Author: Chatinian Lara

BUSH SAYS ‘TRAGEDY’ NOT ‘GENOCIDE’ FOR 1915 EVENTS
By Cihan News Agency, Washington

Zaman Online, Turkey
April 25 2006

US President George W. Bush has describe the incidents that took
place in 1915 as “a tragedy”, in the message he prepared for the 91st
anniversary of the so-called Armenian genocide allegations.

The White House announcement reads that the events were a tragedy for
mankind and should never be forgotten. Bush, overlooking the demands
of the Armenian Diaspora, did not term the incidents as “genocide.”

The event is a source of pain for all Armenians, the. President
acknowledged, and Americans feel deeply for this page in history.

Bush invited all parties to take part in dialogue and determine
common understanding, and he praised the parties in both Turkey and
Armenia who examine the happenings of 1915 impartially, accurately
and sensitively.

The Armenian Diaspora alleges a genocide occurred, Armenians were
forced to leave their home in 1915; Turkey, on the contrary, refutes
these allegations and advocates the deaths were caused by difficult
road and weather conditions during the migration.

[Congressional Record: April 24, 2006 (Senate)]
[Page S3415-S3416]
>From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:cr24ap06-28]

91ST ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today to acknowledge and
commemorate April 24, 2005, the 91st anniversary of the beginning of
the Armenian genocide. I do so because I believe it is necessary to
recognize and ensure that similar atrocities do not happen in the
future.
No one knows this better than the 500,000 Armenians who are living in
my home State of California. These men, women, and children are a
shining example of the backbone of our society and serve as a symbol of
perseverance and determination.
Their ancestors came to our country to build a better life for
themselves and their families, and today, Armenian-Americans recognize
that the repercussions of allowing aggression and injustice against
ethnic, religious, or minority groups to persist can be dire.
During the Armenian genocide, which took place between 1915 and 1923,
over a million Armenians were killed, and another 500,000 were driven
from their homes.
We must never again allow a human tragedy to occur on this scale. It
is unacceptable to witness thousands of innocent victims suffer and die
without taking any action.
And I know this issue not only resonates with the Armenians in
California but with everyone in the country. Every day, numerous
constituents from different backgrounds call my office asking what
Congress and the administration are doing to prevent genocide from
occurring again.
It is absolutely essential that we do not let history repeat itself.
We can–and we must–do better.
The Armenian-American community knows this all too well and today, we
stand with them in commemorating the start of the Armenian genocide. So
let us renew our commitment to support those around the world who face
persecution and even death simply because of who they are. We will
never forget the Armenian genocide, and we look to the present and
future with a newfound sense of hope and optimism so that we may have
the strength to stand up and prevent such atrocities.
Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I take this opportunity to commemorate the
91st anniversary of the Armenian genocide on April 24th. This
anniversary offers an opportunity for us to renew our

[[Page S3416]]

efforts to achieve–finally–genocide recognition for the Armenian
people.
Ninety-one years ago, the Ottoman Turks began their systematic effort
to eradicate the Armenian people. From 1915 until 1923, 1.5 million
Armenians were tortured and killed; men were separated from their
families and murdered; women and children were forced to march across
the Syrian desert without water, food, or possessions; many died of
hunger or thirst or were killed when they lagged behind during the
forced marches into the desert.
The brutality of the genocide was atrocious. But the inhumanity
continues today because the Turkish Government refuses to acknowledge
the massacres as genocide. The wounds cannot heal until the Armenian
people receive recognition.
The Armenian genocide was the first genocide of the 20th century. But
as we have seen, it was not the last. As we know, if we ignore
injustice, we are likely to see it repeated. In his justification for
the Holocaust, Adolf Hitler said, “Who, after all, speaks today of the
annihilation of the Armenians?” And today, we see ongoing atrocities
in the Darfur region of Sudan, with innocent civilians being murdered.
In the 108th Congress, I cosponsored a resolution declaring that the
atrocities in Darfur constitute genocide.
I am currently a cosponsor of a resolution calling the President to
ensure that the foreign policy of the United States reflects
appropriate understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related to
human rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in the record
of the United States relating to the Armenian genocide and the
consequences of the failure to realize a just resolution. And I have
signed onto a letter urging President Bush to honor the historic
leadership of the United States in defending human rights and to
properly characterize the atrocities against the Armenian people as
genocide in his April 24th statement.
Every year, we move closer to recognition of the Armenian genocide.
But every year, we wonder how long it will take the Government of
Turkey to acknowledge the genocide.
We need genocide recognition to honor those 1.5 million Armenians who
lost their lives and to honor the survivors who are still with us
today. We need recognition to send a message to the 8 to 10 million
Armenians worldwide that they have not been forgotten. We need genocide
recognition to remind the world that crimes against humanity are crimes
against us all. And we need genocide recognition because it is the
right thing to do.
By acknowledging this genocide for what it is, I hope that we are
able to help create a more just and humane world.
Mr. REED. Mr. President, on behalf of the Armenian population of
Rhode Island and Armenians around the world, I want to recognize the
91st anniversary of the Armenian genocide.
Ninety-one years ago today, April 24, the Young Turk leaders of the
Ottoman Empire summoned and executed over 200 Armenian community
leaders. By 1923, an estimated 1.5 million Armenians were murdered, and
another one half million were exiled, affecting the lives of every
Armenian in Asia Minor.
Author John Minassian, a survivor of the 1915 Armenian genocide,
tells of his experience. “These fine people were now being made into
refugees only because they had clung to their ancient beliefs and the
faith of their ancestors. They marched proudly under a yoke of hatred,
prejudice and bigotry, their morale high, their spirit as yet unbroken.
They knew that their only `crime’ was being Armenian.”
The Armenian genocide was condemned at the time by representatives of
the British, French, Russian, German, and Austrian Governments, both
foes and allies of the Ottoman Empire.
Today, as a cosponsor of S. Res. 320, I call on the President to
ensure that the foreign policy of the United States reflects
appropriate understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related to
human rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in the record
of the United States relating to the Armenian genocide.
Armenian soldiers have supported Operation Iraqi Freedom as part of
the Polish-led multinational division in south-central Iraq. Working as
truck drivers, bomb detonators, and doctors, Armenia has not allowed
others to be left helpless as they were nearly a century ago. The
United States is proud to have Armenia as an ally in the rebuilding and
reconstruction of Iraq.
So as history does not repeat itself, we must study and remember the
events of our past. In instances such as the Armenian genocide, all
nations must educate their youth in the hatred, the wrongdoing, and the
oppression to deter future atrocities against humanity. Not more that
two decades after the Armenian genocide, Hitler said to his generals on
the eve of sending his death squads into Poland, “Go, kill without
mercy . . . who today remembers the annihilation of the Armenians.” We
remember the Armenians.
Menk panav chenk mornar. We will never forget.

REPS OF TURKISH, AZERI DIASPORAS RALLY IN DEFENSE TO ANKARA’S POSITION ON ‘ARMENIAN GENOCIDE’
Author: R.Abdullayev

TREND Information, Azerbaijan
April 24, 2006

Representatives of the Turkish and Azerbaijani Diasporas of the United
States held a rally in Washington in defense to Ankara’s position on
the ‘Armenian genocide’ in Osman Empire, Trend reports citing the
Turkish media. Over 250 people participated in the rally staged in
front of the Turkish embassy.

Participants in the action held flags of Turkey and Azerbaijan,
scanning ‘Go away from Turkey’, ‘Enough Armenian lies,” etc.

Meanwhile, the Turkish embassy in the United States set up
consultations with members of the US Senate with respect to remove
from agenda three documents on the so-called ‘Armenian genocide’
of 1915. A resolution by the speaker of the senate is required to
remove any issue from the agenda.

One of the similar documents had been submitted former US President
Bill Clinton, who is refused to ratify it.

The Turkish authorities on behalf of Prime Minister Erdogan had sounded
a proposal on the necessity of study of the events developing upon
the collapse of the Osman Empire by the Armenian-Turkish scientific
commission, whilst Yerevan came out against it.

PIPELINE BUILT FOR ENERGY SECURITY THREATENS OUR SECURITY
Hakob Badalyan

Lragir.am
25 April 06

All that seemed incredible now seems imminent. The Iran-Armenia gas
pipeline, the section of the pipeline running across Armenia, can be
considered Russia’s. One could have even bet that it would happen,
after the defense minister had stated that interesting developments
connected with the gas pipeline would be coming up.

However, we did not manage to bet. Next, the foreign minister confirmed
not only the curiosity but also the content of these developments,
at least in part (although we are not likely to suggest that the
foreign minister aspires to be the next president of Armenia).

The foreign minister says Russian-Armenian negotiations for the money
for the pipeline are going on. Vardan Oskanyan announced that the
construction of the pipeline is not over yet to give it to Russia,
and presently the question of money for the construction is under
consideration. It is a great achievement, in fact. We would not have
given anything to Russians in return for nothing. We say if you want
the pipeline, first give money to build it. However, let us not hurry
to admire how the Armenians get the money from the Russians. First,
we should wonder where the money disappeared that Iran had given
to Armenia to build the pipeline. Iran loans the construction
of the 40-km section of the Iranian pipeline running from Meghri
to Kadjaran. Maybe the second section of the pipeline running in
Armenia, the Kadjaran-Ararat section is concerned. When still in
office, the head of the RA President Administration, the co-chair
of the Iran-Armenian Intergovernmental Commission Artashes Tumanyan
visited Iran several months ago. The Iranian mass media informed that
Iran had offered to fund the construction of the second section of
the pipeline, i.e. the Kadjaran-Ararat section. Returning to Yerevan,
Artashes Tumanyan said there was such an arrangement. He even confirmed
that the offer referred to the second section of the pipeline, running
in Armenia and not the construction of another pipeline. Everyone
knows what happened to Artashes Tumanyan later.

However, it still needs to be found out what happened to the agreement
that had been reached. Was it just a personal one? It referred to
state property, however, although there is nothing surprising when
personal arrangements are made on this property. If we want, we will
arrange with Iran, if we want with Russia. Presently it is not clear
whether Tumanyan was dismissed because of the arrangements that he
had reached. It is not essential though. The fact is that Russia is
negotiating with Armenia, and everyone knows the usual outcome of
such negotiations. Consequently, it must be known to Iran as well. It
is interesting how Iran will respond to the transfer of the pipeline
to Russians, for several months ago the foreign ministers of Armenia
and Iran announced in Yerevan that the assent of Iran and Armenia is
required for the engagement of a third country in the Iran-Armenia
gas pipeline project. In other words, Armenia’s assent is not enough
to settle the problem. Does it mean that Iran approves the engagement
of Russia? The price of this approval might be transit of the Iranian
gas. It is hardly possible, however, because Europe might not approve
it. The Europeans are interested in the Iranian gas without Russia
for the simple reason that it is important as an alternative to Russia.

Iran may have changed its mind to fund the second section of the
pipeline after the Armenia had rejected the Iranian proposal regarding
the fifth generating unit of the Thermal Power Plant of Hrazdan. The
deposal of Artashes Tumanyan would hardly have forced Iran to give
up. However, this is also probably. After all, not only interests
determine people but also people determine interests.

Hence, the unfinished pipeline, which has been said to guarantee the
energy security of Armenia, is already starting to threaten this type
of security of our country if it is built to be given to another
country. Moreover, it is even more distressing that the Armenian
society is looking for external and not internal means of keeping the
pipeline: Iran will not agree, or America will disagree. And if they
agreed? Would everything be fine? Or maybe “extenuating circumstances”
occur, which is the only aspect of knowledge of law of our society,
that is excellently used for the past 15 years.

Instead of seeking for a punishment an excuse is sought for.

PRESS RELEASE/FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION/PRESS RELEASE

For more information write to:
Email: [email protected]
Prof. Gerard Libaridian
Department of History
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

FIFTH MEETING OF THE WORKSHOP FOR ARMENIAN/TURKISH SCHOLARSHIP TO
CONVENE AT NYU

Public Session Scheduled for Sunday, May 14

The next meeting of the Workshop for Armenian/Turkish Scholarship
(WATS) will convene at New York University, May 14-16. This will be the
fifth meeting of this important undertaking. The three day gathering
will start with a session open to the public, from 7:00-9:00 PM in
the Hemmerdinger Hall, Silver Center, 100 Washington Square East,
1st Floor.

Organized by Professors Fatma Muge Gocek (Sociology, University of
Michigan), Gerard Libaridian (History, Michigan), and Ronald Grigor
Suny (History, Michigan), previous meetings of WATS were held at
the University of Chicago (2000), University of Michigan (2002),
the University of Minnesota (2004) and in Salzburg, Austria last
year. The fifth meeting is being hosted by New York University and
the organizers are joined by Prof.

Paul Boghossian ( Philosophy, NYU). The theme of the workshop
this year is “The Boundaries of Genocide: Intentions, Histories,
Peoples.” “Dialogue is an ideal that often ends up with one side
talking and the other appearing to listen,” commented Prof. Ronald
Suny. “In discussions about the Armenian Genocide of 1915, neither
side – Armenian or Turkish – seemed to understand, or even hear,
what the other was saying.

How could the deportation and massacre of hundreds of thousands of
people be metastasized into a civil war that never occurred? How could
one blame the victims for their own deaths? This workshop has been one
of the most exciting and productive scholarly initiatives in the last
five years that has brought Turkish, Armenian, and other historians
and social scientists together to present research and talk about the
fate of the Armenians and other minorities in the last years of the
Ottoman Empire.” The evening session on May 14 will serve to acquaint
the general public with the work of this initiative. In addition to
introductory comments by Prof. Boghossian and officials of the host
institution, Professors Gocek, Suny and Libaridian will present reports
on various aspects of WATS and answer questions. The public is invited.

WAR WILL BE AZERBAIJAN’S LAST MISTAKE, VARTAN OSKANIAN DECLARES

YEREVAN, APRIL 20, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. “The European
Union is very much interested in the settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict, we are interested in the stability of the South
Caucasian region,” State Secretary of Austrian Foreign Ministry,
Head of EU Troika delegation Hans Winkler declared at the April 20
press conference in Yerevan. According to him, EU tries to be useful
in the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and here EU does
everything depending on it. “We want to render unbiassed assistance and
try to apply all possible measures for the settlement of the conflict
but this is the issue that should be solved by the sides,” Winkler
declared. According to Vartan Oskanian, the Nagorno Karabakh people
itself should have the right to solve the issue what political status
it wants to have. “If Azerbaijan recognizes the Karabakh people’s
right of self-determination, in this case the Armenian side is ready
to seriously discuss the issue about liquidating the consequences
of the war”. According to the Minister, issues regarding liquidation
of the consequences of the war are issues of territories, refugees,
issues of security. As for the continuing bellicose statements of
Baku, the Armenian Foreign Minister declared: “We have repeatedly
said that the Karabakh problem has no solution through a war. The
war will be a great mistake by Azerbaijan, I think this will be
their last mistake”. He again reiterated that a document regarding
the principles of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement is on
the negotiations table. At that, an agreement on part of them has
been already reached between the sides but the sides have not come
to agreement on some clauses yet. “The issues stated in the document
cannot change in their essence, they are formulated very precisely,”
the head of the Armenian foreign political department declared.

A 6-DAY ACTION OPPOSITE THE PRESIDENT’S RESIDENCE

A1+
[06:49 pm] 19 April, 2006

Four women and a man were standing opposite the President’s residence
today with posters demanding justice in their hands. A police car
was parked nearby.

These people have been here for the last six days demanding justice
for their sons and relatives who were sentenced to life imprisonment
yesterday for the murder of two soldiers in a NKR military basis. Even
after the court decision the relatives of the accused continue to
demand justice.

Sister of Hayk Zalyan, Liana Zalyan mentions that their only aim is
to make the President’s administration listen to their demand. “We
want our innocent boys to be set free. It they do not want to reveal
the real murderers let them not punish the innocent”.

The parents of the boys also invite attention to the fact that
during the trial yesterday Movses Mkrtoumyan, the father of one of
the murdered soldiers, announced that he does not believe that the
accused are guilty.

As for the participants of the act of complaint, none of the workers
of the President’s residence is interested in them. On the first day
they took their letter to the waiting room themselves. While taking
it the workers of the waiting room informed them that the answer will
be ready in a month and will be sent by mail. As for the other days,
no one has ever tried to meet them.

“We do not know how long we will sit here. Perhaps until we are
received,” Liana Zalyan says. The mother of Musa Serobyan who was
sentenced to life imprisonment too thinks that they must visit
different organizations so that everyone comes to know their problem.

37 HOUSES BUILT FOR THE HOMELESS

Panorama.am
13:01 19/04/06

Tomorrow an agreement is going to be signed in Mother Seat Holy
Echmiadzin by which starts the cooperation of Armenian Apostolic
Church and “International Habitat” in the work of building dwellings
for homeless and unprovided families. As we have been informed form
the information board of Holy Seat St. Echmiadzin accorfing to the
above mentioned agreement Habitat is going to hold annual ceremony
named building program “Patriarch of All Armenians Garegin Second”.

This year the latter is planned to be held from September 5-9. 37
houses will be built in RA regions for the homeless. And 37 is the
number of dioceses of Armenian Apostolic Church.

RA AMBASSADOR TO GEORGIA AND PRIMATE OF VIRAHAYOTS DIOCESE VISIT JAVAKHK

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 17 2006

AKHALKALAK, APRIL 17, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Hrach Silvanian,
the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the RA to Georgia
and Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanian, the primate of the Virahayots Diocese
of the Armenian Apostolic Church started their two-days vitis to
Samtskhe-Javakhk on early April 15. According to the “A-Info” agency,
the first meeting of the Ambassador and His Holiness took place
in Akhaltskha where in the Saint Gregory the Illuminator church,
first, the Surb Easter Liturgy was celebrated, then a meeting with
representatives of Armenian public organizations of Akhaltskha
took place.

The Ambassador mentioned at the meeting that the visit is of
introducing character. The Ambassador of Armenia had a meeting with
Tamaz Petriashvili, the Mayor of Akhaltskha as well. After midday,
the delegation arrived from Tbilisi left for Ninotsminda and Akhalkalak
where similar meetings took place in the evening and the next day.

FILM ABOUT LAKE SEVAN BY ARMENIAN JOURNALIST TO BE DEMONSTRATED AT ECO- JOURNALISM CONTEST IN SLOVAKIA

Yerevan, April 18. ArmInfo. A documentary film by Armenian journalist-
ecologist Inga Zarafyan on the problems of Lake Sevan “Threads of
Hope” will be demonstrated in Slovakia at the International Contest
of Ecological Journalism of Banska Bystrica.

Inga Zarafyan, who is also Chairwoman of the public organization
“Ecolur,” told journalists at the film’s presentation, Tuesday.

She says the film passed the first selection round and will be
demonstrated at the contest to be held on May 2-7 2006. The film
reflects the real problems of Lake Sevan, where the measures on
raising water level resulted in the problem of waterlogging. The film
presents the plan of acts by the Armenian Government on prevention of
eutrophication of the lake and restoration of the water level. The
film shows the disastrous consequences of uncontrolled fishing. It
presents the surveys by ichthyologists working on the Russian vessel
“Gydrolog.” The scenario emphasizes the coastal hotels and motels
which ignore the threat of being flooded despite the warning of the
authorities about water raising measures.

To recap, in 1998 Armenian Nature Ministry proposed cutting water
pumping and elaborating a strategy on restoration of the ecological
state of Lake Sevan. In 2001, the Parliament adopted the Law On Sevan
saying that all the measures and acts connected with the lake were
to base on a complex program of raising Lake Sevan level by 6 meters.

Armenia Tree Project public organization, Armenian Forests public
organization and WWF rendered the financial assistance to the creative
staff of Vem Media Arts studio and scenarist Inga Zarafyan.