Author: Hovhannisian John

Pan Armenian News

TIME US EDITION SPREAD FILM DENYING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

06.06.2005 05:38

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A DVD attached to latest number of Time edition published
in US denies the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey at the beginning of
last century. The DVD recorded in Turkey informs that the `events of 1915 in
Turkey was not genocide but exile and the Turkish authorities provided the
Armenians with the daily meal and often they were fed better than the
Turkish escort.’ The film authors presented former Minister of Interior
Talaat Pasha as a national hero. Azerbaijani representative in the film
assures that Armenians, who once annihilated Turks, are annihilating Azeris
at present. The film tells that `Armenians fought for Hitler and then
committed terrorist acts against Turkish diplomats.’ Head of the Turkish
Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sinan Aygun informed that the film was shot
thanks to $1 million collected as donation and the shooting lasted for half
a year. This week 500 000 Europeans will watch the film, IA Regnum reports.

Journal of Turkish Weekly
June 4 2005

Will Yerevan open their archives?

source: Hurriyet, 4 June 2005

Speaking at a news conference on Friday, Prof. Dr. Enver Konukcu of
Erzurum Ataturk University Department of History said, “Our state
archives have already been opened. However, Yerevan will not open its
archives since there are so many documents which constitutes evidence
of massacres committed by Armenians against Turks.”

Konukcu added that that the media had an important role to play in
the allegations over the so-called genocide, saying that owners of
many newspapers in the United States were of Armenian and Greek origin.

“The Ottoman Empire faced a series of Armenian uprisings in eastern
Anatolia in 1829, under Sultan Abdul-Hamid II. After problems became
more serious, the Ottoman Empire adopted the Relocation Law. About
12 thousand Armenians had been living in Erzurum when the law had
come into force. 5 thousand of them had been relocated. The Ottoman
Empire had taken all necessary measures to protect the Armenian people
during the relocation.”

“Armenians claim that 1.5 million Armenians had been killed by
Turks. In fact, Turks have never committed genocide in their history.
Our state archives have already been opened. But, Yerevan will not
open its archives since there are many reports proving massacres
committed by Armenians against Turks,” he said.

Turkey asked the diaspora Armenians and Armenia open their archives.
The archive in Jerusalem, Istanbul Armenian Church and the Tashanak
arcives contains vital documents.

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
06/03/2005
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1) Armenia Stands Ready to Aid Javakhk
2) His Holiness Karekin II Begins Pontifical Visit to California
3) Armenia Promises to Bring Law in Line With European Standards
4) Members of Congress Speak out Against Turkish Government Crackdown on
Armenian Genocide Conference
5) Tufenkian Foundation Announces New Sponsorship in Karabagh Resettlement
Program
6) Dr. Vahe Peroomian Gets Appointment to College Board
7) Hamazkayin’s ‘Forum 2005’ Promises Fun and Enriching Summer Days
8) Postoian Preschool Secures Coveted LAUP Status and Funding

1) Armenia Stands Ready to Aid Javakhk

YEREVAN (Yerkir)–Armenia’s Prime Minister Andranik Margarian met with
Georgian
Parliament Speaker Nino Burjanadze and Prime Minister Zurab Noghaideli in
Tbilisi to discuss bilateral relations, as well as ways of improving the
socio-economic situation in Javakhk, A-INFO reported.
Margarian suggested that Armenia could help in repairing the roads and
alleviating the acute socio-economic situation. The Georgian officials gladly
accepted Armenia’s offer.

2) His Holiness Karekin II Begins Pontifical Visit to California

LOS ANGELES–His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, arrived in
California on June 1. Greeting the Catholicos on his arrival were His Eminence
Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian
Church of North America; His Eminence Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of
the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America; His Eminence
Archbishop Vatche Hovsepian, His Eminence Archbishop Arsen Berberyan, His
Eminence Archbishop Nerses Bozabalyan, several Diocesan clergy, Consul General
of Armenia Gagik Kirakosian, as well as members of the Diocesan Council, and
Armenian organizations.
The Primate greeted and officially welcomed the Catholicos on behalf of the
Western Diocese, referring to the Pontifical visit of His Holiness and a
“Renaissance of Faith” for the entire Armenian community.
In turn, His Holiness expressed his happiness on the Occasion of his
Pontifical visit to the Western Diocese, which houses substantial Armenian
communities particularly in California and Los Angeles. His Holiness conveyed
his appreciation of the extensive efforts put forth by the Pontifical Visit
Committee in preparation of his visit. He expressed his eagerness to meet the
faithful of the Western Diocese in the various events which have been planned
for the three upcoming weeks, and to extend to them his blessings form the
other See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
The Diocese of the Armenian Church was established on July 2,
1898 by His Holiness Mgrdich Khrimian, Catholicos of All Armenians. Taking
into
consideration the distance between California and the East Coast, the
center of
the Diocese, His Holiness Kevork V, Catholicos of All Armenians, established
the Western Diocese on Nov. 28, 1927. Bishop Karekin Khachadourian became the
first Primate. Although the Diocese was first centered in Fresno, the
headquarters moved to Los Angeles in 1957 due to the growing Armenian
community
in Southern California.
Following the warm welcome at the airport, Catholicos Karekin II and his
entourage were escorted by the Primate and the greeting committee to the Ritz
Carlton Hotel in Pasadena, where a host of faithful had gathered awaiting the
arrival of their Supreme spiritual leader.
The faithful in attendance greeted the Catholicos with warm applause. The
Primate, once again, conveyed his warm greetings to the Pontiff and invited
him
to bless the attendees. His Holiness extended his Pontifical blessings from
the
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin to the faithful.
His Holiness gave an exclusive interview to Horizon TV on Friday morning.

REVISED Schedule

Transportation of Parishioners Pontifical Divine Liturgy on Sunday, June 5,
2005

St. John Garabed Armenian Apostolic Church
1201 North Vine Street
Hollywood, CA 90038
323-465-9008
2:00 p.m.

St. James Armenian Apostolic Church
4950 West Slauson Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 9056
323-295-4588
1:30 p.m.

Burbank Armenian Apostolic Church
3325 North Glenoaks Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91504
818-558-7474
1:30 p.m.

St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church
700 South La Verne Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90022
323-269-0907
2:00 p.m.

St. Kevork Armenian Apostolic Church
1434 West Kenneth Road
Glendale, CA 91201
818-243-7808
2:00 p.m.

St. Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church
2215 East Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91107
626-449-1523
1:30 p.m.

St. Peter Armenian Apostolic Church
17231 Sherman Way
Van Nuys, CA 91406
818-344-4860
1:00 p.m.

St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church
148 East 22nd Street
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
949-650-8367
2:00 p.m.

3) Armenia Promises to Bring Law in Line With European Standards

YEREVAN (RFE-RL/Armenpress)–Senior legal experts from two leading
pan-European
organizations said on Friday that more amendments to Armenia’s controversial
law on demonstrations are needed to bring it into conformity with European
standards on freedom of assembly.
The law was amended by the Armenian parliament last month and makes it easier
for political and other groups to organize public gatherings.
Senior representatives of the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission and the
OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) welcomed
those changes at a seminar organized by them in Yerevan, but they said it
still
gives the authorities unjustified discretionary powers to restrict and block
street protests.
“There are still problems that need to be dealt with and solved, like, for
instance, the list of locations where meetings and rallies are forbidden or
the
distances between these places and a rally,” said Gianni Buquicchio, secretary
of the Venice Commission.
Buquicchio said Armenian authorities have demonstrated their commitment to
amending the law following a Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly
resolution, which called on the Armenian authorities to introduce
amendments to
the law on demonstrations and public assemblies by March 2005 to bring it into
full conformity with Council of Europe standards. “We want to see Armenia
develop both democratically and economically,” he said.
The Armenian authorities say they have already accepted most of the Venice
Commission’s recommendations on the issue. They argue that law-enforcement
officials can now disperse a demonstration only if it poses a threat to
“public
and state security.” Another amendment simplified procedures for notifying
relevant authorities of plans to rally people in a particular location.
Deputy parliament speaker Tigran Torosian assured that changes will be
incorporated into the new law to clarify any vagueness, adding that
cooperation
with the Council of Europe will continue to ensure Armenia’s full integration
into the “Wider Europe: New Neighborhood” program.
Representatives from Armenia and members of the Venice Commission will met in
Strasbourg on June 23-24 to discuss the draft, after which it will be
presented
to the National Assembly for a second reading. The referendum is expected to
take place no later than in October.

4) Members of Congress Speak out Against Turkish Government Crackdown on
Armenian Genocide Conference

“The sad reality, Mr. Speaker, is that when it comes to facing the judgment of
history about the Armenian genocide, Turkey, rather than acknowledging the
truth, has instead chosen to trample on the rights of its citizens and still
maintain lies.”

–Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ)

WASHINGTON, DC (ANCA)–Members of Congress this week expressed outrage and
disappointment at the Turkish Government’s recent decision to block a planned
academic conference on the Armenian Genocide.
The event, organized by scholars from Turkey’s Bilgi, Bogazici and Sabanci
Universities, was scheduled to take place May 25-27th at Bosphorus University.
In remarks of the House floor, Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank
Pallone (D-NJ) commented that the government’s forced cancellation of the
conference “further affirms the speculation that the image that the Turkish
Government has attempted to create for itself is nothing more than a desperate
attempt to create a facade. Contrary to what Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan
and
other Turkish officials would have us believe, the Government of Turkey is not
democratic, is not committed to creating a democracy, is not making an effort
to create better relations with Armenia and is definitely not ready to join
the
European Union.”
Rep. Pallone went on to explain that the US “cannot sit by and allow any
nation that we consider an ally and a nation that is desperately seeking
admission into the European Union to behave in such a manner. To bring this
development into perspective, consider that according to current law in
Turkey,
dozens of US Senators and hundreds of Congressmen would be punished simply for
having voted for Armenian Genocide resolutions, spoken about the lessons of
this crime against humanity or commemorated the victims of the atrocity. So,
too, would the American academic establishment, human rights groups, the
mainstream media and just about everyone else aside from the Turkish Embassy
and its paid lobbyists here in Washington, DC”
Fellow Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Joe Knollenberg questioned the Turkish
Government’s commitment to democracy and free speech. “An important test of
whether a country is a healthy democracy is whether someone can go out into a
town square and speak their opinions freely. When the Turkish government
cancels an academic conference like this and calls the participants traitors,
it becomes very clear that they have not made a sufficient commitment to
protecting free speech. These actions seriously undermine Turkey’s
credibility,” stated Rep. Knollenberg.
California Democrat Adam Schiff, author of the 2004 “Schiff Amendment” on the
Armenian Genocide, concurred. “The decision to hold a conference at Bogazici
University to discuss the Armenian Genocide held out promise that Turkey would
begin confronting all aspects of its Ottoman past. Cancellation of the
conference, and the Justice Minister’s inflammatory accusation of ‘treason,’
shows that Turkey’s intellectual freedom and academic independence has taken
one step forward and two giant steps back. How much longer will it take modern
Turkey to recognize the facts of a genocide now 90 years old,” asked Rep.
Schiff.
Rep. George Radanovich (R-CA), who spearheaded a successful effort in 1996 to
cut foreign aid to Turkey due to its ongoing denial of the Armenian Genocide,
stated: “Turkish government pressure on historians from Bilgi, Bogazici and
Sabanci Universities to cancel the Armenian Genocide conference is yet another
indication of the Turkish government’s repression of freedom of speech and
lack
of respect for academic freedom. The action exposes as a hollow gesture Prime
Minister Erdogan’s call for a dialogue between Turkish and Armenian
historians. The Turkish government’s labeling of Turkish academics as
‘traitors’ simply for discussing the Genocide amongst themselves underscores
the need for those of us here, in the United States, to call on Ankara to end
its campaign of genocide denial.”
Urging Turkey to end its ongoing denial of the Armenian Genocide, Michigan
Republican Thaddeus McCotter argued, “Only honesty can begin to ease the ache
of this evil perpetrated upon the Armenian people, and to further guard
against
a recrudescence of genocide anywhere in our world. Thus, any delay in
acknowledging and apologizing for their nation’s abhorrent historical crime
only serves to embolden other proponents of genocide, and to implicate this
generation of Turks in the sins of the past.”
Rep. Steve Rothman (D-NJ) took direct aim at statements by Turkish Justice
Minister Cemil Cicek, who dubbed conference organizers as “traitors.” “I
condemn the recent action taken by the Turkish government to censor academic
debate about the Armenian Genocide. Democracy and truth were thrown out the
window when Turkish Justice Minister Cemil Cicek accused historians at three
prestigious Turkish universities of treason when they attempted to debate the
issue of the Armenian Genocide. Turkey does not deserve to be granted
membership in the European Union if they continue to shut down educated
discussion about this issue.”
The Conference, titled “Ottoman Armenians During the Decline of the Empire:
Issues of Scientific Responsibility and Democracy,” was jointly organized by
the Comparative Literature Department of Bilgi University, the History
Department of Bogazici University and the History Program at Sabanci
University. Originally set to take place May 25th-27th at Bosphorus
University,
the schedule was to include over 30 papers by Turkish scholars from Turkey and
abroad.
In the days leading up to the conference, Turkish Government officials spoke
stridently against the conference and its organizers. Turkish Justice Minister
Cemil Cicek, in a speech before the Turkish Parliament on Tuesday, went so far
as to accuse the academics of “treason.” The Minister described the
conference
as a “a stab in the back to the Turkish nation.” Cicek expressed regret that,
as Justice Minister, he could not personally prosecute the organizers and
participants.
The government crackdown on the conference is the most recent chapter in the
Turkish government’s 90-year campaign of genocide denial. This effort has
intensified in recent years. In 2003, Education Minister Hikmet Cetin issued a
decree making student participation in a nation-wide essay contest denying the
Armenian Genocide compulsory. The most recent revisions to the Turkish Penal
Code criminalize references to the Armenian Genocide and the removal of troops
from Turkish occupied northern Cyprus.

5) Tufenkian Foundation Announces New Sponsorship in Karabagh Resettlement
Program

Dr. Alber Karamanoukian joins effort to resettle Karabagh’s border regions

STEPANAKERT–The Tufenkian Foundation this week announced a generous gift by
Dr. Alber Karamanoukiantowardits ongoing efforts to promote Mountainous
Karabagh’s resettlement. Dr. Karamanoukian’s gift of $20,000 will underwrite
the construction of one house and associated facilities in Arajamough, a new
village the Foundation is building in Karabagh’s border regions.
Begun in 2004, Arajamough currently houses 25 resettlers, consisting of 6
families, most of them refugees from Azerbaijan. The village will welcome
another 6 families this fall. The Tufenkian Foundation is committed to
building
and resettling at least 6 houses per year until the Arajamough project is
completed.
“We are grateful to Dr. Karamanoukian for his generous support of this
project,” stated Antranig Kasbarian, a Program Director withthe Foundation.
“Indeed, his support for resettlement extends beyond this project and toward
the larger vision of fortifying Artsakh–particularly its vulnerable border
regions–as a crucial component of our national security.”
In turn, Dr. Karamanoukian praised the Foundation for itsefforts. “Resettling
Karabagh is of vital importance, particularly whenmany people stilllack decent
housing,facilities, and especially jobs. I commend the Foundation’s commitment
to raising the bar in each of thesefields, and urge others to join the effort
to consolidate our victories on the ground.”
The Arajamough project features newly built houses with modern amenities.
Alongside these, the Tufenkian Foundation isproviding water, power lines,
gravel roads, as well as administrative support in bolstering the village.
Future plans include animal husbandry and land cultivation, in order to
providesustainable livelihoods and to spureconomic growth insurrounding areas.
“Our view of resettlement is an integrated one, and moves beyond the usual
humanitarian-subsistence approaches,” stated Kasbarian. “The Karabagh war
created many thousands of refugees and homeless persons; some of these have
left the area entirely, while many others continue to eke out an existence in
ruined areas amidst primitive conditions. Under such circumstances, our very
existence on these lands remains tenuous. If we are to attract Armenians back
and solidify our presence, then clearly having a roof over one’s head is not
enough. Rather, people mustgain hope that there is a future living on these
lands, which is why modern facilities, infrastructure, and the promise of
economic activity are essential as well.”
Dr. Karamanoukian is a prominent physician and businessman based in Glendale,
California. He has a long record of philanthropy toward Armenian causes.
The Tufenkian Foundation was established in 1999 by New York-based
entrepreneur James Tufenkian. The Foundation currently pursues a wide array of
projects in Armenia and in Karabagh, and also sponsors the “Armenian Forests”
NGO, which addresses environmental issues. To learn more about the
Foundation’s
efforts, please see the Foundation’s website at
, or
contact Antranig Kasbarian at [email protected].

6) Dr. Vahe Peroomian Gets Appointment to College Board

GLENDALE–After two weeks of special meetings and candidate forums, Dr. Vahe
Peroomian was appointed to the Glendale College Board of Trustees last
Thursday
in a 3 to 1 vote.
After the election of Trustee Ara James Najarian to the Glendale City Council
in April 2005, a vacant seat opened on the traditionally five-member Board of
Trustees. Seventeen applicants most with PhD, EdD JD, and MBA degrees vied for
that position, to make the procedure quite challenging.
“We had to create a system that surfaced the best candidate,” said Dr. Armine
Hacopian, current member of the College Board. “Dr. Peroomian stood out from
the rest of the highly qualified candidates as he was a Ph.D. in the sciences
and had worked with transfer students from GCC at UCLA. Glendale Community
College has an excellent, state of the art, Cimmarusti Science center and we
need to bring much more focusto this excellent program and by selecting Dr.
Peroomian, we hope to do just that. He will be a great asset on the board and
that is why he received three out of the fourtrustee votes.”
Several members of the community were on hand to vouch for Dr. Peroomian’s
credentials. “Dr. Peroomian is not just a qualified candidate, he is an
excellent candidate. His experience in the sciences will give him a unique
voice on the board,” praised Armond Gorgorian, Executive Direct during oral
comments. “His awards, achievements, and appreciative students are only an
additional testament to his wonderful character.”
The list of final candidates included: Christina Rodriguez, a social science
instructor at East Los Angeles College; Ruth Sowby, an adjunct Glendale
Community College instructor and full time DeVry instructor; Tony Tartaglia,
president of the Glendale College Foundation and employee of Southern
California Gas Co.; Debra Dentler, an attorney an former GCC instructor;
Richard Jouroyan, a retired attorney who worked extensively with the Glendale
Unified School District; Stuart Wilcox, dean of instructional planning and
research at Pasadena City College; and Charles “Tye” Veden, a retired
businessman
“We are extremely proud of Dr. Peroomian and congratulate him, as well as the
Board of Trustees, for his appointment. Although he will no doubt leave a void
within our own organization as he leaves to commit his attention to the
college, we feel his role on the Board of Trustees will benefit the entire
Glendale community as well as the College community. We are confident that his
ability to be a consensus builder and strong leader as well as his
professional
background will make him a valuable voice on the Board especially as the
college embarks on appointing a new President,” said Armenian National
Committee Director Alina Azizian in a statement on Friday.

7) Hamazkayin’s ‘Forum 2005’ Promises Fun and Enriching Summer Days

Since its inception in 1995 the Hamazkayin Summer Forum has provided a
friendly
and exciting environment for bright young Armenians. Students get the
chance to
learn a great deal about Armenian culture, discover the sites and sounds of
the
host country, and, most importantly, plant the seeds for lifelong friendships.
Thought provoking lectures, trips to historic destinations, and nights of
dancing and entertainment are only some of the activities the forum has to
offer. Past participants have called it “an experience of a lifetime.”
Forum 2005, July 21-August 3, promises to be another exciting year with
visits
to Khor Virab, Lake Sevan, Yeraplour, the, Armenian Manuscripts Museum
(Madenataran), the Sarian and Parajanov Museums, the Genocide Memorial
Monument
and Museum, and the St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral. The forum lecture
series this year features a diverse pool of speakers, including UCLA AEF Chair
Professor Richard Hovannisian, art historian and critic Shahen Khatchatrian,
and art curator Henrik Iguitian.

Hamazkayin’s ‘Forum 2005’ Promises Fun and Enriching Summer Days

By Betty Panosian

Summer is at our doorsteps and one keeps wondering what to do during the hot
and lazy months that may not only be of great entertainment, but also leave a
lasting impact on our lives. There’s a whole package of summer fun and
adventure waiting for those college students who are ready to take the
opportunity of spending a couple of weeks full of unforgettable memories,
newly
found friendships, sightseeing trips, concerts and plays, lectures, and round
table discussions on present-day topics of interest…and all in the heavenly
countryside of our homeland Armenia and the bubbly streets of its capital
Yerevan.
Ever wanted to visit Armenia, but never had friends to go along with? Ever
wanted to have real fun in the lively cafes and clubs of Yerevan while at the
same time absorbing the culture and traditions of your ancestral country? Ever
felt troubled by issues concerning you as a youth of Armenian origin and
living
in the diaspora? Ever wanted to share your viewpoints and problems with people
of your age, but not finding any? Ever dreamed of having a web of friends from
all over the world?
“Hamazkayin Students Cultural Forum 2005” provides the answer. The
well-arranged timetable enables a participant to get imbued with the Armenian
heritage, and yet enjoy plenty of free and leisure time. With its cool days of
trips to historic Armenian landmarks, cultural lectures and social debates,
its
evenings of theatre and concert attendance, and its hot nights sizzling with
long hours of dancing and entertainment, “Forum 2005” promises to be a
singular
venue to take part in what has been called by previous participants “an
experience of a lifetime.”
During the past decade, Armenian youth in the diaspora and the homeland have
had the opportunity to participate in this summer project, combining the
exciting and entertaining with the cultural and educational. These forums are
an interesting and successful effort to combine the ingredients for an
unforgettable summer vacation. Organized by the Hamazkayin Educational and
Cultural Society, one can be sure that they will provide a healthy and
friendly
environment. Get ready! Pack up! A whole bundle of entertainment is ahead!

For more information on the upcoming forum, visit or
contact Shoushig Arslanian at [email protected].

8) Postoian Preschool Secures Coveted LAUP Status and Funding

By Marie A. Dakessian, PhD

Rose and Alex Pilibos, Mary Postoian Preschool is the first and only Armenian
center for early childhood education to be funded by Los Angeles Universal
Preschool (LAUP) school, the highest distinction granted in Los Angeles
County.
Located in the Little Armenia district of Los Angeles, for over 30 years
Postoian has nurtured generations of 2, 3, and 4-year-olds in a high-quality
learning environment that has made it a source of great pride for the
community. “With this achievement, our years of hard work, professionalism,
and devotion to the education of young children were rewarded and validated,”
Preschool Director Takouhey Saatjian stated.
In 1998, California voters approved Proposition 10, a tobacco tax to fund
early childhood health and education programs. What emerged was First 5 LA, a
non-profit organization devoted to improving the lives of LA County children.
Established under the auspices of First 5 LA, LAUP seeks–within ten years–to
provide a first-rate preschool education to every 4-year-old child living
in LA
County. This objective arises in response to a number of challenges faced by
the current preschool system, including overcrowding and underfunding.
LAUP aims not only to establish additional preschools in underserved areas,
but also to foster program enhancement at existing centers. To realize this
goal, LAUP announced its “Early Launch” program, the preliminary stage of its
comprehensive plan extending over the next several years. During this pilot
period, classrooms in 100 education centers will be approved and accepted into
the LAUP system. To date, approximately 2650 centers representing 94
classrooms
have attained this distinction, including Postoian Preschool.
The lengthy and detailed Early Launch process began last October.
Orientation
sessions were followed by written applications in November from centers that
met the established curricular, licensing, fiscal, and other criteria.
Based on
the limited scope of Early Launch, in December a lottery was used to select
applicants eligible for a site visit, the most rigorous phase of the process.
Visits were conducted in January and February, with results available by
March.
“Getting ready to welcome the LAUP team,” Director Saatjian said, “was a very
challenging as well as exciting process.” The site visit involved classroom
assessments based upon the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS), a
widely used resource for program evaluation. Members of the UCLA Center for
Improving Child Care Quality, in collaboration with the Los Angeles County
Office of Child Care, performed the review. Factors such as teacher
qualifications, adult-to-child ratio, group size, program structure, daily
activities, cleanliness and personal care, classroom setup, interaction, and
supervision were considered. In addition, parent interviews gleaned
information regarding involvement and participation, issues whose
importance is
underscored by LAUP.
According to Rita Noravian, Postoian parent and PTO president, “The Preschool
prides itself on an open-door policy whereby parents are welcome at any
time to
communicate suggestions and concerns. Our parents are very involved with
programs and events throughout the year and regard themselves an integral part
of the Preschool.” The evaluators also examined the facility’s documents and
written policies concerning working conditions, qualifications, benefits,
professional development, retention, and community relationships.
As of April, Postoian became an LAUP school. This status ensures funding
for a
variety of enrichment programs, such as classes in music and movement as well
as in gymnastics; hands-on experiences during field trips; a summer program
which will provide 4-year-olds with skills necessary in kindergarten;
parenting
classes throughout the year; and additional professional development seminars
for staff members. LAUP’s philosophy is grounded in educational progressits
expectation is that approved centers not only maintain recognized standards of
excellence, but that they continually improve upon them. Postoian Preschool
shares this belief. For example, its Early Childhood Education (ECE)
credentialed, highly experienced instructors possess the qualifications to
teach at even the elementary-school level, and they regularly participate in
professional training and enhancement workshops. In Rita Noravian’s view, “The
faculty and administration excel every day at making the children’s first
formal schooling experience a memorable and educational one.”
Postoian also has consistently been accredited by NAEYC, the National
Association for the Education of Young Children. According to Saatjian, “Our
high-quality program, which complies with the California Department of
Education Pre-K guidelines and NAEYC standards, prepares 4-year-olds for
kindergarten through a bilingual curriculum. Children learn the Armenian
language and heritage as well as respect for our multicultural world.”
For Saatjian, it’s all about the children. Her dedication and commitment to
early childhood education is evident in her over 20 years of experience. She
recognizes the vital importance of a first-rate learning environment for
Armenian preschoolers. Without her foresight, resolve, and diligence, this
unprecedented achievement could not have been realized. As a Postoian parent
and PTO member, I heartily applaud this success, one that the entire Los
Angeles Armenian community can celebrate.

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U.S. based center condemns Turkish government’s action to cancel conference

03.06.2005 11:13

YEREVAN (YERKIR) – U.S.-based Middle East International Establishment
has sent a letter to Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan, condemning
the cancellation of a conference organized on Armenian issues by
the Bosphorus University in Turkey, Armenpress reported, citing the
Turkish TV station NTV.

2,600 scholars, who have signed the letter, say they are concerned
over the Turkish government’s position on discussions of the Armenian
Genocide issue. Noting that the conference was organized in accordance
with the Turkish laws, its postponement breaches the rights of Turkish
scientists to free expression.

“Ottoman Armenians at decline of the Empire. Scientific Responsibility
and Issues of Democracy” conference was postponed after the threatening
speech of Turkish Justice Minister Cemil Ciceq on May 24.

7 Firms seek the Management of Ataturk Airport

The new managing company of Ataturk Airport International and
Domestic terminals will be determined through a tender scheduled for
June 10, reports Zaman Daily

Zaman (Istanbul)
02 June 2005

The company that provides the highest bid in a closed envelope bid will
win the lease for the international and domestic airport terminals for
a period of 15.5 years. Meanwhile, the date of tender determined for
June 3, was postponed for a week when some of the bidders confirmed
that they were not yet prepared.

Alsim Alarko will join the bidding with Corporacion America SA,
owned by an Argentinean businessman of Armenian-origin, Eduardo
Eurnekian. The head of Eurnekian is at the same time one of the
partners of a consortium that operates 32 airports in Argentina.

Eurnekian is also making significant investments in the agricultural
sector in Argentina, other American countries, and Armenia; has also
recently taken control of the operation of Zvartnots International
Airport in Armenia.

On the other hand, Ictas that operates Antalya Airport’s second
international terminal (AY Terminal 2) joins the tender in a consortium
with TBI (Luton Airport-Britain). TBI manages an airport in London.

Celebi also enters the bidding with German Company Fraport that manages
Antalya international lines terminal with Bayindir. Canadian company,
SNC prepares to make an offer with ADP (Aero Due Paris) that operates
12 airports in Paris.

One of the strongest consortiums that will participate in the bidding
is Kuala Lumpur Airport’s managing organization, the Malaysian Company
KLI and ADR (Auroport Di Roma) that operates Leonardo Da Vinci and
Fiominico airport in Rome.

IRANIAN TRADE CENTER IN YEREVAN AND ARMENIAN CENTER IN TEBRIZ TO BE OPENED

Pan Armenian News
02.06.2005 03:55

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Yesterday Governor of Eastern Azerbaijan Iranian province
Doctor Mohammad Ali Sobhanollah received and held talks with the
commercial and economic delegation of Armenia. He noted the high
level of the industrial, transport, scientific, technical and travel
potential of the province. He said the province administration is ready
to open a Trade Center of Armenia in Tebriz and suggested to establish
a direct air line between Tebriz and Yerevan in the prospect. A
memorandum on an agreement over Armenian-Iranian commercial and
economic, scientific and technical, as well as cultural cooperation was
signed. When addressing the conference Chairman of the Joint Chamber
of Commerce and Industry of Iran and Armenia Akharunian said a Trade
Center of Iran will open in Yerevan in the near future, Irna reported.

Genocide armenien : la democratie en question
By Marie-Michèle Martinet

Le Figaro, France
01 juin 2005

Murat Celikkan a la reputation de ne pas mâcher ses mots. Journaliste
au quotidien Radikal et connu pour son engagement de longue date en
faveur des droits de l’homme, il n’a pas hesite a reclamer la
demission du ministre de la Justice, Cemil Cicek, quelques jours
avant la mise en application du nouveau code penal. Ce jour-la,
Radikal faisait sa manchette sur ce titre : ” Tolerance zero pour la
liberte. ” Selon le journaliste, plusieurs recents derapages font
planer de lourdes menaces sur la democratie en Turquie. Dernier en
date : l’annulation d’une conference sur l’Armenie, organisee par la
prestigieuse universite stambouliote de Bogazici. Pendant trois
jours, des intellectuels turcs devaient engager un debat sur la
question armenienne qui, on l’a vu au mois d’avril, a l’occasion du
90 e anniversaire du genocide, demeure un sujet sensible, voire
tabou.

La reaction du ministre de la Justice, qui s’est empresse de
suspendre la conference, en est une nouvelle illustration. Il n’est
desormais plus question de designer les manipulations venues de
l’etranger ou le lobbying de la diaspora armenienne, puisque le debat
devait se tenir entre universitaires turcs. Cela n’a pas empeche
Cemil Cicek de menacer les participants de poursuites judiciaires.
Selon le ministre de la Justice, il s’agit d’un ” coup de couteau
dans le dos de la nation turque ” et les organisateurs sont coupables
de ” trahison “.

Pour Murat Celikkan, et de nombreux intellectuels et journalistes
turcs qui ont manifeste leur soutien aux organisateurs de la
conference, cet episode ” montre bien qu’il n’existe pas de culture
democratique dans ce pays “. Le nouveau code penal contiendrait a ce
titre de nombreuses menaces : ” La question est maintenant de savoir
comment les juges vont appliquer les nouveaux textes “, precise le
journaliste. Pour cette raison, les mois a venir devraient permettre
a la presse et aux intellectuels de mesurer les limites de leur
liberte.

–Boundary_(ID_kKMoWn93nVYW3u7r4Q4u4Q)–

RSF, Concerned of New Turkish Penal Code

KurdishMedia, UK
June 2 2005

01/06/2005 Bianet.org

Parliamentary amendments drawn up ahead of 1st June to the Turkish
Penal Code on freedom of expression related articles are very
inadequate, says international journalists rights organization RSF.
They share concerns of Turkish colleagues.

BIA (Paris) – Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said it shared the
concerns of Turkish journalists over threats to press freedom from
a new criminal law that still needed major amendments before coming
into force on 1st June.

Despite revisions voted by parliament after it was adjourned on 31
March 2005 following strong media protests, the organization repeated
its call for the removal of prison sentences for press offences.

“Far from bringing Turkish law into line with European law on freedom
of expression, some articles of the code on the contrary would
facilitate arbitrary legal action against journalists and entailing
a climate of self-censorship damaging to press freedom”, it said.

Several articles of the new code are particularly perilous. Article
305, which punishes acts that go against “fundamental national
interests” by prison sentences of three to ten years, threatens
journalists and the right of the public to be informed.

Any claim to do with the “Armenian genocide” or “withdrawal of Turkish
armed forces in Cyprus” would be considered as against “fundamental
national interests”.

Dozens of journalists have been imprisoned in the past for having
simply expressed their opinion on this type of subject.

Turkish deputies did nevertheless agree to remove paragraph 2 of
the article which set out a 50 percent increase in sentences if the
offence was committed via the press.

Article 301 that is to replace 159 has been used in the past to
severely punish any criticism of parliament, the justice system or
the security forces.

It will be termed in future “Humiliation of Turkish identity, the
Republic, state institutions and bodies”.

It will allow wide scope for interpretation and threaten anyone
criticizing Turkish identity, the state or parliament with a prison
sentence of six months to three years. Any person who attacks the
government, justice system or the security forces moreover faces six
months to two years in prison.

Article 285 threatens with four and half years in prison anyone
“violating the confidentiality of an investigation”. This could be
a serious threat to the right of journalists to protect their sources.

Article 277 punishes anyone trying to “sway the justice system” with
two to four years in prison and potentially puts in danger journalists
covering court proceedings.

Under Article 267 of the new code, defamation in the press with the
aim of exposing someone to a judicial investigation is liable to a
one to four-year prison sentence.

Article 216, formerly 312, punishes with one to three years in prison
“deliberate incitement of a section of the population to hatred
and hostility through discrimination on the basis of race, region
or membership of a religious group, against another section of the
population” that causes “a clear and direct danger to the public”
(paragraph 1).

“Humiliation of a section of the population due to social, religious,
sexual or regional differences” is liable to a sentence of six months
to one year in prison (paragraph 2). “Overt humiliation of a person
because of their religious principles is liable to six months to one
year in prison if the offence threatens social peace” (Paragraph 3).
This “humiliation”, a very vague legal concept, capable of being
interpreted very widely by jurisprudence, directly threatens freedom
of expression both for journalists and for the general public.

This is not an exhaustive list. Turkish journalists and press freedom
organisations see parliamentary amendments drawn up ahead of 1st June
to the version of the code as it was to have been applied on 1st April,
as very inadequate. They consider that only six of the 20 problematic
points have been revised Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government. (YE)

Call for major amendments to new criminal code that threatens press
freedom

New Republic , D.C.
June 1 2005

WHY THE FRENCH VOTE WAS GOOD FOR EUROPE.

For Better
by Efraim Karsh

On Sunday, Europe’s “grand political project,” as Romano Prodi,
former president of the European Commission, has termed it, took
a major beating when French voters decisively rejected the new EU
constitution. The defeat followed a scare mongering campaign by pro-EU
politicians across Europe on the dangers of voting no. While Jacques
Chirac merely threatened his constituents that their neighbors
were bound to regard a no vote as a French rejection of Europe,
other politicians went further. Dutch Prime Minister Jan-Peter
Balkenende warned that rejection of the constitution could lead
to a new Holocaust. “I’ve been in Auschwitz and Yad Vashem,” he
said. “The images haunt me every day. It is supremely important for
us to avoid such things in Europe. We really ought to think about that
more.” Sweden’s European commissioner Margot Wallstrom followed suit in
a speech on the sixtieth anniversary of V-E Day at the Theresienstadt
concentration camp in Prague. “There are those today who want to
scrap the supranational idea,” she warned. “They want the European
Union to go back to the old purely inter-governmental way of doing
things. I say those people should come to Terezin [Theresienstadt]
and see where that old road leads.”

But in truth, France’s vote against the constitution is an important
victory for European unity, because the document posed a serious threat
to the great European experiment in peace and prosperity. What began 53
years ago as an idealistic attempt to use economic cooperation to heal
a war-torn continent has deteriorated with the passage of time into
a gigantic imperial machinery that has largely eroded the democratic
values and objectives for which it was originally established.

As the European Coal and Steel Community evolved (in 1957) to
the European Economic Community and then (in the mid-1980s) to the
European Union, and as its membership expanded from the original six
to a staggering 25, the organization’s vision of a confederation of
states collaborating on an equal footing was increasingly replaced
by the reality of an empire in the making–a consensual empire, yes,
but an empire all the same, one in which a metropolitan center run by
a new kind of bureaucratic political elite is responsible for more
and more European decision-making and increasingly determined to
remove control of lawmaking from member state governments. As Czech
president Vaclav Klaus has warned:

The dangers are that Europe is departing from the foundations of
democracy and liberty. I cannot imagine a democratic society without
a nation state. I do not mean an ethnically pure nation state, which
I reject. Democracy needs an identifiable state as its base–otherwise
we are in a post-democracy and the European Union is a post-democratic
institution.

The distinction between this outlook and that of Chirac and his
likeminded EU supporters is hardly a matter of academic sophistry. It
is the difference between individualism and universalism, between
independent paths of development and the expansionist impulse–in
short, the difference between nation and empire.

Taking their cue from a dominant post-World War II school of thought,
the so-called pro-Europeans hold nationalism to be the scourge of
international relations and the primary source of conflict and war;
and they regard a tightly unified pan-European super-state as a
panacea. In fact, there is nothing inherently ugly or violent about
the desire of a specific group of people, sharing attributes including
a common descent, language, culture, tradition, and history, to live
their lives as they see fit in a territory they consider to be their
historical or ancestral homeland.

Rather, the real problem is imperialism, which has constituted the
foremost generator of violence throughout world history. The desire
to dominate foreign creeds, nations, or communities and to occupy
territories well beyond the ancestral homeland contains the inevitable
seeds of violence. The worst atrocities in human history–from the
exile of entire nations by the ancient Mesopotamian empires, to the
decimation of the native populations of North and South America,
to the Armenian genocide of World War I, to the Holocaust–have been
carried out by imperial powers seeking regional or world mastery. Even
some of the worst outbursts of recent violence, from the Middle East
to Rwanda to Kosovo to Chechnya, are remnants of the bitter legacy
of longstanding imperial domination.

Notwithstanding its universal pretense, each and every great empire
throughout history has been dominated by a specific religious, ethnic,
or national group, which has viewed its preeminence as a vehicle
for the promotion of self-serving interests and the assimilation of
attributes and value systems in the subject populations. This is how
the great monotheistic religions of Christianity and Islam expanded
well beyond their original habitats to become world religions, and how
so many languages–Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese, English, and French,
to mention but a few–transcended their origins to be assimilated by
numerous countries and communities.

The same rule applies to the EU. It is no mere coincidence that the
initiative for the coal and steel community came from two former
great European empires–France and Germany–both of which have
subsequently provided the main impetus behind its steady expansion.
Beginning with Charles De Gaulle, French leaders, left and right,
have viewed the European Union as a central tool for the restoration
of imperial grandeur and influence. “We have to recognize,” explained
former French Euro Commissioner Pascal Lamy, in 2003, “that [within the
EU] there are some countries which remember that they were once great
world powers and which believe that this was not an accident–that they
still have special qualities that deserve recognition.” Given these
sentiments, it is hardly surprising that the EU’s smaller nations have
remained wary of anything that smacks of imperialism–or that they have
generally expressed greater affinity for the United States than France.

Indeed, Lamy should have added that many of those who support further
European political integration–beginning with ratification of the EU
constitution–do so because they see it as the best way to counter
U.S. global predominance and establish the EU as a major challenger
to the United States in the international arena. One of Chirac’s
foremost arguments for a yes vote in the referendum was that Europe
needed a much deeper level of integration as it was “faced with this
great world power.” EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana was even
blunter when he argued in April 2005, in a speech at the Institute of
Political Science in Paris, that France must vote for the Constitution
because otherwise “you run the risk of negating the hope for a better
Europe and for a greater balance in the world. … Some American
neoconservatives are also hostile to the constitution precisely because
they are see it as a sign of a new rise in Europe’s power.” So not
only does the frenzied rush toward integration risk turning the EU
from an egalitarian community of states into an imperial ogre, but
it predicates the organization on a negative footing–challenging
U.S. global power–rather than giving it a positive rationale. Should
their resounding non lead to a more modest EU, French voters will have
done their continent a favor. For if history tells us anything it is
that imperial overextension is a recipe for disaster–a destroyer,
rather than a guarantor, of peace and unity. The version of the EU
constitution voted down on Sunday was an imperial document, not a
democratic one. Europe and the European Union are both better off
without it.

Efraim Karsh is the head of the Mediterranean Studies Programme at
King’s College, University of London.

Zaman, Turkey
May 28 2005

If France Says ‘No’, Burden on Turkey Gets Heavier
By Selcuk Gultasli
Published: Saturday 28, 2005
zaman.com

“The Day After” was a film that echoed in the 80’s in a big way when
the tension of the Cold War years was at its peak. The film was about
a tension between the US and the USSR and the a nuclear war caused by
this tension. After the war, our planet Earth was becoming somewhere
that was not unsuitable for survival.

It is commented that if France says “no” to the European Constitution
tomorrow, Europe will also experience a “Day After”. It means that
there will be chaos in the European Union (EU); each country will be
thinking about its own interests; it will be an exact “Day After”
syndrome. A quite common claim is that the first victim of this chaos
will be Turkey. The European press wrote yesterday that the French
political elite has already prepared for “no” and “The Day After”.;
Tthere are also people who claim that “The Day After” theory is
exaggerated and the EU will continue its way in accordance with the
Nice Treaty even if it is not perfect.

The claims are that the EU, which dragged its feet hard
forreluctantly gave Turkey’ candidacy status, did everything in order
not to start to the negotiations and made Turkey accept the
conditions that were not set forrequired of any of the other
candidates when it gave a date of negotiations to Turkey, will use
the “no” of France as an excuse and will delay Turkey’s membership
negotiations which were proposedare scheduled to start on October 3.
It is also said that even if the negotiations start, the pointer
mayTurkey’s status may slip to privileged partnership from full
membership. The authorities indicate that if the negotiations are
delayed, even if Ankara does whatever it is supposed to do, the EU
will suffer a serious losse of prestige seriously.

The referendum campaign in France was quite disadvantageous for
Turkey. When Jacques Chirac announced that the referendum would be
held on May 29, French Politician Philippe De Villers announced
without losing any time that this date was the date at on which Turks
conquered Constantinople. President Chirac tried to show Armenian
Genocide decision of the parliament that was accepted in 2001, as the
decision of the parliament, not the state itself, and he not only
participated in the crown ceremony of the Genocide Statue in the
frame ofduring the referendum campaign but also he used the term
“Genocide” for the first time in a letter that he wrote to Armenians.
French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier can easily explain that the
genocide is a condition before Turkey. The worst of all is that
Turkey discussion was discussed was done in an irresponsible and
humiliating way through the referendum campaign.

Turkey was “demonized” so much during the campaign that some French
started to see themselves as Sebiosky II to defeating Turks in front
of Brussels. The gossips say that Barnier says to his close
environmentsthose close to him that if the result of the referendum
is “no”, then Turkey should forget about the membership.

Experts in Brussels are of the same opinion that if the French say
“no” in tomorrow’s referendum, this will be registered as a
“disadvantage” for Turkey’s EU bid. On the contraryother hand, some
say this will not affect Turkey’s accession process. Europe Politic
Center (EPC) Director of Studies Fraser Cameron considers belives a
French “no” will make Turkey’s bid harder and continues that not just
a French “no”, but also ifs German Christian Democrats win the early
elections in Germany just before October 3, this will make it more
difficult to reach a consensus over Turkey and that might cause
postponement ofin negotiations with Turkey. But of course this is a
very political decision and it is hard to know today for nowif this
or that will happen, says Cameron. To the question with what kind of
a reasoning, the EU will delay negotiations if the two conditions
laid down before Turkey on 17 December 2004 at the EU summit that
envisage signing Cyprus supplementary protocol and six legal
regulations are carried out, Cameron responded that it is impossible
to foresee this now; however, if the members reach a decision like
“we cannot do anything for two years since the Constitution was
rejected” negotiations with Turkey willdo not start.

Another think-tank organization in Brussels, the Daniel Gros from
Center for Europe Political Studies (CEPS) claimsdefends as long as
Turkey fulfills its responsibilities, the EU cannot postpone
negotiations. “If the French say ‘no’, ignore it,” adds Gros. He
believes Turkish statesmen should distinguish between the noise
coming from the EU and the voice. According to him, “If the French
say “no” it will be a big noise, but you listen to the voice coming
from the EU, not the noise. That voice anyways has decided to start
negotiations anyway.” If Turkey does not give the upper hand to its
opponents by taking wrong steps, the French “no” will not affect
negotiations, Gros insists on.

Michael Emerson from CEPS reminds black clouds will be patrollinghang
over October 3 if French say “no”; however, sometimes these clouds
bring rain and cause thunderstorms and they sometimes go away
smoothlyquietly. According to Emerson, a possible “no” will weaken
the ground of the negotiation process and will emerge as a serious
problem. He emphasizes that the French “no” cannot be a reason for
postponing negotiations with Turkey. “If Turkey fulfills the two
conditions set on December 17, a descent reason to postpone the
negotiations cannot be found. Negotiations willbegin, but if [Angela
Merkel] comes to power, it cannot be said in what direction
negotiations will head.”

The opposition front gets stronger

EPC Turkey Specialist of Amanda Akcakoca thinks that The French’s
saying “no” after the March 6 events and the Armenian Genocide
problem will make Turkey opponents even stronger. “In Brussels, the
opinion is that Turkey did made no meaningful reforms in the period
after December 17. If French people say “no” in a period when the
negotiations with Croatia were delayed this will increase therate of
calls for the same process for Turkey” and emphasized that even if
Turkey realizes the two conditions, if it does not continue to the
reforms there may be a decision for postponement. She defends that
the steps that Turkey will takle in upcoming months will even be more
important.

Ali Yurttagul, Adviser of the European Pparliament (EP) Greens Group
thinks that if France says “no”, racist and rightist parties will
make Turkey a scapegoat. Yurttagul, who thinks that the negotiations
will start on October 3, thinks that if the constitution is accepted,
Turkey’s job will be much easier. Yurttagul said: “Acceptance of the
constitution agreement will solve the representation problem of
Turkey in the EP and EU Council if it is accepted to the EU. This
problem was not discussed in Nice as Turkey did not work well enough.
But the constitution solves this problem. But is it isthe refused the
arguments about the power of Turkey when it is accepted to the union
will continue to increase.”