Author: Badalian Vardan

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| 14:43:16 | 25-06-2005 | Politics |
PREMIER- EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT
According to the coalition’s draft adopted within the process of
constitutional reform the Prime Minister is rather helpless and can be
defined as the executive director of the government. The coalition’s draft
constitutional amendments has nothing in common with the semi-presidential
government system, this project is typical for the president one. `The most
important question is whether the parliament is empowered to form the
government or not? Besides, whether the President has the right to dismiss
the Prime Minister without the consent of the parliament? If these two
components are absent, the draft proves to be not appropriate to the
semi-presidential government system’, Justice faction secretary Victor
Dallakyan stated.
According to the logic of the semi-presidential government system the
parliament should be entitled to form the government. The opposition has
made the following proposal: once the opposition proposes a nominee for the
post of the Prime Minister, if the parliament does not approve it, the
initiative passes to the National Assembly. However, the coalition’s draft
calls for the following principle: the President has the right to propose
the Prime Minister twice, if the parliament does not ratify it, the
President dissolves the parliament.
`If the President proposes a nominee twice and every time the candidature is
rejected the President dissolves the parliament he uses all the instruments
at hand to form the government, which will be useful for him’, Victor
Dallakyan says. In his opinion, the items, according to which the President
appoints this or that parliament member by the presentation of the Prime
Minister are symbolic, since the President himself appoints or dismissed the
Prime Minister, thus the latter is only a mechanism in the President’s
hands. Consequently, according to the coalition’s draft the government and
the Prime Minister is subordinate to the one, who appoints them, that is to
the President. To note, the semi-presidential system supposes that the
President cannot dismiss the Prime Minister, who enjoys the support of the
parliamentary majority.
For Ramkavar Azatakan extra-parliamentary party there is no particular
difference who appoints the Premier, responsibility is the most important
factor. Party leader Harutyun Harutyunyan noted, `Is we follow the principle
of power division, it is even natural if the President appoint the Prime
Minister. Thus he undertakes the responsibility for the activities of the
government.’
Diana Markosyan

Armenian National Committee of America
888 17th St., NW, Suite 904
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet:
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 23, 2005
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
ROTHMAN LEADS CONGRESSIONAL REQUEST FOR CLARIFICATION OF
VICE PRESIDENT’S LETTER TO ARMENIAN GENOCIDE SURVIVOR
— Vice President Cheney’s April 22nd letter to
Maritza Ohanessian Properly Characterized
the Armenian Genocide as a Genocide
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steve Rothman (D-NJ) was joined
today by twenty-one of his House colleagues in calling on Vice President
Dick Cheney to clarify if his letter to a survivor of the Armenian
Genocide, in which he properly – but uncharacteristically –
described the Armenian Genocide as a genocide, represented a formal
shift in the Administration’s policy, reported the Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA).
In a letter dated April 22, 2005 and signed by the Vice President,
he honored Maritza Ohanesian of West Hartford, Connecticut as the
oldest living survivor of the Armenian Genocide. In the letter to
the Vice President, the Congressional signers of the Rothman letter
noted that, “We are confident that your letter to Ms. Ohanesian
represented perhaps the greatest birthday gift in her lifetime, a
letter from the Vice-President of the United States of America
using this important language.”
“Armenian Americans value the principled leadership of Congressman
Rothman and express their appreciation to all those who joined with
him in calling for a much needed explanation from the Administration,”
said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “It would seem that,
in answering the concerns raised by these Members of Congress, the
Vice-President has two choices – to publicly accept responsibility
for his letter, or to personally explain to Mrs. Ohanesian exactly
why it is that he cannot stand by his words.”
Joining Congressman Rothman as signatories to this letter were
Representatives Rob Andrews (D-NJ), Lois Capps (D-CA), Joe Crowley
(D-NY), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Barney Frank (D-MA), Patrick Kennedy (D-
RI), Mark Steven Kirk (R-IL), Sander Levin (D-MI), Carolyn Maloney
(D-NY), Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI), James McGovern (D-MA), Michael
McNulty (D-NY), Richard Neal (D-MA), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ),.
George Radanovich (R-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Brad Sherman (D-CA),
Mark Souder (R-IN), John Tierney (D-MA), Edolphus Towns (D-NY), and
Peter Visclosky (D-IN).
The full text of the Congressional letter is provided below:
#####
June 15, 2005
Dear Vice-President Cheney,
We were recently pleased to learn that you appear to share the same
views as those of us who recognize the Armenian Genocide and use
that specific phrase to describe the atrocities that took place
between 1915 through 1918 in the Ottoman Empire.
In a letter dated April 22, 2005, you wrote to Ms. Maritza
Ohanesian of West Hartford, Connecticut, to honor her as the oldest
living survivor of the Armenian Genocide. We are confident that
your letter to Ms. Ohanesian represented perhaps the greatest
birthday gift in her lifetime, a letter from the Vice-President of
the United States of America using this important language.
We are hopeful that your use of this critical phrase represents a
long overdue recognition on the part of the Bush administration,
that the horrors perpetrated upon the Armenians by the Ottoman
Empire during World War I, constituted the first genocide of the
20th century.
Please let us know if this is the case.
Sincerely,
[22 Congressional signatures]
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Caucaz.com, Georgia
June 23 2005
Azeri, Armenian Presidents to Meet Late in August
Baku, June 22 – The next meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian
presidents will be held in Kazan, Russia late in August, according to
news reports.
Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov told a news conference on Monday
that Azerbaijan has proposed that the two countries’ foreign
ministers meet at least twice before the presidents’ meeting.
`In general, the Azerbaijani side wants the negotiating process to be
stepped up,’ he said.
Azimov added that it is time to continue the negotiations on the
level of experts.

Turkish Speaker writes to German counterpart slamming Armenian resolution
Anatolia news agency
22 Jun 05
Ankara, 22 June: Turkish Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc sent today a
letter to German Parliament Speaker Wolfgang Thierse to denounce the
adoption (on 16 June) of a resolution by the German parliament to
commemorate the so-called Armenian genocide.
“We feel deep sorrow over the German parliament’s decision which we
believe to have been taken for small political interests and we regard
the decision as an irresponsible initiative,” wrote Arinc in his
letter.
Arinc stressed that this one-sided decision adopted by the parliament
of a “friendly and ally” country also deeply hurt three million
Turkish citizens living in Germany who regarded Germany as their
second homeland.
Arinc underlined the fact that there were many historical mistakes in
the decision which accused Turkish nation of committing a grave crime,
adding that “we are very sorry as the parliament of a country like
Germany which has a well-established state tradition, adopted such a
decision which is full of mistakes and distorted information”.
“In the resolution it was said that Turks don’t face their
history. Turkey is always ready to face its history and there is no
shameful page in our history,” Arinc wrote in his letter.
Referring to the call of the Turkish government and opposition party
for formation of a joint committee – composed of Armenian and Turkish
historians – to investigate the 1915 incidents by studying all
archives – in Turkey, Armenia and third countries – Arinc said that
Premier Erdogan conveyed this proposal to Armenian President Kocharian
by a letter dated 10 April 2005.
Arinc stressed that the recommendation of the German parliament to
include the so-called genocide in textbooks of German schools would
cause prejudice against Turkish people in the minds of German youth.
Arinc also denounced the demand of the German parliament which asked
the German government to help in urging Turks to apologize from
Armenians. “It is impossible to explain such a demand of a parliament
or government by taking into consideration the norms and principles of
international relations. I wonder how the German people and parliament
would react if the Turkish government adopted a decision urging the
German government to do something regarding a third state,” Arinc
asked.
“The German parliament has not referred to the views and documents of
the Turkish side in its decision… [ellipses as received] It is
impossible to qualify the deportation of Armenians who uprose against
the Ottoman State during the First World War as genocide, under the
1948 UN Genocide Convention,” Arinc said.
“Parliaments don’t have the right to judge historical events, as such
decisions don’t have any binding effect in respect of international
human rights… [ellipses as received] No international organization
including the UN had accepted a decision accepting the so-called
Armenian genocide to date,” he said.
Arinc concluded his letter saying that the Turkish parliament
condemned the decision of the German parliament.

PRESS RELEASE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of Australia & New Zealand
10 Macquarie Street
Chatswood NSW 2067
AUSTRALIA
Contact: Laura Artinian
Tel: (02) 9419-8056
Fax: (02) 9904-8446
Email: [email protected]
22 June 2005
Y-CONNECT: ARMENIAN YOUTH CONNECTING WITH ARMENIAN YOUTH
Sydney, Australia – Sunday, 19 June 2005 heralded a new era of excitement at
the Armenian Apostolic Church of Holy Resurrection in Sydney with the start
of the first Y-Connect session, a new youth fellowship program targeted at
high-school aged students.
The purpose of Y-Connect is to provide an opportunity for Armenian youth to
hear God’s message and learn about His principles for living in an
environment that is familiar to them (and their parents) and where there is
opportunity for them to build social networks and connect with the Armenian
Church.
Led by a team of enthusiastic, young and dynamic ACYA leaders the sessions
are designed to incorporate fun social activities and games with a daily
message that is manifest in the teachings of the Holy Bible and in
accordance with the doctrine of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
At its introductory session last Sunday evening, more than 50 smiling faces
made there way into the Church Hall in anticipation of what lay ahead. By
the end of the session, the 50 smiling faces were even more gleeful, each
eagerly awaiting a copy of the Y-Connect program for the next session date.
As one of the young participants said “This is a great way to make new
friends, the activities were cool and I even enjoyed learning about the
Bible. It rocked!”
Y-Connect will be held each Sunday fortnight from 6.00 to 8.00 p.m. At the
forthcoming session on Sunday, 3 July 2005, His Eminence Archbishop Aghan
Baliozian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Australia and
New Zealand will meet with students, bring his blessing to the program and
present the day’s scripture message.

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
June 21 2005
AZERBAIJAN, BAHRAIN AGREED TO SIGN MEMO ON COOPERATION BOOST
[June 21, 2005, 13:03:59]
Ambassador of Azerbaijan to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Elman Arasli
has held on June 20 a meetings with the Bahrain’s parliament speaker
Khalifa Al Dahrani, other governments officials and representatives
of business and financial circles of this country.
During the meetings the both sides have focused on the developing of
bilateral relationship and have agreed to sign Memorandum on the
enhancing of mutual cooperation between two countries. There were
discussed also issues on the political consultations, cooperation
within international organizations, organizing of the mutual Days of
culture and participation of Azerbaijani artists in the organizing in
Bahrain festivals.
Ambassador Arasli was interviewed by the local and foreign
journalists on the results of his visit, socio-political life in our
country and the causes and consequences of Armenia-Azerbaijan,
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Armenian Students’ Association
333 Atlantic Avenue
Warwick, RI 02888
(401) 461-6114
[email protected]
Contact: New York ASA: [email protected]
For Immediate Release!
June 16, 2005
The New York Armenian Students’ Association is proud to announce the
outstanding success of this year’s 56th Annual Artists’ Ball on May 21.
Once again, it was held at the Puck Building in New York City’s Soho
district. With over 650 attendees and several paintings sold, the New
York ASA raised thousands of dollars to support the organization’s
Scholarship Fund, which grants financial aid to college students of
Armenian descent in the United States.
New York ASA members and patrons were treated to the works of
an unusually talented and prolific pool of 32 artists from all
over the world. The artists were as follows: Nishan Akgulian,
Steve Altan, Eduard Arakelyan, Lisa Archigian, Ani Babikyan, Arne
Balassanian, Stephanie Basralian, Taleen Batalian, Shant Beudjekian,
Matt Bogosian, Elizabeth Derderian, Arthur Erberber, Linda Ganjian,
Michael Gaspar, Ashot Grigoryan, Eric Hairabedian, Mariam Hakobyan,
Sargis Hambardzumian, Aram Kailian, Roudolf Kharatian, Bedros
Magardichian, Arshak Martirosyan, Vahagn Marukyants, Kevork Mourad,
Arpie Gennetian Najarian, Cate Norian, Manuel Ortchanian, Irina
Patkanian, Alan Semerdjian, Ara Tanajian, Haikouhi Tataryan and Armen
Yepoyan. While the spacious Puck gallery buzzed with art enthusiasts,
the Grand Ballroom and bar quickly crowded to the sounds of Varoujan
Vartanian and Mark Gavoor.
Many even lingered long after the band had left and the dance floor
dispersed.
The Artists’ Ball has consistently been the blockbuster event
of season for the tri-state area Armenian community for over 50
years. The first ball took place on May 22, 1948 at the Roosevelt
Hotel’s Grand Ballroom. With only one exception, the Artists’ Ball
has been the annual affair where Armenian art commingling with a
dazzling social occasion is the area’s most anticipated and most
memorable event year after year. Throughout the years, the Artists’
Ball has always been volunteer-driven with preparations beginning as
early as one year in advance. The artworks are handled with special
care by dedicated volunteers that display them on the day of the event
and then devote their time until the wee hours of the night when all
must be dismantled at the close of the Ball.
The New York ASA looks forward to seeing all of its patrons at the
event next year, when the 57th Annual Artists’ Ball takes shape on
Saturday, May 20, 2006.
The New York ASA is a member branch of the Armenian Students’
Association of America, which is the oldest Armenian charitable
organization established in the United States. Founded in 1910,
the purposes of the ASA are educational and charitable; in that it
encourages educational pursuits by Armenians in America and seeks
to raise intellectual stands, provide financial assistance in the
form of scholarships to deserving Armenian college students. The
ASA also honors Armenian-American professionals with awards at their
annual convention, and in doing so appeals to people of all ages with
lectures, cultural events and social activities. For more information,
please go online at

General Buyukanit To Armenia: Open Your Archives
Anatolian Times, Turkey
June 19 2005
Turkish Land Forces Commander Gen. Yasar Buyukanit remarked that
Armenia should open its archives. Turkey has made a call to Armenia
to make its archives available for study. “Turkey is in the wrestling
arena waiting for the Armenian wrestler. Turkey is ready for the
fight but the (Armenian) wrestler is afraid to come to the arena,”
told General Buyukanit.

RESULTS OF CARELESSNESS
A1plus
19:13:15 | 17-06-2005 | Regions |
Because of financial problems this year in Gyumri no reconstruction
work has been done. By now in Gyumri 32 buildings in danger of
falling down have been reconstructed with the help of the Linse
Fund. In the city there are 37 more buildings which need to be
reconstructed. Artashes Sargsyan, head of the Shirak region urban
development administration, has told the TV Company “Tsayg” that
especially 6 buildings need urgent reconstruction.
These buildings are included into the state program of the buildings
subject to reconstruction every year but the Government does not allot
money for their reconstruction. And time does not wait for anyone,
and from time to time a building collapses.
According to Mr. Sargsyan, the situation in Gyumri has been created
not so much because of the earthquake but because of the state
carelessness and non-realization of reconstructions works in the
post-earthquake period.

TURKISH CITIZEN TRIED TO REMOVE ANCIENT LITERATURE FROM ARMENIA
Pan Armenian News
17.06.2005 07:35
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ An attempt to remove ancient Armenian literature
was suppressed June 17 by Armenian law enforcers in the international
airport of Zvartnots. Ektan Turkimlaz, one of the passengers of the
Yerevan-Istanbul flight was conveying Armenian literature of XVII-XX
centuries, IA Regnum reported. The passenger was going to remove
the books passing over the customs supervision. Ektan Turkimlaz is
the resident of Istanbul and student of the Duke University in South
Carolina. His interest towards the Armenian culture is multifaceted. He
tried to remove medical and religious literature as well as history
and geography manuals and books about formation of traditional parties
in Armenia. According to a report of the Armenian National Security
Service’s press center, a criminal case has been initiated.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress