YEREVAN TO RESPOND TO PACE RESOLUTION ON SITUATION IN COUNTRY
06.05.2004 16:50
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian President Robert Kocharian does not agree with
some formulas in the descriptive part of the PACE resolution on the domestic
situation in the country, the state leader told journalists in Yerevan
today. In his words, such definitions, as e.g. “political oppression” are
especially displeasing. R. Kocharian reported that one of these days
official Yerevan will prepare its response on the descriptive part of the
resolution and the special opinion will be presented to the Council of
Europe before July, as the document requires. In the President’s words,
Armenia is a Council of Europe member and “is fully entitled to protect its
official point of view regarding the PACE resolution.” “The Council of
Europe is not a place where unilateral decisions can be made,” he
emphasized. It should be reminded that the resolution the PACE passed last
week calls on the authorities and opposition of Armenia to refrain from
violence and to sit at the bargaining table.

Anadolu Agency
may 6 2004
Allegations On Armenian Genocide Refuted With A Scientific Study

ANKARA – Turkish History Institution Chairman Prof. Dr. Yusuf
Halacoglu has said that Armenians’ allegations on genocide were
nothing but political propaganda, adding scientific facts refuted the
allegations.
Holding a press conference to promote a book entitled ”Armenians:
Exile and Migration” of historians Hikmet Ozdemir, Kemal Cicek, Omer
Turan and Ramazan Calik, Prof. Dr. Halacoglu said on Thursday, ”the
book was prepared examining nearly 15 thousand documents in archives
of the western countries. The study lasted for about one an half
years. These documents in the book will completely refute allegations
put forward by Armenians so far.”
”Under the light of data in western sources, Armenian population in
1914 was 1 million 400 thousand. Despite disease, losses stemming
from wars and all other factors, Armenian population rose to 1
million 700 thousand in 1918. These figures unveil wrongfulness of
allegations saying that 1.5 million Armenians were exposed to
genocide,” he stressed.
Prof. Dr. Halacoglu emphasized that those allegations would be
discussed with Armenians in a scientific platform in Austrian capital
Vienna in 2005 for the first time.
”A preparatory meeting will take place in Vienna on July 25, 2004 to
this end. Actually, I do not know whether Armenians could dare to
attend the meeting after all these data obtained from the western
sources. We will attend the meeting with documents from archives of
Russia, the United States, Britain, Germany, France and Iran besides
Ottoman era archives. Participants will be obliged to show original
documents. Our archives are open while Armenian archives are still
closed. We will stipulate Armenians existence of original
documents,” he said.
Prof. Dr. Halacoglu added, ”efforts to refute baseless allegations
of Armenians are as important as the Cyprus issue.”
Since 1965, the Armenians have been accusing the Turks of an alleged
genocide. Armenian enmity against the Turks began with the voluntary
Armenian troops in the Russian Army, and at last Armenian thuggery
reached its peak in the beginning of the 20th century. Many Turkish
people were killed by Armenian thuggery.
April 24, 1915 was the day in which the Ottoman Empire began to
arrest the Armenian thuggery. On this date, the Armenian Committee
centers were closed, their documents were confiscated, and the
leaders were arrested. The Ottoman Empire tried to prevent the events
by sending instructions to many cities. As a result of these
instructions, 2 thousand 345 people were arrested. The Armenians
exploits this date since the leaders of the revolutionists were
arrested on the date.
The so-called Armenian genocide allegations caused assassinations of
many Turkish officials. Between 1973 and 1985, Armenian terrorist
organization of ASALA staged several act of terrorism against Turkish
diplomats abroad. 34 people lost their lives in these heinous acts in
19 separate countries.

RIA Novosti, Russia
May 6 2004
NO SEPARATISM BEHIND ADZHAR CRISIS: GEORGIA’S FOREIGN MINISTER
MOSCOW, May 6 (RIA Novosti) – There was no separatist undercurrent to
the Adzhar crisis-it was a clash between democratic and
non-democratic forces, said Salome Zurabishvili, Georgia’s Foreign
Minister, as she was commenting stormy developments in the autonomy
to a Moscow news conference.
“Democracy has won with democratic methods,” she summed up the
situation.
Updated Georgia is recurring to peaceful democratic means to settle
its problems. The rulers of Abkhazia and South
Ossetia-self-proclaimed republics in Georgia – may find that of major
interest, she assumes.
Georgia is willing to re-appraise the Abkhaz situation with
settlement prospects, added the minister.
“Georgia’s new leaders are self-reliant. That does not mean that they
are aggressive. We are taking a more pragmatic view of things than
before,” she reassured.
Miss Zurabishvili thanked Georgia’s partners in Europe and the USA
for promoting Adzhar settlement: “They helped us to get a dialogue
going. When the dialogue exhausted its opportunities, and the
situation demanded democratic progress, our partners offered us
support.” A reporter asked her what was to become of Aslan Abashidze,
recent Adzhar president. He will not be harassed and persecuted,
reassured the minister. Same about his family. Georgia’s President
Mikhail Saakashvili has pledged it.
“Russia has shifted the burden on its own shoulders. Thank you,” said
Salome Zurabishvili.
“Georgia has not entitled us to chase him,” Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s
Foreign Minister, retorted to that.
Reconciliation is the core of current Georgian policies. It concerns
all-whether they cherish the memory of President Zurab Gamsakhurdia
or side with ex-President Aslan Abashidze, stressed Salome
Zurabishvili.
She highly appreciated Igor Ivanov’s visit to Batumi, Adzhar capital,
as extremely important and endowed with a symbolism. Igor Ivanov,
preceding Foreign Minister, is now Russia’s federal Security Council
Secretary.
“The Adzhar situation would have been settled in whatever case-the
people determined that it would be so. But Mr. Ivanov arrived in an
important symbolical move. Russia was proffering us a helping hand at
the last instant. Mutual confidence is being established, which is
necessary for our relations to take the right road. Now, we no longer
have any difficulties trying to understand each other.” Lengthy local
conflicts are spoking the wheels of Caucasian progress, the minister
went on.
“What we refer to as ‘frozen conflicts’ are actually freezing our
development-I mean Georgia, Abkhazia and the entire region. We must
realise the point, and Georgia has realised it.” The same pertains to
Karabakh, over which another two Transcaucasian countries-Armenia and
Azerbaijan-have been clashing for many years now.
The whole world is making progress. Whether the Caucasian nations are
to join it depends on the settlement of those and similar conflicts.
The Commonwealth of Independent States is among Georgia’s foreign
political priorities.
“The CIS is prominent in Georgian policies, with an emphasis on
Armenia, Ukraine and the post-Soviet Central Asia.” Georgia greatly
values its partnership with CIS countries, and will carry it on,
reassured the minister.
Her country is determined to combine its partnership with NATO with
Russo-Georgian cooperation. Georgia’s road to Europe, and to
partnership with NATO, does not rule out close neighbourly contacts
with Russia-the two trends can go together.
“The time of a choice from among the principal players is past. There
was a time when Georgia was gambling on antagonisms. It gained
nothing,” Salome Zurabishvili emphatically remarked.

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
May 5, 2004 Wednesday
Armenia sets up special department to fight corruption
By Tigran Liloyan
YEREVAN
A department empowered to fight corruption has been set up at
Armenia’s prosecutor general’s office. Its function is to combat this
evil in all bodies of state authority, including in the law
enforcement agencies and the prosecutor general’s office itself,
Prosecutor General Agvan Obsepyan declared on Monday.
“I am not so naive as to deny that corruption also exists in this
department,” he noted. Ovsepyan said the regulation for the new
department would be worked out within the next ten days to define all
the directions of the department’s activity.
According to the prosecutor general, the department would cooperate
closely with the president’s control service, the president’s
consultant on fighting corruption and other bodies of state
authority.
Corruption is spread specifically wide in the economic structures,
the prosecutor general said.

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
May 5, 2004 Wednesday
Azeri presid notes positive changes in OSCE Minsk group work
By Sevindzh Abdullayeva, Viktor Shulman
BAKU, May 5
Azerbaijani president Ilkham Aliyev has noted positive changes in the
activities of the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) on Nagorno Karabakh.
Aliyev told journalists on Wednesday, “the activity of the Minsk
Group has become noticeable, its co-chairmen are persistently seeking
solution to the problem.”
The Azerbaijani president believes the settlement process is underway
although not very actively.
President Aliyev expressed the hope that the negotiations on the
Karabakh conflict settlement with mediation of the OSCE Group,
co-chaired by Russia, France and the United States, will bring
concrete results.
“If we did not believe in that there would be no sense in conducting
talks,” the head of Azerbaijan stressed.
He positively assessed meetings held between the Azerbaijani and
Armenian presidents in Geneva in December 2003 and in Warsaw in April
2004, as well as talks held at the level of the two states’ foreign
ministers.
The next meeting of the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia
with participation of co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group will be held
in Strasbourg on May 12.
On this day ten days ago the two sides reached an agreement on
ceasefire on the Karabakh conflict zone which is still being
observed.

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
May 5, 2004 Wednesday
New round of consultations with Armenia opposition fixed for Thur
By Tigran Liloyan
YEREVAN
Speaker of Armenian parliament Artur Bagdasaryan on Wednesday
announced a new round of the talks with the opposition that were
disrupted a week ago.
In the statement circulated here on Wednesday, the speaker invited
the heads of parliamentary factions for political consultations on
Thursday “to discuss the political situation in the country”. He
assessed as highly important the proposal for a political dialogue
addressed to the Armenian authorities and opposition in the recent
resolution of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
The speaker made this invitation for the reason that the readiness to
continue the talks had been expressed by the parties in the
pro-presidential coalition and by the opposition.
Similar talks were held in parliament on April 26-27 and were
disrupted on the eve of another rally of the opposition. Bagdasaryan
then expressed the conviction that the intermission in the political
consultations would enable the political forces participating in the
talks to discuss numerous proposals made during these meetings.
At the rally on Tuesday the opposition announced that there would be
no rallies nor other mass actions till May 14 and expressed the
readiness for talks with the authorities. At the same time the
opposition repeated its demand that Robert Kocharyan resign as
Armenian president.
The Armenian authorities describe the actions of the opposition as
“manifestations of political extremism”. Police dispersed the rally
of the opposition in downtown Yerevan on the night to April 13. The
opposition’s demands include the release of its arrested activists,
live time on TV and unobstructed travel of residents of Armenian
regions to Yerevan to participate in antigovernment actions.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Associated Press Worldstream
May 5, 2004 Wednesday
Armenian president signs into law a measure on rallies
YEREVAN, Armenia
Armenian President Robert Kocharian signed into law on Wednesday on
measure on public gatherings that limits where they can be held but
that provides for penalizing officials if they block legitimate
rallies.
The law came as Armenia undergoes a wave of opposition protests
calling for Kocharian’s resignation.
The law 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 last month, injuring some
demonstrators and detaining more than 100.
However, the measure 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.
Artur Bagdasarian, speaker of the Armenian parliament, said that
lawmakers couldn’t address all of the opposition’s complaints about
the new law, calling some of them unrealistic. However, he said they
could propose a parliamentary initiative to make changes or additions
to the law.

ARKA News Agency
May 6 2004
Parliament factions of Armenia agreed on continuation of political
consultations
Real estate market and availability of hypothec workshop to promote
introduction of more efficient mechanisms in Armenia
The second annual competition for journalists working in
Nagono-Karabakh Republic held in NKR
OSCE to conduct its regular monitoring on Armenian and Azerbaijani
armies contact line
High school of judges to be established in Armenia
RA State Register Agency to switch to on-line registration of legal
entities
*********************************************************************
PARLIAMENT FACTIONS OF ARMENIA AGREED ON CONTINUATION OF POLITICAL
CONSULTATIONS
YEREVAN, May, 6. /ARKA/. Parliament factions of Armenia agreed on
continuation of political consultations and developed the agenda of
discussed issues, says the statement of parliament factions and
deputy group People’s Deputy made today after 5-hour consultations
initiated by the Speaker of the Parliament. The participants of the
consultations noted the necessity of creation of new political
situation in the country, taking the statements of coalition members
and joint statement or opposition as of May 4 as the base. The
statement is signed by all Parliament factions and deputy group
People’s Deputy. L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
REAL ESTATE MARKET AND AVAILABILITY OF HYPOTHEC WORKSHOP TO PROMOTE
INTRODUCTION OF MORE EFFICIENT MECHANISMS IN ARMENIA
YEEVAN, May 6. /ARKA/. Armenia’s experience in the cadastre system as
well as in hypothec will promote not only introducing of more
efficient mechanisms for the development of the property circulation,
but also to further strengthening of formed partnership in favor of
interests of the country’s sustainable development, as it is
mentioned in the welcome statement by Manuk Vardanyan, Head of the RA
State Cadastre Committee to the participants of Real Estate Market
and Availability of Hypothec workshop held by UN European Economic
Commission on land administration. In his message Manuk Vardanyan
wished an efficient meeting and business cooperation to the
participants of the workshop.
On 6-7 May `Real Estate Market and Availability of Hypothec’ workshop
organized by UN European Economic Commission on land administration
will be held in Armenia. During the workshop the participants will
discuss Armenia’s experience in reforming the cadastre system as well
as the issues on hypothec crediting necessary for the development of
the real estate market. The workshop will be attended by the
representative of eth state structures, commercial banks, private
companies, Secretariat of UN European Economic Commission as well as
other international organizations. T.M. -0–
*********************************************************************
THE SECOND ANNUAL COMPETITION FOR JOURNALISTS WORKING IN
NAGONO-KARABAKH REPUBLIC HELD IN NKR
STEPANAKERT, May 6. /ARKA/. The second annual competition for
journalists working in Nagono-Karabakh Republic( NKR) was held in
NKR. According to the ARKA’s reporter in Stepanakert, one more
nomination called The Best Publication on Military added this year to
the previous three ones: `Golden Feather, the Beast Journalist
Investigation and the Best Political Analysis. A journalist with best
professional skills and the best materials published to be awarded
Golden Feather, a special diploma and a prize at AMD 50 thsd. the
winners in other nominations to be awarded diplomas and monetary
rewards at AMD 25 thsd. ($1 ÑØÀ = AMD 548.81). A.H. –0–
*********************************************************************
OSCE TO CONDUCT ITS REGULAR MONITORING ON ARMENIAN AND AZERBAIJANI
ARMIES CONTACT LINE
YEREVAN, May 5. /ARKA/. OSCE plans to conduct its regular monitoring
on the contact line of the Armenian and Azerbaijani armies on 6 May.
