California Courier Online, July 21, 2005
1 – Commentary
What Did Kocharian Actually Say About
Demanding Territories from Turkey?
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The Califorrnia Courier
2 – Documentary on Impact of Turkish Blockade
On Armenia Selected for Film Festivals
3- The Lincy Foundation Will Allocate
$60 Million for New Projects in Armenia
4 – Montreal Gazette Newspaper
Recognizes Armenian Genocide
5 – Glendale Mayor Hosts Fundraiser For
Paul Krekorian in State Assembly Race
6 – 500 Guests Attend Fresno Fundraiser for
Attorney General Candidate Poochigian
7 – Catholicos Aram I Will Visit California, October 5-19
8 –
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1 – Commentary
What Did Kocharian Actually Say About
Demanding Territories from Turkey?
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
Three months ago, Pres. Kocharian made a rare appearance in front of
students at Yerevan State University. After his official remarks dealing
with the state of affairs in Armenia, the President responded at length to
more than 20 questions from the students.
The President’s answer to one particular question made headlines both in
Armenia and Turkey. It dealt with the possibility of Armenia demanding
territories from Turkey following its recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
This is a very sensitive issue that has serious repercussions not only on
Turkish-Armenian relations, but also on the efforts of third parties trying
to nudge Turkey into recognizing the Armenian Genocide.
The question of whether the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the
Turks may lead to Armenian territorial demands from Turkey is discussed
widely not only in Ankara, Washington and Paris, but also among Armenians
worldwide.
Some Armenians say that they would be satisfied if the Turks simply
admitted that genocide was committed against the Armenians. In other words,
if the Turks stopped denying the Genocide, Armenians and Turks could then
turn a new page in their relationship.
Most Armenians, however, maintain that Turkey’s admission of the occurrence
of the Genocide is not sufficient at all. That would not wipe away the
cataclysmic consequences of the murders committed against the Armenian
nation. They believe that today’s Turkish government has the responsibility
of making amends for the losses suffered by the Armenians. They contend
that Turkey must return the confiscated properties and assets to the
descendants of the victims of the Genocide, give back the historic Armenian
territories, and finally, pay financial compensation for the murder of 1.5
million Armenians.
Those who would be satisfied by the mere recognition of the genocide often
lecture other Armenians about the realities of the modern world and the
fact that it would be unrealistic to expect Turkey to return any
territories or pay compensation to Armenians. They also question if
Armenians demanding the lands would be willing to relocate to Western
Armenia (Eastern Turkey), should the Turks agree to return these mostly
desolate lands.
Those who make such minimalist demands do not understand that while it is
highly unlikely that the Turks would make amends for the Genocide anytime
soon, voluntarily giving up one’s historic rights would ensure that
Armenians would end up getting nothing.
Pres. Kocharian understands well the sensitivity of this issue ever since
he got himself into hot water several years ago when he responded to a
similar question from a prominent Turkish reporter. At that time, the
President was severely criticized by Armenians from around the world for
having supposedly said, according to the distorted transcript of the
Turkish reporter, that Armenia had no territorial demands from Turkey. The
problem was compounded by the fact that despite the uproar about the
President’s alleged statement, his aides never bothered to release to the
public his actual words. They let the Turks misrepresent to the world and
to Armenians worldwide what Pres. Kocharian had actually said.
A similar misrepresentation of the President’s words occurred earlier this
year. Once again, Pres. Kocharian’s statement was distorted by the Turkish
media. Here is what the President actually said as it was broadcast on
Armenian State TV, on April 11, 2005. I have translated his words from
Armenian into English:
“We have never raised in the name of any governmental body the issue of any
territorial demands. We have today on our foreign policy agenda the issue
of the recognition of the Genocide. What legal consequences that would
have, is an issue for future presidents and future political officials. But
we must also be realistic, and from that perspective, our expectations and
reality should not be too different. When they become too different, one
can get subsequently disillusioned. The more realistic we are, the less the
probability of subsequent disillusionment. We should now consistently
struggle for the recognition of the Genocide. Regarding the second segment
of that issue, the less we talk about it now, the better for us.”
The Turkish press distorted the President’s statement by reporting him
saying that Armenia had no demands from Turkey. Regrettably, Armenian
newspapers both in Armenia and the Diaspora reported these Turkish
distortions as facts.
Readers should note that Pres. Kocharian was careful to avoid acknowledging
that Armenia had territorial demands from Turkey, while just as carefully
refusing to state that Armenia did not have such claims. Given Armenia’s
many current political and economic problems, clearly this is not the right
time to make territorial claims from a powerful and hostile neighboring
state. Pres. Kocharian is correct in neither asserting such demands nor in
giving them up.
Armenians have to wait until such time when Armenia is strong enough to act
on those demands. As everyone knows, territories are not freely given. They
can only be taken by force or diplomacy backed by strength. The time for
that is definitely not now!
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2 – Documentary on Impact of Turkish Blockade
On Armenia Selected for Film Festivals
WASHINGTON, DC “Armenia, a Country under Blockade,” a powerful
documentary film on the impact of Turkey’s blockade of Armenia was featured
at the recently concluded Myrtle Beach International Film Festival, and has
been chosen as an official selection for the “Golden Apricots,” Yerevan’s
International film festival, which was held July 12-17, reported the
Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
Narrated by System of a Down lead vocalist Serj Tankian and directed by
Diran Noubar, the 52-minute documentary film describes, in compelling
images and through first-hand accounts, the human impact of Turkey’s
decade-long, illegal blockade of Armenia. It has been met with critical
acclaim, including a standing ovation at the Cannes Festival’s film market
held earlier this year. Academy Award nominee Atom Egoyan (1997-The Sweet
Hereafter) has called “Armenia, a Country under Blockade” a “very worthy
and important document.”
The timing of the film’s release, on the eve of the European Union’s
membership negotiations with Turkey, sparked a sharp
reaction from Ankara, and interest on the part of Europeans troubled by the
prospect of accepting a member state that so
flagrantly violates international law. The film was shot entirely in
Armenia.
“Diran Noubar’s powerful work is bringing the story of Armenia – and the
brutal impact of Turkey’s illegal blockade – to the
attention of vast new international audiences,” said Aram Hamparian,
Executive Director of the ANCA. “We encourage Armenian Americans to watch
this documentary – and just as importantly – to share it with their local
elected officials, to arrange screenings for civic groups, and to encourage
its broadcast by local television stations.”
The film was shown twice at the Golden Apricots at the Cinema House at
Moskva Movie Theater in Yerevan.
To purchase copies of the documentary, arrange a local community or
university screening, or to encourage your local television station to
broadcast this powerful message, contact: Diran Noubar, Kayane Productions,
Inc., 1901 Dorset Drive, Tarrytown, NY 10591, (646)642-0544, (917)459-4109.
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3 – The Lincy Foundation Will Allocate
$60 Million for New Projects in Armenia
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – The Lincy Foundation announced last week that it would
allocate $60 million for three new infrastructure projects selected by the
Government of Armenia.
The work will commence once the necessary approvals have been obtained and
agreements between the Armenian government and The Lincy Foundation have
been signed. The Government of Armenia will implement these projects with
the assistance of The Lincy Foundation.
The $60 million to be provided by The Lincy Foundation would be used for
the much-needed renovation of schools, the upgrading of Yerevan streets,
and the improvement of various roads throughout Armenia.
The school renovation project would significantly improve the educational
environment for thousands of students who have been studying in dilapidated
school buildings for many years. The upgrading and improvement of various
city streets and roads would facilitate the movement of people and goods
throughout Armenia.
These new projects follow Lincy’s successful completion of $150 million of
infrastructure renovation that included the construction and repair of 270
miles of highways, 5 bridges, 2 tunnels, 17 major city streets as well as
the Republican Square in Yerevan, 3,674 apartments in the earthquake zone,
and 34 cultural institutions throughout Armenia.
In addition, The Lincy Foundation provided $20 million of loans to small
and medium-size businesses in Armenia.
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4 – Montreal Gazette Newspaper
Recognizes Armenian Genocide
MONTREAL – The Congress of Canadian Armenians last week announced that The
Gazette, Montreal’s leading English-language daily newspaper, has issued a
policy statement to their editorial staff recognizing the Armenian
genocide, and providing editorial guidelines. This recognition is in line
with recent policy statements issued by leading North American daily
newspapers such as the Boston Globe and New York Times.
The text of the statement, signed by The Gazette’s Editor-in-Chief,
includes the following:
“It seems clear from the historical record that what took place in Turkey
around 1915 amounted to a genocide, as defined in the 1948 UN convention on
genocide: killing or harming people “with intent to destroy, in whole or in
part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group”. As a result,
reporters and editors are free to use the word genocide, without quotation
marks, in relation to the Armenian tragedy and should avoid using
qualifiers such as “alleged,” “disputed” or “what Armenians call”. We may
report Turkish denials of such a claim when they are relevant, but we
should not feel obliged to include such denials with every reference to the
Armenian genocide.”
“We were encouraged by the sincerity of The Gazette’s senior management
when we met with them in June”, said Taro Alepian, President of the
Congress of Canadian Armenians. “They now join the growing number of
respected newspapers across North America who accept that the events which
took place in Turkey around 1915, which resulted in the deaths of 1.5
million Armenians, was in fact genocide as defined by the United Nations.
Armenians across Canada extend their thanks to the editorial staff of The
Gazette for ensuring that editorial content will henceforth reflect
historical fact. We hope that other Canadian newspapers will adopt similar
policies on the Armenian genocide.”
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5 – Glendale Mayor Hosts Fundraiser For
Paul Krekorian in State Assembly Race
GLENDALE – Paul Krekorian, Burbank School Board President and the leading
candidate for California State Assembly in the 43rd district, got another
big boost when Glendale Mayor Rafi Manoukian, hosted a successful
fundraiser for Krekorian in his home. The event raised more than $35,000
toward Krekorian’s campaign.
Four of the five members of the Glendale City Council were present at the
event. Councilmembers Ara Najarian, Dave Weaver, and Bob Yousefian joined
Mayor Manoukian in showing their support and encouragement for
Krekorian’s bid for the Assembly, along with Glendale City Clerk Ardy
Kassakhian and Burbank City Councilmember Stacey Murphy.
The large crowd also included many city commissioners and community
leaders.
“I am deeply honored that Mayor Manoukian and his wife Zovig opened their
home in support of this vitally important campaign,” Krekorian said after
the event. “We’ve received tremendous support from the civic and
community leaders
of Glendale and Burbank, which gives me great encouragement. I will
continue to work hard to earn that support and to stand up for the
interests of our community in Sacramento.”
Krekorian is running for the State Assembly seat currently held by
Assemblymember Dario Frommer, who will be leaving the office because of
term limits.
The district includes the communities of Glendale, Burbank, North
Hollywood,
Silver Lake and Los Feliz, and is home to the largest Armenian-American
community in the United States. Political analysts consider Krekorian the
leading candidate in the election, which will be held next June.
Krekorian has also been endorsed by Burbank Mayor Jef VanderBorght,
Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, Congresswoman Linda Sanchez, Senator Jackie
Speier, Assemblymember Carol Liu and Assemblymember Paul Koretz, among
many others.
Krekorian spoke about his vision for California and thanked the audience
for their support and commitment. He also took a moment to introduce his
wife Tamar and their newest addition to the family, 7-week old son Andrew
Levon Krekorian.
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6 – 500 Guests Attend Fresno Fundraiser for
Attorney General Candidate Poochigian
FRESNO – California State Senator Chuck Poochigian (R-Fresno) was honored
at a June 16 dinner at the Fresno Convention Center, in support of his
campaign for Attorney General.
Five hundred dinner guests attended the campaign fundraiser.
Senator Poochigian was warmly introduced by Fresno County District Attorney
Elizabeth Egan who praised his work in the Legislature and emphasized the
importance of electing Poochigian as Attorney General.
In his remarks, Poochigian spoke about his strong interest in public policy
and the importance of electing public officials who possess common sense
and are fair-minded in the exercise of power. “The Attorney General has
very broad powers that must be exercised with great discretion to assure
that our laws are properly, uniformly and dispassionately enforced and
public safety is protected while guarding against abuse,” Poochigian said
Poochigian thanked the enthusiastic supporters for their willingness to be
involved in what he described as a great new personal adventure. He and
his wife, Debbie, have been traveling throughout California for months in
order to build a strong base of grass roots and financial support. He said
the encouragement he received was overwhelming.
The primary election will be held next June, followed by the general
election in November 2006. There are currently no other Republicans
running for the office. Former California Governor George Deukmejian is
Chairman of the campaign and Ken Khachigian is senior advisor and manager
of the campaign. Two Democrats, Los Angeles City Attorney Rockard “Rocky”
Delgadillo and Oakland Mayor (former Governor) Jerry Brown have announced
their candidacies.
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7 – Catholicos Aram I Will Visit California, October 5-19
LOS ANGELES – Catholicos Aram I, of the Great House of Cilicia, will visit
the Western Prelacy of the United States, October 5-19 in an extensive
Pontifical tour of the three North American prelacies, announced last week
Prelate Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, the Religious and the Executive
Councils of the Western Prelacy.
The Pontifical visit is being held on the occasion of the 75th anniversary
of the Seminary of the Holy See and the 10th anniversary of His
enthronement.
In California, the Catholicos will visit Los Angeles, Fresno and San
Francisco. During the visit, he will inaugurate the Prelacy’s New Building,
consecrate the Prelacy’s St. Dertad and St. Ashkhen Chapel and the St.
Sarkis Church of Pasadena.
Included in the California visit are symposiums, meetings with students and
youth, and other official events.
Under the auspices of Archbishop Mardirossian, a Welcoming Committee has
been formed to organize the Pontifical visit and the related events.
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8 – Dr.. Steve Maradian Named New
President of Los Angeles City College
LOS ANGELES – After conducting a national search, the Los Angeles Community
College Board of Trustees selected Dr. Steve Maradian as the new President
of Los Angeles City College.
Dr. Maradian is currently Vice President for Government Relations at the
American University of Armenia. Previous to that, he served as Director of
Federal Relations for the University System of Georgia. He also held
positions as President of Middle Georgia College, Executive Director of the
Regional Maritime Technology Center of the University of New Orleans,
President of Lamar College (Orange, TX), and President of Belmont Technical
College (Ohio).
“Dr. Maradian is an excellent candidate,” said LACC Board President Trustee
Sylvia Scott-Hayes. “He will fit in perfectly with the campus, specially
with his unique experiences in the Armenian community. He will bring a new
energy to the college and enrich the diversity on the campus. We look
forward to having him on our leadership team.”
“I am really excited about serving Los Angeles City College,” said Dr.
Maradian. “I look forward to getting involved in the community; helping to
re-build and modernize the campus and making sure all of our students get a
high quality education. This job is a perfect fit for me, ethnically,
philosophically and geographically. My heart has always been with community
colleges and I look forward to working in a great city and a great state.”
A search community consisting of members of Los Angeles City College and
the community interviewed a large number of candidates from throughout the
country. The final four participated in community forums on June 27 and 28.
Dr. Maradian will begin his duties at the college on Aug. 1.
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