ARA ABRAHAMYAN SAYS THEY ARE THE RUSSIAN PATRIOTS

Panorama.am
13:44 05/05/06

According to Armeina Union of Russia (AUR), 4 Armenian nationals were
murdered during the first quarter of 2006, AUR Chairman Ara Abrahamyan
told Echo Moscow today. According the him, the statistics shows that
this number is increasing year by year and said that “nothing has
been done to prevent that in the course of 10 years.”

“When Vigen Abramyants was murdered, I was personally talking to 500
young men talking them into not to go out,” Ara Abrahamyan said.

The Chairman noted that the Union is pursueing its own investigation
on the case of 17 year old Vigen Abramyants. He said the law entitled
them to do so.

According to Ara Abrahamyan, when 16-17 year old becomes a mudered,
this is a social problem. The more we think on that and take actions,
the less criminal acts will be committed. It seems that they are better
organized than we. Those who cover such actions are only seemingly
“patriots”. We are the patriots who name things as they are, Ara
Abrahamyan said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CONTEST FOR NATIONAL ANTHEM TO BE ANNOUNCED IN 20 DAYS

Panorama.am
18:07 04/05/06

By the decision of the Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan,
a contest committee is established for the selection of the text
and music of the national anthem of the Republic of Armenia, headed
by the Armenian Minister of Culture and Youth Affairs. A number of
prominent state and cultural figures are included in the committee.

According to government press services, the committee is assigned
to develop the standards for selection and the contest conditions
in 15-days time. It is also responsible to select the text and the
music in 2-months period.

The government decided today to set a prize of 700,000 dram for
the text and the music of the national anthem. 2 mln drams are
appropriated from the government reserve fund in order to ensure
information dissemination and other contest related issues, including
remuneration to the author of the anthem.

According to government press service, the decision was conditioned
by the changes made in the Armenian constitution.

ARMENIA, RUSSIA AND KARABAKH BEGIN PUBLIC MOURNING FOR CRASHED AIRLINER’S VICTIMS

Armenpress
May 05 2006

YEREVAN, MAY 5, ARMENPRESS: Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh and Russia
have begun today mourning for 113 people who are presumed killed when
the Armenian Airbus-320 airliner crashed into the Black Sea near the
Russian city of Sochi on May 3 morning.

The majority of passengers were Armenian citizens on a flight from
Yerevan to the Russian city.

Flags are flying at half-mast in Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh and Russia
with public entertainment and sport events cancelled as a mark of
respect for the dead. Russian Itar-Tass said TV channels have changed
their schedules to drop entertainment programs on Friday.

The remains of the first 26 identified victims of the crash were
brought to Yerevan today early morning and transported to the city’s
main morgue for formal procedures and later transported to where
their relatives said they want to bury them. many of them are from
Armenian remote regions. Russian emergency officials said they had
spotted the second radio beacon at the site where the Airbus A-320
airliner crashed. Rescuers have also detected a big fragment of the
plane’s fuselage.

Russian transport minister Igor Levitin said Thursday evening Russia
wants help from foreign countries in raising from the seabed the “black
box” flight recorders. Levitin said Russia’s Black Sea fleet lacks
equipment for retrieving the black boxes from such a depth. The search
for bodies is continuing, with 50 retrieved as of Friday morning. Of
these, 41 have been identified – 31 of them Armenian and 10 Russian
citizens, according to Itar-Tass.

DNA samples have been taken from relatives who did not find their
loved ones’ remains, in the hope of identification at a later stage,
Russian Transport Minister Igor Levitin was quoted as saying by
Itar-Tass. “The tests will be done by Russian experts at a request
by the Armenian side,” he added.

Levitin also said a monument will be erected in Sochi in memory of
the 113 passengers. He said the mayor of Sochi that has a very big
Armenian community promised to select a site for the monument as soon
as possible. He said the governor of Krasnodar province, where Sochi
is has also promised to help.

NEW FRAGMENTS OF BODIES FOUND

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.05.2006 19:27 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A search group found two fragments of bodies
presumably belonging to crash victims in the water area of a resort
station in Adler, a source in the search headquarters reported. A
plane wreck was also found in the same area. The source said the
human remains were found 250-320 meter off the shore.

Presently a boat was sent to the site to get them out of the water
and convey to the shore, reported Interfax-South.

IT IS ALLOWED TO THREATEN THE JOURNALIST
Naira Mamikonian

Aravot.am
04 May 06

Let them take it easy.

I received a phone call from a “locked number” on my mobile phone
at the end of February. I didn’t know the person who was phoning me
and who dared not say his name but dared threaten me. First of all he
specified my identity then cursed and threatened me; “When you write
about people personal information, don’t you think…” He said and
ringed off. I found out the phone number in short time. The identity of
the person who has phoned from the mobile phone served by “ArmenTel”
was known as Zarzand Nikoghosian. But it isn’t known what connection
he can have with my any publication. Anyway I tried to phone back by
that phone number some days ago but he didn’t answer. Later an old man
answered in dialect that the number was his own for more than 5 months
and there was no Zarzand there. I didn’t believe but I also didn’t
seek because I had warned that man that I had been threatened from
that number and intended to turn to law keepers. The governor of Syunik
Surik Khachatrian invited me 1-2 days later. It became clear that the
necessity of meeting connected with a publication about the governor
of Syunik printed in “Chorrord Ishkhanutiun” newspaper. According to
Surik Khachatrian that article was written under my editorship but by
other signature. It became clear for me only lately why Mr. Khachatrian
harried up to meet me.

The point is that S. Khachatrian’s bodyguard Zarzand mentioned in
the publication about shootings in ”Tigran Mets” restaurant in
Goris is that same Zarzand Nikoghosian who threatened me. And the
reason of the necessity to meet me was that he had understood that
law keepers can interfere and it can cause additional turmoil.

By the way S. Khachatrian himself affirmed that Zarzand had threatened
me introducing clarity; ”He has cursed you once”. Certainly I
wasn’t expecting such a confession so I asked whether he knew about
that phone. “We had a conversation after our meeting and that guy
said sincerely that he was told that you had written that article,
that’s why he had cursed you. But then that information was denied”, –
Mr. Khachatrian elucidated adding that he didn’t know about the phone
number beforehand which is very doubtful. It is obvious that as the
bodyguard Zarzand dared not say his name as well as Mr. Khachatrian
dared not declare that Zarzand had decided to threaten the journalist
by his command. S. Khachatrian even tried to console me; ”Take it
easy”. Will the law keepers reply to such a behavior, perhaps,
no. As policemen and criminals collaborate with each other. It’s
also obvious that there is no trial that just these persons are the
support of police, there are the elite of our country.

Other bodyguards-skinheads like Zarzand will be necessary if not
using violence on journalists, breaking cameras, but for supporting
the authorities during the elections.

–Boundary_(ID_ml9IQbt/9fURdTdXA5U66w) —

Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet:

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 4, 2006
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

ANCA CAPITOL HILL ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
REMEMBRANCE DRAWS 40 MEMBERS OF CONGRESS

— Record Audience on Hand as System of a Down is Recognized
for Ground-breaking Genocide Recognition Efforts

WASHINGTON, DC – Forty members of the U.S. Senate and House of
Representatives joined with over 500 Armenian Americans from across
the country last week, at the Armenian National Committee of
America’s (ANCA) annual observance of the Armenian Genocide, in a
powerful display of bipartisan support for American recognition of
the Armenian Genocide.

“Armenian Americans join with Armenians around the world in
expressing our appreciation to each of our Congressional friends
who took part in this solemn remembrance of the Armenian Genocide,”
said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “We join with them in
recommitting ourselves to ending the denial of this crime – first
in America and then in Turkey – and, ultimately to ending the
longstanding denial of justice to the Armenian nation.”

In addition to the strong Congressional turnout, the program
featured the diplomatic representatives of Armenia and Nagorno
Karabagh, Armenian Church leaders, leading figures in the
Washington, DC foreign policy community, and a broad range of
ethnic and human rights activists.

====================================== ==========
Broad Bipartisan Participation Marks 12th Annual Capitol Hill
Observance of Armenian Genocide
========================================= =======

The two-hour Capitol Hill Observance of the Armenian Genocide
featured the participation of a diverse group of Congressional
leaders from across the country. New Jersey Senators Frank
Lautenberg (D) and Robert Menendez (D) joined perennial attendee,
Maryland Senator Paul Sarbanes (D-MD) in marking the occasion with
moving speeches commending Armenian American activism on this key
human rights concern.

Among the members of the Congressional leadership taking part in
the program were House Rules Committee Chairman David Dreier (R-CA)
and Mike Pence, Chairman of the powerful Republican Study
Committee. Chief Deputy Majority Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA) met with
a group of over 25 Richmond ANC members during the day, but could
not attend the observance. Also taking part were John Larson,
Vice-Chairman of the Democratic Caucus and Joe Crowley (D-NY), the
Chief Deputy Minority Whip.

Featured prominently in the program were the authors of Armenian
Genocide legislation – George Radanovich (R-CA) and Adam Schiff (D-
CA). The Armenian Caucus was represented by Congressman Frank
Pallone (D-NJ), who founded the 158-member body more than a decade
ago. Carolyn Maloney, the Co-Chairwoman of the Hellenic Caucus was
on hand as well and offered powerful words of remembrance.

Members of the International Relations Committee who participated
in the observance were Eliot Engel (D-NY), Darrell Issa (R-CA),
Betty McCollum (D-MN), Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI), Donald Payne (D-
NJ), Brad Sherman, and Diane Watson (D-CA). Rep. Ben Cardin, who
serves as the Ranking Member on the Commission on Security and
Cooperation in Europe (the U.S. Helsinki Commission), also took
part.

Members of the Foreign Operations Subcommittee, the panel that
writes the foreign aid bill, that took part were Ranking Member
Nita Lowey (D-NY), Mark Kirk (R-IL), John Sweeney (R-NY), and Steve
Rothman (D-NJ).

Additional participants included Representatives Howard Coble (R-
NC), Jim Costa (D-CA), Barney Frank (D-MA), Rush Holt (D-NJ), Mike
Honda (D-CA), Sue Kelly (R-NY) , James Langevin (D-RI), Dan
Lipinski (D-IL), Edward Markey (D-MA), James McGovern (D-MA), James
Moran (D-VA), Joe Schwarz (R-MI), Mark Souder (R-IN), John Tierney
(D-MA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Zach Wamp (R-TN), and Curt Weldon
(R-PA).

Attendees also included several key Armenian American officials
including John Jamian, the Department of Transportation’s Action
Maritime Administrator, Joe Bogosian, the Federation Aviation
Administration’s Assistant Administrator for International
Aviation; and Rolling Hills Estates, CA Councilman Frank Zerunyan;
as well as Alecko Eskandarian, the star forward for the DC United
soccer team, and David Alpay, the star of Atom Egoyan’s film
“Ararat.”

================================== ===============
System of a Down Receives ANCA ‘Voice of Justice’ Award
============================================ =====

Among the most moving elements of the program was the presentation
of the ANCA’s ‘Voice of Justice’ Award to Serj Tankian and John
Dolmayan of the Grammy Award-winning band System of a Down. Serj
Tankian and John Dolmayan, took part in the observance on the final
evening of their three-day advocacy tour of Washington, DC. They
also participated in an April 24th rally outside the Turkish
Embassy, the April 25th Capitol Hill screening of excerpts from
Carla Garapedian’s powerful new film “Screamers,” and a series of
Congressional meetings and media interviews.

In accepting the award on behalf of System of a Down, drummer John
Dolmayan noted that, “This is a very personal cause for us. We are
honored to be here to represent Armenians and also United States
citizens. We consider ourselves very fortunate to bring this cause
forward to people who may not necessarily have had a chance to
understand or learn anything about the Armenian Genocide. We also
feel it’s important to bring up issues that are taking place right
now, such as the Darfur Genocide. As Armenians, I would like to
challenge you to do what you can to help these poor people that are
suffering the way we did almost a hundred years ago.”

=========================================== ========
Armenian Ambassador; NKR Representative; Clergy Join Armenian
American leaders in Urging World Recognition of Armenian Genocide
========================================= ==========

Master of Ceremonies, Glendale, California City Clerk Ardashes
Kassakhian, opened the observance by inviting His Eminence Oshagan
Choloyan, Prelate of the Armenian Apostolic Church of the Eastern
U.S., to offer a prayer and opening remarks. The Archbishop noted
that, “We gather today with survivors and members of Congress to
remember the truth, because increasingly truth is being violated by
falsehood. To this day the Genocide of the Armenians is denied not
only by the perpetrators, but also by our own government here in
Washington. The same government in whose archives are thousands
upon thousands of documents that attest to the annihilation of the
Armenians. The denial our government is the most difficult for us
to comprehend and fills our hearts with grief because denial is
another assault, another genocide. The words of Martin Luther King,
Jr. resonate in our souls – ‘In the end we will remember not the
word of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.'”

Kassakhian then introduced each of the twenty-eight members of
Congress who offered remarks, as well as honored speakers,
including Armenia’s Ambassador to the United States Tatoul
Markarian, Nagorno Karabagh Republic Representative in the U.S.
Vardan Barseghian, and ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian. He also
introduced ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian, who made the
‘Voice of Justice’ award presentation to System of a Down.

In his remarks, Amb. Markarian stressed that, “Recognition of the
Armenian Genocide cannot be negotiated away, delayed, or
conveniently forgotten. . . . The recognition of the Armenian
Genocide remains, and will remain, on our foreign policy agenda. We
will advance it vigorously and with a conviction that this will
also help to normalize Turkish-Armenian relations, and bring more
security and stability to our region. We will continue to work
with our friends and partners towards this goal in Europe, and in
particular in the United States.”

Vardan Barseghian, on behalf of the government of the Nagorno
Karabagh Republic, vowed to “educate the world about what happened
to us. We will rally support and we will seek justice, until the
perpetrators and deniers are condemned and held responsible. And
most importantly we will do everything in our power to insure that
similar tragedies do not befall Armenians or any other nation.” He
added that, “Turkey’s irresponsible denial of genocidal facts paves
way to new atrocities and crimes against humanity.”

ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian, in his remarks, urged the Armenian
American community to greater levels of activism, specifically
asking all in attendance to insist that the Administration demand
that Turkey acknowledge its responsibility for the Armenian
Genocide, fully repent, and restore to the Armenian nation the
fruits of its crime.

