Author: Toneyan Mark

US CONGRESS TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN NEW ANALOGOUS RESOLUTION

YEREVAN, JUNE 10. ARMINFO. A new draft resolution “On Recognizing
Armenian Genocide” will be presented in the Committee on Foreign
Affairs of the US Congress within the nearest weeks, the resolution’s
author, congressman Adam Shiffer stated in an interview to Radio
Liberty.

He says that the resolution has been discussed within a few weeks in
the US Congress. “All the congressmen tried to present a resolution
on recognizing Armenian Genocide in appropriate commissions could not
provide discussion and voting”, Shiffer noted adding that the
agreement reached the day before will give an opportunity to hold
discussion and voting on the draft. The source notes that the last
voting in committee took place 5 years ago. “The Resolution will
present the history of Armenian Genocide. It will be noted there that
the first Genocide of the last century assassinated more than 1.5 mln
Armenians was planned beforehand. The Resolution will note that the
US Congress recognizes Armenian Genocide”, congressman noted.

The source notes that Henry Hayditz, the US Congress committee
chairman on foreign affairs was given a right to present the
Resolution in the US Congress. -r-

Newropeans Magazine
June 10 2005

Turkey legalizes the Denial of the Armenian Genocide – 5th Part –

Written by Houry Mayissian
Friday, 10 June 2005

90 years have passed since Ottoman Turkey committed genocide against
its Christian Armenian subjects in 1915. Although several parliaments
have recognized the Armenian Genocide and many historians have
established that it is a historical fact, the Turkish government
still refuses to acknowledge it. It has, in the past 90 years,
implemented several methods to deny the genocide ever happened. The
latest of these measures was the recent criminalization of the
acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide in the new Turkish Penal
Code, which took effect on June 1.

The Clear and Present Danger test, as it is called, was first
proposed in 1919 by Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. in his
interpretations of the First Amendment of the United States’
Constitution (1). In order to determine whether the speech at hand is
constitutional, `the Clear and Present Danger test asked not whether
the words had a bad tendency but rather `whether the words used are
used in such circumstances and are of such a nature as to create
clear and present danger that they will bring about the substantive
evils that Congress has a right to prevent” (1)

Advocates of this theory of freedom of expression believe that it is
`the best available judicial test for striking a proper balance
between protection of the marketplace of ideas and the need to
protect the national security and the publics order.'(2) The
opponents to this theory, on the other hand, argue that the test is
`open to widely varying interpretations’ and provides `little or no
protection to radical speech in times of political stress’ (2). While
this argument makes a logical point, I personally believe, that if
exercised with care, the above test would be efficient in both
securing freedom of expression to the citizens of a country and
protecting its national security, especially in times of war.

Although the Clear and Present Danger test is an interpretation of
the First Amendment of the US Constitution, it can be applied to
other countries as a means of regulating government intervention in
the right to freedom of expression. Furthermore, using this test in
the case of article 305 is appropriate, because the article itself is
based on the need to protect `fundamental national interests’. Thus,
based on this concept, article 305 would have been justifiable if
recognition of the Armenian Genocide truly constituted a `clear and
present danger’ for Turkey. Not only the recognition of the Armenian
Genocide constitutes no such danger to Turkey, its denial threatens
one of the country’s basic national interests as announced by Turkey
itself: its membership to the European Union. Recent developments
show that the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by Turkey will be
one of the issues on the agenda of accession talks. In fact, French
Foreign Minister Michel Barnier told the French RTL radio in December
that France will include the issue of the Armenian Genocide in the
accession talks that are due to start with Turkey in October 2005
(3). Barnier repeated his statement on a number of different
occasion, the latest being in May (4). Similar statements by other EU
officials and member countries indicate that denial of the Armenian
Genocide might in fact become a headache, causing more danger to
Turkey, than its recognition.

In conclusion, the adoption of article 305 of the Turkish Penal Code
has no justification; the argument that recognition of the Armenian
Genocide is a threat against national interests has no basis. In
addition, the article contains serious shortcomings that might lead
to its abuse by the government. The article has been criticized by
the European Parliament and Commission, as well as a number of
non-governmental organizations and has been regarded as an
infringement on freedom of expression. The article is not the only
attempt by the Turkish Government to deny the Armenian Genocide, but
its significance lies in the fact that it legalizes this denial.
Finally, the article violates the European Convention for the
Protection of Human Rights, a document Turkey has ratified and is
obliged to respect. For all the above reasons, the explanatory report
citing the Armenian Genocide example (this paper has not dealt with
the Cyprus issue) should be deleted.

(1) Kersch, K. I. (2003). Freedom Of Speech: Rights and Liberties
Under The Law. California: ABC-CLIO(2) Cohen, J. & Gleason, T. W.
(1990). Social Research in Communication And Law. California: Sage
Publications

(3) France to Include `Armenian Genocide’ in Turkey’s EU bid talks:
FM. Retrieved 19-01-2005.

(4)

AZG Armenian Daily #106, 10/06/2005

Karabakh diary

CHAIRMAN OF NKR NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SATISFIED WITH PARLIAMENT’S WORK OF 5
YEARS

On occasion of the end of NKR parliament’s 3d convocation, chairman of the
parliament, Oleg Yesayan, called a press conference on June 8 to present the
work of the National Assembly.

As a result of parliamentary elections in 2000, 4 parties united in 2
fractions — National Democratic and Armenian Revolutionary.

During the past 5 years, the National Assembly adopted 329 laws, 276 of
which were submitted to the government and 53 were adopted at deputies’
initiative. Besides, the NA took a number of important decisions and made
statements.

Yesayan underlined that no parliament session failed during this period
thanks to the lawmakers’ activity and responsibility.

NKR parliament is in close cooperation with the National Assembly of
Armenia. Thanks to this cooperation, the authorities have considerably
advanced in improving National Assembly’s legislation. Artsakh put into
circulation RA civil and penal codes, legislations on family and work.

Yesayan stated that the NA Control Chamber carried out audits at state and
non-governmental establishments and submitted conclusions on state budget’s
projects and expenditure. A few reports on infringements were submitted to
NKR chief prosecutor.

The work of the National Assembly was transparent both for journalists and
for the public. Yesayan thanked all journalists for impartial and timely
coverage of the work of the parliament.

Commenting on the statement of some political forces that Artsakh needs to
be a parliamentary state, said that Nagorno Karabakh should be ruled by a
president so far as the international community recognizes it. A powerful,
president, powerful government and powerful parliament — that is what will
help to settle all issues, he concluded.

By Kim Gabrielian in Stepanakert

Fifty international observers to monitor polls in Nagornyy Karabakh Republic
[NKR]

Arminfo, Yerevan
9 Jun 05

STEPANAKERT

The election campaign in the Nagornyy Karabakh Republic [NKR] is
proceeding as normal and the electoral commissions have received no
complaints as yet, the chairman of the NKR Central Electoral
Commission, Sergey Nasibyan, has told journalists.

About 89,000 voters have been registered in the republic by now, an
Arminfo correspondent reported from Stepanakert.

One hundred seven candidates will run under the first-past-the-post
and six parties and one bloc under the proportional representation
system.

To recap, voting will be held in 275 electoral districts and one
office will be opened in the Republic of Armenia by the NKR
representative office for citizens of Karabakh who are temporally
living in Armenia.

Transparent ballot-boxes will be used during the voting. According to
preliminary information, about 50 international observers will monitor
the elections on 19 June.

Racing Post
June 8, 2005, Wednesday

FOOTBALL: ROMANIA COULD CUT LOOSE AGAINST WEAK ARMENIANS

by KEVIN PULLEIN

Romania striker Adrian Mutu (right) could prosper against weak
Armenia in tonight’s World Cup European qualifier

ROMANIA have not enjoyed much luck lately, but they could restore
some morale in this evening’s World Cup Group One qualifier at home
to Armenia.

Buy their supremacy at 2.2 with Sporting.

The Romanians are nowhere near as good now as they were in Euro 2000,
when they justly eliminated England from the competition, but they
still have a reasonable, technically proficient outfit.

In their Euro 2004 qualifying group they finished one point behind
Denmark, who went on to make a good impression in P ortugal, and
level with Norway, who progressed to the play-offs instead of them
because of a superior head-to-head record. In their World Cup 2006
qualifying group they have been drawn with Holland, who have beaten
them home and away, and Czech Republic, who beat them in Prague.

The Romanians have, however, won four of their five other games. The
one exception, it is true, was in Armenia, where they surrendered a
lead to draw 1-1. But more representative results over a longer
period of time suggest Romania are superior to Armenia – and perhaps
by more than 2.2 goals in Constanta.

Romania have won home and away to Macedonia and at home to Finland,
and both those countries are significantly better than Armenia.

As if to illustrate the point, Armenia have already lost by two goals
at home to Finland and three goals away to Macedonia, as well as by
one goal at home.

It is rare, but not completely unknown, for firms to underestimate
the favourite in what is expected to be an international mismatch,
and this may be another occasion when they have done so.

The Fifa world rankings provide a reliable, if not infallible, method
of evaluating the relative strength of international teams. Romania
are currently 89 places and 252 ranking points ahead of Armenia.

Past experience suggests this might entitle them to be considered
more than 2.2-goal favourites at home to Armenia. Recommendation Buy
Romania supremacy 8pts at 2.2 (Sporting)

RUSSIA TO REMOVE SOME 2,500 UNITS OF MILITARY HARDWARE FROM SOUTH
CAUCASUS IN 2005-2008

YEREVAN, JUNE 7. ARMINFO. Russia will remove some 2,500 units of
military hardware (tanks, armoured troop carriers, guns) from the
South Caucasus in 2005-2008, Russian DM Sergey Ivanov said during the
Monday opening of the St.Petersburg World Congress of Military
Medicine.

The equipment together with 80,000 tons of ammunition and other
materiel will be carried by sea from Batumi (Georgia). Some 2,500
Russian soldiers, officers and their relatives will leave the region
during the period.

Ivanov noted that the redeployment of Russian military equipment to
Armenia complies with the CAFE Treaty especially as it will be taken
to a Russian base rather than given to Armenia.

AZG Armenian Daily #103, 07/06/2005

Education

INVESTORS ARE SATISFIED WITH COOPERATION

Visit to Polytechnic University

Zaven Yekavian, head of Galust Gyulbenkian Foundation’s Yerevan office, and
Aramayis Mirzakhanian, professor at the Swedish Royal Technical Institute,
visited the Yerevan State Polytechnic University. The guests visited the
laboratory of automatic electronic equipments that was opened last year.
This laboratory was founded by the efforts of the Swedish Royal Institute of
Technologies and Galust Gyulbenkian Foundation. It is equipped with
electronic technologies and contemporary computers. The press office of the
Polytechnic University informed that the sides decided to continue the
cooperation and purchase more equipment for the laboratory and make
investments in the industry.

The press office also informed that, by the decree of the university
administration, Yuri Sargsian, rector of the University, awarded Zaven
Yekavian with the Golden Medal of the Yerevan State Polytechnic University
that symbolizes his contribution to the development of the University and
the educational system of Armenia. While Aramayis Mirzakhanian, graduate of
the Polytechnic University, professor at the Swedish Royal Technical
Institute, was announced the winner of “The Graduate of the Yerevan State
Polytechnic University 2005” competition.

By Tamar Minasian

Hay Dat expands activities

Editorial

Yerkir/arm
3 June 05

Armenian Revolutionary Federation’s (ARF) Hay Dat Central Council
opens in Yerevan on June 4. Hay Dat has offices in Washington,
Brussels, and Moscow.

The latest addition was the Beirut office, opened last year, to pursue
the Hay Dat goals in the Middle East. Over 30 local and regional
committees operate across the globe. The Central Council comprises the
representatives of the mentioned offices, as well as representatives
from Artsakh, Javakhk and Armenia.

ARF Bureau members Karo Armenian and Hakop Ter-Khachatrian shared
their views with Yerkir on the coming forum, the works of the offices
and committees, as well as the results of the Hay Dat conference held
in Yerevan in 2003.

Touching upon the 2003 conference, Karo Armenian noted that it helped
better understand the tasks to be undertaken in order to keep up with
the international processes and present our views. New directions have
been adopted in the United States, Canada, Europe, Moscow and the
Middle East, and a completely new program has been put together.

The Hay Dat activities were carried out in two fields: the
international recognition of the Armenian Genocide, and supporting the
Armenian economy development process.

When asked why the economy was included in the Hay Dat agenda,
Armenian said, “It was included in our agenda because the development
of the Armenian economy greatly hinges on foreign aid and
international loans. These processes happen everywhere. We realized
that the Hay Dat offices and committees could play a substantial part
in supporting Armenia’s diplomacy.”

In his turn, Bureau member Hakop Ter-Khachatrian noted that this issue
was put on the Hay Dat agenda since Armenia’s independence as an
additional factor to support the basis of the Armenian state.

“The Hay Dat offices and committees immediately engaged in the
process, and a lot is being done today. Under the resolutions of the
ARF General Convention, the Armenian Genocide recognition is no more
the only goal of the Hay Dat. Supporting the development of the
economy became an issue of our agenda. We backed the Armenian foreign
diplomacy, in accordance to the ARF decisions, to aid Armenia as much
as we can and to reinforce its international positions,” said
Ter-Khachatrian, adding also that the voice of the Armenian
communities sound in all these processes, often having a vital role in
the policies of governments.

RF diplomat, EU envoy for S Caucasus discuss Transcaucasia status
By Sergei Bushuyev

ITAR-TASS News Agency
June 3, 2005 Friday

MOSCOW, June 3 — Russian First Deputy Foreign Minister Valery
Loshchinin and Special Representative of the European Union for
South Caucasus Heikki Talvitie met on Friday to discuss the current
situation in the Transcaucasian region, an official at the Russian
Foreign Ministry said.

The sides exchanged opinions on the situation in the Transcaucasian
region and on settlement of conflicts in Georgia’s much-troubled
region of South Ossetian and the Armenian-populated enclave of Nagorny
Karabakh in Azerbaijan, the official said.

Loshchinin and Heikki Talvitie “confirmed commitment to continuing
cooperation with the countries of the Transcaucasian region and to
peaceful political settlement,” the official added.

ARMENIAN AND GEORGIAN PMs DISCUSS PROBLEMS OF ARMENIAN COMMUNITY OF GEORGIA

YEREVAN, JUNE 2. ARMINFO. Armenian and Georgian prime ministers
Andranik Magraryan and Zurab Nogaideli discussed today the problems
of the Armenian community of Georgia’s Samtskhe Javakheti region.

Nogaideli said that the Georgian authorities are planning a program
of the region’s social-economic development. The PMs agreed to meet
next time in Samtskhe Javakheti in June or Aug 2005.

Margaryan said that Armenia is ready to assist Georgia in implementing
the program. Nogaideli said that Georgia may need support in restoring
roads and schools in the region.

The sides also discussed the issue of preservation of Armenian
monuments in the territory of Georgia. Nogaideli said that a special
task force will be created to find solutions to the problem.