Author: Tadevosian Garnik

TURKEY AND ARMENIA: GENOCIDAL FOLLIES

The Economist, UK
Oct 4 2007

The trouble that might flow from an American congressional resolution

A RECENT evening in Istanbul, Turkey’s (and Europe’s) biggest city.

Armenia’s leading musician, Djivan Gasparyan, is playing his duduk,
an Anatolian-style clarinet, as Yavuz Bingol, an ethnic Kurd, belts
out Turkish folksongs. The event symbolises a budding rapprochement
between ordinary Turks and Armenians. But America’s Congress may now
torpedo this fragile process by voting for a bill calling the mass
slaughter of up to 1m Ottoman Armenians in 1915 a genocide.

Turkey has squashed previous attempts to pass such a bill by
exploiting its strategic significance and its clout as NATO’s
only Muslim member. This time officials fret that not only will a
congressional committee approve the resolution but also it may pass
on the House floor. Turkey says that this would plunge relations with
America into deep crisis. "Placing the Turks in the same category as
Nazis is intolerable for us," says one official.

Possible retaliatory measures might include denying the Americans
the use of the Incirlik airbase in southern Turkey, which is a hub
for the supply of non-combat materiel for American troops in Iraq and
Afghanistan. Turkey could also seal its land border with Iraq. With
positive Turkish views of America at a low of only 11%, according to
a recent German Marshall Fund poll, such moves might give nationalists
in Turkey a big boost.

Nancy Pelosi, the House speaker, whose Californian district includes
many rich Armenians, is unswayed by pleas to back down. Eight former
secretaries of state have written to her to argue that, besides
endangering "our national security interests", the bill would kill
"some hopeful signs already that both parties are engaging each
other". Vartan Oskanian, Armenia’s foreign minister, retorts
that "expressing concern about a process that doesn’t exist is
disingenuous". His own recent meeting with his Turkish counterpart,
Ali Babacan, in New York got nowhere.

Turkey has no diplomatic ties with Armenia and refuses to open its
border with the landlocked ex-Soviet republic. This was sealed in
1993 after Armenia occupied a chunk of Azerbaijan in a vicious little
war. Air links have been restored, however, and recently Turkish
diplomats have hinted at a more dramatic move: formalising ties,
over the objections of a vocal Azeri lobby in Turkey, not to mention
those of its hawkish generals. In exchange Armenia would have to
recognise its border with Turkey and make some conciliatory gesture
towards Azerbaijan.

Armenia counters that it wants to restore relations "without
preconditions". That is because of a widespread suspicion that Turkey
is feigning change merely to derail the genocide resolution. If Turkey
were sincere, say the Armenians, it would scrap article 301 of the
penal code, under which intellectuals have been prosecuted for daring
to call the Armenian tragedy a genocide. On October 3rd Turkey’s new
president, Abdullah Gul, duly called for changes to article 301 in
a speech to the Council of Europe.

Turks claim that they want to delink the issues. As one official
puts it, "we strongly believe in decoupling our ties with Armenia
from the genocide bill and feel that over time the relationship will
flourish on its own merits." Should the bill be adopted in Congress,
though, a change in policy would become impossible because of the
nationalist passions it would stoke. These worries are shared by
Turkey’s Armenians, still reeling from the murder in January of an
ethnic Armenian newspaper editor, Hrant Dink. Mr Dink’s lawyers claim
that the nationalist teenager who shot him was acting under orders
from rogue elements within the security forces.

David Shahnazarian, a former chief of Armenia’s National Security
Council, complains that Western countries are using the genocide
issue to promote their own agenda. "In the case of France, it is
to keep Turkey out of the EU," he says. The massacre of a million
civilians is a matter in which Turks should arrive at the truth on
their own. But as Mr Gul has partly conceded, that may necessitate
an end to article 301’s restrictions on free speech.

playstory.cfm?story_id=9910136

CSTO MEMBER STATE HEADS TO MEET IN DUSHANBE

Panorama.am
13:33 03/10/2007

Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Collective Security
Council (CSC) session will be held in the capital of Tajikistan,
Dushanbe, on October 6.

CSC is composed of all CSTO members. CSTO secretarial press services
informed Panorama.am that the leaders of CSTO member states will
exchange ideas on implementation of interstate treaties, CSC decision
on normative legal grounds and CSTO’s activities concerning Afghan
issue.

The presidents of the countries will discuss a Draft Declaration of
CSTO member states in the full session connected with 15th anniversary
of the Collective Security Treaty. They will also discuss the annual
report of CSTO Secretary General and the priority direction of the
organization in the second half of 2007 and first half of 2008.

The heads of the state will sign two packages of documents on
improvements of normative legal base of Interstate Commission on
Military and Economic Cooperation and another one on formulation of
an organizational and normative mechanism of peacekeeping activities
within the framework of CSTO.

7 CONGRESSMEN ADVOCATING RESOLUTION 106

AZG Armenian Daily
04/10/2007

Seven members of the US Congress, Frank Pallone, Joe Nolemberg,
Adam Schiff, George Radanovich, Brad Sherman, Ed Royce and Ann
Eshou addressed the members of the Foreign Relations Commission of
the Chamber of Representatives and called upon them to vote for the
Resolution on the Armenian Genocide. The congressmen’s address says
that the adoption of Resolution 106 on the Armenian Genocide will
become a strong argument for the government of the United States not
to neglect genocides in the world.

THE MEETING MIGHT HAVE HAD A CONTEXT

Lragir, Armenia
Oct 2 2007

On October 2 the leader of the Christian Democratic Party hosted at
the Hayatsk press club commented on the meeting of Levon Ter-Petrosyan
and the ARF Dashnaktsutyun leaders. He said the meeting might have
had the purpose which had been announced. In other words, they met to
agree to wage civilized campaigns considering the "complicated past"
of the parties, Khosrov Harutiunyan says.

"I think, however, there are things nobody has been speaking about
so far, and we may only make suppositions. Especially if there is a
context," Khosrov Harutiunyan says with regard to Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s
address on September 21, the Independence Day.

Khosrov Harutiunyan says he had greater expectations from his address
after a decade of silence. The leader of the Christian Democratic
Party had expected a speech which would make think rather than spark
passions.

"Perhaps the All-Armenian Movement which did not run in the
parliamentary election should try in this period to expand its frame
of political agreement and arrangements and possibilities. I think
the negotiations with different political forces should be viewed in
this context," Khosrov Harutiunyan says. He ruled out, at least he
said it is illogical that Dashnaktsutyun which named president will
support Ter-Petrosyan if he runs in the presidential election.

EUROPEAN STRUCTURES SHOULD UNDERTAKE TRUST-BUILDING MEASURES IN SOUTH CAUCASUS

PanARMENIAN.Net
02.10.2007 17:15 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ October 2, the Armenian delegation to the
parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe met with PACE President
Rene van der Linden, the RA NA press office reported.

During the meeting the head of the Armenian delegation, Davit
Harutyunyan drew Mr der Linden’s attention to the fact that Azerbaijan
poses obstacles to the visit of PACE Subcommittee rapporteur on
Nagorno Karabakh, Mr Edward O’Hara. He proposed to submit the issue
to the Bureau’s consideration and also call on the EU Committee of
Ministers and Secretary General to take action.

Mr der Linder voiced concern about absence of progress in the Karabakh
process.

In this view, Davit Harutyunyan reminded of Azerbaijan’s militant
statements, which aggravate tension.

For his part, the Armenian delegation member, Avet Adonts noted that
the CoE and other European structures should undertake trust-building
measures in the South Caucasus.

When touching upon the conference on frozen conflicts due in Berlin
November 5 by initiative of PACE Monitoring Committee, Mr Harutyunyan
proposed to invite a Nagorno Karabakh representative in order to
maintain essential balance.

The PACE fall session opened in Strasbourg October 1.

The Armenian delegation includes chairman of the parliamentary
permanent committee on state and legal affairs Davit Harutyunyan,
chairman of the permanent committee of European integration issue
Avet Adonts, chairman of the permanent committee on foreign relations
Armen Rustamian, Heritage faction leader Raffi Hovannisian, Orinats
Yerkir faction member Mher Shahgeldyan, MPs Grigor Margaryan and
Vahe Hovhannisyan.

THIRTEEN PERCENT OF ARMENIANS ARE SENIOR CITIZENS

ARMENPRESS
Oct 02 2007

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 2, ARMENPRESS: Almost 13 percent of Armenia’s
population or 400,000 people are senior citizens. According to Jemma
Baghdasarian, head of a department of the employment and social
affairs ministry, dealing with senior citizens and disabled people,
35,000 of them live alone and 12,700 have no heirs.

Sona Arakelian, a program coordinator of the Mission Armenia
non-governmental organization, said an old-people house (Social House)
is being built in Yerevan’s Kanaker-Zeytoon district. It will give
shelter to 30 old-aged people and 2 insecure families living now in
a hostel in a Yerevan suburb.

The Social House will have a charity canteen, a free medical point,
a laundry, a barber’s shop, a dentist, a cafe, a gym and even a
computer room.

This project is being carried out in cooperation with the Swiss
Development and Cooperation Agency, Germany’s embassy in Yerevan, UNHCR
and the Norwegian Refugee Council in concert with Mission Armenia NGO.

"WHAT IS THE USE OF OFFENDING THE OLD?"

A1+
[02:27 pm] 01 October, 2007

71-year-old pensioner Varditer lives alone. Being a former accountant
she calculates her daily expenses and lives on bread and water to
survive till the end of the month. She has recently applied to the
"Paros" social welfare fund to get old-age benefit.

After drawing up the documents Ms Margo, a representative of the
Social Service, hinted at "tips." She demanded my two months’ benefit
– 12 000 drams. "This is the usual routine. Your pension is high and
you shouldn’t be granted benefits."

"A month later I got the money. The following Monday Ms. Margo
telephoned me to remind about the "arrangement." Two hours later she
looked in and said I would be denied benefits in a month in case I
didn’t pay.

She was right as Ms Varditer no longer got old-age benefit.

Ms Varditer is indignant at the fact that "the old are offended."

It is noteworthy that she has worked for 46 years and her pension is
15 212 drams.

ARMENIAN ENSEMBLE PERFORMS SUNDAY
By Samantha Ragland Contributing writer

The Post-Standard – Syracuse.com, NY
Sept 28 2007

John Chookasian, director of the award-winning Chookasian Armenian
Concert Ensemble, wants his homeland’s traditional music to be
remembered.

On Sunday, Chookasian and his eight-member ensemble will introduce
Central New Yorkers to a concert of Armenian music and dance. The
St. Paul Armenian Apostolic Church in Syracuse is the host of the
performance.

"We’re doing this for preservation purposes," says Chookasian,
premier clarinetist, from his home in Fresno, Calif.

He adds that arts funding for his troupe, especially for a world music
group not in the mainstream, is difficult to obtain. The musician
hopes for future support from businesses, arts organizations and
universities.

Chookasian says ensemble members immigrated to America so they could
continue to perform. In Armenia, communism financially supported
artists, and when the country became a democracy, musicians were
without funding, he says during a phone interview. So few young people
pursue the arts as a career, Chookasian says.

Besides the traditional music at Sunday’s concert, Chookasian’s wife,
Barbara, will sing songs from 350 years ago. Folk dances also will
be part of the show, including the Halay, a 2,000-year-old war dance.

The ensemble’s instruments are a major attraction, Chookasian says.

"The folk instruments are rarely seen, rarely heard, and their shapes
are also very unique. The evolution of these instruments is very
unique to the cultures they came from."

GEORGIAN PRESIDENT DECRIES HIS NATION "IS NOT WHOLE"

Deutsche Presse-Agentur, Germany
September 26, 2007 Wednesday 11:38 PM EST

DPA POLITICS Georgia Diplomacy UN Georgian president decries his nation
"is not whole" New York
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili told the UN General Assembly
Wednesday his nation is still divided and "signs of hope are few and
far between."

A former Soviet republic, Georgia has been fighting to keep its
province of Abkhazia from seceding. Saakashvili said up to 500,000
Georgians have fled Abkhazia since the 1990s when separatist forces
there mounted a military campaign to demand autonomy.

He said UN diplomatic efforts have not succeeded to bring peace to
the region despite recognition of Georgian sovereignty.

He charged an "ethnic cleansing" war in Abkhazia has uprooted
Georgians, Armenians, Estonians, Greeks, Jews and Russians who had
been living there for centuries.

Saakashvili urged the UN to launch a comprehensive review of "all
aspects of the peace process … by injecting a new and positive
dynamic" into the negotiating process.

What would Lemkin do?

By Khatchig Mouradian – Thursday September 27 2007

When dealing with ethnic cleansing and genocide, it would be useful to
ask: What would Lemkin do? Had world leaders and human rights
organizations asked that question and acted based on the answer over
the past 50 years, several mass murders and genocides could have been
prevented or stopped in Europe, Africa and Asia.
Raphael Lemkin, a Polish-Jew, coined the term "genocide" in 1944 based
on the planned extermination of the Armenians by the Ottoman Turks in
1915 and the Jews during World War II. He worked tirelessly to have
the United Nations pass a law on the prevention and punishment of that
crime. Finally, on Dec. 9, 1948, the UN General Assembly ratified the
Genocide Convention. Remembering that moment, Lemkin, who lost 49
relatives during the Holocaust, wrote: "Somebody requested a roll
call. The first to vote was India. After her ‘yes’ there was an
endless number of ‘yeses.’ A storm of applause followed. I felt on my
face the flashlight of cameras. … The world was smiling and approving
and I had only one word in answer to all that, ‘thanks.’"
Lemkin referred to the Armenian genocide on numerous occasions. In an
article in the Hairenik Weekly (later the Armenian Weekly) on Jan. 1,
1959, he wrote that the suffering of the Armenians had paved the way
to the ratification of the Genocide Convention: "The sufferings of the
Armenian men, women, and children thrown into the Euphrates River or
massacred on the way to [the Syrian desert of] Der-el-Zor have
prepared the way for the adoption for the Genocide Convention by the
United Nations. … This is the reason why the Armenians of the entire
world were specifically interested in the Genocide Convention. They
filled the galleries of the drafting committee at the third General
Assembly of the United Nations in Paris when the Genocide Convention
was discussed."
At the end of the article, Lemkin asserted, "One million Armenians
died, but a law against the murder of peoples was written with the ink
of their blood and the spirit of their sufferings."
Fast forward to 2007. The Anti-Defamation league, an organization that
has tirelessly spoken out and acted against Holocaust denial, as well
as more recent acts of genocide from Eastern Europe to Darfur,
continues to speak with ambiguities about the Armenian genocide and
oppose Congressional legislation affirming the historical record,
considering it "counterproductive."
Days after the ADL’s national director, Abraham Foxman, was confronted
on the issue, he wrote a letter to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan "to express our sorrow over what we have caused for the
leadership and people of Turkey in the past few days."
Countless Jewish organizations, scholars, journalists, bloggers and
activists have come out fiercely to criticize the ADL’s hypocrisy.
They have all asked the right question – What would Lemkin do? – and
have come up with the right answer, thus honoring Lemkin’s legacy.
Perhaps rather than rushing to appease the Turkish government, the ADL
would do well to ask the right question, too.

Khatchig Mouradian is an Armenian journalist, poet and translator
based in Boston. He is the editor of the Armenian Weekly.

Source: opinions/