Author: Maghakian Mike

TURKISH COURT GIVES SUSPENDED JAIL TERM TO ASSASSINATED JOURNO’S SON

AFP
Middle East Times, Egypt
Oct 11 2007

ISTANBUL — A Turkish court Thursday found the son of assassinated
ethnic Armenian journalist Hrant Dink guilty of insulting the Turkish
identity, but spared him jail, Anatolia news agency reported.

Arat Dink and a colleague, Serkis Seropyan, were given a one-year
suspended prison term after reproducing an interview in their newspaper
in which Hrant Dink, who was killed by an ultranationalist youth
in January, said that the massacre of Armenians in 1915 to 1917 in
Ottoman Turkey was a genocide.

The judges at the court in Istanbul ruled that Dink and Seropyan,
respectively the chief editor and a top writer for Agos magazine,
a Turkish-Armenian language review, should not go to prison because
they had no criminal record, Anatolia reported.

The two journalists were charged under article 301 of the Turkish
penal code that calls for the punishment of those who "insult Turkish
national identity," the agency said.

The interview with Hrant Dink was published in July, 2006, when he
was editor of Agos.

Hrant Dink’s comments often outraged Turkish nationalists, and he was
also found guilty of insulting Turkish identity and given a six-month
suspended jail term. He was gunned down outside the magazine’s offices
in January.

A teenager who has confessed to the murder and a number of alleged
accomplices went on trial in July.

Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:

PRESS RELEASE
October 11, 2007
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
E-mail: [email protected]

ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY PRAISES PELOSI FOR COMMITMENT TO SCHEDULE VOTE ON
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION

RESPONDS TO RECALL OF TURKISH AMBASSADOR

Washington, DC – The Armenian Assembly of America today issued the
following statement after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) told
reporters she will not back down to Turkish and White House pressure and
intends to bring the Armenian Genocide resolution (H. Res. 106) to the
floor for a vote by the full House.

The announcement from Pelosi today comes one day after the resolution
was approved by a bi-partisan majority of the House Foreign Affairs
Committee. A link to Pelosi’s press conference is attached below.

"We applaud Speaker Pelosi for standing firm on her commitment to
history and truth," said Armenian Assembly Executive Director Bryan
Ardouny. "The opponents of this common-sense resolution – including the
White House and the Turkish government and its army of lobbyists – have
thrown every excuse at the resolution trying to create a political
tsunami to prevent a vote. The entire Armenian-American community stands
united with Speaker Pelosi and commends her for standing firm in the
face of this alarmist drumbeat and outright blackmail by Turkey and its
deniers. We know we have the support to pass it into law and I look
forward to the full House going on record on this critical issue that
has been neglected for far too long."

Ardouny added that the Assembly, which has been working with Members of
Congress since its inception in 1972, intends to continue working
vigorously for passage of H. Res. 106. In the days and months leading up
to yesterday’s successful committee vote on this issue, the Assembly
organized its more than 10,000 members to call, write and email members
of Congress and provide them with accurate information about this issue
to counter the misleading statements from Turkey.

Regarding Turkey’s recall of their ambassador to the U.S. in response to
the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s vote affirming the Armenian
Genocide, Ardouny said, "The House demonstrated yesterday that they
won’t allow the war in Iraq to be used as leverage against them.
Members of Congress stood up against those pressure tactics by affirming
the Armenian Genocide and we’re encouraged by the fact that Speaker
Pelosi went on the record today in defense of the truth."

Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest
Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding
and awareness of Armenian issues. It is a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt
membership organization.

Editor’s Note: To watch Pelosi’s press conference, go to:

mp;PopupMenu_Name=Congress&CatC
odeP

###
NR# 2007-120

BIGGEST THREAT TO SECURITY INSIDE

Lragir
Oct 10 2007
Armenia

The balance between the three countries of the region is changing,
not in favor of Armenia, stated Richard Giragosian, a U.S.-based
political scientist, in a discussion in Yerevan on October 10.

According to him, Azerbaijan is boosting military expenditure
which may considerably change the balance in the upcoming years,
and in this sense the military advantage of Armenia in the region
is temporary. The political scientist says as long as Safar Abiyev
is the defense minister of Azerbaijan, we can be sure that the
appropriations for the army are dissipated and the army remains weeks
and disorganized. On the other hand, however, big appropriations may
in the future give advantage to Azerbaijan.

Richard Giragosian thinks Armenia should therefore make steps in
that direction. The first should be sustainable dynamic of military
reforms. In this respect, Richard Giragosian points to military
intelligence as important, adding that the death of the head of
military intelligence Basentsi Azoyan was a great loss for the Armenian
armed force and now somebody is sought to replace him.

According to the political scientist, the next strand of military
reforms should be technology. Richard Giragosian thinks Armenia can
place the army at a new technological level thanks to its IT potential.

Besides, Richard Giragosian thinks diplomatic, political work with
international organizations is also important for them to possibly
support the reforms in the Armenian army because the Armenian army’s
function is defense, and is able to be a guarantee of stability in the
region. Apart from all, the U.S.-based Armenian political scientist
thinks it is highly important for Armenia not to rely on external
guarantees of security, Russia or NATO, to be a self-sufficient country
and rely on its own potential. Therefore, the political scientist says,
it is necessary to acknowledge that the biggest threat to security
is inside, i.e. corruption, which hinders the development of the
country’s economy.

TRUTH V. THE MACHINE: ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VOTE
by Jeff Kouba

Kennedy vs. The Machine
October 10, 2007 Wednesday 12:44 PM EST

Oct. 10, 2007 (Kennedy vs. The Machine delivered by Newstex) —
On Wednesday, Oct 10, the US House will likely vote on H. Res. 106,
which recognizes the Armenian genocide. The House of Representatives
finds the (1) The Armenian Genocide was conceived and carried out by
the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1923, resulting in the deportation
of nearly 2,000,000 Armenians, of whom 1,500,000 men, women, and
children were killed, 500,000 survivors were expelled from their
homes, and which succeeded in the elimination of the over 2,500-year
presence of Armenians in their historic homeland. Though President
Bush doesn’t want to see this pass, (and this has come up before)
Turkey has warned of damaged The Bush administration is opposed to
the bill, but Congress is now dominated by its Democratic opponents.

"In his letter our president thanked President Bush for his efforts
(to stop the bill) and drew attention to the problems it would create
in bilateral relations if it is accepted," President Abdullah Gul’s
office said in a statement. It did not provide further information. A
senior lawmaker of Turkey’s ruling AK Party, Egemen Bagis, was quoted
this week as saying Ankara might cut logistic support to U.S. troops
in Iraq if Congress backs the bill. The bulk of supplies for troops
in Iraq pass via Turkey’s Incirlik airbase. Turkish media have said
U.S. firms could also be blocked from winning defense and other
contracts if the bill passes. Turkey, a NATO ally of Washington,
strongly rejects the Armenian position, backed by many Western
historians and a growing number of foreign parliaments, that up
to 1.5 million Armenians suffered genocide at the hands of Ottoman
Turks during World War One. Ankara says many Muslim Turks as well as
Christian Armenians died in inter-ethnic conflict as the Ottoman Empire
collapsed. Turkey has long resisted efforts to declare what happened
in Armenia as genocide. This is a messy realpolitik question in
foreign affairs. Does the US stand for human rights and recognize the
awful things that happened, or does the US hold back from officially
recognizing those events as genocide and maintain relations with an
important Muslim ally in a rather important part of the world. Among
the 226 cosponsors are Minnesota Representatives Bachmann, Ellison,
McCollum, Peterson and Walz. Aside from seeing Bachmann in that
company, it’s interesting to see Ellison as a cosponsor. Turkey, the
Muslim nation, does not want to see this resolution pass. Relations
are already a bit frayed over what the PKK is doing.

LAST MOVE FROM TURKEY BEFORE VOTE IN CONGRESS ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION

MEMRI, DC
Oct 8 2007

A Turkish parliamentary delegation is on its way to the U.S. as a
last move to prevent the passing of the resolution on alleged Armenian
genocide at the hands of the Ottoman Turks during the World War I.

Columnist Fatih Cekirge of top selling Turkish daily Hurriyet wrote
that the mandate of the delegation of MPs from AKP, CHP and MHP
is stronger as it comes not only from the government but from the
parliament – that is from the Turkish people – and the AKP MP Egemen
Bagis, who heads the delegation, signaled that the warning they will
deliver to the U.S. will also be very strong.

Turkey has repeatedly said that if the Congress passes the Armenian
resolution U.S.-Turkey relations would suffer. It is now understood
that Turkey will tell the U.S. that it might cut or restrict the
logistical support that Turkey provides the U.S. military in Iraq
through Incirlik airbase – also affecting the future withdrawal of
U.S. from Iraq, via Turkey.

The other dimension is Turkish military’s disappointment with the
U.S for its inaction against the PKK and tolerating the terrorists
based in northern Iraq that launch attacks inside Turkey – a long
time ally of the U.S. and a partner in the war against terrorism.

TURKISH PRIME MINISTER ERDOGAN CALLS PRESIDENT BUSH ON GENOCIDE BILL

MEMRI, DC
l/en/3129.htm
Oct 7 2007

In a phone call to the U.S. President, PM Erdogan told him that the
strategic partnership between the two countries will be harmed if the
U.S. Congress passes the bill on Armenian "genocide". Erdogan said
that this bill will not serve the interests of Turkey or the U.S.;
and will hurt the chances for developing any relations between Turkey
and Armenia. It was reported that President Bush told PM Erdogan that
he understood him, that he too was concerned about the resolution
and that he and his team would work hard to prevent its passage.

It is unclear how much influence the Bush administration will have
in the Congress now dominated by Democrats who are more submissive
to the demands of the Armenian Diaspora.

Turkey is a key NATO ally of Washington that supports the U.S. needs
in the region, in Iraq and Afghanistan.

There have been warnings voiced among Turkish political circles that
Ankara could consider shutting down Incirlik air base to U.S. use,
as well as its borders with Iraq, cutting the supply lines and causing
serious problems for the U.S. military fighting in Iraq.

PM Erdogan also placed calls to President Clinton and to Israel’s
President Shimon Peres, to ask for Israel’s support. Peres in return
reiterated that his country will continue to support Turkey’s position.

RALLY TO END DARFUR GENOCIDE SCHEDULED

Providence Eyewitness News, RI
Associated Press
Oct 6 2007

BOSTON (AP) – Genocide survivors along with thousands of Massachusetts
residents are expected to gather on City Hall Plaza tomorrow to
support the people of Darfur.

The Dream for Darfur Rally will call on China to use its influence
to help end the humanitarian crisis in the Sudanese region.

Rally organizers say China has strong economic, political and military
ties to the Sudanese government and has considerable influence on
the African nation’s decisions.

The rally will also feature a torch lighting ceremony that will then
be relayed through 20 American cities.

The rally will feature genocide survivors from Darfur along with
genocide survivors from local Armenian, Bosnian, Cambodian, Jewish
and Rwandan communities, along with human rights activists, and
public officials.

The event starts at 3:30 p.m.

DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
October 5, 2007 Friday

CAUCASUS: AGGRAVATION OF TENSION;
as a prelude to a military operation against Iran?

by Sergei Shakarjants

AGGRAVATION OF TENSION IN THE CAUCASUS AND DEPLOYMENT OF THE US ARMY
THERE UNDER ANY CONVENIENT PRETEXT MAY BE USED AS ELEMENTS OF THE
PLANS AGAINST IRAN; Nothing will please Washington better than a
conflict in the Caucasus that will enable it to deploy units of the
US Army in the region for the eventual operation against Iran.

The situation that shaped up in the Caucasus and nearby regions last
week was definitely odd. What was more important – another domestic
political crisis in Georgia where ex-defense minister Irakly
Okruashvili condemned Mikhail Saakashvili (the president and his
recent ally) of crimes of such gravity that he himself was arrested
on September 28, or the frequent visits of Turkish generals to
Azerbaijan traditionally covered with a veil of secrecy? Or the first
contact between the new prime ministers of Russia and Armenia Victor
Zubkov and Serj Sarkisjan in Moscow? Or, finally, the widely
publicized meetings of secretaries of Security Councils and defense
ministries of the CIS Collective Security Treaty Organization in
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan?

All these events apparently pale in comparison with what happened in
New York where the President of Iran, Mahmud Ahmadinejad, addressed
the 62nd Session of the UN General Assembly. His address was expected
with vivid interest because US President George W. Bush had flatly
refused to engage in public debates with Ahmadinejad within the
framework of the UN General Assembly.

Ahmadinejad kept striking – ideologically, of course – at the United
States and UN Security Council. The Iranian leader condemned the
United States as a "bullying empire that develops a national missile
defense and aggravates the danger of another war." In other words,
Ahmadinejad all but joined the Russian-American debates over the
matter. The president of Iran denounced resolutions of the UN
Security Council urging Tehran to stop uranium enrichment and
proclaimed this international structure a hostage in the games of
world powers promoting their own interests. "The Iranian nuclear
program is a closed problem, one that is a routine prerogative of the
IAEA again," Ahmadinejad concluded. "There is no longer an Iranian
nuclear folder. The IAEA stopped bringing politics into the
thoroughly apolitical matter of the Iranian nuclear development."

This particular rock is going to make a lot of geopolitical circles
on the surface of international affairs yet, but at least one
corollary is already clear. The United States has all but turned down
the Russian idea of the joint use of the radar in Gabala the Russian
Armed Forces leased from Azerbaijan. Washington announced that it
might consider the option but its program of deployment of elements
of the US national missile defense in the Czech Republic and Poland
would proceed as planned, and that is unacceptable for Moscow. The US
experts accompanying their Russian peers on a tour of the Gabala
radar packed up and promptly left for Adjaria last week. Where
(sources in Baku, Tbilisi, and Batumi claim) they contemplated the
deployment of another element of the US national missile defense on
the territory of this Georgian autonomy. As a matter of fact, even
pro-American political scientists and experts in Russia had been
saying that this turn of events was quite possible – even from the
purely technological standpoint (a reference to the speculations in
Georgia on the installation of mobile radars on its territory). Once
the news of the US experts’ visit to Adjaria reached them, the
governments of Abkhazia and South Ossetia said that a year ago their
secret services had been saying already that everything necessary for
US radars was already in Georgia, shipped there in advance. The gear
had to be unpacked and put together, and the airspace and territories
of Russia and Iran would be under American observation.

What is going to happen in the region now? General Nikolai Bordyuzha,
General Secretary of the CIS Collective Security Treaty Organization
who attended the meeting of secretaries of national Security
Councils, was asked what this structure regarded as a threat to
itself at this point. "Belligerent statements from representatives of
certain countries revealing their eagerness to settle some of the so
called suspended conflicts by sheer strength of arms," he replied.
"Not to mention the escalation of military activity, the growth of
arms spending and manpower of the regular armies of Georgia and
Azerbaijan." Georgia stages military and political provocations now
against Abkhazia, the following day against South Ossetia, as a means
of promotion of its interests. Senior officials in Baku (beginning
with Defense Minister Safar Abiyev) talk "counter-terrorism
operations" in Nagorno-Karabakh. Two Turkish military delegations
visited the Apsheron Peninsula one after another. The agenda of their
negotiations in Baku remains hidden from general public. One of the
delegations was headed by Brigadier General Mjunir Erten of Turkish
army intelligence.

All of that may be taken as an indirect confirmation of the
assumption that a major provocation is being prepared in the region,
and that a military operation may be one of its elements. Where will
it begin and who will find himself on the receiving end – Iran or
Russia?

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US State Secretary
Condolleezza Rice "disagree" on the matter of sanctions against Iran,
Reuters reported on September 28.

Lavrov reminded Rice that the IAEA vouched for implementation of its
accords with Tehran. "The IAEA even reports that work is proceeding
ahead of the schedule agreed upon with Iran. It allows for the hopes
that we will soon find answers to the questions Tehran denies us
once," the Russian minister said.

All pros and cons of a military solution to the Iranian problem have
been voiced. The UN general Assembly is proof that the United States
lacks actual and faithful allies in the international community. And
yet, The Sunday Times reports that the United States set up a special
team to draw a plan of bombardment of Iran (Operation Checkmate). The
newspaper claims that the team includes 30 senior officers of the US
AF and computer specialists. They have direct lines constantly open
to the White House, CIA, and other American secret services.

Nothing will please the hawks longing for a war on Iran better than
some conflict in the Caucasus and the deployment of the US Army there
under any convenient pretext. Is that why the Americans have the
Turkish military visit Baku and sic Tbilisi on South Ossetia and
Abkhazia?

Source: Severny Kavkaz (Nalchik), No 34, October 2 – 8, 2007, EV

MPS FROM RULING COALITION INTEND TO VOTE AT PARLIAMENT SESSIONS IN COORDINATED MANNER

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 5 2007

YEREVAN, October 5. /ARKA/. MPs from the ruling coalition intend to
vote at the parliament sessions in a coordinated manner, Secretary
of the parliament group of "Prospering Armenia" party (PAP) Aram
Safarian told a press conference.

According to him, the parties intend to have consultations before
each parliament’s session for discussing every single draft law.

"Every draft law will be discussed at the sitting of our party, and
then three representatives of "Prospering Armenia" will be presenting
our stance at the general meeting with RPA (Republic Party of Armenia –
ARKA)," Safarian said.

He pointed out that the discussion will strengthen the cooperation
between the coalition parties.

"We have not had yet a case when RPA’s and PAP’s stances are
fundamentally different from each other, and I believe that the policy
we follow in the National Assembly reduces the chances of it.

We have the law lobbying mechanism in common and an intended decision
to vote "against" will be pathology," Safarian said.

The agreement on establishing a coalition was signed between the
Republican Party of Armenia and "Prospering Armenia" Party on June 6.

In its turn, the political coalition signed an agreement on cooperation
with ARF Dashnaktsutiun.

X-RAYS TO PENETRATE INTO THE SECRET OF MATENADARAN’S PARCHMENTS

ArmInfo Agency, Armenia
Oct 3 2007

ArmInfo. The Matenadaran-the Armenian Institute of Ancient Manuscripts
and the American Early Manuscripts Electronic Library (EMEL) signed
an agreement on the digitization of more than 100 palimpsests-
parchments. What was written on them was erased or washed out in
order to reuse them, Matenadaran’s director Hrachia Tamrazian told
ArmInfo correspondent.

According to him, digitization of the manuscripts with the device
provided by the American side will directly start from the mid 2008.

It isn’t still decided by what funds the device worth $90 000 will
be bought. However, EMEL expressed readiness to make concessions,
promising in advance to send its specialists to Armenia for training
the personnel who are going to operate the equipment. R. Tamrazian
emphasized that the digitization of the palimpsests will make it
possible to disclose the parchments’ new contents in the Matenadaran.

In the Middle Ages because of scarcity of parchments scribe-monks
resorted to the method of washing out the antique manuscripts for
writing new works. Earlier, these ancient writs were restored by
chemical means. Now, the digitizing device does X-ray and infrared
irradiation of the parchment, simultaneously. In this way EMEL
organization disclosed the commentaries written by Archimedes to
Aristotle, which were hidden under a layer of paint. Tamrazian
emphasized that the American side was provided all the conditions
for reservation of copyright on dissemination of information on the
manuscripts beyond Armenia.