HOVANNISIAN WANTS KARABAKH RECOGNITION BY ARMENIA

By Ruzanna Khachatrian

Radio Libery, Czech Rep.
Aug 28 2007

Opposition leader Raffi Hovannisian demanded on Tuesday that Armenia change a long-standing policy and formally recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent state.

The initiative took the form of a relevant bill introduced in the Armenian parliament by Hovannisian. The bill has to be discussed and evaluated by the parliament committee on foreign relations and the government before it can reach the parliament floor.

Karabakh declared itself an independent state in 1991 shortly after breaking away from Azerbaijani rule but has since failed to win formal recognition by any country of the world, including Armenia.

The current and former authorities in Yerevan have resisted periodical domestic calls to recognize the dispute territory's independence, saying that such a move would only complicate efforts at a peaceful resolution of the Karabakh conflict.

Stepan Safarian, a parliament deputy from Hovannisian's Zharangutyun party, said the latest deadlock in Armenian-Azerbaijani peace talks is a major reason for the bill's circulation. He expressed hope that the pro-government majority in the National Assembly will back it.

However, speaker Tigran Torosian and other majority leaders made it clear that they will oppose the initiative, seeing ulterior motives behind it. They also said it would create an additional obstacle to a Karabakh settlement.

"Recognition of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic by the Republic of Armenia must have a very serious justification," Torosian told RFE/RL. "It is not right for individuals who are uninformed about the course and details of [Armenian-Azerbaijani] negotiations to introduce bills for known reasons to the parliament."

"If the Republic of Armenia unilaterally recognizes the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic as an independent state, the work of the OSCE Minsk Group will become meaningless," said Aram Safarian, secretary of the parliament faction of the Prosperous Armenia Party.

A senior lawmaker from another governing party, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, took a similar view. "Such initiatives must not be ends in themselves or stem from some political calculations or party interests," said Armen Rustamian. "They must take into consideration state interests and not obstruct the negotiating process."

###

I think that the excuse being used of recognition of independence complicating the peace settlement is a bunch of bull. In the end as it stands now, the only peace settlement that will ever be adopted will come only after the approval of the Artsakh government and the people living here. If you ask me, we can speed up the process by having the Artsakh government negotiating with the Azeris.

I think one of the main motivating factors of Raffi’s to get Artsakh recognized and the reason it’s not going to get recognized is that if Artsakh is an independent state, then all bets are off in terms of Armenia presently recognizing Artsakh as a part of Armenia. This was a decision adopted by the Armenian government when Artsakh first declared independence. Artsakh reciprocated and declared Armenia a part of Artsakh. Later on, the Artstakh government reversed the decision, but the decision from Armenia remained and remains to this day. This is the reason why Robert Kocharian was able to be elected President of Armenia. Technically he was living in Armenia for 10 years prior to the elections because Artsakh is a part of Armenia.

If Artsakh is recognized by the Armenian government as an independent state, Serg Sarkissyan will not qualify to run as President since he is not an Armenian citizen, but is an Artsakh citizen, thus not be eligible to run for President.

In fact I would guess that there are many high-ranking officials from Artsakh who would have to become citizens of Armenia in order to retain their posts since if I recall, citizenship is a requirement of minister post in Armenia. Of course with the new duel citizenship laws in place, recognizing Artsakh as a separate state would not have too much effect on those working in government that are Artsakh citizens since they could receive dual citizenship.

Was the Genocides of the Armenians a religiously motivated jihad or a Zionist instigation of religiously motivated Muslims?

There has been quite few articles written recently by non-Armenians encouraging members of Congress to vote in favor of the upcoming resolution to officially acknowledge the Genocide.

A couple of articles are written by Andrew G. Bostom, who is the author of The Legacy of Jihad (Prometheus, 2005) and the forthcoming The Legacy of Islamic Antisemitism " (Prometheus, November, 2007). See: http://www.americanthinker.com/2007/08/congress_must_recognize_the_ar.html and http://www.projo.com/opinion/contributors/content/projo_20070815_bostom.2545880.html Also see the second to the last paragraph of the August 21, 2007 Boston Globe article titled "Truth and the Armenian genocide."

Mr. Bostom keeps referring the Genocide as the product of a religiously motivated jihad and the same kind of jihad that was carried out and resulted in what is known as 9/11.

If you ask me and if you are just a little bit convinced of who the leaders of the Young Turks were (Zionist Jews), then you have to wonder why the non-Armenians who have in the past not supported Genocide recognition and have in a sense been forced into supporting it, are now not just giving their approval, but are going all out to make sure people understand that it was an act by fanatical Muslims who are of the same caliber of those who are being blamed by the U.S. and Israel for all the problems of the world?

If you ask me, this could be a smoke-screen to cover up the truth behind the Genocide, which will soon come out and at the same time an attempt to pit Turkey and the Islamic world against Armenia to further destabilize the region.

Though Armenia could without a doubt hold it’s ground in a military offensive against it from all it’s neighbors, it’s very important for Armenians and those interested in peace and stability in our region to research, document and get out the word of what really happened in 1915 and to place blame on the perpetrators of the Genocide, be that the Turks, Zionist, the Rothschild’s and/or the Freemasons.

The Armenian and Turkish population need to know the truth and if thing play out the way I think they will, we all will understand that the common Turkish people are not our enemy, nor are we the Turkish peoples enemy. The common enemy we both share are those who manipulated and instigated a “religiously motivated jihad” back in 1915 and those I bet you are the Zionist who in control of Turkey and Israel and are now behind propagating to the American public and Congress that Armenians were the victims of the same kind of force that America faced on 9/11.

TURKISH PRIME MINISTER SAYS ADL [ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE] WILL RECALL ITS FORMER STATEMENT ON POSSIBLE RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

arminfo
2007-08-27 13:36:00

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, stating that the Jewish lobby in the United States, the ADL [Anti-Defamation League], which was reported to have changed its stance regarding the 1915 Armenian incidents, has sent a message to the Office of the prime minister, said that the false step made previously has been retracted with this statement. Erdogan said: 'The indicated that, just as they have provided all the support they could until now, they will provide it in the future as well,'Anatolia news agency reports.

Erdogan, after casting his vote in the second round of the presidential election, was questioned by journalists in the corridors: 'You spoke with [Israeli President] Shimon Perez. There are reports that the Jewish lobby in America has taken a step backwards; what are the developments in this regard?' Stating that the text with the ADL's written message had come, he said: 'They said that they share our sensitivities in particular on account of this statement regarding us, and they expressed the mistake they had made in the written fax they sent us.'

Erdogan, pointing out that he has to date suggested to Armenia that the topic be studied by a commission comprised of historians, archaeologists, and political scientists, and that politicians sit together and work on this, noted that Armenia has not responded to him on this matter. Erdogan said: 'They [the ADL] indicate that they agree with this as well. On account of this, they expressed their regret.'

In response to a question, Erdogan stated that a fax had come from the ADL.

Asked 'are they going to declare this to the world, or will it just be limited to a fax coming to the Office of the prime minister?', he said: 'No. It has already been posted on their own [web]site.' In response to the question 'did they fax to you what is on the site?', Erdogan said 'I do not know the one on their site, but there is a fax that came to the Office of the prime minister.'

Some Armenians don’t want to be labeled Anti-Semitic and may fear to learn the truth

In the recent conflict between the Armenian community of Boston and the ADL, quite a bit of debating has taken place on the internet. One particular site that caught my attention is www.jewcy.com, which had a number of articles and comments regarding the ADL and their lack of seeing the Genocide for what it is.

We know what transpired and the final outcome of the ADL’s positive position on what happened in 1915 as being Genocide is great news. What is not so great is that I learned from the Armenians who posted comments on www.jewcy.com were not interested in exploring the possible real powers behind the Armenian Genocide or in the case of one comment went so far as to justify that what the Young Turks did was almost forgivable since some Armenians supported them up until 1913.

The following are the comments from www.jewcy.com for your review and for archival purposes. Your comments are welcome, as I really do need to get an idea as to if researching this avenue in our readers opinion is Anti-Semitic or the right thing to do.

Comments from http://jewcy.com/feature/2007-07-09/fire_foxman:

One reason why the ADL can not support anything in favor of the Armenian Genocide could have to do with the fact that those that ordered the Armenian Genocide could have been crypto-Jews. For more information this see: http://www.jewishracism.com/JewishGenocide.htm

Anonymous
08/20/07 1:41 am

To Anonymous

I condemn this website and its contents in the strongest possible terms.

Dany Beylerian
08/20/07 2:13 am

Recently, I was alerted to that website, and I started to read what this guy, Christopher Jon Bjerknes, wrote about the supposed connection between Jews and the Young Turk movement. You don't have to read long before you realize it's just an anti-Jewish tirade. It's poorly written, poorly reasoned, and it's so hate-filled that even if any of the alleged facts in the book were true, it's impossible to look past the hatred.

Anyway, I think others have written that some of the early leaders of the Young Turk movement were Jewish or secretly Jewish. I don't know whether or not it's true. But it really doesn't matter, since the Armenians themselves supported the Young Turk movement all the way up to about 1913, before they realized that the Young Turks had no interest in bringing justice and equality to all people of Turkey.

Phantom
08/20/07 2:34 am

Phantom wrote:

Anyway, I think others have written that some of the early leaders of the Young Turk movement were Jewish or secretly Jewish. I don't know whether or not it's true. But it really doesn't matter, since the Armenians themselves supported the Young Turk movement all the way up to about 1913, before they realized that the Young Turks had no interest in bringing justice and equality to all people of Turkey.

Your logic and rational to brush aside the Zionist connection to the Young Turks who the Armenian supported is the same as me befriending you and you not knowing I am a rapist. You introduce me to your sister Karine, who I naturally rape when I get the chance. With your logic, your family has no right to pursue me for my criminal act I committed against your sister since you supported me not knowing I was a rapist.

If it really does not matter who or what the Young Turks did since the Armenians themselves supported the movement, then what right do you have to expect recognition of the alleged Armenian genocide, since Talaat was the leader of the time directing the populous to kill the Armenians?

Don’t get me wrong, I believe there was a genocide, but I also believe that you have to understand who was behind it. The book found on http://www.jewishracism.com/JewishGenocide.htm may appear to be an ax to grind and full of haltered. If you look beyond that hate and read the source material, you can certainly draw your own conclusions, not to say that there is anything to find, but getting to the root of a problem, leaving no stone unturned and understanding what really happened is the best way to prevent the same from happening in the future.

It’s wonderful that the Armenians have chimed in with their objection to Christopher Jon Bjerknes book, “THE JEWISH GENOCIDE OF ARMENIAN CHRISTIANS.” It would be interesting what the non-Armenians think of it since it is written by a man who is of Jewish decent?

Anonymous
08/21/07 1:38 am

While Christopher Jon Bjerknes' contention that Jews were the secret force behind the Kemalist revolution is charming, I find his contention that Einstein stole his physics ideas to be much more compelling.

(As to Mr. Bjerknes' contention that his parents were Jewish, it would be more believable if they had not named him in honour of Jesus Christ. Personally, that's why I find that particular contention to be both boring and spurious, in the nature of his Jews-run-Turkey argument, and not nearly as entertaining as his Einstein-stole-my-physics one.)

Anonymous
08/21/07 1:41 pm

Bjerknes is nothing more than an anti-semitic hack much like David Irivng. He is wasting valuable oxygen that others could be breathing.

Looks like Foxman finally recognized that Armenian Genocide, albeit begrudgingly and under a lot of pressure from many inside the ADL. Still, I don't think us Armenians are going to give up our struggle to have the non-binding Congressional Resolution passed this year or next.

Joey, I can't thank you enough for all your support.

Joseph
08/21/07 2:23 pm

Anti-Semitic?

I have no idea as to Joseph’s age and education, but to deem Bjerknes writings as anti-Semitic without at least giving him some credit for unearthing facts of the Young Turks as Phantom has, should tell all of us that ignorance or fear of not knowing what will come of Bjerknes book drives the naysayers to downplay what those interested in real justice will further research to find the truth. I also believe that since oxygen is such a valuable commodity, the naysayers should practice holding their breaths.

If you don’t believe what you have read from Bjerknes book, get yourself a copy of John Kirakosyan’s the "Young Turks before the law court of history". It's a two volume document published in 1982 - 1983. Most university libraries have this publication, only problem is that you have to be able to read Armenian. There is an English translation titled “The Armenian Genocide: The Young Turks Before the Judgment of History”, which was published in 1992. You can get a copy from Amazon.com. I’m guessing that this is an abridged version of the original writing and will have to compare it to the original document to see if anything is missing. Of course if you didn’t like Bjerknes writings, then you will hate Kirakosyan’s books for the same reasons.

BTW, will there be any non-Armenians giving their opinion of what Bjerknes has written or can we all agree that he may be on to something?

Anonymous
08/22/07 1:31 am

Let’s learn from our history… LPT should not be given the chance to become President again

ARMENIAN EX-LEADER TO ANNOUNCE PLANS TO BID FOR PRESIDENCY

Mediamax news agency
23 Aug 07
Yerevan

A member of the Armenian Pan-National Movement board has said that former President Levon Ter-Petrosyan will announce his intention to run for presidency at a party congress in late September.

"Ter-Petrosyan is capable of ensuring the people's unity and counteracting present-day challenges and increasing threats to Armenia's independence," Aram Manukyan told Arminfo news agency.

Manukyan added that political consultations are under way to discuss the possibility of nominating Per-Petrosyan as the opposition's single candidate, the agency said.

The next presidential election in Armenia will be held in 2008. Levon Ter-Petrosyan was Armenian president in 1991-98.




Armenia: Events In Yugoslavia Rekindle Memories

By Emil Danielyan

As the international community watched the post-election drama unfold in Yugoslavia, there was at least one place in the world which had a strong sense of having lived through the same experience. In Armenia, thousands of kilometers from the Balkans, it looked strikingly familiar: an election rigged in favor of the incumbent ruler and opposition crowds storming the parliament after authorities refused to recount ballots.

Yerevan, 9 October 2000 (RFE/RL) -- Four years ago, Armenia held elections that followed a pattern similar to those in Yugoslavia.

But there was one big difference: While the election aftermath ended in triumph for Yugoslav opposition leader Vojislav Kostunica, his Armenian opposite number, Vazgen Manukian, had to go into hiding to avoid arrest. Levon Ter-Petrossian, the former Armenian president who was officially declared winner of the 1996 vote, did far better than his more experienced Yugoslav counterpart, Slobodan Milosevic.

A senior member of Manukian's National Democratic Union (AZhM), Filaret Berikian, smokes nervously when asked whether he agrees that the events in Belgrade were like those in Yerevan four years ago.

"I don't just agree. As my comrades and I watched TV reports from Serbia, tears came to our eyes. We realized what a chance for this country we had lost."

For Berikian, the two situations were very similar:

"The parallels are clear. The same scenario had been written here [by the authorities.] We should have gone on to the end in an organized fashion, no matter what might confront us. I have no doubts that the army and police would have similarly taken the people's side had we been more organized."

Official results of the presidential elections held in Armenia on September 21, 1996 gave victory to the incumbent Ter-Petrossian, with just over 50 percent of the vote.

Manukian, his main challenger and then leader of the opposition alliance, had 43 percent, according to Armenia's Central Election Commission. The opposition cried foul, insisting that Manukian had in fact polled enough votes to win outright.

Four days after the elections, tens of thousands of opposition supporters marched to the parliament building in Yerevan -- which at the time housed the election commission -- to demand that the ballots be recounted. As negotiations between opposition leaders and election officials dragged on, the crowd broke into the building. The speaker of the parliament and his deputy were severely beaten in an outburst of popular anger.

The violence provided a suitable pretext for Ter-Petrossian to order troops into the streets of the Armenian capital. Dozens of opposition activists, including the AZhM's Berikian, were arrested. A handful of opposition deputies were forcibly brought into the parliament chamber the next day to face verbal and physical abuse from their more numerous pro-government colleagues. The scene was broadcast live by state television.

Meanwhile, a monitoring mission from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, or OSCE, also questioned the official results of the polls, adding more weight to the opposition's case. Two years later, the credibility of vote-fraud allegations was further boosted when Armenia's former interior minister, Vano Siradeghian, a key player in the crackdown on the opposition, effectively admitted that the results of the 1996 elections had been rigged.

But Ter-Petrossian's victory proved short-lived. In February 1998, he was forced to step down by the same security ministers who had helped him crush the opposition revolt.

Some political analysts believe the 1996 election debacle ushered Armenia into a new era in which its security apparatus now plays the dominant role in political life. Berikian says political progress in the country was pushed back at least 10 years.

In 1998, after Ter-Petrossian's resignation, new presidential elections brought current President Robert Kocharian to power. That vote was also marred by fraud and irregularities, with Western monitors again concluding that they fell short of OSCE standards.

The popular overthrow of Milosevic last week had Armenian analysts asking if the same scenario could have enacted in the south Caucasian nation four years ago. Some argue Manukian made a fatal mistake during the night of September 25 to 26, when he told the protesters to go home and return to the streets in the morning. With arrests overnight and tanks rolling into the city, that became impossible.

But also important was the fact that Western powers did not quickly recognize the opposition victory in Armenia, as they did in Yugoslavia. Semeon Baghdasarian, another AZhM leader, says that had there been Western recognition, "those who ordered the army into the streets would have thought twice before taking such actions."

The way hundreds of thousands of Serbs dealt with the Milosevic regime last week also raises the question of how legitimate is the use of force against state institutions. Western leaders referred to the violent protests in Belgrade as an "uprising." Armenia's former leadership still views the 1996 storming of the parliament as an attempted coup d'etat.


© 1995-2000 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
http://www.rferl.org

MATTHEW BRYZA MARRIES TURKISH ZEYNO BARAN

ARMENPRESS
Aug 22, 2007

BAKU, AUGUST 22, ARMENPRESS: Matthew Bryza, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs and Hudson Institute senior fellow, Turkish Zeyno Baran, will get married on August 23 in Istanbul, Azerbaijani APA news agency said.

Mathew Bryza is also the U.S. cochairman in the OSCE Minsk Group, which is the sole international body mandated by the OSCE to help Armenia and Azerbaijan to find a peaceful settlement to their dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh.

APA said some 300 guests are invited to the ceremony to be held on Kurucheshma island of Istanbul.

Zeyno Baran and Mathew Bryza asked invitees to support "Father, send me to school" campaign that aims to encourage Turkish girls to education instead of gifts for their marriage. Invitations also show bank accounts of the campaign.

Turkish envoy returns to deal with ADL

Herb Keinon , THE JERUSALEM POST
Aug. 23, 2007

The Turkish ambassador is set to end his vacation two weeks early to return to Israel and register Turkey's concerns about the Anti-Defamation League's statement that Turkish actions toward the Armenians from 1915-1918 were "tantamount to genocide," The Jerusalem Post has learned.

The decision to send Namik Tan back on Thursday came at a high-level meeting at the Turkish Foreign Ministry in Ankara on Wednesday. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is also expected to call Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in the coming days to discuss the matter.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a statement calling the ADL statement "unfortunate," and said Turkey expected that the statement would "be corrected."

ADL National Director Abe Foxman issued a statement Tuesday saying that Turkey's actions against Armenians "were tantamount to genocide," in a dramatic reversal of a long-standing policy.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry statement said that to describe the events during WWI as "genocide" was "without historical and legal basis," and that contrary to the ADL's claim, there was no consensus on this matter among historians.

"We see this statement as an unfortunate one that is unjust to the Holocaust, which has no precedent, and to its victims. And we expect it to be corrected," the statement read.

Israel's Foreign Ministry had no comment on the matter, which both Israeli and Turkish diplomatic sources privately admit could strain bilateral relations.

One Turkish official said the fact there was no reference in the Turkish Foreign Ministry statement to Israeli-Turkish relations was a message to the Jewish state not to change its policy on the genocide issue.

Israel's position on this matter was last formally articulated in March, when the Knesset shelved a proposal for a parliamentary discussion on the Armenian genocide.

Health Minister Ya'acov Ben-Yizri, speaking on behalf of Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, said at the time: "As Jews and Israelis we have special sympathy and a moral obligation to commemorate the massacres that were perpetrated against the Armenians in the last years of Ottoman rule. The State of Israel never denied these terrible acts. On the contrary, we understand fully the intense emotional feelings aroused by this, taking into consideration the number of victims, and the suffering of the Armenian people."

Ben-Yizri also said Israel understood that this was a "loaded" issue between the Armenians and Turks, and that Israel hoped "both sides will reach an open dialogue that will enable them to heal the wounds that have been left open."

The Turkish Foreign Ministry also took the ADL to task for suggesting that the organization's change of policy could place Turkey's Jewish community in danger.

"The Turkish Jewish community is part and parcel of our society, and there is no reason for them to have concerns," the ministry said in its statement.

The ADL had said a US Congressional resolution on the genocide issue would be a "counterproductive diversion and will not foster reconciliation between Turks and Armenians, and may put at risk the Turkish Jewish community and the important multilateral relationship between Turkey, Israel and the United States."

On the lighter side…

I got a comment on one of my YouTube posting of our documentary about human trafficking to the UAE of Armenian girls from someone who spotted a couple of guys they know which read, “HAHAHAHAHA! 2 of my friends faces are shown here!! dirty boys!! omg! thats bad!!”

When I get comments, I check to see who the person posting is from and I came across a couple of videos that had me laughing and thought you may enjoy seeing yourself.

Enjoy.


Funny Baby "Blood"


What this little girl would do to a Monster if she saw it

Assemblymember Paul Krekorian on ADL Announcement on the Genocide

OFFICE OF ASSEMBLYMEMBER PAUL KREKORIAN
Adrin Nazarian, Chief of Staff
620 N. Brand Blvd. Suite 403
Glendale, CA 91203
(818) 240-6330
(818) 240-4632 fax
adrin.nazarian@asm.ca.gov


Statement by Assemblymember Paul Krekorian In Response to Anti-Defamation League's Announcement on the Armenian Genocide

Assemblymember Paul Krekorian (D-Burbank) issued the following statement in response to the Anti-Defamation League's August 21, 2007 announcement regarding the Armenian Genocide:

"For almost a century, the Anti-Defamation League has been one of our nation's leading champions of tolerance and civil rights. The ADL has always been a leader in our ongoing collective struggle against bigotry, hatred and extremism. This strong history of fighting for justice and truth, though, has made the ADL's consistent and vocal opposition to recognition of the Armenian Genocide in recent years that much more disconcerting and disappointing.

"I am very pleased that the ADL has now publicly declared, at long last, that the deliberate and systematic massacre of Armenians at the hands of Turkey beginning in 1915 was 'tantamount to genocide.' All people who care about truth and historical accuracy will welcome and appreciate the ADL's statement that respected historians have already reached clear consensus in recognizing the Turkish atrocities against the Armenian people as genocide. In making this announcement, the ADL has added its considerable influence and outstanding reputation to the cause of those who demand appropriate recognition of the Genocide and justice for its victims and survivors.

"I heartily commend the membership and leadership of the ADL for bringing about this very positive and welcomed change of perspective. I urge the ADL now to take the next step and join with those of us who strongly support the pending Congressional resolution clearly stating that what happened to the Armenian people was genocide."

2 members of regional ADL board quit

Firing of local director brings protest, debate

Boston Globe
By Keith O'Brien and Matt Viser, Globe Staff August 19, 2007

At least two prominent board members of the regional Anti-Defamation League have resigned in protest over the national ADL's decision to fire the regional director for acknowledging the slaughter of Armenians during World War I as genocide.

Former chairman of the Polaroid Corp., Stewart L. Cohen, and City Council member Mike Ross told the Globe yesterday they could no longer be part of an organization with national leaders who refused to acknowledge the Armenian genocide and fired regional director, Andrew H. Tarsy, on Friday for taking a position in support of Armenian-Americans.

"I'm devastated by that and it's not something I can support," said Ross, whose father is a Holocaust survivor. "So I have to take this step. I can only hope that it helps to send a message and that the very good people of the Anti-Defamation League can reconsider their position."

Cohen, who resigned in frustration hours after Tarsy was fired, said the entire affair has been a blow to the ADL membership. "Everyone is incredibly sad," he said. "Some I would describe as heartbroken."

The resignations -- which may be the first of others to come -- were announced as members of the local Jewish and Armenian-American communities praised Tarsy and the regional board for taking stands recognizing the Armenian genocide and criticized the ADL's national director, Abraham H. Foxman, for taking a position out of step not just locally, but perhaps nationally.

If Foxman does not change his position and acknowledge the genocide, George Beilin, a past president of the North Shore Council of the B'nai B'rith Organization, called on the national leader to "resign immediately for the sake of the Jewish community in the United States and the world."

Beilin, a Hamilton resident and clinical psychologist, said he had sent a petition stating these demands to regional ADL offices across the country. And with legislation pending in Congress that would formally recognize the genocide, many believed the outcry over this issue may have only just begun.

"This is not going to stop," said Nancy Kaufman, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston. "This is going to continue in every community across the country where there's a strong Armenian community and the ADL. Because this is not just a local issue. This is a national issue."

The debate that led to the ADL rift started weeks ago in Watertown, home to more than 8,000 Armenian-Americans. Residents became angry when they learned that the ADL was the sponsor of the town's antibigotry program "No Place For Hate."

Last Tuesday, the Watertown Town Council voted unanimously to pull out of the program.

At issue was a longtime dispute. From 1915 to 1923, Ottoman Turks massacred as many as 1.5 million Armenians in what is now modern-day Turkey.

Armenians, historians, and some European nations have recognized the killings as genocide. But the Turkish government has refused to accept the genocide label; the national ADL refuses to use it as well.

But after Watertown officials voted to pull out of the ADL's program, the executive committee of the regional board broke with the national office, calling on the national ADL to recognize the genocide and, according to a source, resolving to support the legislation in Congress.

Tarsy, who is separate from the board, then spoke out publicly, which led to his firing on Friday and outcry all across the metropolitan area.

"I applaud Watertown, the New England ADL, and Mr. Tarsy," said Anthony Barsamian, a Sherborn resident and member of the board of directors for the Armenian Assembly of America. "And I call upon the ADL nationally to change its position at this point. It's incumbent upon the ADL to unequivocally affirm the genocide."

Officially, Foxman says, the ADL has no position on the genocide issue. But it does not support the legislation in Congress. In an open letter to be published in advertisements in local newspapers this week, the ADL called the legislation "counterproductive" and the organization, founded in 1913 to fight anti-Semitism, worried what effect passing the legislation would have on Jews living in Turkey.

Documents obtained by the Globe yesterday show that this is a position that Foxman has held at least since 1984. But critics say it is a hypocritical position for an organization dedicated to speaking out for human rights.

Yesterday local residents spoke out against the national ADL's position and Tarsy's firing.

"I think that the ADL stands for stopping bigotry, and I think for us not to make a stand on the issue of Armenian genocide is a mistake," said Jon Rotenberg of Brookline, who is Jewish. He said he believes the national ADL should reinstate Tarsy.

Bernard H. Mehlman, a retired rabbi at Temple Israel, Boston's largest synagogue, said it is clear that Turkey's position as an ally to Israel was playing a role here. And past and current regional ADL board members said the recent events had hurt the reputation of the human rights organization.

"We're very, very upset with the way this has come down with Andy," said board member Jason Chudnofsky. "It's hard to justify the way that has been handled. Things could have been handled a lot more professionally, and not so emotionally."

Chudnofsky said he did not plan to resign. For him, and many other board members, the goal now is to work from within the organization to create change.

"This is all new territory," said Sam White, another member of the regional board. "I think most of us do not plan to quit, but do plan to stand up and do what's right. Everyone is steadfast on standing up and not backing down."

A meeting of the entire board has been scheduled for Wednesday morning. What happens after that, board members say, they are not quite sure. But Richard Morningstar, a former chairman of the regional board's executive committee and the former US ambassador to the European Union, said the reputation, membership, and fund-raising capabilities of the regional ADL may hang in the balance.

"I think it's extremely unfair that Mr. Tarsy has been terminated because he and the executive committee of the regional board had a different view from the national office," said Morningstar, a Marion resident. "I believe that the ADL will suffer significantly in this area unless the situation is rectified."

John M. Guilfoil contributed to this story. Keith O'Brien can be reached at kobrien@globe.com, Matt Viser at maviser@globe.com

ADL local leader fired on Armenian issue

Genocide question sparked bitter debate

The Boston Globe
By Keith O'Brien, Globe Staff August 18, 2007

The national Anti-Defamation League fired its New England regional director yesterday, one day after he broke ranks with national ADL leadership and said the human rights organization should acknowledge the Armenian genocide that began in 1915.

The firing of Andrew H. Tarsy, who had served as regional director for about two years and as civil rights counsel for about five years before that, prompted an immediate backlash among prominent local Jewish leaders against the ADL's national leadership and its national director, Abraham H. Foxman.

"My reaction is that this was a vindictive, intolerant, and destructive act, ironically by an organization and leader whose mission -- fundamental mission -- is to promote tolerance," Newton businessman Steve Grossman, a former ADL regional board member, said yesterday.

"I predict that Foxman's actions will precipitate wholesale resignations from the regional board, a meaningful reduction in ADL's regional fund-raising, and will further exacerbate the ADL's relationship with the non-Jewish community coming out of this crisis around the Armenian genocide."

Tarsy, 38, said he had been struggling with the national position for weeks and finally told Foxman in a phone conversation Thursday that he found the ADL's stance "morally indefensible."

The regional board's executive committee backed Tarsy and, according to a source familiar with the discussion, even went a step further, resolving to support legislation now pending before Congress to acknowledge the deaths of 1.5 million Armenians during the World War I era as genocide.

The national office's three-page response -- which it provided yesterday to the Globe -- did not mention the local office's intent to support the legislation. But it made clear just how far apart the two sides were on an issue with local, national, and international implications.

The letter, signed by Foxman and Glen S. Lewy, the ADL's national chairman, said "we have acknowledged the massacres of Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Empire and called on Turkey to do more to confront its past and reconcile with Armenia. We will continue to press Turkey, publicly and privately . . ." But the letter also makes clear that the national ADL feels the safety of Israel, which considers Turkey a rare Muslim ally, is paramount.

The national ADL leaders also said employees who do not agree with the ADL's position should not differ pubicly, but should resign. "No organization can or should tolerate such an act of open defiance," the letter said.

Asked how they would resolve the difference of opinion, both local and national leaders said they did not know.

"They've taken a position," Foxman said in an interview. "We've taken a position. I hope they will read our position and hopefully we'll have conversations."

Tarsy's firing -- and the national office's rebuke of the local office's independence -- marked the latest twist in a debate that began weeks ago in Watertown, home to more than 8,000 Armenian-Americans. Residents there became angry when they learned that the ADL was the sponsor of the town's anti-bigotry program "No Place For Hate" and, on Tuesday this week, the Watertown Town Council voted unanimously to pull out of the program.

At issue was not the program itself, but rather a tangle of international politics dating back more than 90 years. From 1915 to 1923, Ottoman Turks massacred as many as 1.5 million Armenians in what is now modern-day Turkey. Armenians, historians, and some European nations have recognized the killings as genocide. But the Turkish government has refused to accept the genocide label and the national ADL refuses to use it as well.

In a 438-word open letter slated to appear in advertisements inside local newspapers beginning next week, the ADL does not use the word genocide. Officially, Foxman reiterated yesterday, the ADL has no position on the genocide issue. But it does not support the legislation in Congress. In the open letter yesterday, the ADL called it "counterproductive" and the organization, founded in 1913 to fight anti-Semitism, worried what effect passing the legislation would have on Jews living in Turkey.

Critics say this position is hypocritical. Foxman "should understand that the truth of any genocide is not conditional upon political relationships," said Aram Hamparian, executive director of the Armenian National Committee of America in Washington, D.C. Rather, he said, it should be dictated by "truth" and "history."

As recently as Tuesday night, however, Tarsy defended the ADL's position before a hostile crowd at the Watertown Town Council meeting. In explaining why he did it, Tarsy said yesterday that he was doing the best he could to explain the ADL policy while struggling at the same time to change the policy internally. Neither side would back down and he was fired.

"I have been in conflict over this issue for several weeks," Tarsy said. "I regret at this point any characterization of the genocide that I made publicly other than to call it a genocide. I think that kind of candor about history is absolutely fundamental."

Both the Jewish and Armenian-American communities rushed to Tarsy's defense yesterday in the wake of his firing and applauded him for taking the stand that ultimately cost him his job.

"I'm devastated to hear the news," said Ronne Friedman, senior rabbi at Temple Israel, the largest synagogue in Boston. "I think he's really a quality professional and a wonderful person of conscience. I think it's an inexcusable behavior on the part of the national office."

Grossman said Tarsy provided "moral leadership" and surely would have invigorated a new generation of ADL members in New England if he had been given the chance. Hamparian said it spoke poorly of the ADL's national leadership that Tarsy "was not rewarded, but fired for speaking the truth." And James Rudolph, the ADL's regional board chairman and partner at a Boston law firm, said he would miss working with Tarsy.

"I'm disappointed," Rudolph said. "He was an extraordinary leader and I'm sure that a lot of people affiliated with the board and affiliated with the ADL share my disappointment."

Rudolph, like Foxman, said he is hoping to have further conversations with the national office in the days ahead regarding the differences between them.

But they will be doing it without Tarsy, who said that he has no idea what he will do next.

"I have the greatest respect for the ADL and for its staff and leadership," Tarsy said, referring to the people he has worked with in the regional office over the years. "And I want very badly to see the ADL do what's right on this issue."

© Copyright 2007 Globe Newspaper Company

Are we anti-Semitic for investigating the Zionist Jewish connection to Talaat’s Young Turks?

It seems that over at Oneworld Multimedia, the posting of anti-Semitic graffiti which appeared at the Vernisage recently has grown into questioning my recent postings of Zionist Jewish ties to the Young Turks and the real reasons behind the Armenian Genocides between 1895 and 1921.

I’m really interested in understanding what the big deal is when discussing the events leading up to and the real forces behind the attempted extermination of the Armenian people?

The reality is that Talaat Pasha and most of the Young Turks were of Jewish decent. We also know that until today, Jewish lobbying powers around the world have been very active in preventing the Armenian Genocide form being recognized.

The bottom line is that if there is any truth in the claims made by Christopher Jon Bjerknes and his 575 page document titled “The Jewish Genocide of Armenian Christians” we must at very least conduct our own research into the events he has documented and then learn from that information so that those destructive acts which threaten our very existence will never be repeated.

I will tell you that if you have not read Christopher’s document from cover to cover or at very least listened to or watched the video interviews in order to familiarize yourself with the materials, then don’t draw conclusions on this very serious subject since all your going to end up doing is prove your ignorance and lack of willingness to be open to new ideas and what I see could become the new approach to Genocide recognition.

For those of you who think that by perusing the Zionist Jew connection to the Armenian Genocide will cause harm to our “good relations” with the Jewish community in the Diaspora, I would seriously consider rethinking the whole idea as to what “good relations” are. If “good relations” means to ignore an important part of our history that should serve as a warning for things to come in exchange for “good relations”, then you really need to ask yourself what have we really gained from these “good relations” up until now? For those of you who don’t get what I’m trying to say, re-read the third paragraph of this posting.

BTW, I’ve spoken to quite a few people on this subject over the last week and so far everyone agrees that this is a subject that needs to be carefully researched and then only factual conclusions published. So far I’ve only had one objection and that came from a person who will remain unnamed who has built their reputation and carrier on Armenian Genocide recognition based on the buck stopping with the Young Turk Government. This person won’t even explain why they feel that Christopher’s claims have no merit. Without such explanation, I can only conclude at this time that their findings on the Genocide issue will be less significant and lower their academic status of being one of our top experts on Genocide issues if the Jewish connection to the Genocide becomes a part of our history.

Anyone who thinks that I’m anti-Semitic I will tell you for the record that I don’t agree or approve of any racially motivated attack on anyone or any group of people. What happened in Vernisage with the graffiti is wrong, unacceptable and will not help to make Armenia a better place.

DOLLAR VS. DRAM - FACT VS. FICTION

By Harut Sassounian, Publisher, The California Courier

AZG Armenian Daily
15/08/2007

In the last couple of years, the U.S. dollar has lost more than 40% of its value against the Armenian currency, the dram.

This devaluation has had a major impact on Armenia's economy on several fronts:

- On-going projects in Armenia, funded in dollars from overseas, have considerably exceeded their allotted budgets, forcing investors and donors either to curtail their projects in order to remain on budget or substantially increase their planned expenditures.

- The stronger dram has reduced Armenia's exports, as Armenian products have become more expensive for foreign buyers.

- A large number of Armenians, who have been surviving on funds sent to them from their families overseas, have had their incomes reduced drastically, as the dollars they receive are worth much less than before.

- On the positive side, imports from overseas have become cheaper, as the dram now buys much more in dollars.

The devaluation of the dollar has given rise to speculations as to the true reasons for the reduction in the value of the dollar vs. the dram. Some have alleged that by lowering the value of the dollar, the local oligarchs are able to import cheaper goods.

Unfortunately, most of those who have written about this issue in the press have had no professional training on the subject of currency exchange, leading them to make uninformed judgments.

Recently, when an acquaintance asked this writer for his opinion on the alarming rate of the devaluation of the dollar in Armenia, he advised this individual to contact an expert in financial matters so that facts are separated from fiction. In response to his queries, Vache Gabrielyan, a Board Member of the Central Bank of Armenia, wrote a brief analysis, providing his reasons for the devaluation of the dollar vs. the dram.

Gabrielian explained that in the past 5 years, except for rising investment and trade flows, the inflow of dollars sent to citizens (not businesses) through the banking system alone has increased from $420 million in 2002 to $1.2 billion in 2006. These large amounts of transfers or remittances from overseas, along with other factors, such as productivity improvements, have lowered the value of the dollar. He said that "due to a high share of migrant workers in the workforce, as well as a widespread Diaspora, banking transfers (remittances) are among the most important."

Gabrielyan pointed out that "Armenia's GDP last year was about $6 billion -- i.e., the transfers through the banking sector alone are about one-fifth of the economy, and the net inflow of banking system transfers to private citizens -- $450 million, is roughly equal to all the printed cash money in circulation. In such conditions, the Central Bank, under constraints of not allowing too much of local currency inflation has absorbed about one-third of the net inflow. You may have noticed that exchange rate volatility is less this year. Still, even after Central Bank intervention the amount of inflow is so large that it cannot not have an impact on the exchange rate."

He concluded by saying that "the exchange rate appreciation is going to continue, and this is not caused by domestic factors. Indeed, US weak dollar policy, growing oil prices and our regional economic relationships all have an impact on it. We hope, that appreciation will proceed at a slower pace, and we are trying to mitigate it the best way we can. Fixing the exchange rate is not a sustainable policy option, and none of our professional international counterparts (the IMF, World Bank, etc.) recommends such an action."

Not being an expert in the field of currency fluctuations, this writer cannot give a definitive assessment of the above analysis. It is hoped that the level of discourse on this and all other subjects would be taken out of the domain of gossip and speculation and turned over to those who are experts in their respective fields.

Just because the dollar's value is falling in Armenia, one should not automatically jump to the conclusion that this is due to fraudulent activity. The Central Bank official provided a seemingly reasonable explanation for the devaluation of the dollar. If other experts are willing to present their analyses, this writer will publish them too, providing an opportunity for the public to have a more comprehensive understanding of the financial situation in the Armenia.

Unsubstantiated accusations, offered by those who have no expertise in currency fluctuations, only serve to blame the wrong parties and mislead a nervous Armenian public that is already under great financial stress.

The World Bank is bad for Armenias future

The corruption around World Bank projects uncovered by Bruce Tasker on his site Blowing the World Bank Whistle, should be of the utmost importance and taken very seriously by every Armenian in the world.

You want to know why in Armenia poverty, illiteracy, migration and the breakdown of the family structure is at an all time high? The biggest reason is the World Bank sponsored programs and the corruption that plagues them.

The worst thing about this is not that the corruption that the World Bank is feeding into is holding us back from developing into a self-sustaining nation (though that too is very bad), but they expect future generations to pay them back what will one day be BILLIONS of dollars they knowingly lent to projects that they knew good and well were not getting to their intended propose and in too many cases having the opposite effect, thus holding our nation from developing economically.

If you ask me, we need to kick the World Bank out of Armenia and sue them in an international court of law to relieve us from the “loans” THEY gave to corrupt officials knowing they will harm and not help Armenia.

As for the corrupt Armenian officials, we need to hunt them down like the dogs they are and kill them where we find them. Some may say they should have their day in court. I say they can have that day when they meet their maker. Shame on them!!!

For those of you who have been following my logs for the last 6 years, you will remember my log on Cilicia.com where I warn about the dangers of the World Bank, IMF and USAID.

Saturday, January 26, 2002

I’m always asking myself about why in this world there are so many things that just don’t make sense? I mean here is Armenia, like I’ve said before, we really don’t have a logical reason to have so many people living in poverty. Well in my quest for answers to the burning question of poverty, I had the good fortune to come across a book while in Yerevan, written by Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer called “War Against the Poor”. The subject matter really hit home, as much of what it talks about, I see going on in Armenia today. Did it address the poverty question? You bet. The book is about Low-Intensity Conflict, which appears to be a technique the U.S. uses to fight to protect their national valuables against envious “have nots.” Ever wonder why such organizations as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and USAID exist? Adding together what I’ve read in this book and personally seeing what they do and the end results, it now make more sense to me what their true function is. Do what they do contribute to our problems today? Well I’ll let you read the book and draw your own conclusions.

[...]

I guess the next logical step would be that we as a nation have to figure out what we can do in order to be a little less effected by this Low-Intensity Conflict that it seems we are facing today.

As of now there are 33 new and used copies of “War Against the Poor” available on amazon.com. I highly recommend you get yourself a copy and read it cover to cover. For those of you who don’t have the resources or the 33 copies are all gone, write to me and I’ll e-mail you a text version.

Blowing the World Bank Whistle

In the past I’ve written quite a bit about the World Bank and how it is not good for Armenia with it’s programs that do exactly what Armenia does not need to move forward to be independent of outside influences.

Well it seems that Bruce Tasker, a British national was contracted to look into possible corruption involving World Bank Projects and well as it should have been has found what we all suspected was going on.

You can read about his findings and the reaction from the World Bank at his site here. You can also read what Onnik over at OneWorld here and here. Garbis over at Notes from Hairenik have written on this subject.

It is very important that we get the word out to all Armenians all over the world as to what the World Bank is up to in Armenia and with that said, please e-mail all the people in your address book and forward this log to them.

Armenians killing Armenians in U.S.A.

3 Killed In Burbank Murder-Suicide Identified

Aug 10, 2007 6:41 pm US/Pacific

(CBS) BURBANK, Calif. Two men and a woman who were fatally shot in a double-murder suicide that apparently began with a tenant-manager dispute at a Burbank apartment complex were identified Friday.

Rafael Shirinian, 49, committed suicide after killing Vahik Farhadian, 48, and Manyam Masihi, a 49-year-old woman, said Craig Harvey of the Los Angeles County Department of Coroner.

Farhadian managed the apartment building, and Shirinian and Masihi were tenants, police said.

Police were sent to 612 E. Cypress Ave. about 5:35 p.m. Thursday on a shots-fired report, said Lt. Armen Dermenjian of the Burbank Police Department.

Officers found Farhadian with a gunshot wound near the entrance of the complex, said Sgt. Matthew Ferguson of the Burbank Police Department. Officers administered first aid, but he died a short time later.

Ferguson said that according to "the preliminary investigation it does appear that the shooter, Rafael Shirinian, had an ongoing problem with several neighbors in the two-story, about 20-unit apartment complex. There had been verbal altercations between Rafael and several other residents of different apartments."

No weapons or physical violence had been observed in the past, although there had been squabbles over parking spots, Ferguson said.

It was unclear if this was the basis of the problem or if Shirinian "just didn't like them," he saTd.

Ferguson said the shooting was preceded by a verbal altercation. When Vahik Farhadian returned to the apartment with his son Oshin, Rafael shot him several times.

Oshin "ran for his life" and ran through Manyam Masihi's first-floor apartment whose front door was open.

Oshin escaped through a rear window of the apartment, accompanied by Masihi's two adult children who were in the apartment, he said.

Shirinian then killed the woman in her doorway and went upstairs to his second-floor apartment.

Ferguson said as officers arrived at his door, shots rang out. Shirinian had killed himself and a revolver was found next to his body.

Ferguson said Shirinian had reloaded the weapon at least once and possibly twice.

It was not clear, he said, whether the woman was targeted or just unlucky. However, indications were that the shooter did not like her, he said.

Shirinian also had two children in his apartment who were not harmed.

A large cache of weapons were found in Rafael's apartment, along with uniforms, Ferguson said.

"It is believed from the uniforms he was a security guard at one time if not currently a security guard. It is reasonable to assume he was," Ferguson said.

Farhadian's son Oshin, who was 20, was wounded, but was hospitalized and expected to survive.

Better understanding the current Jewish stance on the Armenian Genocide

Here is a story that is written by a non-Armenian (in fact a Jew), that will give you a better understanding of where the ADL stands on the Genocide issue and if you take into consideration the log below this one, you will uderstand that that the real interests of Isreal and some Jewish organizations and I will say it's not to protect the 25,000 Jews in Turkey that "remain" (as if they are stuck there and are trying to get out), but is to protect the interests of the crypto-Zionist Jews who are running Turkey today that are going to be facing some very big problems once the U.S. Congress passes a resolution recognizing the Genocide.

As you will read below, Jews are devided on this issue. View this video (click here) to see how some Jews do not support the views of Zionist Jews at all.

ADL UPROAR IN WATERTOWN SPARKS DEBATE ON GENOCIDE
By Raphael Kohan

Jewish Advocate, MA
http://www.thejewishadvocate.com/this_weeks_issue/news/?content_id=3476
Aug 9 2007

Jewish organizations divided over Armenian congressional resolution

A controversy exposed last week surrounding Watertown's status as an Anti-Defamation League No Place for Hate community raised serious questions about the role of Jews and Jewish groups in recognizing the Armenian genocide.

On Aug. 1, the Boston Globe reported tensions between the ADL and Watertown's Armenian community over ADL National Director Abraham H.

Foxman's remarks on whether the U.S. Congress should pass a resolution recognizing the approximately 1.5 million Armenians killed by Turks from 1915 to 1923.

A vote has not yet been scheduled for the resolution, which has met opposition from Turkish lobbyists and some Jewish organizations.

"I'm not going to be the arbiter of someone else's history," Foxman told the Globe. The Globe additionally reported that Foxman, whose organization holds no official position on the genocide, said Congress should not be involved in history making either.

"It's incomprehensible to me," said Khatchig Mouradian, editor of the Watertown-based Armenian Weekly Newspaper. "I believe that No Place for Hate is an important program, but the community here is outraged."

Foxman did not return requests for comment.

Though seen by many scholars as a historical fact, debate over recognizing the Armenian genocide reveals a distinct split among Jewish organizations. The schism underscores a complex dynamic that touches on Turkey's relations with Israel and the welfare of the estimated 25,000 Jews still residing there.

While many Jewish groups invoke "Never Again" to further the legacy of the Holocaust and to protest the current genocide in Darfur, the Armenian genocide - which the Turkish government does not acknowledge - uncovers a less-than-forthcoming moral stance.

And though the ADL says it holds no position on the matter, Foxman's comments show otherwise, according to James Russell, professor of Armenian Studies at Harvard University. Russell, a Jew and a self-described American Zionist, said Foxman's statements are disingenuous for an organization that combats anti-Semitism.

"In my view this amounts to Holocaust denial," he said. "It is a deeply immoral and ignoble stance."

Yet there is little consensus among Jewish organizations surrounding this congressional resolution on genocide recognition.

Nancy K. Kaufman, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston, maintains her position that the U.S. should recognize the Armenian genocide.

"We're well aware of the issue with Turkey but feel we can't back away from the fact that it happened," she said. "We feel very strongly that we have to speak out against all genocide."

Larry Lowenthal, executive director of the American Jewish Committee Boston Chapter, expressed more conflicted views.

"It's a very painful subject because everybody knows that the massacre of Armenians is one of the most horrific events in modern history," said Lowenthal. "But there are strategic issues delicate to the Jewish community. We at AJC are not lobbying in any way whatsoever."

On Feb. 5, AJC leaders were among the representatives from a handful of Jewish organizations - including the ADL - who met with Abdullah Gul, the Turkish foreign minister, in Washington D.C. The meeting centered around a written plea from Turkish Jews, asking American Jewish organizations to not lobby on behalf of the congressional resolution.

"It's a tough situation," said Israeli Consul General to New England Nadav Tamir. "Israel's strategic relations with Turkey - as a moderate Islamic state - are critical, but on the other hand it is important for us as survivors of the Holocaust to be absolutely consistent with the moral issue. We really want to maintain good relations with Turkey and the Armenian Diaspora."

For Newton resident Jack Nusan Porter, treasurer of the International Association of Genocide Scholars, there is no question whether the genocide should be recognized.

"[Foxman's] making a fool out of himself intellectually, academically and politically. He needs to be replaced," said Porter. "It points out his ignorance as well as the Turkish pressure - which is still very powerful in Israeli non-recognition."

But according to Russell, the Harvard professor, it is unfair to expect Israel to take the lead in recognizing the Armenian genocide because of its precarious position in the Middle East.

"If America leads on this, Israel can follow," said Russell. "I owe no loyalty to the Armenian community, but this is also a moral issue and I know the genocide did take place."

In Watertown, the future of No Place for Hate hangs in the balance.

Andrew H. Tarsy, regional director of the ADL, said he plans to hold conversations with members of Watertown's Armenian community in hopes of finding common ground.

"We don't challenge the Armenian history," said Tarsy. "Attacking the ADL's program is not a solution to any of this."

When asked to explain what many view as Foxman's contradictory comments, Tarsy said they may have been taken out of context.

But for Lowenthal, this entire ordeal has been extremely uneasy.

"No Jew alive can possibly forget this," he said of the Armenian genocide. "I wish we just had a categorical, moral stance on this, but for many compelling reasons we don't. These are delicate, difficult, moral issues and I feel anguished."

Time to come to terms with reality

The issue of Zionist Jews and the Young Turks connection is starting to become a more talked about subject in Armenia and the Diaspora.

I want to first start out by saying that his subject is not new to my family and my grandfather more than once touch on it when talking about who the Young Turks were.

It is interesting that in the movie Borat, they touch on Jews quite a bit and how “evil” they are and how they need to be exterminated. There were quite a few out-takes which are found on YouTube, which Borat talks about killing Jews with common Americans and how those simple people agree with him. What should be noted is that though it is done in a joking fashion to show how cruel and racist people can be, the reality is that Zionist Jews in too many cases have been behind some of the worst atrocities in modern history, one of them being all the Armenian Genocides that took place from 1895 to 1921.

For those of you who have not read the 575 page PDF file about the Jewish Genocide of the Armenian Christians which if found on a site called http://www.jewishracism.com/, you have to do yourself a favor and educate yourself about this book that until now has not been disputed by any Jewish organization and I would think that if there was one thing not accurate in it, the ADL would have been all over it the day it was published.

The one thing the document does not touch on and I think is important is what is a Jew and which kind of Jew was and is behind the Armenian Genocide then and now.

For those of you who are thinking conspiracy theory, I’m not going to tell you to drop the word “theory”, but will say for one thing that if it was not a conspiracy brewed up by Zionist Jews, then why is it that every time the Armenian Genocide issue comes up, it's the Jews that are the first and only non-Turks to come to the defense of Turkey? It’s not because they want the Jewish Holocaust to be the first Genocide of the 20th century as most people I have talked to seem to think, it’s because when restitution is being sought by the victims and descendent of Armenian Genocide, they will not only be going after the Turkish Government (who BTW is controlled today by crypto-Jews for the most part), but those who were behind this crime will also be held responsible and one entity that played a very big role were the Rothschild’s.

Anyway, please do be objective about this subject and approach it with common sense. It’s not all that complicated and just a matter of reading up and doing some research on it since I can see in a very short period of time this side of the Genocide is going to be talked about and debated by our scholars who have done a wonderful job of uncovering the first layer of the Genocide (which is what the Young Turks did) and now the time has come to go down to the next layer, which is the Jewish connection.

GREAT FIRE IN MARTOUNI REGION

Bella Lalaian

Azat Artsakh Tert
Aug 3 2007
Nagorno Karabakh Republic

In Martouni region fire broke out, which later on captured about 5000 hectare surface. As the head of the department of information and connections with society of Rescue Service attached to the NKR Government Armen Narimanian stated, in Fire Rescue Department of Martouni region on July 31st, at 13:55 a warning signal was received, that in the dump at the wayside of Martouni-Berdashen fire broke out.

Generally 3 fighting accountings of Martouni region, settlements and subdivisions of Defence Army participated in the works of putting out a fire. The fire managed to put out only next morning, at 03:50. On the whole, the surface of fire was about 5000 hectare. Fortunatelly, material loss was not so large. Pig-breeding complex was damaged slightly.

Diaspora’s involvement in the next presidential election is of utmost importance

Dear concerned Diaspora members,

I’d like to draw your attention which maybe focused on genocide recognition in the US; a preliminary step towards the bigger goal of reparations and a PR help for restoration of Armenian land currently in Turkey, that the bigger fight for the ultimate goal of reparations and restitution remains in the strengthening of Republic of Armenia. Although Armenia remains an excellent place to visit for holiday enjoyment, the political situation in Armenia has gotten to a dangerous point and Diaspora’s involvement in the next presidential election is of utmost important. The current leadership has focused its main attention and energy away from pan Armenian ideals and has instead put most of its energy towards personal gain and enrichment. For those of you who have visited Armenia in the past years, will now find Armenia a significantly different place with consumer prices almost equivalent and sometimes higher than US prices due to rapid dram appreciation in the past few months and years. Armenia has now become an import dependent country with gov’t connected oligarchs having monopoly on almost all sectors of imports and complete liberty to set high prices on a population which is dependent on dollar proceeds from families working abroad. Sadly one of the few large factories in Armenia (grand tobacco) which used to have strong exports, has recently made statements of moving its operations to Georgia due to inability to compete abroad due to a rapidly appreciated dram. All export oriented businesses including software industry is suffering as a result of our current leaders manipulation of dram, which benefits their import monopolies. Our liberated territories have been left without gov’t attention and officials personally benefiting themselves in strategic places such as Kashatagh (Laching and Kelbajar, see www.hetq.am). The selfish attitude of the current leadership is causing great problems for the future of Armenia’s prosperity and national ideals.

The bottom line is if we allow Serge Sarkissian (current prime minister) to rig and win the next presidential elections, this process of deterioration of Armenia’s national interests will continue and get worst. Fortunately, however there is hope. Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) in Armenia has recently made statements that it will not support Serge Sarkissian’s candidacy for president. Moreover, ARF has made statements that it will nominate its own presidential candidate and also hinted at cooperating with Raffi Hovanissian’s Heritage party which has similar nationalistic approaches with ARF. For those of you not aware, Raffi Hovannisian’s Heritage party won seats in Parliament a few months ago and according to recently published Gallup Poll survey results from Armenia, Raffi’s party has an above 80% favorable rating and if Raffi was a presidential candidate he would receive 19 votes compared with 17 votes for ALL other candidates combined. Basically, there is no other politician in Armenia who has more likelihood of winning the presidential election by clean votes, than Raffi Hovannisian. There are also rumors that Vartan Oskanian may run but his local support base seems to be currently leaning towards Serge Sarkissian, who is consolidating power of the elite in control of business in Armenia.

Influential Diasrpoan organizations and individuals with involvement and care for Armenia can really make a difference in the upcoming presidential elections by being vigilant against corrupt officials and take a stance on candidates that will run a country without focus on personal enrichment. In order to insure the just resolution for the Armenian genocide, we must first make sure Armenia is strengthened and only with the right leadership that goal will be achieved.


Regards,

Pedro
Yerevan, Armenia

White House bows to Senate pressure on naming envoy to Armenia

The Associated Press
Published: August 3, 2007

WASHINGTON: The White House gave in to Democratic objections and on Friday withdrew the nomination of a career diplomat to be ambassador to Armenia.

Sen. Robert Menendez placed a hold on the nomination of Richard Hoagland for the second time in January because of Hoagland's refusal to call the World War I-era killings of Armenians a genocide.

A hold is a parliamentary privilege accorded to senators that prevents a nomination from going forward to a confirmation hearing.

Hoagland's confirmation was blocked by Senate Democrats in the last Congress and the Bush administration resubmitted his name in January when the new Congress convened.

A California congressman. Rep. Adam Schiff, supported the Bush administration's decision to withdraw Hoagland's name.

"During his confirmation hearings, Mr. Hoagland continued to deny that the massacre of a million and a half Armenians between 1915 and 1923 was genocide, thereby compounding the injury done to Armenian people and, especially, the few remaining survivors of the first genocide of the 20th Century" said Rep. Adam Schiff.

"I hope the president will soon nominate a new ambassador who will be more forthcoming in discussing the Armenian genocide," he said.

Hoagland's predecessor, John Evans, reportedly had his tour of duty in Armenia cut short because, in a social setting, he referred to the killings as genocide.

In urging the administration to submit another candidate, Menendez, a Democrat, said that "the State Department and the Bush administration are just flat-out wrong in their refusal to recognize the Armenian genocide. It is well past time to drop the euphemisms, the wink-wink, nod-nod brand of diplomacy that overlooks heinous atrocities around the world."

He said Friday the Bush administration did a disservice to the Armenian people and Armenian-Americans when it removed Evans "simply because he recognized the Armenian genocide.

"It was clear that their nominee to fill his place was controversial. I hope that our next nominee will bring a different understanding to this issue and foster a productive relationship with our friends in Armenia."

The administration has warned that even a congressional debate on the genocide question could damage relations with Turkey, a moderate Muslim nation that is a NATO member and an important strategic ally.

Turkey has adamantly denied claims by scholars that is predecessor Ottoman state killed Armenians in a planned genocide. Turkey says the killings occurred at a time of civil conflict and that the casualty figures are inflated.

SERGE SARGSYAN'S WEAPON IS HIS CONFIDENCE

Hakob Badalyan

Lragir, Armenia
Aug 1 2007

An interesting situation has occurred in Armenia. Everyone or almost everyone is waiting for the upcoming presidential election but at the same time everyone or almost everyone is sure that Serge Sargsyan will win the election. The opinions about the ways of winning the victory are certainly different. Some people think Serge Sargsyan will win through electoral fraud, even though it will be improved to perfection. Others think Serge Sargsyan will win thanks to the indifference of the society and inability of the opposition. Yet others think the society will vote for Serge Sargsyan on seeing how caringly he treats the citizens as a prime minister.

Perhaps the only person who is not so confident of Serge Sargsyan's victory is Serge Sargsyan himself. If he were convinced, no doubt he would not try to appear as a public figure who often meets with different groups of the public freely, discusses their problems with them, promises to solve their problems. When one follows these meetings, it is impossible not to notice that these meetings make Serge Sargsyan feel uneasy. The figure who implemented his part of government in the shadow for so many years and never was a public figure now has to go on the stage. And the only reason is that he is not quite confident of his victory.

In addition, not only he is unconfident but he also thinks that this election will not be possible to make through the "traditional" methods used in all the previous elections. And if the "traditional" methods were reliable, the prime minister would not try to resist to his psychological state and would not have to transform a shadow
manager into a public leader. For these psychological torment affects the physical health of a person too. In the long run, the meetings with the society do not have a major effect on the efficiency of Serge Sargsyan the prime minister. Maybe he would work with equal efficiency if he had fewer meetings with citizens. However, the upcoming election requires being closer to the society, which allows supposing that the prime minister nevertheless acknowledges that the importance of the society in the presidential election will certainly be greater than it was in the parliamentary election.

The problem is, however, that no one else besides Serge Sargsyan acknowledges this reality. Not only they do not acknowledge but also they are sure that the society will not determine anything, and there will be no need because everything has been decided. For instance, what is the quest for the common candidate of the opposition? It means the opposition is already looking for justification of their defeat because in the end they can say that someone from among the united was a provocateur and thwarted the plan. Certainly, with the common candidate the opposition stands a bigger chance to win but when the opposition states either a common candidate or an imminent defeat, it thereby displays its narrow political mind and inability
for anything else.

In this situation when Serge Sargsyan's political opponents are thinking about justification of their defeat rather than the mechanisms of victory, perhaps the prime minister need not think about winning over the society possibly fast and possibly more. Even there is no need to think up new slogans for the election campaign.

One is enough with the portrait of Serge Sargsyan: "My Weapon is My Confidence!"

Military Parade in Stepanakert, Artsakh - May 9, 2007

Part 1:



Part 2 (at 1:40, there is mention of my Godson and truck driver Lavrent and his award for participation in the war and capture of a large number of the enemies tanks):



Part 3:



Part 4:

Turkish Denial of Armenian Genocide