Agence France Presse
April 24, 2004 Saturday
US citizen arrested in Armenia over opposition protests
YEREVAN
Armenian prosecutors arrested a US citizen for taking part in
opposition rallies calling for a violent overthrowal of the existing
order, the prosecutor general’s press service said Friday.
Arthur Vardanyan, a former Armenian national who obtained US
citizenship in 2002, was also suspected of illegally crossing the
Armenian border using his Armenian passport, officials said.
According to prosecutors, Vardanyan was actively involved in
Armenia’s various political activities, particularly during last
year’s electoral period, and then took part in a massive wave of
protests demanding the resignation of President Robert Kocharyan.
The Armenian opposition says that Kocharyan rigged a run-off
presidential vote in March 2003 to secure a second term in office and
is demanding that he either organize a national referendum of
confidence in his rule or step down.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Associated Press Worldstream
April 24, 2004 Saturday 10:06 AM Eastern Time
Armenians mark anniversary of mass killings in Ottoman Empire
YEREVAN, Armenia
Hundreds of thousands of Armenians, many of them emigrants returning
from abroad, converged Saturday on a hilltop memorial in the
country’s capital to commemorate the 89th anniversary of mass
killings of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire.
The annual gathering at the vast Genocide Victims Memorial
overlooking Yerevan is a significant day in the country’s emotional
life, drawing huge crowds to lay flowers.
Armenia accuses Turkey of the genocide of up to 1.5 million Armenians
between 1915 and 1919, when Armenia was under the Ottoman Empire.
Turkey rejects the claim and says Armenians were killed in civil
unrest during the collapse of the empire.
Although the deaths began before April 24, memorial services or held
on this date because it is the anniversary of the day in 1915 when
Turkish authorities executed a large group of Armenian intellectuals
and political leaders, accusing them of helping the invading Russian
army during World War I.
Armenia has pushed for the United States and other nations to declare
the killings a genocide. Many countries, including Russia and France,
have officially recognized the event as genocide, along with some
U.S. states.
Canada’s parliament this week backed a resolution recognizing the
deaths to be genocide, a move that was praised Saturday by Armenian
parliament speaker Artur Bagdasarian. “Only through the condemnation
of this kind of crime can its occurrence be avoided,” he said in a
statement.

Whitehouse.gov (press release)
April 24 2004
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
April 24, 2004
On this day, we pause in remembrance of one of the most horrible
tragedies of the 20th century, the annihilation of as many as 1.5
million Armenians through forced exile and murder at the end of the
Ottoman Empire. This terrible event remains a source of pain for
people in Armenia and Turkey and for all those who believe in
freedom, tolerance, and the dignity of every human life. I join with
my fellow Americans and the Armenian community in the United States
and around the world in mourning this loss of life.
The United States is proud of the strong ties we share with Armenia.
>From the end of World War I and again since the reemergence of an
independent Armenian state in 1991, our country has sought a
partnership with Armenia that promotes democracy, security
cooperation, and free markets. Today, our Nation remains committed to
a peace settlement in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and is grateful
for Armenia’s continuing cooperation in the war on terror. By
advancing understanding and goodwill, free nations can help build a
brighter future for the world. Our country seeks to help Armenia
expand its strategic relations with the United States and our
European allies.
Generations of Armenian Americans have also strengthened our
communities and enriched our Nation’s character. By preserving their
heritage, faith, and traditions, Armenian Americans enhance the
diversity that makes America great.
I commend individuals in Armenia and Turkey who have worked to
support peace and reconciliation, including through the
Turkish-Armenian Reconciliation Commission, and call on Armenia and
Turkey to restore their economic, political, and cultural ties. I
also send warm wishes and expressions of solidarity to the Armenian
people on this solemn day of remembrance.
GEORGE W. BUSH

A duty to the truth
U.S. should officially commemorate the Armenian Genocide.
April 24, 2004
Today we once again commemorate the Armenian Genocide, a brutal event
that resulted in an estimated 1.5 million Armenians being killed at
the hands of the Ottoman Turkish empire and its successor regime
between 1915 and 1923.
Commemoration events have been going on all week in this community
with so many Armenian-Americans. At 10 a.m. today, a ceremony at City
Hall will feature the raising of the Armenian flag next to the flags
of the United States and California.
Rep. George Radanovich, who has been pushing to get the Armenian
genocide officially recognized by the U.S. government, will speak at
the event. His voice has been strong in support of this important
cause.
Unfortunately, the Bush administration, like administrations before
it, has stepped lightly around the issue. Our leaders, especially
those in the State Department, are afraid of offending the Turkish
government by designating the savage events of early last century as a
genocide.
Turkey, a key U.S. ally, vigorously denies that the genocide
occurred. It did, of course, and it’s time for the Turks to
acknowledge it. Radanovich has authored House Resolution 193, which
calls for official recognition of the Armenian genocide. That
resolution should be passed because it’s the right thing to do.
Turkish embarrassment at the bloody past is understandable, but that
doesn’t change the facts, and the Turkish government shouldn’t be
allowed to dictate whether the United States formally acknowledges the
genocide. The Turks’ revisionism has grown tiresome, and our
government’s willingness to be complicit in this ruse is at odds with
this nation’s founding principles.
On this day, we commemorate the Armenian genocide. It’s time that the
U.S. government officially adds its voice to this cause for justice.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian community commemorates genocide
ANP (Dutch news agency)
April 24, 2004
ASSEN (ANP) – On Saturday, hundreds of people participated in the annual
commemoration of the Armenian genocide. The commemoration took place at the
memorial in cemetery de Boskamp in Assen. Various speakers called on the
Dutch and Turkish governments to recognize the Armenian genocide.
M. Hakhverdian of the Armenian Federation called acknowledgement of the
genocide by Turkey “a basic condition for accession of the country to the
EU”. Stand-up satirist Freek de Jonge, one of the guest speakers at the
commemoration, said he was ashamed of the Dutch government’s position
regarding the genocide. As opposed to countries like Sweden, Switzerland,
Belgium and since this week also Canada, the Dutch government has hitherto
not proceeded to recognize the genocide. “What else can I say but: we feel
ashamed”, according to Freek de Jonge.
The Armenian genocide has faded from the memories of many according to De
Jonge. “The word genocide does not sound as familiar as holocaust. It still
does not have a museum.” He thus called upon the Netherlands to proceed
towards the recognition of the Armenian Genocide. “Where remains this guide
country that appears to have lost its way?”
The commemoration in Assen closed a week of actions by the Armenian
community in the Netherlands. Last Wednesday, the Federation of Armenian
Organizations in the Netherlands offered a petition to the Dutch Parliament.
The Netherlands was again called upon to recognize the Armenian genocide.
The “forgotten genocide” cost the lives of hundreds of thousands of
Armenians.

RIA Novosti, Russia
April 23 2004
RUSSIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER RECEIVES FRENCH SENATORS
MOSCOW, April 23 (RIA Novosti) – Vyacheslav Trubnikov, Russia’s First
Deputy Foreign Minister, received, Friday, a visiting delegation of
the French Senate’s foreign affairs and defence commission.
The agenda of the meeting was dominated by issues related to
cooperation within the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS),
which is a priority direction in Russia’s foreign policy, reported
the foreign ministry.
The delegates were updated on the efforts Russia has been making to
promote economic ties with the CIS countries, step up integration
processes in different areas, and Russia’s bilateral relations with a
series of CIS nations.
The conferees also discussed the situation in Central Asia and
Transcaucasia, the Nagorny Karabakh and the Dniester region
settlement efforts. They also discussed further developments in
Afghanistan, particularly in terms of the fight against drug
trafficking. Apart from that, the conferees addressed the problem of
the Caspian Sea’s status.

A1 Plus | 15:53:11 | 23-04-2004 | Politics |
ARTHUR VARDANYAN TAKEN TO PROSECUTOR GENERAL OFFICE
A U.S. citizen Arthur Vardanyan was taken to the Prosecutor General Office
on Thursday as witness on the case against the opposition Justice alliance.
Vardanyan is the Justice leader Stepan Demirchyan’s friend, who was in
Yerevan and attended the opposition-staged rally.
As interrogation started he felt bad because a diabetic problem and was
rushed to a hospital.

A1 Plus | 15:17:09 | 23-04-2004 | Politics |
ARAMAZD ZAKARYAN TO ANNOUNCE HUNGER STRIKE
Justice Ministry Press Secretary Ara Sahgatelyan said Friday the Republic
party member Aramazd Zakaryan, who is Karabakh war veteran and disabled,
intended to start hunger strike tomorrow.
Aramazd Zakaryan was charged with insulting officials and will be kept in
detention two months while waiting his trial.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

A1 Plus | 18:19:59 | 23-04-2004 | Politics |
NEW REPRISALS AGAINST RALLY PARTICIPANTS
The police keep on persecuting political activists and opposition-minded
people. Justice alliance members say after Wednesday’s peaceful rally 22
were taken in police custody, 13 of them are to stand trial, 25 were fined,
100 were abducted and their present whereabouts are unknown.
Eyewitnesses say people are being captured in the street by men dressed as
civilians, then put in cars without license plates and taken in police
stations.
PM and Justice alliance member Viktor Dallakyan says Robert Kocharyan and
his administration have declared war against the people.
The alliance members have strongly condemned brutal attack on Socialist
Forces leader Ashot Manucharyan.

A1 Plus | 19:48:07 | 23-04-2004 | Politics |
HARUTYUN SHIKLANYAN UNHAPPY ABOUT BRITISH AMBASSADOR’S WORDS
Harutyun Shiklanyan, 81, has decided to return the medals received from
British Ambassador in 2003 for the bravery shown in World War II.
“I can’t come to terms with the fact of humiliation of my nation he said
referring to British Ambassador’s recent statement that the 1915 events
shouldn’t be called genocide. I think after such a statement several
thousands people had to gather outside the Embassy in a protest”, he says.