Approved Comments

I sympathize with you, and I'm very surprised that you have been refused tourist visas by so many countries. Perhaps you know people in these countries who could vouch for you?

In any case, Turkey is a dangerous place for Armenians, and the fact that they allow tourists in with ease is typical of their contradictory nature. I am half-Armenian, and nothing about my information betrays my Armenian roots, but I would still not go to Turkey; I never have and I never will go to a country that is basically telling me my ancestors did not exist by denying the Genocide that took their lives. 

And I have gone without, rather than buy Made in Turkey.

I wish you well and hope you manage a visit to Europe sometime.

My name is Lusie. I live in Armenia. I have never been to Turkey and do not not intend to spend any vacation there. But first you have to ask the embassies in Armenia, "Why do you refuse visas to Armenians to spend their holidays in your country?" I am 30-years-old and earn a substantial amount of money, which would allow me to travel around the world. I applied for tourist visas at several embassies but was refused--even for a work visa from the Bulgarian Embassy.

I can sponsour myself to travel to Paris, Vienna or any European country, but have been refused from all the embassies in Armenia because I am not married and don't have concrete links (family, etc.) in Armenia to return to. After being refused visas from various embassies, I totally feel as a prisoner in Armenia.

I am not homeless, I have no criminal record but because of the attitude of foreign embassies here, I have sadly realized that Turkey is only country that allows easy entry of Armenians, without discrimination.

If I will apply for visa for a UAE holiday, I am sure I will be refused. Meanwhile, citizens of the old CIS countries (Russia, Ukraine, etc.) do not have problem to be granted visas to anywhere in the world. So think about that and then blame the right persons and govermental organizations. And please answer my question, "Why are we prisoners in our country? Why does only Turkey let us travel without any limitations? Whose fault is that Armenians go to Turkey to spend holidays?"

Unfortunately, the situation is the same with a lot of Armenians in Lebanon.

By the way, Egyptian resorts are cheaper and much better equipped than those in Turkey. Armenia tour operators need to be convinced to change the destinations they are promoting. The distance from Armenia to Egypt is about the same as to Turkish resorts.

We have serious issues with Turkey. Aside from economics, I consider vacationing in Turkey a moral crime. To this day, Orthodox Jews do not buy German- made cars.

Parev Mesrob,

I am not a Bible (Asdvadzashountch) expert but I know that Armenia is mentioned a few times in the Old Testament. Why the Muslim Turks who believe in the Old Testament deny the existence of Ararat and Armenia?

They, the Turks that deny are the real infidels. Why we, Armenians do not take advantage of what is mentioned in both the Bible and Quran about our lands and people.

Some of the new versions of the Old Testament have eliminated the word Armenia altogether. Turkish propaganda?

I hope I made my point clear.

My pleasure, John. You are no slouch either at pinning him/her down.

Getse Mesrob.  You put this guy where he belongs.  If you had not responded, I was going to.  We should not let the Turks win the propaganda war.  We should never let them deceive the world with their fabricated lies.  Well done my friend.

Kudos to the ambasador for his efforts in pursuing productive Mexican-American relations and also for acknowledging the painful truths of both Mexican and Armenian history and the liberating value of truth.

But what about his suggestion to "bring down the bombastic nature of the debate, to look at the opportunities and the challenges in an objective and forward-looking way."  The comments posted about this article seem to revel in the same old, self-serving, fear and anger laden bombast, which is really a shame.   I dodged the anonymous mud slinging and almost missed the point about the similarity between the treatment of Armenians and Native Americans. I believe that there is some truth in this.  But, don't we have laws in the US today that at least try to repatriate Native American cultural artifacts and respect ancient Native American burial grounds? 

Mr. American... or should I call you Indolent Turk? After all, I wrote the email you responded to today on ... March 24 for God's sake! You must be one busy guy/gal. Indeed, you are not entitled to an answer: I am merely writing for the benefit of Keghart readers who had to suffer through your absurd letter.

To paraphrase poet Elizabeth Browning, let me count the ways that you are wrong at best and take reckless liberties with the truth at worst.

To prove that there is hostility between Mexican-Americans and Armenian-Americans you cite that Gov. Deukmejian did not approve Justice Cruz Reynaso as candidate to the California Supreme Court. Some proof, some single example "emperical evidence" of your nonsensical allegation.

You say that Mexican-Americans have forgiven-forgotten 500 years of imperialism by Spain and America, presumably. I guess you have not heard that many Mexican-Americans consider their emigration to California, Nevada, Arizona, Texas as slomo "reconquista" of these states by Mexicans.

As Col. Keusseyan wrote, you are not Mexican or Mexican-American. You are a Turk who is not very good at this put-up job. If you were Mexican-American, you wouldn't have denigrated your fellow Mexicans by writing, "Please do not confuse us [Mexican-Americans] with the recent waves of illegal immigrants."

You say that to die for the true faith is a courageous act, but "that does not mean I have to support your community's claims of genocide." I can't follow your reasoning here--if there is such a kernel of logic in it.

"Turkey is not a criminal state," you say.Tell that to Greeks, Armenians, Assyrians, Kurds, and, yes, to Turkish intellectuals.

You say since Turkey is an ally and friend of the US, you wouldn't recognize the Genocide of Armenians. If you were truly Mexican, you would be ashamed to say that. We all realize that states and human beings have many differences. One of those is that human beings have conscience--unlike states which are motivated by self interest, pure and simple.

Yet another proof you are a Turk: You say many of the books of the Gospels were written in Turkey. My friend, there was no Turkey in the first century. Turks, if they existed then, were still marauding in the deserts of Central Asia. They made their first bloody appearance in the Middle East in the 10th century--a full millennium after the Gospels were written. Besides, what does the writing of the Gospels have to do with Armenians? with the Genocide of Armenians?

I got news for you: Homer's Troy is in Turkey. I bet you would call Hector, Paris, Aeneas Turks, too. Maybe Homer was a Turk too, not to mention the famous king of Midas. Maybe Constantine the Great was a Turk, too, since he founded Constantinople, which you call Istanbul.

But the best proof that you are a Turk is the Turkish boilerplate propaganda line which spouts that many people were killed during Turkey's war of independence. So what? It wasn't Armenians who killed them. Turks died because they declared war against the Allies, hoping that Germany would help Turkey further expand it borders. Instead, the crumbline empire lost everything except Asia Minor--the homeland of Greeks and Armenians.

Re the murder of Turkish diplomats by Armenian terrorists. Where do you get the nerve to criticize Armenian terrorists when your country brought the rotten corpse of mass murderer Tala'at--20 years after his assassination in Berlin--to Turkey for a state funeral, with all the trimmings and 21-gun salute. A mass murderer and a true hero of Turkey, a true son of Atilla the Hun, Cengiz Khan, et al. Besides, there are 8 million Armenians. If a hundred or even a thousand Armenians turned to terrorism in desperation, it doesn't mean this insignificant minority is representative of Armenians. Meanwhile official Turkey kills, and harasses millions of Kurds--sorry, Mountian Turks. If only they would come down from those mountians and became Field Turks.

About your advice that Armenians should not bear a grudge... If you were Mexican you would have known that Mexico still hasn't forgiven France for installing Maximilian I as emperor of Mexico. But since you are a Turk, Maximilian and Juarez are strangers to you.

Yes, Armenians are Aryans, like Iranians and most Europeans, including Spaniards. In your dim mind you must think Aryan means Nazis, although Turkey is one of the most racist countries on the globe. The world hasn't forgotten that "neutral" Turkey played footsie with the Nazis... but again, you wouldn't know that.

Re your comment about Armenians living in Arab countries. Armenians are forever grateful to Arabs for the hospitality, the kindness Arabs extended to the survivors of the Genocide of Armenians. Armenian communities in Arab countries have been loyal to Arab countries and have contributed significantly to their new home countries.

You suggest that there was no genocide because Turks being Moslem like Arabs, couldn't have killed Armenians for their religious beliefs. I will try to explain this in as simple words as possible: Turks killed Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians because these nations--by definition--were not Turks. Turks wanted to create a homogeneous country. Kurds being "Mountain Turks" were not touched. The Christianity of Armenians was an additional reason to exterminate them.

Your Fifth reason is a non sequitur. Look up the word in the dictionary.

Your final paragraph is unintentionally hilarious, revealing your Turkish identity yet again. I hope your bosses don't read this letter... they might fire you for incompetence. I like to see you hold on to your "job"

I know a few Turkish words, but here goes for your enjoyment.
"Garapagh aliminizenden gette!!!" can be translated as "Karabagh went through our hands." Many knowledgeable Azeris realize this and repeat it.

Next time be prepared not to lose Shahumian back to us...Nakhichevan and then perhaps come close to Kantsag--Genjah as you have transformed the name...and a few other such venues. Lenkoran will be taken by Persian Lenkoranis in addition to other small areas up north, such as Dagestan.

I am Mexican-American, not Turkish. I'm sorry if that surprises you, but I am what I stated I am. In recent California politics whenever there was an Armenian-American elected to office (or example, George Deukmejian, Republican governor who opposed Justice Cruz Reynoso as a candidate to the CA Supreme Court, among other incidents) and among others of the local state legislature, their interests have been in opposition to the social and economic interests of Mexican-Americans. This is empirical evidence that the political interests of our communities are very different.

Secondly, Mexican-Americans do not play the victim card. Yes, thank you, we are religiously devout. We fight injustice, but we do not dwell on the last 500 years of subjugation and imperialism. We do not ask for reparations, land or money. 

Many Mexican-Americans hold prominent positions in the US, and Mexicans in Mexico, who are wealthy and educated, have no need to migrate to the US. Please do not confuse us with the recent waves of illegal immigration.

Third, your statement "Christian Armenian martyrs of 1915 and support a fellow-suffering race rather than become allies of the criminal state which continues to deny its murder of a nation."  Well, Mesrob, I do respect and honor the Christian marytrs who have died throughout the centuries. To die for the true faith is a courageous act, but that does not mean I have to support your community's claims of genocide. 

Turkey is not a criminal state. Turkey is an ally and friend of the United States. And if you understand the history of Christianity, you would know that many books of the Gospel were written in Turkey. You should also bear in mind that many people were killed during Turkey's war of independence. What I find appalling is that on my own American soil, Armenian "Christians" commited terrorism by murdering Turkish diplomats at the Turkish embassy in Los Angeles. That is scary. That kind of hatred toward others for past wrongs is diabolical and inexecusable. It is purely un-American. And I am American first and foremost, Mesrob. 

Fourth, from observation, it appears that Armenians have a natural ally and long-term historical friendship with Iranians. Both of you consider yourselves "Aryan." Armenians have a significant minority population in Iran. Iranians are predominately Shia Muslims. In Lebanon, a majority Muslim country, there is a large Armenian community. In Istanbul and in southeastern parts of Turkey you can find Armenian-Turkish citizens. Armenians live in Islamic countries.  If this was about Christianity vs. Islam, how come Armenians are so close to Muslim Iranians? Your dislike of Turks appears to be based on ethnic hatred more so than on religion.

Fifth, there is an eerie parallel between white folks (supremacists) who never relent on their hatred for Mexican-Americans and Mexicans in general and Armenians who never relent in their digust toward Turkish-Americans and Turkish people.

On a personal note, Mesrob, there is good and bad in every culture. But I happen to have a deep respect for Turkish people. Does it bother you that there are many Mexicans in California who like Turks? Can a Mexican- American only be a friend of an Armenian if he/she supports the Armenian Genocide claims? Will you be friends with a Mexican- American like me who doesn't? Let's find out, shall we?   

Azerbaijan is a Turkic fabrication, just as Israel is a Zionist fabrication. Azerbaijan was patched together by Russia, slicing parts of northern Iran, while Israel was pieced together from Arab Palestine by the wealthy Zionist lobby and the colonialist British. No wonder the two undersized Frankensteins get along so nicely: after all, they speak the same language... the language of illigitimacy and phoney history.

Our health professionals (doctors, nurses, etc) should be commended for their patriotic work. I have followed ACMAO's activities for a number of years now. Unlike other organizations it has a clear vision and tries to implement it in practice without pomposity.

I would invite readers to visit ACMAO's website to have an idea of their many projects that they have carried so far in Artsakh and Armenia.

This last plan of getting an MRI for Armenia is worthy of support and your donation - even without attending the Gala - I am sure will be appreciated by the organizers.

The article is an excellent wake-up call, but I would suggest that Mr. Bouldoukian's comment is even more profound.

There is no need to cite his credentials and accolades in the field. He is well known to those who have been attentive. His short paragraphs pack so much wisdom they need to be expanded on in separate essays.
 
He is right on that the expansion to empire status by the US post-WWII foreign policy establishment has created, at best, a financially unsustainable situation. Over 200 military bases around the globe (there are not even as many nations in the UN) has been unviable for a while. It could only be kept up by an equally unsustainable demand for the US dollar as an international hard currency which is tightly coupled with the international petroleum and arms trade. Shocks to the system, through global politico-economic meltdown did and will have long term repercussions. In the end, it is perhaps arguable that given a sufficient level of aggregation, everything is a zero-sum game. Gains in one field are couterbalanced by losses in another. No one can win all the time, or as it is better said, you cannot fool all the people all the time, no matter how hard you try.

At worst, this policy has created an unmatched level of animosity towards the US in world. This certainly does not bode well for the future of our planet.

The real tragedy for American citizens is that they are mostly unaware that their country is, for all intents and purposes, a military state. For the simple reason that the largest piece of the pie of the revenues and expenditures of their public funds are allocated to the military, most of the manufacturing capacity is dedicated to military or military-related output, most of the research in any field has some kind of defense connection, and any commercial applications, are fundamentally offshoots of initially defense-backed expenditures, particularly in the aerospace and hi-tech fields, and most people who are still employed in the private sector are likely employed by defense or related industries. This was what Eisenhower was warning against over 60 years ago. In a sense, it is yet another example of lack of economic diversification and increasing risk at a very macro level.

The real challenge for America and the world is to decouple itself (and very quickly) from such reckless reliance on war-mongering as a source of "wealth". That is why Mr. Bouldoukian is right again in his compact second paragraph. After all, if with our cumulative weaponry we can destroy the planet completely and utterly 20 times over, since only once would be more than enough, by any measure and point of view, even for the most aggresive capitalist, that is 19 times too many and a collosal waste of resources.
 
Paregamoren, Viken L. Attarian

Let the Turks establish a museum and host a Christian religious observance in the 1,100-year-old Armenian Cathedral of the Holy Cross at Aghtamar.  And let the Armenians call it hypocrisy and stay at home in anger and argue amongst themselves about the situation.  The winner in this event would not be the Turks.  It would be "the green-eyed monster of anger and jealousy."   The losers would be the Armenians.  

I'm sorry if that sounds cynical, but in my opinion, the Armenians should not miss an opportunity to pay respects and stake a claim at their ancient sacred site.  The Hay Aspeth youth group has made a courageous attempt.  But now, wouldn't it be useful for these kids if the Armenian Church could turn this into an ecumenical or interfaith event and a history lesson, rather than lose the opportunity to another angry protest or a quibble over lighting candles in historic structures?  It's all about setting the tone and establishing the voice of history at Aghtamar - for the kids and for the world.  Who better to do that than the Armenians?

We often tried not to offend Turks and this is where we are now – our children are not allowed to worship in our churches. Boycott is the only answer to the show the Turkish Government is putting on. That is, of course, if we have any shred of respect for what and who we are left. I applaud these kids and bow my head n front of them. They are brave and they are brave. I also applaud the Turkish policeman, based on what I see in this video. He does his despicable job but showing more restrained than any policeman in Armenia would show to his own people. In short, way to go Hay Aspet. More Armenians should do what they did. Let the Turkish government block Armenians from visiting Akhtamar. And let’s see what the world media would say: Armenians are banned for praying in the church, which was opened by the Turkish government as a sign of tolerance to Armenians and Christianity. Yes to Boycott. Bravo Hay Aspet.

Firstly, there have been others who have mentioned that their comments were not posted. I am not the only one. Secondly, I would appreciate it if you addressed your query directly to me, instead  of a third person--if not in a brotherly manner then in a friendly way.

As to the clarification of my post regarding the pilgrimage of Armenians to Akhtamar, I believe it is significant that a huge number of Armenian pilgrims, in the thousands perhaps, if allowed by the Turkish authorities, would go to the church that has Armenian inscriptions, and as good Christians they will pray there. Something  that  has no precedent in Turkey. I take it you would agree that many non-Armenian media representatives will be there. It is indeed a very impressive change in Turkey's attitude towards their previous "rayas". You see, the Turkish "Voj" (style),  is  to give in "yavash-yavash" (by and by).

On the other hand, if we don´t go then the Turkish media, and by extension government, will broadcast to the world that Armenians do not wish to accept our "kind" invitation, although this is a veiled and intended for other purposes. I do not trust their sincerity yet, but we must play along with them. Preferably a more compromising mode,especially to the world, than an unrelenting rejection. Turkey would love to see the latter, so as to boast that they are compromising, whereas Armenians are not. Dialogue, in short, is better than shunning away their sugar-coated offerings.

Thence, by going we loose nothing on the contrary gain  

I wonder how many Armenian Diaspora leaders, particularly Tashnagtsoutune heads, are reading the heart-rending comments in response to your "United We Stand..." editorial. And more importantly, how many of Tashnagtsoutune leaders will come forward to help unify the Diaspora and guarantee its survival? When will Tashnag leaders realize that the nation is more important than the Tashnag Party? When will they realize that without Diaspora Armenians, there will be no Tashnagtsoutune Party?

Tashnagtsoutune is the single largest Diaspora Armenian bloc, and the best organized entity. Willy-nilly, without Tashnagtsoutune's participation, there can't be a meaningul united Diaspora effort to guarantee the survival of our communities which are scattered around the globe. Thus, Tashnagtsoutune bears the responsibility to do the heavy lifting, rather than the Ramgavars or Hnchags.

I believe Tashnagtsoutune leaders should invite the heads of the other parties, organizations, etc. to a national gathering, to draw long-term plans on cooperation aimed at guaranteeing the vibrancy of the Diaspora. We have to do it ourselves: we can't expect help from the Republic of Armenia, where Tashnags rarely win more than 5% of the votes.

I, like many other concerned Armenians, am frustrated by the drifting (slow demise?) of the Diaspora. I don't know what it would take to make Diaspora realize that if it doesn't take action, our days outside Armenia are numbered. We are divided, even in far away communities where there are only a handful of Armenians. And divided about what? Pray tell what are these significant (?) difference which are more important than our surival?

Imagine this scenario from a history book or even from the movies: A city is under siege. It's surrounded by much-stronger attackers who are determined to bring down the city walls and exterminate its defenders. And inside the wall, the feckless defenders are fighting among themselves because they disagree on the colour of the uniform their soldiers should wear. This is what's been happening in the Diaspora since the early 1920s, and every year the defenders get weaker and still undecided on the colour of their soldiers' uniforms. But I can guess that if the defenders don't unite right now, the uniforms of everyone will soon be red.

Blame it on the decimation of Armenian intellectuals in 1915 if you will, but the Armenian diaspora today has been reduced to a monolithic and mind-numbing emotional reaction to the national crisis of 1915, tempered by romantic notions about the long ago and far away. That's all there is and that's all we want or so it seems--even as Armenia approaches a potential national crisis in 2015.

But your survey of the sorry state of politics in the Diaspora is useful and informative, and your review of the cultural developments in Turkey is hopeful as well. While anger and grief may be sustaining Tashnagtsoutune (and perhaps the Church), with all due respect, after 95 years, they have contributed little to nation-building and don't play well in public. 

The Genocide was committed ON land Ruled by the Ottomans AGAINST subjects of the Ottoman Empire BY other Ottoman subjects and of course the State as instigator whether they admit it or not.

So who can claim, well, Ottoman subjects of Armenian origin and their successors, mainly the Western Armenians and their heirs in the Republic of Turkey, Armenia or wherever they are in the world today

But to claim that, you have to prove your relation to the land or home you were removed from, you need documents, you need to prepare your file, you need to do research, you need to question those living from that era and record their memories before they fade out, you need to state somewhere.


I joined the Organization "Pan-Armenian conference of lawyers" created last September for the primary objective of preparing for such a claim, something similar to the Jewish claim. Their business oriented approach to the subject succeeded in securing huge compensations from Germany and other countries involved from that time to this time and the future too and with increasing amounts as well.

Sadly as everything else Armenian we lack coordination, communication and group effort. Every week you hear of another group of Armenian lawyers doing this and doing that; there is no collective effort, there is no UNIFIED approach. How can we succeed when there are a hundred captains and only one ship.

How right Vartkes is.....This is a Turkish ploy to pull wool over the world's acknowledgement of the Genocide. Akhtamar is a museum in the eyes of perfidious Turks....Just recently Armenian children who visited the church were forbidden to light candles.....What more this editorial needs to know the intentions of Turks?

Notice how rarely the Armenian government even brings up, for example, the genocide issue in international forums.

We in the Diaspora need to have support from the Armenian state itself.   This is not an excuse for the Diaspora not to act more forcefully, but I merely point it out.

The Armenian government often seems to acts as an extension of the Russian state, which of course could not care less about the Armenian genocide.  To what extent is the Armenian government a puppet regime?

You are advocating that we should publicize the Akhtamar incident and try to get the attention of the public, media and Turks in that respect. It may do what?

A) The spot will become a prominent tourist attraction benefiting only the Turks

B) The Turks will show the world that they have renovated the place out of their own expense and the Armenians are trying to take ownership of it...

C) The media and the Turks can easily make a point that the place is a museum and not for worship. Touching, candles and other incense is forbidden in any museum. We lose the case either way!

If we don't have the Armenian government's backing, we shouldn't do anything in this respect, since this is a major issue only resolvable by political means. The Armenian government should let UNESCO and the World know that this is a religious place and belongs to Armenians and/or it shouldn't be represented as a museum only.

Simple demonstrations will not do it.

Turkish police ushered a group of Armenian children out of a 10th-century Armenian Christian church on the island of Akdamar in Anatolia after the children began lighting candles, singing hymns and engaging in prayer.

The church of Sourp Khatch, or Holy Cross, was a cathedral of the Armenian Apostolic Church dating back to the 10th century; its priests and monks were murdered and monastery at the church destroyed in the Armenian genocide of 1915. In 2005-06, as part of the fitful path toward reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey, the Turkish government launched a costly and controversial restoration of the cathedral building, which reopened in 2007 as a secular museum in a ceremony to which Armenian government officials and the international press were invited.

Since then, Turkish officials have been reluctant to allow any religious activities at the site beyond a service scheduled for the end of this month, a stance that has offended Armenian religious leaders. Meanwhile, some Muslim Turks have also protested the church's reopening on the grounds that a Christian place of worship, even if run as a museum, is inappropriate in a Muslim country.
Armenian children on field trip ousted for religious activities at Sourp Khatch church in Turkey

It was in this context that the visit of a group of Armenian schoolchildren to Sourp Khatch became an international incident. The children were on a field trip sponsored by an Armenian youth education group called Hay Aspeth (Armenian Knight). When the children began to light candles in the church, a Turkish policeman in the building told them they could not, as the soot from the candles would stain the church walls. The group then moved into the center of the room with their lit candles and began to sing and pray, at which point the police told them to leave the church.

The children and their escorts continued to sing and pray outside the building, on the church grounds, but police also disrupted their efforts to light incense and candles at gravestones and cross-stones in the churchyard.

The field trip, which ended Aug. 17, was sponsored by Hay Aspeth in order to introduce Armenian youth to the historic heart of Armenia, which lies today in eastern Turkey.

Some Turkish newspaper commentators have criticized the Turkish government's behavior in reopening the church as largely a publicity stunt to score points in the court of world opinion.

This brief article raises several important issues if and when Armenians seriously challenge Turkey to reclaim their rights, including lands. It appears that people are attempting to define the claimant. That I would consider progress in the path of exploring the correct legal grounds.

According to this article it's only the successors of the Genocide and not the entire Armenian body that can be the claimant. This seems to be logical. Yet, to my understanding, it's only a state, a country that can bring matters related to Genocide to International courts according to conventions recognized by international institutions. Where does that leave the present Republic of Armenia? The authors seem to exclude it. Can somebody knowledgeable of the legal issues clarify this matter please?

Nax togh indz nervi yete Latin darerov g´grem cavok chem yuracrac hayerenove. Aramais in e oughvadz ays post-es.

Sireli, hamadzayn em kez hed  Hayastani-in bedk er Shvedagan tipi socialism Soved miutyan pluzumic yedk. Sagayn ,arnvazn indz haydni e inchu ayd ch´dasavorvec yev voch mntsort 14 ourish respublica nerin...ancnink..kanzi cavok mer Hairenik ingadz e "wild, free economy" hosankin mej, yev havada anhanrin e ayd oughutyun  pokhele.

Nouynn al g´veraperi miusnerun i bacaryal yete mi Anagngal heghapokhutyun gam arnvazn yeghapokhtyun deghi ounena.Yergrortin yes aveli g´havadam.Toghnenk gousagcaganutyan gam gaghparagan modecumner (gidem ko gaghparabanutyun-wor vsdah em yergar dariner Shvedya abrelov yeghapokhvadz e aveli Shveda-Finlanda yev harevvan meg yergu ourish yergirneru tekoumin. La,shad lav. Bayc ov  e "zangage gadvi vzin gakhelu?" yentadrenk socialisdagan hoverov ARF-Dashnagcutyune? Cavok noka el chunencan ayd hghich ouyzhe yev chunen-yes gusagcagan chem yev chem el linelu. Ounem  im Loucoum, zor voch ays gayke-eji vra bidi hradaragvi-ayd porcel em, yev voch ourishneri...asel e hosankneri tekvogh gam badganogh. Ouremn sharunagoum em miaynag jankers.Vercheres Yerevan bavagan andzderi hed shpvel em, orinag,Barouyr Hairikian, Rafi Hovanissian, Shavarsh Kocharyan, Arman Giragosian, Lavrenti Barseghyan, Armen Ayvazyan, Ara Papian, XXX zor aveli lourj bahdonneri vra en, garj, zinyal ouyzheri meg jyughavoroum, spyurki naxararutyan, yev der mi ges dasnyag  yevs.

Haye inknishkhan e bnouytov, shad dzhvar meg miusin lsogh gam nuynisk get mdig dvogh, yev amena sarsapelin wor vercherres barz grvetz indz harcazrouyc varogh journalist Ashkhdac tertoum ayn e 4rt inknishkhanoutyun, Hunis 30, tiv 157, yev 159 tiv Hulis 2. Meberoumnerov ourish garevor mer mdavoraganneric ayd masin nshel em. Iharge bun nbadags ayd che, ayl spyurki veragazmavorum wor ays gayk eji khmbakir lav gidi, tebedev im Angliereni dgar linelu gam ays ayn badjarnervov chi ouzel  hantroutyan nergayacvi, gayk ejs el www.Armeniad-worldwide.org arten grete daari e wor chem garoghacel veradarcnel ir degh. Nouynisk Yerevan yeridasartner wor ayd masnagidutyan mej en chen garoghacel Amerigyan web hosting ic kashel debi irencin. Ispnancin gaser. "Ve te a saber" go figure out why, gna hasgcir gdri inchu. Toghnenk kez maghtum em hajoghutyun ayd nbadagid hasnelun ayne iragan Yevrobagan, aveli jisdt Shevedagan socialist Armenia. Worin yes necug g´linem amoghj eutyamb, aveli shud glinei, sagayn shad oush enk mnacel hosank danoum e....debi verohishyal system wor amrqgrvqdze e nakhgin 15 oum el. Desnenk havadank hrashkneri.
dzerd,
Hama Haigagani siro,
Gaytzag  Palandjian 

Gergrortem esadzet Serj, bedk e zkouch ellal Terenig-en, manavant vor al chad vad anoun ouni haygagan cherchanagi mech.  Zarmanalin ayn e vor  kani me dariner arach, irarou tem baykar ounetsadz en (Terenig vs. Appahayr).

Such an honest and sobering commentary on Armenian affairs is refreshing. Also, thanks to your first commenter for pointing out the tragic disconnect between higher education and nation building in Armenia. But, perhaps the crushing pain and humiliation of 20th century Armenian history is finally lifting so that we can begin to see the world as it really is.

I am glad that there are people like Mr.. Mekhitarian that have the courage to write, and open the public's eyes on what's behind the closed curtains of Mekhitarian  Congregation today.

It will be a pleasure to have a conversation with Mr. Mekhitarian discussing theses matters.

B. Aghbashian's approach to our most important problems is highly appreciated. Armenia, Artsakh and Diaspora equally invite our full attention and full support.

We hope to organize our socio-intellectual brain power, to purify the ideas expressed therein and to create a solid ground for our national ideology.

Thanking u for this opportunity,

Aram Sepetjian

I made an effort to read all available articles on Keghart.com written by Mr. Vosgan Mekhitarian. Is it a coincidence that his name and that of the congregation are the same? All contain materials that it's hard to think they are fabricated. What surprises me is the absence of public response by the congregation itself to these allegations, unless I have missed them. Something which is not unlikely.

It would serve the public's interest if somebody could clear the air and either refute the allegations of mismanagement and a behaviour almost bordering incompetence or provide a plausible explanation of why things are run the way they are.

Let me remind only one instance amongst many. It's almost unbelievable that a lawn that bears an interest rate in double digits is favoured against another which is less by more than half. Is this a made up story? Any member of the non-profit organization mentioned by Mr. Mekhitarian, I think, can simply visit Bank of America and verify.

Probably Boghos Mardirossian, who has commented, is partly correct in stating that character and personalities should be off limit. That for the sake of not confusing issues at hand with traits and what not of persons involved. Their actions surely should be looked at and investigated for as long as they affect "Armenian Life" as he terms it.

In this day and age nobody is beyond public scrutiny, not even presidents and prime ministers or the Pope. Would it be "insulting" to add the revered Appahayr Yeghia's name on this list? Nobody is infallible. One might be a great teacher and spiritual leader but lack the skills of management.

I am baptized in Armenian Orthodox Church and have married in Armenian Evangelical Church. We have baptized our elder son in Armenian Orthodox Church and our younger and last child in Armenian Evangelical Church. However, I had never set foot in an Armenian Catholic Church until this past December 24 Christmas Eve when for the very first time, I attended Mass in the Armenian Catholic Church in Glendale, California because I happened to be in LA.

I admit that I had remained uninformed all my life about the Armenian Catholic Church. Attending Mass in the Armenian Catholic Church for the very first time became an eye-opening education to me. Hearing the Mass in Armenian and the sermon in an impeccable Armenian, seeing the carvings on the walls of the church of our great religious leaders, the exquisite sanctuary and the impressive complex will forever remain etched in my memory as first impressions are lasting impressions. Henceforth, whenever there is an Armenian Catholic Church I will head there on December 24 to celebrate Christmas and I urge all Armenians to do so along with the January 6 Armenian Christmas Celebration.

I have never met Appahayr Yeghia but I have remained so impressed by him because of the short presentation I read about him for the very first time in Kessabtsis Yearbook and Directory. I admit I am biased in favor of Kessabsis. I took the liberty and wrote the following about Appahayr Yeghia in the article titled Kessab Ousoumnasirats Celebrates Centennial that Keghart graciously published on January 8 of this year. In that article I wrote the following about Appahayr Yeghia “Father Yeghia Kilaghbian left Kesssab at the age 13 to attend the Mkhitarian monastic order on San Lazaro Island in Venice, and is now the Abbot of the Mkhitarian order famed for its Armenian scholarship.” I regard his quest for life long celebrates priesthood in service to God and people a vivid testimonial of a devoted man.

Lately I have been reading controversial assessments about Appahayr Yeghia. It is a common knowledge that “motive” is the primary driver when investigating a misdeed. I believe the Keghart readers will be better informed if the motives behind this controversy are discussed and not the controversy per se.

Reading these articles and letters, naturally I wonder, what could possibly the motives of Appahayr Yeghia be? It does not seem plausible that a life long celibate priest of the order not to have the best intentions for the order in his own way. He is the Appahayr, which I assume is the highest authority of the order. All may not share Appahayr’s actions and decisions. However, it is his prerogative to make such decisions in his best judgment. Therefore the reader will be better informed if the perceived ill intended motives of the Appahayr are discussed rather than the decisions of the Appahayr that may not sit well with some or many.

Your Hidden agenda of dissolving Mekhitarist congregation  will not be sucessful Mr. Vosgan.

Once an Indian Muslim asked Mahatma Ghandi to get converted from Islam to Hinduism. The great leader instead of encouraging his Muslim admirer said,  "In spring the beauty of the garden comes with many colours of flowers, not with one colour".

Armenian Christian life's beauty is in its diversity and not having one adminstrative Christian administration. We are not communists lead by one centre. We like to be united with each other much like the founding fathers who wrote the American constitution, but held their varying views as intellectuals.

You are living in the United Sates of America and not in the Republic of China. Although all the States are united together, each has its own local legislature, laws and governor, serving under one flag. The citizens of each state feel responsible for the protection, success and progress of USA.

Let us be constructive critics of Armenian life in general rather than destructive. Mekhitarist "chah" is shining forever and I think verchaluyse will never come and God forbid that day. Jesus our Lord will not allow that.

Abri Mekhitarian chahe yev ir hedevortnere.

 

Up until last year, my 11th pilgrimage to RA,  there was a news weekly published by the Hamshentsi(s) in Yerevan and the name of the paper was "Hamshentsiner".

I sent them a few e-mails, but received no response.

May be they went out of print or else were not well disposed to have an "intruder".I wonder. Hope they continue to publish though.

Does anyone online know of it?

All Hamshen people in Germany know you...The Imam of Hattersheim promised to give a special interview for keghart in September, when I will be once more here. Don't lose hope at all! The Convert Armenians and Zaza movement for identity is in Renaissance here and Western Armenia, as I saw it this time around.

Sorry for the shameless self-promotion, but I would like to point the book I edited on the topic, published three years ago: "The Hemshin: History, Society and Identity in the Highlands of Northeast Turkey" (London: Routledge, 2007)

It is available at online booksellers such as Amazon and Barnes&Noble.

To my knowledge, it is the only book in English on the topic of the Hemshin, or Islamicized Armenians of Hamshen:

Also, could you please put me in contact with the Turkish Imam of Hemshin origin?

Somehow Chauvinian had eluded me as an Armenian family name. It is said that our last names refer to a trade, region, a physical feature, a prominent person, etc. I could not relate the Chauvinians to any such source. It would not be, I thought, in reference to chauvinism, which according to Wikipedia primarily means “an exaggerated, bellicose and a blind belief in national superiority and glory.” Chauvinism is not an Armenian word. Then again, who knows? Our Cilician kings were “Lousssinians”. Of course I meant to say Lusignan, who also hailed from France much like Mr. Chauvinian.

As to Avedis or his likes, how I wish one of them became the measuring stick in one of those “Little things like Nobel Prizes, for instance". I mean, we all would have been genuinely proud. Would any reader say otherwise?

Re Chauvinian...
1. I didn't think it was funny--and not because I consider myself an Armenian patriot.
2. It was old hat. There was no new twist or perception.
3. The writer took forever to get to the point.
4. The ending petered out.
5. Chauvinism is a natural and necessary defense mechanism of minorities--racial, religious, gender, etc. Experience has demonstrated that if a minority doesn't insist that it exists, that it contributes to the "greater society", the ruling/majority society will push it beyond the fringe to extinction and appropriate the minority's contributions. From countless examples, let one suffice. Thirty years ago I bought an album titled "Great Russian Composers." Among them was Aram Khachaturian. If we don't repeat to ourselves and to others that Khachaturian is Armenian, nobody would. The album also featured Caesar Cui. He was Lithuanian, while Borodin was Georgian.
6. Chauvinism is not just a minority monopoly behaviour. Even powerful nations can be "accused" of it, with the USA sitting in the driver's seat. Despite its millions of contributions, the USA makes every effort to shamelessly and greedily appropriate, assimilate the contributions of various racial/ethnic/national groups as its own. Hundreds of Canadian actors, for example, have gone to Hollywood for fame and money, yet you never hear that Dan Aykroyd, Jim Carrey, Lorne Greene, Raymond Burr, William Shatner, Yvonne de Carlo, Glenn Ford, Norman Jewison, Rich Little, Raymond Massey and hundreds other Hollywood luminaries are Canadian. Meanwhile, Canada and Egypt claim Atom Egoyan as their own. 

While above news is heartening and encouraging, as I indicated earlier... to get our Armenian Bar Association involved and join forces with said law firm, it is regrettable that news broadcast from RoA TV channel(s) describe it as being a class action suit by the entirety of the Diaspora. It was clearly pointed out by the said law firm that it was on behalf of two plaintiffs--one from NY, the other LA.

Such incorrect newscasts create misgivings, to say the least. The persons editing the news items on Yerevan TV stations should read carefully the original disclosure by the authors and then telecast them. This ought to apply to all such news from Diaspora to the fatherland

I have to confess I did not know about the Herero genocide (not even Samantha Power mentioned it in her excellent book A Problem from Hell. Clearly the Armenian (+ Assyrian + Greek) genocide took place (at least partly) because the former was forgotten in less than 10 years.

The trouble with genocide victims is that we compete – by means of superlatives like first, most, cruellest and other “st”s – for the honor of being the most relevant, to the point of ignoring - or even sabotaging -  others’ quest for recognition, instead of joining hands to effectively tell human society of all the horrors of the past century or so.

Dear Vahe,

Do we know how many Armenians practice Christianity?

Is it being  Christian to attend church "zadigeh zadig", or when we are in trouble to say "Ya Hissous" or to cross the dough when making bread ..and so on?

To my knowledge the Hashemites too practice some of these traditions.

I understand and appreciate the concerns brought forth in this editorial, but I do not understand why our people have not understood the nil value of international courts, the UN Charter and similar pieces of internatioal law junk. You can flush them down the toilet, as far as I am concerned. When it comes to reality, all is decided by force, whether it be political-economic pressure or blood spilled on the battle field. Just have a look around you and try to interpret the cases of Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine, Cyprus and others in the frame of those same international laws. Do they fit? How are they being applied? Would you call Saddam Hussein's trial an example of law and justice or simple murder and revenge (to shut his mouth before he could expose US misdeeds)? Enough is enough. Why are we fooling ourselves with these hypocritical volumes of paper? Let's drop the mask and accept humanity for what it is... the same beast as it was in Stone Age or earlier.

Regarding Karabakh, I have no doubt that the superprostitutes (no offense, but prostitutes have incomparably more dignity) will trample on all the rights and wishes of the people of the land. They will even be willing to exterminate whole nations for their interests. What do you expect of such states when they are prepared to sacrifice thousands of their own ciizens for the sake of creating an excuse for intervention here and there? I have not eaten my brains with cheese to believe that 911 or the Moscow bombings were the work of Al-Qaeda or Chechen rebels. Even if by some miracle Azerbaijan and Turkey are pressured to accept the reality of Karabakh, how long do you think their recognition will last? I am sure that as soon as they feel the moment is in their favour, they will put aside all the treaties and fulfill what they have been dreaming of for a thousand years: Wiping out all non-Turkic nations on the lands Turks have invaded. In my view, we have nothing to lose. It's an existential matter for us. I am sure that their appetite will not end upon swallowing Karabakh. The more you give the more they will demand. It has been like that for ages, and I have no reason to believe that it will be any different in the future.

The only thing that could make them and their "super" friends think twice is our capacity to generate havoc and inflict serious pain. That's where we should focus all our efforts. We should make it clear to them that in our addition to the military, our primary targets would be the interests of the international whores--the petroleum and gas infrastructures. I do not look at the Azerbaijani people (except its blood-sucking elite) as enemies. I feel sorry for them since they are pawns in this dirty game and as usual whenever hostilities break out ordinary civilians suffer most. If things turn bad, the elite has its fortunes safely tucked in banks abroad and is always prepared to flee.

What concerns the so-called international community is our capacity. They can repeat the Turkish proverb "Sen salla bashini; ben bilirim ishimi" (wave your head as much as you like; I know what I'm doing). They kill millions of people around the world to rob their resources, but blandish slogans of freedom, civilized values--democracy, human rights and other BS. This is their mode of action. If they care for justice, let them come and face us on the field, instead of the poor Azerbaijani soldier who does not know what he is fighting for and who will end up as the loser in all cases.

A. Z. Davidian MD
Stepanakert-Yerevan

To Joyce, When, as you say, Torkom supposedly said the Jews were the only people capable of following the commandments, was that before or after he was spit on?

I was in Istanbul for the first time this past April. 

I felt at home and alienated at the same time. It is an odd, but expected feeling.

I noted that half of the people I saw in the streets looked somewhat Armenian. It made me wonder how many others are there like Nureddin Simon. How many Turks have Armenian bloodlines?

Great story. Thanks for sharing.

Mark

At least, she said "Maybe you are right" and didn't start kicking and screaming, like many Armenians would imagine based on their demonised stereotypes of Turks. There are tons of evidence (both physical and academic) of massacres that Armenians committed against Muslims in the course and aftermath of WWI, but not a single Armenian would even consider the possibility of that being true and say "Maybe the massacres were indeed mutual."

I am afraid you have parsed my words incorrectly, and unfortunately, with the intent of misrepresenting my position. All I say to you, sir, is that if you insist on generalizing an entire culture by a handful of pithy, hurtful, debasing comments then you are contributing to the perpetuation of hatred in this world --pure and simple. I wonder what you think about Turks in general? Do you see them subhuman as a whole? Do you feel that they ought to be sent back to the Altai Moutains, or better yet, be totally eradicated? Because if you feel this way (and I suspect you do deep down in your wounded heart) then I wonder if you think the Germans ever deserve redemption for what they did? 

As for being a propagandist, I can assure to you I am not. Nowhere in my comments to you (or to others) did I imply anything other than asking for civility and respect for people that are not your own. If you can detail for me the logical sequence of arguments that link this position with being a "cheap" propagandist then I will shut up and back down and yield to you, sir.

And since you are prying for my position, genocide did happen as far as I am concered. A nation, this nation, must step out of its denial and come to terms with what happened. Japan is another example in this regard as far as their misdeeds during their occupation of Manchuria is concerned. I believe the time is right for this to happen across the board and the events of 1915 top the list of matters to address.

So come to think of it, if I am a "cheap propagandist", as you so assiduosly stated then I will have to say that "yes" I am one, but I work for global love and reconciliation and not for any nation or state.

Get with it, man. It's a pure simple fact: hate begets hate.

I have nothing to reconcile with Turks -- they are not my intimates that have somehow become estranged.

Armenians expect the return of their patrimony and to be compensated for their losses.

Even then it would not be enough.

You may not care to reconcile but then what do you say to those in South Africa?  Reconciliation had to occur not only between whites and blacks but also between all of the myriad tribes and sub-groups who also consider one another as the "other".  So whatever it may be - unless you want to live in a world walled-out by hatred and misery, it is high time we reconcile or else the same sort of things like genocides and massacres will continue to happen.

I take issue with this statement of yours, Mr John Keusseyan,

"In order to have a dialogue with anybody, they have to have that mental/intellectual capacity."

To suggest by implication that Turks who grow up in Turkey lack the intellectual capacity to participate in self-reflective and critical dialogue is incredibly offensive and, I am sorry to say, racist.  With an attitude like that of an angry child, you can never expect to make progress.  If you are so willing to cast away an entire society with such simplistic generalizations then you should realize that you are participating in creating exactly the type of poisonous atmosphere that leads to groups killing groups.

Shame on you.  And shame on you to say that the majority of the Turkish electorate are illiterate.  This is a lie and hurtful.

The problems in Turkey are wide and deep and quite profound.  These are being addressed one-by-one.  Unless you believe in democracy-by-the-sword type of cultural "rehabilitation" then you and we must take on a patient strategy of education.  The "Deep Mountain" approach is exactly the sort of thing that ought to be done.

Bravo.

Winning Turkish hearts and minds? I used to be that naïve. Anti-Armenian propaganda starts at a very young age in Turkey and even though there are a  few Turks who dissent and are brave enough to speak up (and eventually end up in exile) the rest see Armenians as insects that must be crushed. Kemalist, Islamist, Gray Wolf of all ages and intellectual levels I have come across all lose it when challenged by an Armenian.

 

There should be only two main reasons to push Turkey on the Armenian Genocide issue: to avenge and bring peace to the spirits of the victims of the Genocide of Armenians; to put as much international pressure on the criminal Turkish government as possible.

 
The Turkish government knows that the recognation of the Genocide would tear the fabric of their society apart. I don’t care what Turkey or racist Turks recognize......too late for that. 
 

Turkey commits race extermination against Armenians; occupies Cyprus and now massacres Kurds...Turkey is a murderer state.

 

Wolf Hunter

My name is Kathrin Pollow. I'm doing research for a German film project. We heard that Armenian women, already in possession of the US-American citizenship, traveled to Cuba in order to marry Armenian immigrants, who went there to evade the immigration quotas of the United States in 1921. Once married, they entered the States as a couple. Have you heard of this? Or would you or your family know somebody who can tell me more?
Would be great to hear from you.

I am an Armenian and very proud of it;  however, at  times  I feel ashamed that even a guy who has a PhD can be so uneducated and ignorant.  This book is just Armenian propaganda. Azeris have a ver long history. Azeri means a fire in farsi. Go educate yourself for God's sake.

Azeris like us had their kingdoms and were indegenous people of Caucasus until they were taken over by the Seljuk Turks. Azeris were not even muslim. I feel sorry for lots of Armenians since they don't or don't want to lean other peoples' history. Get out of your 100 000 fake show off baptisms and learn to appreciate human culture.

Racism sucks. Hajoxutyun dzes

Annie wrote  " The Turks have an urge for destruction and you can see this in their treatment of their citizens and in Cyprus too."

This sentence takes me back several decades when I was a teenager. We had a Turkish neighbour who was in the army during the Korean war. One of the few who came back in one piece. According to him there was a very old bombed out building in Seoul . The United Nation decides that they  should demolish that huge building for whatever reason. They bring in bulldozers, winches , etc...whatever is needed. However, it takes longer than they thought it would take and the job dragged on and on.....Somebody (with knowledge it seems) says, " Bring in Turks, they know how to demolish" ...and indeed they bring a contingent of Turkish soldiers with nothing but picks and axes. Guess what...the whole building is flattened in 48 hours.

Such is the nature of the beast.

As over half the countries of Europe, over half the States of America and all reputable historians have fully acknowledged the Armenian Genocide it is time to take the Armenian Genocide as a 'given' and act accordingly.

Ruth Barnett

We, "Friends of Hrant Dink", have on numerous occasions hosted Turkish jounalists, authors, academicians and political figures who have come to Harvard and other institutions in Boston. Aside from meeting with many local Turks, we have been able to open a dialog of respect and understanding. Many Turks have not been exposed to their history thus know nothing of the genocide. One prominent Turkish academician and journalist said he knew nothing of the Armenian Genocide until he was forty five years old. He, along with many other Turks, travels with a bodyguard provided by the government, for their acknowledgement of the genocide. Positive articles were written in prominent Turkish newspapers when they were introduced to the few remaining Armenian survivors, to whom they gave great respect. We look forward to having conferences and seminars to promote the legacy of Hrant Dink with those Turks who recognize the genocide. They in turn can reach out and educate those Turks who know nothing of the Armenian Genocide except what their government sponsored history expouses.

It is NOT the job of Armenians to "reform" Turkey, as desirable as that may be.  We are not their psychiatrists or their nannies. 

We are not related to Turks; and we are not even from the same family.  So, what is there to "reconcile"? 

For Armenians who cling to every word uttered by a Turk or for an artificial gesture by a Turk to exhibit reform: it is not your job.   We have our own country – Armenia - to reform.

 

I support the strategy of reaching to the Turkish people directly bypassing their denialist government bodies.

Another venue would be the leadership and membership of the diaspora Turkish communities who are in regular contact with their kin in Turkey.

Even though we expect them to be more enlightened and "westernsized" my own experience has not been positive.

As members of Canadian ethnocultural organisations I have had discussions with some Turkish community leaders who while admitting that "yes many armenians were killed but your gangs killed also thousands of Turks."

It may be that the younger diaspora Turks will be more conscious and accepting of the overwhelming historical facts and support   recognition and justice for the Armenian genocide.  

Another way of reaching the Turkish public is by commenting on Turkish newspaper (Hurriyet for example) articles concerning Armenia/Armenians/Turkey published daily on the web. There are many Armenians who diligently read, comment and exchange ideas with Turkish readers who are mainly of the extreme right and deniers of the Genocide.

Amazingly the United States Government looks the other way when it comes to the matter of who resides in the holy land. America, since its inception, has a well documented record of how it treats indigenous peoples. But for America to take sides in this matter is blasphemous. No matter because as we Armenians are learning, our rights in  Karabagh have nothing to do with western realities. We will get crushed in Jerusalem just as we will lose more of our historic homeland to expediency.

It was not by design at all that the counter was "lost". On the contrary, Keghart.com team installed the feature exactly for the reasons that you mention, and we wanted both the authors and the readers to know how many readers have visited a particular item. It had a cumulative character to it. Over time some of the articles were visited by more than 10,000 viewers.

I am not knowledgeable on the technical aspect and the webmaster will look into the matter. From what I understand the system was overloaded on a couple of occasions when many readers clicked at the same time, specially when new items were posted. This caused disruption (not to mention hacking on a few occasions in the past). Some features were removed. I hope the webmaster reinstalls the counter.

I could not agree with Lucine Kasbarian more, as Serzh and Nalbandian are both ready to sell our interests, be it our liberated lands in Artsakh,be it western Armenia, be it our mother language for foreign schools, this President and his team are a bunch of corrupt crooks ready to serve their foreign masters, or else their dirty dossier will be leaked to the world by his masters. They smell from their head.

This is an answer to the person, who said, let the president of Armenia travel to  Jerusalem and show concern.

Remember both last 2 Armenian presidents who took money from Mormons, Christan Scientologist Church and Jehovah's Witnesses and allowed them to enter Armenia and practice. I hope you will get my drift.

This guy is a true Superman!  In such a short period of time he got the respect of many Canadian politicians and got promoted over and over again.

1. The conflict in Palestine is not between Jews and Moslems. It's between Palestinian Arabs and Israelis, the latter mostly from overseas. For your information, many Palestinian Arabs, including leaders and intellectuals, are Christian. To call the conflict "between Jews and Moslems" is like calling the Armenian vs. Azeri conflict one of Christians vs. Moslems. Mischievous or misinformed people like to reduce the Palestine conflict to a religious quarrel.

2.  Contrary to your description, the conflict is not a thousand year old. It began in 1917 with the colonian Britain's illegal Balfour Declaration which promised to Jews that Palestine would become their homeland.

3. Using the bible as a book of history serves no constructive purpose in an intellectual debate. And to continue to believe that Jews are the Chosen People of God is racism in reverse. What are Gentiles? Chopped liver?

4. Re the Nazis and the Holocaust, Israelis learned cruelty from the Nazis. They also learned racism.

5. It seems the Israeli government wants to turn the Christian part of Old Jerusalem into a Christian theme park (with some token Christians), which would enrich Christian-hating Israelis with money from naive, misguided or ignorant Christian tourists/pilgrims.

Best wishes and congratulations to Mr. Chitilian. We need more young people like him--Armenians who have a foot in both communities--Armenian and odar.

Archbishop Torkom Manoogian is 93 years of age.  His age is not in his favor to handle such circumstances at the moment nor are the dynamics of the situation.

The Patriarchate of Jerusalem is a separate entity and NOT under the jurisdiction of Etchmiadzin, therefore it would require changes to take place with the laws that govern the Armenian Patriarchate to have a new Patriarch selected under the influence of Etchmiadzin. 

Further to this, only members of the Brotherhood of St. James can elect a new Patriarch and the laws are such, that the sitting Patriarch remains in office until he passes away.

I know both Archbishops of whom you speak.  They both have their strong points  Given my knowledge of their capabilities, I would lean toward Archbishop Aykasian for the following reasons:  He has just completed his 2-year tenure as President of the National Council of Churches; He is multi-lingual; He is world traveled and knows many individuals of influence internationally; He is outstandingly gifted at dealing with people; He was born in the region-Turkey; He is smart and without question would know to immediately bring in the necessary business heads around him to handle the Patriarchate, the Israeli Government, the other primary/secondary Christian groups responsible for the Holy Sites as well as coordinate efforts with Etchmiadzin.

This is a very complicated situation to which I do not believe the current Patriarch has much he can do about changing the course of events.  He, nor the Patriarchate are a government to be able to negotiate this situation with the Israelis.

Way to go Harut! It's exhilarating to see a young person achieve so much in such a short time thanks to the youth. Kudos!!

I understand there are technical difficulties bringing everyone into a single location for meetings, can we at least try technology to overcome that?

- WebEx, LiveMeeting or gotomeeting.

I understand the value of presence, but if that is difficult, let alternatives be used. Let technology help.

Thanks for the info. It is an interesting initiative, but the hardest thing to do in order to make it "fly" is to have some buy-in from existing diasporan organisations. That is also the most exasperating thing to do. It is the case in all similar situations, Armenian or other; established institutions don't like new initiatives (even if the idea is very good).

I don't know what the game plan is for WAN Congress. Do they want to move slowly, with lots of community outreach to ensure buy-in, or do they want to plough ahead, and by-pass the "establishment"? The latter is appealing if there is a large enough support base to draw on. But if not, then a piecemeal loooong-term approach is necessary, entailing all sorts of compromises. Not easy choices. Of course, hayasdan is going to raise an eyebrow too.... not to mention Turkey! In any case, let me know how things pan out.

After I sent the message I poked around a little bit for further info on WAN. So, here is some further comments.

It would be important for the initiative to have a mission and a vision, that is clearly articulated. That is not clear to me, beyond an abstract idea of representing Western Armenians. I think a clear set of objectives should emerge from the meeting. It helps to ask: what is the problem that the Congress wishes to fix?

2010 is not 1919. Historical points of reference might actually deter from its vision instead of augment it. I suggest to have a vision that is inspirational and future looking.

Similarly, no need to use divisive language such as corrupt leaders of Armenia. They are corrupt, all know it. No need to "cheapen" your mission by taking jabs here and there, at least in writing. People get inspired by forward looking "can do" ideas.

The issue of "representing" the diaspora, which seems to be at the heart of this initiative, is a bit of a red herring. Who represents whom? This can never be solved, short of a vote. Is a vote in the diaspora possible? I think not. Let's assume there is a vote; are you going to prevent hayasdantsis in LA from voting because they are not western armenians? I think representation issue can be solved by having a good idea, and having a number of people -- especially quality people -- coalesce around it. And being modest about it -- not claiming to represent "Western Armenians" but representing members of the organisation who come from... (fill in as appropriate...)

Preparing a legal case. This is dangerous because you could lose. I am not aware anything in international law that would favour Armenians at this stage. (Ara Babyan's stuff is pure myth!) The Genocide issue is all about politics, and the struggle should be about politics too.

I don't understand the Moscow connection.... (well, I do, from the money perspective, but how many western Armenians are there in Moscow?).

In terms of publicising the initiative, and hence generating support, you need professional communication strategy, a series of public events, charasmatic individuals -- men AND women -- and the whole 9 yards of "selling" ideas. This should not be an afterthought. Perhaps, from this perspective, you should even consider a different name. Western Armenian National Congress is too segmental (western), too talk shop (congress), and for those who are in the know, too backward looking (the idea of national congresses is passe).

It is too late at night, so I can't think of any clever alternative, but a name that conveys "future", "initiative", "dyanamism", etc. -- with a good catchy acronym! Communications can seem like a flippant thing for content and issue driven people, but heck, in the 21st century, you gotta listen to your Comms department!

These are some random thoughts to help with the critical feedback that you are asking for.

Yalla, kisher pari!

I get the impression that because Patriarch Torkom has been ailing for some time, the St. James Brotherhood is drifting rudderless. Some of the clergy are taking advantage of the situation, as the editorial, I believe, said, and are ignoring the Patriarch, who is probably too ill too impose his will.

Besides, at this juncture mean-spirited and corrupt clergymen might nurse an exaggerated sense of their power: they could believe they would be courted ($$$$?) during the eventual election "campaign." Perhaps the Vehapar can influence the outcome of the inevitable election by talking to the 15 St. James Brotherhood clergymen who serve in overseas parishes. To get elected, a candidate needs 22 votes. I don't know anything about the 10 clergymen from Armenia who are members of the St. James Brotherhood. One would assume that they could be influenced by the Catholicos in Holy Etchmiadzin during the election process.

I think it is great that this organization is adopting the name "Western Armenian". This term should not only refer to the fact that it organizes the (Western) Armenian Diaspora, but should also refer to the territory of Western Armenia itself which the WAN-C should actively claim as a way for Turkey to repair for the damages done to the Armenian nation.

A way to achieve this should be to gain support from non-Armenians as well, just like Zionism back in the days. However, contrarily to Zionism, we already have a dormant document (Sevres Treaty) that constitutes a legal basis for our claims.

All should be done is with the support and even participation of all traditional and experienced Diaspora organizations such as the ARF... If there is no support, then there is no point for WAN-C to exist because its aims are relatively similar to our traditional organizations.

Vrej, It's hard to believe that to be so since Torkom has had such close ties with Etchmiadzin. Can it be that there's a revolt against the archbishop? How times have changed! There was a time when Torkom was in the running for the top job. But then again, nothing surprises me anymore. I wonder whether this thick headedness is not just isolated to Jerusalem. Are there any westerners in the Brotherhood? Are there any non Russian Armenians in  Vagharshapat?

The bottom line is the feeling of isolation in Jerusalem. Do those that still live there feel that they've been left to their own devices? It's just how the Armenians of Iraq must have felt when nobody would stand up for them. Knowing that Jerusalem has no moral support is akin to rubbing salt into the wound.  

Shavarsh, let the concern for Jerusalem and anywhere else our people have a presence, come from the highest authority. We don't need a visit from "Hillary" as a broker. Torkom came back to Jerusalem with the full blessing of Catholicos Vasken - bless his soul - so it's about time our Russian Armenian compatriots accept their responsibility - not just fund raising events - for all Armenians.  We want leadership? Then let it come from our spiritual home. The diaspora has been waiting too long for a signal from Armenia.

Pope John Paul touched my heart along with the rest of the world by his association and pilgrimages to visit his people. Are Armenians less capable? 

When Catholicos Vasken visited New York to inspire us over Karabagh, Armenians came by the bus loads. I never felt prouder. 

Let  Catholicos Karekin do the same. No clergy or anyone else can pilfer even one more inch of sacred land away in Jerusalem. Until that day comes, I will continue to pine for my people.

It makes lots of sense what you are proposing. I might add that the Minister of the Diaspora should engage herself in such matters rather than wasting her time organizing seminars in Yerevan. Those meetings  serve only and only one purpose: expanding the circles of friends and what not for PR purposes.

Many of the conferences and seminars that the Ministry is either sponsoring or participating in can competently be organized by NGOs. "Thankfully"  there is no scarcity of them either in Armenia or the Diaspora. They keep on mushrooming by the day. One wonders who is financing them in Armenia where poverty is rampant, and thus cannot be supported locally.

Let the president of Armenia visit the sacred Armenian sites in Jerusalem and show his concerns and the importance of its protection. He does travel all over the world and  should stop being disengaged with his people. Let him visit San Lazarro and anywhere else there is an Armenian presence. By the same token, the Catholicos isn't chained to the compound in Etchmiadzin.

I, for one, have been waiting  for leadership to come from Hayastan.  

Dear Ms. Konyalian: The Turks suffered no particular "trauma" from committing genocide. Are we supposed to feel sorry for them? Give us all a break from such nonsense, please.

George Friedman is a soldier of the Empire. In the guise of balanced analysis, Friedman is doing the dirty work of good old US Imperialism. Since the Azeris have oil. are friends of Israel, and Turkey is a NATO ally, there's no way pen-for-hire Friedman would tell the truth. Talking of Caucasus Cauldron, it's being fueled by petroleum-rich Sultan Aliev and US-backed Georgia--the latter oppressor of Armenian and other minorities in Georgia. This side of the ocean, a truth-telling reporter Octavia Nasr was jist fired by CNN, just like other Western reporters who hace dared report the truth.

What is it with us the Armenian People? We have been suppressed by every bloody country you can name. USA pressuring for the stinky ratifications, Turkey threatening again and again after 95 years, Azeris wanting to grab Artsakh and declaring war with us, and worst of them all Israel not sharing the holocaust and genocide with us, and now kicking Armenians out of Jerusalem. We cannot go on like this and we must put an end to all this injustice - enough is enough for Armenia and Armenians. We either succeed or vanish forever.

We have survived this much and I think we can survive forever but we have to fight back against all odds. Kurds are doing it and their numbers are similar to ours - I say an eye for an eye and a sword for a sword. That’s the only way to be. There is no justice in this world, countries are all too busy for their own geopolitical interests and revenues, and who cares about us.

We must stand united and we must make ourselves heard over and over again.

 

Ay Minas jan Moskvayum 1 100 000 hay e aprum , bayc hayeri grats lragirn u girqn vacharelu 3 qgraiusi metr teg chi tglis ghgam dashnakcakan trrn Erevan Plaza hskayakah eazmahark xanutum, chbayats es dimeci Ambogj spyurqin: Pordzir inqd el hay gtnes u imac tas: Spyurqn petq e iren Hay pahi, vor Erevanum bun deats tshnaminrtn u nranc pnakaleznern chvochncha]nen hayutyann u jhud Lenini kchatats Hayastann: Jpta u gorts el ara:

Thank you for your comments about the state of the St. James Brotherhood. As a former Jerusalemite, I have noted another challenge to the Brotherhood: due to the difficult post-1967 years (the repressive Israeli Occupation decades) Brotherhood numbers have declined. As a result, the clergy devotes its time wholly to the guardianship, protection, and management (in addition to participating in church services) of Church properties.

There was a time, long ago, when St. James Brotherhood members did research and published books about our Church history, national history, illuminated manuscripts, and Armenology. Some even wrote poetry. Now the almost-defunct St. James Press used to publish the SION (quarterly) in those halcyon days.

Eli,

Whether church leaders are submissive and compliant to corruption, the answer is a BIG YES..YES..and again YES....Not only they are compliant they are also practising corruption and thievery.

I know a few wealthy individuals who have donated extremely big amounts to Etchmiadzin for specific purposes. Nothing has happened and the money has just vanished and no accounting is given. The church nowadays , instead of taking care of the poor, the needy, the sick, is trying to enlrage its real estate holdings....for what....Why build new churches in Yerevan when the country needs schools, hospitals? Why built a 15 million Church complex in Los Angeles when that money could be used for Armenian orphans?

I am disgusted.....

Your work is monumental and helps generations to connect. I read the story to my 17 year old grandson, Samuel Bedir Titizian--a Bedirian x Titizian progeny--who upon noticing the double connection between Apelian/Bedirian family with the Titizian family in his ancestry (Kerop and Anna), he exclaimed,  "That's very interesting and cool"!

It really is wonderful. Congratulations!

Kourken

a) Documents: Please e-mail or send me a copy of your documents so that I can show it to Mr. Vartkes Yeghiayan - a well known  lawyer who is specialized in dealing with this kind of documents relating to Armenian estates in the Ottoman Empire. 

c) Here are the Tenkerians whose names and addresses are in our Chork-Marzban mailing list:

On this website I keep reading about GROSS corruption of Armenian government officials and of the general population.  If such is the case, and since the Armenian Apostolic Church plays a major role in Armenian life, what are clergy, especially primary church leaders, saying and doing about it?  Is the Church daringly prophetic against corruption ... or is it submissive and compliant?  

I always wondered why the destruction of the Buddha figures in Afghanistan elicited a brisk response spearheaded by the USA. The answer came a couple of weeks ago when Afghanistan was reported to have incredible wealth of minerals (especially lithium).

I assure you that if Nakhichevan had anything similar, the "industrial wing" of NATO would have sent a "liberation" force.

There are some dramatic concentrations of forces in southern caucasus in preparation to strike Iran. Obviously they have come from Georgia and passed all the way to Azerbaijan. In analysis of recent events of the latest attack on Armenian land, I wonder what the armenian army is doing or planning to do?

...Nowadays it is all about correct timing, timing which can come once every 50 years or even 100 years. In fact our neighbours who are big giants are going to pass through a big storm and all we have to do is steer the wind in our direction to profit ourselves.

I sincerely hope that our army will eventually plan a massive attack and gain land in the aftermath of a storm cloud because this policy of defensive attrition does not work and in the end we will have to face a far bigger challenge.

I hope to hear some comments, especially from the military.

Dear Leo:

Over the course of 10 years, I volunteered my summers to work with a building organization (not Fuller) in rural Armenia. Diasporans worked closely alongside paid natives who, in turn, took advantage of our brotherly love. They stole anything that was not nailed down, including our building tools and belongings (we brought very little that was flaunt-worthy). Many lied with great finesse.

These episodes were among the most disturbing of my life.  After many failed attempts on my part to 'lead by example,' I have concluded that Armenia needs the kind of rehabilitation that a penal system professional (and not I) can provide. My days there are done. I refuse to reward bad behavior and become sick in the process. I have watched the system in Armenia even those corrupt reformers who have tried to change it from within. 

Vahe,

I really don't think that I have more of a right than those who have not done what I have in Armenia to speak out and voice their opinions.  As long as factual statements are being made and they are not inaccurate for the sake of causing harm to our nation, then everyone should and in fact does have the right to be heard. 

I encourage everyone, even those who have never steppped foot on Armenian soil, but are in tune with what is going on in Armenia, to scream at the top of their lungs if need be, to denounce what is going on in Armenia and demand that it be stopped and those behind it, be it SS, RK and LTP be tossed in prison now. 

The reality is that Armenia is not just the property of natives that live there, but it represents the identity of every Armenian in the Diaspora too.  For this reason, I think everyone and I mean everyone, especially those who know but keep quite, have an obligation to stand up and be heard.  Those who try to prevent this are doing a disservice to themselves and our nation.

If you want to help people like me and respect what we have been doing, then stand behind us and collectively let us be heard.

BTW, reading this editorial for the 3rd time, I feel that it really is not the opinion of the writer(s), but just a document that was written to see what people are thinking.  I say this as many things just don't add up.  If this is the case, then I really feel that the writer of this editorial needs to apologize to us all, as this topic is so absurd and a waste of our valuable time that we could be using on better things.  On the other hand, there really could be people out there who are so misguided (possibly the writer(s) of this editorial) that this is a very serious issue that need to be addressed if we are going to be successful in building our nation on a stable foundation.

I would ask that the author of this editorial chime in and do some explaining and refute what has been said if they don't want to discredit themselves further.

Also, on the topic of refuting and setting the record straight, I invite you to visit The Tuth Must Be Told  read and then if you agree, sign the petition that is posted there.

Sireli Leo Manuelian and fellow ungers: many of us (who read Keghart and comment here) are critical of the ROA government and its policies travel to Armenia regularly and work or volunteer there, to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem. We take offense that some may simply assume that anyone who speaks out in the Diaspora must be a fat cat who sits in judgment while not doing anything. Did it not occur to you that we who go to Armenia might see the rampant corruption up close and feel even more obligated to blow the whistle?

Without exposing, talking and debating these issues and than rectifying them don't ever expect Armenia to go forward with any genuine positive results for the masses. We have accumulated a debt-mountain and rising. You can bet your last dollar that a big chunk of that debt has been pocketed by ministers, as they don't know any better.

 
Justice must be seen to prevail in the eyes of the public. We are nowhere near that; sadly we have become a banana republic. I go further and say that these criminal lot will give most of our liberated lands to the Azeris in the very near future, in order to look good in the eyes of US, and EU so that they can close their eyes to the fundamental human rights violations taking place now in Armenia. This will be treachery and they must be put on trial.

 

Backing these lot means to back all these criminal activities and give them more appetite for more of the same.I have pointed the rest of the issues in my previous comments.

 

The choice is yours.

Much like the rest of the readers, I also have read criticism of the government of Armenia. I have read them almost exclusively at our home, mostly while sitting comfortably on a couch or laying there, I have read them during the four seasons of the year when the air conditioning or the heat in our house have been on to provide me with the comfort that I now have grown to consider my God given right.

Throughout these readings, my car has been in our garage at my disposition to use it at a moment’s notice. Oh, yeah, the refrigerator has been full to capacity and I am always remindful that I should not head there to break the monotony of my reading and be tempted to gulp soda, ice cream or maybe a beer. But I have always wondered what would I have done if I were in Armenia and unable to have ends meet and provide for my family the necessary sustenance and shelter. I bet I would have let the devil take me to bed, let alone Turkey.

I am not against criticizing the Armenian government. However our purse should be in equal measure to our mouths. The late Senator Robert Byrd, the long-standing chairman of the Appropriation Committee said “The basic power, which is probably more fundamental than any other power in the Constitution, is the power of the purse. That power of the purse belongs to the people, and that is where it is vested.” Without vesting our purse in the people of Armenia, our words directed at their elected officials will remain hollow and inconsequential and so will the aspirations of the citizens of Armenia of fair and just governance will remain inconsequential to its elected officials.
 

Thank you for raising such an interesting and important topic. For most Armenians in the diaspora, we have lived with a very romantic notion of Armenia. It is the land (in my case) of our grandparents and is the country that our righteous and long suffering people have nurtured for over 3000 years. This perception was developed further by our frustration over the genocide and one of its major effects .... the creation of the diaspora.  Armenia in our hearts was the land of the successors to Tigran, Mesrob Massdots and Khrimian Hairig.

There was no room in our dream state for problems like corruption or discord. In our perception, all Armenians got along and our incredible initiative was enough to overcome all problems.

Somewhere along the way, we forgot that 70+ years of Soviet control has altered the work ethic and value system of our people. Survival in a centralized system was critical. To do that , new "skills" were acquired.

When we "bash" Armenia, we forget the big picture that it will take a generation for new methods to be firmly in place. The church, a vital element in Armenian life fro over 1700 years was minimalized by the Soviets. Its resurgence will bring our traditional values back in the mainstream.

Our job in the diaspora is to help; not control. It's a long term project that needs our assistance. We have a chance to see the Armenia in our diaspora dream, but it will require us helping....even when we may not agree.

The Eurasia Foundation is searching for someone who will play saboteur (oops, I meant facilitator) in the mockery they call Turkish-Armenian "reconciliation." It's no secret that projects such as what Eurasia has in mind is part of a grand plan that will be in full swing by the time the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide rolls around.

Turkish and Armenian artists, musicians, photographers, architects, actors and others (have already been) and will continue to be invited to participate in very high-profile events that prey on their egos and vanities : to showcase their talents with the world while joining hands with each other to "forgive and forget," celebrate "friendship," and take part in "Joint" events, panels, concerts, lectures, exhibits and the like -- in Turkey, Armenia and the Diaspora.

From 2001-2004, David Phillips, a senior advisor with the US State Dept. tried to sell us TARC (he was its chairman). He failed to persuade the Armenian community to jump on his bandwagon. But that hasn't stopped him or the US State Dept. This past February, Phillips went to Armenia to celebrate the release of the Armenian-language version of his book, "Unsilencing the Past: Track II Diplomacy and Turkish-Armenian Reconciliation." (It was first published in English in 2005 by Berghahn Books.)

If TARC is dead, then why is Phillips peddling his book and ideas to various organizations and individuals in Armenia in 2010? So long as our Armenian community organizations and political parties do business with the corrupt Sargsyan regime, with the scheming US Embassy in Armenia, and go on such junkets to Turkey, they have blood on their hands.

TARC is reborn and we are in for no garden party, much less some progressive movement ushering in democracy.

1-Criticism  and  Unity -- It  was  Healthy  Criticism  and   Unity  of   all  classes  of   Diaspora  Armenians (including Amateurs )   which  Caused    to  freeze   the  "ominous   protocols"  or  at  least  changed  the tone and  the policy of surrender of our  officials  in Yerevan.
2- Without exception  every Armenian has the right to express his or her opinion
3- Remember  in Avarair  the "Zealous" in  Sardarabad  the "Khents" and in  Artsakh  the "Amateur  Peasants" said the last word.
4- Sir, If  our  President  Mr. Sargsyan  and  his administration  stop  corruption and oligarchy, and start selflessly  and courageously to defend  Armenia and Artsakh  people's  full   rights, then be assured that all groups of Armenian people will support and admire him. 

Right on the money, Annie.
I hadn't thought about it, but 'reconciliation' is a misleading lie.
To be reconciled one has to have been a friend.
Turkey has never been our friend--since the Seljuk and Ottoman marauders ravaged Armenia and held us as ra'ya (sheep) all those centuries (see 'Cringing Armenians in a recent Keghart.com). In 1915 they slaughtered the ra'ya.
What reconciliation?

Sireli Hamo,

Thanks for your article. Good people are worth remembering. Armenians are always grateful for such people who would understand and value our positions among them.

I do not remember if I have heard the name of the champion you mention here but probably many Beiruti people recognize him and  thank him.

Thanks Hamo. I will share this article on my wall.

We do not need to wait until and when Turkey recognises the Genocide. We can start now to claim what belonged to us in courts similar to that Greek Istanbul family which was able through the EU supreme court to get back their Istanbul confiscated/stolen properties. Imagine that Turkey is sued with hundreds of thousands court cases...

It's good to read and consider Razmik's thoughts on this topic.  I certainly found arguments (some difficult) that I (and others) need to mull over.

The one point that I was looking for is what the future is for diasporan work in the various countries they are living in.  Here in the UK, we are lobbying as much as we can to keep the topic in front of politicians, academics and NGOs (including the wide dissemination of Geoffrey Robertson QC's independent legal opinion). Does this not have a value in our armoury that needs to be commented on?

My own view is that we the Armenians now have less than five years left to achieve genocide recognition and the consequnces that follow.  If Turkey resists until the 100th anniversary of 1915, what could possibly happen to take this forward after that?  The final denial will have been achieved at this milestone (or deadline in my view).

So all forms of advancing our case have to be adopted and with more energy as time passes. 

Although I admired your editorial (as I admire nearly all of them) for its balanced reasoning, its positive action-mindedness, its opposition to “let’s bash Armenia” and its lighting a candle tendency; and though I am one of those who take personal affront from the bashings, yet there are quite a few points where I have to disagree, namely:

Blockades by Turkey and Azerbaijan are, in fact, one of the smallest woes of Armenia, blown out of proportion by successive governments to cover their shortcomings.

To criticize Serzh Sargsyan and Co. is not pointless. Even if they choose to ignore the views of Armenians (of Diaspora, as well of Armenia), they at least should be aware of it. To suffice it to a single (mildly) unfavorable adjective and then giving in, is actually joining the conspiracy of silence -- and advertising for it. After all, what are we saving our precious golden breath for?

If as you say, people in Armenia are bright, educated, sophisticated, and hard-working citizens who are immensely patriotic, then how do you expect them to confuse a criticism of the government with bashing the nation or the state as a whole, and how can we also hurt the morale of the citizens of Armenia and Artsakh when we would be saying what many (if not most) of them are saying.

You offer a statistics on corruption as a condolence, saying we are worse off than only most of the world!

It is sad to see Keghart stating that criticism is a luxury reserved for certain countries. That is swallowing the time-tested bait used by all despots (and mini-despots). In fact we “not well offs” need a 24/7/53.

Yes, these are hard times and the Diaspora should keep on helping the motherland, morally as well as economically (including financially), but it should not be done through people who will pocket all privileges for themselves.

By the way, I did move to Armenia. I am out of the country on business. I hope I will have a reentry permit.

Finally, I wish the epilogue were somewhat more tolerant towards noise makers – it would be more Keghart style.

The singer in the embedded video is ZOHRAB YARALIAN and he is a Kessabtsi! I apologize to Zohrab and the readers for my error. I thank Esther Tognozzi for bringing my error to my attention.

The writer, who for many years was a columnist for the Toronto STAR, is an Islamist.  He judges international conflicts, issues through Islamic lens. Always the key question for him is: ''Is this good for Islam?"  Even though he acknowledges the Genocide of Armenians, I am certain that if Azeris attack Armenia/Arstakh, he would justify Sultan Aliyev's aggression.

Mouradian and Sanamyan stepped into Turkey and met genocide-denier President Gul just a day after another genocide-denier PM Erdogan threatened to deport 100,000 fellow Armenians.

Why haven’t they fully explained themselves yet?

Meanwhile, Mouradian and Sanamyan posted dispatches of their trip, most of which displayed striking similarities to how the ARF interacted with the Ittihadist (Young) Turks (aka Committee of Union and Progress) and Mouradian’s and Sanamyan’s pandering to several denialist figures and hosts and even anti-restorative justice rights advocates.

Have they lost their moral compass?

One does not attain restorative justice by participating in decades of diluted, closed-door events that resemble lectures and protests for improving Turkish democracy and human rights in general and in an open-ended format where nothing is binding at the conclusion of the endeavor. Did the Jewish people attain their restorative justice this way?

One does not attain restorative justice by gratifying a small number of “Armenian-friendly” Turkish scholars, like anti-reparations Taner Akcam and Fatma Gocek and other so-called progressive, flip-flop Turks such as Amberin Zaman, whose numbers across the board have not increased in the past decade and who lecture mostly to Armenians to weaken them and their legitimate cause.

And, one does not attain restorative justice by engaging in “reconciliation” events that foreign governments are sponsoring and/or exploiting to push the detrimental protocols process and “normalization” drive forward. Former Amb. Evans recently spoke in favor of these events at a commemoration program in Michigan, and Amb. Yovanovitch refers to these “unprecedented” events frequently in speeches across Armenia.

If the ADL-Ramgavar or any other Armenian party engaged in any such TARC-like activity, the ARF would have harshly criticized that party day in and day out and rightfully so. But, I guess it is okay that they themselves are steering the “reconciliation” wheel for God knows what benefit besides personal and partisan gain.

Yes, Turkey has “changed.” It has changed for the worst. And, it is changing some of our fellow Armenians who clearly do not think things through, are lackeys of corrupt bureaus and organizations thousands of kilometers away and/or see Hye Tad "promotion" as an opportunity for
career advancement and notoriety.

How much longer is this farce going to continue?

This is something which is bound to be the subject of growing attention by all parties as the time passes and as the geopolitics of the region changes. The best course, of course, is dialogue and peaceful means of dispute settlement. It is a welcome development that our Kurdish friends have begun to openly acknowledge their share in the extermination of Armenian population from their homeland. Perhaps realisation of that fact can serve as a starting point to acknowledge also their share of responsibility for compensation or restitution when it comes to Armenian lands inhabitted by Kurds.  

This June the Istanbul Armenian patriarchate cancelled its once-a-year visit to their church in Kayseri (intended to mark the feast day of St Gregory's emergence from his pit of imprisonment - one of the most important holy days in the Armenian Church) because, in a completely different part of Turkey, a Catholic priest had been murdered by his driver, and despite the fact that within hours of the crime being committed the perpetrator was known and that it was clearly an "ordinary crime" without any religious implications.

Without analyzing the legal aspects and interpretations of these terms there is one fact that Azeris do not dwell upon. It was only 90 years ago that Karabagh was GIVEN to them by the great Georgian murderer. It is not Azeri territory for them to claim anyway... So all those pundits, who talk about territorial integrity, should consult history...

Thank you for explaining, in very clear English, the politics behind the scenes, and especially pointing to our Armenian dilemma: "And what about the Armenians and their lobby? Aren’t they guilty of their own cynicism for watching the flotilla feud and now thinking that the winds of geopolitics have finally blown their way?"

Unfortunately we don't have any real policy. We are simply driven by anger and emotion.

Dijo el Comandante " héroe " Avo , "la diaspora Tiene muchos Intelectuales , necesitamos mas Soldados ", desde y Y cualquier Iniciativa , El Punto de partida debe Servicios El Espíritu de esta frace .- En El chico del pueblo de la Rca de Armenia ( " no "para Nosotros los de la dispora ) , párr lograr Una Vida en Paz, Desarrollo y tranquilidad, es mas Importante Que El Gobierno de la Rca solucione El conflico de Nagorno- Karabaj de Artsaj , Que Las eternas Conversaciones Por Diferencias y reclamos  Venimos Que realizando desde hace Casi pecado Siglo Con lo Turcos.

The map of Kurdistan shown in here, presumably represents the goal and aspirations of PUK. It seems to be too bold and Utopian a dream. First of all, it disregards the historical claim of lands belonging to the Armenians. Secondly, it assumes the generous leniency of three (even four) neighboring countries: Turkey; Iran; Iraq; and to a certain extent, Syria. Nakhichevan seems to be allocated to Armenia, but Karabagh is not shown as an independent state (or part of Armenia).

If Turkey is ever to relinquish its hold on eastern Anatolia, I wonder if it will prefer part of these lands to be ceded to Armenia, rather than made part of a huge Kurdistan... Even Iran might prefer Armenian ownership of parts of these lands, rather than having them relinquished to Kurdistan.

In the absence of clear cut and legally teenable agreements between the Kurds and the Armenians, wishful thinking won't get us anything, except more disappointments and trouble. It is not enough to adopt the attitude of "the enemy of my enemy is my friend"... There is need for diplomacy and negotiations with the Turks (and even Iranians) as much as with the Kurds.

From my perspective, even in 1915 and before, the Kurds were not just bidding the goals of the Turks, but were also getting rid of Armenians from lands of mutual ownership. Presently, the Kurds might bring out the issue of the Armenian Genocide just to highlight the barbarity of the Turks, and thus gain international sympathy to their present cause and aspirations.

With caution and concern,

Hovannes.

I doubt that Mr. Mikirditsian had the guts to tell his kurdish "friends" that we, Armenians have suffered from kurdish atrocities and vandalism as much as from turkish crimes. If Mr. Mikirditsian is expecting recognition of our genocide from the perpetrator, Turks, we, Armenians all over the world are expecting the same kind of confession and acknowledgment from the kurds for their crimes against us.

While it seems that Mr. Manoyan is flattered by his delegation's reception, awkwardly his main and only thought  is business opportunities in Erbil.

This is to remind Mr. Mikirditsian and co. that they and their party do not represent the opinion of Armenians worldwide.

Aram

22 de noviembre - »« DIA HAYRENADIROUTYUN Nuestra cordial enhorabuena a toda la nación armenia en vista de la jornada victoriosa - 22 de noviembre - Día HAYRENADIROUTYUN! Los EE.UU. el presidente Woodrow Wilson firmó el Laudo Arbitral en el Frontera entre Armenia y Turquía el 22 de noviembre de 1920. Para las últimas décadas, ahora, el 24 de abril ha sido una de las fechas más importantes del calendario para el pueblo armenio, un día que representa quizás la manifestación más importante de Armenia unida la voluntad política. En el mundo armenio, esta fecha se inició por primera vez como uno de réquiem y el recuerdo, que desarrolla gradualmente en un día de justa indignación y demandas de justicia a través del reconocimiento del Genocidio Armenio. Sin embargo, el 24 de abril es un día de pérdida, un día dedicado a reconocer que la mayor de las pérdidas. Sin embargo, como nación y como comunidad en la búsqueda de la justicia, necesitamos un día de victoria y la reparación, un día del establecimiento de la justicia y nuestros derechos. Tenemos un día, el día que mantiene las llamas de la quema de la victoria es el 22 de noviembre, la fecha del laudo arbitral de los EE.UU. el presidente Woodrow Wilson decidir la frontera entre Armenia y Turquía. Ese día, el laudo arbitral concedida a la República de Armenia una parte de nuestro corazón histórico, en el noreste. Ese día establecido y aplicado siempre una decisión que es vinculante, jurídicamente inviolable y perpetuo de la existencia de nuestros derechos, todo ello de conformidad con el derecho internacional. A medida que el laudo arbitral se realizó sobre la base de la incondicional compromis de Turquía y Armenia, así como del Imperio Británico, Francia, Italia, Japón, Polonia, Portugal, Bélgica, Grecia, Canadá, India, Sudáfrica, Australia, Nueva Zelanda, Checoslovaquia, Yugoslavia, Rumania, después de haber sido forzadas a la firma , por lo que es vinculante, inviolable y perpetua para todos los países arriba mencionados y sus estados sucesores. También es obligatorio, inviolable y perpetua para el EE.UU., Ya que el laudo arbitral lleva el Gran Sello de los Estados Unidos de América, Firmado por el EE.UU. Presidente y co-firmado por el Secretario de Estado. De acuerdo con los principios básicos del derecho internacional, codificados por numerosos documentos internacionales, el laudo arbitral se llevará a cabo por todas las partes de ese documento, es decir, por los países que formaban parte de la compromis. Es su deber sin reservas, su absoluta responsabilidad. Por lo tanto, debería ser una cuestión pan-nacional para nosotros, a la demanda de esos países el 22 de noviembre de cada año, para llevar a cabo su responsabilidad según el derecho internacional, y no hacerlo de forma sencilla como un gesto de buena voluntad, pero como una obligación internacional inmediata e inviolable, que ha permanecido olvidada, y que en parte ha sido denegada. El 22 de noviembre tiene que ser devuelta al día de la restauración de la justicia, de las demandas de reparación nacional y el restablecimiento de nuestros derechos desposeídos. En las palabras de aquel gran armenia Nzhdeh, Garegin, Hayrenadiroutian Día - Día del Patrimonio Nacional. «Modus vivendi» CARTA ABIERTA al Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores de la República de Armenia Sr. Edward Nalbandian Respetado Señor Ministro, En el primero de octubre de este año, al final de las audiencias parlamentarias sobre el par de desafortunados protocolos entre Armenia y Turquía, que declaró lo siguiente en el curso de responder a las preguntas predeterminadas: "la decisión de Wilson tiene ninguna consecuencia jurídica, ya que no fue ratificado por el Senado de los EE.UU."(Me gustaría pedir disculpas si su redacción no se reproduce exactamente, el significado, sin embargo, es preciso, creo). Fue muy lamentable que yo no estaba presente en ese momento. Yo no podía saber de antemano que sus respuestas se retrasaría hasta el final de la jornada de trabajo y tuvo que irse por un compromiso previo. Pero algo bueno ha venido de esto. Ahora estoy obligado a responder a su reclamo en forma de una carta abierta. No es digno de dejar las palabras de un ministro sin resolverse. Usted ha hecho repetir, palabra por palabra, la opinión expresada en Ereván hace dos semanas por su compatriota, Andranik Mihranian. Tuve el honor luego de aclarar ciertas cosas, y así, quisiera reiterar mis propios argumentos ahora. Usted, así como el Sr. Mihranian claramente han confundido la cronológicamente cercanos, sin embargo, dos cuestiones muy distintas - el mandato para Armenia Y la cuestión de Armenia'S de las fronteras - y han llegado a esta conclusión equivocada. Teniendo en cuenta la puntualidad de la cuestión, me parece conveniente hacer una breve reseña de las cuestiones mencionadas. El mandato para Armenia Y la cuestión de Armenia'S de las fronteras La Conferencia de Paz de París en última instancia, tomó las principales cuestiones del Imperio Otomano en la San Remo período de sesiones, que tuvo lugar del 24 al 27 de abril 1920. La conferencia se involucró en aclarar el destino de Armenia, así dentro de este contexto, por la que el Consejo Supremo de las Potencias Aliadas oficial se acercó a los EE.UU. el presidente Woodrow Wilson en el 26 de abril 1920 con dos peticiones separadas: a) para los Estados Unidos para asumir un mandato para Armenia, y b) para el Presidente de los Estados Unidos de recurrir al arbitraje de las fronteras de Armenia. Las dos cuestiones eran completamente independientes entre sí, y por lo tanto se dirige a personas u organismos independientes y fue objeto de separar las autoridades judiciales. Para los primeros - el mandato - la Conferencia de Paz de París se acercó a la EE.UU. como un estado. El fundamento jurídico de tal petición era el artículo 22 del Pacto de la Liga de las Naciones Unidas, según el cual los Estados miembros de la Liga de las Naciones Unidas podrían llevar a cabo "tutela"En nombre de la Liga de las Naciones. Dado que esta cuestión se refería a una obligación por parte de un tratado internacional, el Presidente de la Estados Unidos tenía que recibir el "Asesoría y Consentimiento"Del Senado, de conformidad con la Constitución de los EE.UU.. Y así, el Senado de los EE.UU. - y no el Congreso - de haber discutido la cuestión de asumir un mandato para Armenia desde el 24º de mayo al 1c / de junio de 1920, votaron en contra. La verdadera razón de ello es que la EE.UU. no era un miembro de la Liga de las Naciones, Y por tanto no hay base jurídica para llevar a cabo cualquier actividad en su nombre. La segunda petición - el arbitraje de la frontera de Armenia con Turquía - No están bajo la autoridad del Senado, y por lo que parte de la rama legislativa de la Estados Unidos no podría, de hecho, y nunca volvió a tratar este tema. El arbitraje internacional forma parte del derecho internacional y se rige exclusivamente por el derecho internacional público. Por lo tanto, incluso una semana antes de que el Senado empezó a debatir el mandato para Armenia, En el 17º de mayo de 1920, el presidente Wilson dio una respuesta afirmativa a la segunda petición, el asumir la responsabilidad y la autoridad de arbitraje para decidir la frontera entre Armenia Y Turquía. Por lo tanto, si habría un Tratado de Sèvres o no, el marco jurídico compromis existía, y, en consecuencia, el arbitraje de derecho iba a tener lugar. Lo que siguió a este respecto es relativamente más conocido. Sobre la base de la compromis de San Remo (el 26 de abril 1920), así como la de Sèvres (el 10 de agosto 1920), EE.UU. el presidente Woodrow Wilson concedió el laudo arbitral en la frontera entre Armenia y Turquía el 22 de noviembre de 1920, que debía entrar en vigor de conformidad con el acuerdo inmediatamente Y sin condiciones previas. Dos días después, el 24 de noviembre, el premio fue transmitido por telégrafo a la Conferencia de Paz de París y para el examen de la Liga de las Naciones. El premio fue aceptado como tal, pero quedó pendiente, debido a que el beneficiario de la concesión - la República de Armenia - Dejó de existir el 2 de diciembre de 1920. El estado de Wilson'S laudo arbitral Es necesario señalar, en primer lugar, que cualquier laudo arbitral, si se lleva a cabo con el debido proceso, no sólo tiene algunos teóricos "fuerza legal", Pero es un documento vinculante que se llevarán a cabo sin reservas. Por otra parte, los laudos arbitrales son "definitiva y sin apelación". "El laudo arbitral es la decisión final y vinculante por un árbitro". El carácter definitivo y no apelable de los laudos arbitrales es codificada en el derecho internacional. En particular, el artículo 54 de la edición 1899 y el artículo 81 de la edición 1907 de la Convenio de La Haya para el Arreglo Pacífico de Controversias Internacionales. Se desprende de lo anterior que los laudos arbitrales a) son inherentemente vinculante y no apelable decisiones, y b) no requieren ninguna ratificación o de aprobación dentro de un estado. Y así, por el laudo arbitral del Presidente de los Estados Unidos Woodrow Wilson, la frontera entre Armenia Y Turquía se ha decidido a perpetuidad, estar en vigor hasta el presente Y no susceptibles de recurso alguno. Hay otra cuestión importante a considerar. ¿Las autoridades y organismos públicos de la Estados Unidos expresado nunca una posición con respecto a la decisión arbitral del Presidente Wilson decidir la frontera entre Armenia Y Turquía? La posición del Poder Ejecutivo El más alto poder ejecutivo de la Estados Unidos no sólo reconoció Wilson'S laudo arbitral, sino que también ha ratificado y, por tanto, se ha convertido en parte de la ley de la tierra de los EE.UU.. El Presidente de los Estados Unidos Woodrow Wilson y el secretario de Estado Bainbridge Colby ratificó el fallo del árbitro Woodrow Wilson con sus firmas y El Gran Sello de los Estados Unidos. Según el derecho internacional, la firma personal del árbitro y su sello, en su caso, son totalmente suficientes como la ratificación de un laudo arbitral. Woodrow Wilson podría haber sido satisfecho con sólo su firma o, así como su sello presidencial. En ese caso, el premio habría sido la obligación de un individuo, aunque sea un presidente. Sin embargo, el laudo arbitral se ratifica con la el sello oficial del estado Y confirmada por el poseedor del sello, el Secretario de Estado. El laudo arbitral de Woodrow Wilson, pues, una obligación incondicional de los EE.UU. sí mismo. La posición del Poder Legislativo Como se mencionó anteriormente, los laudos arbitrales no están sujetos a cualquier tipo de aprobación o ratificación legislativa. Así que el Senado, que se reserva el derecho de examinar las cuestiones relativas a la política exterior de acuerdo con la Constitución de los EE.UU., nunca discutieron el laudo arbitral para decidir la frontera armenio-turca. Sin embargo, en el curso del debate otros asuntos, el Senado de la EE.UU. expresó explícitamente su posición sobre este premio por lo menos en una ocasión. El 18 de enero de 1927, el Senado rechazó el tratado turco-americanas del 06 de agosto 1923, por tres razones. Una de las razones fue que Turquía "no prever el cumplimiento de las Wilson premio a Armenia". Senador William H. King (D-Utah) se expresaba con mucha más claridad en una declaración oficial en esta ocasión ",Obviamente no sería justo y razonable que los Estados Unidos a reconocer y respetar los créditos y las profesiones de Kemal en tanto que persisten en mantener el control y la soberanía sobre Wilson Armenia."La votación en el Senado en 1927 pone de manifiesto sin lugar a dudas el hecho de que Wilson'S laudo arbitral fue un premio ratificado y tiene repercusiones legales en 1927. No hay nada desde una perspectiva jurídica ha cambiado desde entonces, y que por lo tanto sigue vigente hasta nuestros días. Me gustaría destacar especialmente que este debate mencionado y votación se llevó a cabo años después "los tratados pertinentes ... [acción definida ing] ... la frontera ..."Citado en el par de desafortunados de protocolos. También quiero añadir que el restablecimiento de las relaciones entre Turquía Y América (Después de la Primera Guerra Mundial) todavía no tienen una base en algún tratado, y numerosas cuestiones jurídicas controvertidas quedan sin resolver en la materia. La posición de los organismos públicos Los organismos públicos más importantes de la EE.UU. son los partidos políticos. Las cláusulas principales de programas de los partidos se encuentran en las plataformas del partido, que son aprobados por las asambleas generales de los partidos políticos. El Partido Democrático de la EE.UU. (El partido del actual presidente Obama) ha expresado oficial una posición sobre Wilson'S laudo arbitral en dos ocasiones, en 1924 y en 1928. En su programa de 1924, el Partido Demócrata incluyó una cláusula separada de la "El cumplimiento de un laudo arbitral del presidente Wilson respeto Armenia" como una plataforma y objetivo. La plataforma de 1928 fue aún más lejos, citando a los EE.UU. como un estado y, según el "promesas y compromisos"De las potencias aliadas,"Estamos a favor de los esfuerzos más intensos por parte de los Estados Unidos para asegurar el cumplimiento de las promesas y compromisos hechos durante y después de la Guerra Mundial por los Estados Unidos y las potencias aliadas a Armenia y su pueblo."El único"promesa y el compromiso"De los Estados Unidos a la República de Armenia y sigue siendo el laudo arbitral de Woodrow Wilson en la frontera entre Armenia y Turquía. Respetado Ministro, Usted ha declarado que " Armenia es el heredero de los tratados firmados por el URSS"(Nuevo pido disculpas por cualquier inexactitud en los términos exactos). Usted está incorrecto, ya que el heredero de la Unión Soviética es el Federación de Rusia. Echa un vistazo a la composición del Consejo de Seguridad de la ONU. La personalidad internacional de un Estado no puede ser tan desgarrado. Cuando, por ejemplo, India fue dividida en dos India Y Pakistán, La personalidad del país no dejaron de lado. Heredó India, Y Pakistán se vio obligado a crear su propia personalidad internacional, paso a paso, incluyendo la firma de los tratados y las relaciones que se establece. ¿Cuándo Bangladesh se separó de Pakistán, La personalidad de Pakistán no se vio afectada y Bangladesh comenzó a crear su propia personalidad internacional. Con el colapso de la URSS, El heredero de la personalidad internacional de ese estado fue de forma inequívoca la Federación de Rusia, Y no Armenia bajo ninguna circunstancia. El recién creado Armenia, Así como los demás países recién independizados, se limita a declarar lo siguiente en el artículo 12 del acuerdo sobre la creación de la Comunidad de Estados Independientes: "Las partes en garantía de negociación de alto el cumplimiento de las obligaciones internacionales emanadas de los tratados y acuerdos de la antigua URSS". Es decir, los estados de nueva creación tenían ciertas responsabilidades de conducta, pero eso no quiere decir que se convirtió en parte en los tratados firmados por el URSS. En ese caso, el República de Armenia no tendrían que firmar uno por uno o ser parte en numerosos convenios internacionales, tratados o protocolos de los cuales el La Unión Soviética formó parte durante años. Por ejemplo, la República de Armenia se adhirió al Convenio de Viena sobre Relaciones Diplomáticas (1961), que ha subido mucho últimamente, sólo en el 23 de julio 1993, mientras que la URSS (es decir, la actual Federación de Rusia) ha Parte de dicho Convenio sido desde el 11 de febrero 1964. El "tabula rasa"Principio (" borrón y cuenta nueva ") se puso en marcha cuando el La Unión Soviética se derrumbó. No podía ser de otra manera, porque, desde la perspectiva del derecho internacional, los países del Cáucaso meridional estaban bajo la ocupación, como cuando la Rusia bolchevique reconquistada Azerbaiyán, Armenia Y Georgia en 1920-1921, fueron reconocidos ya los estados. No sólo es la República de Armenia no el heredero de los tratados de la URSS ("En general, ningún tratado u obligación puede tener una base jurídica de cualquier país, si los funcionarios de ese país eran claramente funcionamiento bajo el mando de una potencia extranjera"), Pero cualquier cambio en el territorio de la República de Armenia durante los años de la Rusia soviética (1920-1922), entonces la ocupación por la URSS (1922-1991), es ilegal, ya que"una cesión de territorio durante la ocupación no es eficaz". Le ruego acepte, señor Ministro, las seguridades de mi más alta consideración. Ara Papian Jefe, "Modus Vivendi" Centro 02 de octubre 2009 PD Ministro, si está de acuerdo con mis argumentos, me gustaría pedir una invitación al debate en la televisión en vivo. El silencio, es decir, la ausencia de una invitación, sería percibido como un signo de acuerdo con mis argumentos. CARTA ABIERTA al Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores de la República de Turquía El Sr. Ahmet Davutoglu Respetado Señor Ministro, He leído con interés el texto de su discurso del 21c / de octubre en la Gran Asamblea Nacional de Turquía. Mis impresiones fueron variadas. Sin embargo, me sentía sobre todo que usted desea presentar lo que era deseable, en lugar de lo que era real. Para empezar, fue sorprendente escuchar de "ocupación"Del ministro de Asuntos Exteriores de un país que se ha estado ocupando el 37% de la territorio de Chipre durante más de tres décadas, por no hablar de las tres cuartas partes de mi patria - la República de Armenia - Durante casi nueve décadas. Me gustaría hacer hincapié en que no me estoy refiriendo a algunas abstracto "tierras armenias", Sino únicamente el territorio concedido a la República de Armenia a través de un documento del derecho internacional, es decir, el laudo arbitral de los EE.UU. el presidente Woodrow Wilson de los 22ª de noviembre de 1920. , Expondré el laudo arbitral más tarde, pero por ahora simplemente me gustaría decir que, de conformidad con el derecho internacional, los laudos arbitrales son "definitiva e inapelable. " Respetado Señor Ministro, Al comentar sobre la cláusula quinta del protocolo sobre el establecimiento de relaciones diplomáticas entre los República de Armenia y el República de Turquía, Le señaló a la conclusión de que la República de Armenia reconoce "la frontera existente"De acuerdo con los tratados de Moscú (De los 16º de marzo de 1921) y Kars (De los 13º de octubre de 1921). Esta es una conclusión muy arbitraria de hecho. El documento en cuestión no cita el mencionado tratados llamados. Los protocolos se refieren únicamente a "los tratados pertinentes del derecho internacional". Esto es, evidentemente, los tratados en cuestión debe regirse por el derecho internacional, no por lo menos estar en violación de la misma. Al mismo tiempo, al referirse a "los tratados pertinentes del derecho internacional"Y no simplemente"los tratados internacionales", El Protocolo establece una definición más inclusiva, y por lo tanto trae"los instrumentos del derecho internacional"En general, independientemente del tipo de documento, ya que, dado el caso que nos ocupa, tenemos un documento denominado"protocolo". En consecuencia, una "tratado"Debe ser entendida de una manera independiente del plazo para el documento, simplemente como un acuerdo legal, escrito internacional. ["Tratado" un acuerdo internacional concertado entre los Estados en forma escrita y se rige por el derecho internacional - Artículo 2.1 (a), Viena Convención sobre el Derecho de los Tratados de 1969]. Es evidente que "la frontera existente"Que se menciona en el protocolo no es la línea divisoria ilegales, que se produjo como resultado de las acciones bolchevique-kemalista. Ex cogens injuria no oritur, Los actos ilegales no puede crear la ley. "La frontera existente"Implica que existe en el derecho internacional y de conformidad con el derecho internacional. Por otra parte, no hay una sola frontera entre tales Armenia y Turquía: La frontera decidido por el laudo arbitral de los EE.UU. el presidente Woodrow Wilson. Los tratados de Moscú y Kars, Que usted mencionó en su discurso, no pueden ser tratados en todo desde el punto de vista del derecho internacional. Con el fin de ser considerados como los tratados, que debería haber sido firmado por los representantes plenipotenciarios de los gobiernos legítimos de los Estados reconocidos. Ni los kemalistas, ni los bolcheviques, por no hablar de los bolcheviques armenias llevó al poder en Armenia, Cumplió con el requisito anterior en 1921. Por lo tanto, el acto de firma de esos tratados era una violación de los principios básicos del derecho internacional - jus cogens - En el momento en que se firmaron. Y de acuerdo con el artículo 53 de la Convención de Viena sobre el Derecho de los Tratados de 1969, que usted mismo citó en su discurso, "Es nulo todo tratado si, en el momento de su celebración, esté en oposición con una norma imperativa de derecho internacional general." ¿De verdad creen que dos no reconocidos, y por lo tanto ilegales administraciones auto-proclamado, como los bolcheviques y kemalistas fueron en 1921, podría, a través de un tratado bilateral (de Moscú), Anular un documento jurídicamente negociado internacionales suscritos por los Estados reconocidos dieciocho (Tratado de Sèvres)? ¿Cree usted que el Pacto Molotov-Ribbentrop, por ejemplo, es un documento legal? Yo no lo creo, porque dos países, a saber, la URSS y Alemania, No podía decidir de las fronteras de un país tercero. Entonces ¿por qué creer que dos movimientos rebeldes, ya que, repito, los bolcheviques y kemalistas se encontraban en 1921, tenía la autoridad para decidir en Moscú de las fronteras de otro país, la República de Armenia, aunque fueron ocupados? ¿De verdad creen que la República Socialista Soviética de Armenia, así como la de Georgia y Azerbaiyán Soviético Socialista República Alguna vez ha tenido la capacidad para celebrar tratados con arreglo al derecho internacional? Por supuesto que no. Desde abril de 1920 (por Azerbaiyán), Diciembre de 1920 (por Armenia) Y febrero de 1921 (por Georgia), Estos países se prestaron simplemente territorios de las distintas unidades administrativas bajo ocupación rusa bolchevique. En Armenia'S caso, el Senado de la Estados Unidos adoptó el siguiente plano por la Resolución # 245 en el 03 de junio 1924: " Turquía se unió a Soviética Rusia en la destrucción de la Armenio Estado. " Si no hubiera República de Armenia de la 2ª de diciembre de 1920, ¿cómo podría firmar un tratado internacional en Kars en octubre de 1921? Es un hecho indiscutible del derecho internacional que no tiene consecuencias jurídicas declaradas por un país ocupado por los actos de los ocupantes, como "una cesión de territorio durante la ocupación no es eficaz. "No hay ninguna ambigüedad en este asunto. El hecho de que los protocolos no hacen jurídico de la situación creada a raíz del genocidio armenio y que no reconocen ninguna frontera se quedó claro en la dirección del Presidente de la República de Armenia, Serge Sargsyan, en el 10º de octubre de 2009: "Cualquier tipo de relación con Turquía no puede en duda la realidad del despojo y el genocidio del pueblo armenio", Y "La cuestión de la actual frontera entre Armenia y Turquía es objeto de una resolución según la situación actual del Derecho internacional. Los protocolos de decir nada más que eso." Clara y sencilla. Ahora veamos lo que esta "el derecho internacional vigente"Es exactamente, según el cual"la cuestión de la frontera actual entre Armenia y Turquía está sujeta a una resolución. " Para entender esto, hay que volver a un pasado no muy lejano, durante ese corto período de tiempo, cuando la comunidad internacional reconoció la República de Armenia como un estado. Cuando, por el 19º de enero de 1920, el Consejo Supremo de la Conferencia de Paz de París, es decir, el Imperio Británico, Francia e Italia, reconoció a la República de Armenia, fue hecho con una determinada condición, que las fronteras de la República de Armenia debían ser determinada poco después. El EE.UU. También reconoció la República de Armenia con esa misma condición en el 23 de abril 1920. Cuando llegó a las fronteras de la República de Armenia, por supuesto, el más importante fue la cuestión de la frontera entre Armenia y Turquía. Y así, en la sesión de San Remo de la Conferencia de Paz de París, junto con otras cuestiones, esta cuestión particular, se discutió durante el 24 al 27 de abril 1920, y, el 26 de abril, los EE.UU. el presidente Woodrow Wilson fue solicitado oficialmente para arbitrar las fronteras de Armenia. El 17 de mayo de 1920, el presidente Wilson aceptó y asumió las funciones y la autoridad como árbitro de la frontera entre Armenia y Turquía. Me gustaría destacar especialmente que se trataba de casi tres meses antes del Tratado de Sèvres fue firmado (que tuvo lugar el 10 de agosto 1920). Si el Tratado de Sèvres vendría a pasar o no, el compromis de un árbitro legal existe, y, en consecuencia, el laudo arbitral para decidir la frontera entre Armenia y Turquía se llevaría a cabo. Otra cosa es que el Tratado de Sèvres consistió en un compromis adicionales. Es necesario tener en cuenta que la validez de la compromis sólo requiere las firmas de los representantes autorizados y que no ratificación es necesaria para compromis. En consecuencia, basado en el compromis de San Remo (del 26 de abril 1920), así como la de Sèvres (del 10 de agosto 1920), EE.UU. el Presidente Woodrow Wilson llevó a cabo su laudo arbitral en la frontera entre Armenia y Turquía el 22 de noviembre de 1920, que se iba a cumplir entonces y sin reservas de conformidad con el acuerdo (compromis). Dos días después, el 24º de noviembre, el premio fue oficialmente transmitida por telégrafo a la Conferencia de Paz de París para la consideración de la Liga de las Naciones. El premio fue aceptado como tal, pero quedó pendiente, debido a que el beneficiario de la concesión - la República de Armenia - Dejó de existir en el 2ª de diciembre de 1920. La cuestión de la situación actual de Wilson'S laudo arbitral Es necesario señalar, en primer lugar, que cualquier laudo arbitral es un documento vinculante que se llevarán a cabo sin reservas. Por otra parte, los laudos arbitrales son "definitivo e inapelable". "El laudo arbitral es la decisión final y vinculante por un árbitro". El carácter definitivo y no apelable de los laudos arbitrales es codificada en el derecho internacional. En particular, el artículo 54 de la edición 1899 y el artículo 81 de la edición 1907 de la Convenio de La Haya para el Arreglo Pacífico de Controversias Internacionales. Y así, por el laudo arbitral del Presidente de los Estados Unidos Woodrow Wilson, la frontera entre Armenia y Turquía se ha decidido a perpetuidad, estar en vigor hasta el presente y no susceptibles de recurso alguno. Por lo tanto, cuando la cláusula quinta del protocolo sobre el establecimiento de relaciones diplomáticas entre la República de Armenia y la República de Turquía menciona "el reconocimiento mutuo de las fronteras existentes entre los dos países tal como se definen en los tratados pertinentes del derecho internacional", Luego de que sólo puede tomar en consideración la frontera definida por el único documento legal en vigor hasta el presente, el laudo arbitral de los EE.UU. el presidente Woodrow Wilson. No hay ningún documento legal "del derecho internacional", Como el protocolo, dice. Hay otra cuestión importante a considerar aquí. ¿Las autoridades y los organismos públicos de la EE.UU. nunca expresó ninguna posición con respecto a laudo arbitral del presidente Wilson decidir la frontera entre Armenia y Turquía? La posición del Poder Ejecutivo El más alto poder ejecutivo de la Estados Unidos no sólo reconoció Wilson'S laudo arbitral, sino que también ha ratificado y, por tanto, se ha convertido en parte de la ley de la tierra de los Estados Unidos. El Presidente de los Estados Unidos Woodrow Wilson y el secretario de Estado Bainbridge Colby ratificó el fallo del árbitro Woodrow Wilson con sus firmas y El Gran Sello de los Estados Unidos. Según el derecho internacional, la firma personal del árbitro y su sello, en su caso, son totalmente suficientes como la ratificación de un laudo arbitral. Woodrow Wilson podría haber sido satisfecho con sólo su firma o, así como su sello presidencial. En ese caso, el premio habría sido la obligación de un individuo, aunque sea un presidente. Sin embargo, el laudo arbitral se ratifica con la el sello oficial del estado y confirmado por el poseedor del sello, el Secretario de Estado. El laudo arbitral de Woodrow Wilson, pues, una obligación incondicional de los Estados Unidos de América sí mismo. La posición del Poder Legislativo Los laudos arbitrales no están sujetos a cualquier tipo de aprobación o ratificación legislativa. Se rigen por el derecho internacional público. Por lo tanto, el Senado, que se reserva el derecho de examinar las cuestiones relativas a la política exterior de acuerdo con la Constitución de los EE.UU., nunca discutió directamente el laudo arbitral para decidir la frontera armenio-turca. Sin embargo, en el curso del debate otros asuntos, el Senado de la Estados Unidos expresó explícitamente su posición sobre este premio por lo menos en una ocasión. En los 18º de enero de 1927, el Senado rechazó el tratado turco-estadounidense de los seisº de agosto de 1923, por tres razones. Una de las razones fue que Turquía "no prever el cumplimiento de las Wilson premio a Armenia". Senador William H. King (D-UT), se expresaba con mucha más claridad en una declaración oficial en esta ocasión ",Obviamente sería injusto y poco razonable para los Estados Unidos a reconocer y respetar las reivindicaciones y las profesiones de Kemal mientras que persisten en mantener el control y la soberanía sobre Wilson Armenia. "La votación en el Senado en 1927 pone de manifiesto sin lugar a dudas el hecho de que Wilson'S laudo arbitral fue un premio ratificado y tiene repercusiones legales en 1927. Nada desde una perspectiva jurídica ha cambiado desde entonces, y por lo tanto sigue vigente hasta nuestros días. La posición de los organismos públicos Los organismos públicos más importantes de la Estados Unidos son los partidos políticos. Las cláusulas principales de programas de los partidos se encuentran en plataformas de los partidos, que son aprobados por las asambleas generales de los partidos políticos. El Partido Demócrata de los EE.UU. (el partido del actual presidente Obama y la secretaria de Estado Hillary Clinton) ha expresado una posición oficial sobre la decisión arbitral de Wilson en dos ocasiones, en 1924 y en 1928. En su programa de 1924, el Partido Demócrata incluyó una cláusula separada de la "El cumplimiento de un laudo arbitral del presidente Wilson respeto Armenia" como una plataforma y la meta. La plataforma de 1928 fue aún más lejos, en referencia a los EE.UU. como un estado y, según el "promesas y compromisos"De las potencias aliadas,"Estamos a favor de los esfuerzos más intensos por parte de los Estados Unidos para asegurar el cumplimiento de las promesas y compromisos realizados durante y después de la Guerra Mundial por los Estados Unidos y las potencias aliadas a Armenia y su pueblo. "La única"promesa y el compromiso"De los Estados Unidos a la República de Armenia ha sido y sigue siendo el laudo arbitral de Woodrow Wilson en la frontera entre Armenia y Turquía. Respetado Señor Ministro, A diferencia de la actual generación de norteamericanos y europeos, que conocemos bien a los turcos, y por lo tanto no hacerse ilusiones. Creo que, a su vez, nos conocen bien, y por lo tanto no deben tener ilusiones de su cuenta. Si los turcos creen que por el brazo-que tuerce Armenia puede forzar nada sobre el pueblo armenio, que está muy equivocado. Nuestra historia es prueba de todo lo contrario. Nosotros - los armenios y los turcos - están condenados juntos para encontrar soluciones mutuamente aceptables. Tales soluciones pueden venir en muchas formas, pero una cosa debe quedar claro, que tienen que beneficiar a la instauración de una paz estable para toda la región, el desarrollo de una economía diversificada, la creación de un ambiente de cooperación, mientras que actúa como así la realización de determinados intereses de potencias mundiales y su inclusión mayor en las cuestiones regionales. Y así, esa solución debe ser tal que disipa las preocupaciones de seguridad de la parte armenia, al tiempo que las posibilidades de crecimiento económico sostenido y el desarrollo de la República de Armenia, Así como garantizar la preservación de los valores culturales armenios. Al mismo tiempo, la solución no debe ir en contra de los intereses fundamentales de Turquía, Y la propuesta debe ser sensible por la parte turca como una solución digna a las circunstancias del caso. Respetado Señor Ministro, Estamos dispuestos a cooperar, pero no tome esto como una señal de debilidad y no nos obliga a levantar una bandera blanca de rendición. Eso nunca ocurrirá. Acepte, señor Ministro, las seguridades de mi más profunda consideración. Ara Papian Jefe, "Modus Vivendi" Centro Embajador Extraordinario y Plenipotenciario de la República de Armenia a Canadá 2000-2006 23 de octubre 2009 Centro de Ciencias SocialesMOdus Vivendi ONG se fundó el 30 de abril de 1999 (Certificado n º 1016) Our Myosión Solución de los problemas regionales por medios pacíficos a través de Derecho Internacional. Hechos - El presente República de Armenia (Desde 1991) es la sucesora legal de la primera República de Armenia (1918-1920);- Tél Armenio Soviético Socialista República (1920-1991) era sólo una parte de la URSS y no fue reconocida por ningún Estado en el mundo;- El presente de facto límite entre el República de Armenia y Turquía es sólo una frontera entre el ex URSS y Turquía, Que no es válido;- El legal de jure límite entre la actual República de Armenia y Turquía debería ser el límite de la primera República de Armenia, que fue propuesto por EE.UU. Presidente Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921) y fue reconocida por muchos Estados (EE.UU., Francia, Gran Bretaña, Italia, Japón, etc), como Turquía (Tratado de Sevres, 10 de agosto de 1920); - El turco insurgentes y la invasión bolchevique en noviembre de 1920 interrumpió la vida de la primera República de Armenia y el proceso normal de bound forro. Tarea Los Estados mencionados debería hacer de Turquía reconocer los límites reales aprobados y en primer lugar demiitarize ocupado tierras occidentales de Armenia (la llamada "Anatolia Oriental"), que pertenecen a la República de Armenia de acuerdo con la Laudo arbitral Woodrow Wilson de EE.UU. Presidente. Centenario de silencio ... ¿Por qué ? - Nadie podía pensar o hablar acerca de este problema durante el período soviético. - Sólo el análisis detallado de archivo EE.UU. (más de 1000 páginas con documentos confidenciales) en los últimos años permitió al Sr. Ara Papian (Ex Embajador de la República de Armenia en Canadá, Jefe del Modus Vivendi centro) para revivir este tema: Las reclamaciones armenias. Es la fuerza que lleva la Ley ... ... pero la Ley tiene la Fuerza. Garegin Nzhdeh (1886-1955) MOdus Vivendi (2007) Miguel Angel Nalpatian(1942).- Mar del Plata.- Buenos Aires.- Rca Argentina.-wilson -

Now that the news about the WWC and Davutoglu is being covered by the national and international media, we need more and better coverage.

Most writers are covering this issue from a mainly Jewish standpoint without mentioning the full scope of the WWC's sins.
 
However, Cong. Ackerman's letter is helping quite a bit.
 
I believe more bloggers and people are needed who can personally contact media and writers.
 
Send the media this:
 
It is national and international news that the taxpayer-funded Woodrow Wilson Center (WWC) in DC is giving the Turkish foreign minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, its top award.
 
The WWC is knee-deep in dirty corporate money and politics.

Cong. Gary Ackerman has severely criticized the Wilson Center. To read his letter click here.

Pres. Wilson's descendant has also weighed in against the Wilson Center. Click Pawn for the Wrong President
 
Background and investigative piece revealing the Wilson Center's lack of principle and its ties to dirty money. See Countercurrents.org

The motives of the Turks are obvious.  Any Armenian, particularly the editor of what is supposed to be a standard bearer for the Armenian cause, who takes part in this Turkish charade will be nothing more than a dupe in the Turkish cause of murder, banditry and denial.  A few weak and self-indulgent postings in the Weekly certainly do not justify placing the Weekly in the position of being used by Ankara. 

Let us not lose sight of the fact that the goal is to get back whatever ill-gotten gains that still reside in Turkish hands and try to get ourselves, as best we can, back together.  Until that happens, we should have no interest in healing the Turks, recognition through nuance, brotherly love, etc.  Those things can only come after basic justice is served.  There have been plenty of friendly Turks throughout history, real and feigned.  None of that friendship prevented the liquidation of Western Armenia.  If we have not learned that we shouldn't so willingly accept the invitations of Sultans, beys, pashas, aghas, chavoushes or chobans, God help us. 

I was there to listen to the people on the panel. The people who attended were really not very political--if you know what I mean-- but some were and they asked questions. I would say most people were neutral.

Some seemed to like the idea of Armenians going to Turkey and talking to Turkish officials and thought it would help Armenians. Other people did not like it. I don't think it will help much to talk to those officials and to people like Abramowitz (the ambassador) because those Turks are against us and always will be. I think that it is OK for people to believe that nothing was gained by going to Turkey and that we are fooling ourselves if we think that friendly Turks can sway the Turkish government.

Turkey is worse than ever. It is a radical regime over there. If that makes me like Kasbarian then I agree with her that we Armenians are fooling ourselves to accept invitations to Turkey from the government.

We are so grateful for these stories that are being told and happy with their fair endings.

It was great to read the complimentary words of Mark Twain. He was a hard-to-please traveller, who was generally unimpressed by Europe and had many nasty words even about the Holy Land. I think the editorial did say that some Western writers were positive about the Armenians of the Ottoman Empire.

Something important that's not included in the editorial is one of the reasons some European writers were not positive about Ottoman Armenians. The Europeans toured the Ottoman Empire looking for the exotic Orient, for the "other", for adventure, for colorful characters on horseback/camel. They also enjoyed the temporary superman status that their citizenship and money granted them in the Middle East. When they met Armenians who were not dark, not Moslem (didn't look like the other), and sometimes were urban, urbane, fairly well educated and not necessarily servile, Europeans resented the "uppity" Armenian. How dare the Armenian think he is the equal of a European? Yes, indeed. These Europeans also mocked our "backward" and impoverished clergy, and our "heretical", "pagan" Christianity.

Sireli Hamo,

Thank you so much for your valuable information about our lost and found Armenian sisters and brothers. It was very sad to read how they were hiding from their true identity but it was so pleasing to learn that once again they are being discovered at this time...

We will not be lost thanks to your help because you are making these stories available for us to learn about them. 

It's not only a matter of spam-mail, the more relevant point is in whose hands the emails of participants land. The role of the internet and its use by Turkey and Turks has been stressed previously and need not be reiterated here. That is the overriding concern in relation to "obtaining" emails from Go-Petition and commercial venues of the like. 

There are a number of commendable things in Ms. Sidhu's report on the Armenian/Turkish conflict. For example, she acknowledges that the Genocide of Armenians is a fact, and not something which should be hamstrung by "alleged" or be put in quotes. Her eagerness to specifically discuss the genocide with Turkish foreign minister officials is another attribute of her report. While obviously new to the subject of the Genocide of Armenians, she managed to report a complex story with eagerness and some clarity.

However, she exposed her unfamiliarity with the topic when she wrote that Canada is the only country that recognizes the Genocide of Armenians. In fact, more than 20 countries do so, including Russia, France and Uruguay. The latter recognized the Genocide in 1965--long before university student Ms. Sadhu was born. In a number of instances she also let the Turkish allegations stand without a rebuttal. The most egregious of this being the Turkish claim that Armenia, unlike Turkey, refuses to open its archives to scholarly research.

Another Turkish propaganda gimmick which she allowed to go without reply is Ankara's game-playing that the killing of 1.5 million Armenians by Turkey in 1915 couldn't have been a genocide because the word had not been coined in 1915. In other words, if there is no word to describe an act, that act couldn't have taken place! People don't dream up a word and then reify it. First comes the act and then its description. I would bet that the world hadn't coined the words "flood' or "deluge" before the globe was covered in water, according to biblical tradition. There's also a voluminious library by non-Armenian scholar verifying the Genocide of Armenians. Ms. Sidhu is inexplicably silent about this important fact.

I would like to thank Sidhu for pointing out that Turkish officials had patronizingly urged the visiting study group "to be Canadian" and to live up to "Canadian values." This is racist balderdash. It insults Sidhu and others who are New Canadians. The shameless and racist Turkish officials were blatantly saying that some of the students, having non-Canadian ethnic backgrounds, were deficient in logic and in such human values as looking at both sides of a story.

Finally, I am optimisitic about Ms. Sidhu. After all, she wrote that following the "educational" trip, she felt compelled to read and research more about this dark chapter of Turkish history." I am looking forward to reading her next piece--presumably the one she would write after reading and researching the Genocide of Armenians.  

Erdogan reminds me of Egypt's Gamal Abdel Nasser: all fiery talk and then poof. He will soon crash and burn because of the excesses of his language and his theatrics. If he doesn't self-imolate, the generals behind the curtains will push him off stage.

Here are some reasons why Erdogan is blowing in the wind:

1. The elite, the middle classes, the military, the educated of Turkey don't want a back to the future destiny for Turkey. They don't want a tilt to the East.
2. Moslem leaders, and certainly Arab leaders, are not prepared to hand over the reins to Erdogan or to anyone else. No one is looking for a Sallah el-Din Ayouby, except the desperate and powerless masses--the same people who assumed Nasser had divine powers.
3. The West, particularly the US, would soon halt Erdogan's mad ambitions.
4. Poll show that Erdogan's party has lost some ground and is equal in popularity to that of the opposition. It wouldn't take too many other Erdogan blunders before the majority in Turkey conclude that the country is being led by a self-inflated demagogue.

Չնայած նրան, որ այս յoդւածի (մեղմ ասած) վրդովւած, ածականառատ ոճը այդքան էլ ճիշտ չեմգտնում, ուրախ եմ, որ կան մարդիկ , ում համար հայրենիքի անց ու դարձը ստորադաս չէ Պաղեստին-Իսրաէլ յարաբերութիւնից. կամ հայոց հարցերը չեն ամփոփւում ցեղասպանութեան ճանաչման մէջ, (որը յոյսով եմ աւարտւող փուլ է):

Միթէ՞ բոլոր ջանքերը ազգի և հայրենիքի վիճակի բարելաւման համար չեն: Ինչո՞ւ մոռացութեան տալ այն ինչ ունենք : Իսկ ո՞վ է այսօր երկրի տէրը: Ազգը՞. օլիգարխները՞. եկեղեցի՞ն. կառավարութիւնը՞: Կինo Մոսկւայի ամառային սրահի հարցի աւարտը շատ բան կարող է ասել:

Բանն այս է` ոմն ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏"բարերար”, ում ինքնութիւնը, չգիտես(՞) ինչու, խիստ գաղտնի է պահւում, որոշել է քանդել ներկայ կառոյցը, որ երևանցիների ամենասիրած շէնքերից է, “եկեղեցի” կառուցելու համար: Այդտեղ կարելի է մի փոքրիկ, անուշիկ մատուռ, կամ ինչ որ քանի յարկանի շահութաբեր կառոյց տեղադրել:

Երևանում կան բերնէբերան պտտւող կռահումներ, թէ ով է բարերարը և ինչ է բուն նպատակը: Տայ Աստւած, որ սխալւած լինեն: Փաստ է, որ կառավարութիւնը անտեսելով` Երևանցիների պահանջը, մեծ թւով ստորագրւած դիմումները, Հանրային Խորհրդի որոշումը, մասնագէտների խորհուրդը, Մշակոյթի Նախարարութեան քննարկման արդիւնքը, ներքին լրատւական միջոցների կարծիքը, և ամենակարևորը` օրինական կարգը, հանել է շէնքը պահպանւող յուշարձանների ցանկից և “ խորհուրդ” է տւել ոչ պետական կազմակերպութիւններին « չդիմել դատարան:

Այս բոլորը խիստ երկմտանք է պատճառել երևանցիներին և ներքին զանգւածային լրատւական միջոցներում շատ էջեր և ժամեր է զբաղեցրել: Իսկ սփիւռքահայ լրատւական միջոցներում`գրեթէ ոչ մի բառ:

Անտարբերութիւն, լռութեան դաւադրութիւն:

 

I respect your years of experience and I admit my experience is limited in that sense. However, I believe that the relationship between countries is built on mutual interests not friendships. In this new Order, countries are driven through their highest national interests and not according to friendships or justice or human rights..

If one day Arafat felt close to the Armenians, today there is a very large number of Palestinians who are unhappy with us when we condemn Ottoman Turkey.

I didn't live the 70s but I have read and researched about it. The Palestinians supported our struggle back then because some Armenian militants were fighting with them in South Lebanon and others were conducting attacks against non-turkish targets which had nothing to do with our cause.... 

The same Nabih Berri that you mentioned accepted a ban on a videoclip (along with the Lebanese authorities) just because it hurt the "feelings" of sister Turkey. Jumblat, a prominent Lebanese leader - another "Arab friend" -  told the press a couple of weeks back that he has Ottoman blood in his roots....just because he has businesses in Istanbul and a large company in Baku. The Party of God which is the biggest ally to the largest Armenian Political party in Lebanon (Tashnag) organized a solidarity sit in front of the Turkish embassy and sent "Thank you" letters to Erdogan and the Turkish leadership.....

 

All our lives, they told us about the Arab friendship. The Arabs respected us because we were hardworking people and we contributed to their economy, but they never accepted sharing power with us (except in Lebanon which is on its way to become an "Arab" style country).

For the past weeks, the same Arab "friends" were raising Turkish flags in their capitals - just because of a trivial ship incident which was orchestrated on purpose and the Israelis fell for it....I highly doubt those same "friends" will ever accept anti-Turkey movements in their neighborhoods and backyards.....the days will come and we will see more than banning a video-clip in Lebanon or cancelling a youth conference in Jordan...

The Arabs (including many Palestinian leaders that you mentioned) have used and abused the Palestinian cause for their local politics and their swiss bank accounts.

 

The same Arab friends that you mention (including Lebanon) have condemned the "occupation" of NKR under the auspices of the OIC (Organization of Islamic Countries). Our "Arab friend" King of Jordan is one of the biggest advocates of Azerbaijan in OIC and UN. 

So we have no interest in siding with anybody in this conflict and I still believe that the neutral policy which is followed by the current Authorities is the right one. Armenia has high interests in having good relationships with all and we should keep that through neutrality. 

After our rightful independence, a new dimension has been added to the Armenian Identity - A free and Sovereign Nation. The Middle Eastern Armenians have to decide if they will link their fate with the Arab world OR with Armenia -a country which esteemed people like you and many other respectful teachers in Lebanon taught us that it's our Hayrenik. .....

The "people" of the planet earth have been killing my people (Hebrews) for close to six millenia.  This is not news.  It never stopped. It only dropped out of the news for a minute.

Israel and the Jewish people will survive as they always have.

I am assuming that those 55 organizations were Armenian.  Do you think that is efficient?

They would dilute the donations and probably not much would be acheived.

The reference is to the editorial that mentions the activities of students from Diaspora in Yerevan in the 70s. Moreover, ASALA which was formed by young people was openly confronting Turkey and demanding lands. Probably it was a premature undertaking, and according to some an "adventurist" act, but it helped the Armenian Cause getting front and centre. Of course, it is open to discussion whether the violence itself is justified or not. In the eyes of the youth they were freedom fighters.

It is interesting to hear that students in Yerevan were already thinking about Armenian demands as opposed to only Genocide recognition back in the 70s. One wonders why Armenian organizations were late in catching up with the students. That's about thirty years. Was it because of geopolitical reasons or timidity of the Armenians to take bolder steps. Could it be that powers to be through their proxies prevented Armenians to take a leap?

Mr. Sassounian's critial analysis deserves serious attention and a tentative resolution to the human tragedy and suffering in Gaza. Every day, the chess game between two competitors and the so called allies, in the geopolitical arena of the Middle East demonstrates how deep is the mastery knowledge of this game by each player. Machiavelli is still in the kindergarden.This game started in Davos; we do not know if it was planned earlier. One candidate was given 20 minutes by the moderator while the other, 4 minutes. Who will win and whether the players will remain in their positions, we do not know. But, one thing is clear: one of the players will be knocked out. And all this imbroglio is labeled a solution for peace? Whose peace? Blockades do not generate peace. Napoleaon also blockaded Britain. He ended in St. Helena.

Dear Hemshentsi Aghbarigner!

Thank you for your valuable letter. I knew about you thru Sedat Bostan (Dikran Kostanian, Aliye Alt's brother) who sent me some of your website films to Los Angeles. We used them in 3 serial TV programs on AMGA GLOBCAST TV viewed by 2 Million spectators in North America and Hawaian Islands where there are also Armenians...

Sedat-Dikran also provided the songs of VOVA HAMSHEN, popular Hamshen songs which you have it on your site. I am also writing for Zayn Hamshenahayotz in Yerevan, led by the Academician Sergey Vardanian.

We might cooperate in a variety of fields. I am not very far from you for the time being, and we may meet in the Emirates.

With Best Regards,
Hamo Moskofian

Very timely and interesting. Some day there will be a sea of Armenians, Assyrians, Greeks, and other minorities who will gradually awaken and cause the oppressors a lot of trouble. The truth comes out eventually.

Hamo's analysis of the current Middle Eastern political situation  and the ensuing  dramatic events, deserves a  thorough revision of  azkayin interests and the survival of Armenians in their second but prime fatherland,  by Armenian politicians and political commentators in the RA and beyond borders.(Spurk)?  

Read Dr. Kojayan in Nor Or? 

The Gaza  blockade from a humanitarian side is a catastrophe to the Palestinians living on that territory.

Why don't you raise your strong voice to the blockade of the RA since 1993 by the TR? You might have. What results?  Did any group come, similar to flotilla, into assistance to people living in the RA? Perhaps. Is it enough? Was it enough?

Dear reader from Marseille!

I read your comment about Keghart's courageous Editorial.

I have been in Marseille many times and organized together with FAAE 24 APRIL many conferences in Southern France's "Armenia" with Senators, Mayors, Relegious and Political leaders participating. In 2003 an International Conference dedicated to the Armenian Genocide was held in Valence. Aliye Alice Alt was in attendance, also her artist son Denis, half Hamshen and half-German. He presented his paintings on the Genocide. Unfortunately, very few participants at these gatherings had heard about Islamized Armenians...

The editorial to my understanding refers to converts who live in semi-isolated life in Europe. They have migrated from Turkey over the past forty to fifty years. They are the ones who need special attention!

The ones that settled in Marseille that you refer to were mostly survivors of 1966 VARTO horrible earthquake. Some of the photos were viewed at a recent Harry Koundakjian Exhibition (an international journalist working with Associated Press for about 50 years). At the time of the earthquake many orphans were brought to the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople by Archbishop-Patriarch Shnork Kaloustian and then the Catholic Armenian survivors were sent to Western Europe including France. I met one fellow called Mamgoun from Mamikonian family of Daron Vaspourakan.

Hamo Moskofian, Beirut

Dear Hamo,

I very much enjoy your articles and keep up the good work.

Where can I find Aliye's book of 'Hamshen Armenians in the Mirror of History'? Is it in German or English?

Thanking you in advance,

Vartan

Though not spelling it out, Donald W. Bush questions not only the motives of Mr. Hamilton’s act, but also its decency – and rightly so.

Mr. Davutoglu publicly denies what Woodrow Wilson has explicitly said. In other words he calls President Wilson a liar, and is awarded the Wilson Prize.

At the very least Mr. Hamilton should be decent enough to do as suggested in the last paragraph.

Bravo goes out from us here in Malibu, California to Mr. Michael Coren!

Yes, he dared to speak up and tell the truth about Turkey. Very well said sir. Thank you and God bless you. We are descendents & relatives of many victims from the Armenian Genocide . Time is not healing our wounds.

Truth will sooner or later prevail. Turkey, face your bloody past and stop the hypocrisy!

Sakajian is listed in The Ethiopian Odyssey, along with her husband Yervant. That's why I thought someone would know of her here.

The world is mad at Israel, I am mad at Israel, but not prime Minister S.Harper.  I wonder why? Is he deaf or blind to what is going on against the Palestinians by Israel?

I thank you for your comment and wish you that your suggestions become a reality.We have so much to do in helping the sons and daughters of our nation,the survivors of Genocide and massacres.

Currently pupils in Armenia start their school with 3 languages: Armenian, Russian and English. From the 4th grade on another language can be added, like French or German.

Nobody is against learning foreign languages. No matter how many languages they teach at school all the other subjects like math and physics are taught in Armenian for future Armenian citizens who will stay and work in Armenia where the state language is Armenian.

Why should the Armenian state waste taxpayers'  money and fund free public ecudation in other languages? There is only one reason, too much of pressure from Russian Federation to make Russian another state language in Armenia, which was never the case EVEN during all 70 years of Soviet rule.