Author: nina hovnanian

TURKEY GIVES FRANCE HARSH WARNING OVER ARMENIAN ‘GENOCIDE’ LAW

National Post

Dec 16 2011
Canada

ANKARA – Turkey warned France on Friday their political and economic
relations would suffer grave consequences if the French parliament
passed a draft law making it illegal to deny the 1915 mass killing
of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire was genocide.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, a vocal critic of Turkey’s
long-standing, but slow-moving bid to join the European Union, told
Turkey in October that unless it recognized the killings as genocide,
France would consider making denial a crime.

The draft law, put forward by a deputy from Sarkozy’s party, is due to
go before parliament next week and proposes a one-year prison sentence
and 45,000 euro fine for denying the killings constitute genocide.

“This proposed law targets and is hostile to the Republic of Turkey,
the Turkish nation and the Turkish community living in France,”
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan wrote in a letter to Sarkozy.

“I want to state clearly that such steps will have grave consequences
for future relations between Turkey and France in political, economic,
cultural and all areas and the responsibility will rest with those
behind this initiative,” said the letter quoted by the state-run
Anatolian news agency.

Armenia, backed by many historians and parliaments, says some 1.5
million Christian Armenians were killed in what is now eastern
Turkey during World War One in a deliberate policy of genocide by
the Ottoman Empire.

Ankara denies the killings constitute genocide and says many Muslim
Turks and Kurds were also put to death as Russian troops invaded
eastern Anatolia, often aided by Armenian militias.

“Turkish-French relations should not be held captive by the demands of
third parties,” Erdogan said. “This is a sensitive, serious subject.”

Erdogan said common sense should come before political calculations,
a hint the draft law was aimed at securing the support of 500,000
French voters of Armenian descent in elections due in five months time.

Turkey has increasingly flexed its rising economic and political muscle
on the world stage and in the Middle East as its economy continues
to show strong growth while western Europe suffers a financial crisis.

TITIZIAN: MY CHRISTMAS WISH LIST
By: Maria Titizian

Dec 16 2011

This past week has been particularly trying. Here is how it all
unfolded…

And now as we’re approaching the holiday season, shops in Yerevan have
already put up Christmas decations, Yerevan city officials are getting
their crews to put the final touches on their Christmas decorations,
stores are advertising Christmas specials, and it would seem that it
was business and Chrstimas as usual.

A YouTube clip began circulating on Facebook about the Gyumri
Hotel Palace built by the mayor of the city, Vardan Ghukasyan-a
known thug, scandal-plagued swindler, and all-time low-life (see
). Gyumri is a city where 6,500
families are still in need of permanent housing, and where the
remnants of the earthquake 23 years ago still haunts its citizens both
psychologically and physically. The hotel is a testament to vulgarity,
to opulence in a city and region where severe poverty is dangerously
on the rise, where people do not have the basic amenities for a decent
and dignified life. It is a monument to tastelessness and the blatant
abuse of public power. I wonder, are the roads leading to and around
the hotel paved? Are there proper sidewalks or street lamps? Where
and how did Ghukasyan “earn” the money to build this mini-Versailles?

This was followed by “parliamentarians” from the ruling coalition
(Republican Party of Armenia) blatantly and shamelessly “voting” on
behalf of their absent colleagues in a desperate bid to garner enough
votes in the National Assembly to pass the government’s 2012 budget
(). While
they have the overriding majority in parliament, they still had to
resort to flagrantly reprehensible activity to ensure the minimum
number of votes. Caught in the act of pressing buttons in place of
their colleagues, and seeing the camera filming them, they simply
smiled and continued.

Why do they express absolutely zero remorse for their unethical
actions? Why do we tolerate their presence in an institution that has
been charged with legislative power in the country? How can we call
ourselves a democracy when the very institutions of democracy are
trampled upon and, as a result, are rendered worthless? Is it perhaps
because a few weeks earlier, a public official (the regional governor
of Syunik, Suren Khatchatryan) physically attacked Sylva Hambartsumyan,
a businesswoman in the Marriott Hotel in the heart of Yerevan, and all
criminal charges were dropped because she didn’t receive any serious
physical injuries and refused a “medical treatment voucher” since
he had simply “slapped” her (news.am/eng/news/85589.html)? You see,
those who hold the levers of power in this country are above the law.

Of course, there was the now-common news about yet
another young woman, Mariam Gevorgyan, severely beaten,
abused, and tortured by her “husband” and “mother”-in-law
(). How
can a husband call himself a man when he burns his wife with an iron?

How can a woman deign to call herself a “mother” when she beats
another woman’s child so mercilessly?

And on the heels of all of this came the news that Nareg Harutounian,
an Armenian American philanthropist, was arrested, tried and convicted
without any due process on trumped up tax-evasion charges (Note:
Harutounian was later released). Who was behind this travesty and why?

To top it all off, we’re having a very cold winter and to be honest,
I am mad. Not angry, mad-bordering on the insane.

All of this was compressed and presented to us in the span of one week,
seven days, a little blip in the entirety of our lives. How do you
begin to understand such injustice, such appalling abuse of power,
such degradation? I wish I had the answer, but I don’t. All I have
is madness. And what am I supposed to do with that?

And now as we’re approaching the holiday season, shops in Yerevan have
already put up Christmas decations, Yerevan city officials are getting
their crews to put the final touches on their Christmas decorations,
stores are advertising Christmas specials, and it would seem that it
was business and Chrstimas as usual.

But it’s not. If I had a magic wand to ensure that my wishes could come
true, this would be my Christmas wish list for the Armenian nation:

That we raise our voices in protest against all kinds of social
injustice.

That we demand accountability from our elected officials.

That we condemn any kind of violence, gender-based or otherwise.

That we accept responsibility for the collective ills that plague us.

That we no longer tolerate an undignified life for any one of our
citizens.

That we celebrate our diversity as opposed to creating further division
amongst ourselves.

That we replace indifference with compassion.

That we inspire ordinary people to become extraordinary heroes.

I don’t know that any of these wishes will come true in my lifetime.

I would like to believe that we will learn how to become a nation,
one with pride and intelligence, a nation that knows where it wants
to go and how it wants to live and what kind of life it can provide
for its people. Why should a single child go hungry and be in need of
a decent education or equal opportunities? Why should we not be able
to share in the resources of this country that belong to each and
every one of us? Why should the law not be applied equally amongst
all? Why can’t we build a country where people want to stay and live
and prosper and love?

After all, what does it really take to empower a country with barely
three million people? It requires having a vision, employing the
vast amount of knowledge we have at our disposal. It requires having
compassion and dedication and tolerance. We no longer need lofty
proclamations or empty words and promises. We need to take action,
all of us, regardless of where or how we live. If we could map a
common vision for our future and act upon it, that would be the
greatest gift of all.

ERDOGAN MENACE LA FRANCE

Challenges.fr

16 dec 2011
France

Si Paris adopte un projet de loi réprimant la négation du génocide
armenien, des conséquences “graves” sont a prévoir, a averti le
Premier ministre turc.

Dans une lettre adressée au président français, le Premier ministre
turc a qualifié d~R “hostile” ce projet de loi, qui doit être examiné
le 22 décembre prochain par l~RAssemblée nationale.

“Ce projet de loi vise directement la République de Turquie, la
nation turque et la communauté turque de France”, a affirmé Recep
Tayyip Erdogan.

Selon lui, les rapports bilatéraux ne doivent pas devenir “l~Rotage
des revendications de tierces parties”. Une référence implicite
à l~RArménie.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan appelle ainsi Nicolas Sarkozy à s~Ropposer à ce
projet. Dans le cas contraire, l~Rambassade de Turquie à Paris a déjà
prévenu qu~Run gel de toute coopération avec la France serait instauré.

Le gouvernement turc reconnaît la mort de quelque 500.000 Arméniens
dans l~RAnatolie ottomane lors de la Première Guerre mondiale, mais
refuse de parler de génocide.

GENOCIDE ARMENIEN : LA TURQUIE REFUSE QUE LA FRANCE S’EN MELE

Nouvel Observateur

16 dec 2011
France

Le Premier ministre somme Nicolas Sarkozy de s’opposer a un projet
de loi reprimant la negation du massacre de 1915.

Le Premier ministre turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan a appele le president
francais Nicolas Sarkozy a barrer la route a un projet de loi reprimant
la negation du genocide armenien, a rapporte vendredi 16 decembre
l’agence de presse turque Anatolie.

“Ce projet de loi vise directement la republique de Turquie, la nation
turque et la communaute turque de France, et nous le considerons
comme hostile”, a dit Recep Tayyip Erdogan dans une lettre adressee
au chef de l’Etat francais, selon Anatolie.

Nicolas Sarkozy, avait appele, debut octobre, la Turquie a reconnaître
sa responsabilite dans le “genocide armenien” en “revisitant” et en
“regardant en face” son histoire, a l’occasion d’une visite d’Etat
en Armenie.

“La Turquie, qui est un grand pays, s’honorerait a revisiter
son histoire comme d’autres grands pays dans le monde l’ont fait,
l’Allemagne, la France”, avait declare le chef de l’Etat. “Le genocide
des Armeniens est une realite historique qui a ete reconnue par la
France. Le negationnisme collectif est pire encore que le negationnisme
individuel. On est toujours plus fort quand on regarde son histoire et
le negationnisme n’est pas acceptable”, avait ajoute Nicolas Sarkozy.

MARSEILLE : NOUVEL APPEL CONTRE LE GENOCIDE ARMENIEN 29 CONTRIBUTIONS

La Provence

16 dec 2011
France

l’origine de l’appel, le Marseillais Pascal Chamassian, secretaire
national du CCAF.

Photo Patrick Nosetto

Jeudi 22 decembre, l’Assemblee nationale examinera une proposition
de loi rapportee par la deputee UMP marseillaise Valerie Boyer. Elle
s’appuie sur une decision-cadre de l’Union europeenne pour sanctionner
la negation des genocides reconnus par la loi francaise, notamment
le genocide armenien.

Pousse par Nicolas Sarkozy et Francois Hollande, ce texte est destine
a etre vote au Parlement avant les elections de mai 2012. Une bonne
surprise pour Pascal Chamassian. Proche du PS, le secretaire national
du Conseil de coordination des organisations armeniennes de France
se bat depuis dix ans sur la question. Il reunira ce matin au Prado
plusieurs parlementaires, de droite comme de gauche, afin de lancer
un appel national destine a “tenir les promesses”. Et a eviter toute
recuperation politique.

– Pourquoi lancer cet appel alors que le texte semble bien parti pour
etre vote ?

Pascal Chamassian : La plupart des combats en faveur des Armeniens
sont partis de Marseille pour des raisons culturelles, historiques
et politiques. En 2006, “L’appel des cinq” qui reunissait des
parlementaires de droite et de gauche avait permis d’aboutir,
en octobre, au vote d’un texte sanctionnant le negationnisme a
l’Assemblee nationale. Ce texte est malheureusement reste dans les
tiroirs avant d’etre repousse au Senat le 4 mai 2011.

– Le consensus politique s’est-il fait naturellement ?

P.C.: Après les engagements verbaux pris en octobre par Nicolas
Sarkozy a Erevan et Francois Hollande a Paris, il fallait rebondir
vite. Soit en representant le texte juge irrecevable en mai. Soit
en choisissant une autre option. Celle d’un texte plus generaliste,
travaille a partir de la proposition de Valerie Boyer, a ete retenue.

Les fois precedentes, l’initiative etait partie des bancs du PS et
du PCF et la droite avait suivi. Il est naturel que la gauche suive
aujourd’hui l’UMP.

– Cette formule appuyee sur une decision europeenne convient-elle au
CCAF ?

P.C.: La priorite, c’est que le negationnisme du genocide soit
sanctionne en France. Je serai satisfait quand ce texte sera vote.

Mais nous ne serons pas dupes. Il faut que les choses aboutissent
avant la fin de la legislature.

– C’est quand meme une bonne surprise ?

P.C.: Bien entendu. C’est le fruit d’un travail commence il y a dix
ans. Cette question a trop traîne et le besoin de justice est fort. Il
est temps de passer a autre chose. Meme si la France fait ce qu’il
faut, le bourreau n’a toujours pas reconnu le genocide perpetre
en 1915. Notre combat se poursuivra tant que la Turquie ne l’aura
pas fait.

Les signataires de l’appel : Sylvie Andrieux (PS), Valerie Boyer
(UMP), Roland Blum (UMP), Henri Jibrayel (PS) Christophe Masse (PS),
Richard Mallie (UMP), Guy Teissier (UMP).

HENRIKH MKHITARYAN ARMENIA’S BEST 2011 FOOTBALL PLAYER

Tert.am
15.12.11

Henrikh Mkhitaryan, player of Armenia’s national football team who
currently plays for Ukrainian Shakhtar, has been recognized the best
player in Armenia for 2011.

At an honoring reception of the Armenian national football team in
Yerevan on Thursday Mkhitaryan received the prize – Golden Shoe –
from Ruben Hayrapetyan, President of Football Federation of Armenia.

The second prize – Silver Shoe – went to Yura Movsisyan, sticker of
Armenia’s national team who plays also in the Russian club Krasnodar.

Roman Berezovsky took that third prize – Bronze Shoe.

TURKEY CRITICIZES FRANCE’S CRIMINALIZING OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE DENIAL

Press TV

Dec 15 2011
Iran

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has criticized France for
having a mentality of the Middle Ages, ahead of a French parliament
vote on a bill to criminalize the denial of “Armenian Genocide”,
a term that refers to events that mainly took place in 1915.

Davutoglu noted that Turkey has got used to France’s move to block
Turkey’s entry to the European Union in order to pursue its local
politics but the latest move to recognize the ban denial of Armenian
Genocide is a move that would damage freedom in France.

The French National Assembly will next week debate the proposed law
that would punish the denial of “genocide” with penalties of a year
in jail and a fine of 45,000 euros.

A Turkish parliamentary delegation will visit Paris next week before
the bill is put on vote, reportedly to explain the damage the law
would inflict on relations between Turkey and France.

Turkish foreign minister’s strong criticism of France comes as the
war of words between Turkey and Armenia has also been fueled recently
and the issue is expected to remain top on the agenda of Ankara’s
foreign policy in the coming days.

Earlier this week, Turkey’s EU minister and top negotiator Egemen
Bagis, had hit back at comments made by Armenian President Serge
Sarkisian, who had reportedly said that Turkey must face its history
and confess to the “Armenian Genocide.”

The Turkish minister had accused Sarkisian of putting Armenia in a
state of poverty and hunger that has forced almost half of Armenians
to leave their country.

Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their people were killed during
World War I by forces belonging to the Ottoman Empire. Turkey refuses
to call the killings a genocide and says between 300,000 to 500,000
Armenians, and at least as many Turks, died when Armenians rose up
and sided with invading Russian forces.

IN TIGHTER GRIP: TURKEY’S FOREIGN MINISTRY IS CHALLENGED WITH END-OF-YEAR ARMENIAN ISSUES
By Aris Ghazinyan

ArmeniaNow
15.12.11 | 16:45

On December 22 the National Assembly of France will put to voting
the bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial and making it
punishable with imprisonment and a fine. After the voting the bill
will be submitted to the French Senate.

The Turkish foreign ministry immediately voiced its objections.

Stating that the bill “happens to be on the parliament agenda of
France in the pre-election campaign period” the Turkish foreign
ministry statement says: “The French authorities know how sensitive
our country is to that very serious issue. In the period when the
possibilities of Turkey-France cooperation can enter a stage of stable
development such initiatives can have a negative outcome.”

The statement also reads that “the party that has initiated it will
be responsible for the consequences”.

Hence, Ankara is practically threatening Paris with negative
consequences for the bilateral relations.

Earlier this year the U.S. House of Representatives adopted a religious
freedom measure, HR306 approved by the Foreign Affairs Committee in
July, calling upon Turkey to return the Christian church properties
it stole through genocide and to end its repression of the surviving
members of the vast Christian civilizations that once represented a
majority in the territory of the present-day Turkey.

The importance of this document approved in Washington is that the
United States’ legislative power is continuing the process despite
the fact that after the Foreign Affairs Committee’s approval in July
Turkish premier Recep Tayyip Erdoan signed a decree on return of
Christian church property confiscated after the 1930s.

Congressman Royce’s statement is of interest, in this respect:
“Despite Prime Minister Erdogan’s recent claims of progress on
religious freedom, Turkey’s Christian communities continue to face
severe discrimination.”

All these essentially irreversible processes show that history keeps
tightening its grip over Turkey, despite her fierce resistance. And
not only history – this country is finding herself in a not less
tighter grip of also modern times.

On the other hand, all of it fits into political pragmatism, matching
the historic truth. Campaign vows and promises to Armenian communities
in countries like the United States and France lead to apparently
tangible and substantial progress in the process of international
recognition of the Armenian Genocide and criminalization of its denial.

The issue is whether the Diaspora and the Armenian state will be able
to use it to their best advantage.

Information was released on December 13 about the decision of
attorneys general of four American states who had joined their
Californian colleague Kamala Harris supporting the constitutionality
of California’s Armenian Genocide Life Insurance Recovery Act and
reaffirming an earlier ruling by a 3-member panel of the same court.

It became known also that a session of the Israeli Knesset’s Committee
on Education, Culture and Sports is scheduled for late December to
discuss the Armenian Genocide recognition issue. And, to top it all,
the Israeli foreign ministry, too, will announce its position on
the issue.

CAROLINE COX SAYS KARABAKH PEOPLE SHOULD BECOME PART OF PEACE TALKS

ARMENPRESS
December 15, 2011
YEREVAN

I respect the opinion of the people of Karabakh over the conflict,
and I find that they must participate in the process of peaceful
settlement of the conflict, Member of the House of Lords of Great
Britain, Baroness Caroline Cox said speaking to Armenpress. “I also
respect the positive approach of Armenia over the settlement of the
Nagorno Karabakh issue and its readiness to sit over one table of
negotiations. I regret that from time to time Azerbaijan comes forth
with aggressive war rhetoric, periodically presenting its military
potential,” Baroness said. Cox voiced hope that someday Azerbaijan
will adopt rational and constructive approach and will not only talk
but act. “Very often it says one thing but does quite the other,”
Baroness said.

ARMENIA, HONG CONG DISCUSS THE PROSPECTS OF COOPERATION
Karen Ghazaryan

“Radiolur”
15.12.2011 17:23

President of the World Group of Companies of Hong Kong John Hone
and Member of the UK House of Lords, Baroness Caroline Cox met with
Armenian businessmen at the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen
(Employers) of Armenia.

Caroline Cox said she was glad to visit Armenia again. The Baroness
said she has brought her good friends to meet with her good friends
in Armenia.

“This is a cognitive visit, which will help reveal the spheres,
which can attract investments from Asia,” she said.

According to Bareness Cox, her friends from Hong Cong are willing
to implement charity programs, as well, and she is hopeful it will
be a great support to her friendly Armenia and will help attract
new investments.

According to Arsen Ghazaryan, Chairman of the Union of Manufacturers
and Businessmen (Employers) of Armenia, they are considering the
opportunities of cooperation in three fields – mining industry,
communication and information, and banking sphere.

Arsen Ghazaryan hopes that large company will show interest in
Armenia, which will lay the ground for cooperation with businessmen
from China and Hong Kong. He believes this will help accelerate the
pace of Armenia’s economic development.