Race For Post Of Mayor Will Be Tough

RACE FOR POST OF MAYOR WILL BE TOUGH

Karabakh Open
Oct 8 2007

On October 14 elections of mayor will be held in Stepanakert,
Martakert, Martuni, Karvachar and Berdzor.

We have learned from the NKR CEC the aspirants to the post of mayor
of Stepanakert are 3: Ara Ghahramanyan, Albert Ghazaryan, Vazgen
Mikaelyan. Albert Ghazaryan is a member of the Christian Democratic
Party. The other two are non-partisan.

Earlier we had informed that the CEC had not accepted Albert
Ghazaryan’s documents, who submitted them on the last day of nomination
and did not manage to submit one of the documents. It became known
that the court’s decision was in favor of Albert Ghazaryan, and the
CEC registered him in accordance with the court decision.

The candidates to mayor of Martakert Sergey Harutiunyan, Mher
Mangasaryan and Vagif Mirzoyan, and the candidates of mayor of
Martunity Artem Avanesyan, Grisha Azizyan, Mher Arustamyan and Nelson
Musayelyan are also non-partisan. Two are running for the post of
mayor of Berdzor, Arthur Sahakyan, non-partisan, and Tigran Mejlumyan,
Azat Hayrenik Party. Artem Khachatryan and Jora Grigoryan running
for the post of mayor of Karvachar are also non-partisan.

We have learned from the CEC that of 236 candidates of heads of
communities three withdrew in Martakert and Kashatagh, and of the
1471 candidates for the local council 13 withdrew.

Water Supply Will Be Our Priority

WATER SUPPLY WILL BE OUR PRIORITY

Karabakh Open
Oct 8 2007

Interview with candidate of mayor of Stepanakert Vazgen Mikaelyan

Karabakh-Open: Mr. Mikaelyan, what made you decide to assume
responsibilities of mayor of the capital?

Well, in order to assume responsibilities I first need to win the
election. The important thing now is a fair and transparent election,
the preconditions of which we already have As to the reasons for
running in the election, I was pushed by the readiness to be useful
to our city. After all, like every citizen who shares joy and cares,
I have the right to contribute to the development of my neighborhood
and my community. And the most convenient and effective way is the
post of the mayor which allows fulfilling lots of ideas. I think the
people of Stepanakert will witness it in the nearest future.

Karabakh-Open: Have you worked out a plan of development of
Stepanakert, and what are the main strands going to be?

All those strands are described in my election program. First of all,
we will attend to the problem of water supply in the capital. We will
promote the construction of blocks of apartments, repair of roofs of
blocks of apartments, prevent illegal construction, improve street
lights and keep the city clean.

We will also be improving the suburbs, complete the public housing
program for the families of killed soldiers and disabled of the war,
repair houses damages by shelling during the war.

Karabakh-Open: Your election program necessitates speeding up the rate
of housing construction. How are you going to fulfill this provision
when the government has cut some of the most important powers of
municipalities? How are you going to insist on legislative change of
the powers of the City Hall?

The City Hall’s powers now are not sufficient for full work. I expect
a number of amendments to the law on local governments. I hope that
the legislature and the executive will acknowledge the necessity for
granting a special status to Stepanakert which will expand the powers
of the municipality.

Karabakh-Open: What will your first action be if you are elected?

Our primary problem will be water supply. There are preconditions
for solving this problem, and with a due approach we will be able to
provide daily water supply to the people of the capital.

Karabakh-Open: Your election program pledges a clampdown on bureaucracy
and corruption in the municipal government. How are you going to
fight against these?

There is a saying: in case of fire they put it out instead of looking
for the wrongdoer. In other words, we are facing a problem which
we must solve. Among definite efforts I can mention only my own
behavior. Besides, it is clear that the top government stated its
determination to battle corruption, and in this context I think we
will tackle this problem successfully.

George W. Bush: Armenian Holocaust Denier

GEORGE W. BUSH: ARMENIAN HOLOCAUST DENIER
by Baron Bodissey

Gates of Vienna
eorge-w-bush-armenian-holocaust-denier.html
Oct 6 2007

For the last ninety-two years, the Turkish authorities have been
denying that the events that occurred in Anatolia in 1915 constitute
a genocide against the Armenians.

First the Ottomans denied it, and then the Turkish republic under
Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and his successors took the same line: there was
no genocide. There may have been some excesses, and several thousand
people got killed, but that was because a few Armenian provocateurs
instigated a rebellion during a time of war. The Turks did what they
had to do.

We’ve written about the Armenian Genocide several times. The political
battle over the official recognition of it has been waged almost
since the last of the Armenian corpses were buried in their mass
graves. There are extensive eyewitness accounts, many of them by
non-Turks and non-Armenians, mostly American aid workers who were
present in Anatolia before the United States joined the war against
the Central Powers.

Turkey’s German allies sent their observations of the events back to
headquarters in Berlin: how’s that for a reliable source? Here’s a
quote from the files of the German Foreign Office: "The final result
must be the extermination of the Armenian race."

In the ensuing decades much of the eyewitness material was recorded
on audio and film. The last living eyewitness account I read was an
interview in 2005 with a very old Armenian woman living in Israel.

She had been a small child in 1915, and both her parents had been
killed before her eyes.

But to the Turks all of these peoples are liars and exaggerators,
and the attempts to designate the unfortunate affair as a genocide
is the work of Turkey’s longtime enemies.

The political issues over the Armenian Genocide intensified after 1945,
when Turkey became a member of NATO, home to an importqant US Air Force
base, and a stalwart ally in the struggle against the Soviet Union. The
genocide was relegated to the sidelines, an annoying trifle to be swept
under the rug and forgotten in the interest of pragmatic statecraft.

The USSR is no more, and the Cold War exigencies are gone, but the
impulse to suppress discussion of the Armenian Genocide has never
died. And now the administration of George W. Bush joins the ranks
of the holocaust deniers. According to the AP:

Turkey, Bush work to block House resolution on Armenian genocide

Turkish and American officials have been pressing lawmakers to reject
in a vote next week a measure that would declare the World War I-era
killings of Armenians a genocide.

On Friday, the issue reached the highest levels as U.S. President
George W. Bush and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan talked
by telephone about their opposition to the legislation, which is
to go before the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee
on Wednesday.

Armenian supporters of the measure, who seem to have enough votes to
get approval by both the committee and the full House, have also been
mustering a grass-roots campaign among the large diaspora community
in the United States to make sure that a successful committee vote
leads to consideration by the full House.

One interest group, the Armenian National Committee of America, has
engaged about 100,000 supporters to call lawmakers about the issue,
according to Executive Director Aram Hamparian.

Similar measures have been debated in Congress for decades. But
well-organized Armenian groups have repeatedly been thwarted by
concerns about damaging relations with Turkey, an important NATO ally
that has made its opposition clear.

Lawmakers say that this time, the belief that the resolution has a
chance to pass a vote by the full House has both Turkey and Armenian
groups pulling all stops to influence the members of the committee.

– – – – – – – – –

"The lobbying has been most intense that I have ever seen it," said
the bill’s sponsor, Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff.

The dispute involves the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Armenians
during the waning years of the Ottoman Empire. Armenian advocates,
backed by many historians, contend the Armenians died in an organized
genocide. The Turks say the Armenians were victims of widespread chaos
and governmental breakdown as the 600-year-old empire collapsed in
the years before Turkey was born in 1923.

Though the largely symbolic measure would have no binding effect on
U.S. foreign policy, it could nonetheless damage an already strained
relationship with Turkey.

And why is our relationship with Turkey strained? What have we done
to offend them?

Is it strained because of that nasty little business in the run-up
to the Iraq War in 2003, when the Turks denied the United States
permission to enter northern Iraq via Turkey?

That little bit of diplomatic hanky-panky caused a logistical nightmare
for the US military, lengthened the war, generated numerous additional
American casualties, and allowed thousands of Baathists, criminals,
and terrorists – who otherwise would have been interdicted by a
northern front – to escape.

That’s Turkey, "an important ally in the war against terror, and a
friend of freedom".

In Turkey’s defense, it has to be said that the diplomatic disaster
in 2003 was a piece of European mischief. The French and the Germans
dangled the prospect of EU membership in front of Turkey in return for
the Turks’ betraying the Americans. This was pure Gallic cynicism on
the part of Chirac, who never had any real intention of letting Turkey
into the EU. But all is fair in love, war, and sticking it to the USA.

However, it’s the Turks’ fault that they fell for the ploy. They made
their bed, and now they should have to lie in it, but we won’t let
them. For some reason they remain a "staunch ally".

The French, indifferent to such niceties, have no such compunctions:

After France voted last year to make denial of Armenian genocide a
crime, the Turkish government ended military ties.

Many in the U.S. fear that a public backlash in Turkey could lead
to restrictions on crucial supply routes through Turkey to Iraq and
Afghanistan and the closure of Incirlik, a strategic air base in Turkey
used by the United States. Lawmakers have been hearing arguments from
both sides about those concerns.

I’m no military expert, but don’t we have strategic air bases now
in Iraq and Afghanistan? What would happen if we call the Turks’
bluff and told them to stuff it? Who has more to lose by the closure
of Incirlik, us or them?

The Turks are playing the same card the Arabs do, and pulling the
old protection-racket technique: Do as we say, or you’ll get more
terrorism.

According to one congressional aide, Turkey’s military chief, Gen.

Yasar Buyukanit, has been calling lawmakers to argue that a vote will
boost support for Islamists in Turkey. The aide spoke on condition
of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

Foggy Bottom has long been known for squishiness on the issue of the
Armenian Genocide. But now the White House has finally come out in
the open with the same line:

The Bush Administration has been telling lawmakers that the resolution,
if passed, would harm U.S. security interests.

I’m willing to accept this idea provisionally. But somebody tell me:
besides Incirlik, what "interests" are realistically likely to be
threatened by official recognition? Which of Turkey’s threats are
of real significance, and how likely are they to carry them out if
their bluff is called?

Gordon Johndroe, a White House spokesman said Friday that Bush
believes the Armenian episode ranks among the greatest tragedies of
the 20th century, but the determination whether the events constitute
a genocide should be a matter for historical inquiry, not legislation.

I’ve got news for the smart set in the White House: the Armenian
disaster of 1915 has been a matter of historical inquiry. Historians
have studied it extensively for decades, and – outside of Turkey
– have overwhelmingly concluded that a genocide was deliberately
committed. But that’s not good enough, is it?

And to put the icing on the cake, Mr. Bush is ready to cut deals with
Satan herself:

White House staff have also spoken with aides to House Speaker Nancy
Pelosi with hope that she will stop the measure from coming to a vote.

"The Administration has reached out to the speaker’s office and made
our position clear,"he said. "We’ll see what happens."

Now that’s a marriage made in heaven… or somewhere.

http://gatesofvienna.blogspot.com/2007/10/g

HR 106: Rep Richardson And Fortuna cosponsor (226)

The Library of Congress
H.RES.106
Title: Calling upon the President to ensure that the foreign policy of the United States reflects appropriate understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related to human rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in the United States record relating to the Armenian Genocide, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Schiff, Adam B. [CA-29] (introduced 1/30/2007) Cosponsors (226)
Related Bills: S.RES.106
Latest Major Action: 1/30/2007 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

COSPONSORS(226), BY DATE [order is left to right]:

Rep Radanovich, George [CA-19] – 1/30/2007Rep Pallone, Frank, Jr. [NJ-6] – 1/30/2007
Rep Knollenberg, Joe [MI-9] – 1/30/2007Rep Sherman, Brad [CA-27] – 1/30/2007
Rep McCotter, Thaddeus G. [MI-11] – 1/30/2007Rep McNulty, Michael R. [NY-21] – 1/31/2007
Rep Kildee, Dale E. [MI-5] – 1/31/2007Rep Maloney, Carolyn B. [NY-14] – 1/31/2007
Rep Markey, Edward J. [MA-7] – 1/31/2007Rep Costello, Jerry F. [IL-12] – 1/31/2007
Rep Weiner, Anthony D. [NY-9] – 1/31/2007Rep Holt, Rush D. [NJ-12] – 1/31/2007
Rep Lipinski, Daniel [IL-3] – 1/31/2007Rep Langevin, James R. [RI-2] – 1/31/2007
Rep Dreier, David [CA-26] – 1/31/2007Rep Abercrombie, Neil [HI-1] – 1/31/2007
Rep Schwartz, Allyson Y. [PA-13] – 1/31/2007Rep Udall, Mark [CO-2] – 1/31/2007
Rep McMorris Rodgers, Cathy [WA-5] – 1/31/2007Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. [CA-6] – 1/31/2007
Rep Blumenauer, Earl [OR-3] – 1/31/2007Rep Royce, Edward R. [CA-40] – 1/31/2007
Rep Neal, Richard E. [MA-2] – 1/31/2007Rep Kennedy, Patrick J. [RI-1] – 1/31/2007
Rep Honda, Michael M. [CA-15] – 1/31/2007Rep Kirk, Mark Steven [IL-10] – 1/31/2007
Rep Nunes, Devin [CA-21] – 1/31/2007Rep Capuano, Michael E. [MA-8] – 1/31/2007
Rep Napolitano, Grace F. [CA-38] – 1/31/2007Rep Berry, Marion [AR-1] – 1/31/2007
Rep Grijalva, Raul M. [AZ-7] – 1/31/2007Rep Lynch, Stephen F. [MA-9] – 1/31/2007
Rep Doolittle, John T. [CA-4] – 1/31/2007Rep Fattah, Chaka [PA-2] – 1/31/2007
Rep Matsui, Doris O. [CA-5] – 1/31/2007Rep Norton, Eleanor Holmes [DC] – 1/31/2007
Rep Kucinich, Dennis J. [OH-10] – 1/31/2007Rep McGovern, James P. [MA-3] – 1/31/2007
Rep Van Hollen, Chris [MD-8] – 1/31/2007Rep Crowley, Joseph [NY-7] – 1/31/2007
Rep Allen, Thomas H. [ME-1] – 1/31/2007Rep Capps, Lois [CA-23] – 1/31/2007
Rep Diaz-Balart, Lincoln [FL-21] – 1/31/2007Rep Ackerman, Gary L. [NY-5] – 1/31/2007
Rep Payne, Donald M. [NJ-10] – 1/31/2007Rep Conyers, John, Jr. [MI-14] – 1/31/2007
Rep Rush, Bobby L. [IL-1] – 1/31/2007Rep Frank, Barney [MA-4] – 1/31/2007
Rep Davis, Danny K. [IL-7] – 1/31/2007Rep Doyle, Michael F. [PA-14] – 1/31/2007
Rep Wilson, Joe [SC-2] – 1/31/2007Rep Lofgren, Zoe [CA-16] – 1/31/2007
Rep Rogers, Mike J. [MI-8] – 1/31/2007Rep Cantor, Eric [VA-7] – 1/31/2007
Rep Souder, Mark E. [IN-3] – 1/31/2007Rep Meehan, Martin T. [MA-5] – 1/31/2007
Rep Gutierrez, Luis V. [IL-4] – 1/31/2007Rep Clay, Wm. Lacy [MO-1] – 1/31/2007
Rep Sanchez, Linda T. [CA-39] – 1/31/2007Rep Berman, Howard L. [CA-28] – 1/31/2007
Rep Eshoo, Anna G. [CA-14] – 1/31/2007Rep Baldwin, Tammy [WI-2] – 1/31/2007
Rep Dingell, John D. [MI-15] – 1/31/2007Rep Engel, Eliot L. [NY-17] – 1/31/2007
Rep Rothman, Steven R. [NJ-9] – 1/31/2007Rep Lee, Barbara [CA-9] – 1/31/2007
Rep Garrett, Scott [NJ-5] – 1/31/2007Rep Waxman, Henry A. [CA-30] – 1/31/2007
Rep Delahunt, William D. [MA-10] – 1/31/2007Rep Roybal-Allard, Lucille [CA-34] – 1/31/2007
Rep Tierney, John F. [MA-6] – 1/31/2007Rep Diaz-Balart, Mario [FL-25] – 1/31/2007
Rep Rohrabacher, Dana [CA-46] – 1/31/2007Rep Campbell, John [CA-48] – 1/31/2007
Rep Walz, Timothy J. [MN-1] – 1/31/2007Rep Nadler, Jerrold [NY-8] – 1/31/2007
Rep Porter, Jon C. [NV-3] – 1/31/2007Rep Baca, Joe [CA-43] – 1/31/2007
Rep Cleaver, Emanuel [MO-5] – 1/31/2007Rep Kilpatrick, Carolyn C. [MI-13] – 1/31/2007
Rep Tauscher, Ellen O. [CA-10] – 1/31/2007Rep Frelinghuysen, Rodney P. [NJ-11] – 1/31/2007
Rep Visclosky, Peter J. [IN-1] – 1/31/2007Rep DeLauro, Rosa L. [CT-3] – 1/31/2007
Rep English, Phil [PA-3] – 1/31/2007(withdrawn – 3/15/2007)Rep Cardoza, Dennis A. [CA-18] – 1/31/2007
Rep Wolf, Frank R. [VA-10] – 1/31/2007Rep Gonzalez, Charles A. [TX-20] – 1/31/2007
Rep Watson, Diane E. [CA-33] – 1/31/2007Rep Jindal, Bobby [LA-1] – 1/31/2007(withdrawn – 1/31/2007)
Rep Sarbanes, John P. [MD-3] – 1/31/2007Rep Gerlach, Jim [PA-6] – 1/31/2007
Rep Davis, Susan A. [CA-53] – 1/31/2007Rep Lowey, Nita M. [NY-18] – 1/31/2007
Rep Holden, Tim [PA-17] – 1/31/2007Rep Israel, Steve [NY-2] – 1/31/2007
Rep Levin, Sander M. [MI-12] – 1/31/2007Rep Moran, James P. [VA-8] – 1/31/2007
Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] – 1/31/2007Rep Calvert, Ken [CA-44] – 1/31/2007
Rep McCollum, Betty [MN-4] – 1/31/2007Rep Hare, Phil [IL-17] – 1/31/2007
Rep Costa, Jim [CA-20] – 1/31/2007Rep Jackson, Jesse L., Jr. [IL-2] – 1/31/2007
Rep Stark, Fortney Pete [CA-13] – 1/31/2007Rep Berkley, Shelley [NV-1] – 1/31/2007
Rep Shays, Christopher [CT-4] – 1/31/2007Rep Ryan, Paul [WI-1] – 1/31/2007
Rep Miller, George [CA-7] – 1/31/2007Rep Doggett, Lloyd [TX-25] – 1/31/2007
Rep Becerra, Xavier [CA-31] – 1/31/2007Rep Sanchez, Loretta [CA-47] – 1/31/2007
Rep Bishop, Sanford D., Jr. [GA-2] – 1/31/2007Rep Schakowsky, Janice D. [IL-9] – 1/31/2007
Rep Solis, Hilda L. [CA-32] – 1/31/2007Rep Bilirakis, Gus M. [FL-9] – 1/31/2007
Rep LoBiondo, Frank A. [NJ-2] – 1/31/2007Rep Hinchey, Maurice D. [NY-22] – 1/31/2007
Rep Lewis, John [GA-5] – 1/31/2007Rep Ferguson, Mike [NJ-7] – 1/31/2007
Rep Bono, Mary [CA-45] – 1/31/2007Rep Miller, Candice S. [MI-10] – 1/31/2007
Rep Sires, Albio [NJ-13] – 1/31/2007Rep Olver, John W. [MA-1] – 1/31/2007
Rep Sensenbrenner, F. James, Jr. [WI-5] – 1/31/2007Rep Musgrave, Marilyn N. [CO-4] – 1/31/2007
Rep McDermott, Jim [WA-7] – 1/31/2007Rep McKeon, Howard P. "Buck" [CA-25] – 1/31/2007
Rep Herseth, Stephanie [SD] – 1/31/2007Rep Bean, Melissa L. [IL-8] – 1/31/2007
Rep Wamp, Zach [TN-3] – 1/31/2007Rep Andrews, Robert E. [NJ-1] – 1/31/2007
Rep Renzi, Rick [AZ-1] – 1/31/2007Rep Weller, Jerry [IL-11] – 1/31/2007
Rep Pastor, Ed [AZ-4] – 1/31/2007Rep DeFazio, Peter A. [OR-4] – 1/31/2007
Rep Rangel, Charles B. [NY-15] – 1/31/2007Rep McCarthy, Carolyn [NY-4] – 1/31/2007
Rep Peterson, Collin C. [MN-7] – 1/31/2007Rep Issa, Darrell E. [CA-49] – 1/31/2007
Rep Carnahan, Russ [MO-3] – 1/31/2007(withdrawn – 10/2/2007)Rep Hinojosa, Ruben [TX-15] – 1/31/2007
Rep Wynn, Albert Russell [MD-4] – 1/31/2007Rep Jones, Stephanie Tubbs [OH-11] – 1/31/2007
Rep Smith, Christopher H. [NJ-4] – 1/31/2007Rep Millender-McDonald, Juanita [CA-37] – 1/31/2007
Rep Shimkus, John [IL-19] – 1/31/2007(withdrawn – 10/4/2007)Rep Dent, Charles W. [PA-15] – 1/31/2007
Rep McCaul, Michael T. [TX-10] – 1/31/2007Rep Boren, Dan [OK-2] – 1/31/2007(withdrawn – 5/2/2007)
Rep Davis, Lincoln [TN-4] – 1/31/2007Rep Farr, Sam [CA-17] – 1/31/2007
Rep Jackson-Lee, Sheila [TX-18] – 1/31/2007Rep Kind, Ron [WI-3] – 1/31/2007
Rep Matheson, Jim [UT-2] – 1/31/2007Rep Melancon, Charlie [LA-3] – 1/31/2007
Rep Moore, Dennis [KS-3] – 1/31/2007(withdrawn – 3/13/2007)Rep Ross, Mike [AR-4] – 1/31/2007
Rep Ryan, Tim [OH-17] – 1/31/2007Rep Scott, David [GA-13] – 1/31/2007(withdrawn – 4/18/2007)
Rep Thompson, Mike [CA-1] – 1/31/2007Rep Waters, Maxine [CA-35] – 1/31/2007
Rep Lungren, Daniel E. [CA-3] – 1/31/2007Rep Towns, Edolphus [NY-10] – 1/31/2007
Rep Ellison, Keith [MN-5] – 2/5/2007Rep McNerney, Jerry [CA-11] – 2/5/2007
Rep DeGette, Diana [CO-1] – 2/5/2007Rep Velazquez, Nydia M. [NY-12] – 2/5/2007
Rep Green, Gene [TX-29] – 2/5/2007Rep McCarthy, Kevin [CA-22] – 2/5/2007
Rep Johnson, Henry C. "Hank," Jr. [GA-4] – 2/8/2007Rep Lamborn, Doug [CO-5] – 2/8/2007
Rep Walsh, James T. [NY-25] – 2/8/2007Rep Wu, David [OR-1] – 2/8/2007
Rep Marchant, Kenny [TX-24] – 2/8/2007Rep Harman, Jane [CA-36] – 2/8/2007
Rep Michaud, Michael H. [ME-2] – 2/8/2007Rep Green, Al [TX-9] – 3/1/2007
Rep Bachmann, Michele [MN-6] – 3/1/2007Rep LaTourette, Steven C. [OH-14] – 3/1/2007
Rep Space, Zachary T. [OH-18] – 3/12/2007Rep Brady, Robert A. [PA-1] – 3/12/2007
Rep Baird, Brian [WA-3] – 3/12/2007Rep Bilbray, Brian P. [CA-50] – 3/12/2007
Rep Perlmutter, Ed [CO-7] – 3/29/2007Rep Sutton, Betty [OH-13] – 3/29/2007
Rep Miller, Gary G. [CA-42] – 3/29/2007Rep Salazar, John T. [CO-3] – 4/16/2007
Rep Hunter, Duncan [CA-52] – 4/16/2007Rep Reichert, David G. [WA-8] – 4/16/2007
Rep Clarke, Yvette D. [NY-11] – 4/16/2007Rep Bishop, Timothy H. [NY-1] – 4/19/2007
Rep Tancredo, Thomas G. [CO-6] – 4/19/2007(withdrawn – 6/27/2007)Rep Braley, Bruce L. [IA-1] – 4/19/2007
Rep Hodes, Paul W. [NH-2] – 5/9/2007Rep Courtney, Joe [CT-2] – 5/14/2007
Rep Udall, Tom [NM-3] – 5/14/2007Rep Roskam, Peter J. [IL-6] – 5/21/2007
Rep Murphy, Christopher S. [CT-5] – 5/21/2007Rep Larson, John B. [CT-1] – 5/24/2007
Rep Camp, Dave [MI-4] – 6/7/2007Rep Walberg, Timothy [MI-7] – 6/7/2007
Rep Pitts, Joseph R. [PA-16] – 6/7/2007Rep Hirono, Mazie K. [HI-2] – 6/20/2007
Rep Kuhl, John R. "Randy", Jr. [NY-29] – 6/20/2007Rep Thompson, Bennie G. [MS-2] – 6/20/2007
Rep Barrow, John [GA-12] – 6/20/2007Rep Meek, Kendrick B. [FL-17] – 6/21/2007
Rep Mitchell, Harry E. [AZ-5] – 6/21/2007Rep Bordallo, Madeleine Z. [GU] – 6/21/2007
Rep Kingston, Jack [GA-1] – 6/26/2007Rep Marshall, Jim [GA-8] – 6/26/2007
Rep Davis, Artur [AL-7] – 6/26/2007Rep Rodriguez, Ciro D. [TX-23] – 6/26/2007
Rep Serrano, Jose E. [NY-16] – 6/26/2007Rep Cuellar, Henry [TX-28] – 6/26/2007
Rep Wicker, Roger F. [MS-1] – 6/26/2007(withdrawn – 6/28/2007)Rep Butterfield, G. K. [NC-1] – 6/28/2007
Rep Boyd, Allen [FL-2] – 6/28/2007Rep Carson, Julia [IN-7] – 6/28/2007
Rep Watt, Melvin L. [NC-12] – 6/28/2007Rep Cummings, Elijah E. [MD-7] – 6/28/2007
Rep Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [VA-3] – 6/28/2007Rep Kagen, Steve [WI-8] – 6/28/2007
Rep Larsen, Rick [WA-2] – 6/28/2007Rep Christensen, Donna M. [VI] – 7/10/2007
Rep Yarmuth, John A. [KY-3] – 7/10/2007Rep Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [NY-20] – 7/18/2007
Rep Herger, Wally [CA-2] – 7/18/2007Rep Arcuri, Michael A. [NY-24] – 7/18/2007
Rep McHugh, John M. [NY-23] – 8/2/2007Rep LaHood, Ray [IL-18] – 8/2/2007
Rep Hall, John J. [NY-19] – 8/2/2007Rep Richardson, Laura [CA-37] – 10/4/2007
Rep Fortuno, Luis G. [PR] – 10/4/2007

ANKARA: Turkish, Armenian Foreign Ministers Exchange Views On Topica

TURKISH, ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS EXCHANGE VIEWS ON TOPICAL ISSUES

Anatolia News Agency, Turkey
Oct 3 2007

"FM BABACAN MEETS ARMENIAN FM OSKANIAN -WE ARE ALWAYS OPEN TO DIALOGUE,
BABACAN"

UNITED NATIONS (A.A) -Turkish Foreign Minister and Chief Negotiator
for EU talks Ali Babacan met the Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanian at the United Nations on Tuesday.

Sources said that the meeting between Babacan and Oskanian was very
positive. Babacan informed Oskanian that "Turkey is always open
to dialogue."

Diplomatic sources indicated that the Babacan-Oskanian meeting was
one in which the two ministers introduced themselves to each other.

During the talks, Oskanian congratulated the Turkish government and
people over the recent successful general elections.

While Oskanian insisted that the Armenian-Turkish border be opened up,
Babacan in return indicated that trade between Turkey and Armenia
takes place via third parties and that there is air link with
Armenia. Babacan stressed that hundreds of Armenian citizens work
in Turkey.

According to diplomatic sources, Babacan brought up the issue of
a resolution in the United States Congress on the incidents of
1915 while discussing with Oskanian. Babacan told Oskanian that
parliamentarians should not write history and that history should be
left to historians. Babacan reminded Oskanian that Turkey made an
offer to Armenia in 2005 to set up a joint historical committee to
study the incidents of 1915. The topic of Upper Karabagh also came
up during Babacan’s meeting with Oskanian.

Diplomatic sources stressed that Babacan-Oskanian meeting took place
in a warm atmosphere. Both Babacan and Oskanian expressed a desire
to continue dialogue in the near future.

During the meeting with Oskanian, Babacan showed a picture of the
Akdamar Church, restored by the Turkish government, to Oskanian.

Following the meeting, Oskanian left without making any comments to
the press. Babacan-Oskanian meeting lasted nearly one hour.

Meanwhile, Babacan attended the Annual Coordination Meeting of
Foreign Ministers of Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)
on Tuesday and also met the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh Iftekhar
Ahmed Chowdhury.

Babacan returns to Turkey on Tuesday.

BAKU: Azerbaijani, Armenian Presidents Not Expected To Meet In Dusha

AZERBAIJANI, ARMENIAN PRESIDENTS NOT EXPECTED TO MEET IN DUSHANBE

TREND Info, Azerbaijan
Oct 4 2007

The Azerbaijani President, Ilham Aliyev, and his Armenian counterpart,
Robert Kocharian will not met in Dushanbe, Viktor Sogomonan, the
press-secretary of the President of Armenia, reported to the reporter
of the PanARMENIAN.Net.

"There is no agreement regarding holding meeting between both
Presidents," Sogomonan said.

It is too early to speak about meeting of the Presidents,
the co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group on Regulation of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict stated after the latest visit to the region.

Ilham Aliyev and Robert Kocharian will go to Dushanbe to attend
at the summit in Somon palace on 5 October. All Presidents of CIS
countries excluding the Ukrainian President, Viktor Yushenko, who can
not attend the summit due to Parliamentary elections in the country,
will gather in Dushanbe.

The meeting of the Intergovernmental Council of the Eurasian Economic
Association and Council on Collective Security Treaty Organizations
begins functioning on 6 October.

The non-official meeting of the CIS countries will be held in
Dushanbe on 7 October. Presidents of Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan,
Moldova, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzia, Tajikistan and Armenia will attend at
the meeting.

New Appointments To Nagorno-Karabagh Government

NEW APPOINTMENTS TO NAGORNO-KARABAGH GOVERNMENT

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
Oct 2 2007

Today Nagorno-Karabagh Republic President Bako Sahakian signed an
enactment, according to which Armen Isagulov was relieved from the
post of chief of Police under NKR government and appointed as Adviser
to NKR President. According to another enactment Armen Isagulov has
been awarded a medal ‘Services in Battle’.

Major-General Arshavir Garamian has been appointed the chief of Police
under NKR government. To note, Arshavir Garamian occupied the post
of first deputy chief of Police.

Major-General Victor Kocharian has been released from the duties
of the first deputy Director of National Security Service under NKR
government and appointed as Director of National Security Service.

Hakop Kagramanian has been relieved of the post of head of State
Taxation Service under NKR government; Artak Balayan has been nominated
to the post.

Manoush Minasian has been appointed the head of NKR National Statistic
Service. Today NKR President Bako Sahakian presented the new heads of
departments to the staffs of NKR Police and National Security Service.

Armenian Artists at Gallery Z

`Armenian Artists’
A Group of Artists Represented by Gallery Z
259 Atwells Avenue
Providence, RI 02903
401.454.8844

Opening Reception: Thursday, September 20th, 2007, 5-9pm
Show Dates: September 18th – October 13, 2007

PROVIDENCE, RI Gallery Z presents an exhibition of artwork by living
and non-living artists of Armenia. The reception will took place on
Thursday, September 20 from 5-9pm, and the show continues through
October 13, 2007.

Gallery Director Bérge Ara Zobian has always had a passion for
Armenian arts and artisans. Being himself of Armenian ancestry, Zobian
takes pride in sponsoring Armenian artists from across the globe. The
exhibition will feature the work of: Anet Abnous, Varteni, Samuel
Gareginyan, Armen Vahramian, Simon Samsonian, Vartan Tovmasian, Alpert
Seropi Khachaderian, Boris Hagopian, Seda Bekarian, Edward Kharazyan,
Paula Martiesian, Kegham Tazian, Emma Gregorian, Martin Petrossian,
Lola Koundakjian, Laura Avetisyan, Hovsep Pushman, Vahe Berberian,
Melik Ghazarian, Sergei Parajanov, Hovik Kochinian, Carzou, Rafael
Atoyan, Kevork Mourad, Levon Parian, Lara B., Raysa Amirbekian,
Alexander Sarkisian, Joane Boghossian, Hovnan Sevoyan, Edward
Issabekian, Harutune Hovhanesian, Garabed Der Hohvanessian, Janik
Gasparian, Adrienne Der Marderosian, Vladimir Aivazian, Hrant
Mirzoian, Karnig Nalbandian, Vladimir Vardanyan, Anna Kalian, Avedik
Hagopian, John Avakian, Sossy Aposhian Nercessian, Robert Elibekian,
Marsha Nouritza Odabashian, Sara JH Ashodian, Ashot Melkonian, and
Varaz Samuelian.

PROVIDENCE,RI-SEPTEMBER 18-OCTOBER 13–Armenian artists from across
the globe come together for Gallery Z’s smash hit from September 18 –
October 13.

(Opening Reception September 20, 5-9PM). Featured a selection of
images by the late Simon Samsonian, the Gallery comes alivewith
exuberant color and youthful hopefulness. After returning from a 1915
Armenian playground, Samsonian discovered his parents massacred.
Placed in a Greek orphanage with little to call his own, Samsonian
adopted a modified cubist perspective, preferring to execute portraits
of young, vital artisans in a muted secondary palate. Collectible
painter Robert Elibekian (of the Elibekian family of artisans) crafts
realistic-looking female figures in dramatic costumes.

His palette reflects the sanguine reds and royal blues of his Georgian
childhood cast against a modest flesh-toned background. His women are
flowing, voluptuous, and free-spirited. Anet Abnous’ vibrant platform
of red and gold frees a woman’s spirit to dance amid her strongly
executed graphic shapes. Her rendition of a nude is not `nude’ at
all, but rather a lifting of the veil with which women – all women –
have been oppressed. She is not to be missed.

Belgrade’s Offer Unlikely To Sway Kosovo

BELGRADE’S OFFER UNLIKELY TO SWAY KOSOVO
Slobodan Lekic in New York

Brisbane Times, Australia
Sept 29 2007

SERBIA is prepared to offer its secessionist province of Kosovo
the "largest autonomy in the world" in talks on the future of the
independence-seeking region, the Serbian President has said.

Boris Tadic described as "unhelpful" statements by the US President,
George Bush, and his Administration to the effect that Kosovo will
gain independence at the end of the present negotiating process,
due to finish on December 10.

"These statements are not encouraging Kosovo Albanians to show
flexibility in the talks," Mr Tadic said on Thursday.

He was due to meet Kosovo’s ethnic Albanian leaders in New York
yesterday for the first face-to-face talks between the two sides.

They will be mediated by negotiators from the US, Russia and the
European Union.

The issue of Kosovo’s future status has become one of the main
irritants in the increasingly tense relationship between a resurgent
Russia and the US. Washington strongly supports eventual independence
for the province, but Moscow backs Belgrade in its insistence that
Kosovo must technically remain part of Serbia.

The province of 2 million people – most of them ethnic Albanians –
has been administered by the United Nations since 1999, when NATO
waged a 78-day aerial war to prevent a Serbian military crackdown
against Albanian separatists.

Previous negotiations collapsed earlier this year. On Thursday Mr
Tadic said that Serbia was willing to make further concessions, but
would still demand that its "sovereignty and territorial integrity
remain intact".

"We are offering to Kosovo Albanians the best possible rights, which
means the largest autonomy in the world, [including] some elements
of sovereign countries, for example access to international financial
institutions," he said.

But Veton Surroi, a key member of the ethnic Albanian negotiating
team, said there was little likelihood of a deal being reached at the
talks unless Serbia accepts "that our place is in Europe together,
as two independent nations".

Mr Tadic warned that independence for Kosovo from Serbia could create
a precedent that separatists around the world would use to justify
their struggle.

"It would have very serious consequences," he said. "There are many
‘Kosovos’ in the region [including] Nagorno-Karabakh, Abkhazia,
South Ossetia … Macedonia, Bosnia or Kurdistan."

At the United Nations the US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice,
met the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, and representatives
of EU nations forming the Contact Group of Kosovo negotiators.

Participants agreed that "the status quo" in Kosovo was unsustainable,
the British Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, said after the
talks. "It’s the view of all members of the Contact Group that
representatives in Belgrade and Pristina need to engage with the
[mediators] with a real constructive spirit," he said.

Delegates also said that Mr Lavrov, Belgrade’s ally with UN Security
Council veto power, bluntly told Western nations in the Contact Group
to stop saying Kosovo’s independence was inevitable.

One European delegate put the chances of an agreement at barely 10
per cent but said the negotiations could at least smooth the way for
a more amicable separation, even if Serbia was unable to accept the
principle of independence.

22 Refugee Families Residing In Yerevan Receive Apartment Purchase C

22 REFUGEE FAMILIES RESIDING IN YEREVAN RECEIVE APARTMENT PURCHASE CERTIFICATES
Author: Arev Hakobian Editor: Eghian Robert

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 27 2007

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 27, NOYAN TAPAN. 22 refugee families residing
in Yerevan Moldovakan street’s hostel received apartment purchase
certificates on September 26. Vardan Vardanian, the RA Minister of
Urban Development, said that this program of the government has been
implemented since 2005. According to him, 10 thousand families have
received apartment purchase certificates so far.

V. Vardanian also said that 1.63bn drams (nearly 4.6m USD) has been
allocated from the state budget this year for giving certificates
to 815 families. It is envisaged to give 1.7bn drams for program’s
implementation in 2008.