Author: Jalatian Sonya

TURKISH MINISTER EXCLUDES THE OPENING OF AGHTAMAR CHURCH ON APRIL 24

ArmRadio.am
09.01.2007 11:40

In an interview to "Zaman" newspaper Turkish Culture Minister Atallah
Koch referred to the dispute over the term of opening of Aghtamar
Church. The Minister noted that he had never said the Church would
be opened on April 24, 2007.

"Reconstruction of the Akhtamar Church has been completed. Four
million doll ars were spent on renovation," said the Minister,
adding that definitely April 24 will not be the date of opening of
the Church. "I’ve never said anything like that. I only said that we
intend to open the Church in March or April.

I invite the whole world to that ceremony," Koch said.

ARMENIAN CONSUMER MARKET GROWS BY 16.6% IN JANUARY-NOVEMBER 2006 ON SAME PERIOD OF PREVIOUS YEAR

Noyan Tapan
Jan 09 2007

YEREVAN, JANUARY 9, NOYAN TAPAN. In January-November 2006, the
volume of the Armenian consumer market made 1 trillion 344 billion
61.3 million drams (about 3 bln 195 mln USD), exceeding by 16.6% the
index of the same months of the previous year (at comparable prices).

According to the RA National Statistical Service, trade turnover made
915 bln 734 mln drams: this index grew by 14.4% on the first eleven
months of 2005.

Trade made up 68.1% of the consumer market in January-November 2006
against 69.7% in the same period of the previous year.

Car trade, including sale, technical servicing and repairs of cars and
their spare parts at specialized trade points, made 63 bln 732.6 mln
drams, or by 37.3% more than in the first eleven months of 2005. Car
trade made up 3.9% of the consumer market in January-November 2005
and 4.7% in the same months of 2006.

Retail trade amounted to 682 bln 755.1 mln drams in January-November
2006, exceeding by 10.4% the index of the same months of the
previous year. Retail trade made up 53.9% of the consumer market in
January-November 2005 and 50.8% in the same months of 2006.

Services amounted to 428 bln 327.3 mln drams in the eleven months
of 2006, growing by 21.7% on January-November of the previous year,
their share made 30.3% of the country’s consumer market in the first
eleven months of 2005 against 31.9% in January-November 2006.

TURKEY’S SUR MUNICIPALITY TO PROVIDE SERVICES IN KURDISH, LOCAL LANGUAGES

Sabah, Turkey
Jan 5 2007

[Report by Ugur Becerikli from Ankara: "The First Step of the Article
in Question"]

The mayor of Sur, a district of Diyarbakir, had been put on trial
and acquitted for writing about "multilingual" municipal services
in his article. The mayor has now made this official. The first
implementation: Services in the Kurdish language.

The Sur Municipality has undersigned a controversial decision.

According to the decision, in addition to Turkish, municipal services
will be provided in Kurdish primarily and in other local languages.

The announcements will be issued in these languages and the personnel
will speak these languages.

An Investigation Launched by the Ministry

The Interior Minister has launched an investigation into the
decision that has been reached on the basis of the article entitled
"Multi-Lingual Municipal Services" that had been submitted by DTP
[Democratic Society Party] Mayor Abdullah Demirbas to the European
Social Forum.

He Also Proposed It for the Official Documents

In his article Demirbas had suggested that the titles and the offices
in the municipalities as well as the streets and the avenues should
be defined in a multilingual manner and that the official documents
should be written in different languages. Demirbas had been put on
trial on grounds of his article.

"The TBMM Should Also Reach Such a Decision"

DTP Mayor Abdullah Demirbas said: "Municipalities of tourist places
are using languages such as English and German when providing many
services. They even use these languages on the signs. What we are
trying to do is similar to this. Why should the TBMM [Turkish Grand
National Assembly] not reach such a decision as well?"

The Sur Municipal Assembly Has Approved "Multilingual" Services

The Sur Municipality of Diyarbakir has undersigned an unprecedented
decision in Turkey. Accordingly, the municipality will select its
personnel from among those who speak languages such as Kurdish, Zaza,
and Armenian.

The Sur Municipality of Diyarbakir has undersigned an interesting
decision. The Municipal Assembly is making "multilingual municipal
services" official. Yesterday the Sur Municipal Assembly approved,
with 17 votes in favour and seven against, that in addition to
Turkish, municipal services will be provided in local languages
such as Kurdish, Zaza, and Arabic. Accordingly, when employing
its personnel the municipality will prefer those who speak these
languages. The municipality will also hire translators who speak
these local languages and dialects. The municipal announcements will
be issued in these languages and the internet site will be arranged
according to these languages. The municipality will be able to
publish books in these languages. The official correspondence will
be in the Turkish language and these languages will not be used in
the Sur Municipality’s letterheads.

The English Example

Sur Mayor Abdullah Demirbas who is a DTP member has been put on trial
for "conducting the propaganda of the terrorist organization," but he
had been acquitted by the Fourth Penal Court. Following his acquittal
he began to put to practice the proposals that he had posited in his
article. A statement issued by the municipality noted that in 2006
a public opinion poll was conducted on the languages spoken in the
Sur District, adding that 24 per cent of the people speak Turkish,
72 per cent speak Kurdish, 1 per cent speak Arabic, and 3 per cent
speak Assyrian-Armenian. Speaking to Sabah, Sur Mayor Abdullah
Demirbas explained that multilingual services are given in tourist
regions primarily and in many other regions. Stating that in addition
to Turkish, municipal services are provided in English and German in
tourist regions and that Latin names are used for historical places,
Demirbas said: "In order to provide services you are obliged to speak
the same language with the citizen that will receive the service. If
you do not understand each other you cannot serve the citizen."

Stressing that in the past they had published brochures in Kurdish,
Armenian, Assyrian, and English and that they had also published
game books and children magazines in Turkish and Kurdish, Demirbas
said the following: "We are not saying that we will not hire those
who do not speak the local languages. We present this as a proposed
qualification. When providing municipal services it is either
necessary to speak the people’s language or to have someone who
translates into these languages. Therefore we will either train our
existing personnel or when hiring new personnel, we will require these
languages. We hope that this will constitute a beautiful example to
the unity within the differences in Turkey. It is also necessary to
strengthen the multilingual system for a democracy that is in line
with the EU’s standards. This is one of the EU’s basic norms. The
truth is that many institutions provide multilingual services in
Turkey. The Turkish Airlines provides services in English to its
customers. [Passage omitted]

Jurists Say: "It Is Impossible To Do This With Official Documents"

Speaking to Sabah about the situation, the jurists stressed that in
official documents it is possible to use only the official language.

Prof Dr Burhan Kuzu, constitutional professor, chairman of the
TBMM Constitutional Committee, and AKP [Justice and Development
Party] deputy said: "The Constitution is very clear about this
issue. The correspondence in official institutions should be in
Turkish." Prof Dr Ali Ulku Arzak, lecturer at the Law School of the
Maltepe University, on the other hand, stated that the matter should
be examined by jurists. Prof Dr Bakir Caglar, Turkey’s former ECHR
[European Court of Human Rights] lawyer, in turn, said: "This is an
administrative decision. It is possible to cancel it in administrative
courts. Following the cancellation of the decision the municipality,
as a body corporate, may try all the legal routes in Turkey and
if it is not able to achieve any results, it may apply to the
ECHR. Furthermore certain people living within the borders of the
municipality in question may apply to the ECHR regarding this issue.

Nonetheless the ECHR will not take this seriously." [Passage omitted]

"It Will Strengthen Turkey"

Prof Dr Baskin Oran, lecturer at the Political Sciences Faculty,
has extended support to the implementation. Oran said: "This will
strengthen Turkey because a forced citizen – a citizen whose
sub-identity is being denied – is the citizen of this country
unwillingly. A citizen whose sub-identity is respected will be a
willing citizen. I find the step taken by the municipality in this
regard appropriate. This is an appropriate move for strengthening
Turkey. According to the Lausanne Agreement, the people can give
testimonies in the courts of the Turkish Republic in the Kurdish
language anyway. Why should they not receive municipal services in
this language? If there is no other way and if he does not speak
any other language, what should he do? I am speaking as a Turk from
Izmir. In my opinion this is appropriate."

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:

January 9, 2007
___________________

PRIMATE: "WE HAVE TO BE MEMBERS OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH EVERY MOMENT OF OUR
LIVES"

By Jake Goshert

Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church
of America (Eastern), didn’t attend weekly services at the local church as a
child. A native of Arapkir, in central Turkey, his community and his family
was devastated by the Armenian Genocide.

The area’s seven Armenian churches were razed, his grandfather and other
male relatives killed, family friends exiled. But, he wasn’t raised without
Christianity.

"At home there was a church. My grandmother taught us how to pray, how to
cross ourselves. She read from the bible," he told the 700 faithful filling
New York City’s St. Vartan Cathedral on January 6, 2007, to mark the Feast
of the Nativity and Theophany of Jesus Christ. "She was three-months
pregnant when Turkish soldiers took my grandfather and the other men away.
In that instant everything became dark for this young bride, however she
continued her life as a devoted member of the Armenian Church."

It was her passion and devotion to her faith that Archbishop Barsamian
witnessed in the home. Not only did she teach him the rituals of the
church, but she taught him the power of Christ’s teachings.

"I never saw bitterness or hatred in this pious woman," he told the faithful
in his "Armenian Christmas" sermon. "I have her spirit, my grandmother’s
spirit. It leads me, guides me. It shows how important it is to have a
home where God is present, where Christ is present."

"If we have that, we don’t have to be afraid of anything else, because love
is there, compassion is there. We become masters of this earth, as God told
us in the begging of creation, when He said, ‘Go multiply and be masters of
the earth,’" the primate added in his message encouraging faithful to bridge
the gap between the church and the home.

ONE SPIRIT

This "Armenian Christmas" signaled the start of the Diocesan "Year of Church
and Home: One in Spirit," a year-long effort to bring the power of Christ
into our homes, our daily lives, and our everyday thinking.

"We have to be members of the Armenian Church every moment of our lives,
whatever we do, wherever we go, whatever we say, it has to come from our
Armenian Christian identity," he said. "While we are remembering the joyful
events of the past, the birth and baptism of Christ, this is also a very
important occasion for each one of us to reflect on how we have been
responding to the actions and commandments of our Heavenly Father."

"When we reflect, we see that in the early Church the faithful were in
church every day, and in their daily lives they preached the message that
Jesus is the Messiah," the Primate added. "We need to continue that
tradition today, to bring Christ into our daily lives, into our homes and
our families."

FAMILY-CENTERED CELEBRATION

The St. Vartan Cathedral was filled with families, young children wiggled in
their parents’ laps, teenagers read along in the pew books, and grandparents
could be seen teaching toddlers to fold their hands in prayer.

One such family was the Haroutunian family from the Church of the Holy
Martyrs in Bayside, NY. Robert and his wife Hilda, their two daughters
Diana, 8, and Christina, 12, and his mother, Mary.

"We came because it’s Christmas," Mary Haroutunian said, as her young
granddaughter Diana stood beside her. "And she enjoys it. She’s very
religious. Every time we sit at the table, we can’t eat before she blesses
the food. It’s important for us, because our faith starts at home."

Robert Haroutunian stressed the spirituality of January 6, as opposed to the
more gift-oriented December 25 celebrations. It was important for his
family, he said, to have a time devoted to celebrating Christ’s birth
without the clutter of gifts and candy.

"This is part of our identity. The Armenian Church keeps us as Christians
and Armenians. We feel our kids should be experiencing that identity," he
said. "For centuries this is what we gave our lives for and that’s why we
have to keep our faith strong, because it was important for our ancestors
then and is just as important now."

Along with strengthening the Christian identity of the Armenian people,
active involvement in the Armenian Church allows those in the Diaspora to
retain and propel their culture to their children.

"It’s important to come to church and keep the traditions alive," said
Harchia Yerknapetyan, as he held his 1-year-old son Levon. "I’m not very
religious, but I’m trying to keep the traditions and learn more. Our church
is part of the Armenian people and part of our church."

As part of the kick-off for the "Year of Church and Home," faithful were
given a packet of resources and readings they can use to strengthen the
Christian spirit in their homes. Further resources will be available
throughout the year on the Diocesan website,

HOME BLESSING

One concrete way to bring the Armenian faith into homes is through the Home
Blessing service. Archbishop Barsamian encouraged all those in attendance
to contact their local priest about having this service conducted in their
homes.

"This is an ancient way to welcome the spirit of Christ into our homes, into
our families, into our daily lives," said the Primate, who conducted a Home
Blessing service in the Haik and Alice Kavookjian Auditorium following the
Divine Liturgy. "Each Armenian household should have a Home Blessing at
least once a year, if not more often."

SPIRITUAL CELEBRATION

The celebration at St. Vartan Cathedral on Saturday, January 6, 2007,
included a Divine Liturgy celebrated by the Primate, with sacred music sung
by the St. Vartan Cathedral Choir, under the direction of Maestro Khoren
Mekanejian with Florence Avakian on the organ.

According to Armenian tradition, the feast day commemorates not only the
birth of Christ, but also His baptism by John the Baptist. The latter was
remembered through the "Blessing of Water" ceremony, which followed the
Divine Liturgy. Armen Martirossian, Armenia’s ambassador to the United
Nations, served as "godfather" of the service.

The festivities in the sanctuary were followed by a reception, organized by
Gregory and Ani Manuleian, that featured a dance performance by the Holy
Martyrs Hye Bar of the Church of the Holy Martyrs in Bayside, NY. The
cathedral also hosted an art display of works by Armenian artist Anet
Abnous, who donated 20 percent of her sales that weekend to the cathedral.

On Armenian Christmas Eve, Friday, January 5, 2007, the cathedral hosted an
evening service with scripture readings by students from the Diocese’s
Khrimian Lyceum, followed by a Divine Liturgy celebrated by Archbishop
Yeghishe Gizirian. The St. Vartan Cathedral Youth Choir sang the Divine
Liturgy, under the direction of the Maro Partamian. The weekend’s
activities were overseen by Fr. Mardiros Chevian, dean of the cathedral.

— 1/9/07

E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable in the News and
Events section of the Eastern Diocese’s website,

PHOTO CAPTION (1): Hundreds of faithful line up to receive communion from
Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern Diocese, at New York
City’s St. Vartan Cathedral during the Divine Liturgy celebrating the Feast
of the Nativity and Theophany of Christ on Saturday, January 6, 2007.

PHOTO CAPTION (2): The Primate conducts the "Blessing of Water" service on
January 6, 2007, joined by Armenian Ambassador to the United Nations Armen
Martirossian, who served as the "godfather" of the service.

PHOTO CAPTION (3): Ambassador Martirossian touches the cross used in the
"Blessing of Water" service to the head of 1-year-old Levon Yerknapetyan,
following the Divine Liturgy at St. Vartan Cathedral on January 6, 2007.

PHOTO CAPTION (4): Archbishop Barsamian, joined by Archbishop Yeghishe
Gizirian and Dn. Serop Demirjian, conducts a Home Blessing service following
the "Armenian Christmas" Divine Liturgy in New York City’s St. Vartan
Cathedral on January 6, 2007.

PHOTO CAPTION (5): Young dancers from the Holy Martyrs Hye Bar of the
Church of the Holy Martyrs in Bayside, NY, perform during a reception
marking "Armenian Christmas" in St. Vartan Cathedral’s Haik and Alice
Kavookjian Auditorium on January 6, 2007.

Duluth Weekly, GA
Jan 5 2007

Dunwoody Symposium focuses on Genocide

DUNWOODY, GA (January 4, 2007) – Incidents of genocide from more than
90 years of 20th century history will be explored during `Never
Again,’ Georgia Perimeter College’s annual Dunwoody Symposium to be
held from Tuesday, Jan. 23 to Thursday, Jan. 25 on the Dunwoody
campus. All symposium events are open to the public and will be held
in room 1100 of the C building.

A collection of more than 20 speakers, moderators and panelists,
including Emory University’s Dr. Deborah Lipstadt, author of `Beyond
Belief: The American Press and the Coming of the Holocaust,’ and the
Atlanta Journal Constitution’s Mark Bixler, author of `The Lost Boys
of Sudan,’ will examine the episodes, significance and the psychology
of genocide during the three-day symposium.

`We’ll talk about Armenia in World War I, look at genocide in
World War II and other events in the 20th century,’ said Dr. Thomas
Graham, GPC history professor and an organizer of the symposium.
`We’ll look at everything from 1915 up to three or four years ago.’

Along with speakers, presentations and panels discussions, Graham
said `Never Again’ will also show a collection of films including one
that inspired this year’s symposium.

`The theme for this year’s symposium is something I came up with
last summer in the middle of the night while I was watching `Judgment
at Nuremburg,’ Graham said. `The film came out 40 years ago. The
Nuremburg Trials took place 60 years ago. Our focus is to reflect on
the 60th anniversary of the trials in Nuremberg and Tokyo and how the
promise of `never again’ was not fulfilled. I thought this would be a
good idea for this year’s symposium. We just have to get students out
of their apathy. We can’t let this happen again.’

Speakers, panelists, and films were selected to help participants
`question broad themes of historical and philosophical significance,’
said Dr. Randy Finley, who serves as a symposium organizer.

`For example,’ Finley adds, `why do genocides occur in the modern
and postmodern world? What are the economic, political, and social
causes of genocide? Are they inevitable? Are there signs that might
indicate an oncoming genocide? Are there international organizations
that can successfully combat genocide?’

Finley said selected panelists include representatives of history,
science, business, law, music, cinematography, art, psychology and
political science.

`All will bring their academic fields’ interests in the subject
for student thought and reflection,’ he said.

The Dunwoody Symposium which began in 1980 is an annual event that
has featured such prominent speakers as former President Jimmy
Carter, Ted Turner, historian Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., entrepreneur
Truett Cathy, novelist Peter Taylor, and poet James Dickey.

`We’re excited about beginning the spring 2007 semester with the
symposium,’ Finley said. `Questions discussed here in January should
reverberate through many disciplines throughout the academic year.’

ARMENIANS STARTED CELEBRATE NEW YEAR ON JANUARY 1 IN 18TH CENTURY

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenians called New Year "Amanor"
("am" meant "year" in ancient Armenian, and "nor" means "new") or
Navasard ("nav" means "new" and "sard" – "year" in Indian). This
holiday was called differently in various Armenian regions – Taremut,
Tareglukh or Kaghand. Ancient Armenians used to celebrate New Year in
summer. In the 18th century they started to celebrate New Year on
January 1 by the calendar of the Catholicos of All Armenian Simeon
Yerevantsi. Many nations decorate Christmas trees, which symoloize the
Tree of Life in the Paradise, while stars on the top of Christmas
trees – the Star of Bethlehem. The most desired guest Dzmer Pap (Santa
Claus) comes with his presents. He was Partriarch Saint Nicolas the
Miracle-Worker who was born in the family of rich, pious and virtuous
people in 280 in the province of Likia in Asia Minor. Nicolas the
Mircale-Worker was a kind and generous man always ready to help those
in need, he took care of children, gave them presents. Sain Nicolas
was the saint of children. According to astrologer Hranush Kharatian,
Armenians used to prepare for New Year several months before this
holiday. In autumn they preserved dried fruits and nuts for their New
Year tables. It is noteworthy that January 1 falls on the week of
Armenian Christmas and it is a fast day so many dishes contain food
suitable for observing fasting. People bake bread to start the new
year with new bread. Besides, ritual bread is baked in various regions
of Armenia. By tradition, some small "sign" is put in this ritual
bread and divided among family members: the new year will bring good
luck to the person who gets this sign.

DIGITAL BROADCAST NETWORK IS BEING BUILT

Azat Artsakh, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]
29 Dec 2006

The Satar Kap Company is setting up a digital broadcast network in
NKR, which will make all the TV and radio channels broadcast in
Armenia available in Nagorno Karabakh. Satar Kap has been set up
recently and digital broadcasting is a novelty in Armenia. Marie
Barseghian, the representative of the company for Artsakh, said the
digital network helps solve a number of questions which have not been
solved so far and technical problems. Marie Barseghian said the
digital network will provide quality image and stereo sound and
prevent interference from the neighboring countries. The quality of
broadcasting will no longer depend on the geography, and there will be
no problems in villages situated in mountains or gorges. `These
services will be available for both the capital and the rural
dwellers,’ said Marie Barseghian adding that digital television solves
a political question too because for a long time the broadcasting of
the Armenian channels in the border areas was obstructed by the
Azerbaijani side. According to the representative of Satar Kap, the
subscriber needs to buy a receiver which costs 120 dollars. The
programs are divided into special packages. The social package is free
of charge once the subscriber has bought the receiver. The social
package includes the public TV channels of Armenia and Artsakh and
other programs. The basic package includes business news, educational
programs, programs for kids and costs 2400 drams. Films and sports
packages cost 1200 drams. According to Marie Barseghian, the company
is going to provide more services in the future.

SRBUHI VANIAN.
29-12-2006

PROBLEM OF RECOGNITION OF GENOCIDE BY TURKEY STRONGLY ENTERED INTO INTERNATIONAL AGENDA

PanARMENIAN.Net
21.12.2006 16:52 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The problem to recognize the Armenian Genocide by
Turkey at the beginning of 20th century and its responsibility for
annihilation of 1.5 million Armenians has strongly entered into the
agenda of international policy, said Ara Abramian, the President of
CAR (Council of Armenians of Russia) during an interview to The Novoye
Russkoye Slovo. In his words, the European Parliament already thinks
that without recognition Ankara cannot count on EU membership. "To all
appearances, Europe is strongly determined to make Turkey fulfill all
the necessary things in this regard. The decision of French National
Assembly also stresses it. That is: the denial of the Armenian Genocide
in Turkey is a criminal case. And in November 29 the Argentinean
Parliament with 173 votes also confirmed the fact of the Armenian
Genocide, declaring April 24 as Day for remembrance of those killed
during the Genocide of Armenians in Ottoman Empire. Argentine became
the 2nd state after Uruguay in Latin America to condemn this outrage
upon humanity," underlined Abramian.

He also reminded that in US legislative councils of 38 states not
only recognized the Armenian Genocide, bit also declared April 24
as day of remembrance of the victims. "Today a total of 18 states,
including Vatican have recognized the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman
Empire. I want to underline that the people of Armenia and the
Armenian Diaspora in the whole world are upset with the fact that
Israel does not support recognition of the Armenian Genocide and does
not exert moral and political pressure on Turkey to make this state
acknowledge its historical responsibility for the crimes committed
against Armenians in Ottoman Empire," the President of CAR said. He
stressed that such a nation, which was exposed to Holocaust, ought to
perform solidarity towards Armenians, who had always expressed their
sympathy and respect towards Jewish nation and its cruel history. "The
only positive fact is Mr. Metser’s, Israel’s main Ravvin’s visit
to Armenia. He came on Catholicos’s and my invitation. He visited
the memorial devoted to the victims of the Genocide. He called the
international community to recognize it. By doing that Mr. Metser
expressed his moral support. I understand that the stance of Israel’s
main Ravvin is not Israel’s stance yet. But in order to express such
a great support to our nation perhaps he might need a great courage.

Moreover, Turkish authorities did not even try to protest in this
regard. We hope that sooner or later the Jewish State will follow
his example," underscored Abramian.

RA SPEAKER: GEORGIA WANTS DECISIONS BENEFICIAL FOR IT ONLY

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.12.2006 13:59 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian delegations to the international forums must
act in the interests of their own state, Armenian National Assembly
Speaker Tigran Torosian said when commenting on the statements by some
Georgian officials who accused the Armenian parliamentary delegation
of foiling the conclusion of the resulting communique of the South
Caucasus Parliamentary Initiative winter session.

In his words, the accusations are conditioned by the fact that
the Armenian delegation did not fulfill ‘wishes’ of the Georgian
party. Certainly, Torosian said, it would be gratifying if the
interests of Armenia and Georgia coincided. "However the Georgian
parliamentarians wish decisions beneficial to them were adopted each
time, without thinking whether their position corresponds to Armenia’s
interests," the Speaker resumed.

To remind, chairman of the Georgian parliamentary committee on
foreign affairs Konstantin Gabashvili accused the Armenian delegation
in foiling the conclusion of the resulting communique of the South
Caucasus Parliamentary Initiative winter session. The Armenian side
did not support Georgia’s proposal to include the item on xenophobia
in Russia as regards Georgians and natives of Caucasus and offered
to use term ‘a number of states’ instead of ‘Russia’.

Besides, Georgia stands for settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
within the framework of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.

WAC ATTACHES IMPORTANCE TO ISSUES OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN ITS ACTIVITY, ORGANIZATION VICE-CHAIRMAN ASSURES

Noyan Tapan
Dec 20 2006

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 20, NOYAN TAPAN. The main goals of the World Armenian
Congress are to consolidate Armenians spread throughout the world,
to improve the socio-economic condition of Armenian people, as well
as to assist the process of international recognition and condemnation
of the Armenian Genocide.

Vladimir Aghayan, Vice-Chairman of the Congress, said during
the December 20 round table organized at the Armenian National
Academy of Sciences. The event was dedicated to the results of the
previous years’ activity of the Congress and to 2007 program of its
activities. V.Aghayan said that Armenian Institute of International
Law and Political Science attached to the Congress functions in
Moscow. It has become a unique center on study of issues of Armenian
Genocide. He reminded that in 2004 the Congress together with this
Institute held two-day international conference "The Factor of the
Genocide in Settlement of Armenian-Turkish Relations" in Yerevan, which
approved organization’s 2004-2010 actions plan in this direction. The
Congress Vice-Chairman said that several dozens of books dedicated to
problems of Armenian Genocide were published with the organization’s
funds. Among them V.Aghayan especially singled out the three-volume
work "Armenian Genocide: Turkey’s Responsibility and International
Community’s Commitments" by Director of the Armenian Institute of
International Law and Political Science, Yuri Barseghov. And within
the framework of the events of 90th anniversary of the Genocide the
Congress published illustrated album "Memory Against Oblivion."