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Washington: Office of Congressional ethics releases findings on Azerbaijani travel scandal

October 8, 2015 By administrator

Office of Congressional Ethics releases 70-page report and over 1000 pages of finding on Azerbaijan travel scandal case

Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian

WASHINGTON, DC – Over the ongoing objections by the House Ethics Committee, the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE), today, in a bold move, released its entire 70-page report and over 1,000 pages of findings from its investigation into secretive Azerbaijani government funding for Congressional participation in an extravagant 2013 Baku conference, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

In a statement released today along with its investigative documents, the OCE explained “Respectful of the principles of transparency and accountability in the House ethics process, and with assurance that it will not prejudice any action by the Department of Justice, the OCE Board has voted to release the nine referrals, including the Findings of Fact, as permitted by section 1(f)(1)(B) of House Resolution 895.” This action by the professional staff of the OCE came over the objections of the House Ethnics Committee, which is comprised of sitting members of Congress, including those who continued receiving campaign contributions from donors connected to the Azerbaijani oil industry during the course of this investigation.

“We applaud the Office of Congressional Ethics for their principled stand for government transparency and accountability,” said ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian. “This bold move trumps those who would keep information from the American people, ensuring that all U.S. citizens have full access to deeply troubling information regarding to a foreign dictator’s efforts to manipulate our democratic system.”

The decision on whether or not to release the report has been an ongoing source of tension between two Capitol Hill ethics bodies – the House Committee on Ethics (Ethics Committee) and the OCE.

On July 31st, the Ethics Committee provisionally cleared 10 U.S. Representatives and over 30 Congressional staff who had been under investigation for allegedly accepting illegal foreign funding to participate in a 2013 conference, funded by the State oil company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR): “U.S.-Azerbaijan Convention: Vision for the Future.” The Ethics Committee found that the Members had not knowingly violated the law, since the nominal funders of the trip – the Assembly of the Friends of Azerbaijan (AFAZ) and groups associated with the Turkic American Association (TAA) – had apparently concealed from the Congress the fact that SOCAR was, in reality, the true source of the junkets’ financing. The Ethics Committee then referred the case to the Department of Justice, but – in a move that generated international media attention – refused to release the OCE findings. The findings of the OCE, an independent, non-partisan entity charged with reviewing and, as appropriate, referring allegations of Congressional misconduct to the Ethics Committee, are typically released to the public after the close of each investigation. By all accounts, an exception had been made in this instance, at the insistence of Committee members, to keep these findings secret.

In an August 3rd letter to House Ethics Committee Chairman Charles Dent (R-PA) and Ranking Member Linda Sanchez (D-CA), ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian called for the release of the findings “in the interests of government transparency and the rights of a fully informed electorate.” He stressed: “The Committee should not withhold from American citizens any information involving foreign attempts to manipulate our democratic system or that, in the Committee’s own words, reveals ‘evidence of concerted, possibly criminal, efforts’ by any party – foreign or domestic – seeking any manner of undue influence with U.S. policymakers.”

The ANCA encouraged supporters of transparency in governance to call the House Ethics Committee at (202) 225-7103 to urge it to release the 70-page OCE findings.

The controversy surrounding foreign funding of the Azerbaijan trips first came to light in July, 2014, in an in-depth article published by the Houston Chronicle, which prompted the Ethics Committee to begin review of the matter.

The Washington Post, in May of this year, first revealed the existence of the OCE report in a major investigative article titled, “10 Members of Congress Took Trip Secretly Funded by Foreign Government“.

In August, after the Ethics Committee report was released, the Center for Responsible Politics published an in-depth article spotlighting donations by supporters of the Turkic American Alliance to Chairman Dent, titled “Ethics Chair Received Contributions from Donors Linked to Groups in Azerbaijan Probe.”

No, this is the truth about Azerbaijan’s repression – The Washington Post

September 26, 2015 By administrator

The first lady of Azerbaijan, Mehriban Aliyeva, recently was in Paris, where she opened a photo exhibition titled “Azerbaijan, Land of Tolerance.” An inquiring reporter asked if Azerbaijan is really such a place, noting that its jails are full of political prisoners. “How can you say that?” Ms. Aliyeva responded tartly. “It’s not true.” She urged the reporter to “get correct information.” The reporter then asked her to comment on the imprisonment of human rights advocate Leyla Yunus and journalist Khadija Ismayilova. No answer; the first lady turned her back while security guards pushed the journalist away.
If she wants “correct information,” perhaps Ms. Aliyeva and her husband, President Ilham Aliyev, should read the resolution on Azerbaijan approved Sept. 10 by the European Parliament. It declares that the human rights situation in Azerbaijan has “deteriorated continuously over the last few years,” with “growing intimidation and repression” of rights defenders, journalists and others in civil society. “Peaceful protesters have been effectively banned from demonstrating in central Baku since 2006,” the resolution states, and journalists are subject to “continuous intimidation and harassment,” among them Emin Milli, founder of the online broadcast news outlet Meydan TV, who has received death threats.
Need more “correct information”? Azerbaijan recently forced the closure of the offices of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe in Baku, silencing another important channel for monitoring democracy and human rights. According to the European Parliament, “Azerbaijan has suffered the greatest decline in democratic governance in all of Eurasia over the past ten years.” And the European Union’s dialogue with Azerbaijan on human rights has “not made any substantial progress.”
The day after this indictment of Azerbaijan’s record was approved, the government in Baku canceled a planned European Commission delegation visit that was supposed to discuss a proposed strategic partnership agreement with Azerbaijan. A few days later, Mr. Aliyev met with some schoolchildren in Baku. He declared that vague external enemies “want to subjugate Azerbaijan itself, force us to live according to their instructions.” Mr. Aliyev added, “Today Azerbaijan is in good hands, no one can put pressure on us, affect our policy.” Noting the refugee crisis in Europe, the Azeri strongman asked of the Europeans, “Where is your tolerance and kindness, generosity, where are your values?”
Mr Aliyev has long believed he could repress dissent at home while fending off criticism from abroad. He has lavished millions of dollars on overseas goodwill efforts. More millions were spent to host the European Games this year in Baku, at which the athletes blithely ignored the human rights abuses.
But Mr Aliyev cannot sustain this forever. The horrid treatment of Ms. Yunus and her husband, Arif, and that of Ms. Ismayilova, have gained widespread attention around the world and won’t be papered over by trendy photo exhibits in Paris.

Washington calls for immediate end to violence in Karabakh

September 11, 2015 By administrator

The State Department has called for an immediate end to violence in Karabakh conflict zone.

“We have received credible reports that Armenian and Azerbaijani forces have used mortars and other heavy weapons along the international border, resulting in civilian casualties and damage to villages. We are deeply troubled by the escalation and condemn any military action that targets civilians. We call for an immediate end to such violence, for the de-escalation of tensions, and, in the strongest possible terms, for the avoidance of civilian casualties,” State Department spokesperson John Kirby said in a statement.

“We also remind the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan of their commitment to reach a negotiated settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict working closely with the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group.”

Baby panda: Washington zoo’s Mei Xiang delivers twins

August 23, 2015 By administrator

A giant panda at a zoo in the United States has given birth to twin cubs.

Keepers at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington DC only discovered Mei Xiang was pregnant during an ultrasound scan last week. The zoo said both cubs appeared healthy.

Giant pandas are one of the most endangered species in the world and are notoriously hard to breed in captivity.

The National Zoo is one of only four zoos in the US to have pandas, which are on loan from China.

Mei Xiang, who has two other offspring, is one of the zoo’s star attractions and aPanda Cam on her enclosure crashed within seconds of the birth of the first cub being announced because of the volume of interest.

Female pandas are able to conceive for only two or three days a year, leading to a very low reproduction rate.

Mei Xiang was artificially inseminated with sperm from the zoo’s resident male Tian Tian and a panda named Hui Hui from Wolong, China.

It will not be known for a while which is the father, or what sex the cubs are.

It has previously taken months before Mei Xiang’s cubs have been introduced to the public.

AP news agency reports that her first cub, Tai Shan, was born in 2005 and returned to China in 2010; her second cub, Bao Bao, is two years old on Sunday and still lives at the zoo.

The panda population is threatened by habitat loss as land is increasingly inhabited by humans, with about 1,800 pandas left in the wild in China.

However, the number living in the wild in China has gone up over the last 10 years.

Ankara disinformation on Syria causes diplomatic fiasco with Washington

August 13, 2015 By administrator

Washington has had to dismiss statements from the Turkish Foreign Ministry three times in the past two weeks pertaining to developments concerning Syria and the coalition efforts against ISIL.

On Thursday, a day after Pentagon spokeswoman Commander Elissa Smith said that the United States launched air raids against ISIL from the İncirlik airbase in southern Turkey, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu caused controversy when he proclaimed to the press that, “The US has yet to hit Daesh [ISIL] through Turkey,” adding that only “reconnaissance flights” started from the base. Report BGN

Later in the day, both the US Central Command and the Turkish Military confirmed that the strikes took place. Çavuşoğlu’s aide claimed the prior statement was a “misunderstanding.” He added, “Mr. Minister had wanted to say that there were no Turkish jets [hitting ISIL targets].”

The safe zone that never was

Thursday’s back and forth between Ankara and Washington served only as a mirror for Wednesday.

Another controversy erupted when foreign ministry undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioğlu claimed that both sides had agreed that a safe zone was to be created in Syria. “The control and protection of this region cleared of (ISIL) will be conducted by Syrian opposition forces and the necessary air defence and support for this … will be provided by the United States and Turkey.”

The response from Washington came with Mark Toner from the US State Department emphasizing “We’ve been pretty clear from the podium and elsewhere saying there’s no zone, no safe haven—we’re not talking about that here. What we’re talking about is a sustained effort to drive ISIL out of the region.”

The PYD and YPG

Another point of difference between Turkey and the United States regarding tackling ISIL has been the role of Syrian Kurdish Groups such as The Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its armed structure, the People’s Protection Units (YPG), with Ankara against the principle of supporting the groups.

The state-run Anatolia News Agency was on the forefront saying that Turkey and the US agreed not to allow the PYD to enter any area cleared off from ISIL. When asked if the US will allow a potential attack from Turkey against the PYD and the YPG, Toner answered back “No, no, our understanding with Turkey is that they will not attack, and we would not agree to that.”

Armenians, Kurds stage protest in Washington against Turkey’s complicity in terrorist attack

July 25, 2015 By administrator

Washington area Kurdish and Armenian Americans joined together for a protest against the Turkish government’s complicity in the ISIS attacks on Suruc, the Armenian National Congress reported on Facebook.

During the protest they drew attention to similar assaults against Kobane, Kessab, and Der-Zor.

As reported earlier, at least 32 people were killed in a terrorist attack in the town of Suruc in Turkey.

A group of young people from different regions of Turkey gathered in Suruc to voice their protest against terrorism and transport clothes and toys to the children of Syria’s Kobane town.

ANCA Just Graduated? Move to Washington!

June 17, 2015 By administrator

By Raffi N. Karakashian, Esq.

ANCA Legislative Director Raffi Karakashian, Esq. with USC Armenian Students Association members

If you’re a qualified recent graduate, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is here to help you find a job. Sounds too good to be true?

For those interested in public policy, government, or the media—and who are open to a move to Washington, D.C.—the ANCA’s Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Program (CGP) is a great place to start. Established in 2003, the CGP has helped young people launch their careers by offering qualified recent college graduates with career-track job placement assistance in the nation’s capital.

The CGP has three main components: three months of free housing at the ANCA Martha Aramian Armenian Cultural Center, a series of enrichment seminars, and a robust mentorship program.

A move to a new city and the search for employment is itself a full-time job. There’s little time to scope out safe, clean living conditions, and perhaps even less money to pay the rent to live there, even on a short-term basis. That’s why the three months of free housing can play such an essential role, by removing the worry of housing expenses for the first three months and allowing the CGP Fellows to focus on what’s most important: finding a job.

Every CGP Session (January and September each year) starts with a robust two-week series of enrichment seminars that cover everything from resume and cover letter preparation to interviewing and networking skills. There are primers on professionalism and advice about life in D.C. Each seminar is provided by an early-career professional who has mastered those skills through real world experience, many of whom are successful alumni of the CGP. All of them are presented in a nurturing, friendly environment with plenty of follow-up to ensure that Fellows have the needed resources to put their best foot forward in the job search front.

To build on all these skills, Fellows are assigned a mentor who can offer ongoing guidance on the job search efforts and who make sure that Fellows stay on track. Mentors have all gone through this process before and know how challenging a job search can be. They are cheerleaders when they need to be, and offer sound, solid guidance when warranted, with the single goal of ensuring career path success.

The program is run through the gracious assistance and volunteer efforts of the Capital Gateway Program Advisory Committee, a talented group of alumni who understand how Washington works and have a strong sense of “paying it forward.”

The Capital Gateway Program is named after Hovig Apo Saghdejian, a 23-year-old youth leader and community activist from Fresno, Calif., who lost his life in a 2004 tragic car accident. His family established the Hovig Apo Saghdejian Memorial Fund in his memory. These funds are held in perpetuity, with all income being used to finance the participation of young Armenian Americans in the Capital Gateway Program.

Housing is provided in memory of the late community leader and philanthropist Martha Aramian of Providence, R.I., whose family has supported a wide variety of ANCA initiatives and is committed to helping our youth pursue their careers and dreams in the nation’s capital.

Since 2003, well over 100 Fellows have come to D.C. through the CGP. The Fall 2015 Session is quickly filling up, with the application deadline set for July 15. Now is the time to explore this program by visiting www.anca.org/gateway. For individuals still in school, the CGP offers a robust internship and externship component through which students can get valuable internship experience at the ANCA or leverage college internship opportunities in D.C. with programs like UCDC.

Watch and hear what CGP alumni, D.C. public policy professionals, and even members of Congress say about the program in this three-minute video: https://youtu.be/6gHyz_Yf2QA.

Consider submitting your application today, before the July 15 deadline, or sharing this news with recent graduates who might benefit from this program.

The ANCA looks forward to answering any and all questions, and welcoming qualified Capital Gateway Program Fellows to D.C. this fall. Apply today!

Raffi Karakashian is the legislative affairs director of the Armenian National Committee of America and runs the ANCA Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Program.

Barzani’s Washington Trip: PR Without Substance

May 12, 2015 By administrator

By: kurdistantribune

Family trip? Presdient Barzani is greeted by his son and grandson

What to make of President Massud Barzani’s visit this week to Washington? His Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) supporters want to trumpet the occasion as an example of their leader performing on the world stage, negotiating face-to-face with the US president on critical issues such as securing direct military aid for the Peshmarga and independence for Kurdistan. But the truth is that no substantive gains were achieved for the people of Kurdistan. Instead Barzani has treated us to a costly PR exercise – a deception for internal consumption, designed to help prolong his grip on power.

The pro-KDP media in the Kurdistan Region is trying hard, almost North-Korea-style, to misrepresent reality. ‘White House supports Kurdish demands’ said ‘Bas News’, which is owned by President Barzani’s son Masrour, who is also chancellor of the Security Council. It claimed that ‘Kurds have green light to declare independence’. The pro-KDP ‘Khabat’ and ‘Hawler’ celebrated Barzani’s apparent big achievement in being ‘received at the White House like the president of a developed country’.

Here is what actually happened.

When Barzani arrived in the US he was greeted at the airport, not by a mobilisation of the Kurdish émigré community nor by any senior US officials but rather by his sons and grandsons and two junior US officials.

Barzani was not a guest of the White House: his invitation came from the State Department.

On Tuesday he did not meet US President Barrack Obama in the Oval Office: he had a White House meeting with US Vice President Joe Biden, and Obama showed up to participate halfway through their discussion.

During this meeting Barzani did not raise the issue of independence for Kurdistan and the US President and Vice President reaffirmed their commitment to a united Iraq.

Biden rejected Barzani’s call for the US to directly arm the Peshmerga – instead of sending all its weaponry to Baghdad – and yet Barzani still agreed that the Peshmerga will engage fully in the highly risky Mosul operation against ISIS due to take place this summer.

What was achieved by the Kurdistan president and his sizeable delegation (which included, as usual, the KRG foreign minister acting as Barzani’s interpreter)? Some misleading headlines.

On Wednesday, Barzani delivered a speech to the Atlantic Council – an organisation reportedly with interesting financial links to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) – full of the usual rhetoric and repetition, boasting once again that “independence is coming” but providing no answers to the KRG’s growing problems.

He did refer to the terrible atrocities suffered by the Shengal Yazidis, but only to blame this on “local tribes”, even though everyone knows that Barzani’s KDP forces fled the area last summer and left the Yazidis at the mercy of ISIS. The KDP is trying to re-write history (and there are reports of Yazidi refugees being sacked and victimised for speaking the truth about what happened to them), but this will only serve to remind people of a shameful betrayal.

As the clock ticks towards the expiration of Barzani’s extended presidential term, the Kurdistan Parliament’s majority of non-KDP MPs should not be fooled by the Washington razzmatazz and they must not waver from their democratic responsibility to renew the presidency and establish a parliamentary system of government.

Washington US Vice President Joseph Biden hosts prayer to commemorate #ArmenainGenocide victims

May 8, 2015 By administrator

United States Vice President Joseph Biden and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power, joined President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, Catholicos Karekin II, and Catholicos Aram I, in a prayer service as part of the National Armenian Genocide centennial commemoration at the National Cathedral. Over two thousand Armenian Americans filled the iconic sanctuary in the solemn centennial anniversary of the first genocide of the twentieth century, Massis Post reports.

Guests and representatives of various faiths gathered for “The Holy Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide: A Prayer for Justice and Peace” to remember those lost in the Genocide and to demonstrate gratitude for the regeneration of life for which the survivors and their saviors worked so hard.

The Most Rev. Dr. Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, welcomed attendees to the service and the Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit, General Secretary of the World Council of Churches, delivered the homily. The interfaith ceremony was led by His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, and His Holiness Aram I Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia.

Also in attendance were the descendants of saviors who contributed to the survival of thousands of Armenians a century ago. During the service, they were acknowledged and praised for their human compassion and selfless bravery.

“Worshippers of all faiths long for a world of tolerance and devoid of hate and violence,” said Noubar Afeyan, Chair of the NCAGC Steering Committee, who is himself the descendant of a Genocide survivor.

Reflecting on the day’s service, the Armenian President offered his perspective:

“It was truly an honor to address the congregation at the National Cathedral,” said President Sargsyan. “Today’s ecumenical prayer demonstrated a powerful call to unite this community in the spirit of gratitude, justice and peace.”

“It is important to recognize that we must work together to forge a more peaceful future. Genocide can happen anywhere, at any time; there is no generation, religion or ethnic group that is immune—history has shown this. What happened in 1915 to the Armenian people whether we call it tragedy for geopolitical reasons or massacres, it is genocide by its very intent and means, and genocide is a crime against humanity” emphasized His Holiness Aram I during the ceremony.

“We seek to inspire a change of spirit in people—an awakening of the heart that will influence future generations. The events in Washington are a testament to our strength, 100 years after the Genocide, as we join together to promote peace, honor those lost, and protect those at risk around the world no matter their race, religion or ethnicity,” said His Holiness Karekin II.

The service is part of a series of commemorative events planned by the NCAGC to mark the 100th anniversary of the Genocide. Upcoming events include a concert at the Strathmore featuring performances by renowned Armenian musicians May 8 at 8 p.m., a Divine Liturgy at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception May 9 at 10 a.m., a banquet dinner and awards ceremony at the Marriot Marquis May 9 at 5:30 p.m., and various other exhibitions and cultural events.

White House won’t support independent Kurdish state: spokesman

May 6, 2015 By administrator

WASHINGTON,— The White House said Tuesday that it still backs a “unified” Iraq even with the president of the Kurdish Regional Government set to ask for U.S. support for his government during his current visit to Washington.

“It continues to be the view of the United States that a unified Iraq that’s governed in an inclusive way is clearly in the best interest of Iraq’s diverse population,” said White House spokesman Josh Earnest.

Iraqi news agencies said self-determination of Iraqi Kurds in Kurdistan Region will be one of the main topics to be discussed during Massoud Barzani’s visit, citing his Chief of Staff Fuad Hussein.

The White House released a readout saying President Barack Obama on Tuesday met Barzani at the White House, along with Vice President Joe Biden.

Though Kurdish leaders were expected to raise the possibility of a “self-determined” Kurdish government during the meeting, the White House readout said fighting against Islamic State IS was the main topic of discussion.

The leaders “discussed a range of issues, including the campaign to degrade and ultimately destroy IS and the status of ongoing political initiatives to address the needs of the Iraqi people and foster cooperation across all communities,” the readout said.

Iraqi troops and Kurdish peshmerga forces are fighting against IS, supported by a U.S.-led coalition that has been conducting airstrikes against the extremist group.

Obama reaffirmed Washington’s support for the Iraqi Kurdistan Region and the Kurdish people and also “reaffirmed the United States’ enduring commitment under the Strategic Framework Agreement to a united, federal, and democratic Iraq, as defined in the Iraqi constitution,” according to the readout.