyekurovskoye cemetery.
After laying flowers at Vardanyan’s grave and talking to his relatives,
Putin submitted to them his condolence message which read as follows:
“Gevorg A Vardanyan’s life was bright and full of heroic events. He
helped create numerous legendary pages in our history intelligence. The
memory of the real patriot and strong man will always be alive in
our hearts.”
Vardanyan died in a Moscow hospital on January 10 at age 88.
LOI SUR LES GENOCIDES : LE RDSE (A MAJORITE PRG) VOTERA CONTRE LE TEXTE DE LOI
Stephane
armenews.com
vendredi 13 janvier 2012
Le groupe RDSE (a majorite radicaux de gauche) du Senat a annonce
jeudi dans un communique qu’il voterait contre la proposition de loi
visant a penaliser la negation de tous les genocides, dont celui des
Armeniens de 1915.
Cette proposition de loi de la deputee UMP Valerie Boyer deja votee
le 22 decembre par l’Assemblee nationale sera examinee le 23 janvier
par le Senat.
Le groupe du Rassemblement democratique et social europeen (RDSE)
“sans oublier la souffrance du peuple armenien” “considère qu’un tel
texte n’est pas de nature a permettre l’apaisement des relations
entre la Turquie et l’Armenie, deux pays amis de la France et qui
doivent le rester”.
Pour lui “le legislateur n’a pas vocation a se substituer aux travaux
des Historiens et a ecrire (ou a reecrire) l’Histoire”.
Les seize senateurs du RDSE estiment qu’en leur qualite de
parlementaires et de senateurs de la Republique il n’appartient pas
au legislateur de s’immiscer dans ce type de debat et pas davantage
d’envisager des sanctions penales”.
Le texte prevoit de punir d’un an de prison et 45.000 euros d’amende
la negation d’un genocide reconnu par la loi francaise.
Ils soulignent que le 4 mai dernier le Senat avait deja rejete
un texte similaire “après que plusieurs senateurs, parmi lesquels
Robert Badinter et Jean-Jacques Hyest (UMP), (eurent) mis justement
en evidence les faiblesses juridiques et en premier lieu le caractère
inconstitutionnel d’un tel texte”.
Le groupe ecologiste s’est egalement prononce contre. Une majorite
de senateurs socialistes, du CRC (communiste) et de l’UMP devraient
cependant voter pour. Une partie des opposants au texte notamment
a l’UMP ont indique qu’ils ne prendraient pas part au vote. La
proposition de loi, dans cette configuration, a de grandes chances
cette fois d’etre votee par le Senat.
ALGERIAN PRIME MINISTER’S CALL ON TURKEY
by Abdullah al-Ahsan*
Today’s Zaman
Jan 13 2012
Turkey
It was shocking to see the Algerian prime minister’s call on
“Turkish authorities to stop referring to Algerian history under
French colonial rule as part of Turkey’s quarrel with France over
genocide allegations,” (Today’s Zaman, Jan. 7, 2012).
The Algerian prime minister expressed his views in the context of
the Turkish prime minister’s reference to French atrocities committed
in Algeria which, in turn, was mentioned in the context of a French
decision to pass “a bill that would make it a crime to deny that
mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks nearly a century ago
constituted genocide.” As Today’s Zaman reported, “Turkey’s prime
minister then accused the French of [committing] ‘genocide’ during
France’s 132-year colonial rule in Algeria.” I don’t want to discuss
killings in Armenia at the beginning of the 20th century; I would,
rather, like to comment on the call by the Algerian prime minister. I
will also comment on the history of the French-Turkish relationship.
Clearly the Algerian prime minister does not want to see his country
getting involved in a row between its former colonial power and
Turkey. But is his resistance because he does not want his country to
be troubled concerning a controversy between two independent sovereign
states? Or is the issue of the killings of innocent civilians under
French colonial rule in Algeria no longer a matter of agitation for
him? Or does he want to dump that part of history into the trash? Or,
in the worst case scenario, maybe he wants to please his country’s
colonial power in order to gain political support? If the last scenario
is the case, he should remember that one year ago France denied asylum
to Tunisian fugitive Ben Ali when he was desperately seeking refuge.
But even if the Algerian prime minister dumps part of his country’s
history, should the Turks accept it? This question arises because,
when France occupied Algeria in 1830, Algeria was part of the Ottoman
state. It should be noted that the Ottomans never invaded Algeria;
Khairuddin Pasha (known as Barbarossa and Hayrettin in Turkish),
who was born on a Greek island in the Aegean Sea, organized forces
to liberate the area from the Spaniards around A.D. 1525. After
defeating Muslims in Spain, the Catholics were on a mission to capture
territories on the Mediterranean coasts. Khairuddin, of course, sought
and received Ottoman assistance for this purpose. Had the Ottomans
not assisted the people of Algeria at that moment in history, the fate
of Algerians today would have been similar to that of Spanish Muslims.
How could the Algerians forget this part of their history? Years
later when Catholic Spain sought a truce with the Ottomans, the
territory became part of the Ottoman state. Therefore, if Turkish
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is making a reference to French
atrocities in Algeria, he has a reason to.
The Turkish prime minister was referring to the killing of Algerians
by French troops in the middle of the 20th century. But one might find
a more pathetic picture from the early days of French occupation in
Algeria. According to an official French census report by the Service
de la Statistique Generale, the Algerian Muslim population in 1830
was about 3 million. The number declined to 2.6 million in 1845, to
2.307 million in 1856 and to 2.134 million in 1872. Did these people
emigrate? No. They were all massacred by invading French troops.
Algerians fought under the leadership of Abdul Qadir al-Jazairi until
1847. Then the revolt continued in the area of Kabylia until 1870.
Were these killings not genocide? Those Algerians who survived moved
to rural areas; Islam became a rural phenomenon and the French imported
European settlers to populate the cities.
In this context one should recall the earliest phase of the
French-Ottoman relationship — a relationship that goes beyond the
first treaty between Francis I (1494-1597) and Suleyman the Magnificent
(1494-1566) in 1536. Under the treaty the Ottomans granted the French
privilege to conduct business in the prosperous Mediterranean region —
a privilege the British also sought but were denied. But the French
forgot this favor and invaded Egypt in 1798, violating the treaty. It
seems one also needs to remind the Algerian prime minister the excuse
France used to attack and occupy Algeria in 1830. In other words, the
Algerian prime minister should be rather careful in making statements,
particularly at a time when many Arab countries are experiencing
an awakening.
*Abdullah al-Ahsan is a professor of history and deputy dean at the
International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC)
at the International Islamic University of Malaysia.
THE ‘BROTHERHOOD’ RALLIES FOR ERDOGAN
Hurriyet Daily News
Jan 13 2012
Turkey
Turkish-French relations as we have known them are about to end due
to the Armenian issue. Ties between the two countries, and most likely
between the two peoples, will be poisoned for a generation. Yet Paris
is not concerned. Many argue it is following the confrontational
course with Turkey intentionally. The reasons cited are varied.
For some it is pure electioneering on the part of President Sarkozy
and his party. For others the reasons are deeper and have to do with
increasing anti-Islamic feelings in France. This, they say, is a good
way to keep “Islamic Turkey’s EU ambitions” at bay.
Then there are those who maintain France is a declining power and is
not prepared to stomach competition from a Turkey whose economy and
strategic value continue to grow in a part of the world where Paris has
its own ambitions. There are also those who say Sarkozy’s anti-Turkish
sentiments run deep, imbuing him with a burning mission against Turks.
Whatever the case, Ankara is retaliating by reviving the memory of
French barbarity in Algeria. This is why government officials in
Paris must have been overjoyed when Algerian Prime Minister Ahmed
Ouyahia urged Turkey last week to stop making political capital from
France’s colonial past in his country.
Ouyahia also reminded Ankara that Turkey had supported France during
the Algerian war of independence, a fact that probably very few
Frenchmen are aware of. (Not many Turks knew about it until President
Turgut Ozal apologized to Algeria many years after the fact.)
French diplomats however are probably more realistic, especially given
what followed Ouyahia’s remarks. What followed was the “International
Islamic Brotherhood Network” coming immediately into play in Algeria
to support Prime Minister Erdogan and Turkey.
Islamist parties, related in one way or another to the Brotherhood, and
who are expected to come out strong in this year’s planned elections
(if these are free and fair), castigated Ouyahia with the strongest
of terms. Their basic accusation was that he had displayed “servility
to France” by trying to diminish the valued support of a high profile
Islamic leader like Erdogan for Algeria’s national cause.
Ouyahia hails from the anti-Islamist bloc in Algeria and is clearly
hated for this. It is natural therefore that should want to remind
“the Islamist government in Ankara,” which provides inspiration for
Algeria’s Islamists, of Turkey’s stance during his country’s war
of independence. In fact his stance on this issue, and the Islamist
support for Erdogan, probably has more to do with the power struggle
in Algeria between Islamists and seculars, than anything else.
At the end of the day Sarkozy may succeed in blocking Turkey in
Europe. But it is also clear that Erdogan’s rising prestige among the
Islamic masses in the Eastern Mediterranean also provides Ankara with
opportunities to cause headaches for France, in a region stretching
from Tunisia to Damascus and Egypt, and perhaps even beyond to the
Caucasus.
The simple fact is that Erdogan hails from an Islamist background,
even if he says today that he is merely a conservative like any other.
This gives him a head-start in this part of the world, as opposed to
Sarkozy who is not only a non-Muslim, but whose country is increasingly
anti-Muslim and anti-Arab.
Turkey and France could have done much more service to stabilize
this turbulent part of the world if they chose cooperation over
confrontation. But clearly the mutual antipathy is too deep for that
to happen. And so we have the crash that is on the way and which also
promises further confrontations later on.
TURKEY AND IRAN’S CLOSE COOPERATION HELPS REGIONAL SECURITY AND STABILITY, SAYS SPEAKER OF ISLAMIC CONSULTATIVE ASSEMBLY LARIJANI
by Kerim Gulbetekin
Anadolu Agency
Jan 11 2012
Turkey
Tehran (A.A) -The Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majles)
of Iran, Ali Larijani, said on Wednesday [11 January] that “Turkey
and Iran’s close cooperation helped regional security and stability”.
Speaking to the AA in Tehran prior to his upcoming trip to Turkey,
Larijani said that “Turkey and Iran were two Muslim neighbours,
had brotherly relations and were friends”.
The cooperation between Turkey and Iran help regional security and
stability and increase the role of the eastern block in the world,
Larijani stressed.
The parliaments of Turkey and Iran are the most strongest ones in
the region. Our parliaments have a crucial role in strengthening
bilateral relations, Larijani said.
The commercial relations between Turkey and Iran are in a good
position. We constantly hold consultations with Turkey on political
issues, Larijani said.
Reminding that Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu was in Iran
very recently, Larijani said that “we hold consultations with Turkey
on various regional issues. At times, we have different views and at
other times we have common views. In general, Turkey and Iran share
friendly relations. The parliaments of the two countries can help
develop relations and increase commercial ties. The parliaments can
also help cooperation in the fields of science, culture and industry”.
Touching on Iran’s nuclear issue, Larijani said that “Iran believes
in resolving the nuclear issue through negotiations”.
“We are not after nuclear weapons. We do not find nuclear weapons
right from a religious perspective. Our Supreme Leader Ayatollah
Ali Hoseini-Khamenei described nuclear weapons and weapons of mass
destruction as forbidden by religion,” Larijani said.
In regard to the developments in the region, Larijani said that all the
developments took place while Muslims were searching for their rights.
On the issue of Upper Karabakh, Larijani said that “everyone should
receive their rights through negotiations. A country’s territorial
integrity should not be harmed”.
ARMENIAN CHURCH TO HOST CLASSICAL MUSIC CONCERT
Hurriyet Daily News
Jan 12 2012
Turkey
The Surp Vortvots Vorodman Church in Istanbul’s Kumkapı district,
which was recently reopened for worship after 100 years, will host
a concert Jan. 22 as part of the “Bach Before and After” events.
The event, organized by the Hakan Erdogan Production every two months,
will feature Czech violinist Jiri Barta and pianist Stanislav Gallin.
Beethoven’s violoncello sonatas and Cezar Franck’s A major sonata will
be performed by Barta and Gallin at the concert. The first concert of
the event will take place Jan. 20 at the St. Antuan Church. Vortvots
Vorodman (Children of Thunder) Church, which opened for worship Oct.
14, 1828, has not been used since World War I. The building was
restored within the scope of projects initiated for Istanbul European
Capital of Culture 2010. Turkish Customs and Trade Minister Hayati
Yazıcı inaugurated Vortvots Vorodman Armenian Church Culture Center
in Istanbul Dec. 28, 2011.
ALEXANDER LUKASHENKO MEETS WITH ARMENIA’S NSC SECRETARY
Office of the President
Jan 12 2012
Belarus
Belarus is eager to intensify trade and economic cooperation with
Armenia and further develop relations with the CSTO, President of
Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said as he met with Armenia’s National
Security Council (NSC) Secretary Arthur Baghdasaryan on 12 January.
The head of state stressed that Belarus and Armenia have to do a lot
to promote trade and economic ties.
The President expressed regret that in 2011 the Belarusian-Armenian
trade declined. “There are objective and subjective reasons,” the
head of state noted. He also reminded that there was a period in
the history of bilateral relations when the Belarus-Armenia trade
was zero. Today the two countries should do their best to increase
bilateral trade as the potential to forge ties is big.
The President said that in the anticipation of Arthur Baghdasaryan’s
visit to Minsk, Armenia put forward a proposal to enhance relations.
Armenia is keen to buy various Belarusian goods, from agricultural
equipment to consumer products.
The head of state said that he will instruct the Government to enhance
cooperation with Armenia. “We are ready to find ways to deliver goods
you have requested to Armenia and set up joint ventures. For example,
at first we can launch the assembly of some types of machines and
equipment,” Alexander Lukashenko said.
The second cooperation priority, according to the President, is
the interaction in the CSTO. “Our countries are in one military and
political block. We have no closed topics and we will continue to
cooperate with you. Please feel free to send here your specialists. We
are ready to discuss any cooperation matters,” the head of state said.
He also thanked Armenia for cooperation in international
organizations. In his words, the recent international events prove
that Belarus and Armenia have similar positions on many issues.
Alexander Lukashenko confirmed that Belarus will do its best to promote
friendship with Armenia and implement all agreements with this country.
Arthur Baghdasaryan, in turn, noted that Belarus is Armenia’s ally
and strategic partner. The official expressed confidence that the
Armenian side will develop this strategic cooperation. He is convinced
that the visit will help strengthen Belarus-Armenia trade, economic,
military, and technical cooperation.
SEPARATING ARMY FROM POLITICS: EX-PRESIDENT INDICTED IN TURKEY
By Aris Ghazinyan
ArmeniaNow
12.01.12 | 16:09
The court of Ankara has decided to accept the indictment submitted
by a prosecutor’s office and order a trial against former president
of Turkey Kenan Evren and retired General Tahsin Sahinkaya held
responsible for staging a military coup.
Evren, 94, and Tahsin Sahinkaya, 86, former air force commander, are
the only surviving leaders of the military coup d’etat of 1980. Never
before have Turkish military leaders been prosecuted for usurpation
of power.
Evren gaine popularity also with his letter of 1984 addressed to US
President Ronald Reagan, warning about potential complications in
the Turkish-American relations if the US House of Representatives
adopted the House Joint Resolution designating April 24, 1985, as
National Day of Remembrance of Man’s Inhumanity to Man and “a day of
remembrance for all the victims of genocide, especially the one and
one-half million people of Armenian ancestry who were the victims of
the genocide perpetrated in Turkey between 1915 and 1923…”
Nonetheless, it’s obvious that the prosecution’s indictment is
conditioned by domestic political developments within Turkey and is in
no way related to the ex-president’s anti-Armenian activities. Turkish
authorities’ view of the Armenian factor is invariable regardless of
party affiliation or ideological positions.
Analysts say this step should be viewed within the context of the
current authorities’ attempts to minimize the role of the military
in the country’s political life.
It’s commonly known that the armed forces of Turkey are perceived as
guarantor of temporal power, whereas the current leadership of the
country adheres to Islamist positions and positions itself as the
chief defender of Muslim countries’ interests in the modern world.
Not surprisingly last week an Istanbul court took into custody Turkey’s
ex-army chief, General Ilker Basbug on charges of complicity in the
campaign to discredit the ruling Justice and Development party.
Basbug is the first military of that rank to undergo court trial.
Several hundred people have been detained under suspicion of conspiracy
with a purpose of overthrowing the Turkish government.
Apparently, Turkish authorities keep increasing pressure on the
generals.
Some western countries and structures are not very happy with the
Turkish authorities’ efforts at “defending Muslim countries” and
developing closer relations with Iran, in particular.
“The USA is increasing pressure on Turkey to cut down on its trade
and financial ties with Iran and demands to observe the recently
imposed sanctions against that country,” reports Hurriyet Daily News.
All this is happening in the highlight of escalated tensions between
the West and Iran in the Strait of Hormuz, a key water route for
oil transfer.
However, as Turkish foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu stated in one of
his interviews: “Sanctions imposed by Europe and the United States
against Iran do not restrict Turkey. Turkey has to be exempt from
those sanctions.”
The unequivocal international position on Turkey’s standpoint is
forcing this country to finally decide for itself whether it will
stay temporal or become an Islamic country.
Some analysts believe that the ruling top has made ‘a final decision’
and that’s the reason why it has started arresting high-ranking
politicians and military leaders who were considered “guarantors of
temporal power” and bearers of Republican Turkey’s founder Mustafa
Kemal’s ideological legacy.
NEW DETAILS FROM MURDER IN ARMENIA’S ALAVERDI CITY
NEWS.am
January 12, 2012 | 16:08
YEREVAN. – Vasil Shahverdyan confessed Thursday, to Armenian Police
Force’s Alaverdi City Precinct, that he killed Gagik Kilinkarov with
his firearm, Armenian News-NEWS.am’s Lori Region correspondent informed
from location.
Shahverdyan also informed the police that the motive for the murder was
revenge, since the Kilinkarov family had killed his brother years ago.
To note, Vasil Shahverdyan killed with a firearm, in Alaverdi city
on the same day, Gagik Kilinkarov, who was of Greek origin. And Lori
Regional Police Chief Anubakh Hambaryan told Armenian News-NEWS.am
that Shahverdyan is brought to Alaverdi Precinct.