Turkey Misleads Europe about Its True Intentions and Policies toward Armenia

PanARMENIAN.Net/ Reports, based on sources in the Turkish government, are being circulated by the Turkish media allege that "secret talks" are taking place between Armenia and Turkey aimed at normalizing relations between these two countries. Sources close to the Turkish government quoted the government's spokesperson, Namik Tan, as saying that Turkey intends to continue to make efforts to normalize relations with Armenia.

The European Armenian Federation recalls that, each year, on the eve of the European Union's annual assessment of Turkey's candidacy, Ankara revives its efforts to misinform and disorient European public opinion about its true intentions and policies toward Armenia. "We have no doubt that meetings between emissaries of both countries may occur but there is a clear evidence that, as in the past, actual progress will not be possible until Turkey undertakes a fundamental realignment of its policies toward Armenia," said Hilda Tchoboian, Chairperson of the European Armenian Federation.

The Federation notes that Turkey continues to strangle Armenia through blockade and a broader strategy aimed at isolating Armenia internationally, and that it persists in escalating its political campaign to deny the Armenian Genocide. The European Armenian Federation urges the European authorities to condemn Turkey's efforts to mislead and confuse the European family of nations regarding its true posture toward Armenia. "If Turkey truly wants to become a European nation, it needs to take the steps that the world expects of it - including acknowledging its state responsibility for the Armenian Genocide and lifting its blockade of Armenia," concluded Tchoboian.

To remind, the Turkish MFA stated that Yerevan and Ankara hold “secret talks”. The Armenian Foreign Ministry neither confirmed nor refuted the information, remarking that the Armenian and Turkish diplomats hold meetings at various levels.

The British Armenian All-Party Parliamentary Group

Armenia Solidarity

Nor Serount Publications

The British Armenian All-Party Parliamentary Group

You are warmly invited to the following events on:

Armenian Genocide Day

24th April

One hundred MP's have now signed the motion recognising the Genocide. (EDM number 357) Please contact your MP and ask him/her to sign the motion!

(Only a few London and the home county MP's have signed)

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1. Rembrance at St Mary's-under-Croft Church
The House of Lords at 11.00 am

(Until 11.20 am to attend this you must confirm by 13th April)

2. Wreath-laying at the Monument to the Innocents outside Westminster Abbey
(With Darfuri representatives)
(12.00 noon till 12.15 pm)

3. Major Presentation of oral and written evidence for the Armenian Genocide in the Grand Committee Room The House of Commons - At 4.00 pm till 5.30 pm

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Chaired by Lord Avebury

and sponsored by

John Bercow MP
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Followed by: Appeal to all MP's to support Early Day Motion 357 on the Genocide and the Formation of a Future Delegation to meet the

Rt. Hon Geoff Hoon

4. 5.45 pm: Proceed together from the House of Commons to a Laying of a wreath at the Cenotaph at 6.00 pm

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info: eilian@nant.wanadoo.co.uk

Mob: 07876561398

RSVP. We hope you can manage to attend at least one of these events.

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BRITISH ARMENIAN GROUP IS THE LARGEST LOBBY
ORGANIZATION IN BRITISH PARLIAMENT
PanARMENIAN.Net
03.04.2007 15:38 GMT+04:00

PanARMENIAN.Net - 114 British parliamentarians are for recognizing
the Armenian Genocide by the United Kingdom, Co-Founder and
honorary Secretary of the British Armenian Group Odette Bazil stated
to a news conference in Yerevan on Tuesday. She said, in order to
include the resolution in the agenda one third of signatures of the
665-member parliament are necessary.

"For this purpose the British Armenian Group cooperates with other
organizations, which protects rights of victims of other genocides,"
she said adding that it is difficult to deal with pro-Armenian lobby
in the United Kingdom, since very influential Turkish and Azeri lobby
organizations work there.

O. Bazil also said that from the moment of establishing the group the
organization has rather enlarged and reached certain success. "When
the group was established only 6 parliamentarians were included in
it, and now their number has reached 106. This is the largest
lobbygroup in the British Parliament," she noticed.

O. Bazil informed the British Armenian Group also cooperates with
extraparliamentary organizations of the Armenian community in
Great Britain, particularly with "Armenian Solidarity" and
"Nor Serund" (New Generation), "Novosti Armenia" reports.


ARMENIAN LOBBY SEEKS 'GENOCIDE' RECOGNITION
IN UK - Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
April 3 2007

Support for a motion at the British House of Commons calling on the
government to recognize claims of an Armenian genocide at the
hands of the late Ottoman Empire has been steadily growing, adding
to worries in Ankara over worldwide efforts of the Armenian
diaspora towin international recognition for allegations that it
categorically denies.

The number of MPs having signed an "Early Day Motion," or EDM,
has reached 100 in the 646-member House of Commons, British
parliamentary records showed. The motion, EDM 357, was tabled
on Nov. 29 and first signed by Conservative Party Member of
Parliament Bob Spink.

Turkey denies Armenian charges that up to 1.5 million Armenians
were killed in a systematic genocide campaign at the hands of the
late Ottoman Empire during the World War I years, and said there
were killings on both sides as the Ottoman Empire was trying to
quell civil unrest caused by Armenian revolts in collaboration with
the invading Russian army in hope of claiming part of eastern
Anatolia.

Ankara is concerned over prospects for passage of a resolution in the
US Congress that calls on the administration to recognize the alleged
genocide and plans of the German presidency of the EU to introduce
EU-wide measures against the denial of genocide and crimes against
humanity have increased worries.

The EDM in question reads: "That this House believes
that the killing of over a million Armenians in 1915 was an
act of genocide; calls upon the UK Government to recognize
it as such; and believes that it would be in Turkey's
long-term interests to do the same."

An EDM is tabled usually for the purpose of calling for a debate on
a particular subject and, since there is rarely time to debate them,
the practical purpose of an EDM is considered to enable MPs to
draw attention to an issue and ensure other MPs support it.
Diplomatic sources say they have been following developments on
this front and share their perspectives with British officials and
parliamentary members at every chance possible. These sources
note that there is not much of a chance that Britain will
officially recognize the Armenian claims.

Ankara has been satisfied to learn that government
sources reiterated to parliament members that there was
insufficient evidence to mandate the official recognition
of genocide claims. In addition, the motion cannot be turned
directly into parliamentary decisions. Armenian circles in Britain,
though, maintain the collection of MPs' signatures will be enough to
keep the subject on the British political agenda.

Similar sources note that the collection of signatures sped up in the
wake of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink's murder and that
the Armenian lobby has been using Dink's murder as a way of
increasing support.

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The Tradition of Cracking Easter Eggs amongst Armenians

For Armenians, Easter eggs are prepared by boiling fresh eggs and dying them using the outer skins of yellow onions. Throughout the eight weeks of the Lenten Fast and Holy Week which precede Easter, Armenians must abstain from many foods, especially fleshy meats. Therefore, the fasting period is replete with traditionally vegetarian dishes, most of which require a substantial quantity of onions. So, over the course of eight weeks, Armenian households accumulate large quantities of onion skins, which in turn are the basis for the preparation of the Easter eggs. Effectively, out of the bitterness of the onions, which signify our self-mortification during Lent, we shall enjoy the sweetness of the joy of the Resurrection.

As the eggs are boiled in the mixture of water and yellow onion skins, the skins emit a natural dye and a tangy flavour to the eggs. The outer shell turns brick-red in colour and the inside white and yolk absorb the sharp taste. The exterior colour of these onion-skin dyed eggs also reminds us of the exterior of the rock-hewn tomb into which the bloodied body of Jesus was buried.

Crack!

This sound on Easter morning is the triumphal echo of the cracking open of the stone which had been rolled in front of the sepulcher to attempt to seal the body of Jesus inside.

Once the exterior of the egg has been cracked open, we see the white part of the boiled egg.

Thae women who took the oil and spices to the tomb looked inside and saw the white shroud which had been used to wrap the body of Jesus. When we set aside the folds of the egg-white, we find the golden yolk. The yolk is the essence of Life and the Sign of the Resurrection. Jesus' death and burial trampled the darkness of death under foot, and His golden Resurrection gives to us all the Hope of eternal Life.

So, my dear friends, when you approach one another holding your red Easter egg, greet one another as you crack the egg, remembering the sound of that first 'Crack!' and rejoice in your hearts with the angelic announcement:

'Christ is risen from the dead!'

SCREAMERS - System of a Down

An unusual film by Carla Garapedian, exploring the denial of genocide
in the last century through the eyes of the Armenian heavy-metal
band System of a Down. Theirs is a more informed view of politics
than most metal bands, as three of their members are descended from
genocide survivors.

Film: SCREAMERS
On: BBC Four
Whent out on:
Thursday 29 March @ 10.30pm-midnight (repeat at 2am-3.30am)
For more details:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documentaries/storyville/screamers.shtml
http://www.screamersmovie.com/trailers.asp
http://www.csufresno.edu/kfsr/audio/mp3/SJS053.mp3


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Like this page?
Send it to a friend!

SCREAMERS
Carla Garapedian, 2006
Thursday 29 March 10.30pm-midnight; rpt 2am-3.30am

Article on the Armenian massacre and its legacy

Opinion on the massacre
From BBC News website users

"War, death, love and prog operatics"
Collective on System of a Down's Hypnotise CD

www.screamersmovie.com
The film's official website

www.systemofadown.com
The band's offical home on the internet

Nick Fraser
Storyville Series Editor


Genocide is abhorred by civilised opinion all over the world - and protesting against it is becoming a cause taken up by many young people. Should the purpose of Western nations above all be to prevent genocide or to intervene whenever it occurs?

Screamers approaches this bleak subject via the medium of rock 'n' roll. System of a Down are a Los Angeles heavy metal band, popular throughout the world. Three of the five band members are Armenian by origin - they emigrated to LA via Iraq - and they have turned their concerts into a form of lobbying, wanting to see the 1916 Turkish massacres of Armenians recognised as genocide.

Carla Garapedian's film follow the band as they mount a campaign, and explains the background. The Turks have never recognised that the massacres happened: they still allege that the killings took place in self-defence. Defenders of the Armenian position have been murdered in Turkey.

Garapedian's film is a new way into a very topical subject.

Render unto `Akdamar' the things which are Ahtamar's

It was a good step to reopen the Ahtamar Church, but it is only
a half step. The Armenian community should be allowed to worship
and organize services in the church, as Patriarch Mesrob Mutafyan
has demanded.

Mustafa Akyol
One of the commonly used quotes from Jesus Christ is his words that
put an equal share between the divine and temporal authorities.
`Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's,' he said according
to the New Testament, `and unto God the things that are God's.'

Some political theorists think that this particular phrase in the
gospels opened the way for the separation of church and state in the
West. The state, which we finance by our taxes and serve us in return
with earthly goods and services, can have our material loyalty. But
it has neither the power nor the right to interfere in our spiritual
beliefs and practices. It should, in other words, simply respect the
church, the synagogue or the mosque.

This seems to be quite a fair division. However it is not always
observed. Sometimes people who act in the name of this or that
religion tries to dominate the state and that's what we call
`theocracy.' It is bad, because it leads to tyranny in the name of
God, about whom we have very different sets of beliefs.


The trouble with Libido dominandi:

But sometimes tyranny comes from the other side. Sometimes states
try to dominate the religious sphere simply because they love to
dominate everything. One of the early church fathers, St. Augustine,
in his classic, `City of God,' termed this desire as
`libido dominandi,' or the `lust for power.'

Unfortunately, unlike the tolerant and grown-up Ottoman Empire, the
young Turkish Republic has inhibited a very dense libido dominandi
since its beginning. It tried to dominate virtually every sphere in
society, which included, of course, religion of all kinds. Islam was
completely taken under control and independent Islamic institutions
like the Sufi orders were closed down. Some major Christian Churches
like that of the Greek Orthodox and the Armenian have been given
some limited space with the Treaty of Lausanne, but even that has
been shrunk gradually over time.


The `Akdamar' story:

Some of the weird things that took place around the re-opening of
the Ahtamar Church will be better understood within this context.
It is of course a kind and nice move to restore and open the 1000
year old sanctuary, but the steps taken in order to Turkify - and
de-churchify - it are absurd. First, it was renamed in Turkish
as `Akdamar. 'Second, it was opened not as a church but as a
`museum. 'It was also denied the right to have a cross at the top.
In the opening ceremony, giant posters of Atatürk and huge Turkish
flags were more visible then any thing else. No wonder some
Armenians have felt unhappy about all that.

Why do we feel the need to show our dominance on a little building?
How do we have the right to define it as a `museum,' whereas it was
built in order to worship God? And what do we gain by all that?

These are questions the Turkish authorities should ask themselves.
It was a good step to reopen the Ahtamar Church, but it is only a
half step. The Armenian community should be allowed to worship and
organize services in the church, as Patriarch Mesrob Mutafyan has
demanded. Again, as he demanded, the Turkish Foreign Ministry
should return the cross of the temple to its original place.

We should understand that Ahtamar is not a government building; it
is a sanctuary built to worship God and by people who were living
in this land many centuries before the Turkish Republic ever existed.
It should be treated as such.


Future of Akdamar wrapped in the word 'maybe'
VERCÝHAN ZÝFLÝOÐLU - VAN

The opening of the historic Armenian Holy Cross Church on the island
of Akdamar, near Van in southeast Turkey, is intended as an exercise
in good will, an effort to show Turkey bears no ill will toward
Armenians despite many political problems, says Culture and Tourism
Minister Atilla Koç.
Koç's comments to the Turkish Daily News came in a wide-ranging
interview aboard his charter plane as he and his entourage returned
from the ceremony, Thursday, which brought Turks and Armenians
together in a rare and unusual forum.

As was much discussed in the press this week, the restoration and
opening of the `Surp Khaç' church left many questions unresolved.
Will it be allowed to eventually have its restored cross again placed
on its roof? Might it actually function as a church one day, even if
only for one service a year? Might the celebration have benefited had
such a prominent Turkish-Armenian as world-renowned composer Sirvart
Karamanukyan been invited to stage his opera `Ah Tamar' at the event?

Perhaps so, said Koç, conceding the project remains a
work-in-progress and the event might have been improved upon, and
perhaps a way can be found to actually let the church operate as a
church.

`I have many Armenian and Greek friends from my school days and I
am close to the culture,' Koç said. `We have no problems with the
Armenians of Turkey, our problem is with the Armenians of the
diaspora.'

Koç's frequent use of the word `maybe,' reflected the treacherous
politics that surround the restoration of the historic church at a
time when the U.S. Congress and others are pressuring Turkey to
accept as `genocide' the deaths and deportations of much of the
ethnic Armenian community of Ottoman Anatolia. That the opening
followed by just two months the assassination of Armenian-Turkish
journalist Hrant Dink, a murder now with many questions unresolved,
only added to the undercurrent of tension.

A small demonstration by nationalists in Van preceded the ceremony.
Everyone acted as if it had not occurred. Some Turkish officials
appeared distressed when dignitaries from Armenia, which Turkey does
not have diplomatic relations with, entered the church wearing small
Armenian flags. There were a few strange looks when some of the
Armenian guests crossed themselves at the end of the ceremony, placed
dozens of candles from Armenia in various parts of the church and lit
incense. And when the regional governor offered his remarks, his lack
of a word of welcome to the Armenian Minister of Culture Gagik
Gürciyan and Turkey's Armenian Mesrop Mutafyan, was lost on no one.
And the fact that none from the Armenian delegation were asked to
speak at the ceremony was bit of silence that rang in everyone's
ears.

But if there were a few awkward moments, Koç made it clear that he
is doing the best he can to highlight Turkey's diverse heritage and
traditions and to keep the sacred distinct from politics.

`We will stand by our cultural wealth, regardless of which religion
it belongs to,' he said.

He noted that Turkey is spending and has spent sizeable resources
on the restoration, while equivalent restorations of Mosques and
other Muslim sites in Greece remain stalled. He noted that Turkey has
successfully worked to preserve the so-called Ani ruins, a historical
Armenian site near Kars, despite dynamite used in the stone quarry
across the border in Armenia which threatened their stability.

Koç in particular defended his ministry which is currently
conducting work on 806 ancient theaters and archeological sites which
include many ruins from Armenian and Greek cultures.

`All religions and religious sites are important to me,' Koç said.

SENATE COMMITTEE APPROVES LEGISLATION CONDEMNING

Web: Armenian Assembly of America

Washington, DC - The Armenian Assembly of America today
commended the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for approving
S. Res. 65, condemning the assassination of Hrant Dink and urging
Turkey to abolish Article 301, which fuels anti-Armenian sentiments
and precipitated this heinous crime.

The legislation, which was introduced by Committee Chairman
Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE), passed by voice vote. S. Res. 65 takes
a strong stand on the policies and practices of the Turkish govern-
ment by calling on Ankara to repeal Article 301 of the Turkish penal
code and "work diligently to foster a more open intellectual environ-
ment in the country that is conducive to the free exchange of ideas."

The resolution also states that Dink "was subjected to legal action
under Article 301 of the Turkish penal code for referring to the 1915
massacre of Armenians as genocide."

"Hrant Dink was a man of strong conviction who wanted, above all,
to foster greater understanding and respect between Turks and
Armenians," said Biden. "His assassination is one more tragic
reminder of why Turkey needs to reform its laws and allow for an
open discussion of events surrounding the Armenian Genocide.
It should never be a crime to speak the truth."

"The Armenian Assembly thanks Chairman Biden for his leadership
and thanks Members of the Committee for their timely consideration
of this issue," said Executive Director Bryan Ardouny. "Hrant Dink
was a law-abiding citizen who believed in democratic ideals and
peaceful change. It is only fitting that in his memory Congress has
taken a strong stand against attempts to intimidate journalists and
scholars, and roundly condemned the criminalization of the mere
mention of the Armenian Genocide."

"Armenians, and all other minorities in Turkey, must be
protected," Ardouny continued.

As an outspoken advocate for democratic reform and greater
understanding between Armenians and Turks, Dink worked
tirelessly to improve relations between the two communities.
As a fierce defender of freedom of the press and founder of
Agos newspaper, Dink wanted to publish his views openly.
For his efforts, he was unfairly targeted by Turkish nationalists
who labeled him a "traitor," and was repeatedly prosecuted
for allegedly "insulting Turkishness" under Article 301.

Also pending before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is
S. Res. 106, the Armenian Genocide resolution. The legislation,
introduced by Assistant Majority Leader Senator Richard J. Durbin
(D-IL) and Senator John Ensign (R-NV), would reaffirm the U.S.
record on the crimes of 1915.

"Passage of this legislation is also paramount," Ardouny added. "To
prevent future killings, we must affirm the historical truth and end
the`vicious cycle of genocide denial."

The next step in the legislative process is consideration of S. Res. 65
by the full Senate.

For more information on Hrant Dink, including Assembly statements,
media`coverage and photographs, please visit the Hrant Dink Resource
Page on the Assembly's Web site at:
http://www.aaainc.org/httpdocs/hrantdink.htm

The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington
based nationwide organization promoting public understanding
and awareness ofArmenian issues. It is a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt
membership organization.


Gates Denounces Armenian Genocide Resolution AP

The U.S. defense secretary said Tuesday that both Turkey and
the United States needlessly damage their relations by sniping
at each other and said they should stop it.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates mentioned no concrete examples
but clearly referred to a resolution pending in the U.S. Congress
that would accuse Turkey's predecessor state of committing
genocide against its Armenian neighbors a century ago.

"Our two nations should oppose measures and rhetoric that
needlessly and destructively antagonize each other," Gates said
in a speech to the American Turkish Council, a business group
that promotes U.S.-Turkish relations.

Gates continued: "That includes symbolic resolutions by the United
States Congress as well as the type of anti-American and extremist
rhetoric that sometimes finds a home in Turkish political discourse."

Gates and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice sent joint identical
letters two weeks ago to House leader Nancy Pelosi and the
chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Tom Lantos,
both Democrats, and the leader of the Republican minority,
John Boehner, that saidpassage of the resolution would put U.S.
security at risk.

Turkey Insists On Joint Study Of `Armenian Tragedy'

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul reiterated on Wednesday his
government's calls for the creation of a commission of Turkish and
Armenian historians who would jointly examine the mass killings and
deportations of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire.

The move appeared to be part of Turkey's ongoing efforts to scuttle the
passage of a U.S. congressional resolution recognizing the 1915-1918
slaughter of more than one million Ottoman Armenians as genocide.

Writing in `The Washington Times,' Gul warned that the resolution's
approval by the U.S. Congress would jeopardize Turkish-American
`strategic partnership' and would be `deeply offensive to the Turkish
people.' Still, he stopped short of explicitly denying that the
Armenianmassacres constituted a genocide, describing them
as a `tragedy' that requires deeper academic research.

`With regard to the Armenian allegation describing the tragedy
that befell them as genocide, the question, from the point of
view of international law, is whether the Ottoman government
systematically pursued a calculated act of state policy for their
destruction in whole or in part,' Gul wrote. `The answer to this
question can only be established by scholars who have the
ability to evaluate the period objectively, working with the full
range of available primary sources.'

`Hence, Turkey made a proposal to Armenia in 2005 to establish a
joint commission of historians to find out once and for all what really
happened, and how it took place,' he said, adding that Ankara is still
`eagerly awaiting' Yerevan's positive response to the offer.

In his written response to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
President Robert Kocharian effectively rejected the idea and suggested
that this and other contentious issues be tackled by a Turkish-Armenian
intergovernmental commission. Armenia's government and Diaspora argue
that the Armenian genocide is a fact recognized by many international
historians. They regard the Turkish offer as a ploy design to stop a
growing number of countries from affirming the genocide.

The offer appears to have marked a major change in the Turkish state's
position on the highly sensitive subject. Successive Turkish governments
have for decades asserted that Ottoman Armenians died in smaller
numbers and were not victims of a premeditated genocidal policy. They
have also claimed that Armenians themselves massacred hundreds of
thousands of Ottoman Turks.

Gul and other Turkish officials now say they are ready to accept any
conclusion to be drawn by the would-be commission of historians. In his
article, Gul said the Erdogan government would also welcome involvement
of scholars from the United States and other countries in the proposed
research. `The establishment of such a commission will also help shape
an atmosphere conducive to the normalization of Turkish-Armenian
relations,' he added.

A group of prominent Armenians and Turks already initiated a
third-party study of the events of 1915-1918 when they jointly
approached the International Center for Transitional Justice
(ICTJ) in 2002. In a detailed report, the New York-based
organization concluded that the Armenian massacres `include
all of the elements of the crime of genocide' as defined by a
1948 United Nations convention.

U.S. President George W. Bush has repeatedly cited the ICTJ study in
his annual April 24 messages to the Armenian-American community.
The most recent of Bush's statements called it `a significant contribution
towar deepening our understanding of these events.'