In his closing remarks, Kassakhian reminded those in attendance
that, “Today, in these very halls of Congress, our friends have
spoken loud and clear. They have said in one voice, that there
will be no silence until there is justice. They have told their
colleagues by being here today – in front of us – that we will
never forget and their will never be silence until there is
justice.”

Excerpts of Congressional Speeches offered at the annual Capitol
Hill Armenian Genocide Observance follow.

========================================= ==========
Members of Congress Honor Victims of the Armenian Genocide; Call
for Proper U.S. Recognition of this Crime Against Humanity
========================================= ==========

Sen. Paul Sarbanes (D-MD): “I come every year because I think that
the issue you place on the national and international agenda is of
great importance. . . If there should be any question raised about
the occurrence of this genocide, it is beyond my understanding. . .
If other nations can speak the truth then our nation must speak the
truth on this issue. . . The Senate [Armenian Genocide] resolution
has my strongest support.”

Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ): “There are those who argue that Turkey
is an ally, and maybe it is. But, at the end of the day, even an
ally should permit us to have our own policy to recognize what
history says happened­that 1.5 million Armenians perished. That
should be the reality we take as a position for the country. When
Hitler asked “who remembers the Armenians?” I answer that we
remember the Armenians, the next generation of the Armenians, and
all of us who believe in human rights. And this country remembers
the Armenians, and that is why we are here today.”

Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ): “We have to remember that genocide
was originally discovered in those years [1915-1923]. . . and make
sure to support legislation to recognize the Genocide, making sure
that it is known as an Armenian event and do everything we can to
get it passed.”

Rep. David Dreier (R-CA): “We are strongly committed to doing
everything we can to making sure there is clear recognition of the
Armenian Genocide – and that is exactly what I’ve said to two
Turkish Prime Ministers.”

Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ): “It is so important for you to be here
and to show up. The only way a message is going to be sent is if
more and more people come out and show up. . . The effort to deny
the Genocide continues and that’s why it’s so important to be out
there in large numbers to counter their actions.”

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA): “I long for the day when we not only come
to commemorate the Genocide, but to celebrate the passage of
Genocide resolutions. . . Let’s not let any of our Armenian
parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles down. . . let’s recognize
the Armenian Genocide now!”

Rep. George Radanovich (R-CA): “It’s particularly exasperating
this year – we have a bill out of committee ready to go to the
floor, yet we are finding it difficult to move it further and I
think after 12 years I wonder and I tire but I know you have been
waiting 91 years and it gives me hope we will soon be recognizing
the Genocide. Keep working and have faith and America will
recognize it.”

Rep. John Sweeney (R-NY): “Without a full acceptance, we have
denial, and with denial we perpetuate terrible episodes in history,
threatening humanity and mankind, and impede on the march of
freedom and liberty. I don’t intend on allowing that to happen! I
pledge and vow to you as one of your own to keep the fight up and
keep on working hard.”

Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ): “The truth has curative power and
reconciliation powers and we thank you for that effort of getting
the truth out.”

Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL): “When we learn the lesson of the Armenian
Genocide, we say ‘never again,’ which is very easy to say in a
speech in Washington. But I’ve been there [as a U.S. soldier
serving in Bosnia] when we’ve meant ‘never again,’ where we took
action as the only superpower on the planet to stop a crime. So
now when we look at what’s happening today, we have a powerful
moral lesson that we have learned from the people of Armenia — the
one that we have to carry into the classrooms and television sets.”

Rep. James Langevin (D-RI): “If we do not recognize the Armenian
Genocide it will happen again and again and again.”

Rep. John Larson (D-CT): “I’m often amazed at the ceremonies and
annual pilgrimages people make on behalf of their beliefs and their
cause. And for those that seek to remember or understand Armenia
all you have to do is look around this room it’s written on your
faces, it’s carried in your hearts.”

Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY): “It is time for the American
government to officially recognize what happened 91 years ago and
join the other countries of the world with official recognition . .
. We must always stand up and speak the truth to counter any
denial.”

Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA): “It is extraordinary given what the
Armenian people were subjected to, given the fight that still goes
on, given the unfair obstacles still put in the way of Armenia,
given the importance of reminding the world of this genocide, that
you have compassion, wisdom, and commitment to universal values
that lead you to your efforts for stopping the atrocities taking
place in Darfur.”

Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL): “If you look at all the members who have
spoken here and those who are still waiting to speak this is a very
unique situation. On any other day these Members may have nothing
in common, but this is what happens when you come together for
truth. . . You have done a great job in bringing this to everyone’s
attention in this country and I commend you and urge you to keep it
up.”

Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA): “It’s time for President Bush to adhere
to his campaign promise and tear down that wall of denial and
recognize and honor the Armenian Genocide.”

Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI): “We must pierce the myth of this
indispensable relationship [between the U.S. and Turkey]. . . No
relations can be built upon a lie. . . If we are going to have
friends and allies in the world that the United states can depend
on, there must be honesty both within our relationship and in the
United States itself.”

Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ): “What is going on now – because your
movement is getting stronger, your voices are getting louder, your
issues are being heard – there is a disinformation, it’s always
been there but now it’s more organized. . . So now we have to keep
the pressure on keep the fight on. Genocide anywhere is wrong.”

Rep. Steve Rothman (D-NJ): “What is the harm in denying the truth?
Is there any harm in denying the truth? As human beings we know
that this does cause a physical destruction to the body when one
denies the truth. Just as I believe that applies to individuals, I
believe that it applies to countries and humanity. And so when the
world denied the Armenian Genocide and continues to deny it, not
only did that lead to the Holocaust but it has contributed to the
atmosphere in which the world has witnessed the deaths of 400,000
in Darfur. You notice that there are some similarities in the way
the Ottoman Empire persecuted the Armenian population and what is
going on in Darfur ­ the forced exile, the systematic deprivation
of food and water, and murder through starvation. . . Denying the
truth about genocide is really a second killing, a double genocide.
We as Americans cannot stand by when the truth continues to be
denied.”

Rep. Sue Kelly (R-NY): “It makes no sense that we cannot officially
recognize the genocide, acknowledge it, ask for an apology and go
beyond the issue, allowing the whole region to move together. This
cannot happen unless there is an apology!”

Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA): “When will Turkey be part of the modern
world if it does not recognize the past? Where would Germany be if
it denied the Holocaust? Where would America be if we said slavery
didn’t exist and the native America tribes just drifted away
peacefully. Every country needs to recognizes its past in order to
move forward to the future. And that is why I have co-sponsored
every resolution in the last ten years in the House of
Representatives to recognize the first genocide of the last
century. But we have seen it again and again. Our International
Relations committee passes the resolution – we reformulate the
resolution and get it through the Judiciary committee instead. We
move that bill through that Committee and then the House leadership
won’t let it come up to a vote. It’s time to raise our voices to
even higher levels and say its time for this to come up for a vote.
Why is the Congress hiding from its responsibilities?”

Rep. John Tierney (D-MA): ” All of you do us a great service in
reminding us the issues that are important to the Armenian
community and for us to attend to those issues. Truth about what
happened 91-years ago and the fairness of the issues for which you
fight are things we need to continually remember. The truth is that
it was ‘Genocide.’ We have to end man’s inhumanity to man, and we
can only do that by acknowledging what has happened in the past,
and swearing that we should never remain silent as it happens now
in Darfur.”

Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN): “I commend you for your efforts to keep
this alive and I hope you get a hard vote.”

Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD): “The lesson of the Armenian Genocide
is that evil things are not just done by the bad people who
perpetuate the crimes, but in a way are allowed to happen by the
good people who are not taking the necessary action. The failure
of the United States Congress to pass an Armenian Genocide
Resolution sends exactly the wrong signal to people around the
world about accountability. We have to send the signal that we are
going to hold people accountable and the failure to do that has
been a stain on the conscious of Congress and the United States.”

Rep. Curt Weldon (R-PA): “I understand it is a responsibility of
mine in Congress to stand for your people and for the plight of
your nation. . . . I told the President of Azerbaijan that we
wanted to be friends with Azerbaijan but that we will not do it at
the expense of Armenia and the Armenian community. We want the
dignity of Armenia to shine strong in the Caspian region. You have
our support and bipartisan support by members of Congress to make
sure we never forget the terrible atrocities that occurred 91 years
ago and that we never forget the plight of the Armenian people.”

Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA): “A country is only as great as its ability
to recognize its past, recognize its mistakes, apologize and move
on. The Diaspora isn’t looking for blood and vengeance, I believe
you are looking for reconciliation and recognition so that we can
all move forward in this world to insure that future acts of
genocide shall cease.”

Rep. Joe Schwarz (R-MI): “I am a student of history and have been
interested in Armenian history for many years. One of the goals
for Congress and for American foreign policy should be a strong and
independent Armenia within the community of the Transcaucasus. We
should not let the Azeris, the Georgians, the Russians, the Turks
impinge on the bright and prosperous future of Armenia. . . The
United States must recognize the Armenian genocide so that we can
get on with the healing.”

Rep. Diane Watson (D-CA): “I come to support you and join with my
colleagues in saying that California already has a resolution
supporting the Genocide of the Armenians, so we are already ahead
of the game. And we want it to spread across this nation, all 50
states, that they then will correct the people out there that would
like to deny. Let them know that history speaks for itself, and
that the genocide is real. . . .We are going to try to convince our
colleagues, regardless of the Turkish influence that appears in
these halls, and win out in the end.”

#####

Note to the Editor: Photos Available upon request
Please email: [email protected]

–Boundary_(ID_tRiPxZeQLOctSpu WFq9ANQ)–

KNOW GENOCIDE PARTICIPATES IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
RALLY TO END DARFUR GENOCIDE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Harout H. Semerdjian
May 4, 2006 617-489-1597
Web: E-mail: [email protected]

BOSTON, MA – On April 30, 2006 members and supporters of the newly
formed KNOW GENOCIDE coalition joined thousands of activists in our
nation’s capital in condemning the ongoing genocide in Darfur and
bringing the tragedy to the attention of the White House. The event
was sponsored by the Save Darfur coalition.

Since 2003, the western Sudanese region of Darfur has been subject
to a systematic campaign of massacres, starvation and dislocation
initiated by the Sudanese government and its Janjaweed militia, in
total defiance of international law. This ongoing catastrophe has
claimed the lives of 400,000 people while displacing another 2.5
million. Over 3 million people are currently suffering from hunger
while atrocities and starvation continues to claim countless lives.

“I hope that this weekend will have a strong impact on our politicians,
to act and act now,” said Mr. Jean Nganji of Rwanda Outlook, a member
group of KNOW GENOCIDE. Mr. Nganji, who lost much of his family and
friends in the Rwandan Genocide, has devoted much of his recent years
in raising public awareness about genocide. The issue of genocide
denial is very personal to Rwanda, as there is a current movement of
denial, negation and revision of what happened during the 1994 Rwandan
Genocide. “There are also sympathizers and professors who advised
the genocide regime and now continue to be part of this movement,”
continued Mr. Nganji. “We owe it to ourselves and humanity, in making
sure that history is not distorted to the benefit of those who want
to justify their crimes.”

Speakers at the Darfur rally included renowned Harvard scholar
Dr. Samantha Power, author of A Problem from Hell: America and the
Age of Genocide, and Mr. John Prendergast, Senior Adviser at the
International Crisis Group and author of seven books on Africa. Both
scholars were briefed on the efforts of KNOW GENOCIDE, who, in turn,
voiced their support of the coalition’s efforts.

Other coalition groups represented at the Darfur rally include members
of the Armenian Assembly of America, Jewish Community Relations
Council, Armenian National Committees of Massachusetts as well as
students from Georgetown and George Washington universities.

KNOW GENOCIDE urges its members and supporters to send an electronic
postcard to President Bush urging him to stop the genocide in Darfur
by visiting

KNOW GENOCIDE is a multi-ethnic, non-partisan coalition founded
to counter the ongoing denial of known cases of genocide, such
as the Darfur, Bosnian, Cambodian, Jewish, Rwandan, and Armenian
genocides. For more information please visit our website at

#####

PRESS RELEASE
Arpa Foundation for Film, Music and Art
2919 Maxwell St.
Los Angeles, CA 90027
Contact: Alex Kalognomos
Phone/Fax (323) 663-1882
e-mail: [email protected]

ARPA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES CALL FOR ENTRIES

Los Angeles, CA – The 2006 Arpa International Film Festival is
accepting Armenian films for their 9th annual festival in Hollywood,
California.

The Arpa Foundation for Film, Music and Art (AFFMA) stages its festival
in October for filmmakers exploring diaspora, war, exile, genocide,
dual-identity and Armenian culture.

AFFMA founder Sylvia Minassian says, “Arpa celebrates artistic vision
and cultural diversity in cinema while illuminating the Armenian
experience. We’re so pleased that people in both the U.S.

and abroad are becoming aware of the opportunities Arpa gives
filmmakers to share our unique history through cinema.”

While Armenians live all over the globe, the largest population of
Armenians outside of Armenia is in Southern California. “Los Angeles
is a city of unlimited cultural power and Armenians contribute to that
richness immensely,” Minassian says. With that in mind, Arpa honors
those filmmakers who address the common circumstances of diasporan
people, redefining what Los Angeles stands for as a global city,
through the presentation of Armenian films.

The Arpa International Film Festival accepts films for competition
in the following categories:

Feature Length (more than 41 minutes) Short Film (less than 40 minutes)
Documentary Animation

Entries must be received no later than June 30, 2006.

Submission rules and entry form are available online at
or

For sponsorships and ad book opportunities, please contact Arpa at
(323) 663-1882 or via e-mail at [email protected]

For additional information, please contact the Arpa Foundation for
Film, Music and Art at (323) 663-1882.

[email protected]

PRESS RELEASE
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-689-7810
Fax: 212-689-7168
e-mail: [email protected]
Website:
Contact: Iris Papazian

MAY 4, 2006

ARMENIAN AIRLINE PLANE CRASHES IN BLACK SEA
We mourn the loss of the 113 passengers on an Armavia Airbus A-320 that
crashed yesterday near the southern Russian resort city of Sochi on the
Black Sea. Officials believe the crash was caused by poor visibility due to
pouring rain. Many of the passengers were vacationers.
Upon hearing the sad news Archbishop Oshagan telephoned His Holiness
Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, to express
condolences. In a message issued to the Faithful circulated yesterday in a
special edition of Crossroads, the Prelate said: “We extend our heartfelt
sympathy to the families who lost loved ones. May the love of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ comfort them in this time of deep sorrow. We urge our
Faithful to join our brothers and sisters in Armenia in offering special
prayers on Friday, May 5. May the souls of the victims find everlasting
peace in our Lord’s Heavenly Kingdom.”

PRELATE WILL ATTEND ST. ILLUMINATOR SCHOOL GALA
Archbishop Oshagan will attend the dinner dance gala sponsored by the St.
Illuminator School, tomorrow, Friday, May 5, at the Terrace on the Park in
Corona, New York. In an innovative change of pace the event is also a
reunion of Armenian School students going back to the 1930s to the present.
Many remember with great fondness the first-rate Aharonian Mayr Varjaran
where the first generation of Armenian Americans was taught the Armenian
language, history and culture. Back then (yes, some of us here at Crossroads
are old enough to remember those days) students went to Armenian School
three afternoons a week (after regular school was dismissed). Dressed in
“Sunday-best” attire, most of the students were from the Armenian enclave in
the neighborhood near the Cathedral on the lower east side, but many others
traveled by subway or trolley from distant parts of the city-including the
outer boroughs.

PRELATE WILL TRAVEL TO PHILADELPHIA ON SUNDAY
TO ATTEND ST. GREGORY ANNIVERSARY GALA
On Sunday, May 7, Archbishop Oshagan will travel to Philadelphia where he
will preside over the Divine Liturgy at St. Gregory the Illuminator Church
and the church’s 39th anniversary celebration that will follow the church
service.
The Philadelphia community is one of the oldest Armenian communities in
the United States. Its history goes much further than 39 years. However, the
current church complex was built and consecrated in May 1967. Since then it
has been serving the growing needs of the large Armenian American community
in the sprawling Philadelphia area, which includes southern New Jersey and
nearby Delaware. Last year the church embarked on a new phase of growth and
is now in the midst of a fundraising campaign for a much-needed renovation
and expansion of facilities in order to provide spiritual, educational and
cultural services to the community.

DEACON SHANT WILL LEAD RETREAT IN PHILLY
Deacon Shant Kazanjian, director of the Prelacy’s Armenian Religious
Education Council, will lead a retreat for the Sunday School teachers and
staff of St. Gregory the Illuminator Church, Philadelphia, beginning
tomorrow evening, Friday, May 5, through Saturday, May 6. The theme of the
retreat is “Nurturing Faith.”

SCHOOL VISIT PLANNED BY ANEC
In her continuing schedule of visits to Armenian schools, Nayiri
Balanian, chair of the Armenian National Education Committee, will visit the
Taniel Varoujan School in Chicago on May 12 and 13. She will meet with the
teachers and the principal on May 12 and the next day will attend a Mothers
Day luncheon where she will honor the teachers for their dedicated service.
ANEC is jointly sponsored by the Eastern Prelacy and the Armenian Relief
Society (Eastern).

TURKISH NOVELIST SELECTED AS TIME MAGAZINES
100 MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE
Orhan Pamuk, the acclaimed and prize-winning Turkish writer, was named
this week as one of the one hundred most influential people in the world by
Time Magazine.
Describing Pamuk as the “Teller of the Awful Truth,” Time writes: “Pamuk,
already the most famous author in contemporary Turkey, became a global cause
celebre early last year after he pointedly criticized his country’s
all-too-willful historical blind spots: the genocide of Armenians in 1915 by
the Turkish military and a similar suppression of the country’s Kurdish
minority.” All this led to fierce criticism from nationalist groups and the
government prepared to put him on trial. Human rights organizations and
writers’ unions around the world came to his defense attracting intense
worldwide publicity. In the end, as Time Magazine notes, “Pamuk’s name has
become even more recognized and his words even more influential. In the
confrontation of rock-hard reality and paper-thin artistry, sometimes, as in
the children’s game, paper overcomes stone.”

PRELATE WILL ATTEND SYRIAN ORTHODOX LEADER’S ANNIVERSARY
On Saturday, May 6, Archbishop Oshagan will attend a celebration of the
10th anniversary of the Episcopal Consecration of Archbishop Mor Cyril
Aphrem Karim, Metropolitan of the Syrian Orthodox Church (Eastern U.S.)
The Syrian Orthodox Church is within the family of Oriental Orthodox
Churches which includes the Armenian Apostolic Church.

PRELACY LADIES GUILD MOTHERS DAY LUNCHEON
WILL TAKE PLACE MONDAY, MAY 8
The Prelacy Ladies’ Guild’s Mothers’ Day Luncheon will take place on
Monday, May 8, at The St. Regis, 2 East 55th Street, New York City. The
event, which has become an anticipated event for women in the metropolitan
area and beyond, will take place in the beautiful St. Regis Roof with
reception beginning at 11:30 am, followed by luncheon at 12:30 pm. A special
Musical Interlude, “Voices of Spring,” will provide entertainment and the
“Mother of the Year” will be announced and honored.

NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY
WILL CONVENE IN NEW JERSEY
The Eastern Prelacy’s National Representative Assembly will convene May
17 to 19, at the host church, Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New
Jersey.
The concluding reception and banquet will take place Friday evening, May
19, at the Fort Lee Hilton, Route 4 East, Fort Lee, New Jersey. During the
banquet program a number of individuals will be honored including “Persons
of the Year,” “Spirit of Armenia,” and “Youth Leadership” awards.
“Certificates of Merit” will be presented to deserving members of the local
host community. To make reservations for the banquet ($75. per person)
contact any of the following: Sts. Vartanantz Church, 201-943-2950; Bea
Movsesian, 201-445-6867; Sonia Setrakian, 201-313-7157; Lynn Mahlebjian,
201-440-3018.

CONFERENCE FOR YERETZGEENS WILL TAKE PLACE
DURING NATIONAL ASSEMBLY IN NEW JERSEY
Archbishop Oshagan and the Religious and Executive Council are pleased to
announce that a conference for Yeretzgeens of the Eastern Prelacy will be
held in New Jersey on May 16-17, in conjunction with the National
Representative Assembly. All Yeretzgeens are invited to attend the
conference. Archbishop Oshagan will open the session with a prayer and
deliver the opening message. The remainder of the conference will feature
two sessions on various aspects of the life of a priest’s wife (family,
parish life, work) by Presvytera Athanasia Papademetriou of the Greek
Orthodox faith and one session titled “Women of Noble Character,” by
Yeretzgeen Joanna Baghsarian.

PRELATE AND VICAR WILL ATTEND JOINT MEETING
Archbishop Oshagan and V. Rev. Fr. Anoushavan will attend the third
meeting of Christian, Arab and Middle Eastern Churches Together next
Thursday, May 11, which will take place at the Eparchy of St. Maron of
Brooklyn, hosted by Archbishop Gregory Marsour.

REGISTER NOW FOR DATEV SUMMER PROGRAM
Urge your teenagers to enroll in the St. Gregory of Datev Summer
Institute. The weeklong program will take place July 2 to 9 at the St. Mary
of Providence Center in Elverson, Pennsylvania. This year the Institute is
marking its 20th anniversary and all kinds of commemorative events are being
planned. We will provide full details in the coming weeks.

