ASBAREZ Online [06-29-2006]

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06/29/2006
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://WWW.ASBAREZ. COM 1) Senators Press Nominee for Explanation of US Genocide Policy 2) Oskanian Comments on Minsk Group Peace Proposal 3) EU 'May Halt Turkey Entry Bid' 4) 31st Annual Homenetmen Navasartian Festival Begins 1) Senators Press Nominee for Explanation of US Genocide Policy WASHINGTONSenate Foreign Relations Committee members George Allen (R-Va.) and Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) bombarded U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Designate Richard Hoagland with questions about official U.S. complicity in Turkey's campaign of Genocide denial, questioning him, during his confirmation hearing Wednesday, regarding his ability to effectively represent the United States in Armenia without properly recognizing the Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian National Committee of America. In the days leading up to today's hearing, the Committee's Ranking Democrat, Joseph Biden (D-Del.), in a strongly worded letter, demanded that the Secretary of State answers questions concerning the recall of the current U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Evans, before he could support the confirmation of his replacement. At the hearing, Senator Paul Sarbanes (D-Md.), joined with Senators Coleman and Allen in sharply criticizing the Administration's refusal to speak truthfully on the Armenian Genocide. Senator Boxer, who was unable to attend the hearing, submitted written questions to Amb. Hoagland. The hearing was marked by repeated calls upon Amb. Hoagland to clarify the State Department's policy on the Armenian Genocide. If approved, he will replace the current U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, John Marshall Evans, whoamid great controversyhas been recalled over his truthful description of the Armenian Genocide in February of 2005. "We appreciate the leadership of Senators Allen, Coleman and Sarbanes in pressing hard for a detailed explanation of the U.S. policy on the Armenian Genocide - and commend Senator Biden for his principled demand that the Senate receive clear answers on this issue from the State Department before moving ahead with the nomination of a new envoy to Yerevan," said ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian. "We were deeply disappointed that, in response to these legitimate inquiries, Ambassador-designate Hoagland - apparently at the direction of his superiors in the State Department - limited his responses to a series of unresponsive evasions and euphemisms intended to obscure - not explain - the U.S. policy on the Armenian Genocide." "We have said from the startand believe even more firmly todaythat the U.S. Senate cannot, in good conscience, approve the nomination of a new ambassador to Armenia until the circumstances of the current envoy's controversial firing - including a thorough description of the U.S. policy on the Armenian Genocideare fully, officially and openly explained to Congress and the American people," said Hachikian. 2) Oskanian Comments on Minsk Group Peace Proposal YEREVAN (Armenpress)In an interview with Armenpress Wednesday, Armenia's foreign minister Vartan Oskanian point-by-point discussed an announcement issued by the co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process. In a joint statement that was circulated by the U.S. embassy in Yerevan on Wednesday, the Minsk Group's American, French and Russian co-chairs said their confidential peace plan envisions a self-determination referendum to be held in Karabakh after the liberation of Armenian-occupied territories in Azerbaijan, reported RFE/RL Wednesday. The statement was presented to the OSCE's decision-making Permanent Council in Vienna last Thursday and was not made public until being posted on the U.S. embassy website almost a week later. Washington's new top Karabakh negotiator, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Bryza, revealed details of the proposed peace plan to RFE/RL shortly after the Permanent Council meeting. "These principles include the phased redeployment of Armenian troops from Azeri territories around Nagorno-Karabakh, with special modalities for Kelbajar and Lachin districts [separating Karabakh from Armenia proper]," said the co-chairs. "Demilitarization of those territories would follow. A referendum or population vote would be agreed, at an unspecified future date, to determine the final legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh." "An international peacekeeping force would be deployed," added the statement. "A joint commission would be agreed to implement the agreement. International financial assistance would be made available for demining, reconstruction, resettlement of internally displaced persons in the formerly occupied territories and the war-affected regions of Nagorno-Karabakh. The sides would renounce the use or threat of use of force, and international and bilateral security guarantees and assurances would be put in place." The mediators said the sides to the conflict would also have to work out practical modalities of the Karabakh referendum. "Suitable preconditions for such a vote would have to be achieved so that the vote would take place in a non-coercive environment in which well-informed citizens have had ample opportunity to consider their positions after a vigorous debate in the public arena." Below are excerpts from the interview: Armenpress: The co-chairs in their statement say that "our approach has been a modified one: we have not tried to solve all aspects of the conflict in one phase. Instead our principles seek to achieve a major degree of progress but defer some very difficult issues to the future and envision further negotiations." What does this mean? Vartan Oskanian: The actual negotiating document on the principles that is on the table today is all-encompassing. It covers all the principles affecting the resolution of the conflict. It includes the core issue of status of Nagorno Karabakh, territories, refugees, security issues, peacekeeping and every other conceivable issue that is necessary in order to arrive at a lasting resolution of the conflict. Only after full agreement on all these basic principles would the parties, as the actual negotiating text says, "in cooperation with the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk group to begin work on the elaboration of an agreement on the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict." In other words, the agreement on principles will be comprehensive. The final agreement may envision implementation over time. Armenpress: In their report, the co-chairs say "the principles include the phased redeployment of Armenian troops from Azerbaijani territories around Nagorno Karabakh, with special modalities for Kelbajar and Lachin districts." What are these special modalities? V.O.: This formulation is indeed very broad, and for a reason. This issue has two layers. One is the issue of Lachin, where the actual negotiating text on principles provides clear language stating that there will be "a corridor linking Nagorno Karabakh to Armenia." For Armenia, it's very clear that this corridor must have the same status as Nagorno Karabakh. The second layer is the issue of Kelbajar. For Armenia, this also is clear: based on security concerns, Kelbajar can be returned only after the referendum is conducted and the final status of Karabakh is determined. Azerbaijan's position is different on Kelbajar. That's the disagreement that the co-chairs are addressing in their statement. The co-chairs' language in the actual negotiating text, with regard to this issue, is generally in line with our approach. Armenpress: The co-chairs say that there will be a referendum "to determine the final legal status of Nagorno Karabakh," but they don't say who will vote. V.O.: The actual negotiating text on principles clearly specifies that "the final legal status will be determined through a referendum by the population of Nagorno Karabakh." Armenpress: The co-chairs also say "certain interim arrangements for Nagorno Karabakh would allow for interaction with providers of international assistance." What does this mean? V.O.: This is only one element of a much more detailed section in the actual negotiating text which addresses interim status for Nagorno Karabakh. We think the co-chairs have emphasized international engagement, because that's a major problem for the people of Nagorno Karabakh. Their current, unrecognized, de-facto status, has not allowed them to benefit from the generosity of international organizations. In the actual negotiating text, the provisions address such rights as control over their political and economic viability and security, upholding their personal privileges and freedoms, the right to democratically elect officials to govern Nagorno Karabakh, the authority to effectively legislate and administer the internal affairs of Nagorno Karabakh. Armenpress: What is Armenia's overall assessment of the content of the document as it stands today? V.O.: This not a perfect document. For anyone. However, there are enough solid and balanced provisions, with the right trade-offs on the main issues status, territories and security that we are prepared to continue to negotiate on the basis of these principles. In today's context, Azerbaijan's rhetoric about autonomy and desperate calls for militarization surprise us. We have at hand a real opportunity to resolve all issues, including the much-maligned issue of refugees. But Azerbaijan must revert to real situations and real opportunities, rather than illusory maximalist hopes. Today, we hope that Azerbaijan will realize that we have a chance to resolve the conflict and achieve a lasting peace. 3) EU 'May Halt Turkey Entry Bid' HELSINKI(Reuters)The European Union said on Thursday that Turkey's membership negotiations could be halted unless it moves on Cyprus and makes progress on reforms, but the EU hopes to avoid a crisis later this year. Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn was quoted by the Finnish news agency STT as saying, in response to a question, that the EU could suspend talks completely. "There is that possibility. I hope that we don't have to resort to that, but we have no reason not to use it if there are grounds for that," Rehn said. Finland, which takes over the 25-nation bloc's rotating presidency from July 1, also said that refusal to fulfill an obligation to open Turkish ports and airports to traffic from Cyprus could jeopardize the talks. "This is not a threat. I just want to note the fact that it will cause a serious issue ... in the negotiations and may even endanger the continuation of the negotiations," Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja told a news conference in Brussels. EU ambassadors decided for the first time on Wednesday to move forward faster in accession talks with Croatia than with Turkey because of Ankara's refusal to open its ports and airports to traffic from Cyprus. "I am a realist and that is why I have tried to warn about a possible collision in negotiations, unless Turkey holds to its commitments on Cyprus and speeds up its reforms," Rehn was quoted as saying. The Turkish lira weakened briefly on the news, traders said, but the reaction was limited. Turkey, which invaded northern Cyprus in 1974 in response to a short-lived coup engineered by Greece's then ruling military junta, does not recognize the Greek Cypriot Nicosia government. The EU says Ankara must open its ports and airports to Cypriot traffic under an agreement signed last year extending its customs union to 10 new EU member states, including Cyprus. In a statement last year, the EU said failure to comply with the customs protocol would affect the "relevant chapters" of the talks, which are split into 35 policy areas known as chapters. But statements by some EU officials have raised the stakes by suggesting the entire accession process may be frozen. Rehn's office said the Commissioner had not intended to break new ground and had added: "It is always better to look for solutions which keep negotiations ongoing and which make the candidate country fulfil the conditions of the negotiations." Tuomioja also said Finland would work hard to find ways to prevent a "dramatic situation" later this year when an EU summit will consider a review by the executive European Commission of Turkey's compliance. The EU agreed on Wednesday to open detailed talks with both Turkey and Croatia on competition policy but only with Zagreb on customs, since the Commission has not finished screening the compatibility of Turkish legislation with EU law due to Cyprus. It was the first time the EU had made Turkey wait in the talks because of its stance over Cyprus, reaffirmed by Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan last week. Erdogan says Turkey will only open its ports if the EU makes good on a pledge to ease the economic isolation of the Turkish Cypriots by allowing direct trade with northern Cyprus. Brussels rejects any such linkage. 4) 31st Annual Homenetmen Navasartian Festival Begins The Navasartian final games and closing festival will begin on Friday, June 30th, with a torch lighting ceremony at Birmingham High School (17000 Haynes, Van Nuys) at 7:30 p.m. Festivities will continue through the weekend, with the closing ceremonies on Tuesday, July 4th at 4:30 p.m. with Homenetmen Chapters Parade. The evening will continue in picnic area with fireworks, live music, dance, games and food. 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) 2006 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.