Author: Badalian Vardan

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

PRESS RELEASE
June 4, 2008
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

HASTERT JOINS LOBBY FIRM REPRESENTING TURKEY

— Speaker is Latest in Long Line of Former U.S. House Members
Joining Firms Representing Turkey’s Interests

WASHINGTON, DC – Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL) became the
latest House member to join the army of Washington, DC public
relations firms working to cover up Turkey’s crimes, reported the
Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

Dickstein Shapiro, LLP announced that the former Speaker joined their
team in a press release last week. The firm, which represents a broad
range of entities including General Motors, Kraft Foods and Pfizer,
also represents the Government of Turkey "in connection with the
development and financing by private sponsors of the Baku-Ceyhan oil
pipeline and TransCaspian gas pipeline spanning from the Caspian Sea
to the Mediterranean."

According to an ABC News story, "Ex-House Speaker Hastert Finds New
Home" by Justin Rood, a Dickstein Shapiro representative "could not
say whether or not Hastert would be working on projects involving that
country." To read the complete ABC News story and to offer your
comment on this coverage, visit:
4990933&page=1

No stranger to Turkish American issues, as Speaker, Hastert led
efforts to block Armenian Genocide legislation from passage dating
back to October of 2000, when he withdrew H.Res.596, introduced by
Rep. George Radanovich (R-CA), from the Congressional docket just five
minutes prior to its consideration. Speaker Hastert cited a letter
from President Bill Clinton expressing concerns about the national
security implications of the resolution. In his subsequent terms as
Speaker, Hastert blocked a series of Armenian Genocide resolutions
from reaching the House floor, despite widespread Congressional
support and grassroots calls for legislative action. In 2004, when
the House adopted an amendment to the foreign aid bill blocking
Turkey’s use of U.S. funds for lobbying efforts to deny the Armenian
Genocide, Hastert’s response was swift, joining with Majority Leader
Blunt and Majority Whip Tom DeLay in sharply criticizing the measure:
"Turkey has been a reliable ally of the United States for decades, and
the deep foundation upon which our mutual economic and security
relationship rests should not be disrupted by this amendment."

In 2005, Armenian Americans joined with System of a Down band members
Serj Tankian and John Dolmayan in a rally in front of the Speaker
Hastert’s Batavia, IL office urging him to allow passage of the
Armenian Genocide Resolution. That effort was part of an eight- year
ANCA national grassroots campaign urging then Speaker Hastert to allow
Congress to have an up or down vote on the Armenian Genocide.

Vanity Fair Cites Hastert Ties with Turkish Government

An expose printed in the September 2005 issue of Vanity Fair revealed
possible ties between Speaker Hastert and Turkish nationals geared to
scuttle the Armenian Genocide Resolution. The magazine published a
10-page story on FBI whistleblower Sibel Edmonds, who was fired after
"she accused a colleague of covering up illicit activity involving
Turkish nationals." According to the article by contributing editor
David Rose, Edmonds claims FBI wiretaps revealed that the Turkish
government and its allies boasted of bribing – with as much as
$500,000 – the Speaker of the House of Representatives as part of an
alleged deal to stop consideration of the Armenian Genocide
Resolution.

The article cited accounts by Edmonds regarding FBI wiretaps of the
Turkish Embassy and Turkish groups such as the American Turkish
Council (ATC) and the Assembly of Turkish American Associations
(ATAA), including, "repeated references to Hastert’s flip-flop in the
fall of 2000, over an issue which remains of intense concern to the
Turkish government, the continuing campaign to have Congress designate
the killings of Armenians in Turkey between 1915 and 1923 a genocide."

Rose is careful to point out that "there is no evidence that any
payment was ever made to Hastert or his campaign." According to the
article, "Hastert’s spokesman says the Congressman withdrew the
genocide resolution only because of the approach from [President]
Clinton, ‘and to insinuate anything else just doesn’t make any sense.’
He adds that Hastert has no affiliation with the ATC or other groups
reportedly mentioned in the wiretaps.’"

