Author: Maghakian Mike

Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
Email [email protected]
Internet

PRESS RELEASE
November 8, 2006
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

HASTERT’S FALL PAVES WAY FOR PELOSI SPEAKERSHIP

— ANCA Endorsed Candidates Win Big in Senate and House Elections

WASHINGTON, DC – The Democratic takeover of the House of
Representatives yesterday ended Speaker Hastert’s Congressional
reign, opening the door to the Speakership of Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-
CA), a twenty year supporter of Armenian American issues, including
Armenian Genocide recognition, reported the Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA).

Rep. Pelosi issued a statement last week pledging support for
Armenian Genocide legislation during the 110th Congress.

With the Senate majority too close to call, the victory of New
Jersey Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), returns him to the Senate,
where he has distinguished himself by blocking the appointment of
Armenian Genocide denier Richard Hoagland as U.S. Ambassador to
Armenia.

"We are tremendously proud of the vital and energetic role that
Armenian Americans played this election season – a watershed
transition of Congressional power that holds great meaning for our
community’s legislative agenda," said ANCA Executive Director Aram
Hamparian. "On the House side, we certainly welcome the fall from
power of Dennis Hastert – who, as Speaker, prevented a bipartisan
majority of his colleagues from voting for U.S. recognition of the
Armenian Genocide – and his expected replacement by Nancy Pelosi,
who has a strong record in support of Armenian American issues. On
the Senate side, even as we await the final outcome, we are very
gratified by the victory in New Jersey of Senator Bob Menendez –
our top electoral priority this election season. Inspired by his
principled stand against the Hoagland nomination, Armenian
Americans throughout the Garden State – led by the ANC of New
Jersey – truly came through for the Menendez campaign, delivering
volunteers, campaign contributions, and, most importantly, tens of
thousands of votes in support of his electoral victory," added
Hamparian.

ANCA endorsed candidates won overwhelmingly in the House, with 184
of 198 endorsed candidates securing decisive wins and three races
still too close to call. Of the 159 members of the Congressional
Armenian Caucus, 140 members won re-election, including
Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and
Joe Knollenberg (R-MI). Amongst those who lost their re-election
bid was Armenian American Congressman John Sweeney (R-NY), who,
with the support of ANC-NY, battled in one of the tightest races in
the country. Armenian American Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-CA) won
her reelection bid with 71% of the vote.

In the Senate, 13 of 15 ANCA endorsed candidates won their election
bids, with the Virginia Senate race featuring Sen. George Allen (R-
VA) and Democrat Jim Webb still too close to call. Winners
included Armenian Genocide Resolution lead sponsor John Ensign (R-
NV), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and House members Ben Cardin and
Sherrod Brown who won Senate seats in Maryland and Ohio,
respectively. Pennsylvania Senator, Rick Santorum (R-PA), lead
cosponsor of the Caucasus Railroad Bypass bill, lost his Senate
reelection bid to Democrat Ed Casey. Perennial opponent of Armenian
American concerns, West Virginia Senator Robert Byrd won his re-
election bid as well.

MORE MONEY RELEASED TO CULTURE

Panorama.am
17:08 07/11/06

Some 62.4 million drams more money will be released from the state
budget to culture in 2007 as compared to 2006 recording 12.4% rise and
totaling 9 billion 770 million drams, Pavel Safaryan, deputy minister
of finance and economy said. Similar to other sectors, rise in salary
is expected in 2007 making up 36.3 thousand drams in average salary
against 30 thousand this year.

Big sums will be allocated to 16 libraries and National Library
totaling 177 million drams. Money will also be released to Garni,
Zvartnots museums which will have night illumination. Some 945 million
drams will be allocated to reconstruction and another 715 million to
recovery of cultural monuments.

ONE OF LEADERS OF "ONE JAVAKHK" VAHAGN CHAKHALYAN DISPROVES ALL ACCUSATIONS AGAINST HIM

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Nov 6 2006

YEREVAN. November 6. /ARKA/. "All the accusations against me do
not correspond to the reality," one of the leaders of "One Javakhk"
democratic alliance Vahagn Chakhalyan reported at a press conference
Thursday. "The accusations against me are false," he said.

Chakhalyan pointed out that he has not violated the current Armenian
legislation. However, he has a hard time explaining what induced the
country’s authorities to take him into custody.

Chakhalyan was released from custody on October 31, 2006. Previously,
on October 2006, three Armenian MPs Tatul Manaseryan, Grigor Harutunyan
and Hmayak Hovhannisyan submitted a petition to the court of appeal
for criminal cases for changing the measures against Chakhalyan. They
vouched for Chakhalyan that he will not hide himself from investigating
agencies and impede the prejudicial proceeding.

On October 13, the investigating agency of Armenia brought an
accusation against Vahagn Chakhalyan for crossing the frontier of the
Republic of Armenia without proper documents and permission.

ARMENIAN DM SAYS DEFENSE BUDGET ENOUGH TO ENSURE HIGH COMBAT READINESS

Armenpress
Nov 06 2006

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 6, ARMENPRESS: Armenian defense minister Serzh
Sarkisian said today the amount of defense spending envisaged by next
year’s government budget is quite sufficient to keep an effective army.

Speaking to journalists after parliament hearings on 2007 budget the
minister said Armenia’s military budget for next year will soar by
35 percent. He said from now on Armenia’s military budget will make
3.65 percent of the country’s GDP. "Therefore the stronger Armenian
economy is the bigger the defense spending will be,’ he said.

The minister said nearly half of this budget will be used to pay army
officers. Next year the average wage of a military officer will grow
to 165,000 drams (approximately $450). The minister commented also
on Azerbaijan’s plans to increase its military spending for next year
up to $1 billion, saying a wise and thrifty use of the budget is more
important than its volume.

The draft 2007 budget calls for 100.4 billion drams (about $300
million) in military spending.

Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:

MEDIA ADVISORY
October 31, 2006
CONTACT: Karoon Panosyan
E-mail: [email protected]

RE: Journey for Humanity Activists to End March in Washington, DC

Washington, DC – A group of Armenian-American activists who are walking
3,000 miles cross-country to raise awareness of the Armenian Genocide
and other crimes against humanity, will conclude their march this week
in Washington, DC.

The Journey for Humanity walk began four months ago in Los Angeles, CA
with the support of the Armenian Assembly of America. Since then, the
marchers have crossed a dozen states and held rallies in several major
cities to promote the mission of the Journey, honor the victims and
survivors of all genocidal acts and advance the cause of genocide
prevention.

In Washington, the Armenian Student Network of George Washington
University and others will host a discussion on genocide in today’s
world featuring the Journey for Humanity team and Sam Bell and Mark
Hanis of the Genocide Intervention Network. The event will be held on
Sunday, November 5 at 3:00 pm at the Marvin Center, Continental Ballroom
at George Washington University. Representatives the Save Darfur
coalition, the American Islamic Congress, Citizens for Global Solutions
and the Genocide Intervention Network will also be on hand. All are
welcome. For more information, please contact Karinne’ Hovnanian at
[email protected].

To learn more about Journey for Humanity, visit their Web site at

The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based
nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of
Armenian issues. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.

###

NR#2006-095

SUPPORT FOR EU SHRINKS, REACTION GROWS

Zaman, Turkey
Oct 31 2006

Remarks made by EU authorities on delicate issues such Cyprus and
Turkey’s human rights record have negatively affected Turkish public
opinion regarding accession to the European Union.

Drawing attention to this negative impact, Chairman of the Turkish
Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) Rifat Hisarciklioglu
noted that polls indicated public support for EU membership has faded
significantly, dropping dramatically to below 50 percent.

However, he also asserted that this sharp decline in support for the
EU in Turkey should not bother the union.

Hisarciklioglu recalled that the EU’s consistent double standards have
created this situation and said: "We occasionally hear comments from
EU officials referring to Turkey’s unwillingness and unassertiveness
in introducing further reforms. However, it should be noted that the
EU has been suffering from a reluctance to fulfill its obligations
and commitments on lifting the isolation of Turkish Cyprus, as well
as their double standards in relation to freedom of expression,
terrorism and the groundless genocide allegations."

TOBB held a meeting entitled "The European Union Accession Process,
Chambers of Commerce and Industry: Case Studies-Projects" at the TOBB
Economy and Technology University.

In the opening speech, Hisarciklioglu assessed the progress report the
EU Commission will release next week. Voicing Turkey’s expectation
that the report would be based on solid and technical evaluations,
Hisarciklioglu further stated: "The progress report will give a new
direction to the accession negotiations. I hope the evaluations and
the comments in the report will help us eliminate our shortcomings
and encourage our technical work."

The EU Commission will assess Turkey’s performance with regard
to membership negotiations held this year. The Cyprus issue and
the opening of ports to Greek Cypriots have reportedly deadlocked
negotiations between the parties.

However, according to Turkey’s State Minister and Chief Negotiator
Ali Babacan, Turkey’s troubles with the EU stem from the individual
stances of certain EU member states, not from its relations with the
EU Commission.

Babacan said: "We have confidence in ourselves. There is no problem
in Ankara or Brussels. The problem is in the European capitals. Some
countries are just not ready for Turkey’s membership in the EU;
they have their own unique internal problems."

He noted that the negotiations would have been completed in 3-4
years if it were a technical process only and added that political
developments would determine the pace of the process and without
public support, the process could not be concluded successfully.

‘Historical compromise only possible with debate’

Stressing that certain developments within the EU have negatively
affected Turkish public opinion, Babacan cited as an example the
adoption of the draft bill by the French parliament that would make
denial of an Armenian genocide a criminal offense.

French businessmen also reacted to the bill that was passed on the
eve of elections in the country. Pierre Simon, Chair of the Paris
Chamber of Commerce, and president of Eurochambres, an umbrella
organization for European chambers of commerce, noted that a compromise
on historical issues should be sought through discussion and debate
rather than legal means.

According to Simon, who criticized the draft bill, situations like
this show how important businessmen are in the conduct of bilateral
relations between countries.

Simon said, "I believe that compromise on historical issues can only be
achieved through open and democratic debates, and not through enacting
laws," and also called on the business world to guide politicians
down the right path.

He further said: "Trade means peace. As businessmen from the two
countries, we should continue our efforts to enhance economic
relations."

Simon also added that the importance of dialogue, trust and cooperation
became clearer in periods marked by political discussions and
controversies.

TURKEY AND AZERBAIJAN UNVEIL MISLEADING INFORMATION

Panorama.am
15:08 30/10/06

Gagik Yeganyan, head of migration and refugees department of Armenia,
said Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan and Foreign Minister Abdullah
Giul have again told a lie. The minister reportedly announced a year
ago that there are 40,000 Armenians in Turkey.

Concurrently, Turkey said she will deport 70,000 Armenians, illegally
working in Turkey, in case France adopts a law punishing denial of
the Armenian genocide.

Yeganyan made a little survey to correct the number of Armenians
working in Turkey. In his words, if Giul’s words were correct that
40,000 could not be added by another 30,000 in one year.

Yeganyan beleives there are not more than 10,000 citizens in Armenia
working in Turkey which is far from Erdogan’s stated 70,000.

Similarly, Azerbaijan earlier reported they have 600,000 refugees
and this number gradually reached 1 million.

AZG Armenian Daily #205, 27/10/2006

Home

VARTAN OSKANIAN UNAWARE OF AIM OF FUSS ABOUT
DEMARCATION OF ARMENIAN-GEORGIAN BORDER

RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian said Wednesday at
the Armenian Parliament that he isn’t aware of the
fuss about the demarcation of the Armenian-Georgian
border.

He stated that the map of the Armenian-Georgian border
published in 1939 is taken as a ground. He said there
are some areas where either the Armenian or the
Georgian parties "have crossed" the borders and the
delimitation is necessary to avoid territorial losses.
The negotiating sides have quite a positive view of
the process despite the current difficulties. The
ultimate statement rests upon the Parliament here. Mr.
Oskanian said that anything that may infringe the
national interests of Armenia in this process is
excluded. He added that the sides had agreed
everything at the negotiations.

As for the Armenian citizens who have been persecuted
by the Georgian authorities for crossing the
Georgian-Abkhazian border, the minister said this
problem is being gradually settled. A month ago, the
number of arrested RA citizens amounted to 30 people,
now it has reduced to 3. Negotiations are still under
way and these 3 persons will also be soon released, he
said. He believes the problem is that Georgia resolved
to apply a law that has not been applied for a long
time. Hence, these arrested RA citizens were likely to
have no idea of this law on the Abkhazian border.

By Marietta Khachatrian

DECISION WOULD AFFECT CULTURAL DIALOGUE, PROF. DUMONT

Turkish Press
Oct 25 2006

ANKARA – "The bill adopted by the French National Assembly is a barrier
against freedom. It seems impossible for the cultural dialogue not
to get affected by this," Turkish History Professor Paul Dumont said
on Thursday.

Attending a conference organized by Hacettepe University in Ankara,
Professor Dumont answered the questions of the A.A reporter on French
National Assembly’s today’s decision.

Dumont reminded that he teaches Ottoman and Turkish history classes
at Strasbourg University and he also instructs Armenia-Turkey
relations. He said that the decision of the Assembly would affect
the freedom of speech.

"It is so bizarre in a free country like France that the scientists
cannot study on some issues and can get pecuniary penalty or jail
sentence if they talk on these issues," he said.

Prof. Dumont noted that the decision would be a barrier for the ones
who defend Turkey and would affect the cultural dialogue.

-FRANCE MADE A BIG MISTAKE, PROF. HALMAN-

Meanwhile, Dean of Humanities and Letters Faculty of Bilkent University
Prof. Dr. Talat Halman who attended the conference also answered the
questions of A.A on French National Assembly’s decision.

Halman said that France made a big mistake and Turkey has a justifiable
disappointment. "Turks always respected and admired French. French
culture affected our culture a lot. From now on probably there would
be a big resistance. This won’t be only an economic resistance. France
will face difficulties in terms of political agreements. We won’t
support them easily from now on. But the worst thing is that our
perfect cultural relations were damaged.

They wounded us, we did not deserve this. This is an injustice. I
hope France would correct this mistake somehow."

RUSSIA’S FUTURE DEPENDS ON STREAMLINED IMMIGRATION

RIA Novosti, Russia
Oct 24 2006

MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti political commentator Yury Filippov).The lower
house of Russia’s parliament has adopted harsh amendments to the
immigration legislation in a majority vote.

The ruling is expected to be approved in the upper house and by the
president, and to come into force by the end of this year.

Foreigners and stateless persons who violate the rules of entry into
Russia, the registration and immigration regime will be fined $200,
and may be also ordered to leave the country.

Western tourists who come to Russia for a couple of weeks to do some
sightseeing and book their trips through reputable travel agencies
have nothing to fear. The law is aimed primarily at curbing the
uncontrolled illegal immigration from the former Soviet republics in
the South Caucasus and Central Asia.

Russia, as the main legal successor of the Soviet Union, has inherited
from it the informal status of the "common home" for its former
citizens. Ethnic purges in neighboring republics, some of them soft
and other quite ruthless (as the anti-Armenian movement in Baku,
the capital of Azerbaijan, in 1990), forced millions of non-titular
people to leave their homes. Russia welcomed everyone who wanted to
live, work and do business on its territory.

It was a deliberate policy designed to turn Russia into the pivotal
point for post-Soviet republics. Judging by the number of immigrants,
which is estimated at 8-12 million, it has succeeded.

However, that policy was not fully consistent, and its drawbacks
have recently become apparent. The Kremlin willingly helped its
neighbors cope with unemployment and raise living standards with the
incomes their immigrants earned in Russia, without any reciprocal
requirements. The liberal immigration legislation, and its even more
liberal implementation, did not help Russia to become a political
center or at least a country whose opinion is respected without fail,
the way the Untied States is for its North American neighbors.

The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), which incorporated
nearly all post-Soviet countries, is a feeble organization, a kind
of "presidents’ club" whose meetings are increasingly neglected by
club members.

Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova are working hard to create a political
alternative to the CIS. Ukraine is hindering economic integration on
the basis of a customs union, and Azerbaijan and Georgia did their
best to promote the Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline via Georgia, although
its economic expediency is questionable and Russia had proposed its
territory for oil transit.

Russian-Georgian relations seem to be breathing their last, with
arguments ranging from NATO and the European Union to Georgia’s
conflicts with the former Soviet autonomous republics of Abkhazia
and South Ossetia, and the low quality of Georgian wines exported to
Russia. Taken together, this shows that truly neighborly relations and
a border open to uncontrollable immigration are two different things.

It has been believed until recently that Russia had political
and economic reasons for keeping its southern and eastern borders
open. A demographic crisis is reducing the Russian population by
about 700,000 annually, and the Kremlin firmly believes that it needs
labor immigrants to accelerate economic growth. President Vladimir
Putin spoke about this in this year’s state of the nation address
to parliament.

But the absence of immigration control is a drawback, not an
advantage. Immigrants are flocking to big and rapidly developing
cities, where they mostly trade (and also work in construction,
transport and utilities), avoiding the provinces, which direly need
them to overcome the consequences of an economic depression.

Unregistered immigrants do not pay taxes, and the employers’ desire
to use cheap labor bypassing the law creates fertile ground for
corruption.

Russia does not intend to erect a new Iron Curtain, but it must
streamline its immigration legislation to prevent chaos and
uncontrollable developments. The time is ripe for this, as proved
by the fact that Putin has addressed the issue. At a recent meeting
with the government, he asked for detailed reports from the ministers
of the economy, labor, the interior and agriculture. The problem
is hugely complicated and needs a comprehensive solution using all
available possibilities of the state.

This may take several years, but the objective is worth the hard
work. Fifteen years after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Russia
is still trying to draft the optimal principles of relations with its
sovereign neighbors, from which the majority of immigrants come. It
is still trying to form a comprehensive strategy for its economic
development, with due regard for the resources it may receive from
the former Soviet countries.

Russia must advance firmly along this path to resolve its problems
without keeping borders wide open.