Belgian Premier Appeals To Ethnic Turks To Stay Calm After Violent P

BELGIAN PREMIER APPEALS TO ETHNIC TURKS TO STAY CALM AFTER VIOLENT PROTESTS

PR-Inside.com (Pressemitteilung)
Oct 25 2007
Austria

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) – Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt appealed to
Belgium’s ethnic Turkish community on Thursday to show restraint,
a day after some 100 youths were detained by police due to rioting
in Brussels.

Verhofstadt said he deplored the violence, which erupted after
hundreds of protesters of Turkish descent took to the streets in
several neighborhoods to demonstrate against recent attacks by Kurdish
rebels in Turkey.

"Everyone in Belgium, whatever their background, has a right to live
in freedom," Verhofstadt said. "Violence is not an answer.

Mayors of Brussels’ various municipalities backed the prime minister’s
call for call and condemned Wednesday’s violence, which damaged cars,
trams, buses and bus shelters across various neighborhoods.

Fighting erupted after police tried to contain the youths, and
10 officers were injured. Police used water cannon and batons in
confronting the youths.

Three youths were still in custody Thursday and could face criminal
charges, officials said.

Tensions have risen in recent weeks due to the situation in Turkey,
where leaders were discussing a possible military operation into
neighboring Iraq following attacks by Kurdish rebels operating
from Iraq.

Community leaders also said tensions rose after a U.S. congressional
committee passed a resolution calling the World War I-era killings
of Armenians a genocide, which the Turks consider an affront.

Proposed Genocide Resolution Seems To Serve Political Underlyings

PROPOSED GENOCIDE RESOLUTION SEEMS TO SERVE POLITICAL UNDERLYINGS
Andrew Zaleski

Loyola College Greyhound, MD
e/paper665/news/2007/10/23/Opinion/Proposed.Genoci de.Resolution.Seems.To.Serve.Political.Underlyings -3051265.shtml
Oct 24 2007

Trouble loomed in paradise again last week. And no, it did not involve
a shipwrecked boat and one inept skipper, but rather recent events
in Washington D.C. (I’m sorry-I would’ve much rather been writing
about a sandy island surrounded by clean, blue ocean waves myself).

A variety of strong reactions have been resonating outward from our
nation’s capital over the recent congressional resolution regarding
the mass killings of Armenians during the era of World War I.

The non-binding resolution, voted out of the House Foreign Affairs
Committee back on October 10 would symbolically recognize the mass
slaughter of 1.5 million Armenians committed by the Ottoman Empire
during the World War I era as an act of genocide.

The resolution has drawn sharp criticism from the Bush administration,
but the sharpest criticism of all has come from the nation of
Turkey. A quick history lesson will allow us to understand exactly
why the Turks are so infuriated over this.

Turkey, as its own sovereign state, formed in 1923 out of the ruins
of the Ottoman Empire, which had been fighting alongside the Axis
powers during World War I.

Although on the losing side, the Turks managed to gain the area known
as Anatolia, which at the time consisted of a mixed population of
Armenians, Kurds, Greeks, and Turks.

Following threats by the victorious Western powers to carve up the land
of the former Ottoman Empire, Turkey scrambled quickly to establish
a government that incorporated the qualities of a democratic republic
as well as a national identity for the Turkish citizen.

To protect against unwanted encroachment by Western powers in the
proceeding years, the Turks made sure that this new national identity
was engineered along precise ethnic and religious lines.

They went about this rather forcefully, deporting in enormous
amounts Greeks, Kurds and Islamics from their eastern holding, while
systemically executing countless others. 1.5 million Armenians in a
state-sponsored genocide were some of those executed.

Today, unfortunately, we find the modern state of Turkey living in
a self-aware and self-induced sense of denial about the genocide it
it was directly responsible for enacting decades ago.

A Turkish state that was engineered to be highly centralized has
currently and purposely chosen to ignore the genocide. Indeed, the
nation has not hesitated in "blowing it off," in a sense, in an attempt
to prevent divisions and independence-minded groups from carving up
the Turkish state. In other words, they still seem to be in a state
of fear about the near division of their country in the early 1920s.

And — regroup here for a minute — this is why a U.S. resolution
calling to officially recognize the deaths of 1.5 million Armenians
as genocide has Turkey fuming at the United States.

For a relatively young nation that has always been weary about groups
coming in and carving it up, Turkey will most likely become angry at a
U.S.-backed resolution that they believe would only embolden minority
groups into taking back what was formerly theirs. On the flip side, an
angry Turkey is not good for the United States in terms of operations
in the Middle East.

The U.S. military uses Turkey as an important hub (one of the most
crucial in the region) for the transportation of supplies to our
troops currently fighting in the Iraq war.

Also, Turkey, upset at Kurdish rebels performing cross-border
operations in Northern Iraq, has been threatening to invade Northern
Iraq for quite some time now, and this U.S.-backed resolution is
merely the impetus for them to do so.

So, ultimately, what gives? Why is this type of resolution being
considered by the House now, when passing such a resolution could
have major real world implications for an already difficult and tricky
situation in Iraq?

Apparently, this resolution has been in the works for a while. It
resurfaced after new Speaker Nancy Pelosi faced pressure from key
Democrats from states such as Michigan, New Jersey and California,
Pelosi’s home state, with large Armenian populations.

Backers of the resolution in Congress say that by recognizing one
form of genocide the United States is able to legitimately combat
other forms of genocide around the world (for example, the current
Darfur crisis).

But, honestly, what is the point? Why would the United States,
virtually out of nowhere, decide to officially recognize killings
committed by a foreign nation more than eighty years ago?

It seems to me like some cheap attempt to buy votes, not to mention an
easy way to hiccup a U.S. war effort (and no, you don’t necessarily
have to be a supporter of the war to have this matter cause you to
be somewhat testy).

Think of it this way: if we are to consider genocide such an appalling
and morally unacceptable evil, why are we only symbolically recognizing
it with a non-binding resolution? Wouldn’t we want something a little
more intimidating, perhaps? I don’t necessarily disagree with the
intentions of such a resolution such as this. Was there a genocide
committed against the Armenian people?

Yes, there most certainly was. However, this resolution seems to be
utterly devoid of a point. That’s not saying I condone genocide.

What I am saying, though, is that I find oddly conspicuous the timing
of such a resolution, which comes on the heels of recent hostile
activities by Kurdish rebels along the Turkey-Iraq border. It seems
as if we know exactly what to do to push Turkey’s buttons.

Furthermore, I find the resolution to be ironically disrespectful.

If you want to pass a resolution condemning genocide, then you need
to pass a resolution condemning genocide, and not waste time passing
a resolution that seems to have the purpose of attempting to tally
up votes.

Ultimately, I suppose, at the very core of this is just another
partisan attempt at making some type of partisan gain, a shame that
constantly hangs over political life. Oh, if only Washington were a
paradise after all.

http://media.www.loyolagreyhound.com/media/storag

Council Of Europe Convention Against Trafficking Of Human Beings Wil

COUNCIL OF EUROPE CONVENTION AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN HUMAN BEINGS WILL ENTER INTO FORCE

Lragir
Oct 23 2007
Armenia

The Council of Europe Convention against Trafficking in Human Beings
(CETS n° 197) will enter into force on 1 February 2008, following
the ratification by Cyprus as the tenth country to ratify it, the CoE
Yerevan office reported. On this occasion Terry Davis, the Secretary
General of the Council of Europe, made the following statement:

"The Convention is deliberately hard on traffickers and makes a
clear difference for the victims of this crime. These victims will be
offered comprehensive assistance and protection of their human rights.

Europe is finally going to use this new and far-reaching instrument
to fight this modern form of slavery. Ten ratifications take us over
the threshold required for the Convention to enter into force, but
the Convention will use its full potential when it is ratified by
other countries in Europe and beyond.

The fact that this treaty has been agreed within the Council of
Europe extends its application to all European countries, which
include countries of origin, transit and destination of the victims of
trafficking. It is also open to non-European countries and therefore
provides a global response to a global problem."

–Boundary_(ID_1qAY43udRNy4aCh4o+4 4Qg)–

U.S. To Again Press For Turkish-Armenian Rapprochement

U.S. TO AGAIN PRESS FOR TURKISH-ARMENIAN RAPPROCHEMENT
By Emil Danielyan

Radio Liberty, Czech Republic
Oct 24 2007

The United States hopes to defuse the latest surge in Turkish-Armenian
tensions and will make a fresh attempt to help normalize Turkey’s
strained relationship with Armenia, a senior U.S. official said
on Wednesday.

Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Bryza said the controversy
surrounding the possible passage of a U.S. Congressional resolution
recognizing as genocide the mass killings of Armenians in Ottoman
Turkey underscores the need for the two neighboring states to have
diplomatic relations and an open border.

"This incident has demonstrated in America, Armenia and Turkey how
important it is that there be a serious initiative to fully normalize
Armenian-Turkish relations," he told RFE/RL in Yerevan.

Bryza, who was visiting the Armenian capital in his capacity as the
U.S. co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, said he will travel to Ankara on
Thursday to discuss the matter with Turkish leaders on the margins of a
Black Sea economic forum. "One of my own main goals is to explore the
possibility of rejuvenating efforts to bring the countries together,"
he said.

"The resolution will either pass or won’t pass. Either way, there
is still going to be this problem out there that he is behind the
whole controversy over the resolution. We have to get the two sides
together," he added.

Official Ankara has reacted furiously to the draft resolution’s
approval by a key House of Representatives committee earlier this
month, warning that its passage by the full chamber would not only
damage U.S.-Turkish ties but have negative consequences for Armenia.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan indicated on October 16
that his government would be even more unwilling to unconditionally
normalize ties with Yerevan.

"Those who expect openings from Turkey will be left alone with their
problems," Erdogan said. "They will have to pay the cost of their
hostility towards an important country like Turkey."

"I don’t understand what the Turks are saying," Armenian Prime Minister
Serzh Sarkisian told the Associated Press news agency in Washington
on Tuesday. "We have no relations now. We cannot harm something that
is non existent."

While reaffirming Yerevan’s support for the House bill, Sarkisian
stressed that his country does not view genocide recognition as a
precondition for improving relations with Turkey.

Successive Turkish governments have made the reopening of the
Turkish-Armenian border and establishment of diplomatic relations
conditional on a settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and a
halt to the decades-long campaign for international recognition of
the Armenian genocide. The U.S. has for years tried unsuccessfully
get them to drop those preconditions. It has also urged Armenia to
explicitly rule out territorial claims to Turkey.

In Bryza’s words, many officials in Ankara now recognize the need to
reconsider Turkey’s policy towards Armenia. "It is outrageous that the
[Turkish-Armenian] border is closed," the official said. "I think
that there are a lot of people in the upper reaches of the Turkish
government who recognize that an open border would change the strategic
map here in a very positive way. I hope that we can convince everybody
in the region, including in Azerbaijan, that that’s indeed the case."

ANTELIAS: HH Aram I Visits Italian Catholic Church in Naples

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version: nian.htm

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I VISITS ITALIAN CATHOLIC CHURCH IN NAPLES
"SAINT GREGORY THE ARMENIAN"

Naples – His Holiness Aram I paid an official visit to the Italian catholic
church named "Saint Gregory the Armenian" in Naples on October 22. According
to tradition, the skull of Saint Gregory the Illuminator is found in this
church and hence the church and the street on which it is found are named
after Saint Gregory. It is worth noting that on the occasion of the 1700th
anniversary of the adoption of Christianity as an official religion by
Armenia, Pope John Paul II dedicated remnants from Saint Gregory the
Illuminator to the Catholicosate of All Armenians and remnants to the
Catholicosate of Cilicia.

Catholicos Aram I said prayers in the church and afterwards, guided by
members of the sisterhood of the church, took a tour to the various parts of
the church and the monastery, which were full of artistic works depicting
moments from the life of Saint Gregory, the torture he went through, and the
Armenian nation’s conversion to Christianity.

A brief reception was organized afterwards, during which the Pontiff
expressed his praise in the Monastery’s guest book. During his visit, the
Catholicos was accompanied by V. Rev. Krikor Chiftjian (Communications
Officer of the Catholicosate), and Mr. and Mrs. Alecco Bezikian (friends of
the Catholicosate of Cilicia who live in Italy), as well as the
representative of the Community of Saint Egidio.

##
View photos here:
tos/Photos49.htm
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician
Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is located in
Antelias, Lebanon.

http://www.armenianorthodoxchurch.org/v04/doc/Arme
http://www.armenianorthodoxchurch.org/v04/doc/Pho
http://www.armenianorthodoxchurch.org

Speculations Pursuing Political Goals

SPECULATIONS PURSUING POLITICAL GOALS
Lilit Poghosyan

Hayots Ashkharh Daily
Oct 23 2007
Armenia

When Armenian TV stations rose against becoming the press adjuncts to
the business programs of the press clubs that multiply as mushrooms,
the speculations that "they are trying to "shut the mouth" of the
opposition" by subjecting them to informational blockade" over again
became "actual".

At our request Presidential Press Secretary Victor Soghomonyan touches
upon the hullabaloo regarding the cruel attempts to suppress the press.

"It is evident that this is a regular attempt to speculate the name
of the Presidential staff in the context of "suppressing the freedom"
of Mass Media, particularly the private TV companies. I have already
spoken about it and I have already expressed doubt regarding these
rumors and I have nothing to add.

Anyway I have to state the following; first I must say that I have
been following the publications in all the newspapers including your
newspaper, where those responsible for TV companies introduce their
viewpoints regarding this issue. And I don’t think the arguments with
which they ground their personal attitudes are baseless. Moreover the
motives that made the TV companies take this step are quite acceptable
to me.

Second, I consider a pure political speculation the announcements
made by certain political powers, social organizations and Mass
Media, saying that it is because of an interference of an "invisible
hand" that the TV companies are boycotting the activity of the press
clubs. Even if we take as read that the authorities can really instruct
the TV companies, it is evident that the press clubs actually don’t
bring ideological or moral damage to the authorities.

Therefore here we deal with a regular speculation.

In this context I would like to remind you of the data published
recently by one of the international organizations that our opposition
activists favor so much. The matter is addresses to the latest report
published by the international organization "Reporters without Borders"
according to which, in terms of the freedom of speech Armenia gained
the 77th place in 169 countries and the second in the territory of
CIS. This is by the way our best record during those years. After
all this, in my view to speak about the existence or non-existence
of the freedom of speech in Armenia is an evidently bygone stage
but in today’s political situation these announcements pursue pure
political goals.

It is another question that in any, even the most developed country
you can speak about the degree of the freedom of speech, depending
on different circumstances and phenomena. But this is another topic
of conversation.

To sum up whatever has been said I can record that I evaluate all
this hullabaloo as a speculation pursuing political goals and I
categorically disagree with all those accusations addressed to the
authorities. And, why not, as a colleague, I also consider unacceptable
the accusations addressed to the TV companies.

"Can the "boycott" of the TV companies give rise to adequate response
among the international circles that reiterate those TV companies?"

"First of all the word "boycott" is simply not proper here. Last week
for example many TV companies broadcasted different press conferences
in different press-clubs. Maybe their number has reduced, but we
can’t say that they are not elucidated.

Second: last week I was following the political programs of the
private TV companies and what was really interesting, leader of "Nor
Jamanakner" party Aram Karapetyan was saying on the live airtime of
"Kentron" TV that I don’t allow the TV companies to provide live
airtime for him. By the way the same "Kentron" TV has hosted secretary
of "Heritage" fraction Stepan Safaryan, if I’m not mistaken, leader of
"Orinats Yerkir" party Arthur Baghdasaryan, leader of "National Unity"
Artashes Geghamyan etc.

In case of necessity I don’t think it is difficulty to inquire from
the TV companies who have been the guests of their political programs.

What I mean is that it is simply ridiculous to speak about the
opposition being deprived of tribune. At least I don’t remember a
period when not one but more than one opposition activists haven’t had
the chance to appear on not one but several TVs, where they usually
introduce their attitudes and ruthlessly criticize the authorities. I
repeat, if one moment we presume that the authorities really control
these processes, in my view it would have been better for them to
control those airtimes rather than the activities of the press clubs.

Summing up the topic I would like to say the following, I don’t
think we will ever be able to avoid political speculations. I’m sure
this interview will also become a topic of discussions, but this
is secondary.

Turkey, Armenians. Kurds, Iraq And The US

TURKEY, ARMENIANS. KURDS, IRAQ AND THE US
Dr. Muhammad Shamsaddin Megalommatis

American Chronicle, CA
rticle.asp?articleID=40930
Oct 23 2007

America is new in the Middle East; to put it correctly, the US remains
for more than 60 years a novice. This alone illuminates the problem
perfectly well. America did not just fail in the Middle East; by
allying itself with those with whom the US should never be connected,
America – under either Republican or Democratic administration –
damaged severely the perspectives of diffusing the ideals of the
Founding Fathers in the area.

Today, America is in crash orbit with its own interests and
principles. For a superpower with so many experts and specialists,
academia, diplomatic and intelligence support, plus supreme
technological infrastructure, the forthcoming American disaster
becomes absolutely incomprehensible. Why this happened, and how it
can be terminated and remedied is a matter of a special study group.

At this very moment, America gives the impression that it believes in
anything, except the famous motto ‘e pluribus unum’; divided in several
different elites that function as cliques, the American establishment’s
wings are deeply involved in a suicidal assault against one another.

E pluribus plurii….

When the irresponsible Congresswoman Pelosi announced, prior to the US
mid-term elections, the First 100 Hours and the First 100 Days plans,
no one could imagine that political mendacity, ideological duplicity,
and un-historical hypocrisy would find a unique shelter in her mind. It
is worthy reading some excerpts of these infamous plans in order to
evaluate what the current Speaker truly delivered.

In the First 100 Hours plan, we read:

"The 100 Hour Agenda responded to a nation frustrated with years of
Congressional inaction, and took the initiative to address issues of
concern to America’s families. From the first day, the New Direction
Congress, with new leadership and working across party lines, set a
new course – one that gives more of us the opportunity to attain the
American Dream.

The new House worked across party lines to pass legislation to:

Make Americans safer here at home" ().

One may wonder how Americans will feel safer at home, when thanks
to Speaker Pelosi’s activities, Turkey, NATO’s second largest army,
is emphatically and obstinately induced to an alliance with Russia
and Iran.

In the First 100 Days plan, we read:

"The first 100 hours was just a beginning. In the first 100 days, we
addressed the most pressing issue of our time – the war in Iraq. And
on other immediate challenges, where there had been a failure to act,
this Congress stood up for the American people.

We honored our commitment to our veterans and troops, restored
investments in health care and education, gave long overdue aid to
the victims of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and worked to restore
accountability in government. We have a fiscally responsible budget
that reflects the values of the American people.

The new House passed legislation to:

Strengthen our National Security and Provide a New Direction in Iraq

Support the troops and oppose an open-ended commitment to the
President’s failed strategy in Iraq-calling for responsible
redeployment of most U.S. troops by August 31, 2008.

Require the President to ensure troops meet Defense Department
standards for training, equipment, and length of deployment.

Hold the Iraqi government accountable to meet the President’s
benchmarks for progress".

All these funny words look tragically devoid of meaning if viewed
in the light of the motion passed a few days ago in a US House of
Representatives committee, recognizing Armenian allegations of genocide
directed against Turkey as truth. What does Pelosi suggest as regards
"the values of the American people"?

Is historical forgery prepared by colonial France and England taken
at face value by the supposedly anti-racist Democrats?

On what grounds can the country that placed the US citizens of Japanese
origin in quarantine during WW II pass a law to describe as Genocide
a similar political act carried out by the Ottoman Empire in WW I?

How will US National Security be strengthened with the forthcoming
rise of tension between the US and Turkey?

And what is supposed this New Direction in Iraq to be made of? Will
PKK terrorists be members of the Iraqi government as well?

Consequences – the emerging multi-polar world

The motion passed in a US House of Representatives committee more
than an insult on the face of a long date loyal friend consists in
the best evidence that America has become ungovernable; revelation
of unprecedented cacophony, the act testifies to the real lack of
American national strategy and policy in the sense this term has had
for traditional European powers, France, England and Russia.

This increases the fear for forthcoming developments of global impact
that will have the stamp of disastrous decisions made by groups of
interest that do not take into consideration America’s real interests
but impose – through various biases – theirs on one of the various,
opposite to one another, wings of the disoriented American elite.

Not only a cacophonous, self-conflicting and disoriented power is
virtually unable to meet the needs of a War against the Terrorism, but
it is also subject to generalized disregard. The ostensible symptoms
of America 2007 are those of an advanced disarray; this means that
second class powers like Turkey, Iran and Pakistan can easily cause
serious damages to the US interests, and that even minor countries
and groups of interests can exercise an influence on America, and/or
promote their interests even if America is officially opposed to them.

The unilateral world in which we have lived for ca. 20 years seems
to have reached its end, and the emerging multi-polar world seems
to have more affinities with the last decade of the Belle Epoque
than with the post-World War II period. European divisiveness makes
available at least six (6) powers, Germany, France, England, Italy,
Spain and Poland. The great Euro-Asiatic space adds to the list
many influential – or very influential – countries: China, Japan,
India, Russia, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan. To all these countries, one
is inclined to add Australia, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Venezuela, and
eventually South Africa. It is clear that among the aforementioned
we do not include impoverished realms like Indonesia, Bangladesh,
Nigeria, etc.; population is not a determinant parameter. The result
is that around the ailing US giant, we see no less than 19 countries
competing for sizeable Lebensraum and a greater sphere of influence.

In a world with 20 significant nations, but not a clear demarcation
of alliances and groups of power, even middle size countries are
facilitated to play an important role in the World Politics. This
automatically defines the best possible conception of the interests
of a country like Turkey, when conflicting with America.

Turkey

Turkey has been severely and irreversibly annoyed by the
inconsistencies of the US politics; certainly Turkey can influence
the US policy making procedure through traditional lobbying methods;
the question is whether this is still necessary.

In guise of reaction to the motion related to the fallacious
‘Armenian Genocide", Turkey recalled its ambassador in Washington,
Nabi Þensoy. Most recently, members of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs
Committee and Turkish diplomats declined a dinner invitation from US
Ambassador to Turkey Ross Wilson.

Turkey has also been greatly preoccupied with the discreet middlemen,
who managed to provide the PKK criminal and totalitarian gangsters with
US weapons. While this is a real fact, the American administration
insisted on nebulous promises of cooperation against the terrorist
organization that never achieved anything more than filling some
space on newspapers and web pages.

In vain the Turkish premier called last Friday the devious, paranoid
and ultimately impotent US administration to reason, saying: "We expect
the coalition forces in Iraq, above all the Americans, to take steps in
the current situation. These steps must be taken to ensure we get good
results in the fight against the terrorist organization in northern
Iraq. We expect things from the United States rather than from Iraq".

The American direct answer to the Turkish premier was a Kurdish ambush
in the early morning on Sunday near the Iraqi border in which killed
12 Turkish soldiers have been killed.

US sarcasm?

The American indirect answer was given by the comical and otherwise
insignificant figure of Jalal Talabani, supposedly "President of Iraq",
who explicitly refused to hand over top leaders of the outlawed PKK
to Turkey. As this occurred a few days after the equally comical
"Iraqi" premier has promised to shut down PKK camps in the country’s
mountainous north and to extradite leaders of the terrorist group,
Turkey should realize that it consists in sheer American sarcasm. This
is highlighted by the vocabulary of the burglar Talabani: "The handing
over of PKK leaders to Turkey is a dream that will never be realized".

Without American consent and French support, Talabani would have
never spoken in this way; quite indicative is also the occasion on
which Talabani said this, namely a joint meeting – conference held
in Arbil with the participation of the other Kurdish thief and tyrant
of the Mesopotamian North, Massoud Barzani.

While the Turkish military and political establishment ponders on
the possible reactions to either a Congress vote for the fallacious
Armenian genocide or a deterioration of the national security on the
border zone with Iraq, through several Turkish officials’ interviews,
we get some idea about possible choices, namely shutting down Ýncirlik
Airbase, and restricting US use of the Habur border gate with Iraq,
which are two main supply routes the US uses for troops in Iraq.

While the skeptics become less numerous and further isolated,
one of them, Vahit Erdem, who heads the Turkey group in the NATO
Parliamentary Assembly, said: "The relationship cannot handle more
strain. If this happens, it could be damaging both for Turkey and
for the US. The two countries should avoid acting emotionally and
retreat from this mistake".

This does not consist in any logical approach, being relevant of
the so-called "ostrich politics": the US establishment is managed
and maneuvered in a way that makes it follow a clash orbit for which
Turkey should go with greater speed in order to keep an advantage.

What to do?

Quite reasonably, the Deputy Chairman of the main opposition party CHP,
Onur Oymen, criticized the prime minister for putting the issue off
until the planned Bush-Erdoðan meeting on November 5. "Turkey should
say openly what it would do if the resolution is passed," he said in
an interview. Oymen went on reminding his audience that when the US
imposed an embargo against Turkey after the 1974 military operation
on Cyprus, Turkey cut US access to military bases within its borders.

We agree only with the second half of Onur Oymen’s statement; yes,
Turkey must react, yes Turkey has the right to react, and yes, the US –
Turkey partnership has no more value, if the US is not fully committed
to it – at least to the extent Turkey has been. But Turkey should not
"say openly what it would do". Saying without doing equals threat;
when conspirators like those targeting the US – Turkish relationship
take notice of a threat verbally expressed, they have the advantage
to know the enemy’s targets, and can therefore try to prevent them.

It must be clear that the Apostate Freemasonic Lodge that first
targeted Turkish Secular State and then sought to destroy Turkey’s
national integrity has an entire array of means to pressure. They
can use the Arabic trash against Turkey, due to the fact that the
ridiculous bogus-kings and pseudo-princes, along with the dictatorial
presidents, have been precisely fabricated as slaves to their
Freemasonic European masters.

Invade Northern Iraq now!

The best way for Turkey to act is to act now, before November 5, and
before the snow covers the mountainous Zagros mountains that consists
in the subterfuge of the abundantly subsidized PKK, anti-Turkish,
anti-Armenian, anti-Aramaean, anti-Zaza, anti-Yazidi, anti-Sorani,
and anti-Iranian gangsters.

No, Turkey should not "say openly what it would do"; Turkey should
openly do it. The Turkish invasion must be a 24-hour promenade to
Zakho, Dohuk, Mosul, Arbil, Sulaymaniyah, Sanjar, and Kirkuk. It
must get the support of all the tyrannized by Barzani nations, ethnic
and religious groups of Northern Mesopotamia. It must be immediately
accompanied by a solemn announcement that will confirm the annexation
of the territories, the forthcoming referenda and elections, and the
proclamation of Aramaic, Zaza, and Sorani as official languages.

America became acquainted with the Iraqi rebellion, with the
instability of Afghanistan, with the Civil War in Somalia, and with
the perspective of an Iranian nuclear bomb. With so many dead in Iraq,
America will have an opportunity to get a lesson or two from Turkey
on how to pacify a land.

With a subsequent multipartite Conference on Caucasus (Turkey,
Russia, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Iran), a second effort of
pacification should be launched in order to promote development and
democratization process in the Caucasus region as well.

America will not react to the Turkish invasion of Northern Iraq;
not because the US cannot react, but because the multi-divided US
establishment is confused enough not to react anymore.

Nations like Turkey, Brazil and South Africa should act from now on
without considering the eventuality of an American reaction. Without
ignoring the counterbalance that China and Russia may offer to eventual
US threats against the Turkish invasion of Northern Iraq, Turkey should
consider ways to revive the very old and most valuable partnership
with Germany, not within European environment but at a global scale.

–Boundary_(ID_zAdBzPnMTWW74bkcbYBCqQ)–

http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewA
http://www.house.gov/pelosi/

NKR Parliament Approved Program Of Government’s Activity For 5 Years

NKR PARLIAMENT APPROVED PROGRAM OF GOVERNMENT’S ACTIVITY FOR 5 YEARS

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
Oct 18 2007

Presenting the program to the deputies, NKR PM Ara Harutyunian noted
it was based on the provisions of NKR President Bako Sahakian’s
election program.

The state’s head said within 5 years GDP was expected to annually grow
14-15%; total capital investments would increase 30%. Special attention
will be paid to social sphere, support to families of scanty means,
assistance to servicemen’s families and young families.

The government is to undertake steps targeted at stimulating birth
rate, activating settling process, improving medical service, etc.

Serious amendments are to be implemented in agriculture. The measures
targeted at improving demographic situation, deepening cooperation with
RA and Diaspora are also to be taken. Particular emphasis is given to
strengthening NKR defense potential and maintaining cultural heritage,
NKR MFA Press Centre reports.

"If Any Republican Doubts In Victory Of Own Candidate, He Is Not A

"IF ANY REPUBLICAN DOUBTS IN VICTORY OF OWN CANDIDATE, HE IS NOT A REPUBLICAN," REPUBLICAN DEPUTY SAYS

Panorama.am
16:01 18/10/2007

"Why should the Republican doubt in the victory of its candidate in
the first round?" Hamlet Harutunyan, member of Republican party and
a deputy of parliament, said at "Friday" Club today, speaking about
the presidential elections. In his words, if any Republican doubts
in the victory of their candidate in the first round, he is not a
Republican. "Because they do not know the potential of the party,
is not aware of the party structure, and, at last, does not remember
parliamentary elections of May 12," the Republican deputy said.

Hamlet Harutunyan assures that nothing has been changed since the
parliamentary elections in the political realm, therefore, they have
nothing not to believe in their own forces. "We have a stable political
field, a stable state, consequently, there will be no surprises,"
the deputy informed people of weak will-power, as he named them.

"Some people always wait for miracles. The husband says Levon will
come and you will see what we will do, instead of going to work,"
Hamlet Harutunyan brought this example.

In his words, all lazy, useless people do not put hope on themselves,
wait for some imaginary hero that will come and improve the situation.

If we say it in one word, Republican Hamlet Harutunyan is sure that
the presidential elections will run in one round with the victory of
the Republican candidate.

ANKARA: Support For Genocide Resolution Weakening In The U.S.

SUPPORT FOR GENOCIDE RESOLUTION WEAKENING IN THE U.S.

Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
Oct 18 2007

Only a few days ago, the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committe voted on
a resolution that condemned the supposed ‘Armenian genocide,’ backed
by Democratic Representatives mainly, especially Nancy Pelosi. A few
days ago Nancy Pelosi seemed determined on bringing the resolution to
the floor of the House. As of yesterday, Nancy Pelosi’s determination
looked weak as she adressed reporters at the Capitol Hill. "Whether
it will come up or noti what the action will be, remains to be seen,"
she said.

This trend of weakening determination has been seen from both parties’s
House members as they have started to withdraw from they support of
the resolution.

Another major person who spoke out against the resolution was John
Murtha, Democratic Representative who heads the Appropriations
subcommittee on military matters.

Mr Murtha declared that "What happened nearly 100 years ago was
terrible. I don’t know whether it was a massacre or a genocide,
but that is beside the point. The point is, we have to deal with
today’s world. And dealing with today’s world means dealing with
Turkey." Mr Murtha thinks that until the war in Iraq comes to an
end, it is necessary to keep Turkey on their side in order to access
military installations, notably the use of the Incirlik base.

Isn’t what Mr.Murtha is saying the point Turkey has tried to make?

Mr. Murth realizes that as a Representative he should be dealing with
current issues, and not historical debates. Turkey has proposed to
leave it up to historians to decide whether it is a genocide or not.

John Murtha perhaps just came to realize that.

"Turkey is a strong ally of the United States, and I believe that
this resolution could harm our relations with Turkey and therefore
our strategic interests in the region," he said at last.

This shift of perceptions has been the result of pressure from
President Bush and Turkish lobbies, who made the Democrats clearly
understand that provocating Turkey by attempting to pass this bill,
will hurt U.S. relations with Turkey and thus harm its interests in
the region.

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

Another person who dropped his sponsorship of the resolution, is
Democratic Representative Allen Boyd. "Turkey obviously feels they are
getting poked in the eye over something that happened a century ago,
and maybe this isn’t a good time to be doing that," he said. So what
there is to understand from what Boyd says is that the ‘right time’
will eventually come. When the war in Iraq is over, they are going
to bring it up again basically.

A very interesting, even funny statement, if I may say, came from
Democratic Representative Brad Sherman. "This is what happens when
you are up against a very sophisticated multimillion-dollar campaign.

Since when has it become fashionable for friends to threaten
friends?" he said. There is so much to say in response to this smart
remark of Sherman. First of all why are they voting for this resolution
in the first place? Isn’t it because of a ‘sophisticated multi-million
dollar’ Armenian lobbying group is pressuring the Democrats to pass
such a resolution in exchange for their votes and cash for election
campaigns? If it weren’t because of that, if it was because the
House Representatives are so concerned about world peace, or such,
why don’t they condemn France for an Algerian genocide?

Because Algerians aren’t a ‘sophisticated multi-million dollar’ lobby
group in the United States, and thereofre they are worthless for the
U.S. Second since when has it been the concern of Representatives to
deal with historical issues that do not concern them? Since when has it
been fashionable for a friend to backstab a friend for another friend?

Democrats should think twice before they hypocritically talk about
something they don’t especially have knowledge on. Even Murtha said
that some of the sponsors have given their support without even
knowing what it was about. This is the reality of American politics
chasing money support and vote counts, insted of really dealing with
rational foreign policy issues.

Bottom line, House Representatives are finally realizing that their
interest in the Middle East will be harmed, if they do pass this
resolution. However it looks like this issue will only be placed on
a shelf and dealt with once the war in Iraq is over from what there
is to understand from their statements.

Professor Stanford Shaw of Bilkent University, who passed away
last year, said that there is enough evidence in American military
archives to reveal the truth that such allegations are wrong, and
that no genocide has occured. Indeed if American Representatives are
so concerned about the issue why don’t they open up their archives
and let historians decide on the truth. What is more believable,
the opinion of a majority of current U.S. Representatives voting on
an issue that has happened almost 100 years ago, or the opinion of
a group of expert historians (a procedure the Armenians do not want)
who will analyze historical evidences?