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09/27/2005
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1) Hundreds Gather at System Of A Down, ANC, AYF Rally Demanding Genocide Vote
2) Austria on EU Collision Course over Turkey Talks
3) Finland’s President Visits Armenia
4) Armenian Conference at Istanbul University in March 2006
5) Armenia Fund Continues Tradition of Thanksgiving Day Telethon
6) US-Armenia Agriculture Heads Discuss Cooperation
1) Hundreds Gather at System Of A Down, ANC, AYF Rally Demanding Genocide Vote
BATAVIA–System Of A Down singer Serj Tankian, leaders of the Armenian
National
Committee (ANC), and the Armenian Youth Federation headed up a rally in front
of Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert’s district office in Batavia, IL,
urging
the Speaker to `Do the right thing’ and schedule a vote on Armenian Genocide
legislation currently before the House of Representatives.
With the street in front of Hastert’s office blocked off by a police cordon,
hundreds of people of all ages listened to Tankian and John Dolmayan and
Armenian National Committee representatives Aram Hamparian and Greg Bedian
address the crowd, thanking them for their support and urging them to continue
to build momentum for the legislation.
System Of A Down’s four band members–Serj Tankian, Daron Malakian, Shavo
Odadjian and John Dolmayan–are of Armenian descent and have made awareness of
the Genocide, and genocides around the world, a central message of the band.
All lost family members in the Armenian genocide.
Tankian and Armenian American community representatives passed on to
Hastert’s
aides a letter urging the Speaker to move the legislation forward and
presented
hundreds of letters from community members calling for a vote. In a personal
letter delivered to Speaker Hastert’s office, Tankian stated `My grandfather,
Stepan Haytayan, is a 97 year-old survivor of the genocide. He’s my only link
to this past. I promised him that I would try to reach you and explain how
important American recognition is to the surviving children of the first
genocide of the 20th century.’
Greg Bedian, Chair of the ANC of Illinois, told the crowd, `You’ve taken the
time to stand up for justice about Turkey’s denial of the Armenian Genocide,
the precursor to the Holocaust and many other instances of mass slaughter. The
US government today must set its record straight by reaffirming the fact that
Turkey committed genocide when it exterminated 1.5 million Armenians. America
must send the message to governments around the world that the crime of
genocide will neither be forgotten nor treated with impunity.’
The rally was organized by the popular rock band, along with Axis of Justice,
the Armenian National Committee of America, and the Armenian Youth Federation.
In addition to members of the Armenian-American community of Greater Chicago,
attendees traveled from Wisconsin, Indiana, Minnesota, California, and
Washington, DC to take part in the event. The numbers of Armenian Americans
were buoyed by the participation of throngs of fans of System Of A Down and
supporters of Axis of Justice.
Demonstrators from the Armenian National Committee of Illinois had picketed
Speaker Hastert’s `Mobile Office Tour 2005′ on Wednesday, July 20, demanding
that he honor his five-year-old pledge to move the Armenian Genocide
Resolution
forward in the House of Representatives.
Hastert made the pledge to have the full House vote on Armenian Genocide
legislation in August of 2000, but reneged in October of 2000 citing pressure
from then President Clinton. He also prevented a similar resolution from
reaching the floor in 2004. Staffers committed to provide the Speaker’s
feedback to the constituents very soon regarding the current bill.
2) Austria on EU Collision Course over Turkey Talks
BRUSSELS (EUPolitix/Reuters)–Austria appears to be on a collision course with
its European Union partners over the terms for starting accession talks with
Turkey next week, raising the risk of a last-minute cliffhanger unless Vienna
backs down.
With 80 percent of his electorate opposed to Turkish entry, Chancellor
Wolfgang Schuessel is holding out for a face-saving formula in the EU
negotiating mandate spelling out the prospect of less than full membership,
diplomats said.
`Austria is insisting on an alternative to membership,’ a senior EU diplomat
said. Turkey says it would walk away if the EU mentioned the `privileged
partnership’ sought by Vienna.
The Austrians seem isolated after Cyprus, Greece, and France accepted a deal
last week on the other key issue that had clouded the planned October 3 start
of accession negotiations–Turkey’s refusal to recognize Cyprus.
Unless Vienna backs down at a meeting of ambassadors of the 25-nation bloc on
Thursday, EU president Britain will call an emergency foreign ministers’
session in Luxembourg on Sunday evening to seek agreement, hours before
Turkish
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul is due to arrive and start the negotiations.
`We could end up with Gul sitting with his suitcase at Ankara Airport waiting
for word on the final language of the negotiating mandate. That would be very
humiliating for the Turks and get the talks off to the worst possible start,’
another EU diplomat said.
Turkey has insisted that it will walk away from any negotiations proposing
privileged partnership.
Turkish foreign minister Ali Babacan, said Europe must not move the goal
posts
at the last minute.
European Enlargement Commissioner Ollie Rehn has dismissed the privileged
partnership option, insisting that talks must aim for full membership.
`Whatever that [privileged partnership] could mean I’m willing to listen, but
I have not yet heard very convincing answers,’ he said.
Complicating matters, Austria has informally linked its acceptance of the
start of Turkey talks to the start of negotiations with Croatia.
Speaking earlier this month, Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel said,
`I would find it grotesque if we begin negotiations with Turkey and leave
Croatia outside the door to starve.’
Austria’s stance reflects growing public opposition in much of Western Europe
to admitting the vast, poor, overwhelmingly Muslim country on the edge of
Europe and the Middle East.
3) Finland’s President Visits Armenia
YEREVAN (Combined Sources)–Finland’s President Tarja Halonen ended a two-day
official visit to Yerevan on Tuesday, pledging support for Armenia’s
efforts to
forge closer links with the European Union and stressing the importance of its
democratization.
`We have discussed how Finland can help Armenia within the framework of the
European Neighborhood Policy,’ she said after talks with President Robert
Kocharian.
`I am happy to see that Armenia has a serious approach to European
integration
and think my counterpart too realizes that it creates many opportunities for
his country but requires a great deal of efforts.’
Halonen was referring to Armenia’s inclusion last year in the program
designed
to promote privileged partnership between the EU countries and their immediate
neighbors. Kocharian and Prime Minister Andranik Markarian expressed hope that
Finland will help Armenia benefit from the scheme and contribute to its
broader
European integration when it assumes the EU’s rotating presidency next year.
Halonen also visited the genocide memorial to 1.5 million Armenians killed by
the government of Turkey in 1915-1923, and planted a tree in their memory.
Halonen’s visit is the first by a Finnish head of state to Caucuses Region
since the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991, and marks the first time a
woman
president visits Armenia.
4) Armenian Conference at Istanbul University in March 2006
ISTANBUL–Istanbul University (IU) sources revealed on Tuesday that yet
another
conference dealing with the Armenian genocide is scheduled to take place in
Turkey, in March 2006.
After two cancellations, an unprecedented conference on the genocide of
Armenians was held last Saturday at Istanbul’s Bilgi University.
Last May, Turkey’s justice minister said the conference was a `stab in the
Turkish nation’s back,’ prompting it to be postponed, and tapping into
hard-line elements.
It was again cancelled after a Turkish court ruling banning the meeting,
following complaints by nationalists.
The IU Rector’s office said the upcoming conference would be held at IU, with
`wide international participation and on basis of international criteria.’
`The participants, including lawyers, scholars and politicians, of countries
who have adopted resolutions accepting and remembering the so-called Armenian
genocide will be invited,’ stated a press release.
Istanbul University said the `matter’ would be studied not only historically
and objectively, but also from legal, political and sociological
perspectives.
5) Armenia Fund Continues Tradition of Thanksgiving Day Telethon
NEW YORKA yearly tradition returns on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, when
Armenia Fund Telethon 2005 will be broadcast to raise funds for `Rebirth of
Artsakh,’ a three-year, three-phase major regional development program for
Mountainous Karabagh Republic.
Since 1996, when the Telethon was first organized, millions of dollars have
been raised to implement vital projects that have affected thousands of lives.
The `Rebirth of Artsakh’ regional development program includeds the building
of schools, houses, clinics, and access roads, as well as drinking water
programs and agricultural initiatives for three major regions of Mountainous
Karabagh.
Armenia Fund USA will spearhead the Agricultural Initiative component of the
Program, aimed at providing long term sustainable economic development for the
region. This year’s Telethon will raise funds for the Mardakert agricultural
initiative, which requires $2.5 million to assist 20,000 inhabitants.
Plans are to establish six Agricultural Development Associations in order to
help transition groups of subsistence farmers to becoming field crop, swine,
and cattle production units.
Armenia Fund is the US affiliate of Hayastan All-Armenian Fund, and is a
non-profit, non-governmental, nonsectarian organization; the Fund represents
all Armenian constituents.
6) US-Armenia Agriculture Heads Discuss Cooperation
WASHINGTON, DC–Armenia’s agricultural minister David Lokian met with US
Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johans, in Washington on Monday, to review
US-Armenia collaboration in the sector. In order to expand ties and establish
joint projects, they discussed introduction of state-of-the technology to
ensure food safety in Armenia. The US Department of Agriculture has expressed
readiness to assist Armenia, including technical assistance to train
specialists.
Minister Lokian is in the US for a meeting of the US-Armenia Task Force that
meets every 6 months to review the progress and objectives of US assistance to
Armenia. The bilateral commission was established in 2000.
Senior US officials from the State Department, Agriculture, Finance and Trade
departments, as well as USAID and Millennium Challenge Account program,
attended a reception at the Armenian Embassy in Washington, DC, for Task Force
members.
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