Month: April 2007

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version:

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I LEAVES FOR DAMASCUS

His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia, left for
Damascus on April 19 to attend the meeting between the spiritual Heads of
the Oriental Orthodox Churches, which have their headquarters in the Middle
East – the Alexandria Patriarchate of the Coptic Church, the Antioch
Patriarchate of the Syrian Church and the Armenian Church (Catholicosate of
Cilicia).

Alongside His Holiness Aram I, Archbishop Sebouh Sarkissian (Primate of
the Diocese of Tehran), Bishop Kegham Khatcherian (Primate of the Diocese of
Lebanon) and Bishop Nareg Alemezian (Ecumenical Officer of the
Catholicosate) participated in this meeting.

Prior to the meeting of the three spiritual Heads a meeting of the
Standing committee assigned by them was held in Antelias. The committee
continued to convene in Damascus.

##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.

Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
Email [email protected]
Internet

PRESS RELEASE
April 19, 2007
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

STATE DEPARTMENT REVISES MISSTATEMENT
REGARDING NAGORNO KARABAGH

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of State has revised the
mistaken assertion, within the Armenia section of its recently
released annual human rights report, that, "Armenia continues to
occupy the Azerbaijani territory of Nagorno-Karabagh and seven
surrounding Azerbaijani territories," reported the Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA).

The amended language, released this week, has been posted on the
Department’s website. It reads as follows: "Armenian forces
occupy large portions of Azerbaijan territory adjacent to Nagorno-
Karabakh. Armenian officials maintain that they do not ‘occupy’
Nagorno-Karabakh itself." The Azerbaijan section, which included
nearly identical language, has yet to be revised.

"We take note of the fact that the State Department has responded
to our concern that the report’s mischaracterization of Nagorno
Karabagh’s status would be detrimental to the U.S. government’s
role as an impartial mediator of the Minsk Group negotiations,"
said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "We remain concerned
that the amended text continues to fall short of accurately
describing the situation, as well as by the fact that the
Azerbaijan section of the report continues to make incorrect
assertions, thus making its text inconsistent with the State
Department’s own revision of the Armenia section."

ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian, in an April 3, 2007 letter to
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, expressed the Armenian
American community’s profound concern that, "such statements
fundamentally misrepresent the well-documented reality in the
region, contradict the Department’s previous human rights reports,
and undermine the credibility of the United States as an impartial
arbiter destined to a leadership role in the OSCE Minsk Group peace
process." He added that, "These unprecedented assertions are both
factually inaccurate and counter-productive to our government’s aim
of reaching a durable resolution to the Nagorno Karabagh conflict.
To say that Nagorno Karabagh is an Azerbaijani territory and that
Armenia occupies Nagorno Karabagh and other territories is to
ignore the very fundamentals of this conflict. These statements
only serve to send the wrong message to the Azerbaijani side and
further complicate the peace negotiations."

The Armenia report can be viewed online at:
9.htm

The Azerbaijan report can be viewed online at:
1.htm

The full text of the ANCA letter is provided below.

#####

Text of ANCA letter to Secretary Rice

April 3, 2007

The Honorable Condoleezza Rice
Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
Washington, DC 20520

Dear Secretary Rice:

I am writing to share with you our profound concern that serious
misstatements, portraying Armenia as an occupier of Azerbaijani
territory, have made their way into the Armenia and Azerbaijan
sections of the 2006 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices,
recently released by the Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy,
Human Rights, and Labor. Such statements fundamentally
misrepresent the well-documented reality in the region, contradict
the Department’s previous human rights reports, and undermine the
credibility of the United States as an impartial arbiter destined
to a leadership role in the OSCE Minsk Group peace process.

I refer specifically to the following sentence in the Armenia
section (Respect for Human Rights; Section 1: Respect for the
Integrity of the Person; Section A: Arbitrary or Unlawful
Deprivation of Life): "Armenia continues to occupy the Azerbaijani
territory of Nagorno-Karabagh and seven surrounding Azerbaijani
territories." I also refer to the equivalent sentence in the
Azerbaijan section (Respect for Human Rights; Section 1: Respect
for the Integrity of the Person; Section A: Arbitrary or Unlawful
Deprivation of Life): "Armenia continued to occupy the Azerbaijani
territory of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding Azerbaijani
territories."

