Ara Papian: Woodrow Wilson Center simply auctioned off the prizeJune 22, 2010 - 13:01 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - In spite of numerous complaints and protests, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu nevertheless received the Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service from the Washington, DC-based think tank, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. “Whereas this turn of events can be qualified as merely an incident for us Armenians, a painful and undesirable one, but just an incident all the same, this is a serious blow, on the other hand, to the credibility of American think tanks,” Ara Papian, Head of the Modus Vivendi Center, told PanARMENIAN.Net “The principle value of a think tank is in its freedom, that is, in its ability to carry out independent analysis and present an objective outlook. To be on someone else’s payroll would be the worst kind of reputation for any think tank. By presenting an award to Davutoglu, the Woodrow Wilson Center brought to light the fact that it has simply auctioned off the prize, or, as they themselves worded beautifully, “The Wilson Center said in an e-mailed statement that the award is part of its fund-raising effort.” “Of course, the Woodrow Wilson Center has no legal obligation in terms of upholding the views and policies of the 28th President of the United States. Still, the very name places certain moral responsibilities on the center. Wilson was the first among heads of state to raise the issue of the self-determination of peoples to the international stage. How does one justify bestowing an award to the foreign minister of a country which, for decades now, has been drowning the right to self-determination of the Kurdish people in blood? By violating the right to self-determination of the Kurds, Turkey is violating Wilson’s political legacy as well. It is most unfortunate that among those with a part to play in violating the legacy of Woodrow Wilson and the dignity of America is the think tank bearing the name of the just president of the United States, Woodrow Wilson,” he said. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Viva-MTS: Tech solutions to modernize infrastructure of border village The border village has been the focus of Viva-MTS and the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Values since 2015. Ucom's fixed network launched in Artashat To mark this occasion, the company has introduced a special offer exclusively for Artashat residents. “By Your Side”: IDBank's new support program for displaced Artsakh citizens IDBank is launching a long-term social support program for forcibly displaced Artsakh residents. The Power of One Dram to benefit Road of Life charity The companies inform that the May beneficiary of The Power of One Dram is the “Road of Life” charitable organization. |