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07/06/2005
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1) Documentary on Impact of Turkish Blockade on Armenia Selected for Film
Festivals
2) Genocide Denial Has No Place in European Parliament, Says Member Howitt
3) OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Concludes Session
4) Aronian Third at European Chess Championship
5) All Aboard from Marseille
1) Documentary on Impact of Turkish Blockade on Armenia Selected for Film
Festivals
System Of A Down lead vocalist provides narration for documentary that
tells of
decade-long blockade of Armenia
WASHINGTON, DC (ANCA)- – “Armenia, a Country under Blockade,” a powerful
documentary film on the impact of Turkey’s blockade of Armenia was featured at
the recently concluded Myrtle Beach International Film Festival, and has
officially been selected for the upcoming “Golden Apricots,” Yerevan’s
International film festival, which will take place between July 12-17.
Narrated by System of a Down lead vocalist, Serj Tankian and directed by
Diran
Noubar, the 52-minute documentary film describes, in compelling images and
through first-hand accounts, the human impact of Turkey’s decade-long, illegal
blockade of Armenia. It has earned critical acclaim, including a standing
ovation at the Cannes Festival’s film market held earlier this year. Academy
Award nominee Atom Egoyan (1997-The Sweet Hereafter) has called “Armenia, a
Country under Blockade” a “very worthy and important document.”
The timing of the film’s release–on the eve of the European Union’s
membership negotiations with Turkey–sparked a sharp reaction from Ankara, and
interest for Europeans troubled by the prospect of accepting a member state
that so flagrantly violates international law. The film was shot entirely in
Armenia.
“Diran Noubar’s powerful work is bringing the story of Armenia–and the
brutal
impact of Turkey’s illegal blockade–to the attention of vast new
international
audiences,” said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. “We encourage
Armenian Americans to watch this documentary–and just as importantly–to
share
it with their local elected officials, to arrange screenings for civic groups,
and to encourage its broadcast by local television stations.”
The film will be shown twice at the Golden Apricots, on July 12 at 5:00 PM
and
again on July 13 at 11:00 AM at the Cinema House at Moskva Movie Theater in
Yerevan.
To purchase copies of the documentary, arrange a local community or
university
screening, or to encourage your local television station to broadcast this
powerful message, contact: Diran Noubar, Kayane Productions, Inc.; 1901 Dorset
Drive, Tarrytown, NY 10591; (917)459-4109
2) Genocide Denial Has No Place in European Parliament, Says Member Howitt
BRUSSELS–The chair of conference that was held in the European Parliament on
June 15, stressed he was unaware that conference participant Justin
McCarthy is
an adamant denier of the Armenian genocide.
European Parliament Member Richard Howitt, said he accepted the chairmanship
believing a balanced debate–aimed at building reconciliation and mutual
understanding between Turks and Armenians–was the goal of organizers.
Howitt responded to the European Armenian Federation’s (EAFJD) objection to
not only McCarthy’s participation, but also the conference, which was
organized
by the Turkish think-tank Ari Movement.
Howitt contacted the Armenian organization to make it clear that he was not
responsible for the organization of the meeting. Chairman Howitt also made it
understood that he specifically opened the meeting by confirming successive
European Parliament resolutions supporting unequivocal recognition of the
Armenian genocide.
The European Parliamentary Labour Party sits as part of the multi-national
Socialist Group in the European Parliament, but it has its own leadership and
spokespeople representing Britain in Brussels and Strasbourg. Labour has 19
Euro-MPs in the European Parliament.
A longtime anti-racist activist in the UK, Howitt emphasized that neither he,
the Socialist Group in the European Parliament, nor the European Parliament as
a whole, would in any way accept genocide denial, or any denial of ethnic or
racist violence.
Howitt is a substitute member on the Employment & Social Affairs Committee,
President of the European Parliament’s all-party group on disability, and
worked in the voluntary sector before becoming an MEP. He is also a member of
the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee and is first Vice Chair of
the Sub Committee on Human Rights.
Howitt and the Socialist Group of MEPs pay tribute to the victims of the
Armenian genocide and their relatives today, in the year of its 90th
anniversary.
3) OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Concludes Session
YEREVAN (Combined Sources)–The Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE PA) session in Washington, DC,
continued on July 5 with Swedish Member of Parliament and OSCE Parliamentary
Assembly Rapporteur on the Karabagh conflict Goran Lennmarker remaining
optimistic about finding a peaceful resolution satisfactory to both sides.
“There is no alternative to a peaceful solution; in fact, there is an urgent
need to solve the conflict in order to end the personal, economic, and social
suffering on both sides,” said Lennmarker, who has served since June of
2002 as
the OSCE PA special representative on this issue.
An Azeri news agency quoted Lennmarker as saying, “By appointing a special
representative, the OSCE intended to engage the parliamentarians of Armenia
and
Azerbaijan in the efforts for resolution of their dispute.”
Meanwhile, Sattar Safarov of the Azeri delegation told Baku-based daily
Zerkalo that during the closed session, Lennmarker said, “The recognition of
the Nagorno Karabagh Republic by Europe is unacceptable and would lead to many
negative consequences.” Zerkalo also reported that Lennmarker added, however,
that “the best way to ensure Armenians’ security is to unify Karabagh with
Armenia.”
The OSCE PA meeting on July 5 in Washington, DC, voted overwhelmingly to
defeat a controversial measure on Karabagh authored by Safarov. The Safarov
resolution, which was widely viewed as a biased and divisive measure, received
only token support, with nearly all the Heads of Delegation voting to keep the
measure off of the OSCE PA agenda. The defeat of the Safarov resolution set
the
stage for the standard consideration by the Assembly of the Mountainous
Karabagh conflict.
4) Aronian Third at European Chess Championship
WARSAW–Armenia’s Levon Aronian came in third at the sixth European Individual
Chess Championship, behind Romanian Grandmaster Liviu Diter Nisipeanu, who
clinched first place with 10 points, and Teimur Radjabov of Azerbaijan who
finished second.
Twenty-three year-old Aronian, who is ranked 10th in the world, is ranked
number one in Armenia.
Aronian, along with fellow team member Levon Asrian, went into a tie-breaker
round for third place. Asrian placed seventh.
5) All Aboard from Marseille
YEREVAN (Combined Sources)–The Armenian “Cilicia” sailing ship, named and
modeled after the 13th century vessels used in and around the Armenian kingdom
of Cilicia, dropped its anchor in the French port city of Marseille on July 3.
The crew was greeted by the warm welcomes of Armenian ambassador to France
Edward Nalbandian, Marseille mayor Jean-Claude Gaudin, local senate and
parliament members, and the community’s Armenians.
Ambassador Nalbandian spoke of Marseille’s history as “a friendly destination
for Armenians.” The vessel will continue its voyage on July 6.
Cilicia’s Seven Seas Navigation expedition began in June 2004, as it sailed
through the Marmara, Aegean, Mediterranean, and Adriatic seas to arrive in
Venice in September of 2004, where it stayed for the winter. The crew returned
to Venice to start the second leg of the expedition, taking the ship from the
historic Italian city to circle Europe and arrive in Amsterdam by September
2005.
The ship is constructed in accordance with medieval shipbuilding
technologies.
Carpenters and designers avoided using modern methods and conveniences. To
complete the authenticity, the crew wears period uniforms, while even the
ship’s menu corresponds to the times. Participants of the historical
experiment
are of different professions: musician, engineer, doctor, signaler, film
director, and cameraman.
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