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08/17/2006
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1. ANCA Launches 2006 "Hye Voter Turnout" Campaign
2. Lebanon ARF Rejects Deployment of Turkish Troops in Lebanon
3. ARS Western USA Regional Executive
4. Russia Ends Transfer Of Military Equipment To Armenia
5. Second Pan-Armenian Educational Conference Kicks Off
6. Azerbaijan Repatriates Three Armenians
1. ANCA Launches 2006 "Hye Voter Turnout" Campaign
WASHINGTON–The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) has launched its
2006 "Hye Voter Turnout" campaign – a nation-wide, drive to ensure that record
numbers of Armenian American voters go to the polls this November 7th, armed
with timely and reliable information about where the candidates seeking their
votes stand on Armenian American issues.
The campaign took off this week with grassroots volunteers across the country
calling to speak with Congressional campaigns about the electoral value of the
ANCA 2006 Congressional Candidate Questionnaires. These questionnaires were
distributed nation-wide earlier this year to candidates for each of the 435
House seats and 33 Senate seats being contested this November.
An ANCA tradition for the better part of the past two decades–the
questionnaires provide candidates with the opportunity to outline their views
on issues of special concern to Armenian Americans. Responses to the
questionnaires will be widely distributed to Armenian Americans prior to
Election Day. The policy areas covered by the questionnaires are the
following:
The Armenian Genocide
US Support for Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh
US-Armenia Economic Relations
US Military Aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan
Self-Determination for Nagorno Karabakh
Conditions on US Aid to Azerbaijan
The Turkish Blockade of Armenia
Subsidy of a Proposed Caucasus Railway Bypass
The questionnaires are part of the "Hye Voter Turnout" campaign, a
nation-wide
grassroots effort to educate Armenian Americans about the policy issues
impacting Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh, and the surrounding region; provide
timely
and reliable information on the records and views of the candidates seeking
Armenian American votes, and; encourage increased civic participation in
local,
state, and national elections.
As in years past, a key component of the "Hye Voter Turnout" will be the ANCA
Congressional Report Card, a useful tool for voters that has proven itself an
enduring fixture on the Armenian American landscape. This rating system,
which
will be featured on the ANCA website – – assigns each
Congressional incumbent a grade based on their level of support for a broad
range of legislative initiatives on Armenian American issues. The ANCA will
issue Congressional endorsements later in the election cycle.
"The ANCA is gratified, once again, to offer our Congressional Candidate
Questionnaires as a public service to empower Armenian Americans as active and
informed participants in the coming election campaigns," said Aram Hamparian,
Executive Director of the ANCA. "We encourage everyone to download the
questionnaires from our website, and invite all Armenian Americans who are
interested in getting politically involved this election season to contact us
at anca@anca.org to find out how to get in touch with their local ANCA chapter
and other area activists."
Copies of the ANCA 2006 Congressional Candidate Questionnaire are provided in
Adobe PDF format and can be downloaded or printed from the ANCA website:
pdf
The full text of the ANCA 2006 Congressional Candidate Questionnaire is
provided below.
ANCA 2006 Congressional Candidate Questionnaire:
The Armenian Genocide:
Despite overwhelming evidence, Turkey continues to deny the Armenian
Genocide –
the systematic and deliberate massacre of 1.5 million Armenians between
1915-1923.
1. Do you support the adoption of the Congressional Armenian Genocide
Resolution?
US Support for Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh:
US aid has strengthened Armenia’s economy by promoting trade and investment,
and by helping offset the impact of the Turkish and Azerbaijani blockades.
2. Do you support US aid and other programs to strengthen Armenia’s
self-reliance?
3. Do you support continued US developmental and humanitarian aid to Nagorno
Karabakh?
US-Armenia Economic Relations:
Over the past five years, US-Armenia trade levels have nearly doubled,
creating
export, investment and commercial opportunities for US firms.
4. Do you support actions to expand US-Armenia economic
relations?
US Military Aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan:
Since 2001, based on an agreement between the White House and Congress to
promote peace and regional stabilty, parity has been maintained in the
level of
military aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan.
5. Do you support maintaining parity in US military aid to Armenia and
Azerbaijan?
Self-Determination for Nagorno Karabakh:
In 1923 Stalin carved Nagorno Karabakh out of Armenia and placed it under
Soviet Azerbaijani rule, setting the stage for seven decades of oppression,
followed, after 1988, by Azerbaijan’s ethnic cleansing aggression against the
population of this Armenian territory.
6. Do you support the people of Nagorno Karabakh’s right to
self-determination?
Conditions on US Aid to Azerbaijan:
In 1992 Congress passed Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act to limit aid to
Azerbaijan until it lifts its blockades of Armenia and Karabakh. In 2001 the
Congress reaffirmed its support for this law, but gave the President limited
waiver authority.
7. Do you support maintaining Section 907?
The Turkish Blockade of Armenia:
In 1996 the Congress enacted the Humanitarian Aid Corridor Act in response to
Turkey’s policy of blocking US humanitarian aid to Armenia.
8. Do you support legislative and other means to urge Turkey to end its
blockade of Armenia?
9. Do you supporting pressing Turkey, as a condition for purchasing US
arms, to
end its blockade of Armenia, occupation of Cyprus, attacks on Kurds,
restrictions on Christians, and rights abuses?
Subsidy of a Proposed Caucasus Railway Bypass:
US taxpayers are being asked to fund the construction of an unnecessary and
costly railroad between Turkey and Georgia, whose sole purpose is to undermine
the economic viability of the existing railroad going through Armenia.
10. Do you oppose taxpayer subsidies for a politically motivated new railroad
that circumvents Armenia?
2. Lebanon ARF Rejects Deployment of Turkish Troops in Lebanon
BEIRUT–The Armenian Revolutionary Federation Central Committee of Lebanon
issued an announcement Wednesday unequivocally rejecting the proposed
deployment of Turkish troops as part of an international peace keeping force
mandated under the UN cease-fire resolution 1701.
"Turkey should reevaluate its history before even thinking about taking part
in an international peace keeping force," the announcement declared.
"The inclusion–by the Security Council–of Turkey within the peace keeping
force to be deployed in southern Lebanon will be an insult to the collective
memory of the Armenian people," affirmed the Lebanon ARF.
The Lebanon Central Committee expressed hope that the Lebanese government
will
also oppose the deployment of Turkish troops, citing Turkey’s historic enmity
with many countries and its people and its bloody past, which resulted in the
Armenian Genocide.
As a historical reminder, the announcement highlighted Lebanon’s own bloody
history with Turkey and the Ottoman Empire, which through systematic
persecution and murder.
ARS Western US Appeals for Lebanon Relief Efforts
The Armenia Relief Society Western US Regional Executive appealed to the
Armenian community of the Western United States to actively participate in the
Lebanon relief efforts by donating to a ARS Lebanese Relief. Below is the
translated text of that appeal:
The heroic people of Lebanon are facing difficult times. As a result of the
war, hundreds of thousands of people have been left homeless and destitute.
The
country, including the Armenian community of Lebanon, is confronted with
serious socio-economic problems.
It is our responsibility to assist our brethren in Lebanon and immediately
extend a helping hand to them.
Through your tax deductible donation, you can save a lives, provide food and
medication to those affected or displaced.
Send your donations to ARS Lebanese Relief Fund to ARS Western USA Inc., 517
W. Glenoaks Blvd., Glendale, CA 91202-2812. You may contact our offices by
phone at (818) 500-1343 or via email at office@arswestusa.org.
3. ARS Western USA Regional Executive
Prosecutors Probe ‘Gross Violations’ In Environment Protection
YEREVAN (RFE/RL)–A senior prosecutor Thursday accused Armenia’s Environment
Ministry of condoning illegal logging, poaching, mining and other activities
which he said are inflicting great damage on environment.
According to Deputy Prosecutor-General Gevorg Danielian, a six-month inquiry
conducted by the Prosecutor-General’s Office this year found "serious
violations" in the ministry’s operations. Danielian said the ministry and its
territorial divisions have failed to take meaningful action against the
continuing destruction of forests and other green areas across the country.
The
few individuals caught for illegally cutting trees usually get off with minor
fines or are not punished at all, he claimed.
"The same is true for all other spheres of environment protection such as
illegal fishing and poaching and illegal mining," Danielian told RFE/RL. "Such
violations are of serious concern to us."
He said the law-enforcement agency’s Department on the Protection of State
Interests has sent the findings of its inquiry to the Environment Ministry and
expects it to give an official response by September 2. No criminal charges
have been brought so far, he added.
The ministry declined to comment on the allegations. A spokesman said
Environment Minister Vartan Ayvazian is currently on holiday and will
personally respond to them after he returns to work later this month.
The extraordinary probe will only stoke renewed speculation that Ayvazian may
soon be relieved of his duties. The Russian newspaper "Trud" reported last
week
that the Armenian government is considering sacking him for mismanagement,
misuse of public funds and frequent trips abroad.
The Yerevan daily "Aravot" on Thursday quoted Ayvazian as dismissing the
rumors through a spokesman and blaming them unspecified individuals who "steal
gold" in Armenia. Ayvazian has had an uneasy rapport with foreign investors
exploiting Armenia’s gold reserves. Some of them have implicitly accused
him of
bribery.
4. Russia Ends Transfer Of Military Equipment To Armenia
YEREVAN (RFE/RL)–Russia was reportedly completing on Thursday the transfer of
military equipment from one of its two Soviet-era bases in Georgia to Russian
troops stationed in Armenia.
Russian news agencies said a convoy of 13 military trucks and armored
vehicles
left the Russian base in Akhalkalak, southern Georgia, early in the morning
and
was expected to cross the Armenian border in the afternoon. Russian military
officials were quoted as saying that it is the 12th and last batch of military
hardware and other equipment sent to Armenia since the start of a gradual
Russian pullout from Georgia last May.
Under a Russian-Georgian agreement signed earlier this year, Moscow is to
close the bases headquartered in Akhalkalak and the Georgian Black Sea city of
Batum by the end of 2008. Most of the tanks and other heavy weaponry of the
Akhalkalak facility are due to be transported to Russia by rail via
Azerbaijan.
Unlike Georgia, Armenia is a member of the Russian-led Collective Security
Treaty Organization and regards Russian military presence as a key element of
its national security doctrine. Yerevan has made it clear that Russian troops
will remain on Armenian soil in the foreseeable future despite its growing
military ties with NATO and the United States in particular.
The Russian military had moved military equipment from the Armenian-populated
Georgian town to its larger base in Gyumri, northwestern Armenia, even before
the agreement. The shipments sparked protests by Azerbaijan which feared that
it could be transferred to the Armenian military and thereby change the
balance
of forces in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Russian officials have assured
Baku
that the materiel is meant for the Gyumri base only.
Russia’s reluctant pullout raised fears of an upsurge in tensions in
Akhalkalak and other parts of Georgia’s impoverished Javakhk region which is
mainly populated by ethnic Armenians. The Russian base has long been Javakhk’s
largest employer. There have been no reports of major unrest there in recent
months.
5. Second Pan-Armenian Educational Conference Kicks Off
YEREVAN (Armenpress)–The second Pan-Armenian educational conference
officially
began Thursday at the Arno Babajanian small Philharmonic Hall.
Hranush Hakobian, the head of the Armenian Parliament’s Science, Education,
Culture and Youth Affairs Commission, said that this year directors of 150
educational establishments, teachers, representatives of different educational
organizations from 23 countries are participating in the conference.
Armenian President Robert Kocharian, Karabakh President Arkady Ghoukassian
and
His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians sent messages on the
occasion of the opening of the conference, which will start its work tomorrow
in Tsakhkadzor.
6. Azerbaijan Repatriates Three Armenians
YEREVAN, BAKU (RFE/RL)–Azerbaijan on Thursday repatriated three Armenian
nationals that were detained last month after straying into Azeri territory in
uncertain circumstances.
Citing the Azeri Ministry of National Security, the Trend news agency
reported
that the hand over was arranged by the International Committee of the Red
Cross
and took place in the westernmost section of the Armenian-Azeri frontier,
which
is close to Georgia.
The Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman, Colonel Seyran Shahsuvarian,
confirmed the information, saying that all three men are civilians. "They had
accidentally crossed into Azerbaijan," Shahsuvarian told RFE/RL. He said
two of
them entered Azeri territory via Georgia but could not give further details.
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