Author: Boshkezenian Garik

Agency WPS
What the Papers Say. Part B (Russia)
August 19, 2005, Friday

KOCHARIAN DOUBLECROSSES RUSSIA

SOURCE: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, August 19, 2005, pp. 1, 4

by Anatoly Gordienko, Nelli Orlova

President Mikhail Saakashvili of Georgia is about to make a
brief visit to Armenia. Armenia is awaiting the president of its
neighbor-state. Presidential Press Secretary Viktor Sogomonjan says
that a meeting between the two heads of state is being planned,
but it will be “unofficial, a meeting of friends.”

There is nothing extraordinary in meetings between presidents of
neighboring countries – but official Moscow is somewhat wary about
Saakashvili’s potential friendship with Armenian President Robert
Kocharian. Russian experts widely comment on the “informal” nature of
presidents of Georgia and Armenia that became noticeably more frequent
after the Revolution of Roses in Tbilisi in 2003. There were at least
two or three such meetings in Tbilisi and one in Yerevan.

Sergei Markedonov, cirector of the Ethnic Relations Department at
the Political and Military Analysis Institute, doesn’t rule out
the possibility that Yerevan is seeking new bearing points in its
foreign policy, the bearing points that do not have anything to do
with Russia. “The danger exists that Armenia may turn to the West,”
Markedonov said. The political scientist even believes that Saakashvili
may be playing the role of an intermediary between the West and leaders
of Armenia. “Saakashvili himself said more than once that he wanted
more than just being president of Georgia,” Markedonov said. “That’s
why everything is possible… What concerns me is that Armenia has
been viewed until now as Russia’s mot reliable and actually only
strategic ally in the southern part of the Caucasus. A great deal
of Russian military hardware from the military bases in Georgia is
shipped to this country, upping its own defense potential, by the
way. Russia chalked off Armenia’s debts not long ago and set out
to reanimate Armenian energy sphere and other sectors of national
economy. Essentially, Yarevan’s rapprochement with the patently
hostile Georgia is a blow at Russian interests in the region.”

Alexei Makarkin, deputy director of the Political Techniques Center,
also mentioned the danger of Armenia’s potential turn to Georgia.
“Kocharian’s steps in this direction will seriously jeopardize
positions of Russia in the region,” Makarkin said. “Still, this is
not something we should really expect and fear. Kocharian is clearly
pro-Russian, and so is his government. It is the opposition in Armenia
that is pro-Western because official Moscow backed the president in the
past presidential election in Armenia.” Makarkin doesn’t deny at the
same time that Saakashvili’s frequent visits to Armenia aim to instill
and encourage pro-Western moods in this country. “The United States is
actively forcing its own ideology on the post-Soviet territory Russia
has always dominated. Saakashvili and President of Ukraine Viktor
Yushchenko are essentially conduits of this ideology. I suspect that
Saakashvili’s frequent meetings with Kocharian are an indication of
their mushrooming aspirations in the CIS. That their next meeting is
scheduled for before the CIS summit in Kazan is but a demonstration of
independence. That’s a way of showing that they are going to meet with
whoever they want and whenever they want regardless of the ineffective
Commonwealth whose potential is clearly exhausted,” Makarkin explained.

Official Yerevan did not take to these conclusions at all. “There are
no reasons to assume that the rapprochement with Tbilisi indicates
any changes in the attitude toward Russia,” Sogomonjan said. Press
secretary recalled traditions of the Georgian-Armenian friendship
and existence of a substantial Armenian diaspora in Georgia. “In
short, we have more in common than geography and geopolitics alone,”
Sogomonjan said.

Tbilisi is also discussing Saakashvili’s forthcoming visit to
Armenia. Any anti-Russian conspiracy between Georgia and Armenia
is vehemently denounced. “Rapprochement between Kocharian and
Saakashvili should not worry Russia at least for several reasons,”
says Ramaz Sakvarelidze, a prominent Georgian political scientist.
“First, there is no proof that Saakashvili will actually try to convert
Kocharian in Sevan, to tempt the president of Armenia into shifting
his and his foreign policy’s bearing points. A polar process cannot
be ruled out, right? So, we cannot rule out the possibility that
Russia’s interests in this part of the Caucasus will only benefit
from this meeting. After all, if countries of the Caucasus stop
playing chaotically and begin pursuing a coordinated policy, it
will ensure stability and protection of Russian interests on their
territories. Moreover, agendas of Georgian-Armenian summits do not
usually include any global matters. The president always concentrate
on the problems that worry Georgia and Armenia. Besides, meeting
like that may do something about the tangled Azerbaijani-Armenian
relations… I’m talking about Saakashvili’s services of a go-between.”

In the meantime, Yerevan is already taking steps that do conflict
with Russian interests. Not long ago, the Armenian Commission for
Public Services demanded from management of Armenian Power Lines
explanations with regard to the deal in which its shares had ended up
in the hands of RAO Unified Energy Systems. Shares of the Armenian
company were turned over to Interenergo B.V., a subsidiary of RAO
Unified Energy Systems, where RAO Unified Energy Systems itself had 60%
and Rosenergoatom 40%. It occurred to Yerevan all of a sudden that the
national legislation doesn’t permit any deals with shares of Armenian
Power Lines without the government’s dispensation. Moreover, Russia’s
ratio in the Armenian foreign trade (all of it passing through the
territory of Georgia) went down.

Translated by A. Ignatkin

Outlook , India
Aug 20 2005

Ganguly suffers shocking defeat from Gooshchapov

>>From our Chess Correspondent Abu Dhabi (UAE) Aug 20 (PTI)

Grandmaster Surya Shekhar Ganguly suffered a shocking defeat at
the hands of Grandmaster Alexander Gooshchapov of Ukraine in the
fifth round of the Master’s section of Abu Dhabi International Chess
Festival here.

Grandmaster Ashot Anastasian of Armenia shot into sole lead with an
emphatic victory over GM Ghaem Maghami Ehsan of Iran. The Armenian
took his tally to an impressive 4.5 points and is now trailed by five
players including Goloshchapov on 4 points. Ganguly, after the loss,
remained on 3 points.

Candidate International Masters Parimarjan Negi and Abhijeet Gupta
raised visions of a good finish on a much better day for the other
Indians in the fray. Negi drew with much higher rated Azerbaijani
International Master Rasul Ibrahimov while Gupta efficiently brushed
aside the challenge of Amanov Mesgen of Turkmenistan to reach three
points each with just four rounds remaining in this US $ 16400 prize
money tournament.

Ganguly was a trifle unlucky as he mishandled a better position to go
down. Playing against the French defense by Goloshchapov, the current
National Champion got a slight advantage after the opening and went
for an interesting pawn sacrifice in the middle game to initiate an
attack against the King. Goloshchapov found some solace in the trading
of queens even though his pawn structure was decidedly fractured in
the process.

At one point in the middle game Ganguly had a choice to take a draw
by repetition of position but the Indian simply tried too hard to
force matters.

PACE, Europe

Provisional edition

Constitutional reform process in Armenia

Resolution 1458 (2005)[1]

1. The Parliamentary Assembly recalls that the revision of
the Constitution is a pre-condition for the fulfilment of some of the
most important commitments that Armenia undertook upon its accession
to the Council of Europe. These include the reform of the judicial
system, local self-government reform, the introduction of an
independent ombudsman, the establishment of independent regulatory
authorities for broadcasting and the modification of the powers of
and access to the Constitutional Court. The deadlines for the
completion of these commitments, stipulated in the Assembly’s Opinion
No. 221 (2000) on Armenia’s application for membership of the Council
of Europe, have now long expired.

2. The Assembly therefore is deeply concerned that the delay
in agreeing and adopting the constitutional amendments is holding
back Armenia’s progress towards European democratic norms and
standards in key areas of political life.

3. The present Constitution, adopted in 1995, has played an
essential role in the development of democracy and its
irreversibility and has allowed Armenia to become a member of the
Council of Europe. However, its practical day-to-day implementation
has increasingly revealed serious conceptual shortcomings which have
become an obstacle for the further democratic development of the
country. In the first place, the Constitution endows the President
with excessive prerogatives and does not provide for clear separation
and balance of powers within the state structures. Equally serious is
the lack of constitutional guarantees for basic human rights, of
independence of the judiciary and of local self-government in
conformity with European standards.

4. The Assembly recalls the failure of the first referendum
on constitutional amendments of 25 May 2003 and the fact that the
authorities at the time had not committed themselves to a campaign in
support of the reform as parliamentary elections were held in
parallel. The subsequent deadline fixed by the Assembly in
Resolutions 1361 and 1405 (2004) for the holding of a new
constitutional referendum ~V not later than June 2005 ~V has been
missed.

5. The Assembly recalls that in 2001, the Armenian
authorities and the European Commission for Democracy through Law
(Venice Commission) had arrived at a mutually acceptable draft
Constitution in line with European standards. This draft, however,
underwent significant changes during its examination and adoption by
Parliament and the text submitted to referendum in May 2003
represented an important step back. The Assembly therefore insists
that such a scenario must not be repeated with the new draft.

6. The Assembly notes with approval the renewed active and
intensive co-operation between the Armenian authorities and the
Venice Commission since 2004. It regrets, however, that after several
expertises of different subsequent drafts and after the first reading
in Parliament on 11 May 2005, the draft still needs substantial
revision, according to the Venice Commission. In its second interim
opinion of 13 June 2005, the Venice Commission expressed deep
disappointment with the lack of satisfactory results, deploring the
fact that the recommendations, notably concerning the balance of
powers between the President and the Parliament, the independence of
the judiciary and the election of the Mayor of Yerevan (instead of
his/her appointment by the President), had not been taken into
account.

7. The Assembly welcomes the memorandum on further
co-operation signed between the Venice Commission working group and
the Armenian authorities on 2 June 2005. It commends the Armenian
authorities on presenting an improved version of the text within the
deadlines agreed in the memorandum. However, the Assembly insists
that the final proposed amendments do comply with all the
recommendations of the Venice Commission and are finally voted as
such by the National Assembly.

8. The Assembly underlines that the new constitutional
referendum can only succeed on the basis of a very broad public
consensus. In addition to the political significance of such an act,
the consensus is also needed for technical reasons ~V the
constitutional amendments must be approved by more than 50% of the
votes but not less than one third of all registered voters. It is
therefore important that the voters’ lists are updated so that the
necessary quorum can be achieved.

9. The Assembly deplores the breakdown of dialogue between
the ruling coalition and the opposition. It regrets that the ruling
coalition has not yet been able to agree on the three key requests of
the opposition which coincide with the recommendations of the Venice
Commission: separation and balance of powers, independent judiciary
and a real local self-government. It equally regrets the fact that
the opposition resorted to a boycott of parliamentary sittings. The
Assembly therefore strongly hopes that an agreement on the three
points will lead to the opposition returning to Parliament.

10. The Assembly points out that a proper awareness-raising
campaign in favour of the constitutional reform can only start after
agreement has been reached on the remaining problematic areas. If the
latest deadline for holding the referendum ~V November 2005 ~V is
respected, any further delay in reaching a political consensus can
jeopardise the chances of the draft being accepted by the population.

11. The Assembly reiterates its previous concerns with regard
to media pluralism and balanced political coverage in the electronic
media. The media, and television in particular, should play a major
role in allowing the public to make a well-informed choice in the
referendum. One of the main reasons for the present unsatisfactory
situation resides in the shortcomings of the Constitution with regard
to the appointment of members of the broadcasting regulatory bodies.

12. The Assembly strongly believes that, for the sake of its
own people and for the sake of its further European integration,
Armenia cannot afford another failure of the constitutional
referendum. It supports the expert advice of the Venice Commission as
a clear indication of the direction to follow and believes that if it
is backed by political will and democratic maturity, the necessary
ingredients for a successful constitutional reform would be in place.

13. The Assembly therefore calls on the Armenian authorities
and the parliamentary majority to:

i. fully implement the recommendations of the Venice
Commission;

ii. undertake clear and meaningful steps in order to resume
an immediate dialogue with the opposition;

iii. adopt the text at second reading without altering the
agreement reached with the Venice Commission on the above~Vmentioned
points and no later than August 2005;

iv. provide live broadcasting of the parliamentary sittings
where the constitutional amendments will be discussed and voted;

v. start a well-prepared and professional awareness-raising
campaign immediately after the adoption of the text at the second
reading;

vi. implement without delay the Assembly recommendations with
regard to media pluralism in order to guarantee the broadest possible
public debate;

vii. urgently update voters’ lists;

viii. hold the referendum no later than November 2005;

ix. and to provide for the coming into force of the
constitutional reform as soon as reasonably possible.

14. The Assembly calls on the opposition to stop its
parliamentary boycott and do everything possible to promote the
recommendations of the Council of Europe with regard to the
constitutional reform.

15. The Assembly expresses its support for the adoption of a
draft Constitution fully complying with the Council of Europe
standards and calls on all political forces and civil society to
assure the success of the constitutional reform.

16. The Assembly resolves to observe the constitutional
referendum and, in the meantime, declares its readiness to provide
any assistance that might be needed for its preparation.

[1] Assembly debate on 23 June 2005 (22nd Sitting) (see Doc. 10601,
report of the Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and
Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring
Committee), Co-Rapporteurs: Mr Colombier and Mr Jaskiernia). Text
adopted by the Assembly on 23 June 2005 (22nd Sitting).

SECOND OPINION: Myth of ‘Qadiani in the works’ -Khaled Ahmed’s Review of the Urdu press

Daily Times, Pakistan
Aug 19 2005

The Qadianis did it. The Jews did it. Why not add a few more categories
we don’t like? Why leave the Hindus out? The Urdu newspapers that
publish such statements contribute to the negative image Pakistan
has abroad. Don’t expect direct foreign investment to peak after this
piece of wisdom!

There are moments when a Pakistani Muslim plumbs the depths of his
negative side. One and all, we go cross-eyed when on the subject
of the Qadiani sect. All kinds of lies are in order. The Germans
had this kind of thing for the Jews, Iranians for Bahais, Turks for
Armenians… and one can enlist many other nations with a death-wish.

Quoted in daily Pakistan (22 July 2005) Jamiat Ulema Pakistan (JUP)
leader Qari Zawwar Bahadur said in Lahore that the London bombings
were done by the Qadianis and the Jews as a conspiracy against Islam.

He said the Qadianis and the Jews had finally come together as enemies
of Islam and their plan is to victimise the Muslims of the world. He
said the breakaway factions of his JUP would soon reunite to face
the government on local elections.

It was reported that after the death of the JUP founder Maulana
Shah Ahmad Noorani, the Lahore faction of the Noorani faction led
by Shah Faridul Haq and General (Retd) KM Azhar rebelled against the
family of Maulana Noorani now headed by son Anas Noorani and formed
a new faction.

This is killing two birds with one stone. Get the Muslims to believe
that two of their permanent enemies had done the London thing in
tandem. Sotto voce, fall on them and kill them! The Jews, alas, are
absent, but no matter. Why should the press publish such provocative
and patently mendacious material? If nothing else, think of the
trouble it can get Pakistan into.

As reported in Jang (15 July 2005) chief election commissioner Justice
Abdul Hameed announced that all candidates standing for local elections
would have to submit affidavits of Khatm-e-Nabuwwat so that no Qadiani
could avail the right of standing for elections under otherwise joint
electorates. Non-Muslims are allowed but not Qadianis. The affidavit
denounces the apostatised sect.

Let the MMA come to power, then we will have a few others on the banned
list. In actuality, the Shias and the Ismailis are next. No election
commission can be really proud of making announcements like the above.

Columnist Irfan Siddiqi wrote in Nawa-e-Waqt (21 July 2005) that
Saad Saud Jan who died in Lahore was born in Lahore and became
additional sessions judge in the city in 1961 as a CSP officer. He
was a judge who refused to be drawn out into the social circuit. He
helped significantly in the drafting of the 1973 Constitution. He
became judge of the Lahore High Court in due course of time and was
the senior-most judge in the Supreme Court of Pakistan in 1994 when
chief justice of the Court Justice, Nasim Hassan Shah, retired.

Justice Jan was not a favourite of the PPP after he had refused to
‘cooperate’ a number of times at the request of the PPP’s senior
politicians including President Leghari. Law minister after 1993,
Iqbal Haider, already had chosen to elevate Justice Qadeer, a junior
judge. Prime minister Benazir Bhutto asked law secretary Justice
Sheikh Riaz Hussain to give her a list of the senior-most judges of
the Supreme Court, but when the list was given, the senior most judge
Saad Saud Jan was excluded. The list comprised Abdul Qadeer Chaudhry,
Ajmal Mian and Sajjad Ali Shah. The last named was made chief justice.

Justice Saad Saud Jan who was retired as acting chief justice received
the pension of a chief justice till his demise; Chief Justice Sajjad
Ali Shah, who was unseated in 1997, receives the pension of a mere
Supreme Court judge. Why was Justice Jan denied his rights? This
needs to be investigated.

The crux of the injustice meted out to Justice Jan was the rumour on
which the PPP relied: that he was a Qadiani. One unspoken rule of
this nazism is that if someone denies being one, then he really is
one! Justice Jan’s greatness stands whether he was one or not. Some
of our worst-reputed judges were not Qadianis. All the great judges
were either Christian or Parsi! On a lighter note, an honest ban on
Sunni judges would be in order.

Speaking to Nawa-e-Waqt, (20 July 2005) a group of great Islamic
scholars of Lahore, including Sarfraz Naeemi of Jamia Naimiyya,
Maulana Abdur Rehman Makki of Jamaat Dawa, Pir Saifullah, Maulana
Nusrat Ali Shahani, Maulana Abdul Malik and others, said that Tony
Blair’s popularity was failing therefore he arranged the 7/7 London
bombings to unite his voters. They said that 9/11 too was a plan to
grab the Muslim states; and Musharraf was committing a blunder by
supporting Bush.

If one is looking for the process that creates suicide-bombers in
Pakistan, here it is in full view. Many of us take it to be the froth
that sticks to the beards of our holy men, but unfortunately some
youths take them quite seriously.

According to Khabrain, (20 July 2005) head of the journalism department
in Punjab University, Dr Mughisuddin said that new terrorism was
being spread in the name of ending terrorism. He said it was never
found out as to who was responsible for the 9/11 act of terrorism in
the United States.

Much has been published about the boys who did 9/11. Their families
have been interviewed, their friends interrogated and their social
backgrounds minutely screened. Muhammad Atta’s father in Egypt accepts
that his son led the attack. He says what happened on 9/11 will happen
again. Before 9/11 Atta’s father was quite secular in life. After 9/11,
he changed into an America-hater.

Quoted in daily Pakistan (21 July 2005) MMA leaders said in a
meeting in Lahore that 7/7 bombings in London were organised by
the Jews just like the bombings of 9/11 in America. JUP leader Mufti
Hidayatullah said that Pakistan was being run by the slaves of America
and Britain. Jamaat’s Lahore leader Hafiz Salman Butt said that the
West had put the label of Islam on terrorism.

The Jews did it. Why not add a few more categories we don’t like? Why
leave the Hindus out? The Urdu newspapers that publish such statements
contribute to the negative image Pakistan has abroad.

Don’t expect direct foreign investment to peak after this piece of
wisdom! *

Crisis Group developing proposals on Garabagh conflict

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Aug 18 2005

Baku, August 17, AssA-Irada — An international organization working
to prevent conflicts worldwide is developing recommendations on the
Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Upper Garabagh.

Two reports of the International Crisis Group covering the situation
in the two countries will be published in September, the ICG project
director on South Caucasus Sabin Frasier told Radio Liberty.

“First, we want to provide other countries in the region with
information on the conflict and its consequences. On the other hand,
we will forward our proposals on ways of settling the conflict.”

Frasier said that the ICG vice-president Alain Deletroz will visit
Baku on September 8-9. “He will present the organization’s report
and up to 20 recommendations to the Azeri government”, she said.*

ARMENIA’S DEFENSE OFFICE REFUTES INFORMATION ON CAPTIVE AZERBAIJANI SOLDIER

ARKA News Agency
Aug 18 2005

YEREVAN, August 18. /ARKA/. The RA Ministry of Defense is refuting
the information on a captive Azerbaijani soldier. A number of mass
media spread the information that the Azerbaijani soldier Ralmil
Khudaverdiev was taken prisoner by the RA Armed Forces.

At his earlier meeting with journalists, Firudin Dadykhov, Head of the
Task Group, Azerbaijani State Commission for POWs, Hostages and Missing
Persons, reported that Ramil Khudaversiev had been taken prisoner by
Armenia’s armed forces. According to him, no detailed information was
available. Sadykhov also said that ICRC representative were mediating
in releasing Khudaverdiev. P.T. -0–

California Courier Online, August 18, 2005

1 – Commentary

Turks Try to Intimidate This Writer
By Threatening Him with Lawsuit

By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The Califorrnia Courier

2 – Ararat Home and
Triple X Plan for
53rd Annual Picnic
3- The Really Easy Rider
4 – Professor Richard Hovannisian with
Teachers and with Deniers in Houston
5 – AGBU Generation Next Program to
Host Mentor Recruitment Events
6 – Global Gold Corp. Acquires
Tukhmanuk Mine in Armenia
7 – The ‘ARS Voice’ Will Start
Airing Sundays on Horizon TV
8 – Knights and Daughters of Vartan
Contribute to Variety of Projects
9 – Emmy-Award Winning Producer Robert Papazian
Will Keynote 9th Celebrating Saroyan Event in SF
*************************************************************************
1 – Commentary
Turks Try to Intimidate This Writer
By Threatening Him with Lawsuit

By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier

While Turkish leaders are desperately trying to convince the world that
their country is civilized enough to join the European Union, they are
actually proving the exact opposite with every passing day.
Despite the fact that the Turkish leaders are supposed be on their best
behavior in order to impress the Europeans, they have yet to grant equal
rights to Turkey’s many religious and ethnic minorities. They also refuse
to return to Greek and Armenian charitable foundations in Turkey their
properties confiscated by the Turkish government decades earlier.
In an attempt to fool the international community, on the one hand Turkish
officials have advocated the setting up of a joint commission with
Armenians ostensibly to study the facts of the Armenian Genocide, while on
the other hand, they have forced the cancellation of a symposium organized
by three leading universities in Turkey, thereby preventing the discussion
of this issue even among Turkish scholars.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Recep Erdogan has boldly announced that his
government is ready to admit the Armenian Genocide if sufficient proof is
presented, while Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul is bragging that Turkey has
inundated journalists, scholars, universities, libraries and
parliamentarians worldwide with revisionist books on the Armenian Genocide.
As the human rights of millions of Turkish citizens are violated on a
regular basis, it comes as no surprise that the Turkish government is
prosecuting Hrant Dink, an Armenian journalist in Turkey, for allegedly
insulting Turks in an article he wrote in his newspaper, AGOS. If found
guilty, he could be sentenced to a 1-6 year jail term.
Turkish officials and their agents are so used to silencing, intimidating
and jailing anyone who disagrees with them that they dare to bully also
their opponents overseas who are beyond their reach. No dissent is
tolerated!
This writer is quite familiar with the Turkish practice of suppressing free
speech. As the author of a weekly column that is very critical of Turkish
denialist and oppressive policies, I receive a lot of abusive e-mails from
Turks from around the world. Most of these Turks forget that the despotic
methods they practice at home to bully people or force them into silence do
not work in Western countries where freedom of expression is basic right.
Last week, when a young Armenian lady, Maral Der Ohanesian, sent a couple
of e-mails to Dr. Sedat Laciner, editor of the Journal of Turkish Weekly in
Ankara, an on-line Turkish propaganda site, complaining about the
distortions in one of its articles, he shamelessly accused her of
“fabricating” arguments.
The JTW had cleverly edited an Swiss info wire story by including
revisionist statements on the Armenian Genocide and deleting criticism of
the Turkish position, thereby giving the false impression that Peter
Briner, the President of the Senate foreign affairs committee of
Switzerland, had made statements which he had not.
When Maral forwarded to me her exchange of e-mails, I sent a strongly
worded private e-mail to JTW, castigating the staff for accusing Maral of
fabrication when they themselves had distorted the original news item
beyond recognition. Within hours of my letter, the JTW published on its
front page a “press release” with the following sensational title: “JTW
Condemns The California Courier Publisher Harut Sassounian.” Not happy with
my criticism, the JTW resorted to calling me an extremist Armenian and
threatened that
“the JTW will start a legal action in California” against me. The JTW also
posted my e-mail on its web site.
I received dozens of e-mails and phone calls from around the world, from
both Armenians and non-Armenians alike, among them several attorneys and
judges, who assured me that there was nothing illegal in what I had written
to the JTW. Criticizing a publication is not against the law in civilized
countries. That, apparently, is not the case in Turkey.
A reader from Canada wrote: “The prospect of a lawsuit against you by the
JTW in California must be extremely encouraging. They silenced their own in
Turkey. They try to silence foreign parliaments and now they’re trying to
silence an American journalist. It’s wonderful the way they are keeping the
issue alive. A lawsuit would provide a superb opportunity for a US court to
pronounce itself definitely on the Armenian Genocide.” Another reader from
Armenia wrote: “Congratulations on being vilified by the Turkish press!
It’s an achievement, and I consider it a badge of courage. Keep on pissing
them off.” A fellow publisher wrote in his newspaper: “Turks have
unwittingly made [this writer] an even bigger hero.”
The real issue is not these empty Turkish threats. As we do not live in
Turkey, no one in this country is scared or intimidated by such tactics.
What’s more important is that these Turkish propagandists had apparently
started celebrating a little prematurely. The JTW, quoting Peter Briner,
had gleefully reported that the Armenian Genocide issue would “never” be
taken up by the Swiss Senate. Dogu Perincek, the leader of the Turkish
Labor Party, who had been interrogated by Swiss prosecutors last month for
denying the Armenian Genocide, also claimed credit for this false report.
He gave a press conference to announce that his outspoken statements on
this issue as well his testimony in Switzerland had influenced the Swiss
Senate to withdraw a pending resolution on the Armenian Genocide. Perincek
called his antics “a great success.”
Here is a more accurate report of what really transpired: To begin with,
Perincek’s bombastic statements not only got him in legal trouble in
Switzerland, but helped generate great publicity for the issue of the
Armenian Genocide in Switzerland and throughout Europe on the eve of a
decision by the Europeans to consider starting negotiations for Turkey’s
membership in the EU. Turkey then decided to deliver a note of protest to
Switzerland and cancelled the scheduled visit of the Swiss Economics
Minister Joseph Deiss to Turkey. These foolhardy Turkish actions made the
genocide issue even more newsworthy throughout the world.
Erwin Jutzet, the President of the Foreign Affairs Commission of Swiss
Parliament reacted sharply to the Turkish bullying tactics by stating:
“Turkey has to stop reacting so sensitively to such events. It would be
better to recognize once and for all the genocide of the Armenians.” Jutzet
said it was up to Turkey to make a positive move rather than “always taking
offense and resorting to blackmail. If Switzerland were to turn its back on
Turkey, it would be a bad sign for EU entry.”
More bad news surfaced for the cocky Turkish propagandists, when Sen. Peter
Briner denied having said that the Armenian Genocide would “never” be
debated in the Swiss Senate. He countered that these false reports were
“based on either a misquote or a misunderstanding.” He added: “I can never
be sure what will be on the Senate’s agenda, of course, but right now the
postponement of Economics Minister Joseph Deiss’ invitation to Turkey will
certainly be discussed” during the Foreign Affairs Committee’s next meeting
on August 23. At that time, any member of the Committee could raise the
issue of the Armenian Genocide. Should that happen, the self-declared
premature Turkish victory could end up being a defeat, thanks to the
boastful behavior of Mr. Perincek and his band of incompetent
propagandists.
Even worse for Turkey, the Swiss government declared that its law against
denial of genocide also applies to the Armenian Genocide. The Swiss Foreign
Ministry (DFA) issued a formal statement following a meeting between
Ambassador Jean-Jacques de Dardel, the head of the Political Affairs
Division of the Foreign Ministry, and the Ambassador of Turkey in
Switzerland, in connection with the proceedings against Perincek. The
Foreign Ministry stated:
“During the meeting, the DFA underlined the applicability of Swiss law in
this matter and recalled that article 261 bis of the Swiss Penal Code
stipulates that any person who denies, minimizes or justifies a genocide or
other crimes against humanity is liable to prosecution. It is the task of
the Swiss judicial instances to decide on the modalities of the application
of the legal provisions of our country.”
Despite the boastful and threatening statements emanating from various
Turkish propagandists, the fact remains that ever fewer countries are going
along with Ankara’s denials of the Armenian Genocide. The Turkish officials
have less than six weeks to come to their senses and realize that they have
to make a bold move on the Armenian Genocide issue if they have any hope of
salvaging their sinking prospects for the start of EU negotiations on
October 3.
**************************************************************************
2 – Ararat Home and
Triple X Plan for
53rd Annual Picnic
MISSION HILLS, CA – The Ararat Home of Los Angeles and the Triple X
Fraternity of Los Angeles are planning for their 53rd annual picnic, Sept.
25, 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Home grounds in Mission Hills, 15105
Mission Hills Road.
Dunk tank, carnival games and other games of skills, as well games for
children, prepared by the Jr. Triple X members of Los Angeles.
Price for the dinner, which includes lamb or chicken kebabm pilaf,
yalanchi, salad and bread is $14 per person. Also available is lahmajoun,
sou beoreg, kufta, paklava, creamed and walnut kadayif, and other assorted
pastries provided by the Ararat Ladies Auxiliary and Ararat Ladies guilds
throughout Los Angeles.
Music and entertainment will be provided by the Oasis Band.
Free shuttle bus from off-site parking is provided by the Sevan Lodge,
Knights of Vartan.
Free admission and free parking.
For more information, call (818) 365-3000.
*****************************************************************
3 – The Really Easy Rider
By Michelle Higgins
The New York Times
NEW YORK – Like pilgrims to some holy land, but tattooed and on two wheels,
thousands of motorcyclists will converge in Sturgis, South Dakota, next
week to be part of one of the country’s largest and longest-running
gatherings of bikers. Many will ride for days, enduring miles of blistering
sun, bouts of rain and the occasional mouthful of bugs before arriving in a
cloud of dust at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.
Chevalier Kevorkian will be there, too, just as he has been about a dozen
times before. But his bike will roll into town another way – in the back of
a tractor trailer. For roughly $675, Kevorkian, a 57-year-old screenwriter
from Palm Springs, Calif., is having his Harley shipped from his hometown
to Sturgis and back. Instead of taking three long days of riding just to
get there, he’ll arrive fresh off a flight and pick up his bike at a local
hotel.
“I just don’t have the schedule to do it this year,” said Kevorkian, who
has ridden to Sturgis from Los Angeles in the past. “At least I’ll be there
and be on my own bike.”
In a major shift from tradition, a small but growing number of enthusiasts,
who like to ride but not to rough it, are shipping
instead of riding their bikes to motorcycle events. For the months of May
through August, the Federal Warehouse Company in East Peoria, Ill., an
affiliate of Allied Van Lines, expects to ship 3,000 bikes for individuals
and groups to various places this year, up from 2,800 as recently as 2003.
Taking notice of the niche, FedEx began marketing a vehicle shipping
service in January – a venture the company bought in 2000 and rebranded
last year. FedEx is marketing the service for groups. For example, it will
ship 12 motorcycles one-way from Los Angeles to Sturgis for $617 each.
That’s $895 below the charge for shipping an individual bike.
**************************************************************
4 – Professor Richard Hovannisian with
Teachers and with Deniers in Houston
UCLA-Professor Richard G. Hovannisian, AEF Chair in Modern Armenian History
at UCLA, is continuing his worldwide activities on the ninetieth
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. In June he was the keynote speaker at
the biennial conference of the International Association of Genocide
Scholars in Boca Raton, Florida. He then traveled to France, to participate
in an international symposium organized by the “Centre de Juifs, Arméniens
et Chrétiens d’Orient” (Gérard Dédéyan and Carol Iancu). Hovannisian
discussed recent revelations about the planning and organization, as well
as evolving interpretations, of the Armenian Genocide.
Dr. Hovannisian’s summer activities have included presentations in Yerevan
and Houston, Texas. He gave the opening lecture on July 22 to Armenian
youth from several countries who had come together for the annual
Hamazkayin Forum in Yerevan. As a member of the organizing committee of the
forthcoming international congress on the 1600th anniversary of the
creation of the Armenian alphabet, to be held in Yerevan in September, he
also helped to finalize arrangements for that celebration.
At the invitation of the Holocaust Museum of Houston, Hovannisian was in
Houston on July 25-26 to speak at a teacher-training institute and to give
a public lecture. For the first time, the Museum’s Max Kaplan Summer
Institute for Educators received a formal presentation on the Armenian
Genocide, during which Hovannisian emphasized the significance of the
Armenian experience as a prototype of mass killings in the modern age.
Teachers from five states as well as from Chile, Uruguay, and Romania
learned of the preconditions and warning signals of genocide, the role of
ideology, the use of technology, and the similarities and differences
between the Armenian Genocide and the Holocaust.
According to the Museum’s Director of Education, Christina Vasquez, the
teachers became engrossed with the subject and were captivated by
Hovannisian’s presentation. She added: “The lecture about the Armenian
genocide and its relation to the Holocaust was framed in a very skillful
way so that our participants could use the information in their classrooms.
What was particularly striking was the twelve points in the patterns of
genocide, as well as how the situation in Turkey in regard to the Armenian
genocide sadly differs from Germany’s confrontation of its past.”
On the evening of July 26, a turn-away audience filled the Holocaust
Museum’s auditorium for Prof. Hovannisian’s public lecture. In his
reflective discourse, the speaker considered the historical, ethical, and
humanitarian aspects of the genocide. He began by taking note of the
presence of members of the American Turkish Association of Houston, who had
come with denial literature and prepared questions to challenge the reality
of the Armenian Genocide. Apparently, high-ranking Turkish officials and a
supportive non-Turkish organization in the United States had lobbied for
cancellation of the lecture, but the Holocaust Museum stood firm in its
invitation. Hovannisian suggested that the ATA members and all other
doubters should become better acquainted with the facts and the consensus
of world scholarship and join the growing number of Turkish scholars who
now reject the state’s untenable narrative of events. He noted that one of
the sad consequences of denial is that it has prevented proper
acknowledgement of the thousands of good Turks and other Muslims who
intervened to rescue Armenians during the deportations and massacres.
Prof. Hovannisian’s adept handling of the situation was roundly applauded
by the audience but apparently did not satisfy all of those who had come to
detract. During the discussion period, many of the familiar denial
arguments were reiterated, but they were met with calm, factually-based
responses and a new appeal for all sides to face their history honestly as
a necessary precondition to some form of eventual conciliation. The speaker
hoped that his reflections on the legacy of the Armenian Genocide might
further the on-going quest for truth and the ability to look forward while
never losing sight of the past.
On his arrival in Houston on July 25, Hovannisian enjoyed the company of
members of the Houston Armenian community at a reception in the home of
Joseph and Alice Galoostian. Philip Kanayan and Vatche Hovsepian assisted
with local arrangements.
**************************************************************************
5 – AGBU Generation Next Program to
Host Mentor Recruitment Events
GLENDALE, Calif. – The AGBU Generation Next Mentorship Program is currently
recruiting dedicated, qualified young adults to mentor Armenian youth of
Southern California.
Since 1997, AGBU Generation Next Mentorship program, whose mission is to
serve the Armenian youth by providing them with guidance and mentoring, has
helped hundreds of youth. Adult volunteers from Generation Next act as
positive role models and provide friendship and companionship to Armenian
youth. This mentoring relationship is intended to introduce young Armenians
to new experiences and alternatives, enabling them to become responsible,
self-sufficient, and independent adults.
To become a mentor, applicants must be at least 21 years of age, an insured
safe driver, and able to commit to a one year relationship with a student
(October to August).
This recruitment drive is crucial since the biggest obstacle to the
continued success of the unique program remains the number of mentors that
are willing to dedicate their time to the younger generation.
Mentor Recruitment sessions will be held, Aug. 16, Aug. 31, and Sept. 7,
from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Glendale Unified School District, Room 103,
223 North Jackson Street, Glendale.
To receive more information about the program or to request an application
to become a mentor, call 626-794-7942 or email [email protected].
***************************************************************************
6 – Global Gold Corp. Acquires
Tukhmanuk Mine in Armenia
GREENWICH, CT – Global Gold Corporation acquired the Tukhmanuk gold mine,
plant, and surrounding exploration sites in Armenia and, on July 29, closed
a private placement raising $3 million. Global Gold will use the proceeds
to fund the Tukhmanuk acquisition and expansion as well as to further its
mining and exploration projects and for working capital.
The transaction involved the issuance of four million shares of common
stock at $0.75 per share. Lead investors include current shareholders
Firebird Global Master Fund, Ltd., Firebird Republics Fund, Ltd, and
Firebird Avrora Fund, Ltd () and new shareholders East
Capital (), Falcon QPLP, and Dover Industries.
The Tukhmanuk property is adjacent to Global Gold’s Hankavan property in
central Armenia, between the Aragatsotn and Kotayk provinces. In addition,
the acquisition includes a 200,000-ton per year capacity plant and the
Damlik, Mirak, Grebnevaya, Ozyornaya, Emin Yourt, Voskedzor, and Dalma
exploration sites. The property is held by the Armenian company Mego-Gold,
LLC, for which Global Gold’s subsidiary Global Gold Mining, LLC (“GGM”)
agreed to pay $3,500,000. GGM is initially paying $1,500,000 for 51% of
Mego-Gold and paying the balance of the purchase price for the remaining
49% within
two years.
Global Gold Corporation is an international gold mining, development and
exploration company with mining properties in Chile and Armenia. Global
Gold Corporation is located at 104 Field Point Road, Greenwich, CT.
More information can be found at
**************************************************************************
7 – The ‘ARS Voice’ Will Start
Airing Sundays on Horizon TV
GLENDALE – The Armenian Relief Society of Western USA (ARS-WR), Regional
Executive announced last week that the “ARS Voice,” a one-hour program will
air on Horizon TV starting on August 14. from 8 to 9 pm.
“After several months of planning, we will have our own studio corner to
air this exciting new program,” said Angela Savoian, Chair of the ARS-WR
Regional Executive. She added, “If you already get the Horizon TV, be sure
to tune in at 8 pm on Sunday.”
The new television program will be commercial free, but the ARS is seeking
sponsors who believe in being part of serving the social, health and
educational needs of the Armenian people in the US, as well as in the
homeland.
Horizon 24-Hour Television is available on cable in the Glendale area, and
by satellite in other areas. To subscribe to the 24-hour satellite service,
call (866) 955-9327.
**************************************************************************
8 – Knights and Daughters of Vartan
Contribute to Variety of Projects
TAYLOR, MI – The Knights and Daughters of Vartan are service organizations
dedicated to Armenian causes. During the past year they have received
donations totaling over $225,000 of which over $165,000 has been
transferred to the World Bank ASIF Account for the 90/10 program. This
program is to repair or construct schools in Armenia that are in need and
supported by the local communities. The total number of school projects to
date number 128. The Knights of Vartan has been a vessel which has helped
to contribute over $1,000,000 to the World Bank ASIF Program.
Each community is required to raise 10% of the necessary funding and the
World Bank provides the remaining 90%. The money contributed is controlled
by the World Bank to insure that actual costs of the project are maintained
and meet strict requirements.
In addition, the Knights and Daughters of Vartan provide assistance to
other charitable organizations such as Adopt-A-School in Armenia, Armenian
Research Center at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, Michigan,
scholarships within the United States to Armenian offspring of Knights and
Daughters of Vartan, 50 scholarships in Armenia for students of the
University of Yerevan and the State Engineering University of Armenia,
Armenian Eye Care Project, BAFA Soup Kitchens in Armenia, Nork
Marash Medical Center-Children’s Cardiac Center of Armenia, support for two
Armenian Assembly Summer Interns and many other charities.
The Daughters of Vartan contribute to Armenian American Wellness Center,
formally known as the Mammography Center, Armenian Missionary Association
of America, Habitat for Humanity International for Armenia, Medical
Outreach for Armenians, many schools and universities, several Armenian
children’s camps and many of the organizations that the Knights
of Vartan sponsor.
**************************************************************************
9 – Emmy-Award Winning Producer Robert Papazian
Will Keynote 9th Celebrating Saroyan Event in SF
SAN FRANCISCO – Emmy-award winning TV and motion picture producer Robert
Papazian will speak about “Saroyan and the Stage and Screen,” at the 9th
Celebrating Saroyan Event at the San Francisco Public Library, Koret
Auditorium on Sept. 17.
He is the CEO of Sunset-Gower Studios formerly Columbia Pictures in
Hollywood.
In addition, David Calonne, PhD, will introduce the play Jim Dandy. Eddy
Budworth, American Conservatory Theater producer will present a scene from
that play.
The doors to the auditorium will open at 1:30 the program begins at 2 PM.
Seating is open and limited. The program is free to the public. For
information, contact Jacqueline Kazarian 415 307 4418.
Co-sponsors include the Armenian Embassy, The Commonwealth Club of CA, The
UC Bancroft Library, The Fromm Institute, SF. chapters of Hamazkayin ,
Armenian Professional Society, Krouzian Zekarian Vasbouragan Armenian
School, UC Berkeley Armenian Alumni, SF Museum & Historical Society, SF
City Guides, Fred FinchYouth Center and City Lights Booksellers to mention
a few.
-*************************************************************************
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–Boundary_(ID_9Q35/kaONAM66dBGYKH+pw)–

COOPERATION AGREEMENT SIGNED IN YEREVAN BETWEEN SIL INSURANCE
(ARMENIA), EURASIA (KAZAKHSTAN) COMPANIES

YEREVAN, August 12. /ARKA/. Agreement on cooperation between Sil
Insurance, Armenian insurance company, and Kazakh Eurasia Insurance
Company was signed Friday in Yerevan. Sil Insurance’s Acting Executive
Director Hayk Baghramyan said at the signing ceremony that the
agreement aimed at further cooperation between the insurance companies
either in Armenia or in Kazakhstan. In his words, the cooperation will
help develop Armenian insurance market especially in medical and
financial risks insurance areas. The agreement’s goal is to develop
cooperation between the two companies in reinsurance activity area as
well as in specialists training and advanced technologies areas.

According to Baghramyan, Sil Insurance intends to use rich experience
of Eurasia Kazakh Company and adjust it to Armenian conditions.

Eurasia, the biggest Kazakhstan’s insurance company, was established
in 1995. The company’s own capital totals over $60mln. The Eurasia
cooperates with Belgian, British, Russian, Italian and Georgian
companies and has licenses for performing compulsory and voluntary
insurance and reinsurance activity. Sil Insurance, Armenian company,
was founded in 2000. Its authorized capital makes some AMD
231.5mln. The company offers services on insuring cars, property,
cargos, construction works and responsibility. ($1 – AMD
454.85). M.V. –0–

ArmenPress
Aug 8 2005

MEDIEVAL ARMENIAN MONASTERY FOUND IN KYRGYZTAN

BISHKEK, AUGUST 8, ARMENPRESS: A group of paleontologists from
Kyrgyztan’s Slavonic University found a medieval Armenian monastery
on the shore of Issyk-Kul lake, ITAR-TASS reported.
Alexander Kamishev, the leader of the group, said “We have heard
about the “Catalonian Map” which was formed by Venice traders
traveling by Silk road. In the map it was noted that on the shore of
Issyk-Kul there is an Armenian monastery under walls of which ashes
of apostle Matthews were buried.” He said the monastery was built in
14th century.
“We think that the monastery has three storeys but the two are
under ground, just in a way Armenian medieval monasteries were
built,” said Kamishev, noting that the “Catalonian map” is a “true
map” and with its help they will also manage to find the relics of
apostle Matthews.

Academics Appeal on Behalf of Jailed Duke Student

Letter to Armenian president calls for release of
Yektan Turkyilmaz

Duke University (Durham, North Carolina)
News & Communications
Friday, August 05, 2005

Note to Editors: The following letter has been signed by more than
200 academics from the United States, Turkey, Armenia and elsewhere
in support of Duke student Yektan Turkyilmaz who is being detained
in Armenia on charges of taking books out of the country without
permission.

Robert Kocharian
His Excellency
President of the Republic of Armenia

Your Excellency,

We write to you today to express our grave concern about Yektan
Turkyilmaz and his pending trial in Armenia. Mr. Turkyilmaz is
a Ph.D. student at Duke University in the United States. He is
a Turkish citizen who was arrested on June 17, 2005, as he was
leaving Armenia. He has been held under high security conditions
at the National Security Service building in Yerevan ever since his
arrest. Last week, the request to release him on bail, accompanied
by personal guarantees of a member of the Armenian Parliament and
a prominent Armenian- American historian, was turned down. It now
appears that Mr. Turkyilmaz will stand trial on customs violation
charges under Article 215 Paragraph 2 of the Armenian Criminal Code,
which includes a prison sentence of 4 to 8 years.

Mr. President, we the undersigned care deeply about improvements
in Armenian-Turkish relations and consider the unimpeded work of
independent scholars to be a sine qua non of vital steps in the right
direction. The way that Mr. Turkyilmaz has been treated is setting
a negative precedent.

Yektan Turkyilmaz is fluent in six languages, including Armenian, and
has been the first Turkish scholar to work in the Armenian National
Archives. His dissertation research at a leading American university
is being supported by several prestigious awards. We understand that
he has been questioned about his research and theoretical orientations,
and the digital copies of his archival research have been confiscated.
There can be no justification for this treatment.

Furthermore, we understand that he is now being charged with attempting
to take old books out of Armenia without permission. We understand
that none of the books he had with him were absolutely prohibited from
being taken out of the country, but only required permissions. We are
convinced that Mr. Turkyilmaz did not know about this requirement at
the time and would have undoubtedly complied with this requirement as
he has demonstrated to be a serious scholar and a friend of Armenian
culture on many occasions. We recognize that laws have to be applied
consistently under rule of law. However, as the investigator in
charge of this case states, the current law places no obligation
on the sellers of old books to inform the purchasers that special
permissions will be needed to take the books out of the country, and
makes no distinction between violations involving nuclear weapons and
books. While it may be appropriate to impose a fine for the unknowing
violation of customs regulations, prison terms of 4 to 8 years are
grossly disproportionate and would send a deterrent signal to other
independent scholars.

The political implications of this arrest cause grave concern. Yektan
Turkyilmaz is one of a very few Turkish scholars who have critically
tackled the events of 1915 and other instances of political violence
in the first part of this century. Being the only researcher who
can understand Turkish, Ottoman Turkish, Kurdish and Armenian at the
same time (besides English and French), his research promises to add
new dimensions to the study of a very troubled historical period in
Anatolia and the South Caucasus. The fact that he was arrested soon
after he gained access as the first Turkish scholar to the Armenian
National Archives adds to these concerns. The fragile space of dialogue
that has recently been opened up between Turkish and Armenian scholars
is put to the risk of being greatly damaged by Turkyilmaz~Rs prolonged
detention. This arrest would also raise serious doubts as to whether
Armenia encourages independent scholarly research on its history.

Mr. President, we respectfully urge you to intervene to ensure that
this unfortunate state of affairs comes to a swift and amicable
end. We request the immediate release of Yektan Turkyilmaz and a
return of his digital research material so that he can continue his
scholarly activities.

Committee for Solidarity with Yektan Turkyilmaz

For more information, contact:
John F. Burness, Senior Vice President for Public
Affairs and Government Relations |
919-681-3788 | [email protected]