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07/07/2005
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1) Armenian Delegation to OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Thanks States That Have
Recognized Armenian Genocide
2) Four London Blasts Kill 37, Injure 700
3) Georgia’s Armenian Parliament Members Address Regional Issues, Tarrifs with
Armenian Counterparts
4) His Holiness Aram I’s Pontifical Visit to Western Prelacy
5) Paris Court Fines Book Editors for Armenian Genocide Denial
1) Armenian Delegation to OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Thanks States That Have
Recognized Armenian Genocide
–Delegation Head Praises Karabagh’s Elections, Calls for Baku to Restore
Direct Ties to Karabagh’s Government, and Notes Armenia’s Progress on
Constitutional and Electoral Reforms
WASHINGTON, DC–Speaking in Washington, DC at the July 4th plenary session of
the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe (OSCE PA), the head of the Armenian delegation, Deputy Speaker of the
Armenian Parliament Vahan Hovhannisian briefed over 300 parliamentarians from
55 OSCE member states about recent developments in Armenia and the South
Caucasus region, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
Joining Vahan Hovhannisian as members of the OSCE PA delegation were Artashes
Geghamyan, MP and Samvel Nikoyan, MP.
At the outset of his remarks, Hovhannisian noted to his colleagues that 2005
marked the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, commenting that “it
would
not be an exaggeration to say that most of the current problems in our region
stem from those tragic events.” He went on to thank the OSCE member states
that have recognized the Armenian Genocide, among them Cyprus, Canada, Russia,
Greece, Belgium, Sweden, France, Italy, Switzerland, Slovakia, Netherlands,
Poland, and Germany.
Hovhannisian praised the conduct of the recent Parliamentary elections in
Mountainous Karabagh, the fourth held by the Republic since independence in
1991. Noting the positive findings of international election observers, hem
pointed out that, “Some of Nagorno Karabagh’s neighbors can learn a great deal
from its example of holding democratic elections.”
In a related matter, the ANCA has supported the efforts of Congressman Elton
Gallegly (R-CA), the Chairman of the International Relations Subcommittee on
Europe, to pass legislation, HRes 326, calling for free and fair parliamentary
elections in Azerbaijan. This resolution outlines the expectations of the US
regarding the upcoming November 2005 balloting, with a special focus on
preventing problems, reported in past elections by international observers,
regarding “inequality and irregularities in campaign and election conditions,
including intimidation against opposition supporters, restrictions on
political
rallies by opposition candidates, and voting fraud.”
Speaking directly to the Karabagh peace talks, which are mediated by the
OSCE’s Minsk Group, Hovhannisian remarked that other regional conflicts being
addressed by the OSCE, such as Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Moldova, are all
characterized by direct talks between the conflicting parties. “As such,” he
commented, “we do not see a reason why the Azerbaijani authorities cannot do
the same and try to restore their contacts with elected authorities of the
Nagorno Karabakh.”
In closing, Hovhannisian noted Armenia’s progress in revising its Electoral
Code in accordance with European standards, a move that was welcomed by the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. He added that the political
parties in Armenia have, after extensive deliberations, reached an agreement
about constitutional changes and amendments in accordance with the
recommendations of the Council of Europe.
2) Four London Blasts Kill 37, Injure 700
LONDON (AP)–Four blasts rocked the London subway and tore open a packed
double-decker bus during morning rush hour on Thursday, sending bloodied
victims fleeing in the worst attack on London since World War II. Thirty-seven
people were killed, British officials said, and 700 wounded in the terror
attacks.
A clearly shaken Prime Minister Tony Blair called the coordinated attacks
“barbaric” and said they were designed to coincide with the G-8 summit opening
in Gleneagles, Scotland. They also came a day after London won the bid to host
the 2012 Olympics. A group calling itself “The Secret Organization of al-Qaida
in Europe” claimed responsibility.
The four blasts went off within an hour, beginning at 8:51 a.m., and hit
three
subway stations and the double-decker bus. Authorities immediately shut down
the subway and bus lines that log 8.4 million passenger trips every weekday.
Doctors from the nearby British Medical Association (BMA) rushed into the
street to treat the wounded from the bus. “The front of BMA house was
completely splattered with blood and not much of the bus was left,” said Dr.
Laurence Buckman.
As the city’s transportation system ground to a near-halt, buses were used as
ambulances and an emergency medical station was set up at a hotel. Rescue
workers, police and ordinary citizens streamed into the streets to help.
Blair, flanked by fellow G-8 leaders, including President Bush, read a
statement from the leaders. “We shall prevail and they shall not,” he said.
“Whatever they do, it is our determination that they will never succeed in
destroying what we hold dear in this country and in other civilized nations
throughout the world,” he said earlier.
In Scotland, Bush warned Americans to be “extra vigilant,” and his
administration raised the terror alert for mass transit a notch to code
orange.
Security also was stepped up in the US Capitol and in train and bus stations
around the country.
Much of Europe also went on alert. Italy’s airports raised alert levels to a
maximum. The Czech Republic, Hungary, Russia, the Netherlands, France and
Spain
also announced beefed-up security at shopping centers, airports, railways and
subways.
A group calling itself “The Secret Organization of al-Qaida in Europe” posted
a claim of responsibility, saying the blasts were in retaliation for Britain’s
involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan.
3) Georgia’s Armenian Parliament Members Address Regional Issues, Tarrifs with
Armenian Counterparts
YEREVAN (RFE/RL)–The Armenian members of Georgia’s parliament urged
Armenia on
Thursday to abolish prohibitive charges levied from Georgian vehicles entering
its territory, and to discuss the conditions of Georgia’s Armenians, including
those living in the impoverished Javakhk region.
The five lawmakers led by Van Bayburtian, a leader of the Armenian community
in Tbilisi, said the Georgian government has already scrapped similar tariffs
for Armenian vehicles and expects Armenia to follow suit.
The road tolls worth $50 per car or truck, a large sum by both Armenian and
Georgian standards, are one of the factors that have hampered commercial and
individual traffic between the two countries since the Soviet collapse.
Georgia
unilaterally abolished them on January 1 at the request of Georgian
businesspeople promoting closer economic ties with Armenia.
“That issue is being discussed in accordance with the president’s
instructions
and I think it will find a positive solution soon,” Transport and
Communications Minister Andranik Manukian said on Thursday.
Armenian officials have praised President Mikhail Saakashvili’s
administration
for thoroughly repairing the main Georgian highway leading to the Armenian
border. They also admit that Saakashvili’s dramatic overhaul of Georgia’s
formerly corrupt traffic police all but put an end to the extortion of bribes
from Armenian motorists.
Bayburtian was speaking to reporters in Yerevan where he and his
Georgian-Armenian colleagues arrived at the invitation of parliament speaker
Artur Baghdasarian. He said they discussed road tariffs and other issues
relating to cross-border travel with Baghdasarian and other Armenian
officials.
The situation in the Armenian-populated areas in southern Georgia was also
high on the agenda of their talks. One of them, the Tsalka district, has been
particularly restive in recent years with clashes periodically reported
between
local Armenians and Greeks and Georgians.
Tbilisi deployed interior troops in the area last year in a bid to keep the
situation under control. However, tensions there rose again late last month
after Georgian soldiers shot and wounded an Armenian youth in still uncertain
circumstances.
The incident sparked protests in Tsalka and even Armenia where a group of
nationalist students protested outside the Georgian embassy in Yerevan.
Meanwhile, speaker Baghdasarian was quoted by his press service as telling
the
visiting Georgian-Armenian deputies that he and his Georgian counterpart Nino
Burjanadze will soon jointly visit Georgia’s mostly Armenian populated region
of Javakhk to assess progress in stated government efforts to alleviate
serious
socioeconomic problems there. Those problems may be further aggravated by the
upcoming closure of a local Russian military base, the area’s single largest
employer.
Saakashvili on Monday again sought to allay the Javakhk Armenians’ concerns,
announcing that the economically depressed and largely agricultural region
will
become the principal supplier of foodstuffs to the Georgian military. “Today,
together with the Georgian defense minister, we have decided that all 20,000
military personnel of the Georgian armed forces…will be fully supplied with
agricultural produce by residents of [the Javakhk districts of] Akhalkalak and
Ninotsminda,” Saakashvili said in a speech in Tbilisi.
4) His Holiness Aram I’s Pontifical Visit to Western Prelacy
LA CRESCENTA–His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Holy See of the Great
House of Cilicia, will make His Pontifical visit to the Western Prelacy,
October 5-19, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Seminary of the
Holy See and the 10th anniversary of His enthronement.
With the theme, Towards The Light of Knowledge, Catholicos Aram I will visit
all three Prelacies of North America, inaugurate the Prelacy’s New Building,
consecrate the Prelacy’s St. Dertad and St. Ashkhen Chapel, and the St. Sarkis
Church of Pasadena.
During his visits to Los Angeles, Fresno, and San Francisco, His Holiness
will
attend symposiums, meetings with students and youth, and other official
events.
Under the auspices of the Prelate His Eminence Archbishop Moushegh
Mardirossian, a Welcoming Committee has been formed to organize the Pontifical
visit and related events.
5) Paris Court Fines Book Editors for Armenian Genocide Denial
(AP)–A Paris court on Wednesday ordered the editors of a French reference
book
to pay a small fine for its unbalanced portrayal of the genocide of Armenians
by Ottoman Turkey.
The court said the Quid reference book favored Turkey’s position of denial
and
only briefly described the Armenian point of view. The court issued a fine of
$1.19 and ordered the publication of its verdict in three daily newspapers,
three weekly newspapers, and on the Quid internet site.
The committee for the defense of the Armenian cause filed a complaint against
the encyclopedia in 2003.
Defense lawyers for the reference book underlined its editorial freedom and
pointed out that the book mentions a 2001 French law that recognizes the
Armenian genocide.
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress