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10/11/2005
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1) Catholicos Aram I Calls for US Recognition of Armenian Genocide
2) NATO Parliamentary Assembly Reviews Armenian Genocide
3) Council of Europe Encourages Citizens to Support Proposed Constitutional
Reforms
1) Catholicos Aram I Calls for US Recognition of Armenian Genocide
His Holiness says there can not be reconciliation before confession
LOS ANGELES–His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia,
made a firm statement calling for proper US recognition of the Armenian
Genocide during a special prayer service in honor of the victims of the
Armenian Genocide held on October 8 at the Armenian Genocide Monument in
Montebello, California. The Catholicos stated that the United States has
always
stood on the side of justice and human rights and should therefore take a
principled stand by properly recognizing the Armenian genocide.
The special ceremony was organized as a reaffirmation of the community’s
commitment to proper genocide recognition on the occasion of the 90th
anniversary of the Armenian genocide. There were several hundred members of
the
community in attendance as well as many local public officials including State
Assemblyman Ron Calderon, Montebello Mayor Bill Molinari, Pico Riviera Mayor
David Armenta, Montebello Police Chief Gary Couso-Vasquez and a representative
from Montebello Congresswoman Grace Napolitano’s office.
`Reconciliation is based on forgiveness; however, there cannot be forgiveness
until there is acceptance of the truth and real confession,’ said the Pontiff
during the event referring to the Turkish government’s continuing campaign of
denial and the lack of official US recognition of the genocide. `While this
monument stands in memory of the martyrs of the Armenian Genocide, it also
symbolizes the struggle against evil, the quest for justice, peace and human
rights.’ His Holiness also emphasized the point that the United States should
show greater leadership on this issue by officially recognizing the genocide
based on the fundamental principles of freedom and human rights for which the
country stands.
The Catholicos went on to say that the Genocide Monument in Montebello is a
living monument and should be viewed as the bell that tolls reminding the
Armenian community to continue the just struggle for the Armenian Cause and
remain loyal to the memories of the martyrs of the Armenian genocide. The
Pontiff ended his remarks by telling the story of how on April 24 of this year
he journeyed to Der Zor to the Euphrates river where many Armenian women and
children had died during the genocide and he christened two Armenian children
and `the river that had symbolized death for the Armenian people turned into a
river of life,’ he said.
After the ceremony at the Armenian Genocide monument, His Holiness
traveled to
the Holy Cross Church in Montebello to meet with Armenian youth from the
Montebello community.
Catholicos Meets with Armenian Students in Glendale
On the previous day, Friday, October 7, His Holiness held a meeting at
Glendale High School with approximately 1,000 students from the 11 Los Angeles
area Armenian schools. His Holiness stressed that students should carry on the
cultural and spiritual traditions of the Armenian people. He also emphasized
the importance of living life with high moral values and stated that the
students should serve as role models in the community. After the Pontiff’s
remarks, the program included poetry recitations, choir ensembles and other
instrumental performances by various students.
His Holiness Aram I Presides Over 1600 Anniversary of Armenian Alphabet
Celebration
On the evening of Friday, October 7, His Holiness was present at the Glendale
Homenetmen `Ararat’ Chapters special event celebrating the Armenian alphabet.
In addition to the hundreds of community members present, also attending were
Glendale Mayor Rafi Manoukian, Glendale City Councilman Frank Quintero,
Glendale Police Chief Randy Adams and Glendale School Board member Greg
Krikorian.
During the official remarks, His Holiness emphasized the importance of the
Armenian language in defining the Armenian culture and encouraged the youth
present to make the effort to learn the language as a means to living their
identity.
2) NATO Parliamentary Assembly Reviews Armenian Genocide
YEREVAN (Combined Sources)–The Armenian genocide was on the agenda of a NATO
Parliamentary Assembly seminar that took place in Armenia last week.
Addressing the NATO Rose-Roth Seminar held in Yerevan October 6-9, Halil
Berktay, professor of history at Sabanci University, specifically said, `I say
that the Genocide was committed. The only question is how to come to its
recognition.’
He suggested studying various approaches in order for Turkish society to
first
`realize’ that genocide has been committed, `then to recognize it.’
Otherwise, he warned that tension among nationalist forces in Turkey would
escalate.
The Turkish historian also alluded to a proposal by Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan to create a joint commission of Armenian and Turkish
historians to `examine the events of 1915-1918′ and determine if they indeed
constituted genocide. Armenian leaders had categorically rejected that idea,
saying that the Genocide is a proven fact that can not be disputed.
In an April letter responding to Erdogan, Armenian President Robert Kocharian
wrote: `Your proposal to address the past can not be productive unless it
addresses the present and the future as well.’ Kocharian stressed the two
countries should instead form an `intergovernmental commission’ to tackle this
and other problems hampering their relations.
In his report to the NATO Seminar, Armenian Parliament Vice-speaker Vahan
Hovhannisian echoed President Kocharian’s suggestions, and called Erdogan’s
offer to `a clever attempt to fool the international community.’
Speaking of Turkey’s aspiration to join the European Union, Hovhannisian said
Turkish society is not yet ready to accept European values, including the
ability to admit guilt. `Turkish society must first change itself,’ he
stressed.
Hovhannisian commended Berktay’s clear position of qualifying the events of
1915 as genocide.
Sixty parliamentarians from 22 countries also discussed the Mountainous
Karabagh conflict, among other topics at the Seminar.
The Rose-Roth program was launched in 1990, with the initial aim to
strengthen
the development of parliamentary democracy in Central and Eastern European
countries.
Today, the Program also addresses regional security issues, particularly in
the Balkans and the Caucasus.
The Assembly usually holds three Rose-Roth seminars each year, covering a
wide
range of subjects such as civil-military relations, regional security, and the
fight against terrorism.
3) Council of Europe Encourages Citizens to Support Proposed Constitutional
Reforms
YEREVAN (RFE/RL)–The top decision-making body of the Council of Europe urged
Armenians on Monday to vote for constitutional amendments at next month’s
referendum, saying that they are `vital’ for Armenia’s democratic future.
`The referendum, to be held on November 27 on this reform, will be vital for
Armenia,’ Diogo Freitas do Amaral, Portugal’s foreign minister and the
chairman
of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, said in a statement.
`By turning out to vote, the people of Armenia will indeed be deciding on
changes of fundamental importance for their future,’ he said, adding that the
proposed changes would shore up Armenia’s weak judiciary and create a `more
balanced distribution of power between the executive and the legislative
branches.’
Amaral emphasized that the reforms have been endorsed by the Venice
Commission, the Council of Europe’s advisory body on legal reform which has
been actively involved in the Armenian process. The head of the commission,
Gianni Buquicchio, called for a `yes’ vote at the referendum during a recent
visit to Yerevan.
The European Union and the United States have also expressed support for the
draft amendments. Western officials say that as well as curbing sweeping
powers
vested in the Armenian presidency, the proposed reform would facilitate
Armenia’s integration into pan-European structures.
A similar statement was adopted on Monday at a conference of an organization
representing various-level Armenian judges.
`The constitutional draft is close to being a perfect legal document,’ stated
the chairman of the Union of Judges, Hovannes Manukian.
Armenia’s leading opposition groups, meanwhile, remain adamant in rejecting
the amendments as insignificant and irrelevant to the country’s
democratization. In a joint statement last month, 17 opposition parties said
their enactment would only `legitimize the regime and prolong its life.’ They
pledged to work together in trying to scuttle the referendum.
But the opposition leaders disagree on whether they should urge Armenians to
boycott the referendum or vote against the draft amendments.
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