Author: nina hovnanian

ANS TV, Azerbaijan
Dec 30 2011

Azeri parliament concerned at French bill on Armenian “genocide”

[Presenter] The Azerbaijani parliament has addressed the National
Assembly of France, expressing concern at the bill on the so-called
Armenian genocide. The address says that Azerbaijan is seriously
concerned about the bill adopted by the French parliament. MPs noted
that the adoption of the law like this calls into question
impartiality of France which is engaged in a peaceful solution to the
Karabakh conflict as a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group.

[Correspondent] MPs discussed the daft bill adopted by French
parliament’s lower chamber which envisages the punishment of those who
deny the so-called Armenian genocide. MPs noted that the adoption of
the law like this calls into question impartiality of France which is
engaged in the regulation of the Karabakh conflict as a co-chair of
the OSCE Minsk Group. Speaker Oqtay Asadov noted the importance of
addressing the [French] Senate over this issue.

[Oqtay Asadov, speaker of the Azerbaijani parliament] Azerbaijan has
always supported Turkey as Turkey supports Azerbaijan. This address,
to be sent to the [French parliament], should express an opinion of
the Azerbaijani parliament with specific facts. On the other hand, you
can also appeal to their friends at the [French] parliament and
international organizations in this regard.

[Correspondent] The address made by the [Azerbaijani] parliament urges
the French Senate to be careful and sensible with regard to this issue
and notes that the adoption of this bill does not correspond to
France’s peacemaking mission.

[translated from Azeri]

news.am, Armenia
Jan 2 2012

Armenian Consulate opened in Indian Madras

January 02, 2012 | 23:51

MADRAS. – The Armenian Ambassador to India Ara Hakobyan visited Madras
last week to inaugurate the Armenian Consulate in Madras, India, the
Hindu reports. The first Honorary Consul of Armenia in Madras is
businessman Shivkumar Eashwaran.

The Armenian presence in Madras began to increase from 1688 when the
East India Company, finding the Armenians `sober, frugal and wise’,
gave them the same trading rights as English freemen. These privileges
were granted after negotiations between Coja Panous, Calendar of
Isphahan, and the Company in London. The agreement was dated June 22,
1688, and was in due course communicated to the principal Armenian
merchant in Madras, `Gregorio Paroan’, and his fellows.

It was also promised that as soon as there were 40 Armenian merchants
in Madras, they will be granted land to build a permanent church.

The first famous house of an Armenian in Fort St. George is currently
called Admiralty House. It was built by Coja Nazar Jacob Jan who
arrived in Madras in 1702.

Aga Nazar Jan was the first of the great Armenian merchants of Madras
and was followed by the legendary Coja Petrus Uscan, Aga Shawmier
Sultan, and Aga Samuel Moorat. When Samuel Moorat died in 1816, his
son Edward Moorat ran through his huge patrimony in enjoying a life of
luxury. With his death, the Armenian presence in Madras began to fade.

One Armenian of this era who left a different kind of heritage was the
Reverend Harutyun Shimavonian, who started in Madras in 1794 the first
Armenian journal in the world, Azdarar, and published several Armenian
classics before he died in 1827.

Tert.am, Armenia
Jan 2 2012

Armenian Genocide to dominate Turkey’s foreign policy agenda in 2012 –
Turkish analyst
10:45 – 02.01.12

The Armenian Genocide and the Cyprus issue will dominate Turkey’s
foreign policy agenda in 2012, according to Mehmet Ali Birand, a
Turkish publicist.

In his forecasts on the upcoming political processes in Turkey, Birand
said the French Senate will follow the National Assembly’s example by
passing the bill that criminalizes the denial of the Armenian
Genocide.

According to him, the issue will receive other world countries’ support by 2015.

REGNUM News Agency has quoted the expert as saying that neither the
Turks nor the Cypriot Armenians are ready to take bold steps to
resolve the problem (Turkey won’t recognize the Southern Cyprus. After
clashes between the Cypriot Greeks and Turks in1974, the country
occupied one thirds of the island and created a powerful
Turkish-Cypriot government in its northern part, recognizing it as an
independent republic).

Birand noted that Turkey will have to change its position in the
region, acting as a friend that shares its own experience rather than
an exemplary country or a leader.

Russia Today
Dec 29 2011

Fierce faith: Priests clash at Jesus’ birth site (VIDEO)

Published: 29 December, 2011, 20:22

Taking Jesus Christ’s initiative to cast unwanted people out of temple
too literally, a bunch of clergymen have clashed with each other
inside the Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity.

`God’s people’ – coming from Armenian Orthodox and Greek Orthodox
churches – were screaming out loud and beating one another with
broomsticks, fiercely protecting their territory from the competing
community’s invasion.
The row broke out when the clergymen were cleaning up the church ahead
of Orthodox Christmas celebrations. As agreed, each of the two
denominations controls a particular section of the church located
right on the `border’ between their zones of influence.

The brawl, which took place in front of a stunned tourist group, went
so far that the Palestinian security forces had to break it up –
thanks to them, no serious injuries occurred.

`No one was detained, as all of the clergymen participating in the raw
are known as true people of God,’ said the Palestinian police
spokesman.

This is not the first time such fights have taken place in the Church
of the Nativity in the West Bank town of Bethlehem. Built at Jesus’
traditional birthplace, the venue draws millions of visitors from
around the world.

Agenzia Giornalistica Italia
Dec 28 2011

PRIESTS BRAWL OVER CLEAN UP AT BETHLEHEM’S NATIVITY CHURCH

(AGI) Bethlehem – Armenian and Greek Orthodox priests came to blows in
Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity over who should have the honor of
cleaning up the church after Christmas services. When the crowds of
the faithful leave, it falls to the clerics to clean up and hundreds
of them brawled in the church over the spot where Jesus is said to
have been born.

Palestinian National Police had to intervene to break up the fight. . .

CTV.ca, Canada
Dec 28 2011

Clergymen brawl during church cleanup in Bethlehem

BETHLEHEM – A brawl has erupted between rival clergymen participating
in an annual cleaning ritual at the church built at Jesus’ traditional
birthplace.

Armenian Orthodox and Greek Orthodox clergymen screamed at each other
and beat each other with broomsticks during Wednesday’s cleanup inside
the Church of the Nativity in the West Bank town of Bethlehem.

They were tidying up the church ahead of Orthodox Christmas
celebrations in early January.

The two denominations each control sections of the church and fiercely
guard their turf. The violence broke out when the sides accused each
other of crossing into each other’s territory. Similar fights have
taken place in past years.

Palestinian security forces broke up the melee, and no serious
injuries were reported.

MilAz.info, Azerbaijan
Dec 30 2011

Vladimir Socor: `France’s legislation to criminalize denial of the
`Armenian genocide’ is casting doubt on the objectivity of French
mediation in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict’

12:18 30-12-2011
`Turkey remains the only major player with pro-Azerbaijan sympathies,
Ankara seeks a role commensurate with its regional strength and
influence’

A prominent US analyst on South Caucasus Vladimir Socor, who is a
Senior Fellow at the Washington-based Jamestown Foundation, is worried
that France’s legislation to criminalize denial of the `Armenian
genocide’ is casting doubt on the objectivity of French mediation in
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, APA’s correspondent reports from the US
Capital.

Mr. Socor, who recently analyzed the latest situation over
Nagorno-Karabakh peace process and Minsk Group’s activity, believes
that, unlike Russia and the US, France acts in a purely national
capacity as a Minsk Group co-chair.

`France does not represent the European Union in this forum, and does
not consider yielding its co-chairmanship to the EU. Given the steady
growth of EU interests in the South Caucasus, this negotiating format
looks anachronistic without the EU’, he noted.

In the meanwhile, the analyst adds, in the run-up to the French
presidential election, the incumbent President Sarkozy has initiated
legislation to criminalize denial of the `Armenian genocide.’

`Sarkozy seeks to outbid the Socialist presidential candidate,
Francois Hollande, who had recently launched a similar initiative,
vying for the Armenian diaspora’s votes. Such gestures are not easily
dismissed as short-term electioneering. They do impact on foreign
policy and diplomacy, directly provoking Turkey, and indirectly
casting doubt on the objectivity of French mediation in the
Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict’, he added.

Overall, the analyst believes, the US and France ultimately conceded
the role of lead mediator to Russia since 2008, drawing their
conclusions from the Russia-Georgia war.

During 2009-2011, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Foreign
Minister Lavrov hosted serial meetings with their Armenian and
Azerbaijani counterparts, aiming to draft a general framework for a
negotiated settlement of the Karabakh conflict. The US and French
presidents, Barack Obama and Nicolas Sarkozy, endorsed Medvedev’s
mediation through public statements during various summit meetings
with the Russian president.

`Meanwhile, the Minsk Group’s three co-chairs are acting jointly at
the ambassadorial level. But the real action has moved to the top
level in Russia, with Medvedev and Lavrov operating as mediators
outside the triple co-chairmanship. Vladimir Putin, now
president-in-waiting, seems set to replace Medvedev as lead arbitrator
in these negotiations after Russia’s presidential election’, he says.

According to the analyst, today the co-chairs try to maintain a façade
of unity and equality of formal status. However, the triple
co-chairmanship is clearly asymmetrical by now, its balance tilting in
Russia’s favor. This arrangement is not final or irreversible, but has
taken shape in practice and by informal consent.

`From first among equals, Russia has become `more equal’ than the
other two mediators by all criteria: level of engagement, frequency of
meetings, independent initiatives and leverage building. Russia is
Armenia’s ally, with troops in place effectively guaranteeing
Armenia’s territorial gains at Azerbaijan’s expense. Moscow, however,
can leverage that trump card on Yerevan as well as on Baku in
mediating between them’, he adds.

`Overall, Russia capitalizes on its pre-existing advantages in terms
of range of interests and military weight in the region. The South
Caucasus is a higher priority for Moscow than it is for Washington.
This misbalance of interests plays in Russia’s favor. It can be
rectified, however, if the European Union becomes a more active player
in this region, commensurate with its capacities and its interests’.

Speaking about the other regional powers in his one of the recent
reports at the Jamestown Foundation, the analyst mentioned that Turkey
remains the only major player with pro-Azerbaijan sympathies.

`Turkey is a member of the original Minsk Group, but not of the
co-chairmanship that runs the process. The delegation of authority,
from the original Minsk Group to the triple co-chairmanship, has
barred Turkey from a direct role in these negotiations. Ankara seeks a
role commensurate with its regional strength and influence’, he
mentions.

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Dec 30 2011

Crises between states and societies

BERÄ°L DEDEOÄ?LU

According to the official press release, two topics were discussed
during the National Security Council (MGK) meeting last week: punitive
measures against France and terrorism.

There were almost certainly other subjects that were discussed during
this meeting, but mentioning only these two particular ones in the
press release gives the impression that Turkey considers them to be of
equal importance.

Turkey has a serious problem with foreign parliaments that discuss the
genocide issue in order to put pressure on Ankara. One at least
expects these countries to provide some kind of explanation as to the
real reasons behind their pressure. The Armenian issue has
unfortunately become a struggle between two opposing currents: While
one group tries to make sure that foreign parliaments continue to
adopt similar laws to increase pressure on Turkey, the other one tries
to stop this process and to deter third countries from adopting these
laws. This environment poisons all kinds of relationships between
states, but also between societies.

Turkey will seemingly insist on its `punitive measures policy,’ as the
recent MGK meeting decisions indicate. However, there are practical
problems with their implementation. For example, in the economic and
financial domain, only indirect pressure can be applied as there are
many international agreements that Turkey must respect. Furthermore,
the business world in general is opposed to any kind of radical
measures. Punitive measures in the military domain will probably not
cost Turkey much; however, there is always the risk of seeing France
develop its security cooperation with Turkey’s rivals in the region.
In fact, maybe the real problem between France and Turkey is nothing
but this strategic rivalry.

Other punitive measures are also envisaged, especially in the
political and cultural field. Nevertheless, ending cooperation in
cultural, educational or scientific areas in order to punish the
French state will prevent ordinary people from being in contact with
each other. France also lacked sense in this area as it did not agree
to add to the genocide denial law a clause exempting academic research
on the Armenian issue from being treated as an effort at denial.

The Turkish government last week thoroughly discussed the measures
and, following detailed talks with the relevant ministries and
institutions, the Turkish authorities have emphasized that, despite
all, they don’t want academic or scientific cooperation to be harmed
by this crisis.

However, recent developments indicate that even these kinds of
relationships will be damaged as well. For example, just before this
bill, there were preparations for an academic meeting between a French
think tank and a research center from a Turkish university. Given the
bilateral crisis, the French participants informed their Turkish
counterparts that they would not be able to come to Turkey under these
circumstances. In other words, it was not upon the Turkish side’s
request, but due to the French party’s hesitation that this scholarly
meeting was cancelled.

Yet, crises between states can be softened through human interaction.
It is always easier to break the ice between the countries when there
are multiple cooperation and partnership efforts between the peoples.
The Turkish state or most Turks may be angry at France not only
because of the genocide bill but also because of France’s attitude
toward Turkey’s EU bid. However, one mustn’t make the mistake of
punishing all of the French because of Nicolas Sarkozy’s policy
choices. Similarly, Sarkozy should not think that all of the people in
France are turcoskeptic like him.

Let’s hope this crisis will turn into an opportunity to strengthen
friendships. Happy New Year!

United Press International UPI
Dec 30 2011

NATO coalition at risk from French vote on Armenian deaths
Published: Dec. 30, 2011 at 1:06 PM

PARIS, Dec. 30 (UPI) — NATO’s multifaceted partnership with eastern
member Turkey is at risk after Ankara slapped sanctions on Paris in
response to a French Parliament vote criminalizing denial of genocide,
including the deaths of Armenians during World War I.

The vote threatened to cause a split within President Nicolas
Sarkozy’s government, with French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe
reported calling the vote useless and stupid.

“What I hope now is that our Turkish friends do not overreact about
the French National Assembly decision,” Juppe said. “We have lots of
things to work on together.”

However, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan ordered a freeze
on economic, military and political cooperation with France, a measure
timed with ongoing NATO consultations on what to do with Syria amid
mounting violence there, with Iran amid a tense stand-off over its
nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz oil waterway in the Persian
Gulf, and with Iraq over a perceived Iranian threat after the U.S.
pullout.

Turkey is outside the European Union but is NATO’s key partner in the
Middle East. Its bases are regularly used by NATO forces for
operations in the region.

Erdogan accused Sarkozy of seeking populist appeal in the hope of
re-election in April presidential race.

“Efforts of gaining votes using Turcophobia and Islamophobia just to
win the presidential elections in France for personal ambitions raises
concerns, not only in the name of France, but also in the name of all
Europe and universal values of Europe,” Erdogan said.

Around 500,000 citizens of Armenian descent are seen as a key source
of support for Sarkozy and his party ahead of presidential and
legislative elections in April and June next year.

The law will make denial of any mass killings that are recognized by
the state as genocide a crime punishable by a one-year prison sentence
and a $58,000 fine.

It will put the controversy over the Armenian killings on a par with
punishment for denial of the Holocaust and the deaths of Jews, gypsies
and other minorities under Nazi Germany.

So far only the Holocaust and the Armenian deaths are recognized by
France as genocide, and punishments apply to denial of the Holocaust.

About 20 other countries, including Italy, Canada and Russia have
formally recognized genocide against the Armenians.

Turkey says it cannot be held accountable for events in the Ottoman
Empire. It also disputes the deaths of Christian Armenians by Ottoman
Turks as a systematic genocide, the numbers of deaths cited in claims
and counter claims and maintains that Turks and other nationalities
also suffered during the conflict.

Algeria joined the escalating war of words, calling on France to
apologize for what it termed genocide of its people during the French
occupation. Erdogan said evidence pointed to French occupation forces
using ovens to exterminate Algerians en masse, for which he said an
apology was overdue.

It’s the third time France has faced Turkish ire over the Armenian
genocide controversy, each time losing trade and political privileges.

French-Turkish trade this year exceeded $13.5 billion. In 2001, when
France recognized the Armenian deaths as genocide, it lost 40 percent
of its exports to Turkey. In 2006, Turkey responded to a similar
genocide bill in the National Assembly by freezing military ties with
France. That bill was eventually dropped by the French Senate.

French Foreign Ministry spokesman Bernard Valero sought to placate
Ankara, saying the bill wasn’t a Sarkozy initiative and Turkey was
bound by bilateral and international accords and couldn’t impose a
trade embargo. Officials in Ankara said a boycott of France would go
ahead.

The vote is up for review in the National Assembly before it goes to
the Senate next year.

Unlike recession-bound EU states, Turkey is having growth rates in
excess of 8 percent. The eurozone crisis has turned many Turks away
from the idea of joining the EU, which France, and several other EU
members, firmly opposes anyway.

Ha’aretz, Israel
Dec 30 2011

Churches in Israel struggling to keep up with mass influx of foreign workers

While the number of Christians with roots in Israel is on the decline,
temporary residents are flocking to local services in record numbers.

By Julia Niemann

Shifting demographics are changing the landscape of Israel’s Christian
communities as an influx of migrant workers poses a new set of demands
for local churches.

While the number of Christians with roots in Israel – including
Arabic, Ethiopian, Coptic, Greek and Armenian Christians – is
diminishing due to immigration, statistics show the overall population
of Christians remains steady due to the arrival of many foreign
workers. In fact, the churches themselves appear to be growing.

But in many cases, the additional membership is only temporary. Many
of these foreign workers eventually leave Israel, either after they’ve
made enough money to return home or when their visas expire.

This shift in demographics is evident in the Masses at two Roman
Catholic churches in Jaffa. While St. Anthony and St. Peter offer only
two Masses in Arabic for the town’s native Arab Christian population,
they now offer four Saturday Masses in English.

Those services are attended primarily by Filipina caregivers.

Additional services are also offered in Spanish and French for African
migrants, and several are offered in South Asian languages. St. Peter
holds a service in Hebrew for more fully assimilated Christian
children and Russian immigrants.

Father Ramzi Sidawi – an Arab Catholic from Jerusalem and the parish
priest in Jaffa – says the presence of foreign workers poses a unique
challenge for the community. Some, he said, try to prove paternity or
seek baptism for children without papers. Recently, he said, a woman
visited his office who had a visa for only two days.

“They gave it to her on the 13th of December and it [expired] on the
15th,” he said, shaking his head. “But somehow these people manage.
Nobody knows how many there are, but they also provide cheap labor in
jobs no Israeli wants to do.”

Sidawi said his community has about 1,000 Arab Christians and about 20
times as many church members who hail from other backgrounds; in most
cases they come from the Philippines. A separate church near Tel
Aviv’s Central Bus Station also caters specifically to Filipino
church-goers.

“The language does make a difference,” said Sidawi. In some cases
Indians and Filipinos are able to follow along in shared services, he
said; sometimes they understand Spanish.

“That is why,” Sidawi explains, “there is little contact among them
beyond shared Masses on Christmas and other festivals: 80 to 90
percent remain in their own communities.”

Non-Arab church-goers in Jaffa tend to live elsewhere, he said, mainly
in districts in south Tel Aviv with many foreign workers. These
workers typically bus to church.

“I have been living here for 30 years now,” said Shirley, a Filipino
immigrant whose son is a altar server at St. Anthony.

“We are very warm and friendly with each other in this church,” she
said, noting that Arab church-goers often keep to themselves.

Shirley said her community has changed drastically due to deportation
over the past 10 years. Sidawi also has noticed a change. He recalls
the many Romanian foreign workers who once lived and worked in Israel
in the early 1990s. “They all vanished,” he said.

Provost Uwe Grabe of Jerusalem’s Church of the Redeemer now speaks of
“a completely new Christianity in the Holy Land.” It remains unclear
whether, in the long run, it will be possible to create a dialogue
between the old and new communities, he said. If not, he said they
risk becoming disconnected, fragmented islands – a trend he foresees
happening in the future to West Bank Christians.

According to Grabe, Christian emigration from the West Bank is causing
a continuous decrease in the number of Arab church-goers. Eventually
there will only be a few communities left around the holy sites, he
warns.