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PRESS RELEASE
UCLA AEF Chair in Armenian History
Contact: Prof. Richard Hovannisian
Tel: 310-825-3375
Email: [email protected]

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UCLA International Conference Series in Armenian Studies

After Nine Decades
The Enduring Legacy of the Armenian Genocide

APRIL 1-3, 2005 ** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES
Friday, April 1, 7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m., AGBU Manoogian Center, Pasadena
Saturday, April 2, 9:30 a.m.-6:00 p.m., 100 Moore Hall, UCLA
Sunday, April 3, 1:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m., Court of Sciences 50, UCLA
___________________________________________________________

April 1, 7:30-9:30 p.m., Friday Evening Session in Armenian,
AGBU Manoogian Center, 2495 E. Mountain Street (at Altadena Drive),
Pasadena California

The Armenian Genocide in the Syrian Press
Nora Arissian, Damascus University

The Final Phase of the Armenian Genocide, 1919-1922
Karen H. Khachatryan, Institute of History, Erevan

Art and Testimony
Marc Nichanian, Wesleyan University

Will There Ever Be a Post-Genocide Era?
Raffi K. Hovannisian, Armenian Center for National and International
Studies (ACNIS), Erevan

UCLA–APRIL 2-3, 2005

April 2, Saturday, Moore Hall 100, UCLA, 9:30 a.m.-6:00 p.m.

Morning Sessions: 9:30 a.m. -1:00 p.m.

Rethinking Aspects of the Armenian Genocide, 9:30-11:00 a.m.

The Enduring Legacy
Richard Hovannisian, UCLA

Rethinking Dehumanization in Genocide
Henry Theriault, Worcester State College

America’s Foreign Policy and the Armenian Genocide: A Legacy of Paradox
Suzanne E. Moranian, AIWA, Boston

Genocide and the Philosophy of History
Michael Papazian, Berry College, Mount Berry, Georgia

Discussion, 10:45-11:00

INTERMISSION

The Armenian Genocide in Comparative Perspective, 11:20 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

Comparative Media Coverage in English-Speaking Countries
Katia Peltekian, American University of Beirut

The Assyrian Genocide: Late-Nineteenth-Early-Twentieth Century
Anahit Khosroyeva, Institute of History, Erevan (in Armenian with English
summary)

The Greek Calamity in Asia Minor and the Pontus
Speros Vryonis, Jr., UCLA and NYU, Emeritus

Comparative Aspects of the Armenian Genocide and the Holocaust
Tigran Matossian, Museum-Institute of the Armenian Genocide, Erevan

Discussion, 12:45-1:00 p.m.

LUNCH RECESS: 1:00-2:15 p.m.

Illustrated Lunch-Hour Presentation: 1:45-2:00 p.m.
The Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex in Deir-ez-Zor (Der-Zor)
Sarkis Balmanoukian, The Architect, Los Angeles

Afternoon Sessions ** 2:15 p.m.-6:00 p.m.

Genocide Education, Human Rights, and Prevention, 2:15-3:40 p.m.

No Mandate Left Behind
Nicole Vartanian, Fulbright Scholar, Washington, D.C.

Teaching the Armenian Genocide to a Non-Armenian Audience
Sara Cohan, Washington, D.C.

The Armenian Genocide and Education
Adam Strom, Facing History and Ourselves, Boston

Genocide in Virtual Space (Cyberspace)
Hagop Gulludjian, UCLA

Discussion, 3:40-3:55 p.m.

INTERMISSION

Artistic Responses to Genocide, 4:15-6:00 p.m.

Leon Tutundjian-Witness
Jean Murachanian, UCLA

Testmony and Witness: Armenian Artists in Los Angeles
Ramela Grigorian Abbamontian, UCLA

From Charles Aznavour to System of a Down
Jack Der Sarkissian, Kaiser Permanente Medical Group, Los Angeles

The Archaeology of Memory: Framing the Invisible
Hrag Varjabedian, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Discussion, 5:45-6:00 p.m.

April 3, Sunday Afternoon, Court of Sciences 50, UCLA, 1:30 p.m. -6:00 p.m.

History and Memory, 1:30-3:15 p.m.

Across the Chasm: From Catastrophe to Creativity
Barlow Der Mugrdechian, California State University, Fresno

James Joyce: Armenia and Armenians
Marc Mamigonian, National Association for Armenian Studies and Research, Boston

Historical Memory: Threading the Contemporary Literature of Armenia
Rubina Peroomian, UCLA

The Armenian Genocide and French Society
Phillipe Videlier, National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), Lyons

Discussion, 3:00-3:15 p.m.

INTERMISSION

Prospects of Dialogue and Reconciliation, 3:40-5:30 p.m.

Amnesia, Truth, Reconciliation
Elazar Barkan, Claremont Graduate University

Turkish Liberal Historiography and Genocide
Bedross Der Matossian, Columbia University

Constructing a New Historiography of the Armenians in the Ottoman
Empire
and the Turkish Republic
Fatma Muge Goçek, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Anatomy of Post-Genocide Reconciliation
Simon Payaslian, Clark University

Discussion, 5:30-5:50 p.m.

A Retrospective, 5:50-6:00 p.m.
Richard Hovannisian

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ** NO ADMISSION FEE
PARKING STRUCTURE NO. 2, HILGARD AND WESTHOLME
ENTRANCE TO UCLA

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian defence minister, Red Cross official discuss cooperation

Arminfo
23 Feb 05

YEREVAN

Armenian Defence Minister Serzh Sarkisyan today met Isabelle Barras,
head of the eastern European department of the International Committee
of the Red Cross (ICRC).

During the meeting, the defence minister stressed the effective
humanitarian role of the ICRC, the press secretary of the Armenian
Defence Ministry, Col Seyran Shakhsuvaryan, has told Arminfo news
agency.

For her part, Isabelle Barras thanked the Armenian defence minister
for providing quick and operational information and expressed her hope
that this cooperation will continue. The minister stressed that the
Armenian side will continue taking such an approach and at the same
time, expressed the opinion that a similar approach by the Azerbaijani
side to the issue of providing operational information will promote
the settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict.

Ms Barras said that the ICRC’s working style is the same in its work
with all the conflicting sides. During the meeting, the sides
discussed the work of the standing commissions for missing persons
working in Armenia, Karabakh and Azerbaijan and the work of public
organizations cooperating with these commissions.

Taking into consideration the scale and importance of work on
searching for missing persons, collecting and processing information
and exchanging prisoners of war, the Armenian defence minister
specially stressed the importance of cooperation between organizations
which are working and being established in Azerbaijan and the Nagornyy
Karabakh Republic [NKR], will be dealing with the problems of
prisoners of war and missing persons and maintain daily contact with
the ICRC.

Isabelle Barras also promised that for its part, the ICRC will render
technical, consultative and training assistance for the fully-fledged
work of the structure.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian migration chief notes growing number of Iraqi asylum-seekers

Hayots Ashkharh, Yerevan
23 Feb 05

Text of Shushan Matevosyan’s report by Armenian newspaper Hayots
Ashkharh on 23 February headlined “The number of Iraqi asylum-seekers
has increased and no-one has been refused”

Lately, the number of those seeking asylum in the Republic of Armenia
has sharply increased in connection with the Iraq war. What are
statistical figures of asylum-seekers? What countries are they from?

The following is an interview with the chief of the Migration and
Refugees Department, Gagik Yeganyan.

[Gagik Yeganyan] Since 2000, our department has received applications
for asylum and refugee status from citizens of different
states. Before 2003, the number of applications was not so great. We
received 15-20 applications per year mainly from Afghanistan, Iraq and
African countries like Sudan and Somalia, as well as from Iran and
even from Ukraine and China.

As a rule, a great number of them were refused, as after the
examination it became clear that their reasons for leaving the country
were not true. Most of them left their home country due to difficult
social and economic conditions or in order to avoid military
service. They applied for asylum in Armenia as a transit state as
their real purpose was to settle in the West. And in order to settle
legally in any transit country, they applied for refugee status.
Incidentally, this is common among our compatriots as well.

In 2002, we initiated the adoption of a new law regarding temporarily
protected people. This law says that Armenia is expanding the circle
of people it protects. That’s to say, it receives not only potential
refugees, but also people who are in danger of being persecuted
because of wars or armed conflicts.

[Hayots Ashkharh correspondent] In fact, the adoption of the law was
well-timed, as it was followed by an influx of Iraqis who are seeking
asylum.

[Yeganyan] In this case, people were really forced to leave their
country and seek asylum because of the war.

Since 2003, the influx of applications from Iraq has increased
sharply. That year, we had 61 applications and they were all given the
status of temporarily protected people. Last year [2004], we had 142
applications. I think the influx of applications will be permanent.

[Correspondent] What does this status give people apart from
protection, accommodation, a job and financial aid?

[Yeganyan] It gives security and a chance to avoid persecution. They
have the right of legal settlement in Armenia at least for a year, and
one year later, their applications may be considered again. If the
situation remains the same in the countries of which they are
citizens, in that case, these persons’ status may be extended for one
more year. Those who want to become permanent residents of Armenia may
get different status up to citizenship during that year.
Incidentally, those who are Armenians by nationality are granted
Armenian citizenship in a simpler way. But we cannot promise anything
to those who are trying to settle their social problems by extending
their status.

[Correspondent] What is the number of those who sought asylum this
year?

[Yeganyan] I cannot mention figures, but undoubtedly the potential has
not been exhausted. It is presumed that their numbers will grow.

[Correspondent] Mr Yeganyan, recently there was an interesting report
in the press saying that the chairman of the Civil Service Council,
Manvel Badalyan, had informed the state juridical commission of the
National Assembly that an official had been granted the status of an
Armenian refugee in order to leave the country illegally. In fact,
this concerns your department.

[Yeganyan] We also registered such a case recently, but I do not think
that this is the case that was covered by the press. One of our
department employees illegally issued a reference to a citizen and
made him a refugee. In this case, the citizen tried to use the refugee
status to avoid military service. Thanks to the measures taken by our
department, the violation of the law was prevented.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Turkish MPs fault France for raising alleged Armenian genocide in EU talks

Anatolia news agency, Ankara
24 Feb 05

Strasbourg, 24 February: Turkish MPs reacted to French MP Jacques
Toubon who brought alleged Armenian genocide to the table and wanted
Turkey to accept Sevres Treaty. Turkey’s relations with its neighbours
were discussed in the closing session of Turkey-EU Joint Parliamentary
Commission (JPC) meeting held in Strasbourg on Thursday [24
February]. Turkey’s relations particularly with Armenia, Greece and
Cyprus were assessed during the meeting that was closed to the
press. Speaking at the meeting, Toubon said European Parliament made a
decision about the alleged Armenian genocide and argued that Turkey
should recognize the so-called genocide before joining European union
(EU).

[Turkish opposition] Republican People’s Party (CHP) MP Sukru Elekdag
denied the claims of Toubon, saying they were baseless. Explaining
Turkish-Armenian relations Elekdag said Turkey supported the idea that
allegations of genocide be searched solely by historians and not by
the politicians. Elekdag suggested that a committee of experts
composed of Turkish and Armenian historians be formed under the
auspices of UNESCO to investigate the issue.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

World Bank official happy with tax reforms in Armenia

Arminfo
24 Feb 05

YEREVAN

Armenian President Robert Kocharyan today received the director of the
World Bank [WB] office in Yerevan, Roger Robinson.

Robinson expressed satisfaction with an increase in tax revenues in
the state budget of Armenia in 2005 caused by the reforms in the tax
legislation, the Armenian presidential press service told Arminfo news
agency.

The guest also expressed satisfaction that the Tax Service had been
given the authority to collect the compulsory social payments.

The WB representative spoke highly of the reforms in the judiciary,
particularly, the construction of new court buildings financed by the
WB.

During the meeting, the sides touched on the number of issues
concerning the WB’s other programmes in Armenia.

To recap, 36 World Bank programmes to the tune of 820m dollars have
been implemented in Armenia since 1992.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

WORLD CENTER FOR TRANSPLANTATION OF ORGANS TO CHILDREN ORGANIZES
CHARITABLE CONCERT IN WASHINGTON TO COLLECT FUNDS FOR TREATMENT OF
ARMENIAN CHILDREN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 24. ARMINFO. World Center for Transplantation of
Organs for Children has organized a charitable concert in Washington
to collect funds for treatment of children from socially unsecured
families in Armenia.

The press service of the Armenian foreign ministry informs ARMINFO
that the event was held with support of Armenian Embassy in the USA
and the Armenian Office of the World Center. The action organizers
invited laureates of international contest – Trio of State
Philharmonic Orchestra of Armenia Lilit Zakaryan (violin), Vahan
Grigoryan (violoncello) and Shushan Hakobyan (piano). Participating in
the party held at the concert hall of the Austrian Embassy in
Washington were Chairman of the World Center for Transplantation of
Organs to Children Mark Crocker, his assistant Valeriy MacCafrey and
representatives of Washington Administration, World Bank and the
Armenian Diaspora of Washington.- M-

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZERBAIJAN MUST NOW START TALKS WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF BOTH
COMMUNITIES OF NK: PACE RAPPORTEUR ON NAGORNY KARABAKH

LONDON, FEBRUARY 24. ARMINFO. Azerbaijan must now start talks with
representatives of both communities of NK, PACE rapporteur on Nagorny
Karabakh David Atkinson says in response to ARMINFO’s question that
Azerbaijan has not up today expressed a desire to negotiate with the
leadership of Nagorny Karabakh.

He does not think that in any case it is a fundamental part of the
resolution.

Concerning Turkey’s blockade of Armenia Atkinson urges that country to
end its blockade as a confidence building measure.

He calls nonsense the accusations of some politicians in Armenia who
consider that his decision was dictated by political order of the
state he represents and that the accepted resolution smells of Caspian
oil.

Atkinson evades the question what he thinks about the Armenians’
approach to the Karabakh conflict settlement – Cooperation then
settlement. He just says that his motto is to urge that Resolution
1416 be implemented.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Glendale News Press
24 Feb2005

Published February 24, 2005
Council member makes rare appeal
Manoukian isn’t happy with variances for 8-story building at 300 N. Central
Ave.
By Josh Kleinbaum, News-Press and Leader
GLENDALE CITY HALL — Councilman Rafi Manoukian appealed city approvals of
an eight-story condominium, taking a swing at the council’s shift toward
high-rise development in parts of downtown Glendale.
City officials could not remember a council member ever appealing a city
planning decision.
advertisement
Manoukian paid a city-required $500 fee Tuesday to appeal 10 variances city
zoning administrator Edith Fuentes granted for a proposed eight-story
building at 300 N. Central Ave. Fuentes granted the variances after the City
Council, acting as the city’s Redevelopment Agency, approved the project’s
design in January. Manoukian cast the lone dissenting vote on the design.
Because the project did not meet city codes, it then had to go to the zoning
administrator for approval.
The proposed eight-story, 114-foot building would have 72 condominium units.
The city’s zoning code allows for 27 units on three stories with a maximum
of 36 feet.
Manoukian hopes his appeal will draw attention to what he describes as “the
problem of rampant development in downtown Glendale.”
“We should ask for reasonable development that will enhance the downtown
area, as opposed to compounding the problem of traffic,” Manoukian said.
In her ruling, Fuentes said the project meets four requirements for a
variance: The code provides unnecessary hardship to the applicant; there are
exceptional circumstances on the property that do not apply to other
properties in the neighborhood; and the variances would not be detrimental
to public welfare or contrary to the objectives of the zoning code.
Fuentes said the Redevelopment Agency’s decision did not affect her ruling.
“I tried to stay away from even listening or hearing [the agency’s]
discussion,” Fuentes said. “I thought that everything was in accord with the
city’s general plan, and [the applicant] made the four findings.”
Manoukian’s appeal will be considered by the city’s Board of Zoning Appeals
within the next two months, Planning Director Elaine Wilkerson said. The
board’s decision can then be appealed to the City Council by either side. If
that happens, Manoukian may have to recuse himself from the discussion
depending on whether the wording of his appeal shows bias against the
project, City Atty. Scott Howard said.
The current City Council has encouraged downtown development, approving the
project on Central Avenue and a high-rise condominium project on the corner
of Brand Boulevard and Wilson Avenue.
Both projects required variances because Glendale’s zoning code does not
allow high-rise residential buildings in the downtown area. The city is
expected to rezone the entire downtown area by the end of the year to allow
such projects.
“Mr. Manoukian has been the only one who has been saying no to that over and
over again,” Mayor Bob Yousefian said. “But it takes more than one person to
set city policy.”
The city will study the impacts of high-rise residential buildings during
the rezoning process. Manoukian said the city should not approve high-rise
buildings until those studies are done.
“Traffic and development are the most important issues for the next 20 years
in the city of Glendale,” Manoukian said. “If we don’t prepare ahead of time
for what developments happen in the downtown, we will regret it in the
future.”
Yousefian appealed a variance in 1999 before he was on the council, while
serving on the Board of Zoning Appeals, then known as the Board of Zoning
Adjustments. He was elected to the council in 2001.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
02/24/2005
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://

1. ANCA Discusses Armenian American Concerns with US Ambassador to Armenia
John
Evans
2. German CDU to Demand Turkey Acknowledge Killings of Armenians
3. Embassy Official Says Congressman Received Payment for Anti-Armenian Speech
4. Putin Firm Despite Bush’s Democracy ‘Concerns’
5. NATO Envoy Discusses ‘Individual Partnership’ with Armenia

1. ANCA Discusses Armenian American Concerns with US Ambassador to Armenia
John
Evans

–Talks include special focus on US policy on the Armenian genocide

WASHINGTON, DC–The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) met this
week with Ambassador John Marshall Evans, the US Ambassador to Armenia.
The meeting, held in the ANCA offices in Washington, DC, was characterized by
a substantive and meaningful exchange on a broad range of issues of concern to
Armenian Americans, particularly US recognition and commemoration of the
Armenian Genocide. Joining Ambassador Evans were Aaron Sherinian, the US
Embassy’s Political Officer and Assistance Coordinator in Yerevan, and Robin
Phillips, the USAID-Armenia Mission Director.
The Ambassador’s meeting with the ANCA followed a two week tour of Armenian
American communities in Boston, New York, New Jersey, San Francisco, Los
Angeles, Fresno and Washington, DC. During his presentations in these cities,
the Ambassador spoke with a level of candor on the historical reality of the
Genocide that was specifically welcomed by Armenian Americans.
“We welcomed the opportunity to exchange views with the Ambassador, and value
his insights and clarity regarding our nation’s diplomacy toward Armenia and
the region,” said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. “Along with
those who heard him speak during his public lectures around the nation, we
appreciate the forthrightness of his remarks about the Armenian Genocide. We
take note of the fact they coincide with a new level of awareness within the
Administration, and the American public, regarding the current attitudes in
Turkey toward the United States.”
Commenting in the wake of the Ambassador’s visit, ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian
said, “On this 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, we urge the Bush
Administration to take the decisive step of breaking with Turkey’s shameful
campaign of genocide denial. The time has come for the US government to adopt
a fresh and positive approach to the Armenian Genocide issue – in terms of
both
White House and Congressional initiatives – in a manner consistent with our
nation’s moral obligations to truth and justice, and in light of new realities
in the region.”

2. German CDU to Demand Turkey Acknowledge Killings of Armenians

(Bloomberg)–Germany’s main opposition parties, which oppose Turkey’s bid to
join the European Union, plan to submit a motion to parliament calling on
Turkey to acknowledge responsibility for the deaths of hundreds of
thousands of
Armenians in 1915.
The Christian Democratic Union and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian
Social Union, said the Turkish government arrested the Armenian political
elite
in Istanbul in 1915, marking the start of mass deportations and murders in
which as many as 1.5 million Armenians are estimated to have died.
The Turkish government’s refusal to accept responsibility for the crimes
committed 90 years ago “stands in contrast to the idea of reconciliation that
spearheads the shared values of the European Union, which Turkey aims to
join,” said the draft motion, a copy of which was e-mailed to Bloomberg
News.
CDU leader Angela Merkel and CSU head Edmund Stoiber have called for
Turkey to
be allowed a “privileged partnership” with the 25-nation bloc. EU leaders
including German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder agreed two months ago that
Turkey
should start membership talks in October this year.
Turkey’s Hurriyet newspaper today called the motion an attempt by Merkel to
block the country from joining the EU. The CDU leader has said Turkey isn’t
European enough in terms of its culture and history to join the union.
“It isn’t true that we want to bar Turkey from EU entry with this proposal,
but still we think it’s important to honor the memory of the Armenian
victims,” the CDU’s Christoph Bergner, one of the legislators who signed the
motion, said in a telephone interview.
Germany has a part in the crimes because the government at the time didn’t
act
to prevent the killings in spite of detailed evidence documented by German
ambassadors in Turkey, Bergner said.
Not all CDU lawmakers back the motion.
“I reject this proposal and didn’t vote for it,” said Volker Ruehe, the
chairman of the all-party parliamentary foreign affairs committee, in an
interview. “I think it will be modified eventually. We’ve no right to thrust
this demand on Turkey.”

3. Embassy Official Says Congressman Received Payment for Anti-Armenian Speech

YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)According to the Noyan Tapan News agency, a
representative
of the United States Embassy in Yerevan told Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty
that the Azeri government paid Congressman Dan Burton (R-IN) an undisclosed
amount of money in exchange for an anti-Armenian speech he delivered to the
House on Thursday, February 17.
A member of the Committee on International Relations, Burton told members of
Congress, “For years a number of distinguished Members of this House have come
to the Floor of this Chamber every April to commemorate the so-called Armenian
Genocidethe exact details of which are still very much under debate today
almost 90 years after the events. Ironically and tragically, none of these
Members has ever once mentioned the ethnic cleansing carried out by the
Armenians during the Armenia-Azerbaijan war which ended a mere decade ago.
“This savage cruelty against innocent women, children and the elderly is
unfathomable in and of itself but the senseless brutality did not stop with
Khojaly. Khojaly was simply the first. In fact, the level of brutality and the
unprecedented atrocities committed at Khojaly set a pattern of destruction and
ethnic cleansing that Armenian troops would adhere to for the remainder of the
war,” Burton noted during his speech.
The Embassy official, who wished to remain anonymous, said that Burton’s
speech comes only two weeks after the government of Azerbaijan officially
retained former Congressman Robert Livingston as a lobbyist. Recently, Burton
supported the January 25 Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
resolution, which states that “considerable parts of Azerbaijan’s territory
are
still occupied by the Armenian forces and separatist forces are still in
control of the Nagorno-Karabakh region.”

4. Putin Firm Despite Bush’s Democracy ‘Concerns’

BRATISLAVA (AFP)–During a joint press conference after a summit in the
Slovakian capital Bratislava, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave little
ground to his US counterpart George W. Bush’s concerns that Moscow is
backsliding on democratic values
Though Putin said there could be “no returning” to a Soviet-style government,
Democracy in Russia would develop at its own pace.
“We are not going to make up, to invent any kind of special Russian
democracy.
We’re going to remain committed to the fundamental principles of democracy
that
have been established in the world,” Putin said.
“But, of course, all the modern institutions of democracy, the principles of
democracy, should be adequate to the current status of the development of
Russia, to our history and our traditions,” he said through an interpreter.
“Democracies always reflect a country’s culture and customs and I know that,”
said Bush. “But they have certain things in common: they have rule of law, and
protection of minorities, a free press, and a viable political opposition.”
“I was able to share my concerns about Russia’s commitment in fulfilling
these
universal principles,” said the US president, who has been increasingly vocal
in criticizing Putin on the issue.
The Russian president responded, declaring that debating “whether we have
more
or whether we have less democracy is not the right thing to do,” and
dismissing
some of Bush’s ideas as things “I will not comment on.”
The two leaders, whose once warm relationship chilled when they broke over
the
war in Iraq, seemed closer on a range of international issues, agreeing that
Iran and North Korea must not obtain nuclear weapons.
“It is important to neutralize the attempts to proliferate weapons of mass
destruction,” said Putin, who has rejected Washington’s charges that Tehran
seeks nuclear weapons under cover of a civilian atomic program.
But a senior US administration official, briefing reporters on condition he
not be named, acknowledged that the summit had yielded no breakthroughs on
Iran, or on Russian weapons sales to Syria, which Washington wants halted.
The official said Bush and Putin met alone with only interpreters in a
separate room for over one hour of the two-and-a-half hour meeting.
Bush indicated that his personal assessment of Putin had not suffered from
their break over Iraq or a series of steps seen as autocratic, including moves
against the oil giant Yukos, a clampdown on the media, and centralizing
political power in the Kremlin.
“I can tell you what it’s like dealing with the man over the last four years.
When he tells you something, he means it. He asked what some of my concerns
were, and he explained answers,” said the US president.
The White House released a series of joint statements recommitting both
countries to cooperating on energy, fighting nuclear weapons proliferation,
curbing the spread of shoulder-launched rockets, and helping Russia join the
World Trade Organization.
But these mostly focused on existing initiatives, and seemed designed to
reinforce the idea that Washington and Moscow are still working together on
important issues.
Washington and Moscow also agreed to keep working on enhancing security at
Russian nuclear sites–days after a US intelligence report said theft of
radioactive materials from such facilities “has occurred.”
Ahead of their talks, Bush gave his strongest endorsement yet of European
efforts to convince Iran not to develop nuclear weapons and said he hoped
for a
“diplomatic solution” to the dispute.
“We’re more likely to do so when we’re all on the same page,” said Bush, who
in the past has stressed that he cannot rule out using force against Tehran.
Just hours before seeing Putin, Bush seemed to tweak the Russian leader by
predicting that former Soviet republics Moldova and Belarus would embrace
democracy and by praising NATO’s expansion to Russia’s doorstep.
“Eventually, the call of liberty comes to every mind and every soul. And one
day, freedom’s promise will reach every people and every nation,” Bush said in
a speech to thousands of cheering Slovaks packed in a town square.

5. NATO Envoy Discusses ‘Individual Partnership’ with Armenia

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)–A visiting representative of NATO met with President Robert
Kocharian and other top officials in Yerevan Thursday to discuss the
alliance’s
expanding cooperation with Armenia, which will soon be formalized with an
“individual partnership action plan,” or IPAP.
Robert Simmons, NATO’s recently appointed special representative to the South
Caucasus and Central Asia, said the cooperation framework will further boost
what he described as a “very active relationship.”
“We at NATO are very glad that Armenia has decided to begin an IPAP and we
think it will offer a significant step ahead in relations between the alliance
and Armenia,” he told reporters after the talks. “At the core of those is the
fact that Armenia, as a partner, is contributing to NATO activities in the
struggle against the threats we face together: terrorism, proliferation of
weapons of mass destruction, failed states.”
The Armenian government set up last year an interagency group tasked with
making proposals and working with NATO officials on the IPAP. Its permanent
representative at the NATO headquarters, Samvel Mkrtchian, said last week that
the action plan will be unveiled “soon.”
A military alliance with Russia has been the bedrock of Armenia’s national
security doctrine since independence, though the Armenian government also
tries
to complement it with closer links with NATO. Meeting with Simmons, Defense
Minister Serge Sarkisian described those relations as “an integral
component of
Armenia’s security” and said Armenia will continue to “deepen” them.
Simmons confirmed that Yerevan itself will decide how far it wants to go in
forging closer ties with the US-led military bloc. “It’s not for us, it’s for
Armenia to decide when they are ready to make their [IPAP] presentation at
NATO
and NATO will go through the process of approving that document,” he said.
The envoy also sought to guard against excessive expectations from the plan.
“IPAP is not a magic step that begins a whole bunch of new programs,” he said.
“In fact, there are many ongoing programs in the partnership with Armenia and
IPAP will put them together in a package.”
Neighboring Georgia and Azerbaijan have already developed similar individual
plans that put their participation in NATO’s Partnership for Peace program
on a
higher level. Both countries view NATO membership as a long-term foreign
policy
goal.
Simmons reiterated the alliance’s position that while keeping its doors open
to any country that meets its political and military criteria, NATO does not
intend to start accession talks with any of the South Caucasus states in the
near future. “Right now all three countries are trying to make the most of
partnerships that they have with NATO,” he said.
Sarkisian said on Thursday that a key problem hampering Armenia’s cooperation
with NATO is the unresolved conflict over Karabagh. “If we had no unresolved
conflict, we would be able to have a greater participation in [NATO]
programs,”
he was quoted by his press service as telling Simmons.
Simmons made it clear that the alliance does not aspire to any mediating role
in the long-running Karabagh peace talks sponsored by the Minsk Group of the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
“We follow those discussions and the [NATO] secretary general has charged me
as his representative to the region to keep him informed of developments in
those discussions,” he said. “But we are not an active participant in the
negotiations.”

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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Associated Press Worldstream
February 24, 2005 Thursday 3:12 PM Eastern Time

NATO official: ties with Armenia not intended to compete with
Armenian-Russian relations

YEREVAN, Armenia

A top NATO envoy said Thursday that Armenia’s relations with NATO
should not be seen as competing with the Caucasus nation’s ties with
Russia.

Robert Simons, NATO special envoy for the South Caucasus and Central
Asia, praised Armenia for supporting NATO’s international efforts,
especially in the fight against terrorism, and he thanked Yerevan for
sending peacekeeping and other troops to Kosovo and Iraq.

“Cooperation between NATO and Armenia or with some other nation
should not be examined in the context of competition with Russia,”
Simons said. “NATO supports close ties with Russia, building
relations, particularly, in the framework of the Russia-NATO
council.”

Asked about the likelihood of Armenia’s becoming a member of the
defense alliance, Simons said “NATO’s door is open to any country.”

Russia has watched warily as former Soviet countries like Ukraine and
Georgia have sought deepen ties with Western organizations like the
European Union and NATO and move out from under Russia’s shadow.

Armenia has 49 bomb-disposal experts, drivers, medics and officers
serving in Iraq as part of the U.S.-led military effort there.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress