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04/18/2005
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1) California International Trade Office in Armenia Garners Local Support
2) Armenia Extradites Suspect in US Arms Smuggling Probe
3) Margarian Says ‘We Have Nothing to Prove,’ during Genocide Conference
4) Turkish Parliament Adopts Resolution to Form Commission, Move Forward
towards Friendship
5) Burbank ANC Hosts Events Commemorating Armenian Genocide
6) Israel among the Holocaust Deniers
7) Chessboard Comes Crashing down on Kasparov
8) Karapetian Wins European Championship, Nazarian Decorated by Bulgarian
President
1) California International Trade Office in Armenia Garners Local Support
ANCA-WR Fundraiser Raises over $40,000 for economic cooperation between
California, Armenia businesses
BEVERLY HILLS–The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region
(ANCA-WR) hosted a fundraiser on April 3 to benefit the California
International Trade Office in Armenia (CITO). Raising over $40,000, the event
highlighted the ANCA-WR’s continued commitment and support of the CITO and
improved trade relations between the United States and Armenia.
The Trade Office will be an official representative of the State of
California
centered in Yerevan to promote a greater economic relationship between
Californian and Armenian businesses. Using Armenia as its hub it will endeavor
to promote Californian businesses throughout the former Soviet Union. Its
opening is targeted for this summer.
Honorees in attendance at the benefit event included California State Senator
Jack Scott, who initially proposed the creation of the CITO in 2001 with the
assistance of State Senator Charles Poochigian, as well as Barry R. Sedlik,
the
Undersecretary and Senior Advisor for Economic Development at the California
Business, Transportation and Housing Agency. Also in attendance were Vahram
Nercessiants, Chief Economic Advisor to President Robert Kocharian and Member
of the Board of Governors of the World Bank; Dr. Vahagn Movsisyan, General
Director of the Armenian Development Agency; and Gagik Kirakosian, Consul
General of Armenia in Los Angeles.
“Ever since the CITO was initially proposed in 2001, the ANCA-WR has been at
the forefront of supporters of this endeavor,” said Steven Dadaian,
Chairman of
the ANCA-WR Board of Directors. “We would like to thank our hosts, Varouj and
Vahe Karapetian, who made this event possible and each of the benefactors who
donated at least a thousand dollars to ensure that this event was a success.”
The Foundation for Economic Development (FED), a non-profit organization, has
been awarded the contract by the State of California to operate the CITO.
“I would like to thank Senator Scott and the Armenian National Committee for
their leadership in promoting this vital link between Califorinan and Armenian
businesses,” said Nercessiants.
“The support by the ANCA-WR and its supporters has been unbelievable in
ensuring that the CITO becomes a reality,” remarked FED Board Member Levon
Kirakosian. “We hope that the ANCA-WR’s continued financial support of the
CITO
will provide an example to Armenian-Americans who are interested in investing
in Armenia to support the CITO.”
2) Armenia Extradites Suspect in US Arms Smuggling Probe
YEREVAN (RFE/RL)–Armenian law-enforcement authorities have extradited a man
suspected of involvement in an alleged attempt to smuggle heavy weapons into
the United States, the US embassy in Yerevan announced on Monday.
An embassy statement said Armen Barseghian was flown to the US on Friday and
will appear before a New York court this week along with 20 other defendants
that have been indicted in connection with the case.
The latter were arrested in New York, Los Angeles, and Florida last month
following an undercover operation conducted by the FBI. Their alleged
ringleader is Artur Solomonian, a 26-year-old Armenian citizen wanted in
Armenia for draft evasion. He is accused of looking for buyers of Russian-made
shoulder-fired missiles, grenade-launchers and other weapons used by the
Armenian military.
US prosecutors showed photographs of those weapons which Armenia’s National
Security Service (NSS) say were taken by a Yerevan-based friend of Solomonian,
identified as Spartak Yeribekian.
The arrests of Yeribekian and two other residents of Armenia were
announced on
March 21. It was not clear if the extradited man was one of them.
Law-enforcement sources said that Barseghian is an Armenian-born American
citizen who illegally returned to Armenia in the mid-1990s to escape
prosecution in the US. A New York newspaper reported that US prosecutors
believe Barseghian is the man who allegedly photographed the weapons at a
military base in Armenia.
“This case highlights the cooperation on law enforcement issues which is
developing between the US and the Republic of Armenia,” the US embassy said.
“We commend the continued professionalism of the Armenian authorities who have
been instrumental in supporting this ongoing investigation.”
A senior FBI investigator who visited Yerevan last month likewise praised
Armenian security agencies for their “active cooperation” in the probe.
3) Margarian Says ‘We Have Nothing to Prove,’ during Genocide Conference
YEREVAN (Armenpress)–As Armenia’s Academy of Sciences opened the conference,
“Genocide: Reality and Condemnation,” on Monday as one of the events marking
the 90th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, hundreds of participants stood
in silence to honor the victims of the Armenian genocide of 1915.
Prime Minister Andranik Margarian welcomed the participants with a message
stressing Armenia’s resoluteness–now more than ever–to continue its campaign
for international recognition of the Genocide.
Speaking about the creation of a joint Armenian-Turkish commission to study
the facts on the Armenian genocide, Margarian said he does not see any
sense in
such an effort. “We have nothing to prove~Ethe genocide happened,” said the
Prime Minister.
“My ancestors were the victims of genocide. There are a lot of people in
Armenia who learned about the genocide not only through books, but also from
their grandparents.”
Refusing to offer a prediction on whether Turkey would recognize the Armenian
genocide in the next 50 years, Margarian said, “Turkey will change its
position
under the pressure of the international community and in the process of its
membership to the EU, but it is difficult to say when it will happen.” He is
optimistic, however, that the current government will succeed in establishing
diplomatic relations.
Ashot Melikian, director of the Institute of History, said a joint national
strategy to push for international recognition of the Genocide is being
developed. Commenting on territorial claims to Turkey, Melikian said
non-governmental organizations should keep the issue afloat because “it is not
expedient for the government to raise it at this point.”
On April 20-21, Yerevan will host an international conference on the
Genocide,
with the participation of researchers, government officials, and other
representatives of 20 countries. Journalists of Turkish TRT 1 channel have
already arrived in Yerevan to cover April 24 commemorations.
As many countries around the world have had governments, parliaments, and
other legislative bodies that have officially recognized the Armenian
genocide–including Cyprus, Greece, Belgium, Sweden, Vatican City, Italy,
France, Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, European parliament,
Switzerland, Uruguay, Argentina, Canada, among others–Prime Minister
Margarian
stressed the importance of active work by more countries for official
recognition. He assured the conference that the Armenian side is actively
participating in all international forums dedicated to human rights and
democracy.
4) Turkish Parliament Adopts Resolution to Form Commission, Move Forward
towards Friendship
(Aztag)–The Turkish parliament formally called for the creation of a
commission of Turkish and Armenian historians to “shed scientific light on the
past.”
Through a resolution, the body addressed the issue of reconciliation and the
establishment of good neighborly relations with Armenia, and went on to
condemn
countries that have formally recognized the Armenian genocide. The resolution
denounces the “insistence of Armenians” to advance the issue of the Armenian
genocide, and pointing to Armenian “promotion of propaganda,” it assures that
Turkey will never take that step [to recognize the Armenian genocide].
In a statement issued Wednesday, the parliament said that it would be of
benefit to both Turkey and Armenia to “settle their differences,” and move
forward to a future based on tolerance, friendship, and cooperation.
In a proposal backed jointly by the government and the opposition, the
parliament called for a commission of Turkish and Armenian historians to
search
through their national archives without limitations, make public the
results of
their research, and set the working methods of the commission.
The parliament said that the success of this proposal, however, depends on
the
cooperation of the Armenian government.
“Unless Turkey and Armenia look at history from the same perspective, they
will only leave prejudices, enmity, and revenge to their children and
forthcoming generations,” the declaration said. “What is reasonable for Turkey
and Armenia is to end taboos with a joint initiative, clarify all sides of
what
they had experienced, and be ready to settle old scores with their history.
This is the only way to prevent the past from darkening today and future.”
If Armenia wants to establish good neighborly relations with Turkey, it
should
not hesitate to adopt Turkey’s proposal to reassess their common history, the
statement said.
“The parliament would also like to stress that every well-meaning country and
statesman wanting to contribute to world peace and stability should consider
Turkey’s proposal as positive, and reject internal political views,” it said.
“In this context, countries that want to better Turkish-Armenian relations
and, and seek peace and stability in the Caucasus, should support this
initiative, and refrain from acts which would harm this initiative.
The declaration also said that it was impossible for Turkey to base its
history on some one-sided and misleading assessments.
5) Burbank ANC Hosts Events Commemorating Armenian Genocide
BURBANK–The Burbank Armenian National Committee will host a series of
important upcoming events in commemoration of the 90th anniversary of the
Armenian genocide. Tamar Krekorian, Chair of the Genocide Remembrance
Committee, said that Burbank’s commemorative events will include educational,
cultural and political aspects this year.
“The city has been an outstanding partner in working with the Burbank ANC,”
Krekorian said. “As a result, we have planned a series of events that will
offer a wide range of opportunities for residents to learn more about the
Genocide and to recognize its importance today,” Krekorian added.
Throughout the month of April, an outstanding educational display will be
showcased in the main lobby of the Burbank Central Library. The display, which
includes items and books related to Armenian culture, history and the
Genocide,
is intended to promote awareness of the Armenian book collection that was
donated to the library through the efforts of the Books For Burbank program of
the Burbank ANC.
On Saturday, April 16, the committee presented a free screening of the
Armenian Film Foundation’s award-winning documentary film about the
destruction
of Kharpert, “Voices from the Lake,” at the Burbank Central Library
Auditorium.
Through eyewitness interviews and painstaking research, this film tells the
story of the Genocide in an unforgettably personal way. Dr. J. Michael
Hagopian, the renowned Genocide historian and filmmaker of “Voices,” was on
hand to address his two decades of research in creating the film.
The Burbank City Council will present a proclamation in recognition of the
90th anniversary of the Genocide on Tuesday, April 19. During the meeting, the
Burbank ANC will accept the City’s proclamation and conduct a short program
featuring poetry read by local high school students. Sharon Cohen, the City’s
Library Director, will also pay tribute to the Burbank ANC for the successful
Books For Burbank program. A candlelight vigil will take place on the front
steps of Burbank City Hall after sundown.
On Saturday, April 23, a moving theatrical performance of two
Genocide-related
one-act plays, written and directed by Aram Kouyoumdjian, will be presented at
the El Portal Forum Theatre in the No Ho Arts District. “Delicate Lines” and
“Protest” have already won rave reviews from audiences in Northern California.
Both performances of this event are already completely sold out.
For further information about any of these events, contact the Burbank ANC at
(818) 562-1918 or by e-mail at [email protected].
6) Israel among the Holocaust Deniers
On March 29, Israeli Haaretz newspaper published a story by a member of
Israeli
Knesset Yosi Sarid. Sarid was a former Israeli education minister and the
first
Israeli government official to recognize the Armenian genocide, arguing in
favor of mentioning it in Israeli student textbooks.
By Yossi Sarid
April 24 will mark the 90th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, and the
Armenian government is holding an international conference in the capital of
Yerevan, dedicated to the memory of the more than a million Armenians murdered
by the Turks. I was also invited, and I decided to attend. This month will
also
see the Hebrew publication of Prof. Yair Auron’s eye-opening and stomach
churning book, “Denial: Israel and the Armenian Genocide,” Maba Publishing,
which has already been highly praised overseas in its English-language
edition.
As opposed to many other nations, Israel has never recognized the murder of
the Armenian people, and in effect lent a hand to the deniers of that
genocide.
Our official reactions moved in the vague, illusory realm between denial to
evasion, from “it’s not clear there really was genocide” to “it’s an issue for
the historians,” as Shimon Peres once put it so outrageously and stupidly.
There are two main motives for the Israeli position. The first is the
importance of the relationship with Turkey, which for some reason continues to
deny any responsibility for the genocide, and uses heavy pressure worldwide to
prevent the historical responsibility for the genocide to be laid at its door.
The pressure does work, and not only Israel, but other countries as well do
the
arithmetic of profits and loss. The other motive is that recognition of
another
nation’s murder would seem to erode the uniqueness of the Jewish Holocaust.
Five years ago, on the 85th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, I was
invited as education minister to the Armenian church in the Old City of
Jerusalem. This is what I said at the time:
“I am here, with you, as a human being, as a Jew, as an Israeli, and as the
minister of education in Israel. For many years, too many, you were alone on
this, your memorial day. I am aware of the special significance of my presence
here. Today, for the first time, you are less alone.”
I recalled the Jewish American ambassador to Turkey at the time of the
slaughter, Henry Morgenthau, who called the massacre of the Armenians “the
greatest crime of modern history.” That good man had no idea what would yet
happen in the 20th century– who could have anticipated the Jewish Holocaust?
And I recalled Franz Werfel’s “The 40 Days of Musa Dagh,” which came out in
Germany in the spring of 1933 and shocked millions of people and eventually,
me, too, as a youth.
Summing up, I said, “We Jews, the main victims of murderous hatred, must be
doubly sensitive and identify with other victims. Those who stand aside, turn
away, cast a blind eye, make their calculations of gains and losses, and are
silent, always help the murderers and never those who are being murdered. In
our new history curriculum I want to see a central chapter on genocide, and
within it, an open reference to the Armenian genocide. That is our duty to you
and to ourselves.”
The Armenian community in Israel and the world took note of that statement
with satisfaction. Turkey complained vociferously, demanding an explanation
from the Israeli government. And “my government,” of all governments, first
stammered and then denied responsibility, and explained that I spoke for
myself. And not a remnant survives in the new curriculum of the Livnat era.
Now it can be said. They were right. All the stammerers and deniers. I really
did not consult with anyone else and did not ask for permission. What must be
asked when the answer is known in advance, and it is based on the wrong
assumption that there is a contradiction between a moral position and a
political one? Just how beastly must we be as humans, or as Haaretz wrote then
in its editorial, “The teaching of genocides must be at the top of the
priorities of the values of the Jewish people, the victim of the Holocaust,
and
no diplomacy of interests can be allowed to stand in that way”?
The Israeli Foreign Ministry, and not only it, is always afraid of its own
shadow and thus it casts a dark shadow over us all as accomplices to the
“silence of the world.” The Dalai Lama, leader of the exiled Tibetans, has
visited here twice, and twice I was warned by “officials” not to meet with
him.
It would mean a crisis in relations with China, the exact same thing they say
about Turkey. I rebuffed those warnings in both cases. I have always believed
that moral policies pay off in the long run, while rotten policies end up
losing.
And all this I will repeat in the capital of Armenia, only in my name, of
course.
7) Chessboard Comes Crashing down on Kasparov
MOSCOW (AP)–Garry Kasparov, the world’s former No. 1 chess player who quit
the
professional game last month to focus on politics, said Saturday that he had
been hit over the head with a chessboard in what appears to have been a
politically motivated attack.
Kasparov was not injured Friday when he was hit with the chessboard after
signing it for a young man at an event in Moscow.
A spokeswoman for Kasparov, Marina Litvinovich, said the assailant told the
chess champion: ~SI admired you as a chess player, but you gave that up for
politics.~T
She said the unidentified attacker – who did not reveal his political
allegiance–had tried to hit Kasparov a second time but was hauled away by
security guards.
~SIt was a fairly nasty incident, it was not very pleasant psychologically,~T
Kasparov told the private NTV television. ~SYesterday, I was just about able to
muster up enough humor to joke darkly that, luckily in the Soviet Union, chess
and not baseball was popular.~T
The 41-year-old Kasparov, a brilliant and aggressive tactician regarded by
many as the greatest chess player of all time, has been ranked No. 1 in the
world since 1984.
But the outspoken critic of President Vladimir Putin retired last month,
saying at the time that he planned to focus on politics and do ~Severything in
my power to resist Putin’s dictatorship.~T
He plays a leading role in the Committee 2008: Free Choice, a group formed by
liberal opposition leaders.
Putin, a former KGB colonel who came to power in 2000, has been accused of
stifling democratic freedoms by placing national television under effective
state control and centralizing power by boosting Kremlin control of parliament
and country’s regions.
8) Karapetian Wins European Championship, Nazarian Decorated by Bulgarian
President
VARNA (Armenpress)–Armenian Greco-Roman wrestler Movses Karapetian (74 kg)
clenched the European champions in the Varna, Bulgaria over the weekend,
defeating five rivals on the road to finals. Another Armenian wrestler, Roman
Amoyan (55 kg), won the silver.
Ethnic Armenian Armen Nazarian, who competes on the Bulgarian team, was
decorated by President G. Parvanov for his exclusive contribution to classic
wrestling.
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