In 2007, the ANCA joined a broad cross-section of civil liberties,
public policy and human rights groups in calling on the House
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in Congress to hold
public hearings on the case of FBI Whistleblower Sibel Edmonds. No
hearings have been held to date.

Former House Members Line Up to Support Turkey

Ex-Speaker Hastert is the latest in a long line of former House
Members who have joined firms on the Turkish government’s payroll.
Former House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt (D-MO) and former House
Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-TX) at DLA Piper led efforts to block
full House consideration of the Armenian Genocide Resolution
(H.Res.106 / S.res.106) for an annual fee of $1.2 million. Former
House Appropriations Committee Chairman Bob Livingston of the
Livingston Firm LLC, has, over the years, received over $12 million
from the Turkish Government. He was recently let go by Turkey, and
took on an even more lucrative agreement working for Libya.

Turkey’s efforts to buy influence in Washington DC and in U.S.
academic circles was recently outlined in a powerful editorial and
expose by David Holthouse in the Southern Policy Law Center (SPLC)
Intelligence Report. To read the SPLC analysis visit:

SPLC Intelligence Report: State of Denial
article.jsp?aid=935

SPLC Intelligence Report Editorial: Lying About History
/article.jsp?aid=933

#####

CHARLES AZNAVOUR PLEASANTLY SURPRISED AT CHANGES IN ARMENIA

armradio.am
03.06.2008 14:04

President Serzh Sargsyan today hosted world famous singer Charles
Aznavour and his impresario Levon Sayan. This time our renowned
compatriot has arrived in Armenia with his family.

"I feel great joy every time I arrive in Armenia," said Charles
Aznavour and noted with appreciation that now they have a family
member from Armenia, his grandchild’s wife is from here.

Welcoming Charles Aznavour’s recurrent visit, the President expressed
confidence that it will grant pleasant moments to our great compatriot.

Serzh Sargsyan assessed as invaluable Charles Aznavour’s service in the
direction of presenting Armenia to the world with his art and activity.

"Every Armenian is proud to have a compatriot like you and the attitude
toward Armenia is shaped due to you," the leader of the republic noted.

The famous singer shared his impressions from the capital, saying he
is pleasantly surprised at the changes.

During the warm and sincere conversation Serzh Sargsyan and Charles
Aznavour spoke about life in Armenia. Among the urgent issues Charles
Aznavour underlined the development of rural settlements. Noting that
equal territorial development is among the Government’s priorities,
Serzh Sargsyan said serious steps are taken in the direction of
solving the issue.

Attempts are made to distribute part of the accumulated resources in
the marzes.

LEADER OF ARMENIAN PROGRESSIVE PARTY TIGRAN URIKHANYAN INDIGNANT BECAUSE OF MEDIATION OF US EMBASSY IN THE INCIDENT WITH HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTOR MIKAEL DANIELYAN

arminfo
2008-06-02 18:58:00

ArmInfo. The leader of Armenian Progressive Party Tigran Urikhanyan
told ArmInfo correspondent he is indignant because of mediation of US
Embassy in the incident with human rights protector, head of Helsinki
Association Mikael Danielyan.

He also added that more than a dozen of public organizations have
already sent petitions to US Embassy in Armenia with a demand to stop
any mediation of its employees. Urikhanyan categorically disproved
all the accusations and event a hint that first he attacked Danielyan
and that the incident was connected with the activity of the latter
as human rights protector. He also said that attraction of US Embassy
and other organizations may worsen the situation around the incident
and "maybe an attempt to use all this for PR or other political
goals’. Urikhanyan is afraid that US Embassy and other organizations
may affect investigation and ‘at any moment the investigation may
become partial as a result of the western influences’.

KHAZAR IBRAHIM: "RUSSIA SHOULD DEMAND WITHDRAWAL OF ARMENIAN ARMED FORCES FROM AZERBAIJANI LANDS"

Today.Az
itics/45358.html
June 2 2008
Azerbaijan

"If Russia makes statements that forced resolution of Karabakh conflict
is impossible, it should demand from Armenia to withdraw Armenian
troops from Azerbaijani lands", said spokesman for Azerbaijani Foreign
Ministry Khazar Ibrahim at a briefing today.

He said it is Armenia that tries to settle Karabakh conflict by way
of war and the Azerbaijani lands were occupied forcedly.

"We are waiting for a response from Armenia. We want to know whether
Armenia is inclined to settling the conflict or no. If we see that
Armenia is not determined to settle the conflict, it would not be
expedient to continue talks", noted Ibrahim.

Monday 2 June 2008
Dark horses still finding their feet
by Vassiliki Papantonopoulou from Athens

Greece’s goalless draw against Armenia on Sunday caused some fans
concern but Otto Rehhagel was less worried about a team who have
"always been outsiders".

Scoring run
The reigning European champions looked listless as they failed to find
a way past Armenia in Offenbach am Main, and coach Rehhagel was
clearly unhappy with their form in front of goal. It was the first
time in 15 games that the national team had failed to score, having
lost 1-0 to the Korean Republic at London’s Craven Cottage, and it was
their first scoreless draw since they played Mexico in the FIFA
Confederations Cup in Frankfurt on 22 June 2005.

Tired legs
However, Rehhagel had calmed down by the time he met the Greek press
afterwards, saying: "It was a preparation encounter and the players
were obviously tired from training. That’s normal for all teams a week
before a competition starts. Perhaps I could have used an extra
forward at the expense of a defensive player, but it was vital not to
lose. The most important thing for us is to have the team fine-tuned
when our finals matches begin on 10 June."

No reputation
The unexpected triumph at UEFA EURO 2004?¢ has left Greece with
a reputation to live up to, yet Rehhagel insists there is no undue
pressure on the holders. "We are not the EURO 2008?¢ favourites
– we never were," said the German coach. "We are placed somewhere
between sixth and tenth in the European rankings. Greece have always
been outsiders, but I am OK with that."

Pressure off
Giorgos Karagounis struggled through the Armenia game despite a sore
knee, but the 31-year-old playmaker is sure he will be injury free by
the time Greece face Sweden in their opening Group D game in
Salzburg. "We know that we are not in the spotlight right now, but
that doesn’t bother us," he said. "We are the European champions but
we also know that no team in the history of the competition has won it
twice in a row."

‘Nine days’
Meanwhile, 26-year-old Eintracht Frankfurt forward Giannis Amanatidis
is hoping that Greece can find their true form in the days leading up
to their opening encounter of the finals. He said of the Armenia game:
"We were a bit tired, but I won’t use that as an excuse. We have room
for improvement. We have to rest and improve our tactics, especially
when we are in possession of the ball."

NKR RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE TO ARMENIA AND AJC REPRESENTATIVE DISCUSS
ISSUES OF KARABAKH PROBLEM SOLUTION

0

YEREVAN, MAY 30, NOYAN TAPAN. Issues relating to solution of the
Nagorno Karabakh problem and the NKR’s approaches to the negotiation
process were discussed by the Resident Representative of the NKR to
Armenia Karlen Avetisian, representative of the American Jewish
Committee (AJC) Ambassador Piter Rosenblatt and the Executive Director
of the U.S.-Armenia Public Affairs Committee Ross Vartian.

According to information submitted to NT by the NKR Resident
Representation to Armenia, presenting his organization, Ambassador
Rosenblatt noted that AJC is one of the most important structures of
the United States’ Jewish community and plays a significant role in
international relations. According to him, they are well informed about
regional problems and developments.

Speaking about militarization of Azerbaijan’s economy and bellicose
statements made at various levels in Azerbaijan, the resident
representative of the NKR once again asserted the Karabakh side’s
willingness to settle the conflict only in a peaceful way and attached
great importance to the international community’s consistency in this
issue.

K. Avetisian expressed a high opinion about the role of the U.S. as a
co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group in the peaceful solution of the
Karabakh problem, especially as the U.S. is the only country to
officially provide annual humanitarian aid of up to 5 million dollars
to the NKR.

Ambassador Peter Rosenblatt, the AJC Director of Strategic Studies
Barry Jacobs and Ross Vartian met with the Secretary of the RA National
Security Council Arthur Baghdasarian on May 30. The interlocutors
addressed issues related to strengthening the links between the Jewish
and Armenian communities of the U.S. and issues of regional cooperation
and security. They also discussed Armenian-Turkish relations, stressing
the necessity to open the Armenian-Turkish border.

Panorama.am

19:23 29/05/2008

EXPANDING CULTURAL BORDERS: -ONE NATION – ONE CULTURE-

In 17-23 August -One Nation – One Culture- pan
Armenian cultural third festival will take place in
Armenia and Artsakh, said Gayane Durgaryan, the head
of public relations department of the Ministry of
Culture to Panorama.am reporter. -We hope that the
festival will give a chance not only to present our
cultural values but to discuss them, too,- said G.
Durgaryan.

-It is planned to organize trainings for dance and
song professionals in the frameworks of the festival,-
she said. She said that dance and song groups, solo
singers and dancers can take part in the festival.

The Government has disposed 170mln 434 thousands drams
from its reserve budget to organize -One Nation – one
culture- pan Armenian festival. Note that the
organizers of the festival are the ministries of
culture and foreign affairs, and -One nation – one
culture- foundation. The festival takes place since
1999 every two years.

Source: Panorama.am

PanARMENIAN.Net

Lebanese Armenians free to receive Armenian citizenship
31.05.2008 14:08 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian authorities always
support our community in emergency situations,
editor-in-chief of Azdak Beirut-based newspaper Shahan
Kandakharyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

The assistance rendered by the Middle East division of
the Armenian Foreign Ministry is a bright evidence of
this, according to him.

-Armenia’s Ambassador to Lebanon, Vahan
Ter-Ghevondian, who completed his mission in the
country, was the first diplomat to be received by
President-elect Michel Suleiman and decorated with the
supreme order of Lebanon,- he said.

-On May 31, the Armenian newspapers in Lebanon will
publish the announcement of Armenia’s Embassy saying
that all Armenians in Lebanon can address the Embassy
for Armenian citizenship. Receiving the citizenship,
Armenians in Lebanon and other states will be granted
not only moral but also legal assistance,- Mr
Kandakharyan said.

ON THE OCCASION OF FIRST REPUBLIC DAY PARLIAMENT SPEAKER TIGRAN TOROSIAN ISSUES CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE

ARMENPRESS
May 28, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 28, ARMENPRESS: On the Occasion of the First Republic
Day Parliament Speaker Tigran Torosian issued a congratulatory
message. According to the parliament press service, the message reads
as follows.

"Dear compatriots, 90 years ago our people who few years before that
experienced the first genocide of the past century, were able to
combine their divided strength and win the battles of Sardarapat,
Karakilisa and Aparan thanks to freedom loving spirit and unbending
will to restore their statehood.

Although the First Armenian Republic lived three years only, it gave
our people the strong spiritual charge due to which we were able at
the end of the 20-th century not only to restore our state but to
liberate also Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).

I congratulate you on the occasion of the First Republic Day being
sure that our achievements are irreversible and we have no alternative
to the path of democracy and reforms that will take us to the country
dreamt of by our ancestors."

FRANCE AIMS TO BOLSTER EU’S SWAY

The Associated Press
May 26, 2008

BRUSSELS: Bolstering Europe’s influence on the world stage – and
especially on the new American administration – will be the top
priority for France when it takes over the presidency of the European
Union in July, Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner of France said Monday.

Kouchner said France wanted to promote efforts to create a common
EU defense policy and to work closely with Washington, once a
new U.S. president is elected, on issues like peace in the Middle
East. France will take over the EU’s six-month rotating presidency from
Slovenia on July 1, and a new American president will be inaugurated
in January.

"The American election offers a historic opportunity," Kouchner
told a gathering of diplomats and EU officials, to offer the new
administration "an agenda, a road map, that will correspond to
our priorities, our understanding of how to solve crises and find
solutions together."

He said a more effective EU foreign policy was needed, backed by better
and more effective cooperation on defense policies. "Our objective
is to put in place credible civil and military defense capacities
and means," Kouchner said.

EU nations had to overcome past problems in raising enough peacekeepers
to fill promised missions to Chad. "We learned difficult lessons when
we had to assemble 3,000 men for Chad," Kouchner said.

Today in Europe Health care fees trouble Eastern EuropeRussian jet
shot down Georgian spy drone, UN saysU.S. courts the support of
French Muslims There were problems in mustering enough soldiers from
EU nations to protect refugees who were flooding into Chad from the
Darfur region of neighboring Sudan. The EU mission also was hampered
by a shortage of helicopters and airplanes.

Similarly, EU nations have hesitated to participate in a joint police
training mission in Afghanistan.

Kouchner said the 27-nation bloc stood at a crossroads where it had
"to define renewed ambitious goals" to better the lives of Europeans,
notably in implementing the club’s new governing treaty, which is
currently being ratified by EU nations.

The Lisbon Treaty, signed last year in Portugal, aims to streamline
the way the bloc makes decisions and bolster its powers in such areas
as immigration and fighting crime. It also aims to make the EU’s
foreign policy more effective with the creation of an EU president
and a single envoy to represent the bloc abroad.

As EU president, President Nicolas Sarkozy of France will be
responsible for getting EU leaders to fill new posts created
by the treaty and setting up a new joint EU diplomatic corps in
Brussels. Kouchner said France aims to have posts filled before the
planned entry into force of the new treaty on Jan. 1, 2009.

France also aims to address growing fears that globalization spells
bad news for manufacturing and other industry jobs across Europe,
Kouchner said, as China and other emerging Asian economic powers
attract more industry from overseas.

Kouchner said investing more in innovation, research and technology
is key to economic growth. He said EU nations must also agree on a
common immigration policy, which could bring in more high-skilled
workers to fill increasing job openings.

In another development Monday, Poland and Sweden sought support from
other EU nations for a new outreach program to build closer ties with
Ukraine and the EU’s other former Soviet neighbors to the east.

The plan would go beyond the EU’s current "neighborhood policy,"
which groups East European countries like Ukraine and Belarus with
nations in North Africa and the Middle East.

Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski of Poland said it was important
to make a distinction because the easterners are European nations
who could one day apply to join the EU. Poland and Sweden presented
the plan at a meeting of EU foreign ministers.

Russia was not included in the Polish-Swedish plan, but the EU
approved plans Monday to begin negotiations with Moscow on a new
cooperation agreement, which had been long delayed because of Polish
and Lithuanian objections.

"We are trying to normalize our relations with Russia," Sikorski
said before the EU talks. But he predicted the talks with Russia
would be tough, particularly over sensitive issues such as energy
and human rights.

Poland, which joined the EU in 2004, is concerned about instability on
its eastern borders as former Soviet countries are squeezed between
Russia and the West. With older EU nations wary about offering
membership to the likes of Ukraine, Poland is seeking other means to
draw the easterners close to the Western bloc.

Foreign Minister Carl Bildt of Sweden said the plan would aim to
forge closer ties with countries that are of "fundamental importance
for all of Europe," including Moldova, Belarus and nearby Caucasus
nations like Georgia and Armenia.

"We think its time to look to the east to see what we can do to
strengthen democracy," Bildt said.

The Polish-Swedish plan includes easing visa restrictions on countries
to the east, closer cooperation on environmental issues and freeing
up trade.