Author: Emil Lazarian

ARMENIAN PEACEMAKING CONTINGENT’S STAY IN IRAQ WILL BE MEANINGLESS IN 15-18 MONTHS: MEMBER OF ARF DASHNAKTSUTSYUN PARTY
ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Nov 16 2006
The Armenian peacemaking contingent’s stay in Iraq will be meaningless
in 15-18 months, Kiro Manoyan, the head of the Armenian office of the
“Hay Dat” organization and a member of the ARF Dashnaktsutsyun Party,
said at a press-conference in the National press-club, Thursday.
He reminded that the ARF Dashnaktsutsyun Party strongly objected to
sending the Armenian peacemakers to Iraq for a number of reasons,
first of all, because of Diaspora’s concern about this. However,
the authorities of the country had to send the contingent under the
pressure of the USA. Official Yerevan has conducted complimentary
foreign policy – it yielded to the pressure of the USA, resisting
the pressure of Russia which was against, Manoyan noted. However,
he is convinced that in 15-18 months the necessity of the Armenian
peacemakers in Iraq will be no longer relevant, as even such a loyal
ally of the USA as Great Britain has already declared its intention
to withdraw its peacemakers.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

VENICE’S HAUNTED PALAZZO IS SOLD: GRISLY TALES HOLD NO FEAR FOR AMERICAN BUYER
National Post (f/k/a The Financial Post) (Canada)
Calgary & Vancouver Edition
November 16, 2006 Thursday
ROME – Venice’s most famous haunted house, the Ca Dario on the Grand
Canal, has been sold to an unnamed American entrepreneur, despite
its grisly past.
The four-storey palazzo, elegantly clad in pink marble, has lain
vacant for the past decade because Venetians are so scared of its
history. Almost all of its inhabitants in the five centuries since
it was built have come to an untimely end.
Its last owner, Raul Gardini, a business tycoon, shot himself shortly
after buying the house because he feared arrest for allegedly paying
out more than (ps)50-million ($107-million) in bribes to politicians.
Before him, in the 1970s, Giordano delle Lanze was bludgeoned to
death with a statue by his gay lover, an 18-year-old Croatian sailor.
Christopher Lambert, an Englishman who bought the house in the ’80s,
fell down the stairs of his London house shortly after signing the
deeds, in an apparent suicide.
Local folklore claims the curse on the house comes from the Knights
Templar cemetery it is built over. The palazzo was completed in 1487
by Giovanni Dario, a senator. He lived in it with his daughter and
son-in-law, until she committed suicide.
In the 16th century, the house was lived in by the Barbaro family
until their son, Giacomo, was killed in an ambush. An Armenian jewel
merchant went bankrupt after buying it.
In later centuries, there was a suicide at a party in front of guests
and an American who bought the house fled the country when rumours of
his homosexuality leaked out. His lover then killed himself in Mexico.
The buyer of the palazzo has not revealed his identity, but has
paid $11-million for it, according to the newspaper La Stampa. In
recent years, the Dario palazzo has been offered to the Guggenheim
and Benetton families, both of whom turned it down.
It has also been marketed to Woody Allen and Elton John. Venetians
currently go on ghost tours of the property during the day, but are
loath to stay there past sunset.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

KYO PLANNING ‘ARMCHAIR’ CONCERT
Peterborough Examiner (Ontario)
November 16, 2006 Thursday
The Kawartha Youth Orchestra performs Nov. 26 at The Market Hall.
“The musicians of the Kawartha Youth Orchestra and their conductor
Michael Newnham invite you to join them in a musical excursion for
the ears, and no passport is required,” states a press release.
The armchair trip takes place at 3 p.m. “On this voyage you will
not only experience the impressive musicality of this group of young
talented musicians, but also discover a number of genres of music as
witnessed in the composers’ motivation.”
Composer Franz Schubert wrote his Rosamund Overture as a commission
for a well-heeled client, as incidental music to accompany an
ill-fated opera of the same name. The impetus for Aram Khatchaturian’s
composition Masquerade Suite came not only from Lermontov’s dramatic
saga of a couple’s jealousy and mistrust, but also from the troubled
history of his Armenian homeland.
Claude Debussy’s composition Petite Suite evokes, in part, the sense
of floating in a small boat on a stream. From a musical excerpt in
Jacques Offenbach’s Tales of Hoffman written to illuminate a young
university student’s stories of his three greatest loves as recounted
to his drinking buddies, to Johann Sebastian Bach’s cantata Jesu Joy
of Man’s Desiring drawn from a larger hymn meant to be played during
a church service, you the listener are in for a varied experience!
In a single afternoon’s concert the audience will travel musically
from Bach’s Germany of the 17th century, through Debussy’s France of
the late 1880s to Katchaturian’s adopted home of Russia in the mid
20th century.
Advance tickets are $10, available at Happenstance Books and Yarn
in Lakefield, Titles Bookstore in Peterborough or by calling 705
740-9018. Tickets will also be available at the door for $12.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TURKISH ARMY SUSPENDS RELATIONS WITH FRANCE OVER ARMENIAN QUESTION
Agence France Presse — English
November 16, 2006 Thursday 1:03 AM GMT
The Turkish army has suspended its military relations with France
in retaliation for a French parliamentary bill which would make it a
crime to deny that the World War I massacre of Armenians by Ottoman
Turks constituted genocide, the army chief said late Wednesday.
No high-level visits had taken place between the two countries for
that reason, General Ilker Basbug was quoted as telling journalists
at a reception here by the semi-official Anatolia news agency.
Turkey has warned that bilateral ties will suffer a great blow if
France adopts the bill, which foresees one year in jail for anyone
who denies that Armenians were the victims of genocide by Ottoman
Turks between 1915-17.
The bill was approved by the lower house of the French parliament last
month but still needs the approval of the Senate and the president
to take effect.
Armenians claim up to 1.5 million of their people were slaughtered
in orchestrated killings during the last years of the Ottoman Empire,
modern Turkey’s predecessor.
But Turkey rejects the use of the term “genocide”, saying some 300,000
Armenians died when the Ottoman Empire fell apart, but at least as
many Turks did too.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RUSSIA’S VIMPELCOM CLOSES DEAL TO BUY 90% IN ARMENIA’S ARMENTEL
Prime-Tass English-language Business Newswire
November 16, 2006 Thursday 7:22 PM EET
Russia’s second largest mobile operator VimpelCom has completed a deal
to buy a 90% stake in Armenia’s incumbent telecom operator ArmenTel
for a total of 381.9 million euros, an official with VimpelCom told
Prime-Tass Thursday.
VimpelCom in early November agreed to buy the stake from Greece’s
Hellenic Telecommunications Organization SA (OTE) for 341.9 million
euros plus assuming ArmenTel’s debt of about 40 million euros.
The Armenian government holds the remaining 10% stake in ArmenTel
and said earlier this month that it may sell the stake to VimpelCom.
ArmenTel is a fixed-line and mobile operator in Armenia with licenses
in the GSM 900 and CDMA standards. ArmenTel’s subscriber base
includes approximately 600,000 fixed-line subscribers and 400,000
GSM subscribers. Armenia’s population is about 3.2 million people.
VimpelCom operates in Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Tajikistan and
Uzbekistan and plans to launch services in Georgia soon.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

GEL DE LA COOPERATION MILITAIRE: LES RELATIONS FRANCO-TURQUES A L’EPREUVE
Par Christophe De Roquefeuil
Agence France Presse
16 novembre 2006 jeudi 1:05 PM GMT
Le gel de la cooperation militaire de la Turquie avec la France,
annonce par l’armee a Ankara, traduit la degradation du climat entre
les deux pays mais ne devrait avoir, selon Paris, que des effets
limites.
Cette suspension, première mesure de retorsion après le vote par
l’Assemblee nationale en octobre d’une proposition de loi reprimant la
negation du genocide des Armeniens en 1915, survient dans le contexte
deja tendu des difficiles negociations d’adhesion de la Turquie a
l’Union europeenne.
Le porte-parole du ministère de la Defense a assure jeudi que l’annonce
faite la veille par le chef de l’armee de terre turque n’etait pas
“le signe d’une crise ou d’une difficulte majeure” avec Ankara.
Sur le plan pratique, Paris envisage des effets limites sur la
cooperation militaire bilaterale, sans consequence pour les operations
multinationales où les deux pays sont presents (Afghanistan, Bosnie,
Kosovo, Liban, Republique democratique du Congo).
Paris a egalement cherche a minimiser la portee des declarations
du general Basbug, soulignant qu’il s’etait exprime de manière
“informelle” lors d’une reception.
“A ma connaissance, nous n’avons pas eu de communication officielle a
ce sujet de la part des autorites turques”, a declare le porte-parole
du ministère des Affaires etrangères.
Les menaces contre les achats de materiel militaire, que le general
Basbug n’a pas mentionnees, existent mais ne sont pas nouvelles,
fait-on valoir a Paris.
La France tente depuis longtemps d’eviter des represailles
en soulignant que nombre de fournisseurs “francais” sont en fait
largement europeens, comme la societe franco-germano-espagnole
Eurocopter, filiale du groupe EADS, en lice pour une marche de 52
appareils civils et militaires.
Mais quelles que soient ses consequences pratiques, la mauvaise humeur
des militaires turcs s’inscrit sur fond de malaise croissant et de
polemiques a repetition entre les deux pays.
Le contexte politique dans les deux pays, où des elections sont
prevues en 2007, n’aide pas a calmer le jeu.
L’entree de la Turquie dans l’UE est devenu un thème recurrent du
debat francais, tandis que le desenchantement vis-a-vis de l’Europe
et le mecontentement a l’egard de la France progressent en Turquie.
“La France est en train de devenir un bouc emissaire pour les Turcs
dans un contexte de surenchère nationaliste, tout comme la Turquie
est devenue un bouc emissaire en France sur l’elargissement de l’UE”,
relève Dorothee Schmid, specialiste de la Turquie a l’Institut francais
des relations internationales (Ifri).
Le president Jacques Chirac avait provoque la colère d’Ankara lors
d’une visite en Armenie fin septembre, où il a estime que la Turquie
devrait reconnaître le genocide armenien si elle voulait entrer
dans l’UE.
La polemique s’etait aggravee avec le vote quelques jours plus tard
par l’Assemblee d’une loi punissant toute negation de ce genocide. Le
texte doit toutefois encore etre approuve par le Senat pour entrer
en vigueur.
Une large majorite de Francais (58%) se disent opposes a un
elargissement de l’UE a la Turquie, contre 28% qui y seraient
favorables, selon un sondage publie en octobre.
Le principal candidat de la droite a la presidentielle, Nicolas
Sarkozy, est resolument hostile a l’adhesion d’Ankara, avec qui il
propose de negocier un simple “partenariat privilegie”.
La favorite des sondages a gauche, Segolène Royal, n’a pas ferme la
porte a une entree de la Turquie, mais prône une “pause” pour tout
nouvel elargissement de l’UE.
–Boundary_(ID_kC3jtwhsJRpjIqtn8pQwpQ)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

LE PARI TURC DE JACQUES CHIRAC
Par Natalie NougayrÈde
Le Monde, France
15 novembre 2006 mercredi
Lorsqu’il parle de la Turquie, Jacques Chirac evoque rarement la
promesse, faite en 1963 par de Gaulle et Adenauer, d’integrer un
jour ce pays dans l’Europe. En onze ans de pouvoir, le president
francais ne s’est jamais rendu en Turquie en visite d’Etat. En 1998,
Jacques Chirac accueillait pourtant son homologue turc, Suleyman
Demirel, a Paris. C’etait la première visite du genre depuis 1967. La
diplomatie turque attendait, en retour, un deplacement de M. Chirac,
en se souvenant que le general de Gaulle, lui, avait fait le voyage
d’Ankara en 1968.
Cette visite qui n’a pas eu lieu, M. Chirac l’envisageait pourtant
pendant son premier mandat. A partir de 2002, la chose est devenue
difficile. Le rejet montant de la Turquie dans l’opinion francaise,
les doutes inspires par le grand voisin musulman de 70 millions
d’habitants, la lassitude face aux elargissements europeens, tout cela
a concouru a une omission. M. Chirac a bien fini, en septembre, par
aller contempler le mont Ararat, mais c’etait du côte armenien de la
frontière. Pourtant, a entendre ses conseillers, M. Chirac est reste,
toutes ces annees, fermement convaincu de la ” vocation europeenne
” de la Turquie.
Sur ce point, il n’a pas evolue. Ce qui a change, ce sont les
circonstances, et notamment le tournant pris en 2002 par les Turcs,
lorsqu’ils ont elu un gouvernement, certes modere, mais islamiste.
Sur la question turque, M. Chirac s’est mis a composer, au risque de
brouiller le message.
On lui a connu, par le passe, de forts elans pro-turcs. En 1999,
au lendemain du Conseil europeen de Luxembourg qui avait accorde le
statut de ” pays candidat ” a la Turquie, M. Chirac avait prete son
avion a l’emissaire europeen, Javier Solana, pour qu’il apporte la
bonne nouvelle a Ankara. En 1997, le president francais regrettait
publiquement que la Turquie ne soit pas invitee a rejoindre l’Europe
au meme titre que les pays de l’Est. Et, en 1995, c’est grâce aux
efforts de son ministre des affaires etrangères, Alain Juppe, qu’une
union douanière etait conclue entre la Turquie et l’Europe.
Le tropisme turc de M. Chirac a ceci de particulier que, contrairement
a la politique qu’il a longtemps menee en direction d’autres pays du
Proche-Orient et du monde musulman, cette approche n’a jamais repose
sur un fort lien personnel avec tel ou tel dirigeant local. Certains
evoquent, certes, l’amitie nouee dans les annees 1980 par M. Chirac,
alors maire de Paris, avec l’ambassadeur turc de l’epoque. Mais
Ankara a connu depuis le debut des annees 1990 une succession de
gouvernements differents sans que M. Chirac devie de sa ligne.
Celle-ci repose sur plusieurs considerations. L’aspect strategique
et geopolitique : l’Europe aurait interet a s’elargir a la Turquie
pour contribuer a la stabilite de ces regions orientales, et sa
puissance n’en sera que renforcee (sur ce point M. Chirac est en
parfait accord avec la diplomatie britannique). La question de l’islam
et de la laïcite : l’Etat turc, avec son heritage kemaliste inspire
des valeurs de la Republique francaise, a valeur d’exemple dans un
monde musulman travaille par les extremismes. L’interet propre de
la France : en etant l’avocat de la cause turque, Paris conforte ses
liens specifiques avec le monde arabo-musulman. Enfin, il y a l’effet
pedagogique : en lui ouvrant la porte, l’Europe aide la Turquie a se
reformer, estime le president francais.
Depuis quelque temps, M. Chirac manifeste pourtant bien plus
d’ambiguïte que d’enthousiasme sur ce dossier. En octobre 2004,
après que son parti, l’UMP, se fut prononce contre l’integration de
la Turquie dans l’Union, il annoncait que la question, le moment venu,
serait soumise a un referendum. En 2005, au lendemain du rejet par les
Francais de la Constitution europeenne, son gouvernement pesait auprès
des ” Vingt-Cinq ” pour que la reconnaissance de Chypre devienne une
obligation pour Ankara.
En septembre, pendant sa visite a Erevan, c’est le deni turc du
genocide armenien qui a ete erige par M. Chirac en nouvel obstacle
a l’adhesion, sans que cette position soit endossee par l’Union
europeenne, qui s’en tient aux critère dits ” de Copenhague “. M.
Chirac, qui evitait encore en 2004 d’employer le terme ” genocide ”
pour designer les evenements de 1915, n’a pas toujours tenu le meme
discours. Il etait peu favorable, en 2001, au vote d’une loi francaise
reconnaissant le genocide armenien.
INFLEXIONS SUCCESSIVES
Ces inflexions successives font que M. Chirac a aujourd’hui de grandes
peines a rassurer les responsables turcs. L’Elysee a ete decontenance
d’entendre le premier ministre turc, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, presenter
comme des ” regrets ” les paroles que lui avait tenues M. Chirac au
telephone, le 14 octobre, deux jours après le vote de la proposition
de loi sur la penalisation du deni du genocide armenien. M. Chirac
voulait, dit son entourage, simplement se demarquer d’une loi qu’il
juge inutile, tout en soulignant la necessite du travail de memoire.
Alors, que croire ? ” Jacques Chirac a sans doute convaincu les Turcs,
ces derniers temps, qu’il etait un adversaire de l’integration de
leur pays “, constate Kirsty Hugues, de l’institut ” Amis de l’Europe
” a Bruxelles. ” Mais la realite, c’est qu’aux moments cruciaux il a
toujours pese dans le bon sens : pour l’integration. La question de
Chypre, qui pourrait faire derailler les negociations, sera, d’ici
au mois de decembre, un test important de l’attitude de M. Chirac. ”
Les flottements de M. Chirac ont pu etre attribues a
l’instrumentalisation de la question turque dans le debat francais. ”
Sur ce dossier, il fait oeuvre tactique “, observe Didier Billion,
directeur adjoint de l’Institut des relations internationales et
strategiques (IRIS), a Paris, ” mais il reste fondamentalement
favorable a une entree de la Turquie dans l’Europe “. Le refus de
la Turquie, en 2003, de laisser les troupes americaines utiliser son
territoire pour la guerre en Irak, et, plus recemment, l’envoi d’un
contingent turc au Liban, sont des gestes qui ont plu a l’Elysee.
Pour y voir plus clair, peut-etre faut-il se pencher sur les termes
exacts de M. Chirac : ” Negociation ne veut pas dire adhesion “,
declarait-il en decembre 2004. Le processus prendra ” probablement
dix ou quinze ans “, ajoutait-il, et ” s’il s’averait que la Turquie
ne veut, ou ne peut pas, adherer a l’ensemble des reformes – qui
lui sont demandees, NDLR – , l’Union mettra alors en place un lien
suffisamment fort, qui ne soit pas l’adhesion “.
La grande inconnue residerait donc dans les intentions de la Turquie.
Il sera toujours temps, ensuite, d’ajuster l’offre des Europeens.
Pour M. Chirac, l’adhesion est destinee a une Turquie hypothetique,
reformee en profondeur, resolument democratique, laïque, alignee
sur les normes de l’Europe. Il ne sait s’il elle existera un jour,
mais il en fait le pari.
–Boundary_(ID_4Ld/uFjnqaeNE+xb1fHh2w)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS RELEASE
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Information Services
Address:  Vagharshapat, Republic of Armenia
Contact:  Rev. Fr. Ktrij Devejian
Tel:  (374 10) 517 163
Fax:  (374 10) 517 301
E-Mail:  [email protected]
Website: 
November 17, 2006
New Bishops to be Ordained in Holy Etchmiadzin
On Sunday, November 19, His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All
Armenians, will ordain and consecrate three new bishops of the Armenian
Church during the celebration of Divine Liturgy in the Mother Cathedral
of Holy Etchmiadzin.
Being elevated to the episcopate are:  Very Rev. Fr. Ararat
Dz. Vardapet Kaltakjian, Dean of the Monasteries of the Mother See;
Very Rev. Fr. Anushavan Vardapet Jamkotchian, Dean of the Theological
Faculty of the Yerevan State University; and Very Rev. Fr. Markos
Vardapet Hovhannisian, Locum Tenens of the Diocese of Gegharkunik.
Divine Liturgy is scheduled to commence at 10:30 A.M.
##
–Boundary_(ID_0cc5Ib+T9cO/rpn8SIBgIg)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS OFFICE
Department of Communications
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 160; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
November 17, 2006
___________________
REGINOAL RETREATS FOR YOUTH BEGIN IN MIDWEST
The focus was personal, as participants explored their own relationships
with Christ. It was also communal, as they plotted a future for youth in
the Armenian Church. The 50 young people came together at the St. James
Church of Evanston, IL, on Saturday, November 11, 2006, for the first of two
ACYOA regional conferences this year.
“It’s always empowering to gather with my fellow Armenian youth and discuss
our faith and culture,” said participant Elise Marifian, a parishioner at
the Holy Virgin Mary and Shoghagat Church of Belleville, IL.
Participants came from parishes in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
Most were college students.
NEXT GENERATION OF STEWARDS
They heard from several speakers, including Julie Hoplamazian, college
ministry facilitator of the Diocese, who was in the Midwest to visit several
colleges in the area. She spoke about the habits required to be a
Christian. Using biblical passages and excerpts from the Divine Liturgy,
she talked about the ways in which we, as disciples of Christ, can come to
know God.
She also spoke of several disciples beyond Jesus’ original twelve, such as
St. Paul, Tabitha, Priscilla and Aquila, and Mother Teresa. She challenged
participants to join the list.
“This session really moved me to think about things that I hadn’t thought
about before,” said Lilit Asatryan, a parishioner at the St. Mesrob Church
of Racine, WI. “I think everyone grew in their faith; I know I did.”
MAKING THE CHOICE
Another of the speakers, Fr. Aren Jebejian, pastor of the St. Gregory the
Illuminator Church in Chicago, IL, spoke about why individuals need the
church?
“We’re not God’s puppets. He didn’t create us to control us,” he said. “He
gave us free will to decide yes and no, up and down, in and out, and right
and wrong.”
He told participants that making the decision to go to church was their
decision, and that being a Christian meant being a part of the body of
Christ, of gathering together as the people of God.
“Sometimes in life we forget our true goals and priorities because of
outside distractions,” said Shant Paklaian, a parishioner at the St. Gregory
Church in Chicago. “But by keeping the faith and believing in God’s will,
everything will fall into place.”
STEPING INTO LEADERSHIP
ACYOA Executive Secretary Nancy Basmajian guided participants through an
assessment tool to identify their individual leadership styles. Called the
“Task-People Leadership Questionnaire,” it enabled participant to discover
something about their individual leadership style. Discussing the results
were a chance to reflect on different leadership styles and their
appropriateness in any given situation. The group was also asked to think
about Jesus and his leadership style in the Gospel.
A productive session for the ACYOA Central Council was one in which they
tested survey questions which the Central Council hopes will assist them in
planning for the future of the organization. It enabled the representatives
of the Council to hear first-hand some of the issues ACYOA members and
chapters struggle with everyday.
The last session of the day was the ever-popular “Hot Topics,” during which
participants had an opportunity to ask clergy questions about the church,
faith, moral issues, and doctrine. The expert clergy panel included Fr.
Jebejian, Deacon Levon Kirakosyan of the host parish, and the
newly-appointed Deacon-in-Charge of the St. Gregory of Narek Church in
Cleveland, OH, Deacon Artak Khachikyan. The questions, and the answers,
provided for a very lively and interactive session.
“I am very inspired to see the potential for Christ’s Church — the Armenian
youth — being ready to think, act, and speak according to God’s will,” Dn.
Khachikyan said.
NEXT STOP D.C.
The conference in Evanston was hosted by the St. James ACYOA chapter, led by
Arda Paylan. Central Council members Johnny El Chemmas, Stan Sheridan, and
Talin Hitik attended the program.
The Central Council will sponsor another regional conference, this time for
Mid-Atlantic region parishes, on Saturday, December 2, 2006, at the St. Mary
Church of Washington, D.C.
To register, or for more information, contact ACYOA Executive Secretary
Nancy Basmajian at [email protected] or 212-686-0710 (ext. 143).
“Not only did the participants get a lot out of this last conference, but so
did the Central Council members,” said Stan Sheridan, ACYOA Central Council
Chapter Relations Coordinator. “We had a great discussion and feedback on
how the ACYOA is doing. We all learned a lot and took a great deal from the
day. I hope to see more of these in the future.”
— 11/17/06
E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable in the News and
Events section of the Eastern Diocese’s website,
PHOTO CAPTION (1): Fr. Arten Jebejian, pastor of the St. Gregory the
Illuminator Church of Chicago, IL, speaks to participants of the ACYOA
Midwest Regional Conference on November 11, 2006, at the St. James Church of
Evanston, IL.
PHOTO CAPTION (2): Deacon Artak Khachikyan, deacon-in-charge of the St.
Gregory of Narek Church of Cleveland, OH, speaks with participants of the
ACYOA Midwest Regional Conference on November 11, 2006, at the St. James
Church of Evanston, IL.
# # #
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 17, 2006
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
E-mail: [email protected]
SENATE DEMOCRATS & REPUBLICANS SELECT LEADERS FOR NEXT CONGRESS
Washington, DC – Following last week’s congressional battle which
gave Democrats majority control of the House and Senate, both parties
returned to Capitol Hill this week, electing Armenian issues supporters
Harry Reid (D-NV) and Mitch McConnell (R-KY) as leaders of their
respective parties.
Reid was elected Senate Majority Leader by the Democratic Caucus while
McConnell was chosen as the new Republican leader by his party. Reid
is a cosponsor of Armenian Genocide resolution (S. Res. 320) which
reaffirms the attempted annihilation of the Armenian people as
Genocide. He has also urged the Bush Administration to properly label
the crimes as such. McConnell also has a strong record on Armenian
issues, from spearheading the floor fight to maintain Section 907 of
the Freedom Support Act to introduction and passage of a bill, along
with lead cosponsor Senator Paul Sarbanes (D-MD), extending permanent
normal trade relations (PNTR) status to Armenia. He has also been
pivotal in securing robust funding for Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh
as Chairman of the Foreign Operations Subcommittee on Appropriations.
Rounding out the Democratic leadership, Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL)
and Charles Schumer (D-NY) will continue to serve as Democratic Whip
and Senate Campaign Chairman respectively. Schumer will also fill
the position of vice chairman of the Democratic Caucus and Senator
Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) will head the party steering committee. All
three lawmakers are cosponsors of the Armenian Genocide resolution.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which oversees policy
concerning Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, will be chaired by Senator
Joseph Biden (D-DE), who is also a cosponsor of S. Res. 320. In
addition, the reconfigured Senate panel will include longtime
Armenian issues supporter Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) along with
Senators-elect Ben Cardin (D-MD), Bob Casey, Jr. (D-PA) and Jim Webb
(D-VA). Earlier this year, Menendez, along with Senator Rick Santorum
(R-PA) introduced a major bill (S. 2461) to bar assistance for a
railroad bypass of Armenia. He is also a cosponsor of the Armenian
Genocide resolution, which is currently pending before the Foreign
Relations Committee. In September, Menendez also placed a “hold”
on the nomination of Ambassador-designate Richard E. Hoagland as
America’s next Ambassador to Armenia. The move was in protest to the
Bush Administration’s flawed policy on the Armenian Genocide. The
matter of Hoagland’s confirmation, as well appropriations funding
for Armenia and Karabakh and the railroad legislation, are among the
outstanding items pending in the lame duck session.
On the Republican side, Senator Trent Lott, who did not support
Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, was elected Minority Whip
making him second in command to McConnell, while Senator John Ensign
(R-NV), sponsor of the Genocide resolution, was selected to chair
the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
The Armenian Assembly is the largest Washington-based nationwide
organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian
issue. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.
#### NR#2006-100
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress