Month: October 2008

YOUTH COMPETITION: VICTORIES AND DEFEATS

Panorama.am
19:12 22/10/2008

The third round meetings of World Chess Youth Competition taking
place in Vietnam are finished. From 15 Armenian chess players 7
have victories.

15-year-old Samvel Ter-Sahakyan, who plays in the group of 18-year-old,
has the most successful results. In the third round Armenian chess
player defeated Italian Bonafede Alessandro. Currently Samvel has
2.5 points and occupies 8th horizontal.

In the third round Manuel Petrosyan (10years), Tigran Harutyunyan
(12years), Hovhannes Petrosyan (16years) have been defeated.

In the competition of girls Siranush Ghukasyan (10years), Susanna
Gaboyan (12years), Maria Gevorgyan (14years) and Zhozan Shakryan
(16years) have victories.

TURKISH INTELLECTUALS DISMAYED BY SWISS COURT’S GENOCIDE RULING

Today’s Zaman
23 October 2008, Thursday
Turkey

A Swiss court’s ruling against three Turks for their denial of
allegations of an Armenian genocide has drawn ire from liberal
intellectuals in Turkey, including Professor Baskın Oran.

The court, in Winterthur, ordered Workers Party (Ä°P) Europe
representative Ali Mercan to pay a fine of 4,500 Swiss francs
($3,900). Two others were ordered to pay 3,600 Swiss francs each for
violating anti-racism legislation.

During a demonstration in June of last year, Mercan had denied Armenian
claims of genocide at the hands of the Ottoman Empire. The other two
Turks were co-organizers of the demonstration.

"Now, wait and see how this massive attack on the freedom of expression
will strengthen fascists in Turkey and elsewhere, and how non-Muslims,
Alevis, Kurds, leftists and liberals will suffer more under this
heavy blow. Maybe this is what is being aimed at by certain circles,"
Oran wrote for a discussion network on the Internet.

Oran himself was prosecuted two years ago under infamous Article 301
of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) on charges of "insulting Turkishness"
for a report on minorities and cultural reports he had prepared for the
Prime Ministry. The report maintained that Turkey’s understanding of
minority rights lagged behind universal norms and proposed far-reaching
amendments to the Constitution and related laws. He was acquitted of
the charges but continued to be threatened by radical groups.

"I cannot see any difference between our courts, which are punishing
people who are saying ‘genocide,’ and the Swiss court. Actually,
the Swiss court is even guiltier than ours because their tradition of
freedom of speech is stronger than ours," Oran said in an interview
with Today’s Zaman. He also pointed out that the Swiss court’s verdict
would have a negative effective on freedom of speech in Turkey, since
the circles that already oppose freedoms will use the verdict to show
that there are limitations to freedom of speech even in a European
country like Switzerland.

"In the present situation it is totally impossible to get rid of
Article 301," Oran added.

In the past there have been many court cases against intellectuals
under the article. As part of Turkey’s ongoing European Union accession
process, the government amended the law and introduced a requirement
under which prosecutors must seek authorization from the Ministry of
Justice before initiating a court case under the article.

Yusuf AlataÅ~_, a lawyer and a former chairman of the Human Rights
Association (Ä°HD), stressed that in Europe the borders of freedom
of thought are determined by racism but that the verdict of the Swiss
court was against freedom of speech.

"There is no conclusion from any international body regarding the
genocide. Until there is such a decision, it is normal that some people
will claim that it is genocide and others will argue the opposite,"
AlataÅ~_ said.

–Boundary_(ID_m7YUAFLSR97O9dWehsWXwQ)–

PRESS RELEASE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of Australia & New Zealand
10 Macquarie Street
Chatswood NSW 2067
AUSTRALIA
Contact: Laura Artinian
Tel: (02) 9419-8056
Fax: (02) 9904-8446
Email: [email protected]

22 October 08

INAUGURAL ARMENIAN LANGUAGE TEACHERS’ SYMPOSIUM IN AUSTRALIA

Sydney, Australia – On Sunday, 19 October, 2008 Armenian language teachers
from Sydney and Melbourne gathered in good number in the Edgarian Hall of
the Armenian Apostolic Church of Holy Resurrection for the first ever
symposium that brought together the educators of the children of our
community. It was by no coincidence that the conference was scheduled to
correspond with the period of celebration of the Holy Translators and the
founding of the Armenian alphabet held in October.

In collaboration with the Armenian Apostolic Church of Holy Resurrection,
the Hamazkaine Regional Committee and Armenian General Benevolent Union
engaged in this project under the auspices of His Eminence Archbishop Aghan
Baliozian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Australia and
New Zealand. Principals of the Armenian Schools of Sydney initiated an
outline of what the project should embody which was then assigned to a
committee to undertake. The committee members appointed were highly
respected Armenian language teachers: Mrs Lilig Godoyan, Mrs Seta
Keoshgerian and Mrs Betty Marashlian.

Teachers attending the symposium represented the three Armenian day
schools – Hamazkaine Arshak & Sophie Galstaun College, AGBU Alexander
Primary School, St Gregory’s Armenian School – and Saturday Schools –
Hamazkaine Tarkmanchadz, Toumanian and Papazian Schools, AGBU Alec Manoogian
School, and Aginian School (Melbourne).

The program for the afternoon commenced with prayer followed by an opening
address by committee member Mrs Seta Keoshgerian. The first keynote speaker
of the day was Mr Sarkis Manoukian who spoke on "The Armenian Language as a
Second Language – Teaching Issues, Considerations and Method" after which
discussions took place. Mrs Lilig Godoyan presented an account of the Second
International Armenian Education Conference in Armenia and what it had to
offer Diasporan communities. The third speaker for the afternoon was Mrs
Zepur Mouradian who expressed a parent’s view on the role of parents in the
Armenian education of children.

A two-part film presentation was screened to get acquainted with Armenia
after which Archbishop Baliozian addressed the teachers with his closing
remarks. He was delighted and fulfilled this opportunity had come to
fruition and for so many Armenian teachers to come together in the sanctuary
of the church surrounds to learn, share, contribute and build a vital
network that connects the community through the education of our dear
children. As well as community unity and community pride, the occasion
brought personal reward for each teacher realising that each is not alone in
their endeavour but part of a wider community. Archbishop appreciated the
openness and honesty of discussions that took place during the forum which
pinpointed strengths and weaknesses in our community schools and education
system.

"It was our hope that this inaugural symposium would enlighten our community
teachers and judging by the reactions, the future of these forums is now
established. To develop our Armenian teachers to face challenges and equip
them with skills and confidence through learning opportunities like this and
workshops, to establish foundation principles for Armenian education in our
environment and to build a support network among teachers are fundamental
beliefs that will maintain the integrity and future of this undertaking."

Archbishop Baliozian also remarked on the role and responsibility of the
Church in upholding the framework of education in our communities.
"Regrettably, over the years our history shows the role of the church has
diminished somewhat in this area as community organisations have developed
and taken on the role of education provider. Today, the Church is committed
to supporting and bringing greater involvement in the education process and
will review ways in which it can bring its positive contribution in the
future."

All teachers attending the Symposium received Certificates of Participation.
Committee member, Mrs Betty Marashlian also presented a select group of
teachers with Certificates of Recognition for years of dedicated teaching
and service to their respective school communities. The successful
recipients had been nominated by their School Principals to receive the
Award.

The afternoon concluded with refreshments prepared by the Church Ladies
Auxiliary and the warm, casual atmosphere provided opportunity for teachers
to mingle freely with each other establishing new bonds and connecting with
colleagues.

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

October 22, 2008
Contact: Michael A Zachariades
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (202) 393-3434

ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY OF AMERICA ANNOUNCES 2009 NATIONAL ADVOCACY CONFERENCE
POLICY PAPER COMPETITION

Washington, DC- The Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) is pleased
to announce that entries are now being accepted for the 2009 National
Advocacy Conference Policy Paper Competition. The winner will receive an
all expense paid trip to Washington, DC to present their paper at the
Conference.

The Assembly’s 2009 National Advocacy Conference is a three day event,
March 1-3, designed to better prepare activists to promote community
issues to Washington’s most influential decision makers. Participants
will have a full day of meetings with Members of Congress and their
staff to advocate for critical legislation and strengthen the
U.S.-Armenia relationship.

To enter the competition, students will be required to choose one of
three paper topics; each topic concerns relations between the U.S.
government and Armenia. Papers cannot exceed 1,000 words. The
competition is open to all students currently enrolled in an accredited
undergraduate program. Entries must be received no later than January 2,
2009. Finalists will be announced on January 23, 2009. The questions,
rules and entry information are available online at AAAINC.ORG.

The winner will be the author of the paper judged most relevant to the
Assembly, with strong content and style. In addition to the presentation
at the Conference, the winner’s paper will be published on the
Assembly’s Website. Other papers of merit may also be published.

Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest
Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding
and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt
membership organization.

###

NR#2008-075

PRESS RELEASE
The Armenian Center at Columbia University
P.O.Box 4042,
Grand Central Station,
New York, NY 10163-4042

Contact: Aram Arkun
E-mail: [email protected]
October 20, 2008

Discussion of Armenian Epic Daredevils of Sasun with Professors Yeghiazaryan
of Yerevan, Cowe of UCLA, Bournoutian of Iona Oct. 23 at Columbia U., NYC

The Armenian epic Daredevils of Sasun is one of the
important monuments of Armenian culture.
Azat Yeghiazaryan, the well respected author of an interpretative
volume on the epic, will speak at Columbia
University on the evening of October 23, accompanied by translator
Peter Cowe of UCLA, and George
Bournoutian of Mazda Press. This English-language event is sponsored
by the Armenian Center at Columbia University
together with the Columbia University Armenian Students Association.

Passed down by word of mouth through the magic of live performance
art for a millennium and a half till its first
scholarly transcriptions in the late 19th century, the Armenian epic
"Daredevils of Sasun" presents a rich legacy
of accumulated folk wisdom and creative insight on the human
condition. Evolving from ancient mythic roots
through folkloric antecedents up to its main period of gestation
(A.D. 8th-12th centuries), it tells the tale of the
life, loves, and heroic struggles of four generations of the House of
Sasun to establish their patrimony and
uphold the weal of their community against the onslaught of
imperialist invaders.

Professor Yeghiazaryan has authored an excellent introduction to the
epic and all related issues. He has succeeded
in providing a clear summation of research on the epic in an
accessible manner, as well as exploring some perspectives.
In particular he has benefited from the use of Russian scholarship to
illuminate aspects of plot, characterization, and
symbolism. In his talk at Columbia, he will present the originality
of the Armenian epic, look at its connection to the
most ancient Armenian pagan epics as well as its medieval Christian
roots, and show its relationship to other world epics.

Yeghiazarian has just retired as director of the Manuk Abeghyan
Institute of Literature of the National Academy of Sciences
of Armenia. He is the author of over 150 publications, including
monographs such as "Literary Narrative: A Theoretical Review"
(1986) and "Tumanyan’s Poetics and its Popular Roots" (1990), and
various textbooks. He has organized two international
conferences on the Armenian epic tradition and edited their collected
papers. Yeghiazarian is founder-editor of the institute’s
official journal "Handes." He has been a visiting professor in
several American universities.

Dr. S. Peter Cowe, translator of Yeghiazaryan’s work and author of
its introduction, will speak about the epic and Yeghiazaryan’s
work. Cowe is Narekatsi Professor of Armenian Studies in the
Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, UCLA.
Previously at Columbia University, Cowe also has taught at the Hebrew
University of Jerusalem. Author of five Armenological
books and editor of seven, he is now completing an investigation of
the Armenian Republic’s post-Soviet publishing industry.
Past co-editor of the Journal of the Society for Armenian Studies,
Cowe has received several NEH fellowships, as well as the s
2007 Garbis Papazaian award in Armenology.

Dr. George Bournoutian is the editor of the Mazda Press Armenian
series in which this volume appears. He will speak about
the place of this volume in the ever-growing successful Mazda series.
Bournoutian is Senior Professor of History at Iona College.
He is the author of numerous books on Armenian history and has taught
Armenian history at Columbia University, Tufts University,
New York University, Rutgers University, the University of
Connecticut, Ramapo College, and Glendale Community College.

The Thursday evening event will begin at 7:30 p.m. on the Columbia
campus, in room 203 of the Mathematics Building (enter
Columbia from 116th Street and Broadway, proceed north, up the left
side of the Low Library stairs–past the large water fountains.
Mathematics Building is on the left past Low Library–see map
< thematics.html)> olumbia/map/mathematics.html).

Admission is free, and refreshments will be served. For additional
information, please email <mailto:[email protected]>arkuna@earthlin k.net.

Eurasia Daily Monitor

October 22, 2008 — Volume 5, Issue 202

CFE TREATY DEAD AND BURIED IN GEORGIA

by Vladimir Socor

Since December 2007, Russia has officially "suspended its compliance"
with the Treaty on Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE, signed in 1990 and
adapted in 1999). The "suspension" has dealt the coup de grace to a treaty
that Russia was already breaching on multiple counts for many years.

Emboldened by Western complacency toward those violations, Moscow
hopes that the suspension would pressure NATO and the alliance’s partners in
Europe’s East to: ratify the 1999-adapted treaty; accept Russia’s ongoing
breaches of it, removing those issues from the agenda; and start
negotiations to constrain possible future deployments of NATO countries’
forces on the territories of the three Baltic states (which were not
signatories to the original CFE treaty). Apart from ratification (with its
built-in political mechanism to trigger negotiations on the Baltic states),
Moscow seeks to rewrite the treaty’s core by eliminating limitations on
Russian force deployments on the northern and southern flanks of the treaty’
s area of application.

If Russia’s suspension (capping the long-time violations) practically
killed the CFE treaty, Russia’s invasion of Georgia and occupation of its
territories buried this treaty. Any future renegotiation may conceivably
lead over time to some new regime of conventional arms control in Europe.
But the existing treaty has been destroyed and a large part of its wreckage
is on view in Georgia. The invading Russian forces had been based near the
border for years, massively breaching the CFE treaty ceilings, with
international tolerance and even informal acquiescence.

The Treaty’s unraveling process is about as old as the 1999-adapted
treaty itself. During the Chechen conflict in the 1990s, Russia was granted
a temporary exemption from CFE treaty restrictions in the North Caucasus.
The Russians concentrated massive conventional forces there, ostensibly to
fight against "international terrorism." That rationale (if it ever had any
merit) became unsustainable after a few years; but the overwhelming force
remained, particularly in the form of the 58th Army stationed in North
Ossetia. That became the strike force of the August invasion in Georgia and
current occupation of that country’s territories.

Periodic CFE treaty review conferences in the framework of the OSCE
ignored the accumulation of Russia’s offensive potential in the North
Caucasus and the resulting threats to the South Caucasus. NATO and the
United States shied away from this problem. Ultimately, international
failure to implement the CFE treaty made the invasion of Georgia a
practicable option for Russia.

Russian forces are now settling in for permanent basing in South
Ossetia and Abkhazia. The Russian government no longer bothers to seek
justification for these new breaches of the CFE treaty. From the president
on down, Russian officials argue that these new forward deployments are a
bilateral matter for Russia with South Ossetia and with Abkhazia, following
Russia’s "recognition" of these "independent states." According to Minister
of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov, Russia is preparing mutual assistance
treaties and basing agreements to be signed with the Sukhumi and Tskhinvali
authorities (Interfax, October 10, 20).

Russia’s General Staff is currently determining the level of heavy
armaments to be stationed at these bases. Some 3,700 troops are earmarked to
be stationed in South Ossetia and another 3,700 in Abkhazia. The bases are
slated to become fully operational in 2009, according to the Russian General
Staff’s Chief, General Nikolai Makarov (Interfax, October 21).

Abkhaz "foreign minister" Sergei Shamba has confirmed the assumption
that Russia will use the Gudauta base as its main base in Abkhazia. In
addition, the Russians will use the ex-Soviet naval base at Ochamchire. The
Russians will upgrade both bases (Itar-Tass, October 17; Interfax, October
21). Beyond their local value, Russia will use these bases as strategic
assets: Ochamchire for its deep-water naval port inside a protected bay and
Gudauta for its prized airfield, capable of handling strategic aircraft.
Russian officials make no reference to the CFE treaty, flank restrictions on
troops, or ceilings on the heavy weaponry in their comments.

The issue of Gudauta seems especially poignant in this regard. Within
the 1999 CFE treaty package, Russia was obligated to quit that base by July
2001. But Russia continued to garrison Gudauta, albeit with a small unit
(falsely claiming to have closed the base), blocked CFE treaty-mandated
inspections at Gudauta, and attempted to use it for Russian "peacekeepers"
in Abkhazia. Some West European diplomats, with Germans in the lead, tried
for years to arrange a face-saving solution whereby Russia would keep
Gudauta without being declared in breach of the CFE treaty. This would have
removed an obstacle to ratification of the treaty, which Moscow was actively
seeking; and it would have doubly pleased Germany’s Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, which valued Russia’s "peacekeeping" presence in Georgia and
Moldova and encouraged its continuation in both places during OSCE
conferences in recent years.

Beyond Abkhazia and South Ossetia, the CFE treaty had long become
inoperable in Transnistria and, particularly, in the Armenian-controlled
territories of Azerbaijan. In all these places, the occupying forces
concentrated large arsenals of heavy weaponry, breaching the treaty’s
ceilings and the treaty-mandated verification procedures, and sharing those
arsenals with the local secessionist forces. The four territories have all
along remained inaccessible to international inspection in that regard. The
OSCE (custodian of the CFE treaty) and a growing number of West European
governments within NATO soon reconciled themselves to this situation. They
designated those arsenals as "unaccounted-for treaty-limited equipment"
(UTLE) and practically removed this issue from discussions with Russia about
ratification of the treaty.

Russia may well seek to resume discussions about ratification or
renegotiation of the CFE treaty, and conditions for this process, at the
OSCE’s year-end ministerial conference. Such ideas would not find many
takers in the immediate aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Georgia, an event
made possible in part by Western failure to implement the CFE treaty during
the past ten years. Western diplomacy tolerated Russia’s violations, in
Georgia and elsewhere, hoping incongruously to "save the arms control
regime." That attitude, however, ultimately allowed Russia to tear up the
Treaty altogether.

-Vladimir Socor

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:

PRESS RELEASE

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Senior Karabakh Delegation Debates with EU Policy Makers at AGBU
Europe Round Table

Brussels, 19 October 2008 – A delegation from Nagorno-Karabakh visited
Brussels from October 14 to 17 to take part in a round table hosted by
AGBU Europe in partnership with the Heinrich Böll Foundation’s
Brussels office. The delegation was composed of Eduard Atanesyan,
Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh,
and David Babayan, Head of the Information Department of the Office of
the President of Karabakh.

The AGBU-hosted round table brought together representatives of
various organizations and institutions involved in European policy in
the region, including NGOs, think tanks, embassies and various
European institutions. Azeri diplomats and NGOs in Brussels, though
invited, did not attend.

Karabakh is one of the three territories in the Caucasus which
declared independence at the time of the collapse of the Soviet
Union. After successfully defending its independence in an unequal and
devastating war with Azerbaijan between 1992 and 1994, this small
republic of 145,000 inhabitants struggled to rebuild itself and worked
to establish a functioning state.

The purpose of this visit — the first to Brussels by a delegation
from Karabakh since 1999 – was to allow EU decision-makers and experts
to establish contact with representatives from Karabakh and to inform
them about the country’s situation. Even though the EU’s interest in
the South Caucasus has increased considerably in recent years, it has
abstained from establishing relations with Karabakh, even at the most
informal level. The EU’s special representative for the South Caucasus
has not yet traveled to Karabakh, though he has visited other
unrecognized republics in the region.

The round table reviewed the state of Karabakh’s economy, state and
society. Karabakh’s economy started from nothing after it was entirely
destroyed in the war but it is now developing fast. It faces
challenges similar to those of most other post-Soviet republics,
compounded by the absence of international assistance and by potential
investors’ reluctance caused by the country’s unrecognized status. On
the other hand, the speakers claimed that governance and democratic
standards, facilitated by the country’s small size, are rather more
advanced in Karabakh than in the neighboring South Caucasian
republics.

Over the last 14 years, negotiations have been pursued under the aegis
of the Minsk group of the OSCE to seek agreement on Karabakh’s final
status. In this context, both Babayan and Atanesyan explained their
government’s positions in the context of the negotiations by
describing their territory’s specific situation and its experience of
a terrible war. Karabakh aspires to being included as a party in the
negotiations on its future status, which it is still excluded from. In
a lively discussion regarding the Azeri refugees’ right to return to
Karabakh, Babayan confirmed that they were welcome to do so, provided
that those involved accept the jurisdiction of the Republic of
Nagorno-Karabakh. He insisted, however, that refugees should not be
used as pawns in a political game, and that negotiations on the topic
should genuinely aim to satisfy their right of return.

This round table, held on October 16, was the first in a series of
round tables and events which AGBU Europe will be organizing in the
context of its work with the European institutions. The next event to
be organized will be a conference, on November 13 next, on the
Rediscovery of Armenian Heritage in Turkey. For more information, see

Established in 1906, AGBU () is the world’s largest
non-profit Armenian organization. Headquartered in New York City, AGBU
preserves and promotes the Armenian identity and heritage through
educational, cultural and humanitarian programs, annually touching the
lives of some 400,000 Armenians on six continents.

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:

PRESS RELEASE

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

AGBU’s Discover Armenia Trip Exposes Diasporan Teens to Their Heritage

For the fifth consecutive year, AGBU’s Discover Armenia organized an
action-packed trip to Armenia and neighboring Karabakh for diasporan
youth ages 15 to 18. From August 8 – 27, 22 youths from 13 cities and
6 countries spent 20 unforgettable days in Armenia under the direction
and guidance of Herminé Duzian, AGBU Diaspora Youth Programs
Coordinator in Armenia. The youths hailed from Belgium (Anvers),
Canada (Toronto, Montreal), France (Paris, Marseilles, Vienne,
Valance, Bordeaux), Germany (Munich), Lebanon (Beirut), and the United
States of America (New Jersey, New York, California).

Along with visits to Garni, Geghard, the Holy See of Etchmiadzin,
Noravank, the AGBU Nork Children’s Center, Oshakan, the
Tsitsernakabert Armenian Genocide Museum, Sardarapat, Sevan, the
AGBU-sponsored Vazkenian Theological Seminary and other landmarks and
museums, the participants also learned the value of volunteerism by
helping with the renovation of homes in the village of Khor Virap,
which was sponsored by the Fuller organization, and in the cleaning of
the Khosrov Forest State Preserve, coordinated by the World Wildlife
Fund.

The youths had a number of unique once-in-a-lifetime experiences,
including climbing Armenia’s highest mountain, Mount Aragats, and
spending an unforgettable evening with renowned Armenian pop singers
Shushan Petrossian and Arsen Grigorian at the AGBU Camp Antranik in
the Lori region.

The group also went to Karabakh, where they became acquainted with
local AGBU projects and visited the city of Shushi and the medieval
monastic complex of Gandzasar.

The trip aims to expose participating youth to the wondrous nature of
Armenia and the lives of its citizens. "This is my first time in
Armenia and I liked it a lot. I will definitely return in the
future. I will help my people as much as I can to make Armenia a
better place," said Haigaram Kalindjian, who grew up in Lebanon and
currently attends a Canadian college.

Talin Knadjian of Belgium shares Kalindjian’s enthusiasm: "When we
went to Khor Virap to help renovate houses, we got acquainted with
several young people there. They asked me what I do and I became
acquainted with their everyday activities. They were very kind to us
and were very happy that a group of Armenians from abroad had come to
help them. It was all very memorable."

For more information about next year’s Discover Armenia trip, please
email Herminé Duzian at [email protected].

Established in 1906, AGBU () is the world’s largest
non-profit Armenian organization. Headquartered in New York City with
an annual budget of $36 million, AGBU preserves and promotes the
Armenian identity and heritage through educational, cultural and
humanitarian programs, annually touching the lives of some 400,000
Armenians on six continents.

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:

PRESS RELEASE

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Entrepreneurs Travel to Armenia with AGBU YP Paris

>From September 3-9, 2008, a small group of business people under the
auspices of the AGBU Young Professionals of Paris (YP Paris) traveled to
Yerevan, Armenia to acquaint themselves with the country’s economy,
which is considered to be the most open marketplace of the former states
of the Soviet Union.

The YP Paris trip ensured that the professional interests of each
participant were included on the busy itinerary. The trip helped
participants establish contacts with professionals in Armenia and it
enabled them to shape their own opinions of the country’s economic
outlook.

The schedule included visits to several companies from different
sectors, as well as governmental structures. During the trip,
participants observed that strategic sectors such as construction,
banking, information technology and precision engineering were in active
development and of high interest to foreign investors, along with
tourism, the food-processing industry and renewable energies, which is a
budding sector in Armenia.

While YP Paris members note that Armenia is well-positioned in the labor
market as a high-quality provider with a multilingual workforce, they
also recognize that the younger generation is faced with many
challenges, including the country’s high rate of unemployment.

In commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the 1988 earthquake, YP
Paris also set aside time to travel to Gyumri to speak with local youth
about their hopes and dreams for the future.

AGBU YP Paris is part of a growing network of YP Groups and supporters
around the world who are committed to preserving and promoting the
Armenian identity and heritage through educational, cultural and
humanitarian programs. For more information on YP Paris, email
[email protected] or visit

For more information about the AGBU YP Network, please visit
agbu.org/yp.

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

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
October 22, 2008
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

ANCA: OBAMA-BIDEN THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR ARMENIAN AMERICANS

— Nationwide Grassroots Organization Reaffirms Earlier Primary
Endorsement in January

— Expands on Nine Months of Nationwide Voter Mobilization to
Secure Obama-Biden Win on November 4th

WASHINGTON, DC – The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA)
today formalized its longstanding support for Barack Obama with an
official endorsement of the Obama-Biden campaign for the Presidency
of the United States.

"The Armenian National Committee of America is proud today to
formally announce our support for Barack Obama – whom we endorsed
this January in the Democratic Primary and have energetically
backed with sustained, grassroots voter mobilization for the past
nine months," said ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian. "Based on Senator
Obama’s strong record in office, his bold statements as a
candidate, and our judgment as to the types of policies he will
pursue as President, we believe that an Obama-Biden Administration
would be far better positioned than a McCain-Palin one to reflect
the views and values of the Armenian American community."

Barack Obama: The Choice for Change

In a powerful statement, issued on January 20th, Senator Obama
voiced his strong support for passage of the Armenian Genocide
Resolution and pledged that, as President, he would recognize the
Armenian Genocide. The Presidential hopeful also reaffirmed his
support for a strong "U.S.-Armenian relationship that advances our
common security and strengthens Armenian democracy." Unlike other
Democratic candidates, he also pledged to "promote Armenian
security by seeking an end to the Turkish and Azerbaijani
blockades, and by working for a lasting and durable settlement of
the Nagorno Karabagh conflict that is agreeable to all parties, and
based upon America’s founding commitment to the principles of
democracy and self determination."

The key elements of the Obama record that led to the ANCA
endorsement include the following:

* Public criticism of the Bush Administration for firing former
U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Evans over his truthful remarks
recognizing the Armenian Genocide. He has publicly asserted that,
"An official policy that calls on diplomats to distort the
historical facts is an untenable policy."

* Strong support for the passage of the Armenian Genocide
Resolution currently before Congress, in his capacity as Chairman
of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on European Affairs.

* A written pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide as President,
clearly spelling out his "firmly held conviction that the Armenian
Genocide is not an allegation, a personal opinion, or a point of
view, but rather a widely documented fact supported by an
overwhelming body of historical evidence. The facts are
undeniable."

* A commitment to ending the cycle of genocide. He has said, on
the record, that, "America deserves a leader who speaks truthfully
about the Armenian Genocide and responds forcefully to all
genocides. I intend to be that President."

* Letters to President Bush urging him to properly recognize the
Armenian Genocide and a record of defending that position, when
challenged. While visiting Azerbaijan in August 2005, in response
to media inquiries about why he signed these letters, Senator Obama
publicly defended his decision by stating that the Armenian
Genocide was a historical fact.

* Commitment to promoting Armenia’s security "by seeking an end to
the Turkish and Azerbaijani blockades."

* Support for "a lasting and durable settlement of the Nagorno
Karabagh conflict that is agreeable to all parties, and based upon
America’s founding commitment to the principles of democracy and
self determination."

Joe Biden: Leading Senate Advocate on Armenian American Concerns

For over three decades, Vice-Presidential Nominee Senator Joe Biden
has been a voice of moral clarity on issues of concern to the
Armenian American community including:

* Support for U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide, dating
back to his work with Senator Bob Dole to pass the Armenian
Genocide Resolution (S.J.Res.212) in 1990, and to promote stronger
U.S.-Armenia relations.

* Consistent support for Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act,
adopted in 1992, which restricted U.S. assistance to Azerbaijan due
to its ongoing blockades of Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh.

* Leadership in pressing the Administration to explain its firing
of U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, John Evans and ensuring that future
nominees as U.S. Ambassador to Armenia and Turkey do not deny the
Armenian Genocide.

The McCain-Palin Campaign:

Throughout the primary and general election cycles, the ANCA
invited all of the major candidates – including Senator McCain – to
share their views on Armenian Americans issues and to comment on
both the growing relationship between the U.S. and Armenian
governments and the enduring bonds between the American and
Armenian peoples.

Senator McCain, in a letter to the ANCA this February and a follow
up open-letter to Armenian Americans in September of this year,
formally asked for the support of Armenian American voters, but
failed, in both instances, to outline his stands on core Armenian
American issues. In his letters, the Arizona Senator praised the
Armenian American contribution to American society, and Armenia’s
contribution to Coalition operations in Iraq and NATO peacekeeping
in Kosovo, but remained silent on Nagorno Karabagh, the Turkish and
Azerbaijani blockades, U.S. aid to Armenia, and the broader issue
of U.S.-Armenia relations. He did, as he has done over the years,
echo the Bush Administration’s practice of employing euphemistic
language such as "terrible tragedy" to avoid mentioning the
Armenian Genocide by its proper name.

Senator McCain has, throughout his tenure in the Congress, largely
opposed or was passively indifferent to a broad array of Armenian
American issues. As recently as October of last year, Senator
McCain publicly opposed Congressional recognition of the Armenian
Genocide. In 1999, he voted against restricting U.S. aid to
Azerbaijan over its blockades and other offensive uses of force
against Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh. He voted against Senator Bob
Dole’s Armenian Genocide Resolution in 1990. Governor Sarah Palin
has no record on Armenian American concerns.

The Armenian American Vote:

Armenian Americans, in key battleground states and throughout the
country, represent a motivated and highly networked constituency of
more than one and a half million citizens. The ANCA mobilizes
Armenian American voters through a network of over 50 local
chapters and a diverse array of affiliates, civic advocates, and
supporters nationwide. ANCA mailings reach over a quarter of a
million homes and, with the addition of internet outreach, updates
and action alerts, reach well over 350,000 households. The ANCA
website, which features election coverage from an Armenian American
point of view, attracts over 100,000 unique visits a month. The
ANCA also has broad reach to Armenian American voters via a
sophisticated media operation of newspapers, regional cable shows,
satellite TV, blogs, and internet news sites.

Along with its presidential endorsement, the ANCA reminds Armenian
Americans that their ability to impact policy-level decision-making
depends, first and foremost, on the continued expansion of advocacy
efforts at all levels of government. The ANCA’s Congressional
endorsements represent an important element of this process by
providing Armenian American voters with the information they need
to solidify the strong, bipartisan support our community enjoys in
Congress.

ANCA Presidential endorsements are offered against the backdrop of
several decades of disappointing experiences, during which
Presidents, while running for office, have affirmed the Armenian
Genocide to win hearts and minds among Armenian American voters,
only to retreat from this recognition once in the White House and
then, in the case of each of the past four administrations, to
aggressively pressure the U.S. Congress from properly commemorating
the very same crime against humanity they once condemned as
candidates.

As always, the ANCA welcomes feedback on its service to the
Armenian American community. Please forward your thoughts and
suggestions about the 2008 Presidential election by email to
[email protected].

#####

Note to the Editor: Please visit the ANCA website for additional
information on the ANCA Endorsement and the Presidential
candidates, as listed below.

Additional Materials:

To read Senator Obama’s pledges on Armenian Americans on his
official website:
ack_obama_on_the_importance.php

To read a 2-page summary of Senators Obama and Biden’s record of
support for Armenian American issues, visit:
n_record.pdf

To read a 2-page listing of the Bush-Cheney’s opposition to
Armenian American issues, visit:
y_record.pdf

To view/print an Obama/McCain comparison one-page, visit:
n.php

For information on Armenians for Obama visit:

To view Samantha Power’s YouTube video in support of Senator Obama,
visit:
XsV-Dg

To read "McCain’s Armenia Problem" in The Atlantic, visit:
nian-american-vote

To Read Sen. John McCain’s Letters to the Armenian Community,
visit:
es/press_releases.php?prid=1602

______________ _______________________
Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Communications Director
Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet: