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07/22/2004
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1. Local ANC Chapters Praise Congressman Schiff for Genocide Amendment
2. Ambassador Ordway Addresses Armenia’s Press Before Departure
3. Georgian Foreign Minister Ends Visits, Meets
4. Eduard Oganessian Dies
5. ARF Bureau Extends Condolences
6. Hai Katch Do Students Garner Awards
7. NEWS BRIEFS

1. Local ANC Chapters Praise Congressman Schiff for Genocide Amendment

Armenian-Americans Activists Criticize Congressional Leaders for Capitulating
to a Foreign Government

Los AngelesA powerful coalition of Armenian Americans expressed their strong
support over the weekend for Congressman Adam Schiff who authored an Armenian
Genocide Amendment that was passed by the US House of Representatives last
week, announced the Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region
(ANCA-WR). The amendment prevents Turkey from spending US foreign aid dollars
against legislation pending in Congress that recognizes the Armenian
Genocide.

“Our ANC chapters stand united with Congressman Schiff in his effort to
ensure
that US taxpayer dollars are not used by Turkey to deny the Armenian
Genocide,”
commented ANCA-WR Executive Director Ardashes Kassakhian. “Our local ANC
chapters stand ready to fight the stated intention of the Republican
Leadership
in Congress and the White House to strike the Schiff Amendment language when
the foreign aid bill goes to conference,” he added.
Kassakhian referred to the joint statement by House Speaker Dennis Hastert
(R-IL), House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) and House Majority Whip Roy
Blunt (R-MO). The Republican Leadership released a statement that read: “We
are
strongly opposed to the Schiff Amendment… we will insist that conferees drop
that provision in conference. We have contacted the Bush Administration, and
they have indicated their strong opposition… Turkey has been a reliable
ally of
the United States for decades… our mutual economic and security relationship
rests should not be disrupted by this amendment. Our relationship with Turkey
is too important to us to allow it to be in any way damaged by a poorly
crafted
and ultimately meaningless amendment. Furthermore, we have no intention of
scheduling H. Res. 193… during the remainder of this Congress.”
“Ronald Reagan was the last President to properly commemorate the Armenian
Genocide,” explained Burbank ANC Chair Peter Musurlian. “The late Presidenta
hero to many Armenian American Republicanswould be ashamed at what is taking
place on Capitol Hill, with the House leadership’s refusal to allow a vote on
moral clarity.”
Glendale ANC Chair Pierre Charaghchian added, “The opposition to the Schiff
Amendment by Republican leaders in Congress is sad. Sad because it shows how
much influence the Republic of Turkey, a foreign government, has over some
Members of Congress.”
The leaders of the Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena and La Crescenta Armenian
National Committee chapters praised Schiff for successfully securing
passage of
his amendment. The Schiff Amendment was adopted by voice vote during
consideration of the House Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill for Fiscal
Year 2005 on Thursday, July 15, 2004. The foreign aid bill was later passed by
a vote of 365 to 41.
“Armenian Americans in Pasadena are proud to have Congressman Schiff
spearhead
the effort to properly recognize the first Genocide of the 20th Century,”
stressed Pasadena ANC Chair Shahan Stepanian. “We are ready to mobilize the
community and ensure that the Amendment passes through the joint House-Senate
Conference Committee.”
“It is unfortunate that our Congressional leaders fail to demonstrate moral
clarity on the issue of genocide recognition and prevention. Eventually,
public
policy will catch up to the truth and we will not let a few select politicians
change America’s proud response to the Armenian Genocide,” stated La Crescenta
ANC Chair Sarkis Tchakian.
The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest and most
influential Armenian American grassroots political organization. Working in
coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout
the
United States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively
advances the concerns and interests of the Armenian American community.
For the latest news and action alerts log onto
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2. Ambassador Ordway Addresses Armenia’s Press Before Departure

YEREVAN (Combined Sources)–John M. Ordway who has served as the US Ambassador
to the Republic of Armenia since November 2001, held his last press
briefing in
Armenia on July 22, before finishing his diplomatic mission there.
Speaking of Armenia-US relations in the past years, he noted shortcomings,
but
said that on the whole, relations have been positive, and that further
improvement of relations would depend on developments in Armenia and the
region. “I am sure that the interests shared by the governments and peoples of
the two countries won’t change. We share the loyalty of the Armenian people to
democratic values and formation of a civil society.”
He said that the US, working with the government of the Republic of Armenia,
has tried to develop the economy, establish supremacy of law, and form a civil
society, but stressed the importance of implementing additional social and
political reforms, and strengthening the economy so as to improve Armenia’s
investment environment.
Asked about human rights and freedom of speech in Armenia, Ordway said that
taking into account Armenia’s resources, the US would have expected more
progress than registered, but that the presence of an active media, along with
steps already taken toward forming a civil society are, nevertheless,
inspiring. “I think that there is a hope in this sphere and we have great
expectations. We will do our best to advance progress.”
Talking about the peace and security of the South Caucuses, he said the US
would continue working with the co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group in seeking
a “fair and mutually admissible solution,” to the Mountainous Karabagh
conflict.
Praising the current levels of military cooperation between the two countries,
Ordway said that bilateral military relations are not limited to
assistance. “I
hope that Armenian forces will participate in the peacekeeping mission in Iraq
soon,” he indicated. He praised the country’s developing relation with NATO
and
pledged US backing to further advance the cooperation.
Summing up his experience in Armenia, Ordway affirmed his faith in the
Armenian people’s “great potential for building of a free, independent,
economically developed and prospering country.”

3. Georgian Foreign Minister Ends Visits, Meets

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)–Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili completed her
first official visit to Armenia on July 22, after meeting with Armenian
President Robert Kocharian, parliament speaker Artur Baghdasarian, Prime
Minister Andranik Markarian and her Armenian counterpart Vartan Oskanian.
During the meeting with Zourabichvili, President Kocharian expressed
satisfaction with the “high level of inter-state relations with Georgia, which
are based on mutual trust and cooperation.” Kocharian noted that Georgia is
going through a rather hard time, but remained positive saying, “Georgian
authorities will soon overcome these difficulties.”
“We are highly interested in stability in Georgia,” Kocharian said.
“The visit of the head of the Foreign Ministry of Georgia and meetings at a
high level will give a new context to issues on the Armenian-Georgian agenda,”
Armenian Foreign Minister Oskanian said on 21 July during his meeting with his
Georgian counterpart.
The parties discussed mutual advantages of their evolving relationships with
the EU and NATO, as well in developing transportation corridors, namely the
North-South and East-West highways, and in reopening rail service linking
Russia and Armenia, via Georgia.
“There are never concrete results from one visit, but it is a process that we
are starting. We are determined to increase our economic relations,”
Zourabichvili told journalists before boarding the airplane for Tbilisi in
Zvartnots airport.
“Political relations are very good, but we have to deepen them, and have to
appear before Europeans as one region, speaking as much as possible with one
voice,” she said.

4. Eduard Oganessian Dies

Eduard Oganessian, the executive director of the Hai Tahd office in Armenia
and
the director of the Munich Institute for Armenian Research (Institut fur
Armenische Fragen), died on Thursday at the age of 72.
Born in Yerevan, Oganessian eventually left for Moscow, then Leningrad, where
he earned his PhD in 1964.
He served as the director of Radio Liberty’s Armenian division from 1984 to
1993.
He had great input in the production of the three volume The Armenian
Genocide: Documentation, published by the Munich Institute for Armenian
Research, and was overseeing preparation on the fourth, at the time of his
death.
He published many works on the Armenian Genocide and the Armenian Case. His
latest book “Issues Surrounding the Armenian Case, and Possible Solutions,”
was published in 2003.

5. ARF Bureau Extends Condolences

The Bureau of the Armenian Revolution Federation conveys with deep sorrow the
death of dedicated ARF member and intellectual Eduard Oganessian, who passed
away on Thursday, July 22 in Yerevan.

ARF Bureau
Yerevan
July 22, 2002

6. Hai Katch Do Students Garner Awards

Students of the Hai Katch Do Martial Arts Academy clenched several awards at
the World Championships in martial arts, held at the Riviera Hotel Casino in
Las Vegas June 25-27. Led by Renshi Mihran Aghvinian, students Tania Asayi,
Viken Chookhadarian, Hovig Chrchian, Taline Eskidjian, Jennie Settler, Bedros
Tertsagian, Vivian Varbedian, Hovig Zeitlian, took awards in the A, B and C
class competitions.

7. NEWS BRIEFS

Congressional Committee Chairman to Visit Karabagh

YEREVAN (ARMENPRESS)Chairman of the United States Congressional Committee on
NATO and chairman of the Transitional Democracy think-tank, Bruce Jackson,
will
visit Mountainous Karabagh in the near future. Jackson announced his plans
earlier this week during his visit to the South Ossetian capital of
Tskhinvali.

Azerbaijan Not to Make Territorial Compromises, Aliyev Says

BAKU (ARMENPRESS)”The Karabagh conflict remains Azerbaijan’s most painful
problem. For many years Azerbaijan has been trying to resolve this issue
peacefully. But regrettably, the talks have yielded no results,” Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev said on July 21 while addressing the personnel of a
military unit of the Xudat border detachment on the Azerbaijani-Russian
border.
According to him, the activities of the mediators have yielded no results
either. “As for various calls and proposals, they do not reflect the reality,”
Aliyev added.
“Azerbaijan’s cause is fair. Our lands are under occupation. International
legal norms, justice, economic opportunities and potential are on our
side,” he
said. Aliyev spoke about the country’s major efforts in building its military.
According to him, sufficient funds have been spent and will be spent in this
area in the future.
In several years, Azerbaijan will turn into an economically powerful state
and
its military “superiority” will intensify even further. “Under these
conditions, we cannot have a positive attitude to some calls, particularly,
with regard to compromises,” Aliyev said.
“Compromises are impossible on the issue of territorial integrity. I have
repeatedly said that we will not compromise on the issue of territorial
integrity. Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity will be restored. The
possibilities of achieving this peacefully have not been exhausted yet.
However, we have to be ready to liberate our lands militarily at any
moment. We
have everything for this: the unity of the Azerbaijani people, the people’s
complete readiness for action, a strong army and the will of the Azerbaijani
leadership and people,” he added.

Azeri Army Set to Buy Weapons from Pakistan, Russia

BAKU (ARMENPRESS) Azerbaijan and Pakistan may reach agreements, concerning
the
purchase of weapons and the training of army officers, during the upcoming
visit of a top Pakistani general to Azerbaijan, Azeri newspaper Ayna reported.
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Gen Muhammad Aziz
Khan, is
scheduled to visit Azerbaijan in about two weeks, the report said.
“Pakistan may offer its close ally, Azerbaijan, military hardware and weapons
at discounted prices. This is crucial for the Azerbaijani government because
Armenia, which has occupied our territories, buys weapons and military
hardware
from Russia at reduced prices in accordance with the regulations of the
Collective Security Treaty Organization,” the report stated.
In turn, the Azeri daily, Ekho, reported that Azerbaijan seeks to purchase
120
mm Nona-K towed cannons from Russia. Rumors about the deal emerged after
Major-General Vahid Aliyev, the Azeri president’s military aide, visited the
Russian Expo Arms that was held between July 6-10.

Armenian Children Film Wins Best Prize at Athens Festival

YEREVAN (ARMENPRESS)The collaborative work of two Armenian boys aged 12, was
awarded the best film prize at the Kids for Kids Film Festival in Athens,
Greece. The film, titled “Sniper,” competed in the category of films made by
6-12 year olds. The festival was organized by the Association of European
Children Film and the International Center for Children Films.

FC Pyunik to Play Against Shakhter Of Ukraine

YEREVAN (ARMENPRESS)Yerevan’s FC Pyunik will move on to play against FC
Shakhter Donetsk of Ukraine, after registering a 4-2 victory over FK Pobeda
F.Y.R Macedonia. The Armenian team, which now has a 3-1 record in the first
leg, came back from a 2-0 Macedonia lead to take the game.

NATO Technical Center Opens in Yerevan

YEREVAN (ARMENPRESS)NATO will be able to provide free satellite and Internet
connections to a number of scientific and educational centers in Armenia,
thanks to its new technical center that opened in Yerevan on Wednesday.
The center was built as part of NATO’s Virtual Silk Road program, which seeks
to equip science-education institutions in Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan with connections as well.
Executive director of the Arena Company, which is serving as NATO’s
partner in
Armenia, Grigor Babayan, said the program will run for the next three years
and
cost $2.5 million. Armenia’s share in the project runs at around $500,000.
Babayan said that his company ewill be able to provide Internet
connections to
the Yerevan State University and the Yerevan Physics Institute. He added that
33 more institutions will be connected during the coming year.

FIDE Grants Titles to Three Armenian Chess Players

YEREVAN (ARMENPRESS)On July 20, the World Chess Federation (FIDE) granted
Armenian chess player Tigran Petrosian the rank of Grand Master. Two other
Armenian chess playersArman Pashikian and Davit Petrosianwere given the title
of international rank sport masters.

French Coach May Train Armenian National Soccer Team

YEREVAN (ARMENPRESS)Two French national have arrived in Yerevan to try out
for
the vacant post of head coach of the Armenian National Team. The men are
currently in negotiations with the Armenian Futbol Federation. According to
news sources, the mother of one of the candidates is Armenian.

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