Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Caviar Diplomacy Vs. Dedication

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Caviar Diplomacy Vs. Dedication

    CAVIAR DIPLOMACY VS. DEDICATION

    Editorial, 5 August 2014

    Dollars to donuts Tennessee State Representative Joe Towns couldn't
    find Azerbaijan on the map let alone know about the Armenia/Azerbaijan
    conflict a few months ago when he introduced a resolution in the
    Tennessee Legislature calling for national support for Baby Aliyev's
    kleptocracy. The Southern politico might have been successful had it
    not been for one Armenian who suspected Azerbaijan was pulling the
    strings behind the scene.

    Beardj Barsoumian's instincts were on the money. However, when he
    asked Towns whether the Azeris were behind the initiative, Towns
    denied it. Enter Phil Williams of "NewsChannel 5 Investigates". The
    reporter, who had exposed an Azeri/Turkish junket for 12 Tennessee
    politicians last year, also smelled a rat. Following the money trail,
    he found that two weeks before Towns introduced his resolution he
    had received a $10,000 campaign contribution from Texas. Williams
    also learned that the windfall had come from half-a-dozen Azeris and
    Turks of the Turkish-Azeri Cultural Centre in Houston. Williams found
    it interesting that the $10,000 check had been issued from a low-rent
    apartment in Houston. He also discovered that $13,000 had been sent
    to candidates across the US from the same building located in one of
    the city's roughest neighborhoods.

    Towns said his resolution and the contribution was "coincidental."

    Because of the scandal the resolution never even got a vote. A
    collateral benefit: many Americans became aware of the Azeri campaign
    to corrupt politicians.

    The Tennessee scandal wasn't unique or even rare. Several months
    earlier, the Azeris, led by Ambassador Elin Suleymanov had tried
    a similar ploy in Hawaii. Two state politicians, who had gone to
    an all-expense trip to Azerbaijan, had introduced a resolution
    which portrayed the Khojalu battle as "genocide". As in Tennessee,
    the corrupt duo, who had been seduced by Baku's caviar diplomacy,
    bit the dust, thanks mainly to the efforts of four Armenians: Elen
    Asatryan; Arpine Philian Mar; Arthur and Ani Martirosian. The latter
    delivered an eloquent speech which convinced many Hawaiians and that
    the Azeri initiative smelled high... like stale caviar. The resolution
    was rejected.

    As in Tennessee, the Hawaii Armenians had the solid backing of the
    Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). The Washington-based
    organization sent alerts to its members, encouraged them to send
    letters and to petition Hawaiian politicians about the devious Azeri
    campaign. In the days leading up to the committee hearings, Armenians
    submitted hundreds of letters.

    The same scenario has played out in a number of states. In most
    cases local Armenians and the ANCA have managed to defeat the Azeri
    campaigns.

    Why have the Azeris picked Hawaii, Tennessee, Georgia, and Wyoming to
    advance their nefarious cause? Because few Armenians live in these
    states: objection would be minimal, if non-existent, especially if
    the wheels of politics are lubricated with oil-soaked cash.

    Why is Baku spending millions on public relations in the US and in
    Europe? It's not that the Azeri ambassador is reading Dale Carnegie's
    "How to Make Friends and Influence People" bestseller of yore. In
    fact, the project's target is the oppressed Azeri masses that are
    being denied their share of the oil-soaked easy money. Baby Aliev
    wants to show to his unhappy subjects that he is popular in the West
    and that he is fighting the Armenians.

    Aram Hamparian, executive director of the ANCA and a veteran of the
    Azeri/Armenian duel, says that when Azeris began their anti-Armenian
    campaign in the late '80s, they were clumsy and confused. But since
    Aliev consolidated his regime, they've become "sophisticated and
    aggressive." The Azeri campaign has become more professional due to the
    input of Washington PR companies. The latter charge the Azeri embassy
    $50,000 per month plus expenses to provide strategic counsel on "how
    to strengthen Azeri ties with the US government and institutions." In
    addition to the Azeri ambassador, parallel Azeri campaigns are
    conducted by the Azeri state oil company (SOCAR) and American companies
    with investments in Azerbaijan. They get support also from Ankara,
    Gulen's Hizmet movement, and Turkish-American groups. Although it's
    commonly believed that Azerbaijan spends about $2 million a year in
    the U.S. to burnish its soiled profile and paint Armenians black,
    Hamparian believes the actual figure could be as high as $10 million.

    Financially, the battle is asymmetrical. ANCA certainly doesn't have
    anything close to the petrodollar-infused budget of the Azeris.

    Hamparian and his organization engage the Azeris through a deft
    utilization of funds, through technology, and through a strong network
    of activists and grassroots supporters.

    To combat the Azeri campaign, "we had to develop 'radar,'" says
    Hamparian. "As soon as legislation is introduced anywhere in the
    US, we get to know about it through a tracking system. We alert and
    mobilize our activists and the community in general."

    These Azeri legislative initiatives aren't the only arenas where
    the Azeri lobby and the ANCA battle. The latter was instrumental
    in blocking Turcophile Matthew Byrza's appointment US ambassador
    to Azerbaijan. As a result of the Armenian organization's targeted
    campaign, the White House declined to even mention the Khojaly battle
    in its public response, although the Azeri lobby had managed to
    accrue the requisite 100,000- signature on-line petition to trigger
    a reply from the US administration. In the past year, thanks to such
    muscular efforts five states have recognized the independence of the
    Republic of Artsakh. The ANCA also organizes Capitol Hill programs
    celebrating the independence of Artsakh which feature influential
    politicians such as Congressman Ed Royce.

    Hamparian says ANCA's job has become more difficult because of the
    Crimean crisis. Azerbaijan is now promoting itself as a strategic
    partner to the West and an alternative source to Russian gas. "Baku
    claims its Southern Gas Corridor can rival Russia's Nord Stream,"
    says the executive director of the ANCA.

    Boy Scouts may believe that truth wins at the end, but politics doesn't
    operate on that premise. Many politicians are purchasable commodities;
    the justness of the Armenian Cause is of little consequence in the
    political/diplomatic esplanade. Campaign contributions, all-expense
    paid junkets, front-row seats to sports matches... are the sure way
    to the hearts of many pols. The other is public pressure.

    It's obvious that Azeri influence in Washington is posed to grow.

    Hamparian knows that a battle royal is looming between his organization
    and the Turkbeijan lobby. Armenians who believe the battle being waged
    between Armenians and the 90-million Turkbeijan twins is important
    should support our lobbyists. We can't afford to be armchair Armenians,
    and merely celebrate the victories won on our behalf by a small band
    of dedicated American-Armenians. We should learn from Barsoumian,
    Asatryan, Philian Mar, and the Martirosians. We should contribute
    financially to Hye Tadd and when the call comes for letter writing,
    petitions or any other type of pro-Armenian drive we should respond
    promptly. The cause we help is our own.

    http://www.keghart.com/Editorial-Caviar-Diplomacy




    From: A. Papazian
Working...
X