Author: Jagharian Tania

ANTI-CRIMINAL CONSULTATIONS IN THE POLITICAL SPHERE

Lragir.am
26 July 06

On these days when the contingent of the administrative criminal is
consolidating around the Republican Party is outlining more clearly
anti-criminal consultations are underway in the political sphere of
Armenia. The Lragir has learned that the consultations involving the
political parties are "without frontiers", in other words, both the
pro-Western and pro-Russian forces take part in them. This consequence
would give a surprise but several weeks ago the representatives of
the Russian government stated that Russia is not likely to support
the criminal political groups in the CIS. Our source mentions that the
political consultations are over signing an anti-criminal agreement.

Armenian Soldiers Enhance Prestige of Armenia Worldwide

25.07.2006

PanARMENIAN.Net/ Within three years Armenian peacekeepers fulfilled all
their tasks in Iraq and Kosovo, Armenian Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan
stated in Yerevan. In his words, within a short term Armenian peacekeepers
were able to show their worth both professionally and morally. <There was no
single case of our servicemen making an incorrect move. Their blameless
service was highly appreciated by Command for Sustaining Peace in Kosovo and
Restoration of Iraq. NATO Command in Kosovo and Peacekeeping Forces Command
in Iraq appreciated professional skills, diligence and responsibility of
Armenian soldiers. As brigade general Jerzy Mikhaylovsky noted, Armenian
soldiers enhance the prestige of Armenia worldwide,> Serge Sargsyan
stressed.

The Armenian MOD Head also said Armenia became an important country in
peacekeeping operation. <We do not separate defense of our fatherland from
world security problems,> Sargsyan said.

As for further participation of Armenian peacekeepers in similar operations
in other places, in Sargsyan’s words, the National Assembly of Armenia makes
a decision on that question. <I believe the MPs understand how important
participation in such measures is for Armenia and in December, when the term
of their decision expires, they will make a correct decision,> he said.

SUMMIT PRESCRIBES CIS LITE; PUTIN BLINKS BEFORE SAAKASHVILI;
VORONIN STANDS UP TO PUTIN

Eurasia Daily Monitor, DC
July 24, 2006

By Vladimir Socor

Devalued by an unusually low attendance — only eight out of twelve
presidents — the CIS informal summit in Moscow on July 21-22 marks
the official transition of this organization to a "lite" version of
its former self. With Russian President Vladimir Putin’s acquiescence,
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev presented a set of proposals
to reduce the CIS to a few functions, mainly in the sphere of
social projects. Moreover, Putin blinked before the absent Georgian
President, Mikheil Saakashvili, by eschewing a discussion on Russian
"peacekeeping" in Abkhazia, even though the Kremlin itself and all
of Russia’s officialdom insisted all along that this issue belongs
to the CIS competency.

The summit’s agenda included a CIS "assessment of world
developments" — the usual exercise to line up the presidents behind
a Kremlin-drafted statement on international issues — as well as CIS
reform. In view of the low attendance, however, the Kremlin decided to
drop the joint statement at the last moment on July 21. The following
day, Putin asked Nazarbayev to present proposals for CIS reform that
Nazarbayev had been authorized to prepare in his capacity as chairman
of the CIS Council of Heads of State.

Nazarbayev’s report acknowledges that the CIS does not meet the
requirements of an integration organization, having failed to create
even a free-trade zone, let alone a customs or monetary union or a
common security policy. He proposes that the CIS henceforth focus
on harmonizing member states’ policies on five issues: a) regulating
migration; b) developing transport links; c) promoting exchanges in
the sphere of education; d) dealing with cultural and humanitarian
issues [often a euphemism for maintaining a Russian-language cultural
environment]; and e) tackling trans-border criminality.

Moreover, Nazarbayev proposes continuing cuts in the personnel of
Moscow-based CIS structures and transferring their functions to
"national coordinators" who would reside in the member countries’
capitals. Reducing the budget and personnel of CIS offices in
Moscow is a trademark Nazarbayev idea, and it is partly thanks
to his insistence that those structures have been cut radically in
recent years. Any further cut would almost certainly bring their final
demise. The proposed institution of nationally based coordinators seems
inspired by the GUAM model used by Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan,
and Moldova. Although GUAM is not yet functional, its national
coordinators at least provide a flexible and cost-effective mechanism
for development and implementation of policy decisions.

