Month: October 2006

Who Do You Think You Are?

Full circle

Wednesday 4 October 9.00pm BBC ONE

Programme copy

Antiques expert and TV presenter David Dickinson is the latest
celebrity to go in search of his roots as Who Do You Think You
Are?, the series that spurred the nation’s passion for genealogy,
continues. David’s ancestral quest has been especially meaningful for
him because he was adopted. His parents, Jim and Joyce Dickinson,
adopted him as a baby – something he didn’t find out until he was
about 11 years old. But he confesses he had always felt different.

>From an early age David showed a sharp business instinct, but he
didn’t immediately go into antiques. When he left school at 14 he first
worked as an apprentice in an aircraft factory, though he left after
only six months for a job in the textile industry, following – though
he didn’t know it at the time – in his real grandfather’s footsteps.

Once he had discovered, by chance, that he was adopted, Jim and
Joyce explained that his birth mother was an Armenian called Eugenie
Gulessarian who had lived locally. David was neither distressed nor
even particularly surprised by these revelations, and it wasn’t until
he was in his twenties that he made any attempt to track Eugenie
down. Although they corresponded by letter and talked on the phone,
they never actually met in person. She died in 1989.

David explains: "I think as a little boy, having found out that I
came from this Armenian stock I’ve always wanted to know more about
it and as I got into my twenties and thirties I did find out more
but eventually that came to a stop. So I’m hoping that this programme
will take me the full journey."

David was curious about his birth family and his Armenian roots. When
he acquired some photographs of his birth mother, who was known as
Jenny, and her parents, Hrant and Marie-Adelaide, he was struck by
how similar in appearance they were to him. And the similarities
didn’t end there. Hrant had been a successful textiles entrepreneur
in Manchester, having arrived from Constantinople in 1904.

Manchester had had close trade links with Turkey through the textile
industry since the 1840s and when Hrant arrived there was already an
established Armenian community. He joined an uncle who already lived
in Manchester and was running a family business exporting cotton and
other fabrics to Turkey. By coincidence, the address of grandfather
Hrant’s business turned out to be just a stone’s throw from where
David worked when he was in the textile trade.

At the local Armenian Church, David found records of Jenny’s baptism
and those of her brother and sister, John and Marie, as well as an
entry for Hrant and Marie-Adelaide’s marriage. He also found the
address of Hrant’s family home in the village of Great Warford,
only 20 minutes’ drive from David’s own home. He paid a visit, and
was shown round by the present owner.

David admits he is fascinated with grandfather Hrant: "I have always
felt I had been close to him as a little boy. And I think I feel a lot
of understanding for him. I can see the slight old fashioned-ness. I
can see the slight toughness. It is in me … and I think I’ve always
looked towards him and, as a teenager growing up, I always – rather
silly I suppose – I modelled myself on him."

Hrant was not particularly happy, however. His marriage to
Marie-Adelaide (who, according to family folklore, was French)
was stormy, and there were terrible rows. Finally, Marie-Adelaide
left him for a man with whom she’d been having an affair, but Hrant
gained custody of the children. When David checked in the Manchester
Records Office, he found that his grandmother was born Marie-Adelaide
Jackson, the daughter of a Moss Side baker, so there was no hint of
French blood. The records further showed that Hrant divorced her for
adultery with a man called Frederick Williams.

There was more to come. Through his cousin, Mark Gulessarian, the
son of David’s uncle, John, David learned from Hrant’s will that at
the time of his death in 1963 his fortune had declined radically,
perhaps on account of the slump in trade that followed the Second
World War. He died a relatively poor man.

David travelled to Istanbul to trace Hrant’s ancestors. He was
told that the Turks’ resentment of the Armenians was so strong that
thousands died through persecution between 1894 and 1897. Massacres
of the Armenians, which occurred from 1915 to 1917, are known as the
Armenian Genocide and two million are thought to have perished. In
Istanbul, where the Western press was well-established and there was
a strong European influence and presence, Armenians could live in
relative safety; the massacres took place in the remote east of the
country. However, officially, Turkey still fails to acknowledge what
took place and discourages research into the genocide.

David is relieved to find out that his great-grandparents didn’t
die in these massacres. He found a funeral certificate for his
great-grandfather, Boghos, from which he learned that he died aged
63 of dysentery at the holiday resort of Yenimahalle, on the Bosphorus.

David enlisted the help of a local historian to find out more about
the family business. He discovered that the premises used by his
family still exist and are still used by textile traders, though the
Gulessarian business petered out in the late Twenties.

The chances that any of the Gulessarian family still remained in the
city were slim, but David decided to place a series of adverts in the
local Armenian newspaper. Initially there was no response, but towards
the end of David’s visit a gentleman called Hacik Guleser contacted
the newspaper. He turned out to be David’s third cousin. The family
had dropped the name Gulessarian in the Thirties and adopted the
more Turkish-sounding name of Guleser. So, through David and Hacik,
the Gulesssarian family line continues.

"Most people will have their mother and father, brought up in Doncaster
or Yorkshire, wherever it may be, and will know their roots and never
question them," says David. "In my case, there has always been a
question about my roots because there’s never been a certainty what
it’s all about."

