Author: Maghakian Mike

Zaman, Turkey
March 13 2005
Armenian Claims are not EU Criteria
By Salih Boztas
Published: Sunday 13, 2005
zaman.com
Claims about the so-called Armenian genocide on the agenda in France
have raised questions about how it will affect Turkey’s European
Union (EU) ambitions. European Union Commission Turkey Representative
Hansjorg Kretschmer thinks that the Armenian issue will not become a
political criterion before Turkey. Giving a brief statement about the
political criteria, Kretschmer said, “With the December 17 decision,
it was accepted that Ankara had ‘sufficiently’ fulfilled the
political criteria. Of course, it cannot be said they were totally
fulfilled. Government officials also think in this way.”
Priorities according to Kretschmer: Some advice was given to the
goverment about 103 legal issues. Judicial reform should be made to
ensure harmony with the EU. Religious freedom of non-Muslim
minorities should be provided. The laws for foundations should be
reviewed. Women’s rights should be made a priority. Defects in the
implementation of freedom of expression and the Law of Association
should be immediately eliminated.

Armenian “genocide” in The Washington Post
Published: 3/8/2005
BY YILMAZ OZTUNA
Turkish Press
8 Mar 2005
TURKIYE – The Washington Post is one of the world’s best-known
newspapers. It became particularly famous back in 1974, when it
forced President Richard Nixon to resign. Nixon’s crime was that he
had secretly taped conversations and denied knowledge of a matter
which he actually knew full well about. Actually such things are
considered common functions of the government in most countries.
Sunday’s Washington Post published a list of ‘mass murder of
civilians in acts of genocide.’ Near the top of this list was
the Holocaust. However, the article’s assertion that 1.5 million
Armenians were killed during the Ottoman reign is a political lie.
It’s an example of hostility against Turks, and it’s purposeful.
In 1915, the total number of Armenians living under Ottoman rule was
1 million. During that time, Armenians living in Istanbul and western
Anatolia were barely touched. Those living in the east, southeast and
central parts of Anatolia were exiled to other regions of the empire
such as Lebanon, Syria and Iraq. During their departure, Kurdish
tribes, who had suffered great losses because of them, constantly
attacked the Armenians. The number of Turkish soldiers assigned to
guard the Armenians on their way was inadequate. Therefore, they could
not prevent Kurdish assaults on the Armenians. Some 10,000-15,000
Armenians died during those attacks. No more than that. However,
the death toll reached 200,000 with losses due to epidemics and
poor conditions. The rest of the Armenians settled in Arab lands.
After World War I, they emigrated to France, America and the rest
of the world. If all of them had been killed, there wouldn’t be any
Armenians in these countries now.
Turkey has never had a governmental policy of ridding itself of any
religion, sect, race or group. But our country treats people who
challenge the state, assault its security forces and kill innocent
citizens the same as any civilized country. True, 200,000 Armenians
died during the exile. But the number of Turks, Circassians and
especially Kurds that lost their lives was even greater. You don’t
come across events in our history similar to what the US did to its
Japanese citizens during World War II, how Eisenhower treated the
surrendering German Army, or what France did in Algeria.
Looking over the last 90 years, the West has a great deal more
slaughter, brutality and destruction to be ashamed of. If only we
could prevent such tragedies from happening again~E
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

WORKERS OF YEREVAN FAIRS DEMAND CHANGING TAX LEGISLATION
YEREVAN, MARCH 10. ARMINFO. Some 250 workers of Yerevan fairs are
rallying near the government building today to demand changing
Armenia’s tax legislation.
Particularly the ralliers are protesting against the laws on cash
registers and simplified tax. They have not decided yet if they will
send a delegation to the government.
The ralliers say that they pay 1,500-3,000 AMD a day or 300-1,500
USD a month to their fair directors.
They say that they were instructed to come to the government building
by some man who has not appeared himself though.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CONGRESSIONAL CAUCUS ON ARMENIAN ISSUES CALLED US PRESIDENT ACKNOWLEDGE THE
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN HIS REMEMBRANCE REMARKS ON APRIL 24
07.03.2005 06:45
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian Assembly of America commended
Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues Co-Chairs Joe Knollenberg and
Frank Pallone today for launching a letter-writing campaign to ask
President Bush to appropriately acknowledge the Armenian Genocide in
his remembrance remarks next month, the Armenian Assembly of America
reports. â~@~We are writing to urge you to join us in reaffirming the
United States record on the Armenian Genocide in your upcoming April
24th commemorative statement. By properly recognizing the terrible
atrocities committed against the Armenian people as “genocide” in your
statement, you will honor the many Americans who helped launch the
unprecedented U.S. diplomatic, political and humanitarian campaign
to end the carnage and protect the survivors. The United States must
never allow crimes against humanity to pass without remembrance and
condemnation. By commemorating the Armenian Genocide, we renew our
commitment to prevent future atrocities, and therefore negate the
dictum that history is condemned to repeat itselfâ~@~], the message
says.
–Boundary_(ID_EQW1vg70fsM5StNHG/3KlQ)–

TURKEY VENTS ITS POLITICAL AMBITIONS AGAINST ARMENIANS AND KURDS ON
NAMES OF ANIMALS
YEREVAN, MARCH 7. ARMINFO. “Corrections” of the Latin names of wild
animals by Turkish authorities are nothing but political games,
Armenian Nature Protection Minister Vardan Ayvazyan informs ARMINFO
commenting on the instruction of the Turkish Ministry for Environment
and Forest Economy Protection on liquidation of adjectives from the
names of a number animals bearing any relations to Kurdistan and
Armenia.
In particular, Turkish Mass Media reports that in conformity with
instructions of the Turkish authorities, the red fox more known as
“Kurdistani fox” will be called just red fox, moufflon. Besides,
“wild Armenian sheep” has been renamed into “wild sheep of Anatolia.”
The Armenian roe deer will be called just roe deer from now and on.
According to Turkish Mass Media, Head of the Department for
Protection of Nature and National Parks of Turkey Professor Kemal
Yalinkilich stated that the scientific names of these wild animals
were changed “within the interests of the country”. “At present some
strange games are wages with respect to our country. A number of
persons use the names of representatives of our fauna in order to
emphasize that Kurds and Armenians lived here. Changing the names of
these animals, we have put an end to these games,” the professor
said.
Commenting on this statement, Vardan Ayvazyan pointed out that the
political problems were not solved by combating Latin names. the
minister said adding that it is Turks who have waged “these strange
games” for the last five centuries.

Daily Iowan , IA
March 7 2005
The land where lemons taste like almonds
Film Review: Vodka Lemon
By David Frank – The Daily Iowan
Published: Monday, March 7, 2005
** out of ****
Vodka Lemon opens on an amusing shot of a sick geezer lying on his
bed as it’s being pulled along a snowy road. This extreme bed
sledding concludes at the village’s cemetery, where the man removes
his dentures and begins playing a squawky wind instrument for a
funeral. Quirkiness and misery butt heads throughout Vodka Lemon as
the film’s characters carve out meager livings in a poverty-stricken
Armenian village that’s but a speck on the barren white landscape.
Hamo (Romen Avinian), a leather-faced widower, spends his days
selling the sentimental belongings of his past for chump-change and
visiting his wife’s tombstone. Even outside the graveyard, he still
talks to his wife’s portrait located on his otherwise bare
living-room wall. Hamo lives a lonely existence with only a few
neighbors, a lowlife son, and an apathetic granddaughter to keep him
company while they all eagerly wait for Hamo’s other son to send
money from Paris.
Nina (Lala Sarkissian), a middle-aged widow and single mother, also
treks to the cemetery on a daily basis. She works at a roadside booze
stand (that looks similar to a Dairy Queen) that specifically sells
Vodka Lemon – the almond-flavored drink of choice for the film’s
characters. Why does it tastes like almonds? Because that’s the
Armenian way, according to Nina. Yet, even with a job, Nina still
finds it difficult to pay bus fare for her daily graveyard venture.
After taking notice of Nina’s inability to shell out cash for bus
rides, Hamo begins to pay her way. Eventually the two characters
begin smiling and glancing at one another like two sheepish kids with
a schoolyard crush; it’s a romance of small gestures.
However, Vodka Lemon meanders into half-baked and separate subplots
involving Hamo’s granddaughter getting hitched and Nina’s pianist
daughter secretly whoring herself out to a fat boar of a man. Not
only do these scenes overstay their welcome with their extraneous
nature and labored construction, they also cut the legs out from
underneath the film with surprising violence.
>>From start to the finish, Vodka Lemon stuffs oddity into its
narrative – such as an unidentified horse rider who gallops in and
out of frame during unexpected moments. And it seems director Hiner
Saleem desires to run two opposing atmospheres throughout the film –
one fluttering with whimsy and the other sunk deep into unyielding
gloom – but he never finds a way in blending them so the quirkiness
isn’t forced and unnatural when placed next to the morose. What we’re
left with is an oil-and-water tone in which neither of the two
elements are compelling.

Today, Azerbaijan
March 5 2005
Araz Azimov: “Illegal Armenian settling facts in Lachin, Kelbejer,
Zangilan, Jebrail and Gubadli” were confirmed

05 March 2005 [16:47] – Today.Az

Deputy Prime Minister Araz Azimov who was on a visit to Prague with
Minister for Foreign Affairs Elmar Mammadyarov has held press
conference on results of the visit today.
A.Azimov stated that, though the visit failed to realize due to
Minister for Foreign Affair of Armenia Vardan Oskanyan’s illness
E.Mammadyarov got in touch with him by telephone. Araz Azimov
considered the meetings held with co-chairman of Minsk group and
members of FactFinding Mission of OSCE on March 2-3 fruitful.
The deputy Minister said of the lecture made by the Mission to be
consisting of 36 pages, though he didn’t inform about the details of
the lecture he said that, illegal settling facts were confirmed in
Lachin, Kelbejer, Zangilan, Jebrail and Gubadli. “The mission
didn’t come across population in other regions however they saw newly
repaired houses, ploughed soils.” A.Azimov told that, it can be
estimated that, Armenians had done some work, given proper
instructions to the population before the Mission arrived the
territory. He generally considered the lecture to be based on
reality.
A.Azimov replied the question “Whether the territory of Lachin region
will be given to Armenia as a corridor” as Azerbaijan side offers to
make use of this road both by Azerbaijan and Armenia, after the peace
treaty achieved, “We offer this road to be used for visits and load
carrying from both the Upper Garabagh to Armenia and from Armenia to
the Upper Garabagh and Azerbaijan to use it for visiting Nakhchivan.”
As to the matter that peaceful forces might be placed in the
border-line of Armed Forces of Armenia and Azerbaijan A.Azimov this
can lead to the freezing of the condition and will have no use,
“Azerbaijan wants the conflict to be solved not to be frozen. Such
forces can be placed only after peace treaty is achieved and the
population returns to their previous settlements.” A.Azimov said of
the delayed meeting between E.Mammedyarov and V.Oskanyan to be
realized next month. /APA/
URL:

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
March 5 2005
ANNUAL MEETING OF UNESCO GOODWILL AMBASSADORS ROUNDED
[March 05, 2005, 16:27:15]
On last day of the Annual Meeting of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors,
March 4, discussed was the question `Education for everybody’. In
debates, the Goodwill Ambassadors expressed concern with illiteracy
among the children, noting majority of children in Africa and Asia
cannot even read and write. The Ambassadors condemned involvement of
children in hard works, underlined growth of offences and crimes
among the juveniles, serious impact of famine on destiny of the
children in some countries. They called on the UNESCO to jointly act
with the media to remove the problem, noting the developed countries
should render humanitarian assistance to the countries facing food
crisis.
Director General of UNESCO Matsuura Koichiro summed up the meeting,
stating that the next gathering would be held in March 2006. He also
updated on preparatory activities related to 60TH anniversary of
UNESCO, and wished success to the Goodwill Ambassadors.
***
After the meeting, Azerbaijani masters of art gave a concert in
Paris. UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Mehriban Aliyeva greeted the
visitors and spoke of the useful work of her colleagues. Noting that
a special program on Azerbaijani mugham is under realization, Ms.
Aliyeva said inclusion of mugham to the cultural heritage has been
estimated as an important event for the country.
Taking the floor, the renowned musician Mstislav Rostropovich said he
felt proud of his Baku origin. The Maestro spoke of rich musical
history of Azerbaijan and informed the audience on mugham.
The People’s Artist of Azerbaijan Firangiz Alizade, who currently
lives in Germany, has performed mugham pieces in piano.
After the concert, Mr. Matsuura Koichiro has presented to Ms.
Mehriban Aliyeva the medal of the Organization and his newly
published book.
In answer to the question of Azerbaijani journalists on the activity
of Mehriban Khanum as a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, Mr. Koichiro
noted her activity in protection and preservation of mugham, taking
care for the ill, deprived children. The UNESCO Director General said
he has invited Ms. Aliyeva to the international exhibition in the
frame of UNESCO to be held in June in the city of Nogaya, Japan. A
mugham group will take part at the event, he said.
To the question `Whether UNESCO will undertake any measure towards
the Armenians’ `archeological excavations’ in the occupied
Azerbaijani city Shusha?’ the Director General of UNESCO said the
Organization supervised by him is not a political structure and
cannot impose any sanctions. At the same time, he condemned
destruction of the historical monuments.
After the meeting, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, president of Heydar
Aliyev Foundation and the Fund of the Friends to Azerbaijan Culture
Mehriban Aliyeva answered to questions of media representatives.
Q. Mehriban Khanum, this was Your first participation in the annual
meeting of the UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors. How can You regard your
joint work with the colleagues?
A. I consider, the meeting passed at high level. Along with common
meetings in the frame of the Annual Meeting, I had also private
meetings. I met with Mr. Director General, who accepted my invitation
to visit Baku. I have invited all Goodwill Ambassadors to Baku. Such
meetings will be useful from the point of view of close
familiarization by the Ambassadors with the realities of Azerbaijan.
I also informed on our programs, held numerous negotiations. I think
it was useful.
Q. Election of the Azerbaijan citizen for the first time as UNESCO
Goodwill Ambassador is an important event. This is high trust in
Azerbaijan by UNESCO, an authoritative global organization. What are
Your plans for development and strengthening cooperation with the
structure in the years coming?
A. In my statement, I noted the close relations between Azerbaijan
and UNESCO. We have several good projects to be jointly implemented.
For example, presentation of the project on mugham was in Baku. We
have also some projects to be coordinated with UNESCO. The relations
develop in good side. Such links are necessary and important for
Azerbaijan.
Q. Is it possible to discuss with UNESCO the question of destruction
of the cultural monuments in the occupied Azerbaijan territories?
A. You know, UNESCO is non-political organization. However, this
painful issue needs to be focused. In have informed on the matter in
the meetings with both Director General and my colleagues, who had no
presentation on presence of one million refugees and IDPs in
Azerbaijan. Inviting the Goodwill Ambassadors to Baku I plan to take
them to the refugee camps and familiarize them with plight of our
country fellows.
As you know, today’s meeting was devoted to the problem `Education
for Everybody’. Informing my colleagues on education conditions of
our children, they were surprised. They promised me to visit
Azerbaijan and in particular, the refugee camps to be eyewitnesses of
their plight.
I all the meetings I spoke of the destroyed monuments of Azerbaijan.
Of course, we have a lot to do and I have some ideas related to the
problem.

ArmenPress
March 3 2005
MODERNIZATION OF ARMENIAN FOIL PLANT AHEAD OF SCHEDULE
YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS: Georgy Avetikian, the chief manager
of RusAl-ArmenAl foil mill facility, told Armenpress the
modernization of the biggest manufacturer of a wide range of aluminum
foil in the region, started in October 2004 is continuing ahead of
schedule. He said the modernization is aimed both at improving the
quality of its foil products and boosting the plant’s profitability
-in helping the mill to become one of the world leading foil
producers.
German engineering firm Achenbach was selected to execute the
program, scheduled for completion in 18 months at an investment cost
of US $70 million, of which $20 million are the share of RusAl, which
owns 100 percent shares of the mill.
The modernization program, which will also provide for a major
upgrade in foil rolling equipment and also the establishment of a
full production cycle, will lift the plant capacity by 25,000 tons of
foil per year, including 18,000 tons of highly profitable thin foil
in 6-9 micron gauge-increasing ArmenAl’s profitability by 150%. On
completion of the project, RusAl-ArmenAl’s market share of thin foil
production will reach 2.5% by 2008.
Avetikian said some 30-35 percent of $70 million (around $20) will
be paid as wages to Armenian workers and specialists and part of that
money will be used to buy some equipment in Armenia.
The modernization program, apart from a full-scale upgrade in
rolling equipment, includes the installation of new casting machines
and direct rolling mill, as well as an upgrade of hot rolling mills,
to create a full cycle of production. As part of the modernization
program the main foil rolling equipment will be refitted with control
and automatic management systems. High- and low-pressure ancillary
system hydraulics will also be upgraded.
Elaboration of the program will raise the quality and
profitability of RusAl-ArmenAl products and enable the manufacturing
of new product ranges, as well as securing a continuous supply of raw
materials by switching from coil to foil ingot, and set up a
recycling loop for foil scrap.

Armenian Assembly of America
122 C Street, NW, Suite 350
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:
PRESS RELEASE
March 2, 2005
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
Email: [email protected]
ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY RALLIES CONGRESSIONAL, COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR
“ARMENIAN GENOCIDE” DECLARATION BY AMB. EVANS
Rep. Pallone Tells Congress Remarks Are In Keeping With Previous
Statements by U.S. Officials
Washington, DC – The Assembly acted today to galvanize congressional
and Armenian-American support for U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John
Evans’ self-evident declaration that “the Armenian Genocide was the
first genocide of the twentieth century.” The Ambassador made the
statement repeatedly during public forums with Armenian-American
community groups throughout the U.S. last week.
Assembly leaders launched a comprehensive campaign that hinges on the
support of the community and others of goodwill to join Ambassador
Evans in properly characterizing the attempted annihilation of the
Armenian people under cover of WW I as genocide. In its ongoing
effort to bury the facts of history, Turkey will rely on its friends
in the Bush Administration, Congress, the media and think tanks to
disrupt ongoing and growing U.S. reaffirmation of the truth.
As part of that campaign, the Assembly sent an urgent memorandum to
Senate foreign affairs staff for their members to support the Evans’
declaration and to all Armenia Caucus members in the House to
encourage their members to follow the lead of Congressional Caucus on
Armenian Issues Co-Chairs Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and Frank Pallone,
Jr. (D-NJ).
Pallone is the first U.S. official to publicly address Evans’ comments
and add his name to all those who have accurately described the facts.
In a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives last night,
he said: “Ambassador Evans’ statements did not contradict U.S. policy,
but rather articulated the same message that the Bush Administration
has sent to the public, the only difference in this case is that
Ambassador Evans simply assigned the word to the definition that was
already provided by President Bush as well as members of his
administration.” [The full text of Pallone’s comments are attached
below.]
Additionally, the Assembly this week began mobilizing its nationwide
network of grassroots activists, asking them to promptly contact
President Bush and Members of Congress to support the historical
truth.
“The Assembly commends Ambassador Evans for accurately labeling the
attempted annihilation of the Armenians as Genocide and urges the
President to follow his example and properly characterize the
atrocities in his remembrance statement next month,” said Assembly
Board of Trustees Chairman Hirair Hovnanian. “In fact, the Ambassador
has provided everyone in our community who has worked long and hard on
this matter a remarkable opportunity to see that the truth is told
during the community’s yearlong commemorative activities of the 90th
anniversary of the Genocide.”
Hovnanian also said that by employing the term Armenian Genocide, the
Ambassador is building on previously made statements by Presidents
Reagan and Bush, as well as the repeated declarations of numerous
world-renowned scholars. In effect, Evans has done nothing more than
succinctly name the conclusions enunciated by those before him.
In 1981, for example, Ronald Reagan issued a presidential proclamation
that said in part: “like the genocide of the Armenians before it, and
the genocide of the Cambodians which followed it – and like too many
other persecutions of too many other people – the lessons of the
Holocaust must never be forgotten…” President Bush himself has also
carefully set forth the textbook definition of the crime of genocide
as it applies to Armenians in his successive April 24th statements of
remembrance.
Furthermore, Evans’ characterization conforms to the publicly stated
declarations of over 120 renowned Holocaust and Genocide scholars who
signed a statement in 2000 affirming that the Armenian Genocide is an
incontestable historical fact and so urge the governments of Western
democracies to likewise recognize it as such. The petitioners, among
whom is Nobel Laureate for Peace Elie Wiesel, also asked the Western
democracies to urge the Government and Parliament of Turkey to finally
come to terms with a dark chapter of Ottoman-Turkish history and to
recognize the Armenian Genocide.
Evans’ characterization also conforms to the summary conclusions of
the International Center for Transitional Justice on the use of the
term Armenian Genocide, which states that: “The Events, viewed
collectively, can thus be said to include all of the elements of the
crime of genocide as defined in the Convention, and legal scholars as
well as historians, politicians, journalists and other people would be
justified in continuing to so describe them.”
“Clearly there is sufficient context and validation for Evans’ use of
the term, which in our opinion is part of a natural progression
building on the U.S. record towards an inevitable, full and
irrevocable U.S. reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide,” continued
Hovnanian. “That said, it is now up to us to come together as a
community and reach out to Armenia’s friends on the Hill, as well as
those in the public policy sector, to encourage further affirmations
of the historical truth.”
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#2005-018
Editor’s Note: Below is the full text of the comments delivered by
Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) on the floor of the House of
Representatives on March 1, 2005.
STOP DENIAL OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BY TURKEY
(House of Representatives – March 01, 2005)
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. PALLONE: Mr. Speaker, Ambassador Evans, the U.S. Ambassador to
Armenia, recently when meeting with Armenian Americans during visits
in several U.S. cities referenced the Armenian genocide. In a series
of public statements, Ambassador Evans who has studied Russian history
at Yale and Columbia and Ottoman history at the Kennan Institute
stated, “I will today call it the Armenian Genocide.”
Mr. Speaker, Ambassador Evans’ statements did not contradict
U.S. policy, but rather articulated the same message that the Bush
administration has sent to the public, the only difference in this
case is that Ambassador Evans simply assigned the word to the
definition that was already provided by President Bush as well as
members of his administration.
Breaking with a pattern on the part of the State Department of using
alternative and evasive terminology for the Armenian genocide,
Ambassador Evans pointed out that “no American official has ever
denied it.”
Now, Ambassador Evans was merely recounting the historical record
which has been attested to by over 120 Holocaust and genocide scholars
from around the world. In so doing, he was merely giving a name, the
accurate description of genocide, to this very administration’s
statements on the issue.
President Bush on April 24 of each of the last four years when
commemorating the Armenian genocide used the textbook definition of
genocide with words and phrases such as “annihilation” and “forced
exile and murder.” Before him, President Reagan used the word
“genocide” in 1981 when describing the annihilation of over 1.5
million Armenians.
In the day of the genocide, our U.S. ambassador, then Henry
Morgenthau, had the courage to speak out against the atrocities which
he stated were a planned and systematic effort to annihilate an entire
race.
In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I just want to add my name and my voice to
all those who, like Ambassador Evans, know the truth and speak it
plainly when discussing the Armenian genocide.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress