Associated Press Worldstream
April 28, 2004 Wednesday

Armenian parliament passes softened law regulating rallies

YEREVAN, Armenia

The Armenian parliament on Wednesday approved the final reading of a
proposed law on public gatherings that limits where they can be held
but that provides for penalizing officials if they block legitimate
rallies.

The measure comes as Armenia undergoes a wave of opposition protests
calling for the resignation of President Robert Kocharian.

It calls for rallies to be prohibited within 150 meters (about 500
feet) of places of strategic or state significance. That designation
could include the presidential palace, where police forcefully broke
up a large rally this month, injuring some demonstrators and
detaining more than 100.

However, the measure, if it is signed into law by the president, also
calls for says national and local officials can be subject to
criminal or administrative punishment if they illegally hinder the
organization of mass demonstrations.

Justice Minister David Arutyunian said the final version of the draft
law took into account most of the changes recommended by the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Among the changes was elimination of a clause that would have
considered journalists and other non-participants in a rally legally
responsible in connection with a gathering’s actions.

ARKA News Agency
April 29 2004

7TH annual meeting of BSTDB to take place in Yerevan

OSCE calls to Armenian authorities to investigate recent cases of
violence

CJSC ISC-Star plans to create center of satellite television in
Armenia

*********************************************************************

7TH ANNUAL MEETING OF BSTDB TO TAKE PLACE IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, April 29. /ARKA/. 7th annual meeting of Black Sea Trade and
Development Bank will take place in Yerevan, the President of BSTDB
Mustafa Gyurtin stated at the meeting with RA Minister of Finance and
Economy Vardan Khachatrian. Khachatrian in his turn sad that increase
of BSTDB role in the region only contributes to bilateral mutually
beneficial cooperation.
BSTDB is an international financial organization created in 1994 by
OBSEC members. BSTDB members are Greece, Russia, Turkey, Bulgaria,
Romania, Ukraine, Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Moldova.
L.D. –0–

*********************************************************************

OSCE CALLS TO ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES TO INVESTIGATE RECENT CASES OF
VIOLENCE

YEREVAN, April 29. /ARKA/. OSCE calls to Armenian authorities to
investigate recent cases of violence, OSCE Yerevan Office press
release states. According to press release, OSCE Yerevan Office is
concerned with absence of progress in punishment of guilty and
atmosphere of intolerance in the republic. `It is necessary to
consider cases of use of violence and punish all guilty in the frames
of law’, the Head of OSCE Yerevan Office, the Ambassador Vladimir
Pryakhin stated in the letter to RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian.
In accordance to this, Pryakhin mentioned attack on RA NA Deputy
Viktor Dallakian, beating of the Chairman of Helsinki Association of
Armenia Mikael Danielian and Political Scientists Ashto Manucharian.
L.D. –0 –

*********************************************************************

CJSC ISC-STAR PLANS TO CREATE CENTER OF SATELLITE TELEVISION IN
ARMENIA

YEREVAN, April 29. /ARKA/. CJSC ISC-Star plans to create center of
satellite television in Armenia, the company told ARKA. The Center
will be called ZVEZDA-STV. It is planned that the Center will deal
with transmission of programs of Armenian TV companies outside of
Armenia – for Armenia Diaspora. Besides, the company plans to create
own TV programs as well. The company conducts works on creation of
own ZVEZDA-PRODUCTION producer center.
Armenian-Russian-American joint venture was registered in Armenia,
Sept 24, 2001. The founders of the ISC-Star, JV are both legal and
physical entities of some foreign countries, Russia including, and
residents of the Republic of Armenia. ISC-Star currently has over 100
IP-communication and paging communications units all over the world.
L.D. -0 –

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

CROSSROADS E-NEWSLETTER – April 29, 2004

APRIL 24TH COMMEMORATIONS
REMEMBER MARTYRS AND CONVEY
HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
The various events commemorating the 89th anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide concluded this week.
His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan presided over the Divine
Liturgy and Requiem Service on Saturday, April 24, at St. Illuminators
Cathedral in New York City. V. Rev. Fr. Anoushavan Tanielian, Vicar General
of the Prelacy and pastor of St. Sarkis Church, Douglaston, NY, was the
celebrant and preacher.
His Eminence attended various commemorations including at the New York
City offices of Governor George Pataki, New York City Hall, Times Square,
and Capitol Hill, in Washington, D.C. The Prelate’s prayers and messages on
these occasions are on the Prelacy’s web page,

ST. GREGORY CHURCH, PHILADELPHIA
HOLDS RETREAT FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL STUDENTS
St. Gregory the Illuminator Sunday School, Philadelphia, held its eighth
annual sleepover retreat for third through twelfth grades as well as for
candle and fan bearers on Friday and Saturday, March 26 and 27.
Based on the proclamation of His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the
Great House of Cilicia, designating 2004 as the Year of the Family, the
theme of the retreat was baptism, the initial welcoming of a child into the
Armenian Church family. Baptism, Chrismation, and Holy Communion were
covered first in teaching, questions and answers and then anchored into
virtual reality via a mock baptism. Afterwards the students gathered in the
kitchen to learn to make Mahs, which was distributed among the St. Gregory
Church family on Sunday.
Other activities of the weekend included evening and morning worship
services, roller blading at a local skating rink, and fellowship with one
another.
(submitted by Jeanette Nazarian)