As he ends his journey, David concludes: "I’ve come full circle now. I
can sense a certain toughness in them. It’s in me. Since I was 11 I’ve
been chasing the Gulesserian name. Maybe I’ve had something to prove."

ginfo/tv/wk40/feature_whodoyou.shtml

PRESS RELEASE
COALITION IN SUPPORT OF KASHATAGH
New Website and On-Line Petition
E-Mail: [email protected]
Website:
New York, USA

October 3, 2006

Dear Fellow Armenians,

As you read these lines the Armenians in Kashatagh (Lachin)need our
immediate help.

After the war in Nagorno-Karabakh, local officials in Armenian and
Artsakh called for Armenian to move to Kashatagh and made promisies of
financial and material assistance to all those who heeded the call to
resettle in Kashatagh. Today, those promises have not been kept.

As a result, livings conditions in Kashatagh are bad and getting worse.
Thus, Armenians who moved there are now leaving. If this situation
persists, there will be no Armenian presence in this strategically
vital region that lies between Armenia and the Republic of
Nagorno-Karabakh.

Armenians in the diaspora, as well as in Armenia and Artsakh, cannot
remain silent when faced with this sad reality. We need to forcefully
voice our concerns and demand an adequate degree of accountabilty from
those responsible.

To publicize the situation a new website devoted to KASHATAGH has been
created:

On the website an ON-LINE PETITION has been posted. This petition is
addressed to the Presidents of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. It calls
on these officials to immediately take all possible steps to rectify
the socio-economic situation in KASHATAGH and stop the exodus of
Armenians from the region.

All concerned Armenians are urged to sign this important PETITION and
circulate it as well.

Collectively, the Armenian people can make a difference for the
Armenians of KASHATAGH

Genocide Education Network of Illinois
PO Box 220,
Arlington Heights, IL 60006-0220
Tel. (917) 428-1918
Fax (718) 651-3637
Email: [email protected]
Internet: genocideeducationnetwork.org

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
October 2, 2006
Contact: Karine Birazian
Email: [email protected]/ Phone (917) 428-1918

Meeting the Mandate in Illinois by Teaching the Other Genocides

Lisle, IL- Over two hundred social studies teachers attended the annual
Illinois Council for the Social Studies (ICSS) conference September 29
and 30th visiting various exhibitors and attending numerous sessions
allowing for personal and professional development for educators
reported the Genocide Education Network of Illinois (GENI).

This year’s conference entitled Literacy and the American Mind had over
forty 60-minute sessions and several 2-hour workshops, as well as an
exhibition of over one hundred groups. Present at the conference as an
exhibitor and presenter was the Genocide Education Network of Illinois
(GENI), a newly created organization in response to the Illinois
mandate on teaching genocide that came into affect in August of 2005.

Sharing the booth with GENI was the "Xeniteas," the Pontian Society of
Chicago, Distributing folders of materials on
educating teachers about the Armenian Genocide and Pontian Genocide,
the conference also gave members and volunteers of GENI to speak one
on one with history teachers and promote their upcoming teachers’
seminar on October 20th, 2006.

Co-founder of GENI, Karine Birazian, and members from the Armenian
community in Glenview, Silva Bedian and Mourad Meneshian volunteered
their time and efforts to help out at the event. George Mavropoulos,
Thomas Mantzakides, Savvas Koktzoglou, and Soula Skoupas from Pontian
community also helped at the conference along with Ron Levitsky
from Sunset Ridge School in Northfield, Illinois. Displaying at
the booth the different resources available for teachers, including
materials from the Genocide Education Project, CHOICES, and Facing
History and Ourselves, Levitsky commented: "conferences like these
offer teachers an excellent opportunity, not only to gain background
information on the Armenian Genocide, but to access valuable resources
and teaching tools. The more help teachers can be given, the more
likely they are to teach about the Armenian Genocide, and to teach
about it effectively."

The afternoon concluded with a 2-hour session called The Other
Genocides, where members from GENI and the Pontian community presented
on the Armenian and Pontian Genocide. Afterwards, Levitsky, 2006
recipient of the Aharonian Award awarded by the Genocide Education
Project for excellence in teaching the Armenian Genocide, reviewed
various lesson plans teacher can take back to their classrooms.
Birazian presented on history of the Armenian genocide and Mantzakides
presented for the first time in front of educators the history of
the Pontian Genocide. "We were very pleased to meet with teachers
who are interested in including genocide education as part of their
curriculum," said George Mavropoulos, President of "Xeniteas",
"this is an important first step in educating students and teachers
alike on this sadly overlooked tragedy that took the lives of so many
people and for all intents and purposes…" Birazian also commented,
"This was our first time presenting and exhibiting not only at ICSS
but with the Pontian Society of Chicago. We are very grateful
with the support we receive from the Armenian community as well
as Illinois history teachers. Because the mandate is not funded,
our organization has been working to raise money to attend these
conferences and hosting seminars."

The Genocide Education Network of Illinois is a non-profit initiative
founded in 2006 in response to the passage of Public Act 094-0478,
mandating the expansion of genocide instruction in the public schools
to include the Armenian Genocide, the Holocaust, the Ukrainian Famine
Genocide, the Cambodian Genocide, the Bosnian Genocide, the Rwandan
Genocide, the Darfur Genocide and others.

The Genocide Education Network of Illinois,
is a volunteer-based organization
dedicated to assisting educators identify genocide education resources
and make them accessible, obtain the training needed to effectively
teach about genocide, create a forum for educators to network,
sharing their, and experiences to develop new materials and methods

####

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x118
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, October 2, 2006

AGBU Participates in Dialogue at Third Armenia-Diaspora Conference in Yerevan

On September 18, 2006, the third Armenia-Diaspora Conference opened at
Karen Demirjian Sport and Concert Complex in Yerevan, Armenia, with
the participation of leading Armenian organizations from around the
world, including AGBU. Republic of Armenia President Robert Kocharian
spoke at the opening event, stating: "The past four years, after the
second conference, have been filled with developments both for Armenia
and countries with large Armenian communities. I believe that this
conference gives everyone a chance to discuss the new realities and
outline our future actions for the next several years."

In his speech, President Kocharian underscored the contribution of
the Diaspora Armenians to Armenia’s developing economy, pointing out
the steady growth of GDP in the past five years. He also stressed the
importance of the Armenian Apostolic Church. "Only the state can secure
strong and lasting preconditions for preservation of identity. That
is why Armenians must spare no efforts for strengthening the state
of Armenia. Our identity is inseparably connected with Christianity,
and our church remains a strong factor in unifying Armenians around
the world," said Kocharian.

RA President’s speech was followed by speeches by the His Holiness,
Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians; Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
(NKR) President Arkady Ghoukassian; the Catholicos of the Great House
of Cilicia, Aram I; and by the representatives of the Armenian Catholic
and Evangelical Churches. Other presenters included members of the
following local and diasporan organizations: AGBU, Armenia 2020,
Armenian Assembly of America, Armenian Democratic-Liberal Party,
Armenian National Committee of America, Armenian Relief Society,
Armenian Revolutionary Federation, Birthright Foundation, European
Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy, "Hayastan" All-Armenian
Fund, Social-Democrat Hunchakian Party, Tekeyan Cultural Association,
United Armenian Fund, World Armenian Congress, and Zoryan Institute.

NKR President Arkady Ghoukassian expressed his gratitude to diasporan
investors and organizations, including AGBU, whose contributions have
championed the development of Karabakh.

"By the will of fate we are among those countries which are able
to develop effectively, first of all, thanks to the investments of
compatriots around the world. I am sure that the harmonious activities
of Armenia, Karabakh and the diaspora are capable of strengthening
the influence of the Armenian factor on the international arena, as
well as create new opportunities for our people’s secure future,"
President Ghoukassian said in his speech. "The realization of
investment projects in Karabakh, with the help of the still unused
potential of the diaspora, will allow us raise the social-economic
development to a new level, which in its turn will secure stable
growth of dynamically developing economy," he added.

His Holiness Karekin II spoke about the current imperatives faced
by Armenians. He remarked, "Today, is an important page in our
history. It is time for our opportunities that have grown with the
free and independent life of homeland and uninhibited relations with
the diaspora, to serve the well-being and unification of our people,
and the rebirth of spiritual and national life."

AGBU Central Board member Carol Aslanian spoke during the
conference. She highlighted the fact that the 15th anniversary of
Armenia’s independence coincided with the 100th anniversary of AGBU. In
her speech, she commended the initiative of the Armenian Government in
Rural Poverty Eradication and expressed hope that it would lead to an
overhaul and development of Armenian’s rural communities. She stressed
the importance of the government’s cooperation with nongovernmental
organizations for the ultimate success of the project. When speaking of
AGBU’s goals, Aslanian said, "Today, our projects in Armenia, spanning
educational, cultural, humanitarian and religious programs for all
age and income groups, have become a priority for AGBU-stimulated by
increasing support among our donors and major benefactors." She added
that with a $34 million annual budget, AGBU representatives in 35
countries fulfill educational, cultural and humanitarian programs. She
also spoke about the major projects
carried out in Karabakh with AGBU’s support, particularly the
repopulation of border villages. She also spoke briefly about the
planned AGBU Center for Young diasporans in Yerevan and AGBU Virtual
College, an online, multimedia course of study on Armenian language,
culture and history.

AGBU Central Board member, Levon Kebabdjian, and AGBU members from
France, Argentina, USA, Egypt, Italy, Canada, Switzerland, Syria and
Brazil also attended the conference.

During the last day of the conference, the participants touched upon
the issues on national values, historical communities, and language
and culture in large communities. On the agenda of were also questions
of the diaspora’s future makeup, the upbringing of a new generation
of Armenian leaders, and future projects and policy issues.

The challenges and questions are many, but the ongoing dialogue and
the commitment of AGBU and other diasporan organizations to the
future of the homeland promise a brighter tomorrow for Armenians
around the world.

Established in 1906, AGBU () is the world’s largest
non-profit Armenian organization. Headquartered in New York City
with an annual budget of $34 million, AGBU preserves and promotes
the Armenian identity and heritage through educational, cultural and
humanitarian programs, annually serving some 400,000 Armenians in
35 countries.

SABANCI: FANATICS IN TURKEY AND ABROAD SHOULD NOT DETERMINE OUR AGENDA
By Economy News Desk

Zaman, Turkey
Oct 5 2006

Discussions are still taking place about Turkey’s future membership
in the European Union, an organization that started accession talks
with the Turkish government on October 3, 20005.

Omer Sabanci, head of the Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen
Association, or TUSIAD, reiterated the point of Turkey having the
utmost willingness to join the European Union, as formalized in its
decision dated Oct. 3.

There are extremists both in Europe and in Turkey setting the agenda
for us, complained Sabanci, but pledged full support to the Turkish
government in its march towards the European Union.

There is a tendency among most Europeans not to want further
enlargement, a situation worsened with the publication of some
demeaning pictures of the Prophet Mohammed, with the terrorist attacks,
and with Muslims living in Europe as a minority with difficulties
in adapting to the European way of life, said Sabanci at a panel
discussion in Europe. "The European Union is now a playmaker in the
Middle East. Turkey’s resolve to send troops to Lebanon was a sign
of its cooperation with the European Union. The European Union has
to count on Turkey for provision of security, with energy as well as
of elasticity in demand."

Sabanci restated the need to remove Article #301 from the Turkish
Penal Code as a clause that restricts freedom of expression in Turkey
when he said, "There’s a marked contradiction between the Turkish
government wanting to improve freedom of thought and the French
government attempting to restrict freedom of expression."

Sabanci characterized this kind of attitude as belonging to a country
that does not want to face facts.

Kursad Tuzmen, Turkish State Minister, was also on the panel.

Tuzmen spoke of a draft bill scheduled for parliamentary discussion in
France on Sept. 12 that penalizes denial of the so-called Armenian
genocide, and went over the point of Turkey never having a mass
execution in its history.

"The 1915 Ottoman cabinet had two ministers of Armenian origin, who
remained in the cabinet even after the forced emigration. If there
had really been a mass execution of Armenians, they would not have
remained in the cabinet. Even a look at Russian history would tell
us that there were not any mass executions at that time," said Tuzmen.

"I hope the French parliamentarians will be listening to common sense
in their evaluation of this proposal from the Socialist Party. I have
the self-confidence to argue that there was not a mass execution
of Armenians. I would like to raise this question: How can French
historians and academicians ever do free research on this alleged
mass execution of Armenians if the bill receives parliamentary
approval? I’m a Turkish State Minister. Will I go to prison as a
minister when I come back after Sept. 12 and deny the alleged mass
execution of Armenians? Or, will I be fined for it? That’d be a
disaster on a global scale."

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARAB-ARMENIAN RELATIONS: AN ENDURING FRIENDSHIP IN A TENSE NEIGHBOURHOOD
By Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi*

Alarab online, UK
Oct 5 2006

With sectarian tensions in Iraq and other regional countries, there
is a success story that has been overlooked, and which should serve
as a model of communal harmony and co-existence.

Good relations between Arabs and Armenians go back centuries, despite
being of different ethnicity and faith – the Arabs were the first
people to adopt Islam, and Armenia was the first country to officially
adopt Christianity, in 502 AD – and despite regional politics that
have at times sought to drive a wedge between the two peoples.

There are commonalities in terms of culture, music, arts and
traditions. For example, the famous Matenadaran (the depository of
ancient Armenian manuscripts) contains no less than 700 in Arabic.

However, Armenians are perhaps most easily distinguishable by their
surnames, which end in ‘ian’.

Undoubtedly, the most pivotal event in their relationship is the
Ottoman massacres of up to 1.5 million Armenians from 1915-23,
which Turkey to this day refuses to recognize. To put the scale of
the slaughter into perspective, the population of Armenia – which
borders Georgia to the north, Azerbaijan to the east, Iran to the
south and Turkey to the west – today stands at just 3 million.

The Arab world, despite being predominantly Muslim like the Turks,
gave Armenians safe haven, resulting in Armenian communities in most
Arab countries – particularly Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine
and Syria – that today number in the hundreds of thousands. This
may be due to the fact that Arabs had common cause with Armenians
in opposing centuries of Ottoman rule, and paying a heavy price for
such resistance.

However Vartan Melkonian, whose childhood was spent in a predominantly
Armenian orphanage in Lebanon, tells me that it is down to the "very
strong Arab culture of hospitality and welcoming."

Through the Melkonian Foundation, founded in 1982, the
Lebanese-Armenian orchestra conductor – who lives in the UK but calls
Lebanon his home – has raised awareness and money for Arab and Armenian
children and orphans in need.

"Armenians not only survived in Arab countries, but they were given the
opportunity to rise and become full citizens in their new homes, while
preserving their national identity," said Armenian Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanian after signing a Memorandum of Mutual Understanding
with the Arab League in January 2005. "Grateful Armenians will never
forget the humane approach of the Arab people."

This was reciprocated when, for instance, Armenia acted as a refuge
during the 1975-1990 Lebanese civil war.

In turn, "much of our support, when Armenia, after its independence
[from the Soviet Union in 1991], was in pretty bad shape, has come
from the Arabs…despite the fact that [they] had their own problems,"
says Richard Hrair Dekmejian, professor of political science at the
University of Southern California, adding that "some Armenians have
assumed the role of Arab nationalists."

The presence of large and successful Armenian communities in the
Arab world "plays a very positive role in advancing and developing
our…good relations with all Arab countries," says Oskanian, adding
that this has influenced his government’s foreign policies.

"Since gaining independence, the Republic of Armenia has been
committed to improving relations with Arab states. We’ve achieved
tangible successes," he says. "We’ve signed a number of bilateral
documents in various fields, created intergovernmental commissions,
have frequent exchange visits, established working ties at all levels,
and conduct mutual cultural events."

A recent example is the official visit to Armenia of Sheikh Dr
Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, a member of the United Arab Emirates’
Supreme Council and ruler of the Emirate of Sharjah, during which he
inaugurated the Sharjah Cultural Week (19-22 September 2005).

He was given by Armenian President Robert Kocharian the Saint Mesrob
Mashtots Order, one of the highest in Armenia. Al Qasimi also planted
a tree of Arab friendship at Genocide Monument in the capital Yerevan.

There is lucrative business between Arab Gulf states and Armenia,
which also recently signed economic protocols with Egypt (the first
Arab country to open a full-scale embassy in Yerevan), and whose
communities in the Arab world have done well economically, better
than their compatriots back home.

This, as well as their thorough integration in Arab societies, is
perhaps why there has not been large-scale emigration to Armenia
after its independence.

There is also alignment politically. On Iraq, "it’s our desire to
see…a sovereign, united, stable and democratic state," says Oskanian.

And in the Middle East peace process, Armenia has "always expressed
its solidarity with the Arab position. The establishment of an
independent Palestinian state is at the core of the process of
establishing regional security and stability."

It is apt, then, that the new Palestinian ambassador to the UK is
an Armenian married to an Arab. "When I was appointed ambassador,
the Armenian community [in Jerusalem] threw a farewell party for
me. They were so proud," Manuel Hassassian, whose father escaped the
Turkish massacre, tells me.

"This is a reflection to what extent we’re one and the same. I
can strike a lot of parallels between Armenia and Palestine at all
levels. To maintain our presence until now, despite wars, occupation,
70 years of communism, and to get an independent Armenia, brings hope
that one day Palestinians will get their independence."

Armenian support for this goal has not been simply political. The
Palestine Liberation Organisation trained Armenian fighters in the
1960s and 1970s, according to Hassassian.

Arab-Armenian relations have weathered regional storms. For instance,
Armenians in Lebanon did not get involved in the civil war there.

Also, efforts by Azerbaijan and Turkey to garner Arab support in the
Azeri-Armenian war and dispute over the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave,
by portraying it as a Muslim-Christian conflict, have failed.

Arab-Armenian relations have been solidified by what Dekmejian
describes as a growing Israeli-Turkish-Azeri "axis." Incidentally,
Turkey was the first Muslim country to recognize Israel, the year
after its establishment in 1948, and Azerbaijan hosted far-right
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in September 1997.

"Pro-Israeli lobbies…have been agitating, working in Washington
with the Turkish lobbies against Armenia’s interests," says Dekmejian.

When asked whether he relates more to his Armenian or Arab side,
Hassassian responds: "I asked one of my university students, who was
from Kuwait but originally Palestinian, for whom he would cheer if
the Palestinian national football team played against Kuwait. He said
he would cheer for the best player."

My mother’s aunt Lily Nicolian – a Syrian-Armenian whose grandfather
negotiated with the French and British ambassadors in Lebanon to save
hundreds from Ottoman attack, and encouraged families to take them in –
sees no distinction. "We’re close friends, like one family."

Sometimes, quite literally.

* Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi is the Arab Media Watch chairman

Source: cxlbx

?fname=2006%5C10%5C10-05%5Czopinionz%5C969.htm&amp ;dismode=x&ts=05/10/2006%2011:39:22%20%C3%95

FEET OFF THE PEDAL AT PYUNIK
by Khachik Chakhoyan

uefa.com, Switzerland
Oct 5 2006

A sticky patch for leaders FC Pyunik may have come too late for their
rivals in Armenia, where the real battle is for third place.

Pyunik stalling
Pyunik have shipped points in recent weeks, drawing 1-1 against both
FC MIKA and FC Ararat Yerevan and losing to FC Banants back on 19
August. With Pyunik’s players seemingly already assured of the title,
some have pointed to a lack of motivation, but the pressure of playing
international football may also be a factor.

Temporary concerns
Pyunik’s sedate progress to the championship has also been interrupted
by player problems. First Agvan Lazarian picked up a five-match
suspension (later reduced to four) before Levon Pachajyan arranged
a move to an Israeli club which subsequently fell through.

Banants buoyant
Banants still have a slender chance of stealing the crown. Nikolay
Kiselev’s side have won their latest meetings with the frontrunners,
and their last match ended in a 2-1 win at FC Shirak thanks to Sergey
Khistev’s first goal for the team. Banants have 50 points, eight less
than Pyunik with five rounds of the 28-game season to go.

Ararat splendour
MIKA have been in stuttering form, their consecutive 1-1 draws against
Shirak and Pyunik leaving the Armenian Cup holders in danger of being
overtaken by Ararat. The fourth-placed club have gone seven matches
unbeaten under new coach Varuzhan Sukiasyan with Nshan Erzrumjan
scoring at least once in all those outings to take his campaign total
to 13. Only two points divide the sides.

Bottom places
The gap between Ararat and fifth-placed FC Gandzasar Kapan is up to
19 points, with Gandzasar, FC Kilikia, Shirak and FC Ulis Yerevan
still battling against relegation as the season reaches its climax –
although seven points separate bottom team Ulis from the relative
safety of a fifth-placed finish.

AVERTING A CRASH ON THE EUROPEAN EXPRESS
John Palmer

The Guardian, UK
Oct 5 2006

Turkey’s application to join the European Union can still be salvaged,
despite the opposition of rightwing populists.

The declaration in Brussels this week by the European commissioner
responsible for negotiations on Turkey’s application to join the
EU that "there is still time to prevent a train crash" which would
bring the talks to a sudden halt is good news. Olli Rehn knows in just
five weeks time the European Commission must decide whether or not to
recommend that membership negotiations with Turkey should continue or
be called off. Little wonder then that the Turkish prime minister,
Recep Erdogan, also found time this week to stop off en route from
Washington to Ankara to lobby Tony Blair for continued support for
Turkey’s EU application. A great deal will hang on the final decision
– to be taken by EU heads of government at their December summit in
Brussels – about the entire future of Turkey’s accession negotiations.

Thirty years after Turkey’s original application for EU membership,
the union agreed last year that negotiations could at least begin.

Since then the political atmosphere has turned very sour. Rightwing
populist politicians in some west European countries have campaigned
against admitting Turkey on the grounds that its Muslim culture makes
it too different to Christian Europe. They have also been quick to
exploit the issue of migration to paint an alarmist picture of the
gradual Islamicisation of Europe by Turkey. But even among those who
reject the bigoted confessionalism of the anti-Turkey lobby, there are
many who question whether the EU – which will have 27 member-states
next January – can possibly handle the integration of such a large
and complex country before it has strengthened its own collective
capacity to decide and to act.

On the Turkish side things have also started to go wrong. The pace
of political reform – above all steps to bring the secular Turkish
military high command under democratic control – has slowed.

Opposition nationalist factions have exploited antiquated provisions
of Turkish law to repress the rights to free speech of Kurdish and
Armenian as well as Turkish intellectuals. The strategy appears in
part to have been designed to inflame relations with the EU. But
the commission and the European parliament recognise that the Muslim
government led by Erdogan has done more in a few years to democratise,
modernise and reform Turkey than decades of secular regimes – both
democratic and military dictatorships.

Meanwhile the bloody disintegration of Iraq is further complicating
Turkey’s mission to become "part of Europe". The de facto autonomy of
the Kurdish region in northern Iraq has – understandably – encouraged
Kurds in Turkey, Iran and elsewhere in the region to seek greater
autonomy. Ankara has still to fully come to terms with the aspiration
of Turkey’s Kurdish citizens for a political identity of their own.

There have been unconfirmed reports that Turkey and Iran have an
agreed strategy to intervene if Iraq completely falls apart and the
Kurdish north becomes independent.

The most immediate threat to Turkey’s EU membership negotiations is
Cyprus. Under an existing customs union agreement Turkey should now
open its ports to trade with Cyprus. But the Turkish government does
not want to do this until Nicosia ends the isolation of the Turkish
Cypriots in the north of the island. Indeed the Turkish Cypriots
votes overwhelmingly both for EU membership and for the UN plan to
unite the island, which was rejected by the majority Greek Cypriot
community. This is the issue that could now threaten the entire
negotiations.

It is not difficult to imagine a crisis scenario where Turkey’s bid
to join the EU is rejected. The country slips back into the grip of
nationalists and militarists and a democratic beacon for the rest of
the Middle East is extinguished. Fortunately those who want to see
Turkey’s path to Europe kept open have time on their side. No one –
in Turkey or the EU – believes that the country will be remotely
ready to join for another 10 years. Indeed the idea is to keep the
negotiations going to allow Turkish reformers the time to complete
the democratisation and reform process.

It is essential that between now and the December EU summit a way is
found to defuse the Customs Union issue. Commissioner Rehn’s former
colleagues in the current Finnish government, which is running the
Presidency of the EU, have been pushing a sensible compromise plan
behind the scenes to avert a collapse of the negotiations and a crisis
in relations between Europe and Turkey. This would call for Turkey
to open its ports to Cypriot trade and for the economic benefits of
EU membership to be extended to the Turkish Cypriots.

This would strengthen the reformers’ hands in facing down the generals
who have become increasingly brazen in their desire to get their hands
back on power. It might encourage a root and branch revision of the
Turkish constitution, which should finally recognise the many different
national, cultural and confessional identities that – in reality –
are Turkey’s greatest treasure. Then Turkey might well inspire those
who want democratic change in the Middle East but who reject the
highjacking of their aspirations by Washington’s neo-conservatives
and militarists.

Keeping Turkey on track for eventual EU membership would have another
benefit. It would reinforce the already overwhelming case for the
European Union to get its own constitutional house in order. But –
pro-Turkey Eurosceptics should be clear – that will involve a new
European treaty, which promotes further European integration as well
as a strengthening and democratising of its key institutions. Without
this the EU will not be remotely capable of taking any more members.

OFFICE OF THE NAGORNO KARABAKH REPUBLIC IN THE USA
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20036
Tel: (202) 223-4330
Fax: (202) 315-3339
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site:

PRESS RELEASE
October 3, 2006

NEARLY 80 MEMBERS OF CONGRESS URGE U.S. PRESIDENT TO EXPAND
RELATIONS WITH INDEPENDENT ARTSAKH

Washington, DC – To mark the 15th Anniversary of Artsakh’s
Independence, Members of Congress joined the Co-Chairs of the
Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and
Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), in sending a letter to President Bush
urging him "to recognize the 15th anniversary of the independence of
the Nagorno Karabakh Republic [Artsakh]" and calling the President’s
attention to Artsakh’s "efforts in furthering their democracy and
creating an independent state."

Nagorno Karabakh’s decision to establish a sovereign state came as a
continuation of the national liberation movement that began
immediately after Joseph Stalin awarded administrative control over
Karabakh to Soviet Azerbaijan in 1921. After suffering from over 70
years of discrimination and oppression by Azerbaijan and the Soviet
regime, the people of Artsakh stepped up their struggle for freedom
and democracy by establishing the independent Nagorno Karabakh
Republic, Artsakh.

The congressional letter, signed by 77 members and sent to the White
House on September 29, highlights a long history of U.S support to
Nagorno Karabakh and the will of the people of Artsakh to build a
democratic and economically viable country. The letter also notes
the continuation of Azerbaijan’s destructive policy, which threatens
peace and stability in the region and "goes against U.S. interests."
Most importantly, the congressional letter advocates for expansion
of U.S. political and economic engagement with Nagorno Karabakh.

The letter said in part: "As we work towards peace, the United
States can and must expand its engagement with the lawfully and
democratically established Nagorno Karabakh Republic. These ties
should not be dictated by outside forces but rather should be guided
by the shared values of our two nations. […] We should build on this
success by investing in developmental and good governance programs
that will strengthen Nagorno-Karabakh’s economy, democratic
institutions, and promote even greater cooperation on a range of
regional and security issues." (The full text of the letter is
provided at the end of the release.)

Despite the overwhelming challenges of the past 15 years, Artsakh
has registered impressive achievements: successful defense of its
freedom against Azerbaijani military aggression, nearly complete
restoration of its war-devastated economy, continued strengthening
of its democracy, unprecedented economic growth and constructive
partnership with the international community to bring about lasting
peace and stability to the South Caucasus.

"Everyday, we are advancing in building a country of our dreams – a
free, democratic and prosperous Artsakh. Fifteen years of
independent statehood have proved the righteousness of the historic
path chosen on September 2, 1991. Throughout these years, the people
of Artsakh have been truly blessed to enjoy the political and
economic support of the U.S. Congress. We are deeply thankful to the
American people for their generous economic assistance that helped
restore dozens of war-torn villages, drinking water supplies and
medical facilities," said NKR Representative in the United States
Vardan Barseghian.

Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), who co-chairs the Armenian Caucus,
said: "The United States stands for freedom and democracy, values
that have vividly triumphed in Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh, without
any international support. I am proud to support this nation as it
works to achieve formal international recognition of its
well-deserved independence. The U.S. economic assistance to Nagorno
Karabakh should be continued."

"Time and again, the people of Nagorno Karabakh have demonstrated
their firm commitment to values of liberty and peace. They have also
worked hard to establish a developing democracy and growing market
economy. The United States should expand its political and economic
engagement with the Nagorno Karabakh Republic," echoed fellow
Armenian Caucus Co-chair Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ).

Congressmen Knollenberg and Pallone also thanked their colleagues,
the co-signers of this congressional letter to President Bush, for
supporting this critical initiative. "In its quest for freedom and
its efforts to strengthen its democracy and develop its economy,
Nagorno Karabakh enjoys a broad-based congressional support. Our
collective aim was to convey this message to President Bush as the
Nagorno Karabakh Republic celebrates the 15th Anniversary of
Independence," the congressmen said.

This congressional effort enjoyed strong support of the two
Armenian-American advocacy groups in Washington, DC.

"The Armenian Assembly commends Congressmen Knollenberg and Pallone
for their initiative and leadership in urging the U.S. to strengthen
relations with Karabakh as it celebrates 15 years of independence,"
said Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny. "As we mark this
special occasion, we are reminded of the accomplishments the people
of Karabakh have already achieved. The Assembly will continue to
work with its friends in Congress and the Administration to advocate
for Karabakh’s right to self-determination."

"We want to thank Congressmen Knollenberg and Pallone and all those
who joined with the Armenian Caucus in marking this milestone of the
Nagorno Karabakh Republic’s continued contribution to the growth of
democracy, economic development, and the prospects for an equitable
and lasting peace in the Caucasus," said ANCA Executive Director
Aram Hamparian.

On behalf of the NKR Government, Barseghian thanked the Armenian
Assembly of America and the Armenian National Committee of America
for their effective work on Capitol Hill.

"We are also grateful to our congressional friends for their
continued support of Nagorno Karabakh on our path towards freedom,
democracy and prosperity — universal values that have been guiding
Artsakh since independence," said Representative Barseghian.

The Office of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in the United States is
based in Washington, DC and works with the U.S. government, academia
and the public representing the official policies and interests of
the Nagorno Karabakh Republic.

* * *
(The following is the full text of the congressional letter sent to
President George W. Bush on September 29, 2006. To request a PDF
copy of the congressional letter, please write to [email protected])

September 29, 2006
The Honorable George W. Bush
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:

We write to recognize the 15th anniversary of the independence of
the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and to call your attention to their
ongoing efforts in furthering their democracy and creating an
independent state.

The United States has a long history of supporting
Nagorno-Karabakh’s democracy and its right to live in freedom and
peace. Since 1992, our government has taken part in international
efforts to reach a sustainable resolution to the conflict between
Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan. A durable cease-fire has been in
place since 1994, bringing relative stability to the region.
However, a comprehensive peace agreement has not been reached and
the continued standoff could lead to yet another cycle of violence.

The democratically elected leaders of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
have repeatedly offered to implement mutual confidence-building
measures, for which the U.S. government has continued to allocate
funding. These leaders have consistently demonstrated a willingness
to make difficult compromises in the interest of a lasting peace.
However, in contrast, Azerbaijan has rejected confidence-building
measures and demonstrated a consistent pattern of inflexibility in
the negotiating process.

To further destabilize the region, Azerbaijan continues to maintain
a blockade of both Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia and regularly
threatens a new wave of violence against Nagorno-Karabakh. We have
every reason to believe this threat is realistic given their rapidly
increasing military budget. An arms race or new violence in the
South Caucasus region goes specifically against U.S. interests in
the region. The key to preventing this outcome is for the United
States to send a clear message to Azerbaijan that we will not
tolerate renewed aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh.

Earlier this year, we were pleased with Assistant Secretary of State
Dan Fried’s statement that, "the will of the people of
Nagorno-Karabakh has to be respected." We wholeheartedly share this
view and hope that you will build upon this constructive approach to
a long-term settlement. Our interest is in working, in a manner
consistent with fundamental democratic principle, to bring a durable
resolution, acceptable to all parties, to the region. As the
world’s greatest force for freedom, we should always champion values
of liberty, democracy, and peace.

As we work towards peace, the United States can and must expand its
engagement with the lawfully and democratically established
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. These ties should not be dictated by
outside forces but rather should be guided by the shared values of
our two nations. Our decision in 1988 to aid Nagorno-Karabakh has
become one of the most effective assistance efforts anywhere in the
world, providing thousands of people with housing, water, and
healthcare needs. We should build on this success by investing in
developmental and good governance programs that will strengthen
Nagorno-Karabakh’s economy, democratic institutions, and promote
even greater cooperation on a range of regional and security issues.

Mr. President, as we mark the 15th anniversary of independence of
Nagorno-Karabakh, we urge you to join with us in celebrating this
nation’s courageous choice for freedom, its strong commitment to
democratic values, and its sincere desire to work toward lasting
peace.
We appreciate your consideration of our concerns.

Sincerely,
[signed]

Robert Andrews (D-NJ), Joseph Baca (D-CA), Charles Bass (R-NH),
Melissa Bean (D-IL), Xavier Becerra (D-CA), Michael Bilirakis
(R-FL), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Loi Capps (D-CA), Dennis Cardoza
(D-CA), John Conyers (D-MI), Jim Costa (D-CA), Jerry Costello
(D-IL), Joseph Crowley (D-NY), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Chaka Fattah
(D-PA), Barney Frank (D-MA), Scott Garrett (R-NJ), Charles Gonzalez
(D-TX), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Rush Holt
(D-NJ), Michael Honda (D-CA), Steve Israel (D-NY), Jesse Jackson
(D-IL), Sue Kelly (R-NY), Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), Dale Kildee
(D-MI), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), James Langevin
(D-RI), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Sander Levin (D-MI), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA),
Nita Lowey (D-NY), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY),
Edward Markey (D-MA), Doris Matsui (D-CA), Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI),
James McGovern (D-MA), Howard McKeon (R-CA), Michael McNulty (D-NY),
Martin Meehan (D-MA), Juanita Millender-McDonald (D-CA), Candice
Miller (R-MI), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Eleanor Norton (D-DC), Devin
Nunes (R-CA), John Olver (D-MA), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Donald Payne
(D-NJ), Collin Peterson (D-MN), George Radanovich (R-CA), Michael
Rogers (R-MI), Steven Rothman (D-NJ), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA),
Bobby Rush (D-IL), Jim Saxton (R-NJ), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Adam
Schiff (D-CA), Joe Schwarz (R-MI), E. Clay Shaw (R-FL), Chris Shays
(R-CT), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Robert Simmons (R-CT), Hilda Solis
(D-CA), Mark Souder (R-IN), Fortney Stark (D-CA), Ted Strickland
(D-OH), John Sweeney (R-NY), John Tierney (D-MA), Chris Van Hollen
(D-MD), Peter Visclosky (D-IN), Anthony Weiner (D-NY), Frank Wolf
(R-VA), Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), Albert Wynn (D-MD)

* * *
This material is distributed by the Office of the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic in the USA on behalf of the Government of the Nagorno
Karabakh Republic. The NKR Office is registered with the U.S.
Government under the Foreign Agent Registration Act. Additional
information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington,
D.C.

JOINT CALL FOR FRENCH COMMON SENSE IN ‘GENOCIDE’ STANCE

The New Anatolian, Turkey
Oct 5 2006

The Turkish participants in Turkey-Europe Week in Paris to mark the
anniversary of the start of membership talks on Wednesday called
on France to behave with common sense on the issue of the Armenian
genocide claims.

Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (TUSIAD)
Administrative Council head Omer Sabanci lashed out at France’s
stance, saying that he couldn’t find a link between the European
Union’s push for Turkey to take steps towards freedom of expression
and the French Parliament’s move to discuss the Armenian bill that
limits this freedom. During a speech delivered at the key event,
Sabanci also cited TUSIAD’s call on the Turkish government to abolish
Article 301 of the revised Turkish Penal Code (TCK) that also limits
freedom of expression.

State Minister Kursad Tuzmen also criticized the decision of the
French Parliament to redebate a bill that introduces fines and prison
terms to those who question the Armenian genocide claims on Oct. 12
, saying, "I’m a Turkish minister. When I express my views on the
Armenian genocide claims here in Paris after Oct. 12, will they put
me in prison?"

Stressing that bringing up the Armenian genocide claims as an
obstacle to Turkey’s bid to join the EU is wrong, Tuzmen said,
"Turkish history is not one of hundreds but of thousands of years. We
have never committed a genocide in our history, neither in 1915 nor
at any other time."

Expressing Ankara’s grief over the French move to use an international
issue in domestic politics, Tuzmen reiterated Turkey’s call for the
establishment of a joint commission composed of Armenian and Turkish
historians to study the controversial events.