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03/02/2005
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1) Rep. Pallone Welcomes Amb. Evans’s Remarks Recognizing the Armenian
Genocide
2) Four Local Charities Get New York Life Settlement Share
3) Armenian-Azeri Talks Further Delayed
4) Parliament Reinstates Central Bank Chair Sargsian
1) Rep. Pallone Welcomes Amb. Evans’s Remarks Recognizing the Armenian
Genocide
–Delivers Powerful Speech on Floor of the US House
WASHINGTON, DC–Speaking on the floor of the US House, Congressional Armenian
Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ) tonight welcomed public statements made
last week by US Ambassador to Armenia John Marshall Evans, in which he
properly
described Ottoman Turkey’s systematic massacres of the Armenians between
1915-1923 as “genocide,” reported the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA). The Ambassador yesterday issued a statement in which he
re-characterized his remarks as his personal views.
In a speech on the House floor, Rep. Pallone shared with his colleagues that
Ambassador Evans, who he noted had studied Russian history at Yale and
Columbia
and Ottoman history at the Kennan Institute, had repeatedly and openly
discussed the Armenian genocide in his public statements during his recently
concluded tour of Armenian American communities. He noted, “Breaking with a
pattern on the part of the State Department of using alternative and evasive
terminology for the Armenian Genocide, Ambassador Evans pointed out that,
and I
quote, ‘No American official has ever denied it.'”
Congressman Pallone added: “Amb. Evans was merely recounting the historical
record, which has been attested to by over 120 Holocaust and genocide scholars
from around the world. In so doing, he was merely giving a name–the accurate
description of “genocide”–to this very Administration’s statements on the
issue. President Bush, on April 24th of each of the last four years, when
commemorating the Armenian Genocide, has used the textbook definition of
genocide–with words and phrases such as ‘annihilation,’ and ‘forced exile and
murder.’ Before him, President Reagan used the word ‘genocide’ in 1981 when
describing the annihilation of over 1.5 million Armenians. In the days of the
Genocide, our US Ambassador, then Henry Morgenthau had the courage to speak
out
against the atrocities, which he stated were a planned and systematic
effort to
annihilate an entire race.”
The New Jersey Congressman closed his remarks by stressing that he wanted to
add his name and voice “to all those who, like Ambassador Evans, know the
truth
and speak plainly when discussing the Armenian Genocide.”
“Armenian Americans, throughout New Jersey and across the nation, welcome
Congressman Pallone’s remarks in support of official US recognition of the
Armenian Genocide and in defense of all those who are working to bring an end
to US complicity in the denial of this crime against all humanity,” said Aram
Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. “We value Congressman Pallone’s
tireless determination, his years of hard work, and–in response to this
latest
controversy–his clear and principled defense of US officials who will no
longer be deterred from speaking the truth about the crime of genocide.”
Rep. Pallone’s comments came a day after a statement released by Amb. Evans,
expressing concerns about a “misunderstanding” regarding his comments made
at a
series of public Armenian American community outreach events in Boston, New
York, New Jersey, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Fresno, and Washington, DC.
During his presentations in these cities, the Ambassador spoke with a level of
candor on the Armenian genocide. During his public presentation at the
University of California, Berkeley, hosted by Armenian Studies Program
Executive Director, Prof. Stephan Astourian, Evans announced, “I will today
call it the Armenian Genocide.”
The Ambassador argued, “We, the US government, owe you, our fellow citizens a
more frank and honest way of discussing this problem. Today, as someone who’s
studied it…There’s no doubt in my mind what happened.”
In a statement posted on the Embassy’s website yesterday, Amb.
Evans noted that his remarks regarding the Armenian genocide were his private
views and did not reflect a change in official US government policy.
2) Four Local Charities Get New York Life Settlement Share
PASADENA (Combined Sources)–Four local charities received their portion of a
$20-million insurance settlement Monday for heirs of the victims of the
Armenian genocide.
Haigoush Keghinian-Kohler of the Armenian Educational Foundation, Archbishop
Moushegh Mardirossian of the Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church,
Chairman Richard Mouseghian of the Armenian Church of the North America
Western
Diocese, and Maro Minassian and Anahid Meymarian of the Armenian Relief
Society
were on hand to receive the checks for more than $333,000 each during a
ceremony in Pasadena on Monday.
New York Life last year agreed to settle the 1999 class-action lawsuit filed
by descendants of victims of the 1915 genocide. They accused the insurance
company of not paying out 2,300 policies purchased by their relatives in the
Ottoman Empire, officials said.
“This is historic because it is the first case of its kind for any money or
resolution of the Armenian genocide,” said Brian S. Kabateck, one of the
attorneys who orchestrated the settlement and whose grandparents survived the
genocide. “And it’s probably the oldest case in US history since its inception
90 years ago.”
The money will benefit only the “poor and needy,” Kabateck said. It cannot be
used for administrative purposes by the organizations. The groups have six
months to determine how to spend the money, he said.
According to the settlement, nine US charities that serve people of Armenian
descent will share $3 million. Individual relatives of victims will receive
the
remaining $17 million.
The 55-year-old Armenian Educational Foundation provides scholarships to
needy
students, funds after-school programs for as many as 1,400 Glendale and
Burbank
children and has helped rebuild schools in Armenia, board member Haigoush
Keghinian-Kohler said. The board will meet this month to decide the best use
for the money, Keghinian-Kohler said.
The settlement will not only benefit the local community, but will also help
the healing process, she said.
“I am a child and grandchild of survivors,” Keghinian-Kohler said.
“Hopefully,
my parents and grandparents will rest in peace, but not completely until
the US
and Turkish governments recognize that the genocide did happen.”
The Armenian Relief Society, with affiliate entities in 24 different
countries
serving the social and educational needs of Armenian communities everywhere,
seeks to preserve the cultural identity of the Armenian nation and bring
humanitarian help to all communities in distress.
Descendants of those who have outstanding New York Life policies must file
their claims by March 16 to receive their share of the settlement. People can
check their eligibility at
On January 27, five Armenian charities received checks for $333,333, also
part
of a $20 million settlement with New York Life Insurance Co. The agreement set
aside at least $11 million for descendants, $3 million for charities, and $2
million for administrative costs.
3) Armenian-Azeri Talks Further Delayed
YEREVAN (RFE/RL)–The next round of Armenian-Azeri peace talks has been
postponed by at least one week because of Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian’s
continuing illness, his spokesman clarified on Wednesday.
Oskanian and his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov were scheduled to
hold a meeting in Prague on Wednesday. News of its postponement was confirmed
by Armenia on Tuesday. Azerbaijani sources said it will likely take place in
Paris later this week.
But an Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Serob Bejanian, said this is now
out of question. “The Mammadyarov-Oskanian meeting has again been postponed
due
to Mr. Oskanian’s health condition,” said Bejanian. “Mr. Oskanian has to
continue his treatment in Yerevan for at least one more week.”
“Precise dates for the meeting will be set afterward,” he added.
Mammadyarov, meanwhile, was due in Prague on Wednesday for talks with Czech
government officials.
Azeri ANS radio quoted him as saying that he has already received a copy of a
report drawn up by a fact-finding OSCE mission that visited
Armenian-controlled
territories of Azerbaijan last month. The OSCE officials were investigating
Azerbaijani allegations about illegal resettlement of Armenians in the
occupied
territories.
Mammadyarov declined to comment on the report, saying that its findings will
not be publicized until March 16. An Azerbaijani diplomat in Vienna on Monday
accused Armenia of illegally sending 23,000 settlers to those lands. “Such
steps of Armenia represent a blatant violation of international humanitarian
law and totally contradict the Geneva conventions,” Parviz Shahbazov told a
news conference.
Shahbazov also accused Bernard Fassier, France’s chief Karabagh negotiator who
accompanied the OSCE team on the trip, of justifying “the result of Armenian
aggression” and diminishing the scale of the settlement campaign.
Fassier had said that, with the exception of the Lachin district providing
for
the shortest overland link between Karabagh and Armenia, Armenians’ migration
into the occupied territories seems to be largely spontaneous and improvised.
“Contrary to what many people thought, there doesn’t seem to be a deliberate,
large-scale plan to settle those areas,” he stressed.
4) Parliament Reinstates Central Bank Chair Sargsian
YEREVAN (ARKA)–Armenia’s National Assembly has voted to reinstate the
chairman
of the Central Bank of Armenia Tigran Sargsian, for a seven-year term.
The closed ballot yielded 86 votes in favor of Sargsian, reelection; only 4
members of parliament opposed.
Sargsian thanked Armenian President Robert Kocharian for putting forward his
candidacy and lawmakers for approving it, and promised to justify the
confidence of the lawmakers in reinstating him for another term.
“I’ll try to strengthen this confidence and hope that cooperation with the
Parliament will bring about a flourishing of the country’s economy,” Sargsian
said. He stressed that Armenia would be facing new challenges and must be
prepared to tackle them.
According to law, the Chair of Armenia’s Central Bank is nominated by the
President for a seven-year term, and must be approved by its National
Assembly.
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