Turkish Forum

Month: October 2008

  • INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP – NEW REPORT Oil for Soil: A Grand Bargain on Iraq and the Kurds

    INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP – NEW REPORT Oil for Soil: A Grand Bargain on Iraq and the Kurds

     

    Kirkuk/Brussels, 28 October 2008: Rising acrimony over disputed territories will undermine still fragile progress in Iraq unless a package deal is reached over oil, revenue sharing, federalism and the constitution.

    Oil for Soil: Toward a Grand Bargain on Iraq and the Kurds,* the latest report from the International Crisis Group, offers a bold proposal for resolving the long-festering conflict over Kirkuk and other disputed territories that threatens to disrupt Iraq’s relative peace.

    “In its ethnically-driven intensity and its ability to drag in regional players such as Turkey and Iran, the Kirkuk issue can have a devastating impact on efforts to rebuild a fragmented state”, says Joost Hiltermann, Crisis Group’s Middle East Deputy Program Director. “This conflict potentially matches or even exceeds the Sunni-Shiite divide that spawned the 2005-2007 sectarian war”.

    Despite some progress, Iraq’s legislative agenda is bogged down primarily by a dispute over territories claimed by the Kurds as historically belonging to them – territories that contain as much as 13 per cent of Iraq’s proven oil reserves. Stymied in their quest to incorporate these territories into the Kurdistan region by constitutional means, due mainly to the suspicions of Iraq’s Arab majority that their real goal is independence, Kurdish leaders have signalled their intent to hold politics in Baghdad hostage. At the same time, the Iraqi government’s growing military assertiveness is challenging the Kurds’ de facto control over the territories.

    The current piecemeal approach should be discarded in favour of a grand bargain involving all core issues: Kirkuk and other disputed territories, revenue-sharing and the hydrocarbons law, as well as federalism and constitutional revisions. A sober assessment of all sides’ core requirements suggests a possible package deal around an “oil-for-soil” trade-off: in exchange for at least deferring their exclusive claim on Kirkuk for a decade, the Kurds would obtain demarcation and security guarantees for their internal boundary with the rest of Iraq, as well as the right to manage and profit from their own mineral wealth.

    This package demands painful concessions from all sides, which they are unlikely to make without strong international involvement. The UN mission (UNAMI) will need stronger backing from the U.S. and its allies. Washington should make it a priority to steer politicians toward the grand bargain, while securing it through political, financial and diplomatic support.

    “There is little time to waste. As U.S. forces are set to draw down, Washington’s leverage will diminish, as will chances for a workable deal”, warns Robert Malley, Crisis Group’s Middle East & North Africa Program Director. “The likeliest alternative is a new outbreak of violent strife over unsettled claims in a fragmented polity governed by chaos and fear”.

    Contacts: Andrew Stroehlein (Brussels) +32 (0) 2 541 1635
    Kimberly Abbott (Washington) +1 202 785 1601
    To contact Crisis Group media please click here
    *Read the full Crisis Group report on our website: http://www.crisisgroup.org

    The International Crisis Group (Crisis Group) is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organisation covering some 60 crisis-affected countries and territories across four continents, working through field-based analysis and high-level advocacy to prevent and resolve deadly conflict.

  • Armenian Genocide Discussed In Australian Parliament

    Armenian Genocide Discussed In Australian Parliament

    CANBERRA, Australia–A Federal Member for North Sydney, Joe Hockey, Monday spoke openly about the Armenian Genocide in the Federal Parliament of Australia, calling for recognition of the heinous crime.

    In response to appeals by the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC Australia), Hockey raised in Parliament the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s (ABC) recent use of the qualifier ‘alleged’ when making reference to the Armenian Genocide in a documentary entitled ‘Family Footsteps – Armenia’ broadcast in September.

    Hockey stated: “In the dead of night on 24 April 1915, 250 Armenian political, religious, educational and intellectual leaders in Istanbul were arrested, deported to the interior of the country and murdered… which is now recognized as the beginning of an official attempt by the Turkish government to exterminate its Armenian population.

    “Around 1.5 million Armenians were murdered during the Armenian genocide out of an estimated total Armenian population of just 2.5 million people,” said the legislator.

    Hockey concluded by calling on the Commonwealth Government to recognize the Armenian Genocide. He urged “this parliament to recognize the Armenian genocide for what it was–not alleged, not supposed and not so-called.”

    In a statement released today, ANC Australia President Varant Meguerditchian thanked Hockey for “again demonstrating leadership on a human rights issue which transcends party politics”.

    The statement read: “ANC Australia reaffirms its commitment to raising awareness of the Armenian Genocide as a measure toward the prevention of such crimes against humanity.”

    Hockey thanked ANC Australia for bringing this matter to his attention.

    The statement by Hockey in Parliament follows an active grassroots action by ANC Australia to raise awareness and seek correction by the ABC for referring to the Armenian Genocide as the ‘alleged Armenian Genocide’ in a recent documentary.

    In addition to more than 1000 emails sent by members of the Armenian-Australian community to the ABC regarding this matter, ANC Australia secured letters of support from Maxine McKew, Member for Bennelong, Prof. Gregory Stanton, President of the International Association of Genocide Scholars, Dr Donna-Lee Freize, Deakin University, Prof. Peter Balakian, Author of The Burning Tigris: The Armenian Genocide and America’s Response, the Australian Hellenic Council and the Australian Institute for Holocaust & Genocide Studies.
  • Avrupa Parlamentosunda yeni bir jenosid dosyası / INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE AT THE EU PARLIAMENT on “GENOCIDE”

    Avrupa Parlamentosunda yeni bir jenosid dosyası / INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE AT THE EU PARLIAMENT on “GENOCIDE”

    Pulat Tacar

    FOR YOUR INFO
    Subject: INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE AT THE EU PARLIAMENT on “GENOCIDE”

    Feleknas Uca, MEP is organizing an International Conference, please see the announcement hereunder.

    Notes:

    First time we saw Feleknas Uca (“German PKK Member at the EU Parliament“) was when BARZANI came to the EU Parliament in Brussels on 9th May 2007. She is also the one who was on the panel together with Urfan KERKuki (see attached pictures)

    At the Conference organized by Mr Jan BEGHIN, First Vice-President of the spa.-spirit group of the Brussels Parliament and the Kurdish Institute in Brussels on 2nd July 2007

     

    Feleknas Uca, MEP GUE/NGL

    invites you to following conference

    “During the Dersim Genocide the Turkish government has massacred thousands of people, those who survived were banished, Dersim was depopulated. The cause of these merciless acts was being Kurdish, Alevi and Kizilbash. Although 70 years have passed, Turkey is not willing to acknowledge this Genocide like many other Kurdish Genocides. Those responsible for the deaths of thousands of people have never been tried nor have they been brought out into light. The broken families could never discover their past. Thousands of people still haven’t received news from their families and close friends. The whereabouts of the Kurdish children taken by the Turkish Government at the time are unknown. Many other world counties who have had a similar experiences and committed genocide against its people have acknowledged the injustice and sorrow they have caused and have apologised. However Turkey is continuing to resist and use “it does not exist” strategy with the Kurdish Genocide just as they have with the Armenian Genocide.“

    Venue: European Parliament, Room ASP 1 G 03

    13 November 15h – 18.30h

  • Syria hits out at ‘terrorist’ US

    Syria hits out at ‘terrorist’ US

    Syria’s foreign minister has accused the US of an act of “criminal and terrorist aggression” over what it says was a helicopter raid on its territory.

    Walid Muallem said Sunday’s attack saw four US aircraft travel eight miles inside Syrian airspace from Iraq and kill eight unarmed civilians on a farm.

    Unnamed US military officials have said the attack targeted and killed a high profile al-Qaeda operative.

    But the White House has not confirmed or denied the alleged raid.

    Walid Muallem: We put the responsibility on the American government

    A US official was quoted by the AFP news agency as saying that its forces had mounted a “successful” raid against foreign fighters threatening US forces in Iraq.

    He said the raid was believed to have killed “one of the most prominent foreign fighter facilitators in the region”.

    The BBC’s Kim Ghattas in Washington says the person targeted was Abu Ghadiyah, an Iraqi from Mosul.

    He was the leader of a network which smuggled fighters into Iraq and had been put on a US Treasury Department black list in February for funding and arming insurgents, says our correspondent.

    The military official quoted by AFP said: “Look when you’ve got an opportunity, an important one, you take it”.

    “That’s what the American people would expect, particularly when it comes to foreign fighters going into Iraq, threatening our forces.”

    The US has previously accused Syria of allowing militants into Iraq, but Mr Muallem insisted his country was trying to tighten border controls.

    ‘An opportunity’

    Speaking at a news conference in London, Mr Muallem said the raid on the town of Abu Kamal had killed a father and his three children, a farm guard and his wife, and a fisherman.

    Mr Muallem said the raid was “not a mistake” and that he had urged the Iraqi government to investigate.

    “We consider this criminal and terrorist aggression. We put the responsibility on the American government,” he told reporters following talks with UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband.

    He added: “All of them [the victims] are civilians, Syrian, unarmed and they are on the Syrian territories.

    “Killing civilians in international law means a terrorist aggression.”

    Asked if Syria would use force if a similar operation was mounted, he said: “As long as you are saying if, I tell you, if they do it again, we will defend our territories.”

    Referring to the US presidential election, he said: “We hope the coming administration will learn the mistakes of this administration.”

    Mr Muallem and Mr Miliband were scheduled to hold a joint press conference, but Mr Miliband withdrew. The UK government has declined to comment on the raid.

    Exclusive BBC footage of the site of the alleged raid

    BBC

  • Armenian Youth Federation Demonstrates Against Gala Honoring Ataturk

    Armenian Youth Federation Demonstrates Against Gala Honoring Ataturk

    From Asbarez Armenian Daily… no comments…

    Javid

    LONG BEACH, CA–Over 50 members of the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) converged around the perimeter of the Long Beach Hilton Hotel Saturday night to demonstrate in protest of an annual banquet honoring the establishment of the modern Turkish republic and its founding father, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

    “Hosted by the Association of Turkish Americans of Southern California (ATASC), the Turkish Republic Day Ball differentiates itself from other benign cultural or social events due to its desire to celebrate the founding of the modern Turkish Republic,” said Vache Thomassian of the Armenian Youth Federation. “This event, which deifies Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and other Turkish “founding fathers”, seeks to commemorate the establishment of a Republic built on the ashes of 1.5 million victims of the Armenian Genocide; a feat we believe is not worthy of celebration.”

    For four hours demonstrators, lined outside the hotel, chanted slogans and read short statements highlighting Turkey’s past and present human rights violations, while a smaller group of AYF members inside the hotel silently demonstrated in the lobby, wearing t-shirts depicting a bloody Turkish flag and the words “republic of inhumanity.”

    “On October 29, 1923 Ataturk’s Republic of Turkey was formed and recognized as the successor state of the Ottoman Empire,” Arek Santikian screamed into a megaphone outside the hotel. “This Republic continued the oppressive and murderous policies employed by the Ottoman Empire, continuing to repress minorities, squash free speech and deny the Armenian Genocide.”

    Chants and statements read by AYF members outside the hotel echoed throughout the hotel lobby, reaching all the way to rooms on the hotel’s top floors, according to AYF members stationed inside the Hilton.

    Meanwhile, two members, inside the banquet, shouted “recognize the Armenian Genocide” repeatedly during a moment of silence held in memory of “Turkish victims” killed by Kurds, a repressed minority currently under siege in Turkey.

    The demonstration’s objective, according to the AYF, was to remind the event’s patrons of the historical truths surrounding the establishment of the Turkish Republic.

    “Undeniable human rights violations such as the denial of the Armenian Genocide, the occupation of Northern Cyprus, the massacre of Pontic Greeks, repression of minority populations and outright rejection of free speech are issues which must be brought to like during such a ‘celebration’,” said Thomassian. “Although we feel every ethnicity and nation has an indelible right to observe their respective cultural milestones, this instance is one which the AYF cannot remain quiet.”

    The demonstration was a success, according members posing as guests in the lobby. “Everyone inside the hotel lobby was talking about the demonstration and the Armenian Genocide,” Thomassian said, adding that even detectives on scene sympathized with our cause.

    ————

    Cok Degerli Kardesim Javid.
    alinti yazin beni bir hayli uzdu fakat ayni zamanda harekete gecirdi

    Turkiyede dis isleri diye politik bir guc olmadigini belli etmege calistim
    Turkiyenin dis islerini artik 4-5 yalakaci yazar idare ediyor
    Cumhurbaskani erivana onlar ile gidiyor
    ve buyuk bir jest yaptigini zannediyor
    bu hale paflagonya halki bile guler
    Turk Cumhurbaskani gelsinde
    Los Angeles’te verilen Cumhuriyet Balosunda Ermenileri yaptiklarini gorsun.

    Biz Ermenilere odun vere duralim Eloglu Turkiye haritasini degistirme gayretinde ilk adim Soykirim ikinci adim yer isteme

    Musoliniye “Cizmeyi ayagima giydirmesin” diyen Ataturk nerdesin?
    emanet ettigin genclik yok oldu simdi

    ve bu zevatin temisil ettigi iktidar Turkiyenin namusunu ve haysiyetini koruyor
    Rahmetli Inonu bile buna
    “HADI CANIM SENDE” derdi

    Vedat Aslay
    Guney Kalifornia

  • Adam Schiff: Turkish lobby won’t deter me from efforts to recognize Armenian Genocide

    Adam Schiff: Turkish lobby won’t deter me from efforts to recognize Armenian Genocide


    27.10.2008 15:39 GMT+04:00

    /PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Turkish Lobby has targeted Glendale Congressman Adam B. Schiff in the November 4th election, raising over ten thousand dollars for his opponent, Charles Hahn, during the month of September alone. Rep. Schiff’s office told PanARMENIAN.Net.

    Washington based Turkish Coalition PAC contributed $2,300 of the total at an event in Orange County hosted by Ergun Kirlikovali, who runs a an Armenian Genocide Denial website entitled “History of Truth.com”.

    Representative Schiff is the original sponsor of H.Res. 106, recognizing the Armenian Genocide, which passed the Foreign Affairs Committee this session despite intense lobbying by Turkey.

    “The Turkish lobby will not deter me from my efforts to recognize the Armenian Genocide. Over a million and a half Armenians perished in the first genocide of the last century, and no amount of spending by the forces of denial can rewrite history or discourage my pursuit of recognition.”