Author: Kanayan Tamar

ROBERT KOCHARYAN: RA GOVERNMENT IS DECISIVE TO ORGANIZE ELECTIONS CORRESPONDING TO INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS

ArmRadio.am
20.04.2007 16:56

RA President Robert Kocharyan today received the Vice-Speaker of
the upper chamber of the Russian Parliament Alexander Torshin and
the Secretary General of the CIS Interparlaimentary Assembly Mikhail
Krotov, who are leading the delegation of the CIS Interparliamentary
Assembly observing the parliamentary elections in Armenia.

"The Armenian Government is decisive to organize elections
corresponding to international standards and create all the conditions
for carrying out observation mission," RA President said during the
meeting, President’s Press Office informs.

Mikhail Krotov informed that the Yerevan Office of the CIS
Interparlaimentary Assembly International Institute for Monitoring
Democracy, Development of Parliamentarism, Defense of Human Rights has
been operating since March. Its work group comprised of 29 observers
provides weekly reports on the electoral process.

According to CIS observers, the preliminary monitoring results
show that the preparation works are are rather effective, and the
shortcomings of the previous elections have been mostly corrected.

CEREMONY TO COMMEMORATE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS
By: Scott Whipple, Herald Staff

New Britain Herald, CT
April 20 2007

Saturday will be a day of remembrance for area Armenians.

State Rep. John C. Geragosian, D-25th District, and the Connecticut
Armenian Community will hold a ceremony in recognition of the 92nd
anniversary of the Turkish government’s genocide of the Armenian
population. Events will begin outside the state capitol with a
flag-raising ceremony at 10:30 a.m., followed by a commemoration
ceremony and Requiem Service in the House chambers at 11 a.m. to
honor martyrs and survivors.

Genocide is the organized killing of a people for the express purpose
of putting an end to their collective existence.

During the genocide, over 1.5 million Armenians were killed by
the Ottoman Empire between the years 1915 and 1923. Five hundred
thousand others were driven from their homes into exile, where they
were imprisoned or forced into death marches and massacred.

"As human beings we should never forget the atrocities that were
perpetuated upon the Armenian people," Geragosian said. "The suffering
of the Armenian people was one of the most horrific events of the
20th century and possibly in the history of our world.

With mass killings occurring in places like Darfur today, the lessons
of the Armenian genocide must not be lost on people. We’re hoping the
U.S. Congress will finally pass a resolution to formally recognize
this injustice on the Armenian people."

This year’s ceremony will be in honor of Hrant Dink, an Armenian and
Turkish editor and journalist. Dink was murdered earlier this year
by a Turkish nationalist because of his advocacy for the Turkish
government’s recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

The keynote speaker will be award-winning artist and filmmaker,
Apo Torosyan of Boston, whose film "Voices" will be shown after the
commemoration ceremony.

"We’re extremely honored to have such an acclaimed speaker at our
commemoration," Geragosian said. "I hope the public will turn out to
hear his powerful words about genocide."

The Armenian Genocide is commemorated on or near April 24. According
to the Armenian National Institute, on the night of April 24, 1915
the Turkish government placed under arrest more than 200 Armenian
community leaders in Constantinople; hundreds more were arrested and
were imprisoned in Anatolia. Most of them were executed.

GAS SUPPLY OF ARMENIA AND GEORGIA RESUMES

Noyan Tapan
Apr 19 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 19, NOYAN TAPAN. On April 19 the gas supply of Armenia
and Georgia was restored. It was discontinued in connection with
preventive work on the gas-main pipeline in the North Caucasus. NT
was informed about it from ArmRusgazprom company.

OPINION: TURKEY MUST RESOLVE THE ISSUE OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

Deutsche Welle, Germany
April 19 2007

Three men were found with their throats slit, their ankles and wrists
tied to their chairs.

It was a provocation that could be repeated at any time; a provocation
that is seriously damaging to Turkey. The people who did it knew what
effect it would have, especially in terms of foreign policy.

So far, 10 suspects have been arrested. They are ultra-nationalists
from Malatya. According to their own statements, their goal is to
protect Islam from Christians. Malatya is an Islamic stronghold — like
Trabzon, the town where, protests against the Mohammed caricatures
in February 2006, reached such a fever pitch that a priest was
shot by an Islamic fanatic. It’s also where, in early 2007, a young
ultranationalist murdered an Armenian-Turkish publicist Hrant Dink —
also Christian from Malatya.

Three times a pattern

Now, Christians were once more victims of an attack. The Turkish
stance is to call this an exceptional case. But three exceptional
cases equal a pattern. Not a good climate for Turkey’s EU-entry hopes.

What this means is that Prime Minister Erdogan’s government urgently
needs to clarify its stance on freedom of religion. The principle of
laicism in Turkey’s constitution provides for a strict separation of
church and state, as well as religious freedom.

But in reality it means it is subordinate to the state. Why else would
a state agency for religious matters control just about every activity
that has to do with Islam? It is a sad truth that the laic state,
in which Christian and Jewish minorities should also feel at home,
only exists on paper.

Turkey is responsible

Resolving the issue of religious freedom also means resolving the
issue of the structures of religious freedom — for example building
up church congregations. Missionaries are still not allowed in Turkey,
which is a biased concept. The Turkish government and the Islamic
clergy together need to make clear that the right to change religions
or do missionary work is an inalienable human right applying equally to
all religious organizations, and that the right to religious freedom
should not simply be guaranteed in the constitution, but that people
should be able to practice their religion openly without it being a
threat to their lives. That this is not the case is a massive failure
on the part of the Turkish government. It means that. ultimately,
it too is responsible for these attacks.

Attacks like those on Wednesday should never happen again. It is not
enough for Erdogan, who may well run for the presidency, to openly
declare himself a secular person. Europe has long demanded that
Turkey clarify its position, meaning: more freedom for the Christian
minority. And rightly so. Any country that wants to join Europe needs
to adopt a European identity.

The attack on the Christian publisher showed an ultimate disrespect
for human life, and it could be grist for the mill of European
conservatives who oppose Turkey’s entry into the EU. To these
people, I issue a call to dispense with judgment. The attack was not
state-sponsored terrorism. In the aftermath of these shocking attacks,
Europe shouldn’t slam the door in Turkey’s face — we shouldn’t hand
the agitators such a victory.

Mechthild Brockamp is an editor and commentator for Deutsche Welle
(jen)

,2 144,2448198,00.html

PACE NAGORNO KARABAKH SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING NOT HELD

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
April 17 2007

The scheduled meeting of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly
(PACE) Subcommittee on Nagorno Karabakh was not held, as Armenian
delegation missed, APA Europe bureau reports.

Lord Russell-Johnston, chief of the subcommittee on Nagorno Karabakh
met with head of Azerbaijani delegation Samad Seyidov. Samad Seyidov
told the APA that they decided to discuss this problem in the session
in July.

"The composition of the delegation or a group to Azerbaijan or region
was always discussed in our press. But these issues were never
discussed in Nagorno Karabakh subcommittee. Both, Azerbaijani and
delegations welcomed Lord Russell-Johnston’s visit to the region. But
visit of any delegation was never discussed," he said.

Samad Seyidov said that Azerbaijani delegation attended today’s
debates. He said he does not know the reason why Armenian delegation
missed the meeting.

APA Europe bureau reports that Armenian delegation today has not
attended PACE meeting at all. Armenians did not attend the meeting
of the subcommittee on Nagorno Karabakh, as their proposals were not
taken into consideration during discussions of honoring of obligations
by Azerbaijan.

Lord Russell-Johnston told the APA’s correspondent that he does not
know why Armenian delegation did not attend the meeting.

"I only had 10-minute meeting with Azerbaijani delegation.

Azerbaijani delegation supported my initiative to visit the region.

Armenian delegation also agreed to it. My mission will visit Baku,
Yerevan and Khankendi," he said.

Armenian National Committee of South Bay
c/o Christopher Yemenidjian, Chair
Gardena, CA 90249
Web:

PRESS RELEASE
April 16, 2007
Contact: Christopher Yemenidjian
Email: [email protected]

South Bay Community of California to Commemorate Armenian Genocide

South Bay, CA – the South Bay Armenian Community is organizing a
commemoration event for the 92nd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide on
Friday, April 20th at the South Bay Armenian Community Center. The event
is cosponsored by Armenian National Committee of South Bay, the ARF Aram
Manougian Chapter, the AYF Potorig Chapter, the ARF Potorig Badanegan
Chapter, Homenetmen, ARS Arax Chapter, as well as the ARS Armenian
Friday School.

The commemoration will address key issues such as the importance of
basic human rights, the cultural genocide taking place in Javakhk,
current resolutions in Congress, and how individual members of the South
Bay community can contribute to helping with all local and national
issues.

"The South Bay ANC has recommitted itself reaching out to the local
Armenian community and working to engage them in the civic life of the
South Bay community," said Christopher Yemenidjian, Chairman of the
South Bay ANC. "The Armenian Genocide will forever be a defining point
in our cultural experience and I hope that through this commemoration we
can recommit ourselves to promoting a greater understanding between
communities from different backgrounds and stand united to confront such
human rights atrocities today and in the future."

The program will include a tribute to Armenian journalist, Hrant Dink,
who was assassinated earlier this year outside of his newspaper’s office
in Istanbul, Turkey for his efforts to address the Armenian Genocide in
Turkey. The event will also feature a candle light vigil, video
presentations, and a program from the ARS Armenian Friday School.
Former ANCA-Western Region Executive Director and current Glendale City
Clerk, Ardashes Kassakhian will deliver the evening’s keynote address.

The event will begin promptly at 7:30pm at the South Bay Armenian
Community Center, 2222 Lomita Boulevard., Lomita, CA 90717. The event
is free and open to the public. For more information, please contact
the South Bay ANC by e-mailing [email protected].

The Armenian National Committee of America is largest and most
influential Armenian American grassroots political organization. Working
in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters
throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the
world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American
community on a broad range of issues.

###

The New York Times: Censoring the discussion of the Armenian genocide brings
wider attention to the subject

ArmRadio.am
13.04.2007 17:10

`More than 90 years ago, when Turkey was still part of the Ottoman
Empire, Turkish nationalists launched an extermination campaign there
that killed 1.5 million Armenians. It was the 20th century’s first
genocide. The world noticed, but did nothing, setting an example that
surely emboldened such later practitioners as Hitler, the Hutu leaders
of Rwanda in 1994 and today’s Sudanese president, Omar Hassan
al-Bashir,’ The New York Times wrote in today’s editorial.

The paper writes that `Turkey has long tried to deny the Armenian
genocide. Even in the modern-day Turkish republic, which was not a
party to the killings, using the word genocide in reference to these
events is prosecuted as a serious crime. Which makes it all the more
disgraceful that United Nations officials are bowing to Turkey’s
demands and blocking this week’s scheduled opening of an exhibit at UN
headquarters commemorating the 13th anniversary of the Rwandan
genocide because it mentions the mass murder of the Armenians. Ankara
was offended by a sentence that explained how genocide came to be
recognized as a crime under international law: `Following World War I,
during which one million Armenians were murdered in Turkey, Polish
lawyer Raphael Lemkin urged the League of Nations to recognize crimes
of barbarity as international crimes.’ The exhibit’s organizer, a
British-based antigenocide group, was willing to omit the words `in
Turkey.’ But that was not enough for the UN’ s craven new leadership,
and the exhibit has been indefinitely postponed.

It’s odd that Turkey’s leaders have not figured out by now that every
time they try to censor discussion of the Armenian genocide, they only
bring wider attention to the subject and link today’s democratic
Turkey with the now distant crime. As for Secretary General Ban
Ki-moon and his inexperienced new leadership team, they have once
again shown how much they have to learn if they are to honorably and
effectively serve the United Nations, which is supposed to be the
embodiment of international law and a leading voice against genocide.

ABETTING TURKISH DENIAL AT THE UNITED NATIONS

International Herald Tribune, France
April 13 2007

More than 90 years ago, when Turkey was still part of the Ottoman
Empire, Turkish nationalists launched an extermination campaign there
that killed 1.5 million Armenians.

It was the 20th century’s first genocide. The world noticed, but
did nothing, setting an example that surely emboldened such later
practitioners as Hitler, the Hutu leaders of Rwanda in 1994 and
today’s Sudanese president, Omar Hassan al-Bashir.

Turkey has long tried to deny the Armenian genocide. Even in the
modern-day Turkish republic, which was not a party to the killings,
using the word genocide in reference to these events is prosecuted
as a serious crime.

Which makes it all the more disgraceful that United Nations officials
are bowing to Turkey’s demands and blocking this week’s scheduled
opening of an exhibit at UN headquarters commemorating the 13th
anniversary of the Rwandan genocide – because it mentions the mass
murder of the Armenians.

Ankara was offended by a sentence that explained how genocide came to
be recognized as a crime under international law: "Following World
War I, during which one million Armenians were murdered in Turkey,
Polish lawyer Raphael Lemkin urged the League of Nations to recognize
crimes of barbarity as international crimes." The exhibit’s organizer,
a British-based anti-genocide group, was willing to omit the words "in
Turkey." But that was not enough for the UN’s craven new leadership,
and the exhibit has been indefinitely postponed.

It’s odd that Turkey’s leaders have not figured out by now that every
time they try to censor discussion of the Armenian genocide, they
only bring wider attention to the subject and link today’s democratic
Turkey with the now distant crime. As for Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
and his inexperienced new leadership team, they have once again shown
how much they have to learn if they are to honorably and effectively
serve the United Nations, which is supposed to be the embodiment of
international law and a leading voice against genocide.

TALKS ON VENUE OF ARMENIAN AND AZERI FOOTBALL TEAMS PROVED FRUITLESS

PanARMENIAN.Net
13.04.2007 13:05 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A regular round of talks on the venue of Armenian
and Azerbaijan football teams within EURO 2008 qualifying games proved
fruitless. During a special UEFA meeting in Cardiff, Azerbaijan kept on
insisting on neutral ground (Ukraine has already issued an invitation)
while Armenia pressed for meetings in Baku and Yerevan. According to
the schedule in Group A, September 8 the teams are to meet in Armenia
and September 12 in Azerbaijan. Both teams are outsiders of the Group
with Polish, Portuguese, Serbian and Finnish teams in the lead. The
final decision is supposed to be taken April 18 during a sitting of
the UEFA executive committee, ITAR-TASS reports.

AT PRESENT ARMENIAN MEDIA ARE MORE NEUTRAL IN COVERAGE OF POLITICAL PROCESSES THAN IN PREVIOUS YEARS, ALEXANDER ISKANDARIAN CONSIDERS

Noyan Tapan
Apr 12 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 12, NOYAN TAPAN. Broadcasts on political subjects
of 2007 preelection period of Armenian TV and radio companies are
more neutral than those broadcast in the same period in previous
years. Political scientist Alexander Iskandarian, Director of
Caucasian Media Institute, expressed such opinion at the April 12 press
conference taking as a basis the results of the monitoring conducted by
the Institute. He said that starting February 5, political broadcasts
of 6 TV companies (H1, Armenia, Shant, Yerkir Media, Kentron, ALM)
and 2 radio stations (Public Radio, Radio Liberty) were observed
during the monitoring. According to A. Iskandarian’s observation, the
majority of the above mentioned media report without any commentary
that, for instance, some party gives out fruits and vegetables in
some districts of Yerevan. In that circumstance, in his words, a TV
viewer is given a possibility to analyse the fact on his/her own.

In the political scientist’s opinion, in general, few time is given
to materials on parties in Armenia. And among these few broadcasts,
according to his observation, broadcasts on Republican Party of Armenia
prevail. In particular, as A. Iskandarian said, 46% broadcasts and
information programs of Radio Liberty’s Armenian editorial office are
dedicated to RPA. In his words, the picture is the same in another
media with the exception of ALM and Kentron. A. Iskandarian said
that 78% broadcasts of ALM is dedicated to President of ALM holding
and Chairman of People’s Party Tigran Karapetian and 48% Kentron’s
broadcasts to Bargavach Hayastan’s activity. He added that Yerkir Media
comparatively distinguishes itself by variety of political broadcasts.