Protocols are ‘Dangerous’ for Armenia

YEREVAN (Combined Sources)—The Armenian Revolutionary Federation, in a statement issued Tuesday, slammed the draft protocols for the establishment and development of relations between Turkey and Armenia, calling their provisions “dangerous.” The protocols were issued Monday by the foreign ministries of the two countries and Switzerland.

ARF Bureau member Hrant Markarian denounced the protocols as “unacceptable,” in an interview with RFE/RL.

“I regret that our president is going to sign a document he has no right to sign,” Markarian told RFE/RL. “In the next two months we will do everything to inform the public about the essence of the agreement and issues hidden in it,” he said.

Surrendering of Armenia

Protocols represent a surrender of the rights of the Armenian nation, the truth of the Armenian Genocide, and the security of the Armenian Republic:

Surrender of Rights

– Armenia agrees to “territorial integrity and inviolability of frontiers” and to “mutual recognition of the existing border,” in a manner that prejudices against the realization of the Armenian nation’s legitimate claim to land and other reparations for the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923.

Surrender of Truth

– Armenia agrees to “refrain from pursuing any policy incompatible with the spirit of good neighborly relations,” despite the clear implication that Turkey and its allies will interpret this commitment to mean the abandonment of the Republic of Armenia’s support for the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

– Armenia agrees to “implement a dialogue on the historical dimension,” knowing that Turkey will misuse this agreement to portray the Armenian government as itself casting doubt on the clearly established historical record of the Armenian Genocide, effectively undermining progress toward international recognition of this crime.

Surrender of Security

– Armenia agrees to “non-intervention in internal affairs,” despite the fact that the Armenian state has a humanitarian interest in the welfare of the remaining Armenian community in Turkey and a compelling security interest in Turkey abandoning its genocide denial and other anti-Armenian policies

Protocols represent a surrender of the rights of the Armenian nation, the truth of the Armenian Genocide, and the security of the Armenian Republic:

Surrender of Rights

– Armenia agrees to “territorial integrity and inviolability of frontiers” and to “mutual recognition of the existing border,” in a manner that prejudices against the realization of the Armenian nation’s legitimate claim to land and other reparations for the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923.

Surrender of Truth

– Armenia agrees to “refrain from pursuing any policy incompatible with the spirit of good neighborly relations,” despite the clear implication that Turkey and its allies will interpret this commitment to mean the abandonment of the Republic of Armenia’s support for the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

– Armenia agrees to “implement a dialogue on the historical dimension,” knowing that Turkey will misuse this agreement to portray the Armenian government as itself casting doubt on the clearly established historical record of the Armenian Genocide, effectively undermining progress toward international recognition of this crime.

Surrender of Security

– Armenia agrees to “non-intervention in internal affairs,” despite the fact that the Armenian state has a humanitarian interest in the welfare of the remaining Armenian community in Turkey and a compelling security interest in Turkey abandoning its genocide denial and other anti-Armenian policies

Ara Hamparian

George Friedman on the Russia-Georgia conflict

The Russian invasion of Georgia has not changed the balance of power in Eurasia. It simply announced that the balance of power had already shifted. The United States has been absorbed in its wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as potential conflict with Iran and a destabilizing situation in Pakistan. It has no strategic ground forces in reserve and is in no position to intervene on the Russian periphery. This, as we have argued, has opened a window of opportunity for the Russians to reassert their influence in the former Soviet sphere. Moscow did not have to concern itself with the potential response of the United States or Europe; hence, the invasion did not shift the balance of power. The balance of power had already shifted, and it was up to the Russians when to make this public. They did that Aug. 8.

America as a Third World Nation

Nice analysis of what is going on in USA.

By the Earl of Stirling

The evil Bush administration has largely completed the process begun years ago of turning America, the most powerful and richest nation in history, into a Third World nation. I remember a lunch, about 21 years ago in Long Beach, California, with the president of an aerospace company, myself, and a senior foreign general. A comment by the general has always stayed with me. He said, “America is a very rich nation, it will take a lot to bring her down”. In the twenty some years after this, I am simply amazed at just how far one crooked president after another, with the assistance of our “bought and paid for” Congress has managed to take us.

Currently we have an economy that is being held together with bailing wire and glue until after the November election.  Continue

We have a giant agricultural industry whose genetically modified food is killing off the bees and without the bees, most of us will not have enough food to survive.

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Russia recognizes independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia

MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) — Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Tuesday he has signed an order recognizing the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, two breakaway regions in the Republic of Georgia.

“This is not an easy choice but this is the only opportunity to preserve the lives of the people,” Medvedev said, according to a translation from Russia Today.

Medvedev called on other countries to follow Russia’s lead.

Russia comes back.

THE psychodrama playing out in the Caucasus is not the first act of World War III, as some hyperventilating politicians and commentators would like to portray it. Rather, it is the delayed final act of the cold war. And while the Soviet Union lost that epic conflict, Russia won this curtain call in a way that ensures Washington will have to take it far more seriously in the future.