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05/02/2005
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Members of Congress Mark 90th Anniversary of Armenian Genocide in Floor Speeches 2) Parliament Head Reviews Status of Armenian Churches with Georgian Patriarch 3) Turkey Claims Professor to be Red Listed after Denying Armenian Genocide 4) Schroeder Warns Turkey Not to Go Back on Reforms 5) Possibly Kocharian-Erdogan May Meeting 1) Members of Congress Mark 90th Anniversary of Armenian Genocide in Floor Speeches WASHINGTON, DC (ANCA)--Over forty Senators and Representatives joined Armenians around the world this week in commemorating the 90th Anniversary of the Armenian genocide, during "Special Order" remarks on the House floor and statements in the Senate--made in the weeks surrounding April 24. Congressional Armenian Caucus co-chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ) organized the April 26 House commemoration, providing Representatives 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 24. "We want to extend our appreciation to Congressman Pallone for his leadership once again this year in hosting the Armenian Genocide Special Order on the House side," said Armenian National Committee of America Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "We thank, as well, the many Representatives and Senators who offered remarks and attended commemorations--here in Washington and around the nation." During their statements, many Senators and Representatives spoke forcefully about the importance of ending US complicity in Turkey's continued campaign of Genocide denial, pledging their support for legislation that will come before Congress on this subject. Several called for immediate US and international action to end the genocide currently taking place in Darfur, noting that Turkey's ability to commit genocide with impunity has set a dangerous precedent for worldwide genocide prevention efforts. The Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairman noted, "As we speak, the Sudanese Government is taking a page out of the Turkish Government's denial playbook and continuing the vicious cycle of genocide denial in what is happening in Darfur. If we are ever to live in a world where crimes do not go unpunished and fundamental human rights are respected and preserved, we must come to recognize the Armenian Genocide, thus allowing for proper reparations and restitutions to be made." 2) Parliament Head Reviews Status of Armenian Churches with Georgian Patriarch (PanArmenian.net)--The head of the Georgian Orthodox Church, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Ilia II, received Armenian National Assembly Speaker Arthur Baghdasarian and members of an Armenian delegation on April 29 to discuss the status of Armenian churches in Georgia and other religious issues, reported IA Regnum. His Holiness told journalists after the meeting that the talks were very congenial and the parties discussed a variety of issues, including problems tied to several churches in Georgia. "It is a dubious question. Armenians say that those are Armenian churches, Georgians say that those are Georgian ones.~T The sides subsequently discussed forming joint commissions to thoroughly review the problem. Baghdasarian said he raised the matter of providing legal status for the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia and indicated that the opening of a Georgian Church representation in Armenia is a good start in forming a solid relationship. 3) Turkey Claims Professor to be Red Listed after Denying Armenian Genocide HURRIYET--According to Turkish sources, Swiss authorities have placed a Turkish professor on their red list for his claims that there was no Armenian genocide by Ottoman Turkey. The step reportedly comes after Yusuf Halacoglu's insistent and public rejection last year of the Armenian genocide, when he said that Armenians, in fact, killed Ottomans, and claimed that "many studies had been conducted in the archives of several countries, and mostly in that of the Ottoman Empire, but have not turned up a single document or record mentioning genocide." According to Turkish sources, Switzerland has issued an order for Halacoglu's arrest, and has undertaken steps for Interpol to prepare a "red bulletin" for his arrest. Switzerland~Rs Canton of Geneva adopted a resolution on December 10, 2001, initiated by Switzerland~Rs Grand Conseil on June 25, 1998, which recognizes with a solemn declaration the fact of the Armenian genocide of 1915. Its Canton of Vaud adopted a similar resolution on September 23, 2003. 4) Schroeder Warns Turkey Not to Go Back on Reforms (scottsman.com)--German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has assured Turkey that membership negotiations with the European Union will start as scheduled on October 3, but has warned it must not go back on reforms, according to an interview published in a Turkish newspaper today. Schroeder, who has long backed Turkey's bid to join the bloc, was speaking ahead of his trip to Turkey, which begins on Tuesday. There have been concerns that a recent slowdown in the pace of Turkish reforms might derail the talks. "It's important to continue on the path that has been chosen. Reforms, especially in terms of basic freedoms and human and minority rights, need to be implemented and it needs to be made sure there's no going back on the reforms. For this, as Prime Minister [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan has said, there needs to be a change in mentality. This won't be possible overnight," Schroeder was quoted as saying. "The negotiations will start on October 3. The conditions that Turkey must fulfil are known. The negotiations will definitely be long and difficult. The progress that Turkey makes in the reform process will determine to a large extent the progress it makes in the negotiations." At a December European Union summit, the bloc agreed to open membership talks with Turkey. But it must sign a customs agreement that would mean de facto recognition of the government of Cyprus--a step it has been hesitant to take. Schroeder said a recent call by Erdogan to establish political relations with Armenia while jointly researching the killings of Armenians during the First World War is "a step in the right direction." Armenia has rejected the proposal, saying that the Armenian genocide by Ottoman Turkey is a substantiated fact. Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamlet Gasparian criticized on April 29, Turkey's continued insistence that scholars from both countries establish a joint commission to determine whether the killings of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians in Ottoman Turkey in 1915 constituted genocide Erdogan proposed such a commission to President Robert Kocharian last month as a precondition for establishing formal diplomatic relations, but Kocharian rejected it, calling instead for establishing diplomatic relations with no preconditions. Gasparian implied that Turkey was resorting to "excuses," and has no real desire to normalize relations with Armenia. 5) Kocharian Possibly Will Meet Erdogan in May YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--President Robert Kocharian could meet Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan later this month to discuss ways of normalizing relations between Armenia and Turkey, his spokesman said on Monday. Victor Soghomonian, the presidential press secretary, did not deny a Turkish newspaper report saying that the two leaders plan to follow up on their high-profile exchange of letters which was sparked by worldwide commemorations of the 90th anniversary of the Armenian genocide in Ottoman Turkey. But he added that "there are no concrete agreements yet" on the venue and date of their meeting. Citing sources in Erdogan's office, the "Zaman" daily reported on Sunday that the meeting is likely to take place in Warsaw on the sidelines of a summit of Council of Europe member states scheduled for May 15-16. A government source in Yerevan confirmed that the likelihood of the meeting between is great. Armenian and Turkish leaders have had sporadic face-to-face encounters in the past but made no progress towards the improvement of bilateral ties. The first-ever talks between Kocharian and Erdogan would inevitably address the latter's calls for the creation of a Turkish-Armenian commission of historians that would look into the 1915-1918 mass killings of Armenians and determine if they constituted a genocide. Kocharian turned down the offer, saying Ankara should instead drop preconditions for establishing diplomatic relations with Yerevan and opening the Turkish-Armenian border. He also suggested that the two governments set up a commission that would tackle all issues of mutual concern. Reacting to Kocharian's letter, Erdogan said the lifting of the Turkish embargo is conditional on an end to the Armenian campaign for international recognition of the genocide. All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2005 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. 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