The Charlotte Observer
April 27, 2004, Tuesday

Turkey hosts layers of history _ and Chevy Chase commercials

By John Bordsen

What’s it like to live in a far-off place most of us see only on a
vacation? Foreign Correspondence is an interview with someone who
lives in a spot you may want to visit.

Robert Stewart, 39, works for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at
Incirlik Air Base in Turkey. He describes himself as an “Army brat”
born in Baltimore; Stewart has been in Turkey for two years.

Q. What do you see when you look out your window?

A. Where I work, there are palm trees going out to a miniature golf
course and swimming pool. If I turn right I can see the Taurus
Mountains across the flight line.

Incirlik is outside of Adana, not far from that little dogleg of
Turkey that turns south toward Syria. It’s a kind of a delta area,
very flat and with lots of farming. Then all of a sudden mountains
rise up that ring the area. If you drive about 45 minutes south, you
get to the Mediterranean Sea.

Q. That’s quite an historic area, isn’t it?

A. Not far from here is a little outdoor museum where they found a
Hittite summer palace, with tablets that had cuneiform writing. There
were some statues, too. The Armenians were once in this area _ it was
called Lesser Armenia _ and there are castles all over from that time
and when the area was controlled by the Byzantine Empire.

A city close to here was a Roman town, then a Byzantine and then an
Armenian town. There are temples and archways that are Roman; up on a
hill is an Armenian fortress. History is physically kind of mixed
together here.

Adana has a famous bridge built by Romans that’s still in use. It’s
just a little two-lane cobblestone bridge crossing the Seyhan River.

Q. Do you get many tourists or archaeologists?

A. I don’t see any. I’ve gone out to some of these sites, and it’s
only locals, who come running out to me with handfuls of copper
coins. It’s probably not legal for them to sell them or for me to buy
them, but I did get a silver coin. It looks like it was manufactured
recently. There’s probably a good business in making and selling
fakes.

Q. Is the local population all Turk, now?

A. It’s predominantly Turkish. We’re in south central Turkey, but
everyone considers anything east of Ankara, the capital, to be
“east.” The population speaks Turkish, and some have Arabic or
Kurdish as a second language.

Q. What’s to do there in your spare time?

A. You can go exploring. You can go up in the Taurus Mountains. There
are summer pasturages called yaylas where farmers take goats and
sheep. It’s a little cooler and drier in the mountains, so on
weekends people go there to escape the lowland heat.

Q. What’s the weather like now?

A. Chilly and rainy. We had a bit of snow recently; it didn’t stick
but was strange to see. During the day now, it can get to 55 or 70,
be sunny or rainy. In summer, temperatures can get to 120, with 90
percent humidity _ or worse.

Q. What’s the best thing to see around there?

A. Cappadocia, which is a couple of hours north of here. It’s a very
dry, desert area. Over the centuries, people have dug into limestone
cliffs and built houses and apartments in them _ there’s actually an
entire underground city. And every time some invader passed through,
the population went to live underground for a bit. It’s pretty
famous.

Antakya _ ancient Antioch _ has St. Peter’s Grotto, one of the oldest
churches in Christianity, it is said. It was discovered by crusaders.
There’s also a great museum with many mosaics.

Q. It’s said that Turkey is a very secular Muslim society. Is that
true?

A. My friends are Turkish through and through, but they drink beer
that’s brewed in Turkey, and a drink called raku, which is like
pernod or ouzo. You mix it with water and it turns white.

Turks are proud and respectful of Islam, but some _ especially in the
cities _ see no harm in bending the rules a bit. They can’t eat
“pig,” but “pork” is OK. Some of the best pork ribs I’ve enjoyed were
barbecued in Istanbul.

Q. What’s the food like?

A. Very Mediterranean. Like Greek food. They’d argue over who
invented which dish, and I wouldn’t want to be there when it happens.
Lamb kabobs and meat with yogurt over it. There’s fish in the coastal
cities. That kind of thing.

Q. How’s the local radio?

A. Turkish pop stars do Turkish songs. You go to a party and realize
everybody knows these songs. When one’s on the radio or a musician
starts playing it, the entire room will start singing along. Must be
old classic made new.

Q. And local TV?

A. There are little night-time soap operas, and American shows with
subtitles. A lot of variety shows with Turkish singers and musicians,
and news shows kind of like “60 Minutes.” Very modern.

I was watching Turkish TV the other day with some folks in Izmir and
we saw this commercial with Chevy Chase! He comes home to this
all-American family, enters the kitchen, and _ in English, with
Turkish subtitles _ asks, “Honey, what’s for dinner?”

“I’m making biber,” his wife says. That’s a Turkish dish with green
peppers, and Chevy looks confused.

Cut to the family at the table and she comes in with this dish and
with Cola Turka _ Turkey’s answer to Coke _ and the family starts
singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” in English.

My friends asked, “Do Americans really sing at the table like this?”

Well, the joke is, after a swig of Cola Turka this family starts
singing a Turkish folk song. And at the end, when Grandma and Grandpa
drive away, the wife throws water after them _ an old Turkish custom.
And when Chevy turns to face the camera, he’s sporting a Turkish
moustache and speaking in a Turkish accent. We thought it was great.

ARMENIA AND INDIA TO COOPERATE IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
26 Apr 04

(Presenter) Only three countries in the world Ireland, Israel and
India have chosen the development path in the information technology
sphere. In 12 years India increased export volume to 13bn dollars in
this field. Armenia has also chosen high technology as the main
development path in the economy and India’s experience in this field
is valuable for our country. A cooperation agreement in this field was
reached during the Armenian president’s state visit to India. The
Indian deputy minister of information technology is in Armenia today
(26 April).

(Correspondent) India’s export volume in the information technology
sphere constituted 20m dollars in 1995, this indicator reached 13bn
dollars in 2003. According to the Indian specialists’ assessments
four years later, the export volume in the sphere of information
technology will constitute 60bn dollars annually. Indian Deputy
Minister of Information Technologies Lakshminarayanan announced that
this is based on business and government cooperation.

(Indian Deputy Minister of Information Technology Lakshminarayanan,
captioned, in Indian with Armenian voice over) The government is
preparing the programmes, creating favourable conditions for
developing information technologies.

(Correspondent) Armenia’s export volume in the field of information
technologies constitutes 50m dollars annually.

(Director of Armenian Fund “Information technology” Garegin
Chugaszyan, captioned) We had a tradition of some generations, which
India had not. And India’s scientific potential in this field has been
created later than in Armenia. These differences must also be taken
into consideration when we are comparing Armenia with India.

(Correspondent) Apart from this we have much to learn from India,
especially in the systematizing field. India is ready to render
assistance to Armenia in this field. An agreement on cooperation in
this field has been signed a year ago, during the Armenian president’s
visit to India on the bases of which are being made the first steps.

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION HALTS “PRETENCE” DIALOGUE WITH AUTHORITIES

Mediamax news agency
27 Apr 04

YEREVAN

The Armenian opposition decided to halt its participation in political
consultations with the ruling coalition, which took place at the
initiative of the speaker of the Armenian National Assembly in
parliament yesterday and today, member of the Justice opposition
block’s faction Viktor Dallakyan told journalists today.

A Mediamax parliamentary correspondent reported that Dallakyan pointed
out that the meetings between opposition and coalition
representatives, which took place in the Armenian parliament on 26-27
April, cannot qualify as “dialogue” between the authorities and the
opposition. According to Viktor Dallakyan, “these were political
consultations the holding of which is envisaged by the Armenian
National Assembly’s regulations”.

Viktor Dallakyan said that the opposition decided to halt its
participation in the consultations after the coalition
representatives, having a majority in the parliament refused to
discuss two out of 10 items presented by the opposition. In
particular, the deputy said, the coalition refused to consider the
issue of providing the Armenian citizens with the right to free
transportation and decided not to delay the voting for the bill “On
the procedure of staging meetings, rallies, marches and
demonstrations” in the third final reading scheduled for tomorrow.

Viktor Dallakyan said that today the authorities have again blocked
the highways connecting Yerevan with regions of the republic in order
to hamper the opposition adherents’ participation in the rally, which
will take place on Freedom Square, in the centre of the Armenian
capital, at 1600 today. “The authorities want to create the pretence
of a dialogue with the opposition but they continue to pursue a terror
policy in relation to their own people,” Viktor Dallakyan said. He
added that the opposition will not resume its participation in the
political consultations till the ruling coalition and the authorities
ensure the observance of rights and freedom of the Armenian citizens.

PARLIAMENTARY SPEAKER FEARS FOR ARMENIA’S FUTURE

Haykakan Zhamanak, Yerevan
24 Apr 04

Text of Naira Zograbyan report by Armenian newspaper Haykakan Zhamanak
on 24 April headlined “The National Assembly chairman is concerned
again”

The assessments given yesterday at a news conference by the National
Assembly chairman, Artur Bagdasaryan, are diametrically opposed to
other top officials’ assessments of the country. While the president
thinks that the country’s further development is in no danger and
continues to construct the country, and the opposition, which has no
other toy, is conducting rallies, yesterday the National Assembly
chairman presented to journalists a scenario in which Armenia’s future
is threatened if the domestic political conflict continues developing
according to this logic and the parties refuse to negotiate.

“Mutual avoidance of negotiations will lead to unpleasant events,
which we have already had. If events continue to develop as at
present, we shall lag behind democratic values, as the authorities,
which are based on keeping law and order, are starting to apply
force. So, the right of force goes ahead and policy falls back.

“The situation in foreign policy also causes concern: Armenia’s
international authority is being damaged, which is a blow to the
country, and the further worsening of events will prompt developments
which will go beyond the framework of democracy and will cause harsh
international assessments. If events develop in this way, Armenia’s
membership of the Council of Europe may be discussed at any time. This
means the country will be isolated internationally and under a
political and economic blockade. And all of us can see this
happening.” This is what the National Assembly chairman predicted for
Armenia.

So what is to be done? According to Artur Bagdasaryan, although it is
very difficult to find a way out of the prevailing situation,
nevertheless dialogue is again the main solution. So, before the next
resolute rally of the opposition on 27 April, the National Assembly
chairman invites the political forces to negotiations at 1800 (1300
gmt) on 26 April on the situation in the country. By the way, Artur
Bagdasaryan again reconfirmed what he had said during his previous
news conference that the arrests on political grounds and the
“pogroms” of the opposition parties’ offices alienate Armenia from
democratic values.

He was the only top official of Armenia to condemn yesterday the
violence against Ashot Manucharyan (a member of the political council
of the Armenian Socialist Forces and ex-interior minister, who was
beaten up in the street on 22 April). Touching on the attack on the
demonstrators on 13 April, Artur Bagdasaryan again recalled the
structure that is responsible for guarding the National Assembly
building (i.e. the police and not Bagdasaryan himself). He also
advised journalists to think why it is advantageous for some people to
point the finger at the National Assembly. And though on 27 April, on
the day of the opposition’s rally, he again will not be responsible
for the security of the National Assembly building, yesterday he
informed journalists that from 1800 on 27 April the National Assembly
door will be sealed on his orders.

AZERI, POLISH LEADERS DISCUSS EXPANDING RELATIONS

ANS TV, Baku
27 Apr 04

(Presenter) Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev is visiting Poland. The
president met Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski today. Now over
to Warsaw. ANS TV’s special correspondent Qanira Pasayeva is on the
line. Qanira, good evening, what did the president discuss at his
meeting?

(Correspondent) Good evening, Aytan. It was stated after the meeting,
this meeting was tete-a-tete, that it had discussed bilateral
relations and processes in the region and in the world at large. No
complete statement was made. However, among the issues discussed
between Poland and Azerbaijan, the development of political and
economic relations between the two countries was the main subject of
discussion. An Azerbaijani embassy is expected to start operating in
Poland in the near future. Apart from that, Poland is very interested
in the Odessa-Brody oil (pipeline) project and in the activities of
the GUUAM (Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Moldova)
organization.

Another subject that was presumably discussed was the subject of Iraq,
because Azerbaijan’s military forces in Iraq are operating on
Polish-controlled territory, i.e. under the Polish military
command. Apart from that, Aleksander Kwasniewski pointed out that
Azerbaijan’s participation in the European economic summit and in
other events of the sort could help boost Azerbaijan’s relations with
Europe.

The main meetings are expected to take place tomorrow. First of all,
President Ilham Aliyev will participate in the European economic
summit tomorrow. I want to point out that in connection with the
European economic summit, serious security measures have been taken in
Warsaw. I can even say that it is under total control because
thousands of anti-globalists have already arrived in Poland. President
Ilham Aliyev will be the main reporter on the implementation of major
projects tomorrow. President Ilham Aliyev will speak about projects of
importance to Europe – oil, gas and energy projects. He will also
touch on the Baku-Ceyhan and Baku-Erzurum (pipeline projects), because
there is an issue of transporting gas to the European market and
Europe is very interested in expanding alternative sources of energy.

Ilham Aliyev is also expected to touch on the Nagornyy Karabakh
problem, i.e. the unresolved status of the conflict and Armenia’s
aggressive policy remain a great source of danger, i.e. the main
source of danger that might disrupt stability in the region where such
projects are being implemented.

After that, there will be a tete-a-tete meeting with (Armenian
President) Robert Kocharyan which will last for two hours. After the
tete-a-tete meeting, there will be a luncheon on the Caucasus with
Robert Kocharyan and Ilham Aliyev in attendance. I should also note
that the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen will also arrive in Warsaw
tonight. After the meeting between Robert Kocharyan and Ilham Aliyev,
Ilham Aliyev will have a meeting with the OSCE Minsk Group
co-chairmen. It is very interesting that no meeting was planned
between Robert Kocharyan and Ilham Aliyev several days ago. The idea
of this meeting came up after the visit to the region by the new US
co-chairman, Steven Mann, and after the Prague summit of the
(Azerbaijani and Armenian) foreign ministers. That’s why it is very
interesting.

After that, President Ilham Aliyev will have a tete-a-tete meeting
with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili. The main subject of
discussions will be the events taking place in the region and energy
projects, i.e. the oil and gas projects implemented in the region. And
this will mark the end of President Ilham Aliyev’s visit to Poland.

(Presenter) Thank you, Qanira. This was ANS TV’s special correspondent
Qanira Pasayeva reporting from the Polish capital of Warsaw.

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION LEADER’S AIDE DEPORTED TO USA

A1+ web site
27 Apr 04

27 April: An aide to Armenian People’s Party leader Stepan Demirchyan,
Artur Vardanyan, who is a US citizen, was deported from Armenia last
night.

Let us recall that he was arrested on Friday evening (23 April) and
was accused under Articles 300 and 329 of the Armenian Criminal Code
(calls for the change of the authorities and crossing the border
illegally).

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION RALLY IN CAPITAL ENDS – WEB SITE

A1+ web site
27 Apr 04

Despite the fact that law-enforcement agencies were again seriously
prepared for today’s opposition rally and lined up a reinforced police
squad along Bagramyan Avenue, the opposition limited itself to a
rally.

The rally on Freedom Square all in all continued three hours. During
this time, the rally organizers, political figures and representatives
of the intelligentsia informed people of the latest developments
regarding the situation in Armenia, including the outcome of
opposition-authorities talks.

It was noted that no agreement had been achieved in the negotiations
and that the opposition demands remained unchanged. Taking the
opportunity, a member of the Justice bloc and leader of the Democratic
Party of Armenia, Aram Gasparovich Sarkisyan, commented publicly on
(Armenian President) Robert Kocharyan’s statement that the
opposition’s actions “reek of treachery” because while he was going to
meet the Azerbaijani president, the Armenian opposition was calling
for the change of the authorities.

“First, the meeting with the Azerbaijani president is simply a regular
meeting, which is of no particular significance. The Karabakh issue
will be resolved only when people begin to trust their president,”
Sarkisyan said.

The leader of the Justice bloc, Stepan Demirchyan, told the
demonstrators that the authorities had breached one of the opposition
conditions. The opposition demanded that the discussion of the draft
law “On the conduct of rallies, protest actions and marches” be
postponed for a while so that the opposition had an opportunity to
submit its proposals. As is known, the authorities did not meet the
opposition halfway and the draft law was put to vote in the National
Assembly and approved in its first reading.

(Passage omitted: minor details)

As for the opposition’s next steps, the authorities have to fulfil its
demands by 4 May. In the course of the rally, scheduled to start at
1800 (1100 gmt), the opposition will take a decision on their future
actions.

Opposition leaders are also planning to take an active part in
festivities on the occasion of 1 May.

Our Best in Budapest?: Can Armenia’s choice handle the environment of an
international murder trial?

ArmeniaNow.com
April 23, 2004
Commentary by Naira Manucharova, ArmeniaNow Deputy Editor

Political tension in Yerevan has shifted focus from the upcoming trial in
Hungary in the death of Armenian Army Lieutenant Gurgen Markaryan.

The slain officer was memorialized in Yerevan.

Markaryan was murdered February 19 while attending a NATO “Partnership for
Peace” conference in Budapest. Ramil Safarov, an officer in the Azerbaijan
Army has been charged.

Armenians were shocked by news of Markaryan’s brutal murder, and were
outraged by commentary in Baku that turned Safarov into a national hero.

Funds have been established in Azerbaijan for Safarov’s defense and he is
regularly visited by countrymen concerned for his well being. Azeri
politicians, lawyers, public figures and his country’s ombudsman are
manipulating pre-trial developments. His family receives money from a
special fund established specifically for their purpose, called “Ramil
Safarov Stipend”.

Meanwhile Markaryan’s family is almost forgotten.

Ombudsman Elmira Suleimanova has written to Hungarian officials “reminding”
that Safarov is a victim of Armenian aggression. A chief rights advocate
attached a document to the letter “concerning outrages committed by Armenian
‘monsters’ in Khojalu”.

One needn’t peculiar insight to conclude that Azeri measures will aim at
influencing a favorable outcome in Budapest. Nor should one doubt that
neighbors to the east will be intent on a verdict that in effect indicts
Armenia, while vindicating Safarov as a victim out to avenge his family’s or
nations death.

Simply, in Budapest there is a murderer, witnesses, a weapon and, in a
Yerevan grave, a victim. But what, without these extenuating conditions
might be a routine trial, promises to be an extraordinary theater in which
relations between two republics are examined.

That the murder took place in NATO’s very front yard and was neither an
example of “peace” nor “partnership” does not inspire confidence for
Armenia-Azeri collaboration in upcoming joint-operations; specifically,
multi-national military training to take place in September in Azerbaijan.

It is logical to presume that NATO might side with the aggrieved party in
the hostility that not only escalated Armenian-Azeri hatred, but sullied
NATO in the process.

But there is no evidence of such a bias as, till now, only Azerbaijan’s
interest is obvious. Little is yet known as to how the Armenian side will
protect its citizen’s rights or its honor.

About all that is known, is that Markaryan’s rights will be defended by
Yerevan attorney Nazeli Vardanyan. And about all that could be learned about
Vardanyan, is that she specializes in environmental law.

It would be unfair to judge the attorney’s effectiveness before she’s even
had a chance to prove it. It is not unfair, however, for concerned citizens,
aware that a country is on trial, to question why someone of her specialty
has been appointed the task.

Journalists who might want to tell the citizenry who this woman is, are
rebuffed, as if her very identity represents national security. Vardanyan
herself referred us to a committee of five lawyers who will be working with
her on the case. Attempts to get information by those means were not
unsuccessful, but were dismissive.

There would be little reason for wanting to know the pedigree of an
attorney, if this were merely a case of citizen against citizen. Clearly,
though, it is not.

At stake is the reputation of a republic, and the risk of courtroom rhetoric
being perceived as national foreign policy. Don’t, then, the people of
Armenia deserve to know their representative has earned confidence?

Why did the Armenian International Lawyers Union appoint an environmental
attorney to manage a case that could have exceptional repercussions? More
significantly, why did the State react indifferently to the appointment?
Typically, secrecy is maintained during investigations. But this secrecy of
defense is something new for Armenia.

Ombudsman of Armenia Larisa Alaverdyan was asked whether Armenia, not to
mention the rights of the victim, can adequately be represented by the State
‘s appointment to the case.

“The upcoming court battles in Budapest will be too much for one lawyer,
even if he or she is very talented and clever,” Alaverdyan said. “I think
there must be at least two lawyers and one expert on the issue of the
Karabakh problem because it is clear that the Azeri side is going to use
this incident for carrying out a public trial against Armenia and Karabakh.
Besides, as I know Nazeli Vardanyan is not experienced enough in criminal
cases, moreover, in cases where crime is loaded with political and
interstate relations.”

Alaverdyan also says it is unacceptable that a second charge against
Safarov – attempted murder on the life another officer, Hayk Makuchyan – has
been completely neglected. The Ombudsman is of the opinion that the crime
against the officers was premeditated and had far-reaching political goals.

“Supporting proper representation of the Armenian side at the forthcoming
trial is a responsibility and duty of the government,” Alaverdyan says.

Why, then, trust the task to an attorney who is respected as an
“eco-jurist”, but unknown in the field of criminal prosecution?

In October of last year, Vardanyan attended an international conference on
ecology, in Hungary. Can it possibly be that Markaryan’s, and Armenia’s
representation was selected merely because she has a Hungarian stamp in her
passport?

Of course it seems absurd. But in the absence of information, we are left to
speculate.

No doubt, “environment” will have a role in the Budapest trial. It is likely
to be an environment bristling with slander, innuendo and attacks on
nationality from both sides. We hope, nonetheless, that Armenia’s counsel
has not been sent for her knowledge of enviro-law, but that she truly is a
secret weapon, worthy of secrecy.

For it is clear that our neighbors are sparing no effort and means preparing
for trial in Budapest. Head of the World Azerbaijani Congress expressed
readiness to hire the best lawyer in Europe for defending the “national
hero”. Notorious Azeri businessman Fizuli Mamedov (nicknamed Al Capone) has
offered to finance all actions of defense. At the same time, Azerbaijan is
providing the Hungarians with their peculiar history of the Karabakh
conflict.

What will be Armenia’s answer? What will our government’s mouthpiece be able
to do for protecting legal successors of Gurgen Markaryan and,
correspondingly, national dignity?

We wonder. And worry. Days into preparation for the trial, the coalition of
lawyers assisting Vardanyan complained they hadn’t yet even received the
Hungarian Criminal Code. They said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is late
with translation. They also complained that Armenia’s lead lawyer Vardanyan,
did not even have a laptop computer or roaming services on her mobile
phone – conditions that make communication a distraction if not an outright
handicap.

Internal concern over the latest opposition activity has shoved this
internationally-significant trial down the list of priorities set in
Yerevan.

Among the many questions we have about the personnel charged with defending
an officer’s rights and a republic’s name, none is more crucial than a
question that lingers while others, too, are unanswered:

Is this the best our government can do? And isn’t it worth the attention of
the public, even while Yerevan’s attention is on political rumbling?

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

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TOP STORIES
04/27/2004
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1) April is The Cruelest Month. . . And Most Persistent for Armenian Youth
2) Turkish Consulate Protest Attracts 5,000
3) President Kocharian’s Rendezvous in Paris
4) Coalition, Opposition Talks Break Down
5) His Holiness Aram I Urges International Action to Prevent Future Genocide

1) April is The Cruelest Month. . . And Most Persistent for Armenian Youth

LOS ANGELES–Alternative Radio Host David Barsamian mesmerized an audience of
over 1,000 who packed the Homenetmen Ararat Hall on the Friday before April 24
for the “Rally Against Genocide Denial.”
Organized by the ARF Shant Student Association, Armenian Youth Federation,
the
Armenian National Committee (ANC) Professional network, along with the ANC,
the
dynamic rally proved, yet again, that the Armenian youth in the Los Angeles
area are serious in their pursuit of justice for the Armenian Genocide.
The no-nonsense Barsamian began saying that the issue of Armenian Genocide
recognition must consistently be pushed forward.

April is the cruelest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain.

“And so,” said Barsamian, having quoted T.S. Elliot, “April is truly is the
cruelest month,” singling out the atrocities of the Armenian Genocide and the
number of deaths this month–thousands of Iraqis and hundreds of US
soldiers–the greatest since the US occupation of Iraq.
In addressing the issue of denial, Barsamian said that Armenians are not
victims, and should never place themselves in that role. “We are not victims,
we are not supplicates,” thus should never beg for justice. “It’s an issue of
morality and justice,” he added, that requires assertiveness in advancing an
issue that is long overdue.
The program also featured National Assembly (NA) of Armenia member and ARF NA
faction leader Levon Mkrtchian, renditions of patriotic songs, visual
presentations, and addresses by activists and political figures.

2) Turkish Consulate Protest Attracts 5,000

LOS ANGELES–About 5,000 protestors converged at the Turkish Consulate in Los
Angeles on April 24, demanding that Turkey recognize the Armenian Genocide,
and
reminding all that the Armenian youth will not relent until justice is served.
The youthful crowd of protestors picketed across two blocks of Wilshire
Blvd.,
carrying signs with slogans such as, “Genocide Unpunished is Genocide
Encouraged,” and “Turkey stop historical Revisionism.”
“The Canadian government officially recognized the Armenian Genocide earlier
this week,” said protest director Sevag Garabetian. “We are thankful for their
ability to classify truth and justice above special interests and are hopeful
that our government, here in the US, will follow suit shortly,” explained
Garabetian.
About two hours after marching on Wilshire Blvd., the protestors gathered in
front of the Turkish Consulate, where Vicken Sosikian, chairman of the
Armenian
Youth Federation (AYF) Western Region, addressed the crowd standing on top
of a
cargo truck, used as a make-shift stage.
Emphasizing that over 80% of the protestors are youth, Sosikian said that
this
generation, along with future generations of Armenian American youth, will
resolutely demand the return of Western Armenia, proper reparations, and
justice.
The annual protest, which has taken place for thirty years, proved more than
ever this year to attract all major broadcast and print media.
“The success of the protest can be credited to a committee of 10 AYF members
who carefully planned the protest for the past five months; over 100 AYF
members helped with crowd control,” said chairperson of the protest organizing
committee Marie Minassian. “The protest is one of many forms of political
activism organized by the AYF throughout the course of the year,” explained
Minassian.

3) President Kocharian’s Rendezvous in Paris

PARIS (Armenpress)–Armenian President Robert Kocharian had an hour-long
private conversation with French President Jacques Chirac on Tuesday morning,
and later briefed reporters on the focus of those talks that included
bilateral
relations and the Karabagh conflict. The two presidents also reviewed
Armenia’s
current domestic situation.
Arriving in Paris on April 25, President Kocharian attended one of Charles
Aznavour’s farewell concerts at the Palais de Congres.
The concert, the first in a series of 25 concerts, is in celebration of
Aznavour’s 80th birthday on May 22. The packed auditorium greeted the Armenian
president, while Aznavour thanked him for accepting his invitation. Aznavour
dedicated the concert to Armenia, especially to its younger generation. The
proceeds from the concert will be transferred to the Aznavour Pour L’Armenie
Foundation for charity projects in Armenia.
The delegation departed for Warsaw late Tuesday, for the World Economic
Forum,
where Kocharian is scheduled to meet, apart from Polish and Georgian
presidents, with his Azeri counterpart Ilham Aliyev.

4) Coalition, Opposition Talks Break Down

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)–Early on Tuesday, opposition leaders in Armenia halted their
talks with Armenia’s governing coalition.
On Monday, the opposition presented to the leaders of the governing
coalition,
an ultimatum that contains ten demands, including that a referendum of
confidence be held.
The talks resumed Tuesday only to end in half an hour. Opposition
representatives said they are freezing the “political consultations” because
the authorities have already rejected two of their demands by blocking all
roads leading to Yerevan and passing a law on rallies.
Parliament speaker Artur Baghdasarian said the talks were suspended by the
two
sides “so the [coalition] parties can discuss the submitted proposals.”
Holding yet another rally in Yerevan on Tuesday, opposition leaders also
attributed the move to halt talks to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe (PACE) decision to discuss the political situation in Armenia on
Wednesday.
The Armenian parliament approved the law on rallies in the second reading
despite strong objections voiced by experts from the Council of Europe and the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. In an interim report, the
Council’s legislative watchdog, the Venice Commission, concluded that the
legislation runs counter to the European Convention on Human Rights of which
Armenia is a signatory.
In Strasbourg, meanwhile, a PACE commission monitoring Armenia’s compliance
with its membership obligations discussed a statement which will be put before
the 45-nation assembly for debate on Wednesday.

5) His Holiness Aram I Urges International Action to Prevent Future Genocide

ANTELIAS (AP)–Commemorating the early 20th century death of hundreds of
thousands of Armenians in Ottoman Turkey, the spiritual leader of about 2
million survivors and their descendants on April 23, urged international
action
to prevent future genocide.
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of Cilicia, said the world should impose
economic sanctions, “and in extreme situations, engage in humanitarian
intervention” to stop mass killings.
“These are the most efficient ways of preventing genocide,” he told a two-day
conference organized by his church.
Speaking at the opening session of the conference on Thursday, Aram I also
announced the establishment of an International Center for Dialogue, Peace and
Human Rights, to be based at his seat in the northern Beirut suburb of
Antelias.
The International Conference on Genocide, Impunity and Justice brought
together Lebanese Cabinet ministers, lawmakers, religious leaders from other
sects, and foreign scholars and diplomats.
Speakers focused on the inadequacy of existing international criminal laws in
dealing with mass killings, which mostly go unpunished. The speakers included
UN human rights and world court officials, as well as a presidential
representative from Rwanda, where the world’s latest genocide a decade ago
killed nearly 800,000 people.

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[Congressional Record: April 26, 2004 (Extensions)]
[Page E645-E646]
>From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:cr26ap04-12]

COMMEMORATING THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

______

HON. CALVIN M. DOOLEY

of california

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 26, 2004

Mr. DOOLEY of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my
colleagues in remembrance of the Armenian Genocide.

[[Page E646]]

This terrible human tragedy must not be forgotten. Like the
Holocaust, the Armenian Genocide stands as a tragic example of the
human suffering that results from hatred and intolerance.
The Ottoman Turkish Empire between 1915 and 1923 massacred one and a
half million Armenian people. More than 500,000 Armenians were exiled
from a homeland that their ancestors had occupied for more than 3,000
years. A race of people was nearly eliminated.
It would be an even greater tragedy to forget that the Armenian
Genocide ever happened. To not recognize the horror of such events
almost assures their repetition in the future. Adolf Hitler, in
preparing his genocide plans for the Jews, predicted that no one would
remember the atrocities he was about to unleash. After all, he asked,
“Who remembers the Armenians?”
Our statements today are intended to preserve the memory of the
Armenian loss, and to remind the world that the Turkish government–to
this day–refuses to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide. The truth of
this tragedy can never and should never be denied.
And we must also be mindful of the current suffering of the Armenian,
where the Armenian people are still immersed in tragedy and violence.
The unrest between Armenia and Azerbaijan continues in Nagorno-
Karabakh. Thousands of innocent people have already perished in this
dispute, and many more have been displaced and are homeless.
In the face of this difficult situation we have an opportunity for
reconciliation. Now is the time for Armenia and its neighbors to come
together and work toward building relationships that will assure
lasting peace.
Meanwhile, in America, the Armenian-American community continues to
thrive and to provide assistance and solidarity to its countrymen and
women abroad. The Armenian-American community is bound together by
strong generational and family ties, an enduring work ethic and a proud
sense of ethnic heritage. Today we recall the tragedy of their past,
not to replace blame, but to answer a fundamental question, “Who
remembers the Armenians?”
Our commemoration of the Armenian Genocide speaks directly to that,
and I answer, we do.