Turkish Forum

Year: 2010

  • Durum Güncelleme

    Durum Güncelleme

    Degerli Arkadaslarim ve Çok Değerli Turkish Forum Üyeleri

    Turkish Forum’un yeniden doğuşu için çalışmalarımız sonuç vermeye başladı  – Turkish Forumun Türkçe ve İngilizce sayfalarına girebilirsiniz – Turkish forum yazar kadrosu (Editorial Board) bilgilendirici yayınları deposit etmeye başladı  …  Almanca ve Rusça sayfalarımız henüz aktif değil – Son durumda çalışmalarımızı dağıtım programları üzerine yapmaktayız  *  onlar kurtarıldıktan sonra PKK Ermeni Batı Trakya ve Kıbrıs Azerbaycan Turkmenler …..ile ilgilı sayfaların üzerine eğileceğiz   Kurtarma operasyonu  yavaş gözükmesine rağmen  Değerli Uzman ve Gönüllü kadromuz tarafından büyük bir fedakarlıkla yürütülmektedir …. Hepsine ve bağısda bulunmuş olan  dostlarımıza (liste sonda verilmiştir) çok büyük bir teşekkür borçluyuz

    Lütfen bağışlarınız devam ettiriniz …  onlarsız operasyonun maddi tarafını ki bu durumda en önemli tarafını karşılamak durumunda değiliz.

    CANDAN TEŞEKKURLERLE

    Dr. Kayaalp Büyükataman – Başkan

    Turkish Forum Yönetim Kurulu

    www.turkishnews.com

    ***WITH STATUS UPDATE ***

    GÜNCELLENMİŞ BİLGİLER İLAVE EDİLMİŞDİR

    KURUCU ÜYE BİLGİLERİ İLAVE EDİLMİŞDİR

    BAGIŞ LİSTESİ  GÜNCELLEŞTİRİLMİŞDİR.

    SYSTEM RECOVERY DEVAM ETMEKTEDİR

    LUTFEN BAGIŞLARINIZI BUGÜN YAPINIZ * DAHA COK UZUN BIR YOLUMUZ VAR

    VERİ TABANINI TAM OLARAK KURTARAMADIK * BU MESAJI ALAN UYELERİMİZ

    Lütfen bu mesajı Sizde e-maili olan diğer Turkish Forum üyelerine ve Turkiye ye hizmeti hayatlarında ön plana almış dostlarınıza ulaştırınız.  Bu konuda yardım ve desteğiniz. Kısa zamanda uzun bir yolu kat etmemize büyük bir Yardım olacak.

    TURKISH FORUMUN DEĞERLİ ÜYELERİ, TURKISH FORUM’UNİNTERNET SİSTEMLERİ ÇÖKDÜ

    DESTEĞİNİZE İHTİYACI BÜYÜK

    2010 YILI ÜYE AİDATLARI VE İLAVE BAĞIŞLARINIZ  TURKISH FORUM’UN DEVAMI VE  PROGRAMLARIMIZ İÇİN BİR HAYAT KAYNAĞI OLACAKDIR.

    SONDA VERİLEN BAGLANTI, SİZİ AİDATLAR VE BAGIŞLAR SAYFASINA HIZLI BİR ŞEKİLDE İLETECEKDİR.

    Değerli Dostlarımız,

    TURKİSH FORUM (TF) Kükresel Anlamda ve 5 kıtada faaliyet gösteren yerel Türk kuruluşlarının bir araya gelmesine hizmet eden tek çatı kuruluşudur. Genel hatlarıyla özetlemek gerekirse, TF’in üstlenmiş olduğu en temel görev hangi ülkede olursa olsun Türk toplumunu mümkün olan en iyi Şekilde temsil etmek, Türk kökenli vatandaşları ve Türk iyenin dostlarını siyasi alanda ve sivil toplumda daha etkin bir rol oynamaya teşvik etmek ve ülkelerin  siyasetinde, yazılı ve görsel basında ve kamu alanında yer alan kişi ve kurumları Türkiye hakkında bilgilendirerek çeşitli ülkelerde köklenmiş Türk topluluklarına ortak değerlerimiz ölçülerinde hizmet etmektir.

    SON BIR KAÇ AYDIR SISTEMLERİMİZİN YENİLENMESİ İÇİN İHTİYACIMIZ OLAN NAKİT MİKTARININ MADDİ GÜCÜMÜZÜN ÜSTÜNDE OLDUGUNU BELİRTİR MESAJLARIMIZI SİZE UYGUN BİR ŞEKİLDE ULAŞTIRMAYA CALIŞDIK. PEKDE İSRAR ETMEDİK ÇÜNKÜ SİSTEMLER CALIŞMAKDA İDİ…   AMA ARTIK ZAYIFLAMIŞ OLAN SİSTEM BİR TEKNİK DİKKATSİZLIK SEBEBİ NETİCESİNDE 17 ARALIKDA TAMAMİYLE ÇÖKMÜŞ DURUMDA.

    BİR HAFTAYI AŞAN BİR SUREDİR. GÖNÜLLÜ UZMAN ARKADAŞLAR VE MAAŞLI TEKNİSYENLER SİSTEMDEN KALAN PARÇALARI DERLEMEYE CALISIYORLAR…

    DİGER BİR GURUP UZMAN ARKADAŞ VE TEKNİSYENLER İSE  YENİDEN KURULACAK SİSTEMİN ESKİSİNDEN DAHA İYİ OLMASI VE SİZE DAHA ÇABUK ULAŞMASI İÇİN GEREKLİ PROGRAMLARI DEĞİSTİRMEK VE YENİDEN YAZMAKTALAR.

    Sizin yardımınızla bu safhayı da atlatacağız ve eskisinden çok daha kuvvetli olarak Türk toplumuna hizmete devam edeceğiz. Bu bir sözdür. Bu bizlerin yoludur.

    Sistemin Back*Up ları ile birlikte Çökmesi herhangi bir saldırı sonucu değildir. Geçtiğimiz seneler içimde. Sistemlerimize yapılan binlerce saldırı tümüyle etkisiz kılındı.

    Çöküş Tümüyle Bakım teknisyen hatasıdır.  Sistemi Re*Boot etmek için arıza yapmış olan disk kullanılmış (bir kaç defa üst üste) sağlam AYNA VAZIFESI GÖREN (BACK*UP) disklerde çökmüş. Sistemi en kısa zamanda çalışır duruma getireceğiz. TEKNİK BAKIMDAN YARDIM EDEBİLECEK ARKADAŞLAR LÜTFEN İLERİ ÇIKSINLAR. HER BİRİNE İHTIYACIMIZ BÜYÜK.

    EKİBİMİZDEN GELEN ARA RAPOR DEMEKTEDİRKİ:

    Su anda disklerden biri yazılım olarak, mekanik arizalı disk ise donanımsal müdahaleler ile kurtarılmaya çalışılmaktadır.

    Bu işlemlerin maliyeti ise 4.000 USD’ ların üstünde gözükmektedir. Öte yandan sunucu teknik altyapısının minimum 2009 yılına eşit kapasite de kurulabilmesi için gerekli bütçe ise 20.000 dolar civarındadır.

    TAHMİN EDECEGİNİZ GİBİ: MADDİ BAKIMDAN’DA BUYUK BİR DESTEĞE İHTIYACIMIZ BELİRLENDİ. SİSTEMİ YENİDEN CANLANDIRACAK VE HAREKETE GEÇIRECEK YARDIM VE DESTEKLERİNİZİ  BİR AN ONCE GÖNDERMENİZİ VEYA YAPMANIZI RİCA EDİYORUZ.

    BAGIS YAPAN VE TEKNİK DESTEKDE BULUNAN ARKADAŞLARIMIZI VE BAGIŞ MIKTARLARINI (aksini istemedikleri takdirde) ARA YAYINLARIMIZDA BELİRTECEK VE AYRICA KURULACAK OLAN YENİ WEB SITEMİZDE ‘Turkish Forum KURUCU üyeleri arasında olarak daimi bir teşekkürle yer vereceğiz. AYRICA… Yönetim Kurulumuzun Kararına Dayanarak Desteğe en fazla ihtiyaç olan bu devrede……

    “ TURKISH FORUM KURUCU ÜYE SERTİFİKALARI “

    TURKISH FORUMUN  YENİDEN DOGUŞUNA BAGIŞ YAPARAK DESTEK VEREN  ARKADAŞLARIMIZA VE ÜYELERİMİZE ÖZEL OLARAK GÖNDERİLECEKDİR

    Yürürlükte olan iç-tüzüğümüze Göre Kurucu Üyeler  Gerek Danışma Kuruluna , gerekse Yönetim Kuruluna Bağlı Arzu ettikleri Komite veya organlardaki seçkin arkadaşlarımızla*uzmanlarımızla yan yana çalışma ve Turkish Forumu etkiliyebilecek her bir karara iştirak etme hakkına sahiptir.

    BAĞIŞLARINIZ İÇİN:

    TURKIYEDE BANKA ADRESI * TC ZİRAAT BANKASI  -İSTANBUL*TAKSIM SUBESI

    Hesap Sahibi: Turkish Forum Inc.

    Hesap:       USD   –

    USD Hesap No:    5761628-5001

    SWIFT= TC2BTR2A

    IBAN = TR09 0001 0008 4305 7616 2850 01

    ————

    Hesap:       TL   –

    TL Hesap No:     5761628-5002

    SWIFT= TC2BTR2A

    IBAN = TR79 0001 0008 4305 7616 2850 02

    —————

    AMERIKADA POSTA ADRESI * çekleriniz için

    Turkish Forum

    PO BOX 1104

    Marblehead: MA 01945 * USA

    ————————————————————-

    INTERNET UZERINDEN

    bu yazinin veya asagidaki yazinin uzerine tiklayiniz.

    Fehler! Es wurde kein Dateiname angegeben.
    Press the above button to pay.
    Inter uzerinden erismekde gucluk cekiyorsaniz lutfen buraya tiklayiniz  click here .
    If you can not see the payment button, please click here .

    Üyelik aidatlarından ve bağışlarınızdan temin ettiğimiz maddi kaynak, toplumumuzun müşterek hedeflerine ulaşabilmemiz için en temel dayanağımızdır.  Sizin desteğiniz ve TF’ a olan güvenceniz devam ettiği sürece kükresel anlamda Türk toplumu için çalışmaya devam edebileceğiz.  Kar amacı gütmeyen örgütler için tanımlanmış sınırlar çerçevesinde, bizlere yapacağınız maddi destek ödediğiniz vergilerden düşülebilir. “Internal Revenue Code 501(c) (3)”.

    Turkish Forum – Dünya Türkleri Birliğine inandığınız, ilginiz ve desteğiniz için size teşekkür eder, daha da başarılı bir yılda esenlikler dileriz.

    Saygılarımızla,
    Kayaalp Büyükataman                              Metin Kaşka

    Dr. Kayaalp Büyükataman, Başkan                Metin Kaşka, Mütevelli heyeti Başkanı
    Turkish Forum- Dünya Türkleri Birliği

    Lütfen bu mesajı Sizde e-maili olan diğer Turkish Forum üyelerine ve Turkiye ye hizmeti hayatlarında ön plana almış dostlarınıza ulaştırınız. Veri tabanını henüz tümüyle kurtaramadık… Bu konuda yardım ve desteğiniz. Kısa zamanda uzun bir yolu kastetmemize büyük bir Yardım olacak.

    BU GÜNE KADAR BAĞIŞ YAPAN ÜYE VE DOSTLARIMIZ (*)

    Kayaalp BUYUKATAMAN ABD 500
    Taner ERTUNC ALMANYA 500
    ERKAN  ESMER ABD 300
    OZER AKSOY KANADA 250
    ATA TURSUCU ABD 250
    SUKRU MUVAFFAK UZUMERI KANADA 250
    BULENT BASOL ABD 250
    BIROL KILIC AVUSTURYA 200
    DEMITAS BAYAR ABD 200
    ALİ ÜSTÜN TR 200
    SUAT MELIH DURUSAN TR 150
    FATMA ORAN KANADA 100
    MEHMET ALI KORPINAR TR 100
    ZEKI ASLAN KANADA 100
    AFET ERIMER JACQUEMOUD ABD 100
    FEVZIYE MANIZADE ABD 100
    SEVIL AKMAN ABD 75
    TANJU & GULAY KIRISCIOGLU ABD 50
    TULAY LUCIANO ABD 50
    IBRAHIM GOKCEK ABD 50
    IBRAHIM TANSEL ABD 50
    CONECTICUTT TURK DERNEGI ABD 50
    ALI KESKINER ABD 50
    OMER SABUNCU ABD 30
    OMER KALAYCIOGLU TR 15

    *Bankaya yatırılan fonları lütfen e*maille bize bildiriniz

    DATA RECOVER TEKNİK DESTEK VEREN ÜYE VE DOSTLARIMIZ

    (İsimler ve Şirketler ‘Emniyet sebebi ile’ İşlem sonunda acıklanacakdır)

    YENİDEN YAPILANMAYA DESTEK/FİKİR VEREN ÜYE VE DOSTLARIMIZ

    TANER ERTUNÇ                                       ALMANYA

    ERGUN KIRLIKOVALI                            ABD

    MUZAFFER KARASULU                         ABD

    SEFER ÖZDEMİR                                      ABD

    FATİH ÇULHA                                           ABD

    SİNAN BORULDAY                                  TR

    EVREN CÖMERT                                       TR

    HALUK DEMİRBAĞ                                  İNGİLTERE

    TOLGA CAKIR                                           İNGİLTERE

    Abdullah Bozgeyik                                         TR

    ↑ Grab this Headline Animator

  • Conference Turkish- Armenians Relations

    Conference Turkish- Armenians Relations

    Conference: “Turkish- Armenians Relations” 29 January 2010 – LSE  …   Servet Hassan

    You are kindly invited to attend an evening conference entitled

    ‘TURKISH – ARMENIAN RELATIONS’

    Friday, 29 January 2010, 6 pm for 6.45 pm*

    *6.00 pm Refreshments available in the Senior Dining Room, Old Building, 5th Floor,

    6.45 pm Conference (Hong Kong Theatre – St Clement’s Building)

    Hong Kong Theatre

    St Clement’s Building,

    London School of Economics,

    Houghton Street,

    London WC2A 2AE

    GUEST SPEAKERS

    Prof. Türkkaya Ataöv

    “What Really Happened on April 24, 1915?”

    “The overwhelming majority of Armenian, European and American writers argue that the Armenian armed revolt of 1915 never posed a genuine threat to the security of the Ottoman state during the First World War and that their removal from eastern Anatolia was almost totally uncalled for, and hence could and should have been avoided. There exist, nevertheless, some researchers, including myself, who examined the lines of communications and the logistics disposition of the Ottoman command and concluded that the security of the three Ottoman armies in Caucasia, Syria-Palestine and Mesopotamia had been indeed very much jeopardized, not only by Armenian guerrilla attacks but also on account of participation as belligerents in the Allied armies against whom the Turks fought in several fronts. On April 24, 1915, the Ottoman Ministry of Interior sent a circular to 14 provinces and 10 counties, ordering the closure of the Armenian committees and the arrest of some of their leaders notorious for dissident activities…”

    Asst Prof Bestami Sadi Bilgiç

    “The Question of “Genocide” in Turkish Foreign Policy: The Cases of Armenians, Pontic Rums and Assyrians”

    Due to the activities of the Armenian Diaspora mainly in North America and Europe, the Armenian question has become one of the most important issues of Turkish Foreign Policy. Despite recent moves by Turkish and Armenian decision-makers for a rapprochement between Turkey and Armenia, the Armenian Diaspora’s efforts for recognition of the so-called “Armenian Genocide” by countries with which Turkey has close relations have not lost any momentum. As a matter of fact, the Armenian Diaspora is still working to build upon its past “successes.” The Armenian Diaspora’s “successes” seem to have inspired other anti-Turkish political groups in America and Europe. Recently, the Pontic Greek and Assyrian Diasporas have been forming alliances with Armenian groups and striving to have their host countries recognise the so-called “Pontus and Assyrian genocides”. In this paper, an attempt will be made to illustrate the collaboration of various anti-Turkish Diaspora communities in America and Europe and examine its impact on Turkish Foreign Policy…

    Chaired By

    Dr Andrew Mango

    The Way Forward

    *****

    This conference has been organised in the memory of 34 Turkish diplomats and other innocent victims who were murdered by various Armenian terrorist groups between 1973 and 1985. Most of the perpetrators have never been brought to justice, and of the few that were, only some were imprisoned and given very light sentences.

    *****

    Non – Members Welcome

    Attendance is free but by registration only.

    Places are limited so please register at [email protected]

    or telephone 07788 908 803

    Organised by

    THE FEDERATION OF TURKISH ASSOCIATIONS UK

    www.turkishfederationuk.com

    Speakers’ Biographies

    Dr Andrew Mango: Born in 1926 in Istanbul, where he started his education at the English High School for Boys, going on to the School of Oriental and African Studies, London , to study Classical Persian and Arabic. Ph.D. in 1955 for a thesis on the legend of Alexander in Persian Islamic poetry. Joined the External Services (now World Service) of the BBC in 1947, and was in charge of broadcasts in Turkish between 1958 and 1972, before being promoted Head of the South European and then also of the French Language Services. After his retirement from the BBC in 1986 has worked full-time as researcher, writer and consultant on modern Turkey. His principal publications are Turkey (Thames and Hudson, 1968); Discovering Turkey (Batsford, 1972); Turkey: The Challenge of a New Role (Praeger 1994); Atatürk (John Murray, London 1999 & Overlook Press, New York); The Turks Today (John Murray, 2004, & Overlook Press, New York); and Turkey and the War on Terror (Routledge, 2005). From the Sultan to Atatürk, his book on the treaties of Sèvres and Lausanne was published in July 2009 in the series on the treaties concluded after World War I, brought out by Haus Publishing, London . Contributed the chapter on Atatürk to vol.4 of the Cambridge History of Turkey, published in 2008, and a chapter on Turkey ’s regional relations to Turkey in the Twentieth Century, ed. E.J.Zürcher, Klaus Schwartz Verlag, Berlin , 2008. Member of the Royal Institute of International Affairs, London, and of editorial boards of academic publications in London, Paris, Ankara and Israel. Decorated with the Distinguished Service Medal of the Turkish Foreign Ministry; Hon.Ph.D. Middle East Technical University, Ankara and Süleyman Demirel University , Isparta.

    Prof Türkkaya Ataöv: Türkkaya Ataöv is Professor Emeritus in International Relations at Ankara University, Turkey. He did his graduate work in the United States, where he received two MAs (NYU & Syracuse Univ.) and a PhD (1959, Syracuse U., NY). He taught at Ankara Univ. for more than four decades and lectured in several American, British, Russian, German, Dutch, Indian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, African and Australian universities. He is the author of close to 140 books, a few hundred academic treaties, and a few thousand newspaper articles. His writings have been translated into 20 different languages. He was elected to central executive positions of UN-related international organisations, dealing with racial discrimination, human rights, terrorism, nuclear war, and exchange of prisoners of war. Professor Ataöv published 80 books/ booklets on the Armenian issue, was invited as “witness of authority” by the Paris court to the two (1984 & 1985) trials of Armenian terrorists, participated in the UN (1985) Geneva meetings of the Human Rights Commission on the Genocide Convention, and partook in several meetings of the European Parliament that dealt with the Armenian issue.  He is the recipient of 18 prestigious academic awards/medals: Italian Presidential Medal of Knighthood ; Yugoslav Presidential Medal of Golden Wrath; Potchyomaya Gramata Award of the Russian Academy of Sciences; Academic Award of the University of Bophuthatswana, Republic of South Africa;  Palestinian Medal of Honour; Cuban Felix El Musa Medal; Hungarian Medal of Culture; UN-IPO Golden Medal of Honour; UN Special Peace Award; Macedonian Medal of Historical Research; Shield of India; Afghan Medal; 1989 Shield of the Promotion Society of Turkey; ADD European Scientific Award for 2001; Shield of the Turkish Grand National Assembly; Shield of Selcuk University, Shield of Inonu University, Award of the Kadikoy (Istanbul) Municipality (for Contribution to Republican Principles)

    Dr Bestami Sadi Bilgiç: Dr. Bestami S. Bilgic is an Assistant Professor of International Affairs at the Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University. Currently he is taking part in a research project on the Ottoman minorities at the Turkish Historical Society in Ankara. Dr. Bilgic’s research interests are Modern Greek History and Politics, Late Ottoman-Early Republican History and Minorities. Dr. Bilgic is a graduate of Bilkent University where he earned a B.A. in International Relations in 1997 and a M.A. in International Relations in 1999. After spending the academic year of 1999- 2000 in Greece doing research on the history of Turkish-Greek relations, he went to the United States for his doctoral studies and in 2004 he got his PhD in the field of Modern History at the George Washington University. Dr. Bilgic has published on the history of Turkish-Greek relations, and Turkish Foreign Policy. Dr. Bilgic speaks English, Greek, German and Macedonian, and reads Ottoman paleography.
  • Armenia warns of breakdown in Turkey reconciliation

    Armenia warns of breakdown in Turkey reconciliation

    By Mariam Harutunian (AFP) – 7 hours ago

    YEREVAN — Historic efforts to establish ties between Armenia and Turkey may break down, the Armenian foreign minister warned on Friday, blaming Ankara for obstructing the process.

    “If Turkey is not ready to ratify the protocols, if it continues to speak in ultimatums, to set preconditions and to obstruct the process, then I do not exclude that negotiations will break down,” Eduard Nalbandian said at a press conference.

    His comments came after Armenian and Turkish efforts to establish ties after decades of hostility hit fresh snags this week as the two sides traded accusations of trying to modify the landmark deal.

    Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Yerevan of trying to “doctor” the agreement, saying that a ruling by Armenia’s Constitutional Court this month had set new conditions.

    Nalbandian dismissed Ankara’s accusations as “absurd.”

    “Statements by Turkey that the Constitutional Court’s decision creates preconditions or contradicts the principles of the protocols… do not correspond with reality and are absurd,” he said.

    “These statements will not be believed, not only in the international community but also in Turkey itself,” he said.

    Yerevan has accused Turkey of trying to set new conditions on the deal by linking it with Armenia’s conflict with Turkish ally Azerbaijan over the disputed Nagorny Karabakh region.

    Nalbandian said he did not expect a breakthrough in talks on Karabakh in the near future.

    “It is difficult to say what will happen in 2010. If the Azerbaijani side shows a more constructive approach then there may be changes. But I cannot say that in the near future we can expect a breakthrough,” he said.

    Turkey and Armenia signed two protocols in October to establish diplomatic ties and reopen their shared border, in a deal hailed as a historic step towards ending decades of hostility stemming from World War I-era massacres of Armenians under Ottoman Turkish rule.

    Armenia’s Constitutional Court on January 12 upheld the legality of the agreement, but also said the two protocols “cannot be interpreted” to contradict a paragraph in Armenia’s 1990 declaration of independence that refers to “the 1915 genocide in Ottoman Turkey and Western Armenia.”

    Turkey’s refusal to establish ties with Armenia stems in part from Yerevan’s attempts to have the massacres internationally recognised as genocide.

    References to “Western Armenia” are also sensitive as some in Turkey see use of the term as making territorial claims on areas in eastern Anatolia.

    Neither country’s parliament has yet ratified the two protocols.

    Turkish officials have repeatedly said the agreements will not be ratified without progress in the dispute over Nagorny Karabakh.

    Backed by Yerevan, ethnic Armenian separatists seized control of Karabakh and seven surrounding districts from Azerbaijan during a war in the early 1990s that claimed an estimated 30,000 lives.

    Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 in a show of solidarity with Azerbaijan — with which it has strong ethnic, trade and energy links — against Yerevan’s support for the enclave’s separatists.

    The head of Armenia’s parliament said last month that it will not ratify the deal before the Turkish parliament does.

  • The Show is Over… The Protocols are Dead!

    The Show is Over… The Protocols are Dead!

    By Harut Sassounian

    Publisher, The California Courier

    The show is finally over! The international community is no longer buying the endless Turkish excuses for refusing to ratify the Protocols. Armenian officials, who naively believed that Turkey would open its border and establish diplomatic relations with Armenia, are beginning to question the Turks’ sincerity and contemplating the possibility of the Protocols’ collapse.

    Now the blame game starts! Whose fault is it that the Protocols are not being ratified? In my view, the Turks are the ones to be blamed for deceiving the international community all along. It was never the intention of the Turkish leaders to carry out their publicly stated plans to normalize relations with Armenia. They were simply engaged in a ploy to obstruct what they believed to be Pres. Obama’s solemn pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide, and to facilitate Turkey’s admission to the European Union (EU), since open borders are one of the key prerequisites for EU membership.

    Without taking a single positive step, Turkey created the false impression of reconciling with Armenia, thereby dissuading Pres. Obama from using the term “Genocide” in his April 24 statement. Turkish leaders also succeeded in exploiting the Protocols to generate favorable worldwide publicity for their country.

    During long and difficult negotiations, Turkey demanded that in return for opening the border and establishing diplomatic relations, Armenia withdraw from Karabagh (Artsakh), set up an international commission to study the facts of the Genocide, and acknowledge the territorial integrity of Turkey.

    After Russia, the United States, and Europe applied intense pressure on both sides, Armenia and Turkey made a series of compromises. Armenia reluctantly agreed to establish an ambiguous “historical commission,” which was not explicitly linked to the Genocide. Armenia also had to accept a reference in the Protocols to prior international treaties that confirmed Armenian territorial concessions to Turkey, but did not specifically mention the capitulatory Treaty of Kars. Furthermore, the Protocols included a clause that called for non-intervention in the internal affairs of other states, implying that Armenia could no longer support Artsakh, because that would be construed as interference in Azerbaijan’s domestic issues.

    Since the Protocols signed on October 10 did not fulfill all of Turkey’s demands, its leaders started threatening not to ratify the Protocols or open the border with Armenia until the Artsakh conflict is resolved in Azerbaijan’s favor. In other words, Turkey was trying to make up for any deficiencies in the Protocols by holding their ratification hostage to its precondition on Artsakh.

    The ratification of the Protocols became even more complicated when Azerbaijan began to threaten its “Big Brother” Turkey for considering the opening of the border with its archenemy — Armenia. The Azeris wanted the Turkish blockade to continue until Armenia is forced to acknowledge Azerbaijan’s jurisdiction over Artsakh. The Azeri threat of raising natural gas prices to Turkey and redirecting some of its oil to Russia made Turkish leaders even more reticent to consummate their agreement with Armenia.

    To appease Azerbaijan, Turkey demanded that Russia, Europe and the United States pressure Armenia into making concessions on Artsakh. This Turkish request, however, fell on deaf ears. The international community realized that the attempt to simultaneously resolve two thorny issues — the Artsakh conflict and Armenia-Turkey Protocols — would lead to solving neither one!

    Realizing that hardly anyone outside Turkey and Azerbaijan was supporting their demands on Artsakh, Turkish leaders set their sights on another convenient scapegoat: The Constitutional Court of Armenia. Although the Court decided on January 12 that the obligations stipulated in the Protocols complied with the constitution, it also issued several clarifications and limitations that restricted the Turkish government’s loose interpretation of the Protocols.

    Prime Minister Erdogan and Foreign Minister Davutoglu brazenly threatened to abandon the Protocols outright, unless the Armenian Constitutional Court “corrected” its decision — an impossible task under Armenian laws! The State Dept. quickly sided with Armenia, rejecting the Turkish claim that the Constitutional Court’s ruling contradicted the “letter and spirit” of the agreement. Of course, the State Department’s true intent was to forestall the Armenian Parliament from adding any reservations on the Protocols at the time of ratification.

    Since the Chairman of the Armenian Parliament had already announced that he would not take any action until the Turkish Parliament ratified the Protocols first, the ball is now in Turkey’s court. The Protocols have been collecting dust in Ankara ever since they were submitted to the Parliament on October 21, 2009. The Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Turkey had stated in their joint announcement of last August that the Protocols should be ratified “within a reasonable timeframe.” Armenian officials recently reminded Turkey of that loose deadline, adding that Armenia would be forced to take unspecified counter-actions should Turkey not ratify the Protocols by February or March, at the latest!

    At this juncture, neither Armenia nor Turkey is willing to back down from its recalcitrant position. Should Turkey’s leaders remove Artsakh and the Constitutional Court as preconditions, they would risk not only losing Azerbaijan as an ally, but seriously jeopardize their party’s majority in next year’s parliamentary election. Similarly, Armenia’s leaders can neither give up Artsakh nor “correct” the ruling of the Constitutional Court. No amount of outside pressure can therefore force the two governments to reverse course. That is why I believe the Protocols cannot be resuscitated!

    Turkey came very close to deceiving Armenia and the rest of the world with these infamous Protocols. Fortunately, they failed before causing lasting damage to Armenia’s national interests.

  • Ruling by Judge William Young, US District Court.

    Ruling by Judge William Young, US District Court.

    Reid: ‘I am at war with your country’

    Friday, January 31, 2003 Posted: 11:10 AM EST (1610 GMT) Richard Reid (CNN) – The following is a partial transcript of Thursday’s court hearing in which Richard Reid was sentenced to life in prison for his confessed plan to try and blow up a jetliner with explosives he had hidden in his shoes. The exchange is between Reid and Judge William Young. RICHARD REID: I start by praising Allah because life today is no good. I bear witness to this and he alone is right to be worshiped. And I bear witness that Muhammad Sa’laat Alayhi as-Salaam is his last prophet and messenger who is sent to all of mankind for guidance, with the sound guidance for everyone. Concerning what the Court said? I admit, I admit my actions and I further, I further state that I done them. JUDGE WILLIAM YOUNG: I didn’t hear the last. I admit my actions and then what did you say? REID: I further admit my allegiance to Osama bin Laden, to Islam, and to the religion of Allah. With regards to what you said about killing innocent people, I will say one thing. Your government has killed 2 million children in Iraq. If you want to think about something, against 2 million, I don’t see no comparison. Your government has sponsored the rape and torture of Muslims in the prisons of Egypt and Turkey and Syria and Jordan with their money and with their weapons. I don’t know, see what I done as being equal to rape and to torture, or to the deaths of the two million children in Iraq. So, for this reason, I think I ought not apologize for my actions. I am at war with your country. I’m at war with them not for personal reasons but because they have murdered more than, so many children and they have oppressed my religion and they have oppressed people for no reason except that they say we believe in Allah. This is the only reason that America sponsors Egypt. It’s the only reason they sponsor Turkey. It’s the only reason they back Israel. As far as the sentence is concerned, it’s in your hand. Only really it is not even in your hand. It’s in Allah’s hand. I put my trust in Allah totally and I know that he will give victory to his religion. And he will give victory to those who believe and he will destroy those who wish to oppress the people because they believe in Allah. So you can judge and I leave you to judge. And I don’t mind. This is all I have to say. And I bear witness to Muhammad this is Allah’s message. YOUNG: Mr. Richard C. Reid, hearken now to the sentence the Court imposes upon you.

    start quote… we all know that the way we treat you, Mr. Reid, is the measure of our own liberties.end quote
    — Judge William Young
    On counts 1, 5 and 6 the Court sentences you to life in prison in the custody of the United States Attorney General. On counts 2, 3, 4 and 7, the Court sentences you to 20 years in prison on each count, the sentence on each count to run consecutive one with the other. That’s 80 years. On Count 8 the Court sentences you to the mandatory 30 years consecutive to the 80 years just imposed. The Court imposes upon you on each of the eight counts a fine of $250,000 for the aggregate fine of $2 million. The Court accepts the government’s recommendation with respect to restitution and orders restitution in the amount of $298.17 to Andre Bousquet and $5,784 to American Airlines. The Court imposes upon you the $800 special assessment. The Court imposes upon you five years supervised release simply because the law requires it. But the life sentences are real life sentences so I need not go any further. This is the sentence that is provided for by our statutes. It is a fair and a just sentence. It is a righteous sentence. Let me explain this to you. We are not afraid of any of your terrorist co-conspirators, Mr. Reid. We are Americans. We have been through the fire before. There is all too much war talk here. And I say that to everyone with the utmost respect. Here in this court where we deal with individuals as individuals, and care for individuals as individuals, as human beings we reach out for justice. You are not an enemy combatant. You are a terrorist. You are not a soldier in any war. You are a terrorist. To give you that reference, to call you a soldier gives you far too much stature. Whether it is the officers of government who do it or your attorney who does it, or that happens to be your view, you are a terrorist. And we do not negotiate with terrorists. We do not treat with terrorists. We do not sign documents with terrorists. We hunt them down one by one and bring them to justice. So war talk is way out of line in this court. You’re a big fellow. But you’re not that big. You’re no warrior. I know warriors. You are a terrorist. A species of criminal guilty of multiple attempted murders. In a very real sense Trooper Santiago had it right when first you were taken off that plane and into custody and you wondered where the press and where the TV crews were and you said you’re no big deal. You’re no big deal. What your counsel, what your able counsel and what the equally able United States attorneys have grappled with and what I have as honestly as I know how tried to grapple with, is why you did something so horrific. What was it that led you here to this courtroom today? I have listened respectfully to what you have to say. And I ask you to search your heart and ask yourself what sort of unfathomable hate led you to do what you are guilty and admit you are guilty of doing. And I have an answer for you. It may not satisfy you. But as I search this entire record it comes as close to understanding as I know. It seems to me you hate the one thing that to us is most precious. You hate our freedom. Our individual freedom. Our individual freedom to live as we choose, to come and go as we choose, to believe or not believe as we individually choose. Here, in this society, the very winds carry freedom. They carry it everywhere from sea to shining sea. It is because we prize individual freedom so much that you are here in this beautiful courtroom. So that everyone can see, truly see that justice is administered fairly, individually, and discretely. It is for freedom’s seek that your lawyers are striving so vigorously on your behalf and have filed appeals, will go on in their, their representation of you before other judges. We care about it. Because we all know that the way we treat you, Mr. Reid, is the measure of our own liberties. Make no mistake though. It is yet true that we will bear any burden; pay any price, to preserve our freedoms. Look around this courtroom. Mark it well. The world is not going to long remember what you or I say here. Day after tomorrow it will be forgotten. But this, however, will long endure. Here, in this courtroom, and courtrooms all across America, the American people will gather to see that justice, individual justice, justice, not war, individual justice is in fact being done. The very President of the United States through his officers will have to come into courtrooms and lay out evidence on which specific matters can be judged, and juries of citizens will gather to sit and judge that evidence democratically, to mold and shape and refine our sense of justice. See that flag, Mr. Reid? That’s the flag of the United States of America. That flag will fly there long after this is all forgotten. That flag still stands for freedom. You know it always will. Custody, Mr. Officer. Stand him down. REID: That flag will be brought down on the Day of Judgment and you will see in front of your Lord and my Lord and then we will know. (Whereupon the defendant was removed from the courtroom.) YOUNG: We’ll recess. All rise.
    RELATED
    Reid sentenced to life in prison
    —————————  SAME ITEM DIFFERENT WRITER —————————————– Remember the guy who got on a plane with a bomb built into his shoe and tried to light it? Did you know his trial is over? Did you know he was sentenced? Did you see/hear any of the judge’s comments on TV or Radio? Didn’t think so.!!! Everyone should hear what the judge had to say. Ruling by Judge William Young, US District Court. Prior to sentencing, the Judge asked the defendant if he had anything to say.  His response: After admitting his guilt to the court for the record, Reid also admitted his ‘allegiance to Osama bin Laden, to Islam, and to the religion of Allah,’ defiantly stating, ‘I think I will not apologize for my actions,’ and told the court ‘I am at war with your country.’ Judge Young then delivered the statement quoted below: January 30, 2003, United States vs. Reid. Judge Young:   ‘Mr. Richard C. Reid, hearken now to the sentence the Court imposes upon you. On counts 1, 5 and 6 the Court sentences you to life in prison in the custody of the United States Attorney General.  On counts 2, 3, 4and 7, the Court sentences you to 20 years in prison on each count, the sentence on each count to run consecutively.  (That’s 80 years.) On count 8 the Court sentences you to the mandatory 30 years again, to be served consecutively to the 80 years just imposed.  The Court imposes upon you for each of the eight counts a fine of $250,000 that’s an aggregate fine of $2 million.  The Court accepts the government’s recommendation with respect to restitution and orders restitution in the amount of $298.17 to Andre Bousquet and $5,784 to American Airlines. The Court imposes upon you an $800 special assessment. The Court imposes upon you five years supervised release simply because the law requires it. But the life sentences are real life sentences so I need go no further. This is the sentence that is provided for by our statutes.  It is a fair and just sentence.  It is a righteous sentence. Now, let me explain this to you.  We are not afraid of you or any of your terrorist co-conspirators, Mr. Reid.  We are Americans.  We have been through the fire before.  There is too much war talk here and I say that to everyone with the utmost respect.  Here in this court, we deal with individuals as individuals and care for individuals as individuals.  As human beings, we reach out for justice. You are not an enemy combatant.  You are a terrorist. You are not a soldier in any war.  You are a terrorist.  To give you that reference, to call you a soldier, gives you far too much stature. Whether the officers of government do it or your attorney does it, or if you think you are a soldier, you are not—– you are a terrorist.  And we do not negotiate with terrorists.  We do not meet with terrorists.  We do not sign documents with terrorists.  We hunt them down one by one and bring them to justice. So war talk is way out of line in this court.  You are a big fellow. But you are not that big.  You’re no warrior.  I’ve known warriors. You are a terrorist.  A species of criminal that is guilty of multiple attempted murders.  In a very real sense, State Trooper Santiago had it right when you first were taken off that plane and into custody and you wondered where the press and the TV crews were, and he said: ‘You’re no big deal.‘ You are no big deal. What your able counsel and what the equally able United States attorneys have grappled with and what I have as honestly as I know how tried to grapple with, is why you did something so horrific.  What was it that led you here to this courtroom today? I have listened respectfully to what you have to say. And I ask you to search your heart and ask yourself what sort of unfathomable hate led you to do what you are guilty and admit you are guilty of doing?  And, I have an answer for you.  It may not satisfy you, but as I search this entire record, it comes as close to understanding as I know. It seems to me you hate the one thing that to us is most precious. You hate our freedom.  Our individual freedom.  Our individual freedom to live as we choose, to come and go as we choose, to believe or not believe as we individually choose.  Here, in this society, the very wind carries freedom.  It carries it everywhere from sea to shining sea.  It is because we prize individual freedom so much that you are here in this beautiful courtroom, so that everyone can see, truly see, that justice is administered fairly, individually, and discretely.  It is for freedom’s sake that your lawyers are striving so vigorously on your behalf, have filed appeals, will go on in their representation of you before other judges. We Americans are all about freedom.  Because we all know that the way we treat you, Mr. Reid, is the measure of our own liberties.  Make no mistake though.  It is yet true that we will bear any burden; pay any price, to preserve our freedoms.  Look around this courtroom.  Mark it well.  The world is not going to long remember what you or I say here.  The day after tomorrow, it will be forgotten, but this, however, will long endure. Here in this courtroom and courtrooms all across America , the American people will gather to see that justice, individual justice, justice, not war, individual justice is in fact being done.  The very President of the United States through his officers will have to come into courtrooms and lay out evidence on which specific matters can be judged and juries of citizens will gather to sit and judge that evidence democratically, to mold and shape and refine our sense of justice. See that flag, Mr. Reid?  That’s the flag of the United States of America .  That flag will fly there long after this is all forgotten. That flag stands for freedom.  And it always will. Mr. Custody Officer.  Stand him down. So, how much of this Judge’s comments did we hear on our TV sets?  We need more judges like Judge Young.  Pass this around.  Everyone should and needs to hear what this fine judge had to say. Powerful words that strike home.

  • Armenians, Just as Bulgarians, Should Demand Compensation from Turkey

    Armenians, Just as Bulgarians, Should Demand Compensation from Turkey

    Armenians, Just as Bulgarians,

    Should Demand Compensation from Turkey

    Publisher, The California Courier

    Bojidar Dimitrov, Bulgaria’s Minister in charge of the Agency for Bulgarians Abroad, stirred a hornet’s nest at the start of the new year by threatening to block Turkey’s accession to the European Union (EU), unless it paid billions of dollars in compensation for Bulgarians who were forcefully displaced during the Ottoman era.

    Dimitrov said Turkey owed Bulgaria $20 billion for expelling hundreds of thousands of ethnic Bulgarians in 1913. The Republic of Turkey, which was founded in 1923, had assumed the obligations of the Ottoman Empire and agreed to make reparations in a 1925 treaty. However, thus far, Bulgaria has received no compensation from the Turkish government.

    “Turkey is surely able to pay this sum, after all, it’s the 16th largest economic power in the world,” Dimitrov said, capitalizing on a statement that Turkish officials often make, bragging about their country’s economic strength!

    Dimitrov disclosed that the payment of compensation as required by the 1925 treaty is one of Bulgaria’s three pre-conditions in order not to veto Turkey’s admission to the EU. The other two pre-conditions involve energy and water management issues.

    Veselin Ninov, a Bulgarian government spokesman, confirmed to the EUobserver on January 4, that Dimitrov’s announcement represented official state policy. He revealed that the dispute was being handled by a “Bulgarian-Turkish intergovernmental working group” and that Prime Minister Boyko Borissov would raise the compensation issue during his upcoming visit to Turkey.

    Turkish officials reacted quickly and harshly! Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, repeating the same baseless accusations that Turkish leaders often make regarding the Armenian Genocide, alleged that the Turks suffered as much as the Bulgarians during that period. According to Zaman newspaper, Davutoglu warned that Bulgaria’s demands for compensation might harm bilateral relations, although, he confirmed that the two countries have been discussing “issues relevant to the mass transfers of Turks and Bulgarians during the last days of the Ottoman Empire.”

    Bulgarian officials immediately backed down realizing that an open confrontation with Turkey on this issue may not be as beneficial to them as quiet, behind closed doors negotiations. Bulgaria’s Deputy Foreign Minister Marin Raykov sought to downplay Dimitrov’s demands by stating that his country did not make Turkey’s EU bid conditional on the resolution of the compensation issue for displaced persons. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Borissov rebuked Dimitrov, threatening to fire him should he make a similar statement in the future without first consulting him.

    Minister Dimitrov quickly apologized in order to retain his job. Press official Veselin Ninov, however, was not as fortunate. He was fired for endorsing Dimitrov’s earlier statement.

    For the time being, Bulgaria’s leaders may find it premature to openly link their demands for compensation from Turkey to its bid for EU membership, even though many Bulgarians have persistently demanded such reparations for decades. Consequently, this issue is bound to remain on the agenda of the two countries, undermining Turkey’s oft-stated claim that it has zero-problems or disputes with its neighbors.

    Despite Prime Minister Borissov’s disclaimer, Bulgaria has now added yet another wrinkle to Turkey’s bid for EU membership which is becoming increasingly elusive. Already several European countries such as France, Germany, Holland, and Austria strongly oppose Turkey’s EU membership bid. Greece and Cyprus would not allow Turkey to join the EU, unless its troops withdraw from Northern Cyprus. Furthermore, it would be impossible for Turkey to join the EU without fulfilling one of its key requirements — open borders with all neighboring states. Turkey, thus, cannot become an EU member, unless it opens its border with Armenia, independently of the fate of the Armenia-Turkey Protocols.

    Beyond the obstacles in joining the EU, Turkey is swamped with a large number of lawsuits filed against it in the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). Should it refuse to compensate Bulgaria for the 1913 refugees, it is likely to face more legal troubles.

    However, Turkey’s record on winning lawsuits in the ECHR is not very good. It has already lost several major court cases for its occupation of Northern Cyprus. Also, Greek and Armenian minority foundations in Turkey have successfully recovered through the ECHR some of their real estate assets that were confiscated decades ago.

    Encouraged by these successful lawsuits, Armenians living in Turkey and throughout Europe should seek legal redress through the ECHR for their countless losses suffered during the Genocide. Claims could be filed for the loss of personal property, bank accounts, real estate, monuments and churches.

    No peace without justice!

    No reconciliation without restitution!