Obama, Putin, think tanks, Azeri gas, Israelis

This was first published in the July 4, 2009 Armenian Reporter

Washington Briefing
by Emil Sanamyan

Survey: Obama most, Putin least popular among world’s leaders

America's president is by far the world's most popular leader, according to surveys that were conducted in 20 countries and involved more than 19,000 respondents.

President Barack Obama had the confidence of more than 60 percent of respondents, followed by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and German chancellor Angela Merkel with 40 percent each, the only other world leaders whose admirers outnumbered their detractors in the period between April and June of this year, when the studies were conducted.

In the countries surveyed, Mr. Obama enjoyed the least confidence in Palestine, Pakistan, Egypt, Iraq, and Russia, with Turkey's public opinion evenly divided.

Meanwhile, Russian premier Vladimir Putin and Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad suffered from the worst negative ratings, at 50 and 49 percent of respondents respectively.

Mr. Putin was most popular in India (65 percent), China (64), and Ukraine (57). And Mr. Ahmadinejad enjoyed the most support in Pakistan (75), Palestine (57), and Nigeria (50).

When calculating worldwide averages, figures from the leaders' own countries were excluded, but both Mr. Putin and Mr. Obama had the confidence of their own publics, at 82 and 62 percent respectively.

DC think tanks: Armenia, ex-USSR backsliding on democracy

Democratic decline in Central Europe and Eurasia was widespread in 2008, according to the Nations in Transit publication released by the Washington-based Freedom House on June 30. Freedom House researchers determined that democracy in 18 of 29 countries studied suffered setbacks.

Among the former Soviet states, Georgia and Ukraine were described as "hybrid regimes" with both democratic and authoritarian tendencies, and Armenia and Moldova as "semi-consolidated authoritarian regimes."

Kyrgyzstan and Russia joined Belarus, Azerbaijan, and other Central Asian countries in a group that Freedom House calls "consolidated authoritarian states." The report singled out "petro-state Azerbaijan," which "recorded the most significant declines" in terms of democratic development.

The researchers determined that perceived democratic gains made in Georgia and Kyrgyzstan following the so-called Rose and Tulip revolutions in 2003 and 2005 were fully reversed by 2008.

Freedom House also criticized international monitors "that issued positive statements about elections in 2008 that were clearly flawed, such as those in Azerbaijan and Armenia."

Another study, released the same day by the Washington-based Brookings Institution and the World Bank, looked at evolution of democracy, governance, and corruption in 212 countries and territories between 1998 and 2008.

According to Worldwide Governance Indicators, Armenia has been backsliding in one of the six categories studied, "voice and accountability," reflecting problematic handling of elections.

Varying degrees of progress were noted in five other areas studied, including political stability, government effectiveness, regulatory quality, rule of law, and control of corruption.

Russia clinches Azerbaijan gas supplies

Ilham Aliyev and Dmitry Medvedev in Baku on June 29, 2009. ITAR-TASS

On June 29 Russian president Dmitry Medvedev paid a previously unscheduled three-hour visit to Azerbaijan, whose leader agreed to begin to sell natural gas to Russia, news agencies reported.

The initial supplies would be a modest 500 million cubic meters in 2010, but Russia expects the volumes to increase as more Azerbaijani natural gas becomes available for export in 2013. Azerbaijan already exports natural gas to Georgia, Turkey, and Greece.

The move was seen by analysts as a Russian success in a diplomatic tug-of-war, as Moscow seeks to maintain its dominance as Europe's main natural-gas supplier. As part of that effort, Russia has been trying to secure natural gas purchase contracts from Central Asian producers.

A reflection of Russian interest was the high price it is willing to pay Azerbaijan for the supplies - $350 for a thousand cubic meters (tcm); by contrast, Azerbaijani gas is sold to Turkey for $120 per tcm.

Earlier this year, European Union pledged funds to facilitate a gas pipeline that would bring it Central Asian gas, including some from Azerbaijan, while bypassing Russia. The so-called Nabucco pipeline also enjoys strong support from the United States, but has been hampered by a lack of commitment by Turkmenistan and transit issues with Turkey.

Also this week, the prime minister of Sweden, the EU's incoming president, indicated a postponement in funding for the Eastern Partnership program, citing economic difficulties. The program includes Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine.

Israel, Azerbaijan to step up military cooperation

An Israeli company will launch production of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in Azerbaijan, and the two countries will cooperate in other military areas, including satellite technology, Azerbaijani news agencies reported. The deals were reportedly finalized as Israeli President Shimon Peres visited Azerbaijan on June 28-29.

Since the opening of the Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline in 2006, Azerbaijan became one of the largest crude-oil suppliers to Israel. Israel has in turn emerged as a major arms supplier to Azerbaijan. Supplies have already including artillery systems, communications equipment, and UAVs.

Although Azerbaijan continues to threaten a military confrontation with Armenia, and during his visit Mr. Peres reportedly promised that Israel and the Jewish Diaspora "will do all [they] can to support Azerbaijan's territorial integrity," there was no immediate reaction from Armenia.

Mr. Peres' visit took place despite open opposition expressed by senior Iranian officials. And street protests in Baku were quickly dispersed by police. Still, according to the Islam.ru news service, officials decided not to hoist flags of the visiting leader's country around Baku, as they customarily do, apparently wary of incidents.

Coming up: Horserace diplomacy?

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.

On July 18, the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents may hold another meeting in Moscow, as both are expected to attend an annual horserace sponsored by the Russian president.

And on July 20–24, Vice President Joe Biden plans to travel to Ukraine and Georgia.

Armenians targeted in Ukraine incident

The knifing death of Sergei Bondarenko (pictured) was followed by anti-Armenian reprisals in a small Ukrainain town. Photo from Marganets.in.ua

A drunken argument deteriorated into a fight that left a local young man dead in the small town of Marganets in Ukraine's Dnepropetrovsk province.

Alla Arakelova, a lawyer for the Ukrainian-Armenian community, told Ukraine's TSN television that the June 29 incident was followed by acts of reprisal against ethnic Armenian families that forced them to flee Marganets for nearby towns. Special police forces along with Ukraine's police chief arrived in Marganets to calm the tensions.

According to TV reports, many of the local residents demanded that ethnic Armenians - all of whom are reportedly Ukrainian citizens - be expelled and the town mayor promised to check if anyone became a Marganets resident "illegally."

Armenians reportedly began to settle in the small mining town after the 1988 earthquake, while both Armenia and Ukraine were still part of USSR, but more arrived from Armenia in subsequent years, with the community numbering 50 families.

Since the Soviet collapse, ethnic Armenians along with other natives of Caucasus and Central Asia have emigrated in large numbers to Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus; in recent years they have increasingly been targeted in xenophobic attacks.

According to reports in Russian media, almost exactly a year earlier, on June 13, 2008, a similar drunken squabble in an Armenian-owned café in the small town of Verkhneuralsk in Russia's Chelyabinsk province resulted in massive fight that left an ethnic Russian dead and several others injured.

Gagik Mkhitarian, a Chelyabinsk representative for the Union of Armenians of Russia, was quoted at the time as saying that an initial fight was followed by vandalism against Armenian-owned businesses and several Armenian families leaving the town for fear of attacks. - E.S.

Obama aid request, Lavrov in DC, Davutoglu and Knesset news

This was first published in May 9, 2009 Armenian Reporter

Washington Briefing
by Emil Sanamyan

Obama’s Armenia aid request: less than Congress, more than Bush

In his first budget proposal to Congress detailed on May 7, President Barack Obama largely continued George W. Bush's policy of requesting a reduction in U.S. assistance to Armenia.

The Obama administration requested $30 million in aid to Armenia in the Fiscal Year 2010 budget, down from $48 million allocated by Congress in 2009 and $58 million in 2008. However, the request is larger than the $24 million requested by the Bush administration in January 2008 before that amount was doubled by congressional appropriators.

The request also suggested $3.45 million in military aid to Armenia and $4.9 million requested for Azerbaijan, an approach long criticized and repeatedly revised by Congress. Azerbaijan would also get $22.12 million in non-military aid, up from less than $19 million spent in 2008–9.

Congressional appropriators can significantly alter these figures later in the budget process.

Last March, co-chairs of the congressional Armenian caucus Reps. Frank Pallone (D.-N.J.) and Mark Kirk (R.-Ill.) already made their Armenia aid recommendations, including $70 million in economic and $5 million in military aid, and a further $10 million for Nagorno-Karabakh.

The administration also requested a total of more than $322 million in aid to Georgia. This includes $80 million in regular military and non-military aid for 2010, and the rest in 2009 supplemental assistance in furtherance of $1 billion in U.S. aid promised after Georgia's brief war with Russia.

Overall, while cutting other programs the administration requested an increase in foreign aid to a total of $36.5 billion, including more than $762 million for former Soviet republics and $1.4 billion in Millennium Challenge programs around the world.

As before, the bulk of foreign military funding will go to Israel ($2.775 billion) and Egypt ($1.3 billion). Afghanistan and Pakistan would get the biggest non-military aid packages, at $2.2 and $1.1 billion, respectively.

U.S., Russia say both want Caucasus stability, but disagree on Georgia

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov of Russia met in Washington on May 7 to discuss a long list of issues on U.S.-Russia agenda. Mr. Lavrov was also received by President Barack Obama, who confirmed plans to visit Russia in July.

The meeting was preceded by a fresh row between Russia and U.S.-led NATO over the alliance's military exercise in Georgia that began this week, as well as NATO's expulsion of Russian diplomats amid allegations of spying.

At a joint press conference, Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Lavrov both sought to emphasize areas of cooperation, including recently launched strategic arms reduction talks and Middle East priorities such talks with Iran and efforts to stabilize Afghanistan.

Mr. Lavrov said the South Caucasus was among the issues discussed and that while the United States and Russia continued to "have obvious differences" they agreed on "need to do [their] best in order to achieve stability there."

The NATO exercise in Georgia went ahead despite reports of a mutiny in one of the Georgian military units, which the Tbilisi government claimed was attempted by military officers and former officials who had served under ex-President Eduard Shevardnadze (1992–2003).

Mr. Shevardnadze, who was ousted by current president Mikheil Saakashvili, has in recent months been criticizing his successor with increased frequency.

Following reports of mutiny, which the government said it was able to quickly diffuse by arresting dozens of suspects, opposition groups clashed with police for the first time since they launched a thus-far unsuccessful campaign to oust Mr. Saakashvili nearly a month ago.

On May 7, in a move long encouraged by the U.S. government, opposition parties issued a statement saying they were ready to meet with Mr. Saakashvili in a bid to avoid further confrontation.

Turkish government ideologue appointed foreign minister

Ahmet Davutoglu formally replaced Ali Babacan as Turkish foreign minister in a cabinet reshuffle announced on May 1. As top foreign policy advisor to Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Mr. Davutoglu has been credited with masterminding the Turkish foreign policy that has seen Ankara become more independent of Washington and improve relations with Russia, Iran, and Syria.

Prior to joining the government in 2003, Mr. Davutoglu, was a professor of international relations at several Istanbul universities. He was born in 1959 in central Turkish city of Konya.

Mr. Davutoglu has argued that better relations with neighbors would allow Turkey to play a more prominent and independent international role rather than serve as Cold War-style Western ally.

During a visit to Washington last October Mr. Davutoglu insisted that Turkey wants "to have best relations with Armenia," and "good relations" with Armenians everywhere in the Diaspora, and that he and his government "don't see Armenia as a threat; we don't see Armenians as enemies."

Israeli Knesset revisits Armenian Genocide

"We have a moral duty to remember the killing of Armenians," a spokesperson for the rightwing government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, on May 6, Yediot Aharanot newspaper reported the same day.

But like his predecessors, Gilad Erdan relayed the government's opposition to commemoration of the Armenian Genocide in the Knesset, deferring to Turkey's position on the issue.

"Israel has never denied the terrible acts carried out against the Armenians," Mr. Erdan added. "And I am well aware of the intensity of the emotions given the number of victims and the suffering of the Armenian people."

The debate took place in the Knesset House Committee on the urging of veteran Knesset member Haim Oron who heads the small leftwing Meretz party and has championed the issue for years.

Interviewed by PanArmenian.Net, another supporter of Genocide affirmation in the Knesset Ze'ev Elkin suggested the time has not yet come for a formal decision by the Knesset. Since the last election, Mr. Elkin became the leader of the ruling coalition in the parliament. [See my earlier interview with him.]

April 24 commemorations

Armenians around the world commemorate the Genocide
by Maria Titizian and Emil Sanamyan
Published: Friday April 24, 2009

Yerevan and Washington - Hundreds of thousands of people, from near and far, today made the solemn journey to Tzitzernaka­berd, the Armenian Genocide memorial here, to lay flowers and pay tribute to the memory of the 1.5 million Armenians who were made to waste away in death marches or were killed outright in the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire in 1915-17.

In Washington, President Barack Obama issued a statement on "the 1.5 million Armenians who were massacred or marched to their death in the final days of the Ottoman Empire," avoiding the term genocide.

In a reference to his campaign pledges that as president he would recognize the Genocide, Mr. Obama wrote, "I have consistently stated my own view of what occurred in 1915, and my view of that history has not changed. My interest remains the achievement of a full, frank and just acknowledgment of the facts."

But, the president argued, "the best way to advance that goal right now is for the Armenian and Turkish people to address the facts of the past as a part of their efforts to move forward."

Reacting to the statement, Ken Hachikian of the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) voiced "sharp disappointment with President Obama's failure to honor his solemn pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide."

Ross Vartian of the U.S.-Armenia Public Affairs Committee (USAPAC) said in a statement, "President Obama's first April 24 statement became a lost opportunity to affirm the Armenian Genocide."

On April 22 House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D.-Calif.) and Majority Leader Rep. Steny Hoyer (D.-Md.) along with fellow members of Congress joined hundreds of Armenian Americans and friends for the annual congressional commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.

"It is long past the time for the United States to formally recognize the Armenian Genocide," the Speaker said. "How far we can go with the resolution this year depends on the outreach that each and every one of us can do to win on the floor of the House," she argued.

"We can do any amount of inside maneuvering in the Congress and Washington, but what is important is the outside mobilization to bring to bear the voices of people across America."

Meanwhile, the Turkish government briefly recalled "for consultations" its ambassador to Canada after Canadian officials attended an Armenian Genocide commemorative event.

Ambassadors accredited in Armenia were also at the Genocide memorial. U.S. envoy Amb. Marie Yovanovitch said, "The prayers of all Americans are with the Armenian people at this time, so we are pleased to be able to be here and to be able to pay our respects."

Ukraine's envoy, Ambassador Alexander Bozhko told Armenpress that the Ukrainian people share Armenia's anguish. "An entire civilization was exterminated - a notable part of the Armenian people. I've translated Sasuntsi David; I've translated Vardan Vardanian's novel Komitas; Mushegh Galshoian's novels about Western Armenia; I know what took place in reality," said the ambassador.

Members of Congress mark April 24 with calls for U.S. recognition of Armenian Genocide
by Emil Sanamyan
Published: Thursday April 30, 2009

Speaker Nancy Pelosi addressing the annual congressional commemoration of the Armenian Genocide on April 22, 2009. She called for “mass mobilization” to surmount opposition to the Armenian Genocide resolution but did not pledge to act on the measure now backed by more than 100 members of the House of Representatives. Armenian Reporter

Washington, - As in years past, members of the U.S. Congress marked April 24, Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, with speeches, statements, and pledges of support for the congressional resolution on the Genocide.

Among those attending the April 22 congressional commemoration held annually on the Capitol Hill and hosted by co-chairs of the Armenian Caucus Reps. Frank Pallone (D.-N.J.) and Mark Kirk (R.-Ill.) were House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D.-Calif.), House Majority leader Steny Hoyer (D.-Md.), Sen. Jack Reed (D.-R.I.) and 20 other members of Congress. (See the Armenian Reporter for April 25 for some of the comments and photos from the commemoration.)

Also this week support for H. Res. 252, affirming the U.S. record on the Armenian Genocide, increased to 116 House members. Statements by congressional leaders gave no indication of when the resolution might be considered by the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

The Congressional Record

Additionally, statements for the record were made by Senators Reed and Barbara Boxer (D.-Calif.), Reps. Pallone, Michele Bachmann (R.-Minn.), Howard Berman (D.-Calif.), Michael Capuano (D.-Mass.), Jim Costa (D.-Calif.), Jerry Costello (D.-Ill.), Scott Garrett (R.-N.J.), Carolyn Maloney (D.-N.Y.), Ed Markey (D.-Mass.), Gary Peters (R.-Mich.), Chris Van Hollen (D.-Md.), Tim Walz (D.-Minn.), Henry Waxman (D.-Calif.) and Frank Wolf (R.-Va.).

Last year, Sen. Boxer was the only member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to vote against the Bush administration's nominee for ambassador to Armenia; she took exception to the administration's policy on the Armenian Genocide issue. In her April 24 statement, the senator expressed support for recent talks between Armenia and Turkey, expressing hope that "this process will lead the Turkish Government to finally acknowledge the irrefutable truth of the Armenian genocide and also to greater peace and prosperity for the people of Armenia."

Referring to President Barack Obama's pre-election statements on the Genocide, Sen. Boxer stressed, "There is no need for further study or debate because we must never legitimize the views of those who deny the very worst of crimes against humanity."

Sen. Reed in his statement underscored the need "for our own country to recognize the Armenian genocide." He concluded the statement in Armenian "Menk panav chenk mornar - We will never forget."

Rep. Pallone expressed hope that "the U.S. Government can stand behind our statements and our promises" on the Armenian Genocide.

"If we are going to live up to the standards we set for ourselves and continue to lead the world in affirming human rights everywhere, we need to stand up and recognize the Armenian Genocide," Rep. Pallone said. "To not do so sends a message that we are complicit in Turkey's denial."

In a statement on April 22, Rep. Costa - who represents Fresno and San Joaquin Valley - recalled, "Year after year, we have seen the same standard letter from the White House which offers sympathy and apology for the ‘mass killings,' yet refused to label these events as genocide."

Rep. Costa added, "I am hopeful Madam Speaker, we finally escape from being under Turkey's thumb on this issue. It is vital our Nation has a foreign policy that accurately reflects history."

An April 28 statement by Rep. Wolf - a veteran Republican from northern Virginia - recalled that Raphael Lemkin's coinage of the word genocide "was driven largely by what happened to the Armenians."

Rep. Wolf said stressed, "there is power in speaking the truth, even about atrocities that occurred nearly a century ago so that other men with evil aims might not be empowered by our silence."

In his turn, Rep. Walz - who represents southern Minnesota - said he remained "committed to the public recognition of the fact of the Armenian genocide," noting that "it is the only way to make sure we are forever vigilant to prevent genocide in the future."

At the April 22 congressional commemoration, Rep. Walz was the only speaker to express his disappointment with President Obama's nonuse of the word genocide during his recent trip to Turkey.

"We hope the day will soon come when it is not just the survivors who honor the dead but also when those whose ancestors perpetrated the horrors acknowledge their terrible responsibility and commemorate as well the memory of genocide's victims," said Rep. Berman in his statement.

Rep. Berman chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee, to which the House Resolution 252 affirming the U.S. record on the Armenian Genocide has been referred since its introduction.

Pelosi on Gen. res., Hastert hired by Turks, ICG report, Georgian FM in DC

This was first published in April 18, 2009 Armenian Reporter

Washington Briefing
by Emil Sanamyan

Speaker Pelosi says she’s committed to Armenian Genocide affirmation

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D.-Calif.) reiterated her support for affirmation of the U.S. record on the Armenian Genocide, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) reported.

In an April 14 letter to her constituents in California's 8th district, Speaker Pelosi noted that she "will continue to support official recognition of the Armenian genocide."

"A grave injustice was committed and the fact that our nation is not officially recognizing these crimes as genocide is a disappointment," Speaker Pelosi was quoted as saying.

The nonbinding House Resolution 252 (H. Res. 252), introduced last month, as of this week had the support of 94 members, somewhat less support than its predecessor resolution - H. Res. 106 - had two years ago in the previous Congress.

H. Res. 252 has been referred to the House Foreign Affairs Committee, chaired by another supporter of Armenian Genocide affirmation, Rep. Howard Berman (D.-Calif.). But it remains unclear when it might be considered by the Committee.

The Obama Administration has not yet taken a public position on H. Res. 252.

Ex-Speaker Hastert hired by Turkish lobby

The firm of former House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R.-Ill.) will receive $35,000 a month to lobby for the Turkish government, the Hill newspaper reported on April 10 citing public filings made to the Department of Justice as part of the Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA).

Mr. Hastert was the Speaker of the House of Representatives between 1998 and 2006. In 2000, Mr. Hastert initially pledged to bring an Armenian Genocide resolution to a House vote after it passed in committee. Just as the resolution was to come to a vote - and pass - he deferred to the Clinton administration, and pulled the resolution off the agenda.

In August 2005, Vanity Fair magazine published a story referring to a federal investigation that looked into payments that Turkish diplomats allegedly discussed making to then-Speaker Hastert and others in U.S. government in an effort to prevent the Genocide resolution from passing in 2000.

While the speaker's staff denied any knowledge of the matter, in December 2005 Mr. Hastert shed himself of $70,000 in "tainted" campaign contributions, directing them to an unspecified charity, the Village Voice reported at the time.

Last February, Mr. Hastert's firm Dickstein Shapiro agreed to take on a sub-contract of Turkey's main government lobby DLA Piper, which is in turn led by former Democratic and Republican House leaders, Dick Gephardt (D.-Mo.) and Dick Armey (R.-Tex.)

DLA-Piper took up the main Turkey contract in May 2007, replacing the lobby of another former senior member of Congress, Bob Livingston, a Republican from Louisiana, who led the Turkish lobbying effort for nearly a decade before that, before Democrats swept the congressional election.

Crisis Group issues report on Armenia-Turkey issues

Armenia, the United States, and European and other countries should avoid "statements or international actions relating to [Armenian] genocide recognition that could inflame Turkish public opinion," the Brussels-based International Crisis Group (ICG) recommended this week.

The 44-page report, "Armenia and Turkey: Opening Minds, Opening Borders," released on April 14, also recommended that Turkey de-link normalization of relations with Armenia from its preconditions related to the Karabakh conflict.

Last week, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan indicated that Turkey still insists on such preconditions, Agence France Presse reported, referring to the Anatolia news agency.

For weeks before President Barack Obama's trip to Turkey on April 5-7, Turkish officials have sought to portray Armenia-Turkey talks as nearing a breakthrough that could be upset should Mr. Obama deliver on his pre-election pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide.

After Mr. Obama avoided the use of the genocide term while discussing Armenian issues in Turkey, Turkish leaders began to suggest that a breakthrough with Armenia was not that close after all.

A source familiar with the ICG report's preparation told the Armenian Reporter that ICG also waited to hear the words used by Mr. Obama on the subject of the Armenian Genocide. According to the source, the group delayed the release of the report to make sure it was aligned to the wording used by Mr. Obama.

ICG's proposals tend to be in line with policies of the United States and European Union.

Coming up: Armenian Genocide commemorative events in Washington

The co-chairs of the House Armenian Issues Caucus, Reps. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D.-N.J.), and Mark Kirk (R.-Ill.), on April 22 will host the annual congressional commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. The event traditionally brings together hundreds of Armenian-Americans and friends, who have an opportunity to meet and hear from members of Congress on Armenian issues.

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) will host its third annual "End the Cycle of Genocide: Grassroots Capitol Campaign," between April 22 and 24. The campaign includes visits to offices of the members of Congress to discuss the importance of genocide affirmation.

The Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) will hold its annual protest outside the Turkish Embassy in the afternoon of April 24. Later the same afternoon the Armenian Embassy will host its annual wreath-laying and commemorative event.

Additionally, on April 23, the Armenian Students' Network will host a cultural event at George Washington University. On April 25, The Georgetown Boys: A Musical Tribute to Genocide Survival, performed by Hamazkayin, will be featured at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington.

U.S. indicates neutrality on Georgia standoff

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met visiting Georgian foreign minister Grigol Vashadze on April 14 to reiterate "U.S. support for Georgian independence and democracy," but she did not openly support President Mikheil Saakashvili, currently under siege by his domestic opposition.

Mr. Vashadze reportedly sought assurances that the Obama administration would continue to consider Georgian concerns as it sought to expand relations with Russia, The AP reported the same day.

Mrs. Clinton called the Georgian domestic confrontation "a very challenging time in the country's young democratic history." Protests in Tbilisi entered their second week, but appeared to be running out of steam, and the opposition showed signs of fracturing.

Opposition leaders, including several political figures previously aligned with Mr. Saakashvili, have charged the incumbent with authoritarianism and incompetence. Mr. Saakashvili offered to share power with the opposition, but his offer has been rejected.

Like Mr. Saakashvili, his political opponents support Georgia's accession to the U.S.-led NATO alliance. NATO announced on April 15 plans to hold a military exercise in Georgia this May, a move that Russia's envoy to NATO protested, requesting it be postponed.

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.

President Obama, in Turkey, raises Armenian issues

Avoids the word genocide
Asks Turkey to open Armenia border
by Emil Sanamyan
Published: Friday April 10, 2009

President Obama meets with, from left, Armenian foreign minister Edward Nalbandian, Swiss foreign minister (and mediator) Micheline Calmy-Rey, Turkish undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry Ertugul Apakan and Foreign Minister Ali Babacan at a reception in Istanbul on April 6. The president met with the foreign ministers to commend them on “recent progress” toward the normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations and urged them to complete a bilateral agreement. Pete Souza / White House

Washington, - In a first for a U.S. president, Barack Obama used his visit to Ankara to publicly speak of the need for Turkey to address its past and improve its present relations with Armenia.

But citing reports of an impending breakthrough in talks between Armenia and Turkey, Mr. Obama effectively sidestepped his pre-election promise to clearly recognize the destruction of Ottoman Armenians as genocide. Mr. Obama also encouraged Turkish and Armenian officials "to complete an agreement" in an expeditious manner.

Armenian agenda without the G word

In his April 6 speech at Turkey's Grand National Assembly and in a joint press conference with Turkish president Abdullah Gül earlier the same day, Mr. Obama became the first U.S. president to publicly air some Armenian-American concerns on a visit to Turkey. (See transcripts.)

Addressing the parliament, Mr. Obama recalled America's own treatment of Native Americans and Blacks, and urged Turks to address the "terrible events of 1915" in a way that is "honest, open, and constructive." Extolling the benefits of opening the border with Armenia - which was closed and is kept closed by Turkey - he said the United States "strongly supports normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia." He also invited Turkey to play a "constructive role" in the Karabakh peace process.

At the press conference, the subject was formally prompted by Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times correspondent Christi Parsons, who referred to Mr. Obama's comments on the Armenian Genocide as a senator and his pre-election pledges to recognize the Genocide as president. Ms. Parsons asked whether the president still held the same views and whether he asked Mr. Gül to recognize the Genocide.

Mr. Obama responded that he had not changed his views, which are "on the record." But he then turned to the subject of talks between Armenia and Turkey that could "bear fruit very quickly very soon" and which, he said, he did not want to "tilt" in favor of either side, presumably by speaking more candidly.

In his follow-up, Mr. Gül outlined some of the points of the official Turkish position, denying the Armenian Genocide, and seeking to shift it from the realm of law and politics to the realm of academic history.

The Turkish president did not sound as upbeat as Mr. Obama about the prospect of a breakthrough in talks with Armenia, noting only that he "would like to see a good resolution of these discussions," and adding, "we have a lot of work" to do, including resolving "issues between Armenia and Azerbaijan."

Talks with Armenia: PR campaign or real progress?

Turkish officials and their supporters have offered contradictory opinions on the status of talks with Armenia and whether they might be nearing some kind of a turning point.

On the eve of Mr. Obama's visit, a media blitz sought to play up progress in talks. Leaks by anonymous, but presumably Turkish and some U.S. officials to the Wall Street Journal even suggested April 16 as a day when an Armenian-Turkish agreement could be signed. The story was picked up by the Washington Times, Financial Times, and others.

Members of the congressional Turkey caucus spun the same story line, urging Mr. Obama to encourage Armenian and Turkish leaders to reach an agreement.

But speaking in London on April 3, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey would not concede that the Ottoman treatment of Armenians was genocide and again linked the establishment of relations with Armenia to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The next day Mr. Gül dismissed the Wall Street Journal report of the April 16 date as "false."

In a comment for the media late Sunday night, Armenia's Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian stressed that there is a "mutual understanding" between Armenia and Turkey that normalization can have no preconditions, that there would be no linkages to the Genocide or Karabakh, and that statements to the contrary "may be regarded as an attempt to impede the progress reached in the negotiations."

Mr. Nalbandian then postponed by 24 hours his departure for Istanbul, where he was to attend the Alliance of Civilizations meeting. Upon arrival in the evening of April 6, he had a brief conversation with Mr. Obama and then a four-way meeting that included the foreign ministers of Turkey and Switzerland, which has recently hosted talks between Armenian and Turkish officials.

An unnamed but senior U.S. official told Reuters that Mr. Obama "urged [Armenian and Turkish ministers] to complete an agreement with dispatch."

In the meantime, the Azerbaijani leadership expressed public distress over Armenian-Turkish talks and President Ilham Aliyev refused to attend the Istanbul conference - even after being promised a meeting with Mr. Obama, Turkish media reported.

On April 7, Turkish foreign minister Ali Babacan again spoke of progress made in talks, but a report carried by the Anatolia news agency referred to no timeline. In a comment that could be seen as directed to the United States, Mr. Babacan suggested that "third countries should act sensitively during this ongoing process."

Mixed community reaction

Adding to the week's confusion were the substantially different interpretations of Mr. Obama's remarks offered by Armenian-American advocacy groups.

Aram Hamparian of the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) said in a statement, "President Obama missed a valuable opportunity to honor his public pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide." At the same time, he welcomed as "a step in the right direction" Mr. Obama's "willingness to raise his commitment to recognizing the Armenian Genocide, even indirectly."

In a comment for the Armenian Reporter, Ross Vartian of the U.S.-Armenia Public Affairs Committee (USAPAC) said, "President Obama made it clear that his well-known views on the Armenian Genocide have not changed and that Turkey needed to face its history. Yet he could have and should have said the words ‘Armenian Genocide' at a time and place perfect for doing so."

"President Obama stands by his pledge regarding affirmation of the Armenian genocide," ran the headline of the Armenian Assembly of America statement released to the media. Unlike the ANCA, the Assembly offered no criticism, pointing instead to Mr. Obama's comment that he hasn't changed his view.

The Assembly's Bryan Ardouny noted, "For the first time, a U.S. President has delivered a direct message to Turkish officials in their own country that he stands behind his steadfast support and strong record of affirmation of the Armenian Genocide."

The Assembly statement sidestepped the fact that Mr. Obama chose to sidestep the word genocide.

Incidentally, on April 6 the Hawaii State House of Representatives passed a measure condemning the Armenian Genocide. Mr. Obama's home state became the 42nd U.S. state to recognize the Genocide.

Gordon nominated, Turkish caucus readies ground for Obama in Turkey, House Intel hearing on Armenia

This was first published in April 4, 2009 Armenian Reporter

Washington Briefing
by Emil Sanamyan

Obama begins tour of Europe and Turkey

President Barack Obama began a weeklong five-city tour that focuses on the European allies of the United States, relations with Russia and Turkey, and the economic crisis. The trip is the president’s first major foray abroad since taking office.

In London on April 1–2, Mr. Obama was joined by leaders of world’s largest economies, including those of Russia and Turkey, for the G20 economic summit. Talks with the Russian president were followed by a joint statement pledging a fresh nuclear disarmament initiative, and cooperation on missile defense, nonproliferation, counterterrorism, and talks with Iran.

The president’s next stop, Strasbourg (April 3–4), is hosting the 60th anniversary summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which just expanded to 28 members after formally adopting Albania and Croatia. Another former Yugoslav republic, Macedonia, has been blocked from joining due to Greece’s longstanding objections to that country’s name.

A spokesperson for the State Department said on April 1 that NATO is open to additional members and “that both Georgia and Ukraine, should they choose to become NATO members and meet NATO’s membership criteria, will someday become members of the alliance.”

While U.S. officials refuse to admit it, rhetorically there has been markedly less enthusiasm for the two countries’ membership since the brief war between Russia and Georgia last August.

After a stop in Prague for a summit between the United States and the European Union on April 5, Mr. Obama will continue to Ankara (April 5–6) and Istanbul (April 6–7).

According to a White House national security affairs spokesperson, Denis McDonough, who spoke with Turkish media on March 28, the Ankara itinerary includes a visit to the Ataturk Mausoleum; a meeting with the Turkish president, followed by lunch and a joint press conference; an address to the Turkish parliament; and a meeting with the prime minister.

In Istanbul later on April 6, Mr. Obama will participate in the meeting of the Alliance of Civilizations – a United Nations program co-initiated by Turkey and Spain. The alliance brings together 78 countries worldwide, including Azerbaijan, Iran, and Russia, but not Armenia, Georgia, or Israel.

And on the final day of the trip, Mr. Obama will meet with Turkey’s religious leaders, visit Sultanahmet Mosque and Hagia Sophia, and participate in a roundtable with a group of Turkish students joined by others in Europe and Middle East via video conference.

Administration nominee promises “energetic engagement” on Karabakh

“We must engage energetically on enduring conflicts in Moldova and Nagorno-Karabakh,” newly appointed Assistant Secretary of State Philip Gordon told members of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee during his March 27 confirmation hearings.

In his prepared testimony, Mr. Gordon also promised to “support the negotiations on a settlement in Cyprus; promote Turkey’s EU aspirations while encouraging it to improve relations with Armenia, Cyprus and Greece; and vigorously promote the diversification of European energy supplies.”

Mr. Gordon, the State Department’s new manager for Europe and Eurasia, also noted the need to “promote democracy, encourage economic reform, protect national
sovereignty and territorial integrity, and resolve the enduring conflicts that cause needless suffering on a daily basis and – as we saw last summer in Georgia – risk erupting violently at any time.”

Possibly reflecting the Obama administration’s interest in engaging Russia, and while referring to “the Russian invasion of Georgia and unjustifiable recognition of two breakaway regions,” the testimony did not as in the past offer outright support for Georgia’s position on those regions.

Committee member Sen. Bob Menendez (D.-N.J.) raised concerns with Mr. Gordon’s past opposition Armenian Genocide affirmation and tilt in favor of Turkey on the Cyprus conflict.

In his response, Mr. Gordon referred to the Genocide as “a terrible tragedy” and used other language that was also employed by former President George W. Bush and his officials when discussing the issue.

He also declined to term Turkish military presence in Cyprus an occupation.

Turkey’s friends in Congress write to Obama, Gül, and Sargsian

Rep. Wexler during Obama's campaign in Florida.

Congressional supporters of U.S.-Turkey ties who have also opposed past resolutions affirming the U.S. record on the Armenian Genocide have written to Presidents Barack Obama, Abdullah Gül, and Serge Sargsian to “support Armenian-Turkish rapprochement.”

Reps. Robert Wexler (D.-Fla.), Ike Skelton (D.-Mo.), Alcee Hastings (D.-Fla.) and John Murtha (D.-Penn.) were the main signatories to the Gül-Sargsian letter. Mr. Wexler co-chairs the congressional Turkey caucus.

In 2007 he was joined by Reps. Skelton, Hastings, Murtha, and other senior democratic members in opposing passage of the Armenian Genocide resolution, which was
supported by the House Democratic leadership.

The March 30 letter addressed to Presidents Gül and Sargsian said its authors “care deeply about Armenia and Turkey” and supported “ongoing efforts . . . to heal open wounds, mend broken hearts and create a better future for both nations and peoples.”

In an April 1 letter to Mr. Obama, Mr. Wexler was joined by other Turkey caucus co-chairs and 27 other members to tout Turkey’s importance and call on the president to step up U.S.-Turkey cooperation.

Among other issues in the long agenda, they called on the Obama “Administration [to] lend its unequivocal support to Turkey and its rapprochement efforts with its neighbor Armenia.”

The letter makes no mention of Mr. Obama’s pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide or the congressional resolution on the issue introduced last month.

House Intelligence Committee holds Armenia briefing

A key congressional panel that oversees the U.S. intelligence community this week held a rare briefing dedicated to Armenia. According to a public notice on its website, the House Select Intelligence Committee met on March 31 to receive a closed “Briefing on Armenia,” presumably given by administration officials.

Congressional aides declined to discuss the briefing, citing government secrecy, but a source familiar with the issue told the Armenian Reporter that the U.S. and Armenian governments were working cooperatively on the issue that was the briefing’s focus.

The committee is chaired by Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D.-Tex.) and includes as a member Rep. Adam Schiff (D.-Calif.). Rep. Schiff and two other committee members visited Armenia during a May 2008 trip that included stops in Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.

Armenia-Turkey 'deal' played up ahead of Obama trip

Speculations mount about a possible Armenia-Turkey deal
Anonymous sources cited on timing, substance
by Emil Sanamyan
Published: Friday April 03, 2009

Armenian and Turkish leaders shaking hands in Davos earlier this year.

Washington, - With President Barack Obama on his way to Turkey just weeks before Armenian Genocide commemoration day, and unprecedented high-level meetings between Armenia and Turkey, expectations for progress in relations between Armenia and Turkey are once again being fueled.

Armenian officials contacted by the Armenian Reporter would not comment on whether an agreement with Turkey was imminent, but did confirm that Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian will attend the Istanbul conference, which Mr. Obama will address.

Writing on April 1, the Wall Street Journal cited anonymous diplomatic sources as claiming that Armenia and Turkey "could soon announce a deal aimed at reopening their border and restoring relations" and that "the timing of the deal is being choreographed" with Mr. Obama's trip, the paper's Brussels and Istanbul correspondents reported.

One of the Journal correspondents contacted by the Reporter would not reveal if any of the officials he spoke with were from Armenia.

The outlines of the deal, as described by these anonymous sources would include "opening and fixing borders, restoring diplomatic relations and setting up commissions to look at disputes, including one on the tense history between the two nations."

The latter issue - of a commission - has been one of the more controversial matters. In 2005, the Turkish government first proposed establishing a "commission of historians" allegedly to study the genocide. Seeing it as a ploy against genocide affirmation, President Robert Kocharian made a counteroffer suggesting a bilateral commission to look into all issues.

President Serge Sargsian has taken a similar position.

Another sticking point has been Turkey's preconditions related to the Karabakh conflict, but those appear to have been set aside for the moment.

Long-held suspicions and mounting speculations

With Turkish officials saying that a Congressional resolution about the Armenian Genocide would undermine progress in the normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia, many longtime observers wonder whether the speculations are just intended to provide an excuse for President Obama to go back on his pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide.

Already, when asked about the issue, spokespersons for the White House have responded repeatedly that the administration's "focus is on how, moving forward, the United States can help Armenia and Turkey work together to come to terms with the past."

Turkish media has speculated for months about an imminent breakthrough in relations between Armenia and Turkey, and Western media too have started speculating on the topic. Much of the fodder for such speculation has been provided by officials involved.

Both Armenian and Turkish officials have said a breakthrough is close.

Foreign Minister Nalbandian said last November in Istanbul that Armenia-Turkey normalization "could be done in a quick way, because I do not see any major obstacles."

According to Turkey's Sabah newspaper, senior members of the Turkish parliament for the ruling party, visiting Washington last month, told their congressional counterparts not to move on the Armenian Genocide resolution, as an Armenia-Turkey deal was imminent.

Other officials told the Armenian Reporter they believe some kind of a deal is likely, although one key Armenian official discounted newspaper reports.

End-game, kind of

Ten months ago, when the Armenian Reporter asked experts if they expected such a breakthrough, most were not optimistic.

It was in the editorial pages of the Wall Street Journal on July 9, 2008, that President Sargsian first sought to convey his determination to normalize relations with Turkey.

The initiative since then seems to have been boosted by the aftermath of the war in Georgia - which drew Russia and Turkey closer together - and the election of Barack Obama as U.S. president.

President Abdullah Gül made his unprecedented half-day visit to Yerevan in September.

And two months ago President Sargsian and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met at Davos, Switzerland.

More talks have taken place between the two countries' foreign ministers and other officials.

Expectations for a breakthrough had been raised before, perhaps artificially so. But the most recent talks do appear to be reaching a kind of an end-game.

Turkish leaders' overriding concern seems to be to get President Obama to continue the previous administrations' policies on the Armenian Genocide issue.

The first crucial test of that will be President Obama's comments on the subject in Turkey and in the anticipated April 24 commemorative statement.

From the Turkish perspective, success in getting President Obama to sidestep the issue should be a good enough catalyst for a positive change in Turkey's policy toward Armenia.

But this is true only if, as a senior Turkish official told this newspaper, it is in fact their intention "to have best relations with Armenia," and "good relations" with Armenians in the diaspora.

Arm. caucus on U.S. aid/policy, Rustamian letter, Davutoglu visit, Obama msg. to Iran, EU on EE

First published in March 28, 2009 Armenian Reporter

Washington Briefing
by Emil Sanamyan

Armenian Caucus co-chairs make aid, policy proposals

The United States should increase engagement with Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh and tighten existing restrictions on ties with Azerbaijan, Reps. Frank Pallone (D.-N.J.) and Mark Kirk (R.-Ill.), co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues recommended in a March 24 letter to colleagues.

The letter, currently open for additional co-signers, is addressed to Reps. Nita Lowey (D.-N.Y., pictured) and Kay Granger (R.-Tex.), respectively chair and ranking member of the House Foreign Appropriations Subcommittee which sets foreign-aid levels at the early stages of the annual budget process.

Specifically, the Pallone-Kirk letter argued for an increase in U.S. economic aid to Armenia from Fiscal Year 2009 level of $48mln to $70mln; military aid, from $3.5mln to $5mln; and aid to Nagorno-Karabakh from $8mln to $10mln.

The letter also recommends report language that would lift any "official or unofficial restrictions" on formal U.S. engagement with Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as support for confidence-building measures to help resolve the Karabakh conflict.

Additionally, citing Azerbaijan's continued war threats, the letter recommends an additional condition on presidential authority to waive existing restrictions on U.S. aid to Azerbaijan.

The new language would require the executive branch to certify that "in the last fiscal year, Azerbaijan has not taken hostile action, either through military force or incitement, including but not limited to threatening pronouncements by government officials, toward Armenia or Nagorno-Karabakh."

Should that condition be met, the co-chairs suggest equal levels of military aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan, or the so-called "parity" approach to continue.

Last summer, the effort by Mr. Kirk's predecessor as co-chair, former Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R.-Mich.) to zero out U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan outright failed narrowly in the subcommittee vote.

Armenian politician weighs in on Genocide resolution

In a rare letter to a congressional colleague, a senior member of the Armenian parliament wrote to express "complete support" for the House Resolution 252 affirming the U.S. record on the Armenian Genocide, introduced earlier this month.

Armen Rustamian, chair of the National Assembly's Foreign Relations Committee and senior member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF)'s leadership, addressed the March 19 letter to his U.S. counterpart, Rep. Howard Berman (D.-Calif.), who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee, which should next consider the resolution. The letter was circulated by the ARF's press service.

While pursuing universal recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide is Armenia's official policy, senior Armenian officials have rarely spoken out on specific proposals before the U.S. Congress. On the other hand, Turkish leaders have frequently voiced their opposition to the resolution.

Last week, a spokesperson for the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D.-Calif.) reiterated her support for genocide recognition but added that congressional action on resolution was not imminent. The spokesperson, Brendan Day, told Reuters on March 19 that "no one's talking about a vote any time soon."

Senior Turkish official in Washington ahead of Obama’s visit

Ahmet Davutoglu, senior foreign policy advisor to Turkish leaders, last week met with U.S. officials to discuss President Barack Obama's visit to Ankara and Istanbul on April 5-7.

After meeting Mr. Obama's national security advisor Jim Jones on March 19, Mr. Davutoglu told Reuters that he could not say what the Obama administration's intentions were with regard to the president's pre-election pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide, adding only that the two officials "went through all these issues in a very friendly and cooperative manner."

Administration officials have so far refused to address the Armenian Genocide issue directly.

Mr. Davutoglu suggested that U.S.-Turkey relations were "in a historic era where our policies are almost identical on all issues," Associated Press reported him as saying on March 19. He added that the Armenian Genocide issue "could be debated from a historical perspective, but should not hijack the strategic vision of Turkish-American relations or Turkish-Armenian relations."

With regard to Armenia-Turkey talks, Mr. Davutoglu said that "there is a process, and everyone should strengthen this process and not try to weaken it," the Washington Post cited him as saying. "We hope that the discussions on the Armenian issue [in U.S.] do not affect this process in a negative sense."

During a visit to Washington shortly before the presidential elections, Mr. Davutoglu insisted that Turkey wants "to have best relations with Armenia," and "good relations" with Armenians in the diaspora.

Obama offers goodwill message to Iran

President Barack Obama stressed U.S. commitment to diplomacy and dialogue with the Iranian government in a March 20 video message dedicated to Nowruz, the Iranian new year.

"I want you, the people and leaders of Iran, to understand the future that we seek," Mr. Obama said in the message. "It's a future with greater opportunities for partnership and commerce. It's a future where the old divisions are overcome, where you and all of your neighbors and the wider world can live in greater security and greater peace."

Mr. Obama's comments reflected a campaign pledge to reach out to Iran. But the message also referred to "terror" and "arms," reflecting longstanding U.S. charges that Iran supports terrorist groups and seeks to develop nuclear weapons.

A spokesperson for Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad welcomed "the wish of the president of the United States to put away past differences." But in an interview with Reuters, the spokesperson, Ali Akbar Javanfekr, put the blame for tensions on the U.S. "The only source of instability in the region is the American military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan," he claimed.

In what is seen as a step toward U.S.-Iranian dialogue, Iranian officials said this week they would attend a United Nations conference on Afghanistan to be held in The Hague on March 31. The conference was proposed by the United States earlier this month, as the Obama administration has made stabilization of Afghanistan its immediate foreign policy priority.

European Union leaders agree on “Eastern” policy

Member countries of the European Union have formally approved two policy initiatives involving their eastern neighbors.

During a March 19-20 summit in Brussels, European leaders agreed to set aside 600 million euros for a multiyear program dubbed "Eastern Partnership," which will involve Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, RFE/RL reported.

The program is viewed as a counterweight to Russia's increasingly dominant posture in the former Soviet space since the war in Georgia last year. While promising increased cooperation up to free trade agreements and visa-free travel, it makes no mention of potential European Union expansion into the area.

In a related development, the European Union agreed to spend 200 million euros to facilitate the Nabucco gas pipeline from the Caspian region to Europe, bypassing Russia. Europeans hope the new route will lessen their dependence on Russia as supplier of natural gas.

Genocide resolution formally introduced

Armenian Genocide resolution introduced in Congress
Passage hinges on president’s position
by Emil Sanamyan
Published: Tuesday March 17, 2009

Rep. Adam Schiff (D.-Calif.) at microphone, with Rep. George Radanovich (R.-Calif.), left, and Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D.-N.J.), discussing the Armenian Genocide resolution in January 2007. Armenian Reporter

Washington, - A congressional resolution affirming the U.S. record on the Armenian Genocide was been formally introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on March 17 by Reps. Adam Schiff (D.-Calif.), George Radanovich (R.-Calif.), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D.-N.J.), and Mark Kirk (R.-Ill.)

As in the past the Turkish government is fighting the resolution and warning it would retaliate against the interests of the United States and Armenia if it progresses through the House. President Barack Obama plans to travel to Turkey in early April; the trip points to Turkey's importance in the new administration's priorities.

In recent days, Turkish officials have also been dropping hints of an imminent breakthrough in relations with Armenia that could be "undermined" by the resolution. High-level meetings between Turkey and Armenia have regularly taken place since last September.

The Turkish daily Sabah reported on March 14 that senior members of parliament from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) told members of Congress that an "agreement" on relations with Armenia could be announced soon, and therefore the genocide resolution should be held up.

Prevent atrocities

The introduction of the measure, which was given the number House Resolution 252, was preceded by a March 7 letter from International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) to President Obama. The association called on Mr. Obama to uphold a pre-election pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide if elected president.

IAGS president Gregory Stanton described the resolution as a "merely symbolic commemorative resolution" that nevertheless "would signal a new chapter in U.S. diplomacy."

"If we are to lead in the effort to stop the genocide in Darfur and prevent future atrocities, we must be willing to condemn genocide whenever and wherever it occurs," argued Mr. Schiff in a statement. "While there are still some survivors [of the Armenian Genocide] left, we have a compelling moral obligation to speak plainly about the past."

"As a nation we must hold ourselves to the utmost moral standards, which includes having the courage to appropriately recognize atrocities of the past to prevent future occurrences," Mr. Radanovich said in a statement.

The resolution gathered early support from 77 members of the House of Representatives. A similar measure, H. Res. 106, in the previous Congress was introduced in January 2007 with 100 co-sponsors. It eventually gathered the support of a majority of House members and won a vote in the House Foreign Affairs Committee the following October.

Progress of H. Res. 106 ultimately stalled as some supporters defected under strong pressure from the Bush administration. It was never brought to a vote by the full House.

White House position

The current resolution would likewise need to go through the Foreign Affairs Committee. Since both the administration and Congress are now controlled by the same party, progress in Congress is likely to depend even to a greater degree on the position of the White House.

President Obama has not spoken out on the issue since his election.

In policy language similar to the Bush administration's, President Obama's spokesperson Mike Hammer told The Associated Press on March 13 and the Los Angeles Times on March 17, "At this moment, our focus is on how, moving forward, the United States can help Armenia and Turkey work together to come to terms with the past."

Mr. Hammer added that the Obama administration was "encouraged" by recent Armenia-Turkey talks, saying it was "important that the countries have an open and honest dialogue about the past."

A strong proponent of the measure, Rep. Brad Sherman (D.-Calif.), predicted in an interview with the Armenian Reporter on March 2 that there would be no progress on the issue in the next two months, while the White House seeks to win Turkey's support for its Middle East priorities.

Mr. Radanovich, the measure's lead Republican co-sponsor said in his statement that he was "truly disheartened that President Obama might delay his presidential proclamation to the Armenian people on April 24."

The IAGS letter too expressed concern that "Turkey's lobbying efforts, which are now in full force, will lead to a repetition of the H. Res. 106 debacle of late 2007, when the President, as usual, got the resolution blocked from a House vote."

But the Armenian National Committee of America's Aram Hamparian was unfazed. He told the Los Angeles Times that President Obama "is a man of his word and has been crystal clear on the issue."


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The text of the resolution appears below.

Affirmation of the United States Record on the Armenian Genocide
HOUSE RESOLUTION 252

Calling upon the President to ensure that the foreign policy of the United States reflects appropriate understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related to human rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in the United States record relating to the Armenian Genocide , and for other purposes.

Resolved,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This resolution may be cited as the `Affirmation of the United States Record on the Armenian Genocide Resolution'.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

The House of Representatives finds the following:

(1) The Armenian Genocide was conceived and carried out by the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1923, resulting in the deportation of nearly 2,000,000 Armenians, of whom 1,500,000 men, women, and children were killed, 500,000 survivors were expelled from their homes, and which succeeded in the elimination of the over 2,500-year presence of Armenians in their historic homeland.

(2) On May 24, 1915, the Allied Powers, England, France, and Russia, jointly issued a statement explicitly charging for the first time ever another government of committing `a crime against humanity'.

(3) This joint statement stated `the Allied Governments announce publicly to the Sublime Porte that they will hold personally responsible for these crimes all members of the Ottoman Government, as well as those of their agents who are implicated in such massacres'.

(4) The post-World War I Turkish Government indicted the top leaders involved in the `organization and execution' of the Armenian Genocide and in the `massacre and destruction of the Armenians'.

(5) In a series of courts-martial, officials of the Young Turk Regime were tried and convicted, as charged, for organizing and executing massacres against the Armenian people.

(6) The chief organizers of the Armenian Genocide , Minister of War Enver, Minister of the Interior Talaat, and Minister of the Navy Jemal were all condemned to death for their crimes, however, the verdicts of the courts were not enforced.

(7) The Armenian Genocide and these domestic judicial failures are documented with overwhelming evidence in the national archives of Austria, France, Germany, Great Britain, Russia, the United States, the Vatican and many other countries, and this vast body of evidence attests to the same facts, the same events, and the same consequences.

(8) The United States National Archives and Record Administration holds extensive and thorough documentation on the Armenian Genocide , especially in its holdings under Record Group 59 of the United States Department of State, files 867.00 and 867.40, which are open and widely available to the public and interested institutions.

(9) The Honorable Henry Morgenthau, United States Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire from 1913 to 1916, organized and led protests by officials of many countries, among them the allies of the Ottoman Empire, against the Armenian Genocide .

(10) Ambassador Morgenthau explicitly described to the United States Department of State the policy of the Government of the Ottoman Empire as `a campaign of race extermination,' and was instructed on July 16, 1915, by United States Secretary of State Robert Lansing that the `Department approves your procedure . . . to stop Armenian persecution'.

(11) Senate Concurrent Resolution 12 of February 9, 1916, resolved that `the President of the United States be respectfully asked to designate a day on which the citizens of this country may give expression to their sympathy by contributing funds now being raised for the relief of the Armenians', who at the time were enduring `starvation, disease, and untold suffering'.

(12) President Woodrow Wilson concurred and also encouraged the formation of the organization known as Near East Relief, chartered by an Act of Congress, which contributed some $116,000,000 from 1915 to 1930 to aid Armenian Genocide survivors, including 132,000 orphans who became foster children of the American people.

(13) Senate Resolution 359, dated May 11, 1920, stated in part, `the testimony adduced at the hearings conducted by the sub-committee of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations have clearly established the truth of the reported massacres and other atrocities from which the Armenian people have suffered'.

(14) The resolution followed the April 13, 1920, report to the Senate of the American Military Mission to Armenia led by General James Harbord, that stated `[m]utilation, violation, torture, and death have left their haunting memories in a hundred beautiful Armenian valleys, and the traveler in that region is seldom free from the evidence of this most colossal crime of all the ages'.

(15) As displayed in the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Adolf Hitler, on ordering his military commanders to attack Poland without provocation in 1939, dismissed objections by saying `[w]ho, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?' and thus set the stage for the Holocaust.

(16) Raphael Lemkin, who coined the term `genocide' in 1944, and who was the earliest proponent of the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide , invoked the Armenian case as a definitive example of genocide in the 20th century.

(17) The first resolution on genocide adopted by the United Nations at Lemkin's urging, the December 11, 1946, United Nations General Assembly Resolution 96(1) and the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide itself recognized the Armenian Genocide as the type of crime the United Nations intended to prevent and punish by codifying existing standards.

(18) In 1948, the United Nations War Crimes Commission invoked the Armenian Genocide `precisely . . . one of the types of acts which the modern term `crimes against humanity' is intended to cover' as a precedent for the Nuremberg tribunals.

(19) The Commission stated that `[t]he provisions of Article 230 of the Peace Treaty of Sevres were obviously intended to cover, in conformity with the Allied note of 1915 . . ., offenses which had been committed on Turkish territory against persons of Turkish citizenship, though of Armenian or Greek race. This article constitutes therefore a precedent for Article 6c and 5c of the Nuremberg and Tokyo Charters, and offers an example of one of the categories of `crimes against humanity' as understood by these enactments'.

(20) House Joint Resolution 148, adopted on April 8, 1975, resolved: `[t]hat April 24, 1975, is hereby designated as `National Day of Remembrance of Man's Inhumanity to Man', and the President of the United States is authorized and requested to issue a proclamation calling upon the people of the United States to observe such day as a day of remembrance for all the victims of genocide , especially those of Armenian ancestry . . .'.

(21) President Ronald Reagan in proclamation number 4838, dated April 22, 1981, stated in part `like the genocide of the Armenians before it, and the genocide of the Cambodians, which followed it - and like too many other persecutions of too many other people - the lessons of the Holocaust must never be forgotten'.

(22) House Joint Resolution 247, adopted on September 10, 1984, resolved: `[t]hat April 24, 1985, is hereby designated as `National Day of Remembrance of Man's Inhumanity to Man', and the President of the United States is authorized and requested to issue a proclamation calling upon the people of the United States to observe such day as a day of remembrance for all the victims of genocide , especially the one and one-half million people of Armenian ancestry . . .'.

(23) In August 1985, after extensive study and deliberation, the United Nations SubCommission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities voted 14 to 1 to accept a report entitled `Study of the Question of the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide ,' which stated `[t]he Nazi aberration has unfortunately not been the only case of genocide in the 20th century. Among other examples which can be cited as qualifying are . . . the Ottoman massacre of Armenians in 1915-1916'.

(24) This report also explained that `[a]t least 1,000,000, and possibly well over half of the Armenian population, are reliably estimated to have been killed or death marched by independent authorities and eye-witnesses. This is corroborated by reports in United States, German and British archives and of contemporary diplomats in the Ottoman Empire, including those of its ally Germany.'.

(25) The United States Holocaust Memorial Council, an independent Federal agency, unanimously resolved on April 30, 1981, that the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum would include the Armenian Genocide in the Museum and has since done so.

(26) Reviewing an aberrant 1982 expression (later retracted) by the United States Department of State asserting that the facts of the Armenian Genocide may be ambiguous, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in 1993, after a review of documents pertaining to the policy record of the United States, noted that the assertion on ambiguity in the United States record about the Armenian Genocide `contradicted longstanding United States policy and was eventually retracted'.

(27) On June 5, 1996, the House of Representatives adopted an amendment to House Bill 3540 (the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1997) to reduce aid to Turkey by $3,000,000 (an estimate of its payment of lobbying fees in the United States) until the Turkish Government acknowledged the Armenian Genocide and took steps to honor the memory of its victims.

(28) President William Jefferson Clinton, on April 24, 1998, stated: `This year, as in the past, we join with Armenian -Americans throughout the nation in commemorating one of the saddest chapters in the history of this century, the deportations and massacres of a million and a half Armenians in the Ottoman Empire in the years 1915-1923.'.

(29) President George W. Bush, on April 24, 2004, stated: `On this day, we pause in remembrance of one of the most horrible tragedies of the 20th century, the annihilation of as many as 1,500,000 Armenians through forced exile and murder at the end of the Ottoman Empire.'.

(30) Despite the international recognition and affirmation of the Armenian Genocide , the failure of the domestic and international authorities to punish those responsible for the Armenian Genocide is a reason why similar genocides have recurred and may recur in the future, and that a just resolution will help prevent future genocides.

SEC. 3. DECLARATION OF POLICY.

The House of Representatives-

(1) calls upon the President to ensure that the foreign policy of the United States reflects appropriate understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related to human rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in the United States record relating to the Armenian Genocide and the consequences of the failure to realize a just resolution; and

(2) calls upon the President in the President's annual message commemorating the Armenian Genocide issued on or about April 24, to accurately characterize the systematic and deliberate annihilation of 1,500,000 Armenians as genocide and to recall the proud history of United States intervention in opposition to the Armenian Genocide.



Resolution sponsors praise Obama’s record on Genocide
Letter comes ahead of president’s April trip to Turkey
by Emil Sanamyan
Published: Saturday March 14, 2009

Washington, - Key sponsors of the anticipated congressional resolution affirming the U.S. record on the Armenian Genocide have written to President Barack Obama to recall his "courage" as a senator and a presidential candidate "in characterizing properly the slaughter of 1.5 million Armenians from 1915-1923 as genocide" and stressing the importance of "formal American recognition."

The March 10 letter to Mr. Obama, co-signed by Reps. Adam Schiff (D.-Calif.), George Radanovich (R.-Calif.), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D.-N.J.), and Mark Kirk (R.-Ill.), noted that "no president in the postwar era has come into office with a stronger understanding of the historic facts of the genocide." (See full text below.)

The four members of Congress are currently seeking additional co-sponsors for a congressional resolution affirming the U.S. record on the Armenian Genocide.

The letter comes a week after other congressional supporters of the resolution, particularly Rep. Brad Sherman (D.-Calif.), downplayed the likelihood that Mr. Obama would use the word "genocide" in the annual presidential message to Armenian-Americans delivered around April 24, the day of commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.

Additionally, President Obama plans to visit Turkey just weeks before April 24. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made public the president's intention during her own trip to Ankara on March 7. (See editorial.)

The president is expected to attend the April 6-8 Istanbul summit of the Alliance of Civilizations initiative launched recently by Spain and Turkey with the blessing of the United Nations. The visit is seen as part of Mr. Obama's policy to reach out to the Muslim world.

That trip would cap a tour that includes three other stops. On April 2, Mr. Obama will be in London for the summit of the world's 20 leading economies (including Turkey); he will next go to the NATO summit held on April 3-4 in Strasbourg and the U.S.-European Union summit in Prague on April 5.

No "clarity" after Clinton trip

Speaking on March 2 at the Armenian Assembly of America conference in Washington Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) said he spoke with Mrs. Clinton before her trip and that a "lot still remains unclear" about the Obama administration's intentions on the Armenian Genocide issue. The issue was not raised publicly during Mrs. Clinton's trip.

Instead Mrs. Clinton and Turkey's Foreign Minister Ali Babacan issued a joint statement that among other things stressed the need "to promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the south Caucasus, including through U.S. support for the efforts of Turkey and Armenia to normalize relations and joint support for the efforts of the Minsk Group to resolve the Nagorno Karabakh conflict."

A day after the visit, Mr. Babacan told Turkey's NTV station that "I still see a risk [of U.S. affirmation of the Genocide]. Mr. Obama made the promise five times in a row," Agence France Presse reported on March 8.

He added that "the new American administration understands Turkey's sensibilities better today," warning that "a bad step by the United States would only worsen the process" of reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey.

On March 10-13, Mr. Babacan's deputy undersecretary Unal Cevikoz arrived in Washington for follow-up meetings at the State Department and Capitol Hill.

Text of the letter
The following is the text of the letter from four members of Congress to President Barack Obama.

March 10, 2009

President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President,

As we approach the upcoming 94th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide on April 24, we want to thank you for the courage you have always shown in characterizing properly the slaughter of 1.5 million Armenians from 1915-1923 as genocide. No president in the postwar era has come into office with a stronger understanding of the historic facts of the genocide, or with a greater track record of speaking plainly on this terrible chapter in the past.

As a United States Senator, your record on the Armenian Genocide was clear and unequivocal. In 2005 and 2006 you joined many of your colleagues in asking President Bush to refer to the slaughter of Armenians as genocide, noting that "[i]t is in the best interests of our nation and the entire global community to remember the past and learn from these crimes against humanity to ensure that they are never repeated."

In 2006 you wrote to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in the wake of the recall from Yerevan of Ambassador John Evans for using the term "genocide" to describe the events of 1915-23. In your letter you described the official U.S. position on the genocide as "untenable" and reminded the Secretary that "the occurrence of the Armenian genocide in 1915 is not an ‘allegation,' a ‘personal opinion,' or a ‘point of view.' Supported by overwhelming evidence, it is a widely documented fact."

In questions submitted to Ambassador-designate Marie Yovanovitch last year, you pressed her on the issue of genocide recognition, specifically asking her what steps she would take to recognize the genocide and what actions the Department of State was undertaking to press for Turkish recognition of the crimes committed by their Ottoman forebears. Last April, in a statement printed in the Congressional Record, you pledged to "continue to push for the acknowledgement of the Armenian genocide."

As a presidential candidate, you were also forthright in discussing your support for genocide recognition, saying that "America deserves a leader who speaks truthfully about the Armenian Genocide and responds forcefully to all genocides." We agree with you completely.

During your upcoming trip to Turkey and in discussions with your advisors over how to commemorate the events of 1915-23, you will doubtless be counseled by some to continue the practice of avoiding the truth in favor of short-term political expediency. We do not minimize Ankara's threats of adverse action when you recognize the genocide, or when Congress takes action to formally recognize the genocide, but we believe that our alliance is strong enough to withstand the truth.

Elie Wiesel has described the denial of genocide as the final stage of genocide - a double killing. Sadly, our nation's foreign policy has, for too long, abetted this denial. As you told Secretary Rice in your letter about the sacking of Ambassador Evans, "when State Department instructions are such that an ambassador must engage in strained reasoning - or even outright falsehood - that defies a common sense interpretation of events in order to follow orders, then it is time to revisit the State Department's policy guidance on that issue."

Mr. President, you have demonstrated time and again your understanding of the importance to Armenian-Americans of formal American recognition of the crime that was committed against their parents, grandparents and great-grandparents. Their pain is not unlike that of American Jews, who live each day with the memory of the Holocaust, and African-Americans, whose view of themselves has been colored by the legacy of slavery and Jim Crow. But, of course, the importance of speaking unequivocally about a matter as grave as genocide is a human rights imperative affecting us all. Whether it is today's Sudanese government or yesterday's Ottoman Empire, the perpetrators of genocide, as well as the victims, must know that the United States will not shrink from confronting the truth.

Sincerely,

ADAM B. SCHIFF
Member of Congress

GEORGE RADANOVICH
Member of Congress

FRANK PALLONE, JR.
Member of Congress

MARK STEVEN KIRK
Member of Congress