Author: Khoyetsian Rose

CONFRONT THE FACTS OF A LONG-AGO MASSACRE

Edmonton Journal (Alberta)
May 14, 2006 Sunday
Final Edition

Whether or not Prime Minister Stephen Harper was diplomatically wise
to acknowledge the 1915 mass killing of Armenians as a genocide may
be debatable. The fact that the annihilation of as many as 600,000
Armenians took place, and that it was the result of deliberate
decisions of the Ottoman Empire during the First World War, is not.

Harper cannot be faulted for wishing to put an end to the international
pretence that the word “genocide” does not apply, and that the Turkish
government of the time was not morally responsible.

What this 90-year-old horror has to do with modern Turks, and modern
Turkey, is not clear — in the same way that it is not clear why modern
residents of Balkan states take personally what their ancestors are
accused of doing from time to time.

But if we are to learn from history, we must make sure we remember
it — all of it — accurately, whether we like what it says about
our forebears or not.

The facts of the Armenian tragedy are rooted in war. Reacting to
evidence that Russia was recruiting Armenian subjects of the Ottoman
Empire to fight against it, an estimated 1.7 million Armenians were
sent into internal exile, and historians say at least a third died
of starvation in the desert or were killed by Turkish troops.

Yes, the Canadian government should do its best to get along with the
countries of the world, and to respect their various sensitivities,
just as we expect them to treat us in return. But that shouldn’t mean
having to accept as truth something that isn’t.

CONVERSE BANK PLANS TO MAKE PROFIT OF 2 BLN DRAMS THIS YEAR

YEREVAN, MAY 12, NOYAN TAPAN. This year Converse Bank plans to make a
profit of about 2 bln drams (about 4.5 mln USD). Director General of
the Converse Bank Artak Hanesian said during the May 12 press
conference that it is expected that the bank’s assets will increase by
15%, its overall capital – by 25.2%, and credit portfolio – by 7.8% by
late 2006. The mortgage credits are envisaged to increase almost
2.6fold. According to A. Hanesian, it is quite possible that the
annual interest rates of deposits with the bank (currently making
4-7%) will soon rise by one percentage point. He said that 2006 was
declared Year of Customer by the Converse Bank. In this connection the
bank will develop the institution of individual servicing, join the
Europay international payment and settlement system and start
servicing Visa cards by its cash dispensers. Besides, the bank will
open 5 new branches this year, including 3 ones in Yerevan. It was
noted that in 2006, the bank envisages to introduce quality-management
ISO 9001:2000 and financial monitoring systems in line with
international standards.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Pact of Stability in South Caucasus Discussed in
Brussels

12.05.2006 14:11 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The discussions of the Pact of
Stability in the South Caucasus started in Brussels
May 12. Romanian parliamentarian Adrian Severin will
give a report and present the principal approaches of
security providing. Upon completion of the discussions
a report will be elaborated. The discussions have been
arranged by the PACE Political Committee.
Representatives of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, EU
and G8 take part in them, reported Prime News.

ARMENIAN SPEAKER READY TO SEND IN HIS RESIGNATION?

Regnum, Russia
May 11 2006

“It will be correct, if Artur Bagdassaryan (Speaker of the Armenian
Parliament, leader of the Orinats Yerkir Party – REGNUM) resigns,
and the party leaves the coalition,” Secretary of the Orinats Yerkir
faction Egine Bisharyan has told the press on Thursday.

According to her, members of the party and Bagdassaryan agree to this
position. At the same time, she noted that the party was prepared for
action, and no matter, whether the political force is represented
in the parliament by 13, 7 or 3 MPs, it will act in an efficient
and coordinated way. According to Bisharyan, leaving the party by
MPs-businessmen was a political action taken “from above.”

It is worth mentioning that for the recent five days five
MPs-businessmen left the Orinats Yerkir faction.

Today, Azerbaijan
May 9 2006

Elmar Mammadyarov: “Co-chairmen have new ideas about the NK conflict
settlement”

09 May 2006 [20:05] – Today.Az

“Date of Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents is not known yet,” Elmar
Mammadyarov, Foreign Affairs Minister, told in his speech to the
media.

According to APA, Minister also stated that OSCE Minsk Group
Co-Chairmen have new ideas on settlement of Nagorno Karabakh
conflict. Mr. Mammadyarov said that both ministers of foreign affairs
will meet with co-chairmen in the framework of the Council of Europe
Political Committee session on May, 18-19 upon their consent.

“It will be known whether there is a need for the meeting of
presidents after discussions. Yet the agenda of the meeting is not
known. It is still early to hope about the next meeting of the
presidents. What we need to do is to continue talks.”

Saying that talks are going on based on Prague Process, the Minister
said that though there are some attractive items some of them are
unacceptable: “It is still early to give details.”

URL:

Noam Chomsky visits Lebanon

Sources: Ya Libnan, Naharnet, Znet
Tuesday, 9 May, 2006 @ 6:25 PM

Beirut, Lebanon – Noam Chomsky, one of world’s most important
intellectuals, is currently visiting Lebanon.

Chomsky is an internationally esteemed academic, scholar and activist
with a unique passion for the Middle East. His illustrious
bibliography contains volumes on the very subject. The legendary
Chomsky has been one of the harshest critics of United States foreign
policy, and his latest book Failed States is no exception.

Excited about his first trip to Lebanon, Noam Chomsky is looking to
learn as much about the country as possible by “riding around in taxi
cabs” to get a different view from the one that “President George Bush
has from Texas.”

Born in Philadelphia in 1928, Chomsky spent his undergraduate and
graduate years at the University of Pennsylvania, where he received a
PhD in Linguistics in 1955. He was a Junior Fellow of the Harvard
University Society of Fellows and joined the staff of MIT (the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology) in 1955; in 1961 he was
appointed Full Professor in the Department of Modern Languages and
Linguistics, where he has worked ever since. In a recent interview by
Lebanese-Armenian Khatchig Mouradian, Chomsky discussed Lebanese
political affairs. Following is an excerpt from the interview:

Khatchig Mouradian – In an article entitled “Domestic Constituencies,”
you say: “It is always enlightening to seek out what is omitted in
propaganda campaigns.” Can you expand on what is omitted in the US
propaganda campaign on Lebanon and Syria after the assassination of
former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri in February 2005?

Noam Chomsky – The only thing being discussed is that there was an
assassination and Syria was involved in it. How come Syria is in
Lebanon in the first place? Why did the US welcome Syria in Lebanon in
1976? Why did George Bush I support Syrian presence and domination and
influence in Lebanon in 1991 as part of his campaign against Iraq? Why
did the US support the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982? Why did
the US support Israel’s 22 year occupation of parts of Lebanon, an
occupation in violation of Security Council resolutions? All these
topics, and many others, are missing from the discussion.

In fact, the general principle is that anything that places US actions
in a questionable light is omitted, with very rare exceptions. So if
you blame something on an enemy, then you can discuss it, and Syria,
right now is the official enemy. That doesn’t necessarily mean that
the charges against Syria are wrong. It just means that everything
else is omitted.

SYSTEM OF A DOWN PRESS FOR ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RECOGNITION DURING
THREE-DAY WASHINGTON, DC ADVOCACY TOUR

WASHINGTON, MAY 8, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Serj Tankian and
John Dolmayan of the Grammy Award-winning band System of a Down raised
awareness, garnered national press attention on the Armenian Genocide
and pressed legislators for action on legislation condemning this
crime during their three-day advocacy tour of the nation’s capital,
reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). Among the
highlights of the visit were the following: – An unscheduled meeting
with Speaker Dennis Hastert, during which Serj reminded the Speaker
about the band’s past attempts to arrange a meeting to discuss the
Armenian Genocide, briefed him about their ongoing positive meetings
with legislators, and pointed out that the fate of Armenian Genocide
legislation rested in the Speaker’s hands. The Speaker noted that he
hadn’t looked at the band’s letter yet, but promised to read it. – A
series of strategy meetings with legislators on both the House and
Senate sides of the Capitol. Among those they met with concerning the
adoption of Armenian Genocide legislation were Chief Deputy Whip Eric
Cantor (R-VA), Senator Wayne Allard (R-CO); Congressmen George
Radanovich (R-CA) and Adam Schiff (D-CA), the lead authors of Armenian
Genocide legislation before the U.S. House; Congressman Frank Pallone
(D-NJ), the Co-Chairman of the Congressional Armenian Caucus, and;
Representatives Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI) and Devin Nunes (R-CA). – The
opportunity to meet dozens of legislators, including House Rules
Committee Chairman David Dreier (R-CA), at the ANCA’s annual Armenian
Genocide observance on Capitol Hill on April 26th. This remembrance,
which drew 40 Senators and Representatives, featured the presentation
of the ANCA’s ‘Voice of Justice’ Award to System of a Down. The band
members were joined at this event by David Alpay, the star of Atom
Egoyan’s groundbreaking film on the Armenian Genocide, “Ararat.” – The
first-ever screening, on April 25th, of excerpts from “Screamers,” a
powerful and innovative new film by Carla Garapedian about the band’s
efforts to secure justice for the Armenian Genocide. The film, which
was enthusiastically received by the Capitol Hill audience, was
followed by an extensive question and answer session. – A series of
media interviews, including an April 25th hour-long on-air discussion
about the Armenian Genocide on DC-101’s “Elliot in the Morning” show,
Washington, DC’s leading morning radio program. – Stories about their
advocacy tour appeared in influential publications across Capitol Hill
and around the country, including the Los Angeles Times and the
Gannett News Service. Congressional Quarterly, the highly regarded
weekly publication, ran a story quoting Serj Tankian stressing that,
“for the government to still deny this historical truth is an absolute
travesty.” The Hill, an influential Congressional publication, quoted
John Dolmayan as saying that he would continue his work until Congress
recognizes the genocide: “Even a blade of grass can break through
concrete, and I’d rather be the grass than the concrete.” – Serj and
John both took part in an April 24th anti-denial rally outside the
Turkish Embassy organized by the ANCA and Armenian Youth Federation.
Prominent among the more than 1,000 participants in the rally was
Alecko Eskandarian, star forward of the DC United soccer team.

Ukraine Interested in Building Iran-Armenia Gas Pipeline

EASTBUSINESS.ORG
May 5, 2006 Friday 8:51 AM (Central European Time)

Ukraine is interested in participation in construction of the
Iran-Armenia gas pipeline, Ukrainian Ambassador to Armenia Alexander
Bozhko told a news conference. According to him, it is important for
Ukraine to have alternative sources of electric power; that is why
Ukraine s interest in the project was shown from the start.

However, for implementing its plans in this sphere Ukraine needs
billions: without financing by European banks participation of our
country in construction of the pipeline is impossible, stressed
the diplomat.

Talking on the issue of gas tariffs, Bozhko noted that the gas issue
is of serious concern both in Armenia and Ukraine. However, I cannot
understand the logic of determining tariffs for Ukraine and Moldova,
which is much farther from Russia than our country is, noted Bozhko.
According to him, decision of the Armenian government on transferring
the fifth energy unit of the Hrazdan TPP was a forced measure, and
the government should be held accountable for it, reports Panorama.am.

DO THEY WANT TO HIDE REASONS FOR A-320 CRASH

Panorama.am
14:43 06/05/06

Renown pilot, the former head of the Armenian Civil Aviation Dmitry
Adbashyan is sure that “black box” recorders will be taken out of the
sea today because many parties are interested in that, particularly
the French Airbus is willing to prove that A-320 is not to be blamed
in the accident. Adbashyan says this uncertain situation is in the
interest of Georgians who try to politicize the issue.

The former head thinks those who say that black boxes may be damaged
in the sea only try to close the case.

“The recorders are made of very firm metal. They record all the
information in the airplane. They also provide data on the speed level,
height, etc. They are not damaged even under 1100 Celsius heat and
can stay under water for one month,” he said.

A320 BROKE TO PIECES

Lragir.am
5 May 06

On Friday the first funerals of the victims of A320 took place in
Yerevan and Sochi. On May 5 200 relatives of victims went to the sea
and laid 113 wreaths in the place where the plane had plunged into
the sea. By May 5 53 bodies of 113 passengers of the plane have been
found, only 41 have been identified. There are bodies that cannot
be identified. The parts of bodies will be taken to Rostov for a
histological study. The operational headquarter says it is possible
that the Armenian plane broke to small pieces, because so far the
rescuers have found small parts only. Another fact, supporting this
assumption is that the rescuers have found a lot of seats. “These are
in the fuselage of the plane, and if it remained whole, the seats would
not get dispersed,” said an officer of the operational headquarters
to the reporter of RIA Novosti. This anonymous officer also reported
that numerous small parts of the plane were found near the place where
the black boxes are supposed to lie at a depth of 680 meters. So far,
only 10 percent of the plane has been taken out of water. The search
for the bodies of victims is continuing. The rescuers are working
close to the coast, for the waves may carry the bodies close to the
coast. Parts of bodies and the plane were found 250 meters from the
coast. Although the French and Russian experts promised to go all the
way to find the bodies of victims, they say the bodies decay more
quickly at great depths and in a carbohydrate environment, and day
by day it is becoming impossible to find and identify the bodies.