WikiLeaks Reveals Turkey’s Efforts to Derail Genocide Affirmation, Force Pro-Azerbaijan Settlement

WikiLeaks Reveals Turkey’s Efforts to Derail Genocide Affirmation, Force Pro-Azerbaijan Settlement
Posted By Weekly Staff On November 29, 2010 (12:49 am) In News
WASHINGTON—The public disclosure today by WikiLeaks of tens of thousands of U.S. diplomatic cables included many of special interest to Armenian Americans, most notably a “smoking gun” revelation that Turkey has aggressively used the Turkey-Armenia protocols, particularly the prospect of its ratification, to pressure American leaders against U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide and in favor of a pro-Azerbaijani settlement of the Nagorno-Karabagh conflict, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
“These files are a smoking-gun,” explained ANCA executive director Aram Hamparian. “They reveal the remarkable candor with which Ankara has, from day one, sought to pressure the United States to enforce it preconditions for the Turkey-Armenia protocols. It’s painfully clear from the words of Turkey’s own leaders that, rather than seeking peace, they instead sought to use the prospect of the ratification of these accords to block the Armenian Genocide recognition and to force a pro-Azerbaijani resolution of Nagorno-Karabagh.”
In a Feb. 25, 2010 confidential cable from the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, U.S. Ambassador to Turkey James Jeffery noted that Turkey had made it clear that its ratification of the Turkey-Armenia protocols was predicated on Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev’s approval. Specifically, in describing a Feb. 18, 2010 meeting between U.S. Under Secretary of State William Burns and Turkish Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Sinirlioglu, Jeffery writes: “Sinirlioglu appealed for ‘simultaneity’ between Armenian Protocols ratification and the Minsk Process. He emphasized ‘a strong reaction’ against the protocols among ruling party MPs had to be overcome before the government would hazard a ratification effort. He warned Congressional passage of an Armenian genocide resolution would ‘complicate’ his government’s domestic political calculations regarding ratification. He said if something acceptable to Azerbaijani President Aliyev can found, then ‘we can move’ the protocols forward.”
Read the complete cable at http://cablegate.wikileaks.org/cable/2010/02/10ANKARA302.html.
In a Jan. 20, 2010 confidential cable, Jeffery provided his analysis of Turkey’s foreign policy, citing concerns about Turkey’s “inability to bring to conclusion foreign policy initiatives,” specifically noting the Turkey-Armenia protocols and Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu’s “tendency to substitute rhetoric for long term investment of diplomatic, military, and assistance capital.” Jeffery went on to note that “Turkey will have to stand and be counted on Iran, in the Security Council, with MD, and in implementation of UN or US sanctions. This will have a profound effect on relations second only to the fate of the Armenian protocols over the next year.”
Read the complete cable at http://cablegate.wikileaks.org/cable/2010/01/10ANKARA87.html.
Aliyev: April 24 a ‘Sword of Damocles’ over Turkey-Azerbaijan-Armenia relations
In a confidential cable from the U.S. Embassy in Baku, senior diplomat Donald Lu reported on a meeting between U.S. Under Secretary of State Burns and President Aliyev, in which the Azerbaijani leader advocated the combining of the Turkey-Armenia protocols discussion and the Karabagh peace negotiations. He also urged the postponement of any protocols ratification until after April 24th, Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, describing this date as a “Sword of Damocles” hanging over political initiatives in the region. Lu wrote: “U/S Burns stressed that the U.S. believes that progress on the Turkey-Armenia protocols could create political space for Sargsian to be more flexible on NK. He continued that the reverse was also true, that a failure of the Turkey-Armenia process would almost certainly result in serious negative consequences for the NK process. Aliyev said that NK progress would require a minimum of five or six months. He suggested that the entire Turkey-Armenia protocol ratification process be delayed until after April 24. He said that the ‘Sword of Damocles’ of Armenian Remembrance Day is hanging unhelpfully not only over the Turkey-Armenia process, but also now the NK progress. ‘If there were no deadline, maybe we could see how to combine our efforts (to resolve NK).’”
According to the cable, Aliyev urged Burns to pressure Armenia to accept the most recently proposed OSCE Minsk group settlement regarding Karabagh, calling on the three co-chair countries to “send a strong message that the independence of NK is not under review,” and urging “consequences in terms of international isolation” if Armenia does not accept the measures.
Read the complete cable at http://cablegate.wikileaks.org/cable/2010/02/10BAKU134.html.
Concerns over Armenia-Iran relations
A cable citing the text of a letter from U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Negroponte to the Armenian government expressed concern about the reported sale of weapons to Iran, stating, “Notwithstanding the close relationship between our countries, neither the Administration nor the U.S. Congress can overlook this case.” The letter went on to note that there would be consideration “whether there is a basis for the imposition of U.S. sanctions.”
“What this cable, and all that has transpired since it was written in 2008, shows is that the U.S. government, having reviewed all the relevant facts, concluded that Yerevan did not merit sanctions—on assistance, on exports, or, for that matter, in any other area,” commented Hamparian.
Read the complete cable at http://cablegate.wikileaks.org/cable/2008/12/08STATE134490.html.
Additional resources
A complete list of WikiLeaks cables related to Armenia, released to date, can be viewed at http://cablegate.wikileaks.org/tag/AM_0.html.
A complete list of WikiLeaks cables relating to Turkey, released to date, can be viewed at http://cablegate.wikileaks.org/tag/TU_0.html.
A complete list of WikiLeaks cables related to Azerbaijan, released to date, can be viewed at http://cablegate.wikileaks.org/tag/AJ_0.html.
Article taken from Armenian Weekly - http://www.armenianweekly.com/URL to article: http://www.armenianweekly.com/2010/11/29/wikileaks-documents-reveal-turkey%e2%80%99s-efforts-to-derail-genocide-affirmation-force-pro-azerbaijan-settlement/

Daron Acemoglu among Top 100 Global Thinkers: Foreign Policy

Daron Acemoglu among Top 100 Global Thinkers: Foreign Policy
12:52 • 27.11.10
American-based economist of Armenian descent, Professor Daron Acemoglu, has been ranked among the Top 100 Global Thinkers by the Foreign Policy journal, Turkish newspaper Sabah reported, adding in the meantime that the list also includes two Turkish nationals' names, one of them being Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.Ankara demonstrates a great interest in the Turkish-born scholar, wishing him to make his contribution to the country's economy. FM Davutoglu recently invited him to live and work in Turkey."I haven't had the chance to meet Davutoglu in person, but I hope I'll be able to return to Turkey soon," the professor said.Acemoglu was born in Istanbul, Turkey. He graduated from the Galatasaray High School in Istanbul in 1986. He got his B.A. degree from the University of York, UK and his M.S. degree in Econometrics and Mathematical Economics and then his Ph.D. degree in 1992 from the London School of Economics. He was a lecturer in economics at the LSE from 1992-1993. Acemoglu became a member of the M.I.T. faculty in 1993. He was promoted to full professor in 2000, and was named the Charles P. Kindleberger Professor of Applied Economics in 2004. He is a member of the Economic Growth program of the Canadian Institute of Advanced Research. He is also affiliated with the National Bureau of Economic Research, Center for Economic Performance, and Centre for Economic Policy Research. Acemoglu is currently Professor of Applied Economics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and winner of the 2005 John Bates Clark Medal. He is among the 10 most cited economists in the world, according to IDEAS/RePEc.
Tert.am

$20.8 million pledged at Telethon 2010

$20.8 million pledged at Telethon 2010
09:52 • 26.11.10
Hayastan All-Armenian Fund has raised a record-breaking $20.8 million in pledges at its 13th International Telethon.
The live 12-hour show aired from KCET Hollywood Studios on Thursday and reached millions of households globally.
The live program featured a rich presentation of Armenian music and entertainment, as well as celebrities, political and community leaders, and long time Armenia Fund supporters and donors. The Telethon culminates Armenia Fund’s global fundraising campaigns that included Phone-a-thons, gala dinners, and benefit concerts, as well as the annual benefit gala held in Moscow and the 11th Pan-European Phone-a-thon held in Paris.
Armenia Fund, along with its global affiliates will provide detailed information within the next few weeks, regarding total number of donors and pledges. The Fund will conduct and verify, as well as collect, all pledges made during Telethon 2010. Within the next few weeks, the Fund will release further details.
As always, Armenia Fund continues accepting donations online (http://www.armeniafund.org/) or through 1-800-888-8897 or 1-888-300-9271.
Tert.am

Court of Berlin fined Azerbaijani nationalist for insulting President Serzh Sargsyan

Court of Berlin fined Azerbaijani nationalist for insulting President Serzh Sargsyan
A court of Berlin charged Azerbaijani Gabib Abdulayev who lives in Germany 900 euros for making offensive statements towards President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan. According to “Media Forum”Abdulayev was arrested on June 22, 2010 for crying anti-Armenian slogans during President Sargsyan’s visit to Germany.Abdulayev declared he didn’t think he was guilty and wouldn’t pay the penalty. Thus he violates the country’s legislation where he is an ordinary immigrant.It’s said that Abdulayev spread anti-Armenian and nationalist statements through different social networks, including “Facebook”.
Source: Panorama.am

Vladimir Arzumanyan from Nagorno-Karabakh wins Junior Eurovision 2010

Vladimir Arzumanyan from Nagorno-Karabakh wins Junior Eurovision 2010
November 21, 2010 01:29
Vladimir Arzumanyan, 12, from Armenia, has won the Junior Eurovision 2010 with his song “Mama”. The song contest was held in Minsk on October 20.
Armenia got the highest points from Sweden and Macedonia. Song contest featured participants from 14 European states: Armenia, Belarus, Belgium, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, The Netherlands, Russia, Serbia, Ukraine and Sweden.
Vladimir Arzumanyan, pupil of Yerevan school # 1, was born in Nagorno-Karabakh.
News from Armenia - NEWS.am

Hundreds of Armenians return to their roots

14:34 20/11/2010 » IN THE WORLD
Hundreds of Armenians return to their roots
Turkish “Radikal” publication referred to citizens of Turkey who return to their Armenian identity. It’s reported that the toll of returning lost identity is getting increased, particularly in eastern parts of the country. For example, Yusuf Yilmaz of Armenian origin told the story of his “return”.“They knew we were Islamic Kurds. My parents were believers. When I was 12, my friends called me giaour. I asked my mother and she told me we were Armenians. In school they called Armenians killers. I was crying being an Armenian. Unless I decided to return to the religion of my roots. Islam says if you reject your roots, you are evil.”
Islam calls the dissidents giaour. “Radikal” reported that during the last 3 years hundreds of Armenian calimed Armenian Patriarchate of Polis to return them to their origin.
Source: Panorama.am

US interested in construction of new nuclear power plant in Armenia

US interested in construction of new nuclear power plant in Armenia
15:57 • 15.11.10
US is interested in the construction of the new nuclear energy bloc in Metsamor, Armavir marz (province), Coordinator of US Assistance to Europe and Eurasia at the US State Department Daniel Rosenblum said at a joint press conference with Armenia's Ministry of Economy at the second session of US-Armenia intergovernmental commission that kicked off this morning in Yerevan."American private companies are interested in the construction of Armenia's new nuclear power plant." We have discussed that issue with the Armenian side," said he. Mr Rosenblum also said that the US has for several years been engaged in consultations with Armenian over the safe use of the NPP."We are ready to cooperate over the construction of the nuclear power plant too," Mr Rosenblum said.
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