THE ART OF EMMA GREGORYAN
TO BE EXHIBITED AT THE PRELACY
The works of noted artist, Emma Gregoryan, will be shown beginning on
Friday evening, May 12, at the Prelacy’s Vahakn and Hasmig Hovnanian Hall,
138 E. 39th Street, New York City. The opening reception will take place
Friday, May 12, at 7 p.m. The artist will be present to welcome guests.
Refreshments will be served.
Ms. Gregoryan’s works are currently being shown at the Susquehanna Art
Museum in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, as part of an exhibition of the Armenian
art collection of the late John Vartan.
Born in Gumri, Armenia, Emma Grigoryan graduated from the Fine Arts and
Theatrical Institute of Yerevan. Her paintings have been exhibited in
Yerevan, Paris, Beirut, New York, Washington and throughout Canada.

CATHOLICOS ARAM I ISSUES FIFTH DIALOGUE WITH YOUTH
His Holiness Catholicos Aram I recently issued the 5th in a series of
dialogues with the youth, entitled “The Imperative of a Faith-Sustained
Life.”
His Holiness describes the general understanding of faith and then say,
“.being Christian does not mean merely knowing about our faith or even
witnessing about it. It means keeping firm our faith. This is the message of
our Lord Jesus Christ. The church, the mystical body of Christ, constantly
reminds her faithful to remain faithful to the Christian faith by responding
to its challenges, demands and implications.”
His Holiness says faith means to “remain faithful to the Christian faith
by responding to its challenges, demands and implications.” The Pontiff
expands on other important aspects including, placing faith at the center of
life, preserving the integrity of faith, participating fully and actively in
the life and mission of the church, and translating faith into work.

GEORGE MGRDICHIAN: FRIEND AND EXTRAORDINARY MUSICIAN
This week we mourn the loss of a personal friend and an extraordinary
musician, George Mgrdichian. His funeral took place today in Philadelphia at
St. Gregory the Illuminator Church. He grew up in Philly, but later moved to
New York.
George was an accomplished musician and also a talented artist, who loved
to draw cartoons, including a parody of himself and his world he called
“Kokorig.” He had undergraduate and graduate degrees from Juilliard and was
a gifted classical clarinetist.
Most probably he could have had a distinguished career in symphony
orchestras, but his true love was the oud, an instrument that he
single-handedly elevated to concert status. He performed in almost every
major concert hall in the U.S., wrote and performed musical scores for
movies, television and Broadway. His obituary was published today in the New
York Times and the New York Sun, and we are sure dozens of other newspapers
around the country.

EMPIRE STATE BUILDING TURNS 75
On Monday, May 1, New York’s Empire State Building (ESB) marked its 75th
birthday, beginning a year-long celebration. Built at the height of the
Great Depression, the building has gone through many hardships including a
1945 plane crash. When built, the ESB was the tallest building in the world
and remained the tallest in New York until the completion of the World Trade
Twin Towers in 1972. After September 11, 2001, the ESB again became New
York’s tallest building and remains so today. It now ranks 9th in the world,
and second in the United States behind Chicago’s Sears Tower.
Construction of the 102 floors was considered to be one of the most
remarkable feats of the 20th century. More than 3,400 workers-most of them
immigrants, desperate and grateful for employment-worked on the
construction, which took a mere 410 days to complete. Which leads us to
wonder: Why is it taking so long to repair the FDR drive?

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

May 5-Reunion of all students beginning from the 1930s who attended St.
Illuminator Armenian School in New York. Dinner Dance at Terrace on the
Park, Corona, NY. For reservations or information contact the St.
Illuminator’s Day School, 718-478-4073.

May 7-Mothers’ Day celebration at St. Sarkis Church, Douglaston, New York.

May 8-Mothers’ Day Luncheon by Prelacy Ladies Guild, St. Regis, New York
City.

May 12-Exhibition of the works of artist Emma Gregoryan at the Prelacy, 138
E. 39th Street, New York City.

May 13-Dinner-Dance organized by the St. Sarkis Church Ping-Pong Club. For
details 718-224-2275.

May 17-19-National Representative Assembly (NRA), hosted by Sts. Vartanantz
Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey. Concluding reception and banquet will take
place Friday, May 19, at the Fort Lee Hilton, Fort Lee, New Jersey.
Reception at 7 pm, followed by dinner. For information/reservations: Sts.
Vartanantz Church office, 201-943-2950.

May 16 and 17-Conference of Yeretzgeens in conjunction with the National
Representative Assembly, hosted by Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New
Jersey.

May 20-Year-end Hantes for Sunday School and Saturday School, St. Sarkis
Church, Douglaston, New York. For information, 718-224-2275.

June 4-16th Anniversary Celebration of the new St. Sarkis Church,
Douglaston, New York. For information, 718-224-2275.

July 22-Ladies Guild of Sts. Vartanantz Church, Providence, Rhode Island,
and Ani Chapter of Armenian Relief Society co-host gala dance at Greek
Orthodox Annunciation Church. For information, 401-286-8107.

September 28-4th Annual Golf Outing hosted by Sts. Vartanantz Church,
Ridgefield, New Jersey. Bergen Hills Country Club, River Vale, New Jersey.
For reservations and/or information: 201-943-2950.

Visit our website at

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
05/04/2006
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://WWW.ASBAREZ. COM

1) Senators, Representatives Mark Armenian Genocide in Remarks at Their
Respective Chambers
2) Rescue Workers Step up Search after Armenian Plane Crash
3) NATO Parliamentary Assembly Invites Armenian And Azeri Presidents to Paris
4) Armenia to Hold Economic Forum And Conference in September
5) Requiem Mass for Plane Crash Victims to Be Held Sunday
6) US Legislators Urge President Bush to Condemn Azeri War Rhetoric,
Demolition
of Armenian Cemetery

1) Senators, Representatives Mark Armenian Genocide in Remarks at Their
Respective Chambers

WASHINGTON, DC–More than a dozen Senators and Representatives took to the
floors of their respective chambers during the week of April 24 to mark the
91st anniversary of the beginning of the Armenian genocide and share with
their
colleagues the moral imperative to enact legislation condemning this crime
against humanity, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
These remarks were in addition to the annual Capitol Hill Armenian Genocide
Observance, held on April 26, which drew forty Senators and Representatives
and
featured the presentation of the ANCA’s Voice of Justice award to Serj Tankian
and John Dolmayan of System Of A Down.
On the Senate side, speeches were delivered by Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Maria
Cantwell (D-WA), Russ Feingold (D-WI), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Carl Levin
(D-MI), and Jack Reed (D-RI). The House initiative was organized by
Congressman
Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Co-Chairman of the Armenian Caucus, and featured remarks
by Chris Smith (R-NJ), the Vice-Chairman of the International Relations
Committee; Howard Berman (D-CA), Jerry Costello (D-IL), Mark Foley (R-FL),
Sander Levin (D-MI), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), James McGovern (D-MA), Michael
McNulty (D-NY), Jon C. Porter (R-NV), John J.H. “Joe” Schwarz (R-MI), Hilda
Solis (D-CA), and Henry Waxman (D-CA).

Among the most compelling Senate remarks were the following:

* Senator Russ Feingold: The international community has made the first
steps,
but it has a long way to go in punishing and, particularly, preventing
genocide. As we move forward, we must learn the lessons of Armenia’s genocide.
We cannot be misled by the rhetoric of scapegoating, denial, and obfuscation
used by murderous leaders to disguise their agenda. And we cannot respond to
evidence of methodical, brutal violence by wringing our hands and waiting for
some definitive proof that these events qualify as genocide. Enforcing a
collective, international commitment to prevent and stop genocides from
occurring is imperative. We owe the victims of the Armenian genocide this
commitment.

* Senator Barbara Boxer: The brutality of the genocide was atrocious. But the
inhumanity continues today because the Turkish Government refuses to
acknowledge the massacres as genocide. The wounds cannot heal until the
Armenian people receive recognition.

* Senator Jack Reed: So as history does not repeat itself, we must study and
remember the events of our past. In instances such as the Armenian genocide,
all nations must educate their youth in the hatred, the wrongdoing, and the
oppression to deter future atrocities against humanity. Not more that two
decades after the Armenian genocide, Hitler said to his generals on the eve of
sending his death squads into Poland, “Go, kill without mercy… who today
remembers the annihilation of the Armenians.” We remember the Armenians. “Menk
panav chenk mornar.” We will never forget.

* Senator Dianne Feinstein: The Armenian-American community knows this all
too
well and today, we stand with them in commemorating the start of the Armenian
genocide. So let us renew our commitment to support those around the world who
face persecution and even death simply because of who they are. We will never
forget the Armenian genocide, and we look to the present and future with a
newfound sense of hope and optimism so that we may have the strength to stand
up and prevent such atrocities.

Among the more compelling excerpts from the speeches in the US House are
provided below:

* Congressman Chris Smith: Unfortunately, President Bush, in his annual
message about the Genocide, did not use the word. Once again, terms like “mass
killings” and “forced exile” mask the depth of the horror that took place,
carefully avoiding the plain truth. In fact, as has been described in numerous
newspaper articles, Ambassador John Evans, who was posted in Yerevan, is being
recalled for having the courage to say publicly that what happened to the
Armenians of the Ottoman Empire was genocide. It saddens me that the US
Government would go to such lengths to deny the undeniable. I would like to
commend Ambassador Evans for his braveryas a career Foreign Service
Officer, he
must have known what the consequences might be.

* Congressman Frank Pallone: Last week I was joined by my Co-Chair of the
Armenia Caucus and many of my colleagues in Congress on a bipartisan basis in
sending yet another bipartisan congressional letter to President Bush urging
him to use the word “genocide” in his April 24th commemorative statement. With
over 178 signatures, the message in that letter is loud and clear: 90 years is
too long to wait for justice to be served and proper recognition to be made.
The US owes it to the Armenian American community, to the 1.5 million that
were massacred in the Genocide, and to its own history to reaffirm what is
fact. As we have seen time and time again, the United States has a proud
history of action and response to the Armenian genocide. During a time when
hundreds of thousands were left orphaned and starving, a time when a nation
was
on the verge of complete extermination, the US took the lead and proudly
helped
end these atrocities. In fact, Americans helped launch an unprecedented US
diplomatic, political, and humanitarian campaign to end the carnage and
protect
the survivors.
Regardless of President Bush’s inaction, I call on Speaker Hastert to bring
the resolution to officially recognize the Armenian genocide to the House
floor. The resolution that passed in committee last September, again on a
bipartisan basis by an overwhelming majority, has over 148 cosponsors. Now is
the time to allow Members to reaffirm the United States’ record on the
Armenian
genocide. The US Government needs to stop playing politics with this tragic
time in history and take a firm stance for the truth. Genocide must not be
tolerated.

* Congressman James McGovern: Luckily, such leadership and courage is not
lacking among the Armenian American community. Not only do they continue their
historic work on the recognition and documentation of the Armenian genocide,
but they are genuine leaders and partners in efforts to educate Americans
about
the other genocides of the 20th and 21st Centuriesthe Holocaust of World War
II, Cambodia, Rwanda and Bosnia, to note some of the most prominent.

* Congressman Howard Berman: The debate on this historical issue has been
settled. The distinguished International Association of Genocide Scholars,
among others, has concluded that it is undeniable. Others, including some who
accept the historical facts, say Congress should not pass a resolution
recognizing the Armenian genocide because it will irreparably damage our
relationship with Turkey. This is a phony argument.

* Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney: The tragic events that began on April 24,
1915, which are well known to all of us, should be part of the history
curriculum in every Turkish and American school. On that dark April day, more
than 200 of Armenia’s religious, political and intellectual leaders were
arrested in Constantinople and killed. Ultimately, more than 1.5 million
Armenians were systematically murdered at the hands of the Young Turks, and
more than 500,000 more were exiled from their native land.

* Congressman Jerry Costello: Despite the effort of some to minimize the
scope
and deny its occurrence, the Armenian genocide is a historical fact. In the
years since, descendants of Armenian immigrants have clung to their identity
and have prospered across this nation and throughout the world. In my
district,
there is a significant population of Armenian survivors and their families
that
showed heroic bravery and a will to survive. With faith and courage,
generations of Armenians have overcome great suffering and proudly preserved
their culture, traditions, and religion by sharing their story of the
Genocide.
It is through their unforgettable tragedy that we are able to share in their
history and strong heritage.

The full text of all the Senate and House remarks is available on the ANCA
website at:
< eleases.php?prid=942>
/press_releas es/press_releases.php?prid=942.

2) Rescue Workers Step up Search after Armenian Plane Crash

(AFP/Armenpress)–Anguished relatives faced the grim task Thursday of
identifying their loved ones as rescue workers stepped up the search for
bodies, debris, and the data recorders of an Armenian plane that plunged into
the Black Sea, killing all 113 on board.
Russian rescue teams continued searching the area where the Airbus A320
plunged into the sea near the Russian resort of Sochi on Wednesday,
investigating the depths with special equipment, including sonars.
An official with Russia’s emergency situations ministry, Andrei Pakulov, told
AFP that a signal had been picked up from what might be one of the Airbus
A320’s black box flight recorders. Officials said that the signal was detected
at a depth of 680 meters where the rescuers found a great number of debris of
the plane.
Once the black boxes are found, they can be compared to the recorded
conversations between the pilots of the plane and the air traffic controllers,
providing a better understanding of what went wrong.
For now, investigators have said bad weather was most likely the cause of the
crash, which occurred as the aircraft was approaching the landing strip,
awkwardly located between the sea and the Caucasus Mountains.
The RIA news agency, quoting an official in the search operation, said a
major
section of the plane had been located with the help of a submersible search
vessel. “All our deep water special equipment will be assembled at that point
in the coming hours,” RIA quoted the official as saying.
At a nearby Armenian school a memorial ceremony took place for two former
students of the school. Afterwards, students and teachers went to the seashore
and placed 113 carnations and roses into the water.
Russian Transport Minister Igor Levitin addressed over 200 relatives of the
victims desperate to find the bodies of their loved ones. Investigators will
work “for as long as it takes to recover all the bodies and body parts,”
Levitin said, adding that it was too early to say for sure what had caused the
crash.
“Do everything you can to recover the bodies–I implore you,” urged one young
man, in tears. “How will the bodies be identified? Let us enter the morgue and
see the personal belongings,” urged another relative.
By Thursday morning 53 bodies had been fished out of the water and 22 had
been
identified, news agencies said. The remains of the aircraft were submerged in
more than 400 meters (1,300 feet) of water, but Levitin said a team of French
specialists brought in to search for the jet’s black boxes had “all the
technical means needed” to locate them.
Relatives of the victims were to visit the crash site by boat on Friday to
drop commemorative wreaths into the water. Both Armenia and Russia have
declared Friday an official day of mourning.
On Wednesday, relatives began identifying their loved ones from photographs
taken of the bodies recovered so far, including that of a child. On Thursday,
Tamara Mkrtchian, 36, said she had lost her husband Markar, their 17 year old
daughter Flora, and two other relativeswho were returning from a wedding in
Yerevanbut had yet to recognize any of their bodies.
“The photos are horrible. Imagine what they suffered. My daughter had
forebodings. She had been afraid to take the plane, afraid it would fall into
the sea. I suggested she change the ticket but she didn’t want to,” said
Mkrtchian.

3) NATO Parliamentary Assembly Invites Armenian And Azeri Presidents to Paris

BAKU (Armenpress)President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (PA) Pierre
Lellouche invited Armenian and Azeri Presidents Robert Kocharian and Ilham
Aliyev to Paris in late May. Aliyev has agreed to the visit.
Regarding the Karabagh conflict, Lellouche said that the NATO PA is making an
effort to help the parties reach a resolution to the conflict. He said during
his meeting with the two Presidents, they will discuss the regulation of the
conflict.
“This conflict is very destructive and results in the exhaustion of resources
and causes human losses,” said Lellouche. “The Caucasus needs stability.”
Lellouche also said that a military solution to conflict is not the right
one.

4) Armenia to Hold Economic Forum And Conference in September

In order to promote increased economic cooperation between Armenia and the
diaspora, Armenia will hold the Second Armenia-Diaspora Economic Forum in
Yerevan on September 20, 2006. Marking the 15th anniversary of Armenia’s
independence, the third Armenia-Diaspora economic conference will be held
later
that week, from September 18-19, also in Yerevan, followed by the
“Pan-Armenian
EXPO-2006” exhibit on September 22.
The First Economic Forum, which was held in 2003, resulted in increased
investment from the diaspora, better export quality, and sustainable economic
development.
The Second Forum will build on these achievements, strengthening the economic
development of Armenia and cooperation between Armenia and the diaspora. It
also reflects increased interest from diasporan Armenians in investing in
Armenia.
To participate in the conference or for more information, call (310) 657-6102
or visit the Consulate General of Armenia at 50 N. La Cienega Blvd., #210,
Beverly Hills, CA 90211.

5) Requiem Mass for Plane Crash Victims to Be Held Sunday

The Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America and the Western
Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America released separate
statements Thursday announcing that on Sunday, May 7, all churches of the
Diocese and Prelacy will hold requiem mass services in honor of the Armavia
airplane crash victims.
The Prelacy also stated that Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian will preside
over the requiem service at Holy Martyrs Church in Encino to give his message
on this somber occasion.

6) US Legislators Urge President Bush to Condemn Azeri War Rhetoric,
Demolition
of Armenian Cemetery

–Representatives Knollenberg, Pallone, Radanovich, and Schiff Registered
Concerns on Eve of Bush-Aliyev Meeting

WASHINGTON, DC–The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) has
expressed its appreciation to four leading legislators–Armenian Caucus
Co-Chairmen Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and
Representatives
George Radanovich (R-CA) and Adam Schiff (D-CA)–for urging President Bush to
personally encourage Azeri President Ilham Aliyev to stop his government’s
threats against Armenia and Karabagh.
The two leaders met at the White House last week in a meeting, which was
reported to have covered, among other items, energy security issues, Iran’s
nuclear program, and democratic reform in Azerbaijan. It was not immediately
clear, based on media accounts, if President Bush addressed the issues raised
in the Congressional letter.
In their letter, the four legislators voiced their concern that, “in the
years
since the 1994 cease-fire agreement in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict,
Azerbaijani government officials have consistently threatened war and fostered
anti-Armenian intolerance. Ignoring international criticism, President Aliyev
has repeatedly declared that Azerbaijan could launch a new military offensive
against Karabakh, and that he is waging a ‘cold war’ against Armenia where the
ongoing negotiations are only a way to achieve unilateral Armenian
concessions.”
Furthermore, the letter condemned Azerbaijan’s demolition of an over
1,000-year-old Armenian cemetery in Julfa, Nakhichevan, noting that
“[k]nowingly expunging traces of Armenian presence also raises serious
questions about Azerbaijan’s commitment to engage in the peace process.” The
legislators credit the Administration for its assurances that “US
opposition to
such tactics has been officially conveyed. However, the United States will be
unable to advance its policy objectives and the OSCE Minsk process will
achieve
nothing if Azerbaijan is allowed to risk war with impunity. These
counterproductive strategies are undermining the stability of the South
Caucasus region.”

The full text of the Congressional letter is provided below.

#####

Congress of the United States
Washington, DC 20515

April 27, 2006

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

Dear Mr. President,

It is our understanding that you will be meeting with President of Azerbaijan
Ilham Aliyev later this week. We urge you to take this opportunity to condemn
the Azerbaijani war rhetoric and other actions taken against the Republic of
Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh which undermine U.S. objectives in the region.
In the years since the 1994 cease-fire agreement in the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict, Azerbaijani government officials have consistently threatened war
and
fostered anti-Armenian intolerance. Ignoring international criticism,
President Aliyev has repeatedly declared that Azerbaijan could launch a new
military offensive against Karabakh, and that he is waging a “cold war”
against
Armenia where the ongoing negotiations are only a way to achieve unilateral
Armenian concessions.
As part of this campaign, this year Azerbaijan has increased its military
spending by 100% over the previous year to more than $600 million. It has
also
tightened the seventeen year economic blockade against Armenia and Nagorno
Karabakh. Moreover, President Aliyev has indicated he would not engage in any
confidence-building measures with Armenia and he had “no desire” to tone down
his country’s war-mongering and anti-Armenian propaganda.
Under the backdrop of the peace talks last December, eyewitnesses captured on
film Azerbaijani soldiers destroying historical Armenian monuments in the
medieval cemetery of Julfa, Nakhichevan of Azerbaijani Republic. Condemned by
the European Parliament, this incident is not isolated. A Scottish expert on
Armenian architecture, who traveled though Nakhichevan in the summer of 2005,
found that a number of Armenian monuments that were intact as late as the
1980’s were razed to the ground. Knowingly expunging traces of Armenian
presence also raises serious questions about Azerbaijan’s commitment to engage
in the peace process.
We acknowledge and appreciate the assurances of the Administration that U.S.
opposition to such tactics has been officially conveyed. However, the United
States will be unable to advance its policy objectives and the OSCE Minsk
process will achieve nothing if Azerbaijan is allowed to risk war with
impunity. These counterproductive strategies are undermining the stability of
the South Caucasus region.
We urge you to condemn these actions and call upon President Aliyev and
Azerbaijan to desist from making any further threats against its Christian
neighbors Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.
We look forward to working with you on this issue and look forward to your
response.

Sincerely,

JOE KNOLLENBERG
Member of Congress

GEORGE RADONOVICH
Member of Congress

FRANK PALLONE, JR
Member of Congress

ADAM SCHIFF
Member of Congress

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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress