Reaction to protocols, NK anniversary, Caspian and Abkhazia disputes

This was first published in the September 5, 2009 Armenian Reporter.

Washington Briefing
by Emil Sanamyan

Congressional, Armenian-American reaction to protocols is mixed

The announcement by Armenia and Turkey of their intention to sign protocols that could pave the way for diplomatic relations have elicited a slew of reactions from members of Congress and Armenian-American organizations.

Rep. Adam Schiff (D.-Calif.), who represents the congressional district with the largest number of Armenian-Americans, initially issued a statement "welcoming what may be an important step between Armenia and Turkey."

The statement issued on the morning of September 1 also expressed hope for the full normalization of relations, including lifting of Turkey's blockade, but stressed that "true reconciliation" would only come when Turkey recognizes the Armenian Genocide.

But less than four hours later, Mr. Schiff issued an expanded statement that sounded more skeptical of the development.

"While I welcome what may be an important step in the rapprochement between Armenia and Turkey," Mr. Schiff wrote, "I have serious concerns about some provisions of the protocols accompanying the announcement."

The Representative specifically suggested that "the protocols call for the creation of an historical commission to review the events of 1915-23."

Although the protocols do not actually refer to the events of 1915-23, they do cite a need to "restore mutual confidence" via a dialogue on the "historical dimension" of relations that would involve "impartial scientific examination of the historical records."

In between the two statements by Rep. Schiff, the Armenian National Committee of America issued a statement titled, "ANCA Warns Capitol Hill about Dangers of Turkey-Armenia Protocols."

The statement included a memo by ANCA executive director Aram Hamparian expressing "serious concern" that the protocols "prejudice the security of Armenia and the rights of all Armenians."

Mr. Hamparian claimed that Armenia was forced into agreeing to the protocols "under intense economic and diplomatic pressure." He expressed particular concern about what he called the "historical commission."

The ANCA also noted that immediately after the release of the protocols, senior Turkish officials indicated they intended to continue to stall the normalization process.

The Armenian Assembly of America (AAA) also expressed concerns with Turkey's "track record of broken promises" with regard to relations with Armenia.

But unlike the ANCA, the AAA appeared satisfied with the content of the protocols. The AAA release, dated September 2, said that the group "supports normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey without preconditions" and viewed the release of the protocols as an "important step" toward that aim.

On September 3, the co-chairs of the Armenian Congressional Caucus, Reps. Frank Pallone (D.-N.J.) and Mark Kirk (R.-Ill.) issued a statement on the protocols.

The co-chairs said they were "concerned with Turkey's willingness to cooperate in the matter" of normalizing relations, and added, "Any attempt to include a review of historical fact, such as the Armenian Genocide, or to include the ongoing Nagorno Karabakh peace process into these negotiations stands in direct opposition to the intent of these talks."

Caucus co-chairs reiterate call for “international recognition” on Karabakh jubilee

"We continue to join you in the call for formal international recognition of your independence," Reps. Frank Pallone (D.-N.J.) and Mark Kirk (R,-Ill.) declared in a September 2 letter addressed to Nagorno-Karabakh's President Bako Sahakian on the republic's Independence Day.

The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic was declared on September 2, 1991, with its independence receiving overwhelming support in a referendum held in subsequent December.

In a recent interview with the Armenian Reporter, Mr. Pallone had expressed his willingness to work toward U.S. recognition of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, as he also acknowledged the task would be difficult to accomplish.

The U.S. government "has to realize that according to the Soviet legal framework, Nagorno-Karabakh had self-government and certain rights, including holding a referendum and becoming an independent country, which is what had happened," Mr. Pallone noted in the interview.

Turkmenistan ratchets up rhetoric in Caspian dispute with Azerbaijan

Turkmenistan will build up its naval forces in the Caspian, its President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov declared on August 31, RFE/RL and other media reported. The buildup would include a new naval base and the purchase of missile-armed vessels.

The two countries have failed to agree on their maritime affairs after years of intermittent talks. The recent pronouncements come following several high-level summits between Azerbaijani and Turkmenistani leaders that seemed to indicate a warming in relations.

But in a surprise development last month, Turkmenistan said it would launch a legal case against Azerbaijan in an international court over several disputed offshore oilfields.

The disputed area includes the Azeri and Chirag oilfields that have accounted for the bulk of Azerbaijan's oil production in the last decade, which has already brought it billions of dollars in revenue.

The reignited Azerbaijani-Turkmenistani disagreements may also have been the reason for a recently aborted NATO deployment into Afghanistan.

The Russian-language service of Deutsche Welle reported on August 26 that a German air force AWACS plane was forced to abort its Afghanistan deployment after three weeks of waiting at a Turkish airbase because of a lack of overflight permission from Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.

The United States and its European allies have used the Caucasus-Central Asia corridor to resupply their forces in Afghanistan. The route supplements the main supply lines through Pakistan and the recently agreed route via Russia and Central Asia.

Russia, Georgia square off over Black Sea shipping to Abkhazia

Georgia sparked a fresh bout of tensions with Russia after its coast guard boats detained a cargo ship carrying fuel from Turkey to Abkhazia, RFE/RL and other media reported this week.

On September 1 a Georgian court sentenced the Turkish captain of the ship to 24 years in prison on charges of "illegal border crossing" and "smuggling." The ship's operator claimed it was seized at gunpoint in international waters.

In response, Russia pledged to provide naval protection to merchant vessels going to and from Abkhazia to prevent what it called acts of "piracy" by Georgia. And on September 2, the Abkhaz leadership ordered its military to attack Georgian vessels that enter its waters.

Tbilisi considers Abkhazia to be its territory and has detained four other Abkhazia-bound ships in the last year. The Russian-Georgia war fought in August 2008 resulted in the destruction of most of Georgia's naval ships and was followed by Russia's recognition of Abkhazia as an independent country.

Russia has since deployed its forces to guard the de-facto border between Abkhazia and Georgia, and announced plans to build new bases for its air and naval forces in Abkhazia, investing up to $500 million in the new infrastructure.

Ted Kennedy passing, Doug Frantz, Marc Grossman updates

First published in August 29, 2009

Washington Briefing
by Emil Sanamyan

Senator Kennedy’s leadership on Armenian issues recalled

Armenian-Americans this week remembered the longstanding leadership and support of Senator Edward Kennedy (D.-Mass.). Senator Kennedy died on August 26 after months of battling with cancer. He was 77 years old.

Throughout more than four decades in the U.S. Congress, Senator Kennedy actively supported Armenian-American concerns, including U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide and independent Armenia's security and development, the Armenian National Committee of Massachusetts recalled in a press statement.

These efforts included securing the Senate Judiciary Committee's passage in 1989 of an Armenian Genocide resolution; Senator Kennedy worked together with, among others, Vice President Joe Biden, who at the time was a senator and chairperson of the committee.

Senator Kennedy championed the 1991 passage of a resolution that condemned Azerbaijan's anti-Armenian pogroms that resulted in the expulsion of more than 300,000 Armenians and was followed by Azerbaijan's aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh.

In later years, Senator Kennedy played a key role in the passage and maintenance of U.S. sanctions against Azerbaijan, known as Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act, as well as the 1994 passage of the Humanitarian Aid Corridor Act, which came in response to Turkey's closure of its border with Armenia. [The same year, he hosted a reception for the president of Armenia at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston.]

Speaking on April 21, 1999, at the annual commemoration of the Armenian Genocide held on Capitol Hill, Senator Kennedy argued that "if people here in the United States had paid attention to the Genocide in the early part of this century, we would not have had, perhaps, the tragedies in World War II" and later genocidal campaigns in former Yugoslavia and Africa.

During the April 24, 2000, commemoration at Trinity Church in Boston, Senator Kennedy stressed that while "the persecution of the Armenian people and the atrocities committed against them will never be forgotten . . . the continuing leadership of the Armenian people throughout the world today, and the birth of the Armenian republic provide an example to us all of what the human spirit at its best can achieve."

In a June 5, 2006, letter, signed together with Senator John Kerry (D.-Mass.), Senator Kennedy raised concerns with the Bush administration's early recall of Ambassador John M. Evans from Armenia over the ambassador's comments on the Armenian Genocide; the letter demanded an explanation for the move.

A member of America's most prominent political family, Edward Kennedy will be remembered as a strong and effective champion of liberal values. In the 2008 presidential campaign, Senator Kennedy's endorsement of Barack Obama came at pivotal moment in a tough primary race.

Senator Kennedy will be buried beside his brothers at the Arlington National Cemetery on August 29.

Former editor Doug Frantz probing nuclear smuggling for Senate committee

The former Los Angeles Times editor who stirred up controversy in the Armenian community is now working for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee led by Senator John Kerry (D.-Mass.) According to the committee website, Douglas Frantz was hired by the committee early this year as chief investigator to probe financing of nuclear smuggling and other illegal activities.

Mr. Frantz caused controversy in April 2007 after he reassigned a major story on the Armenian Genocide resolution, initially assigned to Times journalist Mark Arax, to another writer. In an e-mail that was later made public, Mr. Frantz alleged that Mr. Arax had a "position on this issue" that caused a "conflict of interests." (Mr. Frantz's new boss, Senator Kerry, is a strong supporter of Armenian Genocide affirmation.)

Mr. Arax had in turn alleged that Mr. Frantz himself may have had a bias on the issue, having spent years working as a reporter in Turkey and that he was "heavily involved and invested in defending the policies of Turkey."

In subsequent months, a number of Armenian-Americans, including the Armenian Reporter's editorial page, called on the Times to take "decisive action" in the case. Mr. Frantz resigned in June 2007.

Mr. Frantz was initially expected to become the Istanbul-based Middle East bureau chief for the Wall Street Journal. But he instead joined the then newly launched (and since closed) Condé Nast Portfolio magazine as senior writer and authored a book on the black market in nuclear technology.

For his part, Mr. Arax also left the Times in June 2007. Last April he published his third book, this one about life in California.

Former U.S. official: Karabakh settlement up to Armenia and Azerbaijan

The Karabakh "conflict should be solved in Baku and Yerevan, not in Washington or Moscow," Marc Grossman, former U.S. undersecretary of state for political affairs told Azerbaijani officials on August 24, Azerbaijan's APA news agency reported. Mr. Grossman was speaking at an event organized by Azerbaijan's president's office in Baku.

Mr. Grossman suggested that as mediators all third countries could do was to organize venues for Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders to meet, as they have.

According to an Azerbaijani government statement on August 22, the former senior American diplomat arrived in Azerbaijan for a five-day tour that included meetings with senior officials and visits to colleges and the main oil terminal.

Since leaving the government in 2005, Mr. Grossman has been a board member for Turkey's Ihlas Holding and vice-chair of the Washington-based Cohen group, a lobbying firm. He was the State Department's number-three official between 2001 and 2005 and ambassador to Turkey before that.

Interview with Congressman Pallone

Frank Pallone: U.S. recognition of NKR will be difficult
Veteran member of Congress discusses Armenian-American agenda
by Emil Sanamyan
Published: Thursday August 20, 2009

Rep. Frank Pallone during a meeting with NKR officials at his office on Capitol Hill. NKR Office in the United States photo.

Washington - A member of Congress for more than 20 years, Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr., a New Jersey Democrat, is a national leader on Armenian-American issues and a founding co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues; he also chairs the Energy and Commerce subcommittee on Health.

The interview that follows is based in large part on questions we solicited from the Armenian Reporter readers last week. Washington Editor Emil Sanamyan put them to Rep. Pallone on August 14.

Karabakh policy

Armenian Reporter: Kosovo, Abkhazia, and South Ossetia have recently set precedents of international recognition without the consent of countries that claimed sovereignty over them. Should friends of Armenians in the United States initiate Nagorno-Karabakh's recognition instead of deferring to talks with Azerbaijan? What work can be done in Congress to achieve this goal?

Rep. Frank Pallone: I believe personally that the United States should recognize Nagorno-Karabakh. I certainly would be willing to do whatever I can to have that happen.

But I will say that it will be difficult, because a lot of members of Congress are not that familiar [with the subject], I assume that the State Department would be against it, and I am not sure how much Armenia itself would be pushing for it. So it would probably be hard to do.

And while I support recognition of NKR, I do not know if the Armenian community wants to prioritize that. The community has to prioritize the issues and spend their time on things that are more likely [to be successfully accomplished]. And [since] this issue would be difficult, I would not recommend that they prioritize it.

AR: There has been quite a bit of criticism in Armenia of the outgoing U.S. envoy for Karabakh, Matt Bryza, as biased in favor of Azerbaijan and Turkey. What can Congress do to have a Karabakh envoy who would better reflect U.S. respect for Armenians' self-determination and democratic choice, and appreciation of security challenges Armenians are facing?

FP: Matt Bryza is only reflecting the policy of the State Department. The State Department takes a position that Nagorno-Karabakh doesn't have the status of a state. And they have traditionally highlighted territorial integrity over self-determination.

But they are wrong in this case because they do not realize that Nagorno-Karabakh has every right to be an independent nation. So, what you really need to do is to have the State Department change its position.

They have to realize that according to the Soviet legal framework, Nagorno-Karabakh had self-government and certain rights, including holding a referendum and becoming an independent country, which is what had happened.

So it's not simply an issue of territorial integrity versus self-determination. Nagorno-Karabakh is a successor state to the Soviet Union, and no different from Armenia or Russia in that respect.

AR: Armenia has been historically carved up by imperial powers and the current state occupies only a fraction of its historic homeland. Today, Armenians are urged to make substantial territorial concessions as part of a Karabakh settlement with no such concessions by the other side. How can Armenian-Americans get their pre-history and their interests to be better appreciated in the United States?

FP: Simply because Nagorno-Karabakh is a small area with a relatively small population, it is difficult for the State Department, and any administration to focus on it.

The argument that should be made is that this a powder keg. In other words if you do not work to solve this situation and come up with a compromise, there is a potential for another major war in the Caucasus that would have major implications for several neighboring countries, Turkey and Russia especially. And that this strategic concern must be appreciated.

The war between Russia and Georgia [in August 2008] is a recent example of the volatility in the Caucasus region.

Relations with Turkey

AR: Speaking of community priorities, how have you handled occasional disagreements between Armenian-American priorities and those of the Republic of Armenia? There were clearly divergent positions on the Armenia-Turkey "roadmap" announced on April 22.

FP: Most people in the community that I talk to are in favor of normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey. And of course I would like to see more normal relations between the two countries, including significant trade between them.

But Armenian-Americans also want genocide recognition and they felt that the Obama administration was trading the roadmap for genocide recognition. I believe that these two issues should be separated. The president should make a public statement recognizing the Armenian Genocide and Congress should pass its resolution. We should proceed with the roadmap as well; one should not be in lieu of the other.

The Armenian government was very supportive of the roadmap, but they did not want it to be an excuse not to recognize the Armenian Genocide. And after April 24, Turkish leaders began to step back from the "road map," and going back to their preconditions related to the Karabakh conflict.

These are all separate issues. Normalizing Turkish-Armenian relations should not be linked to the Karabakh conflict.

AR: Three or more administrations have been blocking congressional resolutions on Armenian Genocide. Have Armenian advocacy groups ever asked the administration for something in lieu of a congressional resolution that would both show respect for the genocide's victims and also benefit the Armenian-American agenda? In your mind, what could be such an alternative?

FP: I would note that the Obama administration is not opposed to the resolution, I have not heard that. And President [Barack Obama]'s position is that the Genocide occurred and should be recognized. But [because] all the emphasis was on the "road map" in April, the issue of the genocide was sort of put aside.

I do think that a presidential statement and a resolution by Congress are necessary to memorialize the Armenian Genocide. And while genocide recognition needs to remain a priority, the diaspora should spend time to prioritize other issues as well. These would include a settlement with regard to Nagorno-Karabakh as well as U.S. support of Armenia economically and militarily. We have the two Armenian republics and they need to be protected.

AR: Former FBI translator Sibel Edmonds recently repeated her allegations about the Turkish government's attempts to bribe and even blackmail U.S. officials into supporting their agenda. Do you support a congressional inquiry based on these troubling allegations?

FP: I am not familiar enough with her to express an opinion.

Armenia aid and trips

AR: On the subject of aid to Armenia, the Obama administration's first aid request differed markedly from promises candidate Obama made in his campaign. Was that a reflection of the administration's lack of interest in Armenia, inertia from the Bush administration, or both? Can you explain how the budget request process works?

FP: The request comes out of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), but the figures basically reflect the recommendations of the State Department.

The Obama administration believed that their request was generous because it was above President Bush's request the previous year. They ignored the fact that Congress appropriated significantly more and that the Bush administration was not a friend.

So I told them that they cannot make their budget request based on the previous administration because Bush was not a friend of Armenia and they are. So, they have to be more generous and request more than Congress appropriated the previous year.

There is also this tendency to expect that Congress would always add aid to Armenia, and therefore the administration can request less. I have told them that that's the wrong approach for a friend.

Next year, we expect the administration to request at least as much as Congress put in the previous year or make a more robust request.

AR: In the last several years there have been markedly fewer visits by U.S. lawmakers to Armenia. What is the reason for that?

FP: That is totally a function of changes in the congressional ethics rules. I used to go to Armenia every year, and I haven't been back for a few years now because when the ethics rules were changed about four years ago, that precluded any trips being paid by advocacy groups or individuals associated with them.

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) or the Armenian Assembly of America (AAA), and other Armenian groups can no longer pay for the trips.

Government-funded congressional delegations are still available, but those are normally subject to committee jurisdiction. So if you are not a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, you may not be included. And if they have a trip, they are more likely to go Iraq or Afghanistan or some of the major trouble spots.

Congressmen to Obama re: Armenia-Turkey

President Obama is urged to correct course on Armenia-Turkey policy
In letter, 81 members of Congress call on president to recognize Genocide
by Emil Sanamyan

Published: Thursday July 30, 2009

Some of the 81 signatures of members of Congress on a letter to President Obama urging him to separate the normalization of Turkey-Armenia relations from recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

WASHINGTON - The United States should "separate the issues" of the normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations and the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, 81 members of Congress said in July 30 letter to President Barack Obama. The president was urged to uphold his repeated campaign pledges to recognize the Armenian Genocide, while continuing efforts "to nurture the Armenia-Turkey normalization process without preconditions."

The letter was initiated on July 10 by Reps. Frank Pallone (D.-N.J.), Mark Kirk (R.-Ill.), Adam Schiff (D.-Calif.), and George Radanovich (R.-Calif.), who are also the lead co-sponsors of House Resolution 252 affirming U.S. record on the Armenian Genocide. Seventy-seven other members of Congress signed on to the letter in the last three weeks.

Co-signers include Rep. Howard Berman (D.-Calif.), who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee, where H. Res. 252 was referred since it was introduced in March.

The congressional recommendation came as Western officials acknowledged that Turkey has not followed through on its April 22 pledge to implement the so-called roadmap toward normalization of relations with Armenia.

"An effort to block"

The members of Congress argued in the letter that Turkey, "in an effort to block U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide, agreed to a roadmap it did not intend to uphold."

President Obama failed to use the term genocide in his April 24 remembrance message, referring to efforts to normalize relations between Armenia and Turkey. Congressional leaders have also held up the progress of H. Res. 252 in apparent deference to the president's choice.

Since April Turkish officials have reverted to their policy of conditioning normalization of relations on unilateral Armenian compromises vis-à-vis Turkey and Azerbaijan.

Nevertheless, hosting her Turkish counterpart on June 5, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton provided an upbeat take on Armenia-Turkey relations, suggesting that there has been "no flagging of commitment" by Turkey toward normalization, while also counseling "patience and perseverance."

Process is "frozen"

A few weeks later, however, U.S. ambassador to Armenia Marie Yovanovitch was much less upbeat. In remarks at the Library of Congress on June 30, she acknowledged that while Armenia-Turkey normalization was "possible," it was also "not inevitable."

On July 23, the Economist cited an unnamed Western diplomat, who said Turkey's would-be "rapprochement with Armenia" was "on its last legs."

Even Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matt Bryza, who is typically optimistic in his public statements, this week described the Armenia-Turkey process as "frozen," Armenian Public Radio reported citing RFE/RL.

But the implications of these developments for a correction in the U.S. course on Armenian Genocide recognition remained unclear.

Citing Secretary Clinton's recent description of Turkey as "an emerging global power," the Economist summarized the expectations with the words of the Western official: "When it comes to Turkey and Armenia, Turkey wins every time."

Text of the letter to the president
July 30, 2009

President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

We write to you with our concerns about Turkish backpedaling on the agreed upon roadmap to normalize relations between Turkey and Armenia.

On April 22, 2009, just two days before the 94th commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, the Department of State released the following statement:

The United States welcomes the statement made by Armenia and Turkey on normalization of their bilateral relations. It has long been and remains the position of the United States that normalization should take place without preconditions and within a reasonable timeframe. We urge Armenia and Turkey to proceed according to the agreed framework and roadmap. We look forward to working with both governments in support of normalization, and thus promote peace, security and stability in the whole region.

Two days later, instead of recognizing the Armenian Genocide, the Administration opted to focus on this new roadmap to Armenian-Turkish normalization. "I also strongly support the efforts by Turkey and Armenia to normalize their bilateral relations," you wrote. "Under Swiss auspices, the two governments have agreed on a framework and roadmap for normalization. I commend this progress, and urge them to fulfill its promise."

While the Government of Armenia remains committed to this roadmap and has long offered to establish ties with Turkey without preconditions, Turkey's public statements and actions since April 24th stand in sharp contrast to this agreement and undermine U.S. policy that normalization take place without preconditions.

On May 13, 2009, Prime Minister Erdogan publically conditioned normalization of relations with Yerevan on Azerbaijan's approval of a future settlement of the Nagorno Karabagh conflict that fully meets Baku's satisfaction. "I want to repeat once more that until the occupation ends, the border gates [with Armenia] will remain closed," Erdogan told the Azeri Parliament.

On June 17, 2009, EU South Caucasus Envoy Peter Semneby said Turkey had taken "tactical steps backwards" in the normalization process with Armenia.

It would appear that Turkey, in an effort to block U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide, agreed to a roadmap it did not intend to uphold. Therefore, we urge your Administration to separate the issues of normalization and genocide recognition. We hope that renewed efforts and focused resources from the Administration can be utilized to nurture the Armenia-Turkey normalization process without preconditions and within a reasonable timeframe, and continue to remain strongly supportive of your stated campaign policy to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide.

Sincerely,

Frank Pallone, Jr. (D.-N.J.)
Mark Steven Kirk (R.-Ill.)
Adam Schiff (D.-Calif.)
George Radanovich (R.-Calif.)
Gary Ackerman (D.-N.Y.)
Joe Baca (D.-Calif.)
Michele Bachmann (R.-Minn.)
Shelley Berkley (D.-Nev.)
Howard Berman (D.-Calif.)
Gus Bilirakis (R.-Fla.)
Bruce Braley (D.-Iowa)
John Campbell (R.-Calif.)
Lois Capps (D.-Calif.)
Michael Capuano (D.-Mass.)
Dennis Cardoza (D.-Calif.)
Jim Costa (D.-Calif.)
Jerry Costello (D.-Ill.)
Joe Courtney (D.-Conn.)
Joseph Crowley (D.-N.Y.)
Peter DeFazio (D.-Ore.)
Steve Driehaus (D.-Ohio)
Anna Eshoo (D.-Calif.)
Chaka Fattah (D.-Pa.)
Bob Filner (D.-Calif.)
Barney Frank (D.-Mass.)
Elton Gallegly (R.-Calif.)
Scott Garrett (R.-N.J.)
Raul Grijalva (D.-Ariz.)
Maurice Hinchey (D.-N.Y.)
Rush Holt (D.-N.J.)
Michael Honda (D.-Calif.)
Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D.-Ill.)
Patrick Kennedy (D.-R.I.)
Dale Kildee (D.-Mich.)
Leonard Lance (R.-N.J.)
James Langevin (D.-R.I.)
Barbara Lee (D.-Calif.)
Sander Levin (D.-Mich.)
Daniel Lipinski (D.-Ill.)
Frank LoBiondo (R.-N.J.)
Daniel Lungren (R.-Calif.)
Stephen Lynch (D.-Calif.)
Carolyn Maloney (D.-N.Y.)
Edward Markey (D.-Mass.)
Betty McCollum (D.-Minn.)
Thaddeus McCotter (R.-Mich.)
James McGovern (D.-Mass.)
Jerry McNerney (D.-Calif.)
Candice Miller (R.-Mich.)
Walt Minnick (D.-Idaho)
Grace Napolitano (D.-Calif.)
Richard Neal (D.-Calif.)
Devin Nunes (R.-Calif.)
John Olver (D.-Mass.)
Donald Payne (D.-N.J.)
Gary Peters (D.-Mich.)
Collin Peterson (D.-Minn.)
Mike Quigley (D.-Ill.)
Peter Roskam (R.-Ill.)
Steven Rothman (D.-N.J.)
Edward Royce (R.-Calif.)
Bobby Rush (D.-Ill.)
Paul Ryan (R.-Wis.)
Loretta Sanchez (D.-Calif.)
John Sarbanes (D.-Md.)
James Sensenbrenner (R.-Wis.)
Brad Sherman (D.-Calif.)
Chris Smith (R.-N.J.)
Mark Souder (R.-Ind.)
Zack Space (D.-Ohio)
Jackie Speier (D.-Calif.)
John Tierney (D.-Mass.)
Dina Titus (D.-Nev.)
Paul Tonko (D.-N.Y.)
Niki Tsongas (D.-Mass.)
Chris Van Hollen (D.-Md.)
Tim Walz (D.-Minn.)
Henry Waxman (D.-Calif.)
Anthony Weiner (D.-N.Y.)
Frank Wolf (R.-Va.)
Lynn Woolsey (D.-Calif.)

Iran aftermath, Kremlin summit prep., Congress on slavery and foreign aid

This was first published in June 27, 2009 issue of the Armenian Reporter.

Washington Briefing
by Emil Sanamyan

Obama condemns crackdown in Iran, but says he “respects its sovereignty”

Khamenei (on left) and Rafsanjani

As the crackdown on antigovernment protestors intensified in Iran, President Barack Obama condemned Tehran, but insisted that "the United States respects the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran" and that it was up to Iranians to determine their future.

In Tehran, security forces appeared to have regained control of the streets, after using tear gas and occasionally live ammunition to disperse demonstrations that have continued virtually nonstop since the June 12 presidential election. At least 17 people have died in the process and thousands, including dozens of intellectuals and journalists, are believed to have been jailed.

The post-election standoff in Iran pitted two groups with roots in the 1979 revolution against each other, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and incumbent president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on one side, and two ex-presidents, Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and Mohammed Khatami, and former prime minister and the main election challenger Mir-Hossein Mousavi on the other.

The election results, rejected by the opposition, have been formally endorsed by Iran's Guardians' Council, confirming that the Khamenei-Ahmadinejad camp has been able to retain the upper hand inside the political establishment.

Ahead of Moscow summit, U.S. reasserts role in ex-USSR

As President Obama readied for talks with Russian leaders early next month, the United States held "strategic partnership" talks with Georgia and succeeded in having Kyrgyzstan reverse its decision to close the U.S. air base on its soil.

U.S.-Russia talks slated for July 6-8 are expected to focus on a new nuclear disarmament treaty, as well as international concerns about Iran and North Korea. But according to media commentary, recurring disagreements over former Soviet republics, which the Kremlin has declared an area of its "privileged interests," are likely to continue to provide fodder for tension.

In recent weeks, Russia and the West disagreed on international monitoring in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which Russia recognized as independent from Georgia. Talks on the status of two entities have come to an impasse.

On June 22 Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg reaffirmed "strong support for Georgia's independence and territorial integrity" in talks with visiting Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze. Bilateral talks followed up on the Strategic Partnership Charter signed last January under the Bush administration.

Following the talks, Mr. Steinberg noted that the United States is proving Georgia with $1 billion in aid in the aftermath of the war with Russia and promised continued support for the Georgian military.

And in Kyrgyzstan, the United States succeeded in getting Bishkek to reverse its decision earlier this year to close an air base used for U.S.-led operations in Afghanistan. According to media reports, the United States promised to triple the rent paid for Manas air base, while also overlooking the incumbent president's crackdown on the opposition ahead of elections next month.

A century and a half later, Congress apologizes for slavery

Both houses of Congress have now passed resolutions apologizing for past treatment of African-Americans, including slavery and segregation. The Senate voted unanimously to do so on June 18; the House of Representatives had done so in July 2008, U.S. media reported.

The move was praised by President Barack Obama, but received largely low-key and mixed reactions around the United States. Critics particularly pointed to a clause that suggested that the apology should not be used in support of claims of restitution.

The Senate resolution was co-sponsored by Senators Tom Harkin (D.-Iowa) and Sam Brownback (R.-Kan.) The efforts in the House are led by Rep. Steve Cohen (D.-Tenn.), who has expressed vociferous opposition to the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

According to Mother Jones magazine, in 1988 the United States apologized and offered compensation to Japanese-Americans for internments during World War II. In 2005, the House, and in 2008, the Senate voted to apologize to Native Americans "for the many instances of violence, maltreatment, and neglect" inflicted against them by the United States.

Last April, President Obama indicated that the United States might apologize for some of its past policies in Latin America, where Washington had been accused of organizing coups and assassinations.

Foreign aid bill endorsed by House Appropriations Committee

Legislation that sets out foreign-aid allocations and was passed in the House Foreign Operations Subcommittee on June 17 was approved by the full House Appropriations Committee on June 23.

The Fiscal Year 2010 allocations approved last week included $48 million in aid to Armenia, $10 million to Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as $3.45 million each in military aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Additionally, according to the text of the legislation made available by the Armenian Assembly, it "directs that the Department of State consult with the Committees on Appropriations before exercising [Section 907] waiver for fiscal year 2010 to ensure that all conditions under the waiver provision are being fully met."

Section 907 has restricted U.S. assistance to Azerbaijan since 1993, but after September 11, 2001, the president received conditional authority to waive the measure.

The committee language also noted that "Section 907 is still in effect, pending a settlement of the ongoing dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the status of Nagorno-Karabakh."

After adoption in the full House of Representatives, the measure would need to be reconciled with the Senate version, which is yet to be produced.

Coming up:

On June 28-29, Israeli president Shimon Peres will visit Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.

On July 6-8, President Barack Obama will visit Russia for talks that are likely to focus on Afghanistan, Iran, and North Korea, but might also include discussion of Caucasus concerns.

And on July 20-24, Vice President Joe Biden will visit Ukraine and Georgia.

French president Nicolas Sarkozy has postponed his anticipated trip to the Caucasus and Kazakhstan.

House Subcommittee on aid to Armenia

House panel ups Armenia, Karabakh aid levels, insists on military aid parity
Subcommittee chair Lowey lauded for “fixing” President Obama’s aid request
by Emil Sanamyan
Published: Friday June 19, 2009

Washington - A key congressional subcommittee responsible for U.S. foreign aid spending agreed this week to allocate $48 million in aid to Armenia and $10 million to Nagorno-Karabakh in Fiscal Year 2010. The June 17 decision by the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs chaired by Rep. Nita Lowey (D.-N.Y.) set Armenia aid to the same level as it is in the current fiscal year and increased the allocation to Karabakh by $2 million.

The move was welcomed by Armenian-American organizations, which praised Rep. Lowey and subcommittee members for taking a step towards "fixing" the budget request submitted by the Obama administration last month.

The congressional panel also set military aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan at $3.45 million each and introduced requirements for closer scrutiny for a presidential waiver of Section 907, which restricts U.S. aid to Azerbaijan, according to sources cited by the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

The administration had requested $30 million for aid to Armenia, and had requested no funds for Nagorno-Karabakh. It had also asked for more military aid to Azerbaijan than to Armenia.

Last week the Millennium Challenge Corporation chaired by the secretary of state cancelled a separated $67 million aid program intended to rehabilitate Armenia's rural roads.

According to comments by Assistant Secretary of State Philip Gordon during his recent visit to Yerevan, the congressional revision of the aid request was anticipated by the State Department.

In a letter to the subcommittee leadership earlier this year, the co-chairs of the Armenian Caucus, Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D.-N.J.), and Mark Kirk (R.-Ill.) recommended $70 million in economic and $5 million in military aid to Armenia and $10 million for Nagorno-Karabakh.

In addition to Rep. Kirk, the subcommittee includes Rep. Adam Schiff (D.-Calif.) and several other key supporters of Armenian issues.

Rep. Schiff issued a statement welcoming the subcommittee decision, saying it "will help ensure peace and greater economic stability in the Caucasus."

"As the Armenian Government prepares to send troops to join the NATO mission in Afghanistan, our Committee worked in a bipartisan fashion to provide robust economic and security assistance to this strong U.S. ally," Rep. Kirk was quoted by the ANCA as saying.

"Our Committee sent a strong message to the Government of Azerbaijan to keep its commitment to the OSCE peace process, end its bellicose rhetoric and stop meddling in the U.S.-backed Armenian-Turkish reconciliation process," Mr. Kirk added.

Silva Harotonian update, Rxns to Obama aid request, UN HRC vote

This was first published in May 16, 2009 Armenian Reporter

Washington Briefing
by Emil Sanamyan

U.S., family continue to call for Iranian-Armenian’s release

With Roxana Saberi, an Iranian­-American journalist released this week, the family of Iranian-­Armenian aid worker Silva ­Harotonian urged Iranian authorities to offer her clemency as well.

In a May 13 statement distributed by Fox News, Klara Moradkhan, Ms. Harotonian's American cousin, suggested that "the very basis on which Ms. Saberi was freed - Iran's recognition that it and the United States are not in a state of hostility toward one another - would support Silva's release as well under Iranian law."

Ms. Harotonian was arrested in June 2008 and was last January sentenced to a three-year prison term. The Iranian legal system is currently considering her second and final appeal. Ms. Harotonian was an administrator for a U.S.-funded maternal and children's health program, but was charged with trying to undermine the Iranian government; she was reportedly pressured to testify against herself.

U.S. officials have called charges against both Ms. Harotonian and Ms. Saberi "baseless" and have called on Iran to release them.

According to media reports this week, the case against Ms. Saberi was based mostly on a confidential document she reportedly copied while working for an Iranian government entity several years earlier. Ms. Saberi was initially sentenced to eight years in prison before being released on parole.

Members of Congress react to administration’s Armenia aid request

Reps. Frank Pallone (D.-N.J.) and Mark Kirk (R.-Ill.), co-chairs of the congressional Armenian caucus, said they "will work to restore funding for Armenia." Their statement came a day after the Obama administration requested aid levels that were lower than funds appropriated in Fiscal Year 2009.

"We are confident that as the [Fiscal Year 2010] appropriations process moves forward, Congress will increase economic assistance to Armenia beyond the Administration's budget proposal and will provide aid to Nagorno Karabakh," Reps. Pallone and Kirk said on May 8.

Also reacting to the request was Rep. Brad Sherman (D.-Calif.) who briefly raised the issue during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing with Deputy Secretary of State Jack Lew on May 13. Mr. Sherman mentioned the issue along with several others, asking Mr. Lew for a written response.

Mr. Sherman also requested a comment on the issue from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during her April 22 testimony at the committee; neither response was available as of press time.

In a March 24 letter to the House Foreign Operations Subcommittee leadership, Reps. Pallone and Kirk requested an increase in U.S. aid to Armenia (see table below). The subcommittee will review the administration's proposal in the next few months.

U.S. aid programs
(in millions of dollars)

FY2010 proposals FY2009 proposals and appropriated levels
Obama & Caucus requested Bush & Caucus requested Congress appropriated

Armenia 30.0 70 24.0 70 48.0
Karabakh N/A 10 N/A 10 8.0
Armenia
military 3.5 5 3.3 5 3.5
Azerbaijan
military 4.9 0 3.9 0 3.5

Ambassador to Armenia reacts to critics of aid request

In what is likely to form the basis for the State Department's response to critics of the administration's request, the U.S. Embassy in Armenia issued a letter from Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch that reiterated America's commitment to its "longstanding partnership with Armenia."

In her letter Ms. Yovanovitch noted that President Barack Obama's request was an increase over President George W. Bush's request last year, and that "actual levels of assistance" are determined by the U.S. Congress, which has traditionally revised administration requests upward.

"With respect to funding for Nagorno­-Karabakh, there has never been a budget request sent to Congress because there is no mechanism for doing so in the budget process," the ambassador noted. "Rather, the humanitarian assistance provided to Nagorno-Karabakh is worked out afterwards, during the budget negotiation between Congress and the Administration."

Ms. Yovanovitch also noted that a somewhat larger request for military aid to Azerbaijan "is linked to U.S. priorities in peacekeeping and maritime security on the Caspian Sea" and that "they do not adversely affect the military balance" between Armenia and Azerbaijan as is stipulated by U.S. law.

The Embassy noted that nearly $2 billion in U.S. aid has been provided to Armenia since the 1988 earthquake; that amounted included $68.9 million provided in 2008.

U.S., Armenian officials hold regular consultations

In a meeting of the U.S.-Armenia Economic Task Force (USATF) on May 13, delegations led by Economics Minister Nerses Yeritsian and State Department coordinator for aid to Eurasia Dan Rosenblum "discussed advancing economic and market reforms, strengthening rule of law, and other bilateral issues," the U.S. Embassy in Armenia said in a statement.

The discussions are intended to produce an "action plan [that] helps in tailoring assistance to Armenia coming from the United States Government."

Established nine years ago, USATF held its previous meeting in Washington last November.

Azerbaijan voted out of UN body

Hungary will replace Azerbaijan at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), having won more international support for one of two vacant seats on the council. The other seat went to Russia, which like Azerbaijan was first elected to the body in 2006. In the May 12 vote, Russia won the support of 146 countries, Hungary of 131 countries and Azerbaijan of 84 countries.

"The election of Hungary, especially over Azerbaijan, a country with a poor human rights record but with considerable influence thanks to its energy resources, is something to applaud," Vladimir Shkolnikov of the U.S.-based rights group Freedom House said in a statement. For UNHRC it "is a small but important step in the right direction," he added.

Also winning a three-year term on the council was the United States, backed by 167 of the total of 192 UN members. The United States was previously ousted from UNHRC's predecessor entity - the Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) - in 2001. (Armenia was elected to UNCHR twice - in 2002 and 2005.)

The UN human rights body was shunned by the Bush Administration for criticizing Israel and for including countries like Cuba. But the Obama administration argues that U.S. concerns would be better served through membership in the council.

The Geneva-based 47-member UNHRC makes recommendations to the General Assembly on human rights issues.

Obama in Turkey, Gordon held-up, U.S. to talk to Iran

This was first published in April 11, 2009 Armenian Reporter.

Washington Briefing
by Emil Sanamyan

Obama visits Turkey, calls Azerbaijan

Pres. Obama enters a Mosque in Istanbul. White House photo.

President Barack Obama visited Turkey on April 6-7 in an effort to rebuild a troubled alliance and reach out to the Muslim world. The White House reported that on April 7, Mr. Obama also placed a call to the president of Azerbaijan.

Addressing the Turkish parliament, the U.S. president said he was "committed to renewing the alliance" that has come under strain as U.S. and Turkish policies on Iraq, Iran, and the Middle East conflict drifted further apart in recent years.

Mr. Obama said his visit was evidence of the importance he placed on U.S.-Turkish relations, although no formal agreements were announced during the trip. From the first days of his administration, Mr. Obama said he wanted to reach out to the Islamic world and was expected to visit a majority-Muslim country in the first months of his presidency.

In January, Turkey invited Mr. Obama to attend a United Nations conference dubbed the Alliance of Civilizations, held in Istanbul. The invitation led to an official visit to Turkey at the end of Mr. Obama's tour of Europe.

Speaking in parliament, Mr. Obama praised Turkey's founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and the Turkish political system, while also noting that there are disagreements and outstanding issues such as the history of Armenian-Turkish relations.

The latter subject also featured in a "good conversation" Mr. Obama had with Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev, in which the "U.S commitment to a strong relationship with Azerbaijan and to supporting progress toward a resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict" were reiterated.

According to Hurriyet newspaper, upset with reports of progress in Armenia­-­Turkey talks, Mr. Aliyev refused to attend the Alliance of Civilizations meeting even after being telephoned by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who reportedly promised a meeting with Mr. Obama.

Instead, Mr. Aliyev dispatched his daughter Leyla Aliyeva. Ms. Aliyeva serves as the Moscow representative for the Heydar Aliyev Foundation headed by her mother Mehriban Aliyeva.

State Department nominee held up over Armenian Genocide comments

Left out of President Obama's trip to Turkey was his pick for assistant secretary of state for Europe and Eurasia, Philip Gordon. According to Foreign Policy magazine, Mr. Gordon planned to depart after confirmation by the Senate on April 3, but his nomination was held up at the last moment.

In a statement issued on the same day, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) welcomed the "delay as a meaningful opportunity for senators to weigh the merits of approving a nominee with a record of arguing against [U.S.] recognition of the Armenian genocide." (See this page in the March 14 Armenian Reporter for some of Mr. Gordon's past comments on the subject.)

During a March 27 Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Mr. Gordon's nomination, his views were scrutinized by Sen. Robert Menendez (D.-N.J.), who had previously blocked a Bush administration nominee for ambassador to Armenia over his comments on the Genocide.

But according to Foreign Policy, Mr. Menendez eventually decided not to block Mr. Gordon‘s candidacy and abstained in the committee vote.

On April 8, the Armenian Assembly of America reported that it was Sen. John Ensign (R.-Nev.) who requested the postponement of Mr. Gordon's confirmation. In 2007 Mr. Ensign was the main Republican co-sponsor of a Senate resolution on Armenian Genocide.

The Senate is expected to return to consideration of the nominee after its Easter recess.

U.S. joins talks with Iran, requests release of detainees

In a departure from Bush administration policy, the State Department said on April 8 that the United States will formally join other permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and Germany in their ongoing talks with Iran regarding its nuclear program.

Barack Obama advocated direct talks with Iran during his presidential campaign. Under George W. Bush, the United States insisted that Iran first halt nuclear fuel enrichment as a condition for U.S. participation in the talks.

Incidentally, on April 9 the New York Times reported that Iran had announced just days earlier making advances in its ability to enrich uranium.

On April 6, the State Department additionally urged Iran to release 34-year-old Silva Harotonian, an Iranian-Armenian employee of the U.S.-funded International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX) imprisoned in Iran since last June.

The State Department's acting spokesperson Robert Wood said that charges against Ms. Harotonian - of plotting against the Iranian government on behalf of the United States - were "baseless" and that "she is reportedly in poor and deteriorating health as a direct consequence of her confinement."

Ms. Harotonian's case, first made public last January, was covered by the Los Angeles Times on April 2 and ABC News on April 7. (See also a story in the Reporter's Feb. 28 edition.)

Georgian opposition launches campaign for president’s ouster

Georgian opposition posters. Photo: Civil.ge

Political opponents of Georgian leader Mikheil Saakashvili began on April 9 what they promise will be continuing protests aimed at toppling the president, whom they blame for authoritarianism and last year's defeat in the war with Russia.

The opposition includes a number of past allies of Mr. Saakashvili's, including former parliament Speaker Nino Bourjanadze and former Ambassador to the United Nations Irakli Alasania, the two figures seen as frontrunners in a potential early election.

In a manifesto released before the campaign's launch, the opposition pledged to guarantee Mr. Saakashvili's personal security should he resign voluntarily. Mr. Saakashvili in turn offered dialogue to the opposition, but insists he will stay in office until his second term of office expires in 2013.

Mark Kirk becomes Armenian caucus co-chair

First published at www.reporter.am

Mark Kirk selected as Armenian caucus co-chair
Illinois representative to take over from fellow Republican Joe Knollenberg
by Emil Sanamyan
Published: Thursday December 18, 2008

Rep. Mark Kirk (R.-Ill.), pictured wearing his veteran cap, who has been selected as co-chair of the House Caucus on Armenian Issues.

Washington, - Rep. Mark Kirk (R.-Ill.) will take over from Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R.-Mich.) as co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, the offices of the two members and fellow co-chair Rep. Frank Pallone (D.-N.J.) reported on December 17.

After eight years as caucus co-chair and 16 years as a representative from suburban Detroit, Mr. Knollenberg, 75, is leaving Congress, having lost his re-election bid last month.

The Armenian caucus will be entering the 111th Congress next month with 140 members, at which point 16 members will have left the House of Representatives due to retirement, winning elections for higher office, or having lost re-election bids.

Mr. Kirk's track record

Mr. Kirk represents Illinois' tenth district, which consists of Chicago's northern suburbs. He is a senior member of the key House Foreign Operations Subcommittee, which works to set foreign-aid levels.

"After 20 years of working with the Armenian-American community to advance the U.S.-Armenia issues, I am honored and excited to serve alongside Congressman Pallone as co-chair of the Caucus on Armenian Issues," Mr. Kirk said in a statement.

"The Caucus on Armenian Issues is well-known for its work to strengthen the U.S.-Armenia relationship and recognize the Armenian Genocide. I look forward to working with Congressman Pallone and all members of the Caucus to advance the U.S.-Armenia relationship in the 111th Congress."

Mr. Knollenberg called Mr. Kirk "a highly talented leader with a record of success." And Mr. Pallone, recalling his cooperation with Mr. Knollenberg, said he expected to continue "to work in a bipartisan fashion with Mark Kirk."

"In the 111th Congress, the Caucus will continue to advocate for peace and stability in Nagorno Karabakh, recognition of the Armenian Genocide and Armenia's economic integration in the Caucasus," Mr. Pallone said.

Throughout his years in the House of Representatives, Mr. Kirk has supported congressional efforts to affirm the Armenian genocide and provide adequate levels of U.S. aid to Armenia.

First elected in 2000, Mr. Kirk replaced retiring Rep. John Porter (R.-Ill.) who co-chaired the Armenian caucus until being replaced by Mr. Knollenberg; Mr. Kirk began his professional career serving on Mr. Porter's staff between 1984 and 1990.

Mr. Kirk's career has included stints at the World Bank's International Finance Corporation (1990), the State Department Bureau of Inter-American Affairs (1992-93), the law firm of Baker & McKenzie (1993-95), and as counsel to the U.S. House International Relations Committee (1995-99).

As a Naval Reserve intelligence officer since 1989, Mr. Kirk served tours of duty during U.S. military operations in Kuwait, Iraq, Haiti, and the former Yugoslavia.

According to congressional records, together with Mr. Knollenberg and other Armenian caucus members, Mr. Kirk is a member of the bi-cameral Silk Road Caucus established in 2001 to focus on U.S. policies in Central Asia and the Caucasus.

Mr. Kirk also served as Albanian caucus co-chair and currently co-chairs the congressional Iran Working Group, which earlier this year held hearings that focused on Iran's ethnic minorities.

In a Dear Colleague letter last August, Mr. Kirk criticized the Turkish government for restricting U.S. access into the Black Sea when the United States sought to provide aid to Georgia amid its conflict with Russia.

Born in 1959, Mr. Kirk earned his bachelor's from Cornell, a master's degree from the London School of Economics and a law degree from Georgetown. Rep. Kirk and his wife, Kimberly, live in Highland Park, Illinois.

Honoring Mr. Knollenberg

Mr. Knollenberg hosted a "thank you" event for his supporters on December 15 in Pontiac, Michigan, in his district. Among the 350 attendees were Reverend Father Diran Papazian of the local Armenian Church, Pam Coultis on behalf of Detroit business­person Edgar Hagopian, Paul Kulhanjian, and Ross Vartian.

Mr. Vartian, who is the executive director of the U.S.-Armenia Public Affairs Committee (USAPAC), said that the Armenian-American community owed a debt of gratitude to Rep. Knollenberg for his unwavering support of Armenian-American issues throughout his tenure in Congress, in his capacities as Armenia Caucus Co-chair, member of the Appropriations Committee, and leading member of the Subcommittee on Foreign Operations.

"The people of Armenia and Karabakh had no better friend in the House of Representatives than Mr. Knollenberg," said Mr. Vartian.

Pallone on U.S. support for NKR; Erdogan on Bush & Obama; Vatican on Armenian Genocide; EU's new FSU plan; Caucasus on NATO ties

First published in November 29, 2008 Armenian Reporter

Washington Briefing
by Emil Sanamyan

Rep. Pallone: U.S. should step up support for Karabakh

"It is necessary that the United States place an importance on the existence of the smaller states in the Caucasus," Rep. Frank Pallone (D.-N.J.) said in a statement released following his meeting with president of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, Bako Sahakian, on November 22 in New York.

"The United States must not ignore the unique cultural identities of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh," the co-chair of the Congressional Armenian caucus went to say. "As a country founded on self-determination, we must champion the rights of people everywhere to self-determination."

While welcoming the November 2 Moscow declaration on Karabakh signed by the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan, Mr. Pallone also called for more "robust" U.S. role in the peace process under the incoming administration of Barack Obama.

Speaking on November 23 in Los Angeles, Mr. Sahakian welcomed President-elect Obama's "readiness to help meet the challenges faced by the Armenian nation." Karabakh's president is in the United States for the annual fundraising effort organized by the Armenia Fund in Los Angeles.

Turning to specific priorities for next year, Mr. Pallone said that as this year he will "urge a shift in U.S. aid to Nagorno-Karabakh from humanitarian to developmental programs [to] help rebuild Nagorno Karabakh's infrastructure [and] secure the health and safety of [its] people."

Turkish leader derides Bush, lobbies Obama

Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyib Erdogan used an invitation from President George W. Bush to an economic summit in Washington to lecture President-elect Barack Obama and to lambast the Bush administration's policies as "disastrous."

Although Mr. Obama himself declined to take part in the summit, he asked former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, former Rep. Jim Leach (R.-Iowa), and Philip Gordon of the Brookings Institution to meet with foreign leaders on his behalf.

According to Turkish media, in meetings with Mr. Obama's representatives and in speeches at Brookings on November 14 and a day earlier at the Columbia University, Mr. Erdogan touted Turkey's importance and warned President-elect Obama about Turkey's "sensitivities" such as its insistence on denial of the Armenian Genocide and opposition to a de facto Kurdish state in Iraq.

In his presidential campaign, Mr. Obama repeatedly pledged to drop the Bush administration's policy and stop deferring to the Turkish lobby when it came to U.S. policy on the Armenian Genocide.

Separately, Mr. Obama pledged to pull U.S. troops out of Iraq within sixteen months.

Mr. Erdogan criticized the withdrawal plan as "premature" and the recognition pledge as "immature."

At Brookings, the Turkish leader claimed that "U.S. support is essential for maintaining the dialogue" between Turkey and Armenia, implying that Ankara would stop seeking normal relations with Yerevan if President Obama, in Mr. Erdogan's words at Columbia, acquiesced to Armenian-Americans' "cheap political lobbying" and speak clearly on the genocide in Ottoman Turkey.

Also at Columbia, Mr. Erdogan spoke of his desire to follow the recent Russian example and host a meeting between the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents.

And in Washington, Mr. Erdogan repeated his offer to mediate between the United States and Iran, while suggesting that Tehran cannot be forced to drop its nuclear program while other countries (presumably Israel, India, and Pakistan in addition to the United States, Russia, France, Britain, and China) retain nuclear weapons.

Vatican: Memories of Armenian Genocide need to be overcome

"The Holy See's official position was expressed in Pope John Paul II visit in Armenia [where he] spoke about genocide," Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the Vatican's voice on interfaith relations told Vatican Radio on November 22 (audio of the program is available at www.vaticanradio.org).

Cardinal Kasper was asked about the issue on eve of a meeting between Pope Benedict XVI and Catholicos Aram I of Cilicia who visited the Vatican from November 23 to 27.

In Armenia, "we visited the memorial of victims of what is called genocide, even though the Turkish [government] does not recognize this term. Normally it is called in this way," the cardinal recalled.

"In any case, the problem is not the term. It is a fact that thousands of Armenians were killed and starved and the terrible memories are there and we must help overcome these memories and also to improve if possible the relations between Armenia and Turkey, which are neighboring states but which have no relations with each other. And I don't know if the Holy See can do anything in this regard but of course we are always with the victims and not with those who did the bad things."

During his November 2006 trip to Turkey, Benedict XVI referred to "tragic circumstances [Armenians] endured in the last century," according to a report by www.asianews.it.

According to the Catholic News Service, in meeting with the Armenian delegation on November 24, Pope Benedict XVI also referred to Armenians' "unspeakable suffering."

In turn, Aram I said it was essential that the Armenian Genocide is explicitly acknowledged to help prevent new genocides "by affirming the rights of all people to dignity, a dignified life, freedom, and self-determination."

The Holy See last May hosted Karekin II, the Catholicos of All Armenians, who at the time appealed "to all nations and lands to universally condemn all genocides that have occurred throughout history," saying that "denial of these crimes is an injustice that equals the commission of the same."

In the meeting this week, Benedict XVI also noted "the escalation of persecution and violence against Christians in parts of the Middle East and elsewhere," apparently referring to attacks on Christians, including the Armenian community, in the U.S.-occupied Iraq.

"Only when the countries involved can determine their own destiny, and the various ethnic groups and religious communities accept and respect each other fully, will peace be built on the solid foundations of solidarity, justice and respect for the legitimate rights of individuals and peoples," the pope said.

European Union weighing ties with Russia, ex-Soviet republics

"In recognition of European aspirations" of Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, the European Commission is set to propose a new Eastern Partnership project to encompass the six republics in June 2009, www.EUObserver.com reported on November 24.

The EU Commission's draft communication seen by EU Observer describes relations between the European Union and Russia would take priority over the proposed new project.

At the same time, in an implicit swipe at Russia, the document notes that "the conflict in Georgia in August 2008 and its broader repercussions have resulted in increased awareness of the vulnerability of Eastern partners.... There is a sense of urgency among member states as to the need to enhance relations with our Eastern neighbors to support them in drawing closer to the EU."

Until now, EU engaged the six countries through its European Neighborhood initiative, which also involves the countries of the Levant and North Africa.

The new initiative, first floated by Poland and Sweden last May, is meant to send "a clear and lasting political message of EU solidarity" and to "produce benefits perceived and recognized by citizens of the partner countries."

Among them would be increased European aid to the six ex-Soviet countries, easing of visas for travel, and "a single deep and comprehensive Free Trade Area, providing the basis for the development of a common internal market, such as the European Economic Area [EEA]," such as EU now enjoys with Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein.

But to qualify, the six states would be required to "take over [the entire EU legal code], including the acceptance of European Court of Justice rulings."

Caucasus countries clarify NATO policies

NATO foreign ministers will meet in Brussels on December 2-3 to find face-saving solutions that would help postpone immediate membership action plans (MAPs) for Ukraine and Georgia, news agencies report. Both countries were promised eventual membership at the NATO summit last April.

"At the moment [NATO membership] is not on Armenia's agenda," President Serge Sargsian told Euronews TV during his trip to European Union and NATO headquarters in Brussels in early November, reiterating a longstanding policy.

At the same time Mr. Sargsian added that Armenia wants to continue to partner with NATO, calling such cooperation "integral to [Armenia's] real security."

And in an interview with Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung published on November 11, Mr. Sargsian disagreed with the view that one of the lessons of the war in Georgia is that NATO should no longer be in the Caucasus. At the same time he noted that Armenia does not want to become an alliance member and is against "dangerous dividing lines" being drawn in the Caucasus.

In Baku, spokesperson for President Ilham Aliyev said on November 20 that Azerbaijan has no plans to enter NATO, Mediamax news agency reported.

"The talks concerning this issue do not reflect reality," said Elnur Aslanov. And in what may be the most belated correction in history, he added that the "statements about placing of NATO military bases in the territory of Azerbaijan," initiated in 1999 by Vafa Gulizade, senior aide to then-President Heydar Aliyev, "are also groundless."

For years, Azerbaijani officials have been more ambivalent about country's NATO aspirations.

Meanwhile, Georgia remains committed to NATO membership and "the decision, made in Bucharest, according to which Georgia will become a member of the Alliance, is still in effect", Foreign Minister Eka Tkeshelashvili said last week.

But speaking to Reuters on November 25, Ms. Tkeshelashvili appeared to concede that no action plan that could put a timeframe on future membership was forthcoming.

Congress marks Artsakh freedom anniversary

First published in Sept. 27, 2008 Armenian Reporter

Artsakh’s freedom celebrated on Capitol Hill
Speakers call for U.S. recognition, support for NKR
by Lusine Sarkisyan and Emil Sanamyan

NKR Rep. in U.S. Barseghian (left) with Armenian caucus co-chairs Reps. Pallone (right) and Knollenberg (center).

WASHINGTON - About 100 supporters of Artsakh attended a September 19 Capitol Hill program that featured remarks by members of Congress, a keynote address by community activist and lawyer Mark Geragos, and calls for formal U.S. recognition and greater assistance to the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.

The event, "Nagorno Karabakh Republic/Artsakh: 20 Years of Freedom, Democracy, and Progress," was hosted by the co-chairs of the Congressional Armenian Caucus in cooperation with the NKR Office in the United States and the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia.

The gathering was part of conferences and events worldwide timed to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the movement for Artsakh's freedom and the 17th anniversary of the independence of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, formally proclaimed on September 2, 1991.

In their remarks, Ambassador Tatoul Markarian of Armenia and Vardan Barseghian, NKR representative in the United States, reviewed the history and recent developments in Karabakh and in talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Mr. Barseghian used the opportunity to advocate for formal U.S. recognition of NKR's independence as well as an expanded U.S. assistance package to the Armenian republic.

"We expect the United States and other nations to formally recognize the independence of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, thereby affirming the right of the people of Artsakh to live in freedom without fear of violence, oppression, and persecution," Mr. Barseghian said.

Now, he added, is the "time to expand the nature and scope of [U.S.] assistance to avail Karabakh residents to the type of U.S. assistance - business advice, education, and exchanges - others in the Caucasus have had access to for over a decade."

In light of the recent crisis in Georgia, he also called for international diplomacy that would have "Azerbaijan commit in writing to the nonuse of force" to strengthen the relative peace in the region and create an atmosphere of trust conducive to a peace agreement.

In his keynote address, Mr. Geragos challenged members of Congress to increase U.S. support for Karabakh, suggesting that $35 million in humanitarian aid allocated over 10 years was far from enough, and that a democracy in a troubled region should be getting substantially more U.S. support.

In addition to Armenian Caucus co-chairs Reps. Frank Pallone (D.-N.J.) and Joe Knollenberg (R.-Mich.), members of Congress who spoke included Reps. Shelly Berkley (D.-Nev.), Gus Bilirakis (R.-Fla.), Jim Costa (D.-Calif.), Barney Frank (D.-Mass.), Patrick Kennedy (D.-R.I.), George Radanovich (R.-Calif.), Steven Rothman (D.-N.J.), Brad Sherman (D.-Calif.), and Tim Walz (D.-Minn.)

In their remarks, members of Congress touted NKR's successes, held up the Armenian republic as an example to be followed by others, and argued for expanded U.S. engagement up to full recognition of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.

Reps. Pallone and Knollenberg were presented with a book of letters and drawings from children of Artsakh, prepared by Nelly Martirosian, a Columbia University student who spent two months volunteering in Artsakh. Other members of Congress in attendance also received memorable photos, including those of Artsakh children standing in formation to spell out "thank you" for U.S. help to NKR.

Those in audience also viewed a documentary on Artsakh produced by Peter Musurlian, while human right activist Kathryn Porter talked about her first-hand experiences in Artsakh.

Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate, and Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, the Diocesan legate in Washington, offered invocations.

Along with annual congressional commemorations of the Armenian Genocide held every April, events dedicated to Artsakh's successes in preservation of peace and security and efforts to win formal international recognition of its independence - typically held every September - are the largest Armenian events regularly organized on Capitol Hill.

Briefly: More on aid to Armenia, Georgia; Russian air force, navy head to the Americas; Azeris in rating "war" with Armenia

First published in September 20, 2008 Armenian Reporter.

Washington Briefing
by Emil Sanamyan and Lusine Sarkisyan

Members mobilize congressional support for additional U.S. aid to Armenia

Reps. Frank Pallone (D.-N.J.) and George Radanovich (R.-Calif.) have called on colleagues to co-sign a letter they will send to President Bush arguing for additional U.S. aid to Armenia to offset the damages its economy has suffered as a result of interruptions in cross-Georgia trade since last month.

The September 12 letter, made public by the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), expressed general support for the Georgia aid package proposed by the Bush administration, but called for earmarking a “proportional share” of the aid to Georgia’s Armenian-populated Javakheti province.

On September 3 the administration announced a massive $1 billion aid package to Georgia. $430 million of that amount was authorized by the House Foreign Affairs Committee in a 24 to 9 vote on September 17 although a number of representatives have called into question the administration’s largesse.

The authorization is nonbinding until congressional appropriators formally approve the bill.

While State Department officials have acknowledged that the Georgia crisis has hurt Armenia’s economy and praised Armenia for helping thousands of foreigners, including
a significant number of U.S. citizens, to evacuate from Georgia, Assistant Secretary of State Dan Fried, when asked by Rep. Brad Sherman (D.-Calif.) on September 9, revealed that the aid package had no provisions for Armenia.

Rep. Sherman brought the issue up again during the Foreign Affairs Committee session on September 17. The Committee chair, Rep. Howard Berman (D.-Calif.) said that it was his “intention, when we consider the authorization of assistance next year, to examine the wider impact of this conflict [in Georgia] and provide appropriate funding for Armenia and other affected countries.”

Meanwhile, on September 15, European Union officials said they were weighing a proposal to give Georgia $700 million in aid over three years, including $140 million before the end of 2008, with a “donors’ conference” planned next month.

Russia sends aircraft, naval vessels to the Americas

Tu-160 in flight; Russia sent two such strategic bombers to Venezuela in mid-September 2008.

In a dramatic shift of military posture reminiscent of theheight of the Cold War, last week two Russian strategic bombers flew for 13hours over the Arctic and the Atlantic to land in Venezuela. A Russian navalgroup led by nuclear-powered cruiser Pyotr Velikiy (Peter the Great) is set to arrive in the Caribbean later this fall for military exerciseswith Venezuela. And on September 15, a large Russian delegation arrived in Cubato determine its humanitarian needs following the recent hurricanes.

Russia's steps come after its leaders expressed irritationwith the arrival of three U.S. naval vessels in the Black Sea, ostensibly todeliver humanitarian aid to Georgia following its recent war with Russia over South Ossetia, and as the United States is considering resumption of militaryassistance to Georgia.

In a September 12 briefing, Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Sean McCormack mocked Russia's ability to projectpower into the Americas, saying that the U.S. "would be happy to make sure the[Russian planes and vessels] get back [to Russia] in case they break down alongthe way."

There is no "questionabout who the predominant military power is in [the Western] hemisphere," theState Department spokesperson asserted, adding that the United States waswatching Russian moves closely.

In a possibly related development, last week Venezuela andits South American ally Bolivia expelled U.S. ambassadors alleging U.S. backingfor an anti-government insurgency in Bolivia.

Mr. McCormack also confirmed that on September 11, Secretaryof State Condoleezza Rice called her counterpart SergeiLavrov for the first high-level U.S.-Russia conversation sinceAugust 15, a long break reflecting a chill in relations. The conversationreportedly included several topics in addition to Georgia - Iran, North Korea,and a U.S. civil nuclear cooperation agreement with India.

On September 8, the Bush administration withdrew a similaragreement it signed with Russia from congressional consideration, citing "thecurrent environment" in bilateral relations.

Seeking to overtake Armenia in rating, Azerbaijan improves business regulation

It has become somewhat more difficult to do business in Armenia, according to the World Bank study released on September 8, which ranks countries based on their business regulations. Armenia was ranked 44th of 181 countries in this year’s report; it was 39th of 178 ranked last year.

As in years past the Doing Business 2009 report was led by Singapore, New Zealand, the United States, and Hong Kong. In Armenia’s neighborhood, Georgia improved from 18th to 15th position last year and Azerbaijan moved up the most – rising from 96th to 33rd position this year.

Making similarly rapid improvement were Albania, Kyrgyzstan, and Belarus, which along with Azerbaijan, were branded by the World Bank as “the world’s top reformers.” Azerbaijan’s economics minister

Heydar Babayev told Day.az that the progress “reflected implementation of political will of Azerbaijan’s president.” He compared his country’s improvement in the ranking to “winning a gold medal at the Olympics.”

The Armenian Reporter has learned from a source in the bank, that the World Bank staff was approached by Azerbaijani officials several months ago with a mandate from the Azerbaijani president to do everything necessary to overtake Armenia in the ranking.

Armed with a “to do list” from the bank, the Azerbaijani government then quickly amended business legislation with little to no public oversight.

Baku officials have long alleged that the “worldwide Armenian lobby” is behind international criticism of Azerbaijan’s human rights violations and corruption, including its typically poor rankings in various international ratings. Mr. Babayev suggested that this year’s Doing Business study was “objective” since the World Bank was “less prone to lobbying influences.”

The Doing Business ranking forms part of the basis for the annual Heritage Foundation – Wall Street Journal economic freedom rankings, and is also counted toward eligibility for U.S. Millennium Challenge aid. Connect: http://
www.doingbusiness.org.

Briefly: U.S. aid to Armenia and Georgia, France mediates Russia-Georgia peace deal

First published in September 13, 2008 Armenian Reporter

Washington Briefing
by Emil Sanamyan and Lusine Sarkisyan

Rep. Sherman calls for additional U.S. aid to Armenia

Citing losses suffered by Armenia’s economy as a result of the fighting in Georgia last month, Rep. Brad Sherman (D.-Calif.) called on the Bush administration to provide additional assistance to Armenia.

“Armenia is an innocent victim of this war,” Mr. Sherman told Assistant Secretary of State Dan Fried during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing held on September 9.

Mr. Sherman cited an estimate announced by the secretary of Armenia’s National Security Council, Artur Baghdasarian, and published by the RFE/RL Armenian Report on September 3, that the conflict cost Armenia as much as $680 million in damages.

Dan Fried at the hearing, with Mike McFaul, Obama campaign advisor at top left.

Like other State Department officials before him, Mr. Fried acknowledged that the fighting in Georgia hurt Armenia but said that the Bush administration, which on September 3 announced plans for $1 billion in additional aid to Georgia, had no plans to provide additional help to Armenia.

Of the $1 billion total, the administration wants $570 million appropriated this year, of which $200 million would be new funds and $370 million “re-programmed” from other foreign affairs programs.

But Mr. Fried kept the door open: “I would have to look at what Armenia has, and what lies behind these large estimates for damage, that seems pretty high, but I would want to take a look at this.”

Earlier this year, before the Georgia fighting, the House of Representatives approved $60 million in annual economic aid to both Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, with a similar amount appropriated for Georgia. In its initial request, the Bush Administration suggested only $24 million in Armenia aid.

The Armenian Assembly of America (AAA) reported in a September 9 press release that it had sent a letter to the House Appropriations Committee, which decides foreign aid levels, pointing out the impact the fighting in Georgia had on Armenia.

The release further cited Mr. Sherman as saying that he was “deeply troubled that the Administration failed to take into account the impact that this recent crisis
has had on our ally Armenia.

“We must ensure that any aid package also includes Armenia,” Mr. Sherman concluded.

Congress cool to Georgia aid request

Members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, both Democrats and Republicans, questioned the Bush administration’s rationale for providing Georgia with $1 billion in additional U.S. assistance after its government defied U.S. calls for restraint and attacked South Ossetia last month.

They also wondered why the United States would want to continue to antagonize Russia, whose help is needed in containing Iran and nonproliferation and counterterrorism efforts around the world.

GOP Congressman Dana Rohrabacher.

“The Russians are right! We’re wrong! Georgia started it, the Russians ended it,” Rep. Dana Rohrbacher (R.-Calif.) told Assistant Secretary of State Dan Fried during a September 9 hearing.

Mr. Fried argued that “Georgia’s move into South Ossetian capital provided a pretext [but] was no justification for Russian invasion of Georgia.” He added that U.S. assistance to Georgia intended to send a signal to other small pro-American states that they would not be abandoned by the United States.

But Mr. Rohrabacher recalled that U.S. military action against Serbia and in support of Kosovo in 1999 caused more civilian deaths (about 500) than Russia’s military action in Georgia (about 100) and that the United States was “undermining its credibility” by opposing South Ossetia’s self-determination and, in the process, unnecessarily antagonizing Russia.

“We have been just pushing the Russians and pushing the Russians, making them into an enemy when they at first wanted to be friends,” he argued.

Reps. Eni Faleomavaega (D.-American Samoa), Don Payne (D.-N.J.), Brad Sherman (D.-N.J.), Bill Delahunt (D.-Mass.), Diane Watson (D.-Calif.), Sheila Jackson Lee (D.-Tex.), Ron Klein (D.-Fla.), Ed Royce (R.-Calif.), Ron Paul (R.-Tex.), and Ted Poe (R.-Tex.), also questioned the rationale for the administration’s approach and appeared to oppose the proposed aid package.

Committee chair Howard Berman (D.-Calif.), Ranking Member Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R.-Fla.), Reps. Chris Smith (R.-N.J.), Robert Wexler (D.-Fla.), David Scott (D.-Ga.), Gene Green (D.-Tex.), and Albio Sires (D.-N.J.) in turn criticized Russia’s actions and urged support for Georgia, but none openly backed the $1 billion aid package and many sounded unhappy with the United States’ ability to deal with Russia.

“Administration policy toward Russia seems to be: Speak loudly, carry a small stick,” surmised Mr. Berman, the Committee chair.

United States to assess Georgian military needs

The Pentagon will dispatch an assessment team to Georgia this week to investigate the damage suffered by that country’s U.S.-trained military and determine its needs, Under Secretary of Defense Eric Edelman told the Senate Armed Services Committee on September 9. Georgian armed forces and especially their infrastructure are believed to have largely destroyed in the several days of conflict.

Meanwhile, Russia formally proposed an international embargo on arms supplies to Georgia, proposing a United Nations Security Council resolution to that effect, which is certain to be blocked by the United States and its allies. U.S. officials said that this week that while no decisions have yet been taken, Washington reserves the right to resume military assistance to Georgia.

In his testimony, Mr. Edelman said that Georgia’s attack on South Ossetia was “unwise” and came as a surprise for the United States. According to the Pentagon
official, the United States first began to worry when “Georgian troops being trained for their future deployment to Iraq did not show up for training,” presumably on the morning of August 7, about 15 hours before the attack was launched.

U.S. officials denied Russian government claims that U.S. personnel may have been involved in the fighting. Mr. Edelman noted that there were 84 U.S. military personnel in Georgia as of August 7.

Assistant Secretary of State Dan Fried said most of the U.S. military advisors were evacuated shortly after Russia launched military operations
in Georgia.

Mr. Edelman further said that Georgian “artillery fire and multiple launched rockets into urban areas and into the proximity of Russian peacekeepers is lamentable, and we do not condone this activity.” But he added the U.S. government was still determined to continue to help Georgia.

Europeans hammer out Russian-Georgian peace agreement

Russia pledged to fully pull its troops out from Georgia within a month after Tbilisi gives a legal pledge to never again use force in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, effectively surrendering sovereignty over its former provinces now recognized by Russia as independent states, news agencies reported.

This was the main agreement reached by Russia and Georgia with mediation from French president Nicolas Sarkozy and European Union officials who shuttled between Moscow and Tbilisi on September 8. The new agreement builds on and clarifies the ceasefire deal Mr. Sarkozy helped mediate on August 12; that deal had put an end to most Russian military operations inside Georgia.

While Russia intends to keep several thousand of its troops inside both Abkhazia and South Ossetia, international monitors will take up stations in adjacent Georgian territories. The status of the two republics will become a focus of international talks that would start next month in Geneva.

The United States welcomed the agreement as it puts a clear deadline to Russian military presence inside Georgia proper.

During Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on September 9, Assistant Secretary of State Dan Fried acknowledged that as part of the negotiated agreement, “Russia will have succeeded in grabbing two small provinces” of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, the Los Angeles Times reported the same day.

But, he added, the U.S. priority was to make sure the sovereignty of the rump Georgian state is not “crushed” completely.