The report has on the whole been accepted as a basis for further
discussion, but could not be seriously discussed because the document
was belatedly circulated on the summit’s opening day. The presidents
are to submit their suggestions to Nazarbayev for further development
of the proposals. Nazarbayev will retain his chairmanship of the
presidents’ conclave (temporarily suspending the rotation in that
chair) in order to finalize his report. He concluded, "Everyone knows
that the CIS states are unhappy about the work of this organization,
and some are very unhappy . . . The CIS has actually turned into a
club for the presidents’ meetings" (NTV Mir, July 22).

The club function is supposed to enable the presidents to hold
bilateral or small-format meetings on the summit’s sidelines. However,
even the club function is questionable with only eight presidents
in attendance, and Putin declining to meet bilaterally with the two
presidents who had wanted such meetings: Georgia’s Saakashvili, who
was refused one day before the summit, and Moldova’s Vladimir Voronin
who was denied a bilateral meeting with Putin while the summit was
in progress.

The gist of what Voronin might have told Putin can be gauged from the
Moldovan president’s interview with the liberal Ekho Moskvy radio
— one of the few Moscow media outlets still open to him — on the
summit’s opening day, when he was still hoping for a bilateral meeting
with the Russian president. Voronin pointed to Russia’s recruitment
of Transnistria’s leaders "in the Siberian Taiga and [Soviet] Riga
special police [reference to these leaders’ actual backgrounds];
called for replacement of Russia’s "peacekeeping" operations with
an international mission of observers, both military and civilian;
ridiculed Moscow’s claim that Transnistria’s authorities "do not
permit" Russia to remove its arsenals and troops from the area (a
claim repeated on July 20 by Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs
Sergei Lavrov); protested against Russia’s politically motivated
embargo on Moldovan wines (50% market share in Russia prior to the
ban); and deplored Russia’s "destruction" of what Voronin described as
centuries-old Moldovan good will toward Russia (Ekho Moskvy, July 21).

Putin pointedly expressed his "thanks to those who found it possible
to come to Moscow." Among those who did not find it possible, Turkmen
President Saparmurat Niyazov is often absent from CIS summits; this
time, however, he is openly in conflict with Moscow over the price
of Turkmen gas deliveries to Gazprom.

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko canceled his attendance with
less than 24 hours’ advance notice, citing the complicated political
situation in the country. A presidential communique went out of
its way to assure Russia and Putin personally of the "sincerity of
Ukraine’s relations with Russia as well as of the fact that Russia is
a strategic partner of Ukraine" and invited Putin to visit Ukraine. A
further invitation will follow by official letter from Yushchenko, his
office announced (Interfax-Ukraine, July 21). This marks at least the
fifth public and somewhat supplicating invitation from Yushchenko to
Putin to visit Ukraine. Yushchenko previously issued such invitations
in August, November, and December 2005 and January 2006 publicly,
and was also hoping to receive Putin in Ukraine ahead of the March
26 parliamentary elections.

Armenian President Robert Kocharian was set to attend and likely to
meet with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev in Putin’s presence
at this summit. However, Kocharian canceled his attendance at the
summit only hours before its opening on July 21, citing a viral
respiratory problem. In any case, he faces an internal political
problem, as Defense Minister Serge Sarkisian seems set to launch a
bid for supreme power.

(Interfax, Khabar, Mediamax, Arminfo, July 21, 22)

ASBAREZ ONLINE
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07/24/2006
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1. EU Concerned Over Azeri Calls for Resumption of War
2. Parties Issue Joint Announcement on Lebanon Crisis
3. Over 400 People Evacuated to Armenia From Lebanon
4. US Urges Turkey to Delay Anti-PKK Attacks

1. EU Concerned Over Azeri Calls for Resumption of War

YEREVAN (Yerkir, RFE/RL)–The European Union’s special representative to South
Caucasus Peter Semneby Monday criticized Azerbaijan for calling for the
resumption of military activities as a resolution to the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. He said if Azerbaijan continued to make hostile calls then the EU
would be forced to make them realize that the resurgence of military
activities
could have a negative impact on the further development of the process.
"Any military solution concerns us," the visiting dignitary told a joint
press
conference with Armenia’s foreign minister Vartan Oskanian.
In response to a reporter’s inquiry about possible sanctions against any
country calling for the resumption of war, Semneby said "I cant’s talk of
sanctions but the EU can convince the sides to stay away from military
assertions because it would not be in their interest."
The diplomat explained that such a course not only be detrimental in
politically, but also in economic terms as the countries of the region are
building free-market economies and a war would make investors reconsider their
decisions of investing in the region.
Oskanian said that the two discussed joint Armenia-EU initiatives, the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Armenia’s relations with its neighbors and next
year’s parliamentary elections in Armenia.
When asked whether the OSCE Minsk Group US co-chairman Matthew Bryza, would
make new proposals on the conflict resolution process during his visit to the
region, Oskanian said such proposals do not drop from the sky, but rather are
formulated at the negotiation table. He added he hoped Bryza could convince
Azerbaijan to resume talks.
The freedom and fairness of parliamentary elections due in Armenia next
spring
will be "crucially important" for the Armenian government’s drive to forge
closer political and economic links with the European Union, Semneby said.
The EU representative warned that a repeat of serious electoral fraud would
seriously jeopardize Yerevan’s participation in the European Neighborhood
Policy program that provides for a privileged partnership with the 25-nation
bloc. Speaking during a regular visit in Yerevan, he said the plan of
ENP-related actions which the Armenian government is currently discussing with
the EU will include a pledge to conduct the upcoming polls in accordance
"European values, standards and norms," reported Radio Free Europe/Radio
Liberty.
"The elections that will follow the entry into force of the action plan will
be a crucially important test for Armenia in terms of the quality of its
future
relationship with the European Union," Semneby told a news conference after
talks with senior Armenian officials.
"After all, Armenia has committed itself and has confirmed in the
far-reaching
and detailed document, which will regulate the Armenia-EU relationship, that
free and fair elections are a top priority," he said. "That is why I expect
the
elections to be free and fair."
The EU has always added its voice to Western criticism of the Armenian
authorities’ handling of elections. In particular, the bloc questioned their
"commitment to democracy" in the wake of last November’s constitutional
referendum which was marred by allegations of massive vote rigging.
However, EU
pressure for Armenia’s democratization was otherwise minimal until recently.
The EU signaled its intention to press harder for political reform in
February
when its External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner visited
Yerevan
and raised the issue with Armenian leaders. They assured her that they will do
their best to tackle the chronic vote rigging.
Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian said the issue was high on the agenda of his
talks with Semneby. He said Yerevan is close to completing its negotiations
with the EU on the ENP action plan and will publicize the document "soon."
"The
Armenian side is having virtually no problems [in the talks,]" he said. "There
are a number of minor outstanding issues which we think will be sorted out in
the course of next week."
Semneby’s itinerary in Yerevan also included a meeting with President Robert
Kocharian. The meeting was apparently not held in the presidential palace in
Yerevan, with photographs released by the presidential press service showing
Kocharian wearing casual clothes.

2. Parties Issue Joint Announcement on Lebanon Crisis

BEIRUT (Aztag)–Representatives of the three traditional political parties met
Monday evening to discuss the ongoing crisis in Lebanon and to assess the
condition of the Lebanese Armenian community.
Following the meeting a joint communique was issued signed by the Armenian
Democratic League (Ramkavar party) Central Executive, the Social Democratic
Hunchakian Party Governing Body and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Central Committee of Lebanon.
The political leaders discussed the 13-day-old Israeli attacks on Lebanon and
called on the international community to accelerate its efforts for an
immediate cease fire and an "end to the bloodshed." They also assessed the
resulting refugee crisis in the country and the conditions under which the
victims of these attacks are living.
The meeting emphasized the importance of community unity, which was deemed as
"the only guarantee to maintain the security and safety of the community."
The political parties decided to continue holding such meetings, in order to
effectively monitor and respond to the military and diplomatic developments in
the country.
Continuing assistance to the displaced citizens of Lebanon through the
parties’ organizational and community mechanisms was an important topic of
discussion at the meeting, which pledged to further its efforts to provide
care
to refugees and victims.
To this end, the meeting welcomed the assistance by the Armenian government,
as well as various Diaspora communities, which the meeting participants said
underscored the national role the Lebanese-Armenian community plays in our
reality.

3. Over 400 People Evacuated to Armenia From Lebanon

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)–More than 400 Armenians and ethnic Armenian citizens of
Lebanon have been evacuated to Armenia since the start of Israel’s military
assault against the Middle Eastern nation, a senior official in Yerevan
said on
Monday.
Deputy Foreign Minister Gegham Gharibjanian said virtually all of them have
been transported to Yerevan from Syria in special charter flights carried out
by the Armavia national airline and partly subsidized by the Armenian
government. "The planes flying to Syria are empty and the government covers
their one-way cost," told RFE/RL.
Gharibjanian said Armavia carried out a similar flight to Tel Aviv, bringing
back more than 50 Armenian nationals residing in Israel early on Monday. Not
all of them are believed to have returned to Armenia for security reasons,
though.
The government estimates that some 1,200 Armenian nationals lived in Lebanon
before the start of the Israeli onslaught almost two weeks ago. Lebanon is
also
home to an estimated 80,000 ethnic Armenians, most of them living in the
Christian districts of Beirut that have been largely spared bombardment so
far.
The Armenian community has not reported any casualties yet.
"Fortunately, our forecasts have proved correct and there has been no massive
influx [of Armenian evacuees from Lebanon], even though our diplomatic
missions
are prepared to help to evacuate more people," said Gharibjanian.
The government in Yerevan announced last week that any citizen of Lebanon
fleeing the war and willing to take refuge in Armenia will be granted special
residency permits free of charge. It also sent two diplomats to Beirut and
Aleppo, Syria to assist in the evacuation.
So far, about 30,000 foreign nationals have fled Lebanon, most traveling to
Cyprus and Turkey by boat.

4. US Urges Turkey to Delay Anti-PKK Attacks

CRAWFORD, Texas (AFP)–The United States appealed to Turkey to delay its
invasion of Iraq in an effort to destroy Kurdish insurgency strongholds. Over
the weekend, President George Bush telephoned Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Erdogan and urged a postponement of an invasion of Iraq. Officials said Bush,
in his second phone call in three days, pledged to intensify US efforts to
eliminate strongholds of the Kurdish Workers Party, or PKK, in Iraq’s Kandil
mountains.
They discussed the need to work jointly to address that terrorist threat,"
White House spokesman Tony Snow said.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice also contacted her Turkish counterpart
Abdullah Gul. They said what ever is necessary will be done, the Turkish Zaman
daily newspaper reported.
Rice told Gul that the US is aware of the seriousness of the problem and
would
not let it go unattended. She said the US would definitely do whatever was
needed.
Matthew Bryza, US assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian
Affairs, held a press conference in Washington and promised concrete steps
would be taken against the PKK soon.
The most important item in Rice -Gul’s phone conversation was the PKK issue.
Gul told Rice that Turkey wanted an immediate, visible, sensible, and
concrete
solution to the PKK issue. Turkey would be seriously hampered in its aid
efforts to Iraq as long as the PKK existed.
The two phone conversations were welcome relief to Ankara and raised optimism
that the US would take firm steps against the PKK.
As for tripartite meeting, which was attended by military, diplomatic, and
intelligence officials from the US, Turkey, and Iraq, sources said, any
decisions made would be as important as the meeting held.
Tripartite meetings were previously held in February 2005 and August 2005 in
Ankara and Washington respectively. The results, however, did not satisfy
Ankara.
The statement, "concrete results are expected," is being interpreted as
several PKK leaders may be arrested, and handed over to Turkey.
In 2005, Turkey delivered official documents to Iraqi and US officials about
150 PKK members. However, neither Baghdad nor Washington has taken any
steps so
far.
President Jalal Talabani said Iraqi territory should not be used to launch
attacks against Turkey but insisted that Iraq’s sovereignty should be
respected.
The president’s comments came a day after Turkish troops killed two Kurdish
rebels in a clash near the border with Iraq and amid increasing threats by
Turkey to launch attacks against members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or
PKK, in northern Iraq.
"It is necessary to solve the pending matters between Iraq and Turkey and
securing the border between the two countries," Talabani said according to a
statement released by his office. "Iraq’s territories should not be used and
exploited against Turkey."
The PKK has been battling for autonomy in Turkey’s southeast for the past two
decades in a fight that has killed more than 37,000 people. The PKK is listed
as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European
Union.
There has been escalating tension between Turkey and rebels. The deaths of 15
soldiers in three separate attacks last week prompted Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan to say the Turkish military was considering a cross-border
operation to clear PKK bases in northern Iraq.
The US, which has some 130,000 troops in Iraq, is strongly opposed to such an
operation.
"Iraq’s sovereignty and independence should be respected," Talabani said when
he received Turkey’s acting ambassador.

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Political Will Essential for Ceasefire Maintenance

PanARMENIAN.Net
24.07.2006 13:38 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The proposal for ceasefire strengthening at the NKR
and Azeri armed forces’ contact line made by the OSCE Minsk Group
was signed by Armenian Defense Minister Sargsyan, commander of the
NK army Babayan and Azeri Defense Minister Mamedov. It came into
force February 6, 1995. "The agreement was not an improvisation. Its
mechanism was item by item discussed with the top officials of the
conflicting sides. The readiness of the parties could be proved by
the fact that the document was signed the same day upon receipt,"
said OSCE MG former Russian Co-chair Vladimir Kazimirov.

Vladimir Kazimirov underscored that the agreement was not a panacea,
but it helped to alleviate the situation and take adequate measures on
the spot. "Nothing but political will was essential for it," he said.

To note, the proposals on strengthening the ceasefire were sent by
Vladimir Kazimirov to the Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents on
February 3, 1995. The consent of the parties was received February 4,
1995 from the Defense Ministers of all the conflicting sides.

NO DISAGREEMENTS BETWEEN DEFENSE MINISTER AND ME: TIGRAN TOROSYAN

Panorama.am
14:10 22/07/06

"There are no disagreements between defense minister Serze Sargsyan and
me," Tigran Torosyan, NA speaker, told 10th congress of the Republican
Party. He said talks on such disagreements are groundless. Speaking
about the enlargement of the part, NA speaker said that the process
takes place under the light of constitutional reforms and includes
all political forces. He said this may promote multy-party system
in Armenia./Panorama.am/

Georgia’s commodity turnover with EU member states increasing

ArmRadio.am
19.07.2006 12:43

Georgia’s commodity turnover with EU member states is
increasing. Department of Statistics of the Georgian Ministry of
Economic Development told " Kavkazpress" that in 2005 the community
turnover increased with 14.8 percent. The share of the trade with EU
sates comprises 24.9 percent of the total.

Picnic Aids Armenian Home; Fundraiser Helps Pay for Maintenance of a Fresno Landmark.

Fresno Bee (California)
July 11, 2006 Tuesday
FINAL EDITION

by Vanessa Colon The Fresno Bee

Trimmed trees dotted with pink blossoms, spotless floors covered
by rugs and warm, hearty meals are samplings of the atmosphere and
services the California Armenian Home wants to continue for the
elderly with help from a fundraiser Saturday.

The Armenian American Citizens League and the home will host the annual
Moonlight Picnic, a gathering rooted in the century-old tradition of
Armenian-American picnics.

The home, founded more than 50 years ago by the Armenian American
Citizens League, houses more than 100 residents.

"We built this place. … We gradually fixed the grounds. We are
always trying to improve the place," said Penny Mirigian-Emerzian,
an organizer of the picnic.

The picnic, one of the major fundraisers that helps keep the facility
running, serves to unite the Armenian-American community from all
over the Central Valley and the state.

The home was established to give Armenian-Americans a facility for
their older population. The home offers arrangements for residents who
don’t need assistance and those who do, as well as a hospital facility.

Two groups, the Ani Guild and the Armenian Home Guild, help support
the home through fundraisers and activities.

The tradition of children looking after aging parents hasn’t gone
away among Armenian- American families, but some families depend on
a facility such as the home, Mirigian-Emerzian said.

Birdie Saroyan, cousin of famous playwright William Saroyan, had no
choice but to live at the home.

Saroyan, 84, said: "I don’t have any children. I never got married. I
took care of Mommy and Daddy … I took very good care of them."

The Moonlight Picnic will take place outside the home at 6720 E.
Kings Canyon Road and will feature Armenian cuisine such as a shish
kebab and lulu kebab sandwich. Hot dogs are on the menu for those
not wanting Armenian dishes.

Entertainment includes musician Richard Hagopian and a raffle for
cash prizes. Organizers expect about 1,000 people.

A new feature at the home is a flag staff, where an Armenian flag
flutters beneath the American flag.

The American flag flew in Washington, D.C., and the Armenian flag
once flew over the Armenian Embassy, Mirigian-Emerzian said.

Lucy Jamgotchian, a survivor of the Armenian genocide from 1915
to 1923, used to walk outside to raise the flags. Jamgotchian, 97,
now uses a wheelchair but is content living in the home where she
can stare out her window and look at the flags.

Jamgotchian said: "I’m not fussy."

The reporter can be reached at [email protected] or (559) 441-6313.

Moonlight picnic

Where: California Armenian Home

When: 6 to 11:30 p.m. Saturday

Cost: Parking $5, meals range from $7 to $12

Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet:

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 18, 2006
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

ANCA URGES SENATE TO BLOCK HOAGLAND NOMINATION

— Cites Nominee’s Genocide Denial; Inconsistent
and Contradictory Statements to Senate Panel

WASHINGTON, DC – Citing U.S. Ambassador-designate Richard
Hoagland’s denial of the Armenian Genocide and his contradictory
responses to Senate inquiries – both against the background of the
continued failure of the Administration to offer a meaningful and
forthright explanation of its reasons for firing the current U.S.
Ambassador, John Evans – the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA) today issued a statement formally opposing Hoagland’s
nomination to serve as the next U.S. Ambassador to Armenia.

A July 16th policy editorial published by the Los Angeles Times
called on the U.S. Senate to block Ambassador-designate Hoagland’s
nomination until he properly recognizes the Armenian Genocide. The
strongly worded piece urged the Bush administration to "explain
forthrightly – not just to Armenian Americans but to all Americans
who believe in calling evil by its proper name – why U.S. policy is
being dictated by Ankara nationalists."

The full text of the ANCA Statement is provided below.

#####

___________________________________ ___________________________

ANCA Statement on Richard Hoagland’s Nomination
for U.S. Ambassador to Armenia

Ambassador-designate Richard Hoagland has disqualified himself as a
candidate to serve as our nation’s ambassador to the Republic of
Armenia.

During the course of his Senate confirmation process, Ambassador-
designate Richard Hoagland has taken a number of actions that
demonstrate that he cannot effectively represent U.S. interests and
American values, among them:

1) Asserting that the Armenian Genocide does
not qualify as an instance of genocide

2) Providing Contradictory Statements or
Failing to Respond to U.S. Senate Inquiries

3) Abandoning America’s leadership
on genocide prevention:

————————————- —————————————

1) Asserting that the Armenian Genocide does
not qualify as an instance of genocide

Ambassador-designate Hoagland has disqualified himself as the next
U.S. Ambassador to Armenia by engaging in denial of the Armenian
Genocide.

Consistent with the denials issued by the Turkish government,
Ambassador Hoagland argues that the Armenian Genocide does not
qualify as an instance of genocide because of the absence, on the
part of the perpetrator, of a "specific intent to destroy, in whole
or in substantial part," the victim group.

In a July 14th response to a written question from Senator Barbara
Boxer (D-CA) concerning why the U.S. does not consider the Armenian
Genocide an instance of genocide, Ambassador-designate Hoagland
selectively cited one of the five "understandings" expressed by the
U.S. at the time of the U.S. ratification of the U.N. Convention on
the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, namely
that, "genocidal intent meant a ‘specific intent to destroy, in
whole or in substantial part,’ the group as such."

Additionally, in a dramatic retreat to the more blatant forms of
denial typical of the State Department’s opposition to Armenian
Genocide recognition during the 1980s, Ambassador-designate
Hoagland referred to statements on the Armenian Genocide as
allegations. In a response to a written inquiry from Senator John
Kerry (D-MA) concerning Turkey’s criminal prosecution of
journalists for writing about the Armenian Genocide, Ambassador-
designate Hoagland characterized their factual affirmations of the
Armenian Genocide as simply allegations.

As Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN) stated during Ambassador-designate
Hoagland’s confirmation hearing, "I am not sure how we can continue
to have Ambassadors to Armenia who can be effective, unless they
give recognition to the Genocide." Sadly, Ambassador-designate
Hoagland has gone far beyond the traditional Administration
practice of failing to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide.
He has, instead, placed himself firmly into the camp of the Turkish
government by publicly denying the genocidal nature of this crime.
His nomination, if confirmed, would represent a dramatic escalation
in U.S. complicity in Turkey’s campaign of denial.

2) Providing Contradictory Statements or
Failing to Respond to U.S. Senate Inquiries

Ambassador-designate Hoagland has disqualified himself as the next
U.S. Ambassador to Armenia by making contradictory and inconsistent
statements to the U.S. Senate regarding his views on the Armenian
Genocide. In many instances, he did not respond to specific Senate
inquiries.

In responses to questions submitted by Senators Lincoln Chafee (R-
RI) and John Kerry (D-MA), he denied that he had been counseled not
to refer to the events of 1915 as the Armenian Genocide. Yet, in
the course of responding to questioning at his confirmation hearing
and to several dozen written inquiries, he went to extreme lengths
to avoid using this term. Either he has misled Senators regarding
the guidance he has received, or he has chosen to avoid using the
term genocide on his own accord – both profoundly troubling
developments that disqualify him from serving as the U.S. envoy in
Yerevan.

More broadly, Ambassador-designate Hoagland’s July 14th claim that
the Armenian Genocide does not meet the U.S. government’s
definition of genocide stands in stark contrast to his repeated
assertions to U.S. Senators that the Administration does not deny
the events of 1915:

* In response to a question about U.S. policy on the
Armenian Genocide from Senator Allen (R-VA) during the June
28th confirmation hearing, Ambassador-designate Hoagland
asserted that, "No one in this administration has ever
denied the events beginning in the 20th century at the end
of the Ottoman Empire that befell the Armenian nation and
people."

* In response to a question from Senator Coleman (R-MN)
regarding whether Ambassador-designate Hoagland agreed with
then-Governor Bush’s statements affirming the Armenian
Genocide, he stated: "I fully agree that the events that
occurred on 1915 and following were of historic proportion.
As I said well-documented, horrific and horrifying and as
we heard from Senator Sarbanes in his statement early on —
hundreds of valleys devastated no family untouched. It was
historic. It was a tragedy. Everyone agrees with that."

* In response to a written inquiry from Senator John Kerry
(D-MA) asking if he disputed a series of nine facts about
the Armenian Genocide, Ambassador-designate Hoagland did
not dispute that: "The atrocities conceived and carried out
by the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1923 … resulted in the
elimination of the more than 2,500-year presence of
Armenians in their historic homeland."

* In response to subsequent questions from Senator Kerry
asking about the Administration’s denial of the Armenian
Genocide and the consequences of its non-recognition,
Ambassador-designate Hoagland stated that, "the
Administration does not deny the tragic events that
occurred in the final years of the Ottoman Empire," and
that: "the Administration does recognize the massacre or
forced exile of as many as 1.5 million Armenians in the
final years of the Ottoman Empire."

3) Abandoning America’s leadership
on genocide prevention:

Ambassador-designate Hoagland has additionally disqualified himself
as the next U.S. Ambassador to Armenia by failing to grasp the
fundamental need for U.S. moral leadership in condemning and
preventing genocide.

In response to a question from Senator Kerry, Ambassador-designate
Hoagland stated that, "The U.S. believes that the question of how
to characterize these horrific events is of such enormous human
significance that it should not be determined on the basis of
politics, but through heartfelt introspection among academics,
civic leaders, and societies."

Ambassador-designate Hoagland’s formulation could not be more
deeply flawed. It is precisely because of the enormity of the
Armenian Genocide that the U.S. should address this crime with
absolute moral and historical clarity. By delegating the
characterization of the Armenian Genocide to a dialogue between the
unrepentant perpetrators of Genocide and the survivors and
descendants of those who perished, the Ambassador-designate argues
for effectively reducing our nation’s response to genocide to the
level acceptable to the Turkish government. Our nation’s human
rights policy should never be held hostage by a foreign country –
particularly one that is regularly cited as among the world’s worst
human rights abusers.

For these reasons, we respectfully request that the U.S. Senate not
move forward with Ambassador Hoagland’s nomination.

July 18, 2006

ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN ARE FAR AWAY FROM THE AGREEMENT, PRESIDENT ILHAM ALIYEV

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
July 16 2006

In an interview to Turkey’s newspaper Cumhuriyet, President of
Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said international mediators – Russia, France
and the United States of America – work to settle Armenia-Azerbaijan,
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and assist us in reaching any kind of
agreement.

According the President, the Minsk group has recently made a statement
with some details of their proposals made public. He said, "We have
not come to agreement. Armenia and Azerbaijan are far away from the
agreement. We did not raise our objection to the proposals put forward
by the Minsk Group"

"We never wanted the talks be held in the dark. We have nothing to
hide. Considering the other side’s suggestion, we also agreed to hold
secret negotiations. As Minsk group has decided to go public about
the details of the peace talks, thus, we have to make some things
clear too", said the Head of State.