Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian has responded to an October 13 open letter from the President of the International Association of Genocide Scholars, William Schabas. In the letter, addressed to both Sarkisian and Turkish President Abdullah Gul, Schabas, said: “Acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide must be the starting point of any ‘impartial historical commission,’ not one of its possible conclusions.”
Turkey Refuses US Request for Combat Troops in Afghanistan
Turkish troops in Afghanistan will not engage in combat with the Taliban, Turkey’s defense minister and diplomats emphasized on Thursday in reaction to the United States’ request for extra soldiers for ‘flexible’ missions.
What Armenian Americans Think about Obama
On May 12, I wrote an article titled “Obama Alienates Armenian Americans,” in which I presented the reaction of Armenian leaders and commentators to what the community views as the continuous stream of blows from the Obama Administration in recent weeks. In the two days following the posting of the article on the Armenian Weekly website, many readers posted their views on Obama’s “betrayals” and their suggestions about the road ahead.
Armenia Should Stop ‘Roadmap’ Talks
It is becoming increasingly evident that the so-called “roadmap” discussions with Turkey are proceeding with preconditions, despite continuous claims by Armenian authorities that they are not. The Armenian leadership should immediately withdraw from the “roadmap” talks and pursue a policy—vis-à-vis both Karabakh and Turkey that guarantees Armenian national interests and security.
Armenia, Turkey Announce ‘Roadmap’ To Normal Ties
YEREVAN (Combined Sources)–Armenia and Turkey said on Wednesday night that they have agreed on a “roadmap” for normalizing bilateral relations after an almost year of intensive negotiations mediated by Switzerland. It remained unclear, however, whether they will establish diplomatic relations and open their border anytime soon. “The two parties have achieved tangible progress and mutual…
The Subtleties of Obama’s Message To Turkey
Simply put, while in Turkey President Obama’s expressed statements and maintained position elevated the Armenian Genocide recognition issue to a political level as opposed to Turkish efforts of confining it to the historical context.
Obama Urges Turkey, Armenia to Normalize Ties Soon
ISTANBUL (Combined Sources)–U.S. President Barack Obama urged the foreign ministers of Turkey and Armenia during a meeting late Monday to complete talks aimed at restoring ties between the two neighbors. Ankara and Yerevan are engaged in high-level negotiations to end nearly a century of hostility, including the reopening of the border — a move which…
Obama, Turkey and Armenia
“Well, my views are on the record and I have not changed those views,” President Obama told a joint news conference with Turkish President Abdullah Gul. “I want to focus not on my views right now, but on the views of the Turkish and Armenian people. If they can move forward and deal with a…
Turkey Frets Looming US Recognition of Genocide
Prospects are high for a US recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the incoming administration of president elect Barack Obama, a leading member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation said Tuesday, reiterating his party’s calls for Yerevan not to buckle under Turkish pressure by accepting a package deal that would see, among other things, the establishment of a joint study on the genocide in exchange for normal ties.
Armenia Set to Start Power Supply to Turkey
YEREVAN (RFE/RL)–In what is seen as the first step towards establishing direct trade links between Yerevan and Ankara, a senior Armenian government official has announced his side’s readiness to start supplying electricity to neighboring Turkey as early as next March. Armen Movsisian, the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, told reporters on Monday that under…