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Tag: Politics

Armenia’s Roadmap to Disaster

By David Boyajian

Just days before April 24, the annual commemoration of the
Armenian genocide, Armenia and Turkey agreed on a so-called “roadmap” that from all indications is a betrayal of the Armenian people, both in the homeland and around the world. The roadmap – approved by Armenia’s president – calls for the establishment of diplomatic relations and the opening of the border between the two countries, which Turkey closed 16 years ago. But the roadmap reportedly goes much further.

A joint Turkish-Armenian historical commission would decide whether there really was, as Turkey maintains, no Armenian genocide. And Armenia would formally accept Turkey’s continued occupation of Western Armenia.

The Burden of Illegitimacy An Armenian president that has not, however, been fairly and democratically elected lacks the requisite legitimacy to negotiate roadmaps, treaties, or anything else with Turkey. Such a leader is often compelled to do what certain major Western and regional countries ask of him lest they continue to point to his illegitimacy and abuse of his citizens’ civil rights. Those countries can also threaten to stop providing Armenia economic support, much of which people close to the Armenian administration have siphoned off and become dependent upon. Neither can an illegitimate Armenian leader tell such countries that the Armenian people will not permit him to make major concessions to Turkey. After all, those countries know very well that a leader whose authority is derived through the misuse of power, rather than through the ballot box, can make concessions without the consent of the Armenian people.

The Historical Commission Farce Armenia’s president has given in – though we don’t know the precise details – to Turkey’s demand for a historical commission on 1915, as if even he questions the veracity of the genocide. As a result, the world now erroneously believes that the Armenian people are putting the genocide up for debate. No serious person would ever have fallen for the idea of establishing a joint historical commission - first proposed four years ago by Turkey. (See the author’s “The Genocide Study Trap” on Armeniapedia.org.) This year, however, Armenia’s president did. Are he and his advisors unaware, for example, that the International Association of Genocide Scholars (Genocidewatch.org) sent a letter to the Turkish prime minister explaining that “the scholarly and intellectual record” and “hundreds of independent scholars” had long ago proven the factuality of the genocide? U-Turn on “No Preconditions” Armenia has long stated that it would agree to a normalization of relations with Turkey only if there were no “preconditions.” Yet the president has now made a U-turn by agreeing to Turkey’s precondition of a historical commission. The historical commission gave the new U.S. president yet another excuse to not use the word “genocide” in his April 24 statement. Even worse, Armenia’s president recklessly undermined the decades long, and largely successful, efforts of Armenian Americans and the Diaspora for genocide acknowledgment.

It appears that the Armenian president may also agree to another Turkish precondition: formal recognition of Turkey’s borders, thereby possibly throwing away Armenian legal and historical rights and the chances of, for example, regaining much needed direct access to the Black Sea in the future.

One wonders whether Armenia will also be selling off Artsakh (Karabagh) at bargain basement prices. The Armenian president has also allowed the American president, his Secretary of State, and the international media to depict a mere border opening as “reconciliation,” as if somehow Turkey and Armenia had been “reconciled” before Turkey closed the border in 1993, and as if reopening the border would return the countries to that wonderful state of “reconciliation.” The Armenian government has done nothing to correct this absurd misperception. Taking Responsibility Armenian political parties that have long had the Diaspora’s support must also take responsibility for the Armenian president’s errors. The parties were warned many years ago that Armenia, buffeted by powerful outside forces, was headed down the road of losing its legal and historical rights. They were also repeatedly warned, even before Armenian independence, that allowing the Armenian national cause to be erroneously perceived as simply a matter of achieving genocide acknowledgment, rather than as also gaining reparations and territory, was inviting disaster. Now we see that disaster coming true via the “roadmap.” The discord that the president has sown, and the injustices that the roadmap would perpetuate, must not be allowed to continue. A strong and united response by the people of Armenia and the Diaspora is needed now to steer Armenia and its president away from the final destination of the roadmap: capitulation and yet another Armenian genocide.

### The author is an Armenian American freelance writer. Several of his articles are archived at Armeniapedia.org.

April 30, 2009
Turkey and Its Neo-Con U.S. Accomplices Conspire To Force Armenia Into Capitulation

By Appo Jabarian
Executive Publisher / Managing Editor USA Armenian Life Magazine

Friday, May 1, 2009
The April 24 presidential statement by Pres. Obama caused a major controversy in the American media. Even though he used the words “Meds Yeghern” twice in his presidential statement, a very large segment of the Armenian American community felt betrayed for his failure to fulfill his campaign promise of using the proper word, genocide. According to a scorecard of more than 500 campaign pledges collated on the Pulitzer Prize-winning website, PolitiFact.com, Obama has kept 27 promises and broken six. Topping the list of presidential campaign promises that are broken by Pres. Obama is “US recognition of the Ottoman Empire’s genocide during World War I against Armenians.” Obama avoided the word during his stay in Turkey and in a message on Armenian Remembrance Day. Obama was criticized for following the Anti-Defamation League line on the Armenian Genocide. Ciaran Dubhuidhe of cleveland.indymedia.org wrote on Apr. 24, 2009: “One day after vowing to battle Holocaust Denial, Pres. Obama publicly denied the Armenian Holocaust . In an exhibit of hypocrisy matched only by the ‘Anti-Defamation’ League’s Abraham Foxman’s denial of the Armenian Holocaust, Pres. Obama has dishonored anniversary of the start of the genocide by releasing a statement describing the Armenian Holocaust as an ‘atrocity.’” Harry Koundakjian reported on April 25: “Ambassador John Marshall Evans spoke at our commemoration last night. … Having read the actual text of Pres. Obama’s statement, Evans indicated that although it was a compromise statement, it was still more hopeful than previous U.S. presidents have made. To him it was clear that this statement was made by a committee, and not the heartfelt words of Obama. Using a term that only Armenians know (“Medz Yeghern”), and twice at that, seemed a bit out of place, even condescending, when the purpose of the proclamation is to let those who don’t know about the history become informed. He feels that Rahm Emanuel — AIPAC’s (America Israel Political Action Committee’s) ‘Man in the White House’ — probably had a strong hand in altering the language of the statement to eliminate the word genocide.” Several members of the community questioned as to why Mr. Obama did not properly use the word genocide. It was the so-called Armenian-Turkish “rapproachement.” The Wall Street Journal featured an article on April 25 titled “In Armenian Enclave, Turkish Deal Arouses Suspicion — Ethnic Leaders in Glendale, Calif., See Detente Announcement as a Ploy on Day Commemorating” the 1915 genocide.” The Wall Street’s NICHOLAS CASEY reported: “Andrew Kzirian, executive director of the Armenian National Committee’s Western region sees the latest development not so much as a detente between the countries, but as another public-relations effort by the Turks to deflect attention” from the genocide. Casey continued: “At the Armenian cafe Urartu off Broadway, Appo Jabarian, managing editor of USA Armenian Life, scans his email inbox for news of what he dubs the recent ‘secret agreement.’ … For Mr. Jabarian ‘Turkey is always trying to shortchange the Armenians.’” In a strong rebuke of the the so-called “Roadmap,” Aram I the Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia stated on Saturday, April 25: “Roadmaps and reopening of borders cannot and will not compromise the Armenian people’s demand for the recognition of the 1915 Armenian Genocide, and the claim for restorative justice.” His Holiness continued: “Turkey wanted to eliminate us as a country and people. We are grateful to all those countries that recognized the Armenian Genocide of 1915. However, we want to tell them that recognition is not enough, we want justice. We are not asking for mercy from the world; we are demanding justice. This is our right. The Armenian nation is a victim of injustice; its human rights are violated. We cannot remain silent in view of this prevailing injustice. Our collective memory will not heal unless justice is victorious. Neither roadmaps, nor reciprocal visits will restore justice.” In an open letter, Harut Sassounian, Publisher of The California Courier, criticized Pres. Obama: “You must have also known that Turkey would not open its border with Armenia in the foreseeable future, unless the Karabagh conflict was resolved to Azerbaijan’s satisfaction. Using various carrots and sticks, with the connivance of Russia, which pursues its own economic and political interests in Turkey and Azerbaijan, U.S. officials succeeded in pressuring Armenia into agreeing to issue a joint declaration with Turkey and Switzerland as mediator on the eve of April 24. This declaration was a convenient cover for you to duck the genocide issue in order to appease Turkey.” Mr. Sassounian stated: “Mr. President, by compelling Armenia to sign such a declaration, you have managed to pit the Armenian Diaspora, as well as the people in Armenia against the government in Yerevan. As a direct result of that action, the ARF, one of Armenia’s influential political parties, quit the ruling coalition this week. The ARF did not wish to associate itself with a government, still reeling from last year’s contentious presidential elections, which is negotiating an agreement with Turkey that could compromise the country’s national interests and historic rights. The ARF also vehemently opposes Armenia’s announced intention to participate in a bilateral historical commission that Turkey would use to question the facts of the Armenian Genocide.” Sassounian foresaw: “Mr. President, in the coming days, as your administration invites Armenia’s leaders to Washington in order to squeeze more concessions from them, please realize that they can only be pressured so much before they lose their authority. As was the case with Armenia’s first president, crossing the red lines on the Genocide and Karabagh issues could well jeopardize the tenuous hold on power of the remaining ruling coalition, regardless of how many promises are made and carrots extended to them by Washington.” Turkey’s continuous threats to Armenia’s existence as a viable state and its persistent ploys to strip Armenia of its historic rights for territorial claims from Turkey; to put the veracity of the Armenian genocide to debate through the so-called joint historic commission; to stop pursuing the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide; to return the liberated Armenian territories of Artsakh make the Armenian people in Armenia and the Diaspora further distrust Turkey. By helping Turkey carry out its conniving machinations against Armenia, the United States and Russia have re-fueled the Armenian political will to resort to: 1) An international campaign to divest from Turkey; and 2) Counterbalancing and even neutralizing the U.S.-based Neo-cons’ efforts to shove Turkey’s EU membership at all cost down the throat of Europeans.

April 30, 2009
Et Tu Obama?

Letter from a Former Admirer

[sassoun@pacbell.net]

Mr. President, how could you!

Your candidacy was a breath of fresh air. You stood for change. You made wonderful promises and the Armenian-American community put its trust in you.

We are now terribly disappointed because you acted not much differently than your predecessors on the Armenian Genocide issue. Your April 24 statement fell far short of your solemn pledge to recognize the Genocide.

As a Senator and presidential candidate, you left no doubt about your intentions on this issue. You spoke about it eloquently and passionately.

Yet, when the time came to issue your April 24 statement, we were surprised to find out that “genocide” had been replaced by “Meds Yeghern,” a clever ploy, no doubt suggested by one of your ingenious aides.

You may want to know that “Meds Yeghern” does not mean genocide; it means “Great Calamity.” Armenians used that term before the word “genocide” was coined by Raphael Lemkin in the 1940’s. “Genocide” in Armenian is “Tseghasbanoutyoun,” which is a much more precise term than “Meds Yeghern,” in case you decide to use it in the future.

Not only did your aides come up with the wrong Armenian word, but they failed to provide its English translation, so that non-Armenians could understand its meaning. What was, after all, the point of using an Armenian word in an English text? Did your staff run out of English euphemisms for genocide?

Just in case your resourceful advisors think that they were the first to devise the clever ploy of replacing “genocide” with “Meds Yeghern,” let me inform you that several previous leaders have employed that same trick. Pope John Paul II used that term in 2001 during his visit to Armenia. The BBC observed that the Pontiff had said “Meds Yeghern” in order not to offend Turkey. Your immediate predecessor, Pres. George W. Bush, used the English translation of that same tricky word in his April 24, 2005 statement — “This terrible event is what many Armenian people have come to call the ‘Great Calamity.’”

Mr. President, last year when you were seeking votes and financial support from Armenian-Americans, you did not promise them to recognize the “Meds Yeghern!” You actually told them: “As President, I will recognize the Armenian Genocide.” Moreover, you did not state that your acknowledgment of the Genocide is contingent upon Armenian-Turkish negotiations, opening Armenia’s border, war in Iraq or anything else. You made a flat out promise, with no ifs or buts.

There are also two sets of serious contradictions in the words you used before and after your election to the presidency. In your April 24, 2009 statement, you said: “I have consistently stated my own view of what occurred in 1915, and my view of that history has not changed.” Yet, on January 19, 2008, as a presidential candidate, you had said: “The Armenian Genocide is not an allegation, a personal opinion, or a point of view.” Furthermore, on April 24, 2009 you stated: “My interest remains the achievement of a full, frank and just acknowledgment of the facts.” Yet, as a candidate, you stated that the Armenian Genocide is “a widely documented fact supported by an overwhelming body of historical evidence. The facts are undeniable.”

Mr. President, twice in one month, both in Ankara and Washington, you made a reference to your past statements on the genocide, in order to avoid using that word as president. This is an old trick that was also utilized by Pres. George H. W. Bush (Senior). In his presidential message of April 20, 1990, Bush stated: “My comments of June 1988 represent the depth of my feeling for the Armenian people and the sufferings they have endured.” In order to avoid saying genocide, Pres. Bush, like you, made an indirect reference to that word, by mentioning his earlier remarks as Vice President and presidential candidate: “The United States must acknowledge the attempted genocide of the Armenian People in the last years of the Ottoman Empire, based on the testimony of survivors, scholars, and indeed our own representatives at the time, if we are to ensure that such horrors are not repeated.”

Dear Mr. President, there was no need for your staff to waste their valuable time trying to come up with such ploys and verbal gymnastics. If you did not want to say genocide, you did not have to say anything at all. The Armenian Genocide has already been acknowledged by another U.S. president, Ronald Reagan, who signed a Presidential Proclamation on April 22, 1981, in which he referred to “the genocide of the Armenians.”

Armenians actually gain nothing by having one more U.S. president reiterate what has been said before. As you know, presidential statements, just as congressional resolutions, have no legal consequence. Pres. Reagan’s proclamation and the adoption of two House resolutions on the Armenian Genocide in 1975 and 1984 have brought nothing tangible to Armenians in terms of seeking reparations for their immense losses in lives and property.

By not keeping your word on April 24, however, you have only succeeded in undermining your own credibility in front of the American people and world public opinion. Already, the Obameter website (politifact.com) has labeled your April 24 statement as “a broken promise.” This week, as you complete the first 100 days in office, major TV networks and the press are widely reporting your broken promise on the Armenian Genocide, thus undermining the trust of the American public in your other promises.

Finally, Mr. President, it was improper for you to exploit Turkey’s “make- believe” negotiations with Armenia by using it as a pretext for avoiding the “genocide” word in your April 24 statement. Given your high position, you must know that the Turkish government’s intent all along has been to create the false impression that its discussions with Armenia are proceeding smoothly, making everyone believe that the border would be opened shortly. Turkish leaders have been dangling that carrot in front of Armenia for many years. The fact is that, once you were elected president, Turkish officials took seriously your campaign pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide and were told by your close aides that unless Ankara made a friendly gesture towards Armenia, you could well carry out your promise to the Armenian-American community.

While Turkish officials, with their fake diplomatic initiatives, managed to deceive the rest of the world, including Armenia’s relatively inexperienced leaders, you, Mr. President, knew better. You went along with Turkey’s false gestures knowingly, thus bartering away your principled stand on the Armenian Genocide in order to secure Turkish participation in the Afghan war, and carry out its U.S. assigned role with respect to Iraq, Iran, and Israel.

You must have also known that Turkey would not open its border with Armenia in the foreseeable future, unless the Karabagh conflict was resolved to Azerbaijan’s satisfaction. Using various carrots and sticks, with the connivance of Russia, which pursues its own economic and political interests in Turkey and Azerbaijan, U.S. officials succeeded in pressuring Armenia into agreeing to issue a joint declaration with Turkey and Switzerland as mediator on the eve of April 24. This declaration was a convenient cover for you to duck the genocide issue in order to appease Turkey.

Mr. President, by compelling Armenia to sign such a declaration, you have managed to pit the Armenian Diaspora, as well as the people in Armenia against the government in Yerevan. As a direct result of that action, the ARF, one of Armenia’s influential political parties, quit the ruling coalition this week. The ARF did not wish to associate itself with a government, still reeling from last year’s contentious presidential elections, which is negotiating an agreement with Turkey that could compromise the country’s national interests and historic rights. The ARF also vehemently opposes Armenia’s announced intention to participate in a bilateral historical commission that Turkey would use to question the facts of the Armenian Genocide.

Mr. President, in the coming days, as your administration invites Armenia’s leaders to Washington in order to squeeze more concessions from them, please realize that they can only be pressured so much before they lose their authority. As was the case with Armenia’s first president, crossing the red lines on the Genocide and Karabagh issues could well jeopardize the tenuous hold on power of the remaining ruling coalition, regardless of how many promises are made and carrots extended to them by Washington.

April 28, 2009
President Obama’s Armenian dilemma

Jim Kirdar

The issue of contention is whether the deaths of Armenians during World
War I who revolted against the Ottoman Empire (more than once) was an
alleged genocide or casualties of war. I choose to believe the latter
as an objective American with ancestral ties to the region. As a
federal employee, I have traveled on official business to Turkey and
the neighboring Commonwealth of Independent States (Georgia,
Azerbaijan, and Armenia). During the course of my travels, I have
researched the issue of the alleged “genocide” and engaged in numerous
conversations with the layman of both Turkey and Armenia to determine
the root cause of the ongoing dilemma.

For nearly a century, the Armenians claim to have been victims of a
so-called genocide without merit. An accurate account of the “event”
during World War I against the Armenians by the Ottomans was
retaliatory to the Armenian revolt/uprising.

..hence, an effort to
eradicate NOT exterminate! There is no denying hundreds of thousands
of Armenians were deported a
nd/or lost their lives…but many thousands
of Turks were also killed.

You see, the Armenian Diaspora does not want the logical person to ask
the most fundamental and basic question of all…”Were your [Armenians]
actions thegenesis for the [Turks] reaction?” The educated would have
to conclude regarding the Armenians siding with the Russians to destroy
the Ottoman Empire as an act of betrayal for nearly 600 years of
peaceful coexistence.

The Armenians in the Ottoman Empire were esteemed citizens of which a
grand portion achieved nobility by serving in official capacities
within the Ottoman hierarchy as diplomats, cabinet officials, as well
as scholars and literary icons.

We need not venture far into our own past to realize the tragic attack
on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese that directly threatened our national
security. As the United States, we reacted accordingly to preserve the
integrity of a nation by creating internment camps to isolate and
contain the Japanese community in America.

I implore CNN, for the sake of journalistic integrity, to inquire
further and research on the following:

The Armenian Revolt against the Ottomans (1890-1920)

www.tallarmeniantale.com (by American scholars)

I have been located extensively in both Armenia and Turkey on official
travel for over 12 years. I must say in all sincerity neither
ethnicity wants to continue in defend
ing or advocating events of nearly
100 years ago; people want to move on despite political pressure.
Unfortunately, the Diaspora feels otherwise, thus hampering positive
and meaningful relationships in the land thousands of miles away from
Glendale, CA.

Regards,

Jim M. Kirdar

Special Agent at U.S. Department of Justice

Greater Los Angeles Area

<jkirdar@gmail.com>

000000000000000

BRAVO JIM KIRDAR
YOUR GRAND FATHER LUTFU KIRDAR ( EX GOVERNOR OF ISTANBUL) WOULD BE PROUD OF YOU ME TOO

VEDAT ASLAY ABD

—————————————————000

On Fri, Apr 24, 2009 at 10:06 AM, Volkan Duygun
<volkan.duygun@yahoo.com> wrote:

I just posted my comment.

Volkan Duygun

Los Angeles Turkish American Assocation President

April 26, 2009
Bipartisan Congressional Support for Armenian Genocide Recognition on Display at Capitol Hill Observance

ANCA CAPITOL HILL ARMENIAN GENOCIDE REMEMBRANCE
DRAWS 40 MEMBERS OF CONGRESS

“It is long past the time for the United States to formally recognize the Armenian Genocide.”
-Speaker Nancy Pelosi WASHINGTON-On April 23, dozens of Democratic and Republican Members of Congress joined with over 500 Armenian Americans from across the United States in Capitol Hill’s historic Cannon Caucus Room in a solemn remembrance devoted to U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), in their remarks to the standing-room only audience, both spoke forcefully of their personal commitment to proper U.S. condemnation and commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. “It is long past the time for the United States to formally recognize the Armenian Genocide,” noted Speaker Pelosi in her remarks. She went on to spotlight the importance of grassroots efforts against Turkey’s multi-million dollar campaign of genocide denial. “How far we can go with the resolution [H.Res.252] this year depends on the outreach that each and everyone of us in this room can do to win on the floor of the House. We can do any amount of inside maneuvering in the Congress and Washington, but what is important is the outside mobilization to bring to bear the voices of people across America.” The Congressional Armenian Genocide observance was organized by the Congressional Armenian Caucus, with Caucus co-chairs Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) and Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) serving as masters of ceremony. Opening prayers were offered by his Eminence Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Armenian Apostolic Church of the Eastern United States as well as Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, Legate of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Eastern United States. Joining Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Hoyer in offering remarks at the commemoration were Armenian Genocide Resolution lead sponsors Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Rep. George Radanovich (R-Calif.), House Members of Armenian descent Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) and Jackie Speier (D-Calif.), as well as Reps. Thaddeus McCotter (R-Mich.), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), Dina Titus (D-Nev.), and Tim Walz (D-Minn.). Members in attendance at the Observance also included Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), and Reps. Jim Costa (D-Calif.), David Dreier (R-Calif.), Bob Filner (D-Calif.), Rush Holt (D-N.J.), Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), James Langevin (D-R.I.), Richard Neal (D-Mass.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Ed Royce (R-Calif.), and Diane Watson (D-Calif.). The evening included powerful remarks about the consequences of genocide by guest speaker Dr. Henry Theriault of Worcester State University. Also offering remarks were Armenian Ambasador Tatul Markarian and Permanent Representative of the Nagorno-Karabagh Republic to the U.S. Robert Avetisyan. Video coverage of key remarks at the Armenian Genocide observance will be posted to the ANCA Website at www.anca.org. The Armenian Genocide Resolution, introduced earlier this year by Reps. Schiff and Radanovich and Congressional Armenian Caucus co-chairs Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) and Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), calls on the U.S. president to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide. It currently has over 100 co-sponsors and has been referred to the Foreign Affairs Committee, chaired by Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.). President Obama, as a Senator and a candidate for the presidency, spoke forcefully, clearly, and repeatedly in support of U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide, frequently criticizing then-President Bush for failing to properly characterize and commemorate this crime while in the White House. He is expected to offer his first April 24th statement, a White House tradition, this Friday. Among President Obama’s past statements have been the following:
– “The Armenian Genocide is not an allegation, a personal opinion, or a point of view, but rather a widely documented fact supported by an overwhelming body of historical evidence. The facts are undeniable.”
– “America deserves a leader who speaks truthfully about the Armenian Genocide and responds forcefully to all genocides. I intend to be that president.”
– “As a senator, I strongly support passage of the Armenian Genocide Resolution (H.Res.106 and S.Res.106), and as president I will recognize the Armenian Genocide.”

Members of Congress Honor Victims of the Armenian Genocide; Call for Proper U.S. Recognition of this Crime Against Humanity

Sen. Paul Sarbanes (D-MD): “I come every year because I think that the issue you place on the national and international agenda is of great importance. . . If there should be any question raised about the occurrence of this genocide, it is beyond my understanding. . . If other nations can speak the truth then our nation must speak the truth on this issue. . . The Senate [Armenian Genocide] resolution has my strongest support.”

Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ): “There are those who argue that Turkey is an ally, and maybe it is. But, at the end of the day, even an ally should permit us to have our own policy to recognize what history says happened—that 1.5 million Armenians perished. That should be the reality we take as a position for the country. When Hitler asked “who remembers the Armenians?” I answer that we remember the Armenians, the next generation of the Armenians, and all of us who believe in human rights. And this country remembers the Armenians, and that is why we are here today.”

Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ): “We have to remember that genocide was originally discovered in those years [1915-1923]. . . and make sure to support legislation to recognize the Genocide, making sure that it is known as an Armenian event and do everything we can to get it passed.”

Rep. David Dreier (R-CA): “We are strongly committed to doing everything we can to making sure there is clear recognition of the Armenian Genocide – and that is exactly what I’ve said to two Turkish Prime Ministers.”

Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ): “It is so important for you to be here and to show up. The only way a message is going to be sent is if more and more people come out and show up. . . The effort to deny the Genocide continues and that’s why it’s so important to be out there in large numbers to counter their actions.”

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA): “I long for the day when we not only come to commemorate the Genocide, but to celebrate the passage of Genocide resolutions. . . Let’s not let any of our Armenian parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles down. . . let’s recognize the Armenian Genocide now!”

Rep. George Radanovich (R-CA): “It’s particularly exasperating this year – we have a bill out of committee ready to go to the floor, yet we are finding it difficult to move it further and I think after 12 years I wonder and I tire but I know you have been waiting 91 years and it gives me hope we will soon be recognizing the Genocide. Keep working and have faith and America will recognize it.”

Rep. John Sweeney (R-NY): “Without a full acceptance, we have denial, and with denial we perpetuate terrible episodes in history, threatening humanity and mankind, and impede on the march of freedom and liberty. I don’t intend on allowing that to happen! I pledge and vow to you as one of your own to keep the fight up and keep on working hard.”

Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ): “The truth has curative power and reconciliation powers and we thank you for that effort of getting the truth out.”

Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL): “When we learn the lesson of the Armenian Genocide, we say ‘never again,’ which is very easy to say in a speech in Washington. But I’ve been there [as a U.S. soldier serving in Bosnia] when we’ve meant ‘never again,’ where we took action as the only superpower on the planet to stop a crime. So now when we look at what’s happening today, we have a powerful moral lesson that we have learned from the people of Armenia — the one that we have to carry into the classrooms and television sets.”

Rep. James Langevin (D-RI): “If we do not recognize the Armenian Genocide it will happen again and again and again.”

Rep. Joe Schwarz (R-MI): “I am a student of history and have been interested in Armenian history for many years. One of the goals for Congress and for American foreign policy should be a strong and independent Armenia within the community of the Transcaucasus. We should not let the Azeris, the Georgians, the Russians, the Turks impinge on the bright and prosperous future of Armenia. . . The United States must recognize the Armenian genocide so that we can get on with the healing.”

Rep. John Larson (D-CT): “I’m often amazed at the ceremonies and annual pilgrimages people make on behalf of their beliefs and their cause. And for those that seek to remember or understand Armenia all you have to do is look around this room it’s written on your faces, it’s carried in your hearts.”

Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY): “It is time for the American government to officially recognize what happened 91 years ago and join the other countries of the world with official recognition . . . We must always stand up and speak the truth to counter any denial.”

Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA): “It is extraordinary given what the Armenian people were subjected to, given the fight that still goes on, given the unfair obstacles still put in the way of Armenia, given the importance of reminding the world of this genocide, that you have compassion, wisdom, and commitment to universal values that lead you to your efforts for stopping the atrocities taking place in Darfur.”

Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL): “If you look at all the members who have spoken here and those who are still waiting to speak this is a very unique situation. On any other day these Members may have nothing in common, but this is what happens when you come together for truth. . . You have done a great job in bringing this to everyone’s attention in this country and I commend you and urge you to keep it up.”

Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA): “It’s time for President Bush to adhere to his campaign promise and tear down that wall of denial and recognize and honor the Armenian Genocide.”

Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI): “We must pierce the myth of this indispensable relationship [between the U.S. and Turkey]. . . No relations can be built upon a lie. . . If we are going to have friends and allies in the world that the United states can depend on, there must be honesty both within our relationship and in the United States itself.”

Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ): “What is going on now – because your movement is getting stronger, your voices are getting louder, your issues are being heard – there is a disinformation, it’s always been there but now it’s more organized. . . So now we have to keep the pressure on keep the fight on. Genocide anywhere is wrong.”

Rep. Steve Rothman (D-NJ): “What is the harm in denying the truth? Is there any harm in denying the truth? As human beings we know that this does cause a physical destruction to the body when one denies the truth. Just as I believe that applies to individuals, I believe that it applies to countries and humanity. And so when the world denied the Armenian Genocide and continues to deny it, not only did that lead to the Holocaust but it has contributed to the atmosphere in which the world has witnessed the deaths of 400,000 in Darfur. You notice that there are some similarities in the way the Ottoman Empire persecuted the Armenian population and what is going on in Darfur — the forced exile, the systematic deprivation of food and water, and murder through starvation. . . Denying the truth about genocide is really a second killing, a double genocide. We as Americans cannot stand by when the truth continues to be denied.”

Rep. Sue Kelly (R-NY): “It makes no sense that we cannot officially recognize the genocide, acknowledge it, ask for an apology and go beyond the issue, allowing the whole region to move together. This cannot happen unless there is an apology!”

Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA): “When will Turkey be part of the modern world if it does not recognize the past? Where would Germany be if it denied the Holocaust? Where would America be if we said slavery didn’t exist and the native America tribes just drifted away peacefully. Every country needs to recognizes its past in order to move forward to the future. And that is why I have co-sponsored every resolution in the last ten years in the House of Representatives to recognize the first genocide of the last century. But we have seen it again and again. Our International Relations committee passes the resolution – we reformulate the resolution and get it through the Judiciary committee instead. We move that bill through that Committee and then the House leadership won’t let it come up to a vote. It’s time to raise our voices to even higher levels and say its time for this to come up for a vote. Why is the Congress hiding from its responsibilities?”

Rep. John Tierney (D-MA): “ All of you do us a great service in reminding us the issues that are important to the Armenian community and for us to attend to those issues. Truth about what happened 91-years ago and the fairness of the issues for which you fight are things we need to continually remember. The truth is that it was ‘Genocide.’ We have to end man’s inhumanity to man, and we can only do that by acknowledging what has happened in the past, and swearing that we should never remain silent as it happens now in Darfur.”

Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN): “I commend you for your efforts to keep this alive and I hope you get a hard vote.”

Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD): “The lesson of the Armenian Genocide is that evil things are not just done by the bad people who perpetuate the crimes, but in a way are allowed to happen by the good people who are not taking the necessary action. The failure of the United States Congress to pass an Armenian Genocide Resolution sends exactly the wrong signal to people around the world about accountability. We have to send the signal that we are going to hold people accountable and the failure to do that has been a stain on the conscious of Congress and the United States.”

Rep. Curt Weldon (R-PA): “I understand it is a responsibility of mine in Congress to stand for your people and for the plight of your nation. . . . I told the President of Azerbaijan that we wanted to be friends with Azerbaijan but that we will not do it at the expense of Armenia and the Armenian community. We want the dignity of Armenia to shine strong in the Caspian region. You have our support and bipartisan support by members of Congress to make sure we never forget the terrible atrocities that occurred 91 years ago and that we never forget the plight of the Armenian people.”

Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA): “A country is only as great as its ability to recognize its past, recognize its mistakes, apologize and move on. The Diaspora isn’t looking for blood and vengeance, I believe you are looking for reconciliation and recognition so that we can all move forward in this world to insure that future acts of genocide shall cease.”

Rep. Diane Watson (D-CA): “I come to support you and join with my colleagues in saying that California already has a resolution supporting the Genocide of the Armenians, so we are already ahead of the game. And we want it to spread across this nation, all 50 states, that they then will correct the people out there that would like to deny. Let them know that history speaks for itself, and that the genocide is real. . . .We are going to try to convince our colleagues, regardless of the Turkish influence that appears in these halls, and win out in the end.”

April 26, 2009
History overshadows hope on Turkey’s Armenian border

By Daren Butler April 22, 2009

IGDIR, Turkey (Reuters) – Far below Mount Ararat’s snow-covered peak, history weighs heavy on the shoulders of Turks and Armenians seeking to overcome animosity generated by genocide claims and territorial disputes.

A recent diplomatic initiative to restore ties between the arch foes has fueled hopes of economic and strategic benefits. It has also stirred up century-old distrust and fears among locals as they watch developments from the militarized frontier.

The distrust of many in Turkey’s Igdir province is illustrated by a monument near Ararat consisting of five 40-meter-tall swords thrust toward the sky. It commemorates the killing of Turks by Armenians during and after World War One.

The memorial is a riposte to Armenian claims, supported by many countries and academics, that Ottoman Turk forces killed 1.5 million Armenians in a 1915 genocide which is commemorated across the border in Armenia on April 24.

“In Igdir there are still living witnesses who tell their descendants about the killings by Armenians here,” said Goksel Gulbeyi, chairman of an association set up to refute Armenian genocide claims.

Turkey fiercely rejects the genocide charge, saying many were killed on both sides during the conflict.

“There are people here who still feel resentment. The border shouldn’t be reopened until they are reassured,” he said.

At the Alican border gate 15 km (10 miles) away, soldiers send journalists away while farmers dig in surrounding land.

Gulbeyi’s group has launched a campaign to block the reopening of the border, closed by Turkey in 1993 in support of its traditional Muslim ally Azerbaijan, which was fighting Armenian-backed separatists in the breakaway mountain region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said this month the deadlock over Nagorno-Karabakh, where a fragile ceasefire holds but a peace accord has never been signed, should be resolved before any deal is struck between Turkey and Armenia.

There are also fears in Igdir, which has a large Azeri population, that Armenia covets Turkish territory. Mount Ararat, which provides a backdrop to the capital Yerevan, is a national symbol of Armenia and is pictured on its currency.

A breakthrough between Turkey and Armenia could help shore up stability in the Caucasus, criss-crossed by oil and gas pipelines which make it of strategic importance to Russia, Europe and the United States.

Western diplomats are concerned that in retaliation for the border reopening, Azerbaijan might be unwilling to sell its gas in the future through Turkey to Europe, and instead send most of it to Russia for re-export.

FRAGILE OPTIMISM

Despite the concerns, tentative cross-border contacts have generated fragile optimism among many in eastern Turkey, where livelihoods are largely made from farming and where per capita income is around a tenth of levels in affluent western Turkey.Continued…

“We want peace. I went to Armenia and I was received very well. We show them hospitality when they come here. I think it would be good for our economy and trade if the border opens,” said Ali Guvensoy, chairman of the Kars Chamber of Commerce.

That optimism is shared in landlocked Armenia. A reopening of the border would provide a huge boost to the economy, having already lost out on lucrative energy transit deals and trade with eastern Turkey.

Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan has said he expects the border to reopen by the time he attends a football match between the two countries in October.

Last year, President Abdullah Gul became the first Turkish leader to visit Armenia when he attended the first of the two World Cup qualifying ties between the two countries.

U.S. President Barack Obama, who visited NATO ally Turkey this month, has urged Turkey to normalize ties with Armenia. The EU has said such ties would help Turkey’s bid to join the bloc.

Obama, who as a candidate labeled the killings genocide, said during his visit that he stood by his views, but said he did not want to obstruct the Turkish-Armenian rapprochement.

“I think Mr Obama and the United States must intervene and solve the problems between the two countries so the border can be opened,” Guvensoy said in his gloomy office in Kars, where the architecture tells of the town’s Russian history.

Above his desk hangs a portrait of Ottoman General Kazim Karabekir, who captured Kars from Armenian forces in 1920.

South of Kars, the Turkish village of Halikisla illustrates how closely the two countries are bound together despite the deep historical wounds which divide them.

Set in a tree-filled valley below a rocky hillside, it is a stone’s throw away from an Armenian village across the Arpacayi River. It recalls a time when Turks and Armenians lived side by side. Military installations now frame the picturesque scene.

“The only contact we have is when sheep stray from one side of the border to the other,” said 55-year-old Kiyas Karadag, a village official, drinking tea with locals on a hill overlooking the Armenian side of the frontier.

“If the problems are solved we want the border open. It will be good for trade, good for our province, good for our country.”

(Writing by Daren Butler)

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April 23, 2009