Author: Felekian Ara

SAFAR ABIYEV: AZERBAIJAN IS PREPARED TO LIBERATE ITS TERRITORIES THROUGH WAR IF PEACE TALKS FAIL

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Aug. 7, 2006

Azerbaijan’s Defense Minister, General Colonel Safar Abiyev today
received French ambassador to Azerbaijan Bernard Amaudric Du Chaffaut
and military attache, Lieutenant Colonel Mark Babu, whose mission
has ended.

The Ministry press service told the APA the military attache reported
about the measures he implemented during this period. Minister Abiyev
said as the co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, France is important for
Azerbaijan. He expressed confidence that France will donate its gift
to fair solution of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. Mr.Abiyev also
said if the peace talks with Armenia fail to achieve any result,
Azerbaijan is prepared to liberate its territories from occupation
through war./APA/

Karabakh leader meets newly trained officers

Arminfo, Yerevan
1 Aug 06

Stepanakert], 1 August: The president of the Nagornyy Karabakh
Republic [NKR], Arkadiy Gukasyan, yesterday [31 July] met officers
of the defence army of the NKR who had received military education
outside the republic, the press service of the president has said.

The president congratulated the officers on completing their education
with good and excellent marks and expressed confidence that they
would serve their motherland with honour. Gukasyan stressed the role
of professional officers in establishing an army with combat ability
and ensuring peace for people. He added that the government increases
the volume of work every year to improve the conditions of military
service and resolve social and household problems.

The defence minister of the NKR, Lt-Gen Seyran Oganyan, also took
part in the meeting.

Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:

PRESS RELEASE
August 1, 2006
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
E-mail: [email protected]

BIDEN & KERRY REQUEST HOLDOVER FOR AMBASSADOR DESIGNATE

Senate Vote on Hoagland Delayed Until September

Washington, DC – The nomination of Richard E. Hoagland as America’s
next Ambassador to Armenia was held over by the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee today, following concerns expressed by Ranking
Member Joseph Biden (D-DE) and Senator John Kerry (D-MA) to delay
consideration until the Committee’s next business meeting.

The lawmakers communicated their concerns to Committee Chairman
Senator Richard G. Lugar (R-IN), who announced the holdover. Biden
told Committee Members that "more than one colleague had approached
[him]," suggesting that voting be delayed until the next meeting.
Biden also said that although he does not expect the Administration to
change its position on this issue, he hopes they will find a way to
acknowledge the Armenian Genocide. Senator George Allen (R-VA), who
questioned Hoagland during his confirmation hearing in June, added
that "there was a Genocide" and that "Ambassador [John] Evans had to
resign for stating the obvious."

Hoagland is slated to replace Ambassador Evans who tendered his
resignation after serving only two years of what is typically a
three-year assignment. Last year, Evans was rebuked by the State
Department after publicly affirming the Armenian Genocide in the
course of his comments in the U.S. when he said "the Armenian Genocide
was the first genocide of the twentieth century."

In making his statements, Evans pointed to the International Center
for Transitional Justice (ICTJ), which concluded that the events of
1915 could be properly characterized as Genocide. President Bush
himself has twice referenced the ICTJ study. Additionally, a letter
from the State Department to Biden called it a "significant step
toward reconciliation" (See attached letter).

Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle have voiced their
concerns to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice over reports that
Ambassador Evans’ premature departure may be due to his public
comments on the Armenian Genocide. To date, the State Department has
provided no additional justification for Evans’ departure other than
to say that all Ambassadors serve at the pleasure of the President and
that allegations that Turkey was involved in pressuring for his early
departure are untrue. In addition to Senators Biden and Kerry, several
other Committee Members, including Sens. Lincoln Chafee (R-RI), Paul
Sarbanes (D-MD), George Allen (R-VA), Norm Coleman (R-MN), Russ
Feingold (D-WI) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA), have also pressed Hoagland
to clarify U.S. policy on the Armenian Genocide and to explain, how,
if confirmed, he plans to speak about the Genocide.

"The Assembly thanks Members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
for their leadership on this issue and their steadfast support of
reaffirming the Armenian Genocide," said Executive Director Bryan
Ardouny. "If the United States wants to play a leading role in the
region to help foster peace and democracy, then it should help Turkey
come to terms with its past and also establish normal relations with
its neighbor, Armenia. Speaking the truth should not be a punishable
offense. The Administration should take the next logical step to its
stated position, which provides a textbook definition of the Armenian
Genocide without using the words and, once and for all, reaffirm this
crime against humanity."

The Committee has not set a date for voting on the nomination, which
must take place before it goes to the full Senate for approval. In
the meantime, Ambassador Evans remains in Yerevan.

Hoagland has told Committee Members that if approved, he will
faithfully represent the President’s policy, which neither denies nor
properly acknowledges the attempted annihilation of the Armenian
people as Genocide. Hoagland, a career member of the Senior Foreign
Service, currently serves as United States Ambassador to the Republic
of Tajikistan. Prior to this, he served as Director of the Office of
Caucasus and Central Asian Affairs at the Department of State.
Earlier in his career, he served as Director of the Office of Public
Diplomacy in the Bureau of South Asian Affairs.

Born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Ambassador Hoagland completed his
graduate degrees at the University of Virginia and earned a
certificate in French from the University of Grenoble, France. Before
joining the Foreign Service in 1985, Ambassador Hoagland taught
English as a foreign language in the then-Zaire (1974-1976) and
African literature at the University of Virginia’s Carter-Woodson
Institute of African and Afro-American Studies.

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#2006-072

Editor ‘s Note: Attached is the full text of the State Department’s
letter to Senator Biden.

United States Department of State Washington, D.C. 20520

June 28, 2006

Dear Senator Biden:

Thank you for your letter of June 23 concerning Ambassador John Evans.

Ambassador Evans recently tendered his resignation as Ambassador to
the Republic of Armenia, but currently remains in charge of our
Embassy in Yerevan. We continue to work closely with him and his
capable team. Please be assured that allegations that the U.S. is
removing Ambassador Evans under pressure from the Government of Turkey
are simply untrue. The Government of Turkey has not approached the
Administration on this issue, and the United States and Turkey engaged
in no diplomatic exchanges related to this matter.

All U.S. Ambassadors, both career and non-career, serve at the
pleasure of the President and as advocates of the President’s
policies. President Bush has expressed his policy regarding the tragic
events of 1915 each year of his Presidency with his personal statement
on Armenian Remembrance Day, April 24. In those statements, the
President has called on all concerned parties to engage in thoughtful
introspection on the forced exile and mass killing of as many as 1.5
million Armenians by Ottoman troops. We share the profound sorrow of
Armenian communities around the world regarding these horrific
events. We believe this tragedy is of such enormous human significance
that its characterization should be determined through heartfelt
dialogue, not through diplomatic or political proclamations.

We are encouraging all concerned parties to advance such dialogue. One
such effort produced the analysis of the International Center for
Transitional Justice (ICTJ). This study of the legal character of the
horrors of 1915 marked a significant step toward reconciliation and
restoration of the spirit of tolerance and cultural richness that has
connected the people of the Caucasus and Anatolia for centuries.

Please let us know if we can be of assistance on this or any other
matter.

Sincerely,

Jeffrey T. Bergner
Assistant Secretary
Legislative Affairs

Syria stands to gain from Lebanon’s pain

Brian Whitaker in Damascus
Monday July 31, 2006
The Guardian

Hizbullah’s stock is rising among the Arab public, and the Syrian
regime is making the most of it, reports Brian Whitaker from Damascus

The Bakdash ice-cream parlour is one of the great institutions of old
Damascus, established in 1895 and renowned throughout the city. Among
the more distinguished visitors to have sampled its produce is the
king of Jordan, whose photo hangs prominently on the wall.

Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hizbullah, may be too busy just
now to drop in for a pistachio-sprinkled cornet but his photo has
recently joined that of the king. Interspersed between the elegant
chandeliers hanging from Bakdash’s ceiling, meanwhile, are images of
a fist clasping a rifle: the yellow-and-green flags of the Lebanese
Shia movement.

In a street around the corner, the owner of a jewellery shop also sings
the praises of Hizbullah. He’s an Armenian Christian, but that makes
little difference. "It’s the first time that Arabs hit Haifa," he says.

Reaching for a scrap of paper, he draws a rough map of the
Syrian-Lebanese-Israeli border and points to the Shebaa Farms, the
tiny patch of land claimed by Lebanon but still occupied by Israel.

"Five km, 10km – what does it matter? Give it back, sign an
agreement. Finished!"

Less than three weeks into the war in Lebanon, Hizbullah’s standing is
rising dramatically among the Arab public. The reasoning in Damascus
is that, short of annihilating Lebanon’s Shia population, Hizbullah
cannot be destroyed. At some point, the argument goes, Israel will
have to back off and Hizbullah will claim victory for having survived
the onslaught.

In anticipation of this, the Syrian regime, while trying to stay out
of the conflict itself, is seeking to bask in Hizbullah’s glory.
Posters on sale in the streets, and displayed in the back of car
windows, depict President Bashar al-Assad shoulder to shoulder with
Hassan Nasrallah.

"Syria doesn’t have to do very much to be potentially in a position
to gain," said one western diplomat in Damascus.

After years of international isolation, the regime is acquiring
leverage again through its ties with Hizbullah, though political
analyst Sami Moubayed doubts Syria can impose its will on the Lebanese
Shia if acting on its own.

"Only with Syrian-Iranian support can this war come to an end,"
he said. "Bringing Syria alone into talks will not end it."

Damascus would also expect rewards for its help, he added. "The Syrians
need carrots – big carrots." Among these would be a resumption of
talks about the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and the lifting of
US-imposed sanctions.

Internally, meanwhile, after a sticky period following the
assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri and the
reluctant withdrawal of its troops from Lebanon, the Syrian regime
looks far more secure. People have rallied round in support of a
popular cause and reformists are once again in the wilderness.

"The Syrian opposition will be silenced by growing dislike of the
United States," Damascus-based commentator Joshua Landis wrote in his
blog. "Syrians are less likely to trust the proposals for democratic
or pro-western change being put forward by the opposition. A month
ago there was considerable attention being paid to Assad’s crackdown
on the opposition. Not today."

Another result of the war is that despite international efforts last
year to end Syrian hegemony over Lebanon, Israeli bombing is driving
the two countries together again.

"Lebanon needs Syria more than ever," Mr Landis wrote. "It needs
Syria to be kind to the many refugees who have found protection and
safety in Syria. The Lebanese economy will be increasingly vulnerable
to Syrian pressure."

In the eyes of many Syrians, this simply proves that President Assad
was right all along when he predicted the Lebanese would regret
casting off the protection of their larger neighbour. His prophecy
that without Syrian troops Lebanon would once again descend into
civil war has not yet been fulfilled, though some Lebanese fear it
may if Israeli attacks continue.

Ultimately, the Damascus regime may emerge as the war’s real winner,
but the stakes are high and so are the risks, especially the risk of
being drawn into direct conflict with Israel. In the last few days,
Israeli warplanes have been probing Syrian airspace and Syrian
forces responded – as they always do in such a situation – with
anti-aircraft fire.

A week ago Syria quietly raised its military alert to the highest level
and cancelled all leave. All units are at full strength, contingency
plans are in place, and troops and equipment have been dispersed in
what one diplomat called a defensive posture.

"They are being very careful not to be provocative," the diplomat said,
though he thought there was still a 20% to 30% chance that unforeseen
events might drag Syria into the war.

The Abattoir and Gandhiji

Chennai Online, India
June 26 2006

Closer to the YMCA is the Golf Course of Chennai. A little away
from this is the city’s abattoir. It is a French word and should be
pronounced "abathwa". Do you know what happens here? Daily hundreds
of cattle are being slaughtered for their flesh. Even though this
abattoir or slaughterhouse is located at Saidapet, you can say that
you cannot spot any shop that sells mutton in Saidapet. Can it be
said that the Saidapet residents’ deference towards Gandhiji could
be the reason for this? Gandhi’s birthday will be celebrated in a
very modest way. But you still find about 20 persons who follow in
the footsteps of Gandhiji. Of them, one person runs a tailoring shop
from 9 in the morning to 5 in the evening. From 7 to 9 in the morning
and 5 to 8 in the evening it transforms into a library. He runs this
library with the books that he has collected and there are certain
books and collections, which you cannot find elsewhere.

In the old Chennai, the Saidapet market was a very important one.

Today modern markets are functioning in every part of Chennai. But
if you need to buy a mud pot now you should go to Saidapet. A small
trading company went from door to door and transformed the face
of salesmanship in India. That is the VGP Brothers. They made the
"Murphy" radio affordable even to a poor man by their easy monthly
instalment scheme, with which the less fortunate had access to all
radio programmes. It will not be an exaggeration if we say that, the
advent of the VGP Company brought out a new dimension in the daily
life of the Tamil people. After radio, they started selling various
household products in the easy monthly instalment scheme. This grew
up to such a great level and they started selling house sites also.

Today this instalment scheme has become a very common aspect of life.

This VGP Company is also running a large entertainment park today.

The VGP Square at Saidapet was a needed change to that place. The
few metres occupied by the VGP Square are the only modern structure
in Saidapet which otherwise reflects obsoleteness everywhere.

If one boundary of Saidapet is the Adyar River, then a significant
place in it is the Maraimalai Adigal Bridge. It was called the
Marmalong Bridge for over 200 years. The Armenian trader who built
the steps in St. Thomas Mount constructed this bridge. In the 1970s
this bridge was broadened. This was a time when Tamil enthusiasm was
prevalent everywhere and every non-Tamil name was replaced by a Tamil
name. This bridge was also renamed. Even then for many it is just the
Saidapet Bridge. But Saidapet itself is a very big bridge. It is the
bridge that links the South Tamil Nadu and Chennai.

Let us scan Chennai again….

Ashokamitran (Translated by Sujatha Pradeep)

es/2006/remi12.asp

ARMENIAN EXPERTS DOWNPLAY ISRAELI-ARAB CONFLICT’S IMPACT ON ARMENIA

Armenpress

YEREVAN, JULY 26, ARMENPRESS: An Armenian expert in Oriental studies
argued that the escalating situation in the Middle East is not having
and will not have any significant and direct impact on Armenia.

Nikolay Hovhanesian, the director of the Institute for Oriental
Studies, an affiliation of the National Academy of Sciences, told
Armenpress that the Israeli-Arab conflict may result in a peculiar
atmosphere to stir up serious concerns both in Armenia and the region
in general.

He said one of Armenia’s major concerns is what kind of
repercussions the conflict may have on relationships between
Armenia and the countries involved in the conflict, as well as on
Armenia’s relationships with other countries, which are behind the
conflict. "Though the escalating situation in the Middle East is
not very dangerous to Armenia, it, nevertheless, is not favorable
either. We have to evaluate the situation rightly," he said.

He said another major reason of concern for Armenia is the fate
of a strong Armenian community of Lebanon. He said the presence of
this community may have a direct impact on Armenia, recalling the
aftereffects of the 1975-1985 civil war in Lebanon that had a tragic
impact on the Armenian community, forcing thousands of Armenians
to emigrate to Europe and USA and dwindling the community by tens
of thousands.

Hovhanesian said the escalating situation may trigger another wave of
Armenian out-emigration from Lebanon. The Armenian expert downplayed
speculations that the attack on Lebanon is part of a covert strategy
to weaken Iran’s influence in the region.

"Iran is an old, but developed nation in the region with a vast
territory and huge scientific potential and strengthening or weakening
of its influence in the region cannot be linked with Hezbollah,
Hammas or other organizations," he opined.

He also emphasized Armenia’s relations with Iran saying this is
realized by all, including the USA, despite its strained relations
with Tehran.

Armenian defence minister hails NATO drill as very fruitful

Arminfo
24 Jul 06

Yerevan, 24 July: "We assess the exercise as very fruitful since the
main task, namely coordination of joint efforts to eliminate the
aftermath of disasters, has been fulfilled," the secretary of the
Security Council under the Armenian president and defence minister,
Serzh Sarkisyan, told a session at the Aviation Institute in Yerevan
today summarizing the results of an exercise.

This year the exercise was aimed at practising rapid reaction of
the joint staff of the armed forces of all participating countries,
which was achieved, he said.

The command-and-staff exercise with the participation of 300 servicemen
and experts from 11 countries – Armenia, the USA, Albania, Austria,
Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Romania, Tajikistan and
Ukraine – was organized with the help of the US European Command as
part of NATO’s Partnership for Peace programme.

Armenia was represented at the exercise by the Defence Ministry and
the Rescue Service. Foreign experts participating in the exercise
described as excellent the level of their organization and high
professionalism of Armenian rescuers.

The commander of the Kansas National Guard, Gen Tod M. Bunting,
noted that he was satisfied with the exercise, especially noting the
favourable conditions created for it.

"I am confident that the skills acquired by our servicemen during
the exercise will be necessary in dealing with emergencies," he said.

Vardan Oskanyan received EU special Representative Peter Semneby

ArmRadio.am
24.07.2006 18:00

RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan received today EU Special
Representative for the South Caucasus Peter Semneby.

The Foreign Minister noted during the joint press conference the
major questions on the agenda included EU-Armenia cooperation in the
framework of he European New Neighbors Program, the situation in
the Middle East, the possible development in Nagorno Karabakh and
Armenia’s relations with neighboring countries. Special importance
was attached to the parliamentary elections to be held in Armenia
2007. Peter Semneby confirmed EU’s willingness to assist in conducting
free and fair elections.

YEREVAN PRESS CLUB GIVES AWARDS TO BEST JOURNALIST OF ARMENIA

AZG Armenian Daily #135, 20/07/2006

The Yerevan Press Club gave awards to the best Armenian journalist of
this year, today. This year the prize "For Professional Highlighting
of the Recent Football Events" went to Senik Kara-Poghosian. The prize
"For Contribution to Highlighting of Various Viewpoints in Actual
Issues" went to Nver Mnatsakanian, author of "Perspectiva" program.

Hovhannes Yeranian, cultural observer of "Yerkir" newspaper received
the prize "For Devotion to the Theme." "Yerevan" magazine was awarded
"For the Best Presentation of Armenia in Abroad." Besides, Ashot
Gazazian received a prize for making journalism a literature in his
"In the Shadow of the Sun" book. In the course of the ceremony, Boris
Navasardian, chairman of YPC, promised to assist the local journalists
to participate in various arrangements not only in Armenia but also
in abroad.

By Sousana Margarian

More Lebanon Residents To Be Evacuated To Armenia

Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
July 19 2006

By Ruzanna Stepanian

Some two hundred more Armenian citizens and other residents of Lebanon
will be evacuated to Armenia on Thursday amid the continuing Israeli
assault on the tiny Arab state, the Foreign Ministry in Yerevan said
on Wednesday.

A ministry spokesman, Vladimir Karapetian, told RFE/RL that the
evacuees will be transported to Syria by bus and then fly to Yerevan on
board two Armenian airliners. "Most of them are citizens of Armenia,"
Karapetian said. The evacuees will be accompanied by Armenian diplomats
during the high-risk journey from Beirut to Aleppo, he said.

According to the ministry, 160 Armenians and dozens of Lebanese
citizens of Armenian descent have already escaped to Armenia since the
start of devastating Israeli raids on civilian and guerilla targets
in Lebanon on July 12. It says some 1,200 Armenian nationals lived
in the country before the assault.

Prime Minister Andranik Markarian has promised to provide "state
support" to them and other Lebanese residents who would like to take
refuge in Armenia. Two Armenian diplomats have been sent to Lebanon
and Syria to assist in their voluntary evacuation. Yerevan’s ambassador
in Beirut, Vahan Ter-Ghevondian, was scheduled to hold a special news
conference for Lebanese-Armenian media on Wednesday.

"I wouldn’t say there is a big influx of evacuees from Lebanon right
now," said Karapetian. "It’s just that we are prepared for such an
influx because it is not clear when all of this will end."

The official added that no Armenian casualties have been reported
so far. The Lebanese authorities say at least 280 people, the vast
majority of civilians, have been killed in the Israeli air strikes
launched in response to Hezbollah guerillas’ deadly cross-border
attack on Israel. The Armenian criticized the Israeli retaliation as
disproportionately harsh last week.

Lebanon is home to an estimated 80,000 ethnic Armenians that are
represented in the country’s government and parliament. Most of
them live in the Christian neighborhoods and suburbs of Beirut
that have largely been spared bombardment so far. "There is no mass
exodus of Armenians yet," Shahan Kahandarian, editor of the local
Armenian-language "Aztag" daily based, told RFE/RL from Beirut.

The situation appears to be far more dangerous in the
Armenian-populated village of Anjar in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley that
has been targeted by the Israeli air force. "There are roughly 2,500
Armenians living here," Kaloust Polazian, a local resident, said by
phone. "Authorities here are taking all necessary precautions. But
we don’t know what will happen. We are at the mercy of God."

"One is left to think that Lebanon’s Armenians have no future,"
he added grimly. The country is in serious trouble."