Category: News

Accompanied by 50 musicians of world renown – Fairouz in Concert this week at the Places des Arts
Canada NewsWire, Press Release
Feb 8 2005
MONTREAL, Feb. 8 /CNW Telbec/ – Fairouz, the Lebanese Diva of Arab
chanson, is in Montreal, the culturally unique city in North America,
where she will present two concerts at the Salle Wilfrid Pelletier
Place des Arts, on February 12 and 13, 2005.
Accompanied by 50 musicians and artists of international caliber,
directed by the chef d’orchestre Maestro Karen Durgaryan, Fairouz
will present a mix of her standard repertoire as well as new songs.
The audience will have the pleasure to hear the crystalline pure voice
of Fairouz, her well known but incomparable ballades, and songs from
her rich and varied repertoire. The new material from her recent albums
shows the evolution of Fairouz’s career toward a more jazzy style. The
strong program of the two concerts promise extra-ordinary moments of
enjoyment and musical ecstasy, whether due to the authentic delivery of
the voice of Fairouz, or for the virtuosity of the musicians directed
by the illustrated Maestro Durgaryan, whose credentials include the
function of the director of the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra and
the Symphonic Orchestra of Yerevan.
Fairouz in Concert is exclusively in Montreal, in two exceptional
presentations on 12 and 13 February 2005 at the Place des Arts in
the prestigious and famed Salle Wilfrid Pelletier.
For further information: Media Centre – Founoun, (514) 334-0909,
; Media Relations, John Asfour,
[email protected]

USINFO.STATE.GOV
06 February 2005
Turkey is Strong Partner in Broader Middle East Reform, Rice Says
Secretary of state discusses Iraq, Mideast, Turkey, NATO, EU in
interview Following is Secretary Rice’s interview February 6 in Ankara,
Turkey, with Metehan Demir of Turkey’s Kanal-D TV:
QUESTION: One short question and the last one. What should be done
for solving the dispute between Turkey and Armenia? Does the U.S. plan
any special initiative this year to solve this problem?
SECRETARY STATE: Well, we would certainly hope that Turkey and Armenia
would find a way to bridge the differences. We know the very difficult
history here. And we recognize the difficult history. But we are a long
time now into the future. And on the basis of democratic development
and the economic development and the need for stability, we would hope
and encourage the parties to find ways to bridge their differences.
QUESTION: How long will it take for Turkey to become a full member
of the European Union? In your opinion.
SECRETARY RICE: Well, unfortunately we are not members of the European
Union So we can’t say. We’ve been supporters of Turkey’s accession
and of that happening as quickly as possible. Obviously, there are
standards that Turkey needs to meet. And the European Union is well
within its rights to say that there are certain things that need to
be done in order to bring about Turkey’s accession. But I think we’ve
been a supportive as anyone for that accession to take place. And
given that we are not a member, it really is up to Turkey and the
European Union to find a way for it — with Turkey doing what it
needs to do and with Europe being welcoming of a Turkey that really
does have a rightful place in the world.
QUESTION: Secretary Rice, thank you very much for being with us. It
was a nice opportunity. Many thanks and enjoy your trip.
SECRETARY RICE: Thank you.
Released on February 6, 2005
(end transcript)
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: )

NEW GROUP OF GEORGIA’S FRIENDS FOUNDED
by Vladimir Socor
Eurasia Daily Monitor
Monday, February 7, 2005 — Volume 2, Issue 26
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria founded
the “New Group of Georgia’s Friends” on February 4 in Tbilisi. The
specification “new” differentiates it from the decade-old “Group
of Friends of Georgia,” originally comprised of the United
States, Germany, Britain, and France. That old group became
collectively dysfunctional some years ago when it turned into the “UN
Secretary-General’s Group of Friends of Georgia” and allowed Russia
to join as a veto-wielding member. That group also has inevitably
been affected by the drift toward a Russia-First approach in Berlin
and Paris.
The New Group does not in any way intend to supersede the old one. It
is, rather, a different group with its own distinct mission, answering
to new requirements that could hardly have been anticipated when
the old group had taken shape. The New Friends propose to share with
Georgia their experience as formerly Communist-ruled countries that
have completed or are set to complete their Euro-Atlantic integration
processes, and now intend to promote such processes in the Black
Sea-South Caucasus region.
Georgian Minister of Foreign Affairs Salome Zourabichvili chaired the
New Friends’ founding meeting in Tbilisi, with her Estonian counterpart
Kristiina Ojuland attending, along with State Secretaries for Foreign
Affairs from the other five New Friends countries. The group is
open to new member-countries from among new members of NATO and the
European Union; and it hopes to bring in Azerbaijan and Armenia into
the group in the next stage.
The New Friends intend to assist Georgia’s internal reforms and
its efforts to qualify for eventually joining NATO and the EU,
as well as to support international steps to provide security for
Georgia. According to press releases from the Lithuanian and Georgian
Ministries of Foreign Affairs, and informal statements to journalists
in Tbilisi after the meeting, the New Friends’ goals include:
— assisting in the implementation of the Georgia-NATO Individual
Partnership Action Plan (IPAP), the success of which can lead to a
Membership Action Plan (MAP, a goal implied but not stated on this
occasion); working to support NATO’s open-door policy;
— working within the EU to initiate the drafting, in a timely manner,
of an EU-Georgia Action Plan as part of the EU’s recently adopted
European Neighborhood Policy (in which the South Caucasus is now
included after having been omitted initially);
— providing the services of experts for drafting of Georgia’s
European integration strategy and for administrative capacity-building
in Georgia;
— jointly urging, within international organizations, the removal of
Russian bases and troops from Georgia, in accordance with Russia’s 1999
Istanbul Commitments; elevating this issue on the EU’s policy agenda;
— supporting Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili’s recently
launched South Ossetia Peace Initiative (see EDM, January 27);
— calling attention to the importance of EU and NATO participation
in international efforts to resolve conflicts in the region.
As an urgent political priority, the New Group of Friends is urging
the EU to take over the Georgia Border Monitoring Mission, which the
OSCE has (at Russia’s insistence) given up.
Several programs are under way or getting started on a national
basis. Estonia (a European front runner in computerization of public
services) plans to launch one of its “Tiger Leap” programs for the
computerization of Georgia’s public services, as well as to open a
military liaison office in Tbilisi (an Estonian defense adviser is
already stationed there). Meanwhile, a Lithuanian heads the EU’s
rule-of-law advisory mission in Georgia; and a Latvian serves as
NATO’s liaison official for the South Caucasus, based in Tbilisi.
For effective implementation of direct assistance to Georgia from
their small resources, the New Friends intend to coordinate efforts,
avoid duplication, and provide lists of experts available to work
with Georgia. The New Group of Friends plans to hold meetings
several times a year. Romania has offered to host the next meeting
and to invite some additional countries, in keeping with the goal of
enlarging the Group’s format.
Two initiatives have converged into the founding of the New Group
of Friends of Georgia. One initiative is Romania’s, launched by
then-Minister of Foreign Affairs Mircea Geoana in 2003, and continued
energetically by Romania’s new President Traian Basescu and new
government, reaching out to Black Sea countries on the new border of
the enlarged NATO. The other initiative, spearheaded by Lithuania,
seeks to impart the Baltic states’ successful post-Soviet transition
experience to Georgia and other Black Sea-South Caucasus countries.
Saakashvili’s October 2004 visit to the Baltic states (see EDM,
October 21) occasioned preparatory discussions on a 3 +1 and a 3 +
3 framework (Baltic-Georgia, Baltic-South Caucasus). The Group of
Friends now covers the Baltic-Black Sea space, anchoring the eastern
Black Sea shore.
Monday, February 7, 2005 — Volume 2, Issue 26
IN THIS ISSUE: *Georgia’s Friends: New Group, Added Value *Tymoshenko
announces her leadership team, emphasizing diversity *Increasing doubts
that Putin will ever visit Japan *PONARS scholars doubt longevity of
United Russia

Player to Watch: American Eskandarian makes papa proud
FIFAWorldCup.com
25 January 2005
With only one cap to his name, steadily improving striker Alecko
Eskandarian is primed for a big future with the U.S. national team. The
23 year-old D.C. United man may not be the biggest or the fastest,
but his understanding, eye for goal and undeniable pedigree have him
in frame for a fine run on the international stage.
After three years at the University of Virginia – a side brought to
prominence by current national team boss Bruce Arena – Eskandarian went
into Major League Soccer as the U.S.’ top collegiate player in 2003.
After coming into the league highly touted, he scored only three
goals for D.C. United in an unremarkable start to his professional
career. The squat forward looked sadly out of his depth. But willing
to pay his dues, the remarkably down-to-earth Alecko learned his
lessons well and 2004 proved another story altogether as he brought
the capital club back to greatness with a championship run.
In the run-up to the 2004 campaign, 14-year-old wunderkind and league
record-signing Freddy Adu was grabbing all the headlines. But it was
his teammate, Eskandarian, who got the job done for United once the
ball got rolling. The player capped off his fine run of form with
two goals in the MLS championship match against Kansas City.
D.C. United coach, former Poland captain and one of the finest-ever
MLS players, Peter Nowak, was amazed with the vast improvements on
display in Alecko’s sophomore season.
“Now when I ask him ‘how many goals will you score today?’ he has more
confidence and asks ‘how many do you want?'” the coach commented. Twice
Eskandarian was named player of the week and became the first D.C.
United player to score more than ten goals in a season since 2001. He
finished the year as the team’s top scorer, helping them to earn a
spot in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
“It’s pretty sweet to go to everybody that was doubting me and just
show them the trophy (MLS Cup) and just be like, ‘Shut up. I did it,'”
Eskandarian said of his triumphant 2004.
Family ties, football ties
The Eskandarian saga is a compelling and peculiarly ‘American’ tale,
screaming of long, arduous journeys and the intermingling of cultures.
Originally of Armenian origins, the Eskandarian clan was forced
to flee Europe for Iran to escape the horror of early 20th century
genocide. Alecko’s father Andarik went on to make his name playing
football in the mid-east. The hard-nosed, no nonsense defender lined
up for Iran at the 1978 FIFA World Cup Argentina, and his performances
were so impressive he was named to a Cup all-star team. And after
playing an exhibition match at the Meadowlands in New Jersey, USA,
his ample talents were noticed by the then managers of the New York
Cosmos. Almost at once, the player relocated to the East Coast of
the U.S. where he lined up alongside such icons as Pele and Franz
Beckenbauer for the legendary Cosmos of the North American Soccer
League (NASL) – the ill-fated precursor to MLS.
Andarik’s son Alecko was born in the ethnic hotbed of Montvale,
New Jersey in July of 1982 and almost at once showed an aptitude
for football. His father – who now owns a sporting goods store –
did all he could to nurture that talent.
“I have been playing soccer ever since I can remember,” Alecko recalls
fondly. “And my first soccer memory is kicking the ball around with
my brother and my dad in our backyard and going nuts when I scored
a goal.”
It did not take long for the stocky poacher to climb the ladder of
the American game, scoring goals with a predatory instinct. What he
lacked in size and speed, he more than made up for with creativity
and an uncanny nose for goal.
He was only 16 when the powers that be in U.S. Soccer noticed the
clever, cocksure Alecko. In 1999 he was called in to play with the
under-17 national team, went on to play four games with the under-20s
at the FIFA World Youth Championship in Argentina in 2001, and led
the U-23 (Olympic) side in scoring in 2002.
It was only a matter of time before he got his chance with the big
boys in the senior squad. And it came on 26 May 2003, when he came
off the bench in a friendly against Wales.
Though he failed to score, it is surely just the beginning for the
young striker. With Bruce Arena alerted to Eskandarian’s substantial
ability, he has been called into the training camp for the final
six-team ‘Hexagonal’ of North, Central American and Caribbean Zone
FIFA World Cup qualifying.
The U.S. will take on Trinidad & Tobago on 9 February in their first
match of the final round.

FEDERATION OF ARMENIAN ORGANISATIONS IN THE NETHERLANDS (FAON)
24 April Committee
Weesperstraat 91
NL – 2574 VS The Hague
Contact: M. Hakhverdian
Tel. 070 4490209
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
Meeting with Mr. Andre Rouvoet
the Chairman of Christion Union faction of the Dutch Parliament
Organized by the 24 April Committee of Federation of Armenian Organisations
of the Netherlands (FAON)
This is an invitation for an information evening concerning the recognition
of the Armenian Genocide by Dutch Parliament. The Chairman of Christian
Union faction Mr. Andre Rouvoet, who introduced the motion on the Armenian
Genocide will be present at this meeting. This evening will take place at
the Abovian Cultural Center of The Hague, The Netherlands, on Wednesday,
February 16, 2005 at 7:00 pm precisely, doors open at 6:30 pm.
Date: Wednesday, 16 February 2005
Time: 7 pm precisely, doors open from 6:30 pm
Place: ABOVIAN CULTURAL CENTER
Address: Weesperstraat 91 – The Hague, The Netherlands
Subject: Recognition of the Armenian Genocide
by the Dutch Parliament
The Motion of Rouvoet of December 21, 2004
Admission: Free

President receives French Senator
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Feb 8 2005
Baku, February 7, AssA-Irada — President Ilham Aliyev received
French Senator Emerie de Montesque on Monday.
Aliyev expressed his satisfaction with the rapidly developing bilateral
ties in different spheres and stressed the active involvement of French
companies in several energy projects implemented in Azerbaijan. The
President also elaborated on the visit by the OSCE fact-finding mission
to the occupied Azerbaijani regions in order to hold monitoring on
the settlement of Armenians there. He underlined that France, as a
co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, is playing an important role in
the Upper Garabagh conflict settlement.
Montesque, in turn, said that multi-faceted relations between
Azerbaijan and France are developing rapidly, pointing out that
President Aliyev’s meetings held during his visit to France were
very fruitful.*
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone 212.319.6383 x.118
Fax 212.319.6507
Email [email protected]
Website
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, February 7, 2005
AGBU LONDON CO-SPONSORS FIRST UK ARMENIAN FILM FESTIVAL IN 25 YEARS
New York, NY – For the first time in two and a half decades, London
will play host from February 11 – 17th to an Armenian film festival
entitled, “Return to the Promised Land: London Armenian Film Festival,”
showcasing some of the finest Armenian films from around the world.
The weeklong festival at Ciné Lumière in the city’s South Kensington
neighborhood, co-curated by Gareth Evans and Nora Armani, will
include panel discussions, exhibitions by photographer Ann Doherty
and filmmaker Gariné Torossian, and over a dozen films.
In addition to Armenian Canadian filmmaker Atom Egoyan’s “Calendar”
(1993) and Georgian Armenian Sergei Paradjanov’s classic “Color of the
Pomegranates” (1969), a number of more recent films by Hiner Saleem
(“Vodka Lemon,” 2003), Tigran Xmalian (Lovember, 2004), and Egoyan
(“Ararat,” 2002) will be featured.
In addition to the support of AGBU London, event sponsors include
the Institut Français, Film London, UK Film Council, Benlian Trust,
Pemart, and the Canadian High Commission in London.
A complete listing of London Armenian film festival events can be
found online at
For more information on AGBU and its mission to promote the Armenian
heritage worldwide, visit
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone 212.319.6383 x.118
Fax 212.319.6507
Email [email protected]
Website
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, February 7, 2005
AGBU YPGNY ORGANIZES ARMENIA PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE SERIES
New York, NY – Starting February 17th, AGBU Young Professionals of
Greater New York (YPGNY) are proud to present a three week series
of screenings, panel discussions, and presentations at AGBU Central
Office in New York on Armenia and issues relevant to its past,
present and future.
The Thursday events begin on February 17th with a special screening of
“My Son Shall Be Armenian,” a poignant film that reflects on Armenian
identity, as filmmaker Hagop Goudsouzian follows five Montrealers
of Armenian descent as they return to the land of their forebears in
search of survivors. Goudsouzian weaves the moving accounts of these
centenarians and the touching, at times droll, reactions of the New
World travelers into a dignified and poignant film about the need to
make peace with the past in order to move into the future. Tickets
are $15.
On February 24th, the series continues with a special panel
discussion entitled, “Armenia Present,” that focuses on the state
of development in Armenia in the fields of the education, politics,
and civil society. Speakers will include Aaron Sherinian from the
U.S. Embassy in Armenia and former Fulbright scholar and educator
Nicole Vartanian. Tickets are $10.
The final event on March 3rd will host Noubar Afeyan from the
groundbreaking Armenia 2020 initiative that looks into future scenarios
for the country projecting possible trajectories for the country and
its role in the world. Tickets are $10.
All events will take place at AGBU Central Office in midtown Manhattan
(55 East 59th Street, between Park & Madison Avenues) and tickets
can be reserved by emailing [email protected], or by calling 212.319.6383.
AGBU YPGNY was established in 1999 and is part of a worldwide network
of young professionals of Armenian heritage that seek to develop
projects relevant to their lives that benefit their local and global
communities.
For more information on the YP global network, please visit AGBU
online at
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian Assembly of America
122 C Street, NW, Suite 350
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:
 
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 7, 2004
CONTACT: David Zenian
Email: [email protected]
ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY WELCOMES POSITIVE COMPONENTS OF THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION’S FY’06 BUDGET:
CALLS FOR UPWARD ADJUSTMENT OF AID TO ARMENIA
Washington, DC – The Armenian Assembly today welcomed the positive
components of the Bush Administration’s Armenia-related foreign aid
allocations of the just-released FY 2006 budget, and especially the
parity it established in security aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan and
the reference to humanitarian assistance to Nagorno Karabakh.
The Assembly said that by establishing the principle of parity
in military funding — $5 million each to Armenia and Azerbaijan
in Foreign Military Financing and $750,000 each for International
Military Education and Training — and it’s first-ever reference to
Nagorno Karabakh in a proposed budget, the Bush Administration was in
effect sending a positive message to the region designed to enhance
its role as a key partner in the peace process.
FY 2006, while not setting a dollar amount, has asked — for the
first time in specific language — for funds to “support humanitarian
assistance to Nagorno Karabakh.”
“The Armenian Assembly welcomes the Bush Administration’s financial
allocations to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, and more so because it
has placed both Armenia and Azerbaijan on the same footing in as far
as military assistance is concerned and named Nagorno Karabakh as
a separate recipient of humanitarian assistance,” Assembly Board of
Directors Chairman Anthony Barsamian said.
“We are particularly pleased to note that by establishing and
maintaining military parity between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the
Administration has taken an effective step in maintaining its
credibility as an impartial and leading mediator in the Karabakh
peace process,” Barsamian said.
While underlining the overall positive aspects of the Armenia and
Nagorno Karabakh-related budget allocations, the Assembly said one
area fell short of expectations. FY 2006, following a trend already
in progress, asked for $55 million in economic assistance to Armenia –
down from last fiscal year’s request of $62 million.
“We note this ongoing decline with disappointment, but we are
determined to advocate to Congress for increased funding just as we did
and succeeded in the previous budget cycles. The damaging and illegal
Turkish and Azerbaijani blockades have not ended,” Barsamian said.
After critical, year-long efforts from the Assembly’s friends on
the Hill, “not less than” $75 million in economic aid to Armenia was
approved within the framework of the FY 2005 Omnibus Spending Bill.
Details of the Bush Administration’s FY 2006 Budget described Armenia
as “one of the leading performers in Eurasia in economic and political
reform,” and said it was for this reason that “Armenia was one of
the two countries in the region deemed eligible to receive grants
from the Millennium Challenge Account.” But the Administration also
noted that “despite the gains produced by economic reforms, poverty
remains widespread” and said “the key now is effective implementation
of reform measures, particularly fighting corruption.”
The Administration’s characterizing of reforms in Armenia effectively
supported the earlier findings of the Heritage Foundation/Wall Street
Journal 2004 Index of Economic Freedom which last year placed Armenia
well ahead of its neighbors in terms of its business climate and the
Millennium Challenge Corporation’s recognition of Armenia as a country
whose past and present performance clearly meets its criteria of
“governing justly, investing in their people and promoting economic
freedom.”
The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based
nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness
of Armenian issues. It is a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt membership
organization.
### NR#2005-011
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

An Iron Curtain at Mount Ararat
By Harout H. Semerdjian
The Moscow Times
February 8, 2005
The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 gave birth to 15 independent
states, from the Baltics to the Caucasus to Central Asia. Each state
inherited both advantages and challenges that were largely absent when
they were territories of a single union. For many of these new states,
such as Armenia, independence brought with it a new set of predicaments
linked to its recent historical past, its disadvantageous geography
and its immense refugee problem that resulted from ethnic conflicts
and natural disasters.
For the large and influential Armenian diaspora worldwide, the most
important issue remained recognition of the events of 1915 as genocide
— events which effectively removed their ancestors from their homeland
in the Ottoman Empire. However, for the majority of Armenians living
in Armenia, the most significant issue became survival in a period of
economic hardship and social turmoil. The country’s economy remains in
shambles, and its landlocked position only complicates the situation.
The economic conditions in eastern Turkey are not much better. In
recent years, farmers have put entire villages in the Sivas region of
the country up for sale. Isolated eastern provinces such as Erzerum,
Kars and Igdir near the Armenian border are anxious to boost their
economy in order to improve their low standards of living. Those in
Istanbul, Ankara and along the posh Aegean Coast do not necessarily
face the same challenges as those living in the forgotten east.
Yet what do the people in this impoverished region think?
On a visit to eastern Turkey several years ago, I began my journey in
Kars. Not far from the historic Armenian capital of Ani lies Ocakli,
a destitute village overlooking the frontier. A young woman from the
village pointed in the direction of Armenia and remarked, “We have
family on the other side, but we cannot reach them because of the
sealed border.”
I was intrigued: Family on the other side? Was she Armenian, Turkish
or Kurdish?
She was either unsure or unwilling to discuss her background, though
she said she hoped one day to visit her relatives in Armenia. She
voiced confidence that her village would soon prosper thanks to the
millions of dollars Armenian tourists to Ani would bring, if only
the border would open.
Today, nearly four years later, to the disappointment of the young
villager and several millions like her in both countries, the
Turkish-Armenian border remains closed.
The reason lies in unresolved historical issues and the Azeri-Armenian
conflict over Nagorny Karabakh, a conflict that does not even directly
involve Turkey. Given the current intricate situation related to
the issue of genocide in 1915 and the deadlock in Nagorny Karabakh,
the border closure between the two states only exacerbates complex
tensions in the region. While authorities in Turkey may feel they
are punishing Armenia in support of Azerbaijan, both countries are in
fact merely punishing their own people by maintaining closed borders.
Though the embargo has caused the loss of hundreds of millions of
dollars to Armenia and Turkey, it has not had the crushing impact on
Armenia that it was intended to have. Hence, the sealed border not
only fails to fulfill current political aspirations; it is actually
counterproductive in a greater regional context. The real question
is why a Turkish citizen in Kars and an Armenian citizen in Gyumri
should suffer when the existing Turkish blockade does not do extensive
damage to Armenia. It only maintains the poverty in the border regions,
which would otherwise benefit from cross-border economic activity.
The closed Armenian-Turkish frontier also causes great losses to
Azerbaijan’s isolated exclave of Nakhichevan, which shares no border
with Azerbaijan proper. All transportation arteries from this region
to Baku originate from the Turkish- Armenian border and again traverse
the Armenian province of Syunik before reaching the Azeri capital. The
current Turkish policy of keeping the border locked hence isolates
Nakhichevan and causes an alarming drain of human capital from the
exclave, the home of Azerbaijan’s ruling Aliyev family. The resumption
of railway service between Kars, Nakhichevan and Baku would prove to
be highly beneficial to all countries in the region, particularly in
light of the strategic energy and transportation projects currently
under way in Eurasia.
Opening the border would be beneficial to Armenia and Turkey in many
more respects beyond the purely economic.
First, it would demonstrate to the international community the
strong will and determination of both countries to solve their
differences themselves, not in the corridors of the French senate
or the U.S. Congress. Open borders would encourage contact, trade,
business opportunities and tourism between the population of both
countries — which would in turn create a sense of confidence and
greater understanding between the two peoples. Finally, Armenia
could become Turkey’s direct gateway to Azerbaijan and the Central
Asian republics.
Without basic human contact and activity, no government, including
Azerbaijan’s, should expect a miraculous solution to issues such
as coming to terms with genocide, the Nagorny Karabakh conflict
or the easing of tensions in the region. How can Turkey expect
the Armenian diaspora to behave in a positive, conciliatory manner
when it is unwilling to establish basic communication links between
the two countries? How can Armenia expect Turkey to understand its
needs and historical issues when Mount Ararat currently acts as an
Iron Curtain rather than a mountain of peace? Physical and economic
contact between the people of both countries would eventually make
way for closer political ties in the future.
The current policies in the region applied by both countries are
indisputably a failure. It is time to open a fresh process of dialogue
and reconciliation by opening the Turkish-Armenian border. Leaders of
both countries should be encouraged to think in global and realistic
terms and start taking alternate steps toward peace, if they are
serious about bringing harmony and eventual prosperity to the region.
Harout H. Semerdjian, an M.A. candidate at the Fletcher School of Law
and Diplomacy, Tufts University, and a member of the Turkish-Armenian
Business Development Council, contributed this comment to The Moscow
Times.