Author: Jilavian Emma

Turkey extends permit to use bases for Iraq humanitarian purposes

NTV television, Istanbul
20 Apr 05

There will be a one-year extension of the decree that permits the
use of Incirlik base [southern Turkey] and naval bases in Turkey
for humanitarian purposes by countries participating in the Iraqi
operation.

It has been learned that the new decree would be opened to signature
at the council of ministers.

The [existing] decree is due to expire on 23 June. The government is
now extending it for another year in the context of UN decision.

It has been learned that the relevant decree will be opened to
signature at the council of ministers in the coming days.

Prime Ministry sources say that the [new] decree is identical to last
year’s decree. The [new] decree will be published in the Official
Gazette, but its content is expected to be made public. [preceding
sentence as heard]

It is not yet clear what Turkey’s reply will be to United States’
request for the use of Incirlik as a logistics centre, however.

Moonlight Pizza and Chicken
by GUSTAVO ARELLANO

OC Weekly, CA
April 21 2005

There’s a Lebanese pizzeria in Orange County (Al-Sanabel in Anaheim),
as well as pizzerias with a Pakistani (Ali Baba’s Kitchen), Persian
(Ray’s Pizza), Argentine (Regina’s), Greek (Christakis) and even
Mexican bent-La Pizza Loca bakes its namesake with carne asada! But
the best local ethnic pizzeria remains Moonlight Pizza and Chicken
in Fountain Valley, she of the crescent-and-hen logo, sturdy Middle
Eastern lunchtime buffet and a pizza encrusted with the wondrous
Armenian sausage called soujouk.

Soujouk is a dry, spicy length of beef similar to chorizo that
Armenians traditionally stuff inside a pita or speckle on their rice.
But on Moonlight Pizza’s splendid pie, the soujouk acts as an ideal
partner to the milky cheese, yeasty crust and relishy tomato sauce.
This soujouk pizza is grander than mere foodstuff: it’s an ambassador
for that mythical melting pot, for the entrepreneurial spirit and
innovation of owners Vazgen Akoyan and Karine Karpetyan. Add pineapple,
and you have the best retort to the anti-immigrant crowd since the
Statue of Liberty.

There’s more to Moonlight than pizza, even if the restaurant’s
layout-big-screen television in one corner, Little League team
photos and trophies toward the back, and wide booths ringing the
walls-suggests the type of place only a Pee Wee Dodgers squad could
appreciate. The lunchtime buffet is like chowing through a neighborhood
souk. There’s thick, sharp hummus sprinkled with olive oil, a moutabel
eggplant dip smokier than that babaghanoush spread you choked on at
your last Green Party mixer, and a fragrant, glistening mound of
tabbouleh. Almonds peek out within steamed, puffy mounds of white
rice, and a spicy beef soup bubbles in a pot. All of those appetizers
are also available at dinner-this is when Vazgen and Karine prepare
bulky gyros and charred, moist kebabs of multiple chicken, beef and
lamb cuts.

If you visit an Armenian restaurant, though, it’s a culinary
commandment that you leave stomach space for at least a drumstick of
rotisserie chicken. It’s part of the lunch buffet, and you can also
ask for shreds of it on a pizza, but order it separately-that way,
you can guarantee that the plump, crispy hen just recently left its
spit limbo and the cascading juices and scents of its still-captive
sisters. Served with rectangular slices of purple pickled turnips
and a small dollop of hummus, a whole bird costs eight freakin’
bucks-or around the cost of a regular pizza (get the two and some
other sides for only $16). An order of rotisserie chicken also comes
with a thimble of fierce garlic sauce. Apply it judiciously, though:
this gritty, reeking paste will sear taste buds as much as it does
your nostril hairs.

Don’t forget dessert-gooey baklava and a couple of steamed carrots.
What, never had the latter? Oh, the sweet, earthy pleasure you’ve
missed out on all these years.

MOONLIGHT PIZZA AND CHICKEN, 9895 WARNER AVE., STE. G, FOUNTAIN VALLEY,
(714) 963-4488.

AZG Armenian Daily #072, 22/04/2005

Armenian Genocide

TEN YEARS LATER

Levon Ter-Petrosian: The Armenian Genocide Was a Mere Political
Program Dictated by Concrete Interests of the Ottoman Empire

Robert Kocharian: We Became Victims of World War I

“Ultimate Crime, Ultimate Challenges. Human Rights and Genocide”
international conference opened in Yerevan, on April 20. Robert
Kocharian, RA President, opened the conference. “We became victims
of World War I even though we were not the initiators of that war,”
Mr. Kocharian said.

Kocharian strongly emphasized the importance of “condemnation of the
genocides committed in the past”. “Countries are more determined in
responding to a threat or attempt to commit genocide in any part of
the world. However, all this did not protect the humanity from new
genocides. Yugoslavia, Rwanda, East Timor, Sumgait – in all these
places once again innocent people were slaughtered.”

“The Armenian people, due to the genocide, were displaced, became a
refugee people and were scattered across the globe. International
recognition of the Armenian Genocide and necessity of restoration
of historic injustice were sacrificed to the grand politics. Most
of the criminals who planned and implemented the genocide escaped
the punishment. Moreover, the remains of Taleat pasha who was
assassinated in Berlin, were returned to Turkey and buried with honors
in Istanbul. It was a sad evidence of carrying on the baton in relay
race of impunity. The humanity pays a tremendously high price for
forgetting such crimes,” Mr. Kocharian said.

He emphasized the importance of the recognition of the Armenian
Genocide for prevention of future possible genocides. He added that
recognition is important for Armenian-Turkish relations, since it could
give answers to many questions that exist between our two peoples,
it would allow to look ahead.

“We remember the past with pain, but without hatred. For us it is
difficult to comprehend the response of the Turkish side, which
is represented not only by the denial of the past, but also by the
blockade of nowadays Armenia. We have come across a paradox that still
needs to be apprehended. The perpetrator, not the victim is furious
with the past. We are confident that international recognition of
the Genocide will help Turkey to come to the terms with its own past
and to overcome the complex which is inherited from generation to
generation and which creates additional complexities in the relations
of our neighboring nations,” RA President said.

The International Conference dedicated to the Commemoration of 80th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide took place ten years ago. Levon
Ter-Petrosian represented his approaches to the Armenian Genocide
in 7 points, two of which referred ARF Dashnaktsiutiun. In fact, a
political meaning was imparted to that conference, it was imparted an
inner political meaning, as ARF Dashnaktsiutiun was also condemned in
the Armenian Genocide. The activities of ARF Dashnaktsiutiun were
stopped in Armenia few months before that, the newspapers of the
party were closed, a part of the party’s leaders were in the prison.

In the first point of his speech, Ter-Petrosian found it groundless
to explain the Armenian Genocide with the religious, ethnic and racial
antagonism. A number of scholars objected this idea at the conference.

“The Armenian nation lost the last opportunity to avoid the disastrous
consequences of the genocide in 1914, when by the decree of 8th
Congress of ARF Dashnaktsiutiun held in Erzroum, the Armenian people
undertook the commitment of participating in the general recruitment
in the Ottoman Empire,” Levon Ter-Petrosian said. Besides, in 1920,
“the authorities of Armenia failed to estimate in the right way the
new situation created as a result of the strengthening of Russian
and Turkey. That’s why they lost both the independence of Armenia
and the greater part of its territories.”

“Today, Armenia and Turkey, as neighboring countries, should establish
naturally beneficial trade economic relations and friendly relations
and gradually overcome the historical contradictions and restore the
mutual trust between the Armenian and the Turkish peoples. In order
to achieve this goal, the sides should have political will and moral
position”, Ter-Petrosian said ten years ago.

By Tatoul Hakobian

90 years on, an Armenian’s escape from Ottoman Turkey

Agence France Presse
April 21 2005

21/04/2005 AFP

YEREVAN, April 21 (AFP) – 5h38 – One of a handful of survivors of
Turkish massacres against Armenians during World War I, Varazdat
Arutyunian was six years old when the Ottoman army began its expulsion
of Armenians from his home town Van in present day Turkey.

“My memories are sharpened during the spring, the trees were also
in bloom in the spring of 1915 when the Turks attacked our city,”
the 96-year-old architect told AFP in his home in the Armenian capital.

As Armenia prepares to mark the 90th anniversary of a slaughter that
is among the most painful episodes of its ages-old history in which
it claims some 1.5 million were killed, only an estimated 600 people
remain in the republic who can still tell the tale first hand.

April 25, 1915 marks the day that the Ottoman Turkish authorities
rounded up and later killed hundreds of Armenian intellectuals living
in Anatolia in the start of what Armenia and many other countries
say was an organized genocidal campaign to eliminate Armenians from
the Ottoman Empire.

Turkey denies a genocide ever took place saying that 300,000 Armenians
and thousands of Turks were killed in “civil strife” during World
War I, when the Armenians rose against their Ottoman rulers and sided
with invading Russian troops.

In preparation for the anniversary, Armenia has organized a series
of seminars, exhibitions and film screenings that will culminate in
a massive march through the capital with which Armenia hopes to draw
international attention to genocide claims and put pressure on Turkey.

It was soon after the first massacre that Turks entered Van and a
number of other Armenian settlements with orders to send Armenians on
a forced march through the Der El Zor desert where untold thousands
would perish of deprivation and attacks.

As a feeble initial Armenian resistance failed and Russian troops
pulled back Arutyunian’s family fled with Russian forces and countless
other families.

“When we crossed bridges we were attacked by Kurds and Turks. Many
jumped into the river to try to swim across but drowned or were struck
by bullets. We stopped frequently to bury those who died of hunger
and exhaustion,” Arutyunian recalled.

When the family crossed the river Arax and joined thousands of other
refugees in the valley of Mount Ararat where Armenian’s present day
border with Turkey lies, many members of his family began to succumb
to Typhoid and Cholera.

Of his nine family members Arutyunian was one of only three to survive,
including his mother and a brother.

“Many people say 1.5 million people were killed by the Turks in Turkey,
but no one has ever counted how many people died in total as a result
of the genocide,” Arutyunian said.

Arutyunian went on to get a university degree and study Armenian
architecture in eastern Anatolia, but in the years that followed
World War I he would find himself selling drinks as a water-boy and
cleaning shoes on the streets of the Georgian capital Tbilisi.

Today the white-haired elder has trouble standing-up but continues
to smoke his favorite brand of cigarettes, called Van, in honor of
his hometown.

“These are the only cigarettes I smoke, they help quench the longing
for the places of my youth,” which are today located across a closed
border in Turkey.

“I lived under the Czar, and during the Soviet Union, and through the
years of our country’s independence. I belong to a generation which
becomes less numerous every day and will soon disappear completely,”
Arutyunian said.

“Before that happens I would like to see a world which condemns evils
against humanity in solidarity, including against Armenians.”

ROADS: Why people from former Soviet countries are coming to the Valley
By Alice Mannette/Staff

Staunton News Leader, VA
April 21 2005

In 1991, the Berlin Wall came down, the cement blocks were crushed
and many Soviet satellite nations gained independence. With this
new-found freedom came economic hardship, religious persecution of the
non-dominant “new” religion and an ability to immigrate – if selected.

“We left at the time when it was the most devastating: no water,
electricity or power,” said Nuné Mirzoyan. “We were starving and it
was impossible.”

Armenia had suffered economic hardship and a war with neighboring
Islamic-dominated Azerbaijan. The Mirzoyans became refugees, and after
years of harsh circumstances the family was sponsored by Staunton
Grace Christian Church. A little more than six years ago, the church
helped Samuel Mirzoyan find an engineering job and his wife and two
sons an apartment.

“We were so welcomed. People prepared an apartment for us with
everything in it. And I mean everything,” Nuné Mirzoyan said.
In neighboring Kazakhstan, another former Soviet Republic, the dominant
religion is Islam. Toly Kalashnikov fled to the Valley with his family
five years ago because of what he termed “ethnic problems.” His
father, a former speed skating coach, is working in construction.
Ben Zudilin, also of Kazakhstan, said there are more opportunities
in the United States. At one time, he had eight relatives living in
a three-bedroom apartment in Harrisonburg.

“Most of my uncles, aunts and grandmothers are now here,” Zudilin said.

Garotb Borodin, who immigrated to Bridgewater from Kazakhstan almost
nine years ago, said religion is a big part of the reason for coming
to the United States.

“My dad said that he didn’t want us to go through what he did –
Christian persecution,” said Sergei Kvitko of Kyrgyzstan. “When they
opened the doors to come to America, we did.”

Kvitko’s wife Barbara Zaphrozyea is from the Ukraine. The couple
first lived in Los Angeles where they learned English. Their pastor
helped them assimilate. Then they heard of relatives in the Valley
and thought the smaller community would be simpler.

Others from the Ukraine, like Victor Klopov, said they were looking
for new opportunities. Nina Zotov from Belarus agrees. “My parents
were looking for more freedom to do things they wanted to. They came
here and started all over,” Zotov said.

But Svetlana and Pavel Khilkovich, Baptists from Belarus, cited
religious persecution from the Russian Orthodoxy as a reason for
leaving their homeland. The couple came as refugees, but were invited
by their relatives who reside in Harrisonburg.

“It is better there now. Before you were ridiculed in school. They
didn’t want people gathering,” Svetlana Khilkovich said.

Andrey Klimenko from Latvia said, “I want to live in America. There
are much better people here. Less problems.”

Many Valley immigrants from the atheist former Soviet republics agree
with Mirzoyan when she says, “God was very faithful to us.”

–Boundary_(ID_mHIAKAikJoThMTJEwQfCjQ)–

ARKA News Agency
April 20 2005

Israeli Parliamentarian visits Memorial to Genocide victims

Admission of Armenian Genocide possible in case of change of ruling
elite in Turkey

New people’s tribunal should be organized to condemn Armenian
Genocide: Alfred De Zayas

Robert Kocharyan: Armenia keeps nursing great expectations from the
international community considering just estimation of the fact of
the Genocide

Israeli parliamentarian to visit Memorial to victims of Armenian
Genocide

Armenian President congratulates new Pope

Armenian President appoints Arman Kirakosyan RA Deputy Foreign
Minister

Israel to set up monument to victims of Armenian Genocide in Tel Aviv

Opening Armenian Genocide archives Turkey’s policy to divert
attention from fact of genocide: Amatuny Virabyan

All Armenian’s Catholocos: Armenian Genocide is the most tragic page
in the history of Armenian nation

RA Prime -Minister: readiness of Armenia to resume relations with
Turkey without preconditions doesn’t mean renunciation of Genocide

RA Prime -Minister: Armenia recognition of genocide is important from
all-human standpoint

Armenian question ceases to be the hostage of geopolitical interests
– RA President

RA President: international recognition of Genocide of Armenians is
necessary for the prevention of such crimes in the future

RA President: the international community should multiply its efforts
for efficient resistance genocide

*********************************************************************

ISRAELI PARLIAMENTARIAN VISITS MEMORIAL TO GENOCIDE VICTIMS

YEREVAN, April 20./ ARKA/. The member of the Israeli Parliament,
former Government member Yossi Sarid has visited the Memorial to the
victims of the Armenian Genocide “Tsitsernakaberd” in Yerevan. The
Israeli delegation laid a wreath to the Eternal Fire, keeping a
minute’s silence in memory of the Genocide victims. On behalf of the
Jewish people the head of the Israeli delegation expressed a hope for
reconciliation between the Armenian and Turkish people. “The Israeli
people experienced the pain of Genocide, and I think that Israel may
act as third part is establishing Armenian-Turkish relations,” Sarid
said. P.T. -0–

*********************************************************************

ADMISSION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE POSSIBLE IN CASE OF CHANGE OF RULING
ELITE IN TURKEY

YEREVAN, April 20. /ARKA/. Turkey can admit the Armenian Genocide
provided the country’s ruling regime is changed, Taner Akcam,
Professor of the University of Minnesota, USA, told Armenian
reporters. According to him, democratization in Turkey and changes in
its ruling circles are an important condition for the country’s
admission of the Armenian Genocide. On the other hand, the scholar
said that turkey’s admission of the crimes committed 90 years ago
will not result in Armenia’s territorial claims, as the problem of
territories is not a subject of discussions now. According to Akcam,
compensation is a moral problem, and the issue of its form needs
specifying.
According to Akcam, Turkey’s most serious problem is its being unable
to listen. He pointed out the need for the Armenian and Turkish
people to be ready for a dialogue. However, it requires two
conditions: “I am ready to listen to you history” and “a state’s
actions resulting in mass victims cannot be justified.” This means
that the moral context, within which we discuss past mistakes, should
be a condition for mutual understanding, Akcam said. P.T. -0–
*********************************************************************

NEW PEOPLE’S TRIBUNAL SHOULD BE ORGANIZED TO CONDEMN ARMENIAN
GENOCIDE: ALFRED DE ZAYAS

YEREVAN, April 20. /ARKA/. A New People’s Tribunal can and should be
organized for condemnation of the Armenian Genocide, Alfred de Zayas
JD, PhD, former secretary of the UN Human Rights Committee, stated at
the conference “Ultimate Crime, Ultimate Challenge: Human Rights and
Genocide”. He pointed out that all the Turkish officials concerned
with the Armenian Genocide died and, therefore, cannot be punished.
“What is possible and necessary today is to settle the historical
record, to seek the judgement of the Curt of the world public
opinion. In the name of Human Rights, civil society, should propose
the convening of a Russel-type tribunal [formed to investigate into
war crimes – ARKA] in order to put the Armenian Genocide on trial
before the eyes of the world,” said Alfred de Zayas.
According to him, the 1984 People’s Tribunal in Paris, which devoted
its session to the Armenian Genocide was a good start. According to
him, a New People’s Tribunal with international participation can and
should be organized. “It is never too late,” he said. He reminded the
attendees that such tribunals were organized in Honduras in Bolivia,
Guatemala and even in Texas. “The results of such people’s tribunals
must be given greater visibility. I am persuaded that it is possible
to take the Armenians out of the category and `unsung victims’ and to
ensure that the Armenian Genocide is taught in every school and in
every university, at least in the United State and in Europe,” Alfred
de Zayas said.–0–

*********************************************************************

ROBERT KOCHARYAN: ARMENIA KEEPS NURSING GREAT EXPECTATIONS FROM THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY CONSIDERING JUST ESTIMATION OF THE FACT OF
THE GENOCIDE

YEREVAN, April 20. /ARKA/. Armenian President Robert Kocharyan
received Juan. E. Mendez, the Special Advisor to the Secretary
General on Prevention of Genocide, on Wednesday.
According to Armenian Presidential Press Service, Mendez said his
participation in Genocide and Human Rights international forum
started in Yerevan Wednesday shows that there is a great will to
understand and estimate what happened at the beginning of the
previous century with Armenian people.
In his words, historic memory of Armenian people is a good assistant
in that and will make it possible to estimate and explain what
happened to the international community.
Kocharyan, in turn, noted that not a single Armenian who witnessed
the Genocide or lived then has doubt about its genuine essence, and
Armenian people today just refresh the international community’s
memory.
The President expressed gratitude to Mendez for his participation in
the forum and said Armenia keeps nursing great expectations from the
international community considering just estimation of the fact of
the Genocide. M.V. -0–

*********************************************************************

ISRAELI PARLIAMENTARIAN TO VISIT MEMORIAL TO VICTIMS OF ARMENIAN
GENOCIDE

YEREVAN, April 20. /ARKA/. The member of the Israeli Parliament,
former member of the Israeli Government Yossi Saris is to visit the
Memorial to victims of the Armenian Genocide in Yerevan today. The RA
State Commission for organization of arrangements in commemoration of
the Armenian Genocide reports that Yossi Sarid came to Yerevan to
take part in the conference “Gravest crime, gravest challenges:
genocide and human right”, which has been opened in Yerevan today.
“Mr. Sarid is the first high-ranking Israeli statesman who publicly
recognized the Armenian Genocide and demanded that it be mentioned in
syllabi in Israel,” the Commission’s report says.P.T. -0–

*********************************************************************

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT CONGRATULATES NEW POPE

YEREVAN, April 20. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharyan addressed a
congratulatory message to the newly elected Roman Pope Benedict XVI.
The RA presidential press service reports that inhis message the RA
President expressed hope that under the leadership of Benedict XVI
the Roman Catholic Church will play the leading role in strengthening
peace and religious tolerance. President Kocharyan expressed the
confidence that the newly elected Pope will contribute to the
strengthening of ties between Vatican and Armenia, the Roman Catholic
Church and the Armenian Apostolic Church. P.T. -0–

*********************************************************************

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT APPOINTS ARMAN KIRAKOSYAN RA DEPUTY FOREIGN
MINISTER

YEREVAN, April 20. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharyan has
appointed Arman Kirakosyan RA Deputy Foreign Minister. The press and
information department, RA Foreign Office, reports that Arman
Kirakosyan was formerly Ra Ambassador to the USA.
Since early 2005, personnel changes have been made at the RA Foreign
Office – Armen Baiburtyan and Gegham Gharibjanyan have been appointed
RA Deputy Foreign Ministers. P.T. -0–

*********************************************************************

ISRAEL TO SET UP MONUMENT TO VICTIMS OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN TEL AVIV

YEREVAN, April 20. /ARKA/. Israel has launched a project of setting
up a monument to the victims of the Armenian Genocide in the center
of Tel Aviv, Chairman of the Jewish community in Armenia, Rabbi Hersh
Meyr Brunshtein told ARKA. Without anticipating the events, he
expressed the confidence that “constructive news on this issue” will
soon be made public in Israel. According to him, in the course of
time Israel is shifting its stand on many issues, including ones
“related to acute problems that existed early in the 20th century.”
“Numerous Jews residing in Armenia really believe the recognition of
the Armenian Genocide extremely topical and important,” Brunshtein
said. He also stressed the importance of direct contracts between the
countries, “which allows sides to get to know each other better and
feel their neighbors’ history.” P.T. -0–

*********************************************************************

OPENING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE ARCHIVES TURKEY’S POLICY TO DIVERT
ATTENTION FROM FACT OF GENOCIDE: AMATUNY VIRABYAN

YEREVAN, April 20. /ARKA/. The opening of the Turkish archives on the
Armenian Genocide is Turkey’s policy aimed to divert attention from
the fact of Genocide itself, Director of the RA National Archives
Amatuny Virabyan told reporters. According to him it is a regular,
well-thought-out diplomatic step by means of which Turkey is trying
to gain time simultaneously with its admission to the EU. He pointed
out that the Turkish authorities are making a step back – instead of
admitting the facts, they are claiming the destruction of 500,000
Muslims by Armenians. “It is absurd as it is Armenians that are
victims in this situation. We do not rule out the possibility that
Armenians offered resistance, but talks about mass destruction of
Turks are absurd, as no Armenians had remained in Western Armenia by
that time,” Virabyan said.
He also pointed out that the opening of archives is relative, as any
archive data are easy to conceal, especially considering the fact
that Turkey states that many documents on World War I are kept in its
closed archives. Virabyan also stressed that the documents opened by
Turkey are mostly translated into modern Turkish from the Ottoman
language that was widely spread at that time, and Armenia is facing a
great task of comparing the translations with the originals. “To find
the truth we intend to meet with Turkish archivists and discuss these
issues at a round-table, as well as exchange documents at the two
sides’ disposal,” Virabyan said. P.T. -0–

*********************************************************************

ALL ARMENIAN’S CATHOLOCOS: ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IS THE MOST TRAGIC PAGE
IN THE HISTORY OF ARMENIAN NATION

YEREVAN, April 20. /ARKA/. Armenian Genocide is the most tragic page
in the history of Armenian nation, who has gone through many trials,
Armenian Apostolic Church leader Catholicos Garegin II said Wednesday
in Yerevan speaking at Major Crimes, Major Challenges: Genocide and
Human Rights two-day international conference dedicated 90th
anniversary of Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey. In his words, a
great consolation for Armenian people is that the genocide committed
in the beginning of XX century in Ottoman Empire remains in
international community’s focus decades later.
“In the century of progress and civilization, our nation hoped for
person guarantee, human rights protection and favorable environment
for creative activity, however, was annihilated on the greater part
of its historic motherland that was under Turkey control” Garegin II
said.
In his words, there is no lack of evidence to scrutinize the then
events, and today the Genocide recognition by a number of states
inspires confidence that the issue will get recognition and just
estimation everywhere. The Armenian Apostolic Church leader stressed
that XX century that began with a tragedy for Armenian people,
remained in the human record as a century of two world wars. In his
opinion, concentration camps and gas cameras appeared according the
same logic as atrocity against Armenians was committed. In his words,
a new century begins with new mentality denying crimes and confirming
humanitarian values. “The victory of mercy, right and justice in the
struggle against hatred, hostility, terrorism, war and other evil
existing today should become the main goal of all times”, Garegin ii
said. M.V. -0–

*********************************************************************

RA PRIME -MINISTER: READINESS OF ARMENIA TO RESUME RELATIONS WITH
TURKEY WITHOUT PRECONDITIONS DOESN’T MEAN RENUNCIATION OF GENOCIDE

YEREVAN, April 20. /ARKA/. Armenia stated at various levels that it
was ready to resume relations with Turkey without preconditions, as
stated RA Prime-Minister Andranik Margaryan. However, as he said,
this doesn’t mean that “we renounce the genocide or are ready to make
concessions to Azerbaijan in Karabakh conflict settlement”. He also
emphasized that Europe discusses not only genocide but also the whole
history of Turkey with view of its membership in EU. “This may
contribute to more definite formulation of the positions of European
countries in respect of Genocide and the possibility to recognize and
condemn it”, he said. A.H. –0-

*********************************************************************

RA PRIME -MINISTER: ARMENIA RECOGNITION OF GENOCIDE IS IMPORTANT FROM
ALL-HUMAN STANDPOINT

YEREVAN, April 20. /ARKA/. For Armenia recognition of Genocide is
important from all-human standpoint, as stated RA Prime Minister
Andanik Margaryan. According to, it’s important to combine efforts of
Armenia and organizations al over the world not to allow repetition
of genocide of other nations. “We do not want to separate the issue
of Armenian genocide from other ones, and for us recognition of
Genocide is important from the standpoint common to all humanity, and
not from the standpoint of establishing bilateral relations”, he
said. Margaryan emphasized that genocides in the end of the 20th
century could be prevented if the genocide of Armenians committed at
the beginning of it was condemned. A.H. –0–

*********************************************************************

ARMENIAN QUESTION CEASES TO BE THE HOSTAGE OF GEOPOLITICAL INTERESTS
– RA PRESIDENT

YEREVAN, April 20. /ARKA/. It is apparent today, that the Armenian
question is stepwise ceasing to be the hostage of geopolitical
interests, stated RA President Robert Kocharian today, speaking at
the opening ceremony of “Ultimate Crime, Ultimate Challenge: Genocide
and Human Rights” international two-day conference dedicated to 90th
anniversary of Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey. According to him,
the existence of the independent Armenian republic is the best
guarantee of the fact that “Armenian people will succeed in
protection of their true rights”.
“Marking the tragic events traced back 90 years, we pay tribute to
the memory of the victims and we do it with doubled bitterness, as we
still struggle for the international recognition of the crime
committed”, said the Armenian President. According to him, WWI, with
its global interest of redivision of the world, followed by the great
ideological confrontation of XX century became the basic obstacles on
the way to recognition of lawful rights of the Armenian people. We
became the victims of WWI, although not provoked by us”, noted
Kocharian.
The Armenian President also stated that the term “genocide” did not
exist at the time the policy of annihilation of Armenians was carried
out and there were no international organizations, which could have
become the arena for discussions of united counterblow to the crime.
Kocharian also noted that it took time for the mankind to reckon
genocide among crimes against humanity with all the ensuing
consequences.
It took time for the human values not to be sacrificed to the
geopolitical interests of great powers and for the morality to become
a component of the civilized world’s foreign policy. “The way to
truth lay through tragedies for many peoples. Armenian nation paid 1,
5 million lives for that truth”, said Kocharian. L.V.-0–

*********************************************************************

RA PRESIDENT: INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION OF GENOCIDE OF ARMENIANS IS
NECESSARY FOR THE PREVENTION OF SUCH CRIMES IN THE FUTURE

YEREVAN, April 20. /ARKA/. International recognition of genocide of
Armenians is necessary for the prevention of such crimes in the
future, as stated RA President Robert Kocharyan at the ceremony of
launching a two-day international conference “Ultimate Crime,
Ultimate Challenge: Genocide and Human Rights”, devoted to the 90th
anniversary of the Genocide of Armenians in Ottoman Turkey in 1915.
According to him, this is the definite position of independent
Armenia. Besides, according to Kocharyan, recognition of the genocide
is important for Armenian-Turkish relations, since “it will answer
many questions that exist between the nations, and will give the
chance to look into the future”. “We recollect the past with anguish,
but without hatred, and it’s difficult for us to understand the
reaction of the Turkish side, which not only denies the past, but
also blockades Armenia nowadays”, he emphasized. According to him,
“we clash with the paradoxes that require comprehension”. “Not the
victim is embittered but the side, responsible for the tragic past
events”, he said. He expressed his firm belief that the international
recognition of the genocide will help Turkey submit the past and
overcome the complex, which passing from one generation to another,
creates rough edges in the relations between the neighbors.
RA President expressed his gratitude to countries that recognized the
genocide of Armenians, as well as to organizations and individuals
who had their input in it. According to him, the role of Armenian
Diaspora is inestimable. A.H.-0–

*********************************************************************

RA PRESIDENT: THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SHOULD MULTIPLY ITS EFFORTS
FOR EFFICIENT RESISTANCE GENOCIDE

YEREVAN, April 20. /ARKA/. The international community should
multiply its efforts to prevent genocide, as stated RA President
Robert Kocharyan at the ceremony of launching a two-day international
conference “Ultimate Crime, Ultimate Challenge: Genocide and Human
Rights”, devoted to the 90th anniversary of the Genocide of Armenians
in Ottoman Turkey. According to him, though genocide has a specific
definition today and, notwithstanding the presence of numerous
regional and international organizations, humanity still comes across
with its disposition. In particular, according to Kocharyan, blood of
innocent people shed in Yugoslavia, Rwanda, Cambodia, East Timor,
Sumgait. In this context, according to him, the most important task
is recognition and condemnation of genocide, implying huge potential
for prevention and resistance of such crimes. Kocharyan emphasized
that the crime has no time limitation, and the culprits must be
punished. Besides, it would be an important deterrent for the people
planning genocide. “By recognizing and condemning genocide, states
teach their citizens that a state machine cannot be an instrument for
committing such crimes”, he said.
According to Kocharyan, as a result of the genocide of Armenians the
nation turned into refugees and spread all over the world, and the
necessity of condemning the genocide and restoring historical justice
became the victim of big politics. At that, Kocharyan emphasized that
the criminals, who planned and committed the genocide, mainly
remained unpunished. Moreover, the ashes of Talaata-pasha killed in
Germany was taken back to Turkey and buried with honors in Istanbul.
“This is a bitter proof of passing on the baton of impunity”, he
noted. A.H.-0–

*********************************************************************

PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION HINDERS ZARAKOLOU PARTICIPATE IN YEREVAN CONFERENCE
By Hakob Chakrian

AZG Armenian Daily #071, 21/04/2005

Armenian Genocide

Many prominent scholars, public and political figures from various
countries of the world and Diaspora have been invited to “Ultimate
Crime, Ultimate Challenge. Genocide and Human Rights” conference that
launched in Yerevan on April 20. The representatives of Turkey are
invited, as well.

Professor Basken Oran, from the Faculty of Political Science of the
Ankara University, and Professor Murad Belgen, from the Literature
Faculty of the Istanbul University, participated in the conference,
while Racep Zarakolou, well-known publisher and public figure,
was absent.

It turned out that he didn’t manage to arrive in Yerevan because he
initiated the translated publication of another work by an Armenian
author about the Armenian Genocide In Istanbul. The Public Prosecutor’s
Office began a preliminary investigation for the publication and
questioned Zarakolou, depriving him of the opportunity to participate
in the Yerevan conference dedicated to the 90th Anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide.

ISRAELI KNESSET MEMBER TO PAY TRIBUTE TO ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS

Pan Armenian News
20.04.2005 05:41

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today representative of the Israeli Knesset,
former Government member Yossi Sarid will visit the Memorial to
Victims of the Armenian Genocide, reported the State Commission for
organizing the events marking the 90-th anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide. Yossi Sarid is the first Israeli supreme official, who has
publicly acknowledged the Armenian Genocide and demanded inclusion
of record on it in Israeli curricula. It should be noted that Yossi
Sarid has arrived in Yerevan to take part in Ultimate Crime, Ultimate
Challenges: Human Rights and Genocide international conference that
opened in Yerevan today.

A1plus

| 12:53:15 | 16-04-2005 | Politics |

TODAY’S SECURITY COUNCIL – MERE FORMALITY

Vazgen Manukyan, Paruyr Hayrikyan and Ashot Manucharyan once stated that as
a matter of fact the National Security Council is not functioning in Armenia
to date. The issues that should be considered by the council are being
settled by one or two persons.

Representatives of other opposition forces share this opinion. Head of the
National Self-Determination Union Paruyr Hayrikyan consider that the clause
on the Security Council should be fixed in the Constitution `The National
Security Council is a structure dealing with the issues of state and
national strategy, consequently neglecting it in the Constitution testifies
of the non-perfection of the latter’, Paruyr Hayrikyan says.

In his opinion, if in Armenia the division of power the activities of the
Council should have been headed by the head of the executive power. `I think
in some cases the certain limitations of publicity of the Council are
natural, since the security is bound with gander and demands cautiousness’,
the NSD leader says.

When commenting on the issue deputy chairman of the National Unity Alexan
Karapetyan said, `There are national issue, which should be discussed
somewhere’. As for the structure of the Council, he supports the new variant
– two-level Security Council. The first level should have a rather expanded
composition to discuss the problems referring to the state security in all
the fields. The second level should be more limited and will be dealing with
issues, which demand secrecy. To note, the second composition should include
representatives of the whole political field. `All the parties of the
National Assembly should be presented in it. It should be trusted as their
mission is considerable’, Karapetyan says. He affirms that the National
Security Council should determine the regularity of its activities
proceeding from the necessity. If actual issues do not demand everyday
sittings the Council members should gather at least once a month to consider
the problem in the economic, political spheres as well as the internal and
external policy. At that the process should be rather transparent, he says.

Leader of the National Democratic Union Vazgen Manukyan adheres to the
opinion that the activities should regulated by a separate law and points
out to the experience of some foreign states. `The Council should be
composed by the President, Prime Minister, Defense Minister, NA Speaker,
Minister of Home Affairs and other figures, who will jointly consider the
security issues. Thus the members of the Council will not be able to impose
some decision upon the President by voting while the President will have to
count with the opinion of the majority’, he said. He is convinced that the
activity of the must not be public. The outcomes of the activities can be
published only with the agreement of the council members. Vazgen Manukyan is
should be headed by the President and no one else.

Lena Badeyan

Pan Armenian News

SWISS POLITICIAN URGES TURKEY TO ACKNOWLEDGE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

15.04.2005 04:53

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ During an event organized by the Armenian community of
Switzerland in Bern Chairman of the Christian Democratic Party of the Swiss
Federal Council (Bundesrat), co-author of the resolution on the Genocide
recognition Dominique de Buman called the Turkish government to recognize
the Armenian Genocide. With acknowledging the Armenian Genocide Turkey will
not compromise itself, he stated. To note, December 15, 2003 the Busdesrat
with 107 votes `for’, 67 `against’ and 11 abstainers passed the resolution
on the Genocide recognition, which says that Switzerland gives due to the
Genocide victims, the survivors and their descendants and contributes to the
prevention of other crimes against humanity. The Federal Council hopes that
the adoption of this resolution will contribute to the establishment of
lasting peace between Turks and Armenians if they come to common
understanding of the historical truth.