Briefly: Krikorian run in Ohio; Negroponte in Baku and Azeris in DC; Turkey vs. Kurdistan; Russia vs. Georgia

First published in Oct. 11 2008 Armenian Reporter

Washington Briefing
by Emil Sanamyan and Lusine Sarkisyan

David Krikorian in tight race for Ohio congressional seat


Cincinnati-area businessperson David Krikorian is making the strongest nonparty bid for the House of Representatives this year nationwide, according to RealClearPolitics.com on October 9. Mr. Krikorian has been an activist for the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) in Ohio.

Various surveys have shown Mr. Krikorian polling between 10 and 20 percent in the state’s 2nd congressional district, putting him within reach of his opponents, incumbent Republican Rep. Jean Schmidt and her Democratic challenger Victoria Wulsin, who are believed to be tied at 35 to 40 percent.

The three came together on October 6 for a debate that focused on the economy and the recent bailout of major financial companies. Ms. Schmidt is a member of the congressional Turkey Caucus and opposes Armenian Genocide affirmation.

In the previous election cycle, she narrowly defeated Ms. Wulsin. The ANCA, which in 2006 endorsed Ms. Wulsin, is strongly backing Mr. Krikorian in this election.
connect: http://www.krikorianforcongress.com

U.S., Azerbaijan calibrating ties after Georgia war

Deputy Secretary John Negroponte, the State Department’s second most senior official, went to Azerbaijan on October 2 in an apparent effort to safeguard plans for Caspian natural gas to flow to Europe via Georgia and Turkey.

Following the Russian military success in Georgia, Azerbaijani officials have hinted they might agree to a Russian proposal to buy all of Azerbaijan’s natural gas at market prices. In response, U.S. official have sought to recommit Baku to westward projects by playing up U.S. support for Azerbaijan’s “territorial integrity,” or in other words its claims on Armenian Karabakh.

The U.S. government has made breaking Russia’s near-monopoly on natural gas exports to Europe one of its regional priorities. But since the United States is also opposed
to energy cooperation with Iran, which has the world’s second largest natural gas resources after Russia, it is counting on supplies of natural gas from Turkmenistan through a pipeline network that would skirt both Russia and Iran.

Mr. Negroponte hinted that the United States might give the upcoming reelection of President Ilham Aliyev its seal of approval even though all major opposition figures are boycotting it.

The U.S. official was noncommittal when questioned repeatedly whether the United States would provide military help to Azerbaijan if it were attacked by Russia, but promised that “the United States will continue our security cooperation and assist the reform of Azerbaijan’s defense establishment,” according to a State Department
transcript of his remarks.

Azerbaijani government seeks “diaspora” presence in Washington

Azerbaijani officials, Azerbaijanis resident in the United States, and others met on October 1–2 in Washington to discuss ways to establish a more effective “diaspora” presence in Washington that could counter the influence of the Armenian community.

For more than a decade, Azerbaijan has mainly relied on paid lobbyists to advance its agenda in the United States. In addition, several years ago Azerbaijan also established a State Committee for Work with Azerbaijanis Living Abroad (SCWALA) to supplement its lobbying via support for ethnic Azerbaijani individuals and entities.

In the United States over the past year, recent Azerbaijani immigrants created the U.S. Azeris Network (USAN) that apparently seeks to replace the Azerbaijani Society of America, established by World War II–era émigrés in the 1950s as the main vehicle for Azerbaijani community lobbying.

Apparently wary of unwanted guests, SCWALA and USAN co-organized last week’s conference, titled “Diaspora and Energy Security in the Development of the U.S. Azerbaijan Strategic Allied Relations,” at an initially undisclosed location
in Washington.

According to a pre-conference announcement at www.usazeris.org, only pre-approved guests who could confirm their identity were to be permitted to attend.

Turkey stung by Kurdish rebel attacks


Kurdish rebel forces typically referred to as PKK launched another deadly attack on the Turkish army on October 3. As Istanbul-based Gareth Jenkins reported for the Jamestown Foundation citing Turkish media, as many as 350 Kurdish forces were involved in an attack near the border with Iraq; it lasted nearly 10 hours and left 17 Turkish soldiers dead and 23 wounded.

Turkey retaliated by sending its aircraft to bomb areas of Iraqi Kurdistan; it claims to have killed dozens of Kurds. On October 5 hundreds of thousands across Turkey turned out for soldiers’ funerals.

Since last year, the Turkish army has stepped up anti-PKK operations inside Iraq, but the organization’s attacks on the Turkish military both near the border with Iraq and in Turkey’s interior have continued.

On October 8 a smaller Kurdish force ambushed a bus carrying Turkish police inside the city of Diyarbakir, leaving the bus driver and five police officers dead and 16 others, including bystanders, wounded.

According to Mr. Jenkins, the latest attacks, the deadliest in years, have “severely damaged the prestige of the Turkish military,” which quickly requested additional powers to deal with the insurgency.

“Ever since it resumed its insurgency in June 2004,” he wrote on October 6, “the PKK has essentially been . . . using violence as part of a campaign of psychological and
emotional attrition in the hope of eventually convincing the Turkish authorities that the organization cannot be destroyed by military means and that the only solution is to enter into a political dialogue.”

For now, the Turkish military was forced to demolish the Aktutun outpost attacked on October 3 and four other forward bases as too vulnerable to Kurdish attack. And on October 8, the Turkish parliament also voted overwhelmingly to reauthorize military operations inside Iraqi Kurdistan.

European MPs: Georgia, Russia both guilty in Ossetia war

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted a resolution on October 2 that called for an “independent international investigation into what happened” in and around South Ossetia last August, “since the facts surrounding the outbreak of war between Georgia and Russia are disputed.”

The resolution adopted by the Assembly suggests that both Georgia and Russia had violated international law, Council of Europe principles, and their commitment to settle conflicts by peaceful means.

The resolution says, “The Assembly is concerned about the human rights and humanitarian law violations committed by both sides in the context of the war.

“In particular, the use of indiscriminate force and weapons by both Georgian and Russian troops in civilian areas can be considered war crimes that need to be fully investigated,” the resolution said.

PACE also called on Russia to “withdraw” its recognition of independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, considering it a violation of international law and Council of Europe statutory principles.

Speaking during the debate on the resolution, PACE member Armen Rustamyan (ARF) said, according to a summarized translation, “he could not identify the culprit in this conflict” since Armenia has important relations with both countries.

Erol Aslan Cebeci, a Turkish member of parliament from the ruling party, expressed concern over violations of the “territorial integrity of Georgia” and said Russia’s military operation was a “clear violation of international law and extremely disproportionate.”

But he added that the “Georgian administration has been excessively aggressive in its dealing with South Ossetian affairs” and cautioned against “taking steps that could jeopardise the channels of dialogue” with either Georgia or Russia.

Briefly: Biden on Armenia & Georgia, Caucasians in Denver, Georgians ask for $1-2bn, Azeris in California

First published in August 30, 2008 Armenian Reporter.

Washington Briefing
by Emil Sanamyan

Sen. Obama’s running mate pick strong on Armenian issues

Sen. Barack Obama (D.-Ill.) chose Sen. Joe Biden (D.-Del.), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, as his running mate last week, and the Democratic National Convention in Denver confirmed him as the party’s vice presidential nominee.

The selection was welcomed by Armenian-American organizations since Mr. Biden has a long track record of supporting Armenian-American concerns throughout his more than 35 years in the Senate.

That record includes support for U.S. affirmation of the Armenian Genocide, including the Senate resolution championed by the Senate Republican Party leader Bob Dole in 1990, supporting all Armenian Genocide resolutions introduced in the Senate since, and pushing for a change in the Bush Administration policy as part of the confirmation process for the U.S. ambassador to Armenia since 2006 and until earlier this summer.

During the July 29 Foreign Relations Committee meeting that confirmed Marie Yovanovitch as U.S. ambassador to Armenia, Mr. Biden noted, “Recognition by the United States of the Armenian Genocide is not the final goal. The real goal is the recognition of Turkey – of the Turkish Government – of the Armenian Genocide and the establishment of a common Turkish-Armenian understanding of the events and tragedy that took place.”

Mr. Biden also supported Karabakh’s right to self-determination and the 1993 U.S. sanctions against Azerbaijan over its aggression against Armenia and Karabakh.

He introduced the 2007 resolution honoring the Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink assassinated by Turkish nationalists.

Earlier this year, Mr. Obama himself issued a statement in which he promised to recognize the Armenian Genocide as president and support a Karabakh settlement “that is agreeable to all parties, and based upon America’s founding commitment to the principles of democracy and self determination.”

The Republican Party’s presumptive nominee, Sen. John McCain (R.- Ariz.) has promised no changes in U.S. policies on Armenian issues; he has also yet to select a running mate.

Last year, Mr. Biden also advocated for a robust U.S. response to the humanitarian crisis in Sudan’s Darfur region, and was willing to “commit U.S. troops on the ground.”

Meanwhile, Mr. Biden supports U.S. leadership in Armenia’s region and checking Russia’s influence there. In a joint letter with his committee colleague Sen. Dick Lugar (R.-Ind.) last October, Sen. Biden argued that the United States has a “long-term interest in preventing Russian domination of energy [development and transportation] in the Southern Caucasus and Central Asia.”

Other senior foreign policy advisors to Mr. Obama include President Carter’s National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski, 80, a strong advocate of containing Russia, as well as the Clinton Administration’s National Security Advisor Anthony Lake, 69, and former State Department policy planning director Gregory Craig, 63, both of whom are strong proponents of NATO expansion.

Politicians from Armenia, elsewhere in Denver for Democratic National Convention events

Some 500 foreign officials from about 100 countries were in Denver this week for the International Leaders’ Forum organized by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) to coincide with the Democratic National Convention. NDI has organized the event during every convention since 1984 to provide a forum for foreign leaders and the Democratic Party’s foreign policy team.

According to the Armenian Reporter’s information, former Prime Minister Vazgen Manukian of the National Democratic Union and former national security service director David Shahnazarian, a political ally and in-law of ex-President Levon Ter-Petrossian, were expected to attend.

During the Democratic Party’s national convention held in July 2004 in Boston, Armenia was represented by Amb. Arman Kirakossian and Stepan Demirchian of the opposition People’s Party.

This year, Amb. Tatoul Markarian is in Yerevan for the annual gathering of Armenian diplomats and is unable to attend.

Azerbaijan was represented by the presidential administration’s propaganda director Ali Hassanov.

As in years past, perennial government opponents Isa Gamberov and Ali Kerimov were also invited, although it was unclear if either one was attending.

Also in attendance were Georgian Parliament Speaker David Bakradze and Minister for European Integration Georgi Baramidze, who actively lobbied for a tougher U.S. policy on Russia.

Other visitors from Georgia included former Parliament Speaker Nino Bourjanadze and leader of the opposition Republican Party David Usupashvili.

Georgia seeks “1 to 2 billion” dollars in foreign aid

The Georgian government is seeking $1 to $2 billion in aid to repair and develop infrastructure after the war with Russia, USAID Administrator Henrietta Fore said on August 22, www.civil.ge reported citing Reuters news agency.

“Georgia has given us rather a long list of things they would like to see – communications is certainly part of it, hydro-electric dams... That’s really reconstruction, it’s for infrastructure. It’s not just because of hostilities. It’s for development,” Ms. Fore said, adding that “it does not all need to be done by the United States. It can be done by international organizations as well as other bilateral organizations.”

Writing in the Wall Street Journal on August 26, Senators Joe Lieberman (I.-Conn.) and Lindsey Graham (R.-S.C.), who recently visited Georgia on behalf of presumptive Republican presidential candidate John McCain, supported U.S. provision of weapons to Georgia to be able to “deter” Russian forces.

The U.S. Congress is expected to approve a significant aid package to Georgia when it returns from holidays next month, said House of Representatives’ Foreign Relations Committee Chair Rep. Howard Berman (D.-Calif.) and Democratic Policy Committee chair Rep. George Miller (D.-Calif.) who also went to Georgia on August 22.

Georgia has received close to $2 billion in U.S. assistance in the decade and a half since independence.

Azerbaijani officials on propaganda tour of California

The California State Assembly hosted a group of four Azerbaijani officials earlier this month, one of the delegation members Azerbaijani Milli Majlis member Asim Mollazade told Day.az on August 21.

The group visited the two chambers of California’s legislature in Sacramento, Rep. Berman, who represents a Los Angeles–area district, the San Francisco City Council, and the local World Affairs Council.

Mr. Mollazade said he and his colleagues used the opportunity to talk up Azerbaijan’s importance to the world, threats posed by “imperial” Russia, as well as “true reasons” behind the conflict with Armenia.

He singled out the importance of raising the Azerbaijani flag in the California legislature as a significant event.

In September 2007 Azerbaijan hosted a California delegation that included State Senator Sheila Kuehl, State Assembly members Julia Brownley, Betty Karnette, and Lori Saldaña, as well as assistant director of the California State Senate international relations office Shannon Shellenberg.

Briefly: Freedom House report; Senator, Congressmen in Baku; Turkish nationalist violence and Sudan-Turkey bonding

This was originally published in January 19, 2008 Armenian Reporter.

by Emil Sanamyan

Armenia’s Freedom House score unchanged
Two Washington think tanks, whose findings form part of the eligibility criteria for U.S. Millennium Challenge Assistance (MCA) programs issued their ratings this week. Implementation of a $235 million MCA program in Armenia began in December 2006.

Armenia’s economy is 28th freest worldwide, according to the annual Index of Economic Freedom released on January 15. (See story on page A1.) Meantime, a report issued by the Freedom House on January 16 again described both Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh as partly free” and found no changes in levels of political rights and civil liberties there.

The think tank did not release country-by-country reports at press to explain its determinations. But overall, the “Freedom in the World 2008” report found “a notable setback for global freedom” in 2007. Among countries where the study registered such setbacks were Georgia (which remained “partly free”), Azerbaijan, and Russia (both “not free”). On the other hand, freedoms are said to have improved in Turkey (still rated “partly free”).

Senior U.S. senator, Azerbaijani Caucus co-chairs make trips to Baku
Senator Richard Lugar (R.-Ind.), ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee, met with the Azerbaijani president and other officials on January 13 and 14, local media reported. The veteran U.S. senator reportedly predicted that there would be no resolution to the Karabakh conflict any time soon. He also encouraged continued U.S.–Azerbaijani security cooperation and warned of threats from Iran.

Sen. Lugar’s visit to Baku, his fifth there, was part of a regional tour that focused on promoting trans-Caspian routes for Central Asian energy exports to Europe. It also included stops in Ukraine, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan.

Mr. Lugar said that he would urge President Bush to appoint a new special envoy on Caspian energy issues to promote non-Russian export routes. Russia recently signed agreements with Central Asian states on natural gas transportation to Europe.

In an October 4, 2007, letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Sen. Lugar together with Committee chair Joe Biden (D.- Del.) noted that the United States has a “long-term interest in preventing Russian domination of energy in the Southern Caucasus and Central Asia.”

Co-chairs of Congressional Caucuses on Azerbaijan - Rep. Bill Shuster (R.-Penn.) and Turkey - Reps Robert Wexler (D.- Fla.) were in Azerbaijan on January 9–11. In addition to meeting the President, Defense Minister, and other officials, the two members of Congress also visited with the First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, who combines duties of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation president, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, and chair of the U.S.–Azerbaijan Inter-Parliamentary Relations Committee.

In recent years, there has been a steady stream of congressional delegations to Azerbaijan, including two members of the House Intelligence Committee who visited in 2007. By contrast, no member of the U.S. Congress has visited Armenia since the November 2005 regional tour by Rep. Alcee Hastings (D.-Fla.), who chairs the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.

Scholars highlight nationalist violence in Turkey
On the first anniversary of Hrant Dink’s murder, scholars speaking in Washington this week noted lack of any tangible progress in the Turkish government’s policy toward dissidents and the continued threat of ultranationalist violence. Mr. Dink, editor of the Turkish Armenian newspaper Agos, was tried in a Turkish court and targeted for assassination for speaking out on the Armenian Genocide.

Dr. Taner Akçam of the University of Minnesota, who has also been a target of the Turkish government for speaking out on the Genocide, argued at the National Press Club (NPC) on January 17 that Mr. Dink’s case demonstrates that there exists an “unwritten code” between the Turkish media, justice officials, and government in which they work together to silence any public dissent.

“To prosecute intellectuals is considered a patriotic act in Turkey,” Mr. Akçam said. He also cited the need for an organized domestic civil rights movement as the necessary prerequisite for reform as Turkey continues to seek entry into the European Union (EU).
“Turkey cannot be a member of the EU as long as they criminalize the discussion of history,” Mr. Akçam said, referring to the denial of the Armenian Genocide.

Joining Prof. Akcam at NPC was Payam Akhavan, international law professor at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, and former United Nations war crimes prosecutor. “It seems as if nothing has been learned from [Hrant Dink’s] murder and Article 301 is still being used to prosecute those who counter the government,” said Mr. Akhavan.

He acknowledged that in addition to 301 there are other provisions of the Turkish penal code that also prohibit free speech. However, he said that, “the symbolic importance of repealing Article 301 cannot be underestimated.” The Turkish government has considered revising 301, but refuses to repeal it outright.

Yektan Turkyilmaz, a doctoral student at Duke University who has researched Armenian-Turkish relations in both Yerevan and Istanbul, told the Armenian Reporter on January 14 that Mr. Dink’s case “was not just another ‘deep state’ murder,” of which there have been many in Turkish history.

He stressed that Mr. Dink’s assassination should be treated as part of a pattern that also included murders of a Catholic priest in Trabzon in 2006 and Christian missionaries in Malatya in 2007 and reflects “a new trend” and “scary” new face of Turkish nationalism. Two other priests were targeted in Izmir and Antalya last month.

While Mr. Turkyilmaz noted that “good things are also happening,” there are “even more reactionary currents” in Turkey today than at any time in recent past, and that there is “little cause to be optimistic” that things would improve in near future.

Turkey to host Sudanese leader accused of genocide
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who is held responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths in Darfur, will visit Ankara next week on invitation from Turkish President Abdullah Gül, Turkish media reported on January 16.

The United States and much of the international community have charged Sudan with genocide, but Turkish government sided with Mr. al-Bashir and when visiting Sudan in March 2006 Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he believed that “no assimilation or genocide was committed in Darfur.”

Mr. al-Bashir is due to be received with full honors at Turkey’s Presidential Palace on January 21. Sudan and Turkey signed a military cooperation agreement in July 2007, and a Turkish military delegation visited Khartoum earlier this month, reportedly to study ways to assist the Sudanese military.