Author: Maghakian Mike

Peace fm Online
March 5 2010

Turkish Angry At US Armenian ‘Genocide’ Vote

Date: 05-Mar-2010

Turkey has reacted angrily to a US congressional panel’s resolution
describing as genocide the killings of Armenians in World War I.

PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country had been accused of a crime
it did not commit, adding the resolution would harm Turkish-US
relations.

Ankara has recalled its ambassador to Washington for consultations and
says it is considering other responses.

The White House had urged against the vote. Armenia welcomed the
outcome. The government of Turkey, a key American ally and fellow Nato
member, had lobbied hard for the US Congress not to vote on the issue.

The BBC’s Jane O’Brien in Washington says Turkey must be hoping that,
as with a similar resolution two years ago, the issue will not come to
the floor of the House for a full vote. In 2007, it passed the
committee stage, but was shelved after pressure from the George W Bush
administration.

The resolution was narrowly approved – by 23 votes to 22 – by the
House Foreign Affairs Committee. It calls on President Barack Obama to
ensure that US foreign policy reflects an understanding of the
"genocide" and to label the World War I killings as such in his annual
statement on the issue.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul responded angrily to the committee’s
vote, saying it was "an injustice to history" to take such a decision
with "political concerns in mind". "Turkey will not be responsible for
the negative results that this event may lead to," he said. Foreign
Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told a news conference in Ankara on Friday
that Turkey was determined to press ahead with efforts to normalise
relations with Armenia.

However, he said the ratification by parliament of peace accords
signed with Armenia last October was in jeopardy. A Turkish
parliamentary delegation had gone to Washington to try to persuade
committee members to reject the resolution.

Turkey accepts that atrocities were committed but argues they were
part of the war and that there was no systematic attempt to destroy
the Christian Armenian people. The Armenian government welcomed the
vote, calling it "an important step towards the prevention of crimes
against humanity".

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had urged the House committee
not to vote on Thursday on the grounds that it would damage
reconciliation efforts between Turkey and Armenia, and said she hoped
it would go no further.

01003/39614.php

Turkish nationalists demand to cancel Erdogan’s visit to the U.S.

06.03.2010 13:17 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "The Committee’s decision is of political nature and
seeks to sow doubt in a Turkish nation in regard to its past, " Devlet
Bahceli chairman of Turkey’s Nationalist Movement Party (NMP) said,
commenting on the adoption by the U.S. House of Representatives
Committee on Foreign Affairs the Armenian Genocide resolution 252 .

Bahceli also demanded to withdraw Protocols, signed between Turkey and
Armenia, from the agenda of the Turkish Grand National Assembly and to
cancel Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit scheduled in April
to the United States, TRT-Russian reported.

On March 4, US House Foreign Affairs Committee’s passed a resolution
recognizing and commemorating the Armenian Genocide. The resolution
was passed by a vote of 23-22.

The resolution affirming the U.S. record on the Armenian Genocide
(H.Res.252) was formally introduced in the U.S. House of
Representatives by Reps. Adam Schiff (D.-CA), George Radanovich
(R.-CA), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D.-NJ), and Mark Kirk (R.-Ill) in 2009.
It currently has 137 co-sponsors.

The Protocols aimed at normalization of bilateral ties and opening of
the border between Armenia and Turkey were signed in Zurich by
Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and his Turkish
counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu on October 10, 2009, after a series of
diplomatic talks held through Swiss mediation. On January 12, 2010,
the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia found the
protocols conformable to the country’s Organic Law.

05/03/2010 » Politics
The resolution a verdict against a whole nation, Turkey’s FM says

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Friday commented on the
approval of the Armenian Genocide Resolution by the Foreign Relations
Committee of the US House of Representatives.

Turkey would not take a decision under pressure under any
circumstance, Davutoglu was quoted as saying by Haber 7. Turkey’s FM’s
other remarks are presented herewith:

– Both our government and president spread messages on this: our
disposition is clear.

– It is not for other parliaments to judge our history. The resolution
was a verdict against a whole nation.

– Turks and Armenians have lived together for 10 centuries and we
regard Armenians as friends and neighbors. If we leave aside the last
quarter century, we can strongly say that the 10 centuries passed in
great tolerance and respect.

– Yesterday’s flippant and funny voting demonstrated that it was a
wrong method and road to resolve the issue. The picture we have seen
showed to the whole globe how wrong it is to judge historical
incidents in parliaments.

– Had one vote been on the other side, history would have been shaped
otherwise. How could history be made so simple?

– The normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia can be
realized when the two nations sit down together and talk with each
other. Interruptions by third sides make the normalization process
impossible to achieve.

– We are committed to create a stable Caucasus region.

Panorama.am recalls that Turkey has traditionally rejected the mass
killings of 1,5 million Armenians carried out early in the 20th
century and took the criticism of the West painfully. The Armenian
Genocide has been recognized by lots of states. It was first
recognized by Uruguay in 1965. Later Russia, France, Italy, the
Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Poland, Lithuania, Slovakia, Sweden,
Switzerland, Greece, Cyprus, Lebanon, Canada, Venezuela, Argentina and
the US 42 states did the same. The Armenian Genocide has been
recognized also by Vatican, the Council of Europe, the World Council
of Churches.

Source: Panorama.am

13:09 05/03/2010 » Politics
Turkey’s Ambassador to the US: I return to Ankara today

Turkey’s Ambassador to the US Namik Tan said he is due to return to
Turkey at a press conference after the Foreign Relations Committee of
the US House of Representatives passed the Armenian Genocide
Resolution March 4, CnnTurk reported.

`Unfortunately, in accordance with the decision taken by our
government, I am compelled to return to Turkey. I say unfortunately,
because I had just started my mission and return sounds somehow odd. I
will return to Turkey and will get instructions from my government;
further events will show when and how I will come to Washington,’
Turkey’s Ambassador said. He said they are upset for their loss
suffered.

Panorama.am recalls that Turkey has traditionally rejected the mass
killings of 1,5 million Armenians carried out early in the 20th
century and always took the criticism of the West painfully. The
Armenian Genocide has been recognized by lots of states. It was first
recognized by Uruguay in 1965. Later Russia, France, Italy, the
Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Poland, Lithuania, Slovakia, Sweden,
Switzerland, Greece, Cyprus, Lebanon, Canada, Venezuela, Argentina and
the US 42 states did the same. The Armenian Genocide has been
recognized also by Vatican, the Council of Europe, the World Council
of Churches.

Source: Panorama.am

14:15 05/03/2010 » Politics
Vatan: Obama, Clinton, Pelosi Armenian Resolution further path-makers…

After the US House Foreign Relations Committee has passed the Armenian
Genocide Resolution, Turkish Vatan draws attention on three US eminent
figures: President Barack Obama, State Secretary Hillary Clinton and
Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi as further
path-makers for the Resolution.

Let’s say it’s Pelosi who will decide whether the resolution will be
included into the US House agenda.

`Pelosi represents a state where lots of Armenians live and the
Armenian lobby tried hard during her election campaign. It was this
very Pelosi, however, who despite being one of the most vigorous
Armenian Resolution supporters in 2007, gave in Bush junior
administration’s suppressions and didn’t bring the Resolution to the
House plenary session agenda,’ the source says.

It says Ankara expects Obama and Clinton to prevent Pelosi from
bringing the abovesaid Resolution into agenda.

`Ankara has expectations while Obama, Clinton and Pelosi statements
made in the past on the Armnian Genocide read as follows,’ Vatan
highlights:

Barack Obama: `If elected President, I will recognize the Armenian Genocide.’

Hillary Clinton: `I have been a longstanding supporter of the Armenian
Genocide Resolution.’

Nancy Pelosi: `It is long past the time for the United States to
formally recognize the Armenian Genocide.’

Panorama.am recalls that Turkey has traditionally rejected the mass
killings of 1,5 million Armenians carried out early in the 20th
century and took the criticism of the West painfully. The Armenian
Genocide has been recognized by lots of states. It was first
recognized by Uruguay in 1965. Later Russia, France, Italy, the
Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Poland, Lithuania, Slovakia, Sweden,
Switzerland, Greece, Cyprus, Lebanon, Canada, Venezuela, Argentina and
the US 42 states did the same. The Armenian Genocide has been
recognized also by Vatican, the Council of Europe, the World Council
of Churches.

Source: Panorama.am

Hurriyet, Turkey
March 5 2010

US Armenians hail committee vote on ‘genocide’ resolution

Friday, March 5, 2010
Ã`mit ENGÄ°NSOY
ANKARA – Hürriyet Daily News

Armenian-American groups have welcomed the passage of the Armenian
`genocide’ resolution by a House committee, saying their next
objective will be the resolution’s swift endorsement in a House floor
vote.

The Foreign Affairs Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives
narrowly passed the resolution late Thursday despite last-minute
objections by President Barack Obama’s administration.

The 23-22 decision sends the measure to the full House, but it is not
clear yet if or when the resolution could see a floor vote.

The non-binding resolution calls on Obama to ensure that U.S. policy
formally refers to the World War I-era killings of Armenians in the
Ottoman Empire as `genocide’ and to use that term when he delivers his
annual message on the issue in April ` something he avoided doing in
2009.

`The committee’s message was simple, yet powerful: Turkey doesn’t get
a vote or a veto in the U.S. Congress,’ Ken Hachikian, chairman of the
Armenian National Committee of America, the largest U.S. Armenian
group, said shortly after the vote.

The committee vote is `setting the stage for [House] Speaker [Nancy]
Pelosi and the full U.S. House to properly commemorate the Armenian
genocide,’ Hachikian said.

Victory message

`It’s clear to me why we won this battle, despite millions of dollars
in Turkish lobbying, Ankara’s hysterical threats and a last-minute
attack by [Secretary of State] Hillary Clinton and the Obama
administration,’ Hachikian said in a separate message to
Armenian-Americans.

`We won because of you and dedicated people like you around the
country. Your time and energy, along with your faith and financial
support, made the difference,’ he said.

`Truth prevailed today, and the cause of genocide affirmation and
prevention has been furthered,’ said Bryan Ardouny, the executive
director of the Armenian Assembly of America, another major
Armenian-American organization. `We commend the leadership of
[committee] chairman Howard Berman and all those who supported the
bill’s passage.’

The Armenians’ narrow victory came shortly after Clinton warned that
the resolution could harm an ongoing normalization process between
Turkey and Armenia.

`We do not believe that the full Congress will or should act upon that
resolution and we have made that clear to all the parties involved,’
the secretary of state said.

Similar `genocide’ resolutions passed the same committee in 2000, 2005
and 2007, but none of them could reach a House floor vote because of
extensive pressure from former presidents Bill Clinton and George W.
Bush.

Montreal Gazette, Quebec
March 5 2010

U.S. ‘genocide’ vote hurts stability: Azerbaijan
By Afet Mehtiyeva, ReutersMarch 5, 2010 3:55 PM

BAKU – Turkish ally Azerbaijan on Friday condemned as a blow to
regional stability a U.S. House panel resolution labelling the World
War One mass killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks as "genocide".

Oil-producing Azerbaijan, a close Muslim and Turkic-speaking ally of
Turkey, said the resolution adopted on Thursday "could reduce to zero
all previous efforts" to resolve the conflict over the Armenian-backed
rebel region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The strongly-worded statement by parliament underscored the deep links
in the region between unresolved historical grievances and modern-day
territorial disputes.

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev telephoned Turkish President
Abdullah Gul and described the resolution as "misrepresenting
historical reality and fuelling tension in the region," state news
agency Azertac reported.

Azerbaijan traditionally sees any affirmation of Christian Armenian
grievances against Turkey as, by extension, an expression of support
for Armenia in the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.

Azerbaijan believes Western support for Armenia will only harden
Yerevan’s resolve against compromising over the Armenian-populated
region, which broke away in fighting that erupted as the Soviet Union
headed towards its 1991 collapse.

ANGRY SPEECHES

After angry speeches in parliament, lawmakers voted unanimously to
adopt the statement warning the resolution "damages efforts to restore
peace and stability in the region" ‘ where pipelines carry Azeri oil
and gas to the West.

The non-binding resolution, adopted by 23 votes to 22 by the U.S.
House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, calls on President
Barack Obama to ensure U.S. policy formally refers to the 1915
killings as genocide.

The vote opened the way for the measure possibly to be considered by
the full House, although it was unclear whether it would come to a
vote there, and if so whether it could pass.

Azerbaijan called for the resolution to be rejected, saying it
"contradicts U.S. interests in the region and the U.S. strategic
partnership with Azerbaijan and Turkey."

Turkey accepts that many Armenians were killed by Ottoman Turks but
denies that up to 1.5 million died and that it amounted to genocide ‘
a term employed by many Western historians and some foreign
parliaments.

A ceasefire was agreed in Nagorno-Karabakh in 1994 after 30,000 people perished.

But more than 15 years of international mediation have failed to forge
a peace deal, and the spectre of conflict still hangs over the South
Caucasus, a key energy transit region.

Tensions have been rising since Turkey and Armenia last year moved to
overcome their legacy of mistrust, signing accords to establish
diplomatic ties and open their border ‘ closed by Turkey in 1993 in
solidarity with Azerbaijan during the war.

Faced with an Azeri backlash, Turkey says it will not ratify the deal
without Armenian concessions on Nagorno-Karabakh.

news/Azerbaijan+blasts+vote+Armenian+genocide/2645 157/story.html

Clinton promises hard fight to block Armenian `genocide’ resolution
By DEUTSCHE PRESSE-AGENTUR

Published: Mar 6, 2010 12:35 AM Updated: Mar 6, 2010 12:36 AM

GUATEMALA CITY: The government of US President Barack Obama will work
very hard to block the Armenian "genocide" resolution now working its
way through US Congress, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton
said Friday in Guatemala.

Clinton told a press conference that the Obama Administration will
seek to prevent the resolution from coming to a full vote in the House
of Representatives.

She had previously met with Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom in the
last stage of a Latin American tour that has also taken her to
Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Brazil and Costa Rica.

The US House of Representatives’ Foreign Affairs committee Thursday
passed the bill which recognizes the mass murders of Armenians during
World War I as a "genocide."

House speaker Nancy Pelosi must now decide whether to bring the
non-binding resolution to a full vote. Ankara has warned that the
bill’s further progress could seriously damage ties between NATO
allies Turkey and the US.

The Obama administration has opposed the House resolution, saying it
could disrupt ongoing reconciliation talks between Turkey and Armenia,
which are strongly backed by the United States. In addition, Turkey is
a key member of NATO, strategically placed within the Middle East.

Obama telephoned Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on
Wednesday to give reassurances.

The Turkish ambassador to Washington, Namik Tan, was recalled to
Ankara for consultations soon after the committee approved the
resolution, with a narrow 23-22 vote.

Armenians contend that up to 1.5 million of their own were
systematically killed by the Ottoman Turks during World War I. Turkey
has long denied the genocide claim, saying the number of Armenians
killed was much lower and that the deaths were the result of violent
turbulence that also affected other groups at the time.

SARGIS QLOYAN TOLD SIS THE NAME OF MURDERER

gis-qloyan
07:35 pm | March 03, 2010

Social

Sargis Qloyan, the father of one of the victims of March 1 Gor Qloyan,
was invited to the Special Investigation Service yesterday.

During the March 1, 2010, rally of the Armenian National Congress
(HAK) Sargis Qloyan told A1+ that he knew the name of his son’s
assassin and was ready to divulge it. He also knows where and under
what circumstances his son was murdered.

"Yesterday I was invited to the Special Investigation Service where I
reiterated my words saying that I learnt the assassin’s name from the
Fact-Finding Group and parliamentary interim committee who visited
military units and learnt the names of murders on the spot," Sargis
Qloyan told A1+.

"The SIS knew the murderer’s name long ago. They knew who killed our
sons and under which circumstances. I simply freshened their memories.

I reminded the SIS the words of NA ad-hoc committee chairman Samvel
Nikoyan who announced that the use of "Cheriomukha-7" tear-gas grenade
was forbidden, especially against demonstrators. I asked the SIS why
people opening the doors of the arsenal and distributing arms hadn’t
been sued up to nowadays.

Sargis Qloyan is convinced that his words will not be helpful for
the disclosure of the March 1 tragedy. "I do not confide in these
authorities. As a parent and Armenian citizen I have to struggle
every day. In the last two years the authorities have proved by their
actions that our sons were killed by them."

TURKEY WARNED THE UNITED STATES AND ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
04.03.2010 10:34 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey warned that its relations with the United
States and Armenia would be damaged if a U.S. congressional panel
votes to term 1915 incidents in Ottoman-era as Genocide.

Ahead of a vote set for Thursday, NATO member Turkey has stepped up
a diplomatic campaign in the United States aimed at blocking passage
of the resolution. The Armenian issue has poisoned ties between the
two allies in the past.

"Presentation of such a resolution at such a time, without any apparent
reason, to the House Foreign Affairs Committee is reasonable neither
in political nor in ethical terms," Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu told reporters in Cairo.

"Trying to exert pressure on Turkey with such attempts every year
means not knowing Turkey," he said on the eve of the vote.

The non-binding resolution, to be voted on Thursday by the House
Foreign Affairs Committee, would call on U.S. President Barack Obama to
ensure that U.S. policy formally refers to the incidents as "genocide".

It also would call on him to use that term when he delivers his
annual message on the issue in April — something Obama avoided doing
last year.

Obama visited Turkey last April, and his administration sees the Muslim
country as a key ally whose help is needed in solving confrontations
from Iran to Afghanistan.

The Turkish minister said relations with Armenia were going through
their best phase in a painful history.

"We see this as an attempt which will seriously cripple and damage
the cooperation at a time of such strong cooperation," Davutoglu said,
Reuters report.