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON GENOCIDE,
IMPUNITY AND JUSTICE TAKES PLACE IN ANTELIAS
An international conference organized by the Catholicate of Cilicia on
Genocide, Impunity and Justice, and under the auspices of the President of
Lebanon, took place last week at the Catholicate in Antelias, Lebanon. The
conference was organized as part of the Catholicate’s commemoration of the
89th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, with the participation of were
prominent genocide scholars and specialists. A special message was received
from the President of Rwanda.
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, addressed
the conference. The Catholicos said that the 20th century was an age of
genocide despite significant and encouraging developments, which were the
result of numerous international declarations for human rights, including
the establishment of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in 1998.
However, he said, the international community failed to respond immediately
in Rwanda, which led to disastrous repercussions. While in Kosovo, thousands
of human beings were saved because of preventive action.
The Catholicos also pointed out that the punitive approach is an
essential factor for the restoration of justice, which only happens when the
rights of the victims are fully recognized and adequately addressed. He
added that retributive justice should follow the punitive approach. This
means that victims should be compensated, truth should be revealed and
responsibility accepted.

ORDINATIONS AT ST. PAUL CHURCH
IN WAUKEGAN, ILLINOIS
On the weekend of May 8 – 9, Archbishop Oshagan will visit the community
of St. Paul Armenian Church, Waukegan, Illinois.
On Saturday evening the Prelate will attend a dinner welcoming Rev. Fr.
Arsen Kassabian as the new pastor of the church. The dinner will also be a
fond farewell for Archpriest Fr. Arshag Daghlian, who has been serving the
parish as an outreach priest. The Prelacy and the Waukegan community express
their warm thanks and appreciation to Der Arshag for his dedicated service.
On Sunday, May 9, Archbishop Oshagan will celebrate the Divine Liturgy,
deliver the Sermon, and officiate at the ordination ceremonies. Asadour
Soulakian, Dr. Arsen Mekaelian, and Sam Haroian will be ordained deacons.
Mikayel Mekaelian and Ghougas Mekaelian will be ordained sub-deacons, and
Vazken Haroian and Zareh Haroian will be ordained acolytes.

PRELATE WILL BE WITH NEW JERSEY
AND NEW YORK COMMUNITIES THIS WEEKEND
Archbishop Oshagan will visit the Sts. Vartanantz parish in Ridgefield,
New Jersey, this Sunday, May 2, where he will deliver the sermon. Following
the Divine Liturgy, His Eminence will go to St. Illuminators Cathedral, New
York City, to attend the Mothers Day luncheon organized by the Cathedral
parish.

PLG MOTHERS DAY LUNCHEON & FASHION SHOW, MAY 3
The Prelacy Ladies Guild Mothers Day luncheon and fashion show will take
place Monday, May 3, at The St. Regis. Archbishop Oshagan will attend and
make the surprise Mother of the Year presentation.

A UNIQUE PROGRAM FOR ADULTS
IN THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION
Critical Issues of Life & Faith: An Armenian Orthodox Perspective will
be the topic of a unique educational program for adults in the Mid-Atlantic
region. The seminar, sponsored by the Armenian Religious Education Council
(AREC) will take place June 25 to 27, at St. Mary of Providence Center in
Elverson, Pennsylvania.
The issues explored will include: Marriages: Straight or Gay?
Reproductive Technologies; Abortion; Suicide, Cremation. The program will
include lectures, Bible studies, panel discussions, small group discussions,
and worship services.
The main speaker will be Dr. Vigen Guroian, Professor of Theology and
Ethics at Loyola College in Baltimore, Maryland. Professor Guroian is the
first Armenian theologian ever elected to the American Theological Society
and the Orthodox Theological Society of America. He has served on the Board
of Directors of the Society of Christian Ethics, has been active in both the
National Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches, and is a
member on numerous editorial boards. His published works include nearly 150
articles and six books with three more scheduled to be published later this
year.
The fee is a modest $90, which includes meals and room accommodations
for two evenings (Friday and Saturday). The weekend program begins Friday
evening and concludes Sunday afternoon.
For information contact Deacon Shant Kazanjian at the AREC office,
[email protected] or 212-689-7810. Visit the Prelacy web page,
for more information.

THIS SUNDAY IS RED SUNDAY
This Sunday, May 2, the third Sunday after Easter, is called Red Sunday
(Karmir Kiraki). The origin of the name, Red Sunday, has been lost, but it
is most probably related to nature. Like Green Sunday, it is a popular
designation related to spring, since it is at this time of the year that the
fields are adorned with red tulips amidst the green grass. It is a good time
of the year to think about ecological concerns and our stewardship of the
earth created for us by God.

Relying on his promise we look forward to new heavens and a new earth, in
which justice will be established. (2 Peter 3:13)

Visit our website at

RIA Novosti, Russia
April 29 2004

AZERI PRESIDENT PINS HOPES ON RUSSIA FOR OIL EXPORT ROUTES

STRASBOURG, April 29 (RIA Novosti) – As co-chair of the OSCE Minsk
group, Russia can do much for Karabakh settlement, said President
Ilkham Aliev of Azerbaijan. He was addressing a news conference at
the Palais de l’Europe in Strasbourg.

The President hopes for Russia to join hands with the USA and France,
other Minsk group co-chairs, together to step up Karabakh conflict
extinguishing efforts. Russia has an ample chance to gain prominence
in the efforts thanks to its long-established friendly contacts with
Azerbaijan and Armenia, the two contenders for Karabakh.

President Aliev shifts entire responsibility for the conflict on
Armenia. As he emphatically said, “Azerbaijan will never recognise
independence of the self-proclaimed Karabakh Republic, and will never
tolerate it joining Armenia, either.” He made a strong call to
reinstate Azeri territorial integrity.

Azeri petroleum exports were another principal theme of the news
conference. Their northern route, via Russia, needs much improvement.
At present, an annual 2.5 million tonnes of Azeri oil is going abroad
by the Baku-Novorossiisk mainline, and another six million by the
Baku-Supsa. Both terminals are Russia’s and Georgia’s Black Sea
ports, respectively. The figures the President quoted concerned only
an Azeri government oil-drilling company, with no account for
expatriate companies in Azerbaijan, he pointed out.

Another mainline is being laid from Baku to Ceyhan, Turkish terminal
in the East Mediterranean. Azeri exports may amount to fifty million
tonnes a year after the line is commissioned toward next year’s end.
“This does not mean we shall give up the Baku-Novorossiisk line-a
route which has to be improved,” said Mr. Aliev.

An Azeri-Russian ad hoc team is weighing up prospective improvements,
he added.

Houston Press, TX
April 29 2004

Capsule Reviews
A picture of our opinions on local exhibitions
BY JOHN DEVINE, KELLY KLAASMEYER AND KEITH PLOCEK
[email protected]

“Arshile Gorky: A Retrospective of Drawings”

Born in Turkish Armenia in 1904, Vosdanik Adoian would grow up to be
Arshile Gorky, one of America’s most important and influential
artists, but he would never forget the land of his birth and the
village of his difficult childhood. This intimate retrospective at
the Menil Collection follows Gorky’s progress from his apprenticeship
to the masters through his cubist exercises to his breakthrough in
the 1940s. Aided by a return to drawing from nature and abetted by
the surrealists, Gorky experienced a creative explosion as he
filtered the world before him through his imagination and memory —
he drew on his agrarian childhood for the sinuous shape at the heart
of the lyrical The Plow and the Song. The vitality and energy of his
drawings make their abrupt cessation (Gorky committed suicide at age
44) all the more poignant. As installed in the Menil, the exhibit has
been judiciously edited down from the ungainly sprawl and visual
overload of the Whitney’s version. Don’t miss the drawings of his
mother, especially the portrait on loan from the Art Institute of
Chicago, or the Nighttime, Enigma, and Nostalgia series. Through May
9. 1515 Sul Ross, 713-525-9400.

Armenian Battle of the Weak

Armenia won’t see a repetition of Georgia’s “rose revolution” – the
opposition is as ineffective as the government it faces.

By Alexander Iskandarian in Yerevan (CRS No. 229, 28-Apr-04)

This month’s battle between the opposition and the governing coalition in
Armenia has been compared to events last November in Georgia, which led to
the downfall of President Eduard Shevardnadze.

It’s understandable that parallels should be drawn with Georgia’s “rose
revolution”: the two countries are neighbours, they share a similar
post-Soviet legacy, and in both cases the opposition employed the same
methods to rock the government boat – rallies, marches and demands for the
president to step down.

Yet, despite many similarities with Georgia, the Armenian situation is
actually very different.

What they have in common relates mainly to the nature of their ruling
regimes. As in most post-Soviet societies, the leadership is determined by a
kind of social compact between a variety of elite groups. In these poor
countries lacking in democratic traditions, the elites – political, business
(very often criminalised) and, in the case of Armenia, the military – have
created a system of political-economic groupings.

The feuding between these groups replaces the more conventional politics
seen in other countries.

Ordinary people play little part in Armenian politics, except during
elections – but even then the authorities find ways of manipulating the
vote. As a result, it becomes virtually impossible for power to shift
outside the existing political establishment. This creates tensions which
can only be relieved through external pressure on the authorities, in other
words from the streets. Those groups which are not part of the system of
power, or have been expelled from it, have no incentive to wait for the next
round of elections.

So far, Georgia and Armenia look very similar. But the differences between
them begin to be apparent when one looks at the very different outcomes of
the protests.

The Shevardnadze regime was so weak that its police force would not have
obeyed orders to break up the demonstrations. In Armenia, by contrast, the
alliance of convenience between army generals, business barons and regional
leaders was sufficiently strong for them to that feel their interests would
be threatened if Robert Kocharian, re-elected as president a year ago, were
to be overthrown.

Moreover, Armenia does not have a united opposition. One wing of the
opposition is formally headed by Stepan Demirchian, but he is such a weak
politician that his movement really has several leaders.

Another wing is led by Artashes Gegamian, a former mayor of Yerevan and an
accomplished orator who can impress a crowd, but has the reputation of being
an opportunist.

The leaders of the other parties and groups have no presidential ambitions,
but have not been able to unite with the more powerful opposition factions.

Armenia’s divided opposition forces have very different ideas about how they
would share out positions if they ever came to power. Lacking a single
leader, they have also signally failed to demonstrate unity to the
population at large. Basically their slogan has been, “Kocharian must go!
And then let the people decide”.

The first opposition rallies were staged in isolation from one another, and
with a diversity of demands, all of which underlined the lack of an agreed
programme. Opposition leaders therefore squandered their resources, opting
instead for a blitzkrieg strategy of confrontation.

All the talk of an “Armenian rose revolution” would not have merited a
second thought were this amorphous opposition facing a legitimate governing
regime that could count on the support of a substantial section of society.

But in reality the government is beset by exactly the same problems that
afflict the opposition. It is marked by decentralisation, incompetence at a
strategic level, a tendency to overestimate its own strength and, last but
not least, an inability and lack of will to engage in dialogue and
compromise.

On the one hand, the administration does not feel strong enough to become
genuinely dictatorial, while on the other, it knows it is estranged from
society and cannot call on public support. In Georgia a strong opposition
was fighting a power vacuum at the centre. In Armenia a weak opposition is
fighting a weak government.

On the night of April 12-13, dozens of opposition demonstrators were hurt
when police broke up a rally outside the parliament building. The brutality
could have been anticipated. In a country ruled by elite groups, decisions
at times of crisis are taken at a very low level by small groups, and the
system begins to act aggressively.

All this – especially the aggressive stance – shows up the weakness of the
authorities. The break-up of the rally, the official statements that the
demonstrators were – at 2am – obstructing the work of parliament, that
policemen had “not noticed” that the men whose cameras they were breaking
were journalists – all this was no less a sign of helplessness than the
opposition’s idea of marching on parliament in the first place.

One result of the aggressive action taken by the Armenian leadership is that
the public now understands how weak the regime is. That means society will
continue to generate opposition groupings.

The demonstrations will continue, but the opposition will remain weak and
disorganised as long as it remains in the phase of “negative identity” – in
other words, as long as its only unifying idea is changing the regime and
nothing more.

The government, too, will only get weaker as long as it equates political
strength with the capacity to bash opposition demonstrators over the head
with truncheons and put up roadblocks around Yerevan to stop people from the
provinces attending demonstrations.

It is not so important who wins in this confrontation, or when that happens.
At present there is a stalemate in which both sides reject dialogue,
compromise is impossible, and – in line with Armenian political tradition –
no one ever admits they have lost an election or a political fight.
Meanwhile, the political system as a whole is losing yet more legitimacy.

Armenia has declared it wants to become part of Europe, but the latest
events suggest that it is actually joining Latin America. This might be seen
as a success: politically speaking, other post-Soviet states are on the same
level as some of the worst African countries.

But that is little consolation for Armenia’s political culture – the country
is a long way off having a real political opposition that wants to devise
real policies and that is based on genuine party structures and the positive
support of broad sections of society.

When that eventually comes about, it will be impossible for the police to
break up demonstrations because hundreds, rather than tens, of thousands of
people will take part – people who know what they want to happen after the
resignation of the president, not just before it. In fact, there will be no
need for demonstrations at all because it will be a different kind of
opposition, one that the authorities have to compromise and share influence
with, as happens in many Latin American countries.

Armenia still has a long way to go before that happens. For the moment it
faces the prospect of a long stalemate between a weak opposition and weak
government, where it does not matter who emerges as victor.

Alexander Iskandarian is pro-rector of the Caucasus Media Institute in
Yerevan.

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

PRESS RELEASE
April 29, 2004

Contact: Elizabeth Chouldjian
Telephone: (202) 775-1918

NEBRASKA, TENNESSEE AND LOUISIANA BECOME NEWEST STATES TO ACKNOWLEDGE
THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Total Number of States That Have Acknowledged the Genocide Reaches
36

WASHINGTON, DC – Tennessee, Nebraska and Louisiana have joined the
fast growing number of states who have acknowledged the Armenian
Genocide, reported the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA). Democratic Governor Phil Bredesen of Tennessee, Republican
Governor Mike Johanns of Nebraska and Democratic Governor Kathleen
Babineaux Blanco issued proclamations citing a “Day of Remembrance
of the Armenian Genocide,” referring to the Ottoman Turkish
campaign of eliminate the Armenian population from 1915-1923. The
total number of states in the U.S. reaffirming he Armenian Genocide
has now reached 36.

“The Nebraska, Tennessee and Louisiana proclamations emphasize the
ultimate futility of Turkish efforts to distort the facts about the
Genocide,” commented ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.
“Governors Johanns, Bredesen, and Blanco should be commended for
taking a stand against denial and Turkish revisionism,” he added.

In the course of the last month, five new states have issued
proclamations for the Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide. All of
the proclamations mark April 23rd or 24th as an official Day of
Remembrance. The ANCA website () provides a diagram
that displays all of the states that have issued proclamations or
passed legislations recognizing the April 24th as a day of
remembrance.

The proclamations follow a concerted grassroots education campaign
by the ANC Chapters across the country to increase awareness of the
Armenian Genocide on the state and local level. ANC Tennessee
Chairman, Dr. Shant Garabedian, worked actively with the Tennessee
Armenian community, circulating a petition to Gov. Bredesen in
support of the proclamation. Garabedian discussed the initiative
following Easter Church services in Nashville this month.
Massachusetts State Republican Committee man Bob Semonian spoke
extensively to Governors Bredesen, Johanns and Blanco during the
National Governors Association conference held in Washington DC,
last month. He has since worked with local ANC activists in the
effort to secure Armenian Genocide proclamations from a series of
states across the country.

Semonian, who resides in Watertown, MA, is running for delegate for
the Republican National Convention. Registered Republicans in the
towns and cities of Arlington, Belmont, Everett, Framingham,
Lexington, Lincoln, Malden, Medford, Melrose, Natick, Revere,
Stoneham, Waltham, Watertown, Wayland, Weston, Winchester,
Winthrop, and Woburn can support his candidacy at the Republican
Caucus vote his Saturday, May 1st, to be held beginning at 9:00am
at
295 Arsenal St., in Watertown, MA.

#####

State of Nebraska
Proclamation

Whereas, One and a half million Christian Armenian men, women and
children were the victims of the brutal genocide perpetuated by the
Ottoman Turkish Government from 1915 – 1923; and

Whereas, The Armenian genocide and massacres of Armenian people
have been recognized as an attempt to eliminate all traces of a
thriving and noble civilization over 3000 years old; and

Whereas, Recognition of the eighty-ninth anniversary of this
genocide is crucial to guarding against the repetition of future
genocides and educating people about the atrocities connected to
these horrific events; and

Whereas, Armenian-Americans living in Nebraska have greatly
enriched our state through their leadership in business,
agriculture, academia, government and the arts;

Now, therefore, I, Mike Johanns, Governor of the State of Nebraska
DO HEREBY PROCLAIM the 24th day of April 2004, as

DAY OF REMEMBRANCE OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE OF 1915-1923

in Nebraska, and I do hereby urge all citizens to take due note of
the observance.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand, and cause the
Great Seal of the Stae of Nebraska to be affixed this Twenty-Third
Day of April, in the year of our Lord Two Thousand Four.

/State seal/ – Attest: John A. Gale, Secretary of State
Mike Johanns, Governor

===============================================

TENNESSEE PROCLAMATION

State Capitol

By Phil Bredesen, Governor, on behalf of the people of Tennessee
By virtue of the authority vested in me, I herby confer upon
Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide
A Day of Recognition
Given under my hand and the Seal of the State of Tennessee
In Nashville, this 23rd day of April 2004

/State Seal/ Phil Bredesen, Governor

===============================================

United States of America
State of Louisiana
Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco

Proclamation

Whereas, One and one half million Christian Armenian men, women and
children were victims of brutal genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman
Turkish Government from 1915-1923; and

Whereas, the Armenian Genocide and massacres of Armenian people
have been recognized as an attempt to eliminate all traces of a
thriving and noble civilization over 3,000 years old; and

Whereas, recognition of the eighty-ninth anniversary of this
genocide is crucial to guarding against the repetition of future
genocides and educating people about the atrocities connected to
these horrific events; and

Whereas, Armenian-Americans living in Louisiana have greatly
enriched our state through leadership in business, agriculture,
academia, government, and the arts.

Now, therefore, I, Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, Governor of the state
of Louisiana do hereby proclaim April 24, 2004 as

DAY OF REMEMBRANCE OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

In the state of Louisiana

Kathleen Babineaux Blanco

#####

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
04/29/2004
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://

1) PACE Tells Armenian Authorities, Opposition to End Disorder, Start Talking
2) Armenia’s President, Georgian Counterpart Meet in Warsaw
3) Russian Duma Concerned Over Ajaria, Burdzhnadze Hopeful of Situation
4) Nebraska, Tennessee, Louisiana Newest States, 36 in all, to Acknowledge
Armenian Genocide
5) Co-Chairman of Kerry Presidential Campaign Praises ANC for Genocide
Recognition Efforts

1) PACE Tells Armenian Authorities, Opposition to End Disorder, Start Talking

YEREVAN (Armenpress/RFE/RL)–The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe (PACE) late Wednesday called on the Armenian government and the
opposition to resolve their bitter dispute through negotiation, and offered to
mediate such a dialogue.
The resolution, drafted by a committee monitoring the 45 member states’
compliance with their commitments, calls for the scrapping of “unjustified
restrictions” on peaceful demonstrations. It states: “The opposition should
enjoy full freedom to conduct their political activities, which include the
right to peaceful demonstrations. The authorities should immediately abstain
from any interference and administrative and judicial harassment in this
regard. The fundamental freedoms of expression and assembly must be respected
and any restrictions must be in line with the European Convention on Human
Rights.”
It calls on the opposition to share in the responsibility of ensuring that
protests are not marred by violence, and advises the opposition to settle its
gripes legally. “The parliament should be the main forum for political
arguments. They should not try to circumvent the political institutions in the
country with a hope to reverse the results of last year’s elections which
were,
in spite of criticism, validated both at the domestic level and by the
international community.”
It also advises against “accepting artificial analogies between the
situations
in Georgia and in Armenia.”
The resolution asks that Armenia’s government submit, by June, a written
report to PACE detailing the steps it has taken in response to the
recommendations. “Their implementation will be assessed by the monitoring
committee’s two Armenia rapporteurs, Rene Andre of France and Jerzy Jaskiernia
of Poland.”
The resolution warns that if no progress is reported, PACE will “reconsider
the credentials of the Armenian delegation” at its autumn session next
September.
Presenting the document to the Strasbourg lawmakers, Jaskiernia made it clear
that while he strongly disapproves of the crackdown, he believes that the
Council of Europe should not question the legitimacy of last year’s Armenian
presidential and parliamentary elections because the fraud surrounding the
elections was “not so extensive that we could disqualify the result.” “The
election naturally delivered results, and now many people are satisfied, so
our
approach to Armenia should be objective and balanced,” he said.
The assembly also rejected a proposal to endorse the idea of the national
vote
of confidence in Kocharian, as demanded by the opposition.
“The Assembly calls upon the authorities and the opposition to refrain from
any action which may lead to further violence and to engage in a dialogue
without preconditions.”

2) Armenia’s President, Georgian Counterpart Meet in Warsaw

WARSAW (Armenpress)–Armenian president Robert Kocharian met with his Georgian
counterpart Mikhail Saakashvili on the sidelines of the European Economic
Forum
in Warsaw, Poland.
Respective domestic political situations and bilateral economic cooperation
was reviewed, and emphasis was placed on the upcoming May session of the
Armenian-Georgian inter-governmental commission agreed to during Saakashvili’s
March visit to Armenia. The two also discussed regional, economic, and other
developments.
Kocharian outlined the importance of the meeting with the Georgian president.
Emphasizing Armenia’s general economic growth, Saakashvili told reporters, “We
are interested in further development of Armenia’s economy,” and said he looks
forward to more intense communication with Armenia, as well as strong economic
cooperation.
“We always spoke of good relations, but they were on an emotional level; now
we are interesting in expanding them. Robert Kocharian treats these relations
very practically, and we need to take constructive steps to take them to a new
level,” Saakashvili stressed.
Asked about the Armenian opposition that claims to follow Saakashvili’s
example, Kocharian that none of the players–the president of Armenia, the
formerly president of Georgia, the Armenian opposition, nor the current
president of Georgia–can be compared.

3) Russian Duma Concerned Over Ajaria, Burdzhnadze Hopeful of Situation

TBILISI (Itar-Tass/Civil Georgia)–Russia’s State Duma expressed its “deep
concern” about the deterioration of ties between Georgia and its Autonomous
Republic of Ajaria.
In an appeal to their Georgian counterparts, members of Russia’s lower house
of parliament said that “there are all reasons to believe that Georgia is
planning to resort to force” to settle its dispute with Ajaria.
The Russian lawmakers also urged the Georgian parliament to do its utmost to
avert military confrontation with Ajaria.
Ajaria has mobilized its reservists amid fears that the Georgian government
might use a planned military exercise later this week to forcibly topple the
regional leadership. Tbilisi denies the accusations, saying it is committed to
finding a peaceful solution to its dispute with Ajaria.
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili, who has vowed to restore economic and
political control over Ajaria, yesterday threatened Abashidze with arrest
if he
refuses to comply with his orders.
Meanwhile, Georgian parliamentary speaker Nino Burdzhanadze believes that the
head of Georgia’s Ajarian autonomy Aslan Abashidze, “will take steps to
fulfill
the Georgian central authorities’ legitimate demands.”
“I believe Abashidze will exert efforts to disarm illegal paramilitary groups
operating in Ajaria and to meet all provisions of the Georgian Constitution,”
Burdzhanadze told journalists in Tbilisi on Thursday, confident that it will
contribute to the settlement of the conflict. “Tbilisi has no intention of
artificially aggravating the situation.”
“I believe Abashidze’s visit to Tbilisi will be the best way out,”
Burdzhanadze said.
The Ajarian leader has paid not a single visit to Tbilisi for the past twelve
years.
“That the leader of an autonomy has refused to come to the country’s capital
for so long is certainly abnormal,” Burdzhanadze said. “I believe this problem
will be resolved in the near future.”
Abashidze has avoided visiting Tbilisi since November 1991 for security
reasons.

4) Nebraska, Tennessee, Louisiana Newest States, 36 in all, to Acknowledge
Armenian Genocide

TOTAL NUMBER OF STATES THAT HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THE GENOCIDE REACHES 36

WASHINGTON, DC–Tennessee, Nebraska, and Louisiana have joined the fast
growing
number of states who have acknowledged the Armenian Genocide, reported the
Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). Democratic Governor Phil
Bredesen of Tennessee, Republican Governor Mike Johanns of Nebraska, and
Democratic Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco issued proclamations citing a
“Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide,” referring to the Ottoman
Turkish
campaign of eliminate the Armenian population from 1915-1923. The total number
of states in the US reaffirming the Armenian Genocide has now reached 36.
“The Nebraska, Tennessee, and Louisiana proclamations emphasize the ultimate
futility of Turkish efforts to distort the facts about the Genocide,”
commented
ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “Governors Johanns, Bredesen, and
Blanco should be commended for taking a stand against denial and Turkish
revisionism,” he added.
In the course of the last month, five new states have issued proclamations
for
the Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide. All of the proclamations mark April
23 or 24 as an official Day of Remembrance. The ANCA website
(<;) provides a diagram which displays all of
the states that have issued proclamations or passed legislations recognizing
the April 24 as a day of remembrance.
The proclamations follow a concerted grassroots education campaign by the ANC
Chapters across the country to increase awareness of the Armenian Genocide on
the state and local level. ANC Tennessee Chairman Dr. Shant Garabedian, worked
actively with the Tennessee Armenian community, circulating a petition to Gov.
Bredesen in support of the proclamation. Garabedian discussed the initiative
following Easter Church services in Nashville this month. Massachusetts State
Republican Committee man Bob Semonian spoke extensively to Governors Bredesen,
Johanns, and Blanco during the National Governors Association conference held
in Washington DC, last month. He has since worked with local ANC activists in
the effort to secure Armenian Genocide proclamations from a series of states
across the country.
Semonian, who resides in Watertown, MA, is running for delegate for the
Republican National Convention. Registered Republicans in the towns and cities
of Arlington, Belmont, Everett, Framingham, Lexington, Lincoln, Malden,
Medford, Melrose, Natick, Revere, Stoneham, Waltham, Watertown, Wayland,
Weston, Winchester, Winthrop, and Woburn can support his candidacy at the
Republican Caucus vote his Saturday, May 1, to be held beginning at 9:00 am at
295 Arsenal St., in Watertown, MA.

5) Co-Chairman of Kerry Presidential Campaign Praises ANC for Genocide
Recognition Efforts

LOS ANGELES–Antonio Villaraigosa, the national co-chairman of the John Kerry
Presidential Campaign, read Senator Kerry’s April 24th statement before
thousands of Armenian-Americans at an event sponsored by the Armenian National
Committee of America-Western Region (ANCA-WR). The gathering was held in the
shadow of the Armenian Genocide Monument in Montebello, California on April
24,
2004.
“The City of Los Angeles will never forget the Armenian Genocide and I, along
with the Armenian National Committee, will do whatever I can to honor the
memory of the 1.5 million martyrs,” said Councilmember Antonio Villaraigosa.
“In the ten years that I have served in public office, the Armenian National
Committee has consistently been the leading advocate of issues relating to the
Armenian-American community, and I have always valued the close
relationship we
share.”
“We thank Senator Kerry for his April 24th Armenian Genocide Statement, and
Councilman Villaraigosa for sharing this message with our community,” ANCA’s
Western Region Chairman Raffi Hamparian said. “Councilman Villaraigosa
understands our long struggle for justice.”
Villaraigosa also participated in an ANCA-sponsored Armenian Genocide program
held at Los Angeles City Hall on April 23. The Councilman spoke to
Armenian-American leaders at that solemn commemoration, then joined his
colleague and event sponsor Councilman Eric Garcetti in passing a resolution
affirming the historical facts of the Armenian Genocide, and emphasizing the
need to challenge those who deny crimes against humanity like the Armenian
Genocide.
Villaraigosa is the former Speaker of the California State Assembly and now
serves as a member of the Los Angeles City Council.

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[Congressional Record: April 28, 2004 (Extensions)]
[Page E696-E697]
>From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:cr28ap04-70]

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

______

HON. MARK E. SOUDER

of indiana

in the house of representatives

Wednesday, April 28, 2004

Mr. SOUDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my colleagues who stood
to commemorate the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923 and in memory of
those who died 89 years ago.
The Genocide of 1915-1923 was the culmination of decades of official
Ottoman policies to stamp out Armenia–religiously, culturally, and
ethnically. The “Armenian Question” posed a problem for many
successive

[[Page E697]]

leaders until a seemingly “brilliant” realization–“No Armenians, No
Armenian Question.” The horrible answer to a perplexing question led
to the slaughter of millions of Armenians and the continuing denial of
the massacres by today’s Turkish government.
The long lists of atrocities have been well documented by numerous
sources. The dwindling number of Armenians who survived the long death
marches still tell chilling stories of their families’ deaths. American
diplomats and missionaries documented brutal attacks on peaceful cities
and towns. German military personnel allied to the Turkish government,
who defied orders to look the other way, compiled a record of death and
destruction throughout the region. Even Turkish parliamentary and
government documents speak to the existence and scope of these
massacres.
The United States has a long history and long alliance with the
Armenian people. During the massacres of the late Nineteenth century,
tons of humanitarian supplies and hundreds of thousands of dollars
poured into Armenia from the United States in an effort to alleviate
the suffering of the Armenian people. American missionaries and
prominent Americans, including American Red Cross founder Clara Barton,
visited Armenia and aided the starving, homeless, and terrorized.
During the Genocide of 1915-1923, American missionaries documented the
slaughter of Armenian men, women, and children. In some cases,
missionaries risked their own lives to protect Armenians.
Despite a compelling record proving the massacre of millions of human
beings, there are still individuals, organizations, and governments
that deny what happened 89 years ago. Given the United States’
longstanding dedication to combating human rights abuses, it is
shocking that the United States government has not officially
recognized the savage butchery of one of the 20th Century’s worst human
rights violations.
In his book “The Burning Tigris,” Peter Balakian describes the
Genocide as follows:

The plan to liquidate the Armenians of the Ottoman Empire
was put into action in the spring and early summer of 1915.
It was well orchestrated, and in city and town, village and
hamlet, and in the Armenian sections of the major cities of
Asia Minor and Anatolia, Armenians were rounded up, arrested,
and either shot outright or put on deportation marches.
Most often the able-bodied men were arrested in groups and
taken out of the town or city and shot en masse.
In the southeast towns and cities as were both killing
stations and refugee spots, where Armenians who had survived
long death marches from the north lived in concentration
camps, in makeshift tents, or on the desert ground, hoping to
stay alive. Farther south, in the Syrian desert, more
Armenians died than perhaps anywhere else. There the
epicenter of death was the region of Deir el-Zor, where
Armenians died not only of massacre, starvation, and disease
but were stuffed into caves and asphyxiated by brush fires–
primitive gas chambers.
The Committee of Union and Progress’s [Turkish ruling
party] plan to exterminate the Armenians was made possible by
the highest level of government planning: harnessing the
bureaucracy for the organization and implementation of the
Armenian deportations; the formation and organization of
killing squads; the creation and manipulation of legislation,
and the use of technology and communications . . .

The Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923 ranks among the Holocaust, Pol
Pot’s Cambodia, Stalin’s starvation of kulaks in the Ukraine, and
Muslim violence against Christians in Sudan as one of the worst
instances of inhumanity and wanton cruelty. No one denies that these
violent events happened. Indeed, the denial of these episodes would be
met with immediate criticism and vociferous censure. Why is Turkey
given a pass when it comes to admitting past mistakes?
I recognize that Turkey is a NATO ally and an ally in the war on
terror. I recognize that the United States needs to maintain friendly
relations with Turkey to help stabilize the Middle East, but as a
friend of Turkey, the United States should be able to take its ally
aside and point out its mistakes. Without recognizing our mistakes and
our shortcomings, we do not learn. Without recognizing malice and
cruelty wherever it is found, we risk forgetting these events and the
lessons to be learned from them.
My deepest sympathies go to the whole of Armenia, and more
importantly, my pity to those who continue to deny or ignore the
massacre of 1.5 million Armenians during the Genocide of 1915-1923.

____________________

PRESS RELEASE
ANC San Diego
Contact: Garo Artinian (ANC SD Chair)
Telephone: 619-596-4332

April 27, 2004

ARMENIAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE OF SAN DIEGO AND UC SAN DIEGO ARMENIAN
STUDENTS HOST INAUGURAL GENOCIDE CONFERENCE

San Diego, CA : The Armenian National Committee of San Diego announced
that it will be hosting an academic conference on Genocide and Denial
on Saturday, May 8, 2004 at the University of California, San Diego
campus. The event is the first of its kind to be held at UC San Diego
and is cosponsored by the UC San Diego Armenian Students Association.

The conference, entitled “Western Response to Genocide”, will cover
various topics including the Armenian Genocide, the Jewish Holocaust,
the Rwandan Genocide and others. The intended emphasis of the
conference will be how the Western Culture has dealt with
genocide. The conference will address a number of genocide-related
issues, including definition, history, politics, literature,
acknowledgment, prevention, associated trauma (both individual and
collective) and reconciliation and reparations. The conference will
address the many genocides of the 20th century and draw similarities
and identify differences between these crimes against humanity.

A number of panelists will participate in the conference, including:
Laurence Baron, Ph.D., Director of the Lipinsky Institute for Judaice
Studies; Rubina Peroomian, Ph.D., lecturer at the University of
California, Los Angeles; Levon Marashlian, Ph.D., Professor of History
and Political Science at Glendale Community College, Dan Alba,
Regional Director of the Los Angeles Offices of Facing History and
Ourselves, and Ardashes Kassakhian, Executive Director of the Armenian
National Committee of America – Western Region.

The conference will take place at the University of California, San
Diego, Peterson Building and will begin at 10 A.M. Parking for the
conference is free and Armenian style barbecue will be served during
the break for $7.

Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and
supporters throughout the United States and affiliated organizations
around the world, the Armenian National Committee San Diego actively
advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad
range of issues.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress