Author: Torgomian Varazdat

HOUSE COMMITTEE SIDES WITH TRUTH, WHILE BUSH SIDES WITH TURKEY
By Harut Sassounian, Publisher, The California Courier

AZG Armenian Daily
18/10/2007

The Los Angeles Times published last week a very brief, yet insightful
letter to the editor. In mere twelve words, reader Daniel P. Quinn
of St. Petersburg, Florida, summarized Pres. Bush’s position on the
Armenian Genocide resolution: "President Bush was asked to choose
between two allies: Turkey or truth." Regrettably, Pres. Bush made
the wrong choice.

He chose to side with Turkey rather than the truth.

Standing in the White House Rose Garden, just hours before the House
Foreign Affairs Committee was to vote on the Genocide resolution,
Pres. Bush shamelessly told reporters: "This resolution is not
the right response to these historic mass killings." The way the
President has dealt with the Armenian Genocide issue is as follows –
make false promises to Armenian-Americans during the presidential
campaign in order to get their contributions and votes, and fool them
into believing that he will keep his word after the election.

Pres. Bush may be able to get away with misrepresenting facts while
in the White House, but he cannot force Speaker Nancy Pelosi to do
the same in the House of Representatives.

Sadly, Pres. Bush was not alone in taking such a shameful position
using the war in Iraq as a cover.

The Secretaries of State and Defense, eight former secretaries of
state, three former defense secretaries, the President and Defense
Minister of Israel, several Jewish American organizations, top Turkish
officials and their Washington lobbyists, all failed to tell the
truth. Their names will forever be recorded in the annals of history
as genocide deniers.

One politician, who takes the prize for the most hypocritical
behavior, is Rep. Jane Harman (D-El Segundo). She will be hounded
by Southern California’s large Armenian community until she is no
longer in office. She deviously sent a private letter to Speaker
Pelosi saying that she will vote against the genocide resolution,
while keeping her name as a co-sponsor.

Rep. Harman apparently tried to benefit from the continued support of
the Armenian-American community, by fooling them into thinking that
she is on their side, while quietly undermining the resolution’s
approval! Only after her ruse was exposed by supporters of the
resolution, she made her letter to Pelosi public by posting it on
her website.

Flip-flopping is bad enough. Being devious and getting caught is
much worse.

To all American officials who have mindlessly kept repeating
that the Genocide resolution should be opposed because it would
"significantly damage our efforts to promote reconciliation between
Armenia and Turkey at a key turning point in their relations,"
Armenian President Kocharian came up with a devastating answer:
"It’s impossible to damage non-existent relations."

There were plenty of other idiotic remarks made by those opposing the
resolution. For example, after Nabi Sensoy, Turkey’s ambassador to the
United States, was recalled, Prime Minister Erdogan said that he had
learned about his Ambassador’s recall from reading Turkish newspapers,
just like any other citizen!

Incidentally, it was completely foolish of the Turkish government to
have summoned its envoy in Washington back to Ankara on the eve of the
pending critical floor vote in the House. Just imagine Amb. Sensoy
landing in Washington’s Dulles Airport right after the full House
has passed the Genocide resolution.

More ominous is the threat against Turkey’s Jews made by Turkish
Foreign Minister Ali Babajan who was quoted by Today’s Zaman as saying:
"We have told them [the ADL and other Jewish groups] that we cannot
explain it to the Turkish public if a road accident happens. We have
told them that we cannot keep the Jewish people out of this." Despite
this alarming threat, seven of eight Jewish members of the House
Foreign Affairs Committee voted last week in favor of the Armenian
Genocide resolution, ignoring the pleas of both Israeli leaders and
some American Jewish organizations.

Significantly, Turkish officials have not gone beyond a war of words
after the passage of the Armenian Genocide resolution in committee,
despite all of their threats. As expected, the Turks were simply
bluffing.

However, should Turkey take any drastic measures against the U.S.,
it would only reinforce the perception in the minds of most Americans
that Turkey is not a reliable ally. Friends do not threaten each
other. Furthermore, the threatened action against the Kurds in Northern
Iraq has absolutely nothing to do with the Armenian resolution.

In the final analysis, the passage of the Genocide resolution in
the House Foreign Affairs Committee was not as significant as the
fact that every member of the committee, regardless of whether they
were for or against the resolution, openly acknowledged that the
Armenian Genocide is a historical fact. This unanimous admission of
the truth is the ultimate victory over Turkish denialism. Once again,
the Turkish regime, through its obsessive and paranoid lobbying
against this symbolic resolution, has made the Armenian Genocide a
major international issue that was covered by most newspapers and TV
programs around the world in recent days.

In order to counter the intense pressure on members of Congress by
the denialist camp, all supporters of the Armenian Genocide resolution
are urged to call their congressional representatives to ensure that
they are not swayed by vain threats and falsehoods. Please call the
Capital switchboard at 1-202-225-3121 and ask to be connected to your
representative. Urge him or her to vote yes on the resolution when
it comes to a vote on the House floor.

RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
by Taylor Alfonso

The Hornet, CA
Oct 17 2007

Most people have accepted that politics and politicians are corrupt.

But just for kicks, here is another example of continued injustice
and lack of morals in our government.

According to an article published in the October 11 edition of The
Los Angeles Times, President George W. Bush, eight Democrats and 13
Republicans oppose a House bill calling for the U.S. to recognize
the mass murders of 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Empire
as genocide.

>From 1915-1917, the Ottoman Empire committed deplorable, horrendous
acts against the Armenians, a minority population in the Empire. They
were not considered minorities because there were few in the
population, but due to their religion.

Aside from various acts such as mass rape, the use of concentration
camps, deportation, confiscation of property and murder, it is
widely accepted that the Ottoman Empire’s goal was to terminate the
Armenian race.

In "A Shameful Act: The Armenian Genocide and the Question of Turkish
Respon- sibility," Taner Akcam, a historian teaching at the Center
for Holocaust and Genocide Studies at the University of Minnesota,
argues that the genocide occurred as a response to the Ottoman’s fear
of losing their power.

The Empire focused its vengeance on the Armenians whom they considered
a threat.

Akcam states that the Ottoman Empire sought a "deliberate
extermination" of the Armenians. He cites that the Ottoman Interior
Ministry’s goal was to keep the Armenian population between five or
10 percent of the Empire’s population.

Thankfully, the measure passed in the House, but it must still be
passed in the Senate.

It is disturbing that there is opposition to the bill at all.

According to the Los Angeles Times article, Bush and those opposing
the bill are fearful of losing their ally, Turkey.

If the bill is passed, the U.S. airbase in Turkey may be threatened.

"Its passage would do great harm to our relations with a key ally in
NATO and in the global war on terror," said Bush.

It’s not just Bush who has opposed a bill like this. Former-President
Bill Clinton also aggressively advised against a genocide resolution
when he was in office in 2000.

Understandably, the government wants to keep its allies and keep its
air bases secure.

But how horrible must our situation in the Middle East be if our
government is scared to officially recognize that there was genocide
in 1915. Even in 2007 genocide still exists-it’s happening in Darfur.

This resolution must be accepted by our government in order to let
other countries know that the extermination of races is unacceptable.

It’s not as if government officials don’t agree that genocide occurred,
there is overwhelming evidence proving it, but they will not recognize
it. What’s worse, losing air bases in Turkey, or ignoring genocide?

rage/paper921/news/2007/10/17/Opinion/Recognize.Ar menian.Genocide-3038139.shtml

CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR PUTS VETO UPON BILL ON ESTABLISHING CALIFORNIA TRADE OFFICE IN ARMENIA

ARKA News Agency
Oct 16 2007
Armenia

YEREVAN, October 16. /ARKA/. Governor of American California
State Arnold Schwarzenegger put a veto upon the Senate Bill 515 on
establishing an International Trade and Investment Office of California
in Armenia.

Deputy Director of Californian Governor’s Office Lisa Kalustyan told
ARKA that the decision was accounted for by the lack of International
Trade and Investment strategy.

"The creation of an Armenia trade office was prudent in 2002 when the
Legislature instituted the office. Since then, the Legislature has
closed all other trade offices throughout the world and last year
passed legislation mandating the creation of a state international
trade strategy," he said.

According to Schwarzenegger, the state is prohibited from establishing
any new foreign office until the Legislature receives a strategy to
guide the operation and activities of the office.

"The Business, Transportation, and Housing Agency is required to
complete the strategy by February 1, 2008," the Governor said.

International Trade and Investment Office of California in Armenia
has been operating since 2002, according to the memorandum on mutual
understanding signed between Armenia and California state (USA)
in 2001. The structure was established with the aim of activating
bilateral trade and economic relations and development of Armenia’s
export potential taking into account the fact that there is a big
Armenian community – about 500,000 people – living in California.

ROBERT KOCHARIAN: EUROPEAN NEIGHBORHOOD POLICY OPENS NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARTNERSHIP

Noyan Tapan
Oct 16, 2007

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 16, NOYAN TAPAN. Receiving the member of the European
Parliament Lidi Folferi on October 16, the Armenian president
Robert Kocharian said that the European Neighborhood Policy opens
new opportunities for partnership. Stating that the Armenian side is
ready for serious work, the president attached special importance to
parliamentary contacts.

According to the RA president’s press service, during the meeting
the interlocutors exchanged ideas about settlement of the Karabakh
conflict, prospects of the regional develpment, and integration
processes.

The defence minister of the RA Mikael Harutyunian received L. Folferi
on the same day. The sides discussed the current state and development
opportunities of Armenia-European Union cooperation.

M. Harutyunian said that in the security and defence sphere, Armenia’s
armed forces adopted a course for developing cooperation with all
interested countries.

NT was informed by the RA defence ministry that a number of issues
related to regional security were discussed at the conclusion of
the meeting.

BUSH HAS NO PLAN TO PRESS HOUSE SPEAKER ON "GENOCIDE" RESOLUTION

Xinhua, China
Oct 15 2007

WASHINGTON, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) — U.S. President George W. Bush has
no plan to call the House Speaker to cancel a vote on a resolution
branding the killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks between 1915 and
1917 a genocide, a White House spokesman said on Monday.

"There should be no question of the president’s views on this issue
and the damage that this resolution could do to U.S. foreign policy
interests," White House deputy press secretary Tony Fratto told
reporters aboard Air Force One.

But President Bush has no plan to urge Democratic House Speaker Nancy
Pelosi to drop the voting on the resolution, Fratto said.

The nonbinding resolution, which was approved by the House Foreign
Affairs Committee last week, is expected to be voted by the whole
House soon.

Armenians say more than 1.5 million Armenians were killed in a
systematic genocide in the hands of the Ottomans during World War I,
before modern Turkey was born in 1923. But Turkey insists the Armenians
were victims of widespread chaos and governmental breakdown as the
600 year-old empire collapsed in the years before1923.

Turkey condemned Thursday the U.S. House’s "genocide" bill and recalled
its ambassador to Washington back to Turkey for consultation over
the matter, a sign of exasperated tension between the United State
and Turkey over the issue.

The U.S. government expressed hope for Turkish ambassador’s return
"to work to maintain strong U.S.-Turkish relations."

Meanwhile, the White House has been intensely lobbying lawmakers to
reject the resolution, which Bush believes would harm relations with
Turkey, especially the partnership in the anti-terror war.

Fratto said the White House does not want Pelosi to bring it to the
floor but if it comes to a vote, "we will strongly encourage members
not to support it."

THE USA IN A HURRY TO CORRECT MISTAKES

Sabah, Turkey
Oct 15 2007

Rice: "We are struggling to minimize some potential steps by the
Turkish government."

US Minister of Foreign Affairs Condoleezza Rice, stated: "The Armenian
bill is bothersome for us, as well. We are working on minimizing some
potential steps by the Turkish government. However, I am hopeful
that we will be able to prevent them; because both Turkey and the
USA comprehend the significance of strategic relations."

The USA tries to minimize Turkey’s reaction

The genocide bill has troubled the US government. Minister of Foreign
Affairs Rice said: "We are working on minimizing some potential steps
by the Turkish government."

While Turkey is discussing the measures to be taken to prevent
the Armenian bill, which passed in the US House of Representatives
Foreign Relations Committee, from passing in the general council,
the USA is trying to minimize its effects. US Minister of Foreign
Affairs Condoleezza Rice stated that as the US government they will
work on continuing their efforts towards not passing the bill in the
general council during her contact meetings in Moscow.

US Minister of Foreign Affairs Condoleezza Rice also said: "The
Armenian bill is bothersome for us, as well. We are working on
minimizing some potential steps by the Turkish government. These
are issues which have been discussed before. As you know, there are
limitations on the movement of our soldiers in the region. However,
I am hopeful that we will be able to prevent them; because both Turkey
and the USA comprehend the significance of strategic relations."

"DO NOT SILENCE THE SYMPHONY OF GARNI"

A1+
[04:49 pm] 15 October, 2007

More images Today, representatives of numerous NGOs held a protest
action near the government building.

They say Armenian natural monuments, among them the treasure of Garni
Canyon, are under peril.

"Do not silence the symphony of Garni!" "We urge you to punish the
criminals!" shouted the demonstrators.

The presentees state that the stones are used as building material
for National Gallery director Paravon Mirzoyan’s private house and
an Artashat church in the name of Hovik Abrahamian, RA Territorial
Management Minister.

According to some sources, each fragment of the stone is sold at the
price of 250 drams.

The demonstrators submitted applications to the RA Government and
General Prosecutor’s Office.

Le Temps, Suisse
10 octobre 2007

Gendre arménien sans regret

GENEVE. Honneur lavé dans le sang?

Le gendre du bijoutier arménien, inculpé pour avoir instigué le
meurtre raté du vieil homme, a plaidé sa mise en liberté provisoire
mardi devant la Chambre d’accusation de Genève. Son avocate, Me Doris
Leuenberger, a relevé la faiblesse des charges, insisté sur la
claustrophobie dont souffre l’intéressé en cellule. La décision sera
rendue vendredi. En attendant, les parties se sont retrouvées pour la
première fois hier après-midi chez le juge d’instruction.

Egalement d’origine arménienne, le prévenu conteste avoir ordonné ou
suggéré de tuer son beau-père. Le septuagénaire était lui-même jugé
pour avoir tiré sur sa propre fille lorsqu’il a été la cible d’un
tireur en pleine rue. Atteint d’une balle dans le cou, il est
hospitalisé depuis vendredi dernier dans un état grave.

Suspecté dès le départ, le gendre a admis avoir souvent parlé de
vengeance avec des compatriotes. «Il leur expliquait qu’il ne pouvait
pas le faire lui-même car il ne supporterait pas la prison mais il
n’a jamais dit que d’autres devaient le faire à sa place», relève son
avocate. De son côté, Me Vincent Spira, conseil de la partie civile,
souligne que le prévenu a récemment rencontré deux de ces «gens qui
commettent des délits à travers l’Europe». Ils auraient dit qu’ils
«allaient le faire». Le gendre n’aurait rien répondu. Convaincu,
assure-t-il, qu’il s’agissait de paroles en l’air. Pourtant, souligne
Me Spira, il a bien invité l’un d’eux à venir voir l’état de son
épouse. Un individu dont il refuse de révéler l’identité. L’intéressé
aurait enfin déclaré lors de l’enquête que c’était bien fait pour son
beau-père et que si quelqu’un avait lavé l’honneur de sa famille, il
lui serait redevable à vie.

Hayots Ashkharh Daily, Armenia
Oct 12 2007

CONGRESSMEN AGAINST THE HISTORICAL FALSIFICATION

Yesterday the National Assembly almost unanimously approved the
economic bills included in the agenda of the extraordinary session
and drew to a close its mission.
Before that Speaker of the National Assembly Tigran Torosyan
appealed to the parliament, ` On behalf of the MPs I would like to
express our gratitude to our Colleagues in the US House of Foreign
Affairs Committee, who voted for the adoption of the Resolution on
the Recognition of Armenian Genocide, thus demonstrating high moral
qualities and didn’t yield to various pressures. The MPs naturally
unanimously burst into applauses, and welcome the adoption of
`Armenian Resolution’ by the US House of Foreign Affairs Committee.
Vice-Speaker of the National Assembly Vahan Hovhannisyan in his
turn, responding to the questions of the journalists after the
session, expressed confidence that the adoption of the Resolution is
the victory of not only the Diaspora, not only Dashnaktsutyun and Hay
Dat Committee but also the whole Armenians.
NA Vice-Speaker said,’ Armenia’s official attitude is also of
great importance – the approaches heard from our Foreign Minister,
our President, and our Parliamentary delegations from different
tribunes, in different summit meetings. All this is naturally a good
patronage for Armenian organizations in Europe, America, and
anywhere. The adoption of the Resolution by the US House of Foreign
Affairs Committee proves that Armenia is a weighty factor in the
world policy. Eventually historical justice is being confirmed –
something that can really contribute to Armenian-Turkish future
relations.’
Vahan Hovhannisyan considers fake the thesis circulated recently
by the US And Turkish executive authorities saying that the adoption
of the Resolution on the recognition of the Genocide will hamper
Armenian- Turkish relations. Moreover, ‘Until the Genocide is
recognized Turkey is absolutely not interested in improving relations
with Armenia and Armenians. The thing is not only about the
recognition of Genocide and the process of the reestablishment of the
historical rights of Armenians proceeding from it, but also present
issues – such as opening the borders, raising the economic blockade
and preventing the elaboration of anti- Armenian projects.’
NA Vice-Speaker believes, `If, as a logical continuation of the
recognition of the Genocide Turkey alleviates its attitude towards
Armenia and, for example, recognizes the Genocide, raises the
blockade, it will automatically make senseless all the projects that
passes around Armenia. That is to say once Kars – Gyumri railway
opens, who will spend money on the construction of Kars – Akhalkalak
railway.’
Hence, the Congress has launched the process of the Genocide
Recognition and there is reason to hope that Upper House will also be
principled in this issue.
That is why,’ First of all we should be grateful to American
people, because the activity of Turkish lobbyist organizations in the
executive authority very often leads to negative phenomenon, and
eventually the Congress represents the American people. And American
people is fair, freedom-loving people and in fact through the
congressmen they rebelled against the historical falsification.’

S. HARUTYUNYAN

Vancouver Sun, Canada
Oct 12 2007

U.S.-Turkish relations being pushed down a slippery slope

Jonathan Manthorpe, Vancouver Sun
Published: Friday, October 12, 2007

The gods of bad timing seem determined to wreck relations between the
United States and Turkey, which have been under stress and strain
since Ankara’s vehement objection to the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

And the gods of democracy, who compel elected politicians to dance
for a braying public no matter how ill-considered the demands, have
their share of blame.

In all likelihood cooler heads in Washington and Ankara will come
into play once the public clamour has died down.

But relations between Washington and Turkey, its ally in the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization and the only largely Muslim sectarian
state with which it has significant alliances, could well get jumbled
beyond unravelling in the next few days. The implications are dire
for increased violence in Iraq, one of Turkey’s southern neighbours,
the stability of the Middle East and even the future of NATO.

The convergence of two events in the past few days have set off the
current storm which began to gather when Turkey refused to allow U.S.
forces to use its territory as a jumping-off pad for the Iraq
invasion.

One is highly charged public anger in Turkey about the killing a few
days ago of 13 of its soldiers by fighters from the Kurdistan Workers
Party (PKK).

This separatist movement has been fighting for more than 20 years to
create an independent Kurdish nation. About 40,000 people have died.

Kurds make up about 20 per cent of Turkey’s population and live
mostly in the east of the country. Their ethnic brethren also live in
and control much of neighbouring northern Iraq.

Ankara has good evidence to think that PKK fighters are using safe
havens in northern Iraq to make cross-border forays into Turkey.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan has been forced by public
opinion to revive a threat he made after similar cross-border attacks
in May. Next week he will put before parliament a resolution
authorizing Turkish troops to attack PKK bases in Iraq.

In May he was able, as he undoubtedly wished, to finesse the
situation behind the curtains. He backed down in return for
Washington pressing the administration of the Kurdish region of Iraq,
such as it is, to restrain the PKK.

Similar behind-the-scenes play may not be possible this time because
of the bad timing of a silly piece of hubristic interference by the
U.S. Congress House foreign relations committee.

On Wednesday this committee voted 27 to 21 that the deaths of several
thousands of Armenian people between 1914 and 1918, in what was then
the Turkish Ottoman empire, should be classified as a genocide.

There is still no authoritative account of what happened to the
Armenians. Turkish historians say about 200,000 people died as a
result of famine, disease and the predations of the Ottoman army.
Armenian historians say two million people were killed, primarily in
massacres by Ottoman troops.

Even four generations later it remains a hugely emotional issue and
Turkey has not helped itself. In addition to minimizing the event, it
continues to imprison writers for "insulting the Turkish Republic"
when they call the Armenians’ deaths a genocide.

President George W. Bush and senior administration members have
condemned the motion by the foreign relations committee, but the
resolution is likely to come before the full House before the U.S.
Thanksgiving holiday.

It will most probably pass because the Armenian-American lobby is
well organized and powerful, a strong influence on members of
Congress in California, New Jersey and Michigan with an election year
just over the horizon.

It should be noted in passing that the Canadian Parliament in 2004
also succumbed to Armenian lobbying and passed a resolution
denouncing modern Turkey for the events of four generations ago.

The immediate danger is if Turkey sends troops into Kurdish northern
Iraq to root out PKK camps. This would not only destabilize the only
part of Iraq where there is relative peace, it could conceivably see
two NATO allies, Turkey and the U.S., looking at each other over
gunsights.

In a further goad to the situation, a Turkish court on Thursday gave
two Turkish Kurd writers one-year suspended prison sentences for
claiming there was an Armenian genocide.

Sun International Affairs Columnist

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