Author: Tumanian Talar

ARMENIAN PROVOCATION IN SO-CALLED GENOCIDE MONUMENT PROTEST
By Ali Ihsan Aydin, Paris

Zaman Online, Turkey
March 19 2006

Turks, who marched to protest the Lyon Municipal, which has decided
to build a so- called genocide monument in French Lyon city, came
across Armenian’s provocation.

French police released tear gas to stop Armenian teens from provoking
the immigrants. The teens unsuccessful in their attempt, continued
to aggravate the protesters throughout the march.

Small clashes occurred when Turkish protestors responded to the
provocations. The French Police managed to disperse the crowd again
with tear gas. The Turks walking from Bellecours to Terraux Square
put black garland in front of the Lyon Metropolitan Municipality.

Nearly four thousand people participated in the march in Rhones Alpes
region and folklore demonstrations were organized. The Turks carrying
Turk, French, and European Union flags chanted slogans such as: “We
did not kill, we were killed”, “Build peace monuments not hatred!”,
“Leave history to historians.” Some French environment associations
also opposed the monument that has been included in the World Heritage
list of UNESCO. The monument will be constructed in Lyon’s historical
center.

PARTIES OF KARABAKH CONFLICT CANNOT REALIZE GRAVENESS OF SITUATION

Lragir/am
18/03/06

The year 2006 is the best time for the settlement of the conflict
over Karabakh, told the leader of the Christian Democratic Party
Khosrov Harutiunyan to news reporters on March 17. He thinks the
geopolitical atmosphere that has emerged thanks to the consonant
attitude of the world powers towards the region creates favorable
conditions for this. “We think the year 2006 will be the year of
settlement of the conflict over Karabakh. But it does not mean that
Armenia has to make compromises under Azerbaijani coercion,” says
Khosrov Harutiunyan. He believes that the Azerbaijani militarism is
for home consumption mainly, but is also directed at the world.

“Nevertheless, the right thing is to carry on the talks, because the
war will give nothing to either of the parties. I do not think that
the failure in Rambouillet drew the possibility of war closer. I do not
think, of course, that the war would be disastrous for Armenia, but it
is not a prospect for the region,” says Khosrov Harutiunyan. However,
he mentions that along with expressing willingness for carrying on the
talks Armenia should state to the international community that it would
not make compromises under the coercion of Azerbaijan. Compromises
should be achieved in the talks, says the leader of the Christian
Democratic Party. He thinks the future developments will outline
more clearly after the meeting of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs in
Istanbul on March 20.

“Of course, it should be noted that the parties are not fully aware
of the consequences of the delay of the settlement,” says Khosrov
Harutiunyan. The consequence might be a resolution that will not favor
any of the parties rather than war. Although presently the central
players in world politics are not pressing, they, especially the main
player – the United States, do not have time to wait, thinks Khosrov
Harutiunyan. “The United States has a special role in this process. In
the context of the problems they have set with regard to the region
it is apparent that the United States are short of time, and their
interests require rapid settlement of the existing problems. The
United States has a considerable potential of diplomatic pressure,
and it would be too ingenuous to think that they would not use this
potential,” says Khosrov Harutiunyan.

He thinks the parties should realize that if they do not reach an
agreement, a resolution will be imposed on them which will not favor
any of their interests.

AZG Armenian Daily #049, 18/03/2006

Rally

‘TALAT PASHA RALLY’ GATHERS 15 CHAUVINISTIC TURKS

Despite the ban of the Berlin Police against “Talat Pasha rally,”
Turkish nationalists held a gathering in the German capital. Turks
were forced to change the rally site as the Armenian community of
Berlin had already occupied the site. Turkish Zaman newspaper wrote on
March 16 that the rally gathered 15 members of the Turkish Workers’
Party and Kemalist unions. The rally failed as a result of squabble
between TWP and Kemalists.

Moreover, the Armenians of Berlin together with the Assyrian community
organized their own rally carrying posters “No Hailing of Genocidal
Turkey in Germany”, “Armenians and Assyrians Jointly Condemn Turkey
for the Genocide.” The Turkish rally participants, Zaman writes,
observed a minute’s silence in memory of Talat.

The rally was initially planned to take place on March 18, and the
organizers threatened to enroll 5 million strong Turkish community
of Europe. Its staging 3 days earlier allows us to assume that the
Turks attempted to evade the Berlin Police’s decision.

By Hakob Chakrian

Fried: Armenian Genocide Allegations is a Complicated Issue

Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
March 17 2006

Daniel Fried, the US Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian
Affairs, said the Armenian genocide allegations is a “complicated
issue” and must be examined by the parties in a courageous way.

Fried together with Upper Karabag (Karabagh) problem negotiator Steven
Mann met Turkish Foreign Ministry officials yesterday.

Speaking after the talks Fried said, “Tragedies of the past must be
handled with courage and nations must look at their futures.”

The US diplomat underlined he has no message about the Turkey-Armenia
relations, indicating the US’s attitude towards the issue is
well-known, and President George W. Bush will probably make a relevant
statement on the issue this April as he does every year.

The American official added the issue of Washington’s demand of
opening the Turkish-Armenian border also came to the agenda during
the contacts.

Congressional Record: March 15, 2006 (Extensions)
> > From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access
> > [wais.access.gpo.gov]

A TRIBUTE TO SETA SIMONIAN
HON. ADAM B. SCHIFF
of california
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, March 15, 2006

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Ms. Seta Simonian, of
Glendale, California. Each year In March, in recognition of Women’s History
Month, we pay special tribute to the contributions and sacrifices made by
our nation’s women.

Ms. Simonian’s community involvement demonstrates her devotion to education
and art, because she believes in promoting and preserving the treasures and
the beauty of Armenian culture and heritage.

Seta was born in Aleppo, Syria, and at age 11 moved to Beirut, Lebanon.

Upon graduating from the American University of Beirut at the age of 22, she
married Hratch Simonian. The Simonians lived and worked in Saudi Arabia for
8 years, then moved to California in 1985. Since 1987, Seta, her husband,
and their two children, Karin and Sebouh, have resided in Glendale,
California.

Soon after moving to California, Ms. Simonian cofounded and chaired the
Hamazkayin Educational and Cultural Society of Pasadena. She is a current
member of Arvest and Artee Cultural Groups of Hamazkayin, and since 1994,
has been the chair of the Hamazkayin Music Committee which collaborates with
artists in Armenia and releases authentic CDs and classical Armenian music.

She is currently an assistant for the Hamazkayin Student Forum held in
Armenia every summer. Seta served as an Anchor for Horizon Armenian TV in
Glendale for three years. A cofounder of the Committee of Armenian Students
in the Public Schools, she is also a member of the Armenian Cultural
Foundation, Armenian Educational Foundation, Armenian International Women’s
Association, the National Education Association, and the California and
Glendale Teachers’ Associations.

Seta received her bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the American
University of Beirut, and a master’s in education administration from
California State University Los Angeles. She has a teaching diploma, a
bilingual teaching certificate, and has completed an Armenian Studies
program.

A wonderful role model for her students, Seta has been a teacher for over
30 years and is currently teaching math at Wilson Middle School in Glendale.

I ask all Members of Congress to join me today in honoring an outstanding
woman of California’s 29th Congressional District, Seta Simonian.

GRANT COMPETITION FOR NGOS PROMOTING ACTIVITY IN YOUTH SPHERE ANNOUNCED

Noyan Tapan
Mar 14 2006

VANADZOR, MARCH 14, NOYAN TAPAN. The Lori regional library’s
reading-room receives more than 2 dozens of republican, Moscow and
Vanadzor newspapers and magazines. Thanks to this the attendance of
readers to the reading-room doesn’t decrease even in winter months
when the library heating is bad. As Noyan Tapan correspondent was
informed by the library press service, sometimes the newspapers
subscription is organized with the efforts of the local authorities
though the library is within the jurisdiction of RA Ministry of
Culture and Youth Affairs. At the same time, it was mentioned that
the library book fund is seldom replenished with new books, at best
foreign literature is received within the framework of the grant
program. The library doesn’t receive the books of Armenian prosaists
published in recent years: sometimes only Vanadzor prosaists donate
several samples of their books to the library.

U.S. DEPUTY STATE SECRETARY ON EUROPE AND EURASIA TO VISIT ARMENIA ON MARCH 15-16

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
March 14 2006

YEREVAN, March 14. /ARKA/. The U.S. Deputy State Secretary on Europe
and Eurasia Daniel frid will visit Armenia on March 15-16 within the
frames of regional visit, according to the Press Service of the U.S.
Embassy in Armenia.

According to the press release, Frid will be accompanied by the
American Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Steven Mann.

The day before the US delegation arrived form Georgia in Azerbaijan
and after visit to Armenia American officials will leave for Ankara
on March 16 and on March 17 they will return to USA.

US GARABAGH MEDIATOR SAYS 2006 CRUCIAL IN TALKS

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
March 7 2006

Baku, March 6, AssA-Irada
The next meeting of the OSCE Minsk Group cochairmen, who are brokering
a negotiated settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper (Nagorno)
Garabagh conflict, was to be held in Washington on Monday.

The meeting will mainly discuss the current status and future steps
in the negotiations following the unsuccessful Rambouillet talks.

The discussions held by Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Robert Kocharian
in the French town of Rambouillet in February turned out fruitless,
as the parties failed to iron out issues of principle.

The US co-chair of the Minsk Group, Steven Mann, believes that it is
important for the parties to reach compromise.

“We are at a stage when we need support not only from ministers to
bring about a change in the situation. We also need the will of the
two peoples,” he said.

Mann said further that if no agreement was reached in 2006, it would
take several more years to bring the negotiations to the current level.

“I never believed that it was possible to reach agreement at one
separate meeting. This is a very complicated process indeed,” Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said while commenting on the outcomes of
the Rambouillet talks.

The minister said the mediators need to be given a chance to conduct
their own analysis as well. He indicated that Azerbaijan was committed
to continuing the negotiations within the “Prague process” framework.

“We have certain plans, but it would be premature to disclose them
now,” Mammadyarov said.

ARMENIA, US DISCUSS COOPERATION
by Tigran Liloyan

ITAR-TASS News Agency
March 8, 2006 Wednesday 10:24 AM EST

Armenian parliament speaker Artur Bagdasaryan met with a U.S. deputy
assistance secretary of state on Wednesday to discus prospects for
cooperation between the two countries.

The speaker thanked the United States for assistance to Armenia and
praised support to democratic reforms in the country.

Speaking about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Bagdasaryan said there
is still chance to resolve it and reach progress at the talks in 2006.

The U.S. diplomat called for the deepening of democracy in Armenia
and emphasised the importance of resolving conflicts, addressing
energy security issues, and developing economic potential.

In his view, the fight against corruption becomes increasingly
important as a condition for stable investments in the Armenian
economy.

Having noted the importance of the Millennium Challenges programme,
under which Armenia will receive a grant of 235 million U.S. dollars,
the two sides said the use of this money through NGOs must be
transparent and public.

“MILITARY SUCCESS NECESSARY TO STRENGTHEN BY POLITICAL SUCCESS,” BABKEN
ARARKTSIAN SAYS

YEREVAN, MARCH 10, NOYAN TAPAN. The peaceful process of the Karabakh
conflict settlement entered deadlock. Babken Ararktsian, the former
Speaker of the Armenian Parliament (1991-1998), the Chairman of the
“Armat” (root) organization stated about this at the meeting taken
place on March 10 at the National Press Club.

According to him, in the Karabakh problem the authorities of Armenia
had a goal to prolong the negotiations anyway, thus, to keep the
created status-quo, and in the case of fail of the negotiations, to
use tone of an ultimatum and state that Armenia will recognize the
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh.

Babken Ararktsian excluded the possibility of the international
pressure both on Armenia and on Azerbaijan: “They’ll put pressure if
they are interested, but this issue isn’t their one, and they want the
conflict sides to solve the issue.”

According to Ararktsian, the time works for Azerbaijan which actively
uses all its possibilities in different international instances and
initiates adoption of a number of new documents, which, like the new
“terms about the aggressor and the occupied territories,” are spread
in international spheres.

He expressed confidence that it’s necessary to strengthen the military
success by political success what wasn’t implemented, and the role and
influence of military successes weaken during the time.

Babken Ararktsian attached special importance to the participation of
Nagorno Karabakh in the negotiation process.