Author: Chmshkian Vicken

PRESS RELEASE
April 23, 2006
Armenian National Committee of America
888 17th Street, NW, Suite 904
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
Email: [email protected]
Web:
For more information:
Maral Habeshian
ANCA Telethon Office
ANCA Telethon Launches Web Site
Nationwide Phonathon and Internet Campaign Kicks Off Fundraising Effort
(Washington, DC – April 23, 2006) – The Armenian National Committee of
America Telethon today announced the launch of the web site devoted to
the telethon at (click on Telethon logo) where supporters
of the Armenian Cause can make online donations in advance of the May
21 st nationwide telethon broadcast. In addition, a nationwide
inbound and outbound telephone campaign has been launched to
personally reach out to thousands of Armenian households across the
country during the weeks preceding the telethon. The purpose of the
telethon is to raise financial resources that will propel the advocacy
for the Armenian Cause to a new level of sophistication and reach.
Proceeds will be used to broaden the ANCA’s advocacy and educational
programs on Armenian issues within the halls of Congress, the White
House, state and local governments and the media.
“The campaign leading up to the Telethon broadcast is meant to rally
into action everyone who believes in the Armenian Cause and use the
latest technological tools to unite us as a powerful force regardless
of geography, ” said Steve Artinian, member of the ANCA Telethon’s
outreach team. “There is an amazing pool of professional talent who
have come together to ensure the Telethon reaches as many households
as possible. We are pulling out the stops on this effort and intend
to raise the stakes for the Cause substantially in the process.”
The ANCA Telethon reflects the next stage for the many issues
confronting the community. For example, the ANCA’s media relations
efforts during the last year alone are driving increased media
coverage of the Armenian Genocide. The results are a rapidly
expanding public awareness of the issue and exposure of the shameful
position of the government of Turkey and the U.S. State Department
both of whom continue to deny the Genocide. The most recent example
of the ANCA’s anti-defamation efforts with the media has been
confronting PBS for attempting to broadcast their insulting panel
discussion that featured academics who have been paid by the Turkish
government to deny and distort the Genocide’s historical facts.
However, spurring increased media coverage across the country requires
greater vigilance in anti-defamation efforts to make sure the coverage
is accurate and repels the Turkish government’s denial campaign.
This stage has led to an increased need for professional resources and
media experts in order to continue winning in the court of public
opinion.
The ANCA Telethon will feature the ANCA’s many interesting and
successful programs asking for financial support. As a run up to the
broadcast, the online Internet campaign and phonathon will allow
people to show their support in advance of the broadcast. To make a
donation in advance, people can call 1-866-402-2622 (ANCA) or go to
and click on the Telethon logo to make a donation online.

L’affaire des Pilatus boycottes par Ankara embarrasse Berne;
Le Temps, Suisse
21 avril 2006
TENSIONS. Si les autorites federales prefèrent ne pas faire de lien
avec le genocide armenien, des fonctionnaires du Ministère turc des
affaires etrangères le font. Dans la presse turque.
Pilatus peine toujours a comprendre la decision du Ministère turc de
la defense de l’exclure d’un appel d’offres pour de nouveaux avions
d’entraînement. La societe, qui s’etait preparee depuis plus de quatre
ans a la possibilite de vendre des PC-21 a la Turquie, a ete ecartee
en tant qu’entreprise suisse. Ce qui laisse penser qu’Ankara aurait
pu agir ainsi dans la seule intention d’exprimer son mecontentement a
propos de l’attitude de la Suisse face au genocide armenien de 1915. Le
Conseil federal ne le reconnaît pas officiellement, mais le Conseil
national a accepte en 2003 un postulat en ce sens. Et le Grand Conseil
vaudois a, la meme annee, egalement reconnu le genocide des Armeniens.
Pour ne pas fragiliser davantage les relations entre la Suisse et
la Turquie, le Departement federal des affaires etrangères (DFAE)
prefère pour l’instant ne pas faire de lien entre les deux affaires.
Du moins, pas officiellement. Mais il a demande des explications aux
autorites turques. De son côte, Joseph Deiss, patron du departement qui
chapeaute le Secretariat d’Etat a l’economie (Seco) charge du contrôle
des exportations, a promis a Pilatus de faire la lumière sur cette
affaire lors de sa prochaine visite en Turquie. Le conseiller federal
attend toujours l’invitation d’Ankara. Son voyage turc prevu en automne
2005 avait ete annule en raison de deux enquetes penales ouvertes en
Suisse contre des intellectuels turcs pour negation du genocide.
De nouveau sur la liste noire?
Les autorites federales font profil bas mais sont bien conscientes
qu’il sera difficile de faire revenir Ankara sur sa decision.
Contrairement a Berne, le Turkish Daily News n’hesite pas a faire
le rapprochement avec la delicate question du genocide armenien. Le
journal a cite, le 28 mars dernier, un fonctionnaire du Ministère
turc des affaires etrangères qui qualifie d’irrealiste le fait de
penser qu’une societe suisse puisse participer a un programme de
defense turc. “Surtout a un moment où la dispute bilaterale a propos
du genocide armenien a profondement affecte les relations entre Berne
et Ankara”, precise le fonctionnaire sous le sceau de l’anonymat.
La Turquie dispose d’une “liste noire” de pays a partir desquels
elle refuse d’importer du materiel militaire. La Suisse y figurait
encore jusqu’en avril 2005. Un mois plus tôt, le Conseil federal
avait normalise les procedures d’exportation d’armes vers la Turquie,
se basant sur les progrès d’Ankara en matière de democratie. Aucune
exportation n’avait ete autorisee depuis 1992. L’affaire des Pilatus
laisse aujourd’hui penser que la Suisse figure a nouveau sur la fameuse
liste noire turque. Mais personne n’est en mesure de le confirmer.
Un expert militaire base a Ankara cite par le Turkish Daily News
juge “parfaitement normal” que la Suisse ait ete ecartee de l’appel
d’offres puisque quand il s’est avere que des Pilatus, en l’occurrence
des PC-7, avaient ete utilises durant la guerre Iran-Irak, l’affaire
avait provoque une polemique en Suisse.
Generalement consideres comme des avions civils, les Pilatus ne
tombent pas sous le coup de la loi sur l’exportation du materiel
de guerre. Ils peuvent en revanche etre equipes de bombes ou de
roquettes. Des Pilatus avaient ainsi defraye la chronique pour avoir
servi a bombarder des populations indigènes au Guatemala, en Angola ou
encore en Birmanie. L’expert turc insinue que le gouvernement suisse
pourrait craindre que les Pilatus puissent a nouveau etre utilises
a autre chose qu’a des fins d’entraînement, par exemple contre les
combattants du Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK).
Toujours selon l’expert, la decision d’Ankara pourrait s’expliquer par
le fait que le Ministère turc de la defense n’ait pas voulu courir le
risque que la Suisse, hesitante, puisse au dernier moment decider de
stopper la livraison de ses PC-21. Ce scenario ne trouve aucun echo
au sein de la Berne federale.
La Suisse ecartee, les Forces aeriennes turques pourraient faire leur
choix entre Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), la societe bresilienne
Embraer et l’americaine Raytheon. Comme candidate a l’adhesion a
l’UE, il y a fort a parier que la Turquie n’aurait pas ose exclure
un avionneur europeen de son appel d’offres comme elle l’a fait
avec Pilatus.
Encadre: “Oui, nous sommes otages d’une affaire politique”
Par Valerie de Graffenried
Oscar Schwenk, patron de l’avionneur nidwaldien Pilatus, s’exprime
prudemment sur le boycott d’Ankara. Pour sa societe, decrocher le
contrat des forces aeriennes turques permettrait d’empocher près
d’un demi-milliard de francs. Le Temps: Vous considerez la decision
turque comme une mesure de retorsion suite a la polemique entre Berne
et Ankara concernant le genocide armenien. Vous sentez-vous donc
“otages” d’une affaire strictement politique? Oscar Schwenk: Oui.
Pilatus n’a jamais ete touche par une telle affaire auparavant. –
Qu’attendez-vous maintenant des departements de Joseph Deiss et
de Micheline Calmy-Rey? – Le conseiller federal Joseph Deiss, le
Secretariat d’Etat a l’economie (Seco) et l’ambassade (de Suisse
a Ankara, ndlr) sont deja actifs depuis plusieurs mois dans cette
affaire.
– Que representait pour vous ce contrat de 500 millions de francs?-
Chaque appel d’offres des forces aeriennes d’un pays pour des avions
d’entraînement suscite une forte concurrence entre les differentes
societes en mesure de repondre a l’offre. Le fait qu’il ne nous soit,
dans ce cas, pas permis de deposer une offre est discutable. Il
semble que la Turquie, extremement fâchee de l’attitude politique de
la Suisse, ait choisi une mesure de retorsion qui, comme entreprise
suisse, nous frappe lourdement.
– Pilatus a par le passe dû faire face a plusieurs polemiques.
Comment auriez-vous pu garantir, en cas de contrat avec la Turquie,
que vos avions ne soient pas utilises a des fins militaires, contre la
minorite kurde par exemple? – Lorsque nous exportons nos produits,
nous tenons compte de l’ordonnance et de la loi federale sur le
contrôle des biens. La Turquie fait partie des Etats mentionnes dans
l’annexe 4 de l’ordonnance sur le contrôle des biens qui prevoit que
des avions d’entrainement peuvent etre livres a la Turquie.
–Boundary_(ID_t0lpGeBJWYliwy7c1PlekA)–

Libération , France
22 Avril 2006
Une loi punitive dans les cartons des parlementaires
Si le génocide arménien est reconnu en France depuis 2001, aucun
texte ne punit le négationnisme.
par Amaria TLEMSANI
QUOTIDIEN : samedi 22 avril 2006
«La France reconnaît publiquement le génocide arménien de 1915.»
C’est par cet unique, et laconique, article de loi que l’Assemblée
nationale a voté à l’unanimité, le 29 janvier 2001, la reconnaissance
du génocide du peuple arménien. «Les travées étaient
exceptionnellement pleines, et le public ému a applaudi au moment du
vote», témoigne Vartan Arzoumanian, responsable du Comité de défense
de la cause arménienne (CDCA).
En effet, cette nouvelle loi ne permet pas de condamner la négation
du génocide arménien. La loi Gayssot du 13 juillet 1990 non plus, qui
pénalise uniquement le négationnisme de la Shoah. Depuis 1995,
plusieurs amendements successifs avaient été déposés à l’Assemblée
nationale visant l’extension de la loi Gayssot au génocide arménien.
En 2003, Dominique Perben, alors garde des Sceaux, avait rejeté
l’intégration d’un tel amendement dans son vaste projet de réforme
dit «Perben 2». Il considérait «la loi de 2001 comme suffisante».
Pour Pascal Clément, alors député rapporteur de la loi, actuel garde
des Sceaux, une telle disposition aurait eu pour effet «de banaliser
la Shoah», ce qui aurait été «ni opportun ni stratégique».
Cette étrange comparaison a scandalisé la communauté arménienne, qui
remonte aujourd’hui au créneau, soutenue par une partie des députés
socialistes qui préparent un nouveau projet de loi. Pour ces
parlementaires, dont Jean-Marc Ayrault, François Hollande ou
Jean-Yves Le Bouillonec, le futur texte viendra compléter la loi du
29 janvier 2001. Il s’agit ni plus ni moins «de tirer au plan pénal
les conséquences de l’entrée en vigueur de la loi reconnaissant le
génocide arménien». Les députés proposent de soumettre au même régime
répressif la négation du génocide arménien et celle de la Shoah.
Si au sein de la communauté arménienne tous défendent ce projet, des
voix s’élèvent, notamment chez les historiens. Ainsi, pour Stéphane
de Tapia, chercheur au CNRS, «la loi de 2001 votée par une poignée de
députés est une erreur. Ce n’est pas au Parlement d’écrire
l’histoire». Et d’ajouter «il ne peut y avoir une loi spécifique à
propos d’un peuple en particulier.» Le CDCA reste confiant «Chaque
groupe parlementaire a dans ses tiroirs un projet de loi sur la
question, il existe donc un vrai consensus.» Réponse le 18 mai, date
d’examen de la proposition de loi.
–Boundary_(ID_ehbe1Alw4206jxKrtO8ZtQ)–

EVENTS DEDICATED TO 91ST ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE TAKE PLACE IN ATHENS
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 19 2006
ATHENS, APRIL 19, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. A number of events
dedicated to the 91st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide took
place at the last week-end in Athens, on the innitiative of the
Athens Governor’s Offoce, Mayor’s Office, the RA Embassy to Greece
and the Armenian community. A solemn ceremony of requim took place
on April 15 in the square of the district of Nea Zmirni of Athens
where the memory monument to the Armenian Genocide victims is
erected. Primates of two dioceses of the Armenian Apostolic Church,
the Armenian Catholic and Protestant churches prayed at the same
time. Vahram Kazhoyan, the RA Ambassador to Greece, representatives
of the Athens Governor’s Office and Mayor’s Office, other officials
made speeches. Then wreaths were laid to the memory monument by the RA
Embassy, the Athens Governor’s Office, the Nea Zmirni Mayor’s Office,
RA military students studying in Greece and the Armenian community. A
march of complaint towards the Embassy of Turkey to Greece took place
after the end of the event. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA
Foreign Ministry’s Press and Information Department, on April 16,
on the occasion of the 91st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide,
a solemn sitting took place at the “Atikon” hall of Athens, on the
initiative of the Athens Governor’s Office, Armenian Rights Council
of the Armenian Liberal Democratic Party and the Hay Dat Committee
of the ARF Dashnaktsutiun. Ioannis Tragakis, the Parliament Deputy
Speaker of Greece, Teodoros Kasimis, the Deputy Foreign Minister of
Greece, representatives of political parties of Greece made speehes
at the event. Vasos Lisaridis, the former Speaker of the Parliament
of Cyprus made a speech. RA Ambassador Vahram Kazhoyan’s speech was
also read. Deputies of the Parliament of Greece, representatives of
political parties, local self-government, primates of two dioceses of
the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Armenian Catholic and Protestant
churches, representatives of Armenian political parties and the
community, students from Armenia studying in Greece and military
academy students participated in the sitting. The event was finished
with a march towards the Unknown Soldier’s Grave in the Sintagma
central square of Athens where wreaths were laid by the RA Embassy,
the Greek Government, Parliament, political parties, the Embassy of
Cyprus to Greece and the Armenian community of Greece.

LAURELS FOR A NATIONAL SECURITY CONCEPTION
Lragir.am
19 April 06
Adviser to President of Armenia Garnik Isagulyan announced April 19
that the government decision of 2004 set a goal before the Institute
of Political Studies he heads to work out a conception of national
security. However, there is a problem: the conception is presently
being worked out by another agency.
“You know that the strategy of national security is being worked out
by the commission set up on the order of the president of Armenia,
headed by Serge Sargsyan, the secretary of National Security under the
president of Armenia, but the institute is actively engaged in it,”
says Garnik Isagulyan.
The notable thing is that Garnik Isagulyan had initiated the conception
of national security and he had even suggested that political forces
become engaged and extend proposals. Presently, however, Garnik
Isagulyan is engaged in the work of the agency, headed by Serge
Sargsyan. It is also possible that he makes proposals.

TURKEY SHOULD TAKE APPROPRIATE MOVE TO NORMALIZE RELATIONS WITH ARMENIA
PanARMENIAN.Net
19.04.2006 20:14 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia sets no preconditions for establishment
of normal relations with Turkey, Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanian said.
“Armenia was ready yesterday, is ready today and will be ready tomorrow
to establish neighbor relations with Turkey without preconditions
and have open borders with it,” the RA FM stated.
“We admit that problems exist but show me two states, especially
in Europe, experiencing no historical problems. However no state
practises the “instrument of closed borders” to force another state
to renounce its history,” the Minister said.
In his words, Turkey should take an appropriate move for the
normalization of bilateral relations. Vartan Oskanian considers that
Turkey doesn’t wish to develop bilateral political relations and
this excludes any progress. “Turkey is incapable to overcome its
narrow-ethnic interests and take a wider approach to the regional
problems,” Vartan Oskanian considers.
According to him, Turkey had the possibility immediately after the
USSR collapse and then at the start of the talks with the EU. “In the
first case it obviously made a mistake and failed, in the second case
the possibility still exists. Anyway it’s not late yet to get proper
orientation and try to establish normal relations with Armenia,”
the Armenian FM said, reported Novosti-Armenia.

DESECRATED ARMENIAN MEMORIAL: “UNACCEPTABLE”
NOUVELOBS.COM
19.04.06 ¦ 14:08
The League of the rights of the Man as well as Nicolas Sarkozy
get indignant forbidden registrations found on the memorial of the
Armenian genocide.
On March 18th, French-Turkish associations against the memorial of
the Armenian genocide scrolled(marched past) in Lyon ( AP)
L e memorial of the Armenian genocide of Lyon was desecrated on Monday,
bring back(report) two Armenian organizations in different communiques.
” There was no genocide “, cries out a registration quoted at the same
moment by the Committee of defence of the Armenian cause ( CDCA) and
the council of coordination of the Armenian organizations of France
( CCAF). The association for the Memorial of Lyons of the Armenian
genocide ( MLGA) raised a complaint on Tuesday against X to know the
authors of the desecration undergone by the monument in some days
of the inauguration fixed on April 24th, according to the president
of MLGA.
Remembrances
Expressing their “indignation”, both organizations wish that the
authors of this desecration are found and judged.
The CDCA asks besides that ” everything is implemented(operated)
to assure(insure) the safety(security) of the remembrances of next
April 24th on the whole French territory “.
The memorial of Lyon must be inaugurated on April 24th of this year,
date in which is commemorated, every year, the Armenian genocide
committed in Turkey in 1915.
Indignant reactions
The League of human rights ( LDH) expressed on Wednesday, April 19th
” its indignation “.
In a communique, the LDH calls back(reminds) ” his(her,its) approval
of the law of January 29th, 2001 by which France recognized publicly
the Armenian genocide of 1915 and opposes to any attempt aiming at
denying the horror of this crime against humanity “.
Home secretary Nicolas Sarkozy judged for his part, on Wednesday,
April 19th, “unacceptable” the registrations concerned the memorial.
In a message sent on Wednesday to Jules Mardirossian, president of the
Association for the memorial of Lyons, home secretary considers that
” this crime of violence, expressing the negationism and the hatred,
is unacceptable “.
” His(her) author, or his authors, must be austerely punished by the
justice of our country “, adds Nicolas Sarkozy, who assures(insures)
the Armenian community of its ” whole solidarity “. He reminds that ”
the Republic expressed herself with force, by the law of January 29th,
2001 according to which: ‘ France recognizes publicly the Armenian
genocide of 1915 ‘ “.
So, asserts home secretary, ” the authorities of the Republic will
not accept that the law is scoffed “.
–Boundary_(ID_BDdEoZs9w8Kdzlkus3+3Ug)–

AZIMOV: CO-CHAIRS HAVEN’T PRESENTED THE AZERBAIJANI SIDE WITH NEW PROPOSALS OR A NEW PROJECT
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
April 19 2006
“Any improvement is possible if there is a strong will,” Azerbaijani
deputy foreign minister Araz Azimov told journalists (APA).
The deputy minister said the main thing is that specific frameworks
exist and constructiveness and promptness are needed to solve the
problem in these frameworks.
“Azerbaijan is ready to the improvement in this framework. There
are different models, there exist different forms of self-governing
statuses in Europe and in other regions. However, all these statues
are enjoyed on condition of preserve of territorial integrity of the
states they exist,” Mr.Azimov said.
Commenting on OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs often visiting the region,
Azimov said the objective of these visits is to decide on further steps
following the talks at Rambouillet, the sides continuing negotiating
process or finding other ways out.
The deputy minister also said that the co-chairs haven’t presented
official Baku with new proposals or a new project.
Commenting on the recent regular violation of the cease-fire in the
frontline, Azimov said the Azerbaijani government is concerned about
this case, and noted this does not serve peace process.
“Azerbaijan does not want the cease-fire violation, and advocates
continuing the negotiating process in normal atmosphere,” he said.
Responding to the question that the Great 8 is due to discuss the
Nagorno Garabagh conflict in St.Petersburg, Russia, Azimov said this
meeting is important from the aspect of the most developed states
coming together to solve urgent and difficult problems concerning
the international scene.
“Heads of state, who are responsible for great resources and political
wills, come together. However, if Armenian President and the Armenian
side do not respond to Azerbaijan’s constructiveness, neither the Great
8 nor any other great alliance can solve this issue. At the same time,
the Great 8 bringing this issue to focus is important. Because, it is
urgent as a political influence, on one hand, this is a framework which
can influence politically. On the other hand, economical resources
of the countries participating in this framework make us to conclude
that these states can donate a gift to renovation works in the region
after the solution of the conflict. This issue can be discussed in
the framework of a meeting.
However, a certain improvement should be achieved by that. Otherwise,
I think such issues are pointless”, Araz Azimov concluded.

WHEN AND HOW MUCH WE WILL DECLARE
Lragir.am
19 April 06
The bill on declaration of property and income of natural persons
caused dissent between the People’s Deputy Group and president’s
advisor on corruption affairs Bagrat Yesayan. The only dissent is
the threshold of property liable to declaration. The dissent seems
to have been overcome and now the following thresholds and deadlines
are included in the bill.
In 2007 a natural person will not have to make a declaration if their
income does not exceed 6 million drams within the tax year. In 2008
they will not have to declare if the same index is not over 5 million,
in 2009 4 million, in 2010 3 million, in 2011 2 million and in 2012
1 million.
Starting with 2012 most citizens of the Republic of Armenia will have
to write a declaration of income. However, there is not a hint on
declaration of property and income of natural persons in the bill how
much our income will grow year by year by these scales, and naturally
there could not have been any. This bill is solving another problem.
Whereas it would be better if all the questions were solved at once,
and the citizens whose income is one million drams in both 2006 and
2012 could understand why they need a declaration of property. Or
else it will be difficult to explain why the government is adding
nuisance of paperwork if within six years it did nothing to boost
the income of its citizens.

“PEOPLE MUST PREVENT THE FURTHER COLLAPSE”
A1+
[08:29 pm] 18 April, 2006
THE ARMENIAN INTELLEGENTSIA FORUM COUNCILLOR APPLIED TO ARMENIAN
CITIZENS; “The Armenian nation and statehood got a stab in the
back. The criminal group guided with the saying, “After us the deluge”
made a disgraceful deal “property in place of debt” in order to save
its power.” This deal is neither socially nor politically profitable
for us. With the estrangement of the 5th block of the Hrazdan heat
generating plant the country lost one of the important bases of
its statehood and thrust a wedge in Armenian – Iranian friendly and
mutually profitable relations.
During the years of the criminal group’s ruling the nuclear power
station, Sevan – Hrazdan cascade, the Hrazdan energy and power
station, the airport “Zvartnots,” part of the Kentron district, means
of transportation and communication, water and cognac were aliened
from the country… Soon the list will be added by the Armenia –
Iranian pipeline and “ArmenTel.” As a result of it foreign power was
established in our country, and now Armenia is on the verge of losing
its statehood irretrievably.
This devastating and deepening fall must be prevented by the
population; by intelligentsia and youth faithful to their origin and
with joint measures and activities of wise political figures.
The Armenian Intelligentsia Forum joins all the organizations
combating this criminal group and calls on the population of the
country to return the power captured by the group with all possible
and decisive measures.” The letter was signed by Rafajel Ghazaryan,
Silva Kaputikyan, Khoren Palyan, Hrachya Matevosyan, Ervand Manaryan
and Anna Boyajyan.