These unprecedented assertions are both factually inaccurate and
counter-productive to our government’s aim of reaching a durable
resolution to the Nagorno Karabagh conflict. To say that Nagorno
Karabagh is an Azerbaijani territory and that Armenia occupies
Nagorno Karabagh and other territories is to ignore the very
fundamentals of this conflict. These statements only serve to send
the wrong message to the Azerbaijani side and further complicate
the peace negotiations.

To the Department’s credit, it does appear that, in the weeks since
the initial release of the 2006 Report, there has been an effort,
albeit an awkward and insufficient one, to recognize this fact by
adding an asterisk modifying the word "Armenia" with the phrase
"Armenian forces." Unfortunately, rather than clarifying the
situation, this modification has only added to the confusion
surrounding this issue.

In the interest of truth and for the sake of an effective
peacemaking role by the United States, it is imperative that these
sentences be struck in their entirety from both the Armenia and
Azerbaijan sections, thus reaffirming U.S. policy on the side of
fairness and lasting peace.

I look forward to learning of your prompt action on this matter and
would welcome the opportunity to meet with you to discuss this
issue in greater detail.

Sincerely yours,

[signed]
Kenneth V. Hachikian
Chairman

cc: Paula Dobriansky, Under Secretary for Democracy and Global
Affairs

Daniel Fried, Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs

Barry Lowenkron, Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Democracy,
Human Rights and Labor

Matthew Bryza, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and
Eurasian Affairs

PRESS RELEASE
Hayastan All-Armenian Fund
Governmental Building 3, Yerevan, RA
Contact: Lusine Mnatsakanyan
Tel: 3741 56 0106
Fax: 3741 52 15 05
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.himnadram. org

20 April, 2007
Artsakh Rebirth: 3 New Schools and a Renovated Kindergarten for Mardakert

Recently the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund completed 2 projects in Mardakert.
Now the village of Madaghis has a new school and Haterk has a renovated
kindergarten. By September 2007, school construction in villages of
Kochoghot and Verin Horatagh will be completed too.
Having a school building was central for the village of Madaghis, where up
till now classes were held in container houses. With the financial
assistance of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund Toronto affiliate, a donation
of 264 thousand US dollars (104 million AMD), a three-floor school with
adjacent sanitary units and a boiler house was constructed to accommodate
120 students.
A similar three-floor building will open its doors for the schoolchildren of
Kochoghot next September. Currently a run-down building with no heating,
adapted to minimal schooling needs serves the village as a school. On
funding received from the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund France affiliate the
first two floors and the basement of the school building is completed; the
attic is sill under construction.
The construction of the school building in Verin Horatagh is also underway.
A new, three-floor building will soon replace the half-ruined village school
built in the 1930s. The project is financed by the Toronto affiliate of the
Hayastan All-Armenian Fund.
The France affiliate of the Fund will furnish the Kochghout school and in
collaboration with the St. Etienne city hall has donated 11.5 million AMD
(29.4 USD) worth of furniture and sport facilities equipment to the Haterk
school.
The Hayastan All-Armenian Fund Toronto affiliate has furnished the newly
built Madaghis school and will soon furnish the Verin Horatagh school. The
Mardakert school number 1 has also been furnished due to various donations
from France.
Therefore, education in Hadrut is improving due to the Artsakh Rebirth
imitative.

Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918
Fax: 818.246.7353
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
PRESS RELEASE
April 19, 2007

Contact: Haig Hovsepian
Tel: (818) 500-1918

North Dakota Becomes 39th State to Recognize the Armenian Genocide

Bismarck, ND – The Armenian National Committee of America- Western
Region (ANCA-WR) welcomed today a resolution issued by the state North
Dakota’s House and Senate proclaiming April 24 as a day of remembrance
of the Armenian Genocide.

The "Peace Garden State" proclamation makes North Dakota the 39th state
to recognize the Armenian Genocide. North Dakota was quickly followed
by Ohio which became the 40th state to recognize the Armenian Genocide.
The full text of the North Dakota proclamation is provided below.

"As North Dakota and Ohio bring the total of states that recognize the
Armenian Genocide to 40 total, the ANCA-WR continues to work to gain
recognition of this crime against humanity by all states across the
country," commented ANCA-WR Executive Director Andrew Kzirian. "It is
important to note that this increase in state-level support is mirrored
by the addition of new cosponsors to H. Res. 106 and S. Res. 106 in the
United States House and Senate," he added.

The proclamation, House Concurrent Resolution NO. 3003 (Representatives
Hanson, Kroeber and Senator Nething), acknowledges Ambassador
Morgenthau’s statement that "whatever crimes the most perverted
instincts in the human mind can devise, and whatever refinement of
persecutions and injustice the most debased imagination can conceive,
became the daily misfortunes of these ‘devoted’ people" and states that
"the killing of the Armenian people was accomplished by the systematic
destruction of churches, schools, libraries, treasures of art, and
cultural monuments in an attempt to eliminate all traces of a noble
civilization with a history of more than 3000 years."

The proclamation additionally states that "it is essential to raise
awareness about the Armenian Genocide not only because it is an
undeniable chapter of world history, but also because learning more
about this unconscionable tragedy will help better understand the
necessity of eliminating hatred from our own communities."

The Armenian National Committee of America is the largest and most
influential Armenian American grassroots political organization. Working
in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters
throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the
world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American
community on a broad range of issues.

###

Sixtieth Legislative Assembly of North Dakota
In Regular Session Commencing Wednesday, January 3, 2007

House Concurrent Resolution NO. 3003
(Representatives Hanson, Kroeber)
(Senator Nething)

A concurrent resolution proclaiming April 24 as a day of remembrance of
the Armenian Genocide.

WHEREAS, 1,500,000 men, women, and children of Armenian descent were
victims of the genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire in 1915 and
thereafter; and

WHEREAS, the United States Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, Henry
Morgenthau, Sr., stated, "Whatever crimes the most perverted instincts
of the human mind can devise, and whatever refinement of persecutions
and injustice the most debased imagination can conceive, became the
daily misfortunes of these ‘devoted people.’"; and

WHEREAS, the killing of the Armenian people was accomplished by the
systematic destruction of churches, schools, libraries, treasures of
art, and cultural monuments in an attempt to eliminate all traces of a
noble civilization with a history of more than 3,000 years; and

WHEREAS, the Armenian Genocide has been acknowledged by several
countries and international bodies; and

WHEREAS, each year Armenians throughout the world honor those who
perished from 1915 to 1923, and all the world’s people should
commemorate the Armenian Genocide because it stands as an ugly testament
to man’s inhumanity to man; and

WHEREAS, it is essential to raise awareness about the Armenian Genocide
not only because it is an undeniable chapter of world history, but also
because learning more about this unconscionable tragedy will help better
understand the necessity of eliminating hatred from our own communities;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF NORTH
DAKOTA, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN:

That April 24 is proclaimed as a day of remembrance of the Armenian
Genocide; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Secretary of State forward copies of
this resolution to the chairman of the Armenian community of North
Dakota, the Armenian Assembly of America, the Armenian National
Committee, each member of the North Dakota Congressional Delegation, and
the President of the United States.

Signed,

Speaker of the House – Jeff Delzer

Chief Clerk of the House – Buell Reich

President of the Senate – John Dalrymple

Secretary of the Senate – Timothy Wood

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS RELEASE
The Heritage Party
31 Moscovian Street
Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+374 – 10) 53.69.13
Fax: (+374 – 10) 53.26.97
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
Website:

April 20, 2007

Heritage Holds Second Press Briefing, Welcomes Annulment of "Armenian
Watergate" Ruling

Yerevan–Today at the Court of Criminal Appeals a hearing was held regarding
the "Armenian Watergate"–the theft last year of constitutionally-protected
information from the computer database of Heritage Party’s headquarters. In
the presence of party founder Raffi K. Hovannisian and attorney Zaruhi
Postanjian, the tribunal annulled the February 13 ruling of the Central and
Nork-Marash Court of First Instance. The appeals panel also decided to
return the instant case to the lower instant court for a substantive
reexamination of Hovannisian’s complaint against the Armenian Prosecutor
General’s office for its refusal to institute a criminal case with regard to
this Armenian version of the Watergate scandal.

Also today, Heritage Party spokesman Hovsep Khurshudian conducted the party’s
second press briefing at Heritage campaign headquarters. He discussed recent
developments in the ongoing election campaign and gave a high assessment of
Heritage’s two-day journey to the towns and villages of the Vayots Dzor and
Siunik marzes. Khurshudian took note of the artificial difficulties and
obstacles which the campaign still faces, specifically in the outlying
regions, with respect to the lawful public posting of campaign posters and
announcements. Accordingly, Heritage has dispatched a formal letter to the
Central Election Commission demanding a full explanation of these illegal
actions.

Tomorrow, Heritage will hold a citizens’ assembly at the Government
Conference Facility near Republic Square. The event will begin at 2pm and is
open to the public.

Founded in 2002, Heritage has regional divisions throughout the land. Its
central office is located at 31 Moscovian Street, Yerevan 0002, Armenia,
with telephone contact at (374-10) 536.913, fax at (374-10) 532.697, email
at [email protected] or [email protected], and website at

Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:

PRESS RELEASE
April 20, 2007
CONTACT: Karoon Panosyan
E-mail: [email protected]

ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY CONTINUES TO BUILD SUPPORT FOR THE HOUSE GENOCIDE
RESOLUTION

Washington DC – In a series of meetings on Capitol Hill, Assembly
Board of Trustees Executive Committee Member Annie Totah and newly
appointed Associate Director of Grassroots Taniel Koushakjian
discussed the importance of Genocide affirmation with Representatives
Shelly Berkley (D-NV), Melissa L. Bean (D-IL) and Joe Donnelly (D-IN).

During their conversation with Rep. Berkley, Totah and Koushakjian
thanked the Congresswoman for her ongoing support of Armenian-American
issues and for cosponsoring H. Res. 106, the Armenian Genocide
Resolution. The two also thanked Rep. Bean from Illinois for her
support. Rep. Bean’s Senate colleague and human rights advocate
Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL), introduced similar legislation in the
Senate (S. Res. 106). Totah and Koushakjian also met and discussed
H. Res. 106 with freshman Rep. Donnelly, educating him on Armenian
issues and urging his support.

"Despite Turkey’s attempt to not only deny history, but also to deny a
vote on this critical human rights legislation, we continue to build
great bipartisan support with nearly 190 cosponsors," said Totah.

The Armenian Assembly is the largest Washington-based nationwide
organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian
issues.  It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.   ###

NR#2007-053

PRESS RELEASE
Armenians Of Colorado Inc.
Press contact: Kim Christianian, [email protected]
P.O. Box 13854
Denver, Colorado 80201

Telephone: 303-588-5524

April 19, 2007

ENTIRE COLORADO CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION OFFICIALLY CO-SPONSORS OF THE
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION

Armenians of Colorado Inc.,(AOC) proudly announced today that every member
of the Colorado Congressional Delegation has signed on to the Congressional
Armenian Genocide Resolution (S/H Res.(s) 106), making Colorado the first
state to have complete unity in its representation in affirming the Armenian
Genocide.

Armenians of Colorado initiated the annual state joint resolution approved
unanimously for six consecutive years proclaiming April 24th as Colorado Day
of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide. A last minute amendment brought to
the Senate floor by State Senator Steve Johnson provided for the forwarding
of the resolution to the ambassador and current government of Turkey.

At the request of Armenians of Colorado Inc., Colorado’s Governor Bill
Ritter also signed a moving proclamation detailing the events of the
Armenian genocide; as did Denver’s Mayor John Hickenlooper. The
proclamations have been a long standing tradition for AOC stemming back 25
years when Governor Lamm issued the first proclamation to coincide with the
installation of the Armenian Genocide Memorial Plaque in the Armenian Garden
located on the grounds of the State Capitol. AOC was instrumental in having
the plaque placed at the Capitol. The headstone was designed by Architect
Varouj Hairabedian from Aspen, CO.

As part of the Armenian Genocide Commemorative events, Armenians of Colorado
hosted a lecture by Turkish scholar Taner Akçam, bestselling author and
Amnesty International `prisoner of conscience’ on April 15, 2007. Dr.
Akçam spoke to a standing room only audience on his recent book, A Shameful
Act: The Armenian Genocide and the Question of Turkish Responsibility, at
Denver’s Mizel Museum.

`AOC is truly an amazing organization fueled by its diversity and
grass-roots efforts’ stated Kim Christianian, co-chair of the Armenian
Genocide Commemoration Committee for AOC. Armenians of Colorado is proud of
the partnerships it has fostered locally with the Mizel Museum and the
Colorado Coalition for Genocide Awareness and Action (CCGAA) which sponsored
the comprehensive exhibit on Genocide The Dead Weight of Complacency, a dual
exhibit with Glocal artists’ interpretation of genocide. As a partner of
CCGAA, members of AOC were invited to the signing of the Colorado Darfur
Divestment bill today. Co-sponsor Senator Groff referenced the Armenian
Genocide Resolution when he spoke to the media and crowd gathered for the
signing.

Armenians of Colorado is pleased to be working with both the national
advocacy organizations in Washington; ANCA and the Armenian Assembly. `Not
one person alone could have accomplished what we have’ stated Ken Allikian
co-Chair of the Armenian Genocide Commemoration Committee for AOC.
`Colorado’s Armenian Community is an energized group of constituents that
are educating our officials in government about one of the most horrendous
acts against humanity ever recorded in the history of the world’. Added Kim
Christianian `We find that our locally elected officials and their staff are
often very supportive of righteous causes and hope that our nationally
elected officials will follow suit and consider the clear messages coming
from across the many states and help establish the proper foreign policies,
especially the ones regarding Turkey and Armenia’.

AOC will hold the annual Armenian Genocide Commemorative Ceremony this
Sunday April 22nd, 1:30PM at the Armenian Genocide Memorial plaque at the
State Capitol. Co-sponsors of the Armenian Genocide Resolution, State
Senator Lois Tochtrop and State Representative Michael Garcia will address
the crowd.

(AOC) was established in June 1982. It is a 501(c) (3) non-profit, cultural
organization, non-partisan and secular, charged with a purpose to create a
cohesive Armenian community and to further the understanding of Armenian
history, culture, and heritage. AOC actively supports issues and concerns of
the Armenian-American community here in Colorado as well as those identified
within the Armenian Diaspora throughout the world. For more information
about Armenians of Colorado go to
<http://www.armenia nsofcolorado.org/> .

Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918
Fax: 818.246.7353
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

PRESS RELEASE
April 20, 2007

Contact: Haig Hovsepian
Tel: (818) 500-1918

ANCA-WR Joins Mayor of Los Angeles and City Council in Armenian Genocide
Commemoration

— County Board of Supervisors Issues Proclamation on Armenian Genocide

LOS ANGELES, CA – The Armenian National Committee of America-Western
Region (ANCA-WR) attended a breakfast reception and special session of
the Los Angeles City Council at which this year’s Armenian Genocide
remembrance resolution was presented. The event was hosted by the Los
Angeles City Council, led by City Council Member Eric Garcetti (District
13). Attending the event on behalf of the ANCA-WR were Board Members
Pattyl Aposhian-Kasparian and Steve Dadaian. They were joined by
ANCA-WR Executive Director, Andrew Kzirian who delivered remarks to
those assembled on the occasion.

Kzirian noted the role played by the City of Los Angeles in setting an
example for city, state and federal officials all across the country.
"The themes mentioned by Mayor Villaraigosa and the other speakers today
pertain to denial and the moral authority to condemn genocide," said
Kzirian. "With the recent cosponsorship of Senate Majority Leader Harry
Reid (D-NV) and Presidential hopeful Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY), we
see that the leadership demonstrated by the Mayor of Los Angeles and the
City Council in recognizing the Armenian Genocide resonates with the
rest of the country," he added.

During the morning breakfast reception, Council Members Dennis Zine
(District 3) and Wendy Greuel (District 2) noted the importance of
remembering the Armenian Genocide. He was joined in his remarks by City
Council Member Bill Rosenthal (District 11) who noted the link between
appropriately addressing the Armenian Genocide and confronting the
genocide in Darfur today.

Mayor Pro Tem of Rolling Hills Estates Frank Zerunyan, an Armenian
American born in Turkey, shared his personal perspective on the need to
continue to commemorate the Armenian Genocide and learn from the lessons
of this crime against humanity. Additionally, Souzi
Zerounian-Khanzadian attended the event on behalf of the recently
established Yerevan-Los Angeles Sister City Association. The breakfast
was opened by a prayer led by Archbishop Hovnan Derderian of the Western
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America and the morning’s reception
was closed with a benediction led by Father Muron Aznikian from the
Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church’s Prelacy of the Western United
States.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa addressed the community during the
presentation ceremony. Recalling the assassination of Hrant Dink
earlier this year, Villaraigosa said that the murder was "an attempt to
instill fear and apprehension in the hearts of all those who treasure
freedom and truth." He commended Dink for his courage to speak, as an
ethnic Armenian citizen of Turkey, about the Armenian Genocide and refer
to it as such.

Referring to H.Res.106 and S.Res.106, Villaraigosa noted that "the City
of Los Angeles has been on record for years about the Armenian Genocide
and it’s about time the federal government did the same."

The Los Angeles city officials were joined by CA State Assembly Member
Paul Krekorian (D-43), who thanked the City Council for commemorating
the Armenian Genocide. Earlier this month, Assemblymember Krekorian and
his fellow CA state legislators joined in commemorating the 92nd
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in the State Capitol.

Earlier in the week, ANCA-WR Community Relations Director Haig Hovsepian
joined Los Angeles County Board of Supervisor Michael Antonovich who
presented the Los Angeles Armenian community with a proclamation signed
by the Board of Supervisors commemorating the 92nd anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide. In his remarks, Antonovich reiterated the need to
remember the Armenian Genocide and honor its victims.

In thanking the Board of Supervisors and addressing the gallery,
Hovsepian noted appreciation of the Armenian community that found refuge
in Los Angeles a century ago following the genocide and noted the Los
Angeles Armenian community’s commitment to assuring that there is
recognition and justice genocide.

"As victims of genocide we feel a particular sense of responsibility to
ensure that the memory of the Armenian Genocide is preserved," said
Hovsepian. "Knowing our past helps ensure that we, as Americans, have
the moral clarity and sense of purpose to continue to confront genocide
and its denial."

The Armenian National Committee of America is the largest and most
influential Armenian American grassroots political organization. Working
in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters
throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the
world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American
community on a broad range of issues.

###

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
Email [email protected]
Internet

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 20, 2007
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

PALLONE URGES U.N. TO STAND UP AGAINST TURKEY’S DENIALS

Unless the United Nations takes a stand against
Turkey’s denial, its value to the international
community is greatly undermined.
— Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ)

WASHINGTON, DC – In remarks delivered yesterday on the floor of the
U.S. House of Representatives, Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-
Chairman Frank Pallone (R-MI) sharply criticized the United Nations
for caving in to Turkey’s pressure to block a long-awaited exhibit
on the Rwanda Genocide because one of its display panels included a
reference to the Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA).

The New Jersey legislator stressed, in his remarks to his House
colleagues, that, "As a representative of the international
community, the United Nations must be the leading voice against
genocide. That includes all genocides, including the Armenian
Genocide. Unless the United Nations takes a stand against Turkey’s
denial, its value to the international community is greatly
undermined." Speaking to the dangerous precedent set by genocide
denial, he noted that, "Turkey’s policy of denying the Armenian
genocide gives cover to those who perpetrate genocide everywhere.
If the cycle is to end, there must be accountability for genocide."

The controversy surrounding Turkey’s objections to the Rwanda
exhibit, which had been organized by the Aegis Trust, has been
covered extensively in the international media, and was the subject
of a powerful New York Times editorial criticizing the United
Nations for caving in to Turkey’s objections.

The ANCA, on April 11th, called upon the United Nations to reject
Turkey’s historically unfounded and patently immoral objections,
and to reverse its recent decision to close the Rwanda Genocide
exhibit. In a letter addressed to Kiyotaka Akasaka, Under-
Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, ANCA
Chairman Ken Hachkian expressed the "Armenian American community’s
profound disappointment over [the] decision to allow the Turkish
government to delay – and quite possibly cancel – a United Nations
exhibit intended to help ensure that the lessons of the Rwanda
Genocide are used to help prevent future genocides."

The full text of Congressman Pallone’s remarks is provided below.

#####

Remarks by Congressman Frank Pallone (D-NJ)
April 19, 2007

UNITED NATIONS MUST BE LEADING VOICE AGAINST GENOCIDE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I am strongly disappointed that United
Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has given in to Turkey’s
demands and cancelled an exhibit commemorating the 13th anniversary
of the Rwanda genocide.

Turkey, as usual, was offended by references in the exhibit to the
Armenian genocide in Turkey during World War I.

As a representative of the international community, the United
Nations must be the leading voice against genocide. That includes
all genocides, including the Armenian genocide. Unless the United
Nations takes a stand against Turkey’s denial, its value to the
international community is greatly undermined.

As the 92nd anniversary of the Armenian genocide approaches,
Turkey’s recent behavior is yet another example of why it is so
important for Congress to reaffirm the Armenian genocide by passing
H. Res. 106. Over the past year, Turkey has pulled out of NATO
exercises after France affirmed the Armenian genocide. They have
threatened U.S. troops in Iraq if the U.S. reaffirms the Armenian
genocide. And now they are preventing the U.N. from honoring the
victims of the Rwandan genocide. Their denial has no limits.

The United States must never allow crimes against humanity to pass
without remembrance and condemnation. As a society, we cannot
effectively work to end crimes against humanity without recognizing
those that have previously occurred.

Far too many times we have seen the horrible consequences of
ignoring genocide. Even after unprecedented humanitarian efforts by
Americans, the Armenian genocide had become the "forgotten
genocide," and in 1939 Adolf Hitler exclaimed to his generals to
have no mercy by stating, and I quote, "who, after all, speaks
today of the annihilation of the Armenians?

In 1994 world leaders witnessed the Hutu leaders of Rwanda kill
800,000 Rwandans, and did nothing. Today we sit idly by as militias
massacre innocent citizens in Darfur; and, again, world leaders do
virtually nothing. There are lessons to be learned by history.
Unfortunately, Turkey has undermined the intent of the U.N. exhibit
to help teach the lessons of genocide inaction.

Turkey’s policy of denying the Armenian genocide gives cover to
those who perpetrate genocide everywhere. If the cycle is to end,
there must be accountability for genocide. Genocide denial is the
last stage of genocide.

Mr. Speaker, when will today’s world leaders stop letting Turkey
deny its past? It is bad enough for Turkey to threaten and
prosecute its own citizens for discussing these crimes, but to
threaten to retaliate against countries that acknowledge the
Armenian genocide is appalling and unacceptable. As a global
community we must collectively stand for historical truth and
recognize the worst humanitarian crimes that we have seen.

#####

PRESS RELEASE
Western Diocese of the Armenian Church
3325 N. Glenoaks Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91504
Contact: Raffy Kendirjian
Tel: +1 (818) 558-7474
Fax: +1 (818) 558-6333
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

Primate of the Western Diocese Visits Twin Towers Penitentiary

On April 19th, upon the invitation of Sheriff Leroy D. Baca, His Eminence
Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese, made a pastoral
visitation to the Twin Towers Penitentiary. Accompanying the Primate were
Fr. Vazken Movsessian, Pastor of St. Peter Armenian Church Youth Center in
Glendale, Mashdots Chobanian, and Dn. Mayis Ksachikyan.

This visitation marks the first time the Primate celebrated the Divine
Liturgy within a California correctional facility. The Primate formally
established the tradition to perform annual Liturgies during the Easter
season. Prior to the celebration of the Liturgy, the Rev. Fr. Vazken
Movsessian offered an introduction to the services that were about to be
conducted. He also thanked the Sheriff Baca as well as Division Chief Sam
Jones. Holy Communion was administered to those in attendance. At the end
the Primate delivered the Sermon.

In his sermon the Primate said, "We are here to extend to you the love of
Christ and assure you that Christ is with you. We expect from you that you
should always cherish your prayerful lives even though you are in prison. Do
not imprison your souls; remember that even in freedom there are many who
have imprisoned their souls by rejecting God in their lives."

His Eminence then invited Fr. Vazken to address the inmates. In his
passionate words he inspired the inmates saying, "We all have crosses in our
lives. The resurrection reminds us and promises us that the day will come
when our crosses will be taken away. Therefore, stay steadfast in faith and
never lose your hope."

At the conclusion the Primate sincerely thanked the Honorable Sheriff Baca,
Chief Sam Jones, Mr. Tevan Aroustamian, accompanying the Sheriff, and the
entire staff of the Twin Towers facility for their good works and especially
for helping to coordinate the day’s visitation.

PHOTOS

Inmates rise during the Divine Liturgy as the Holy Chalice is blessed
DSC_1235.jpg
< ews/allImages/DSC_1235.jpg>

Inmates gather to take communion
s/DSC_1241.jpg
< /news/allImages/DSC_1241.jpg>

The Primate administers Holy Communion to those in attendance
es/DSC_1243.jpg
< m/news/allImages/DSC_1243.jpg>