Author: Khondkarian Raffi

Representatives of Armenian and Turkish Armed Forces Meet out of NATO Events First

PanARMENIAN.Net
01.04.2006 03:24 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The symposium on international cooperation in
fighting terror, lately held in Ankara, was well-organized on the
whole, Advisor of Armenian Defense Minister, major general Hayk
Kotanjyan said, reports Spokesperson of the Armenian MOD Head, colonel
Seyran Shahsuvaryan. In Kotanjyan’s words, “along with prominent
analysts, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, general Peter Pace,
Afghan President Hamid Karzai and others made reports. Representatives
of European, Asian, North African, American countries participated
in the forum,” the major general remarked.

Hayk Kotanjyan underscored that before this case representatives of
the Armenian and Turkish Armed Forces had an opportunity to meet only
within the NATO Partnership for Peace Program. “Foreign specialists,
including Armenia’s representative, participated in this event on
the invitation of Turkish General Staff Chief. Under the conditions
of absence of inter-state relations between Armenia and Turkey, the
symposium was an opportunity for direct field observation of the
neighbor’s activities in one of the most sensible and complicated
fields of international cooperation,” Kotanjyan said.

ABOUT 1100 USD ALLOCATED TO CEC FOR HOLDING LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS IN 4 COMMUNITIES OF 3 REGIONS

Noyan Tapan
Mar 30 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 30, NOYAN TAPAN. At the March 30 sitting RA government
charged RA Minister of Finance and Economy to allocate 506 thousand
620 drams (about 1100 USD) from the government’s 2006 reserve fund
to the CEC united fund for the purpose of financing the expenditures
on organization and holding of elections of village head to be held
on April 16, 2006, in the rural communities of Khachik and Saravan,
Vayots Dzor, elections of village head to be held on April 23, 2006,
in the rural communities of Hatsavan, Kotayk region, and Pokrashen,
Shirak region. Noyan Tapan was informed about it from RA Government
Information and Public Relations Department.

STATE’S FRIED DISCUSSES ARMENIA DEMOCRATIZATION, NAGORNO-KARABAKH
By Jeffrey Thomas
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington File, DC
March 30 2006

United States expects upcoming elections to meet international
standards.

Washington – The United States expects Armenia’s parliamentary
and presidential elections in 2007 and 2008 to meet international
standards for free and fair elections, the State Department’s Daniel
Fried said March 27 in a speech that also touched on such regional
issues as the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, energy security and
the war against terrorism.

Fried, the assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian
affairs, said the Bush administration is “taking at face value”
assurances from the Armenian government that the elections will be
free and fair. The elections are “key tests” of whether Armenia is
meeting its commitments under the terms of the Millennium Challenge
Compact it signed March 27, he said.

“We must achieve this goal [elections that meet international
standards] to sustain our relations,” Fried told the Armenian Assembly
of America National Conference in Washington.

Armenia signed a Millennium Challenge Compact — or bilateral aid
agreement – worth $235 million over five years at a ceremony March
27 at the State Department. The money will be targeted at improving
the country’s rural roads and an irrigation-and-drainage project that
will increase water supply to rural areas. (See related article.)

Millennium Challenge money is granted to countries judged to be
encouraging economic freedom, ruling justly and investing in their
people. Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian acknowledged in
his remarks at the signing ceremony that “much remains to be done”
to make Armenia’s democratic and economic reforms “comprehensive.”

“We know that corruption must not be tolerated and that law must rule,
that the principles of democracy must be transformed to traditions
of democracy in our country,” Oskanian said.

Fried referred to the compact as “a testament to Armenia’s progress
and its commitment to do more on good governance, economic freedom,
and investment in its people.”

Armenia, he said, “has the potential to be a leader in the region
by showing progress on democratic reforms to keep pace with its
economic expansion.”

AZERBAIJAN

Turning to Nagorno-Karabakh, Fried said finding a solution to
the conflict over the predominantly ethnic Armenian region within
Azerbaijan remains a “key focus” of U.S. foreign policy. He said
the United States was “disappointed” at the lack of progress when
the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan met at Rambouillet, France,
in February. But on recent meetings with Armenian President Robert
Kocharian and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, he believes “there
is a possibility for progress in 2006.” (See related article.)

Fried said the United States does not intend to impose a settlement
on either Armenia or Azerbaijan. “But it is our intention to support
a solution if both governments arrive at it,” he added.

When questioned, Fried declined to reveal details of any possible
settlement under discussion except to say that “the will of the people
of Nagorno-Karabakh has to be respected” and that “there are issues
of territorial integrity.”

A solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute, which dates to the last
years of the former Soviet Union, should result in an open border with
Turkey, Fried said. After his visit to Armenia, he went to Turkey,
he said, and pressed the Turkish government to open its border with
Armenia as soon as possible.

Turkey closed its land border with Armenia during the 1990-94 armed
conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh to show solidarity with Azerbaijan
and has not reopened it.

Fried also said the United States hopes to see the Caucasus region
integrate economically even before a solution to the dispute over
Nagorno-Karabakh. “It’s good not only for Armenia; it would be good
for Turkey and Azerbaijan as well,” he said.

SECURITY CONCERNS

Regarding U.S. security cooperation with Azerbaijan, Fried said U.S.

assistance was meant to help Azerbaijan handle such security threats
as Iran, not to be used against Armenia.

“Our assistance to Azerbaijan does not undermine our support for
Armenian security, and it is not designed and will not be used for
offensive purposes against Armenia,” he said.

Fried expressed concern about increased energy ties to Iran, saying
the United States is looking at ways in which it can support energy
security for all the countries of the south Caucasus.

He concluded by addressing the tragic events of 1915, when more than
1.5 million ethnic Armenians were killed while Armenia was still part
of the Ottoman Empire.

“The U.S. position on events of 1915 has not changed,” Fried said.

“We want to foster reconciliation and peace based on an understanding
of history, not a denial of it. We believe that the tragedy of 1915,
the killings, is of enormous human significance and its historical
assessment should be determined not on the basis of politics, but
introspection among civic leaders and scholars. This process has
begun in Turkey where it needs to take place.”

Turkey, Fried said, “will have to go through what many other countries
such as the United States have had to go through in our own history,
which is looking back at the darker spots in our past.”

A transcript of Fried’s speech is available on the State Department
Web site.

(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International
Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site:
)

ATOM EGOYAN’S ARARAT TO BE SCREENED IN TURKEY

Armenpress
Mar 30 2006

ANKARA, MARCH 30, ARMENPRESS: Turkish CanalTurk will screen a film
by Canadian Armenian director Atom Egoyan-Ararat- which is about the
1915 Armenian genocide. Before making this decision the company had
conducted a survey among 21,000 Turks. Some 18,000 said they would
like to see the film.

The Turkish daily Milliyet writes that a Turkish company that wanted
to screen the film in Turkey a couple of years ago had to revise its
decision after receiving threats from a youth extremist organization.

The CanalTurk, however, has cut off some scenes depicting massacres
of Armenians by Turkish soldiers.

UNIFICATION FOR ARMENIA PARTY TO RUN FOR PARLIAMENT IN 2007

Lragir.am
29 March 06

“We are taking a step at reviving political parties that are not
operating. We derived the name of the political party Unification for
Armenia,” thus Vahram Baghdasaryan, the secretary of the People’s
Deputy Group, explains his and his supporters’ decision to run for
parliament in 2007.

Vahram Baghdasaryan thinks that the number of political parties
should be reduced, especially that “the programs and bylaws of the
political parties of this country hardly differ from one another. Our
aim was not to join active political parties for we have not joined
any political party for so many years.”

Presently, Vahram Baghdasaryan and his supporters are engaged in
changing the bylaws and programs of the political party, meetings
in the regions. “There will be meetings in all the regions.” Vahram
Baghdasaryan, a native of the region of Lori, started his meetings in
this region. By March 29 he has already had 6 meetings. The political
party will publicly state its political line and announce the date
of their assembly as soon as the bureau of the political party is
ready. “It will be in late summer, in fall. One of our aims is to
run for parliament in 2007 as a political organization,” said Vahram
Baghdasaryan to our news reporter.

Vahram Baghdasaryan does not deny cooperation with other NGOs, as
well as the People’s Deputy Group in the future. “We are ready to
cooperate with any political force, an alliance is not excluded. Our
doors are open to everyone.”

UNESCO DIRECTOR GENERAL READY TO SEND EXPERTS TO REGION TO STUDY ISSUE OF ANNIHILATION OF ARMENIAN MONUMENTS OF OLD JUGHA

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Mar 28 2006

BRATISLAVA, MARCH 28, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Ara Abrahamian,
the Chairman of the World Armenia Congress, as an ambassador of
kind will, touches upon the problem of annihilation of the Armenian
monuments of Old Jugha by Azeris, at the official meeting with Koichiro
Matsuura, the UNESCO Director General. As Noyan Tapan was informed by
Ashot Grigorian, the Chairman of the All-Armenian Structures European
Representation, the RA Foreign Minister’s Advisor, Ara Abrahamian
seriously condemned the vandalism towards cultural monuments in
general and the act of annihilation of the Old Jugha khachkars
presenting a great value for the Christian culture particularly,
mentioning that has too serious political consequences as well and
more distabilize the political state of South Caucasus. Informing
that RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian also negotiated with him
on that issue, Koichiro Matsuura expressed readines to send a group
of experts to the region to estimate and condemn the study of the
problem and of what happened. Details on experts’ visit will be known
soon. Ara Abrahamian also invited Koichiro Matsuura to visit Armenia
personally to get acquainted with treasures of the Armenian culture
closely. Koichiro Matsuura assured that as soon as he gets an official
invitation, he will schedule his visit to Armenia with pleasure.

ARMENIA GETS US AID GRANT, PROMISES ELECTION REFORMS
By David Gollust

Voice of America
March 28 2006

State Department

Armenia has become the eighth country to receive a grant under the
Bush administration’s Millennium Challenge foreign aid program.

Accepting the $235-million grant at a State Department ceremony Monday,
Armenia’s foreign minister said his government will be responsive to
international criticism of its handling of a constitutional referendum
last November.

Condoleezza Rice with the Armenian delegation at the State Department
in Washington The Millennium Challenge program, a key initiative of
the Bush administration, makes aid money contingent on recipient
countries’ meeting commitments to democratization, open markets,
and fighting corruption.

In accepting the $235-million Millennium Challenge grant to fight
rural poverty in his country, Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian
pledged that his government will take action to address international
concerns about the constitutional vote.

The United States and European countries were among the critics of
the November 27 referendum on a package of constitutional amendments.

Armenian opposition parties challenged official results that said 65
per cent of eligible voters had turned out and approved the package
by a 93 percent margin. Council of Europe observers said the vote
had been marred by fraud and ballot-box stuffing.

The semi-private Millennium Challenge Corporation, which administers
the aid program, reiterated U.S. concern when it announced the
five-year grant in December.

At Monday’s ceremony attended by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice,
the Armenian foreign minister said corrective steps are already under
way to assure the fairness of legislative elections in May of 2007
and a presidential vote in 2008:

“Our task until then is to partner with the United States and European
governments to implement the necessary corrective steps to improve
the conditions necessary for an honest and fair expression of peoples’
voices,” said Vartan Oskanian. “In this regard, we welcome the American
proposal for certain structural reforms and education and public
outreach efforts. We have already begun the process of verifying
voter lists. We are making progress in reforming the electoral law
with the active participation and agreement of all political forces
in our parliament.”

For her part, Secretary Rice noted that Armenia had acknowledged the
“difficulties” of last year’s vote and promised corrective actions.

She said the United States stands ready to help insure that the
legislative and presidential elections are free and fair.

The Armenia program aims at helping the country’s rural poor by
building nearly 1,000 kilometers of roads in the countryside and
improving irrigation and water distribution systems.

Foreign Minister Oskanian said two-thirds of rural Armenians do not
have access to central water systems, and efforts to move crops to
market are hampered by a poor secondary road system.

Nonetheless, he said despite the unresolved conflict with neighboring
Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh and other problems, including a lack
of mineral wealth, the Armenian government’s liberal policies have
produced the highest economic growth rates in the region.

At the grant ceremony, attended by leaders of the Armenian-American
community, among others, he pledged that the process of democratic
and economic reform in his country is “irreversible.”

The grant to Armenia is the second-largest thus far under the
Millennium Challenge program. It brings the total amount of funds
committed to $1.5 billion to a total of eight countries, mainly in
Africa and Latin America.

Started in 2004, the program got off to a slow start as would-be
recipient-countries wrestled with complicated eligibility rules,
but it has gained momentum after a personnel shakeup last year.

The Bush administration had hoped to be able to dispense $5 billion
a year under the program but congressional funding has fallen well
short of that goal.

PROXIMITY IN POSITIONS OF AZERBAIJAN AND BELGIUM IS BASE FOR PRODUCTIVE DIALOGUE – ARIF MAMMADOV
Author: E.Huseynov

TREND Information, Azerbaijan
March 28 2006

Interview of Trend with Arif Mammadov, the Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Azerbaijan in the Benelux countries
and the European Union

Question: How do you estimate the current level and perspectives for
the development of relationships between Azerbaijan and Belgium?

Answer: The relationships between Azerbaijan and Belgium differ for
their friendly character, there are broad opportunities, particularly,
economic capacities for further development of bilateral relationships
and we try to utilize every opportunity for consolidation of the
relationships. The establishment of diplomatic bonds between the two
countries dates to 17 June 1992, while the diplomatic representation
of Azerbaijan in Belgium has been functioning since 1995.

Despite comparably short period of establishment of diplomatic
relationships, it was possible through joint efforts to familiarize an
ordinary citizen of Belgium with Azerbaijan, its ancient history, rich
culture, huge economic potential. Today one can listen to Azerbaijani
music on Belgium Radio in the performance of our [Azerbaijani]
composers, read familiarity articles about Azerbaijan in the magazines,
while some Azerbaijani musical instruments, including tar and saz,
are displayed in the Royal Museum of musical instruments, the biggest
in Europe. Moreover, a monument dedicated Dada Gorgud epos was erected
in the Center of Brussels.

The top-level political contacts are developed intensively. During
the last visit of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to Belgium
in May 2004 the two sides signed bilateral documents promoting the
development of economic relationships. The parliamentary bonds continue
successfully. Last year the chairman of the Chamber of Representatives
of Belgium paid an official visit to Baku.

This year the chairman of the Senate of Belgium is expected to pay
an official visit to Azerbaijan. Next year it is planned to open
an embassy of Belgium in Baku, which will undoubtedly intensify the
bilateral relationships. Our plans also include the establishment of
the Belgium-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce, which would play a major
coordinating role for Belgium entrepreneurs in the search of partners
in Azerbaijan. Active cooperation is carried out in the sphere of
military cooperation. There was reached an agreement on signing of
a Memorandum on mutual understanding in the military sphere and the
sides had exchange of texts of the draft Memorandums.

Proximity in the relationships between Azerbaijan and Belgium are real
base for broad and productive dialogue in all levels. It is necessary
to note that in connection with chairmanship at the OSCE this year,
Belgium’s interests in the resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani
conflict have increased. The Foreign Minister of Belgium paid one of
his first visits to Baku as an OSCE chair and mulled both multilateral
and bilateral issues.

Question: What efforts are taken in the issue of development of
interstate relationships with Luxemburg?

Answer: On 15 March 2005 I presented my credentials to Great Herzog.

Though Luxembourg is a small country, the amount of per capita
incomes is higher than the EU. The banking system is very much
developed in Luxembourg. With this consideration talks have been
held with the Agency for Transition of Financial Technologies, ATTF,
on rendering assistance to Azerbaijan in the training of banking
specialists. Under the project it is planned to organize short-term
and long-term courses for the improvement of the banking system both
in Baku and in Luxembourg.

The improvement of the legal agreement base of the relationships
continues. Draft text of an agreement on cooperation in the sphere of
culture, education and science has been submitted to the consideration
of Luxembourg. An agreement on avoiding dual taxation, which is
scheduled for signing in the near future, has been initialed. Close
contacts have been established with different state bodies of the
country. The cooperation within the framework of international
organizations, including UNESCO and ECOSOS, go on successfully.

Question: In what stage are the mutual relationships with the
Netherlands?

Answer: The Azerbaijani embassy received an accreditation in the
Kingdom of the Netherlands on 26 January 2005. Last year a number of
meetings were held at the Foreign Ministry of the Netherlands with
respect to discuss issues of development and strengthening of the
Azerbaijani-Dutch cooperation in different spheres both in bilateral
format and in the international organizations. Close relationships
have been set up with many state bodies and public organizations.

They conduct constant work with the governmental international
organizations in Hague, such as the International Tribunal, the
International criminal Court, and EuroPol. Work over the achievement
of an agreement with the Dutch organization on education, attraction
of Azerbaijani students to different universities of the Netherlands
is also being cared out.

Positive tendency in the relationships between Azerbaijan and
the Netherlands also reflects on the strengthening of economic
relationships. Increase which has been observed in the goods turnover
between the two countries over the past few years testifies for it.

Work over the development and improvement of the legal-agreement
base not only in the political and humanitarian, but also economic
sphere, is underway. The discussions on inclusion of Azerbaijan into
different economic, humanitarian programs, which are implemented by
the Netherlands, continue.

Question: In what stage is the issue on coordination and adoption of
an Action Plan under the European Neighborhood Plan?

Answer: The Action Plan is an important program instrument of
the European Neighborhood Policy. It is intended to reflect major
milestones of strategic cooperation between Azerbaijan and the EU.

Azerbaijan implemented substantial work with regard to hold talks
on the Action Plan with European partners. The official opening and
the first round of talks were held last December. The second round of
consultations was conducted in Brussels on 7 March 2006. Summarizing
the results of the talks I want to say that we succeeded to achieve
agreement on a number of questions. However, there are some items
still to be coordinated. So, there is necessity in one more meeting.

In general, I can’t say that the Action Plan should be ready by
autumn meeting of the EU-Azerbaijan Council of Cooperation, which
is expected to adopt this document. But for the time being both the
EU and Azerbaijan are carrying out painstaking work over the text of
the document to meet the deadline.

Question: What about the resolution of an issue on opening of the
European Commission’s diplomatic mission in Azerbaijan?

Answer: A resolution on the opening of a representation of the European
Commission in Baku has been already taken – it is to open and set up
activities in 2007. At present a special representative of the EC on
Azerbaijan, Alan Waddams, represents the organization.

>>From 2003 to February 2006 Heikki Talvitie, a Finnish diplomat,
had been the EU special envoy on South Caucasus. From February 2006 a
Swiss diplomat, Peter Semnebi, replaced him in this post. Along with
different tasks, he is also in charge of assisting the resolution of
existing conflicts in the region.

Question: What work is being carrier out for unifying the efforts of
the Azerbaijani Diaspora in the EU countries, including Belgium?

Answer: Several organizations representing the Azerbaijani Diaspora
function in Belgium, but, unfortunately, there is no unity among
them. The Diaspora mainly includes ethnic Azerbaijanis, citizens of
Turkey and Iran. There is also small Diaspora comprised of Azerbaijani
citizens.

Our embassy tries to unite common efforts in the name of Motherland.

At present the key task of the work with the Diaspora is assistance
in the establishment of a unified, strong, efficient body, which
could unify all Azerbaijanis. It is necessary to maintain or install
national originality, culture, language. We try to render comprehensive
assistance to our Diaspora in the organization of different culture
events, political actions. The embassy permanently carries out joint
meetings with the participation of representatives of Diaspora, marks
Novruz Bayram, the Independence Day of Azerbaijan, and Solidarity
of World Azerbaijanis. It all target unification of uncoordinated
organizations, representing the Azerbaijani community in order
to enable them to state Azerbaijan’s stance from the tribunes in
accessible for diplomats.

It is very important to establish and strengthen the youth, the student
organizations in Europe. They could be base for lobby activities in
the international organizations.

Work experience in Europe testifies that the practice of conduct
of pickets and demonstration by the Diaspora is less efficient. It
is necessary to carry out painstaking work on the level of student
organizations, as the results can be achieved only at the expense of
the high intellectual level.

Question: What are the perspectives for Euro-integration of
Azerbaijan? What is the most difficult in this process?

Answer: Perspectives for the development of relationships are of
course very good and the talks on Action Plan testify for it. The EU
is interested in the cooperation with Azerbaijan and considers it as a
country which plays important role in ensuring the energy security of
the EU. However, the Euro-integration requires tremendous efforts and
close interaction between different bodies of the EU and Azerbaijan
on the expert level.

Due to some problems, we could not achieve the adoption of European
standards, establishment of necessary legislative basis and sanitary.

With huge capacities of export of agriculture products and fish,
unfortunately, we are unable to realize it. Even import of Greece nuts
from Azerbaijan was ceased due to high-toxic substance – aflotoxine –
in connection with non-observation of technical norms while collection
and preservation of the product.

Frequently, people without knowledge of foreign languages come to
Europe for different important events, where no interpretation is
provided. As a result, there is no benefit of their participation
and additionally, it damages the country’s image.

Concerned on the above-mentioned it is necessary to carry out a set
of actions on the improvement of personnel working in the direction
of Euro-integration. It is also necessary to give incentives to the
attraction of highly educated specialists to the state service. The
state service should become more attractive than the work in the
foreign companies.

Press Release
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version:

THE PRIMATE OF LEBANON AND THE ARMENIAN
COMMUNITY AUTHORITIES VISIT ANTELIAS

A delegation of 50 representatives from all the bodies of the Diocese of
Lebanon headed by Primate Bishop Kegham Khatcherian visited His Holiness
Aram I on March 21.

The purpose of the visit was to thank His Holiness on behalf of the Armenian
community of Lebanon and to express its gratitude at the end of his second
term as moderator of the World Council of Churches (WCC), the first
extension ever in the history of WCC.

Bishop Khatcherian spoke about the course of His Holiness Aram I’s
ecumenical work during the last 30 years, first as Vartabed Aram, then as
Bishop and later as Catholicos Aram I. His Holiness’ constant efforts in
this field came first as a representative of the Armenian Church and then as
the moderator of this international organization.

The Primate pointed out that due to His Holiness’ dedication and important
contribution, the Armenian Church gained honor and the respect of the
various churches of the world. “His Holiness’ efforts and work concentrated
on simultaneously introducing our church, pursuing the Armenian Cause in
international circles and opening up our Church’s and nation’s values to
other churches and nations,” said Bishop Khatcherian.

His Holiness Aram I said that his life has one course and one purpose:
service. He said that both in the Armenian Church and WCC he has served holy
purposes, such as cooperation between churches.

His Holiness stated that he has done all he can during the last three
decades to introduce the Armenian Church’s and nation’s values to the
various churches of the world. He also assured that he will continue his
involvement in ecumenical work by various means and functions. He stressed
on the field of inter-religious cooperation taking into consideration the
current world’s concerns and challenges.

His Holiness also spoke about the Armenian community of Lebanon. He
expressed his happiness for the participation of the community, through its
three political parties, in the dialogue the aim of which is securing the
country’s unity.

The Pontiff emphasized the important role of the Armenian community in the
Diaspora. He said it was imperative to give a new drive to Armenians. His
Holiness expressed the support of the Catholicosate of Cilicia as well as
his personal support for the Armenian Community Authorities of Lebanon,
announcing that he will be taking important initiatives in this regard in
the next few months.

His Holiness then answered a number of questions related to ecumenical and
inter-religious issues as well as the political life in Lebanon.

##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the dioceses of
the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of the
Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.

ANCA SHARPLY CRITICIZED TURKEY’S LOBBYIST

PanARMENIAN.Net
27.03.2006 23:14 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey’s top Washington, DC lobbyist, former
Louisiana Congressman Bob Livingston, in perhaps his most strident
attack to date, has accused Armenian Americans of seeking to impose a
“tyranny of the minority” by urging the Congress to adopt human rights
legislation concerning the Armenian Genocide, according to documents
obtained this week by the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA).”It’s truly the height of hypocrisy for a paid foreign agent
for Turkey – a government that violates the rights of its citizens
on a wholesale basis – to try to diminish the role that American
citizens play in the formulation of our nation’s foreign policy,”
said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.

In letters sent to Congressional offices last September, prior
to the House International Relations Committee’s consideration of
Armenian Genocide legislation, Livingston, escalated his rhetoric to
unprecedented levels, arguing, in his capacity as a paid agent of a
foreign government, that he believed the measure “cater[s] to a small
minority of citizens promoting the narrow goals of the minority at
the expense of America’s broader interest.” He went on, in an example
of overstatement rare even by Washington, DC standards, to contend
that Armenian Genocide legislation “is the truest expression of the
tyranny of the minority.” The panel rejected Livingston’s attack,
voting 40 to 7 to approve the legislation.