Author: Kanayan Tamar

ISKANDARYAN: PROSPEROUS ARMENIA HAS NO MORE INFLUENCE

15:48 06/03/2015 ” POLITICS

Prosperous Armenia Party no longer has any influence in the political
arena, political scientist Alexander Iskandaryan told reporters
on Friday.

Gagik Tsarukyan’s future role can only be considered in the context
of the issue of whether or not he will continue financing the party,
said the analyst.

In his words, politics is a market: there is a demand for an opposition
force, but the supply is absent. Given the social discontent in
Armenia, any political force with the will to satisfy it may succeed.

Source: Panorama.am

STARBUCKS BECOMES FLASHPOINT BETWEEN TURKS, ARMENIANS

Al-Monitor
March 4 2015

by Pinar Tremblay
Posted March 3, 2015

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) posted on Feb. 18 a
picture of women with traditional Armenian gear, holding a Starbucks
coffee cup, under the Turkish crescent and star flags on their Facebook
account. Under the photo, which was displayed at the Mulholland and
Calabasas stores in the Woodland Hills area of Los Angeles, ANCA
posed the question: “Why is Starbucks selling coffee using an image
of women, dressed in traditional Armenian costumes, celebrating a
Turkish state that systematically victimized Armenian women during
the Armenian genocide, and that still denies this crime against all
humanity?” Starbucks, known as a rather liberal establishment, promptly
issued an apology and removed the posters, which were displayed in
a couple of locations in Southern California.

The photographer responsible for the design of the poster, Timothy
Rose, also issued an apology on his Web page explaining that he had
not known the women were Armenian.

When asked for the sentiments of Armenian-Americans about the
Starbucks posters, Aram Hamparian, the executive director of ANCA,
told Al-Monitor, “We felt that the Starbucks ad inappropriately used
images of women dressed in traditional Armenian costumes to glorify
a Turkish state that brutally persecuted Armenian women during the
Armenian genocide and that still, to this day, denies this crime
against all humanity.” Indeed, the reaction was so strong, Hamparian
informed Al-Monitor, that the entire campaign to remove the posters
lasted about five hours. He said, “Armenian-Americans are generally
a highly networked community that follows Armenian issues closely
and that is quick to react to misrepresentations in politics, media
or advertising. Social media, of course, helps Armenians to more
quickly connect to one another and to more effectively communicate
our collective concerns. We saw this on the morning of the Starbucks
poster. In the course of just a few hours, we were alerted to the ads,
developed quick graphics, generated protests, engaged Starbucks and
resolved the issue to everyone’s satisfaction.”

Several pundits agree it was just a marketing effort gone wrong.

Although the swift resolution of the matter must have pleased
Armenian-Americans and Americans in general, there was another group
that was not pleased: some misinformed Turks.

The news was reported quite differently in Turkey. One report alleged
Starbucks branches in Los Angeles had female hostesses dressed in
Turkish traditional dress and flags serving coffee, and this is what
had angered Armenian-Americans. On Feb. 22, Adana Mayor Huseyin Sozlu
had the municipal police hang Turkish flags in Starbucks branches
as customers clapped. Sozlu told the press, “As April 24 approaches,
the Armenian diaspora will be increasing its attacks on Turkey and the
Turkish nation. On the 100th year of the alleged Armenian genocide,
they launched an operation to remove the Turkish flag. And here in
Adana, we hung up our honorable flag in front of Starbucks branches
to retaliate.”

Turks were divided on social media about the appropriate reaction to
the episode. One tweeted: “After this point, I suspect the loyalty
to Turkey of anyone who steps into a Starbucks.” Others were more
cynical. One tweeted: “The mindset is tragic and comical. Those who
fail to protect their flag within their own borders are now putting
up flags with the police force at Starbucks storefronts.”

Yet, due to the incorrect translation of the news, the majority of
the Turkish public, who do not know English, were under the impression
that the Armenian-Americans were upset about a Turkish flag.

Some protests turned out to be rather counterproductive. For example,
on Feb. 22, several events were held in Turkey and cities around
the world to commemorate the Khojaly Massacre of February 1992,
when about 160 ethnic Azerbaijani civilians were killed during the
Nagorno-Karabakh war. Agos Daily, a Turkish Armenian newspaper,
reported on “racist posters in different corners of Turkey.” While
the goal was to remember the victims of the horrible events, a
group called “Genc Atsizlar,” self-described as “accepting Turkish
nationalism in their hearts,” took the idea of commemoration in a
different direction. Their hate-filled slogans tacitly accept the
Armenian genocide. For example, one of them reads “We celebrate
the 100th anniversary of cleansing our country from Armenians. We
are proud of our honorable ancestors.” This racist banner was hung
in several cities in a perplexing admission of ethnic cleansing
and genocide. These protests, unlike others in Turkey, prompted no
police reaction, raising questions about the kind of relationship
these ultranationalistic groups have with the Turkish state. We
cannot help but question: How many people agree with such racist,
hateful commentary about the Armenians in Turkey?

Meanwhile, back in Los Angeles, Harut Sassounian, a prominent
researcher and publisher of the California Courier, broke the
story Feb. 23, reporting, “ANCA-[Western Region] announced that
Los Angeles World Airports [LAWA], a wholly-owned entity of the
City of Los Angeles, has decided to terminate its contract worth
over $845,000 with the Gephardt Group.” This story did not find its
way into the Turkish news. Only one online publication, on Feb. 8,
announced that the Armenian lobby in the United States is targeting
companies that have business links with Turkey. Even in this brief
report, credit was given to the meticulous and transparent work of
dedicated Armenian-American activists for their cause. The plans of
the Turkish government to recover from this important setback for
Turkish lobbyists in the United States are unknown.

Sassounian told Al-Monitor that the Gephardt Group is one of the
major lobbying firms for Turkey and highlighted the fact that
former House Majority Leader Dick Gephardt has been a supporter of
Armenian-Americans’ efforts for the United States to recognize the
Armenian genocide. Yet once Gephardt retired, this support wavered.

Sassounian said, “The latest contract on file with the US Justice
Department reveals that the Gephardt Group is paid $1.4 million a year
to lobby for Turkey in Washington.” Sassounian and his team have been
raising red flags about the Gephardt Group since August 2014.

Sassounian told Al-Monitor that the Gephardt Group has not responded
to his article. So far, the group has not responded to the inquiries
from Al-Monitor, either.

Whether we agree with the motivations of the Armenian diaspora or not,
the victory by Armenian-Americans over the Gephardt Group should be
acknowledged as a significant accomplishment. In the short month of
February, we have witnessed the Starbucks public relations fiasco,
which led to an angry outburst in Turkey, a commemoration ceremony
for the Khojaly Massacre, which evolved into a racist platform with
counterproductive slogans, followed by a successful campaign to deter
businesses lobbying for Turkey.

When we read all these events together, we see that Armenian-Americans
form a unified, determined group of activists with clear goals. They
are well organized. Their success is the result of years of tenacious
efforts. There are significant lessons to be learned from their
civilian activism experience — not only for Turks, but for many
different groups.

MANUSCRIPTS, LOST DUE TO ARMENIAN GENOCIDE, MAY EXCEED 30,000

12:03, 5 March, 2015

YEREVAN, MARCH 5, ARMENPRESS: Due to the Armenian Genocide, besides
the enormous human losses, the Armenians had also material culture
losses, including the ancient Armenian manuscripts. The number of the
manuscripts, lost because of the Armenian Genocide, is about 30,000.

Armenpress talked about the lost and survived manuscripts, as
well as our activities to return the lost manuscripts, with Gevorg
Ter-Vardanyan, the Chief Warder of Matenadaran.

Gevorg Ter-Vardanyan stated that the philologists began the description
and the record of the manuscripts in 1880s. “The number of the
manuscripts, described in the media or the scientific literature,
which have been lost after the Armenian Genocide and we do not know
if they still exist, is more than 9,000. From 1880 to 1915 it is 30-35
years, which is quite a short period of time to implement recording.

Taking into account the fact that every church in the Western Armenia’s
settlements should have a manuscript book, the number of 30,000 may
be smaller than it is in reality. What has happened to them, we do
not know. They could have had different destinies”, – said the Chief
Warder of Matenadaran.

UNIBANK’S ATAYAN OUTLINES BANKING SYSTEM

CISTran Finance
March 5 2015

March 5, 2015 7:30 AM
By CISTran Finance Reports

In an interview with 168 Hours on Tuesday, Chairman of the Board of
Armenian UniBank, Vartan Atayan, discussed the banking system and
other system-related topics.

He stated that in 2014 the system saw tension from sources abroad,
primarily in Russia. With interventions that were made by the Central
Bank, he states that the system was able to restabilize.

A concern that the interviewer voiced was the potential closing of
banks that could not meet increased capital requirements. He stated
that this can be avoided if shareholders step in or if mergers take
place. From his perspective and that of UniBank, these measures aim
to strengthen the national banking system and the nation’s currency.

Atayan noted that stringency on the market will cause Armenian banks
to meet international quality standards.

He clarified that the business loan interests rates, which were
increased, would be a temporary measure; he also pointed out that
increases in capital will mitigate the need for increased rates.

TURKISH PRESIDENT FINED FOR ‘INSULTING’ ARMENIA PEACE STATUE

Associated Press International
March 3, 2015 Tuesday 3:10 PM GMT

ANKARA, Turkey

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) – Turkey’s state-run news agency says a court has
ordered President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to pay 10,000 Turkish Lira (US$
4,000) in compensation to an artist for calling his sculpture – meant
to promote reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia – a “monstrosity.”

Erdogan expressed his dislike in 2011 of Mehmet Aksoy’s giant “Monument
to Humanity,” which was being erected in the eastern city of Kars,
prompting local authorities there to dismantle it. Aksoy then sued
Erdogan for “insult.”

Anadolu Agency said the court ordered Erdogan to compensate Aksoy
for the mental anguish caused.

Turkey and Armenia have no diplomatic ties and are at odds over the
mass killings of Armenians under Ottoman rule.

Next month, Armenians mark the 100th anniversary of the start of what
experts deem to be genocide.

PROSPEROUS ARMENIA MORE CLEARLY PERCEIVED AS OPPOSITION PARTY – HOVHANNES SAHAKYAN

20:19 * 05.03.15

Hovhannes Sahakyan, Chairman of the Standing Committee on State and
Legal Affairs, Parliament of Armenia welcomes the Prosperous Armenia
party’s statement on joining the opposition camp.

“Therefore, at least in terms of classical politics, we are going to
have a situation that would be in conformity with present perceptions –
the Opposition is Opposition, while the authorities are authorities,”
Mr Sahakyan said.

He points out an interesting fact of a woman politician elected as
party chairperson.

Prosperous Armenia leader Gagik Tsarukyan has announced his retirement
from politics, and the Prosperous Armenia party has declared itself an
opposition political force. As to whether it follows political logic,
Mr Sahakyan said:

“We accept Gagik Tsarukyan’s decision to retire from politics. As
to how well it follows political logic, it is up to him and his
fellow-members to decide on whether it is acceptable to them. We,
for our part, respect Mr Tsarukyan’s decision and I think that each
individual has a right to decide on his or her future and activities.”

The Prosperous Armenia party has declared itself an opposition
political force. Asked if it is a more acceptable option than an
“alternative,” considering statements by political figures and analysts
that political forces are normally pro-government or opposition ones,
Mr Sahakyan said:

“As a person that has certain responsibility in Armenia’s Parliament,
I much better understand a situation when the Opposition is Opposition
and authorities are authorities. You cannot claim you are not an
opposition force if you are even more radical and tough than other
opposition forces. Therefore, at least in terms of classical politics,
we are going to have a situation that would be in conformity with
present perceptions – the Opposition is Opposition, while the
authorities are authorities.”

The main message at the meeting of the Political Council of the ruling
Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) on February 12 was that Armenia’s
politics needs to be cleared of “counterproductive elements.”

As a result, only political figures are now among the Prosperous
Armenia party members, while businessmen have left. However, they
continue as MPs.

“We have first-past-the-post and proportional representation voting
systems. I would like to note that constitutional reforms envisage
larger-scale reforms for our people to make their own assessment of
political teams’ programs. In this context, I think that people that
can be of help could continue as MPs. But we hold the opinion that it
is only political figures that can engage in politics. I think that
time will come when there will not be any need for certain steps, such
as explanatory work. Conditions will enable businessmen to do their
business, doctors to do their job and lawyers to do their job. And
when we look back on the period when Armenia gained independence,
we see that time must come when we have a professional parliament.”

It is for the first time in Armenia’s history that a woman has been
elected chairperson of Armenia’s second largest political party.

“We are a democratic state which is moving toward being a rule-of-law
state. I would like to remind you that we have women-leaders of
political parties, a woman-spokesperson of Armenia’s Parliament and
a woman-minister. And the second largest political force with led by
a woman is of interest to me as well. As regards Naira Zohrabyan as a
politician, she is a rather active and promptly responding person. But
a political force’s influence does not depend on its leader.

Therefore, it is too early to make assessments. Let us wish her
success in her activities in conformity with democratic and legal
standards of a rule-of-law state.”

PREPARATIONS FOR GALLIPOLI CENTENNIAL COMMEMORATIONS NOT YET BEGUN

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
March 4 2015

March 04, 2015, Wednesday/ 18:21:56/ MEHMET GULER / ISTANBUL

Citizens are barred from the memorial site as no preparations have
been made for the centennial commemorations of the Battle of Gallipoli
that are scheduled to take place on March 18, April 24 and April 25.

Because the naval battles were the turning point of an Ottoman Turkish
victory, yearly “Remembrance of Soldiers” and “Gallipoli Naval Victory”
ceremonies are held on March 18.

In addition, April 24 and 25 have also been set aside for ceremonies,
sparking controversy as April 24 is also the date of the Armenian
Genocide Remembrance Day. There has been much speculation over the
proceedings because, though the president’s office has sent many
invitations to international leaders, few have been accepted. The
ceremonies were announced five years ago.

The dates approach, and despite the establishment of a Canakkale
Governor’s Office 2015 Coordination Center three years ago and several
meetings held by the offices of the Canakkale Governor’s Office and the
prime minister, no decisions have been made concerning the ceremonies.

Canakkale (Gallipoli) Municipal Mayor Ulgur Gokhan has admitted that
progress has been thwarted, saying; “Work concerning the centennial
is not going well. We have neither a budget nor staff. We are trying
to make it work with own means but they are not enough.”

Open Letter to Ms. Perri Green,
Special Coordinator for Awards and Outreach,
American Foreign Service Association,
2101 E Street NW, Washington DC

Dear Ms. Green,

I noticed in a recent announcement that AFSA is having trouble coming
up with nominations for its annual dissent awards this year. Maybe I
can help you out.

In 2005 the American Foreign Service Association nominating committee
decided to award me the Christian Herter Award for Constructive
Dissent by a Senior Officer. I was at that time serving as US
Ambassador to the Republic of Armenia. The reason for the nomination
was that, in the course of a speaking trip to NY, Boston and
California, I had departed from accepted US diplomatic practice and
used the term “genocide” to describe the slaughter of one and a half
million Armenians in the years 1915-18. The scholarship was clear,
and I was reflecting it. I did not use the “g-word” as a cheap
throwaway line; I explained to my audiences the reasons the USG so
valued its alliance relations with Turkey that it refrained from using
the term out of deference to that country’s continuing policy of
denial. I did not claim, falsely, that U.S. policy had changed. I
knew full well that I would be punished. It was not a lapsus linguae,
nor did I make any attempt to conceal what I had said publicly from
the State Department. At the same time, I did not discuss the matter
while en poste in Armenia, only in the United States, for this is an
American issue.

What happened next was that I was called back from Yerevan and asked
if I had accepted the AFSA award. I replied that I had “not refused
it,” which was exactly the case. I was told that I had better figure
out a way not to be given the award. So I called AFSA and explained
the situation. AFSA came up with the technicality that I had not
first resorted to the Dissent Channel, a Vietnam-era safety valve.

Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill, a sitting senator, a member of the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee, wrote as follows to Secretary Rice:

“I believe that the controversy over Ambassador Evans’ use of the term
‘genocide’ underscores the fact that the current U.S. position is
untenable. That the invocation of a historical fact by a State
Department employee could constitute an act of insubordination is
deeply troubling. When State Department instructions are such that an
ambassador must engage in strained reasoning — or even an outright
falsehood — that defies a common sense interpretation of events in
order to follow orders, then it is time to revisit the State
Department’s policy guidance on that issue. The occurrence of the
Armenian Genocide in 1915 is not an ‘allegation,’ a ‘personal
opinion,’ or a point of view.’ Supported by an overwhelming amount of
historical evidence, it is a widely documented fact.”

The senator was Barack Obama. Yes, that Barack Obama.

In 1951, before Turkey joined NATO, the United States, in a written
filing to the ICJ in The Hague, stated that “The practice of genocide
has occurred throughout human history. The Roman persecution of the
Christians, the Turkish massacres of the Armenians, the extermination
of millions of Jews and Poles by the Nazis are outstanding examples of
the crime of genocide.”

So now I am retired. There is no longer any reason for AFSA to
withhold the Herter Award, which, may I remind, was done at my request
(thank you). All the more so given that April 24, 2015 will mark the
100th anniversary of the start of the Armenian Genocide on the night
in 1915 when over two hundred intellectuals, priests and other
Armenian leaders were arrested in Constantinople. If you have any
doubts about the facts of the matter, may I suggest consulting with UN
Ambassador Samantha Power, author of “A Problem from Hell: America and
the Age of Genocide.” The first chapter of her prize-winning book
deals with the Armenian Genocide.

I withdraw my objection to receiving the award. So what do you say,
AFSA?

I am also open to receiving the Herter Award posthumously, as did
Hiram Bingham IV, who disobeyed his instructions in order to grant
visas to Jews in Vichy France. Just not too soon, please, in my case!

With best regards,

John Marshall Evans
U.S. Ambassador to Armenia 2004-2006
Retired Career Foreign Service

AMERICAN JOURNALIST HIGHLIGHTS 8 REASONS TO VISIT ARMENIA AND GEORGIA

12:45, 5 March, 2015

YEREVAN, MARCH 5, ARMENPRESS. The journalists of the American Houstonia
website Bill Wiatrak has published an article on the 8 main reasons,
one should visit Armenia and Georgia. As reports “Armenpress”, the
article runs as follows:

“I’m sitting in a beautiful hotel room at a ski resort as I write
this. It is the best hotel in town and has a cigar bar, billiards
room, Turkish bath, amazing views, and a location right next to the
ski lift. The breakfast buffet is delicious, infinite, and included
with cost of the room. It’s the most expensive hotel around at $100 per
night. I’d pay five times that if I were in Aspen. I’m in Tsaghkadzor,
Armenia.

I’ve been traveling in Armenia and Georgia for the last week and have
been amazed by the hospitality of the people and the great sites that
can be reached fairly easy if you have a little adventure in you. Here
are my top eight reasons to visit these two amazing countries:

1. No visa required: Just show up at the airport or a border crossing,
and if you’re an American, welcome!

2. World class sites: Both countries have amazing monasteries and
UNESCO World Heritage Sites. I have seen more churches than I can
count in my travels around the world, but the monasteries here are
showstoppers. When you walk into one, you’ll feel like you’re in an
Indiana Jones movie. Best of all, most of them are free. The ones
that aren’t, are usually less than $2.

3. Driving: Gasoline actually costs about the same as in the
US. Most of Europe can be double or triple the price that you’re
used to paying. Cars are easy to rent, and a few companies allow
you to drive freely across the borders if you don’t want to rely on
public transport.

4. Skiing: Tsaghkador, Armenia is the ski resort where the Soviet team
used to train for the Olympics. The powder is great, the facilities
are decent, and lift tickets for the day are only $12. If you just
want to do one run, you can buy a single lift ticket for $3. You can
ski for an entire week for what you would pay at Vail for a day or two.

5. Food: Georgian cuisine is unlike any other food in the world.

Georgian restaurants are as ubiquitous in Russia as Mexican food in
the US. For some reason, the food has never really made it across the
Atlantic. If you like cheese, the Georgians will give you cheese on
top of your cheese. Khachapuris are fabulous, the cognacs are amazing,
and no matter what you order, it will cost you half of what you would
pay anywhere else–if you could find it.

6. Friendly people: Last night I accidentally walked into a private
party. I was grabbed by the host, seated at the table, and given
drinks and food. Everyone took turns wearing my cowboy hat. When I
finally escaped and walked into another restaurant down the street,
the same exact thing happened at someone else’s private party. Where
else would you find such hospitality? The Georgians make you feel
like a celebrity.

7. Wine: Georgia is famous for it. You could do an entire vacation just
visiting the wineries in the area. Every Georgian worth his weight
in laris has grapevines in his backyard. The wine is cheap and very
good quality. Georgia is the only country I’ve ever been to where I’ve
been given a bottle of wine when the custom agent stamped my passport.

8. Cheap flights: You can get to Tbilisi with a free stopover in
Istanbul via Turkish Airlines. TA is about half the price of any
other airline when it comes to getting to Europe, and the quality of
the airline is very nice. Georgia is a short flight from Istanbul,
and with the free stopover, you have two vacations instead of one.

RUSSIA URGES PARTIES TO THE KARABAKH CONFLICT TO AVOID ACTIONS THAT COULD LEAD TO ESCALATION

19:27, 05 Mar 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

Russia has called on the parties to the Karabakh conflict to
demonstrate restraint and avoid actions that would lead to escalation.

“The situation in the Karabakh conflict zone remains unstable. The
escalation at the beginning of the year was followed by relative
standstill in the second half of February. The representatives of
the parties accepted it during the monitoring of the line of contact
conducted by the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office
Andrzej Kasprzyk on February 20,” official representative of the
Russian Ministry of Foreign affairs Alexander Lukashevich told
a briefing.

“However, the data received on the early days of March testify to a
recurrent escalation of the ceasefire violations, which, unfortunately,
resulted in casualties,” Lukashevich said.

“Yesterday Andrzej Kasprzyk held a monitoring at the line of contact.

A corresponding report will be prepared. I think more detailed
information about the state of affairs can be received from the
participants of the monitoring,” he added.

“We called on the parties to show restraint and avoid actions that
could lead to the growth of tension, to remain committed to the
peaceful resolution of the conflict as declared at the Sochi Summit
on August 10, 2014,” Lukashevich said.