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06/15/2005
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) ARF Youth Delegation at IUSY Black Sea Area Cooperation Meeting in Istanbul 2) Lebanese Armenians Protest Erdogan Visit 3) Giro Manoyan Meets with Turkish Deputy 4) German Bundestag Set to Adopt Armenian Genocide Resolution 1) ARF Youth Delegation at IUSY Black Sea Area Cooperation Meeting in Istanbul YEREVAN (ARF Youth Office)--An Armenian Youth Federation delegation will be attending an International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY) conference in Istanbul, Turkey, June 16-19, along with representatives of IUSY member organizations from Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine. The AYF's Karen Mnatsakanyan and Zinavor Meghryan (Armenia), Talline Tachdjian (France), and Khatchik Mouradian (Lebanon) will participate in the conference that will address Black Sea area cooperation. Topics include minorities in Europe, international agreements on minorities, and past policies on minorities. A seminar on the geopolitics of Central Asia is also scheduled. The IUSY is a fraternal organization of the Socialist International. IUSY membership includes 143 socialist, social-democratic, labor youth and student unions from 100 countries. The AYF is a full-fledged IUSY member. Additional information on IUSY and the Black Sea Area Cooperation conference is available at <; 2) Lebanese Armenians Protest Erdogan Visit BEIRUT--Hundreds of Lebanese Armenians took part in a demonstration Wednesday protesting Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to the country. Erdogan was expected in Beirut for talks with Lebanese officials and to take part in the Arab Economic Forum. Lebanon has passed legislation that recognizes and condemns the genocide of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire, and encourages other nations to stop the cycle of such extreme criminal acts. Organized by the Armenian National Committee of Lebanon, the rally took place in the heart of Bourj Hammoud, a shopping district, where stores closed mid-afternoon in protest of Erdogan's visit. 3) Giro Manoyan Meets with Turkish Deputy YEREVAN (Combined Sources)--Giro Manoyan, Director of Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Bureau's Armenian National Committee and Political Affairs Office, met on Sunday with a member of the Turkish Parliament. Manoyan's one-hour long meeting with Turkish ruling party's Turhan Comez, took place in the lobby of the Marriott Armenia hotel. Samson Ozararat, Armenia's representative in the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Council, and Comez's colleauges also attended. Armenian-Turkish relations highlighted conversations, with Manoyan pointing out that dialogue is possible only when it is genuine. He said that by all indications, however, no such environment within Turkey exists for such internal discussions. Manoyan later stressed to journalists accompanying the Turkish politician their role in the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations, and emphasized the need for responsible reporting. Zaman Daily reported that Comez, who also met with French Ambassador to Armenia Henry Cuny, told reporters that people sharing the same geography could meet at a common ground. "The meeting was held to share our intentions and ideas. I thank Armenia for their hospitability. We, as two nations sharing the same geography, can take steps forward in harmony and [with] mutual understanding, and open the channels of communication with warm dialogue. Dialogue is a must. " Comez, who was on an unofficial visit to Yerevan, also spoke to students and lecturers at Yerevan State University, and insisted that--as a first step--the two countries should stop setting conditions for establishing relations. 4) German Bundestag Set to Adopt Armenian Genocide Resolution (RFE/RL)--According to journalist Ashot Manucharian, who lives and works in Germany, the German Bundestag will discuss and vote on a resolution on the Armenian genocide, on June 16. Preliminary discussions concerning the adoption of a special resolution on the Armenian genocide took place at the Bundestag on April 21. Despite pressure from the Turkish Government, the Turkish Embassy in Germany and lobbyist groups, all parties represented in the Bundestag, nevertheless, decided to adopt before September a special document related to the Armenian genocide. However, with Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's announcement of pre-term parliamentary elections, the Bundestag has decided to complete the process before the original September deadline. According to Manucharian, the word "genocide" will be used in the resolution, which stresses that "numerous independent historians, parliaments and international organizations call the massacre of Armenians 'a 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. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets.