Author: Emil Lazarian

ISSUE OF FULFILMENT OF ARMENIA’S COMMITMENTS TO BE DISCUSSED AT PACE
JANUARY SESSION

YEREVAN, JANUARY 19, NOYAN TAPAN. The discussion of the report on
fulfilment of Armenia’s commitments towards Council of Europe and the
respective draft resolution are on the agenda of this year’s first
plenary session of PACE to be held on January 22-26 in Strasbourg. The
resolution was submitted by members of Assembly Monitoring Commission,
Rapporteurs on the issue of Armenia, George Colombier and Mikko Elo.

As NT correspondent was informed by Armen Rustamian, Chairman of RA NA
Standing Committee on Foreign Relations representing ARFD faction at
the Armenian delegation, before the draft resolution’s discussion
scheduled for January 23 PACE plenary sitting it should be discussed
and approved at the Monitoring Commission. According to the
established procedure, the Commission usually discusses proposals of
amendments on the draft and revises the variant of the draft to be
submitted to the Assembly on the basis of proposals considered as
acceptable. But as A.Rustamian forecast, in this case draft’s amending
is improbable, as the current variant is the result of long and
thorough preliminary discussions.

To recap, the head of PACE Armenian delegation, NA Speaker Tigran
Torosian in advance had qualified the above mentioned draft resolution
as an unprecedented one in the respect of its positive accents for
Armenia.

According to the report submitted to Noyan Tapan from RA NA Public
Relations Department, the Armenian delegation to leave for Strasbourg
for participating in PACE plenary session will be headed by RA NA
Speaker Tigran Torosian. Armen Rustamian, Hermine Naghdalian, Stepan
Demirchian, Artashes Geghamian and Grigor Margarian are included in
the delegation.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

VARTAN OSKANIAN: WE CALL ON TURKISH AUTHORITIES TO DO EVERYTHING TO
IDENTIFY THOSE RESPONSIBLE AND REASONS FOR ASSASSINATION OF HRANT DINK

YEREVAN, JANUARY 19, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. "We are deeply
shocked by the news of the assassination of Turkish Armenian
journalist Hrant Dink, a man who lived his life in the belief that
there can be understanding, dialogue and peace amongst peoples." This
is said in the Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian’s January 19
statement, which was submitted to NT by the RA MFA Press and
Information Department.

"We categorically condemn this act, regardless of the circumstances,
and call on the Turkish authorities indeed to do everything to
identify those responsible," the statement reads.

DISPUTES ON POSSIBLE VARIANTS OF NAGORNO KARABAKH SETTLEMENT ORGANIZED
IN NKR

STEPANAKERT, JANUARY 19, NOYAN TAPAN. The International Center for
Human Development NGO functioning in Armenia organized a roundtable in
Stepanakert on the subject "Possible Variants of Nagorno Karabakh
Settlement." NKR Deputy Foreign Minister Masis Mayilian, Stepanakert
Mayor Eduard Aghabekian, representatives of republic’s
non-governmental sector and public took part in the discussion.

In the words of organization’s Executive Director Tevan Poghosian, the
event’s goal is to clarify Nagorno Karabakh citizens’ position on
possible solutions to Nagorno Karabakh settlement. The participants
were offered 217 variants.

"In the recent years the public has been left out of negotiations,
consultations and meetings at various levels. I think official
authorities should always take into consideration people’s opinion and
public’s position in their actions," M.Mayilian expressed such an
opinion about the disputes.

According to the report of NKR Foreign Ministry, similar disputes are
also planned to be held in Martuni and Martakert regional centers in
coming days.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NO ARMENIAN OFFICER TAKES PART IN COURSES ORGANIZED BY TURKISH ARMED FORCES

ANKARA, JANUARY 19, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Nobody takes part
from Armenia in the courses organized by the "Peace Partnership
Education Center" of the Turkish Armed Forces. The RA Defence
Ministry’s Foreign Relations Department informed the Noyan Tapan
correspondent about it, disproving the information spread by the
Turkish "Sabah" daily that, among other countries, an officer from
Armenia as well takes part in the course.

The above-mentioned center of the Turkish Armed Forces holds these
courses continuously for 9 years. The servicemen use the knowledge got
during the courses in their country, Marmara states.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Adrin Nazarian

Friday, January 19, 2007
(818) 512-4045

Statement of Assemblymember Paul Krekorian
Regarding the Murder of Mr. Hrant Dink,
World-Renowned Journalist and Champion of Civil Rights

Glendale, CA- Assemblymember Paul Krekorian (D-Burbank) issued the
following statement regarding the murder of Hrant Dink, a leading
Istanbul-based Armenian journalist who was murdered outside the offices
of his Agos newspaper today:

"Today, people around the world who care about justice, freedom of
expression and truth in the face of oppression grieve the loss of Hrant
Dink. Mr. Dink was a courageous and outspoken champion of these values
who fearlessly spoke truth to power and challenged those who would
revise history. He was a clarion voice of dissent who demanded freedom
and gave hope to all people struggling under the yoke of tyranny and
oppression, in Turkey and throughout the world.

"Sadly, this evil act is entirely consistent with the Republic of
Turkey’s brutal agenda of suppressing dissent and punishing those who
speak the truth, especially regarding the Armenian Genocide. In that
respect, Hrant Dink’s assassination represents the continuation of the
cycle of hatred that lead to the Armenian Genocide – among the worst
crimes against humanity in the history of mankind.

"The climate of intolerance, bigotry and Turkish nationalism that the
government of Turkey increasingly encourages has a direct link to Mr.
Dink’s murder. Any government that imprisons its citizens for merely
speaking the truth must be condemned by the international community.
Having imprisoned a respected journalist for speaking the truth about
the Armenian Genocide, the Republic of Turkey has blood on its hands for
that journalist’s brutal murder.

"Hrant Dink represented the highest standards of journalism and
understood the role of his profession in shining light into the darkest
corners of the world. Those who fight oppression in Turkey and those
who demand truth and justice regarding the Armenian Genocide must draw
inspiration from his courage and his sacrifice and always carry on with
the struggle that he represented.

"My prayers and thoughts are with Mr. Dink’s family and loved ones."

# # #

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PanARMENIAN.Net

Turkish Police Launch Operation to Arrest Dink’s Assassin
19.01.2007 18:57 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkish police carry out their
operations in Istanbul to arrest the suspect of the
murder of Turkish journalist of Armenian descent Hrant
Dink, editor-in-chief of Turkish-Armenian weekly Agos,
reports Anadoglu agency. Hrant Dink was shot dead in
the center of Istanbul today. Dink was one of the
writers who had been prosecuted under the notorious
Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code. He was given a
six-month suspended sentence in October 2005 after
writing about the Armenian Genocide of 1915. Dink had
received threats from nationalists who viewed him as a
traitor.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Hrant Dink Latest Casualty in Troubled Historical
Record of Turkish-Armenian Relations
19.01.2007 19:33 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The tragic assassination of Hrant
Dink in Istanbul represents a sad reminder of the
difficulty for some in Turkey to come to terms with
both the past, in terms of Genocide, as well as the
present, and to see the need for Turkey to improve its
relations with Armenia, Richard Giragosian, expert of
the Armenian International Police Research Group told
a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. `Hrant Dink is the latest
casualty in the troubled historical record of
Turkish-Armenian relations and his example stands as
an inspiration to all those in both Armenia and Turkey
who advocate a new page in bilateral relations. His
death will now challenge the Turkish authorities to
both come to terms with their own internal changes now
underway, but also to force the Turkish authorities to
move strongly to prevent such anti-Armenian violence,
which is unacceptable for any modern country. While
Armenians worldwide will grieve, others in Turkey must
see his death as a lesson that the days of violence
have long past and that Turkey’s future depends as
much on its recognition of the Armenian Genocide as it
depends on a Turkey committed to democracy and human
rights. Both the European Union, as well as the United
States, should move quickly to condemn such killing
and must now recognize the need for a breakthrough in
Armenian-Turkish relations, including Ankara extending
full and normal diplomatic relations and an end to the
failed blockade of Armenia by both Turkey and
Azerbaijan,’ he said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZG Armenian Daily #010, 20/01/2007

STATEMENT

ARTICLE 19 STATEMENT ON THE KILLING OF TURKISH-ARMENIAN JOURNALIST
HRANT DINK

ARTICLE 19- Global Campaign for Free Expression expresses its deep
shock and sadness over the killing of Armenian-Turkish journalist
Hrant Dink. A Turkish citizen of Armenian descent, Mr Dink was the
editor of the bilingual Armenian -Turkish weekly Agos and one of the
most profound commentators on Armenian – Turkish relations and the
life of Armenian community in Turkey. Mr Dink was one of the most
outspoken critics of Turkey’s actions between 1915 to 1923 when
hundreds of thousands of Turkey’s Armenian population were killed or
driven out of the country. Increasingly, these events are being
referred to as the Armenian genocide by a range of international and
state actors.

Mr Dink had received several threats for his public statements and his
writing on this topic and was regarded as a `traitor’ by extreme
nationalist groups within Turkey.

"Today is a sad day for human rights and freedom of expression in
Turkey and elsewhere in the world. ARTICLE 19 is profoundly shocked
by the silencing of such a critical voice for Turkey’s political and
cultural life. The Turkish authorities must do everything in their
power to investigate and prosecute those responsible at all levels."
says Dr. Agnes Callamard, ARTICLE 19 executive director.

Dr Callamard adds: "The Turkish authorities must also take a very hard
look at their own role: Their failure to repel Article 301 of the
Turkish Penal Code, the continuing use of this Article and other
provisions to prosecute writers, journalists and others that dare
speak out on taboo topics, and the authorities’ public criticism of
these voices: all of these contribute to creating an environment that
legitimises attacks on freedom of expression, including attacks of a
most violent and deadly nature."

The events of 1915-1923 remains one of the most forbidden subjects in
Turkey and a number of journalists, academicians and writers have been
on trial, charged with violating Article 301 of the Penal Code which
prohibits a range of criticisms. In October 2005 Mr. Dink was
convicted of contravening Article 301 and received a six-month
suspended sentence for "insulting the Turkish identity".

ARTICLE 19 calls upon the Turkish authorities to:

– Take all measures necessary to investigate and prosecute those
responsible for the murder of Mr Dink

– Take all measures necessary to protect members of its population
against acts of violence, threats, intimidation, perpetrated by
non-state actors: provision of an environment where free and open
discussion over difficult issues is a positive obligation of the
state.

– Repeal Article 301 of the Turkish penal code, along with all other
provisions that can be used to suppress the rights as enshrined under
Article 19 of the ICCPR and Article 10 of the ECHR, as a demonstration
that it will not tolerate attacks against freedom of expression.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

A1+

«IF YOU ARE A BIT LATE, YOU WILL NEVER CATCH UP»
[04:02 pm] 19 January, 2007

The Government of the Republic of Armenia intends to carry out reforms
in the science field in order to create an economy based on
knowledge. At least this is what the doctrine on reforms in the
scientific field of the Interdepartmental Committee says. According to
the doctrine, «the economy based on knowledge» is that which is
directly based on the production, distribution, and usage of knowledge
and information. And the state must have a decisive role in the
development of this economy.

According to academician Edward Ghazaryan, today Armenia does not have
an economy based on knowledge, despite the fact that several years ago
the Government cleared out the most important branches.

«The government announced that electronics, laser technologies,
informational technologies, and telecommunication are the important
branches of the economy. But speaking is not doing. These branches
develop rapidly. If you are a bit late, you will never catch up», the
academician says.

According to him, only the informational technologies can be said to
develop in Armenia. In order to create an economy based on knowledge,
first we need state investments, as well as «create conditions for the
private sector to be involved», Edward Ghazaryan claims.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

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

PRESS RELEASE
January 19, 2007
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

ANCA CONDEMNS MURDER OF HRANT DINK

— Journalist Killed in Turkey for
Recognizing the Armenian Genocide

WASHINGTON, DC – The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA)
mourns the loss of Hrant Dink, a leading Istanbul-based Armenian
journalist murdered outside the offices of his Agos newspaper today
amid a growing tide of official Turkish government prosecutions and
nationalist pressure to silence his writings on the Armenian
Genocide.

"Hrant Dink’s murder is tragic proof that the Turkish government –
through its campaign of denial, threats and intimidation against
the recognition of the Armenian Genocide – continues to fuel the
same hatred and intolerance that initially led to this crime
against humanity more than 90 years ago," said ANCA Executive
Director Aram Hamparian.

"Sadly, the Turkish government can continue denying the Armenian
Genocide – against all evidence -in great measure due to the
complicity of the U.S. Administration, which, at Turkey’s urging,
works against Congressional legislation commemorating this crime
and has even nominated an Ambassador to Armenia, Dick Hoagland, who
is on record denying that it was a genocide," he added. "Today’s
brutal murder serves as a wake up call to the United States and the
entire international community to unite together in ending forever
the Turkish government’s denial of the Armenian Genocide."

Hrant Dink was featured prominently in the anti-genocide
documentary film SCREAMERS, which was screened before an overflow
Congressional audience on Capitol Hill this past Wednesday.
Representative Adam Schiff (D-CA), Congressional Armenian Caucus
Co-Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Save Darfur, the ANCA Endowment
Fund, and The Raffy Manoukian Charity sponsored the screening,
which features the Grammy award winning band "System of a Down’s"
international efforts to end the cycle of Genocide. To watch
excerpts of SCREAMERS featuring and interview with Hrant Dink,
visit:

Las t year, Dink was found guilty and given a suspended six-month
sentence in Turkey for "insulting Turkishness," a violation of the
Turkish Penal Code, for his statements affirming the Armenian
Genocide.

In a CNN-International interview earlier today, Hamparian explained
that Dink’s murder was a terrible tragedy, but not entirely a
surprise, in light of the environment of escalating intolerance
intimidation created by the Turkish government against those who
openly acknowledge the Armenian Genocide.

Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) has called on his House colleagues
to join with him in praising Hrant Dink’s courage in confronting
the facts of the Armenian Genocide, and urging the Prime Minister
of Turkey to repeal the law under which Dink was prosecuted.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress