Serge Sargsian meets Diaspora on Armenia-Turkey protocols

President Sargsyan promotes Turkey protocols in diaspora meetings
ARF stages street protests in New York and Los Angeles
by Emil Sanamyan
Published: Tuesday October 06, 2009

President Serge Sargsian meets with representatives of American-Armenian and Canadian-Armenian groups in New York, Oct. 3, 2009. Press Office of the President of Armenia

NEW YORK - At meetings in New York and Los Angeles on October 3 and 4, representatives of American-Armenian and Canadian-Armenian groups had an exchange of views with President Serge Sargsyan on the agreement on the normalization of relations initialed between Armenia and Turkey. The meetings were part of a longer presidential tour with stops in France, Lebanon, and Russia.

According to Turkish officials, the protocols on diplomatic relations and bilateral cooperation are expected to be signed by the foreign ministers of the two countries in Zurich, Switzerland, on October 10. Armenian officials have not yet confirmed that date.

Armenian officials requested that the diaspora discussions be treated as off the record, although many of the statements delivered by organizations were made public either before or after the meetings.

The October 3 New York meeting included representatives from the eastern United States and Canada, with representatives from the western United States and Latin America attending the Los Angeles meeting the following day.

The meetings were by invitation only. No public appearances were organized, and an anticipated presidential interview with three Los Angeles-area Armenian television channels did not take place.

Debate in New York

The New York event involved about 50 participants from the diaspora, representing several dozen organizations, sitting at tables arranged in a large square, with media sitting at a separate table. President Sargsyan's delegation included former president of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Arkady Ghoukasian, the chairperson of Armenia's Constitutional Court Gagik Harutiunian, Diaspora Minister Hranush Hakobyan, and a dozen or more aides and diplomats.

Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, who handled the negotiations over the protocols and is expected to be the one to sign the documents on Armenia's behalf, was not in the delegation. Neither were any members of parliament; the protocols require parliamentary ratification to go into effect.

Diaspora organizations represented included this newspaper's parent company CS Media and the U.S.-Armenia Public Affairs Committee (USAPAC). In attendance were archbishops and other clergy from the Eastern and Canadian dioceses and prelacies of the Armenian Church, representatives of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), Armenian National Committee of America, and affiliated groups in the eastern United States and Canada, the Armenian General Benevolent Union and its associated organizations, the Armenian Assembly of America and its affiliates, the Zoryan Institute, the Fund for Armenian Relief, the Armenia Fund, Birthright Armenia, and the Congress of Canadian Armenians.

Vartan Gregorian, president of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Andranik Migranian, a Russian-Armenian community leader and former Turkish-Armenian Reconciliation Commission member now working in New York, and Vahan Kololian of the Mosaic Institute of Toronto were also present.

Media representatives in attendance included the Armenian Reporter, the New York-based freelancer Florence Avakian, Ardzagank TV (which also reports for Voice of America Armenian Service), AGBU and Ararat magazines, the Boston-based Hairenik, Armenian Weekly, and Armenian Mirror-Spectator newspapers, and the Montreal-based Horizon newspaper.

The event began with on-the-record introductory remarks by the president. He reiterated his determination to proceed toward normalization of relations with Turkey, while also admitting to a number of reservations and concerns, many of which he had shared in his interview with the Armenian Reporter last week.

Mr. Sargsyan, who in the early 1990s was commander of Karabakh self-defense forces, compared the ongoing talks with Turkey to the war in Karabakh. The war was incredibly difficult and few initially expected Armenian success, he said, but it was also unavoidable.

Just as Armenians prevailed in the war, Mr. Sargsyan said, he fully expected to be successful in talks with Turkey as well, which he also described as difficult but unavoidable.

He also argued that the process of normalization of relations with Turkey was not an excuse for a curtailment of genocide-affirmation efforts.

On the subject of talks with Azerbaijan, Mr. Sargsyan confirmed the long-standing Armenian position that Nagorno-Karabakh cannot be made part of Azerbaijan and that any settlement required serious security guarantees for its Armenian population.

The president's 40-minute introduction was followed by more than 40 statements, remarks, and questions from various organizations and individuals that continued for nearly four hours uninterrupted.

The views expressed ranged from unreservedly supportive to highly critical of the president's policy on the Turkey protocols. There were a number of tense exchanges.

Following the diaspora presentations, and comments by Mr. Ghoukasian and Mr. Harutiunian, Mr. Sargsyan wrapped up the meeting by responding to some of the concerns and questions posed.

According to participants in the Los Angeles meeting, the event involved about 60 diaspora representatives, with the president responding to points raised after each of about 30 presentations. At that meeting, while a number of disagreements were voiced, the discussion remained civil.

Angry protests

Throughout the president's tour, the ARF organized street protests, with many thousands reportedly turning out in Los Angeles on October 4, while up to 200 were seen picketing in New York the day before.

In New York the protestors came from as far away as Boston, Chicago, and Washington. They held placards saying "Voch" (no) to the protocols, telling the president "Mi Davachanir" (or Mi tavajanir, Do not betray), and announcing that Mr. Sargsyan was "not welcome in New York."

According to the Armenian Weekly, a smaller group of protestors at one point entered the New York hotel where the meeting was taking place; the protestors' chanting briefly became audible inside the meeting hall, before the New York police and the U.S. Secret Service intervened.

Video reports available online indicate the Los Angeles protest included similar slogans and also involved a brief attempt by protestors to cross the police barricade, but no serious incidents.

According to Asbarez, some 200 activists set up a human barricade around the Armenian Genocide monument in Montebello, as activists in Paris had done two days earlier, in order to prevent President Sargsyan from laying flowers there. The president did not show up at Montebello at the time the demonstrators had expected him.

Also, a hunger strike, organized by the Armenian Youth Federation, kicked off on Monday, October 5, at midnight, and was to last for 96 hours until midnight Friday.

Paris

In Paris on Friday, October 2, the president had lunch with crooner Charles Aznavour, who serves as Armenia's ambassador to Switzerland. He met with representatives of community organizations, after which he was scheduled to lay a wreath at the Armenian Genocide memorial on the banks of the Seine River.

French police spent an hour dragging some 300 French-Armenian protesters out of the way, Tatul Hakobyan reported from the scene. Once the protesters had been removed, the president approached the statue, spent a few moments there, and placed a small wreath.

Beirut

In Lebanon on October 6, Mr. Sargsyan met with over 100 individuals representing various organizations operating in Middle Eastern Armenian communities, including Egypt and Iran. Before the meeting, the president met with Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, who has been critical of the protocols.

Thousands of protesters gathered outside the president's hotel.

Hagop Pakradouni, one of six Armenian deputies in Lebanon's parliament, said the community supported improved ties between Armenia and Turkey - but not at any price, according to AFP.

Rostov on Don

In Rostov on Don, Russia, the next day, the president met with representatives of Russian-Armenian groups and discussed Armenian-Turkish relations.

Armenia's former deputy defense minister and chief of general staff in the early 90s, General Norat Ter-Grigoriants, said, "The nation is opposed to the protocols. You could just not sign them, and you will be treated as a national hero."

Ara Abrahamian, the president of the powerful Union of Armenians in Russia, suggested that more time was needed for expert analysis of all the consequences of the protocols, warning that the deal would probably shelve the international recognition campaign for years to come.

In a September interview with the Armenian Reporter, Mr. Abrahamian had expressed concerns about the terms of the protocols. Regarding the proposed intergovernmental commission on the "historical dimension," he had said, "If you want to bury an issue, give it to a committee." He had also expressed reservations about the recognition of existing borders between Armenia and Turkey.

Armenian president to discuss Turkey protocols on diaspora tour
by Emil Sanamyan
Published: Thursday September 24, 2009

WASHINGTON - President Serge Sargsian will visit Armenian communities, including those in Paris, New York, Los Angeles, Rostov-on-Don in Russia, and Beirut starting at the end of next week, according to diplomatic sources involved in organizing the trip.

The visit is intended to outline Armenia's policy vis-à-vis Turkey. On August 31 Armenia and Turkey announced their intention to sign protocols on diplomatic relations and bilateral cooperation after six weeks of domestic discussions. Under the protocols, Turkey agrees to open the land border with Armenia.

Some major Armenian-American organizations have endorsed the protocols while expressing concern about certain provisions. Others have been more critical. In recent days, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation has organized protests at the Armenian Mission to United Nations in New York, as well as in Los Angeles.

Mr. Sargsian's visit to New York is expected to include a meeting with representatives of Armenian-American groups on October 3. That would be followed by a similar meeting as well as a televised press conference in Los Angeles.

International context

The Armenian president's trip comes just ahead of yet another summit meeting between him and his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev, which is expected to take place in Moldova on October 8 or 9. The signing of Armenia-Turkey protocols by the foreign ministers of Armenia and Turkey is due on October 13.

Turkish leaders have said that implementation of the protocols is contingent on satisfaction of Azerbaijan's concerns in the Karabakh dispute. Armenian officials for their part reject the link, noting that the published protocols make no reference to the Karabakh conflict.

Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated the Karabakh linkage during his meeting with Jewish-American groups in New York on September 22, Today's Zaman reported, citing the Anatolia news agency.

The United States has reemerged as an informal facilitator of Armenia-Turkey talks, with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton discussing the issues in a phone call to President Sargsian on September 19, the Armenian president's office reported.

U.S. officials have called for progress on both the Karabakh and Armenia-Turkey tracks but they have formally opposed a direct linkage between the two.

Clinton, Jones reassure Armenians, EU on Ossetia war

This was first published at www.reporter.am on October 1, 2009

Washington Briefing
by Emil Sanamyan

U.S. again insists on “reasonable timeframe” for Armenia-Turkey normalization

Clinton with Nalbandian of Armenia, New York, Sept. 28, 2009.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Assistant Secretary Philip Gordon reaffirmed U.S. support for the Armenia-Turkey normalization process this week.

Their comments were made on September 28 following meetings Mrs. Clinton held with the foreign ministers of Armenia and Turkey on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

President Barack Obama reportedly discussed the subject briefly with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan during the G20 summit in Pittsburgh on September 25.

As was the case six months ago, when the first joint statement by Armenia and Turkey was released, U.S. officials agreed with Armenia that normalization "should take place... within a reasonable timeframe."

While neither Armenian nor U.S. officials spoke of a concrete time period, Mr. Gordon explained, "when we say reasonable timeframe, we mean just that: that it's not just the process that we want to see - we welcome the process; but we also want to see a conclusion to the process, and that's what we're underscoring when we say that."

According to Zaman newspaper, Mr. Erdogan suggested the Armenia-Turkey protocols would be signed on October 10 in Zurich, Switzerland. The protocols are thereafter subject to parliamentary ratification, for which there is no announced timetable.

In his comments, Mr. Erdogan also hinted that further progress depended on Armenia's President Serge Sargsian accepting an invitation to watch the Armenia-Turkey soccer match in Turkey on October 14. Mr. Gordon said the United States thought it would be a "good thing" if the Armenian president went. Mr. Sargsian himself had indicated earlier that he would only go if there was real progress toward normalization of relations.

But, as Mr. Gordon noted in his comments, "There are things still to be finalized as to the details of a signature and submission to parliament." The remarks indicated persistent concerns about a speedy ratification of the agreement.

The United States has long promoted normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey, and while the United States is not formally involved in the current process, mediated by Switzerland, U.S. officials are believed to have had behind-the-scenes involvement.

In a September 30 letter to Secretary Clinton, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) suggested the U.S. statements were an indication of "heavy pressure" the United States was allegedly applying on the Armenian government to go through with the Turkey protocols. President Sargsian, who intensified talks with Turkey last year, has denied there was any pressure.

The ANCA also relayed "growing alarm and outrage among Armenian-Americans" over the protocols, and also reiterated its dissatisfaction with the Obama administration's policies on Armenian issues.

White House responds to congressional letter on Armenia policy

The Obama White House responded to 81 members of Congress more than six weeks after their letter raised concerns about the United States' Armenia-Turkey policy, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) reported this week.

In that letter members of Congress urged President Barack Obama to "separate the issues" of normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations and recognition of the Armenian Genocide. During his presidential campaign, Mr. Obama had promised repeatedly that he would recognize the Genocide as president.

The response letter, signed by National Security Advisor Gen. Jim Jones and dated September 17, did not directly address that request by members of Congress.

Instead the Jones letter repeated President Obama's comments last April that avoided the use of the term "genocide" - opposed by Turkey - while also stressing that the president's "view of that history has not changed" from his time as a U.S. senator, when he discussed the Genocide without reservations.

The letter also noted that the United States is "actively engaged at the highest levels to support full restoration of relations between Turkey and Armenia."

"Our interest remains the achievement of a full, frank and just acknowledgment of the facts. We continue to believe the best way to advance that goal is for the Armenian and Turkish people to address the facts of the past as part of their efforts to move forward. We will continue to pursue these efforts vigorously in the months ahead," the letter concluded.

Europeans issue report on Ossetia war

More than a year after the brief but devastating confrontation over South Ossetia was fought largely on live television, European Union investigators determined that it was Georgia after all that launched the war; but they also said Russia's response, while initially justifiable, soon became excessive.

For most of August 8, 2008, Georgian officials did not hide the fact that they had launched an operation to take control of South Ossetia, and they provided regular updates on their military's advances. But after the magnitude of Russian involvement became clear, they changed tack and claimed their military action was merely a response to a Russian invasion.

Finally, the three-volume, 1,200-page, EU-sponsored report determined that the Georgian attack was not justified by international law and was the reason for the war; but it also determined that Georgia and Russia shared blame for the conflict and both violated international law.

The report also set the war's death toll at 850 people and estimated that 35,000 people, mostly Georgians, remained displaced as a consequence of the war. After the war Russia recognized South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states and established a permanent military presence in both places.

Armenian American attempts congressional run in Virginia

Charles Diradour challenges No. 2 House Republican Eric Cantor
by Emil Sanamyan
Published: Thursday September 17, 2009

WASHINGTON - Charles Diradour, a Richmond real estate developer, will challenge incumbent Rep. Eric Cantor (R.-Va.) in the 2010 congressional elections, Mr. Diradour's campaign reported on September 15.

A third-generation Richmond resident, Mr. Diradour has been active in the local Armenian community and the city's politics. But local media reports suggest he will have a challenging run against a prominent incumbent in a district that has historically favored Republican candidates.

Last year, Rep. Cantor was elected Republican Whip in the House of Representatives, the number-two position in the GOP congressional hierarchy just below minority leader.

In office since 2001, Mr. Cantor is a member of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues. He has co-sponsored resolutions on the Armenian Genocide, with the exception of the 2007 resolution, which was blocked by the Republican administration and congressional leadership.

Prior to his election to Congress and while a member of Virginia General Assembly, Mr. Cantor helped win recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the state. In April 2002 he was selected to chair the Genocide commemorative event in Virginia.

Mr. Diradour is the fourth Armenian-American known to have announced a 2010 campaign.

Natalie (Manoogian) Mosher and David Krikorian are also seeking the Democratic Party's nomination in House races in Michigan and Ohio, respectively.

And Republican Danny Tarkanian is challenging Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat, in Nevada.

connect: www.charlieforthe7th.com

Update 11/18/09

Following the GOP victory in Virginia's gubernatorial race, Armenian-American Democrat Charlie Diradour decided to pull out of the race against incumbent Rep. Eric Cantor (R.-Va.), Richmond, Va. media reported October 29.

More protocols discord, U.S. and Turkey on missiles

This was first published in the September 19, 2009 Armenian Reporter

Washington Briefing
by Emil Sanamyan

Armenian-American groups split on Turkey protocols

The protocols on the establishments of bilateral relations and diplomatic relations that Armenia and Turkey are expected to sign on October 13 continue to be debated by Armenian-Americans.

The traditional political parties – the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaks), the Social Democratic Hunchakian Party, and the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party (Ramkavars) – have opposed the initiative, while the Armenian Assembly of America (AAA) and the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) have issued conditional endorsements.

In a September 9 letter addressed to President Barack Obama, leaders of the AAA and AGBU and the primates of the Eastern and Western Dioceses of the Armenian Church referred to the protocols and said they "look[ed] forward to a positive outcome" and the normalization of relations.

At the same time, they expressed concern with Turkey's efforts to link talks with Armenia to the Karabakh peace process and warned that "if this normalization process is used as a smokescreen for not reaffirming the Armenian Genocide and the U.S. record, it will be a blow to the rapprochement process."

Meanwhile, in Southern California, the protocols' opponents have organized a series of public protests and public meetings to denounce the deal as compromising Armenian interests. Much of the criticism has focused on the impact the protocols would have on efforts to win international condemnation of the Armenian Genocide and address its consequences.

In Washington, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) will organize two town hall-style meetings to discuss the protocols on September 24 and 26.

(For Turkish reaction to the protocols see http://www.reporter.am/go/article/2009-09-26-the-turkish-press-reacts-to-the-armenia-protocols.)

U.S. scraps European missile defense plan, launches fresh Iran diplomacy

The Obama administration decided to cancel the former president's plan to place missile interceptors and radars in Poland and the Czech Republic, officials were quoted as saying on September 17.

The Bush administration had said it wanted the new military installations to counter a potential missile threat from Iran. But the plan was strongly opposed by Russian leaders, who saw it as undermining their country's nuclear weapons deterrent.

The decision this week to scrap the plan was welcomed by Russia as well as several European officials. Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev called the decision a "responsible approach" and said he looked forward to dialogue with the United States during meetings at the United Nations next week.

Also next week, President Obama will become the first American president to chair a United Nations Security Council session. According to Politico newspaper, the United States will introduce a new resolution that would make the pursuit of peaceful nuclear energy contingent on countries' not being in violation of the nuclear nonproliferation treaty. Commentators see the initiative as aimed at building an international consensus against Iran's nuclear program.

The resolution would also include a pledge by nuclear-armed countries not to use nuclear weapons against countries that don't have such weapons.

Officials from the five permanent Security Council member states (which include Russia) plus Germany are due to hold talks with Iran on October 1.

Turkey seeks upgraded missile defense shield

The Turkish government is considering proposals on ways to improve its missile defense capabilities, including a potential $7.8 billion deal with U.S. companies, news media reported.

On September 11, the Obama administration notified Congress of the possible sale, involving Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, two of the largest U.S. weapons' manufacturers, which have also long lobbied for Turkish interests in the United States.

Reacting to the U.S. announcement, the Turkish Defense Ministry noted that as part of a request for proposals unveiled last April, Ankara was considering offers from the United States, Russia, and China for the purchase of missile defense systems, with no final decisions yet made.

According to Zaman, Turkey's defense budget amounted to $11 billion in 2008, but the country's weapons acquisition is believed to be covered from non-budget sources that are not fully disclosed. In recent years, Turkey has increasingly been buying weapons from non-U.S. sources.

If it goes through, the deal would become part of a U.S. effort to deter Iran by establishing what U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton described last July as a "defense umbrella" for America's Middle East allies.

Iran already has the capability to launch missiles at any part of Turkey's territory.

Interview with congressional candidate David Krikorian

In congressional run, David Krikorian is banking on the people
Says he’s “underwhelmed” with Armenian-American support so far
by Emil Sanamyan
Published: Tuesday September 15, 2009

David Krikorian holding the video record of Sibel Edmonds' deposition. The Armenian Reporter photo

WASHINGTON - David Krikorian, who ran a strong third-party/independent campaign in Ohio's 2nd congressional district in 2008, is now seeking the Democratic Party's nomination for the 2010 elections. Building on about 60,000 votes he received in 2008, Mr. Krikorian would need to more than double that support base to win in 2010.

Mr. Krikorian is also involved in a legal battle with the incumbent Republican representative Jean Schmidt. Ms. Schmidt filed a complaint with the Ohio Elections Commission, claiming that Mr. Krikorian knowingly made false statements when he said during the 2008 campaign that Ms. Schmidt took money from the Turkish government. Ms. Schmidt opposes the Armenian-American agenda and has received strong support from Turkish-American groups. After its initial hearing on September 3, the Elections Commission is set to resume proceedings on October 1.

Mr. Krikorian spoke with our Washington Editor Emil Sanamyan by phone on August 27 about the complaint and the campaign.

The Genocide complaint

Armenian Reporter: From the political perspective, what is the purpose of Rep. Schmidt's complaint against you? It almost seems counterintuitive that an incumbent would do something that brings all this added attention to her challenger.

David Krikorian: I think she vastly underestimated me and if she had to do this all over again, she never would have done it.

And you have to remember who is really pulling the strings. Do you think Jean Schmidt just thought of this one day? Or do you think it was the Turkish lobby that came to her and said, Hey, let's do this!?

When you look at the pattern of what [attorney] Bruce Fein, the Turkish Coalition, and Turkish American Legal Defense Fund are doing across the country [launching legal challenges intended to undermine Armenian Genocide affirmation], it fits that pattern.

To think that [Rep. Schmidt] hatched this plan by herself in my opinion is not accurate. She is just not the brightest bulb on the tree.

And the Turks of course could care less about [Rep. Schmidt]; they are thinking about furthering their agenda in the United States and she is a willing tool for them to use.

AR: And the objective of these legal challenges, you believe, is to intimidate those engaged in the discussion of the Armenian Genocide on the political level?

DK: Of course, as I am sure you are well aware. Everyone used to say, Oh, the Armenian Genocide, it's not a big issue today, it happened so many years ago. . . .

But if you watched the [former FBI Turkish-language translator] Sibel Edmonds' deposition, you could see how far the Turkish lobby was willing to go to prevent a simple resolution concerning what happened under Ottoman rule so long ago.

If it was not directly related to my ancestry, I would probably just think of it as silly. It makes absolutely no sense, this Turkish government opposition. Every time [the resolution is discussed] it gets more and more attention. It is self-defeating and the Turkish government needs to move on.

Turkey may fear demands for reparations, but I have to also say that they should be made to pay for what they did and they should not be allowed to get away with interfering in congressional deliberations, buying off or blackmailing members of Congress.

AR: On the substance of the complaint, what do you expect the commission to do?

DK: My own personal feeling is that none of [the five complaints] against me will be upheld, for a variety of different reasons, including the fact that it is my First Amendment right to say whatever the heck I want to.

What, I can't call [the funds Rep. Schmidt received from Turkish interests], some $29,500, "blood money"? Of course it is "blood money"!

You have got a representative who is taking money from a foreign lobby. Schmidt said in her deposition that she had no idea why she was the largest recipient of money from the Turkish lobby. Just think how stupid that sounds.

She claims she doesn't know if she ever received gifts from the Turkish government and never took a position on the Armenian Genocide resolution. When asked, she couldn't even define what is genocide.

At the end of the day, what the commission needs to determine is if I willfully made false statements. And I strongly feel that I did no such thing. I strongly believe that the Turkish government is behind those contributions and it is my right to feel that way and it is my right to say so.

It is also my right to say that Turkey is responsible for U.S. troops' deaths in Iraq, considering Turkey's opposition to the northern front against Saddam Hussein [and Turkey's subsequent interference in Iraq.]

But what this complaint has exposed is that Schmidt is bought and paid for by the Turkish lobby and people don't like it when their representatives sell out like that.

My goal at the end of this is to make elected officials think twice before taking [Turkish lobby] money. And winning both the case and the election is the best way to do this.

Primary fight

AR: How is the complaint affecting your position vis-à-vis the local Democratic Party? Obviously, winning the primary and the nomination is your most immediate challenge.

DK: I will have a primary challenger [term-limited Ohio State Representative Todd Book] who is a [Democratic] Party insider. I am of course a [Democratic] Party outsider. There are some benefits that he has as a result, and some benefits that I have.

What is to be kept in mind is that ours is a conservative district and a Democrat hasn't won here since 1980. And I don't believe that my primary opponent has any chance whatsoever to win in the general election, and a lot of people feel that way. I have been told that [this election] is just a name-recognition exercise for him and he just wants to run for another office later.

Frankly, some of the Democratic leaders here don't like it that the Armenian Genocide has been made an issue. They don't think it's important. Well, if their grandparents were survivors, you damn well bet they would think it's important.

I am banking on the people, not the party. And for someone to go out and get 18 percent of the vote [in 2008] without any party backing, that is remarkable and the best result for any such candidate in the United States [in 2008 elections]. That means I have the rapport with the people.

Having said that, we do have some support from among Democratic Party insiders.

But at the end of the day, we need to start electing leaders in this country, not just party-trained politicians. As far as I am concerned, my opponent, having been a member of Ohio legislature leadership, shares responsibility for our state's economic problems. How does that qualify him for a promotion?

I am a business owner and entrepreneur and I know how to solve problems. And I will not simply do what the party tells me to do, I will not be anybody's lapdog, and this guy is basically a poodle.

I am coming across as a fighter and I am not going to take any shit from anyone. And I think people in my district want to see someone who is smart and tough that will put their interests ahead of the party's.

In 2008, 55 percent of this district voted against Jean Schmidt, and that means that our district does not want her. She just has to meet the right challenger.

Where is the Armenian support?

AR: Have you received substantial support from Armenian-Americans?

DK: One of the things that decides who wins is how much money you raise. And one of the things that Schmidt has done by getting me involved in this complaint is taking a tremendous amount of my time and focus away from fundraising.

It also caused me to spend tens of thousands of dollars to defend myself in the Armenian Genocide case. And frankly speaking, the Armenian-American community is my best asset and they can't be shy about donating to my campaign.

And frankly, they need to start to donate to my campaign, because I have been very underwhelmed with the support that I have received from Armenians around the country. It has been rather ridiculous, with all this money pouring in from the Turks, and Armenians not doing a damn thing.

Where is the support? Where are the checks? It is really disappointing for someone who comes from the community, who is involved in this fight with national and international repercussions, yet every day I go to my mailbox and there are no checks, no online contributions from Armenians.

Frankly, if we lose, the Armenian-American community is partially to blame. What is it going to take these guys to write checks? I have been to the Armenian Assembly of America function - lot of people with a lot of money. Where are they? You can go down the list of top ten people in the Assembly - they haven't given me a thin red dime.

And that needs to be written about.

I know that people are asked for support for a variety of important things. But we keep fighting the same stupid congressional battles, year after year, on aid to Armenia, on ambassadorial appointments, on the Armenian Genocide.

But you know what? We'll continue to fight those battles until we get some of our own Armenian-Americans into the U.S. Congress.

Armenian Americans in 2010 campaign

First published in August 22, 2009

Armenian-Americans to challenge congressional incumbents in 2010
Running in Senate race in Nevada, House races in Michigan, Ohio
by Emil Sanamyan

Washington - At least three Armenian-Americans have launched electoral campaigns to take on incumbent members of Congress in the 2010 elections.

Danny Tarkanian, a Las ­Vegas businessperson of Armenian descent, is seeking the Republican Party nomination to challenge Senate Majority leader Harry Reid in the 2010 elections, Mr. Tarkanian's office reported on August 9.

Making the announcement, Mr. Tarkanian acknowledged he was facing long odds.

"I have no illusions about what I'm up against, but I also know I am doing the right thing," he said in a statement, adding that he would run on mainstay Republican issues, such as opposition to growth in government spending and regulation.

According to the Reno Gazette-Journal, six other individuals are seeking the GOP nomination in addition to Mr. Tarkanian, and Nevada Republicans were also reportedly seeking to recruit others.

But Sen. Reid, who is running for a fifth term in the Senate, is believed to be a strong favorite. His campaign expected to raise $25 million in campaign cash.

Nevada's other senator is John Ensign, a Republican who has recently admitted to an extramarital affair; he is not up for re-election until 2012.

Son of the nationally renowned basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian, Danny Tarkanian previously ran for the Nevada State Senate in 2004 and Nevada Secretary of State in 2006, both times unsuccessfully. In the latter run he received votes of more than 230,000 Nevadans.

Both incumbent Nevada senators - Democrat Reid and Republican Ensign - have been supportive of Armenian-American issues.

Armenian Caucus member challenged in Michigan

Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R.-Mich.), an active member of the Armenian Congressional Caucus, in his fourth term in Congress, is facing a challenge from an Armenian-American Democrat.

An educator and community activist, Natalie Manoogian Mosher is seeking the Democratic nomination in the 11th congressional district, which includes northwestern suburbs of Detroit, in the 2010 election. The district has elected Republican members of Congress since 1967.

As part of her campaign announcement earlier this year, Mrs. Mosher pledged to "make certain the Armenian-American community has an active and effective advocate" in Washington.

Michigan is one of the U.S. states most affected by the recession and Rep. McCotter is believed to be vulnerable. Mrs. Mosher has strongly criticized the incumbent Republican's opposition to the Obama administration's economic stimulus programs and healthcare reform proposal.

According to CQ Politics, the Michigan Democratic Party was seeking to recruit additional candidates to run against Rep. McCotter.

Armenian-Turkish debate in Ohio

David Krikorian is another Armenian-American seeking the Democratic Party's nomination ahead of the 2010 elections. Unlike the other two challengers, he is running against an incumbent who is opposed to the Armenian-­American agenda and is supported by the Turkish lobby.

Republican incumbent Jean Schmidt is in her third term and represents Ohio's 2nd congressional district that includes parts of Cincinnati; the district has been under GOP control since 1983.

Last April Ms. Schmidt filed a complaint against Mr. Krikorian over his charges that she took money from Turkish government interests to oppose the congressional resolution on the Armenian Genocide. As part of the complaint, Ms. Schmidt is represented by Turkish American Legal Defense Fund, an organization linked to the Turkish lobby. Mr. Krikorian in turn retained the help of Mark Geragos, a prominent attorney of Armenian-American descent.

The Ohio Elections Commission is expected to rule on the complaint on September 3.

connect:
www.dannytarkanian.org
www.mosherforcongress.com
www.krikorian2010.com