As Trend agency reports with reference to Azerbaijan Defense
Ministry, the monitoring is planned on the area of village of Kapanly
of Terter region. From Armenian line the monitoring will be conducted
by OSCE Chairman-in-Office’s Personal Representative Andrzej
Kasprzik, its field assistants Yu. Schmidt, M. Vymetal and
Representatives of High Planning Groups. From Azerbaijani line, the
monitoring will be attended by field assistants of OSCE
Chairman-in-Office’s Personal Representative I. Palatinus, K. Pikles,
representatives of High Planning Group. T.M. -0–
*********************************************************************
HIGH SCHOOL OF JUDGES TO BE ESTABLISHED IN ARMENIA
YEREVAN, May 5. /ARKA/. Two year high school of judges will be
established in Armenia, as Davit Harutyunyan, RA Justice Minister
told at his briefing. In his words, currently the procedure of
appointment of judges cannot be considered perfect. As earlier
reported by the Minister, the School is aimed at providing a higher
level of Armenian judges. It will be possible to enter the school on
competitive base, while the candidates must already have a certain
experience of activity. The first academic year will be devoted to
theoretic knowledge and the second to practical courses. `Only the
graduates of the School will be able to work as judges in the
future’, the Minister said. T.M. -0–
*********************************************************************
RA STATE REGISTER AGENCY TO SWITCH TO ON-LINE REGISTRATION OF LEGAL
ENTITIES
YEREVAN, May, 5. /ARKA/. RA State Register Agency will switch to
on-line registration of legal entities, RA Minister of Justice David
Harutyunian stated today at the briefing. According to him, with this
goal 10 regional divisions of the Agency were equipped with the
computers connected to Internet and another 8 divisions will be
connected by the end of the year. L.D. –0–

Armenian National Committee of America
888 17th Street NW Suite 904
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet:
PRESS RELEASE
May 6, 2004
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
SENATE AND HOUSE MEMBERS COMMEMORATE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
IN FLOOR SPEECHES
WASHINGTON, DC – Over 25 Senate and House Members joined Armenians
around the world last week in commemorating the 89th Anniversary of
the Armenian Genocide, offering “Special Order” remarks on the House
floor and Congressional statements made in the weeks surrounding
April 24th, reported the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA.)
Congressional Armenian Caucus co-chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ)
organized the April 27th House commemoration, providing
Representatives with an opportunity to offer 5-minute statements in
remembrance of the atrocities committed by the Ottoman Turkish
Government from 1915-1923. Senators and House Members also
submitted additional statements in the days surrounding April 24th.
“We want to thank Congressman Pallone for taking the leadership
every year in hosting this Special Order,” said ANCA Executive
Director Aram Hamparian. “We appreciate, as well, all the hard
work by Armenian American organizations and individuals throughout
the U.S., educating their federal, state and local legislators
about the Armenian Genocide and the terrible consequences of its
denial.”
During their statements, many Senate and House members urged
support for legislation marking the 15th anniversary of the U.S.
implementation of the U.N. Genocide Convention. H.Res.193 and
S.Res.164 cite the importance of learning the lessons of the
Holocaust as well as the Armenian, Cambodian and Rwandan genocides
to prevent similar tragedies in the future. The House version of
the measure has 111 cosponsors and was adopted unanimously by the
Judiciary Committee last May. Its Senate counterpart currently has
39 cosponsors.
Excerpts from the Senate and House floor speeches follow.
———————————————–
SENATORS (listed in alphabetical order)
——————————————- —-
Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA): This week marks the 89th anniversary of
the Armenian Genocide. Between 1915 and 1923, the Ottoman Empire
conducted the first Genocide of the 20th Century, killing an
estimated 1.5 million Armenians and displacing thousands more. The
campaign was so devastating that at the beginning of World War I,
there were 2.1 million Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire.
Following the Genocide, fewer than 100,000 Armenians remained.
Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI): The international community has a long
way to go in punishing and especially, preventing genocide. But we
have made the first steps. As we move forward, we must learn the
lessons of Armenia’s genocide. Can we recognize the rhetorical
veils of murderous leaders, thrown up to disguise the agenda at
hand? Have we, the international community, learned that we must
not stand by, paralyzed, as horrors occur, but work collectively to
prevent and stop genocides from occurring? We owe the victims of
the Armenian genocide this commitment.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA): I am proud to represent an Armenian
community of half a million in my great State of California. They
are a strong and resilient community, taking strength in the
tragedies of the past and the promise of a better tomorrow. This
community is leading the effort to preserve the memory of the
Armenian Genocide not only for future generations of Armenian
Americans, but, indeed, for all Americans and all citizens of the
world. I urge my colleagues to join me in remembering the first
genocide of the 20th century. Through our commemoration of this
tragedy, we make clear that we will not tolerate mass murder and
ethnic cleansing ever again and we will never forget.
Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI): I believe the highest tribute we can pay to
the victims of a genocide is by acknowledging the horrors they
faced and reaffirming our commitment to fight against such heinous
acts in the future. In commemorating the tragedy of the genocide
today, I would also like to recognize the fact that yesterday
Canada’s House of Commons, took the courageous step of officially
recognizing that the events initiated on April 24, 1915, were in
fact a genocide and crime against humanity. It is my hope that all
people of goodwill will join in calling this tragedy by its correct
name–a genocide. I hope that our colleagues will join me in
commemorating this tragedy and vowing to honor and remember the
innocent victims of the Armenian genocide.
Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI): Thus, as we reflect on this atrocity, let us
call for our own country to recognize the Armenian Genocide, just
as my own State of Rhode Island has done, and as the parliaments of
Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Lebanon, Russia,
and Sweden have done over the past 6 years. Let us also pledge
never to ignore atrocities by those who claim the legitimacy of
government. We must never ignore and we will never forget.
———————————————–
REPRESENTATIVES (listed in alphabetical order)
——————————————- —-
Rep: Rob Andrews (D-NJ): The senseless crime of genocide is one of
the most reprehensible acts that can be committed by man. To
attempt eradication of an entire population based on a misguided
prejudice is absolutely vile, and the United States should do
everything in its power to try and prevent such atrocities from
happening in the future. Only by explicitly defining genocide and
ensuring that all cases of genocide throughout history are
appropriately identified can we effectively deter this crime.
Particularly at this time of heightened vigilance around the world,
it is absolutely imperative that America take a strong stance
against the most troubling of all terrorist acts, mass killings.
Rep. Joe Baca (D-CA): It is important to recognize the historical
atrocities perpetrated against the Armenians. We must teach our
children about the fear, torture, mass graves, and expulsions of
the Armenian people. Through education and commemoration, our
children can grow up to be better citizens and better Americans.
Rep. John Conyers (D-MI): Mr. Speaker, tonight I rise to remind the
world that the 24th of April marked the 89th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide, a systematic and deliberate campaign of genocide
of the Ottoman Empire. Also, it marked yet another year with the
U.S. formally not recognizing the atrocities that occurred.
Considering how well documented the genocide is in the U.S.
archives and through an overwhelming body of first-hand,
governmental, and diplomatic evidence, this is nothing less than a
disgrace.
Rep. Jerry Costello (D-IL): The Armenian Genocide is a historical
fact, despite the efforts of some to minimize its scope and deny
its occurrence. Many of the survivors of the genocide came to the
United States, where they and their descendants have contributed to
our society in countless ways. In my district, there is a
significant population of Armenian survivors and their families
that showed heroic courage and a will to survive. With faith and
courage, generations of Armenians have overcome great suffering and
proudly preserved their culture, traditions, and religion and have
told the story of the genocide to an often indifferent world. As
Members of Congress and people of conscience, we must work to
overcome the indifference and distortions of history, and ensure
that future generations know what happened.
Rep Cal Dooley (D-CA): 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.
Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ): Even more disturbing are the governments,
institutions, scholars, and individuals who deny the enormity of
these crimes against humanity. It is inconceivable that individuals
and governments continue to ignore the substantial evidence–
including numerous survivor accounts, photodocumentaries, and
official documents in the archives of the United States, Britain,
France, Austria, and the Vatican–that prove these atrocities took
place. It is also frustrating that some rationalize these crimes or
refuse to recognize this premeditated ethnic cleansing as genocide.
Michael Honda (D-CA): Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask the Members
of the House to join us in recognizing past instances of genocide
and reaffirming our Nation’s commitment to never again allow the
perpetration of such atrocities anywhere on this earth. House
Resolution 193 appropriately reaffirms America’s obligation to
international genocide conventions, and underscores the importance
of recognizing past crimes against humanity, including the
Holocaust and the Armenian, Cambodian, and Rwandan genocides.
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA): This genocide is another significant
example of the injustice, torture, pain, and death that grows out
of intolerance, cruelty, and hatred. There are still a great
number of survivors of the genocide in America and many of their
children and grandchildren reside throughout the country. On this
day we join them in remembering and acknowledging the heinous act
that victimized their families. If we let such atrocities be
forgotten, then we are in danger of letting them be repeated.
Rep. Sander Levin (D-MI): Mr. Speaker, for myself and my
constituents, I rise today to urge those who deny this genocide to
accept it as fact. Only then can we move forward and stop these
atrocities from repeating themselves over and over again.
Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY): Without recognition and remembrance,
this atrocity remains a threat to nations around the world. I’ve
often quoted philosopher George Santayana who said: “Those who do
not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” And to
remember, we must first acknowledge what it is–Genocide.
Rep. George McGovern (D-MA): Mr. Speaker, last May, the House
Committee on the Judiciary reported out House Resolution 193. We
have been waiting for nearly 1 year now for the Speaker of the
House to schedule this bill for a debate and for a vote, and I
would urge at this time that the Speaker schedule this bill as
quickly as possible so that the House of Representatives may join
those nations and those scholars who affirm the Genocide Convention
and recognize the Armenian Genocide and Holocaust as genocides of
the 20th century.
Michael McNulty (D-NY): From 1915 to 1923, the world witnessed the
first genocide of the 20th century. This was clearly one of the
world’s greatest tragedies–the deliberate and systematic Ottoman
annihilation of 1.5 million Armenian men, women, and children.
Furthermore, another 500,000 refugees fled and escaped to various
points around the world–effectively eliminating the Armenian
population of the Ottoman Empire.
Rep. Martin Meehan (D-MA): To deny this truth is to tarnish the
memories of the millions of Armenians who lost their lives to
ethnic cleansing. As a member of the Congressional Armenian Caucus,
I have joined my colleagues in sending a letter to President Bush
urging him to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide during his April
24th commemoration address. By drawing attention to the legacy of
this genocide, we can strengthen our resolve to prevent future
human tragedies of this kind.
Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ): Mr. Speaker, the unfortunate thing is,
although so many other countries and so many of our own States have
recognized the Armenian genocide, we in the Congress continue not
to recognize it. I think it is important that we do so. The
gentleman from California (Mr. Schiff) was here earlier, and he
mentioned the House Genocide Resolution, H. Res. 193, which has now
111 cosponsors. The resolution was adopted unanimously by the House
Committee on the Judiciary on May 21, 2003, but it has not been
brought to the floor for consideration. I would urge the Speaker
and the leaders on the Republican side of the aisle to bring this
resolution to the floor. It is important that they do so.
Adam Schiff (D-CA): For those of us who care deeply about the
issue, we must redouble our efforts to ensure that our Nation,
which has championed liberty and human rights throughout its
history, is not complicit in Ankara’s effort to obfuscate what
happened between 1915 and 1923. Worse still, by tacitly siding with
those who would deny the Armenian genocide, we have rendered hollow
our commitment to never again let genocide occur.
Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA): It is time for Turkey to acknowledge this
genocide, because only in that way can the Turkish government and
its people rise above it. The German government has been quite
forthcoming in acknowledging the Holocaust, and in doing so it has
at least been respected by the peoples of the world for its
honesty. Turkey should follow that example rather than trying to
deny history.
Mark Souder (R-IN): 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.
Rep. John Tierney (D-MA): I rise today to speak on one of the most
unspeakable acts that ever came to pass. Beginning in 1915,
innocent and unsuspecting Armenians of all ages were led by Ottoman
Empire officials from their villages to their brutal death. Such
atrocities endured for eight years. By 1923, an estimated 1.5
million Armenians were massacred.
Rep. Peter Visclosky (D-IN): Sadly, there are some people who still
deny the very existence of this period which saw the
institutionalized slaughter of the Armenian people and dismantling
of Armenian culture. To those who would question these events, I
point to the numerous reports contained in the U.S. National
Archives detailing the process that systematically decimated the
Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire. However, old records are
too easily forgotten–and dismissed. That is why we come together
every year at this time: to remember in words what some may wish to
file away in archives. This genocide did take place, and these
lives were taken. That memory must keep us forever vigilant in our
efforts to prevent these atrocities from ever happening again
Diane Watson (D-CA): Turkey’s failure to acknowledge the truth is a
burden on the alliance between our two nations. I would say to our
President, it should be called as it is, a crime of genocide. So I
call upon the President of the United States to uphold the
commitment he made back when he was running for President and put
the United States of America on record acknowledging the Armenian
genocide.
Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA): We must identify ways to facilitate the
lifting of the blockade against Armenia and encourage a peaceful
resolution of the conflict in Nagorno-Karabagh. We must help
Armenia continue to flourish as a burgeoning democracy, extend
Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status to strengthen her
economy, and stand ready to help maintain her military strength.
Let us resolve ourselves to ensure that the coming year will be one
that brings full recognition of the genocide that took place, and
peace to the region and the memory of those who perished.
Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY): Like communities that survived the
Nazis efforts at extermination, the Armenian community today is
often faced by those who deny the Turkish effort to commit genocide
ever occurred. Despite records and accounts preserved in our own
National Archives, there have been those bent on erasing this
horrible memory from the annals of history. We will not let that
happen. That is why today’s commemoration here in the United States
Congress and those going on this week is so crucial.
#####

CENN – MAY 6, 2004 DAILY DIGEST
Table of Contents:
1. Review BTC Construction to be Held in June
2. Shah Deniz Schedule on Target
3. BP to Produce Over 6 million Tons of Crude in 2004
4. Controversial Disaster Film Casts Spotlight on Global Warming
5. Rating of Free Press
6. Tehran: Iran to Export Natural Gas to Azerbaijan, Armenia
7. World Bank Approves $35 mln in Loans for Armenia
8. Panel Discussion: Cauc/ Policy of the Major Powers and Future of ROA
9. Register Now Online for Bangkok Congress
1. REVIEW BTC CONSTRUCTION TO BE HELD IN JUNE
Source: State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, AzerTag,
May 4, 2004
A commission headed by Abid Sharifov, Vice-Premier of Azerbaijani
government, will depart for Turkey to carry out a regular review of
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline construction on its Turkish section in
early June, stated Mr. Sharifov on press conference with the
journalists. The vice-premier has observed that as per agreement with
the Turkish party such reviews on the BTC Turkish section with its
direct participation are carried out once each month on the level of
general contractor for construction – the Turkish company BOTAS.
Commenting on delays in the BTC Turkish section construction A. Sharifov
has stressed that in any even small project, for instance, when a house
is constructed, delays occur, tens of problems appear – when ditches are
dug, communications are laid etc. The BTC is a very large-scale project
and naturally the pipeline construction costing around $3 billion cannot
do without any problems at all. There are problems, but they are
resolved as soon as possible, both on the territory of Georgia and on
the territory of Turkey, – A. Sharifov believes.
The length of BTC pipeline is 1,762 km, of which – 443 km are in
Azerbaijan, in Georgia – 248 km, in Turkey – 1070 km. The pipeline
capacity is 50 million tons of oil per annum. The construction works
will be completed in the beginning of 2005.
A Greek Consolidated Contractors International Company is a contractor
for the construction of the Azeri part of BTC pipeline, a contractor for
Georgian part is Spie Capag/Petrofag, which is also a contractor for
works on the construction of pumping stations on the territory of both
countries. The Turkish company BOTAS is the contractor for the Turkish
part of BTC pipeline.
2. SHAH DENIZ SCHEDULE ON TARGET
CBN, May 6, 2004
The Shah Deniz gas and condensate development project has made
significant progress since Stage 1 sanctioning in February last year.
“The project is progressing according to schedule to meet the target of
delivering first gas to the market before winter 2006.
3. BP TO PRODUCE OVER 6 MILLION TONS OF CRUDE IN 2004
Source: State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, AzerTag,
May 4, 2004
BP-Azerbaijan plans to extract 125 thousand barrels of oil daily to
increase the production to 6,2 million tons by late 2004, stated
president of BP-Azerbaijan David Woodward.
According to him, 32,5 million tons of oil has been produced from Chirag
field since November 1997.
4. CONTROVERSIAL DISASTER FILM CASTS SPOTLIGHT ON GLOBAL WARMING
Source: State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, AzerTag,
May 6, 2004
The sci-fi thriller The Day After Tomorrow is sparking controversy for
its portrayal of climate disaster. NASA officials ordered their
scientists not to answer questions about the film (bosses backed off
after a New York Times story), while a Bush/Cheney campaign spokesman
quibbles with the New York Post over political fallout from the movie.
Meanwhile, 20th Century Fox promoters try to squelch the words “global
warming” altogether.
The $125 million motion picture opens with an Antarctic ice sheet
collapsing beneath a team of polar scientists. Tidal waves batter
Manhattan, before the city is frozen in ice. Tornadoes blast Los
Angeles, while blizzards sweep India. The paleoclimatologist hero played
by Dennis Quaid warns a dismissive vice president bearing uncanny
likeness to our current one “if we don’t act now, it will be too late.”
The over-the-top storyline far exceeds real-life climate scientists’
most extreme projections. But like any good fable, the movie taps a more
basic truth: Global warming is happening today. While research on the
problem is continuing, responsible experts say we need to act now to
start fixing the problem.
NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) can help reporters, reviewers,
and editors writing about The Day After Tomorrow sort fact from fiction
on global warming, and discuss the sharp political reaction to the film.
We have climate experts on staff, and can also help you reach local
scientists in your area.
5. RATING OF FREE PRESS
Source: Caucasus-Press, May 4, 2004
Georgia has freest press among the CIS countries. That’s the opinion of
American Human Rights Organization `Freedom House’, which has published
its `Rating of Freedom of World Press – 2004′. The countries got marks
according to 100-point system in which 0 means the highest level of
freedom and 100 means the lowest level of freedom.
Georgian press has been recognized as partially free, it held 112th
place with 54 points. Press in the rest of the CIS has been deemed as
non-free – Moldova (the media in this country as well as in other
post-Soviet countries listed below have been deemed as non-free, 63
points 127th place), Armenia (64 points 134th place), Ukraine (68
points, 150th place), Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan (71 points, 156th
place), Tajikistan (73 points 160th place), Kazakhstan (74 points, 161st
place), Belarus and Uzbekistan (84 points, 182nd place), Turkmenistan
(95 points 190th place).
Danish, Icelandic and Swedish mass media are freest of all (8 points
each), the least free press exists in North Korea (98 points). For
example USA got 13 points and held 15th place, Germany got 16 points
(25th place), Japan got 18 points (33rd place), Great Britain, France
and Poland got 19 points (37th place), Israel got 28 points (64th place)
and China got 80 points (173rd place).
Data from 198 countries of the world have been processed for this
rating. 73 countries are evaluated as having free press, 49 countries
are deemed to have partially free press and 71 countries are thought to
have non-free mass media.
6. TEHRAN: IRAN TO EXPORT NATURAL GAS TO AZERBAIJAN, ARMENIA
Source: IRNA, Iran, May 5, 2004
Iran is to export 200 to 350 million cubic meters of natural gas to
Azerbaijan per annum from the coming winter according to a contract that
is to be signed by the two sides after necessary negotiations and
agreements.
Deputy Minister of Petroleum for Caspian Oil and Gas Affairs Hamdollah
Mohammadnejad told IRNA here on Wednesday that Iran has been in talks
for more than one decade with the republics of Azerbaijan and Armenia on
export of its natural gas.
Mr. Mohammadnejad said that Iran is also to export 1.2 to 2.5 billion
cubic meters of natural gas to Armenia a year for a period of 20 years
through a 20-inch pipeline.
The gas, he added, would be transferred to Magri border region through a
120 kms pipeline.
The official said that feasibility studies on the pipeline project have
been completed and it would be implemented once Iranian and Armenian
sides sign related contract.
He said Iran gives the priority to transfer of gas to neighboring and
the Central Asian republics on the long run in a bid to upgrade mutual
economic cooperation.
7. WORLD BANK APPROVES $35 MLN IN LOANS FOR ARMENIA
Source: Interfax, May 5 2004
The World Bank board of directors on Tuesday approved three new credit
programs for Armenia totaling about $35 million, Roger Robinson,
director of the World Bank office in Yerevan, said at a press conference
Wednesday.
The World Bank will allocate $10.15 million for public sector
modernization, $23 million for water supply and sewage system
restoration in 300 municipalities, and $1.74 million on agriculture
reform and compensation for industry losses caused by bad weather, he
said.
The programs are planned to last four to five years. Loans will be
disbursed according to the standard easy terms offered by the
International Development Association (IDA) with repayment in 40 years
at 0.5% per year with a 10-year grace period, Robinson said.
8. PANEL DISCUSSION: CAUC/ POLICY OF THE MAJOR POWERS AND FUTURE OF ROA
Sunday, May 23, 2004
4:00 PM
Free admission
The Armenian Cultural Committee of Boston presents
A Panel Discussion:
“The Caucasian Policy of the Major Powers and Future of Armenia”
Panelists:
Dr. Murat Acemoglu
David B. Boyajian
Moderator: Dr. Armen Bagdoian
Location:
Church of the Good Shepherd
Corner of Mount Auburn Street and Russell Avenue
(1/2 mile from Watertown Square & one block from Common Street)
Watertown, Massachusetts
9. REGISTER NOW ONLINE FOR BANGKOK CONGRESS
IUCN, May 5, 2004
Online registration for the 3rd IUCN World Conservation Congress is now
available! IUCN members and other invitees may register directly on the
registration page. This is the first time that IUCN is offering this
service through a carefully developed system that accommodates all the
many and varied delegates of the Bangkok Congress — members, commission
members, partners and other participants. The registration system
includes a series of explanations to assist with the overall process,
including a contact email and telephone number for specific enquiries
and assistance. The French and Spanish versions of the registration site
will be available at the:
—
*******************************************
CENN INFO
Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN)
Tel: ++995 32 92 39 46
Fax: ++995 32 92 39 47
E-mail: [email protected]
URL:
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress