Author: Kanayan Tamar

Hard Turkey
Shlomo Avineri

2011-10-21

JERUSALEM ` The recent surge in Turkey’s military actions against the
Kurds in northern Iraq is an indication that, somewhat surprisingly `
but not entirely unpredictably ` Turkish foreign policy has undergone
a 180-degree turn in less than two years. The Turkish offensive is
also an indication that these changes go beyond the current tensions
between Turkey and Israel, which are just one facet of much deeper
trends.

Just a couple of years ago, after the European Union slammed the door
in Turkey’s face (despite some significant military and penal reforms
by the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government), Turkey
re-oriented its policy away from Europe towards its immediate region.
Foreign Minister Ahmet DavutoÄ?lu’s `zero conflicts with neighbors’
approach gave this re-orientation its strategic and theoretical
foundation.

Opening an impressive new page, Turkey reached out to Armenia;
softened its position on Cyprus; tried to draw Iran into a positive
dialogue with the West; convinced Syria to settle the two countries’
simmering border dispute; and, as a crowning achievement, launched
peace talks between Syria and Israel under Turkish mediation.

Yet these good-neighborhood policies did not work out as intended.
Rapprochement with Armenia stalled; no significant progress was made
on Cyprus, especially after a less-accommodating leader was elected in
the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (an entity that only Turkey
recognizes); the opening to Iran did not soften the mullahs’ position
on nuclear development (and strained relations with the United
States); the Syria-Israel talks failed; and Turkey’s participation in
the 2010 flotilla to Gaza, and Israel’s brutal response to it,
signaled an end to decades of close Israeli-Turkish cooperation.

To top it all off, Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad, ostensibly
Turkey’s closest new ally, emerged as the most oppressive and bloody
regional tyrant. Assad has now spent the better part of 2011 killing
his own people as they demonstrate for liberalization and reform.

Notwithstanding these failures, Turkey’s strategic stature did not
suffer, partly because the diminution of US engagement under President
Barack Obama enabled Turkey to fill the ensuing regional power vacuum.
The Arab Spring, despite its still-inconclusive outcome, greatly
weakened Egypt’s role in regional politics and made it possible for
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an to position Turkey ` and himself `
as the leader of a Muslim bloc and a model of co-existence between
Islam and democracy. Last but not least, the AKP’s victory in recent
parliamentary elections has encouraged ErdoÄ?an to embrace Putinesque
ambitions.

All of this exposed the built-in ambivalence in DavutoÄ?lu’s `zero
conflict’ policy. While initially viewed as pacific and moderate, it
was underpinned by an overarching view of Turkey as the hegemonic
regional power ` as an arbiter of conflicts, but ultimately also as an
enforcer of its own views on lesser players. It may be incorrect to
call Turkey’s behavior `neo-Ottoman,’ but some neighboring countries,
after expecting a mediator and facilitator, may now feel faced by a
possible bully.

ErdoÄ?an’s policy re-orientation vis-Ã-vis Israel can be understood as
an attempt not only to overcome traditional Arab suspicion of Turkey,
given its imperial past, but also to present a more moderate Islamic
alternative to theocratic Iran and its unpredictable president. But
ErdoÄ?an’s threat to consider using the Turkish navy as a military
escort for further flotillas to Gaza already borders on saber
rattling, as does his declared willingness to use force to prevent the
Republic of Cyprus from exploring for gas in its continental shelf.
Indeed, ErdoÄ?an’s has warned of a diplomatic rupture with the EU if
Cyprus accedes to the Union’s rotating presidency in 2012.

At the same time, renewed violent incursions into northern Iraq in
pursuit of alleged guerillas suggest a reversion to hardline
anti-Kurdish policies. The withdrawal of US forces from Iraq only
seems to have encouraged Turkey’s will to create a cordon sanitaire on
the Iraqi side of the border ` and possibly to establish a
counterweight to Iran’s influence on a Shia-led government in Baghdad.
And, while Turkey’s agreement to host NATO anti-missile radar
facilities, and its recent seizure of a Syrian-registered arms ship,
may please the West, here, too, its policies are focused on `hard’
military power.

Similarly, ErdoÄ?an’s recent visit to Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia brings
out the ambivalence of Turkey’s new claim to regional hegemony. While
Egypt’s shaky military junta welcomed ErdoÄ?an, many Egyptians were not
happy about his hectoring them ` and other Arabs ` to follow Turkish
policies and to regard Turkey as their Muslim leader. A new sultanate?
ErdoÄ?an as the new Saladin?

Turkey has an enormously important role to play in the region. It
could be a bridge between the West and the East, between Islam and
modernity, and between Israel and the Arabs. But it runs the danger of
succumbing to the arrogance of power, which has corrupted and
sidelined many strong states in the past.

Shlomo Avineri, a professor of political science at the Hebrew
University of Jerusalem, is a former director-general of Israel’s
Foreign Ministry.

Russian Foreign Ministry: Saakashvili will never be welcome in Moscow

October 22, 2011 – 10:15 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Russia will never invite Georgian President Mikheil
Saakashvili to visit Moscow, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on
Friday, Oct 21.

`He will never be invited here, ever… We, for obvious reasons, have
taken him off the list of our partners. He is the one who ordered to
kill our peacekeepers and also people he regarded as his fellow
citizens – I mean South Ossetians,’ Lavrov said, according to RIA
Novosti.

“LITERARY ARK 2011: TEN YEARS AFTER” IN ARMENIA

Panorama
Oct 21 2011
Armenia

On October 20th the participants of “Literary Ark 2011: Ten Years
After” cultural program met H.H. Karekin II, Catholicos of All
Armenians, visited the grave of Mesrop Mashtots and held a presentation
of “Homo Ludens” program in Yerevan.

Yesterday, European writers that arrived in Armenia in the frames of
“Literary Ark 2011: Ten Years After” cultural program, visited the
grave of Mesrop Mashtots in Oshakan, Zvartnots Temple and the Mother
See of Holy Etchmiadzin where they had a meeting with H.H. Karekin II,
Catholicos of All Armenians.

In the evening at the Khnko Aper library a presentation of “Homo
Ludens” (Man the Player) program was held. During the presentation
Dutch writer and designer Arlette van Laar along with historian and
actor Serge van Daynhoven presented their vision of a creative person
and the world he lives in.

After the presentation the participants of the “Literary Ark 2011:
Ten Years After” visited Parajanov Museum and met Armenian artists.

Armenian Public Organization of Cultural Cooperation with Foreign
Countries ant Ministry of Culture of RA are holding a new “Literary
Ark 2011: Ten Years After” program that will be held on October 19
to 28, 2011. Within its frameworks, 15 European writers will visit
Armenia to learn more about its people, traditions and culture,
their present life, as well as discuss the issues related to modern
literature and culture.

IRAN’S FOREIGN MINISTRY EXPRESSES NOTE OF PROTEST AGAINST AZERBAIJAN

Panorama
Oct 21 2011
Armenia

Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Iran was called to Iran’s Foreign Ministry
where note of protest was expressed as an Iranian soldier was shot
dead by Azerbaijani frontiers, reported Iranian “FARS” news agency.

According to the source the note of protest said Azerbaijani
frontiers’ actions opposed all the international norms, as well as
mutual treaties.

On October 19 an Iranian soldier was shot dead in the aftermath of
armed clashes between the Azerbaijani and Iranian frontiers.

IRANIAN INTERIOR MINISTER TO VISIT ARMENIA IN NOVEMBER

Fars News Agency
Oct 21 2011
Iran

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran’s Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar will
pay a visit to Armenia in November.

Deputy Interior Minister for International Affairs Mehdi Mohammadi-Fard
told FNA that Najjar is due to travel to Armenia on November 6.

The two-day visit will take place at the invitation of Armenian
Minister of Territorial Administration Armen Gevorgyan, Mohammadi-Fard
said.

During the visit, Najjar will meet with senior Armenian officials to
discuss bilateral ties and cooperation in various fields. Cooperation
over security, border and economic issues is said to be high on the
agenda of talks between the two sides during Najjar’s upcoming visit
to Armenia.

ARMENIAN FESTIVAL IN CANADA

AZG DAILY
21-10-2011

This year, the Moncton Armenian Festival will celebrate the 20th
anniversary of the Independence of Armenia in style, with six days
filled with activities and discoveries of remarkable Armenian artists.

There will be a grand opening, two exhibitions, two concerts, a film
festival, lectures, master classes at the Universite de Moncton,
and art projects with schools in districts 01 and 02. This event
promises to be a feast for the senses with an array of exhibitions,
films, concerts, as well as music, dancing, and food tasting in order
to promote understanding, sharing, and communicating.

According to Sylvia Kasparian, President and Artistic Director of
the Festival, the goal of the Moncton Armenian Festival is to promote
Armenian culture in the Greater Moncton Area. This idea was initiated
by members of the Armenian community of Moncton, part of Maritimes
Armenian Association, which unites approximately 100 families living
in the Maritime Provinces. In each edition, the Armenian Festival
takes you on a voyage of discovery: from the origins of the great
“historic Armenia” to the discovery of present-day Armenia and the
significant Armenian diaspora throughout the world. To address the
diversity and vivacity of a culture that was threatened with extinction
at the onset of the first genocide of the 20th century… To create
a link between here and over there… To be born into the diaspora or
to be born in Armenia, on roads with common roots, from yesterday to
tomorrow… The Festival also allows local communities to discover
and understand this rich and tormented history, as is shown by the
more than 2500-year-old exceptionally vibrant Armenian heritage.

Each edition brings out a specific aspect of Armenian culture. This
4th edition, which will take place from October 27 until November 6,
will be a celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Independence of
Armenia and showcase artists mainly from Armenia. It will be dedicated
to two very original if marginal artists from Armenia: Maestro Sergei
Parjanov, a great artist and Armenian filmmaker who died in 1990, and
Tigran Hamasyan, a young virtuoso pianist and Armenian jazzman who,
at the age of 23, has shown enormous talent in his rise to fame. These
artists have demonstrated, with cutting-edge artistry, a remarkable
ability to tap into the roots of their 2500-year-old Armenian culture,
and bring out its essence, while merging it with other influences
that have inspired them. These artists have proven to be remarkably
creative and have shown unbridled originality, which makes them unique
and unmatched, in a class all their own. These artists, unique in
their genre, promise a colourful and energetic program of high quality.

ECONOMIST: FREE TRADE ZONE AGREEMENT TO EXPAND SALE MARKET FOR ARMENIAN MANUFACTURERS

/ARKA/
October 21, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, October 21. /ARKA/. The free trade zone agreement signed
Tuesday at a CIS prime-ministerial meeting in St. Petersburg will
expand sale market for Armenian manufacturers, Tatul Manaseryan, head
of Alternative analysis center, said Friday during the Yerevan-Moscow-
Kiev- Chisinau-Astana video bridge focused on free trade zones.

All the CIS countries but Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan
signed this agreement, but the mentioned countries can join it before
the end of this year.

The document lays ground for trade and economic relations among CIS
countries and replaces bilateral and multilateral agreements.

~SFirst of all, the market that restricted Armenian manufacturers for
two decades will expand and favorable environment will be created for
ousting monopolies for healthy competition,~T he said. ~SThat is why
we hail the free trade zone.~T

He said that this decision came just in time ~V it will lay groundwork
for further transition to other type of economic integration.

He also singled out participation of five post-soviet countries in
World Trade Organization among the document~Rs advantages ~V it will
contribute a great deal to adoption of standards, which will be used
also in the free trade zone.

Speaking about possible threats to the new zone, Manaseryan pointed out
the necessity to consider international experience, particularly the
fact that the North American Free Trade Zone was created two decades
ago, but its members are not able to transit to the next type of
economic integration ~V to customs union. It mans they have problems.

Manaseryan also pointed out the necessity to take into account other
factors, such as existence of other regional structures, particularly
Black Sea Economic Cooperation, GUAM and EU Eastern Partnership
programs.

SITUATION IN ARMENIAN ARMED FORCES CAUSES SERIOUS CONCERN – GEGAM HARUTYUNYAN

arminfo
Friday, October 21, 18:07

Today the situation in the Armenian Armed Forces causes serious
concern, the head of the Public Council under Armenian Defence
Ministry, Gegam Harutyunyan, said at today’s press-conference.

He also added that the cases of violence and humiliation in the army
cannot but cause sharply negative reaction of the Armenian society.

Today the most important is to overcome interpersonal relations
between soldiers, he said.

He sees the way out from the situation in further cooperation with
the society and mass media: “If you have something to offer, please
do it, and we shall convey your proposals to the Defence Ministry. We
are open for cooperation”, – he said.

At the same time, Harutyunyan said that the number of the death cases
has reduced in the army.

“Of course, there is distrust in the society and among parents of the
soldiers which were killed in the army, but today there is not such
an idea like impunity in the army. All the investigations are being
held in details in every separate case. But we have to make these
investigations more successful, for the distrust to disappear”, –
the head of the Public Council said.

To recall, in connection with the death of conscript, Lance Corporal
Vladimir Asatryan, who was serving in a unit of Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic (NKR) Defense Army, the same unit’s conscript Martin Zakaryan
was detained yesterday. As press-service of Armenian Defence Ministry
reported, within the framework of the criminal case launched into the
soldier’s death, the same military unit’s conscript Albert Arakelyan
was also detained on Thursday. The investigation into the criminal
case is underway.

According to official premise, while carrying out duty at a military
position of NKR Defense Army, Vladimir Asatryan, 19, had committed
suicide with the gun fastened to him.

SELECTIVE SERVICE: INTELLECTUALS WEIGH IN ON ARMY CONTROVERSY
By Gayane Lazarian

ArmeniaNow
21.10.11 | 16:34

Member of the Ministry of Defense’s Intellectuals to Military Units
Initiative David Gasparyan (R) and Headmaster of Mkhitar Sebastatsi
educational complex Ashot Bleyan

Into discussions of concern over yet more controversial deaths in the
Republic of Armenia Army, a number of intellectuals have weighed in
with “Intellectuals to Military Units” Ministry of Defense initiative.

Literary critic, philologist David Gasparyan says the army has become
the most vulnerable area in the country, and that society has to
stand by the army, not to condemn and criticize but to supervise.

“There are multiple sources of aggression in the army: family,
environment, illiteracy, the army life itself, and others. However,
the majority of issues stem form the fact that some serve in the army,
others evade, when army service has to be compulsory for all,” says
Gasparyan, participating in the initiative.

According to him, it would make a huge difference if oligarchs’ and
officials’ sons served in the army as well. Society is not healthy,
hence, neither is the army.

“The army is an issue that involves every Armenian family, it has
become one of the most painful aspects of our life with frequently
tragic outcome. This country is collapsing, who will be this country’s
soldier?” he asks.

Headmaster of Mkhitar Sebastatsi educational complex Ashot Bleyan
approves taking the army under civic supervision, however, he says,
it is unfortunate the army elite is raising clamor and is outraged
rather than encouraging the initiative.

“A powerless, poor person goes to serve, others make it till 27
years-old by entering universities’ state-budgeted departments [by RA
law students of these departments are released from military service
until they graduate] and deferment [out of health concerns] and never
serve. It is terrible that we have two types of people. On the one
hand it’s the oligarch who is the lord of the manor and, on the other
hand, a poor young man who has to defend that manor,” says Bleyan.

He also believes that the repeated tragic incidents are causing
psychological stress in families who have soldiers-to-be.

Gasparyan believes that lectures and discussions with soldiers on
a variety of topics might help release the tension, taking into
consideration the illiteracy factor. However, he says, the officer
staff needs psychological lectures too.

“Draft dodging for fake reasons becomes double destructive, first of
all for the army itself, because it gets depleted, and, on the other
hand, because we end up with fake professionals in other fields of
society,” he says. “Release of military service after completing their
post-graduate course causes huge harm both to the army and to science,
as any person – deserving or not – receives academic degrees.”

Bleyan suggests former classmates and “yard-mates” should serve at
the same military units.

“Why is it that young people reside in the same area, side by side,
finish the same school, but serve in different places? It’s a violation
of the natural law, all kinds of discrimination have to be eliminated,
and in a matter of just a few months, you’ll see the change. The law
says one cannot be a public servant/official without military service,
but what do we witness nowadays…?” Bleyan says.

Gasparyan strongly believes the only option to relieve army-society
tension is to get rid of discrimination, meaning that every young
Armenian man has to serve in the army, without exceptions.

FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY: NUMBER OF LAWSUITS UNDERSCORES NEED FOR UNDERSTANDING OF MEDIA RIGHTS
By Sara Khojoyan

ArmeniaNow
21.10.11 | 16:36

Leaders of eight Armenian news outlets have appealed to the
Constitutional Court of Armenia demanding to declare articles on insult
and slander anti-constitutional. (The increasing number of lawsuits
against mass media representatives has become an issue of serious
concerns ever since the decriminalization of these articles last year.)

Ombudsman Karen Andreasyan’s appeal to the Constitutional Court
became the driving force for mass media representatives, who followed
his example, even without high hopes for any positive outcome. The
ombudsman assured that the current lawsuits might be suspended as
a result.

“If the Ombudsman has taken that step, it means that the authorities
are trying to settle the issue through him,” editor of ‘Jhamanak’
(Time) daily Arman Babajanyan said at a press conference on Friday.

Soon after the articles on insult and slander were decriminalized in
March 2010, 29 court claims were filed against news outlets, and only
one of them was dropped. Editors are worried not only because the cases
are almost always resolved in favor of the claimant, but also because
the court always applies the strictest punishment putting mass media in
a difficult financial situation, and forcing to pay millions of drams.

According to the report by Freedom of Speech Protection Committee,
presented on Friday, an unprecedented number of claims against mass
media have been filed within the third quarter of 2011 (11 claims
with accusations of insult and slander).

Chairman of the Committee Ashot Melikyan, who believes the lawsuits
are a way of political and economic pressure upon mass media, told
reporters that the decision of the Constitutional Court is not enough
to settle the issue.

“On the other hand, freedom of speech is never handed to public on
a silver plate, and in this respect, there are no guarantees that
even more regressive laws will not be adopted,” Melikyan clarified,
responding to questions on the possible decision of the Constitutional
Court.