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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://WWW.ASBAREZ. COM 1)ARF Calls for Strengthening Of Armenia's Border Regions 2) Senate Delays Hoagland Confirmation 3) Azerbaijan 'Against Referendum In Karabakh' 4) Catholic Priest Stabbed in Turkey 1) ARF Calls for Strengthening Of Armenia's Border Regions YEREVANThe Bureau of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Monday issued an announcement calling on its rank and file, as well as all Armenians to support initiatives to bolster and develop the border regions of Armenia. This announcement comes months before the third Armenia-Diaspora Conference, which will address the development of border regions as its main agenda item. Below is the translated text of the declaration: Dear compatriots, This year all Armenians will celebrate the 15th anniversary of their independent statehood. We will celebrate this jubilee, fully aware of its importance and with the determination to reform, build and strengthen our Armenian Homeland. Independence is the utmost privilege, and it is the duty of each of us to make Armenia a center for justice, democracy and solidarity. Coinciding with the anniversary of our state is the third Armenia-Diaspora conference in Yerevan from September 18-20. It is yet another opportunity to unite our national potential and to direct it in a consciously organized manner toward the political, economic, spiritual and cultural development of the Homeland, as well as the resolution of pan-national issues and toward overcomingwith dignity the challenges facing Armenians and Armenia in the 21st century. On the agenda of this conference, there will be a very specific issue, with a strategic goal: to find resources and solutions in order to develop the border regions specifically, to improve and modernize the infrastructure of villages and to help the population resolve its social issues. On its part, the Bureau of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation calls upon all structures, units, individuals in Armenia and the Diaspora, and first of all its organizational regions and members, to actively participate in the realization of this program and to undertake specific responsibilities. Through this step, we will prove that we are able to have a strong and sovereign Homeland, that we are able to become an influential presence in the large family of nations. Let us mark the anniversary of our state through concrete work and responsibility. Armenian Revolutionary Federation Bureau July 3, 2006 Yerevan 2) Senate Delays Hoagland Confirmation WASHINGTONIn the wake of this past Wednesday's contentious Senate Foreign Relations Committee nomination hearing for Ambassador to Armenia Designate Richard Hoagland, panel members John Kerry (D-Mass.), Paul Sarbanes (D-Md.), Lincoln Chafee (R-RI), and Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) have each submitted a series of detailed written questions asking the nominee to explain the guidance he has received from the State Department concerning its policy on the Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian National Committee. Senator Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) also sent a letter of inquiry this week concerning the recall of the current US Ambassador to Armenia John Evans following his statements affirming the Armenian Genocide. During the June 28th nomination hearing, Sen. George Allen (R-Va.), Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.), and Sen. Paul Sarbanes (D-Md.) pressed the nominee for an explanation of the State Department's guidance regarding the use of the word "genocide" to properly characterize this crime against humanity. Senators Allen and Coleman peppered the nominee with numerous questions and expressed frustration as the Ambassador-Designate avoided giving direct answers to any of the questions, resorting to the use of euphemisms. Ambassador-Designate Hoagland's June 28th appearance before the Foreign Relations Committee was alongside nominees for the US ambassadorships to Ireland and Switzerland, who were subsequently approved by the Committee and then the full Senate on June 29th. In contrast, the Committee deferred action on confirming the proposed new ambassador to Armenia. "Seven of the eighteen members of the Foreign Relations Committeeover one third of this influential panelare already on record raising serious concerns about confirming a new ambassador to Yerevan before receiving a full, open, and official explanation of the circumstances surrounding the recall of our current ambassador, the instructions given to our prospective ambassador, andmore broadlythe exact nature of our government's policy on the Armenian Genocide," said ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian. "In light of the seriousness of these issuesand the lack of responsiveness from the Administrationwe were gratified that the Committee has wisely delayed action on the new ambassador to Yerevan until these fundamental questions have been answered." In the days leading up to the confirmation hearing, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Democrat Joseph Biden (D-Del.) asked Secretary Condoleezza Rice for a thorough explanation of the circumstances of the premature recall of US Ambassador to Armenia John Marshall Evans over his public comments affirming the Armenian Genocide. In his June 23rd letter to Secretary Rice, Sen. Biden, a potential 2008 Presidential candidate, stated that he would "not be prepared to move forward with any Senate action that would prematurely end his [Amb. Evans'] tenure in Yerevan" until a series of questions concerning Evans' dismissal and the State Department's failure to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide had been answered. Sen. Biden wrote further to Secretary Rice, "Recalling an accomplished American diplomat for speaking truthfully about genocide could feed widespread cynicism about United States' foreign policy. I hope that you will carefully reconsider the long-term implications of this decision on the United States' ability to promote freedom and respect for human life." Senator Kerry submitted a three-page set of detailed questions to the Ambassador-Designate. Among his inquiries was the following: "During your June 28, 2006 confirmation hearing, you stated the following when responding to a question on the State Department's policy on the Armenian Genocide: "I simply studied the policy, I studied the background papers on the policy, I know the policy and my responsibility is to support the president." 1. Please describe, in detail, the source, purpose, content, and conclusions of all "policy" documents, "background papers," and other materials concerning the Armenian Genocide that you reviewed and provide copies of these materials to the Committee for its review. Turkey has consistently denied that it committed genocide against Armenians and in fact has jailed several journalists for stating otherwise, as in the case of Hrant Dink, a Turkish publisher who was convicted for simply writing about the Armenian Genocide. And the criminal law penalizing speech on the Armenian Genocide remains on the books in Turkey. 2. What is the Administration's position on these imprisonments? 3. Do you believe the policy of non-recognition encourages the repressive actions taken by Turkey? Senator Sarbanes, who spoke at Wednesday's confirmation hearing, followed up today with a set of seven additional questions: 1. How many people died, and during what period, in the Armenian Genocide? 2. What were the causes of these deaths? 3. What actions were taken by US diplomats in Turkey at that time to warn and report on the events? 4. What steps were taken to punish perpetrators of the Armenian genocide? 5. How does the US define "genocide"? 6. Does the United Nations consider the atrocities against Armenians to be a "genocide"? 7. Since the Ottoman Empire is long gone, why does Turkey view discussion of the genocide as a reflection on its own government and people? Among the questions asked by Senator Chafee was a request that Ambassador-Designate Hoagland explain "the State Department's policy regarding statements by official US government representatives, such as yourself, about the Armenian Genocide." The Rhode Island legislator also asked if the nominee had "ever been counseled to not refer to the events of 1915 as the Armenian Genocide." Sen. Dodd outlined his concerns in a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, stating that he is "interested to learn more about the circumstances that lead to his [Evans] departure," noting that "an effort, intended to destroy in whole or in part a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, clearly constitutes an act of genocide." Last week, House Armenian Genocide Resolution lead sponsors George Radanovich (R-Calif.) and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) joined with Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-Mich.) in urging Secretary Rice to reconsider replacing Amb. Evans, noting that "allowing John Evans to continue as Ambassador to Armenia sends a strong message on the necessity of Turkish recognition, and will be an important step in establishing the US position on the Armenian Genocide." Over the past several months, scores of Senate and House Members have directed questions to State Department officials, calling for answers surrounding the controversial firing of Amb. Evans, including 60 Representatives who joined Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) in a letter to Secretary Rice, Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-Calif.) who submitted questions to Assistant Secretary of State Dan Fried, and Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) who submitted questions to Secretary Rice. Massachusetts Senators Ted Kennedy and John Kerry also asked Secretary Rice for clarification on the Amb. Evans dismissal. The Administration has either failed to provide responses or provided responses, which have been largely perfunctory, citing that Ambassadors serve at the pleasure of the President, but giving no clear insight into the State Department's decision to dismiss the career diplomat after 35 years of distinguished service. The State Department, with the blessing of the White House, fired Amb. Evans in response to his February 2005 statements at Armenian American community functions, during which he properly characterized the Armenian Genocide as "genocide." Following his statements, Amb. Evans was forced to issue a statement clarifying that his references to the Armenian Genocide were his personal views and did not represent a change in US policy. He subsequently issued a correction to this statement, replacing a reference to the genocide with the word "tragedy." The American Foreign Service Association, which had decided to honor Amb. Evans with the "Christian A. Herter Award," recognizing creative thinking and intellectual courage within the Foreign Service, reportedly rescinded the award following pressure from the State Department in the days leading up to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to Washington, DC to meet with President Bush. Armenian American response to Amb. Evans' dismissal has been widespread with thousands calling on their legislators to take action and demand answers. In a March 8th letter to Secretary Rice, ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian noted that "if, in fact, punitive measures are being taken against Ambassador Evans, this would represent a tragic retreat from our nation's core values. It would also represent a new low in our government's shameful complicity in the Turkish government's campaign of denial. Not only does the State Department continue to be publicly silent as Turkey criminally prosecutes its writers and citizens for speaking about the Armenian Genocide, it appears the State Department is following Turkey's lead by muzzling and punishing an American diplomat for his speech and his acknowledgment of a genocide that is extensively documented in the State Department's own archives." In Yerevan, a candle-light vigil was held by hundreds of human rights activists during the June 28th Senate confirmation hearing, as part of the "Yellow Ribbon Campaign" protesting the firing the Amb. Evans. On April 24th, tens of thousands had tied yellow ribbons in solidarity with the US Ambassador, who had stood with the Armenian people in honoring the victims and survivors of the Armenian Genocide. 3) Azerbaijan 'Against Referendum In Karabakh' BAKU (RFE/RL)A senior Azeri official said on Monday that Azerbaijan has never accepted a solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict that would culminate in a referendum in Karabakh proper, despite Armenian claims to the contrary. Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov was quoted by the Turan news agency as saying that Baku believes such a vote should instead take place on Azerbaijan's entire internationally recognized territory. "That is reflected in the [Azeri] constitution and the country's leadership does not intend to revise its opinion," he said. In a statement last week, Armenia's Foreign Ministry said at the heart of a peaceful settlement proposed by the American, French and Russian mediators is the idea of enabling Karabakh's predominantly Armenian population to determine its status in a referendum after the liberation of most Armenian-occupied lands in Azerbaijan proper. The ministry asserted that Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Robert Kocharian agreed on this formula during their recent face-to-face negotiations. "The area of disagreement between the presidents has to do with the sequence in which the consequences of the military conflict are removed," it said. A separate statement by the mediators made public two days later likewise said that Karabakh's status would be decided in a "referendum or population vote." But it did not specify where that vote would take place and who would be eligible to participate in it. Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian insisted on Thursday that the framework peace accord put forward by the mediators makes it clear that the decision on the status is to be made by the "population of Nagorno-Karabakh." Azimov was reported to have denied this, accusing Yerevan of "distorting the content of the talks" and interpreting the referendum idea "in a manner advantageous to them." He also indicated Baku's discontent with the mediators' statement, saying that the French, Russian and US co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group disclosed and "took out of context" only some key points of the proposed peace deal. 4) Catholic Priest Stabbed in Turkey ANKARA (BBC)A French Roman Catholic priest has been stabbed by a knife-carrying attacker in the Turkish Black Sea port of Samsun. The attack on Father Pierre Brunissen, 74, is the third assault on a Catholic priest in Turkey in recent months. Father Brunissen was stabbed in the hip and leg and rushed to hospital, but a church official said his condition was not life-threatening. Police detained an unnamed 47-year-old man who they described as suffering from mental illness. The man had allegedly made complaints about Frather Brunissen trying to convert people to his faith. Reports said he was attacked in a busy street about 1 kilometers from his church. "I hope this has nothing to with Islamic fundamentalism," Monsignor Luigi Padovese, the apostolic vicar for Anatolia, told the Associated Press . "The climate has changed... it is the Catholic priests that are being targeted." Father Andrea Santoro, an Italian, was shot dead in his church in the northern town of Trabizon in February. A 16-year-old boy has been charged with the 60-year-old priest's death. Witnesses said the youth yelled "God is great" in Arabic before firing two bullets into Santoro's back. Another priest, a Slovenian, was grabbed by the throat, thrown into a garden and received death threats during an attack in the port of Izmir, the Associated Press reported. 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.