Armenia’s ruling coalition says happy to talk to opposition

Armenia’s ruling coalition says happy to talk to opposition

Interfax
May 13 2004

Yerevan. (Interfax) – Armenia’s ruling three-party coalition announced
in a statement on Wednesday that it was open to conducting a dialogue
with the opposition.

The coalition, which holds the majority of seats in parliament,
expressed readiness to discuss a proposal from the opposition to end
“the situation that has taken shape in Armenia after the presidential
elections in 2003.”

The coalition proposed four more items for the dialogue’s agenda –
changing key points in the Armenian constitution, changing the election
law and bringing it into line with international democratic standards,
and taking action against corruption and measures to meet Armenia’s
commitments to the Council of Europe.

Galust Sahakian, parliamentary leader of one of the ruling parties,
the Republican Party, told reporters the coalition’s main task was
“to bring the Armenian opposition back into the political field.”

He said the coalition and opposition would start discussing the
opposition’s proposals on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the opposition plans for Friday the next in its series of
rallies to demand the removal of President Robert Kocharian.

Two opposition parties represented in parliament, Justice and National
Unification, have formed a provisional alliance to work toward a
change of power.

Azerbaijan president says road connections with Armenia could be res

Azerbaijan president says road connections with Armenia could be restored
with pullout from areas around Nagorno-Karabakh

AP Online
May 11, 2004

President Ilham Aliev said Tuesday that Azerbaijan intends to discuss
with Armenia the prospect of restoring road connections between
the countries in exchange for Armenian forces pulling out of areas
bordering Nagorno-Karabakh.

Aliev made the statement on the even of the 10th anniversary of the
cease-fire that ended fighting over the enclave but that left its
political status unresolved.

Nagorno-Karabakh is an ethnic Armenian region within Azerbaijan. It
has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces since 1994 and
these forces also occupy several sectors of Azerbaijan that flank
Nagorno-Karabakh proper.

Aliev said the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia are to
discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh issue Wednesday at a session of the
foreign ministers of Council of Europe member countries.

“We will exchange opinions on the possibility of liberating seven
regions of Azerbaijan in exchange for opening transport communications
with Armenia,” he said.

The closure of the countries’ border has stifled economic
development in both former Soviet states and the failure to resolve
Nagorno-Karabakh’s status has discouraged foreign investors who fear
the countries could go to war again.

“The occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and the regions around it are
the biggest problem and danger both for Azerbaijan and for the entire
region,” Aliev said.

Duma official views Ajaria’s role in regional, religious context

Russian Duma official views Ajaria’s role in regional, religious context

Moskovskiy Komsomolets, Moscow
7 May 04

Commentary by Andrey Kokoshin, chairman of State Duma CIS Affairs
Committee, entitled “Another View” carried by Russian newspaper
Moskovskiy Komsomolets on 7 May

“It is essential to approach the situation in [Georgia’s] Ajaria in a
broader regional and global context.

“Our executive branch of power, the State Duma, always drew to the
attention of [the Georgian capital] Tbilisi that the problem should
not under any circumstances be resolved by the use of military
force. Partly because the Muslim factor plays an immense role there in
Ajaria.

“It borders on Turkey. Currently Turkey is officially a secular state
but recently the influence of radical Islamists has been growing
there. And if force had been used in this situation, the region could
have been badly destabilized and armed radical Islamists might have
appeared in Ajaria.

“Ajaria might have served as a flashpoint for the radicalisation of
Muslims all over Georgia and throughout the South Caucasus. This would
have become a big problem for Russia, our strategic ally Armenia,
fraternal Azerbaijan, and the whole world community.”

Warsaw: Kwasniewski meets president of Azerbaijan

Polish Press Agency
PAP News Wire
April 27, 2004 Tuesday

Kwasniewski meets president of Azerbaijan

Warsaw

President Aleksander Kwasniewski and the visiting President Ilham
Aliev of Azerbaijan discussed the situation in the Caucasus region,
fight against terrorism and bilateral relations in Warsaw Tuesday.

Andrzej Majkowski, head of the presidential International Affairs
Office told PAP that the two presidents discussed the present state of
talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia concerning Nagorno Karabakh.

The European Economic Summit staring Wednesday will provide an
opportunity to hold a bilateral meeting of Aliev with President Robert
Kocharian of Armenia.

In his talks with Kwasniewski Aliev confirmed that the Armenian
contingent of 150 men will stay in Iraq, and expressed readiness to
continue to participate actively in the fight against terrorism,
according to Majkowski.

The Polish president declared that Poland as a European Union member
will strive to continue to develop relations with the Caucasus region
countries.

US Envoy Urges Progress in Turkish-Armenian Border Opening

US ENVOY URGES PROGRESS IN TURKISH-ARMENIAN BORDER OPENING

Arminfo
22 Apr 04

YEREVAN

“We hope that progress will be reached in lifting the blockade of the
Armenian border by Turkey,” US ambassador to Armenia John Ordway told
a press conference today, commenting on numerous reports about the
possibility of lifting the blockade in the run-up to a NATO summit in
Istanbul in June.

A lot of work has to be done to prepare for the summit and for US
President George Bush’s visit to Turkey, Ordway said. “We have a very
busy agenda to discuss with the Turkish government. Progress in the
opening of the Armenian border and establishment of relations between
Turkey and Armenia will be one of those issues,” he said.

BAKU: Meeting with the Milli Majlis

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
April 23 2004

MEETING IN THE MILLI MAJLIS
[April 23, 2004, 12:20:06]

Chairman of the Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan Republic Murtuz Alasgarov
received charge d’affaires of Socialist People’s Libyan Arab
Jamahiriya in Azerbaijan Mustafa Muhammad Shahtur, April 22.

Warmly greeting the guest, the Chairman said: although it has been
over 10 years since establishment of diplomatic relations between
Azerbaijan and Libya, our inter-parliamentary links and cooperation
in other spheres have not yet reach a desirable level. Besides, the
joint commission founded in 2003 to develop relationship between our
two countries has not yet commenced its activity. It is Azerbaijan’s
interest that the commission to start functioning, and the country
will take appropriate efforts to this end.

Touching upon the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Mr.
Murtuz Alasgarov expressed gratitude to the Libyan Government for
supporting Azerbaijan in this issue.

Mr. Mustafa Muhammad Shahtur thanked the Chairman for the warm
meeting and stated of his country’s interest in development of
bilateral relations with Azerbaijan. He described the goal of this
meeting as conducting consultations in connection with start of the
joint commission’s activity, and on a number of other issues. The
diplomat said Libya had always supported Azerbaijan in relation to
settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and that this policy
would be continued in future.

The charge d’affaires has invited the Chairman of the Milli Majlis to
visit Libya to discuss perspectives of bilateral relationship’s
development.

Mr. Murtuz Alasgarov expressed his gratitude for the invitation and
announced that related notification on the date of the visit would be
provided through diplomatic channels.

The Chairman of the Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan and Charge d’affaires
of Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya in Azerbaijan have
exchanged views on a number of other issues of mutual interest, as
well.

German foreign minister, Armenian leader discuss Turkish border

German foreign minister, Armenian leader discuss Turkish border

Mediamax news agency
22 Apr 04

YEREVAN

Armenian President Robert Kocharyan and German Foreign Minister
Joschka Fischer discussed in Yerevan today the normalization of
Armenian-Turkish relations.

Mediamax news agency quoted Fischer as saying this at a briefing after
his meeting with Kocharyan.

Responding to a question from Mediamax on Germany’s stance regarding
attempts to link the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations to a
settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict, Fischer said that
“putting forward conditions does not help solve regional problems”. He
also said that the European Union’s view is that these issues should
be resolved in a comprehensive way.

Fischer said that “neighbours must practice give-and-take which will
enable them to reach agreements”.

ANCA: Record Number of House Members Urge Bush to Recognize Genocide

Armenian National Committee of America
888 17th Street, NW, Suite 904
Washington, DC 20006
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
[email protected]

PRESS RELEASE
April 21, 2003
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

RECORD NUMBER OF REPRESENTATIVES URGE PRESIDENT BUSH TO PROPERLY
CHARACTERIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE AS GENOCIDE

— 169 Legislators Join In Bipartisan Efforts by the Armenian
Caucus

WASHINGTON, DC – Following an extensive nationwide grassroots
campaign, a record number of U.S. Representatives – 169 – have
joined together in sending a clear message to President George Bush
to keep his campaign pledge to properly characterize the Armenian
Genocide as a “genocide” in his annual April 24 address, reported
the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

“We want to thank Congressmen Knollenberg, Pallone, Radanovich and
Schiff for their unprecedented success in rallying their colleagues
to call upon President Bush to properly characterize the Armenian
Genocide as a genocide in his April 24th remarks,” said Aram
Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. “The strong support for
this initiative and the growing support for the Congressional
Genocide Resolution point to the fact that the days of U.S.
complicity in Turkey’s campaign of genocide denial are coming to an
end.”

The Congressional letter was initiated by Congressional Armenian
Caucus Co-chairmen Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI)
as well as Congressional Genocide resolution lead sponsors,
Representatives George Radanovich (R-CA) and Adam Schiff (D-CA). In
the letter, the 169 Congressional co-signers noted to Pres. Bush
that “by properly recognizing the atrocities committed against the
Armenian people as “genocide” in your statement, you will honor the
many Americans who helped launch our first international human
rights campaign to end the carnage and protect the survivors.”

This signatories go on to state that, “now more than ever as your
administration seeks to bring an end to global terrorism and to
help establish democracies in Afghanistan and Iraq, the memory of
the genocide underscores our responsibility to help convey our
cherished tradition of respect for fundamental human rights and
opposition to mass slaughters.” The full text of the letter
follows.

During his 2000 presidential campaign, President Bush had referred
to the “genocidal campaign” perpetrated against the Armenian people
and pledged to properly characterize that tragedy when elected
President. Neither the President’s 2001, 2002, or 2003 April 24th
statements have honored that pledge. Last year over 165 U.S.
Representatives signed a similar letter to the President.

Genocide resolutions in the House and Senate that mark the 15th
anniversary of the U.S. implementation of the United Nations
Convention on the Punishment and Prevention of Genocide have
received broad bipartisan support. House legislation (H.Res.193),
which mentions the horrors of the Armenian Genocide as well as the
Holocaust and the Cambodian and Rwanda tragedies, was unanimously
adopted by the Judiciary Committee last May and currently has 110
cosponsors. A similar measure (S.Res.164) introduced in the Senate
by Senators John Ensign (R-NV) and Jon Corzine (D-NJ) currently has
38 cosponsors.

Cosigners of the Congressional letter to President Bush include (in
alphabetical order): Representatives Neil Abercrombie (D-HI), Gary
Ackerman (D-NY), Tom Allen (D-ME), Robert Andrews (D-NJ), Joe Baca
(D-CA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Charles Bass (R-NH), Xavier Becerra
(D-CA), Chris Bell (D-TX), Shelley Berkley (D-NV), Howard Berman
(D-CA), Michael Bilirakis (R-FL), Tim Bishop (D-NY), Earl
Blumenauer (D-OR), Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY), Mary Bono (R-CA), Jeb
Bradley (R-NH), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Ken Calvert (R-CA), Dave Camp
(R-MI), Lois Capps (D-CA), Michael Capuano (D-MA), Benjamin Cardin
(D-MD), Dennis Cardoza (D-CA), William Clay (D-MO), John Conyers
(D-MI), Jerry Costello (D-IL), Joseph Crowley (D-NY), Duke
Cunningham (R-CA), Danny Davis (D-IL), Susan Davis (D-CA), Peter
DeFazio (D-OR), William Delahunt (D-MA), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT),
Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL), John Dingell (D-MI), Lloyd Doggett (D-
TX), John Doolittle (R-CA), Mike Doyle (D-PA), David Dreier (R-CA),
Vernon Ehlers (R-MI), Rahm Emanuel (D-IL), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Anna
Eshoo (D-CA), Lane Evans (D-IL), Sam Farr (D-CA), Chaka Fattah (D-
PA), Mike Ferguson (R-NJ), Bob Filner (D-CA), Mark Foley (R-FL),
Vito Fossella (R-NY), Barney Frank (D-MA), Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-
NJ), Elton Gallegly (R-CA), Scott Garrett (R-NJ), Bart Gordon (D-
TN), Jim Greenwood (R-PA), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Luis Gutierrez (D-
IL), Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Joe Hoeffel (D-PA), Tim Holden (D-PA),
Rush Holt (D-NJ), Michael Honda (D-CA), Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Steve
Israel (D-NY), Darrell Issa (R-CA), Jesse Jackson (D-IL), Sheila
Jackson Lee (D-TX), Nancy Johnson (R-CT), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Sue
Kelly (R-NY), Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), Dale Kildee (D-MI), Carolyn
Kilpatrick (D-MI), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Gerald Kleczka (D-WI), Joe
Knollenberg (R-MI), Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), Nick Lampson (D-TX),
James Langevin (D-RI), John Larson (D-CT), Steven LaTourette (R-
OH), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Sander Levin (D-MI), John Lewis (D-GA),
William Lipinski (D-IL), Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA),
Nita Lowey (D-NY), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY),
Edward Markey (D-MA), Jim Matheson (D-UT), Robert Matsui (D-CA),
Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), Karen McCarthy (D-MO), Betty McCollum (D-
MN), Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI), Jim McDermott (D-WA), James McGovern
(D-MA), John McHugh (R-NY), Mike McIntyre (D-NC), Buck McKeon (R-
CA), Michael McNulty (D-NY), Martin Meehan (D-MA), Robert Menendez
(D-NJ), Michael Michaud (D-ME), Candice Miller (R-MI), George
Miller (D-CA), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Grace Napolitano (D-CA),
Richard Neal (D-MA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Devin Nunes (R-
CA), John Olver (D-MA), Doug Ose (R-CA), C. L. “Butch” Otter (R-
ID), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), William Pascrell (D-NJ), Donald Payne
(D-NJ), Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Collin Peterson (D-MN), Richard Pombo
(R-CA), Jon Porter (R-NV), George Radanovich (R-CA), Charles Rangel
(D-NY), Mike Rogers (R-MI), Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Mike Ross (D-
AR), Steven Rothman (D-NJ), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), Edward
Royce (R-CA), Bobby Rush (D-IL), Paul Ryan (R-WI), Linda Sanchez
(D-CA), Loretta Sanchez (D-CA), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), H. James
Saxton (R-NJ), Janice Schakowsky (D-IL), Adam Schiff (D-CA),
Christopher Shays (R-CT), Brad Sherman (D-CA), John Shimkus (R-IL),
Rob Simmons (R-CT), Christopher Smith (R-NJ), Hilda Solis (D-CA),
Mark Souder (R-IN), Pete Stark (D-CA), John Sweeney (R-NY), Ellen
Tauscher (D-CA), Mike Thompson (D-CA), John Tierney (D-MA),
Edolphus Towns (D-NY), Stephanie Tubbs-Jones (D-OH), Mark Udall (D-
CO), Christopher Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter Visclosky (D-IN), James
Walsh (R-NY), Maxine Waters (D-CA), Diane Watson (D-CA), Henry
Waxman (D-CA), Anthony Weiner (D-NY), Curt Weldon (R-PA), Gerald
Weller (R-IL), Joe Wilson (R-SC), Frank Wolf (R-VA), Lynn Woolsey
(D-CA), Albert Wynn (D-MD),

#####

=============================================
TEXT OF CONGRESSION LETTER TO PRESIDENT BUSH
=============================================

April 21, 2004

The Honorable George W. Bush
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

We are writing to urge you to join us in reaffirming the
United States record on the Armenian Genocide in your April 24
commemorative statement.

This date marks the anniversary of the systematic and
deliberate campaign of genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire
in 1915. Over the following eight years, one and a half million
Armenians were tortured and murdered, and more than half a million
were forced from their homeland into exile. In the years since,
descendents of Armenian immigrants have thrived in the United
States and in many other countries, bringing extraordinary vitality
and achievement to communities across this nation and throughout
the world.

By properly recognizing the atrocities committed against
the Armenian people as “genocide” in your statement, you will honor
the many Americans who helped launch our first international human
rights campaign to end the carnage and protect the survivors. The
official U.S. response mirrored the overwhelming reaction by the
American public to this crime against humanity, and as such,
constitutes a proud, irrefutable and groundbreaking chapter in U.S.
diplomatic history.

Now more than ever as your administration seeks to bring an
end to global terrorism and to help establish democracies in
Afghanistan and Iraq, the memory of the genocide underscores our
responsibility to help convey our cherished tradition of respect
for fundamental human rights and opposition to mass slaughters.
The victims of the Genocide deserve our remembrance and their
rightful place in history. It is in the best interests of our
nation and the entire global community to remember the past and
learn from these crimes against humanity to ensure that they are
never repeated.

We look forward to your April 24 statement and stand ready
to assist you in this endeavor and in the many other matters of
importance to our nation related to Armenia and the South Caucasus
region.

#####

Senator Boxer on the Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide

PRESS RELEASE
U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer
Washington D.C.
112 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Tel: 202-224-3553

Statement of U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer
Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide
April 24, 2004

Between the years of 1915 and 1923, a million and a half of
Armenians were brutally murdered as a result of a calculated
plan to eliminate Armenians from the Ottoman Empire. Men,
taken from their families and homes, were separated out and
killed. Women, children and elderly were sent on forced death
marches across the Syrian desert. These actions constituted
the first genocide of the 20th century and one of the most
vicious and tragic events in world history.

One and one-half million Armenian lives were lost, countless
more were persecuted, and the entire Armenian community
suffered. As we reflect on these horrible years, Armenian
Americans know this story and its relevance in history.
Tragically, some question its historical accuracy. To prevent
future genocide is to face the reality that it exists.
Knowledge of past genocides in different parts of our world
assists in arming us to prevent such acts from occurring again.

At the outset of the Jewish Holocaust, Adolph Hitler said that
no one remembered what happened to the Armenian people during
the genocide. He then proceeded to implement his Final
Solution.

Today, Armenians are continuing to work to rebuild and
strengthen their great nation. After facing years of injustice
and persecution, the Armenian people’s spirit remains strong.

I join you in commemorating the 89th anniversary of the
Armenian genocide. As we remember these sad years, we must
never forget that an act of genocide is not only an act of
hatred toward one particular group, but toward all humankind.
May we learn from the tragedy of the Armenian genocide and
recommit ourselves to full equality, respect, and acceptance
for all people. An important first step is the recognition of
the Armenian Genocide by the United States Government and the
world as a whole.

===================================================
For more information on Senator Boxer’s record and other
information, please go to:

If you would like to make a comment regarding this or any other
federal matter, please feel free to do so at:

http://boxer.senate.gov
http://boxer.senate.gov/contact/webform.cfm