Author: Zaminian Bedik

US AID BUDGET TO EURASIA: A MONUMENT TO "INTER-AGENCY PETTINESS"
Joshua Kucera

EurasiaNet
Feb 12 2008
NY

Aid for almost every country in the former Soviet Union will be
falling in 2008, under the current foreign affairs budget released
by the US State Department. Much of the planned US assistance will go
toward helping independent-minded states in the region resist Russian
efforts to reassert its dominance in the Caspian Basin and elsewhere.

Even so, some Washington experts lament the drop-off in aid, and
describe the dwindling budgets in recent years as "monuments to weak
analysis, inter-agency pettiness, and trite bureaucratic formuli."

Overall, the budget for the Freedom Support Act, which provides aid
to former Soviet states, is $346 million for fiscal year 2009, which
actually starts on October 1, 2008. That is down from $396 million
in fiscal 2008, and $452 million the year before that.

The aid is heavily weighted toward countries with a pro-Western
orientation like Georgia and Ukraine, and it is designed "to promote
economic and energy independence, help diversify export markets,
and improve democratic governance in the face of increasing Russian
economic and political pressure," according to documents that the
State Department released to justify the budget.

Aid to Turkmenistan has been increased, though modestly. Freedom
Support Act aid, to support education, economic reform, civil society
reform and health care, went up from $5.4 million to $8 million.

Turkmenistan would also get a small amount of military aid – $150,000
for weapons and equipment – after being denied such aid last year.

"A new focus for assistance is Turkmenistan, where the funding
request is increased as the United States seeks to capitalize on new
opportunities to promote economic, democratic, and social sector reform
following the death of President Saparmurat Niyazov in December 2006,"
the State Department documents said. US officials are desperately
trying to woo Ashgabat into participating in the Trans-Caspian
Pipeline, an energy export route that could critically weaken the
Kremlin’s control of the oil & gas glow out of Central Asia. [For
background see the Eurasia Insight archive].

The budget for assistance to Armenia is $24 million, down from $58
million disbursed in fiscal year 2008. Aid to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan and Uzbekistan is down, as well.

Washington analysts bemoaned the meager budgets devoted to the
Caucasus and Central Asia. "Central Asia and the Caucasus present
largely Muslim societies that look positively to the West, maintain
secular governments, and are open to modern thinking. Any sensible
appreciation of the United States’ interests would lead to their
being given generous support. Instead, Washington itself is forcibly
weaning them from their US ties, using the budget as its tool," said
S. Frederick Starr, chairman of the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute
in Washington.

"Both the current and proposed budgets for Central Asia and the
Caucasus are monuments to weak analysis, inter-agency pettiness, and
trite bureaucratic formuli," Starr continued. "It is hard to imagine a
wider gulf between the US’s real interests and its budgetary actions."

Just a few years ago, the Bush administration cast itself as a
champion of global democratization. But now such rhetoric has all
but disappeared. "If Central Asia is among the ‘most authoritarian
regions,’" Starr asked, "why are we not investing more heavily in
programs to make it less so? And why are we paying prosperous and
authoritarian Russia for ineffective ‘conflict mitigation’ in the
North Caucasus when Russia itself is fomenting and abetting conflict
in the South Caucasus?"

Military aid to Eurasian countries rose slightly. Foreign Military
Financing, which funds weapons and equipment purchases, would go up to
$20.7 million from $17.5 million last year, driven mainly by increases
in Kazakhstan and Georgia. Under the budget proposal, Georgia would
get more than half of the entire region’s military aid, $11 million.

Funds for International Military Education and Training in the states
of the Caucasus and Central Asia would drop slightly, from $4.9
million last year to $4.7 million. Azerbaijan would get $900,000
as opposed to $300,000 for Armenia, both amounts similar to what
was disbursed last year. Armenian lobbying groups seized upon the
imbalance, despite the modest amounts.

"Given Azerbaijan’s increased war rhetoric, I have strong concerns with
giving any military aid to Azerbaijan, and we definitely should not
give them more than we’re providing Armenia," said Joe Knollenberg,
a Republican from Michigan and the head of the Congressional Armenia
Caucus, in a statement released by the Armenian Assembly of America.

Meanwhile, many of the states surrounding the Caucasus and Central
Asia stand to receive aid amounts that dwarf those to be given to
the former Soviet states. Afghanistan, for example, is to get $250
million in counter-narcotics money, down slightly from last year,
and $707 million to for democratization and economic development.

Meanwhile, military aid to Pakistan is due to reach $300 million,
the same level it has been at for several years, and Islamabad would
also get $453 million for democratization and economic development.

Washington also intends to spend $65 million to "support the
aspirations of the Iranian people for a democratic and open society
by promoting civil society, civic participation, media freedom and
freedom of information." It would also launch broadcasts of the Radio
Free Europe/Radio Liberty Azerbaijani service into Iran, where at
least a quarter of the population is ethnically Azeri.

"What’s troubling, but not unexpected, is this pull to crisis
situations like Afghanistan and Pakistan means that attention to
long-term goals to places like Central Asia is jeopardized. That’s
the thing that really stood out to me," said Sean Roberts, the
Central Asian Affairs Fellow at Georgetown University. "It’s kind of
unfortunate that the short term trumps the long-term perspective.

It’s good that they’re planning to have some extra money allotted
to Turkmenistan, but it’s not that significant when you look at the
grand scheme of things."

Editor’s Note: Joshua Kucera is a Washington, DC,-based freelance
writer who specializes in security issues in Central Asia, the Caucasus
and the Middle East.

ISRAEL MOURNS HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR LANTOS

Agence France Presse
Feb 11 2008

JERUSALEM (AFP) – Israel on Monday hailed the late US congressman Tom
Lantos, a Hungarian-born Holocaust survivor who played a key role in
rallying US support for the Jewish state.

Israel "expresses great sorrow" over the loss of the 80-year-old
Lantos, who died earlier the same day from cancer of the esophagus,
the foreign ministry said.

Lantos "was a leader in promoting Israeli-US ties in Congress. His
commitment to human rights and the commemoration of the Holocaust
were the pillars of his public work," it said.

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said that "Israel owes a great debt to
Lantos for dedicating himself to promoting Israeli-US ties and his
activities for the Jewish people."

Born in Budapest to a Jewish family in February 1928, Lantos was 16
when Nazi Germany occupied Hungary. As a teenager, he was a member
of the anti-Nazi resistance and later of the anti-Communist student
movement.

After the Soviets invaded Hungary, he discovered that most of his
family had died in the Holocaust. By 1947, he was in the United
States on an academic scholarship and became an economics professor
in San Francisco.

He was elected to Congress in 1980 where he served as the chairman
of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Since the Democrats regained control of Congress in 2006 elections,
Lantos used his committee to launch strident appeals for greater US
action on human rights in China, Darfur, Myanmar and Russia.

Under his stewardship, the committee voted in October to describe the
mass slaughter of Armenians under the Ottoman Empire as "genocide"
— plunging US relations with Turkey into crisis.

RELIGIOUS MINORITIES HAIL REVOLUTION VALUES

PRESS TV
Feb 11 2008
Iran

Several leading members of Iran’s religious minorities have described
the country’s Islamic Revolution as a mutual return to faith.

Iranian Christian and Zoroastrian leaders gathered in Isfahan for a
ceremony of monotheistic faiths to commemorate the 29th anniversary
of the Islamic Revolution, IRNA reported on Monday.

"The sacrifice of life is of great value to our homeland, regardless
of the religion or sect of the person who gives up life and limb for
a noble cause," said Zoroastrian MP Kourosh Niknam at the gathering.

"Contrary to what foreigners may believe, this revolution did not
separate us from Iran and Muslims. It brought us together more than
ever before," he added.

Also speaking at the ceremony, the head of the Isfahan Armenian
Council, Verje Bermard Diorisian, said that Iran’s ‘great leader’ (the
late Ayatollah Rouhollah Khomeini) had blazed a ‘new and spiritual’
trail toward freedom.

The religious leaders present at the ceremony issued a statement at the
end of the gathering, wherein they described the 1979 revolution as a
‘holy’ return to religion roots, stressed the importance of maintaining
national unity and emphasized the importance of participation in the
revolution of various religious groups.

The Guardian (London) – Final Edition
February 9, 2008 Saturday

Sport: Useless but true

GUARDIAN SPORT PAGES; Pg. 16

Tennis ace David Nalbandian, among Britain’s torturers in this
weekend’s Davis Cup tie, is of Armenian descent – as was Andre
Agassi. This means that Armenia is a more successful tennis-playing
nation than we are, based on Grand Slam finalists in the last 20
years

ARMENIAN FOOTBALL NATIONAL TEAM FINDS SATISFACTION IN SECOND PLACE IN
MALTA INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT

LA VALLETTA, FEBRUARY 8, NOYAN TAPAN. On February 6 the International
Football Tournament finished in Malta. In the last game the Armenian
national team was defeated by the team of Iceland with the score of
0:2. The Belarus-Malta game finished with the 1:0 score.

The team of Belarus was recognized winner of the tournament with 6
points and was awarded the cup. The team of Armenia earned 6 points,
which took second place because of the difference in the goals. The
football players of Iceland and Malta took the following two places
with three points.

Lragir, Armenia
Feb 8 2008

OMBUDSMAN IS DISSATISFIED WITH PUBLIC TELEVISION

I am dissatisfied with the coverage on the Public Television, before
the election process. The human rights defender Armen Harutiunyan
voiced his dissatisfaction February 8 at the Hayeli club, answering
the question of a reporter whether in the period of the election the
human rights defender can defend the right of the citizens if the
right for information is violated.

`I should note that the private channels, their mindset, they
approach, their policy is a little different, and in all countries
Public Televisions should guarantee pluralism. They must guarantee
pluralism. In most cases, with its media the Public Television seems
to become one of the poles, responds to one political activist or
another through its reporters, meanwhile it is supposed to provide
coverage, and it is up to the society to measure objectivity. In this
connection, I have noticed bias before the presidential process. They
have made efforts for more parity but there are a lot of things to
do, and I think the right of the citizens for information is violated
in this connection,’ Armen Harutiunyan says.

The reporters asked whether he will be able to protect this right?
`All I can do is to make a statement, and I will continue if this
tendency persists,’ says the human rights defender.

PanARMENIAN.Net

AAC Georgian Diocese awaiting legal status
08.02.2008 18:25 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ `We have numerously submitted
motions in the parliament which should ratify the
legal status of the Armenian Apostolic Church. But we
have received no response so far,’ Primate of the
Georgian Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church,
Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan said in an interview with
PanARMENIAN.Net.

`The AAC Georgian Diocese jointly with Yerkir
organization has organized an address to the UN
Commission on Human Rights. By the way, no confession
has legal status in Georgia owing to resistance of the
Georgian Orthodox Church which erroneously thinks that
other confessions encroach on its authority. Like
Greeks and Muslims, our only wish is to return our
churches and property. By the way, we have normal
relations with the spiritual leader of Muslims of
Georgia,’ he said.

ARMENIA FIRST TO OBTAIN RUSSIAN SUKHOI SUPERJET-100

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.02.2008 15:25 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia will be the first state to exploit Russian
Sukhoi SuperJet-100, Russia’s Transport Minister Igor Levitin said.

Armavia national carrier will purchase jets in 2008 in compliance
with a $50-million contact was sealed last September.

Sukhoi Superjet-100 is one of Russia’s major projects in civil
aviation building. Initially, the jets were supposed to be sold abroad,
Lenta.ru reports.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version: nian.htm

RESPONDING TO THE CALL OF 138 MUSLIM RELIGIOUS LEADERS

"THE STRENGTHENING OF CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM COOPERATION
IS AN URGENT IMPERATIVE"

SAYS CATHOLICOS ARAM I

About three months ago 138 internationally renowned Muslim scholars, clerics
and intellectuals issued a joint call to Christianity- "A common word
between us and you"- inviting Christian leaders to dialogue and cooperation.

In their call, Muslim spiritual leaders had put a special emphasis on the
concept of love. They underlined the importance of loving one’s neighbor as
a tangible expression of humanity’s love towards God. While acknowledging
the differences between Christianity and Islam, the statement said: "our
differences should not be a reason for deep hatred and tension. It is
essential that we respect each other and be noble and fair towards one
another, living in an atmosphere of peace and harmony."

The 21-page appeal was sent by the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic
Thought to church leaders and ecumenical organizations. His Holiness Aram I
also received a copy.

Responding to the call with a letter, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I
welcomed the initiative of Muslim leaders to strengthen cooperation with
Christians. Hereunder the full text of the letter of His Holiness:

>From His Holiness Aram I
Catholicos of Cilicia
Antelias, Lebanon
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Armenian Orthodox Church

To Prof. Dr. H.R.H. prince Ghazi bin Muhammad bin Talal
And to distinguished Muslim leaders and scholars
Amman, Jordan

A Response to "A COMMON WORD BETWEEN US AND YOU"

We join our voice to all those who have welcomed the letter of 13 October
2007, "An Open Letter and Call from Muslim Religious Leaders": a common
call of one hundred thirty eight Muslim scholars from different parts of the
Muslim world.

We read with great interest the invitation to dialogue and peace building.
We warmly welcome the intention of the letter and the fundamental principles
laid out for frank dialogue and closer collaboration. We firmly believe that
Christians and Muslims together can bring a major contribution to building
peace with justice. Our history together has shown that although religion
may divide us, we continue to live together in the Middle East and other
regions of the world. The Armenian people have, indeed, a rich history of
living together with Islam since the Seventh Century in Armenia, in Cilicia
and in the Middle East.

Living together harmoniously and meaningfully is the command of God. After
creating Adam and Eve according to His "image", God said: "be fruitful, and
multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it" (Gen. 1: 28). We must respond
responsibly and obediently to the call of God.

1) Christians and Muslims can shape a life together based on the love of God
and love of neighbor, provided we apply the basic thrusts of our Scriptures
in our particular contexts. For us Christians, God expressed His love by
sending His Son (John 3:16). Jesus Christ provided us with the content of
our faith. Through teachings and His earthly life Jesus displayed for us the
true meaning and concrete implications of love. He also showed us the way to
love God and our fellow human being.

2) Love generates a quality of relationship. It urges us to build loving
rela – tions based on mutuality and reciprocity, which, in turn, engender
respect and call for accountability. Being in relation with the loving God
means remaining faithful to the imperatives of our faith. In both Holy
Books, love of the neighbor is the beginning of just relation with the
‘other’. According to the Gospel (Luke 10: 24-26) the word ‘neighbor’ does
not mean ‘proximity’ or ‘kinship’; the neighbor is the ‘other’ who is in
need of our love, help and fellowship.

3) Relationship, reciprocity and accountability build community. Sharing
life together implies building community. Human beings cannot live without
community. As an expression of love towards God and towards neighbor,
community building has been central to both Muslim and Christian teachings
and way of life. We firmly believe, as we have stated on different occasions
in ecumenical meetings, that a strong commitment to living together would
help us to destroy the walls of prejudice, reassert each religion’s
integrity, and gen – erate mutual accountability and common responsibility.

4) What sort of community shall we build together? In addition to their
theological teachings our two religions have the rich experience and inner
po – tential to transform mere coexistence into a broader community of shared
val – ues, interactive diversity, common participation and mutual trust. We
must ac – knowledge, however, that we have differences which may not be easy
to over – come. We must accept and respect the way we are, by suspending our
desire to emphasize differences and committing ourselves to becoming
communities of living together with the fear of God and not with the fear of
one another.

5) We belong to one humanity and one world under one sovereign God . This
profound sense of common belonging challenges us to act together sus – tained
by mutual understanding and support. Religion today has gone beyond personal
piety and has become a public reality. The love of God and love of neighbor
must empower us in our God-given responsibility of working to – gether for a
society governed by love, justice, dignity and peace: the gifts of God to
humanity.

Indeed, it is time to show the world that living together for Christians
and Muslims, as well as working together on issues and challenges of common
con – cern is possible.

With these thoughts and vision we propose to continue, with renewed
im – petus, Christian-Muslim dialogue and collaboration on local, regional and
global levels within the framework of local churches, the Middle East
Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches.

With best wishes,

ARAM I
CATHOLICOS OF CILICIA

Antelias, Lebanon

##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Ecumenical
activities 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.

ARMENIA SUGGESTS CREATING KURDISH REGION IN AZERBAIJANI OCCUPIED LANDS

Azeri Press Agency
Feb 4 2008
Azerbaijan

Armenia destroys old historical and cultural monuments-descriptions on
the rock, carvings and religious architectural monuments and changes
names of places in occupied lands for the purpose of Armenianizing
Lachin, Faig Ismayilov, and head of the Organization to Protect
Azerbaijani Monuments told APA

Many Armenian churches are built in occupied lands with financial
support of the US, Canada, France. Armenia suggested creating Kurdish
region in Lachin territories for the purpose of getting support from
abroad. Armenia gained the support of PKK terrorist organization.

"One battalion of Kurdish volunteers who were brought from Lebanon ,
Iraq and Syria on the initiatives of Robert Kocharian, Serj Sarkisyan
and Arkady Gukasyan and World Armenian Terrorist Organizations fought
against Azerbaijan in 1992.Armenian government satisfying with the
activity of Kurdish terrorists began to involve them in Nagorno
Karabakh. After occupation of Iraq by US, this issue expedited,"
he said.

Hundreds of Kurdish families were driven away from Armenian
territories.4,5000 Kurdish families were driven away from their
lands, their property was misappropriated and hundreds of the old,
women, children were killed and many civilians were captured and
tortured.