Author: Emil Lazarian

CANADIAN COMPANY PRODUCES 13T GOLD FROM SOYUDLU FIELD IN OCCUPIED KELBEJER REGION

Today, Azerbaijan
Feb 22 2007

Canadian company First Dynasty Mines (FDM) has produced near 13t gold
in Azerbaijani Kelbejer region occupied by Armenians in last 4 years.

FDM Company plans to invest $12mln to gold extraction field of Armenia.

Besides, Armenian government carries negotiations with World
Bank International Finance Cooperation and other foreign banks
to involve new investments to the gold extraction in occupied
Azerbaijani territories. Canadian company has invested $22.1mln to
the gold extraction in occupied lands up to last year. In general FDM
allocated $4mln for geological exploration in Armenia and occupied
Azeri territories.

Soyudlu field is in the territory of Kelbejer region of which 73%
has been occupied by Armenia.

The exploitation of the field had been stopped in 1992. It was
restored by the US experts in 1996. They found out 40t gold in the
field. Armenian Industry and Tourism Minstry signed an agreement worth
63.3mln with FDM in September 1997. Markus Randolph, "Sterlite Gold
LTD," owns the assets of FDM. FDM acquired a 50% stake in Armenian
state organization "Ararat Gold Recovery Company" in 1998 and began
gold extraction. The company acquired the rest 50% stake in 2002
and became a wholly owner of Armenian company. 1200 FDM officers are
working in the occupied lands and in Armenia. Their average monthly
salary is $150-190. Most of entrepreneurs are Indians, Ecology and
Tourism Ministry told APA.

URL:

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN, GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTERS DISCUSS COOPERATION, REGIONAL PROBLEMS

Arka News Agency, Armenia
Feb 22 2007

YEREVEN, February 22. /ARKA/. The Foreign Ministers of Armenia and
Germany Vardan Oskanian and Frank-Walter Steinmeier discussed the
issues of bilateral cooperation and the regional problems in Yerevan.

The countries’ foreign ministers discussed the cooperation of Armenia
and European Union under the "new neighborhood" program and the course
of the implementation of Armenia-EU action plan, the press service
of Armenia’s Foreign Ministry reported.

The German Foreign Minister reported his country’s readiness to focus
on the "new neighborhood" policy and to maximally support the South
Caucasus countries by initiating and implementing particular programs
of their "European agenda".

The interlocutors also addressed the regional problems and issues on
Armenia’s relations with its immediate neighbors.

The Karabakh peace process became a separate discussion topic at
the meeting. Steinmeier attached particular importance to the quick
settlement of the conflicts in the South Caucasus for Euro-integration
and full development of the region.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

OSCE TO START ARMENIAN VOTE MONITORING IN MID-MARCH
By Ruben Meloyan

Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Feb 22 2007

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe plans to
start next month observing preparations for and conduct of Armenia’s
May 12 parliamentary elections, the OSCE’s vote-monitoring arm said
on Thursday.

The findings of OSCE observers will be crucial for the domestic and
international legitimacy of the polls which Western powers say will
put the Armenian leadership’s democratic credentials to the greatest
test yet. Official Yerevan has already formally asked the Warsaw-based
Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) to monitor
the entire electoral process.

The ODIHR spokeswoman, Urdur Gunnarsdottir, told RFE/RL that the
monitoring mission is due to get underway in late March with the
deployment in Yerevan of a "core team" of at least a dozen Western
election experts and 24 long-term observers.

"We hope that the first observers will be there around mid-March,"
Gunnarsdottir said. "That is the plan now. And the long-term observers
will be arriving a week later. Before the end of March we should have
a full long-term mission in place."

She added that the ODIHR will also ask OSCE member states to send in
some 300 short-term observers that will visit polling stations across
Armenia on voting day and watch the counting and tabulation of ballots.

The organization dispatched a similar number of observers, most of
them from Western Europe and the United States, during the previous
Armenian presidential and parliamentary elections. The elections were
judged to have failed to meet democratic standards due to serious fraud
reported by those observers. The Armenian authorities disagreed with
their critical assessments, saying that the reported irregularities
did not significantly affect vote results.

A Armenian newspaper report claimed last week that President
Robert Kocharian has told Western diplomats in Yerevan that the OSCE
monitoring mission should not be headed by U.S. or British officials,
as has been the case until now. Kocharian allegedly suggested that
the job be given to a representative of France or Russia, countries
that have been far less critical of his administration’s electoral
record. According to Gunnarsdottir, the mission chief has not yet
been selected by the OSCE.

The ODIHR director, Christian Strohal, visited Armenia last month to
discuss preparations for the upcoming polls with Kocharian and other
senior Armenian officials. Shortly afterwards the ODIHR dispatched a
"needs assessment mission" that looked into those preparations and
the overall pre-election situation in the country in greater detail.

"The authorities and other interlocutors met by [the Needs Assessment
Mission] acknowledged problems with past elections and assured that
the upcoming will be conducted in line with OSCE commitments and
other international standards," mission members said in a reported
released on February 15.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenia Solidarity
Report on House of Commons Meeting – 20 February 2007

[email protected]
Armenia Solidarity, The Temple of Peace, Cardiff
Tel: 07876561398 (Int: ++447876561398)

An invitation was extended on 20 February to Peers, MPs and members of the
public to meet the HE Vahe Gabrielyan, the Ambassador of the Republic of
Armenia, in Westminster following two Early Day Motions in the House of
Commons concerning the Turkish blockade of Armenia (EDM 344) and the Turkish
denial of the Armenian Genocide (EDM 357).The meeting was organised by
Armenia Solidarity in conjunction with the British Armenian All Party
Parliamentary Group and Nor Serount Publications.

The ambassador gave the views of the Armenian Government to the two EDMs
both of which were welcomed by the Republic. Armenia supported the
application of Turkey as a prospective candidate to joining the European
Union in the expectation that its international obligations and its
standards of foreign policy would be raised to Western standards. To do so,
it would have to open its border with Armenia, the only closed border in
Europe and an illegal act according to international law, and recognise the
Armenian Genocide. President Kocharian had just reiterated his 2005
response to the Turkish proposal for a commission of historians to examine
the events of 1915. This issue was a political matter that had to be dealt
with an inter-governmental commission. Turkey should first establish
diplomatic relations with Armenia without any pre-conditions from either
side as a necessary step to resolving significant long-standing regional
issues.

These positions were given support by members of both Houses of Parliament:
Baroness Cox, Lord Avebury, Bob Spink, Quentin Davies, Nia Griffith, Andrew
Dismore and Paddy Tipping. Other MPs in attendance were Phil Mulholland,
John Leech, Mark Hunter and Helen Goodman. Baroness Cox expressed the
desire that the local recognitions on Wales and Scotland would translate
into a national one for the whole of the UK. Lord Avebury described the
efforts of British parliamentarians to engage in two way dialogue with the
Turkish Grand National Assembly both sides after the Turkish parliament had
asked in 2005 that the contents of the Blue Book be repudiated. There has
been no response to collective or individual letters to each of their
parliamentarians which contrasts with the publicised aim of the Turkish
government to engage in such discussions.

Ways and means were discussed to persuade the British government to a more
constructive approach to resolving these issues. The UK’s stance of
uncritical support for the Turkish position needs to change to enhance
Turkey’s prospects of joining the EU. In particular it is in s strong
position to persuade Turkey that its policy towards diplomatic relations
with Armenia, its blockade of Armenia with damage to a developing nation,
and its refusal to recognise the Armenian Genocide now accepted by all
independent historians, is damaging its reputation and its prospects of
being accepted into Europe. There has been some movement recently: Geoff
Hoon, the Minister of Europe in a recent letter to a MP through the request
of a constituent accepts that "over a million ethnic Armenian citizens were
killed" but then reverted back to the traditional line of defence to explain
this tragedy. However it is not at all clear which historians the government
consulted to arrive at this conclusion. Nor is it known when, by what means
and by whom such a decision was made. It would be particularly helpful if
the government replaced its current secretiveness with transparency on this
matter so that its conclusions are challenged.

The meeting received advice from Andrew Dismore who tabled the original
Early Day Motion that eventually led to the implementation of the UK
Holocaust Memorial Day as well as from Nia Griffith. MP’s awareness of
this event needs to be raised as well as the general knowledge of the
population at large as a pre-requisite for any progress. The Armenian
community and supporters of change to British policy need to write to MPs
and get them to sign the EDMs. The Turkish application to the EU is a
source of leverage on Turkey and the British government. MPs need to be
contacted regularly and persistently and this campaign should be extend to
UK Members of the European Parliament. The arguments presented should link
to the present to capture imagination. Persistence, dedication and pressure
were the ways to achieve any results. In particular, constituents should
encourage their MP to write to the Minister of Europe so that these issues
became more of a priority in the Minister’s portfolio.

The chair closed the meeting by mentioning that momentum was picking up. A
further meeting in parliament is planned for 24 April, the symbolic date of
commemoration for the victims of the genocide. Before then, a delegation
will lobby the Liberal Democrat Spring Conference as had already been done
with the Labour Party.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS RELEASE
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-689-7810
Fax: 212-689-7168
e-mail: [email protected]
Website:
Contact: Iris Papazian

February 22, 2007

CLERGY OF THREE NORTH AMERICAN PRELACIES
GATHER ON WEST COAST FOR GHEVONTIANTZ
Each year on the occasion of the Feast of St. Ghevont, the clergy gather
for a conference where they explore mutual concerns and share in a
rejuvenating time of renewal and fellowship. Several years ago the three
North American prelacies marked the occasion together. It was so successful
that they decided to continue this practice every two years. This year the
Western Prelacy hosted the three-day joint clergy conference from February
12-14, at Forty Martyr’s Church in Orange County, under the auspices of
Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate of the Western Prelacy, Archbishop
Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy, and Archbishop Khajag
Hagopian, Prelate of Canada. The conference included meetings, religious
services, and visits to some area schools, churches and the new Prelacy
headquarters. The clergy returned to their own parishes spiritually renewed
and prepared to continue their attentive and devoted service to the
faithful.

40th DAY REQUIEM SERVICE FOR HRANT DINK
Archbishop Oshagan has directed all parishes within the Eastern Prelacy
to offer a requiem service on Sunday, March 4, on the occasion of the 40th
day of the death of the Hrant Dink. The noted journalist was assassinated in
Istanbul last month.
In New York City, a united requiem service will take place at St. Vartan
Cathedral, 34th Street and Second Avenue, with the participation of the
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern); the Prelacy of the
Armenian Apostolic Church of America; the Armenian Catholic Exarchate of
America; and the Armenian Missionary Association of America. The requiem
service will begin at 1:30 pm, following Sunday services in the individual
churches. The guest preacher at the requiem service will be The Reverend
Canon Francis V. Tiso, Associate Director of the Secretariat for Ecumenical
and Interreligious Affairs of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Speakers during the reception/program that will follow the requiem service
include Peter Steinfels, who covers religious news for the New York Times
and writes the Beliefs column; Anna Kushner, coordinator of the Freedom to
Write Program at PEN American Center; and Sonya Frye of the Overseas Press
Club. The students of the Hovnanian School (New Jersey) will offer an
audio/visual presentation about Hrant Dink.

PRELACY LENTEN SERIES BEGINS
The first of the six Prelacy Lenten Meditations took place yesterday
evening, Wednesday, February 21. The 2007 Prelacy Lenten program focuses on
the seven vices and seven virtues. Last evening, Bishop Anoushavan
Tanielian, Vicar General, inaugurated the series with his thoughts on "Pride
and Humility."
Bishop Anoushavan began his meditation by noting that not all pride is
bad, and not all humility is good. For example a parent can be very proud of
a child. And we should not be so humble as to lose our self-worth. When we
view the great universe that God created, we are humbled knowing that we are
a small part, and nothing compared to God, but because we live in God we are
worth more than we can imagine.
Next Wednesday, Rev. Fr. Nareg Terterian, pastor of St. Sarkis Church in
Douglaston, New York, will speak about Envy and Brotherly Love.
The annual Lenten series is sponsored by the Prelacy Ladies Guild, the
St. Illuminator’s Ladies Guild, and the Prelacy’s Armenian Religious
Education Council (AREC). All of the programs take place at St. Illuminator’s
Cathedral, 221 East 27th Street, New York City, with the following general
schedule: Lenten Service at 7:30 pm in the Sanctuary; Lecture at 8 pm in
Pashalian Hall, followed by questions and answers, a light Lenten meal, and
Fellowship.

MUSICAL ARMENIA
The 2007 Musical Armenia concert will take place Sunday, March 25, 2 pm,
at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York City. Tickets are $25.
Featured artists are bass Serge Barseghyan (accompanied by Evan Solomon)
and the Ararat Trio, comprised of Patil Harboyan, piano; Van Armenian,
violin; and Hrant Parsamian, cello.
Serge Barseghyan has appeared as a soloist in the United States and
Europe, including New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Barcelona, and Valencia.
Patil Harboyan was awarded first prize at the Margo Babikian Piano
Competition in Lebanon and the Armenian Allied Arts Association Competition
in Los Angeles. Van Armenian has served as concertmaster of the Pacific
Music Festival Orchestra in Japan and of the Colorado-based National
Repertory Orchestra. Hrant Parsamian was awarded highest prizes at the
Houston Symphony Ima Hogg Young Artist Competition and the Olga Koussevitzky
Competition.
The Musical Armenia concerts have been presented since 1982. Its goal is
to showcase the talents of young Armenian artists. If you would like to
purchase tickets and/or become a sponsor of this year’s Musical Armenia
concert please contact the Prelacy at 212-689-7810 or by e-mail to
[email protected].

2007 DATEV INSTITUTE SUMMER PROGRAM
The 21st annual St. Gregory of Datev Institute Christian summer studies
program will take place July 1 to 8 in Elverson, Pennsylvania.

SUNDAY OF THE EXPULSION
We are now in Great Lent (Medz Bahk) and the Church has taken on a
mournful and penitential manifestation. The altar is closed, symbolic of the
expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. Holy Communion is not
offered during the Divine Liturgy. It is a period of reflection in our
spiritual journey toward Easter.
Each of the Sundays during Lent has a theme. This Sunday, the second
Sunday of Lent, is the Sunday of the Expulsion (Artaksman Kiraki). The
message for the Sunday of the Expulsion continues with the theme of last
week’s Paregentan Sunday, namely Adam and Eve’s fall and banishment from
Paradise because of their disobedience. "Of the fruit of the tree of
knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of
it you shall die." (Genesis 2:17)
With their expulsion from Paradise, humankind was thus condemned to
experience death, pain and sorrow. The hymns sung on the first two Sundays
of Lent remind us of the expulsion, and give sinners the good tidings that
they may render themselves worthy through repentance.

U.S. AMBASSADOR VISITS HIS HOLINESS
The Ambassador of the United States to Lebanon, Mr. Jeffrey Feltman, met
with His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, last
week. Participating in the meeting was Dr. Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, the
U.S. State Department’s director for Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. For
nearly two hours, His Holiness and his visitors discussed the situation in
Lebanon with all its aspects and the possibilities of ending the continuing
conflict. The Catholicos expressed concern at the continuation of the
conflict, saying that Lebanon is on the path to self-destruction with the
politicians unfortunately not realizing the consequences of the dangerous
situation. Analyzing the current deadlock, the Pontiff said that in his view
an initiative by Saudi Arabia, in cooperation with some regional powers, is
the only serious alternative that can bring an effective and permanent
resolution of the current conflict. This initiative, the Pontiff said,
should aim to bring together the political and community leaders of Lebanon
and engage them in comprehensive and in-depth discussion on all major
problems facing Lebanon, and reach agreement.

40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ORDINATION OF
ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN CHOLOYAN
The 40th anniversary of the ordination of our Prelate, Archbishop
Oshagan Choloyan, will take place in three different regions as follows:
May 5-In the New England area in Providence, Rhode Island.
May 12-In the Mid-Atlantic area in Teaneck, New Jersey.
May 18-In the Mid-West in Dearborn, Michigan, during the National
Representative Assembly.
Watch for details.

IN CELEBRATION OF THE YEAR OF THE ARMENIAN LANGUAGE.
"Armenian history is the story of a nation’s constant struggle against
its neighbors and other foreign powers to safeguard its physical existence
and its spiritual convictions. The struggle has been punctuated not only
with humiliating defeats, but also with great triumphs. The greatest of
these was the invention of the Armenian alphabet and the ensuing flourishing
of Armenian literature, which revealed the perseverance, wisdom, and
national character of the Armenian people. Their struggles have instilled in
Armenians a certain ability to grapple with difficulties, to overcome
geographic handicaps, and to excel in the activities they undertake,
intellectual and otherwise. The intrinsic meaning of their literature, then,
is a reflection of their ceaseless strivings for survival and
accomplishment."
The Heritage of Armenian Literature, Volume I (Wayne State University Press)
The Encyclical issued by His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great
House of Cilicia, proclaiming 2007 as the Year of the Armenian Language is
on the Prelacy’s web page

SPEAKING OF LITERATURE.
Most major print and television news outlets reported this week about
the auction of a number of first edition copies of the works of John
Steinbeck last weekend. The collection sold for more than $200,000. What
most of the news reports did not say was that five of the titles-including
the most valuable,
Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck’s epic 1939 novel of migrant workers during the
Depression era-were purchased by a Jim Dourgarian, a Bay Area antiquarian
bookseller who specializes in Steinbeck’s work.
John Steinbeck (1902-1968) received the Pulitzer Prize for Grapes of
Wrath, and in 1962 was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. A large part
of the success of Grapes of Wrath is that it is a good story, a slice of
American history. As one critic noted, "You can read about the lives of
migrant workers in history books, but if you read it in Steinbeck’s version,
you live and breathe it."

DAILY BIBLE READINGS
Bible readings for today, February 22, is Romans 6:3-14.
"Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus
were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism
into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the
Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united
with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a
resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him so
that the sinful body might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved
to sin. For he who has died is freed from sin. But if we have died with
Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. For we know that Christ
being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has
dominion over him. The death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the
life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to
sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your
mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions. Do not yield your members to
sin as instruments of wickedness, but yield yourselves to God as men who
have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments
of righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not
under law but under grace." Romans 6:3-14.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

February 21 to March 28-2007 Prelacy Lenten Program, to be held at St.
Illuminator’s Cathedral, New York City, Wednesday evenings during Great
Lent. Lenten service at 7:30 pm; Lecture and Q/A at 8 pm; Lenten meal and
fellowship at 8:45 pm. Theme: Seven Vices and Seven Virtues.

February 25-Membership meeting, St. Gregory Church, Granite City, Illinois.

February 25-First membership meeting, St. Asdvadzadzin Armenian Church,
Whitinsville, Massachusetts.

March 4-Second membership meeting, St. Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville,
Massachusetts.

March 4-Membership meeting, St. Gregory Church, North Andover,
Massachusetts.

March 4-Membership meeting, St. Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville,
Massachusetts.

March 4-Membership meeting, Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey.

March 18-Membership meeting, St. Illuminator Cathedral, New York City.

March 18-Membership meeting, St. Stephen Church, New Britain, Connecticut.

March 25-Musical Armenia 2007, Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall, 2 pm.
Sponsored by Prelacy Ladies Guild. Featured performers are: vocalist Serge
Barseghyan (bass); and Ararat Trio (Van Armenian, violin; Paul Harboyan,
piano; Hrant Parsamian, cello).

April 1-Ladies Guild Annual Palm Sunday Bake Sale, St. Stephen’s Church,
Watertown, Massachusetts.

April 14-Ladies Guild Comedy Night featuring Mel Gibson, Meze and dessert
will be served, St. Stephen’s Church, Watertown, Massachusetts. For
information, 617-924-7562.

May 5-40th anniversary of ordination of Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan in the
New England area will take place in Providence, Rhode Island.

May 6-30th anniversary of St. Illuminator’s Armenian Day School, Terrace on
the Park, Corona, New York, at 5 pm.

May 7-Prelacy Ladies Guild Mothers’ Day Luncheon, St. Regis Hotel, New York
City.

May 12-40th anniversary of ordination of Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan in Mid
Atlantic area will take place at the Marriott at Glenpointe, Teaneck, New
Jersey.

May 12-Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, 50th anniversary concert
featuring Onnik Dinkjian and John Berberian.

May 18-40th anniversary of ordination of Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan in
Midwest will take place at the National Representative Assembly.

May 20-"Hello Ellis Island" and Reception, St. Stephen’s Church Hall,
Watertown, Massachusetts. $20 per person. Information, 617-924-7562.

July 1-8-St. Gregory of Datev Institute, 21st annual summer Christian
studies program for junior and senior high school students, at St. Mary of
Providence Center in Elverson, Pennsylvania.

August 7-Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, annual golf
tournament at Blackstone Country Club.

August 19-Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, annual
church picnic.

September 29-Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, 50th
anniversary banquet at Pleasant Valley.

December 1-Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, annual
church bazaar.

December 9-St. Stephen’s Church, Watertown, Massachusetts, 50th anniversary
celebration. For information, (617) 924-7562.

Visit our website at

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ntreaties-groups-stay-mum-on/

Despite Ankara’s Entreaties, Groups Stay Mum on Armenian Genocide Bill

Nathan Guttman | Fri. Feb 23, 2007

Washington – Despite fears of upsetting a top Israeli and American ally in
the Muslim world, Jewish organizations are reluctant to respond to Turkish
calls to fight a congressional resolution recognizing the Armenian genocide.

In the past, Jewish groups have aided Turkey’s efforts to prevent the United
Stated from applying the term "genocide" to the killing of 1.5 million
Armenians by the Turks during World War I. But this time around, the Forward
has learned, Jewish organizations are declining to commit to the issue,
fearing an uphill battle with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has vowed to
push the resolution through.

In a meeting two weeks ago in Washington, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah
Gul raised the issue with representatives of several leading Jewish
organizations. In the meeting, attended by representatives of eight major
groups, Gul stressed the importance that Turkey sees in preventing the
passage of the resolution. He asked the Jewish groups to use their lobbying
operations on Capitol Hill to aid Ankara’s cause.

According to several Jewish representatives who were in the meeting, Turkish
officials warned that the passage of a genocide resolution could threaten
Ankara’s strategic ties with the United States and, perhaps, with Israel. In
the past, Jewish groups have been inclined to side with Turkey, which they
see as Israel’s only Muslim ally in the region and a power that can check
Islamist radicalism and block Iranian influence. The Israeli air force holds
exercises with Turkey, and Israeli defense industries see the country as a
major export market.

In sharp contrast, several Jewish lawmakers have sided with Armenian
American activists in pressing for a resolution, saying that the moral
imperative is to fight genocide denial.

"There is no debate in the [Jewish] community about the facts regarding what
happened; the only question is, are we willing to recognize it while taking
the risk of alienating our relationship with Turkey?" said Rep. Adam Schiff,
the California Democrat who introduced the genocide resolution January 30.
"When you think of Elie Wiesel’s words, that Holocaust denial is a second
trauma for the victims, it’s easy to understand the potency of the Armenian
claim."

Schiff was optimistic about the fate of his resolution.

"Chances of getting the resolution passed this time are good," Schiff said.
"Turkey has some of the best lobbyists in town, but we definitely have the
votes." The key question is if and when a vote will take place.

Rep. Tom Lantos, chairman of the House Foreign

Affairs Committee and the only Holocaust survivor in Congress, has yet to
schedule a debate or vote on the measure. The California Democrat is
"focusing on the Iraq debate and has not yet made a decision regarding this
resolution," according to his spokeswoman, Lynne Weil.

Congressional sources predicted that if Lantos tried to block the genocide
resolution in committee, Pelosi would ask him to move it to the House floor
for a vote and he would end up agreeing.

The issue of the resolution came up last week, during Israeli Prime Minister
Ehud Olmert’s visit to Ankara.

Israel’s relationship with the current Turkish government, led by Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has experienced ups and downs. Erdogan was
among the first to invite Hamas leaders for a formal visit after their
victory in the Palestinian elections; he declared Israel’s war in Lebanon
this past summer to have been illegitimate, and he recently called for
halting the construction project on the Temple Mount. In their meeting last
week, Olmert and Erdogan agreed to send Turkish inspectors to monitor the
construction in Jerusalem.

When asked at a press conference if Israel would convince Jewish
organizations in the United States to take action against the resolution,
Olmert said it was a matter for members of Congress to decide. But he added,
"It will be better if independent experts come together and look into this
matter."

Olmert’s statement echoed Turkey’s assertion that what happened to Armenians
at the time of the Ottoman Empire is a matter for historians, not
politicians.

During the Turkish foreign minister’s recent meeting with Jewish
organizations, sources said, it was Ankara’s ambassador to Washington, Nabi
Sensoy, who directly addressed the possible consequences of a resolution.
The ambassador listed several points of cooperation that could be
jeopardized if Congress moves forward, most of them relating to the American
military effort in Iraq. The possibility was raised of Turkey closing
Incirlik air force base, through which American forces in Iraq receive more
than half their fuel supply; for example, Turkish officials suggested, the
Incirlik area could be declared a national bird refuge in which flights and
traffic are limited. The discussion also touched on the effect that the
congressional resolution could have on Turkey’s strategic ties with Israel.

Neither side raised the issue of Turkey’s Jewish community in the context of
the Armenian genocide resolution. But in interviews after the meeting,
representatives of Jewish organizations said that they were concerned over
the well-being of the Turkish Jewish community if the government in Ankara
decides to express its dismay with America.

Representatives of Jewish organizations who attended the meeting were
reluctant to offer their help to Gul, sources told the Forward. They told
the Turkish foreign minister that the chances of blocking the House
leadership on this issue were slim, and that – as one participant later said
– "no one wants to take on a losing battle."

The meeting included representatives of the American Jewish Committee, the
American Jewish Congress, the Anti-Defamation League, B’nai B’rith, the
Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs, the Orthodox Union, Chabad
and United Jewish Communities, the national arm of the North American
network of Jewish charitable federations.

William Daroff, UJC’s Washington director and a participant in the meeting,
said that "there was no commitment on behalf of Jewish communal leaders on
this issue." Another participant, who spoke on condition of anonymity, added
that members of the Jewish groups "were sympathetic but would not commit." A
third participant claimed that the Jewish community is paying lip service to
Turkey on this issue, since all the organizations agree that little that can
be done to block the resolution.

According to several participants, one of the reasons that the Jewish
community took a cautious approach in response to the request of the Turkish
foreign minister was the concern of "over-promising" and of being seen by
the Turks as responsible for failure if Congress approves the resolution.

"There’s no doubt that all the wonderful gestures of friendship from Turkey
are much respected," said Rabbi Levi Shemtov, Washington representative of
Chabad. "But anyone active on congressional matters would be reluctant to
foretell the outcome of a legislative process, specifically in this case."

Several officials at Jewish organizations have expressed frustration over
recent Turkish actions regarding Israel as well as regulations restricting
Jewish education in Turkey. "Groups are tired of having [the Turkish
representatives] come to us when they need us, but when we need their
cooperation, it isn’t always satisfying," said a senior official from one of
the major organizations.

Both the Turkish American and Armenian American communities in the United
States are weighing in on the House debate.

Groups representing the Armenian Diaspora have made recognizing genocide a
major lobbying issue on their agenda. The smaller Turkish American
population is active on blocking the recognition, arguing that the use of
the genocide label would be historically inaccurate. "We see the Holocaust
as an act of genocide. If lawmakers will decide that the Armenians had
suffered genocide, as well, that would make us confused," said Gunay Evinch,
president-elect of the Assembly of Turkish American Associations. He added
that if the resolution were approved by Congress, it would "alienate Turkish
Americans from the American society."

In the Senate, several Jewish lawmakers have assumed a vocal role in
fighting America’s refusal to classify the killing of Armenians as genocide.
Currently at issue is President Bush’s decision last month to reintroduce
the nomination of career diplomat Richard Hoagland as ambassador to Armenia.
Democrats and at least one Republican, Norm Coleman of Minnesota – one of
two Jewish Republican senators – opposed Hoagland’s nomination last year
over his refusal to use the term "genocide" when talking about the killing
of the Armenians in World War I. His predecessor, ambassador John Evans, was
recalled last year after using the term "genocide" publicly.

Senate Democrats are now calling on Bush to withdraw Hoagland’s nomination
and find a candidate who is more forthcoming on the genocide issue. Another
Jewish lawmaker, New York Democratic Senator Charles Schumer, wrote a letter
to Bush last month arguing that "Hoagland’s reluctance to classify the
Armenian Genocide as the 20th century’s first genocide is a travesty, which
leaves us to believe that he will march lock and step with the
administration’s politically motivated stance of denial."

Armenian groups in the United States are divided on the issue of nominating
Hoagland. While the Armenian Assembly of America has called for approving
Hoagland in order to avoid a situation in which the United States has no
ambassador in Yerevan for two years, the Armenian National Committee of
America is calling on the Senate to continue blocking the nomination.

Fri. Feb 23, 2007

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN MONUMENTS NEED SPECIAL ATTENTION

Panorama.am
19:28 21/02/2007

"We are acceptable to the world as much as we are the owners of
our cultural values," Samvel Karapetyan, responsible of a public
organization on "Study of Armenian architecture," told at Friday Club.

Saying December 15, 2006 was one-year anniversary since the Armenian
cross stones are ruined in Jugha, Karapetyan said, "We have forgotten
that."

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

UNITED STATES WARNS ABOUT POSSIBLE ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.02.2007 13:42 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The George Bush Administration declares that Iran
does not implement conditions put forward by UN Security Council
members, and warns about possible new sanctions against Tehran. "The
matter is if Iran will implement conditions put forward by all of
us, the UN Security Council members, but in the stream of public
statements, which recently are coming from Iran, we see nothing
that would prove they fulfill our conditions," U.S. Under Secretary
for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns stated in the interview to the
National Public Radio Wednesday evening.

On December 23 of 2006 the UN Security Council unanimously adopted a
resolution, which supposes sanctions against Iran since the country did
not stop uranium enrichment works that the world community demanded.

"We would be very glad if they fulfilled these conditions, but if they
don’t do that, I think, you will see continuation of international
efforts on using diplomacy, as well as applying sanctions, in order to
increase the economic price for what they are doing," Burns stressed.

Alongside, one more time he denied information, which continue to
occur in world Media, that the U.S. is preparing a military strike on
Iraq. "We do not want to use force," the American diplomat underlined,
adding that it is possible to avoid military conflict with Iran. "The
military conflict is not desirable and we make significant efforts
in diplomatic approach," Burns stressed.

The Under Secretary added that United States’ military presence in
the region is aimed at providing security for American allies in
Arab world, as well as in connection with actions in Iraq. "We are
not aspiring for a new military conflict, " the American diplomat
repeated, RIA ‘Novosti’ reports.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THE CONTENT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE NAME: CHIEF EDITOR OF IRAVUNK NEWSPAPER

Arminfo
2007-02-21 20:44:00

The content is more important than the name, says chief editor of
Iravunk newspaper Hovhannes Galajyan.

He says that after the Feb 20 seizure of its office the newspaper is
searching for new office. "We will try to publish our next issue this
Friday. It doesn’t matter at all how we will be called," says Galajyan.

To remind, Iravunk is the newspaper of the Constitutional Right
Union party.

During the conflict between the leader of the party Hrant Khachatryan
and his deputy Hayk Babukhanyan most of the newspaper’s employees
supported the latter. Khachatryan appealed to the court and seized the
newspaper’s office Feb 20. Now most the employes have gone on strike.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EDITORS OF PAKAGITS AND IRAVUNK NEWSPAPERS ACCUSE ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES OF SETTING UP A PRE-ELECTION TERROR ON OPPOSITION MASS MEDIA

Arminfo
2007-02-21 20:42:00

At the joint press conference today, editors of Pakagits and Iravunk
Agapi Haykazuni and Hovannes Galadzhyan accused Armenian authorities
of setting up a terror on opposition Mass Media.

"The faked criminal acts against Editor-in-Chief of Zhamanak Yerevan
Arman Babadjanyan, Agap-grat Ltd that published Pakagits paper,
as well as the fuss round Iravunk paper – are parts of one chain of
action aimed to ban popular newspapers. These papers openly speak out
that criminal-oligarchy regime reigns the country," A. Haykazuni said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress