Author: Tatoyan Vazgen

AMBASSADOR OF LATVIA TO ARMENIA IN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

National Assembly of RA, Armenia
Oct 3 2006

On October 2 Mr. Tigran Torosyan, President of the National Assembly,
received Mr. Aivars Vovers, Ambassador of Latvia to Armenia.

During the meeting the issues related to the Armenian-Latvian
inter-parliamentary ties were discussed. Mr. Tigran Torosyan, President
of the National Assembly, noted that the good inter-parliamentary
relations between the two countries still have unexercised
opportunities for the development. It was noted that Armenia declared
the European integration as a strategic goal, and especially given the
Latvian experience accumulated on the way of accession to the European
Union (EU) will be very productive, taking into account that the Baltic
republics are former Soviet countries in legislative as well as in
institutional aspects. Both parties stressed the cooperation within
international structures during the meeting. The NA President Tigran
Torosyan gave an example of the productive work with the delegations
of the Baltic countries in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe (PACE).

Touching upon the New Neighbourhood programme of the European Union
within the framework of which the signing of an agreement with Armenia
is envisaged during these days, Mr. Aivars Vovers, Ambassador of
Latvia to Armenia, noted that it will create new opportunities for the
implementation of the joint programmes. He informed the NA President
about the parliamentary elections, which will be held in Latvia this
week, noting that, according to the opinion polls, great changes are
not expected. The Ambassador assured that after the parliamentary
elections a Parliamentary Friendship Group with Armenia also will be
set up in the Latvian Parliament, which has been an important link
of inter-parliamentary cooperation during these years in the context
of meetings and discussions. He reaffirmed the invitation of the NA
President’s official visit to Latvia.

During the meeting other issues of mutual importance were also
discussed.

Armenian Reporter International
September 30, 2006

Sahan Arzruni and Friends in a Tribute to Armenian Composers at Merkin
Concert Hall, September 17

By Harris Goldsmith

NEW YORK, NY – The fine pianist Sahan Arzruni presented a magnificent
tribute at Merkin Hall on September 17, 2006 with a lengthy concert to
celebrate Armenian Independence Day. To complement the music of ten Armenian
composers, Vardan Ajemyan, Alexander Arutiunyan, Levon Astvatsaturyan, Arno
Babadjanyan, Sargis Barkhudaryan, Gayane Chebotaryan, Geghuni Chitchyan,
Tigran Mansuryan, Edward Mirzoyan and Suren Zakaryan, the festivities also
included an exhibition of paintings by a group of Armenian artists in the
Merkin Hall gallery, to be viewed by audience members during the two
intermission periods.
First and foremost, Mr. Arzruni, a splendid pianist, was the hero of the
evening: Not only did he beguile with polished virtuoso technique, a
superior grasp of proportion and phrase shaping, and a plenitude of
temperament; he is also to be credited for choosing and bringing together
and outstanding roster of assisting artists (truly `Friends,’ not mere
colleagues).
While all of the music played was pleasing and of superior quality, one
curious aspect was that the aforementioned artwork showed far greater
diversity stylistically than the music items themselves. To explain this,
your reviewer guesses that, since most of the composers involved spent much
of their lives and careers during the years of Soviet domination, these
creators — though certainly `modern’ — tended to reflexively embrace the
quality of `User-friendliness’ that was persona grata to `People’s Socialist
Style.’ Conversely, I was more than a bit surprised to hear so few of the
stock-in-trade `Armenianisms’ commonly associated with Aram Khachaturian,
certainly the best known of his country’s generation. Conversely, Mirzoyan’s
`Album For My Granddaughter,’ composed in 1984, and Arutiunyan’s `Children’s
Album,’ vintage 2004, charming vignettes both, did evoke echoes of
Schumann’s `Album for the Young,’ Tchaikovsky’s `Children’s Pieces,’ and, of
course, the likeable Soviet contributions of Kabalevsky to the genre. The
opening of the program, Mirzoyan’s 1971 `Poem,’ the same composer’s 1967
`Sonata for Cello and Piano’ offered a more acerbic, spikier persona (the
Sonata was written for Rostropovich), and his `Four Chinese Songs,’ from
this very year, 2006, showed a most highly developed personality and
passionate style. Arutiunyan’s `Armenian Dance,’ his first published
composition, was written in 1935 when the composer was only 15.
Ajemyan’s `Fantasy for Tuba and Piano’ was composed in 1998 on a commission
from Harri Lidsle, the renowned Finnish tubist, who performed it in several
Scandinavian countries. The composer has described the work as `a range of
freely alternating diverse sections based on a single theme.’ The Fantasy
turned out to be an attractively `upbeat’ affair with nary a trace of the
bidlo-like ungainliness that many ipso facto expect of the lowest brass
instrument. Bin Love was the evening’s excellent protagonist. Lazar Saryan
(1920-1998) studied with both Kabelevsky and Shostakovich, and his `Three
Postludes’ (1990), like the foregoing Ajemyan tuba work, had its first
Western Hemisphere premiere at this concert, presented with somber eloquence
by Mr. Arzruni. But what particularly impressed me was Tigran Mansuryan’s
`Four Hayren for Viola and Piano’ (2005), inspired by the quatrains of
Nahapet Kuchak. It would be hard to imagine a performance more deeply felt
and compellingly personal than these magnificent players, Kim Kashkashian
and Sahan Arzruni, gave us. There is something about Mansuryan’s Orientally
tinged idiom that put me in mind with the best moments of Ernest Bloch’s
1919 `Suite for Viola and Piano.’
I was likewise deeply engrossed with the `Quasi Sonatina’ (1990) by
Zakaryan. It is elegantly tailored for the piano in three movements: 1.
Animato, 2. Quasi campanelli, and 3. Vivace. The second movement,
especially, had the inward intensity of Bartok’s quiet nature music, but I
also smelled (heard) traces of Ravel.
The Turkish-born Armenian composer, Levon Astvatsaturyan (1922-2003), and
his family moved to France when young Levon was only two, and therefore his
musical education in Marseille made him thoroughly cosmopolitan. He migrated
to Armenia in 1947 and soon began incorporating medieval Armenian music into
his work. Ergo, his 1970 `Prologue and Motet’ incorporates medieval Armenian
chants in a highly personal way. `Prologue,’ as the helpful program notes
told us, `is introspective and creates a satisfying foil to the outgoing
Motet. In both parts, the composer utilizes extremes of dynamics and range
of the instrument.’
Chitchyan’s `Two Images from Armenian Bas-Reliefs’ (1972) were likewise
based on medieval Armenian chants. Actually these Armenian bas reliefs
comprised a total of six dramatic pieces. The first of the two heard at this
concert is entitled `The Monastery in Geghard.’ Ms. Chitchyan is a graduate
of the Komitas State Conservatory, in the class of Yeghyazyan, and she began
teaching at the Saradjev Music School that same year. She is particularly
interested in music for children and has composed many works in that genre.
Her style is essentially lyrical.
Chebotaryan (1918-1998) was born in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, and studied
piano and composition at the Leningrad Conservatory (now in St. Petersburg).
We heard four of her `Six Preludes.’ `Each,’ according to the annotations,
`exploring a single compositional idea and painting one poetic mood…almost
improvisatory vignettes. Although Chebotaryan’s music incorporates certain
Armenian characteristics, it also manifests elements of the classic Russian
tradition. Her piano writing is wholly idiomatic for the instrument’
(translation: this writer was strongly reminded of Rachmaninoff!).
As previously noted, Mirzoyan’s `Sonata for Cello and Piano’ was a
characteristically bear-hugging vehicle as one might expect of its dedicatee
Rostropovich. Andre Emelianoff was a superb stand-in for the absent Slava!
The driving Allegro Finale was particularly energetic.
The concert culminated in a blaze of glory. Babadjanyan (1921-1983) was
probably the best known of these Armenian composers after Khachaturian, and
his `Piano Suite’ (1948-52), not unlike Rachmaninoff’s compositions, was
tailored to his demands and abilities as a virtuosi player (there are
references to Chopin and Liszt along with Rachmaninoff.). The `Armenian
Rhapsody’ (1950) and `Donagan/Festive’ (1962) were composed jointly by
Babadjanyan and Arutiunyan (shades of the `Yellow River Concerto’ of recent
memory. As Arutiunyan explained, according to the program notes once more,
`After I did my part, I would pass it on to Arno, and he would do his folk
song. We went back and forth like that.’ `Festive’ is an occasional piece
and a perfect example of the Soviet concept of `socialist realism’; rousing,
vivid music that reflected the life and struggles of the proletariat.’
Socialist realism or not, Festive’s instrumentation duplicates Bartok’s
`Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion.’
Wonjung Kim, the soprano, was magnificent in Mirzoyan’s `Chinese Songs’
(Spring; Summer; Autumn, and Winter); assisting pianists to Mr. Arzruni,
Cheryl Seltzer and Joel Sachs were equally invigorating; and the beautifully
costumed dancers of the Shushi Armenian Dance Ensemble enriched the
Barkhudaryan and Arutiunyan as a veritable feast for the eyes. And
percussionists Chris Thompson and Eric Poland made a delightful din.
The concert was further enhanced with a cordial reception replete with
pastries, fresh fruit and Armenian wines and brandies. And a glorious time
(as the old saying goes) was had by all….

—
Harris Goldsmith, a New York-based pianist and music critic, writes in
New York Times, New York Post, New York Concert Review, High Fidelity,
Keynote and Opus.

CHIRAC TELLS TURKEY TO ADMIT GENOCIDE
By Simon Ostrovsky And Mariam Haroutunian – Yerevan

Middle East Online, UK
Sept 30 2006

French President urges Ankara to recognize 1915-1917 massacres in
Armenia before joining EU.

French President Jacques Chirac on Saturday urged Turkey to recognize
World War I-era massacres of Armenians as genocide if it wants to join
the European Union, speaking during a visit to the Armenian capital.

In comments that are likely to irritate Ankara and put a further
strain on its relations with France, Chirac told a news conference
Turkey needed to face up to its past in response to a question on
the nation’s EU ambitions.

Asked if he thought Turkey should recognize the 1915-1917 massacres
as genocide before it joins the EU, the French president replied:
"Honestly, I believe so."

"All countries grow up acknowledging their dramas and their errors,"
said Chirac, who is on a two-day visit to Armenia, where he has paid
homage to Yerevan’s "genocide" memorial and attended the inauguration
of a "France Square" in central Yerevan.

Until now, France had refused to make a direct link between the
genocide issue and Turkey’s EU membership bid. The bloc has not made
it a condition of entry.

But a response to the same question by Chirac’s Armenian counterpart
Robert Kocharian was markedly softer, reflecting Armenia’s desire to
mend ties with its neighbor and improve its struggling economy.

"We don’t see any danger in this process," Kocharian said of Turkey’s
EU aspirations, "but we would like that our interests would be
discussed in the process too," he added.

Kocharian said it would be in Armenia’s interests to have a neighbor
"with a value system that allows for free movement and open borders."

France, which has 400,000 citizens of Armenian descent, officially
recognized the events as genocide in 2001, putting a strain on its
relations with fellow NATO member Turkey.

A proposal by France’s socialists to make genocide denial a crime
punishable by a year in prison and a 45,000-euro fine has elicited
further ire in Turkey, but Chirac said he did not support the proposal.

"France has fully recognized the tragedy of the genocide and all
the rest is more like polemics than legislative reality," he said of
the proposal.

Armenia has campaigned for Turkey to recognize the WWI massacres,
in which it says 1.5 million Armenians died, as genocide.

But Turkey argues that that 300,000 Armenians and at least as many
Turks died in an internal conflict sparked by attempts by Armenians
to win independence in eastern Anatolia.

Agence France Presse
29 septembre 2006 vendredi

La communauté arménienne en France (ENCADRE)

Paris

La communauté arménienne en France compte aujourd’hui quelque 450.000
membres, soit la plus importante en Europe occidentale, selon le
Centre de recherches sur la diaspora arménienne (CRDA).

Trois vagues d’immigration marquent principalement son arrivée sur le
territoire : celle de négociants à Marseille au XVIIe siècle, celle
des rescapés du génocide de 1915 par les Turcs et enfin celle de
ressortissants plus jeunes nés au Proche-Orient et en Turquie.

Survivants et descendants (troisième et quatrième générations
aujourd’hui) sont principalement regroupés dans trois zones
géographiques avec 200.000 personnes en région parisienne, 150.000 à
Marseille (Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur) puis 100.000 en Rhône-Alpes,
notamment à Lyon.

Alfortville, dans le Val-de-Marne, surnommée "la petite Arménie",
reste la ville la plus représentative, avec un Arménien pour six
habitants.

La communauté vit dans une assez grande pluralité politique et
religieuse, une majorité restant fidèle à l’église nationale
arménienne (chrétienne orientale).

Elle poursuit par ailleurs un travail important de culture et de
mémoire avec au moins six établissements scolaires arméniens, une
centaine "d’écoles du dimanche" ainsi que la création du CRDA (Centre
de recherches sur la diaspora arménienne) en 1976.

Ce centre conserve des milliers de documents sur l’histoire du peuple
arménien, marquée essentiellement par le génocide de 1915 par les
Turcs. Les Arméniens estiment que jusqu’à 1,5 million des leurs ont
péri dans un génocide orchestré par l’Empire ottoman entre 1915 et
1917.

Une proposition de loi socialiste vise par ailleurs à compléter la
loi du 29 janvier 2001 par laquelle la France reconnaît le génocide
arménien. Elle fait de la négation du génocide un délit punissable
d’un an d’emprisonnement et de 45.000 euros d’amende. Son examen par
l’Assemblée nationale a toutefois été interrompu sans être achevé et
son vote reporté sine die, le 18 mai.

Le président Jacques Chirac a lié implicitement l’adhésion de la
Turquie à l’Union européenne à la reconnaissance du génocide
arménien, dans une interview aux "Nouvelles d’Arménie" rendue
publique mercredi par le mensuel.

Anatolia news agency, Ankara,
29 Sep 06

TURKISH MP SLAMS DUTCH PARTIES FOR REJECTING CANDIDATES OVER GENOCIDE VIEWS

Ankara, 29 September: Canan Aritman, an MP of the main opposition
Republican People’s Party (CHP), sent letters to leaders of Dutch
political parties to condemn their decision not to accept the
candidacies of three people of Turkish descent for they reject the
so-called Armenian genocide.

In her letters to Dutch PM Jan Peter Balkenende and Labour Party
leader Michiel van Hulten [title and name as published], Aritman
qualified this decision as an anti-democratic approach.

Aritman said that such a thing cannot be allowed in any political
party which advocates democracy, and noted that this decision is a
violation of freedom of thought, and is against human rights.

Stating that this is a stroke on the democratic rights and liberties
of Turkish community and the parliamentary democracy in the
Netherlands, Aritman said that such moves will prevent Turkish
community from participating in active politics.

Aritman wished that Dutch parties will change their mind soon to
ensure a real democracy, human rights and freedoms.

Three people of Turkish origin, namely Erdinc Sacan (Social Democrat
Labour Party-PvdA), Ayhan Tonca and Osman Elmaci (Christian Democrat
Party-CDA) were excluded from parliamentarian candidacy lists due to
the campaigns launched by the Armenian diaspora. They were running
for the early general election in the Netherlands due on 22 November.

The Associated Press
September 27, 2006 Wednesday 4:30 PM GMT

Turkey needs reform before more EU talks

By JAN SLIVA, Associated Press Writer

STRASBOURG France

The European Parliament on Wednesday warned Turkey that its refusal
to allow Greek Cypriot ships and planes to enter its ports could halt
its accession talks with the European Union.

In an evaluation report, the EU assembly said that Turkey’s progress
in the area of freedom of expression is "far from satisfactory", and
that no progress has been made lately in addressing difficulties
faced by ethnic minorities, such as Kurds.

Ankara is also awaiting a progress report from the EU’s executive
commission.

While the lawmakers dropped their demand that Turkey must acknowledge
the killings of Armenians around the time of World War I as genocide
before it can join the EU, they said it was "indispensable" for
Turkey to come to terms with and recognize its past.

They also urged Turkey to establish diplomatic relations with Armenia
and open the land border with its eastern neighbor.

Armenians say that as many as 1.5 million of their ancestors were
killed in an organized genocidal campaign by Ottoman Turks, and have
pushed for recognition of the killings as genocide by the 25-nation
EU and by other nations. Turkey vehemently denies the killing were
genocide.

Top EU officials hinted in July that entry talks with Turkey begun in
October are likely to stall because of Ankara’s continuing failure to
recognize Cyprus or allow in its ships and airplanes.

The European Parliament committee report warns that the "lack of
progress in this regard will have serious implications for the
negotiation process and could even bring it to a halt."

The parliament’s report was approved a day after Romania and Bulgaria
were given the go-ahead to join the EU on Jan. 1, 2007, raising the
number of EU members to 27. The EU has warned the bloc would not
accept more members until it resolves the future of its stalled
constitution.

The European Commission is to present its next evaluation of Turkey’s
reforms on Nov. 8. The European Parliament must give its assent
before every EU enlargement.

Business Wire
September 28, 2006 Thursday 3:25 PM GMT

Jane Fonda to Deliver Keynote Address at 2006 COAF ‘Save a
Generation’ Awards Dinner

NEW YORK

The Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) is pleased to announce that Jane
Fonda, Oscar-winning actress and humanitarian, will deliver the
keynote address at the annual Save a Generation awards dinner, to be
held Friday, October 20, 2006, at Cipriani 42 Street in New York.
COAF will honor outstanding individual and corporate leaders, and
celebrate the success of COAFs unique formula for poverty alleviation
through village revitalization, education, health care and
development. Emmy award winner Andrea Martin will serve as Master of
Ceremonies and Ms. Fonda will appear along with honoree George
Pagoumian, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Napco, LLP.

In addition, COAF will recognize Pierre Michel Fattouche of VivaCell
and Eduardo Eurnekian of Zvartnots International Airport and Tierras
de Armenia as two organizational leaders fighting poverty in Armenia
through long-term economic development. Actress and humanitarian Jane
Fonda has enjoyed tremendous success as a stage and screen actress in
such well known films as Coming Home with much of her work devoted to
the program she founded in 1995, the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent
Pregnancy Prevention (G-CAPP). She chairs this statewide effort to
reduce the high rates of adolescent pregnancy in Georgia through
community, youth and family development, sustainable economic
development and legislative advocacy. In 1994, Ms. Fonda was named
Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Population Fund. She is
also a member of the Women & Foreign Policy Advisory Committee of the
Council on Foreign Relations, the Grady Health System Board of
Visitors, the Screen Actors Guild Advisory Board, the Advisory Board
of the Native American Rights Fund, and sits on the V-Counsel of
V-Day: Until the Violence Stops. In May 2005, Random House published
Ms. Fondas memoirs, The New York Times , her first film in 15 years,
also reached number one at the box office, making Ms. Fonda the first
person to simultaneously have a number one book and number one movie.
Founded in 2000, the Children of Armenia Fund is an independent,
nonprofit, nongovernmental organization (501(c)(3)). COAF seeks to
reverse the impoverished conditions affecting significant numbers of
Armenias villages and implementing projects that provide immediate
and sustainable benefits to children and youth. For further
information, please visit .

The Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) is pleased to announce that Jane
Fonda, Oscar(R)-winning actress and humanitarian, will deliver the
keynote address at the annual "Save a Generation" awards dinner, to
be held Friday, October 20, 2006, at Cipriani 42nd Street in New
York. COAF will honor outstanding individual and corporate leaders,
and celebrate the success of COAF’s unique formula for poverty
alleviation through village revitalization, education, health care
and development.

Emmy(R) and Tony(R) award winner Andrea Martin will serve as Master
of Ceremonies and Ms. Fonda will appear along with honoree George
Pagoumian, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Napco, LLP. In
addition, COAF will recognize Pierre Michel Fattouche of VivaCell and
Eduardo Eurnekian of Zvartnots International Airport and Tierras de
Armenia as two organizational leaders fighting poverty in Armenia
through long-term economic development.

Actress and humanitarian Jane Fonda has enjoyed tremendous success as
a stage and screen actress in such well known films as Klute and
Coming Home. Ms. Fonda now focuses her time on activism and social
change – with much of her work devoted to the program she founded in
1995, the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention
(G-CAPP). She chairs this statewide effort to reduce the high rates
of adolescent pregnancy in Georgia through community, youth and
family development, sustainable economic development and legislative
advocacy.

In 1994, Ms. Fonda was named Goodwill Ambassador for the United
Nations Population Fund. She is also a member of the Women & Foreign
Policy Advisory Committee of the Council on Foreign Relations, the
Grady Health System Board of Visitors, the Screen Actors Guild
Advisory Board, the Advisory Board of the Native American Rights
Fund, and sits on the V-Counsel of V-Day: Until the Violence Stops.

In May 2005, Random House published Ms. Fonda’s memoirs, My Life So
Far, which secured a first-place position on The New York Times
Bestseller list. That same spring Monster-in-Law, her first film in
15 years, also reached number one at the box office, making Ms. Fonda
the first person to simultaneously have a number one book and number
one movie.

About COAF

Founded in 2000, the Children of Armenia Fund is an independent,
nonprofit, nongovernmental organization (501(c)(3)). COAF seeks to
reverse the impoverished conditions affecting significant numbers of
Armenia’s children by revitalizing Armenia’s villages and
implementing projects that provide immediate and sustainable benefits
to children and youth. For further information, please visit

CONTACT: Sunny Uberoi, 212-994-8206Anna Sargsyan,
212-994-8234CONTACT: Sunny Uberoi, 212-994-8206
[email protected] or Anna Sargsyan, 212-994-8234
[email protected]

"THERE IS STILL HOPE"

A1+
[08:28 pm] 27 September, 2006

"Justice" bloc did not participate in the discussion of the Electoral
Code together with the Venice Commission and the experts from
OSCE/ODIHR, whereas "National Unity" and "Orinats Yerkir" did.

Leader of the National Democratic Party Shavarsh Kocharyan participated
in hte discussion not as representative of "Justice" bloc but as the
author of the alternative variant. The processed version of the draft
was introduced into circulation in the NA on September 20.

Let us remind you that the mentioned draft Electoral Code was not sent
to the Venice Commission, hence it can’t be discussed. Nevertheless,
according to Kocharyan, even today it can be considered an alternative
variant, taking into account the fact that the draft gives the
solution of those problems upon which the experts and the authors of
the present draft cannot agree.

"We are realistic enough to understand that the chances of the draft
are close to nothing, but it doesn’t mean that the situation is
completely hopeless", said Shavarsh Kocharyan. He voiced hope that
their offers will be taken into account while adopting the offered
amendments.

Shavarsh Kocharyan said that no matter how nice their draft might be,
the experts of the Venice Commission cannot defend it. And if all the
representative of the opposition had signed it, the situation would
be completely different. According to Kocharyan, the draft has been
sent to all the factions by NGO "Democracy"; it has been discussed
by the opposition, but no agreement has been concluded. "I have an
impression that the whole oppositional field is in a swamp. And as
soon as someone wants to get out of it, the others pull him back",
the deputy said.

OLLI REHN CALLS ON TURKEY TO ESTABLISH NEIGHBOR RELATIONS WITH ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
27.09.2006 15:02 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ During the discussions of the report on Turkey EU
Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn made the following statement:
"Freedom of expression is indeed a fundamental human right on which
any open society is based, and a foundation for modernization, social
progress and solving conflicts between various social groups.

An open and constructive exchange of views is needed in Turkey,
including the most sensitive issues. This is necessary both for the
democratic process in Turkey and for facing tomorrow’s challenges,
as well as for Turkey’s reconciliation with its neighbors, including
Armenia. Reconciliation is a principle that is both the origin and
the outcome of the European integration project. I therefore urge
Turkey to continue to take concrete steps in this direction.

Freedom of religion is another area where tangible progress is
needed. The Law on Foundations, which is currently debated in the
Turkish Grand National Assembly, should address the shortcomings.

Restrictions applied to non-Muslim religious groups on property rights,
management of foundations and training of the clergy must be lifted,"
reports abhaber.com.

GOVERNOR SIGNS BILL EXTENDING TIME FOR ARMENIAN GENOCIDE SUITS
By Kenneth Ofgang, Staff Writer

Metropolitan News-Enterprise, CA
Sept 27 2006

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed legislation giving victims
of genocide in Armenia and their heirs and beneficiaries another 10
years to sue for the loss or theft of assets deposited in European
or Asian banks.

SB 1524, which the governor signed on Monday, extends the limitations
period for such claims to Dec. 31, 2016. The bill is similar to prior
legislation allowing additional time for victims to sue for unpaid
insurance proceeds or restitution of misappropriated artworks.

A group of plaintiffs earlier this year sued Germany’s Deutsche Bank
and Dresdner Bank. The putative class action complaint filed in
the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California in
Deirmenjian v. Deutsche Bank, A.G., CV 06-00774, alleged the banks
wrongfully held Armenian assets and froze Armenian bank accounts
during the period of the Armenian Genocide.

The plaintiffs are represented by three attorneys of Armenian descent,
Brian Kabateck, partner with Kabateck Brown Kellner; Mark Geragos,
partner with Geragos & Geragos; and Vartkes Yeghiayan of Yeghiayan
and Associates.

"Deutsche Bank and Dresdner Bank were approached by Turkish leaders to
store Armenian artwork, gold and other valuables that were illegally
seized by the Turks during the Armenian Genocide," Kabateck explained
in a release. "The assets and the money deposited by Armenians in
these banks mysteriously disappeared and were considered lost for
decades. With most of the rightful owners massacred, these banks
apparently thought they could get away with stealing family assets
from an entire generation of Armenians. A new generation of Armenians
has set out to right this wrong."

The class action plaintiffs estimate that the banks took more than
$22.5 million in looted assets, based on 1915 dollars.

Schwarzenegger also signed AB 424, permanently designating April 24
as the Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide.

He explained in a statement:

"Between 1915 and 1923, a systematic and deliberate campaign of
genocide by the Ottoman Turkish government resulted in the deaths
of over 1.5 million Armenians and the exile of a people from their
historic homeland. During this period, tens of thousands of displaced
Armenians took refuge in the United States, many in California. These
survivors embraced this country and this state. Among them and their
descendents emerged leaders in business, agriculture, sports, academics
and the arts. Today, a few survivors remain as a living testament to
the horror that took place 90 years ago. We must recognize crimes
against humanity if we are to prevent them; silence in the face of
genocide effectively encourages those who would commit such atrocities
in the future."

The Turkish government has called the 1.5 million figure "grossly
erroneous" and has attributed the deaths of Armenians in that period to
"intercommunal" political, rather than ethnic and religious, conflict.

Schwarzenegger earlier signed a bill directing the state’s public
employee retirement funds to divest from companies that do business
in Sudan, where the government persists in denying reports that
an estimated 200,000 black Africans in the Darfur region have been
killed and many times that number displaced as a result of attacks
by Arab militias.