Author: Nargizian David

ARMENIA GENOCIDE MEASURE LOSING SUPPORT
By Michael Doyle

Sacramento Bee, USA
Oct 18 2007

WASHINGTON – Key congressional opponents of an Armenian genocide
resolution claimed on Wednesday that they had the votes to kill the
measure, as one-time supporters continued to abandon the controversial
declaration.

With White House and Turkish pressure escalating, lawmakers on both
sides acknowledged momentum had turned against the resolution, which
describes the Ottoman Empire massacres of 1915-1923 as a genocide.

The Capitol Hill endgame could now conclude by week’s end, some House
members predict.

"If it were to run today, it would not pass," Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa.,
said at a news conference Wednesday. "I think the decision has been
made by the members; (the resolution supporters) don’t have the votes."

Murtha chairs the House defense appropriations subcommittee and is
one of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s chief advisers. An adroit vote
counter, he’s been fighting against Armenian genocide resolutions since
he helped turn back a 1987 proposal by a 201-189 vote. He joined with
Florida Democratic Reps. Robert Wexler and Alcee Hastings in publicly
opposing the measure Wednesday.

While not yet conceding defeat, the genocide resolution’s authors
admitted that they were losing altitude. Seven House members withdrew
their co-sponsorship of the resolution on Monday, another four did
the same on Tuesday and additional defections were considered likely.

"Right now, we’re below the number of co-sponsors needed to assure
passage," Rep. George Radanovich, R-Mariposa, said Wednesday.

The Armenian genocide resolution has taken different forms in different
years. But it primarily exists to put the congressional imprimatur on
the genocide characterization. Turkish officials dispute the charge,
saying that many died on all sides.

This year’s version of the resolution states that "the Armenian
genocide was conceived and carried out by the Ottoman Empire from
1915 to 1923."

An estimated 1.5 million Armenians died, the resolution states,
while 500,000 were expelled, resulting in "the elimination of the
over 2,500-year presence of Armenians in their historic homeland."

The Bush administration, like administrations before it, opposes the
measure as an insult to a key NATO ally. The U.S. occupation of Iraq
has further intensified White House concerns, as upward of 70 percent
of U.S. military cargo flowing into Iraq goes through Incirlik Air
Base in Turkey.

"Congress has more important work to do than antagonizing a democratic
ally in the Muslim world, especially one that is providing vital
support for our military every day," Bush said at a morning news
conference.

Resolution supporters say they won’t seek to have the measure brought
up for a House vote if they know they’ll lose.

Although she is a resolution backer who has previously promised to
bring up the measure for a vote, Pelosi on Wednesday left the door
open for retreat.

"Whether it will come up or not, what the action will be remains to
be seen," Pelosi said.

LACKING MORAL TENET TO RIGHT THE WRONG
Alon Ben-Meir

American Chronicle, CA
Oct 18 2007

The House Committee on Foreign Affairs which adopted a resolution
calling the Armenian mass killing by Ottoman Turks genocide, has
basically sat in judgment on an event that occurred 92 years ago. The
question here is whether the mass killing of Armenians during the
World War I era was genocide committed by the Ottoman’s military,
as many contend — or was it the result of world war during which
millions were killed on all sides, including the Armenians, as the
Turkish government insists.

I believe the resolution is misguided not because there is any
doubt about the hundreds of thousands of Armenians that were killed,
but because of the inclination to dismiss this most abhorrent act
by labeling it as genocide, call it a day, and expect to resume
normal relations with Turkey as if nothing happened. Why have so many
congressional leaders been taken aback by Turkey’s swift admonishment
of the United States over the committee’s vote? Is it because they
miss-assessed the Turkish government’s sensitivity or because they have
really never given this important matter the serious consideration it
deserves. Either way, the committee members have failed in discharging
their due diligence and will fail again, even more acutely, if they
support the resolution should it come to the House floor. They must
first examine their own motivation and the dire implications, both
moral and practical, of its passage.

Sadly, this resolution was politicized at the outset, thereby
diminishing much of its moral tenet, although not its repercussions.

It was sponsored by many members of Congress, especially House
Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Representatives from New Jersey and
Michigan, who have especially large Armenian constituencies. However
large the political benefit these members may gain by pushing this
resolution, it will quickly fade in the face of the moral erosion
the House will suffer by acknowledging the damage they will inflict
on Turkish-U.S. relations. As was once observed by Nehru: "Political
surrender leads almost inevitably to moral surrender also." Such a
serious resolution requires the application of the highest moral review
and conduct, not a politically convenient act which is considered
an insult to Turkish identity. If genocide was in fact committed,
it should be left to an international investigative tribunal, not
politicians who need to be reelected every two years.

Turkey has been a loyal friend of the United States for more than a
half century. It is a modern secular state, and has made great strides
in remaining democratic and progressive. Should the United States
Congress hold the great grandchildren of the Ottomans responsible
for sins of their Fathers which might have been perpetrated 92
years ago? Since Turkey vehemently rejects the term genocide, what
judgment should then be passed, and by whom, that will not tarnish
the present generation of Turks? A generation that had nothing to
do with past events and, in fact, condemns the atrocities committed
during that heinous war, regardless of who the perpetrators were. As
one high Turkish official dismayed by what is happening told me: "The
importance of the issue requires more than a cursory review by some
member of the House?" By way of example he said, "It was not enough
to accuse the Germans of the Third Reich with genocide. The Nuremberg
Trials were set up to prosecute the executers of Hitler’s madness,
but also established beyond a shadow of a doubt Germany’s acts of
genocide." "There was never a review by an international judiciary of
the alleged Turkish genocide and no such determination was ever made."

Regardless of the importance of the U.S.-Turkish strategic partnership,
it would be a mistake to try to persuade members of the House to
reject the resolution, as many have withdrawn their support, solely
on the ground that it would seriously undermine such relations or
the United States efforts in the Middle East. The argument against
the resolution by the full House should be based on moral grounds
and the members must not act as judges and jurors. Before the House
establishes, for the record, an official U.S. version of what actually
happened, a thorough and exhaustive investigation of the events by
an international judiciary must first take place.

Yes, America must speak out against genocide. But at a time when
America suffers from a sagging global image and a loss of much of its
moral authority due to the events in Iraq, the United States Congress
must redouble its efforts to build its case on a strong moral tenet.

Turkey deserves the judgment of an independent and impartial
international tribunal and the Armenians deserve justice and not
political favors.

—

Professor Alon Ben-Meir teaches courses on international negotiations
and Middle Eastern studies at the Center for Global Affairs at NYU.

He is also the Middle East Project Director at the World Policy
Institute.

[email protected]

http://www.americanchronicle .com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=40564

WE KNEW RESOLUTION WOULD IRRITATE TURKS – SO WHY PASS IT?

Modesto Bee, CA
Oct 17 2007

This editorial appeared originally in Saturday’s Boston Globe

The historical evidence shows that the 1915-1917 massacres of
Armenians in eastern Turkey constituted what the world now knows
as genocide, and Turkey ought to acknowledge this reality. But a
resolution before Congress has provoked an upsurge of nationalism
that threatens U.S. interests and would do nothing to lift Turkey’s
willful amnesia. It should not be pursued at this time.

"There’s never a good time," said Speaker Nancy Pelosi this week. She
supports the resolution, which was approved by the Foreign Affairs
Committee Wednesday and is now before the full House. That committee
vote, just one step in the legislative process, prompted protests in
Turkey and caused the government to summon its ambassador home. Also
this week, unrelated to the vote, the Turkish government sought
parliamentary approval for raids into Iraq to pursue Kurdish guerrillas
there. And as they have done for over four years, U.S. supply planes
shuttled across Turkish air space, via the base at Incirlik, to supply
U.S. forces in Iraq.

Approval of the resolution by the House would threaten use of the
base and make it harder for US diplomats to persuade the Turkish
government to stay out of Iraq. Eight former secretaries of state
have warned that its passage would harm U.S. security interests.

This newspaper recognizes the truth of the Armenian genocide, but
with the nation embroiled in Iraq, we agree that Congress should not
inadvertently complicate the mission of American forces.

The Armenian Assembly of America is right to contend that Turkish
denial of the genocide "seeks to rehabilitate the perpetrators and
demonize the victims." After the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in
World War I, the Turkish government created a nationalist history
that made the Turkish sections of the empire the victims of allied
aggression, abetted by the Armenians. Acknowledging the genocide
today would tarnish that national image. To discourage revisionist
inquiries and control dissent, Turkey enforces a law against insulting
"Turkishness." This week, two editors were convicted of violating
that law because they reprinted articles stating that the massacres
of Armenians constituted genocide. Those articles had been written by
another editor, Hrant Dink, who was murdered in January for speaking
the truth.

The Turks need to begin an honest dialogue about the birth of their
nation and repeal the "Turkishness" laws. Others can help by reminding
Turkey, in nongovernmental settings, about the reality of the genocide
and by supporting Turks willing to examine their past.

Europeans are positioned to take the lead because of Turkey’s
aspirations to join the European Union.

The House resolution, by inciting the worst aspects of Turkish
nationalism and creating government-to-government friction, would
delay a reckoning with history.

tory/94101.html

Voices from Kurdish Iraq on Turkey

Kurdish Iraqis near the Turkish border react to Ankara’s decision to
allow cross-border incursions into northern Iraq, to hunt down Kurdish
PKK rebels.

MATEEN, KURDISH, 50, RETIRED, IN DOHUK

I am 40-50km (25-30 miles) from the Turkish border. I could hear the
shelling from Turkey earlier this week and it was heavier than ever.
It’s been going on for a few months.

There is great concern here locally about what Turkey is doing. This
is the only secure region in Iraq. Tens of thousands of refugees have
come here from other parts of the country, from Mosul, from Baghdad.

So, if there is any incursion from Turkey, it will mean the whole
country will be in turmoil.

I have never come across any of the PKK. If they are here at all they
would be in the highlands on the border with Turkey, not in the
residential areas.

Even if there were a few hundred PKK in the whole region – there are
thousands in Turkey. Turkey should sort out its own problems inside
its own borders before doing anything else.

Turkey should handle this internal issue through dialogue. It cannot
continue to deny the millions of Kurds inside Turkey their rights.

Turkey is using the PKK as an excuse to invade our area.

It has other agendas – shared by Iran and Syria – all of whom are
against any Kurdish entity coming into existence, even inside Iraq.

The main reason why Turkey is doing this now is to disrupt next
month’s Kurdish referendum in Iraq.

JALAL SHEIK YUNIS, KURDISH, 61, ENGINEER, IN IRBIL

Because of its relative prosperity and security, this province has
become an example that other parts of Iraq want to follow.

Should there be an invasion it would destroy what we have managed to
build here in the last 15 years.

Bear in mind, economic investment in this region has been largely
Iranian and Turkish.

However, if the Turks invade, we would fight them, all of us including
those Arab Iraqis who live here.

We are all Iraqis and have strong ties despite our differences. We
have grown used to wars.

People are not scared and the atmosphere is calm.

I feel sure the world will not stand by and allow us to suffer the
fate of the Armenians who were massacred by the Ottoman Empire. The
world has changed.

>From BBC.Arabic.com

DWAN JAMALELDIN GARIB, KURDISH, 27, SALES ANALYST, IRBIL

I don’t anticipate a full-scale invasion by Turkey.

I suspect what they are planning is a limited incursion to target the PKK.

But if Turkey launches a full assault, I think people would take up
arms and resist, even though they have had enough of wars.

There is a great deal of sympathy here for the plight of the Turkish
Kurds and the discrimination they endure in Turkey.

We hope that the world stands up to this Turkish arrogance and protect us.

>From BBC.Arabic.com

Published: 2007/10/17 15:54:44 GMT

(c) BBC MMVII

Source: 47.stm

U.S. GENOCIDE RESOLUTION TO SPOIL TIES WITH TURKEY – PM ERDOGAN

RIA Novosti, Russia
Oct 16 2007

ANKARA, October 16 (RIA Novosti) – A resolution passed by a U.S. House
committee last week classing the 1915 massacre of Armenians as genocide
will harm relations with Turkey, the country’s premier said Tuesday.

Last Wednesday the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs
Committee passed the document despite opposition from President
George W. Bush. Turkey is a key NATO ally and a crucial U.S. partner
in Iraq operations.

"The Turkish people are on the verge of losing their patience over
this issue," Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said. "If
Turkey incurs losses from this, then our opponents will lose ten
times as much. Everyone should realize this."

Ankara insists that the deaths and deportations of Armenians at
the end of the Ottoman period were caused by civil war rather than
deliberate genocide. However, the majority of Western academics
qualify the massacre as genocide.

"We have forgotten nothing and have nothing to be ashamed of in the
face of history. We have opened up our archives. Let Armenia do the
same," the premier said, adding that investigation of the tragic
events must be left to historians, not politicians.

Turkish NTV television channel said on Monday that Turkey might
restrict U.S. use of a joint air base in Incirlik, close off its air
space to U.S. warplanes, and ban Armenian aircraft from flying over
its territory. The majority of supplies for U.S. troops in Iraq,
including fuel and military hardware, pass through Turkey.

Ankara previously froze military cooperation with France after its
parliamentarians passed a similar resolution.

TURKISH GOVERNMENT SAYS PASSAGE OF H.RES.106 COUNTERS THE FRIENDLY RELATIONS BETWEEN ANKARA AND WASHINGTON

armradio.am
16.10.2007 13:28

Members of the Turkish Government characterized the adoption of the
Armenian Genocide Resolution by the Foreign Affairs Committee of the
US House of Representatives as a step countering the friendly and
partnership relations between Ankara and Washington.

"The greatest injustice that can be demonstrated against a nation
is blaming it for genocide. Such a step cannot be explained from
the positions of friendship and partnership, characteristic of the
bilateral relations between Turkey and the United States," declared
Cemil Cicek, Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey.

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x118
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

AGBU Successfully Hosts LA Exhibition Highlighting Armenian Artists

AGBU’s perpetual efforts to promote Armenian culture and preserve our
unique heritage throughout the world were exemplified September 27-30,
2007 in Pasadena, California at the newly renovated Boyajian Hall at the
Alex Manoogian Center. An exhibition entitled "Nine Contemporary Artists
>From Armenia" was an incredible display of color, emotion, and passion
through the handiwork of nine Armenians of the new generation.

The bouquet of artists included Khachik Abrahamyan, Ashot Avagyan,
Garegin Davtyan, Hermine Demirtshyan, Marine Dilanyan, Gagik
Ghazanchyan, Albert Hakobian, Mayis Mkhitaryan, and Lilit Soghomonyan.

Over 900 people attended the event, which included appetizers and fine
wine. Attendees were given an art catalog, designed by Haig Messerlian,
displaying the work and providing biographies of the artists. The
beautiful gallery display sparked much discussion among its viewers,
including the internationally known Los Angeles-based Armenian artist,
Emil Kazaz. In addition, four of the featured artists attended the event
to mingle with the crowd and explain aspects of their work. Over 50
pieces of art were purchased from the show.

These artists were brought under an artistic umbrella by Kevork Zakoyan
>From Mediamax News Agency in Armenia and Haig Messerlian of the AGBU
Southern California District Committee (SCDC). The exhibition was
co-chaired by Hermine Janoyan and Haig Messerlian. The event committee
included Ani Aivazian, Tomik Alexanyan, Ara Arzumanian, Ara Babayan,
Sonia Babayan, Raffi Elmajian, Sam Ekizian, Aleen Khanjian, Silva
Nazaretian, Krikor Satamian, Shake Toumayan, Harout Yeretzian, and
Seeroon Yeretzian.

Established in 1906, AGBU () is the world’s largest
non-profit Armenian organization. Headquartered in New York City with an
annual budget of $36 million, AGBU preserves and promotes the Armenian
identity and heritage through educational, cultural and humanitarian
programs, annually serving some 400,000 Armenians in 35 countries.

Variety
October 8, 2007 – October 14, 2007

THE BLUE HOUR

by JONATHAN HOLLAND

A Knappmiller/Ramirez, Blue Hour production. (International sales:
Knappmiller/Ramirez, Arcadia, Calif.) Produced by Lynette Ramirez,
Brian Knappmiller. Executive producer, Nick Slatkin.

Directed, written by Eric Nazarian. Camera (color, widescreen), Sam
Levy; editors, Helen Hand, Emily Koonse; music, Aldo Shllaku;
production designer, Tim Grimes; sound, Jeremy Peirson. Reviewed at
San Sebastian Film Festival (Zabaltegi New Directors), Madrid, Sept.
24 2007 . Running time: 93 MIN.

With: Emily Rios, Alyssa Milano, Yorick Van Wageningen, Clarence
Williams III, Derrick O’Connor, Paul Dillon, Sophie Malki.

Four quietly told tales about loss, three of them about death and the
solitude it brings, make up "The Blue Hour," a well-turned,
melancholy item set on and around the Los Angeles River. Largely
dialogue-free, the pic shuns histrionics, instead generating its
gathering emotional force via carefully crafted images and sharp
editing, though it fails to reap the potential benefits of the
decision to tie its yarns together. "Hour" reps a strong calling card
for debutante Eric Nazarian, and could find an extended afterlife on
the fest circuit.

In the pic’s most upbeat strand, ironically named Happy (Emily Rios)
is a Mexican kid who escapes her parents’ domestic bickering by
spray-painting graffiti on the banks of the river to the
accompaniment of headphone hip-hop. A homeless man (Paul Dillon) —
a one-time astronomy professor whose acquaintance she briefly makes
— is killed by a hit and run driver.

The second, emotionally richer, story focuses on a camera repairman,
bear-like but tender Armenian Avo (Yorick Van Wageningen), trying to
come to terms with the death of his 4-year-old daughter Heidi (Sophie
Malki). Communication between Avo and traumatized wife Allegra
("Charmed" star Alyssa Milano) has broken down. Much of this story is
told in flashback, giving it a narrative depth absent from the other
sections.

In the third, weakest section, blues street musician Ridley (Clarence
Williams III) cares for his ailing mother and is haunted by the
singing coming from another room in the old hotel where he lives.
Fourth yarn takes us through the routine of kindly old Humphrey
(Derrick O’Connor) as he prepares for his daily lunch by his wife’s
grave.

The characters are briefly aware of one another across stories, but
to little discernible dramatic consequence. So tenuous are the
connections between them that the stories could have been kept apart
with no real loss of substance. In a film dealing so explicitly with
feelings, the script could have shed a section and found time to
bring out the emotional nuances of the remaining interactions more
strongly.

Pic is best seen as a linked series of quiet, telling moments —
Ridley playing the guitar at his dying mother’s bedside, Yorick
looking across the river at Happy’s graffiti of a sad clown, Happy
looking up through the dead prof’s telescope.

Dialogue does good work when it comes. Much of the pic shows
characters walking through the streets alone, which visually starts
to pall by the Ridley section.

All perfs are suitably muted, as is the minimalist score. Strikingly
composed images of the river as it winds through the city thankfully
do not seem to be aiming for symbolism. Pic features a cameo by ’60s
Brit singer Eric Burdon, banging out the blues in a local bar.

NTV MSNBC, Turkey
Oct 12 2007

Turkish PM calls US resolution on Armenian claims `unfortunate’

Ankara has recalled its ambassador in Washington for consultations in
the wake of the vote.

ISTANBUL – The US House of Representatives Committee on Foreign
Relations voting to approve a resolution accepting allegations that
the Ottoman Empire committed an act of genocide against its Armenian
citizens during World War One.
Haberin devamý

Speaking to journalists at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport Thursday night,
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said that Tuesday vote was
against the interests of the US itself.

`The approval of the resolution regarding Armenian allegations on the
incidents of 1915 by the US House of Representatives Committee on
Foreign Relations is a really unfortunate decision for the future,’
Erdogan said.

However, he also tied to downplay the significance of the decision,
which has yet to be voted on by Congress.

`The committee made similar decisions in 2000 and in 2005,’ he said.
`In 2000, 38 members of the committee voted in favor against 12. In
2005, 40 members of the committee voted in favour against seven. This
time, 27 members voted in favour against 21. The U.S. administration
tried really hard to prevent its approval. However, some circles
carried out lobbying activities.’

The Prime Minister said Turkey would continue to work to prevent the
resolution being adopted by Congress.

`It is an unfortunate decision made by those who could not understand
Turkey’s position,’ he said. `Our struggle will continue until the
debates at the full House. There are steps we will take later.’

Indian Muslims, CA
Oct 12 2007

US tries to calm Turkey after congressional panel OKs Armenian
genocide measure

on Fri, 10/12/2007 – 03:19. Muslim World News

WASHINGTON, Oct 11, SPA — The Bush administration will look to
soothe Turkish anger after a congressional panel’s approval of a
measure describing as genocide the deaths of hundreds of thousands of
Armenians early in the last century, reported ap.

After the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives
defied warnings by President George W. Bush with 27-21 approval
Wednesday to send the measure to the full House for a vote, the
administration will now try to pressure Democratic leaders not to
schedule a vote.

If the measure is brought to the floor for a vote, it is expected to
pass. Hours before the vote, Bush and his top two Cabinet members
other senior officials made last-minute appeals to lawmakers to
reject the measure.«Its passage would do great harm to our relations
with a key ally in NATO and in the global war on terror,» Bush said a
few hours before.

Afterward, it fell to State Department spokesman Sean McCormack to
enunciate the government’s dismay at the event.He expressed continued
strong opposition and said passage of the resolution would gravely
harm U.S.-Turkish relations and U.S. interests in Europe and the
Middle East.