Author: Kanayan Tamar

Ex-Red Army vets to receive medals
By ALEX PESHKOV
The Republican, MA
May 8 2005
Sunday, May 08, 2005 — SPRINGFIELD – A group of ex-Red Army soldiers
and officers – all members of the local Russian-speaking community –
will be awarded Russian jubilee medals at a dinner commemorating the
60th anniversary of victory in World War II.
The Russian consulate officials will bestow “60 Years of Victory in
the Great Patriotic War” medals to 24 veterans of World War II and
thank them for their bravery at the annual dinner that will be held
Thursday at 193 Worthington St.
The awards recognize the veterans’ role in the fight against fascism,
said Grigory A. Karamov, 83, of Springfield, vice president of the
Springfield chapter of All American Association of Veterans of World
War II, whose members immigrated to America from the former Soviet
Union and the Soviet Bloc.
Karamov, one of those who will be receiving the award, enlisted in
the Army July 13, 1941. He was severely wounded two years later while
commanding a machine-gun platoon of the 815 Rifle Regiment/the 394th
Rifle Division that was fighting at Klukhorsky Pass, Caucasus.
“After the hospital, I went to a military medical school and then
spent another 33 years with the Army serving as an officer in the
Army’s Medical Service Corps,” said Karamov, who retired as a colonel
and lived in Baku, Azerbaijan, until 1990. He was honored for his
service with the Medal for Bravery, Order of the Patriotic War,
Order of the Red Star, and “many other” awards.
Karamov, an Armenian, left Azerbaijan after violent inter-ethnic
clashes, where he was severely injured while escaping a group of
armed thugs who robbed his apartment. He moved to America 11 years ago.
“(At the dinner) we’ll be celebrating Victory Day and commemorating
those who perished in the war,” said Karamov, adding that he also
remembers the five-year struggle, known in Russia as the Great
Patriotic War, as a time when people of different nationalities were
united by the goal of defeating the Nazis.
“It’s a rather informal gathering. … We’ll be having some food.
We’ll be singing our old songs, recalling time in service. … You
know, it’s ‘the holiday with tears in your eyes’,” he said, referring
to the words of the Russian song.
The Soviet Union’s contribution was crucial to an Allied victory over
the Nazis and cost the country tens of millions of lives. Victory
Day remains one of the most significant public holidays in Russia,
where each family has at least one relative who served in the war.
“The war remains a very emotional thing for us. … There are few of
us who are left, but our memories are still vivid,” Karamov said.

Assyrian Continuity, Assyrian Language
By Ashur Giwargis – Beirut
May 7, 2005
Useless-Knowledge.com
May 7 2005
I was not surprised to read an article dated May/03/2005, by Mr.
Thomas Keyes where he said that the Assyrians were “nearly annihilated
by Persians and Medes”, and that the language they use today is
“quite a different of the old Assyrian”.
Many sophisms and confusing theories have been caused by the
demographic and political changes through the history of the Middle
East, especially before the historians discovered the remains of the
ancient Assyrian Empire, thus many historians assured that the Assyrian
people didn’t disappear and one of them is George Maspero, “Ancient
History of the Peoples of the East”, 1903 – Maspero is mentioning that
the Assyrians came back to Assyria following the fall of Babylon to
the Persians, they re-built the Temple of the God Ashur, and were the
only ones who worshipped him, and those rituals were also practiced
during the 2nd century B.C (P: 167, 170,177).Those who fled Assyria
after the fall of Nineveh have returned back after Cyrus liberated
them, and they continued living from commerce and agriculture (P: 676)
Another historian: George Roux, saying about the Assyrians after the
fall of their Empire: “We don’t have a lot of information about that
era, but it’s well known that Assyrian levies were fighting in the
Persian army and they helped Persia against Egypt” (1)
Other important discoveries proved that the Assyrians kept their
customs long time after the fall of Nineveh, for example the Greek
King Antioch I (280-262 B.C) is saying that he would be proud to be
the highest priest of the Easagila (Mardukh temple), which means that
the Assyrian God was still worshipped (2) .
What we have today are inscriptions and old sayings that assure the
continuity of the Assyrians and this is approved by their Assyrian
pride despite the religious domination on the Middle Eastern mentality
during the past centuries, and below, we’ll find some examples (only
some of them) which prove the continuity of the Assyrian identity.
1- 5th century B.C: Herodotus, a Greek historian and traveler who
lived in Assyria after the fall of Babylon to the Persians, he was
born in Halicarnassus (Greece) at 490 B.C is describing the Assyrian
Battalions that served in the Persian army saying: “The Assyrians
were equipped with bronze helmets made in a complicated barbarian
way which is hard to describe, shields, spears, daggers, wooden clubs
studded with iron, and linen corselets”(3)
2- 2nd century B.C: The Greek historian Arian in his book “The life of
the Great Alexander” (“Anabasis” -Xenophon also wrote a book under the
same title). He says that during the time of Alexander and exactly in
325 B.C, 10.000 Assyrian workers built water conduits during 3 months.
3- 1st century A.D: Titian of Adiabine: He died in 130 B.C, the
first who introduced the trinity ideology to the New Testament
explanation, and was rejected by the church, later his students
Clement of Alexandria and Oregon of Alexandria proposed the idea
again and was also rejected by Pope Dionysius (3rd century BC) who
asked them about their doctrine, and they answered that they adopted
it from their teacher, Tatian the “Assyrian” (4)
4- 2nd century A.D: The Assyrian Theologist and philosopher Bar-Daisan
who was born in Urhey (Edessa) in 154 B.C wrote a poem calling his
compatriots by saying:
Look for the key,
Raise the falling people,
And don’t walk before you know the distance
O Assyrians, have mercy on Assyrians …
5- 4th century A.D: “Athur” Kingdom (“Athur” from the Persian “Athura”
which meant “Ashur” – A.G) was a governorate under the ruling of
the Persians, its King was Sin-Harib(Sennacherib) (In old Assyrian,
“Sin-Kharu” meant “The chosen by the moon”, and this was the name of
the Assyrian king in the 9th century B.C – A.G). Sin-Harib B.C is
the father of St.Behnam and St.Sarah. (5)
6- 6th century A.D: The Jacobite bishop, John of Ephesus (505-585 B.C)
says about the capture of the “Dara” city (between Nessibis & Mardin –
Ashur) by the King Anastasius in 556 B.C: “…And thus he spoiled the
city of a vast and incalculable prey, and took the people captive, and
emptied it of its inhabitants, and left in it a garrison of his own,
and returned to his land with an immense 385 booty of the silver and
gold taken from the inhabitants, and the churches, and every where
else. Its capture, and deliverance into the hands of the ASSYRIANS,
took place seventy-two years, more or less, after the time of it’s
first being founded by king Anastasius” (6)
7- 10th century A.D: The Assyriologue Simo Parpula (Helsinki) is
saying: “Classical sources attest to the continuity of Assyrian
cults in other Syrian cities until late antiquity; in Harran, the
cults of Sin, Nikkal, Bel, Nabu, Tammuz and other Assyrian gods
persisted until the 10th century AD and are still referred to in
Islamic sources. Typically Assyrian priests with their distinctive
long conical hats and tunics are depicted on several Graeco-Roman
monuments from Northern Syria and East Anatolia”.
8- 16th century A.D: The Kurdish historian Sharaf Khan Al-Bedlissi says
in his book “Sharafnameh”: “During the time of Hassan Beg Aq-Qwinlo
(the 15th century) there were Christians in Zur district (Hakkari –
Ashur) who were known as “Asuri” (7)
9- 19th century A.D: Horatio Southgate (1830s) talking about the
Syrian Orthodox Church followers in northern Assyria (south-east of
today’s Turkey), he says: “The people informed me that there were
about one hundred families of them in the town of Kharpout, and a
village inhabited by them on the plain. I observed that the Armenians
did not know them under the name which I used, SYRIANI; but called them
ASSOURI, which struck me the more at the moment from its resemblance to
our English name ASSYRIANS, from whom they claim their origin, being
sons of Assour”(8) And the Assyrian historian Hermis Abouna mentions
this by Southgate: “I was wondering how the Syrians are distributed
in a big surface far from other Christians in Mesopotamia and Syria,
but later I knew that they are only a continuity for the same race
in the eastern regions (He means Nestorians of Hakkari – A.G), and
their Armenian Neighbors never called them “Syrians”, but “Assyrians”
(“ASORI” – Ashur) (9)
As for the language used today by the Assyrians, it’s not
different than the old one as Mr. Keyes suggested, and there are
thousands of Acadian words used today and here are some examples:
The Language used today by the Assyrians is erroneously called
“Aramaic” because the real Aramaic is indeed still used in many
villages in the west of Syria, while the so-called Aramaic used by
Assyrians is a mix of the Acadian (Old Assyrian) with the real Aramaic
(which is already a mix of Canaanite and Acadian), so it’s not that
fair to call the Neo-Assyrian as “Aramaic” or to say that Neo-Assyrian
has no ties to Acadian.
Whereas the historical belonging depends on the language, traditions,
and geographic locations, thus we as Assyrians are practicing our
Assyrianism continuously and we are proud of our Assyrian origin, and
be sure, Mr.Keyes, that the people who say that they are Assyrians,
they know what they are talking about.
For more information about the Assyrians, their history, current
political issues and Cause:
References:
1- “Ancient Iraq”, P: 370, the Arabic Edition.
2- “The Missing Era is the Assyrian History” – Zayya Kanon , Arabic
edition, P: 46.
3- “The Histories”, Book VII, P: 396 – Penguin Classics edition,
translated from Greek by Prof. Aubrey De Selincourt, 1996.
4- Clement of Alexandria, Strom. III 12.81
5- “The Guide to The Land of Civilizations”, [Arabic], 1962, Taha
Baqer & Fouad Safar, P: 33.
6- “Ecclesiastical History”, by John Bishop of Ephesus, Book III Part
VI – In English by Jessie Payne Margoliouth.
7- “Sharafnameh”, translated by Jamil Rozbeyati, Al-Najah Publishing
house, Baghdad – 1953
8- Horatio Southgate, “Narrative of a Visit to the Syrian Church”,
1844 P: 80
9- “Assyrians after the fall of Nineveh”, Vol.V, P: 60
————
About the author: Ashur Giwargis is an Assyrian researcher who writes
about the history of the Assyrians and their contemporary political
situation, he has many articles in Arab and Assyrian newspapers.

Will Turkey Recognize Armenian Genocide?
By A. H.
AZG Armenian Daily #083, 07/05/2005
Armenian Genocide
WAR OF INFORMATION
This is the question that authors of one of website posed to their
visitors. There are already 45.608 participants on the site 28.41%
of whom said yes and 71.18% – no. The website informs that the Turkish
society initiated this vote in order to get more “no” quotas.
Apparently, the number of people holding to Turkish negation prevails
due to the fact that people of opposite stance simply don’t know about
the site’s existence. Hence, anyone wishing to take part in the vote
may do so on the website of daily Azg.

THE GOVERNMENT HAS FOUND ANOTHER FOREST TO DESTROY
A1plus
| 19:08:36 | 04-05-2005 | Social |
Today the Armenian office of World Ecological Fund collected more than
10 non-governmental organizations to discuss the possible harms of the
highway Kapan-Tsav-Shvanidzor which is to be constructed soon. The
heads of the ecological non-governmental organizations are worried
by the Government decision which envisages the destruction of part
of the Mtnadzor forest.
The experts have investigated that because of the destruction of
the only oak forest in Armenia many endemic animals and plants will
disappear. By their approximate calculations the future highway will
pas through 28-30 km of forest where 14 thousand big and more than
90 thousand small trees are in danger of destruction.
For example, the social-ecological association has carried out
investigations according to which the construction of the new highway
will do more harm than good. According to the association, the slopes
of Shikahogh are inclined by 35o, in Mtnadzor even in summer it is
dark, in North slopes winter lasts longer, and because of snow in
winter the road will by all means close.
The Mtnadzor forest is the only one in Armenia where no trees have
ever been cut because of impassability. The new road will make
the plants and animals available for thieves. The association
offers an alternative for the road which is a necessity. It is
Kapan-Shishkert-Mazra-Shvanidzor, which is sunny and the snow won’t
stay long in winter.
Karen Manvelyan, representative of the Armenian office of World
Ecological Fund informed the representatives of the non-governmental
organization that the events organized by them will not finish with
one discussion, they will go on until the Government changes the
decision adopted last year and adopts the new and cleverer alternative.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Schroeder highlights human rights during Turkey visit
Expatica, Netherlands
May 4 2005
ANKARA – Turkey must continue to implement human rights reforms ahead
of European Union membership negotiations due to begin in October,
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said on Wednesday.
In Turkey for a two-day official visit, Schroeder told Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan that the reforms already passed by Turkey were
important, but that proper implementation was necessary.
He said that changes to the law to give religious minorities further
rights were a good step, but that the reforms must go further.
Erdogan said, however, that there had been no direct request from
Schroeder to allow the reopening of a Greek Orthodox seminary on the
Marmara Sea island of
Heybeliada, which has been closed since 1971 when all private tertiary
institutions were outlawed.
Speaking at a press conference with Erdogan, Schroeder tried to allay
fears in Turkey that failure to ratify the EU constitution would
mean Turkey being left outside the union. The treaty is viewed as
essential for an expanded EU.
Schroeder said he supported a Turkish proposal for a joint meeting
of historians to discuss whether the deaths of hundreds of thousands
of Armenians during World War One constituted genocide.
Turkey historically has denied genocide took place and the issue has
threatened to hurt Turkey’s EU membership chances.
Speaking later at Marmara University in Istanbul where he received an
honorary doctorate, Schroeder said Turkey could learn from Germany’s
own experience.
In coming to terms with what it did during World War Two, it had
contributed to peace in Europe. The once hated enemies, France and
Germany, were now close friends.
The German chancellor also met Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer
in Ankara and the spiritual leader of the Greek Orthodox Church,
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, and attended a Turkish- German
Economic Forum.

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
05/04/2005
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) ANCA Chairman Calls on President Bush to Speak With Moral Clarity on Armenian Genocide 2) Minister Hatzistergos Condemns Removal of Armenian Plaque 3) Uruguay to Ask UN to Declare April 24 Genocide Condemnation International Day 4) Ethnic Armenian Soldiers of Georgian Army AWOL 5) Ceremony Marks Opening of 30th Navasartian Games 1) ANCA Chairman Calls on President Bush to Speak With Moral Clarity on Armenian Genocide "The time has come, Mr. President, for our government to end all forms of complicity in Turkey's morally bankrupt campaign of genocide denial." --ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian WASHINGTON, DC--Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Chairman Ken Hachikian expressed disappointment on Wednesday with President Bush's April 24 statement, asking for a meeting to discuss this matter and the range of issues of concern to the Armenian American community. While thanking President Bush for standing with Armenians in "remembering the tragic events of April 24th," Hachikian expressed concern that the President, again, retreated from his February, 2000 campaign pledge to properly commemorate the Armenian Genocide. "Your refusal to honor this pledge, and the ongoing opposition of your Administration to Armenian Genocide legislation before Congress, in our view, represent failures of American moral leadership, and reflect a flawed and shortsighted approach to our nation's long-term interest in peace and stability in the Caucasus and Middle East," explained Hachikian. Commenting on the President's indirect reference to the Turkish Armenian Reconciliation Commission, Hachikian noted, "The only sound basis for improved Armenian-Turkish relations remains Turkey's open acknowledgement of its genocidal crime and full acceptance of its responsibilities to the Armenian nation. In this regard, we are reminded of how Germany came to terms with the Holocaust and, more recently, of the comprehensive report prepared by the Israeli government setting the material damage to the Jewish people during the Holocaust at between $240 billion to $330 billion." Hachikian concluded the May 3 letter urging President Bush to "to speak with moral clarity on the Armenian Genocide, to support Armenian Genocide legislation that will come before Congress, to pressure the Turkish government to acknowledge the truth, and to use the full influence of your office to work toward a just resolution--including full reparations and restitution--of this crime against the Armenian people." The full text of the letter follows: Dear Mr. President: I am writing, on behalf of Armenian Americans throughout the United States, to thank you for joining with our community in remembering the tragic events of April 24th, but also to express our profound disappointment with the content of your remarks on the day of this solemn remembrance of the Armenian Genocide. We remain deeply troubled by your retreat from your promise, made in February 2000, to properly recognize the genocidal campaign against the Armenian people. By not using the proper termgenocide--your message failed to accurately communicate the moral, historical, and legal meaning of the crime committed against the Armenian people. Your refusal to honor this pledge, and the ongoing opposition of your Administration to Armenian Genocide legislation before Congress, in our view, represent failures of American moral leadership, and reflect a flawed and shortsighted approach to our nation's long-term interest in peace and stability in the Caucasus and Middle East. While we welcome your statement about looking forward to a promising future for Armenia, we must point out that Armenia's future should not have to be built under threat from Turkey--an unrepentant perpetrator of genocide against the Armenian people. Very simply, the Republic of Armenia cannot be secure as long as Turkey continues to deny its crime against the Armenian nation. We are troubled, as well, by your support for attempts, along the lines of the widely discredited Turkish Armenian Reconciliation Commission, that promote an artificial reconciliation, one with neither truth nor justice. Sadly, your mention of an anonymously authored report, which was not written by, but only facilitated through, the International Center for Transitional Justice, lends credence to those seeking to derail progress toward Genocide recognition, while abetting those who want to help Turkey avoid the modern-day consequences of this crime. The only sound basis for improved Armenian-Turkish relations remains Turkey's open acknowledgement of its genocidal crime and full acceptance of its responsibilities to the Armenian nation. In this regard, we are reminded of how Germany came to terms with the Holocaust and, more recently, of the comprehensive report prepared by the Israeli government setting the material damage to the Jewish people during the Holocaust at between $240 billion to $330 billion. The time has come, Mr. President, for our government to end all forms of complicity in Turkey's morally bankrupt campaign of genocide denial. As such, we respectfully call upon you to speak with moral clarity on the Armenian Genocide, to support Armenian Genocide legislation that will come before Congress, to pressure the Turkish government to acknowledge the truth, and to use the full influence of your office to work toward a just resolution - including full reparations and restitution - of this crime against the Armenian people. Given your emphasis on morality and speaking the truth, how can you possibly do otherwise? In closing, I would like to note that we continue to pay special attention to your Administration's response to the historically accurate description of the Armenian Genocide by the US Ambassador to Armenia, John Marshall Evans. If history has taught us anything, it is that those who speak the truth should be encouraged, not silenced. We would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you to discuss this matter and address the full range of issues of concern to Armenian Americans. Sincerely yours, 2) Minister Hatzistergos Condemns Removal of Armenian Plaque RYDE--The Minister for Justice and Minister Assisting the Premier on Citizenship, John Hatzistergos, on Wednesday condemned the removal of a plaque in Meadowbank commemorating the 90th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. The plaque, which was installed on April 24, 2005, marking the 90th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, has been forcibly removed from Memorial Park, Meadowbank. It is unknown who has removed the plaque. "This is a disgraceful and cowardly act," Hatzistergos said. The plaque was installed following a motion from Ryde City Council officially recognizing and condemning the Armenian genocide of 1915, the first genocide of the twentieth century. "The plaque is solemnly dedicated to the 1.5 million men, women and children who were victims of the Armenian genocide~EIt serves as a reminder to the community of such darks chapters in human history~EI urge anyone with information concerning the removal to contact authorities," Hatzistergos said. In 1997, the NSW Parliament passed a unanimous bi-partisan motion condemning the Armenian genocide of 1915. In the following year, the Parliament passed another motion to install a memorial for the victims of the genocide, which is now located in the NSW Parliamentary precinct. 3) Uruguay to Ask UN to Declare April 24 Genocide Condemnation International Day MONTEVIDEO (Armenpress)--The parliament of Uruguay made a unanimous decision Wednesday to ask the country's foreign ministry to submit to the United Nations a resolution declaring April 24 as "Genocide Condemnation World Day," Diego Karamanukian from Uruguay Armenian Radio reported. The parliament decision was largely due to the efforts of an Armenian member of the Uruguay parliament, Lian Kechijian. The decision asks the Uruguay foreign ministry to ask the UN to consider it at its next session. Uruguay was the first country to officially recognize the Armenian genocide, when the country's Senate and House and Representatives adopted a resolution on April 20, 1965. On March 26, 2004, the President of Uruguay signed a law designating April 24 as a "Day of Recognition for the Armenian Martyrs." 4) Ethnic Armenian Soldiers in Georgian Army AWOL TBILISI (Armenpress)--Twelve ethnic Armenian servicemen of the Georgian army abandoned their military unit on Tuesday in Akhaltsikhe and went absent without leave (AWOL), claiming they were subjected to human rights abuses and intimidation from officers and other servicemen in the military unit, Itar-Tass reported. All of these servicemen are residents of Akhalkalak, a town in the southern Georgian region of Samtskhe-Javakheti, predominately populated by ethnic Armenians. Rustavi 2 television interviewed several of these AWOL servicemen on May 3. One private said in an interview: "We were beaten up in the military unit; we were frequently questioned about why we speak Armenian and not Georgian, but I do not speak Georgian." Another private complained that the officers were intimidating him and demanding money. No official comment has been made by the Georgian defense ministry yet. The Georgian public defender's office has launched a probe into the case. "I have talked with an official from the defense ministry and I think we can find a solution to this problem," Sozar Subeliani, the public defender, told Rustavi 2. 5) Ceremony Marks Opening of 30th Navasartian Games GLENDALE--The much-awaited Homenetmen Navasartian Games kicked-off on May 1, during a ceremony marking the official opening of the 30th Annual Games. The small torch--symbolizing the beginning of the games--was blessed at the cross stone at Glendale's St. Mary's church, and then transferred by athletes to Stengel Field in Verdugo, where the program began. Emcee Simon Manucharian welcomed the enthusiastic crowd and introduced guests, which included religious and political leaders, as well as elected officials from the cities of Glendale and Los Angeles, and representatives of ARS and Homenetmen. All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2005 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets. From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Turkish Press
April 3 2005
Press Scan
REACTION TO SWITZERLAND
MILLIYET- Turkey reacted strongly to warrant of arrest decision of
Switzerland on Prof. Yusuf Halacoglu, chairman of Turkish Institute
of History. Switzerland noted that the statements of Prof. Halacoglu
who denied so-called Armenian genocide constitute an offense and it
requested his personal information to start an international search
with red bulletin.

TRIAL OF MURDER OF ARMENIAN OFFICER IN HUNGARY TO BE RESUMED MAY 10
YEREVAN, MAY 2. ARMINFO. The trial of the murder of Armenian officer
Gurgen Margaryan by his Azeri counterpart Ramil Safarov in Hungary Feb
19 2004 is to be resumed in Budapest May 10, says Nazeli Vardanyan,
lawyer representing the interests of Margaryan’s family and Armenian
officer Hayk Makuchyan whom Safarov attempted to kill.
Safarov is facing from 10-15 years of imprisonment to life in prison.
Vardanyan says that she is to leave for Budapest May 7. Also in the
court will be Makuchayn and Armenia’s Defence Ministry representative
Hayk Demoyan.
May 10 the court is to make public the results of Safarov’s repeated
psychiatric examination which was held on the insistance of the
Azeri side who was allowed to observe it but with no chance of
influence. The first examination found Safarov sane. To remind,
Safarov killed Margaryan with an ax.

ARTSAKH VALUES WRITERS THOUGH DOES NOT EXPLOIT THEIR POTENTIAL
AZG Armenian Daily #079, 03/05/2005
Karabakh diary
Writers’ Union of Nagorno Karabakh called its 3d congress. Together
with the delegation of Writers’ Union of Armenia headed by its
president Levon Ananian, Artsakhi writers discussed their accomplished
works and shared with future programs.
President of Armenia’s Writers’ Union thanked for being granted a
member of Artsakh’s Writers’ Union along with 2 other members of
the Armenian delegation. He highly evaluated the cooperation of two
literary organizations especially of the last 4 years. Highlighting
today’s literary potential of Artsakh, he called it a well-established
power, which has a serious mission in all-Armenian literary field.
“The Writers’ Union of Armenia will continue lending support to
Artsakh’s literary family”, Ananian assured and added that the rest
home to be built for Artsakh’s writers is a display of such support.
President of NKR Writers’ Union, Vartan Hakobian, presented his
report on 4 years of the Union’s activity. The most important thing,
he noted, was bringing Artsakh’s Union into the all-Armenian literary
field. Today, NKR Writers’ Union has a literary newspaper Yeghitsi
Luys and a comic magazine Pele Pughi as well as a separate publishing
house with a capacity to put out more than 10 books annually. Stating
the state’s resolution to support the Union, Hakobian highlighted
ArtsakhBank’s favor to improve writers’ housing conditions, help them
take part in international processes and help in issues connected
with books’ translations.
The young generation of writers is under special care of the Union.
According to the report, young writers are granted best conditions
for book publishing and for participation in literary arrangements
in Armenia.
Vartan Hakobian underscored the necessity for the writers to actively
involve in processes of state governing. This is an urgent issue as
there has been no writer in legislative and executive powers of the
country during the decade of independence whereas the Artsakh Movement
launched in 1988 at the very initiative of writers.
Prof. Sokrat Khanian presented his report on the present condition of
Artsakhi fiction. Zhanna Beglarian from University of Grigor Narekatsi
spoke of recent works of Artsakhi poets.
An open vote after the reports elected the new administration of the
Writers’ Union of Artsakh. Vartan Hakobian was unanimously re-elected
the head of administration.
By Kim Gabrielian in Stepanakert

005/52724.php
Informationen zur deutschen aussenpolitik
Revolutionäre Wirkungen
24.04.2005
BERLIN/ANKARA/ERIWAN (Eigener Bericht)
Die Türkei soll ihre ,,zwischenstaatlichen Beziehungen zu Armenien
umgehend normalisier(en)” und damit die Einflussnahme Berlins und der
EU im südlichen Kaukasus erleichtern. Dies fordert die
CDU/CSU-Fraktion im Deutschen Bundestag. Um eine ,,Versöhnung” mit
Eriwan einzuleiten, solle Ankara sich der ,,europäischen
Erinnerungskultur” einfügen und sich mit dem Genozid an der
armenischsprachigen Bevölkerung des Landes ,,vorbehaltlos
auseinandersetz(en)” , heißt es in der entsprechenden
Parlamentsvorlage. Wie Bundestagsabgeordnete verschiedener Fraktionen
erklären, solle dabei auf die Begriffe ,,Völkermord” bzw. ,,Genozid”
verzichtet werden. Ein solches Vorgehen befreit die Türkei von
jeglichen Entschädigungsansprüchen und entspricht der Praxis der
Bundesregierung, die überlebenden Opfer deutscher Staatsaggressionen
mit folgenlosen Gedenkritualen abzuspeisen. In den Genozid, dessen
Beginn sich am heutigen Sonntag zum 90. Male jährt, waren die
deutsche Reichsregierung und das deutsche Militär maßgeblich
involviert.
Wie es in dem CDU/CSU-Antrag heißt, liege es ,,im Interesse der EU,
durch die Öffnung des Landweges durch die Türkei die wirtschaftliche
Entwicklung Armeniens und die Stabilität in der Region zu fördern”
.1) Ankara hat die Beziehungen zu Eriwan abgebrochen und die
türkisch-armenische Grenze geschlossen, nachdem der Streit zwischen
Armenien und dem türkischen Verbündeten Aserbaidschan um das von
beiden Seiten beanspruchte Gebiet Nagornyi-Karabach eskalierte. Dies
sichert Russland, aber auch dem Iran bedeutenden Wirtschaftseinfluss
auf das arme Kaukasus-Land. Wie andere GUS-Staaten gerät auch
Armenien unter immer stärkeren Druck, sich von Russland zu lösen und
den westlichen Hegemonialmächten zu unterstellen. Der
Verteidigungsminister des Landes hat kürzlich angekündigt, die
Verbindungen zur NATO vertiefen zu wollen, ein früherer armenischer
Premierminister plädiert für einen Umsturz a la Kiew.2)
,,Europäische Erinnerungskultur”
Den ,,Ausgleich” zwischen der Türkei und Armenien, der für die
Westbindung des Landes erforderlich ist, will Berlin nun mit einem
Geschichtsdiskurs befördern, der den Genozid der Jahre 1915 und 1916
thematisiert. Im September 2002 noch hatte die Bundesregierung die
Ansicht vertreten, ,,dass die beiden Länder selbst die Grundlage für
eine Verbesserung ihres Verhältnisses definieren sollten” .3) Am
vergangenen Donnerstag (21. April) haben Abgeordnete sämtlicher
Fraktionen die Türkei aufgefordert, in eine Debatte über die Massaker
während des Ersten Weltkriegs einzutreten. Die armenische Regierung
hat bereits vor drei Jahren auf die Anerkennung der Mordtaten als
,,Völkermord” verzichtet, die als Voraussetzung für
Entschädigungsansprüche überlebender Opfer und ihrer Nachkommen gilt.
Damit ist der Weg frei für eine folgenlose Auseinandersetzung
(,,europäische Erinnerungskultur” ) mit den damaligen Massakern,
denen mehr als eine Million Menschen zum Opfer fielen.4)
Militärmission
In den Genozid, der am 24. April 1915 mit der Deportation
armenischsprachiger Intellektueller aus Konstantinopel (heute:
Istanbul) begann, waren die deutsche Reichsregierung und das deutsche
Militär maßgeblich involviert. Berlin deckte die Massaker des
Weltkriegsverbündeten: ,,Unser einziges Ziel ist, die Türkei bis zum
Ende des Krieges an unserer Seite zu halten, gleichgültig, ob darüber
Armenier zu Grunde gehen oder nicht” , schrieb der damalige
Reichskanzler Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg. Das Deutsche Reich
unterstützte das Osmanische Reich mit der Entsendung einer
einflussreichen ,,Militärmission” , die gegen Ende des Ersten
Weltkriegs rund 800 teilweise hochrangige deutsche Offiziere in
osmanischen Diensten umfasste. Der Generalstab der III. Armee, in
deren ostanatolischem Stationierungsgebiet die Mehrheit der
armenischsprachigen Bevölkerung siedelte, unterstand dem deutschen
Offizier Felix Guse, andere deutsche Soldaten unterzeichneten
Deportationsbefehle oder waren an Hinrichtungen unmittelbar
beteiligt.5),,Der Armenier ist wie der Jude” , bemerkte General Fritz
Bronsart von Schellendorf, während des Kriegs Chef des osmanischen
Feldheeres in Istanbul, Anfang 1919: ,,außerhalb seiner Heimat ein
Parasit, der die Gesundheit des anderen Landes, in dem er sich
niedergelassen hat, aufsaugt.”6)
Notwehr
Schon als im Jahr 1895 rund 100.000 Menschen Pogromen gegen die
armenischsprachige Bevölkerung des Osmanischen Reichs zum Opfer
fielen, erklärte der Vortragende Rat im Auswärtigen Amt Alfons
Freiherr Mumm von Schwarzenstein, es könne ,,nicht die Aufgabe der
deutschen Politik sein, sich um die Christen in der ganzen Welt zu
kümmern und einen europäischen Kreuzzug gegen den Halbmond ins Leben
zu rufen” . Friedrich Naumann, einer der prominentesten Strategen der
deutschen Expansion, äußerte 1896 Verständnis für ,,die Notwehr des
Türken” .7)
Menschenrechte
Die Berliner Duldung des Massenmords entsprach mittelfristigen
Bündnisüberlegungen, aber ließ die Option eines deutschen
Besatzungsregimes in der Türkei grundsätzlich offen. Dabei setzte die
kaiserliche Außenpolitik auf Instrumentalisierung der
,,Menschenrechte” , mit denen eine spätere Eroberung Istanbuls
eingeleitet werden könnte. Wie Friedrich Naumann damals ausführte,
ließe sich durch Unterstützung von ,,Griechen, Serben, Bulgaren,
Mazedonier(n), Syrer(n), Armenier(n)” der Sturz des Osmanischen
Reiches herbeiführen. ,,Das Verfahren ist dieses: man fordert für die
abhängigen Völkerschaften Menschenrechte oder Humanität oder
Civilisation oder politische Freiheit, kurz, irgend etwas, was sie
den Türken gleichstellt.” Dies müsse im ,,Vielvölkerstaat” zu
,,revolutionären Wirkungen” führen.8)
Regulieren
Die gegenwärtige deutsche Außenpolitik schließt an die früheren
Überlegungen des Auswärtigen Amtes an und will ihre Ziele mittels
Forderungen durchsetzen, die einschlägigen Katalogen der
,,Zivilgesellschaft” (Naumann: ,,Civilisation” ) entnommen sind.
Demnach habe die Türkei durch Berücksichtigung von
Minderheitenrechten, ,,good governance” und ,,nachhaltiger”
Rechtspflege ihre Europa-Tauglichkeit zu erweisen. Avantgarde bei der
Anwendung dieses Instrumentariums war in den vergangenen Jahren die
Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, die in Instanbul ein Büro unterhält. Auch
Regierungsmitglieder der SPD haben wiederholt versucht, die
innertürkische Opposition in die außenpolitischen Ziele Berlins
einzuspannen.9) Mit der überparteilich formulierten
Armenien-Resolution hat sich jetzt auch die CDU/CSU entschieden,
wirtschaftspolitische und klerikale Sonderinteressen in der Türkei
unter Bezug auf die ,,Menschenrechte” offen zu halten.
1) Antrag: Gedenken anlässlich des 90. Jahrestages des Auftakts zu
Vertreibungen und Massakern an den Armeniern am 24. April 1915 –
Deutschland muss zur Versöhung zwischen Türken und Armeniern
beitragen; Bundestags-Drucksache 15/4933
2) s. dazu Transportkorridor
3) Antwort der Bundesregierung auf die Kleine Anfrage der
Abgeordneten Uwe Hiksch, Ulla Jelpke, Dr. Winfried Wolf und der
Fraktion der PDS; Bundestags-Drucksache 14/9921
4) s. dazu Rechtsansprüche ausgeschlossen und Berlin: Keine
materielle Entschädigungspflicht für NS-Verbrechen sowie Europas
Zukunft
5) Wolfgang Gust: Der Völkermord an den Armeniern. Die Tragödie des
ältesten Christenvolkes der Welt, München/Wien 1993
6) Julius H. Schoeps: Der verdrängte Genozid;
25.03.2005
7), 8) Hans-Walter Schmuhl: Friedrich Naumann und die Armenische
Frage. Die deutsche Öffentlichkeit und die Verfolgung der Armenier
vor 1915; www.histnet/kieser/aghet/Essays/EssaySchmuhl.html#fnB13
. 9) s. dazu Deutsche Stiftungen: ,,Dem äußeren und inneren Frieden
förderlich” und Umstrittene Instrumente
Quellen:
Armenian Defense Minister Pledges to ,,Deepen Ties” with NATO; RFE/RL
Newsline 07.04.2005
Former Armenian Premier calls for Revolution; RFE/RL Newsline
18.04.2005
–Boundary_(ID_HWz8SBzyPEvR3/EP5sE+wQ)–