Author: Vorskanian Yeghisabet

"THE ARMENIANS OF JAVAKHK SHOULD UNITE AROUND THE STRUGGLE FOR THEIR RIGHTS"

AZG Armenian Daily
13/06/2009

Javakhk

Interview with Sevak Artsruni, the President of "Yerkir" Union of
Non-Governmental Organizations for Repatriation and Settlement

– It is about two months that the jury gave Javakhk Armenian political
activist Vahagn Chakhalian’s verdict on April 7, 2009. During that
time, the Armenian community of France organized two demonstrations
in support of Vahagn Chakhalian, the representatives of the Armenian
community of Switzerland met with the Georgian Ambassador of the
country. FIDH international authoritative human rights organization
made an announcement condemning Vahagn Chakhalian’s trial. How do
the Georgian authorities respond to these processes?

– Though Vahagn Chakhalian’s case is a part of protection for the
rights of the Armenians of Javakhk, as he is in prison because of his
actions directed to the protection for the rights of Javakhk Armenians,
it is better to review the processes of protection for the rights of
Vahagn Chakhalian and the Armenians of Javakhk separately in order
to assess the situation more thoroughly.

After Vahagn Chakhalian’s sentence, several facts were fixed during
these two months. First, the Georgian authorities sentencing Vahagn
Chakhalian to ten years in prison hoped that the Javakhk Armenian
political activist would fall into despair and lose his determination
to struggle. But on the contrary, the unjust verdict gave him more
strength and determination. He refused to sign the appeal for mercy
and shows endurance in spite of the pressure on him in the prison.

Second, at present a consistent work is being carried on to move
Vahagn Chakhalian’s issue in the field of Georgian inner public
discussions. A new attorney Nino Andriashvilli is involved in Vahagn
Chakhalian’s case. Vahagn set a task that she should carry on work
with local, Georgian media, human rights organizations, and civil
society institutions to present the false accusations against him,
and the outrageous violations during the investigation Third, "Yerkir"
Union consistently works with Diaspora communities and international
human rights institutions to enlarge the support front of Vahagn
Chakhalian. We hope to obtain good results soon.

One thing is clear; the outward unyielding position of the Georgian
authorities on Chakhalian’s case is not a result of their strength but
their weakness. They became the hostages of their own wrong decision
on Vahagn Chakhalian’s arrest taken on July 21, 2008. Instead of
correcting it, the Georgian authorities made new mistakes plunging
deeper into it.

However, what is failed in case of Vahagn Chakhalian, the Georgian
authorities seem to succeed in Javakhk. Today the atmosphere of fear,
persecution and impunity of some officials – started from July of
last year, when the arrests took place – continues. The Georgian
authorities are making every effort to keep up the present situation.

– What is the reason for the Georgian authorities’ similar posture?

– There are numerous reasons, but we should separate two of
them. First, it seems to Saakashvili administration that the lever
for transit road is enough to make Armenians not to worry about
their brother’s fate in Javakhk. Actually, with this the Georgian
authorities decide our national priorities instead of us. But it is
a misunderstanding. The Armenian nation cannot make any demographic
or territorial retreat.

The second and maybe the most important reason is that the Georgian
authorities and the special services can easily make use of the
disarray among the Armenians of Javakhk – their incompetence to pursue
one common aim with one common front and to carry on a consistent
struggle.

– Don’t you think that Georgia’s uncompromising posture has
geopolitical bases?

– No, absolutely not, it’s a fallacy. Today Georgia is in a difficult
geopolitical situation. As a result of its improvident policy, it has
already lost a part of its territory. Moreover, the geopolitical split
in Georgia disrupts the society little by little. And the international
institutions that one and an a half-two years ago perceived Georgia as
a "Torch-bearer of democracy" in the region today more and more loudly
express their concern about the authoritarian style of Saakashvili
administration and human rights violations as a result of it.

Georgia is isolated in the international political arena; it loses
its geopolitical role step-by-step becoming a geopolitical tool. The
Saakashvili administration that clutches at the authority has no longer
an inner power, and it can only restrain the Georgian opposition and
people’s insurrection by obediently executing different power’s will.

Georgia being in similar difficult geopolitical situation has no
resources to stand up against the Armenians of Javakhk that struggle
for their just rights.

– It is rather a long time that Yerkir Union raises the alarm about
the issues of the Armenians of Javakhk. Isn’t it a sufficient impulse
for Armenians to unite around the mentioned issue?

– In cooperation with the international corresponding institutions
and with the support of some Diaspora communities, in three years we
succeeded in creating all components of the All-Armenian conception
of protection for the rights of Armenians of Javakhk based on the
international law; protection of human and national minorities rights.

However, the main bearers of the rights of Armenians in Javakhk are
naturally the Armenians of Javakhk and the political institution that
acts and speaks on behalf of them. Unfortunately, similar institution
does not exist. And it naturally weakens the All-Armenian front that
is forming round this issue.

I want to believe that eventually we’ll succeed to form a political
unit in Javakhk and Armenia that becoming the bearer of the
Javakhk Armenians’ rights will be able to act having a clear and
unanimous political position based and concentrated on one purpose
– implementation of the Javakhk Armenians’ linguistic-educational,
cultural, religious, social-economic and other rights corresponding
to the international norms.

The steps of Yerkir Union or any other organization will not be of
full value until the Armenians of Javakhk will unite around this
struggle with combined forces.

– Georgian President will visit Armenia in the nearest future. As
regards this, the idea of Armenian-Georgian friendship is being
underlined continuously. What real steps are being taken to strengthen
that "friendship"?

– The geopolitical interests of Armenia and Georgia may coincide, if
Georgia wants it. Because of Saakashvili’s pro-Turkish geopolitical
position, unfortunately the Armenian-Georgian relations embrace
only the framework of the trade over the transit roads. From this
perspective, the fact of existence of the Javakhk Armenians jeopardizes
Georgia’s interests, as the geographical location of Javakhk involves
the resources that can release Armenia from the status of a "road
beggar".

I want to repeat that similar format of relations is established
because of Georgia. The speeches about the Armenian-Georgian
"friendship" are groundless and idle, as Georgia deals with
Armenia from the position of self-interested materialist and
exploiter-monopolist. I don’t think that the Armenian side isn’t
fully aware of it.

– How do you picture the future of the struggle for the rights of
Armenians in Javakhk?

– In the third millennium, the state borders lost and continue to lose
their one-time meaning. Being in the political territory of Georgia
but populated by Armenians and being a part of the Armenian plateau,
Javakhk will remain Armenian as long as Armenians live there.

Georgia as a modern state is obliged to take into consideration
this fact.

I am confident that the future of Javakhk is not in the hands of
Georgian or Armenian authorities but the Armenians of Javakhk.

The Armenians of Javakhk should unite around the struggle for their
rights. Mercenary and obsequiousness are inexcusable things. The
imperative is clear. The public-political figures of Javakhk should
consolidate round the started struggle for the status of the Church
and Armenian language, foundation of Armenian University in Javakhk
and stopping of political persecutions.

The Armenians of Georgia need leaders versed in international law
and experienced in politics, who will be able to present and protect
their rights everywhere – in Akhalkalak, Tbilisi, Yerevan, Strasbourg,
Washington, etc. It is time the Armenians of Javakhk present themselves
as fighters for their rights.

TURKISH MINISTER SAYS NABUCCO AGREEMENT MAY BE POSTPONED TO JULY

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
11.06.2009 17:42 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The signing of a key intergovernmental agreement on
the European Union’s Nabucco gas pipeline may be postponed to July,
Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said Thursday.

Yildiz said it was not clear if the agreement would include a clause on
Turkey’s demand for discounted prices on 15 percent of the gas pumped
through the Nabucco pipeline. "What is important is the provision of
Turkey’s supply safety. We can provide this either from Nabucco or
other energy-producer countries," he was quoted by news agencies as
telling reporters in Ankara.

Yildiz’s remarks came a couple days after European Energy Commissioner
Andris Piebalgs said the agreement would be signed by early July
at the latest. At a meeting in Prague in May, the EU and Turkey had
said they wanted to wrap up talks on the Nabucco deal "as quickly as
possible (and) to sign it by the end of June 2009.", Hurriyet Daily
News reported.

The 3,300-kilometer Nabucco pipeline is due to bring gas from the
Caspian Sea to Austria via Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary,
while bypassing Russia, in a bid to reduce Europe’s energy dependence
on Moscow.

EXPECTATIONS FROM NIKOYAN’S COMMISSION ARE WORSE

LRAGIR.AM
16:02:22 – 11/06/2009

The Heritage and the Armenian National Congress members of the fact
finding group, Seda Safaryan and Andranik Kocharyan, on June 11,
dwelling on the activities of the former fact-finding group, in
particular on the intermediate report on Hamlet Tadevosyan’s death,
which they sent to the NA temporary commission to study March 1,
stated that in reality the head of the group Vahe Stepanyan also
signed the very report.

In this connection, Andranik Kocharyan expressed his surprise in
relation to Samvel Nikoyan’s speech on the TV, "First he stated that
the document was very seriously prepared, and then he states that
there is nothing in it, there are breaches of the procedure. Then
he dwelt on the loss of the flak jacket, without realizing why the
jacket was lost", stated Andranik Kocharyan. According to him, for
Nikoyan it was necessary to read the report a little attentively and
he would understand that the jacket was not lost but hidden.

Andranik Kocharyan stated that Tadevosyan’s clothes were sent to the
special investigative service in one bag and the investigator did
not notice that the jacket disappeared by the simple reason that if
he found the jacket he would be able to find out the exact placeer
of the explosion

According to him, the commission after reading the report, the NA
commission had nothing else to do but to dissolve Vahagn Harutunyan’s
investigative service, stated Andranik Kocharyan.

Seda Safaryan is sure that Samvel Nikoyan’s commission will not
reveal the March 1. Seda Safaryan even stated that she had much worse
expectations form Nikoyan’s commission than from the prosecutor’s
office and from the investigative body.

SARKISIAN ALLY SWORN IN AS MAYOR OF YEREVAN

an-ally-sworn-in-as-mayor-of-yerevan/
Jun 11, 2009

YEREVAN (Combined Sources)-Gagik Beglaryan, a key ally of President
Serzh Sarkisian, was sworn in as Mayor of Yerevan on Wednesday despite
allegations by local and international observers that the May 31
elections in Yerevan were marred by widespread fraud and misconduct.

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation and Armenia’s other opposition
groups have rejected the official vote results as fraudulent, alleging
widespread vote buying, use of "administrative resources" by the
governing parties and voter intimidation by government-connected
individuals.

The inauguration ceremony took place at a special session of Yerevan’s
newly elected municipal less than a week after the Central Election
Commission (CEC) released the final results of the polls. According
to them, Sarkisian’s Republican Party of Armenia won 47.4 percent of
the vote, giving it 35 of the 65 seats in the Council of Elders.

The Armenian National Congress, which won 13 seats in the council,
has refused to participate, effectively cutting the number of seats
in the council to 52.

Under Armenian law, the top candidate of a party or bloc winning
more than 40 percent of the vote shall automatically become
mayor. Beglarian, who headed the Republican Party’s electoral list
and has run the Yerevan municipality since March, was thus declared
mayor by the municipal council on Monday.

Beglarian accepted a mayoral necklace from one of the councilors
and took an oath of office in the presence of President Sarkisian,
the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Catholicos Garegin II,
and other dignitaries.

Putting his right hand on a law on local self-governance in Yerevan
enacted last December, he pledged to respect Armenia’s constitution,
laws and decisions taken by the Council of Elders.

President Serzh Sarkisian, who spoke at the inauguration, insisted
that the elections in Yerevan marked a significant step forward in
Armenia’s democratization.

"I wish you to live up to the expectations and hopes of the voters
and not let down your supporters and us in the first instance,"
Sarkisian said. He noted that Beglarian will have "much fewer levers
to make decisions single-handedly" than his presidentially appointed
predecessors had.

"But that doesn’t mean that the mayor’s role and share of
responsibility will decrease," continued Sarkisian. "And for that we,
Yerevan residents, expect a new work style."

That, according to the president, means fulfilling "every pledge,"
respecting laws, and "loving Yerevan residents with heart and soul." "I
believe that Mr. Beglarian can be such a mayor," he said.

Sarkisian further stated that the May 31 polls showed that the
Armenian authorities "can and must organize good elections in which
vicious phenomena will be rooted out one by one." He said they must
therefore ensure that future elections are judged by Armenians and
the international community to "greatly or fully correspondent to
international standards."

"The constitutional right to form a government by means of elections
must become an undisputed principle in our value system," he added.

The inauguration and Sarkisian’s remarks come a day after an
announcement by the US Millennium Challenge Corporation that it has cut
nearly one third of a $235.6 million aid program for Armenia because
of the government’s deteriorated human rights record and democratic
practices. The $67 million project to reconstruct and repair about
1,000 kilometers of Armenian rural roads, had already been frozen
following a harsh government crackdown on the Armenian opposition
sparked by the disputed presidential election of February 2008.

ARMENIA LOST THROUGH THE FAULT OF FULLBACKS

A1+
12:37 pm | June 10, 2009

Sports

"Armenia lost to Turkey 2:5 as the Armenian team lacks high-class
fullbacks," Chief Coach of Armenia U-21 Flemming Seritsle.

"Out of four defensemen only Karen Khachatryan plays in the main
team. Others don’t play in Armenian teams. As you know the Armenian
championship is far from being the strongest," notes Mr. Flemming.

Asked whether the choice of the goalkeeper Edward Hovhannisyan was
wise, Mr. Flemming said: "Both Edward and I thought that he was ready
for the match. I think that he cannot be blamed for the goals. The
defence was to be more careful."

The Danish coach was much discouraged with the defeat of the Armenian
team.

"All footballs feel sorry for the match outcome. But I must also
give an appraisal of the boys who didn’t give up and competed till
the last moment."

EBRD TO EARMARK 180 MILLION EURO FOR ARMENIA’S 2009-2010 ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

ARKA
June 9, 2009

YEREVAN, June 9. /ARKA/. EBRD is prepared to invest over 180 million
Euro across various sectors of the Armenian economy over the next
two years, according to EBRD’s latest strategy for Armenia.

Serving as a roadmap for EBRD’s activity, the strategy for 2009-2010
focuses on areas that will help the country alleviate the effects of
the economic downturn.

Although Armenia is not directly exposed to the turmoil on the
global capital markets, the crisis will reach the country through
diminishing remittances and declining exports. Armenia’s fledging
prosperity is likely to be severely tested in the difficult years
ahead, and the country’s best hope for weathering the crisis lies
in further developing its small and medium enterprises, EBRD says in
its statement.

Under these circumstances, EBRD will uphold its commitment to support
private micro, small and medium-sized enterprises by providing
necessary financing for the development of this sector through local
partner banks.

At the same time, EBRD vows staunch support to Armenian banks
by offering credits for on-lending, and by introducing such new
products as energy efficiency loans. EBRD will selectively pursue
equity participation in Armenia’s leading banks and will encourage
consolidation of the banking sector.

In the public sector, EBRD will also support projects w hich promote
transition and sector reform.

EBRD strategy notes that progress in structural reform in Armenia
has slowed down in recent years, and that significant challenges
need to be addressed to promote an investment-friendly environment
in the country. The Bank has identified a number of important issues
that need to be addressed, including diversification of the Armenian
economy, improving the competitiveness of export-oriented production,
promoting competition and limiting monopolies, tackling corruption,
strengthening the financial sector and promoting commercialisation
of public infrastructure.

To maximise the benefits of its investments in Armenia, the Bank will
maintain policy dialogue with local authorities in order to advance
structural and legislative reforms in the country, which will also
increase Armenia’s investment appeal among potential investors.

Over the past four years, EBRD’s investment in Armenia has more than
quadrupled and reached 125 million Euro across 43 projects. EBRD’s
pipeline for next two years in Armenia includes over 30 projects,
for investments in excess of 180 million.

EBRD is the largest single investor in Armenia. To date the Bank has
committed over 240 million Euro in 64 projects in all major sectors
of the economy.

Owned by 61 countries and two intergovernmental institutions, EBRD
is supporting the development of market economies and democracies
from Central Europe to Central20Asia.

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Karine Abalyan
Tel: (212) 686-0710; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

June 8, 2009

_______________________________

SPORTS CHAMPIONS

Best Overall Team: St. Leon Church, N.J.

Sportsman of the Tournament: Eric Halejian

Basketball: First Place, St. Leon Church, Fair Lawn, N.J.

Second Place, Holy Martyrs Church, Bayside, N.Y.

Third Place: St. Vartan Cathedral, New York, N.Y.

Volleyball: First Place, St. James Church, Watertown, Mass.

Second Place, St. Leon Church, Fair Lawn, N.J.

Third Place: St. Mary’s Church, Washington, D.C.

Tennis: Women’s, Oksona Manoukian

Doubles, Amy Ishkanian and Scott Herdemian

Chess: Ari Terjanian

Tavloo: Eric Ashbahian

Ping Pong: Hayk Arustamyan

_______________________________

MORE THAN SPORTS ON OFFER AT ACYOA SPORTS WEEKEND

More than 250 participants arrived at the IBM Dolce Palisades Center in
Palisades, N.Y. on the evening of Friday, May 22 for the launch of this
year’s ACYOA Sports Weekend.

In addition to athletic competitions, which were held at the nearby St.
Lawrence Community Center and at the newly-built Education and Recreation
Center at St. Leon Armenian Church in Fair Lawn, N.J., the program featured
a film festival, guest speakers, dance workshops conducted by the Antranig
Dance Ensemble, and a virtual athletics tournament using the Wii video-game
technology.

On Saturday, May 23, Eric Hachikian spoke to participants about his
documentary, "Voyage to Amasia," which was inspired by the life of his late
grandmother, Helen Shushan. The film tells the story of Hachikian’s family
during the Armenian Genocide and incorporates a piano trio composition
Hachikian performed at Carnegie Hall in 2005.

Linda Yepoyan, executive director of Birthright Armenia, encouraged young
people to volunteer in Armenia, describing the opportunities available at
various business, government, and cultural centers throughout the country.

On Saturday evening, ACYOA members traveled to Manhattan to enjoy the music
of Robert Chilingirian at the Hudson Terrace. A nighttime New York City
scene served as a sparkling backdrop for the reception and dance.

On Sunday, May 24, the Rev. Fr. Stepanos Doudoukjian celebrated the Divine
Liturgy, with Archbishop Khajag Barsamian presiding.

The Very Rev. Fr. Daniel Findikyan, dean of St. Nersess Armenian Seminary,
delivered the day’s sermon, reminding participants of Christ’s love and
forgiveness and asking them to help share the Good News with other
Armenians.

"Too many people just have not heard the word of God," Fr. Findikyan said,
stressing that it’s all the more critical to ensure the preservation of the
Armenian Church by training a new generation of young men to serve as
priests in the Armenian-American community.

"We need to be working together to find those people who are going to serve
the church full-time, and especially those young men who are going to take
the courageous step to come forward and do the best job there is in this
world," he said.

As sports competitions drew to a close on Sunday, ACYOA members gathered for
a banquet to honor the weekend’s champions and to applaud the many people
who worked hard to organize this year’s events.

"I’m very pleased with the outcome of this weekend," Archbishop Barsamian
told participants at the banquet.

Following a farewell brunch on Monday, May 25, ACYOA members departed for
their home parishes.

Participant Taleen Kachigyan, of St. Leon Church, said she enjoyed taking
part in the varied activities offered throughout the weekend.

"The ACYOA is really great," she said, "Because it brings all your Armenian
friends closer together."

The weekend was organized by a regional committee, co-chaired by Alex
Derderian and Lydia Kurkjian. Other committee members include Deanna
Cachoian-Schanz, Talar Camcikyan, Michael Givelekian, Jim Ishkhanian, Anita
Jayawant, Alex Lerian, Jon Pelaez, Vrej Pilavdjian, Christine Royland, and
Aleen Tovmasian. The Rev. Fr. Shnork Souin served as the spiritual advisor,
and Maria Derderian as the advisor-at-large.

###

PHOTO CAPTIONS

Photo 9: A basketball game underway at the ACYOA Sports Weekend in
Palisades, NY.

Photo 10: A basketball game underway at the ACYOA Sports Weekend in
Palisades, NY.

Photo 11: Linda Yepoyan, executive director of Birthright Armenia, speaks
about volunteering in Armenia.

Photo 12: A dance workshop conducted by the Antranig Dance Ensemble.

Photo 13: Altar servers assist in the celebration of the Divine Liturgy.

Photo 16: A chess competition underway at the ACYOA Sports Weekend.

Photo 17: Participants play ping-pong as part of Sports Weekend activities.

Photo 18: A tavloo competition was one of many contests taking place during
the ACYOA Sports Weekend.

Photo 19: The newly-built Education and Recreation Center at St. Leon
Armenian Church in Fair Lawn, N.J., welcomed Sports Weekend participants.

Photo 20: Lydia Kurkjian; Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the
Eastern Diocese; and Alex Derderian pose for a group photo at Sunday’s
banquet. Lydia Kurkjian and Alex Derderian co-chaired the Sports Weekend
regional committee.

PRIEST FOUND DEAD AT JERUSALEM’S HOLY SEPULCHER

Agence France Presse
June 9 2009
France

JERUSALEM (AFP) — A 34-year-old priest was found dead on Tuesday at
the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, where most Christians
believe Jesus was crucified and buried, officials said.

The cleric, thought to be an Armenian, was found at the bottom of
a flight of stairs and appears to have fallen, a police spokesman
told AFP.

"The priest fell down and passed away," Micky Rosenfeld said. "His
death was not the result of a criminal act."

The Holy Sepulchre, considered by most Christians to be their faith’s
holiest site, is uneasily shared by six denominations, including
Greek Orthodox, Armenians and Roman Catholics.

"The Armenians are in a state of shock," said Father Fergus Clarke,
the senior Franciscan monk at the church, who spoke with the dead
man’s colleagues shortly after the incident.

"They tried to revive him but unfortunately it was too late," he said.

Tensions among the various denominations are not uncommon, erupting
most recently last November when a brawl broke out between Greek and
Armenian monks after a mass at the church.

ACCORDING TO HANRAPETUTIUN PARTY REPRESENTATIVE, MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE IN CONTEXT OF NAGORNO KARABAKH SETTLEMENT IS ARTSAKH PEOPLE’S SECURITY

NOYAN TAPAN
JUNE 8, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JUNE 8, NOYAN TAPAN. The Nagorno Karabakh conflict cannot
be solved through negotiations until Armenia and Azerbaijan renounce
the formulation "Karabakh is ours." Suren Sureniants, a member of
the Hanrapetutiun (Republic) party Political Board, expressed such
an opinion at the June 5 press conference. According to him, if today
the Armenian side rejects the document proposed on the basis of Madrid
principles, a more unfavorable proposal on settlement will appear in
10 years. S. Sureniants added that a variant much more favorable for
the Armenian side was on the negotiations table 10 years ago, and
history showed that the more time passes the worse the variants become.

In his words, Nagorno Karabakh problem’s settlement is a necessity, as
Armenia cannot develop in a blockade. And, as S. Sureniants emphasized,
concessions are compulsory in the context of problem settlement. "For
me, the most important is Nagorno Karabakh people’s internationally
guaranteed security and Karabakh’s being Armenian. After all,
we liberated the seven territories proceeding from local people’s
security," he mentioned.

TURKISH-ARMENIAN DEAL ON COURSE, CLINTON SAYS

Hurriyet
June 8 2009
Turkey

WASHINGTON – US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says in a press
conference that the process between Turkey and Armenia aiming to
normalize their ties continues positively. Although there have been
no concrete steps taken by either state since late April, Clinton
says Washington strongly supports the process including a road map.

Despite a lack of visible progress since late April when Turkey and
Armenia jointly pledged to normalize their ties, U.S. Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton has said that the deal was on track and that
Washington strongly supported the process.

Clinton was speaking after a Friday meeting with Foreign Minister
Ahmet Davutoglu at the State Department.

With Switzerland standing as observer, Turkey and Armenia jointly
said April 22 that they would work to normalize their relations and
that a road map had been drawn up for that.

Although it has not been made public, the road map is believed to
include a set of steps, including the creation of full diplomatic ties,
and more importantly, the opening of the two neighbors’ land border.

Turkey was one of the first nations to recognize Armenia’s independence
from the disintegrating Soviet Union in 1991, but has never set up
diplomatic relations because of a war between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Ankara also closed in 1993 the land border after the Armenian
invasion and occupation of the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh and part
of Azerbaijan proper. A fragile cease-fire is in place, but a peace
agreement has never been signed.

Azerbaijan is concerned over the possibility that Turkey may
normalize ties with Armenia without progress toward the solution of
the Nagorno-Karabakh problem.

Relieving Azerbaijani worries, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
pledged in Baku in early May that Turkey would not open the Armenian
border without a Karabakh solution.

On the U.S. front, American Armenians are pressuring the administration
and Congress for formal recognition of World War I-era killings of
Armenians in the Ottoman empire as "genocide," and analysts warn
that without a normalization of ties between Ankara and Yerevan,
this matter will remain a threat for Turkey.

But at the Washington meeting with Foreign Minister Davutoglu,
Clinton struck a hopeful note that the normalization would take place.

Swiss assistance "I have been very encouraged by the progress that has
been made and by the commitment of the governments involved. Certainly
Turkey and Armenia, with the assistance of the Swiss government,
have committed themselves to a process of normalization," she said.

"We’re well aware that this is difficult. It requires patience
and perseverance. But we have seen no flagging of commitment," she
said. "We believe that a lot of progress has been made in a relatively
short period of time to resolve issues that are of long standing."

Clinton said that Azerbaijan and Armenia were also working on the
Karabakh problem.

Davutoglu said: "we are fully committed to our normalization process
with Armenia."

He also said that "on the main regional issues like the Middle East,
Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Caucasus, Black Sea, and all the relevant
issues, we have a common agenda."

Washington’s support "I am very happy to see that we have very
identical, similar approaches to many of these issues," he said.

Clinton reiterated Washington’s support for Turkey in the fight against
the Kurdistan Workers’ Party’s (PKK) terrorism and her backing for
Turkey’s eventual membership to the European Union.Davutoglu is due
to visit Afghanistan and Pakistan this week. The threat raised by
radical Islamist insurgents in both countries is on the top of the
United States’ international agenda.

Earlier last week, Turkish and U.S. officials talked about the
possibility of the Turkish military’s training support for the
Pakistani army on counterinsurgency.