Author: Emil Lazarian

Armenian Assembly of America
122 C Street, NW, Suite 350
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:
 
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 22, 2004
CONTACT: David Zenian
E-mail: [email protected]
 
ASSEMBLY LEADERSHIP CONGRATULATES MP ASSADOURIAN ON PASSAGE OF GENOCIDE
RESOLUTION — DESCRIBES MOVE AS VICTORY FOR JUSTICE

Washington, DC – The Armenian Assembly of America Wednesday night
congratulated Canadian Parliamentarian Sarkis Assadourian, the
Armenian-Canadian community and all Canadians on the recognition of the
Armenian Genocide by the House of Commons.

The historic vote passed by a margin of 153 to 68 Wednesday evening. The
passage was a crowning achievement for Assadourian who has fought for
Canada’s recognition since the early days of his election to the House in
1993.

“What the Canadian House of Commons did was a victory for upholding the
truth and honoring the memory of the 1.5 million Armenians who perished in
the first Genocide of the 20th century. We urge President Bush to re-affirm
the Armenian Genocide following this historic North American development,”
Assembly Board of Trustees Chairman Hirair Hovnanian stated.

Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues Co-Chairs Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and
Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), for their part, said: “We applaud the Canadian
Parliament for its decision to recognize the Armenian Genocide as a crime
against humanity. This action should serve as an impetus for our Executive
Branch to take a principled stand and reaffirm the U.S. record on the
Armenian Genocide.”

Brought to the floor of the chamber as Motion M-380, the Canadian
Parliamentarians gave their resounding approval to “acknowledge the Armenian
Genocide of 1915 and condemn this act as a crime against humanity.”

Hours after the historic vote, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham
distanced his government from the House of Commons decision.

“We agree with the members of the House that the events of 1915 to 1923 were
tragic. Canada has condemned the atrocities committed against hundreds of
thousands of Armenians, including massive deportations and massacres … The
Canadian government also believes that the issue is essentially for the
Armenian and Turkish governments and experts to resolve,” Graham said.

In a footnote, Graham’s office said: “Debates and votes on private member’s
business in the House of Commons are an integral part of the Canadian
democratic process, but private member’s motions are not binding on the
Government of Canada.”

But despite the reaction from the Canadian government, the vote remained a
major victory for the supporters of recognition, which was almost ten years
in the making.

“We have all been waiting for this moment for ten years. It was a very
emotional moment for the more than 200 Canadian-Armenians who were in the
visitor’s galleries of the House. As one MP stood up after another in
support of the resolution, and the Speaker announced its passage, the crowd
roared in applause and shouts of Bravo! Many people could not hold back
their tears as they embraced each other,” Assadourian’s Legislative
Assistant Daniel Kennedy said.

In a telephone communication shortly after the House of Common’s vote
Wednesday night, Anthony Barsamian, Chairman of the Board of Directors
personally thanked Mr. Assadourian.

This was immediately followed by a letter of congratulations which read:

“On behalf of Hirair Hovnanian and Carolyn Mugar, Chairman and President of
the Trustees of the Armenian Assembly of America, we congratulate you, the
Armenian-Canadian Community and all Canadians on this historic passage and
recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the House of Commons.”

“We specifically thank Ms. Dalphond-Guiral of Laval Center for offering the
resolution and you for your persistent effort and commitment in condemning
this act as a crime against humanity and toward full acknowledgement and
re-affirmation of the Armenian Genocide of 1915.”

“Armenian-Americans join today in thanking all Canadian citizens for your
courage in standing up for truth and justice in order that the world shall
never forget this crime committed against the Armenian people.”

The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide
organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian
issues. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.

NR#2004-043

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Sony-led group in talks to buy MGM for $5bn
By Peter Thal Larsen in New York

FT
April 22 2004 0:20

A group led by Sony, the Japanese electronics giant, is in talks to
buy Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in a deal that would value the famed Hollywood
studio at around $5bn.

Sony and two private equity firms, Providence Equity Partners and
Texas Pacific Group, have been examining MGM’s books with a view to
making an offer, people close to the situation said. However a deal –
if one is finalised – is believed to be several weeks away.

The talks represent the latest instalment in the long-running drama of
MGM’s future. It boasts a film library stocked with classics such as
Annie Hall and The Pink Panther but has increasingly become an anomaly
in an industry dominated by integrated media conglomerates.

Kirk Kerkorian, the billionaire investor who controls 75 per cent of
MGM, has in recent years explored a variety of options including a
sale to another studio or a merger with a media rival.

A few years ago he held talks with Sony about a possible deal which
fell apart on a disagreement about price. Last year, an MGM-led
consortium – which included Providence – was one of the losing bidders
in the auction of Vivendi’s US media assets, including Universal
Studios. The deal now under discussion would see Sony and its partners
make an offer for MGM valuing the company’s equity and debt around
$5bn.

Although MGM is debt-free, its management has drawn up a plan to pay
investors a special dividend of about $8 per share.

Any deal with Sony would not be finalised until after the dividend –
which is expected to cost the company around $1.9bn – had been
distributed. MGM shares closed up $2.10 at $19.75. MGM, Sony,
Providence and Texas Pacific all declined to comment.

A deal would allow Sony to merge its film library with MGM’s,
generating big cost savings and giving it more clout in negotiations
with cable operators and DVD retailers.

Bringing in private equity investors would enable Sony, which has
generally been cautious about acquisitions, to spread the cost of the
purchase.

News of the talks may spur other media groups such as Time Warner to
consider a possible offer for MGM, people familiar with the matter
said.

But industry observers warned that MGM executives were notorious for
talking about possible deals without completing them.

“They open up their books every year and say: come buy us,” one
Hollywood insider said. “It’s a rite of spring.” Indeed, Mr Kerkorian
has owned the studio on three separate occasions in the past 35 years.

Although MGM retains its famous logo of a roaring lion, it has faded
since its heyday in the 1930s and 1940s, when Louis B. Mayer made it
Hollywood’s largest studio, producing hits such as Gone with the Wind
and the Wizard of Oz.

In recent years chief executive Alex Yemenidjian has concentrated on
developing cash flow from MGM’s library while limiting its investment
in new movies, aside from proven blockbusters such as the James Bond
films.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

A1 Plus | 20:11:02 | 21-04-2004 | Politics |

RALLY STARTS

MP Shavarsh Kocharyan, who is presiding at the opposition-staged rally,
after welcoming the event participants in his opening speech, said people
had gathered here seeking decent lives in their own homeland.

Armenia could be like Latvia, if Kocharyan wasn’t Armenian president, he
said.

People Party leader Stepan Demirchyan, Robert Kocharyan’s bitter opponent
and key rival in presidential elections, commenting on ruling coalition’s
repeated calls for dialogue, said both sides of dialogue must observe the
law, however, Kocharyan proved on April 13 that he put himself above the
law.

The crowd is repeatedly chanting “Kocharyan, go away”.

Our crew on the scene says there are tens thousands of people in the square,
there is no room to swing a cat.

Armenian Sciences National Academy member Raphael Ghazaryan, whose wife and
son were among those disturbed by the police during the April 13
demonstration, said Robert Kocharyan with his vicious qualification of the
violence as “a brilliant operation” was far more ominous than the violence
itself.

Republic party leader Aram Sargssyan said the police terror raged across the
country. The only way to get rid of it is to oust current authorities from
power, he said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

“The Netherlands must recognize the Armenian genocide”

ANP (Dutch news agency)
April 21, 2004

Parliament

The Hague (ANP) – The Federation of Armenian Organizations in the
Netherlands, on Wednesday, called on the Dutch Parliament to recognize the
genocide on hundreds of thousands of Armenians in Turkey. Turkey too would
have to recognize this crime which began in 1915, before negotiations can
begin for Turkey’s accession to the European Union.

In a petition that the organization submitted to several members of
parliament, the organization spoke of a “forgotten genocide”. The massacre
has already been recognized by several other EU-countries, but not yet by
the Netherlands that tends to portray itself as the “judicial capital” of
the world.

MP Dijksma (Labor Party), chairman of the fixed commission for European
Affairs, received the petition and promised to read the document carefully
and discuss it in view of The Netherlands’s EU-presidency later this year.
Then a date will be set with Turkey to begin the negotiations for accession.
The Federation of Armenian Organizations wants the genocide to be recognized
by Turkey before the negotiations begin. It asks of the Dutch parliament to
adopt this condition.

Socialist Party MP Van Bommel said that it is important to put this
“sensitive issue” on the political agenda. “The Dutch government never uses
the words genocide, recognition and Armenia at the same time. This is a good
opportunity to change that.”

Several dozen demonstrators gathered in front the parliament building to
support the petition.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MOSCOW NEWS, Russia
April 21 2004

Skinheads Torch 10-year Old in North Russia

A 10-year-old Armenian boy has been set on fire as a result of an
apparent racist attack in the northern Russian city of Kostroma, the
Regions.ru web-site reports. The local police believe that the boy
fell victim to skinheads.

Eyewitnesses have told the police that two friends, aged 10 and 11
had dropped into a grocery store after classes. A group of youths was
apparently waiting for them outside. As the boys came out of the
shop, the attackers splashed gasoline over one of them and set him on
fire.

Luckily, some passers-by helped the boy and quickly extinguished the
fire. He was then rushed to hospital. Doctors said the boy had burns
to his face and hands.

The attackers fled the scene. The local police reported that they
looked like skinheads. The fact that the victim was Armenian also
suggests the attack may have been racist, the police say.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
April 21 2004

FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS GERMAN COUNTERPART

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov met with
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany Joschka Fischer now visiting
Azerbaijan, April 21 to discuss development of bilateral relations,
cooperation on a number of joint regional projects, settlement of the
Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorny Karabakh and other issues,
AzerTAj correspondent reports.

The Ministers then have held briefing for media representatives.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov announced
that during the one-on-one meeting with his German counterpart, they
focused on prospects of development of political, economic and
cultural relations between the two countries, Azerbaijan’s
integration into Europe, ways of solution to Armenia-Azerbaijan,
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, cooperation in combating terrorism and
touched on other issues as well.

Asked by German journalist whether opening borders between Turkey and
Armenia can complicate the conflict’s resolution, Minister Elmar
Mammadyarov answered that during President of Azerbaijan Ilham
Aliyev’s recent official visit to Ankara this question had been
discussed with Foreign Minister of Turkey Abdullah Gul, and It was
especially stressed that Turkey would not open its borders to Armenia
until the occupied Azerbaijani lands are released.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany Joschka Fischer described his
meeting Azerbaijani counterpart as very fruitful. He expressed
satisfaction with improvement of the level of German language
learning in Azerbaijan. Speaking of the resolution of the
Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, Mr. Fischer said Germany sharing the
stance of the European Union towards the problem is very interested
in establishment of stability in the region. He promised as well that
Germany would do its best to assist development of democracy in
Azerbaijan.

Responding to the question from AzerTAj reporter of Germany’s
position with respect to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Foreign
Minister said Germany wants the conflict to be settled as soon as
possible. Germany is one of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs, he said,
and we are aware of the existing difficulties. Mr. Fischer pointed
out the country is trying to contribute to the conflict’s resolution
in the framework of the Minsk group.

The Foreign Minister of Germany expressed satisfaction with human
rights situation in Azerbaijan mentioning the Decrees on Pardon
signed recently by President Ilham Aliyev and the work done in the
country for ensuring freedom of media. Mr. Fischer also described
activity of Azerbaijan in the Council of Europe and NATO `Partnership
for Peace Program’ as very positive factor.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
April 21, 2004, Wednesday

THE FUTURE OF KARABAKH IN THE HANDS OF MAJOR BUSINESSES[]

SOURCE: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, April 19, 2004, p. 11

by Rauf Mirkadyrov

WASHINGTON IS OUT TO PREVENT NEW HOSTILITIES IN THE KARABAKH CONFLICT
AREA BEFORE THE BAKU – TBILISI – DZHEIKHAN PIPELINE IS TURNED ON

Baku and Yerevan openly discuss the possibility of renewed
hostilities in the Karabakh conflict area for the first time in a
decade. Defense minister of Azerbaijan said last week that a war
between Azerbaijan and Armenia could begin any minute and blamed
everything on the authorities of Armenia that he said were losing
control over the situation and letting the country slide into a
political crisis.

Some staff changes took place simultaneously within the framework of
the Karabakh talks. Elmar Memedjarov, a career diplomat and
ex-advisor to the Azerbaijani Embassy in the United States, became
foreign minister of Azerbaijan. Rudolph Perina, American chairman of
the Minsk OSCE Group for Karabakh, is about to be replaced with
Stephen Mann (US President’s envoy to the Caspian region), according
to US Ambassador to Rhino Harnisch who met with Defense Minister of
Azerbaijan Safar Abiyev not long ago. The diplomat said that it would
probably facilitate the process of settlement and said that US
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld (just like official Baku) advocated
a gradual settlement.

Virtually no details on Harnisch’s meeting with Abiyev are available,
indicating serious problems with the Karabakh negotiations. Firstly,
it is not a coincidence that the US ambassador broke every rule in
the book revealing the name of the new American chairman of the Minsk
OSCE Group at a meeting with the defense minister of Azerbaijan.
Staff changes on that level are first disclosed to national leaders
or foreign ministers who are directly in charge of peace talks. It
seems that the United States is afraid that the military may get out
of political control and provoke the new outbreak of hostilities.

Mann’s promotion is the best indication of how the latest
developments in the sphere of the Armenian-Azerbaijani worry the
United States. Unlike Perina and Perina’s predecessor Kerry
Cavanough, Mann knows the region. As the US President’s envoy to the
Caspian region, he had the involved countries agree to construction
of the Baku – Tbilisi – Dzheikhan pipeline and even assured
Kazakhstan’s involvement in the project. The diplomat successfully
tackled the task of directing oil from the Caspian region in the
direction convenient for Washington. As a matter of fact, he bested
his vis-a-vis, Russian President’s envoy Viktor Kalyuzhny.

Mann has established perfect relations with leaders of Azerbaijan,
one of the warring sides, and with all Western oil companies involved
in the region. Perhaps, Washington does want an impetus to the
process o settlement. More likely, however, is that Mann has a task
of preventing a new outbreak of hostilities between Armenia and
Azerbaijan before 2005, the moment when the Baku – Tbilisi –
Dzheikhan pipeline is turned on. After that, security of the pipeline
will become an international affair. The West will never permit the
warring sides another outbreak of hostilities then.

Actually, Vladimir Kazimirov (former Russian chairman of the Minsk
OSCE Group for Karabakh), is convinced that Mann’s experience as US
president’s envoy in the Caspian region will not help him much.
“There are lots of leverages that may be used to prevent an outbreak
of hostilities,” Kazimirov said. “These leverages do not really need
the smell of oil.”

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Agence France Presse
April 21, 2004 Wednesday 8:06 AM Eastern Time

German FM urges Azerbaijan to shape up on democracy, rights

BAKU

German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, on a visit to the former
Soviet republic of Azerbaijan Wednesday, said the country’s rulers
need to improve their record on human rights and democratic freedoms.

Speaking after a meeting with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev,
the German minister said the oil-rich state should “increase its
efforts” to meet its commitments as a member of pro-democracy club
the Council of Europe.

“For more than three years Azerbaijan has been a member of the
Council of Europe,” Fischer said, speaking through an interpreter.

“We are pleased about that and we supported Azerbaijan’s accession.
The Council of Europe insists on certain standards which include the
democratisation of society, human rights, freedom of speech, the
independence of the courts, and we hope that you will increase your
efforts in this regard.”

Fischer is the most senior European Union politician to visit
Azerbaijan, a nation of eight million people on the shores of the
oil-rich Caspian Sea, for several years.

Azerbaijan’s leadership has been accused of locking up its political
opponents after a disputed presidential election last year, and
subjecting some of them to torture in jail. Officials have denied the
charges.

Fischer, who arrived in Azerbaijan from a trip to Afghanistan, was
speaking at the start of a tour of the region which will also take in
neighbouring Armenia and Georgia.

He said Germany was keen to see an end to the long-running conflict
between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the disputed territory of
Nagorno-Karabakh.

The row is seen as a major source of instability in the region, which
is becoming a strategic crossroads for oil exports from the Caspian
Sea to Western markets.

“We discussed the conflict and reached the conclusion that the two
sides should make steps toward one another, with the support of the
international community,” Fischer said. “We want the conflict to be
resolved as quickly as possible.

Fischer also said he saw Azerbaijan as the economic power-house of
the region and was keen to see German companies invest in the
country.

He is due to stay overnight in Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku. On
Thursday morning he is scheduled to travel to Armenia. The following
day he is due in Georgia, from where he will return to Germany.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenia Builds Three Wind Power Stations On Iranian Funds

Mediamax
April 21, 2004

YEREVAN

A hydroelectric power station with 80 megawatt power will be built on
the Armenian side of the Araks river, Armenian Minister of Energy
Armen Movsisian said in Yerevan today.

Armen Movsisian said that at present the appropriate geological
prospecting and cartographical works are being conducted, which are
planned to be finished by the middle of the year, Mediamax reports.

The Minister also said that the construction of three wind power
stations with total 2 megawatt power has begun on the Iranian funds to
the amount of $2.5 mln. According to Armen Movsisian, the research
shows that Armenia has a potential for the development of wind energy.

CBC News

Canadian Parliament recognizes Armenian genocide
Last Updated Wed, 21 Apr 2004 22:39:42

OTTAWA – The House of Commons has reversed a long-standing policy and
passed a resolution denouncing the Turks for committing genocide
against Armenians in 1915.

The vote passed easily, 153-68.

The motion said: “That this House acknowledges the Armenian genocide
of 1915 and condemns this act as a crime against humanity.”

Armenian Canadians hold a vigil after the vote

For decades consecutive Canadian governments have dodged the sensitive
issue by calling what happened in eastern Turkey a “tragedy,” stopping
well short of referring to the events as “genocide.”

In 1915, during the First World War, Turkish troops put down an
Armenian uprising. Armenians say about 1.5 million people were killed
by the Ottoman Turks, during a brutal eight year campaign.

Turkey has always fought attempts by Armenians and international human
rights organizations to have the events declared a
genocide. Previously, Ankara has warned countries contemplating
similar action that there would be negative consequences. In some
cases business contracts have been held up or denied.

In 2001 France backed the Armenian case. Ankara responded by freezing
official visits to France and temporarily blocking French companies
from competing for defence contracts.

The U.S. dropped a similar resolution a year earlier after the White
House warned it could hurt U.S. security interests.

Before Wednesday’s vote in Parliament, Foreign Affairs Minister Bill
Graham issued a statement saying “Canada has had friendly and
co-operative relations with Turkey and Armenia for many years. The
Canadian government is committed to make these relationships even
stronger in the future.”

The Turkish Embassy in Ottawa says it is drafting a response.

Written by CBC News Online bstaff

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress