ASBAREZ ONLINE [08-31-2004]

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08/31/2004
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Kerry Message to 'Armenstock' Music Festival Vows Continued Fight Against Armenian Genocide Denial 2) Straw Backs Launch of Turkey-EU Accession Talks 3) Trial of Armenian Mercenaries Halted Pending Investigation From Abroad 4) Ossetia Offers Equal Negotiations to Georgia 1) Kerry Message to 'Armenstock' Music Festival Vows Continued Fight Against Armenian Genocide Denial "There can be no compromise on the clear moral imperative to end genocide." --John Kerry, August 28, 2004 WASHINGTON, DC--In his strongest campaign statement to date on Armenian issues, John Kerry publicly committed this weekend that a Kerry-Edwards administration would "fight against the denial of the Armenian Genocide," reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). The strongly worded statement was read by a long-time friend of the Armenian American community, Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) at the "Armenstock--Kef for Kerry" music festival on August 28 in Franklin, Massachusetts. In the statement, Senator Kerry thanked the "organizers of Armenstock, Armenians for Kerry, and the Armenian National Committee of America, for bringing so many Armenian Americans together," for the music festival. Joining Congressman Frank in making presentations at the program were US Representative James McGovern (D-MA), who represents the Franklin area, and State Representatives Peter Koutoujian (D-Waltham) and Rachel Kaprielian (D-Watertown). The all-day concert and rally in celebration of the Kerry-Edwards campaign attracted over eight hundred Armenians to hear Armenian musicians and to kick-off a nationwide voter mobilization and "get-out-the-Armenian-vote" campaign for the fall of 2004. In his statement, Senator Kerry explained that it has been his "privilege over the past two decades to work with the Armenian community on important issues including US recognition of the Armenian Genocide, strengthening US-Armenia relations and trade, lifting the devastating blockades of Armenia, and working for a fair and lasting peace in Karabagh." He added that he is "honored to have the endorsement of the ANCA," and appreciates the organization's "work to encourage Armenian Americans around the country to go to the polls in record numbers for the Kerry-Edwards ticket on November 2." The ANCA endorsed the Kerry-Edwards ticket on July 25 of this year. Addressing concerns about the actions of a future Kerry-Edwards administration, Senator Kerry said, "I want to assure you that, as President, I will continue to fight against the denial of the Armenian Genocide. My administration will recognize April 24, 2005 as the 90th Anniversary of this atrocity and will work to ensure that the lessons of this crime against humanity are used to prevent future genocides. There can be no compromise on the clear moral imperative to end genocide." During his long tenure in the US House and Senate, Senator Kerry has consistently been a leading advocate of issues of concern to Armenian Americans. As a US Senator, Kerry has forcefully fought for US recognition of the Armenian Genocide, and is currently a cosponsor of the Genocide Resolution, S.Res.164. In 1990, Senator Kerry voted on the Senate floor for Senator Bob Dole's (R-KS) Genocide Resolution. The Massachusetts Senator has been a vocal and effective champion of stronger US-Armenia relations and has consistently backed legislative initiative to increase aid and expand trade with Armenia. He is currently a cosponsor of legislation, S.1557, which would grant Armenia permanent normal trade relations status. Senator Kerry has spearheaded a number of initiatives to lift the Turkish and Azerbaijani blockades. In 1991, he was the lead sponsor of legislation, which was later enacted as Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, restricting US aid to the government of Azerbaijan until its blockades of Armenia and Mountainous Karabagh are lifted. He also worked for the adoption of the Humanitarian Aid Corridor Act, which called for US aid to Turkey to be cut off unless Turkey lifted its blockade of Armenia. As recently as this January, Senator Kerry formally called on President Bush to press the visiting Prime Minister of Turkey to lift his nation's illegal blockade of Armenia. The program was produced by "Armenians for Kerry" and Pomegranate Music Events (). For additional information, visit: For more information about the ANCA's endorsement, visit: For information about Armenians for Kerry, visit: Complete coverage of Armenstock will be forthcoming. The full text of the Kerry-Edwards statement is provided below. 2) Straw Backs Launch of Turkey-EU Accession Talks PRAGUE (AFP)--Turkey should be allowed to open membership talks with the European Union (EU) since isolating the country would not be in anyone's interests, British Foreign Minister Jack Straw said during a visit to Prague. "I know that views differ on this but people need to think very carefully about the strategic implications of pushing Turkey away, of pushing Turkey to the east and to the south. I don't think that's in anybody's interests in Europe," Straw told AFP. The European Commission is due to announce on October 6 whether it would recommend opening EU accession negotiations with Turkey, whose membership aspirations have sparked controversy. And EU leaders will decide in December whether to begin membership talks with Ankara based on progress made by Turkish leaders on individual liberties and respect of human rights. "We have long supported Turkey's membership of the European Union. Turkey is a European nation and part of Europe's history, it is entitled as a member of the Council of Europe and NATO to make an application for membership of the European Union and I hope a decision will be made in December for a start to negotiations," Straw said. "The country has made very considerable progress particularly in the past two years towards meeting the necessary pre-conditions before negotiations can begin," he added. Straw emphasized that the current debate was only about opening negotiations. "We are not talking about a finishing date or an accession date," he said. Earlier, in a speech delivered to a meeting in Prague of Czech ambassadors, Straw backed opening negotiations with Turkey and linked it with Czechoslovakia's Velvet Revolution in 1989 that brought down the communist regime and brought "values of freedom, tolerance and democracy." "There would be no better signal of Europe's wish to support the spread of those universal values than a positive decision to open accession negotiations with Turkey this December," he told delegates. Czech Prime Minister Stanislav Gross said Monday he supported Turkey's accession to the EU. 3) Trial of Armenian Mercenaries Halted Pending Investigation From Abroad LIBREVILLE (allAfrica.com)--A court in Equatorial Guinea on Tuesday suspended the trial of 14 suspected foreign mercenaries who are accused of trying to topple the president, because more time was needed to weigh evidence from abroad, witnesses said. The 14 defendants--eight South Africans and six Armenians--were arrested in Malabo on March 6. They were charged with paving the way for a planeload of South African mercenaries who were arrested 24 hours later in Zimbabwe, allegedly on their way to Equatorial Guinea. Since the trial kicked off last Monday only one of the defendants, South African arms dealer Nick du Toit, had admitted taking part in the coup plot against President Teodoro Obiang Nguema in the tiny oil-rich state split between a square of mainland jungle and a volcanic island. "The trial has been suspended to wait for outside elements," Celestino Edou, an adviser to the mayor of Malabo, told IRIN by telephone from the capital after watching the court proceedings. The judge did not say when proceedings would resume, he said. The prosecution, which has demanded the death penalty for du Toit, asked for the indefinite suspension in light of evidence emerging from outside Equatorial Guinea, like last week's arrest of Mark Thatcher in South Africa. Authorities in Equatorial Guinea have asked for permission to interview the 51-year-old son of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who they suspect helped finance the plot to overthrow Obiang with the aim of installing exiled opposition leader Severo Moto. The government has also requested international arrest warrants for Moto and other suspects including Greg Wales, a London-based businessman and Elie Khalil, an international oil dealer of Lebanese origin. But observers within the Equatorial Guinea government and civil groups say the trial has really been suspended because the prosecution realized that it could not convict Du Toit and his 13 co-defendants. "Most of the elements brought forward to prove the mercenaries' guilt have not been able to link them strongly enough to the attempted coup d'etat to impose the maximum penalties," a senior official in the Ministry of Information told IRIN by telephone. And Ange Ichaito, a human rights advocate, agreed the prosecution had presented a weak case. "The Malabo trial, which was only supposed to last three days, has still not come up with details of how each of the suspects was involved in the attempt to topple Obiang's regime," he said. Last Friday all but one of the 67 suspected mercenaries held in Zimbabwe were absolved of attempting to procure arms for the alleged coup in the former Spanish colony which is Africa's third-largest oil producer. Residents in Malabo quoted state radio as saying that Friday's acquittal had seriously influenced the Malabo judge's decision to suspend the trial. Obiang, who came to power by executing his uncle in a 1979 coup, has been widely accused of spending Equatorial Guinea's oil wealth on his own family and friends while leaving the country's 500,000 inhabitants in a state of dire poverty. 4) Ossetia Offers Equal Negotiations to Georgia TSKHINVALI (Civil Georgia/Itar-Tass)--South Ossetian President Eduard Kokoev called on the Georgian administration to begin equal negotiations to discuss problems of concern to Ossetia and Georgia. "We will do our best to retain the fragile peace we have achieved thanks to the agreements, but we will have to take adequate measures if Georgia breaks the accords," Kokoev told the press in Tskhinvali on Tuesday. The situation around South Ossetia is tense, Kokoev told Itar-Tass. "Georgia has simply imitated a pullout. The units are stationed in direct proximity to the South Ossetian border, they have not been withdrawn outside the conflict zone," he said. Kokoev said that provocations had not ceased, referring to the Tuesday seizure of Ossetian buses in the Georgian village of Eredvi. "Our opponents are not ready for political dialogue. They are inclined to solving the problem of South Ossetia by force," he said. "We can provide for security of all residents of South Ossetia regardless their nationality," Kokoev said. Meanwhile, Senior Russian MP Dmitri Rogozin, the leader of the parliamentary faction "Rodina" (Homeland), met with Kokoev in the capital of breakaway region Tskhinvali on Tuesday. "Residents of South Ossetia are citizens of the Russian Federation; hence the Russian Duma Council [lower chamber of the Parliament] can not remain indifferent towards the situation here," the Press and Information Committee of South Ossetian reported quoted Rogozin as saying. Rogozin emphasized that the South Ossetian conflict can be solved only through political means. "And the priority in the settlement process should be the right of rejoining of the Ossetian people," MP Rogozin added, referring to the Tskhinvali's demands over unification with Russia's North Ossetian Republic. All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2004 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets.